Theses/Dissertations - Psychology and Neuroscience
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2104/4795
Browse
Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Psychology and Neuroscience by Author "Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-"
Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Adherence to gender roles as a predictor of compassion and self-compassion in women and men.(2012-11-29) Tatum, Kelsie J.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.Previous research has demonstrated consistent differences between men and women in self-reported compassion, but has yielded inconsistent results regarding sex differences in reported capacities for self-compassion. The current project sought to address these equivocal results by examining the relationships among compassion, self-compassion, and identification with traditional gender roles. Participants (N = 444) were recruited from a university subject pool and an online survey administration program and were administered the Compassionate Love scale (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005), the Compassion Scale (Pommier, 2010), the Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003a), and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (Spence, Helmreich, & Stapp, 1974). Overall, results indicated that gender, as opposed to sex differences, accounted for a greater proportion of variance in participants’ reported levels of self-compassion. However, inconsistent with initial hypotheses, data suggested that women’s and men’s adherence to traditional gender roles was associated with higher, rather than lower, self-compassion scores. The implications of these results and directions of future study are discussed.Item Caregiver attachment representations and caregiver-child interactions in adoptive and foster dyads.(2013-09-24) McGowan, Faith Perez.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between child-specific caregiver attachment representations as measured by the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI) and the quality of caregiver-child interactions using the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) in a sample of adopted and foster children (aged 2 ½-9) and their caregivers. Attachment theory suggests that caregiver representations are the driving force for caregiver-child interactions and attachment security in both biologically related and adoptive caregiver-child dyads. Caregiver attachment representations (Balanced, Disengaged, and Distorted) as measured by the WMCI were hypothesized to correspond with the quality of parent-child interaction ratings on the MIM, coded using the Marschak Interaction Method Behavioral Rating System (MIMBRS). One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and post-hoc analyses were completed to distinguish differences in scores between WMCI classifications and three MIMBRS scales (Parent Behavior, Child Behavior, Overall Summary), as well as three MIMBRS subscales (Dyad Social Involvement, Child Task Focus, and Child Facial Expression/Affect). Caregivers classified as Balanced displayed higher quality parent attachment behaviors than caregivers classified as Disengaged; however, parent behavior ratings did not differ between Balanced and Distorted caregivers. Overall attachment behaviors (summing Parent Behavior, Child Behavior, and Dyad Behavior), child attachment behaviors (including task-oriented and affect-oriented behaviors), and dyadic behaviors (social involvement) were not significantly related to caregiver representations. Using exploratory analyses, caregiver-child dyads displayed more optimal dyadic interaction behaviors when the caregiver was classified as Balanced in comparison to dyads where the caregiver was classified as Nonbalanced (Detached or Distorted). Additionally, adoptive dyads scored significantly higher than foster dyads on the Parent Behavior, Dyad Behavior, and overall attachment behavior ratings. This study underscores the relationship between caregiver representations and caregiving behavior for adoptive and foster caregiver-child dyads, with variability in attachment between adoptive and foster dyads.Item Correspondence between caregiver relationship-specific attachment representations and child attachment representations in adoptive dyads.(2010-10-08T16:16:29Z) Dean, Grace E. (Grace Elizabeth); Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.This study investigated the relationship between child-specific caregiver attachment representations as measured by the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI) and child attachment representations as measured by the Story Stem Attachment Profile (SSAP), using a sample of adopted and foster children in Central Texas. Participants ranged in age from three to nine years and were referred to the study by community mental health providers, private adoption agencies, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The attachment literature suggests that attachment security can be transmitted from one generation to the next in both biologically related and adopted dyads. Thus, it was hypothesized that child attachment representations as measured by the SSAP would correspond to caregiver attachment representations using the WMCI. Analyses were conducted using both the broad SSAP attachment classifications of Secure, Insecure, Disorganized, and Defensive Avoidant, as well as individual story themes subsumed under these categories. While the study did not find evidence to support correspondence between SSAP classification and WMCI classification, exploratory analyses using logistic regression obtained significant results on a thematic level. Children who were able to acknowledge adult distress in their stories were more likely to have a caregiver who was classified as having a secure attachment on the WMCI, whereas children who disengaged from the story-telling task and/or incorporated bizarre or atypical material in their stories were more likely to have caregivers who were classified as insecurely attached on the WMCI. Furthermore, children who were referred to the study by the Texas DFPS were less likely to have a caregiver who was classified as securely attached to them as compared to children referred from other sources. Younger age and increased length of time in current placement were associated with greater likelihood of having a clinically significant low Security score on the SSAP. Given the sample size limitations of the current study, further research will need to be conducted in order to replicate the results of the exploratory analyses and further characterize the relationship between child attachment representations, caregiver child-specific attachment representations, and relevant demographic factors.Item Emotional and behavioral sequelae of child sexual abuse and the comparison of treatment outcomes with caregiver intervention or animal-assisted therapy.(2016-12-05) Luley, Karen N., 1975-; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Limbers, Christine A.The purpose of the present study was to evaluate two adjunctive therapies (caregiver groups and animal-assisted therapy) available at the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) for child victims of sexual abuse and their families. The hypothesis was that either of these adjunctive therapies would provide additional benefit in reducing the child’s presenting symptoms above and beyond child therapy alone. This retrospective study evaluated the children’s presenting problems and their treatment outcomes by analyzing Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) data that had been collected at baseline and post-treatment. Overall, the results suggested that children who completed therapy at DCAC experienced significant decreases in all symptom subscales of the CBCL from baseline to post-treatment. Results demonstrated significantly greater improvement in somatization symptoms of child victims when their caregivers participated in a caregiver intervention when compared to children whose caregivers did not participate in any such intervention. The results also revealed no significant difference in symptom subscale scores between the children who participated in animal-assisted therapy with a therapy dog and those who participated in therapy as usual. The data suggest that animal-assisted therapy provided in an individual setting may have been more beneficial in reducing attention problems than animal-assisted therapy in a group setting. Small sample sizes for the treatment groups limited the statistical power to detect other differences that could have been significant. Further studies will need to be conducted to confirm the benefits provided by these adjunctive therapies for child victims and their caregivers.Item Levels of attachment security between foster and adoptive dyads using the MIMBRS observational method.(2013-05-15) Bickell, Jennifer A.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.The quality of the attachment relationship between foster and adopted caregiver-child dyads influences the overall quality of placement in the home. Attachment status also contributes to a host of positive and negative outcomes for a foster or adopted child. In this study, I investigated the impact of permanence on levels of overall attachment security between foster and adoptive parents as measured by the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM). Attachment behaviors were coded using the Marschak Interaction Method Behavioral Rating System (MIMBRS) (McKay, Pickens, and Stewart, 1996). Quality of interaction scores, as well as parent attachment behaviors, child attachment behaviors, and overall attachment behaviors using the MIMBRS, were compared between foster and adoptive caregivers. As hypothesized, adopted parents displayed significantly higher levels of parent attachment behaviors compared to foster parents. However, overall attachment behaviors (obtained by summing parent behaviors, child behaviors, and dyad behaviors) and child behaviors were not significantly different in foster and adopted dyads, suggesting that other mediating factors, such as maternal sensitivity or parental stress may impact attachment security in ways that permanence alone does not. However, there were notable trends in the direction of overall higher levels of attachment behaviors in adoptive dyads. Additionally, foster/adoptive fathers scored lower on attachment related behaviors than foster/adoptive mothers. Surprisingly, overall attachment security did not correlate with length of stay at placement or age at placement. These results suggest attachment benefits for adoptive families and raise questions regarding the process of attachment in non-biological fathers.Item Play therapy behaviors and themes in physically abused, sexually abused, and nonabused children.(2010-02-02T19:56:58Z) McClintock, Camden.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.The current study examined the effect of abuse history and gender on the frequency of 5 play themes constellations (control themes, negative affect, sexual play, hypervigilance, and aggression) exhibited in play therapy. The study included 63 children ranging in age from 3 to 5 years. Crosstabs and Chi-Squares were used to analyze demographic characteristics. The researcher conducted ANOVAs, Tukey multiple comparisons, and tests of simple effects to identify significant main or simple effects for each constellation. Correlational analyses were conducted on themes and constellations to determine the validity of the constellations. The results indicated no significant main or simple effects for control themes, sexual play, or hypervigilance. For the negative affect constellation, the physically abused sample showed significantly more frequent themes of negative affect than the nonabused sample. For the aggression constellation, a medium effect was found for gender, with boys playing out significantly more frequent aggression themes than girls. Analyses of the hypervigilance constellation revealed that physically and sexually abused children played out more frequent themes of hypervigilance than nonclinical children.Item Stress and self-compassion in parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.(2013-09-24) Lee, Crystal I.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.This past decade, the prevalence of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased from 0.6%-0.7% to 0.9%, meaning more families are experiencing the stress of having a child with an ASD. Researchers found that levels of parenting stress are consistently considerably higher in parents of children with an ASD compared to parents of healthy children and parents of children with other disabilities or health problems. This stress has several negative effects, such as poor parenting behavior. Given that research has shown that parents’ beliefs about themselves affect how they experience stress as well as their overall psychological well-being, addressing how parents relate to themselves may be beneficial. This study explored the relationship between stress and self-compassion in parents of children with ASDs as a first step to finding a potential intervention for parental stress. It was found that levels of stress were higher in parents of children with diabetes and parents of neurotypical children without a chronic illness than in parents of children with ASDS. Levels of self-compassion in parents of children with ASDs were lower than in parents of children with diabetes but comparable to levels of self-compassion in parents of neurotypical children without a chronic illness. Differences in stress and self-compassion were found to have a small to medium effect size. A small, positive relationship was found between stress and self-compassion. Additionally, guilt was not found to be a mediator of the relationship between stress and self-compassion.Item Testing a mediation model of parental bonds, attachment anxiety, media internalization, and body dissatisfaction in a female adolescent and young adult sample.(2012-11-29) Patton, Sarah C.; Benedict, Helen Elizabeth, 1946-; Psychology and Neuroscience.; Baylor University. Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience.Body image dissatisfaction emerges disturbingly early in females, as young as age 5 for some girls. During adolescence, body dissatisfaction predicts numerous adverse outcomes, including depression, suicide attempts, and disordered eating. Lamentably, the developmental trajectory of body image dissatisfaction is unclear; the literature needs an integrative etiological model to explain how developmental risk factors interface with sociocultural pressures. I investigated the role of parent-child bonds, friendship and romantic attachment anxiety, and media internalization in promoting body dissatisfaction. I recruited females ages 12-24 from a mid-sized religious university, a small religious school grades 5-12, and four religious youth groups in a southern city to complete self-report measures. The participant sample was ethnically diverse, with approximately 40% endorsing non-White ethnic status. Results showed that mother care and father care were negatively linked to friendship attachment anxiety. Father care was negatively linked to romantic attachment anxiety. Friendship and romantic attachment anxiety were positively linked to media internalization. Media internalization was positively linked to body image dissatisfaction. Mother care and father care were negatively, indirectly linked to body image dissatisfaction through the mediators of attachment anxiety and media internalization. Mother care made a significant, albeit small contribution to body image dissatisfaction after controlling for other variables. I interpreted the results within the framework of Cheng and Mallinckrodt (2009), who proposed that poor quality parental bonds, via the mechanisms of heightening romantic attachment anxiety and media internalization, increase body dissatisfaction. Furthermore, a modified model in which friendship attachment anxiety replaced romantic attachment anxiety provided an even better theoretical fit. My findings may help bridge a critical gap in the literature between developmental and sociocultural conceptualizations of body dissatisfaction. Additionally, my findings suggest that attachment-focused therapies may prevent and reduce media internalization and body image problems among female youth.