Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Psychology

Objective: The present study aimed to explore the relationships between Erik Erikson's adult stages of psychosocial development (intimacy/isolation, generativity/stagnation, ego integrity/despair) and suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that more severe suicidal ideation would be significantly associated with poorer resolution of each of the three adult stages. It was also hypothesized that age would moderate the relationships between suicidal ideation and psychosocial development. Methods: Seventy-five Veterans (26-88 years old, Mage = 54.44 years) completed a diagnostic interview and met the inclusion criteria of a current depressive disorder. Self-report measures were administered to assess severity of suicidal thinking and degree of healthy psychosocial development. Results: More severe suicidal ideation was significantly associated with poorer psychosocial development across all three adult stages. Though age did not moderate this relationship for intimacy/isolation or generativity/stagnation, there was a small conditional effect of age on the relationship between integrity/despair and suicidal ideation. The strength of the integrity-ideation relationship was greatest for the youngest participants, tapering off after age 68. Conclusions: The significant associations between suicidal ideation and the adult psychosocial stages suggest that the developmental issues identified by Erikson are indeed important areas of mental health. Helping clients confront issues related to intimacy/isolation and generativity/stagnation may help reduce suicide risk across adulthood. Moreover, it may be useful to help clients resolve issues pertaining to dissatisfaction with life prior to entering older adulthood. Implications: The psychosocial issues identified by Erikson may help guide clinicians who work with suicidal clients. Results support current suicide prevention efforts to reduce loneliness and increase social supports. Findings also suggest that developing (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Overholser (Committee Chair); Norah Feeny (Committee Member); Josephine Ridley (Committee Member); Eva Kahana (Committee Member); Arin Connell (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Mental Health; Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Cross-Cultural, International Education

Nigerian women experience different shades of ill-treatment because of what Ogbu (1981) calls cultural tasks in human competence. This is because Nigerian society is male-centered. The sociocultural challenges experienced by these women were mostly from their childhood upbringing where there is a male-child preference, gender disparity in domestic chores, the gendered purpose of education, and career choice. With educational aspiration toward higher education, most Nigerian female participants in my study overcame the cultural beliefs that subsumed them under male dominance. Most of these women have also achieved their identity and have worked toward self-actualization because of their educational attainment. This study, therefore, explores the various sociocultural challenges Nigerian women face and how higher education has helped them to build their identity. Ogbu's cultural-ecological perspective and Erikson's psychosocial development serve as the theoretical framework for this study. Based on the interview conducted with 19 female Nigerians who shared their lived experiences, the study revealed that each child grew in a complex interconnected ecosystem with culture constantly evolving in the thoughts and actions of an individual (Greene, 1994). The importance of the environment explained the various biased treatment female Nigerians encounter because most participants referred to their environment as the key factor that shaped them. Five major themes and sub-themes were identified. The first theme explored how upbringing and home environment affected the participants. The second theme entailed the importance of higher education in empowering females. The third theme exposed the various challenges Nigerian females encountered and how they overcame those challenges for their career inspiration. The fourth theme reflected identity development through education and the the last theme was concerned with the overarching themes of culture and gender stigma in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Hyeyoung Bang PhD (Advisor); Margaret Booth PhD (Committee Member); Christopher Frey PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Bachelor of Arts, Capital University, 2021, Psychology

The purpose of this research was to examine how young adults aged 18-24 at Capital University, a small Midwestern liberal arts institution, post items on Instagram with specific focus on the level of accuracy of their self-representations. Social media has changed the way that people communicate with each other, including changing the self perceptions they project about their lives. Participants completed surveys that assessed the level of self-reported isolation; further, they reported how they view themselves through social media. Guided by both sociological and psychological theoretical frameworks, including Charles Horton Cooley's theory of the 'Looking Glass Self' and Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Human Development, the results support the need to test theories that have long influenced our understanding of the importance identity development and self-perceptions have within an ecological framework. Specifically, how can we use these theories to understand present day social media? Such studies can glean information about the role of social media young adult development, specifically within relationships.

Committee: Pam Ellwanger-Schmidt (Advisor); Stephanie Wilson (Advisor) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Psychology; Social Psychology; Social Work

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2019, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

To date, disability identity development is a highly understudied construct. There are many models of disability, each interpret disability through a specific lens, but do not address the influence of disability on identity development. The few theories of disability identity that do exist have not been widely adopted. In addition, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support them. Another difficulty is that these theories do not separate different disability groups. Rather, the theories are applied to a broad heterogenous group of disability types. This is a problem because each disability type is quite distinct from the others and therefore each disability requires its own developmental model. On the surface, alternate models of identity development, such as racial identity development, seem similar to what might be expected in the process of disability development, however, as of 2019, no such studies have been conducted or published. It is the purpose of this project to uncover themes of disability identity development as they pertain to people with spina bifida in order to build a framework for understanding the process of identity development in this population. A descriptive phenomenological methodology was used to conduct a thematic analysis of existing literature. A total of 79 articles were reviewed in detail, and common themes and connections were noted. Nine themes of identity development for people with spina bifida emerged. The themes include: (a) employment, (b) family, (c) physical health, (d) psychological and mental health (e) view of disability, (f) sexuality, (g) impact of others, (h) psychosocial, and (i) transition. Each theme was deemed an essential element in understanding the process of identity development for those with spina bifida. This study was limited by the scope of literature reviewed as well as a lack of first-hand accounts of the identity process. This work is intended to be preliminary and to provide direction for further res (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dana Waters Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Boland Ph.D. (Committee Member); Brett Kuwada Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Health; Health Care; Individual and Family Studies; Mental Health; Personality Psychology; Physical Therapy; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Public Health; Rehabilitation; School Counseling; Social Psychology; Social Work; Sociology; Special Education; Therapy; Vocational Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2015, Communication

Psychosocial development is the development of the personality and finding a sense of self within a larger social environment. Researchers have found that adolescents and young adults use mass media in their psychosocial development to assist them in identity formation. Less attention has been given to what role relationships with media figures, or parasocial relationships, have on psychosocial development. This study examines what effect psychosocial development has on the sex of the media figures people report having a stronger relationship with and asks if relationship status moderates this relationship. It also examines whether identification with media figures and the overall strength of parasocial relationships changes throughout development. A survey was conducted with 233 college students where they listed both the male and female television character with which had the strongest relationship. Participants competed character involvement scales, and complete inventory examining psychosocial development. Psychosocial development was unaffected by the sex of the character with which the participants reported a stronger relationship or by overall strength of parasocial relationships. Identification with character was found to decrease as people began to form their own identities. Explanations for these results are posited in the discussion section.

Committee: Amy Nathanson (Advisor); David Ewoldsen (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Bachelor of Science of Communication Studies (BSC), Ohio University, 2014, Communication Studies

Mentoring has always been defined as a relationship consisting of only two attributes: psychosocial support and instrumental support. This study attempted to develop and refine the old definition of mentoring by adding three more attributes: development, hierarchy, and mutuality. Three hypotheses stated that mentoring relationships will differ according to the presence or absence of each of the new attributes (hierarchy, development, and mutuality). One research question asked how each of the five attributes affected the mentee's valuation of the mentoring relationship. A second research question asked how mentees described their mentoring relationships with respect to each of the five attributes. The sample population were students involved with Cru, a Christian organization for college students. Mixed-methods research collected qualitative with semi-structured interviews and quantitative data with an online survey. The psychosocial and developmental attributes accounted for 55% of the variance in evaluations of mentoring relationships, demonstrating how a personal relationship with the mentee is fundamental for successful mentoring. In the interviews, mentees described all five attributes and their effect upon the relationship. The five attributes are interconnected and interdependent; each attribute affects other attributes and the entire relationship. Concluded that the old definition of mentoring is insufficient; more research should be conducted about the three new attributes for further evidence of their necessity.

Committee: Anita James Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Bible; Biblical Studies; Communication; Counseling Psychology; Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Theory; Higher Education; Occupational Psychology; Pastoral Counseling; Personal Relationships; Personality Psychology; Psychological Tests; Psychotherapy; Religion; Religious Congregations; Religious Education; School Counseling; Social Psychology; Social Research; Spirituality; Teaching

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2004, Psychology

This study investigated the course of psychosocial development for women in late life. The Measures of Psychosocial Development, an empirical measure of Erikson's theory, was used in a 10-year longitudinal study to explore the developmental challenges and strengths of older Caucasian women. Two separate cohorts of women (half in their 70s and half in their 90s) were included. Results indicate that as these two cohorts of women have aged, they have experienced a decrease in overall positive resolution of the eight Eriksonian stages, with significant changes in initiative and generativity across the 10-year period. These findings are considered in light of age group differences for this sample 10 years prior. The impact of widowhood is discussed. Results suggest the salient psychosocial issues for women in late life.

Committee: Suzanne Norman Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Christine Anderson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Tracy Weeks Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Gerontology; Womens Studies