MA, Kent State University, 2020, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Since the late 1990's, the U.S. has been struggling with an epidemic linked to the use of opiate drugs and their synthetic counterparts. While many have died in this epidemic, many also recover. In this qualitative study, I aim to gain a better understanding of how people with opiate addiction seek out, navigate and sustain recovery. Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals in recovery from opiate addiction. Analysis of data suggests that individuals with opiate addiction utilize a wide range of resources to access treatment and engage in recovery. In this paper, I discuss four major themes and four subthemes. Specifically, individuals who suffer from addiction mobilize various forms of recovery capital, including social, economic and cultural capital (e.g. Cloud and Granfield 2008). I also find that in this sample of middle-aged, White individuals in recovery, themes and experiences such as existential pain, hope, and engagement with the criminal justice system figure prominently in narratives about recovery.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Arts and Sciences : Psychology

The current study addresses community mental health care providers' knowledge, attitudes, and competencies regarding recovery from mental illness. A total of 119 participants completed a three-part survey that assessed recovery constructs and provider variables. Descriptive statistics indicated that providers held favorable attitudes toward recovery, were moderately competent in implementing recovery principles, and had a general knowledge of recovery. Correlation analyses indicated that there was no significant relationship between provider attitudes toward recovery and competency in implementing recovery principles. A multiple regression analysis failed to reveal a significant relationship between recovery attitudes and provider variables; however, there was a significant relationship between provider variables and competency in implementing recovery. Specifically, providers with case management/active duties (e.g., assisting clients in finding housing) reported being significantly more competent in assisting consumers obtain their goals than providers whose primary duties included more traditional treatment (e.g., psychotherapy) or educational duties (e.g., teaching medication skills). Additionally, providers with case management/active duties reported being significantly more competent in assisting families in the coping process than providers whose primary duties included more traditional treatment or educational duties. Also, as providers' education levels increased, they reported being less competent in involving and assisting families in the recovery process. With replication, the findings may be used to guide provider training programs that promote the recovery process. Future research is needed to explore mental health provider variables and recovery constructs in both community and inpatient treatment settings.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Public Health

Peer recovery support services are being prioritized in the United States to combat the rising drug overdose death rate. Peer support services have shown their effectiveness in improving substance use disorder outcomes like increasing linkage to medication for opioid use disorder and decreasing the number of reported overdose events. Peer recovery supporters (PRS), those delivering these services, are individuals who have lived experience in mental illness and/or substance use. PRS are certified by their state of practice, work in a variety of settings (e.g. emergency departments, correctional facilities, recovery community organization), and receive regular supervision. Though the evidence for peer-based services for substance use disorders is established, there is little published research on the experience of delivering these services. This study explores the recovery experience of Ohio PRS and the impact of delivering peer services on personal recovery. Because more research that recruits PRS is needed, the study first describes recruitment practices in both the pilot and main study. Challenges accompanying the recruitment and subsequent improvements are detailed, as well as considerations for future research involving PRS participants. Next, the methods and results of a survey that used PRS work category (working in peer service delivery, working in another position, and not working at all) to predict recovery related outcomes (burnout, burnout, self-stigma, and recovery capital) are presented and discussed. The multiple linear regression models found that PRS working in a peer service delivery position was significantly associated with higher hopefulness scores compared to PRS not working at all. Univariate results also demonstrated differences by race in multiple outcomes with racial minority PRS showing associations with improved burnout and self-stigma scores compared to white PRS. The results were integrated into the qualitative portion of the study (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2009, Psychology

Mental health recovery has gained increasing attention as it relates to the conceptualization and treatment of those individuals experiencing severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, major depression, and manic-depressive illness. Despite "recovery" serving as a guiding vision for the implementation and practice of mental health service delivery (Anthony, 1993), the concept itself continues to evolve. As part of this evolution, consumers have played an increasing role in the delivery of such services, whether through consumer-operated agencies or through partnerships with traditional, professionally trained mental health providers. The present study sought out to qualitatively assess recovery using a phenomenologically-guided Grounded Theory Analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990), specifically within the context of the Wellness Management and Recovery (WMR) program. The WMR program is a 10 session, recovery-focused / consumer-oriented treatment delivered in a group format. WMR is currently being disseminated across the state of Ohio in both traditional mental health centers and consumer-operated agencies. The model that emerged from the qualitative data, based on a sample N=7 consumers of mental health services, consisted of 3 primary themes characterizing the components of recovery: Growth, Group Content & Process, and Overcoming Prejudice & Stigma. Furthermore, the inter-relationships between themes and the sub-categories contained within provided a model of the process of recovery or how it took place for consumers. Of particular importance for many consumers were the aspects of group atmosphere, a sense of belonging, equality, and having fun. Of secondary importance in the present study was the assessment of group change (N=291) from Pre- to Post-Treatment in the areas of mental health recovery, empowerment, quality of life, and symptoms distress. Results are indicative of significant group change across time, with small to medium effect (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2008, Psychology

To many consumers, recovery is much more than just a return to a normal state of functioning or symptom remission: it is a journey (Deegan, 1995). Social support has been found to play an important role in this recovery journey (Frese & Davis, 1997) for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). However, individuals with SMI have been found to have social networks that are one-half the size of those of the general population (Corrigan & Phelan, 2004; Wilson, Flanagan, & Rynders, 1999). Many individuals with SMI have a dual diagnosis for co-occurring substance use disorders (MacDonald et al., 2004), and the recovery process is not unique to the field of mental health (e.g., other health arenas such as cancer and substance abuse also address recovery processes). Today, in the age of the consumer-survivor movement, where the client is an active and informed participant in their treatment and recovery (Gonzalez, 1976; Wilson et al., 1999), there is much debate about the definition of recovery. This study represents an integration of the current recovery and social support literature with an evaluation of the Wellness Management and Recovery (WMR) program. The WMR program is an ongoing, multi-site project which is designed to promote mental health recovery among individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illness in the community. The current research was an adjunct to WMR and examined how this recovery program affects the quality and quantity of the social support of the participants. The present study was designed to evaluate whether a recovery-oriented program helped individuals with SMI to gain not only in number of social supports (quantitatively), but also whether these supports were perceived to be meeting their needs (qualitatively). Results found that participants successfully completing the WMR program showed a significant increase in both quantity and quality of their social support networks. Exploratory analyses of follow-up data, as well as (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Animal Sciences

The urgent shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources highlights the critical need for innovative and sustainable biofuel production technologies. However, a significant hurdle in biofuel production especially butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, and octanol is the toxicity of these compounds to microorganisms. Extensive process engineering efforts, including vacuum-assisted gas stripping (VAGS), have been made towards in-situ recovery of butanol to alleviate the problem of product toxicity to producing microorganisms. Despite the success of VAGS in butanol recovery, it is still riddled with the problem of excessive water removal from the bioreactor during product recovery. The ongoing use of superhydrophobic separation materials for oil recovery in oil spillage situations indicated that there could be a way to improve water/butanol separation during in-situ recovery. Thus, this study explored the use of superhydrophobic separation materials within a VAGS system for engendering significant water retention within a bioreactor and enhancing efficient recovery of biofuels, specifically butanol and high molecular weight alcohols (C4 – C8), from fermentation broths. Central to this investigation is the development of superhydrophobic and superoleophilic stainless steel meshes (SSM) using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The SSM, having a water contact angle of 156.48° was incorporated into the VAGS setup and used to enhance the recovery efficiency and economic feasibility of the biofuel production process. Experimental and modeling approaches including the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) modeling were employed to optimize the recovery conditions and assess the interplay between process parameters and system performance. Thus, the study explored the influence of several critical parameters, including mesh pore size, vacuum time, initial alcohol concentration, and bioreactor operational conditions, on the performance of th (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

Millions of individuals in the United States experience problematic substance use that progresses to Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Many people who eventually achieve remission of their SUD symptoms seek vocational and personal fulfillment through pursuing a career in behavioral health counseling with a specific focus in counseling for addictions. The demanding nature of the behavioral health profession can present numerous unique challenges and risks to a person who is in recovery from SUD, and educational institutions that train professionals for this field play a vital role in preparing their students for the realities of their future work. In this study, the author conducted qualitative critical participatory action research using a descriptive case study design to explore the specific strategies that educators at a community college in the Midwestern United States utilized to support and empower their counseling students who are in recovery from SUD. The author used critical theory and critical feminist theory to develop the investigative framework and explore the power structures of the organization. In this study, seven students and two educators participated in semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, the author coded the qualitative data to identify themes that guided the development of a corresponding action plan. While participants identified that some supportive strategies were utilized by the college, students and educators identified ongoing student challenges around self-driven perfectionist ideals, external and internal stigma against SUD, and polarized opinions on self-disclosure of SUD recovery status. Additional related subthemes were also identified and explored in this study. In the final chapter of this work, the author included an action plan for the site of study that was developed to address the specific challenges identified by the study participants. Built around the existing research o (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of community college students in recovery, including their experience with a Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP). Collegiate recovery programs have been on college campuses in the United States for decades, with the first CRP dating back to 1977 at Brown University (Pennelle, 2019). Of the 138 CRP members reported by the Association of Recovery in Higher Education in 2019, only 13 of them were community colleges (ARHE, 2019b, p. 7-9). Despite roughly 35% of undergraduates in the U.S. attending community colleges (NCES, 2018), very few community colleges have a verifiable CRP in operation (TYR, 2016; ARHE, 2019b). Transforming Youth Recovery (2016) suggests that it would be beneficial to further our understanding of the role that community colleges can play beyond academics, and specifically TYR believes that “community colleges appear to be ideally suited to help support the enrichment of students in recovery” (p. 7). Despite the need and clear benefits, recovery support is largely missing on community college campuses. This gap stems primarily from the infrastructure of student support, with many community colleges reporting a desire to strengthen their student services but insufficient funding to do so (TYR, 2016, p. 27). Institutions may benefit from examining their existing student support systems prior to implementing a CRP. Because most models for CRPs come from residential, four-year institutions, they may not work well in community college settings without adaptation. Not only are CRPs uncommon on many community college campuses, but also the literature on CRPs is primarily focused on residential colleges and universities. Brown, Ashford, Heller, Whitney, and Kimball (2018) completed a literature review on CRPs spanning from 1998-2017 and noted that existing research on CRPs is “limited in scope” (p. 9), and of the 25 studies included in their review, none of them f (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science in Computer Engineering (MSCE), Wright State University, 2021, Computer Engineering

We consider the problem of compressive synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging with the goal of reconstructing SAR imagery in the presence of undersampled phase history. While this problem is typically considered in compressive sensing (CS) literature, we consider a variety of deep learning approaches where a deep neural network (DNN) is trained to form SAR imagery from limited data. At the cost of computationally intensive offline training, on-line test-time DNN-SAR has demonstrated orders of magnitude faster reconstruction than standard CS algorithms. A limitation of the DNN approach is that any change to the operating conditions necessitates a costly retraining procedure. In this work, we consider development of DNN methods that are robust to discrepancies between training and testing conditions. We examine several approaches to this problem, including using input-layer dropout, augmented data support indicators, and DNN-based robust approximate message passing.

Master of Science (M.S.), Xavier University, 2021, Psychology

Need for Recovery (NFR) has the potential to expand our current understandings of important workplace outcomes such as improving employee performance, preventing employee exhaustion and loss of function (Sonnentag & Zijlstra, 2006), improving supervisor-employee relations (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995), mitigating workplace challenges such as discrimination at work, enhancing responses to downsizing, and assisting employees re-entering the workforce after parental leave (Earle &Heymann, n.d.; DOL, 2015). However, none of the identified benefits can be achieved without remedying issues related to the definition and measurement of NFR. Therefore, the current research executed the first three steps in Hinkin's (1998) scale development process (item generation, scale administration, and initial item reduction) and tested hypotheses related to the third step: initial item reduction. A total of 91 initial NFR items were generated and tested on 372 participants who completed an assessment distributed on Amazon's MTurk. Factor analyses were conducted to identify the dimensions that underlie the constructed NFR scale and an assessment of internal consistency was conducted to evaluate the reliability of the constructed NFR scale. The factor analyses revealed six factors, and internal consistency analyses eventually yielded acceptable levels of Cronbach's alpha for each of the six identified factors. Supplementary analyses were also conducted to maximize alpha and collect evidence of the discrimination between the six identified factors. Implications for future research and application of the NFR construct is discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

Scholars have recently noted that work stress paradoxically requires more and predicts less recovery from that stress. As a result, the people who most need to recover from work stress have the most difficulty doing so. This recovery paradox is both practically pressing and theoretically underexplored. The present study aims to clarify the timing of this paradox (i.e., whether it is the result of daily stress, chronic stress, or both), its underlying mechanisms, and potential solutions. Taking an integrated resource theory and decision-making theory approach, the current model positions personal resources (i.e., energy and negative affect) and leisure decision-making as key mechanisms explaining the recovery paradox. The role of chronic work stress and leisure habits in these processes are also explored. Diary data was collected from working adults (N=83 participants) twice per day, after work and before bed, over the course of two work weeks (N=693 survey days). Multilevel analyses did not support the original model focused on the mechanisms of depleted energy, unsystematic leisure decision-making, and low leisure mental and physical activeness; however, an alternative model was supported, connecting work stress to poor recovery via negative affect, unsystematic leisure decision-making, and low leisure diversity (i.e., low variety in types of leisure activities). Leisure diversity and physical activity were identified as strategies that seem to facilitate recovery even, and perhaps especially, for the highly stressed. Overall, the present results suggest that the recovery paradox (a) manifests quickly but is exacerbated by chronic work stress, (b) may be explained by affective and decision-making mechanisms, and (c) may be combatted with diverse and physically active leisure. These findings provide theoretical detail to the recovery paradox, a new and key observation in the work stress recovery literature, and provide practical recommendations for stressed workers (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2019, Social Welfare

Women's personal social networks (PSNs) often contain members (alters) who simultaneously support and endanger their recovery from substance use disorders, necessitating a holistic approach in theory, analysis, and practice. Network structure and trauma may also affect women's ability to use PSNs to support recovery. This dissertation aimed to 1) model the theoretical concepts of women's PSNs in recovery; 2) identify typologies of social networks in women in early recovery using PSN characteristics known to influence recovery, 3) examine the relationship between trauma and typology membership, and 3) link typologies to sobriety outcomes over their first year after entering treatment. I used a 3-step latent profile analysis to 1) identify PSN typologies with 6 alter characteristics (sobriety, history of use with, sobriety support, treatment-related alters, isolates, and density), 2) relate Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSC-40) scores to typology membership, and 3) regress outcomes on typology membership in a sample of 377 low-income, racially-diverse women who were participating in residential or outpatient substance use disorder treatment at study entry. I identified 3 typologies. Women in the Insulated Sobriety Support type (14.3%) had tightly-knit networks, more sober alters, and fewer treatment-related alters. Women in the Treatment-Related Sobriety Support type (49.3%) had looser-knit networks with more sober and sobriety-supporting alters and alters they know from treatment. Women in the At-Risk type (36.3%) had more isolates, few sobriety-supporting alters, and more alters with whom they used. Women in the Treatment-Related Sobriety Support type were significantly more likely to maintain sobriety by 12 months (B=-0.81; OR=2.09, 95% CI [1.23-3.56]) than women in the At Risk type. Higher mean Trauma Symptom Checklist scores were positively related to membership in the At Risk type. This dissertation expands our knowledge of the role that network structure plays (open full item for complete abstract)

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

The impact of a violent event at a high school has an effect that ripples throughout the entire community. The present study sought to review what led teachers and school staff to recover after an unexpected violent event killed one student and critically injured another. The study sought to understand the process of recovery, including the post crisis intervention, response, and factors of personal resiliency, from the perspective of the staff and teachers involved. Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT), a robust qualitative research methodology used to study phenomenological constructs in a systematic way, was employed to give voice to the participants and understand the factors that contribute to successful response and recovery. Using ECIT, factors that helped or hindered the participants' ability to cope with and return to work are discussed. The implications for future events and intervention protocol are discussed. Further to this, feedback was shared with the school district so that any follow up efforts could be employed. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://edt.ohiolink.edu/etd

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Psychology

Burnout, or chronic feelings of exhaustion and cynicism regarding work, is widespread in American workers and has significant consequences for their well-being and work performance. Even worse, Conservation of Resources Theory suggests that burnout has a spiraling effect such that people who are burned out tend to experience further resource depletion and, as a result, persistent if not exacerbated burnout in the future. However, past research has largely overlooked ways for workers to recover from burnout, especially in terms of specific behavioral recommendations. The present study examines the previously untested but theoretically grounded internal mechanisms of the burnout spiral as well as the moderating role of after-work recovery experiences as an actionable solution for workers experiencing burnout. Data was collected via five end-of week studies on Amazon's Mechanical Turk (n=304). Results of path modeling suggest that burnout is largely stable over the course of a month but that a small portion of the variability in burnout over time is explained by changes in energy throughout the month, offering preliminary support for a burnout spiral. Although overall recovery experiences were not a significant moderator, after-work control experiences were, suggesting that burned-out workers do not tend to choose leisure experiences that effectively manage their burnout. Finally, exploratory analyses using hierarchical linear modeling indicated that recovery experiences function differently for people who are burned out than they do for those who are not. Implications for resource theories and future burnout research are discussed as are practical takeaways for employees experiencing burnout.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2018, Mechanical Engineering

This research presents engineering models that simulate steady-state and transient operations of air-cooled condensing units and an automatic commercial ice making machines ACIM, respectively. The models use easily-obtainable inputs and strategies that promote quick computations. Packaged, air-cooled condensing units include a compressor, condensing coil, tubing, and fans, fastened to a base or installed within an enclosure. A steady-state standard condensing unit system simulation model is assembled from conventional, physics-based component equations. Specifically, a four-section, lumped-parameter approach is used to represent the condenser, while well-established equations model compressor mass flow and power. To increase capacity and efficiency, enhanced condensing units include an economizer loop, configured in either upstream or downstream extraction schemes. The economizer loop uses an injection valve, brazed-plate heat exchanger (BPHE) and scroll compressor adapted for vapor injection. An artificial neural network is used to simulate the performance of the BPHE, as physics-based equations provided insufficient accuracy. The capacity and power results from the condensing unit model are generally within 5% when compared to the experimental data. A transient ice machine model calculates time-varying changes in the system properties and aggregates performance results as a function of machine capacity and environmental conditions. Rapid "what if" analyses can be readily completed, enabling engineers to quickly evaluate the impact of a variety of system design options, including the size of the air-cooled heat exchanger, finned surfaces, air flow rate, ambient air and inlet water temperatures, compressor capacity and/or efficiency for freeze and harvest modes, refrigerants, suction/liquid line heat exchanger and thermal expansion valve properties. Simulation results from the ACIM model were compared with the experimental data of a fully instrumented, standar (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2018, Microbiology and Immunology

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability and 87% of all strokes are due to ischemic strokes. In this current study, we examined whether voluntary physical rehabilitation can influence neurogenesis (measured by Doublecortin) in the subventricular zone and show improved motor functional recovery in 10-12 month female rats after ischemia. We saw a significant increase in the neurogenesis (measured by doublecortin) of all three regions (anterior, middle and posterior) of SVZ in the rehab animals compared to control group when using a two-way variance ANOVA test, although we were unable to see significant differences in paired t-tests of similar regions for control and rehab animals. The control animals showed a significant increase in contralateral functional recovery of 56% with rehab animals displaying a recovery of 23%. These findings suggest that the physical rehabilitation showed increased neurogenesis in the SVZ but did not translate to greater contralateral functional recovery.

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2017, Environmental Studies (Voinovich)

Limited biological recovery in acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted streams may be due in part to a flushing response caused by rainfall events. While there is very little water required to react with sulfide minerals to form AMD, more is required to dissolve and transport the chemical products. Increased discharge allows for the transport of accumulated reaction products from mineral surfaces and mobilization of sediments from streambeds. The objective of this study was to investigate this flushing behavior in the heavily AMD impaired Hewett Fork Watershed by tracking the changes in water chemistry over the course of multiple rain events and seasonal flow regimes. Hewett Fork is located within Athens County, Ohio, and is currently treated by an active remediation system. This study utilized two auto-samplers, at two field sites along the same stream gradient of impairment, to allow for the collection of hourly water samples during selected storm events in spring, summer, and fall. The collected water samples were then analyzed for total concentrations of a large suit of metals, sulfate, acidity, and alkalinity. Results show how the geochemistry is changing within Hewett Fork during precipitation events. Analysis of these changes in water quality revealed response patterns of each monitored constituent allowing them to be grouped by their dominant response pattern. The constituents also displayed seasonal patterns that showed large flushing events in the spring and fall seasons. It remains unclear if these flushing events have limited the biological recovery in Hewett Fork. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the varied and complex responses of the geochemistry in AMD impacted watersheds during precipitation events to properly manage and treat this prolific non-point source pollution.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, City and Regional Planning

Plans developed as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the Mississippi Renewal Forum, including the de facto nullified SmartCode, three vacated SmartCode Community Plans, and two tabled and non-adopted Comprehensive Plans failed. Further indicated by a gap between Plan vision and on-the-ground results, other authors and scholars point to the process of Plan implementation as the key to this failure. Despite this observation, a case study of implementation does not exist. Also, few academic case studies that explore the implementation of Plans exist. To explore `Why Plans Fail' this dissertation employs a Case Study approach, rooted in Grounded Theory Methodology and the Constant Comparative method. Five methods of analysis include two forms of Plan evaluation, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and a new exploratory method of Tenure Analysis. Findings derived from analysis explore the roles of implementation experience, expectations, and externalities in Plan and policy failure. The research concludes by arguing for further case studies, a careful rethinking of how the American Planning Association approaches their advocate role, and that Planners should stop treating implementation like the `black box' of the Planning and Plan-Making process.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2015, Psychology - Clinical

The primary theories (Ehlers & Clark, 2000; Foa & Kozak, 1986) concerning the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are cognitive in nature. Subsequently, the front-line treatments for PTSD have been cognitive behavioral treatments; however, research examining the efficacy of these treatments has largely excluded individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) as participants. Thus, research on treatments for PTSD in individuals with SMI is limited, and only cognitive treatments for this population have been examined (Frueh et al., 2009; Mueser et al., 2008). Recent literature (Ehring & Quack, 2010; Price, Monson, Callahan, & Rodriguez, 2006) has emerged demonstrating that programs focused on improving emotion regulation (ER) in individuals who have PTSD are effective (Kearney et al., 2012; Kimbrough et al., 2010); however, research is still lacking concerning the use of this treatment modality with individuals with comorbid PTSD and SMI. Wellness Management and Recovery (WMR), a psychoeducational group program aimed at promoting mental health recovery in individuals with SMI has recently been evaluated and determined to be associated with reductions in PTSD in individuals who have completed the program (Lee, 2011). However, the mechanisms through which WMR works remain unclear. As a result, the purpose of the current study was to utilize self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, cognitive appraisal of a traumatic event, and ER to determine whether or not WMR's impact on trauma-related beliefs or ER significantly predicted participants' reduction in PTSD symptoms. Results of the present study demonstrated that following participation in WMR, individuals' self-reported levels of PTSD symptoms, trauma-related cognitions, and ER difficulties decreased. Regression analyses revealed that both changes in cognition and ER predicted changes in participants' self-reported levels of PTSD symptoms; however, changes in ER were found to be the superior p (open full item for complete abstract)

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2014, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

Current research exposes the lack of a universal definition of recovery from Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Discrepancies in how the term is defined and used have created problems for clients, clinicians, and families; particularly around how insurance providers allot financial coverage for treatment. Additionally, there is a gap in the literature regarding the length of time clients consider appropriate for symptom abatement prior to being considered recovered. This dissertation utilized a mixed-methods approach to investigate how the term recovery had different meanings over the course of treatment for women previously treated for AN. Seventy-nine adult women participated in the web-based survey. Descriptive statistics and patterns of responding were identified using quantitative data. Content analysis was employed to analyze qualitative data that sought to gain insight into subjective definitions of recovery. Participant responses were coded and sorted into categories that were then used to establish a codebook of the major themes. All participants reported a shift in personal meanings of recovery over time, as they were asked to reflect on how they viewed recovery at the beginning and the end of treatment, as well as at the time of survey administration. Participants were also asked to report on symptoms they believe are important to address in order to consider one's self recovered, in addition to the length of time symptoms must be gone. This dissertation also attends to the unique nature of individual responses and explores suggestions to assist future research and clinicians who work with this population. Limitations of this study are also shared.