Browsing by Subject "positive psychology"
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Item Children's Wellbeing and ADHD among Rural and Urban Families(2024-05) Coleman, Callie AnnThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between both positive parent-child relationships and community support to child ADHD symptom severity and child subjective wellbeing across rural and urban families. Past literature has found extensive barriers for accessing quality mental health services among rural families, however there is limited information on assets and strengths of rural families that may facilitate improved mental health. In particular, accessing high quality mental health services is important for assessment and treatment of mental health conditions such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Additionally, evaluating the relationships between parents and children would be beneficial, as ADHD is a concern of the entire family. The current study’s aim is to provide information on the unique experiences of rural families with children with ADHD that may ultimately inform community or school based services. The current study recruited children with ADHD and their families from urban and rural settings to complete surveys on the parent-child relationship, child wellbeing, and community support. Results showed a significant main effect of positive parent-child relationships on ADHD symptom severity. However, location and community support were not significant predictors of ADHD symptom severity. Community support and positive parent-child relationships were significantly associated with each other. Results showed there were no significant main effects of the predictors of location, community support, and positive parent-child relationships on child subjective wellbeing. Implications and limitations of the current study are discussed.Item Contextual Predictors of BIPOC Students’ College Experience at a PWI: A S-BIT of Work Perspective(2024-05) Lindenfelser, Hope ElizabethObjectives: Utilizing the theoretical framework of the Strengths-Based Inclusive Theory of Work (S-BIT of Work), the purpose of this study was to assess the relationships among contextual factors, the college setting, and positive individual characteristics amongst BIPOC college students. Specifically, discrimination, institutionalized classism (contextual variables), supportive university environment, cultural congruity (promotive work/educational context variables), hope, strengths use, and empowerment (individual positive characteristics) were examined. Participants: 98 adult college students from a predominately White 4-year institution in the Midwest (United States) who identified as BIPOC were recruited for this study. Method: Participants were recruited via three recruitment methods: emails to student clubs, organizations, and offices; extra credit offered by psychology faculty; and the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Psychology Research Pool (SONA). Participants completed validated measures for each variable previously noted. Participants were either entered into a drawing for one of 74 $25 gift cards, if desired, offered extra credit in a psychology course, or offered SONA credit depending on the recruitment method. Results: Path analysis was used to evaluate the theoretical model. Discrimination significantly and negatively predicted supportive university environment and cultural congruity. Also, results approached significance between institutionalized classism and hope, with a negative relationship. Results suggest that contextual barriers BIPOC students experience negatively relate to their perceptions of their environment, and these barriers may negatively relate to students’ goal-setting ability (i.e., hope).Item The Invincible Summer: Resilience in Experienced NCAA Division I Female Coaches(2016-04) Kinnaird, MarnieUsing an ecological-resilience integrated theoretical framework (Fletcher & Sarkar, 2012; Galli & Vealey, 2008; LaVoi & Dutove, 2012), I identified and explored resilient qualities that enable female intercollegiate coaches to thrive and sustain lengthy careers in intercollegiate coaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with current female NCAA Division I head coaches who had at least 20 years of cumulative experience in the coaching profession (N=8). Data was analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results showed that work-family balance struggles, the time commitment of the coaching profession, financial challenges, and career-threatening situations emerged as the prominent types of adversities eliciting the resilience process in female coaches. Additionally, coaches identified resilient responses to adversity in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional domains. Finally, coaches’ abilities to be resilient were developed by factors on individual, interpersonal, organizational, and sociocultural levels. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings were discussed.Item Journaling to Support Recovery from Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders: Feasibility Results from a Randomized Controlled Pilot(2023-06) Krentzman, Amy; Hoeppner, Susanne; Hoeppner, Bettina; Barnett, NancyPurpose: Positive psychology, behavioral activation, and journaling have been shown to improve affect and decrease addictive behavior among individuals with SUD and AUD. We combined aspects of these approaches in “Positive Recovery Journaling” (PRJ), a daily writing practice, to improve wellbeing in early recovery. In this pilot randomized controlled trial, we sought to determine the feasibility and acceptability of PRJ in a study conducted remotely during COVID 19. Methods: Participants (N = 81; M = 39 years old, 46% indicating alcohol as primary addiction) were recruited from three treatment centers in the Upper Midwest. Individuals randomized to PRJ learned the technique over 8 group sessions and practiced it daily for 4 weeks followed immediately by completion of daily assessment instruments. The control group only completed daily assessment instruments. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed by recruitment, retention, rates of journal upload, and group attendance. We used multilevel models to compare the treatment and control groups’ average ratings of study activities as difficult, easy, satisfying, pleasant, and helpful. Results: Of patients who met inclusion criteria (N = 86), 81 (94.2%) agreed to participate. Attendance at group sessions ranged from zero to eight (M = 5.3, SD = 2.8); three (7.1%) attended zero groups and 15 (35.7%) attended all eight groups. The 42 treatment group members submitted 584 journal entries (ranging from 0 to a maximum of 28, M = 13.9, SD = 9.7). Survey completion rates at the 1-month follow-up were 53.4% for the treatment group and 71.8% of the control group (X2 p = .072). Participants rated study activities as equally easy and not difficult. The treatment group rated PRJ as significantly more satisfying, pleasant, and helpful (all at p < .001), showing high acceptability of PRJ especially since the control group reported benefitting from the daily surveys. Conclusions: This population showed a strong interest in journaling. Despite the challenges of conducting a study remotely during COVID 19, it was still possible to recruit and retain a treatment sample who attended the majority of group sessions and rated PRJ as no more difficult, and yet more satisfying, pleasant, and helpful, than the control group’s activities.