Browsing by Author "Chavez, Ernest, advisor"
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Item Open Access A qualitative analysis of the experience of being LGBTQ in graduate school(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Sokolowski, Elizabeth, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Carlson, Laurie, committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee memberThe current study sought to understand LGBTQ campus climate for LGBTQ doctoral students. Narrative analysis was used during this exploratory study to identify "when" the three LGBTQ doctoral student participants had experiences related to their LGBTQ identities, including "what" was happening during those events and "how" it was happening. These experiences occurred during six events (i.e., applying to graduate programs, receiving letter of acceptance from graduate program, visiting weekend after receiving acceptance letter, choosing advisor or research lab, working as a graduate teaching assistance, and preparing for PhD candidacy exams) and four time periods (i.e., early general experiences in the graduate program, general graduate school experiences, general research lab experiences, and general social experiences during graduate school). This study also identified how these experiences supported or hindered LGBTQ doctoral student success. Overall, the results suggested that LGBTQ doctoral students expended substantial effort to manage the harmful components of campus climate, which were present across locations, times, and roles as a doctoral student. Finally, participants shared their own proposed changes to improve campus climate, and the primary researcher provided an overarching list of recommendations to improve LGBTQ campus climate for LGBTQ doctoral students.Item Open Access A qualitative study of disease adjustment: inflammatory bowel disease post-traumatic growth(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Bascom, Elise, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Jennings, Louise, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee memberThe current study developed a model of post-traumatic growth to assess the multiphasic, transitional experience of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by a provider at the Centers for Gastroenterology in Northern Colorado. Specifically, this study examined individuals within the IBD population who have received a diagnosis of either Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) was used to identify the primary domains and subthemes from six participant interviews. Four large domains were extracted from the data, which were used to construct a model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Post-Traumatic Growth (IBDPTG). The four, major domains include identity loss/grief, the perception effect, identity reconstruction, and post-traumatic growth (PTG). The original model proposed for this study included all of the aforementioned domains, except for the perception effect. The trained research team involved in this study conducted three meetings to discuss and compare domain/thematic findings. We identified that participants' attitudes/beliefs about their diagnosis was a precursor to progressing to the identity reconstruction phase, and, therefore, needed its own, distinct domain. Subthemes were also identified in each of the four domains, which further captured the nuances and complexities of IBD disease management for our participants. Participants were also asked to complete two sets of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), two sets of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), one Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCLR-90-R), and the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Participants were asked to retrospectively complete the first set of self-report questionnaires (BDI-II, BAI, SCL-90-R), as they reflected on their psychological state during their most severe disease experience. We then conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant that lasted approximately 60-75 minutes. After the interview portion of the study, we asked participants to complete the BDI-II and BAI based on their symptom presentation within the last two weeks. We compared the difference between levels of anxiety and depression during active and inactive disease flares. Scores on the BDI-II indicated that participants experienced high levels of depression during severe flares, but that their mood greatly improved with adjustment and mental stability. Scores on the BAI also indicated that the participants experienced higher levels of anxiety during periods of disease relapse, as opposed to periods where their disease was dormant. The SCL-90-R was used to supplement the qualitative data obtained during the interviews. The PTGI was given to the participants at the end of the study to examine whether our qualitative data captured any additional, potentially disease-related growth not yet addressed on the questionnaire. The three subthemes identified in the domain of PTG include: positive personal growth, positive social growth, and positive growth in disease perception.Item Open Access Academic resiliency and the post-secondary choices of Mexican American and non-Hispanic white students(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2008) Trujillo, Malinda E., author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Deffenbacher, Jerry L., advisorThis study examined the factors that contribute to the college attendance of dropouts, at-risk students, and control students. Research on dropouts and at risk in-school students typically tends to focus on the factors that inhibit their academic success. Concentrating on risk factors overshadows what might be gained by studying students who are academically successful despite the obstacles and risk factors (Arellano & Padilla, 1996). The academic resiliency literature has shown that a student's academic success depends in part on the "goodness of fit" between contextual events (the family and school environments) and their adaptive resources such as personal attitudes and external support systems (Alva & Padilla, 1995). The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the environmental and personal resources which foster the academic success of Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White high school students and dropouts also foster their decision to attend a postsecondary school. The variables of interest included are parental social support, parental involvement in school activities, peer social support, peer school engagement, and student school engagement. Results were analyzed using logistic regression. Using logistic regression the log-odds of attending a post-secondary school were regressed on peer social support, peer school engagement, parental support, parental involvement, and student school engagement. In this way, the odds of attending post-secondary school as a function of the predictors of interest and relevant control variables were assessed. The results were discussed from an intervention framework.Item Open Access Double consciousness: the negotiation of the intersectionality of identities among academically successful Black women(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Dickens, Danielle D., author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Stallones, Lorann, advisor; Foster, Michelle, committee member; Jennings, Louise, committee memberDue to educational and professional obstacles, as well as the psychological tolls associated with racism and sexism, Black women may feel pressured to present a self to the world that is viewed as acceptable to others. Through identity negotiation, a conscious process of shifting one's worldview and/or cultural behaviors (Jackson, 2004), Black women may adopt multiple identities that appease both the White and Black community. The need to investigate the collective identities among Black women using a non-White ideology, such as Black feminist model, is critically needed. The purpose of this investigation was to understand the effect of the negotiation of race, class, and gender identities on Black women's self-perception, specifically as it relates to their participation in the workforce, and personal and professional relationships. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and the sample consisted of ten academically successful Black women. To be eligible to participate in this study, co-researchers must have met the following criteria: 1) self-identify as a Black/African American woman, 2) recently obtained bachelor's degree in the past 5 years, 3) currently working in a predominantly White environment, and 4) living in a majority Black urban area. Data from the interviews were classified through identified themes, and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Themes constructed from the data include: a) the complexity of the intersectionalities of race, gender, and class identities, b) negotiation of identities in predominantly White social and work environments, c) negotiation of identities in a predominantly Black environments, d) triggers for the negotiations of race, class, and gender identities, and e) conflicted anxieties towards negotiating identities. The results of this study may be utilized to develop intervention programs that promote positive self-worth, and the development of academic and personal success among Black women aspiring to enter the evolving workforce.Item Open Access Hospice care: nurses' experience and perception of older adult patients' experiences(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Aeling, Jennifer, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Fruhauf, Christine, committee member; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Richards, Tracy, committee memberThe current study sought to understand the experience of hospice nursing staff with hospice and the differences they perceived in caring for older adult patients who utilize hospice for longer and shorter periods. This study also sought to understand older adult patients' experience of hospice services and if length of hospice stays had an effect on the patients' end-of-life experience, as perceived by hospice nursing staff. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to extract themes and subthemes from 10 interviews conducted with hospice nursing staff. Major themes include nursing staff reporting a positive view of hospice, but also being aware of a perceived stigma against hospice among both older adults and their family members. Another major theme identified was how older adults' perception of hospice changes based on length of use, with longer use leading to more positive views of hospice. Participants discussed aspects that affect length of stay and how longer hospice stays are more positive than shorter. The last two major themes were participants believing more education about hospice is needed and a frustration with the Medicare reimbursement process of hospice. Content analysis was also utilized to extract two noteworthy concepts that did not fit within the guidelines of IPA. These noteworthy concepts were extracted from a comparison of two older adult deaths, one that used hospice for a short period (less than two weeks) and another for a long period (more than four weeks). When comparing these stories, it became evident that longer hospice stays had more aspects of a 'good' death and tended to utilize more services provided by hospice. These themes and noteworthy concepts suggest hospice nursing staff believe longer hospice stays are more positive, hospice nursing staff view hospice more positively than older adult patients, and more education may lead to longer hospice stays.Item Open Access Implementing evidence-based practice for dual diagnosis: what education do addiction counseling credentials require?(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Aponte, Rebecca A., author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Anderson, Sharon, committee member; Richards, Tracy, committee member; Rosén, Lee A., committee memberSubstance misuse is a leading cause of death in the United States that disproportionately affects the mentally ill and receives inadequate resources for research and treatment. Prior studies have indicated the majority of individuals with serious mental illness also meet criteria for at least one substance use disorder, and individuals dually diagnosed with these conditions experience significantly poorer outcomes. Despite this, treatment facilities have generally failed to adopt Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment [IDDT], an evidence-based modality of treatment for the dually diagnosed population. Practitioners of addiction treatment are rarely required to be licensed health professionals, and the credentialing requirements for addiction counselors vary widely by state. This paper utilizes a mixed-method approach to examine the state-by-state variation in required formal education for addiction counselor credentials with particular focus on coursework related to treating the dual diagnosis population. A directed content analysis of the requirements by state was conducted, followed by a multiple linear regression comparing requirements of addiction counselor education and the ratio of substance use facilities providing a minimal interventions for dual diagnosis. The results indicated no connection between addiction counselor education and likelihood of availability of dual diagnosis treatment within a given state's treatment facilities. However, significant variation with regard to credentialing was found between states. These issues are presented within the context of the history of addiction treatment in the United States. Implications for policy are discussed, and recommendations for the evolution of the field are made.Item Open Access Perceptions of intimate partner violence: gender, sexuality, and the rules of engagement(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Aponte, Rebecca A., author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Bloom, Larry, committee member; Souza, Caridad, committee memberIntimate partner violence is an important social issue. There is evidence that these cases are handled differently within the legal system as a function of the gender of the abusing partner, and the sexuality of the couple. Previous studies have examined these and other factors affecting arrest decisions made by police officers, but have not focused on instances of mutual violence. A study was conducted utilizing vignettes that depicted mutual violence. Factors affecting likelihood of arrest for each partner were examined, including the gender of the perpetrator and victim, the sexuality of the depicted couple, and participant variables. Participants were a convenience sample of 440 men and women who found the study on Amazon mTurk. Results indicated a significant effect for the gender of the perpetrator, the gender of the victim, and the sexuality of the couple across most vignettes.Item Open Access Religion, meaning, and belief in a just world(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Jaramillo, Matthew, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, committee member; Anderson, Sharon, committee memberThe present study examined a meaning-making model, focusing on the impact of Coping, Posttraumatic Growth, Life Meaningfulness, Belief in a Just World, Well-Being, and God Images. The path analysis generally mirrored a model Park and colleagues' (2008) constructed in their examination of meaning-making among cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to replicate their model and investigate its interactions with God Images. This research was undertaken to offer new insights into the meaning-making model and extend knowledge of God Images in clinical work and research. The present study's sample consisted of military veterans and undergraduate psychology students. The path model for the present study was significant and generally conformed to Park and colleagues' (2008) meaning-making model. The God Images behaved as expected with some exceptions. The God images Present and Providence significantly moderated mediation relationships in the meaning-making model. The God image, Present, moderated the effect of Posttraumatic Growth mediating Coping and Life Meaningfulness of the model. God as Present also moderated the effect of Life Meaningfulness mediating Posttraumatic Growth and Well-Being. The God Image, Providence, moderated the effect of Belief in a Just World mediating Coping and Life Meaningfulness. Providence also moderated the effect of Life Meaningfulness mediated Posttraumatic Growth and Belief in a Just World. Discussion of the implications of these findings for research and clinical work follow.Item Open Access Resource utilization of an LGBT university resource center and prospective barriers(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Sokolowski, Elizabeth, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Carlson, Laurie, committee memberThe microclimate of an LGBT resource center was examined for its overall use of services and potential barriers to use. The responses of 38 LGBT students in 2011 and 30 LGBT students in 2015, all from one university, were examined to determine if the overall use of services provided by the LGBT resource center changed across time and whether overall awareness of services, the microclimate atmosphere at the resource center, and the name of the resource center acted as barriers to use. Overall use of services significantly decreased from 2011 to 2015, and awareness was the only significant barrier related to overall use of services. An analysis of the relationship of identities (e.g., sex, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity) to overall use and the barriers to use found that sex and sexual orientation were significantly related to perception of microclimate atmosphere within the resource center.Item Embargo Self-esteem mediating the relationship between parental monitoring and American Indian cannabis use(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Haruyama, Dorothy, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee memberAdolescents are one of the largest age groups using cannabis in the U.S. Cannabis use has been associated with a variety of negative mental health outcomes and is a risk factor for the development of Cannabis Use Disorder. Among adolescents, minority populations like American Indians use cannabis at much greater rates and initiate at a younger age. While parental monitoring has generally been found to be a protective factor in adolescent substance use, limited research exists with American Indian youth examining specific domains of parental monitoring such as parental knowledge, parental control, child disclosure and parental solicitation. Similarly, while some studies have explored self-esteem as a mediator of the relationship between parental monitoring and adolescent substance use, fewer studies have examined how specific domains of parental monitoring may interact with specific domains of self-esteem. The current study tested a mediation model of parental monitoring factors and cannabis use among American Indian youth by internal (interpersonal) and external (intrapersonal) self-esteem. Data obtained from students in grades 7-12 attending schools on, or near reservations, throughout the United States during two academic years (2018-2019) was used. Results supported hypotheses that parental monitoring factors individually related positively to internal and external self-esteem and furthermore negatively related to American Indian youth cannabis use. However, while internal self-esteem was related to cannabis use, external self-esteem was not. The mediation model was supported as each parental monitoring factor had an indirect effect on cannabis use via internal self-esteem. Results from this study being used to inform clinical interventions for the treatment and prevention of cannabis use disorder for American Indian youth is discussed.Item Open Access Staff perceptions of Latino/a school engagement: an ethnographic study(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Pallares, Carla Vanessa, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Rickard, Kathy, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee memberLatinos are the largest and most rapidly growing minority group in the United States. They also represent the fastest growing segment of the school-age population. The number of dropouts in the Latino population is significantly higher than other major ethnic groups. Latino/a students face discriminatory barriers within the school system such as overrepresentation in special education, lowered teacher expectations, and harsher disciplinary consequences than Non-Hispanic, White students. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions, opinions, and recommendations to help improve Latino/a students' retention in high school. Interviews were conducted with middle-school staff. Qualitative document analysis was used to allow new opinions and recommendations to be found that could help increase Latino/a student retention in high schools. Multiple factors such as low parental involvement, few role models, and undocumented status were found to affect Latino/a students' participation in school. Latino/a students' self perceptions also seem to influence their school engagement. Changing policy and involving all the stakeholders involved in education are recommendations to improve Latino/a student engagement and school retention.Item Open Access The role of coping in depression and anxiety outcomes of US Latinx cancer patients(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Vigodnier, Eva Victoria, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Borrayo, Evelinn, advisor; Prince, Mark, committee member; Gonzalez-Voller, Jessica, committee memberCancer diagnosis and treatment are related to adverse mental health outcomes, including increased depression and anxiety symptoms. Literature shows that lung cancer (LC) and head and neck cancer (HNC) patients report among the highest rates of depression and anxiety. These outcomes have been shown to be worse among medically underserved cancer patients, including the US Latinx population. However, no research exists that investigates rates of depression and anxiety among US Latinx LC and HNC patients nor potential protective factors. Further, research shows that the ways in which people cope with stressors has both positive and negative impact on mental health factors. The present study analyzed coping, depression, and anxiety outcomes among medically underserved US Latinx cancer patients. Results indicate that 29.51% of medically underserved US Latinx people newly diagnosed with LC or HNC report clinically relevant depression symptoms and 59.02% report clinically relevant anxiety symptoms. Self-efficacy in several forms of adaptive coping were also found to serve as protective factors toward depression and/or anxiety symptomatology and differences in coping self-efficacy were observed between individuals that met the clinical cut-offs for depression and/or anxiety across various coping strategies. Self-efficacy in coping strategies that were problem-focused and aimed at stopping unpleasant thoughts and emotions, were found to be most predictive of reduced depressive and anxious symptomatology. The present study is the first to explicate mental health outcomes among US Latinx people newly diagnosed with LC or HNC and to identify salient coping factors that buffer depression and anxiety symptoms. Implications for mental health intervention in oncological treatment settings are discussed.Item Open Access Therapist responses to childhood sexual abuse disclosures(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Karwan, Arvind K., author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Bloom, Larry, advisor; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Bishop, Pamela, committee memberThe present study investigated possible differences in how male and female therapists respond to a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) from a male or female client. A total of N = 249 practicing psychologists read a vignette describing a disclosure of CSA by a client. Participants were then asked to complete quantitative and qualitative measures on disclosure responses, attitudes toward survivors of CSA, and socially desirable response patterns. Multivariate analyses indicated that, after accounting for attitudes toward survivors of CSA, male and female therapists did not significantly differ on their responses to a CSA disclosure, and that male and female clients did not elicit significantly different responses. Data from the present study was compared with that of a previous study on college student responses to CSA disclosures. These post-hoc analyses revealed that college students were more likely than therapists to provide emotionally supportive, distracting, and egocentric responses to a CSA disclosure. Analyses also revealed that therapists endorsed significantly more negative attitudes toward survivors of CSA than college students. Implications for clinical practice and future directions for research are discussed.