Mountain Scholar :: Browsing by Author "Harman, Jennifer, committee member"

Browsing by Author "Harman, Jennifer, committee member"

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Open Access
A reliability and validity study of the PROMIS measures with underserved lung cancer and head-and-neck cancer patients
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Gutierrez, Crystal, author; Borrayo, Evelinn, advisor; Gonzalez, Jessica, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Higher incidence of cancer diagnosis, death, and psychosocial distress are present among traditionally underserved and marginalized populations in the United States. High mortality rates and physical pain are associated with lung cancer and head and neck cancer due to less favorable treatment outcomes and later stage diagnosis that is typical with these types of cancer, and these high rates are observed more often in populations of patients who are identified as underserved. These physical symptoms are coupled with increased psychological distress throughout the course of treatment for underserved cancer patients. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common and often are associated with poorer treatment adherence and outcomes. The current study seeks to validate the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures in a sample of underserved lung cancer and head and neck cancer patients. Data was collected from 92 respondents who were recently diagnosed with lung cancer and/or head and neck cancer and were identified as underserved either by indicating that their household income fell below the Federal poverty line or by indicating that they were uninsured or underinsured. Responses on the PROMIS measures anxiety and depression subscales were correlated with responses on other measures of anxiety and depression in order to establish convergent validity. Predictive validity was determined by exploring the ability of the PROMIS measures to detect the presence of a previously diagnosed mental health concern. PROMIS anxiety and depression responses were analyzed with responses on a measure of quality of life to establish discriminant validity. The results of this study imply that the PROMIS measures are valid and reliable in a sample of underserved lung cancer and head and neck cancer patients. In doing so, the study hopes to increase the ease of understanding the psychological distress experienced by underserved lung cancer and head and neck cancer patients and inform future intervention efforts.
Open Access
Abusive supervision and employee perceptions of leaders' implicit followership theories
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Kedharnath, Uma, author; Gibbons, Alyssa Mitchell, advisor; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Henle, Chris, committee member; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member
In this study, I integrated research on abusive supervision and leaders' implicit followership theories (LIFTs; Sy, 2010). An important proposition of LIFTs theory is that matching between LIFTs and an employee's characteristics should yield the most positive employee outcomes; however, these matching effects in the LIFTs context have not yet been tested. Therefore, I examined the extent to which agreement and disagreement between employees' perceptions of their supervisor's LIFTs and employees' ratings of their own characteristics related to two outcomes - abusive supervision and LMX. Results from two samples of student employees supported the prediction that employee perceptions of supervisor LIFTs and their own characteristics would be associated with lower abusive supervision and higher LMX. In addition, perceived LIFTs and employee characteristics interacted such that employees who reported highly positive supervisor LIFTs and highly positive employee characteristics also reported the least abusive supervision and the highest quality relationships with their supervisor. The greater the discrepancy between employees' supervisor LIFTs ratings and their employee characteristics ratings, the higher the abusive supervision that they reported, supporting the matching hypothesis suggested by LIFTs theory. Finally, the level of discrepancy between employees' supervisor LIFTs ratings and their employee characteristics ratings significantly related to LMX only in one of the two samples, providing partial support for this hypothesis. Overall, this study shows that various combinations of perceived LIFTs and employee characteristics influence employee outcomes in important ways.
Open Access
Authenticity and coping behaviors in adolescents
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Dillard, Amanda Nicole, author; Lucas-Thompson Graham, Rachel, advisor; Haddock, Shelley, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
The goal of this thesis was to determine the extent to which adolescents' reported level of relational authenticity is associated with the use of adaptive or maladaptive coping behaviors. This study used secondary data analyses using data from a previous study (Wenzel & Lucas-Thompson, 2012), which collected questionnaire responses from 153 adolescent participants who completed a modified version of the Authenticity Inventory 3 (AI-3, Goldman & Kernis, 2006) and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ, Garnefsky et al., 2001). A factor analysis revealed three categories of coping behaviors: a) adaptive/optimistic, b) adaptive/realistic, and c) maladaptive. These labels were selected because of past research about the effects of the coping behaviors in each factor. Results revealed a negative association between authenticity and adaptive-optimistic coping behaviors and a positive association between authenticity and maladaptive behaviors. Post hoc analyses, which were completed in an attempt to further understand and explain the findings, revealed negative associations between authenticity and symptoms of depression and anxiety, negative associations between adaptive/optimistic coping behaviors and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and positive associations between maladaptive coping behaviors and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The results from this study emphasize need for further research of authenticity and the use and effectiveness of coping behaviors in adolescents. Results also highlight the difficulty of using 'adaptive' or 'maladaptive' as language to describe or categorize coping behaviors.
Open Access
Body image, mood, and coping strategies during exercise abstinence for male and female obligatory exercisers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Millard, Lauren, author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Anderson, Sharon, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Shomaker, Lauren, committee member
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that regular physical activity may provide significant benefits for many aspects of psychological well-being (Walsh, 2011), including body image. Countless studies have shown that regular physical activity can have a positive impact on negative body image and body dissatisfaction. On the other hand, very few studies have examined the impact of exercise abstinence on body image in individuals that typically adhere to a consistent exercise routine. The purpose of the present study was to examine how abstaining from exercise may impact body image in college students that may be at risk for obligatory exercise behavior. The present study also investigated whether and how exercise abstinence may relate to self-reported changes in affect and body image or relate to compensatory behaviors, such as dietary restriction. Gender differences in reactions to exercise abstinence were also explored. Participants who achieved high scores on the Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire abstained from exercise for three consecutive days and each day completed an online questionnaire inquiring about their experiences each day. Data were analyzed using post-positivist grounded theory and constant comparative analysis. Results produced themes that fell into one of three categories: Body Image, Mood, and Behaviors/Coping Strategies. A theoretical model was developed to portray how the three categories related as well as how they varied by gender. Male and female participants exhibited both differences and similarities in their experiences of exercise abstinence with respect to body image, mood, and behaviors.
Open Access
Climate of workplace fun in a retail setting
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Sandell, Kyle James, author; Byrne, Zinta, advisor; Albert, Lumina, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member
Workplace fun is a relatively new topic of interest for organizations and researchers alike, and one that holds much promise given the reported positive attitudinal and behavioral outcomes associated with individuals experiencing fun at work. However, no research to date has investigated shared perceptions of workplace fun, or a climate of workplace fun, within a team. A climate of workplace fun is particularly relevant in retail store settings where customer engagement and overall store performance are top priorities. Thus, the major goal of the present study is to contribute to the literature by proposing a new theoretical model of how a climate of workplace fun is fostered and what group-level outcomes result from this climate of fun. Using self-report data from retail store employees and their managers, I proposed a theoretical model of climate for fun and examined the relationships between collective coworker trust and attitudes toward workplace fun in creating an overall climate of workplace fun. In addition, I examined the relationships between this climate of fun and the group-level outcomes of engagement, store organizational citizenship behaviors, and store performance. Results indicate that both employee and manager attitudes toward fun, as well as collective coworker trust, significantly relate to climate of fun at work. Additionally, climate of fun was significantly and positively related to the store employees’ average group levels of engagement and individually-directed organizational citizenship behaviors. Climate of fun was not, however, significantly related to store performance. Results from this study highlight the potential value in creating a climate of fun in retail settings and as such, makes a significant contribution to the scientific literature on fun at work.
Open Access
Communicating the right message on the wrong medium: the construction of competent messages in medium rule-violation situations
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Sudduth, Linnea Ann, author; Merolla, Andy, advisor; Sprain, Leah, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
This study examines medium rule violations, or violations of people's expectancies for appropriate media selection. Examples of medium rule violations abound and include, for instance, breaking up through email and being fired over the phone. Previous scholarship (Gershon, 2010; Starks, 2007; Westmyer, DiCioccio, & Rubin, 1998) suggests that media selection may be, in some situations, a rule-governed behavior. This study proposes a unified term, "medium violations," for violations of such medium rules for appropriate media selection. In addition, it suggests a framework, drawn from Shimanoff's (1980) taxonomy of rule-governed behavior, for developing more competent messages in medium rule-violation situations. The taxonomy organizes rule-governed behaviors according to the communicator's conscious awareness of a rule when engaging in a rule-governed act. The study hypothesizes that the varying levels of rule-consciousness can be used to address communicators' face needs. Thus, the more rule-conscious the message, the more competent the message should be perceived in medium rule-violation situations. A two (situation type: medium rule adherent vs. medium rule violation) by five (message type: negative reflective, violation, no rule acknowledgment, following, positive reflective) experiment was conducted with 291 participants. In addition, a coding scheme to better understand participants' reactions to the medium selection was developed. The study found that messages in the medium rule-adherent situation were always viewed as more competent than medium rule-violation messages. Yet, negative reflective messages, messages where the communicator engaged in both self- and other-facework, were perceived as the most competent message type. No interaction effect between situation type and message type was found. This study sought to increase current knowledge on medium rules and the construction of messages in medium rule-adherent and violation situations. It suggested the existence and importance of medium rules in guiding mediated interactions, and it also demonstrated the utility of Shimanoff's (1980) taxonomy of rule-governed behavior in the construction of mediated messages. Further, the emotional reaction to the medium selection coding scheme was found to be reliable and may be useful in future empirical research.
Open Access
Counseling practices of therapists in the promotion of exercise and nutrition behaviors in therapy: a qualitative study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Millard, Lauren, author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
With the growing amount of evidence supporting the benefits of exercise and nutrition for mental health and psychological well-being, it is interesting to note that mental health professionals may have a tendency not to recommend them to clients in therapy. The purpose of the present study was to examine the current practices of professional psychologists, specifically clinical and counseling psychologists, with regard to whether and how often they suggest exercise and nutrition to clients, what therapeutic methods or techniques they might use, and how much and what type of training and education they perceive may be necessary for psychologists to address these issues in therapy. Participants were 17 licensed clinical and counseling psychologists holding either a master's or doctoral degree in psychology. They took part in individual, face to face, semi-structured interviews regarding their practices in discussing nutrition and exercise in therapy. Data were analyzed using post-positivist grounded theory and constant comparative analysis. Results produced themes that fell into one of four categories: Therapist Attributes, Client Attributes, Counseling Methods, and Therapist Health. A theoretical model was developed to describe if and how the therapist attributes and the client attributes related. This relationship influenced how participants would address nutrition and exercise in therapy. Various therapeutic approaches included inquiring about the client's current practices, providing psychoeducation, making clear recommendations, collaborating with the client and other professionals, and making appropriate referrals.
Open Access
Danger signs in romantic relationships: the role of mindfulness
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Walton, Veronica O., author; Quirk, Kelley, advisor; Harvey, Ashley, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Danger signs in romantic relationships signal relational distress, dissolution, and dissatisfaction (Gottman, 1993; Markman, Stanley, & Blumberg, 2010b). Little is known about how mindfulness may improve danger sign identification and how important experiences may be influential in detection including one's betrayal trauma, interparental conflict, social isolation, and attachment style. Participants viewed videos of couples interacting and were instructed to identify negative interaction patterns through a digital analogue assessment via key presses. Half of participants were randomized to a mindfulness condition. Results revealed that mindfulness engagement was significantly related to the identification of danger signs, as compared to the control group. Additionally, results showed that higher reports of betrayal trauma and interparental conflict were significantly negatively associated with ability to recognize danger signs, including mindfully-induced participants. Interestingly, insecure attachment was significantly related to greater danger sign identification for both the main effect and moderation, and social isolation appeared insignificant. Importantly, this study lends support for the notion that early exposure to unhealthy relationship dynamics may be influential for future recognition of danger signs in intimate partnerships, and that mindfulness appears to play a key role in detection.
Open Access
Dosage matters: the role of community corrections interventions on client recidivism
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Naday Walker, Alexandra, author; Shelley, Tara O'Connor, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Opsal, Tara, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
For the last 50 years, effective correctional programs and interventions have been defined by their ability to lower recidivism rates. There is considerable research about what works to reduce an individual's risk for recidivism, yet recidivism rates remain high. The revolving door within the criminal justice system comes with tremendous economic and social costs for individuals, their families, and communities and therefore understanding the impact that interventions have on long term outcomes has become a primary focus area for researchers in the justice space. Using risk/need/responsivity theory as a framework, this study examined the impact of the intensity of nonclinical and clinical interventions, clinical dosage hours, and case management meetings on one- and two-year recidivism outcomes. This study seeks to broaden our understanding of the dosage literature by examining a sample of offenders placed in an open (full access to community with expectations of employment and other responsibilities while in treatment), residential, community corrections (halfway house) setting. The final sample for this study includes 147 adult male and female offenders who successfully discharged from two community corrections (halfway house) programs in Colorado. Findings support prior research suggesting an inverse relationship between clinical dosage hours and recidivism. While the results demonstrated a lack of support for the relationship between nonclinical interventions and recidivism reduction, the intensity of clinical interventions provided to clients were statistically significant at both one- and two- years post program completion. Finally, the results indicate that regular case management meetings play an important role in recidivism reduction.
Open Access
Employee engagement: understanding the construct's stability
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Weston, James W., author; Byrne, Zinta, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Ganster, Daniel, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Research has been contradictory in the definition and measurement of employee engagement. Despite being predominantly measured as a trait-like stable construct, engagement was originally introduced as a moment-to-moment fluctuating concept. The focus of the current research is on the conceptualization of the stability of the employee engagement construct. Specifically, I examined fluctuations in engagement as they related to varying levels of three theoretical antecedents (psychological safety, psychological availability, and psychological meaningfulness). Using experience sampling, forty nine participants were asked to complete surveys on cellular devices or workplace computers, for five weeks, twice per day at random moments, for a total of 30 data-points per participant. These daily surveys assessed fluctuations in engagement levels in relation to the other contextual variables, while their accumulation over the five-week period provided insight into the relative stability of the construct. Results showed momentary job engagement was positively related to momentary stress, affect, and the quality of coworker interactions. Additionally, between-person differences in engagement were positively related to job satisfaction, general positive affect, and general job engagement. The current study provides a glimpse into within-person fluctuations in engagement. Findings suggest that although engagement may vary within-employees, between-person differences are still present and represent valuable information.
Open Access
Formative evaluation of the behavior change components within a Colorado Weatherization Assistance Program
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Sandoval, Perla K., author; Aloise-Young, Patricia, advisor; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Cross, Jennifer, committee member
A formative evaluation of behavior change elements of an ongoing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) offered by the Energy Resource Center (E.R.C.) in Denver, CO was conducted. The WAP as administered by the E.R.C. in Colorado saves residents an average 15% of energy consumption (E.R.C., 2015). However, research suggests that adding behavioral components to WAPs could increase energy savings to 21-26% (Gregory, 1992; APPRAISE, 2002). The goal of this evaluation is to provide recommendations to E.R.C. for program changes using Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) and Theory of Planned Behavior. The CBSM Step 1Step 3 is the focus of this formative evaluation. This program evaluation has four components: 1) review of written materials, 2) interviews with staff, 3) surveys mailed to E.R.C. clients and 4) in-home observations conducted with E.R.C. clients. Results of this formative evaluation has 3 sections of behaviors recommended for future intervention high priority, mid priority, and low priority recommendations based on CBSM penetration, probability, and impact factors. Behaviors that are listed as high priority for E.R.C. Behavioral intervention are cold water washing, hang drying, setting back thermostats, and window coverings. Overall increase in staff engagement is also recommended to be pursued. Each staff level is also given recommendations on how to engage in behavior change interventions.
Open Access
Giving death a second glance: an investigation of existential awareness
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Hunter, Isaac, author; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Bloom, Larry, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
The promotion of awareness is arguably one of the central features of counseling. Research on existential awareness has produced mixed results with regard to how people react when experiencing such awareness. Differences in outcome are seemingly based on the level of awareness achieved and on how deeply that awareness resonated. This existential awareness is sometimes perceived as a threat and therefore something people try to defend against. At deeper, more personal levels, this awareness appears to often add meaning and value to the experience of living. Aside from near death experience and post traumatic growth research, few studies have examined this deeper level of awareness in detail. The present study attempted to promote this deeper level of awareness by having participants imagine and reflect on a scenario describing one's last moments before impending death. The present study used qualitative and quantitative analysis to examine: if this intervention was effective, if individual characteristics had an influence on this intervention's effectiveness, and the duration of potential intervention outcomes over time. Qualitative results suggest that the intervention was effective in getting participants to engage in reflection on their own lives. However, significant results were not obtained through the quantitative measures that were employed to examine moderators and intervention impact over time.
Open Access
Graphic cigarette package warning labels: investigating the effectiveness of graphic images among new and occasional smokers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Dieterich, Sara E., author; Henry, Kimberly, advisor; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Long, Marilee, committee member
Smoking is a major public health concern. As a result of recent legislation, cigarette manufacturers will soon be required to display graphic pictorial depictions of the health consequences of tobacco on all products sold in the U.S. Research has shown that fear appeal messages can be effective for health behavior change, but little research has examined the effects of graphic imagery in warning messages. The present study explored the effectiveness of graphic and non-graphic cigarette package warning labels and examined potential mediating processes among occasional and recently initiating smokers. No significant direct effects of the graphic warning labels (as compared to non-graphic labels) on explicit attitudes, implicit attitudes, and intentions to not smoke were found. The results also show that graphic warning labels were associated with increased perceived personal relevance and negative affective reactions compared to non-graphic warning labels. Personal relevance was also found to mediate the relationship between warning label condition and negative implicit attitudes. Implications for prevention are discussed.
Open Access
Gratitude and health: a brief intervention to reduce undergraduate stress
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Fitch-Martin, Arissa, author; Steger, Michael, advisor; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Kuk, Linda, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Undergraduate students experience a significant amount of stress that negatively impacts their physical and mental health as well as their academic performance. Attempts to reduce stress and its detrimental effects on the lives of college students have either fallen short, require considerable effort, are not utilized, or have not been sufficiently evaluated. Instead, undergraduate students often turn to unhealthy ways of dealing with their stress such as excessive alcohol use. This study aimed to address the lack of efficient and efficacious stress management resources available to undergraduate students. Three-hundred and sixteen undergraduate students were assigned to a gratitude-list, objects-list, or no-treatment control condition. The gratitude intervention did not have a significant impact on perceived stress. However, results provided further evidence that there is a relationship between gratitude and perceived stress. The impact of gender-role identity and trait gratitude was also explored. Implications for future research on gratitude and stress as well as gratitude in general are discussed and suggestions for clinical practice are offered.
Open Access
Health and safety in the gig economy: a qualitative investigation with TaskRabbit workers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Kaldahl, Kiplin, author; Fisher, Gwenith G., advisor; Crain, Tori L., committee member; Rosecrance, John, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Work in the United States is increasingly moving towards contingent positions in the online gig economy, raising concerns about worker health, safety, and well-being in the absence of regulatory frameworks found in traditional employment. The present study examines the health and safety experiences of workers who provide their labor through an online platform called TaskRabbit, which is characterized by gig economy workers who offer freelance labor services to clients, such as cleaning and moving services. Little research has been done with this population; most studies on gig economy workers thus far have focused on on-demand driving companies such as Uber and Lyft. Health risks may arise from little workplace support for physical and mental health. Safety hazards may arise from a lack of training, unregulated physical environments in which tasks take place, and risk of injury due to physical labor. Negative outcomes due to stress may arise from low job control due to algorithmic management (i.e., computerized algorithms that make management decisions based on statistics such as customer approval ratings), and from interpersonal stressors such as incivility (i.e., rude comments, inconsiderate behavior) and unfair treatment. I investigated these potential risks through the use of one-hour, semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted via online video. The interview data was analyzed for recurring themes and sub-themes related to the study topics. The findings provide information on the unique health and safety experiences of the TaskRabbit workforce, which is essential to the development of future quantitative studies and interventions.
Open Access
Home, half a world away: the cultural logic of acculturation among Indian international students at Colorado State University
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Van Oostenburg, Max, author; Snodgrass, Jeffrey, advisor; Kwiatkowski, Lynn, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
In this thesis I contend that Indian international students at Colorado State University strive to adjust to life in the United States in accordance with a cognitive "model" of what being well-adjusted entails. This model of being well-adjusted is culture-specific and reflects a negotiation between Indian cultural values and the challenges of life as a CSU student. This cultural logic of adjustment configures subjective well-being in a context-specific way, meaning individuals who are more able to map onto the cultural model of being well-adjusted are likely to experience better subjective well-being than those who are unable. I suggest that accounting for the cultural patterning of acculturation is a step towards a more nuanced understanding of the adjustment process of international students. Additionally, this approach provides a more emic picture of the dynamics of subjective well-being among groups of international students.
Open Access
Implications of late autism spectrum disorder diagnosis for females
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Tomasula Martin, Lily, author; Hepburn, Susan, advisor; Ortega, Lilyana, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the implications of the timing of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis for females, specifically its impact on psychological well-being. While it is well-known that females are less likely to be identified at young ages than their male counterparts, we know relatively little about the experiences or service needs of women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are identified later in life. Five women, ages 22 to 46 years who received a formal diagnosis after the age of 12 years, participated in an in-depth interview with a clinician focused on the impacts of a late Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and the participants' overall well-being. Participants also completed a standardized self-report measure of psychological well-being. Participants then partook in a semi-structured interview to share their experiences of being a female with ASD. Responses from the questionnaires were summarized to provide a baseline understanding of participants' well-being while the semi-structured interview was analyzed to find themes in participant experiences. This qualitative case study includes a small number of participants, but we learned about the potential impacts of late diagnosis for females and their self-report of overall well-being. Both of which has implications for both research and practice.
Open Access
Mothers in relationships with sex offenders: understanding life experiences
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Dawson, Alyssa, author; Peek, Lori, advisor; Cross, Jennifer, committee member; Opsal, Tara, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
This thesis examines the experiences of mothers in relationships with sex offenders. The research draws on data gathered through interviews with eighteen mothers. Seven of the participants had entered into their relationships prior to their partner becoming a registered sex offender; the other 11 women had entered into their relationships with men who were already registered as sex offenders. This study explores stresses experienced in seven life spheres--employment, housing, peer and family relationships, relationship with their partner, their children's lives and self-perception--as a result of their relationship with a sex offender. In addition, this study identified the strategies used to cope and the support relied on to mediate the effects of those stresses. Further, I map the respondents' stress trajectories, integrating their stressors and coping strategies. I conclude with recommendations to assist mothers in relationships with sex offenders in the future.
Open Access
Parental alienation and targeted parents: loss, coping, and social support
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Kline, Chelsea L., author; Biringen, Zeynep, advisor; Harman, Jennifer, committee member; Harvey, Ashley, committee member
As the phenomenon of parental alienation becomes more prevalent and recognized by professionals who work with families, focusing on the impact of parental alienation on the alienated parent is becoming progressively more important. Alienated parents often suffer some sort of loss of their child (e.g., emotional connection, physical contact, or both) as a consequence of parental alienation. Due to the nature of this loss, we argue that parental alienation can lead to ambiguous loss that the targeted parent must learn to cope with. The purpose of this study was to further understand the experiences of parents who are targeted in alienation cases, specifically their feelings of loss and grief through the loss of emotional and/or physical connection with their children, as well as the various social supports that may be used by these parents in an effort to cope with this loss. The original interview data was obtained from parents who claim to have been alienated from their child after a separation or divorce. In order to quantify the qualitative data, two researchers coded the transcripts based on the operational definitions. The researchers coded a subsample of 45 interviews with these alienated parents. The researchers tested correlations between physical contact and emotional connection between the alienated parent and child, as well as between the contact and social supports utilized. Zero order (Pearson) correlations revealed no significant associations. However, some interesting results and themes from this subsample were noted.
Open Access
Parental alienation: the case for parentification and mental health
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Kraus, Allyson, author; Biringen, Zeynep, advisor; MacPhee, David, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Parental alienation typically occurs in families with separated or divorced parents, and one parent actively campaigns against the other parent to elicit the support of the children. Due to the detrimental effects that alienation can have on a child and the apparent lack of awareness on the part of the alienating parent, it has been speculated that alienating parents may experience poor mental health. Parentification is a common tactic used by alienating parents in order to align with the child(ren), and the boundary disruption involved in parentification further supports the idea that these parents may be experiencing a mental illness. Interviews with parents who report being alienated from a child were coded for their descriptions of the alienating parent's level of parentification and their mental health status. Results indicated a significant relation between the level of parentification and mental health status. The marital status and gender of the targeted parent, as well as parenting time, were also tested as contributors to the parentification in the family, but no significant associations between these variables were found. The significant association between parentification and mental health status implies that poor mental health may predispose parents to use parentification as a tactic in the process of alienation.