Browsing by Author "Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor"
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Item Open Access Attitudes of heterosexual assisted living residents toward gay and lesbian peers(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Donaldson, Weston, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Lehmiller, Justin, committee memberSexual minorities in post-retirement care facilities fear discrimination and suboptimal care due to homophobia and heteronormative policies. This qualitative study explored the attitudes of 13 heterosexual assisted facility residents toward gay and lesbian peers in their facility. Although most participants reported that they were comfortable talking about homosexuality, the feelings, beliefs, and behaviors toward gay and lesbian residents that they described ranged from favorable, to ambivalent, to unfavorable. Results seemed to indicate that heterosexual residents still view sexual minorities as "others" who are unlikely to inhabit the same spaces they do. Recommendations for further research are provided in order to ameliorate the conditions of aged care facilities for all residents, including sexual minorities.Item Open Access Attitudes of older adults toward feminism and women's roles: the influence of gender, religious orientation and political orientation(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2008) Burlingame-Lee, Laura Joan, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisorOlder adults' attitudes toward feminism and women's rights and roles in society were explored using survey techniques in this research. Participants included 274 older adults age 50 and over who were asked to complete questionnaires including a variety of demographic variables (including religious and political affiliations and orientations) and attitudinal measures of feminism and women's rights and roles in society.Item Open Access Attitudes toward feminism in older and younger adults: the influence of religiosity, political orientation, gender, education, and family(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009) Fitzpatrick, Kathryn, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisorThe purpose of the present study was to investigate attitudes toward feminism in a population of older and younger adults who were connected to each other through a family relationship (e.g., parent, grandparent). Using a database collected during the spring of 2007 which included 245 Introduction to Psychology students and 245 paired older adult family members, the influence of family, political affiliation, religiosity, education, and gender was explored. Participants completed an attitudes towards feminism scale, a political affiliation scale, a religiosity measure, and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicated that older adults were more conservative than younger adults on the attitudes towards feminism, religiosity, and political orientation measures. In young adults, attitudes towards feminism was predicted by gender and political orientation. In older adults, religiosity and political orientation were the best predictors. Looking at the influence between the generations, it was found that older adults' attitudes and demographic information were not associated with younger adults' attitudes towards feminism and the women's movement when the young adults' variables were controlled. In contrast, young adults' political views were associated with older adults' attitudes towards feminism when the older adults' variables were controlled. Findings highlight the importance of continuing to explore a bidirectional model of socialization.Item Open Access Exploring staff clinical knowledge and practice with LGBT residents in long-term care: a grounded theory of cultural competency and training needs(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Donaldson, Weston Verlaine, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Wood, Wendy, committee memberProviding culturally competent care to LGBT residents is an important area of concern in the current practice of long-term care (LTC) staff and providers. Existing literature shows that LGBT residents are likely to face discrimination and suboptimal care in LTC facilities due to homophobia, transphobia, and heteronormative/cisnormative policies. This grounded theory study assessed the LGBT cultural competency that exists among staff working in LTC facilities, and provides a framework for understanding how their knowledge, skills, and attitudes with respect to LGBT residents are connected to their ability to care for those populations. The core category identified in this study was "staff sensitivity to minority sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) of residents." Main categories reflected the ways that competency, awareness, knowledge, experience with LGBT people, attitudes toward LGBT people, and current training needs reflect staff sensitivity to resident SOGI. Recommendations are made for training LTC staff to be sensitive to the particular needs of sexual and gender minorities in their facilities.Item Open Access Heterosexual ally development in counseling psychologists: experiences, training, and advocacy for the LGBT community(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Asta, Elizabeth L., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Banning, Jim, committee member; Bloom, Larry, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee memberWhen focusing on advocacy for minority rights, it is beneficial to explore the role allies play in advocating for and supporting their peers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine how counseling psychologists working in university counseling settings conceptualize their ally work, as well as how their counseling psychology training impacted their ally development. This study was guided by the tradition of phenomenological qualitative study, and constant comparison analysis served as the strategy for inductive analysis. Pre-doctoral interns and senior staff psychologists, who self-identified as heterosexual, were interviewed regarding their experiences and development with ally work. Results indicated that there is wide variation regarding how psychologists view the ally experience, but that individuals find common meaning, challenges, and training experiences within their ally development. In particular, results showed a predominant need for increased training in social justice advocacy and LGBT support within counseling psychology training programs.Item Open Access Hospice services as experienced by long term care nusring staff and their perception of resident experiences(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Aeling, Jennifer, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Borrayo, Evelinn, committee member; Fruhauf, Christine, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee memberThe current study utilized qualitative methods to understand long term care (LTC) nursing staff's experience with hospice services and their perceptions of how their residents have experienced hospice services. More specifically, this study sought to understand nursing home residents choices to utilize hospice services, as well as understand differences LTC nurses have experienced in regards to these deaths. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was utilized to extract themes and subthemes from 10 interviews that occurred with LTC nursing staff. Four main themes were extracted from the data. These main themes are: LTC nursing participant's positive view of hospice, their perception that residents view hospice very negatively, why residents choose to utilize hospice services, and why residents choose not to utilize hospice services. A number of subthemes were extracted as well. Content analysis was also utilized to extract one noteworthy concept that did not fit within the guidelines of IPA, which was a comparison of two resident deaths, one that occurred with and without the utilization of hospice services. These themes and the noteworthy concept pointed to a contradiction between the LTC nursing staff's positive view of hospice and their belief that their residents view hospice services very negatively.Item Open Access Impact of client death on clinical geropsychologists. The: a qualitative analysis(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Foster, Amanda N., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee memberAlthough clinical psychologists who work with older adults are expected to work competently in areas of death and dying, there has been little research that explores how client death impacts these professionals. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, interviews with 10 professional geropsychologists were transcribed and analyzed for common themes across participants. Identified themes included: development of a different mindset in geropsychology; circumstances of memorable client deaths; personal/professional boundaries; impact of client death on clinical work; and developing specific coping strategies. Results from the present study suggested that despite grief reactions, participants believed that experiencing client death led to both personal and professional growth that helped them to become better clinicians. They also identified immediate reactions to client death that ranged from a sense of joy and peace to feelings of loss and regret. Participants identified specific coping strategies they used to cope with this phenomenon.Item Open Access It's a whole new world: self-esteem and widowhood in older women in a retirement community(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Archibald, Krystle Balhan, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Fruhauf, Christine A., committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee member; Rickard, Kathryn Marie, 1957-, committee memberWith estimates of nearly 50% of all women over age 65 becoming widows, the transition into widowhood is an expected life event for older women (Bradsher, 2001; Hanson & Hayslip, 2000). Nonetheless, widowhood is often an extremely disruptive life event for women, involving loss in many life domains including status, social connections, psychological well-being, and self-esteem (Carr, 2004; Carr, Nesse, & Wortman, 2006; Chamber, 2005). The current interpretive phenomenological study explored widows' lived experiences in relation to their self-esteem after the loss of their spouses. Thirteen women from a retirement community in Arizona were interviewed. A core theme of multiple identity construction emerged from their narratives. Other important subthemes arose from the data including "the widowhood experience," "relationships," "self-esteem definitions and sources," and "independence."Item Open Access Long-term care residents: the relationship between perceived justice and quality of life, satisfaction with staff, and psychological sense of community(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Brescian, Natalie E., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee member; McGrew, John, committee memberThe present study explored the relationship among justice perceptions and mental health-related quality of life (QOL), satisfaction with long-term care (LTC) facility staff, and psychological sense of community (PSOC) in LTC residents. The study was exploratory in nature because it examined the experience of living in LTC based on a new framework. One-hundred and seven participants completed a survey containing items measuring justice, PSOC, satisfaction with staff and QOL. Data was analyzed using correlational and hierarchical regression analyses. Results indicated that the three types of justice (interactional, procedural, and distributive) demonstrated positive correlations with mental-health related QOL, satisfaction with staff, and PSOC. Additionally, two separate hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the relationship between justice and satisfaction with staff, and PSOC were significant after controlling for functional status and physical health-related QOL. Physical health-related QOL emerged as the only predictor of mental health-related QOL. Implications for LTC residents and directions for future research are discussed.Item Open Access Microaggressions and the experiences of multiracial clients in psychotherapy: a qualitative investigation(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Foster, Amanda N., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Suinn, Richard, committee member; Miller, Lisa, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee memberAlthough the importance of cultural competence for mental health professionals is widely agreed upon, it is often difficult to evaluate how this occurs in practice. The present study used a qualitative methodology to investigate the experiences of multiracial individuals in therapy with a particular focus on how race was addressed within the therapy relationships. Researchers investigated: 1) which, if any, microaggressions came up during psychotherapy, 2) how multiracial individuals made sense of microaggressions in therapy, and 3) what contributed to more positive experiences of discussing race in therapy. Thirteen multiracial individuals from various racial backgrounds were interviewed about their experiences in psychotherapy. Analyses revealed three major themes that occurred in all 13 interviews: therapist microaggressions, helpful therapist behaviors around race, and the impact of microaggressions in therapy. Multiracial microaggressions in the present study included: avoiding/minimizing race in therapy; denial of multiracial reality; stereotypical assumptions based on race; second-class status and treatment of multiracial people. Microaggressions negatively impacted the therapy experience such that many clients who experienced microaggressions felt worse, struggled with the dilemma of whether or not to confront microaggressions, became more guarded, felt therapy was not helpful, and ended therapy early. In addition to the themes of microaggressions in therapy, the present study also highlighted a number of positive ways that therapists addressed race with their multiracial clients. Results from the present study highlight both challenges and opportunities of doing culturally sensitive work with multiracial individuals.Item Open Access Older adult patient-doctor communication regarding alcohol use: a qualitative study(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Sharp, Lindsay C., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Bloom, Larry, committee member; Swaim, Randy, committee member; Banning, Jim, committee memberProblematic drinking is a significant issue within the older adult (65+) population. Although proper assessment and diagnosis is crucial in addressing problem drinking in this population, research suggests that physicians are not adequately discussing alcohol use with their older adult patients. In the midst of the accumulated knowledge on older adult patient-doctor communication, a sizeable gap exists regarding communication older adults report to their primary care physician regarding alcohol use. Using qualitative methods, the purpose of the present study was to understand the communication between community-based older adults and their physicians regarding their alcohol use. Results revealed several older adult biases that prevent them from initiating alcohol communication with their physician, including perceived lack of problem with alcohol, physician disinterest in the topic, completing the information on the initial intake form, and past experience with alcohol. However, participants stated that they would feel comfortable discussing the topic if initiated by their physician, and identified several physician characteristics that would improve the patient-doctor relationship, including humor, length of time with physician, perceived adequate time, perceived knowledge, and similarly aged.Item Open Access Psychological predictors of sexual satisfaction among married heterosexual older adults using the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009) Hinrichs, Kate L. Martin, author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisorSexual satisfaction is an area that has rarely been studied among older adults. However, as people live longer, and have the options of various methods to aid with sexual functioning, it has become increasingly valued to maintain a satisfying sex life at the end of the lifespan. Variables that have been found to predict sexual satisfaction in research with younger adult populations include: age, gender, marital/relationship satisfaction, sense of perceived control, and subjective well-being. Thus, these same psychological predictors of sexual satisfaction (relationship satisfaction, subjective well-being and sense of control) were explored in an older adult population. The current study is based on previous findings with younger adults, and utilizes the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS) theory. The present study further utilized secondary analyses of the Midlife in the Unites States (MIDUS) 2 database, with a focus on heterosexual married adults aged 65 to 84. The three psychological variables were used together to create a potential prediction model and were analyzed using multiple regression techniques and post hoc correlations. Results using this three-factor model indicated that relationship satisfaction significantly contributed to the way that sexual rewards and costs compared to one's expected level of sexual rewards and costs, the perceived equality of sexual rewards and costs between partners, and the quality of the nonsexual aspects of the relationship (IEMSS components two, three, and four). Within this context, subjective well-being did not appear to add predictive value to the current model. However, sense of perceived control significantly contributes the way that sexual rewards and costs compare to one's expected level of sexual rewards and costs and the perceived equality of sexual rewards and costs between partners (IEMSS components two and three). Of additional note, when correlational analyses were examined, and issues of multicollinearity were circumvented, all three psychological factors (relationship satisfaction, subjective well-being and sense of control) were statistically significantly related to IEMSS components two, three, and four (the way that sexual rewards and costs compared to one's expected level of sexual rewards and costs, the perceived equality of sexual rewards and costs between partners, and the quality of the nonsexual aspects of the relationship). It appears at this time that the construct of sexual satisfaction is far more complex than once thought. In this study among married, heterosexual older adults, typical levels of sexual satisfaction varied based on which aspect of sexual satisfaction was being examined. There were also many factors that went into predicting levels of sexual satisfaction. It is also now known that relationship satisfaction, subjective well-being and sense of control are related to sexual satisfaction in myriad ways. This knowledge can be used to shape treatments for sexual problems and finding ways to maintain high levels of sexual satisfaction across the lifespan. It is essential to work toward including sexual health and maintenance as a regular part of care for our older adults.Item Open Access Psychologist trainee clinical judgments of older adult clients(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Graham, Kirsten L., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Byrne, Zinta, committee member; Fruhauf, Christine, committee memberWith the steady growth of the population of older adults in the U.S., there is an ever-growing need to prepare more mental healthcare providers to work with older adult clients. However, decades of research indicate that clinicians may hold clinical biases toward older adults. The present study sought to explore current doctoral trainee clinical judgments of older adult clients. Results indicated that trainees rated themselves as less competent working with older clients than compared to younger clients. A positive relationship was also found between attitudes and trainees' perception of an older adult client's ability to form a therapeutic relationship. Additionally, increased training in aging-related topics was correlated with more positive attitudes toward older adult clients. Trainees' reports indicate a need for training programs and agencies to develop an emphasis on working with older adult clients in order to meet the mental health needs of this growing population.Item Open Access What path should I take? A qualitative study exploring the process of widowhood for older women(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Coochise, Jodi L., author; Vacha-Haase, Tammi, advisor; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Matheson, Jennifer, committee memberThe present qualitative study explored the process older adult women experience as they navigate their course through widowhood. Interviews were conducted with 10 women over the age of 55 to investigate what factors went in to their decisions regarding coping with the loss of their spouse. Findings suggest that women looked to others for guidance and advice in navigating multiple aspects of their experience. They turned to peers with experience of a similar loss, listened to their internal voice of what was a good fit, and focused on taking one day at a time. Messages from others, the perceived expectations of others, and their own internal expectations also shaped their widowhood experience. Ultimately, they had to determine what coping strategies were a good match and provided some relief from their distress. The findings suggest that widowed women may benefit from exploring the input received from others, increasing awareness around the messages received from family regarding loss and encouragement to utilize their internal voice as a guide for creating their own unique experience of grief.