Counseling Psychology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10790/2462

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

Exploring the relationship between trauma and dichotomous thinking
(University of Hawaii at Hilo, 2025-05) Suh, Juyeon; Herman, Steve; Counseling Psychology
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between dichotomous thinking and exposure to traumatic life events. This quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study hypothesized that there are positive correlations between: 1) traumatic event exposure frequency and degrees of dichotomous thinking, 2) severity of events and degrees of dichotomous thinking, 3) posttraumatic stress symptoms and degrees of dichotomous thinking, and hypothesized that 4) those who experienced their first traumatic event before age 20 will have greater degrees of dichotomous thinking than those who were exposed after the age of 20. Nine hundred eighty-one University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa students completed a demographics page, the Dichotomous Thinking Inventory, the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire Short Form-9, the Trauma History Questionnaire, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5. Results showed that posttraumatic stress symptoms were significantly correlated with degrees of dichotomous thinking. Frequency of event exposure, severity of events, and age at/during event exposure were not significantly associated with degrees of dichotomous thinking. This signifies that it is essential to consider how people respond to traumatic event exposure when discussing psychological flexibility. Despite the associations found in literature between experiencing trauma and cognitive distortions, there are possibly other interactions involved between the maintenance of black-and-white cognition in a trauma-exposed sample. Further research should examine covariates and potential moderators, such as resilience, coping styles, and social support, to clarify the impact of these variables on dichotomous thinking styles. Limitations of the study include the use of categorical free-response answers in participant responses to specific event frequencies and a small sample size of participants older than 20.
Going, going, gone: Provider turnover in Hawaiʻi’s youth public mental health system
(University of Hawaii at Hilo, 2025-05) Trevino, Victoria Larson; Higa McMillan, Charmaine; Counseling Psychology
Provider turnover in public mental health systems disrupts therapeutic relationships and compromises treatment continuity, particularly affecting vulnerable youth populations. This qualitative study examined factors influencing provider turnover and retention in Hawai‘i's public youth mental health system through semi-structured interviews with both direct service providers (n=3) and supervisors/administrators (n=7) from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD) contracted agencies. The interviews were transcribed and coded via inductive coding method. Analysis revealed nine key themes affecting turnover and retention: employee compensation (25.90% of themes), supervision and support (12.23%), autonomy and flexibility (11.51%), leadership and organizational culture (11.51%), work environment (10.79%), caseload (8.63%), provider job fit and individual factors (7.91%), training and professional development (7.19%), and administrative burdens (4.32%). The findings highlight the need for systemic changes needed to support workforce stability in Hawaii's youth mental health system. This study provides valuable insights for behavioral health organizations and policymakers to develop targeted retention strategies that maintain service quality and continuity for youth requiring mental health services.
Childhood traumatic exposure and belief in Hawaiian values as contributing factors to identity functioning
(University of Hawaii at Hilo, 2025-05) Bradley, Lauren Elise; Kim, Sunyoung; Counseling Psychology
The development of an ego-identity is a crucial part in adolescence and early adulthood where a youth seeks to understand the answer to the question of “who am I?”. A disturbed (i.e., incoherent, unstable) identity and/or lack of identity has historically been linked to various mental illnesses, such as borderline personality disorder, depression, and PTSD. The focus of this thesis was to examine the relationship between childhood adversity, ego-identity, and Native Hawaiian cultural values. Researchers found that, within a Native Hawaiian population, belief in Hawaiian values moderated the relationship between childhood trauma and self-reported feelings of lacking an identity. Results generally support previous research showing that identification and engagement with one's own culture can lead to healthier identity outcomes. In the context of the State of Hawai‘i, results indicate that clinicians would be able to better serve their clients by being more knowledgeable about Hawaiian history, culture, values, and practices, and by engaging in the exploration of aspects of Hawaiian culture that resonate with their Native Hawaiian clients within session.
Self-Esteem, Acculturative Stress, and Depressive Symptoms Among First-Generation Asian Americans
(University of Hawaii at Hilo, 2023-05) Tang, Jiwei; Kim, Bryan S. K.; Counseling Psychology
Acculturative stress significantly impacts first-generation Asian Americans in the United States. Among first-generation Asian Americans, the acculturative process is a shared cultural experience. During this process, these individuals face many different challenges in their ordinary lives, which could lead to acculturative stress. The present study examined the relationships between self-esteem, acculturative stress, and depressive symptoms among this population. Data for this study came from first-generation Asian Americans (ages 18 to 81) online throughout the United States (N = 141). Mediator models were used to test self-esteem’s mediating function on the relationship between acculturative stress and depressive symptoms among first-generation Asian Americans. The following three instruments were used to assess the participants’ adaptation experiences immediately after emigration and the participants’ current experiences: The Revised Multidimensional Acculturative Stress Inventory for Asian Americans (R-MASIAA), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) - Short Version. Acculturative stress was significantly associated with depression and self-esteem, and self-esteem was a mediator in the relationship between acculturative stress and depressive symptoms among this population.
Trauma, Resilience, and Social Support of First-Generation College Students
(University of Hawaii at Hilo, 2020-12) Avitia, Alicia; Kim, Sunyoung; Counseling Psychology
First-generation college students (hereafter, FGS) experience unique factors that put them at-risk for non-degree completion. The aim of the study was to examine institutional/personal social support factors, trauma related events, and resilience levels of FGS and non-first-generation college students (hereafter, non-FGS). The researcher administered a paper and pencil, self-report survey to multiple undergraduate psychology related classrooms.The findings of this study indicated that more FGS participated in the study compared to non-FGS. Family and Friends were chosen by FGS and non-FGS as being the most important personal social support factors. FGS reported receiving Financial Aid as the most important institutional social support factor while non-FGS chose Professors. The FGS and non-FGS did not show significant differences in experiencing traumatic life events and level of resilience. A strong perception of social support was associated with the perceived likelihood of staying in college. There was a significant positive correlation between resilience and perceived social support. Regardless of first-generation status, gender, trauma experience, and resilience level, a stronger perception of social support predicted a higher perceived likelihood of staying in college. Future considerations could consider gathering qualitative reports from these students via in-person, focus groups, increasing the number in the sample size, and establishing a more efficient system to collect data from a wide range of FGS including the Federal TRIO Student Support Services program participants.
The effects of cognitive load on potential partner choices in online speed dating profiles
(2015) Kim, Erick; Coutant, Dawna K.; Counseling Psychology
With the widespread availability of the internet and technology, people are able to find romantic partners in easily accessible mediums such as phone dating applications and online dating websites. Although studies have examined the attributes that increase potential romantic partner selection, previous research has not incorporated the potential cognitive stress that accompany technology based romantic dating (Eastwick, Eagly, Finkel, & Johnson, 2011). The present study is a cross-sectional experimental study examining the influence of cognitive stress and explicit ideals of physical attractiveness on prospective online dating profiles in a sample (N=94) of undergraduate psychology college population. Findings did not support the hypothesis that participants who are not cognitively stressed and have low explicit ideals of physical attractiveness chose romantic profiles that are low in physical attractiveness. Additionally, the main effects of explicit ideals of physical attractiveness and cognitive stress on romantic profile choice while controlling for similarity were not statistically significant. However, an exploratory MANOVA analysis of gender on explicit ideals of physical attractiveness and profile choice found that men and women differed with statistical significance in their reporting of explicit ideals, F (1, 92) =8.395, p =.019, η2 = .059. Finally, another exploratory three-way ANOVA found that there was a statistically significant interaction between romantic status, cognitive stress, and explicit ideals of physical attractiveness on romantic interest in potential romantic partners, F (1, 84) = 4.007, p= .049, η2 = .046.
Review of type 2 diabetes self-management programs in Hawai'i and mental health
(2015) Anglese, Tucker; Kim, Sunyoung; Counseling Psychology
Background: Type 2 diabetes is a complex chronic condition. To achieve positive outcomes patients must have an understanding of diabetes and self-efficacy to carry out self-management. Studies have shown that diabetes self-management education interventions positively affect physical and mental health outcomes, thereby improving the patient’s diabetes self-management. Purpose: The purpose of this article was to determine if four diabetes self-management programs (DSMP) on the Island of Hawaii are providing competent care based on national standards of curriculum components, addressing mental health concerns affecting diabetes self-management, and providing culturally adapted care. Methods: This study was carried out in three stages: 1) selecting programs for analysis; 2) comparing evaluated programs based on American Association of Diabetes Educators Self-care behaviors through the review of program manuals and supplemental materials; and 3) interviewing program directors. Results: A review of community-based, self-management programs on Hawaii Island reveals that they provide competent care based on national Diabetes Self-Management Education standards. The reviewed programs appear to be successful and include culturally adapted education. However, assessments for mental health are not currently being used to assess a patient’s need for treatment of common mental health problems such as depression. Conclusion: The current evidence of a connection between diabetes and depression indicates that DSMPs should assess for depression and provide effective treatment, especially for ethnic groups that have a high prevalence of diabetes and diabetes-related hospitalizations. More research is needed to determine how programs could better address culture and mental health concerns related to diabetes self-management education.

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