Psychological Abuse and Health: What Role Does Forgiveness Play?

Existent literature suggests forgiveness could lead to either greater psychological abuse (reinforcement theory), or lower psychological abuse (interpersonal theory). Questionnaires were completed by 291 participants who were dating at least 2 months. More forgiveness-particularly Absence of Negativity-was related to less abuse received from their partner, and this effect was stronger for females than for males. Absence of Negativity (AN) was predictive of health variables (psychosomatic symptoms, mental and physical health), although Presence of Positive forgiveness did not predict health beyond the impact of AN. Abuse-forgiveness and assertiveness-forgiveness interaction terms were not significant predictors of health. Results indicate interpersonal theory describes the link between forgiveness and psychological abuse. Results suggest that focus on AN could be sufficient for mental or physical health chang

Evaluation of skill maintenance, performance factors, and external validity in a behavioral parent training program.

Child maltreatment affects 900 thousand children in the U.S. every year and impacts all areas of daily functioning. Behavioral parent training (BPT) programs have effectively taught parenting and demonstrated externally valid outcomes (i.e., lower recidivism rates). Skill maintenance assessments for BPTs have mixed results. The Behavior Management and Parenting Services (BMAPS) program has shown effective skill training for court-mandated families. This study assessed skill maintenance and performance factors that may have impaired parents using an ABAB single-case research design in Phase 1 & external validity with a survey in Phase 2. Results for Phase 1 found that most BMAPS parents acquired all parenting tools to criteria, dropped below criteria at the 3 month probe, then fully demonstrated their regained skills after a brief review. Psychological and classroom factors do not appear to have systematically influenced performance at any time, although homework completion was associated with better scores at the end of class. Phase 2 results found a 91% reunification rate and a 0% recidivism rate over 1-3 years. All limitations aside, it appears that the BMAPS program is able to effectively train skills to criteria and these skills can be sustained with a booster session. The vast majority of parents we contacted were reunified with their children and none were involved with additional charges of child maltreatment

Predictors of Health Protective Sexual Communication: Depression and STD Attitudes

Poster analyzing the relationships between health protective sexual communication, depression, and STD attitudes

Trauma, Dispositional Forgiveness, and Depression in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

This poster examines how therapeutic interventions to identify and address symptoms of trauma, as well as to promote forgiveness of unpleasant experiences, would be associated with lower rates of depression in people living with HIV/AIDS

Predictors of Health Protective Sexual Communication: Depression and Sexually Transmitted Disease Attitudes

This poster examines relationships between health protective sexual communication, depression, and STD attitudes

Trauma, Dispositional Forgiveness, and Depression in People Living with HIV/AIDS

Poster examining how trauma and variant levels of dispositional forgiveness is associated with depression among HIV+ individuals