Degree Date

7-2022

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Academic Discipline

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Christopher Rector, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Kristen Carney-Newberry, Psy.D.

Third Advisor

Audra Marks, Psy.D.

Abstract

Experiencing childhood maltreatment has been shown to have major implications on adult outcomes. Less is known about the outcomes of childhood emotional neglect (CEN). The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to psychological outcomes of CEN within the domains of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia as a precursor to the development of an inventory. One hundred and fifty participant responses on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) were collected. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted where nine factors yielded significant results and were titled, “Depressive Symptoms,” “Difficulty Identifying Feelings,” “Usefulness of Feelings,” “Difficulty Describing Feelings,” “Psychosomatic Symptoms,” “Reduced Physical Activation,” “Avoidance of Symbolism in Entertainment Preferences,” “Externality,” and “Anxiety Symptoms,” respectively. This study augments prior literature regarding CEN to demonstrate constructs such as the belief in the usefulness of feelings in problem solving (Factor 3), avoiding entertainment that may have deeper meanings (Factor 7), and an avoidance of engaging in introspection (Factor 8). These results demonstrate that outcomes of CEN may be more complex than previously understood.

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