Date of Conferral

3-12-2024

Date of Award

March 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Ethel Perry

Abstract

Black Americans have a history of racism, oppression, subjugation, and discrimination, which could increase the risk of developing panic disorder. Because panic disorder and other chronic psychological problems resist Beck’s short cognitive therapy and other interventions that overlook the roots of psychological problems, schema-focused therapy has been adopted more conveniently over the most recent years for their effective treatment. In this study, clinicians’ experiences of using schema-focused therapy with Black Americans with panic disorder was explored. The concept that grounded this study was the integrated schema-focused model, a convenient clinical model that integrates several models of schema therapy. Generic qualitative data were collected through semistructured audio interviews with clinicians (n =14) to uncover their experiences of schema-focused therapy with Black Americans with panic disorder. Thematic analyses of the data were performed manually to develop themes and meanings. The study results indicated that schema-focused therapy is effective with Black Americans with panic disorder. The results also revealed several early maladaptive schemas and modes associated with panic disorder in this population, highlighted helpful and unhelpful strategies for this population, and underscored challenges clinicians and clients face during the therapy and ways to manage them. Some findings of the study were unique, and future research needs to validate their association with panic disorder in Black Americans. The current study advances positive social change through the understanding of strategies and practices of effective schema-focused therapy in Black Americans with panic disorder.

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