PhD Graduates and Dissertations
*Committee Chairs are listed in italics
1. Dorothy Carrillo, PhD (1993). Advanced standing and regular standing MSW students: A comparison of foundation interview. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Tom Holland, Katheryn Davis, Kevin DeWeaver, and Charles Stewart.
3. Elizabeth Randall, PhD (1994). Using guided dialog in the treatment of depression in women. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Charles Stewart, Nancy Kropf, Paul Gallant, and Tom Holland.
4. Don Leslie, PhD (1994). Board sense of empowerment and board effectiveness. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Paul Gallant, Allie Kilpatrick, Kevin DeWeaver, and Ray MacNair.
5. Tim Kelly, PhD (1994). The appraisal process in stress and coping models: Fear of inheritability, knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and caregiver burden. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver. Ruth Weber, Roberta Greene, Nancy Kropf, and Tom Holland.
6. David Boyle, PhD (1994). The effect of geriatric daycare on measures of depression and social support. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Allie Kilpatrick, Nancy Kropf, Bruce Thyer, David Levine, and David Kurtz.
7. MeYoung Ko Lee, PhD (1994). A phenomenological study of clients’ experience of narrative therapy. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Geraldine Jackson-White, Duncan Waite, Jim Gaudin, and Jean Kelly-Hall.
8. Carol Holzhalb, PhD (1995). Direct practice skills in MSW foundation practicum: Development of indicators. Committee Members: Allie Kilpatrick, Bruce Thyer, Kevin DeWeaver, Ray MacNair, and Marty Giddings.
9. Patrick Bordnick, PhD (1995). Evaluating the relative efficacy of three aversion therapies designed to reduce craving among cocaine abusers. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Tom Holland, Charles Stewart, Larry Nackerud, and Nancy Kropf.
10. Rich Vodde, PhD (1996). The development of a measure to evaluate scorekeeping: A process of competitive social comparisons involving preoccupation with winning and other negative male role characteristics. Committee Members: Tom Holland, David Kurtz, Allie Kilpatrick, Ray MacNair, and David Boyle.
11. Betsy Vonk, PhD (1996). Evaluating the effectiveness of short-term treatment at a university counseling center. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Bonnie Yegidis, Tom Holland, Nancy Kropf, and Kevin DeWeaver.
12. Jan Ligon, PhD (1997). Crisis psychiatric and substance abuse: Evaluation of a community program in an urban setting. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Kevin DeWeaver, Nancy Kropf, Jim Gaudin, and Paul Ammons.
13. Sharman Colosetti, PhD (1997). Effect of relaxation training alone and relaxation training paired with EMDR on incarcerated, battered women. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Nancy Kropf, Bruce Thyer, Margaret Robinson, and Lee Hyer.
14. Danny Dixon, PhD (1997). Double depression in male veterans: A descriptive and comparative study in a rural department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Kevin DeWeaver, Larry Nackerud, Margaret Robinson, and Bonnie Yegidis.
15. Gerry Polk, PhD (1997). Development and testing of an automated treatment planning system for clinicians in mental health. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Kevin DeWeaver, Nancy Kropf, Ray MacNair, and Ray Mills.
16. Anne Hicks-Coolick, PhD (1997). Conceptualization, testing, and refinement of a model of self-advocacy for college students with learning disabilities. Committee Members: David Kurtz, Tom Holland, Kevin DeWeaver, Katie Thompson, Marty Markward.
17. Sherry Cummings, PhD (1998). Discharge planning outcomes for hospitalized dementia patients. Committee Members: Nancy Kropf, Kevin DeWeaver, Tom Holland, David Boyle, Geraldine Jackson-White.
18. Cindy Tandy, PhD (1998). An evaluation of a community substance abuse treatment center: Outpatient and intensive day treatment groups. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Tom Holland, Nancy Kropf, Larry Nackerud, and David Boyle.
19. Edwin A. Risler, PhD (1998). A preliminary validation study of the First Offender Risk Assessment Index (FORAI). Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, David Kurtz, Larry Nackerud, David Boyle, and Katheryn Davis.
20. Rufus Larkin, PhD (1998). The effect of behavioral group counseling on improving self-esteem, perceived self-control, and classroom behavior of elementary students. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Maurice Daniels, Geraldine Jackson-White, Kevin DeWeaver, and Larry Nackerud.
21. Patricia Moseley, PhD (1998). Stress reduction for family members of emergency room patients. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Nancy Kropf, Larry Nackerud, Katheryn Davis, and Ray Mills.
22. Laura Myers, PhD (1998). Attitudes and perceptions of well-being by former residents of a residential foster care facility: An exploratory study. Committee Members: Barbara Rittner, Nancy Kropf, Bonnie Yegidis, Marty Markward, and Larry Nackerud.
23. Lisa Baker, PhD (1998). Social work intervention to increase compliance with home apnea monitoring. Committee Members: Jim Gaudin, Kevin DeWeaver, Larry Nackerud, Bruce Thyer, and Margaret Robinson.
24. Randy Niederman, PhD (1999). The conceptualization of a model of spirituality. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Jim Gaudin, Katheryn Davis, Marty Markward, and Larry Nackerud.
25. Nancy Aldridge, PhD (1999). Evaluating treatment for sex offenders: A pretest-postest and follow-up study. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, David Kurtz, Bruce Thyer, Alicia Isaac, and Larry Nackerud.
26. Tracy Carpenter-Aeby, PhD (1999). An evaluation of psychosocial and educational outcomes in an alternative educational program. Committee Members: Bonnie Yegidis, Kevin DeWeaver, David Kurtz, Bruce Thyer, and Earl Ginter.
27. John Shields, PhD (1999). Evaluating the effects of Georgia Bill 100 on psychiatric hospitalization: A time series analysis. Committee Members: Bonnie Yegidis, Bruce Thyer, Larry Nackerud, Barbara Rittner, Lynn Seymour.
28. Gwyn Jones, PhD (1999). Predictive factors affecting health care access and service utilization for persons with disabilities: Implications for social work practice, policy development, and education. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Nancy Kropf, David Boyle, Larry Nackerud, and Tom Holland.
29. Chris Larrison, PhD (1999). A comparison of top-down and bottom-up community development interventions in rural Mexico: Practical and theoretical implications for community development programs. Committee Members: Tom Holland, David Kurtz, Larry Nackerud, John O'Looney, and Hans Park.
30. Fred Brooks, PhD (2000). Children and welfare reform: Comparing well-being in a sample of working poor and welfare poor children in Georgia. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Bonnie Yegidis, Larry Nackerud, Claire Hamilton, David Kurtz, Marty Markward.
31. Su Lun Ko, PhD (2000). Working with east and southeast Asian battered women. Committee Members: David Kurtz, Bonnie Yegidis, Margaret Robinson, Alicia Isaac, and Judith Priessle.
32. Shannon Perry, PhD (2000). Seeking sex sense: Evaluation of adolescent pregnancy prevention programming. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Cheryl Dozier, Maurice Daniels, Katheryn Davis, Lily McNair.
33. Laura Pankow, PhD (2000). Evaluating a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation program for older adults with visual impairment. Committee Members: Tom Holland, Larry Nackerud, David Kurtz, Ray MacNair, Daniel Hall.
34. Jeff Waller, PhD (2000). A correlation study of the impact of discrimination on disposition during hospital emergency services contacts. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Bruce Thyer, Larry Nackerud, Jeff Koob, Katheryn David.
35. Jill S. Harvan, PhD (2001). The relationship between child, family, and treatment variables and family functioning among abusive and neglectful families. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Bonnie Yegidis, Nancy Kropf, Larry Nackerud, Jim Gaudin.
36. Bhuvana Sukumar, PhD (2001). Social interaction, residential satisfaction, and subjective well-being among residents of congregate and non congregate public housing. Committee Members: Ray MacNair, Nancy Kropf, David Boyle, David Levine, Katheryn Davis.
37. Brian Bride, PhD (2001). Psychometric properties of the secondary traumatic stress scale. Committee Members: Margaret Robinson, Bonnie Yegidis, Larry Nackerud, Tom Holland, Nancy Williams.
38. Elizabeth Brown, PhD (2001). Conceptualization of a model to build cohesion in multi-ethnic neighborhoods. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Jim Gaudin, Margaret Robinson, David Kurtz, Milton Lopes.
39. Michael Sullivan, PhD (2001). Barriers to employment: The effect of TANF status and earned income. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Bruce Thyer, Kevin DeWeaver, Ed Risler, Alberta Ellett.
40. Miriam Sabin, PhD (2002). The Guatemalan refugees twenty years later: Mental health in Mayan communities in Chiapas, Mexico. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Bonnie Yegidis, Tom Holland, Stacey Kolomer, Elois Ann Berlin.
41. Hyunji Lee, PhD (2002). Experience of caregiving daughters-in-law in South Korea. Committee Members: Margaret Robinson, Larry Nackerud, Kevin DeWeaver, Adam Davey, Seock-Ho Kim.
42. John Gilford, PhD (2002). Modeling change in behavioral and emotional symptoms of serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents: A two-level growth curve analysis. Committee Members: Thomas Holland, Bruce Thyer, Larry Nackerud, Maurice Daniels, Cheryl Davenport Dozier.
43. Sung Seek Moon, PhD (2002). Multicultural/Multimodal/Multisystems (MULTI-CMS) approach for immigrant families: Structural equation modeling of adolescent perception of conflict with parents. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Larry Nackerud, Margaret Robinson, Nancy Kropf, Seock-Ho Kim.
44. Monica Alzate, PhD (2002). The quality of life of single mothers on welfare in georgia and the 1996 welfare reform. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Bonnie Yegidis, Nancy Kropf, David Kurtz, Stephanie Bohon.
45. Joy Nellissery, PhD (2002). The Catholic priest: A witness to the seasons of life - An exploratory investigation of the perceptions and responses to spousal abuse. Committee Members: Margaret Robinson, Patricia Reeves, Nancy Williams, David Kurtz.
46. Tara Arnold, PhD (2003). Evaluation of an innovative dual diagnosis program: Skyland Trail’s Operation Prevention (STOP). Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Patricia Reeves, Edwin Risler.
47. Michael King, PhD (2003). Creation and validation of the social work student self-appraisal inventory. Committee Members: Patrick Bordnick, Kevin DeWeaver, Edwin Risler.
48. Carlise Billings, PhD (2003). The effects of the aggression and violence reduction training program on African-American adolescent males. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Bonnie Yegidis, Rufus Larkin.
49. Laura Lowe, PhD (2003). Social work and forensic practice: An assessment of attitudes and experience. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Stephanie Bohon.
50. Denise Green, PhD (2004). Grady Health Systems community outreach services: A study of program efficacy. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Edwin Risler, Kevin DeWeaver.
51. Eunkyung Yoon, PhD (2004). A stress coping model for older Koreans: Effects of social support and religiosity on depression. Committee Members: Nancy Kropf, Margaret Robinson, Stacey Kolomer.
52. Janice Tuck Callaway, PhD (2004). Continuing education by schools of social work: Levels of involvement and future focus. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Edwin Risler, Nancy Kropf.
53. Robin Lennon Dearing, PhD (2004). Support groups for HIV+ women: An exploratory study. Committee Members: Bonnie Yegidis, Nancy Kropf, Margaret Robinson.
54. Jeffrey S. Yarvis, PhD (2004). A comparison of depression and alcohol problems in Canadian peacekeepers and different levels of traumatic stress. Committee Members: Patrick Bordnick, Betsy Vonk, Michele Lease.
55. Robert Weaver, PhD (2004). Boom or bust: analyzing the impact of economic climate on welfare reform in Georgia. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Alberta Ellett.
56. Ken Greene, PhD (2004). Shared leadership in voluntary multiparty community collaboratives: Putting the pieces together. Committee Members: Thomas P. Holland, Margaret Robinson, Edwin Risler, Alberta Ellett, Patricia Reeves.
57. Roger Scott, PhD (2004). Community treatment outcomes for persons with severe and persistent mental illness: A theory-driven evaluation of assertive community treatment. Committee Members: Thomas P. Holland, Larry Nackerud, Edwin Risler.
58. Scott E. Wilks, PhD (2004). The relationship between prayer and resiliency among Alzheimer’s caregivers. Committee Members: Betsy Vonk, Nancy Kropf, Nancy R. Williams.
59. Joann Thierry, PhD (2004). Breast cancer screening among women aged 40 years and older who have physical disabilities. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Patricia Reeves, Margaret Robinson.
60. Christina Spivey, PhD (2004). Same-sex couple adoptions: The relationship between beliefs, attitudes, external influences, and placement decisions. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Stephanie Swann, Nancy P. Kropf.
61. Carole Katz, PhD (2004). Impact of sense of humor and other psychosocial variables on caregiver depression. Committee Members: Nancy P. Kropf, Thomas P. Holland, Stacey Kolomer.
62. Susan Strickland, PhD (2004). A comparative study of female sex offenders and female offenders: Exploring issues of personality, trauma, and cognitive distortions. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Edwin Risler, Betsy Vonk.
63. Doug Jackson, PhD (2004). Factors that are predictive of involvement of detained youth in adverse incidents. Committee Members: Thomas P. Holland, Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Dan Hall.
64. Lesa Hope, PhD (2005). A secondary analysis of agency records exploring self-determination as it relates to gender and disability. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Nancy P. Kropf, Zolinda Stoneman, Jeanette Manders.
65. Roni Funk, PhD (2005). Sexual harassment and disordered eating symptomatology in females: objectification, silencing, and symbolic expression of self. Committee Members: Nancy Kropf, Kevin DeWeaver, Stephanie Swann.
66. Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, PhD (2005). The subjective well-being of aging African American men. Committee Members: Nancy P. Kropf, Kevin DeWeaver, Cheryl Dozier.
67. Jackie Ellis, PhD (2005). Continued development and validation of a theory-based measure of human caregiving for social work. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Alberta Ellett, Larry Nackerud, Nancy R. Williams.
68. Krista Barker, PhD (2005). A mixed method approach to accessing the efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Stephanie Swann, Richard Milford.
69. Mary Jo Kraus, PhD (2005). The utility and application of the concept of empowerment in social work journals: A computer-assisted content analysis. Committee Members: Betsy Vonk, Nancy R. Williams, Stephanie Swann.
70. Tom Artelt, PhD (2005). A comparison of the academic performance of experienced versus inexperienced MSW’s earning the social work doctorate. Committee Members: Bruce Thyer, Larry Nackerud, Edwin Risler.
71. John Doherty, PhD (2005). Measuring veterans’ psychosocial status in the context of general self-efficacy. Committee Members: Nancy Kropf, Kevin DeWeaver, Stacey Kolomer.
72. Dhira Crunkilton, PhD (2005). Multiple perspectives on implementation of the internet-based journey mapping evaluation tool. Committee Members: Margaret Robinson, Nancy P. Kropf, Brian E. Bride.
73. Christopher Jones, PhD (2005). Residential treatment for sexually abusive youth: An assessment of change in functional impairment and sexual interest. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Stephanie Bohon.
74. Sarah Twill, PhD (2005). The Kidsnet Program: An evaluation of the effectiveness of system care services for youth with severe emotional disturbances. Committee Members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Michelle Carney, Denise Green.
75. Alicia Simmons, PhD (2005). Differences between grandparent foster caregivers, other relatives and non-relative foster caregivers and predictors of their relationships with the children in their care. Committee Members: Alberta Ellett, Larry Nackerud, Nancy Kropf.
76. Amaris Baraka, PhD (2006). My girls and spirituality: African American female adolescents with voice. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Rufus Larkin, Judith Preissle.
77. Alice Boateng, PhD (2006). Social capital of Liberian refugee women in Ghana: A mixed methods study. Committee Members: Larry Nackerud, Rufus Larkin, Diana Napier.
78. Josie Crolley-Simic, PhD (2006). Racial socialization experiences of white parents who transracially adopt. Committee Members: Betsy Vonk, Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud.
79. Tonya Westbrook, PhD (2006). Development and initial validation of the child welfare organizational culture scale. Committee Members: Alberta Ellett, Kevin DeWeaver, Larry Nackerud, Stacey Kolomer.
80. Bryce Smith, PhD (2006). Evaluation of an HIV prevention intervention: The effect of internalized homophobia on outcomes. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Nancy Kropf, Edwin Risler, Miriam Sabin.
81. Min Hong Lee, PhD (2006). The impact of caregiver stressors, resources, and perceptions on potential elder abuse: Applying the ABCX model. Committee Members: Stacey Kolomer, Nancy Kropf, Edwin Risler.
82. Ottive Loretta Breedlove, PhD (2006). Coping in the shadows of welfare reform: How poor women make ends meet. Committee Members: Patricia Reeves, Larry Nackerud, Edwin Risler.
83. Hyoung Yong Kim, PhD (2006). Assessing the role of social capital in the community development field: A multi-level analysis. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Thomas Holland, Kristina Jaskyte.
84. Carol F. Rossiter, PhD (2006). A mezzo-Level intervention for the socio-legal problems of an aging Population. Committee Members: Stacey Kolomer, Maurice Daniels, Edwin Risler.
85. Irene Searles McClatchey, PhD (2006). The effects of trauma focused grief interventions with parentally bereaved children. Committee Members: Betsy Vonk, Brian Bride, Gregory Palardy.
86. Sandra R. Murphy, PhD (2006). A comparison study of federally funded social work education programs for child welfare workers in Georgia. Committee Members: Kevin DeWeaver, Larry Nackerud, Alberta Ellett.
87. Leon Banks, PhD (2007). Georgia senate bill 440: An examination of determining factors of youth who are waived to superior court and the effectiveness of juvenile waivers as a deterrent to recidivism. Committee members: Edwin Risler, Larry Nackerud, Schnavia Smith Hatcher.
88. Jane Wimmer, Ph.D. (2007). Experiences of attachment therapy: A follow-up study of adoptive mothers. Committee members: Betsy Vonk, Alberta Ellett, Patricia Reeves.
89. Joan R. Funk, Ph.D. (2007). Practitioners’ views of continuing education: An empirical examination of social workers across the United States. Committee members: Margaret Robinson, Betsy Vonk, Kristina Jaskyte.
90. Aisha Tucker-Brown, Ph.D. (2007). An exploration of factors that influence sexual decision making among young black women. Committee members: Patricia Reeves, Larry Nackerud, Juanita Johnson-Bailey.
91. Carol Collard, Ph.D. (2007). Supportive housing: It’s efficacy as intervention for low-income adults coping with substance addiction recovery. Committee members: Rufus Larkin, Larry Nackerud, Kevin DeWeaver.
92. Terri Wingate Lewinson, Ph.D. (2007). Extended-stay hotel as home: An exploratory study. Committee members: June Gary Hopps, Maurice Daniels, Patricia Reeves.
93. Sung Hyun Yun, Ph.D. (2007). The development and examination of the psychometric properties of the Intimate Violence Responsibility Scale (IVRS). Committee members: Betsy Vonk, Alberta Ellett, Seock Ho-Kim, Julia Perilla.
94. Amy Crunk Traylor, Ph.D. (2007). Exploring cue reactivity in nicotine dependent young adults using virtual reality with expanded olfactory cues. Committee members: Patrick Bordnick, Betsy Vonk, Brian Bride.
95. Hilary Lee Copp, Ph.D. (2007). Using virtual reality to investigate cross-cue reactivity and environmental cues in nicotine dependent problem drinkers. Committee members: Patrick Bordnick, Betsy Vonk, Brian Bride.
96. Angela Gabriella Montagno, Ph.D. (2007). Trauma in street children and those at risk of the street in Mexico City: An exploratory study of exposure, severity, and risk factors. Committee members: Brian E. Bride, Larry Nackerud, Nancy Williams.
97. Denise Louise Levy, Ph.D. (2008). Gay, lesbian, and queer individuals with a Christian upbringing: Exploring the process of resolving conflict between sexual identity and religious beliefs. Committee members: Patricia M. Reeves, Corey W. Johnson, Sharan B. Merriam, Nancy R. Williams.
98. Michael Nathan Humble, Ph.D. (2008). Evolution of a virus: Exploring changes in social work research on HIV/AIDS. Committee members: Brian E. Bride, Patricia Reeves, Stacey Kolomer.
99. Karen Yvonne Watkins, Ph.D. (2008). An analysis of stressors, mediators and health outcomes among African American caregivers of older adults with chronic illness. Committee members: Rufus Larkin, Larry Nackerud, Stacey Kolomer, Ed Risler.
100. Sandra Yudilevich H. Espinoza, Ph.D. (2009). Living with HIV/AIDS: Exploring Latino women’s narratives. Committee members: Patricia Reeves, Brian Bride, Thomas Herbert, Pamela Voekel.101. Kareema Jamilya Gray, Ph.D. (2009). Unsung heroes: An examination of 19th century African American social welfare pioneers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Committee members: June Gary Hopps, Cheryl Dozier, Tony Lowe.
102. Byungdeok Kang, Ph.D. (2009). Congregational social services: Leader's perceptions and experiences. Committee members: Thomas Holland, Michelle Carney, Brian Bride.
