DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/ZXHE-DK17

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1049-9629

Defense Date

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Victoria A. Shivy

Second Advisor

Suzanne E. Mazzeo

Third Advisor

Joyce A. Lloyd

Abstract

Complementary Health Approaches (CHAs) encompass a diverse range of practices which are often used both independently and alongside conventional medical treatments. Understanding how graduate students training in different fields perceive CHAs is important because these professional trainees will go on to occupy roles as healthcare practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and consumers. This study used sequential rank agreement methods (Ekstrøm, Gerds, & Jensen, 2019) to investigate variations in perceptions of CHAs in a sample of graduate students (N = 416) from 140 possible training programs. Ratings of CHA familiarity, perceptions of CHA legitimacy, and willingness to recommend CHAs were compared among trainees from (a) clinical versus (b) academic training programs; and, within clinical fields, (c) mental health trainees versus (d) biomedical trainees. Overall, clinical trainees were more familiar with CHAs than academic trainees. In addition, and within the clinical cohort, mental health trainees were more familiar with CHAs and perceived them as more legitimate than biomedical trainees. Language used to characterize CHAs also was investigated, as were associations among key descriptive terminology, training background, and willingness to recommend CHAs.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

3-19-2024

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