Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Ryan Thompson

Second Advisor

Carilyn Ellis

Third Advisor

Amber Nelson

Abstract

While some research exists discussing the attitudes around personal mental health disclosures as they pertain to both professional decorum and admission to doctoral psychology training programs, little research has analyzed the actual impact of such disclosures on how applicants are perceived. This study aimed to assess whether personal mental health disclosures in admissions essays ultimately affect how applicants are perceived by doctoral faculty determining whether or not to admit them to their program. The hypothesis was that ambiguous disclosures do have an impact, and especially those showing unaddressed or ongoing struggles. An electronic survey utilizing a mixed-methods approach was distributed to doctoral faculty in American Psychological Association-accredited PsyD programs. Integrative analysis suggested that mental health disclosures in application materials do have an impact, and that the manner in which applicants provide closure in their disclosure, as well as the content of their disclosures, play a significant role in how they are perceived by faculty raters. The findings of this study may serve to better inform graduate school applicants of how to engage mindfully and authentically in their admissions essays while understanding the risks inherent with personal disclosure.

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