Date

12-4-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

James Guy

Keywords

Right Brain, Identity, Joy, Anxiety, Neurotheology, Attachment, Life Model

Disciplines

Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Psychology

Abstract

This pilot study researched Life Model Informed Therapy (LMIT), a modality developed into a six-week treatment targeted to decrease anxiety and increase joy in adults that self-reported as having anxiety. Fourteen participants were recruited by Facebook ads in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Outcome data were collected using the State Joy Scale (SJS) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Participants received the same LMIT treatment for six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions. Participants self-reported on their joy and anxiety levels at three periods of time, including a pre-treatment, post-treatment and one month after-treatment test. Two one-way RM-ANOVA tests were conducted. Results of the analyses revealed significant changes in BAI scores decreasing from pre-treatment to post-treatment and this decrease maintained at one-month follow-up. Results for BAI scores were reported without correction, revealing a significant effect of time on anxiety levels. Upon analysis of SJS scores Maulchy’s Test revealed that sphericity had been violated (p = .03). To account for this, Greenhouse-Geisser corrections were applied. The RM-ANOVA revealed a significant effect of time on SJS scores. These findings suggest that LMIT may be an effective therapeutic strategy for increasing joy and reducing anxiety. Discussion was centered around how this study connects to current research on anxiety reducing therapies. In addition, the discussion pointed out how this research fills a gap in existing research due to LMIT’s unique attributes of providing an attachment model for right-brain psychotherapy with theological implications.

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