Digital Commons Network^™

Music Therapy As A Support Model In Massachusetts Special Education: A Literature Review, Bonnie Diamond

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Mental health directly impacts student propensity for making academic progress in the public education system. For children with disabilities, it is especially vital to develop and implement techniques within special education that deliver personally tailored benefits. According to the United States Department of Education, music therapy offers highly effective support to a wide range of students within the school setting so that they may achieve academic success and be supported in their social/emotional development (U.S Department of Education, 2011; AMTA, 2021). In examining the multifaceted ways that music therapy can offer support within the structure of education and mental health, …

Feldenkrais And Music Informed Listening: A Neurophenomenological Perspective On Autism, Arona Primalani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Phenomenologists identify the subjective body and its felt-senses as the basis for human development and consciousness, including mental health. Several mental health disorders, when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, share common symptomology related to varying extents of fractured selves, which in turn hinders dynamic interaction between individuals, their actions, and their relationships with their social and material worlds. Autism is one such condition. Hence, I created an intervention to investigate how listening, which foster subjective and intersubjective experiences, lies at the heart of somatic and arts-based interventions. This thesis, first, begins with a summary of the presenting symptoms observed in …

Grief Like Mine: A Literature Review Exploring Culturally Informed Grief Work For Black Youth Using Dance/Movement Therapy, Darrell Hyche

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Black American youth are exposed to more death related circumstances than their peers yet are severely underrepresented in literature focused on the broader scope of children’s bereavement. More research and analysis are required to develop and implement culturally relevant interventions as they embark on their grief journey. Dance/movement therapy has the capacity for providing support that is culturally specific and able to meet the developmental levels of children, yet its grief focus work is limited. This literature review aims to bridge the gap between Black grief and dance/movement therapy as a culturally informed practice. An analysis of various forms of …

The Role Of The Wounded Healer In Expressive Art Therapy: A Literature Review, Yu-Tzu Lin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Experiencing traumatic events can have a profound impact on individuals, ranging from mild distress to severe symptoms. Trauma is prevalent, and there are numerous studies on potential treatments. However, it is surprising that there is a lack of research on how therapists' own trauma background affects their work with clients and the therapeutic relationship. This literature review examines the intersection of trauma, therapy, and the concept of the "wounded healer," particularly within the context of expressive art therapy. This study discusses how expressive art therapists' personal experiences with trauma can influence their therapeutic approaches. It examines the potential benefits and …

Regulation Through Rhythm: A Literature Review On Dance/Movement Therapy Approaches To Facilitating Nervous System Regulation, Elizabeth Barbera

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

The mental health field has started to pay attention to how trauma plays into a person’s overall mental and physical well-being. Because of this more research has shown the connection between mind and body. Yet the clinical implications and literature on theories of how to treat trauma and trauma related disorders do not always connect. This review of literature seeks to analyze the literature on Porges’, Polyvagal Theory and Amighi’s, Kestenberg Movement Profiles. An investigation of the current literature makes a connection between the phylogenetic order of both the nervous system and developmental movement. Considerations of how trauma, in …

Transition Skills Lab: A Telehealth Intervention For Improving Healthcare Transition In Youth With Special Health Care Needs, Angela Combs, Alaina Linafelter, Jordan Sevart, Michele H. Maddux

Research Days

The goal of this abstract is to evaluate youth skill-building and confidence across health care tasks through the virtual Transition Skills Lab.

Long-Term Physical And Emotional Functioning In Children Following Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment For Amplified Pain Syndrome, Sabrina Ung, Jacqueline Pabis Phd, Jenny Scheurich Phd, Dustin Wallace Phd

Research Days

The current study aimed to examine the efficacy of pediatric interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) several years after treatment completion by exploring mean-level changes of physical and mental health functioning pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at follow-up 2 to 6 years after IIPT completion.

Burnout Symptoms Among Millennial Teachers In India: The Efficacy Of The Emotional Self-Care Online Intervention Program (Escoip), Joby Thomas, Marc Eric S. Reyes

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

The phenomenon of teacher burnout has gained greater attention due to its grave impact on the educational system and the well-being of teachers. In this regard, millennial teachers’ experiences— currently comprising most of the teaching workforce—have gained attention in scholarly research. Thus, developing an efficacious online intervention program is crucial to alleviate and avoid teacher burnout among millennials. This study investigated the effectiveness of the Emotional Self-Care Online Intervention Program (ESCOIP) in treating burnout symptoms among Indian millennial teachers. The present study employed Conklin’s program development model, which involves three phases: (1) planning, (2) design and implementation, and (3) evaluation …

Creating Whole Inclusive Worlds: The Impact Of Social Media Usage On Black Gender Expansive Millennials’ Experiences Of Social Support And Identity Development Processes, Meredith J. Holmes

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the processes of finding community and developing one’s own intersectional racial and gender identity through the social media (SM) experiences of 8 Black gender expansive (GE) adults located around the United States. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology and an intersectional theoretical framework, the research questions guiding the study were: “What is the relationship between Black gender expansive people, social media, and community?” and “What is the relationship between Black gender expansive people, social media, and identity development?” The researcher’s findings from in-depth interviews with participants included three major themes: A) Positive Resilience-Supporting Experiences on SM, …

Predictors Of Family Retention In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit), Patricia Dixon, David Bennett

St. Chris Research Day

No abstract provided.

404 Error – Gender Not Found: Lived Experiences Of Genderqueer Autistics Assigned Female At Birth, Christina-Marie J. Wright

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also …

Impact Of Race On The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experience And Mental Health In The Minnesota Homeless Population, Sally Keckeisen

Theses and Graduate Projects

It is well established that the homeless population endorses more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than the general population and is also more susceptible to mental health and substance use disorders. Of note, individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionally affected by homelessness compared to their White counterparts. Little is known about the relationships between ACEs, mental health, and substance use in the homeless community. The present study examined the relationship between ACEs and a number of psychosocial outcomes, including mental health diagnoses, current substance use, and long-term substance use in an adult homeless population …

Benefits Of Time Spent Outdoors In Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Review, Crismely Fermin, Monica Perez, Averill F. Obee, Katie C. Hart

FIU Undergraduate Research Journal

Several studies have provided evidence that time spent in nature (i.e., in natural environments or the outdoors) plays a beneficial role in child development by positively influencing children’s cognitive processes and states (Bowler et al., 2010; Bratman et al., 2012; 2014; Cameron-Faulkner et al., 2018; Kaplan, 1995; Mitchell et al.). However, to date, no study has looked systematically at the overall literature addressing the benefits nature plays in early childhood education, primarily through outdoor learning or time spent outside in natural environments. The purpose of the current study is to provide a systematic review of the empirical literature evaluating outcomes …

Antagonism Attenuates The Relationship Between Childhood Polyvictimization And Distress In Adulthood, Benjamin D. Carsten

Honors Capstones

The cumulative effects of childhood polyvictimization, including incremental increases in experiences of childhood maltreatment (CM) types, such as sexual abuse and emotional neglect are associated with an increase in psychological distress. Personality trait domains as measured by the Personality Inventory of the DSM-5, are independently associated with psychological distress, and are thought to moderate the association between traumatic events and distress. The present study was conducted with a sample of undergraduate students (N = 485) who were administered a battery of questionnaires including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS-II) and the Personality Inventory for …

Childhood Sexual Abuse And The Role Of Experiential Avoidance In College Alcohol Use, Regina Montes

Honors Capstones

Childhood trauma has been related in numerous studies to maladaptive behavior as well as risky behaviors in adulthood, such as alcohol use. However, few studies have focused specifically on the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and alcohol use. Moreover, experiential avoidance has been shown to be an important factor in poor behavioral outcomes in young adults with a history of childhood trauma. The present study explores experiential avoidance as a mediating factor of the relationship between CSA and alcohol severity in college students. Data for this current investigation was collected as a part of a larger study of undergraduate …

Trauma Type, Resilience And Sense Of Self, Caitlin R. Callahan

Honors Capstones

Most individuals will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (Alim et al., 2008), potentially leading to a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD can have significant psychological and physical repercussions (Brady et al., 1997). Experiencing trauma, such as interpersonal or non-interpersonal, can negatively impact resiliency and sense of self. The current study hypothesized that participants who reported interpersonal trauma as their worst event would report lower resilience and sense of self compared to participants reporting a non-interpersonal trauma. Four hundred and twenty-nine undergraduate students were given questionnaires to assess traumatic experiences, resiliency, and sense of self using …

The Relationship Between Amygdala And Orbitofrontal Cortex Volume In The Context Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Rahul Alla

Honors Scholar Theses

Disobedient and rebellious attitude in children is on the rise and this type of behavior is categorized as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). ODD in children can be identified as a persistent pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior or vindictiveness toward others according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5, Fifth Edition) of Mental Disorders.1 Children with ODD typically have difficulty regulating and processing their emotions. Issues with regulating emotions is defined as the process by which individuals “influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them”.2 Dysregulation of emotions …

Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment: A Systems Approach To Understanding Sexual Issues In Individuals And Couples, Stephanie Buehler

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexuality is a complex construct made up of the influence of systems upon the individual and counterinfluence of the individual upon systems, which can make sexual history taking problematic. The adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological systems model has been employed to create a Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment. The Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment is described as a means of gathering and organizing information about an individual’s sexual development and current sexual expression across five subsystems that range from the microsystem, wherein interactions take place among and between family members and close caregivers, to the chronosystem, which is the effect of time across the …

Unwanted Pursuit Behaviors & Emotional Reactivity To Former Romantic Partners: An Eeg Study, Ameer Abdel-Muhsin

Student Research Submissions

Romantic relationships are extremely important connections for humans to make. When these relationships end, one partner will sometimes engage in unwanted pursuit behaviors (UPBs) to attempt to continue communication the other. Although previous research has demonstrated that these UPBs can result in psychological distress among victims, little is known about how they influence one’s emotional reactivity to the perpetrator. This study therefore sought to investigate the link between cyber and in-person UPBs and neural indicators of emotional reactivity when viewing photos of an ex-partner. Participants (n = 18) who experienced a breakup were asked to view pictures of their …

Attachment To Diagnostic Labels: Social Media, Over Identification, And Self-Efficacy For Personal Recovery, Robert Oehler

Student Research Submissions

This study explored the relationship between self-diagnosis, social media exposure, and how individuals interpret a diagnostic label. Different attitudes toward one’s diagnosis impact an individual’s attitudes toward therapy, compliance with care, and general psychological well-being. One such attitude is over-identification, how attached an individual is to their diagnostic label and how they see a diagnosis as a part of themselves, as this could have implications for their self-concept and attitudes toward therapy. We will ask the following questions: Firstly, do individuals with different diagnoses show meaningfully different levels of attachment to their diagnosis? Secondly, do individuals vary in their social …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Sexual Functioning: A Mediation Analysis Of Difficulties In Emotional Regulation, Haven Travis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sexual dysfunction can lead to a negative impact upon a person’s mental and relational health, including relational and overall distress, poor relationship and sexual satisfaction, and clinical mood disorders such as depression. Moving upstream to identify factors that may predict sexual dysfunction would therefore be beneficial for early intervention in at-risk populations. History of childhood trauma is one such factor that may influence sexual functioning later in life. While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been less studied in association with sexual dysfunction, there is some evidence to indicate that they may be related. ACEs have been shown to increase the …

Optimizing Collaboration: A Qualitative Analysis Of Bone Marrow Transplant Provider Perceptions Of Palliative Care Roles, Madeline Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), also referred to as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HPSCT), is a medical procedure utilized to treat a range of malignant and non-malignant diseases including leukemias, lymphomas, aplastic anemia, immune deficiency disorders, solid tumor cancers, and more (Champlin, 1990; Bone Marrow Transplantation, 2021; Franjul Sanchez et al., 2020). BMT patients typically experience symptoms associated with induction or condition regiments that are especially burdensome, including but not limited to pain, mucositosis, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, psychological, spiritual, and emotional concerns that may not be thoroughly addressed through their primary oncology and BMT teams alone (Ruiz et al., 2017). …

Effectiveness Of A Peer-Supported Digital Brief Intervention: Reducing Alcohol Use & Related Harms In Young Adults With Histories Of Interpersonal Trauma, Caitlin Mcgettrick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in the United States, and young adults ages 18-25 have the highest rates of heavy alcohol use. Heavy and persistent alcohol use is associated with a host of negative outcomes in young adults, including poor mental health, lower life satisfaction, cognitive impairments, poor academic performance, increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, and substance use disorders. Brief interventions (BI) are low-resource, short-term interventions designed to reduce problematic substance use and mitigate the substantial harms posed by heavy and persistent use of substances such as alcohol. BIs have limited effectiveness in trauma survivors despite trauma …

Meaning In Life And Metacognition: Application Of The Self-Validation Hypothesis, Liam Hill

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Meaning in Life is a robust predictor of various positive outcomes, and provides a buffer against a host of negative outcomes. Due to this fact, it becomes important to examine all the facets of a meaningful life. One consistent predictor of Meaning in Life (MIL) in the literature is one’s sense of positive affect. I tested the idea that it is possible to doubt (or have confidence in) one’s affect, such that under conditions of doubt, positive affect is less strongly related to MIL. It may be the case that positive affect predicts MIL because of what we think of …

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

Trajectories Of Depression Severity In The First Semester Of College, Nicole A. Kelso

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a major public health concern among students in higher education. Prior work suggests that depressive symptoms increase during the transition to college. Transfer students face unique challenges during the transition to a new academic institution that may make them particularly vulnerable. There is a critical need to expand prevention efforts. Research that improves identification of students at greatest risk for developing impairing depressive symptoms, and etiological processes contributing to depressive symptoms could aid in the provision of limited prevention resources. Furthermore, longitudinal research tracking symptom trajectories during the transition to college could help inform the timing of preventive …

The Effect Of Animal-Assisted Therapy On Prosocial Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Developmental Delay: A Pilot Study, Emma Mitchell

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, nonverbal communication, and repetitive patterns (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Indeed, autistic individuals have been shown to have greater challenges with developing, maintaining, and understanding social relationships which can persist over their lifetime. Early intervention services are recommended for autistic children when they are young to help promote positive skills to enhance their functioning within society and increase their wellbeing over time. This is an especially pressing issue as ASD rates are rising – with the latest data now suggesting 1 in 36 children have the …

Impact Of Framing Depression On Illness Perceptions And Coping Strategies, Abby Mcginnis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study aimed to adopt an experimental design used by Schroder et al. (2023) to investigate how framing of depression (as a disease vs a functional signal) impacts illness perceptions and coping strategies. Participants were given the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) to assess depression severity and prime participants for the framing condition. Each condition had five videos describing depression and the corresponding frameworks. Perceived control, timeline, and causes of depression were measured using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Participants were given the brief-COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies, such as avoidant and problem-focused. There were no differences …

Bidirectional Relationships Between Use Of Popular Social Media Platforms And Anxiety, Depression, And Social Support, Olivia Dick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes among young populations has been a cause for increasing concern in research. However, the directionality of these relationships remains ambiguous due to existing literature being largely cross-sectional and having limited focus on individual platforms. This study aimed to explore the bidirectional relationship between social media use across prominent platforms and various mental healthrelated outcomes among young adults. A sample of 203 young adults, ages 18-29, completed baseline and 6-month follow-up assessments measuring social media use across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, as well as measures of depression, anxiety, and perceived friend …

Suicidal Ideation Among Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Role Of Shame And Sexual Grooming, Aysegul Yucel

Student Theses

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a global public health issue, with 25% of girls and 5% of boys in the U.S. reporting abuse before the age of 18. While CSA is known to increase the risk of suicidal ideation in later life, the additional psychosocial factors involved are understudied. This study investigates the impact of abuse-related shame and sexual grooming on suicidal ideation in adults with CSA histories. Data from 118 undergraduate students were analyzed using binomial logistic regression and the PROCESS macro to explore direct and indirect effects. Results show that abuse-related shame significantly predicts suicidal ideation and mediates …