Digital Commons Network^™

The Healing Landscapes Of Usu: Discovering Spaces Of Potential Mental Restorativeness: A Geospatial Analysis Of Usu Campus, Amelia H. Wilcken

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project focuses on understanding an alternative resource that can be intentionally improved upon to help address the mental health crisis on university campuses. With ample research showing how nature and being outside can help improve, or be restorative for, the mental state of individuals, this project developed an analytical method for understanding the restorative potential within the campus landscape as a whole and within districts. The analysis uses nine separate elements that make up the campus landscape: (1) trees, (2) landscape plantings (grass, planters, etc.), (3) art pieces, (4) benches, (5) water features, (6) sidewalks, (7) roads, (8) parking …

Mental Health And Adolescents: The Impact Of Social Isolation In Adolescents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gabriella Aguinaldo

Nursing | Senior Theses

In early 2020, the coronavirus pandemic, first detected in late 2019, afflicted the world. The disease associated with the virus became known as COVID-19. COVID-19 was recognized as a highly contagious and deadly disease. In California, United States, COVID-19 was detected in February and the first shelter-in-place orders were ordered by the counties and state, which forced children and adults to stay at home and attend school and work virtually. Shelter-in-place orders were quickly implemented around the world.

As the world began this sudden switch in lifestyle, many were concerned for the mental health and safety of themselves and their …

A Minority Within A Minority: Exploring Identity Development In Relation To Mental Health Outcomes Within The Black Deaf Community, Nekolas Milton

Doctoral Dissertations

Black Deaf people are a double minority group that faces discrimination on multiple fronts. There is little literature on the relationship of cultural identity development and mental health concerns of this marginalized group. This study employs a mixed method approach to examine this relationship and explore the extant culturally tailored interventions targeted towards Black Deaf adults in a clinical setting. There were two phases of this project. Phase 1 included qualitative interviews with service providers of black deaf people to ascertain the type of culturally tailored interventions that are in place for this population. 5 themes emerged: systemic issues, mental …

The Parallel Pandemic: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Eating Disorders And Ocd In Children And Adolescents, Nasong A. Luginaah

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In January 2021, Covid-19 had already been diagnosed in over 100 million individuals¹. Due to the high degree of infectivity, many countries all over the globe attempted to counter the virus by instituting nation-wide lockdowns. The effects of the lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents have drawn a lot of public health attention with many calling for an increased in the understanding of the potential effects the youth of today may have to endure. Two specific mental health illnesses have seemingly worsened are OCD and eating disorders.

Lgbt Inclusivity In Transpersonal Psychology: A Case For Incorporating Lgbt Spiritual Experiences In Transpersonal Education, Daniel A. Seda, Phd

Journal of Conscious Evolution

After conducting three qualitative interviews on the somatic experiences of transgender individuals and finding relatively few resources with which to draw significant conclusions in the field, it is clear that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) scholarship is severely lacking in transpersonal psychology.

Method: This research revealed that an understanding and appreciation for the lived experiences of gay people––specifically that of gay men––are also limited and are not appropriately represented through the use of feminist or queer models. Therefore, an alarming number of issues affecting the transgender and gay male populations are not being adequately addressed within the discipline of …

Cards On The Table: A Practicum Experience Aiming To Bridge The Gap Between Otterbein's Athletes And Mental Health Services, Asha Wallace

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this practicum was to help bridge the gap between Otterbein’s athletic population and mental health services. Previous research has discussed the potential barriers to student athletes seeking mental health assistance from their institution, including by not limited to lack of time, stigma, education, and negative past experiences. A barrier for receiving care for DIII athletes, specifically, is access. It has been noted that, due to limited resources, Otterbein does not have a mental health professional designated specifically to its athletes. There are, however, a variety of resources both on and around campus that can increase the mental …

Mental Health Stigma And Its Impact On Experiences Of Decent Work For Veterans, Matthew James Kessler

Theses and Dissertations

Veterans comprise roughly 8.3% of the U.S. adult population and 6.4% of the civilian labor force. Veterans tend to experience rates of both unemployment and underemployment at rates similar to their civilian peers. The duration of enlistment for military members has increased over the last four decades. Although longer enlistments may indicate better retention efforts and the ability to sustain individual careers in the military, this also increases potential rates for combat exposure and psychological distress. Additionally, military members tend to assume strong military identities through their time in the service.

Veterans often struggle with reintegrating into civilian life after …

Exploring The Relationship Between School Organizational Health, Advice Seeking Networks, And Student Behavior, Abbey M. Nachman

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between organizational health and advice seeking behavior of school staff around students exhibiting social, emotional, or behavioral concerns. School staff are front line responders to mental/behavioral health issues and it would benefit schools to better understand the organizational factors that influence advice seeking behavior and the affect that school climate amongst teachers has on student behavior. This study investigated the climates and communication patterns of two urban elementary schools. Social network analysis was used to visualize and analyze both schools’ respective networks. School staff completed the Organizational Health Inventory as …

The Role Of Functional Disability And Social Support In Psychological Outcomes For Individuals With Pediatric Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Keely Huntley Bieniak

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Individuals with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a genetic condition that impacts a person’s connective tissues, report a large number of physical symptoms including chronic pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and joint dislocations. Research into the psychosocial outcomes of this condition remains insufficient, especially for pediatric patients. The present study aims to fill this research gap by examining the relationship between functional disability, social support, and mental health outcomes for individuals with pediatric hEDS. We hypothesize that increased functional disability will be associated with increased mental health challenges, specifically anxiety and depression. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that this relationship will be …

Memory And Identity: Inter-Generational Resilience And Construction Of Diasporic Identities Among Somali Refugees, Hamida Dahir Sheikh Ahmed

Master's Theses

The violence and displacement many refugees face often create a lifelong trauma that manifests in many ways within themselves, their families, and communities. The Somali refugee community in the United States is no different. Since their resettlement in America started in the 1990s following the civil war, the community has struggled with different manifestations of that trauma; substance abuse and gang violence among the youth, prominence of depression and suicide rates, rise of domestic violence, as well as other direct and indirect results associated with mental health. This is the reality of many refugee and immigrant communities, coming directly from …

Vegetarian Diets, Maybe Not As Healthy As You Think, Darryl Goh, Debbie Chan, Merson Hoo, Ian Wong

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

Many are approaching vegetarianism as a viable diet option in recent years, presuming that adopting a vegetarian diet would provide health benefits. This paper explores the possibilities of physical and mental effects that vegetarianism may have on humans and its extent by the use of regression analysis. To measure the possible impacts vegetarian diets may hold on both the physiology and physical aspects of humans, we have utilized the measures of life expectancy and prevalence of depression respectively. Cross-sectional data were examined from sources such as the World Health Organization, Our World In Data and the World Bank, with figures …

The Future Of Forensic Psychology, William J. Lasala

Undergraduate Research

Throughout my years at La Salle University as a dual Psychology and Criminal Justice major, I have had the opportunity to study and learn about a variety of different topics regarding these two fields. The specific field that I was drawn towards the most was the field of forensic psychology, which is why it is the topic of my research project. My project’s main goal is to ensure that forensic psychology, with some new improvements, continue to be a leading force in both the field of criminal justice and psychology. Specifically, my project focuses on the future of forensic psychology …

Self Hood And Self Realization In Contemporary Korean Dramas, Kevin Chang, Yanjie Wang

Honors Thesis

Korean dramas are an important worldwide cultural phenomenon; however, there has been a lack of direct critical analysis on contemporary Korean dramas. Significantly, popular media is a potent tool to understand a country’s societal values. Given Korea’s intellectual contact with the West, it is possible to interpret K-dramas through the lens of self-realization. It’s Okay to Not be Okay teaches us that trauma must be faced to overcome it though the stories of Moon Gang-tae, Sang-tae, and Ko Moon-young. In Extracurricular, Jisoo and Gyuri represent how the current youth environment of South Korea stifles self-expression and self-realization. Itaewon Class, …

Laughter As A Priming Agent For Change, Linnea M. Heintz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance of laughter as a factor in influencing employee job satisfaction ratings. The Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1985, 1997) and pulses of laughter were used in this study. To explore the relationship between laughter and job satisfaction, results of the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1994) were collected quarterly (four times a year) for three consecutive years, beginning six months prior to the start of the two-year study and six months post. The study sample was composed of 545 employees (34% male, 66% female) operating out of 10 employee-owned retail chain locations …

Using A Dual-Factor Model To Understand The Mental Health Of Students With School Refusal Behavior, Zachary D. Maupin

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Students with school refusal behavior (SRB) often present complex cases that include variations of internalizing (anxiety and depression) and externalizing (opposition and defiance) mental health struggles. Historically, incongruent classification methods and terminology have hindered the progress of effectively or consistently assessing SRB. Consequently, practitioners face several obstacles in the process of identifying and understanding these students. Despite guidance from past literature, several questions about how SRB interacts with students' mental health are left unanswered. The present study used data from over 100,000 student responses on the California Healthy Kids Survey-Secondary Core Module. A review of attendance questions from this survey …

Transition From Collegiate Track & Field: An Examination Of Values And Commitment, Michael Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides a glimpse into psychological factors some of the 100,000 student-athletes who leave collegiate sport each year may face and adds to current understandings of ways to best serve collegiate student-athletes prior to their departure from collegiate sport. Drawing from the theories of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and The Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment, the study utilizes a population of former NCAA Division 1, 2, 3 and NAIA student-athletes to offer an in-depth look at the transition away from collegiate track and field. Mediation analysis was utilized to explore the interplay between commitment to values driven behavior, psychological …

Mental Health In Child Welfare Social Workers, Sintia Mota Muniz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focuses on child welfare social workers’ mental health and what mental health services they can benefit from having. For this study, the six participants were recruited from the Southern California area. They all currently work in the child welfare field. The data for this qualitative study was collected through interviews. All interviews were completed telephonically and then transcribed for data analysis. The study findings found the lack of management support in child welfare agencies and a lack of self-care practice have a negative effect on social workers’ mental health and their service delivery. The findings revealed that …

Social Media & Negative Effects On Body Image, Jack Fechter

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Since the beginning of the 2010’s, social media has grown to affect every aspect of our daily lives. With children using it earlier in their lives, they are getting mass exposure to societal ideals about what body type should be. This has negatively impacted adolescents’ view of body image, which has led to dissatisfaction with their own bodies. This leads to depressive symptoms and even in some cases suicide, which has gone up among adolescents in the past decade. The article that follows details how and why these issues occur, as well as solutions to fix them. These solutions discussed …

Emotional Support Animals For College Students: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Costs?, Sidney Street

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Mental health problems have been drastically increasing in recent years among college students. Alongside the rising prevalence of psychological distress, universities have also experienced an increase in requests to have Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) live on campus. To date however, data are scarce on students’ experiences living with and around ESAs. The present study aims to investigate attitudes and perceptions about ESAs, in both owners of ESAs as well as students who do not own an ESA but have interacted with one. Specifically, owners were interviewed to find whether the perceived benefits of owning an ESA outweigh the associated costs …

Toxic Masculinity: An Exploration Of Traditional Masculine Norms In Relation To Mental Health Outcomes And Help-Seeking Behaviors In College-Aged Males, Benjamin Harris

Senior Theses

This study examines the relationships between traits of toxic masculinity, mental health outcomes, and help-seeking behaviors in college-aged males. To perform this analysis, a thorough literature review was conducted, and survey data was collected and analyzed to draw conclusions and implications for future research

New Thought On How An Understanding Of Thought Prevents Violence, Stephanie A. Fox

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

The Spark Initiative’s work and research with youth at risk in schools, jails, and foster care has proven that a simple understanding of the mind has increased resilience, emotional regulation, impulse control, decision-making, problem-solving and communication skills, all critical to violence prevention.

The Experiences Of Iraqi Refugees In Canada: A Life History Study Of War And Resilience In The Aftermath Of Migration, Nada Nessan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis reports on a life history narrative on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who resettled in Canada after living through war. The aim of this study is to help change the narrow perspectives on the mental health of war affected populations to a broader perception shaped by cultural and social aspects and to inform the development of meaningful and cultural relevant programs and policies with a particular attention to the concept of resilience.

The first part of the study presents the chronological narratives, or profiles. of eight participants. The second part of the study is a thematic discussion of …

One Spark Can Light A Fire: How To Become A Mental Health Advocate, Marquinta Harvey, Shannon Jackson

Black Issues Conference

One Spark Can Light a Fire: How to Become a Mental Health Advocate

There is increasing awareness surrounding mental health and conversations are beginning to make their way to the forefront of issues that demand significant attention. However, the path from awareness to advocacy remains poorly understood. Mental Illness is an important issue that affects 1 in 4 individuals and unlike most chronic illnesses the onset occurs early in the life spectrum, usually in adolescence and young adulthood.

The issue of mental health is not limited to individual genetic predisposition and/or behaviors but involves many layers related to individual, family-related, …

Racism And Mental Health: When It Hurts To Be Black, Desiree Tallent

Black Issues Conference

This presentation provides information on types of racism, including personal, institutional and cultural aspects. The prevalence of racism among Black people is also highlighted. Additional attention is given to the negative emotional outcomes of experiencing racism as well as the resulting behavioral impact of experiences with racism among Black individuals. Special attention is given to how these issues may manifest in one’s personal life and student life. In addition to understanding how racism impacts mental and behavioral health, information is provided on positive coping methods which can lessen the dire effect of racism. These positive coping methods include the role …

Where Are The Resources?: Discussing Mental Health In Students Of Color On Utk’S Campus And The Call For Action, Zhannae S. Cummings, Diandra Walker

Black Issues Conference

Racial minority groups experience disparities in mental health and are prone to having more detrimental outcomes than their white counterparts. Current events have heightened the exposure of racial injustices experienced by communities of Black, Indigenous and people of Color (BIPOC). Given this context, the elimination of mental health disparities in people of Color requires critical attention and diligent work more so now than ever before. Culture, climate, and intrinsic bias leave some institute of higher education more challenged in promoting and supporting education for students of Color. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is to educate participants about mental health …

Differences In Internalizing Symptoms And Cognitive Functioning In Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, Avery B. Ducey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a recently identified mental health construct. Currently, no widely accepted diagnostic criteria for SCT exist, and it is not recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5). There is debate in the psychological community as to whether SCT is better conceptualized as an atypical presentation of attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or a unique symptom cluster comprised of ADHD and additional psychological and neurocognitive symptoms. When controlling for ADHD symptomatology, SCT has been found to be associated with internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, as well as …

Legacy Of Money: A Qualitative Analysis Of Attitudes Toward Treatment Of Intersex Individuals, Jane Truax Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNo significant research exists that addresses mental health providers' attitudes toward the treatment of intersex individuals. The purpose and primary goal of this qualitative study was to provide insight into mental health providers’ attitudes toward an understanding of treatment of intersex individuals, including possible changes in attitudes over the past 25 years. Using the theoretical foundations of social constructivism and gender variant phenomenon, the guiding research questions sampled mental health providers’ views of attitudinal shifts in treatment of the intersex population over 25 years, their changing views toward intersex over the course of their careers, and what mental disorders they …

Organizational Factors Contributing To Mental Health And Wellness In Behavioral Health Leaders, Julie Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, a behavioral health leader’s (BHL’s) mental health and wellness is an important factor in an organization's ability to effectively provide mental healthcare. Mental health and wellness in BHLs lead to sustainability in their organization. Researchers have demonstrated that mental health and wellness in BHLs are factors contributing to an organization’s sustainability but have not established the factors contributing to mental health and wellness in BHLs. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to examine the organizational factors contributing to the mental health and wellness in the BHL of the organization. The Baldrige excellence framework …

Examining Crying Frequency And Duration In African American Women Dealing With Racism, Anika Fonson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research concerning adult crying is limited, and no studies have been conducted using African American women. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental study was to explore if crying acts as a coping mechanism for African American women faced with racism and if crying is related to positive mental health outcomes. Past research has indicated that women experiencing racism may seek out support as described by the tend and befriend theory. Crying has been described as a form of release when people are in positions in which they find it hard to cope. A sample of 140 African American women …

The Relationship Between Programming After Critical Incidents, Shootings, And Resilience In Police, Michelle Lise Vincent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine whether there was a relationship between resilience, posttraumatic growth, and reintegration programming after a critical incident and/or line of duty shooting through the cognitive, self-efficacy and resiliency theoretical lenses. The research aimed to determine if police officers, who participated in reintegration programming, specifically in this study, Edmonton Police’s Reintegration After Critical Incident programming, produced higher scores in resilience as measured on the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and posttraumatic growth, as measured on the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory scale (PTGI), with Canadian police officers compared to police officers who do not participate in …