Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Social Support In Protecting Against Perinatal Depression Among Egyptian Women, Radwa Raafat Abdelshafi

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal Depression (PND) is a global public health issue affecting many women as they transition to motherhood, and carrying detrimental consequences for both mothers and infants. Research in low and middle-income countries shows higher PND prevalence rates than in high-income and Western countries. In addition, social support has been shown to strongly protect or reduce the impact of PND. This study aimed to address a gap in research on PND in Egypt, and to build an understanding of the social support ecological system of new mothers. A survey was conducted with 81 first-time middle-class mothers living in Greater Cairo between …

South Asian American Experiences Of Microaggressions And Wellbeing: The Moderating Role Of Social Support, Archita Birla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the South Asian American community is rapidly expanding in the United States (South Asian Americans Leading Together [SAALT], 2015), there remains a dearth of psychological research regarding the impacts on mental health and wellbeing affecting this diverse community. Racial microaggressions, or verbal or behavioral actions indicating hostile or negative attitudes toward marginalized individuals (Sue et al., 2007), negatively impact People of Color (POC) mental health and wellbeing (Forrest-Bank & Jenson, 2015a; Nadal, Wong, et al., 2015). Some research exists on South Asian American communities and microaggressions (Houshmand et al., 2014; Poolokasingham et al., 2014) but there is limited research …

The Efficacy Of Group Therapy As A Primary Treatment For Military Veterans, Sheldon Kauffman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury (MI) are often comorbid in military veterans. While various manualized group treatments have demonstrated efficacy in reducing symptom severity, the effect sizes for these diverse treatments have been similar indicating something other than the intervention (e.g., peer social support) may be driving symptom reduction. This mixed methods study examined the efficacy of non-manualized group psychotherapy for reducing PTSD and MI symptom severity in military veterans. The sample (n = 34) consisted of post-911 and Vietnam military veterans, aged 30 - 78, who attended voluntary government and non-government funded PTSD groups in southcentral Pennsylvania. …

Effects On The Enduring Marriage Of Parenting A Young Adult With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tawnya Anne Fabian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the challenges facing couples who have been married for more than 18 years, and whose autistic child is now a young adult. It seeks to describe how the couples have overcome their trials. In addition, this study will investigate the dimensions along which the couple and the family are affected by the autistic family member. Parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a higher propensity than parents of neurotypical children to report worry, anxiety, stress, and depression, burdened as they are with the behavioral and social challenges …

Peer Victimization In College Student Mental Health And Well-Being: Moderating Effects Of Perceived Social Support, Erica Van Overloop

Dissertations

Peer victimization is associated with several short- and long-term psychosocial consequences for both children and adults. Although there is evidence that peer victimization negatively impacts college students, the degree to which it may affect students’ mental health and well-being remains unclear. Most studies of peer victimization among college students focus only on retrospective accounts of childhood victimization, leaving many unknowns about how recent or ongoing victimization may impact students. The present study examined both retrospective and recent experiences of peer victimization in a college student sample (N = 366, 18-29 years old) while considering the moderating role of perceived …

Social Support In The Time Of Social Media: Predicting Gen Zers’ Preferences For In-Person And Virtual Support, Carla Mastroianni

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Increased usage of social networking sites (SNS) among young people, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, is well documented. Both positive and negative associations with SNS usage have been found. However, findings lack causal links and describe frequency of usage, applications used, and generalized descriptions of usage type (e.g., to connect with others versus consume content). There is considerable movement toward understanding SNS usage type and trends by subgroup—a precursor to better understanding which groups are using SNS for what purposes, particularly those more likely to experience negative outcomes associated with SNS. This study utilized a cross-sectional design to …

A Village: Examining The Associations Between Social Support, Aggravation In Parenting, Child Behavioral Problems, And The Mother-Child Relationship., Natalie Christine Blocher

Doctoral Dissertations

The following study examines the relationships between maternal social support (measured individually by instrumental, policy, and emotional), aggravation in parenting, child behavioral problems (CBPs), and the mother-child relationship during middle childhood (ages 6 to 12) and adolescence (13-18). The purpose of the study was to create nuance in the social support literature of the unique role of different types of maternal social support. The study collected data from a subsample of mothers and their children from Wave 5 (2007-2010) and Wave 6 (2014-2017) from the Future Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCW), when the child participants were 9 and 15-years-old, …

Do Social Support, Supervisory Feedback, And Job Stress Matter To An Employee’S Sense Of Ownership? Context In The Lodging Sector, Aladin M. Ibrahim, Zyra R. Cabrera, Rodin S. Pescuela

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

In the face of intensified competition within the hospitality sector, exacerbated by the challenges of post-pandemic recovery, organizations are increasingly focused on re-engaging employees impacted by workforce reductions and retaining those who demonstrate a strong sense of attachment, care, and commitment to their workplace. These ownership behaviors are pivotal in fostering organizational stewardship and driving performance. However, the question arises: how can organizations cultivate and enhance these positive employee behaviors? This study investigates the influence of leader- and work-related factors, including social support, supervisory feedback, and job stress, on employees’ sense of ownership towards their organization. Employing a survey methodology, …

Effects Of Emotional Intelligence And Social Support On The Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment And Disordered Eating, Rachel E. Kilby

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Current research has established a connection between childhood maltreatment and eating disorders, and some studies have looked at emotional intelligence or social support as mediators of this connection. However, little research has looked at how emotional intelligence and social support work together in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and eating disorders. This study looked at how emotional intelligence and social support act as mediators in this relationship. Undergraduate students (N=134) were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-90), Wong-Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Correlations …

Development And Validation Of A Measure For Seeking Health Information In The Diabetes Online Community: Mixed Methods Study, Allyson S. Hughes, Sarah Beach, Spruhaa Vasistha, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Osvaldo F. Morera

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Individuals with chronic diseases often search for health information online. The Diabetes Online Community (DOC) is an active community with members who exchange health information; however, few studies have examined health information brokering in the DOC.

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Attitudes Toward Seeking Health Information Online (ATSHIO) scale in a sample of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods

People with T1D were recruited through the DOC, specifically Facebook and Twitter. They were provided with a Qualtrics link to complete the survey. This was a mixed methods study that used thematic …

The Association Between Prenatal Maternal Stress, Infant Brain Volumes, And Temperament During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber L. Di Paolo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is associated with altered trajectories of infant socio-emotional and brain development, including brain structures such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex (PFC). During the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a major global stressor, PNMS was significantly elevated, yet the impact on infant neurodevelopment remains uncertain. The objective of the present study was to determine whether PNMS during the pandemic was associated with infant amygdala and PFC volumes as well as temperament. In addition, we examined whether social support and resilience during pregnancy were protective factors.

Participants were enrolled in the Canadian ‘Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic’ cohort …

Social Support As A Moderator Of Life Stress And Alcohol Consumption, Paige Patano

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Heavy alcohol use in emerging adults has several consequences, including increased risk-taking behaviors, cognitive deficits, and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Thus, it is important to understand risk factors and protective factors to heavy drinking. Experiencing life stressors may be associated with higher alcohol use in emerging adults, especially for historically marginalized populations. General social support, which may mitigate the impact of life stressors, tends to be a protective factor against drinking, although the literature is mixed on which types of relationships are considered protective. Between the support of family, friends, and significant others, it is unclear which relationships are associated …

Stress-Induced Oxytocin Reactivity As A Predictor Of Daily Support Seeking After Stress, Cecile Sunahara

Psychology Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined whether stress-induced peripheral oxytocin (OT) was associated with support-seeking behaviors after stress in daily life. Healthy male and female participants (N=94) performed a standardized laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and then completed two weeks of daily assessments of support seeking after stress. In line with preregistered hypotheses, plasma OT reactivity to the TSST (indexed as the area under the curve with respect to increase; AUCi) was associated with more frequent support seeking behaviors following stress in daily life. Moreover, this association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety, relative to …

Is A Social Support Based Model Better For Treating Alcoholism? A Systematic Review, Jordan Anthony Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Alcoholism continues to persist as a significant health issue in the United States and impacts individuals and families across race, gender, and age. While much work has been made in the field of substance abuse treatment, there remains a substantial need for additional research to formulate effective strategies for treating alcoholism and related unhealthy drinking behaviors. The existing literature suggests that mutual support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are the standard for achieving successful recovery among those seeking help. Simultaneously, there exists a growing amount of research proposing a range of other interventions that may prove effective in treating alcoholism. …

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 …

Comics About Organs: Social Support And Graphic Medicine In The Awkward Yeti, Jacob Gibb

Theses and Dissertations

Comic strips have always been a medium for more than humor. Many comic strips published on social media sites address mental health issues. Despite their popularity, the field of graphic medicine, which examines the intersection of health care and comics, has seen little to no examination of how these comics function on social media. Utilizing the popular comic The Awkward Yeti, this research examines how the rhetorical devices of comics make them an ideal medium for communicating about mental health issues and providing social support to social media users. This study conducts a content analysis of 15 Instagram posts from …

Compassionate Communication, Social Support, And Safety: Needs Of People Experiencing Homelessness, Emma Lynn Jackson

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

On any given night in 2023, approximately 650,000 people were experiencing homelessness (HUD, 2023). With the highest rate of homelessness since national reporting began in 2007 and double the rate of chronic homelessness since 2016, it could be inferred that the resources are not effectively mitigating the problem (HUD, 2023). To attempt to understand this complex issue, this thesis initially reviewed theories on societal structures, personal connections, social support, and gaps in support. In person interviews of 14 people living with homelessness explored perceptions of support, social challenges, involvement in the community and lack of support. Following each interview, a …

Death Anxiety And Its Relationship To Social Support Among A Sample Of Elderly People "A Field Study On A Sample Of The Elderly In The Lebanese Beqaa Governorate". قلق الموت وعلاقته بالمساندة الاجتماعية لدى عينة من المسنين د ا رسة ميدانية على عينة من المسنين في محافظة البقاع اللبنانية, Nidal Muhammad Murtada

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

The research aimed to identify the relationship between death anxiety and its relationship to social support among a sample of elderly people. To detect the differences in death anxiety and social support according to the variable of gender, the researcher relied on the descriptive analytical approach. The research sample consisted of (94) elderly men and women in Beqaa- Lebanon.To achieve the objectives of the research, the death anxiety scale was used. According to Templar, and the social support scale prepared by Spender, 1982.The following results were reached: The level of death anxiety among the members of the research sample was …

Invarianza De La Escala De Evaluación De Las Relaciones Intrafamiliares En Padres Con Y Sin Migración De Retorno Y Salud Mental [Invariance Of The Intrafamily Relations Evaluation Scale In Parents With And Without Return Migration And Mental Health], María Elena Rivera Heredia, Patricia Andrade Palos, Jaime Fuentes Balderrama, Luis H. Zayas

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Se analizaron las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Evaluación de las Relaciones Intrafamiliares (ERI) en padres de familia que retornaron a México y que tienen hijos e hijas menores de edad nacidos en E.E.U.U., así como en padres mexicanos sin experiencia migratoria. Participaron189 padres (92 retornados y 97 sin migración). Se llevaron a cabo Análisis Factoriales Exploratorios y Confirmatorios para derivar una versión culturalmente invariante. Una vez obtenidas las evidencias de invarianza configural, métrica, escalar, estricta y estructural, se encontró mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales que la unión y apoyo familiar se asocian con la sintomatología depresiva y …

A159: Effects Of Social Supports On Chinese Adolescent Perceived Physical Literacy, Junyi Bian, Benjamin Colin Cork

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Levels of physical activity in children have gradually declined from elementary to high school. This trend necessitates a greater need of perceived physical literacy (PPL) to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Because social supports for physical confidence (PC) and understanding (PU) are key to nursing PPL, this study investigated effects of perceived family support (PFS), perceived physical education support (PPES), and perceived community support (PCS) on PPL among a group of Chinese adolescents. Methods: The study was based on a retrospective investigation. A total of 3820 participants completed self-reported questionnaires assessing PFS, PPES, PCS. PPL was assessed by an eight-item …

The Role Of Family Support In The Self-Rated Health Of Older Adults In Eastern Nepal: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Aman Shrestha, Saruna Ghimire, Jennifer Kinney, Ranju Mehta, Sabuj Kanti Mistry, Shoko Saito, Binod Rayamajhee, Deepak Sharma, Suresh Mehta, Uday Narayan Yadav

Student and Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Nepal's low fertility rate and increasing life expectancy have resulted in a burgeoning older population. For millennia, filial piety shaped family cohesion and helped Nepali older adults achieve positive outcomes, but recently, it has been eroding. Furthermore, there are not enough institutional support options or alternatives to family-based care to deal with the biosocial needs of older adults. This study explored the association between family support and self-rated health among Nepali older adults.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey in eastern Nepal's two districts, Sunsari and Morang, interviewed 847 older adults (≥ 60 years). The final analytical sample was 844. …

Exploring The Needs Of College Students Experiencing Housing Instability, Sandy D. Dawoud

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study explored the needs and experiences of college students who have aged out of the foster care system and facing housing instability at a large public institution. The study explores the participants' pre-college experiences and college journey to identify challenges they faced, sources of support, and unmet needs impacting their education. Analysis of 14 individual interviews highlighted key themes related to motivations, obstacles, and desired assistance across areas like finances, mental health, academics, and support systems. This work has implications for implementing tailored institutional support, community partnerships, transition programs, and advocacy efforts to promote resilience and success for …

Online Perceived Social Support And Its Association With Psychopathology In Rural And Urban Youth, Ellen Alexandra Knowles

Dissertations and Theses

Social support is a fundamental aspect of development throughout adolescence. It has been found to buffer against the negative impacts of stress and provide general benefits to one’s well-being. Youth today are exposed to a range of opportunities for socialization with peers, both in-person and online, including interacting with others through texting, social media, video games, and other digital means. These online interactions have begun to be investigated as accessible methods through which adolescents can connect with others and maintain healthy relationships. Furthermore, digital social networks may be most critical for youth from isolated communities, including those from rural areas. …

Adapting And Validating A Survey To Assess Host Communities Support For Migration, Jhon G. Botello, Katherine Palacio, Erika Frydenlund, Humberto Llinás, Jose Padilla

VMASC Publications

Migration presents challenges to receiving communities, as it tests their ability to respond to unexpected expenditures and social stresses. Evaluating the local impact of rapid and substantial migration flows is difficult due to the absence of a validated instrument for assessing community support for migration. Our study adapted and validated a Support for Migration Assessment survey (SMA) based on Social Exchange Theory (SET). The validation of the SMA contributes in two significant ways. First, it establishes an instrument that enables the assessment of support for migration (SFM) by considering community-level factors: trust in institutions (TII), overall community satisfaction (OCS), and …

Development Of A Novel Measure To Assess For Alcohol Misuse In Older Adults: The Alcohol Misuse Scale For Older Adults (Amsoa), Nathan Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol is the most regularly used intoxicating substance in most geographic locations. Alcohol use in the United States specifically is well over global averages. While alcohol misuse is generally considered to be understood as a problem for younger adults, it is often unrecognized and understudied older adult populations. Currently, there is an absence of a comprehensive tool measuring for developmentally salient behaviors, symptoms, and features of alcohol misuse in older adulthood, which blocks researchers’ ability to measure alcohol misuse well. The purpose of this study is to develop a psychometrically valid and reliable assessment of alcohol misuse for older adult …

Human Performance In Context: Exploring The Effect Of Social Support On Vigilance, Allison E. Garibaldi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Over many decades, vigilance research has consistently found that performance on vigilance tasks decline over time (i.e., the vigilance decrement; Davies & Parasuraman, 1982), and that performing a vigilance task is both mentally demanding and stressful (Warm et al., 2008). Researchers have subsequently implemented a wide range of interventions to both understand and attempt to attenuate the vigilance decrement and its associated affective effects. Among these efforts, little attention has been devoted to understanding the effects of the social environment on vigilance. Nonetheless, a handful of studies have indeed suggested that the presence of others can affect performance, workload, and …

Multidisciplinary Approach To Injury Rehabilitation: The D1 College Athlete Perspective, Lindsey Leatherman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Sport injuries continue to be unavoidable disruptions in student-athletes’ athletic careers with over 200,000 injuries estimated to be reported each year in college sport (Kerr et al., 2015). Researchers continue to emphasize the importance of an interprofessional approach to rehabilitation to help athletes manage the adverse psychological and emotional reactions to injury (Appaneal et al., 2009; Gervis et al., 2020; Putukian, 2016). The purpose of this study was to extend and replicate the research of Clement and Arvinen-Barrow (2021) by incorporating perspectives of Division I US student-athletes. The current study describes 321 NCAA Division I collegiate athletes’ experiences of receiving …

What’S The Right Move? The Relation Between Relocating And Psychosocial Outcomes Among Latinx College Students, Lisa A. Lozano, Bianca T. Villalobos, Veronica Castro, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study investigated the role of relocating on the mental health, psychosocial stress, and social support of 159 first- and second-year Latinx college students. Findings revealed students who relocated for college had significantly higher self-reported sense of campus belonging, and social support compared to students who did not relocate. Implications for college readiness organizations and universities with commuter populations are discussed. Future directions to enhance the understanding of Latinx students’ transitionary experiences are also reviewed.

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El estudio investigó la importancia de la reubicación en la salud mental, el estrés psicosocial y el apoyo social de 159 estudiantes universitarios Latinxs …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Predict Mortality Risk: The Role Of Social Support & Social Strain, Meredith A. Willard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Childhood adversity has long-lasting negative effects across the lifespan including increased mortality risk. The love and support individuals receive from others, also known as social support, has shown to be a protective factor against ACEs. However, little research has investigated the amplifying effects of social conflict and strain that often accompanies social relationships. Utilizing data from the Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) study, I tested whether higher levels of social support would buffer the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences on mortality risk, and whether higher levels of social strain would amplify these associations. The sample included 6,150 participants …

Childhood Unpredictability Is Associated With Increased Risk For Long- And Short-Term Depression And Anhedonia Symptoms Following Combat Deployment, Christopher Hunt, Meghan Vinograd, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia Poggi Davis, Tallie Z. Baram, Hal S. Stern, Caroline M. Nievergelt, Bruna Cuccurazzu, Cindy Napan, Dylan Delmar, Dewleen G. Baker, Victoria B. Risbrough

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

High unpredictability has emerged as a dimension of early-life adversity that may contribute to a host of deleterious consequences later in life. Early-life unpredictability affects development of limbic and reward circuits in both rodents and humans, with a potential to increase sensitivity to stressors and mood symptoms later in life. Here, we examined the extent to which unpredictability during childhood was associated with changes in mood symptoms (anhedonia and general depression) after two adult life stressors, combat deployment and civilian reintegration, which were assessed ten years apart. We also examined how perceived stress and social support mediated and /or moderated …