Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Implementation Of The Patient-Centered Recovery Model In Psychiatric Nursing, Nicole K. Rossi

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Recovery Care Model is the recommended evidence-based model for delivering holistic, patient-centered care for mental health clients. The model is a more therapeutic approach than the traditional medical model and upholds the ideas that psychiatric clients are more than just their illness, should be respected as unique individuals, and provided with hope and empowerment in their care while being given the opportunity for informed and autonomous decision-making. Although research has shown support for the Recovery Care Model, its implementation has not been fully accomplished in all psychiatric facilities. Of all of the members of the health care team, nurses …

Overmedicated: Foster Kids In Crisis, Mary E. Wilson

Capstones

Nearly one in four foster children across the county is taking at least one psychotropic medication-- more than four times the rate for all children.

Psychotropic drugs are chemical substances that act primarily upon the central nervous system where they alter brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and/or behavior.

Over the last decade the use of psychotropic medications amongst children has more than doubled. It has yet to be determined what permanent affects such drugs have on children as they age, due to a limited number of studies.

http://marywilson1.wixsite.com/overmedicated

Instagram And The Human (Mis)Connection, Johanna Chisholm

Capstones

Instagram has made strides to try and improve their platform for these mentally unstable teens; most recently by installing a tool that allows users to report people they think might be “going through a difficult time.” This update, while a step in the right direction, seems to still be missing a very important element to actually helping these users: a human connection.

https://jochisholm.github.io/Instagram_Teens/

Chna: The Role Of The Hospital In Addressing Specific Community Health Needs, Yesmina L. Zavala

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) added a requirement for nonprofit hospitals to keep their tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue System Code 501(c) 3. This code requires all nonprofit hospitals to complete Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports every three years and must include input from community stakeholders and underserved individuals representing the low-income, minority and chronically ill population.

In addition to the CHNA, implementation strategies are required to be executed in the geographic areas served in order to meet the identified prioritized needs from the CHNA. Oftentimes, CHNAs are difficult to conceptualize and operationalize within the …

Self-Disclosure Among Male Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse: Service Providers’ Perspective, Marudan Sivagurunathan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Previous research regarding child sexual abuse (CSA) indicates significant gender differences in disclosure rates: specifically, males are less likely to disclose their child sexual abuse in comparison to females. CSA can have lasting impact on a child’s emotional, physical, and psychological wellbeing. Trauma studies show support and early intervention is necessary for CSA survivors to re-establish a sense of safety and to experience better quality of life. Service providers play a key role in providing care and support for male CSA survivors. However, little is known about service providers, who work with male CSA survivors, and their perceptions and attitudes …

Recovery-Oriented Care And Inpatient Psychiatric Nursing Practice, Julia M. Mclaughlin

Master's Projects and Capstones

For the past 15 years, major organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and U.S. federal government have been committed to shifting mental health services from the medical model of care to the recovery-oriented model of care (Moller & McLoughlin, 2013). However, not all identified recovery-oriented practices have been fully implemented throughout mental health services, specifically in acute care settings. In 2015, San Mateo Medical Center’s acute psychiatric nursing staff completed McLoughlin’s (2005) Recovery Self-Assessment- Registered Nurse (RSA-RN). Data showed that 34% of nursing staff did not believe that the nurses …

“In Black And White, I’M A Piece Of Trash:” Abuse, Depression, And Women's Pathways To Prison, Alexa Adamo Valverde

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Theses

Women’s lived experiences of abuse and depression are examined within the context of gendered and racialized pathways to incarceration among 403 women randomly selected from a diagnostic unit in a state prison. This study utilizes feminist action research and community psychological methods to understand what factors predict incarcerated women’s placement on the mental health caseload and provides quantitative support for the pathways theoretical framework. Findings indicate that, among the sample, the prevalence of abuse experiences prior to incarceration exceeded 90%, prevalence of mental health problems exceeded 70%, and less than 35% were receiving mental health care. Being Caucasian, experiencing depression …

Perception Of Consultation Among Professional School Counselors, Teachers And Mental Health Professional Counselors, Brenda Lorraine Bryant

Dissertations

Abstract This is a study concerning the perception of consultation among school counselors, teachers, and mental health professional counselors (MHPCs) working collaboratively in the public school setting for the benefit of the academic and behavioral success of students. Although there are many consultation models and theoretical views (Brigman, Mullis, Webb, & White, 2005; Caplan, Caplan, & Erchul, 1995; Erchul & Conoley, 1991; Erford, 2011; Kampwirth, 2006), this study utilized the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) framework for consultation in schools. Although MHPCs are not considered school counselors by definition, and they are not compensated by school districts, they still serve …

Decision-Making In The Foster Care System, Julie E. Bertram

Dissertations

This study documented and analyzed the processes of mental health treatment decision-making, in the context of family support teams, within the foster care system. The research questions explored engagement, perceptions, and self-rated empowerment among family support teams that serve adolescent foster youth with mental health concerns. The sample consisted of 23 participants from core support teams and 36 other adolescent and adult team members who were involved in the study. Data collection methods included observations at family support team meetings and court hearings, 34 semi-structured individual interviews, a self-rated empowerment scale, and informal conversations in the field. Analysis of non-survey …

The Effects Of An Uncompleted Suicide Attempt: A Parent's Perspective, Kendal T. Klein

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Investigating Barriers To Mental Health Care In Law Enforcement Officers, Samantha F. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The profession of law enforcement is an inherently stressful job. Although the physical stress of the job is often discussed, the mental health impact on officers is often ignored, resulting in poor mental health and increased risk for suicide. The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors related to the reluctance of law enforcement officers (LEOs) to seeking treatment, as well as to gain an understanding of the prevalence rates of disorders in a law enforcement population. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants (N = 306) across a variety of agencies. Correlation, moderated regression analysis, and structural …

Understanding The Formation Of American Mental Health Policy Preferences, 1952-1981, Andrew D. Tuholski

Open Access Dissertations

In the United States, the emergence of an outpatient-centered, drug-based model of mental health care was physically feasible from the 1950s onward, with the introduction of thorazine and other first-generation antipsychotics. However, it was not until 1981, with President Reagan’s veto of the Mental Health Systems Act, that American mental health policy tipped over definitively into the outpatient-centered, drug-based model. In this quantitative study of the formation of policy preference, the delay between the feasibility of the outpatient-centered, drug-based model and its adoption was explored through five research questions answered through corpus analysis and time series statistics: How do shifts …

African American Men’S Health: Regulating Race-Related Stress Through Cognitive Flexibility, Brian P. Littleton

Dissertations

African American men have one the highest preventable mortality and morbidity rates in the United States (Rich, 2000; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2015). Moreover, there is substantial health disparity between African American men and White men in the United States (Smedley, Stith, & Nelson, 2003). It has been stated that pervasive racism and discrimination are the most significant contributors for the disparity. Studies have shown race-related stress, which is derived from experiencing racism, discrimination or having internalized feelings as the result of an individual’s racial status, has been associated with blood pressure, emotional distress, and physical health …

Young Survivors Of Disaster: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Mental Health Interventions For Children And Their Families, Theressa L. Labarrie

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Disasters, both natural and human-made, are on the rise. While disasters affect everyone, the most vulnerable populations are often hardest hit. Our nation’s youth are among the most vulnerable, suffering the most severe psychological repercussions. This is a population in need of empirically supported post-disaster mental health interventions. However, the research on mental health treatments for post-disaster trauma treatment among youth is still in its developmental stages. There is no known synthesis of treatment interventions for youth and their families, even though there is clear evidence that this population is among the most vulnerable to the effects of disaster exposure. …

Household Living Arrangement And Quality Of Life In Adults With Mental Illness, Meaghan Mckillop

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: Household living arrangement, whether an individual lives alone, with family, or with unrelated persons, may predict quality of life in adults with mental illness, as it influences social interactions and availability of immediate resources. Objective: To assess the relationship between living arrangement and quality of life in adults with mental illness. Design: Secondary analysis of 294 community-dwelling adults with mental illness. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between living arrangement and quality of life. Results: Initially, linear regression analysis did not suggest a strong association between quality of life and living arrangement; however, further analysis suggested that …

Exploring Shame And Guilt In Hiv-Positive Women In Southern India, Mitra L. Lebastchi

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Limited research exists examining shame and guilt among HIV positive populations and across cultural contexts. This study addresses this gap in the literature by considering shame and guilt, and potential associations with mental health symptoms, among a sample of 20 HIV positive women in Southern India. Results indicate that most women experienced high levels of shame and guilt, based on responses to items from an adapted version of the State Shame and Guilt Scale (Marschall, Saftner, & Tangney, 1994). Although correlations were not significant between shame and PTSD or depression, guilt was significantly correlated with both. Future research should focus …

Alleged Insanity: Frank Johnson Sr., Racial Injustice, And The Failure Of The Mental Health Care System In South Carolina, Jonathon P. Johnson

Senior Theses

This thesis is about Frank Johnson Sr. and the circumstances that led to his downfall as a farmer and father of six, to his tragic death in the isolation of a racially segregated mental institution 18 miles away from his home. Using his life and incarceration at the South Carolina State Park mental health facility, I argue that racial injustice contributed to his tragic death and the woefully inadequate treatment thousands of African Americans in South Carolina received during Jim Crow. Additionally, I argue that the tragic circumstances around my great grandfather’s institutionalization and death were part of an enduring …

Association Between Combat, Morally Injurious Experiences, Spiritual Injury, And Alcohol Use Among Active Duty Military Personnel And Veterans, Allison T. Robbins

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Literature has supported that, along with physical and psychological injuries, combat profoundly impacts veterans’ moral and spiritual belief systems and may contribute to negative health behaviors. Moral injury is a developing construct related to negative consequences associated with war-zone stressors that transgress military veterans’ deeply held values and belief systems. Additionally, spiritual injury addresses negative responses to an event that damages their relationship with God, self, and others, and alienates an individual from that which gives meaning to their lives. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between combat exposure, morally injurious experiences (MIEs), spiritual injury, …

An Investigation On The Value Of Integrating Mental Health Supports In Education To Build Capacity For Change, Erin Keith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Current statistics in Ontario show that one in five students suffer from mental health issues (Canada, 2012). Mental health disorders cause significant distress, impairing students’ functioning at school, at home, and in the community (Children’s Mental Health Ontario, 2014). Research has shown that prevention and early intervention strategies targeting students at risk for mental health challenges are beneficial, cost-effective, and reduce the need for more costly, intensive interventions. (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013). In response to recent Ontario Ministry mental health initiatives (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006; 2011; 2013), the Peel District School Board, in Ontario, Canada, launched an interprofessional, …

Cyberbullying Among Young Adults: Effects On Mental And Physical Health, Brett M. Goshe

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Social Network Characteristics As They Relate To The Mental Health Of Refugees, Richard Greene

Sociology ETDs

This study (N=168) builds on a long lineage of scholarly work connecting social networks to mental health by exploring relationships between refugee social network compositions—network size, proportion of same sex ties, proportion of same community ties, and role heterogeneity—and self-reported symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This study finds that newly resettled refugee social networks are small and social isolation is common; approximately 30% of participants reported having no local social network ties. For refugees with local social network ties, the composition of social networks does appear to matter. Having more same sex ties was negatively associated with higher mental …

Does Benevolence Benefit? Understanding The Role Of Benevolent Sexism Sub-Factors In Predicting Sexual Aggression Among Men, Alyssa Nicole Shilinsky

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual aggression remains a pervasive problem in our society, with approximately one in five women reporting an unwanted sexual experience (Koss et al., 2007). A key construct associated with sexual aggression may be the endorsement of sexist beliefs, which have been conceptualized along two domains: Hostile and benevolent sexism (Glick & Fiske, 1996).Hostile sexist beliefs can predict engagement in sexual aggression (Malamuth et al.,1995); however, there is a paucity of research examining the influence of benevolent sexism on sexual aggression perpetration. The goal of this study is to explore the relationship between the three sub-factors of benevolent sexism (protective paternalism, …

Implementing Change To Decrease The Emergency Department Visits For Pediatric Clients Referred To Mental Health Services, Diane Sandoval

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this clinical nurse leader (CNL) internship project is to implement an improvement intervention to decrease emergency department visits or psychiatric emergency services visit rates for pediatric clients receiving mental health services through the ambulatory clinic. The goal is to increase client safety by preventing harm to themselves or others and improving quality of care provided through timely nursing telephone triage. The project is taking place in a county run pediatric ambulatory clinic. We will participate in a shared leadership team to make recommendations for improvement at the microsystem level. Team members include the charge nurse, clinic manager, …

Beyond Burnout: Educators' Experiences Of Mental Health Issues, And Stigma In The Workplace, Jenny Kassen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examines Ontario teachers’ experiences of mental issues (MHI) and identity management in the workplace. Although numerous local and national initiatives exist to help raise awareness, decrease stigma, and assist teachers in supporting students with MHI, there appears to be an absence of literature that focuses on teachers' personal experiences with MHI and stigma in their professional environment. Two theoretical frameworks, Framework Integrating Normative Influences on Stigma (FINIS) (Pescosolido, Martin, Lang, & Olafsdottir, 2008), and Jones and King’s (2014) Managing stigmatized identities in the workplace, provide a lens for making meaning of the experiences of the participants. A …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Challenging Stigma At A Faculty Of Education, Melanie-Anne P. Atkins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation investigates the stigma of mental illness in schools. In today’s Canadian classrooms, at least one in five students is experiencing a mental disorder, which without treatment or support can severely impede students’ academic performance and can reinforce stereotypical beliefs about: (a) these students’ ability to be successful in the classroom, and (b) their teachers’ abilities to meet their needs. While mental health awareness about these issues is steadily increasing, stigmatizing attitudes – which present a major barrier to help-seeking – are not decreasing at a comparable rate. Therefore, I used mixed methods to explore the experience of mental …

Defining And Predicting Dropout From Children’S Mental Health Services: A Novel Need-Based Definition Of Dropout, Kimberly Williams Dossett

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: Dropout from children’s mental health services has negative impacts on children, families and community mental health agencies. In order to reduce dropout, it is essential to correctly define individuals as treatment dropouts, and understand the predictors of dropout. Methods: Manuscript 1 describes the development of a novel need-based definition of dropout and contrasts this definition to existing definitions of dropout in the literature. Manuscript 2 uses the need-based definition to examine predictors of dropout, and compares predictors of dropout using different definitions of dropout. Results: The need-based definition categorizes individuals differently from existing definitions of dropout. Caregiver needs are …

Ethnic Discrimination And Psychological Distress Among Middle Eastern/Arab Americans: The Roles Of Religiosity, Coping, Ethnic Identity, And Family Connectedness, Ayse Selin Ikizler

Doctoral Dissertations

Despite increased public attention in the past decade towards the Middle East and Arab world, only a small but growing body of research literature investigating the mental health of individuals with ethnic background originating in these countries exists. Given the major stigma associated with being Middle Eastern/Arab (MEA) in the United States, the mental health-related implications for MEA Americans is of particular interest in the present study. Specifically, we investigated (1) the moderating role of religiosity in the link between religious affiliation and ethnic discrimination and (2) potential mediators (coping via internalization, detachment, and drugs/alcohol) and moderators (ethnic identity and …

Psychosocial Factors And Mental Health Of Muslims Living In The United States, Lamise N. Shawahin

Open Access Dissertations

Muslim Americans are at risk for experiencing systematic and interpersonal acts of discrimination (Rippy & Newman, 2006). Such experiences of discrimination can lead to the development of depressive symptoms. Thus, it is critical to understand factors that may influence the relationship between experiencing discrimination and developing depressive symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial adversities (i.e., perceived discrimination), psychosocial resources (i.e., coping strategies, religious community support) and depressive symptoms. Hypotheses regarding both the relationships among the variables, as well as the mediating role psychosocial resources play in the relationship between perceived discrimination and …

Profiles Of Academic Commitment, Anna Jill Womack

Dissertations

Tinto (1993) found that only 15-25% of students who dropped out of college did so due to academic failure, while the reasons for leaving among the remaining group of students who dropped out were unknown. This suggests that the majority of students who drop out of college are likely doing so for reasons other than academic struggles. Researchers have suggested that individuals who are committed to their major are more likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006; Den Hartog & Belschak, 2007; Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011; Goulet & Singh, 2002; Landrum & Mulcock, 2007), indicating …

Exploring Protective Factors Among Lesbians, Gays, And Bisexuals: A Framework For Psychological Well-Being And Relative Influence, Sheri Laduke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals must regularly navigate stigma, or social situations in which they are devalued because of their sexual orientation. The research has well established minority stress processes which link situations of stigma to reports of poor psychological well-being. However, protective factors leading to healthy psychological well-being are relatively understudied. This dissertation is a review of protective factors that have already emerged in the research and an assessment of these protective factors simultaneously to better understand how they influence psychological well-being. I recruited adult sexual minority participants using a comprehensive social media approach. I then tested mastery, problem-solving …