Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of A Progressive Muscle Relaxation Intervention To Decrease Cancer Patients' Distress: A Quality Improvement Project., Theresa Thomas

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Background: People affected by cancer often experience psychological distress that ultimately decreases their health, adherence to treatment, overall well-being, and quality of life. Research has shown that MBIs can reduce psychological distress, depression, and anxiety and increase quality of life. A needs assessment conducted within a local cancer support organization, Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana, has expressed the need for providing a more comprehensive range of accessible MBIs in their programming to meet their psychosocial goals by reducing psychological distress in their members. PMR is an MBI not currently used by GCK that has been proven effective at reducing anxiety, depression, and …

Understanding The Role Of Emotion Regulation Tendencies In The Momentary Associations Between Negative Affect And Eating Disorder Behaviors., Coby D. Banet

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are becoming increasingly commonplace and are associated with a broad array of dangerous medical complications. Further, EDs frequently present alongside comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., depressive and anxiety-related disorders), which are known to both predict ED severity and reduce treatment efficacy. While diagnostic categorization persists, Fairburn et al.’s (1993) transdiagnostic model suggests EDs may be more closely related and maintained through core, shared symptoms. To assess ED maintenance, momentary triggers such as negative affect (NA) are becoming increasingly centralized. The present study examines the roles of depressive symptoms and worry in predicting and moderating the relationships among …

Retrospective Evaluation Of Depression Screening Process Among Older Adult Patients In Primary Care For Quality Improvement., Ashley Dru Larson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Background: Depression is not a normal process of aging; it is a diagnosable and treatable medical condition. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that older adults be screened for depression annually.

Aim: The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to evaluate the depression screening process for older adults (age 65+) in a primary health care setting and provide recommendations to the primary health care clinic for improving it.

Methods: This EBP project involved collecting retrospective data from August to October 2022, including aggregate data (demographics), from all older adults who were seen in …

Environmental Noise Exposure And Its Association With Elementary Standardized Testing Scores And Adult Mental Ill-Health In Louisville, Kentucky., Lindsey Adelle Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background and Aim: The current body of literature on the associations of environmental noise exposure with varying psychological outcomes is inconclusive, with many conflicting findings. Limitations include exposure measurement error and lack of investigation of effect modification by important factors. This dissertation aims to expand on the current understanding of these relationships by limiting exposure measurement error and by assessing effect modification. Methods: We estimated the distribution of total environmental noise in Louisville, Kentucky for several time-periods using land use regression (LUR) methodologies. Additionally, through multiple regression models, we estimated the association of environmental noise during relevant time-periods with childhood …

The Association Between Depression And Anxiety With Covid-19 Outcomes., Erica Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that mental disorders affect COVID-19 mortality. This study investigated the effect of depression and/or anxiety on COVID-19 outcomes. Depression/anxiety was defined by actively taking medication and/or diagnosis. The outcomes were ICU admission; ventilation; mortality; and time to mortality. Of 698 hospitalized patients, there were 204 (29%) defined to have either depression or anxiety. There were 109 deaths, and of those, 52 (48%) were diagnosed with depression/anxiety. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations. ICU admission and ventilation were not significantly associated with depression/anxiety. Depression/anxiety was associated with mortality (OR: 1.84, …

The Relationship Between Mothers’ Negative Emotional Symptoms And Mother-Infant Interactions During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Kolbie A Vincent

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mothers' negative emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and mother-infant interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the early months of the pandemic, when daycares were closed, through an online survey of parents and infants. Participants included 54 mothers of infants 3-34 months of age living in Kentucky. Well-being was measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale – 21 (DASS 21). Questions related to parent-infant interactions included time spent interacting with the infants by reading, singing, playing freely with no set goal, engaging in a meaningful …

Perceptions Of Executive Functions And Self-Care Actions In Major Depressive Disorder., Melanie G. Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation encompasses a study of the effect of impaired executive functions on decision-making and self-care of depressive illness. The first chapter provides an introduction and summarizes the body of literature on the executive functions and its association with depressive symptoms. The second chapter contains the second of two systematic reviews which examines conceptualizations of executive functions, classical and current measures used to assess the executive functions, and challenges and limitations related to current methods of assessment. The third chapter describes the development of a vignette technique and its use in a study to examine the association of depressive symptoms …

Predictors Of Binge Drinking Among Military Veterans: A General Strain Theory Approach., Emily Ann Hayden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is theoretically informed by General Strain Theory (GST) (Agnew 1992, 2002), and examines binge drinking within a military veteran population. It begins with an assessment on reform and focuses on shaping knowledge around the issue of binge drinking by military veterans. The current study uses Agnew’s GST to argue for an understanding of how strain and stress can affect individuals who have served in the military and acknowledges how this strain can lead to negative coping mechanisms such as binge drinking. The latter part of the dissertation argues that understanding Agnew’s GST (1992, 2002) with a military population …

The Intersection Of Mindfulness And Gratitude: Examining The Roles Of Gratitude And Mindfulness Practices Within A 4-Week Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Depressive Symptoms In Undergraduates., Allison Rodgers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The practice and research of mindfulness has increased exponentially in recent decades; however, the study of gratitude maintains modest growth. While the overlap between gratitude and mindfulness may be intuitive, empirical investigation is lacking. The present study sought to investigate the relative and combined influence of mindfulness and gratitude with symptoms of depression in undergraduates. The current study explored these constructs in the context of a mindfulness-based intervention known as Koru. One hundred undergraduate participants provided self-report measures of demographics, mindfulness, gratitude, and symptoms of depression prior to the intervention and again immediately following. Participants were required to complete electronic …

Depressive Symptoms And Survival Among Lung Cancer Patients: Biomarkers And Potential Benefits Of An Ipod- And Mindfulness-Based Intervention., Chelsea J. Siwik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer patients experience high levels of distress, which commonly manifests as depressive symptoms. Importantly, depressive symptoms have demonstrated prognostic significance in cancer contexts, although the biological pathways by which depressive symptoms lead to poorer survival remain unclear and warrant greater attention. In addition to understanding the biological pathways by which depressive symptoms accelerate disease, identification of efficacious and effective psychological treatments for depressive symptoms are needed to improve both quality and quantity of life for cancer patients. Interventions that reduce depressive symptoms and improve downstream clinical outcomes are certainty needed; however, because many cancer patients face considerable burden, interventions …

Police Stress, Depression, And Substance Use Among Police Officers: A General Strain Perspective., Kyra Nicole Fritz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the utility of general strain theory in explaining substance use as a form of coping among a sample of police officers in a Midwestern, metropolitan city. The dissertation is comprised of five chapters, including the introduction, literature review, method, results, and discussion. Chapter one describes the stressful nature of a career in law enforcement, concentrating on the adverse consequences of prolonged stress, including depression and substance use. Chapter one also examines strain, depression, and substance use among police officers using a general strain perspective, highlighting the limitations of existing empirical studies. Chapter two details the theoretical premise …

Disordered Eating, Depression, And Cognitive Vulnerabilities In College Women., Kelsea Visalli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tests a path model of disordered eating and symptoms of depression derived from the Hopelessness Theory of Depression (Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989). The model proposes that cognitive vulnerabilities to depression will be associated with disordered eating behaviors and symptoms of depression in college women. A sample of undergraduate women (n = 181) completed self-report measures assessing disordered eating symptoms and symptoms of depression. Findings revealed that one, but not all, cognitive vulnerability was associated with disordered eating behavior, and that disordered eating behaviors and symptoms of depression are bi-directionally associated. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

The Conceptualization Of The Positive Cognitive Triad And Associations With Depressive Symptoms In Adolescents., Caroline M. Pittard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depressive symptoms during adolescence have been found to be associated with negative outcomes such as decreased academic performance, absenteeism, substance abuse, and poor physical health. The positive cognitive triad has been considered to be a protective factor against adolescent depressive symptoms. The positive cognitive triad is made up of three subfactors of cognitions, specifically, positive cognitions about the self, the world, and the future. This dissertation examined the various conceptualizations of the positive cognitive triad and their relation to depressive symptoms. These conceptualizations included considering the positive cognitive triad as a single overall protective factor (additive model), as multiple possible …

A Structural Equation Analysis Of The Relationships Between Ptsd, Depressive Symptoms And Suicidal Ideation : Is General Strain Theory A Viable Framework For Explaining Suicide Risk Among Correctional Staff?, Wm. Clay Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a large body of evidence, which suggests PTSD is strongly related to increased suicide risk, however, some studies suggest the true nature of their relationship is better explained through the development of depression due to the effects of PTSD. While a majority of the studies examining this relationship focus only on general populations, a growing body research suggests that high-risk occupations such as police, firefighters and correctional staff are developing PTSD at rates as high as 8 to 10 times that of the rate of these general samples. This study, then, aims to fill a small gap in …

The Role Of Hardiness In The Relation Between Perceived Daily Discrimination And Depressive Symptoms In Community College Students., Rosamond J. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the current study, perceived daily discrimination (PDD) is conceptualized as a chronic stressor which repeatedly activates a stress response and results in depressive symptoms, per the theory of allostatic load. Psychological hardiness is explored as a potential moderator of the relation between PDD and depressive symptoms, because individuals who repeatedly demonstrate hardiness may be primed for making cognitive reappraisals of potential stressors and/or for mobilizing appropriate coping strategies, thus limiting the body’s repeated stress responses and subsequent depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional survey of a diverse sample of 305 community college students included measures of hardiness (Dispositional Resilience Scale, …

Screening Older Adults For Depression : The Relationship Among Clinical Discipline Training, Barriers, Attitudes, Norms, And Perceived Behavioral Control., Ronald W. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is examine the influence of barriers on clinicians’ decisions to screen for depression in older adults or to refer to other health professionals. A second purpose is to explore how well the Theory of Planned Behavior is supported as a framework for understanding the likelihood of screening for depression and how the variables within the theory interact with barriers to affect clinician behavior. A final purpose is to explore characteristics of depression screening or referral of older adults by several clinical disciplines. Design and Methods: This study featured a …

Examining The Temporal Directionality Between Teaching Behavior And Affect In High School Students., Bridget Cauley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous empirical studies demonstrate a cross-sectional association between teaching behaviors and students’ positive and negative affect and depressive symptoms. However, only one study comprised only of middle school students has examined the temporal direction of these associations, meaning the temporal direction of associations for high school students remains unclear. Therefore, this two-wave study with high school students investigated the temporal direction of the associations between teaching behaviors and students’ positive and negative affect. Participating students from one public high school (N = 188; 88.8% White; 69.7% female) completed the Teaching Behavior Questionnaire and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect …

Self-Management As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Social Support And Health Outcomes Of African American Adults With Type 2 Diabetes., Tariq N. Al-Dwaikat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is often associated with serious complications. African American adults have higher rates of diabetes-related complications than other ethnicities. Diabetes self-management reduces the risk of developing biological and psychological symptoms. Social support promotes positive behavior change and self-management that leads to improved biobehavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Few studies explored the relationship between social support dimensions and self-management behaviors, diabetes biomarkers, and psychosocial outcomes of African American adults with T2D. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationships of various dimensions of social support with self-management behaviors and diabetes biomarkers and psychosocial outcomes of African American …

Self-Forgiveness In Japanese Adolescents., Tetsuo "Ted" Sato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature of forgiveness has been proliferated the last two decades (Davis et al., 2015b), but it has primarily focused on forgiveness of others and the research of self-forgiveness has just increased in recent years (Worthington & Langberg, 2012). Woodyatt and Wenzel (2013a) proposed a process-oriented approach of self-forgiveness while considering three possible responses to the self (i.e., genuine self-forgiveness, pseudo self-forgiveness, and self-punitiveness) after interpersonally offending others. Self-forgiveness among children and adolescents and in Japanese culture was discussed. The association of self-forgiveness to depressive and anxiety symptoms, and culturally and developmentally unique factors (i.e., fear of negative evaluation and …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Longitudinal Relationship Between Adolescent Depression And Academic Achievement., Rachel E. Buehner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers in the fields of both education and mental health endeavor to develop and implement interventions which will bring children and adolescents greater academic success and optimally address mental health issues. Educators seek to target risk factors which might impede a student’s success in the classroom, while mental health providers seek to reduce issues within a child’s environment which might be risk factors for depression. Evidence for a cross-sectional relationship between adolescent depression and academic achievement is well-supported, with depression and achievement being negatively correlated in adolescents. The longitudinal relationship between these two variables is not fully understood, however. While …

Relation Between Intergroup Anxiety, Depression, Intergroup Contact Quantity And Quality In Northern Ireland Adolescents., Austin L. Stethen

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Rhythm, Sleep, And Mood Disturbances In Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents., Irene M. Kostiwa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Older adults entering a nursing home face many physical and psychosocial challenges, all at a point in life when their bodies may be least equipped to handle such adversity. Data for the present study were collected for 186 incoming residents from 6 nursing homes over the course of 1 year. Fifty-six participants were interviewed at the earliest possible time point following admission and rest-activity data were collected via actigraphy for 1 week, after which participants were interviewed a second time. Newly admitted residents in this sample were functionally dependent, highly medicated, and diagnosed with many conditions associated with sleep and/or …

Television And Depression., Rachel Marie Cunningham

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of mood and depressive symptoms with both the amount and type of television programming viewed. This study was also concerned with learning whether members of different genders and age groups are more or less likely to exhibit correlations between positive or negative mood and certain amounts and types of programs watched. The study addressed the following research questions: Question 1: What is the relationship between mood and amount of television viewing time? Question 2: What is the relationship between mood/depression and different types of programming, and is the same relationship …

Depression In Reproductive-Age Women : Assessment Of Infectious, Endocrinological, And Immunological Correlates From An Evolutionary Perspective., Amber N. Carrier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is one of the most frequent causes of disability worldwide. It can affect the psychological, social, and physical wellbeing of those that suffer from it, the majority of which are women. Depression has been linked to immune activation as well as serotonin depletion through a reduction in its precursor, tryptophan. Chlamydia trachomatis infection and estrogen can influence both the immune system and tryptophan levels, thereby biochemically inducing a depressive state. If this is the case, the use of exogenous estrogen through oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) could increase depressive symptoms, while the use of antibiotics to treat C. trachomatis infection …

Health Disparities And Depression In Rural And Urban Older Adults., Jennifer Ann Zimmerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric conditions experienced by older adults and represents a major public health concern. Rural/urban residence may affect the prevalence of depression as rural older adults differ from their urban counterparts in many respects. One important difference found in the literature is that rural OAs are often faced with more health disparities (HDs) compared to their urban counterparts. The current study investigated the association between HDs and depression in a sample of rural and urban OAs, and examined whether HDs contribute to our understanding of how rurality impacts the prevalence and severity of depression. …

Emotional Distress As A Key Construct In The Personal Model Of Diabetes Management : Associations Of Fatigue, Diabetes-Specific Distress, And Depressive Symptomatology With Quality Of Life In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus., Chelsea L. Rothschild

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of maximizing self-management and quality of life is well documented in the diabetes literature. Although maintaining self-care is known to be important for individuals with type 2 diabetes, this is often difficult to maintain over time. Emotional distress has also been shown to impact self-care behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes. Glasgow et al (1997) introduced a model of key variables influencing diabetes self-management. This study examined specific emotional Personal Model constructs of diabetes management. Independent and converging lines of research have implicated several potentially overlapping constructs that may reflect emotional distress in persons living with diabetes …

Predictors Of Depression In African American Men And Their Implications For Community And Individual Focused Interventions., Michael A. Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: In any given year depression affects as many as 121 million people worldwide and 20 percent or 19 million people in the U.S. suffer from at least one episode of depression during their lifetime. In the U.S., depression has a substantial impact on the economy. It is estimated that $17 billion dollars in salary and/or equivalent compensation is lost due to missing work days, caused by major depression. Depression is considered a highly prevalent condition that can lead to significant functional impairments, such as absenteeism and work productivity and problems with activities of daily living. This study focuses on …