Digital Commons Network^™

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Salvador Arellano Iii, Myrna Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I2PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality IBH clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students will serve as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHC) …

The Rider (2024-02-26), Natalie Lapsley

The Rider

No abstract provided.

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Salvador Arellano Iii, M. Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I2PBH) Initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I2PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality IBH clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students will serve as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHC) …

The Rider (2023-12-04), Natalie Lapsley

The Rider

No abstract provided.

Student Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Collegiate Recovery Programs And Collegiate Recovery Communities, Michael Anthony Herold

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the objective effectiveness of Collegiate Recovery Programs and Collegiate Recovery Communities (CRPs / CRCs) has shown success in maintaining recovery and improving academic outcomes for college students in recovery, but research on the experiences of this population is starting to emerge. This study used a mixed-method design to investigate the perceptions of members of CRPs / CRCs regarding the impact of participation on their recovery from substance abuse and their overall quality of life. Thirty-one participants completed the Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale (DASES) and the Quality of Life Index – Generic Version iii (QLI). Paired samples t-tests were …

The Impacts Of Caregiving And Social Support On Stress For Multiple Sclerosis: A Study On Informal Caregivers, Jacqueline Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present quantitative study was to gain an increased understanding of the impacts of caregiving and social support on stress for unpaid informal caregivers of persons with Multiple Sclerosis. Caregiving for MS can be rewarding yet stressful. Informal caregivers are the primary source of ongoing home care for family members or friends with MS. Due to the complexity of care, caregivers are especially vulnerable to higher strain as they often feel unprepared for this role. This study examined perceived social support and demographic variables on caregivers' stress to gain insight into mediating caregiver psychosocial challenges. …

Examining Factors Among People With Opioid Use Disorder And Comorbid Mental Health Disorders, Tori Denae Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects over two million Americans, and over 42,000 Americans perished of opioid overdoses in 2016 (Volkow et al., 2019). During the initial years of the opioid crisis, overdose deaths were primarily attributed to prescription analgesics, heroin, and synthetic opioids. However, it was illicit prescription opioid painkiller use that ranked highest in terms of fatalities (Volkow et al., 2019). The increasing prevalence of opioid use among individuals with mental health disorders is in stark contrast to the ongoing opioid crisis (Prince, 2019). Additionally, there is evidence that individuals undergoing substance use treatment and concurrently suffering from a …

Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: Predictors Of Academic Performance/Gpa, Uzoamaka Barbara Okori

Theses and Dissertations

The determination of people with disabilities to enroll in postsecondary education did not remove the struggles and challenges of adjusting to the college environment despite the provisions of the legislation. Students with disabilities still had problems with degree completion, graduation rates, barriers caused primarily by their unwillingness to disclose their disabilities, and the support networks of these students. This study explores the relationship between the acceptance of disability, self-efficacy, support, and the academic performance/grade point average of postsecondary students with disabilities who receive disability accommodations through their institution’s disability service offices.

Although there has been an increase …

Social Justice In Higher Education: The Forgotten Needs Of Students With Visual Impairments In Bangladesh, Mohammed Mozadded Hossen, Roy K. Chen, Nahal Salimi, Jane L. Nichols

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Students with disabilities face myriad barriers and hurdles to success in higher education settings. Institutions in developing nations often lack the necessary resources to provide accessible instruction, and the absence of clearly defined policies further impedes upholding the educational rights of such a special population. The purpose of this study was to examine how undergraduate students with visual impairments in Bangladesh felt about their experiences related to social justice and challenges in learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A convenience sample of 133 students was recruited from two public universities. The authors developed two instruments, namely, the Social Justice Experiences in …

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I²PBH) initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I²PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students …

Quality Of Life Among Caregivers Of Individuals With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome And Intellectual Disability, Sandra Garza Ochoa

Theses and Dissertations

Caregiving for a person with 22q11.2 chromosome deletion syndrome (22q) often entails dealing with medically life-threatening complications and is significantly compounded when the care recipient has comorbid 22q and intellectual disability (ID). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of support, spirituality, and resiliency on the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of individuals with comorbid 22q/ID to ascertain if these protective factors would reduce their caregiving burden. Study participants consisted of 469 caregivers of persons with 22q/ID who were recruited through 22q social advocacy groups. Correlational analyses, analyses of variance, and multiple regression analysis were used …

Attitudes And Compassion Of Student Counselors-In-Training Toward Individuals Who Are Homeless, Kristine R. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

With the increased numbers of homeless individuals over the past several years, it is important to consider factors that contribute to chronic homelessness, including barriers to service delivery that impede one’s ability to exit homelessness. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the attitudes and compassion among student counselors-in-training (SCITs) toward individuals experiencing homelessness as these students represent future mental health providers who will be serving the homeless, a highly marginalized population. A total of 162 graduate students from two southwestern Hispanic-serving institutions were recruited for the study. A correlational analysis, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVAs were conducted …

The Rider (2023-02-20), Verilu Infante

The Rider

No abstract provided.

Multicultural And Social Justice Counseling Within The Scope Of Rehabilitation Counseling, Jeong Han Kim, Kayi Ntinda, Christopher Townsend, Kenneth Thomas, Dong Hun Lee, Cameron Ortega, Hee Jung Yu

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Historically, people with disabilities are a marginalized cultural group in that their lived world is less well represented in mainstream services. The rehabilitation counseling profession has the goal to prioritize and empower people with disabilities for thriving in their personal and community lives. However, cultures exist within social systems often characterized by inequities, obliging a need to go beyond multicultural counseling to address social injustices that would occur to populations with historical disadvantages such as people with disabilities. The present study discusses the multicultural counseling movement and its impact in the field of rehabilitation counseling. The study first introduces the …

Let’S Practice: Shaping Crisis Management Of Preservice Counseling Professionals, Yuleinys A. Castillo, Jason Cartwright, Mandy Greaves, Suzanne Maniss

Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Counselors frequently encounter crises in practice with various factors shaping crisis management. However, limited preparation and training combined with personal and situational characteristics affect a counselors’ ability to properly handle a crisis. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that could potentially affect the ability to handle a crisis in session among counselors-in-training and add to the understanding of self-efficacy in crisis counseling. The study consisted of participants enrolled in a practicum pre-service course in a CACREP accredited program. Results were analyzed through a narrative research approach, specifically a categorical-content narrative analysis, theory-driven thematic analysis and cross-case …

The Impact Of Supervisory Training And Workload Upon The Licensed Specialist In School Psychology Supervisors’ Perception Providing Field-Based Supervision To Interns In A Public-School Setting, Christopher L. King

Theses and Dissertations

Quality supervision is essential for developing high-performing professionals in the mental health profession. Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSP) in Texas can begin supervising LSSP Interns after three years of unsupervised field experience. Workloads for LSSP supervisors can be highly diverse, and LSSP supervision training can be limited. The present study explored the impact of workload and lack of supervision training on the supervisors’ perceived ability to supervise Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) interns in Texas public school settings. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, 146 LSSP supervisors with at least three years of unsupervised field experience, and one …

Examination Of The Attitudes Towards Substance Use Treatment Approaches By Substance Use Professionals, Cameron Lacy Ortega

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study focuses on substance use professionals and students who are seeking employment in substance use treatment or support services. The substance use treatment profession started as a group of people who were supporting each other in recovery through abstinence based practices and has developed in to a recognized profession with multiple methods of treatment approaches. Abstinence based treatment has been and continues to be the primary method of treatment preferred in the United States. Since the 1980, harm reduction increased in application in the profession, but remains a less popular method of treatment. This study examines substance use …

Arab American Muslims’ Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services: The Roles Of Acculturation, Religion, And Cultural Beliefs, Tharwah Alzoubi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between acculturation, religion, cultural beliefs, and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Arab American Muslims. A total of 280 participants were surveyed for this study. Regression analysis was conducted to explore relationships among the variables; the alpha level was set at .05. The first research hypothesis was accepted as it showed statistical significance in the relationship between attitudes toward seeking mental health services and demographic variables. The standardized regression coefficients, or beta coefficients ranged from -.008 for gender to .24 for marital status, R=.31 (P<.05). Two variables were significant at the .05 level (marital status, and health insurance). The second hypothesis was also accepted as it showed relationship between attitudes toward mental health services and acculturation, religion and cultural beliefs; the standardized regression coefficients, or beta coefficients ranged from .05 for cultural beliefs to a -.25 for religion, R=.44 (P<.05). The variables of acculturation and religion were significant at the .01 level. Cultural beliefs were not significant at .05 level.

Professional Perspectives On Bilingualism In Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study, Rosa N. Benavidez Saldivar, Jessica R. Stewart, Ruth Crutchfield, Roy K. Chen, Lily Puente

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: The present study examined the perspectives of professionals regarding bilingualism and ASD.

Methods: A total of 27 professionals participated in this study. Data was collected via an online survey. The survey was designed based on a literature review and consultation with a team of experts in the field of ASD. Information relating to demographic information, professional practice information, and perspectives of bilingualism and ASD was collected.

Results: Professionals participating in the present study were most likely to agree with the statement, “A child with ASD from a bilingual household is able to understand both languages” and least likely …

Assessing Companion Animal Attachment Among Future Latino Human Services Professionals, Yuleinys A. Castillo, Roy K. Chen

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the population of individuals from minoritized ethnic background continues to grow in the United States, the relationship between humans and their companion animals can provide valuable information for human services professionals. Attachment to companion animals can play a significant part in clients’ emotional wellbeing, family dynamics, and quality of life. This study aimed to examine the associations between human attachment with companion animals and their educational training and attitudes about animals. Analysis revealed that relational attachment was significant among Latino students in the study, and participants’ positive attitudes and beliefs about animals significantly predicted their level of attachment to …

Examining Job Satisfaction Of Female Faculty Employed At Educational Institutions That Are Accredited By The Council For Accreditation Of Counseling (Cacrep), Nancy Dorline Riddick

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study examined the job satisfaction of female faculty employed at educational institutions that the Council accredits for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Voluntary participants in this study were acquired from numerous universities in the North Atlantic, North Central, Rocky Mountain, Southern Regions, and Western Regions.

Eighty-three surveys were completed. The packet included three instruments: The Demographic Questionnaire (created by Riddick, 2021), The Faculty Job Satisfaction Scale (FJSS) (as modified by Oberman, 2011, Riddick and Hansmann, 2021), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 2013).

From Nepantla To Aztlan: Testimonios Of Faculty Mothers Of Color With Disabilities, Maria Gabriela Bridges

Theses and Dissertations

From Nepantla to Aztlan: This dissertation sheds light on the supports and barriers that tenured/tenure-track Faculty Mothers of Color with Disabilities experience/d in their careers as students and faculty. Drawing from Indigenous methodologies (Relationality, Decoloniality, and Autoethnography), Liberation Psychology (Decolonial Designs, Conscientização, and Psicología social de la liberación), and Critical Theories (Latina Critical Theory, Pedagogies of the Home, Autohistoria-teoría and Disability Critical Theory), the researcher uses testimonios/pláticas as a method of inquiry to uncover the experiences of eight Nepantleras, Faculty Mothers of Color with Disabilities. The researcher initially hypothesized that she would find supports and barriers that fell into 4 …

Diabetes Knowledge: What Do College Students Know, Abdoulaye Diallo, Roy K. Chen, Mohammed Mozadded Hossen, J. Luna, Diane Paz, Eva Arjona

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigates students’ knowledge about diabetes, with a focus on academic disciplines and gender. Data were collected from 218 students enrolled at a large public university. Descriptive statistics were employed, and factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed. The results showed that, while participants seemed to have some knowledge about diabetes, they generally lacked specific content information about the disease. Female students outperformed male students in diabetes knowledge. Rehabilitation counselor educators can offer an invaluable service by covering the topic of diabetes in their courses and curricula. They can consider incorporating specific information about diabetes that can better prepare …

The Rider (2022-05-02), Verilu Infante

The Rider

No abstract provided.

What Are The Testimonios Of Immigrant Students In A South Texas Middle School And How Do Their Narratives Of Schooling Emerge In Their Stories?, Jessica Marie Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

This research follows the tenets of qualitative-interpretivist research. The study focused on the following question: What are the testimonios of immigrant students in a middle school and how do their narratives of schooling emerge in their stories? The stories of immigrant students’ educational experiences attending U.S. schools, in particular South Texas Middle School, and their parent’s discourses on border crossings were taken via testimonio. The methodology was constructed from the theoretical frames of four emancipatory types of frameworks used, that consisted of Critical Race Theory, Latino/Latina Critical Theory, Subtractive Schooling, and Funds of Knowledge. …

Emergency Preparedness: Perceptions Of People With Disabilities, Lidia Adamina Fonseca

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of emergencies and disasters has increased over the past decade which has caused cities, states and countries to routinely develop emergency preparedness and management plans (Turk, 2016). Although these demands have increased, individuals with disabilities have been less represented in the development of the plans (Timmons, 2017; Turk, 2016). According to The World Bank Disaster Risk Management Report (2020), disasters (e.g., infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, hurricanes, earthquakes, industrial accidents.) and post-disaster consequences have increased over recent years.

Although individuals with disabilities have become more aware of emergency preparedness and its importance, researchers have noted that there …

Positive Well-Being And Satisfaction With Life: Variables Affecting The Quality Of Life Of People With Bipolar Disorder, Maria Del Trevino-Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly prevalent and severe mental illness of significant public health importance. Characteristics of BD include dramatic shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels affecting a person's ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. These shifts in mood and energy levels are more severe than everyone's regular ups and downs (Rihmer & Kiss, 2002). Managing BD is complex; and social and occupational life disruptions are well-documented, including higher divorce rates, unemployment, and suicide (Marrag et al., 2015). Research has consistently shown individuals with BD have a higher mortality rate compared with the general population (Walker et al., …

Exploring Self-Perceived Employability In People With Disabilities And Other Intersecting Identities, Kerra Lajoy Daniel

Theses and Dissertations

People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world representing 26% of the world’s population. More specifically, in the U.S. 61 million Americans have a diagnosed disability. However, intersectionality studies have not been inclusive of this particular population and disability studies have yet to extensively examine intersectionality in PWDs. Centering individuals with disabilities who also identify with multiple marginalized social identities , such as being a woman, a person of color or a member of the LGBT community is important since these individuals’ experiences are not uniform in nature. PWDs experience higher rates of discrimination, unemployment, and …

A Grounded Theory Study: Barriers And Expectations Of Elementary Educators Who Teach Students With Autism, Abbie M. Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study’s purpose is to garner a better understanding of the barriers and expectations of general and special education elementary teachers when teaching students with autism. Pervious research indicates that school aged children being identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder has significantly increased (Evans, 2016). According to federal law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004; No Child Left Behind, 2001) teachers are required to educate all students in their classroom including students with special needs. While several studies have been conducted on how to education and support students with autism in the classroom, few qualitative studies have been …

The Rider (2021-10-25), Verilu Infante

The Rider

No abstract provided.