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The Impacts Of Caregiving And Social Support On Stress For Multiple Sclerosis: A Study On Informal Caregivers, Jacqueline Mercado Dec 2023

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. …


Evaluation Of The Dynamic Response Of Gravelly Soil Under Different Drainage Conditions, Pressley Margaret Perry Oct 2023

Evaluation Of The Dynamic Response Of Gravelly Soil Under Different Drainage Conditions, Pressley Margaret Perry

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history in the field of geotechnical earthquake engineering, there have been numerous experimental investigations on the dynamic behavior of soils. Many of these efforts have been focused on sand and silty sand material due to their susceptibility to liquefaction phenomena. However, gravelly soil material (i.e., soil in which gradation contains primarily gravel and sand) has exhibited this phenomenon in response to earthquake loading in many case histories. Therefore, it is important to extend the experimental assessment of gravelly soil material to develop a better understanding of the cyclic response and to support the development of numerical models. This study …


Effects Of Chronic Stress On Working Memory Are Sex-Specific And Age-Dependent, Tyler Jamison Cox Oct 2023

Effects Of Chronic Stress On Working Memory Are Sex-Specific And Age-Dependent, Tyler Jamison Cox

Theses and Dissertations

As the aging demographic of the United States expands, the convergence of age-related cognitive decline and stress-related dysregulation emerges as a substantial concern, impacting not only the lifespan but also the overall well-being of American citizens. In the realm of research, there has been a pronounced focus on Alzheimer's Disease, leading to an imbalanced allocation of resources compared to the study of normal aging. It is widely acknowledged that executive function deteriorates as individuals age, a concept substantiated by numerous investigations conducted in labs dedicated to the study of normal aging. Significantly, even among individuals afflicted with neurodegenerative disorders affecting …


Impact Of Childhood Maltreatment And Endocannabinoid Function On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms In Traumatically-Injured Adults, Elizabeth Parisi Aug 2023

Impact Of Childhood Maltreatment And Endocannabinoid Function On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms In Traumatically-Injured Adults, Elizabeth Parisi

Theses and Dissertations

The ECSS plays a crucial role in regulation of the stress response, is modulated by exposure to acute and chronic stressors, and shows potential as a biomarker for PTSD. Changes in ECSS function are apparent in adults with a history of childhood maltreatment. Further, childhood maltreatment is a well-established pre-trauma risk factor for development of PTSD following a traumatic event in adulthood. No study to date has examined the contribution of ECSS function to the relationship between childhood maltreatment and PTSD following a subsequent trauma in adulthood. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to threat and …


Individualized Therapeutic Composition As A Method Of Improving Sleep Quality In College Students, Nicholas Lanz Jul 2023

Individualized Therapeutic Composition As A Method Of Improving Sleep Quality In College Students, Nicholas Lanz

Theses and Dissertations

The life of a college student is often bombarded with circumstances, emotions, and decisions that produce stress and anxiety, affecting sleep quality and daily function. Listening to music designed for relaxation has the potential to decrease stress and improve factors of healthy sleep quality. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of listening to music uniquely composed for each individual on stress relief and sleep quality in college students. The music therapy intervention utilized in this study was individual composition sessions. The researcher met with each participant individually to compose an instrumental piece of music that was …


Feasibility Of A Parent-Focused, Stress Management Intervention To Decrease Adolescent Bmi, Reduce Stress, And Increase Well-Being Among African American Families, Colby J. Kipp Jul 2023

Feasibility Of A Parent-Focused, Stress Management Intervention To Decrease Adolescent Bmi, Reduce Stress, And Increase Well-Being Among African American Families, Colby J. Kipp

Theses and Dissertations

African American adolescents in the United States experience a higher prevalence of obesity as compared to their White counterparts. This health inequity presents a public health concern as consequences of weight-related chronic diseases often persist into adulthood and are increasingly problematic. As chronic stress has been found to be higher among African American youth compared to White adolescents, it presents as a potential barrier to participation for African American families in health promotion interventions. Additionally, it may be beneficial to target stress in health promotion programs as a modifiable factor in conjunction with health behaviors that may improve outcomes related …


Adolescence And Stress: A Longitudinal Examination Of The Role Of Stress On Health Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Self-Regulation And Social Support, Joshua T. Christensen Apr 2023

Adolescence And Stress: A Longitudinal Examination Of The Role Of Stress On Health Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Self-Regulation And Social Support, Joshua T. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Stress impacts all individuals during each developmental period of their lives. Stress has been linked to various physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. However, adolescence may prove to be a unique time to examine stress and its potential effects on various health outcomes, as well as possible mediating or moderating factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the link between stress and body mass index (BMI) percentile while incorporating the potential mediators of anxiety, depression, and externalizing behaviors as well as the moderators of social support and self-regulation. Using a sample of 500 adolescents living in …


An Exploration Of Perinatal Stress And Associated Mental Health Of Transitioning First-Time Fathers, Timothy Reed Burkhalter Apr 2023

An Exploration Of Perinatal Stress And Associated Mental Health Of Transitioning First-Time Fathers, Timothy Reed Burkhalter

Theses and Dissertations

Becoming a first-time parent is a stage in life that can be full of excitement but also trepidation. Much common knowledge and research focus on the maternal experience. To add to this established knowledge, this phenomenological study will explore the perinatal stress experiences of transitioning first-time fathers in the U.S.


The Impact Of Stress On Graduate Students’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Moderating Role Of Mentorship, Victoria Garcia Mar 2023

The Impact Of Stress On Graduate Students’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Moderating Role Of Mentorship, Victoria Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Stress is one of the most researched topics in organizational psychology because of the important implications for overall health. Graduate school has many different stressors that put that specific population at a higher risk for the adverse effects of stress. Stress not only has implications for health but specific behaviors like organizational citizenship behaviors. The present study surveyed a sample of graduate students and examined ways in which mentorship can moderate the relation between stress, workload, physical symptoms, and OCBs. Eighty-five graduate students completed an anonymous survey. Results indicated that stress significantly predicted OCBs in graduate students. Also, mentorship was …


A Preliminary Study Of Perceptions Of Community Hospitals In Cairo, Egypt: Towards Healthy Environmental Design, Veronica Iskander Feb 2023

A Preliminary Study Of Perceptions Of Community Hospitals In Cairo, Egypt: Towards Healthy Environmental Design, Veronica Iskander

Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals are a place that people dread and often avoid. Negative experiences in hospitals can contribute to pain and suffering, as well as to stress, loss of control and overall discomfort. While architecture has the power to heal when designed and maintained, it also has the power to harm if not done right. Each architectural element then has the potential to either reduce stress or contribute to it. From the location of the hospital to the colors used, there are many factors that work together to create a safe welcoming space promoting healing for all. In this study, a checklist …


Examining The Home Interventionist Model Of Care In Pediatric Asthma, Katherine D. Lohr Jan 2023

Examining The Home Interventionist Model Of Care In Pediatric Asthma, Katherine D. Lohr

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric asthma disproportionately affects children living in urban areas and within families reporting an income below the poverty threshold. Home interventionist models of care, utilizing interventionists from the communities they serve, have been found to improve pediatric asthma symptoms and reduce Medicaid costs. Home interventionists, such as community health workers (CHWs) and Healthy Homes assessors (HHAs), focus on connecting care among schools, providers, and homes, and empowering families in accessing resources to overcome barriers to care. However, research is just beginning to understand how home interventionists create positive change among families within low-income, urban communities. This dissertation study used a …


Relations Between On-The-Job Stress, Mental And Physical Health, And Job Satisfaction Of Correction Officers, Sarah Chandebal Jan 2023

Relations Between On-The-Job Stress, Mental And Physical Health, And Job Satisfaction Of Correction Officers, Sarah Chandebal

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to examine the direct and indirect relationships between on-the-job stress, physical and mental health, and job satisfaction for correction officers. Correction officers have one of the most stressful jobs in law enforcement, however, they are one of the most understudied groups in their field. It is therefore important to examine how stress can affect these correction officers. In this study, the predictors of stress for correction officers were discussed, along with the impact that this stress can have on their physical and mental health. Ultimately, as their health declined, it was hypothesized that the job satisfaction …


The Lived Experiences Of 911 Telecommunicators: Life Outside Of The Call Center, Mary's Dariela Martinez Jan 2023

The Lived Experiences Of 911 Telecommunicators: Life Outside Of The Call Center, Mary's Dariela Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

911 operators are tasked with solving the caller's problem by promptly and efficiently decoding a cry for help, collecting pertinent information, quickly deciding its priority level, and dispatching the appropriate assistance. These employees are responsible for what happens on that line, internalizing their problems to solve those of the callers, which often result in stress disorders, trauma, and personal, professional, and social issues. Their job duties are extensive, the responsibility is vast, and the overall environment can be overwhelming. Aside from the environmental stressors, the details of each critical incident leave the employee susceptible to various risk factors and other …


The Lived Experience And Perceived Challenges Of Child Protective Investigators Who Place Children In Foster Care, Elizabeth Presume Jan 2023

The Lived Experience And Perceived Challenges Of Child Protective Investigators Who Place Children In Foster Care, Elizabeth Presume

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the difficulties and coping mechanisms associated with child welfare professionals’ interactions with vulnerable children who provide vulnerable populations with emotional, physical, mental, and psychological support. This responsibility impacts their personal life and professional performance since their regular involvement with the children and the following aspects, such as case resolution, in-depth discussions about trauma, and home visits, are emotionally and mentally taxing. The researcher conducted a phenomenological study with nine child protective investigators via an asynchronous online focus group on the Google Groups platform. The participants were all employed in the United States child welfare department, held …