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Predictors Of Drug Court Client Graduation, Marie E. Gill

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Background: Substance use disorder in the United States adversely effects society by burdening the justice system with offender incarceration for drug-related crimes, it also strains in the healthcare system with costs in excess of $216 billion dollars for treatment of drug-related mental and physical illnesses. Many offenders of nonviolent crimes with substance use disorder have been diverted to Drug Court (DC) for year-long supervised community-based drug addiction treatment as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent drug-related crimes. Drug Court program outcomes, however, have been studied as a criminal justice intervention, rather than a primary care mental health intervention. The majority …

Mindful Bodies: The Use Of Guided Meditation With Dance/Movement Therapy In Addiction Treatment, Melissa A. Sanchez

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

Body-based approaches, such as dance/movement therapy (DMT), in addiction treatment can be anxiety provoking for those seeking sobriety. Strengthening the relationship between therapist and client using compassionate methods, such as guided meditation, prior to DMT sessions has, in the experience of this researcher, helped establish a safe environment in which to experience DMT. Using guided meditation as a method of creating comfort within the body aided in achieving the goal of enhancing one’s awareness of emotions, thoughts and sensations through the use of body-based methods.

Increasing self-awareness of emotions and physical sensations is an important step on the road to …

The Initial Development Of Child-Focused Interventions In The Treatment Of Maternal Substance Abuse And Child Neglect, Kendra Tracy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This single case study focuses on the development and evaluation of child focused interventions for the treatment of child neglect and concurrent maternal substance abuse that were incorporated into Family Behavior Therapy (FBT). The participants were a mother referred by the Department of Family Services and her child. The child participated in three child focused interventions that were developed to decrease child behavior problems, increase support and communication, and prevent future neglect by strengthening the mother & child relationship. Although not a focus in this study, the mother participated in traditional FBT adult focused intervention components. The chief aim of …

Obesity And Outcomes Of Bariatric Surgery: A Focus On Patients With Postoperative Substance Use Disorders, Melissa Pulcini

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Recent evidence suggesting post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery patients are at an increased risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs) has brought to light the importance of understanding how the postoperative development of a SUD may affect weight loss and psychosocial outcomes. The present investigation used a quasi- experimental, non- equivalent, matched pair between subjects group design to compare these outcomes in post-RYGB patients in inpatient treatment for SUDs with post-RYGB patients who reported no significant post-surgical substance-related problems. Participants were matched on sex, age, and time since surgery. Average weight losses of the two groups were not significantly different, …

Identification Of A Molecular Opiate-Addiction Memory Switch In The Basolateral Amygdala, Danika C.A. Lyons

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The molecular mechanisms involved in acquiring opiate-related associative memories are largely unknown. One neural region implicated in the formation of opiate-related memories is the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA). Transmission through dopamine (DA) receptors within the BLA controls the formation of opiate-related reward memories (Lintas et al., 2011; Lintas et al., 2012). Specifically, transmission through DA D1 receptors controls opiate reward memory formation in animals that are previously naïve to opiate exposure. However, once opiate dependence and withdrawal are present, intra-BLA DA-mediated control of opiate reward memory processing switches to a DA D2 receptor substrate. These findings demonstrate a …

"Where There Is No Love, Put Love": Homeless Addiction Recovery Perspectives And Ways To Enhance Healing, Mark W. Flanagan

Anthropology Theses

This study explores how middle-aged homeless persons in Atlanta, GA, who have harmful, self-identified addictive behaviors come to make positive material and psychological changes, while constrained by urban poverty and structural violence. This study is divided into two parts. In part one, I examine the interaction between individual, social, and material factors that promote recovery from addiction in a poor, urban context. I argue that recovery occurs through a process, initiated by a decision and realized through practice. Recovery is enhanced by a stable community and consistent material access. In part two, I examine how pain associated with homelessness can …

Massively Multiplayer Online Gamers: Motivations And Risks, Amanda Wolfe

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) are a popular type of online video game. While these games and their players have been studied previously, there is gap in the literature that examines the relationship between one’s motivation to play MMOGs and loneliness, depression, and problematic use. For this study, 440 players of World of Warcraft (WoW), a popular MMOG, completed a demographics questionnaire and four measures, including Williams, Yee, & Caplan’s (2008) motivation measure, Peter’s & Malesky’s (2008) World of Warcraft-specific Problematic Usage-Engagement Questionnaire, UCLA’s Loneliness scale, and The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Results from quantitative analyses suggest …

Recovery Mentorship Programs And Recovery From Addiction, Carmen Berzinski

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

New roles in service grow from an unmet need. In the current world of addiction treatment and addiction recovery, a new role is emerging to bridge the gap between professional treatment and sustainable recovery within a client’s natural environment. This role has been identified as many different titles: recovery coach, recovery mentor, peer recovery, and specialist. Peer-to-peer recovery support services are designed and delivered by peers in recovery. A review of the literature has found that recent growth in peer-based recovery support services as an addition and alternative to addiction treatment has created some uncertainty about the separation of responsibilities …

A Multidimensional Approach To Measuring How Impulsivity Corresponds To The Gambling Of College Students, Meredith Kathleen Ginley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Impulsivity has been implicated as a contributing factor in the development of gambling problems among college students, but attempts to confirm this relation has been inconsistent. An explanation for incongruous findings is that impulsivity may be multidimensional and differentially predictive of behaviors. Utilizing a diverse sample of college students, a factor analysis of self-report measures of impulsivity revealed a three-factor structure of Behavioral Activation, Preference for Stimulation, and Inhibition Control that was remarkably similar to the structure found by Meda and colleagues (2009). Low risk and symptomatic gamblers scored significantly lower on Behavioral Activation and Inhibition Control than non-gamblers. Conversely, …

The Effects Of Parentification, Attachment, Family-Of-Origin Dysfunction And Health On Depression: A Comparative Study Between Gender And The Ethnic Groups Of South Koreans And Caucasian Americans, Sunnie Giles

Theses and Dissertations

Parentification is a process where children or adolescents assume adult roles before they are emotionally or developmentally ready, which, in turn, disrupts the development of healthy, secure attachment in childhood. Using 1,001 men and women from South Korea and the United States with equal division between males and females and multiple group comparison technique in structural equation modeling, this paper examined the relationship between parentification during childhood and depression during adulthood. It explores the cross-sectional long-term effects of parentification into adulthood, using a retrospective survey technique. This study also confirmed previous research findings that attachment, physical health and family-of-origin dysfunction, …

Examining Social Anxiety And Depression Among Excessive Online Gamers, Nathan Sharer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The main purpose of this study was to examine the correlations between social anxiety, depression, and other psychological factors among online gamers in order to better understand the differences between excessive gamers (whose habits interfere with relationship, occupational, social, or health issues) and enthusiastic gamers (who spend much of their free time playing games but do not report any significant functional impairment as a result). A literature review revealed diverse conceptualizations of excessive gaming as well as differing opinions of what classifies gaming to be excessive/addicting/problematic, suggesting a need to more specifically analyze gaming habits in terms of coexisting pathology …

Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis, Kristi Lynn Stringer

All ETDs from UAB

It is estimated that approximately 22 million Americans are in need of treatment for substance related disorders each year; however 20 million of those in need of substance treatment fail to utilize formal treatment services. The large gap between those who need formal treatment services and those who receive such services indicates that a better understanding of factors affecting treatment utilization is needed. Researchers have shown that stigmatizing attitudes towards substance use disorders are a leading cause for treatment delay and avoidance. Furthermore, gender role theories suggest that women may experience greater stigma (double stigma or triple stigma) related to …

The Effects Of Extended Access To Methamphetamine Self-Administration On Dopaminergic Markers In The Striatum, Joe Luevano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is a persistent problem in the U.S. and abroad. Escalation of METH use among independent users occurs for a variety of physiological and psychological reasons. Methamphetamine dependence may be attributed to the rewarding effect of this drug via the dopaminergic systems of the central nervous system (CNS). The presence of METH in the CNS increases synaptic release of dopamine. This increase in dopaminergic neurotransmission is thought to be directly attributed to the rewarding effects of METH. Following METH use, compensatory changes have been found to occur in the dopaminergic system during various periods of abstinence. It is …

Spirituality, Forgiveness And Purpose In Life In Faith-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Programs, Geoffrey C. B Lyons

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Substance use disorders are a significant international health problem. Faithbased organisations are one of the primary treatment options for individuals with substance use problems. Many of these faith-based organisations either incorporate Christian theology into treatment or utilise the spiritually-based Twelve Step philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous. Empirical research has shown low to moderate associations between spirituality and recovery from substance use disorders; however, the exact mechanisms by which spirituality operates on recovery are unclear. Forgiveness and purpose in life are central to all major world religions; hence, this thesis explores the relationship between spirituality, forgiveness and purpose in life in the …