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On-Campus Mental Health Service Use Among College Students With Autism: A Case Study Applying The Andersen Behavioral Model Of Health Services Use, Estella C. Lilyquist

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unique set of impairments and limitations presented by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make the accessing of campus-based nonacademic resources more difficult and complicated than their typically developed peers. Each year, the rate of students entering college with disabilities continues to grow, but their mental well-being is relatively poor. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to apply the conceptual framework of the Andersen behavioral model of health services use (ABMHSU) to the experiences of college students with ASD to understand and predict their utilization of campus-provided mental health resources. The participants were seven college students with …

Utilizing New Technologies To Measure Therapy Effectiveness For Mental And Physical Health, Jonathan Ossie

Dissertations

Mental health is quickly becoming a major policy concern, with recent data reporting increasing and disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, increased substance abuse, and elevated suicidal ideation. One specific population that is especially high risk for these issues is the military community because military conflict, deployment stressors, and combat exposure contribute to the risk of mental health problems.

Although several pharmacological approaches have been employed to combat this epidemic, their efficacy is mixed at best, which has led to novel nonpharmacological approaches. One such approach is Operation Surf, a nonprofit that provides nature-based programs advocating the restorative …

You Can Get There From Here: A Phenomenological Study Of Help-Seeking Behavior And Experiences Of Student Military Veterans In Community College, Donivan Foster

Dissertations

This phenomenological study described the experiences of student military veterans in a community college with physical and psychological health needs. Each participant enrolled in the community college by utilizing the benefits of the post-9/11 GI Bill and transitioned from active duty to civilian life. More than 40,000 programs in the United States are designed to assist veterans transitioning to civilian life (Carter, 2013). Further, the health needs and transition experiences of military veterans have been well-documented. Numerous programs seek to reduce barriers; however, many veterans experience challenges when using the programs or services (Perkins et al., 2019; Aronson et al., …

Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Students: Evaluating Public High School Principal Preparedness And Perceptions, Brian C. Johnson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was threefold: first, to measure high school principal preparedness to meet the increased mental health needs of students; second, to determine principal perceptions of mental health frameworks and needs; and third, to assist with creating a better understanding of what high school principals may need to meet the mental health concerns of their students. The study was completed using a survey titled Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Students: High School Principal Survey. The survey was designed from the Project Cal-Well Statewide Principals Survey Template utilized in California. Additional survey questions were created to …

Influence Of Restorative Practices On The Middle-School Classroom, As Reported By Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study, Julia Y. Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the influence that restorative practices have on the middle school classroom environment. For the purpose of this study, seven middle school teachers were selected who have implemented restorative practices in their middle school classrooms to provide feedback. Findings suggest that overall restorative practices have a positive influence on the classroom. The findings from this study can be used with teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and school and district support staff to help create a positive campus culture between students and adults in middle school classrooms. The …

The Use Of Dining Data To Increase Retention And Academic Success In Residential First-Year Students, Hailey A. Manicone

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Higher education leaders have been conducting research over the last 50 years to pinpoint why students enroll in college and then end up leaving. Research shows that there is not a single factor that influences a student’s decision, but it is a variety of factors. Influential factors include class attendance, a sense of belonging, motivation, academic rigor and performance, finances, and more. A student’s physical wellness and mental state can also impact their academic success and life while in college. First-year students often experience depression, anxiety, and loneliness as they try to successfully transition to college. Most of these influential …

Supporting The Mental Health Of Black Students: A Framework For Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Systems, Shenita Williams

Theses and Dissertations

School-based mental health is plagued with two primary challenges: (a) design and (b) service delivery. The design of school-based mental health is often comprised of fragmented, individual programs and services, and the delivery of mental-health services and support are culturally insensitive. The purpose of this Delphi study, grounded in African-centered thought (Afrocentricity), was to identify essential components of a comprehensive school-based mental-health system necessary to adequately address and support the mental health of Black students in K–12 public school settings. Through the cultural lens of Black experts, the needs of Black students along a continuum of mental health was highlighted. …

Moving Toward Wellness: A Transformative Approach To Addressing Inadequacies In Mental Health Supports For Indigenous Youth In Residential Treatment Resource, Tsion Tekie

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Indigenous youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system in Canada. Organization X, a Ministry of Children and Families program provider, has made significant efforts to address the needs of Indigenous youth in care, including creating the Residential Treatment Resources (RTR) program. While behavioural-focused RTR program is an important step in the right direction, the program fails to address the causal mental health needs, which has resulted in high numbers of recidivism among Indigenous youth after discharge. After careful review of the literature, the possible solutions revealed mental health counselling is a vital supportive resource required for this population. Additionally, …

Improving Stem Graduate Students' Mental Health And Wellbeing, Aneesa Khan

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

An emerging problem with graduate education is the unprecedented rise in mental health and wellbeing concerns across higher education institutions in Canada. Graduate education is widely associated with emotional, physical, and psychological stress. Graduate students are at risk of the onset of mental health illnesses due to a culture of acceptance that graduate studies is synonymous with stress and anxiety. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores approaches to improve the mental health and wellness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) graduate students to promote their personal wellbeing and academic success. The goal of my Problem of Practice (PoP) is …

Improving Faculty Capacity To Support Student Mental Health, Nishma Bhaloo

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Mental health issues are on the rise among students at postsecondary institutions (PSIs), necessitating a campus-wide initiative to address growing concerns about mental health problems among students. Extending the circle of care model to include faculty ensures the timely delivery of support and services to address students’ mental health needs. This integrated approach also enables faculty to respond to students’ needs and direct students to the appropriate resources. However, faculty must be equipped with the knowledge needed to recognize the signs of mental health issues among students to positively impact students’ overall health and well-being. Improving faculty capacity to support …

Supporting Faculty In Responding To Distressed Students, Karolina E. Kulinska

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The increased numbers of students struggling with mental health problems require faculty to increase their competence and confidence in working with distressed students. In this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP), I explore this problem of practice, pursuing improved mental health literacy among higher education faculty and an enhanced ability to recognize signs of distress and employ role-appropriate interventions. A mentally healthy and supportive learning environment improves student engagement and academic achievement; therefore, it is pedagogically relevant. Well-being and mental health-related knowledge and a helpful network of colleagues can help faculty respond to distressed students. This OIP is rooted in the Okanagan …

What Aspects Of Teaching Generate Burnout In Teachers With Five Or Less Years Of Experience?, Paige Peterson

Leadership Education Capstones

The educational field can prove to be a stressful occupation with various aspects being more stressful than others. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the aspects of teaching that generate burnout in teachers with five years or less of teaching experience. The study used an anonymous online survey to collect data from teachers in the state of Minnesota. Research questions aimed to understand which aspects of teaching are the most stressful, how grade level (elementary, middle school, or high school) impacts burnout, and if professional development could help limit burnout. A total of 289 individuals participated …

Strategies Exemplary Mental Health Leaders Use To Stay Grounded While Working With Veterans, Audrey Dangtuw

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this explanatory mixed method study was to identify and describe what exemplary mental health leaders in Puget Sound area mental health facilities serving veterans do to maintain their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, and spiritual health based on the six dimensions of Rosen's (2014) healthy leader model.

Methodology. An explanatory mixed methods approach was selected to allow the triangulation of data to increase the validity of the findings. The study analyzed quantitative surveys to identify how exemplary mental health leaders rate their use of grounded leadership strategies and qualitative semi-structured interviews to identify strategies exemplary mental …

Mental Health And Discipline In California Community Schools, Damien Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there is a difference in achievement, absenteeism, graduation rates and suspension for students enrolled in community schools that do and don’t have access to school-based mental health services. In addition, it was the purpose to identify and describe the practices most effective in improving attendance, reduction of suspension, achievement and graduation as perceived by community school employees.

Methodology: This mixed-method dissertation attempted to determine the difference between California county community schools for expelled students who have had access to school-based mental health and those who do not as …

Fishing Without A Pole: Experiences And Insights Of Adults Working To Prevent Youth Suicide In A Low-Income, High-Rate State, Victoria L. Waugh-Reed

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study explores the underrepresented perspective of suicide preventionists in the state of New Mexico, their experiences and insights surrounding the prevention of youth suicide. I present these in narrative form; the primary method of investigation was purposeful, individual interviews with an initial and follow-up interviews. Preventionists in New Mexico face the enormous task of reducing historically high youth suicide rates when compared with the rest of the nation; additionally, New Mexico is a rural state that exhibits a complex mix of risk and resiliency factors. I invited participants to discuss their experiences, share barriers to their work, offer success …

Implementing Innovative Mental Health Supports And Services At A Post-Secondary Institution, Adam K. Lawrence

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In 2020, the Government of Ontario published a report entitled In It Together: Foundations for Promoting Mental Wellness in Campus Communities. This document outlines that the priority of post-secondary institutions should be the health and well-being of students by ensuring that students receive the supports they need to be successful. Most importantly, the document outlines a community approach needed for students to access mental health supports and services on their campuses. Many post-secondary students are becoming increasingly aware of their own mental health needs prior to enrolling at university or college. This has resulted in a culture on post-secondary …

Building A Co-Curricular Wellness Program For Medical Students At A Canadian Medical School, Renea D. Leskie

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The increasing number of medical students who present with mental illness and burnout is becoming a very real challenge among medical schools nationally and globally, prompting a need for medical schools to address this very real problem. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seeks to help solve this problem by means of a co-curricular wellness program aimed at preventing mental illness and burnout from happening. Rather than being reactive as students self-identify as having a mental illness, this OIP argues for preventative measures that help to prevent mental illness and burnout from occurring at all.

Using a three-pronged leadership approach of …

First-Gen Mental Health: The Experiences Of First-Generation Graduate Students At The University Of San Diego, Edith Mendez

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Higher education professionals can better support struggling students by having more of an awareness of their experiences and how their mental health is related to the identities they hold. As a first-generation Latina college student, I am reminded of my own experiences and struggles, which impacted my sense of belonging and academic success. My action research responds to the question: "What are the mental health concerns that first-generation students studying at the University of San Diego (USD) encounter?" After making changes to my research because of unforeseen circumstances, I designed a study focusing on graduate students with cycles consisting of …

Leadership Change For Athletic Academic Advisors Serving Student-Athletes With Self-Reported Mental Health Issues, Tyler Schoh

Leadership Education Capstones

Athletic academic advisors find themselves in conversations about the personal lives and issues of student-athletes as mental health issues become more prevalent in college athletics. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of athletic academic advisors serving student-athletes with self-reported mental health issues in relation to leadership styles, traits, and strategies. This study involved interviewing current athletic academic advisors who are affiliated with NCAA Division I or Division II schools. Geographically, the sample included athletic academic advisors in the Midwest. All of the sample participants have earned a master’s degree.

The interviews were analyzed with the Constant …

Interdisciplinary Collaboration In Exemplary Counseling-Enriched High School Programs: Integrating College & Career Readiness And Mental Health Wellness For Students With Emotional Disturbance, Amira S. Mostafa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods multiple-case study was to describe how interdisciplinary collaborative teams support the college and career readiness and the mental health wellness of adolescents with emotional disturbance. A secondary purpose was to explore how team members describe and rate the importance of their interdisciplinary collaboration using the four essential elements (reflection, flexibility, newly created roles, and interdependence) based on the model established by Mellin (Mellin et al., 2010). Lastly, this study sought recommendations from team members on improved practices supporting adolescents with emotional disturbance.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed methods multiple-case study design explored the …

One Size Does Not Fit All: An External Leader’S Process Towards Supporting Positive Mental Health In Schools, Alexandra Fortier

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

With the growing societal, personal, and financial costs related to unaddressed mental health issues (Smetanin et al., 2011), the World Health Organization [WHO] (2004) urges stakeholders to start with preventative work. The premise is to focus upstream of the plethora of potential consequences and to address these issues before they become problematic. The WHO (2004) further suggests starting with children and youth, which are, for the most part, in schools. While this seems a logical starting place, research suggests that it is essential to be well in order to teach others to be well (Acton & Glasgow, 2015; Ontario Principals’ …

Culture In Mind: Fostering A Sense Of Belonging For Students Of Color In Wellness-Affiliated Spaces, Mandy Mekhail

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap between students of color and mental health resources at a predominantly white institution. Previous research demonstrates that negative mental health outcomes are positively correlated with students who feel a lack of belonging while on campus. These negative outcomes are felt more pronouncedly by students of color. Furthermore, students of color are shown to underutilize mental health resources relative to their white-identifying peers. Utilizing my positionality as a person of color working within a wellness office, I worked with students of color, wellness professionals, and multicultural professionals to ask what more …

Arkansas Principal Preparedness To Identify And Assist Students With Mental Health Needs, Candra Leigh Brasel

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

There is a growing need for children’s mental health services. With the majority of their time spent at school, educators are often the first adults in a child’s life to identify and assist students with mental health needs. However, oftentimes educators do not have the education and training needed to assist students with accessing quality mental health services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the preparedness of Arkansas public school principals to assist students with mental health needs in this rapidly changing era of education. The participant sample of the study consisted of 133 Arkansas public school …

The Relationship Between Cultural Background, Gender, Physical Activity, And The Resilience And Well-Being Levels Of Adolescents, Joshua G. Symes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The incidence of mental health disorders continues to rise, and it is predicted that depression will be the second highest cause of disability, behind ischemic heart disease, for all ages and genders over the next decade (WHO, 2017). Mental health disorders in adults are quite clearly clearly understood; but mental health disorders in children and adolescents have not been as widely researched, particularly in relation to preventative and protective factors. This non-experimental quantitative study investigated the relationship between the dependent variables of well-being and resilience, and the independent variables of gender, racial, and cultural background, and physical activity levels of …

Flourishing Firefighters: A Plan For Optimal Organizational Deviance Using Healthy Human Systems, Sajel Bellon

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The purpose of this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) is to offer the potential groundwork to enhance the current support services of a union representing firefighters in Canada. The hope is to address the growing number of firefighters that are afflicted with Occupational Stress Injuries (OSI) and to provide a more comprehensive positive approach to mitigate the psychological effects and professional ramifications of the consistent exposure to traumatic events and other associated occupational stressors. The aim is to leverage the existing structure and resources to address the Problem of Practice (PoP): How can union leaders effectively address the increasing prevalence of …

Resiliency: The Implementation Of A Strategic Framework, Michael L. Allegretti

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

As the incidences and complexity of student mental health continue to rise, there is an emphasis on the need to review the first year experience to ensure that students are prepared for the challenges they will face in post-secondary education. Institutions attempt to address the concern of student mental health by increasing the scope and number of student supports, both formal and informal, in the context of decreasing budgets and increasing student expectations. Despite institutional efforts, students continue to report confusion about available services and an increased desire for specialized supports.

This OIP uses various leadership approaches and methods of …

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 …

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, …

Confidence And Connectedness: A Mixed Methods Study On Patients Managing Co-Occuring Physical And Behavioral Health Conditions, Peter Young Fifield

All Theses And Dissertations

Treating chronic illness is becoming increasingly team based, yet most team building concepts relate to the team as a dichotomous unit: the medical team and the patient. Patients are expected to be “engaged” and “activated” members of the team, yet there is a gap in knowledge regarding how patients most effectively integrate into the team. Exacerbating the complexity of patient as team member is the multifaceted, ever-changing mood state of patients with co-occurring medical and mental health conditions. The medical field is well aware of the correlations between mental health and chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study is to …

Suicide Postvention Plans: Are Schools Prepared To Adjust To The New Normal, Wendi Aghily

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This project involves the review of suicide postvention plans across school districts in California. The goal is to identify which elements are meet the recommendation, address the recommendations or do not include the recommendations for best practices in suicide postvention. This has been done by analyzing the plans across five components: preparation, identification and support for immediate needs, triage, identification and support for long term needs and a return to a new normal. Consideration was given to the format in which the plans were developed: websites, school safety plans, emergency operations plans, crisis response plans and suicide response plans. Through …