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Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Mental Health Outcomes In Youth Who Are Underserved, Melanie Grace Albright
Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Mental Health Outcomes In Youth Who Are Underserved, Melanie Grace Albright
All ETDs from UAB
olescence, a period of rapid brain maturation and development coincides with the development of mental health disorders. Many teens in the United States with diagnosable mental health conditions lack mental health treatment due to limited access and provider availability, particularly affecting adolescents who are underserved. School-based interventions, including those centered around mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have shown promise in their effectiveness among adolescents. This study examines the impact of an in-school MBSR-based program, MindUP, on mental health outcomes, including depressive symptomology, anxiety symptomology, and perceived stress, in adolescents who are underserved. Additionally, focus group discussions were conducted with students participating …
An Exploration Of The Mental Health Experiences Of Young Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Brittany M. Woods
An Exploration Of The Mental Health Experiences Of Young Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Brittany M. Woods
All ETDs from UAB
Infertility is a reproductive disease resulting in the inability to conceive. One in six individuals will experience infertility in their lifetime. Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) reduces the quantity and/or quality of a female's oocyte pool and is a known cause of infertility. Although this occurs during normal ovarian aging in the late 30s and early 40s, DOR can also impact younger women, increasing their risk for psychological distress from an unexpected diagnosis. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a deeper understanding of the mental health experiences of young women with DOR through the generation of three manuscripts. Manuscript …
The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin
The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin
All ETDs from UAB
Introduction: Strength is indoctrinated into the cultural tapestry of Black women, dating back to slavery, and passed down through intergenerational socialization. The incessant need for Black women to be strong diminishes their psychological health leading to poorer quality of life. Further, historical injustices and unethical practices in mental healthcare continue to perpetuate the need for Black women to perform in strength. The performance of strength is one explanation for the grave mental health disparities among Black women offering an opportunity to better understand their mental health needs. This project aims to center Black women within the cultural contextualization of the …
The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On College Students With Disabilities Or Pre-Existing Conditions: A Qualitative Dissertation, Caro Celestine Holmes Wolfner
The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On College Students With Disabilities Or Pre-Existing Conditions: A Qualitative Dissertation, Caro Celestine Holmes Wolfner
All ETDs from UAB
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a global and multifaceted impact on public health. The onset of the pandemic has resulted in widespread campus closures and transitions from in-person classes to online learning, further exacerbating the mental health crisis brought about by the pandemic. The effects of federal and state regulations have influenced the psychological well-being and mental health of many, more notably for college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions. However, COVID-19 research on college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions is limited and mostly international, thus it is of great importance to address these limitations. This phenomenological study …
A Stress Process Approach To Assessing Caregiver Burden, Depressive Symptoms, And Quality Of Life: The Role Of Attachment In Adult Relationships, Ghislaine Celine Atkins
A Stress Process Approach To Assessing Caregiver Burden, Depressive Symptoms, And Quality Of Life: The Role Of Attachment In Adult Relationships, Ghislaine Celine Atkins
All ETDs from UAB
Aging adults (65 years and older) are projected to be the largest age group in the United States by around the year 2030. Importantly, the population of aging adults is expected to outnumber their adult children for the first time by the year 2033. The extant literature posits that the majority of carer-care-recipient relationships are between adult children/in law and their aging parent or a spouse/partner. Familial carers dealing with these multiple stressors are more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms, have higher appraisals of stress and have worse quality of life. This dissertation project utilized sociologist Pearlin’s Stress Process Model …
Caregiving And Depressive Symptomatology: Multi-National Testing Of Role Strain Theory, Jessica Valles
Caregiving And Depressive Symptomatology: Multi-National Testing Of Role Strain Theory, Jessica Valles
All ETDs from UAB
While several studies have shown that caregiving duties are correlated with poor mental health outcomes, little is known about this association and how it varies by the type of care provided, as well as the other types of social roles that the caregiver occupies. Furthermore, the nature of these associations amongst caregivers who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition themselves is also unclear. Role Strain theory offers a foundation by which we can begin to understand the level of burden that results from occupying multiple social roles including that of caregiving. Using dating from the WHO Study on Global …
The Relationship Between Asthma And Electronic Cigarette Use Among Youth And Young Adults: Mediation And Moderation Approaches, Abdullah M M Alanazi
The Relationship Between Asthma And Electronic Cigarette Use Among Youth And Young Adults: Mediation And Moderation Approaches, Abdullah M M Alanazi
All ETDs from UAB
Asthma is associated with a higher likelihood of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use, which may increase the risk of pulmonary complications. Therefore, we sought to identify factors that influence e-cigarette use that may inform future behavior interventions targeting e-cigarette use prevention. In this dissertation, we used mediation and moderation to model the relationship of health beliefs, psychosocial and behavioral factors that may affect the relationship between e-cigarette use and asthma. We used national samples from public datasets, and a clinical sample recruited from healthcare facilities in Alabama. The results of this study are reported in three different papers. In the first …
Suicidality, Stigma, And Online Help-Seeking, Mercedes Tarasovich
Suicidality, Stigma, And Online Help-Seeking, Mercedes Tarasovich
All ETDs from UAB
Suicide rates in the U.S. have been climbing for over two decades, driving increased suicide prevention efforts nationwide. The population of those who have experienced suicidality or attempted suicide are estimated to be at least 25 times the suicide death rate and are not as well-researched. Stigma regarding the utilization of mental health care services and a fear of institutionalization may affect help-seeking behaviors for individuals who have experienced suicidality, potentially prompting use of more anonymous online sources of support. In this study, I aimed to research whether suicidality and perceived mental health stigma can lead to increased use of …
The Benefit Of Resilience: Examining The Roles Of Family Resilience And Parental Education In Child Anxiety, Bria Kathryn Morgan
The Benefit Of Resilience: Examining The Roles Of Family Resilience And Parental Education In Child Anxiety, Bria Kathryn Morgan
All ETDs from UAB
Extensive literature addresses the associations between parental education and children’s mental health outcomes; however, the role of parental education and family resilience in child anxiety is unclear. The purpose of this study is to obtain a greater understanding of the role of parental education in child anxiety. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the role and potential varying effects of family resilience. Building upon Bowen’s Family Systems Theory and Walsh’s Systems Theory of Family Resilience, I hypothesize that parental education will be negatively associated with child anxiety and that family resilience will be negatively associated with child anxiety. I also …
Quality Of Life And Mental Health After Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumor Treated With Surgery Only, Alexandra Cutillo
Quality Of Life And Mental Health After Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumor Treated With Surgery Only, Alexandra Cutillo
All ETDs from UAB
Benign pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors treated with surgery alone have been considered relatively harmless to long-term health. However, a developing line of research has identified several late effects experienced in this population including psychological, adaptive, behavioral, neurological, and cognitive problems. Quality of life of children after resection alone has not previously been evaluated, especially in comparison to that of healthy children and children with chronic illness. Further, there has been no research geared toward developing psychosocial programs to address the late effects identified in this population. The following manuscripts contribute to the literature by evaluating and providing potential …
Influencing The Positive Mental Health Of Non-Kinship Foster Children: The Lived Experiences Of Foster Parents In Alabama, Sarah Catherine Tucker
Influencing The Positive Mental Health Of Non-Kinship Foster Children: The Lived Experiences Of Foster Parents In Alabama, Sarah Catherine Tucker
All ETDs from UAB
This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) qualitative study interviewed fifteen non-kinship foster parents in Alabama to explore their lived experiences of influencing the positive mental health of their foster children. This phenomenological approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the challenges foster caregivers face when facilitating improved psychological and social well-being of their foster children. In 2015, there were 427,910 children in foster care, with 45% of these children residing in a non-kinship foster home (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System [AFCARS], 2016). Children in foster care, especially children in non-kinship care arrangements, often have significant and complex mental …
Transition Into Adulthood: Cannabis Use And Mental Health, Katie Mcintyre
Transition Into Adulthood: Cannabis Use And Mental Health, Katie Mcintyre
All ETDs from UAB
The US is currently experiencing sweeping changes in the legal status of cannabis, the most common illicit drug used in America. Due to its classification as a Schedule I substance we know very little about how cannabis use impacts mental health since illicit drugs are not legally allowed to be researched in a laboratory setting. The current research on cannabis use (CU) and mental health (MH) is expansive and conflicting. One side of the debate suggests CU in adolescence has a direct effect on MH, the other side suggests CU could be an indirect coping mechanism of poor MH. One …
Religion/Spirituality And Mental Health/ Well-Being Among Women Living With Hiv, Haley Medved Kendrick
Religion/Spirituality And Mental Health/ Well-Being Among Women Living With Hiv, Haley Medved Kendrick
All ETDs from UAB
Depression among people living with HIV (PLWH) is associated with social factors such as employment, poor adherence to HIV medication and treatment, and HIV disease progression. However, estimates of prevalence rates of depression among PLWH vary widely, from 1% to 48%. Women living with HIV (WLWH) often report spirituality as an important factor in coping with stressors associated with HIV infection. Spirituality has been found to be associated with social involvement, effective coping, decreased stress, psychological adjustment, and positive mental health outcomes among PLWH. The current study aims to longitudinally examine trends of spirituality and mental health/well-being in the lives …
Long-Term Effects Of Early Parental Divorce On Parent-Child Relationships, Mental Health, And Alcohol Use, Tuba Demir Dagdas
Long-Term Effects Of Early Parental Divorce On Parent-Child Relationships, Mental Health, And Alcohol Use, Tuba Demir Dagdas
All ETDs from UAB
The primary objective of this study was to fill a gap by examining the effects of early parental divorce on multi-dimensional views of parent-child relationships (e.g. support, strain, contact), mental health, and alcohol consumption among adult children. Many studies have shown that parental divorce has impacts on children’s well-being, however, few studies have examined the long-term effects of parental divorce on adult health. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effects of early parental divorce on adult children’s depressive symptoms and alcohol use via relationships with parents. Drawing from the life course paradigm and the stress process model, I examined …
Parental Acculturation And Adolescent Depression, Serra Sevde Aydogan
Parental Acculturation And Adolescent Depression, Serra Sevde Aydogan
All ETDs from UAB
This study investigates whether or not parental acculturation is associated with depression levels among youth in US-based immigrant families. Previous research has shown that even though individual acculturation is negatively correlated with adolescents’ good mental health, parental acculturation is associated with higher levels of mental health among youth. This study elaborates on these prior findings by using a large national sample of immigrant children ages 13-14 and considering the mediating role of social ties and social support. Data for the study are derived from the Children of Immigrant Longitudinal Study to examine the relationship between parental acculturation and youth depression. …
Religious Affiliation As A Predictor Of Mental Health Outcomes Among Immigrants In The United States, Haley Medved Kendrick
Religious Affiliation As A Predictor Of Mental Health Outcomes Among Immigrants In The United States, Haley Medved Kendrick
All ETDs from UAB
Previous research largely (but not conclusively) suggests that religious participation is positively correlated with good mental health, but it is unclear what effect religion has on mental health outcomes of racial/ethnic and religious minorities. Prior findings that non-Christian (e.g. Muslim, Buddhist, etc.) migrants have lower levels of religious participation than Christian migrants suggest that there may be a disparity in mental health outcomes between religious groups. This study aims to fill the gap by comparing mental health outcomes (measured by four DSM-IV-based diagnoses) of Christian immigrants with non-Christian immigrants. The study uses data from the National Latino and Asian American …
Internet Use And Mental Health/Well-Being In Old Age: Exploring The Roles Of Social Integration And Social Support, Ronald William Berkowsky
Internet Use And Mental Health/Well-Being In Old Age: Exploring The Roles Of Social Integration And Social Support, Ronald William Berkowsky
All ETDs from UAB
The escalating pressures put on the US healthcare system, due in part to the growing needs of the expanding older adult population, has motivated research dedicated to more fully understanding the mental health and mental well-being needs of this population and ways to address these needs and alleviate the pressure on the healthcare system. An increasing area of interest is in examining the role information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as Internet-connected computers and smartphones, in the health of older adults. Research has shown that ICTs can successfully be used to help treat, manage, and cope with mental health/well-being issues, …
Internet Use, Social Integration, And Psychological Well-Being In Older Adults, Ronald William Berkowsky
Internet Use, Social Integration, And Psychological Well-Being In Older Adults, Ronald William Berkowsky
All ETDs from UAB
Previous studies examining the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and mental health provide conflicting evidence regarding the possible benefits and detriments of ICT use on mental well-being. While ICTs may enhance social cohesion and motivate individuals to engage in new communication methods to strengthen social bonds and develop new social relationships, ICTs may also motivate individuals to retreat from the real world into a virtual one, thus severing established social ties. These positive and negative changes in social integration can have significant effects on mental health, as research has shown that social relationships and social engagement can drastically …