Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Health Among D1 Female College Athletes: Prevalance And Links To Athletic And Academic Performance, Mary Goebel

Honors Theses

Background. NCAA Division I female student-athletes are underrepresented in mental health research; existing research among female athletes tends to focus only on disordered eating and body appearance. This study aims to 1) describe the prevalence of mental health issues (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) among female Division I college athletes, and 2) assess the association between mental health issues and the student-athlete experience (i.e., athletic and academic performance).

Methods. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study that used a self-administered online survey. The participants were NCAA Division I female student-athletes, mainly from the University of Mississippi. Demographics and sample characteristics were …

Associations Between Tiktok Use, Mental Health, And Body Image Among College Students, Alexz Carpenter

Honors Theses

Background. Social media use continues to increase globally, and there is a large field of research examining the relationships between social media use with anxiety, depression, and body image. College-aged students are particularly vulnerable to these associations because they are at a unique developmental point of their life. College-aged students also use social media more frequently than almost any other age group, which may put them at increased risk for negative mental health and body image outcomes related to their social media use. TikTok is a relatively new social media app that has exponentially risen in popularity, especially among younger …

The Associations Between Adolescent Motives For Social Media Use With Body Dysmorphia, Eating Disorder, And Anxiety And Depression Symptoms, Kaylan Melvin

Honors Theses

Adolescents spend a large amount of time on social media sites. This is notable, as adolescence is a crucial time for body image development. Additionally, recent findings suggest that using image-oriented social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram, is associated with more body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Among previous studies, certain social media motivations have been found to have an association with poor body satisfaction and well-being in adolescents. To our knowledge, no studies have directly examined the association between social media motivations and eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents. The current study …

Analyzing The Unique Role Of Repetitive Negative Thinking On Insomnia In College Students, Lara Fair

Honors Theses

Repetitive negative thinking is a transdiagnostic construct that conceptually covers worry and rumination, which are strongly associated with anxiety and depression. Worry is typically future oriented, whereas rumination is past oriented. RNT has been posited as a causal and maintaining factor for multiple disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and insomnia. The current study aimed to further understand the contribution of RNT in insomnia symptoms, after controlling for anxiety and depression. A self-report battery measuring anxiety, depression, RNT and insomnia was administered to 101 college students. In this sample, 52% of participants endorsed clinical levels of insomnia. Bivariate correlations found …

A Study Of First-Generation College Students At The University Of Mississippi, Brady Suttles

Honors Theses

First-generation college students (FGCS) are a distinct sub-population within higher education. In comparison to their peers, FGCS report increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress along with lower levels of social support and academic attainment. Considering the unique context and history of the University of Mississippi (UM), it is crucial to understand the specific needs of FGCS enrolled at UM. The aims of this study were to: 1) assess the associations between FGCS status and mental health and academic achievement, and 2) determine whether sense of belonging moderates these associations.

First-generation college students had higher mean levels of depression symptoms …

Analysis Of Test Anxiety In Human Anatomy And Physiology I Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anne Piazza

Honors Theses

Student anxiety, specifically test anxiety, is common hindrance to student performance in various courses including Human Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Mississippi. Through a sequence of three surveys we collected demographic information, anxiety data related to the course, and test anxiety in general We researched factors that could potentially influence student anxiety such as at what point in the semester the student is evaluated, when students feel the most stressed, outcomes on previous evaluations, and perceived outcomes of the course. We also examined what effect the anxiety has on the student such as lowered performance, lowered test scores, …

Perfectionism And Internalizing Disorders As Predictors Of Career Indecision Among College Students, Paige Jones

Honors Theses

Perfectionism has been found to be a significant predictor of career indecision in adults. Perfectionism has also been linked with internalizing disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children. The primary aim of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between those internalizing emotions experienced in childhood and career indecision as an adult. There have not been many studies for career indecision based on emotions directly from one’s childhood, so this study aims to provide some basic understanding on that relationship. This study investigated if perfectionism and internalizing disorders (measured retroactively) during childhood were correlated …

The Association Between Appearance Related Safety Behaviors And Anxiety Symptoms In Adolescents, Emily Olson

Honors Theses

The goal of the current study is to examine the associations between appearance related safety behaviors (i.e., behaviors aimed at preventing humiliation or embarrassment associated with appearance, such as mirror checking or skin picking) and anxiety symptoms during adolescence. Adolescence is considered a core risk period for the onset of many psychological disorders (e.g., social anxiety disorder). Critically, adults with these psychological conditions report engaging in higher levels of appearance related safety behaviors than adults without these disorders. Further, initial, promising evidence, suggests that reducing engagement in appearance related safety behaviors is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety. To date, …

Socioeconomic Status And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Women, Meagan Mandabach

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a period of great change in a woman’s body as her baby develops. During this period, women commonly experience symptoms of anxiety (Dennis et al., 2017) and depression (Shidhaye & Giri, 2014). Literature has suggested that socioeconomic status (SES) can contribute to the severity at which pregnant women experience anxiety and depression (Arora & Aeri, 2019; Field et al., 2008; Shagufta & Shams, 2019), and women of low socioeconomic status may be more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy (Field et al., 2008). The present study aimed to assess the relationships between household income …