Education Commons^™

Facing A New Normal: Uncovering The Psychological Effects Of Loneliness On Student Mental Health, Courtney Thoreson

Counselor Education Capstones

In anticipation of the burden loneliness will have in combination with distressing psychological and emotional burdens carried over from the COVID-19 prevention strategies i.e., social distancing, quarantine measures, and lockdowns, colleges and universities are facing a broad spectrum of challenges as they shift to adapt to a new normal. Besides the physical health impact of COVID-19, this global pandemic has unleashed a psychological toll on society that has yet to be fully realized for its potential long-lasting effects. As campuses navigate the broader impacts of COVID-19, understanding the psychological effects of loneliness will be a primary focus in understanding it’s …

Building Better Relationships With College Aged Students, Morgan Kennedy

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college students lack the education and skill in and maintain healthy romantic relationships. College students can greatly benefit from learning what makes a fulfilling relationship and the signs of what an abusive relationship consists of. They benefit by having a higher self-esteem within themselves and relationships, along with happiness and satisfaction in their lives. College students who do not develop healthy relationships may fall victim to abusive relationships and may experience anxiety, depression, and self esteem issues. In order to better educate college students on healthy relationships, I have created a two-day interactive lesson explaining the importance of healthy …

The Impact Of Wellness Training On Resilience, Depression, And Anxiety In College Age Students, Jamie S. Myrtle

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Data suggests that mental health disorders in college students are increasing. University personnel seek to help students better manage their mental health through access to campus counseling centers. Slow enrollment growth has placed pressure on university budgets making it difficult to fully fund counseling centers. Therefore, university personnel seek cost-effective interventions to meet the need. Increasing resilience has shown promise in reducing the overall impact of depression and anxiety. The purpose of the current study was to explore the impact of wellness training on resilience, depression, and anxiety to determine the effectiveness of the intervention in improving resilience and reducing …

A Qualitative Examination Of College Disability Services For Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Susan C. Davies, Michael R. Crenshaw, Elana R. Bernstein

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Adolescents and young adults are at relatively high risk for sustaining traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). These injuries can result in persistent disabilities, including a range of cognitive, physical, and social-emotional deficits that can be particularly challenging for college age students. This qualitative study explored disability services for college students with TBIs through interviews with directors of 18 college Offices of Disability Services (ODS). Respondents provided general information regarding their service model, the most common disabilities served, as well as the number of students with TBI served, and more specific information pertaining to services for students with TBI. Results indicated ODS …

Spirituality: Relationship Between Grit, Equanimity, Spiritual Qualities And First-Generation College Students, Janett Cordoves

Scholar Week 2016 - present

This study investigated the relationship between spirituality and first-generation, undergraduate and graduate college students’ grit, equanimity, and spiritual qualities. The researcher, a higher education professional, sought to highlight spirituality, not religion, as an intervention method for first-generation college students’ retention and success at the university. The results indicated a significant relationship between first-generation college students’ level of grit and equanimity as well as a direct relationship between grit and spiritual qualities. These results help inform educators and highlight that first-generation college students are both resilient as well as calm and centered in the midst of adversity and uncertainty. Participants’ narratives …

Sex And Gender Identity: A New Perspective For College Student Development, Steven Ray Wise

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

One of the goals of college student development professionals is to help undergraduate students develop a meaningful sense of personal identity. Early in the history of the profession, practitioners borrowed freely from related fields such as sociology and psychology to guide their practice, but beginning around the 1960s, scholars began in earnest to develop their own unique body of literature. In this work I examine the development of that scholarly work as it relates to identity development—specifically the evolution of understanding around the issues of sex and gender identity development.

Beginning with William Perry, whose work has impacted so many …

Spiritual Bypass: A Preliminary Investigation, Harriet L. Glosoff, Craig S. Cashwell, Chereé Hammond

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

The phenomenon of spiritual bypass has received limited attention in the transpersonal psychology and counseling literature and has not been subjected to empirical inquiry. This study examines the phenomenon of spiritual bypass by considering how spirituality, mindfulness, alexithymia (emotional restrictiveness), and narcissism work together to influence depression and anxiety among college students. Results suggested that mindfulness and alexithymia accounted for variance in depression beyond what is accounted for by spirituality and that all 3 factors (mindfulness, alexithymia, and narcissism) accounted for variance in anxiety beyond what is accounted for by spirituality. Implications for counselors are provided.