Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Songbook And Activities: Popular Black Music Popular Songs From The 70’S To Present Day, Akeira Hill

Music Therapy Theses

Songbook and Activities: Popular Black music Popular Songs from the 70’s to present day

Conceptual Disorganization And Redistribution Of Resting State Cortical Hubs In Drug-Naive First Episode Psychosis: A 7t Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, Avyarthana Dey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Network level dysconnectivity has been studied in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Conceptual disorganization (CD) is a symptom which predicts impaired real-world functioning. Systematic reviews have reported aberrant connectivity in formal thought disorder, a construct related to CD. However, no studies have investigated whole-brain functional correlates of CD in psychosis. We sought to investigate brain regions explaining the severity of CD in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEPs) compared with healthy controls (HCs). We computed whole-brain binarized degree centrality maps of 31 FEPs, 25 HCs and characterized the patterns of network connectivity in the two groups. In FEPs, we related …

White Matter Inflammation And Executive Dysfunction: Implications For Alzheimer Disease And Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Alexander Levit

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

White matter integrity is crucial to healthy executive function, the cognitive domain that enables functional independence. However, in the ageing brain, white matter is highly vulnerable. White matter inflammation increases with age and Alzheimer disease (AD), which disrupts the normal function of white matter. This may contribute to executive dysfunction, but the relationship between white matter inflammation and executive function has not been directly evaluated in ageing nor AD. White matter is also particularly vulnerable to cerebrovascular disease, corresponding with the common presentation of executive dysfunction in vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Thus, white matter may be an important substrate by …

Inviting Hallucinatory Percepts During Speech-Listening To Detect Cognitive Changes In Early Psychosis, Ana-Bianca Popa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Treatment outcomes for people with schizophrenia are more favourable if treatment starts early in the course of the disorder. Current detection methods lack specificity and do not make use of cognitive markers. We presented individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP) and matched control participants with acoustically degraded meaningful and matched nonsense sentences to examine the degree to which people reported words that were not actually presented. Intrusion errors were counted when reported words were unrelated to words in the original sentence. Intelligibility (measured as words reported correctly) did not differ between groups but intrusion errors were more frequent …

Maternal Postpartum Depression And Father Involvement Across The Transition To Parenthood, Katie Newkirk

Doctoral Dissertations

Maternal postpartum depression is a common complication of childbirth that affects the whole family. Fathers’ greater involvement in childcare can buffer children from the negative effects of mothers’ depression, and aid in mothers’ recovery, so it is important to understand under what conditions fathers become more or less involved when mothers are depressed. Prior research has supported both a compensation hypothesis, whereby fathers compensate for the effects of mothers’ depression on mothers’ parenting by being more involved in parenting, and a spillover hypothesis, whereby mothers’ negative emotionality causes fathers to pull back from family life and be less involved in …

Diagnosing The Will To Suffer: Lovesickness In The Medical And Literary Traditions, Jane Shmidt

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Throughout Western medical history, unconsummated, unreturned, or otherwise failed love was believed to generate a disorder of the mind and body that manifested in physiological and psychological symptoms. This study traces the medical and literary history of lovesickness from antiquity through the 19^th century, emphasizing significant moments in the development of the medical discourse on love. The project is part of the recent academic focus on the intersection between the humanities and the medical sciences, and it situates literary texts in concurrent medical and philosophical debates on afflictions of the psyche. By contextualizing the fictional works within the scientific …

The Efficacy Of Equine Assisted Therapy In The Treatment Of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amy Hofmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of equine-assisted psychotherapies in children with an autism spectrum disorder. The CARS-2 and Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire parent-report questionnaires were used for evaluation, as well open-ended questions. A single researcher contacted and visited many PATH-certified centers in the United States. Facilities that participated were all located in the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast region. There were 16 participants, from 11 different farms, that completed both the initial and follow-up questionnaires which were given 7 weeks apart. A $25 Amazon gift card was used as an incentive to increase participation. Participating facilities also completed a questionnaire.

Overall, results …

Association Of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone And Depression And Depressive Symptoms In Older Postmenopausal Women, Dana Fritz

Masters Theses

Worldwide, between 5 and 18% of postmenopausal women experience depression. While the associations of estrogens with depression have been researched extensively, relations with other postmenopausal hormones remain unclear. We evaluated the association of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels with prevalent depression the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (n = 588). Study participants were postmenopausal women aged 53 to 73 years and not using hormone therapy at enrollment (1998-2001). FSH was measured by radioimmuno-assays. Depression symptoms were measured using a scale based on DSM-III criteria (score range = 0-12), with a score ≥5 indicative of probable depression. We assessed …

An Examination Of The Impact Traumatic Events Has On Psychosocial Impairment In Eating Disorder Patients, Jennifer Parker Hackett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research suggests that trauma has an impact on eating disorders. While prior research has demonstrated that the trauma from abuse has a significant impact on eating disorders, research has failed to explore other types of trauma. In addition, previous studies have stopped short of examining the impact trauma has on functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. This study aimed to address that gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine whether traumatic life events impact psychosocial functioning among individuals living with an eating disorder. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which traumas are shown to …

The Association Between Medication Adherence In Mental Illness And Substance Use Disorder Relapse In Patients With Dual Diagnosis, Tyler Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: The aims of the study were to (1) identify personal, social, and clinical history for patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness, (2) measure agreeance between patient self-report versus facility record history for mental illness, substance abuse, and psychotropic medication, (3) investigate the specific role of medication adherence and barriers to use for psychotropic medications upon SUD relapse, and (4) assess follow-up changes in mental illness severity and medication adherence in dual diagnosis patients enrolled in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.

Methods: The pilot study utilized a mixed methodology. Inclusion criteria included male patients at least 18 …

Effects Of Mental Health Campaigns, Susan Schott

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This project examines the effects of a mental health campaign on college students. This is important to research because universities and colleges alike need to understand the effects that campaigns about mental health on campus can have on students. I researched this by conducting an online experimental study on a sample of 511 students at a university in the Mid-Atlantic region. Qualtrics randomly assigned the participants into two groups, where one group viewed an experimental campaign and the other a control ad. The participants were measured using a post- test questionnaire which tested their self-perceptions of anxiety and level of …

The Comparison Of Effective Education Methods To Increase Knowledge About Alzheimer's Disease., Lillian M. Kopsolias

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disease most people recognize, but have many misconceptions about. One way to decrease the amount of misconceptions about AD is to educate the general public on the disease. Many educational methods, such as person-centered care education, have been researched, but none have focused on the general public. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare two educational methods used today, reading a passage from a reliable online source (traditional educational method) and watching documentaries (person-centered care educational method), to find if a specific way of presenting them will prove efficient for Alzheimer’s education. The …

Political Affiliation And White Privilege: The Effect Of Exposure To Symbols Of Political Affiliation And Race On Perceptions Of White Privilege And Anti-Black Discrimination, Hannah Knechel

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This thesis explored the effects of exposure to different political affiliations and races on participants’ perceptions of white privilege and anti-black discrimination. Current research has studied the effects of race, framing, and guilt on the acknowledgement of white privilege, but none have explored how political affiliation can affect these perceptions. If simple exposure to these symbols of political affiliation can alter the perceptions of those exposed, perhaps the results of this study could be used to bring about awareness and ease political tensions. Participants were placed in one of six groups consisting of either a white or black experimenter wearing …

Dancing, Mindfulness, And Our Emotions: Embracing The Mind, Body, And Sole, Alisha M. Collins

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone project examines dance, as an intervention and mindfulness practice that assists with managing our emotions. There is a need for dance therapy in social institutions such as, healthcare facilities, schools, and community centers. Dance therapy has the potential to reduce negative emotions, create mindfulness, improve self-expression, and promote a healthy well-being. I am proposing that dance therapy is applied as a regular practice in social institutions to develop mindfulness and promote emotional stability.

In this study, I argue that dance therapy can contribute to our well-being long term. In addition to this written thesis, a visual component of …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Melodies, Memories, And Meaning: The Use Of Music Therapy For Persons With Dementia, Emily A. Carl

Selected Honors Theses

Dementia is a growing public health issue, as there are 24.3 million people currently diagnosed worldwide. Being that there is no cure, non-pharmacological interventions are important to optimize quality of life for this population. Music therapy is a nonpharmacological intervention with fine usability for dementia patients. This thesis will examine the positive effects of music therapy on the behavioral symptoms, mood management, self-esteem, language skills, cognition, and reminiscence for the individual with dementia based on existing literature and will provide practice recommendations for the clinical use of music therapy and research. A short literature review will focus on the field …

Development And Preclinical Evaluation Of Long-Lasting Cocaine Hydrolases For Cocaine Overdose And Cocaine Use Disorder Treatment, Ting Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cocaine is a plant-based illicit drug commonly involved in substance use disorder. Although cocaine overdose and cocaine use disorders cause adverse health consequences to individuals and the economic burden on their family and society, there are no FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved medications for treatment. Recently, it has been recognized that delivery of cocaine hydrolase (CocH) is a promising therapeutic strategy. Human butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE), the primary enzyme involved in cocaine metabolism in human, have advantages over other candidates for the development of CocH. Previous studies in our laboratory have designed and characterized hBChE mutants that have ~4,000-fold improved catalytic …

אמהות ותינוקות: The Adaptation Of A Prenatal Postpartum Depression Intervention For Orthodox Jewish Women, Samantha L. Klein

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Postpartum depression affects 10-15% of the western population, and even larger numbers in specific cultural groups. Certain factors of Orthodox Jewish culture place Orthodox Jewish women at risk for developing perinatal depression. There are two main schools of psychotherapeutic treatment for perinatal depression: interpersonal therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This study proposal is concerned with the adaptation of the Mothers and Babies Course (MBC), a CBT, for an Orthodox Jewish population. 705 participants will be stratified randomly placed in either the MBC, an Interpersonal Therapy intervention, or on a waitlist. I predict that the MBC will not only be an …

The Effect Of Facebook On Body Dissatisfaction: Ethnicity As A Possible Moderator, Haley E. Brown

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Eating disorders have demonstrated the most extreme rise in prevalence out of all the mental illnesses since 1990 (Lozano et al., 2012). However, research has largely neglected to investigate cross-cultural effects on disordered eating, and thus, findings may only apply to Western samples. Only two known prior studies have investigated effects of social media on disordered eating cross-culturally. This project helps fill a substantial research gap by examining social media effects on body image concerns in a culturally diverse sample of Australian undergraduate women (N= 185). The effect of a ten-minute Facebook exposure on women’s body dissatisfaction and appearance comparison …

Investigating The Relationship Between Sulcogyral Patterns And Structural And Functional Connectivity Metrics In The Orbitofrontal Cortex, Bethany M. Blass

Honors Theses

Located within the frontal lobe, the human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is widely known for its roles in sensory integration, emotion processing, decision-making, and goal-directed behaviors. Atypical structural organization of the OFC may explain atypical social or motivational behaviors displayed by individuals with brain disorders, such as bipolar disorder patients (BP).

The human brain can be imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to reveal interesting aspects of the underlying brain architecture. This brain is composed of different tissue types, including gray and white matter, as well as various morphological features, including sulci & gyri. Within the OFC, the sulci can be …

Development Of The Clark And Becker Scale Of Symptomatology (Cbs): Symptom-Level Item Performance, Michael Clark

All Master's Theses

Depression and anxiety are common, often comorbid, mental disorders. Many researchers have developed efficient self- and clinician-report measures of depression and anxiety. Most of these existing measures of depression and anxiety measures yield overall or specific subscale scores. The Clark and Becker Scale of Symptomatology (CBS) was designed to measure individual symptoms of depression and anxiety. It utilizes a different type of bipolar scaling to aid in accurate symptom endorsement. Unlike other pre-existing measures, the CBS is designed to be interpreted at the symptom level. The CBS was administered to a nationally representative sample (n = 530). Concurrent validity …

New Ways Of Predicting Efficacy Of Antidepressants, Kayla Ternes

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent in our country. According to Cai, Huang, and Hao (2015), MDD is “common and devastating” (p. 61) and has a very complex pathophysiology. Until recently, a definitive etiology had not been found, however, new evidence has suggested that Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive-emotional biomarkers may be a key into the mechanism of this disorder.

My literature review of articles found in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO within the last ten years focused on the hypotheses of the pathophysiology of MDD, cognitive-emotional biomarkers, and BDNF. The …

Into The Wild: Factors Mediating The Positive Outcomes Of Wilderness Based Therapy, Layla Moehring

Scripps Senior Theses

Wildnerness therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment for adolescents. It has been established as an efficacious treatment in previous literature, but the mechanisms as to why have thus far remained a mystery. This research is looking at the connection between wilderness therapy and DBT, another evidence-based treatment. This study will examine 156 adolescents, comparing the efficacy of wilderness therapy to traditional inpatient and intensive outpatient. Pre-treatment assessments of suicidal ideation, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance will be taken. It is expected that there will be main effects for each of the treatments, but that wilderness therapy will be …

The Relationship Between Resilience, Coping, And Social Media, Lillian N. Hurley

Masters Theses

This study was designed to explore relationships between measures of resilience, coping strategies, social media usage, and depression. Resilience refers to one's ability to endure and recover from adversity. Many theories about what contributes to the development resilience have been explored without a clear consensus. Taormina (2015) argued that adult personal resilience is comprised of four dimensions - determination, endurance, adapatability, and recuperability. Coping, a construct related to resilience, is the process of regulating emotions, cognition, behavior, physiological responses, and the environment in response to stressful events. Past research indicated those with poorer mental health have the tendency to use …

Shared Genetic And Environmental Influences On Fear, Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress, And Brain Morphometry, Chelsea Sawyers

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders (ADs) and stress-related disorders are some of the most common psychiatric disorders in the United States. Like other c0mplex psychiatric illness, genetics and neuroimaging research has focused on understanding their underlying neurobiology. Areas within the fear-network play important roles in threat perception, fear conditioning/learning, cognitive processing, and modulation of fear responses including contextual modulation and extinction and have been implicated in ADs as well as stress disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary gap in the current search for underlying biological mechanisms is in whether biomarkers associated with disorders share genetic influences with the disorders they …