Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Your Mind Matters: Promoting The Wellbeing Of The Parent-Child Dyad Through Family Education, Mckayla A. Becker

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The bond between a parent and child can be impacted by a parent’s mental wellbeing. Disruptions in their ability to parent, trauma, or exacerbation of mental health symptoms can lead to negative parenting styles (Mak et al., 2020). Previous literature suggests resilience building and supportive education has been effective in promoting parent-child wellbeing (Sell et al., 2021). The purpose of this capstone experience is to promote parent-child wellbeing through family education. The student implemented a six-week course titled “Your Mind Matters” and created parent educational handouts to support parent-child wellbeing. The project used two standardized assessments the Parental Sense of …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Meeting Mental Health Needs Of College Students In The South Dakota Regental University System, Molly J. Graesser

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

College students with mental health concerns and disabilities are at risk for poorer academic outcomes. Utilization of student support services (TRIO, disability services, and student counseling services) can mitigate these issues. However, utilization patterns and the service delivery process are not well understood in the South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) system. This study aimed to investigate 1. The extent to which students utilize mental health and disability services in the South Dakota Board of Regent (SDBOR) University system. 2. How service providers deliver those services to students. Utilizing a cross sectional survey and grounded theory design, researchers found that …

The Economic, Mental Health, And Social Stressors During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans In South Dakota, Savannah E. Lukkes

Honors Thesis

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities test positive for COVID-19 and experience higher mortality than other racial and ethnic groups. These high rates of vulnerability could be connected to the systemic inequalities that have been experienced for centuries. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic stressors, concerns, and mental health experiences during the early COVID-19 pandemic between AI/AN and non-AIAN populations in South Dakota. The study sample (n=1,586) was grouped by AI/AN and non-AI/AN status based on self-identification of being AI/AN alone or in combination with another race/ethnicity. Participant responses to socioeconomic stressors and concerns (e.g., top concerns, level of concern, self-isolation, …

Effective Mental Health Accommodations For Occupational Therapy Students And Practitioners, Allison Jo Naber

Dissertations and Theses

The process of transitioning from high school to higher education and from academic programs outside of the health sciences to the workplace is documented; however, the transitional experiences of those in the health professions and occupational therapy specifically are less understood. This dissertation research aimed to identify the formal accommodations and informal adaptations occupational therapy students and entry-level practitioners have employed to address their mental health needs as they transition from the classroom to fieldwork or capstone and entry-level practice. The link between empirical literature, theories surrounding transitions, and the Occupational Adaptation Model provided the foundation for this research. This …

History Of The South Dakota Human Services Center 1879-2019: Trials, Trends, And Tragedies To Transformation, Kate L. Katterhagen

Honors Thesis

The history of the South Dakota Human Services Center (HSC), located in Yankton, SD, spans 140 years, from the Dakota Territory days beginning in 1879 to the present. The trials, trends, and tragedies promoting transformation of the state psychiatric hospital are the focus of this thesis, with an emphasis on significant events that shaped the facility. This research examines the challenges and changes in public administration, treatment methods, and psychiatric medical practices. My research was accomplished through identification, retrieval, and review of archived materials, reports, published newspaper articles, and personal accounts. Societal, political, legal, medical, and historical perspectives frame my …

The Effects Of Exercise On Mental Health, Xavier A. Pinex

Honors Thesis

Exercise is an extremely important aspect towards positive mental health. Multiple studies have been done previously that show one benefit or another that exercise has towards mental health, but previously there had been no attempt to summarize the findings of these studies. The benefits that exercise has to an individual’s mental health are numerous, but despite this exercise is an underutilized tool in the quest for better mental health. There are many variables that affect the benefits of exercise to an individual’s mental health and it is important to understand all these variables to understand how to properly exercise to …

The Effect Of Exercise On College Students' Overall Health, Tanner Steineke

Honors Thesis

Introduction: Many individuals are not attaining the World Health Organization and American Heart Association’s recommendations for daily physical activity. Physical activity habits are developed during young adulthood and it is therefore important to study barriers to physical activity in college students.

Objectives: Investigate the relationship between college student’s physical activity and their overall health. Methods: Data was collected by circulating an online survey to students on the University of South Dakota campus. Several survey questions were used from the SF-36 and the National College Health Assessment. Measures included mental health, physical activity, overall health, diet, and sleep habits.

Results: Results …