Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Improving Early Identification And Management Of Depression Symptomology Through Implementation Of Universal Depression Screening In A University Student Health Center, Jessica M. Monjaras

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals aged 15 to 44 (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2023). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to increase early identification of depression through implementation of universal depression screening, and to implement management strategies to decrease symptoms of depression. A two-tiered approach to universal depression screening was utilized through use of the PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 screening tools. Ten young adult patients, between the ages of 18 to 25, from a university student health center clinic in Northwest Indiana participated in this project. Participants underwent …

Improving Depression Screening Completion Rates For Medicare Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Kenneth J. Haluska

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The United States Preventative Services Task Force recommends screening the general adult population for depression (Siu et al., 2016). Despite increasing clinical practice guidelines recommending depression screening, only 40-50% of depressed older adults are recognized and treated (Phoh et al., 2017). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement a medical assistant (MA) depression screening protocol, using the PHQ-9 and staff education, to improve depression screening completion rates in Medicare patients in a primary care setting. An exhaustive literature search of eight databases yielded 14 pieces of evidence that made recommendations for best practice. The evidence was …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Evaluating Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Phq-9) Use In Burn Survivors, Chelsey Friend

Dissertations

Problem: A burn injury affects both psychological and physical health, resulting in a greater than 50% major depressive disorder morbidity. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project is to evaluate the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in adult burn survivors, with an aim to increase the use of the screening tool.

Methods: A mixed-methods pre/post-survey design with an educational component was utilized to assess nurse knowledge, confidence, willingness, and barriers to completion of the PHQ-9. Aggregate data were collected to determine PHQ-9 completion rates for patients admitted to and discharged from the unit during the two months …

The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health is an ever-growing crisis among adolescents and young adults, with suicide as second leading cause of death and the number of those negatively affected continually on the rise. Transitions are one of the major stressors prevalent among these age groups, placing individuals at risk for mental health deficits. This quantitative voluntary response comparative study assesses the transitional mental health of pre-nursing students and students in the nursing program at East Tennessee State University. Emailed to all with a declared major of pre-nursing or nursing, this study measured mental health using evidenced based assessment tools. The PHQ-9 for depression …

Nutrition On The Prevention And Treatment Of Depression, Gracie Polen

Nursing | Senior Theses

Today, the general population consumes a diet high in sugars, saturated fats, incomplete protein sources, and the tendency to exceed the bodies caloric requirements. The trend of obesity due to poor dietary habits is alarming. Mental illness has increasingly risen over the past decade. Specifically, the incidence of depression has reached a startling rate. The relationship between poor dietary intake and depression have grown together and it is imperative that methods are introduced to aid in resolving this issue. The prevention and treatment of depression needs to be explored through alternative methods. Healthier dietary choices have been shown to have …

Social Media Use And Mental Health: An Educational Intervention To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents, Natalie Catlett

DNP Projects

Background: Most adolescents spend a great deal of their time using various social media platforms. However, excessive and maladaptive social media use is correlated with worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents.

Objective: This project aimed to determine whether an educational intervention could help decrease overall time spent using social media and improve mood and mental health outcomes among adolescents with depression or anxiety disorders.

Methods: This was a quasi-experiment with a pretest and posttest design. An educational intervention about the relationship between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents and strategies to minimize risk …

Putative Mechanisms Underlying The Antidepressant Actions Of Ketamine: A Review And Study Proposal, Tristan Reece

CMC Senior Theses

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly debilitating and common psychiatric disorder that affects over 250 million people globally; it is among the most financially and emotionally burdensome illnesses in the world. Currently approved antidepressants are suboptimal in their efficacy and latency of therapeutic action. In contrast, single administrations of sub-anesthetic ketamine have been shown to rapidly alleviate depressive symptoms within hours, even in treatment-resistant patients. Ketamine is believed to exert these effects by increasing glutamatemediated neurotransmission and promoting rapid neurotrophic factor release, restoring the integrity of neural circuits that are compromised in depression. However, uncertainty surrounding its specific antidepressant …

Depression As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Perceived Injustice And Neuropsychological Performance Validity Among Individuals Previously Diagnosed With A Concussion, Jeremiah Lum

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Concussion is one of the most common conditions seen within rehabilitation and neuropsychology. Given that many concussions are diagnosed following litigation-associated injuries, it is unsurprising that malingered neurocognitive deficit (i.e., deliberate underperformance on cognitive instruments in the interest of secondary gain) has dominated the concussion literature. Although the identification of malingering is essential to ethical assessment, its presence or absence is not the sole determinant of performance validity as a whole. Rather, performance validity is a broad construct involving effort, which refers to examinees’ investment in performing at capacity levels; emerging research suggests this can be affected by psychological factors …

The Effect Of Implementing A Generalized Anxiety Disorder Protocol For Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In The Primary Care Setting, Bailey J. Hinman

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is very prevalent in the United States with 5.7% of citizens affected (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2017). This number is expected to be even higher because individuals avoid care due to stigma of mental illness (Andrews et al., 2018). GAD can have significant implications such as decreased ability to function, decreased quality of life and increased risk of suicide (Fong, 2018; Lizarondo, 2018). The purpose of this project was to improve outcomes for adult patients with GAD in the primary care setting by improving treatment to follow best practice recommendations. The Johns Hopkins Evidence …

Differences In Smoking Behaviors And Readiness To Change For Patients With Copd And Differing Categories Of Depression, Jessica M. Floyd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the world. Depression is a common comorbidity of COPD and affects patient outcomes and smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe factors influencing smoking behaviors and readiness to change in patients with comorbid COPD and depression.

Aims: The research question that guided this study was, “What are the relationships among smoking, COPD, and depression?” The following aims stemmed from the research question: to describe the characteristics of a convenience sample of people living with COPD and differing categories of depression who …

Effect Of A Self-Care And Self-Awareness Education Program On Resilience To Burnout And Depression In Clinically Experienced Nursing Students, Andrew Taylor

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose was to examine the effect of a self-care educational intervention on nursing student resilience and thus the potential for compassion fatigue, depersonalization, burnout, depression, and inadequate self-care. A one-group pretest-posttest research design was applied to a convenience sample of 104 nursing students near the end of their last semester in a baccalaureate nursing program. The measurements were demographics, a psychometric resilience scale, program evaluation, and reflection question. The intervention was a standardized, intensive 30 min training program on the high degree of stress and burnout nurses face and the core self-care methods that can promote resilience to these …

Scope Of Attention Variation As A Function Of Anxiety And Depression, Kathleen O'Donnell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As a social species, correct emotional perception is so vital, that the human brain has evolved a mechanism to control attentional choices by exerting a narrowed field of perception during danger, called the scope of attention (SoA). The SoA determines what information will be focused on or ignored by blocking the perception of non-relevant items and increasing selective focus on danger; even if danger is merely a sad-face. The emotional items blocked from perception cannot be remembered because they were never perceived. But, attention-control to emotional stimuli also varies with mood, as seen in mood-disorders. A mood-disorder’s effect upon the …

Mental Health Screening For Low Income Adolescents: An Evidence-Based Project, Allison Bryden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

TITLE: Mental Health Screening For Low-Income Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Nearly 80% of adolescents in the United States will suffer from a mental illness and not receive evaluation or services. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have an increased risk of mental health disorders which permeate into adulthood, leading to additional negative sequel and lower quality of life. Among adolescent mental health conditions, depression and anxiety are the most common. Literature has suggested provider intuition alone has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting mental illness and that screening tools are indicated.

PURPOSE: The aim of this project is to implement standardized routine …

Rhythm And Safety Of Social Engagement: Polyvagal Theory Informed Dance/Movement Therapy, Suzanne Weare

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The polyvagal theory has exerted great influence on the field of clinical therapy since the 1990s by proposing an understanding of the psychological expression seen in clients as a reflection of their physiological state of safety or threat of danger. When affect and psychological states are viewed through the lens of the autonomic nervous system directed by neuroception through bidirectional vagal nerve information, therapeutic presence and somatic therapy practices, such as those utilized in the field of dance/movement therapy, become more conceivable as best practices to treat a variety of psychological conditions to include trauma recovery, autism spectrum disorders, and …

An Exploratory Study Of How Millennials Approach And Communicate Mental Health In The Workplace, Johanna I. Seitenbach

Student Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people. As more millennials take on leadership positions, it is important to understand how companies are currently addressing mental health in the workplace and compare this to how millennials approach the subject. The quantitative analysis completed through this study helped to determine what a mentally healthy workplace looks and feels like for millennials. Companies are increasingly investing in mental health initiatives for several reasons: to increase brand recognition, to improve company culture, to mitigate potential lawsuits, and to increase employee engagement and retention. This survey assessed how …

Comorbidity Profile Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients With And Without Depression, Michaela Frenzel

Capstone Experience

This population-based retrospective study used SEER-Medicare data from 2002-2010 to assess depression, comorbidity, and substance use in the elderly head and neck cancer population. Out of 3,533 head and neck cancer patients, 10.6% had depression diagnoses two years prior to cancer diagnosis, 8.9% were newly diagnosed with depression within one year after cancer diagnosis, and 44.5% of those with preexisting depression had an additional depression diagnosis within one year following cancer diagnosis. Comorbid conditions (p<0.0001) and substance use (p=0.0017) showed associations with depression prior to cancer diagnosis yet, no significant associations with incidence of depression in this head and neck cancer population. This study affirms the need for continual depression screenings in head and neck cancer patients and suggests the need for increased research into the burden of comorbid conditions and substance use within the head and neck cancer population.

Anxiety Is Something To Worry About: The Effects Of A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Intervention Protocol On Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Alesha E. Mcclanahan

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is highly prevalent in the United States with at least 12% of the population affected (Edmund & Sheppard, 2018). GAD can pose significant distress and debilitation throughout the lifespan (Bystritsky, Khalsa, Cameron, & Schiffman, 2013; Edmund & Sheppard, 2018). Barriers to treatment include adverse effects, inaccessibility, and expense. The purpose of this project was to implement an evidence-based protocol involving combination therapy with self-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication in order to improve patient outcomes through more accessible, affordable, and standardized treatment of GAD. The Neuman Systems Model and Stetler …

Effects Of Therapeutic Music On Improving Depressive Symptoms Among Long-Term Care Facility Residents, Yi Jin

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Depression is a common mental disorder that can contribute to both physical and psychological suffering (Skinner, 2014). The prevalence rate of depression is especially high among long-term care facility residents (CounsultGeri, 2018; Lolk & Andersen, 2015). The purpose of this EBP project was to establish a protocol incorporating therapeutic music as an adjunct therapy for managing depressive symptoms among residents of a long-term care facility in the Midwest. Roy adaptation model (Roy, 2009) was utilized as the theoretical framework, and the model for evidence-based practice change (Rosswurm & Larrabee, 2009) guided the project implementation. A total of 13 subjects were …

Probiotic Administration As An Adjuvant Therapeutic Treatment For Anxiety, Depression, And Cognitive Impairment Among Hypothyroid Patients, Erin R. Gorman

Selected Honors Theses

Hypothyroidism is a form of thyroid dysfunction that occurs when the thyroid gland does not make and secrete enough thyroid hormones to regulate certain processes in the body. Because thyroid hormones take part in many bodily functions, hypothyroidism can cause a large range of symptoms. Current research indicates that some strains of probiotics have beneficial effects on certain neurological and inflammatory diseases, leading to the impression that they can be used therapeutically for effective treatment of different mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, and impaired memory. Because hypothyroidism often leads to such mental symptoms, it may be possible …

Music As A Catalyst For Altered States Of Consciousness And Peak Experiences In The Treatment Of Depression, Anxiety, And Ptsd, Paul Battles

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract This paper investigates the therapeutic uses of altered states of consciousness (ASC) and peak experiences (PE) for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the ways in which music can be used to facilitate or enhance these experiences. ASC’s and PE’s can help uncover hidden or repressed unconscious material and potentially change the way an individual views and interacts with his or her world. In cases of people suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), these emotional, cognitive, and perceptual changes have been shown to have sometimes profound and long- lasting therapeutic effects, …

The Impact Of Depressive Symptoms On Cognitive Decline And Risk For Dementia, Katheryn Conde

Doctoral Dissertations

As of 2011, the life expectancy for Latinos in the U.S. was 81.6 years, which is higher compared to non-Hispanic Blacks (75.3 years), non-Hispanic Whites (79 years), and Hispanic Black populations (74.9 years; Arias, 2011; Arias, 2015). Latinos have higher age specific prevalence of dementia, which is higher than African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites (Gurland et al.,1999). Latinos experience Alzheimers disease symptoms 6.8 years earlier, with the average onset of 67.6 years which is younger than non-Hispanic Whites (73.1 years; Clark et al., 2005). Furthermore, older Latinos tend to experience depression at a rate of 13% and 35% with the …

Prevention Of Post Intensive Care Syndrome-Family With Sensation Awareness Focused Training Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Study, Paula L. Cairns

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Post Intensive Care Syndrome-Family (PICS-F) refers to acute and chronic psychological effects of critical illness on family members of patients in intensive care units (ICU). Evidence about the increase and persistence of PICS-F warrants the need for prevention interventions. This study evaluated the feasibility of providing Sensation Awareness Focused Training (SĀF-T) during the ICU stay for spouses of mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: A randomized controlled trial of SĀF-T versus a control group was conducted (n=10) to assess safety, acceptability, feasibility, and effect size of the intervention on PICS-F symptoms. Symptoms assessed as outcome measures included stress, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress …

The Effect Of Routine Adult Phq-2 Depression Screen And Scheduled Follow-Up Protocol In The Primary Care Setting, Alex F. Bikowski

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Healthy People has projected depression to be the primary cause of disability by 2020; therefore routine depression screening has been prioritized as a national healthcare initiative. The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project is to demonstrate that routine implementation of the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) depression screener, along with a scheduled follow-up protocol for adults in the primary care setting, can improve current mental health practices regarding the identification of depression by clinicians. The evidence supports use of the PHQ-2 for routine adult depression screening, as long as a scheduled follow-up protocol is available for positive screens. This …

Physical Activity Improves Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults, Karen Lee Fahey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engaging in physical activity can help older adults to take part in community activities, maintain relationships, and initiate new friendships, thus preventing loneliness and depression. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate whether participation in physical activity improved depressive symptoms in 15 older adults at a local senior center. Pender’s health promotion model was used to determine nursing and behavioral science views on components that affect health behavior. The Exercise Benefit/Barrier Scale (EBBS) survey was evaluated before implementation of the walking program to measure the benefits of and barriers to exercise. The EBBS results showed that …

Burden, Depressive Symptoms, And Perceived Health In Male Caregivers Of Persons With End Stage Renal Disease, Loretta Alexia Williams

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Men are increasingly assuming the role of caregiver to individuals with chronic illnesses. The debilitating effects of ESRD cause many of those diagnosed with the disease to require assistance from family caregivers. Caregiver literature well reports that caregivers experience mental and physical health effects related to this role. However, research involving the experiences of male caregivers of individuals with ESRD is understudied. These studies use the background and contextual as well as primary and secondary domains of the Stress Process Model to determine the levels of and explore the experiences associated with caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and perceived health …

Chronic Behavioral And Cognitive Deficits In A Rat Survival Model Of Organophosphate Toxicity, Beverly Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphates (OPs) are a major class of pesticides and nerve agents that elicit acute toxicity by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme responsible for the degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Acetylcholine accumulation following extensive AChE inhibition leads to an acute cholinergic syndrome characterized by autonomic dysfunction, involuntary movements, muscle fasciculations, respiratory distress, and seizures. Despite their classification as moderate to highly toxic, OP pesticides are the most widely used class of insecticides in the U.S., and are even more commonly used worldwide. Additionally, there is a growing concern that OP nerve agents could be …

Impact Of Caregiving Role In The Quality Of Life Of Family Caregivers For Persons With Alzheimer's Disease, Supriya Sarkar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study investigated quality of life of family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Caregiving is a strenuous and challenging job. Family caregivers experience poor quality of life after they take the role of caregiving which might be related to depression. Purpose of this study was to find if caregiving duration and depression has any role in affecting family caregivers' emotional, physical, and general health.

Data for this study were collected through electronic and mailed survey methods. The questionnaires completed by subjects: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS-36) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Descriptive statistics …

Physical Activity Helping To Reduce Depression, Ellen Margaret Bier

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Traumatic Brain Injury: The Relationship Of Psychosocial Variables And Location Of Injury To Post-Injury Depression, Alicia L. Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affects nearly 1.4 million people in the United States annually, and of these, 10% to 77% will experience post-injury depression. Psychosocial variables such as previous substance and alcohol abuse, prior mental illness, low educational attainment, and poverty have been identified as possible risk factors. Additionally, the location of injury appears to play a key role particularly if the injury occurs in the left hemisphere. This study examined archival data from brain-injured patients in an effort to better understand the factors related to post-TBI depression. Past medical records of brain-injured adults (N = 52) were reviewed …