Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Private And Federated Deep Learning: System, Theory, And Applications For Social Good, Han Hu

Dissertations

During the past decade, drug abuse continues to accelerate towards becoming the most severe public health problem in the United States. The ability to detect drug­abuse risk behavior at a population scale, such as among the population of Twitter users, can help to monitor the trend of drug­abuse incidents. However, traditional methods do not effectively detect drug­abuse risk behavior in tweets, mainly due to the sparsity of such tweets and the noisy nature of tweets. In the first part of this dissertation work, the task of classifying tweets as containing drug­abuse risk behavior or not, is studied. Millions of public …

Acknowledgment Of Culture And Stereotypes: Black Participants’ Perceptions Of Specific Therapist Behaviors, Tsotso T. Ablorh

Graduate Masters Theses

Mental health disparities for Black people of diverse ethnicities compared to people of other racial identities has been well-documented (Alegría et al., 2008; Maura & Weisman de Mamani, 2017). Research addressing this pervasive systemic and interpersonal problem often focuses on client-related factors that create or intensify barriers to care. However clinician-related factors (i.e., racial identity, multicultural training, implicit biases, behavior, etc.) also have a significant impact on barriers to care, retention in therapy, and clinical outcomes for people of African descent (Larrison & Schoppelrey, 2011; Owen, Imel, Adelson, & Rodolfa, 2012). Researchers suggest that the favoring of historically white perspectives, …

Giving Birth At A Critical Time: Assessing Perinatal Depression Among Syrian Refugees In Low Resource Settings, Nada Alnaji

Theses & Dissertations

Refugee mothers are at an increased risk of suffering from stress and mental health conditions during the first year after giving birth to a child. The objective of this study is to enhance the early identification of treatable mental health conditions among perinatal women living within humanitarian settings. The central hypothesis is that a culturally specific approach can be helpful for the long-term success of mental health efforts. In this study, we use qualitative interview methods to understand the cultural paradigms and predisposing factors for perinatal depression related to being a Syrian refugee in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. In …

The Influence Of Comorbid Gad On Er Utilization In Urban Youth With Asthma, David A. Karpe

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature indicates a strong association between asthma and the early onset of comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in minors and their primary caregivers. Studies show that asthma prevalence increases with certain demographic factors, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and housing quality. Evidence also suggests that GAD influences decision-making, especially when deciding to utilize emergency room (ER) services for asthma-related concerns. This study analyzed the effect of comorbid GAD on minors with asthma and ER utilization. The data were provided by an earlier Stress & Justice Study (S&J) baseline survey, an investigation aimed at understanding the impact of parental criminal …

Antipsychotic Medication Administration In Oregon Assisted Living/Residential Care Settings: Analyzing An Action Situation, Sarah Dys

Dissertations and Theses

Antipsychotic medication use (APU) in assisted living and residential care (AL/RC) settings is an under-studied and controversial health policy issue. APU in older adults with dementia is associated with an increased risk of falls, hospitalizations, and early mortality. I operationalize the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework using a situational analysis approach, an extension of grounded theory methods, to explore the APU in Oregon AL/RC settings. Regulatory deficiency citations, Oregon AL/RC population data, and semi-structured interviews suggest that staff role clarity, organizational characteristics, and perceived agency influence decision-making around APU. AL/RC providers and caregivers are forced to simultaneously balance and prioritize …

The Potential Of Mental Health Policy Implementation: Methods And Applications, Meagan Renee Pilar

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness affects roughly 20% of the world in some capacity and can be debilitating. Though a large emphasis has historically been placed on individual-level interventions (e.g., therapy or medication), mental health policies present an opportunity to intervene on a large scale, with the potential to enhance impact and equity. This dissertation contributes to the mental health policy research literature in three main ways—(1) exploring factors affecting policymakers’ overall support of mental health policies; (2) assessing the use and quality of quantitative and qualitative methods within this field; and (3) exploring implementation determinants and outcomes, as well as strategies used …

Therapeutic Potential Of Psychedelic Drugs, Specifically Magic Mushrooms, Marijuana, And Mdma With Veterans Who Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Misty Schutterle

Counselor Education Capstones

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a stress-based condition that a person develops after being exposed to an overwhelmingly traumatic event. Military troops frequently experience stress and trauma, making them highly susceptible to psychopathology. This paper evaluates nine clinical trials that used either magic mushrooms, marijuana, or MDMA as an adjunct to traditional psychotherapy to treat veterans who suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidality, and other psychopathologies. Multiple scholarly journals and articles were read and analyzed, which show support for the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in treating veterans with PTSD. After receiving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, the research showed participants experienced a …

Peer-Led Building Resilience And Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills Program, Danielle K. Enrico

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Capstone experience was to develop and implement a five-week peer-led building resilience and social-emotional skills training program at a public high school. This program addressed high school students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding resources, social-emotional skills, and resilience. A questionnaire was administered pre and post-program to measure effectiveness. The results indicated an increase in scores, demonstrating a clearer understanding in all three areas.

How Long-Term, Non-Monogamous Romantic Relationships Maintain Sexual Satisfaction, Anna Kessler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Eroticism is an important element of couple's relationships. Sexual intimacy has the power to bring couples closer together, as higher levels of sexual intimacy results in higher relationship satisfaction, or hinder relationships if either or both partners aren’t sexually satisfied in their relationship. The current study’s purpose is to understand how long-term, non-monogamous relationships have successfully maintained “eroticism” throughout the course of their relationship. In this study, 24 couples who are in a committed, romantic relationship of at least 7 years were interviewed. The interviews were conducted individually over a video call platform, and each was completed withing approximately 60 …

Exploring Treatment Targets To Mitigate Fear Of Falling Activity Avoidance Behavior In Parkinson's Disease And Older Adults, John Vincent Rider

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fear of falling (FOF) is a significant concern among individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and older adults in general. This FOF can lead to avoidance behavior resulting in activity restriction. Some level of fear of falling avoidance behavior (FFAB) may be protective (adaptive) and decrease the likelihood of falls, especially among individuals with physical limitations and high fall risk. However, excessive (maladaptive) avoidance behavior may lead to downstream consequences such as further physical and psychological decline and an increased likelihood of falls, especially when there is a disparity between the FFAB and physiological fall risk. While poor physical functioning, disease …

Exploring The Contextual Factors And Decision-Making Process Of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Homeless Adults In Louisville, Kentucky., Sarah C. Van Heiden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is a complex public health issue; individuals who experience homelessness are said to engage in risky sexual behaviors at an increased rate and experience a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI). While the sexual behaviors of homeless adolescents are commonly studied, little is known about the sexual behaviors of the growing population of older adults, or how they make decisions to engage in sex. Three aims guided this research: 1) to describe the sexual behaviors and sexual decision-making process of homeless older adults, 2) to examine how homeless older adults evaluate the outcomes associated with engaging in risky …

Covid-19 Masks In Terms Of Functional, Expressive, And Aesthetic Consumer Needs, Lily Highley

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess consumers' perspectives of COVID-19 masks under the functional, expressive, and aesthetic areas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have become an “accessory” to everyday life, and it was essential to research masks under these unique areas and explore consumer perceptions.

This study took place after background research on the topic and the FEA model. The study included a survey sent to Bumpers College students upon approval from the IRB. The data was analyzed and interpreted specifically in the FEA areas and can be useful to better understand the students at the University …

Development And Validation Of A Basic Ground Skills Assessment For Equine-Assisted Services, Sarah J. Andersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The equine-assisted services program at Utah State University produced and validated an assessment process used to test equines for suitability for equine-assisted services. Equine-assisted services incorporate the interaction of humans who face mental, physical, emotional, and/or social challenges and equines for therapeutic purposes. Recreational, physical, mental, social, and/or emotional goals are met through various equine-assisted services such as therapies, equine-assisted learning, and horsemanship.

Due to the potential for human injury while interacting with equines, it is important to ensure equines are assessed for safe behavior prior to participation in equine-assisted services. This is why our group developed and tested the …

The Impact Of Corporal Punishment For Timorese High School Graduates, Veronica Godinho Pereira

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the impacts of corporal punishment for Timorese high school graduates. Physical punishment is a pervasive method of disciplining students and children used in Timor-Leste because it has been such a tradition (UNICEF 2017). Few researchers have attempted to analyze the negative impacts of corporal punishment and possible gender differences; there is no known research on the impacts of corporal punishment in Timor-Leste. This study uses an in-depth interview method, where data were collected from 26 Timorese high school graduates composed of both men and women from both private and public schools in Timor-Leste. The ages of the …

Effects Of Abstinence-Based Sexual Education Compared To Evidence-Based Sexual Education In K-12 Schools, Lily Probst

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Historically, sexual education in the United States has been abstinence-based (ABSE), meaning that sexual education is centered around encouraging adolescents to abstain from sexual activity outside of wedlock. On the other hand, evidence-based sexual education (EBSE) includes abstinence in its curriculum but does not emphasize it, instead highlighting contraception and prevention strategies. Additionally, EBSE teaches adolescents about healthy relationships, attitudes towards sexuality, gender roles, and provides resources for sexual and reproductive health services. Supplying adolescents in K-12 schools with access to evidence-based sexual education may not only decrease teen pregnancy rates and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but …

Appreciation Day For Clinical Staff At Vna Hospice, Melody Nguyen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

VNA Hospice of the Central Coast is a nonprofit that was created back in 1951. The staff at VNA are visiting about 75,000 homes per year. Throughout the years the staff have been seeing patients who reached the requirement of having 6 months or less to live. Working with Hospice patients can be hard for everyone but, the staff at VNA are seeing the patients from good days and bad days. Depression is known to negatively impact the clinical staff at VNA Hospice. Staff are working long hours which leads to sleep disturbance and chronic stress. Some staff are also …

Sleeping With The Enemy: Examining The Relationship Between Sleep And Pain In Post-9/11 Veterans, John L. Schwartz Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

United States veterans are a diverse group of individuals, yet as a result of their service, they share a unique set of customs, traditions, and values. Post-9/11 veterans are more likely to experience elevated levels of pain and poor sleep quality compared to their civilian counterparts; however, little is known about how beliefs related to veterans’ pain impact their sleep and how levels of pain acceptance influence the sleep-pain association. This study examined relationships between sleep and pain in a sample of 102 post-9/11 veterans. Results support associations between pain and sleep identified in other populations. Positive correlations were found …

The Impact Of A Crisis Intervention Team Program On Psychiatric Boarding, Kurtis Hooks

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Psychiatric boarding is the phenomenon of housing individuals in emergency departments while awaiting access to mental health services in the community. The expansion of psychiatric boarding is attributed to continued deinstitutionalization and under-resourcing of mental health services. Psychiatric boarding is also associated with deleterious outcomes for individuals in need of access to behavioral health services, facilities. There is limited research on programmatic efforts to reduce psychiatric boarding as it pertains to Crisis Intervention Team programs colocated in medical settings. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are community-based, multi-stakeholder partnerships that include dedicated assessment centers crisis response and referral. This study utilized …

The Effects Of Depression, Anxiety, And Stress On College Students: Examining The Role Of Mental Health Self-Efficacy On Willingness To Engage In Mental Health Services, Leeanna L. Golembiewski

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Relative to younger ages, mental health problems are more prevalent among college students (Pedrelli et al., 2015) and nearly 20% of U.S college students are diagnosed each year with a mental health problem (Blanco et al., 2008). College students’ self-efficacy may influence mental health outcomes by impacting an individual’s decision to change their behavior and execute a course of action (Bresó et al., 2011). Mental health may also be influenced by the degree of willingness that an individual possesses, such that those who are more willing to seek mental health treatment are also more likely to follow through and seek …

Intersectionality, Relational Positionality, And The Lived Experiences Of Inequality: Contextualizing Intergenerational Opioid Use And The Constrained Choices Of Indigenous, Latina, And White Women Caregivers In Rural New Mexico, Carmela M. Roybal

Sociology ETDs

Opioid addiction is a serious and persistent global health issue. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that between 1999 and 2016, more than 630,000 people in the United States died of an overdose of a prescription opioid or illicit drug (CDC 2018). Extant research has suggested that for nearly a century, New Mexico has experienced some of the highest rates of prescription and illicit opioid death in the nation (Goldstein and Herrera, 1995; Landon, 2003; Shah et al., 2008). I examined intergenerational opioid dependence through the lived experience of women caregivers of opioid-addicted family members. Data …

The Alexander House Apostolate Marital Relationship Education Results: A Quantitative Study, Angel Estrada

Dissertations

According to existing literature, 27 components contribute to the concept of couple’s relationship satisfaction. Some of these components are included in non-religious and religious marital relationship education (MRE) programs. Research on nonreligious MREs spans decades; however, research on Catholic MRE programs is limited and not widely published. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of one Catholic, faith-based, couples’ MRE on impacting relationship satisfaction, and determine if specific religious and behavioral practices contributed to relationship satisfaction. The study was conducted with archival data collected from a population of mostly Catholic Latino and White couples in south central …

How Domestic Violence Counselors With Personal Histories Of Trauma Experience Their Clients Who Were Victims Of Domestic Violence: A Heuristic Study, Janis Edralin

Dissertations

The heuristic inquiry-based phenomenological approach values focusing on a question or problem that has been a personal challenge in one’s quest to understand oneself and the phenomenon. Previous research has shown that counselors with a personal history of trauma who provide services to victims with a similar history report a range of negative consequences. The researcher utilized a heuristic research design to answer the following question: How do domestic violence counselors who have personal histories of trauma experience their clients who were victims of domestic violence? The methodology involved interviewing eight counselors, from whom four themes were identified: awareness of …

Troubling Service User Involvement In Health Professional Education: Toward Epistemic Justice, Stephanie Leblanc-Omstead

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It has become increasingly popular in health professional education to solicit the contributions and involvement of people who have firsthand or ‘lived’ experiences of using mental health services – a practice hereafter referred to as service user involvement (SUI). SUI is founded on the premise that service users ought to be involved in the development and evaluation of services and systems they experience, which includes the education of future health professionals. Despite the momentum this practice has gained in a range of international contexts, SUI is often conceptualized, organized, and implemented uncritically, and with tremendous inconsistency across health professional education …

Exploring The Role(S) Of Trait Emotional Intelligence & Personality In Help-Seeking Behaviour Among Undergraduate Students, Nikola Cuvalo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five personality factors represent promising constructs in the individual differences literature that have been investigated in relation to help-seeking behaviour. This quantitative work explores the relationship between individual differences in trait EI, personality, and attitudes toward – as well as future intentions to engage in – help-seeking behaviour among undergraduate students at Western University. Stepwise regression modelling was used to determine which dimensions of personality and trait EI best predicted help-seeking outcomes and whether attitudes toward help-seeking predicted intentions to seek help from university-provided mental health sources. Resultsindicated that several individual facets of …

An Epidemic Amidst A Pandemic: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Supervised Consumption Sites, Vanisa Ezukuse

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study's primary purpose is to critically appraise current federal and provincial policies regarding supervised consumption sites (SCS), noting intended and unintended consequences; and how these policies could impact SCS users. This study's secondary goal is to compare current policies related to SCS in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec to provide critical insight and suggestions for ongoing policy development. Carol Bacchi’s (2009) “What is the Problem Represented to Be?” framework was applied to the Canadian policy document with a focus on SCS. Four themes are proposed: Public Health versus Criminality, Presumptions versus Assumptions, Policy Unaccountability, and Policy Duality. It …

Impact Of Counselor Wellness On Positive And Negative Consequences Of Covid-19 Shared Trauma, Monique Rahman

Dissertations

This study sought to explore how the shared trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Texan counselors both positively and negatively, as well as the mediating or moderating effect of counselor wellness. Negative consequences of stress such as secondary traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue were explored, but also positive consequences such as compassion satisfaction and post-traumatic growth. Measures such as the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWEL), the Shared traumatic and Professional Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (STPPGI), and the Professional Quality of Life Measure (ProQOL) will be utilized in addition to demographic questions and COVID-19 stress related questions mirroring Park et …

Telework Intensity, Work-Family Conflict, And Work-Family Balance, During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Timir Jayesh Bharucha

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased popularity, application, and utilization of telework. To vastly reduce the spread of COVID-19, governmental agencies worldwide have implemented lockdowns and emphasized businesses and corporations should implement telework wherever possible (Anderson & Kelliher, 2020; Belzunegui- Eraso & Erro-Garces, 2020; Buomprisco et al., 2021; Chong et al., 2020; Contreras et al., 2020; Mouratidis & Papagiannakis, 2021; Nguyen, 2021; Oz & Crooks, 2020; Raišienė et al., 2020; Tavares et al., 2020). States of emergency can disturb employees’ workflow and lead to financial difficulties; thus, telework presents an option to reduce that disruption. In such unprecedented times, …

The Use Of Digital Mediums In Expressive Arts Therapy, Katherine Mcadams

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In recent years, there have been considerable advances in technology, which have made digital devices such as computers and cellphones cheaper and more accessible for most Americans. The Pew Research Center (2019) reports that 96% of adult American’s own a cellphone, with 81% owning a smartphone. Usage rates for cellphones and other digital devices amongst children and adolescents are also high with 95% of teens, aged 13-17, report owning a smartphone (Jiang, 2018). Despite these staggering statistics the field of psychology and creative therapies have been slower to adopt and incorporate the use of digital media and technology into the …

Racial And Socioeconomic Disparities Influencing Obesity Amongst Middle-Aged Women, Morgan Woods

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Many studies have examined the effects of racial and socioeconomic differences on health-related disparities involving obesity but, few have examined the mental and physical well-being intersection. Obesity is a disease that affects many Americans and has become an epidemic affecting the American population. Obesity, especially morbid obesity, is a risk factor for many other obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and more. Using the 2018 Healthcare Avoidance Study, differences were found between two racial groups, Caucasian and African-American women. Race was found as a significant factor for both level of physical activity and ideal body image perception

Mindfulness-Based Intervention And Relapse Rates In Adults With A History Of Substance Use Disorder, Tamieko Ross-Anyaso

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Substance abuse disorder (SUD) has become an increasingly prevalent community health problem worldwide, affecting individuals in all geographical regions regardless of age, race, sex, and socioeconomic status, despite decades of efforts to find a solution (Bowen et al., 2014). A lack of treatment engagement and substance‐misuse crisis calls attention to the effectiveness of relapse‐sensitive care and treatments.

PICOT: The question addressed in this evidence-based project was “ In adults over 18 years of age with substance use disorder (P), how does the effect of mindfulness-based treatment (I), compared with no mindfulness-based treatment (C), reduce the risk of relapse …