Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention For Emergency Department Patients Pending Psychiatric Hospitalization, Colten Wayne Larsen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Emergency departments (EDs) are often the first access point to services for suicidal patients (Miller et al., 2017) and assessment of risk. Suicide has become the second-most common cause of death for Americans, yet those at the most risk often have limited access to appropriate care. In addition, suicidal patients spend more time in the ED than those with other presenting problems. Compounding the problem is these patients who have the longest length of stay are medically stabilized but don’t receive treatment interventions related to their presenting problem. Together, these findings indicate a need for accessible intervention in the ED. …

A Review Of Mixed Methods Community-Based Participatory Research Applications In Mental Health, David E. Jones, Robin Lindquist-Grantz, Melissa Dejonckheere

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The aim of the paper was to methodologically review the intersection of mixed methods research (MMR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) in the field of mental health research. We classify this intersecting approach as MMCBPR. The methodological review of empirical literature was conducted between October 2017 and March 2020 of full-text articles in Scopus, Pubmed, ProQuest Central, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost search engine databases in the English language. Twenty-nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. We found some evidence of MMCBPR but it was limited by factors such as a lack of explicit rationales …

The Role Of Faculty In Fostering Psychosocial Wellbeing Among University Students, Kelley Wick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The transition to college represents a major life event, and successfully navigating this shift has implications for students’ psychosocial wellbeing. While there is ample support for the idea that social relationships can facilitate student wellbeing during the transition to college, there is limited understanding of the unique role faculty may play in supporting students. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing and self-efficacy, independent of peer support and student level of stress. Additionally, the primary questions were to examine whether self-efficacy mediated the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing, and …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Adverse Childhood Experiences And Health Outcomes In Adulthood, Sallie Mack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to many negative physical and mental health disorders in adulthood. Many individuals in the United States have ACEs, and rates are higher among people of color. Less is known about how to prevent these physical and mental health disorders and symptoms for individuals with ACEs. Five different factors may help in intervening on the negative effects of ACEs. These include: mental wellness, healthy relationships, physical activity, sleep and nutrition (Burke Harris, 2018). This study investigated how these factors influence health in adulthood for individuals with ACEs. The current researcher used data from the …

The Day-To-Day Impact Of Nighttime Noise Disturbances On College Students’ Psychological Functioning, Jack Peltz

Articles & Book Chapters

Objective: To understand environmental predictors (i.e., nighttime noise disturbance) of sleep health (i.e., restedness) in residential college students and its potential mental health consequences, this study examined daily variation in restedness upon awakening as a potential mediator between nightly environmental noise disturbances and daily fluctuations in depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Participants: The sample was comprised of 283 college students (M age = 19.9, SD  = 1.9; 79% female).

Methods: Multilevel structural equation modeling was conducted based on an initial self-report, online questionnaire and an online 7-day daily sleep (morning) and mood (evening) diary.

Results: Daily fluctuations in college students' reports …

Historical Trauma Response Scores As A Function Of Unresolved Grief And Substance Use Disorder In American Indian Populations, Andrew R. Saunders

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Abstract

Researchers are interested in the outcomes of interventions, specifically, measuring historical trauma (HT) among American Indian/Alaska Native communities and the long-term distress and substance abuse as a result of historical trauma response (HTR). Previous literature has implicated limitations in the clinical conceptualization of the relationship between intergenerational transfer of HTR and substance abuse. The aim of the current study is to examine treatment efficacy of 50 homosexual, American Indian males randomized to a culturally-adapted juxtaposition of (1) Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), (2) Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and (3) Historical Trauma and Unresolved Grief Intervention (HTUG), or (4) waitlisted on …

Mental Health Literacy In A Diverse Sample Of Undergraduate Students: Demographic, Psychological, And Academic Correlates, Rona Miles, Laura Rabin, Anjali Krishnan, Evan Grandoit, Kamil Kloskowski

Publications and Research

Background: Investigating variables associated with mental health literacy in the college-age population takes us one step closer to providing intervention for this vulnerable group, where growing rates of psychological disorders are a serious public concern. This study adds to the existing literature by incorporating, within a single model, multi-faceted variables (demographic, psychological, and academic) that contribute to mental health literacy in demographically and ethnically diverse college students.

Methods: Participants were undergraduate students enrolled at nine different colleges that are part of a large, urban, public university system. A total of 1213 respondents (62.0% female, 73.3% non-white) completed an in- person …

Mindfulness Therapy Is An Effective Adjunctive Treatment For Adolescents Living With Hiv, Samantha Rea

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report appraising Webb L, Perry-Parrish C, Ellen J, Sibinga E. Mindfulness instruction for HIV-infected youth: a randomized controlled trial. AIDS Care. 2018;30(6):688–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2017.1394434

Loss, Grief, And Racial Health Disparities During Covid-19: Same Storm, Different Boats, Joyce Yang, Sierra Carter

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Xenophobia And Racism Against Asian Americans During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mental Health Implications, Hsiu-Lan Cheng

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Psychiatric Medications And Stigmatizing Attitudes In College Students, Benjamin T. Johnson, Peter Philip Grau, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Research suggests that biological explanations of mental illness include the promotion of the effectiveness of medication, and that such explanations lead to greater attributions of responsibility and potentially greater stigmatizing emotional and behavioral reactions. This study examined whether college students' attitudes toward a fellow student with mental illness are affected by whether the latter is described as having benefitted previously from medication. Results suggest that the promotion of psychiatric medications as helpful may increase stigmatizing attitudes by peers against fellow students with mental illness.

Socially Just Trauma-Informed Responses To Covid-19 With Undocumented Communities, Daniela Dominguez

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Recovery While Delivering Medicaid Covered Rehabilitation Services, Zakia Clay, Anthony Zazzarino, Emilie Banz, Ann Reilly

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Many states have shifted to Medicaid reimbursement methods to cover behavioral health services. In doing so, state mental health authorities have incorporated the concept of recovery into mental health policy. Thus, gaining a better understanding of practitioners’ perceptions of recovery in a new fiscal environment is warranted. This qualitative study explores how New Jersey practitioners transitioning to a new state-wide Medicaid payment structure perceive recovery from mental illness. Four themes emerged following a thematic analysis. Future studies that explore perspectives of individuals receiving services could provide useful information for policy makers, agencies, and community stakeholders.

Developmental Predictors Of Adolescent Mental Health Stigma And A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Of "Ending The Silence" In New York City, Joseph S. Deluca

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study explored predictors of mental health stigma among adolescents and the effectiveness of a school-based mental health stigma reduction and health promotion program, “Ending the Silence” (ETS), developed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Youth mental health service use is impacted by many factors, but concern about stigma and low mental health knowledge have been consistently identified as leading barriers to help-seeking. Beyond education and contact program components, existing research on how to design a successful adolescent stigma reduction intervention has been inconclusive. A diverse sample of 206 high school students in New York City participated in the …

First Responder Mental Health, Kira Swensen, Timothy Keady, Maren Wright Voss

All Current Publications

Communities spend thousands of dollars on first responders to protect them physically: body armor for law enforcement officers, heat resistant gear for firefighters, gloves and reflective clothing for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. Supporting and investing in programs related to first responders’ mental health is equally important in keeping their minds safe. First responders train long hours each year to stay prepared for almost any situation. In the past, training has centered around physical safety and job efficiency. In recent years, efforts have been made to include mental health training and reduce the stigma associated with mental health for first …

A Call To Revitalize Mental Health Wellness Practices For Black, Indigenous, & College Students Of Color, Tyra Jean

Population Health Research Brief Series

Given the challenges faced by the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities within the U.S. this year, it is more important than ever to ensure BIPOC college students are provided with access to mental health care.

Optimism And Risk Of Incident Hypertension: A Target For Primordial Prevention, Laura D. Kubzansky, Julia K. Boehm, Andrew R. Allen, Loryana L. Vie, Tiffany E. Ho, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Hayami K. Koga, Lawrence M. Scheier, Martin E. P. Seligman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Aims

Optimism is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk; however, few prospective studies have considered optimism in relation to hypertension risk specifically. We investigated whether optimism was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension in U.S. service members, who are more likely to develop high blood pressure early in life. We also evaluated race/ethnicity, sex and age as potential effect modifiers of these associations.

Methods

Participants were 103 486 hypertension-free U.S. Army active-duty soldiers (mean age 28.96 years, 61.76% White, 20.04% Black, 11.01% Hispanic, 4.09% Asian, and 3.10% others). We assessed optimism, sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, health behaviours and …

A General Education Course Designed To Cultivate College Student Well-Being, Jessica C. Davis

Dissertations, 2020-current

Mental health issues appear to be on the rise across our world, especially within the college student population. Considerable data suggests that today’s students have lower rates of well-being and healthy psychological functioning and higher rates of distress, fragility, and clinically significant mental health problems than seen in previous generations. These findings have led some scholars to define this trend as a college mental health crisis. The purpose of this study was to respond to this crisis via the development and administration of a well-being general education course conceptually grounded in Henriques’ Unified Framework of psychology and psychotherapy (see, Henriques, …

Minority Stress, Social Support, And Mental Health Among Lgbqp+ Religious Disaffiliates, Kate Jablonski

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the association between four minority stress processes (victimization, internalized heterosexism, rejection sensitivity, and disclosure of sexual orientation identity) and symptoms of depression and anxiety among lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or otherwise non-heterosexual (LGBQP+) disaffiliates from non-affirming religions, and whether social support mediated these relationships. A nonexperimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Participants were recruited through Reddit, a popular social-networking site, and completed an online survey that assessed experiences of minority stress, perceptions of social support, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants were 161 non-religious, US-born, cisgender, LGBQP+ Reddit-users who identified as having disaffiliated from …

An Exploration Of Social Networking Use And Mental Health In Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Gender Non-Binary, And Gender Fluid Persons, Jennifer Trimpey

Doctoral Dissertations

Social networking sites (SNS) allow for rapid information sharing in online spaces. Research in the general public suggests that extended SNS use corresponds with poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. Research regarding SNS use in LGBT populations seems to promote interpersonal connectedness. While such studies tend to include gender non-conforming persons (GNC), this group often represents a minimal proportion of participants. This study sought to explore SNS and mental health in persons identifying as GNC. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data to develop a substantive theory regarding SNS and mental health in this …

Student-Athlete Success: An Examination Of Parenting, Grit, Academic Success, And Mental Health Outcomes, Jackson Howard

Dissertations

Factors such as poor adjustment, substance misuse, and mental health concerns have been found to be detrimental to college student success. Considering this, researchers have focused on investigating protective factors, which may enhance performance in higher education. Specifically, non-cognitive traits, such as grit, or an ability to maintain determination and passion for long-term goals in the face of adversity, and positive parenting strategies, such as psychological autonomy granting, have been tied to positive outcomes for college students in higher education. Conversely, overparenting behaviors and negative outcomes, such as burnout, have been found to be damaging to student success. Student-athletes are …

Coping Self-Efficacy As A Potential Moderator Of The Relationship Between Sexual Orientation And Negative Mental Health Outcomes, James M. Macchia

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sexual minority individuals (i.e., those who identify as a sexual orientation other than heterosexual) have consistently been linked to an increased risk of negative mental health outcomes. The process of coping can impact the content and severity of said outcomes, and one’s ability to cope is often predicted by the concept known as coping self-efficacy (i.e., one’s belief in his or her ability to cope). This study aimed to assess the effects of sexual orientation, coping self-efficacy, and their interactions on mental health by looking at different aspects of coping self-efficacy as potential moderating variables. Self-perceptions of coping skills were …

Cultural And Contextual Influences On Mental Health, Stigma, And Substance Use Among Mena U.S. College Students, Molly Mechammil

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The aim of this dissertation was to investigate whether certain cultural and contextual factors influence Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) college students' mental health, alcohol/marijuana use, and experiences with mental health stigma and help seeking. Research with MENA college students is very limited, which leaves mental health providers with limited information on how to best support MENAs. MENAs report high rates of discrimination, and other research shows that many they may use religion as a way to cope with stressors such as discrimination. I examined whether religious coping might buffer the effects of discrimination on mental health outcomes. I also considered …

Examining The Effects Of Aspects Of Resiliency And Vulnerability On The Relationship Between Experiencing Microaggressions And Mental Health Among Persons Of Color, Amanda K. Blume

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ethnic minorities experience discrimination frequently, especially a subtle form of discrimination called microaggressions-which are linked with poorer mental health. This study examined protective factors against microaggressions. In this study, responding to microaggressions actively (as opposed to ignoring the situation) was linked with better mental health. When use of active coping strategies was low, microaggressions were associated with lower self-esteem and higher depression and anxiety. Alternatively, when use of active coping styles was high, microaggressions were associated with higher self-esteem and less depression, anxiety, and drug use. Responding to microaggressions is a disengaged way (such as attempting to ignore or avoid …

Incorporating Physical Activity In Mental Health Intervention Service Delivery: School Psychologists’ Perspectives, Scott Greenspan

Doctoral Dissertations

Epidemiological data posits that youth in the United States (US) experience significant mental health concerns. Approximately 10% of youth meet criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses (Danielson, Bitsko, Ghandour, Holbrook, & Blumberg, 2018) and approximately 7% of youth have a behavioral conduct problem or anxiety (Ghandour et al., 2018). Literature continues to suggest that physical activity is a viable modality in supporting the mental health of youth (e.g., Ahn & Fedewa, 2011; Annesi, 2005; Biddle et al., 2018). While it is recommended that youth achieve one hour of physical activity daily (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee [PAGC], 2018), …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Mental Health During The Covid-19 Quarantine, Luisauny Gomez, Jeremiah Sullins

McNair Scholars Research

Social isolation has become a public policy under the current circumstances. This isolation can lead to a life imbalance that is believed to affect physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Previous research shows that both, a defined sense of religiosity or affirmative secularity, can yield progressive emotional outcomes due to multiple factors such as community support, sense of structure, life guidance, mindfulness and a sense of unity with the world. However, a gap exists in the extant literature regarding the relationship between mental health and religiosity during global pandemics. In order to address this gap, this study sought to answer the …

Exploration Of Drive For Leanness In Relation To Drives For Thinness And Muscularity, As Well As Their Concurrent Associations With Health-Related Outcomes, Brittany Lang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drive for leanness, the motivation to build lean muscle,as well as obtain low enough body fat content for this muscle to be seen, is a nascent drive construct compared to the more established drives for thinness and muscularity. What little research has been done on drive for leanness has suggested that drive for leanness is more sex neutral, as well as potentially more adaptive,than the other drive variables. However, there is debate regarding the factor structure of drive for leanness, or more specifically,whether drive for leanness is its own unique construct or if it is better described as an amalgamation …

Critically And Creatively Engaging With Trauma-Informed Mental Health Research And Treatment Of Lgbtqia+ Communities As Expressive Arts Therapists: A Literature Review, Kelli Lavallee

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Expressive Arts Therapists are uniquely situated as both artists and mental health counselors working in psychological pedagogy rooted in systems of oppression. Given the arts-based approaches to the therapeutic relationship, it can be unethical to offer these approaches without acknowledgement of the ways in which the arts intersect with social justice, and justice is only viable if practitioners critically review the clinical mental health education they are consuming from the institutions they learn in, specifically trauma-informed mental health research assimilation and treatment approaches for Expressive Arts Therapists in training, practice, and education. A review of the literature in this paper …

An Examination Of Child And Youth Mental Health Service Urgency In Ontario, Valbona Semovski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ontario’s capacity to treat children and adolescents in mental health crisis is outweighed by the number and needs of individuals requiring treatment. A lack of standardized assessments for prioritizing individuals has contributed to long wait times for treatment and a paucity of information to help prioritize those requiring urgent services. This study examined whether sector (e.g., school, hospital), sex, age, legal guardianship, interpersonal and school conflict, intellectual disability and comorbid health conditions predicted greater mental health service urgency in 61,448 children (ages 4 to 18 years) assessed using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Screener. Additionally, differences in mental …

Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders: A Musical Adaptation, Krista Connelly

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Creative Work, and Performance

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is an original song cycle for soprano and baritone voices with Pierrot ensemble (flute/piccolo, B-flat clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion), utilizing poetry taken from Autumn Slaughter’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders-Poetry. Of Slaughter’s poetic interpretation of 35 of the diagnoses within the psychiatric manual (the DSM-5), eleven poems/diagnoses are used for this musical work. This document is an analysis of the theoretical constructs of each movement and the musical representation of the poem and diagnosis.

Advisor: Tyler G. White