Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Acculturation, Marianismo, And Religiosity On Pregnancy Related Anxiety In Latina Women, Jennifer M. Zanoli

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a dearth of information about pregnancy related anxiety (PRA) in Latina women, yet a growing body of literature demonstrates adverse birth outcomes for mother and infant due to PRA. This study examined the association between acculturation, religiosity, marianismo, parity, and a Latina pregnant woman’s relationship with her healthcare provider with PRA in Latina women aged 18 and above. Acculturation was expected to be the more robust factor amongst the independent variables.

Participants in this study (n = 53) were Hispanic, Chicano, Latino or had a Latin or Spanish heritage, over the age of 18, pregnant at the …

A Multi-Method Assessment Of The Impact Of Stress On Families’ Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew R. Daoust

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The COVID-19 pandemic was a pervasive disaster, creating stress for people across the globe. As such, understanding how pandemic-related stress has impacted individuals’ mental health is vital for guiding intervention programs and limiting the impact of future similar crises. This is especially true for youth, who are at heightened risk for mental disorder and may experience pandemic-related social stress as particularly aversive, given the developmental challenges unique to this period. Although substantial efforts have been made to measure the impact of the pandemic-related stress on individuals’ mental health, the pandemic’s relatively sudden onset has limited researchers’ abilities to conduct fulsome …

A Scoping Review Examining Treatment Components Of Classroom And Small Group School-Based Anxiety And Test Anxiety Interventions, Lindsay B. Pittman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the present scoping review was to provide a summary of (a) treatment components included in classroom and small group school-based interventions targeting anxiety or test anxiety, and (b) the frequency in which feasibility is considered within these evaluations, based on the framework proposed by Gadke and colleagues (2021). 105 articles were included in the analysis with 80 studies examining school-based anxiety interventions and 25 articles focusing on test anxiety. While cognitive behavioural therapy was the most common type of intervention, a variety of intervention types and treatment components emerged in the analysis. Furthermore, the social validity/acceptability feasibility …

How Did Latinxs Near The U.S.-Mexico Border Fare During The Covid-19 Pandemic? A Snapshot Of Anxiety, Depression, And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Bianca T. Villalobos, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: The current study documented levels of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and COVID-19 fears and impacts among Latinxs living near the U.S.-Mexico border during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Participants of this cross-sectional study were 305 Latinx adults living in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) who completed an online survey between June and November 2020.

Results: About half of participants scored above the cut-off for anxiety (50.2%; GAD-7 scores ≥10) and depression (48.8%; PHQ-9 scores ≥10), and more than a quarter of participants showed clinical levels of posttraumatic stress (27.3%; PCL-5 scores ≥31). Latinxs reported on average 22 types of negative …

A Post Pandemic Analysis Of Covid-19 And The Impact On Mental Health Of High School Student-Athletes—Today, More Than Ever Minds Matter, Pastora Hernandez Barbee

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The cancellation of sporting opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic caused many student-athletes to feel deprived of the only outlet they had, which held a significant component of their personal and athletic identities (Grubic et al. 2021). This study aimed to answer the following research question: What are the experiences of high school student-athletes in a Pacific Northwest school district with access and support for holistic wellness in a post-pandemic COVID-19 school environment? The research methodology used was the wellness theory framework (Adams, Bezner, & Steinhardt, 1997). A total of seven student-athletes participated in the study through in-depth interviews. From the …

Identifying Associations Between The Family Environment And Anxiety And Depression Among Children Ages 0-17 In The United States, Reagan A. Richardson, Nicole M. Holt

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This study analyzes whether physical, emotional & neurological, family environment, or community-related factors display the strongest association with anxiety and depression among children ages 0-17 in the United States.

Using IBM SPSS v. 27, we conducted a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on data from the 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) with a sample size of 21,599. Our independent variables included 30 questions from the NSCH which were compared to a mental health index score.

Our study shows that about 10.6% of children suffer from either anxiety, depression, or both, and the univariate model found that 19 …

Psychometric Properties Of The Revised Children’S Anxiety And Depression Scale (Rcads) For Autistic Youth Without Co-Occurring Intellectual Disability, Nasim Khalfe, Amy R. Goetz, Erika S. Trent, Andrew G. Guzick, Orri Smarason, Minjee Kook, Sean Olsen, Ana C. Ramirez, Saira A. Weinzimmer, Leandra Berry

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Autistic youth often present with comorbid anxiety and depression yet there is a dearth of validated assessment tools. The Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) assesses internalizing symptoms but there is little psychometric data in autistic youth. Treatment-seeking autistic youth with anxiety or obsessive-compulsive symptoms (N = 74; age 6–14 years), and caregivers, were administered the RCADS-Parent, RCADS-Child, and assessments of internalizing, externalizing symptoms and social impairment indicative of autism. RCADS-Parent and RCADS-Child total anxiety scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency, and the six subscales demonstrated acceptable-to-good internal consistency. The RCADS-Child and Parent total anxiety scores were weakly …

Identifying Clinical Profiles In A Community Sample Of Youth With Selective Mutism, Melanie Rede

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Selective mutism (SM) refers to a consistent failure to speak in social situations that have an expectation for speaking, despite fluent speech in other situations (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Recent researchers describe SM as a heterogeneous disorder not always characterized by anxiety (Driessen et al., 2020). Specifically, some have argued that SM may be better explained as a neurodevelopmental rather than an anxiety disorder (Kearney & Rede, 2021). The aim of the present study was to find unique classes for anxiety, oppositional, and communication difficulties among youth with SM. Participants included 129 caregivers of youth with SM aged 6–14 years …

The Impact Of Beliefs About Emotions On Emotion Regulation & Psychological Health, Sarah Brock

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined the effects of different beliefs about emotions (controllability vs. control value) on emotion regulation strategies and psychological health, specifically depression. Little research has examined how different types of beliefs about emotions may interact to impact the emotion regulation strategies they implement, whether that be cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, or acceptance. Online questionnaires measuring beliefs about emotion controllability, emotion control values (i.e., whether emotions should be controlled), emotion regulation, psychological health, and coping strategies were completed by 164 participants (117 females; 42 males; 4 non-binary). The participants ranged from 18 to 33 years old. The study found evidence …

Editorial: Implementation Of Evidence-Based Treatments For Child Anxiety And Related Disorders Across Diverse Contexts, Emily M. Becker-Haimes, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez, Courtney Benjamin Wolk

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Youth anxiety and related disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, are prevalent (1), and on the rise (2). Ensuring that anxious youth receive timely and evidence-based treatment is critical; left untreated, these disorders are predictive of a host of future negative outcomes including continued or worsening anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide (3–8). Unfortunately, it can take 15 years or more after a problem is recognized for someone with an anxiety or related disorder to connect with evidence-based psychosocial care, and most youth with anxiety who seek treatment will …

Implementation Of A Progressive Muscle Relaxation Intervention To Decrease Cancer Patients' Distress: A Quality Improvement Project., Theresa Thomas

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Background: People affected by cancer often experience psychological distress that ultimately decreases their health, adherence to treatment, overall well-being, and quality of life. Research has shown that MBIs can reduce psychological distress, depression, and anxiety and increase quality of life. A needs assessment conducted within a local cancer support organization, Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana, has expressed the need for providing a more comprehensive range of accessible MBIs in their programming to meet their psychosocial goals by reducing psychological distress in their members. PMR is an MBI not currently used by GCK that has been proven effective at reducing anxiety, depression, and …

It's A Mean, Mean World: Social Media And Mean World Syndrome, Samantha Kemp

University Honors Theses

Born from cultivation theory, which suggests that media has a profound effect on viewers' perceptions of the world around them, Mean World Syndrome is a psychosocial phenomenon that describes increased levels of fear, anxiety, and pessimism, as well as an overall perception of the world as "meaner" than it actually is, as a result of heavy viewership of violence-related mass media. Mean World Syndrome has primarily been associated with television consumption, but a major societal shift towards consumption of social media instead of television over the last two decades necessitates investigation into how social media affects its users. Through an …

A Comparative Study On Depression, Anxiety, Stress, And Psychological Wellbeing Among Orphan And Non-Orphan Adolescents, Patteswari Duraisamy, Rajesh Raman, Rithvik S Kashyap, Kanchana Dm, Muralikrishna Tn

International Journal of Health and Allied Sciences

Background: Orphans, other vulnerable children, and adolescents living in institutions are more susceptible to developing behavioral and emotional problems because they lack the love and care of a family. The current study intends to investigate stress, anxiety, and depression in orphans living in the chosen orphanages in Mysuru, Karnataka. Methodology: Descriptive research methods were implemented in this research. A total of 200 adolescents made up the representative sample, including 100 orphans and 100 non-orphans. The data were taken from numerous orphanages and schools located in the city of Mysore. The samples were chosen using purposive sampling techniques. The level of …

The Protective Effects Of Physical Activity Coping And Environmental Supports On Academic Stress Among Adolescents, Taylor Swenski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to identify how physical activity (PA) coping interacts with environmental risks and resources to predict youth mental health. Academic stress poses a threat to adolescent wellbeing, and has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety. Previous research has established that engaging in PA protects adolescents from depression and anxiety. However, very little is known about how PA may function as a coping mechanism, specifically (i.e. PA coping). PA is influenced by risks (e.g. crime, low built environment quality, etc.) and resources (e.g. accessibility, exercise equipment, etc.) in one’s environment, and accordingly, the present …

The Benefits Of Art Therapy On Stress And Anxiety Of Oncology Patients During Treatment, Helen Shiepe

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Within the last ten years research on art therapy and its positive impact on oncology patients’ stress and anxiety during treatment has been minimal. Oncology patients whether they are children or adults when diagnosed experience similar reactions due to their diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases end of life care. The current question is whether or not art therapy does have a positive impact on decreasing the stress and anxiety with oncology patients while undergoing treatment. Deane, Fitch & Carmen (2000), discussed art therapy as a healing art that is “intended to integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual care by facilitating …

Associations Between Tiktok Use, Mental Health, And Body Image Among College Students, Alexz Carpenter

Honors Theses

Background. Social media use continues to increase globally, and there is a large field of research examining the relationships between social media use with anxiety, depression, and body image. College-aged students are particularly vulnerable to these associations because they are at a unique developmental point of their life. College-aged students also use social media more frequently than almost any other age group, which may put them at increased risk for negative mental health and body image outcomes related to their social media use. TikTok is a relatively new social media app that has exponentially risen in popularity, especially among younger …

Analyzing The Unique Role Of Repetitive Negative Thinking On Insomnia In College Students, Lara Fair

Honors Theses

Repetitive negative thinking is a transdiagnostic construct that conceptually covers worry and rumination, which are strongly associated with anxiety and depression. Worry is typically future oriented, whereas rumination is past oriented. RNT has been posited as a causal and maintaining factor for multiple disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and insomnia. The current study aimed to further understand the contribution of RNT in insomnia symptoms, after controlling for anxiety and depression. A self-report battery measuring anxiety, depression, RNT and insomnia was administered to 101 college students. In this sample, 52% of participants endorsed clinical levels of insomnia. Bivariate correlations found …

The Facilitative Role Of Workplace Anxiety In Increasing Motivation And Preparation Fueled By Self-Regulation, James Hayes

Student Works

As anxiety in the workplace continues to affect a substantial percentage of employees, an understanding of the facilitative aspects of anxiety may become increasingly relevant (American Psychological Association, 2009, as cited in Cheng & McCarthy, 2018). Anxiety in the workplace is generally disadvantageous, but significant evidence supports the idea that anxiety may benefit employees in various ways (Chandra et al., 2020). Notably, anxious feelings may spark increased motivation within employees, unlocking a greater focus on future goals (Spielberger, 1985, as cited in Cheng & McCarthy, 2018). In pursuit of these goals, anxious employees may find a greater capacity for self-regulation, …

Psychological Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In A Hispanic Sample: Testing The Buffering Role Of Resilience And Perceived Social Support, Michiyo Hirai, Laura L. Vernon, Elizabeth N. Hernandez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The current study examined the effects of specific COVID-19 stressors (i.e., family member’s death due to COVID-19, COVID-19 infection, and school/financial stressors) on stress, anxiety, and depression and the potential buffering roles of resilience and perceived social support in the association between COVID-19 stressors and psychological symptoms in a Hispanic university student sample (n = 664). Participants were classified in three stressor groups: those reporting a family member’s death due to COVID-19 (15.7%), those reporting their own or a family member’s COVID-19 infection but no COVID-19 death (35.5%), and those reporting only school and/or financial stressors due to the …

Understanding The Role Of Emotion Regulation Tendencies In The Momentary Associations Between Negative Affect And Eating Disorder Behaviors., Coby D. Banet

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are becoming increasingly commonplace and are associated with a broad array of dangerous medical complications. Further, EDs frequently present alongside comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., depressive and anxiety-related disorders), which are known to both predict ED severity and reduce treatment efficacy. While diagnostic categorization persists, Fairburn et al.’s (1993) transdiagnostic model suggests EDs may be more closely related and maintained through core, shared symptoms. To assess ED maintenance, momentary triggers such as negative affect (NA) are becoming increasingly centralized. The present study examines the roles of depressive symptoms and worry in predicting and moderating the relationships among …

Mind Over Matter: The Role Of Resilience, Crime Victimization, And Age At The Time Of Victimization On Psychological Health, Alana Compton

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between crime victimization, age at the time of victimization, psychological health, and resilience. Past research has shown that crime victimization has been linked to higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders, and that those who experience a traumatic event as a child are influenced more negatively than those who experience trauma as an adult. Additionally, resilience has been shown to mediate the influence that trauma has on an individual. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty and staff were surveyed to determine their …

Mind Over Matter: The Role Of Resilience, Crime Victimization, And Age At The Time Of Victimization On Psychological Health, Alana Compton

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between crime victimization, age at the time of victimization, psychological health, and resilience. Past research has shown that crime victimization has been linked to higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders, and that those who experience a traumatic event as a child are influenced more negatively than those who experience trauma as an adult. Additionally, resilience has been shown to mediate the influence that trauma has on an individual. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty and staff were surveyed to determine their …

Mind Over Matter: The Role Of Resilience, Crime Victimization, And Age At The Time Of Victimization On Psychological Health, Alana Compton

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between crime victimization, age at the time of victimization, psychological health, and resilience. Past research has shown that crime victimization has been linked to higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders, and that those who experience a traumatic event as a child are influenced more negatively than those who experience trauma as an adult. Additionally, resilience has been shown to mediate the influence that trauma has on an individual. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty and staff were surveyed to determine their …

Sleep Quality In Undergraduate Students: Examining The Role Of Class Rank And Related Individual Differences, Lauren Yocum, Lauren Yocum

Honors College Theses

College students are likely to experience stress due to increased responsibilities, more demanding coursework, and maintaining a balance between academics and social life. Indeed, college students are at risk for experiencing clinically-significant depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as sleep disturbances, likely as a result of these challenges. Although the relationship between these affective variables and college stressors are well-documented, less attention has been given to the factors that may help promote better sleep, with the majority of research documenting the intrinsic bidirectional nature of mood and sleep (e.g., lack of sleep leads to worse mood which further exacerbates sleep …

The Mediation Of Mental Health Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Risky Sexual Behavior, Kayla Marie Mandrigues, Julia Claire Dodd, Stacey Lynne Williams

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Risky sexual behaviors (RSB) have the potential to negatively impact individuals by increasing the risk of mental health issues, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unwanted pregnancies. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health disorders, such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression, have been known to increase RSB. The purpose of this study was to see if these mental health disorders mediate the relationship between ACEs and RSB. Participants (n = 342, mean age = 32) were recruited through social media to complete an online questionnaire. While history of ACEs significantly predicted engagement in RSB as well as all three of the …

How Does Having A Pet During The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic Among University Students Affect Anxiety And Depression, Sugey Gonzalez-Escobedo, Jessica Morales Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined whether having a pet among university and college students is associated with anxiety and depression during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A modified survey of a non-probability sample was conducted during a 5-month period during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A total of 115 students voluntarily participated and completed the survey. In the midst of the pandemic, students were forced to isolate themselves in their homes. This isolation may have caused anxiety and depression in students. However, a furry companion could have alleviated any anxiety/depression symptoms they may have endured during this time. This research contributes to the literature in regard …

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Social Isolation And Mental Health Among Young Adults, Mariana Romo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social media use has become part of the everyday routines of society. It is very common to see people, especially young adults, be involved in more than one social media platform. It is also known that because of the features of social media less in-person interactions are required, which brings up the question of whether people feel more lonely or socially isolated with the increased use of social media platforms. Due to this increasing attachment to the use of social media and its possible relationship with social isolation and loneliness it is important to understand if there are any implications …

Success Over Stress Support Group, Sophia Pescador-Torrance

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Harden Wellness Center is located in Salinas, California on the campus of Harden Middle School. After surveying and interviewing eighth-grade students at Harden Middle School, it was determined that there was a need to provide healthy coping skills for stress and anxiety. The project provided students a place to learn healthy coping skills along with normalizing mental health services among adolescents. In order to engage students and keep them interested each week, focus on a new skill with an activity attached to reinforce the coping skill. By the end of the six weeks, the group started to talk about …

The Contribution Of Self-Compassion To Anxiety And Mood In Daily Life, Yamini Pant

Honors Scholar Theses

Self-compassion, the act of being kind and understanding towards oneself, has been shown to have positive impacts on mental health. Depression and anxiety are both common mental health disorders that can interfere with an individual’s ability to function in daily life. Several studies have shown that self-compassion correlates with depression and anxiety at a cross-sectional level and across longer periods of time (e.g., several months). In the present study, we examined the fluctuations and the directionality of self-compassion, depression, and anxiety on a day-to-day basis over the span of a week. We also examined the ways that worry and rumination …

Mental Health And Academic Experiences Among U.S. College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael E. Roberts, Jillian Meyer '23, Elizabeth A. Bell

Psychology and Neuroscience Faculty Publications

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, U.S. college students reported increased anxiety and depression. This study examines mental health among U.S college students during the subsequent 2020–2021 academic year by surveying students at the end of the fall 2020 and the spring 2021 semesters. Our data provide cross-sectional snapshots and longitudinal changes. Both surveys included the PSS, GAD-7, PHQ-8, questions about students’ academic experiences and sense of belonging in online, in-person, and hybrid classes, and additional questions regarding behaviors, living circumstances, and demographics. The spring 2021 study included a larger, stratified sample of eight demographic groups, and we added scales to …