Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Among D1 Female College Athletes: Prevalance And Links To Athletic And Academic Performance, Mary Goebel

Honors Theses

Background. NCAA Division I female student-athletes are underrepresented in mental health research; existing research among female athletes tends to focus only on disordered eating and body appearance. This study aims to 1) describe the prevalence of mental health issues (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) among female Division I college athletes, and 2) assess the association between mental health issues and the student-athlete experience (i.e., athletic and academic performance).

Methods. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study that used a self-administered online survey. The participants were NCAA Division I female student-athletes, mainly from the University of Mississippi. Demographics and sample characteristics were …

No Association Between Perinatal Mood Disorders And Hypertensive Pregnancies, Sarah Araji, Ashley Griffin, Wondwosen Kassahun-Yimer, Laura Dixon, Shauna Kay Spencer, Sheila Belk, Gail Ohaegbulam, Kedra Wallace

Faculty and Student Publications

Mental health disorders such as anxiety and/or depression are the most common mental health disorders seen among reproductive aged women and can increase during pregnancy. Many sociodemographic risk factors have been associated with anxiety and/or depression in pregnancy, which can lead to adverse maternal and infant outcomes including the risk of a hypertensive pregnancy. The current study prospectively examined self-reported anxiety, depression and stress in pregnant women without a history of fetal loss or mood disorders beginning at 20–26 weeks. At each study visit, circulating immune factors associated with perinatal mood disorders were measured in blood samples that were collected. …

Investigation Into The Comorbidities Of Disordered Eating And Social Anxiety Disorder In College Students, Alice Mccraney

Honors Theses

In recent years, psychiatrists have reported a trend that individuals with social anxiety disorders are more likely to also have disordered eating and vice versa. Research into this connection has suggested that risk factors, such as stress reactivity, negative self- esteem, perfectionism and fear of negative evaluation are potential links. This is important because understanding the correlation between the two disorders could help develop better treatments plans for people who suffer from these disorders. This study investigates the relationship between the two. A total of 257 college students between ages 18-22 completed a questionnaire using the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale …

Analysis Of Test Anxiety In Human Anatomy And Physiology I Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anne Piazza

Honors Theses

Student anxiety, specifically test anxiety, is common hindrance to student performance in various courses including Human Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Mississippi. Through a sequence of three surveys we collected demographic information, anxiety data related to the course, and test anxiety in general We researched factors that could potentially influence student anxiety such as at what point in the semester the student is evaluated, when students feel the most stressed, outcomes on previous evaluations, and perceived outcomes of the course. We also examined what effect the anxiety has on the student such as lowered performance, lowered test scores, …

Unanticipated Stressful And Rewarding Experiences Engage The Same Prefrontal Cortex And Ventral Tegmental Area Neuronal Populations, Alberto Del Arco, Junchol Park, Bita Moghaddam

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2020 Del Arco et al. Brain networks that mediate motivated behavior in the context of aversive and rewarding experiences involve the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Neurons in both regions are activated by stress and reward, and by learned cues that predict aversive or appetitive outcomes. Recent studies have proposed that separate neuronal populations and circuits in these regions encode learned aversive versus appetitive contexts. But how about the actual experience? Do the same or different PFC and VTA neurons encode unanticipated aversive and appetitive experiences? To address this, we recorded unit activity and local field …

Comparing The Effects Of Cognitive And Social Stress Among Individuals With Headache, Yelena Louise Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stress is the most frequently reported trigger of headache. A number of studies have examined responses to cognitive and physical stressors among individuals with headache, primarily using self-report and various physiological measurements as outcome variables. In the stress literature more broadly, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) consistently has been shown to be a valid and reliable method of eliciting laboratory stress. However, this popular stress manipulation has not been previously used or promoted within the headache literature. The present study aimed to introduce the TSST to the headache literature and to experimentally compare the TSST to a cognitive stressor …

The Associations Between Values, Committed Action, And Cardiovascular Reactivity, Bianca Marie Crudup

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High stress levels can have profound physical and emotional effects. Several coping mechanisms have been shown to decrease levels of stress. Values, a form of coping, have been implicated in reducing psychological and physiological indicators of stress. The behavioral component, committed action has also demonstrated treatment efficacy in ACT treatments of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. However, few studies have examined the effects of values and committed action on acute responses (e.g., cardiovascular reactivity) to stress. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between values, committed action, and physiological responses to stress. Participants were 107 students …

Meaning In Life And Self-Efficacy's Relationship To Depression, Anxiety, And Stress: A Study Of Coastal Residents Affected By The Gulf Oil Spill, Brandy Baczwaski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform exploded, killing 11 people and spilling approximately 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the following months. Disasters such as the Gulf Oil Spill affect individuals in many ways, including the possible onset of psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Because mental health effects are comfollowing a disaster, it is important to understand potential protective factors that may decrease the risk of negative consequences related to disaster events. The presence and severity of psychological distress, as well as the method of coping, varies between individuals …

12-Item Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Scales (Dass-12): Associations With Self-Report Measures, A Semi-Strcutured Interview, And Behavioral Tasks, Eu Gene Chin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, only one study has examined the psychometric properties of the 12-item depression, anxiety, and stress scales (DASS). Moreover, all psychometric studies conducted with the DASS-21 have focused narrowly on associations with semi-structured interviews and other relevant self-report measures. In order to address these limitations, I proposed to diversify the ways in which we examine the DASS instrument (for both the 12- and 21-item versions). First, I examined the extent to which the DASS instrument is able to predict responses to behavioral tasks and whether the DASS was able to produce hypothesized convergent and divergent relationships with relevant self-report …

Work Stress, Meaning, And Values: A Study Of Intellectual Disability Support Staff, Jennifer Marie Ladner-Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employees who work with individuals with intellectual disabilities report high levels of work-related stress. Staff stress is associated with a variety of negative outcomes, such as poor psychological health, job burnout, and high turnover rates. The current study investigated the relationship between staff stress and negative outcomes. Specifically, this study examined whether positive psychology concepts such as perceived meaning in life and values moderated the relationship between staff stress and poor psychological health, job search/intention to leave the job, and use of sick leave. Participants included staff members from an inpatient facility for people with intellectual disabilities located in North …