Art In The Stages Of Suffering And Death, Joanna Aramini

Visual Arts Department Student Scholarship

There has always been a strong link between art and the study of science and medicine, and one of the most iconic images of suffering and death in history to date is Christ suffering on the cross. In this thesis, I examine if and how art can make it possible to transcend human pain and overcome suffering, especially in our modern society where pain is seen as something we cannot deal with, and where we look to medicine and prescriptions to diminish it. I argue that art in the states of suffering and death, closely examining Michelangelo’s La Pieta and …

Coping During Conventional Submarine Missions: Evidence Of A Third Quarter Phenomenon?, Charles H. Van Wijk

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

The third quarter phenomenon refers to the decline in performance during the third quarter of missions in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, regardless of actual mission duration. This can be observed through changes in cognitive and interpersonal behavior, and an increase in reported negative experiences and undesirable mood states. This effect has been studied in polar and space missions, but there are no available reports on it during submarine missions. This study provides an additional analysis of previously published data that were collected during a conventional submarine patrol mission, to consider whether a stage-model of adaptation (in particular a third …

Microaggressions In Lgb Individuals: The Protective Role Of Positive Lgb Identity., Ghazel Tellawi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine LGB identity from a multidimensional approach in the context of microaggressions. The aims of the study were as follows: 1) to examine whether positive and negative facets of LGB identities are correlated; 2) to determine whether positive LGB identity facets served as protective factors against the negative impact of microaggressions; 3) to explore the unique contribution of having a positive LGB identity against the negative impact of microaggressions when compared to other protective factors (social support and outness). Participants were 135 undergraduate students recruited through the University of Louisville’s research participant …

Understanding And Coping With Possible Depressive Symptoms: An Extension Of The Self-Regulation Model, Melissa N. Mohan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation used Leventhal’s Self-Regulation Model (SRM) as a theoretical framework to examine how undergraduates make sense of and cope with symptoms often associated with depression. Students completed questionnaires about possible depressive symptoms (not labelled as such); as well as other components of the SRM, including demographics, psychosocial context, current psychopathology, cognitive appraisals and emotional reactions. Previous SRM studies have often focused on how people make sense of depression once symptoms have coalesced into a clearer clinical picture. In contrast, Part 1 of this dissertation focused on an earlier application of the SRM to a range of vague, generally mild …

Overcoming Exposure To Complex Stressors: An Examination Of Protective Coping Mechanisms For Low-Income Urban African American Youth, Molly Cory

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Low-income urban African American youth experience multiple uncontrollable stressors (e.g. community violence) that may then impact the severity of controllable stressors (e.g. school stressors) and combine to produce negative life outcomes. In light of these negative outcomes, it is important to understand individual protective factors, and the coping response in particular. Past research has emphasized the advantages of primary control engagement coping, but recent evidence suggests that low-income urban African American youth facing complex and uncontrollable stressors may benefit more from disengagement strategies in response to uncontrollable stressors. Although it is expected this population would additionally benefit from applying engagement …

A Critical Analysis Of The Delivery Of A Psychosocial Workshop For Cancer Survivors With Lymphedema, Ryan Hamilton, Roanne Thomas, Yvonne Anisimowicz, Marquelle Piers, Renee Matte

The Qualitative Report

Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that can develop after the treatment of cancer and can often lead to negative psychological and social impairments. When dealing with chronic illness, hoping and coping are interdependent. Previous research has assessed the outcomes of workshops designed to enhance hope but has not examined the workshop itself to determine how those outcomes were achieved. This study deconstructs the Living Hopefully with Lymphedema workshop to identify (1) what aspects of the workshop facilitated or interfered with therapeutic progress, (2) key aspects of facilitation that contributed to the functioning of the workshop, and (3) how participants …

Grief And Its Implications In Childhood And Adolescence, Electa C. Willander

Student Publications

Death has always been a taboo subject. However, it is impossible for anyone to avoid death in terms of their loved ones or their own mortality. Therefore it is impossible to avoid the at times overbearing emotion of grief. Grief can be exposed in the light of someone passing, loss of a relationship, diminishing health, loss of a job, and even loss in athletic ability. There is no singular reason for grief to be present, nor are there simple and straightforward ways to cope and move forward. Grief on the individual and universal scale has no time frame. It is …

Finding Hope In Chaos: The Development Of A Tool To Identify Key Factors That College Students Use To Effectively Deal With Adversity, Joetta Harlow Kelly

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify techniques that could be developed into a resource for counselors and other professionals who assist college students in dealing effectively with adversity. In a series of four surveys, 200 people were asked to participate. These included professional counselors and ministers both on and off campus, as well as directors in Student Affairs, such as those in student support services and student life. To accomplish this, questionnaires were developed to identify and allow for tabulation of the counseling techniques most commonly used for students dealing with adversity by those working with college students. …

Strengths And Coping Strategies In The Life Narratives Of Sexual Minority Women, Laurie Drabble, Karen F. Trocki, Brenda Salcedo, Bobbi R. Morales, Rachael Korcha

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study explored self-described strengths and strategies for coping with stress among sexual minority women (SMW), drawing on qualitative narratives of sexual minority and heterosexual women who were recruited from a population-based sample. In-depth follow-up qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 48 women who had participated in the National Alcohol Survey, a U.S. population-based survey. Participants included 25 SMW and 16 matched exclusively heterosexual women. Narrative data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and constant comparison to explore the study aim, with an emphasis on themes that diverged or that were particularly salient for SMW relative to heterosexual women. Strengths …

Black Graduate Students’ Experiences Of Stress And Coping, Shealyn J. Blanchard

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of Black graduate students related to stress and coping. Specifically, this study seeks to further examine the concept of cognitive appraisal and help-seeking intentions among Black graduate students. Research has indicated that Black graduate students face unique stressors related to race, in addition to general stress demands that can be experienced in graduate education programs. Regarding help-seeking, the literature has tended to focus on psychological help-seeking attitudes with African American populations and undergraduate students. This present study utilizes theories from stress and coping, as well as help-seeking and planned behavior, …

Empowering Employees To Reduce Perceptions Of Workplace Incivility, Chloe A. Cragg

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Incivility is a low intensity deviant behaviour of ambiguous intent that is pervasive in many organizations. Given the cost of incivility to the employee and the organization, it is important to understand how individuals perceive this behaviour. We believe that employees who have access to opportunity, information, resources and support in their organization (i.e., structural empowerment) will be more psychologically empowered, and thus better equipped to cope with workplace stressors, leading to a reduction in the perception of uncivil behaviour. We tested our hypotheses using a survey approach with an online sample of 364 working participants. Regression analyses, mediation analyses …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Effect Of The Starting Right, Now Program On Unaccompanied Homeless Adolescents' Well-Being, Emily E. Esposito

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date, few multicomponent interventions focused on meeting the complex needs of unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) have been developed. One intervention, called Starting Right, Now (SRN), provides unaccompanied homeless adolescents with a broad range of home-, school-, and community-based services and supports to meet the unique needs of each individual. Previous qualitative research has supported the effectiveness of SRN on student outcomes; there has not yet been an examination of the program using quantitative methods. Thus, the current study investigated the impact of Starting Right, Now on students’ well-being through the examination of longitudinal data collected over a 12-month period. …

A Narrative And Performative Methodology For Understanding Adolescent Cancer Stories, Patrick Mcelearney

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The field of health communication places considerable attention on coping with cancer, typically using social scientific approaches to investigate uncertainty, information, and/or social networks. Social scientific models of coping with adolescent cancer often measure how behaviors seek to manage cancer’s uncontrollability and/or uncertainty; however, how adolescents cope with cancer has been unclear. Short-term studies show adolescents typically and atypically cope. Long-term studies show a significant portion of survivors exhibit post-traumatic stress. The narrative and performative turns expose the role narratives and performatives play in shaping human subjects as meaning makers rather than merely information sharers. A narrative subject reframes cancer’s …

Interactions Between Anxiety Subtypes, Personality Characteristics, And Emotional Regulation Skills As Predictors Of Future Career Outcomes, Cerella Chandra

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Trait anxiety, anxious arousal, rejection sensitivity, and implicit feelings of rejection in adolescence were examined as predictors of long-term career performance, satisfaction, success, and ambition. Personality traits such as conscientiousness and grit, as well as coping and emotion regulation skills were analyzed as potential moderating variables. Anxious arousal and rejection sensitivity were predicted to be more strongly associated with negative career outcomes, and coping skills were predicted to be more effective in diminishing negative consequences of anxiety. Multi-reporter data were obtained from 184 teens at ages 17-19 and 26-27, and 27-29. Trait anxiety was the only anxiety variable to correlate …

Natural Disasters And Attachment Quality: The Mediating Role Of Coping, Alexandra Teller

Master's Theses

Research shows a strong relationship between children’s exposure to a natural disaster, parental distress, and development of mental health problems. It is theorized that trauma-related parental distress is associated with maladaptive parenting behaviors, which negatively impact the psychological development of children. The long-term impact of trauma exposure from a natural disaster on parent-child relationship quality and mental health outcomes for emerging adults has only been minimally investigated. The use of adaptive coping strategies has been found to be helpful for preventing mental health problems, while maladaptive coping has been associated with the development of psychopathology. The present study examined the …

Procrastination: Exploring The Role Of Coping Strategy, Yushuang Wu

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

The current study examined the relationship between procrastination styles, coping styles, perceived stress, personality traits, and academic outcomes in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 42). Results suggest that active procrastination is associated with active coping and less perceived stress. In contrast, passive procrastination relates to greater perceived stress. In addition, the results indicate that active procrastination is positively associated with extroversion and conscientiousness. Passive procrastination is positively related to neuroticism. Moreover, procrastination styles are not associated with academic outcomes in the current study. Overall, the results suggest that procrastination style is associated with active coping, perceived stress, …

Comparison Of Religious Problem-Solving Styles On The Use Of Problem-Focused And Maladaptive Emotion-Focused Coping Related To Financial Strain And Stress, Kirk A. Vander Molen

Dissertations

Poverty negatively impacts individuals and society as a whole in various ways, including emotional and physical health, relationships, education, crime, stress, and the economy (Adler & Ostrove, 1999; Anakwenze & Zuberi, 2013; Caplan & Schooler, 2007; Yoshikawa, Aber, & Beardslee, 2012). How people cope with the stress of poverty and engage with its causes and potential solutions impacts their capacity to survive, manage, and work toward improving their situation (Caplan & Schooler, 2007; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Santiago, Etter, Wadsworth, & Raviv, 2012). Problem-focused coping involves a person’s engagement to make plans, mobilize resources, and take action to manage or …

Conceptualizing Positive And Negative Experiences And Responses In The Basic Communication Course, Angela Hosek, Caroline Waldbuesser, Eric Mishne, Brandi Frisby

Basic Communication Course Annual

The present study used qualitative analysis of 259 students’ positive and negative experiences in the basic course and the ways in which they responded to these events. Students described four negative experiences: poor academic performance, time management, communication apprehension, and teacher driven challenges and four positive experiences: relational, growth, and presentation success. Students responded to these negative experiences using behavioral change, support seeking, doing nothing, and responded to positive experiences using emotive responses, communication with others, engaging in celebrating activities, applying skills, and lacking celebration.

Singing And Stress, Joseline Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

College students use various methods to cope with stress. The effects of singing on stress, have been scarcely examined in students with little to no singing experience while in their natural environments. College students' stress levels were examined before and after singing. A significant decrease in stress levels was found.

Cultural Assets And Racial Discrimination: A Person-Based Exploration Of Culturally Relevant Coping With African American Male Adolescents, Emma-Lorraine Baaba Bart-Plange

Dissertations

African-American youth from economically-disadvantaged, urban families and communities are disproportionately exposed to stressful life conditions, including racial discrimination, placing them at increased risk for mental health problems (Gonzales & Kim, 1997; Grant et al., 2000). Though exposure to racial discrimination can span a lifetime, examining youths’ encounters with discrimination during adolescence allows us to better understand how they affect development during a critical period in which they are developing racial/ethnic identity and increasing their use of reasoning. Coping research with African American youth has found evidence for racial discrimination predicting use of culturally-relevant coping strategies (Gaylord-Harden & Cunningham, 2009) and …

Students Transitioning To College And Out Of Competitive Sport: Athletic Identity, Coping, And Stress, Alex Michael Russell, Michael Cottingham, Adam Barry, Don Lee, David Walsh

Journal of Applied Sport Management

High-school athletes who transition into higher education as non-athlete students encounter several social and emotional difficulties. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influences of aforementioned participants’ athletic identities on their utilization of coping strategies and resulting perceptions of stress. A structural model was developed and empirically tested using a 48-item questionnaire. The sample population consisted of undergraduate students enrolled in freshman-level courses at three public southwestern universities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated a strong model fit, including a significant correlation between various factors of athletic identity and coping, as well as a significant correlation between coping and …

From Invisible To Visible: Exploring Invisibility Syndrome And Coping Among African American Men, Jesha Jones, Stacey Lawson

Graduate Research Posters

INTRODUCTION: African American men may experience feelings of invisibility when maneuvering throughout the public education system. Encounters with alienation, discrimination, and prejudice play a major role in influencing one’s decision to remain in school or dropout. Examining the extent to which the invisibility syndrome manifests in African American men during their K-12 experiences can expand knowledge in understanding their feelings of worthlessness and insignificance in the classroom. METHOD: This research investigated the degree to which invisibility syndrome manifested in retrospective accounts in the K-12 experiences of African American collegiate men. Analysis aim to identify how coping mechanisms can …

Parents Of War: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Experience Of Parenting Through The War Experience, Margaret Wilkie

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on experiences of refugee parents who have experienced war and displacement. There is a lack of academic research in the area of parenting and war, and this study hopes to begin to fill that gap. Research that is based on personal experiences is the ultimate guide to forming policy and programs that meet real needs. This study employed Grounded Theory methodology and in-depth interviewing to explore the questions of how parents manage to meet their own needs, the needs of their children, and overall cope with the experiences of war and displacement. Through intense analysis of interviews …

Sexual Coercion, Drinking To Cope Motives, And Alcohol-Related Consequences Among Self-Identified Bisexual Women, Michelle L. Kelly, Sarah J. Ehlke, Robin J. Lewis, Abby L. Braitman, Wendy Bostwick, Kristin E. Heron, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Given higher sexual victimization and greater alcohol use among bisexual women, a critical public health challenge is to understand within-group variation that may heighten or explain these associations in bisexual women. Objectives: The present study tested a moderated-mediation model in which sexual coercion was hypothesized to be associated with alcohol-related consequences via drinking to cope motives in self-identified bisexual women who reported at least occasional binge drinking. Negative affect was hypothesized to moderate the sexual coercion-drinking to cope motives association. Methods: Participants were a community sample of 107 self-identified bisexual women (age M = 20.97, SD = 2.11) who …

The Role Of Distance In Army Family Use Of Military-Provided Supports, Jessica Louise Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As military troops continue to deploy post September 11, 2001, limited literature indicates it is important to study the effects of the deployment on the military personnel and their families. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine whether the physical distance between home and military-provided supports plays a role in whether Army families use such supports, and whether the use of these supports effects their coping strategies during the deployment process. Hobfoll's conservation of resources theory served as the framework for this study. Three hundred and two Army spouses, 44% active duty spouses, 33.8% Army National Guard spouses, …

Coping With Sickle Cell Disease Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Helen Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project focused on identifying the best evidence available on the use of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for pediatric patients and families with sickle cell disease (SCD) to improve their coping skills with pain management. This resulted from an identified gap in nursing practice regarding psychosocial support for this subset of hospitalized pediatric patients. The practice-focused question was whether there was evidence in the literature on the use of CBT techniques to improve parental coping skills with children who have chronic and life-threatening illness that could be utilized with sickle cell disease. The theory of stress and coping guided the …

The Relationship Between Law Enforcement Agency Size And Police Stress, William Warner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that law enforcement officers often experience stress. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the size of the law enforcement agency (small, medium, or large) had any significant influence on how police officers perceive stress in their profession from a cognitive appraisal perspective with regards to Administrative/Organizational Pressure, Physical/Psychological Threats, and Lack of Support. Members of law enforcement (N = 144) from Utah and New York were surveyed utilizing Spielberger et al.'s Police Stress Survey. Archival data were provided by the National Police Suicide Foundation. Stress index scores were calculated manually for each survey …

Use Of Facebook As A Social Support System To Maintain An Individual's Resource Pool, Michelle Fontaine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress affects individuals' physiology, mood, behavior, and cognitive abilities. Social support has been found effective in buffering stress. The social networking site Facebook allows individuals to connect to others to share stories, pictures, and general life events and, in so doing, offers a means of social support that bridges geographical distances for friends and family. There is limited research, however, on whether using Facebook buffers against stress. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of Facebook for social support using the conservation of resources theoretical model of stress management. Fifty-seven Facebook users over the age of …

Life Stress, Coping, Perceived Health, And Health Outcomes Among Eastern Orthodox, Athina-Eleni Goudanas Mavroudhis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clergy exhibit higher stress and mortality rates in relation to their nonclergy counterparts. Despite current research on clergy stress and mortality rates, health perceptions and health outcomes of Western religious oriented clergy have been understudied. Even less is known about health perceptions and health outcomes of Eastern religious oriented clergy. The role of stress, coping, and health perceptions in predicting actual health outcomes is important to study in clerical populations because of the impact their health might have on serving their parishioners. The purpose of this nonexperimental correlational study was to determine the relative strength of life stress, coping styles, …

Log Kya Kahenge: Psychological Well-Being And Perceived Stigma In The South Asian American Community, Khushboo Jain

Pomona Senior Theses

Current research has independently studied depression, stigma, and coping mechanisms in relation to culture, yet the effects of perceived stigma on the relationship between depression and control coping are heavily understudied. Typically, studies have broadly focused on comparing eastern and western cultures, but have not analyzed how populations with mixed cultural influences experience depression and stigma and further engage in control coping mechanisms. This study thus explores how perceived stigma moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and control coping mechanisms for South Asian Americans. The study hypothesizes that the level of perceived stigma will moderate the relationship between depression and …