Geropsychology Commons^™

Exploring Touch: Art Therapy With Older Adults, Katherine Gilpatrick

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Touch is an incredible tool that allows humans to connect with one another. It is instrumental in art therapy as we work with different populations and materials. Touch can occur in many ways but must be clearly defined in the therapeutic space, especially regarding ethical codes. This paper explored touch within senior living communities across different levels of care, including dementia care. A variety of art materials were used including drawing materials, collage, clay, and digital art. Art experiences were documented and analyzed through journaling and reflective artmaking. Four patterns emerged when examining the results including connection to product, differences …

Emotion Regulation Strategies And Perceived Emotional Intelligence: The Effect Of Age., Iwanna Sepiadou

Adultspan Journal

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of …

Therapeutic Use Of Music For Geriatric Dementia Patients, Katelynn E. Roscioli

Honors Program Projects

Dementia impacts millions of individuals and their families worldwide, yet many caregivers remain untrained, unpaid, and unable to maintain their own health while caring for their patients. Despite the need for support, limited resources exist to aid these caregivers in combatting this progressive, debilitating disease. One possibility lies in practices rooted in music therapy, which have been shown to restore memory retention, personhood, and quality of life in dementia patients. However, individuals outside of music therapists, especially those with limited musical backgrounds, may not consider implementing music therapy within their care plan. To make this approach more accessible, a website …

Increasing Nursing Aide Knowledge On Benefits Of Light For Sundowning Syndrome, Grace Hilfiker, Julie Masters

Honors Theses

In this study, the knowledge of nursing aides on the benefits of light for sundowning syndrome was investigated. While dementia and sundowning syndrome is discussed during nursing aide training in the state of Nebraska, there is no discourse focused on how light plays beneficial role in lessening the symptoms of sundowning syndrome for those who are afflicted with dementia. This study asked what the current knowledge base surrounding dementia and sundowning syndrome is of nursing aides in the state of Nebraska. The aim was to justify adding a focus on concrete methods to use when caring for patients with dementia …

Multicultural Gerotranscendence: A Theoretical Approach To Working With Older Adults, Whitney George, Danielle Schlittler

Adultspan Journal

With the growing number of the aging population, the call for counselors to understand the developmental processes of all clients is essential. The theories of gerotranscendence and multicultural counseling and therapy are central to the understanding of adult development in later life. The use of these two theories together provides a theoretical basis for counselors wishing to provide services to diverse older adults.

2023 Ulm Student Research Symposium Proceedings, Burton Ashworth

Multidisciplinary Psychology: A Journal of Collaboration

This is the results and proceedings from the 2023 ULM Student Research Symposium.

فعالية برنامج إرشادي قائم على مهارات العقل والجسم في تحسين مستوى الأمل لدى مريضات سرطان الثدي بمحافظة غزة, Diba M. Zain

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education (مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية (للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدف المقال إلى معرفة مدى فعالية برنامج إرشادي باستخدام مهارات العقل والجسم، لتحسين مستوى الأمل لدى مريضات سرطان الثدي، واستخدمت الدراسة المنهج شبه التجريبي، وتكونت عينة الدراسة من (20) امرأة مصابة بسرطان الثدي، اللاتي يخضعن للعلاج في مستشفى الصداقة التركي بمدينة غزة، حيث تم تقسيم عينة الدراسة إلى مجموعتين متساويتين: مجموعة تجريبية، ومجموعة ضابطة. وقد استخدمت الباحثة مقياس الأمل إعداد سنايدر، وبرنامج لتحسين مستوى الأمل إعداد الباحثة، وقد أظهرت نتائج الدراسة وجود فروق دالة إحصائيًا عند مستوى دلالة (a=0.05) بين متوسطات درجات المجموعة التجريبية ونفسها في التطبيقين القبلي والبعدي على مقياس الأمل لصالح التطبيق البعدي، ووجود أثر كبير للبرنامج في …

An Examination Of The Relation Between Memory Self-Efficacy And Working Memory Within The Cognitive Reserve Framework, Genna Marie Mashinchi Ma

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dementia has been found to negatively affect multiple aspects of cognitive functioning. Despite an increasing prevalence of cognitive decline, many aging adults do not experience reduced cognitive functioning. The reason as to why some experience cognitive decline and others do not is still unclear. One leading theory thought to explain this phenomenon is the cognitive reserve theory (CR), which proposes that certain lifestyle factors (e.g., educational attainment, occupational attainment, and leisure activity participation) prolong one’s cognitive functioning and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Memory self-efficacy (MSE), defined as one’s beliefs in their memory ability, was found to be positively …

Fantasia On A Theme Of Purpose: Using A Music-Guided Scribble Technique To Support Meaning-Making In Older Adult Retiree Musicians, Sophia R. Smith

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Within the population of older adults, overall well-being corresponds with the ability to self-actualize and seek meaning, but age-related changes combined with ageism and isolation can negatively impact this capacity to maintain a sense of purpose, especially following retirement. It may be that retired musicians are especially vulnerable to this experience later in life due to a loss of the primary method of creative engagement and community that is facilitated by musical performance in a group setting. Integrating phenomenological and ethnographic approaches, this study utilized a qualitative design to understand how music-guided art-making incorporating the scribble technique could support a …

Frozen By Worry And Fatigue? A Mixed Methods Approach To Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Freezing Of Gait, Sarah M. Ghose

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods emergent, phenomenological approach to (1) understanding the lived experience of freezing of gait for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and (2) determining the role of anxiety and sleep in freezing of gait outcomes. Participants included 13 adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (N=14 for qualitative data, N=13 for quantitative data; 23.1% female-identifying, 76.9% male-identifying) who were predominantly white (92.3%) with an average age of 69 years (SD = 6.73 years). Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, self-report measures, actigraphic sleep data, and salivary alpha amylase biomarker collection. Results are organized into …

Traumatic Brain Injury Severity In Older Adults: Impact On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms And Community Engagement, Ashley Tomford

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of physical and cognitive disability worldwide. TBI can negatively impact cognitive, physical, social, and psychological functioning.

Objective: This study investigated interactions between TBI severity, mental health symptom severity, and community engagement among older adults. Specific aims included investigating 1) the relationship between TBI severity at the time of injury and psychiatric symptom severity at one-year post-TBI; 2) the relationship between TBI severity and community engagement at one-year post-TBI; and 3) whether mental health symptom severity moderated the relationship between TBI and post-injury community engagement.

Methods: Archival data was analyzed …

Projecting, Persuading, & Protecting: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Adult Children’S Predictions Of Parents’ Quality-Of-Life Valuations In Serious Illness States, Jessica Hahne

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Older adults often face complex serious illness decisions and involve their adult children as shared or surrogate decision makers. However, previous research asking family members to predict older adults’ treatment preferences in serious illness situations typically shows poor concordance with older adults’ actual preferences. In the current mixed methods analysis, we surveyed older adults (n = 38) on their health state valuations in five serious illness scenarios. Two of their adult children (n = 76) predicted their parent’s preferences. Families also participated in a semi-structured conversation to discuss their preferences and predictions.

Quantitative analyses showed that parents’ average valuations were …

Residential Treatment Of Substance Use Disorder And Related Comorbidities In Older Adults, Dale J. Dyben

Research Symposium

Purpose: Substance Use Disorders (SUD) are a leading contributor to health problems and premature mortality in the United States. Stigma and misconceptions about persons with SUD contribute to negative outcomes. The misconception that older adults do not suffer from severe SUD has contributed to a paucity of treatment options that meet the unique needs this population.

Description: The Center for Older Adult Recovery (COAR) at Hanley Center in West Palm Beach, Florida provides a model for residential treatment of older 65 and older with severe SUD and related medical and mental health comorbidities. Older adults who meet DSM-V diagnostic …

Illness Intrusiveness And Psychosocial Adjustment Among Older Adults With Multimorbidity, Irina Mindlis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Given the high prevalence of multimorbidity (MM) among older adults and the exponential growth of the older adult U.S. population, identifying factors that can lessen depressive symptoms and improve quality of life (QOL) in this population is timely and important. While it is well established that MM is associated with greater depressive symptoms and poorer QOL (Li et al., 2016; Makovski et al., 2019; Marengoni et al., 2011; Read et al., 2017), the mechanisms underlying these relationships remain understudied. The illness intrusiveness model (Devins et al., 1984) proposes that stressors posed by diseases (disease-related factors) and their treatments (treatment-related factors) …

Signings Of Graphs And Sign-Symmetric Signed Graphs, Ahmad Asiri

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we investigate various aspects of signed graphs, with a particular focus on signings and sign-symmetric signed graphs. We begin by examining the complete graph on six vertices with one edge deleted ($K_6$\textbackslash e) and explore the different ways of signing this graph up to switching isomorphism. We determine the frustration index (number) of these signings and investigate the existence of sign-symmetric signed graphs. We then extend our study to the $K_6$\textbackslash 2e graph and the McGee graph with exactly two negative edges. We investigate the distinct ways of signing these graphs up to switching isomorphism and demonstrate …

Caregiver Burden: Support Needed For Those Who Support Others And The National Health Service, Michael Stephanou

Patient Experience Journal

This literature review focuses on the complexities and inequalities of informal caregiving in the UK and was inspired by the story of the following individual: EL is a 68-year-old Caucasian lady who attended Movement Disorder Clinic and was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease Dementia following many years of symptoms. The diagnosis came as a big relief to EL and her daughter (SL) who were eager to get treatment started as soon as possible. EL lives alone with SL and solely relies on her for care and support. SL does not have children and devotes her daily routine to looking after her …

Impact Of Subjective Cognitive Complaints On Mci Diagnostic Criteria In Alzheimer’S Disease, Rhiannon Rivas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most commonly occurring neurodegenerative disease characterized by deficits in patient cognition. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as an intermediate stage between cognitively normal (CN) and dementia in which the individual experiences some impairment but can function independently. Gold standard MCI criteria requires a subjective cognitive complaint (SCC) in which a patient acknowledges a decline in cognitive ability, however past findings on its validity as a measure of objective impairment have been inconsistent. Biomarkers found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and indicative of neurodegeneration are also used to examine AD progression. Our study investigates if inclusion …

Socio-Emotional Resilience Among Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cindy J. Lahar, Angela L. Nadeau, Jayne Violette, Summer Roberts, Diana Reindl

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The detrimental impact of social isolation on health and well-being has been reported in older adults (Prohaska, et al., 2020). Yet findings also demonstrate that older adults have a motivational shift to prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and experiences (Carstensen, 1993; Sakaki, et al., 2019), prioritize emotional meaning in situations, focus on positive emotions and stimuli over negative feelings and live in the present rather than focus on future preparedness. Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) (Carstensen, 1993; Carstensen, Fung & Charles, 2003) suggests that older adults have a limited sense of time left in life and shift their focus to meaningful and …

Enhancing The Quality Of Life For Senior Citizens: A Facilitator’S Guidebook For Mindful Music And Movement, Shannon Sexton

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Music appreciation and enjoyment enhance well-being throughout the lifespan. The challenges and constraints that people experience as they age can lead to lack of access to music, decreased physical activity, and fewer avenues for creative expression. Group music and movement interventions created for older populations offer opportunities for social connection and improved quality of life. Mindful practices add further benefit when combined with these interventions. Current available programs are scarce and most often do not encompass mixed modalities. In addition, the benefits of these programs do not show long-term sustainability. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effects …

Is Biological Death Final? Recomputing The Drake-S Equation For Postmortem Survival Of Consciousness, Adam J. Rock, James Houran, Patrizio E. Tressoldi, Brian Laythe

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This participatory team science project extended Laythe and Houran’s (2022) prior application of a famous probabilistic argument known as the ‘Drake equation’ to the question of postmortem survival. Specifically, we evaluated effect sizes from peer-reviewed, empirical studies to determine the maximum average percentage effect that ostensibly supports (i.e., "anomalous effects") or refutes (i.e., "known confounds") the survival hypothesis. But unlike the earlier application, this research included a study-specific estimate of the hypothesized variable of ‘living agent psi’ via a new meta-analysis of empirical studies (N = 17) with exceptional subjects vs participants from the general population. Our updated analysis found …

What Is Your Why? A Qualitative Study About Motivational Differences Of Latinos/Hispanics And African American/Black In A Computerized Cognitive Training Program To Prevent Alzheimer’S Disease, Lizbeth C. Vera Murillo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recruitment of diverse populations is a major barrier in advancing clinical research (Areán & Gallagher-Thompson, 1993; Areán & Alvidrez, 2003). The need to increase racial diversity is imperative due to the substantial growth of historically marginalized racial communities in the United States (Weinstein et al., 2017). Despite researchers’ efforts to increase racial/ethnic representation in clinical trials, there is still a lack of understanding of the best practices to recruit racial/ethnic minorities in clinical trials. The current study explores the qualitative motivations of why research participants (aged 65+ years old) volunteered for an Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) prevention clinical trial. Racial/ethnic differences …

Integrating Feminist Approaches In Counseling Work With Adult Women, Kristen M. Toole

Adultspan Journal

The scope of ‘women’s issues’ in counseling is an ever-evolving landscape. Recent events such as the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women serve as powerful reminders of the necessity of this focus while underscoring a deep-rooted history of oppressive patriarchal structures. Therefore, counselors must remain informed of the unique considerations surrounding adult women in counseling and acquire proficiency in versatile techniques to meet this population’s nuanced needs. This article examines the complexity of contemporary womanhood and explores the fundamentals of Feminist Counseling Theory (FCT), a holistic, multiculturally conscious, social justice theory in counseling. …

The Association Of Burden And Social Engagement With Depression In Caregivers Of Adults By Age, Danielle Leigh Forbes

Master's Theses

As life expectancy begins to increase, the need for familial caregivers is growing. The aging of care recipients often means that those providing care continue to get older as well. Previous studies focus little on the differences between older and younger caregivers and rather combine them all into one group. The purpose of this study is to understand whether the caregiving experience is related to the age of the caregiver. Depression, burden, and social engagement, based on the descriptors of leisure, work, and social relationships, were studied in conjunction with the age of the caregivers. This study consisted of 63 …

Bouncing Back: Resilience And Its Limits In Late-Age Composing, Louise Wetherbee Phelps

English Faculty Publications

This essay is one of a series on my mother’s late-age composing, studying a writing project she started at age 70 and worked on for more than 25 years. Her intention was to integrate extensive reading, personal experience, and cultural observations to explain changes in parenting (and, by extension, education and enculturation of the next generation) from her childhood in the 1920s through the 2000s. When she died at 97, she left behind a 75-page draft, but was unable to complete her plans for revisions and an ending. I focus here on identifying the multiple factors in the ecology of …

You've Got A Friend: Social Factors And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults, Erika A. Fenstermacher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Depression in late life has been associated with disability, lower quality of life, increased mortality, and increased risk of suicide (Fiske et al., 2009; Rodda et al., 2011). Research suggests that functional disability, which is often brought about by a medical condition, may precede depressive symptoms and may be a major factor for older adults developing depression (Ormel et al., 2002). Social support can be beneficial for both emotional and physical health (Fiori & Jager, 2021). Numerous studies found evidence that social networks, perceived and subjective social support, and satisfaction with support received moderated the relation between health problems and …

Scrolling Through The Years: Social Media's Effects Of Self-Esteem In Younger And Older Adults, Ryan Brown

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The detrimental impact social media has had on self-esteem in younger adults is well documented. However, this same approach to studying social media’s impact has not been applied to older generations, who were already well into adulthood as social media as we know it today began to emerge. Due to this, my project proposes to examine an interaction between the variables of three different social media categories (interactive, image/video, and informational) across younger and older adults. The results of this study could provide further insight into the effects social media has on self-esteem, specifically, the effect of different types of …

Utilization Of The Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework With Older Adults For Assessment, Case Conceptualization, And Treatment Planning, Janelle L. Jones, Julia Lancaster, Lauren Robins, Wendy K. Killam, Matthew L. Nice, Bisola Duyile

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual paper will aid counselors and mental health professionals in obtaining insight to utilizing a Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with older adult clients. Further, the article incorporates the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to further contextualize the therapeutic alliance. The authors utilize the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework to frame counseling assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning to improve the mental health outcomes of older adults. The article utilizes a specific case example to assess, conceptualize, and plan treatment for an older adult client contextualized in their environment.

Noted With Honor: Intersections Between Theology, Music Therapy, Psychotherapy, And Original Music Compositions For Hospice Patients, Stanton Nelson

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

This thesis investigates the intersections between theology, music therapy, and psychotherapy when creating a music composition that honors a hospice patient’s walk of faith. A pioneer organization inspiring this thesis is Swan Songs in Austin, Texas, where musical moments are created for the patient and family. However, its model is primarily based on collating previously composed pieces for recitals without a personalized honoring of the patient’s witness of faith. Noted with Honor is an emerging non-profit organization that creates an original work that reflects upon the testimony of the patient and forms a new narrative towards the end of one’s …

The Effects Of Stigma On Quality Of Life And Psychological Outcomes In Participants With Varying Reports Of Subjective Cognitive Decline., Lauren Flaherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Diagnostic labels such as cognitive impairment, dementia or MCI often carry associated stigmatization. Stigma can lead to social isolation and rejection; increasing the likelihood of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Depression and anxiety can be predictive of cognitive function; depression and anxiety are linked to stigma. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) can be indicative of actual cognitive impairment. Subjective impairment and stigma can significantly predict quality of life. The aim of the proposed dissertation study was to explore whether higher SCD scores associate with more internalized stigma, and if this stigma mediates the relationship between SCD and depression, SCD and …

Age-Related Differences In The Relationship Between Activity Familiarity And Well-Being., S. Kelly Shryock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background and Objectives: This study explored age-related differences in the relationship between activity novelty/familiarity and well-being, conceptualized within theories including Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (SOC), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST). For all ages, participation in activities has been shown to enhance well-being. Known mediators of this relationship include psychological, physical, and psychosocial benefits. It is less clear what types of experiences are optimal across the lifespan. Research Design and Methods: A online cross-sectional, correlational study (N= 200) was conducted. Measures included demographic data, ratings of three self-identified recent activities, three activity choices of familiar or …