Social Work Commons^™

360º Videos Of Natural Scenery Delivered Via Virtual Reality Devices And Its Effect On Mood, Joseph Strong

Doctoral Dissertations

Nature has long been touted as a method to alleviate the symptoms of stressful modern life and introduce some aesthetic novelty. For those individuals for whom access to nature is in some way limited, especially older adults facing poor physical or mental health, novel approaches to bring the outside world in are necessary to help enhance quality of life. This pilot study endeavors to help improve the mood of a sample of 43 older adults by testing a new intervention – using smart phones to deliver 360-degree videos of nature. Results of the study provide evidence that the intervention may …

Mental Health Issues Among The Elderly Population, Katrina Johnson, Mi Young Son

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aging population has experienced a steady growth over the past several decades not only in the United States but also worldwide. This growth comes with increased needs for mental health services. The American Psychological Association (2019) estimated that the number of senior citizens in the United States with mental health and behavioral problems could reach 15 million in 2030. This study explored social workers’ perceptions of the apparatus of mental health services that target older adults. Using a snowball sampling, this study drew nine social workers, mostly Asian-Americans (N = 9). The findings generated four major themes, which were …

Psychological Sense Of Community Among Older Adults In Puerto Rico Two Years After Hurricane María, Thomas D. Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and resulted in adverse long-term outcomes. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) may serve as a protective factor against the effects of Hurricane María for older adults in Puerto Rico. Using a three-paper format, this dissertation draws on a resilience framework and theories of PSOC and the Ecological Theory of Aging to examine the role of PSOC among older adults in Puerto Rico two years after Hurricane María.

Paper one is a scoping review of the concept of PSOC in research with community dwelling older adults. I begin by presenting findings on study characteristics …