Digital Commons Network^™

(2017) Integration Of Play Therapy With Insecurely Attached Adolescents, Megan N. Long, Erin M. Dugan, Kellie G. Camelford

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of play therapists’ methods for screening adolescents for attachment disorders, as well as determining the effectiveness of integrating play therapy in treating adolescents who are insecurely attached with their primary caregivers. This study attempts to determine the theoretical orientation of play therapists who utilized play therapy in treating insecurely attached adolescent clients. This study sought to determine if there are any current trends among play therapists, in regard to providing play therapy services to insecurely attached adolescents. The primary goal of this study was to gain greater depth of …

(2017) Entire Issue, Meredith Nelson, Peter Emerson

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

No abstract provided.

Narrative Therapy And Quality Of Life In Functional Neurological Disorder, Amber Wilder

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Functional Neurological Disorder is a severely disabling and stigmatized condition in which motor or sensory neurological symptoms cannot be attributed to a known neurological condition and are considered to be psychological in nature. Cognitive behavioral therapy improves depression and neurological symptoms for some patients, but many do not respond to therapy, and treatment adherence is extremely low. Narrative therapy is a psychotherapeutic model based in reframing one’s life story, and it is associated with decreased self-stigma and improved treatment adherence and engagement, but it has not been studied in Functional Neurological Disorder. In this randomized controlled trial, we will compare …

(2018) Shaping Trauma-Responsive Schools With Relational-Cultural Theory, Sarah C. Demarais

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

Traumatized students often struggle to meet the academic and behavioral expectations of schools. Interpersonal trauma in particular can damage children’s capacities for healthy social relationships and participation in community. In this article, I explore some of the detrimental effects of interpersonal trauma on students. I then offer relational-cultural theory as a lens for conceptualizing how interpersonal trauma affects children’s relational skills and for promoting mutually empathetic relationships that foster healing. Finally, I recommend strategies for school counselors to cultivate trauma-responsive school environments by working directly with traumatized students, advocating for safe and inclusive school cultures, and training educators in skills …

(2018) Practicing What We Preach: Faculty Level Factors Impact On Service Learning, John A. Dewell, Yu-Yun Liu

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

Service learning has theoretical and empirical support as a pedagogy that can address the need to infuse social justice advocacy into the counselor education curriculum. Unfortunately, it is not widely utilized and there is a dearth of data shedding light on why this is. This study sought to address this by investigating how faculty level factors impact the use of service learning. The data indicates that faculty perception of the importance of professional roles, perceived teaching efficacy, and epistemic beliefs significantly predict the use of service learning. The data further indicates that faculty level factors predict attitudes towards service learning. …

(2018) Entire Issue, Meredith Nelson, Peter Emerson

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

No abstract provided.

(2019) The Relationship Between Hegemonic Masculinity And Multicultural Competence In Male Counselors, Erik Braun, Madeline Clark, George Armitage

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

The purpose of this study was to explore hegemonic masculinity, an expression of the male identity whereby value is placed on attitudes and behaviors which may be destructive, and Multicultural Competence (MCC) in male counselors. Data were collected using the Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS; Ponterotto, et al., 2002) and the Male Norm Roles Inventory (MRNI-SF; Levant, Hall, & Rankin, 2013). Hierarchical Linear Regression (HLR) and correlational analyses were used. Results support that hegemonic masculine attitudes are negatively related to MCC, and sexual identity is related to hegemonic masculine attitudes and MCC.

(2019) A Silent Epidemic: Prevalence Of Suicide Among Asian American Adolescents, Kacie Blalock, Ashton Nance, Anna-Katrina Keco, Britney Cubley

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

The suicide rate among Asian American adolescents has sharply increased in recent years. This article examines the factors which influence suicidal ideation, predictors of suicide, and treatment approaches for Asian American adolescents. It is imperative that mental health professionals understand the risk factors which may predict suicidal ideation. Predictors of suicide for Asian American adolescents include mental health issues, family dynamics, and academic and societal expectations and perceived pressures. Asian American adolescents report higher levels of depression and anxiety than their European American counterparts. The risk of suicide is likely to decrease when Asian American adolescents have supportive families. In …

Complementary And Integrative Therapies Available For Treating Veterans With Ptsd: An Integrative Review, Kelly Ann Greene

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

PTSD is described as the resulting from exposure to threatened or real injury, death, or sexual violence. Its symptoms have four different clusters: avoidance, re-experiencing, hyperarousal, and negative alterations in mood. PTSD is a widespread diagnosis among U.S. military veterans. This is a way of daily life for many veterans, and not all therapy is successful. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) recognizes that conventional therapy is not always appropriate for each veteran with PTSD. The VA has developed the Whole Health approach, which represents a move toward more person-driven health care, which the VA characterizes as proactive, patient driven, and …

(2021) The Theory-Application Gap In Non-Clinical Settings, Victoria Rodriguez

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

Theoretical orientation is used to assist clinicians in understanding client behavior, treatment plan development, and evaluating treatment progress. Though the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) places a great emphasis on the importance of using theory in counseling, there is significant research that points to the existence of a gap between counseling theory and the application of theory within the therapeutic process (Murray, 2009; Proctor, 2004). This paper reviewed the barriers that counselors face when applying theory in community mental health settings, schools, medical settings, and, correctional facilities. The literature suggested that there are often distractions …

(2021) Addressing Climate Trauma Among Adolescents: Process-Oriented Group Therapy As A Way Forward, Mya Sherman, John A. Dewell

Louisiana Journal of Counseling

Climate change and climate trauma are producing chronic anxiety, grief, despair, and depression, particularly among adolescents and children. Unfortunately, a sincere discussion of both the mental health implications of climate change and conceptualizations of working through climate trauma has been absent from the counseling literature. We address this gap by examining the impact of climate change on mental health, how individuals cope with climate trauma, and the strong potential of process-oriented group therapy to facilitate healing. Finally, we propose a group therapy model to address climate trauma with adolescents.

A Systematic Review Examining The Efficacy Of Existing Child Abuse Screening Tools Used In The Emergency Department, Kaitlan Meyers, Alyssa Strapko

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Child abuse and neglect is a major health problem in the United States and has lasting and detrimental effects. This review examines the screening instruments that are in existence today to detect child maltreatment. The instruments are compared and evaluated for their feasibility of use in an emergency department setting.

Four electronic databases were searched to identify screening instruments that assessed for child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect. The following subject heading keywords were used: ‘child abuse or child maltreatment or child mistreatment or child neglect or child sexual abuse or non-accidental trauma or head trauma or battered …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Simulation-Based Education Of Venous Gas Embolism On Novice Nurse Anesthesia Trainees, Angelica Rejczak, Jenna Fitzpatrick

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Background: Simulation-based education is a learning modality utilized in healthcare curriculum among nurse anesthesia trainees (NATs) for crisis management training. This learning modality may improve confidence and knowledge in novice NATs responding to a crisis scenario, such as a venous gas embolism (VGE).

Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based education in effectively managing a crisis scenario, VGE, as measured by novice NATs confidence and knowledge levels.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study with a pretest-posttest design on a group of novice second-year NATs (NAT-2s) from NorthShore University HealthSystems (NorthShore) School of Nurse Anesthesia was utilized. A total of 15 NATs participated …

Uthealth Quality Symposium 2023 Abstracts-1, Salih Selek

Teaching in Clinics

UTHealth Quality Symposium 2023 Abstracts

Impact Of Covid-19 On Service Dog Organizations, Danny Benbassat, Abigail Konopasky, Michael Fox

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The 2019 coronavirus pandemic led to federal, state, and local measures that paralyzed businesses across the nation. Among them were behavioral and mental health nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the pandemic on nonprofit programs that train and place service dogs with veterans/service members. Six service dog managers completed eight reflection probe questionnaires and participated in three focus groups. This study found that facility shutdown, businesses shutdown, and social distancing resulted in a training bottleneck for both canines and humans. These primary challenges created secondary and tertiary challenges that mirror and lend support …

Community Members’ Experiences Training As Medical Journal Reviewers, Jeri Jewett-Tennant, Kurt C. Stange, Ashwini R. Sehgal

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose: Although medical research dissemination is intended to benefit members of society, few members of society actually participate in the process of publishing findings. This study shares findings from community members’ (including patients and the public) experiences being trained as medical journal reviewers. Methods: We analyzed findings from two focus group interviews of community reviewers (N = 29) to identify themes in their experiences with the training program. Results: Community members trained as journal reviewers appreciated learning the context under which manuscript development and review occur from authors and funders, the value of the community member perspectives to science, and …

Simplifying Qualitative Case Study Research Methodology: A Step-By-Step Guide Using A Palliative Care Example, Elizabeth M. Miller Mrs, Joanne E. Porter Professor, Michael S. Barbagallo Dr

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative case study research can be a helpful methodology when conducting health research. However, it can be overlooked or dismissed as a possible methodological choice due to different epistemological positionings by case study theorists and often confusing and contradictory definitions and terminology. Much has been written about case studies, but it takes time to wade through volumes of often philosophically and methodologically dense material to locate a theorist who presents case study research at a depth the novice researcher can understand. Case study research literature may offer a condensed summary of processes but often needs more theoretical detail. Therefore, discerning …

Expanding The Volunteer Role To Include Advance Care Planning Knowledge, Andrea C. Leomo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Transition patients at the end-of-life are those patients who are not mentally ready or physically eligible for hospice thus not enrolled in a Palliative or Hospice Program. Only one-third of the Transition patient census had completed and filed advance care plans. Healthcare providers are obligated to perform life-saving measures unless documented otherwise. A lack of advance care planning can create complicated scenarios and cause discordant care incidents.

Context: End-of-life care is a delicate subject to navigate conversations with patients. With holistic care being a large component of hospice and palliative care, it is important to have updated and accurate …

Changes In Medicaid Fee-For-Service Benefit Design For Substance Use Disorder Treatment During The Opioid Crisis, 2014 To 2021, Angela Shoulders, Christina Andrews, Melissa A. Westlake, Amanda J. Abraham, Colleen M. Grogan

Faculty Publications

Importance: Medicaid is the largest payer of substance use disorder treatment in the US and plays a key role in responding to the opioid epidemic. However, as recently as 2017, many state Medicaid programs still did not cover the full continuum of clinically recommended care. Objective: To determine whether state Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) programs have expanded coverage and loosened restrictions on access to substance use disorder treatment in recent years. Design, Setting, and Participants: In 2014, 2017, and 2021, a survey on coverage for substance use disorder treatment was conducted among state Medicaid programs and the District of Columbia with …

Empower: A Self-Regulation Program For Youth In Residential Foster Care, Cristina Eversole, Angela Labrie Blackwell, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster describes how the development and implementation of a self-regulation program, EMPOWER, utilized interventions such as mindfulness exercises, creative arts, sound/music therapy, and sensory grounding techniques to help youth in residential foster care enhance occupational engagement and quality of life.

Exploring Occupational Therapy’S Role In Foster Care: A Mixed Methods Study On Financial Literacy Education For Foster Youth, Ashley Carmichael, Karen Park

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Foster youth are children under 21 years old who have been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse and are susceptible to early adversity and trauma (Alternative Family Services, n.d.; AOTA, 2017). Financial literacy is the knowledge and skills to take control of finances (National Financial Educators Council, n.d.). In the foster care setting, occupational therapists (OTs) provide client-centered care that traditionally focuses on transitional life skills, such as seeking employment (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2017).

Problem/Purpose: The lack of resources for foster youth to gain financial literacy skills leads to a disadvantage in …

The Association Of Hobbies And Leisure Activities With Physician Burnout And Disengagement, Yan Li, Cindy Y. Lai, Bill Friedrich, Chenxing Liu, Joel H. Popkin

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout among physicians is a worldwide burden. While many causes of physician stress have been reported, we have found few quantitative studies of associations between burnout and participation in hobbies and interests outside of medicine. Our objective was to determine if health care professional burnout/disengagement could be mitigated by incorporating leisure interests and to characterize which specific interests, if any, are most significantly related.

Methods: We conducted an online survey of 2,563 US-based physicians and 512 residents/fellows and queried their participation in a list of 117 individual hobbies, which we then further categorized into three perceived levels …

Students Of Color And Covid-19: Experiences, Coping Strategies, And Supports, Amie S. Kang, Barbora Hoskova, Chung Yu Liu, Arisa Viddayakorn, Molly Binder, Belle Liang, Betty S. Lai

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The coronavirus disease of 2019, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, is a disaster event that posed significant physical, social, financial, and mental health risks to college students. Disproportionate experiences of stressors position students of color as a population particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19, thus, the current study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students of color in the United States. Students participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews about their experiences with stressors during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and revealed themes including (a) the pandemic’s impact on students; (b) basic needs as college …

Examining Factors Impacting The Service Needs Of Unhoused Women, Holly Brott

Dissertations and Theses

Women account for a sizeable proportion of the unhoused population in the U.S. Over one-third (38.7%) of unhoused individuals are women, which is a 17% increase from 2016 (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2019). The increased prevalence of women experiencing homelessness calls for a renewed examination of their service needs. This dissertation presents three studies examining factors impacting the service needs of unhoused women. The first manuscript examined factors contributing to unhoused mothers’ successful completion of transitional housing; highlighted participant-identified programmatic strengths; and investigated differences in facilitators to success across two geographic contexts: one rural and one …

Examining School Nurses' Knowledge And Confidence Related To Their Intention To Screen For And Report Child Sexual Abuse: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study, Suzanne Ackers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) in a preventable national public health problem that results in adverse health consequences. Research suggests many victims are currently attending school. Screening for early detection of health issues is integral to school nurse (SN) practice but there is little evidence that screening for CSA is occurring in schools despite recommendations that it should be. Lack of confidence and knowledge related to screening for suspected CSA contribute to a SN’s missed opportunity for early intervention.

Purpose: To describe SNs knowledge and self-efficacy associated with screening for and reporting CSA in school settings.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional …

Evaluating Outcomes Of An Integrated Medical Care Model In An Acute Care Hospital: A Program Evaluation, Erin Flanagan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Background: Increased awareness of disparities for people with co-occurring medical and behavioral health disorders identified a gap in their individualized health care plan. This gap provides opportunities for hospitals and acute care centers to evaluate current care models for this specific patient population. Problem: Hospitals are challenged to meet the growing needs of patients while working to decrease operational costs. Patients with behavioral health disorders also have significantly greater spending for general medical conditions than patients without a behavioral health disorder (Chu et al., 2019). Methods: Hospitals are attempting to address this gap in care through interdisciplinary or collaborative care …

Mental Health Stigma As A Sociocultural Complex Within Panamanian Culture, Arielle Sanders

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

The purpose of this study is to examine mental health stigma within the sociocultural context shared by members of the Panamanian population. Mental health stigma is complex because it manifests itself differently according to the cultural context in which it is experienced. Culture informs individual beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes regarding how a person should live within their immediate household and within society. This social conditioning is accomplished through a variety of means, including the passing down of social norms, traditions, and customs. Ultimately, these cultural characteristics encourage socially acceptable behaviors while simultaneously discouraging undesirable behaviors in order to maintain group …

Ot's Role In Facilitating Successful Role Transition For Informal Caregivers Of People Living With Dementia, Kiyatta Freeman, Monica Watford, Evyline Chioma

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The aim of this capstone project was to identify education and training needs for family caregivers of individuals living with dementia and create an educational workshop based on these identified needs. This workshop is a dementia training course focused on education on the dementia diagnosis and effective care strategies to promote occupational participation and safety for the care recipient and the caregiver. The aim is to improve care competency, reduce stress, and facilitate role transition.

The Role Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners In The Care Of Pets And Animals: A Guide To Aging In Place With Pets And Animals, Blake Randell, Mary Jan Greer, Sherry Pidgeon

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project explored the role of occupational therapy practitioners in the care of pets and animals among older adults which has been referred to as the forgotten instrumental activity of daily living (or IADL) for this population. A needs assessment was conducted to determine how to provide facilitators and remove barriers or hindrances to occupational performance in the care of pets and animals among a group of older adults (with a variety of disability- and non-disability-related needs) in independent living communities. This needs assessment identified compounding health disparities of physical and/or cognitive impairments and lack of financial and necessary …

Improving Maternal And Infant Health: A Quality Improvement Initiative To Recognize Postpartum Depression In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit., Amy Barry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

BACKGROUND: While postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant problem in the postpartum population, emerging literature suggests that PPD is disproportionately concentrated and underdiagnosed among mothers of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to institute a PPD screening protocol within a Level III NICU to identify mothers exhibiting signs of distress and initiate social work referrals.

METHODS: A quality improvement project implemented utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework and a pre-and-posttest design.

INTERVENTION: Staff education regarding PPD symptoms and the project’s protocol occurred via electronic means. Mothers of NICU infants who remained …