Digital Commons Network^™

The Benefits Of Pet Ownership For Single Adults In Midlife, Lauren Mcgillivray

Theses : Honours

Pets are shown to enhance quality of life through support and companionship. Midlife is a time where pets may be most valuable, since it is a time that involves critical changes to intimate relationships, roles and status. In this article a critical review of the literature on midlife development and demographic trends was carried out. Further, the psychological literature on human-pet relationships was reviewed and integrated with midlife research. Evidence for the psychological and physical benefits of pets is examined and the implications and potential benefits for middle aged adults are discussed. Findings suggest that pets may help to reduce …

An Examination Of The Role Of Anxiety And Obsessive-Compulsive Features In Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology, Christopher Chandler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although Muscle Dsymorphia (MD) has received more attention in recent years, it still lacks an official classification. The current study incorporates trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features into an etiological model of MD in the hopes of establishing them as reliable predictors of such MD symptomatology as drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and negative body attitude (self). This model was based upon previous research that has linked trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features to eating disorders (ED). In this model, it was predicted that trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features would predict overall MD symptomatology, drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and …

Treatment Of Co-Morbid Methamphetamine Substance Abuse And Borderline Personality Disorder Features Using Modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Jessica R. Schultz Fischer

Dissertations

The study investigated the effectiveness of a time-limited, skills-based treatment in a population of female substance abusers. This project implemented a pilot clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-session modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) protocol among a small sample of women, with co-morbid borderline personality disorder features, receiving concurrent outpatient treatment for methamphetamine abuse. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used. In addition to on-going assessment conducted during baseline and weekly over the course of treatment, a comprehensive assessment battery was administered pre-, and post-treatment as well as at 1 and 3 months following treatment. Findings suggest that …

Efficacy Of Cognitive Therapy And Pharmacotherapy In Depression: A Meta-Analysis, Daniel B. Michel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A meta-analysis comparing the long-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy in preventing relapse following treatment discontinuation was performed using published studies of depressed participants. Twenty-three articles met inclusionary criteria and were included in the analyses. Weighted effect sizes and moderators, treatment type, were calculated using statistical analysis software. Initially, fixed effects models were applied to the data, but due to significant between-group heterogeneity that could not be fully explained by treatment type, mixed effect models were used to account for the residual heterogeneity. Results indicated that overall, depressed individuals treated to remission with CBT evidence decreased relapse …

Role Of Medial Prefrontal Cortical Group Ii Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor In The Development Of Cocaine Sensitization, Xiaohu Xie

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The current studies examined the role of medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC) group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR_2/3) in the development of cocaine sensitization. Initial studies demonstrated that intra-mPFC injection of the mGluR_2/3 receptor agonist, APDC, dose-dependently reduced acute behavioral response to cocaine (0.015-15 nmol/side with significant effects starting at 1.5nmol/side). The effects of APDC were prevented by intra-mPFC co-injections of an mGluR_2/3 antagonist, LY341495 (1.5 nmol/side). Repeated intra-mPFC APDC (1.5 nmol/side) injections also prevented the initiation of behavioral and neurochemical sensitization, which is defined as enhanced nucleus accumbens (NAc) dopamine response to cocaine. Once sensitization was …

Relationship Between Premenstrual Symptom Severity And Catastrophic Thinking, Candon Deanne Norton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is proposed as a cluster of severe emotional, physical and behavioral symptoms that affect a small percentage or women during the late luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and cease shortly after the onset or menses. Although some researchers hypothesize there is a difference in the amount or pain actually experienced during the premenstrual phase, others argue that there muy be differences in how women interpret the 'normal' fluctuations and bodily changes of the premenstrual phase. Perhaps women who experience severe premenstrual symptoms anticipate their symptoms and become hypervigilant in monitoring normal bodily sensations, which results …

Depression In The Elderly: Does Family System Play A Role? A Cross-Sectional Study, Ather M. Taqui, Ahmed Itrat, Waris Qidwai, Zeeshan Qadri

Department of Family Medicine

Background

The most common geriatric psychiatric disorder is depression. The role of family systems in depression among the elderly has not been studied extensively. It has been suggested that urbanization promotes nucleation of family systems and a decrease in care and support for the elderly. We conducted this study in Karachi, a large urban city of Pakistan, to determine the relationship between the type of family system and depression. We also determined the prevalence of depression in the elderly, as well as correlation of depression with other important socio-demographic variables.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the premises …

Understanding Mental Health From A Candomblé Perspective, Kerilyn Daniel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religion that has a strong presence in Brazil as a religious institution as well as a health center. Many turn to the houses of Candomblé (terreiros) for healing from not only physical ailments but mental illnesses as well. Candomblé has been very effective in healing mental illnesses even when Western medicine has proved ineffective. I have sought to understand how Candomblé perceives mental health and the treatment of mental illness. I have examined how they diagnose mental illnesses, how they understand the nature of the illness, and their healing methods. I have also explored more general …

The State Of Latino Health And Mental Health, Gregory Acevedo, Manny J. González, Victoria Santiago, Carlos Vargas-Ramos

Policy Documents

The Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños/Hunter College and Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service collaborated on this report to review the health and mental health status of Latinos/as. This analysis integrates national and local statistics from published reports and scholarly articles. Based on the analysis of Hispanic health and mental health, the authors have generated a set of recommendations for policies targeting the health and mental health needs of Latinos/as and promoting their overall well-being. Aside from these specific recommendations, they call for more disaggregated data collection about Hispanic subgroups.

Deliverance As Part Of The Therapeutic Process, David W. Appleby

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Within the last few years there has been an increased interest in spiritual warfare and, along with it, the deliverance ministry. The increased visibility of this ministry has resulted in a plethora of books and tapes on the subject. The following is an outline of a presentation made at the 2007 American Association of Christian Counselor’s World Conference in Nashville, TN. It is entitled Deliverance as a Part of the Therapeutic Process.

Assessment In Crisis, Amresh Srivastava

Psychiatry Presentations

No abstract provided.

Validity Of The Clinical Assessment Of Depression With The Brief Symptom Inventory, Carlie West

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Depression is a disorder frequently noted in college students that can affect multiple aspects of one's life, ranging from physical health issues to interpersonal relationship difficulties. Therefore, it is imperative that the depressive symptoms of college students be identified, evaluated, and treated. This investigation explored the validity of a newly published self-report narrow-band measure of depression, the Clinical Assessment of Depression (CAD; Bracken & Howell, 2004) with an existing broad-band measure, the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1993). College students 18 to 52 years of age (n = 280) enrolled in undergraduate courses in psychology at a south central Kentucky university …

A Model For Preventing Anorexia In College Students, Laura Ann Negin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The prevalence of anorexia nervosa in the general population is relatively low, but anorexia is at the forefront of health concerns because of its seriousness. Unhealthy weight loss has numerous physical, psychological, and social consequences. Most seriously, the mortality rate for people with eating disorders is the highest of all the major psychiatric disorders.

This dissertation presents a model for preventing anorexia nervosa in a population of college students that includes a comprehensive institutional approach, psychoeducational software, a high-risk population, a holistic approach that identifies an individual’s personal risk factors and protective factors, and individual therapy.

The model is built …

Behavioral Compliance And Verbal Intelligence In Children, Jared Jackson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Compliance with parental requests is an important developmental task necessary in the socialization of children. The majority of research has focused on the relationship between child compliance and variables related to age, parental interactions, and child temperament. While these variables account for almost half of the variance related to compliance in children, there is still a large amount of variance unaccounted for. An area that has not been fully explored is the role of verbal intelligence in behavioral compliance of children. This study explored the contributions that verbal intelligence may play in the behavioral compliance of children. Results from this …

Religious Coping And Depression In Home Care Patients, Kirsten Ingheim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study examined the impact of a medical illness in 36 elderly male and female home health care patients with a primary diagnosis of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and how they coped with their medical condition. Relationships between depression and religious coping, functional status, quality of life, and depression, as well as relationship between functional status and quality of life were investigated. In addition, a moderating effect of the relationship between functional status and depression by religious coping was explored. The participants completed the Religious Problem-Solving Scale (RPSS) (Collaborative, Deferring, and Self-Directing), the SF-12 …

Effects Of Therapy Dogs On Anxiety In Children Participating In Sexual Abuse Forensic Interviews At Children's Advocacy Center, Andra K. Chamberlin

Graduate Theses

This study investigated the effect of therapy dogs on physiological and psychological measures of anxiety before and after a forensic interview in children who may have been sexually abused. A convenience sample consisted of 37 children ages 6 to 12 years who presented at a children’s advocacy center for sexual abuse forensic interviews. Twenty children had a therapy dog present during their time at the Center and 17 did not. Researchers measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) using a Zelwa WS-TS Touch Screen Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor. State- anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for …

Examining The Ability Of The Halstead -Reitan Battery And The Wide Range Achievement Test To Utilize Severity In Discriminating Among Alzheimer's Dementia Patients, Gina Gibson-Beverly

Doctoral Dissertations

Measuring change in cognitive status is essential for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of brain dysfunction. Psychological abilities are differentially affected by brain dysfunction severity, as some abilities are more vulnerable to brain dysfunction than others. Neuropsychological assessments can be viewed as a continuum of "hold" and "don't hold" tests. "Hold" tests assess abilities that remain stable in spite of brain dysfunction, while "don't hold" tests measure skills that are significantly compromised by brain impairment. The present study ranks the Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB) and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) subtests based on their ability to discriminate between two levels …

Evaluation Of A Sleep Hygiene Program To Improve Inmate Sleep Quality, Jennifer F. Hodges-Crowder

Doctoral Dissertations

Research investigating the effectiveness of treatments for inmates with poor sleep quality appears minimal. Some difficulties related to poor sleep quality can be addressed effectively with little time and expense. Studies show that psychoeducational interventions are effective in reducing sleep complaints and improving sleep quality in a variety of populations including college students and adults. However, the effect of sleep hygiene interventions on inmate sleep complaints is unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a psychoeducational intervention program aimed at improving prison inmate sleep habits, length, and quality.

Participants of this study were inmates at a department …

The Health Implications Of Violence Against Women: Untangling The Complexities Of Actual And Chronic Effects: Part Two, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Gender And Readiness To Change In The Prediction Of Drinking And Negative Consequences Of First-Year Student Drinkers, Margot E. Ackermann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

College drinking is widespread, and binge drinkers can experience serious consequences. The present study examined the effectiveness of two interventions, expressive writing and behavioral monitoring, as well a combined condition, in reducing drinking and negative consequences associated with drinking. Gender differences and differences in readiness to change binge drinking were also assessed. Participants (N = 97) completed a pretest, eight weekly intervention activities, and a posttest during their first semester of college. An ANOVA tested the hypothesis that individuals higher in readiness to change binge drinking participated in more of the weekly intervention activities; this hypothesis was not supported. A …

Female Patients’ Perspectives On The Stages Of Eating Disorder Recovery, Cherish C. Knoll

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Eating disorders are severe psychiatric disorders that most commonly begin in the female population during adolescence and across ethnicity (Lucas, 2004). However, the face of eating disorders is changing as they become more apparent across cultures and lifespan, impacting both young and aging women as well as males. In the past few decades progress has been made in the diagnostic, treatment, and recovery phases of eating disorders. These gains have contributed to a better understanding of eating disorders, assisting in the decrease of mortality and morbidity rates seen in eating disorder patients. Nevertheless, there are significant challenges that still remain …

The Effects Of Communication On Adolescent Sexual Behavior In Eastern Europe, Sharon Mieras Perugini

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

HIV/AIDS rates have continued to rise in Eastern Europe where adolescents are particularly vulnerable. The theory of reasoned action (TRA) has successfully been applied to understanding adolescent sexual risk behavior and provides a theoretical framework for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. According to TRA, attitudes and subjective norms predict behaviors via the mediating role of intentions, and in order to have an impact on behavior, changes must occur at the attitude and subjective norm level. Because parents have been found to influence their children's attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions, the moderating effects of parent communication on sexual risk behavior of adolescents …

Globalization And Drug And Alcohol Use In Rural Communities In Nigeria: A Case Study, Charles Fiki

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper presents an exploratory study of alcohol and drug use in two rural communities in Plateau State, Nigeria. The aim is to raise awareness of the rural alcohol and drug problem. The paper examines the patterns of alcohol consumption and drug use, and their perceived functions for substance use among rural farmers in Nigeria. The study shows the common use of marijuana and alcohol in addition to prescription drugs. There is also evidence of multiple or combinational drug use. Pleasure and relaxation emerged as the major reasons for drug and alcohol use. Factors influencing alcohol and drug use are …

Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms And Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (Cisd) In Emergency Medical Services (Ems) Personnel., Ginger Lee Woods

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

EMS personnel were examined for Post Traumatic Stress symptoms and the usefulness of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) using the Los Angeles Symptom Checklist (LASC) and a demographics questionnaire. This study revealed that women in this group show higher PTSD symptoms than male coworkers. Level of Training (LOT) of the EMS provider did not demonstrate a significant difference in whether a provider developed PTSD. EMS personnel receiving debriefing actually suffered greater levels of PTSD than those that did not receive debriefing. And 16% of EMS providers in this study suffered from PTSD, while approximately 20% suffered from partial PTSD or …

Values In Family Therapy Practice And Research: An Invitation For Reflection, Stephen T. Fife, Jason B. Whiting Phd

Faculty Publications

Values have been shown to be a pervasive part of both marriage and family therapy (MFT) clinical practice and research. Yet, many therapists and researchers remain unclear about how values affect their work. This article examines the influence of Western philosophical assumptions and therapy traditions in light of current understandings of values in therapy. The influence of values in MFT research processes is similarly examined. Implications for how family therapy professionals can be more reflective and sophisticated in their understanding of values in clinical practice and scientific inquiry are discussed. Suggestions for addressing values in MFT training also are given.

The Effects Of Child Sexual Abuse And Posttraumatic Stress On Levels Of Self-Efficacy, Lary L. Anderson

Graduate Theses

Sexually abused children often develop posttraumatic stress disorder, a distressing and potentially debilitating condition that renders children to feelings of helplessness. Past studies have explored these effects in adults concerning sexual abuse, health issues, war, and natural disaster but not much research has been done for children. This study examined childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, and the relation that exists with self-efficacy. Thirty-nine children, 7 males and 32 females, participated in the study. The ages ranged from age eight through age eighteen, with a mean age of 12.5. Each participant was tested for levels of PTSD, using the Trauma Check list …

Assimilation Into A Therapeutic Community For Substance-Abusing Women, Joni Furlong

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Therapeutic communities provide structure, support and a safe living environment for individuals attempting to recover from addiction. Using peer influence, counseling, education, self-help groups, and case management, they assist residents in conforming to social norms and developing effective coping mechanisms while remaining drug-free. Prior studies have consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of these programs. But, why are they effective for some and not others? This study explored the residents1 backgrounds and the methods employed by them to assimilate into the therapeutic community, the recovering community, and then society at large. The data confirmed my suspicion that the women's ability to conform …

Health Barriers, Health Perceptions, And Cardiovascular Risk Factors Of Adolescent Black American Males, Desmarie Jackson Decuir

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Area of Investigation: Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are the leading cause of death among Black American adult males. Health behaviors that contribute to CV disease are probably learned during adolescence yet few researchers have studied the factors that influence health promotion behaviors in adolescent Black American males. This study described the health barriers, health perceptions (health self-efficacy and health status), and CV risk factors reported by and the influence of these variables on health promotion behaviors of a sample of Black American adolescent males without known CV disease.

Methods and Procedures: A descriptive correlation study design was used to …

Graduate Art Therapy Experience Of Students Of Color, Keena Tarrant

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This narrative inquiry explored the perspectives of three professional art therapists of color. This study explored the past experience of being a graduate art therapy student of color on several levels. It also explored the impact of cultural competency course in relation to the experience of being a student of color. This experience is important in terms of how being an ethnic minority can affect the learning environment in relation to graduate experience of students of color and how cultural competency is taught to all students. This study explored the art recommendations of therapy professionals of color for cultural competency …

College Athletes’ Human Figure Drawings, Kaitlin Taggart

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The demands of both lean and non-lean sports upon male athletes can lead to body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. This study explored whether the Human Figure Drawing (HFD) is a valid method for assessing male college athletes’ body image. A total of 86 male athletes who were competitive on a lean (cross-country or wrestling) or non-lean (football or ice hockey) sport participated in the study. The score recorded on the Male Body Attitude Scale (MBAS) (Tylka, Bergeron, & Schwartz, 2005), a 24-question survey administered to each participant, focused specifically on assessing muscularity, body fat, and height attitudes of these …