Work-Life Stress In Japan: Exploring The Physiological Factors Behind Karōshi And Karōjisatsu, Meiling Bottan

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

This study explores how personal and workplace-related factors influence perceived stress, anxiety, and depression among individuals in Japan, particularly those in salaryman-type occupations. Participants completed a self-report survey assessing variables such as number of children, work hours, perceived job control, esteem, influence, and promotional opportunities. The data was analyzed using bivariate Pearson correlations to identify relationships between these variables and mental health outcomes. Results revealed several significant findings. A strong positive correlation was found between the number of children and depression levels, while longer working hours were associated with decreased feelings of job reward, though not with increased stress. Additionally, …

Trust-Related Health Beliefs In Medical Systems Among Black Americans Since Covid-19, Monique Johnson Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

COVID-19 highlighted the longstanding systemic and structural racism that produced poor health outcomes in Black communities. Black minorities in the United States were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with less access to health resources, low vaccine rates, and mistrust of healthcare providers and organizations. This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explored trust-related health beliefs with medical systems among Black Americans since COVID-19. The study explored the trust-related health beliefs through the six constructs of the health belief model—perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, cues to action, and self-efficacy. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of six participants who …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Self-Efficacy In Women Using Bioidentical Hormone Replacement: A Factor Analysis, Shanna Persin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy has gained increasing attention as an alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), yet research on self-efficacy related to BHRT adherence remains limited. Guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, this quantitative study examined the applicability of the hormone replacement self-efficacy (HRT-SE) scale in a population of BHRT users. Using factor analysis, this study assessed the reliability and validity of the HRT-SE scale in measuring self-efficacy among women using BHRT. The study recruited a convenience sample of 628 participants through online peri/menopause and hormone therapy support groups, collecting self-reported data on confidence in managing BHRT regimens. Findings …

Minority Stressors As Predictor Variables For Animal Abuse In Lgbtq Same-Sex Relationships With Interpersonal Violence, S Paige Brenner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

LGBTQ individuals face a distinct set of societal issues that can lead to intimate partner violence (IPV) and animal abuse together. Grounded in minority stress theory, the purpose of the study was to reduce animal abuse in LGBTQ male and female same-sex relationships by examining the co-occurrence of internalized homophobia, degree of outness, and IPV. The hypotheses for the study include whether internalized homophobia and degree of outness predict animal abuse in LGBTQ same-sex relationships experiencing IPV. This study was conducted with a population of individuals (N = 149) with inclusion criteria of being 18 years of age or older, …

Mass Shooting Perceptions, Public Mental Illness Stigma, And Social Media Use: A Regression Analysis, Kayla Cross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness is frequently associated with mass shootings in news media, which can result in negative stigma among individuals diagnosed with mental illness. While mental illness and mass shootings have been explored previously, social media perceptions have not yet been examined in relation to mental illness stigma and mass shootings. The purpose of this study was to examine public mental illness stigma, mass shootings, and perceptions through social media in a correlational study subjected to regression analysis. The theoretical framework for the study was based on Tajfel and Turner et al.’s theory of social identity and intergroup behaviors. The analysis …

Empirical Study On The Correlation Between Social Media Usage And Self Esteem, Parbatti Boodhoo

Publications and Research

Social media is a major part of everyday life for most young adults, and its effects on mental health, especially self-esteem, have become a growing area of research. Some studies have found that using platforms like Instagram or TikTok can negatively impact how people see themselves, especially when they compare their lives to others online (Magner, 2018). Others have shown that the way people use social media matters, passively scrolling may lower self-esteem, while interacting positively with others could have the opposite effect (Shashwat & Singh, 2024). On the other hand, social media can also help people feel more connected …

A Novel Way Of Conceptualizing And Measuring Situation Selection, Jiyoung Kwak

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Situation selection is a form of emotion regulation where people approach or avoid certain things, places, or objects to proactively regulate their emotions. Though it is the only strategy that occurs before encountering emotion-eliciting events, situation selection remains understudied. The present research proposes a new measure of Day Recollection Situation Selection (DRSS) in which participants are prompted to recall the day's events before reporting their approach and avoidance behaviors. Across two studies, we aimed to: (1) develop the DRSS measure, (2) compare it to existing measures of situation selection and well-being, (3) examine within- and between-person variability, and (4) compare …

An Intervention To Empower People To Confront Sexism, Rebecca Grace Drake

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Even though sexist comments and behavior occur frequently in everyday life, people do not often confront the individuals who are responsible. However, interpersonal bias confrontations can be powerful tools for reducing expressions of bias and norm setting. The current studies tested an intervention designed to increase confrontations by harnessing theory and research on what holds people back from confronting. We designed a half-hour intervention consisting of engaging and evidence-based videos on confronting bias and self-reflection exercises to increase personal relevance. The module aimed to boost confronting by intervening at multiple points of the decision-making process by increasing recognition of sexism, …

Associations Between Screen Time, Executive Functioning, And Book Use In Preschool-Age Children From Rural Mississippi, Anabel W. Mccraney

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between screen time, executive function (EF), and book use in a sample of preschool-age children from rural Mississippi. To measure this relationship children were asked to complete three different EF tasks measuring impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. To measure the child’s frequency of screen and book use, a parent-report survey was used. The results indicated that there might be a relationship between EF, screen, and books within certain variables. There was a relationship found between screen time and fewer books reported in the household. Between EF and …

Relations Between Effortful Control, Parental Movement Attitudes, And Problem Behaviors In 3-Year-Olds, Kiera Breisch

Honors Theses

Research has explored the link between effortful control and problem behaviors, as well as the effects of movement on problem behaviors in children. However, less work has been conducted with preschoolers considering how parental attitudes towards movement may relate to children’s temperament and problem behaviors in the forms of conduct problems, hyperactivity, and emotional problems. In the present study I investigated the relationships between effortful control (attention focusing, attention shifting, and inhibitory control), parental movement attitudes, and problem behaviors in 3-year-olds. Results showed increased reports of inhibitory control related to less reports of conduct problems. Further, higher inhibitory control and …

The Lived Experiences Of Registered Behavior Technicians Using Applied Behavior Analysis With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rebecca Rene Wyble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased dramatically over the past 20 years; the Centers for Disease Control describe ASD as an epidemic of need. Individuals with ASD need proper treatment and support services. One of the most significant needs is for applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is considered the most effective treatment for ASD, yet several barriers impede caregivers’ ability to access ABA, such as the shortage of ABA practitioners, including registered behavior technicians (RBTs). This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of RBTs working with children with ASD in ABA settings in the United States. …

Tackling Social Stigma: An Ethical Obligation In Healthcare Intervention To Involuntary Childlessness, Persis Naumann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The stigma associated with involuntary childlessness has negatively affected health and well-being for several decades. This situation is particularly exacerbated for women within the Tamil socio-cultural context, resulting in feelings of shame, neglect, denial, isolation, and constituting a significant barrier to long-term access to healthcare services. Although advancements have been made in the provision of biomedical care, the psychosocial support remains inadequately addressed. Moreover, there are currently no healthcare interventions that specifically target the stigma associated with this issue, which hinders open communication with healthcare providers, delays necessary treatments, and adversely impacts overall health outcomes. The central thesis of this …

Small Steps For A Big Change: A Longitudinal Project To Enhance Well-Being Of Internal Medicine Residents, Vandana Nagpal, Benjamin Tanenbaum, Christine Runyan

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Residency training is demanding and often leads to burnout. In 2017, Internal Medicine (IM) residents at our institution reported a poor collective residency experience. In response, we launched a longitudinal wellness program in 2018, featuring multi-pronged interventions to improve residents' well-being. The program, still active today, has undergone iterative modifications with ongoing input from residents.

Approach: The resident-led Wellness Committee was established in 2018, and the following no to low-cost initiatives were implemented sequentially: quarterly group sessions with an institutional health psychologist, bi-annual self-checks, peer buddy support for incoming first-year residents, weekly 5-minute reflection sessions, and volunteer dog visits. …

Making Training Stick: Transferring Learning Back To The Job, Amanda Woods Herron, Phoebe Hessen, Katelyn J. Cavanaugh, Wykesha C. Hayes, Victor Hassid, Courtney L. Holladay

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Communication remains a central priority in healthcare, making it a key component of many training efforts. The positive impacts of communication training in healthcare settings have been well-established; however, the linkage of communication training to key organizational outcomes (e.g., engagement, performance, retention) remains underexplored. The present study investigated a training program targeting interpersonal communication within a large academic oncology center. We drew from Cognitive Load Theory and Social Cognitive Theory to evaluate the impact of the training on participant learning (retention and utilization), transfer (communication, decision-making, performance), and results-level outcomes (engagement and turnover). The program centered around a personality framework …

The Kinship Of Creatives, Saba Saif Ur Rehman

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This research essay contends that artists and creative individuals must recognize their agency in shaping societal narratives, particularly during times of technological and political upheaval. The essay draws on the insights and contributions of visionaries like Walter Benjamin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomm Moore to emphasize the power of imagination and creativity in addressing real-world issues. It argues that previous technological advances have often reinforced hierarchical and oppressive systems, benefitting a select few while neglecting the masses. As we enter the fourth Industrial Revolution, this essay calls the artists to reclaim their tools from being co-opted for exclusionary and …

Neighborhood Cohesion And Psychosocial Well-Being: Differences By Race/Ethnicity, Maverick E. Morales

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Perceived neighborhood cohesion is related to numerous mental health benefits, yet some research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in access to neighborhood cohesion. Much of the existing research investigates only one outcome, limiting the ability to synthesize across findings. The strength of the current study is that it utilized an outcome-wide approach to investigate racial/ethnic differences in associations between perceived neighborhood cohesion and four psychosocial outcomes. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we tested the hypotheses that (1) higher perceived neighborhood cohesion would relate to higher life satisfaction and lower anxiety, loneliness, and perceived stress, and that (2) non-Hispanic White …

Facilitating Design Of Effective, Scalable Digital Mental Health Care, Himanshu Mahesh Patil

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis tackles the challenges of designing effective, scalable digital mental health care solutions by integrating psychological research with human-computer interaction (HCI) principles. An exploration of self-care technologies (SCTs) for mental health is conducted to highlight challenges to comparative analysis, like fragmented research outcomes. Two research questions are posed to investigate how mental health interventions can be designed to be effective and overcome practical challenges to implementation. A theoretical framework in clinical psychology is adapted to bridge the gap between psychology and HCI. A methodology for conducting standardized, structured comparative analysis of mental health interventions is identified. The identified method …

Cultural Self-Harm Differences, Erin E. Simmons

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study is based on the evident cultural differences in self-harm behaviors and what those behaviors look like specifically for individuals that identify as Black or African American. Previous literature suggests that cultural differences in self-harm exist but very little research centers Black experiences and their connection to self-harm. Self-harm is considered a broad term, and it encompasses a variety of behaviors, some more common than others, but these common behaviors are typically exclusively explored within only a few demographics with a low Black participant pool. This contributes to the assumed lack of self-harm among the Black community but through …

Connection Beyond Coupledom: Do Single Men With Experience In Consensual Non-Monogamy Report Less Loneliness Than Those Without Experience?, Bryan R. Jorden

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background: While loneliness is a common experience, research suggests that men may be uniquely affected because of masculine ideals (Berke, Reidy, & Zeichner, 2018). People in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships commonly highlight relationship benefits like shared experiences and social connection (Moors et al., 2017). To better understand how relationship structure shapes men’s connection and loneliness, we examined the experiences of men with and without prior engagement in CNM.

Method: Survey data were drawn from a U.S. Census-based quota sample of 747 men with experience in polyamorous, swinging, or open relationships, and 1,431 men with no such experience (total N = …

Exploring Smoking Habits, Neighborhood Characteristics, And Polygenic Risk: Data Analysis Using The Health And Retirement Study, Morgan E. Albert

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Smoking is among the leading causes of death, necessitating the identification of individual and environmental risk factors. The study tested the hypotheses that both genetic risk and perceiving one’s neighborhood as undesirable (i.e., that the neighborhood was less cohesive and more disordered) would increase smoking risk. An additional hypothesis was that these individual and neighborhood-level risk factors may synergistically increase smoking risk. Data from the Health Retirement Study, a racially/ethnically diverse sample of older U.S. adults, was utilized for this study. All but one hypothesis was supported within this study. Non-Hispanic White participants who perceived their neighborhoods as more cohesive …

Flourish And Student Loneliness: A Digital Positive Psychology Intervention, Jess M. Savela-Gomez, Alex Kraft, Julie Cachia, Xuan Zhao, John F. Hunter

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Objective: The Flourish app is an AI-powered proactive approach to mental health, using positive psychology interventions. This study investigates the role of Flourish in impacting loneliness in college students. We hypothesize that there will be a significant difference in loneliness between conditions, where those who use Flourish will report greater decreases in loneliness than those who are in the control condition. Furthermore, we hypothesize that gender will moderate this difference, where women experience a greater decrease in loneliness in comparison to other genders. Methods: We conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) with 486 college students. In this 6-week longitudinal study, …

Speech Stigma: Exploring Predictors Of Attitudes Toward Nonspeaking Autistic Individuals, Kate Herrmann

Honors College Theses

Roughly 30% of autistic individuals are nonspeaking, meaning they do not (or very minimally) communicate with speech. Many nonspeaking individuals have the ability to communicate with others by using augmentative and alternative communication, such as speech-generating devices or communication boards. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of speaking individuals toward nonspeaking autistic people through a survey measuring attitudes and stigma toward nonspeaking people, autistic people, and disabled people, respectively. Predictors of attitudes, such as contact, knowledge, gender, and psychological inflexibility were examined. It was hypothesized that participants who have more contact with and knowledge of nonspeaking, …

A Time To Build And A Time To Break: Processing Grief Through Art With Older Adults, Kasriel Zlochower Linzer

Expressive Therapies Theses

Grief comes in many forms and is an expected part of living as an emotion-oriented being. Within this framework exists forms of grief most commonly understood and accepted in society and others that often go under the radar, especially for older adults. A wealth of literature exists for the exploration of grief and a sizeable subsection in grief around older adulthood, but few explore a breadth of grief-based experiences through the lens of art therapy in an assisted living environment. This thesis explores how arts-based directives can be used to process grief with older adults in an assisted living setting. …

An Adaptive Paradox: Improvised Drama Therapy And Dialectical Behavior For Eating Disorders In Teens, Krystany Taylor

Expressive Therapies Theses

The complexity of treating eating disorders compels professionals to investigate collaborative and integrative approaches to address psychological rigidity and emotional aversion in affected individuals. Mindfulness within Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and improvisational theater techniques may contribute to advancing emotional flexibility. This thesis study explored spontaneity in expressive therapy and gauged budding adaptive skills related to emotion regulation in minors with eating disorders. At a behavioral health center in Southern California, I held a dual role as a group facilitator and trainee drama therapist; I therein joined DBT and improvised drama therapy methods into a group treatment setting for ages 14 …

Community Music Among Brazilian Culture: A Community Engagement Project, Ayla Tedeschi

Expressive Therapies Theses

Although community music eludes a fixed definition due to its fluid and context-dependent nature, its effects are found to be beneficial throughout the world. An example of this is seen among native and emigrant Brazilians where music is part of the individual, community, and culture. This thesis explores the therapeutic value of community music among current residents of Brazil and Brazilians that have emigrated to the United States. Through a community engagement project, this research hypothesized that although music may serve different purposes occasionally, the primary function-to create community and culture-remains the same. Participation in two key community music making …

Beyond Stigma: Role Theory And Drama Therapy In Reentry And Rehabilitation, Mackenzee Donham-Stradling

Expressive Therapies Theses

To be system-impacted often means facing stigmatization. The experience of incarceration is profoundly dehumanizing, eroding self-worth and identity. This thesis examines the application of a 3-week drama therapy method for formerly incarcerated women residing in a transitional facility with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This project integrated a drama therapy framework with Robert Landy’s Role Theory to create a method aimed at assisting formerly incarcerated clients in expanding their role repertoire and discarding those roles that perpetuate their disempowerment. This thesis begins with a literature review of role in drama therapy, the experiences of incarcerated women in the …

Religious Trauma Healing Through Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Abigail S. Whitman

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review discusses religion, spirituality, religious trauma, and mental health treatment through expressive arts therapy. The research highlights a prevalence of religious trauma within adults in the United States and a need for mental health care targeted toward the complexities of religious harm. Expressive arts therapy is an evidence-based and trauma-informed method of treating religious trauma. A somatic and well-rounded approach to processing religious trauma promotes self-regulation, building confidence, and finding affirming community. This research also outlines the interconnected systems of power that harm marginalized communities through religion: capitalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy. Lastly, the literature review discusses …

The Role Of The Jester: The Subversive Power Of Humor And Performance In Challenging Misogyny, Sarah E. Price

Expressive Therapies Theses

Humor has long occupied a complicated place in systems of power, sometimes reinforcing oppressive norms and other times offering a way to push back against them. This thesis explores how the archetype of the jester can be used in drama therapy to help individuals reclaim agency within misogynistic structures. Drawing from role theory, feminist performance studies, and Theatre of the Oppressed, the project examines how jestering, through satire, parody, and play, can act as a vehicle for resistance, healing, and empowerment. A review of existing literature shows that while humor has historically been used to uphold patriarchal norms, it has …

Couples In The Playspace: Community Engagement With Developmental Transformations, Amanda Roberts

Expressive Therapies Theses

Couple therapy is an evolving field in the modern therapeutic landscape. With that evolution comes an opportunity to study the application of drama therapy with couples. Although there is limited evidence supporting the use of drama therapy with couples, there is no research on the use of Developmental Transformations (DvT), a play-based improvised form of drama therapy, with couples. As a first step in exploring this gap, this community engagement project invited two monogamous couples to engage in two separate brief DvT sessions. Given that this project was community-oriented rather than clinical, the focus of this capstone was self-reflective in …