Digital Commons Network^™

Experiences Of Food Insecurity Among Single Mothers Pursuing Secondary Education, Amber Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of single mothers continues to grow across the nation, and many are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. Little research focuses, however, on how single mothers describe their experiences of balancing motherhood, work, and pursuing higher education, all while undergoing food insecurity. Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and coping was used to formulate the research design. Semistructured interview questions were used to answer the question of how single mothers with food insecurity describe their experiences pursuing higher education. A generic qualitative research approach was utilized in this study. Interviews were conducted with 10 single mothers pursuing postsecondary education …

Impact Of Sociodemographic Status And Sex On Chronic Rhinosinusitis And Olfaction In People With Cystic Fibrosis., Ethan J. Han, Christine M. Liu, Jakob L. Fischer, Jess C. Mace, Karolin Markarian, Jeremiah A. Alt, Todd E. Bodner, Naweed I. Chowdhury, Patricia H. Eshaghian, Yuqing A. Gao, Multiple Additional Authors

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sociodemographic status (SDS) including race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status as approximated by education, income, and insurance status impact pulmonary disease in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF). The relationship between SDS and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) remains understudied.

Language Discrimination Using Bilingual Picture Exchange For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, River Waits

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent research suggests that one-fifth of United States households use non-English languages in the home setting. Ethically and effectively supporting culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) clients (e.g., autistic individuals) presents a growing challenge to practitioners of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Though efforts to address the linguistic needs of the population have grown in recent years, current literature focuses on language selection for monolingual services and underemphasizes the need for bilingual service provision. Studies were conducted to (I) evaluate the efficacy of bilingual picture exchange (i.e., mand response) across items, speakers, and languages (i.e., English and Spanish) as well as (II) …

Bracketed Assessments In Behavioral Gerontology: Evaluating Preference With Present And Absent Stimuli, Flavia Eduarda Del Castillo Troche

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the use of bracketed assessments to assess the activity preference of three individuals with dementia. The study proposed an alternative method to traditional stimulus preference assessments, to bridge the gap in behavior analytical literature within behavioral gerontology. Thus, bracketed assessments were conducted using two presentation methods, verbal plus visual presentation and verbal-only presentation. Results suggested that while participants showed consistency within low preferred activity selection in the bracketed assessment, variability was observed among participants’ preferences for high and moderate preferred activities. Both presentation methods yield similar selection results for one participant, however, the other two participants …

Examining The Role Of Language In Inhibitory Control Development Within The Context Of Early Poverty, Rita Lynn Taylor

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Inhibitory control (IC) is a component of executive function that has been shown to be important for tasks which require self-regulation such as future-planning, decision-making, and prosocial interpersonal interactions. Some Vygotskian researchers have proposed that language ability in early life allows for improved IC and subsequent self-regulation via the internalization of rule systems. While some studies have demonstrated evidence for this internalization, no studies to date have examined impacts of language on inhibitory control performance amongst individuals from financially under resourced backgrounds. The current study aimed to determine whether and/or how childhood financial deprivation altered performance on IC tasks across …

Integrity, Flexibility, And Balance: How Change Works In Psychotherapy, David Pincus

Psychology Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Psychotherapy may be the most tested form of health intervention and also one of the most mysterious. Clinical trials, and meta-analyses of these trials, have repeatedly demonstrated the effectiveness of psychotherapy, while also failing to uncover any clear-cut and consistent understanding of how psychotherapy works. This lack of understanding has driven the field to develop 500 supposedly distinct, yet equivalently effective “theories.” The field suffers from barriers to scientific discovery, barriers to therapist training, and barriers to people seeking help for their psychosocial problems. This chapter tackles the mystery of how therapy works by examining the shortcomings of modern medical …

Perception Of Disordered Eating Among Different Ncaa Divisions Of Collegiate Athletes, Kearsten Powers, Luis Torres, Fredrick A. Gardin

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Disordered eating is an unhealthy pattern of eating that may develop into an eating disorder. It can include the use of excessive exercise, caloric restriction, binging, or inappropriate use of diet pills/laxatives. It commonly affects collegiate athletes due to the pressure they face to continue to perform well, maintain a specific body composition or appearance, and be influenced by their teammates' eating and exercise habits. This study was conducted to gain qualitative knowledge on how college athletes perceived and experienced disordered eating risk factors during their participation in an NCAA sport. This information can be used to further understand …

Factors Associated With Functioning In Older Black Adults, Katrail D. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

Activities of daily living can be simple tasks such as bathing, showering, toileting or as complex as managing finances, driving, and preparing meals. Independence in everyday functioning has been associated with successful aging and declines in functioning may be indicative of pathological cognitive decline. Social determinants of health, like economic status and access to health care, also play a role in everyday functioning. Understanding these factors are of particular importance for older Black adults who have had long-standing disparate access to care, education, and treatments. The current study aimed to evaluate social determinants of health, more specifically social engagement, as …

Identity After Impairment: Development Of An Athletic Identity Model Of Filipino Para-Athletes, Marian M. Lagundino, Marc Eric S. Reyes, Ryan Francis O. Cayubit

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Athletic Identity (AthID) is an aspect of the self-concept that refers to how one identifies with the role of an athlete and seeks acknowledgment of that role. This identity is not salient in all individuals, but AthID is activated for those who regard their athletic role as significant. Our objective was to develop a theoretical model to elucidate how Filipino para-athletes can cultivate their distinct athletic identity after acquiring a disability. The present study explored the athletic identities of 12 Filipino para-athletes, aged 24 to 63, who developed physical impairment and continued participating and competing in their chosen sports. Using …

Impact Of Physical Intimate Partner Violence On Postpartum Depression And Breastfeeding Duration In American Indian And Alaska Native Women, Zoe Resnick Milavetz Green, Marcia Bennett, Abby Hughes-Scalise, James Theisen, Julie Beans

Theses and Graduate Projects

In Alaska, 46 to 91 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced physical intimate partner violence (IPV), compared to all women in other states, where the prevalence ranges from seven to 51 percent (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Experiencing physical IPV has negative consequences on the mother’s physical and mental well-being, and has been associated with increased vulnerability to postpartum depression (PPD). Compared to other populations, American Indian and Alaska Native women are at greater risk for PPD due to less access to resources and less research on treatments (MacDorman, 2011). Additionally, American Indian and Alaska Native women …

The Future Of Intergenerational Transmission Research: A Prospective, Three-Generation Approach, Mariann A. Howland, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Dr. Dante Cicchetti’s pioneering theory and research on developmental psychopathology have been fundamental to the proliferation of research on intergenerational transmission over the last 40 years. In part due to this foundation, much has been learned about continuities and discontinuities in child maltreatment, attachment, parenting, and psychopathology across generations. Looking towards the future, we propose that this field stands to benefit from a prospective, three-generation approach. Specifically, following established prospective, longitudinal cohorts of children over their transition to parenting the next generation will afford the opportunity to investigate the developmental origins of intergenerational transmission. This approach also can address key …

Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates How Resting Heart Rate Variability Predicts Pain Response, Jacinth Jia Xin Tan, Chin Hong Tan, Michael W. Kraus

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Higher resting heart rate variability (HRV)—an index of more flexible response to environmental stressors, including noxious stimuli—has been linked to reduced perception of experimentally induced pain. However, as stress responses are adapted to one’s chronic environments, we propose that chronic exposure to threats captured by one’s subjective socioeconomic status (SSS) may shape different adaptations that produce distinct pain responses linked to higher resting HRV. Specifically, lower SSS individuals with more threat exposures may prioritize threat detection by upregulating sensitivity to stressors, such as acute pain. Therefore, higher HRV would predict greater perceived acute pain among lower SSS individuals. In contrast, …

Exploring How Factors Affecting Exercise Adherence May Inform Strategies To Increase Adherence In General And Depressed Populations: A Literature Review, Henry D. Link

University Honors Theses

Background: Exercise is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits; however, many people struggle to exercise a sufficient amount and thus do not reap the benefits. Exercise is recognized as an effective treatment for depression with few risks. Professionals must understand the factors affecting exercise adherence to assist individuals of different backgrounds with adhering to exercise over the long term and to avoid common pitfalls that could hinder an individual’s progress.

Objective: This literature review aimed to identify factors affecting exercise adherence and to explore how those factors could inform strategies to increase exercise adherence among depressed …

A Review Of A Ketogenic Diet In The Treatment Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Eugene Reznik

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder effects millions of people every year, however pharmacological and behavioral treatments remain limited. The need for adjunctive therapies such as diet invervention [sic] that target autism spectrum disorder symptoms Is [sic] needed now more than ever. A connection between a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, and autism spectrum disorder can be made as the diet has shown potential in ameleriotating [sic] common comorbidities within the autism spectrum disorder population such as metabolic dysfunction, gut-microbiome dysfunction, medication resistant epilepsy, and various psychiatric disorders. Hence, this review focuses on the results and methods …

Dyadic Yoga For Head And Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation And Their Family Caregivers, Kathrin Milbury, David I Rosenthal, Yisheng Li, An Thuy Ngo-Huang, Smitha Mallaiah, Sania Yousuf, Clifton D Fuller, Carol Lewis, Eduardo Bruera, Lorenzo Cohen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Concurrent chemoradiation to treat head and neck cancer (HNC) may result in debilitating toxicities. Targeted exercise such as yoga therapy may buffer against treatment-related sequelae; thus, this pilot RCT examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a yoga intervention. Because family caregivers report low caregiving efficacy and elevated levels of distress, we included them in this trial as active study participants.

Methods: HNC patients and their caregivers were randomized to a 15-session dyadic yoga program or a waitlist control (WLC) group. Prior to randomization, patients completed standard symptom (MDASI-HN) and patients and caregivers completed quality of life (SF-36) assessments. …

Using Self-Assessment Tools And Complementary Alternative Therapy For Chronic Migraines In Menopausal Women, Krystal Rachelle Bridwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Migraine headaches are ranked as one of the highest disabling conditions in the United States. Women who are in the perimenopausal transition phase have a higher prevalence of disabling migraines that can result in a decreased quality of life, loss of income, decreased productivity, and a higher risk for emotional difficulties. The gap in practice is the lack of education on complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and the use of a migraine diary to recognize individual symptoms as a substitute or cotherapy with pharmacologic treatments. The purpose of this scholarly project was to improve clinical practice and outcomes for perimenopausal …

Individual Longitudinal Changes In Dna-Methylome Identify Signatures Of Early-Life Adversity And Correlate With Later Outcome, Annabel K. Short, Ryan Weber, Noriko Kamei, Christina Wilcox Thai, Hina Arora, Ali Mortazavi, Hal S. Stern, Laura M. Glynn, Tallie Z. Baram

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Adverse early-life experiences (ELA) affect a majority of the world's children. Whereas the enduring impact of ELA on cognitive and emotional health is established, there are no tools to predict vulnerability to ELA consequences in an individual child. Epigenetic markers including peripheral-cell DNA-methylation profiles may encode ELA and provide predictive outcome markers, yet the interindividual variance of the human genome and rapid changes in DNA methylation in childhood pose significant challenges. Hoping to mitigate these challenges we examined the relation of several ELA dimensions to DNA methylation changes and outcome using a within-subject longitudinal design and a high methylation-change threshold. …

Social Support, Caregiver Burden, And Anxiety/Depression Among Family Caregivers Of Stroke Patients, Rosalyn Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family caregivers encounter challenges when caring for relatives recovering from a stroke. Family caregivers often experience negative mental health outcomes including higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which years of caregiving experience, emotional and instrumental support, and caregiver burden predict anxiety and depression among family caregivers of stroke patients. The caregiving stress process model theoretical framework guided the research. This quantitative study used a non-experimental correlational research design. Participants were recruited using Survey Monkey and included a non-random convenience sample of 111 family caregivers of stroke patients who …

Predictors Of Spiritual Struggle: Exploring The Role Of Trauma Exposure, Resilience, And Religious Behaviors Among Religiously Affiliated University Students, Harvey O. Burnett Jr, Duane C. Mcbride

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study examined how exposure to traumatic experiences, protective factors such as Psychological Body Armor (TM) (PBA), physical wellness behaviors, and religious practices predict spiritual struggle among students attending a religiously affiliated university. Preliminary findings revealed that PBA, non-class assigned Bible and Christian literature readings were predictive of reduced spiritual struggle.

Previously Incacerated Women's Emotional Experince Of Giving Birth In A U.S. Prison, Brigit Ichard-Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previously Incarcerated Women’s Emotional Experience of Giving Birth in a U.S. Prison by Brigit Ichard-Henderson MA, Walden University, 2018 MA, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, 2014 BS, Excelsior University, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services Walden University May 2024   Women have been giving birth while incarcerated since the advent of confinement as a punishment for crime. There is a plethora of information on incarceration rates, pathways to incarceration, access to health care and education while incarcerated, and reasons for recidivism among women. However, little is known about women’s experiences …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perinatal Experiences Shaping A Woman’S Identity In Academia, Elizabeth Catherine Debolt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the meaning women faculty in academia in the United States ascribe to their perinatal experiences and how these experiences affect the integration of their academic and maternal identities and outlook on continuing in the academy. The theories guiding this study were Mercer's theory on becoming a mother and Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. The study was comprised of 10 women who became a mother with their first child within the last seven years of the study's initiation while holding a faculty position in academia that included teaching, scholarship, and service responsibilities …

Investigating Nutrient Biomarkers Of Healthy Brain Aging: A Multimodal Brain Imaging Study, Christopher E. Zwilling, Jisheng Wu, Aron K. Barbey

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The emerging field of Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience aims to uncover specific foods and nutrients that promote healthy brain aging. Central to this effort is the discovery of nutrient profiles that can be targeted in nutritional interventions designed to promote brain health with respect to multimodal neuroimaging measures of brain structure, function, and metabolism. The present study therefore conducted one of the largest and most comprehensive nutrient biomarker studies examining multimodal neuroimaging measures of brain health within a sample of 100 older adults. To assess brain health, a comprehensive battery of well-established cognitive and brain imaging measures was administered, along with …

Past Experiences And Current Attitudes: Is Everything Connected?, Miranda Oddy

Honors Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways past experiences with mental health issues affect current stigma and outlook on life. I investigated whether a personal experience or the experience of someone close (e.g., family, friend) with mental health issues impacted stigma and outlook more than other. The sample included 242 participants who were 18 to 86 years old (M_age = 27.44, SD_age = 16.58), 51.7% white, and 77.3% female. Surveys were advertised on a small liberal arts university offering class credit for students and online. The survey included questions on life satisfaction, optimism, stigma, and …

Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Associate With Better Mental Health Outcomes Among Primary Caregivers In Rural China?, Wenwen Zhang

Master's Theses

This study explores the intricate relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the mental health outcomes of primary caregivers in rural China, focusing on the Early Childhood Development (ECD) context in Ya'an. Anchored in a major intervention project launched in 2023, the study critically examines the hypothesis that higher socioeconomic status correlates with lower levels of negative emotions among caregivers.

Utilizing cross-sectional data, the research investigates how educational attainment and household income influence caregivers' mental health, measured through the DASS-21 score in three dimensions: stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings reveal that higher household income and educational levels are significantly associated …

The Effects Of Period Poverty On Women Around The World, Sagelyn Shoell

Student Works

Period poverty involves girl’s and women’s lack of access to menstruation supplies, clean and private facilities, and education due in large part to negative attitudes surrounding the female menstrual cycle (Mann & Byrne, 2023). It is estimated that up to 500 million women around the world live in period poverty (The World Bank, 2022). Period poverty can adversely influence a women’s physical health, mental health, and educational opportunities and is usually associated with hostile sexism (at worst) and misunderstanding (at best) (Eyring et al., 2023; Marvan et al, 2013). Women who are experiencing period poverty often resort to unsanitary products, …

Pawsitive Training: A Preliminary Investigation Of Animal-Assisted Counseling Competencies In A University-Based Training Program, Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig, Jordan Jalen Evans

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

With the proliferation of counselors interested in animal-assisted counseling (AAC), the need for quality AAC training programs is essential. AAC training programs should seek to provide comprehensive training that is specifically targeted to the mental health profession, promotes human and animal wellness, and is aligned with current AAC competencies. The purpose of this study was to identify the efficacy of an AAC training program. This study measured practitioners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes before and after the training program utilizing a researcher-developed survey instrument based on current AAC competencies. Overall, outcomes identified that practitioners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes of AAC significantly …

Mental-Somatic Multimorbidity In Trajectories Of Cognitive Function For Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Siting Chen, Corey L. Nagel, Ruotong Liu, Anda Botoseneanu, Heather G. Allore, Jason T. Newsom, Stephen Thielke, Jeffrey Kaye, Ana R. Quiñones

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multimorbidity may confer higher risk for cognitive decline than any single constituent disease. This study aims to identify distinct trajectories of cognitive impairment probability among middle-aged and older adults, and to assess the effect of changes in mental-somatic multimorbidity on these distinct trajectories.

Self-Care Practices, Perceived Wellness, And Professional Identity Among Counseling Graduate Students, Seydem Yesilada

Dissertations - ALL

Counseling students tend to experience high levels of stress during their training (Coaston & Lawrence, 2019). It is known that they can be at high risk of burnout, incompetence, or impairment if they neglect to engage in self-care and wellness practices (Dye et al., 2020; Prikhidko et al., 2020). While these findings have been validated for professional counselors (Rummell, 2015), as well as studied separately in counseling students (Prikhidko et al., 2020), there have not been any studies on how counseling students’ self-care practices and perceived wellness impacts their professional identity. This research study helped to fill the gap in …

Social Closeness And Body Mass Index: Implications For Adolescent Suicide, Megan Milligan

Theses - ALL

Research on Body Mass Index (BMI) as a predictor of adolescent suicidality has been mixed, and though some extant findings point to an association between elevated BMI and suicide, it remains unclear how suicidality differs between categorical weight groups (i.e., healthy weight, overweight, obese weight determined by BMI percentile). Adolescents with elevated BMI face disproportionate risk for social rejection and bullying, both of which predict suicidality. Thus, more information is needed regarding between-group differences in suicide-related outcomes by weight status and potential social factors that may be protective across weight groups. The present study leveraged a nationally-representative dataset to examine …

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Financial stress is a pervasive concern among medical students, with documented associations with adverse physical health, psychological morbidity, and ineffective coping. This study focuses on understanding the financial stressors female medical students face and the coping strategies they employ. While financial stress and coping mechanisms have been explored in the literature, a notable gap exists in understanding these dynamics among female students.

The study employed a phenomenological research approach to obtain data from the respondents, where data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The Adaptation Model of Nursing, complemented by Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Theory, was a comprehensive framework for analyzing …