Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of Treatment For Foster Youth, Lyl T. Cartagena

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

This presentation provides an overview of mental health interventions including highlights of their outcomes.The summary of the extant findings helps identify the strengths and deficits of what has been done, and supports a call for further research in order to change current methods of care provided along with developing an improved method of treatment for foster care youth.

The Effect Of Education On Compassion Fatigue As Experienced By Staff Nurses, Kathryn L. Zehr

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Historically, nursing has been perceived as a highly rewarding profession. Yet, due to the increasing complexity of today’s healthcare, nurses are faced with greater challenges in their work environments. Registered nurses who work in tertiary care settings are exposed to disturbing patient situations including trauma, death, abuse, or chronic disease. Joinson (1992) described this experience as compassion fatigue and symptoms include headaches, short attention span, or fatigue. A review of literature has identified that nurses should be educated about risk factors and coping strategies to combat compassion fatigue. Guided by the Model for Evidence-Based Practice Change and Jean Watson’s Theory …

Coercion And Motivation: Construct Analysis And Factor Association In Entering Treatment For Substance-Abuse, Arthur Tabrizi

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Informed by the theoretical underpinnings of Self-determination theory (SDT), we aimed to examine relationships between motivation and independent measures of external pressure and explore whether or not a directional association exists between perceived coercion and motivation. Using the Circumstance, and Motivation subscales of the CMR and availability sampling method, we surveyed 63 clients seeking substance abuse treatment under legal coercion, social coercion, and voluntarily. Results suggest that motivation to engage in substance abuse treatment is not reliably inferred from referral source. Treatment seeking groups appear to experience greater external pressures to leave treatment than to enter treatment. Results are consistent …

Building Effective School-Family-Community Partnerships Through Community Dialogues; And Super Friends, Super Readers! Engaging Community To Support Young Children's Social Emotional Development, Angel Fettig, Kaitlin Gould, Lauren Brodsky

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Super Friends, Super Readers! guides children through interactive shared reading sessions by using dialogic reading techniques that aim to support the development of social emotional skills. In a separate project, UMass Boston and the YWMC offered a series of community dialogues among a diverse group of parents and educators to instill a greater sense of trust and overcome unintentional racial divides that have impeded effective parent engagement and student achievement.

Suicidal And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Taylor Ash

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

A literature review over the differences between suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents. This review looks into several factors and differences about why adolescents engage in the behaviors, reactions they receive when asking for help, and implications for future practice.

Factor Analyses Of A Social Support Scale Using Two Methods, Yu Yu, Cheng-Shi Shiu, Joyce Yang, Mingjiong Wang, Jane M. Simoni, Wei-Ti Chen, Joy Cheng, Hongxin Zhao

Psychology

Purpose: Evaluation and comparison of the factor structure of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) using both confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with two samples of people living with HIV/AIDS in China.

Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted with data from two comparable samples of 320 people living with HIV/AIDS from the same hospital using the same inclusion criteria. The first sample of 120 was collected in 2006, and the second sample of 200 was collected in 2012. For each sample, CFA was first performed on the original four-factor structure to check model fit, followed …

Deconstructing And Reconstructing Rights For Immigrant Children, Erin B. Corcoran

Law Faculty Scholarship

Children rights advocates and scholars alike continue to call for the development of innovative and alternative rights models, which specifically provide for an expansive conceptualization of children’s rights. Central to their calls for reform is a simultaneous recognition that children’s rights must embody agency – a child’s voice (a proxy for autonomy) – free from governmental interference, as well as the establishment of certain fundamental “needs” that place an affirmative obligation on the State to ensure the child has, and affirmatively provide, when necessary. Reimagining children’s rights also requires reforming our laws in such a way that reflects children as …

An Investigation To Compare Blood Pressure And Pulse Before And After Concentrative Meditation, Candice Welden

Posters

The purpose of this study was to understand if meditation over a short period of time, thirty days, can result in a significant reduction in stress. Does meditation decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels concerning undergradu-ate college students? The participants of this research consisted of (N=5) undergraduate college students. Blood pressures were taken on the first day of the study before and after meditation, and on the final day of the study before and after meditation. Participants recorded their heart rate each day over the 30 day study. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS14) was administered at the beginning …

General Psychology: An Introduction, Tori Kearns, Deborah Lee

Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Open Textbooks

The NOBA Project is a growing collection of expert-authored, open-licensed modules in psychology, funded by the Diener Education Fund. From these open modules, Tori Kearns and Deborah Lee created an arranged open textbook for her introductory psychology class. This textbook was created under a Round One ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.

Accessible files with optical character recognition (OCR) and auto-tagging provided by the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation.

Does Study Abroad Impact Students’ Personality?, Ashley Ann Marshall

Honors Theses

International education is universally valued both in academics and the job market because of the perception that those who study abroad have increased intercultural awareness, experience with diversity, and opportunity for personal growth. Given that students who are studying abroad are experiencing increased independence and experience with a new culture, this is a potential time for the development of perspective-taking, empathic concern, non-prejudice, and other forms of personal growth. The present, longitudinal study collected narrative and non-narrative data on these qualities of personality development before, during, and after the participants’ studies. For comparison, we gathered the same measures with a …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Counselors' Perceived Degree Of Preparedness When Working With Suicidal Clients, Heather Danielle Dahl

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Little is known of counselor perspectives of their training and level of preparedness when working with suicidal clients. Although professional standards and guidelines regarding counselor competency in this area exists, training may not be occurring throughout a trainee's program, or is occurring inconsistently. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to understand the essence of counselors' perceived degree of preparedness working with suicidal clients, and to provide clinical and training recommendations in this subject area. Using individual semi-structured interviews, 10 participants were recruited, using maximum variation and criterion sampling who had previous experience working with suicidal clients. The results of …

Reading Between The Lines: Cultural Sexual Scripts And Collegiate Sexual Behaviors, Lauren Yadlosky

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Cultural sexual scripts provide individuals with a general understanding of how to respond in sexual situations given their environment. College students navigate the college culture keeping various elements of these sexual scripts in mind. Utilizing 1,007 undergraduates, the researcher investigated the current relevance of traditional sexual scripts and the relationships between various levels of cultural sexual scripts (i.e., the collective versus individual perceptions of them) and their relation to reported sexual engagement. Researchers also explored factors that predict these relationships. Results suggested current sexual scripts still largely reflect traditional ones, depending on the sexual behavior being assessed. Individual perceptions of …

Towards A Deeper Understanding Of The Post-Traumatic Growth Factors Leading To An Improved Quality Of Life For Military Combat Veterans, Domonicque Tatum

All Capstone Projects

The issue of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following combat deployment among American military veterans has created significant barriers to successful reintegration. However, positive outcomes also exist in the form of posttraumatic growth. The purpose of this study was to examine Posttraumatic Growth in U.S. military combat veterans by identifying significant relationships among variables leading to successful reintegration of military personnel within the community following combat deployment. Participants in this correlational study included a total of 50 military combat veterans from various eras of conflict. Participants completed a survey battery containing the PTSD Checklist (PCLM), Combat Exposure Scale (CES), Post Deployment …

45rd Annual Wku Student Research Conference, Student Research Council

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

See document below for project abstracts

Mission Critical: Reforming Foster Care And Child Protective Services In Massachusetts, Emily M. Douglas Ph.D, Melinda Gushwa Ph.D, Martha J. Henry Ph.D, Denise A. Hines Ph.D, Mickayla Aboujaoude, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

One major topic of debate during the 2014 gubernatorial elections was the functioning of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Massachusetts. Prior to the debates and subsequently as well, the media has highlighted some challenges and issues that plague DCF, and several high-profile cases have sparked not only the attention of our state government, but the public at large as well. After consultation with legislators, we decided that our 2015 Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar would focus on this crisis.

2015 Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar, Emily M. Douglas Ph.D., Melinda Gushwa Ph.D., Licsw, Martha J. Henry Ph.D.

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Mission Critical: Reforming Foster Care and Child Protective Services is the sixth Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar. It is designed to emphasize a family perspective in policymaking on issues related to reforming foster care and child protective services in the Commonwealth. In general, Family Impact Seminars analyze the consequences an issue, policy, or program may have for families.

Loneliness And Social Isolation As Risk Factors For Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B. Smith, Mark Baker, Tyler Harris, David Stephenson

Faculty Publications

Actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality. The objective of this meta-analytic review is to establish the overall and relative magnitude of social isolation and loneliness and examine possible moderators. A literature search of studies (January 1980 to February 2014) was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Google Scholar. The included studies provide quantitative data on mortality as affected by loneliness, social isolation, or living alone. Across studies that statistically controlled for a variety of possible confounds, the independent random effects weighted average effect sizes for social isolation OR = …

Practice Recommendations For Mental Health Professionals: Perspectives From Grandparents And Their Adolescent Grandchildren, Kendra A. O'Hora, Megan L. Dolbin-Macnab

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Although grandfamilies are consumers of a variety of mental health services, less is known about what these families, particularly the grandchildren, want from practitioners. To gain insight into how practitioners can best meet the needs of grandfamilies, 40 custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchildren were interviewed. Results of a qualitative analysis indicated that grandmothers and grandchildren did not make clear distinctions between various types of services and service providers. Grandchildren, in particular, emphasized the need for mental health professionals to facilitate mentoring and to provide opportunities for grandchildren to socialize with other grandchildren who have been through similar circumstances. Grandmothers …

The Experience Of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Deborah Sampson, Katherine Hertlein Ph.D.

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of grandparents and the challenges they face raising their grandchildren. This study was conducted through qualitative interviewing, where participants responded to open-ended questions regarding the challenges of raising their grandchildren. Themes and patterns were identified through an open-coding process. The five themes discussed include: characteristics of everyday life, parenting experiences, lack of resources, managing negative emotions, and social changes. Implications for clinical practice and further research are discussed.

Supporting The Aging Workforce: The Impact Of Psychosocial Workplace Characteristics On Employees' Work Ability, Jennifer Rae Rineer

Dissertations and Theses

It is estimated that by 2020, 25% of the US labor force will be aged 55 or older. Along with this demographic shift, Americans and employees in other industrialized nations are now working longer than before, either out of preference or financial necessity. Therefore, it is essential that we understand how to support employees so that they can continue working in a healthy, happy, and productive manner as they age. The construct of work ability (the extent to which people perceive they can meet the mental and physical demands of their jobs) has the potential to guide research and practice …

Some Secrets Should Be Shared: Implementing An Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention Program, Meghan W. Diamon

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Youth suicide prevention is critical in schools and local communities. Participants will discuss published research on risk factors for youth suicide, how to implement an evidence-based prevention program, and how to tackle common obstacles encountered. Participants will be prepared to mobilize school staff, parents, and community members to address the critical issues of depression awareness and suicide prevention.

Hospice Volunteerism In Residents Of A Skilled Nursing Facility, Sarah Stump

Psychology and Child Development

Volunteering within their community greatly benefits older adults, contributing to increased optimism, self-perceived health, and feelings of connectedness. However, most of the literature examines the volunteerism of community dwelling seniors, with few studies examining the experiences of older adult volunteers living in care facilities. The present study aims to compare the motives and experiences of community dwelling volunteers with a sample of four residents of Bayside Care Center that participated in hospice volunteer training. Two focus groups were conducted with the residents following their training, and the recorded contents were transcribed for qualitative analysis. Results indicated that this group of …

Do Cyberbullies Really Want To Hurt Others?, Danielle Law

Clear Language Summaries

Cyberbullying occurs when computer and mobile technologies are used to intentionally harm others. When communicating online there are two basic motivations for online aggression: whether they are posting mean things with intention to harm, or whether they are engaging in these behaviours to defend themselves. This research found that the majority of teenagers are not intentionally mean; rather, they are navigating a world of miscommunication that lends itself to retaliation that spirals out of control in aggressive ways. A small percentage of teens are deliberately malicious and require special intervention. When educating teens about cyberbullying it is important to understand …

Prenatal And Neighborhood Correlates Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (Odd), Andrea A. Russell, Claire L. Johnson, Arwa Hammad, Kelly I. Ristau, Sandra Zawadzki, Luz Del Alba Villar, Kendell Coker

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study investigates the link between prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs, parental perceptions of neighborhood safety and support, and the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) among a nationally representative sample of youth. A subset of variables from a larger study, the 2001–2004 National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), as well as its supplemental parental surveys, was analyzed in this study. This study used a specific selection of 5,924 adolescents and their parents from the NCS-A. Results suggest a correlation between prenatal caffeine use and a subsequent ODD diagnosis in female adolescents. Overall correlations between neighborhood drug use/sales and minority …

Moderating Role Of Social Support In The Stressor-Satisfaction Relationship: Evidence From Police Officers In Korea, Seulki Lee, Taesik Yun, Soo-Young Lee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction, and analyze the effect of social support on this relationship. In particular, this study analyzes the effects of three types of job stress – role overload, role ambiguity and bad physical environment – and two sources of social support – supervisor and coworker support. Regression analysis was performed using data from a survey of 619 police officers in Korea. The findings from the analysis are as follows. First, role ambiguity and bad physical environment are negatively related to job satisfaction. Second, social support …

Disorders Of Sex Development: Lessons To Be Learned From Studies Of Spina Bifida And Craniofacial Conditions, Grayson N. Holmbeck, C L. Aspinall

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this review is to discuss research methods and clinical management strategies employed with other conditions (i. e., spina bifida and craniofacial conditions) and how these methods and strategies could be applied to youth with disorders of sex development (DSD). The review focuses specifically on the potential overlap between DSD and these other conditions across the following 3 areas: (1) developmentally- oriented theories that underlie the research base for chronic physical conditions; (2) research designs and methodological features that have proved fruitful in these areas; and (3) the potential applicability to DSD of clinical management practices for youth …

Association Of Childhood Physical And Sexual Abuse With Intimate Partner Violence, Poor General Health And Depressive Symptoms Among Pregnant Women, Yasmin V. Barrios, Bizu Gelaye, Qiuyue Zhong, Christina Nicolaidis, Marta B. Rondon, Pedro J. Garcia, Pedro A. Mascaro Sanchez, Sixto E. Sanchez, Michelle A. Williams

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective

We examined associations of childhood physical and sexual abuse with risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). We also evaluated the extent to which childhood abuse was associated with self-reported general health status and symptoms of antepartum depression in a cohort of pregnant Peruvian women.

Methods

In-person interviews were conducted to collect information regarding history of childhood abuse and IPV from 1,521 women during early pregnancy. Antepartum depressive symptomatology was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Multivariable logistic regression procedures were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results

Any childhood abuse was associated with …

Recognizing The Influence Of Social Determinants On Hiv Risk Behaviors And The Need For Structural Interventions To Prevent Hiv In Women, Arlene Edwards

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The design and implementation of structural interventions may provide for simultaneous and longitudinal responses to prevention needs in multiple contexts as defined by social determinants, thus varied opportunities exist to respond to the HIV prevention needs of women. According to the CDC, in 2010, the rate of new HIV infections among black women was 20 times that of white women, and the rate among Hispanic/Latino women was 4 times the rate of white women. Additionally, 86% of HIV infections in women were attributed to heterosexual contact and 14% to injection drug use (CDC, 2012). These numbers are reflected outside the …

Conflict In Families And Nursing Home Placement: A Phenomenological Study, Stephen John Pidwysocky

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In the limited qualitative research about families who have placed a family member in a nursing home, conflict is identified as a significant problem (Lashewicz & Keating, 2009; Lashewicz et al., 2007). Whether it is related to absence of filial responsibility on the part of adult children, (Ganong & Coleman, 2005; Piercy, 1998), adult child ambivalence (Bengtson et al., 2002; Lüscher & Pillemer, 1998), female and male gender caregiving roles (Spitze & Trent, 2006; Dayton-Ingersoll, 2003; Aronson, 1992), differences in levels of commitment on the part of adult children to assist older parents (Silverstein et al., 2008), adult children being …

A Qualitative Examination Of The Psychosocial Adjustment Of Khmer Refugees In Three Massachusetts Communities, Leakhena Nou

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

This paper uses a sociological stress process model to explore the Khmer adult refugees' experience in Massachusetts. The analysis is based on the responses of three focus groups in the Khmer communities of Lowell, Lynn, and Revere, Massachusetts. The focus groups provided an in-depth understanding of sources of stress, stress mediators, and psychosocial adjustment/adaptational patterns for Khmer refugees who had experienced the Cambodian genocide. Symptoms and reactions associated with underlying causes of mental health problems had culturally specific relevance to physical illness and mental health.