Digital Commons Network^™

Strengthening Mental Health Awareness Of University Students Using An Online Training Module, Lavern Rosemarie Bourne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian youth pursuing postsecondary education are facing a major mental health crisis. There are substantial gaps between the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a web-based mental health educational intervention was an effective tool with which to increase mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors of university students. The theory of planned behavior, the help-seeking model, and the technology acceptance model were the theories that guided this study. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental research design, data were collected from 329 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at a university in Eastern …

Child Welfare Workers' Perceptions Of The Effective Black Parenting Program, Kharmynn M. Bullock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The child welfare system (CWS) serves around half a million families each year in America. Of those, in Texas, hundreds of thousands of African American families represent the greatest percentages of families in the CWS when compared with their respective numbers in the general population. In 2013, African American children made up about 13.9% of the overall population of children in the United States; however, these children represented close to 26% (or 101,938) African American children in the system with CWS. Child Protective Services (CPS) has various programs and services, including parent education referrals to social services agencies that carry …

The Lived Experiences Of Rural Clinical Social Workers In North Carolina, Sarah Horne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rural clinical social workers face unique challenges when providing services to members of rural communities. To face these challenges and deliver culturally competent services, clinical social workers in rural communities must be specifically prepared for rural clinical social work. This study addressed issues of preparedness for rural clinical social work centered around rural clinical social work supervision in the context of the systems theory. The phenomenological design allowed for the exploration of the lived experiences of rural clinical social workers. Study participants who volunteered for study after being contacted via information provided to the North Carolina Social Work Board were …

Supervisor Experiences Mentoring Therapists-In-Training On Issues Related To Religion/Spirituality Among Lgbt Clients, Stephanie Kolhei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are known issues related to religion and spirituality (R/S) among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population, such as identity struggles, religious abuse, and internalized homonegativity. Many therapists are uncomfortable incorporating R/S into therapy, with poor training and supervision identified as a possible rationale. The purpose of this study was to explore supervisors’ experiences mentoring therapists-in-training on issues related to R/S among LGBT clients as well as supervisors’ level of preparation to mentor this area. The integrated affirmative supervision model (IAS) and multiple dimensions of cultural competence (MDCC) conceptual frameworks drove the development of this study. A generic …

Effects Of Government Regulations And Reimbursement Policies On Home Health Administration In Illinois., Sally Nwafor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent changes in government regulations and reimbursement policies threaten the financial viability and the ability of home health agencies to provide the necessary services. There is a gap in knowledge about the effect of the changes in healthcare policies on the administration of home health businesses in Illinois. The purpose of this study was to bridge the knowledge gap by investigating the effect of the regulatory and policy changes on home health administration in Illinois. The research question focused on the challenges that home health administrators face due to the changes in government regulation and reimbursement policies, and the strategies …

Social Workers’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Trauma On Police Officers, Amber Leigh Copeland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPolice officers experience trauma in their roles as first responders. Although there are resources to address the psychological and physical impact on police officers, these resources are underutilized. Police officers in active duty endure traumatic events regularly but fail to seek assistance for their physical and mental health symptoms. Officers interact with individuals from multiple disciplines throughout their daily encounters, including social workers. Despite the professional relationship between officers and social workers, some officers remain guarded and minimize their mental health needs. For this project, a focus group was conducted with 9 social workers who have worked with police officers …

Age Differences In Effect Of Collaboration Of Care Activities On Student Behaviors, Ronda Lynn Stevens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 18 million children in the US have mental health problems and 70% receive the care in the education sector. The Collaboration of Care (CoC) approach is widely used to address these needs. However, the body of knowledge to date does not focus on relationships between the use of a CoC in a school environment nor examines school-based outcomes. This study examined a specific CoC, called the Collaboration of Services for Youth (COSY), to see if there was a positive association between participation in COSY and changes in attendance, behavior, and academic performance among 52 public-school students, ages 5-16, and …

Resources Needed By Transitional Participants For Independent Living, Odell Jonathan Cole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of resources for youth making the transition from foster care into independent living is a significant issue in the United States. However, this lack of resources may be overcome through successful career pathway programs. The purpose of this case study was to explore which career pathway strategies are useful for an organization attempting to help young people make a transition into independence. During the developmental planning stage of the program, plans were put in place for a program to help young people find guidance in a career field as they learn to live on their own and become …

Role Of Social Workers In Psychiatric Patient-Centered Care With U.S. Veterans, Alesia Michelle Noce-Owen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers play an important role in the implementation of patient-centered care (PCC) within an interdisciplinary treatment team in an inpatient psychiatric unit. The PCC approach can become overwhelming and stressful for interdisciplinary team members because the definition of PCC varies across disciplines. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of their role within an interdisciplinary team, including barriers to social work inclusion and PCC. Ecological systems theory provided the framework for the study. Interview data were collected from 2 focus groups containing a total of 10 purposively selected social workers. A grounded …

The Immigrant Population Amid Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis: A Compiled Project For Nurs 518, Maureen S. Reyes

Population Health

Immigrants has been part of the United States (US) historical society ever since this country has long been discovered. They say that this nation is built by immigrants. Some people would strongly disagree; but to be fair that is a reality. The American economy has long thrive and sustained, and has been strengthened by the contributions made by immigrants. Immigrants come from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds; each with their own stories to tell and traditions to share.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made an impact on the socioeconomic and health care inequities of vulnerable and undeserved communities in …

Protective Factors In Education For Gender And Sexual Minority Youth, Linda Riad

Capstone Showcase

My research explores the question: What protective factors in education promote psychological well being among Gender and Sexual Minority (GSM) youth? There is extensive research on the risk factors GSM youth face at disproportionate rates compared to their peers such as victimization, depression, suicide attempts, and suicide ideation. It is vital that the education system provides resources for the GSM population to ensure a safe environment for students in order to promote well being and academic achievement. School counselors and psychiatrists can utilize therapy practices that target the specific needs of GSM youth. Broader protective factors include support programs, self …

The Effect Of Deep Pressure Therapy On The Health Of Individuals With Developmental Disorders, Kaitlin Faulcon

Capstone Showcase

Many individuals with Autism (ASD), Anxiety, and other disabilities seek out tactile input, in the form of Deep Pressure Therapy, to calm themselves during stressful situations. First developed in Eastern culture and massage, Deep Pressure Therapy evolved into a mainstream technique used by various populations, including neurotypicals. Weighted blankets, compression vests, and other materials are useful in treatment but have their limitations as well. These garments and tools provide tactile input that positively impacts the individuals' biological functions, self-reported anxiety, and other essential factors. Other sensory treatments like exercise and swaddling provide similar effects but not specific to the deep …

Developing A Scholarly Voice Early: Collaborative Writing As A Pedagogy, Meridee J. Trimble, Dejuanna M. Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 12 first-year students in a doctoral education program by examining students’ self-assessment of scholarly writing skills development during a collaborative writing experience. Cognitive apprenticeship serves as the theoretical framework for this study, offering an instructional paradigm of situated learning activities to teach knowledge and skills through guided tasks, culminating in diminished dependence on faculty as cognitive skills develop. The study returned three emergent themes reflecting students’ experiences in developing a scholarly voice, 1) importance of feedback to writing growth, 2) the nature of writing as an iterative process, and 3) establishing publication as …

The Impact Of Yoga On Symptom Management In Adults With Depression, Laura S. Eggen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide. Despite continual advances in the fields of psychiatry and psychology, hundreds of millions of individuals continue to suffer due to ineffective treatment, adverse effects, lack of access to care, and the relapsing nature of the disease. Depression extends beyond the affected individual and burdens families, healthcare systems, and societies. Yoga is a mind-body modality, growing in popularity, that has been cited in the literature as a promising treatment for depression. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review recent literature on the impact of yoga on depression management …

Gathering And Lending Support: Relationships, Linda Miles, Susanne Markgren

Publications and Research

What roles can professional relationships play across a career? How do overlapping and networked relationships help an individual develop professionally, succeed, get ahead, and provide satisfaction and meaning? And what can a librarian do to foster these connections in their own practice? In this chapter, we consider the why, what, who, and how of networking and relationships.

Book Proposal: Reimagining Higher Education: A Guide To Creating The Competent College Graduate, Molly Kerby

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Given the climate of distrust, colleges and universities are examining strategies to enable them to remain relevant. Efforts to answer the recent outcry for productive, effective, and evidencedbased outcomes include adapting curricula and degree programs to better prepare graduates for employment. Competency-based education (CBE) programs are at the forefront of these approaches. Although not a new concept, CBE has shifted from its vocational training roots to its current attention on student results. The acquisition of competence requires an engaged learner who practices self-reflection (Dreyfus, 2004). Albanese, et al. (2008) suggest competencies should be outcome focused, emphasize applied-learning, and be measurable. …

Enabling The Best Interests Factors, Adrián E. Alvarez

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

For over a century, state courts and other child welfare agencies in the United States have been applying the “best interests of the child standard” to all decision-making concerning children. The standard is also enshrined within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)—a treaty that every nation in the world has ratified except the United States. Notwithstanding its widespread adoption in family law, the standard is, with only a few exceptions, noticeably missing from American laws and policies pertaining to children in the immigration system.

There is a rich literature arguing that children should enjoy special …

The Phenomenology Of Accompaniment: A Journey Of Transformation, Siobhan O'Donoghue

Dissertations

Accompaniment is a humanitarian approach that seeks to ameliorate the suffering of individuals and communities that are vulnerable, and often struggling with the effects of collective traumas. Despite the fact that accompaniment models are being utilized in various parts of the world, the topic has seldom been explored in the literature. the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of accompaniment for migrants. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 28 participants who represented both accompaniers and the accompanied. Data were collected through 13 interviews and 3 focus groups and analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenological method …

The Impact Of Tenncare, A Survey Of Recipients, 2019, Tennessee. Division Of Tenncare.

TennCare Additional Reports

No abstract provided.

From Creative Idea To Implementation: Borrowing Practices And Problems From Social Science Disciplines, Anil Venkatesh, Erin Militzer

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

By collaborating with partner disciplines, mathematics educators gain valuable insight into the perspectives and needs of their students. This insight can lead to improved coordination of content and methods between courses in mathematics and the partner disciplines. This curricular coordination not only invites students to apply their mathematical knowledge in their own professional contexts, but also allows students to communicate mathematical mastery in the language of their intended professions. In this paper, we discuss the challenges specific to developing a mathematics course in collaboration with partner disciplines, with particular attention to portability to a wide range of math instructors. We …

The Debt Paradox: In Debt But Society Owes You A Debt--An Exoneree's Path To Holistic Relief Through The Bankruptcy System, Dru Selden

Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal

What do the bankruptcy system and the criminal legal system have in common? Both aim to provide fresh starts to those who have moved through them. The bankruptcy system does so by rewarding honest but unfortunate debtors with discharge from debt. The criminal legal system attempts to provide a fresh start through reentry programs to those exiting prison. Yet neither system successfully ensures a blank slate, which is in part due to the history of racial bias in both systems. A limited subset of debtors benefits from the bankruptcy system, while the criminal legal system makes reentry very difficult for …

Changing The Story: Evaluation Results Of An Opioid Awareness Teach-In, Kerri Lynn Knippen, Kristina N. Lavenia, Melissa W. Burek

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Teach-Ins have historically been used as a way for educators to raise knowledge and awareness around an urgent social problem. We report findings from an action evaluation of the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Opioid Awareness Teach-In, which was designed to (a) make clear that the BGSU community believes we can work to change the story of the opioid epidemic in northwest Ohio and (b) raise awareness of resources available for those struggling with opioid dependence in our community. Campus wide, anonymous questionnaires administered to students, faculty, and staff before (n = 275) and after (n = 140) the Teach-In …

Perspectives On Student Hunger And Poverty, Ruchi Patel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Poverty is a factor that affects many aspects of one’s life. For a student looking to get a bachelor’s degree at a university or college, money is one of the top priorities to look at. The high cost of universities and colleges create financial strain affecting the ability of students to obtain better opportunities. Furthermore, many college students struggling financially come from economically challenged backgrounds. Economic struggles related to college cost, housing and food insecurity can lead to malnourished students as well as high stress levels. Approximately 36% of Univeristy students and 42% of community college students were food insecure …

Nursing Student Stress, Ruthanne Emily Hawks, Hannah Rae Wilson, Carly Marie Gillota, Taylor Anne Hall, Edward William Mccain

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Nursing students deal with a variety of stressors, including difficult curriculum and new endeavors such as clinical and lab experiences. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between stress levels and coping mechanisms and readiness to change unhealthy coping mechanisms in baccalaureate nursing students. The Transtheoretical Model of Change guides this non-experimental, correlational study and measured readiness for change. The Student Nurse Stress Index was used to measure stress. The abbreviated COPE Inventory was used to measure coping. Online recruitment, consent forms, and surveys were distributed to nursing students via the Student Success Center in the College …

Effects Of Interventions On Violence Against Nurses, Shelby Secreto, Morgan Suponcic, Taylor Gatts, Erin Ross

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Violence against nurses is a problem in the healthcare system that is becoming more prevalent. The purpose of this systematic review is to critically appraise the evidence about the effectiveness of interventions to outcomes indicating that nurses are better prepared to handle violent situations and possibly prevent them all together in acute care settings. The following PICOT question, a question that addresses patient problem, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time, will be answered: What effect does preventative and educational interventions have on violence against nurses in the hospital setting and influence nurses’ perceptions regarding their ability to handle episodes of violence? …

The Compass, Summer 2020

The Compass, 2018-

The Compass is an annual orientation guide for VCU students produced by the Student Media Collective in the VCU Student Media Centered. The guide is distributed physically during summer orientation sessions for new and transfer students. The publication includes short articles, illustrations, letters of welcome from students and administrators, comics, and advertisements from VCU and Richmond organizations.

Qualitative Survey Of A Collaborative Team Approach To Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder, Theresa Duff

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

PURPOSE: To examine a unique interdisciplinary approach to ASD care that is utilized at KidsLink School/Neurobehavioral Center through a qualitative survey. This study determines the role of each interdisciplinary team member, the advantages and disadvantages of KidsLink’s approach, what is unique about their approach, and how a collaborative approach affects individual team members. METHODS: An online qualitative survey was distributed to KidsLink’s professional staff who are members on the interdisciplinary care teams. The survey results were read over three times in order to identify common themes and conduct a frequency analysis of codes across all participant responses. RESULTS: There were …

Youth Suicide In The United States, Sydney Schermond

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Youth suicide continues to be a public health crisis in the United States. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has identified four critical areas where a coordinated approach to suicide prevention can make a powerful contribution to this goal. One of these critical areas is healthcare systems. To fully equip these clinicians to develop the most effective suicide prevention interventions, it is important that they gain a complete picture of who may commit youth suicide. The central aim of this paper is to collect information relevant to suicide and suicide prevention to help educate allied healthcare professionals who may …

Minority Women Experiencing Postpartum Depression In Colorado, Heather Schunke

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

One of the most common complications associated with childbirth is pregnancy-related depression. Postpartum Depression (PPD) affects a new mother’s ability to bond with and take care of their baby. When left untreated PPD not only impacts the mother’s health but can also cause behavioral, eating, and sleeping issues for the baby (CDC, 2020). New mothers experiencing PPD have reported feeling stressed, worried, and anxious about their children. New mothers also reported having doubts about their ability to be a good mother. Almost half of the new mothers experiencing PPD will not seek treatment. Minority women are even less likely to …

The Relationship Of Internship Setting To Internship Directors' Perspectives On Cultural Competence In Psychological Assessment, Micharra Joshua

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological assessment represents a core competency and a highly specialized skill in professional psychology that is central to the identity of many practicing psychologists. However, more research is needed on the quality of assessment training that psychology doctoral students receive, particularly in relation to developing competence in the assessment of diverse individuals and groups. Moreover, diversity-related considerations for assessment should be broad and incorporate dimensions that include age, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, socioeconomic status, and other factors. This clinical dissertation consisted of an archival study that examined predoctoral internship directors' perspectives on their interns' preparation …