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Unplugging For Wellness: Psycho-Behavioral Impact Of Social Media Detox In Medical Students, Hazhmat Ali, Deemah Shalan, Lubna Ahmed, Ahmed Abdulazeez, Bira Ahmed, Mohammed Khamo

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Social media detoxification has emerged as a strategy for enhancing well-being. This study investigates the effects of social media detox on the psychological well-being and academic performance of students. A total of 361 medical students participated in this study. After obtaining formal consent, the participants completed a structured survey administered in a controlled setting. The survey included sections on demographics, patterns of social media use (e.g., time spent, platforms accessed, and primary motivations), and standardized psychological assessment scales. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. Most students (75.9%) reported using multiple social media …

Mindfulness And Anxiety Symptoms: The Role Of Cognitive Reappraisal In Community Adults, Calla L. Pritulsky

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition worldwide and contributes to substantial societal costs, personal distress, and impairment (World Health Organization, 2023). Given its high prevalence, low treatment utilization, and modest response rates, identifying protective factors to inform prevention efforts is critical (Mamede et al., 2022; Mendelson & Eaton, 2018). Mindfulness, or the ability to nonjudgmentally pay attention to the present moment, comprises five key facets: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity (Baer et al., 2006b). Although mindfulness is inversely associated with anxiety, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear (Desrosiers et al., 2013). Cognitive reappraisal, defined …

Emotional Urgency And Lack Of Perseverance Are Linked To Anxiety Sensitivity And Improve During Early Recovery From Opioid Use Disorder., Breanna A. Mcnaughton-Long, Abigail J. Pleiman, Carmen Buchfink, Chrysantha B. Davis, Rayus Kuplicki, Martin P. Paulus, Hung-Wen Yeh, Maëlle C M Gueguen, Jennifer L. Stewart

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Few studies have identified how facets of impulsivity relate to recovery in opioid use disorder (OUD). Treatment-enrolled individuals with OUD (n = 167) and healthy controls (CTL; n = 46) completed the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency (UPPS-P) Impulsive Behavior Scale along with demographic and clinical measures at visit 1. Over the next three months, abstinence and return to use were documented for participants with OUD (via self-report, alcohol breathalyzer, urine drug screen, and secondary contact communication). Participants with OUD who returned to use (n = 59) did not complete further study visits, whereas those who remained abstinent …

Depressive, Anxiety, And Stress Symptoms Among Respiratory Therapists In Two Tertiary Hospitals In Saudi Arabia: Differences According To Sociodemographic Characteristics, Budour Almutairi, Atheer Alsubaie, Reem Alenzi, Hala Alghemlas, Khalid Almutairi, Fouad Almutairi, Mansour Alshoaibi, Yaser Alnafea, Mona Almutairi, Salem Alqahtani

Journal of Medical Rehabilitation Science

Background: Respiratory Therapists (RTs) work in high-stress environments, predisposing them to psychological distress. This study evaluated the proportion of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms and their differences across sociodemographic groups among RTs in two Saudi Arabian tertiary hospitals.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and September 2023 at two tertiary hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh. Out of 355 invited RTs, 112 completed an online questionnaire comprising sociodemographic items and the validated Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).
Results: Of the 112 participants, 61.6% were female, 47.3% were married, and 58.0% were Saudi nationals. The overall proportion of participants …

Beyond Burnout: A Systematic Review Of The Mental Health Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Physicians In The U.S., Tiffany Iheanacho, Fred Wenger, Etianna E. Cadet, Yahya Korteh, Muhammed Gaye

DO Research Day

Background: Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, its long-term psychological impact on physicians remains important to assess. Physicians experienced PTSD, burnout, anxiety, insomnia, distress, and depression, yet few studies reported outcomes disaggregated by race, limiting understanding of disparities among marginalized physicians.

Objectives: To quantify the prevalence of mental health outcomes among U.S. physicians during COVID-19 and identify interventions and systemic strategies to mitigate physician mental health burdens during future public health emergencies.

Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Lincoln Memorial University Library were searched for studies published from 2020–2025. Of 48 studies identified, 21 met inclusion criteria. …

Fear Of Progression And Associated Factors In Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Mixed-Methods Study, Hongxia Liu

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) frequently develop excessive fear regarding disease recurrence and progression, which substantially affects their health. The Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM) offers a useful framework to explain how these recipients perceive, process, and respond to such health threats.

Objective: To develop and validate a model of fear of progression (FoP) in kidney transplant recipients, analyzing its influencing factors; and to identify contextual factors associated with this fear as well as recipients’ lived experiences.

Design: A convergent mixed-methods design was employed in this study.

Settings: Kidney transplant follow-up centers at three tertiary hospitals in Beijing, Hunan, and …

Predictors Of 3-Month Anxiety Among Intimate Partners Of Icd Recipients Following A P+P Intervention, Jinseon Hwang, Elaine A. Thompson, Cynthia M. Dougherty

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors often require implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy, which introduces psychological challenges for patients and their intimate partners. Although the Patient plus Partner (P+P) intervention, a six-week post-discharge program, was developed to support recovery for both patient and partners, factors influencing early post-discharge partner anxiety remain unclear. This study examined predictors of 3-month partner anxiety among intimate partners of ICD recipients receiving secondary prevention.

Methods: This secondary analysis included intimate partners of patients who underwent ICD implantation for secondary prevention of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia (n=63) from a randomized controlled trial. Partner anxiety was measured …

Nature-Based Activities To Support Mental Ill Health (Greengage): Protocol For A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial And Process Evaluation, Caroline Jenkinson, Katie Gibbs, Rebecca Lovell, Alison Hurst, Kerryn Husk, Katrina Wyatt, Obioha C. Ukoumunne, Siobhan Creanor, Anne Spencer, Ruth Garside

Peninsula Medical School

Anxiety and depression are among the leading mental health difficulties worldwide. Nature-based interventions are increasingly being used to support mental health and wellbeing. There is growing policy interest in the use of nature as a setting for interventions. However, there remains a lack of robust evidence on their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Feasibility And Acceptability Of Perioperative Application Of Biofeedback-Based Virtual Reality Vs Control For Pain And Anxiety In Children And Adolescents Undergoing Surgery: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Anna Lin, Brenna Rachwal, Lindsey Asti, Zandantsetseg Orgil, Isabela Santiago, Lili Ding, Susmita Kashikar-Zuck, Christopher King, Sara Williams, William Black, Peter Minneci, Vanessa Olbrecht

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The impact of biofeedback-based virtual reality (VR-BF) on pain and anxiety in pediatric surgical patients remains unexplored.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of perioperative VR-BF use in children and adolescents.

METHODS: We performed a single-blind, 2-arm, randomized pilot trial. Children aged 12 to 18 years undergoing surgery with expected moderate-to-severe postoperative pain and more than 1 overnight admission were randomized (1:1) to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received VR-BF using ForeVR (functional outcome response to engaging virtual reality [VR]), a novel, gamified digital intervention that integrates …

Predictors Of Psychological Strain In College Students In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Randy M. Ludwig

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated the traditional challenges of being a college student. This study examined the factors associated with the mental health difficulties many college students faced during the pandemic. Factor analysis was used to uncover a latent variable called psychological strain, which was composed of mental instability, mental health strain, sadness, anxiety, and unhappiness. An exploratory path model was created to determine which factors most closely related to psychological strain. Of the 14 factors considered, 11 were significant predictors. Overall, the most important risk factor was found to be social isolation (total effects = .437), while …

Autistic Menopause: Where Should Research Go From Here?, Christine A. Jenkins, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg

Faculty and Staff Publications

Plain language summary

This letter lists seven priorities for future research on autism and menopause. It is written by an early career researcher/assistant professor and a community researcher. Both are neurodivergent themselves.

A Mixed-Method Study To Determine The Relationships Between Academic Confidence, Anxiety And Success In College Physics I At A Small Midwestern University, Jason Fenske

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method study is to examine the effect of a variety of factors on student success in College Physics I. These factors include the transfer of knowledge from both high school physics and prerequisite mathematics courses for use in physics as well as anxiety, academic confidence, physics confidence, and methods designed to address these. The experiment occurred in a medium-sized midwestern university in two different classrooms. The results of this experiment showed that there is a direct correlation between mathematics confidence and physics confidence and therefore between these and student success. The study found that students who …

Perioperative Depression And Anxiety Care In Older Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Joanna Abraham, Katherine J Holzer, Simon Haroutounian, Bethany Pennington, Ana Baumann, Ryan Calfee, Theresa Cordner, Kenneth E Freedland, Thomas Kannampallil, Benjamin Kozower, Emily Lenard, J Philip Miller, Mary Politi, Michael Yingling, Michael S Avidan, Eric J Lenze

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Depression and anxiety are common among older adults undergoing surgery and are associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. However, effective tailored perioperative mental health interventions are lacking.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a perioperative intervention to optimize mental health.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A single-blind, hybrid, type 1, effectiveness-implementation randomized clinical trial was conducted (November 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025), with 3-month postoperative follow-up, at a US academic and community practice hospital network. Participants were 60 years or older; scheduled for cardiac, oncologic, or orthopedic surgery; and had clinically meaningful symptoms of depression and/or anxiety based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety …

Predictive Validity Of Basc-3 Anxiety And Working Memory Scores For Clinically Significant Test Anxiety: Including Case-Level Examination Of Misclassified Profiles, Des'tiana Williams, Luis E. Aguerrevere, Nina Harness

Archives of Assessment Psychology

High school and college students can struggle with test anxiety, which may result in test scores below the capacity of the student. Previous literature suggests that test anxiety is related to general anxiety and limited working memory (WM), yet the extent to which these factors predict test anxiety in commonly used clinical psychoeducational assessments has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we examined how well scores on the Behavior Assessment System for Children- 3rd edition (BASC-3) Self-Report Anxiety scale and Working Memory Index (WMI) on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children …

A Brief Self-Help Intervention For Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms Utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Dialectical Behavior Therapy Within Correctional Settings, Genevieve L. Ray

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Individuals within incarcerated settings are far more likely to experience symptoms that meet criteria for a mental health disorder compared to the general population. This population is often underserved due to various financial and resource constraints. Self-help interventions have grown in popularity due to their proven effectiveness and accessibility for consumers, particularly for anxiety and depression symptoms. A self-help intervention for those in a correctional setting would not require extensive additional personnel amid financial constraints and would increase access to care. Many self-help interventions that are currently published apply to the community population, but readily accessible resources that reside in …

The Use Of Psilocybin For Managing Refractory Behavioral Health Conditions: A Narrative Review, Rachel N. Clark

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the possible benefits of using psilocybin (C₁₂H₁₇N₂O₄P), a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in certain species of mushrooms, in the treatment of multiple forms of mental illness and substance use disorders, either as monotherapy or in conjunction with traditional psychiatric medications. The compound has high affinity for several serotonin receptors, including 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, and 5-HT_2C, which are located throughout the cerebral cortex and thalamus. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted, identifying studies that assessed pharmacokinetics, therapeutic …

The Impact Of Choral Participation On The Mental Health Of Adolescents, Sheila L. Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adolescent anxiety and depression continue to present significant challenges for schools, prompting increased interest in educational experiences that may support students’ psychological well-being. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between participation in school-based choral ensembles and the mental health of adolescents. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, the study compared depression and anxiety symptoms between choir participants and nonparticipants and examined whether the length of choir participation was associated with these outcomes. Participants included 26 students enrolled in Grades 9-12 at a public high school in Mississippi. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire …

The Role Of Reassurance Messages In Pediatric Oncology, Isabelle Faller

Doctoral Dissertations

Despite decreasing mortality rates, the high prevalence and incidence of pediatric cancer necessitate the need for advancements in the treatment of psychological concerns, specifically the reduction of patient distress and anxiety. A more comprehensive understanding of current reassurance messages in clinical practice can aid in developing a standardized framework for providing reassurance in pediatric oncology. Qualitative Content Analysis was employed to examine the types of messages nurses use to reassure patients (to reduce their anxiety about a future health-related event) and how effective nurses perceive these messages to be in relieving patients' anxiety. The adult participants, located at hospitals throughout …

Posttraumatic Stress In Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy: Associations With Early Maladaptive Schemas, Anxiety, And Quality Of Life In A 6-Month Prospective Study ​, Mehmet Öztürk, Pinar Öztürk, Fügen Sönmez Çeti̇nkaya, İlker Özdemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that significantly affects psychosocial functioning, self-perception, and quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms may be more prevalent in individuals with epilepsy than previously recognized, particularly following seizure-related experiences perceived as traumatic. The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term PTS levels in individuals with newly diagnosed epilepsy and examine their associations with anxiety, depression, early maladaptive schemas, and quality of life.

Materials and methods: In this prospective study, 31 individuals with newly diagnosed epilepsy were enrolled. Participants completed a sociodemographic data form, the Post-Traumatic Stress …

Enhancing Mental Health Support For Motor Vehicle Accident (Mva) Survivors Through Occupational Therapy (Ot)-Led Support Groups, Emma K. Gooden Ms

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This doctoral capstone project, completed during a 14-week Applied Leadership Experience (ALE) with Georgetown-Scott County EMS (GSCEMS), focused on the ACOTE target areas of Program Development and Advocacy by creating an evidence-based, trauma-informed, occupational therapy support group curriculum for motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors. A literature review and needs assessment identified a significant gap in post-crash care, as many survivors experience long-term psychological challenges—including PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear of driving, and disruptions in daily roles—despite care often emphasizing physical rehabilitation over emotional recovery. Drawing from observations of GSCEMS Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Management meetings, current evidence, and ongoing …

Emotion-Attention Relationships In Anxiety: A Multimodal Psychophysiological Network Analysis, Kyle O'Brien

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety has long been associated with changes in attention processing, emotional salience detection, and emotional affect. Traditional methods of measuring anxiety frequently utilize self-report symptom measures, behavioral performance measures, and psychophysiological indicators. The current study integrates behavioral accuracy, self-report measures of psychological distress and well-being, and event-related potential markers of attention processing into an exploratory multimodal psychological network analyses to identify meaningful patterns across these indicators. The final sample of nonpatients included 36 anxious (low depression) and 24 control (low anxiety and depression) participants who completed an Emotion Attention Blink task while EEG data were collected to assess early, more …

Mind Over Scrubs – A Peer-Led Anxiety Reduction Program, Nhi T. Tran, Angelica Dirige, Adeleke Fashola

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

Nursing students experience elevated anxiety during the transition into accelerated programs, which can negatively affect academic performance, well-being, and retention. This quality improvement project evaluated Mind Over Scrubs, a peer-led anxiety reduction program for incoming Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing students at the University of the Pacific, consisting of four 45-minute sessions on evidence-based coping strategies. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 surveys were administered at baseline, before and after each session, and at two- and four-week follow-ups; Wilcoxon signed-rank tests evaluated matched changes. Thirty-one of 62 enrolled students (50%) attended at least one session. Post-session scores fell below individual baselines for …

Impact Of Repeated Serotonin 6 Receptor Activation On Weight And Anxiety In C57bl/6j And Btbr Mice, Pedro Flores

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) are the most common form of medication prescribed to people with anxiety disorders. One of the most common side effects is weight gain. This weight gain often leads to the suspension of treatment. This has led to studies focusing on specific serotonin (5-HT) receptor targets for modulating depression and anxiety. Studies examining 5-HT6 antagonist treatment have shown that they reduce body weight as well as produce brain specific changes. Less is known regarding 5-HT6 receptor agonists, although previous literature has shown that exposure to high doses produces weight loss but not at lower doses, while …

The Effect Of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Anxiety, Shivangi Bhardwaj

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders in the U.S. Individuals of all ages are affected by anxiety. Therefore, research into anxiety and its potential treatment has constantly been an area of interest. Newer approaches to managing anxiety include non-invasive stimulation techniques, such as Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), because of its accessibility and effectiveness. Past tDCS work typically focused on regions in the frontal lobe. However, tDCS over the cerebellum has not received as much attention compared to the cerebrum, despite recent work demonstrating cerebellar involvement in emotion processing. Thus, a better understanding of how cerebellar …

Diabetter Together: Outcomes Of A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating A Peer Mentor Behavioral Intervention For Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes During The Transfer From Pediatric To Adult Care, Marisa E Hilliard, Charles G Minard, Samantha A Carreon, Wendy L Levy, Sarah K Lyons, Randi Streisand, Tricia S Tang, Siripoom V Mckay, Sridevi Devaraj, Barbara J Anderson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Transition between pediatric and adult health care is complex, with high risk for loss to follow-up and suboptimal health outcomes for young adults with type 1 diabetes. This trial evaluated the efficacy of DiaBetter Together, a 12-month strengths-based behavioral intervention delivered by trained peer mentors. The intervention aimed to help young adults navigate the transfer process to promote optimal glycemic outcomes, shorten time to adult care follow-up, and improve psychosocial outcomes.

Research design and methods: Using a single-site randomized clinical trial design, we compared the 12-month intervention to usual care among n = 100 young adults aged 17-25 years …

Exploring The Relations Between Sleep And Mental Health Through The Constructs Of Sleep Health, Psychological Well-Being, Depression, And Anxiety, Taylor G. Wandtke

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sleep and Mental Health have a variety of definitions and underlying constructs, as well as questionnaires to measure them. This study analyzed sleep and mental health constructs using a variety of questionnaires to examine how they may influence one another, providing valuable insight into the utility of both newly developed and established measures. With an analysis sample of N = 27, this study assessed the reliability of the novel Sleep Health Item Bank (SHIB) across its 14 dimensions and its correlations among psychological well-being, depression, and anxiety scores. Psychological well-being (PWB) was assessed by Ryff’s (1995) 18-item scale, and depression …

Early Post-Cesarean Anxiety, Nausea, Vomiting, And Pain Under Spinal Anesthesia: Trajectories And Modifiable Predictors, Indah Susanti, Eza Kemal Firdaus, Septian Mirova Sebayang, Amelia Andini, Alicia Dumes Berg, Margaret Atwood, Rantiningsih Sumarni, Mesya Mesya, Asmat Burhan

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

Recovery after caesarean under spinal anesthesia remains a quality gap, with scarce evidence on modifiable anesthetic practices improving recovery. Data linking the neuraxial technique, nausea, anxiety, and pain remain limited. The objective of this study was to describe postoperative nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and pain at 6, 12, and 24 hours after caesarean section under spinal anesthesia and to examine whether intrathecal adjuvant use, sensory block level, fasting duration, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status were associated with these outcomes. Cross-sectional study across five hospitals; 534 women undergoing caesarean under spinal anesthesia. Exposures: intrathecal adjuvant, sensory level (≤ …

Cbd's Impact On Learning, Memory, And Anxiety: A Dose Response, Audrey Camacho

Psychology ETDs

Cannabidiol (CBD) is widely utilized for its therapeutic properties, yet its impact on an unmanipulated model at baseline behavior remains poorly understood. This study investigates CBD’s dose-dependent behavioral profile on spatial learning, memory, and anxiety using Long-Evans rats. Subjects received a vehicle, 20 mg/kg, or 40 mg/kg CBD dose prior to assessment in the Morris Water Task (MWT) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). MWT results indicated consistent Day 1 learning, but the 40 mg/kg dose induced a temporary disruption 24 hours post-treatment. Performance returned to baseline by day 6. On the EPM, traditional anxiety markers remained unchanged. While CBD did …

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Induces Vulnerability To Mild Stress Through Heightened Limbic Glial Activation And Cytokine Release, Justine R. Zimmerly

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) results from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and is linked to development of mood disorders, which in turn are driven by dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system, the neuroendocrine hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the central nervous system (CNS) neuroimmune response to stressors. PAE alters brain glial activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression through secondary challenges such as psychological stressors. The goals of the experiments presented in this dissertation were to 1) examine peripheral glucocorticoid receptor function following mild acute stress in adult PAE offspring, 2) characterize a sensitized cytokine stress response in the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, …

The Mediating Role Of Resilience Between Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms, Marivic Torregosa

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Objective: This study examined the mediating effect of resilience between anxiety and depressive symptoms while controlling for alcohol intake, anxiety, and selected demographic variables.

Method: After obtaining IRB approval, data were collected from a sample of n = 514 students at a Hispanic-serving institution located on the United States-Mexico border from 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, through 2023. The instruments used were the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) to measure anxiety, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to measure depressive symptoms, and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) to measure resilience. Path analysis was used to analyze the mediating effect of …