Digital Commons Network^™

Trajectories Of Self-Reported Sleep Disturbance Across Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment Predict Clinical Outcome In Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder And Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Elizabeth M Hartwig, Katrina A Rufino, Cara A Palmer, Christopher Shepard, Candice A Alfano, Bella Schanzer, Sanjay J Mathew, Michelle A Patriquin

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background: As there has been a demonstrated link between sleep disturbance and suicide, the present study investigated the relationship between self-reported sleep disturbance during inpatient psychiatric treatment and clinical outcomes at discharge and six months post-discharge.

Methods: Participants were 2,970 adults receiving care in a long-term inpatient psychiatric hospital. Greater than 90% of inpatients reported at least mild sleep disturbance throughout treatment. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to determine patterns of sleep disturbance changes over time.

Results: Participants fit into distinct categories based on their trajectories of sleep problems across treatment: No Sleep Problems (10.3% of participants, no sleep problems …

Vile Blood: Hereditary Degeneracy In Victorian England, Dalton Lee Brock

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

During the late 1800s, the people of England grew anxious about hereditary degeneracy. That anxiety was rooted in the medical literature of the Victorian period. Nature predetermined individuals to be either healthy or unhealthy. Unhealthy individuals were marked by degenerative mental or physical characteristics such as epilepsy. Medical professionals, including Henry Maudsley, emphasized reversion and its hereditary nature as a threat to individuals and society. All based their works and arguments on Charles Darwin’s idea of inheritance. Darwin, in turn, had adopted and modified Lamarckian inheritance to make up for the absence of an inheritance principle in his theory of …

Understanding The Comorbidity Of Asthma And Anxiety In Childhood: Characteristics, Vulnerabilities, And Treatment Implications, Nicole Fleischer, Elizabeth Gosch, Phil Kendall

Research Day

Introduction: Given the high incidence of asthma and anxiety comorbidity, clinicians should be informed of the unique presentation of these clients in clinical practice. Although much is known about the development and characteristics of childhood anxiety, less is known about children with anxiety and comorbid asthma.

Methods: This study, using archival data, examined the potential differences in children with comorbid asthma and anxiety compared to children with anxiety from a random controlled trial. These two groups were compared on negative self-talk, number of physical symptoms, parent anxiety, content of their worries, and presence of panic, generalized anxiety, and …

Infant Social Avoidance Predicts Autism But Not Anxiety In Fragile X Syndrome, Jane E. Roberts, Hayley Crawford, Elizabeth A. Will, Abigail L. Hogan, Samuel Dale Mcquillin, Bridgette L. Tonnsen, Shannon O'Connor, Douglas A. Roberts, Alexis M. Brewe

Faculty Publications

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety are three of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Early trajectories of social avoidance have been linked with these psychiatric disorders in previous studies, but it remains unclear how social avoidance differentially predicts comorbid disorders in a high-risk genetic subgroup. Here, we delineate the association between trajectories of social avoidance from infancy and subsequent ASD, ADHD, and anxiety outcomes at preschool in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), a well-characterized single-gene disorder highly associated with social avoidance as well as elevated rates of ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.

Method: Males with …

Embracing And Engaging Holistically: A Pastoral Response To Youth (Or Anyone) Struggling With Anxiety And Depression, Meghan Stretar

Obsculta

Following Richard Osmer’s framework for practical theological interpretation, this paper’s overall task seeks to examine the question of how to engage and encourage youth who are struggling with anxiety and depression to seek counsel. Separated into four sections, the descriptive task invites the reader into the author’s personal experience before drawing attention to the larger societal issue at hand. The interpretive task invites psychologist Erik Erikson’s identity development into the conversation, inviting more questions and possible solutions. The third section, a theological interpretation and analysis examines the Rule of St. Benedict and the pastoral implications of the incarnation. Finally, the …

Mental Sensorium, Brittany Adkins

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

According to ADAA, nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable but only 36.9% are receiving any kind of treatment. Anxiety disorders develop based on a set of factors including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Many do not realize but our environment, especially the built environment we inhabit every day can have a positive or negative effect on our mental well-being. Architecture should not just focus on the physical needs of their inhabitants but the mental health needs as well.

The built environment has a considerable impact …

An Unquiet Pedagogy For Unquiet Students: Reducing Anxiety And Depression With Critical Pedagogy, Laine Drew

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This project studies critical pedagogy in the writing classroom as a way to support students who struggle with anxiety to be successful, in and out of the classroom, as thinkers, writers, and citizens. I argue that it is important to recognize that educational inequalities and hierarchies contribute to anxiety, and suggest how critical pedagogy (rigorous and critical interrogation of texts and ideas by readers, a community of learners working together to make meaning, and a commitment to action in the world) can reduce anxiety in the school setting, in particular, and set students up for academic success that creates powerful, …

Affective Disturbance In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Jason Greenhagen, Emily Matusz, Sheina Emrani, David Libon, Sherry Pomerantz

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an identifiable, prodromal stage of cognitive impairment and has been further defined into subtypes: amnestic, language, executive functioning, and multi domain/mixed MCI (Jak et al. 2009 ). The purpose of this study is to (1) examine the differences in depression, anxiety, and apathy between MCI subtypes; and (2) assess the relationship between the neurocognitive domains (executive functioning, language, and memory and affective symptoms. We hypothesize that apathy will be greater in dysexecutive/mixed MCI (dys/mixed MCI) and be more highly correlated to neurocognitive deficits compared to depression or anxiety. This is a retrospective study of 113 …

The Correlation Between Obesity, Food Addiction, Anxiety & Depression, Ayham Khrais, Adarsh K. Gupta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Obesity is a multifaceted disease with physiological, psychological and social influences. While physiological factors, such as basal metabolic rate, can influence an individual’s BMI (Body Mass Index), obesity is primarily determined by behavior: excess food intake and a sedentary lifestyle greatly contribute to weight gain. An individual’s behavior is influenced by many factors, including their desires, perceptions, and social pressures. Therefore, psychological conditions can greatly impact an individual’s eating habits, thereby affecting that person’s BMI. This endeavor involved exploration of the potential effects of food addiction, anxiety, and depression on obesity. A survey consisting of an amalgamation of the Yale …

Addressing Anxiety In College: A Mindfulness Group For Use In College Counseling Centers, Sarah Deprey-Severance

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This project proposes a mindfulness group to address anxiety in college counseling settings. As will be discussed, anxiety is often cited as the most common presenting concern in college counseling centers, and as the need for mental health services in college is increasing, the necessity for cost effective and timely interventions (i.e., groups) becomes apparent. Research on the efficacy of mindfulness as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder is reviewed, as is the potential for self-compassion to be used as a complement to learning mindfulness skills to address anxiety. Finally, an eight-session group protocol that incorporates …

The 5-Ht1a-R Knockout Mouse As A Model Of Later Life Anxiety Disorders: Implications For Sex Differences, Tatyana Budylin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Anxiety affects nearly twice as many women as it affects men across all cultures and economic groups. Importantly, girls have a higher chance of inheriting anxiety disorders than boys, and many anxiety disorders appear at a very young age. However, little is known about sex differences in brain and behavioral development and how they relate to anxiety in adulthood. Serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT_1A-R) mediated signaling has been implicated in depression and anxiety, however most studies that focus on the involvement of the 5-HT_1A-R have been conducted in adults. Little is known about how the 5-HT_{1A …}

Finding Inner Peace: My Journey To Relieve Stress And Anxiety, Shannon Mitchell

Senior Honors Projects

Modern life can create the conditions for increased levels of stress and anxiety. This is particularly true for college students who experience a lot of changes and pressures regarding academics, romantic relationships, friendships, and career plans. More and more people are turning to alternative ways of relieving their stress and anxiety. One of the most popular approaches is yoga. The definition used is this: yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline that focuses on breath control, meditation, and specific body postures, and is widely practiced for physical and spiritual health, as well as relaxation. Yoga uses a holistic way …

Investigating Predictive Relationships Between Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students' Sense Of Classroom Community, Perceived Learning, And Perceived Anxiety., Emily B. Schantz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health is an all-encompassing term that focuses on a person’s ability to achieve work-life balance inclusive of positive mental health and mental ill-health. Current trends suggest an overall increase in mental ill-health for undergraduate and graduate students. McMillan and Chavis’ sense of community theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. This study aimed to examine whether speech-language pathology graduate students’ sense of classroom community and perceived learning predict anxiety levels while controlling for demographic variables. Three-hundred-sixteen master’s level speech-language pathology students completed an online survey containing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, Perceived Learning Scale, and Classroom Community Scale. …

Examining The Coping Resources Of Polyvictimized Youth And Young Adults, Zachary Robert Myers

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bullying represents a significant concern for many youth and young adults in the United States and abroad. However, the growth of technology has allowed for new platforms in which perpetrators can engage in bullying behaviors, such as text and video messaging, social media applications, and online gaming. In addition, research has suggested that the majority of cyberbullied individuals experience co-occurring in-person victimization as well. These trends are concerning, given that findings within both the traditional and cyberbullying literatures place victimized youth at-risk for a host of social and emotional concerns. However, research has yet to fully explore the unique experiences …

Weight Status, Bullying Involvement, And Internalizing Symptomology In Adolescents: Examining A Diathesis-Stress Model, Ana Damme

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bullying is a pervasive societal issue that is consistently linked to negative outcomes that are emotionally, socially, behaviorally, and medically related. Most youth will encounter this negative life event in their childhood. The purpose of this dissertation was to use a diathesis-stress model perspective to assess the relations between the negative life event of bullying involvement, youths’ mental health, and youth weight status. Youth who have an unhealthy weight status are more likely to be involved in bullying than those with a healthy weight status (Browne, 2012; Puhl). Additionally, bullying and having an unhealthy weight status are related internalizing symptomology …

From Training To Rehabilitation: Animal-Assisted Intervention For Inmates, Alan Kunz Lomelin

Social Work Theses - Archive

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 14.5% of federal prisoners and 26.4% of jail inmates report serious psychological distress (SPD), which are rates that are significantly higher than the 5% rate found in the general adult population. The high prevalence of mental illness demonstrates the need to develop interventions that can help address an inmate’s mental health needs. The current study reports on an evaluation of the psychosocial impact of a dog training program for men incarcerated at the Dallas County Jail. Participants (N=17) completed surveys monitoring their symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-esteem, loneliness, and resilience at Time …

The Effect Of Therapy Dogs On Preoperative Anxiety, Morgan Royer

Honors Theses

Humans and animals have been companions for ages but that relationship and its benefits have only begun to be explored. Recently, animal assisted therapies have been used to improve both psychological and physiological wellbeing. One of the most popular therapies uses dogs. There are many research studies on the effects of therapy dogs on children and adults with results that have found that the companionship of a dog significantly decreases their stress levels in many different situations, including health care facilities. I investigated the effects of therapy dogs on adults’ anxiety before going into day surgery. Participants were patients from …

Negative Effects Of Standardized Testing, Brianna Brown

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project focused on the negative effects of standardized testing and the alternatives. The participants for this project consisted of 32 third-graders in a public elementary school located in Southern California. This project consisted of having all the third-grade students organize their own portfolio in mathematics, with a focus on fractions and shapes, as an alternative to standardized testing. In this way, the students have the control of their grade rather than having a long, cumulative test at the end of the year. This can alleviate the stress of standardized testing for students and teachers. After conducting the project, …

The Impact Of An Autonomy-Supportive Yoga Intervention On The Self-Determination And Anxiety Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Multi-Method Approach, Claire Theresa Kelly

All Theses

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at greater risk for low self-determination and increased symptoms of anxiety. Research supports the use of autonomy-supportive interventions to promote positive health outcomes with this population. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a six-week autonomy-supportive yoga intervention on the self-determination and anxiety of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study used a multi-method design: eight subjects participated in pre- and post- semi-structured, qualitative interviews and a quantitative assessment of anxiety. Directed content analysis identified support for four themes related to the impact of yoga participation: autonomy, relatedness, …

Working Memory And Mindfulness In An Rct Of Abbt And Ar, Anna M. Hall

Graduate Masters Theses

Working memory capacity (WMC) can be degraded by anxiety, stress, and worry, but can also be protected by mindfulness interventions (Jha et al., 2010). The current study was the first to investigate the relations between WMC, anxiety, and mindfulness within two interventions for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) that promote mindfulness: Acceptance Based Behavioral Therapy (ABBT) and Applied Relaxation (AR). In this exploratory study, we analyzed a subset of participants from a RCT of ABBT and AR who had completed the Operation Span Task (OSPAN; n = 21). First, we found that pre- to post-treatment measures of WMC (e.g., OSPAN scores) …

Rumination And Worry: Exploring The Specificity Of Depressed And Anxious Negative Thoughts, Yi-Hsuan Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States and is a leading cause of disability worldwide, contributing to the substantial global economic burden. Research identifying effective and cost-efficient intervention programs has been generally successful, yet the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms and their co-occurrence with other conditions complicate these efforts. This, “specificity” question, here understood as the ongoing search for distinct clinical symptoms associated primarily with depression rather than anxiety and other disorders has remained a more elusive challenge. Depression and anxiety frequently co-occur, and research has been designed to identify symptoms and syndromes specific to each condition. …

A Pfa Study: Exploring The Relationship Of Anxiety And Self-Esteem With Expressive Writing, Abraham J. Gothong Walayat

Honors Theses

Research has indicated that expressive writing is thought to be beneficial by decreasing inhibitions, but what was still unknown is how the use of self-esteem words could moderate the change in anxiety levels. This study examined the efficacy of Expressive Writing on anxiety levels across time (baseline, immediately post treatment, 30 minutes post, and 15 days post) compared to a Superficial Writing control condition. This study also examined how the use of self-esteem words moderated anxiety levels. Subjects (N=31) were drawn from the Andrews University Behavioral Science Research Subjects Pool and were randomly assigned to either an Expressive Writing experimental …

Effects Of Chemogenetic Inhibition Of Ventral Hippocampal Glutamatergic Neurons On Anxiety-Like Defensivity In Male Long-Evans Hooded Rats, Carlos R. Maestas-Olguin

Psychology ETDs

Previous research in rodents and humans has implicated the ventral hippocampus in regulating anxiety. However, many rodent studies examining ventral hippocampal neuronal pathways have utilized lesions that create nonspecific and/or nonreversible damage to the region. The present study sought to characterize the role of ventral hippocampal glutamatergic pyramidal neurons in modulating anxiety-like behavior during exposure to a variety of threatening stimuli. Five weeks prior to testing, male Long-Evans hooded rats received ventral hippocampal viral-vector infusions expressing either pAAV-CaMKIIα-hM4D-mCherry (DREADD) or pAAV-CaMKIIa-EGFP (GFP). DREADD transfection allowed for the specific, noninvasive and temporary inhibition of ventral hippocampal glutamatergic neurons immediately before threat …

Poster: Toward Expert Consensus On Guidelines For The Use Of Yoga In The Treatment Of Anxiety In Children And Adolescents, Laura J. Abels

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Despite clinical evidence to support the use of yoga as a treatment option for children and adolescents with anxiety, clinical practice guidelines do not exist. Purpose: This project used the modified Delphi technique to determine if consensus exists on the need for clinical practice guidelines among experts in the fields of child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and yoga. Additionally, this project aimed to determine if consensus exists on what should be included in clinical practice guidelines for the use of yoga as a therapeutic intervention for anxiety in children and adolescents. Methods: Three rounds of questionnaires were used …

Toward Expert Consensus On Guidelines For The Use Of Yoga In The Treatment Of Anxiety In Children And Adolescents., Laura J. Abels

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Despite clinical evidence to support the use of yoga as a treatment option for children and adolescents with anxiety, clinical practice guidelines do not exist. Purpose: This project used the modified Delphi technique to determine if consensus exists on the need for clinical practice guidelines among experts in the fields of child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and yoga. Additionally, this project aimed to determine if consensus exists on what should be included in clinical practice guidelines for the use of yoga as a therapeutic intervention for anxiety in children and adolescents. Methods: Three rounds of questionnaires were used …

The Relationship Between Religious Background Of Those Who Disaffiliate From Religion And Presence Of Anxiety, Timothy B. Sellers

Honors College Theses

Religion plays a significant role in the personality and worldview of a many individuals. It can provide one with personal benefits such as coping mechanisms, a framework for meaning-making, and a source of motivation, while also providing social support through connections with others having the same religious beliefs. The removal of said benefits through disaffiliation from a religious identity may lead to distress or anxiety. While much research has been done sociologically regarding the increasing number of people who do not affiliate with a religious group, much less has been done to analyze the individual experience of religious disaffiliation and …

The Effects Of Cognitive Stimulation Of Instagram On Anxiety, Fear Of Missing Out, Memory, And Self-Esteem, Anna Destino

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

With the increasing use of social media in the daily lives of undergraduate college students, it is important to investigate the effects of social media on psychological well-being and cognitive function. Lillard and Peterson (2011) found that overstimulating children’s televisions shows, such as SpongeBob, negatively impacted children’s impulsive behaviors and attention. The current research focused on emerging adults and considered the effect of overstimulation of social media, specifically Instagram, on anxiety level, self-esteem, fear of missing out (FoMo), and memory. Participants were randomly assigned into either the control (coloring on an Ipad) or experimental (Instagram stimulation) group and after a …

Potential Triggers Of Mental Distress In Cardiovascular Disease Patients, Saba Ahmed, Lina Begdache

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death among Americans. There are many comorbidities that exist with CVD, such as insulin-dependent diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and others. Mental distress such as anxiety and depression are comorbidities associated with CVD as well. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential factors that could possibly affect mental health in CVD patients. A de-identified database obtained from United Health Services - Cardiology Department in Binghamton, New York included medical records of 68,647 patients. Using Chi-Square statistical analysis, many variables were associated with anxiety and depression in CVD patients. These variables included …

Toward Reducing Stress And Anxiety In Nursing Students: Implementing An Evidence-Based Mindfulness Program, Susan Mckee

DNP Final Reports

Stress and anxiety are increasing in college students, especially in nursing students who complete didactic and clinical courses concurrently. Nursing students report feeling overwhelmed, with distress affecting academic performance and balance of school and personal demands. Mindfulness is an evidence-based method of reducing human suffering due to troubling conditions such as pain, chronic illness, or psychological issues including stress and anxiety. This paper addresses the state of the science of mindfulness and details the current mental health concerns of college students, specifically nursing students. The body of evidence, gathered through a systematic search, suggests that mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety …

Pre-Test Processing Differences Of Test-Anxious Students, Michelle Garcia

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in persons with test anxiety (TA) compared to those without test anxiety to examine pre-test processing differences, specifically in terms of test preparation and study methods. This research is important to many individuals, as testing is a large part of education, and performance may affect a person's future opportunities. Further understanding of pre-testing differences in study methods of test-anxious students may lead to possible interventions to improve performance of those who experience TA. The research will collect data from 30 participants who will be administered the Cognitive Test Anxiety Inventory …