Digital Commons Network^™

Therapeutic Applications Of Tabletop Role-Playing Games In Treatment Of Depressive And Anxious Symptoms In Young Adults, Dash Degrote

Honors Theses

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are played by a large population and involve the engagement of social and emotional skills, with the largest portion of the population playing them being adolescents or young adults. The therapeutic application of TTRPGs in the treatment of depressive and anxious symptoms shows potential with this population. In a literature review, three major themes are identified: TTRPG culture, stakeholder perspectives of TTRPGs, and examples of therapeutically-applied TTRPGs. Overall, evidence suggests that TTRPGs can positively impact the concerned symptoms, though more research is needed for games outside of Dungeons & Dragons as well as stakeholder perspectives.

Helping Others To Help Yourself: Effects Of Prosocial Behavior On Anxiety And Depression, Matheus Muniz Pereira Vargas

Psychology Student Publications

Helping others is a good way to help prevent psychological disorders. The literature reviewed here points towards a protective and mitigating effect on symptoms of anxiety and depression brought upon by prosocial behaviors. Prosocial behavior is associated with higher positive moods in participants with depression (Schacter & Margolin, 2019), it is negatively correlated with feelings of reported rates of depression, anxiety and isolation (Naclerio et al., 2026), and seems to have a protective effect against development and exacerbation of anxiety (Okuyucu et al., 2024). All of that indicates that encouraging these behaviors lead to more positive mental health outcomes without …

Critical Analysis Of Psychiatric Medications, And Their Effects On Patients With Post-Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome(Pots), Joshua Lovelock, Michael Gibson, Fernando Izaguirre, Daniel Hong

Research Day

Background: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a form of autonomic dysfunction defined by an excessive increase in heart rate (>30bpm within 10 minutes) upon standing and symptoms such as lightheadedness, palpitations, and, in some cases, syncope. Because many POTS symptoms overlap with those of anxiety and depression, psychiatric medications are commonly considered, but there’s a risk they may affect the heart rate and blood pressure.

Objective: To summarize how common psychiatric medication classes may impact autonomic function in patients with POTS.

Methods: This project reviewed the autonomic effects of antidepressant classes (SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs) from peer reviewed articles. …

The Impact Of Traumatic Event Exposure On Ptsd, Depression, And Anxiety Among Veterans, Casie Daum, Emily Rabinowitz, Ken Marfilius, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Background: Psychiatric disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are highly common and debilitating conditions among veterans. Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) such as active combat, blast exposure, close calls, and witnessing injury or death during military service may be a significant risk factor for the development and maintenance of psychiatric conditions. This analysis sought to examine the extent to which individuals with PTE exposure related to military service had different levels of psychiatric symptoms. Method: A sample of 266 veterans were recruited using Prolific, an online research panel service. Participants completed the Primary Care PTSD Screen …

The Impact Of A Mindfulness Meditation Program On Phq-9 Scores In Eskd Clients At The Dialysis Center, Christi Collins Weaver

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients undergoing hemodialysis for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) experience high rates of untreated depressive symptoms, which negatively impact quality of life, treatment adherence, and therefore increased hospitalization and higher mortality rates.

PICOT: In adult patients receiving in-center hemodialysis (P), how does the implementation of a structured mindfulness meditation program (I), compared to usual care (C), affect depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) (O) over an eight-week period (T)?

Evidence: Current literature demonstrates that depression is highly prevalent among individuals with ESKD and is associated with increased morbidity and decreased treatment adherence. Evidence supports mindfulness …

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Risk Perceptions And Patient Burden, John William Glisson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational study examined relationships among perceived environmental risk factors, depressive symptoms, and functional symptom burden in adults diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative condition with an unclear etiology, and some individuals attribute the diagnosis to environmental exposures such as pesticides or military service. The purpose of this study was to assess whether environmental risk perceptions were associated with depressive symptoms or functional impairment, and whether depressive symptoms were associated with functional status. Participants were recruited through online ALS support networks and advocacy organizations, resulting in a final sample of 145 adults …

Schema Therapy For The Treatment Of Chronic Depression: A Critical Review Of Evidence-Based Treatment Methods, Trevor Ink

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This review explores current evidence-based interventions for the treatment of depression. Many of the current interventions display moderate to high levels of efficacy in decreasing depression severity and are praised for their effectiveness. However, many current front-line interventions fail to address the root cause of depressive symptomology. Schema therapy is an integrative treatment that targets core emotional needs that failed to be met during crucial developmental stages. Originally developed for personality disorders, schema therapy is effective for a myriad of disorders, including chronic depression. By targeting early maladaptive schemas (EMS), schema therapy can be effective for treating chronic depression when …

Balneotherapy For Sleep Improvement And Reducing Depression In Knee Osteoarthritis Patients, Anca Paula Ciurba, Alexandru Bogdan Ilieș, Ionel Haidu, Doriana Ioana Ciobanu, Theodora Ursu, Florin Mihai Marcu, Dorina Ianc

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition and a leading cause of global disability, often associated with pain, depression, and sleep disturbances. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of warm mineral water combined with physical therapy on sleep quality, depression and pain intensity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: The study involved 101 subjects (68.78±6.92 years) who were assigned to  a control group (CG) or an experimental group (EG). All subjects benefited from physical therapy and electrotherapy for 10 days. The experimental group additionally benefited from therapy with hot mineral water. …

Effect Of Ginseng On Obesity And Neurogenesis, Hayden L. Withers, Claudia A. Grillo, Lawrence P. Reagan, Natalia Maciejewska, Sai V. Nallu, Jennifer L. Woodruff

Senior Theses

Obesity and major depressive disorder are two conditions with high comorbidity as well as overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms, including neuroinflammation, metabolic/endocrine dysfunction, and impaired hippocampal neurogenesis. Panax ginseng, a medicinal herb, is known to demonstrate anti-inflammatory and metabolic regulatory properties. Ginseng has demonstrated its effective antidepressant-like effects within preclinical studies, but its potential to restore neurogenesis in the context of obesity-induced depression is not clear. Within this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were tested in either a high fat diet (HFD) or control diet (Cont) for 12 weeks and then was treated subsequently with daily intraperitoneal injections of either ginseng or saline …

Behavioral Strategies And Mental Health Reactions To Social Preference Insecurity: The Effect On Social Preference And The Moderating Role Of Machiavellianism, Alexandra Zingarelli

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Adolescents experience insecurity about social preference; however, its role in adolescent behavioral and mental health and subsequent social preference has not been studied. Additionally, individual differences in personality further contribute to adolescent’s behavioral and mental health development and subsequent peer liking. Using a longitudinal and muti-informant design, the present study examined whether social preference insecurity (SPI) predicted social preference through the mediation of aggression and depression and examined whether Machiavellian traits moderated these pathways among 817 adolescents (Age: M=12.19 SD=0.813, Male: n=409, 50%; Female: n=409, 50%) from middle schools in the U.S. Midwestern states. The results showed that Time 1 …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On The Emotional Well-Being Of Lgbtq Young Adults, Bridget J. Mantooth-Urso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The current study examined whether neighborhood-based social determinants of health (SDOH) were associated with emotional health outcomes among sexual minority young adults ages 18–29, and whether perceived social support mediated this relationship. SDOH refers to the conditions in which individuals are born, grow, live, work, and age, including neighborhood and built environment characteristics that shape access to resources, safety, and well-being. Emotional health in this study was operationalized through self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, while social support represented perceived availability and quality of interpersonal resources that may buffer the impact of structural disadvantage. This study utilized a non-experimental, cross-sectional …

Iron Deficiency And Depressive Symptoms: Effects Of Racial And Ethnic Disparity In Two Reproductive-Aged Us Women, Alexis Monkhouse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Problem: Reproductive- aged women are one of the populations most at risk for iron deficiency and depression in the United States. While many studies have looked at the relationship between these two illnesses, none have explored it from a biocultural framework, examining how race/ethnicity affects this relationship. Using data from NHANES, this thesis examined the relationship between iron status (total body iron) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) among reproductive-aged women in the U.S. and how race/ethnicity affects it. Methods. NHANES survey data from 2005-2010 were pulled. Demographic and laboratory data were used to determine eligibility, total body iron, and depressive scores. …

The Relationship Between Childhood Adverse Experiences And Adult Depression, Alexander Owens

Psychology Student Publications

This paper explores the current understanding of the linkage between childhood trauma and depression. Before this, childhood trauma and adult depression are described. Overall, there are a few different ways these two constructs can be linked, and they are explored.

Moving Towards Wellness: How Exercise Can Ease Depression And Anxiety In Young Adults, Morgan Hartze

Psychology Student Publications

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health concerns affecting young adults, impacting mood, motivation, and daily functioning. While therapy and medication can be effective, many young adults continue to experience symptoms, highlighting the need for additional strategies. Research suggests that regular physical activity is an accessible, cost-effective way to improve mental health. Moving your body boosts the “feel good” chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, while reducing stress hormones, such as cortisol. Physical activity also provides a healthy distraction from negative thoughts and helps establish routines that support well-being. Even brief amounts of moderate exercise, such as …

Clinically Aligned Long-Context Transformers For Cross-Platform Mental Health Risk Detection, Aditya Tekale, Mohammad Masum

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social media platforms contain rich but noisy narratives of psychological distress, creating opportunities for early mental health risk detection. However, existing datasets capture heterogeneous constructs such as suicide risk severity, depression diagnosis, and DSM-5 symptom presence, and most prior models are trained and evaluated on a single corpus, limiting their clinical alignment and cross-dataset generalizability. In this study, we fine-tune a domain-specific long-document transformer, AIMH/Mental-Longformer-base-4096, for binary mental health risk detection (risk vs. no risk) using two clinically aligned Reddit datasets: the C-SSRS Reddit corpus and the eRisk 2025 depression dataset. To handle long user histories, we introduce an LLM-based …

Collaborative Care For Depression In Chronic Illness: A Narrative Review, Chun Wong, German E. Corso

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Depression commonly coexists with chronic medical illness and is associated with impaired self-management, poor adherence, increased healthcare utilization, and higher mortality.

Objective: To synthesize evidence published between 2000 and late 2025 on the effectiveness of the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) for depression in adults with chronic medical illness, with particular attention to contemporary U.S. implementation, policy, and equity considerations.

Methods: A narrative review of randomized controlled trials, pragmatic and implementation studies, systematic reviews, and policy analyses was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Evidence addressing collaborative care for depression in adults with chronic medical illness was identified and synthesized …

"Bibliotherapy In Counseling, Spirituality, And Self-Care-How Reading The Right Book Can Heal", Michelle P. Cross

English

Bibliotherapy can be used as an integral component of mental and emotional self-care, spiritual growth, and professional therapy. Reading can be instrumental for sharpening mental acuity, alleviating depression, and furthering spiritual journeys. Bibliotherapy can provide a modicum of treatment to those who cannot access traditional clinics or religious/spiritual centers.

Behind The Jersey: Exploring Athletic Identity And Depression In College Athletes, Matt A. Moore, Lana Loken, Anne Kelly, Mastano Nambiro Woleson Dzimbiri, Payton Bennett, Lawrence W. Judge

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

A significant increase in mental health concerns among college athletes has fueled interest in the impact of athletic identity on psychological outcomes. Research has produced mixed results regarding the association between athletic identity and mental health. This study sought to clarify this relationship and to improve our understanding of depression among NAIA college athletes, especially those who attach a great degree of importance and strength to the athlete’s role in relation to other activities. Voluntary college athletes aged 18-years-old or older and attending an NAIA member institution participated in the study (n = 361). They completed a web-based instrument that …

Depression And Psychotic Disorders Worsen Perioperative Outcomes And Increase Resource Utilization After Multilevel Lumbar Fusion: Implications For Screening And Perioperative Care, Leonidas E. Mastrokostas, Paul G. Mastrokostas, Luke B. Schwartz, Abigail Razi, Sean Inzerillo, John K. Houten, Arya Varthi, Alex R. Vaccaro, Jad Bou Monsef, Afshin E. Razi, Mitchell K. Ng

Rothman Institute Papers

CONTEXT: Multilevel lumbar fusion use has increased with an aging U.S. population. Depression and psychotic disorders are linked to poorer surgical outcomes, but their effects in this setting are unclear.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to quantify the prevalence of these disorders and evaluate associations with perioperative outcomes and resource use.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2022.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Depression and psychotic disorders were defined using Elixhauser-derived indicators. Outcomes included medical and mechanical complications, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and costs.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: …

Depression, Belonging, And Self-Censorship About Palestine Among Arab Americans, Ghadir Habeeb, Amanda Jiang, Batool Alderawi, Yara Mekawi, Nadia Al-Dajani

The Cardinal Edge

Background: As a result of exposure to traumatic media depicting the Gaza genocide, many Arab Americans are moved to speak up in support of Palestine. Due to the suppression of pro-Palestinian advocacy, however, many Arab Americans self-censor as a defense mechanism, which can alleviate distress but can also exacerbate depressive symptoms. Belongingness may serve as a protective factor against the negative effects of self-censorship. Centering Arab Americans’ experiences, this study examines the relationship between self-censorship and depression, as well as the role of belongingness in this association.

Method: Arab Americans adults recruited through Qualtrics Survey Panels completed questionnaires assessing self-censorship, …

Obesity And Suicide Behavior In Young Latina Adults Of Mexican Heritage: The Mediating Influences Of Sleep Problems, Health Problems, And Dissatisfaction With Personal Appearance, Joseph D. Hovey, Liza Talavera-Garza, Glenn Gray, Isabella A. Cruz, Nadeen Salhadar, Monica E. Ochoa

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Although research findings have indicated that obesity is associated with suicide behavior, especially in females, scant research has examined mediators in this relationship. Moreover, although suicides have increased in young Latina adults in the United States, no published studies have examined obesity and suicide risk in young Latina adults. The present study thus examined the relationship of obesity to suicide behavior in young Latina adults and assessed sleep problems, health problems, and dissatisfaction with personal appearance as possible mediators. Participants were 401 female students of Mexican heritage from South Texas who completed the National College Health Assessment II, from which …

Depression In Burn Patients At Al-Diwaniya Teaching Hospital, Ali Al Hamzawi, Inas Hussein Abed, Ahmed Miri Saadoon

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Background Burn injuries affact on physical and mental status of the victum.  The researchers show different outcome in their articles when they study depression in burned patients. Aim of the study  The study aims are : 1. identify the prevalence rate of depression in burn patients. 2.measure  severity of depression .3. study the  socio-demographic variables of those patients. Methods A case –control study was condefed  on One hunderd patients at the burn unit of AL- Diwaniya Teaching Hospital from a period of April 2nd  2014 to January 2nd 2015. the presence of depression was diagnosed by using a semi –structured …

Depression Intype2 Diabetic Patients In Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital, Aqeel Raheem Hassan, Abdul Zahra Mohammad Al Khafaji, Adil Hammadi

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Objectives: Depression is commonly found as a comorbid condition in chronic medical illnesses in general, and diabetes mellitus (DM) in particular. Patients with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from depression as compared to the general population. The aims of the study were to estimate: the prevalence of depression in type 2diabetic patients and its severity, the rate of depression in type 2 diabetes in relation to socio-demographic variables, and to find out the correlation of depression with some diabetes variablesMethods:100 Iraqi patients with type 2 DM compared with 100 persons from general population as control group participated in …

Depression Among Internally Displaced People After February 22,2006 In Al-Diwaniya Governorate, Abdulzahra Mohammed Alkhafaji, Hassan Rajii Jallab, Salah Mahdi Yassien

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Background Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are those who have been forced from their home but, unlike refugees, remain within the borders of their own countries. Mental health is recognized as a key public health issue for conflict-affected populations. Studies revealed high levels of depression among IDPsAims of the studyThis study aims to identify the prevalence rate of depression among IDPs who left their homes after the bombing of the Al-Askari Shrine in Samara and now are resettled in AL-Diwaniyah governorate.Also to study the prevalence rate of depression in relation with some socio- demographic variables (such as age, sex, marital status, …

High-Frequency Functional Trajectories Predict Depressive Worsening In Singapore's Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Kaung Htet Tun Salai, Yi Wen Tan, Grace Cheong, Paulin T. Straughan

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Background/Objectives: Functional difficulty and depression often coexist in older adults, yet local Singapore-based research often lacks detailed temporal resolution due to heterogeneity in ageing. This study employs non-parametric, data-driven longitudinal clustering to analyse functional trajectories and their association with depression, using high-frequency data to pinpoint key intervention periods. Methods: Data were drawn from 4273 community-dwelling older adults from Singapore Life Panel^® (2020–2024). Participants completed quarterly self-reported assessments of ADL, IADL and depressive symptoms (8-item CES-D). We employed k-means longitudinal clustering (kml) to identify functional trajectory groups and Cox regression to evaluate the hazard of increased depression (≥5-point increase in …

Social Media And E-Cigarette Use In Youth: Does Depression Play A Mediating Role?, Soumya Upadhyay, Mohammad Karim, Shivank Chhaya

Healthcare Administration and Policy Faculty Research

About 28% of middle and high school students report the use of e-cigarettes per the 2019 NYTS survey. Social media can seclude a youth into limited set of beliefs, including affirmation for e-cigarette use. Internalizing problems like depression may be due to overuse of social media, and youth with depressive symptoms are more likely to use e-cigarettes to cope. National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) 2023 data was used (n = 18 143) in a cross-sectional design. Ever e-cigarette use was the binary (Y/N) dependent variable. Independent variable, social media use, was categorized as “never,” “nondaily,” “daily.” Mediator variable, presence of …

Supporting Evidence-Based Responses To Emotional Needs In Emphysema (Serene): Protocol For A Randomized, Open-Label Mechanistic Trial Comparing Coping Skills Training And Disease-Specific Education For Depressive Symptoms Conducted In United States Health Systems, Joanna L. Hart, Daniel Carter, Chloe Hinton, James Grilli, Lily A. Brown, Nora Brier, Yingying Lu, Casey Whitman, Michael O. Harhay, Michael Sims, Carmen Alvarez, Lisa R. Miller-Matero, C. Virginia O'Hayer

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms and anxiety are highly prevalent among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), strongly associated with poor outcomes, and rarely recognized or treated. Integrating families into interventions may amplify supportive care treatment effects and overcome common challenges, yet this strategy is understudied. The Supporting Evidence-based Responses to Emotional Needs in Emphysema (SERENE) trial's main objective is to identify the mechanisms through which a family-partnered Coping Skills Training (CST) reduces depressive symptoms among patients with COPD, testing five putative mechanisms: family relationship quality, patient and caregiver self-efficacy, patient loneliness, and caregiver psychological distress.

METHODS: SERENE will enroll 375 …

The Role Of Forgiveness: Spirituality, Loneliness, And Depression In A Christian University, Elda Botello-Ramirez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For university students, loneliness has harmful effects, like depression, but choosing to forgive and embracing spirituality can lead to better mental health. Yet, limited studies have examined these constructs among students enrolled in long-distance learning (LDL) courses. This is important because an increase in loneliness continues, and more students are taking LDL classes. Still, there is a paucity of work on mental health among students in Christian universities. Thus, this quantitative research study examined context-specific or transgression-specific forgiveness (state forgiveness) while considering the role of personality traits (i.e., trait forgiveness) related to forgiveness to investigate its impact on loneliness and …

Measuring Depression, Anxiety, Stress And Burnout In Paramedics, Dispatchers, And Call Takers Of Western Canada, Nahum Chi Heng Ip

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following dissertation examines depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in dispatchers and paramedics of Western Canada. This study is meant to bridge a research gap in mental health among emergency health workers in British Columbia, Canada. The samples were collected through two self-reporting surveys, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Index (MBI), both of which are strongly validated and widely used in similar research. Of the 948 dispatchers and paramedics who participated, 771 (81.3%) responses qualified to be included. The data was entered into the Intellectus software where a variety of tools were utilized to …

From Military Service To Civilian Life: Nature Intervention In Vha Psychiatric Care, Austin T.B. Corbett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing nature- based interventions in locked psychiatric units of the Veterans Health Administration to support veterans during military- to- civilian transition who experience severe mental health crises. The transition from military service to civilian life represents one of the most significant psychological adjustments and individuals can experience, involving fundamental changes in identity, social structure, purpose, and daily routine. This transition creates vulnerability for developing mental health conditions including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Veterans experiencing severe health mental crises during transition often require intensive inpatient psychiatric care, yet current VHA …