Digital Commons Network^™

Making Mental Health A Priority, Jessica Ninesling

COR 101 Slides (2022)

This presentation discusses how to navigate mental health while transitioning to college. It also provides insight for students to help improve their mental health.

The Ups And Downs Of Mental Health, Sonya Concepcion

COR 101 Slides (2022)

Many students on college campuses struggle with their mental health, and although there has been light shed on the issue, it's still considered overlooked. On my first day of facilitating COR 101, I noticed that many of my students have struggled in the past or are currently struggling with their health, so I thought it would be a good way to connect with them if I speak about my experience with mental health at SUNY Cortland.

Mental Health And Wellness, Jaden Garelle

COR 101 Slides (2022)

This presentation covers components of wellness, stress management techniques, and on-campus resources.

Mental Health, Daniella Zuart

COR 101 Slides (2022)

Mental Health Importance, based on the transition between high school to college.

Mental Health And Coping Mechanisms, Katherine Orcutt

COR 101 Slides (2022)

In today's society, mental health is severely stigmatized. Being a sociology major, I wanted to incorporate how we can tackle stigma and improve society for everyone's benefit. For my COR class, I wanted to stress the importance of balance in our lives as busy college students. I hoped to reach students on a closer level and serve as not only a campus resource but also a true mentor.

Love Yourself First, Maryrose Carnazza

COR 101 Slides (2022)

I revolved my poster around self-love because, in college, we tend to lose ourselves when trying to live independently. My best friend Sydney Hart inspired me to find myself during a dark time. She gave me the tools and motivation to work on myself.

Mental Health And Wellness, Caitlin Novielli

COR 101 Slides (2022)

My topic was Mental Health and Wellness. I discussed mental health terms and definitions as well as ways to promote well-being and self-care. I provided resources, methods to improve mental states, and interactive prompts to get my class to discuss the topic and learn more about it.

The ‘New Normal’ Includes Online Prenatal Exercise: Exploring Pregnant Women’S Experiences During The Pandemic And The Role Of Virtual Group Fitness On Maternal Mental Health, Cristina Silva-Jose, Taniya S. Nagpal, Javier Coterón, Ruben Barakat, Michelle F. Mottola

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Prenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms have significantly increased since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic In addition, home confinement regulations have caused a drastic increase in time spent sedentary. Online group fitness classes may be an effective strategy that can increase maternal physical activity levels and improve mental health outcomes by providing an opportunity for social connectedness. The present study explores the experiences of pregnant women who participated in an online group exercise program during the pandemic and identifies relationships with maternal mental health and well-being. In addition, we present person-informed recommendations on how to improve the delivery …

A Call To Abolish Determinate-Plus Sentencing In Washington, Rachel Stenberg

Washington Law Review

For certain incarcerated individuals who commit sex offenses, Washington State’s determinate-plus sentencing structure requires a showing of rehabilitation before release. This highly subjective “releasability” determination occurs after an individual has already served a standard sentence. A review of recent releasability determinations reveals sentences are often extended on arbitrary and inconsistent grounds—especially for individuals who face systemic challenges in prison due to their identity or condition. This Comment shows that the criteria to determine whether individuals are releasable is an incomplete picture of their actual experience in the carceral setting, using the distinct example of incarcerated individuals with mental illness. While …

Postpartum Depression And Covid-19: A Special Emphasis On Military Women, Lacey R. QuiￃﾱOnes

Social Work Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study is to explore the possible factors that contribute to postpartum depression in military women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study had a total of 10 participants who were recruited by snowball and purposive sampling. The participants agreed to an interview with questions related to their overall experience of becoming a mother during a pandemic. The data collected showed two main themes emerged: environment and support. Of those, five subthemes appeared: policies and procedures and healthcare staff; in-person support, educational support, and mental health support, respectively. These findings point to potential shortcomings surrounding perinatal care for …

Mental Health Needs Among Minority Aviation Students, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Stacey Mcintire

Publications

Higher education, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, benefit our society and economic growth. However, overcoming gender disparity and increasing the retention of underrepresented minorities within these programs is challenging. Mental health across higher education has shown to be on the rise, and when it comes to the mental health needs of aviation students, research shows that underrepresented minorities experience unique challenges in achieving academic success. This paper focused on identifying aviation minority students' unique challenges in a small STEM university. This mixed-methods action research study collected quantitative data using an adapted version of the Counseling Center Assessment …

Competence And Bias In The Provision Of Transgender Mental Health, Taylor Dahlia Bolinger

Social Work Theses - Archive

Historically, clinicians have functioned as gatekeepers to access gender-affirming care for individuals identifying as transgender. However, current best practice standards by reputable professional associations have encouraged clinicians to minimize potential barriers for clients seeking gender-affirming care. This care includes hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender confirmation surgeries, and other gender-affirming interventions such as name and gender marker change. This study seeks to describe Texas clinicians’ attitudes toward transgender clients and their self-perceived competency to perform gender affirming care. Licensed mental health care clinicians were recruited from various professional associations to complete an anonymous internet-based survey on providing gender-affirming mental health …

Exploring Culturally Relevant Responses To Latinx Student Mental Health, Sarah Elizabeth Herrera

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Social workers have an ethical obligation to challenge systemic oppression. Within the context of Latinx college students, there are many systemic barriers that negatively impact their mental health. Previous research focuses on identifying individual characteristics among Latinx students that promote academic success and psychological wellbeing. However, it is important to hold postsecondary education accountable for creating more inclusive environments that welcome the increased enrollment of Latinx students. The following dissertation explores culturally relevant responses to Latinx college student mental health. The first article is a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis that explores how Latinx-specific programming shapes ethnic identity and psychological wellbeing among …

Impact Of Intergenerational Trauma Among Immigrant And Refugee Families: Effects On The Mental Health And Acquisition Of Care, Loralee Chea

Nursing | Senior Theses

Intergenerational trauma is described as a discrete form of trauma that occurs when traumatic effects are passed across generations without the descendants of trauma survivors having exposure to the original event (Isobel et al., 2021). It is a silent suffering experienced among immigrant families from all across the world who have survived war, genocide, displacements, loss, and other psychological trauma. An exploration of literature has also shown that the healthcare crisis from this form of trauma can be identified and intervened with preventative or treatment measures in clinical practice. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the mental …

Preventing Postpartum Complications Using A Home Visitation Model Of Care, Jenna Ingram

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

The United States is currently facing a health crisis among the maternal postpartum population. As stated by The Commonwealth Fund in a study released in 2020, “In 2018, there were 17 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the U.S. – a ratio more than double of most other high-income countries” (Roosa, 2020). Most often, mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies and births are discharged soon after the delivery of their new baby. In most outpatient settings, providers do not expect a follow up appointment for the mother until roughly three to six weeks after discharge. During this transition period …

Our Early Years Of Life's Effects On Our Future Health And Well-Being, Claudia Gagliano

Nursing | Senior Theses

Many poor health outcomes later into adulthood have been triggered by adverse life events that have occurred during childhood. Most of the general population has experienced some sort of adverse childhood event that has negatively impacted their future health. Adverse childhood events include any traumatic event that has occurred during childhood including maltreatment (sexual abuse, mental abuse, and physical abuse), neglect, parental loss, and peer victimization.

Raising awareness regarding the opportunities to intervene in a child’s life as a means to prevent behavioral, psychological, and substance abuse disorders before they would typically manifest on their own is the ultimate goal. …

Mental Health Concerns In The Pediatric Population Following Covid-19, Kristina N. Yaczik, Ashley M. Komosinski

Honors Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an increase in stress and mental health concerns in the pediatric population. Research indicates a decrease in pediatric mental health incidences in 2020, followed by an increase in 2021 and 2022. It is thought that the initial decrease may be due to the intensity of the pandemic at the time and a lack of hospital beds available. The increase suggests a response to the high levels of adversity and stress children and adolescents faced both during and after the origination of the pandemic. The evidence supports the idea that the COVID-19 pandemic had a …

Vulnerability And Well-Being: International Students’ Experience In North Queensland, Australia

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Intersectional Identities Of Race And Religion Of African American Muslims And Their Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services, Cheruba A. Dhanaraj

Dissertations

African American Muslims have overlapping and interconnected identities of race and religion that can be conceptualized by the intersectionality framework to understand the complexities of barriers they face when seeking mental health services. African American Muslims have a higher risk of mental health issues due to systemic racism, racial discrimination, racial trauma, and Islamophobic discrimination. Yet, there is a lack of scholarly research or studies that focus explicitly on African American Muslims' specific mental health needs, barriers, and attitudes related to seeking mental health treatment.

This study sought to fill the gap in knowledge about attitudes toward seeking mental health …

Does Social Pension Buy Improved Mental Health And Mortality Outcomes For Senior Citizens? Evidence From South Africa's 2008 Pension Reform, Cyprian Mostert, Diana Mackay, Alex Awiti, Manasi Kumar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

In South Africa, men were traditionally eligible to receive government pensions at 65 years. However, that eligibility criterion was changed in 2008 to allow men to receive a pension payout at 60 years. This study is designed to quantify the impact of the 2008 pension reform on mental health outcomes (depression and traumatic stress) and deaths among 60-year-old men from disadvantaged households without advanced education. This analysis used secondary data issued by Statistic South Africa- General Household Survey. Men who reported earning a pension at 60 years from 2008 to 2014 were exposed to the 2008 pension reform and thus …

Interpersonal Psychotherapy’S Problem Areas As An Organizing Framework To Understand Depression And Sexual And Reproductive Health Needs Of Kenyan Pregnant And Parenting Adolescents: A Qualitative Study, Manasi Kumar, Obadia Yator, Vincent Nyongesa, Martha Kagoya, Shillah Mwaniga, Joseph Kathono, Isaiah Gitonga, Nancy Grote, Helena Verdeli, Keng Yen Huang

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Peripartum adolescents experience signifcant interpersonal transitions in their lives. Depression and emotional distress are often exacerbated by adolescents’ responses to these interpersonal changes. Improved understanding of pregnancy-related social changes and maladaptive responses to these shifts may inform novel approaches to addressing the mental health needs of adolescents during the perinatal period. The paper aims to understand the sources of psychological distress in peripartum adolescents and map these to Interpersonal Psychotherapy’s (IPT) problem areas as a framework to understand depression.

Method: We conducted interviews in two Nairobi primary care clinics with peripartum adolescents ages 16–18 years (n=23) with …

Cultural And Contextual Adaptation Of Mental Health Measures In Kenya: An Adolescent-Centered Transcultural Adaptation Of Measures Study, Vincent Nyongesa, Shillah Mwaniga, Joseph Kathono, Obadia Yator, Beatrice Madeghe, Sarah Kanana, Beatrice Amugune, Naomi Anyango, Darius Nyamai, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Introduction: There is paucity of culturally adapted tools for assessing depression and anxiety in children and adolescents in low-and middle-income countries. This hinders early detection, provision of appropriate and culturally acceptable interventions. In a partnership with the University of Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenyatta National Hospital, and UNICEF, a rapid cultural adaptation of three adolescent mental health scales was done, i.e., Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and additional scales in the UNICEF mental health module for adolescents.

Materials and methods: Using a qualitative approach, we explored adolescent participants’ views on cultural acceptability, comprehensibility, relevance, and completeness of …

Health And Socioeconomic Resource Provision For Older People In South Asian Countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan And Sri Lanka Evidence From Neesama, Natasha Roya Matthews, George James Porter, Mathew Varghese, Nidesh Sapkota, Murad Khan, Ammu Lukose, Stella-Maria Paddick, Malathie Dissanayake, Naila Zaman Khan, Richard Walker

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: The global population is ageing rapidly, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) undergoing a fast demographic transition. As the number of older adults in LMICs increases, services able to effectively address their physical and mental health needs will be increasingly important.

Objective: We review the health and socioeconomic resources currently available for older people in South Asian countries, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to identify gaps in available resources and assess areas for improvement.

Methods: We conducted a search of grey and published literature via Google Search, Compendex, EBSCO, JSTOR, Medline, Ovid, ProQuest databases, …

Lifestyle Choices Related To Food Consumption And Their Relationship To Depression, Steven L. Jennings Jr.

Dissertations

Dieting, or the act of restricting oneself to small amounts or particular kinds of foods on the basis of health, spirituality, lifestyle, and moral decisions, is a practice that dates to 1066 A.D. However, with social media being as influential as it is, one might believe dieting is a new obsession or at least an obsession to which popular culture is returning. Despite this, it is only in recent years that researchers have begun to focus on the health benefits of such behaviors. The present study was designed to take this focus a step further by exploring the potential risks …

Implementing Screening For Depression And Anxiety For Patients With Thyroid Disease, Sarah Maria Drake

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: Thyroid dysfunctions are the most common endocrine-specific disorders found in the clinic setting. Symptoms of hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism overlap with anxiety/depression symptoms. Research shows a relationship between individuals with thyroid disorders and people with anxiety/depression. Mental health disorders are typically managed in the primary care setting. However, screening for depression and anxiety are low in primary care settings and often go unidentified. Purpose: To implement validated, evidence-based depression and anxiety screening tools in a Texas endocrine clinic to improve the management of patients with concomitant thyroid and mental health disorders. Objectives: The project objectives include initiating screening for anxiety/depression and referral …

The Intersection Of Religion And Mental Health Help-Seeking: Themes Within Youth Experiencing Early Psychosis, Breanna Nichols

Student Theses

Little research has examined the intersection of religion and mental health among predominantly conservative communities – where religion tends to weigh heavily. It is known from the literature that religion and spirituality play a role in influencing treatment pathways and views towards mental health. The primary aim of the present study was to explore via secondary thematic analysis, the intersection of religion and mental health within a conservative Midwestern community of youth who are receiving treatment for early psychosis, with a secondary look at family dynamics. Seven participant transcripts were analyzed from the Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy-Young Adult (NECT-YA) …

Teaching Immigrant Parents About Mental Health, Ana Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Teaching immigrant parents about mental health awareness is vital for the Latino community because of the lack and high barriers for them to obtain resources on mental health. The immigrant parents have a background in English studies at the Watsonville adult school and Cabrillo College in Watsonville, California. The immigrant parents are from Mexico, and they are from different states in Mexico. Many immigrant parents have language barriers that prevent them from communicating and accessing mental health resources in the community to support them. Cultural competency can affect the misdiagnosis of mental health illnesses and education. Additionally, immigrant parents' status …

The Effect Of The Inclusion Of Trunk-Strengthening Exercises To A Multimodal Exercise Program On Physical Activity Levels And Psychological Functioning In Older Adults: Secondary Data Analysis Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Behnaz Shahtahmassebi, Jacinta Hatton, Jeffrey J. Hebert, Mark Hecimovich, Helen Correia, Timothy J. Fairchild

Faculty Publications

Background: Engaging in multimodal exercise program helps mitigate age-related decrements by improving muscle size, muscle strength, balance, and physical function. The addition of trunk-strengthening within the exercise program has been shown to significantly improve physical functioning outcomes. Whether these improvements result in improved psychological outcomes associated with increased physical activity levels requires further investigation. We sought to explore whether the inclusion of trunk-strengthening exercises to a multimodal exercise program improves objectively measured physical activity levels and self-reported psychological functioning in older adults. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis within a single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four healthy older (≥ 60 …

A Comparison Of The Mental Health Of Police Officers And Correctional Officers In Rural Appalachia, Sierra Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of mental health among police officers and correctional officers within rural Appalachia. The main goal of this research was to better understand how the occupational demands of working in the criminal justice field can impact one’s mental health over time. Several research questions were explored, including the prevalence of various mental health problems, associated stressors, the structure of support among officers, and the perceptions of mental health treatment services. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 21 police and correctional officers located in rural Appalachia. Results provided a better understanding of …

Recognition Of Childrens’ Benefits While Participating In Sports To Parents, Melida Carmona

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on the development of life skills through children’s participation in sports activities. Involving the success and failures involving, technology, social media and its effect on the human mind and body.