Digital Commons Network^™

A Self-Compassion Intervention For University Students: A Dnp Project, David Coffey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

University students are reporting increased levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Trends for mental health distress among this population have been increasing over the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this trend. It is important to provide college-age students with the knowledge and skills for self-compassion necessary to navigate the difficult transition from high school to university. Self-compassion skills have been shown to positively affect mental health outcomes, specifically anxiety and depression. A brief, two-part intervention was developed focusing on the major components of self-compassion and offered to university students over a two-week period. Results of the …

Lights, Camera, Confidence: The Effects Of Theatre On Self-Esteem, Morgan Savatgy

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Theatre serves as a creative outlet and an escape for designers, actors, and directors. It is also often a cathartic experience for audience members to be fully immersed in, and escape into, a theatrical production. Knowing that theatre can have such a great impact on an individual's state of mind, how exactly does theatre affect self-esteem? According to my research, the presence of theatre and the dramatic arts positively affects the lives of participants in many groups. One of these is elementary school students, who are taught theatre in order to create a space within which to learn foundational skills, …

Adolescent Girls' Mental Health, Amanda Hardy

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Healthcare Professionals' Occupational Lives, Javed A. Mohammed, Ronald Kevin Dela Cruz

OCCUPATION: A Medium of Inquiry about Health through Occupation

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a period of instability for billions of people around the world. Healthcare systems have been severely strained by the influx of infected patients, placing much of that hardship on healthcare professionals (HCPs). Occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other essential personnel—individuals who will be inclusive of the term “HCPs”—continue to struggle with frequent occupational disruption. This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occupational lives of HCPs at the national and international levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased work-related stress leading to anxiety, depression, burnout, and …

Mental Health / Wellness, Daniel Linehan

COR 101 Slides (2022)

College can be an extremely stressful time for many students especially the first year. There can be many stressors weighing on students giving them an overwhelming feeling. For instance, “Before the pandemic, “60% of U.S. students felt ‘overwhelming’ anxiety, while 40% experienced depression so severe they had difficulty functioning... Suicidal thinking, severe depression and rates of self-injury among U.S. college students more than doubled over less than a decade” (Druckenmiller, 2022). I chose to talk about mental health and wellness because this is something that everyone will have some problems with at some point, but if you are prepared and …

Self Advocating & Mental Health, Katherine De Marinis

COR 101 Slides (2022)

In this PowerPoint, I highlight the techniques used in my lesson on mental health awareness and self advocacy.

The Impact Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Adolescent Mental Health: A Literature Review, Grace Murnane

Senior Honors Projects

The coronavirus pandemic, hereafter simply Covid-19, has pervaded and impacted in some way, shape or form the lives of everyone, globally. The disease itself can cause severe physical effects, but the indirect implications of quarantine and isolation have been shown to cause mental issues of concern among adolescents. Adolescents are at a unique point in their lives at which socialization is crucial for proper brain development. As such, this literature review will proceed with the goal of summarizing why adolescents need socialization, how Covid-19 has impeded that socialization, and the effects of a lack of socialization among that age group

What You Didn’T Know About Having A Pandemic Pet, Herzog Harold

Herzog - Companion Animal Issues

Surveys show that most pet owners are convinced that living with companion animals improves their mental health and psychological well-being. However, many research reports have found that the mental health of pet owners is not measurably better than that of people without a pet. The isolation and stress associated with COVID lockdowns afforded investigators an opportunity to test this "pet effect paradox." Contrary to conventional wisdom, a large majority of studies found pets have little or no impact on human mental health during pandemics.

Solving The Jwu Mental Health Crisis, Kayley Gray, Christopher Protano, Sawyer Cosgrove, Dylan Villa

Academic Symposium of Undergraduate Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy Scope Of Practice: Pediatric Mental Health Across The Continuum, Kacey Varnell

OT Student Capstones

This capstone project was completed in a pediatric hospital setting and is written to generalize observations, resources created, and a plan for implementing change to a larger population. Pediatric mental health conditions and the related psychosocial components are underserved client factors in the hospital setting. It typically falls second to physical limitations of the client when it comes to therapy, especially in the intensive care setting. Long term outcomes that are seen post-hospitalization include negative psychosocial consequences that decline overall quality of life. Anxiety, depression, and PTSD are the main conditions that can follow the traumatic experiences related to being …

Cardiology And The Brain: How An Individual's Cardiovascular Health Relates To Their Mental Health, Megan Shea Kopicko

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

A scoping review was conducted to explore the relationship between the cardiovascular system and neurological system to determine if there is a connection between certain mental illnesses and heart health. This study was guided through implementation of Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework for scoping reviews. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases. Of the 934,251 sources found, only 21 studies met the study criteria and were ultimately selected for this study. Upon review, three themes were identified: (a) anxiety and cardiovascular disease; (b) schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease; and (c) depression and cardiovascular disease. …

What Is Normal In Mental Health?: A Script Analysis Of Next To Normal, Caitlyn Campbell

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Next To Normal, the Broadway musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, follows a dysfunctional family whose matriarch struggles with a multitude of mental health issues. Delving into hard topics, such as mental health and family relationships, the musical challenges what we consider to be normal family dynamics and mental states. These important themes are mainly demonstrated through Diana, a mother and wife who struggles with severe mental health diagnosis. Through this analysis, these difficult questions are unveiled while looking closely at the musical’s plot structure, characters, ideas, and dialogue.

Ptsd In Covid-19 Frontline Workers, Samantha Gagliano

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Role Of Sleep And Personality On Emerging Adult Mental Health In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dywayne Johnson

Undergraduate Research Posters 2022

Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental period that affords many new opportunities for adolescents as they transition to adulthood; however, studies reported that the pandemic caused significant disruptions in terms of development for young adults. As such, it is critical that researchers work to further our understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on core areas of young adult functioning. Sleep plays an integral role in understanding the effects of mental health, but the impact of the pandemic on sleep in young adults is one area that has been understudied. The main focus of the present study is to highlight the …

Assessing Needs And Outcomes Of Children And Youth Receiving Intensive Services, Laura Theall, Kim Arbeau, Keith Willoughby, Jeff St. Pierre, Gwynne Ng, Shannon L. Stewart

Paediatrics Publications

This study investigated whether children/youth in Ontario triaged to residential services showed a higher intensity of need than those referred to outpatient services, and whether residential treatment gains were sufficient for transition to community services. Participants included 2053 children/youth assessed at 23 diverse mental health agencies across Ontario using the interRAI™ Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) instrument. Various presenting problems were examined utilizing scales including: Disruptive/Aggressive Behavior, Hyperactive/Distraction, Social Disengagement, Anxiety, and Sleep Difficulties. Analyses were conducted separately for boys and girls. Notable differences were found in the initial assessment, with residential boys scoring higher on all scales than …

Disentangling The Cognitive, Physical, And Mental Health Sequelae Of Covid-19, Conor J. Wild, Loretta Norton, David K. Menon, David A. Ripsman, Richard H. Swartz, Adrian M. Owen

Neuroscience Institute Publications

As COVID-19 cases exceed hundreds of millions globally, many survivors face cognitive challenges and prolonged symptoms. However, important questions about the cognitive effects of COVID-19 remain unresolved. In this cross-sectional online study, 478 adult volunteers who self-reported a positive test for COVID-19 (mean = 30 days since most recent test) perform significantly worse than pre-pandemic norms on cognitive measures of processing speed, reasoning, verbal, and overall performance, but not short-term memory, suggesting domain-specific deficits. Cognitive differences are even observed in participants who did not require hospitalization. Factor analysis of health- and COVID-related questionnaires reveals two clusters of symptoms—one that varies …

Well-Being Of Canadian Veterans During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Results From The Covid-19 Veteran Well-Being Study, J. Don Richardson, Kate St Cyr, Callista Forchuk, Jenny J.W. Liu, Rachel A. Plouffe, Tri Le, Dominic Gargala, Erisa Deda, Vanessa Soares, Fardous Hosseiny, Patrick Smith, Gabrielle Dupuis, Maya Roth, Andrew Bridgen, Michelle Marlborough, Rakesh Jetly, Alexandra Heber, Ruth Lanius, Anthony Nazarov

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Background: The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have disproportionally affected different population groups. Veterans are more likely to have pre-existing mental health conditions compared to the general Canadian population, experience compounded stressors resulting from disruptions to familial, social, and occupational domains, and were faced with changes in health-care delivery (e.g. telehealth). The objectives of this study are to assess (a) the mental health impact of COVID-19 and related life changes on the well-being of Veterans and (b) perceptions of and satisfaction with changes in health-care treatments and delivery during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 1136 Canadian Veterans participated in …

Well-Being Of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans And Spouses Of Veterans During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Protocol For A Prospective Longitudinal Survey, Callista A. Forchuk, Anthony Nazarov, Rachel A. Plouffe, Jenny J.W. Liu, Erisa Deda, Tri Le, Dominic Gargala, Vanessa Soares, Jesse Bourret-Gheysen, Kate St Cyr, Maede S. Nouri, Fardous Hosseiny, Patrick Smith, Gabrielle Dupuis, Maya Roth, Michelle Marlborough, Rakesh Jetly, Alexandra Heber, Ruth Lanius, J. Don Richardson

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to everyday life, including social distancing mandates, changes to health care, and a heightened risk of infection. Previous research has shown that Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans are at higher risk of developing mental and physical health conditions. Veterans and their families may face unique social challenges that can compound with pandemic-related disruptions to negatively impact well-being. Objective: This study aims to longitudinally characterize the mental health of CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans throughout the pandemic and to understand the dynamic influences of pandemic-related stressors on psychological health over …

Being Okay With Not Being Okay: Thinking About Mental Health, Caitlin Everhart, Trish Marquez, Jeanette Ortiz

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Thinking About Mental Health is an initiative for youths and young adults which started at Explora during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial goals of the program were to provide a series of videos with mental health professionals answering questions directly asked by the young adults employed at Explora, as well as an informative, accessible website with further reading and resources. Following these conversations, we evaluated what the teens told us by creating themes around topics. We used these themes to craft questions that would address the majority of the concerns posed by the teens in a concise manner. Since maintaining …

The Financial Effect Of Covid-19 On Children's Hospitals Without Pediatric Psychiatric Units, Patricia Tran

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Boarding of pediatric psychiatric patients in emergency departments and inpatient medical units while awaiting placement in psychiatric facilities was common before the COVID-19 pandemic and was associated with significant hospital cost. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a mental health crisis in the pediatric population. This study looked at the how the COVID-19 pandemic affected pediatric psychiatric boarding and the effects of pediatric psychiatric boarding on hospital finances.

Methodology: The methodology of this study utilized a literature review with semi-structured interviews of local subject matter experts. The literature review analyzed the effects of the COVID-19 precipitated pediatric mental health …

The Role Of Fear And Stigma In Perpetuating Racial Health Orientation Disparities In Emerging Adults, Melissa Zeligman, Andrew Wood, Dania Fakhro, Margaret Foulk

Adultspan Journal

This study examined relationships between cancer fear, race, anticipated stigma of chronic illness, and health orientation in emerging adults (N = 152). Hierarchical regressions and moderation analyses were used to evaluate the predictive nature of these variables on health orientation, as well as to determine the moderating role of race between cancer fear, anticipated stigma of chronic illness, and health orientation. Family history of chronic illness and cancer fear were both found to predict health orientation scores significantly. In addition, although people of color reported greater levels of anticipated stigma of chronic illness, race did not moderate the relationship …

The Use Of Nuclear Medicine In Detecting And Treating Mental Health Diseases, Jena Simmons, Gina Capitano, Walter Kierzkowski

Medical Imaging Senior Posters

Mental health disorders affect over 792 million people around the world, and a leading cause for disability. Mental health disorders include a plethora of conditions that affect mood, thinking and behavior, including but not limited to, depression, dementia, anxiety, autism, and schizophrenia. The most common method of diagnosis is a psychological evaluation, which can lack accuracy if performed as the only method of diagnosis. Nuclear Medicine helps aid in diagnosis of these disorders in conjunction with psychological testing. Brain scans can help determine if there is a pathogenic cause for the symptoms. Brain scans are done utilizing Positron Emission Tomography …

Clark Magazine, Winter/Spring 2022, Clark University

Clark Magazine

The Winter/Spring 2022 edition of Clark Magazine. Clark Magazine is a twice-yearly publication primarily geared towards Clark University Alumni.

The cover story is 'Mission of the Mind: The Mosakowski Institute merges psychology with technology to confront the mental health crisis devastating America's youth.'

Latina/O College Students With Psychiatric Disabilities: Experiences Encountered On The Postsecondary Educational Trajectory, Adaly Reyes Martinez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This research study explored the experiences of Latina/o college students with mental health disabilities. The purpose of this study is to explore the academic and social experiences, as well as the barriers and support services that impact the retention of Latina/o students with psychiatric disabilities in the postsecondary setting. This study also explored how ethnicity shaped the unique experiences of these students. Qualitative interviews with 14 student participants were conducted in a large public institution in the United States. The theoretical frameworks used were intersectionality and DisCrit to incorporate a dual analysis of race and ability. The current findings revealed …

The Mental Health Crisis On Campus: Liability Implications Of Using Emerging Technology, Betsy J. Grey

American University Law Review

Institutions of higher education are facing a “mental health crisis.” Students are experiencing high rates of mental health issues, exacerbated by the pandemic. At the same time, the severity of psychological disorders is accelerating among students. These developments have put enormous pressure on traditional university support systems, and schools have turned to new technologies, like online mental health resources and monitoring systems using artificial intelligence, to expand their mental health services. This article explores the liability implications of using these emerging technologies to address these escalating needs. Universities offer mental health services in good faith to help their students succeed, …

Mental Health And Online Learning - Systematic Review Dataset, Stephanie L. Moore Phd, George Veletsianos, Michael Barbour

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

While there has been a lot of debate over the impact of online and remote learning on mental health and well-being, there has been no systematic syntheses or reviews of the research on this particular issue. In this paper, we review the research on the relationship between mental health / well-being and online or remote learning. Our review shows that little scholarship existed prior to 2020 with most studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report four findings: (a) pandemic effects are not well-controlled for in most studies; (b) studies present a very mixed picture, with variability around how mental …

Romanian Government Will Implement Measures To Prevent Further Violations Of Rightsof People With Mental Health Conditions Or Disabilities In Accord With The Decision Of The European Court Of Human Rights, Tesa Hargis

Human Rights Brief

On June 21 and 22, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and Romania discussed reform measures based on various judgements delivered during the nine-year period between 2012 and 2021. At issue before the ECtHR’s Department for Execution of Judgments was insufficient legal protection, lack of medical and social care, deficiencies in the legal framework governing involuntary placement, inadequate management of psychiatric conditions of detainees, and overcrowding and poor conditions in Romanian mental health facilities.

Mental Health, Community, Commitment, And The Growth Of Individual Identity In The Participatory Fandom Of The Bts Army, Sydney K. Haulenbeek

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

The BTS fandom is incredibly large with millions of digitally active fans. Participants, called ARMY, show a high level of commitment and involvement that has led to the fandom breaking engagement and performance records. The growth of individual identity among collective fandom, especially the impact that digital fandom participation has on their physical lives, was studied through a survey distributed to ARMYs on Twitter. The data, which was composed of 978 responses, was split into groups of highly involved (HI) fans and less involved fans (LI). The data suggests that ARMYs who spend more time involved in the fandom and …

England's Fairest Creatures, Madison Hart

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Set in 1616 Jacobean England, surrounding a tragic chamber pot incident, the place setting of the small fishing town of Lechlade, England, begins our story. From generations of fisherman, Elias Eaton, is the first Eaton not to bear a son. Instead, his fierce daughter in her mid-twenties, Julia, our protagonist, helps her father at the docks daily. Although Julia is a champion for women of her time, she dreams of there being something more out there for her than the town that has shackled Eatons for centuries. Julia’s mother, Sybil, is the daughter to the town baker. Her literate father …

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …