Digital Commons Network^™

The Window To The Soul, Erica Bolding

Emerging Writers

This essay surveys the idea of "tone" and all of its complexities, including a focus on its relations to mental health conditions such as depression. Intertwined with personal memoir, research, and examples from social media, the essay unravels a difficult and under-discussed issue that surrounds tone. The essay also asks unconventional questions that hope to stir readers' thinking, such as: Is raising one’s voice always bad? Are our screams telling us something else?

The Loop Of Trauma, Jayden Miller-Jones

Emerging Writers

"The Loop of Trauma" is a piece that was written in response to the various BLM protests and police attacks that took place during 2020. The author responds to memories of being shrouded in a deep depression with no sense of how to escape. After entering their English 1101 class they were finally able to properly describe the feelings. This piece covers their beliefs on mental health in the black community and how it is often shelved for a later date, a date that more often than not, never comes.

Women's Work History And Mental Well-Being : Evidence From The Indonesian Family Life Survey, Nurul Widyaningrum

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Most research on women and work in developing countries has focused on factors and contexts that shape women’s employment choices and options, gender segregation in the labor market, and the meaning of work for women. Studies on the outcomes or consequences of work are less common and tend to focus on income as the primary outcome of interest. Using a combined capability and feminist framework, this study identified Indonesian women’s work patterns and their relationship to women’s mental health. The capability approach was used to choose work outcomes that are not merely income-based, while the feminist perspective was used to …

Developing High-Resolution Meteorological Datasets To Assess The Short-Term Association Between Meteorological Factors And Green Space And Mental Disorders, Xinlei Deng

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Global climate change is linked to the frequency and intensity of local climate extremes such as heatwaves, cold spells, and flooding. Scientific evidence indicates that heatwaves and higher ambient temperature could increase the risk of hospital admission and emergency department (ED) visits for mental disorders (MDs). On the other hand, urban green space is considered a way to reduce heat island effects and provide comfort for area residents. However, there still exist huge research gaps. Except for temperature, few studies have examined how other meteorological factors (relative humidity (RH), solar radiation (SR), heat index (HI), and rainfall) are associated with …

North Carolina Public School Educator Perceptions Of Teaching During Covid And Impacts On Burnout, Leah Huttlinger

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Educators in North Carolina have been burdened with many different negative stressors, such as low pay, increasing class sizes, and violence in the classroom, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the role of the educator. Current research suggests an inevitable exodus of teachers due to the increased stress brought by the pandemic. Through this mixed methods study, I sought to examine relationships between COVID-19 stress, physical and mental health symptoms, and occupational burnout. Using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, I determined statistical relationships between specific domains of COVID stress and the physical and mental health of North Carolina educators. There …

Embodied Reminders And Well-Being Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Examining The Influence Of Feminine Gender Role Orientation, Biographical Disruption, And Body Image, Andriana Frost

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality for women around the world, but despite the significant prevalence of the disease, research has shown that survival rates continue to improve globally. The present study utilized a cross-sectional design involving 108 women who were diagnosed with and completed treatment for breast cancer. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed their embodied reminders of their cancer treatment (e.g., scars, burns, hair loss), gender role orientation, self-narrative, mental health, and general well-being. Eight moderated mediation models were applied to test the hypothesis that women who identified as more feminine would experience greater biographical disruption …

The Psychological Experience Of Cyberbullying Among Transgender Adults, Lyndsey Macpherson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although Internet use can be helpful, it can also be a toxic environment, especially toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Researchers have demonstrated that cyberbullying victimization can affect anyone; however, very few analyze these experiences by gender identity. The focus of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of harassment that gender-minority individuals encounter in an online environment. Data included in-depth interviews with 14 transgender or nonbinary adults. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), participants were asked to share their experiences with navigating on social media and the impact of what cyberbullying means to them. The …

Expeditionary Learning: Mi Vida En Perspectiva, Emily Meyer

Honors Projects

This work outlines and supports the use of Expeditionary Learning to help 8th grade Spanish 1 students to understand mental and emotional health. Outlined is a single In-depth Investigation plan (IDI) that walks through the activities, experts, and service the students will be participating in, in order to learn about mental and emotional health.

Optimization Of Mental Health Appointment Mix: Telemental Health And In-Person Appointment Model Maximizing Revenue And Mitigating No-Shows, Louis Edwards

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Mental Health care leaders are challenged with meeting revenue requirements while incorporating telemental health (TMH) to increase access. The objective of this project was to create a model to optimize revenue based on variables derived from the literature, notably no-shows, reimbursement, salary cost, and appointment type. The model was tested through sensitivity analysis. The order of sensitivity to net revenue based on a 10% variable increase was reimbursement rate (19% increase), appointment volume (10% increase), cost (8.5% decrease), and no-shows (1% decrease). 3 scenarios were run for large (10 providers), mid-sized (4 providers), and single provider facilities. In-person vs telemental …

School Administrators Preparedness For Mental Health Intervention, Jennifer R. Mcneany

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the training of Indiana public school building-level administrators preservice education in mental health topics related to students. One overarching research question guided the researcher: What training in identifying mental health needs and services have current Indiana building-level administrators received from public or private colleges and universities in Indiana?” The study focused on educators in Indiana with less than 5 years of experience as a building-level administrator. Five principals were virtually interviewed to survey their knowledge and comfort with mental health. Open coding was used to determine the themes from the transcriptions …

Family Structure And Maternal Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-National Comparison Of Australia, The United Kingdom, And The United States, Kirsten Rasmussen, Elizabeth K. Sigler, Sadie A. Slighting, Jonathan A. Jarvis, Mikaela J. Dufur, Shana Pribesh

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between family structure and maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Family structures that involve transitions across life's course, such as divorce, can alter access to resources and introduce new stressors into family systems. Using the stress process model, we examine the links between family structure, stress, resources, and MDS. Using nationally representative data from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States and cross-sectional models for each country, we find that family structure may influence MDS differently in the UK than it does …

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Mixed-Methods Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Sabrina G. Cox, Isabel Whitehead

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The first cases of coronavirus reported in the United States came in January 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020). In the two years since then, countries around the world have been affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent social, economic, and mental health issues. Previous research shows that the animal healthcare field is already overrun with burnout, substance abuse, depression, and increased levels of stress (Gardner and Hini, 2006), and the pandemic has only compounded these issues (Mair et al., 2020). Observing a lack of meaningful reporting on the issues affecting veterinary staff led the researchers to investigate staff members’ practices, day- …

Spiritual Perspectives Of Thai Psychiatrists On Mental Health, Vasin Kosolsak, Buranee Kanchanatawan

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Although the positive impact of spirituality on mental health has become more widely accepted in the past decade, it is a challenging subject due to its distinctive nature between beliefs and cultures. Objectives: This study aimed to define the term spirituality and its influence on mental health based on the viewpoint of Thai psychiatrists. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in 20 Thai psychiatrists recruited from all regions across Thailand using a semi-structured in-depth interview, based on literature reviews. The collected data were analyzed via content analysis. Results: We found that Thai psychiatrists define spirituality as a belief, reliance, …

Relationships Between Activities Of Daily Living Capabilities, Family Support, And Quality Of Life And Mental Health In The Elderly In Laplae District, Uttaradit Province, Tanyarat Jeenheng, Siriluck Suppapitiporn

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Due to the sociocultural context of Laplae District, Uttaradit Province as the example district of long-term care services for dependent elderly project. To improve public health, quality of life and mental health of elderly in this district would be interesting and useful. Objective: To explore the abilities of activities of daily living (ADL), the family support, the quality of life, and the mental health of the elderly and relationships among them. Methods: This cross-sectional study with participation of 381 elderly used structured questionnaires included demographic questions, ADL assessment (Barthel of Activities of Daily Living: ADL), family support and quality …

Internal State Language And Coping In Narratives Of Covid-19: Relation To Psychological Well-Being, Divya Pradipkumar Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic had global consequences for billions of individuals, including high rates of mortality and morbidity, lost income, and prolonged social isolation. In the short and long term, this crisis will have an impact on people's lives and mental health. The current correlational study looks at how internal state language, stress, and coping are used in college students' narratives concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown experiences in relation to psychological well-being. A sample of 216 undergraduate students completed surveys that recorded their narrative experiences of COVID-19, psychological well-being, depression severity, and measure of how stressful occurrences in one’s life …

Sexual And Intimate Partner Violence Among The Lgbtq+ College Population, Courteney Lewis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College-aged students have the highest sexual assault and intimate partner violence victimization rates. Previous studies have linked victimization with poor mental health scores, especially in the LGBTQ+ college population. They also showed a higher rate of victimization for LGBTQ+ students. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between victimization and mental health in the LGBTQ+ college population. To conduct this study, I used data from the Spring 2021 and 2022, American College Health Association (ACHA) - National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The results of the study established statistical significance in the rates of sexual violence in LGBTQ+ …

Optimizing Mental Health Care By Increasing Access Services Through Evidenced-Based Mhealth Applications, Barbara Laganiere

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: The COVID pandemic has disrupted mental health services leading to an increased need for mental health support. Nearly half of all adults in the United States have reported worry and stress leading to a rise in feelings of anxiety. Currently, there is a mental health workforce shortage, impacting the available treatment services. Mobile Health (mHealth) applications can help bridge the gap in the availability of these services and potentially improve health outcomes through education, social support, self-managed care, and patient-provider communication.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to optimize mental health care and access to services by leveraging the use of …

Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers may serve marginalized groups of people such as single parents who may face challenges and barriers to raising a healthy family. African American mothers are more likely to have adverse experiences with parenting without a partner or additional supportive primary caregiver than women in other racial groups. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the mental health challenges that impact African American women who are single parents. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from individual interviews with ten parents from daycare centers in the metropolitan Atlanta area that …

The Implementation Of Disordered Eating Interventions In Institutions Of Higher Education, Hannah Thalberg

Scripps Senior Theses

Eating disorders are incredibly debilitating, dehumanizing, and detrimental mental illnesses that affect diverse populations around the world. Disturbing over 28.8 million Americans alone per year, eating disorders remain the deadliest mental illness. Yet, there exists a gap between the academic and medical literature around eating disorders, and the societally crafted perspective towards eating disorders. While medically, eating disorders are crippling and life-threatening, eating disorders are socially praised and accepted as a norm. Not only are eating disorders vastly regularized in society, but they are also glamorized from the broad media saturation of Eurocentric thin idealization. These ideals are encapsulated by …

More Than Physical: Covid-19'S Devastating Impact, Sadie Wood, Kathryn Pond

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Covid-19 has impacted our world in many ways. In this autoethnographic research paper, two college nursing students share their own unique perspective related to the topic. Through their journaling over the pandemic, they derive three main themes in their writing. These themes included vaccine hesitancy, burnout in healthcare professionals, and online schooling because of isolation protocols. Each theme is explored through research which includes personal experience, scholarly journals, website articles, blog posts, social media posts, and personal interviews. Vaccine hesitancy is explored, and research concludes that misinformation is widely to blame. Burnout in healthcare workers is shown to increase during …

Impact Of Mindfulness Practice On Compassion Fatigue In Pediatric Cardiovascular Critical Care Nurses: A Quality Improvement Project, Kendy Luu

Doctoral Projects

Background: A considerable proportion of the extant literature on healthcare has documented compassion fatigue (CF) as a major factor that contributes to poor job performance, satisfaction, and negative patient outcomes (Figley, 2002). CF is well known to negatively impact patient care and outcome, relationships, and job satisfaction among pediatric cardiovascular intensive care (CVICU) nurses. Developing interventions to reduce burnout and CF bear the potential to reduce costs and improve quality care; one particularly promising approach in this regard is the practice of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to determine the impact of an abbreviated MBSR …

Interactions Of International Pilots' Stress, Fatigue, Symptoms Of Depression, Anxiety, Common Mental Disorders And Wellbeing, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This study Investigates more dimensions than previous studies simultaneously: pilots’ duty rosters, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue levels, wellbeing, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and common mental disorders (CMD), and how they are interrelated.

Background

Several scientific studies have confirmed that fatigue can pose a significant risk to flight safety. Other studies reported positive depression screening results for more pilots, compared with the general population.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 406 international pilots, who reported their duty rosters of the last two months. Pilots also self-assessed their stress-levels, sleep problems, fatigue, wellbeing, and mental health.

Results

Although pilots …

The Psychological Impact Of Isolation On Hospitalised Patients With Covid-19 Infection In The Uae, Nahida Nayaz Ahmed, Nirmin F. Juber, Reem Alkaabi, Fatema Alshehhi, Mohamed Alobeidli, Ahlam Salem, Alaa Galadari, Shamil Wanigaratne, Amar Ahmad

All Works

Infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19 may include immediate admission to an isolation facility for the infected. However, the mental health impact of this isolation worldwide is not fully documented. This study aims to contribute to global data on the psychological impact of COVID-19 and to be the first study to assess psychological distress among hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in the UAE. Using a cross-sectional study design on 132 hospitalised patients, we found that 90% of participants scored within the normal levels for psychological distress. The length of stay was associated with higher levels of psychological distress and those …

Education And Awareness Of Workplace Hazards: An Educational Intervention For First Responder Trainees, Emily Portune

All Master's Theses

First responder paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and firefighters provide emergency services to communities everywhere, often in life-threatening circumstances. At the same time, these first responders face high-stress life and death situations and may also endure unique workplace hazards like racism, sexual harassment and discrimination, verbal and physical patient assault, and extreme sleep deprivation. These hazards make prehospital providers vulnerable to mental illness, a fact proven by preexisting research that found more than 85% of first responders reported negative mental health symptoms and outcomes directly related to their career. Not only are prehospital providers at high risk of mental illness; …

Equine-Assisted Therapy And Learning Interventions With Youth: A Meta-Analysis And Quasi-Experimental Study., Sarah Lovins

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Equine-assisted psychotherapy interventions have become increasingly used and tested as an alternative or complementary approach with youth. This project presents two studies. The first study consists of an overview of existing reviews and a meta-analysis of controlled and comparison studies on the effectiveness of equine interventions with youth. A comprehensive search and selection procedure produced 3,525 records, from which 56 quantitative studies were identified, and ultimately 16 controlled or comparison studies were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Results showed a statistically significant, medium, and homogenous effect size for the overall effectiveness of equine interventions for youth psycho-social outcomes ( …

Mental Illness As A Vulnerability For Sexual Assault: A Retrospective Study Of 7,455 Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examinations, Leslie Miles, Julie L. Valentine, Linda Mabey, Nancy R. Downing

Faculty Publications

Background: Persons with severe mental illness (MI) are at a high risk of becoming victims of sexual assault (SA). Vulnerability for SA with any type of MI is unknown. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of preexisting MI and other significant factors in patients reporting preexisting MI at the time of their SA medical forensic examinations (SAMFEs).

Method: A retrospective SAMFE chart review of patients ( N = 7,455) from 2010 to 2020 was conducted. Sexual assault nurse examiners completed SAMFEs. Inclusion criteria included (a) aged 14 years and older, (b) completed SAMFE with SA kit evidence collection, and …

The Future Of Criminal Culpability: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder's ("Ptsd") Effect On A Defendant's Actions And State Of Mind, Amin R. Yacoub, Becky Briggs

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Intersectional Invisibility Of Black Lgbtqia+ Client Strategies For Bias And Discrimination Prevention, Dr. Tonya Y. Griffith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Those who identify as members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities have been victims of bias and prejudicial attitudes. Because LGBTQIA+ people embody all cultures, races, religious convictions, and socioeconomic statuses, this creates additional barriers for some community members who identify as both Black and LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of intersectional invisibility when working with Black LGBTQIA+ clients and the strategies that social workers identify as beneficial in averting discrimination and bias when working with this community. Implicit bias theory and intersectionality theory …

Themes And Associations Concerning The Covid-19 Pandemic: Autoethnography, Amber Mcgannon, Ebunoluwa O. Adedeji

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Per the college of nursing, my proposed project will discuss living during uncertain times and unusual times of change. This APA formatted paper will be an autoethnography, meaning that we will review the perspectives of COVID through the lens of culture, research, and our own perspectives and experiences. Everyone has experienced changes during the COVID-19 pandemic due to self-isolation. Examples of change include changes in learning, working, thinking, teaching, and behaving. Using acquired nursing skills such as critical thinking, reflection, inquiry, and evidenced-based practice; my partner and I will dissect and discuss these changes and how they have affected ourselves, …

A Study In Transparency, Rachel Wilson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In a generation that feels more lost than ever, we need transparency in order to feel less alone. We need to see others, and we need to truly see ourselves. This is my way of being seen, and in turn, helping others to feel seen and understood. When I was in middle school I began to record my daily life and thoughts in journals, which evolved to help me cope as I grew up. In putting these pages on display, I’m presenting myself. That’s Rachel Wilson. I’m a writer, a designer, an artist, maybe a song writer. Maybe a lot …