Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Loneliness As A Mediator Between Autism Features And Mental Health Among Autistic Young Adults, Hillary Schiltz, Alana J. Mcvey, Bridget Dolan Wozniak, Angela Haendel, Rachel Stanley, Alexis Arias, Nakia S. Gordon, Amy V. Van Hecke

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Autistic adults commonly experience anxiety and depression. These mental health concerns are often tied to social experiences, such that mental well-being can be supported by social connection and deteriorated by loneliness. The mediating role of social and emotional loneliness (i.e. social isolation and lack of emotional attachment, respectively) between autism features and mental health has yet to be empirically tested among autistic adults. Here, 69 autistic young adults completed self-report questionnaires assessing social contact (Friendship Questionnaire), autism features (Autism Quotient), mental health (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Phobia Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory), and loneliness (Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for …

Violence As A Deterrent For Shelter Usage Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness In Detroit: A Mixed Methods Study, Trishya L. Srinivasan

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) are hospitalized at rates four times higher than the US average and face significantly worse health outcomes, particularly for those residing in cities with harsh winters. Fear of violence or theft is frequently cited as a deterrent to emergency-based shelter usage among PEH; however, there is little research assessing its effects on health and safety among PEH. This project qualitatively assesses violence as a deterrent to emergency shelter usage.

Methods: A semi-structured interview guide was designed to assess experiences with, and fear of, shelter-based violence among PEH and the effect of shelter-based violence on mental …

Police Killings Of Unarmed Black Americans: A Reassessment Of Community Mental Health Spillover Effects, Justin Nix, M. James Lozada

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We reevaluate the claim from Bor et al. (2018) that “police killings of unarmed black Americans have effects on mental health among black American adults in the general population” (p. 302). The Mapping Police Violence data used by the authors includes 91 incidents involving black decedents who were either (1) not killed by police officers in the line of duty or (2) armed when killed. These incidents should have been removed or recoded prior to analysis. Correctly recoding these incidents decreased in magnitude all of the reported coefficients, and, more importantly, eliminated the reported statistically significant effect of exposure to …

Bts From “N.O” To “On” And Beyond: Innovation In Effective Mental Health Messaging And Modelling, Sharon Blady

Asia Marketing Journal

Over seven years, BTS have organically embedded consistent mental health messaging and modelling of various mental health modalities, representing innovation within mental health discourse, within and outside the pop and K-pop culture and fandom. Their personal and artistic journeys have resulted in songs, imagery, and relationship dynamics within the group and within and between their fans ARMY, that organically model behaviours associated with mental health therapeutic modalities and normalize the discussion of mental health and well-being. This practice is vitally important in the effort to end stigma and encourage mental health well-being and recovery. BTS’s authenticity establishes empathy with their …

Latent Variables Quantifying Neighborhood Characteristics And Their Associations With Poor Mental Health., Katherine L. Forthman, Janna M. Colaizzi, Hung-Wen Yeh, Rayus Kuplicki, Martin P. Paulus

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Neighborhood characteristics can have profound impacts on resident mental health, but the wide variability in methodologies used across studies makes it difficult to reach a consensus as to the implications of these impacts. The aim of this study was to simplify the assessment of neighborhood influence on mental health. We used a factor analysis approach to reduce the multi-dimensional assessment of a neighborhood using census tracts and demographic data available from the American Community Survey (ACS). Multivariate quantitative characterization of the neighborhood was derived by performing a factor analysis on the 2011-2015 ACS data. The utility of the latent variables …

Anxious Times And Anxiety Drugs, Noah Atlas, Austin Mcneill Brown

Population Health Research Brief Series

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused rising anxiety and a corresponding increase in benzodiazepine prescriptions. Experts worry that inconsistent access to physicians as a result of stay-at-home orders will lead dependent patients to seek counterfeit or street drugs if their prescriptions lapse. This brief discusses these repercussions and recommends approaches to monitor and support those suffering from anxiety.

Impact Of The Covid-19 Shutdown On Mental Health In Appalachia By Working Status, Erin N. Haynes, Timothy J. Hilbert, Susan C. Westneat, Kate Leger, Katie Keynton, Heather M. Bush

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: To slow the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, businesses shutdown in Spring 2020. Research has indicated the impact on frontline workers, yet little is known about the impact on those who were not working outside the home or switched to working remotely.

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to identify the financial and healthcare issues and mental health impact of the COVID-19 shutdown on Appalachians by worker categories.

Methods: An online survey was administered from May 8 – June 6, 2020 to a convenience sample of previous research participants and shared through social …

Mental Health And Psychosocial Functioning In Recently Separated U.S. Women Veterans: Trajectories And Bi-Directional Relationships, Karen A. Lawrence, Dawne Vogt, Adam Dugan, Shawn R. Nigam, Emily Slade, Brian N. Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

Prior research on the relationship between veterans’ mental health and psychosocial functioning has primarily relied on male samples. Here, we investigated prospective longitudinal relationships between mental health and psychosocial functioning in 554 female Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who were surveyed three times between two- and seven-years following separation from service. Mixed effects modeling revealed that increasing depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity predicted declines in work functioning. Increasing PTSD severity predicted declining parental functioning and worsening depression predicted a decline in relationship functioning. In turn, decreased work and intimate relationship functioning predicted increased PTSD and depression symptom severity …

Neighborhood Characteristics And The Mental Health Of Caregivers Cohabiting With Care Recipients Diagnosed With Alzheimer’S Disease, Dana M. Alhasan, Jana A. Hirsch, Chandra L. Jackson, Margaret Chandlee Miller, Bo Cai Ph.D., Matthew C. Lohman Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

While studies have documented the influence of caregiver and care recipient factors on caregiver health, it is important to address the potential impact of neighborhood contexts. This study estimated the cross-sectional associations between neighborhood characteristics and mental health among caregivers cohabiting with Alzheimer’s disease care recipients that were experiencing severe or non-severe neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) (e.g., aggression/anxiety). We obtained data collected in 2010 on caregivers and care recipients (n

While studies have documented the influence of caregiver and care recipient factors on caregiver health, it is important to address the potential impact of neighborhood contexts. This study estimated the cross-sectional …

Punishing The Victim: Model Rule 1.16(A)(2) And Its Relation To Lawyers With Anxiety, Depression, And Bipolar Disorder, Daniel G. Esquivel

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Abstract forthcoming.

When Mental Health Meets “The One-Armed Man” Defense: How Courts Should Deal With Mccoy Defendants, Farid Seyyedi

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

The Supreme Court’s opinion in McCoy v. Louisiana held that a defendant has a constitutional right to insist their attorney not concede guilt as to any element of an offense, even if doing so is the only reasonable trial strategy to give the defendant a chance at life imprisonment instead of the death penalty. Under McCoy’s holding, a defendant can insist on maintaining their innocence—even in the face of overwhelming evidence—and force their attorney to pursue a defense that will land them on death row. The Supreme Court’s holding makes clear that a strategic concession of guilt at trial—over …

Untitled, Michelle Burnham

General and Other Stories During COVID-19

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Case Conceptualization As An Alternative To Educationally Related Mental Health Assessments, Michael R. Hass, Zack Maupin, Michael Doria

Education Faculty Articles and Research

School psychologists play an essential role in the provision of school-based mental health services yet continue to spend the majority of their time conducting psychoeducational assessments. In California, changes in law regarding the provision of mental health services have increased the tension around the role of school psychologists and led to models for determining the need for mental health services that are inefficient and present a potential barrier to students receiving services in a timely manner. The paper proposes case conceptualization as a more useful and efficient approach, than traditional assessment processes for determining students’ mental needs and writing goals.

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Events On The Psychosocial Functioning Of Children Affected By Parental Hiv In Rural China, Jordan Ezell, Sayward E. Harrison, Yanping Jiang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Children affected by parental HIV are more likely than unaffected peers to experience trauma and are at-risk for negative psychological and social outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adverse childhood events and psychosocial functioning among children affected by parental HIV.

Methods: A total of 790 children ages 6–17 from Henan, China were enrolled in a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of a resilience-based psychosocial intervention. At baseline, children reported on numerous psychosocial factors, including trauma exposure, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and peer social functioning. We used linear regression analysis to test the direct effect of trauma …

Correlates Of Depression Among Black Girls Exposed To Violence, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Depression rates for youth remanded to juvenile detention is double that of the general population and Black girls are especially vulnerable. A dearth of literature analyzes the factors that are correlated with depression among system-involved Black girls, ages 12–17 years old. We utilized personal agency to examine the relationship between risk factors (i.e., abuse history, and fear of condom negotiation) and protective factors (i.e., condom self-efficacy, and perceived social support) that might correlate with depression among Black girls exposed to violence. Findings indicate that fear of condom negotiation, abuse history and low condom self-efficacy are correlated with depressive symptomology while …

Student Teachers With Mental Health Conditions Share Barriers To Success: A Case Study, Michael Houdyshell, Diane Kratt, Jackie Greene

The Qualitative Report

Universities are trying to address student mental health needs through counseling centers and other outreach initiatives. However, do individual colleges know how to address the mental health concerns of their own students? Three faculty members in the College of Education at a university located in the southern United States posed two questions to find out what it is like for student teachers to live with a mental health condition, and what would support academic performance in the College. Seventeen undergraduate students who self-reported as having a mental health condition and were completing their senior year as student teachers volunteered to …

Examining Mental Health And Resiliency Factors Of Gifted And Talented Students Participating In An Accelerative, Residential Program, Kevin Kusy

Staff Publications & Research

Early intervention around mental health and wellness is a vital piece for the school system to address when working holistically with students. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) emphasize the importance for schools to develop a comprehensive systemic framework around the academic, social, and emotional needs of students. By using the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS), school districts can administer Universal Mental Health Screening (UMHS), a Tier 1 intervention, to help identify students who may be considered at risk for mental health and wellness issues. Unfortunately, less than 15% of …

Decreasing Stigma And Increasing Partnership: The Black Church And Mental Health Community, Harriet Lakisha Bryant

Education Projects

Mental illness of any form needing mental health assistance has come with some negative stigmas and perceived apprehension in the Black community. African Americans' low use of mental health services, historically and presently, has been well-documented. As a result, many African Americans seek assistance from within their faith-based organization, particularly their clergy staff. Pastors influence views on mental health counseling and mental health-seeking attitudes of their congregants. For my consultancy, I partnered with Watts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, a predominantly African American church to integrate mental health services into their church-based programming and to conduct an analysis of best practices …

Understanding College Student Emotional Functioning During Covid-19, Dominique Marie Giroux

Theses and Dissertations

The novel coronavirus has resulted in mass infection and death. To prevent spread of the virus, colleges and universities shut down and transitioned to remote learning, which mandated all college students to leave residential housing and relocate to a permanent address. Previous literature suggests college students who experienced housing displacement due to a natural disaster reported heightened distress and poorer overall functioning (Davis, Grills-Taquechel, & Ollendick, 2010). Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, college student mental health was deemed a public health concern, however, it is expected to worsen following the outbreak (Galea, Merchant, & Lurie, 2020). Researchers suggest peer support …

The Resulting Mental Health Pandemic From Covid-19: Research And Resources For Social Workers, Ami Lynch

Social Work Student Works

The COVID-19 pandemic will have long-lasting mental health impacts on hundreds of millions more worldwide than the contagion itself. Social workers are seeing increases in depression, anxiety, suicidality, and post-traumatic stress disorder and other negative mental health impacts. Because of this, social workers in all environments and modalities of practice need to be well-trained, agile, and energized while facing the pandemic themselves. This report compiles the impacts and concerns for a variety of social workers and their clients into a single, digestible source, supplemented by the “COVID-19 Resource Compendium for Social Workers and Their Clients”. Social workers must practice self-care, …

Perceived Stress And Burnout In Athletic Training Students, Desiree Nicole Daniels

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Athletic training students can experience stress and symptoms of burnout and there is empirical support for a relationship between stress and burnout in health professions students in fields such as medicine and nursing. ^1-3 However, prior research on the relationship between stress and burnout has been limited in athletic training students. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between perceived stress and symptoms of burnout in athletic training students. Two hundred thirty athletic training students from 61 institutions completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire - Student …

Trauma Informed E-Newsletter: Issue 4, Jeanne Williamson, Brianca Smith-Austin

Student Counseling

No abstract provided.

Intervention Of Mindfulness With Students To Identify Mental Health Problems And Enhance Coping Strategies, Aileen M. Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

When mental health care is delayed, a young person may have more difficulty in academia and social situations. Therefore, it is important to reach young people to provide them with the skills to deal with stressors and mental health issues. The purpose of this project is to use mindfulness techniques to increase mental health literacy (MHL) and strengthen coping skills which can possibly assist students in building resilience to cope with stressors. By utilizing available mental health resources and learning coping skills, there can be a drastic change in the trajectory of a young persons’ life who struggles with stressors …

Mental Health Concerns In Armenia, Morgan Rushford, Sara Jensen

Ballard Brief

Armenia is one of many countries whose population faces mental health struggles to a relatively high degree. However, the extent of these struggles is relatively unknown due to the country's underreporting of recent, accurate data on mental health statistics. Armenia's mental health crisis can be attributed to many factors. some of which include residual trauma from various events in the country's history (such as the Armenian Genocide and the earthquake of 1988), domestic violence, perpetuation of cultural stigmas that keep individuals from seeking help for mental illness, and lack of resources and healthcare infrastructure. A few of the most prominent …

The Current Pandemic, A Complex Emergency? Mental Health Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Highly Vulnerable Communities In Guatemala, Dana Alonzo, Marciana L. Popescu, Pinar Zubaroglu-Ioannides

Covid-19 Digital Research

Background: On March 5th, Guatemala declared a ‘State of Calamity’ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strict lockdown measures were initiated. The psychological consequences of these measures are yet to be fully understood. There is limited research on the psychological impact of the virus in the general population, and even less focused on Latin America and high-risk communities characterized by poverty, limited mental health resources, and high rates of stigma around mental illness. The goal of this study is to examine the psychological impact of COVID-19 across several highly vulnerable districts in Guatemala. Methods: A semi-structured phone interview was …

A Comparison Of Self-Reported Anxiety And Depression Among Undergraduate Music Majors And Nonmusic Majors, Danni Gilbert

Glenn Korff School of Music: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to compare anxiety and depression levels reported by music majors and nonmajors at a small, private liberal arts university. Study participants completed the Burns Anxiety Inventory and Burns Depression Checklist. Anxiety and depression levels were significantly higher among music majors, and there was a strong, positive relationship between anxiety and depression. Regardless of major, self-reports were not affected by year in school. Implications for additional mental health resources and strategies for improving music major health and self-care are discussed, along with a need for increased music faculty awareness of perceived anxiety and …

Managing Life During The Pandemic: Communication Strategies, Mental Health, And Theultimate Toll Of The Covid-19, Mehmet Hakan Türkçapar, Yasemi̇n Kahya, Tuğba Çapar Taşkesen, Hati̇ce Işik

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The purpose of this review was to present the ultimate toll of the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on the communication strategies and mental health. Materials and methods: We unsystematically reviewed the studies published between 2020 and 2021 from databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science and ScienceDirect. Firstly, "new-normal" life challenges during the pandemic were discussed along with the public risk communication strategies. Later, mental health problems, posttraumatic growth, and protective factors were reviewed. Results: Literature highlighted that individuals mainly experience COVID-19 related fear, anxiety, stress, negative emotions and sleep problems. Furthermore, the rates of clinically significant depression, …

Parental Self-Efficacy, Parenting Stress, And Mental Health Among Latina Mothers Of Young Children, Thania Galvan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parenthood can increase the risk for mental health concerns, especially for Latina mothers. Poor maternal mental health can result in significant negative maternal and child outcomes, particularly if a mother’s mental health needs go unmet. In an attempt to better understand the factors that impact Latina mother’s mental health, this study explored the relations among parental self-efficacy, parenting stress, and mental health. It also explored mother’s self-reported resource availability and sociocultural factors as potential modifiable points of interventions in these relations.

Methods: The study was conducted using data from 132 Latina mothers that participated in a larger project examining stress …

The Experiences And Mental Health Impact Of Islamophobia On Muslim Americans Following The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Hadeel Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the phenomenon of Muslim Americans’ lived experiences of Islamophobia prior to and two years into Donald Trump’s presidential administration. 14 participants from multiple regions in the United States completed a semi-structured interview via telephone. The data analysis revealed seven major themes: 1) Muslim Americans experience different dimensions of Islamophobia, 2) Muslim Americans experience various forms of Islamophobia, 3) Variables that impact the prevalence of Islamophobia, 4) Islamophobia impacts various areas of Muslim Americans’ lives, 5) Muslim Americans may react differently to experiences of Islamophobia, 6) Islamophobia impacts the …