Digital Commons Network^™

Positive Effects Of Conservative Religion On The Mental Health Of Sexual Minorities, Jaxon Jessup

Student Works

Sexual minorities often struggle to navigate their sexuality and conservative religious beliefs. Conservative religion is often thought to be toxic for sexual minorities because of the emphasis on traditional marriage (Anderton et al., 2012), and often, the LGBT community will reject sexual minorities that choose to remain in religion (O'Brien, 2007). Conservative religion, however, provides many resources that could benefit sexual (and other) minorities. Religion can help create a sense of identity through teachings and community involvement that may strengthen positive self-perception; it may also create a sense of belonging within a supportive community, especially when individuals are raised among …

County-Level Trends And Potential Disparities In The Suicide Rates In Virginia, 2020 – 2022, Sharon A. Olowoyo, Oluwatosin M. Oduneye, Glodi B. Bokanya, Ayooluwa G. Olowoyo, Coralie E. Mugenga, Yuhan Yan, Robyn L. Anderson

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

Abstract

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the influence of social determinants of health (SDH) on suicide patterns in the state of Virginia.

Methods

A secondary statistical analysis was conducted using publicly accessible data from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps database for Virginia. Data from 2020 to 2022 were analyzed, focusing on age-adjusted suicide rates and SDH factors, including % rural, mental health provider rate, median household income, high school completion, and unemployment rates. Multiple regression analysis and visualizations were employed for data interpretation.

Results

The analysis revealed that SDH factors significantly predicted suicide rates across the study period. …

Lived Experiences: Growing Up With A Seriously Mentally Ill Parent, Deborah Lindell, Elliane Irani

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Individuals with serious mental illness often have persistent and disruptive symptoms. These can profoundly affect their children's lives, exposing them to adverse social and psychological conditions. Such conditions can result in traumatic lived experiences during childhood, which can carry over into adulthood, influencing their self-perceptions and shaping their attitudes toward themselves and society. To gain insights into this phenomenon, this study explored the lived experiences of adults who grew up with a parent with serious mental illness and their perceptions of their lives in adulthood. Design: This study used an interpretive phenomenological design. Methods: Participants were invited to voluntarily …

Empathy, Ethics, And Empowerment: Supervising The Transpersonal Therapist, John Elfers, Patty Hlava

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This grounded theory study addressed the question What model explains the essential qualities, skills, and competencies of an effective supervisory relationship for transpersonal therapists in training? It emerged out of a recognition that current training models for supervisors were not inclusive of competencies to address the needs of therapist trainees who are oriented toward a transpersonal approach to psychotherapy. The results of 22 interviews with trainees and supervisors surfaced a fundamental tension within the supervisory relationship in the distinction among the primary responsibility of the supervisor for ensuring client welfare, and encouraging supervisees to develop their personal therapeutic orientation and …

The Impact Of Loneliness Post-Pandemic And Immersed In The Upcoming Political Election, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Gwen Pratt, Abigail Kludt, Amy Barone, Kwadwo Osei-Poku, Lihan Wang

Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab

The Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab emerged with a partnership between Real Chemistry and the Public Relations department at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication and serves as a multidisciplinary research center focusing on analytics, artificial intelligence, digital and emerging media for a number of organizations regarding communications.

Healthcare professionals and organizations are interested in identifying how mental health impacts different U.S. generational groups after the COVID-19 pandemic and the intersectionality of U.S. Politics. Our team focused on two generational cohorts – Generation X (1965-1980) and Generation Z (1997-2012) – as an entry point into navigating the impact of …

Find Me, Ramsceair Jacques Flemmings

Writing Beyond the Prison Living Archive

Poem on Mental health

Children’S Access To Free Play In Nature In Relation To Mental Health And Overall Well-Being, Paige Olivia Wildenauer

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children of the current generation are spending less time outdoors than ever before. Facing issues like excessive screen time, safety concerns, overscheduling, poor urban planning and inaccessible parks, children today are losing their ability and desire to play - a fundamental part to human development. Compared to children of past generations, they are less resilient, less imaginative, and more prone to serious mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, behavioral and attention disorders. This thesis analyzes current literature on the topic of children’s mental health and time spent outdoors. Children that participate in outdoor play have a more positive affect …

Factors That Inhibit And Support The Work Of School-Based Mental Health Providers, David B. Naff, Jennifer Murphy, Alexandra Javna, Wyatt Aldrich, Erin Standish, Jeen Joy, Ciana Cross, Sandra Saji

MERC Publications

This research brief comes from the MERC Supporting Mental Health in Schools study. Launched in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores research-based strategies for supporting mental health in PK-12 school settings, as well as the emotional and professional capacity of PK-12 faculty and staff in the MERC region to support the social and emotional wellness of their students. This brief shares takeaways from a systematic literature review that highlight the factors that inhibit and support the work of school-based mental health providers, including school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. It outlines the roles …

Invasion, Ramsceair Jacques Flemmings

Writing Beyond the Prison Living Archive

Poem on mental health

Sanctuary Spaces: Designing Bedrooms For Mental, Physical, And Emotional Wellbeing, Kristi Conner

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This lesson focuses on helping students understand the profound impact that their personal living spaces have on their mental well-being. Geared toward individuals, especially those living in apartments or dorms, the lesson encourages students to view their rooms as personalized sanctuaries that can promote relaxation, focus, and mental health. By applying organizational techniques, color theory, and psychological principles, students will learn how to make their space more functional and conducive to well-being. The lesson includes activities such as reflecting on emotional responses to their current bedroom setup, sketching room layouts, engaging in group discussions on bedroom decor psychology, and identifying …

Assessing The Need For A Mental Health Task Force For Aviation Science Students At Bridgewater State University, Cooper Castellone

Undergraduate Review

In the current landscape of aviation, the issue of mental health is of great concern, particularly among flight training students who grapple with depression in silence. A report issued by the Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee in April 2024 underscored seven significant barriers impeding pilots from seeking necessary support for mental health concerns. Consequently, we completed a study aimed at understanding the prevailing mental health challenges among flight training students and identifying strategies for institutions, such as Bridgewater State University (BSU), to offer meaningful assistance. Our study consisted of a survey distributed to 14 institutions in the United States. …

Potential For Trauma In Public Libraries Experiencing Book Banning And Material Challenges, Jieun Yeon, Leah T. Dudak

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

Material challenges in public libraries are at an all time high while also possessing a huge political and emotional weight. As such, library workers are defending against book banning in larger numbers, and their very work is coming into public scrutiny and questioning. In such stressful times, the potential for trauma from the library workplace is higher and more charged. This paper lays the groundwork for how trauma and materials challenges have the potential to interact in the library workplace, especially for those from marginalized communities. It also proposes a trauma cycle for deeper understanding of trauma during material challenges, …

Social-Emotional Learning In High School: How High Schools Engage, Educate, And Empower Youth, Jessica L. Atkins

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

In recent decades, the mental health needs of youth have increased, as has interest in social-emotional learning (SEL) in K-12 schools. SEL instruction has been proposed as a way to meet these growing needs while schools struggle with shortages of school-based mental health professionals. While extensive research has been conducted regarding SEL, the majority of these studies have focused on structured programs in preschool and elementary-level populations. As a result, students at the secondary level, particularly those in high school, have received limited attention. In this dissertation, I present my research that explores SEL at the high school level.

This …

Interaction Of Sexual Orientation, Racial, And Gender Discrimination On Mental Health Outcomes, Rebekah Kanefsky

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Experiencing discrimination is associated with greater risk of developing mental health symptoms. Important theories on the mental well-being of people who identify with underrepresented groups suggest that poorer outcomes are not simply associated with identifying with an underrepresented group. Rather, “minority stressors” (e.g., discrimination) drive poor mental health outcomes. Despite the connection between mental health and discrimination, there has been less research focused on the combined impact of multiple forms of discrimination and how they interact for individuals who possess multiple, underrepresented identities. Further, significantly less research has been conducted utilizing quantitative methodology. To investigate the relationship between different forms …

Disconnected In A Connected World: Gender Differences In Loneliness And The Impact Of Technology, Charlotte Andrea Svendsen

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

The purpose of the present study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of Problematic Instagram use (PIU) on different psychopathological outcomes including loneliness, depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. Additionally, moderating role of gender on the relationships among variables was investigated. A total of 191 adolescents (Mage= 21.45 years, SD=2.07; range=18 to 24 years) were recruited for the study to complete a questionnaire that included the relevant assessment tools for the variables. Mediation and moderation analyses showed that among male adolescents, PIU was directly associated with loneliness, depression, general anxiety, and social anxiety. Among females, PIU was directly associated …

Building Rural Resilience: A Rural And Farm Youth Safety And Well-Being Curriculum, Kelly Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Mental health is a growing concern in today’s youth (CDC, 2023). The suicide rates in youth have been on a rise, increasing the need for mental health literacy (CDC, 2023). Mental health is often neglected in people’s lives, especially in rural areas (Boyd et al., 2008). This study answers four research questions: 1) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress factors among rural communities and farmers? 2) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress …

Scoping Review: Health Care Use In Foster Care Children, Karen Mcwaters

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Innovations in OT Symposium: Transforming Possibilities into Practice

No abstract provided.

The Library Cares About Me: Creating Distinct Spaces To Support Student Wellness And Mental Health, Alison Downey, Rachael Muszkiewicz, Natalie Muskin-Press

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

In January 2021, the Christopher Center Library at Valparaiso University, commenced a Mental Wellness Initiative to address the growing rates of neurodiversity and mental health concerns that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative started as a simple plan to increase mental wellness resources and then blossomed into a collaborative, cross-departmental approach to offering wellness spaces and programming within the library. The initial plan for the building was a single mindfulness space where students could relax and take a break from studies, but that quickly evolved into an initiative to include four unique spaces within the library, with one …

Effect Of Family-Centered Care Interventions On Well-Being Of Caregivers Of Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review, Deepalaxmi Paresh Poojari, Shashikiran Umakanth, G. Arun Maiya, Bhamini Krishna Rao, Sonia Khurana, Senthil Kumaran D., Radhika Attal, Marie Brien

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Caring for a child with long-term functional limitations can have a negative impact on the physical and psychological well-being of the caregiver. Family-centered care (FCC) interventions have the potential to empower caregivers and contribute to their well-being. This systematic review aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of FCC interventions in improving the well-being of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and identify the key components of such interventions that are most commonly practiced and deemed effective.

Methods: This review systematically searched seven databases for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of any FCC intervention on …

Differentially Unwell: On Mimi Khúc's "Dear Elia", Seo-Young J. Chu

Publications and Research

[...] Inviting readers to reclaim the stigma of unwellness and collectively to "tend to our unwellness, together," Khúc approaches unwellness as a crucial resource for subverting the "wellness and unwellness" dichotomy entirely. After all, the opposite of "wellness" is not "unwellness"; the opposite of "wellness" does not exist. The opposition itself is an artificial framework, one that reductively harms more than it dialogically helps. We need to move away from these simplistic dualisms, Khúc suggests, and towards more generous, trauma-informed epistemologies. [...]

Creating Mental Health Resources For Veterans And Caregivers At The Charleston Fisher House, Ashley Edwards

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

The Charleston Fisher House (FHC) provides free lodging, food, and transportation to the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital for veterans and families receiving care at a VA or associated hospital (Friends of Fisher House Charleston, 2024). Stays range from 1 night to several months, based on the veteran’s medical needs. Being away from home and caring for a sick loved one can cause stress and decrease the caregiver’s effectiveness in aiding the loved one and for self-care (Adelman et al., 2014). Occupational Therapy (OT) holistically addresses the person, including their mental health. A capstone project was implemented to improve mental health …

Pk-12 Faculty And Staff Capacity To Support Student Mental Health, Chin-Chih Chen, David B. Naff, Xun Liu, Jennifer Murphy, Margaret Wallace, Sunny Shin, Kade Goldin, Shenita Williams, Caleb Armwood, Riley Jenkins, Marlene Gooding

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) depicts findings from a regional survey of PK-12 faculty and staff exploring their professional capacity to meet the mental health needs of their students. Based on responses from approximately 1,000 educators in the MERC region, there were six dimensions of capacity: mental health knowledge, mental health training and confidence, multi-tiered systems of support, positive mental health culture, supportive policies and practices, and responsibility and impact. Findings in the report include position comparisons along these six dimensions as well as an exploration of how capacity varies by school size and demographic composition. …

Empathy, Ethics, And Empowerment: Supervising The Transpersonal Therapist, John Elfers, Patty Hlava

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This grounded theory study addressed the question What model explains the essential qualities, skills, and competencies of an effective supervisory relationship for transpersonal therapists in training? It emerged out of a recognition that current training models for supervisors were not inclusive of competencies to address the needs of therapist trainees who are oriented toward a transpersonal approach to psychotherapy. The results of 22 interviews with trainees and supervisors surfaced a fundamental tension within the supervisory relationship in the distinction among the primary responsibility of the supervisor for ensuring client welfare, and encouraging supervisees to develop their personal therapeutic orientation …

“I Learned To Bottle Up My Feelings From A Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis Of Latina Young People’S Family Mental Health Socialization, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of help-seeking compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates …

Associations Between Physical Activity Levels And Physical And Mental Health In Military Veterans., Troy Hubert

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Research suggests that higher rates of health conditions are associated with lower levels of physical activity, but this association is not well characterized in U.S. Military Veterans. The current study utilized a sample of U.S. military veterans (n = 3,989) from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resiliency in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Physical activity levels (insufficient, moderate, and active), physical and mental health were evaluated with a variety of self-report questionnaires. After controlling for covariates, veterans with any disability, asthma, chronic pain, diabetes, high cholesterol, and stroke were significantly less likely to report sufficient physical activity compared to insufficient physical …

Family Talk Versus Usual Services In Improving Child And Family Psychosocial Functioning In Families With Parental Mental Illness: A Randomised Controlled Trial And Cost Analysis, Mairead Furlong, Colm Mcguinness, Christine Marie Mulligan, Sharon Lisa Mcgarr, Sinead Mcgilloway

Articles

Background: Parental mental illness (PMI) is common and places children at high risk of developing psychological disorders. Family Talk (FT) is a well-known, whole-family, 7-session intervention designed to reduce the risk of transgenerational psychopathology. However, very few larger-scale evaluations of FT (across only a limited number of settings) have been conducted to date while there have been no cost analyses. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and costs of delivering FT in improving child and family psychosocial functioning in families with PMI within routine mental health settings. Methods: A total of 83 families with PMI, with children aged 5-18 …

Covid-19 Pandemic And College Students’ Mental Health: Vulnerability And Resilience Factors, Jensyn Morrison

Masters Theses

The world became quickly and suddenly consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. Topics such as stay-at-home orders, isolation from society, and social distancing became trending discussion themes in news coverage and daily conversations. The present study aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students. Specifically, a total of 123 students from a rural Midwest university and an urban Southeast university in the United States participated in an online survey that assessed COVID-19-related vulnerability and resilience factors (e.g., employment status, living situation, religious beliefs, previous diagnosis, and vaccination status of individuals) …

Developing And Testing A Model Of Discrimination, Internalized Oppression, Mental Health, And Suicidality In Disabled Transgender And Gender Non-Binary (Tgnb) Individuals, Stephanie L. Cull

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender and gender nonbinary (TGNB) individuals experience high rates of discrimination and microaggressions that can lead to internalized cisgenderism and adverse mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Individuals with disabilities similarly experience high rates of discrimination and microaggressions that can lead to internalized ableism and increased adverse mental health outcomes. Although both of these populations have been researched separately, very little extant research has explored the intersections of disabled and TGNB identities. The purpose of this study was to explore a hypothesized pathway leading from microaggressions through internalized oppression and mental health to suicidal ideation within a …

Incorporating Real-World Legal Practice Into Law School Curricula, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This annotated bibliography was prepared for the program, “Pracademically Speaking: Incorporating Real-World Legal Practice Into the Curriculum,” at the 2024 Annual Conference of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution. It includes relevant entries from the Real Practice Systems Project Annotated Bibliography.

This includes three sections, identifying: (1) problems with legal education and licensing, (2) resources for law schools and faculty, and (3) resources for law students. It particularly focuses on teaching skills for helping clients, which is critically important because practitioners often fail to recognize and respect clients’ perspectives and interests. Teaching students to work well with clients – and …

Characterizing The Relationship Between The Presence Of Depression Risk, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, And Benzodiazepine Use To Get High, Julia Kollitz

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Aim: To determine if there is a relationship between depression risk, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and engaging in benzodiazepine misuse.

Methods: A secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted on data from a sample of people who use drugs (n=743). Depression risk was assessed via the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD was identified using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). We used simple and multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the association between mental health factors of interest and benzodiazepine misuse, defined as self-reported benzodiazepine use “to get high” in the past six months.

Results: Of the …