Digital Commons Network^™

Cultural Bereavement And Resilience In Refugee Resettlement: A Photovoice Study With Yazidi Women In The Midwest United States, Julie A. Tippens, Kaitlin Roselius, Irene Padasas, Gulie Khalaf, Kara Kohel, Elizabeth Mollard, Izdihar (Vianne) Sheikh

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study explored how ethnic Yazidi refugee women overcome adversity to promote psychosocial health and well-being within the context of U.S. resettlement. Nine Yazidi women participated in two small photovoice groups, each group lasting eight sessions (16 sessions total). Women discussed premigration and resettlement challenges, cultural strengths and resources, and strategies to overcome adversity. Yazidi women identified trauma and perceived loss of culture as primary stressors. Participants’ resilience processes included using naan (as sustenance and symbol) to survive and thrive as well as by preserving an ethnoreligious identity. Findings suggest that women’s health priorities and resilience-promoting strategies center on fostering …

Campus Resources, Dara Law

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how aware first semester college students are about Rowan Thrive, and if students have utilized any of its well-being resources. The study's goal was to determine if students were using this program on campus. This research's main goal is to bring awareness to first year college students about the Rowan Thrive program. This will help students who are experiencing mental health issues. This study found that more students have not utilized Rowan Thrive campus resources during their first semester. The study found that those who did utilize Rowan Thrive campus resources, the three areas utilized were physical, …

A Patient-Centered Study Examining Self-Identification Of Mental Health Challenges Among Female Military Officers, Rosellen Roche, Joel Manzi, Katelyn Bard

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Due to the expansion of leadership roles in the military for women, female military personnel now face stressors equal to, and yet unique from, their male counterparts. This pilot study surveyed 73 female U.S. Army officers regarding their experiences of leadership and mental wellness within the military. A mixed-methods survey was distributed via 2 private Facebook groups for female Army officers following an anonymized convenience sampling. This anonymous, patient-centered protocol was used to protect against known stigma surrounding disclosing mental health concerns in the military. Respondents were asked a series of questions including perceived mental health status and access to …

Examining Health Disparities Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Queer/Questioning Adults In Davidson County, Tennessee, Samantha Anticuar

DNP Projects

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals experience increased risks for health disparities and discrimination compared to non-LGBTQ individuals, yet there is limited research in southern populations. Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to examine if LGBTQ individuals had increased health disparities compared to non-LGBTQ individuals in Davidson County, Tennessee (TN). Methods: A quasi-experimental design (N = 1,704) used the 2019 Nashville Community Health and Well-being Survey for analysis. Results: Findings suggested LGBTQ individuals had increased odds of not having health insurance (p = .009, adjusted odds: 6.84), poor mental health (p …

A Qualitative Study Investigating Stroke Survivors’ Perceptions Of Their Psychosocial Needs Being Met During Rehabilitation, Robin A. Wenzel, Emily A. Zgoda, Mia C. St. Clair, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Depression and anxiety can negatively impact one’s recovery, outcomes, and quality of life. Even though therapists consider the mental health needs of their clients to be a priority, they are dissatisfied with their ability to completely address these needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the client’s perspective regarding the extent to which health care professionals addressed their psychosocial needs after a stroke.

Method: A phenomenological research design was used to collect data from six participants. Interviews and focus group were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Member checks, peer-review, multiple coders, triangulation, and expert …

Implementing Best Practices To Improve Veteran’S Primary Care: A Pilot Project For Suicide Screening, Assessment & Referral, Nathaniel Held

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Problem Description: Suicide is an increasing problem within the United States, but an even greater problem among the veteran population. Veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide than individuals within the civilian population. El Paso County, Colorado has the highest veteran population in the state and the highest number of suicides. Despite numerous military mental health programs available. Studies have found that many veterans will visit a civilian primary care clinic (for various reasons) within a month of taking their own lives but rarely are mental health concerns noted. This can be due to a lack of awareness and …

An Analysis Of The Behaviors Used By Physicians And (Pre)Medical Students To Cope With Stress, Carter Bracht

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Physicians (both practicing and resident) in the U.S. are experiencing high rates of burnout and mental health issues because of the stressors related to their career and the lack of coping mechanisms in practice by these physicians. As a population, physicians normalize internalization of their stress as members of a “proud” community. This study sought to examine the positive, negative, and positive addiction coping mechanisms that physicians use to relieve job-related stress using the following coping domains: emotion-oriented, task-oriented, and avoidance-oriented coping. We further sought to examine stressors and coping mechanisms that are introduced in (pre)medical school and how they …

When Covid-19 Enters In A Community Setting: An Exploratory Qualitative Study Of Community Perspectives On Covid-19 Affecting Mental Well-Being, Naureen Akber Ali, Anam Shahil Feroz, Noshaba Akber, Rida Feroz, Salima Nazim Meghani, Sarah Saleem

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased level of anxiety and fear among the general population related to its management and infection spread. Considering the relevance of present circumstances, we explored perceptions and attitudes of community members towards their mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Setting: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using a purposive sampling approach, at two communities of Karachi, Pakistan.
Participants: In-depth interviews were conducted with community members including, young adults, middle-aged adults and older adults of both genders. Study data were analysed manually using the thematic analysis technique.
Primary outcome: The primary outcome is …

The Experience Of Dispositional Optimism Among Female African Americans, Hispanics/Latinas, And Caucasians In Generation Z: An Existential Phenomenological Investigation, Katie A. Kennedy

Honors College Theses

Mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic within Generation Z. 39% of college students in the United States reported experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Burwell, 2018). Conversely, researchers have shown an inverse relationship between high levels of optimism and depression, as well as optimism and suicide ideation (Chang, Martos, Sallay, Change, Wright, Najarian, & Lee, 2016). Additionally, Optimism has been negatively correlated with negative psychological outcomes (Chang, et al., 2016). The purpose of this study will be to examine dispositional optimism within female Generation Z university students. Researchers will use a qualitative interviewing process to capture the full …

Combating Loneliness In Assisted Living Facilities: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Social Work Practitioners Working With Older Adults, Annie Alexis Romano

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

It has been well documented that social needs do not change with aging (Teater, Chonody, & Davis, 2021), but often, older adults are left out of the conversation when it comes to loneliness and the feelings that come with social isolation. In the same way that researchers are de-stigmatizing the mental health conversation for youth and middle-aged adults, we need to bring to light the issues that come with those who live in assisted living facilities or nursing homes and the social issues presented in that population.

An Evidence Based Practice Guide For Parents And Schools: Supporting Kids And Adolescents' Mental Health During And After Covid-19 Pandemic, Ivanna M. Fuentes Javier

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

Adolescent mental health is important to consider by parents and schools. Parents need to build a strengthened mentality in their children and with the school support, the results would be greater. The active participation of schools is needed in order to support kids' and adolescents' mental health and create parent awareness about mental health. Also, when parents are able to identify early signs of mental health problems, they can prevent it from becoming greater and the school can help parents learn about these early signs. In addition, parents play a fundamental role in identifying symptoms of mental health problems in …

Design Solutions That Impact Mental Health, Elise Buck

Student Research Symposium

Design is about solving problems in the most beautiful and functional way possible. Within the profession it is the designer’s responsibility and obligation to provide practical, meaningful, and healthy spaces wherein people will thrive. Similar to most design projects, the sector of workplace design focuses significantly on the mental health and psychological wellness of the employees that use the space in order to combat the negative effects of bad design on long term health. According to an article published by Gettysburg College, the average person will spend approximately one-third of their life, or about 90,000 hours at work over a …

The Moderation Effect Of Generation On The Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility And Covid-19 Preventive Behaviour Among Females, Ibolya Kotta, Kinga Szabo, Eszter E. Marschalkó, Susana Jancso-Farcas, Kinga Kalcza-Janosi

Journal of International Women's Studies

Disease prevention behaviour is essential during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. How people respond to information and regulations to control this infectious disease can be influenced by their age and generational identity. An individual with an optimal level of psychological flexibility can adapt to challenging situations more efficiently. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the moderating effect of generation on the relationship between psychological flexibility and COVID-19 preventive behaviour among different generational cohorts of women (baby boomers, X, Y, and Z). This relationship was rarely addressed in the literature, which is what inspired this study. Data were …

Urbanization And Mental Health: The Power Of Green Space, Emma Rosenthal

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

In this presentation, I will review the negative impacts of urbanization on mental health and the positive role of green space on mental well-being. Moreover, I will provide examples of projects being conducted to increase the amount of green space in urban communities.

The Struggle Of Mental Health Within College Students, Skyler R. West

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

One in five college students have thoughts of committing suicide daily. We often wonder what may lead to thoughts like this. This essay uses a subjective approach to broaden the knowledge of readers regarding mental health problems within college students. In this essay, readers discover the statistical findings of factors like alcohol, nicotine, schoolwork and athletics factoring into a student's psychological destressed mental state. Without having available and anonymous resources accessible to them, students are not able to get the help they need.

Associations Among Stress, Anxiety, Depression, And Emotional Intelligence Among Veterinary Medicine Students, Julia Wells, Kylie Watson, Robert E. Davis, Syed Siraj A. Quadri, Joshua R. Mann, Ashutosh Verma, Manoj Sharma, Vinayak K. Nahar

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: Veterinary students are faced with immense pressures and rigors during school. These pressures have contributed to elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) among veterinary students relative to the general population. One proposed concept to help students combat SAD is that of emotional intelligence (EI). We explored the relationship between EI and SAD among veterinary students at a college in the Southeast United States. Methods: A crosssectional study design was implemented among a convenience sample of 182 veterinary medical students. The survey instrument contained 56 items that elicited information about students’ demographics, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and …

Recommendations For Perioperative Care Of Adolescents At Risk For Suicide, Rachelle Huber Dustin Rn, Bsn, Blaine A. Winters Dnp, Acnp-Bc

Student Works

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for the adolescent population, and as such, should be addressed when adolescents have any contact with the healthcare system, including perioperative appointments. Although some surgical facilities screen patients with a history of suicide attempt or severe mental health conditions, many adolescents who have died by suicide do not have official mental health diagnoses or history of previous suicide attempt. Because of the impact surgery can have on mental health, each adolescent should be screened for suicide risk during pre-surgical consult appointments to assess suicide risk and take proper precautions, as needed. …

Carrying Trauma From Birth To Work: Adverse Childhood Experiences In Law Enforcement Officers And Their Implications, Stephen Levesque

Criminology Student Work

Previous research has drawn attention to the discrepancies of mental health between civilians and sworn law enforcement officers. The extant literature shows that law enforcement officers suffer from mental health disorders at far greater rates than the general public (Henderson et al., 2015). Most of the literature focuses on the progression of an officer’s law enforcement career. Little is discussed about prior traumatic experiences in the lives of police officers, especially those experiences which leave lasting scars on officers who go on to possibly relive their own trauma through their work. The current research was intended to fill that void. …

Estimating School Race/Ethnic Enrollment Effects On Student Mental Health: Density And Diversity As A Risk Or Protective Factor, Melissa J. Dupont-Reyes, Alice P. Villatoro, Jo C. Phelan, Kris Painter

Public Health

Objective: To investigate effects of school race/ethnic enrollment on mental health in early adolescence by examining both race/ ethnic density (percent non-Latinx [NL] White enrollment) and diversity (range/size of all race/ethnic groups enrolled). Variation by student race/ethnic identity is examined as minority stressors are uniquely experienced by race/ethnic minority students.

Methods: Generalized estimating equations tested main effects of density/diversity on depressive-anxious symptoms across student-reported race/ethnic identity, adjusting for student/school factors. Owing to statistically significant Latinx-group differences by acculturative stress, four unique identities were generated: NL-Black, low-stress Latinx, high-stress Latinx, and NL-White—referent. Points of convergence of student mental health profiles across …

Interplay Between Social Media Use, Sleep Quality, And Mental Health In Youth: A Systematic Review, Rea Alonzo, Junayd Hussain, Saverio Stranges, Kelly K. Anderson

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Social media applications are increasingly prominent among youth. This systematic review provides a comprehensive assessment of the literature on the relationship between active social media use, sleep quality, and common mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and psychological distress) among youth. MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE and Scopus were searched for observational studies investigating this relationship among youth (aged 16–25). Thirty-six cross-sectional studies and six prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. Among cross-sectional studies, significant associations between excessive social media use with poor mental health outcomes (n = 33), poor sleep quality (n = 24), and significant associations between poor sleep quality …

Mental Health Outcomes During Covid -19 Pandemic Among The Health Science Students Of A Medical College In Mangaluru, Nithin Kumar

Faculty work

No abstract provided.

Research On Effects Of Grading, Heather J. Leslie Phd

Learning Design Center: Staff Scholarship

I believe we have shared goals for our students to become happy, ethical, caring, compassionate, independent, self-motivated, curious critical thinkers and lifelong learners. Decades of research on the effects of grades and grading undermines those goals. This executive summary presents just some of research on how grading affects students’ mental health, intrinsic motivation, critical thinking, and relationships with teachers and peers. Student survey results are included from a course taught without the use of grades.

Mental Health Related Benefits And Barriers Of Exercise Among College Students, Madison Hamilton

Honors Theses

It is very clear that college can be a very stressful time. These high levels of stress can lead to negative coping mechanisms. However, there is a positive coping mechanism: exercise. The purpose of this study is to examine mental health related benefits of exercise and discuss any differences between males and females. This study examined raw data from a previously done study with a large sample size of college students (n=629). The data included their answers to the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS), along with other measures of fitness. The EBBS consists of forty three statements that the participants rated …

The Effect Of Nutrition And Exercise On Mental Health, Rebekah Owen

Senior Honors Theses

Research has shown nutrition and exercise are especially effective in helping relieve mental illness. Mental health can be aided through dietary alterations such as increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids, fermented foods, certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Proper nutritional patterns help regulate neurotransmitters and assist in the betterment of brain functioning, offering protection from and maintenance of mental illness. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet provides to be most beneficial for mental health compared to the standard American diet which contains additives harmful to the human brain. Physical exercise also provides to be a possible therapy for those suffering from mental …

Criminal Mental Health, Tabitha Oliver

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to assess and address the prevalence of mental health issues among incarcerated individuals in America. There are multiple internal and external contributing factors to the disproportionately high numbers of mentally ill inmates. Comparing the United States prison system with other countries such as Norway allows for possible paths to improving the mental health crisis that we are currently experiencing. This thesis looks at the principles and practices used in Norway's prisons as well as how they affect inmate's mental health. By comparing Norway's prison policies and design, this thesis will suggest changes in staff …

Investing In A Culturally Diverse Mental Health Workforce In Minnesota, Emma Fuhrman, Teia Kopari, Cody Reinke, Josie Schultz

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Minnesota’s mental health workforce lacks in both cultural diversity and cultural responsiveness. Each is critical for providing equitable mental health care to Minnesota's increasingly diverse population. Without ensuring that Minnesota’s mental health workforce is culturally diverse, culturally responsive mental health care for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) will not be attainable. Minnesota must broaden, strengthen, and create structures to support a racially and ethnically diverse mental health workforce.

Increasing Mental Health Competency In School Nurses, Jennifer M. Walsh Msn, Cpnp, Cne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Mental health concerns in the pediatric population have increased over recent years, even more so due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Time from onset of symptoms to treatment is over eight years, leaving less than 25% receiving care. Virginia ranks 47th for pediatric mental health care. School nurses spend a significant amount of workload on MH issues but often report being untrained to deal with these issues. Aims: Implement a quality improvement pilot program for school nurses designed to increase competency of identification, management, and referrals for students with mental health concerns. Outcomes measured domains of knowledge, attitude, and competency …

Experiencing Trauma And Burnout: The Coping Mechanisms Of Police Officers, Kathryn M. Larson

Honors Thesis

Police officers face burnout and trauma throughout their entire careers. There is a well-established knowledge of the psychological consequences that police officers face as well as some of the ways that they cope with these psychological issues. This study was an attempt to describe a group of police officers and their use of both positive and negative coping mechanisms such as alcohol use and avoidance. Further, the project assessed rates of burnout and trauma via an online survey that was sent to four different police departments in the Midwest. Participants (N=84) were officers that range in age from 23 to …

Occupational Therapy In Youth Violence: An Occupation-Based Program For At-Risk Youth, Jasmine Shahin

Student Capstone Papers

Throughout the years, youth participating in violence has become an increased concern around the nation as there is an increase in media outlets displaying tragedies, such as mass school shootings caused by students. The at-risk youth population is a specific population disadvantaged in engaging in safe and health-promoting activities due to limited resources or opportunities. As a result, at-risk youth make decisions based on their disadvantaged environment (Farajzadegan et al., 2018; Gallagher et al., 2015a). Factors including socioeconomic status, social support from family or friends, and mental health impact an individual’s opinions, attitudes, and interests as well as their occupational …

The Effects Of Mental Health In Students’ Academic And Social Success, Matthew Evans

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The percentage of children experience mental health issues such as anxiety, behavior disorders and depression have continued to become more prevalent in the last twenty years. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the prevalence and contributing factors of mental health disorders in school aged children and the effects it has on their social success and academic achievement and what can be done to support children to be successful and improve their mental health. Educators are a key factor in improving a child’s mental health, with much of a child’s time being spent in school, educators are more …