Digital Commons Network^™

Adverse Effects For Siblings Who Witness Child Abuse, Leslie Chaires

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explores the adverse effects on the mental health of children who have witnessed child abuse on siblings or relatives and interventions that can help mitigate adverse effects. The adverse effects of being abused have continued to be studied by different fields, such as child development and social work, but the children not directly abused are the missing voice in the literature on child abuse and mental and behavioral health. Social workers frequently have contact with children who have been victims of abuse or have witnessed child abuse. Social workers and other mental health providers can bring further insight …

Attitudes Of Social Work Students On The Use Of Psychedelics As A Mental Health Treatment In Clinical Settings, Amanda Nickles

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although psychedelic substances are currently categorized under federal law as a Schedule I controlled substance, there has recently been a renewed interest in the use of psychedelics to treat a number of mental health and substance use disorders. Research is garnering positive results in clinical trials, although much fear and stigma still surrounds psychedelic use. Future social workers’ presence in both macro level practices, advocating for mental health treatments and access to care, as well as their work in micro level clinically focused practices adds to their relevancy and legitimacy in advocating for potential policy changes on therapeutic psychedelic usage …

Anxiety, Depression, And Stress During Covid-19: A Comparative Study Of Latino Dreamers In College, Vanessa Robles, Janelly Molina

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

College students generally experience anxiety, depression, and stress associated with the higher education life. It can be argued that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to worsen the mental health conditions of these students. This situation can be even worse for DACA recipients in college who have to deal not only with the pandemic but also with legal status uncertainties. This study attempted to compare mental health outcomes (levels of anxiety, depression, and stress) between Latino DACA recipients in college and their counterparts with no DACA status during the COVID-19 pandemic. The existing literature has mostly been silent regarding comparing the …

Covid-Induced Stress And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Undergraduate Students, Quenea Popoca, Christina Ngo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has had ramifications on the mental health of numerous vulnerable individuals. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between COVID-19 induced stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression among undergraduate students. Embracing a quantitative design, this study surveyed 93 undergraduate students in major public universities in the western part of the United States (N = 93). Results from the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U Test revealed that there is no statistically significant relationship between COVID-19 induced stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in undergraduate students (U = 734.500, p = .066 for …

Comprehensive Literature Review: Assessing The Impact Of Covid-19 Policies, School Closures And Social Distancing, On The Mental Health Of School Age Children, Fatuma A. Hassan

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mental health is vital to the well-being of all individuals, especially children. COVID-19 unveiled a significant public health issue with poor mental health during the pandemic. There is limited literature about the mental health implications of COVID-19 policies for children and adolescents and preventive strategies for future pandemics. This comprehensive literature review seeks to further investigate the mental health impacts of school shutdowns and social distancing, which were nonpharmaceutical strategies, on school-aged children, 5-18 years old, and propose recommendations for public health officials to mitigate the mental health impacts for future pandemics. Additionally, the review aims to highlight the potential …

The Mental Health Experiences Of Daca Recipients And Non-Daca Recipients, Lizeth Ariana Guadalupe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Millions of immigrant children without legal status grow up in the U.S. and aspire to live and thrive in American society. However, without legal status, they face challenges in integrating into society. Implemented in 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created to help immigrant youth integrate into society by providing them with work permits, facilitating educational opportunities, and protection from deportation. However, not all immigrant children qualify for DACA, and the recent legal challenges to DACA prohibit new applicants and put roughly 600,000 recipients in legal limbo. The research questions this study poses are 1.) How …

Isolation At Junsay Oaks California State University, Monterey Bay, Betsy Oropeza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Isolation of seniors with mental/physical disabilities is a social problem that can cause mental health deterioration and even death. Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA) is a non-profit organization that develops low-income senior housing in Monterey County. The causes of isolation are lack of mental health aide and lifestyle. The consequences are mental health deterioration and death. The capstone project is gathering data on the residents that live in the Junsay Oaks housing not taking advantage of the services that are being offered to them. I conducted a survey of questions that would give us results of who …

A Systematic Review Of Studies Of Self-Compassion Interventions For Trauma And Stress-Related Disorders, Kayla Wilkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to explore how the effectiveness of self-compassion interventions can reduce symptoms of trauma and stress-related disorders. Self-compassion can be an essential part of treatment for trauma and stress-related disorders. Self-compassion consists of three components: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-compassion also relies on an individual to use emotional intelligence (e.g., emotional processing theory, meaning-making theory, polyvagal theory) to aid with increasing the level of self-awareness and appraising traumatic memories. For example, identifying post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms using self-compassion can promote emotional regulation, enabling awareness and acceptance of negative emotions caused by trauma. In addition, self-compassion can help …

Reducing Readmission Rates Among Patients Who Have A Dual Diagnosis Of Both Mental And Physical Illnesses, Hannah M. Shahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Readmission rates are a primary indicator used by acute care hospitals to determine the effectiveness of healthcare treatments and interventions. High readmission rates indicate the existence of a gap in the continuum of care. Acute care hospitals focus on the treatment of the immediately urgent physical health condition. Once the immediate presenting illness is treated or stabilized, the patient is discharged. This focus largely leaves mental illness undiagnosed and untreated. However, chronic, untreated mental illnesses are often comorbid with physical illnesses. In studies comparing patients with comorbid physical and mental illness to patients with only a physical illness, comorbidity was …

Dissecting The Interrelations Of Suicidality And Mental Health Across First Responder Subtypes Seeking Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Study, Alaina Beauchamp, Warren Ponder, Katelyn Jetelina

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

First responders are routinely exposed to traumatic events that can affect their mental health to the extent of suicidal ideation and suicide completion. The purpose of our study is to inform the comparability of predictors of suicidality across first responder types to elucidate the most efficacious targets for intervention and clinical intercession. Clients (N = 224) sought counseling services between 2015 and 2020 at a not-for-profit organization. We conducted a matched study with cases defined as those with suicidality at baseline and those without suicidality at baseline (controls). First responder types were law enforcement officers (LEOs), firefighters, and emergency …

Initial Validity And User Experience Of A Dynamic Assessment Of Occupational Performance For Transitional Age Youth, Christine Haworth, Genevieve Cyrs, Chi-Kwan Shea

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The Double OT (DOT) assessment is occupation-based and dynamic, designed with a client-centered format requiring skill demonstration. It was developed to support youth transitioning into the workplace. This research intended to analyze initial validity and users’ experience.

Method: This study includes qualitative and quantitative analyses of data collected from surveys from 169 client participants (APs) and 30 recipient participants (ARRs) from eight sites in the USA and Europe. AP were 14­ to 25 years of age and engaged in residential, educational, and vocational settings. The ARRs comprised partners who had received DOT assessment summaries about APs with …

Life Skills Guide For Supported Recovery For Individuals With Mental Health Conditions & Their Support Systems, Natalie Metzger

OTD Capstone Projects

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Davidson County provides educational courses, support groups, and advocacy for individuals with mental health conditions and their support systems. This semester long project included advocacy for occupational therapy’s role in the mental health community, involvement in legislative events, and creation of a comprehensive recovery life skills guide for individuals who have been discharged from psychiatric hospitals. Specifically, this guide assisted them in directed recovery within the home and increased their participation in foundational skills.

Impact Of Industrial Disasters On The Mental Health Of Vietnamese Americans On The Gulf Coast, Vivian L. Duong

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused 200 million gallons of crude oil to spill on the Gulf Coast over a five-month span. About 16,000 miles of coastline, ecosystem and marine life along Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were contaminated. This disaster and the recovery process caused social, financial, and ecological shocks, resulting in adverse psychosocial and physical health outcomes, health disparities, and socioeconomic inequality. Among the oil spill's most affected and vulnerable populations are the Vietnamese American communities that settled on the Gulf Coast after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The plight of …

Caring For Children With Mental Health Concerns: The Experience Of Being A School Nurse, Jeannine Kaskoun

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mental health issues have for years been on the rise among our nation’s schoolchildren, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only served to aggravate what can now be called a crisis. Researchers agree that timely assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health concerns in children are critical to maintaining their growth and development and could potentially aid in decreasing serious mental health events as they move into adulthood. While in an ideal world, each child would have a family medical provider, the fact is that for many children, the school nurse is the child’s sole provider of health care. Many times, …

Police Harassment And Latinx Mental Health: The Moderating Role Of Family Support And Nativity, Veronica Lauren Heredia

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Relative to their population size, communities of color experience disproportionate occurrences of harassment (Wilson et. al., 2020). Reports on police killings from 2013 to 2018 display that Black individuals constituted 27.5% of those killed, despite making up only 13% of the population (Siegel, 2020). The U.S. Latinx population is similarly impacted, given reports that they also experience police targeting (Edwards et. al., 2019; Gaston et. al., 2021; Harris et. al., 2020; Zimmerman et. al., 2021). Empirical evidence has shown a positive association between police harassment exposure and depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms in Latinx populations (Chin et. al., 2020; Del …

The Effects Of Hip-Hop And Rap Music Intervention To Improve The Wellbeing Of Black And African American Men, Lanita Michelle Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations

Wellbeing affects an individual’s functioning regarding personal, interpersonal, social, and overall wellbeing (Tennant et al., 2007). This study investigated the wellbeing of mental health among African American college-aged men by reading hip-hop and rap lyrics (Gonzalez & Hayes, 2009). The study explored the effects of reading hip-hop and rap lyrics on Black and African American college-aged men's wellbeing. Through peer review articles, this study investigated the effects of reading hip-hop and rap lyrics on the wellbeing of Black and African American college-aged men. The researcher identified the lack of research on wellbeing and marginalized communities, specifically Black and African American …

Telemental Health In Emergency Care Settings: A Qualitative Analysis Of Considerations For Sustainability And Spread, Mckenzie K Roddy, Patricia Chen, Alvin D Jeffery, Jeydith Gutierrez, Melissa Rubenstein, Corey Campbell, Eric Blake, Michael J Ward

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Following rapid uptake of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, we examined barriers and facilitators for sustainability and spread of telemental health video (TMH-V) as policies regarding precautions from the pandemic waned.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews and observations guided by RE-AIM. We asked four groups, local clinicians, facility leadership, Veterans, and external partners, about barriers and facilitators impacting patient willingness to engage in TMH-V (reach), quality of care (effectiveness), barriers and facilitators impacting provider uptake (adoption), possible adaptations to TMH-V (implementation), and possibilities for long-term use of TMH-V (maintenance). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed …

The Relationship Between Religion, Substance Misuse, And Mental Health Among Black Youth, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Studies suggest that religion is a protective factor for substance misuse and mental health concerns among Black/African American youth despite reported declines in their religious involvement. However, few studies have investigated the associations among religion, substance misuse, and mental health among Black youth. Informed by Critical Race Theory, we evaluated the correlations between gender, depression, substance misuse, and unprotected sex on mental health. Using multiple linear regression, we assessed self-reported measures of drug use and sex, condom use, belief in God, and religiosity on mental health among a sample of Black youth (N = 638) living in a large midwestern …

Do Degrees Matter? Rethinking Workforce Development For Youth With Intellectual Disabilities And Mental Health Challenges, Susan Reay, William E. Reay, Kris Tevis, Lisa Patterson

Social Work Faculty Publications

The global workforce crisis significantly impacts how evidence-based treatment is provided to youth with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. Addressing the workforce crisis requires re-examining the long-standing methods of selecting individuals for employment based on academic degrees. This project offers an innovative workforce development option that provides specialized training to staff with advanced education degrees and staff with less education. The participants in this study were employed in a rural area of the USA within the mental health, child welfare, and correctional industries. All participants worked with youth experiencing intellectual disabilities and mental illness. Results indicated that participants …

A Gentle Whisper: Restorying The Narrative Of Eleven Ministers To Create A Collective Voice In The Battle Against Burnout, Darrel Sears

DMin Project Theses

This March 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University investigates how there has been much research poured into the subject of burnout over the last fifty years and how its effects take a toll on an employee’s emotional, physical, and mental health. Burnout is especially prevalent in helping professions like human services, nursing, social work, psychology, and criminal justice to name a few. Vocational ministry, also a helping profession, has received its fair share of attention pertaining to burnout. Countless hours and hard work concerning stress management, clergy outpatient therapy, emotional contagions, self-care practices, spiritual-care practices, and a …

An Exploratory Study Of Healing Circles As A Strategy To Facilitate Resilience In An Undocumented Community, Frances Morales, José Manuel González Vera, Michelle A. Silva, German Cadenas, Jenifer García Mendoza, Luz M. Garcini, Manuel Paris, Amanda Venta, Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez, Alfonso Mercado

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Within the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted critical inequalities affecting undocumented communities and resulting in particularly heightened stress for members of these communities. In addition to the stress associated with COVID-19, immigrants in the United States were more than ever subjected to a hostile antiimmigrant climate under Trump’s administration. Given this compounded stress, the impact of the pandemic on mental health is likely to be disproportionately experienced by undocumented immigrants. In response, a group of psychologists partnered with a leading immigrant rights advocacy organization and formed a reciprocal collaboration to support undocumented communities. A major focus of the collaboration …

My Library Loves Me: Creating Distinct Spaces To Support Student Wellness And Mental Health, Alison Downey, Rachael Muszkiewicz

Library Faculty Presentations

• Within the course of a year, we developed four individual spaces which are adaptive to the ethos of each floor of the library.
• After overcoming obstacles with budget and bureaucracy, these spaces are now a template for wellness space at the university.
• With the rise in the neurodivergent student population, these spaces provide them a non-judgmental and cost free space to help alleviate the stress of academic life.

Lack Of Counseling Services Among Adults Aged 50 And Greater, Madalyn Olson

Counselor Education Capstones

The geriatric population is increasing every year which may indicate a rising need for retirement and mental health counseling. It is essential for individuals aging out of the workforce to prepare for a life after work and know how to create a new identity. Counselors need to be aware of the different scales and assessments that are available to help determine one’s attitude towards retirement and willingness to seek counseling to prepare for retirement. Additionally, it is important to be aware that although there are counseling services available for mental health disorders and substance use disorders, these services are limited …

Child Abuse In Residential Homes Of Ghana, Alyssa Minor

Ballard Brief

Children placed in residential homes in Ghana suffer from physical violence and physical neglect more often than children in family-based homes. In overcrowded residential homes, many basic needs are often not being met, and the use of physical violence is common due to inadequate funding, lack of training, lack of clear policies, and years of normalizing violent disciplinary actions. This problem of child abuse within residential homes of Ghana creates financial burdens on the country and negative psychosocial effects for children suffering from neglect or physical violence, hindering their ability to reach their full earnings potential. Very few interventions have …

Incorporating Cultural Healing Practices Into Mental Health Care, Maria Jeremiason, Hailey Wilhelm, Yuriana Soto, Erin Sudbeck

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Minnesota approaches mental health based on Western cultural traditions. This approach does not encompass the traditions of multicultural communities, many of whom have experienced deep generational trauma, oppression, and discrimination. We must address our treatment of people living with mental illness by incorporating and expanding holistic cultural traditions rooted in the cultural traditions of all Minnesotans. This will include honoring the work of cultural healers, cultural brokers, elders, and community health workers within all communities.

Investing In Rural Mental Health: An Approach To Increasing Access To Mental Health Professionals And Services, Corey Jeries-Bardon, Paige Peterson, Paige Pittmann, Makena Roeker

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Farmers and rural residents in greater Minnesota are often overlooked relating to mental health services. Minnesota needs to focus on an approach to increase accessible mental health services in rural communities. The model for delivering mental health services has often been a one-size-fits-all approach without understanding the unique barriers, cultures, and strengths rural communities offer.

Do Semantics Matter In Empathetic Person Perception Of Children Or Adults With Mental Illness?, Rylie Hansen, Caroline Polak, Emma Gries, Stevie Ostman, Gina A. Paganini, E. Paige Lloyd

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Experiences of stigma, discrimination, or aggression negatively affect the well-being of people experiencing symptoms of psychopathology. However, empathy is thought to undermine prejudice and discrimination and is linked with positive outcomes (e.g., greater well-being, more social support, etc.) among those with stigmatized mental illnesses. The current work investigates the influence of target age (adult or child) and language type (person-first or identity-first) on how much empathic concern perceivers report toward individuals with a hypothetical mental health condition. This research contributes to an ongoing debate about whether person-first or identity-first language carries stigmatizing or protective effects, while also considering a novel …

Pastoral Counseling: African American Attitudes Toward Mental Healthcare, William Oliver Hansford Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The perspectives of African Americans at the Highway to Heaven Ministry were evaluated using diverse theological concepts in this study. The findings of this study help in deciphering reasons why African Americans primarily choose traditional versus pastoral counseling. The results of the survey were based on the responses of 100 people, all of whom were members of the Highway to Heaven Ministry. Sixty-five women and 35 men, ranging in age from 18 to 88, were enrolled in the study. The data was collected using a well-prepared questionnaire to discover the participants' most heartfelt views regarding pastoral counseling and what motivates …

Supporting K-12 Students With Anxiety: The Teacher's Role, Interventions And Methods To Reduce Anxiety, John Jordan Douglas

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a literature review of evidence-based practices that support K-12 students with anxiety. Three areas addressing evidence-based practices for students with anxiety include the role of the teacher, interventions, and methods to reduce test anxiety. Literature revealed the significance of the teacher’s role in building positive relationships to support students with anxiety and mental health issues. Common interventions and methods for test anxiety included mindfulness, breathing exercises, and muscle relaxation techniques. Small sample sizes and few clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders caused limitations in research. Further research should focus specifically on methods that support students with a diagnosed anxiety …

The Roles Of Personal And Environmental Resources In Predicting Work–Family Facilitation And Mental Health Among Employed Parents Of Children With Disabilities In Croatia, Ana Šimunić, Ana Slišković, Andrea Tokić, Jelena Ombla, Lisa Stewart

Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Quantitative research on the positive aspects of work–life integration and the well-being of families with children with disabilities is scarce, especially in the national context. The family can provide gains that enhance work domain functioning (family-to-work facilitation; FWF), and work can provide gains that enhance family domain functioning (work-to-family facilitation; WFF). The aim of this study is to examine the contributions of some personal and environmental resources in explaining WFF and FWF and the mental health of parents of children with disabilities residing in Croatia. The mediational role of WFF and FWF in the relationship between resources and mental health …