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Interventions That Help The Helpers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Interventions Targeting Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress And Vicarious Traumatization In Mental Health Workers, Melissa Lynn Bercier

Dissertations

Compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization have received widespread attention in the literature due to an increased awareness of negative effects mental health workers experience when working with people who have been traumatized. Mental health workers become more vulnerable to significant stress when they work with trauma victims, which can lead to many negative consequences that can affect their own health as well as their treatment of their clients. While there is much that we are learning about the causes and outcomes of mental health workers' exposure to their clients' trauma, there has been less focus on effectiveness …

Effects Of The Proactive Personality On The Levels Of Job Satisfaction And Burnout For Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Pamela F. Spina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Personal wellness and burnout have been common themes in research studies regarding professional satisfaction and career success. Personality characteristics in relation to job and career success among professionals have also been included in countless studies. However, Bateman and Crant (1993) defined and began research on the specific construct of the proactive personality and how it related to personal achievement, satisfaction, and success among executives. This dissertation study is an extension of their research in that the relationship between proactive personality, job satisfaction and levels of burnout among Licensed Mental Health Counselors in Florida specifically, is being examined. While proactive personality …

Investigating Developmental Patterns Of Symptom And Impairment Change Among Youth With Adhd, Subthreshold Adhdand Youth Without Adhd, Lorie Love Geryk

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Despite a substantial prevalence of subthreshold Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and research indicating that many youth with this disorder have impaired functioning and negative outcomes, few studies have considered patterns of symptom and functioning change for youth with probable ADHD, subthreshold ADHD and youth without ADHD transitioning from childhood to adolescence. Additionally, we are not aware of any studies examining predictors of impairment severity among youth with subthreshold ADHD, and few studies have examined predictors of treatment utilization and patterns of symptom and functioning change based on medication status for youth with subthreshold ADHD compared to youth with ADHD. Methods. …

The Relationship Between Gratitude And Psychological, Social, And Academic Functioning In Middle Adolescence, Michelle Denise Hasemeyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Guided by positive psychology and broaden-and-build theoretical frameworks, this study utilized a correlational research design to explore the relationships between gratitude and adolescents' psychological, social, and academic well-being in a diverse sample of 499 high school students. Results of multiple regression analyses that controlled for potential effects of student demographic features on outcomes showed that higher levels of gratitude predicted more life satisfaction (β=.63, sr2=.40) , less internalizing symptoms (β= -.44, sr2= .19), more social support from parents (β=.50, sr2=.25), teachers (β=.28, sr2=.08), and peers (β=.34, sr2=.12), higher grades (β=.12, sr2=.014), and better academic self-perceptions (β=.30, sr2=.09). These relationships were …

Emotion Regulation And Threat Estimation As Mediators Of The Relation Between Cognitive Functioning And Anxiety In Late Life, Caroline M. Ciliberti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Rates of anxiety are generally thought to decline in typically aging older adults. Some theorize that this decline is a result of age-related improvements in emotion regulation. Emotion regulation may require the use of complex cognitive processes, however, which can be impacted by cognitive decline. Indeed, the prevalence of anxiety is high among older adults with cognitive impairment. The current study examined emotion regulation and threat perception as possible mediators in the relation between cognitive functioning and anxiety.;Methods: One hundred adults, aged 60 and older, were recruited from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the community. All were asked …

Expanding, Refining, And Replicating Research On High School Gay-Straight Student Alliances And Sexual Minority Youth, Nicholas Christopher Heck

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Sexual minority youth are at-risk for engaging in negative health behaviors and for experiencing at-school victimization. Specific benefits of attending a high school with a gay-straight student alliance (GSA), including lower risk for suicide, fewer alcohol problems and lower levels of psychological distress, have been reported. Limitations in the previous research studies, especially the use of retrospective designs, small sample sizes, and samples limited to a single geographic region, call into question the generalizability of these benefits. In an effort to overcome the aforementioned limitations, this analysis of data from 316 sexual minority high school students identified individual/family-, community-, and …

Clinicians’ Reports Of The Impact Of The 2008 Financial Crisis On Mental Health Clients, Donna M. L. Heretick

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study investigated the impact of the 2008 economic crisis on mental health clients. One hundred and three mental health providers (101 being psychologists) from California, Colorado, and Arizona completed an online survey. Following Lazarus’ stress theory, social identity theory, and the finances-shame model, several moderator variables were evaluated for impact of financial crisis: gender, age group, previous mental health, lifestyle threat, and sources for support. As predicted, male and female clients were generally described as equally stressed, but stress responses differed. Financial role responsibilities and previous mental health were noted as predictors of stress. Men—as well as clients earning …

Rural-Urban Migration And Mental And Sexual Health: A Case Study In Southwestern China, Xiushi Yang

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Massive rural–urban temporary migration has taken place amid China's rapid economic growth and development. Much has been written about the economic causes and consequences of this massive migration; less studied are the potential health and behavioral impacts of migration on migrants. Using data from a population-based sample survey conducted in southwestern China, this paper examines the potential impact of rural–urban migration and post-migration urban living on migrants' mental health and sexual risk behavior. The results suggest that regardless of places of origin and destination temporary migrants had on average poorer mental health and riskier sexual behavior than non-migrants. Compared to …

The Role Of Dispositional Optimism On Agency When Parenting A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Lina Maria Moyano

Theses and Dissertations

Parenting children with autism can be challenging obviously; still, active involvement of the parents is considered vital in the development of the child. The term parental agency refers to adopting a proactive role and engaging in numerous activities to promote the child’s development. Little research has been conducted to analyze factors that could predict agency.

Dispositional optimism, which refers to expecting good things in life regardless of particular situations, has not been extensively studied in parents of children with autism. Nevertheless, the few studies conducted on the topic show it to be a desirable trait. Therefore, it is an important …

Signs And Symptoms Of Moral Injury In Female Vietnam Veterans: A Qualitative Examination Of The Nvvrs, Alison H. Conway

Theses and Dissertations

It is well-known that war veterans experience long-lasting physical and psychological injuries following their deployment, and recent studies have proposed the construct of moral injury (MI) to explain the moral and spiritual effects of war on individuals. Litz et al. (2009) defined MI as "perpetrating, failing to prevent, or bearing witness to acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations" (p. 6), and Drescher et al. (2011) interviewed trauma experts to identify types of events that could create MI and the lasting sequelae of these events. Vargas et al. (2013) provided validation of MI by examining male Vietnam veterans' …

Addressing Client Mental Health Within The Personal Training Relationship, Alana R. Honigman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

I undertook this study to expand the literature regarding connections between mental and physical health to include ways in which client mental health arises and is addressed within the personal training relationship. My research was guided by an ethical framework with the purpose of improving best care practices for clients. The four research questions I posed concerned the frequency with which mental health issues are addressed, typical interventions personal trainers utilize in response to these issues, the reasons personal trainers choose specific interventions, and the training personal trainers receive regarding client mental health. Participants (N = 58) were recruited through …

Neighborhood Perceptions And Emotional Well-Being In Young Adulthood, Karen A. Snedker, Carole Hooven

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Problem:

While mounting research suggests that neighborhood environment impacts mental health outcomes, for adolescents and adults, there is scant research on how perceived neighborhood context affects young adults. In this article, we explore the role of perceived neighborhood characteristics, specifically indicators of perceived neighborhood stressors, on emotional well-being among young adults.

Method:

Using a regional sample of young adults, we estimate regression models to examine the relationship of perceived neighborhood stressors on three mental health outcomes (depressed affect, hopelessness, and anger), reflective of a general emotional well-being, while controlling for key individual characteristics related to mental health outcomes.

Findings:

Results …

Research Brief: "Psychopathology, Iraq And Afghanistan Service, And Suicide Among Veterans Health Administration Patients", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the connections between being a OIF/OEF veteran who receives care from the VHA and suicide mortality. In policy and practice, mental health screenings for OIF/OEF veterans should be implemented in non-VHA healthcare settings and families of OIF/OEF veterans should encourage veterans to seek treatment if they exhibit signs of a mental health condition. The VHA should implement policies that promote its healthcare to veterans in order to decrease suicide risks among veterans and should also offer more mental health screenings for recently returned veterans. Suggestions for future research include looking at risks for suicide after traumatic …

Media Created Violence: A Social Determinant Of Mental Health., Shamshad Begum, Shaneela Sadruddin Khowaja, Gulnar Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

In today's high technological world, scientific discoveries contribute remarkable development to human life, but it could also have an adverse impact on mankind. Among all these advancements, media is one of the inventions which aims at capturing a countless group of viewers and transmit information via various mediums. Media violence is considered one of the hampering determinants which harms an individual psychologically. The primary goal of a health professional is to work for the maintenance of mental health. Therefore, it is imperative to create an understanding about the impact of media violence on mental health, particularly in the Pakistani context. …

Delirium, Tayyeb Tahir

Brain and Mind Institute

Delirium is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome and can occur in various clinical settings. It has a multi-factorial aetiology. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Tools and strategies to screen and assess the severity of delirium can be used for an early intervention. Proactive screening for delirium has the potential to allow more optimal management, and thereby reduce morbidity and mortality significantly. Appropriate drug therapy may form part of multi-component interventions in the prevention and treatment of delirium. Further research is warranted in the systematic identification of high-risk patients undergoing major procedures as well as in the prophylactic or …

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Descriptive Study, Erica Jex Gergely

Dissertations

The current study seeks to examine the program operations and treatment practices of individuals and organizations providing equine-assisted therapy services nationwide. Currently, there are several hundred programs across the United States that utilize equine-assisted therapy to treat common mental health problems in children, adolescents, and adults. Not all equine therapy programs function under the same theoretical model and therefore do not deliver treatment services using equivalent principles or techniques. In addition, program policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines of each provider vary. To date, there exists a paucity of research regarding equine-assisted therapy including both qualitative and quantitative data.

The present …

An (In)Active Pursuit Of Healing, Sara Roik

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to raise a discussion and reflection of the current state of psychiatry in an intensely globalized world. As a result of globalization, many individuals have a lack of enculturation and a shallow connection to tradition. I take both a subjective and objective approach to understand how this has an effect on an individual’s perceptions and efficacy of treatment as many healing methods come to coexist. The subjective will be explored through my own reactions to treatment methods after becoming diagnosed with an anxiety disorder that leads to periodic states of depression. The objective will focus on two …

Psychosocial Concerns In Pediatric Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury Patients, Janelle M. Mentrikoski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPI) occur during childbirth when the child's shoulder blade gets stuck on the mother's pubic bone, resulting in damage to nerves in the child's shoulder. Due to the possible visible nature (e.g., injured arm may be shorter than the non-injured arm) and mobility limitations (e.g., difficulties in raising the injured arm to brush one's teeth) associated with these injuries, youth with OBPI may experience psychosocial difficulties. However, little research has examined the psychosocial functioning in this population. The current study sought to investigate possible predictors of social functioning and self-concept in youth with OBPI. This study …

Sitting Time And Future Health Expectations In African American And Hispanic Or Latina Women, Stacey L. Gorniak, Nathan Parker, Rebecca E. Lee

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: In Lee et al. (2012; J Obesity), a hypothesis relating increased sitting time and lower stress levels was introduced. The aim of this analysis is to evaluate the relationship between measures of sedentary behavior and mental health outcomes.

Method: The current study was a secondary analysis using data from the Health Is Power (HIP) study. Four hundred ten community dwelling African American (n = 263), and Hispanic/Latina (n = 147) women aged 25-60 participated in HIP, a longitudinal, community-based, randomized controlled trial to increase physical activity. Women who met inclusionary criteria gave informed consent and completed health …

The Americans With Disabilities Act, Mental Illness,And Medication: A Historical Perspective And Hope For The Future, Jennifer M. Jackson

Marquette Elder's Advisor

No abstract provided.

Research Brief: "Impact Of The Seeking Safety Program On Clinical Outcomes Among Homeless Female Veterans With Psychiatric Disorders", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the effect of the Seeking Safety program's services on improvement in PTSD, psychiatric symptoms, and social support among homeless female veterans. In policy and practice, clinicians should be trained on how to use the program to better serve homeless female veterans, and policymakers should push for clinician training for those who work with homeless veterans. Suggestions for future research include applying this study and the Seeking Safety program to non-VA healthcare systems, assessing substance use within the program, and assessing the long-term effects of the Seeking Safety program.

Voices Raised, Issue 37, University Of Dayton. Women's Center

Women’s Center Newsletter

Included in this issue: Title IX: Liberty and Justice for All; Inspirational Idol Barbara Palmer; Magical Mentoring; Kickin’ it with Kristen Altenau; Give Me Your Hand; Vegetarian Society of Greater Dayton; Songs to Signs; Me, Homesick?; Political Prominence of Women; Dimensions of Wellness.

Is It Personal Autonomy Or A Personality Disorder?, Steve Fox

Marquette Elder's Advisor

In today's environment of mental health issues, protecting the rights of the elderly becomes even more challenging. Understanding the role of medical and psychiatric evaluations- and critical review of the quality of such reports- is crucial to providing adequate safeguards for clients.

Expanding The Healthy Schizotype Model: Profiles Of Schizotypy As Predictors Of Creativity, Religion And Mental Health, Naomi Tuchman

Open Access Dissertations

Converging evidence suggests that schizotypal personality traits exist on a continuum (Rawlings, Williams, Haslam, & Claridge, 2008). In fact, although scant research has been conducted on this topic to date, some evidence suggests that there may be a subset of schizotypes (“healthy schizotypes”) who function well in spite of unusual experiences and proneness to the development of psychosis (McCreery & Claridge, 2002). In the present study, a latent profile analysis was conducted on a sample of 420 undergraduates, using data from the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE) scale. Six profiles emerged from the analysis. Confirming study expectations, with …

Co-Occurring Mental Health And Substance Use Disorders: A Review Of Issues And Clinical Approaches For Dual Diagnosis, Jacob Aaron Weatherford

Research Papers

Individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD) encounter a number of challenges that significantly diminish their quality of life. As compared to persons with either a mental illness or SUD alone, those with co-occurring disorders often have significantly more impairment in functioning, more severe symptoms, and are at an increased risk of health problems, hospitalization, incarceration, and suicide, amongst other negative consequences. Furthermore, those with co-occurring disorders are often more difficult to engage and retain in treatment, and have a worse prognosis than those with a single disorder. Treatment facilities are often not equipped with adequate assessment …

The Mental Health Implications Of Experiencing Racial/Ethnic Microaggressions Among Latina/Os: Cognitive, Affective, And Behavioral Components, Kelly M. Moore

Dissertations (1934 -)

The present study sought to elucidate the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components associated with the experience of racial/ethnic microaggressions among Latina/os, and the mental health outcomes of this form of discrimination. The study examined data from 175 Mexican and Mexican-American Latina/o adults recruited from a large Latina/o ethnic festival in a moderately-sized Midwestern city. Methodology of the present study incorporated innovative materials, including a quantitative measure of racial/ethnic microaggressions and a vignette to elicit an experience of a racial/ethnic microaggression. Results showed that past six-month experiences with racial/ethnic microaggressions are predictive of psychological distress. Overall, one's greater affective stress response …

Research Brief: "Psychiatric Status And Work Performance Of Veterans Of Operations Enduring Freedom And Iraqi Freedom", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study examines the relationship between psychiatric status and work impairment among OEF/OIF veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. In practice, mental health services are a high priority for the Veterans Administration, which is now focused on integrating behavioral health services into primary care so OEF/OIF veterans face fewer obstacles in obtaining and sustaining psychiatric care. In policy, policymakers should integrate veterans’ health programs with systematic assessment functioning, and develop treatment geared towards addressing impaired job performance. Suggestions for future study include focusing on whether workers with depression and other psychiatric conditions participate fully in the labor market and function effectively …

Supporting Utah's Parents In Preventing Adolescent Suicide: A Literature Review And Handouts For Utah's Youth Suicide Prevention Manual, Jennifer L. Whicker

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide, a public health problem on a global scale, has become the focus in many domains across the United States. With the recent push to provide solutions to the adolescent suicide rate in the U.S., the school setting has become an important venue for prevention and intervention efforts. While there are many risk and protective factors, the majority of suicide completions are concurrent with psychiatric disorders among adolescents; as such, this is an area that warrants further investigation. Additionally, school resources are often overwhelmed by the magnitude of need among the student population; therefore, effective interventions must be identified that …

Deconstructing Children's Expectations For Psychotherapy: Understanding How Parents Prepare Their Children For Mental Health Treatment, Heather Nix

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Little research has investigated the effects of stigma on child psychotherapy. Because parents are a primary factor in determining whether children receive psychotherapy and how therapy progresses, understanding how parental perceptions of psychopathology and psychotherapy are associated with children’s mental health treatment seems to be an important step in investigating how stigma impacts child psychotherapy. Researchers have not closely examined, however, how parents might influence children’s experiences of psychotherapy. To address this topic, the current study examined how parents’ views of psychotherapy were related to how they prepared their children for psychotherapy and how this preparation was related to children’s …

Disparities In Mental Health Utilization Among Persons With Chronic Diseases, Saundra Glover, Keith Elder, Sudha Xirasagar, Jong-Deuk Baek, Crystal Piper, Dayna Campbell

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study used Aday and Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to examine the role of chronic disease and the joint impact of race and chronic disease type on mental health utilization. Using data from Community Tracking Survey Household Survey, we tested the assumption that chronic disease, chronic disease type, and race are related to lower rates of mental health visits when adjusted for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. After adjusting for population characteristics, we found that race significantly moderated the impact of chronic disease type on mental health utilization, showing that African Americans with cardiovascular disease were half …