Digital Commons Network^™

Defining Intimacy In Diverse Asian Cultures, Blendine Hawkins, Katherine Herlein

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

America has continued to diversify as a nation, welcoming people from every race, culture and continent. The US Census Bureau (2004) reported that there were 13.5 million Asians in America and these numbers are increasing (US Census Bureau, 2004). This indicates that there is a greater demand for competent and effective mental health care to meet the needs of this heterogeneous group. Asian Americans can be best helped by a therapist who is sensitive, knowledgeable and has an understanding about the core values which are present in many Asian cultures. There are limited resources and treatment guides for this population …

Unmasking The Moving Threat: Reckless Driving, Borderline Personality Disorder, And The Impact On Motor Vehicle Accidents, Charlene Lam

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), a leading cause of mortality in the United States have an enormous impact on public health. Researchers contend that approximately 90% of all MVAs are, to some extent, a result of driver characteristics and behavior (Lewin, 1982). One of the least researched driver characteristics is psychiatric comorbidity, especially borderline personality disorder (BPD), a disorder that is characterized by impulsivity and emotional volatility.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between BPD and driving citations.

Method: Using two measures for BPD, we surveyed a consecutive sample of patients who were being seen …

Pragmatic Language Skills Underlying Social Competence Of Reading Disability In Middle School Students, Ali Adibi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine pragmatic language engagement and social competence in middle school children with and without reading disability during dyadic interaction. Engagement was defined in terms of degree of information and responsiveness provided by each partner. Analyses indicated reading disabled students differ from non-reading disabled students in terms of pragmatic language engagement. However, this was true only in terms of degree of responsiveness. Students with reading disability employed similar degrees of pragmatic language engagement in terms of information to those of their nondisabled peers. Further, no relationships were found between social competence and either type …

Incompetence To Maintain A Divorce Action: When Breaking Up Is Odd To Do, Douglas Mossman Md, Amanda N. Shoemaker

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

The law has well-established provisions for handling divorce actions initiated on behalf of persons already adjudged incompetent or by competent petitioners against incompetent spouses. But how should a court respond if a mentally ill petitioner who is competent to manage most personal affairs seeks to divorce a spouse for bizarre, very odd, or crazy-sounding reasons?

Several recent social developments - better psychiatric treatment, wider acceptance of divorce, population trends, and the advent of “no-fault” and unilateral divorce laws - have made it more likely that mentally ill petitioners will seek divorces. Yet the question of whether to allow a divorce …

Acculturation Of Russian Refugee Adolescents: The Life Domain Of Peer Relationships, Andrew A. Morozov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to uncover the meaning of acculturation as experienced by the Russian refugee adolescents in the domain of peer relationships. This qualitative study implemented a purposeful sampling strategy. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 refugee adolescents from Russia (3 ethnic Russians and 9 Meskhetian Turks), male and female, aged 15-18, who resided in Denver, Colorado. Applying Moustakas's (1994) phenomenology method of analysis, 8 main themes emerged. The essence of the phenomenon can be described in terms of the refugee adolescents' need for self-worth and belongingness. Belongingness is understood as identification with and acceptance by …

The Essential Role Of Social Work In Addressing Victims And Survivors Of Trafficking, Nancie Palmer

ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law

"All persons held as slaves ... are and henceforth free."' The orders from President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation first issued on September twenty-second in 1862 while limited in scope freeing certain slaves, served to ignite imagination and pride in those who now look back in history at this defining event.

Availability Of Treatment To Youth Offenders: Comparison Of Public Versus Private Programs From A National Census, Rebecca A. Yazzie

Faculty Publications - College of Social Work

Across the United States, the availability of mental health, substance abuse, and recidivism reduction programs in the juvenile justice system (JJS) varies from none or few to a rich variety of programs. Within the last decade, prison privatization in the adult correctional system has influenced the onset of privatization in the JJS. The differences between public and private sectors in their availability of mental health services and treatment programs to juvenile offenders are understudied. In this article, a secondary analysis of a national census of 3163 juvenile facilities was conducted to determine differences in treatment availability as well as the …

Romantic Relationships And The Physical And Mental Health Of College Students, Scott R. Braithwaite, Raquel Delevi, Frank Fincham

Faculty Publications

This study tested the hypothesis that, analogous to married individuals, college students in committed romantic relationships experience greater well-being than single college students. In a sample of 1,621 college students, individuals in committed relationships experienced fewer mental health problems and were less likely to be overweight/obese. There were no significant differences between groups in frequency of physical health problems. Examination of 2 models suggested that being in a committed romantic relationship decreases problematic outcomes largely through a reduction in sexual partners, which in turn decreases both risky behaviors and problematic outcomes. These results are discussed in the context of how …

A Qualitative Analysis Of School-Based Mental Health Professionals’ Views On The Use Of Self-Disclosure And Humor, Robert Felloney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is some controversy in the therapeutic community over the use of therapist self-disclosure and humor. On one hand, there are those who contend that use of these therapeutic techniques can have both relational and outcome benefits. On the other hand, there are those who indicate employment of these counseling methods can interfere with the counseling process by being a distraction, as they take the focus away from the client. Relatively little research has been done on the effectiveness of utilizing these techniques, especially the use of therapeutic humor.  Review of the research shows there are relational and consequent outcome …

Phenomenology Of Embodied Dreamwork With Puerto Rican Women: A Dissertation, Lourdes F. Brache-Tabar

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The author investigated the experience of embodied dreamwork. Participants were eight Puerto Rican women who were chronically ill, of low socioeconomic status, who lived in Boston. The data were analyzed using transcendental phenomenology. Each participant engaged in one embodied dreamwork–unstructured interview session lasting approximately 1.5 hours. In addition, each participant drew a picture of how she felt after the dreamwork interview. This snowball, purposive sample gave detailed information about how they experienced embodied dreamwork. The participants’ statements were grouped into themes: (a) sense of place—environment, surroundings, spatiality; (b) the players—self, others; (c) plot; (d) in the sea of emotions—naming affective …

Evaluating The Patient-Centeredness Of Medicare Part D, Melissa Hensley

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

The implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit: "Part D") has brought about many changes in the provision of prescription medications to adults with serious mental illness. Existing research on the impact of Part D on this population, for the most part, examines the benefit from the perspective of the physicians who treat these individuals. This research seeks to use a framework of patient-centered care to examine the impact of the Part D benefit on adults with mental illness, from the viewpoints of beneficiaries themselves and the case managers: "community support workers") who serve them. In addition, data from the …

Contributions Of Neglect Subtypes And Family History In Dsm-Iv Disorders: Findings From The Ncs-R, Leanne Heaton

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the prevalence of neglect in the child welfare system, understanding of the etiology of neglect remains limited in scope. Limitations are driven by the frequent reliance on child protective services (CPS) data which consists of identified cases and consequently, the most serious of all cases, or through a few population based studies that operationalize neglect as a homogenous phenomenon rather than as distinct subtypes. Furthermore, most studies of neglect focus on maternal deficiencies while paternal factors are largely ignored. This study is meant to address these considerations by utilizing the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), a broad population based …

The Use Of Behavioral Agreements By Senior Student Affairs Officers And Counseling Center Directors To Manage Student Mental Health Concerns And Minimize Threatening Behavior, Douglas A. Geiger

Dissertations

This qualitative investigation examines the use of behavioral agreements by Senior Student Affairs Officers and Counseling Center Directors to manage student mental health concerns and minimize behavior that poses threats to campus communities. Six pairs of Senior Student Affairs Officers and Counseling Center Directors at the same institution were interviewed for this study. In addition, documents concerning mental health and threat assessment policy and protocols are also examined and discussed. An expanded theory of practice known as Student Intervention Facilitators is presented as an option to mandated psychotherapy.

Affective Response And Cognition In Hiv, Roger C. Mcintosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Resource allocation theory, Polich (2007) suggests cortical measures may attenuate when processing demands increase. Thirteen HIV-negative women (M = 36.5) and 15 HIV-positive women (M = 36.1) infected were instructed to view neutral and negative IAPS images and then to detect rare tones in a subsequent auditory oddball task. A 2 x 2 ANOVA for the auditory P3 did not indicate a main effect for picture valence however an interaction was found between picture valence and serostatus at location Fz, F(1,24) = 18.99, p<.001. During the visual ERP sequence an interaction between valence and serostatus was found at the Pz location, F(1,24) = 18.99, p<.001, meaning the late positive potential (LPP) was not modulated between viewing neutral and negative images in HIV-positive women. These findings suggest that the manifestation of HIV in women may alter the neural processing of emotions, though not to the detriment of a subsequent cognitive task.

Parental Timing And Depressive Symptoms In Early Adulthood, Christina D. Falci, Jeylan Mortimer, Harmonijoie Noel

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Using data from a panel of 459 women, we find that early parents (birth) report higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood (roughly age 29) compared to later parents (first birth in their 20s) or nonparents. Early parenting is also associated with more stressors and fewer resources in young adulthood. As young adults, early parents have lower educational attainment, less secure employment and a weaker sense of personal control; they also experience greater financial strain and more traumatic life events than later and nonparents. By the end of their 20s, early parents are also more likely to be single …

Day Therapy Programs For Adolescents With Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review, Yamini Deenadayalan, Saravana Kumar, Zuzana Machotka, Luke Perraton

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Day therapy programs are one of many interventions available for adolescents with mental health issues. Day therapy programs utilise a multi-disciplinary community-based approach to the treatment of mental health issues and allow adolescents to remain under the care of their family. To date, no review has specifically investigated the effectiveness of day therapy programs for adolescents. This review aims to investigate both the effectiveness of day therapy programs for adolescents with mental health problems and highlight the key components underpinning these programs. A systematic review of peer- reviewed literature was undertaken, using recognised processes. Eight studies were included in this …

Psychosocial Problems Of Homeless Sexual Minority Youths And Their Heterosexual Counterparts, Maurice Gattis

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Abstract The purpose of this dissertation was to better understand the psychosocial problems: mental health problems, substance use problems, and sexual risk behaviors) and the associated contextual risk factors by comparing homeless sexual minority youths with their heterosexual counterparts. This study used an ecological perspective: Bronfenbrenner, 1989) and a risk and protective factors framework: Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992) to identify contextual risk factors at the microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem levels that are associated with the psychosocial problems of homeless sexual minority and homeless heterosexual youths. Individuals aged 16-24 were recruited from three drop-in programs serving homeless youths in downtown …

From Infanticide To Activism: The Transformation Of Emotions And Identity In Self-Help Movements, Verta Taylor, Lisa A. Leitz

Peace Studies Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Taylor and Leitz trace processes of collective identity construction and politicization among women suffering from postpartum psychiatric illness who have been convicted of infanticide. Joining a growing body of research suggesting that self‐help and consumer health movements can be a significant force for change in both the cultural and political arenas, Taylor and Lietz examine one such movement, a pen‐pal network of women incarcerated for committing infanticide. Taylor and Leitz show how a sense of collective identity fostered by the pen‐pal network triggered a profound emotional transformation in participants, allowing them to convert shame and loneliness into pride and solidarity, …

Extending The Benefits Of Alcohol And Drug Treatment: An Exploration Of Volunteer Utilization And Delivery Of Recovery Services, Leonard L. Bade

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explored what treatment providers can learn from community-based organizations about volunteerism as a way to support long-term alcohol and drug recovery. In particular, this thesis used 11 structured interviews with staff at community-based organizations and treatment centers to determine the level of resource allocation of volunteers, the utilization of volunteers in program and service delivery, and the motivation of volunteers to get and stay involved in recovery activities. Gaining a better understanding of volunteerism as a strategy for extending care beyond a treatment setting had benefits for both treatment center alumni and volunteers. Findings supported previous anecdotal and …

Winning Big But Feeling No Better? The Effect Of Lottery Prizes On Physical And Mental Health, Benedicte Apouey, Andrew E. Clark

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

We use British panel data to explore the exogenous impact of income on a number of individual health outcomes: general health status, mental health, physical health problems, and health behaviours (drinking and smoking). Lottery winnings allow us to make causal statements regarding the effect of income on health, as the amount won is largely exogenous. These positive income shocks have no significant effect on general health, but a large positive effect on mental health. This result seems paradoxical on two levels. First, there is a well-known status gradient in health in cross-section data, and, second, general health should partly reflect …

Robust Protective Factors That Help Youths With A Parent Experiencing Depression Achieve Positive Adjustment, Hsing-Jung Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Based on a resilience framework, the purpose of this study was to address knowledge gaps about minority youths who lived in rural and poor areas, had a primary caregiver with a diagnosis of depression, and faced multiple psychosocial stressors. Three research objectives included: 1) To explore the association between ecological protective factors and four developmental outcomes-emotional adjustment, behavioral adjustment, school performance, and educational aspiration; 2) To identify the robust protective factors; and 3) To explore the interactive relationships between risk and robust protective factors. Families (N=126) where the primary caregiver had a diagnosis of major depression and had a child …

Violence And Women's Mental Health: The Pain Unequalled, Part Two, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

Voices Raised, Issue 25, University Of Dayton. Women's Center

Women’s Center Newsletter

Included in this issue: Students Helping Students Make Important Decisions; Love Your Body; Promoting Community Wellness; “WISE” Up; Questions About H1N1?; Get Vaccinated!; Learn to Love Yourself as You Are; Next Time You’re In a Dressing Room, Take Notice; Think Before You Pink.

What Are The Mental Health Seeking Behaviors Of Female Sex Workers?, Serena Wong

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study asked the following question: What are the mental health help seeking behaviors of female sex workers? The study examined: (1) the mental health help seeking behaviors of female sex workers; (2) sex workers perception of the efficacy of talking to professionals (counselors, psychologists, social workers) and non-professionals about emotional issues and; (3) experiences and feelings related to the disclosure of their sex work status to their therapist. Fifty-eight women who were currently sex workers or had worked within the last year responded to a mixed methods survey questionnaire. The survey covered a range of issues in regards to …

Why Horses? Why Not Horses? : Equine-Facilitated Therapy As It Applies To Mental Health, Katie Ann Worms

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored the general benefits of equine-facilitated therapy and for whom this treatment is appropriate. Utilizing interviews of ten equine therapists and therapeutic riding instructors, who have an advanced degree in the areas of social work, psychology, education or therapeutic recreation, as well as at least one year of professional equine experience, this study explored the participants' perception of the use of equine-facilitated therapies as it applies to mental health treatment. Secondly, through this perspective, the study looked to identify a "preferred client profile" that participants felt would be best suited to engage in equine-facilitated therapy (EFT). The findings …

What Is The Efficacy Of Evidence-Based Practice In Mental Health Treatment Of Diverse Ethnic Minorities?, Claire Denise Villegas

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-method exploratory study attempted to examine the efficacy of evidence-based practice (EBP) in mental health treatment of diverse ethnic minorities. The study utilized an online survey consisting of demographic, multiple-choice and narrative questions. Twenty-one clinicians who utilized EBP interventions in their clinical practice completed this survey. The current EBP research lacks equal representation of ethnic minorities in the study populations. EBPs are increasingly mandated through agency policy and legislation (Carter, 2008). While broad claims are sometimes made that such interventions will "work" for everyone, it is noteworthy that diverse ethnic minorities are often not included in much of the …

Violence And Women's Mental Health: The Pain Unequalled, Part One, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

Disparate Juvenile Court Outcomes For Disabled Delinquent Youth: A Social Work Call To Action, Christopher A. Mallett

Social Work Faculty Publications

Current service delivery for at-risk youth is through four separate systems: special education; mental health and substance abuse; juvenile justice; and child welfare. Many youth (and their families) are involved with more than one of these systems, making early disability identification and subsequent systems coordination paramount in leading to more successful juvenile court outcomes. This coordination is an important and prioritized public policy concern because a majority of youth (disproportionately minority) within juvenile justice populations has been identified with mental health disorders, special education disabilities, or maltreatment histories. This study of a unique sample of probation-supervised delinquent youths ( n …

Qualitative Study Of Trauma Outcomes Among Acehnese Tsunami Survivors, Amrit Kaur

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study uses qualitative methods to understand trauma from an indigenous perspective and to assess the validity of the DSM-IV (APA, 2000) diagnosis PTSD and depression in a remote Asian population. Twelve individuals were interviewed about their post-tsunami difficulties in the Indonesian province of Aceh. Contrary to our expectations, participants reported significant numbers of almost all DSM-IV-TR symptoms of PTSD and depression. Although the expressions of illness symptoms were colored by the local language and customs, participants reported few symptoms that could be seen as unique to this culture. These finding suggest that Western developed DSM-IV-TR symptomatology may be largely …

Baby Talk, Melanie Marquez

USF Magazine Articles about USF St. Petersburg Campus

Discusses research by University of South Florida St. Petersburg Professor James McHale on infant mental health.