Digital Commons Network^™

The Interplay Of Stress, Health, And Well-Being Among Health Providers In Primary Health Service, Anita Sadikaj, Rinor Berisha

International Journal of Business and Technology

Stress, health, and well-being are intrinsically connected in a complex interplay that has captured the attention of researchers, healthcare professionals, and individuals seeking to lead healthier lives. The delivery of healthcare services in Primary Health Services relies heavily on the dedication and resilience of healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, and support staff. These professionals are the backbone of the healthcare system, ensuring that essential medical care is provided to individuals and communities. However, the demanding nature of their work, which often involves long hours, heavy workloads, and complex patient interactions, places them at risk of experiencing high levels of stress. …

Social Support And Depression In Latinx Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Dulce Diaz Benitez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although previous meta-analyses have found significant relationships between social support and youth outcomes, neither has included ethnicity as a moderator or even described the ethnic breakdown in the studies analyzed (Chu et al., 2010; Rueger et al., 2016). Studies that have looked at the relationship between social support and outcomes in Latinx youth have found mixed findings. This study examined the relationship between social support and depression in Latinx youth living in the United States. This study also explored differences in the strength of the relationship between social support and depression in several previously studied moderators (function of social support, …

An Assessment Of The Relationship Between Stress And Glucose Levels In Medical Laboratory Science Students, Jayla Edwards

Honors Theses

Stress is prevalent among college students. Prolonged, unmanaged stress can affect physiological processes such as glucose metabolism. This study aimed to examine the effects of stress on glucose levels of medical laboratory science (MLS) students at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). To achieve this, the participants’ perceived stress levels and glucose levels were measured at the beginning of the semester and during finals week, a period when college students typically experience the most stress. There were nineteen MLS students that participated. Data was collected at two phases: phase 1 at the beginning of the semester and phase 2 during …

Quality Improvement Project: Impact Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program For Healthcare Providers Who Evaluate Veterans, Peng Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Long-term stress can lead to healthcare provider burnout. Mindfulness-based interventions, even when shortened, may provide a promising and innovative method to reduce stress and prevent burnout. Research on mindfulness programs has demonstrated significant benefits for both providers and patients. This quality improvement project aims to evaluate the effect of a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) for providers who evaluate veterans on the variable of mindfulness awareness compared to current site practice. Lewin’s change management model and Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory were used. Plan-Do-Study-Act was the implementation framework applied. The design was pretest-posttest using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). …

Evaluation And Identification Of Risk Factors For Stress Among Maquiladora Workers Based On The Mexican Official Standard 035 Survey Tool, Andrea Baca Melendez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and significance: Occupational psychosocial risk factors are workplace conditions that can trigger physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes. They are strongly associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as non-mental health conditions like myocardial infarction, stroke, and occupational injuries. Analyzing these risks from a sociodemographic perspective provides valuable insights for improving work environments and workers’ well-being. Purpose: This study aimed to identify and determine the levels of occupational psychosocial risk factors among workers in a manufacturing company in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, and to examine their relationship with sociodemographic variables to inform future interventions in …

Under Pressure: The Effects Of Stress And Cognitive Load On Interrogative Suggestibility, Claudia Cota

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

High-stakes situations, like police interrogations, can impair critical thinking due to stress and cognitive demands, making individuals more susceptible to suggestion. While much research focuses on children, young adults are also at risk for interrogative suggestibility, which can have serious legal consequences. This study experimentally manipulated stress and cognitive load to test whether both factors increase suggestibility in young adults, both independently and interactively, with the highest suggestibility among those experiencing both greater stress and cognitive demands. This was evaluated by examining both condition effects and self-reports of stress and cognitive load. College students (N = 230), aged 18 to …

Emotion Regulation Flexibility And Well-Being In College Athletes In Aesthetic Sports, Kaitlyn D. Chamberlain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined emotion regulation flexibility and well-being (including psychological well-being, physical well-being, perceived sport performance and worth of sport participation) in athletes in aesthetic sports. This population experiences high environmental demands and constraints and thus low control over their environment. Collegiate athletes within aesthetic sports and female athletes experience specific social factors and demands that threaten their well-being, compared to those experienced by male athletes and athletes within non-aesthetic sports. Consistent with the transactional theory of stress and coping, individuals with less power to regulate their environment will require greater ability to regulate themselves in accordance with their changing …

Contextual Stress Profiles And Trajectories Of Internalizing Symptoms Among Adolescents In Mexican Immigrant Families, Su Yeong Kim, Wen Wen, Kiera M. Coulter, Wei Xiang Sim, Tianlu Zhang, Jingyi Shen, Yang Hou, Yishan Shen, Ka I. Ip

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Contextual stress experiences in early adolescents may predict distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms and anxiety across the course of adolescence. Data from 604 Mexican-origin adolescents collected from 2012 to 2020 (54% female; Mage = 12.92, SD = 0.92) showed that youth with high stress levels in multiple domains (Broadly Stressed) and those with high stress in language brokering domain only (Language Brokering Stressed) had similar levels of internalizing symptoms in early adolescence, and both groups reported higher stress than youth experiencing occasional levels of stress across domains (Occasionally Environmentally Stressed). However, youth in the Language Brokering Stressed group experienced slightly …

Sex Differences In Self-Medication Patterns And Stress, Darin Challacombe, Paterson Romero

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: The current study sought to find out to what degree the linkage exists between sex, stress levels, and self-medication activities. Method: We used an anonymous survey in both English and Spanish and surveyed 615 participants, of which the average age was 36.5 years. For gender, participants coded themselves as “male” (n = 350) and “female” (n = 243). We did not request participants to code ethnicity. We used a demographics questionnaire, a list of substances used for self-medication along with some questions about self-medication activities, and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen & Williamson, 1988). Results: We found a significant …

What Methods Do Pre-Licensure Bsn Students At A Christian University Use To Improve Resilience: A Qualitative Case Study, Beth Kelley

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

The purpose of this mixed-methods single-case study was to explore methods that pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students at a Christian university used to improve their resilience. Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (1984) was employed as a theoretical framework, and the study asked: What methods did pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students at a Christian university use to manage stress and improve resilience? A convenience sample of 91 students was obtained to complete the demographic questionnaire, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Of those students, 25 volunteered for interviews …

Reducing Moral Distress Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The Impact Of A Weekly Palliative Care And Neonatology Conference, Kirthi Devireddy, Riddhi Shukla, Rachel Boren, James E Slaven, Rebecca A Baker, Jayme D Allen, Karen M Moody

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Moral distress is the experience of knowing what ethically right action to take, but being unable to act accordingly, due to external factors. It is an experience common to providers working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where care for infants, often born at the edges of viability or with other life-limiting diagnoses, includes life and death medical decision-making in the context of uncertain prognoses. Palliative care, which aims to reduce suffering, can assist with staff moral distress by providing space for conversations regarding goals-of-care and end-of-life decision making.

Methods: The palliative care and NICU teams co-developed a …

Faculty Touchpoint Survey 2025: Key Findings And Recommendations, Lisa A. Marchiondo, Naila V. Decruz-Dixon, Julia Fulghum

ADVANCE Reports

A Spring 2025 climate survey finds that UNM faculty remain committed to their teaching, scholarship, and collegial relationships, despite concerns about research funding, academic freedom, and graduate student recruitment and well-being. The survey also found that faculty have higher levels of stress than in a previous ADVANCE survey, worse psychological well-being, more difficulty concentrating, and more concern about tenure and promotion. A set of recommendations for academic leaders are provided.

Opposing Roles Of Microglial And Macrophagic C3ar1 Signaling In Stress-Induced Synaptic And Behavioral Changes, Ashutosh Tripathi, Alona Bartosh, Dania Jose, Jocelyn Mata, Usama Hussein, Fernanda Laezza, Zhongming Zhao, Anilkumar Pillai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The social deficits following chronic stress conditions are linked to synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Complement system plays a critical role in synapse regulation. Although complement has been implicated in chronic stress-induced behavior deficits the cellular substrates and mechanisms underlying complement-mediated behavior changes under chronic stress conditions are not known. In the present study, we investigated the role of complement component 3a receptor (C3ar1) in microglia and monocytes/macrophages (Mo/MΦ) in chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-induced synapse loss and behavior deficits in mice. We found that deletion of microglial C3ar1 attenuated stress-induced social behavior deficits and changes in neuroinflammatory as well as …

A Nursing Perspective Of Antecedents And Consequences Of Incivility In Higher Education: A Scoping Review, Kaitlyn C. Tate, Greta G. Cummings, Leslie Hayduk, Diane Kunyk, Tatiana K. Penconek

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Incivility in nursing education may result in damaging effects for nursing students and faculty. In our scoping review of 107 included studies, faculty, student incivility, and stress were reported in multiple studies as antecedents of incivility in nursing education, while psychological and physiological negatives outcomes were widely reported as consequences.

Detailed abstract attached.

Wisdom, Wellbeing, And Peer Support Program: Addressing System-Based And Individual Job Stress, Richard J. Westphal, Margaret Plews-Ogan

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

The presented program is an evidenced-based and evidence-informed program to help the health care workforce be their best together. Full health system implementation followed a pilot-test and program evaluation in a high-stress unit. The program is constructed on three pillars that address and integrate individual, team, and organizational factors: (1) Peer support; (2) Resilience; and (3) Optimization of the systems in which people work.

Detailed abstract is attached to this item record.

Leveraging After School Programs As Resources To Support Adolescent Health And Wellbeing Within Underserved Communities: A Qualitative Study, Olivia Staples

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, youth have shown a consistent rise in stress, major depression, anxiety, and suicide, with underserved youth (low-income, minoritized communities) at greatest risk of exposure to chronic stress, related outcomes, and less access to health services (APA, 2017). Afterschool programs (ASPs), which serve as important resources in underserved communities, can be a critical support for youth health and well-being (Afterschool Alliance, 2019). However, few studies have examined ways in which ASPs address the challenges underserved youth face across their ecosystem to promote youth resilience (Jones & Deutsch, 2011). Using qualitative interview data from staff and youth across …

The Importance Of Self-Care To Avoid Teacher Burnout, Lindsey Brittain

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Schools across the world are facing the increasingly significant issue of teacher burnout and the ability to retain good teachers. The problem is teachers are experiencing heightened levels of stress, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of motivation in the classroom. Not only is this detrimental to their well-being but it also affects their students. Research has shown that self-care practices can help prevent burnout, but many teachers find it hard to implement these consistently for various reasons. This study aimed to find out how teachers experience burnout and the self-care practices they use to manage stress by using a mixed-methods …

Family History Of Substance Use And Stressful Life Events Impact Adolescent Maturation Of Cerebral White Matter, Yizhou Ma, Ashley Acheson, Corneliu Bolbocean, Mustafa N Mithaiwala, Si Gao, Neda Jahanshad, Paul M Thompson, Bhim M Adhikari, Xiaoming Du, A Ankeeta, Alia Warner, Antonio F Pagán, L Elliot Hong, Peter Kochunov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Family history (FH) of substance use disorders (SUDs) and stressful life events (SLEs) are known risk factors for SUDs in adolescents and young adults. Cross‐sectional studies suggest that FH and SLEs affect adolescent white matter (WM) development and form abnormal WM patterns. Here, we examined the effects of FH, SLEs and their interaction on WM integrity in youths in the Adolescent Cognitive Brain Development (ABCD) study at baseline and 2‐ and 4‐year follow‐ups. ABCD youths (N = 8939, age ± SD = 9.9 ± 0.6 years, 4302 female) completed baseline diffusion tensor imaging, of which 5661 repeated the scan …

Genomic Prediction And Association Mapping Of Early Season Flood Tolerance In Soybean, Caio Canella Vieira, Chengjun Wu, Derrick Harrison, Rafael Marmo, Liliana Florez-Palacios, Andrea Acuna, Daniel Rogers, Samuel B. Fernandes, Igor Fernandes, Grover Shannon, Heng Ye, Henry T. Nguyen

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Flooding has become a major threat to soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production as the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitations have been increasing due to climate change. While advances have been made in identifying soybean genetic resources and genomic regions associated with mid-season flood tolerance, there is limited understanding of early season flood tolerance at the vegetative growth stages V2/V4. This study aimed to identify genomic regions associated with early season flood tolerance using a diverse panel of 254 soybean accessions, as well as investigate the viability of implementing genomic prediction models for flood tolerance. Field trials were conducted …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Stress Responses From Rehearsal Preparations For Music Ensemble Performance Evaluations And Performing Arts Adolescents’ Working Memory, Gregory Thomas Minter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The organization of memory retrieval is vital to the association between stress responses and negative educational achievements. These stress responses offer an opportunity to study the harmful consequences of prolonged strain on the developing brain, which may impair emotional restraint, self-control, and cognitive development. However, little research considers the fundamental notions of how stress responses from rehearsals for music ensemble performance assessments impact adolescent working memory. This mixed-methods study explored how rehearsal-related stress in music ensemble settings may affect adolescents' working memory. Participants included high school students in grades nine through 12 who participated in performing arts band ensembles. The …

The Role Of Mindfulness As A Preventative Measure To Reduce Stress, Burnout, And Symptoms Of Traumatic Stress In Nursing Students, Kara Zondervan

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Nurses and nursing students frequently face high-stress environments due to demanding workloads, human suffering, death, and complex decision-making. Global nursing shortages and the recent COVID-19 pandemic have worsened daily stressors in healthcare settings, leading to poor mental health, unpredictable work situations, and low job satisfaction. The physical and psychological strain of working in understaffed, under-resourced environments leads to higher rates of absenteeism, turnover, and challenges in staff retention and recruitment. This emphasizes the need for nursing students to be well-prepared to handle and cope with the inherent stressors of nursing education and future clinical practice. Research also shows that nursing …

Post-Pandemic Stress, Depression, And Anxiety After Difficult Or Distressing Shifts In The Ed, Ellen Beth Daroszewski, Dawn Zakzesky, Terrie Cole, Katie Mellgren, Sue Schoenbeck, Mark Semrad

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: The emergency department (ED) has always been complex and stressful. Nurses face unique causes of stress from the physical, psychological, and social features of ED practice (Alomari, et al., 2020). Browning, et al. (2007) found ED nurses had more distressing work environments than other nurses resulting in higher persistent stress. In a review of 25 years of research, Adriaenssens, et al. (2015) found a 25% burnout rate in ED nurses. Prior to the pandemic, the WHO estimated that one-third of ED staff were at high risk for stress disorders (Stéphane, et al. 2016). Moukarzel, et al. (2019) found 50.7% …

The Association Of Acute Stress And Lower Quarter Emg During A Single Leg Balance Dexterity Task, Ted W. Gehrig Iii, Robert I. Dudley, Jo Armour Smith, Lida Gharibvand, Lee S. Berk, Everett B. Lohman Iii

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Research Question

Methods

Dental Educators’ Stress And Wellbeing In The Workplace- An International Perspective, Shannu Bhatia, Ruby Long, Sviatlana Anishchuk, Daniel Farnell, Morag Powell, Michael Bhotelo

Peninsula Dental School

Introduction: Supporting wellbeing of staff involved in dental education is vital to ensure the safe effective delivery of the curriculum and training of the dental workforce. There are only a limited number of studies on the stress and wellbeing of staff involved in dental education and the barriers they face in engaging with any wellbeing services provided. To plan strategies for the promotion of staff wellbeing, it is important to identify these and the barriers faced by staff. The aim of this study is to determine the stress and wellbeing of the staff involved in dental education and identify any …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Psychotherapies For Ptsd In Adults: A Network Meta-Analysis, Kuei-Ru Chou, Ninik Yunitri

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: The long-term comparative effectiveness of psychotherapies for adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains unclear. We conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the effectiveness of various psychotherapies for adults with PTSD using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and long-term follow-up measurements to extend existing evidence.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in the Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline-OVID, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycInfo databases, including studies on the effectiveness of psychotherapies—cognitive processing therapy (CPT), cognitive therapy (CT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), narrative exposure therapy (NET), prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), present-centered therapy (PCT), brief eclectic psychotherapies (BEP), …

Heightened Risk: Childhood Trauma And Anticipatory Grief Exacerbate The Impact Of Loneliness On Depressive Symptoms And Lps-Stimulated Cytokines In Dementia Caregivers, Kelly N Brice, Jensine Paoletti-Hatcher, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Vincent D Lai, Daniel L Argueta, Michelle A Chen, Itee Mahant, Bryan T Denny, Charles Green, Luis D Medina, Paul Schulz, Jennifer Stinson, Samantha K Henry, Cobi Heijnen, Christopher P Fagundes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dementia spousal caregivers are at a disproportionate risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Loneliness is associated with depressive symptoms and proinflammatory cytokine production among caregivers. Additionally, childhood trauma, anticipatory grief, and poor sleep quality are all associated with enhanced stress reactivity. This study used a cross-sectional design to investigate whether loneliness is associated with proinflammatory cytokine production and depressive symptoms in caregivers, and whether these relationships are strongest among caregivers who report high levels of childhood trauma, high amounts of anticipatory grief, or poor sleep quality. A sample of 111 dementia spousal caregivers provided blood samples and completed …

An Epidemiological Exploration Of Binge Eating Disorder And Its Emotional Roots Among Youth In Greater Jakarta, Henny Kurniati, Yudha Asy'ari, Tri Amelia Rahmitha Helmi, Tonny Sundjaya

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

The rising prevalence of mental disorders among youth, including depression, anxiety, stress, and binge eating disorder (BED), has become a major concern in the context of global mental health. BED, as a form of eating disorder, often occurs with psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression, complicating diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and association between depression, anxiety, stress, and BED among youth in Greater Jakarta. Using a cross-sectional online design, data were collected from 231 participants aged 18-25 years through the Binge Eating Scale (BES) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Statistical analysis involved bivariate …

A Phenomenological Study Examining Self-Efficacy Experiences Of Urban Elementary Teachers Teaching Remotely During A Pandemic, Brandi L. Gray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of teachers who taught remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine their perceived self-efficacy in an urban school district in Western Tennessee. Bandura’s teacher self-efficacy theory guided the study as it explains how teachers’ self-efficacy plays a crucial role in academic outcomes such as student achievement, motivation, and teacher well-being in the work environment. The research question that guided the study was: How have remote teaching experiences of urban elementary teachers affected teacher self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Participants included 10 teachers from a public school district …

The Efficacy Of Mindfulness, Breathwork, And Neurofeedback: A Holistic Approach To Healing, Cheryl Moore-Whidby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the holistic impact of mindfulness, breathwork, and neurofeedback on individuals experiencing a range of emotional and physical health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, cardiovascular symptoms, and other chronic illnesses. This investigation is grounded in multiple theoretical frameworks, including the Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2009), Cognitive Theory (Beck, 1963), Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow et al., 1943), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Kabat-Zinn, 1990), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Linehan, 1993). A total of 28 participants, approved through IRB review, engaged in 24 sessions across 30 days, divided between in-person and virtual formats. Breathwork …

The Retention Of Nurses In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Cherry Park

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on the nursing workforce, with reports of workforce shortages estimated at 100,000 RNs nationwide. And Georgia is a state the retention of nurses is an ongoing concern. While there is a robust literature that describes the workforce factors that contribute to nurse burnout and intention to leave and citing high rates of turnovers, little is known about the factors that contribute to nurse retention and intent to stay. The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics of nurses reporting lower rates of burnout.

Methods: The analysis leverages data from the 2022 …