Digital Commons Network^™

Psychosocial Implications In Breast Cancer, Daniyal Aamir, Yamna Waseem, Mustafa Saleem Patel

Medical College Documents

No abstract provided.

Changes In Health Behaviors And Outcomes Following Graduation From Higher Education, Oliver W A Wilson, Peter J. Matthews, Michele Duffey, Zack Papalia, Melissa Bopp

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(5): 131-139, 2020. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in health behaviors and outcomes of higher education (college) students following graduation. Undergraduate students (n= 206) enrolled at a large, northeastern United States university in general education health and wellness courses were assessed pre and post-graduation. Participants self-reported their demographics, physical activity behaviors, dietary behaviors, sleep, and stress pre and post-graduation via an online survey. Paired sample t-tests examined changes health behaviors pre and post-graduation. Following graduation, fruit and vegetable consumption increased significantly, moderate physical activity declined significantly, and both vigorous …

Investigating The Relationship Between Corticosterone And Glucose In A Reptile, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Spencer B. Hudson, Alison C. Webb, Susannah S. French

Biology Faculty Publications

The glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone (CORT) has classically been used in ecophysiological studies as a proxy for stress and energy mobilization, but rarely are CORT and the energy metabolites themselves concurrently measured. To examine CORT's role in mobilizing glucose in a wild reptile, we conducted two studies. The first study measured natural baseline and stress-induced blood-borne CORT and glucose levels in snakes during spring emergence and again when snakes return to the denning sites in autumn. The second study manipulated the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in male snakes in the autumn by taking a baseline blood sample, then subjecting individuals to one …

Factors Associated With Initiation And Sustenance Of Stress Management Behaviors In Veterinary Students: Testing Of Multi-Theory Model (Mtm), Vinayak K. Nahak, Julia K. Wells, Robert E. Davis, Elizabeth C. Johnson, Jason W. Johnson, Manoj Sharma

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Veterinary students across the United States face the challenge of stress during school every day. When managed improperly, stress can become chronic and manifest in physical and emotional consequences. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change in predicting the initiation and sustenance of stress management behaviors among veterinary students. A cross-sectional design was used to study the efficacy of the MTM in predicting initiation and sustenance of stress management behaviors among veterinary students at a private College of Veterinary Medicine in the Southeast United States. Researchers collected data …

Musical Dogs: A Review Of The Influence Of Auditory Enrichment On Canine Health And Behavior, Abigail Lindig, Paul Mcgreevy, Angela Crean

Stress Collection

Music therapy yields many positive health outcomes in humans, but the effects of music on the health and welfare of nonhuman animals vary greatly with the type of music played, the ethology of the species, and the personality and learning history of individual animals. One context in which music therapy may be used to enhance animal welfare is to alleviate stress in domestic environments. Here, we review studies of the effects of music exposure on dogs as a case study for the implementation of music therapy in veterinary medicine. Nine reports of experimental testing for the therapeutic effects of music …

Teacher Decisions In Classroom Management: Looking Beyond The Student, Davina Halley Huntwork

Theses and Dissertations

Student behavior can be classified as external, internal, or social, all of which can be symptoms of an Emotional-Behavioral Disorder (EBD; Cooper & Jacobs, 2001). There are a number of ways that teachers may respond to student behavior with some being considered more positive (e.g., keep the student in the classroom) and others more negative (e.g., refer the student to other school resources for permanent or temporary removal). However, it is not just the student behavior that determines how a teacher will respond. Teacher stress, self-efficacy, class size, the impact of the behavior on other students, teaching experience, and knowledge …

Decreasing Nurses’ Stress In The Emergency Room Utilizing Mindfulness Meditation, Andrea L. Entus

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Emergency Room (ER) nurses are challenged both physically and emotionally, and are repeatedly exposed to severe occupational stress (d'Ettorre & Greco, 2016; Duffy et al., 2015). For example, some stressors are demands from patients and physicians, long hours, complex diagnoses, and a fast pace (Hunsaker et al., 2015). A considerable number of nurses experience work-related interpersonal conflict, secondary traumatic stress, and other stress disorders, which negatively affects the quality of patient care they deliver (Westphal et al., 2015). Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a mindfulness meditation intervention to decrease emergency room nurses’ stress. …

Latinx First-Generation Students’ Academic Experience: The Role Of Institutional Supports During A Pandemic, Lizeth Banuelos

2020 McNair Scholar Collection

The Latinx population has now become the largest minority group in the United States (Martínez & Rhodes, 2020). However, Latinx first-generations students still fall behind non-Latinx students in educational achievement. This study seeks to examine the Latinx first-generation academic experience amidst a pandemic, with an emphasis on looking at their perceived stress related to academics, their academic self-efficacy, and their knowledge/feelings toward the institutional supports. The roles of institutional and familial supports are examined as well as the factors contributing to the educational achievement gap including language, cultural barriers, socioeconomic status, lack of funding, lack of diverse faculty, lack of …

Psychometric Analysis Of The Perceived Stress Scale Among Healthy University Students, Shahnawaz Anwer, Md Dilshad Manzar, Ahmad H. Alghadir, Mohammed Salahuddin, Unaise Abdul Hameed

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2020 Anwer et al. Background: There is a gradual increase in the prevalence of stress during professional courses. Previous studies reported a high incidence of stress among university students. The psychometric properties of the perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10) have been established in different populations. The current study aimed to assess psychometric properties of the PSS10 in Saudi university students. Methods: Healthy university students (n= 192) participated in this cross-sectional study. All the participants were explained about the aim and procedures of the study. Participants were requested to complete the English version of the PSS, the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), …

Comparative Examination Of The Empatica E4 To Record Heart Rate Variability Metrics, Andres Rosero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The increased accessibility of cyber technology has resulted in advancements in international communications and information sharing never seen in human history. With this new age of digital software comes the proliferation of illegal online activity and cyber terrorism. Repercussions of cyber-attacks have ranged from identity theft to leaks of classified state secrets. To combat this threat, the Department of Defense (DoD) established the Cyber Mission Force (CMF) to head operations in the interests of protecting against cyber-attacks. One of the CMF’s initial projects involves the creation of a Performance Assessment Suite (PAS), a training program designed to improve the training …

Gratitude Journaling As Intervention To Combat Nurse Burnout In Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Nurses, Melinda Simpson

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

As a practicing registered nurse in the intensive care setting, this researcher witnessed an episode of burnout characterized by a public meltdown, crying, and yelling. This sparked an interest in an intervention to combat nurse burnout. Literature was found on gratitude which has been found to increase resiliency. An increase in resiliency, in various populations, has been found to decrease perceived stress and feelings of burnout. This researcher investigated the use of gratitude journaling for 21 days as means to decrease perceived stress and feelings of burnout while increasing gratitude and resiliency. The PSS, GQ, BRS, & BBI tools were …

Proposal Of The Need For Mental Health First Aid Training Of Associate Degree Nursing Faculty In A Community College Setting, Amy Kelly

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Mental health issues are on the rise among students in universities as well as community colleges. College can be a stressful time in many people’s lives especially when the added demand of work and family are involved. Community colleges and universities use counseling services for their mental health needs but sometimes the services are not used due to the stigma that comes along with mental health. Nursing school can be a challenging time for students because of the rigorous training and workload. This project poses to implement Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA) for faculty and staff of a nursing …

The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Yoga Interventions On Fifth-Grade Students’ Perceived Stress And Anxiety, Alicia Cooper Stapp, Ashley Berry Lambert

Faculty and Student Publications

© IEJEE. With rising pressure and an increase in expected academic performance in schools across the United States, students are experiencing higher levels of stress than ever before. To address this issue, the present study examined the impact of mindfulness-based yoga interventions on fifth-grade students’ perceived stress and anxiety levels through a mixed methods research approach. Quantitative data were collected from students through a pre-and post-questionnaire while qualitative data were garnered through an interview with the classroom teacher. Findings revealed that following the intervention period, students reported a decrease in stress levels (9.29%) and a slight increase in anxiety levels …

A Study Of Family Communication & The College Experience: A Comparison Between U.S. & Global Students, Iulia V. Popescu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigates the role that family communication patterns may play in predicting student experiences by looking at the experiences of native United States and international college students. Experiences in college are shaped by various factors including self-efficacy, stress, loneliness and depression. Data were collected from a sample of 152 students – 90 being U.S. natives studying at UCF and 62 being international students studying at UCF. Results indicated that conversation orientation, or a more open-conversation household, was positively linked with higher academic self-efficacy and negatively linked with stress, mainly for U.S. students. Conformity orientation, or a less open-conversation household, …

Photographs In My Mind, Through Darkness And In Light: An Auto-Criticism Of A University Teacher, Melanie Renee Witt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an auto-criticism, a new qualitative inquiry founded in educational criticism and arts-based research, which describes and analyzes my lived experience as a female university teacher. The purpose of this study is to describe, interpret, evaluate and thematize my experiences with professional stress, pregnancy loss, and self-care. Secondly, it illuminates auto-criticism as a methodology with potential contributions to qualitative research and higher education.

Personal documents, internal artifacts, and external artifacts generated during a challenging period of my life as a university teacher are used as data. Language and photography combine to story my lived experiences and findings.

This …

Sleep And Stress In The Acute Phase Of Concussion In Youth, Arthur C. Maerlender, Caitlin Masterson, Jessica L. Calvi, Todd Caze, Ross Mathiasen, Dennis Molfese

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

This study sought to address the complex interplay between both biological and psychological perceptions of stress and sleep in the acute stages following a mild traumatic brain injury. A secondary goal was to identify potential targets for intervention. Eleven acutely injured youth (mean age 12 years) were studied at home with overnight actigraphy, salivary cortisol and melatonin assays, and subjective ratings of stress and fatigue (injured group). Nine matched control youth also were assessed (control group). Results suggested longer sleep latencies (time to fall asleep) and higher levels of fatigue in the injured group exist (p ¼ 0.025 and p …

Stress In Academic And Athletic Performance In Collegiate Athletes: A Narrative Review Of Sources And Monitoring Strategies, Marcel Lopes Dos Santos, Melissa Uftring, Cody Stahl, Robert G. Lockie, Brent Alvar, J. Bryan Mann, J. Jay Dawes

Faculty Publications - Kinesiology and Recreation

College students are required to manage a variety of stressors related to academic, social, and financial commitments. In addition to the burdens facing most college students, collegiate athletes must devote a substantial amount of time to improving their sporting abilities. The strength and conditioning professional sees the athlete on nearly a daily basis and is able to recognize the changes in performance and behavior an athlete may exhibit as a result of these stressors. As such, the strength and conditioning professional may serve an integral role in the monitoring of these stressors and may be able to alter training programs …

The Mystery Of Mandalas: Effects Of Coloring On Stress Reduction And Mood, Olivia Mcdougall

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Art therapy is commonly used across many different situations, as artmaking and creative expression provide many different psychological benefits. Specifically, research has found that coloring mandalas—abstract, circular designs—can reduce stress more than coloring other prints or drawing on blank paper (Curry & Kasser, 2005). However, the reason behind mandala’s stress reducing properties has yet to be entirely discovered. The present study attempted to uncover part of the mystery behind mandalas by measuring mood and stress in response to watching coloring videos. Through an online survey platform, participants were subjected to a stress inducing task and then asked to watch a …

Restortive Effects Of Meditation Apps, Kyle Hart

Honors Undergraduate Theses

We have investigated two different smartphone meditation apps to determine if they have any effects on stress and check if they are a viable tool that users can engage with to cope with stress during a work break. The dependent variables being measured include affective and cognitive restoration. The control group performed a coloring activity using a mandala figure. The experimental conditions engaged in app guided meditation through either 10% Happier or Calm. Both are health apps that are intended to help users practice a variety of mindfulness meditation exercises and help build healthy habits. This research focused on a …

The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation On Stress And Burnout In Nurses, Alyssa Green

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Occupational burnout related to stress in the workplace is frequently experienced by nurses who are regularly confronted with trauma, suffering, and high workloads. Burnout can negatively impact patient care and have detrimental effects on nurse’s physical and mental health. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programs have been researched as a potential intervention for reducing stress and burnout through cultivating present awareness, emotional regulation, and positive thinking. A literature review was performed to explore the current knowledge on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation related to stress and burnout in nurses and to provide recommendations for future research on this topic. Findings reveal …

Make Changes Early! High Stress Levels Predict Lower Academic Performance In First-Year Physical Therapy Students: A Pilot Study, Daniel W. Flowers, Amanda Bernard

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Evidence exists in the literature that allows admissions committees to predict which students will be most successful in entry-level physical therapy educational programs. Evidence linking modifiable predictors of academic performance to currently enrolled students allowing enhancement of their performance during enrollment is lacking. Previous healthcare education literature indicates that stress has a negative predictive relationship with academic performance, and that stress is the highest in the beginning of an academic program. Research studies with medical students report exercise assists in minimizing stress and improving academic performance, while the role of leisure time has also been investigated. No study has …

Effect Of Animal-Assisted Intervention On Graduate Students’ Perceptions Of Well-Being: Insights From Occupational Therapy, Christine Kivlen

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Problem Statement: There is a growing concern regarding college student well-being that requires a need for implementation of cost-effective interventions addressing the increasing number of students experiencing negative mental health symptoms. Studies from medical and educational settings suggested positive mental health benefits from animal assisted intervention (AAI). Researchers studying college students exposed to animals during periods of high academic stress demonstrated successful reductions in stress and anxiety; however, researchers have not examined a specific area of dosage, including the influence of recurring AAI (more than one session) in the graduatestudent population. Furthermore, researchers have failed to include each element of …

Impact Of Status-Based Rejection Sensitivity On Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Gay Men, J. Simowicz, Jedidiah Siev, P. M. Brochu

Psychology Faculty Works

Status-based rejection sensitivity refers to the anxious expectation and tendency to perceive rejection in ambiguous social scenarios based on one’s minority identification. This study evaluates the implications of sensitivity to rejection based on sexual orientation identity on negative mental health outcomes. Current minority stress models include rejection sensitivity as a factor that may contribute to adverse negative psychosocial outcomes in LGBT persons. This study evaluates the role of rejection sensitivity alongside demographically relevant predictors such as age, race, education, and level of sexuality disclosure in predicting the presence of significant depression and anxiety scores among a sample of gay men. …

Mindfulness Training's Effect On Stress, Attention, And Perfectionism And Their Relationship To Achievement Goals, Alexandra Lesniak

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In recent years, the practice of cultivating mindfulness, a nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, has made a resurgence in areas ranging anywhere from behavioral issues to work and academic productivity (Brown & Ryan, 2003a). The current study was focused on the relationships between mindfulness, achievement styles, stress, attention, and perfectionism at a single-sex, liberal arts institution. One hundred and five undergraduate, female students participated in this study. All participants were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness audio condition or a badminton audio condition as a control. Then, they were given measures relating to achievement goals, mindfulness capability, state mindfulness, …

Sources Of Social Support And Their Relation To Stress And Engagement Among College Students, Jonathan D. Emmons

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has explored the impact of stress on students’ well-being, including academic outcomes such as grades and student engagement. Research has also noted the positive and protective impact of social support from family, friends, classmates, teachers, etc., on academic outcomes. The current study sought to extend the existing base of literature by exploring the relation between stress, social support, and engagement among college students. In the current sample, stress was found to be a significant, positive predictor of social engagement with peers. Regression results also revealed significant and positive associations between social support from family and academic engagement. Additionally, …

Hair Cortisol As A Retrospective Biomarker Of Stress Among Minorities And Immigrants During The First Year Of The Trump Administration, Dennis Wang

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Cortisol is an important part of the body’s physiological response to stress. Chronic exposure to race-based discrimination and stress is thought to explain, in part, minority health disparities. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) can be used as an objective proxy of a participant’s chronic stress prior to recruitment. It has not to our knowledge been used to investigate stress following an unexpected political event. President Trump issued in his first week in office multiple Executive Orders targeting minorities and immigrants. The Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index also showed significant declines in Democrats but not in Republicans, and in women but not in men, …

Alterations In Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor Type 1 In The Hypothalamus And Preoptic Area During The Postpartum Period, Rose Ann M. De Guzman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite the apparent sex difference in prevalence of anxiety in humans, pre-clinical studies that have led to anxiolytic drug discoveries between 1960 and 2012 used male animals and approximately 6% of 10,000 studies used female animals. The generalizability of the efficacy of these drugs to both sexes may be limited if data derived are predominantly based on the male brain. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to investigate potential underlying neuronal mechanisms that could be contributing to the sex differences in stress-related mood disorder prevalence and to focus on shedding light on female brains.

Big, Black, And Strong : Does Identification With The Strong Black Woman Archetype Strengthen The Association Between Racism-Related Stress And Emotional Eating?, Shantel Lorraine Powell

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite extensive research on the adverse impact of racism-related stressors on the health and well-being of people of color (Broman, Mavaddat, & Hsu, 2000; Carter, 2007; Klonoff, Landrine, & Ullman, 1999; Noh & Kaspar, 2003; Pieterse, Carter, & Ray, 2013; Utsey & Payne, 2000), little is known about the influence of racism-related stressors on the eating behaviors of Black women. The present study extended the limited literature on this topic by examining the possible contribution of cultural attitudes associated with the Strong Black Women archetype on the relation between racism-related stressors and emotional eating behaviors.

The Evocative Effects Of Child Temperament On Parenting Stress And Behaviors, Laura Welch

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite recognition that parents contribute to child development, much remains to be clarified about ways child characteristics shape parents’ behaviors. For example, temperamental characteristics such as negative affectivity elicit more parenting stress (Oddi, Murdock, Vadnais, Bridgett, & Gartstein, 2013) and less effective parenting behaviors (Laukkanen, Ojansuu, Tolvanen, Alatupa, & Aunola, 2014). On the other hand, children’s effortful control is known to reduce psychological risks associated with negative affectivity (Gartstein, Putnam, & Rothbart, 2012) yet no studies have investigated whether this may consequently reduce parenting stress. Furthermore, stressed parents are more likely to engage in harsh parenting strategies (Martorell & Bugental, …

Resilience And The African American Superintendent, Bernadeia Johnson, Lakisha Witter, Jason A. Kaufman

Educational Leadership Department Publications

We sought to explore the extent to which race might influence how African American superintendents cope with the stressors of their leadership roles and the presence of support while in such positions. In order to test this question, we recruited African American superintendents across the United States. We specifically measured their ability to cope with stressors and maintain resilience in leadership. African American superintendents indicated that they primarily utilized problem-based coping to navigate role stress and that they perceived themselves as successfully bouncing back from that stress. We offer a brief set of recommendations based upon these results to foster …