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The Correlation Between Working From Home And Depression, Anxiety & Stress And The Moderating Effect Of Parenting, Lauren H. Marshall

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the impact of working from home on depression, anxiety and stress and whether parenting has a moderating role in its impact. The number of individuals working from home increased dramatically because of the pandemic and many individuals continue to work from home despite the absence of government-issued lockdowns and the diminishing threat of the COVID-19 virus. Earlier pre-pandemic research supports several positive work-related outcomes of working from home; however, little consideration has been given to the long-term impact of this major change in the way we work on individual’s mental health. Social isolation, an increase in sedentary …

Mindfulness & Mental Health: Balanced Time Perspective As A Mediator, Eddie Trueblood

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is a practice of intentionally paying attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. Being more mindful can decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, among other mental and physical health improvements. (Donald et al., 2016; Hofmann et al., 2010; Kabat-Zinn et al.,1992). This study examined if balanced time perspective (BTP) is one of the mechanisms of action of mindfulness in its relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress. BTP refers to a person’s ability to flexibly adapt their time perspective (attention to the past, present, or future, and positive or negative attitudes toward each) to suit the current …

Evaluating Impact Of Stress First Aid Programs In A Primary Care Setting, Ryan Marler

DNP Projects

Background: Prolonged stress in healthcare workers (HCWs) can lead to burnout and absenteeism. High stress also negatively impacts work productivity and healthcare quality. The Stress First Aid (SFA) program aims to improve recovery from stress among HCWs. Chronic stress is evident in primary care clinics, where absenteeism and burnout symptoms have increased.

Purpose: This project aimed to evaluate the SFA program's effectiveness in reducing burnout and absenteeism and improving healthcare workers (HCW) knowledge of stress and available resources at University of Kentucky Healthcare (UKHC).

Methods: A quasi-experimental quality improvement project included pre- and post-education surveys, an SFA education session, and …

Evaluating The Mental Health Of Newly Graduated Nurses In Transition From Undergraduate Training To Professional Practice, Victor Louis C. Alinas

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: There is an increasing demand for nurses worldwide as healthcare systems slowly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, there is a high turnover of registered nurses and an even higher turnover in the demographic of newly graduated nurses. Newly graduated nurses (NGNs) are constantly faced with high levels of stress upon starting out in the professional environment and as a result of mental burnout and inadequate preparation, there is a notably high turnover of newly graduated nurses within their first year of employment. Purpose: This research aims to use existing information on the transition from undergraduate training to professional …

Enhancing Well- Being In Individuals With Special Needs: The Power Of Music Therapy, Nicole Love Lazaro

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background Anxiety and stress are silent burdens that weigh heavily on the well-being of many individuals with special needs. If left unnoticed it can lead to negative outcomes of their mental health and daily activities. Research shows that music therapy is effective for treating anxiety and depression in various healthcare settings, there is limited research on its use in individuals with special needs. This issue can leave many without access to a simple yet effective intervention that could enhance their quality of life and daily activities. Objective The purpose of this research proposal is to explore the effectiveness of music …

Nourishing Flourishing: Elevating Elementary Educator Jouissance, Julie T. Siemianowski

Dissertations of Practice

This study was conducted, predicated on the following theories: Nel Noddings’s ethics of care, Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (social cognitive theory), and positive psychology’s Martin Seligman’s PERMA (well-being). For the purposes of this study, Seligman’s PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment) theory encompasses both Kerry Howells’ gratitude and David Chan’s gratitude and subjective well-being. Qualitative methodology, specifically, the combination of narrative inquiry and case study guided and informed my data collection. Through semi-structured interviews and story-telling, teachers and literacy leaders shared their stories of external distressers and internal factors contributing to their professional jouissance or lack thereof.

Key words: …

Psychology: Personality, Coping, And Stress In Undergraduates, Gwendolyn Butler, Andrew Clapper, Abby Hill, Sophia Castillo

SPARK Symposium Presentations

It is no secret that college students frequently find themselves the victims of a variety of everyday and long-term stressors that can interfere with their psychological wellbeing (Saleh, et al., 2017). There are a variety of coping styles that students can use to help mitigate their stress, including problem-focused and emotion-focused coping styles (Gárriz et al., 2015).Identifying whether or not certain personality traits respond differently to different coping styles could be a critical step in informing different individuals on specific coping strategies. Currently, however, research gives mixed results regardinghow individuals with certain traits tend to cope, specifically with regards to …

Addressing Chronic Stress: Activating The Healing Responses, Lily Walther

CMC Senior Theses

This paper seeks to explore the negative effects of chronic stress on the body, emphasize the tissue, cellular, and genetic healing responses that exist to combat these effects, and illustrate the behavioral and physiological interventions that can activate these responses. The concepts of stress and chronic stress have been explained through a progression of models that have been updated over the decades. This includes early theories such as The General Adaptation Syndrome and the Homeostatic Model, as well as more recent depictions such as the Reactive Scope Model. The healing responses are explored on a variety of levels to illustrate …

Psychophysiological Responses To An Objectified Environment In College-Aged Females, Urska Dobersek, Richard A. Bennett, Sarah E. Siebers, Laurel A. Standiford Reyes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Objectification and its associated negative psychological consequences of self-objectification are well-established. Specifically, internalization of an observer’s perspective can lead to habitual body monitoring, negative psychological consequences, and mental health risks. Nevertheless, comparatively few studies examined physiological responses to an objectified environment. To remedy this gap, we explored the effects of an objectified environment on stress levels assessed via salivary cortisol in a single-blind experimental study of 34 undergraduate female students (M_age = 18.62, SD = 0.74). State self-objectification was manipulated by participants wearing tight, revealing exercise clothing (experimental condition; n =16) or baggy exercise attire (control condition; …

Examining Stress, Stress, Potentially Traumatic Events, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Emotional Support Among Individuals With Skin Disease Symptoms, Taylor A. Strange

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the complex interplay between psychological stress, trauma-related experiences, and skin disease symptoms, alongside the potential moderating role of emotional social support. While the worsening effect of stress on skin conditions is well-documented, the specific association between trauma and dermatological symptoms, and its contribution to inflammatory responses, warrants further exploration. The stress-buffering hypothesis posits that perceived emotional support can mitigate the negative impact of stress on quality of life in chronic health conditions. This hypothesis has found support across various chronic physical and psychological ailments, yet its applicability to dermatological conditions remains less established. Our study pursued two …

The Impact Of Parental Mental Health On Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Andee L. Plaskett

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provides critical and life saving care for infants born with medical complications that may need specialized care. The NICU environment can be an overwhelming and stressful place for both parents and infants. Parental mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, can significantly impact infants in the NICU by hindering parent infant interaction and connection. Parental mental distress is often linked to an increase in anxiety for the infant, as well as higher rates of medical complications and a higher likelihood of longer hospital stays for the infant. Parental stress can have a …

Using Brief Acceptance And Commitment Training To Increase Psychological Flexibility And Reduce Stress In School-Based Professionals, Rayna Yaeger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The significant behavioral and mental health concerns of students and staff in public schools within the United States has led to an increased risk of stress and burnout in teachers, which may lead to subsequent physical and mental health related concerns for staff and negative educational outcomes for students. Due to these school-based concerns, action should be taken to meet the needs of staff and students. This study aimed to better understand the effect of brief, group-based ACTraining on teachers’ psychological flexibility, general stress, job-related burnout, and social validity by replicating and extending the findings of Gillard et al. (2021) …

Using The Background Of Occupational Therapy To Argue Our Role In Stress Management: Proposed Lines Of Inquiry, Klaire M. Gowins

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The purpose of this ALE presentation is to present research in support of the development of the Student Stress Management Center (SSMC) at EKU. The researchers’ long-term proposition, beyond the scope of this poster, is to effectively communicate to various audiences the importance and occupation-based characteristics of a Student Stress Management Center for students within the higher education setting. In preparation for that goal, this poster reviews scholarly literature relevant to the field of occupational therapy and its philosophical roots to lay groundwork for clarifying whether and how a revised articulation of the philosophical base is needed, relative to the …

A Comparison Of Involved And Uninvolved College Students' Stress And Coping During Covid-19, Abbie Alsene

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I compare the stress and coping of involved students and uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges during COVID-19. The study seeks to understand if there are differences between the two student populations. Three research questions guide the study. First, how has COVID-19 affected the stress levels of involved students compared to uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges? Second, how do involved students cope with their stress related to COVID-19 compared to uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges? And lastly, what is the relationship between how involved college students view COVID-19 and their levels of stress in comparison …

Enhancing Resilience In Oncology Nurses Through The Implementation Of A Peer Support Program, Denise M. Robinson-Smith

DNP Scholarly Projects

ABSTRACT

Background: Oncology nurses face high rates of burnout and compassion fatigue, contributing to significant turnover and threatening the stability of the oncology nursing workforce. The projected increase in cancer incidence and the resulting demand for oncology services underscore the urgent need for interventions that enhance nurse resilience. Local Problem: At a major hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, it was found that oncology nurses face a significant gap in emotional support, especially during critical incidents such as patient deaths or traumatic events. Existing resources were insufficient to address the unique stressors faced by this team. Methods: A quality …

Reducing Stress Related To Injection Therapy: A Zen Bundle Approach, Valoree Bowen

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Needle fear and stress are common barriers preventing adults from seeking necessary medical treatments, including intramuscular (IM) injection therapy. Research highlights the need for evidence-based interventions to mitigate this fear and improve patient experience.

Objective: This evidence-based pilot project included a Zen Bundle—an intervention incorporating shared decision-making, aromatherapy, and distraction—to evaluate the impact on stress reduction and patient satisfaction in a retail vitamin shop in North Texas.

Methods: The project utilized a pre-and post-intervention design over eight weeks. Participants completed pre-surveys assessing stress levels using a Visual Analog Scale before choosing an intervention (aromatherapy, distraction, or both) during IM …

A Comprehensive Exploration Of Stress And Depressive Symptoms In Farm Populations, Julie C. Derringer

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

High rates of depression and suicide continue to be a concern, despite four decades of growing research into the mental health of farmers. Most farmers have an awareness of a need for improved mental health, but a lack of knowledge persists. As agricultural production demands increase and the number of family farms decreases, the stress placed upon farmers to support the food chain is higher than ever. Understanding the association between farm demands and resources among farmers is key for the development and implementation of programs to decrease occupational stress and depressive symptoms to improve mental health outcomes across farming …

Resilience And Its Effects On Psychological Well Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Taylor Reinsel

Honors Theses

Stressors and trauma in life are unavoidable. However, the way we respond and adapt to them can be within our control. This response differs from person to person, but there are factors that can influence the likelihood of an individual rebounding from a crisis, as well as factors that can put them at a higher risk of developing mental illness. One of the main factors that influences Psychological Well Being is the presence of Resilience.

The main goal of this study was to examine how factors of Resilience relate to Psychological Well Being and COVID-19 Well Being during the COVID-19 …

Burnout In Female Collegiate Athletes: Relations With Stress, Body Concerns, Coping, And Sport Type, Sarah V. Policano

Honors Theses

Burnout occurs when an athlete experiences stress and fails to cope with this stress, resulting in loss of interest in sport, emotional and physical exhaustion, and negative attitudes towards an athlete’s abilities. Female collegiate student-athletes suffer disproportionately from exhaustion, stress, and body image concerns compared to their male counterparts. The present study explored the relationship between stress and burnout among female collegiate athletes while also investigating how body image dissatisfaction (BID), weight pressure, and coping moderated this relationship and individually correlated to burnout and stress. Comparisons were made between sport type, lean versus non-lean, on stress, burnout, body concerns, weight …

Investigating Social Attenuation Of The Stress Response In Juvenile Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus), Alyssa Owens

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

When social organisms encounter a stress-inducing event, the presence of a conspecific can dampen the physiological and/or behavioral response elicited by the stressor. This concept, termed ‘social buffering’, has been well documented in mammals, but there are few studies investigating this phenomenon in organisms traditionally perceived as asocial, including reptiles. However, the paradigm is shifting, and social behavior is now more widely recognized in reptiles, including snakes. In this study I tested whether juvenile Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorous) experience social buffering by measuring changes in heart rate in snakes following an acute stressor with and without the presence …

Teacher Stress, Well-Being, And Adaptation To Innovation, Amanda Leanore Pelloth

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers face many sources of stress; however, a consistent source is prompted by the need to cope with change as districts adapt to shifting paradigms. This study intended to fill Rogers’ (2003) KAP gap and the failure of innovations by infusing the study of well-being and emotion into the narrative by incorporating the transactional relationship between technostress and implementation efforts into the technochange process. The study investigated teachers’ cognitive appraisals of technochange (primary appraisal) and their adaptational coping processes (secondary appraisal) to understand how implementation impacts teachers’ well-being and their adaptive processes. A parallel convergent mixed methods approach with an …

Supports For Mental Well-Being Valued By Healthcare Workers: Qualitative Analysis Of Data From A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shannon Marie Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Tanis Zadunayski, Erica Stroud, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs from four Canadian provinces was established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited to comment about workplace mental health supports at three time points. We performed a thematic content analysis of responses from 1738 participants using the Social Support Behaviour Code framework to categorize barriers to support as informational, tangible, emotional, social, or expressing esteem. Themes were synthesized into suggestions for healthcare organizations to prepare for future crises. Formal and informal peer support, workplace mental health supports, and one-on-one counseling were most often mentioned as valued. Analysis suggested that workplace social networks as …

Psychological Implications Of Preterm Birth, Livio Provenzi, Minesh Khashu, Mia Mclean, Evalotte Morelius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Organizational Factors That May Contribute To Physician Burnout, Joseph Neric

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Burnout is pervasive in the healthcare industry and is disproportionately affecting physicians. Burnout is defined as a psychological response to chronic workplace stress that is manifested as physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced self-efficacy. Even though there is comprehensive research on physician burnout—particularly physician driven—this research aims to highlight the importance of how healthcare organizations negatively contribute to physician’s workplace stress.

The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) was used to measure the presence of burnout. The Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) was used to measure the incongruence between the job and the person. Results (n=198) from the OLBI indicated 37.4% …

Performance Is In The Eye Of The Beholder: Exploring The Moderating Role Of Psychological Perspective Distancing Within Thought Self-Leadership In An Organizational Context, Christopher Bryton Neck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Self-leadership, or the process through which individuals perform various cognitive and behavioral strategies to attain the self-direction and self-motivation necessary to perform in desired ways, has consistently been evidenced to enhance individuals’ performance through promoting a variety of positive individual cognitions, such as self-efficacy, positive affect, and engagement and through diminishing key threatening mental states such as stress, negative affect, and dysfunctional thinking (Harari et al., 2021; Knotts et al., 2022). The cognitive component of self-leadership, thought self-leadership (TSL) has been found to be particularly impactful, aiding the individual to modify and adapt their dysfunctional thinking to be more constructive …

A Case Of Biopsy-Proven Atopic Dermatitis Perpetuated By Psychosomatic Factors, Henry Lim, Jamie Y. Choe, Marshall Hall, Arianne Felicitas, Christian Scheufele, Garrett Furth, Michael Carletti, Stephen Weis

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Introduction: Psychodermatology is an interdisciplinary branch of psychosomatic medicine that addresses interactions between the psyche and skin. Stress is often a key exacerbating factor and highlights the bidirectional relationship between psychological factors and skin disorders. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition affecting pediatric and adult populations with an estimated global prevalence of approximately 2.6%, or approximately 204 million people. AD classically presents with a red, scaly, pruritic rash. Here, we present a case of biopsy-proven AD induced by stress-associated behaviors related to patient-identified obsessive-compulsive habits. Case Presentation: A 61-year-old female presented for persistent itching and white discoloration in …

Stress Dynamics Between Clinical Supervisors And Allied Health Students: A Scoping Review Protocol, Piao Wang

Funded Scholarship

Introduction: The aim of this scoping review is to connect theoretical research related to stress with practical applications to supervision experiences within allied health professions. Understanding the implications of stress between clinical supervisors and allied health students will allow for better insights to improve supervisory methods within clinical training, stronger mentorship and lead to better quality patient care.

Methods and analysis: This review is conducted according to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, which includes defining the research question, developing inclusion criteria and searching for, selecting, extracting and analysing the evidence. A literature search will be conducted in …

Effect Of The Lifestyle, Exercise And Nutrition (Lean) Weight Loss Intervention On Stress Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Wenxin Gu

Public Health Theses

Background: Stress, experienced by over one-third of breast cancer survivors, not only leads to significant symptoms and mental health issues, but also increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence and impacts survival. While weight loss lifestyle interventions have been effective in helping breast cancer survivors with obesity lose weight and potentially enhance survival, their impact on stress levels has been inconsistent. The aim of the secondary analysis was to evaluate the effects of a 6-month diet and exercise weight loss intervention on perceived stress in breast cancer survivors.Methods: Breast cancer survivors with a BMI of 25.0 kg/m2 or higher (n=151) …

Examining The Complex Interplay Of Stress, Social Support, And Drinking Motives On Alcohol Use Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model Among College Students, Sabrina Perrin

Dissertations and Theses

College student alcohol use remains a public health concern, yet the psychological and social mechanisms that contribute to high-risk drinking patterns are not fully understood. Guided by the motivational model of alcohol use and stress-buffering theory, this study tested a moderated mediation model to examine how perceived stress, coping motives for drinking, and perceived social support interact to influence alcohol use behaviors. A sample of over 1,100 diverse urban college students completed measures of stress, social support, drinking motives, and four alcohol-related outcomes: binge drinking, frequency of alcoholic drinks consumed, negative drinking consequences, and use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) …

Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite And T3 Profiles Of Orphaned Elephants Differ From Non-Orphaned Elephants In Zambia, Daniella E Chusyd, Janine L Brown, Steve Paris, Nicole Boisseau, Webster Mwaanga, Moses Kasongo, Lisa Olivier, Stephanie L Dickinson, Bailey Ortyl, Tessa Steiniche, Steven N Austad, David B Allison, Michael D Wasserman

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Elephants provide valuable insight into how early-life adverse events (ELAEs) associate with animal health and welfare because they can live to advanced ages, display extensive cognitive and memory capabilities, and rely heavily on social bonds. Although it is known that African savanna elephants that experienced ELAEs, such as being orphaned due to human activities, have altered behavioral outcomes, little is known regarding the physiological consequences associated with those stressors.

Methods: We compared fecal glucocorticoid (fGCM) and thyroid (fT3) metabolites as well as body condition scores (BCS) in rescued and rehabilitated orphaned (early-dry season: n = 20; late-dry season: n …