Digital Commons Network^™

Social Support And Survival Strategies Of Older African American Grandmother Caregivers, Gaynell M. Simpson, Tracy D. Pressley, Dana L. Carthron, Kim Stansbury

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The effects of caring for grandchildren on grandparents’ emotional and physical well-being have become a significant area of focus in behavioral and medical research. Research suggests that African American grandmothers may experience increased mental and physical health challenges due to their caregiving stressors. To buffer the adverse influence of stress, caregivers often rely on informal social support from family and/or community members. In this study we explored older, African American caregivers’ management of their emotional well-being within the context and circumstances of available to minimal social support from family and community. During an 18-month period, seven caregiving grandmothers participated in …

Elementary Title I Teachers Perception Of Stress, Burnout And The Impact On Retention, Kelly Thompson

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of stress due to their job, and if this had an influence on retention. The study concentrated on teacher’s perceptions on stress, teacher retention along with their views on coping strategies to handle or prevent stress. The conceptual framework for this study was the transactional model of stress theory by Lazarus and Folkman, which provided a better understanding of demands in education and the resources provided to teachers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of stress due to their job and if …

Role Of Kindness In Cancer Care, Leonard L. Berry, Tracey S. Danaher, Robert A. Chapman, Rana Awdish

Hematology/Oncology Articles

The wonders of high-tech cancer care are best complemented by the humanity of high-touch care. Simple kindnesses can help to diffuse negative emotions that are associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment-and may even help to improve patients' outcomes. On the basis of our experience in cancer care and research, we propose six types of kindness in cancer care: deep listening , whereby clinicians take the time to truly understand the needs and concerns of patients and their families; empathy for the patient with cancer, expressed by both individual clinicians and the care culture, that seeks to prevent avoidable suffering; generous …

Moderators In The Relationship Between Child Maltreatment And Symptoms Of Depression, Sarah Nowalis

Theses

Experiencing child maltreatment is a risk factor for later psychopathology, however, not all survivors of child maltreatment go on to develop mental illness. Therefore, there are likely important moderators that interact with child maltreatment to contribute to the development of psychopathology. The present study examined attachment and stress severity of life events as possible moderators in the association between child maltreatment and later depressive symptomatology in a population of college students. Participants completed measures of attachment, stressful life events, current mood symptoms, and demographic information. An attachment style characterized by anxiety and avoidance, and greater cumulative stress severity were expected …

Stress And The Female Superintendent: Contributing Factors And Stress Management Strategies From The Voices Of California Female Superintendents, Monica Peterson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify personal and professional factors that create stress for California female superintendents, describe the strategies used to manage stress, and provide recommendations for addressing stress from California female superintendents.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological methodology is used to seek the inner feelings and lived experiences of California female superintendents. This phenomenological study used in-depth interviews to gather qualitative data to address the RQs. Data gathered on stress related factors and stress management strategies were analyzed and discussed. In order to maintain validity and reliability and minimize internal and external threats, …

Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction On Stress And Fatigue In Cancer Patients And Survivors, Kylie Marie Straub

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This poster presents what the literature reports as the effects of MBSR on stress and fatigue levels of cancer patients and survivors. There is evidence from these studies that suggests MBSR is effective for reducing the fatigue and anxiety of cancer patients and survivors.

Mindfulness And Acceptance-Based Trainings For Fostering Self-Care And Reducing Stress In Mental Health Professionals: A Systematic Review, Myriam Rudaz, Michael P. Twohig, Clarissa W. Ong, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

This review summarizes the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to foster self-care and reduce stress in mental health professionals. Twenty-four quantitative articles from PsycInfo and PubMed were identified that focused on mindfulness, self-compassion, psychological flexibility, stress, burnout, or psychological well-being. All MBSR and MBCT studies lacked active control conditions, but some of the ACT studies and one MSC study included an active control. Most studies support evidence that all training programs tend to improve mindfulness and some also self-compassion. In addition, psychological flexibility was measured in …

Anger Without Agency: Exploring The Experiences Of Stress In Adolescent Girls, Elin A. Björling, Narayan B. Singh

The Qualitative Report

Although a great deal of research has measured stressful life events and stress-related symptoms in adolescents, little research has qualitatively examined the experience of stress in teens. The purpose of this study was to utilize thematic analysis to explore how teen girls described their experiences of stress. Thirty-one girls, ages 14–18, were recruited for a study examining stress and stress-related symptoms. As part of this study, they participated in an open-ended, qualitative interview about their personal experiences of stress. Themes included the mind of stress, emotionally shutting out others, and “growing out of it.” The overarching finding was that all …

The Impact Of Stress On The Quality Of Life Of Greek And Filipino Nursing Students, Denise M. Mcenroe-Petitte

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Stress during nursing education is common and existing evidence shows that repeated exposure to high levels of stress has adverse effects on the physiological and psychological well-being of nursing students. However, no studies have been located examining the impact of stress on nursing students social and functional well-being.

Developmental Lead And/Or Prenatal Stress Exposures Followed By Different Types Of Behavioral Experience Result In The Divergence Of Brain Epigenetic Profiles In A Sex, Brain Region, And Time-Dependent Manner: Implications For Neurotoxicology., Deborah A. Cory-Slechta, Marissa Sobolewski, Garima Varma, Jay S. Schneider

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Over a lifetime, early developmental exposures to neurocognitive risk factors, such as lead (Pb) exposures and prenatal stress (PS), will be followed by multiple varied behavioral experiences. Pb, PS and behavioral experience can each influence brain epigenetic profiles. Our recent studies show a greater level of complexity, however, as all three factors interact within each sex to generate differential adult variation in global post-translational histone modifications (PTHMs), which may result in fundamentally different consequences for life-long learning and behavioral function. We have reported that PTHM profiles differ by sex, brain region and time point of measurement following developmental exposures to …

Psychosocial Functioning And The Cortisol Awakening Response: Meta-Analysis, P-Curve Analysis, And Evaluation Of The Evidential Value In Existing Studies, Ian Andres Boggero, Camelia E. Hostinar, Eric A. Haak, Michael L. M. Murphy, Suzanne C. Segerstrom

Psychology Faculty Publications

Cortisol levels rise immediately after awakening and peak approximately 30-45 minutes thereafter. Psychosocial functioning influences this cortisol awakening response (CAR), but there is considerable heterogeneity in the literature. The current study used p-curve and metaanalysis on 709 findings from 212 studies to test the evidential value and estimate effect sizes of four sets of findings: those associating worse psychosocial functioning with higher or lower cortisol increase relative to the waking period (CARi) and to the output of the waking period (AUCw). All four sets of findings demonstrated evidential value. Psychosocial predictors explained 1%-3.6% of variance in CARi and AUCw …

Tips For Tackling Stress, Kailee Hansen, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides tips and strategies for tackling stress. Just as there are different kinds of stressors, there are different ways of managing stresses and some ways are healthier than others, as described in the fact sheet.

Coping With The Subterranean Environment: A Thematic Content Analysis Of The Narratives Of Cave Explorers, Raymond R. Macneil, Jelena Brcic

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

In addition to various physical obstacles, the cave environment presents numerous psychological stressors that challenge human explorers. Sources of psychological stress include logistic issues (e.g., limitations to access, communication, and the availability of equipment), a lack of normal sensory stimuli, isolation and confinement, high performance demands, and social conflict associated with team coordination and requirements for cooperation. Thus, the success and safety of caving expeditions depend on the ability of explorers to effectively cope with highly stressful conditions and task demands. This was the first study to investigate coping within the context of caving and cave exploration. Utilizing scoring criteria …

Prevalence And Associated Factors Of Perceived Stress Among Female Adolescents In Nawabshah City, Pakistan, Yasmin P. Parpio, Hina Pyar Ali, Salima M. Farooq

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Adolescence is viewed as most critical time for mental health because it is a time of psycho social as well as biological transition. Poor mental health can have numerous impacts on female adolescent development such as poor coping skills, abnormal eating habits, anti-social behaviour, adolescent pregnancy, school dropout, and poor physical health.

Stress Exposure And Physical, Mental, And Behavioral Health Among American Indian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Melissa L. Walls, Kelley J. Sittner, Benjamin D. Aronson, Angie K. Forsberg, Les B. Whitbeck, Mustafa Al'absi

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

American Indian (AI) communities experience disproportionate exposure to stressors and health inequities including type 2 diabetes. Yet, we know little about the role of psychosocial stressors for AI diabetes-related health outcomes. We investigated associations between a range of stressors and psychological, behavioral, and physical health for AIs with diabetes. This community-based participatory research with 5 AI tribes includes 192 AI adult type 2 diabetes patients recruited from clinical records at tribal clinics. Data are from computer-assisted interviews and medical charts. We found consistent bivariate relationships between chronic to discrete stressors and mental and behavioral health outcomes; several remained even after …

Decreasing Test-Taking Anxiety In Nursing Students: Recommendations For Nursing Faculty, Catherine C. Razzi, Rhonda S. Sullivan, Azita Amiri, Elizabeth Mackessy-Lloyd, Tennille Curtis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

A systematic review using PRISMA was completed to identify strategies that can be used by nursing faculty to reduce test-taking anxiety among nursing. Muscle relaxation, deep breathing, psychological and educational counseling, co-meditation, emotional freedom technique, music intervention and aromatherapy showed the greatest statistical significance for reducing text-anxiety among nursing students.

Early Rearing History Influences Oxytocin Receptor Epigenetic Regulation In Rhesus Macaques, Maggie Baker, Stephen G. Lindell, Carlos A. Driscoll, Zhifeng Zhou, Qiaoping Yuan, Melanie L. Schwandt, Isaac Miller-Crews, Elizabeth A. Simpson, Annika Paukner, Pier Francesco Ferrari, Ravi Kumar Sindhu, Muslima Razaqya, Wolfgang H. Sommer, Juan F. Lopez, Robert C. Thompson, David Goldman, Markus Heilig, J. Dee Higley, Stephen J. Suomi, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

Adaptations to stress can occur through epigenetic processes and may be a conduit for informing offspring of environmental challenge. We employed ChIP-sequencing for H3K4me3 to examine effects of early maternal deprivation (peer-rearing, PR) in archived rhesus macaque hippocampal samples (male, n = 13). Focusing on genes with roles in stress response and behavior, we assessed the effects of rearing on H3K4me3 binding by ANOVA. We found decreased H3K4me3 binding at genes critical to behavioral stress response, the most robust being the oxytocin receptor gene OXTR, for which we observed a corresponding decrease in RNA expression. Based on this finding, we …

Sources Of Medical Student Stress, Krishna Subhash Vyas, Terry D. Stratton, Neelkamal S. Soares

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: Key elements in the clinical practice of prevention, health and wellness are best cultivated in medical professionals during undergraduate medical training. This study explores students' self-assessed stress relative to gender, academic expectations, and level of medical training to guide development of targeted wellness interventions. Methods: In early 2012, undergraduate (M1-M4) students in four Southeastern U.S. allopathic medical schools were surveyed about health-related attitudes and behaviors. Results: A total of 575 students returned completed questionnaires. Students in the preclinical years (M1-M2), especially females, reported significantly higher stress levels. Academic expectations and satisfaction were also significantly implicated. Discussion: These findings highlight …

A Parent Education Curriculum For Decreasing Stress In Families Raising A Child With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hannah L. Wohlk

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has consistently shown that parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs, have higher levels of stress than parents of typically-developing children or children with other disabilities. These parents’ higher levels of stress are attributed to a number of different factors, including early atypical development, getting the diagnosis, lack of awareness of resources, lack of support from their communities, unmet resource and schooling needs for their ASD child, financial strain, strain on the couple relationship, managing maladaptive behaviors, regulatory problems of the ASD child may experience, communication problems between ASD child and parent, parents’ perception of their …

General Nutrition Knowledge And Perceived Stress In A Rural Female Faith Community, Lori Alexander, M. Laurie Branstetter Dnp

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

In rural America, high rates of obesity are influenced by a lack of education and limited community resources. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of an educational intervention on recommended nutrition and body mass index knowledge and to describe the perceived stress in a rural female faith community. A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test post-test research design was used. English speaking female participants (N=49) 18 years of age and older from two rural community churches received an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model. Participants completed a demographic survey, self-reported height and weight, general nutrition …

Resilience And Coping In The Adolescent And Young Adult With Type 1 Diabetes, Debra L. Messinger

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

There is a need to understand the roles coping strategies play in enhancing resilience in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes between the ages of 18-30. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between and among positive, protective coping strategies (courageous coping), negative coping strategies (defensive coping), and resilience. The Resilience in Illness Model (Haase, Kinter, Monahan, & Robb, 2014) was the theoretical model which guided this research.

A convenience sample was recruited via diabetes organizations’ Facebook and Forum pages, a College Diabetes Network chapter meeting, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundations’ (JDRF) sponsored events. Data …

The Moderating Effects Of Positive Religious/Spiritual Coping On Teachers’ Pain And Stress, Dawn Green

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this internet-based survey was to investigate the effects of positive religious or spiritual coping strategies on teachers’ chronic pain reports. Teachers in the United States may represent a vulnerable group due to a high prevalence of risk factors for chronic pain conditions. Teachers have been identified to experience high stress (Johnson, et al., 2005; Kyriacou, 2001) and report poor job satisfaction (Wang, Hall, & Rahimi, 2015), which are associated with development of chronic pain conditions (Kopec & Sayre, 2004). Religious coping strategies have been associated with beneficial associations with stress and health (Reutter & Bigatti, 2014). The …

The Imagine Project: Inspiring Vulnerable Adults Through Art And Mindfulness, Janelle Defiesta

Master's Projects and Capstones

The IMAGINE Project tackles the issue of stress reduction for a population that faces high stress levels due to environmental instability with co-morbidities of prior physical, cognitive, and social issues. Despite the need of stress reduction approaches in a population under these circumstances, external factors make it difficult to reduce the problem. Consequently, the lack of stress reduction skills can lead to the exacerbation of existing problems and the onset of many others. However, until basic needs such as housing and sustenance are met, stress reduction cannot be attempted effectively. Thus, the target population for this project focused on people …

Emotion Regulation As A Moderator Between Coping And Perceived Stress With Middle School Students In Rural Areas, Jabari Markeon Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

As students mature the types and frequency of stressors increase with age. Notably, middle school can be a stressful transition period that includes new peer relationships and hormonal changes, along with an increased probability of experiencing bullying and suicide ideation. Stress has been shown to have negative effects in psychological and physiological functioning among adolescents (Brietzke et al., 2012; De Young, Kenardy, & Cobham, 2011; Green et al., 2010). Effective coping skills can help to buffer these issues, giving adolescents a repertoire of tools to use. Along with that, proper emotional regulation has been shown decrease the negative effects of …

Stress Appraisal, Coping Behaviors, And Level Of Distress In An Ethnically Diverse Sample Of Mothers With A Child In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Mary E. Ernst

Open Access Dissertations

Having a child in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) places parents at risk for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms. ASD symptoms, or primary negative responses to a traumatic event, may increase parents’ risk for developing long-term Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) one or more months later. The purpose of this study is to examine the stress appraisal, coping behaviors, and level of distress due to ASD in an ethnically diverse sample of mothers with a child in the PICU, while controlling for socioeconomic factors. A quantitative cross-sectional design, which surveyed mothers with a child age one day to 17 years …

Age Differences In Stress And Coping: Problem-Focused Strategies Mediate The Relationship Between Age And Positive Affect, Yiwei Chen, Yisheng Peng, Huanzhen Xu, William H. O'Brien

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the different types of stressors experienced by adults of different ages, their coping strategies, and positive/negative affect. A mediation hypothesis of coping strategies was tested on the relationships between age and positive/negative affect. One-hundred and ninety-six community-dwelling adults (age range 18-89 years old) reported the most stressful situation they experienced in the past month and coping strategies. Levels of positive and negative affect in the past month were also measured. Content analysis revealed age differences in different types of stressors adults reported. Three types of coping strategies were found: problem-focused, positive emotion-focused, and negative emotion-focused coping. …

Impact Of Stress, Fear And Anxiety On The Nociceptive Responses Of Larval Zebrafish, Javier Lopez-Luna, Qussay Al-Jubouri, Lynne U. Sneddon

Sentience Collection

Both adult and larval zebrafish have been demonstrated to show behavioural responses to noxious stimulation but also to potentially stress- and fear or anxiety- eliciting situations. The pain or nociceptive response can be altered and modulated by these situations in adult fish through a mechanism called stress-induced analgesia. However, this phenomenon has not been described in larval fish yet. Therefore, this study explores the behavioural changes in larval zebrafish after noxious stimulation and exposure to challenges that can trigger a stress, fear or anxiety reaction. Five-day post fertilization zebrafish were exposed to either a stressor (air emersion), a predatory fear …

Long Working Hours And Occupational Stress-Related Illness And Injury: Mini Review, Harrynauth Persaud, Shawn Williams

Publications and Research

Workplace injuries and illnesses have been associated with long working hours. In the United States, working overtime has been on the rise. It is estimated that American workers spend an extra 1.5 hours per week at their job, and for those working in manufacturing-overtime has increased by 25% when compared to 10 years ago. Data suggests that working greater than 12 hours in a single day was associated with a 37% (95% CI=1.16–1.59) increase in hazard rate (HR), while working greater than 60 hour per week was associated with a 23% (95% CI=1.05–1.45) increase in HR. For those working overtime, …

Predictive Relationship Of Positive Lifestyle Choices With Emotional Distress Of Undergraduate College Students: An Analysis Of American College Health Association Data, Robin Lockhart

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

Undergraduate student reports of anxiety and depression have risen each year since 2012 to the most recent report of 17% experiencing anxiety and 14% experiencing depression (ACHA, 2016). The significance of the experience of anxiety and depression in this population is that they are the top-reported factors affecting academic attrition (ACHA, 2016). The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship of three healthy lifestyle behaviors and emotional distress among undergraduate college students. The three healthy lifestyle choices examined were nutrition, exercise and rest. The prevalence of emotional distress and depression within each year of study also was …

The Whole Is Not The Sum Of Its Parts: Specific Types Of Positive Affect Influence Sleep Differentially, Sarah D. Pressman, Brooke N. Jenkins, Tara L. Kraft, Heather Rasmussen, Michael F. Scheier

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Given the known detrimental effects of poor sleep on an array of psychological and physical health processes, it is critical to understand the factors that protect sleep, especially during times of stress when sleep particularly suffers. Positive affect (PA) arises as a variable of interest given its known associations with health and health behaviors and its ability to buffer stress. In two studies, we examined which types of PA (distinguished by arousal level and trait/state measurement) were most beneficial for sleep and whether these associations varied depending on the stress context. In Study 1, college students (N = 99) reported …