Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Psychological Symptoms Resulting From The Covid-19 Pandemic, R. M. Abdelrahman, A. F. Alsharif, N. R. Alsalhi

Information Sciences Letters

The present study aimed to investigate the level of severity of some psychological symptoms resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic, among a sample of Ajman University students in the United Arab Emirates, and to verify the differences between students’ demographic variables. The study used the descriptive-analytical approach and a modified DASS-21 scale, by adding the two scales of phobia and mental distraction to the tool. The reliability of the tool was verified for use on the sample in the current study. The most prominent results indicated that the highest psychological symptoms resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic were phobia (1.53 ± 0.98) …

Dnp Final Report: Promoting Physical Activity In Nurse Students, Rose Leal Guidry

DNP Final Reports

Undergraduate nursing students experience educational rigor and challenging clinical experiences that potentially affect stress levels and increase the risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Prolonged stress is associated with emotional exhaustion, unhealthy coping mechanisms, unhealthy behaviors, and impaired functioning. This evidence-based practice project aimed to decrease undergraduate nursing students' perceived stress levels by promoting physical activity. The PICOT question that led this project was in undergraduate nursing students (P), how does the promotion of physical activity (I) compare to no promotion of physical activity (C) affect perceived stress (O) across one semester (T)? The evidence supports physical activity …

The Effects Social Media Has On Depressive And Neuro Developmental Disorders, Daniel James Goble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media has played a huge role in society today and is one of the most common activities in everyday life for people of all ages. Due to the long amount of time that most users spend on social media daily, some trends seem to grow and become very visible over time that have a negative impact on mental health but also on neuro developmental disorders. Neurodevelopmental disorders are identified through a list of symptoms and characteristics that show a problem in how the brain is developing. Due to social media still being very new in this generation and with …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Workplace Environment, Religion, And The Stigma Of Mental Health On Openness To Mental Health Services, Cooper Ann Hove

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals within the workplace experience stressors that can negatively impact their health long term if not effectively managed. The level of stress within the workplace environment, religious beliefs, and mental health stigma may affect employees differently in their openness to receive mental health services. Research lacks data to understand the gap between employees struggling with mental health and unused, available resources in organizations. Most current research focuses on implementing mental health interventions, with the highest number of studies focusing on police officers' and nurses' experiences. This study was a quantitative, correlational study to gather participants with prior work experience of …

Perceptions Of Student Loan Debt And The Decision To Pursue Higher Education: A Qualitative Case Study Of African American High School Students, Adrian J. Wilkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to examine African American high school students’ perceptions surrounding potential student loan debt burden and its perceived influence on the decisions to enter HEIs. The purpose of this study stems from the current status of student loan debt as a significant factor in the decision-making process for potential higher education students as well as current students and those who have graduated. The central research question of this study was what are African American high school student perceptions of student loan debt, student loan debt burden, financial aid, and how are those perceptions influencing …

Measuring Perceived Stress Levels And Adaptive Coping Strategies In Undergraduate College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Sarah Milner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study aimed to analyze changes in perceived stress and physiological variables in undergraduate students and identify preferred adaptive coping strategies utilized over one semester. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the impact of demographic factors on the students' perception of stress. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using non-random convenience sampling with 30 undergraduate students enrolled in an Introduction to Stress Management class at a small, regional institution in the upper Midwest in the fall of 2022.

Data collection included the use of the Perceived Stress Scale (i.e., PSS-10), stress physiological variables (e.g., heart rate), demographic characteristics (e.g., sex, relationship …

Rural Entrepreneurs Under Fire: Pandemic Reveals Need For Collaboration And Support, Jacob A. Dolence, James C. Haug

Journal of Business & Entrepreneurship

This article summarizes a research study done from April 2020 until April 2021 to examine the challenges, response, and tactics, of entrepreneurs in rural southern Virginia. In particular, the research goes into depth of how the COVID-19 pandemic effected operations, how entrepreneurs responded, and what measures they took to stay viable. Finally, the article proposes a framework for rapid response in the case of future pandemics, natural disasters, or economic events that cause similar disruptions.

Division I Softball Athletes' Perceptions On Stress, Coping, Performance, And Mental Health, Rhianna Weall

LSU Master's Theses

Collegiate athletes face numerous stressors in both athletic and academic areas of performance. Their perceptions of situations dictate coping responses and their ability to enact behavior or implement strategies to manage stress levels. This study investigated perceived stress and coping strategies using semi-structured in-person interviews with five current NCAA Division I softball players. Three main themes emerged from the interviews: (a) Pressure is Privilege, (b) Team Dynamic and Identity Development, (c) Softball-Centrism. In the first theme, pressure is viewed as a positive aspect and as an opportunity to perform in areas of high and low levels of confidence. Within the …

Dnp Final Report: Decreasing Stress & Anxiety In Nursing Students: A Mindfulness-Based Program Intervention, Jennifer L. Cole

DNP Final Reports

Nursing students experience increased stress and anxiety due to the rigorous requirements of nursing school. Students often feel pressure to perform in a competitive environment that stretches them mentally and physically to learn extensive didactic material while simultaneously performing competently in clinical settings. Without effective methods to address self-care, students may experience the ramifications of unresolved stress. The practice question guiding the project was: In undergraduate Level II nursing students (P), does implementing a Mindfulness Based Program (MBP) (I), compared to not implementing a MBP (C), affect stress, anxiety, and mindfulness (O) during a semester (T)? Based on systematic review …

Adolescence And Stress: A Longitudinal Examination Of The Role Of Stress On Health Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Self-Regulation And Social Support, Joshua T. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Stress impacts all individuals during each developmental period of their lives. Stress has been linked to various physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. However, adolescence may prove to be a unique time to examine stress and its potential effects on various health outcomes, as well as possible mediating or moderating factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the link between stress and body mass index (BMI) percentile while incorporating the potential mediators of anxiety, depression, and externalizing behaviors as well as the moderators of social support and self-regulation. Using a sample of 500 adolescents living in …

Electrodermal Activity In Response To Stress Reduction: Virtual Reality Experience In Hydrotherapy And Non-Hydrotherapy Environments, Nthabeleng Macdonald

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Hydrotherapy, a holistic alternative medicine, uses methods like water therapy, cold water immersion, and balneotherapy to treat physical and mental illnesses while inducing tranquility (Bahadorfar, 2014). In this study, the water therapy approach was used, but with a unique twist. Rather than traditional hydrotherapy involving direct contact with water, participants were fully immersed in a virtual reality water environment. This study investigated whether immersing individuals with psychological stress in an underwater environment via virtual reality (VR) reduces their stress levels as compared to a non-hydrotherapy virtual city environment. The effects of underwater scenery versus non-hydrotherapy city scenery individuals experiencing stress …

Foster Care And The Church, Donald R. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action-based research project was to expose the absence of the church from active/personal involvement in the lives of foster families. The foster care system is overloaded, resulting in burnout of both foster parents and administrators. This results in a negative impact on children who enter the foster care system. Data was researched from the national, state, and local levels to note trends in the foster care system and reference that data with current books and journal articles analyzing trends/needs in the system. The intervention utilized interviews, questionnaires, and observations to gather information on the status of …

Work, Stress, And Christian Spiritual Coping, Guillermo Villasenor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stress is a common theme in today's work environment. Stress can positively and negatively impact an individual's ability to do work. It has been found that perceived stress at work can impact a person's physical, emotional, and mental state. Studies show a correlation between stress with anxiety, depression, work efficiency, and burnout syndrome. Christian spiritual/ religious coping is one of the significant ways people cope when faced with stress. Spirituality is the belief in a Supreme Being, and Christianity is based on the belief in Jesus Christ as God and the director of humankind. Christian-based spiritual coping with work stress …

Teacher Cortisol Levels And Ileap Testing, Lacy Hitt, Burton Ashworth, Amy Weems

Multidisciplinary Psychology: A Journal of Collaboration

Pre-pandemic, educators were reporting high levels of stress due to the implementation of high stakes testing. In an effort to support educators during the assessment time period, researchers measured cortisol levels and other self-reporting factors for stress pre-pandemic. In this study educators from differing geographical locations in Louisiana were asked to participate. The researchers hypothesized an increase of stress levels during the time between administration before the high-stakes testing and implementation. The results of the research showed some increase in stress levels during standardized testing. However, the researchers did not expect the levels of stress to increase after the administration …

Assessing The Generalizability Of Early Life Stress Effects On Aggression, Sophia Aaflaq, Jacob Nordman Dr.

2023

The project entitled Assessing the Generalizability of Early Life Stress Effects on Aggression aims to enhance our understanding of the intricacies of human aggression associated with childhood trauma. Early life stress is a reliable predictor of aggression in adults. Previous studies have used rodent models to establish a link between early life stress and aggression, but many of these studies employed stressors that are not commonly experienced by humans, such as foot shock. This project intends to focus on more human-relevant stressors like social isolation and social defeat that will provide a better understanding of the brain pathways of human …

Women In Higher Education: A Brief Report On Stress During Covid-19, Dimple S. Johnson, Aaron D. Johnson, Kristen B. Crossney, Emily Devereaux

Public Policy & Administration Faculty Publications

Higher education institutions have evolved into a more stressful environment. Women have been experiencing higher levels of stress than their male counterparts. With higher education adopting to the onset of the pandemic, this brief report studied women’s perceived stress in relation to perceived organizational and supervisory support, and age during times of crisis. In an era of social distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns, the findings suggest that women’s perceived stress is negatively related to age, perceived organizational support, and perceived supervisory support. Society as we once knew it pre-pandemic will never be the same. Higher education is inevitably going to have …

Diurnal Variability Of Cortisol In The Pennsylvania Adult Smoking Study: Exploration Of Association With Nicotine Intake, Michael Machiorlatti, Nicole Krebs, Dongxiao Sun, Joshua E. Muscat

School of Medicine Publications

Cortisol in saliva, urine and plasma follows a diurnal rhythm typically characterized as a morning peak and a decline throughout the waking day. While often measured under controlled conditions, inter-individual differences in cortisol diurnal rhythms in free living populations are not well characterized. Cortisol levels may vary substantially between individuals and the level of variation may differ depending on the time of day. Further, associations with individual characteristics such as nicotine dependence on cortisol rhythms have not been adequately determined. We developed a Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry method to measure cortisol in saliva of 180 smokers from the Pennsylvania Adult …

Antecedents Of Organizational Resilience After Covid-19: The Case Of Uae, Khadija Ali Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Ameri

All Works

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between work stress, employee engagement, employee well-being, and employee and organizational resilience, in order to develop a model that can be used to investigate the effects of these variables on organization performance. A quantitative approach was used and structural equation modeling with AMOS 28 was applied to investigate the relationship between the variables in a convenient sample of 394 employees in the UAE. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that work-stress negatively impacts the resilience of organizations, while work engagement and employee resilience are …

An Exploration Of Perinatal Stress And Associated Mental Health Of Transitioning First-Time Fathers, Timothy Reed Burkhalter

Theses and Dissertations

Becoming a first-time parent is a stage in life that can be full of excitement but also trepidation. Much common knowledge and research focus on the maternal experience. To add to this established knowledge, this phenomenological study will explore the perinatal stress experiences of transitioning first-time fathers in the U.S.

A Threat To Valid Guilty Pleas: The Impact Of Guilt Status, Acute Stress, And Plea Knowledge On Plea-Bargaining Decisions, Grace Hanzelin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The most common route through the US criminal justice system is through plea-bargaining, with over 95% of criminal cases ending in a guilty plea. Previous studies have found different factors (e.g., plea discounts; Wilford et al., 2021) that can increase the likelihood of a false guilty plea. This study aimed to further investigate the effect of guilt status on plea decisions, but also to see how guilt may work alongside acute stress and pre-existing knowledge of the plea process to drive plea-bargaining decisions. Participants (N = 188) were assigned to complete either a stressful or a non-stressful version of the …

A Comparison Of Continuous And Interval Exercise On Cognition In Young Adults, Emily C. Tagesen, Lawrence W. Judge, David M. Bellar

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(5): 458-468, 2023. Exercise stimulates the production and secretion of testosterone, cortisol, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and affects cognitive performance. However, the interaction of these variables is unknown. To investigate these interactions, 21 college-aged men completed two work-matched exercise protocols: continuous (CONT) exercise and an interval protocol (INT). Blood and saliva samples were collected before and after exercise to quantify BDNF, cortisol, and testosterone. Participants completed a battery of cognitive assessments after exercise. A MANOVA analysis of condition demonstrated that no domains were significantly different after CONT and INT (p > 0.05). A repeated …

Covid-19 Crisis: Shifting Educational Leadership Toward A New Normal - A Case Study, Emily C. R. Ellwood

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of educational leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has often pointed to the role of educational leadership and its relationship to the quality and well-being of a school’s culture and climate. Recently the coronavirus has created a crisis on a magnitude the world has never seen that has globally altered human interactions and created an educational new normal. Literature is quickly seeking to examine the impact on education, and while much of its effect is yet to be seen, this study advances the understanding of crisis leadership, distinct from crisis management, during the …

The Impact Of Stress On Graduate Students’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Moderating Role Of Mentorship, Victoria Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Stress is one of the most researched topics in organizational psychology because of the important implications for overall health. Graduate school has many different stressors that put that specific population at a higher risk for the adverse effects of stress. Stress not only has implications for health but specific behaviors like organizational citizenship behaviors. The present study surveyed a sample of graduate students and examined ways in which mentorship can moderate the relation between stress, workload, physical symptoms, and OCBs. Eighty-five graduate students completed an anonymous survey. Results indicated that stress significantly predicted OCBs in graduate students. Also, mentorship was …

Protocol And Biomarker Strategy For A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial Examining Biological Mechanisms And Dosing Of Active Music Engagement In Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia And Lymphoma And Parents., Sheri L. Robb, Kristen A. Russ, Steven J. Holochwost, Kristin Stegenga, Susan M. Perkins, Seethal A. Jacob, Amanda K. Henley, Jessica A. Maclean

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Music therapy is a standard palliative care service in many pediatric and adult hospitals; however, most research has focused on the use of music to improve psychosocial dimensions of health, without considering biological dimensions. This study builds on prior work examining psychosocial mechanisms of action underlying an Active Music Engagement (AME) intervention, designed to help manage emotional distress and improve positive health outcomes in young children with cancer and parents (caregivers), by examining its effects on biomarkers of stress and immune function.

METHODS: This two-group randomized controlled trial (R01NR019190) is designed to examine biological mechanisms of effect and dose-response …

A Gentle Whisper: Restorying The Narrative Of Eleven Ministers To Create A Collective Voice In The Battle Against Burnout, Darrel Sears

DMin Project Theses

This March 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University investigates how there has been much research poured into the subject of burnout over the last fifty years and how its effects take a toll on an employee’s emotional, physical, and mental health. Burnout is especially prevalent in helping professions like human services, nursing, social work, psychology, and criminal justice to name a few. Vocational ministry, also a helping profession, has received its fair share of attention pertaining to burnout. Countless hours and hard work concerning stress management, clergy outpatient therapy, emotional contagions, self-care practices, spiritual-care practices, and a …

Qualitative And Quantitative Evidence Of Motivation States For Physical Activity, Exercise And Being Sedentary From University Student Focus Groups, Matthew A. Stults-Kolehmainen, Todd A. Gilson, Nicholas Santabarbara, Paul C. Mckee, Rajita Sinha, John B. Bartholomew, Daniel Boullosa, Christopher J. Budnick, Fabio Amador Bueno, Adrian Haughton, Jessica L. Barker, Garrett I. Ash

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Motivation for physical activity and sedentary behaviors (e.g., desires, urges, wants, cravings) varies from moment to moment. According to the WANT model, these motivation states may be affectively-charged (e.g., felt as tension), particularly after periods of maximal exercise or extended rest. The purpose of this study was to examine postulates of the WANT model utilizing a mixed-methods approach. We hypothesized that: (1) qualitative evidence would emerge from interviews to support this model, and (2) motivation states would quantitatively change over the course of an interview period. Seventeen undergraduate students (mean age = 18.6y, 13 women) engaged in focus groups where …

The Role Of Military Chaplains And Effective Spiritual Care For Strengthening Military Marriages During Deployments, Carl Michael Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military chaplains provide spiritual support and counseling to the military populations alongside conducting religious services. As a military process, chaplaincy operates as a liaison between military personnel, mental health professionals, and clinical marriage counselors. In this context, the military population is extensive and consists of military personnel, military chaplains, and their civilian families. It must be acknowledged that various service-motivated challenges confront these individuals. For instance, military marriages are threatened by lengthy deployment and family separations. Therefore, it is significant to contextualize military marriages’ coping, survival, and strengthening as most contemporary researchers have focused on this subject. Most studies have …

The Relationship Among Perfectionism, Perceived Stress, And Coping In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Amanda Finley

Dissertations

Perfectionism in nursing students is an understudied problem that may affect student and workforce success. Perfectionism has been linked to increased stress and less effective coping styles, as well as depression, anxiety and other psychological alterations. However, it has rarely been studied in nursing students. Studying perfectionism in this population is important because it may increase the likelihood that new nurses will struggle with the stress of practice and it could be a significant factor in early career attrition. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to gain a better understanding of the incidence of perfectionism in a nursing …

Sources Of Stress, Burnout, And Career Decisions Of Male Health And Nursing Professionals: A Qualitative Inquiry Of The Challenges During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Luis Miguel Dos Santos

The Qualitative Report

The human resources and workforce shortage of registered health and nursing professionals has been a long-term problem in health systems internationally, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many health and nursing professionals face stress and burnout, which may influence their career decisions and long-term human resources development. The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the relationship(s) between sources of stress and the reasons why male health and nursing professionals decide to leave the profession within the next six months. With the employment of the social cognitive career and motivation theory and general inductive approach with 40 male health …

Stress And Stress Coping Strategies Among Foreign Bachelor’S Medical Interns In Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (Bma) Hospitals, Prakasit Wannapaschaiyong, Kraiwuth Kallawicha

Journal of Health Research

Background– Stress among medical personnel is crucial, as it can cause the adverse health outcome to individuals who suffer from the stress as well as their clinical practice performance, which may cause serious outcomes to patients. This study focuses on the interns who received their medical degree overseas because they may have more stress due to their required clinical work and license examination. We conducted our study to determine the stress level, coping strategies, and associated factors among foreign bachelor’s medical interns in Bangkok, Thailand.

Method – A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 49 interns from Bangkok Metropolitan …