Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Educating And Engaging Along Life's Journey, Decorntae Kpou, Matthew O'Donnell

Bridging the Gaps Posters 2014

No abstract provided.

Substance Abuse Recovery: Mind, Body, And Soul, Chinwendu Opara, Aisha Uddin

Bridging the Gaps Posters 2014

No abstract provided.

Exploring Jungian Archetypes As Potential Predictors Of Infidelity In Committed Relationships, Kattrina Miller Roach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Transgenerational Transmission Of Trauma In Second Generation Latino Children And Adolescents, Ricardo Phipps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact that immigration-related trauma has upon families, particularly second-generation immigrant children in the Latino-American community in the United States, and the possibility that second-generation immigrant Latinos are vulnerable to transgenerational trauma. Transgenerational trauma involves the exhibition of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in subsequent generations in families with histories of trauma exposure. Multiple linear regression was conducted to explore the existence of a correlation between PTSD and depression in second-generation Latino immigrant children and adolescents with a myriad of potentially predicting factors. Enhanced understanding of how trauma can affect the children of traumatized immigrants will add …

Determining Physician And Patient Characteristics That Predict The Use Of Atypical Antipsychotics In Children With Mental Health Disorders, Sujith Ramachandran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Children, Adolescents And Firesetting, Joav Merrick, Carrie Howell Bowling, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The research of firesetting has been conducted in different ways and lacks a coherent, consistent and comprehensive set of empirical findings. A recent review concluded that despite a number of risk factors being repeatedly identified, an understanding of the etiology behind firesetting behavior and potential developmental trajectories remains theoretically rather than empirically based. Existing theories do not take sufficient account of the complexities of firesetting behavior and there is not yet a typology and accompanying assessment that has undergone thorough empirical testing and is of significant clinical utility. Due to the relationship between firesetting and antisocial behavior there is a …

Firesetting Behavior And Psychiatric Disorders, Stephanie Stockburger, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Firesetting behavior results in serious damage to lives and property every year. Firesetting has been linked to a number of comorbid psychiatric disorders including depression, substance abuse, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, psychotic disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Psychiatric disorders differ by gender. In addition, juvenile firesetters have history of a separate set of psychiatric comorbidities. The strong correlation between psychiatric comorbidities and firesetting behavior illustrates the need for fire service and mental health collaboration.

Adolescent Bereavement, Leslie Robin, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Depending on cognitive and emotional development, an adolescent may grieve very differently than a child or an adult. While mature enough to understand death's irreversibility, adolescents may not fully comprehend the enduring consequences of a loved one's death. As the desire to separate from their families and forge new intimate relationships with peers assumes increasing priority, adolescents can seem egocentric in their reaction to death, a response which often frustrates and perplexes adults. Because volatile behavior is characteristic of adolescence, health providers struggle to differentiate between normal and complicated bereavement. Here we review the commonly-accepted characteristics of normal and complicated …

Young People’S Mental Health Awareness (Including An Evaluation Of A Mental Health Promoting Pilot Project Developed In Connaught), Pamela Kent

Theses

Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable life stage during which mental health challenges can occur and “in order to create a positive state of mental health and well-being it is imperative for young people to be able to recognise which aspects of life have a positive and damaging effect on their mental health” (HSE, 2007: 14). Irish research states that “Positive mental health enables young people to live fulfilling lives and promoting the mental health and wellbeing of our young people is a shared responsibility and is everybody’s business” (Department of Education and Skills & Health Service Executive & Department of …

Visual Efficiency And The Relationship Between Reading And Behaviors Indicating Difficulties In The Classroom In Elementary School-Age Children, Patricia A. Broadbent

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between visual efficiency, reading levels and behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom. The sample consisted of thirty–three school-aged children, from four elementary schools. Visual efficiency was measured through a multi-step vision screening process, the Visual Efficiency Rating (VERA) software program. Behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom were measured using the Behavioral Indicator Checklist, Indicators of Visual Performance Difficulties. This behavior checklist is part of the VERA process and is completed by the classroom teachers. The students’ reading levels were reported by the participating schools. The students were …

Examining The Identity Of The Art Therapist: The Voice Of Practice And Relational Care, Denise Malis

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of personal art making on the identity and practice of the professional art therapist. This qualitative study explored the subjective experience of six female professional art therapists. Interviews were conducted and participants were asked about their personal art-making, art therapy practice, and the meaning of their professional identity. A narrative methodology, the Listening Guide, was applied to the interview data and emphasized each participant’s voice and use of expressive language. Data from this study established a three-fold identity for the professional art therapist: counselor, artist, and art therapist. Confidence in …

The Bridge Drawing With Path Art-Based Assessment: Measuring Meaningful Life Pathways In Higher Education Students, Olena Darewych

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships among the Bridge Drawing with Path (BDP) art-based assessment and two positive psychology instruments: the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ; Steger et al., 2006) and the Adult State Hope Scale (ASHS; Snyder et al., 1996). All three assessments (BDP, MLQ and ASHS) are intended to test for an individual’s goal-related pursuits. Forty-four higher education students studying in Britain and Canada participated in the study. Results indicated that an association exists between BDP written associations and MLQ-presence of meaning sub-scores. Participants who scored high on MLQ – presence of meaning generated more sources of life …

Music Therapy As An Intermodal Practice: Clients And Therapists Perspectives, Daniel Hyams

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of clients and music therapists working with an integrated arts approach in music therapy. Seventeen client participants (aged 11-19 years old) underwent five consecutive therapy sessions with one of three qualified music therapists. The guiding questions pertained to the participants’ experience of having various arts materials in addition to the standard musical instruments available during the music therapy sessions. The results showed a positive response from the clients’ perspectives, and a negative response from the therapists. The clients unanimously preferred having choice in the sessions. The therapists, however, …

An Introduction: Quantification Of The Hippocampal Bdnf Content Of Maternally Separated Rats Using A Western Blot Protocol, Bernajane M. Palisoc, Laurel M. Pritchard, Emily Hensleigh

McNair Poster Presentations

Among industrialized nations, the United States has the worst incidence of child maltreatment with 3 million cases per year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Studies have shown that individuals who were maltreated when they were young are more susceptible to drug abuse such as alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine (Maddahian, Newcomb, & Bentle, 1988). Early life stress (ELS) causes hyperactivation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal (HPA) Axis (Heim et al., 2000; Plotsky et al., 2005). The dysregulation of the HPA axis causes the secretion of glucocorticoid stress hormones by large amounts, which in return attenuates hippocampal Brain-derived neurotrophic factor …

Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Teens, Tamieka Meadows, Alexis Kennedy

McNair Poster Presentations

This research explores whether commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) abuse drugs or face greater histories of abuse than their delinquent peers. This research will evaluate whether girls who are CSEC victims experience more abuse of drugs or experience more physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. The study also explores whether CSEC victims witnessed more abuse than non-CSEC victims. A survey of needs and issues facing delinquent girls was given to 130 girls between the ages of 13 to 18. Questions asked about their drug use, abuse history, and whether they witnessed abuse. This research found that many girls who are CSEC …

The Off-Label Use Of Atypical Antipsychotics And Its Impact On Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Minji Sohn

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) (also known as second-generation antipsychotics) are the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medications for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, depression and autism. Compared to the typical antipsychotics, AAPs were marketed as reducing adverse side effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms. This resulted in extensive use of AAPs for not only the FDA approved indications but also other conditions that are not approved. However, several post-marketing clinical trials evaluated the use of AAPs and reported serious adverse side effects, including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular events, or death.

The extensive use of AAPs by pediatrics is an important policy problem …

Primary And Secondary Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Among Rural Appalachian People Who Use Drugs, Dustin B. Stephens

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with 3% of the global population chronically infected. Clinical impacts in the United States are projected to increase for two decades, and mortality attributed to HCV now exceeds HIV. Injection drug use (IDU) is the most common route of transmission in the developed world. Advances in treatment offer hope of mitigating HCV impacts, but substantial barriers obstruct people who inject drugs (PWID) from receiving care, particularly in medically underserved regions including Central Appalachia. This study assessed IDU paraphernalia sharing longitudinally over 24 months in a sample of …

An Analysis Of Abnormal Electrocardiograms In First And Second Year Medical School Students, Molly Anne Kalish

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The high stress level placed upon medical school students, particularly during their first and second didactic years, may have a negative effect on their health. Although surveys and subjective questionnaires have been used to evaluate the effects medical school has upon a student’s cardiovascular health, there has been little clinical data obtained to confirm this notion. The aim of this longitudinal study was to demonstrate whether any abnormal cardiovascular parameters, specifically QTc wave interval, cardiac axis vector and blood pressure abnormalities, could be documented to occur in two different classes of medical students during their first two years. Such information …

Next To Normal: A Costume Design Based In Psychological Research, Grace R. Kinser

Honors Program Theses

Throughout my life my two main interests have been theatre and people. When I came to UNI I found a way to pursue these interests through my education, with a psychology major and a theatre minor. I had the first idea for my thesis when I had the opportunity to take some upper level costume design classes alongside some of my upper level psychology courses, and I noticed how naturally the two areas of study fit together. As I began to choose my play, started to think about the psychological concepts in the shows I was reading, and progressed with …

Mobile Delivery Of Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorders: A Review Of The Literature, Andrew Quanbeck, Ming-Yuan Chih, Andrew Isham, David H. Gustafson

Health and Clinical Sciences Faculty Publications

Several systems for treating alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) exist that operate on mobile phones. These systems are categorized into four groups: text-messaging monitoring and reminder systems, text-messaging intervention systems, comprehensive recovery management systems, and game-based systems. Text-messaging monitoring and reminder systems deliver reminders and prompt reporting of alcohol consumption, enabling continuous monitoring of alcohol use. Text-messaging intervention systems additionally deliver text messages designed to promote abstinence and recovery. Comprehensive recovery management systems use the capabilities of smart-phones to provide a variety of tools and services that can be tailored to individuals, including in-the-moment assessments and access to peer discussion groups. Game-based …

Effects Of Parental Alcoholism And Trauma Exposure On Depressive Symptoms: A Path Model With Resilience, Social Support, And Family Satisfaction, Erin Doty Kurtz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this study was to explore the different effects of parental alcoholism and history of trauma exposure on depressive symptoms in an emerging adult, college population. In particular, mediating effects of resilience, social support, and family satisfaction were evaluated for both parental alcoholism and previous interpersonal trauma exposure using structural equation modeling (SEM). Participants were 708 students (217 male, 491 female) attending a large mid-Atlantic state university. It was . anticipated that social support and family satisfaction would be key mediators between parental alcoholism and depressive symptoms, while resilience and social support would be significant mediators between interpersonal …

Development Of The Profession Of Counseling In Kenya, Uganda, And Tanzania: A Grounded Theory Study, Mueni Joy Maweu Mwendwa

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The positive mental health of a country's population has a direct correlation to that country's economic and social advancement. As a result, the development of the counseling profession is critical. Even though fewer than half of African member states have an existing mental health policy in place, initiatives to establish mental health policies and develop the counseling profession are underway across the African continent. In general, there is a significant deficit of counseling literature, and specifically, research on the development of the counseling profession in Africa. This grounded theory study sought to explore the experiences of counseling leaders related to …

Principles Of Practice In Mental Health Assessment With Aboriginal Australians, Yolonda Adams, Neil M. Drew, Roz Walker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this chapter, concepts and history of assessment and testing in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing and mental health are discussed. Importantly, recently revised diagnostic guidelines and the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce 20131 and their appropriateness for meeting the distinctive needs of Aboriginal people are reviewed. Various assessment tools and measures that have been validated or proved appropriate for use with particular Aboriginal populations, i.e. youth, women and older people, are described. We conclude that practitioners need to be critically reflective in their role in assessment, and position themselves …

Learning From The Experts: Qualitative Study Of The Lived Experience Of Mental Illness, Zdenka Bartova

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Severe mental illness has a profound effect on the affected individuals yet it does not necessarily prevent them from leading a meaningful and fulfilling life, and therefore recovering. Recovery has received a great interest in clinical and consumer research yet little is known about how those individuals who do not primarily identify with recovery respond to the concept and come to accept it as something that is personally meaningful. Using a qualitative approach following the principles of Gadamer’s (1975) hermeneutics, the present study explored people’s subjective experience of mental illness with the aim of identifying factors related to their views …

Causality Is Logically Definable-Toward An Equilibrium-Based Computing Paradigm Of Quantum Agents And Quantum Intelligence (Qaqi), Wen-Ran Zhang, Karl E. Peace

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

A survey on agents, causality and intelligence is presented and an equilibrium-based computing paradigm of quantum agents and quantum intelligence (QAQI) is proposed. In the survey, Aristotle’s causality principle and its historical extensions by David Hume, Bertrand Russell, Lotfi Zadeh, Donald Rubin, Judea Pearl, Niels Bohr, Albert Einstein, David Bohm, and the causal set initiative are reviewed; bipolar dynamic logic (BDL) is introduced as a causal logic for bipolar inductive and deductive reasoning; bipolar quantum linear algebra (BQLA) is introduced as a causal algebra for quantum agent interaction and formation. Despite the widely held view that causality is undefinable with …

Associations Between Cognitive Vulnerability To Depression And Risk-Taking Behaviors And Risk-Perception In University Undergraduates, Michela Dalsing

All Master's Theses

The influence of cognitive vulnerability to depression on risk-perception and on risk-taking behaviors was studied. The sample consisted of 240 Central Washington University students who self-selected to participate in this study and completed the measures for cognitive vulnerability to depression, risk-perception, and risk-taking behaviors. The results partially supported the hypothesis by indicating that cognitive vulnerability to depression influenced the perceived benefits of risk-taking behaviors which, in turn, influenced the self-reported likelihood of engaging in those risk-taking behaviors. The findings are beneficial in highlighting one contributor, cognitive vulnerability to depression, to risk-perception and risk-taking behavior and noting implications for underlying causes …

Exercise Habits, Mindfulness, And Indicators Of Mental Health Among College Students, Emily R. Faust

All Master's Theses

The differences in levels of mindfulness and indicators of mental health were examined between groups of individuals currently engaging in various types of exercise. Eighty-two undergraduate and graduate-level college students completed an online survey regarding their past and current exercise habits and their levels of mindfulness, stress, anxiety, and affect. Four exercise groups, matched on age and gender, were created based on the types of exercise that participants reported currently engaging in: (a) yoga plus any other type of exercise; (b) aerobic exercise only; ( c) more than one type of exercise; ( d) no current activity. The results showed …

Behavioral Relaxation Training: A Stress Management Tool For Graduate Students, Natalie Anne Juhlin

All Master's Theses

Stress can have maladaptive effects on health and academic performance. This study examined the effectiveness of teaching Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT) as a stress management technique for graduate students. BRT is a form of relaxation training that teaches individuals 10 relaxed behaviors to use when experiencing distressing emotions. A concurrent multiple probe design across four participants was used in conjunction with pretest and follow-up scores from the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Following baseline probes, participants received two BRT training sessions focusing on acquisition and proficiency of relaxed body postures. Results revealed that after BRT training all participants achieved greater than …

Factors That Influence The Stigma Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anna M. Chester

All Master's Theses

The current study focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how factors such as gender or military status and precipitating trauma associated with the disorder influenced the occurrence or strength of the participants' perceived and personal stigma and desired social distance to the individual suffering from PTSD. Participants' PTSD knowledge was measured and evaluated as a potential covariate. Three hundred and thirty male and female undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 12 experimental vignettes that varied by gender, military status, and precipitating trauma associated with an individual suffering from PTSD. Results supported one of the proposed hypotheses: knowledge …

Anxiety Disorders And School-Based Treatments: Assessing School Pyschologists' Knowledge And Perceptions, Kelly A. Myhasuk

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are common in children and youth. Despite high prevalence rates, most children with anxiety disorders do not receive treatment. In fact, for the few children who are receiving treatment, schools are the primary source of mental health care. When left untreated, children experience significant disruptions in their academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Therefore, it is important for those working in schools to recognize and treat children with anxiety disorders. The present study surveyed school psychologists (n = 178) to assess their knowledge about anxiety disorders and about empirically supported school-based treatments. Also, this study sought to investigate …