Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Informing Modifications To Social Participation And Navigation (Span) For Adolescents With Social Anxiety Incorporating Pet Dogs, Nicole Porter, Gary Bedell, Jason Getzler, Megan Mueller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges of adolescence and profoundly impacts social participation. This study obtained adolescent and parent feedback to inform a future modification of Social Navigation and Participation (SPAN) for use with adolescents with social anxiety incorporating pet dogs.

Methods: The study had two phases: Phase 1 included interviews with adolescents with social anxiety (n = 8) about their social participation experiences, strategies, pet dogs, and thoughts on a proposed intervention to promote social participation; and Phase 2 included on-line survey completed by the adolescents and their parents (n = 14) assessing …

Unlv Mental Health Initiatives: Unifying Through Innovation And Collaboration, The Lincy Institute, Unlv Practice, Behere Nv, Unlv Department Of Psychology

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada persistently ranks at or near the bottom in the country for overall access to mental health services despite the need (Mental Health America, 2015-2023). UNLV faculty are developing initiatives to change this unacceptable situation. The Lincy Institute, in partnership with UNLV PRACTICE, BeHERE Nevada, and researchers from the Department of Psychology, offered a community forum showcasing three mental health initiatives harnessing faculty collaboration and innovation to drive overdue changes in Nevada’s mental-health landscape. Following the presentations policymakers engaged in open discussion with UNLV presenters and the audience. The three main initiatives showcased in this forum …

A34: Factors To Indicate Overweight For Youth From 5-11-Year-Old: Data Mining Tree Regression Application, Danji Lu, Yuanlong Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: According to the World Health Organization, obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 in the U.S. (Obesity, n.d.). Considerable research was done to find reasons to deal with obesity. In last 10 year’s obesity related research, the major focuses were metabolic syndrome, physical activity, and eating disorder. In this study, two subsets of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2014 NHANES) were used to test what variables were critical to indicate overweight of youth from 5- to 11-year-old. Dietary subset reflected nutrients obtained from foods, beverages, and water. Physical activity subset based on the Global Physical Activity …

Building Resilience To Treat Trauma And Improve Social Participation With Youth In Foster Care, Rachel Greene, Keisa Boykin, Dana Madalon

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Childhood trauma is classified by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that caused the trauma. An ACE is a traumatic event that an individual has observed from birth to 18 years old (Atchison & Suarez, 2021). ACEs include but are not limited to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and neglect. ACEs also include household dysfunctions such as domestic violence, divorce, incarceration of family, substance abuse, food scarcity, poverty, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Building resilience promotes healthy coping skills, the ability to trust and engage with support systems, and the prevention of retraumatization (Bethell et al., 2017). Trauma and resiliency are invertedly related, …

Supporting Oaxacan Youth Mental Health, Academic Achievement, And Cultural Connection, Itahi Arteaga, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga, Rebecca Heymann

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Oaxacan Indigenous youth in the U.S. experience generational, cultural, and social conflicts that impact their participation, performance, and well-being, yet there are no occupation-based programs that address their mental health, academic achievement, and cultural connection In San Diego.

The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a culturally-informed occupational therapy program for Oaxacan indigenous youth that will motivate and provide the skills needed to navigate different cultures while encouraging belonging.

Examining The Experience And Impact Of Teen-To-Teen Crisis Line Work For Youth Volunteers: A Pilot Study, Taylor Kalgren

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

For young people, suicide is a leading cause of death. In addition, suicidal thoughts and behaviors begin during adolescence, and rates are high during this developmental period. Crisis lines are one of the oldest suicide prevention strategies used today. Crisis line work is challenging, and therefore, examining the health and safety of these operators is critical. Teen-to-teen (t2t) crisis lines are a unique resource where adolescent volunteers help their similarity aged peers. The goal of this pilot study was to begin to evaluate the impact of t2t crisis lines for youth volunteers. Twenty youth crisis line volunteers (ages 15-20) were …

Growing In Grief: A Meaning-Making Expressive Arts Therapy Method Developed For Bereaved Youth, Jessica Wilson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Approximately 5.3 million youth in the United States have experienced the death of a sibling or parent. They face challenges such as an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance use, and other detrimental effects on adjustment. A small subset of this population experiences significant emotional and behavioral difficulties, characterized by an inability to function in major life roles, a preoccupation with the loss, and separation distress. Modern grief literature describes meaning-making as an adaptive coping process contributing to a sense of renewed hope and self-efficacy and a reduction in distressing grief symptomology. Expressive arts therapy is an effective way to …

Building Sustainable Environmental Activism Programs For Youth, Aminah Habib

Master's Projects and Capstones

As the negative impacts of climate change become more and more common across the United States, many youth are experiencing eco-anxiety or other negative mental health impacts due to the state of the environment. Engaging with activism has been named as a potential mitigator of the negative impacts of climate change among youth, but the relationship between activism and youth well-being is an emerging area of research. To explore this relationship, this scoping review explored and synthesized available literature to inform the next steps. In addition to the community-level and society-level contributions that come from youth activism, there are also …

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Perceived Competence Regarding Concussion Management In Schools, Braelyn Tracy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can have a serious effect on a young, developing brain. Following a concussion, it is common for children and adolescents to experience difficulties in the school setting. Schools may be the ideal setting to address some of the problems children experience as schools employ some personnel with expertise and experience in assessment and intervention. If return to learn is put to the side, students experiencing concussion signs and symptoms could potentially have long-term cognitive problems. School psychologists play a key role in the prevention and assessment of, and intervention for …

Shared Concepts Guiding The Practice Of A Community Occupational Therapy Program Serving Youth With Psychosocial Challenges, Chi-Kwan Shea, Nancy Jackson, Marianna Ayers Sordille

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational therapy services to youth with trauma experiences and mental health challenges may follow unique practice concepts that deserve to be explored and illuminated. The study aimed to explore and identify shared concepts that have been guiding the occupational therapy practice of a community-based program serving the youth population.

Method: The qualitative study analyzed data from transcripts of one-on-one interviews with occupational therapists who serve youth clients in the community-based program. Using a grounded theory qualitative approach, the analysis aimed to highlight unique concepts that the occupational therapists employed in their day-to-day practice with youth who experience …

Experiences Of Covid-19-Related Racism And Impact On Depression Trajectories Among Racially/Ethnically Minoritized Adolescents, Sabrina R. Liu, Elysia Poggi Davis, Anton M. Palma, Hal S. Stern, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

In 2020, racially/ethnically minoritized (REMD) youth faced the “dual pandemics” of COVID-19 and racism, both significant stressors with potential for adverse mental health effects. The current study tested whether short- and long-term trajectories of depressive symptoms from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic differed between REMD adolescents who did and did not endorse exposure to COVID-19-era-related racism (i.e., racism stemming from conditions created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic).

Methods

A community sample of 100 REMD adolescents enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study of mental health was assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 51% girls, mean …

Examining The Experience Of Teen-To-Teen Crisis Line Work For Adolescent Volunteers: A Pilot Study, Taylor Kalgren Bs, Catherine R. Glenn Phd, Raksha Kandlur Ms, Kelsie Allison Ms, Annie Duan Bs, Cheryl Karp, Morgan Leets, Sandipan Dutta Phd, Madelyn Gould Phd, Mph

College of Sciences Posters

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are high and increasing among youth. Crisis lines are one of the oldest downstream approaches for suicide prevention, which have demonstrated effectiveness for adults and preliminary effectiveness for youth. Teen-to-teen (t2t) crisis lines are a unique resource where adolescent volunteers help their similarly aged peers (through texts, chats, calls, and emails). However, no research to date has examined the impacts of t2t crisis line volunteering on the youth. The goal of this pilot study is to begin to evaluate the experience of t2t crisis lines for the youth volunteers. Adolescent (n=20, ages 15-20) volunteers were recruited …

A Constructivist Grounded Theory Analysis Of Seven Medical Provider Perspectives On Major Barriers To Prescribing Buprenorphine To Youth With Opiold Use Disorder In Outpatient Medical Settings: "We Should Be Providing Them With What We Know To Be The Gold Standard Of Care"., Maeve O'Leary Sloan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study utilized Primary Care Provider (PCP) perspectives to unveil major barriers to prescribing buprenorphine to youth (ages 16-25) with opioid use disorder (OUD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven PCPs recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted and recorded via Zoom video conferencing. Transcripts were generated and analyzed for themes using a Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) approach. The CGT of the present study describes four major barriers that limit PCP prescription of buprenorphine to youth: 1) PCPs Feel Overwhelmed, 2) PCPs Feel Ill Equipped to Treat Youth Patients with OUD, 3) PCPs Hold and Observe Stigma toward …

Exploring Correlates Of Student Preferences For Virtual Or In-Class Learning Among Neurodiverse Adolescents Using A Single-Case Design Methodology, Taryn A. Myers, John D. Ball, Mindy Gumpert, Mary Roberts

Human Movement Sciences Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current study is to explore several correlates of adolescent students’ preferences for at-home virtual or in-class in-person learning in a single case of a school that serves students with learning differences. Correlates of interest were the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and the students’ self-reported learning engagement. Participants were recruited from a single independent school for students with neurodiversity and special learning needs, where they had high exposure to computer-/internet-assisted learning. Twenty-seven students responded to questionnaires measuring preferred learning modes, personality traits, and learning engagement. Despite teacher reports …

"I Just Want To Be Me, Authentically": Identity Shifting Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Young Adults, Aerika Brittian Loyd, Dulce Wilkinson Westberg, Lenisha Williams, Marisha Humphries, Alan Meca, Julie Carmen Rodil

Psychology Faculty Publications

Identity shifting represents a common but complex social, behavioral, and cognitive phenomenon. However, some forms of identity shifting originate in response to structural, institutional, and interpersonal marginalization enacted on lower status groups, such as people of color in the United States. The current study investigated ways young adults from diverse ethnic/racial groups discussed shifting to fit in with White Americans (a dominant group) in the United States and their own ethnic/racial group (a minoritized group) and elucidated self-reported motivations for shifting. Participants consisted of 764 young adults (ages = 18–23) recruited from two large public universities in the Southeast and …

Youth Climate Change Activism: How Activism In Youth Can Be Encouraged To Help Combat Climate Change And Reduce Youth Health Impacts, Lorely M. Ruiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

While the effects of climate change are already affecting populations throughout the world, youth will have to deal with the full array of consequences due to the inaction of people in power and environmental regulation failures. Climate change is an issue that needs to be dealt with urgently due to the disproportionate burden it has on youth and future generations. A scoping literature review was conducted to analyze existing literature on climate change activism among youth throughout the globe. Research, practice, and policy recommendations were made to help address gaps in existing literature such as limited research on youth climate …

Ask Your Doctor About: Prescribing Activism For Eco-Anxiety In Adolescents, Lexi Nutkiewicz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Climate change is an ongoing public health crisis. Efforts to protect future generations' physical and mental health are more urgent than ever. Youth, in particular, are experiencing eco-anxiety, a specific form of anxiety relating to stress or distress caused by environmental changes and one’s knowledge of them due to the climate crisis. This scoping review provides a better understanding of the value of youth climate change activism as a strategy to mitigate eco-anxiety. This review evaluates the current definitions of eco-anxiety, the risk factors for eco-anxiety among adolescents, and considers the benefits and drawbacks of youth activism. To identify relevant …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Polypharmacy In Adolescents Who Have Engaged In Sexually Abusive Behaviors, Rebecca Gilley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polypharmacy, or the concurrent use of multiple medications, is associated with detrimental outcomes for patients and has gathered increasing attention within the scientific clinical literature. Pediatric populations warrant special consideration for the practice of polypharmacy, as medication effects are more pronounced in youth and adverse effects may have a lasting impact on development. This dissertation study examined psychotropic prescribing practices in a sample of adolescents who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviors, a subset of justice-involved youth who are at risk for polypharmacy. General prescribing trends were examined, and a principle components analysis involving variables associated with risk of polypharmacy …

Public Health Contagion Of White Supremacy: Examining The Pipeline Of Attitudes About Racism And Racial History Education Among High School Students., Trinidad Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are living in compounded states of upheaval. Violence and exemption from it across socioecological levels have shaped how humans survive, thrive, and die. While different violence typologies exist, the U.S., prioritizes interpersonal violence as its primary target of intervention, often through structural means that foster and reinforce interpersonal violence. The omission of structural and cultural agents and outcomes of violence allows perpetrators to infiltrate and reproduce savage, dehumanizing ideologies in perpetuity. Instead of sustaining societal pillars that oppress and destroy, we must fertilize public health research, practice, and sociopolitical activism with pillars that both inform and activate liberatory consciousness …

Selected Dietary Restrictions And The Frequency Of Alcohol Consumption Among Adolescents, Mariusz Jaworski, Anna Fabisiak

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Increasing alcohol consumption by adolescents is a major public health problem. One reason for this is that young people want to solve their difficulties by using alcohol. Therefore, an important aim of the current study is to analyze selected nutrition-related health behaviors which are taken before the planned consumption of alcoholic beverages among young people. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 77 adolescents from secondary school. The research tool consisted of two parts. The first one analyzed the frequency of selected alcohol consumption, the second - nutrition-related behaviors in adolescents before the planned consumption of alcoholic beverages. …

The Set Of Test Tasks Assessing Special Physical Fitness Of 17-Year-Old Soccer Players, Andrzej Szwarc, Bartosz Dolanski, Patrycja Lipinska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The objective of the research was to work out the set of test tasks assessing special physical fitness of 17-year-old soccer players. Material/Methods: At first, on the basis of the analysis of the said issue in literature and the authors’ own coaching experience, 13 test tasks were selected. Next, reliability and accuracy of the chosen test tasks were examined on the group of 16 athletes from the Centre of Sports training for youth in Gdansk. The reliability was assessed by the test-re-test method and the accuracy according to a criterion of internal accuracy tests. Except for one task, all …

Predictors Of Physical Activity For Weekdays And Weekends Among Adolescent – A Cross-Sectional Study In Sarawak, Malaysia, Whye Lian Cheah, Helmy Hazmi, Ching Thon Chang

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to describe the patterns of physical activities both at weekends and on weekdays and to identify their associated factors. Material/Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among secondary school students aged 13-15 years old in Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information and to measure perceived barriers, self-efficacies and social influences. Anthropometric measurements were taken and used to determine BMI-for-age, while pedometers were used to assess the physical activity levels. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 474 students from six secondary schools participated. About 16% of the …

Diversity Of Factors Determining Physical Activity In Youth In Visegrad Countries, Ewelina Niznikowska, Jozef Bergier, Barbara Bergier, Pongrac Acs, Jan Junger, Ferdinand Salonna

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The present study aimed to gain knowledge about the diversity of factors determining physical activity in youth from the V4 countries. The study involved 2145 students aged 15-17 years from the Visegrad countries (V4): the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. A diagnostic survey was used as the research method in the form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-L). The Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests as well as the Pearson Chi-square independence test were applied to do the statistical calculations and determine statistically significant relationships. More than half of the surveyed youth from the V4 countries (58.2%) demonstrated a …

Core Stability Training And Young Para-Swimmers' Results On 50 Meters And 100 Meters Freestyle, Ninomyslaw Jakubczyk, Anna Zwierzchowska, Adam Maszczyk

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Central stabilization training aims to improve neuromuscular coordination. It is used to prevent injuries and complement swimmers’ training process. The aim of the study was to access the impact of this training on the results by disabled swimmers at 50 and 100 meters’ freestyle. Material/Method: 20 competitors with similar dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group, participated in the study. Each group consisted of 7 swimmers starting in competitions from the standing starting position and 3 starting from water. The study included a 4-week set of stabilization exercises, 4 times a week …

Assessment Of Physical Fitness Among Non-Athlete Adolescents: Effect Of Familiarization Sessions, Diogo Henrique Constantino Coledam, Rodrigo Dias Caria De Oliveira

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: ‪The validity and reliability of fitness tests are described in the literature; however, the effects of familiarization sessions on motor performance have not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of four familiarization sessions on physical fitness performance among adolescents. Material and methods: ‪Twenty adolescents performed sprint, agility, flexibility, explosive strength, muscular endurance, and balance tests on four separate days with an interval of 72h. Results: ‪Considering the first and the fourth sessions, there were significant differences in mean values for push-up, curl-up, and Flamingo tests (p<0.05). Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) varied from 0.65 to 0.97, except for the Flamingo test (0.22). The magnitude based inference revealed a likely beneficial effect of familiarization on agility (87.8%), push-ups (91.2%), curl-ups (94.4%), and a very likely effect on the Flamingo test (97.0%). When comparing the second and the third sessions with the first one, values of ICC were similar or higher, while a likely beneficial effect of familiarization was found in the second session for the Flamingo test (78.8%), and in the third session for curl-ups (91.3%), push-ups (77.1%), and the Flamingo test (94.8%). Conclusions: ‪The familiarization procedure should be considered prior to agility, muscular endurance, and balance test assessments.

The Relation Between Selected Anthropometric Variables And The Sports Results Of Early Pubescent Swimmers, Grzegorz Bielec, Daniel Jurak

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Relationships between anthropometric parameters and sports results in swimming are well documented, but only few studies concern young athletes. Scientific evidence does not indicate definitely which anthropometric variables determine swimming performance among pubertal athletes. Material and methods: Forty-one swimmers at the mean age of 12.2 years (including 15 females) were examined. Body composition was assessed with a Tanita BC 545N device. Body height, hand length, hand width and arm span were also measured. Anthropometric data were compared to results of 50 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley. Results: Calculations made by Pearson’s coefficient revealed significant correlations between body …

A Comparative Study Of Anthropometric Measurements And Body Composition Between Junior Football And Basketball Players From The Serbian National League, Dusko Bjelica, Bojan Masanovic, Dragan Krivokapic

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe anthropometric characteristics and body composition of junior football and basketball players as well as to make comparisons between them. Material and methods: In this study 70 males were enrolled, divided into three groups: 25 football players, 13 basketball players and 32 healthy sedentary subjects. All subjects were assessed for the anthropometric measures required to calculate body composition variables, using the standardized procedures. Descriptive statistics were expressed as a mean (SD) for each variable. To detect the effects of each type of sport ANOVA and LSD Post Hoc tests were carried out. …

The Relative Age-Related Participation Trends In European Badminton, Mert Bilgic, Erhan Devrilmez

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the relative age effect (RAE) in European youth badminton through examining participation trends. Material and methods: The birthdate distributions of 1909 badminton players (males = 994, females = 915) participating in the last three consecutive European U15, U17 and Junior (U19) Badminton Championships were analysed. Chi-square (χ²) goodness-of-fit tests were used to determine inter-quartile differences, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated in order to compare quartiles with each other. Results: Statistically significant over-representation of players born shortly after the cut-off date was determined. Regarding gender, RAE was …

Examining Youth Conceptualizations Of Water Safety Behaviors Among Participants In A Learn-To-Swim Program, Austin R. Anderson, Kristina R. Anderson, William D. Ramos, Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning represents a leading cause of unintentional deaths among children. Concomitantly, while formal swim instruction often incorporates water safety practices, the efficacy of these messages remains largely unexplored. This qualitative-based study sought to evaluate how youth apply learned water safety concepts when posed with a hypothetical aquatic scenario. Semi-structured interviews, augmented by use of a visual illustration prompt, were conducted with 29 participants of a youth Learn-to-Swim (LTS) program. Interviews assessed participants’ expressed water safety behaviors and were coded based on emergent themes. Findings indicated that most participants were able to identify a “struggling” swimmer in the dramatized illustration. When …

Sociodemographic, Personal, Peer, And Familial Predictors Of E-Cigarette Ever Use In Espad Ireland: A Forward Stepwise Logistic Regression Model, Joan Hanafin, Salome Sunday, Luke Clancy

Articles

Introduction:
E-cigarette ever use has risen significantly in recent years in Ireland, similar to trends elsewhere in Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific region. Results from ESPAD Ireland (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs) show teenage e-cigarette ever use increased from 18% (2015) to 37% (2019). Given this increase, our aim is to profile e-cigarette ever users and never users in this age group; to examine sociodemographic, personal, peer, and familial factors associated with e-cigarette ever use; and to suggest appropriate measures to reduce use.

Methods:
A nationally representative stratified random sample of 50 ESPAD schools was …