Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Video Game Therapy In Helping Adolescent Clients To Build Connections With Their Families, Qichang Yang

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study explores the role of video game therapy in enhancing family connections among adolescents. Using a mixed-methods approach, we use surveys and interviews to assess changes in family relationships for adolescents undergoing video game therapy. Preliminary findings indicate that video game therapy could be a great tool for improving familial bonds. This research adds to the understanding of non-traditional therapeutic interventions and their potential impact on family dynamics and adolescent mental health.

Impacts Of Receiving An Autism Spectrum Diagnosis As An Adult On Relationship Satisfaction And Relationship-Specific Attachment, Erika Fisch, Molly Hammond, Katie Roberts

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Our research will explore how receiving an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis impacts adult relationship satisfaction and relationship-specific attachment. Previous research has demonstrated benefits of ASD diagnosis for individuals. We hope to expand this body of research by examining the effects of ASD diagnosis on couples. We will survey adult couples with one partner on a waitlist for an ASD evaluation using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire. After evaluation, we will ask adults diagnosed with ASD and their partners to take the survey twice more. We hypothesize that both relationship satisfaction and attachment will improve.

Effectiveness Of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (Efft) On Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (Nssi) Vs Dialectical Behavioral Therapy For Adolescence (Dbt-A), Aneta Merlino

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) in reducing the incidence of adolescent Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI). 80 adolescents who meet the NSSI criteria, age 13-19, will be randomized to participate in a total of 12 weekly, in-person EFFT sessions, or 16 weekly in-person Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescence (DBT-A) sessions. It is hypothesized EFFT will be more effective in long term reduction of NSSI frequency, measured post treatment, and at 12 month follow up, due to an increase in interpersonal protective factors as compared to DBT-A.

Are Telehealth Interventions Efficacious In Reducing Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety?, Megan Hoback, Mario Gaspar De Alba

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study aims to explore the efficacy of therapeutic interventions via telehealth on reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. The focus will be on individuals living in the United States diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Subjects will participate in 12 individual telehealth sessions conducted across three months with a pre-test, immediate post-test, and 3-month follow up including completion of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7), and the Telehealth Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ) to measure efficacy. We hypothesize therapeutic interventions via telehealth will be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Impact Of Narrative Therapy On American Interracial Couples’ Marital Satisfaction., Emily Knutzen

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

In the United States, the number of interracial couples has continued to rise since 1967 when miscegenation laws were overturned. Interracial couples face unique challenges related to racism, discrimination, and the complexity of blending cultures. The current study aims to explore the effectiveness of Narrative Therapy (NT) in increasing interracial couples’ reports of martial satisfaction. Twenty couples experiencing low marital satisfaction will be chosen using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an intervention and control group. Pre-test, post-test, and two-month post-test follow up scores on the Index of Martial Satisfaction will be analyzed to assess for effectiveness of treatment.

Socioculturally Informed Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy: Impacts On Biracial Couples, Angie Lai

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This quantitative study aims to explore the efficacy of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) for biracial couples using a randomized controlled trial with a control group and an experimental group. Each group will consist of 15 biracial couples who will receive 20 sessions of EFCT. The experimental group’s treatment will also include the 5 Practice Guidelines of Socioculturally Attuned Family Therapy (McDowell et al., 2018). Using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DSA), the Trust Scale, and the Relationship Structures (ECR-RS) questionnaire to measure efficacy, I hypothesize that couples who receive the socioculturally informed EFCT will show greater improvement.

A Comparative Study Of Emdr And Prolonged Exposure For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Does Interoception Moderate Differences In Symptom Reduction?, Kristen Sievert

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study aims to compare the efficacy and efficiency of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and prolonged exposure (PE) in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Both interventions are standardized treatments for PTSD, however, each intervention’s mechanism of action are different, with EMDR being classified as a bottom-up psychotherapy model and PE being classified as a top-down psychotherapy model. A second aim of this study is to investigate whether differences in treatment response to EMDR compared to PE is moderated by interoception, a person’s ability to be aware of their internal states of their body. To …

Emotionally-Focused Therapy And Couples From Collectivistic Cultures: Impact On Relationship Satisfaction, Jacob Cain, Stephen Lee

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study aims to explore the efficacy of EFT in increasing marital satisfaction in couples of a non-Western, collectivist origin. Our treatment group, consisting of 30 couples of a non-Western, collectivist origin will participate in 14 sessions of EFT in which their marital satisfaction will be measured pretreatment, posttreatment, and at 6 and 12 month follow-ups. Utilizing a control group consisting of 30 couples of a Western, non-collectivist origin receiving the same treatment, we seek to explore how cultural factors such as a collectivist mindset and the de-emphasis of individual’s feelings and emotions might affect the efficacy of EFT in …

School Shootings And Preventative Strategies: An Examination Of Surviving, Learning, And Preparing For School Shootings' Impact On The Depression, Anxiety, And Behavioral Dysfunction Of Children And Adolescents., Julia Wakeham, Jamilah Andrews

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Since the modern era began, humanity has seen a stark increase in mass shootings, where four or more people are killed. Furthermore, many of the shootings occur in vulnerable communities, like schools. With an increase in school shootings, schools have taken precautions to prepare children, using increased security, school police officers, lockdown drills, and restricting children’s clothing, which is intended to keep children safe, but reinforces the fear of shootings and associated stress responses. Our research would examine the impact of surviving and preparing for school shootings on the anxiety, depression, and general functioning of children, adolescents, and young adults.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Occupational Therapy Professionals, Dovison Kereri

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Impact of COVID-19 on Occupational Therapy Professionals

Abstract:

Background: COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the lives of many people including health care professionals. The rapid spread and increased infections have affected the practice of occupational therapy forcing them to rethink their ways of practice to maintain their safety and that of their clientele.

Objective: This study is conducted to assess the impact of COVID 19 on the Kenyan occupational therapy professionals

Hypothesis: COVID 19 pandemic has had economic and clinical impact on occupational therapy professionals in various clinical settings.

Method: An electronic google questionnaire link was …

The Interplay Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And The Learning Environment: Assessing Resiliency And General Mental Health Among Medical Students In Rwanda, Andrew Cooper

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

The objective of this dissertation is to assess the mental health and resiliency of the medical students at the Adventist School of Medicine of East-Central Africa (ASOME) by examining the interplay of adverse childhood experiences and the learning environment. It aims to establish a foundation for the development of culturally sensitive interventions for this population.

Ethical Issues And Standards Of Responsible Research Conduct And Monitoring In An Adventist Institution Of Higher Learning - The Babcock Experience, Kayode O. Ogunwenmo, Godswill N. Anyasor, Grace O. Tayo

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Ethical issues and standards of responsible research conduct involving human participants are important considerations in any institution of higher learning and in particular Adventist institutions. Research conduct and ethics are reviewed and approved before they begin by the Babcock University Health Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC)

The African Seventh-Day Adventist Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Towards Mental Health, Daniel Ganu

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

The study indicated that only 3.1% of the church members all of the time felt depressed while 38.7% felt depressed none of the time. There is also a positive correlation between mental health and church members' knowledge, practice, and attitude toward optimism.

Views And Experiences Of Members Of Faith-Based Organizations When Church Attendance Was Restricted By The Covid Lockdown, Kebogile Mokwena, Edith Dinong Phaswana

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Faith-based organizations provide social and mental support to their members, but the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the implementation of massive restrictions of movement, which affected every aspect of social life, including church attendance. On the other hand, the pandemic-related challenges which included social, spiritual, mental and financial, increased due to the restrictions of movement, as well as the high numbers of sick and dying people. The purpose of this study was to explore the views and experiences of members of FBOs during the Covid pandemic.

Meeting Physical Needs Of Vulnerable Communities To Intersect With Spiritual Needs, Joy Kauffman, Audrey Ahwan, Ronda Christman

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This presentation will describe the FARM STEW Certified Home study and participants current health practices. The majority of the participants reported that they had a tippy tap (sink with soap or ash). Many had a garden growing fresh vegetables and were participating in the savings account/ VSLA.

Trends In Substance Use In A Prohibitionist University Compared To General College Populations, Duane C. Mcbride, Alina M. Baltazar, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Shannon M. Trecartin, Karl G. D. Bailey, Gary L. Hopkins

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Researchers at the Institute for the Prevention of Addictions have conducted surveys on health risk behaviors among Andrews University students from 1995 to 2023. In examinations of five data points between 1995 and 2018, the gap in the rates of substance use between Andrews University students and a general U.S. college population remained about the same each time period. However, both groups tended to increase or decrease use over the same time periods. Data from the March 2023 collection period will be included in the presentation and will be examined to see if cultural levelling has occurred or if Andrews …

Can Psilocybin Assisted Therapy Help People With Gambling Disorder?, Pedro Romero

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Gambling disorder (GD) is a behavioural addiction that affects millions of people worldwide. Although various treatment approaches have been developed to manage this condition, many individuals still struggle to overcome their addiction. Recent studies have suggested that psilocybin-assisted therapy may be a promising treatment option for gambling disorder. This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy for individuals with gambling disorder.

I intend to conduct an open-label trial as part of my PhD with approximately 12 participants with a diagnosis of gambling disorder. The participants will undergo psilocybin-assisted therapy sessions, with a trained therapist. The primary …

Bullying Perpetrators And Victims And Associated Factors Among High School Learners In Tshwane District, South Africa, Kebogile Mokwena, Dudu Shiba

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

The global increase in mental disorders includes a significant proportion of children and adolescents, and bullying in school is reported to be a contributory factor to mental disorders among children. Although bullying in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is anecdotally acknowledged, this public health, developmental, and education challenge has mainly been limited to the rite of passage for children, and not much has been done to identify risk factors for bullying perpetrators and victims in a school environment. The purpose of the study was to screen learners in Tshwane District, Pretoria, for bullying behavior.

Sports Wagering In The United States: What We Do And Don't Know, Joshua B. Grubbs, Shane W. Kraus

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

In the wake of the Murphy vs. NCAA decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, over 30 states now permit sports betting and a majority of Americans now have access to this activity. Even so, much remains unknown about the effects of widespread access to sports betting in the U.S. The present work reports interim results of multi-year data collection efforts in the U.S. In April of 2022, a U.S. nationally representative sample of 2,806 Americans and an additional sample of 1,553 sports wagering people were recruited by YouGov opinion polling, with follow up data collected in …

When Data Tell Their Own Story: Measuring Health System Performance Over Time, Jeanette Ward, Janice Bell

Talking Heads Seminar Series

While Australia’s current health care system can seem impossible to comprehend and navigate, one design principle holds for all sustainable health care systems. This is that the first point of call should be at the level of primary care. An effective, equitable and efficient primary care system acts early in response to need, integrates person-centred evidence-based therapeutic interventions and prevents disease progression while knowing the local context including social determinants of health and community resources. Primary care must be accessible to all. This is why the World Health Organisation advocates for significant government investments in a well-trained and geographically distributed …

Addressing Disparities For Gambling Treatment Service Use In The Latinx Community: Outreach, Education, Screening, And Referral By Community Health Workers, Michael D. Campos Phd, Abraham J. Caballero Bs, Hugo Ramirez Bs, Hanssel Walker Bba

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

ABSTRACT

Problem gambling/gambling disorder prevalence among Latinx individuals in the U.S. is similar to that seen in the non-Latinx Caucasian community (Alegria et al., 2009). However, there are disparities in the use of State-funded treatment for such problems in California. This is true for mental health service use for ethnic/racial minorities in the US overall (Alegria et al., 2008; Dua et al., 2011; Wells et al., 2001). The California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG), the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP), and Visión y Compromiso (VyC) are conducting a 2-year pilot project using community health workers (promotores/as) to increase Latinx utilization …

Measurement Models Matter: How Retrospective Calendar Versus Global Reports Yield Different Estimates Of Treatment Outcome, Margaret L. Paul Bs, Maria E. Meinerding Ms, Jeremiah Weinstock Phd, Meredith K. Ginley, James P. Whelan Phd, Rory A. Pfund

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract: Retrospective reports are less accurate than objective measures of behavior and must be interpreted with consideration of the amount of distortion and error introduced by this methodology. The Gambling-Timeline Followback (G-TLFB) method is the gold standard retrospective assessment tool that is designed to minimize such error by asking for a specific recall of precise gambling behavior day-by-day using recall aids as compared to a global summation over time (e.g., how many gambling days in last month, how much money gambled in the last month). It remains an empirical question whether this difference in measurement format, G-TLFB versus global reports, …

High Illusion Of Control Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Analyses Of The Effects Of Forms Of Counterfactual Thinking And Gender In Problem Gambling And Gaming, Larry Okechukwu Awo Dr., George Nzeadi Duru Mr.

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

Three studies (Study 1, N = 322 male adolescents, Study 2, N = 401 male and female adolescents, and Study 3, longitudinal, N = 56 male and female adolescents) analyzed the effects cognitive and psychographic variables in the relationships among illusion of control (IC), problem gambling and problem gaming. Moderated mediation analyses results using PROCESS macro in the three studies confirmed: (1) the positive mediating effect of upward CFT in the association between IC and problem gambling and problem gaming; (2) the negative mediating effect of downward CFT in the association between IC and problem gambling and problem gaming; …

At-Risk And Problem Gambling In Families - Finnish Population-Based Study With Register-Linkage, Tiina Latvala

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Families of problem gamblers experience harms, however, there are no population level estimates as to how many families in Finland are exposed to at-risk and problem gambling (ARPG) of a family member. The study analyzed data from Finnish Gambling 2019, a nationally representative study with register linkage, to derive how many families are exposed to ARPG of a family member. It also examined whether the exposing to ARPG of a family member would be more common among low-income families or in families that had received social assistance.

The results showed that 9% of families were exposed to at-risk gambling (ARG) …

Psychosocial Characteristics Of Gambling Addicts – Does It Matter When They Start Their Treatment?, Neven Ricijas Phd, Dora Dodig Hundric Phd, Sabina Mandic Ma, Sanja Radic Bursac Ma, Davor Bodor Phd

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract:

Gambling disorder is well known as a hidden addiction and therefore is subjected to a prolonged time in seeking treatment. During the development of addiction, the psychosocial functioning is more openly or covertly disrupted, and gambling addicts manifest various problems and risky behaviors. At the same time, motivational mechanism for seeking professional help are complex and influenced by different individual circumstances.

This study was conducted with N=315 patients in the Daily Clinic for Gambling Addiction. The psychosocial functioning of the patients is assessed at the beginning of the treatment, while a specific aim of this paper is to explore …

Confidence And Exercise: Is There A Link Between Exercise And Percieved Confidence?, Jocelyn I. Simpson, Tatum R. Dickison

2023 Symposium

High self-confidence is crucial in social, work, and academic settings. Previous research suggests that individuals with greater confidence tend to be healthier and happier. (ŞAHİN et al., 2016).

PURPOSE: To investigate whether exercise intervention (resistance training (RT), aerobic training (AT), no exercise (NE)) could increase perceived confidence levels before an academic test. It was hypothesized that participants who exercised before the test would have higher perceived confidence levels compared to those who did not.

METHODS: Eastern Washington University students (n=18, 12 males), between the ages of 18-40 were recruited. Participants were randomized into one of the interventions (AT, RT, NE). …

An Ode Model For Investigating The Sleep-Pain Relationship In Sickle Cell Disease, Quindel Jones, Angela M. Reynolds, Cecelia Valrie, Reginald Mcgee, Rebecca Segal

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Understanding Neutrophil Dynamics During Covid-19 Infection, Quiyana M. Murphy

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Modeling Of Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2, Hwayeon Ryu

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Stochastic Gradient Descent Method For A Parameter Identification Problem In Elasticity Imaging, Basca Jadamba

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.