Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Second-Victimhood Among Anesthesia Providers & The Effects On Patient Outcomes, Erika Aitken

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Anesthesia providers work in environments promoting productivity with tremendous pressure to begin the next case regardless of any recent adverse events that may have occurred (Wands, 2021). Certified nurse anesthesiologists (CRNAs) potentially struggle with a lack of recognition, a high number of hours, inadequate work-life balance, and limited professional advancement, which all contribute to high stress levels within the field (Andrade & Dantas, 2015). A healthcare professional involved in an unexpected adverse event, medical error, or patient-related injury is labeled as a second victim. Thirty anesthesia providers from a central Illinois hospital viewed a PowerPoint presentation, completed a survey, and …

Moral Injury To Inform Analysis Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Amanda Julia Manea

Senior Theses

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that almost one out of ten veterans struggle with. Although the National Center for PTSD has made extensive progress in characterizing and developing new treatments for PTSD, most veterans still experience symptoms of PTSD following treatment. Novel avenues of investigation, such as developing algorithms to review electronic health record (EHR) data and better understanding moral injury, are being pursued to address the gap that still exists when it comes to treating veterans. Moral injury is the individual evaluation of exposure to a potentially morally injurious event (PMIE) and can lead to …

Perceived Factors Of Intimate Partner Violence On Women Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Angela M. Halcovich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent diagnosis, and many human and social services professionals strive to understand its components, to ensure that they serve the population properly. However, little is known about how PTSD may influence women’s vulnerabilities to and future experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Emphasizing relationship coaching, which provides tools to foster healthy relationships, within the therapeutic curricula on rehabilitation for women with PTSD may result in reduced chances to experience IPV as women integrate back into their everyday life after being diagnosed and treated for PTSD. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to …

Perceived Factors Of Intimate Partner Violence On Women Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Angela M. Halcovich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent diagnosis, and many human and social services professionals strive to understand its components, to ensure that they serve the population properly. However, little is known about how PTSD may influence women’s vulnerabilities to and future experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Emphasizing relationship coaching, which provides tools to foster healthy relationships, within the therapeutic curricula on rehabilitation for women with PTSD may result in reduced chances to experience IPV as women integrate back into their everyday life after being diagnosed and treated for PTSD. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to …

The Perceived Impact Of Childbirth Related Ptsd And Maternal Bonding, Sheila Baez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractChildbirth has been increasingly viewed as a potentially traumatic event and process impacting both mother and infant. Previous research on childbirth has concentrated on the development of postpartum depression and its impact; research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth has been limited. However, the results of this research study suggested that the development of childbirth-related PTSD may be a far more common phenomenon than previously suggested. Bowlby’s attachment theory and Ainsworth’s further development and expansion of the theory served as a framework which investigated the experiences of 10 biological females, aged 21 and over previously diagnosed with PTSD after …

Physiological Responses Regarding Stress And Trauma: The Freeze Response, Emma Arie Von Holten

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fight-or-flight is a commonly known response to threatening situations, but the freeze response is another defensive mechanism that might arise in such situations. There is also evidence that exposure to trauma can impact physiological reactions when defensive mechanisms are not required, such as freezing in response to non-threatening situations. The current study aimed to replicate and expand upon a limited number of previous studies on the human freeze response by implementing measurements of postural sway, heart rate, and infrared thermography while valenced images were shown to participants. Ninety-two participants were recruited from the University of North Florida and participants were …

Associations Between Mindfulness Meditation, Health Status, And Activity Limitation Among United States Armed Forces, Bettie J. Dubose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A ready military force is essential for the safekeeping of the United States and the well-being of United States Armed Forces personnel. Today, healthcare professionals report disproportionately high rates of chronic disease and substance abuse among United States Armed Forces personnel and disabling mental health disorders that often go untreated. This quantitative research aimed to determine if there was a relationship between United States Armed Forces personnel using mindfulness meditation and their health status. The study used Bandura's social cognitive theory as its framework and theoretical foundation. Also, a quantitative experimental research design examined the causal relationships between the predictor, …

The Perceived Impact Of Childbirth Related Ptsd And Maternal Bonding, Sheila Baez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractChildbirth has been increasingly viewed as a potentially traumatic event and process impacting both mother and infant. Previous research on childbirth has concentrated on the development of postpartum depression and its impact; research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth has been limited. However, the results of this research study suggested that the development of childbirth-related PTSD may be a far more common phenomenon than previously suggested. Bowlby’s attachment theory and Ainsworth’s further development and expansion of the theory served as a framework which investigated the experiences of 10 biological females, aged 21 and over previously diagnosed with PTSD after …

The Impact Of Student Trauma: A Quantitative Investigation On Secondary Traumatic Stress And It's Effects On Nursing Faculty, Devon L. Luthens

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The increase in student trauma and mental illness is putting direct care professionals such as educators at risk of secondary traumatic stress. The purpose of this quantitative survey method research was to explore how nursing faculty within the Minnesota State system were affected by their work with traumatized students and if they experienced significant distress or impairment. The theoretical framework guiding this dissertation was the McCann and Pearlman’s Constructivist Self Development (CSD) theory. There were two research questions that led this study: Does the amount of exposure to student trauma relate to the level of secondary traumatic stress experienced by …

Evaluation Of Hippocampal Allostatic Load-Associated Factors In Animal Models Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Relevance To Human Ptsd, Dennis Parker Kelley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated allostatic load, nearly double the risk for metabolic syndrome, reduced hippocampal volume, and contextual memory processing deficits. Emerging evidence suggests that these stress effects may predispose individuals to the development of PTSD, and there is a known relationship between chronic stress and metabolic dysfunction. In this work, we utilized two rat models of PTSD to explore these connections. We used an acute predator odor stressor to investigate the relationship between PTSD-like behaviors and mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus of rats, and we observed that conditioned place avoidance was associated with reduced mitochondrial …

The Experience Of Providing Direct Care To Children Victims Of Boko Haram Insurgencies In Nigeria, Felicia Etuke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The insurgency of terrorism leaves lasting economic, social, academics, spiritual, religious, and psychological effects, but often children’s psychological welfare is neglected in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Boko Haram’s presence in Nigeria has left many children orphaned, displaced, and impoverished. Thus, there is a need to highlight the importance of the role that care providers play in securing the psychological health of the child victims of Boko Haram insurgency. This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the experiences of care providers to the child victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Compassion fatigue theory was used as a theoretical framework for the …

Longitudinal Trauma Treatment Outcomes In An Immigrant And Refugee Sample, Shuen-En Ho

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Refugee and immigrant populations are at an increased risk of having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exhibit a significant amount of variance in trauma treatment outcomes that may be impacted by sociocultural factors. This study examines the impact of demographic variables on treatment outcome and trajectory of PTSD symptoms in a clinic setting with trauma-focused treatments in refugee/immigrant and general populations. Data was collected from the electronic medical record at the Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress. A total of 817 participants completed intake, 58 of which self-identified as immigrant/refugee. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to examine group differences …

The Experiences Of Iraqi Refugees In Canada: A Life History Study Of War And Resilience In The Aftermath Of Migration, Nada Nessan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis reports on a life history narrative on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who resettled in Canada after living through war. The aim of this study is to help change the narrow perspectives on the mental health of war affected populations to a broader perception shaped by cultural and social aspects and to inform the development of meaningful and cultural relevant programs and policies with a particular attention to the concept of resilience.

The first part of the study presents the chronological narratives, or profiles. of eight participants. The second part of the study is a thematic discussion of …

Art As Therapy: Using Fictional Written Accounts In The Treatment Of Ptsd, Nathanael J. Matos

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Though art therapies and cognitive therapies are both well-established as treatments for PTSD, no studies thus far have tried to consolidate the pros of each into a single therapy. Through modifications to CPT procedures to include expressive fictional written accounts rather than the standard autobiographical account of traumatic events, I believe that the expressive writing paradigm can be utilised to create a new therapeutic procedure for PTSD. Due to lesser emotional intensity and the freedom allowed by creative endeavours, I believe that this procedure would not only yield positive outcomes comparable to CPT, but also have lower drop-out rates than …

Exploring The Experience Of Psychological Distress For Young Adults With Cancer: Implications For A New Diagnosis Of Medical Traumatic Stress, Audrey Ryan

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how a serious medical diagnosis, such as cancer, can act as an acute or prolonged trauma. This was explored through the lived experiences of psychological distress of young cancer survivors. Participants were 12 men and women who had been diagnosed with cancer within the past seven years when they were between the ages of 18 and 39. From these interviews several themes emerged that describe the phenomenon of what I have termed medical traumatic stress.

Trauma from a medical event does not currently meet criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 …

Shadows Of Yesterday, Marlene Liotti

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The year is 2020, but here we are still living in a male dominated society. We remain constantly reminded and surrounded by the mentality that certain activities and career choices are better suited for men over women. We even endure these depictions in literature, on the big screen, and on television. Action films, war movies and novels, and crime dramas show the protagonists and supporting characters as males. There are rare occasions where you may find a female actress or literary character protagonist, and when this happens, she is not depicted with the same strength, knowledge, respect, or importance. She …

Veterans' Perceptions Of Behavioral Health Services For Posttraumatic Stress, Larence Kirby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral health services exist for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); yet, untreated diagnoses may lead to the risk of compromised behavioral health. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of OEF/OIF veterans regarding their decision to seek and retain behavioral health services for addressing PTSD. The research focus and questions were employed through the theoretical concepts of Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenological theory, Heider’s attribution theory, and Beck’s cognitive behavioral theory. In-person interviews were conducted to collect data from 8 OEF/OIF veterans who had encounters with behavioral …

Does Ethnic Identity, In-Group Preference, And Acculturation Protect Latinas With A History Of Interpersonal Trauma From Developing Symptoms Of Ptsd?, Evelyn M. Ramirez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Previous research suggests ethnic identity, a sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, may be protective against symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the role of ethnic identity, in-group preference (i.e., an individual’s preference for interactions with members of their own ethnic group) and acculturation (i.e., the level of comfort with the mainstream culture) have not been investigated as protective factors for Latinas with a history of interpersonal and sexual trauma. In this study, ethnic identity, in-group preference and acculturation were assessed via self-report on the Scale of Ethnic Experience in two samples of undergraduate Latina and non-Latina …

Beyond Regression: An Investigation Of Art Material Choice For Children With Trauma, Natalie Lane

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Choice in art materials and the artistic process are arguably two of the primary facets of how art making can be therapeutic. The purpose of the present inquiry was to investigate the impacts of art material choice in children who have experienced trauma. Using the expressive therapies continuum (ETC) as a foundation for choosing art materials in a therapeutic context, this inquiry sought to introduce art materials in the kinesthetic/sensory component of the ETC (e.g., clay, paint, large paint brushes, etc.). As a mediating consideration, this inquiry articulated the responsibilities and obligations that the art therapist possesses in working with …

Effects Of Art Therapy On Dissociation Related To A Veteran’S Experience With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Camacho Ronald

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This paper depicts a U.S. veteran and graduate student’s experience using meditation, artmaking, and journaling to target the effects of trauma and its symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation. This is a self-study utilizing art as the main method for communication and knowing. The data was gathered by using a combination of Pat Allen’s Open Studio Process and elements of the Art Therapy Trauma Protocol using bilateral artmaking in a five-session process conducted in a local art studio in San Diego. The meditation was conducted as a contemplative practice with attention and intention focusing on traumatic experiences. Fragmented memories …

Experiences Of Veterans With Ptsd And Sud In An Outpatient Setting, Andrew Breault, Hannah Shifflett-Kohler

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

In 2014, there were approximately 7.9 million adults in the United States with co-occurring Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) (SAMHSA, 2014). Of the veterans who served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, 30% of those in SUD treatment also meet the criteria for PTSD (Seal et al, 2008, pp. 476). Furthermore, statistics show that about 20 Veterans in the United States complete suicide daily (Spiva, 2019, p. 8). The Department of Veterans Affairs is urgently seeking successful approaches to addressing the high incidence of suicides among all veterans along with the low retention …

The Impact Of Ptsd And History Of Involvement In The Criminal Justice System On Medication Treatment Success In Opioid Use Disorder, Kirk Sanger

Doctoral Dissertations

This analysis examined the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), history of trauma, and a history of involvement in the criminal justice system (CJS) on treatment outcomes related to medication treatment for opioid use disorder. This study employed a secondary analysis of data derived from a multi-state, multi-site treatment center focused on substance abuse and more specifically opioid use disorder treatment. The total sample size was 19,970 patients. The majority of the sample received treatment in Massachusetts, was white, and non-Hispanic. Those with PTSD accounted for 9.5% of the sample, while 12% had a history of trauma. Just under 1/4 …

Psychological Effects Of Training In Martial Arts After Interpersonal Trauma, Alexandro Garcia Vargas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who experience a traumatic event may have an adverse emotional reaction that negatively impacts their quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the influence of training in the martial arts as an intervention in the treatment of interpersonal trauma. The biopsychosocial model provided the framework for the study. The research questions addressed the effects of training in the martial arts and the biological, psychological, and social functioning of individuals who had sustained a form of interpersonal trauma. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 9 participants. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's modified van …

Demographic And Symptomology Differences Among Sexually Assaulted Children With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kathleen Bethel-Pracht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trauma due to sexual assault becomes a life changing event during a child's critical developmental years. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory outlines the process of understanding an individual's environment and how disruptions in one level may affect other levels. This study determined if gender and ethnicity among sexually traumatized children diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) predict symptom severity as measured by the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) after controlling for the socioeconomic level and home environment. The population consisted of 126 children aged 8 through 16 with at least a second-grade reading level. Multiple regression examined whether male and …

Female Veterans' Combat Experience And Ptsd On Male Partners' Psychological Distress And Relationship Quality, Theresa Denise Abraham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female veterans' combat exposure to trauma places them at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has consequences for healthful reintegration to family and civilian life. Previous research found that wives who provide continuous care to male veterans with PTSD experience symptoms of psychological distress; however, little research has been conducted on the influence of female veterans' PTSD on their intimate male partners' (IMPs) psychological well-being. A multivariate correlational design was used to examine the influence of female veteran PTSD on psychological distress and relationship quality in IMPs. The couples' adaption to traumatic stress model was used as the …

Religious Coping And Ptsd Symptom Management Among African Americans: A Clergy Perspective, Barbra Talley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Data indicated that although African Americans reported fewer occurrences of traumatic events than that of their racial/ethnic counterparts, however, the degree of traumatic events experienced by African Americans tends to be more serious and violent in nature. More so, lower recovery outcomes associated with PTSD among African Americans have been attributed to varying factors, such as financial restrictions, strained health care access, ineffective coping strategies as well as a mistrust of medical and clinical approaches, thus leading African Americans to seek faith-based approaches. This phenomenological study investigated clergy perspectives on religious coping constructs relative to the management of PTSD symptoms. …

Are Chronic Inflammatory Diseases Associated With Trauma Exposure And Gender? An Empirical Analysis Of Self-Reported Trauma And Health Histories Of Men And Women, Meghan Lacienski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A growing body of research indicates an association between trauma, inflammation, and chronic inflammatory disease; however, the mechanisms of this relationship are not fully understood, and the salience of potential risk factors, such as cumulative effects of trauma, trauma type, and gender, remain unclear. Trauma is associated with poor mental and physical health, such as PTSD, depression, and chronic inflammatory conditions, and this association may be stronger when certain risk factors are considered (Brody, Pratt, & Hughes, 2018; Groer, Kane, Williams, & Duffy, 2014; Husky, Mazure, & Kovess-Masfety, 2018; Kilpatrick et al., 2013). For example, sexual trauma and multiple traumatic …

An Evaluation Of Implementing Trauma-Informed Care Training In Healthcare Settings, Amanda Kis

Capstone Experience

Background: Trauma-informed care (TIC) has recently become a popular topic in medical science. Many patients’ health conditions have been diagnosed and treated purely as medical issues, yet emerging research indicates that trauma is sometimes the source of many physical and mental conditions. Implementing TIC education in healthcare systems may lead to preventing the onset of symptomology related to undiagnosed, chronic trauma experience.

Objectives: The primary goal of this Capstone project was to implement TIC training developed by Trauma Matters Omaha Coalition and assess preliminary evidence for changes in participants’ confidence, clinical knowledge, professional knowledge, self-awareness, and assumptions and biases regarding …

Curcumin Inhibits The Ikk:Nf-Kappa B Pathway In Neural Fear Circuits, Miguel A. Briones

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study of how the brain acquires fearful memories has attracted considerable experimental attention, due in part to the promise of discovering novel therapeutic approaches for psychiatric disorders that are characterized by unusually strong and persistent traumatic memories. In recent years, extensive research has focused on studying the neural and molecular mechanisms by which fear memories are acquired, stored, and retrieved in the brain. Once acquired, fear memories may be attenuated using one of 2 procedures: 1) fear extinction, which involves repeated presentation of the fear-arousing stimulus in the absence of an aversive consequence, or 2) interference with the reconsolidation …

Beta-Testing Of An Interactive Multimedia Computer Program Of Exposure Therapy For Ptsd, Marie C. Barrett

Dissertations

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) results in significant impairment for the individual and substantial costs to society. Research indicates that cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for PTSD and that among CBT treatments, exposure therapy is the treatment technique with the strongest evidence to recommend it for PTSD treatment. Computerized programs that deliver evidenced-based treatments offer a potential solution to barriers that prevent individuals from accessing and completing treatment. The present study evaluates the clinical and practical functionality of a computer-based program designed for the treatment of PTSD. Results indicate that completion of the program is associated with …