Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Happy Older Latinos Are Active (Hola) Health Promotion And Prevention Study: Study Protocol For A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Daniel E. Jimenez, Charles F. Reynolds, Margarita Alegría, Philip Harvey, Stephen Bartels

Dartmouth Scholarship

Results of previous studies attest to the greater illness burden of common mental disorders (anxiety and depression) in older Latinos and the need for developing preventive interventions that are effective, acceptable, and scalable. Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) is a newly developed intervention that uses a community health worker (CHW) to lead a health promotion program in order to prevent common mental disorders among at-risk older Latinos. This pilot study tests the feasibility and acceptability of delivering HOLA to older, at-risk Latinos.

Methods/Design: HOLA is a multi-component, health promotion intervention funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). …

Psychopathic Personality Or Personalities? Exploring Potential Variants Of Psychopathy And Their Implications For Risk Assessment, Jennifer Skeem, Norman Poythress, John Edens, Scott Lilienfeld

Norman Poythress

Although psychopathy typically has been construed as a relatively uniform construct, seminal theories and contemporary research suggest that it may be heterogeneous. In this article, the most promising literature is distilled to distinguish among potential variants of antisocial personality disorder (APD) that can be derived from, and informed by, modern conceptions of psychopathy. This analysis suggests that there are primary and secondary variants of psychopathy, which may be distinguished based on the extent to which they are heritable and are characterized by affective deficits, impulsivity, trait anxiety, and characteristics of borderline and narcissistic personality disorders (NPD). These variants also may …

Gene X Environment Effects Of Serotonin Transporter, Dopamine Receptor D4, And Monoamine Oxidase A Genes With Contextual And Parenting Risk Factors On Symptoms Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety, And Depression In A Community Sample Of 4-Year-Old Children, John Lavigne, Laura Herzing, Edwin Cook, Susan Lebailly, Karen Gouze, Joyce Hopkins, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

Genetic factors can play a role in the multiple level of analyses approach to understanding the development of child psychology. The present study examined gene-environment correlations and Gene x Environment interactions for polymorphisms of three target genes, the serotonin transporter gene, the D4 dopamine reactor gene, and the monoamine oxidase A gene in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and oppositional behavior. Saliva samples were collected from 175 non-Hispanic White, 4-year-old children. Psychosocial risk factors included socioeconomic status, life stress, caretaker depression, parental support, hostility, and scaffolding skills. In comparison with the short forms (s/s, s/l) of the serotonin transporter …

Cervical Screening: Assessing Patient Anxiety, Janette Jones

Janette S. Jones

Severe stress reactions in female patients presenting for annual pelvic examination may occur for a variety of reasons, including previous sexual assault, post-traumatic stress disorder, and /or intimate partner violence. The clinician's approach to care delivery is critical for establishing trusting relationships with female patients exhibiting these types of reactions. A case study is used to describe assessment and communication techniques to improve care delivery.

Annual Examination And The Overly Anxious Patient, Janette Jones

Janette S. Jones

Varying degrees of nervousness may be found in patients presenting for gynecologic examination. It is the clinician's role to distinguish typical (expected) anxiety from that which is considered excessive. Extreme stress reactions may occur from a variety of reasons including prior sexual assault, post-traumatic stress disorder, and/or intimate partner violence. Approach to care delivery is critical for establishing a trusting relationship. Case study format will be used to discuss stress-reducing techniques during annual examinations.

The Effect Of Bereavement Counseling On Women With Psychological Problems Associated With Late Pregnancy Loss, Christy Simpson, Pramila Lee, Jessie Lionel

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Pregnancy is most often a joyful experience and a woman’s plans and dreams are shattered when the death of an unborn or newborn infant occurs. Studies have reported that these women experience psychological problems such as grief, depression, and anxiety which can be minimized by counselling. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of bereavement counseling on women with psychological problems associated with pregnancy, focusing on Roy’s adaptation theory. An experimental design, with pre-test and post-test, was used with randomly allocated experimental and control groups. Women were randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups with 45 women …

The Human Intruder Test: An Anxiety Assessment In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Emily J. Peterson

Masters Theses

The human intruder test (HIT) is a noninvasive tool widely used for assessing anxiety in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). This thesis explores the HIT procedure and applies it to a population of monkeys with a self-injurious behavioral pathology. Individual variation on this test can be used to assess anxiety and temperament. The first experiment of this thesis applied two different procedures of the HIT to 17 monkeys at UMass. Monkeys displayed little response to the intruder, and no significant differences were detected for the two procedures. To determine whether these responses were unique to the UMass monkeys, their …

‘The Thing Is Not Knowing’: Patients' Perspectives On Surveillance Of An Indeterminate Pulmonary Nodule, Renda Soylemez Wiener, Michael K. Gould, Steven Woloshin, Lisa M. Schwartz, Jack Clark

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: The hundreds of thousands of patients found to have a potentially malignant pulmonary nodule each year are faced with tremendous uncertainty regarding what the nodule is and how it should be evaluated.

Objective: To explore patients' responses to the detection and evaluation of a pulmonary nodule.

Research Brief: "Receipt Of Employment Services Among Veterans Health Administration Users With Psychiatric Diagnoses", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study found that about four percent (4.2%) of VHA users with psychiatric diagnoses accessed employment services in a given year. VHA patients with a psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia had higher odds of accessing employment services relative to VHA users with other psychiatric diagnoses, including PTSD, depression, and other anxiety disorders. In practice, veterans should be aware that receiving VHA employment services should not affect VA benefits and should discuss their medical and financial benefits with benefits advisors and other appropriate advisors. In policy, Policymakers could consider allocating funds to further study the efficacy and effectiveness of various employment services …

Eight-Month Test-Retest Agreement In Morning Salivary Cortisol, Self- And Parent-Rated Anxiety In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Linda Agnew, Nicholas Andronicos

Vicki Bitsika

The agreement over time in morning salivary cortisol concentrations and also self- and parent-rated anxiety was investigated in a sample of 16 boys with an ASD. Cortisol and anxiety data were collected eight months apart. Results indicated that there were significant correlations between each pair of measures from the two occasions, suggesting that cortisol concentrations and anxiety did not vary much at all over that time, challenging the assumption that cortisol needs to be measured over multiple days to obtain reliable data from children with an ASD. Implications for research into the ways these children respond to chronic stressors are …

Frontal Alpha Asymmetry As A Pathway To Behavioural Withdrawal In Depression: Research Findings And Issues, Emmanuel Jesulola, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Linda Agnew, Peter Wilson

Vicki Bitsika

Depression has been described as a process of behavioural withdrawal from overwhelming aversive stressors, and which manifests itself in the diagnostic symptomatology for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The underlying neurobiological pathways to that behavioural withdrawal are suggested to include greater activation in the right vs the left frontal lobes, described as frontal EEG asymmetry. However, despite a previous meta-analysis that provided overall support for this EEG asymmetry hypothesis, inconsistencies and several methodological confounds exist. The current review examines the literature on this issue, identifies inconsistencies in findings and discusses several key research issues that require addressing for this field to …

Analgesic Effect Of Cathodal Transcranial Current Stimulation Over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex In Subjects With Muscular Temporomandibular Disorders: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Rivail Almeida Brandão Filho, Abrahão Fontes Baptista, Renata De Assis Fonseca Santos Brandão, Francisco Monteiro Meneses, Jeffrey P. Okeson, Eduardo Pondé De Sena

Oral Health Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular disorders are a group of orofacial pain conditions that are commonly identified in the general population. Like many other chronic pain conditions, they can be associated with anxiety/depression, which can be related to changes in the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Some studies have demonstrated clinical improvement in subjects with chronic pain who are given therapeutic neuromodulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that allows the modulation of neuronal membranes. This therapy can enhance or inhibit action potential generation in cortical neurons. In some instances, medications acting in the central nervous system may …

Psychosocial Moderators Of Perceived Stress, Anxiety And Depression In University Students: An International Study, Aileen Pidgeon, Stephanie Mcgrath, Heide Magya, Peta Stapleton, Barbara Lo

Peta B. Stapleton

Extensive research shows university students experience high levels of stress, which can lead to the development of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Preliminary evidence supports the role of psychosocial factors such as perceived social support (PSS) and campus connectedness (CC) as protective factors in the development of mental health problems in university students. However, research conducted on the potential ameliorating effects of social support on stress applying Cohen and Wills’ (1985) stress-buffering hypothesis produced weak, inconsistent, and even contradictory results. In addition, little attention has been given to examining the protective role of CC in the relationships …

How Fear And Anxiety In Response To Countertransference And Somatic Countertransference Impacted The Clinical Decision-Making Of A Dance/Movement Therapy Intern, Chelsie Batko

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This artistic inquiry self-study explored how fear and anxiety, in response to countertransference and somatic countertransference, impacted the clinical decision-making process of a dance/movement therapy intern. Primary questions surrounding the research included: How did fear and anxiety, in response to countertransference and somatic countertransference, impact the clinical decision-making of myself as a dance/movement therapy intern? Was what I experienced, as a dance/movement therapy intern, both fear and anxiety? How did I physiologically experience and embody fear and anxiety in response to countertransference and somatic countertransference? Data were collected in the form of journal entries and video recorded movement and were …

Intracranial Infusions Of Neurotensin Agonists Produce An Anxiolytic Profile In A Rat Ultrasonic Vocalization Model, Floyd F. Steele Iii

All NMU Master's Theses

Neurotensin (NT) is a peptide neurotransmitter that interacts with brain monoamine neurotransmitter systems. It has been demonstrated that neurotensin type 1 and type 2 receptor agonists influence animal models of psychological disorders and pain regulation, respectively. It has already been shown that the systemic administration of the selective neurotensin type 1 receptor agonist PD149163 can attenuate the number of fear-induced 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by male Wistar rats. A reduction in the number of 22-kHz USV calls is indicative of an anxiolytic effect. The current study used a USV model to evaluate the effects of PD149163 (0.1, 1.0, and …

The Mental Health Of Children And Adolescents : Report On The Second Australian Child And Adolescent Survey Of Mental Health And Wellbeing, David Lawrence, Sarah Johnson, Jennifer Hafekost, Katrina Boterhoven De Haan, Michael Sawyer, John Ainley, Stephen R. Zubrick

Wellbeing

Based on a survey conducted in the homes of over 6,300 families with children and/or adolescents aged 4 to 17 years, this report presents a comprehensive picture of the mental health of young Australians. It documents the prevalence and type of mental health problems, the impact of those problems on families and young people themselves and the role of health and education services in providing assistance. While the primary sources of information were parents and carers, the survey also engaged directly with young people 11 years and older who completed their own survey. This information provides unique insights about aspects …

Variation In The Profile Of Anxiety Disorders In Boys With An Asd According To Method And Source Of Assessment, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

To determine any variation that might occur due to the type of assessment and source used to assess them, the prevalence of 7 anxiety disorders were investigated in a sample of 140 boys with an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 50 non-ASD (NASD) boys via the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory and the KIDSCID Clinical Interview. Boys with an ASD were significantly more anxious than their NASD peers. Data collected from the boys with an ASD themselves showed differences in the severity and diagnostic criterion of anxiety disorders to data collected from the boys’ parents. There were age-related variations to …

Social Script Ipad Application Versus Usual Care Before Undergoing Medical Imaging: Two Case Studies Of Children With Autism, Norah Johnson, Octavia Bree

Norah L Johnson

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders of socialization, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Children with ASD have underlying anxiety leading to challenging behaviors in unfamiliar situations. The anxiety impacts timely completion of an imaging procedure. The purpose of the case study was to describe the process of the social script intervention delivered using the iPad application on parent and child anxiety, child behaviors, and imaging procedure length between two parent and child dyads. The case study of two parent-child dyads demonstrated the process for comparing the social script intervention iPad app for preparing for imaging versus usual care. Parent anxiety …

Effect Of A Social Script Ipad Application For Children With Autism Going To Imaging, Norah Johnson, Octavia Bree, Erin Lalley, Kelly Rettler, Pam Grande, Md Gani, Sheikh Ahamed

Norah L Johnson

This randomized controlled trial feasibility study tested the effectiveness of an iPad® application (app) social script intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) going to imaging and their parent (n = 32 parent/child dyads). Parents of the children exposed to the app (n = 16) had lower state anxiety compared to the parents whose children were not exposed to the app (n = 16) (effect size 0.33). Children exposed to the app had fewer externalized challenging behaviors than the control group (effect size 0.56). The results demonstrate feasibility and efficacy of the intervention. Further study of the iPad app …

Ketamine For The Treatment Of Depression In Patients Receiving Hospice Care: A Retrospective Medical Record Review Of Thirty-One Cases., Alana Iglewicz, Katherine Morrison, Richard A. Nelesen, Tingting Zhan, Boris Iglewicz, Nathan Fairman, Jeremy M. Hirst, Scott A. Irwin

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Depression is prevalent in patients receiving hospice care. Standard antidepressant medications do not work rapidly enough in this setting. Evidence suggests that ketamine rapidly treats treatment refractory depression in the general population. Ketamine׳s role for treating depression in the hospice population warrants further study.

METHODS: A retrospective medical record review of 31 inpatients receiving hospice care who received ketamine for depression on a clinical basis was conducted. The primary outcome measure was the Clinical Global Impression Scale, which was used retrospectively to rate subjects׳ therapeutic improvement, global improvement, and side effects from ketamine over 21 days. Additionally, time to …

Anxiety And Coping Mechanisms Among Hiv Positive Patients, Sreelekshmi R Ms

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: HIV or human immunodeficiency virus infection breaks down body’s immune system. In India HIV infection is associated with stigma and open discrimination.This chronic illness can have much deleterious effect on the patients’ physiological and psychological status. Thus, identification of anxiety and different coping strategies adopted by these patients are of prime importance. Methods: A descriptive survey was carried out to collect data from150 HIV positive patients who were on antiretroviral therapy through simple random sample technique (lottery method); the state anxiety inventory and Dr Kiran Rao’s coping checklist were used for collecting data. Result: Findings of the study showed …

Research Brief: "Alcohol Use And Craving Among Veterans With Mental Health Disorders And Mild Traumatic Brain Injury", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the relation between alcohol craving and mental health disorders among veterans, and how mental health disorders impact alcohol cravings. For policy and practices, the research shows that alcohol cravings and mental health disorders among veterans could be a sign for risk of alcohol use disorder. It also shows that the VA should assess veterans for alcohol use disorder, and also research more ties between mental health disorders and alcohol use. Suggestions for future research include conducting the study in a larger, more representative population, as well as involving families in measuring alcohol use/cravings to ensure less …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of A Web-Based Education Program About The Icu Environment And A Standard Education Program On Anxiety, Depression, And Acute Stress Experienced Among Family Members Of Icu Patients, Chrystal Leigh Lewis

Dissertations

Family members of ICU patients may experience anxiety, depression, and acute stress disorder symptoms. A need identified by the multi-society task for critical care research was to study the usefulness of interventions to quantify and treat anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms experienced by family members of ICU patients (Deutschman et al., 2012). This task force encouraged investigating using technology to address this need. (Deutschman et al.). The purpose of this prospective, quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group (pretest/posttest) design study was to compare the effect of standard ICU education and a web-based education program about the ICU environment on the level of …

Mindfulness: Being Present In The Moment, Stephanie Ann Stathas, Christine Frazer

College of Nursing Publications

This article serves to enlighten childbirth educators’ knowledge about mindfulness and the mother-baby benefits associated with incorporating mindfulness- based interventions into practice. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who developed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, brought the concept of mindfulness into the world of healthcare and mainstream society. Mindfulness is the practice of bringing awareness to the here and now using a variety of methods. Nancy Bardacke has taken the practice of mindfulness further and developed a program for expecting mothers, known as Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting. This program has been shown to reduce stress responses that may be harmful to a …

Mindfulness: Being Present In The Moment, Stephanie Ann Stathas, Christine Frazer

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

This article serves to enlighten childbirth educators’ knowledge about mindfulness and the mother-baby benefits associated with incorporating mindfulness- based interventions into practice. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who developed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, brought the concept of mindfulness into the world of healthcare and mainstream society. Mindfulness is the practice of bringing awareness to the here and now using a variety of methods. Nancy Bardacke has taken the practice of mindfulness further and developed a program for expecting mothers, known as Mindfulness Based Childbirth and Parenting. This program has been shown to reduce stress responses that may be harmful to a …

The Efficacy Of Emdr: A Meta-Analysis Of Emdr As Clinical Treatment, Allison Smith

Honors Theses

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a controversial clinical treatment most often used in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders. Many clinicians use this therapy, but no consensus exists whether this treatment works. This meta-analytic review examined EMDR versus waitlist or alternative treatments, in adult and child populations, and in reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms. Results indicate that EMDR has no significant effect in the reduction of symptoms in either population for either psychological disorder. Implications for further research are discussed.

Sincerely, The Quiet Girl, Brianna Dipanni

SURGE

When I was younger, I used to think there was something horribly wrong with me, as if I had this mortal flaw. Some nights I used to lie awake in bed and just stare at the flickering red numbers of my bedside clock, wondering to myself when things would change. How long would it take to overcome my quiet phase? When will I finally be normal? [excerpt]

Multinational Validation Of Anxiety, Hopelessness, And Ineffective Airway Clearance, Richard Fehring, Teresa Fadden, Madeline Wake

Richard J Fehring

The effective use of nursing diagnosis internationally depends in part on incorporating language and cultural difference into the common language of nursing. International validation studies can provide a basis for this effort. This study tested three diagnoses—anxiety, hopelessness, and ineffective airway clearance—through multinational validation. The Diagnostic Content Validity (DCV) model was used to collect data from critical care nurses in six countries. Defining characteristics rated as critical (> .80) by the total sample were dyspnea for ineffective airway clearance and panic and nervousness for anxiety. No critical defining characteristics for hopelessness were identified. DCV ratios for all defining characteristics are …

Addressing Distress And Pain In Animal Research: The Veterinary, Research, Societal, Regulatory And Ethical Contexts For Moving Forward, Kathleen Conlee, Martin Stephens, Andrew N. Rowan

Andrew N. Rowan, DPhil

While most people recognize that biomedical scientists are searching for knowledge that will improve the health of humans and animals, the image of someone deliberately causing harm to an animal in order to produce data that may lead to some future benefit has always prompted an uncomfortable reaction outside the laboratory. However, proponents of animal research have usually justified the practice by reference to greater benefits (new knowledge and medical treatments) over lesser costs (in animal suffering and death). Given that one of the costs of animal research is the suffering experienced by the animals, the goal of eliminating distress …

Mirrors, Manipulation, And Me, Anonymous

SURGE

Yesterday I was sick to my stomach. Literally.

I tossed and turned all night, woke up and felt sick, and spent the first two hours of my day in bed trying to calm down while. I was worrying that I was a bad friend, student, and girlfriend. The hardest part was that I was criticizing myself for having these insecurities. It’s tough to get out of that cycle, but it’s what I need to do. [excerpt]