Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Anne Macrae, Phd, Otr/L, Bcmh, Faota, Danielle Cox, Brock Wahlert

Oral History Posters

This life history is one of 30 life history interviews which are part of a larger project, Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) at the National Level and Beyond. The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to …

A Meta-Synthesis Of Adolescent Psychological Help-Seeking, Karen Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although adolescents experience psychological difficulty at a rate higher than any other age group, most do not get the support they need. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions about barriers, facilitating factors, and help-seeking preferences for psychological support among adolescents. This study involved Best, Gil-Rodriguez, Manktelow, and Taylor’s conceptual framework pathways to online help-seeking to help explain adolescents’ perceptions of factors that influence them seeking support as well as identify pathways for support. A qualitative meta-synthesis design was used to synthesize findings of individual qualitative studies into themes around the central phenomenon of adolescent help-seeking. Data were …

Mentally Ill, Or Mentally Ill And Dangerous?: Rethinking Civil Commitments In Minnesota, Eliot T. Tracz

Mitchell Hamline Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice

No abstract provided.

Validation Of A Brief Screening Instrument For Psychopathology In Adults, Adam Sattler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Structured diagnostic interviews are generally considered to be the gold standard method of assessing mental health conditions; however clinicians rarely use such techniques in clinical practice. A major factor contributing to the infrequent use of structured interviews is the amount of time required for administration and interpretation. As such there is a need to develop assessment instruments that balance the objectivity and structure of evidence-based assessment techniques against personnel time and cost. To address this need the current study sought to validate a brief screening instrument for assessing 9 commental health conditions using a well-researched structured clinical interview to establish …

Analyzing Differences In Mental Health Treatment Seeking Behavior In Hopkins County, Kentucky, Kathryn Olson Gross

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Rates of mental illnesses are consistently higher in the corrections system at all levels of incarceration. However, local jails are largely unable to meet the mental health needs of their inmates. Considering that there are several barriers to treatment seeking such as stigma, transportation, or availability of services in rural areas already, the treatment seeking behavior of people in jail differs from those not in jail. The objective of this research is to understand the factors that influence treatment seeking behavior among those in jails, and how those factors differ from those not in jail. Overall people in jail had …

Associations Between Perceptions Of U.S. Immigration Enforcement Policies, Physical Health, Psychological Distress, And Health Care Utilization In A Hispanic Border Community, Isabel Katharina Maria Latz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Since the beginning of the current U.S. federal administration, immigration policies have become more restrictive and immigration enforcement has been strengthened. This cross-sectional survey study examines associations between perceptions of and experiences with current immigration enforcement policies and self-rated physical health, psychological distress, and health care utilization among Hispanic adults with different residency statuses in the U.S. Paso del Norte region. This study further investigates moderating effects of collective efficacy and engaged coping strategies on associations between policy perceptions and psychological distress.

The study sample included 211 Hispanic adult residents of the U.S. Paso del Norte Region (i.e., El Paso, …

Examining Cultural Humility And Intersectionality In Mental Health Treatment, Sandra Y. Herrera-Spinelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cultural awareness is an ethical standard in the social work profession and, as the diversity in the United States continues to grow, it is a social work practice problem when cultural awareness is not implemented in mental health settings. The National Association of Social Workers revised the cultural awareness standards to include cultural humility and intersectionality as practice indicators. The purpose of this action research study was to examine how clinical social workers demonstrated cultural humility and intersectionality in mental health settings. Person-centered theory guided this study and a total of 17 clinical social workers in New Mexico participated in …

Emergency Responders' Perceptions Of Mental Health Patients While Providing Care In Rural Areas, Cindy Perkinson Costilla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research has shown a correlation between public stigma and emergency responders' perceptions of mental health patients while providing care. However, research examining public stigma and emergency responders' perceptions of mental health patients is limited in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to explore possible relationships between the dependent variable, public stigma, and the independent variables: social distance, blameworthiness, and fear of unpredictable behavior. Link's modified labeling theory was the theoretical framework for this study. A sample of 92 emergency responders obtained from Facebook completed a questionnaire that consisted of three Likert scales. A multiple regression showed little …

Gaps In Mental Healthcare Use And Perceived Quality Between Privately Insured Lgb And Heterosexual Individuals In The United States, Yuki Hayashi

Public Health Theses

Previous research has identified significantly heightened levels of mental health issues and psychological distress among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in the U.S., as well as greater mental health service utilization among this population. Using a nationally representative sample of privately insured adults in the U.S., we investigate differences in mental healthcare utilization, characteristics of mental healthcare received, and perceived quality of care between LGB and heterosexual individuals. Key results find that privately insured LGB men and women are significantly more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to have used outpatient mental healthcare as well as out-of-network (OON) outpatient mental …

The Association Between Self-Reported History Of Experiencing Violence & Mental Health Status Among Urban Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Malaysia, Rayne Soyoung Kim

Public Health Theses

Background: In displaced populations, studies have shown that there are significant associations between exposure to violence and reporting mental illness. There is little known regarding this relationship in countries like Malaysia, which serves as a transitional point where refugees wait to be resettled.

Objective: To assess the cross-sectional association of exposure to violence with mental health status in the urban refugee and asylum-seeking population in Malaysia.

Methods: 286 self-identified refugees and asylum seekers, recruited by using time-location sampling, were given interviewer-administered surveys, including questions regarding exposure to violence and mental health symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate …

Older Adult Spouses’ Emotional Responses To Reminiscing About Their First Encounter: Associations With Mental Health, Marital Satisfaction, And Cardiovascular Reactivity, Hanzhen Lan

Public Health Theses

Objectives: While there has been growing interest in how close relationships affect older adults’ health, not much research has examined how emotional experiences in older married couples’ positive interactions relate to individual and relational well-being and physical health. The present study hypothesizes that positive emotional responses to older couples reminiscing about first encounter are associated with each spouse’s higher marital satisfaction, fewer depressive symptoms, and healthier cardiovascular reactivity (blood pressure and heart rate variability).

Method: One hundred and one couples completed a background questionnaire at home and then participated in a laboratory session in which they discussed how they first …

Measuring Effects Of Childhood Adversity On Resilience Level Of Army Veterans, Stephanie Rausch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veteran suicide is a public health issue that requires more research to understand the multidimensional factors, such as resilience, that lead someone to suicide. Adverse childhood events (ACEs), such as poverty and abuse, have affected how resilience is developed. This study examined the association between childhood factors of socioeconomic status, parental discipline, and being a military child, and adult resiliency level. Dienstbier's theory of mental toughness framed the study, which posits that a child who experiences mild ACEs and has time to recover between events, will be more resilient than children who experience serious ACEs, and children who experience little …

Influencing The Positive Mental Health Of Non-Kinship Foster Children: The Lived Experiences Of Foster Parents In Alabama, Sarah Catherine Tucker

All ETDs from UAB

This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) qualitative study interviewed fifteen non-kinship foster parents in Alabama to explore their lived experiences of influencing the positive mental health of their foster children. This phenomenological approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the challenges foster caregivers face when facilitating improved psychological and social well-being of their foster children. In 2015, there were 427,910 children in foster care, with 45% of these children residing in a non-kinship foster home (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System [AFCARS], 2016). Children in foster care, especially children in non-kinship care arrangements, often have significant and complex mental …

Outpatients' And Treatment Providers’ Cultural Model(S) Of Mental Illness In Northern Illinois, Emily Jean Stephen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

For this thesis, I interviewed outpatients and clinicians from mental health treatment providers from the DeKalb, Illinois area to investigate the cultural models of mental illness held by both groups. I employed ethnographic methods of semi-structured interviews, and with cognitive tasks (free-listing, and pile sorting) to research similarities and differences between the outpatients’ and mental health treatment providers’ cultural models of ‘mental illness.’ Both mental health clinicians and outpatients have experience with disorders commonly termed ‘mental illness.’ I found differences of experience and identity seemed to more strongly influence one’s cultural model of mental illness than one’s level or type …

Efficacy Of A Va Residential Treatment Program For Co-Occurring Disorders, Kathrin Hohenstern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders among the veteran population can impact numerous aspects of a veteran's life, including self-esteem, relationships, employment, and legal issues. The Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) at the Saint Cloud, Minnesota VA Healthcare System is a program that provides residential treatment for this population. Identifying practical and beneficial treatment methods promotes better coping mechanisms for veterans and impacts social change by providing timely and cost-efficient care for veterans, while also leading the way for overall changes and improvements in other VA residential treatment programs. This study identified how …

The Effects Of Mindfulness Practice With Music Listening On Working Memory, Emily Irene Messick

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate mindfulness strategies and their influence on working memory. The potential role of music in facilitating mindfulness practice is explored. Various listening exercises were investigated along with their influence on working memory (i.e. attention control). Thirty-four individuals were randomly assigned to participate in one of four listening groups: 1) mindfulness with music, 2) mindfulness without music, 3) music only, and 4) silence. Thirty-four participants engaged in a computerized digit-span task before and after the listening exercise to assess pre- and post-test working memory performance. Thirty participants were included in data-analysis due to …

Wellness In Allied Health Students: The Case For Change, Abigail Lewis, Alison Kirkman, Lisa Holmes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: The case for change. There are increasing mental health issues among young people, including higher education students. millennial students face unique challenges relating to attention, critical thinking and managing stress. Specifically, allied health students engage in multiple placements in which they need to interact with real people in real time while being evaluated in assessment and treatment strategies. Some universities have been using wellness programs and mindfulness strategies to support student mental health across campuses for some time. However, as allied health students face unique challenges, there is a need for a particular focus on wellness at an individual …

Long-Term Prevalence And Predictors Of Prolonged Grief Disorder Amongst Bereaved Cancer Caregivers: A Cohort Study, Rachel D. Zordan, Melanie L. Bell, Melanie Price, Cheryl Remedios, Elizabeth Lobb, Christopher Hall, Peter Hudson

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Context: The short-term impact of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) following bereavement is well documented. The longer term sequelae of PGD however are poorly understood, possibly unrecognized, and may be incorrectly attributed to other mental health disorders and hence undertreated.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to prospectively evaluate the prevalence of PGD three years post bereavement and to examine the predictors of long-term PGD in a population-based cohort of bereaved cancer caregivers.

Methods: A cohort of primary family caregivers of patients admitted to one of three palliative care services in Melbourne, Australia, participated in the study (n = …

Using Participatory Design Methodologies To Co-Design And Culturally Adapt The Spanish Version Of The Mental Health Eclinic: Qualitative Study, Laura Ospina-Pinillos, Tracey Davenport, Antonio Mendoza Diaz, Alvaro Navarro-Mancilla, Elizabeth M. Scott, Ian B. Hickie

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: The Mental Health eClinic (MHeC) aims to deliver best-practice clinical services to young people experiencing mental health problems by making clinical care accessible, affordable, and available to young people whenever and wherever they need it most. The original MHeC consists of home page with a visible triage system for those requiring urgent help; a online physical and mental health self-report assessment; a results dashboard; a booking and videoconferencing system; and the generation of a personalized well-being plan. Populations who do not speak English and reside in English-speaking countries are less likely to receive mental health care. In Australia, international …

Translational Insights Into The Genetic Etiology Of Mental Health Disorders: Examining Risk Factor Models, Neuroimaging, And Current Dissemination Practices, Jessica L. Bourdon

Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric genetics is a basic science field that has potential for practical application and effective translation. To date, translational frameworks utilized by this field have been linear (e.g., sequential) in nature, focusing on molecular genetic information. It is proposed that non-linear (e.g., socio-ecological) frameworks are a better way to immediately translate non-molecular genetic information. This dissertation explored the translation of psychiatric genetic information in two ways. First, a survey was sent to academic stakeholders to assess the state of the science regarding the translation of genetic information to the clinical care of mental health disorders. Findings from this indicate a …

From Sunrise To Sunset: A Lifespan Approach To Understanding The Mental Health Of A Subset Of American Farmers, Janna L. Imel

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has indicated higher risk of suicide for farmers and identified depression and anxiety as mental health concerns, though the majority of research was conducted in the 1980s-1990s. In today’s economic, social, and political climate, farmers are exposed to situations and stressors reminiscent of the 1980s Farm Crisis. An added risk is the aging workforce of farmers, as age-related conditions can make farming even riskier. This study investigated the mental health of a subset of American farmers by exploring farm-related stressors, coping mechanisms, and mental health outcomes. Dispositional mindfulness was explored as a specific coping mechanism. Participants (N …

Factors Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, And Ptsd In Australian Paramedics, Timothy Rankin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Paramedics are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD compared to the general population. Factors that have been associated with mental disorders include occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life. To date only a few of these factors have been investigated simultaneously in Australian paramedics.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life, and their associations with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD in Australian paramedics.

Methods

Sixty-three paramedics, working for ambulance services …

As A Pediatrician, I Don’T Know The Second, Third, Or Fourth Thing To Do: A Qualitative Study Of Pediatric Residents’ Training And Experiences In Behavioral Health, Rachel Petts Phd, Jeffrey D. Shahidullah Phd, Paul W. Kettlewell Phd, Kathryn A. Dehart Md, Kris Rooney Md, Ilene G. Ladd Ms, Tyler Bogaczyk Bs, Sharon L. Larson Phd

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Despite a mandated 1-month rotation in developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP), pediatric residents report inadequate training in behavioral health care. As a first step in much needed curriculum development in this area, this study sought to assess learner experiences regarding the management of behavioral health problems during residency. Four focus groups were conducted for residents in years 1-3 of training in 2 residency programs in a northeastern state. Transcripts were analyzed and coded by researchers through qualitative classical content analysis. The exploratory analysis revealed 9 key themes: time requirements, rapport building, resources and referrals for behavioral health, psychiatric medications, diagnosis vs. treatment, …

Effects Of A Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center On Emergency Department Length Of Stay, Carlissa Lam

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Introduction: Emergency departments are overburdened with mental health patients who lack adequate access to behavioral health resources. The influx of patients has led to an increased length of stay in the emergency department for patients who are being evaluated for mental health concerns. Overcrowding can lead to delays in treatment, undesirable medical events, and patient mortality. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) models bring law enforcement, mental health providers, emergency departments, and individuals with mental illness together to improve care for patients in crisis. They have been instrumental in identifying patients in crisis and transporting them to a Crisis Intervention Team Assessment …

Caring For The Whole Clinician: A Body-Based Framwork For Self-Care And Supervision, Aliza Roth

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this program development project was to create a framework for clinical supervision that utilizes yoga and dance/movement therapy in support of the holistic wellness of mental health professionals. Clinicians are at risk for burnout and compassion fatigue, especially when they place more emphasis on their client’s well-being than their own. Research points to the significance of incorporating self-care, stress-management and embodied awareness of self and client into the supervision process; however, there remains an underdeveloped body of knowledge related to body-based frameworks for clinical supervision and how such frameworks relate to clinician self-care. Utilizing the five yogic …

Art That Heals, Christina Cardona

Capstones

Beryl Brenner was a creative arts therapist for 40 years, and helped veterans heal from war traumas through art all across the city. For the past 11 years, she was at the Brooklyn Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare system in Bay Ridge, where she developed the art therapy program. https://christinacardona1.wordpress.com

The Use Of Theory-Based Formative Research To Design Suicide Prevention Messaging For U.S. Veterans In Midlife., Elizabeth Karras, Cara M. Stokes, Sara C. Warfield, Heather Elder, Brady Stephens, Robert M. Bossarte

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Background. Communication campaigns offer a viable mechanism to promote suicide prevention and reinforce mental health for U.S. veterans in midlife, a group with a high suicide burden. However, little empirical investigation of this type of messaging has been conducted, with formative campaign research conspicuously missing from the limited literature. Aims. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guide, formative research was conducted to inform the design of suicide prevention messaging by (a) describing and measuring several theoretical constructs among our audience and (b) modeling associations between constructs and intentions to seek help for suicidal behaviors and mental health more …

Mental Health And Resilience In Adolescent Refugees Resettled In Philadelphia, Saya Bery, Pia Ghosh, Mph, Ellen Plumb, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Mental health in adolescents has a large impact on physical health, academic achievement, and overall well-being; moreover, refugee youth are at an increased risk for mental health disorders. While growing evidence shows that positive youth development interventions can prevent health risk behaviors, there is need for further evaluation that shows how to tailor interventions to meet population-specific needs.

Objective: The aim is to assess how targeted interventions can enhance protective factors and reduce negative adult outcomes in vulnerable refugee adolescents. The goals are to understand the current status of mental health and access to resources among resettled adolescents in …

The Impact Of Mental Health On Cancer Preventative Screenings, Chelsea Edirisuriya, Amy Leader, Phd

Phase 1

Among the mental health population of the United States, overall preventative health services, such as cancer screening rates, are remarkably low. Additionally, there is a significant 30% higher mortality rate due to cancer in psychiatric patients. This project established if there are disparities in cancer screening rates between the general population and the mental health population of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The project analyzed and compared the differences in cancer screenings for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer among those currently diagnosed with a mental condition and the general population. Through p-value and Pearson chi-square statistical analysis of the Community Health Data Base …

Cost Of Caring: The Effects Of Euthanasia On Animal Shelter Workers, Kim L. Nguyen-Finn

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study focuses on animal shelter workers, a population that has often been overlooked in research and clinical practice, and the emotional strains of the task of euthanasia. The effects of employment in a kill or no-kill shelter, participation in euthanasia, and number of years employed on mental health issues of substance abuse, anxiety, depression, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout were examined. A three-way MANOVA was run to test the hypothesis that there is a cell effect among the type of shelter employed in, participation in euthanasia, and years of experience on mental health, which was not supported by …