Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Awareness Of The Unaware: Anosognosia As A Comorbidity In Mental Health Conditions, Tiffany L. Baula

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The primary purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to describe healthcare provider’s recognition of anosognosia in individuals with comorbid mental health disorders, as a differentiating diagnosis needing preeminent early intervention. The secondary purpose is to examine how anosognosia influences outcomes in the population of individuals with severe mental illness. It is expected that early recognition by clinicians and implementation of additional interventions to address anosognosia as the most influential comorbidity of schizophrenia, will decrease exacerbations and improve treatment and patient outcomes.

A literature review exploring clinician’s acknowledgement of anosognosia was performed using various databases. Search terms included: …

Barriers And Facilitators To Accessing And Utilizing Mental Health Services For Homeless Youth: A Systematic Review, Abbygail P. Lapinski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Homelessness in the youth population is associated with elevated rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicidality compared to the housed population in the United States (Berdahl, Hoyt, and Whitbeck, 2005; Hodgson, Shelton, Van den Bree, 2014; Hughes et al., 2010). With a survival-focused perspective, exacerbating issues, stigmatization, and transience housing; homeless youth require special consideration to meet their diverse health needs. When barriers impede homeless youth's access to necessary health resources, their health concerns are left untreated and impound until emergency services are required. This review of literature is focused on identifying and synthesizing barriers and facilitators for homeless …

The Efficacy Of Meditation-Based Treatments In Relapse Prevention For Persons With Substance Use Disorders, Florence C. Bates

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Substance abuse is a global problem that has contributed to a variety of societal, financial, health, and familial strains. An increasing prevalence of illicit drug, prescription opioids, and alcohol abuse has created a need for re-evaluation of recovery and relapse treatments. This literature review examines the efficacy of meditation-based treatments for relapse prevention in persons recovering from Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). A comparative analysis of Mindfulness Based Relapse Programs (MBRP), an adapted MBRP-W program, and a Transcendental Meditation (TM) intervention was used to examine the success of meditation-based interventions. Research supports improvements associated with the meditation-based interventions including significant reductions …

Mental Health Interventions For Adolescent Cancer Patients, Kelsey A. Faherty

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: According to the National Cancer Institute (2017) approximately 15,270 individuals’ ages 0 to 19 years would be diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Although pediatric cancer survival rates continue to rise, there are high rates of anxiety, fear, and depression amongst this population. The purpose of this literature review was to explore mental health interventions for adolescent cancer patients.

Methodology: A total of 165 articles were found in a literature search. Databases used include: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Clinical Answers, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. As results were further narrowed based on relevance and …

Canine-Assisted Therapies Among U.S. Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Olivia A. Kondos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A sizeable number of U.S. veterans of all ages experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can impact their quality of life; physically, mentally and socially. Consequences of PTSD are associated with physical and emotional disabilities, including ideation of self-harm and even suicide. Increasingly, animal-assisted therapies (AAT) are used to treat PTSD and other physical and behavioral conditions in veterans. Over the decades, AATs have used dogs, cats, horses, and dolphins among other animals. The purpose of this integrative review is to examine the use of AAT focusing on canine assisted therapy (CAT) among veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The methodology involved …

Self-Efficacy And Coping In Transition Of Care After Remission Of Cancer In Adolescents, Leah M. Mcdonnell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The improvement in cancer remission rates in children and adolescents due to advances in cancer treatment and therapy has led to the development of guidelines that address long-term follow up for survivors of childhood cancers. Adolescents often experience negative emotions related to the fear of uncertainty about long-term survival after cancer remission, yet often report feelings of hope and optimism for the future more than adult cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of self-efficacy and coping in adolescents after remission of cancer. A secondary purpose was to analyze which coping strategies supported long-term survival …