Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Examining The Need For Psychosocial Services In Pediatric Non-Accidental Trauma, Samantha Nicole O'Bannon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Child abuse is a significant issue within our society. In 2014, there were a reported 702,208 cases of child abuse and neglect across the country, with nearly 120,000 suffering from physical abuse. Research has shown the adverse physical and psychological consequences of child maltreatment. Despite what we know about the benefits of early intervention for this population, the degree of implementation of psychosocial interventions, specifically in a hospital setting, remains unclear. In an initial study that utilized archival data from the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) Trauma Registry Database, researchers found that the majority of children admitted to the …

Psychosocial Factors Associated With Nicotine Dependence Among College Students : Are There Differences Between Social And Regular Smokers?, Devan Rae Romero

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Cigarette smoking, the primary source of tobacco used by adults 18-25, has remained stable, at around 21-25%, in the college population since 2003. Many college students report their smoking as primarily a “social” behavior, which may reflect an emerging type of smoker. Ambiguity exists in defining and categorizing smokers in the college population.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial perceptions related to smoking among college students who currently smoke and those who do not smoke, and among different types of smokers. In addition, validation of self-reported smoking behavior with saliva cotinine was conducted in …

The Prevalence And Determinants Of Health Risk Behaviors Among High School Students In Mexico, Nellie León

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that despite health promotion efforts, adolescents continue to engage in behaviors that put them at risk for morbidity and mortality. Alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, smoking, and risky sexual behaviors are among the behaviors that contribute to leading causes of morbidity and mortality in youth; these four behaviors were explored in this study. An observational cross-sectional design was utilized. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was utilized to assess the prevalence of the four risk behaviors among high school students in Jalisco, Mexico. Items constructed …

The Psychophysiology Of Information Processing Differences In Eating Disorders, Kathryn Grace Truitt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Maladaptive or dysfunctional cognitive factors are believed to be significant contributors to pathology in eating disorders. The emotional Stroop task was used to examine [the] these dysfunctional cognitive factors. A sample of 31 women (14 nonclinical controls, 13 BN, 4 AN) participated in this investigation, after exclusion for ocular and movement artifacts and equipment problems the remaining sample contained 4 women diagnosed with BN, 4 women diagnosed with AN, and 9 matched non-clinical control subjects. Participants completed an Emotional Stroop task comprised of 8 blocks of words. On each trial, a word was presented in one of four colors (black, …

Comparing Chemical Dependency And Mental Health Programs For The Dually Diagnosed, Kelly L. Hacker

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In order to better understand the needs of an increasing dually diagnosed population, this study compares the efficacy of integrated vs. nonintegrated treatment programs for a dually diagnosed population, residing at a Long Term Care facility in San Bernardino, California. Patients in this setting are diagnosed with chronic and acute mental illness and chemical dependency. This study tested the hypotheses that the nonintegrated treatment program would result in a higher frequency of assaults, PRNs, Q15s, and Code Reds; increase the duration of Q15s; and, increase the Addiction Severity Index’s (ASI) Family/Social and Psychiatric subscales’ scores, which would indicate lower levels …