Mental and Social Health Commons^™

The Effect Of An Interprofessional Registered Nurse-Physical Therapist Team On Reducing Prescribed Opioid Dependence In Patients With Chronic Lower Back Pain, Amber Chesney, Stephanie Jan, Amanda Pedrazoli, Brandon Simmons, Kaylene Woods, Nicole Yeats

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Long-term prescribed opioid use for chronic pain is shown to reduce recovery potential and increase risk for dependence, which is contributing to the nationwide opioid crisis. There is a need for an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to address prescription opioid dependence. We propose implementation of a community-based interprofessional registered nurse-physical therapist team (IRNPTT) focused on reduction of opioid dependence in adult patients with chronic lower back pain.

Drinking To Cope With Depressive Symptoms And Ruminative Thinking: A Multiple Mediation Model Among College Students, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Understanding the potential psychosocial mechanisms that explain (i.e., mediate) the associations between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems can improve interventions targeting college students.

Objectives: The current research examined four distinct facets of rumination (e.g., problem-focused thoughts, counterfactual thinking, repetitive thoughts, and anticipatory thoughts) and drinking to cope motives as potential explanatory mechanisms by which depressive symptoms are associated with increased alcohol-related problems.

Method: Participants were undergraduate students from a large, southeastern university in the United States that consumed at least one drink per typical week in the previous month (n = 403). The majority of participants were female ( …

Self-Reported Pain In Male And Female Iraq/Afghanistan-Era Veterans: Associations With Psychiatric Symptoms And Functioning, Jennifer C. Naylor, H. Ryan Wagner, Mira Brancu, Megan Shepherd-Banigan, Eric Elbogen, Michelle Kelley, Teresa Fecteau, Karen Goldstein, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Christine E. Marx

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective. To examine pain symptoms and co-occurring psychiatric and functional indices in male and female Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans.

Design. Self-reported data collection and interviews of Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans who participated in a multisite study of postdeployment mental health.

Setting. Veterans were enrolled at one of four participating VA sites.

Subjects. Two thousand five hundred eighty-seven male and 662 female Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans.

Methods. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank tests examined differences in pain scores between male and female veterans. Chi-square tests assessed differences between male and female veterans in the proportion of respondents endorsing moderate to high levels of pain vs no pain. Multilevel …

Protective Behavioral Strategies As A Context-Specific Mediator: A Multilevel Examination Of Within- And Between-Person Associations Of Daily Drinking, Abby L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that a drinker’s environmental and social context can be differentially associated with drinking outcomes. Further, although many researchers have identified that more frequent use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) is associated with lower alcohol consumption and negative consequences, scant research has examined how one’s drinking context may promote or hinder PBS use. The present study examined how the context of drinking each day (i.e., where and with whom) is associated with level of consumption and reported alcohol-related problems among n = 284 college drinkers (69.0% female) directly, as well as indirectly through the use of PBS. Two different …

Life In Hampton Roads Survey Press Release #2: Police, Race Relations And Attitudes Regarding The Homeless And Mentally Ill In Hampton Roads, Social Science Research Center, Old Dominion University

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report

[Introductory paragraph]

This report examines regional and sub-regional perceptions of crime and police from the 2017 Life In Hampton Roads survey (LIHR 2017) conducted by the Old Dominion University Social Science Research Center. Data from prior years is also provided when available to show comparisons in responses over time. Responses were weighted by city population, race, age, gender, and phone usage (cell versus land-line) to be representative of the Hampton Roads region.

Alcohol Use Variability In A Community-Based Sample Of Nonstudent Emerging Adult Heavy Drinkers, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abbly L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: While nonstudent emerging adults are at elevated risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, there remains a paucity of research devoted specifically to addressing drinking in this group.

OBJECTIVES: The present study sought to offer unique insights into nonstudent drinking by examining drinking variability across 30 days using a retrospective diary method. Specific aims were to: (1) compare within- and between-person variability in alcohol use across 30 days, and (2) determine the extent to which central social-cognitive between-person factors (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) predict between-person alcohol use as well as within-person variability in drinking.

METHODS: Participants …

A Disciplined Practice Of Art Making And Art Therapist Professional Identity, Christopher L. Porche

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This self-study identified the effects of a disciplined practice of art making and reflective practice using methods such as open studio, visual journaling, and reflective writing on the professional art therapist identity formation of a graduate art therapy student. A qualitative heuristic research method was used as a guide to analyze the intrapersonal experience of a novice graduate art therapist in training. Committee members and I conducted a content analysis of 54 artworks and/or visual journal entries created during the immersion phase of this study conducted during my graduate school experience. The central themes that emerged were identity, creativity, and …

Contributing To Building A Conceptual Model Of Art Therapist Professional Identity, Rachel Davenport Ward

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Art therapists are currently working to solidify multiple aspects of the profession and become more distinguished from counselors. The development of a conceptual model of art therapist professional identity aims to identify essential components that make up an art therapist’s professional identity. Emerging domains and key ideas were identified in a review of the literature and triangulated with the interview responses of participants. The domains identified in this study as pivotal to art therapist professional identity include Engagement Behaviors, Education and Training, Theoretical Approach, and Art Making.

A Proposal For An Art Therapy Intervention To Address Burnout In Family Caregivers With Family Members Diagnosed With Muscular Dystrophy, Emily-Ann Menke

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

There are many difficulties associated with caregiving including increased levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. Limited research explores the impact of art therapy on caregiver burnout and there is no literature addressing the impact of art therapy on family caregivers of individuals diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. This proposal details an in-depth eight week program design to be implemented in individual sessions. The program outlined explores a series of themes related to a family member’s experience as a caregiver, using art materials as a means of reflection and expression of emotions and feelings associated with this role. The goal of this …

Art Therapy And Cognitive Processing Therapy For Combat Ptsd: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Vanessa Pierce

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This randomized controlled trial supplemented existing data from previous studies on the effect of art therapy in conjunction with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) versus CPT alone on symptoms of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. The 11 veterans recruited in this study were clinically diagnosed with PTSD, and were randomized by time of admission to either the experimental or control condition. Test measures included the PCL-M, BDI-II, to measure symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress and depression, and the PTGI to measure positive psychological growth. The results on the PCL-M and BDI-II supported trends from previous studies suggesting art therapy in combination with …

The Efficacy Of A Brief Group Art Therapy Intervention To Address Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In Mental Healthcare Professionals: A Mixed Methods Study, Vicky Greene

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The purpose of this proposed mixed-methods study was to explore the efficacy of utilizing a brief group art therapy intervention in reducing symptoms of burnout through a one group pretest and posttest design with mental healthcare professionals who work directly with the mentally ill population. Proposed interventions consisted of three two-hour group art therapy sessions over a period of three weeks with mental healthcare workers measured by the ProQOL-5 for Quantitative outcome, measuring compassion satisfaction (the positive) and compassion fatigue (the negative). Qualitative measures would be obtained from participants’ narratives from research questions, responses from resulting artwork, and a semi-structured …

Nature As The Ultimate Container: A Phenomenological Self-Study On Eco-Centric Art Making With Implications For Practicing Art Therapists, Tyler Maria Dillingham

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The field of art therapy lacks sufficient research support in the use of art processes and materials. Literature exists that addresses the potential therapeutic effect of a wide variety of traditional art media. However, no literature exists in support of the use of natural materials in art therapy or in working outside in nature. This self-study aimed to explore the phenomenon of working with natural materials outside of the traditional studio setting, out in nature, to explore and assess implications for practicing art therapists and their clients.

The assumption of the researcher is that all humans may benefit from contact …

Growing Up Grounded: Learning To Cope With A Parent Who Suffers From A Mental Illness: An Art-Based Workbook, Shelby Marie Wynn

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Through a meticulous search within art therapy and other mental health professions, attention has been brought to the significant lack of literature on the topic of adolescents living with a parent who suffers from a mental illness. Literature that does breech this topic seems to focus primarily on the adult child, rather than the adolescent. Furthermore, although art therapy touches on its efficacy in developing coping skills in adolescents, it lacks in research and resources regarding this particular demographic. An art-based workbook was created following a modified version of the 12 Step program for teens and informed by art therapy …

The Costume-Making Experience: A Heuristic Self-Study For Implications To Art Therapy, Melissa Mary Sykes

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Within the field art therapy, numerous processes and materials exist to promote expression of affect and the enhancement of creativity. These mediums are crucial to the progression of art therapy, including drawing, painting, and three-dimensional processes such as clay, containers, and fiber arts. Art therapy is part of expressive therapy, where puppetry, doll-making, and mask-making have moved from the field of drama therapy to art therapy. The evidence for certain techniques, such as costuming in art therapy, is still lacking. This study implies Landy’s continuum in drama therapy as parallel to Lusebrink’s Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) in art therapy, suggesting …

The Effects Of Parental Cancer On The Professional Identity Development Of An Art Therapist-In-Training: An Art-Based, Heuristic Self-Study, Ashley L. Sweigart

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Although existing literature asserts that personal experience greatly impacts the development of professional identity among mental health professionals, the impact of personal crisis during graduate education and training—the formative period of professional identity development—remains largely unaddressed. Through engagement in this art-based heuristic self-study, I examined my own experience coping with personal crisis as an art therapy graduate student. I committed to eight weeks of art making and reflective writing in order to achieve greater understanding and self-awareness regarding the effects of coping with parental cancer and the death of my father on my professional identity development. Content analysis of the …

The Potential Use Of Comics As A Medium In Art Therapy Practice: A Qualitative Heuristic Study, Emma Claire Reilly

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

There exists very little research on the efficacy of different processes and materials in the field of Art Therapy and no research on the use of comics in art therapy. This study explored the potential use of comics in art therapy practice through a qualitative heuristic design. The researcher utilized various processes and materials to explore comic-making, with consideration towards the potential feasibility and accessibility of this medium. Comic art was created over a 14-week time period, accompanied by written reflections about the effect of the various processes and materials used as well as the effect of creating each comic. …

A Comparison Of Human Figures Drawn By Hiv Positive And Hiv Negative Children In Limuru, Kenya, Ruth H. Rand

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The proposed study aimed to determine psychological sequelae of HIV as manifested in the HFD. The goal of this study was to compare HFDs drawn by Kenyan children with and without HIV, using a modified form of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) (Gantt & Tabone, 1998). It was hypothesized that statistically significant differences between the two groups of drawings would exist. Based upon differences between the two groups of HFDs, inferences were made regarding the effect of HIV on children living in Kenya. Research suggests that there are significant negative ramifications of HIV diagnosis including depressive symptoms, decreased …

Process Painting With A Woman Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Jaimee Foster

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This qualitative single case study examines the reaction of one woman diagnosed with breast cancer as she engages in process painting, while undergoing treatment. Process painting involves the continued alteration of a single image over a period of time, either through painting over or chipping away at the current image. Over a period of six weeks, one woman was invited to engage in this process, in order to examine whether the process would have a positive effect on either the physical or emotional symptoms associated with breast cancer treatment. This study focused on the themes of each session, the participant’s …

Spreading Awareness Of Art Therapy To Undergraduate College Students, Whitley Louise Rogers-Richards

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This capstone project was created to spread awareness of art therapy to undergraduate college students. A few Virginia colleges/universities were contacted to participate in providing informative presentations about art therapy (by an art therapy and counseling graduate student at Eastern Virginia Medical School). This capstone also provided the opportunity to increase the writer’s professional identity. Radford University participated in the study. The informative presentation was created to increase understanding and awareness about art therapy. Anonymous questionnaires were provided after the presentation. The questionnaires allowed data to be collected and reviewed to conclude results about the presentation. There were 30 Radford …

The Relationship Between Counselors' Multicultural Counseling Competence And Poverty Beliefs, Madeline Elizabeth Clark

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between increased levels of poverty and decreased levels of psychological wellbeing and overall wellness is well documented. Although poverty clearly impacts mental health and wellness, little research in counseling has been conducted exploring the poverty attitudes of counselors. This study explored the relationship between professional counselors’ multicultural counseling competence (MCC), poverty beliefs, and select demographic factors (i.e. counseling specialty, gender, age, ethnocultural identity, poverty counseling experience, and personal poverty experience). Data were collected using survey-based methods from professional counselors of all specialties. Results of a hierarchical linear regression indicate that increased MCC, adjusted for select demographic factors, is …

Examining Changes In College Counseling Clients’ Symptomology And Severity Over An Eight Year Span, Caroline Lee Bertolet

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The current college counseling literature has conflicting findings regarding the extent to which the severity of mental health symptoms has increased for college students. Some researchers claim that over time student’s mental health symptoms have become more complex rather than more severe. This study examined archival data to analyze both the severity and complexity of symptoms in an eight year time span. The study also examined how disruptiveness and treatment demand have changed over the eight year period. The data were analyzed using multiple regression. The results of the study supported perspectives found in the current literature indicating little increase …

Animal Assisted Therapy In A Special Needs Dental Practice: An Interprofessional Model For Anxiety Reduction, Caren M. Cajares, Carolyn M. Rutledge, Tina S. Haney

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Purpose: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) suffer from poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease that may predispose them to systemic diseases. In order to receive dental care, the assistance of a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is often needed. The role of the CRNA is to provide sedation to reduce the high level of anxiety demonstrated by many individuals with intellectual disabilities in the dental suite. However, this can become a challenge with patients that are anxious when they arrive. The purpose of this paper is to describe an interprofessional dental team that added a certified therapy dog …

Initiation And Retention In Couples Outpatient Treatment For Parents With Drug And Alcohol Use Disorders, Abbly L. Braitman, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

The focus of the current study was to identity mental health, relationship factors, substance use related problems, and individual factors as predictors of couples-based substance abuse treatment initiation and attendance. Heterosexual couples with children that met study criteria were invited to attend 12 sessions of outpatient behavioral couples therapy. Men were more likely to initiate treatment if they had a higher income, had greater relationship satisfaction, were initiating treatment for alcohol use disorder only, were younger when they first suspected a problem, and had higher depression but lower hostility or phobic anxiety. Men attended more treatment sessions if they reported …

Behavioral Couples Treatment For Substance Use Disorder: Secondary Effects On The Reduction Of Risk For Child Abuse, Michelle L. Kelley, Adrian J. Bravo, Abby L. Braitman, Adrienne K. Lawless, Hannah R. Lawrence

Psychology Faculty Publications

Risk for child abuse was examined prior to and after behavioral couples treatment (BCT) among 61 couples in which one or both parents were diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD). All couples were residing with one or more school-age children. Mothers and fathers completed pretreatment, post-intervention, and 6 month post-intervention follow-up assessments. Results of piecewise latent growth models tested whether the number of BCT sessions attended and number of days abstinent from drugs and alcohol influenced relationship satisfaction and its growth over time, and in turn if relationship satisfaction and change in relationship satisfaction influenced risk for child abuse. For …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of Drinking Patterns Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that nonstudent emerging adults, as compared to their college-attending peers, are at higher risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorders. The present study sought to extend the limited research on nonstudent drinking by (1) identifying sub-groups of nonstudent drinkers based on their drinking patterns and (2) determining the extent to which social-cognitive between-person factors related to drinking (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) distinguish these sub-groups. Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adult heavy episodic drinkers recruited from the community. Mean age was 21.88 (SD = 2.08) years and 45.4% were unemployed. …

Molly Users Versus Non-Users In A Sample Of College Alcohol Drinkers: Differences In Substance-Related Harms And Sensation Seeking, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates, Brynn E. Sheehan, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Molly is one form of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) that is touted to be more pure and potentially less harmful than other forms, such as ecstasy. Media reports and case studies suggest that this drug is popular among college students and is related to adverse health problems. The current study sought to address the knowledge gaps about Molly by examining whether users differ in substance use outcomes and sensation seeking than nonusers. Specifically, this study tested whether Molly users engaged in heavier use of other substances and experienced more substance-related harms in general than nonusers. Further, the current study investigated whether …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Caffeinated Alcohol Use During Spring Break, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Caffeinated alcoholic beverages (e.g., Red Bull and vodka) are popular but associated with negative consequences. CABs may be particularly popular during Spring Break, a potentially risky social event.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use, determine how caffeinated alcohol use Spring Break drinking habits differ from usual, and examine the association between Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.

Methods: Data were collected from 95 college students during March of 2013 and 2014. Students completed questionnaires of their alcohol and caffeinated alcohol use before and during Spring Break and Spring Break alcohol-related …

Depressive Symptoms And Alcohol-Related Problems Among College Students: A Moderated-Mediated Model Of Mindfulness And Drinking To Cope, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, Leah E. Stevens, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: In college student samples, the association between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems has been found to be mediated by drinking-to-cope motives. Mindfulness-based interventions suggest that mindfulness may attenuate the conditioned response of using substances in response to negative emotional states, and trait mindfulness has been shown to be a protective factor associated with experiencing fewer alcohol-related problems. In the present study, we examined trait mindfulness as a moderator of the indirect associations of depressive symptoms on alcohol-related problems via drinking-to-cope motives. Method: Participants were undergraduate students at a large, southeastern university in the United States who drank at least …

The Course And Interrelationship Of Maternal And Paternal Perinatal Depression, James F. Paulson, Sharnail D. Bazemore, Janice H. Goodman, Jenn A. Leiferman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The aims of the study were to describe course of depression in both mothers and fathers from the third trimester of pregnancy through 6 months postpartum and to examine the relationship between maternal and paternal depression. Hypotheses were as follows: (a) Depressive symptoms would be correlated between parents and (b) earlier depressive symptoms in one parent would predict later increases in depression in the other. Eighty cohabitating primiparous couples were recruited from prenatal OBGYN visits and community agencies and enrolled during pregnancy, between 28-week gestation and delivery. Participants completed measures of depression on four occasions: baseline and 1, 3, and …

Alcohol Expectancies Mediate The Relationship Between Age Of First Intoxication And Drinking Outcomes In College Binge Drinkers, Amy L. Stamates, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: While prior research has shown that age of first intoxication (AI) is associated with negative alcohol outcomes, limited research has examined factors accounting for this relationship. Alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol, may explain such associations as both positive and negative expectancies have been shown to be key predictors of drinking outcomes.

Objective: The present study examined expectancies as mediators between early AI and alcohol-related outcomes.

Method: Data collection occurred in 2012 and 2013. Participants were college students (N = 562, 65.8% women) who completed an online survey including measures of alcohol use history, alcohol expectancies, …