Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Animation As Therapy For Mental Health Treatment Across Diverse Populations And Contexts, A Literature Review, Daneile Tabana

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Scientific research has explored and identified the beneficial relationship between health and creative expression, recognizing art therapy as a source of healing. Animation has been newly recognized as an art therapy medium with potential for therapeutic healing and increased psychological well-being. This review of the literature on animation therapy explores the history of the modality’s interaction with the population observed and the effects of animation on the cognitive processes, discusses current theoretical orientations and treatment options for treating a range of conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior with animation therapy, and considers culturally informed and client-centered practices alongside traditional …

Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

Dance/Movement Therapy: A Novel Approach For Latino Males With Incarceration Histories In Sud Treatment, Aletia Egipciaco

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper investigates how open clients would be to participating and engaging in Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) sessions at a residential SUD facility. The questions asked were (1) What level of engagement would clients have and (2) How would they engage in DMT group sessions at a residential substance use disorder facility? A program lasting 8 weeks, aimed at facilitating DMT group sessions, was conducted at a residential SUD facility twice a week. The objective was to assess participant engagement levels and observe their involvement in the DMT sessions. Residents of the facility were invited voluntarily to attend the DMT groups. …

One Stitch At A Time: Examining The Self-Care Of Art Therapists And The Potential Of Fiber Arts For Wellbeing, Elaine Chippero

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The goal of this thesis was to understand why art therapists are particularly at risk for burnout, why it is essential for art therapists to engage artmaking for their own self-care, and why fiber crafts are particularly suited for self-care. The literature was collected and organized using reflective journaling and visual–tactile coding and then presented in the following review. The first two sections of the literature review include comprehensive definitions of burnout and self-care and how both concepts have been discussed in literature relating to the helping professions and specifically art therapists. The third section covers the historical context of …

Improving Mental Health Support For Nursing Students Through Mental Health First Aid (Mhfa) Training Of Clinical Faculty, Amy Sands

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This project aimed to implement a process improvement program at the Louisville campus of Galen College of Nursing to improve the mental health support for nursing students through the training of Clinical Instructors (CIs) in using adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and the ALGEE actions described within that program.

Expressive Therapies And Resiliency – Resistance In Mental Health: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Lopez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review evaluates the current literature on psychological resistance amongst human service professionals experiencing burnout and the effect of Expressive Arts interventions on resiliency. Concepts include identifying the main symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatments for burnout in education faculty, medical staff, and clinicians. Qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analysis studies are included to identify the most prevalent intervention frameworks for reducing stress including Arts-Based and Mindfulness-compassion based techniques. The effectiveness of Arts-based tools on strengthening identity, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and meaning-making in combating burnout is presented. Based on analysis of the literature, the author proposes a three-step intervention framework for utilizing …

Neuroqueering Art Therapy: Bringing Neurodivergent Gender Diversity Into The Creative Arts Therapy Room: A Literature Review, Avital Eisen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Recent research across disciplines has established the significance of the overlap between neurodivergence and gender diversity, a truth long espoused by the community. Acting on this research, some mental health disciplines have begun addressing neurodivergent transgender and gender diverse people as a unified population in their research, but the field of art therapy has not yet followed suit. Theoretical frameworks of intersectionality, queer theory, and disability justice highlight the importance of centering the unique experiences and needs of neurodivergent gender diversity. Using these frameworks, this literature review synthesizes community knowledge with art therapy research on both neurodivergence and gender diversity, …

Method Acting As A Therapeutic Intervention For Trauma Recovery, Remi Moses

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

While considered controversial by some, Method acting as popularized by Lee Strasberg is a technique that elicits powerful and authentic results on stage and screen. The foundational Method acting techniques, the Relaxation Exercise (RE) and the Sense Memory Exercise (SME), share similarities to bottom-up therapeutic processes like Somatic Experiencing and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. By implementing a trauma-informed drama therapy framework with these two exercises, the RE and SME were restructured as a therapeutic intervention for people in trauma recovery. The author implemented a study of three consecutive group therapy sessions for people healing from trauma where clients participated …

The Hero’S Journey Through Therapy: A Literature Review, Rylee Blake

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The Hero’s Journey (Campbell, 1949) is a common narrative structure throughout ancient mythology and modern storytelling which describes the transformation of a hero through a journey of trials and represents the experience of psychological healing throughout various cultures. Because of the ancient and common nature of this structure and the psychological importance of personal narrative and storying even from an early age (Boyd, 2018; Klees, 2016), this thesis hypothesizes that a client’s experience throughout psychotherapy will follow the stages of the Hero’s Journey and that invoking this structure within the therapy room, particularly for drama therapists, will empower clients toward …

Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Stella Elise Fairbanks

Honors Thesis

Mental health has become increasingly more linked with athletics, especially collegiate athletics. There has been an increase in public acknowledgment of the presence of mental health in sports, specifically, more athletes are speaking about their mental health struggles as well as more research is being conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between mental health and athletics. This literature review discusses athletes’ personal experiences of their mental health struggles, the presence of stigma associated with mental health and athletics, and the results of the recent NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, research. This thesis aims to uncover …

Building Trust To Extinguish Burnout: A Qualitative Study Of Hospital, State, And Federal Policies That Impact Pediatric Nurse Burnout In Connecticut, Cecelia Angelica Morello

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis explores how federal and state governments, as well as individual hospitals, respond or fail to respond to pediatric nurse burnout. The problem of nurse burnout is not new, and can cause nurses to make mistakes on shift, experience increased anxiety and depression, and increase risk of patient death or injury. Solutions to burnout in healthcare workers have been organized at the hospital, state, and federal government level. However, this thesis examines a lack of research on pediatric nurse burnout more specifically. After reviewing the national landscape of hospital-based solutions, short-term policy solutions, and long-term policy solutions, I examine …

The Relationship Between Eating Disorders, Attachment Styles And The Uses Of Art Materials, Tsai-Yu Chen

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

Previous studies showed that both eating disorder (ED) behaviors and attachment styles (ASs) could reflect on individuals’ uses of art materials. This mixed methods study aimed to explore the correlation between ED diagnoses and ASs, investigate clients’ selection of and familiarity with art materials, as well as understand how clients’ self-reports of media interactions match clinical observations. Participants were adults receiving residential care in an ED facility in Midwestern United States. Data were collected through surveys, chart reviews, and discussions with the participants’ therapist. The results of this study found a high prevalence (85%) of insecure attachment in the population. …

Art Therapists’ Familiarity With And Beliefs About Twelve-Step Addiction Recovery Groups, David Brickhouse

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

This research proposed to study what art therapists know and believe about twelve-step addiction recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). The aim was to better understand the field’s familiarity with 12-step recovery, identify misconceptions about 12-step groups, and assess the comfortability of incorporating 12-step philosophy into clinical practice. Findings include that art therapists integrate 12-step into art making, are likely to refer clients to 12-step groups, and that higher familiarity with 12-step was associated with more positive perceptions and greater integration with clinical practice. The study participants also agreed that accessibility was …

Understanding Clay And Its Media Properties Through The Expressive Therapies Continuum, Anne Geisz

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

For centuries, clay has been used by civilizations to hold food, memories, and records of history. To this day, it is used by engineers, hobbyists, artists, art therapists and many more. This art based, heuristic study explores clay through the researcher’s ongoing practice with the material, within the framework of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) and examines how its unique media properties make it such a versatile material for both ceramic artists and art therapists. Results exhibit these unique media properties and clay’s ability to reach all levels of the ETC through collected data of images, journals, critiques, and notes. …

The Role Of Acculturation In The Professional Identity Of Art Therapy And Counseling International Students, Ana Marcela Tobar Chavez

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

In a country of immigrants, the concept of acculturation needs to be familiar to almost any professional in the mental health field and it is a reality for immigrants and international students. As international and immigrant students continue to join the Art Therapy Counseling profession, it is important to understand how acculturation plays a role in the development of their counseling professional identity. Unlike most master’s students in the art therapy counseling profession, international and immigrant students go through unique experiences such as being born and raised in a different country with difference in cultures, languages, and immigration statuses that …

Communication Beyond Words, Anna Brough

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

This research explores the definition and use of nonverbal communication within the therapeutic setting and the treatment of selective mutism by clinical providers. A phenomenological research method was used to interview three art therapists and two therapists without art therapy training. These interviews were used to explore their understanding and awareness of nonverbal communication within the context of providing treatment to clients with selective mutism. The analysis of participants’ discussions of their experiences of treating those with selective mutism revealed four major themes: Nonverbal Communication, Therapeutic Presence and Alliance, Art Materials and Interventions, and Culture and Society. Findings suggest no …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

Examining The Relationship Between Deafness And Mental Health Status: An Analysis Of The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Brfss) 2022, Brianna Stroud-Williams

Capstone Experience

Objective: The objective of the research is to examine the association between mental health status as measured by number of mentally healthy days in the past month and deafness and binge drinking.

Methods: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) study was conducted via telephone survey in 50 states, including the District of Columbia and US territories. The sample size is 402,156 participants. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate regressions, odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval were used to measure the data.

Results: Deaf respondents have 1.56 times the odds of having poor mental health than those who are not deaf. (95% …

The Greater Implications Of Self-Perceptions Of Aging Among Younger Adults: Results From The Socially Nutritious Volunteer Training Program, Ashlyn Cobble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rapidly growing rate of the older adult population has created a need to better understand younger adults’ self-perceptions of aging and current trends of ageism. The purpose of this secondary data analysis research project was to determine changes, if any, in participants’ self-perception of aging after the Socially Nutritious facilitator or nutrition ambassador volunteer training, which aims to develop knowledge and skills related to aging trends, older adult nutrition, preventing ageism, and communication and educational considerations when working with older adults. Findings indicate that participants with more frequent interactions with older adults had a more positive perception of their …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Opioid Use Disorder In Human Brain Models, Emily Mendez

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a national and global public health crisis with no end in sight. While studies from animal models hint at widespread epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations of opioid drugs, the molecular consequences of long-term exposure to opioid drugs in human brain is still unclear, and human-centered translational models are necessary to discern the human cell type-specific effects of OUD.

Using postmortem brain Brodmann area 9 (BA9) from the UTHealth Brain Collection for Research on Psychiatric Disorders, I identified angiogenic gene networks perturbed in the RNA and protein of OUD subjects, as well as downregulation of many neuron-correlated …

Implementation Of Prenatal And Postpartum Depression Screening For A Telehealth Company, Allison Herrmann, Lori Deibel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Depression is a leading mental health disorder. Depression occurring during the perinatal and postpartum periods has become highly prevalent throughout the world, impacting 5-10% of women during (van de Loo et al., 2018) and 9-23.5% postpartum (Bauman et al., 2020). Proper diagnosis and treatment of perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD) is crucial, as depression can lead to poor outcomes including relationship complications and negatively affect child development (Slomain, 2019). The implementation of screening tools can help identify women at risk based on their signs and symptoms of PPD (Bauman et al., 2020). The primary goal of this project was …

Major Factors Of Sustaining Recovery After Relapse From A Substance Use Disorder, Amanda Tei Sandhurst

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Relapse is a common and often-expected occurrence among individuals with substance use disorders. Relapse can be defined as returning to a problematic behavior after abstaining for a period of time (Marlatt & Witkiewitz, 2005). It is the inability to maintain life in sobriety and is not an isolated event, but rather a process (Gorski & Kelley, 1996). The problem with relapse is that it can result in continued substance use and abuse, which can then lead to other major consequences. This study looks at ten individuals in recovery who experienced a past relapse after having a period of abstinence and …

Understanding The Perspectives And Attitudes Of 12-Step Participants Towards Medication-Assisted Treatment, Christopher Scott

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The effects of living with a substance use disorder (SUD) are vast. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has grown increasingly popular as a recovery tool among substance users but does not align with the popular 12-step model, which demands complete abstinence from narcotics and mind-altering substances. Objective: The primary aim of this phenomenology study was to explore the perspectives and attitudes towards MAT among 12-step participants. The secondary aim was to compare the responses of treatment and non-treatment professionals. Methods: This study used non-probability sampling methods to recruit participants who reported regular participation in a 12-step program. Semi-structured …

Social Workers’ Preparedness For Practice With Patients Experiencing Psychotic Disorders, Paula Crespin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study explored the preparedness of social workers when providing services to individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders who present with non-affective psychosis. The present study sought to examine the perceived barriers to mental health service utilization for individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders as well as the perceived preparedness of social workers when providing services to individuals with non-affective psychosis. Social workers are crucial frontline workers in the treatment and support of individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorder. This qualitative study was comprised of twelve semi-structured interviews to gauge the preparedness of social workers (N=12). Results from the thematic analysis demonstrated …

Factors That Contribute To Disparities In Access To Mental Health Services Within Hispanic Adults, Jasmine Soriano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this research project was to understand and identify the challenges Hispanic adults face when accessing their mental health services to better understand this concerning issue and help support social workers in bridging that gap in the Hispanic community. The study took place at a mental health clinic in Southern California through virtual interviews for those who chose to participate. This agency provides mental health therapy to individuals 0-21 years of age, but for the purpose of this study, only adults aged 18-21 qualified to participate. The study consisted of twelve voluntary participants from both Hispanic adult clients …

Differences In Mental Health Disorders: The Importance Of Mental Health Literacy, Hannah More

Honors Theses

This study was conducted to see college-aged students' mental health literacy with specific disorders. The disorders studied were anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorder. I predicted that certain disorders such as anxiety and depression would have a higher mental health literacy than PTSD and substance use disorder.

Incorporation Of Mindfulness Application Use In Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia Curricula For Mitigation Of Stress And Anxiety In Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Kerrie Rodgers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The nurse anesthesia specialty is highly stressful, with educational training being no exception. High didactic demands and intensive clinical experiences are placed on student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs), increasing stress and anxiety in their personal and professional lives. High levels of psychological distress can lead to inadvertent consequences in students’ mental, emotional, and physical health and can contribute to illness, burnout, substance use, and compromise in patient safety. Some degree of stress is necessary for motivation to succeed and perform at high levels, and encountering stress while enrolled in a doctoral nurse anesthesia program is expected and unavoidable. A search …

Education Of The Effects Of Obesity Medications And A Stepwise Approach To Mitigate Prevalence And Encourage Lifestyle Medicine For Primary Care Physicians, Kiely M. Curran

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

My Capstone project is an Educational Manual that emphasizes a healthcare team approach to the treatment and management of obesity. The Educational Manual consists of a standardized protocol in management of obesity in patients and a document with summarized references for primary care providers; and a simplified document for patient education. There is a growing interest in the usage of obesity medications. The purpose of my Capstone project is to provide a simplified manual for the primary care provider to reference to make knowledgeable and patient-centered decisions in the prescription of obesity medications and decisions in weight-management. My methodology included …

The Anatomical Embodiment Of Morning Routines In The Reduction Of Anxiety: An Intervention, Natalie Wright

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The topic under investigation is whether physically embodying a morning routine that was designed through the lens of Laban Bartenieff Movement Analysis (LBMA) will reduce daily symptoms of individuals diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Since morning routines play a significant part in one’s preparation for the day, I created an individualized LBMA morning routine for a specific client to embody. In addition to the routine, the client documented the process of their anxiety levels on a weekly basis. This client was a white, female, 19-year-old, lesbian college student who was previously diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The movement analysis …

Pediatric Anxiety Disorders And Their Accommodation In The Classrom, Olivia Hobson

Honors Theses

This project is an exploration of the origins, neurology and impacts of pediatric anxiety disorders, as well as the research-backed best practices for their accomodation within the school classroom setting.