Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Impact Of Traditional (Non-Affirming) Black Church Affiliation On Exploration Of Sexual Identity For Black Assigned Female At Birth Lgbq+ Individuals And The Associated Mental Health Risk, Aurielle J. Sutton

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explored the impact of Black traditional church upbringing on the sexual and religious identity development, including the subsequent mental health risk, for Black assigned female at birth (AFAB) LGBQ+ individuals. Studies conducted on Black AFAB LGBQ+ individuals are limited, especially in terms of  assessing their experiences in sexual identity development based on religious upbringings. Studies have overlooked the experience of LGBQ+ Black AFAB individuals navigating sexual orientation development and religious and racial identities. Studies have greatly favored Black gay men and supported health risks such as HIV. In the present study, twelve Black AFAB Queer individuals participated in …

Threaded Belonging: Strengthening Cultural Identity Through Armenian Embroidery In The Diaspora, Krysten A. Lee

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

The current study examined the impact of an Armenian textile arts workshop on cultural identity among members of the Armenian diaspora in the Bay Area of California (n = 25). Grounded in relational-cultural theory, it explored how culturally grounded, community-based, traditional art practices may strengthen cultural identity and reduce cultural disconnection resulting from forced displacement following the Armenian Genocide of 1915. A mixed-methods, arts-based design was implemented where participants engaged in an embroidery workshop centered on traditional Armenian textile practices. Data was collected through pre- and post-intervention Inclusion of Other in the Self (IOS) scale (Aron, Aron, & Smollan, 1992) …

Art As Activism: Emotional Expression And Collective Empowerment Among Muslim Participants Creating Protest Posters, Menhal Sheikh

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Muslim Americans are among the most underserved populations in mental health care in the United States. In the wake of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, many Muslim Americans have experienced intensified psychological distress, including anxiety, grief, and a heightened sense of helplessness, while continuing to show up in the streets in protest. This mixed-methods study examined whether the collective process of protest poster-making leads to emotional expression among Muslim American participants. Eleven Muslim American participants across two groups in the San Francisco Bay Area completed a pre and post Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to measure changes in affect, …

Spiritual-Soul Care: Art Sacralization, Active Imagination, And Eco Therapy, Andrea N. Miller

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This thesis reasons that spiritual-soul care is, at times, an ethically necessary dimension of mental health care for many individuals yet remains underdeveloped within the field. In response, this research aims to articulate a foundational, non-dogmatic “baseline” language that is simple and accessible, while remaining nuanced enough to capture the depth and essence of spiritual-soul care. This study proposes a culturally flexible approach for individuals who identify outside of traditional religious frameworks. This multidimensional model includes three domains—the self, spirit-soul, and the transpersonal levels—each contributing to wellbeing through developmental themes.

Using a qualitative design, 9 participants engaged in contemplation, Jungian …

Loneliness And Social Isolation: Finding Connection Through Art, Elijah K. Wong

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explored whether creativity might help alleviate feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic was an extraordinary event that significantly impacted people's emotional, physical, psychological, and social health globally. To gain insight into these impacts, the research focused on participants’ creative activities and their experiences of loneliness during and after the pandemic. The aim was to find possible links between making and viewing art and reducing feelings of loneliness and loneliness-related experiences. Ten participants were surveyed and asked about their artistry, their time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their sense of belonging to a community. This investigation …

Shadow Garments: Costume Creation For Integrating Alienated Parts Of The Self, Mega M. Galvin

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explores costume creation as a narrative-based intervention for integrating "shadow" parts, or aspects of the self that are repressed or alienated due to shame, trauma, or social pressure. Grounded in Jungian analytic psychology, narrative therapy, and expressive arts theory, the research addresses the limitations of traditional talk therapy in accessing somatic memory and proposes costume making as a pathway for externalization and re-authorship. Using a qualitative, participatory study inspired by Pat B. Allen’s Open Studio Process, four adult participants engaged in a three-session workshop to design, construct, and wear costumes representing their identified shadow aspects. Data was collected …

Restorative Environments And Therapeutic Artmaking: A Strengths-Based Art Gallery Workshop To Enhance Well-Being In Emerging Adults, Jeannine Case

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Emerging adults aged 18 to 29 face increased mental health risks yet encounter considerable barriers to traditional care, which highlights the need for accessible, preventive alternatives. This mixed-methods pilot study investigated whether an art gallery environment could serve as a supportive setting for a strengths-based, positive art therapy-informed wellness workshop aimed at promoting well-being for this population. Six participants between the ages of 20 and 27, all enrolled in post-secondary education, took part in this study. Five identified as female and one as male. Three participants (50%) identified as Hispanic/Latino, one as Asian, one as White, and one as Hispanic/Latino …

Beyond Symptoms: Examining Perinatal Mental Health Care Among Black, Indigenous And People Of Color With Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, Vinaya Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are as a public health concern in the United States. Individuals from minoritized racial/ethnic groups face a significantly elevated risk of maternal morbidity, mortality, mental health disorders, and associated adverse outcomes. Emerging studies also reveal a higher likelihood of experiencing perinatal mental health concerns in individuals with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), currently known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). People who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC) face unique healthcare challenges given the added structural and social burdens. This online survey study aimed to 1) understand the relationship between PMOS …

An Assessment Of Accessibility And Affordability Of Inpatient Psychiatric Care In Tennessee, Kailee Havrda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Access to mental health has seen changes over the past decade, but little research and attention have been given to access to inpatient psychiatric facilities. Inpatient psychiatric care is crucial for patients experiencing mental health emergencies who need immediate access to care. Gaps in spatial accessibility, affordability, and the access and assessment process were identified due to a lack of available information in the field.

Methods: Secondary data from the Tennessee Department of Health were used to assess financial accessibility through payer source charges and patient encounters, as well as through mapping of inpatient psychiatric facilities and conducting drive …

The Development And Piloting Of A Novel Client-Rated Trans And Gender Expansive Clinical Competence Scale For Mental Health Providers, Karen Abraham

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Transgender and gender expansive individuals (TGEI) are people who encompass a broad and comprehensive set of experiences of gender diverse individuals and identities that exist both within and beyond a binary framework. In the United States, the Williams Institute identified a proportion of 0.5% of American adults identifying as transgender (Herman et al., 2022). TGE samples report poorer physical and mental health than their cisgender counterparts across the lifespan (Rastogi et al., 2025; Reisner et al., 2015; Reisner, Poteat, et al., 2016). Health disparities of TGEI relative to their non-TGE counterparts can be seen in the prevalence of mood disorders …

“When I’M Not Heard, I Feel Like I Don’T Matter”: Advancing Equity In Disability Policy Through Critical Participatory Action Research With People With Intellectual Disability, Cris Marchionne

Student Theses

People with intellectual disability deserve a system that offers flexible, timely, and person-centered support — one that is innovative, sustainable, and holistic in enabling them to live fulfilling lives. This qualitative study, grounded in Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), examines how people with intellectual disability experience participation in decision-making within New York State's disability service system. By centering lived experience, the study identifies factors that facilitate or hinder participation in decision-making and examines structural, social, and policy-related barriers that limit agency. Through six focus groups and a Photovoice project with self-advocates receiving OPWDD services, participants described systemic barriers that limited …

Breaking The Cycle: From Victimization To Offending Through The Lens Of Human Services, Colette R. Penalosa

Master of Arts in Human Services

The victim-offender overlap challenges the common view that victims and offenders are separately labeled by recognizing that both groups have experienced significant childhood trauma, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, neglect, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Current research implies these experiences can increase the risk of offending as they all influence cognitive and behavioral development while leaving criminal behavior undetermined. The purpose of this capstone is to analyze the relationship between childhood victimization and offending from a human service perspective; analyzing the pathways a victim takes on the road to offending. Research conducted will focus on exploring the victim-offender overlap, …

Understanding Familicide: Psychosocial, Behavioral, And Mental Health Risk Factors And Implications For Forensic Behavioral Health Professionals, Molly M. Vogl

Master of Arts in Human Services

Familicide is a rare but devastating form of family violence involving the killing of multiple family members by another family member. Although research examining domestic violence, homicide, and homicide-suicide has expanded, familicide remains less understood due to its low occurrence and complex nature. This capstone examined the psychosocial, behavioral, and mental health risk factors commonly associated with familicide perpetrators and explored how forensic behavioral health professionals may use this information to improve violence risk assessment, prevention, and intervention efforts. A review of peer-reviewed research from academic databases and scholarly search engines identified common themes associated with familicide, including relationship conflict, …

Cultural Humility, A Salve For Romantic Relationship Conflict, Lena Blum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conflict communication and having a relationship consisting of differing sociocultural backgrounds (DISC Couples) have been viewed as obstacles or at best hindrances of relationship satisfaction in earlier couples’ psychology literature. More recent literature makes an argument that it is not merely conflict communication or the differences of culture within a couple, but rather how couples navigate both conflict and differences that impact relationship satisfaction. The present work aims to investigate the role of cultural humility in the association between cultural conflict communication and relationship satisfaction, as well as its relationship with the frequency of cultural conflict communication among DISC couples. …

The Resilient Mother: Exploring Factors That Buffer The Influence Of Early Childhood Trauma On Maternal Self-Efficacy, Brigid Magdamo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood maltreatment and toxic stress pose significant risks to both individuals and communities, yielding negative outcomes that can perpetuate across generations— a phenomenon known as intergenerational trauma. Early intervention is imperative to disrupt this cycle of adversity and promote positive outcomes. One promising approach involves leveraging protective and promotive factors that cultivate resilience. Individuals with higher levels of benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) and greater social support tend to exhibit enhanced self-efficacy, thereby potentially buffering the detrimental effects of childhood trauma. Furthermore, the perinatal period presents a critical juncture where maternal well-being significantly impacts both mother and child. The current study …

Examining The Effects Of Perceived Need, Suicidal Ideation, And Interpersonal Shame On Help-Seeking Attitudes In Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans, Kristen Jiin Park

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined relationships among suicidal ideation, perceived need for mental health services, interpersonal shame, and help-seeking attitudes in a sample of APIDA adults (N = 175). Guided by Andersen's Socio-behavioral Model of Help- Seeking Behaviors (1968) and the Interpersonal Shame Inventory framework (Wong et al., 2014), the study investigated whether interpersonal shame moderated the relationships between suicidal ideation and help-seeking attitudes, and between perceived need and help-seeking attitudes. Participants completed an online survey assessing demographic and study variables. Results indicated that perceived need and gender were associated with more favorable mental health help-seeking attitudes among APIDA adults. These findings …

Sober Curious: A Treatment Manual For A Semi-Structured Interpersonal Process Group Targeting Substance Misuse In Emerging Adults, Annalise G. Floody

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper presents Sober Curious, an original treatment manual for an eight-session, semi-structured interpersonal process group for emerging adults ages 18–25 with mild-to-moderate substance misuse concerns. This group is designed for university counseling centers and outpatient treatment settings, particularly for individuals who experience substance-related distress, impairment, risk, or ambivalence but may not identify with abstinence-based recovery or formal diagnostic substance use disorder (SUD) language. The manual is grounded in epidemiological data, established substance use treatment guidelines, meta-analytic findings on group psychotherapy and substance use interventions, and the developmental theory of emerging adulthood. Key intervention elements include motivational interviewing (MI) to …

Clinical Considerations For Black Student Athlete Development, Jahnia Margarita Green

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Black student athletes exemplify the complexity of navigating intersecting identities at pivotal points in their development. They are also more likely to make premature commitments to their athletic identity and in turn suffer from psychological distress during times of transition (Beamon, 2012). The focus on Black collegiate athletes is informed by persistent mental health challenges associated with higher levels of competition or transitions (e.g., injury or retirement) within collegiate athletics (Brewer & Petitpas, 2017; Menke & Germany, 2019). This paper aims to develop culturally informed clinical considerations through the analysis of the Black student athlete experience and structural aspects of …

Trauma Processing And Sleep Inconsistencies In Firefighters: A Proposed Program To Bridge Gaps And Set Heroes Up For Success, Megan Griffin

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This doctoral paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature supporting the need for an integrated training program addressing sleep disruption, trauma exposure and processing, and substance use as a self-medication strategy among firefighter populations. Drawing on empirical research, the paper examines the prevalence and interaction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral injury, sleep disturbances, and substance use within this occupational group. The introduction provides operational definitions of PTSD and moral injury and synthesizes existing research on trauma exposure, sleep impairment, and substance use functions among firefighters. The literature review also highlights evidence-based, exposure informed interventions to facilitate adaptive trauma …

A Brief Self-Help Intervention For Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms Utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Dialectical Behavior Therapy Within Correctional Settings, Genevieve L. Ray

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Individuals within incarcerated settings are far more likely to experience symptoms that meet criteria for a mental health disorder compared to the general population. This population is often underserved due to various financial and resource constraints. Self-help interventions have grown in popularity due to their proven effectiveness and accessibility for consumers, particularly for anxiety and depression symptoms. A self-help intervention for those in a correctional setting would not require extensive additional personnel amid financial constraints and would increase access to care. Many self-help interventions that are currently published apply to the community population, but readily accessible resources that reside in …

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Trauma In Adolescents: A Doctoral-Level Clinical Psychology Course, Jasmine M. Cervantes

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Adolescent trauma is a significant mental health concern that can profoundly disrupt emotional, cognitive, social, and developmental functioning. Although evidence-based interventions for adolescent trauma are well established, doctoral-level psychology training programs may provide limited instruction focused specifically on the unique developmental, cultural, and clinical considerations required when treating traumatized adolescents. This paper presents the development of a ten-week doctoral-level elective course designed to address this gap in clinical training. The curriculum provides foundational knowledge regarding the prevalence, developmental impact, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescent trauma, with an emphasis on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). Students …

Post-Pandemic Telebehavioral Health: Sustaining And Regulating Remote Mental Health Care As A Core Modality, Weiqiao Dong

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The United States continues to face a persistent mental health crisis after the COVID-19 pandemic, raising a policy question about the long-term role and regulation of telebehavioral health as a core modality of care. This thesis examines that question through a case study of New York State, an early center of the pandemic and a leader in telehealth policy reform.

Guided by the Health Policy Triangle framework, this thesis integrates longitudinal data from all 62 New York counties for 2010-2025 with a 2025 cross-sectional dataset covering 61 counties. Seventeen standardized indicators are organized into four dimensions: geographic, economic, demographic, and …

“Something Else To Focus On”: Perinatal Havening And Stress Coping In Pregnant Black Women, Brittany L. Ferrell Young

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Black women in the United States experience maternal mortality at more than three times the rate of white women, a disparity driven by chronic stress rooted in structural racism rather than individual behavior or biology. Accessible, culturally responsive tools for managing stress during pregnancy remain scarce. This mixed-methods pilot feasibility study examined Perinatal Havening, a self-administered psychosensory technique, as a stress management intervention for pregnant Black women. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, the study addressed three questions: how Black women experience acute and chronic stress during pregnancy, the acceptability and preliminary influence of Perinatal …

The Efficacy Of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block As An Adjunct To Spinal Anesthesia For Cesarean Delivery: An Evidence Synthesis And Implementation Toolkit, Alyssa Hebert, Alex Potts, Gabriela Robertson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Postoperative pain hinders cesarean delivery recovery and overall patient experience. Although spinal anesthesia with intrathecal opioids remains the standard of practice, associated side effects and concerns regarding opioid exposure highlight the need for effective opioid-sparing strategies. Anesthesia providers play a critical role in advancing postoperative pain management through evidence-based protocol development, provider education, and interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize maternal outcomes. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block provides somatic analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall by targeting the thoracolumbar nerves (T6–L1) and has increasingly been incorporated into multimodal postoperative pain management strategies for abdominal surgery. Nevertheless, a gap remains in obstetric …

"Help Me Live It The Way You Do": Grounding Singaporean Responses To The Rorschach Situation, Casey Y. Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary research on the Rorschach and culture is striking for the latter’s disappearance as a variable of significance (Meyer et al., 2015; Meyer et al., 2007; Mihura et al., 2013; Viglione & Hilsenroth, 2001). This erasure is chronicled and reproduced in the narratives of universal objectivity, of extensive international meta-analyses, of replications, of standardized norms (Ritzler, 2004; Smith et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2020; Weiner, 2004). A different story emerges, however, when we ask, how has culture disappeared? The proposed study is a multimethod qualitative analysis of Singaporean responses to the Rorschach, aimed at generating sensitive yet critical discourses …

Integrating Matrescence Into Birth Worker Practice: A Practice Improvement Project, Kelsey B. Green

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect 20–25% of mothers worldwide and are a leading cause of maternal complications. Stigma, fragmented care, and limited provider training leave families vulnerable, while birth workers offer trusted, continuous support.

Problem: Birth workers' maternal mental health (MMH) training is minimal and often excludes matrescence, the developmental transition to motherhood, limiting their ability to distinguish normal adjustment from clinical PMADs and delaying intervention.

Methods: A single-group, pre-/post-test design evaluated a matrescence-informed workshop at Roots Community Health's 2nd Annual Symposium. Anonymous surveys measured knowledge, attitudes, and confidence, analyzed with Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and …

The Mediating Role Of Hope In The Relationship Between Everyday Discrimination And Depression Among College Students, Busra Vurkun

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Research shows that marginalized populations experience disproportionately higher psychological distress (Budhwani et al., 2015; Bailey et al., 2019). Everyday discrimination, defined as chronic interpersonal mistreatment such as microaggressions and disrespect, is associated with greater depression and lower psychological well-being (Essed, 1991; Calabrese et al., 2015). Although the negative effects of discrimination are well established, less is known about protective factors that may reduce these outcomes. One such factor is hope, conceptualized by Snyder et al. (1991) as agency thinking and pathways thinking and linked to lower depression and greater resilience (Arnau et al., 2007; Banks et al., 2008). This study …

Strategies Black Male Students With Social Anxiety Use To Persist And Succeed At Rural Community Colleges, Gwendolyn F. Houston

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Social anxiety, one of the more common types of anxiety, has been linked to poor concentration, impaired performance, and lower academic achievement (BlackDeer et al., 2021; Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009; Leigh et al., 2021). This study addresses the questions: “How do Black male students with social anxiety at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States handle both academic and non-academic challenges and cope with these stressors?” and “How do Black male students with social anxiety navigate barriers during their journey at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States, and what strategies do they use to manage these obstacles?” …

Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Challenges Using Visual Supports For Children With Autism, Jasmine M. Mcnair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined kindergarten teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges related to the use of visual supports for students with autism spectrum disorder in East Texas. Grounded in cognitive load theory, the study explored whether visual supports enhance learning outcomes by reducing cognitive overload. Four research questions addressed teachers’ perceptions of effectiveness, implementation challenges, the influence of teacher attitudes, and differences based on teaching experience. The researcher collected data through semistructured interviews with 10 kindergarten inclusion teachers and supplemented by classroom observations. Thematic analysis revealed five primary themes: emotional impact and student growth, visual supports as essential instructional tools, …

Essays On Opioid Prescription Limit Policy Diffusion, Evaluation, And Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Utilization, Md Ashiqur Rab

All Dissertations

The drivers of the opioid epidemic in the United States include the oversupply of prescription opioids, the availability of illicit drugs, under-resourced healthcare settings, and several socio-economic factors. Federal and state-level initiatives, including policy interventions to curb the oversupply of prescription opioids, providing access to healthcare, prevention and recovery support services, and community-level engagement, have been adopted to combat the opioid epidemic. Motivated by the need to better understand the policy and recovery efforts to address the epidemic, this dissertation examines opioid prescription limit policy diffusion, evaluation, and treatment utilization patterns. This dissertation comprises three manuscripts that offer a comprehensive …