Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Genetics Of Non-Syndromic Autosomal Recessive Mental Retardation, Bushra Afroze, Bushra Chaudhry

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Non-syndromic mental retardation is one of the most serious neurodevelopmental disorders, which has a serious impact not only on the affected individuals and their families but also on the health care system and society. Previously research has been more focused on the X-linked mental retardation and only recently studies have shown that non-syndromic autosomal recessive mental retardation is extremely heterogeneous and contributes much more than the X-linked mental retardation. But very little is known about the genes and loci involved in nonsyndromic autosomal recessive mental retardation than the X-linked mental retardation. To date only thirty loci and ten genes have …

Exploring Active Video Games (Avgs) As An Intervention Promoting Wellbeing As It Relates To Depression, Dania Berjaoui

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Depression and anxiety are the two most common forms of mental illness that affect people in the U.S. Great strides have been made over the years in improving the mental health of persons with these and other forms of mental illness. Although newer medications such as SSRls can greatly enhance one's quality of life, there are lifestyle behaviors such as exercise and meaningful engagement in activities that have also purported similar positive outcomes. A challenge for health care providers is how to motivate mental health patients to change their behaviors, especially considering the apathy and passivity, typically associated with the …

Random Assignment Of Schools To Groups In The Drug Resistance Strategies Rural Project: Some New Methodological Twists, John W. Graham, Jonathan Pettigrew, Michelle Miller-Day, Janice L. Krieger, Jiangxiu Zhou, Michael L. Hecht

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Random assignment to groups is the foundation for scientifically rigorous clinical trials. But assignment is challenging in group randomized trials when only a few units (schools) are assigned to each condition. In the DRSR project, we assigned 39 rural Pennsylvania and Ohio schools to three conditions (rural, classic, control). But even with 13 schools per condition, achieving pretest equivalence on important variables is not guaranteed. We collected data on six important school-level variables: rurality, number of grades in the school, enrollment per grade, percent white, percent receiving free/assisted lunch, and test scores. Key to our procedure was the inclusion of …

The Conceptualization And Communication Of Risk Among Rural Appalachian Adolescents, Jennifer J. Moreland, Janice L. Krieger, Michael L. Hecht, Michelle Miller-Day

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study employs a meta-theoretical perspective for examining risk perceptions and behavior in the rural, Appalachian cultural context, an area that remains largely unexplored. In-depth interviews were conducted with 113 rural adolescents to describe how youth conceptualize risk and how risk is communicated in the rural environment. Analyses revealed adolescents viewed behavior as risky when they had personal or vicarious experiences resulting in a loss of control or physical harm. Elements of the rural Appalachian culture including activities, familism, and community ties can both prevent and promote adolescent risk-taking in various forms. This study demonstrates the conceptualization of risk and …

Adapting School-Based Substance Use Prevention Curriculum Through Cultural Grounding: A Review And Exemplar Of Adaptation Processes For Rural Schools, Margaret Colby, Michael L. Hecht, Michelle Miller-Day, Janice L. Krieger, Amy K. Syvertsen, John W. Graham, Jonathan Pettigrew

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

A central challenge facing twenty-first century community-based researchers and prevention scientists is curriculum adaptation processes. While early prevention efforts sought to develop effective programs, taking programs to scale implies that they will be adapted, especially as programs are implemented with populations other than those with whom they were developed or tested. The principle of cultural grounding, which argues that health message adaptation should be informed by knowledge of the target population and by cultural insiders, provides a theoretical rational for cultural regrounding and presents an illustrative case of methods used to reground the keepin’ it REAL substance use prevention curriculum …

Exploring Biopsychosocial (Bps) Facets Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd) In Patients In An Acute Inpatient Physical Rehabilitation Facility (Irf), Ronnetta Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

From a BPS perspective, COPD and other chronic diseases may have a significant negative impact on those living with them and may be associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety and lower levels of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Certain factors, such as spirituality, may influence the negative impact of chronic disease on the relationship between mood and functional independence and HRQOL. Also, gender may influence the relationship between mood, spirituality, and HRQOL for men and women living with chronic diseases. The current study included 136 patients undergoing physical rehabilitation at an IRF. Anxiety, depression, spirituality, HRQOL, and functional …

A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach To Developing The Harvest For Healthy Kids Curriculum, Betty T. Izumi, Amanda M. Peden, Jennifer A. Hallman, Dawn Barberis, Brie Stott, Sandy Nimz, William R. Ries, Angela Capello

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of diet-related chronic diseases. However, fewer than half of children in the United States consume the recommended amount.

Objectives: This article describes the community-based participatory research (CBPR) process used to develop the Harvest for Healthy Kids curriculum.

Methods: Harvest for Healthy Kids is a intervention research project designed to increase access to and intake of fruits and vegetables among preschoolers enrolled in Head Start. The curriculum is composed of eight kits, each focusing on a different fruit or vegetable.

Results: The Harvest for Healthy Kids curriculum was …

Papanicoloau Smear Uptake Among Substance-Using Mothers In Western Australia, Sadie Geraghty, Sara J. Bayes, Renate Mclaurin, Angela O'Connor

Research outputs 2013

Background: Papanicoloau (Pap) smear screening has helped to reduce cervical cancer rates significantly through the detection of premalignant cells (Bray et al, 2005). Uptake among women who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD) is known to be low (Chau et al, 2002) so they are at increased risk of being under-represented in the adequately screened population. AOD-using women experience disproportionately increased morbidity and mortality from cervical dysplasia and cancer (Nogara et al, 2013). Pregnancy may provide the midwife an opportunity to offer this vital screening test.

Objective: The audit investigated Pap smear uptake and results among AOD-using pregnant women.

Setting: …

Internet-Based Photoaging Within Australian Pharmacies To Promote Smoking Cessation: Randomized Controlled Trial, Oksana Burford, Moyez Jiwa, Owen B. Carter, Richard Parsons, Delia Hendrie

Research outputs 2013

Background: Tobacco smoking leads to death or disability and a drain on national resources. The literature suggests that cigarette smoking continues to be a major modifiable risk factor for a variety of diseases and that smokers aged 18-30 years are relatively resistant to antismoking messages due to their widely held belief that they will not be lifelong smokers. Objective: To conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a computer-generated photoaging intervention to promote smoking cessation among young adult smokers within a community pharmacy setting. Methods: A trial was designed with 80% power based on the effect size observed in a …

Framing Anorexia : A Play Script And Multidimensional Investigation Of Anorexia : A Play And Critical Essay, Louise Helfgott

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis explores anorexia nervosa in young people. It comprises two components: a play script, "Frames", about 16-year-old Elizabeth who is combating the disorder, her troubled friend Ben, and their families, and a critical essay that reviews qualitative and quantitative literature about anorexia and contextualises the play in relation to selected narratives, plays and films. In my field research, I interviewed a number of professionals working in the field of anorexia and the essay also discusses their views and insights.

Few plays deal with anorexia in an in-depth manner to explore the onset and development of the illness. "Frames" addresses …

Personality And Substance Abuse, Juliana Gonzalez

Masters Theses

The Big Five have shown to be distinct personality traits that do not overlap and have universal applicability, so this study examined whether there are specific personality trait differences in users of Marijuana, Pain Medication, Sedative/Hypnotics, and Stimulants.

Study was placed in the 50 most visited Craigslist pages in the United States. Anonymous web users (N = 547) were recruited through Craigslist. High Neuroticism was associated with Marijuana and Stimulant use. Low Conscientiousness was associated with Marijuana and Stimulant use. High Extraversion was associated with Pain Medication use only. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Art Therapy For Enhancing Academic Experience Of Male High School Freshmen, Kelvin Antonio Ramirez

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of group art therapy interventions in improving social and emotional issues for male high school freshmen. The Behavioral Assessment System for Children Second Edition (BASC-2) was used to measure academically tracked high school freshman (n = 80) receiving the 12 week intervention in a group setting in comparison to an academically matched control group (n=76). Independent sample t-tests compared participants in the Honor, Average and At Risk Tracks who received art therapy versus participants who did not. The findings indicate that for participants in the honors track, those receiving art …

Understanding Children's Art Making Preferences: Implications For Art Therapy, Amy Morrison

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study employed a phenomenological, qualitative approach to investigate children’s art making preferences. The researcher was curious about the meaning that creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms held for children. Influences and contributions to children’s art making preferences were explored. Lastly the study questioned what children’s artistic preferences mean for the field of art therapy. Theories of art therapy, artistic development, and child development informed the study. Thirteen children ages 5 to 11, four boys and nine girls participated. The researcher requested the children choose a subject and create the subject in both two and three dimensions. A range of …

Art As A Catalyst For Resilience: Women Artists With A Life-Threatening Illness, Susan Firestone

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This phenomenological inquiry focused on the experiences of 12 professional women artists diagnosed with major medical illnesses, mostly cancer. Data from three in-­‐depth interviews with each participant indicated that their beliefs, personal strengths, learned skills, and lived experiences were fundamental to their commitment to art as a way of life. The overarching question of whether long-­‐term involvement in creative practices acted as a catalyst for resilience during and after treatments became the seminal exploration in this study. Data analysis used methods for qualitative research devised by Moustakas (1994), Giorgi (1985), and Forinash (2012), and a conversational approach in interviews suggested …

Intergenerational Mythweaving And Cultural Identity, Ethelyn Anguluan-Coger

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The study explored how intergenerational mythweaving as a form of expressive arts therapies affected the cultural identity of an intergenerational Filipino-American group. The specific research question addressed was, “Is Indigenous Artivism or IA an effective medium for fostering awareness of kapwa-based cultural identity?” IA was the theoretical framework with three components: the indigenous approach of storytelling, the indigenous process called kapwa-based intergenerational mythweaving or KIM, and an indigenous knowledge of helping and healing as a means for decolonization. IA was assumed to increase the awareness of cultural identity when participants achieved symbolic synthesis and cultural healing on the individual and …

Predictors Of Smoking Behavior And Readiness To Quit In Addiction Treatment, Arturo Soto-Nevarez, Joseph Guydish

McNair Poster Presentations

Background: Prevalence of tobacco use is 3 times higher for those seeking substance abuse treatment than those in the general population. Clinical practice guidelines recommend addressing smoking cessation. This population has more difficulty quitting than the general population. Methods: This paper analyzes predictors of smoking behavior and readiness to quit in patients enrolled in addiction treatment programs. Data from six substance abuse treatment centers was collected. A total of 235 clients were surveyed on their smoking attitudes and behaviors. Results: Survey data from 139 current smokers was analyzed. In logistic regression analyses predicting readiness to quit smoking, and controlling for …

Effects Of Restraint Stress And Allopregnanolone Inhibition On Amphetamine Locomotor Sensitivity, Kelly Abuali, Laurel M. Pritchard

McNair Poster Presentations

The chronic, recurring nature of addiction remains a worldwide problem. Even after apparently successful clinical treatment and long term abstinence, individuals may still relapse many months or years later. Although many individual differences exist among substance abusers, relapse tends to occur during periods of high stress (Sinha et al., 2006). Behavioral training and therapy can help cope during these high stress times, but pharmacological interventions have not been shown to be effective (Ross & Peselow, 2009). Although some therapeutic options decrease relapse rates, more effective treatments for relapse need further consideration.

The effect of stress on use of and relapse …

News Media Influence On Perceptions Of Veteran Mental Health, Elizabeth Faye Weber

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated how news media communications affect public awareness and perceptions of the mental health concerns of post-deployed military of the recent Iraq war. Focus group research included 22 adult participants from the same geographic location with discussions on news media consumption behaviors and their perceptions of the mental health issues of veterans. Results revealed that news media consumption is preferred at a national level versus a local level, and that online news sources are utilized more frequently than television or print news sources. Participants with the least news media exposure admitted to the lowest awareness of veteran mental …

Vulnerability And Just Desert: A Theory Of Sentencing And Mental Illness, E. Lea Johnston

UF Law Faculty Publications

This Article analyzes risks of serious harms posed to prisoners with major mental disorders and investigates their import for sentencing under a just deserts analysis. Drawing upon social science research, the Article first establishes that offenders with serious mental illnesses are more likely than non-ill offenders to suffer physical and sexual assaults, endure housing in solitary confinement, and experience psychological deterioration during their carceral terms. The Article then explores the significance of this differential impact for sentencing within a retributive framework. It first suggests a particular expressive understanding of punishment, capacious enough to encompass foreseeable, substantial risks of serious harm …

Best Practices For Implementing Trauma-Informed Care With Youth Who Are Homeless Or At- Risk Of Being Homeless, Ellen Morrow

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Exposure to traumatic events during childhood can affect brain development, how someone reacts to stress, and what they may find threatening or unsafe. Trauma can be a precursor to the development of a range of psychopathology including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, personality distortions and psychosis (APA, 2000, Rose, Freeman & Proudlock, 2012). Left untreated trauma can also result in medical conditions later in life including heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems and social conditions such as homelessness, prostitution or delinquency (Steele & Malchiodi, 2012; WISQARS, 2010). Maschi and Schwalbe (2012) cite studies which estimate up to 93% of …

An Evaluation On The Effects Of Check-In/Check-Out With School-Aged Children Residing In A Mental Health Treatment Facility, Crystal Ann Stuart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) is an evidence- based application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to address and prevent problem behaviors from occurring, promote pro-social behaviors, and create a positive learning environment for all students. There are many secondary interventions that have been utilized within the framework of SWPBIS that have high success rates. However, the research conducted on the use of Check-In/Check-Out (CICO), a secondary intervention, has focused its attention more on its effectiveness in public elementary schools. There is a lack of research evaluating the effectiveness of CICO in alternative school settings. This study provides an …

Factors Related To Recidivism Among Mentally Disordered Offenders : Differential Impact Of Historical And Dynamic Clinical Indicators Across Risk Level, Lori J. Torgersen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Understanding the factors related to recidivism among mentally disordered offenders is important so that criminal justice and mental health systems can prioritize resources to intervene with those most likely to reoffend by targeting factors that are most likely to reduce risk. While there is a sound body of literature identifying the predictors of recidivism among non-disordered adult offenders, the same inquiry in the case of mentally disordered offenders has been more equivocal.

Effects Of A Brief, Three-Day Mindfulness Meditation Protocol, Andrew James Kurz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Data Note: People Served In Community Mental Health Programs And Employment, Stephanie Wallace, Frank A. Smith

Data Note Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

State mental health agencies provide a wide range of supports, including rehabilitation services and vocational and pre-vocational training, as well as supported and competitive employment supports. This Data Note explores how states vary in number and percentage of individuals who are employed among those served in Community Mental Health Programs (CMHPs), i.e., programs with all services provided in the community, rather than in an inpatient setting. It also explores national trends that occurred from 2002 to 2011.

Predictors Of Accessing Substance Abuse Services Among Individuals With Mental Disorders Released From Correctional Custody, Stephanie Hartwell, Xiaogang Deng, William Fisher, Julianne Siegfriedt, Kristen Roy-Bujnowski, Craig Johnson, Carl Fulwiler

Sociology Faculty Publication Series

Objective

In the context of an increasing correctional population and corresponding rates of mental illness and substance abuse among this population, this study focuses on describing the predictors of substance abuse service utilization for ex-inmates with dual disorders. Our aim is to assess the likelihood and characteristics of ex-inmates with mental disorders who access substance abuse treatment services within two years of correctional release.

Methods

Using merged administrative data on all ex-inmates with open mental health cases released from Massachusetts Department of Corrections and two County Houses of Corrections from 2007 to 2009 (N=2,280) and substance abuse treatment outcome data …

Does The Use Of Varenicline For Smoking-Cessation Therapy Create Or Increase Depression In Patients Without Existing Depressive Illness?, Brett R. Brown

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the use of varenicline for smoking-cessation therapy creates or increases depression in patients without existing depressive illness.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two randomized controlled trials published in 2011 and one observational cohort study published in 2009, all English language.
DATA SOURCES: Two randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials comparing varenicline to placebo in smoking cessation, and one observational cohort study comparing varenicline use within subjects. All articles were found using PubMed and EBSCO.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Changes in depression was evaluated using the MontgomeryÅsberg Depression Rating Scale …

Evidence-Based Treatment For Anxiety Disorders And Marijuana Use Across The Lifespan, Tanya Borchert

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to identify evidence-based practices relating to anxiety disorders and cannabis use throughout the lifespan. Identification of the practices will more effectively meet the needs of the clients served at the Dual Recovery Program and allow the agency to best serve clients with co-occurring anxiety disorders and cannabis use in a parallel manner. The literature indicates that there is a correlation between anxiety disorders and cannabis abuse (Buckner & Schmidt, 2011; Buckner, Zvolensky, & Schmidt, 2012; Bricker, et al., 2006; Bonn-Miller, Vujanovic, Boden, & Gross, 2011). If the anxiety disorder can be properly diagnosed …

Best Practices In The Provision Of Group Therapy For Adult Male Clients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia At Fernbrook Family Center, Nathaniel S. Gendron

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to provide Fernbrook Family Center with evidence-based research on treatment modalities, strategies, and curricula that have been proven successful for group based therapy with adult males who are suffering from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. This included group screening protocol, group therapy techniques, and cohesion in the group process. The importance of group therapy was explored and why it is an appropriate treatment recommendation for adult males with Schizophrenia.

The Development And Implementation Of Trauma-Informed Care Within A Clinical Setting, Molly Hildebrandt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This capstone project facilitated the classification of CSSM as a trauma-­‐informed service system for children. Following a specific framework, the project included the development and implementation of an intake model for the agency to follow in order to begin the process. The student designed a new intake procedure, in which all children were screened for the possibility of trauma and then linked with a trauma-­‐ informed therapist based on a positive screening. This procedure produced the ability to effectively link children with trauma-­‐informed services.

A Guide To Understanding, Building And Sustaining An Effective Therapeutic Community, Sara Loose

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this guide is to facilitate an understanding of therapeutic community/ milieu therapy concepts as well as building and sustaining an effective therapeutic community on each unit, in each cottage, and within Leo A. Hoffmann Center as a whole. This guide includes evidence based research that supports the use of therapeutic community principles, and interventions and evaluation tools that can potentially be used by Leo A. Hoffmann Center to enhance services. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to provide the agency with a tangible, well rounded resource that can be used by the multidisciplinary team to provide …