Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And A History Of Pervasive Gender-Based Violence Among Women Asylum Seekers Who Have Undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Retrospective Case Review, Hazel Lever, Deborah Ottenheimer, Jimmitti Teysir, Elizabeth Singer, Holly G. Atkinson

Publications and Research

We sought to evaluate the frequency of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and any experiences of violence in women who had undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and were seeking asylum in the United States. We undertook a retrospective qualitative descriptive study of FGM/C cases seen in an asylum clinic over a 2-year period. Standardized questionnaires provided quantitative scores for anxiety, depression and PTSD. Clients’ personal and physician medical affidavits were analyzed for experiences of violence. Of the 13 cases, anxiety and depression were exhibited by 92 and 100% of women, while all seven women screened for PTSD had symptoms. Qualitative analysis revealed …

An Examination Of The Impact Traumatic Events Has On Psychosocial Impairment In Eating Disorder Patients, Jennifer Parker Hackett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research suggests that trauma has an impact on eating disorders. While prior research has demonstrated that the trauma from abuse has a significant impact on eating disorders, research has failed to explore other types of trauma. In addition, previous studies have stopped short of examining the impact trauma has on functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. This study aimed to address that gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine whether traumatic life events impact psychosocial functioning among individuals living with an eating disorder. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which traumas are shown to …

The Impact Of Mental Health Issues On Academic Achievement In High School Students, Patricia Lea Sutherland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

An adolescent’s time in school is not merely academic; they are developing socially, physically, and emotionally. Prior research has demonstrated a correlation between a student’s poor academic performance and his/her need for emotional and mental health support. This research project sought to answer the following research questions: 1) Do mental health services in a high school setting help facilitate students’ academic achievement? and 2) Does a focus on mental health issues improve overall health and well-being in high school students? Participants for this study are 10 staff members (including teachers, administrators, counselors, and others) of a high school in San …

Metabolic Syndrome Screening Among Inpatient Psychiatric Patients, Susan Magorno

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: More than 50% of patients with severe mental illness carry undiagnosed Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) comorbidities of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes. These patients are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular-related causes; however, this population is not routinely assessed for MetS and frequently lack appropriate treatment.

Objective: The objective is to implement a screening tool designed to identify risk for MetS and trigger appropriate treatment.

Design: The screening tool triggers the provider to address positive criteria through interventions such as further evaluation, medical and/or diabetes educator consultation.

Results: Although overall rates of screening improved significantly, follow-up interventions were …

Prison Rehabilitation: The Sociological, Physiological, And Psychological Effects Of Animal-Assisted Interventions, Daisy Corleto

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper examines animal-assisted interventions as a new form of rehabilitation in the prison setting. It focuses specifically on the multiple benefits that this form of therapy/intervention can bring to inmates, such as the reduction in recidivism and the acquirement of new skills. Additionally, this paper considers the reasons for which rehabilitation in general is necessary in order to truly transform an individual. The first section provides a brief history of AAI in the prison environment and its effects on the prisoners. The paper then transitions to an account of analyzing the sociological, physiological, and psychological effects of AAI on …

The Influence Of Therapist-Patient Religious/Spiritual Congruence On Satisfaction With Therapy: A Review Of Research, Tammy E. Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this review was to examine the relationship between mental health and religion and/or spirituality. Specifically, it was believed that religion and spiritual congruence had a positive influence on satisfaction with therapy. Indeed, the literature reviewed suggests that therapists should be more open to addressing a patient's religious and/or spiritual beliefs as it could lead to more attuned therapeutic sessions. The importance of congruence between patient and therapist is a factor that can impact the therapeutic alliance, based on the literature, this concept appears to hold true for those that are or are not religiously and/or spiritually inclined.

Exploring The Relationship Between Team Characteristics And Mental Health Symptoms Amongst Student Athletes, Dylan Owens

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Depression and anxiety are disabling conditions that are particularly prevalent amongst young adults (Wolanin, Hong, Marks, Panchoo, & Gross, 2016). Student athletes must cope with extensive time demands that go beyond those of ordinary young adults, consequently putting them at increased risk to experiencing mental health issues. Numerous factors may influence an athlete’s well being, such as gender, injury, and type of sport. This study tests these various factors but also extends previous literature by analyzing the effects of team dynamics on student athlete mental health. An anonymous multi-part questionnaire was sent out to all JMU athletes in the Fall …

Identifying The Newly Insurable Medicaid Coverage Gap Population Under The Affordable Care Act: Who They Are And Where They Live, Samuel L. Woodruff

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The goal of this Capstone Project is to better define and geographically locate the potential distribution of individuals who fall within the current Medicaid Coverage Gap and those populations who would be eligible for Medicaid under the expansion of Medicaid within the state of Nebraska. Using data from multiple United States Census Bureau sources, along with available data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), this project looks to also locate populations of these individuals that may live within established Medically Underserved Areas (MUA's) or Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA's) within the state. American Community Survey 5-year Public Use …

Addressing Culturally Specific Mental Health Care Needs In The Us: The Asian American Population, Moira Lewerk

Honors Scholar Theses

As the fastest growing minority group in the US, Asian American health needs and disparities are becoming critical areas to address, particularly in the mental health domain (Leong, Park, & Kalibatseva, 2013). Currently, the culturally specific needs of this group are not being adequately met. This includes appropriately serving low English proficiency (LEP) patients who experience different healthcare quality and outcomes than other individuals. Additionally, recognizing culturally unique perspectives, emotional burdens, and immigrant experiences is crucial in developing culturally tailored mental health interventions and shifting mental health toward individualized care. This work aims to examine current policies surrounding culturally competent …

The Rise And Fall Of The Stock Market: A Look At Financial Professionals Suicide Ideation, Jefferson Mcclain

Undergraduate Honors Theses

On October 24, 1929, the United States stock market crashed. Will Rogers, a local newspaper writer, said of that experience, “When Wall Street took that tail spin, you had to stand in line to get a window to jump out of, and spectators were selling space for bodies in the East River” (Lowenthal 1987). Tales of ruined stockbrokers jumping from the windows of tall buildings ran across the country. These stories have prompted interest in the interaction between workplace environment and mental health. In this study, we looked at the relationship between stock market performance and suicide ideation for working …

Abstracts From The 24th Annual Health Care Systems Research Network Conference, April 11–13, 2018, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Founded in 1994, the Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) is a consortium of 18 research centers that are housed in community-based health systems. The organization's annual conference serves as a venue for research teams to disseminate scientific findings, stimulate new collaborations, and share insights about conducting research in real-world care-delivery settings. Abstracts accepted for presentation at HCSRN 2018 are published within this supplement of the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews.

The Contributing Factors To Adolescent Depression, Josie H. Lee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Objective: This paper reviews individual, familial, peer, and societal factors influencing adolescent depression in developed countries. Background: Depression usually onsets at adolescence and contributes to high DALYs. Since depression is treatable, efforts should be made to reduce its prevalence and effect. Methods: The research consisted of looking at literature relevant to the topic and age group and conducting interviews with experts who know about and have worked with adolescent depression. Discussion: Adolescents begins at the onset of puberty, allowing different biological factors such as genetics, stress of puberty, and cognitive changes to increase vulnerability to depression. Adolescents who had substance …

The Effect Of Dance And Team Sports On Mental Health, Kayla Hulburt

Honors Senior Capstone Projects

This study uses the World Health Organization model of physical, social, and mental health to examine the effect of participating in dance and team sports during childhood on mental health in adulthood. Prior research has suggested that physical activity is strongly integrated with mental and social health and therefore is a protective factor among mental illness. However, there is not sufficient research comparing the differences among dance and team sports on mental health. This study hypothesized that dancers would experience more positive mental health in adulthood than team sports due to the basis of physical activity in dance, but the …

Tipsheet: Student Mental Health And Resources, Unl Office Of The Executive Vice Chancellor

United States Public Health Resources

Stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges affect at least 1 in 5 college students*. Faculty can be an important source of support for UNL students. Here are some strategies for supporting student mental health:

1. Communicate the importance of mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health. When someone breaks a leg they go to the hospital. Mental illness is the same thing. If someone is feeling depressed they should seek treatment. Normalize mental health by talking about getting support if you notice your students struggling with stress, depression, anxiety, etc. …

;, Anthony Santangelo

Vázquez-Valarezo Poetry Award

The poem tells a personal story between my best friend and me during our freshman year at Augustana. Through her struggles with mental health, I learned to understand and accept people different than me. One of the main reasons I wrote this is to demonstrate the detriments of mental health stigma and the mindset that must be adopted to combat this.

The Relationship Between Dietary Quality And Mental Health In A Young Adult Appalachian, Rachel A. Wattick

Munn Scholars Awards

No abstract provided.

Partidarios De La Vida: Resiliencia En Los Afectados Directos De La Dictadura En Arica, Chile / Supporters Of Life: Resilience In The Direct Victims Of The Dictatorship In Arica, Chile, Danielle Levinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The present study is a qualitative analysis of resilience mechanisms in inhabitants of the city of Arica, Chile who participated actively in the resistance against the Pinochet dictatorship. Through one-on-one interviews with members of this population and the coordinator/social assistant of the Arican branch of the Chilean government’s reparation program (PRAIS), this project was able to corroborate the existence of the following four categories of resilience mechanisms, which are identified in a technical standard published by the Chilean Under-Secretariat of Health: individual, family, social network, and values and ideology. However, it was revealed that this model should be adapted to …

Access To Mental Health Care For Depression Among Latina Women In Adams County, Alison P. Lauro

Student Publications

This research project focused on what barriers prevent Latina women in Adams County from accessing mental health care. A survey was distributed to 52 women over several weeks. These participants, particularly immigrant and undocumented women, have lower rates of health insurance, low incomes, and limited transportation, and the county does not have accessible, Spanish speaking mental health professionals, which makes it nearly impossible for these women to access mental healthcare in the county.

Therapeutic Alliance Through Person-Centered Therapy: An Influential Factor In Long-Term Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among Asians In The United States, Lahela Ashlee Rice Jorgenson

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

While the Asian population in the United States is growing vastly and there is an abundance of literature regarding barriers to utilization of psychological services for this population, there remains minimal research on positive or facilitative factors for those who do utilize services and do not prematurely terminate treatment. The purpose of this study was to explore possible factors that promote clients' utilization and commitment to mental health services, as reported by Asian clinicians working with an Asian American population. This study was performed through a descriptive qualitative approach consisting of semi-structured interviews with four clinicians providing mental health services …

Complicated Grief And Art Therapy, Rachel Brandoff

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Complicated grief (CG) has come to be a common enough occurrence in mental health treatment to warrant research, literature, and discussion of markers, causes, prevalence, symptoms, measures, and treatment protocols. Art therapy presents one possible mode of treatment for individuals suffering from CG, and yet few art therapists know about CG or have training in this area. A systematic review of art therapy programs and educational requirements showed no current standards or training requirements for grief or CG. Art therapists are master’s trained clinicians who work with people with a variety of mental health challenges, and training in CG may …

Perinatal Depression: Investing In Our Mothers Before It's Too Late, Katelin Dietel, Anna Garbers, Kailee Hrubetz

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Currently, there is no consistent, universal screening process within the United States healthcare system that considers the mental health of a new mother. Mandatory screening for perinatal depressive symptoms would improve the lives of new mothers, children, and their families nationwide. Home-visiting programs, such as the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program supported by Healthy Families America, should be universal and available in every locale in the U.S. Individual state policies within these programs should be tailored to meet the needs of each unique mother, child, and family. Early, nurturing relationships are critical to a child's development. …

Invisible No More: Bringing Awareness To Mental Health In Older Adults Living In Rural Minnesota, Abigail Schaper, Carley Ledoux, Kristry Danielson

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Approximately 8 million Americans 65 years of age and older have mental health disorders. It is estimated that these numbers could reach 14.4 million by 2030. Minnesotans turning 65 in this decade (about 285,000) will be greater than the past four decades combined (Aging: MN State Demographic Center, 2018). Anxiety and depression are two of the more common mental health disorders in older adults and are associated with severe consequences, including life dissatisfaction, illness, and mortality. With this growth comes many barriers. The rural mental health system is not equipped to address this growth. The system is underfunded, largely uncoordinated, …

Launch-Ing Minnesota Early Childhood Mental Health Into The Future, Molly Abdo, Alyssa Baker, Elizabeth Holz

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

What is Social-Emotional Development? The foundation for lifelong mental health, including social and emotional development, is established early in life and shaped by children's relationships with parents, caregivers, and peers. This foundation is critical to all aspects of healthy development and growth in early childhood. Social-emotional development can be defined as "the capacity to form secure relationships; experience, express, and manage a range of emotions; and learn and explore one's environment."

Why is it Important? When children fail to develop social-emotionally, mental health symptoms begin to emerge and can "cause distress, interfere with relationships, limit the child's participation in daily …

Transgender Resiliency: A Comparison Of Transgender And Cisgender Therapy Clients’ Family Functioning And Psychological Symptomology, Deborah Coolhart , Ph.D., Lmft, Anibal Torres Bernal , Ph.D., Kimdy Le , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Existing literature often suggests transgender people face increased vulnerabilities in comparison to cisgender people and poorer mental and physical health outcomes. However, studies are increasingly exploring resilience of transgender people and factors contributing to positive coping. The current study compared transgender to cisgender clients at a University-based couple and family therapy center on self-reported psychological symptomology and family functioning. Transgender individuals did not differ significantly from cisgender individuals on family functioning, however transgender individuals reported significantly fewer symptoms on all twelve subscales of psychological symptomology, despite lower income and lower levels of education. Results suggest transgender individuals may develop unique …

Self-Reported Academic Performance In Relation To Health Behaviours Among Bahria University Students, Rehana Rehman, Amara Zafar, Aleena Mohib, Mehwish Hussain, Rabiya Ali

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To find an association between self-reported academic performance with different socio-demographic factors, health behaviours and mental health amongst university students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Bahria University, Karachi, from January 2012 to December 2013, and comprised university students of different disciplines. An anonymous, self-reported questionnaire was distributed among the subjects. Convenient sampling technique was used. Demographic information, including age, gender and field of study, were obtained. Depresion was evaluated via Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. SPSS 22 was used to analyse data.
Results: Of the 813 respondents, 334(41.1%) were males and 479(58.9%) females. The mean age …

Disordered: Conversations About Mental Health And Society, Rachel Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Disordered is a collaborative, participatory street art project designed to destigmatize mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, and reframe health as a societal issue. Through social practice and guerrilla strategies, Disordered intervenes in public spaces, creating conversations, stickers and metal signs to inspire personal, social and political transformations.

Autoethnography Of A Whitegirl Marriage And Family Therapist's Experience Working On The Rez, Andrea L. Cuva

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Despite the abundance of literature regarding potentially effective treatment modalities for Native American clients, researchers have been unable to identify an empirically proven effective treatment modality for this population. Common recommendations/considerations for therapists working with Native clients have been identified throughout literature; however, such findings were gathered by insiders (i.e., Native researchers or trained Tribal staff), which has left questions regarding the efficacy of such recommendations when applied by non-Native therapists. Due to Native American history, elaborate IRB requirements were put in place to ensure ethical research with this population but impedes the research process. I conducted an analytic autoethnography …

Psychotropic Medications And Children: Perceptions Of Mental Health Professionals, Elinor Jane Brereton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores mental health professionals' perspectives on the prescription of psychotropic medications to children. It emphasizes the placement of biomedicine within its larger social, economic, and political context, and the influence these structures have on the way mental illness is conceptualized and treated in children. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted in Denver, Colorado with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and a pharmaceutical board member to capture multiple perspectives from different positionalities within the field. Participants discussed factors that they believe influence prescribing practices including: professional role changes, issues of access, limited evidence, cost, and institutional pressures to practice within a …

Mental Health Interventions For Adolescent Cancer Patients, Kelsey A. Faherty

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: According to the National Cancer Institute (2017) approximately 15,270 individuals’ ages 0 to 19 years would be diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Although pediatric cancer survival rates continue to rise, there are high rates of anxiety, fear, and depression amongst this population. The purpose of this literature review was to explore mental health interventions for adolescent cancer patients.

Methodology: A total of 165 articles were found in a literature search. Databases used include: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Clinical Answers, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. As results were further narrowed based on relevance and …

Mental Health - Family, Najma Motan

A with Honors Projects

Through research and interviews with mental health professionals at local facilities, this student seeks to discover the current state family therapy practice.