Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Exploring Dance/Movement Therapy Through An Existential-Feminist Lens For Perimenopausal Individuals In The Post-Covid Digital Age: A Literature Review, Karen Schmitz

Expressive Therapies Theses

The goal of this thesis was to understand the impact that perimenopause and the COVID-19 pandemic have on individuals and how existential theory and dance/movement therapy can be applied to enhance quality of life. The literature review first explores historical and current contexts of perimenopause. The second section covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiving individuals, particularly women. Subsequent sections introduce existential theory and dance/movement therapy frameworks, with a concentration on relevant concepts for the specified population. Research shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, external pressures around appearance, reproductive value, and the societal expectations of women intensified. Overall, …

Using Expressive Arts Therapy With Autistic Children To Help Regulate And Build Coping Skills: A Literature Review, Swara Swaminathan

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review is about whether we can use Expressive Arts Therapy with autistic children to regulate and build coping skills. The author could not find articles that covers the entire topic, but she split the topic in terms of autism in India and various application of Expressive Arts Therapy globally. She was able to find Expressive Arts Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy was helpful to autistic children, or children with trauma. She could also notice the stigma of autism in India in some of the articles.

As If We Could Get Along: Dramatic Reality’S Influence On The Prosociality Of Adolescent Boys With Problematic Sexual Behavior, Joel David Bender

Expressive Therapies Theses

There is a strong need for novel treatment approaches for adolescents with problematic sexual behavior (PSB), considering that historically, treatment approaches for adult sex offenders have been blindly applied to youth. Adolescent boys with PSB are at risk for poor treatment outcomes when they engage in anti-social behaviors and group hostility. Dramatic reality, a core process in drama therapy, may assist in transforming the experience of boys in their capacity to exhibit prosocial behavior, given that dramatic reality inherently augments reality. This community arts workshop used purposive sampling in a day treatment center for adolescent boys with PSB and explored …

Communing With Lions: A Critical Literature Review Exploring Pan-Asian Lion Dance Traditions Through The Lens Of Expressive Arts Therapy, Sarah T. Ngo

Expressive Therapies Theses

Lion dancing is a cultural art form practiced in numerous Asian and Asian diasporic cultures across the world. While the dance has been studied both in a historical and ethnographic manner, little research exists on its therapeutic benefits. This capstone thesis explores lion dancing through the lens of the expressive arts therapies to uncover the therapeutic factors underlying the practice. It applies the Chadian dance/movement therapy framework as well as various expressive arts therapy frameworks to the lion dance. The literature review indicates that lion dancing has the potential to be therapeutic in a number of ways, which include: 1) …

Eos Wellness Center: Rethinking Inpatient Mental Health Facility Design, Emily Simms

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The design of mental health facilities significantly impacts patient outcomes, especially for individuals with depression. Environmental factors such as lighting, thermal comfort, and access to nature influence mental health. This research explores how architectural design can reduce self-harm incidents and enhance recovery outcomes for patients with depression. The project hypothesizes that synchronizing light patterns and thermal comfort with patients’ circadian rhythms will reduce self-harm incidents and improve recovery. The problem established in the research is that disruptions to circadian rhythms increase the risk of depression, PTSD, and anxiety by 30% (Burns et al., 2022). Suicide is also the second leading …

An Educational Intervention: Knowledge Acquisition Of Perimenopausal Mental Health Symptoms And Treatment Options For Women Aged 35 Years Plus, Allison M. Hopps

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Perimenopause is a span of four to six years preceding menopause when estrogen levels decline. Up to 40% of women experience depression during the perimenopause transition. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be an effective treatment for depressive symptoms during perimenopause, but many healthcare practitioners prescribe antidepressants instead of HRT for the management of mood-related symptoms. Perimenopausal depression is associated with the progression of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The general population, including women and healthcare providers, lacks the education and awareness surrounding perimenopause symptoms and treatment. This project educated women between ages 35 to 55 on …

Examination Of Eating Disorder Risks And Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Division Iii Student-Athletes, Maddie Wisener

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Eating disorders (ED) and pathogenic behaviors are prevalent concerns among collegiate athletes due to performance pressures and body image expectations. This cross-sectional study examined the risk of ED among 243 student-athletes (Males: 54.9%, Females: 44.3%, Non-Binary: 0.4%) at a private institution in the Midwest. The convenience sample included student-athletes from baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling teams. The participants were given a demographic survey, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and Sex-Specific Figural Stimuli Silhouettes to assess eating behaviors and perceived and desired body images. Overall, 22.1% of participants were at risk for …

Differences In Anxiety Presentation Amongst Collegiate Athletes, Alyssa Garabedian

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Anxiety affects millions of individuals, spanning from mild symptoms to life-halting disorders. The symptoms and experiences individuals face in terms of anxiety vary depending on their demographics, as well as living conditions. Athletes are affected by anxiety in different ways than typical non-athlete individuals. Athletes have an entirely different realm of life to consider when thinking about anxiety, and that is, their sporting, competitive life. This study analyzes the symptoms and characteristics of anxiety in college athletes differing by gender and sport type. The data collected through a survey of collegiate athletes at Bryant University will be used to determine …

Addressing Gaps In The Continuum Of Care: A Quality Improvement Project Focused On Adolescent Youth With Depression Symptoms At A School-Based Health Clinic, Leah Nigon

Theses and Graduate Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to address gaps in the continuum of care for adolescents experiencing depression symptoms at a school-based health clinic (SBHC) within an alternative learning community school (ALCS) in southeast Minnesota. Adolescent depression rates are on the rise and are only exacerbated by systemic barriers and social determinants of health, requiring improved mental health care access. Guided by Madeleine Leininger’s Culture Care Theory, the project focused on improving follow-up care for students with elevated depression scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9-M). A tracking system was developed, and the SBHC nurse contacted …

An Integrative, Holistic Treatment Approach For Veterans With Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury And Associated Comorbidities: Case Report, Rebekka Dieterich-Hartwell, Janine Brodovsky, Kathryne Dealba, Allison Rubin, Emily Mcguigan, Bindal M. Mehmel, Yevgeniya Sergeyenko

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

This case report of a veteran with a history of multiple traumatic brain injuries, posttraumatic stress, and chronic pain highlights the MossRehab Institute for Brain Health (MRIBH) model of care: a collaborative, interdisciplinary, intensive outpatient treatment program. Unique to this case was the severity of symptomatology and the concerted engagement by the clinicians, who fully tailored and adjusted their approaches based on team rounds and daily exchanges. The client's main concerns of headaches, difficulty sleeping, difficulty with memory and cognition, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, anger, and chronic musculoskeletal pain were addressed and significantly improved within three weeks. The outcome of …

Implementing Lean Methodology To Decrease Wait Times In A Psychiatric Emergency Department, Kristina S. Baxter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This quality improvement project aimed to implement Lean strategies to optimize the intake process in a psychiatric emergency department, thereby reducing patient wait times, minimizing left-without-being-seen (LWBS) occurrences, and improving access to timely psychiatric care.

Background

The project was conducted in a hospital-based psychiatric emergency department in Southeast Texas, serving adults and children six years and older.

Methodology

Lean methodology and PDSA cycles were employed to refine the intake process and eliminate inefficiencies. Key interventions included patient transport by technicians to minimize delays, using tele-clinicians for assessments to reduce staff burden, and restructuring nursing assessments to prioritize telehealth consultations …

One Can Only Dream, Sophia V. Yacca

Theses and Dissertations

One Can Only Dream is an interactive installation in which players are invited to navigate a liminal, dream-like game, engage with a branching series of questions, and introspect upon the relationships between unconscious expression, conscious self-perception, and the inherent difficulty of depicting, sharing, and understanding subconscious thought.

Rooted in both my personal experience with a rare neurophysiological condition and in my desire to create, this project examines dreams not only as a medical and cultural phenomenon, but also as a means to form identity, reflect trauma, and inspire creativity. Drawing from modern interactive storytelling and my lived experiences, this work …

Clinician Comfort, Attitudes, And Practices With Provision Of Harm Reduction Supplies To Patients Who Use Drugs, Amanda Cahn, Melissa Calica, Erin Mooz, Malia Haddock, Wendy Craig, Tania Strout, Kinna Thakarar

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Over 100,000 individuals in the United States died from drug overdose in 2022, over 80,000 of which involved opioids. Overdose deaths from psychostimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine) have also been on the rise.

There has also been an increase in substance-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations. People who use drugs (PWUD) often have longer hospital stays, higher self-discharge, and readmission rates.

Test-Retest Agreement And Reliability Of Psychosis And Mental Health Screens For Maine Adolescents And Young Adults In Primary Care, Erika Mayer, Eb Bernier, Merelise Ametti, Julia Plumb, Adriana Lovric, Yaerin Wallenberger, Kristen Woodberry

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Psychotic spectrum disorders are among the most severe mental health conditions. Although early intervention can lead to significantly improved outcomes, minimizing delays in the identification of psychotic spectrum symptoms (PSS) remains challenging.

Finding Freedom In Appalachia: Evaluating A Mental Health Intervention In West Virginia, Elizabeth A. Claydon, Karen Haring, Jessica Haring, Kelsey Riggi, Beth Currence

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Rural areas have limited capacity to provide comprehensive mental health treatment and resources. This creates the need for interventions to ensure individuals with mental health concerns have access to resources to improve their mental health.

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods evaluation was to assess the effectiveness and impact of Libera, a mental health program tailored for girls and women within the Appalachian region.

Methods: Quantitative surveys, including validated measures for depression, anxiety, and eating disorder symptoms, and life satisfaction, were collected pre- and post-Libera intervention for participants. Simultaneously, annual surveys were sent to Listeners in addition to qualitative …

From Stillness To Life: A Family's Experience Of Craniosacral Therapy In The Nicu, Veronica Quarry

Journal of Transformative Touch

The mother of a newborn in the NICU shares the benefits both infant and parents experienced when their daughter received CranioSacral Therapy during that critical time.

Beyond Opioids: The Role Of Polysubstance Exposure In Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Treatment And Hospitalization, Caelyn Harrison

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the impact of prenatal polysubstance exposure, specifically focusing on the need for pharmacological treatment for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and the duration of their hospital stay. A retrospective analysis of 462 infants, including 121 exposed to polysubstances during pregnancy, showed significant associations between polysubstance exposure and adverse neonatal outcomes. Infants with prenatal polysubstance exposure were more likely to require pharmacological treatment for NAS (52.8%) compared to non-exposed infants (38.7%), as determined by chi-square analysis (χ²(1, N = 462) = 7.36, p = .007). Additionally, infants exposed to polysubstances experienced longer hospital stays on average (M = 14.88 …

Comparing Online And In-Person Social Support And Its Effects On Suicidal Ideation, Alexander J. Potter

Poster Presentations

The interpersonal theory of suicide states that thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness are proximal causes of suicidal ideation (Van Orden et al., 2010). One of the biggest influences on these variables is a lack of social support (Sparks et al., 2023) There are two ways a person can receive social support: in-person via face-to-face experiences and online via social media or online communication Studies have shown that there is a difference in the quality of support between online and in-person interactions (Hultzman et al., 2017). The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of in-person and online support …

Addiction In The Prison System: Recidivism And Alternatives, Daniel R. Bowers

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States criminal justice system has the highest number of incarcerated individuals in the world, with nearly 2 million people currently being behind bars, and around 7.5 million arrests per year according to the most recent available statistics. A key factor in this is addiction, specifically substance use disorders. Between 58% to 68% of adults arrested are addicted to one or more substances, with 68% of drug involved individuals being rearrested within three years of being released. This recidivism rate is incredibly high, and when combined with current prison and jail overcrowding, has created massive problems for the United …

Gad-7 Screening In Middle School Students: Evaluating The Effectiveness On Referral Rate Scoping Review, Bailey Hall, Cara Dennis, Kayla Drennen-Ferguson, Pamela B. Taylor, Laura Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Cne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

The prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents, mainly middle school-aged students, highlights the critical need for practical screening tools to support early detection and intervention. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale is widely utilized in various settings, but its efficacy in this specific population remains underexplored. This scoping review examines the use of the GAD-7 in middle school-aged students, evaluating its reliability, validity, and impact on referral rates to mental health services. The review also considers factors influencing anxiety and identifies gaps in current research.

Methods

Ten articles, published in peer-reviewed journals within the past decade and involving human …

Understanding The Impact Of Language Barriers And Visit Duration On Caregiver Satisfaction In Pediatric Primary Care, Gavin Miller

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Children from households that speak languages other than English (LOE) face barriers in accessing healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes. Language barriers contribute to these disparities, often resulting in diminished communication between providers and families. Visit duration may play a key role in facilitating effective communication and improving patient satisfaction.

Purpose: This study examines how language barriers affect caregiver satisfaction in pediatric primary care, and whether visit duration mediates this relationship. We hypothesized that caregivers from LOE households would have comparable visit durations to English-preferring caregivers but report lower satisfaction due to receiving less information within that time. …

Affordable Architecture: Promoting Mental Health Through Cost-Effective Design In Underfunded High Schools In Dallas-Fort Worth, Raphaella Malicay

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Mental health awareness has increased over the years as well as numerous strategies to support mental health. Some of these strategies include addressing the built environment. This paper explores the intersection between mental health and the built environment through the lens of affordable architectural methods that would be effective in underfunded secondary schools. This study examines how architecture influences students’ well-being and how certain design strategies can be implemented even in schools that lack the financial resources for adequate infrastructure. Here the focus is on investigating affordable solutions such as improving ventilation, optimizing natural light, having flexible learning spaces, and …

Exploring Spatial Arrangements And Smart Technology To Manage Cognitive Load In Kitchens For Aging In Place, Monique Chabot

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

Older adults undergo natural physiological changes in various physical and cognitive functions, including balance, strength, memory, attention, and executive functioning. Memory, attention, and executive functioning integrate to form functional cognition, a skill that allows people to safely and efficiently complete daily tasks. Functional cognition is integral to the ability to age in place and is sensitive to demands in the environment. While a decline in some cognitive functions is expected with age, it is not typically observable except in the presence of pathological conditions or situations of cognitive overload from complex tasks or high environmental demands.

Older adults have identified …

The Impact Of Quality Of Life And Recovery Capital On Inhibitory Control In Patients On Medication For Opioid Use Disorder, Caroline K. Jeffries

All Theses

The opioid crisis persists as a global health challenge, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between psychological factors and neurocognitive responses among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Two such psychological factors include recovery capital, an individual's internal and external resources to supporting recovery, and quality of life. Past work suggests that positive levels of recovery capital and quality of life may enhance individuals’ ability to regulate emotions and manage cravings. However, it is unclear how these variables are affected when buprenorphine is taken. This study investigates the influence of recovery capital and quality of life on inhibitory …

Adolescent Identity And Belongingness: Using Arts-Based Participatory Action Research, Vivian Boyer, Kam Brooks, Emily Camp, Hannah Checkwicz-Grosberg, Jenna Newman, Renee O’Connor, Jacqueline Tardie

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the concepts of empathy and belonging through the collaborative creative arts process among high school-aged girls at an all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles County, California. Employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework, researchers and participants collaborated as co-researchers, founded on the principles of cross-cultural art therapy and in the hope of fostering youth advocacy. In partnership with the school community and institution, as well as supported by an Anti-Hate grant from The Jenesse Center, this study examines the intersectional identities of participants and how empathy and belonging can be affected through the art-making process. The project …

Enhancing The Eden Alternative Model With Well Standards: A Case Study Analysis, Mariah Stoner

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

This thesis investigates the potential for improving the Eden Alternative Model, a person-centered approach to elder care that emphasizes creating a homelike environment and meaningful relationships, using WELL Standards, a building certification system focused on enhancing human health and well-being through improvements in environmental quality. Through a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative data analysis and qualitative case studies, this research examines how WELL Standards, which cover aspects such as air quality, water quality, lighting, and thermal comfort, can improve environmental quality and resident satisfaction within the Eden Alternative Model. This research introduces a tailored approach to elder care by combining these …

A Co-Design Approach To Develop A Motivational Intervention To Promote Physical Activity Engagement And Maintenance Among Individuals In Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings, Sascha Thal, Stephen Bright, Nikos Ntoumanis, Bronwyn Myers, Jocelyn Jones, Eleanor Quested

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Substance use disorders (SUDs) pose a significant public health concern. Preliminary research suggests benefits of physical activity (PA) for individuals receiving SUD treatment. However, current PA interventions have limitations, particularly regarding PA maintenance, due to motivational issues among people with SUDs. Our co-designed intervention is the first to target PA motivation for sustaining PA in individuals with SUDs. We employed the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to co-design an intervention to increase PA motivation and support PA maintenance among people in residential SUD treatment. The BCW process involved semi-structured interviews with people with lived or living experience (n = 5) and …

Useful Measures Of Adult Attachment And Object Relations In Psychotherapy, Matilde A. Torallas Huerta

Dissertations

This is a literature review of objective and projective measures of attachment and object relations in adults, with the objective of reviewing outstanding research to identify the key factors for adult attachment assessment considered within attachment and object relations theories, what measures of adult attachment styles and dysfunction work best, and to provide key themes of assistance in the measurement of attachment and object relations in adult clients in psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations of attachment and object relations theory are reviewed as well as objective and projective instruments grouped by format. The 10 themes found to be useful in the assessment …

Who Cares For The Caregivers? How Dance And Movement Can Benefit Caregiving Parents Of Children With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: A Literature Review, Haley E. Gilbert

Expressive Therapies Theses

Caregiver parents of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are not able to care for themselves as often as they should be able to for their own mental and physical wellness due to their caregiving responsibilities that often carry into adulthood. These can lead to anxiety, depression, grief, and dysregulation for the parent. Dance and movement practices have been found to relieve the symptoms of these experiences while helping the child with IDD and the parent connect more, building stronger relationships. This thesis will include a comprehensive literature review of body-based theories such as the Polyvagal Theory (Polyvagal Institute, 2025), Bowlby’s …

Use Cases For Art Therapy Intervention In Clinical Psychedelic Praxis, Kaitlin Maud

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Psychedelic medicine has existed for thousands of years as a traditional, sacred practice and is now in varying stages of legalization for clinical application in the United States. Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy uses specific psychoactive substances to facilitate altered states of consciousness in which clients have access to unconscious material and there is a greater cognitive openness to new perspectives and possibilities. Art Therapy is a modality of psychotherapy with decades of data to support its clinical efficacy in treating mental illness and other chronic conditions. A review of the literature shows a range of use cases for art in the context …