Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Do You See It, Do You Feel It?, Trevan Freeman

Writing Beyond the Prison Living Archive

Essay on Racism; Mental health; Self-identity; Prison life; Drugs; Gangs; Gun violence; Families of the incarcerated; Religion/morality; Injustice

Mixed Emotions, Fontaine Baker

Writing Beyond the Prison Living Archive

Poem on Cancer; Healthcare; Survival

Understanding The Importance Of Administrative Mental Health Support For Frontline Nurses Post Covid-19, Sarah Mah

Nursing | Senior Theses

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive care units and critical care units were overwhelmed with the number of patients that were on the floors. It was during this time that nurses were experiencing the most mental health decline.

Several factors can be associated with the rapid decline of nurses’ mental health. However, these issues could ultimately stem from the lack of action taken by healthcare administration. This includes increased workload and the lack of PPE, resources institutional support. Because these units played such a vital role during the pandemic, it is imperative that healthcare administrators do what they …

Reimagining Equitable Care: Simulation-Based Education And The Dismantling Of Implicit Bias And Stigma Of Vulnerable Populations In Hospitals, Vanessa Smith

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Simulation-based education consists of using high-fidelity mannequins and equipment to provide a safe space for healthcare professionals to practice crucial skills within healthcare. Used within hospitals and schools, simulation most commonly surrounds practicing hands-on skills such as central line insertion, IV insertion, Ultrasound-guided procedures, code blue response, etc. However, a large portion of healthcare that is overlooked is tackling issues within patient-provider relationships. Simulation can help dismantle the negative behaviors and feelings providers push onto patients through the use of standardized patients and role-playing. By using these methods, simulation can reduce providers’ personal implicit biases and the stigma associated …

Emotional Resilience In The Age Of Digital Media, Beam Lertbunnaphongs

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This lesson addresses the complexities of maintaining emotional resilience in the digital age, helping college students balance their online interactions with emotional well-being. Using online activism fatigue as a case study, students will examine the psychological effects of digital media, practice neuroscience-backed coping strategies like cognitive reframing and boundary setting, and participate in interactive activities to build resilience. By guiding students to develop personalized action plans, the lesson promotes sustainable, actionable practices to prevent burnout and support meaningful online advocacy, empowering students to pursue their passions without feeling overwhelmed.

Why We Come: Investigating Virtual Clubhouse Engagement, Megan H. Price

Wayne State University Dissertations

Only a fraction of individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) receive adequatetreatment. This study investigates members’ experiences of a virtual adaptation of the Clubhouse model, a psychosocial rehabilitation program. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the virtual Clubhouse, referred to as virtual programming, was established to provide an alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar Clubhouse. This qualitative inquiry utilizes a phenomenological approach to understand participant experiences of the virtual model, including factors related to motivation, recovery, and impact. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 members of a Clubhouse located in a large metropolitan city in the U.S. The interviews sought …

Treating Young Adult Cannabis Use Disorder With Text Message-Delivered Peer Network Counseling, Nikola Zaharakis, J. Douglas Coatsworth, Nathaniel R. Riggs, Aubrie Radford, Stephanie Rayburn, Jeremy Mennis, Michael A. Russell, Aaron Brown, Michael J. Mason

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Approximately 16.5% of U.S. young adults have a cannabis use disorder (CUD) and are at risk for negative outcomes. Treatment can reduce cannabis use, but young adults are less likely to seek help than older adults. Peer Network Counseling-txt (PNC-txt) is a brief, text-delivered, Motivational Interviewing-informed substance use intervention focusing on peer relations and activity spaces as mechanisms for behavioral change. PNC-txt has shown evidence of reducing tobacco and cannabis use with adolescents and young adults, but it has not been tested in the context of legal cannabis use. The current randomized controlled trial sought to expand the evidence …

The Factors Causing High Food Insecurity Rates In U.S. Undergraduate Students, Natalie S. Byrd

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

The cliché of a college student surviving off ramen noodles sheds light on a deeper issue — high rates of food insecurity among undergraduate college/university students in the United States. There have been countless studies in recent years exploring the hidden causes of why an estimated 40% of students experience food insecurity as of 2022. These studies conclude three main reoccurring factors causing these high rates: costs, accessibility, and demographic characteristics. Food insecurity rates are important for higher education officials to address due to the countless physical and mental health, academic, and equity implications for the students.

Ignatian Values And International Conference On Disability, Enaya Hammad Othman

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This essay focuses on the values of Ignatius Loyola (1491–1556) concerning the issues related to disability and how the mission of the “Conference on Disability at the Intersection of History, Culture, Religion, Gender, and Health” hosted by Marquette University embodies those values. This conference, which was first held in 2022 and planned to take place in 2025 again, serves several goals shared by Jesuit education, Catholic values and Ignatius’ philosophy. It aspires to contribute to social justice, deep thinking and reflection, and meaningful change in society. Above all, the conference is motivated by ‘service’ to humanity and thus to the …

Does Plain Language Guided By The Ruaki Indicator Improve Study Participant Confidence In Their Informed Consent Decision?, Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, Ifechi Augusta Okonkwo, Ye Chen, Noe Duenas, Timothy Bilodeau, Alice Rushforth, Andreas Klein

REACH: Research Evidence-to-Action for Community Health

Informed consent forms are hard to read and understand, but people need this information to make informed decisions about whether or not to participate in research.

Explore The Relationship Between Birth Order And Level Of Differentiation Of Self, Ruchika Jain

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Family systems theory has played a primary role in the clinical development of family therapy. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between the variables, level of differentiation of self, and birth order. The researcher wanted to understand and explore the applicability of family systems theory in collectivistic cultures like India. Data from 136 participants from India, aged 18-29 was collected. DSI(R) is a self-reporting questionnaire that was filled up by the participants along with their demographic details and birth order. The results inferred that there was no significant relationship between the studied variables, indicating there are other confounding …

Neonatal Abstinence Signs During Treatment: Trajectory, Resurgence And Heterogeneity, Jennifer S. Miller, Henrietta S. Bada, Philip M. Westgate, Thitinart Sithisarn, Markos Leggas

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) presents with a varying severity of withdrawal signs and length of treatment (LOT). We examined the course and relevance of each of the NAS withdrawal signs during treatment in a sample of 182 infants with any prenatal opioid exposure, gestational age ≥ 35 weeks, without other medical conditions, and meeting the criteria for pharmacological treatment. Infants were monitored using the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring Tool. Daily mean Finnegan scores were estimated using linear mixed models with random subject effects to account for repeated withdrawal scores from the same subject. Daily item prevalence was estimated using generalized …

Climate Change And Mental Health: An Interactive Educational Session, Andrea Costin, Daniel Fisher, Bethany Harper, Ramzi W. Nahhas, John Sullenbarger

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, with direct and indirect impacts on mental health, yet health impacts of climate change remain notably absent from most medical school curricula. We describe a timely interactive educational session on climate change and mental health that was implemented and studied on a medical student clinical psychiatry rotation. Methods: We developed a 1-hour introductory session on the mental health impacts of climate change and potential solutions. The session was delivered to third-year medical students on their 4-week clinical psychiatry rotation and included pre- and postsession survey questions assessing their knowledge, …

What Is The Association Between Drinking To Cope With Binge Drinking And Alcohol-Related Blackouts In A College Population?, Adam Hvitfeldt-Matthews, Christina Sheerin Phd, Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mef2c Gene On Alcohol Tolerance, Oscar Bermejo-Mcgee, Alanna Morgan, Jennifer Wolstenholme Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Research In Enabling Systemic Racism In Tobacco Use In Black/African American Communities, Sophia Rodriquez, Heal-Va Lab Working Group, Mignonne Guy Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Efficacy Of The Nih Emotion Toolbox When Predicting Depression And Anxiety In Individuals With Down Syndrome (Ds), Lauren Hinton, Ruth Brown-Ennis Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Do Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depressive Symptoms Predict Cannabis Use Among College Students Of Color, Llorielle Gregory-Jerome, Arlenis Santana Phd, Chelsea D. Williams Phd, The Spit For Science Working Group, Danielle M. Dick Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Personality And Neurocognitive Risk Factors For Substance Misuse With Alcohol And Cannabis Use In College Students, Kaelen Diaz, Jasmin Vassileva Phd, The Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Risk And Protective Factors Associated With Substance Use For Adolescents In Second Or Last Chance Alternative Schools: A Narrative Review, Jaylynn Floyd, Jamie Cage Phd, Karen Chartier Phd, Msw, Amy Adkins Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

How Do Gender And Childhood Trauma Influence Opioid Misuse And Pain Outcomes Among Patients With Chronic Pain, Grace Ann Newton, Taylor B. Crouch Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Comorbidity Of Ptsd Symptoms And Alcohol Consumption Among Vcu Students, Galilea Gallardo-Mena, James Hart, Kaitlin Bountress, The Spit For Science Working Group, Ananda B. Amstadter Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Asian Consumers Of The Maryland Behavioral Health Service System, Kota Takayama Ph.D, Teresa Crowe Ph.D

JADARA

This exploratory study examines the demographic profile and diagnoses of deaf and hard of hearing Asian consumers in Maryland who received behavioral healthcare services from January 2016 to January 2019. Results show that: 1) most deaf consumers lived in private residences, 2) most consumers felt somewhat satisfactory in their mental health recovery, 3) almost half had mood disorder diagnoses, 4) nearly 25% had a schizophrenia diagnosis which was more than three times higher than the prevalence for non-Asian populations, and 5) deaf Asian consumers were more likely to have alcohol-related disorders. The discussion includes comparisons with other racial and ethnic …

Exploring The Effects Of Art Therapy Interventions On Self-Evaluations Of Food Addiction: A Randomized Control Study, Dawn Fiacco

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Processed sugar is highly addictive and associated with chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Often, people know that eating processed sugar has negative health consequences but continue to do so, possibly for emotional reasons. The gap between knowledge and behavior makes treating eating issues difficult. Art therapy is a nonverbal modality and could possibly circumvent usual rationalizations, making it an effective way to bridge the cognitive and emotional aspects of problematic eating. This randomized control, mixed methods study was conducted to examine whether a 7-week art directive program could help people with self-identified problematic …

Intuition And Insight In Art Therapy, Samantha Mach

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

The main goal of this research is to explore the unconscious phenomena of Intuition and Insight in art therapy. I define Intuition as knowledge that has been there all along and Insight as an inner sense of knowing and a space of no-thought. It is my belief that these unconscious processes lay at the heart of art and art-making and may therefore strengthen the therapeutic process. In order to investigate this hypothesis, I turned to the phenomenological analysis of qualitative interviews and found that seven themes emerged from the data collected: Prologue, Untethered, Interrelatedness, Deliverance, Concede, Divulge, Art as Allied, …

Adolescents, Complex Trauma, And Making Meaning Through Art, Teresa N. Grame

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study generated new knowledge and deepened understanding of how adolescent survivors make meaning of trauma recovery through art. Narrative inquiry methods applied art making with adolescent survivors of complex trauma who used art to express their experiences of healing. Eleven adolescents, ages 13-18, created three separate pieces of art representing how they see themselves and the world, in the past, present, and future. Narrative themes came alive through art in the form of metanarratives and storylines based on analysis of the formal elements of art and the Expressive Therapies Continuum. Art elements and art materials gave voice to …

U.S. Online Romance Scams: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors Associated With Victimization And Exploration Of Lived Experiences Of Victimization, Rebecca A. Cole

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this dissertation is to understand develop an understanding of experiences of online romance scam¹(ORS) victimization and to examine factors associated with ORS victimization. The dissertation samples ORS victims and uses purposive sampling strategies to recruit participants. The research used a mixed methods explanatory design approach. Inclusion criteria included ORS victims 18 and older who lived in the U.S., lost any amount of money in ORS scam, and met the scammer on any Internet platform. Three research manuscripts complete this dissertation. The first manuscript is a scoping review to understand the mental and physical health outcomes …

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses - Archive

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

Sympathetic-Cardiovascular Stress Reactivity In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Ashley Darling

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood and/or anhedonia that causes significant functional impairment in daily life. MDD affects nearly 15% of adults in their lifetime, and since 2019, prevalence estimates have increased up to ~30% in young adults (18-25 years old). In addition to its debilitating effects on daily functioning, epidemiological studies link MDD to ~3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), followed by accelerated CVD progression and mortality. Although the mechanisms contributing to MDD-CVD comorbidity are unclear, there is evidence of stress system dysfunction in adults with MDD.

Accordingly, the aim …

A Closer Look At The Humanistic Aspects Of The Opioid Epidemic And Its Implications For Pharmaceutical Ethics And Law, Eriel Burns

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

This paper elucidates the humanistic elements of this crisis, that is, the ethical challenges it poses and the role of culture in it. The opioid crisis disturbs several bioethics principles as indicated by the fact that it burgeoned out of the health care system as opposed to the illicit environments of the underground market. The book Dreamland by investigative journalist and storyteller, Sam Quinones encapsulates the complexity of the opioid epidemic through research and interviews with important figures related to the crisis such as physicians, people with opioid use disorder, and pharmaceutical sales representatives, among others. Quinones details that the …