Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Dialectical Behavior Therapy For Dual Diagnosis: Treating Adolescent Substance Use Disorder And Co-Occurring Mood Disorders, Melody R. Gately

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Social Justice Attitudes And Health: A Cross Sectional Study, Edward Donovan

Senior Honors Projects

Background: Increasingly, social justice is being considered as a key factor associated with health outcome. In addition, there is growing interest in exploring perception of discrimination in healthcare settings. This study explored perceptions of social justice, health care discrimination, health care status and utilization of healthcare resources. The investigators predict a significant association between the level of social justice awareness and healthcare utilization based on the hypothesis that those who are cognizant of social inequities are more likely to be informed self-advocates in healthcare settings.

Methods: First, a survey was created based on a review of existing literature. The …

Developing The Facilitative Health And Well-Being Tool: Freeing Writing, William O. Fogarty

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Research into processes of self, including self-concept clarity, identity, and meaning and purpose in life, has demonstrated that human beings that feel they know themselves tend to experience positive health and well-being outcomes, while people who feel they don’t know themselves tend to experience more negative health and well-being outcomes. These findings indicate that knowing oneself is essential. Thus, the facilitative tool I am creating with this Master’s Project, Freeing Writing, combines the power of self-knowledge and self-discovery with the healing power of expressive writing. In this manuscript, I synthesize the scientific research, Design Thinking process, and real-world experiences which …

Facilitators And Barriers To Healthy Eating Among American Indian And Alaska Native Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Stakeholder Perspectives, Sarah Stotz, Nertila Bregaj, Kelly Gonzales, Luciana E. Hebert, Kelly R. Moore

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related complications than non-AI/AN adults. As healthy eating is a cornerstone of diabetes self-management, nutrition education plays an important role in diabetes self-management education.

Objective: To understand stakeholder perspectives on facilitators and barriers to healthy eating for AI/AN adults with T2D in order to inform the cultural adaptation of an existing diabetes nutrition education curriculum.

Methods: Individual interviews were conducted with 9 national content experts in diabetes nutrition education (e.g. registered dietitians, diabetes educators, experts on AI/AN food insecurity) and 10 community-based …

Relationship Of Utilization Of Mental Health Care In Patients With Substance Use Disorders With And Without History Of Prior Incarceration, Linda Zhang, Harrison Ross Galicki, Gerald Demasters, William B. Dehart

Psychiatry

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Of Individuals Within Incarceration: A Systematic Literature Review, Steven I. Valladares

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mental Health Illness is on the rise in the United States. About 90% of incarcerated individuals have at least one mental health condition. The current federal and state incarceration systems do not seem to be well-equipped to transition an incarcerated individual to the civilian life. This is so because the incarceration system focuses too much on the punishment rather than rehabilitation. This framework could be deemed unsafe and dangerous to the civilian world once a prisoner gets released, due to incarcerated individuals not receiving adequate mental health treatment. This literature review highlights the flaws of the current incarceration system mental …

Integrating Art Therapy And Emotionally Focused Therapy With Couples: A Conceptual Framework, Pauline A. Hall

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how art interventions are aligned and integrated with emotionally focused therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2020) in the treatment of relational distress with couples. EFT is a brief humanistic evidence-based treatment, grounded in attachment theory, with experiential and systemic approaches to intervention that engage underlying emotion to create more secure bonds. Notably scant literature exists blending art-based and verbal approaches in EFT, despite the importance of verbal imagery in EFT intervention and the experiential nature of expressive therapies. In this study, NVivo qualitative data analysis software facilitated thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with five clinicians who integrate the …

Mental Health And Health Literacy Among College Students, Selam Walker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The study evaluates whether there is an association between mental health and health literacy among college students. Mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing of an individual. “Health Literacy refers to the capacity of an individual to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make an informed health decision.”

Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of an existing data on college students. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted with p values less than .05 used to denote significance.

Results: In this study, 46.3% of the participants reported mild to moderate or …

Levels Of Engagement In Mental Health Services Regarding Minorities, Karla Salazar Rendon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focuses on analyzing if the level of engagement when receiving mental health services affects how many mental health providers an individual has. Although mental health impacts everyone, minorities encounter barriers such as language, transportation, and residential segregation. Obstacles such as these discourage individuals in regards to pursuing mental health services. Minorities make up a significant amount of the U.S. population: however, they are underrepresented in the mental health field. The challenges they encounter need to be addressed to provide efficient services. This study includes male and female participants over the age of 18 in San Bernardino County. The …

Keeping Count: Studying The Effects Of Previous Sexual History On A Current Coupling, Kaelyn D. Pate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis details a quantitative study focusing on the sexual double standard and how its impact on sexual attitudes and behaviors has a possible influence on relationship satisfaction. The purpose of this research is to understand how attitudes regarding the prevailing double standard reflect the hesitancy towards having a partner with a previous sexual history as the discussion suggests. There will be a review of previous literature for the traditional, cultural, and even paradoxical aspects that make up the standard. Findings of the study showed that there was no significant relationship found between a respondent’s acceptance of the sexual …

Examination Of Orthodontic Expenditures And Trends In The United States From 1996 To 2016: Disparities Across Demographics And Insurance Payers, Man Hung, Sharon Su, Eric S. Hon, Edgar Tilly, Alex Macdonald, Evelyn Lauren, Glen Roberson, Martin S. Lipsky

Institute on Aging Publications

Background: Orthodontics prevent and treat facial, dental, and occlusal anomalies. Untreated orthodontic problems can lead to significant dental public health issues, making it important to understand expenditures for orthodontic treatment. This study examined orthodontic expenditures and trends in the United States over 2 decades. Methods: This study used data collected by the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to examine orthodontic expenditures in the United States from 1996 to 2016. Descriptive statistics for orthodontic expenditures were computed and graphed across various groups. Trends in orthodontic expenditures were adjusted to the 2016 United States dollar to account for inflation and deflation over time. …

It's About Time: Examining The Role Of Time Together And Perceived Stress In Couple Relationships, Rachel J. H. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Because stress is a common struggle in romantic relationships and because stress can spill over into couples’ interactions and affect their level of relationship connection, it is important to understand what can help couples adapt to stress and maintain meaningful relationships. Quality time together has been found to have positive effects on relationship outcomes overall. Additionally, family stress theory has posited that having sufficient resources can help couples adapt to stress and avoid a crisis situation. As such, time together was examined as a potential resource for couples to draw upon to adapt to the potential negative effects of perceived …

Examining Physical Activity Behaviors And Psychometric Beliefs Of College Students Before And After The Covid-19 Shutdown, James White Iii

Graduate Theses

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine PA behaviors, social support and self-efficacy for PA, Rosenberg self-esteem, and perceptions of body weight before and after the COVID-19 shutdown (March 15, 2020) among the college demographic.

Participants: 311 college students from a four-year, comprehensive, southeastern university in the United States were included in the study from December 1, 2020 until March 5, 2021.

Methods: Surveys were conducted via Qualtrics, an online survey system, and consisted of approximately 40 items, including demographic information, PA behaviors, social support and exercise, self-esteem, self-efficacy to exercise, and perceptions of body weight and self-image. …

Social Emotional Learning As A Universal Upstream Approach To Youth Suicide Prevention: A Secondary Data Analysis Of A Prevention Program Evaluation, Maria Amaris Knight

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Nevada has had consistently high rates of youth suicide in the past decade with 21.2 deaths by suicide per 100,000 population (ages 15-24), over the national rate of 14.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2019. National strategies, state agendas, and best practices in the field prioritize research on upstream strategies to prevent suicide. One such strategy is the use of social emotional learning (SEL) programs for youth to help increase and enhance protective factors against suicide, helping them to cope with negative life events. Research has identified leading outcomes of SEL programs as the improvement of attitudes, behaviors, and academic …

Improving Therapeutic Communication In Mental Health Nursing: A Quality Improvement Project, Patricia A. Nill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over 46 million adults in the United States (U.S.) live with a mental illness. Locally in Nevada, the psychiatrist to patient ratio is approximately 700:1, and patients are seen primarily in the inpatient setting, if seen at all, due to the wait average of 85 hours in the hospital emergency rooms for access into mental health hospitals or specialty units of a general hospital. Moreover, costs for mental health mood disorders alone are estimated at over seven million dollars annually. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) opined the need for change in healthcare to redesign practice and clinical communication with patients …

An Evaluation Of Care Coordination In Reducing Depression Symptoms And Emergency Room Visits, Stacy Sumpter

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Individuals living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) account for 26% of the population; however, they consume 84% of healthcare resources, are three times more likely to have depression than healthy individuals, and have increase emergency room (ER) visits and healthcare resource use. This population requires coordinated health care to reduce unnecessary spending and the misappropriation of healthcare resources. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of care coordination (CC) and the support system it provides in lowering depression symptoms and ER visit frequency as a viable measure to reduce overall healthcare costs.

Methods: The healthcare providers, …

Examining The Experiences Of Lgbtq Dpt Students: A Critical Ethnography, Catherine Turner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of LGBTQ Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students at a large public university in the south-western United States, as it relates to the culture and climate of the program and campus. The LGBTQ community faces its own unique health disparities. Research in medicine suggests improving the diversity of the healthcare profession is a vital component in improving access to care, and this requires the creation of inclusive and supportive educational environments for LGBTQ identifying healthcare students. However, minimal research exists examining the experiences of LGBTQ physical therapy students.

The study …

A Comparative Study Of Recovery Ecosystems For Opioid Use Disorder In Portugal And Appalachia, Jonathan David Mullins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A comparison of the structure and effectiveness of recovery ecosystems for opioid use disorder in Portugal and Appalachia, with a focus on identifying areas for improvement within the Appalachian region.

The Role Of Music In The Trauma Narrative And “Storytelling”: Perspectives Of Clinicians, Taylorlyn N. Mehnert

Masters Theses

There is a lack of detailed literature describing how music is used for expressing and processing the trauma narrative. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach through an anti-oppressive lens to explore the ways in which music therapists use music in exploring clients’ stories. The term “story” is used as opposed to “narrative” or “memory” to incorporate a broader definition of expression including non-verbal, musical, metaphorical, or any other method the client chooses. Eight board-certified music therapists (MT-BC) were interviewed regarding their use of music in the context of clients’ stories. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was used …

I Matter: Understanding The Self-Care Practices Of School Counselors During The Covid-19 Pandemic And How Internal And External Factors Create Barriers, Alisha Rene Marie Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diminished self-care practices and heightened stress of school counselors is a continuing problem in education. With role ambiguity, high student-to-counselor ratios, emotional exhaustion, and others adding pressure to the roles and responsibilities of school counselors, this study investigated the self-care practices of Missouri school counselors and the internal and external factors which influence them, specifically within the context COVID-19. Clayton Alderfer’s (1972) Existence, Relatedness, and Growth theory was used as a theoretical framework for chosen self-care practices represented in this study and was supported by Robert Kegan’s and Lisa Lahey’s (2009) Immunity to Change theory to understand the competing commitments …

Laughter As A Priming Agent For Change, Linnea M. Heintz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance of laughter as a factor in influencing employee job satisfaction ratings. The Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1985, 1997) and pulses of laughter were used in this study. To explore the relationship between laughter and job satisfaction, results of the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1994) were collected quarterly (four times a year) for three consecutive years, beginning six months prior to the start of the two-year study and six months post. The study sample was composed of 545 employees (34% male, 66% female) operating out of 10 employee-owned retail chain locations …

Covid-19’S Psychological Influences: How Have University Students Been Affected?, Julaby Dalman

Nursing | Senior Theses

Undergraduate students are well-known as a vulnerable population prone to stress, anxiety, depression and various other psychological problems during their academic time at university or college. With the introduction and sudden integration of the COVID-19 pandemic into the daily lives of these high-risk students, globally, many people are concerned with how the mental health of this population will be affected, given the presence of the pandemic in addition to the multiple safety measures put in place in an attempt to contain the virus. This includes students having been subjected to prolonged implementation of shelter-in-place mandates and requirements of social-distancing across …

A Call To Action: Preventing Opioid And Substance Abuse In South Florida Youth, Julie A. Jacko, Katherine P. Cohen, Cathaerina Appadoo, Arkene S. Levy, Timothy F. Page, Michael J. Parker, Solina Pierre-Gilles, Francois Sainfort

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

The opioid crisis poses a substantial threat to youth throughout the nation. This crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing some of the positive national trends in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Some risk factors for youth opioid use have been identified nationally. The South Florida tri-county region of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach is a culturally distinct region which may not follow national trends and likely has unique risk and protective factors. To address the concerning spike in youth opioid use in South Florida, a community coalition was formed to identify factors unique to South Florida …

University Of Mississippi Student Perceptions Of The Relationship Between Stimulant Use And Mental Health, Elizabeth Mccutcheon

Honors Theses

College students are situated in a perfect storm for stimulant misuse and mental health issues, while living admits a mental health crisis of never-before-seen proportions, in combination with a global pandemic and the normal amount of stress associated with a university course load. It is important to address college student’s perceptions of the risks and benefits of stimulant use in order to see if they realize the severity of the problem of abuse and address it. The addiction of examining mental health in relation to stimulant abuse can provide new insight to the motivation behind the rise in stimulant abuse …

Impact Of Group Prenatal Care On Health Outcomes For Women Of Color In The United States: A Systematic Literature Review, Morgan Brockington, Emily Bauer, Julie Kameisha

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Women of color in the United States experience disproportionately higher rates of adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, both in the prenatal and postpartum period. Group prenatal care (GPC) has been gaining popularity in recent years and has demonstrated improved health outcomes. The aim of this systematic literature review was to examine and summarize the impact of group prenatal care on health outcomes for women of color in the United States. Using a systematic approach and PRISMA guidelines, two electronic databases—CINAHL and PubMed—were used to search the literature. Quantitative research studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2020, written in …

The Impacts Of Social Media Sites Such As Instagram And Facebook On Emerging Adult’S Perceptions Of Self-Esteem And Body Satisfaction, Wynne Cushing, Samantha Shandorf, Courtney Piccirillo, Abby Frazier

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

This study investigated the impacts of social media use, specifically Facebook and Instagram, on emerging adults’ perceptions of self-esteem and body satisfaction. Limited research exists regarding the influence of demographic variables, such as gender, race, and geographic location, on the relationship between social media use and negative outcome variables. The researchers utilized a cross-sectional survey design with a target population of University of Southern Maine students. Researchers hypothesize that emerging adults who spend more time on Facebook and Instagram are more likely to have lower self-esteem and body satisfaction than emerging adults who spend little to no time on Facebook …

Opioid Use And Harm Reduction, Elise Bourassa, David Lee, Jason Rogers, Christian Silverthorne

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Calls for various harm reduction approaches to the opioid epidemic are increasing in activist communities (Chapkis, 2020; Kennedy-Hendricks et al., 2019; Sederer & Marino, 2018). Given that harm reduction approaches, if implemented, will be provided by people in various helping professions, the current study investigates the relationship between choice of human service-focused college major and level of support for harm reduction interventions for people who use opioid drugs. A quantitative survey that aims to measure knowledge and perceptions of harm reduction strategies has been disseminated to students in social work, counseling, public health and nursing departments at the University of …

Educator Wellbeing During Covid-19: Caregivers Vs. Non-Caregivers, Elizabeth Larsen, Judy Gagnon, Yana Davis, Nicole Hudson

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

The phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the format of public education, putting stress on the educational system and its teachers. This research study aims to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the role of teachers in Maine, specifically focusing on the added responsibility that parents may experience while simultaneously meeting professional obligations. Researchers posed the question: “What is the relationship between caregiving responsibilities and emotional wellbeing of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic among public school teachers in Maine?” Participants from K-12 public schools around the state were recruited through direct contact or via building administrators who distributed …

Clinicians Use Of Mindfulness-Based Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leah Ridley, Samuel J. Giese, Shelby Cogan, Chelsea Hughes

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Alternative mental health treatments like mindfulness hold a great deal of promise, but limited research exists on their success and application with the adolescent population. This study investigates the primary research question, “What are the experiences of clinicians providing mindfulness-based treatment to school-aged children in Maine during the COVID-19 pandemic?” This explanatory mixed methods study involves a quantitative survey of clinicians, and will be followed by a virtual focus group to further unpack the value of mindfulness-based practices when working with school-aged children. Survey data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis; focus group data will be …

Socastee Interview, Participant #16, April 29, 2021, Jennifer Mokos, Jaime Mccauley

Flood Survivor Interviews

A community member of the Rosewood neighborhood in Socastee is interviewed by a CCU student.