Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

The Opioid Crisis Meets Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah M. Westerman

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Abstract: How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the Opioid Crisis have collided to create a negative effect on those who abuse drugs and other substances? These two wicked problems are now collectively making it more difficult for those to recover and overcome substance and drug abuse worsening the Opioid Epidemic. With no clear answer in sight can vaccines and more accessible rehab help to progress these wicked problems?

Mental Health And Covid-19, Haley Thiel

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The recent pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. Transitioning to full freedom and opportunity to lockdown with no human interaction was a huge adjustment. The global pandemic especially hit home to college students and had a significant impact on universities. In this paper we discuss and analyze how the pandemic has shifted college students mental health and the negative toll it had. We will examine how anxiety, depression, and other general mental health disorders have skyrocketed in college students during the pandemic. The need for reform and attention on college campuses to preserve students mental health is …

Mental Health Supportive Services During Covid-19: Proposing An Online, Self-Guided Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Program For Parents In The Disability Community, Ty B. Aller, Elizabeth B. Fauth, Sarah Hodgskiss, Jeff Sheen, Michael E. Levin

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) often experience stress, and the COVID-19 pandemic has likely increased their stress. In the current paper, we describe four things. First, we describe how mental telehealth treatments can effectively decrease parent stress, including programs that target behavior training and those that provide therapy. Teleheath programs are delivered by phone, computer, or fully online. Second, we describe challenges of these programs and explain how online, self-guided programs may help address these challenges. Third, we explain our online, self-guided program based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a specific type of …

Wastewater Testing Shows That Pharmaceutical And Illicit Drug Use Are Higher In Places Where Covid-19 Is More Prevalent, Kerrie Marshall, Arik Palileo, Eric Schiff, Teng Zeng

Population Health Research Brief Series

Wastewater testing shows that pharmaceutical and illicit drug use are higher in places were COVID-19 is more prevalent.

Opioid Use Disorder: The Timeline For Medication Assisted Therapy, Alexander Cristofori

Capstone Showcase

Opioid Use Disorder is patterns of opioid use leading to withdrawal, giving up important life events in order to use opioids, and excessive time spent using opioids, to name a few diagnostic criteria. The clinical progression of the disorder involves periods of acute exacerbation and remission that are cyclic in nature. Treatment is most effective when it includes both pharmacological and psychosocial modalities, referred to as medication assisted therapy (MAT). Three drugs used commonly in MAT-based treatment for OUD from oldest to newest include Methadone, Buprenorphine-naloxone, and Naltrexone. Treatment program models that prioritize total abstinence from the addictive substance attached …

The Strategically Broken System: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Clinical Implications Of Immigration Law, Policy, And Practice, Kelle Agassiz

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The majority of clinicians do not receive education pertaining to the legal aspects of immigration in their curriculum, training, or continuing education. In addition, the process of navigating the immigration system has been exacerbated in recent years due to rapid policy changes under the Trump administration, which has contributed to a hostile political climate, particularly for immigrants from Central America and Mexico. Using a classic grounded theory research approach, this study explored the relationship between the psychological implications of immigration and the legal challenges that immigrants face today, with a specific focus on immigration from Central America and Mexico. Through …

Post-Conflict Mental Health Policy And Substance Use Among Liberian Adults, Ekua Amonoo-Lartson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe objective of post-conflict countries after an extended period of war and trauma is to maintain peace and stability. However, the physical and psychological effects of substance use to cope with the devastation of war remains long after the crisis has ended. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine substance use among Liberian working-age adults, including their substance use habits, experiences with substance use, and access to mental health rehabilitative treatment. The access to medical care theoretical framework was used to guide the study. Data were collected from face-to-face semistructured interviews with 15 individuals regarding their experiences …

Wicked Problems: Depression, Sebastian Wendolowski

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Depression is a disorder that can affect anybody and is the leading cause of disability and disorders in the United States. This year, due to COVID-19, it has hit an all time high, affecting many more people. Suicide rates have been steadily growing across all ages, and this year is at a record high too, showing correlation with depression. There are two types of depression, major depressive disorder and chronic depressive disorder. Diagnosis of depression is typically done physically or through a questionnaire, which is compared into a DSM-5. There are many risk factors for depression and other common mental …

Long-Term Impact Of Child-Centered Play Therapy On Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Examination Of Academic Success In At-Risk Elementary School Students, Brittany D. Massengale

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the long-term impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) implemented through Primary Project on at-risk second-grade elementary school students. The qualifying group received ten 30-minute play therapy sessions during one academic semester during their second-grade year. In a longitudinal analysis for academic growth, MAP testing was used to determine if there was a long-term impact on both the third grade and fourth-grade years for the original qualifying students. The findings reveal implications for identification of and interventions for at-risk elementary students and CCPT as an intervention for academic achievement; specifically, reading and mathematics scores. Recommendations for future research …

Barriers And Facilitators To Opioid Use Treatment And Recovery Services During Pregnancy, Loralie Woods

Dissertations

Purpose: To identify barriers and facilitators to opioid use treatment and recovery services among pregnant and nonpregnant women who misuse opioids.

Background: Over 130 Americans die daily after overdosing on opioids. Women have not been immune from opioid use disorders (OUDs), with a 4-fold increase from 1999-2010. The prevalence of opioid use among pregnant women increased from 1.5 per 1,000 hospital deliveries to 6.5. Although the annual National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has provided information on risk factors for OUD related to socioeconomic and demographic factors, no studies using this data have identified barriers to opioid use …

Mhpaea & Marble Cake: Parity & The Forgotten Frame Of Federalism, Taleed El-Sabawi

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

No abstract provided.

Symptom Severity, Self-Efficacy And Treatment-Seeking For Mental Health Among Us Iraq/Afghanistan Military Veterans, Mary Keeling, Nicholas Barr, Hazel Atuel, Carl A. Castro

Social Work Faculty Research

Military veterans have high rates of mental health problems, yet the majority do not seek treatment. Understanding treatment-seeking in this population is important. This study investigated if symptom severity and self-efficacy are associated with treatment-seeking among US Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Survey data from 525 veterans meeting clinical criteria for PTSD and depression were included of which, 54.4% had sought treatment in the past 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that high symptom severity was associated with treatment seeking, whereas high self-efficacy was associated with a decreased likelihood to seek treatment. Self-efficacy could be an underlying mechanism of treatment seeking decisions.

Adolescent And Young Adult Mental Health Is Better In States That Mandate More School Mental Health Policies, Stephanie Spera, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Mental health problems and suicide rates have increased among adolescents and young adults over the past several years. This research brief shows that adolescent and young adult mental health is better in states that mandate more school mental health policies, including school-based mental health centers, professional development in suicide prevention, and social-emotional curricula.

Utilization And Impact Of Peer-Support Programs On Police Officers’ Mental Health, Beth A. Milliard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officer suicides rates hit an all-time high in the province of Ontario, Canada, in 2018. Sadly, this statistic is somewhat unsurprising, as research has shown that police officers suffer from higher rates of mental health disorder diagnoses compared the general public. One key reason for the elevated levels of suicide and other mental health issues among police officers is the stigma associated with seeking help. In an attempt to address these serious issues, Ontario’s police services have begun to create internal peer-support programs as a way of supporting their members. The present research explores the experiences of police officers …

Barriers To Mental Health Services Related To Stigma In Northern California, Kandalena Ary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

California Senate Bill 1041 recognized mental health as a contributing barrier for individuals struggling to achieve independence from aid through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program to meet the needs of the state's low-income families while reducing barriers to self-sufficiency. As mental health illnesses continue to increase, the engagement and utilization of services have not increased. The purpose of this study was to explore county policy infrastructure addresses making mental health services known, accessible, and increase participation to decrease barriers in utilization of available resources. The research questions were used to examine the effectiveness of processes …

Improving Access To Mental Health Care With Nurse Practitioners, Jessica Whelan

Dissertations

Problem: Over 40% of those with mental illness are untreated since the supply of psychiatrists does not meet the demand. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) may be an adjunct in providing those services. The purpose of this quality assurance study was to evaluate outcomes of care between a PMHNP and a psychiatrist (medical doctor [MD]).

Methods: An observational, descriptive design with a retrospective medical record review of adult patients over a six-month period in a suburban, Midwestern, privately owned psychiatric practice.

Results: A total of 787 individual patients encountered at least one visit (N=787) although 3,679 …

Long-Term Mental Health Support For Refugees After Resettlement: Assessment Of Mental Health And Psychosocial Support Services For Refugees In Switzerland, Courtney W. Chan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

By definition, refugees are people forced to escape their home countries, often as a result of persecution, war, or disaster. While abundant literature exists on the psychological effects of trauma and corresponding psychological treatment during or immediately following crises, we know little about how post-migration factors affect refugees’ psychological well-being after resettlement. Few such longitudinal studies have been reported; moreover, evaluations of current long-term mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS) and refugee access to MHPSS in host countries remain sparse. This study presents an evaluation of MHPSS services for refugees currently implemented around the world, with a focus on services …

Pensaba Que Te Había Olvidado: El Daño Duradero De La Trauma Que Viene De Tortura En La Dictadura Chilena, Antonia Mcdonnell Capossela

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: Is there a more useful model to characterize the torture that was implemented in Chile using the context of theory and history to establish an in-depth understanding of the symptomology and effects of the experience of torture survivors?

Objective: The general objective of this study is to establish the origin of the methods of torture used during the Pinochet dictatorship and use these results to suggest a model of reparations that is more wholistic. The specific objectives are to understand the intervention and instruction by the CIA in Chile, to study the testimonies of torture during the dictatorship …

Adolescent And Young Adult Mental Health Is Better In States That Mandate More School Mental Health Policies, Stephanie Spera, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Mental health problems and suicide rates have increased among adolescents and young adults over the past several years. This research brief shows that adolescent and young adult mental health is better in states that mandate more school mental health policies, including school-based mental health centers, professional development in suicide prevention, and social-emotional curricula.

From The Boots On The Ground: A Comparison Of The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Military Members And Mental Health Professionals Regarding The Moral Injury Construct, Karis L. Callaway

Dissertations

An increasing amount of research conducted in recent years indicates that, in addition to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, moral injury is a key concept to recognize when considering the deployment experiences of service members. Although related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which is a fear-based mental health diagnosis, moral injury is a distinct concept. It acknowledges the possible prolonged negative psychological, social, and spiritual consequences that may occur after experiences that challenge and transgress one’s deeply held moral beliefs. Events such as perpetration of harm, failing to protect or prevent harm, and witnessing or learning about distressing acts committed by influential others …

Comparing Psychiatric Care Experiences Shared Online With Validated Questionnaires; Do They Include The Same Content?, Rebecca Baines, John Donovan, Samantha Regan De Bere, Julian Archer, Ray Jones

Patient Experience Journal

Patient feedback is considered integral to patient safety and quality of care. However, limited research has compared the content of validated questionnaires with subjective patient experiences shared online. The aim of this study was to therefore identify and compare the content of psychiatric care experiences shared online with validated questionnaires. All research was conducted in co-production with a volunteer mental-health-patient-research-partner. We analysed all reviews published on the United Kingdom’s leading health and social care feedback platform Care Opinion, between 2005-2017 that discussed adult psychiatric care and compared findings with two validated questionnaires (ACP360 and General Medical Council patient feedback questionnaire). …

An Analysis And Critique Of Mental Health Treatment In American State Prisons And Proposal For Improved Care, Shelby Hayne

Scripps Senior Theses

Mental health treatment in state prisons is revealed to be highly variable, under-funded, and systematically inadequate. Existing literature exposes this injustice but fails to provide a comprehensive proposal for reform. This paper attempts to fill that gap, outlining a cost-effective, evidence-based treatment proposal, directly addressing the deficits in care revealed through analysis of our current system. In addition, this paper provides historical overviews of the prison system and mental health treatment, utilizing theoretical perspectives to contextualize this proposal in the present state of affairs. Lastly, the evidence is provided to emphasize the potential economic and social benefits of improving mental …

Demography, Risk, And Power: An Examination Of The Deceased Patient Population At The Hastings State Hospital, 1900-1978, Dawn T. Whitney

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to investigate the Hastings State Hospital (HSH) and its cemetery (HSHC) within a multidisciplinary framework, invoking discourse analysis, demography, and critical race theory to examine how power and risk factors impact the treatment and disposal of the body at death. It incorporates perspectives from both anthropology and sociology to interpret the data, relying heavily on the ideas of Michel Foucault. Integrating these diverse analytical tools is important to this research because social and structural forces all intersect in the creation of identity, power, and inequality.

All data in this study represent patients that have …

Community Health Worker's Perceptions Of Integration Into The Behavioral Health Care System, Juliette Swanston Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness in the United States is a major public health problem. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2017, 18.9% of adults in the United States had a mental illness. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions held by community health workers (CHWs) regarding their integration into the behavioral health care system in Maryland. Using a social constructivism paradigm and phenomenological approach, a purposive sample of 11 CHWs who supported patients with behavioral health conditions in 17 counties in the state were interviewed. Howlett, McConnell, and Perl'€™s five stream confluence …

Is It Who Am I Or Who Do You Think I Am? Identity Development Of Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders, Danielle N. Treiber

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to unearth how adolescents with substance use disorders achieve the task of identity formation and the construction of self-concept in the midst of the drug culture and society that exists. It sought to uncover the social constructs designed to ignore and/or remove human complexities and allow an intersectional approach to be brought to a study on this population. Historically, there has been a failure to investigate the underlying social attitudes and behaviors that impact the very delicate and vulnerable process of finding self. Psychosocial and relational adjustment are strongly influenced by the extent to …

The Critical Need For Mental Health Education To Be Mandated In New Mexico's Public Schools, Bonnie L. Murphy

Shared Knowledge Conference

Based on a review of research and best practices in mental health awareness and skills, this inquiry project argues for state legislative policies that would require mental health awareness and skills in the K-12 curriculum. Mental health affects individual accomplishments in every stage of people’s lives beginning in early childhood and throughout the life cycle. Prevention and treatment of mental illness plays a key role in the ability of an individual to cope with loss and develop resiliency and perseverance in challenging times and to make better decisions that improve the individual’s life and the lives of those around them. …

Ptsd In U.S. Veterans: The Role Of Social Connectedness, Combat Experiences And Discharge, Sara Kintzle, Nicholas Barr, Gisele Corletto, Carl A. Castro

Social Work Faculty Research

Service members who transition out of the military often face substantial challenges during their transition to civilian life. Leaving military service requires establishing a new community as well as sense of connectedness to that community. Little is known about how social connectedness may be related to other prominent transition outcomes, particularly symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to explore the role of social connectedness in the development of PTSD, as well as its relationship to the known risk factors of combat exposure and discharge status. Data used were drawn from a needs assessment survey …

Healthcare Utilization For Behavioral Health Disorders: Policy Implications On Nationwide Readmissions, And Outcomes In The States Of Nebraska And New York, Rajvi J. Wani

Theses & Dissertations

The main goal of this dissertation was to estimate national-level inpatient readmissions and state-level hospital-based emergency department (ED) visits with behavioral health (BH) conditions in the states of Nebraska and New York. The dissertation aims to assess the impact of the policy mandates under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on these state and national estimates. The Nationwide Readmissions Database and the State Emergency Department databases maintained by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project were used for this dissertation. US Adult population with high-risk of readmissions in the inpatient departments for alcohol-related disorders (ARD) and of visiting ED for …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have suggested that jails and prisons in the United States are becoming the new mental health clinics, contributing to the phenomenon of mass incarceration and costing upwards of $15 billion per year in public revenue. The problem is no conclusive evidence exists that treatment in these custodial environments is more effective than that provided by noncustodial programs; especially for substance users. Additionally, the continuing incarceration of people with mental health problems by the hundreds of thousands poses a difficult ethical dilemma regarding why this population does not receive noncustodial or hospital treatment instead. The study addressed the research question …