Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

Big Five Personality Traits, Pathological Personality Traits, And Psychological Dysregulation: Predicting Aggression And Antisocial Behaviors In Detained Adolescents, Katherine S. L. Lau

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the utility of three different models of personality, namely the social and personality model, the pathological personality traits model, and the psychological dysregulation model, in predicting overt aggression, relational aggression, and delinquency in a sample of detained boys (ages 12 to 18; M age = 15.31; SD = 1.16). Results indicated that the three personality approaches demonstrated different unique associations with aggression and delinquency. The psychological dysregulation approach, composed of behavioral dysregulation, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive dysregulation, emerged as the overall best predictor of overt aggression, relational aggression, and delinquency. After controlling for the Big Five personality …

Project 10:13, Julianna Farias

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Project 10:13 ultimately aims to fix the nation's drug problem and eventually change the country's legal structure regarding drug crimes. At this rate this trend is increasing, something must be done to slow down the acceleration of the problem. To do so, Project 10:13 will start with San Antonio, TX. One of the reasons for starting project 10:13 is my first-hand experience with the damage caused by drug abuse. My older sister, now 28, suffered from an addiction to drugs from the age of 16 to the age of 24. For my family and I, those eight years are indescribable. …

Research Brief: "Investing In Vets: Strategies To Help Returning Gulf War Vets Enter The Civilian Work Force Successfully", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study found that corporate leadership, veteran-specific training, and a long-term commitment to veterans’ employment were all significant factors in diminishing barriers to veteran employment and reintegration. In practice, social workers who understand business and organizational change can be leaders in supporting veterans in the workplace, and also in advocating for positive social change for veterans and their families. For employers, increased cultural competence concerning military populations would be helpful. In policy, organizations should work on creating coalitions of corporate leaders who have the power to change policies, programs, and practices, and who will monitor the success of these policy …

Generalizing Anxiety, Center For Public Service

SURGE

As she began reading the list of symptoms, I was making mental check marks next to the ones that applied to me.

Fear of interacting with strangers- check. Fear that others will notice that you look anxious- check. Avoiding doing things or talking to people out of fear of embarrassment- check. Fear of situations in which you may be judged- check. Anxiety that disrupts your daily routine, work or school activities- check, check, check. [excerpt]

The Role Of Culture In Making Psychiatric Diagnosis: Hwabyung (火病) And Neurasthenia (神經衰弱), Jonghyun Lee

2013 New England Association for Asian Studies Conference

The Role of Culture in Making Psychiatric Diagnosis: Hwabyung (火病) and Neurasthenia (神經衰弱)

My paper looks at two psychiatric illnesses and discusses their social and cultural dimensions. The two illnesses to be compared are the Korean affliction called hwabyung, and the once-popular Western malady labeled neurasthenia, a common ailment in 19th century America.

Neurasthenia was defined as “a disorder characterized by feelings of fatigue and lassitude,” which is caused by the nervous system. That definition could fit most people at some time or another. Hwabyung, on the other hand, means “fire illness.” Koreans believe that chronic distress can …

Stress And Eating: A Dual Role For Bombesin-Like Peptides, Zul Merali, S. Graitson, J. C. Mackay, P. Kent

Brain and Mind Institute

The current obesity "epidemic" in the developed world is a major health concern; over half of adult Canadians are now classified as overweight or obese. Although the reasons for high obesity rates remain unknown, an important factor appears to be the role stressors play in overconsumption of food and weight gain. In this context, increased stressor exposure and/or perceived stress may influence eating behavior and food choices. Stress-induced anorexia is often noted in rats exposed to chronic stress (e.g., repeated restraint) and access to standard Chow diet; associated reduced consumption and weight loss. However, if a similar stressor exposure takes …

Long Term Effectiveness Of Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Treatment Of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Tahira Perveen, Sajid Mahmood, Ibrahim Gosadi, Jaishri Mehraj, Sana Sadiq Sheikh

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: The existing trials on the long term effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for the treatment of postpartum depression have conflicting results. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to summarize the current evidence.
Methodology: Literature search was performed using electronic databases Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsychINFO were explored from January 2000 to March 2013.
All peer-reviewed English-published randomized controlled trials were eligible if they assessed the long term (at least at 24 weeks post partum) effectiveness of CBT versus standard postpartum care for prevention of postpartum depression. Data from eligible studies were …

A Comparison Of Attention Bias Paradigms Related To Insomnia, Nathaniel Maloney

Theses and Dissertations

Attentional bias to sleep related stimuli by poor sleepers has been reported as a factor in initiating and maintaining sleep disturbance. In this study, three paradigms (Flicker, Posner, and Stroop) were used in comparison to further investigate the role of attentional biases in Primary Insomnia. Participants (n=117) were split into good sleepers and poor sleepers using a median split with the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (PIRS). Using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) as the covariate, two-way mixed modality ANCOVAs were conducted for each paradigm revealing no significant differences in word type, quality of sleep, or the interaction …

Are Your Parents To Blame? Disentangling Temperament, Parenting Style, And Schemas In The Development Of Depressive Symptoms, Jenny Delorme

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Jeffrey Young's Schema Theory (1990; 2003) and its influence in understanding the etiological factors related to depressive symptoms. It was hypothesized that there would be significant interactions between parenting and temperament traits. It was also hypothesized that The Defectiveness and Insufficient Self Control EMSs would mediate the relationship between the significant parenting/temperament interactions and depressive symptoms. Participants were administered the Young Schema Questionnaire Short form-3 to measure the endorsement of schemas; the Beck Depression Inventory to measure symptoms of depression; the Young Parenting Inventory to measure perceived parenting; and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire to measure temperament traits. …

Spirituality And Alcohol Consumption In A General Population, Nicole Keenan

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between spirituality and alcohol consumption in a general population because spirituality is important when it comes to the treatment and continued recovery from addiction. In order to measure spirituality, we used three psychometrically tested measures; The Intrinsic Spirituality Scale, the Spiritual Intelligence Self Report Inventory, and the Spiritual Assessment Inventory. To measure alcohol consumption we utilized the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Results sustain the multidimensionality and overlap between spirituality and religion and the need for more complete definitions. Our findings support the buffering relationship between spirituality and alcohol consumption as well as a relationship …

Locus Of Control And Quality Of Life In Individuals With Schizotypy, Rachael Paulbeck

Theses and Dissertations

The present study collected data from 200 undergraduate students (106 male, 94 female) and sought to examine the relationship between levels of stress, cognitive processes related to stress management (Locus of Control- LOC; Sense of Coherence; SOC), and quality of life (QOL) across varying levels of risk for developing schizophrenia. Results indicated that high-risk individuals are significantly more likely to have an external locus of control (F=4.121, p=.018) supporting hypothesis 1. Counter to our second hypothesis, locus of control was not directly associated with QOL. However, LOC was correlated with both stress and level of risk for schizophrenia which (in …

The Freshman Experience, Stephanie Mannon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory research was to investigate if change in sexual risk-taking behavior between high school and college can be predicted as a function of the interaction of person and situation traits. College, conceptualized as a backspace (situation) construct, and personality traits (sensation-seeking, neuroticism, extraversion) conducive to deviant behavior were examined. While significant risky behavior was reported for all students (n = 252), hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher levels of the specified personality traits in combination with on-campus backspace residential status was not predictive of greater change in engagement in sexual risk-taking behavior. Implications for future research …

Impact Of Postpartum Anxiety And Depression On Child’S Mental Development From Two Peri-Urban Communities Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Niloufer Sultan Ali, Sadia Mahmud, Asia Khan, Badar Sabir Ali

Department of Family Medicine

Background

Postpartum anxiety and depression has detrimental effects on the overall mental development of children. This study aims to assess the impact of postpartum anxiety and depression on children’s mental development on all sub-scales in a Pakistani population.

Methods

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two peri-urban communities of Karachi, a mega city of Pakistan, to assess the impact of postpartum anxiety and depression on children’s growth and mental development. A total of 420 women were enrolled, who had given consent out of 651 pregnant women identified, during February 2004 to December 2005. Data for socio-demographic, home environment and family …

Content Analysis Of Cognitive Distortions In Pedophiles' Online Forum Posts, Lyndsie Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, sexual encounters between adults and children were rarely reported to authorities, and thus considered a rare problem. However, as many as 33% of girls and 14% of boys experience sexual encounters with adults and as a result may experience consequences such as aversive feelings regarding the act of sex, substance abuse, and self-mutilation. Such consequences lead research to examine pedophile's cognitive distortions. This exploratory study examined pedophiles' website forum posts to determine if any posters demonstrated cognitive distortions. Four independent raters used content analysis to determine which cognitive distortions were demonstrated by the examined pedophiles. Results suggested that cognitive …

Dimensions Of Suicidality: Analyzing The Domains Of The Sis-Map Suicide Risk Assessment Instrument And The Development Of A Brief Screener, Megan Johnston, Charles Nelson, Amresh Shrivastava

Data and Test Instruments

This study aimed at validating the domains of suicidality assessed by the Scale for Impact of Suicidality—Management, Assessment and Planning of Care (SISMAP) and creating a brief screener based on the full scale. A total of 50 individuals with suicidal ideation were given the SIS-MAP interview. Support was found for these domains of suicide risk; in particular, the subscales of ideation and protective factors for suicide risk were highly reliable. For each domain of suicidality, items most predictive of total risk index scores were selected to create a brief screener aimed at expediting the assessment process. The screener was reliable, …

Treatment Of Psychiatric Inpatients With Relationship Dysfunction Using A Short Term Cognitive Interpersonal Intervention: A Pilot Study, Tamra Rasberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Relationship conflict for the psychiatric patient can have significant detrimental effects. There are specific types of interactions that can increase conflict and predict the potential for relapse; these have been identified by research and designated as components of Expressed Emotion (EE). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) have been very effective when targeting specific psychiatric diagnoses, but less effective when addressing relationship conflict. The majority of studies addressing relationship conflict have taken place in an outpatient, long-term setting. There is limited research that utilizes an inpatient short-term intensive therapy with relationship conflict as its sole focus, targeting areas …

A Community-Based Wellness Program To Reduce Depression In African Americans: Results From A Pilot Intervention, Christina Nicolaidis, Corliss Mckeever, Sandra Meucci

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

African-Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to find antidepressants acceptable or seek care for depression.

Objective

To develop and pilot-test a culturally-tailored, community-based, psycho-educational wellness and exercise promotion program to reduce depressive symptoms in African-Americans.

Methods

Participants were African-Americans with moderate depressive symptoms, who were interested in exercise, but were not exercising regularly. They attended a 6-week psycho-educational group program during which they set personal activity goals and learned depression self-management skills. We conducted pre- and post-intervention surveys and post-intervention feedback sessions.

Results

21 African-Americans participated in the intervention. The program had excellent attendance and satisfaction. We found …

Research Brief: "Suicide Among Patients In The Veterans Affairs Health System: Rural-Urban Differences In Rates, Risks, And Methods", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the differences between rural and urban veterans in risks and rates for suicide. In policy and practice, communities should implement support programs for rural veterans, and veteran families should educate themselves about the risk factors for suicide and support veterans in their families; policymakers should increase VA outreach programs in rural areas, as well as programs educating rural veterans about the importance of mental health treatment for those at risk for suicide. Suggestions for future research include looking at the impact of social context on suicide rates, determining the relationship between suicide risk for rural veterans …

Suicidal Ideation In Callers To A Crisis Hotline In Mumbai,, Amresh Srivastava, Megan Johnston, Larry Stitt, Meghana Thanksr, Sunita Iyer, Nilesh Shah, David Lester

Data and Test Instruments

Suicidal ideation in callers to a crisis hotline in Mumbai, India Amresh K. Shrivastava1,2, Megan Johnston3, Larry Stitt4, Meghana Thakar5, Sunita Iyer6, Nilesh Shah7 and David Lester8* 1Silver Mind Hospital and Mental Health Foundation of India, (PRERANA Charitable Trust) Mumbai. 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. 3Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2M2. 4Biostatistical Support Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. 5Silver mind Hospital, Mumbai, Currently, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Practitioner, Lambeth CAMHS Early Intervention Team, South London and Maudsley …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Teacher Job Satisfaction And Involvement In Extracurricular Programming, Winfield Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory study were to (a) examine secondary teachers' overall job satisfaction and satisfaction specific to extracurricular programming involvement, (b) ascertain whether extracurricular involvement affects overall job satisfaction, and (c) identity the factors that are most influential over teachers' satisfaction specific to extracurricular involvement. A review of the existing literature presents factors previously implicated in affecting teacher job satisfaction. Extrapolations are made regarding the presence of these same factors in the extracurricular programming setting. To investigate these extrapolations, data was collected via secondary teachers' completion of the Extracurricular Programming Questionnaire, a survey developed by the principal researcher. …

Cannabis And Psychosis: Transition To Psychosis, Amresh Srivastava, Kristen , Terpstra, Yves Bureau

Data and Test Instruments

Cannabis has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, however, but the pathway of cannabis causing psychosis is not well understood. It appears that cannabis does not cause any structural changes per say but deficits in areas of the brain responsible for memory and emotion do show some changes. Recent studies suggest that cannabinoids such as CB1 have a pharmacological profile similar to that of atypical antipsychotic drugs. This mechanisms may involve dopamine, GABA, and glutamate neurotransmission; It is still not known if these changes are transitory or permanent, and whether or not they contribute to …

Measurement Of Clinical Risk Of Stigma And Discrimination Of Mental Illnesses, Amresh Srivastava, Yves Bureau, Nitika Rewari, Megan Johnston, Arman Panday, Nilesh Shah

Data and Test Instruments

Abstract Background: Stigma and discrimination continue to be a reality in the lives of people suffering from mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, and prove to be some of the greatest barriers to access care, continue to remain under care, and regain a normal lifestyle and health. Research advances have defined stigma, assessed its implications and have even examined intervention strategies for dealing with stigma. The delay in treatment due to stigma causes potential complications like suicide, violence, harm to others and deterioration in capacity to look after one’s physical health. These are preventable clinical complications. In order to deal with the …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Women With Breast Cancer: Implications For Counselors, Latasha K. Clay

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to explore the lived experiences of African American women diagnosed with breast cancer. Phenomenology focuses on the meaning of the lived experiences of individuals experiencing a concept, structure, or phenomenon (Creswell, 2007). The purpose of phenomenological research is to identify phenomena as perceived by the individual. Utilizing an existential perspective, the focus of this study was to uncover meaning which defined the essence of the participants’ experiences. Seven African American women diagnosed with breast cancer participated in this study. The participants’ ages ranged from 33-63 years. A semi-structured interview process with open-ended questions was utilized …

Finding Solutions To Institutional Corruption: Lessons From Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Lisa Cosgrove, Robert Whitaker

Counseling, School Psychology & Sport Faculty Publication Series

The American Psychiatric Association and academic psychiatry in the United States have two conflicts of interest that may affect their assessment of psychiatric drugs and their development of diagnostic and clinical care guidelines: payments from pharmaceutical companies and guild interests. Until recently, the proposed solution to industry-academic relationships has been transparency. However, cognitive dissonance research reveals that disclosure is not a solution because cognitive biases are commonplace and difficult to eradicate. Indeed, bias is most often manifest in subtle ways unbeknownst to the researcher or clinician, and thus is usually implicit and unintentional. Also, recent studies suggest that disclosure of …

Diagnostic Interaction: First-Person Patient Narratives On Hacking's Looping Effects And The Normative Status Of Psychiatric Nosology, Corinne Jager

Honors College Theses

What is the interaction between a psychiatric patient and their diagnosis? How do they respond to being classified? A number of philosophical theories attempt to explain the interaction between the diagnosed patient and their classification. Ian Hacking develops an account of interaction which holds that objects of human science classification are influenced by the awareness of the classification in a way that changes both the classification and its object. Hacking thinks that psychiatric patients are “interactive kinds” whose awareness of their classification causes changes in the individuals' experience of themselves, and thus changes in their classification. Hacking claims that these …

Does Emotion Invalidation Cause Emotion Dysregulation? Evidence From A Healthy Sample Of College Students And Implications For The Development Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Melissa Jean Zielinski

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Linehan's BioSocial theory is a widely accepted model of the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, the tenet that experiences of invalidation causally influence the development of the emotion dysregulation that characterizes BPD has been subject to relatively little empirical attention. The purpose of this study thus was to experimentally investigate the effects of validation and invalidation on indices of emotion dysregulation including self-invalidation, distress tolerance, and Social problem solving. The current study used a laboratory-based emotion induction procedure in which ninety college students participated in validating or invalidating conversations about emotional events with a peer confederate. Contrary to …

Ethical Imperatives Of Teaching Stress Control To Promote Well-Being., Clayton Coleman

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The overarching purpose of this thesis is to explain why the creation of a program that facilitates and maintains good mental health is ethically imperative. This paper will focus on the ethical primacy of mental health within a population as opposed to physical health. A key factor that this paper will take into account is the way that stress affects physical health and how stress is disproportionately spread through the population. It recognizes that an individual’s mental health status can be influenced by their particular life circumstances and/or socioeconomic status, which can be seen as constitutive luck. Those disadvantaged segments …

The Cultural Manifestations Of Anorexia Nervosa, Aaron Volk

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Disaster Relief Volunteers, Erica Ballard

Theses and Dissertations

Secondary Traumatic Stress is a stress response brought about by working with or having a close relationship with a person or population affected by a traumatic event. It has been found in doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and aid workers. The purpose of this study was to further understand the prevalence of STS in disaster relief volunteers. Thirty-five former and current volunteers for various disaster relief organizations filled out a survey about their experience, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale and the Compassion Fatigue Scale-Revised. Out of 35 participants, 91% were found to have at least one symptom of STS or …

Study Of Negatives Symptoms In First Episode Schizophrenia*, Vivek Bambole, Nilesh, Shah, Shushma Sonavane, Megan , Johnston, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Background: Prevalence of negative symptoms in the early phase of schizophrenia remains uncertain. Ne- gative symptoms are the primary cause of long term disability and poor functional outcome. The purpose of this study is to examine the presence of negative symptoms in patients with fist episode psychosis in schizophrenia who were hospitalized. Methods: Nega- tive symptoms were measured in 72 patients present- ing with FEP using the scale for assessment of nega- tive symptoms (SANS) and ascertained diagnosis us- ing DSM-IV. Prevalence of SANS items and sub- scales were examined for both schizophrenia and bi- polar disorder. Results: This study …