Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons^™

Integrating Matrescence Into Birth Worker Practice: A Practice Improvement Project, Kelsey B. Green

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect 20–25% of mothers worldwide and are a leading cause of maternal complications. Stigma, fragmented care, and limited provider training leave families vulnerable, while birth workers offer trusted, continuous support.

Problem: Birth workers' maternal mental health (MMH) training is minimal and often excludes matrescence, the developmental transition to motherhood, limiting their ability to distinguish normal adjustment from clinical PMADs and delaying intervention.

Methods: A single-group, pre-/post-test design evaluated a matrescence-informed workshop at Roots Community Health's 2nd Annual Symposium. Anonymous surveys measured knowledge, attitudes, and confidence, analyzed with Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Clinician Perspectives On Fistula Mental Health, Victoria K. Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations

Background – Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged labor that leads to stillbirth and incontinence, spurring social exclusion and isolation. These layers of trauma put women with fistula at great risk for psychological suffering, which has profound negative socioeconomic impacts on them, their families, and communities. This study captured treatment as usual at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), the country’s largest provider of fistula care.

Method – Improving holistic fistula treatment requires engaging the clinicians who care for women with fistula. This study aimed to investigate the training, beliefs, and treatment approaches of nurses and …

The Influence Of Social Media On Body Image, Self-Esteem, And Eating Disorder Risk In Adolescent Females, Nestanet A. Molla

InnovateHER Meeting 2026

• This literature review explored how appearance-focused social media affects adolescent girls. The studies showed that social media is linked to body dissatisfaction, comparison behaviors, lower self-esteem, and unhealthy eating behaviors, especially when use is intensive, problematic, or strongly appearance-focused^1–4

• At the same time, protective factors such as media literacy, family support, and body-positive interventions may help reduce these negative effects^4,5

Silent Struggles: A Qualitative Study On Mental Health Stigma And Help- Seeking Among African Individuals In The U.S, Ololade Ekwere

Dissertations

Approximately one-third of African Americans and Caribbean Blacks who require mental health services seek and utilize them (Evans & Sheu, 2019). Research has shown that stigma surrounding mental health treatment contributes to lower rates of professional help-seeking among Black Americans (Pederson, 2023). Despite the growing diversity within the Black community, limited research exists on how stigma influences professional mental health help-seeking among Africans living in the United States.

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the effect of public stigma on the mental health help-seeking behaviors of Africans living in the United States. Demographic data were collected, …

Decreasing Wound Healing Times By Decreasing Stress Levels, Bayleigh S. Kraus, Colson Burnett, Kelsey Spann

Scholars Week

The relationship between stress levels and delayed wound healing needs to be further investigated, particularly in hospitalized and chronically ill patients. Research shows that psychological stress can impair immune function, reduce tissue regeneration, and prolong inflammation, all of which slow the healing process. It is important to explore how both acute and chronic stress affect different types of wounds, such as surgical incisions, pressure injuries, and diabetic ulcers. Additionally, identifying which stress-reduction interventions are most effective in improving healing outcomes is essential. Understanding these factors can help nurses implement targeted, evidence-based interventions to promote faster recovery.

Diagnostic Trends And Service Enhancements In Deaf Mental Health: A Longitudinal Analysis, Kent Schafer, Steve Hamerdinger, Frank Wu, Rie Sakai Bizmark, Charlene Crump

JADARA

A longitudinal study investigated mental health diagnostic trends and patterns among Deaf and Hearing individuals using a comprehensive dataset from Alabama Department of Mental Health spanning 2004-2024 (Deaf=4,547; Hearing=2,056,188). Chi-square analysis revealed significant proportional differences in diagnoses between the groups. Deaf individuals showed significantly higher proportions of psychotic (12.93% vs. 8.33% Hearing), mood (20.76% vs. 18.84% Hearing), and personality (0.58% vs. 0.43% Hearing) disorders. These findings suggest that increased access to specialized and competent mental health services for individuals who are Deaf, particularly following the increase of staffing patterns for the Office of Deaf Services in 2015,contributed to more accurate …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Therapy To Reduce Disruptive Behavior In High School, Wendy Nell Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this project was to determine the impact and effectiveness of Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on adolescent anxiety and the disruptive symptoms that lead to high school adolescents being assigned to detention. This project described a quantitative correlational design research project that investigated a small adolescent sample size, with a goal of decreasing the number of local high school adolescent students who are repeat detention offenders, by implementing Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on those high school adolescents who were assigned to detention. This was achieved by collecting demographic data from …

Screening For Bullying In A Middle School Setting, Paige Bernau

Dissertations

Problem: Bullied youth are two and a half times more likely to experience depression and three times more likely to experience anxiety and suicidal ideation than their peers (Li et al., 2024). Schools represent a key access point for mental health support and treatment for youth (Duong et al., 2020). Despite this, schools typically do not have formal bullying screening integrated into student support services.

Methods: This program evaluation used a descriptive, observational design to evaluate a bullying screening program in a suburban middle-school. This program used the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS) to assess for bullying victimization (BV) followed …

Empowering Schools: Suicide Prevention Education For School Nurses, Navjot K. Singh

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Suicide among adolescents and youth is a serious public health issue that requires immediate intervention to reduce ideation and death. The increasing rate of suicide among children and adolescents has a profound effect on families, friends, and the community.

Problem: Suicide among school aged children and adolescents can create significant challenges for school nurses, who are often the first contact for students who recognize suicidal ideation and mental health crises. This issue is particularly significant for the Alameda school nurses in California, as they play a significant role in identifying and supporting students in a crisis.

Methods: A …

Universal Adolescent Depression Screening And Implications For Identification Of Adolescent Depression And Mental Health Referrals, Cherry Cooper, Juan Zhou Powell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Throughout the United States, mental health concerns have been steadily increasing, which has created a significant impact for caregivers, overburdened healthcare facilities, and patients. In fact, a large number of those experiencing mental health issues are unidentified and thus more likely to experience mental health crises, suicidal ideation, or suicide attempts. Rural adolescents are significantly more vulnerable than their urban counterparts related to disparities in both mental health services and preventative screening. Coordination with a critical access hospital (CAH) emergency department revealed that there was no universal adolescent depression screening in place, and patients were potentially going undiagnosed and …

The Impact Of Physical Activity On Mental Health Disorders In Children, Brianna E. Ryan

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Purpose - The purpose of this project is to highlight the effects physical activity has on children's mental health and to provide evidence-based insights on ways physical activity can and should be incorporated into the developmental stages of children's lives. Ultimately, the goal being to promote healthier and improved mental health statuses for the younger populations.

Introduction - The mental health crises among children are on the rise as more children each year are diagnosed with mental health conditions. It has been found that around 20% of children ages five through seventeen regularly experience symptoms of mental health disorders and …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Nurses' Feelings, Stress, Coping, And Motivation In Palestinian Treatment Centers Of Corona, † Wafaa Menawi, Shatha Mari, Ahmad Adel Hanani

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Background: Frontline nurses of COVID-19 found themselves in an unfamiliar new disease work environment, fighting to adapt and control the stress while working at covid-19 centers in Palestine. Aim: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on nurses' feelings, stress, coping, and motivation in COVID-19 Palestinian treatment Centers. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted between Mid of July to the end of October 2021 by recruiting a purposive sample of 390 nurses who worked at the Ministry of Health during COVID-19 pandemic treatment centers. The nurses filled out the COVID-19 Health Personnel Questionnaire with Cronbach's Alpha > 0.9. Results: Palestinian frontline …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Healing Through Storytelling And Mindful Narrative Therapy, Julie Kemp

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This study presents research about the nature and prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the mental and physical impacts to individuals exposed to ACEs, and incorporating mindfulness practices into therapeutic approaches to treating them, particularly Mindfulness-Based Narrative Therapy (MBNT). It is important because ACEs have become a global crisis, with the potential for interfering with psychological and physical development, early mortality, and other harmful life outcomes. This thesis provides critical information for mindfulness teachers and practitioners, therapists, educators, regulators, parents, and individuals subjected to ACEs.

The methodology includes extensive literature searches for narrative therapy and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in peer-reviewed …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Self-Harm In Female Youth With Undiagnosed Adhd: Implementing American Academy Of Pediatrics Screening Guidelines, Roselie M. Woodard

Dissertations

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. If undiagnosed or untreated, ADHD can lead to severe psychosocial issues such as academic failure, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancy, and incarceration. The financial burden in the U.S. from diagnostic errors creates an immense, rising fiscal impact. Early diagnosis and management are crucial to prevent these complications.

Females with ADHD, particularly those with the inattentive subtype, often face diagnostic challenges due to symptom masking and over-compensation. This results in poorer cognitive functioning and self-esteem compared to males with ADHD. ADHD is linked to autonomic nervous …

Bridging The Gap: Psychopharmacologic Education And Side Effect Screening For Non-Prescribing Mental Health Professionals, Elaine Fitzgerald

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The United States is experiencing a growing demand for pediatric mental health support. Surges in mental health diagnoses and psychotropic medication prescriptions have occurred, compounded by a shortage of psychiatric providers. Non-prescribing mental health professionals are well-positioned to recognize psychotropic medication side effects. However, psychologists and counselors lack formal pharmacology education.

Methods: The quality improvement (QI) initiative was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. The evidence-based psychopharmacologic education for non-prescribers utilized a quasi-experimental pre- and post- test design. Data collected from clinicians included knowledge, confidence, and skill concerning psychotropic medications. The Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Checklist (PMMC) screen clients …

Using Self-Assessment Tools And Complementary Alternative Therapy For Chronic Migraines In Menopausal Women, Krystal Rachelle Bridwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Migraine headaches are ranked as one of the highest disabling conditions in the United States. Women who are in the perimenopausal transition phase have a higher prevalence of disabling migraines that can result in a decreased quality of life, loss of income, decreased productivity, and a higher risk for emotional difficulties. The gap in practice is the lack of education on complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and the use of a migraine diary to recognize individual symptoms as a substitute or cotherapy with pharmacologic treatments. The purpose of this scholarly project was to improve clinical practice and outcomes for perimenopausal …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Universal Depression Screenings In The High School Setting, Telisha Anthony Msn, Fnp-Bc, Jennifer Thorsen Bsn, Rn, Jackie Sharp Dnp, Pmhnp-Bc, Sharon Little Dnp, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Depression in adolescents is rising each year. Early detection of depression has been shown to result in better health outcomes and success in school. This scoping review aims to evaluate the implementation of universal depression screenings in the high school setting and how this detection of depression and initiation of treatment.

Methods

From August 2022 to November 2023, we used the Medline, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO databases, using specific keywords related to depression in adolescents. Of the 38 articles found, 10 were chosen after extensive article critique. The publication dates ranged from 2014-2023, were full-text, and from …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

The Effect Of A Community Resiliency Model Education On Resilience, Psychological Empowerment, And Well-Being In Behavioral Health Nurses, Lorrie Smith-Esterle

DNP Projects

Background: Resilience, well-being, and psychological empowerment are associated with improvement in job satisfaction and nurse retention rates. The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) can promote emotional regulation, well-being, and create an internal state of balance in response to work-related stressors. Educating nurses on how to use CRM enables the recognition of changes in thoughts, emotions, sensations, and internal or external stimuli, which can promote resilience, well-being, and psychological empowerment.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate evaluate the effect of a resiliency education using the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) on resilience, psychological empowerment, and well-being of behavioral health nurses. …

Using Education To Confidently Identify And Report Concerns Of Child Abuse And Neglect: A Qualitative Improvement Initiative Through Staff Development, Sarah E. Neilson

Master's Theses and Capstones

BACKGROUND: Pre-licensure education on child abuse and neglect is crucial for nurses in the healthcare field. It helps to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively identify, report, and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect. Having this education available and understanding the signs and effects of child abuse and neglect, empowers nurses to take quick and decisive action in early intervention and prevention. Within the microsystem of a local Operating Room (OR), this quality improvement (QI) project will determine the muchneeded addition to the healthcare curriculum.

METHODS: The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) framework was …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Elderly Adults With Dementia, Jeante J. Jackson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As people age, the brain is more susceptible to changes that diminish cognitive function. In recent years neuroscience has found convergent evidence between music therapy and brain architecture, as it has shown the generation of new connections in the brain or a reorganization and possible strengthening of existing connections already in the brain. However, the literature regarding music training’s effects on executive control, selective attention, and speech processing is lacking particularly when it comes to older populations.

This study investigated Verbal Working Memory, Visuospatial Attention and Task Initiation, and Auditory Selective Attention in a 91-year-old adult (B.P.) diagnosed with dementia. …

The Lived Experience Of Using Opiates Among Young Adults, Catherine Mbewe

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research study is to explore the lived experience of using opiates, as described by young adults aged 18 to 25 years. Over the last 2 decades, opioid use disorders (OUDs) and opiate overdose deaths have increased dramatically in the United States. What used to be a problem primarily contained to minority groups in poor inner-city areas is now increasingly common in all races, genders, ages, and classes. There has also been an alarming increase in opiate use—including fentanyl, both legal and illegal—among young adults. While much of the literature has been focused on the opiate use …

Anxiety And Agitation In Adult Patients Admitted To An Emergency Room During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Doris L. Asombrado

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective correlational study was to identify the relationship between COVID-19 status and the prevalence of anxiety-agitation with select sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in adults admitted to the ED during the pandemic (03/01/2020 through 12/31/2020).

Background: COVID-19 infections combined with the WHO and CDC recommendations to mitigate spread have had deleterious psychosocial and economic outcomes with the risk of subsequent COVID-19 related mental illness. Studies indicate one in three adults experience anxiety or depression.

Methods: This retrospective correlational study reviewed 2,572 psychiatric admissions from a Southern California ED during the pandemic from March 1, 2020 through …

Mental Health Benefits Of Physical Activity In Older Adults, Adrian Kurt Zitzmann

Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner

Physical activity is the fountain of youth, strengthening both the physical body as well as the mind, leading to better emotional stability and a general sense of well-being. The population over age 65 is nearing retirement age and are transitioning from a high paced work and family life to a slower and less active “empty nest” lifestyle. Among adults over age 65, will implementing an exercise program for 30 minutes per day increase mental well-being? The benefits of physical activity will be supported by gathering a group of older adults ages 65 and up from a local retirement community to …

The Purple Heart And Suicidal Behaviors In Post-9/11 U.S. Army Combat Veterans With A Traumatic Brain Injury: A Mixed Methods Study, Jayna Moceri-Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Military suicide rates remain high, despite years of targeted efforts to prevent suicide. Specifically, Army Combat Veterans who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism are at the highest risk for suicide. This dissertation highlights possible causes for suicidal behaviors within this unique group and provides specific military suicide prevention recommendations. The dissertation is organized into three publishable manuscripts: The first manuscript (Chapter 1) is a mixed-methods dissertation research proposal written according to the National Institute of Health proposal guidelines. The second manuscript (Chapter 2) is an integrative review of the …

Emergency Care For Youth Who Experience Suicidality And Identify As Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (Lgbtq+): An Interpretive Phenomenology, Theresa Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Suicide is a leading cause of death in children; youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are at an exponentially higher risk of suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency care for suicidality when they were adolescents.

Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutics phenomenology is the research method used in this study. Youth, ages 18-25 years, who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency treatment for suicidality when they were adolescents (13-17 years) were recruited to participate;fifteen youth enrolled. Individuals ranged in age from 20 to 25 years. Participants described …

Increasing Mental Health Literacy In The Black Church, Jonathan Allotey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase mental health literacy, assess stigmatizing attitudes, and increase help seeking behavior in leadership within an African American church.

Background: The Black church has historically been a central institution for community support and leadership within these churches are often ill equipped to address the mental health needs of congregants. African Americans underutilize mental health services and are reported to have more chronic mental illnesses. Lack of mental health literacy may result in difficulty recognizing the risk factors, signs, symptoms, and treatments related to specific mental illnesses.

Evidence Based Intervention and Methods: Participating …

The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health is an ever-growing crisis among adolescents and young adults, with suicide as second leading cause of death and the number of those negatively affected continually on the rise. Transitions are one of the major stressors prevalent among these age groups, placing individuals at risk for mental health deficits. This quantitative voluntary response comparative study assesses the transitional mental health of pre-nursing students and students in the nursing program at East Tennessee State University. Emailed to all with a declared major of pre-nursing or nursing, this study measured mental health using evidenced based assessment tools. The PHQ-9 for depression …