Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Designing Sensory Adaptive Environments To Enhance Participation In Healthcare For Autistic Children, Lady Rios-Vega, Amy Carroll, Rachel Dumont, Diane Treadwell‑Deering, Matthew Fields, Roseann Schaaf

Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence Faculty Papers

Purpose: Many autistic individuals experience sensory features that impact participation in healthcare. In this study, we aimed to identify the needs of autistic children during healthcare participation and, based on the findings, generate solutions to improve participation in healthcare. Methods: A design-thinking approach with qualitative methods was used. First, observation of the environment and journey mapping were completed as part of the empathy stage of design thinking. Next, six parents of autistic children completed semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Next, healthcare providers participated in a group session to discuss experiences caring …

Exploring The Neural Correlates Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions In Youth, Jovan Jande, Clara Zundel, Samantha Ely, Sneha Bhargava, Carmen Carpenter, Reem Tamimi, Leah Gowatch, Mackenna Shampine, Emilie-Clare O'Mara, Shravya Chanamolu, Hilary Marusak

Medical Student Research Symposium

Mindfulness based interventions (MBI) reduce the severity of anxiety and depression among a variety of populations. While the psychological benefits of MBIs are increasingly recognized, less is known about the underlying neural correlates—particularly during childhood and adolescence, a time when many psychopathologies begin to emerge. Here, we provide the first systematic review on the neural correlates of MBI in youth. We reviewed the PubMed database for original articles examining the neural correlates of MBI in youth (0-18 years) leveraging neuroimaging. The search yielded 331 studies, of which 13 were included in the review. These studies comprised 451 participants and were …

Early Life Experiences As Later Life Predictors For Criminality: Examination Of Public Criminal Records., Juliana S. Bastien

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Crime's detrimental impact on society, victims, families, and the justice system is undeniable. Thus, identifying factors that contribute to the perpetration of crime is essential to reduce the public health impact of crime. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are frequently found in community samples and are consistently associated with physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences. Research suggests that negative childhood experiences contribute to maladaptive behaviors, including delinquency and perpetration of crime later in life (Perez et al., 2018). The present study's purpose is to identify specific childhood experiences associated with criminality. The data presented on criminality and ACEs was collected from recruited …

Grit And Second Language Learning Engagement: The Mediating Role Of Affect Balance, Chenggang Wu, Xiaoyong Tian, Hui Jin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The study of the relationship between key psychological attributes of learners and their engagement in second language (L2) learning helps to understand the critical personality mechanisms influencing language learning. The present study examined the L2 learning engagement from the perspectives of grit (i.e., consistent efforts and interests devoted to a long-term goal) and affect balance (a notion that takes into account both positive and negative emotions concurrently, assessing and evaluating which side holds more significance or influence). A cohort of English L2 learners (

Conceptualizing Care Partners' Burden, Stress, And Support For Reintegrating Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study, Nicholas A. Rattray, Mindy Flanagan, Allison Mann, Leah Danson, Ai-Nghia Do, Diana Natividad, Katrina Spontak, Gala True

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: People who support Veterans as they transition from their military service into civilian life may be at an increased risk of psychological distress. Existing studies focus primarily on paid family caregivers, but few studies include spouses and informal non-family "care partners." We sought to identify key challenges faced by care partners of Veterans with invisible injuries. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 individuals involved in supporting a recently separated US military Veteran enrolled in a 2-year longitudinal study. CPs completed validated measures on perceived stress, caregiving burden, quality of their relationship, life satisfaction, and flourishing. Independent -tests were …

Processes For Identifying Caregivers And Screening For Caregiver And Patient Distress In Community Oncology: Results From Wf-1803cd., Chandylen L. Nightingale, Anna C. Snavely, Laurie E. Mclouth, Emily V. Dressler, Erin E. Kent, Christian S. Adonizio, Suzanne C. Danhauer, Rachel Cannady, Judith O. Hopkins, Heather Kehn, Kathryn E. Weaver, Katherine R. Sterba

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite their vital roles, informal caregivers of adult cancer patients are commonly overlooked in cancer care. This study describes processes for identifying cancer caregivers and processes for distress screening and management among caregivers and patients in the understudied community oncology setting.

METHODS: Supportive care leaders from the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program practices completed online survey questions regarding caregiver identification, caregiver and patient distress screening, and distress management strategies. We described practice group characteristics and prevalence of study outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression explored associations between practice group characteristics and caregiver identification in the electronic health record (EHR). …

Investigating The Motivational Differences For Healthy Eating In Men And Women, Kylie Martin, John Adams

Journal of Applied Disciplines

The study aimed to measure the differing levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for healthy eating behaviors in men and women. Through social media outreach, a sample of 57 participants (n=57), aged 18-69, living across the United States, primarily in the midwestern area, completed an online survey. The Motivation for Healthy Eating Scale (MHES) assessed different subgroups of internal and external motivation for healthy eating. Five of the six subgroups were used in the online survey sent to participants (intrinsic motivation, integrated regulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, and external regulation). An independent samples t-test was performed to assess …

The Role Of The Infralimbic-Basal Forebrain Pathway In Fear Extinction, Carolina Maria Fernandes Henriques

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a key region for emotion regulation, and its failure to regulate extinction of aversive memories is associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Study of how the Infralimbic cortex (IL), a subregion of the mPFC, directly communicates with the Basolateral Amygdala (IL-BLA), has thus far failed to uncover the circuit mechanisms that lead to mPFC-mediated amygdala suppression of firing and diminished fear responses during extinction retrieval. One problem of this model is that it doesn’t incorporate indirect IL communication with the BLA. A key region to help understand how IL modulates extinction is the basal …

Asl-English Interpreters And Anxiety, Stephen B. Fitzmaurice, Meri Faulkner

Journal of Interpretation

Reflective of the American population, there are a number of interpreters who have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Using a mixed methods approach, credentialed interpreters share their experience with anxiety as a professional interpreter. Participants relate both the positive and negative effects of anxiety on their interpreting work. Several anxiety coping strategies are explored, as well as, detailing the importance of finding a confidant. Issues such as potential professional stigma and the consequences of declining assignments for anxiety reasons are discussed.

Attitudes And Barriers To Breastfeeding Among Women At High-Risk For Not Breastfeeding: A Prospective Observational Study, Jessica Cole, Ateshi Bhatt, Andrew G. Chapple, Sarah Buzhardt, Elizabeth F. Sutton

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background Rates of breastfeeding are lower among minority and underserved populations in the United States. Our study objective was to assess pregnant persons attitudes and barriers to breastfeeding among a cohort at high risk for not breastfeeding. Methods We disseminated the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) to 100 pregnant persons at least 18 years of age attending a prenatal visit in a low-resource, academic practice in south-central Louisiana (Woman’s Hospital). The IIFAS, as well as questions collecting information on breastfeeding experience and sociodemographic characteristics, were administered via interview. Medical records were reviewed to investigate associations between attitudes about breastfeeding …

Sleep Attitudes As An Indirect Predictor Of Risk For Metabolic Syndrome In First Year College Students, Sophie Hirsch, Hannah Peach, Trudy L. Moore-Harrison, Philip Zendels, Aria Ruggiero, Jane F. Gaultney

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Background: Habit formation can be a challenge for first-year students. Research has suggested that regardless of sleep knowledge, favorable sleep attitudes predict better sleep.

Aim: Our aim was to investigate whether sleep attitudes directly or indirectly predicted risk for metabolic syndrome via sleep.

Method: Students completed self-report and physiological measures. Participants wore wristwatches to collect sleep data. Path analyses investigated the direct or indirect effect of sleep attitude on risk for metabolic syndrome via subjective sleep (sleep quality, duration, risk for apnea) and objective sleep (sleep efficiency, duration, subjective risk for apnea).

Results: In our subjective analysis that sleep attitudes …

Multiple Timescales Of Temporal Context In Risky Choice: Behavioral Identification And Relationships To Physiological Arousal, Hayley R. Brooks, Peter Sokol-Hessner

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Context-dependence is fundamental to risky monetary decision-making. A growing body of evidence suggests that temporal context, or recent events, alters risk-taking at a minimum of three timescales: immediate (e.g. trial-by-trial), neighborhood (e.g. a group of consecutive trials), and global (e.g. task-level). To examine context effects, we created a novel monetary choice set with intentional temporal structure in which option values shifted between multiple levels of value magnitude ("contexts") several times over the course of the task. This structure allowed us to examine whether effects of each timescale were simultaneously present in risky choice behavior and the potential mechanistic role of …

Digital Phobia: An Inquiry For Mapping The Unseen Dimension Of New Digital Anxiety, The ‘Digiphobia’, Amarjit Kumar Singh ,Library Assistant, Md. Arshad Ali , Professional Assistant, Dr. Pankaj Mathur, Deputy Librarian,

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: As technology continues to advance, individuals' interactions with digital platforms have become integral to daily life. Amidst this technological evolution, a novel concern emerges—Digital Phobia, hereafter referred to as “Digiphobia.” This phenomenon, although not previously explored in scholarly literature, necessitates an in-depth investigation due to its potential impact on individuals' well-being. Our research employs a two-step methodology to investigate its existence, implications, and manifestations.

Introduction: This research paper introduces and proposes the term "Digiphobia" as a comprehensive conceptualization of anxiety arising from interactions with digital spaces, applications, and environments. The proliferation of digital technologies has led to the emergence …

Challenges And Promising Solutions To Engaging Patients In Healthcare Implementation In The United States: An Environmental Scan, Eva N. Woodward, Andrea Isabel Castillo, Gala True, Cathleen Willging, Joann E. Kirchner

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: One practice in healthcare implementation is patient engagement in quality improvement and systems redesign. Implementers in healthcare systems include clinical leadership, middle managers, quality improvement personnel, and others facilitating changes or adoption of new interventions. Patients provide input into different aspects of health research. However, there is little attention to involve patients in implementing interventions, especially in the United States (U.S.), and this might be essential to reduce inequities. Implementers need clear strategies to overcome challenges, and might be able to learn from countries outside the U.S. METHODS: We wanted to understand existing work about how patients are being …

Adolescent Mental Health In The Twenty-First Century, Arthur Maerlander, Patricia Gail Bray

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Parents do not suddenly relinquish medical decision-making to their children and are a vital part of a process construed within the framework of consent and confidentiality laws. In the transition period from childhood to adulthood, adolescents develop unique healthcare needs and concerns at the very time they are gaining autonomy from their parents. Adolescents progress from being recipients of decisions about their care to gradually becoming active participants in their healthcare and emerge as a primary partner in medical decision-making. Building a strong therapeutic alliance with young people can help them become responsible healthcare decision-makers.

Yet while “healthcare,” including …

Associations Of Sex And Sport Contact‑Level With Recovery Timelines Among Collegiate Athletes With Sport‑Related Concussion, Bernadette A. D'Alonzo, Andrea L. C. Schneider, Ian J. Barnett, Christina L. Master, Abigail C. Bretzin, Douglas J. Wiebe, Ivy League-Big Ten Epidemiology Of Concussion Study Investigators

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background

Growing interest has motivated recent studies to examine differences in recovery after sportrelated concussion (SRC) by sex. However, heterogeneity in study design, participants, and recovery outcomes has led to mixed findings. Further work is needed to evaluate potential differences by sex and to investigate the role of related characteristics, such as sport contact-level, in recovery timelines. This study aimed to investigate whether concussion recovery trajectories differ by sex, considering a priori clinical and demographic covariates, and accounting for the sequence of recovery outcomes. Our secondary question was whether sport contact-level modifies the relationship between sex and time to outcomes. …

Case Report: Suicidality In A Registered Sex Offender, Chloe Jean, Ana Suarez, Lian Janasky

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

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 …

Cognitive Functioning In Well-Controlled Asthma, Erin Walsh

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Asthma is a common lung disease that impacts lung functioning through inflammatory based mechanisms. Past research suggests that decreased blood oxygenation due to asthma attacks may impair cognitive capabilities (Irani et al., 2017). Moreover, the observed differences in cognition between those with and without asthma may be associated with disease severity or asthma control respectively in asthma populations. The current study explored differences in cognitive functioning between college students with and without self-reported asthma. Sociodemographic data, self-reported asthma severity, and measures of asthma control were collected. The current study did not find significant differences in measures of cognitive efficiency between …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

Investigation Of Brain Function And Structural Development As Risk Factors Of Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors, Yi Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially causal ones, will be imperative to improving screening and treatment interventions. To identify replicable brain-based risk factors, there is increasing evidence indicating the need for large sample sizes, in the hundreds to thousands, in order to achieve a sufficient level of statistical power to detect them. Furthermore, longitudinal studies of brain and behavioral factors will be essential to understanding how suicide develops, especially the transition from suicide ideation to attempt. While experimental studies may not be feasible or ethical, genetically informed methods for testing evidence for causation are an alternative …

Reducing Medication Barriers Before Patient Check-Out At A Student Run Free Clinic, Jenna D. Reisler, Daniel Bao, Alison Zill, Marysuna Wilkerson

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Symposium 2024

No abstract provided.

How The Lockdown Of Covid-19 Influenced The Neurocognitive And Psychosocial Development Of Preschoolers, Kay Picson

Nursing | Senior Theses

COVID-19 caused schools to turn to online learning through platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet. The influence and effects caused by the transition to online lessons and quarantine were seen across all patient populations and demographics, but none more so than preschool children, who are regarded as one of the more vulnerable populations due to their susceptibility to change. This research aims to fill gaps in the existing literature by evaluating the similarities and differences of the neurocognitive and psychosocial development of preschoolers exposed to the pandemic and those who were not. This study involves a comparative cohort approach …

Estradiol Signaling Improves Extinction Memory Recall To Combat Cue-Induced Heroin Relapse In Rats, Jordan S. Carter

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

We are in the midst of an opioid use disorder (OUD) epidemic. While several treatments mitigate a range of factors contributing to return to use, or relapse, the power of drug-conditioned environmental cues to precipitate relapse have not been adequately addressed. One treatment modality targeting cue reactivity, cue exposure therapy (CET), exacerbated relapse in individuals with OUD, perhaps due to a deficit in extinction memory recall (EMR). Here, EMR is the ability to override the drug-cue association and prevent relapse. Interest remains in combatting cue-induced relapse, potentially by introducing a pharmacologic adjunct with CET to enhance EMR. In the following …

Giving People The Words To Say No Leads Them To Feel Freer To Say Yes, Rachel Schlund, Roseanna Sommers, Vanessa K. Bohns

Articles

We examine how to structure requests to help people feel they can say no (or yes) more voluntarily. Specifically, we examine the effect of having the requester provide the request-target with an explicit phrase they can use to decline requests. Part of the difficulty of saying no is finding the words to do so when put on the spot. Providing individuals with an explicit script they can use to decline a request may help override implicit scripts and norms of politeness that generally dictate compliance. This should make individuals feel more comfortable refusing requests and make agreement feel more voluntary. …

Get It In Writing: How To Make Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Available During Incarceration, Margaret J. Mcgladrey, Jordan Kelsch, Michelle R. Lofwall, Laura C. Fanucchi, Sharon L. Walsh, Carrie B. Oser

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

In a case example from the Kentucky HEALing Communities Study, extensive resources were deployed to address structural barriers and facilitate the provision of medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) in an urban county jail. However, implementation was unsuccessful, and this case example emphasizes the importance of including evidence-based medication for OUD (MOUD) treatment in the scope of work of jails’ contracted medical providers. The privatization of correctional health care services allows local governments with opioid abatement funds to incorporate requirements into medical provider contracts to screen all people entering jails for OUD and to offer MOUD at intake, throughout incarceration, …

Perceived Versus Actual Hiv Risk Among Prep Indicated Persons With Criminal Legal Involvement, Taylor Krajewski, Katherine H. Lemasters, Carrie B. Oser, Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Individuals involved with community supervision experience multi-level obstacles impacting health outcomes. This is a high-risk period for HIV acquisition due to potential reengagement in unprotected sex and/or unsafe injection drug practices. This study aimed to assess the congruence between actual and perceived HIV risk and the degree to which individual, social, and behavioral factors impact risk perception among individuals on community supervision. While all participants were clinically indicated for PrEP, most participants (81.5%) did not consider themselves at risk for HIV (69.5%) or were not sure of their risk (12.0%). Among those with no or unsure perceived risk, 94% engaged …

Screening Incarcerated Women For Opioid Use Disorder, Michele Staton, Martha Tillson, Mary M. Levi, Matthew Webster, Carrie B. Oser, Carl Leukefeld

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The overall aim of the present study is to examine the utility of the DSM OUD Checklist and the NM-ASSIST screening tools to identify symptoms consistent with OUD among incarcerated women in county jails. This study contributes to the existing literature because research on screening and assessment approaches for incarcerated women has been limited. The focus of the current study is to describe the screening procedures and study recruitment for a larger parent study focused on increasing treatment linkages. Study findings indicate a positive correlation between indicators of OUD using the two screening tools, as well as a high degree …

Trends In Youth Opinions About Police Agencies In The United States, 2017–2021, Delvon T. Mattingly, Nancy L. Fleischer

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Introduction: As civil unrest about policing in the United States (US) continue, research on changing opinions about police agencies is needed, especially among younger populations. These opinions may be associated with distress and other health outcomes that come with public health implications.

Methods: We aggregated and used yearly 2017 to 2021 data on 12th-grade youth living in the US from the Monitoring the Future cross-sectional study (n = 7132). We categorized opinions about police agency job per- formance into 1) very poor/poor (hereafter: poor), 2) fair/good/very good, and 3) no opinion. To examine trends in policy agency opinions over time, …

A Social History Of Opioids’ Crimedical Cycle, Jerel M. Ezell, Alex Rains, Babatunde Patrick Ajayi, Kyle Miller, Erin Augustine, Dawn Goddard-Eckrich, Elizabeth N. Kinnard, Michelle R. Lofwall

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Historically, public and political discourse around people who nonmedically use opioids has largely been rendered via a deficits-oriented lens, presenting this population as weak, disinterested, and deviant,and thus undesirable and ill-positioned for wellness and communal integration. These narratives, and subsequent policies used to engage people who use opioids, are intermittently formed and disrupted by geopolitical changes, as public and institutional attitudes, often driven by racial and class-related considerations, shift. As part of what we term the crimedical cycle, a population’s behaviors fluctuate between periods of medicalization and criminalization. Strengths-based theory, an offshoot of ‘positive psychology’ that helps contextualize the crimedical …