Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

Quality Of Life Before And After Cosmetic Surgery: Should Body Dysmorphic Disorder Be Considered An Absolute Or Relative Contraindication For Cosmetic Surgery?, Lindsay Conlisk

Capstone Showcase

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) has historically been regarded as a strong contraindication for cosmetic plastic surgery. New research now suggests that the contraindications to cosmetic surgery in patients with BDD may not be so absolute. This paper reviews diagnostic criteria, diagnostic challenges, and current standard of treatment of BDD. It then presents the idea of insight analysis in the BDD patient as a significant factor in determining if patients with BDD may or may not benefit from cosmetic surgery or procedures.

Psychological Resilience In Student-Athletes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Henley Lapid

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the psychological resilience process in student-athletes during the unique adverse context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study sought to answer the following research questions guided by Fisher et al.’s (2019) heuristic framework: (1) What resilience mechanisms, (2) promoting factors, and (3) resilience outcomes were experienced by participants in their resilience demonstrations? and (4) How does the resilience process unfold over time across adverse contexts including the COVID-19 pandemic? Nine student-athletes from Wilfrid Laurier University were interviewed on their experiences demonstrating resilience within and outside of the pandemic. A thematic analysis (Braun …

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Of Smoking Cessation Induction Treatment For Rural, Underserved Cancer Survivors Across The Continuum Of Motivation To Quit, William Bowling

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The United States’ smoking prevalence has decreased substantially, but this public health improvement is unevenly distributed across the population. A promising individual-level approach to cancer control equity is to develop more acceptable and efficacious interventions that are widely disseminated to rural and other disadvantaged cancer survivors. Smoking cessation induction focuses not on long-term abstinence, but on engaging people in the process of making quit attempts and may be ideal for hard-to-reach populations. The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation induction intervention designed for rural cancer survivors. The treatment …

Does Gua Sha Therapy Reduce Pain Intensity In Patients With Chronic Back Pain?, Anh Y. Cao

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does Gua shatherapy reduce pain intensity in patients with chronic back pain?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials/studies published in English between 2013-2019.

DATA SOURCES: All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals and obtained from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their applicability to the topic listed above.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: A common outcome measured across all three articles included pain intensity. Each study used the 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Participants were asked to rate their pain before and after therapeutic interventions. A …

Is Acupuncture Effective In Improving Pain In Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis?, Despina Lianidis

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is acupuncture effective in improving pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis?”

Study design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in between 2015-2018.

Data sources: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

Outcome measured: Based on the studies done by Lin et al. and Chen et al., using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), a self-reported measure of lower extremity pain, stiffness, …

Does Exercise Decrease The Level Of Anxiety In Adults?, Alexa N. Wister

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

 Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does exercise decrease the level of anxiety in adults?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published between 2016 and 2020.

Data Sources: All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals. Two of the RCTs were researched using Pubmed and one RCT was found using Academic Search Premier, AMED. All studies were selected based on applicability to the clinical question presented in the objective, and if the researched outcomes were patient oriented.

Outcome Measured: A reduction in anxiety …

Are Quarterly Fremanezumab Injections As Effective As Monthly Fremanezumab Injections At Reducing The Number Of Migraine Days Per Month In Adults With Chronic Migraines?, Elaine Mellinger

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Are quarterly fremanezumabinjections as effective as monthly fremanezumab injections at reducing the number of migraine days per month in adults with chronic migraines?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published in English after 2015 comparing quarterly versus monthly fremanezumab injections in adults 18-70 with chronic migraines.

DATA SOURCE: Three RCTs were obtained from PubMed and selected based on their relevance to the clinical question and if the RCTs addressed patient oriented outcomes.

OUTCOMES: The three selected RCTs for review, …

Does Endometrial Scratching Increase Live Birth Rates For Women Undergoing Ivf?, Caitlyn Kratzer

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Endometrial Scratching Increases Live Birth Rates for Women Undergoing IVF?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2010 and 2017.

DATA SOURCES: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed. Studies were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: In all three articles, the main outcome that will be reviewed is live birth rate. This was measured by the number of live births per embryos transferred divided by the total number …

Is Exercise Effective In Improving The Cognitive And Behavioral Executive Functions In Children Diagnosed With Adhd?, Cara Scatena

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Is exercise effective in improving the cognitive and behavioral functions in children diagnosed with ADHD?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs). All three of these studies were published between 2011 and 2016.

Data Sources: All three of the RCTs were found using PubMed. All of the studies were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured in these studies is the measurable improvement in executive functions related to the effects of …

Is Aquatic Therapy An Effective Treatment For Reducing Fatigue In Adult Females Living With Ms?, Hanna L. Ozarski

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Is aquatic therapy an effective treatment for reducing fatigue in adult females living with MS?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2015 and 2018.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were published in English peer reviewed journals and were discovered on PubMed using selective search criteria. Studies were chosen based on their relevance and competency to answer the clinical question proposed.

Outcome Measured: The main outcome of focus in each of the articles selected for this review was fatigue reduction. Outcomes were measured …

Is Perioperative Intravenous Lidocaine A Sufficient Adjunct To Traditional Opioid Therapy At Decreasing Post-Operative Pain In Male And Female Patients Ages 18-75 Following A Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy?, Desiree Malacusky

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

 OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine “Is perioperative intravenous lidocaine a sufficient adjunct to traditional opioid therapy at decreasing post operative pain in male and female patients ages 18-75 following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy?”

STUDY DESIGN: A review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published in English after 2015.

DATA SOURCE: All articles were published in peer reviewed journals and were researched using PubMed and EBSCO databases. Studies were selected based on their ability to answer the question posed in the objective, and if the researched outcomes were patient oriented.

OUTCOMES: The …

Does The Application Of Kt Tape Decrease Pain In Chronic Low Back Pain?, Jordan Vitelli

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does the application of KT tape decrease pain in chronic low back pain?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2018 and 2019.

Data Sources: The three RCTs were published in English in peer reviewed journals and obtained from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured within all three RCTs was pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS scoring ranges from 0 to 10, defining 0 as no pain …

Does The Use Of Docosahexaenoic Acid (Dha) Supplementation Decrease The Rate Of Cognitive Decline, As Measured By The Adas-Cog Scale, For Patients With Alzheimer’S Disease?, Erin C. Nakamura

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does the use of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation decrease the rate of cognitive decline, as measured by the ADAS-Cog scale, for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2010 and 2018.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were published in English into peer reviewed journals and discovered via PubMed. The studies were selected based on relevance and ability to answer the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: Cognitive function is the outcome measured using the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale- …

Is Cryoanalgesia An Effective Supplemental Method Of Post-Thoracotomy Pain Management?, Jency Boyce

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this EBM review is to determine if cryoanalgesia is an effective addition to pain management protocols for patients post-thoracotomy.

Study Design: This EBM review examines three randomized controlled trials.

Data Sources: Data was gathered from the three studies found on PubMed and EBSCOhost. Each study was published in a peer reviewed journal, in English between 2010 and 2021.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was pain reported by patients using a visual analag scale (VAS). Two studies utilized a 0-10 scale and the third a 0-100mm scale.

Results: In the study by Sepsas et al. it was …

Does Biofeedback Increase Gait Velocity In Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Kara L. Steck

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does biofeedback increase gait velocity in children with cerebral palsy (CP)?”.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2014 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were found using PubMed. Each article was published in English in peer reviewed journals and selected based on their applicability to the clinical question, provide a new technique in CP rehabilitation, and include patient-oriented outcomes (POEMS).

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was gait velocity before and after treatment using Tekscan software, 3D motion analysis …

Do Probiotics Decrease Depressive Symptoms In Patients With Low Mood?, Kaitlyn Talt

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Do probiotics decrease depressive symptoms in patients with low mood?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three double blind, randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2016 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were found using PubMed and published in English in peer-reviewed journals. The articles were chosen based on their attention to patient-oriented evidence that matters (POEMS) and their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: All three articles utilized either the Beck Depression Index (BDI) and/or the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) to measure the severity of …

Does High-Flow Oxygen Therapy Decrease The Length Of Hospital Stay In Pediatric Patients With Bronchiolitis When Compared To Standard Oxygen Therapy?, Liann N. Tran

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

 OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Does high-flow oxygen therapy decrease the length of hospital stay in pediatric patients with bronchiolitis when compared to standard oxygen therapy?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All studies were published in the English language after 2014.

DATA SOURCES: All articles were found using PubMed, CINAHL, Alt HealthWatch, AMED. All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: A reduction in length of hospital stay, in terms of the number of days, was the outcome measured in all three studies. This is defined as the …

Does The Use Of Blinatumomab Improve The Overall Survival Rate In Adults With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia?, Julia Colangeli

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review paper is to determine whether or not, “Does the use of blinatumomab improve the overall survival rate in adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia?”

Study Design: A systematic review of two RCTs and one case-based series were utilized. All studies were published between 2014-2019.

Data Sources: The two RCTs were found through PubMed and the case-based series was obtained through CINAHL Plus. All the studies were published in peer-reviewed journals.

Outcomes Measured: The main outcome measured in all the studies was overall survival. Both RCTs defined overall survival as the time from …

Does Spaced Retrieval Therapy Help Improve Quality Of Life For Individuals With Dementia?, Simone E. Fleary

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Does Spaced Retrieval Therapy Help Improve Quality of Life for Individuals with Dementia?”

Study Design: A systemic review of three peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCT) published in English between 2016-2017.

Data Sources: All peer-reviewed articles were selected using PubMed. All articles were published in English and selected based on relevance to the clinical question. Exclusion criteria excluded studies with combined intervention methods.

Outcome Measured: Assessment of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was determined using the IADL task score assessed by the recruiter. Improvement of hyperphagic behavior assessed by …

Does Dance Therapy During Active Labor Reduce Labor Pain?, Sarah E. Naber

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does dance therapy during active labor decrease labor pain?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of two randomized control trials and a cohort study that were published in English between 2014 and 2020.

DATA SOURCES: Three studies were obtained from PubMed, Alt HealthWatch, and AMED. They were all published in peer-reviewed journals and chosen based on their relevance to the clinical question proposed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The main outcome measured in all three studies is pain during active labor. Pain was measured in all studies using the visual analog scale (VAS). …

Is Cryotherapy With Exercise Therapy More Effective Than Exercise Therapy Alone In Reducing Symptoms Associated With Ankylosing Spondylitis?, Michelle Hand

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Is Cryotherapy with Exercise Therapy More Effective than Exercise Therapy Alone in Reducing Symptoms Associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis?”

Study Design: A comprehensive review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Data Sources: PubMed database was used to find all three articles referenced in this review. Each article was published in a peer-reviewed journal and published after 2010.

Outcome Measured: The outcome considered for this review was subjective reduction in disease activity measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) which consists of 6 questions regarding clinical manifestations of …

Is Platelet Rich Plasma (Prp) Injection An Effective Therapy In Improving Patient Functional Outcomes And Decreasing Pain Postoperatively In Adults With Meniscal Repairs?, Paige A. Foschi

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine: “Is platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection an effective therapy in improving patient functional outcomes and decreasing pain postoperatively in adults with meniscal repairs.”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2018 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed, AMED, CINAHL Plus, and Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: Patients’ pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the …

Does Atomoxetine Improve Inattentiveness In Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Sarah Defelice

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review of three composite studies is to determine whether or not atomoxetine improves inattentiveness in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Study Design: A systematic review of three blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2011 and 2021.

Data Sources: Research was gathered from PubMed and Embase in December 2020-February 2021 for the three RCTs, and supplemental articles were found in September through November 2021 from PubMed. All three RCTs were published in English and found in peer-reviewed journals and were chosen based on their relevance to the topic question.

Outcome Measured: A …

Does Administration Of An Anterior Suprascapular Nerve Block Improve Post-Operative Pain And Reduce Opioid Consumption When Compared To Traditional Interscalene Nerve Plexus Block In Adults Undergoing Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery?, Tyler Trobetsky

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does administration of an anterior suprascapular nerve block improve post-operative pain and reduce opioid consumption when compared to traditional interscalene nerve plexus block in adults undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery.”

Study Design: A review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English between 2017-2020.

Data Sources: All three articles used are peer-reviewed RCTs that were discovered using PubMed. The articles were evaluated and selected based on their ability to answer the proposed clinical question.

Outcome Measured: All three articles measured and compared post-operative pain using numerical …

Is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens) An Effective Treatment For Pain Caused By Knee Osteoarthritis?, Zuhra Nassery

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “is TENS an effective treatment for pain caused by knee osteoarthritis?”.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2012 and 2019.

Data Sources: All RCTs were discovered utilizing PubMed. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability and pertinence to the clinical question as well as the incorporation of patient-oriented outcomes.

Outcome Measured: Knee pain was the outcome measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), which requires participants to draw a mark between the …

Auto- Ethnography With A Deep Dive Into Changes Mental Health During The Pandemic And A Look Into The Way The Pandemic Has Shaped Nursing Protocols For Recent Nursing College Graduates, Audrey Shaffer, Sarah Bereznay

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project we completed a deep dive into how the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped our mental health and has affected our preparation for careers as registered nurses through a series of auto- ethnographic narrative journals using scholarly articles to support this idea. By utilizing personal narratives, we analyzed and reflected upon the cognitive and mental changes we experienced throughout this pandemic. We fulfilled this by comprising two personal narratives with inquiries pertaining to each shared narrative by utilizing the common themes of being nursing students and living through a pandemic. Within these personal narratives, we discussed how the pandemic influenced …

Impact Of Psychosocial, Behavioral And Lifestyle Factors On Subjective Cognitive Complaints And Perceived Quality Of Life In A Large Cohort Of Italian Breast Cancer Patients, Thomas West, Corrado Cavallero, Rita Ceccherini, Silva Foladore, Daniele Generali, Francesco Versace, Bruna Scaggiante

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The impact of psychosocial and behavioral factors on Cancer Related Cognitive Impairment manifestations is still under debate. Study's purpose is to determine the prevalence rate of cancer related cognitive impairment in a cohort of Italian breast cancer patients and to evaluate the implication of specific behavioral factors. For these purposes, a total of 233 women (106 breast cancer patients and 127 age-matched controls without oncological diagnosis) completed a questionnaire investigating cognitive functionality (FACT-Cog v3.0), sociodemographic characteristics, clinical information, psychosocial and behavioral factors (cognitive reserve, sleep quality, dietary habits, physical activity). The results indicated a higher prevalence rate of subjective cognitive …

A Novel Approach To Reducing Adiposity Among Young Men, Jean M. Reading

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Lifestyle intervention is the first line treatment for obesity. Yet, young men are underrepresented in lifestyle interventions, which is posited to be the result of unmet needs and overall low concern for weight management. The aims of this dissertation are to:

Papers 1 and 2: Test the preliminary efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of a self-guided lifestyle intervention for young men.

Paper 3: Explore the behavioral and physiological factors associated with changes in adiposity among young men and women enrolled in a more intensive lifestyle intervention.

Results

Papers 1 and 2: The self-guided intervention produced modest weight …

Examination Of Common And Rare Variant Genetic Architecture Of Psychiatric Disorders, Mohammad Ahangari

Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric disorders are often heterogenous in their manifestation and genome-wide association studies have identified many common risk variants involved in their polygenic architectures with varying degrees of pleiotropy. In recent years, large-scale biobanks have also begun sequencing the genome of their participants to elucidate the role of rare risk variation in the genetic architecture of complex phenotypes, including psychiatric traits. This dissertation sought to better understand the role of both common and rare risk variation in the genetic architecture of psychiatric disorders with a particular focus on schizophrenia and alcohol problems. In the first three analyses, we focused on characterizing …