Mental Disorders Commons^™

Eating Disorder Prevention And Early Intervention In U.S. Higher Education – A Comparative Benchmarking Study, Jake R. Arcement

Senior Theses

Eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa, have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, yet remain underrecognized relative to their severity and treatment burden. Because the period of peak onset aligns with the college years, institutions of higher education are uniquely positioned to play an important role in prevention, early identification, and referral to specialized care. However, limited research has examined how colleges and universities structure ED prevention and treatment resources. This thesis applies a comparative benchmarking framework to assess current institutional practices across U.S. colleges and universities. A national survey of student health and counseling centers examined staffing, …

Antipsychotics As Adjunct Therapy In Risk Reduction Of Crisis Admission: An Analysis Of Historical Patient Data, Slawomir Piela, Eduardo Espiridion

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: Antipsychotics are a broad class of medication used in the management of psychotic symptoms in various disorders. In recent years, they have been approved for use as adjunct therapy in patients with treatment resistant depression and bipolar disorder. An outcome of this therapy that has not been extensively investigated is the associated likelihood of crisis events that necessitate admission to an emergency department or crisis center. Methods: In this study, we reviewed historic patient data to determine the association of risk of crisis admission in patients prescribed antipsychotics as adjunct therapy in the context of treatment resistant depression or …

The Relationship Between Smartphone Screen Time Duration And Individual Chronotype: A Systematic Literature Review, Diego Sergio Giasia Lumbantobing, Thalia Altamilano Pramudya

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

The rapid increase in smartphone use over the past decade led to prolonged screen time across age groups, particularly during nighttime hours. Exposure to artificial light and pre-sleep digital activities was associated with circadian rhythm disruption and alterations in individual chronotype. This systematic literature review aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on the relationship between smartphone screen time duration and individual chronotype across all age groups and to identify key moderating factors influencing this association. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect for studies published between 2015 and 2025. …

Depression And Psychotic Disorders Worsen Perioperative Outcomes And Increase Resource Utilization After Multilevel Lumbar Fusion: Implications For Screening And Perioperative Care, Leonidas E. Mastrokostas, Paul G. Mastrokostas, Luke B. Schwartz, Abigail Razi, Sean Inzerillo, John K. Houten, Arya Varthi, Alex R. Vaccaro, Jad Bou Monsef, Afshin E. Razi, Mitchell K. Ng

Rothman Institute Papers

CONTEXT: Multilevel lumbar fusion use has increased with an aging U.S. population. Depression and psychotic disorders are linked to poorer surgical outcomes, but their effects in this setting are unclear.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to quantify the prevalence of these disorders and evaluate associations with perioperative outcomes and resource use.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2022.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Depression and psychotic disorders were defined using Elixhauser-derived indicators. Outcomes included medical and mechanical complications, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and costs.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: …

Hallucinogens For Mood And Anxiety Disorders: A Critical Review Of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies, Georgia Chlebek

The Cardinal Edge

In quite a few people worldwide, there are several mental disorders that prevent the brain from operating in the “proper” way, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being among the most common. Luckily, there are several medications that are produced and used to treat these disorders, but some medications are hard to access, and others simply don’t help the patient. Firstly, these medications take time to study and prove safe for public use, though in some cases time is not readily available. In other cases, these medications are going through shortages and becoming increasingly difficult for patients to access …

Exploring Adolescent Hearing Aid Usage And Appearance Of Psychiatric Symptoms In Adolescents Using Hearql-28 Surveys, Courtney J. Austin, Dylan Chan

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Approximately 2% of DHH people in need of mental health services actually receive these services. Among pediatric hearing loss populations, co-occurring cognitive and physical impairments are risk factors for poor mental health status. Due to language barriers and isolation, more children with hearing loss do not have access to mental health services. Cochlear implants have been shown to improve mental health status among the DHH population. Current literature focuses on the mental health status of children with cochlear implants, with little focus on hearing aid users. Using HEAR28 data and surveys, we can quantify the incidence of psychiatric symptoms among …

Screening Ptsd In Clinical Populations Within East Africa: Results From The First Follow-Up Study Of Neurogap-Psychosis, Shaili Jha, Rocky Stroud, Ana Lucia Dice, Joseph Kyebuzibwa, Stella Gichuru, Fredrick Ochieng, Manasi Sharma, Hayden Mountcastle, Lydia Marshall, Lukoye Atwoli

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Given the high burden of trauma in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a critical need for scalable tools to screen for trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, especially in low-resource settings.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the utility, reliability, and validity of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) administered over the telephone to individuals previously enrolled in the Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations-Psychosis study (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) study in Uganda (N = 4,921) and Kenya (N = 3,149).

Method: Cases with psychosis and controls without psychosis (patients, caretakers, or employees) were recontacted from the NeuroGAP-Psychosis …

Seeking Traditional Health Practitioners And Use Of Complementary/Alternative Medicines In The Management Of Movement Disorders In Africa: A Multicenter Continental Study, Ali Shalash, Tamer Roushdy, Samia Sassi, Oluwadamilola Ojo, Yusuf Jamnagerwalla, Ahmed Sheikh, Yasser Mecheri, Maouly Fall, Juzar Hooker, Dilraj Sokhi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Traditional health practitioners (THP) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) play a well-recognized role in Africa. However, their role in treating movement disorders (MD) remains poorly studied.

Objective This large multicenter continental study aimed to investigate the prevalence of seeking and consulting THPs and using CAMs among people with MDs in different African countries and the associated factors of their use.

Methods This study involved 12 sites within 11 African countries. We developed and distributed a structured questionnaire that documented frequency, attitudes, beliefs, and factors related to patients' engagement with THPs and use of CAMs.

Results We surveyed 1158 …

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 …

Sociodemographic Influences On Student-Athlete Eating Disorder Risk And Treatment-Seeking Behavior In The National College Health Assessment, Savannah Hughbanks, Andrew W. Froehle, Brian A. Edwards

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Objective: The present study was developed to explicate attributes associated with increased likelihood of disordered eating behaviors and treatment avoidance and help practitioners better-identify and assist high-risk individuals.

Participants: Varsity athletes (n=51,882) who completed the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) between 2011 and 2019.

Methods: Data was collected from survey responses to questions related to disordered eating behaviors. Disorders were cross-sectioned into eight predictors: year in school, gender, sexual-orientation, race/ethnicity, school-type, international-student, history of mental health illness, and anxiety of impending academic performance.

Results: Two percent of the student-athletes self-reported an ED diagnosis, and within those two percent 65.9% reported …

Assessment Perception: Delivery Matters, Nicole Marie Arcuri Sanders, Chelsey Simmons

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Perception shapes how individuals experience the world and guides their actions toward personal goals. In counseling, clients’ accurate understanding of assessment results is essential for informed decision-making and effective treatment engagement. Mental health clinicians have an ethical responsibility to communicate findings in ways that safeguard client welfare and empower both clients and stakeholders to collaborate in care. This conceptual manuscript introduces the BRIEF (Brief, Relevant, Interpretive, Empathetic, and Factual) Feedback Integration Framework, a structured model for delivering assessment feedback ethically and accessibly. Integrating cognitive, developmental, and cultural considerations. BRIEF provides counselors, supervisors, and educators with a practical strategy for improving …

Addressing Saintly Corrections: An Integrative, Developmental Approach To Counselor Bias Management, Travis Walker, Jennifer M. Cook

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

No person is without biases, even the most culturally adept among us. Managing biases is critical to counselors’ continued journey of understanding clients contextually and holistically. In this article, we describe two novel bias management concepts: A specific type of bias called saintly corrections and the more clinically fruitful approach of realistic corrections. We define and illustrate saintly and realistic corrections, outline a multifold approach (i.e., cognitive complexity, cultural identity development, and the multicultural orientation model) for remediating saintly corrections, and offer recommendations counselor educators can use during planned and contextual learning opportunities, including an example of a contextual …

Teaching Multicultural Counseling: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Counselor Educators’ Voices, Cameka Hazel, Paul Leheste, Raymond Blanchard

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the perceptions of counselor educators who taught the graduate level multicultural counseling course. Six participants shared experiences, leading to four themes: personal and professional rewards, who is fit to teach? dealing with resistance and difficult conversations and limited time and class size. Implications for counselor education are discussed.

Competencies And Preparation For Addressing Poverty In Counselor Education: A Q Methodological Study, Seneka Rachel Gainer

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the competencies needed to prepare counselors to address the systemic and relational impacts of poverty within counselor education. Using Q methodology, expert participants identified critical knowledge, skills, and awareness factors required for effective practice. Two distinct factors emerged: (1) the centrality of relational competencies such as empathy, cultural humility, and trust-building, and (2) the necessity for curriculum-wide integration of poverty-specific training and systemic advocacy. Findings highlight the need for counselor education programs to embed poverty-related competencies across curricula, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and develop experiential and advocacy-based training models. Implications for counselor education, accreditation standards, and professional development …

Dismantling Racism In The Classroom: Recommendations For White Male Counselor Educators, Jason L. Vannest, Rebecca J. Vannest, Lorise D. Grey

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In response to the historical tradition of Eurocentrism and Whiteness in counseling programs in the United States, the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) have challenged their members to confront implicit bias, become allies with Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), and commit to challenging racism and implicit bias. Despite these robust calls to disrupt racism and implicit bias, counselor educators - specifically White male counselor educators (WMCEs) - may wonder how to effectively take action due to their own racial identity. Several factors may contribute to WMCEs' reticence to deconstruct racism and …

Artificial Intelligence Literacy In Counselor Education: The Developmental Ai Literacy Framework, Leo Gonzalez Jr.

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming counselor education, yet frameworks for preparing counselors-in-training (CITs) to use AI remain limited. This article introduces the developmental AI literacy framework (DALF), a conceptual model integrating developmental theory, professional identity formation, and AI literacy. The DALF reframes AI literacy as a developmental competency comprising intentional AI use, critical evaluation, ethical engagement, and awareness of professional identity. The framework outlines three stages, including foundational awareness, reflective application, and integrated professionalization, that parallel CITs’ growth from dependence to autonomy. Pedagogical, developmental, and research implications are provided to guide ethical and reflective AI integration in counselor education.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2025, Cason Noll, Anirudh Polagani, Taylor Volk, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the mental health of youth and adults, as well as the availability of mental health care, across the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in 2025. The data are derived from "The State of Mental Health in America 2025,” originally published by Mental Health America (MHA).

Predicting The Prognosis Of Primary And Substance-Associated Psychoses Using Urine Drug Screens: A 5-Year Retrospective Longitudinal Study Using Medical Records, Erich J. Aschenbrenner, Andrew C. Voluse

Psychiatry Publications

Substance use is frequently implicated in psychosis. However, the prognostic assumptions guiding differential treatment decisions between substance-induced and primary/affective psychoses have received inconsistent support. Substance-induced psychosis research has often been limited by aggregating substances or using diagnosis as both a grouping variable and an outcome (i.e., diagnostic conversion). The current study examined medical records for 1379 patients for 5 years following their first presentation with psychosis after January 2013 to a regional medical center. Clinically relevant outcomes were compared across groups defined by the substances detected in patients' urine at their initial presentation. Initial drug screen results predicted the initial …

Neuroinflammation And Its Role In Depression– A Review Of Emerging Biomarkers And Therapeutic Targets, Sophia M. Valerino

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and debilitating mental illness that affects millions globally. Traditionally, the pathophysiology of MDD was thought to be due primarily neurotransmitter imbalances. However, emerging research highlights the role of neuroinflammation in MDD pathogenesis. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, microglial activation, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction have been implicated in the etiology of MDD. Additionally, biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and neuroimaging findings further support the neuroinflammatory hypothesis. This growing body of evidence has led to increased interest in novel treatment approaches, including anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyle interventions, as potential therapeutic strategies. While selective serotonin reuptake …

Unlocking Hope: Mirtazapine's Promise In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment, Rebecca K. Hicks, Iram Kingson, Jordan Gaal, Suzanne Holroyd

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating psychiatric condition characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are first-line treatments for OCD, a significant proportion of patients remain refractory to these interventions. Mirtazapine, an atypical antidepressant with unique pharmacological properties, has emerged as a potential adjunctive therapy for treatment-resistant OCD. This review synthesizes existing evidence regarding the efficacy and safety profile of mirtazapine in OCD management. We analyze clinical trials, observational studies, and case reports, distinguishing high- vs. low-quality evidence, and discuss mechanisms underlying mirtazapine's therapeutic effects. Additionally, …

Increasing Participation Through Online Focus Groups With Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Emily L. Cary, Chris A. Taylor, Susan Havercamp, Andrea Witwer

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The aim of this study was to develop and describe methods on how to conduct virtual focus groups with adults with intellectual disability. Using a community-engaged research approach, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities helped develop virtual focus group methods. We report on the implementation of these methods through an illustrative application of applying these adaptations to virtual focus groups with 13 adults with intellectual disability in a study assessing their perspectives on mental health therapy.

This work resulted in several adaptations that can enhance inclusivity of focus group research to individuals with intellectual disability. Adaptions broadly included: involving guardians …

Clinical, Imaging And Blood Biomarker Outcomes In A Phase 3 Clinical Trial Of Tau Aggregation Inhibitor Hydromethylthionine Mesylate In Mild Cognitive Impairment And Mild To Moderate Dementia Due To Alzheimer’S Disease, Claude Wischik, Richard G. Stefanacci, Peter Bentham, Serge Gauthier, Henrik Zetterberg, Gordon Wilcock, Lutz Froelich, Alistair Burns, Emer Macsweeney, Clive Ballard, Jin-Tai Yu, Tay Siew Choon, Vahe Asvatourian, Natalia Muehlemann, Jan Priel, Karin Kook, Tenecia Sullivan, Diane Downie, Sonya Miller, Carol Pringle, John Storey, Tom Baddeley, Charles R Harrington, Lewis Penny, Mohammad Arastoo, Roger Staff, Anca-Larisa Sandu, Helen Shiells, Serena Lo, Nafeesa Nazlee, Emily Evans, Claire Hull, Bjoern Schelter

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) targets tau pathology and has tau-independent symptomatic activity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of HMTM in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD).

SETTING: 82 centres in Canada, European Union, United Kingdom and United States of America.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 598 amyloid β-PET positive participants were included; 44% (263) met clinical criteria for MCI due to Alzheimer's disease and 56% (335) were diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia due to AD.

INTERVENTION: HMTM 16 mg/day and 8 mg/day were compared with methylthioninium chloride (MTC) …

Elevated Trna Halves In Olfactory Epithelial Cells Of Patients With Schizophrenia, Justin T. Gumas, Megumi Shigematsu, Karin E. Borgmann-Winter, C. G. Hahn, Yohei Kirino

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

Schizophrenia patients' olfactory epithelial cells contain abundant immune-activating tRNA fragments, linking small RNA biology to inflammation and suggesting avenues for diagnostics.

Modern Approaches To Mental Health: App-Based Cbt Versus Traditional Psychotherapy, Samira Shende

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Background: Digital mental health tools are becoming widely used as flexible alternatives to in-person therapy. A key question is how effective they are compared to traditional therapy for people with depression and anxiety.

Objective: To compare how effective digital interventions, like app-based CBT or telehealth, are compared to in-person psychotherapy in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults.

Methods: A structured PubMed search was conducted using specific search terms, limited to English-language randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2020 and 2025. After screening 116 articles, four high-quality studies were selected for review.

Results: Of the four …

Reward Deficits In Co-Occurring Social Anxiety And Depression: The Roles Of Anhedonia, Boredom, Loneliness, And Covid-19 Social Restriction, Nathan M. Hager, Alicia L. Milam, Hannah C. Hamrick, Benjamin Swanson, Matt R. Judah

Psychology Faculty Publications

Prior research points toward reward deficits as crucial to the link between social anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. However, studies have not explored specific types of reward deficits or how social-environmental factors may impact them. The current study examined whether the indirect effects of three reward deficits (anhedonia, boredom, and loneliness) accounted for the connection between social anxiety and depression. Questionnaires were collected in a sample of college students (N = 523) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing examination of environmental stressors (i.e., remote learning and current friend network size) on reward deficits. Indirect effect models …

Efficacy Of Zuranolone In The Treatment Of Postpartum Depression: An Evidence-Based Review, Shana-Kay Lambert-Johnson, Tasaduq Mir

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common and potentially severe condition frequently managed in primary care, where delayed treatment adversely affects maternal and infant outcomes. Neuroactive steroid therapies targeting γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors represent a novel therapeutic class. Brexanolone, the first FDA-approved treatment for PPD, required prolonged inpatient administration and was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2025. Zuranolone is currently the only FDA-approved medication specifically indicated for PPD, offering a short-course oral treatment suitable for outpatient use. This review evaluated the efficacy of zuranolone and its applicability in primary care practice.

METHODS: This evidence-based review was conducted in …

Harmonizing Healing: Examining Music Therapy As An Adjunctive Treatment For Mental Health, Shalin Patel, Karen Foote

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; 7 males, 11 females) completed baseline assessments including anthropometrics, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a 24-hour dietary recall, …

The Effects Of Stress-Related Hormones On Excitatory Synapse Formation, Autumn C. Garvey

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stress profoundly influences brain function through neuromodulatory hormones that regulate synaptic plasticity, yet how temporal patterns of hormone exposure shape excitatory synapse formation remains poorly understood. This study investigates how exposure to stress hormones, norepinephrine and cortisol, affects excitatory synapse development. While existing research primarily compares concentration models, real-world stress occurs in variable patterns that may produce distinct neural outcomes. To address this gap, differentiated Neuro2A neuronal cells are exposed to norepinephrine or cortisol under a continuous treatment paradigm designed to model chronic stress conditions. Following treatment, immunofluorescence imaging is utilized to quantify excitatory synapse formation through analysis of presynaptic …

Educational Attainment And Symptom Improvement In Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Longitudinal Cohort Analysis Across Treatment Modalities, Marjorie Harrison, Giselli Scaini Msc, Phd, Aspen Viamontes

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.