Other Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Predictors Of Elevated Borderline Personality Disorder And Pai-Bor Scores: The Role Of Psychological, Trauma, And Treatment Factors, Isabel Avendano Gil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex and multifaceted mental health condition that significantly affects individuals' emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal functioning. BPD is characterized by impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, unstable relationships, and self-destructive behaviors, and often results in significant impairment across multiple life domains. Previous research has consistently identified Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), particularly sexual abuse (SA), as key contributors to the development of BPD. These early traumas are closely associated with core features of the disorder, including affective instability, identity disturbance, impulsivity, and maladaptive interpersonal patterns.

Psychotherapeutic interventions, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), have …

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

Dissertations

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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, …

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Drd2 Rs6276 Polymorphism And Trait Impulsivity In Individuals With Mixed Behavioral And Substance Addictions, Gabriela Zdunek, Remigiusz Recław, Aleksandra Suchanecka, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Dariusz Larysz, Patryk Ilków, Kinga Łosińska, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Łukasz Jaworski, Anna Grzywacz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

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Background/Objectives: Impulsivity is a key transdiagnostic trait linked to dysregulated reward processing in both behavioral and substance-related addictions, as recognized in DSM-5. Dopaminergic genes, including DRD2, may modulate individual differences in impulsivity, particularly under conditions of increased addiction vulnerability. This study examined whether the DRD2 Exon 8 rs6276 polymorphism predicts impulsivity levels in men with mixed addictive behaviors compared with healthy controls. Methods: A total of 328 males (128 with mixed behavioral and substance addictions and 200 controls) were assessed. Diagnoses were confirmed using the MINI interview, and impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Genotyping of …

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Anhedonia Underlies The Association Between Childhood Unpredictability And Adult Ptsd Symptoms: Evidence From Three Independent Longitudinal Cohorts, Christopher Hunt, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia Poggi Davis, Tallie Z. Baram, Caroline M. Nievergelt, Giovanni Castillo, Christian Cortes, Christine Y. Chang, Dewleen Baker, Victoria B. Risbrough

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

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Background

Unpredictability in the child’s environment has recently emerged as a significant and unique form of early life adversity (ELA). Cross-sectional studies have linked childhood unpredictability with increased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adults; however, no prospective studies have tested the link between childhood unpredictability and PTSD risk in later life, nor what processes, such as increased anhedonia symptoms, might mediate such risk. Here, we leveraged three distinct prospective, longitudinal cohorts to test the hypothesis that unpredictability during childhood contributes to adult PTSD via worsening anhedonia symptoms.

Methods

Participants were male service members (n=314), adult females (n=170), and adolescents …

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Bridging Ipv And Sud For Pregnant And Postpartum Women: A Case Report Of Interdisciplinary Programming In Mississippi, Catherine Poehling, Masoumeh Karimi, Chinedu Chukwu, Jerome R. Kolbo, Xiaoshan Gordy, Saijun Zhang, Matthew Morris, Andrew Voluse, Erin Dehon, Michelle Brassfield, Danielle Lahn, Lisa Slade, Deanna Howington, Kathleen Rhodes, Tearsanee Davis, Sonja Fuqua, Mary M. Wesley, Lei Zhang

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) adolescents in the U.S. South experience disproportionately high rates of bullying, discrimination, depression, and suicidality. Supportive and inclusive school climates are identified as key protective factors that can mitigate these risks and function as primary prevention against violence. This systematic narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed research and high-quality survey reports published between 2015 and 2024 that assess school climate, mental health, and violence-related outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth with representation from Southern states, including Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, 1,167 records …

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Association Between Children’S Secondhand Co-Exposure To Tobacco And Cannabis Smoke And Elevated Urinary Cotinine Levels: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Bradley N. Collins, Stephen J. Lepore, Vincent Berardi, Renee D. Goodwin, Karen Wilson, Mona Baishya

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

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Background Cannabis use is far more common among adults who smoke tobacco than adults who do not, and its use is increasing among people who smoke tobacco with children living in the home. Given the well-established evidence that caregiver smoking is the primary source of children’s secondhand exposures to these products, the increasing trend in caregiver co-use is raising public health concerns about children’s co-exposure. Emerging data indicates that adult co-use is linked to additive health consequences, such as elevated nicotine and other tobacco-related toxicant blood levels, relative to use of only tobacco. It is unknown whether children’s co-exposure leads …

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Mom Is Developing Too: Preliminary Evidence For The Reciprocal Effects Of Infant Sensory Reactivity And Maternal Behavior, Emily C. Sweiss, Vincent Berardi, Elysia Poggi Davis, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

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Caregiver sensitivity to infant cues is well-established as a predictor of child development. Infants also actively influence their social environment, especially their caregivers, even from their earliest days. Sensory reactivity, characterized as hypo- (under) and hyper- (over) responding to environmental stimuli, is one domain of development that is likely to influence caregiver-infant interaction, due to its role in regulating emotions and responses to both physical and social stimuli. Although sensory reactivity could be an important target for improving caregiver-child interaction, the longitudinal, reciprocal relations between infant sensory reactivity and caregiver behaviors are currently unknown. In the present proof-of-concept study, we …

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Mental Health First Aid Training In K-12 Schools, Jenna L. Workman, Brianna L. Schierberg, Grace H. Sullivan, Erin Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

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The increasing prevalence of mental health challenges among school-aged children has become a rising public health concern. Recent data indicates that nearly 70% of schools report heightened mental health problems among students, with anxiety and depression being most common (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). The purpose of this capstone project is to raise awareness of mental health issues in K–12 public schools and to increase faculty and staff confidence in recognizing and assisting students experiencing mental health difficulties through nurse-led Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. Using Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory as a guiding framework, this project emphasizes the …

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Dietary Flavonoid Intake And Psychological Well-Being – A Bidirectional Relationship, Alysha S. Thompson, Nicola P. Bondonno, Yan Lydia Liu, Farah Qureshi, Laura D. Kubzansky, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Julia K. Boehm, Eric B. Rimm, Aedín Cassidy

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

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Background and aim

Higher dietary flavonoid intake has been associated with lower risks of mortality and major chronic disease, yet its relationship with psychological well-being (PWB), a key contributor to health and quality of life, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate bidirectional associations between dietary flavonoid intake and two PWB facets: happiness (positive emotional state) and optimism (generalized expectation of positive outcomes). Specifically, we examined whether (1) overall flavonoid-rich dietary patterns (flavodiet score), (2) intake of specific flavonoid-rich foods, and (3) total flavonoid and subclass intakes were each associated with happiness and optimism over time.

Methods

Data were drawn …

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The Effects Of Antidepressant Medications On Sleep Quality In Dominican University Of California Students, Natalie L. Davis, Kenna Wohlford, Stephanie Lee

Physician Assistant Studies | Graduate Research Papers

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We spend approximately one third of our life time sleeping or attempting to sleep. The quality of our sleep is equally, if not more important than the amount of sleep we get. This study assesses the effects that medications, specifically antidepressants, can have on sleep quality in Dominican University of California students. 118 participants completed a Qualtrics survey including questions regarding stress, sleep quality, medication lists, and demographics. This study utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to quantify participants’ sleep quality as the outcome. Participant stress levels were assessed with a Likert scale question asking for stress levels on …

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Pillpetz: A Smarter Way To Encourage Medication Adherence In Children, John H. Begley

CMC Senior Theses

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Medication adherence is usually framed as a problem of patient behavior, but this thesis argues that it is equally a problem of design. Children who take daily medication face barriers that adults often do not: developing executive function, dependence on caregivers, shifting school and home routines, privacy concerns, and stigma around being perceived as different. The standard prescription bottle, by contrast, was designed primarily for dispensing efficiency, safety, and accidental ingestion prevention—not for sustained daily use by a developing child.

This thesis proposes PillPetz, a smart pill case and digital companion that uses routine, play, dose confirmation, and caregiver-connected support …

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The Effects Of Childhood Maltreatment On Executive Functioning: The Difference Between Cumulative Trauma, Abuse Severity, And Neglect, Kelly Krehbiel

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

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Childhood maltreatment is prevalent in the United States with around 558,899 children being victims of abuse in 2022 (U.S Department of Health & Human Services, 2024). Neglect is the most common form of abuse with around 74 percent of abused children being neglected; however, neglect tends to be the least researched form of abuse. Childhood maltreatment has long-term effects on a person’s mental, physical, and cognitive health. Previous research suggests that childhood maltreatment leads to severe deficits in executive functioning skills such as working memory and cognitive flexibility. Executive functioning skills are important for almost every aspect of life including …

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Chatbot Therapy - Help Or Hindrance, Kadi Rae Smith

Anthós

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Introduction

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) chatbots are complex computer programs designed to mimic human conversations using programming that incorporates large language models (LLM) and natural language models (NLM) to simulate human interactions that are being rapidly integrated into everyday life across an increasing amount of online platforms. This article explores the applications and efficacy of chatbots for mental healthcare, from self-directed chatbot interactions to clinician-supervised implementation of chatbot-based therapeutic tools, weighing the benefits and limitations of this ever-expanding technology.

Methodology/Taxonomy

A literature review was conducted primarily using Web of Science, accessed through Portland State University, and Google Scholar, with specifications …

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Improving Psychiatric Paraprofessional Preparedness Through Mental Health First Aid Training In An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Anisha Hampton

DNP Scholarly Projects

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BACKGROUND: Paraprofessional staff in outpatient mental health clinics play a critical role in monitoring clients with serious mental illness (SMI) and supporting continuity of care in community-based settings. However, the absence of standardized training contributes to variability in staff knowledge, confidence, and ability to recognize early signs of mental health deterioration. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training designed to improve mental health literacy and crisis response skills among frontline workers.

METHODS: This quality improvement project utilized a pre-post design within a Plan-DoStudy-Act (PDSA) framework at an outpatient mental health clinic. Paraprofessional staff completed the Mental Health Literacy …

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Examining The Effects Of Virtual Nature Exposure And Video Immersion On State Hope With Nature Relatedness As A Covariate, Zachary Arneson

All Master's Theses

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Previous work in the field of environmental psychology has shown that virtual nature exposure can produce many psychological benefits for the viewer. Within this literature, however, there has been no examination of the effects of virtual nature exposure on levels of state hope, a goal-directed positive psychological construct made up of two types of thought: agency and pathways. Additionally, there has been no direct examination of the effect of immersion level of the virtual nature exposure on psychological measures. To fill this gap in the literature, the current study examined the effects of virtual nature exposure and video immersion on …

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Feasibility Of Telehealth-Delivered Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy For Managing Gastrointestinal Health: Exploring Specific Vs. Nonspecific Effects, Sabrina Romero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

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This randomized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of telehealth-delivered Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy (GDH) compared to General Hypnotherapy (GH) for managing gastrointestinal symptoms associated with disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI). Eleven adults were randomized to receive four 1-hour hypnotherapy sessions over a 14-day period via Zoom (GH n = 5; GDH n = 6). Primary outcomes included PROMIS GI Belly Pain T-scores and Abdominal Pain Ratings assessed at baseline and post-treatment. Follow-up assessments were conducted at three months (n = 8). At post-treatment, participants receiving GDH demonstrated significantly lower PROMIS GI Belly Pain T-scores compared to GH, F(1, …

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Family Mental Health – A Case Report, Vikrant Arora, Medha Kosireddy, Mathumitha Ananth, Kishor M. Manohar Rao

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

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Psychiatric illness in India is estimated to be 15% as per National Mental Health Survey 2015-16.  Mental health challenges within families, especially depression, anxiety disorders that are not common and when unaddressed exert cascading effects on all members, disrupting emotional cohesion, relational functioning, and socioeconomic stability. There are few case reports on entire family presenting to psychiatry department.

With informed consent a city-based middle-class family of non-consanguineous origin, where the 40-year-old female, presented with intractable limb pains and health anxiety, she had multiple consultation in last few months and her 48-year-old husband also had with episodic pains, irritability and her …

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The Impact Of Medicaid Policy Limitations On Access To Eating Disorder Treatment: Uncovering The Consequences Of A System Built To Fail, Meghan Frost

DSW Capstone Projects

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Individuals who rely on Medicaid face major barriers when trying to access eating disorder (ED) treatment, reflecting broader patterns of structural disadvantage in publicly funded health care. Research shows delayed diagnosis, limited access to ED specialists, and frequent denials for recommended services. These gaps occur because Medicaid policies do not match the needs of evidence based ED care, resulting in delayed or incomplete care for many individuals with eating disorders.

This issue is highly relevant to social work practice because the policies shaping these barriers are complex and difficult for clients and ED providers to navigate. Social workers across clinics, …

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Investigation Of Differences Between Perception Of Cell Phone Usage And Actual Cell Phone Usage Among Adolescents In Senior And Freshman Grade Levels, Benjamin Bouffard

UROP Posters

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This study investigates the difference between the perception of cell phone usage and actual cell phone usage among teenagers in the ninth and twelfth grade levels. Existing literature focuses largely on the effect of screen usage on different aspects of health, including mental health and developmental changes in children. However, the relationship between the perception of screen time and actual screen time use has not been extensively studied. In this study, 111 freshmen and seniors at the Woodbridge Academy Magnet School in Woodbridge, New Jersey completed two online surveys. The first asked for their estimation of daily screen time over …

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A Mixed Methods Study Of The Transition To Adult Health Care For Sexual Minority Young Adults With Chronic Pain: Understanding The Impact Of Stigma, Cecily Newel Conour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Sexual minorities with chronic pain are likely to experience stigma stemming from their sexual identity and chronic pain. Pain stigma and sexual minority stigma are associated with increased health disparities and differences in health care utilization, particularly for adults. The transition to the adult health care system appears to be a critical point to understand the impact of stigma on health care utilization to then improve outcomes. With a sample of 48 sexual minority young adults with chronic pain, the current study investigated transition experiences using an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods design that was both observational and cross-sectional. Participants completed quantitative …

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Npd Winner's Circle: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome In New Clinical Specialties, Leanna Ross

Publications 2026-present

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No abstract provided.

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