Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Demystifying Music Therapy: Applications Over The Lifespan, Barry C. Nelson

Counselor Education Capstones

This study seeks to evaluate the curative factors of music therapy and discuss the benefits of the practice over the course of the human lifespan. Additionally, a case will be made for prospective and current counselors to add music therapy techniques to their repertoire in order to provide more diverse methods of care. To accomplish this aim, research will be presented conveying how music therapy has been evaluated for effectiveness in treating various mental health concerns during childhood, adulthood, and older adulthood. The results of this evaluation suggest that music therapy is effective at treating a diverse range of disorders …

A Post Pandemic Analysis Of Covid-19 And The Impact On Mental Health Of High School Student-Athletes—Today, More Than Ever Minds Matter, Pastora Hernandez Barbee

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The cancellation of sporting opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic caused many student-athletes to feel deprived of the only outlet they had, which held a significant component of their personal and athletic identities (Grubic et al. 2021). This study aimed to answer the following research question: What are the experiences of high school student-athletes in a Pacific Northwest school district with access and support for holistic wellness in a post-pandemic COVID-19 school environment? The research methodology used was the wellness theory framework (Adams, Bezner, & Steinhardt, 1997). A total of seven student-athletes participated in the study through in-depth interviews. From the …

Increasing Life Skills While Decreasing Depression, Anxiety, And Stress In Transitional Aged Youth: A Person-Centered Mentorship Approach, Allanah Roberts-Headley

Dissertations

Transitional Aged Youth (TAYs) are young adults between 18-24 who have recently aged out of the foster care system and are now a part of the Extended Foster Care system (EFC). Unfortunately, this population is not guaranteed familial or social support. They have to rely on basic knowledge and skills obtained while in the foster care system to help with navigate their world. Most TAYs end up homeless, unemployed, and incarcerated. There is also a high pregnancy rate among TAYs. Due to the limited assistance they receive upon entering EFC, they are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Is There An App For That? Introducing Self-Guided Therapy-Based Mental Health Apps In A Primary Care Setting, Althea Jem Darbin Tapales

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The prevalence of mental health disorders in Vermont continues to be an economic burden, especially in Addison County. The Addison County, VT Community Health Improvement Plan 2022-2025 identified “Access to Mental Health Services” as the top priority with a general concern regarding the affordability and demand of such services, and shortage of providers in the general community. Consequently, the shortage of mental health services along with the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a mental illness epidemic which led to an accelerated growth of self-guided therapy-based mental health apps. Most apps are affordable, accessible, and prioritize patient privacy which overcomes barriers to …

The Effects Of Social Media On Internalizing Disorders In Adolescents, Deziree Wiegmann

Counselor Education Capstones

This platforms capstone project paper is about the effects that social media or advanced technology platforms has on young individuals. Many articles were reviewed, which included research studies on the prevalence of social media usage by adolescents, along with its negative and positive effects on their development. This topic is important for counselors to review in order to treat young clients that struggle with depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, etc. For counselors and other professionals who work with adolescents, it would be important to look at the data, which has helped derive what treatment approaches may be the most effective and …

The Impact Of Psychological Abuse On A Female’S Engagement In Subsequent Relationships And How They Heal From The Abuse, Nicole Kratimenos

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study examined (a) the impact of psychological abuse on a female’s subsequent intimate relationships, and (b) what assisted the female victims of such abuse to heal and build subsequent healthy relationships. Psychological intimate partner abuse is connected to various long-term negative consequences, such as anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, self-esteem struggles and trust issues. However, no studies have investigated how these negative consequences affect the female victim’s subsequent intimate relationships, nor what helps the victim heal enough to move on to engaging in healthy subsequent relationships. This study is the first to examine both of these aspects of …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices In Teachers, Shawn M. Martin Hettinga

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Mindfulness training has been identified as a promising means for cultivating social and emotional competencies and reducing stress. The purpose of the quantitative pre-post study using convenience sampling of educators in a rural K-12 in the Arkansas River Valley was to examine whether teachers’ participation in mindfulness activities were associated with changes in levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction. The study used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and measured the responses from novice (0-3 years) and experienced (4+ years) teachers. The findings revealed that there was no difference between the …

The Association Between Witnessing Cyberbullying And Depressive Symptoms And Social Anxiety Among Elementary School Students, Diana M. Doumas, Aida Midgett

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cyberbullying is a significant problem among school-aged youth. Although a growing body of literature has documented the association between cyberbullying victimization and mental health risks, there is limited research examining the impact of witnessing cyberbullying, particularly among elementary school students. To address this gap, we conducted a cross-sectional study with elementary school students (N = 122). Students completed questionnaires assessing witnessing cyberbullying, witnessing school bullying, bullying victimization, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety. Regression analyses revealed that witnessing cyberbullying was positively associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.25, p < 0.04) and social anxiety (β = 0.30, p < 0.01), even after controlling for frequency of witnessing school bullying and bullying victimization. Further, the moderating effect of witnessing school bullying was significant for depressive symptoms (β = −0.44, p < 0.001) and social anxiety (β = …

It’S All The Rage: An Animated Approach To Screening For Postpartum Depression, Amanda Gorham

Doctoral Dissertations

Postpartum depression presents a complication for mothers which can, in some cases, be severe and even life-threatening. Instruments commonly used to screen for this psychological condition have been challenged by an extensive body of literature, with many mothers being unidentified and even untreated for their symptoms. The presented research introduces a newly developed screening instrument for detecting probable postpartum depression using text-free scenario-based animations, based on the lived experience of the condition as qualified by empirical research and the existing body of literature. Developed items were controlled for quality via Think Aloud Protocol and alignment studies with subject matter experts …

The Effectiveness Of Implementing A Collaborative Mental Health Approach On Quality Of Life For Individuals Of Low Socioeconomic Status, Tyler Z. Tooley

MSU Graduate Theses

The ultimate purpose of this study is to provide insight and education to mental health clinicians, politicians and the general public of the numerous effects poverty has on mental health, in addition to the most beneficial ways to combat those insidious effects. The specific barriers met by individuals of low socioeconomic status severely affect psychological and physical health, as well as social and environmental relationships, which therefore diminish overall quality of life. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of implementing a collaborative mental health approach for low income individuals on length of engagement in services and …

A Commentary On Trauma’S Different Layers, Mike Kaufman , M.A., L.M.F.T.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This article highlights how trauma may be caused by factors aside from catastrophic events, physical violence or accidents resulting in physical injury. Examples of trauma beyond the more commonly known causes are detailed. This article also emphasizes how individuals engaging in psychotherapy may at times lack awareness that their self-reported dilemma, or symptoms, may stem from early relational trauma. The following commentary originated with first-hand clinical experience and was reinforced by literature. It is important to recognize that individuals reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety are most effectively treated in psychotherapy when past trauma is accurately identified as the root …

A Phenomenological Exploration: The Black Bile Of Depression, Charles L. Dunlap Ii, M.A.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The phenomenon of depression manifests itself in many different forms, haunting us with its simultaneously inescapable, diffuse and pervasive presence. The rich thickness of depression is often severely drained and confined within the overall field of psychology, in which this phenomenon is regularly expressed as an all-encompassing, diagnostic label, to limitedly describe an almost endless number of symptomatic permutations. We shall attempt to distill something of depression’s essence in returning to its ancient, etymological, spiritual and metaphysical roots, in order to begin transcending the traditional clinical notion of depression as simply a disease to be cured and suppressed. The relatively …

The Impact Of Depression On Treatment Outcomes For Patients With Aphasia Who Participate In An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (Icap), Harley B. Kincheloe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

Background: Aphasia is a multi-modal impairment resulting from left-hemisphere stroke. Aphasia is often accompanied by post-stroke depression. Acquiring aphasia and depression is seen to hinder quality of life and rehabilitative outcomes. Traditional stroke therapy often does not monitor or treat psychological difficulties such as depression. Such psychological difficulties hinder progress in recovery and may need to be addressed in therapy to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Aims: In response to the lack of psychological support for persons with aphasia, this literature review aims to explore the impact of depression on functional outcomes. Furthermore, this literature review will explore how …

Social Work Trauma Interventions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Kassie Baumann

Senior Honors Theses

According to Lynne Weilart (2013), in her article on the reasons why people seek out therapy, trauma is the number one reason people attend counseling. Many different trauma-informed approaches are designed specifically to address the consequences of trauma and to facilitate healing. Some of these approaches are as follows: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT);Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT); Trauma Systems Therapy (TST); Trauma Assessment Pathway (TAP); and Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC) (de Arellano, Danielson, Ko, & Sprauge, 2008). The effectiveness of each trauma intervention will be examined. DBT is one of these trauma interventions that is growing …

Building Social Support: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring How College Students Self-Disclose Emotions With Others In Order To Build Social Support, Aimee Brickner

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the process by which college students self-disclose feelings of sadness or depression to create social support. This mixed methods study, which focused primarily on qualitative data, explored the lived experience of participants through an online survey and face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that college students who are experiencing negative feelings grapple with challenges such as identifying someone to share their emotions with and choosing what information to share with others. Findings also demonstrated the importance of social support to college students who are dealing with feelings of sadness and depression in order …

The Relationship Between Different Dating Violence Profiles, Mental Health Problems And Mental Well-Being Among Canadian Youth, Kelsey E. Macdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study examined the relationships among teen dating violence, mental health problems and mental well-being in 338 adolescents aged 14-21 (54% female). Secondary data were retrieved from an evaluation of a small groups healthy relationship program. Participants were grouped into four different dating violence profiles based on self-reported perpetration and victimization: not involved, perpetrators, victims and combined. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine the similarities and differences across types on depression, anxiety, mental well-being and binge drinking. Results suggested that the victims and combined profiles experienced greater mental health problems and decreased mental well-being compared to other profiles. …

Slam Poetry: An Online Intervention For Treating Depression, Spencer J. Ruchti, Mercedes Becker, Cara Mckee, Austin Herron, Alex Swalling

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Given that depression is the “leading cause of disability worldwide,” and that less than 50% of people suffering from depression receive treatment, this study aims to provide support for a globally accessible depression treatment (WHO, 2012). The study conducted implemented an internet-based treatment for depression in which users were provided an opportunity to watch slam poetry videos related to mental health issues and write free responses regarding the content of the videos and their subjective experience of depression. Numerous studies provide support for the effectiveness of expressive writing, online mental health interventions, and slam poetry in particular for reducing symptoms …

Effects Of Child-Parent Attachment And God Attachment On Depression In Adolescent Christians, Soloman Aifuwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis contains a description of a study that examined the relationships between parent attachment, God attachment, and depression in adolescent Christians. It was predicted that secure parent and God attachment are related, and that they will have positive effects on depression and that God attachment will mediate the effects of parent attachments on depression. The study was a cross-sectional correlation study that employed 75 adolescents in youth ministries in North-east Jersey. Depression and attachment measures were administered and the results were analyzed using hierarchical and simultaneous multiple regression, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The study findings demonstrated that parent …

Treating Chronic Depression: Using Empirically Supported Treatments That Work, Gary A. Sibcy Phd

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Exploring Depression And Anxiety As A Result Of Childhood Maltreatment And The Models Of Social Support, Celia Wong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social support has been a significant area of interest in terms of protective factors for children and youth who have experienced maltreatment. The present study examines whether social support exhibits a main effect or a buffering effect on anxiety and depression symptoms in children and youth using the interRAI ChYMH. Family and peer support in particular was explored in an attempt to evaluate a more specified view of social support. The sample consists of 615 participants from various children and youth mental health facilities across Canada. Results indicate no support for the buffering model of social support, while statistical significance …

The Neurobiology Of Burnout: A Christ-Centered Perspective On Managing Stress, Fear And Depression For Optimal Teaching And Functioning, Lisa S. Sosin

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation focuses on developing a bio-psycho-social-spiritual toolbox for effectively managing stress, fear, and depression to support optimal teaching and functioning. Learning outcomes for the presentation include describing the neurobiology of burn out, exploring responses to stressful situations found in the Scriptures, practicing using tools introduced in the presentation to help regulate stress, fear, and depression, and applying content and skills taught in the presentation to develop a personal bio-psycho-social-spiritual toolbox for effectively managing stress, fear, and depression.