Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Navigating New Normals: Student Perceptions, Experiences, And Mental Health Service Utilization In Post-Pandemic Academia, Hadiza Galadima, Anne Dumadag, Cara Tonn

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

This study explores the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, focusing on shifts in learning experiences and students’ intentions to utilize mental health services post-pandemic. Utilizing Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, this study assesses perceptions from a stratified random sample of college students on post-pandemic learning experiences and mental health service utilization intentions. Findings reveal a positive reception to university initiatives and a preference for ongoing virtual classes. There is an evident increase in, and varying intentions for, using mental health services, shaped by demographics, employment, and prior service utilization. Younger and female students showed …

Effects Of Peer-Supported And Self-Guided Exercise On Self-Reported Anxiety And Depression Among Young Adults - A Pilot Study, Xihe Zhu, Michael D. Kostick, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression became heightened issues for college-aged young adults during the global pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a peer-supported exercise intervention on young adults (vs. self-guided exercise) who reported elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression. A parallel group design was used where young adults (n = 27) were randomly assigned to either a peer-supported or self-guided exercise group which lasted for eight weeks. The generalized anxiety and depression subscales of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-34) were measured for a baseline and then at …

Binge Drinking And Protective Behavioral Strategies Among Greek And Non-Greek College Students, Maria Niitepold

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

One of the most problematic habits of college students, binge drinking, has been of particular interest among researchers as a result of the increased risk of harm experienced by students engaging in this high-risk behavior. Fraternity and sorority students have also come under scrutiny for habitually engaging in binge drinking and experiencing significant levels of negative consequences as a result. Little is currently understood about the differences between Protective Behavioral Strategy (PBS) use of Greek and non-Greek students. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in rates of binge drinking and PBS use among Greek and non-Greek …

Evaluating College Students’ Health Literacy And Its Effects On Their Perceptions Of Information Concerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic Ve Information Concerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah S. Ketchum

Honors Program Projects

Background: Mask-wearing was a controversial and polarizing phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beliefs concerning mask-wearing differed depending on sources of information concerning the pandemic, levels of health literacy, political leaning, demographics, or other factors. This project attempted to connect college students’ level of health literacy to their understanding of and adherence to mask-wearing in the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a gap in research connecting health literacy to understanding information concerning pandemics and an even bigger lack of studies conducted that relate college students’ health literacy to their perception of illnesses or pandemics. It is important to understand the impact of …

Effect Of Using The Snackability Smartphone Application To Improve The Quality Of Snack Intake, General Diet Quality, And Weight Among College Students, Lukkamol Prapkree

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College is a challenging period to make healthy food and snack choices and this could lead to poor diet quality and weight gain in the future. The Snackability application (app) was developed using the Social Cognitive Theory for behavior change to help students choose healthy snacks based on the USDA guidelines. The objective of this study was to determine whether the app improved snack, diet quality, and body weight in overweight and obese college students within a two-arm, 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 139 participants completed all baseline measures and were randomized into the control or app …

Implementing Universal Depression Screening In A College Health Clinic, Marilyn J. Grabau

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: College students are at high risk for depression, and this carries a considerable burden. The American College Health Association supports depression screening on college campuses recognizing that early identification leads to better outcomes.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The project site is a public university located in New England. The college campus health center incorporates medical and counseling services. From August 2019 to December of 2019, 67% of students seen in the counseling center described depressed mood as the presenting concern. Currently there is no routine depression screening in place.

METHODS: This QI project implemented universal depression screening at the student health …

Student Intentions To Engage Instructors In Mental Health-Related Conversations: An Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Allie White, Hannah Ball, Sara Labelle

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Considering that college students experience mental health issues and college counseling centers are overwhelmed, this study identifies instructors as a potential mental health resource for students. This study utilizes the theory of planned behavior to investigate the relationship between students’ attitudes, injunctive and descriptive norms, perceived behavioral control, and their intentions to engage their instructors in mental health conversations.

Participants

Participants were 311 undergraduate students at a small, private university in Southern California.

Methods

Participants were recruited through a Communication subject pool and completed an online survey about engaging instructors in these conversations.

Results

Results of a regression analysis …

No Time For That: Graduate Psychology Student Perspectives On Self-Care Culture, Anthony Primavera

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Graduate psychology students face numerous stressors that can hinder their performance both academically and clinically as they move through their education and into the professional world (Pakenham & Stafford-Brown, 2012; Shen-Miller, 2011). Engagement with regular self-care not only can enhance a sense of well-being, but also plays a crucial role in shielding an individual from some of the most harmful effects of stress (Wise et al., 2012). Graduate level psychology programs are inherently positioned to teach graduate trainees about the importance of self-care practices and to help them develop self-care habits that they can take into future careers. It appears …

How Covid19 Has Impacted Students Nutrition And Eating Habits With The Abrupt Closure Of Restaurants And Campuses, Chloe Sermet

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing college campuses, restaurants, and businesses to shut down, many college students found themselves having to return home or find alternative food resources. Due to these factors, it was imperative to examine how college student’s eating habits have changed throughout the pandemic, dealing with lots of stressors, and whether having prior education on nutrition influenced those eating habits. To examine those effects, 17 nutrition minors and 126 non-nutrition minors participated in the current study in which they took the College Students Eating Habit survey and the Perception of Peer Pressure Scale. The outcome of the …

The Struggle Of Mental Health Within College Students, Skyler R. West

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

One in five college students have thoughts of committing suicide daily. We often wonder what may lead to thoughts like this. This essay uses a subjective approach to broaden the knowledge of readers regarding mental health problems within college students. In this essay, readers discover the statistical findings of factors like alcohol, nicotine, schoolwork and athletics factoring into a student's psychological destressed mental state. Without having available and anonymous resources accessible to them, students are not able to get the help they need.

Mental Health In College Students: Disclosure & Seeking Support, Abby R. Smargon

Honors Program Theses and Projects

A study was conducted through Bridgewater State University in order to better understand the mental health and help seeking behaviors of college students. The data collected served to provide information regarding what specific types of mental health difficulties are reported by college students.

Tagtmeier, Daniel - Covid-19 Journal, Daniel Tagtmeier

Personal Journals

EIU student, Daniel Tagtmeier writes about the effect of the pandemic on his learning and homelife, particularly his relationship with his grandmother and the inability to see her in the early stages of the pandemic.

Arguelles, Ceci - Covid-19 Journal, Ceci Arguelles

Personal Journals

Personal diary of EIU student Ceci Arguelles documenting her early experience with the Covid-19 pandemic. Submission includes photos and a description of the images.

Elliott, Santasia - Covid-19 Journal, Santasia Elliott

Personal Journals

Personal journal of Santasia Elliot that includes images of business signs a snippets of social life in the Fall of 2020 as it relates to the effect of the pandemic on communities. In this instance, the documentation is from Danville, IL.

Parillo, Sophia - Covid-19 Journal, Sophia Parillo

Personal Journals

Personal diary of EIU college student and junior Elementary Education major with a minor in orchestra. Her journal documents the holiday season of 2020 and includes documentation that illustrates life during the pandemic.

Mental Health Literacy In A Diverse Sample Of Undergraduate Students: Demographic, Psychological, And Academic Correlates, Rona Miles, Laura Rabin, Anjali Krishnan, Evan Grandoit, Kamil Kloskowski

Publications and Research

Background: Investigating variables associated with mental health literacy in the college-age population takes us one step closer to providing intervention for this vulnerable group, where growing rates of psychological disorders are a serious public concern. This study adds to the existing literature by incorporating, within a single model, multi-faceted variables (demographic, psychological, and academic) that contribute to mental health literacy in demographically and ethnically diverse college students.

Methods: Participants were undergraduate students enrolled at nine different colleges that are part of a large, urban, public university system. A total of 1213 respondents (62.0% female, 73.3% non-white) completed an in- person …

Stutzman, Kelsi - Covid-19 Journal, Kelsi Stutzman

Personal Journals

Personal journal of Kelsi Stutzman, a student in Dr. Laughlin-Schultz's HIS3810 History of Illinois course during Fall, 2020

Hpv Vaccination Intentions In Black Young Adults, Kayla Mathis-Gamble

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study in HPV vaccine naïve, Black college students aged 18-24, enrolled in a minority serving institution (MSI) and/or historically black college/university (HBCU), is to assess perceived: vulnerability, severity, benefits, barriers; and risk behavior factors (trust/mistrust, social influence, and prior sexual behavior) regarding intent to initiate and complete the HPV vaccination series.

Methodology: After IRB approval was obtained, Black college students were recruited from the MSI/HBCU(s). The study was guided by the Health Belief Model. The participants completed paper and pencil surveys.

Findings: The research was conducted in pursuit of four aims. There were one …

Effect Of Mindfulness On Empathy And Self-Compassion: An Adapted Mbct Program On Filipino College Students, Reginald Paul R. Centeno, Karina Therese G. Fernandez

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Attending college is meaningful for many young adults. This period is marked by physical, emotional, and psychological changes that can have both positive and negative effects on college students. The last two decades have seen an alarming increase in the number of college students who suffer from mental health conditions, such as depression, suicide, anxiety, and alcohol abuse. It is recommended that actions to support the students’ wellbeing must be creative and evidence-based. Research suggests that a mindfulness-based intervention may be an effective strategy to address mental health conditions among college students. This study was done to examine the efficacy …

Targeted Advertising Can Increase Healthy Food Choices Among College Students, Stephanie Spera

Population Health Research Brief Series

Poor nutrition in young adulthood can increase risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes in mid- and later life. Targeted nutrition programs for young adults are essential to reduce the burden of chronic disease in the U.S. over the next several decades. This research brief describes a successful healthy food marketing strategy that was used at Syracuse University to promote healthy food purchasing among college students.

Analysis Of College Students’ Personal Health Information Activities: Online Survey, Sujin Kim, Donghee Sinn, Sue Yeon Syn

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: With abundant personal health information at hand, individuals are faced with a critical challenge in evaluating the informational value of health care records to keep useful information and discard that which is determined useless. Young, healthy college students who were previously dependents of adult parents or caregivers are less likely to be concerned with disease management. Personal health information management (PHIM) is a special case of personal information management (PIM) that is associated with multiple interactions among varying stakeholders and systems. However, there has been limited evidence to understand informational or behavioral underpinning of the college students’ PHIM activities, …

Naps And Sleep Deprivation: Why Academic Libraries Should Consider Adding Nap Stations To Their Services For Students, Mary Wise

Library Scholarship

Since the invention of artificial light, people have been working, studying, and playing for longer hours than ever before. They are also sleeping less as a result. This article examines the impact of sleep deprivation on people generally, and specifically on college students. Students accrue a large sleep debt that impairs their ability to function adequately. Students suffering from sleep deprivation can be as impaired as if they are drunk. They suffer damage to their minds and bodies. Adequate sleep can repair this damage, but with the many demands on college students, they may be unlikely to be able to …

Overall Knowledge Regarding The "Freshman 15" Of First Year Students, Abigail Mills, Marina Lorenzo

Dietetics and Nutrition Class Publications

The “Freshman 15” is a term used by first year students at a college or university. It is the idea that students will increase in body weight by fifteen pounds during the first year. Although the concern of gaining fifteen pounds is exaggerated by media, the actual weight gained varies between each student. Weight gain at school could be affected by the number of home cooked meals before attending school, increased alcohol consumption, physical activity level, and body perception. A survey was created to pretest and posttest the participants on their basic nutrition knowledge and the concern of the “Freshman …

Assessment Of The Campus Food Environment Using Components Of The Healthy Campus Environmental Audit, Candace Sorden

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective was to assess whether the food environment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campuses supports healthy eating behaviors using components of the Healthy Campus Environmental Audit (vending, dining, and convenience store audits). Secondary aims were to compare the UNL food environment to other college campuses and explore whether there are existing health promotion and obesity prevention initiatives, programs, pledges and/or policies at UNL.

Research team members accessed a secure online website to review training materials prepared by Syracuse University. Evaluators did audit practice trials to meet inter-rater reliability score standards (>80%). audits were conducted at designated sites …

Protective Behavioral Strategies As A Context-Specific Mediator: A Multilevel Examination Of Within- And Between-Person Associations Of Daily Drinking, Abby L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that a drinker’s environmental and social context can be differentially associated with drinking outcomes. Further, although many researchers have identified that more frequent use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) is associated with lower alcohol consumption and negative consequences, scant research has examined how one’s drinking context may promote or hinder PBS use. The present study examined how the context of drinking each day (i.e., where and with whom) is associated with level of consumption and reported alcohol-related problems among n = 284 college drinkers (69.0% female) directly, as well as indirectly through the use of PBS. Two different …

Drinking To Cope With Depressive Symptoms And Ruminative Thinking: A Multiple Mediation Model Among College Students, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Understanding the potential psychosocial mechanisms that explain (i.e., mediate) the associations between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems can improve interventions targeting college students.

Objectives: The current research examined four distinct facets of rumination (e.g., problem-focused thoughts, counterfactual thinking, repetitive thoughts, and anticipatory thoughts) and drinking to cope motives as potential explanatory mechanisms by which depressive symptoms are associated with increased alcohol-related problems.

Method: Participants were undergraduate students from a large, southeastern university in the United States that consumed at least one drink per typical week in the previous month (n = 403). The majority of participants were female ( …

Alcohol Use And Strenuous Physical Activity In College Students: A Longitudinal Test Of 2 Explanatory Models Of Health Behavior, Heather A. Davis, Elizabeth N. Riley, Gregory T. Smith, Richard S. Milich, Jessica L. Burris

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: To help clarify the effect of gender on the bidirectional relationship between alcohol use and strenuous physical activity in college students. Participants: Five hundred twenty-four (52% female) college students recruited in August 2008 and 2009 and followed up in April 2009 and April 2011, respectively. Methods: Participants reported their alcohol use and strenuous physical activity on 2 occasions (baseline and follow-up) spaced approximately 1 or 2 years apart. Results: For females, alcohol use quantity at baseline was associated with increased strenuous physical activity at 1- and 2-year follow-ups, and alcohol use frequency at baseline was …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of Drinking Patterns Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that nonstudent emerging adults, as compared to their college-attending peers, are at higher risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorders. The present study sought to extend the limited research on nonstudent drinking by (1) identifying sub-groups of nonstudent drinkers based on their drinking patterns and (2) determining the extent to which social-cognitive between-person factors related to drinking (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) distinguish these sub-groups. Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adult heavy episodic drinkers recruited from the community. Mean age was 21.88 (SD = 2.08) years and 45.4% were unemployed. …

The Affordable Care Act And Addiction Treatment: Preparing The Undergraduate Human Services Professional, Chaniece Winfield, Rebekah Cole, Laurie Craigen

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The steady growth of the substance abuse and addiction field in addition to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACT) increases the need for competent and credentialed substance abuse professionals. As generalists in the helping field, human services professionals would benefit from education and sufficient credentialing in substance abuse and addiction treatment. The authors of this article suggest that substance abuse and addiction education be considered for inclusion at the accreditation level for human services programs. Furthermore, a discussion of the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) international credential and its benefits and implications for human services professionals will be …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Caffeinated Alcohol Use During Spring Break, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Caffeinated alcoholic beverages (e.g., Red Bull and vodka) are popular but associated with negative consequences. CABs may be particularly popular during Spring Break, a potentially risky social event.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use, determine how caffeinated alcohol use Spring Break drinking habits differ from usual, and examine the association between Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.

Methods: Data were collected from 95 college students during March of 2013 and 2014. Students completed questionnaires of their alcohol and caffeinated alcohol use before and during Spring Break and Spring Break alcohol-related …