Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Wellbeing, Mental Health, And Natural Resource Dependency In Rural Utah, Kristen Rene Koci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation examines wellbeing, mental health, and natural resource (NR) dependency in rural Utah. The following questions are asked: How do wellbeing and mental health vary throughout the state of Utah, including by rural-urban location? What concerns do applied practitioners have regarding mental health in rural parts of the state? How do chronic stress and social dislocation contribute to mental health outcomes in rural NR dependent communities in the state? Four studies were conducted to pursue these research questions.

The first two studies use data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey to explore wellbeing and mental health in Utah communities over …

Coming Out Experiences Related To Improved Well-Being Among Religious Sexual And Gender Minorities, Samuel Skidmore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs; individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or who do not identify as cisgender and heterosexual) often come out to others as a way to improve their connections, feel more authentic, and improve their mental health. However, coming out is often a frightening and stress-inducing process, and SGMs’ overall well-being may depend on how they approach these conversations and how others respond. In an effort to better understand these experiences and to provide a scientifically-validated “guide” to SGMs and those to whom they come out, we conducted three studies that examine when coming out goes well and …