Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Healthy Occupations For Adolescents At Risk For The Juvenile Justice System, Megan Vo, Dana Madalon, Mary Jan Greer

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Many youth who are at risk for the juvenile justice system are likely to have spent some time in the foster care system or child welfare system. This population is often found lacking in social skills and/or life skills that contribute to the difficulties with independent living. Occupational therapy practitioners can provide independent life skills training, such as cooking/meal prepping, budgeting, and job exploration as well as providing healthy leisure outlets to promote a successful transition into adulthood. This program aims to promote the development of skills this population requires for successful independent living as an adult such as basic …

The Mental Health And Wellness Of Young Adults With Down Syndrome, Annika Soderfelt, Susan Macdermott, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

A poster presentation regarding the mental health and wellness of young adults with Down syndrome. This poster discusses how the mental health and wellness needs of individuals with Down syndrome are or are not currently being met and how resources and programming could be created, particularly by OTs, to better meet their need.

Exploring The Occupation Of Education Of Children With Undocumented Immigrant Parents, Denise Perez, Susan Macdermott, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This research study highlights the detrimental effects of family separations on children's well-being, academic performance, and long-term outcomes. It emphasizes the urgent need for research on the mental health effects of immigration policies on children at risk of parental deportation. A qualitative research study was used to understand the experiences and challenges of adults with undocumented immigrant parents during various stages of schooling. The research utilizes the Kawa model to explore emotional factors and barriers affecting students' occupational engagement in an educational setting. The study aims to identify supports and barriers to school engagement for students with undocumented immigrant parents, …

Is There Less Restraint And Isolation Of Students After Tci Quality Improvement And Fidelity Assessment?, Alan Cobo-Lewis, Alan Kurtz

Poster Presentations

Cobo-Lewis and Kurtz tested the Quality Improvement and Fidelity Assessment Process (QIFAP) in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) at residential and school settings to see whether QIFAP was associated with a drop in restraint and isolation of students.

Supporting Oaxacan Youth Mental Health, Academic Achievement, And Cultural Connection, Itahi Arteaga, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga, Rebecca Heymann

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Oaxacan Indigenous youth in the U.S. experience generational, cultural, and social conflicts that impact their participation, performance, and well-being, yet there are no occupation-based programs that address their mental health, academic achievement, and cultural connection In San Diego.

The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a culturally-informed occupational therapy program for Oaxacan indigenous youth that will motivate and provide the skills needed to navigate different cultures while encouraging belonging.

Employment And Mental Matters Amongst Formerly Incarcerated Women, Convalecia Johnson, Monica Watford, Stephanie Riedmueller

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project was to implement a program for formerly incarcerated women to provide employment preparation and mental health resources to address recidivism. An occupational therapy lens was used to develop and execute this program. One on one Zoom sessions were held for participants to work on resumes and mock interviews for employment preparation. Participants were also provided with a resource guide for future reference. A mixed methods approach was utilized to analyze the data from the pre and post program surveys administered to the participants. Based on the results, the participants found the program to be beneficial …

An Exploration Of Intimate Partner Violence In Lgbt Relationships, Amaris Sanvictores, Karen Park

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals experience disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Findings report rates of IPV among LGBT individuals ranging from 31.1%-61.1%, which is higher compared to 29%-35% with their cisgender peers. There is limited research regarding the impact of IPV in LGBT relationships through an occupational therapy lens. Purpose: This research project intends to identify occupational limitations by addressing the required needs and resources of individuals from LGBT IPV to improve their quality of life. The research acquired can be used to identify problem areas to provide …

An Occupational Therapy Guide To Regulation And Resilience In The Classroom, Catherine Newton, Jazminne Orozco-Arteaga

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

An occupational therapy educational program that focuses on increasing teachers' knowledge surrounding childhood trauma as well as promoting regulation and resilience in the classroom.

An Occupational Therapist Role In Mental Health: Focus In Schizophrenia And Eating Disorders, Stephany Tourtillott, Lakeisa Boykin, Inti Marizita

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Occupational therapy is a field that aims to help a population gain as much independence as possible within all areas of occupation. In many cases and populations, this tends to fall within the physical limitations domain and does not often consider populations where mental health is the main domain affected. In this capstone project, the writer dove into how an occupational therapist can help those with schizophrenia and eating disorders, specifically within the adolescent population. This capstone project began with a literature review in which five significant themes arose: background on mental health, the current treatment of schizophrenia and eating …

Enhancing Leisure Participation In An Inpatient Mental Health Setting, Jawad Aqil, Susan Macdermott

Fall 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project, Enhancing Leisure Participation in an Inpatient Mental Health Setting, was completed by a Doctor of Occupational Therapy candidate at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Project objectives aimed to identify and address internal and external barriers related to leisure participation in inpatient mental health settings from an occupational therapy perspective. A literature review of leisure engagement demonstrates beneficial mental health outcomes in correlation with increased leisure engagement during inpatient mental health treatment. However, leisure is often an underutilized facet of mental health treatment. Additionally, individuals with mental health challenges present with individualistic barriers decreasing leisure …

Campus Racial Climate And Mental Well-Being Among College Students: The Role Of Feeling Valued, Sense Of Belonging, And Racial Saliency, Raksha Kandlur Ma, Catherine Glenn Phd

College of Sciences Posters

Around 73% of students report experiencing a mental health crisis during college, and 64% report dropping out for mental health reasons. Research indicates that negative campus racial climate contributes to poor mental health, but few studies have examined factors that may moderate this impact. The current study examined potential moderators of the impact of negative campus racial climate on students’ mental health, including whether: (1) feeling valued and (2) belongingness at school may buffer, or reduce, risk and (3) higher racial saliency may increase risk. Data were drawn from the Healthy Minds Study, administered to a random sample of 4,000 …

Disinformation About Mental Health On Tiktok, Dani Graber, Anne Perrotti (Mentor)

Computer & Information Science: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Disinformation Detection and Analytics

No abstract provided.

Cbt In Primary Care, Brianna J. Spano

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This is a community improvement project designed to address the growing need for and shortage of mental health care in Vermont. The project focuses on creating a brief training tool and guide for primary care physicians to be able to incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy in their practice.

The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depression And Anxiety Symptoms During Covid-19, Tene'sha L. Crews, Christina Sheerin

Undergraduate Research Posters

The rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global surge in exposure to disaster and crisis-related media. Increases in poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased exposure to such media content (Abbas et al., 2021; Riehm et al., 2020; Zhao & Zhou, 2020). In recent years, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for news; approximately 48% of adult Americans receive their news from social media (Pew Research Center, 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in social media use due to social distancing and …

Mental Health Awareness Beyond Messaging, Kylee Tidwell

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Hope Squad is a mental health organization based in Utah. This presentation evaluates a very important narrative to Hope Squad; Greg Hudnall, the founder of the organization, shares the reason he started Hope Squad at all of the organization events. This story defines the values, assumptions, and norms of Hope Squad. Hope Squad values mental health advocacy and creates an expectation of mental health awareness for every person. The norm that results from these values and assumptions is a culture of mental health awareness for the employees. Hope Squad brings awareness of mental health in a variety of ways, so …

Perceived & Personal Mental Health Stigma, Katie White, River Jarman, Brenden Jones, Gabrielle Archambault

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

An exploration of stigmatizing beliefs held by college students, as well as the students' experiences with stigma and discrimination in relation to their own reported mental health problems. The Day's Mental Illness Stigma Scale and the Mental Health Stigma Scale were used to measure varying aspects of stigmatizing beliefs including treatability, relationship disruption, hygiene, anxiety, visibility, recovery, professional efficacy, discrimination, disclosure, and positive outcomes.

Gender & Social Support In Young Adults, Sierra Howe, Amy Jensen, Kaitlin Welsh, Jalena Warner

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

The effect of social support on mental health outcomes is important in understanding how best to address mental health issues in the general population. Young adulthood is a time of extreme stress and change which can often be a trigger for mental illness to occur. Previous research indicates gender as a major determinant for mental health outcomes, especially when exploring help-seeking behaviors. While women are more likely to seek support for mental illness, men are much more likely to self-medicate rather than seek help. Trans and gender diverse individuals were much less likely to receive social support for mental illness, …

Re-Envisioning Transforming Communities Initiative, Alyssa Cronin

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Have you ever seen a large problem you wished we could just solve already? There are many: poverty, homelessness, racism, hunter. The list goes on. Huge issues like these require people to step up to the plate and dismantle oppressive systems and construct better ones. Social workers have been doing this since their conception; however, engagement in these areas have been dwindling over the past decades. TCI was born in 2014 to help combat this by training the next generation of civically engaged social workers while conducting research and working with communities in Utah to create change. It is now …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Students At Usu Eastern, Marcos Suarez, Brielle Mccourt, Aurelio Rodriguez, Jessica Hansen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of people throughout the world in numerous ways. The ramifications of the pandemic will be studied for years to come. We are interested in the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on college students, specifically those at Utah State University Eastern (USUE). We will be conducting an exploratory quantitative survey, in conjunction with the Student Counseling Center, for current students enrolled at USUE, ages 18 and above and will be asking questions about their mental, educational, financial, and social wellbeing. The survey will be distributed by email and will be available through the …

Coping Strategies In Utah State Students With Depression, Mekenzie Orton, Emma Wirtz, Lauren Ambuehl

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

In this study, a Sociology student research group looked at previous and ongoing coping strategies of college students at Utah State University. Previous research indicates that college students suffer from depression and use copious coping strategies to deal with this debilitating mental illness. They may be positive or negative in nature. Previous research is dated, and new material should be conducted to continue the education on coping strategies students use to deal with depression. This paper will outline the steps taken, research done, and an overall analysis of data of Utah State University students and their coping strategies for depression. …

Diary Of An Afghan Woman Collection - September 2021

TSOS Interview Gallery

Four women share with us their daily lives in Afghanistan. Join them as they express their love for the country, the people, and each other; and as they share with you their deepest fears and most intimate moments.

They refuse to be silenced as they journey through this new, uncharted chapter in Afghanistan's history.

We at TSOS are honored to provide a platform for their voices to be heard. We will post entries as we receive them. For safety purposes, names have been changed and only avatars (designed with input from each woman) will be used.

ZOYA

Zoya is a …

The Canine-Campus Connection: Roles For Dogs In The Lives Of College Students, Mary Renck Jalongo

Purdue University Press Book Previews

No abstract provided.

[2020 Honorable Mention] The Stress And Mental And Emotional Health Of Undocumented Students, Sarahi Mariaca Diaz

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This paper discusses the stress and mental and emotional health of undocumented students, including DACA students (referred to as DACAmented), DREAMERS, and AB 540 students, during their college application process and their college journey. Also, this paper focuses on how immigration status and stress factors impact undocumented students’ academic and personal life, how those factors impact the mental and emotional health of undocumented students, and how undocumented students overcome or address the stress factors they experience. Finally, this paper discusses how educational institutions in higher education need to improve to make an undocu-friendly and supportive environment for undocumented students.

Understanding Food Insecurity, Maxwell Stapleton

FCS Advocacy Posters

Food insecurity is a widespread issue plaguing roughly 12.3% of households in the United States, which is a total of roughly 15.6 million families. It is defined as the limited or uncertain access to adequate and nutritious food. At times, it is struggling to find any food at all and wondering when your next meal will be. Food insecure areas tend to have less supermarkets and convenience stores, resulting in lower availability of healthy food options like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and more.

Victimization And Psychological Wellbeing Among Sexual And Gender Minority Emerging Adults: Testing The Moderating Role Of Emotional Comfort From Companion Animals, Jennifer L. Murphy, Camie A. Tomlinson, Angela Matijczak, Kelly O'Connor, Shelby Mcdonald

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: Human-animal interaction science is a growing field, largely due to the potential psychosocial benefits companion animals provide to humans. One way companion animals may influence psychosocial outcomes is through their ability to provide emotional comfort, though few studies have examined relationships between sexual and gender minority stressors (i.e. discrimination, victimization, rejection), human-animal interaction, and psychological wellbeing. To address this gap in the literature, the current study evaluates whether, and to what extent, the association between gender-based victimization and psychological wellbeing (i.e., anxiety, depression, self-esteem) varies as a function of emotional comfort from companion animals among emerging adults.

Methods: Data …

Shurooq, Shurooq, Brandi Kilmer, Sherianne Schow, Nicole Taylor, Sasha Sloan

TSOS Interview Gallery

Shurooq fled Iraq and came to the United States when she was 12. Iraq was a beautiful place full of family and celebration. Her brother passed away from leukemia 1 1/2 years prior to coming to the States. Prior to his death, their father took him to Syria to for treatment. He passed in Syria. Although the family had applied for a medical visa to the United States, upon Shurooq’s brother’s passing, they received threats and knew they could not stay. The call came for the visa and all but her mother were able to come. Thankfully her mother arrived …

Ziba, Ziba, Sherianne Schow, Brandi Kilmer, Heather Oman

TSOS Interview Gallery

Ziba, a promising medical student, fled Afghanistan in 2018 due to instability and for her safety. Life was difficult upon arrival in the United States. In Afghanistan Ziba was involved in national and international poetry, math and science competitions. Ziba went from having everything to starting completely over in a new country. Her anxiety and depression became extremely difficult to deal with She reminded herself who she was, what her passions were and in January 2019 started medical school while working part time as a cashier. Her hope for future arriving refugees is to have a mental health network established …

Perspectives On Indigenous Mental Health, Erika Alegria

Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership (HBECL) Capstone Research Posters

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the diverse perspectives of social service practitioners on the mental health of indigenous youth and communities while examining current methods of practice used in mental health services. This qualitative research study used a narrative design and collected data through a total of five semi-structured, face-to-face interviews involving two Child and Youth Workers, and three Social Workers; three of these five participants are also Registered Early Childhood Educators. The primary research question investigated in this study was: what are Social Service practitioners’ perspectives of how they support mental health issues in indigenous …

Rawah, Rawah, Brandi Kilmer

TSOS Interview Gallery

No abstract provided.

How Do We Treat Eating Disorder?, Jasmine Guanzon

Fall Student Research Symposium 2018

Eating Disorder is a mental health disability that affects an individual’s physical and mental health. There are different types of eating disorder: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, pica, rumination, orthorexia and etc. The earliest documentation of an eating disorder diagnosis occurred between 12th and 13th century, since then, the number of cases for this illness continues to grow (Deans, 2011). A common misconception about eating disorder is that only women suffer from this illness, however, there were documented cases of men suffering from this disorder since 1888 (Strother, 2012). There are multiple treatments offered in order to reduce and …