Health Psychology Commons^™

Reconstruction Of The Destroyed Sinjali Secondary School, Isabella Kaganowski

Sustainability and Social Justice

This practitioner paper chronicles my involvement of the grant writing proposal that was designed on behalf of a non-for-profit organization, the Association of Dalit Women’s Advancement of Nepal (ADWAN), in order to secure funding and donations for the reconstruction of the destroyed Sinjali Secondary School in Gorkha district, Taklung village, after a 2015 earthquake struck Nepal. The proposal was guided by and collaborated with Professor Jude Fernando of Clark University, as Professor Fernando was able to visit Taklung village and gather information about the needs in the educational sector damaged by the earthquake. Literature review and research was gathered to …

Imposed Versus Affect-Based Resistance Training Intensities On Adherence, Session Affect, Session Perceived Exertion, And Intrinsic Motivation Measures During A Six-Week Program In Novice Female Lifters 2017, Ryan Joseph Brennan

Master's Theses

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that individuals perform resistance training exercises at a specific intensity based on external load (percentage of one repetition maximum; %1RM). However, only 29.6% of adults in 2013 reported strength training two or more times per week. Furthermore, individuals lifting at recommended percentages vary in their pleasure and displeasure. Self-selected exercise seems to promote positive affective responses, in part, due to the perceived autonomy. The effects of regulating exercise intensity using affect as opposed to imposed intensities as a means for improved fitness, promoting exercise behavior, and enhancing other psychological outcomes have yet …

The Effect Of Stigma On Intimate Partner Violence Reporting Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Wesley Eugene Harris

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examined the relation between stigma and reporting of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). It was hypothesized that enacted stigma would result in lower reporting of IPV and that the type of IPV would moderate the relationship between enacted stigma and reporting. Using an online survey, we measured IPV (physical, psychological, and sexual violence) and stigma (perceived, enacted, and internalized). Participants (N = 46) were asked if they had ever experienced any of those forms of violence, as well as if they had ever reported the violence through an …

Psychosocial Challenges Facing Women Living With Hiv During The Perinatal Period In Rural Uganda, Scholastic Ashaba, Angela Kaida, Jessica N. Coleman, Bridget F. Burns, Emma Dunkley, Kasey O'Neil, Jasmine Kastner, Naomi Sanyu, Cecilia Akatukwasa, David R. Bangsberg, Lynn T. Matthews, Christina Psaros

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

The complexities of navigating pregnancy while living with HIV predispose women to additional stress. Finding ways to minimize psychosocial challenges during the perinatal period may maximize the well-being of mothers living with HIV and their children. The goal of this study was to explore psychosocial challenges experienced by women living with HIV (WLWH) during pregnancy and the postpartum.

We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 20 WLWH recruited from an HIV treatment cohort study in Mbarara, Uganda as part of a larger study exploring perinatal depression. We conducted content analyses to identify themes related to challenges of WLWH during pregnancy and …

Individual Difference Variables And Social Learning: An Investigation Into Expectancies, Philip Andrew Wiliamson

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

Bandura (1969, 1985) proposed social learning theory (SLT) as a theoretical framework through which behaviors can be predicted. SLT offers an explanation to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are learned. Alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs) are defined as the physiological or psychological consequences that are anticipated following the consumption of alcohol (Goldman, Boca, & Darkes, 1999). Expectancies enhance or diminish a person’s willingness to engage in drinking behaviors. SLT and AOEs converge as children watch adults and the media either consume and glorify alcohol or conversely vilify alcohol and shun its consumption. This study investigated whether individual difference variables (i.e., suggestibility, prior …

Humor In Medicine: A Literature Review Of Humor’S Potential Therapeutic Value In Health Care, Weston Michael Grant

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Using humor and laughter within the health care field has the potential to be relevant to patients during treatment, to the patient-caregiver relationship, to the subjective well-being of health care providers, and to the environments’ (e.g., work settings) impact on group relationships (e.g., colleagues). A review of the literature examines how the psychological and physiological effects of laughter and humor within the human body impact health and well-being, how humor and laughter improve the patient-practitioner relationship, and if humor and laughter can potentially impact physician burnout. Several possible implications for these findings are discussed, such as professional medical comedians, improvements …

A Qualitative Study Of The Healthcare Experiences Of Hispanic/Latino Persons Of Limited English Proficiency In The Rural Midwest, Emily Pauli

Honors Thesis

The U.S. population is becoming more diverse, and this diversity calls for adaptations that allow our healthcare system to adequately care for all individuals. The group that is currently growing the most quickly in the United States is Hispanics/Latinos (United States Census Bureau, 2016). This group faces additional challenges when it comes to receiving healthcare services, particularly when it comes to rural settings. For those Hispanics/Latinos with limited English proficiency (LEP) residing in rural settings, it can be quite difficult to access healthcare in Spanish, creating for less-than-ideal healthcare experiences.

In the following pages, we will examine some of the …

The Influence Of Values And Recipient Groups On Social Welfare Policy Opinion, Christopher Pulliam

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The following paper examines how value-based considerations for social welfare policy opinion are affected by changes in the race of the program recipient. I propose a new model to understand social welfare policy opinion called the interactive model—where instrinsic considerations are tempered by extrinsic considerations. Through an original survey experiment, I find that humanitarianism and economic individualism do not have significant effects on social welfare policy opinion. However, egalitarianism is found to have a strong impact. When the race of the program recipient is changed from white to African-American, the impact of egalitarianism increases for views of Medicare. When the …

Structural And Functional Neural Correlates Of A Mind-Body Connection., Leonard Faul

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The human brain underlies the complex cognitive processes of the mind, however, this is dependent upon the physiological processes of the body in order to receive adequate energy, oxygen, and blood flow. Therefore, physical measurements such as body mass index (BMI) and indices of cognitive functioning, such as intelligence, may be related via common neural features. Current analyses assessed morphometric differences in cortical and subcortical grey matter regions, white matter structural integrity, and resting-state functional activation in order to determine what combinations of neural variables predict BMI and intelligence (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence; WASI) with the best degree of …

Alcohol Related Rural Emergency Department Use: A Treatment Opportunity, Ezekiel Sanders

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The negative impact of alcohol on an individual’s social, psychological, and physiological health is well known. Despite this knowledge, it remains a prevalent problem in our society. Residents of rural communities encounter a wide range of risk factors including poverty, unemployment, and limited access to healthcare. These factors can influence both the prevalence and treatment for alcohol use disorders. With limited access to medical resources, the Emergency Department (ED) can become the default provider for problems related to alcohol use. The reported prevalence of alcohol-related problems in the ED varies widely from an estimated 2% to 40% of all visits. …

Serving Syracuse Youth Through Mentorship, Neha Rauf

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This project seeks to explore the use of mentorship as an intervention mechanism for at-risk youth in Syracuse, living with the consequences of poverty and community violence. The first part is an interview-based study that analyzes the effects on youth and mentors that participate in mentorship programs in Syracuse, New York focusing on the reciprocal nature of those benefits. While mentors guide urban youth through academic, social, and personal challenges, this study finds the principal benefits to the mentees interviewed were exposure to new opportunities and improved interpersonal and communication skills. Furthermore, the mentors themselves felt the relationship was an …

Spirituality And Suicidal Behavior: The Mediating Role Of Self-Forgiveness And Psychache, Benjamin B. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growing evidence for protective factors of spirituality against physical and mental health related outcomes has led to the consideration of spirituality as a protective factor for suicidal behaviors. Although initial support for this association is promising, spirituality has yet to be explored as it relates to psychache. Additionally, self-forgiveness has emerged as an important protective factor of suicidal behavior, but has not been explored in the context of psychache. Following a model developed by Webb, Hirsch, and Toussaint (2015), the current project explores the protective role of spirituality on suicidal behavior based on three dimensions of spirituality: ritualistic, theistic, and …

The Nurse’S Story: A Qualitative Study Of How Nurses Experience Caring For Patients Who Die Unexpectedly, Shantel Sullivan

All Theses And Dissertations

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of compassion fatigue among nurse professionals in order to examine natural grieving reactions and how they potentially change nurses’ lives. The focus of this study included nurse professionals working in rural community hospitals in Upstate New York. The nurse professionals in the study were exclusively those who identify and practice as registered nurses (RN). The nurses were asked to share their experiences of repetitive exposure to critical incidents (unexpected outcomes, mass casualties, and/or death of infant/child/young adult). Purposive sampling was utilized as a means to select participants. The …

A Mixed-Methods Study: Self-Efficacy And Barriers To Participation In Workplace Wellness Programs, Massiel Perez-Calhoon

Dissertations

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation’s health. Lack of awareness and sensitivity to what motivates individual participants versus group participants built formidable barriers to accessing all workplace employees equitably. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the intent of this study was to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement when …

Reconnecting The Mind And Body: A Pilot Study Of Developing Compassion For Persistent Pain, Sarah L. Parry Dr, Zoey Malpus Dr

Patient Experience Journal

As an alternative to the more typical cognitive behavioural approach to pain management, a novel pain management group based on the principles of compassionate mind training was developed for a particular sub-group of patients. Participants were patients of a community pain clinic, who were invited to participate in this alternative approach to pain management. The eight-week Compassion in Pain Groups included psychoeducation around persistent pain, the underlying principles of compassionate mind training, practical exercises such as diaphragmatic breathing, followed by a series of compassionate imagery exercises and group discussions. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken to gain further insights …

The Effectiveness Of Music Therapy To Reduce Agitation Among Persons With Alzheimer’S Disease, Caroline Mazon

Honors Theses

According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2016), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is diagnosed every 66 seconds resulting in this disease being the 6^th leading cause of death in the United States. Among other signs and symptoms, agitation is one of the most challenging symptoms that patients and caregivers must try to control using nonpharmacological therapies or prescribed pharmacological treatments. Among many professions, music therapy has been used to specifically lower the levels of agitation in AD patients. Live music, “sing a long’s”, using instruments, and listening to a song of the patients’ choice have all been shown to reduce agitation behaviors …

Maternal Stress And Stress Symptomatology In Children, Emily Klipa

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

With stress being referred to as the “health epidemic of the 21^st century” by the World Health Organization, questions arise about not only how this epidemic affects adults, but also how stress may affect today’s children. Research indicates that stress impacting parents trickle down to children, and the effects can be palpable. In this study the author examined maternal stress as well as stress related symptoms and illnesses in their children. Participants are mothers of children age’s five to ten. The protocol included completion of a four part online survey addressing demographic information, perceived stress, and recent stressful life …

Giving Poems: Motivation And Personality In The Reading And Sharing Of Poetry, Leeann Bartolini

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Most of the psychological work on poetry has investigated the poet (Mason, Mort, Woo, 2015; Jamison, 1989) or the expressive act of writing poetry (Fink & Drake, 2016, Coulehan & Clary, 2005). The National Poetry Foundation commissioned a study in 2006 that examined the general habits of the American public in terms of reading and sharing poetry. This survey found:14% of American population reads poetry.Readers in general and poetry readers in particular tend to be women with higher level of education.Poetry readers are not loners – high amounts of leisure activity and high sociability.Poetry readers tend to have read poetry …

Push To Pray: A Conceptual Framework For Significant Change In Prayer Frequency In One Church, Charles Alexander Elliott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, an increasing amount of research has been conducted on the topic of personal spiritual practices, such as prayer. Fewer studies have been conducted on reasons for changes in the frequency of such practices within the church. Those that have addressed church behavior have most often measured attendance and membership. It is the goal of this study to conceptualize potential causes for changes in personal prayer practice at one church. A yearlong marketing campaign was used to help increase church attenders’ frequency of the personal spiritual practice of prayer. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted one-year apart and revealed …

Assessing A Punching Bag Feedback Performance Device, Neil Deochand

Dissertations

Physical exercise has been integrated into treatment efforts in reversing the number of overweight and obese individuals. Furthermore, exercise extends mortality, enhances general quality of life, and it is a protective health factor for preventing the progression some mental health disorders. Electronic athletic training equipment easily allows monitoring of real-time physical activity, and enables tracking of progress made toward individualized performance goals. There are limitations to only using visual feedback (e.g., visual depictions of heart rate, speed, distance traveled, or calories burned etc.) to track and improve exercise and athletic performance, especially for some sports, such as boxing. This issue …

Just Here For Moral Support: A Path Analysis Of Depression And Social Support Networks, Jordan E. Marshall

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Social support has been shown to be associated with lower depression scores in a variety of populations. Using a series of questionnaires, Leahy-Warren, McCarthy, and Corcoran (2011) found significant negative relationships between functional social support and postnatal depression as well as between informal social support and postnatal depression. Grav et. al, (2011) conducted a similar study on the general population, and found that perceived support was significantly correlated to depression. Research suggests that there are gender differences in the relationship between social support and depression. Utilizing data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, Sonnenberg et. al, (2013) found a lack …

Analysis Of Worcester's Youth Employment Sector, Laurie Ross Phd, Ramon Borges-Mendez Phd, Alex Rothfelder

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Overall, the employment rate for Worcester youth has improved since 2000; yet mirroring the nation, Worcester continues to have a smaller share of youth 16-24 employed. This situation is intensified for youth of color and young people facing barriers such as homelessness, exiting foster care, juvenile justice involvement, and limited English proficiency. Mass, Inc. estimates that in Worcester there are 3400 disconnected youth—756 are between 16-19 and 2644 are between 20-24. From the youth employment program inventory, we learned that the city’s programs offer many opportunities for “first job” experiences; has some exemplary programs that integrate youth development and workforce …

Some Evidence Of Youthful Aging: Elevated Cortisol And The Association With Dna Damage, Jason M. Fly, M. Catherine Desoto

Research in the Capitol

Chronic psychological stress as measured by the elevation of the stress hormone cortisol is thought to play a crucial role in the biological mechanisms involved in disease and accelerated aging. In 2011, a critical connection was reported between cortisol and the oxidative damage to DNA in a study of elderly participants (ages 63-83) via 24-hour urinary samples (Joergensen, et. al., 2011). This connection, if verified, has implications for how stress may accelerate aging and the onset of disease. The possible relationship between psychological stress and the cellular damage that underlies aging and disease is explored here, replicating the prior study …

A Visit To The Doctor: Preparation For Activism, Simone Watson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Frontline Reports: Emergent Topics For Scholarly Development, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Dignity is a scholarly journal dedicated to creating a publishing space for all members of the community—survivors, activists, legal advocates, service providers, researchers, theorists, and scholars—who write about exploitation and violence. Frontline Reports put Dignity on the leading edge of naming, describing, and analyzing topics relevant to our work of ending exploitation and violence. Each report teaches us about the immediate topic and opens up new horizons for future scholarship. By bringing all together, we facilitate the exchange of information and enhance the development of scholarship in the field.

The Porn Myth: Exposing The Myth Behind The Fantasy Of Pornography By Matt Fradd, Donald L. Hilton Jr.

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Cumulative Sexual Victimization And Mental Health Outcomes Among Incarcerated Women, Jennifer Hartsfield, Susan F. Sharp, Sonya Conner

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This research explores the relationship between three different types of self-reported sexual victimization and subsequent mental health problems in a sample of incarcerated women. Previous literature establishes a link between victimization histories and poor mental health outcomes. This study focuses on sexual victimization experienced as a child, as an adolescent and as an adult, both individually and cumulatively, in relation to entering prison with a mental health diagnosis as well as reporting current depressive symptoms while incarcerated. Each type of victimization is significantly related to both prior mental health diagnosis and current depression in prison. Furthermore, there is an additive …

Approaching Stressful Situations With Purpose: Strategies For Emotional Regulation In Sensitive People, Amy D. Nagley

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate strategies for emotional self-regulation (EMSR) in highly sensitive people (HSPs) under pressure. Specifically, a model of EMSR was evaluated through a moderated-mediation design with two manipulations across two experiments. A total of 445 individuals participated in the current study (52% female), all of which were US citizens. Results suggested that the relationship between sense of purpose (SoP) and EMSR was moderated by focus on potential (FoP). Specifically, SoP significantly impacted FoP, b = .89, t = 5.23, p < .01, FoP significantly impacted EMSR, b = 1.11, t = 5.88, p < .01, and the Sobel test suggested a significant indirect effect, z = 3.91, p < .01.

The hypothesis that …

The Color Ceiling: African Americans Still Fighting For Equity And Equality, Osaro Airen Ph.D, Lpc, Ncc

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

There currently exists a unique ceiling-effect that has plagued the African American community for a number of years but due to the group being placed under the Glass Ceiling umbrella, the true nature of their issues have been vastly overlooked. To bring to light the true nature of these issues, the author created the term, Color Ceiling. The Color Ceiling refers to the invisible barriers that impede financial equity, employment equity, and promotional advancement for African Americans in the workplace specifically higher education.

The Relationship Between Gratitude And Health Behaviors, Jacob Lowen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Gratitude interventions lead to significant increases in subjective, psychological, spiritual, and physical well-being. These benefits may be because grateful individuals are better able to form social bonds, better able to utilize coping skills to defer stress, better able to maintain positive affect, and are more creative in problem solving. It remains unclear what mechanism(s) are responsible for the positive benefits associated with gratitude and whether the link between gratitude and health enhancement is bidirectional. The current study seeks to explore the link between gratitude and health behaviors by measuring the increase or maintenance of gratitude over time in response to …