Health Psychology Commons^™

Editorial And Clarification, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Poem: "Foundations" By William Wilfred Campbell (1860 - 1918), Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Why We Experience Musical Emotions: William Gardiner’S “The Music Of Nature” Revisited, Daniela L. Boero Dr.

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

This paper focuses and expands on the ideas of William Gardiner, an amateur musician who was the first to propose that human emotions experienced in music listening might be inspired by “the sounds of nature.” His book has been ignored for almost two centuries. We revisit his hypothesis from an evolutionary psychology approach. This contribution reviews environmental psychology and musical studies which focus on emotional reactions to basic musical cues such as pitch, timbre, and loudness, and also, on animal communication studies. Reported literature confirms the hypothesis that our ancestral soundscape might have shaped, at least in part, the basic …

Table Of Contents 4(1) May 2022, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Stigma And Law Enforcement Officers, Moses Park

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research was to describe the perception of law enforcement officers (LEOs) about the stigmatizing behavior they experienced from fellow officers in their organization, after they sought mental health services, following a traumatic event they were involved in.

Methodology: The methodology for this research study will be qualitative from a phenomenological perspective. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 12 active and retired LEOs who served in southern California.

Findings: After the analysis, seven major findings were yielded. The major findings of the study are: (a) Within the law enforcement …

Toward Holistic Mental Wellness: A Literature Review Of Mindfulness-Based And Focusing-Oriented Art Therapies, Lesley Vernon

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Modern day living, for all its benefits, is synonymous with record levels of stress. The mental health clinician’s role is to assist clients in accessing the skills and tools necessary to reduce and alleviate the symptoms of stress-induced anxiety. Mindfulness is emerging as a potent and effective tool to restore one’s state of well-being. Likewise, engaging in art therapy has been shown to reduce stress and foster resilience. Grounded in humanistic and existential theories, this literature review aimed to assess the impact and effectiveness of two intermodal holistic therapies, specifically mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) and focusing-oriented art therapy (FOAT). A …

Moderators To The Effects Of Childhood Traumatic Stress On Childhood Physical Health, Shaneze Gayle Smith

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

According to the United States National Statistics on Child Abuse, in 2017 Child Protective Service agencies in the United States received an estimated 4.1 million referrals involving approximately 7.5 million children. A substantial body of research has revealed that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have detrimental long-term effects on physical health and a large number of health conditions. However, little research exists regarding the effects of childhood maltreatment on childhood physical health. Identifying protective factors such as self-esteem can moderate the effects of ACEs, help children thrive, and potentially lower the risk of a variety of conditions like cardiovascular disease, cancer, …

Chronotype, Shift Work, And Sleep Problems Among Emergency Medicine Clinicians, Emily L. Hirsh, Thomas W. Britt, Zachary Klinefelter, Justine Liptak, Cody Meyers, Katie Daniels, Lauren A. Fowler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Extensive research has demonstrated that shift work can be detrimental to sleep. Chronotype, the preference for time of day to sleep or be active, can influence how we function at different times of day and how shift work impacts us. This study was designed to assess the chronotype of emergency physicians (EPs) and emergency advanced practice providers (EAPPs) and examine how chronotype was related to sleep problems and shifts worked over a three-month period.

Methods: A survey assessing chronotype and sleep quality was sent to 225 EPs and EAPPs in a single, large academic Department of Emergency Medicine. An …

Rethinking Binge Eating Disorder: Is Resource Depletion The Missing Link?, Laura Fewell

Dissertations

Binge eating disorder (BED), the most prevalent of the eating disorders, is associated with significant mental health impairments, high healthcare costs and utilization, and increased mortality. Yet little is known about the mechanisms involved in binge eating, and existing BED theories are incomplete. Scholars have recently suggested that resource depletion, or the state of reduced self-regulation abilities, may apply to BED, but no identified studies have experimentally examined this relationship. The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of resource depletion in binge eating behaviors. Ego anxiety, discomfort anxiety, and dietary restraint were also examined as potential …

Behavioral, Cognitive, And Socioemotional Pathways From Early Childhood Adversity To Bmi: Evidence From Two Prospective, Longitudinal Studies, Jenalee R. Doom, Ethan S. Young, Allison K. Farrell, Glenn I. Roisman, Jeffry A. Simpson

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Childhood adversity is associated with higher adult weight, but few investigations prospectively test mechanisms accounting for this association. Using two socioeconomically high-risk prospective longitudinal investigations, the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (MLSRA; N = 267; 45.3% female) and the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS; n = 2,587; 48.5% female), pathways between childhood adversity and later body mass index (BMI) were tested using impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, and overeating as mediators. Childhood adversity from 0 to 5 years included four types of adversities: greater unpredictability, threat/abuse, deprivation/neglect, and low socioeconomic status. Parents reported on child impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, …

The Effects Of Cannabidiol Isolate On Menstrual-Related Symptoms, Morgan L. Ferretti

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The current study aimed to examine the potential effects of CBD isolate for alleviating menstrual-related symptoms (MRS). Participants (N = 33, M_AGE = 20.50, M_BMI = 23.02)were assigned randomly to two open-label dosing groups (160mg, n = 17; 320mg, n = 16) and completed monthly surveys for four months that included MRS-related measures. We examined differences in MRS and related outcomes between baseline and three months of CBD administration. Results revealed reductions in MRS, irritability, anxiety, global impression, stress, and subjective severity scores with a small effect when comparing baseline to all three months of CBD administration. …

Differences In Covid Related Anxiety Between Those With And Without Type 2 Diabetes, Jane G. Hewes

Honors Theses

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with diabetes may be at higher risk for experiencing negative behavioral, psychosocial, and disease-related outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to compare COVID-19-related anxiety between adults with and without type 2 diabetes. Two separate samples were recruited for this study from web-based panels of adults: 372 adults with type 2 diabetes and 259 adults without type 2 diabetes. COVID-19-related anxiety was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)This scale includes 7 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores are summed to generate a total score with higher scores …

Impacts Of Diabetes Stigma On Acute Healthcare Engagement Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Kate Camillo

Honors Theses

Introduction: Individuals frequently experience public and self-stigma stemming from type 2 diabetes. Prior studies have linked stigma with higher levels of poorer diabetes outcomes such as greater disease-related distress and worse glycemic control. However, few if any studies have examined the association between diabetes-related stigma and healthcare utilization. This gap in the literature is critically important given the importance of proactive disease management and preventive care as well the high costs of acute service use in this population. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between type 2 diabetes stigma, patient activation, and acute medical …

The Role Of Prenatal Anxiety Sensitivity On Postpartum Anxiety And Depression, Ryann Holman

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women, with roughly 15% of women experiencing psychopathology during pregnancy and postpartum. The most common mental health concerns during this period are anxiety and depression, which have been linked to adverse outcomes on both mother and baby, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. In understanding their onset, anxiety sensitivity has been found to be a potential mechanism for the development of both anxiety and depressive disorders. The goal of the current study was to examine the association between prenatal anxiety sensitivity and postpartum anxiety and depression. Pregnant women were given a battery …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflective Journaling Intervention To Impact Self-Awareness, Professional Health, And Overall Well-Being In Nurses, Brittany M. Langan, Katherine Keppen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background. Burnout among nurses has been on the rise and was exacerbated with the pandemic. Reflective journaling after work may be a strategy to decrease feelings of burnout. Reflective journaling, as an intervention, has been shown to improve self-awareness, compassion fatigue, and burnout among nurses. The purpose of this study was to pilot a 4-week reflective journaling intervention in hospital-based nurses and describe participant professional quality of life, self-awareness, and overall well-being.

Theoretical Framework. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was chosen as the theoretical framework because it identifies the belief that performing a particular behavior will lead to a …

Post-Traumatic Growth, Resilience, And Coping In Aya Cancer Survivors, Julia Piluk

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience psychosocial outcomes of cancer that may cause a positive or negative outlook. Qualitative data (N=26) was collected and analyzed for subthemes of post-traumatic growth, resilience, and coping methods. Results suggest that overall, AYA cancer survivors report a sense of hope for their future.

Patterns Of Diet And Physical Activity In Adolescent Cancer Survivors, Madison Fertig

Theses and Dissertations

Diet and physical activity have been shown to reduce the risk of obesity and related diseases in cancer survivors. Adolescents are at a unique developmental stage where they have more control over their own health behaviors, indicating an important time to develop and maintain healthy behaviors.

Sociopolitical Determinants Of Health In The Proposed Rezoning Of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Ny, Khemraj J. Persaud

Publications and Research

The community of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Queens, NY has been split into multiple zones and has needed rezoning for decades. The area consists of a range of people from different ethnic backgrounds, including Indo-Caribbean, South Asian, and Afro-Caribbean. Racial health disparities persist in this district, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. I conducted research about how ongoing political issues in this community has been affecting the overall health of its residents and what is being done about it.

Lifetime Cannabis Use Is Associated With Suicidal Ideation And Non-Suicidal Self Injury, Diamonde Mccollum, Katie Moskal, Jenni Teeters

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

Poster regarding cannabis use.

The current study hypothesized lifetime cannabis use frequency would be linked to greater risk of lifetime suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide attempts and lifetime non-suicidal self injury.

Improving Depression Screening And Follow-Up Care In Underserved Populations, Alicia D. Hankins

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Depression is a substantial source of financial, emotional, and physical burdens to patients and their families worldwide. It also disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged populations. To combat the depression crisis, The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published guidelines to boost depression screenings of all patients presenting for healthcare services. A review of literature and the completed needs assessment confirmed low rates of depression screening in the rural primary care sector. This project took place in an outpatient primary care facility in rural Arkansas, where current depression screening tools were not being used. The goal was to increase the percentage …

Associations Between Trauma History And Dimensions Of Self-Concept In College Students, Francisco Carrillo-Alvarez

Honors Scholar Theses

Past research in the literature of the self has considered the influence of potentially traumatic or adverse events. In this study, we aim to explore this relationship among undergraduate students utilizing various measures of self-concept including global self-worth, self-concept clarity and domain specific measures of self-perception. Various measures were administered to 308 participants that aimed to determine the instances of potentially traumatic events experienced and the subjective level of distress, in addition to the self-concept measures of global self-worth, self-concept clarity and the domain specific measures of self-perception including self-fulfillment, autonomy, and emotional self-adjustment. The results reveal that global self-worth …

Examining Difference In Social Perceptions Between Women Using Hormonal Contraceptives And Naturally Cycling Women, Caroline B. Johnson

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The term “stress” refers to a person’s psychological and physiological response to the demands and pressures of the world around them (Farlex, 2021). Past research has shown that stress can have negative side effects on a person’s well-being (Aneshensel et al., 1991; Wunsch et al., 2017; Michie, 2002). Although people experience stress, some people perceive more stress than others. Perceptions are important because the way one understands certain conditions can elicit distinct emotional and physiological responses (Kemeny, 2003). An important factor that has not received a lot of attention is women’s use of hormonal contraceptives. In the United States, 24.4% …

Examining The Effects Of Different Coping Styles On Dependent Stress Generation, Whitney Skaggs

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, I prospectively examined the associations between different coping styles and stress. Stress can be classified as independent, which is stress that an individual has no control over, or dependent stress, which is stress that occurs because of the individuals’ actions. Coping is how individuals deal with that stress. With the role that coping plays in stress, I expected that it would relate to stress generation. I hypothesized that some forms of coping would prospectively predict the occurrence of less dependent stress but not independent stress. To test this hypothesis, I had college students (N=73) complete …

Relationship Between Pet And Human Separation Anxiety On Owners’ Anxiety And Physical Health, Noah Ross

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pet ownership has always been thought to be beneficial, but some recent studies have not been consistent with this statement. A possible explanation for this is an unhealthy overdependence that pets and pet owners have developed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. In this paper, I examine whether separation anxiety from pets, people, and separation behavior of pets could be predictors of anxiety and physical health. The first prediction was that pet and non pet owners differed demographically. Also, it was hypothesized that separation anxiety from humans, separation anxiety from pets, but not pet separation behaviors predicted anxiety and …

The Importance Of Health Anxiety And Emotional Reasoning To Understand Vaccine Hesitancy And Safety Behaviors: Implications For Public Health Campaigns In A Covid_19 Era, Samantha Ballas, Kimberli Treadwell

Honors Scholar Theses

This study examined the impact of health anxiety and emotional reasoning on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and preventative behaviors, hypothesizing that high anxiety and emotional reasoning would predict lower vaccine hesitancy and higher COVID-19 preventative health behavior after controlling for demographic variables. A large international non-probability convenience sample of 532 individuals consented to an online survey in a cross-sectional period from March through August 2021 (one month following availability of vaccinations in the USA). Participants completed questionnaires online. Health anxiety and general anxiety were significantly correlated with COVID-19 preventative behaviors, including mask wearing and social distancing, and emotional reasoning. General anxiety …

Simultaneous Alcohol And Cannabis Use In College Students: Examining Context, Route Of Administration, Cognitive Factors, And Consequences Via Daily Diary, Jennifer Lynn Shipley

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Cannabis and alcohol use are pervasive among college students. Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis (commonly referred to as simultaneous alcohol and marijuana [SAM]) use (i.e., effects overlap) is more prevalent than concurrent alcohol and cannabis (commonly referred to as concurrent alcohol and marijuana [CAM]) use (i.e., effects do not overlap). Consequences of SAM use are often greater than CAM or single substance use. Research has explored cognitions (motives, expectancies) and contexts (environmental, social) as predictors of SAM use among adolescents, young adults, and adults; however, research is needed among college students specifically. Limited research has examined type of alcohol and route …

Which Generation Is Having Safe Sex? Millennial Or Gen-Z, Rachel Silver

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research study aims to examine the sex practices of Millennials vs. Gen Z's. There are many concerns and questions about the long-term effects of hook-up culture for modern youth. In the last few years, there has been a rise in STDs and a decrease in teenage pregnancy. This quantitative research intends to find out where are education gaps are and the most significant motivators for young people to use protection and contraceptives through a list of questions in a survey. The goal is to understand better the similarities and differences between Millenials and Gen-Z's safe sex education and …

Taking Health-Risks As A Short-Term Mating Strategy, Alvin Jun Jie Wong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Diseases pose a recurring, and often indiscriminate threat to the health of individuals. However, there exists a wide range of behavioral responses between individuals when it comes to taking health precautions or undertaking risks in response to this perennial threat, with some responses seeming maladaptive to an individual’s survival. The present study adopts the lens of evolutionary psychology and suggests that taking health risks represent a short-term mating strategy in men, which potentially trades survival for reproductive fitness. Taking health risks is hypothesized to be an honest signal of both good genes and a strong physiological immune system, both of …

Perceptions Of Risk, Work, And Lifestyle Changes On Mental Health Of Healthcare Workers Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Awatef Ergai, Leeanna Spiva, Lin Li, Ryan Breshears, Ginny Q. Zhan

Faculty Articles

The COVID-19 outbreak is significantly affecting the mental health of healthcare workers worldwide. This study aims to investigate mental health outcomes of healthcare workers in a health system located in the Southeastern US during the first peak of the pandemic and examine the association of specific factors on the mental well-being of healthcare workers. A cross-sectional survey of 388 healthcare workers was conducted. Data were collected using a 79-item questionnaire, which included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) instrument, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) instrument, and the 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and …