Other Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Women Just Wanna Have Time: Wellness Innovation Research, Jessica Long, Julia Simon, Victoria Demartelly, Candice Norcott, Adrianne Dade

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Studies show that the stress that resident physicians endure, particularly female residents, can have a negative impact on one’s overall well-being. Many interventional studies have explored the impact that mindfulness, meditation, and exercise have on stress, a negative influencer of well-being. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how short, self-led mindfulness, meditation, and movement exercises impacted OB/GYN residents at a university-based program.

Methods: Participants voluntarily enrolled in a self-led program (fall 2019 – spring 2020) encompassing movement, mindfulness, and meditative activities, for which they received instructions by email detailing six 21-day cycles (requiring 15 minutes of daily …

Ambient Air Pollution Exposure And Increasing Depressive Symptoms In Older Women: The Mediating Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex And Insula, Andrew J. Petkus, Susan M. Resnick, Xinhui Wang, Daniel P. Beavers, Mark A. Espeland, Margaret Gatz, Tara Gruenewald, Joshua Millstein, Helena C. Chui, Joel D. Kaufman, Joann E. Manson, Gregory A. Wellenius, Eric A. Whitsel, Keith Widaman, Diana Younan, Jiu-Chiuan Chen

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Exposures to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) have been associated with the emergence of depressive symptoms in older adulthood, although most studies used cross-sectional outcome measures. Elucidating the brain structures mediating the adverse effects can strengthen the causal role between air pollution and increasing depressive symptoms. We evaluated whether smaller volumes of brain structures implicated in late-life depression mediate associations between ambient air pollution exposure and changes in depressive symptoms. This prospective study included 764 community-dwelling older women (aged 81.6 ± 3.6 in 2008–2010) from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) Magnetic …

Maternal Wellness: Self, Matrescence, Obstetric Violence, And Self-Care, Vanessa V. Vales-Lewis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation, I engage in a self-study through an examination of my experience of matrescence (i.e., the transition to motherhood). I discuss my praxis in the development of a self-study on maternal wellness as it applies to my well-being as both a researcher and the researched. In Chapter 1, I preface this study by highlighting critical scholars and the bricoleurs who have been foundational in my undertaking of this work on a narrative study on maternal wellness. Using bricolage as part of a research methodological framework that involved key scholarly methodologies of authentic inquiry, emergence and contingence, and narratology, …

Immigration, Politics, And Mental Health: An Undergraduate Independent Study, Abigail O. Akande, Erinn K. Rajapaksa

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The implications of a polarizing political climate on the plight of immigrants with disabilities in the United States are physiological and emotional. Rehabilitation and human services professionals are inclined to recognize the intersection of the process of immigration with related legislation and the presence of disability. Undergraduate students of relevant disciplines can benefit from the focused investigation that an independent study can provide – particularly because legislative directives evolve so rapidly, are directly associated with service provision and the availability of resources, and draw upon training and continuing education expectations from a variety of practitioner ethical codes.

Optimism And Lipid Profiles In Midlife: A 15-Year Study Of Black And White Adults, Farah Qureshi, Jackie Soo, Ying Chen, Brita Roy, Donald Lloyd-Jones, Laura D. Kubzansky, Julia K. Boehm

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Optimism is associated with better cardiovascular health, yet little is known about the underlying mechanisms and whether protective relationships are consistently observed across diverse groups. This study examines optimism's association with lipid profiles over time and separately among Black and White men and women.

Methods

Data were from 3,206 middle-aged adults in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. Optimism was measured in 2000–2001 using the Revised Life Orientation Test. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol measurements were obtained at 5-year intervals through 2015–2016. Linear mixed models evaluated relationships between optimism and …

Ecospirituality In Forensic Mental Health: A Preliminary Outcome Study, Clark Patrick Heard, Jared Scott, Stephen Yeo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: In this study, the personal experience of spirituality in nature (the concept of ecospirituality) was supported by occupational therapy and spiritual care staff enabling a community-based group for persons affiliated with a forensic mental health system in Ontario, Canada. Spirituality is a key, though debated, tenet in occupational therapy practice. At the same time, immersive participation in nature has been linked to positive health outcomes.

Methods: A qualitative method consistent with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed. Data was collected via the completion of semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Collected data was transcribed verbatim and then coded for …

Posttraumatic Growth In Women With A Long-Standing Experience Of Involuntary Childlessness In The Czech Republic, Gabriela Ďurašková, Brennan Peterson

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This qualitative research study aimed to examine aspects of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in women with a long-standing experience of involuntary childlessness. In-depth semi-structured interviews, lasting an average of 53 min, were conducted in the Czech Republic. Twenty-four women, averaging 38.8 years old with an average of 6.2 years of infertility experience, participated. They were asked how involuntary childlessness affected/changed their partnerships, sexual life, job, future plans, attitude to children/values/faith, and leisure time. Participants shared both positive and negative aspects of the infertility experience. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five main themes of PTG were identified: strengthening of partnership, greater …

Translatina Immigrant Mental Health Wellness: Suggestive Intervention Strategies The City Of San Francisco Should Consider Adopting, Valeria Vera

Master's Theses

Translatina immigrants in the United States often suffer from intersectional traumas due to their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and immigration status — putting them in a vulnerable position socially, psychologically, economically, and medically. Due to their positionality in the intersections of migration, criminalization, cissexism, and mental health, they are often more marginalized and have greater needs than communities with privileged sociocultural identities. As a particularly vulnerable group, they need guaranteed access to gender-affirming healthcare that is inclusive of mental health services. Despite Translatinas’ need for mental health services, there exist many barriers making services inaccessible and insufficient in San …

The Gender Freedom Model: A Framework For Helping Transgender, Non-Binary, And Gender Questioning Clients Transition With More Ease, Rae Mcdaniel, Laurel Meng

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Transgender/non-binary experiences and identities are often represented in academic literature through narratives of distress and are often pathologized through a medical lens. This holds implications for the field of psychotherapy, as interventions aimed to support transgender/nonbinary individuals often focus solely on risk mitigation. This article presents a therapeutic framework that rests on three pillars—Play, Pleasure, and Possibility—as the focal points for reimagining work with transgender/non-binary clients. This model aims to help this population explore gender transition with more ease through building practical skills, cultivating personal and collective pride, and centering pleasure equity.

Adhd Symptomatology And Social Media Overuse, Hannah Cassetty

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

History, Cognition And Nostromo: Conrad’S Explorations Of Torture, Trauma, And The Human Rage For Order, Richard Ruppel

English Faculty Articles and Research

Focusing on Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo, this essay historicizes the treatment of what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder, demonstrating how Conrad anticipated our current understanding and treatment of the illness. The second part of the essay addresses Nostromo’s treatment of historiography. Part three is concerned with epistemology and the relationship between neurological discoveries concerning the gap between perception and consciousness, relating those discoveries to Conrad’s use of delayed decoding.

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …

Parent Style Of Coping Based On Attachment In The Nicu, Claire Elizabeth Payne

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This quantitative study sought to identify any relationship between attachment type and coping style in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, to better understand and provide resources and support to families in this environment. This study included ten participants who had an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for at least five days. Each participant met the additional criteria of being older than the age of 18 and speaking English. Responses were recorded through a self-report survey, consisting of 115 Likert scale statements. Results indicated that most parents self-report secure attachment and that styles of coping varied within those securely …

Influence Of Social Expectations On Muscle Dysmorphia In College-Age Males Studying Exercise Science, Quinten Garver

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between the risk of an individual developing MD and the presence of unrealistic social expectations. The research question is “How do unrealistic social expectations influence the development of muscle dysmorphia in college-age males studying exercise science?”. METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed to all exercise science students at The University of Akron. This survey was targeted exclusively at male students; any responses received by females were not analyzed. The survey consisted of 20 questions that were aimed at determining the individual’s risk of developing muscle dysmorphia and determining how likely the individual is to have …

I’M Not A Tragedy: Speaking Up About Ableist Microaggressions, Kasandra Marguerite Colwell

Communication Senior Capstones

Have you heard of ableist microaggressions? Let me tell you about them, as someone who has experienced them. I have a bi-lateral dislocating knee condition that I was born with. I can walk, but sometimes I need additional stability or reduction of pain while getting around, in which case I tend to use a cane. I have had many othering interactions while using a mobility aid in public, whether that be a knee brace, a cane, or crutches. While it often seemed the stranger didn’t mean any harm, the question is how many invasive questions and comments from strangers can …

Can It Heal And Hurt?: Survivors Of Sexual Assault Share The Benefits And Challenges Of Sexual Assault Support Group Participation, Brittni Gettys

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Research exploring the relationships among trauma survivors is largely non-existent. This study aimed to explore the effects of relationships among individuals with a shared experience of sexual trauma within the group therapeutic context of sexual assault support groups. This study sought to examine the potential buffering and supportive effects of social support between sexual assault survivors, while also exploring the potential negative effects of shared trauma that may occur from the potentially triggering nature of seeking support from other sexual assault survivors. These complex dynamics were explored through examining the relationships and experiences of sexual assault survivors who have attended …

A Content Analysis Of Reddit Comments Discussing Fibroadenoma Appraisal And Decision Making, Hayley Marie Kay Stahl

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Though fibroadenomas are clinically benign in most cases, clinical research suggests that these lesions can cause diagnosis-related physical health complications and psychological distress. However, this research is limited and should be investigated further. Thus, this study aimed to explore how patients appraise their fibroadenoma diagnosis uncertainty. Additionally, this study sought to determine if a correlation existed between appraisal and decision making as well as identify the factors that influence the most common treatment decision: removal. Data was retrieved from Reddit discussions for a content analysis. These discussions were then qualitatively analyzed using codebooks associated with this study’s research questions. Findings …

Healing Through Mother Earth, Taylor A. Russell

Dance (MFA) Theses

This thesis deals with mental health, with a focus on Black women. Historically, Black women are often so compromised, being constant caregivers and helping everyone else, that they forget to help themselves, not having the time and financial means to do so. If we go back in the time of slavery, many Black women were taking care of slave owners' children and suckling the white women’s babies instead of their own. By the time they got home and after diligently caring for other people’s children they were focused on their own children, who they had been away from for hours …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On First-Generation Women Test-Takers: Magnifying Adversities, Stress, And Consequences For Bar Exam Performance., Freiburger Erin, Victor D. Quintanilla, Kurt Hugenberg, Sam Erman, Nedim Yel, Anita Kim, Mary C. Murphy

Articles

By magnifying gender- and socioeconomic status-based inequalities, the COVID-19 pandemic caused stress and disrupted career progress for professional students. The present work investigated the impact of pandemic-related stress and prevailing barriers on structurally disadvantaged women preparing for a high-stakes professional exam. In Study 1, we found that among US law students preparing for the October 2020 California Bar Exam—the professional exam that enables one to become a practicing attorney in California—first-generation women reported the greatest stress from pandemic-related burdens and underperformed on the exam relative to others overall, and particularly compared to continuing-generation women. This underperformance was explained by pandemic-related …

Mindfulness And Pain Regulation: The Role Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Individuals With Chronic Pain, Ariana C. White

Honors Theses and Capstones

Chronic pain is a significant and widely prevalent health condition which requires comprehensive care to address the many facets contributing to symptomatology. In 2016, 20% of American adults (about 50 million) reported experiencing chronic pain, of which 7.4% indicated that chronic pain frequently limited their life and participation in activities within the past 3 months (CDC, 2018). As a result, many individuals with chronic pain turn to opioid-based medication for pain relief, but long-term use of opioids actually increases pain sensation (Tobin, 2019). Moreover, opioid medication is unable to target underlying mental health components which emerge as part of chronic …