Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Cultural Influences In Psychiatry, Kavita Bhavsar, Mayuri Patel

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The patient is a 26-year-old female presenting with unspecified hallucinations, delusional thinking, concerns for catatonia and potential sex-trafficking. This case study highlights the importance of approaching each patient through their unique cultural lens while examining and minimizing our own biases while navigating each patient holistically and individually.

Adolescent Opioid Use And Prefrontal Cortex Development - A Systematic Review, Jonathan Perumpail, Liam Kerrick, Shreya Kadi

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Adolescence represents a critical period of neurodevelopment characterized by ongoing maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region essential for executive function, impulse control, and behavioral regulation. Exposure to opioids during this vulnerable window may disrupt neural development and lead to long-term consequences. This review synthesizes current preclinical and human evidence examining the effects of adolescent opioid exposure on PFC development. Across rodent models, opioid exposure is associated with impaired synaptogenesis, altered dopaminergic signaling, and dysregulation of the prefrontal-mesolimbic circuits involved in decision making. Human studies showed reduced functional connectivity and white matter changes in those with opioid use …

Challenges Of Weight Management In A Transgender Woman Veteran, Emily Sarett, Wilmington Va Medical Center

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Case Report

Title: Challenges of Weight Management in a Transgender Woman Veteran

Authors/Institutions: Emily Sarett, OMS-II1; Heather Dixon, PharmD2

Abstract:

Introduction: Obesity is a growing concern among transgender individuals, influenced by hormone therapy and social determinants of health. Bariatric surgery is effective, but weight regain is common and understudied in this population. Case: A transgender woman with prior sleeve gastrectomy presented with weight regain despite multiple pharmacologic trials. Her Gender-affirming hormone therapy included estrogen and androgen suppression. Results: Following the initiation of tirzepatide, the patient achieved clinically meaningful weight loss (8.4% total body weight reduction) with normalization of hemoglobin A1c …

Freshman 15? Freshman 50?? The Reality Of Daily Life Habits Of A First Year College Student, Gregorio R. Salgado

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This project presents a personal data tracking study in which I collected daily self-reported metrics over the course of the Spring semester using Excel. The variables tracked include sleep duration, caloric intake, screen time, social media usage, phone checks per day, family communication, and personal spending. The goal of this project is to identify meaningful patterns and correlations between daily habits and personal well-being.

Data was collected through a combination of manual logging and smartphone-generated daily reports. This study explores potential relationships between variables such as sleep duration and social media usage, as well as the association between family communication …

Co-Active Therapeutic Filmmaking: A Methodology Pilot Project, Blair Webber

Expressive Therapies Theses

This pilot project examined the intersection of drama therapy and filmmaking. Drawing on the Co-Active Therapeutic Theater model from drama therapy and digital storytelling and participatory video methods from social work research, this methodology designed and delivered a co-created filmmaking intervention at a residential treatment center for adult men with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. Four participants made a seven-minute-long short fictional film based on their definition of active recovery and a theme of recovery they wished to share with an audience. It was screened at the treatment center for staff and their fellow residents. Data collection was …

Implementation Of Wellness Activities In An Experiential Rotation To Promote Pharmacy Student Well-Being, Neeloufar Fakourfar, Brenda Kilzi, Reza Taheri, Richard Beuttler, Hindu Rao

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Educational activity

Harness The Darkness! Blackout Poetry And Drama Therapy For Systemic Existential Dread: A Proposed Methodology, Kerry Sullivan

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis explores the intersection of drama therapy and blackout poetry as a therapeutic intervention to address systemic existential dread (SED) among emerging adults. The proposed methodology is titled "Bringing Blackout Poetry to Life" and consists of five sessions designed to explore the participants’ SED and generate poetry, culminating in a public performance. By integrating elements from psychodrama and drama therapy with the therapeutic process of blackout poetry, the intervention intends to aid processing on all levels of the expressive therapies continuum (ETC), strengthen tolerance for uncertainty, and facilitate sustainable community action. This theoretical framework is supported by a wide-ranging …

Knowledge Of Advance Care Planning And Advance Directives Among Us Adults: Implications For Health Policy And Practice, Anisah Bagasra, Gretchen Agans

Faculty Articles

Background:

Objectives:

A Cross-Cultural Investigation Of Consumer Hoarding Behavior During Covid-19: Differences Between Sweden And The United States, Christy M. Cook, Pia A. Albinsson, James E. Stoddard

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study is a cross-cultural exploration of consumer hoarding behavior during Covid-19; specifically, a comparison between Sweden and the United States. This research analyzes whether Swedish and American consumer hoarding behavior factors of prosocial orientation, consumer resilience and consumer risk-taking propensity reflect identical relationships during less predictable environmental forces (i.e., Covid-19 or global pandemic). Results from Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) show that consumer prosocial orientation is negatively related to consumer hoarding and prosocial orientation is positively related to consumer resilience. In turn, both prosocial orientation and consumer resilience exhibit a positive relationship towards consumer hoarding. Consumer resilience is …

Understanding And Measuring Functional Communication In Adults Living With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias, Sarah Toledo

Honors Capstones

Functional communication declines across all stages of dementia and directly affects quality of life, yet traditional standardized assessments may not fully capture everyday communication abilities. This capstone examines how functional communication in older adults living with dementia can be conceptualized and measured beyond standard tools. The study analyzes previously recorded video conversations between adults with dementia and student partners. Conversations are transcribed and coded using two observational measures: the Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction Scale–Care Recipient (VNVIS-CR) and the Adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation for Dementia (MPC-D). Gestures, facial expressions, responsiveness, and engagement are included in the analysis, and double …

A Retrospective Look At Self-Reported Mental Health Prevalence In Division Iii Student-Athletes, Jacob F. Neri

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Mental health concerns among collegiate athletes have gained increased attention, but there has been limited research focus on Division III student-athletes. This study aimed to examine the self-reported prevalence of anxiety, depression, anger, stalking/harassment, abuse/assault, alcohol/substance abuse, self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt to identify contributing factors amongst this population. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted looking at data collected from the student-athlete mental health history & well-being questionnaire that was administered as part of their pre-participation exam (PPE) prior to the beginning of each academic year. A total of 554 Division III student-athletes were included in the study. Results …

Investigating The Prevalence Of Eating Disorder Risk And Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Division Iii Track And Field Athletes, Ravyn S. Goodson

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Context: Eating disorder (ED) risk, and body image dissatisfaction (BID) are increasingly recognized concerns in collegiate athletes due to sport-specific and sociocultural pressures. However, limited research has looked at these factors within NCAA Division III track and field athletes.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of eating disorder risk and body image dissatisfaction among division III track and field athletes and explore differences based on gender and event group Design A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design

Setting: NCAA division III athletic program within the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), during the 2025-2026 competitive season.

Participants: A total of 32 NCAA Division III track …

Exploring Identity Through Clay: A Humanistic Art Therapy Case Study With A Blind Chinese Adoptee, Virginia Jade Leicht

Expressive Therapies Theses

This qualitative case study explored how working with clay in art therapy can help support a blind man’s identity exploration. This paper addresses the problem of many traditional therapeutic approaches within the art therapy realm: They rely too heavily on visual engagement, which can limit the accessibility and opportunities for self-exploration and identity development for those who are blind. The study was grounded in current research and foundational theories based on the humanistic art therapy approach. Clay is considered an accessible medium that engages multiple senses and allows for emotional exploration and meaning making, specifically through tactile and sensory-based engagement …

How Nutrition And Physical Activity Shape Your Well-Being, Stacy Phillips

EFNEP

This publication will explore the link among nutrition, physical activity, physical health, and mental health and how it impacts whole-body well-being. Understanding how multiple aspects of a person's lifestyle can affect an individual's overall well-being is essential to providing better education on how to make better choices to improve their well-being.

Implementing An Online Mental Health Intervention For Educators, Angela Cheney

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The primary objective of this project was to assess the impact of the New Directions Behavioral Health Employee Assistance Program, an online intervention, on teacher stress and well-being. Teacher participation was recruited through email, flyers, and in-person discussions. The study used a mixed-method design, including pre- and post-project surveys of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure changes in stress, and the System Usability Scale (SUS) to evaluate the ease of use of online intervention. The intervention aimed to increase teachers’ self-awareness of stress and anxiety, provide strategies for prevention and early intervention, and support overall mental wellbeing. Paired-samples t …

The Burnout Machine: Finding The Guide Between Burnout And Meaning Making Using Ifs And Role Theory For Mental Health Professionals (An Integrative Literature Review), Jade Ahneman

Expressive Therapies Theses

Burnout is a syndrome in which compounded stress leads sufferers to feel physical and mental exhaustion, mental distancing, cognitive and emotional impairment, depressed mood, psychological distress, and psychosomatic complaints. Originally thought of as a phenomenon affecting only individuals in helping roles (i.e., mental health workers, teachers, nurses, and police officers), research on burnout and its effective management has become increasingly important since the 1980s, highlighting its pervasiveness across occupational and personal realms. This integrative literature review focused on understanding the effects of burnout on master 's-level counseling students, investigating how Internal Family Systems theory (IFS) and drama therapy’s role theory …

Art Therapy And A Strength-Based Approach For Working With Children With Emotional And Behavioral Challenges: A Qualitative, Arts-Based Study, James D. Wyld

Expressive Therapies Theses

Abstract

            Children with emotional and behavioral challenges represent a vulnerable population that needs more attention and innovative forms of treatment. The behavior of these young people is often marked by impulsive behaviors and intense emotions in the process of getting their basic needs met. The current study explores how a combination of art therapy and a strength-based approach is beneficial and appropriate for children in a behavioral based therapeutic school. Progress was traced through one singular client in both group and individual settings over the course of 6 months. Interventions varied with the goals of increasing self-awareness, fostering autonomy, increasing …

Co-Location Of Substance Use Disorder Treatment And Hospital Emergency Departments, Leila Hasan

Honors College Theses

Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) rely heavily on the hospital emergency department (ED) for acute care and are often discharged from the ED without access to long-term recovery resources. This project explores the impact of co-located addiction treatment programs with hospital EDs on recovery outcomes of patients with SUD. A systematic literature review conducted on relevant studies indicates that co-located programs can be effective in increasing treatment initiation and maintenance, reducing ED revisits, and reducing repeated overdose in SUD patients. Programs that were most effective included three key elements: fast linkage of SUD patients to program staff in the …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Brock Renicks

Poster Presentations

Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s Disease experience depression and anxiety (Zhao et al, 2025). Depression and Anxiety have been said to be localized to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brunoni et al, 2016). Transcranial Direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate depression and anxiety by targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Sreeraj et al, 2023). It is beneficial due to its cost, portability, and simplicity of use. Thus we will be assessing the efficacy of tDCS in reducing depression and anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Building The Foundation For Equitable Diabetes Education: Examining Trust And Digital Access In Rural And Unreserved Population, Niasia Hazelton Smalls

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Disparities in patient portal use undermine equitable chronic disease management, particularly for adults with diabetes in rural and historically underserved communities. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the associations among trust in the healthcare system and patient portal use among U.S. adults, using nationally representative data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2023 (N = 3,711), supplemented by semi-structured interviews with frontline healthcare providers. Bivariate analyses revealed that adults with diabetes reported lower trust (83% vs. 86%, p = 0.003) and lower portal use (62% vs. 66%, p = 0.014) compared to those without a diagnosis. Multivariate logistic …