Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Out Of The Straitjacket., Michael Weinstein

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Learning From Our Mothers: Examining The Role Of Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer In Advancing Gender Equity Among Sri Lankan Youth, Ruvani Fonseka, Samantha Hurst

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background
In a 2013 survey, over half of Sri Lankan men and women expressed gender-inequitable attitudes that equated masculinity with violence, and femininity with obedience to men. High rates of gender-inequitable attitudes are a community-level risk factor for gender-based violence including rape and intimate partner violence. In Sri Lanka, public health practitioners focused on reducing the health disparities resulting from gender inequity need to better understand the processes by which gender-inequitable attitudes develop and how to prevent them. The goal of this research was to identify potential points of intervention at which appropriate programmes and policies could most effectively cultivate …

Demographic And Clinical Correlates Of Seizure Frequency: Findings From The Managing Epilepsy Well Network Database, Martha Sajatovic, Ashley Bukach, Curtis Tatsuoka

Faculty Scholarship

Background and Purpose Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that represents a tremendous burden on both patients and society in general. Studies have addressed how demographic variables, socioeconomic variables, and psychological comorbidity are related to the quality of life (QOL) of people with epilepsy (PWE). However, there has been less focus on how these factors may differ between patients who exhibit varying degrees of seizure control. This study utilized data from the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the aim of elucidating differences in demographic variables, depression, and QOL between adult PWE. …

Predictors Of Swimming Ability Among Children And Adolescents In The United States, Jennifer Pharr, Carol Irwin, Todd Layne, Richard Irwin

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Swimming is an important source of physical activity and a life skill to prevent drowning. However, little research has been conducted to understand predictors of swimming ability. The purpose of this study was to understand factors that predict swimming ability among children and adolescents in the United States (US). This was a cross-sectional survey conducted between February and April of 2017 across five geographically diverse cities. Participants were accessed through the Young Christian Men’s Association (YMCA) and included parents of children aged 4–11 years old and adolescents aged 12–17 years old. Independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and univariate and …

The Effects Of Childhood Social Support And Family Resiliency On Mental Health In Adulthood, Korede K. Adegoke, Chukwudi Ufondu, Dania Al Agili, Estrellita L Berry L. Berry, Hamisu M. Salihu

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The effect of social support on the overall health and quality of life in adulthood has been well documented particularly in chronic disease populations. Very few studies examined the relationships between childhood social support, family resiliency and mental health in adulthood in the community and among disadvantaged minority populations. We examined the role of social support and family resilience during childhood on subsequent mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adulthood among racial/ethnic minorities.

A needs assessment survey which was designed to explore health determinants and quality of life indicators using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in a low-income …

Type Of Multimorbidity And Propensity To Seek Care Among Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries, Rahul Garg, Chan Shen, Nethra Sambamoorthi, Usha Sambamoorthi

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Greater propensity to seek care is critical for improving health of elderly individuals with multimorbidity. We used the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (2012) to assess propensity to seek care among community-dwelling elderly Medicare beneficiaries (> 65 yrs.; N=11,270) having (1) no physical or mental illness; (2) single physical or mental condition; (3) multimorbidity with physical conditions only; and (4) multimorbidity with both physical and mental conditions. As compared to multimorbidity with physical conditions, elderly with no multimorbidity were less likely (Adjusted Odds Ratio [95% CI]: 0.50 [0.36, 0.68]) and elderly with both physical and mental conditions were more likely …

The Epidemic Of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Historical References Of Its Origins, Assessment, And Management, Enrique Gomez-Pomar, Loretta P. Finnegan

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) refers to a constellation of signs that are present in some newborn infants resulting from the abrupt cessation of passive transfer of maternal opioids used during pregnancy. The classic NAS refers to infants born to mothers who used opioids during pregnancy, but the term has broadened to include infants whose mothers have used or abused other psychoactive substances during pregnancy that contribute to the expression of the syndrome. Pregnant women who use opioids do so illicitly, and/or as medically prescribed for pain relief, and/or as medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. The first case of NAS …

Training University Teachers And Students In Sri Lanka On Gender Based Violence: Testing Of A Participatory Training Program [Version 1], Pia Axemo, Kumudu Wijewardena, Ruvani Fonseka, Sharika Cooray, Elisabeth Darj

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended.
In all societies, violence is a social problem and violation of human rights. Changing attitudes and behaviors, which accept violence at individual and societal levels are key components in prevention strategies.
The aim of this study was to produce educational material on Gender Based Violence (GBV). A participatory study design including educators and university students was used to create four teaching modules. The teaching was evaluated by descriptive surveys before and after the training and focus group discussions followed the training session. The questionnaire covered attitudes to gender, violence and …

Trends Of Parent-Adolescent Drug Talk Styles In Early Adolescence, Youngju Shin, Jonathan Pettigrew, Michelle Miller-Day, Michael L. Hecht, Janice L. Krieger

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

The present study seeks to understand how parents as prevention agents approach substance use prevention messages during the period of early adolescence. Students (N = 410) in a drug prevention trial completed surveys from 7th to 9th grade. Using longitudinal data, a series of latent transition analyses was conducted to identify major trends of parent–adolescent drug talk styles (i.e., never talked, situated direct, ongoing direct, situated indirect, and ongoing indirect) in control and treatment conditions. Findings demonstrate a developmental trend in drug talk styles toward a situated style of talk as youth transitioned from 7th grade to 9th grade. …

Differential Effects Of Parental “Drug Talk” Styles And Family Communication Environments On Adolescent Substance Use, Youngju Shin, Michelle Miller-Day, Michael L. Hecht

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

The current study examines the relationships among adolescent reports of parent–adolescent drug talk styles, family communication environments (e.g., expressiveness, structural traditionalism, and conflict avoidance), and adolescent substance use. ANCOVAs revealed that the 9th grade adolescents (N = 718) engaged in four styles of “drug talks” with parents (e.g., situated direct, ongoing direct, situated indirect, and ongoing indirect style) and these styles differed in their effect on adolescent substance use. Multiple regression analyses showed that expressiveness and structural traditionalism were negatively related to adolescent substance use, whereas conflict avoidance was positively associated with substance use. When controlling for family communication …

Exploring The Use Of The Timed Up And Go Test To Identify Patient Fall Risk In An Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, Danielle Struble-Fitzsimmons

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Patient falls during hospitalization influence healthcare costs and quality, and hospitals are mandated to complete fall risk assessments on all patients. Inpatient geriatric psychiatry units have the highest fall rates in the acute care setting, and most falls in this population occur during the mobility tasks of transfers and ambulation. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test includes these two specific functional tasks, and has been used to predict falls in other geriatric populations, but has never been tested in an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit. The purpose of this study was to determine if the TUG is a predictive …

Coping With Vicarious Trauma In Mental Health Interpreting, Rebekah K. Knodel

Journal of Interpretation

This research explores coping strategies used by American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters who work in mental health settings. Due to the highly emotional nature of such assignments, interpreters are at an increased risk for experiencing vicarious trauma. This study also investigates the available training regarding vicarious trauma in current interpreter education. Previous research has typically recognized the need for self-care and focused on general suggestions for coping; the present work uses firsthand accounts from practicing interpreters. To uncover interpreters’ personal experiences, the researcher created an online survey that resulted in 222 qualifying responses. Of the total number of respondents, 83% …

Modified Single Prolonged Stress Reduces Cocaine Self-Administration During Acquisition Regardless Of Rearing Environment, Rebecca S. Hofford, Mark A. Prendergast, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Until recently, there were few rodent models available to study the interaction of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and drug taking. Like PTSD, single prolonged stress (SPS) produces hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction and alters psychostimulant self-administration. Other stressors, such as isolation stress, also alter psychostimulant self-administration. However, it is currently unknown if isolation housing combined with SPS can alter the acquisition or maintenance of cocaine self-administration. The current study applied modified SPS (modSPS; two hours restraint immediately followed by cold swim stress) to rats raised in an isolation condition (Iso), enrichment condition (Enr), or standard condition (Std) to measure changes in …

The Associations Between Self-Reported Exposure To The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Zone And Mental Health Disorders In Ukraine, Matthew A. Bolt, Luralyn M. Helming, Nathan L. Tintle

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

In 1986, Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine exploded, releasing highly-radioactive materials into the surrounding environment. Although the physical effects of the disaster have been well-documented, a limited amount of research has been conducted on association of the disaster with long-term, clinically-diagnosable mental health disorders. According to the diathesis–stress model, the stress of potential and unknown exposure to radioactive materials and the ensuing changes to ones life or environment due to the disaster might lead those with previous vulnerabilities to fall into a poor state of mental health. Previous studies of this disaster have found …

Identifying Consumers Who Search For Long-Term Care On The Web: Latent Class Analysis, Darren Liu Mha, Ms, Drph, Takashi Yamashita Mph, Phd, Betty Burston

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Background: Because the internet has become a primary means of communication in the long-term care (LTC) and health care industry, an elevated understanding of market segmentation among LTC consumers is an indispensable step to responding to the informational needs of consumers. Objective: This exploratory study was designed to identify underlying market segments of the LTC consumers who seek Web-based information. Methods: Data on US adult internet users (n=2018) were derived from 2010 Pew Internet and America Life Project. Latent class analysis was employed to identify underlying market segments of LTC Web-based information seekers. Results: Web-based LTC information seekers were classified …

Courtesy: The Space Between Souls, Erica Vaiser

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This paper presents an illustrative dissection of the virtuous power of courtesy. The content, herein, examines the mutual space between individual souls created through courtesy, utilizing Robert Sardello’s (2003) definition of “courtesy” as a virtue. True acts of courtesy surpass commonly understood actions and niceties, in which the purpose is to invite one’s soul into a mutual space of acknowledgment with the soul of another. It is only out of this recognition that the soul remembers its common and worldly origin. Ego processing dictates so much of our daily interactions that the presence of soul connection is most certainly never …

Wounded Healer: A Spiritual Autobiography, Soo M. Pak

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The underworld of human life is undeniably painful, messy, dark, and overwhelming. The sight of it can be disfigured and horrendous; thus, extreme measures are taken to deny, ignore, cover up, and run away from it. However, the darkness of human life is an important ingredient that gives birth to understanding, humility, compassion, and beauty. The key is to look at our wounds with compassion, honesty, and vulnerability. There is great worth in being vulnerable with our wounds. It takes courage to sit with, feel, and examine our wound because it pains us in the most sacred place of our …

Unplugged, Lea Powell

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This article serves as an explorative piece attempting to investigate social networking norms and their contribution towards increased levels of disengagement and disconnection. After recognizing superficial online trends of interaction within her own social network, the author discloses experiencing feelings of hopelessness. In attempt to explore these feelings and unmask the factors underlying these trends, elements of motivation, privacy, and an individual’s relationship with control are discussed. Themes of expectant accessibility and communication within the realm of technology are explored and compared to real life interactions and experiences, with emphasis on an observed dissonance occurring between them. Notions of social …

Transgender Resiliency: A Comparison Of Transgender And Cisgender Therapy Clients’ Family Functioning And Psychological Symptomology, Deborah Coolhart , Ph.D., Lmft, Anibal Torres Bernal , Ph.D., Kimdy Le , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Existing literature often suggests transgender people face increased vulnerabilities in comparison to cisgender people and poorer mental and physical health outcomes. However, studies are increasingly exploring resilience of transgender people and factors contributing to positive coping. The current study compared transgender to cisgender clients at a University-based couple and family therapy center on self-reported psychological symptomology and family functioning. Transgender individuals did not differ significantly from cisgender individuals on family functioning, however transgender individuals reported significantly fewer symptoms on all twelve subscales of psychological symptomology, despite lower income and lower levels of education. Results suggest transgender individuals may develop unique …

The Phenomenon Of Belonging, Martin R. Baker

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

A central problem facing humanity is that we have forgotten our sense of belonging. We no longer feel like we belong to ourselves, each other, and the world in deep and meaningful ways. Modern culture has uprooted the heart felt bonds of authentic connection and replaced them with false experiences of belonging through the addictive qualities of materialism, narcissism, and rationalism. As a result we suffer from our lost experiences of soul, spirit, and the aliveness of the world. In this article, we will explore belonging as the process of growth, forever pushing away the old and pulling towards new …