Mental and Social Health Commons^™

They’Re Faking It! Diagnosing Mtbis Using A Multimodal Approach, Dakota Muth, Priya Choudhary, Giovani Gourial, Cheryl Vanier, Alan Rodriguez, Travis Snyder

Annual Research Symposium

Purpose: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects 69 million people annually worldwide. A significant subset of those affected will develop long-term sequelae that can seriously impact quality of life and lead to other health problems. Clinical diagnosis of mTBI is complicated by patient malingering, subjective symptomatology, and variable patient reporting. This review aimed to evaluate the potential effectiveness of combining advanced neuroimaging techniques with psychometric testing and blood biomarker analyses for developing a more objective and comprehensive mTBI assessment protocol.

Methods: A review was conducted using PubMed as the primary database, analyzing studies published between 2015 and 2023. Included studies …

How Do Gender And Marital Status Impact High-Risk Polysubstance Use?, Kira England, Alexander Chapman

Population Health Research Brief Series

Drug overdose deaths in the United States increasingly include the use of multiple drugs, known as polysubstance use. These include opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, and sedatives. Polysubstance use is considered high risk because it can cause dangerous synergistic effects and result in the ingestion of higher amounts of drugs. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health on U.S. adults from 2002 through 2019 to examine gender and marital status differences in high-risk polysubstance use among U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The authors find that polysubstance use is …

The Potential Of Using Screening Tools For Bipolar Disorder To Predict Lithium Response, Delfina Janiri, Mario Pinto, Silvia Montanari, Ester Maria Marzo, Greta Sfratta, Guglielmo Donofrio, Alexia Koukopoulos, Giovanni Camardese, Alessio Simonetti, Lorenzo Moccia, Gianna Autullo, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/Objectives: Lithium is the gold standard for treating Bipolar Disorder (BD), but its effectiveness varies widely. While clinical and environmental factors may influence response, it remains unclear if screening tools can reliably predict lithium response outcomes. This study explores this potential using two widely used screening instruments for BD.

Methods: A total of 146 patients with BD were evaluated. Lithium response was assessed using the Alda Scale, while hypomanic and manic symptoms were characterized through the Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32) and the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). Group differences in HCL-32 and MDQ scores were analyzed using ANOVA, and a multivariate model …

Your Healthiest Year Yet: Practical Tips For Mental And Physical Well-Being, Aaron Hunt

All Current Publications

As a new year begins, it’s important to prioritize our health. In a world that continues to evolve, maintaining mental and physical wellness is key to thriving in both personal and professional life. Small, intentional changes can lead to transformative results, improving not only how we feel but also how we connect, grow, and succeed. This guide presents actionable tips for fostering mental clarity, physical strength, and overall balance, all grounded in evidence-based practices. Whether you're looking to boost your fitness, reduce stress, or enhance your daily routines, these strategies will empower you to make this year your healthiest yet.

Investigating The Impact Of Shift Work On Circadian Rhythms And Health In Healthcare Workers, Dominique Gillette, Grace Godfrey, Jacob Godfrey, Angela Nguyen, Hannah Gewaid, Carissa Salamatin, Sharon Sengphanith, Samuel Park, Colin Burton, Neha Doppalapudi, Daniel Oraee, Deborah Bell-Pedersen

Annual Research Symposium

This poster presentation aims to discuss how working the night shift contributes to health risks through the disruption of circadian rhythm in healthcare workers. We hope to gain insight on the relationship between these disturbances and the circadian clock in order to establish strategies that optimize healthy lifestyles for healthcare workers.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions And Stress, Jacqueline Parker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: Stress within the nursing profession is a substantial issue. Staff shortages, poor leadership, and even COVID-19 have contributed to an increase in nursing stress. Stress can negatively impact a nurse’s ability to perform at an optimal level while at work. The purpose of this project is to reduce perceived stress by implementing mindfulness-based interventions (MBI).

Background: The project was implemented in a twenty-three-bed unit that cares for the post operative pediatric population in Houston, Texas.

Methodology: A series of in-person and virtual educational lessons (eight total) on MBIs (with flyers) were implemented throughout this project. The Perceived Stress Scale …

Findings From A National Assessment To Support Implementation Of Cooperative Extension’S 2021 National Framework For Health Equity And Well-Being, Diana Charbonneau, Kerry Gabbert, Latoya O'Neal, Dawn E. Burton, Maggie Jones, Kate Katzman, Roger Rennekamp

Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being provides a roadmap for improving the health of communities. Core concepts include installing health equity a systemwide value and catalyzing community-level changes that ensure all people have an opportunity to be as healthy as they can. This article presents findings from a national readiness assessment for implementing the Framework across Extension. Results from a literature scan, national survey, and regional listening sessions identified internal facilitators and barriers to adoption. The article provides ideas for how Extension practitioners can engage in this work and shares an action plan developed from assessment results.

Counseling Students’ Perceptions Of Support During The Covid-19 Crisis: A Qualitative Study, Breahannah Hilaire, Galaxina G. Wright, Lea H, Laurie O. Campbell

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the counseling programs in clinical instruction, mentorship, and student’s perception of the university. The qualitative data presented in this paper identifies eight counseling students’ beliefs of support during their time in counseling program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews. An interpretive phenomenological analysis resulted in four themes: including higher education response, personal resources, emotions in crisis, and transitions in crisis.

The Development Of Teacher Identity In Counselor Education Doctoral Students, Wes Allen, Joel F. Diambra, Rebecca Gaylor

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

Counselor educators (CE) prepare counselor education doctoral students (CEDS) to work as counselors, scholars, leaders, supervisors, and teachers. While we have a firm understanding of how CEDS develop in general (Limberg et al., 2013; Moss et al., 2014), there is little known about how they develop specifically as teachers. The goal of this research study was to gain insight into how teacher identity develops for CEDS. We interviewed 10 participants using transcendental phenomenology methodology to gain insight into their teaching preparation experiences and identities as teachers. We identified three primary themes from the data: (1) Connection, (2) Confidence, or …

Long-Acting Injectables: A Strategy To Mitigate Nonadherence In Bipolar Disorder, Justin Faden, Elina Maymind

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Food As An Art Medium In Eating Disorders Treatment, Keren Blumenthal Yanir

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This research explored food as an art medium in an innovative art therapy intervention for adults with eating disorders (EDs) and what this nontraditional art material can evoke. Several interventions (e.g., food exposure, cooking, and some family-based therapy) incorporate food in ED treatment, but none use it as an art medium.

Six Israeli adults (one with bulimia nervosa, two with atypical anorexia, and three with anorexia nervosa) individually participated in three meetings, each with a 30-min experiential component and an interview. While wearing a GoPro camera, participants created spontaneous artwork using foods (e.g., vegetables, legumes, pasta, flour, candy). The researcher …

Multimodal Objective Assessment Of Impulsivity In Healthy And Mood Disorder Participants, Bishal Lamichhane, Nidal Moukaddam, Ramiro Salas, Wayne Goodman, Ashutosh Sabharwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Impulsivity represents an individual's tendency to act on urges without sufficient forethought. Heightened impulsivity is a hallmark of many mental health disorders. Objective impulsivity assessments could improve risk evaluation, diagnosis, and behavioral outcome monitoring in impulsivity-related health disorders. Towards objective impulsivity assessment, in this work, we identify impulsivity correlates in objective measurements, investigate their complementarity, and contrast impulsivity mechanisms across health conditions. We analyzed behavioral tests, heart rate variability (HRV), and fMRI-based brain connectivity in 227 healthy participants and 34 participants with mood disorders. Impulsivity dimensions had complementary correlates in objective measurements, with fMRI providing the strongest correlates. Multimodal assessment …

Role Of Psychiatric Factors Hindering Physical Rehabilitation After Acl Reconstructive Surgery, Malak Rafik, Davian Caraballo, James Fini Jr., Nathan Barnhurst

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Routine Third Trimester Ultrasounds On Maternal Mental Health In Low-Risk Population In Utah, Claire Z. Zai, Priyanka R. Purohit, Emily M. Snyder, Bryson M. Mcadams, Daniela A. Betancourt-Martinez, Donna O. Van Beuge, Maria N. Easler, Makayla A. Muzinic, Carlos E. Angulo

Annual Research Symposium

Purpose: One in five pregnant women in the United States experience a maternal mental health condition. Within Utah from 2018-2022, during pregnancy, 22.7% of women experienced depression and 31.6% experienced anxiety, and 15.1% experienced postpartum depression. These data represent a prevalence higher than the national average. Third trimester ultrasound (TTUS) is not a standard of care performed in the United States currently. Previous TTUS research has mainly focused on the financial burden and birth outcomes rather than maternal mental health. Literature on first trimester ultrasound has demonstrated a notable impact on maternal mental health, but these outcomes within the third …

Anxiety Reduction In Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Novel Deep-Pressure Cutaneous Stimulation Therapy, Aaron Andrews, Jordyn Huecker, Kennedy Madrid, Lorissa Thorpe, James Fini, Josilyn Zamora, Victoria Oyeniyi, Maura Hart, Amanda Page, James Barber, Chase Taylor, Halah Khan, Spencer Willardson, Kyle Bills Phd, Christina Small

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Increased Suicidality Risk Among Adolescents With An Active-Duty Sibling Or Parent In The United States, Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel

Population Health Research Brief Series

Adolescents who have a parent currently serving in the U.S. military face distinctive social stressors and developmental challenges, and have higher rates of internalizing and externalizing disorders, substance use, and suicidality than adolescents who do not have an active-duty parent. Additionally, adolescents with siblings who enter the military are at increased risk of experiencing a major depressive episode relative to adolescents who do not have an active-duty sibling. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the 2016-2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to examine whether having a sibling and/or a parent on active …

Investigating The Impact Of Tirzepatide Treatment On Alcohol And Cigarette Consumption, Yvannia Gray, Benjamin Latey, Hayden Mcaffee, Karissa Mccown, Seth Maki, Victoria Nguyen, Andrew Payne

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Therapeutic Potential Of Resveratrol In Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review Of Its Effects On Kcc2 Expression, Lauren R. Nelson, Ashlyn Hughes, Jory Winward, Natalie Phanco, Andrew Payne Phd

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effects Of Resveratrol On Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia, Bryana Cox, Thien Do, Ashlyn Hughes, Zane Kingsbury, Keara Leroy, Andrew J. Payne

Annual Research Symposium

Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is an adverse effect of chronic opioid therapy, characterized by increased sensitivity to pain. This study will seek to determine if using resveratrol supplementation as an indirect enhancer to increase the expression of the KCC2 membrane transporter can alleviate the symptoms of OIH in human subjects.

Exploring Mental Health In Veterinary Students: Common Stressors And Effective Coping Strategies: A Narrative Review, Rahib K. Islam, Emily K. Cobb, Hannah K. Mccowan, Kylie Watson, Kaustuv Bhattacharya, Anjali Chandra, Warda Mohiuddin, Karen Gruszynski, Amanda H. Wilkerson, John J. Dascanio, Robert E. Davis, Vinayak K. Nahar

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Veterinary students face significant challenges impacting their mental health and wellbeing. The rigorous academic curriculum, high expectations, and demanding clinical training create an environment of intense pressure and constant stress. This review explores the demographic and psychosocial variables influencing mental health outcomes, highlighting common stressors and coping strategies. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, CAB Abstracts, and Google Scholar. Studies published up to 2021 involving veterinary students were included. Twenty-one peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. Demographic data, stressors, mental health measures, and coping strategies were extracted and analyzed. Studies focused on various mental health aspects, …