Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

Physical And Mental Health Status Of Adults With Serious Mental Illness Participating In A Jail Diversion Intervention, Robin Telford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adults with mental illnesses are at an increased risk to be diagnosed with one or more comorbid physical illnesses compared to the general population. Much of the disparities faced by adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI) can be attributed to medication side effects, increased risk for metabolic diseases, inability to communicate about severity and monitor physical health symptoms, poor health behaviors, high rates of smoking, and poor quality health care. The rate of physical illnesses for adults with mental illnesses are even higher among those who have been involved with the criminal justice system. In order to understand the relationship …

Ethics And The Use Of Coercion In The Treatment Of Psychiatric Patients, Jen Rushforth

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Involuntary psychiatric treatment occurs under such conditions as the medicating or placing in treatment facilities of patients without their consent. Such involuntary treatment has been litigated in the Supreme Court; however, the Court’s rulings have been applied to incarcerated persons, with the notable exception of the 1975 ruling in O’Connor v. Donaldson, a case argued as a civil rights violation. Using O’Connor v. Donaldson as a framework, this paper argues that forcing non- violent psychiatric patients to take medication, or be otherwise treated against their will, is an unethical practice and must be discontinued. This practice of forcible treatment violates …

Growing In Community: Eco-Art Therapy In An Elementary School Garden, Stephanie Leftwich-Needham

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study endeavored to gain a preliminary understanding of how children respond to eco-art therapy. Mental illness in children is increasing and often leads to adult mental illness. A holistic approach to mental health and early prevention seems vital. Previous studies conclude that children are especially responsive to the healing benefits of both art therapy and nature therapy. However, there is no research to date evaluating an eco-art therapy approach to working with children.

The author led six second-graders identified by the public school system as struggling with social skills through eco-art therapy directives designed to address issues such as …

Psychometric Evaluation Of A Standardized Set Of Alcohol Cue Photographs To Assess Craving, David Edison Lovett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date, research paradigms using alcohol-related stimuli have been limited in their reliability and generalizability due to a lack of published studies examining the psychometric properties of alcohol cues. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the factor structure of a set of alcohol cues and the associated validity and reliability of examining craving for alcohol in an alcohol cue-reactivity paradigm. Participants (N = 195, 74.4% male, 56.4% Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander) completed a web-based survey in which valence, arousal, and craving ratings were obtained following presentation of picture cues. Prior to picture cues, participants …

Patient Choice As A Driver Of Medication-Switching In Non-Adherent Individuals With Bipolar Disorder, Martha Sajatovic, Curtis Tatsuoka, Philipp Dines, Christopher S. Bialko, Melanie Athey, Tiffany Williams, Kristin A. Cassidy

Faculty Scholarship

Objective: Psychotropic-related weight gain is a common concern among patients with bipolar disorder (BD). This concern affects satisfaction with treatment and may lead to non-adherence and relapse. This was a 12-week, uncontrolled prospective trial of patient-choice-facilitated ziprasidone switching among non-adherent BD patients with weight concerns. This study was conducted from January 2011 to July 2012. Method: Patients were asked to identify the "offending" BD medication which they believed was causing weight problems, and this agent was replaced with ziprasidone. The primary outcome was change in adherence as measured with the Tablets Routine Questionnaire (TRQ). Secondary outcomes included medication attitudes, BD …

Culture & Schizophrenia: How The Manifestation Of Schizophrenia Symptoms In Hue Reflects Vietnamese Culture, Rebecca Gaines

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although schizophrenia has the same essential cognitive basis in all people, the content of the hallucinations and delusions of patients varies significantly across the world. Schizophrenia is a culture-bound illness, which means that a difference in culture can influence how it manifests. Western societies tend to view schizophrenia symptoms as a medical issue, while Eastern societies treat it as a spiritual or supernatural phenomenon. Vietnam has many specific cultural factors rooted in collectivism and Confucian and Buddhism traditions that make sufferers of schizophrenia present drastically different symptoms than patients from Western societies. The role of family, ancestor veneration, traditional healing, …

Religiosity, Spirituality, And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults In An Active Living Community, Monica D'Adrianne Solomon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The population of older adults in the United States is steadily rising. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a call to reduce mental distress in older adults. Research shows that mental distress is associated with depressive symptoms, which are significantly related to many chronic medical conditions, functional impairment, suicide, and all-cause mortality. Depression is a major public health concern. There is an interest in gerontology research on the buffering role of engagement against depressive symptoms such as volunteering, social activities, and religion. Certain religious beliefs and behaviors contribute to maintaining or improving mental health and research …

Resources Matter: The Role Of Social Capital And Collective Efficacy In Mediating Gun Violence, Jennifer Lynne Dean

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study explains how community activists make use of available social capital and collective efficacy while attempting to mediate gun violence. It specifically focuses on twelve in-depth interviews of activists' perspectives, processes and rationales to alleviate community gun violence, based on informal social control models. Findings suggest activists must establish trust and respect with youth they work with before mediation begins, which is established through similar life experiences or backgrounds. Once a strong bond is established with youth, activists identified five core processes to reduce violence: 1) improve the mindset, 2) provide life skills, 3) assist youth as their …

What Does Performance Theory Have To Teach Us About The Treatment Of Severe And Persistent Mental Illness (Spmi) In Prison?, Kaley Joanne Raskin

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Deinstitutionalization of psychiatric hospitals, which occurred in the 1970's, led to an overwhelming number of mentally ill individuals within jails and prisons. In fact, correctional facilities have become the mainline providers of mentally ill inmates; however, these facilities' primary form of intervention is psychotropic medication. Although beneficial in some instances, when viewed through the lens of Goffman's theories of performance and stigma, simply providing medication promotes the role of mental patient. Arguably, within correctional facilities, medication management assists in maintaining security in the institution (i.e., external change); however, this prohibits the inmate from internal change, which might otherwise be facilitated …

Accuracy Of Educators In Identifying Middle School Students With Elevated Levels Of Anxiety Or Depression, Cheryl Gelley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Schools need accurate and efficient ways to identify youth with mental health problems, in part to provide services to such students whose mental health concerns pose barriers to learning. The present study involved an investigation of the accuracy of one method--relying on educators (teachers, a team of school-based mental health professionals, and a school nurse) to identify early adolescents who self-report elevated levels of anxiety or depression. With respect to teachers as screening agents, the possible variability in rates of accurate identification as a function of number of teachers involved in the process (i.e., pooling nominations from multiple subject area …

Mental Health In Mississippi: Analysis And Recommendations, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

Thousands of Mississippians struggle with some type of mental illness, and their experiences illustrate that mental health is more than just a medical issue. Mental health has a profound impact on Mississippi’s economy and overall standard of living; it is deeply connected to education, unemployment rates, crime, drug use, and public assistance. Given the far-­‐reaching impact of mental health, it is important that all stakeholders (e.g., mental health professionals, state legislators, local policymakers, educators, attorneys), have access to detailed information about the current state of Mississippi’s mental health system as well as an in-­‐depth analysis of the system’s most pressing …

Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy An Effective Treatment For Autism? A Review, Daniel Dunleavy, Bruce A. Thyer

Journal of Adolescent and Family Health

Objectives: We review outcome studies regarding the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Method: Studies were identified through electronic bibliographic databases and manual searches of article reference lists. Results: A total of 8 studies met eligibility criteria, consisting of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one quasi-experimental study involving a comparison group, two pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest studies, and two single-system designs. Studies reviewed did not offer credible evidence to suggest that HBOT is an effective treatment for autism. Conclusion: It is premature to call HBOT an effective treatment for Autism and ASD. Individuals clinically treated with …

Relationship Between Altitude And Lithium In Groundwater In The United States Of America: Results Of A 1992–2003 Study, Rebekah S. Huber, Namkug Kim, Carl E. Renshaw, Perry F. Renshaw, Douglas Kondo

Dartmouth Scholarship

Therapeutic dosages of lithium are known to reduce suicide rates, which has led to investigations of confounding environmental risk factors for suicide such as lithium in groundwater. It has been speculated that this might play a role in the potential relationship between suicide and altitude. A recent study in Austria involving geospatial analysis of lithium in groundwater and suicide found lower levels of lithium at higher altitudes. Since there is no reason to suspect this correlation is universal given variation in geology, the current study set out to investigate the relationship between altitude and lithium in groundwater in the United …

A Pilot Study On The Effects Of Exercise On Depression Symptoms Using Levels Of Neurotransmitters And Eeg As Markers, Timothy H. Barclay, Scott Richards, James Schoffstall, Chad Magnuson, Christine Mcphee, Josh Price, Stephen Aita, Audrey Anderson, Dan Johnson, Jerry Price

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Context: The prescribing of exercise by physicians has become a popular practice, yet the effectiveness of exercise on symptoms of depression is difficult to determine due to a lack of randomized controlled trials with clinical populations. Reports also indicate that only a small percentage of physicians advise their patients regarding exercise and confusion still exists as to how much and what types are best. Aims: To understand the mechanisms that make exercise a viable treatment in depression. Settings and Design: This study employed a six‑week, two group, single‑level trial, pre‑ and posttest design using self‑report of symptoms, blood …

An Introduction To Drugs And The Neuroscience Of Behavior, Adam J. Prus

Books

This up-to-date text provides an introductory overview of the nervous system actions and behavioral effects of the major classes of psychoactive drugs, using pedagogy unique among pharmacology texts to make the topic approachable.

A Neurobiological Model For Pathways Of Transition To Psychosis Due To Cannabis, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Cannabis has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, although the exact biological mechanisms remain unclear. Purpose of this presentation is to explore trajectory for psychosis due to cannabis based upon a neurobiological model. A selective Pubmed search was carried out to construct a model of pathway based upon our hypothesis. The hypothesis for this conceptual paradigm is that neurobiological changes exist and cannabis metabolites modulate these changes in a sequential manner from genetic expression, environmental and biological interaction and neurochemical dysfunctions leading to cognitive dysmatria. Dopamine remains a final common pathway which leads to core …

Disseminating An Evidence-Based Course To Teach Self-Management Of Auditory Hallucinations, M Buffum, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

This multi-site project extended course dissemination of the 10-session Behavioral Management of Auditory Hallucinations Course to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health outpatient settings. The VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) model and Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations served as the theoretical framework. The course was taught to mental health professionals using teleconferencing, electronic media, and monthly conference calls across 24 VA mental health outpatient sites. Twenty course leaders provided feedback. One hundred percent reported being better able to communicate with patients about their voices and 96% reported improved understanding of the voice-hearing experience. Thirty-three course participants …

Do You Believe He Can Fly? Royce White And Reasonable Accommodations Under The Americans With Disabilities Act For Nba Players With Anxiety Disorder And Fear Of Flying, Michael Mccann

Law Faculty Scholarship

This Article examines the legal ramifications of Royce White, a basketball player with general anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, playing in the NBA. White's conditions cause him to have a fear of flying, thus making it difficult to play in the NBA. This subject is without precedent in sports law and, because of the unique aspects of an NBA playing career, lacks clear analogy to other employment circumstances. This dispute also illuminates broader legal and policy issues in the relationship between employment and mental illness.

This Article argues that White would likely fail in a lawsuit against an NBA …

Reliability/Validity Of The Self-Stigma Of Mental Illness Scale (Ssmis), Amy Sickel, Jason D. Seacat Ph.D., Nina A. Nabors Ph.D.

2010-2016 Archived Posters

Most individuals diagnosed with mental illness are mild-moderate in severity. Research on the Self- Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (SSMIS) has traditionally focused on stigma associated with severely mentally ill individuals using clinical samples, leaving the psychometric properties of the SSMIS questionable when used with less severely ill individuals. Data from a non-clinical sample of 423 adults indicates the SSMIS scales are reliable. Correlations between the SSMIS scales and mental health scales provide convergent validity for the SSMIS. Findings suggest the SSMIS scales are reliable and valid when used within this population and suggest future directions for mental health stigma …

Coping Similarity And Psychosocial Risk Factors In Couples With Chronic Pain, Amy M. Williams

Wayne State University Dissertations

Chronic pain is an important public health problem that is associated with a host of negative individual and relationship outcomes. Chronic pain is a chronic stressor that both the individual in pain and their spouse must cope with. The current study examined how pain coping similarity within the couple predicted not only patient adjustment, but also spouse adjustment in a longitudinal study. Participants were 108 heterosexual couples in which one partner had chronic pain. The participants completed measures at 3 time points at 6 month intervals. Both the patient and spouse individually completed questionnaires pertaining to their marriage, mood, pain …