Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

Digital Health Intervention For Children With Adhd To Improve Mental Health Intervention, Patient Experiences, And Outcomes: A Study Protocol, Nancy Herrera, Franceli L. Cibrian, Lucas M. Silva, Jesus Armando Beltran, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Gillian R. Hayes, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition with profound public health, personal, and family consequences. ADHD requires comprehensive treatment; however, lack of communication and integration across multiple points of care is a substantial barrier to progress. Given the chronic and pervasive challenges associated with ADHD, innovative approaches are crucial. We developed the digital health intervention (DHI)—CoolTaCo [Cool Technology Assisting Co-regulation] to address these critical barriers. CoolTaCo uses Patient-Centered Digital Healthcare Technologies (PC-DHT) to promote co-regulation (child/parent), capture patient data, support efficient healthcare delivery, enhance patient engagement, and facilitate shared decision-making, thereby improving access to …

Psychosis And Personality Changes Following Traumatic Brain Injury, David Hanna, Sonya Priven, Nathan Carroll, Heba Ekladios, Adriana Fitzsimmons

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Psychotic disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) are a significant concern in psychiatry, with chronic sequelae often overlooked. The pathophysiology of post-TBI psychosis involves neuroplasticity and neuronal remodeling, potentially exacerbating vulnerabilities to chronic psychotic disorders. Differentiating post-TBI psychosis from primary schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions is crucial for appropriate treatment. This case report discusses a 63-year-old male with a history of TBI from a gunshot wound sustained in adolescence, who later developed schizophrenia. The report explores the patient's psychiatric symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, personality changes, and imaging findings. The report examined the complex relationship between TBI and psychotic symptoms, considering genetic, …

Mental Fatigue And Self-Care In Informal Oncology Caregivers: A Descriptive Mixed Methods Study, Megan Wayne

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:

This dissertation study aimed to enhance understanding of informal caregiver wellbeing by exploring the presence of mental fatigue, the relationships among mental fatigue, self-care, and informal oncology caregiver quality of life (QOL), and determining whether differences exist in self-care engagement and QOL between caregivers who report high and low levels mental fatigue.

Problem:

Healthcare is becoming increasingly reliant on informal caregivers for the management and care of individuals with serious illnesses such as cancer. Previous research has shown that informal caregivers routinely experience many negative effects as a result of providing care including decreased mental health and …

Socio-Economic Disparities In Prenatal Prognosis And Intervention Accessibility, Simona Raluca Iacoban, Madalina Piron Dumitrascu, Camil Laurentiu Bohiltea, Ioan Dumitru Suciu, Silviu Cristian Voinea, Nicolae Suciu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objectives. This study aimed to assess the impact of socio-economic factors on prenatal care accessibility and outcomes and to evaluate the effectiveness of specialized integrative prenatal care in mitigating these disparities. Materials and Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted between 2020 and 2023 in Bucharest, Romania, involving 100 pregnant women. Participants were equally divided into two groups that received standard and specialized prenatal care. Data were collected through structured interviews, medical record reviews, and standardized questionnaires at multiple time points during pregnancy and postpartum. Results. Women receiving integrative care had longer gestation periods (37.8 vs. 37.6 weeks), higher average …

The Recent History And Near Future Of Digital Health In The Field Of Behavioral Medicine: An Update On Progress From 2019 To 2024, Danielle Arigo, Danielle E Jake-Schoffman, Sherry L Pagoto

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

The field of behavioral medicine has a long and successful history of leveraging digital health tools to promote health behavior change. Our 2019 summary of the history and future of digital health in behavioral medicine (Arigo in J Behav Med 8: 67-83, 2019) was one of the most highly cited articles in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine from 2010 to 2020; here, we provide an update on the opportunities and challenges we identified in 2019. We address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral medicine research and practice and highlight some of the digital health advances it prompted. We …

The Impact Of Changes In Depression On Cardiovascular Outcomes In Patients With Coronary Heart Disease., Nishant Vatsa, Josiah Bennett, Sonika Vatsa, Alireza Rahbar, Daniel A Gold, Vardhmaan Jain, Matthew E Gold, Alexander Razavi, Adithya Yadalam, Shivang Desai, Muhammad Owais, Joy D Hartsfield, Yi-An Ko, Laurence Sperling, Viola Vaccarino, Puja K Mehta, Arshed A Quyyumi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Whether longitudinal changes in depression affect MACE in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES: The authors evaluated the hypothesis that increasing or persistent depression predicts MACE in patients with CHD.

METHODS: At baseline, 3,483 Emory Cardiovascular Biobank participants (median age 65.5 years, 31.6% female) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ8) for depression evaluation. At 1 year, 2,639 of these event-free participants repeated the questionnaire. Depression was defined as a PHQ8 score >9 and change in depressive symptoms (Δ" role="presentation"> PHQ8) was year 1 score minus baseline …

Early Use Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Bipolar Disorder Type I: An Expert Consensus, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are not routinely offered to patients living with bipolar disorder type I (BP-I), despite widespread evidence that supports their benefits over oral antipsychotics, particularly in early disease. Methods: A round-table meeting of psychiatrists convened to discuss barriers and opportunities and provide consensus recommendations around the early use of LAIs for BP-I. Results: LAIs are rarely prescribed to treat BP-I unless a patient has severe symptoms, sub-optimal adherence to oral antipsychotics, or has experienced multiple relapses. Beyond country-specific accessibility issues (e.g., healthcare infrastructure and availability/approval status), primary barriers to the effective use of LAIs were identified …

Young Children’S Mental Well-Being In Low-Income South African Settings: A Qualitative Study, Catherine E. Draper, Caylee J. Cook, Elizabeth A. Ankrah, Jesus A. Beltran, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jazette Johnson, Kimberley D. Lakes, Hanna Mofid, Lucretia Williams, Gillian R. Hayes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

This qualitative study aimed to capture community perspectives of the risks and protective factors for social emotional development and mental health of young children in low-income South Africa settings, and was conducted as one component of a larger study with the ultimate aim of co-designing the Mazi Umntanakho (‘know your child’) digital tool. Twenty focus group discussions (n = 154, 97% female) were held with staff of community-based organisations (CBOs) and community health worker (CHW) programmes in urban and rural sites from four geographical regions. Data were analysed thematically, and grouped according to components of nurturing care (responsive caregiving, safety …

Neural Correlates Of Socially Rewarding Memories In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kyle P. Blidy

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Significance. Memory disturbances for emotional content are central to PTSD, yet most research focuses on trauma memories. Recent evidence suggests that enhancing access to positive memories could improve mood, affect regulation, self-esteem, and integration of trauma memories. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying positive memory encoding in PTSD are poorly understood. No study has examined memory for positive social items in PTSD, which is important because PTSD entails social withdrawal and reduced accessibility to positive memory. Additionally, positive memories embedded in a social context have enhanced subjective value and strengthening their accessibility may confer greater benefits to wellbeing compared to non-social …

Digital Assessments For Children And Adolescents With Adhd: A Scoping Review, Franceli L. Cibrian, Elissa M. Monteiro, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: In spite of rapid advances in evidence-based treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), community access to rigorous gold-standard diagnostic assessments has lagged far behind due to barriers such as the costs and limited availability of comprehensive diagnostic evaluations. Digital assessment of attention and behavior has the potential to lead to scalable approaches that could be used to screen large numbers of children and/or increase access to high-quality, scalable diagnostic evaluations, especially if designed using user-centered participatory and ability-based frameworks. Current research on assessment has begun to take a user-centered approach by actively involving participants to ensure the development …

Two Lives, Shruti Trehan Mbbs

Journal of Wellness

A busy oncologist makes a decision to leave her busy, thriving, community practice in the Mid-West and moves to a Veterans Affairs hospital in South Florida in the quest for a better work-life balance.

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Emergency Department Visits For Opioid Use Disorder Across University Of California Health Centers, Matthew Heshmatipour, Ding Quan Ng, Emily Yi-Wen Truong, Jianwei Zheng, Alexandre Chan, Yun Wang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has had a devastating impact on mental health and access to addiction treatment in the United States, including in California, which resulted in the highest rates of emergency department visits (ED) for opioid poisoning in 2020. As California slowly returns to pre-pandemic normalcy, it remains uncertain whether the rates of opioid-related events have slowed down over time. We hypothesized that the number of opioid-related ED visits were exacerbated after the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue at a high rate in the present.

Methods: In this analysis we searched the University of California (UC) Health …

Efficacy Of, And Barriers To, Treatment Options For Pans/Pandas, Kayla E. Pray

Senior Theses

Background: PANS/PANDAS are pediatric autoimmune disorders that cause an acute-onset of OCD-like symptoms and/or severe restricted eating, as well as anxiety, irritation, deterioration of fine motor skills, hyperactivity, and other psychiatric symptoms. An estimated 1-2% of the pediatric population is affected. Currently, there is little research published on the treatment options for PANS/PANDAS and there is no evidence-based consensus on the best treatment option.

Purpose: This study aimed to discover the efficacy of, and barriers to, available treatment options for PANS/PANDAS.

Methods: A convenience sample of individuals diagnosed with PANS/PANDAS or their parent/caregiver was recruited anonymously through Facebook support groups. …

Residency Reflections, Naleen Patel Md

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Basolateral Nuclear Complex & Central Nucleus Of The Amygdala In Fear-Conditioned Responses To External Stimuli And Anxiety Responses, Oluwaseyi A. Adelakun

Senior Theses

This thesis reviews the role of the amygdala, particularly the basolateral nuclear complex (BLA) and central nucleus (CeA), in fear-conditioned responses and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). By investigating the neurological and physiological mechanisms that influence the amygdala’s fear and anxiety responses, further connections can be made between this region and other notable brain regions, like the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We review both human and rodent models to explore the overlap between the two and explore various therapeutic interventions that regulate amygdalar activity and therefore mitigate anxiety symptoms. Key research into the patient SM, who lacks fear responses due to bilateral …

The Role Of Nutrition In Modulating Neurodevelopmental And Mental Health Outcomes In Pediatric Populations: A Review, Athul M. Vikas

Senior Theses

Introduction: Neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression, have risen sharply in prevalence among children and adolescents, creating substantial public health concerns. Traditional interventions, primarily pharmacological and behavioral, offer critical but limited support, underscoring the need for integrated approaches. Recent findings suggest that nutrition may play a significant role in supporting brain development and mitigating mental health risks, offering preventive benefits that complement conventional therapies. This review aims to evaluate the influence of specific nutrients—such as folate, iron, DHA, zinc, and vitamin B12—on neurodevelopmental outcomes, emphasizing the importance of these nutrients during critical growth …

Increasing The Frequency Of Behavior Assessment To Reduce Physical Restraint, Breanne N. Ford

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a system that routinely assesses for behavior changes in psychiatric patients presenting to the emergency department to improve staff intervention of escalating behaviors and decrease physical restraint use.

Background: The project was implemented in a 45-bed emergency department in a community-based hospital affiliated with a large hospital system in Houston, Texas.

Methodology: The project utilizes the Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) to assess patients' behaviors at routine intervals throughout shifts and a comfort cart that houses several non-pharmacological intervention items to use to de-escalate adverse behaviors. The staff …

Use Of The Integrated Practice Assessment Tool (Ipat) To Evaluate The Clinical Learning Environment For Counselors-In-Training, Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, Stacy Ogbeide, Heather Trepal, Mercedes Ingram, Swathi Weaver

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

The need for behavioral health integration (BHI) in primary care continues to grow to address the behavioral health needs of patients and families. Developing a competent interprofessional workforce to operate in primary care behavioral health settings necessitates BHI-literate clinical learning environments, as well as tools to evaluate and assist in the integration of services appropriate for BHI training and supervision. The Integrated Practice Assessment Tool (IPAT; Waxmonsky et al., 2014) is an instrument that assesses the level of BHI at a primary care clinic. This paper discusses an example of an implementation approach to examine BHI levels with the IPAT …

A Brief Review Of Zuranolone, Aubrey A. Jackson

Transformative Medicine

Zuranolone, a novel analog of allopregnanolone, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first oral medication approved for the treatment of postpartum depression in adults. Developed by Sage Therapeutics under the brand name Zurzuvae, zuranolone was approved by the FDA on August 4^th, 2023.¹ Zuranolone is a modified version of brexanolone (sold under the brand name Zulpresso), an intravenously administered allopregnanolone formulation that was previously the only FDA-approved medication for postpartum depression. Zuranolone offers a more accessible treatment option for patients with efficacy established in clinical trials. Its approval expands the …

Building Confidence, Diminishing Stress: A Clinical Incivility Management Initiative For Nursing Students, Younglee Kim, Phoebe (Yeon) S. Kim, Henrietta Nwamu, Anne Lama

Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive program designed to reduce nursing students’ perceived stress and improve self-efficacy and readiness to professionally address incivility during clinical practice. Background: Incivility in clinical settings adversely impacts learners, educators, institutions, and healthcare systems, undermining safety and the teaching–learning process. Despite its increasing global prevalence, effective interventions remain largely unexplored. Methods: Our mixed-methods study, conducted from March to April 2024, involved senior baccalaureate pre-licensure nursing students (N = 35) from a California State University. The three-week, one-hour-per-week, interactive clinical incivility management program was developed through an extensive …