Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons^™

Learning To Automate Follow-Up Question Generation Using Process Knowledge For Depression Triage On Reddit Posts, Shrey Gupta, Anmol Agarwal, Manas Gaur, Kaushik Roy, Vignesh Narayanan, Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, Amit Sheth

Publications

Conversational Agents (CAs) powered with deep language models (DLMs) have shown tremendous promise in the domain of mental health. Prominently, the CAs have been used to provide informational or therapeutic services (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) to patients. However, the utility of CAs to assist in mental health triaging has not been explored in the existing work as it requires a controlled generation of follow-up questions (FQs), which are often initiated and guided by the mental health professionals (MHPs) in clinical settings. In the context of `depression', our experiments show that DLMs coupled with process knowledge in a mental health questionnaire …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Social Support In Males And Females Experiencing Issues With Infertility., Maya Pinzon, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate and compare male and female experiences of infertility in the context of social support.

METHODS: A Qualtrics survey (Qualtrics, Provo, Utah, United States) was posted to online fertility support groups and the responses were thematically analyzed. Only participants that completed the qualitative component of the survey were included in the study. Responses were subsequently thematically analyzed.

RESULTS: A sample of 110 participants (13 males and 97 females) were included in the present study. Thematic analyses revealed that isolation and loneliness, stigma, sentiments of misunderstanding, insensitive reactions, and others' unhelpful attempts …

A Case Of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 With Severe Mood And Behavioral Symptoms, Eduardo Espiridion, Aakash Padodara, Alexa Primavera, Danielle Hovington, Adeolu Funso Oladunjoye

Transformative Medicine

INTRODUCTION: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the NF1 gene. In addition to physical manifestations, complications such as cognitive and behavioral deficits have been described. CLINICAL FINDINGS: We describe a case of a 14-year-old male with a past psychiatric history of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and multiple suicide attempts, who presented with suicidal ideation and command hallucinations. The patient became aggressive, physically assaulting hospital staff, and required sedative medication and physical restraints for several days. He required inpatient hospital admission due to rhabdomyolysis. Throughout his admission, the …

Correlates Of Caffeinated Energy Drinks, Substance Use, And Behavior Among Adolescents, Lauren N. Maziarz, Lauren A. Dial, Bradley Fevrier, William Ivoska

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Caffeinated energy drinks (CCEDs) are frequently consumed by adolescents aged 10-19, yet the effects of consumption on adolescent behavior are not well understood. Previous research has identified positive associations between CCED use and other substances such as alcohol and marijuana but studies among adolescents are lacking. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis using data collected from the 2019 Alcohol, Drug Addition, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board/Wood County Educational Service Center’s youth survey. Ten public schools in Wood County, Ohio participated (n=6,152). Results: CCED use was common among our sample (43.4% overall). Reported consumption increased with age and was …

Resilience Development In Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Role Of The Occupational Therapist And The Interdisciplinary Team, Kayla Frederick

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Research has revealed adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a negative effect on a child’s development and put a child at an increased risk of physical and mental health problems in adulthood including obesity, diabetes, depressed mood, and attempted suicide (Anda et al., 2006; Felitti et al., 1998; Gilbert et al., 2015; Putamen, 2006). Some children have been able to counteract the negative effects of ACEs and achieve positive life outcomes using a principle called resilience (Zolkoski & Bullock, 2012). While researchers have begun to identify the key skills and character traits associated with resilience in children, few have explored …

Hidden Struggles Within The Mental Healthcare Workplace, Tammy V. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have reported on the worldwide pervasiveness and increasing societal costs associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). A recent post on the WHO website cited recent scientific research (2022) indicating the magnitude of harmful effects attributed to ACEs, even classifying them as “violence against children.” Esaki and Larkin (2013) indicate that ACEs are prevalent among many social service professionals, including mental health clinicians.

This study uses mental health clinicians as the sample population to identify the impact of ACEs on job performance. Findings from a volunteer …

Possible Gender Differences In The Level Of Perceived Social Support In Couples Who Are Experiencing Issues With Infertility., Maya Pinzon, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are gender differences in the level of perceived social support in couples experiencing issues with fertility. Methods A total of 938 participants aged 18-47 years, with self-reported issues of infertility, were evaluated using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) which comprises three subscales which correspond with distinct sources of social support: significant other (SO), family, and friends. Differences between sexes for total score and for all subscale scores were subsequently analyzed using SPSS Statistics (IBM Corp, Armonk, USA). Results Mean total scores and scores on all subscales …

Associations Between Cannabis, Psychosis, And Schizophrenia In Adolescents, Lauren Moment

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

The effects of cannabis use on the brain, mind, and body have been studied for decades. The developing brain, particularly the adolescent and young adult brain, undergoes critical development that makes it especially susceptible to the effects of cannabis use. Among the adverse effects of cannabis use in adolescence and young adulthood, psychosis and psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia) have been examined. The association of cannabis use with schizophrenia was first elucidated in a Swedish study of army conscripts. Specifically, conscripts reported their cannabis use exposure and were followed longitudinally to assess the emergence of schizophrenia. The authors found that those …

Pre Covid-19 Pandemic Use Of Telemedicine For Adherence Promotion In Patients With Psychotic Disorders: A Literature Review, Alyssa M. Edwards, Jordan C. Petitt, Sanjana Kumar, Jennifer B. Levin, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Given the increasing use of telepsychiatry and to serve as a reference point informing future research, our team evaluated the literature on the use of telepsychiatry for medication adherence promotion prior to the COVID-19 pandemic among patients with psychotic disorders. Methods: A search of PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted using PRISMA guidelines to identify telepsychiatry interventions to enhance medication adherence in patients with primary psychotic disorders. Both quantitative and qualitative data were extracted from the identified articles including study characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. Results: In total, 230 articles were obtained through electronic literature search, …

Meditation Program For First Year Medical Undergraduate Students: A Feasibility Study, Anumeha Bhagat, Anita Sinha Malhotra, Ajeet Kumar Sidana

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Prevalence of stress among Indian medical undergraduate students is currently higher than the global stress level. Notably, although India is considered home to yogic practices, attempts at incorporating them in the daily routines of medical students have been lacking. In Raj Yoga Meditation (RYM), the steps for meditation are clear and explicit, so it is easy to practice. The study aimed to assess the feasibility of daily practice of RYM by medical undergraduates and find out if there is an improvement in the mental health and stress levels of the participants.

Methods: We chose 80 students randomly from two …

Therapeutic Jurisprudence In Practice: Applying Goffman’S Dramaturgical Approach To Mental Health Courts, Karen A. Snedker

Sociology Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"This chapter draws on qualitative data from two MHCs [mental health courts] to show how team members translate the tenets of therapeutic jurisprudence into the performance of their social roles in both formal and informal court settings. I argue that the successful operation of teamwork lies at the heart of MHC effectiveness. Judges, acting as both audience and team member, can undermine the work of the team. MHCs clearly rely upon a well-functioning collaborative team, working partially in backstage settings, with a judge willing to alter frontstage performances for the sake of collaboration and therapeutic effects for clients."

Early Intervention In Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Need For An International Approach, Amina Abubakar, Patricia Kipkemoi

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Globally, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 100 children. Ideally, a diagnosis is made with the onset of symptoms before 3 years of age; however, a diagnosis may sometimes be delayed until 6 years or later. There has been an increase in ASD research over the last few decades, with many systematic reviews and meta-analyses synthesizing research evidence for ASD interventions in children. Evidence tends to support the notion that intervention for ASD must occur as early as possible, close to the critical periods when early social and communication skills are developing. Therefore, early screening and intervention could …

Positive Digital Communication Among Youth: The Development And Validation Of The Digital Flourishing Scale For Adolescents, Jasmina Rosič, Sophie H. Janicke-Bowles, Luca Carbone, Bojana Lobe, Laura Vandenbosch

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Research has extensively studied the negative effects of digital communication on adolescents’ well-being. However, positive digital experiences and behavior in adolescence are still poorly understood. The recently developed Digital Flourishing Scale addresses this gap and focuses on the positive perceptions of a user’s experiences and behaviors in digital communication among adults. In this paper, we developed an adolescent version of this scale. Study 1 demonstrated the internal consistency of the scale and the same factor structure for adolescence as for adulthood: connectedness, civil participation, positive social comparison, authentic self-presentation, and self-control. Study 2 confirmed the identified factor structure with a …

Prevalence And Risk Factors Associated With Depression In Pregnant Adolescents In Nairobi, Kenya, Albert Tele, Joseph Kathono, Shillah Mwaniga, Vincent Nyongesa, Obadia Yator, Onesmus Gachuno, Dalton Wamalwa, Beatrice Amugune, Zul Merali, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Adolescent parenthood can be associated with a range of adverse outcomes for young mothers such as depression, substance abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Identification of depression and understanding risk factors among pregnant adolescents is important for development of appropriate interventions and programs focused on adolescent mental health. This paper reports on the findings of the prevalence of depression and its associated risk factors among pregnant adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: We recruited 153 pregnant adolescent (14-18 years) who were accessing maternal health services in one of two Nairobi County primary health care facilities in the cross-sectional survey …

Genetic Structure Correlates With Ethnolinguistic Diversity In Eastern And Southern Africa, Elizabeth G. Atkinson, Shareefa Dalvie, Yakov Pichkar, Allan Kalungi, Lerato Majara, Anne Stevenson, Tamrat Abebe, Dickens Akena, Melkam Alemayehu, Lukoye Atwoli

Brain and Mind Institute

African populations are the most diverse in the world yet are sorely underrepresented in medical genetics research. Here, we examine the structure of African populations using genetic and comprehensive multi-generational ethnolinguistic data from the Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations-Psychosis study (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) consisting of 900 individuals from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. We find that self-reported language classifications meaningfully tag underlying genetic variation that would be missed with consideration of geography alone, highlighting the importance of culture in shaping genetic diversity. Leveraging our uniquely rich multi-generational ethnolinguistic metadata, we track language transmission through the pedigree, observing the disappearance of several …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study On Re-Assessing The Mental Certification By Faa For Future Pilots, Kaung Z. Min

Student Works

Mental illness becomes one of the main problems that most pilots do not usually address. It is not because pilots do not have the courage or are open enough to talk with someone, but because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forces them to hide from mental depression. Most of the time, the pilots are not willing to declare such illnesses as they fear losing their job; simultaneously, the Federal Aviation Agencies across the world require pilots to be in peat health, including their mental condition, to operate the aircraft. While it can be said that the passengers’ and crews’ safety …

A Call For Prudent Taxation Of Cannabis Corporates To Fund Mental Health Programmes, Cyprian Mostert, Jasmit Shah, Lukoye Atwoli, Zul Merali, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Cannabis consumption increases the incidence of psychotic disorders, violence, and cognitive impairments [1]. Governments need to implement progressive tax legislation, such as that which requires the cannabis sector to accept responsibility and account for its contribution to the worsening of these mental health conditions in developing countries. Excise taxes are rarely imposed on the cannabis sector [2], despite the lucrative wealth amassed by this industry. For example, current estimates show that the global cannabis sector was valued at $25 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $176 billion by 2030, driven solely by cannabis inhalation demands [3]. The projected …

Body Image Perception And Its Association With Food Intake Among Undergraduate Students In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Christie Loke Sin Mun, Roslee Rajikan, Hanis Mastura Yahya

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Body image dissatisfaction may lead to the practice of imbalanced diet to achieve the desired body weight. This study aimed to determine the association between body image perception and food intake among undergraduate students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the data of 155 students from three faculties located at National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Assessments included demographic data, body mass index, Contour Drawing Rating Scale, and 3-day food records.

Results: The majority of the subjects were categorized as normal weight (64.5%), and the remaining were classified as underweight (26.5%), overweight (7.7%), and obese …

Prazosin Dosed 3 Times A Day To Treat Flashbacks Related To Ptsd: A Case Report, Christie Richardson, Alexander Swartz, Martin Forsberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Prazosin is an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist widely known by mental health providers for its off-label use for nightmares in patients with PTSD. Prazosin is lipophilic and crosses the blood-brain barrier to antagonize alpha-1 receptors in the central nervous system, potentially reducing autonomic arousal caused by PTSD. There have been numerous case reports describing the reduction of nightmares and daytime flashbacks due to PTSD with prazosin dosed at night and during the day, respectively. This case report illustrates the resolution of flashbacks related to chronic PTSD with prazosin dosed 3 times a day. As the half-life of prazosin is only …

Standardizing Perinatal Mental Health Interventions: A Guide For The U.S., Maile Lauren Robles

Master's Projects and Capstones

The term perinatal individual refers to women and other individuals who are pregnant or who have been pregnant within the last 12 months. Every year, in the United States there are 700 pregnancy-related deaths and 10% are due to mental health causes including death by suicide. Mental health conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder affect one in five perinatal individuals throughout the United States. This increases perinatal morbidity, hospitalization costs, and economic burden nationwide.

After 43 days postpartum, mental health conditions are the second leading cause of death. The United States …