Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction And Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy As Interventions For Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review, Amitojeroop Kaur

Honors Scholar Theses

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), in reducing anxiety symptoms in individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). A review of the literature revealed that while GAD affects millions globally, many individuals diagnosed with GAD do not receive treatment. This review evaluated the effectiveness of MBIs using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs, focusing on effect sizes, study quality, and control conditions. The central hypothesis was that MBCT would significantly reduce anxiety symptoms, particularly in comparison to inactive control groups. Meta-analytic results showed that MBSR …

Walk A Mile: Exploring Cause-Based Charity Event Participation As A Catalyst For Increasing Physical Activity Behavior, Kimberly S. Fasczewski, Andrey A. Sanko Posada, Meg Hopkins

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Despite the known benefits of physical activity (PA), more than half of U.S. adults do not meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s PA recommendations for health, often resulting in negative health outcomes. Developing programming that increases motivation for PA participation is critical for healthcare professionals to combat physical inactivity. Previous research has demonstrated that framing disease-based PA charity fundraising events as “helping a cause” improved motivation for PA due to the individual’s emotional connection to the cause. There is currently no congruent research on motivation for participation in cause-based charity events. Behavioral economics theory posits that cognitive, emotional, and …

The Relationship Between Perceived Stress, Psychological Distress And Thwarted Belongingness Among Military Service Members, Isaac Greenblatt

University Honors Theses

Suicide remains a leading cause of death among members of the military, with psychological distress, perceived stress and thwarted belongingness emerging as key variables which impact this behavior. This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived stress, psychological distress and thwarted belongingness in a population of Active Duty Army Service Members (ADASM) at baseline and longitudinally. The Resilience-Supportive Leadership Training (RESULT) dataset was originally collected to assess the effectiveness of an intervention in the military. However, this thesis is a secondary data analysis of this dataset, including 273 ADASM participants. The K6 psychological distress test was used to measure …

Do Resiliency And Coping Skills Moderate The Relationship Between Mood Disorders And Parenting Styles Due To Parental Relationship Distress?, Tiffany Burks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parental relationship dynamics such as intimate partner violence (IPV), interpersonal distress (IPD), and parental alienation (PA) can significantly affect both mental health and parenting practices. This study examined whether personal strengths, specifically resilience and problem-focused coping, could help buffer these negative outcomes. Correlational analyses showed that IPV, IPD, and PA were positively associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. IPV and PA were also negatively associated with the use of an authoritative parenting style. In contrast, resilience and problem-focused coping were linked to fewer mood-related symptoms and greater use of authoritative parenting. Multiple regression analyses revealed that IPV significantly predicted …

Exposure To Different Motives Of Scientists Moderates Responses To Scientific Consensus: The Case Of Cultured Meat, Kimin Eom, Bryan Kwok Cheng Choy

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This research examines how exposure to different motives of scientists affects the impact of scientific consensus on public attitudes toward cultured meat. While scientific consensus on the safety of cultured meat generally increased positive attitudes toward it, this effect depended on information about scientists’ motives. Exposure to information about scientists’ financial motives weakened the positive effect of scientific consensus because it undermined trust in scientists. Information about scientists’ prosocial motives did not influence the scientific consensus effect. These findings suggest that perceived motives can shift trust in experts, thereby affecting the influence of experts on public attitudes.

The Impact Of Nicu Death On Bereaved Mothers, Jennie Terranova

University Honors Theses

Infant loss in the United States occurs 5.6 per 1,000 live births. This paper examines risk factors that contribute to neonatal death. Prematurity is a risk factor for NICU admission. A portion of premature babies receiving care in the NICU will die. The stressful nature of the NICU has been studied widely in journals. The impact of NICU death on hospital staff and bereaved parents has been studied less. Mortality studies suggest that bereaved mothers are at a high risk of dying within the first 5 years after their child has died. Despite the frequency of maternal death post-child loss, …

Mindfulness As A Buffer Against Death Anxiety: Implications For End-Of-Life Care, Chad Alexander

University Honors Theses

Death anxiety, defined as the distress associated with the awareness of mortality, has profound psychological and cultural impacts. Western societies often respond to death salience through avoidance and medicalization, reinforcing defensive strategies described by Terror Management Theory. This project aimed to investigate whether mindfulness can serve as a buffer against death anxiety. A structured literature review was conducted using PsycINFO, PubMed, the Portland State University Library, and Google Scholar between January 2025 and April 2025. One study found that mindfulness moderated the effects of death anxiety on health-related quality of life in people living with HIV. Two experiments linked mindfulness …

Influences And Implications Of Medical Mistrust On Healthcare Behaviors In A Low Health Outcomes County In The State Of New Jersey, Dale Johnson, Adeena Javed, Nathaniel J Byrnes, Anne C Jones, Kristin N Bertsch

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Medical mistrust is an ongoing concern in the United States, with patient confidence in both individual practitioners and institutions decreasing sharply in recent years. Atlantic County, New Jersey has some of the worst health outcomes in the state and is below the national average. This study sought to investigate medical mistrust by recruiting participants to complete a survey and/or health screening at 12 food pantry distribution events throughout Atlantic County (N = 124). The mean score for the Medical Mistrust Index was 19.06 (SD = 5.6) for participants who reported receiving the annual influenza vaccine and 16.05 (SD = 4.7) …

Poetries Of Abandonment: A Study Of Plath And Glück, Yara Abdelmoneim

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the intersection between literature and trauma, which can be discerned in the key works of two poets, Sylvia Plath and Louise Glück. While offering readings of crucial poems, the thesis also examines the interrelations among trauma, memory and narrative as theorized by two contemporary psychiatrists, Bessel van der Kolk and Judith Herman. Both Plath and Glück wrote about personal and generational trauma after going through different experiences of abandonment. Absence, indirection and repetition provide the basis for literary techniques that allow their traumas to be better understood by authors and readers alike. The degree to which each …

Icanfeel: A Digital Art Activity To Support Distress Detection In Adult Oncological Patients, Marie J. Deschamps

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Considered the 6th vital sign, distress, a combination of hopelessness, anxiety, fear, and depression, can impact patients’ quality of life, treatment adherence, and mortality. While screening is required in oncological centers, distress remains under-detected. This study examined the use of Icanfeel, a novel digital art-based tool, to complement traditional psychometric assessments such as Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), to support patients’ expressions of symptoms and distress detection. Hospitalized adult oncological patients (N = 22) engaged twice with Icanfeel and with an active control condition. At various time points during the protocol, patients self-reported symptom burden using ESAS, self-disclosure …

Mothers Supporting Mothers: A Psychotherapy Group For Postpartum Mothers Struggling With Substance Use, Brittany Hook

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

One topic that is not talked about enough is women’s health and more specifically postpartum women. This is apparent especially when it comes to postpartum care and the diverse experiences women face. The silence around postpartum women’s experiences can be frightening at times. The mental health of postpartum mothers can be overlooked and can lead to concerns of suicide ideation, increase substance use and a decrease in overall wellbeing. When substance abuse is in the picture for postpartum women, a treatment option that can be effective is group counseling. An evidence-based modality that works off the humanistic theory is motivational …

The Role Of Somatization In Predicting Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities: Examining The Mediating Effects Of Perceived Injustice And Symptom Catastrophizing, Kimi Han Hashimoto

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

There is a pressing need to address the significant health disparities of underrepresented groups such as racial and ethnic minorities (Mills et al., 2020). As of 2019, individuals identifying as a racial or ethnic minority make up 40% of the U.S population as of 2019, yet they fare significantly worse across many health-related measures (Hill et al., 2022). Given these disparities in healthcare and health outcomes, racial and ethnic minorities represent an important group to investigate somatization and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Cognitive appraisals, such as perceived injustice and symptom catastrophizing, may mediate this relationship, influencing how somatization translates …

Fear Of Pain In Migraine: Psychological Factors In Perceptions Of Headache Triggers, Sarah Basha, Todd Smitherman

Honors Theses

Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder affecting millions worldwide, with substantial societal and personal burdens. Psychological factors, particularly fear of pain, may influence migraine experience by impacting perceptions of headache triggers. This study investigates the relationship between fear of pain and perceived triggers in individuals with migraine. A sample of 2,959 young adults meeting diagnostic criteria for migraine completed a structured diagnostic interview and self-report measures of fear of pain, headache-related disability, and beliefs about headache triggers (which stimuli triggered headache, most important triggers, and likelihood of developing a headache upon exposure to the most important trigger [trigger potency]). Linear …

Small Steps For A Big Change: A Longitudinal Project To Enhance Well-Being Of Internal Medicine Residents, Vandana Nagpal, Benjamin Tanenbaum, Christine Runyan

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Residency training is demanding and often leads to burnout. In 2017, Internal Medicine (IM) residents at our institution reported a poor collective residency experience. In response, we launched a longitudinal wellness program in 2018, featuring multi-pronged interventions to improve residents' well-being. The program, still active today, has undergone iterative modifications with ongoing input from residents.

Approach: The resident-led Wellness Committee was established in 2018, and the following no to low-cost initiatives were implemented sequentially: quarterly group sessions with an institutional health psychologist, bi-annual self-checks, peer buddy support for incoming first-year residents, weekly 5-minute reflection sessions, and volunteer dog visits. …

Exploring Smoking Habits, Neighborhood Characteristics, And Polygenic Risk: Data Analysis Using The Health And Retirement Study, Morgan E. Albert

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Smoking is among the leading causes of death, necessitating the identification of individual and environmental risk factors. The study tested the hypotheses that both genetic risk and perceiving one’s neighborhood as undesirable (i.e., that the neighborhood was less cohesive and more disordered) would increase smoking risk. An additional hypothesis was that these individual and neighborhood-level risk factors may synergistically increase smoking risk. Data from the Health Retirement Study, a racially/ethnically diverse sample of older U.S. adults, was utilized for this study. All but one hypothesis was supported within this study. Non-Hispanic White participants who perceived their neighborhoods as more cohesive …

An Adaptive Paradox: Improvised Drama Therapy And Dialectical Behavior For Eating Disorders In Teens, Krystany Taylor

Expressive Therapies Theses

The complexity of treating eating disorders compels professionals to investigate collaborative and integrative approaches to address psychological rigidity and emotional aversion in affected individuals. Mindfulness within Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and improvisational theater techniques may contribute to advancing emotional flexibility. This thesis study explored spontaneity in expressive therapy and gauged budding adaptive skills related to emotion regulation in minors with eating disorders. At a behavioral health center in Southern California, I held a dual role as a group facilitator and trainee drama therapist; I therein joined DBT and improvised drama therapy methods into a group treatment setting for ages 14 …

Eos Wellness Center: Rethinking Inpatient Mental Health Facility Design, Emily Simms

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The design of mental health facilities significantly impacts patient outcomes, especially for individuals with depression. Environmental factors such as lighting, thermal comfort, and access to nature influence mental health. This research explores how architectural design can reduce self-harm incidents and enhance recovery outcomes for patients with depression. The project hypothesizes that synchronizing light patterns and thermal comfort with patients’ circadian rhythms will reduce self-harm incidents and improve recovery. The problem established in the research is that disruptions to circadian rhythms increase the risk of depression, PTSD, and anxiety by 30% (Burns et al., 2022). Suicide is also the second leading …

Breaking Barriers: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Women's Behaviors, Attitudes, And Barriers In The Free-Weights Room, Kate Jensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine social media’s impact on women’s habits and attitudes on the weight-room area of a college recreation center. Using non-experimental quantitative methods, the frequency and type of weightroom use by women was measured, as well as the type and frequency of fitness-focused social media use.

Understanding The Impact Of Language Barriers And Visit Duration On Caregiver Satisfaction In Pediatric Primary Care, Gavin Miller

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Children from households that speak languages other than English (LOE) face barriers in accessing healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes. Language barriers contribute to these disparities, often resulting in diminished communication between providers and families. Visit duration may play a key role in facilitating effective communication and improving patient satisfaction.

Purpose: This study examines how language barriers affect caregiver satisfaction in pediatric primary care, and whether visit duration mediates this relationship. We hypothesized that caregivers from LOE households would have comparable visit durations to English-preferring caregivers but report lower satisfaction due to receiving less information within that time. …

Surviving Their Stripes: Quality Of Life And Coping For Individuals With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Julianna L. Breazeale

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hypermobile type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder with complexities involving joint hypermobility, tissue fragility and severe pain. Patients with hEDS often experience misdiagnosis, medical dismissal and years of waiting for a diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the quality of life and diagnostic journey for patients living with hEDS. Qualitative, cross-sectional and semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study using a descriptive, phenomenological methodological approach. The specific phenomenon is the experience of the hEDS diagnosis and how that diagnosis further impacts patient life. The two primary research questions that we aimed …