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Graduates’ Perceptions on the Reasons for the Enrollment Uptrends of Vocational- Technical Education: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
No full textThe problem addressed in this qualitative phenomenological study is that, due to increased demand for county-run vocational-technical high schools in New Jersey, there are limited enrollment opportunities in these schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of County X Vocational (a pseudonym) graduates with regard to their perceived reasons for the increased demand for enrollment and how they perceive that enrollment opportunities can be increased at County X Vocational. This study was grounded in Steuart’s law of supply and demand, because there is an increased number of students (high demand) desiring to attend vo-tech high school (the service), resulting in limited county-run vo-tech enrollment opportunities (low supply). A qualitative phenomenological research design was used, where data were collected via semi-structured, in-depth interviews from a purposive sampling of 11 graduates. One central question and two sub-questions guided the study. Data were transcribed and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and In-Vivo coding, followed by interpretation using thick written descriptions to explain the findings. The results indicated that by strategically creating student schedules that allowed all graduation and employment certifications to be satisfied by the end of junior year, vo-tech educational leaders will be able to increase enrollment opportunities at the county-run vo-tech high schools. These findings can guide educators to create individual graduation road maps that summarize credits, skills and certifications earned at the end of junior year. Students’ completed road map would serve as a passport to either off-campus college classes or program-based employment in the final year of high school. A future study analyzing the success rate of vo-tech high school graduates vis-a-vis types of vo-tech instructional schedules, is recommended to provide needed insight on the future of vo-tech high schools regarding creating more enrollment opportunities
Narrative Play: Using Tabletop Role-Playing Games for the Cognitive and Emotional Development of Diverse Populations
Get PDFIn this thematic literature review the author explores how tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs) can be a suitable tool for improving the social and emotional skills of various populations of clients. The utilisation of TRPGs reduces the symptoms of social anxiety, improves social connectedness, and enhances emotional resilience. The research on whether virtual or in person TRPG sessions are more effective is mixed, because the researchers conducted their studies during the Covid 19 pandemic; thus, the results vary depending on the circumstances. Grounded in Yalom's (1970) group therapy framework and Bandura and Walters’s (1963) social cognitive theory, this capstone highlights that TRPGs can improve interpersonal skills, motivation, and engagement from adolescence to older adulthood. The findings suggest that TRPGs create a structured yet flexible atmosphere in which the participants feel safe, accepted, and comfortable with taking risks in a low-stakes environment to practise social interactions, develop problem-solving abilities, and engage in the co creation of narratives. Additionally, current research has suggested that TRPGs can increase intrinsic motivation and might be a suitable alternative for individuals who do not engage in traditional forms of therapy. However, the literature also reflected potential limitations, including safety concerns, the necessity of skilled facilitation, and ethical considerations with regard to fantasy-reality distinctions. The implications for practice include the need to develop a structured, regulated facilitation training, which did not exist at the time of this research. Future researchers should explore the longitudinal impacts and standardisation models to strengthen the empirical basis for therapeutically applied role-playing games (TA RPGs)
Skin Deep Solutions: Collaborative Care Between Dermatology and Mental Health for Patients With Chronic Skin Conditions
No full textChronic dermatological conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and acne extend beyond physical manifestations, having profound psychological and social consequences. Despite the well-documented association between skin disorders and mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal, healthcare systems often prioritize biomedical interventions while overlooking the psychological dimensions of these conditions. This study examines the collaborative efforts between dermatologists and mental health professionals to address the psychosocial burdens experienced by individuals with chronic skin conditions. Employing a multidisciplinary perspective, this research examines how integrated care models can improve patient outcomes by promoting a holistic approach that considers both dermatological and psychological needs. Given the bidirectional relationship between mental health and dermatological conditions, failing to address psychological distress may exacerbate disease progression and diminish overall quality of life. By identifying gaps in interdisciplinary collaboration, this study aims to highlight the need to bridge the gap between dermatological and psychological care, thereby developing more comprehensive treatment strategies that address these gaps. This research contributes to the broader discourse on patient-centred healthcare, advocating for a paradigm shift that recognizes the intersection of the mind and skin
Effective Forms of Treatment for Men in Distress
No full textThis capstone project explores the pervasive issue of male distress, its manifestations, and the barriers men face in seeking mental health support. Despite being four times more likely to die by suicide than women, men often underreport mental health struggles due to societal stigma and traditional masculine norms that value stoicism and self-reliance. Here, I provide a literature review that explores men's experiences of distress and identifies effective interventions tailored to male experiences. I hope to find interventions that can be offered to men that will help. Our review included cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), online platforms, group therapy, and community-based approaches. These interventions all emphasize practical, action-oriented solutions, peer support, and the normalization of vulnerability. While all of them help relieve men’s distress to one degree or another, our focus on developing a broad-scale approach to reach as many men as possible leads us to adopt a community-based group therapy approach that can be scaled throughout neighborhoods in the author’s home city of Edmonton, Alberta. Building on Edmonton’s unique neighbourhood structure and strong community league system, we propose implementing neighbourhood men’s groups to address male distress at a grassroots level. Supported by organizations like the Alberta Men's Collaborative and Edmonton’s Service Innovation and Performance branch, the initiative envisions a city-wide model that creates healing and hope for men, their families, and the city. While challenges such as stigma and engagement remain, Edmonton’s neighbourhood-focused framework offers hope and feasibility for transforming the city into a "city of brotherly love.
Exploring the Utilization and Possible Benefits That Acceptance and Commitment Theory (ACT) Interventions Could Provide for Fear of Re-Injury Among Female Footballers who Sustain an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Through Their Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Return to Play
No full textAs athletes, female footballers are at risk of sustaining an injury. However, unlike their male counterparts, they are at an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The recovery, rehabilitation, and return to play journey for ACL injuries is long and laborious, and can impact an athlete's mental health and well-being and has implications for their quality of life and long-term impact. One major mental health issue athletes report after sustaining an ACL injury is anxiety and fear of re-injury. Sports culture typically puts more emphasis on mental performance rather than mental health and well-being. One way this shows up within sports culture and research is in the understanding of injury recovery, and the attention paid to physical recovery versus mental health and well-being. Psychological readiness has been found to be separate and an independent factor from physical readiness, and instrumental in understanding an athlete's recovery, rehabilitation, and return to play journey. Psychological flexibility has been shown to be effective in addressing fear and anxiety, along with qualities of self-compassion, grit, and self-confidence. This project aims to explore the pairing of acceptance and commitment therapeutic (ACT) modality with the anxiety and fear of re-injury that female footballers experience. The hope is ACT may be applied in both interventional as well as preventional ways within the injured athletic population
Be Like Water: Exploring Therapeutic Potential of Water in Addressing Emotional (Dys)regulation
No full textWater is symbolically and inextricably connected to the human experience; we originate from it, we are made of it, and we rely on it to stay alive. Since time immemorial, water in various forms and applications has been used as a means of healing body, mind, and spirit. In recent years, the therapeutic value of water has received renewed attention in the areas of sports medicine, holistic wellness, ecopsychology, and public health. Yet, proponents of such approaches must reckon with a torturous history of the colonial "water cure" in institutionalized psychiatry, and ongoing injustices of water insecurity and inaccessibility. Through a relational lens, this interdisciplinary investigation explores the intersection of water and emotion, positing emotional (dys)regulation as a transdiagnostic therapeutic construct and examining practical applications of water as an adjunct or integrative treatment approach. It reviews historical and current therapeutic use of water for emotional and psychological wellbeing, discusses recent findings on the emotional impacts of blue spaces, and explores water as a symbolic, relational, and sensory therapeutic medium. Social justice considerations, ethical issues, and limitations (i.e., affective injustice, water insecurity, risk and safety) are discussed, and directions for future research are considered. The final product of this capstone project offers content for a zine resource summarizing salient themes and offering practical strategies for integrating water into therapeutic practices to support emotional regulation within and beyond the counselling space
Engaging Men in Therapy: A Polyvagal Approach
No full textThis capstone focusses on the issue of male disengagement in psychotherapy. It explores evidence for this claim and why it may matter to attempt to mitigate this disengagement. It then considers why this disengagement persists and what barriers men and boys experience in the process of seeking and continuing to receive help from therapeutic spaces and professionals. I consider three categories of barrier including culture, biology, and systems, with a special focus on masculinity and how it interfaces with modern psychotherapy. Finally, I explore current recommendations in the literature on how to increase male engagement and attendance in therapy. This includes a look at my recommendation and consideration of using the polyvagal lens in therapy to more efficiently and effectively engage men through safe and socially engaging therapeutic alliances
An Exploration on the Efficacy of MDMA-Assisted Therapy in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
No full textThis capstone project investigates the potential of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy as a novel approach for treatment-resistant eating disorders. In light of clinical and theoretical research on trauma, as well as neuroscience and psychedelic studies, it discusses how MDMA may alleviate eating disorder symptoms through modulating serotonin signaling, oxytocin levels, and amygdala hyperactivity. The review integrates current knowledge on the nature of eating disorders, the shortcomings of traditional treatments, and the link between trauma and eating disorders. The preliminary findings from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) studies, where the patients reported decreases in secondary eating disorder symptoms after receiving MDMA-assisted therapy, provide evidential backing. The therapeutic approach is described as combining humanistic aspects with a trauma-informed approach focused on eating disorders. Despite these questions, MDMA has the potential to target maintaining factors that traditional therapies cannot effectively change and may provide new relief for the 20-30% of patients who fail standard treatments
A Comparative Review of Evidence-Based Treatments for Adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Get PDFObsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly distressing psychiatric disorder that has significant impact on quality of life and increased risk for suicide. Presentations of this disorder include repetitive obsessive thoughts and images of personally distressing content, and mental or behavioural compulsions. This disorder is estimated to affect up to 4% of the general population. Current treatment guidelines advise the use of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) as the first line treatment, with more severe OCD cases recommended for inpatient administration of behavioural therapies. However, there exists people with OCD who do not benefit solely from behavioural therapies due to several factors including accessibility, tolerability and poor treatment response. This paper provides a comparative analysis of evidenced-based interventions for adults with OCD, with a focus on ERP, Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This analysis synthesizes results from randomized controlled trials exploring treatment effectiveness within evidence-based psychotherapies and discusses mechanisms of change within each modality. The findings support that MCT and ACT may offer viable alternatives to ERP and emphasize future research directions to determine which client characteristics may be moderating treatment response
Masters of Learning: 18 Educators Who Shaped the World
No full textEducation is one of the most profound forces that shape civilizations. Throughout history, certain individuals have stood out as pioneers, visionaries, and reformers, leaving an enduring impact on the way societies teach and learn. The book Masters of Learning: The 18 Educators Who Shaped the World seeks to encapsulate the extraordinary influence of these thinkers. Each educator selected has not only transformed education in their respective eras but has also provided insights that remain relevant today. From ancient philosophers to modern reformers, this collection of figures represents the diverse and evolving nature of education