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Immigration Impacts on Iranian-American Youth Mental Health
No full text2024Field observation of Iranian American Immigrants (IAI) shows a broad spectrum of mental health problems, including unsuccessful/ successful suicidal attempts, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, school dropout, substance abuse, and parent-child conflicts among younger IAI. Although in the onset of mental health conditions like schizophrenia and depression, genetic factors, family history, and pre-immigration incidents are involved, the role of stressful environmental factors and life experiences, including immigration and post-immigration situations are significant. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 IAI,18-26, this qualitative research investigated the impact of immigration on their mental health aiming to find if participants had experienced stress and how they assessed this experience. Applying the interpretative phenomenological analysis conducted manually in thematic content and inductive reasoning, the five themes were identified as patterns of stressors, perception of stress, coping mechanisms, manifestations of stress, and participants' reflections. The results showed all IAI youth experienced stress from language barriers, cultural barriers, a lack of social acceptance, and parents' high expectations. Racism, discrimination, bullying, stereotyping, identity struggles, parents' cultural norms, parents' demands, parent-child conflicts, and financial difficulties were among other stressors. Stress experienced by participants affected their emotional and physical health resulting in low self-esteem, worries, perfectionism, and fearfulness. Also, they reported social withdrawal, depression, anxiety, difficulties with transparency, physical symptoms, and academic challenges. To manage their stress, participants chose physical activities, seeking help, learning new skills, avoidance of stressful situations, and smoking or vaping. All participants seemed satisfied with immigration to the US despite experiencing stress which was particularly true when they compared themselves with their relatives or friends in Iran. Since all participants have experienced stress due to immigration at a younger age, they might have difficulty in communication, confidence, or trust. Their relationships might be affected leading to dissatisfaction and conflict with their partners, families, and social networks. Developing immigrant-supportive policies and providing social support for this population at multiple levels of individual, family, and community are fundamental to decreasing the risk of mental health conditions in IAI youth. Therefore, creating systematic programs that address IAI youth needs in terms of mental health conditions is crucial.Sultan, Dawood H.Manyam, Suneetha B.Chen, Huey T.Dr.P.H
Defining Clinical Skills for School Counselors
No full text2024ABSTRACT
PRISCILLA POWERS
DEFINING CLINICAL SKILLS FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Under the direction of Morgan Kiper-Riechel, Ph.D.
School counselors are mental health professionals who support students’ emotional, academic, and social development. Numerous studies have documented outcomes to support the efficacy of school counselors. To excel in student support services, counselors should possess a diverse set of skills and attributes to successfully assist and guide students. Defining clinical skills for school counselors helps to ensure that they are equipped with the appropriate knowledge and competencies to provide effective support to students, establish a professional standard of practice, ensure school counselors are accountable for their work, and establish recognition as legitimate mental health providers working in schools. The purpose of this Delphi study was to establish a consensus definition of clinical skills for school counselors. Delphi research is a structured forecasting method that involves input from a panel of experts through multiple rounds of feedback. This Delphi study consulted 22 field experts with advanced degrees, extensive school counseling experience, recent field research, and leaders in professional organizations to achieve consensus. Three open-ended research questions produced ten themes surrounding the clinical skills of school counselors. In the three phases of the study, responses from the panelists were analyzed and resubmitted to the same participants for review. Quantitative data included the measurement of central tendencies with dispersion, percentage, and frequency of responses. The panel produced a consensus on ten skill domains to define clinical skills for school counselors. The counseling implications are also discussed.Kiper Riechel, MorganBeasley, JordonPrioleau, BrittanyD.Phil
LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ABORTION STIGMA: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
No full text2024Reproductive healthcare remains an incredibly difficult system to navigate, riddled with burdens and obstacles. Reproductive healthcare is also plagued with elements of stigma, especially regarding abortion care, that influence how people navigate their reproductive healthcare needs and decisions. Limited qualitative research has investigated the impact of reproductive health and abortion stigma on reproductive health-related decision-making. This research sought out to gain insights on the influence of stigma across reproductive health and medical decision-making from the lived experiences of women with roots in the Southern region of the United States. Fifteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with self-identified women, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, who have previously had an abortion or have experience working in abortion healthcare delivery. Inductive analysis of the interview data revealed reproductive healthcare access barriers and resources, various sources of reproductive health stigma, stigma’s influence on health-related decision-making, and the multi-level implications of stigma in reproductive healthcare. Five themes emerged from the lived experiences of the women in this study and provided insights into how women navigate reproductive health access, abortion, associated stigma, decision-making, while also enduring the world around them. This research unveiled ingrained stigma associated with the entire field of reproductive healthcare and the role stigma plays in peoples’ complex lives, but investigation into more diverse populations is recommended. The research also uncovered the need to invest more deeply in collaborative, public health comprehensive sexuality education rooted empowerment, storytelling, and narrative creation, while addressing the multi-leveled nature of the world we live, play, and work in. The study also highlights that despite the burdens, shame, judgment, stigma, cultural influences, religious ideologies, and political attacks against reproductive health and abortion access, people can still envision a world where people can make autonomous decisions related to their reproductive health - but more work must be done.Chen, Huey T.Madden, Suzie L.Sams-Abiodun, Petrice M.Dr.P.H
INVESTIGATING THE SOCIAL PERCEPTIONS ON THE STIGMA AND HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF ONLINE GAMBLING
No full text2024Stigmatization is a known barrier to treatment seeking among those with substance abuse. As gambling disorder is now considered a non-substance, substance abuse disorder, previous research in substance abuse can drive the development of research and evidence based recommendations for treatment and prevention of gambling disorder. In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, allowing states to individually legalize sports betting. As of 2024, 38 of 50 states have legalized sports betting, drastically increasing the number of citizens exposed and able to place wagers. The Total Consumption Model and the Theory of Deviance suggests that the higher the exposure to gambling, the lower the estimation of the risks and the proportional rise in addiction to exposure. Gambling disorder is not an equitable addiction, with a disproportionate number of self-identifying Black men as well as Hispanic or Latino men suffering a disordered relationship and gambling, and women disproportionately spending more money per wager. An adapted Bogardus scale was deployed on Survey Monkey to understand the stigmatization of gambling activities and the impacts of acceptance and lifetime frequency on stigmatization. This study did not produce meaningful results. This sample will tolerate a disordered gambler as a close friend as the closest degree of social distance. Lifetime frequency and personal acceptance of gambling activities did not impact stigmatization. Age, education, income and sex were not factors in meaningful relationshipsChen, Hueyvan der Maas, MarkWillis, LeighDr.P.H
THE UTILIZATION OF NOISE MASKING INTERVENTIONS ON PATIENT-REPORTED SLEEP QUALITY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS
No full text2024ANGIE C. KING
THE UTILIZATION OF NOISE MASKING INTERVENTIONS ON PATIENT-REPORTED SLEEP QUALITY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS
Under the direction of JUSTUS RANDOLPH, Ph.D.
Hospital noise can disrupt patients' sleep cycles at night, which is linked to negative physiological outcomes. Considering the potential adverse effects of pharmacological treatment, such as cardiovascular and respiratory depression, it is crucial to assess the effect of nonpharmacological interventions on sleep quality. The use of noise masking devices as a nonpharmacological intervention has been shown to statistically improve the sleep quality of patients; however, the magnitude of the treatment effect remains unclear.
The objective of this study was to examine the magnitude of the treatment effect of utilizing noise masking interventions and the effects of different types of interventions, white or pink noise, on sleep quality among hospitalized patients using meta-analysis.
The selection criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental study designs evaluating the utilization of noise masking interventions in hospitalized patients that measured the effects on sleep quality.
Following Cochrane’s guidelines, risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool and the ROBINS-I tool. Data synthesis was performed using the SPSS package random-effects model, and the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model with the Knapp Hartung adjustment was used. Among 3,583 titles, the full text of 140 articles was carefully reviewed. Five studies met the inclusion criteria, and all studies were judged as having a high risk of bias.
Noise masking interventions were effective in improving sleep quality among hospitalized patients with (g = 1.60, 95% CI [0.47, 2.75, p = .02]) and without an outlier (g = 1.23, 95% CI [0.44, 2.03, p = .01]). When the types of noise were examined, white noise was more effective in improving sleep quality among hospitalized patients with, g = 2.17, and without an outlier, g = 1.50, than pink noise, g = 1.07.
The findings from this study support the use of noise masking to improve sleep quality among hospitalized patients. However, it is important to note the quality of evidence was low according to the GRADE approach. Although there is a concern about the quality of evidence, the large effect sizes were robust and favored using noise making to improve sleep quality.Randolph, JustusHeo, SeongkumJun, JeehyeD.Phil
Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church Records, Loose Pages
No full textLoose items included with bound church records, Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church, Chattooga Count
Navigating Inclusion: Perceptions from General Education Teachers on Preparedness, Professional Development, and Collaboration
No full text2024ABSTRACT
JULIE DANIELLE EAVENSON
NAVIGATING INCLUSION: PERCEPTIONS OF GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS ON PREPAREDNESS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COLLABORATION
Under the direction of ROBERT MARSH, PhD.
Historically, diversity and inclusivity in the educational system have only sometimes been as welcoming as today (Boroson, 2017; Osgood, 2005). According to the literature on inclusion in education, several factors have contributed to negative perceptions of students with disabilities participating in general education classrooms (Abawi, 2015; Morgan, 2015; Rotter, 2014; Ware, 2016). In response to an increase of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, researchers have recommended courses for professional development and higher education to support the needs of general education teachers teaching such diverse populations of learners (Zagona et al., 2017). This qualitative study explored the perceptions of general education teachers teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms. More specifically, this study explored a) perceptions of the impact of inclusion on instructional strategies, (b) perceived level of preparedness to effectively teach students with disabilities, (c) professional development needs of regular education teachers instructing students with disabilities, and (d) collaborative relationships between regular and special educators.
This study used critical disability theory as the theoretical framework to understand how a general education teacher’s perception influences their beliefs and practice when teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Twelve general education teachers from the same school district participated in face-to-face interviews and provided two weeks of lesson plans for document analysis. Data was gathered and analyzed using a grounded theory approach, constantly comparing patterns from initial, focused, and theoretical codes. Four theoretical codes emerged from the data: The Odyssey, Maneuvering Diversity, Distress Signals, and Collaboration Beacon. These theoretical codes describe how participants navigate inclusion to serve the needs of all students and the challenges they face with collaborative teaching.
The results of this study show that although improvements to inclusive practices have been made, few improvements have been made in preparing general education teachers to teach students with disabilities (Chitiyo, 2017; Gilmour & Wehby, 2019; Robinson et al., 2019). Results from this study revealed that general education teacher’s perceptions of inclusion have a direct impact on their practices and beliefs. Compelled to see all learners succeed, participants overcame challenges and immersed themselves in finding innovative ways to teach students with disabilities. Data from this study showed that most general education teachers are not prepared to know and understand the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of students with disabilities. Participants expressed the critical need for higher education programs to provide courses and field experiences focused on inclusive practices.
In addition, the findings of this study indicated that most general education teachers do not participate in professional development opportunities specific to teaching students with disabilities. Participants shared how they repeatedly asked school administrators for professional development focused on providing instruction for students with disabilities, managing challenging behaviors, and collaborative teaching methods. Finally, findings from this study revealed that most general and special education teachers are not using effective co-teaching methods. Barriers such as not having common planning times, balancing heavy caseloads, and accommodating multiple schedules often interfered with the collaborative efforts of general and special education teachers.
Based on the findings of this study, future research is needed in school districts across the United States to identify guidelines used when determining the educational placement, instructional accommodations, curriculum modifications, and special education support for a student with a disability. In addition, future research should investigate school districts throughout the United States to determine if general and special education teachers participate in appropriate professional development opportunities focused on effective collaborative teaching, instructional accommodations, and managing challenging behaviors. Lastly, future research should investigate teacher preparation programs to compare and determine if general education and special education preservice teachers receive appropriate training and strategies for instructional planning and managing behaviors of students with disabilities in a general education classroom.Marsh, RobertIsaac, CarolAllee, KarynLuther, VickiKoballa, ThomasD.Phil
Probing The Role of Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 As A Novel Potential Therapeutic Target In Parkinson's Disease
No full text2024Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects over 10 million people worldwide, with 90,000 newly diagnosed patients each year in the US alone. Patients affected by this disease face a decreased quality of life due to the characteristic motor symptoms, together with burdensome cognitive as well as peripheral symptoms. These symptoms are known to arise due to death of dopamine (DA) producing neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta in the basal ganglia, and for nearly 60 years, pharmacological treatment of PD has relied on treatment with levodopa or DA receptor agonists, which act to improve the DAergic deficiency, but do not alter the underlying neurodegeneration and disease progression. Though the absolute etiology of PD remains unclear, it is known that oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and aggregation of oligomers of alpha synuclein in the microenvironment of the substantia nigra play important roles in facilitating DAergic cell death. Our study examined the capacity of G protein-coupled Free-Fatty Acid Receptor-4 (FFA4) signaling to regulate cell toxicity induced by 6-OHDA-mediated ROS generation, NF-κB-mediated neuroinflammation, and alpha synuclein-related cell death. Here, we show that agonism of FFA4, endogenously expressed on DA-synthesizing PC-12 cells and in rat striatal minces, with the endogenous FFA agonist docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the synthetic FFA4 agonist TUG-891, activate the DA-synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and also protect from 6- hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cell death. Furthermore, FFA4 agonism reduces 6-OHDA-induced ROS generation and downstream NF-κB activity. Our results also show that TUG-891 increases DA concentrations in the 6-OHDA rat model of PD. Taken together, these findings suggest that targeting of FFA4 could increase DA synthesis for symptom control and alleviate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation that contribute to disease progression.Moniri, Nader HMurnane, Kevin SCanal, ClintonHayslett, ReneeHasan, RaquibulD.Phil
BUILDING A HEALTHY CHURCH LEADERSHIP TEAM: THE IMPACT OF WHOLE HOG BARBEQUE AND TEAM BUILDING FOR A CHURCH PLANT IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
No full text2024The focus of this project thesis is to recruit a group of diverse individuals and build a healthy church leadership team that will be at the forefront of a church plant in Columbus, Georgia. The city of Columbus is deeply stained by the existence of Macon Road, also known as the “Macon-Dixon Line” it serves as a silent and loud reminder of the city’s socioeconomic division. This project is concerned with how Bible studies, prayer walks, and a whole hog barbeque event would affect the church leadership team.
The research involves a focus group and qualitative method to determine how all the events help define the qualities and qualifications of a church leadership team member. A moderator was used to conduct the focus group and both pre and post surveys were completed electronically and all participants were anonymous. The data was interpreted using Micro-interlocutor analysis.
The results of this project demonstrated that the series of events and whole hog barbeque helped the diverse group of people on the team move from a place of uncertainty about how they understood a church leadership team and the roles in which they could serve to forming succinct clarity about the role of a church leadership team and how their gifts and talents could be used to serve in a role on the leadership team.Nash, Jr., Robert N.Dudley, Sr., Geoffrey V.DeLoach, C. GregoryMiller, Heidi A.DeLoach, C. GregoryD.Min
ADDRESSING MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS AND HEART DISEASES IN GEORGIA RURAL AND URBAN COUNTIES THROUGH POLICY INTERVENTIONS
No full text2024ABSTRACT
WAYNE A. HAIRSTON II, MPH, MBA
ADDRESSING MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS AND HEART DISEASES IN GEORGIA RURAL AND URBAN COUNTIES THROUGH POLICY INTERVENTIONS
Under the Direction of DAWOOD H. SULTAN, PhD, MA
Malignant neoplasms and heart diseases are the leading causes of premature death in all counties in the state of Georgia, USA. Data show that in Georgia, heart diseases and cancer have age-adjusted death rates of 195.2 and 151.5, respectively. In 2022, heart diseases caused 21,931 and cancer caused 18,136 deaths in Georgia. Chronic diseases cost Georgia over $40 billion dollars per year. According to the Georgia Department of Health, Georgia is ranked 39th in the nation for health outcomes. This study asks two questions: how do chronic diseases affect Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) in rural and urban counties in Georgia, and how can policies and interventions be designed to address these variables and promote health equity? Variable measures for this study were obtained from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website. Regression was used to determine the effects of the independent variables on YPLL, and t-tests were used to obtain nonparametric coefficients. County status was used as a control and grouping variable. Correlation analysis was used to detect potential collinearity. T-tests were conducted to determine if variable means differ among rural and urban counties. Malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, rural and urban status, percent Black people, percent obese, percent physical inactivity, percent smoking, percent unemployed, and percent injury-related deaths were strong predictors of YPLL in Georgia. However, Heart disease has the strongest effect on YPLL. Reducing the prevalence of cancer and heart diseases will prevent premature death in Georgia, particularly in rural counties.Sultan, Dawood H.Smith, Jimmie H.Murrain, WilliamDr.P.H