Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mental health|Educational psychology|Higher education'

Collegiate athletes experience mental health concerns at similar rates to non-athlete students, however, the student-athlete population underutilizes professional mental health help with only 10% of those in need seeking services. Criticisms of the extant research on student-athlete mental health help-seeking include studies that lack theoretical guidance, and convenience samples who are not experiencing a mental health issue. The aim of this study was to conduct a theoretically driven investigation assessing factors of help-seeking associated with the Health Belief Model and Reasoned Action Approach while sampling student-athletes who identified as currently experiencing a personal or emotional health concern. More specifically, the purpose of this study was to investigate which factors of help-seeking behavior predict the likelihood that a student-athlete will seek professional help, and to identify the differences in help-seeking factors between student-athletes with a lower likelihood of seeking help compared to those with a higher likelihood of seeking help. Participants were 269 NCAA student-athletes who completed an online survey assessing factors related to their help-seeking behavior. A multiple liner regression reveled that perceived benefits, perceived susceptibility, and perceived attitudes factors were significant predictors of the likelihood that a student-athlete would seek treatment. Results from a one-way MANOVA showed significant differences between the lower likelihood and the higher likelihood of seeking help group on the perceived seriousness, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, instrumental barriers, stigma-related barriers, and the perceived attitudes factors. Additional information gathered in this study suggests the most frequently reported factors which prevented student-athletes from seeking help include a belief the issues they are experiencing is not that serious, or a desire to seek help from a source other than a mental health professional. Findings from this study have implications for athletic departments, campus counseling centers, and future interventions designed to enhance mental health help-seeking.

Master of Science
Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs
Christy Craft
It is estimated that nearly twenty-five percent of graduate students experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, or seasonal affective disorder (Kernan, Bogart, & Wheat, 2011). Graduate students are defined as being unique, vulnerable, and at risk for experiencing a variety of challenges (Hyun, Quinn, Madon, & Lustig, 2006). Several of these challenges can result in high levels of stress (Oswalt & Riddock, 2007). Failing to cope with this stress can lead to increased stress levels, more severe mental health concerns or illness, and potentially dropping out (Hamaideh, 2011). Graduate students are not completing programs at the rate that they should, in fact attrition rates are estimated to be as high as fifty percent for some graduate programs (Kent, 2013). Understanding the effect mental health has on a student’s ability to persist through a graduate program is crucial to understanding the graduate student experience. It is suggested that higher education institutions begin to acknowledge the stress graduate students endure, the transitional struggles they encounter, and the barriers graduate students overcome to seek help. Based on the literature and personal experience, it is proposed that higher education institutions focus on preventative measures when combating the mental health challenges graduate students experience. This report provides a summary of the best strategies to consider when focusing on graduate student mental health. These strategies include the creation of an office devoted to providing graduate students with the support services they deserve.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between undergraduate students' mental health and their engagement in the educational experience. The researcher identified traditionally-aged college students (18-23) who were flourishing and distinguished them from students who were moderately mentally healthy and/or languishing according to Keyes' (2002) continuum of mental health model. Mental health was the dependent variable. Student involvement was defined as the extent to which students engage in empirically derived good educational practices as measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement's College Student Report (2005). The five benchmark measures of student engagement were independent variables: (a) level of academic challenge, (b) student/faculty interactions, (c) active/collaborative learning, (d) enriching educational experiences, and (e) supportive campus environment. Analyses also considered students' academic achievement (GPA), gender, and parents' highest level of education (SES) as variables.;Chi square analyses showed that mental health category was independent of gender and parents' highest level of education. ANOVA results also showed that student GPA also did not differ significantly by mental health category. However ANOVA results showed that mean scores for all five engagement variables did differ significantly by mental health category (p < .001) with flourishing students scoring highest and languishing students scoring lowest. A series of stepwise multiple regressions were conducted using mental health score as a continuous variable based on confirmatory factor analysis of Keyes' model. Results showed that "supportive campus environment" was the engagement variable most significantly predictive of mental health for both males and females.

The purpose of this research is to explore similarities and differences of student burnout and student depression through educational (engagement in studying) and personal (personality traits) perspective. Due to the claims in literature considering burnout a popular word for depression, the main research question was whether burnout can be considered an independent nosological entity. The study included 135 undergraduate students in a Midwestern university, who filled out self-report questionnaires to measure burnout, depression, engagement, and Big Five personality traits. Correlational analyses showed moderate correlation between burnout and depression, and a similar correlation pattern of burnout and depression with engagement and personality traits. However, several regressional analyses indicated major burnout-depression differences in predicting engagement and personality. Based on these findings, the moderate relationship between the two constructs assumes that burnout belongs to the category of depressive disorders. At the same time, however, it was concluded that the significant differences in the way burnout and depression relate to engagement and personality may suggest that burnout can be differentiated from depression.

Social networking websites can have a positive and negative, psychological impact on individuals who use them, especially if these individuals have previously experienced depressive symptoms. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) informs the curriculum in master's and doctoral level counseling graduate programs, yet the extent to which social networking websites and their psychological impacts is explored in these programs is unknown.

This is an exploratory, mixed methods study that explores the extent to which CACREP graduate programs address this topic and prepare mental health professionals to address this topic in their practice as well as exploring the extent to which, and how, mental health professionals are seeing social networking sites impact their clients. Thirty-two participants completed an online survey that consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions. The data collected was analyzed through frequency distributions and by developing themes using in vivo coding. These themes were then used with the frequency distribution results to inform the findings in this study.

Conclusions were drawn from this study that CACREP programs are not formally addressing social networking websites psychological impacts on clients in their curriculum and mental health professionals shared that clients are being psychologically impacted by social networking websites. Mental health professionals are experiencing a need for education and/or training in this area in order to address this area with clients. Lastly, from this study there are several recommendations for additions to the CACREP curriculum in relation to social networking websites psychological impacts as well as suggestions for interventions to address these issues.

The present study investigated the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress and resiliency among college students in Cambodia. The study further identified the impact of socio-demographic factors including gender, place of upbringing, religious affiliation, and perceived financial status on the mental health and resilience of Cambodian college students. Significant predictors influencing depression, anxiety, and stress were identified. The present study was conducted among 529 Khmer students sampled from public and private institutions in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Results found the sample to have mild to moderate levels of depression (M=6.85), moderate anxiety (M=6.61), and mild levels of stress (M=8.90). However, analysis of the severity of distribution explained that 44.6%, 54.2%, and 37.5% of students experienced symptoms above the moderate levels for depression, anxiety, and stress respectively. Results showed 89.8 % of students reported high levels of resiliency. Significant differences in level of depression, anxiety, and resilience were found based on students’ perceived financial status. Additionally, differences in resiliency were observed based on gender. While no socio-demographic or protective factors were predictive of stress, perceived financial status and resilience were found to be significant predictors of depression and anxiety among college students in Cambodia. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Educational research has produced numerous theories attempting to predict enrollment patterns of college students. From Tinto (1975) to more recent student persistence scholars, too often studies focus on a narrow aspect of student retention or persistence like co-curricular engagement, pre-college achievement, and institutional fit. Interruption of enrollment is frequently depicted as a personal or institutional failure rather than a persistence tool utilized by a significant population of students.

Research that considers non-college life events is fairly limited and typically presents quantitatively or serves as a predictive tool for the types of students by demographic marker that will or will not persist. Mental health problems carry impact across demographic delineations and the population of students disclosing mental health concerns or diagnoses has grown significantly on college campuses. Research attributes the lack of enrollment in higher education due to mental health reasons at anywhere between 4.7% and 8.7% of traditional college-aged students who were once enrolled. A stopout is one tool available to students managing their health concerns while on the path to graduation.

Using Reason’s (2009) conceptual framework of student persistence, this dissertation explores the college experience for students who stopout due to mental health reasons and subsequently return to full time study. Framed by Schlossberg’s (1995) transition theory, this study views the multiple transitions a student working through mental health concerns encounters when enrollment in college is interrupted. Portraiture methodology is used to create meaningful portraits of each student as they return to college after a leave. Portraiture is purposeful in highlighting the voices and successes of this population of students.

The portraits bring to light a confluence of persistence challenges framed in Reason’s (2009) work. Organizational behavior and peer environment that students encountered prior to the leave and after returning presented significant barriers to participants’ successful transition. Sustained psychological treatment while away combined with an established plan of re-entry aided in students’ transition. More than any other resource, the participants found strength in the self as they transitioned back to campus. Implications for further research as well as institutional practice incorporating and supporting students’ returns are also discussed.

The present study examined the impact of self-esteem, the desire for lighter skin, and gender on levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among university students in Thailand. The study included 761 students from two universities in a northeastern province of Thailand who participated voluntarily. Results indicated that although the desire for lighter skin is prevalent among Thai university students, this desire alone does not significantly impact levels of depression, anxiety, or stress. Self-esteem was a significant predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress. School year showed a significant positive correlation with depression, anxiety, and stress. Academic performance as measured by GPA showed a significant positive correlation with self-esteem and a significant negative correlation with depression. Mental health professionals are advised to explore ways to improve Thai university students’ self-esteem and to examine the influence of academic and graduation-related pressures in order to positively impact students’ overall mental health. Additional implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Parent and teacher ratings of hyperactivity are compared with an objective measure of activity level (actigraphy) for 19 ADHD children and 18 control subjects. All subjects wore the actigraph during a full day diagnostic assessment. Mean actigraph scores were calculated for the structured (including time during the Continuous Performance Test (CPT)) and unstructured element of the assessment. The structured, unstructured and CPT settings were significantly differentiated for the sample as whole by actigraphic measures. However no significant difference in activity level was found when we compared the subgroups (Controls, medicated ADHD, non-medicated ADHD). Parent ratings were not correlated with actigraphic measures in any setting. Teacher ratings on the Hyperactivity Index were significantly correlated with activity during the structured and unstructured setting for the whole sample and the ADHD subjects. These data indicate that teacher ratings of hyperactivity are more reliable than parent ratings on identical items when one is interested in gross motor activity. Issues concerning the situational relevance of rating scales and applications of actigraphic technology are discussed.

The following executive summary provides high level findings of a student-athlete mental health program (SAMHP) at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I mid-major university. Various elements of the SAMHP were evaluated to create a well-rounded understanding of the program to determine sustainability, goals, and stakeholder expectations. Findings from this study provided insight on stakeholder needs, program successes, and implications for program improvements.

In the present study parent and child concordance of peer victimization and associations with mental health (depression and anxiety), academic achievement, and family functioning was assessed using a multi-informant, multi-method approach. Parents and children completed assessments of peer victimization and mental health, parents completed a measure of family functioning, and grades were assessed by teachers. Children were classified into three peer victimization status groups and one non-victimization group on the basis of concordance of parent and child reports. Results indicate that children rated as victims by any informant (parent or self) scored higher on depression and anxiety and lower academic achievement than non-victims. Although differences in family functioning were not found between each of the victim and non-victim groups, family functioning moderated the association between peer victimization and mental health for boys. For boys who self-reported victimization but parents did not, a high functioning family environment was associated with lower depression and anxiety. Results highlight the need for greater home school communication about peer victimization and for schools to educate parents about ways to talk to children about bullying.

The relatively little amount of time that some college students spend reading their textbooks outside of lectures presents a significant threat to their academic success. One possible solution to this problem is the use of digital games as an alternative to outside-of-class textbook reading, but a review of previous research did not reveal much information on their efficacy when compared to traditional textbooks. Using Astin's theory of student engagement as a framework, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine whether a significant difference in engagement, as indicated by mental effort and time on task, existed for college students who used a digital game-based textbook versus students who used a traditional print-based textbook. The 54 undergraduate college students in this convenience sample were randomly assigned to one of the two textbook types and completed an activity session at an individual workstation. Time on task was measured with a stopwatch and mental effort with the Mental Effort Scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference in engagement between participants in the digital game-based and traditional print-based textbook groups, Hotelling's T²(2, 52) = 25.11, p < .001, D ²=1.86. In the post hoc analyses, the digital game-based group had significantly higher time on task scores than the traditional print-based textbook group (t = 34.61, p < .001). The mental effort difference was not significant, although the mean mental effort score was higher for the digital game-based group. These results provide evidence of a digital game-based textbook's utility, and may inform college educators in their efforts to support a more diverse group of learners.

Mental health screeners need to demonstrate measurement equivalence across the populations of their intended use in order to improve the fairness in the identification of students in need of social, emotional, and behavioral supports. This study examined measurement invariance on three mental screeners across five racial and ethnic groups. The Elementary Social Behavior Assessment measures academic enablers associated with the latent construct of teachability (ESBA). The Student Risk Screening Scale assesses externalizing problems (SRSS) and the Student Internalizing Behavior Screener measures internalizing problems (SIBS). Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses tested for measurement invariance from the sample of African American (18%), Asian American/Pacific Islander (13%), Latino Hispanic (25%), European American (31%), and multiracial (11%) groups of students in elementary schools. Only the ESBA required respecification to establish an adequate baseline model. The ESBA, SRSS, and SIBS demonstrated metric invariance with ordinal ratings of never, occasionally, sometimes, and frequently in addition to scalar invariance with the thresholds between the ordinal ratings. Thus, the total scores from the ESBA, SRSS, and SIBS generalize across racial and ethnic groups and the student’s race or ethnicity is less likely to mask their true level of need for social, emotional, and behavioral supports. The results indicate that the ESBA, SRSS, and SIBS may help teachers to identify racially and ethnically students who need intervention, to customize the interventions, and to evaluate students’ response to intervention. Schools using these mental health screeners may reduce disproportionality in discipline and special education.

This causal comparative study investigated the relationship of an identified disability (IDEA declared vs. non-declared) on success outcomes for sixth through twelfth grade at-risk students enrolled in a school-based mental health program. Outcome variables included: selected attendance, behavior, and achievement indicators for students who were enrolled in and received intensive school-based counseling.

Overall, after one year in the program, referrals for violent incidents significantly decreased for both groups of students while lack of respect incidents increased, indicating that staff changes in providing preventative strategies and approaches for working with students may have led staff to "catch" student behaviors at an earlier phase. IDEA declared students also had a significant decrease in suspensions. Although absences increased and instructional days decreased for both groups of students, a few of the non-declared students had more extreme changes. In-depth examination of the data showed that non-declared students, in particular Black and Asian students, had the most negative changes. Achievement data revealed that the majority of IDEA declared and non-declared students failed at pre and continued to fail at post.

This study adds to the limited base of research that on outcomes for students with and without disabilities. As school-based mental health counseling programs, coupled with strengths-based, multi-level counseling approaches expand across schools, it is important that we further the research base to determine what differences exist and what ramifications emerge for students based on disability, mental health problem, or ethnicity. Findings in this study of decreased referrals for severe behaviors for all students, decreased suspensions for IDEA declared students, and more extreme cases of negative outcomes for Asian and Black students without a disability, should be considered important factors in the continued effort to improve educational success for all students by supporting and promoting positive social emotional development and decreasing student risk factors.

Large-scale crises continue to surprise, overwhelm, and shatter college and university campuses. While the devastation to physical plants and persons is often evident and is addressed with crisis management plans, the number of emotional casualties left in the wake of these large-scale crises may not be apparent and are often not addressed with mental health preparedness plans. As a result, there is a growing sentiment that campuses should investigate and document detailed mental health preparedness plans that would address the readiness of their institutions to meet the mental health needs of their faculty, students, and staff should a large-scale crisis impact their campus. In addition, it has been recognized that an instrument is needed to help colleges and universities assess the mental health preparedness of their campuses. Utilizing a Delphi methodology, this four round Delphi study (with 34 experts from 17 states with combined expertise in mental health and higher education) adapted the Mental Health All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guidance (2003), written for state and local mental health agencies, to create a mental health preparedness plan for college and university campuses should a large-scale crisis occur. Utilizing the aforementioned mental health preparedness plan, this study also created an instrument, identified as a numeric scorecard, to help colleges and universities assess the mental health preparedness of their campuses should a large-scale crisis occur on their campus.

The current study investigated whether hypocrisy-induction – a burgeoning method of cognitive dissonance therapy – acts to increase physical exercise habits and reduce stress, as well as how physical exercise mediates the relationship between hypocrisy-induction and perceived stress, and whether self-esteem moderates the relationship between hypocrisy-induction and physical exercise. Using questionnaires and manipulations, this study measured participants’ (both work and non-work) stress, self-esteem, physical exercise habits, and physical exercise intentions. Fifty-four undergraduate students enrolled in Psychology 111 at a small Midwest university were randomly assigned to a control or treatment condition and surveyed on several constructs before being put through manipulations, and were then surveyed online four weeks following the experiment. Results supported some hypotheses, revealing that: as individuals exercise more, they perceive less stress; individuals who had their hypocrisy induced perceived less stress than those who hadn’t; hypocrisy-induction did not affect physical exercise habits or intentions; and those with higher self-esteem are more affected by hypocrisy-induction than those with lower self-esteem. Ultimately, these results highlight the potential efficacy and versatility for hypocrisy-induction to generalize onto improving prosocial behavior.

This is a pre-test, post-test with a comparison and treatment group study surrounding sexual diversity in residence halls at The University of Arizona. The study starts at the beginning of an academic year with an anonymous Diversity Questionnaire for all residents in two similar residence halls. Both halls are coeducational and similar in student population, age, size and location. Each hall's residents were asked to complete the questionnaire to be scored. One hall's (Graham/Greenlee) Resident Assistants were told of the results and asked to prioritize their programming to include sexual diversity issues. The other hall's (Apache/Santa Cruz) questionnaires were scored, but no results will be disclosed and, therefore, no special programming took place. At the end of the academic year, the questionnaire was repeated in both halls and compared to the beginning of the year questionnaire results to show changes in attitudes towards sexual diversity.

The prevalence of sexual harassment among college women has been reported to range from 33% to 97% (Klein, Apple, & Khan, 2011; Yoon, Funk, & Kropf, 2010) across the lifespan. In any one year of college, the prevalence of sexual harassment reported by women ranges from 33% to 57% (Crown & Roberts, 2007; Huerta, Cortina, Pang, Torges, & Magley, 2006). The severity and frequency of sexual harassment has been found to be related to reports of psychological distress (Nielsen & Einarsen, 2012), feelings of shame (Yoon et al., 2010), anxiety and depression symptoms (Murdoch, Pryor, Polusny, & Gackstetter, 2007), and social isolation (Pershing, 2003). These consequences of sexual harassment are concerning given the association between depression, isolation, and suicidality (Boardman, Grimbaldeston, Handley, Jones, & Willmott, 1999; DeWall, Gilman, Sharif, Carboni, & Rice, 2012). While there are numerous studies documenting the negative consequences experienced by women who are sexually harassed, little is known about the relationship of sexual harassment to the more severe negative outcomes of suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors and what variables might facilitate this hypothesized relationship. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore whether the experience of sexual harassment is related to increased suicidality and if this hypothesized relationship is mediated or moderated by other factors such as an individual’s response style and/or degree of connection to or isolation from others.

Although less than half of all patients with mental disorders seek mental health treatment per se, approximately 80% of all people will visit their primary care physician (PCPs) within a year (Strosahl, 1998). However, it is not well understood how to best handle patients presenting with mental health issues in primary care practices. The purpose of this project was to implement an intervention involving a screening measure for anxiety and mood disorders in a primary care setting to increase the volume of anxiety and mood disorder screening, to increase the accuracy of disorder detection, and to also enhance PCPs patterns of referral to mental health professionals (MHPs). Though starting with a quantitative design, difficulties encountered throughout the project eventually led to a largely qualitative analysis, which did yield useful information. A pilot project demonstrated anxiety and mood disorders were commonly noted in patients’ medical charts (46%), but also found referrals were rarely made for mental health services (7%), despite colocation of a licensed psychologist and licensed clinical social worker within the practice. This indicated that services available to provide comprehensive integrated total health care may not be have been used to their full potential. In the main project, 59 participants from a family medicine clinic and 20 PCPs from that clinic participated. The My Mood Monitor (M3) was administered to the patients and became part of their Electronic Medical Records (EMR). The M3 screens for anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders within primary care settings. In 2 separate noon conferences, PCPs were trained on diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and mood disorders, interpretation of M3 results, and the internal Mental Health Professional referral process. The project was hampered by a full-scale switch from paper-based medical records to an EMR and accompanying lack of user experience with EMR functions, lack of efficient transfer of M3 results into the EMR, and an unforeseen switch of psychologists mid-way through the study. However, results were obtained that showed relatively low levels of PCP review of M3 results, potentially high rates of anxiety disorders and mood disorders within the setting, relatively high levels of PCP knowledge of diagnostic criteria for anxiety and mood disorders, and that patients may not prefer a ‘warm handoff’ model of mental health referral. These findings are couched within a number of important caveats, but future directions for research were clearly implied.

Mental health issues serve as a leading barrier to academic success for college students. As mental health issues among college students continue to escalate, there is an increased likelihood in the manifestation of demonstrable distress and disruption among college students within the classroom. However, there is dearth of research surrounding faculty's confidence and competence related to college students' mental health experiences, namely experiences with students in distress or those whom are disruptive. This qualitative research study will focus on examining faculty's confidence and competence in responding to distressed and disruptive college students through an interpretevist lens. Using Noddings's (1999) Ethic of Care theory and Johnson's and Bany's (1970) Classroom Management theory, this research study seeks to address and assess faculty's confidence and competence within these theoretical frameworks. The ability to better understand undergraduate faculty experiences with disruptive and distressed college students has the potential to inform institutional training opportunities for faculty, as well as provide insight into how student affairs administrators can build collaborative bridges in supporting students through key partnerships with faculty. Furthermore, improving upon faculty competence and confidence through comprehensive training programs can contribute to early intervention strategies with potential to positively impact student retention and completion rates.

Citizenship/immigration status, high poverty rates and gender specific issues, present a significant problem, when addressing the mental health needs of Latino adolescents. This study utilized data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). The independent variables for the study were citizenship/immigration status, socioeconomic status, and gender. The dependent variable was mental health. To examine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, a frequency and regression analysis was performed. The results of the study indicate that citizenship/immigration status and gender are significant predictors of mental health among Latino adolescents. The results of the study suggest that social workers, community leaders, community members, and mental health providers, should explore selecting effective interventions with optimal outcomes for the mental health of this population.

This project involves the review of suicide postvention plans across school districts in California. The goal is to identify which elements are meet the recommendation, address the recommendations or do not include the recommendations for best practices in suicide postvention. This has been done by analyzing the plans across five components: preparation, identification and support for immediate needs, triage, identification and support for long term needs and a return to a new normal. Consideration was given to the format in which the plans were developed: websites, school safety plans, emergency operations plans, crisis response plans and suicide response plans. Through analyzing the plans, this research identifies the lack of preparation of schools to engage in postvention activities after a suicide.

The general purpose of this study is to better understand stigmatized views of mental health conditions in the current social climate. In order to assess changes in current stigma levels, valid measurement tools are needed to make more accurate assessments. Many existing tools used to assess stigma levels present validity issues due to reporting bias, specifically social desirability bias. Researchers suggest that purposefully omitting diagnostic labeling helps to eliminate biased answers. In order to measure stigmatizing beliefs while minimizing the threat of social desirability, this study utilized an experimental design that compared mental health conditions with medical conditions. The Adjusted Attribution Questionnaire and Social Distance Scale were used to measure stigmatized beliefs toward each health conditions. Levels of familiarity and demographic characteristics were controlled for in analysis to determine potential mediating and moderating effects. Results indicate that familiarity had a significant effect on perceived attribution and preferred social distance for the mental health group. Gender also significantly affected outcomes on both stigma measures when considering mental health conditions. Ethnicity significantly affected both stigma measure outcomes for both the medical and mental health groups. Results may help contribute to current stigma reduction efforts by identifying research-based approaches to addressing stigma.

As the second leading cause of death for adolescents, suicide has become one of the biggest concerns for school personnel. School psychologists are often expected to be the most competent and able to lead in suicide prevention efforts, however, studies have shown a lack of preparedness in crisis intervention and, more specifically, suicide risk assessment. This study surveyed practicing school psychologists (N = 92) to explore their perception of both their role and competency in suicide risk assessment. While school psychologists reported having varying roles within their district related to suicide risk assessment, the majority endorsed having a role at the tertiary level (i.e., intervening with a student identified as needing help). Participants indicated lacking both graduate training and competency in this area. Significant interactions were found between perceptions of role and competency and primary school setting, state employed, and previous training or exposure. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact that various maternal influences have on disordered eating behaviors and attitudes in a sample of young women.

Methods: Self-report data were collected from 172 young women, from a mid-sized, public, Midwestern university (mean age = 19.61; 64% Caucasian). The maternal influences examined were weight-related maternal criticism, weight-related maternal modeling, and weight-related maternal teasing.

Results: Fourteen percent of participants reported experiencing a high level of distress regarding dieting, body weight, and disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that when examined together, body mass index (BMI), maternal criticism, maternal modeling, and maternal teasing significantly accounted for 26% of the variance in disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. After controlling for BMI, maternal criticism, maternal modeling, and maternal teasing accounted for 23% of the variance in disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. In that model, only maternal criticism and maternal modeling were significant predictors.

Conclusion: This study has implications for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. The results suggest that health care providers should focus on educating parents about the potential damaging effects of weight-related criticism, teasing, and modeling.

Objective: Levels of student depression may increase as stress increases; parenting styles may be one indirect source of stress. The authors examined the role of parenting style in relationship to student stress, anxiety, and depression, with focused attention on gender differences. Participants: Participants were 290 undergraduate students (58% female, mean age = 19). Methods: Cross-sectional design. Participants completed surveys containing measures of parenting styles, college stress, anxiety, and depression. Results: Anxiety and stress acted as mediators between some maternal parenting styles and female student depression. No mediational relationships were found for male student ratings. Conclusions: Daughters may be more susceptible to the influences of maternal parenting styles, which can either prepare or fail to prepare them for management and avoidance of stressors that are encountered during the college transition. College counseling centers and student affairs personnel may wish to focus attention on the instruction of self-management and problem-solving skills for incoming students.

Objective: Student mental health may suffer due to unreasonable expectations associated with academic entitlement; permissive parenting may be one source of these expectations. The authors examined the role of academic entitlement as a mediator of the relationship between permissive parenting and psychological functioning. Participants: Participants were 524 undergraduate students at a single institution (52% female; age range = 18–22). Data collection was completed in May 2011. Methods: Cross-sectional design. Participants completed online self-report measures of parenting styles, academic entitlement, stress, depressive symptoms, and well-being. Results: Permissive parenting was associated with greater academic entitlement and, in turn, to more perceived stress and poorer mental health. Mother/father differences were found in some cases. Conclusions: Academic entitlement may partially explain why permissive parenting is detrimentally related to mental health for college students. Implications for academic affairs and counseling include helping students develop an appreciation of the role of self-regulation in college success.

Guided by positive psychology and broaden-and-build theoretical frameworks, this study utilized a correlational research design to explore the relationships between gratitude and adolescents' psychological, social, and academic well-being in a diverse sample of 499 high school students. Results of multiple regression analyses that controlled for potential effects of student demographic features on outcomes showed that higher levels of gratitude predicted more life satisfaction (β=.63, sr2=.40) , less internalizing symptoms (β= -.44, sr2= .19), more social support from parents (β=.50, sr2=.25), teachers (β=.28, sr2=.08), and peers (β=.34, sr2=.12), higher grades (β=.12, sr2=.014), and better academic self-perceptions (β=.30, sr2=.09). These relationships were generally the same for boys and girls, with the exception that the inverse link between gratitude and internalizing symptoms of psychopathology was stronger for girls than for boys. Social support from parents partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and life satisfaction, fully mediated the relationship between gratitude and internalizing symptoms for boys, and partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and internalizing symptoms for girls. Teacher support partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and students' academic self-perceptions. These mediator effects provide support for Frederickson's (2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions in that gratitude builds and strengthens student's supportive social network, which in turn leads to better psychological and academic functioning. Implications of findings for school psychology practice and future directions for research are discussed.

The advances in communication technology over the past 20 years have significant implications for the delivery of psycho-educational therapeutic services to populations that have been historically underserved due to remote locations lacking trained providers. One such population is military families, who also suffer from a negative stigma of asking for outside help or education for personal growth. This population also faces increasing mental health needs due to military deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). These operations have increased the number of returning service members who have been physically and mentally injured. The effect that these injuries have on the military family and children can be severe and damaging not only to the family unit but also to the morale of the military itself. Providing mental health services and psycho-educational counseling that meet the needs of the family as well as finding therapeutic approaches that are empirically sound has proven difficult. Recent success with the use of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with families in the civilian population holds promise in reducing emotional and behavioral disturbances in children as well as increasing the overall functioning of the individuals within the family. Providing services virtually through teleconferencing programs addresses many common barriers to treatment of military families. This study has examined the experience of military families during and after deployment, their perception of counseling and educational services as well as their recommendations for the use of technology. Numerous recommendations for future educational and counseling services via technology were found when the interventions were supported by and aligned with military culture and values.

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A Psicologia Escolar e Educacional (PEE) constitui campo de atuação, pesquisa e produção de conhecimento com foco no processo de aprendizagem e desenvolvimento humano, tal como a Educação Superior. As investigações acerca da PEE na Educação Superior relacionadas à prevenção e promoção de saúde, mostram-se pouco exploradas pelos estudiosos da área, confirmando-se assim a relevância do presente estudo que objetivou investigar concepções e práticas sobre prevenção e promoção de saúde de Psicólogos com enfoque Educacional atuantes em Instituições Federais de Educação Superior Mineiras (IFES-MG). A primeira etapa da pesquisa envolveu, por meio de consulta ao setor de recursos humanos das IFES, um levantamento de Psicólogos, aderindo à pesquisa 14 IFES, nas quais foram identificados 128 Psicólogos. Na segunda etapa, esses Psicólogos responderam, de forma online, ao Instrumento de Rastreamento de Intervenções para Psicólogos com enfoque Educacional (IRIPE), delimitando-se 31 Psicólogos que foram solicitados a responderem ao Questionário para Psicólogos com enfoque Educacional (QPE). Responderam ao QPE 18 Psicólogos, investigados mais detalhadamente em relação às concepções e práticas sobre prevenção e promoção de saúde. Esse instrumento divide-se em 4 eixos de investigação, a saber: 1) atuação na Educação Superior; 2) prevenção, promoção de saúde e desenvolvimento humano na Educação Superior; 3) desafios encontrados e 4) capacitação. Para a análise dos resultados dos eixos 1, 3 e 4 utilizou-se metodologia quantitativa, já no eixo 2, qualitativa. A análise quantitativa evidenciou uma variabilidade de intervenções desenvolvidas pelos Psicólogos, revelando concepções tradicionais e emergentes dirigidas, em sua maioria, aos alunos. Verificou-se, contudo, ainda que de forma menos expressiva, intervenções mais amplas junto aos professores, coordenadores de curso/gestores e aos técnicos administrativos. Na vertente qualitativa da pesquisa, que investigou as concepções e práticas em relação à prevenção e promoção de saúde desses profissionais, constatou-se que a maioria dos Psicólogos está pouco familiarizada com o conceito ampliado e atual desse enfoque no âmbito da Psicologia. As práticas desses profissionais indicaram a utilização de estratégias voltadas para a prevenção universal/primária no contexto educativo, modalidade preventiva recomendada pela literatura na área. Houve uma tendência dos Psicólogos a valorizar estratégias proativas e desenvolvimentais por meio do incremento de competências e habilidades, lançando mão de uma compreensão do indivíduo inserido no contexto e suas inter-relações. Ressalta-se, contudo, a identificação, também, de estratégias informadas pelos profissionais como sendo preventivas e promotoras da saúde, tais como o atendimento/aconselhamento psicológico, que vem sendo considerado, pela literatura, como de cunho mais tradicional e reativo. Quanto aos desafios encontrados e capacitação submetidos à análise quantitativa, constatou-se que esses Psicólogos encontram dificuldades para desenvolver seu trabalho de forma mais proativa. Eles alegam buscar atualização tanto na área da PEE quanto na da prevenção e promoção de saúde. Enfatiza-se a necessidade de o Psicólogo Escolar/Educacional atuante no âmbito da Educação Superior preparar-se para realizar intervenções com foco na Prevenção e Promoção de Saúde por meio de uma atuação proativa, tendo em vista o objetivo mais amplo de promover saúde mental e desenvolvimento humano neste nível de escolaridade.
The School and Educational Psychology (PEE) is an area of practicing, research and knowledge production focused on the process of learning and human development, such as Higher Education. The investigations regarding PEE in Higher Education that are related to the prevention and health promotion, though, had been slightly exploited by the researchers in this field, what reaffirms the relevance of this work. The main goal of this research is to investigate the concepts and practices regarding prevention and health promotion of psychologists working in an Educational perspective in Federal Institutions of Higher Education from Minas Gerais (IFES-MG). The first stage of the research consisted of consulting the human resources department of the 14 IFES participating on the study in order to establish the number of psychologists among them. At this point, 128 professionals were identified. In the following stage, they answered online the Tracing Instrument of interventions for psychologists of Educational approach (IRIPE), and 31 psychologists were requested to answer the Questionnaire for psychologists of Educational approach (QPE). Among them, 18 psychologists answered it and their answers analyzed in more details, according to four investigative topics. They are:1) practice on Higher Education; 2) prevention, health promotion and human development in Higher Education; 3) challenges faced and 4) training. The results obtained on topics 1,3 and 4 were analyzed following the quantitative approach, while the topic 2 had a qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis showed a variability in interventions among the psychologists, unfolding traditional and emerging concepts targetingthe students. It was possible to see, although less markedly, more extensive interventions including professors, coordinators/managers of the courses and administrative staff. Moreover, the qualitative approach helped in the investigation of concepts and practices regarding prevention and health promotion among the participants and it was possible to conclude that the most part of the psychologists are not very particular familiarly with the broad and current concept of such approach in the Psychology. The practices of these professionals indicate the use of strategies for promoting universal/primary prevention within the educational context, strongly recommended by the existing literature in the field. There was a tendency to value proactive and developmental strategies among the participants, mainly by increasing competences and skills through the understanding of an individual inside a context and their interrelationships. Some strategies listed by the professionals as preventive and health promoting, though, are considered responsive and traditional by the literature, such as psychological care/counselling. Considering topics 3 and 4, based on a quantitative approach, it is possible to understand that participants found difficulties to develop their jobs in a more proactive way. According to them, they have been trying to develop on the field of PEE and prevention and health promotion. Thus, aiming to promote mental health and human development in Higher Education, it is extremely relevant having the educational psychologist preparing themselves to be able to make interventions focusing the prevention and health promotion using a proactive approach.

Counseling services are offered in most universities, but are often underutilized. Past researchers found that students listed time, cost, stigma, and confidentiality concerns as their top reasons for avoiding seeking help (e.g., Clement et al., 2015; Dearing, Maddux, and Tangney, 2005). The purpose of this study was to identify whether concerns about confidentiality affect stigma related to use of mental health services. Students answered questions about perceived stigma and the reasons they have avoided seeking counseling in the past. Those who had previously used services reported fewer confidentiality concerns. In a stepwise multiple regression, concerns about confidentiality were found to predict significantly more of the variability in perceived stigma. Students with confidentiality concerns were invited to a focus group to explore further, and major themes included pride, accessibility, cost, and lack of information. Future research is needed in implementing better communication with students about services and the purpose of counseling.

Graduation rates in bachelor's degrees in the United States continue to be lower than stakeholders expect, despite the many advantages of college completion. This phenomenological study investigated the interplay between resilience, coping strategies, and college completion for undergraduate art and design students in an effort to improve graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to address gaps in the literature regarding art and design students' resilience and academic success. Findings were interpreted using 3 conceptual frameworks: resilience theory, Bronfenbrenner's ecology of human development, and Dweck's theory of mindsets and self-beliefs. Research questions guiding this study addressed the external and internal factors that support resilience, the most stressful situations students faced while attending the university, and the coping strategies students used to manage stress, regain resilience and graduate. Data collection included individual semi-structured interviews with 11 graduating seniors and an alum from a single public university in the eastern United States. Data were supplemented by individual semi-structured interviews with 1 faculty member and 2 campus counselors from the same university who had extensive interactions with art and design undergraduates. Key results from the data analysis found that supportive relationships with peers, access to financial aid, stress-free living environments, motivation, tenacity, and self-efficacy were important factors for academic success. The most stressful situations students reported were studio critiques, a lack of compatibility with roommates, and health issues. This study promotes positive social change by providing information for stakeholder's use in bolstering students' resilience in order to manage stress and improve college completion rates.

The current study examined the influence of parental warmth/support on adolescent psychological well-being (i.e., depression and psychosocial maturity), and how the impact of parental warmth/support on these outcomes may differ based on the relationship an adolescent is able to develop with at least one teacher at school (i.e., teacher-student bond). It was of particular interest to explore whether a close teacher-student bond might moderate the effect a parent-child relationship lacking warmth and support has on adolescent depressive symptoms and psychosocial maturity. Participants were a sample of 15-year-old adolescents (N= 815) from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the potential interaction effects of teacher bonding and parental warmth/support on depressive symptoms and psychosocial maturity in 15-year-old adolescents. Results suggested that the teacher-adolescent relationship moderated the impact of parental warmth/support on adolescent depression scores for female adolescents only. The teacher-adolescent relationship did not moderate the influence of parental warmth/support on adolescent psychosocial maturity.