Thesis advisor: Usha Tummala-Narra / Women receive many contradictory messages about what their bodies should look like and how they should behave. These messages necessarily impact how women are socialized to use social media and how they engage with online platforms. Little attention has been paid to the impact of these mixed messages on women’s self-concept and social engagement online, or to the mental health and social consequences of these interactions. The present study, guided by Objectification Theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) and Relational Cultural Theory (Miller, 1976), intended to gain a deeper understanding of how emerging adult women understand the messages they receive about their bodies and what they should be used for and how these messages influence their relational behaviors online. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 women (ages 19-25), focusing on messages concerning expectations of women’s bodies and sexuality, performance of body and sexuality in social media spaces, social media activism, and social interactions online. Conventional content analysis was used to examine the interviews. Interview data revealed multiple themes, composing four broad domains: (1) expectations of women; (2) social media curation; (3) mental health and social effects of social media use; and (4) activism and advocacy. Notions about how women wanted to perform their identities online were shaped by several factors, including aspirational goals for self-love and body acceptance, an interest in portraying themselves authentically and in the best possible light, and a desire to be part of a movement of social change. The study underscores the impact of social media in individual functioning and wellbeing and reveals deep-seated conflict that women face in integrating messages about who they should be with performance of their own identities. This study highlights the need for situationally responsive clinical practice, intervention, and future research. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) faced one or more traumatic events in their lifetime that can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, and avoidance. As a result, these individuals can suffer from impairments such as a loss of functioning, inability to go work, and overall difficulties in coping with the difficulties of everyday life. Low-income individuals with PTSD face additional barriers due to the high costs of effective treatment. One evidence-based treatment for PTSD is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Noting the equal need for people of low socioeconomic status to receive treatment, a grant proposal was drafted to develop a program that would offer subsidized, short-term EMDR treatment for low-income individuals who are adults (18 years and older) in Orange County. This program would reduce the symptoms of PTSD such that individuals can achieve a higher level of functioning. The grant was written in collaboration with the Norooz Foundation Clinic. Actual submission and funding of the grant are not required for the completion of the project.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Counselling Psychology) in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The overarching aim of this study was to explore the use of mental health services in UMhlathuze district. A further aim was to explore the experiences and opinions of mental health users. Sixty mental health users participated in the study. The mental health needs of the predominantly poor, black population and people in rural areas are consequently left unmet. For mental health services to be improved and stay effective, constant evaluation is necessary. This will allow the use of mental health services as well as delivery to build upon its strengths as well as respond to short comings and new emerging needs indicated by research participants. This study investigated the use of mental health service in certain parts of UMhlathuze district. It records valuable aspects of the mental health services usage and identifies experiences and opinions for improvement. Findings in this study were guided by mental health service users from different service providers. The procedure for data collection involved direct conversations in which participants reflected on their experiences when mental health services are offered to them. A convenient sample was used in that the criterion of inclusion of participants in the sample was based on people consulting at health care facilities for mental health services, for example mental health users from psychology clinic, district hospital and NGOs. The opinions given were speaking back to the experiences thus participants came up with suggestions on how mental health services can be improved. Participants' experiences of the mental health service delivery were generally positive and negative on the other hand. The experiences of mental health users mainly appreciated for the essential services provided to the community and the fact that it also easy to access services because of providing psychological services at affordable rates. / National Research Foundation

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of PhD (Community Psychology) Faculty of Arts University of Zululand, 2008. / Research indicates that the prevalence of childhood depression is increasing, the onset of depression is occurring earlier in life, and that depression coexists with other mental health problems such as anxiety and disruptive behaviour disorders. Teachers are more responsive to behavioural manifestations such as hyperactivity, disruptive behaviour and aggression. They are less responsive to interpersonal difficulties and less disruptive behaviours such as withdrawal and social isolation. While they can correctly recognize that internalizing symptoms such as withdrawal and sadness are indicators of depression, they are unable to correctly recognize that externalizing behaviours such as disruptiveness and aggression can also be indicators of depression. Since many of these symptoms of depression manifest in the school, it is imperative that teachers are able to correctly identify the symptoms of depression. The correct management of the child prevents the depression from worsening and leading to disastrous consequences. The purpose of this study was to establish whether teachers were fully knowledgeable about the behavioural symptoms of depression. A former purpose was to determine the management strategies used at school, and to develop a guideline document for teachers. Survey methodology and interview techniques were used to collect data for the study. These methods provided quantitative and qualitative data. The participants comprised 56 primary school teachers from three randomly selected schools. Two questionnaires were specially designed to gather data for the study. The results of the study revealed that teachers were not fully knowledgeable about the behavioural symptoms of depression and that they lacked the depth of knowledge required to recognize the significance of the diagnostic criteria of depression "which manifest as behavioural symptoms in school. The results showed mat more than 57 % of participants felt that parents and home factors were responsible for depression. Results also indicated that the majority of participants were not able to recognize the multiplicity of factors that could cause and result in depression. In the perceived absence of psychological support from the Department of Education, participants indicated a need for guidelines for identification and management of symptoms of depression. There was overwhelming support for the implementation of a self-esteem programme at schools. At the conclusion of the study, a document which outlined recognition and management of the behavioural symptoms of depression, was developed by the researcher. As a result of the findings of the study, recommendations were made to teachers, the schools' management team, as well as to the Department of Education. Recommendations made to teachers included training the child in social skills and cognitive strategies, and maintaining contact with parents. One important recommendation to the schools' management was the timely referral of depressed children to mental health professionals. Recommendations made to the Department of Education included the facilitation of the formation of multidisciplinary teams which would comprise teachers, management staff, parents and school psychologists. These multidisciplinary teams would manage the successful implementation of programmes that will foster healthy social and emotional development of all children.

As the world's largest social networking site, Facebook, continues to grow in popularity, it is imperative for counselors and counselor educators to better understand how online environments impact all facets of life, including death. Grief behaviors on Facebook have been a focus of scholars since the launch of the social networking site in 2004. Researchers have demonstrated that Facebook memorial pages have a significant impact on the social and cultural practices related to death and memorialization for Facebook users. However, despite a rapid rise in research related to online mourning, researchers have yet been able to establish the potential risk or benefit of engaging in online memorial pages and continuing bonds with the deceased. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the relationship between participation in Facebook memorial pages and grief symptom severity and persistence for adults living in the United States who have experienced the death loss of a friend or family member since 2009. The continuing bonds theory was used to guide the foundation of this study and interpret findings. Using online survey methods, data was collected from 225 Facebook users. Results of a multiple regression revealed no relationship between Facebook memorial page participation and grief severity but demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between Facebook memorial page participation and grief persistence. These findings are crucial to aiding social change related to an expansion of counselor awareness of the cultural implications of online mourning and the influence virtual mourning may have on appropriate diagnosis of grief related disorders.

This study was situated in a private mental health care facility in South Africa. It explored the participants' experience of being sung to and actively singing in a group music therapy setting. It also explored the impact of singing on the well-being of adult mental health care patients. This study used secondary data to analyse the responses to two questions from a qualitative questionnaire anonymously completed by 134 participants. The data were analysed by using thematic analysis and nine themes were identified: presence and voice of therapist; experience of song choice and content; experience of collective singing during adapted GIM; freedom of participation; strengthening and upliftment; relaxation and grounding; emotional regulation and expression; self-reflection and introspection; and a new experience. The emerging themes from the data source highlighted how the participants experienced the act of singing as influencing their physical, emotional/psychological, social, and spiritual areas of well-being. It also emphasised the importance of a well-trained and skilled music therapist. The analysis further revealed how carefully chosen songs and lyrical content can bring about an experience of strengthening, upliftment, relaxation, emotional regulation, expression, and enjoyment, all of which are powerful and profound affordances towards the well-being of patients with mental illness. / Mini Dissertation (MMus (Music Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Music / MMus (Music Therapy) / Unrestricted

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Research has indicated that negative parenting practices are associated with disruptive behavior in offspring. Extant research also has indicated that disruptive behavior in offspring affects parenting practices. Thus, the current study examined the relationship between parenting and disruptive behavior. It was hypothesized that symptoms of ODD have a more negative influence on parenting than symptoms of CD and ADHD, and parental mental health mediates the relationship between disruptive behavior and parenting. Results of the current study indicated that, as hypothesized, for maternal and paternal parenting and discipline, ADHD had no association with parenting or discipline practices. Symptoms of ODD and CD had an equivalent association with maternal positive parenting only. Complete mediation of the associations of ODD and CD by maternal mental health occurred when examining maternal positive parenting only. Partial mediation of these relationships occurred for maternal and paternal positive discipline and paternal positive parenting.

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