The purpose of this present study was to examine test performance of the Borderline Personality Disorder on the Symptom Checklist .(SCL-90). This investigation addressed whether the Borderline Personality Disorder has a distinctive profile on the SCL-90, and whether the profile is distinguishable in comparison with two other groups with mental disorders.

The purpose of this thesis is to critique the literature focusing on the role of pineal gland volume and function and the development of schizophrenia by asking the question, "What is the relationship between pineal gland physiologic function and development and symptom severity of schizophrenia? It is crucial that health care providers continue advocate for better understanding of schizophrenia in order to develop a more appropriate treatment and relive the suffering of those with schizophrenia. A review of published literature focusing on the pineal glands association with schizophrenia was performed using several databases including: ScienceDirect, PubMED, Google Scholar, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBESCO). Key search terms included: Pineal gland, melatonin and schizophrenia, pineal gland and schizophrenia, sleep and schizophrenia, melatonin and treatment for schizophrenia, alternative treatments for schizophrenia, and pineal volume and schizophrenia. Based on current researching findings, it is my prediction that the chief consensus among the literature will be that physiologic abnormalities often coincided with schizophrenia, but do not indicate the severity of the disease or seem to have a strong correlation to the cause of the disease. It is also my prediction that alternative therapies will be beneficial in reducing symptoms severity, and adverse effects cause by psychiatric medications.

Background: High-fidelity simulation recreates real-life situations in a safe learning environment and encourages critical thinking in students. Published research in simulation in psychiatric/mental health nursing is sparse. Methods: Four scenarios exemplifying drug or alcohol abuse utilizing the computerized, mannequin SimMan® were implemented. Students evaluated their learning experience following completion of the simulation via a 20-item, Likert-scale survey which included open-ended questions. Results: Results were positive. Students rated all items on the survey as “agree” or “strongly agree” (Mean 4.77, SD=0.55). Conclusions: High fidelity clinical education simulations are an effective means of facilitating student learning of psychiatric and mental health clinical experiences. Students found simulation to be a useful and engaging means by which to learn to care for clients with drug or alcohol abuse disorders.

The purpose of this study was to examine state legislation and policy related to comprehensive, integrated services for students with serious emotional disturbance. Legislation and policy documents from nine states, Virginia (the pilot study), Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin, were examined. These documents were compared to a set of components extracted from the literature as recommended practice. The document analysis was confirmed through telephone interviews with state-level policymakers in each state's department of education, department of mental health, and/or department of children's services. Support documents were also examined to establish a history for each initiative and describe the model of service delivery created by each state's legislation.;Results indicated a core set of four components common to all 9 states studied: family focused services, full array of services, individualized services and an interagency collaborative structure. Two additional components were found to be present in the legislation of many of the states studied. Community-based services was found in seven states and flexible funding was found in six states. Three components were not found in the legislation of any of the nine states studied: co-location of services, unconditional care, and wraparound services. The degree of congruence between each state's legislation and the set of components ranged from 61% for New Jersey to 30% for Vermont.

Suicide has existed throughout recorded history. It is a phenomenon that has been both culturally and morally defined across time and civilizations. It is estimated that over 34,000 Americans deliberately take their own lives annually. Moreover, according to some experts, between 6 and 28 individuals are directly affected by each completed suicide. These individuals are referred to as suicide survivors. The consequences for suicide survivors are multidimensional in part because relationships to the deceased play a vital role in bereavement. Previous research studies in the areas of suicidology and bereavement have failed to explore the experience of mothers bereaved by the suicide death of a child. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore phenomenologically the lived experience of mothers following the suicide death of a child. One-on-one, semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 mothers. The time since the suicide ranged from 1 year and 3 months to 21 years and 6 months. Data analysis was driven by Max van Manen's descriptive-investigative process. This process involved guided reflections using van Manen's 4 existentials: spatiality, corporeality, temporality, and relationality. The interviews began with a general statement; 'Tell me about your child." General questions related to the existentials were asked during the interviews to clarify the participants' stories. Data were managed using NVivo 9.0 qualitative data management software. Three essential themes were inductively derived from the data: 1) Know My Child: Not the Act, 2) Frozen Past: Altered Future, 3) Ocean of Grief. The 3 essential themes provide a deeper understanding of the role of stigmatization in the grief process of mothers following the loss of a child to suicide. In addition, these themes contribute to an appreciation of the role of past memories and future orientation as mothers are enmeshed in the grief process and its unpredictable path. Data from this study clarify the unique circumstances and needs of mothers as they attempt to navigate life after losing a child to suicide. The findings from this study suggest areas for future research and will assist healthcare professionals including nurses, school counselors, and mental health professionals as they approach mothers who are suicide survivors.

Excerpt: The above study has many of strengths, including an important topic, excellent sample size, well-articulated design and questionnaire, thorough factor analysis with goodness-of-fit tests, a clear explanation of the rationale for the findings, as well as their current applications in the medical field. Despite these strengths, the fit of the findings to the five-factor model of Elhai and Palmieri (2011) would appear to be lower than the fit to a two-factor model, a model that explains the data well. Therefore, we recommend that practitioners refrain from adopting and implementing the five-factor model for PTSD treatment in traumatic spinal injury victims due to insufficient support at this time.

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