This study explored how students utilized spirituality as an effective coping mechanism for the stress they faced while in the Master's of Social Work program at California State University, San Bernardino. A stress and spirituality scale was used to measure each student's spirituality and perceived stress. Most students stated that spirituality and religious activity was helpful in coping with the stress of the MSW program. In addition, spirituality was found to have a strong positive impact on a person's abilities to cope with the stress of the program.

For more than thirty years, it has been acknowledged that African American students have been over-represented in programs designed for individuals with mild mental retardation (MMR). This project was designed to explore the history and literature of the research that has been conducted on this subject over the past three decades. Additionally, this project was undertaken to determine if over-representation of African American students in programs for the mild mentally retarded is a condition that exists in Riverside County, California.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more recently being recognized as a lifetime disorder that continues to affect individuals into their adult lives. Recent research studies have found connections between ADHD and overweight/obesity. The current study was designed to further explore these relationships and better understand the connections between these two constructs among 340 college students. It was hypothesized that the ADHD symptoms (i.e., inattention and impulsivity) would positively predict depressive symptoms, which in turn would predict emotional/binge eating and lead to overweight/obesity. Additionally, it was hypothesized that impulsivity would predict substance use, which would predict emotional/binge eating and also predict overweight/obesity. The model was tested and exhibited excellent fit. ADHD positively predicted depressive symptoms, which in turn positively predicted emotional/binge eating and led to overweight/obesity. Further, ADHD symptoms also positively predicted substance use, which in turn predicted emotional/binge eating and led to overweight/obesity. All paths were statistically significant and findings suggest there are at least two paths that connect ADHD symptoms and overweight/obesity in adults. The current results are of importance to practicing clinicians because they provide increased clarity and depth regarding the connections and relationship between symptoms of ADHD and overweight/obesity.

COVID-19 exacerbated a pre-existing and well-documented mental health crisis on college campuses in the United States. During COVID-19, more college students than ever before in recorded history reported feelings of anxiety and depression, among other mental health issues. There are myriad possible causes for the decline in mental health among college students. One clear cause is the introduction of the smartphone, its widespread adoption, and its frequent use by college-age people. Research also revealed that an unprecedented number of college students are completely disconnected from religion and spirituality. Studies demonstrated that cultivating a religious or spiritual life can be beneficial for one’s mental well-being. The efforts on college campuses to provide mental health resources for students would benefit from additional support. This care should be accessible to more students and should combat the unfortunate stigma around receiving help for mental health. Undergraduate introductory philosophy courses taken as a requirement by various majors can serve as responses to this call for additional care. These classes are inherently accessible and can offer students an engaging experience with self-care by implementing exercises inspired by philosophy as the art of living. Although philosophy as the art of living does not necessarily have to replace religion or other forms of mental health care, it can offer an experience that is of therapeutic value in the classroom. This tradition has a rich, ancient history of intending to serve this purpose. The objective of this research was to present and examine self-care exercises from philosophy as the art of living and to evaluate how these can be taught in the college classroom in response to the mental health crisis on college campuses. It also aimed to render the experience of teaching these exercises. The research was executed through a hermeneutical and phenomenological approach. The phenomenological methodology was performed by a teacher in the form of a self-study. It was also conducted with the teacher as a witness to what transpired in introductory philosophy classes with thousands of students in dozens of individual classes in a diverse metropolis. A college introductory philosophy course in this epoch of mental health crisis on campuses should abide by philosophy as the art of living’s imperative to decrease suffering. There is a vital need for additional resources to respond to the decline in mental wellness among students. The results of this research demonstrated that philosophy as the art of living and its emphasis on exercises can be successfully applied to the college classroom. In this research, students were given time on a regular basis during class to be in silence, confront Socratic-style questions that encouraged them to examine and care for themselves, practice self-writing to heighten their ability to think and pursue the aim of self-care, and then read to engage with philosophical texts to support their self-care. Students consistently and rigorously engaged with these exercises. Their time spent in silent practice provided an opportunity for therapeutic, meditative, and peaceful reflection. Educators should consider implementing these exercises in introductory philosophy classes and beyond as ways to offer self-care to students who may be struggling with their mental health, as so many are.

The present study tested a stress-problem-solving and stresssocial support etiological model for depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation for a group of Asian foreign students in the United states. Problem-solving skills and social support were hypothesized as two mediators between life stress and dependent variables, such as depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. The results from a series of stepwise regression analyses and a path analysis supported the hypothesis. The results were also compared with other significant studies in this area and similar findings from cross cultures were addressed. The important role of social support and problem-solving confidence in depression and hopelessness were discussed. The results also suggest that depression and hopelessness may be two separate and complementary pathways in the etiology of suicide ideation. In addition, two new measures for life stress and social support for this specific population were designed and employed in the study. Satisfactory psychometric properties of these two new scales were indicated, including test-retest reliability, internal consistency, concurrent validity, incremental validity, and construct validity. Results from factor analysis and regression analyses for factors of the new scales were also discussed in relation to depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. Given the correlational nature of the study, some precautions regarding how to interpret the results were discussed. / Master of Science

Explores the relationship between recollections of parenting, Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS), and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a sample of undergraduate students attending California State University, San Bernardino (N = 232). A correlational-regression approach was adopted to test the hypothesis. Parental socialization was measured with three different subscales. Psychological adjustment was measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Early Maladaptive Schema was measured with the Schema Questionnaire-Short Form. Partial mediation of EMS was found with maternal connection and psychological control, but not with paternal socialization. Findings lend support to the schema model and suggest that clinical work with adults suffering from depression and/or anxiety may need to identify and re-structure EMS that develop from "toxic parenting."

Since the inauguration of the King Abdullah-Aziz Foreign Scholarship Program in 2005, the number of Saudi university students in the United States has increased exponentially, and an unprecedented amount of Saudi women are seeking international degrees. The absence of scholarly research within these women���s home and host countries highlights the need for an ethnographic account of their transnational experiences, which can elucidate ways in which knowledge, values, and customs are in a constant process of contextual negotiation. This in turn influences available sources of social support and psychological well-being. Drawing on data from free-lists, a focus group, and in-depth semi-structured interviews, this ethnographic research aims to uncover and examine the social determinants of psychological well-being as described by the narrative experiences of Saudi Arabian women studying at Oregon State University. After providing a detailed analysis of specific sociocultural structures operating in these women's lives, two sides qualifying Saudi Arabian women's experiences are examined: stakes of their international education projects and challenges in maintaining good mental health. These stakes, formed by sociocultural structures, circumscribe their experiences, decisions, and behavior in the U.S., where they must navigate through new challenges and sources of distress. The challenges they face cause distress, but also delineate possible sources of support and create avenues for agency. Finally, this thesis is concluded by recommending applications for mental health care providers and examining macro-level theoretical underpinnings of social determinants of psychological well-being. / Graduation date: 2012

The aim of this study was to demonstrate how postgraduate students cope with the stress induced while adjusting to the various proposal and research report writing phases they are involved in. It is further purported that difficulties in adjusting to the various proposal and research report writing phases and lack of support lead to students experiencing stress. The population consisted of 815 students enrolled for masters and doctoral programmes at Unisa for the 2012 academic year. This study employed the Stress and Support Questionnaire for University Students to determine the stress postgraduate students encountered while adjusting to the proposal and research report writing phases they were in. Furthermore, this questionnaire was also used to understand how these students use support as a coping mechanism. The various research hypotheses were tested using an explanatory mixed method research design. The population consisted of 815 students enrolled for masters and doctoral programmes at Unisa for the 2012 academic year. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Strata software and Microsoft Excel. Statistical analyses included tests, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests. The results demonstrated that students experience stress during the adjustment process to the various research report writing phases. However, masters students showed higher levels of stress while adjusting to the research report writing phases, compared with doctoral students. Some of the doctoral students reported that they felt fewer levels of stress, because they were already exposed to postgraduate studies and were aware of what is expected. Furthermore, students who reported feeling stress to a large extent indicated the reasons to be a lack of support from supervisors, delayed and insufficient feedback, lack of financial support, lack of social support, procrastination, and balancing work and studies. Some of the students iv indicated that they do not feel any stress at all because they have surrounded themselves with people who have travelled the path, and their environment is conducive to study. Support from colleagues at work, supervisors, friends and family have also shown to help students adjust to the research report writing phases of their programmes. Although some of the students indicated that they do not experience stress, it is imperative that interventions be designed for those students who do experience challenges when adjusting to the research report writing phases. / Psychology / MA (Psychology)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / Stress is a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon of which topical significance is given at present. The aim of this study was to focus on the influence of stress on academic performance of the young student. First, a comprehensive study of the literature was undertaken in order to arrive at an understanding of the foregoing. An overview of the nature, etiology and manifestation of stress, as well as how it is coped with, is offered. Special attention was devoted to factors that cause the young student to experience distress. In addition the way in which the personal actualisation of the young student occurs, was researched. From the research it appeared that owing to, among other things, the experiencing of distress and inadequate personal actualisation, some young students are in a situation involving need, which requires urgent and essential ortho-andragogic guidance. Consequently, the ortho-andragogic responsibility of rendering aid within the context of tertiary training was addressed. Lastly, an empirical investigation of the correlation between distress and particularised academically oriented issues was launched. Based on the findings and conclusions arrived at during the course of the study and investigations, recommendations have been made for future research. / Stres is 'n komplekse en veelvlakkige fenomeen wat in die huidige tydsgewrig van aktuele belang beskou word. Die doel van die studie is om die fokus te laat val op die invloed van stres op die akademiese prestasie van die jeugdige student. Ten einde tot begrip van die voorgaande te kom, is daar in eerste instansie 'n omvattende literatuurstudie onderneem. 'n Oorsig is gebied ten opsigte van die aard, etiologie, manifestering en bantering van stres. In die besonder is gelet op faktore wat aanleiding tot distresbelewing by die jeugdige student gee. Benewens die voorgaande, is die wyse waarop die persoonsvoltrekking van die jeugdige student geskied, nagevors. Uit die navorsing het dit geblyk dat sommige jeugdige studente vanwee onder meer distresbelewing en ontoereikende persoonsvoltrekking, in 'n noodsituasie verkeer, wat orto-andragogiese begeleiding noodsaaklik maak. Gevolglik is 'n blik op die orto-andragogiese aanspreeklikheid vir hulpverlening binne tersiere opleidingsverband gewerp. In laaste instansie is 'n empiriese ondersoek na die korrelasie tussen stres en verbesonderde akademiesgeorienteerde aangeleenthede geloods. Na aanleiding van die bevindinge en gevolgtrekkings waartoe daar in die loop van die studie en ondersoek gekom is, ls aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing gedoen. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment provides a description of the cognitive, social and emotional developmental tasks of adolescence. In addition a summary of the most prevalent social, emotional and behavioural problems reported during this developmental phase is provided. With this information as a context, a school-based, curricula-integrated prevention programme is then introduced as a possible tool to facilitate the development of positive mental health among adolescents. The programme discussed, namely Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) by Dr. M.E. Bernard of California State University, is unique in its aim to both enhance academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) is based on Bloom's school learning theory, rational-emotive therapy and rationalemotive education and various cognitive-behavioural and socialleaming research findings. With its sound theoretical and research base Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) offers students the opportunity to learn a mindset that will help them develop their full academic, emotional and interpersonal potential. Within the South African "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001), provision is made for lessons pertaining to the students' personal development. In response to this, the author explores the suitability of Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) as a means to attain the specific Learner Outcomes and Assessment Standards as specified in the "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werkstuk gee 'n beskrywing van die kognitiewe, sosiale en emosionele ontwikkelingstake kenmerkend van adolessensie. Verder word 'n oorsig gegee van die belangrikste sosiale, emosionele en gedragsprobleme, kenmerkend van hierdie ontwikkelingsfase. Teen hierdie teoretiese agtergrond word 'n skool-uitkoms, kurrikula-geïntegreerde voorkomingsprogram voorgestel as 'n moontlike hulpmiddelom die ontwikkeling van geestesgesondheid onder adolessente te fasiliteer. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is uniek in sy doelwit om akademiese prestasie sowel as sosiale-emosionele welsyn te bevorder. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is gebaseer op Bloom se skoolleer teorie, rasioneel-emosionele terapie en rasioneel-emosionele onderrig en verskeie ander kognitiewe gedrags- en sosiale-leer navorsingsbevindinge. Programme Achieve (2de ed.), met sy stewige teoretiese en navorsingsbasis, gee leerders die geleentheid om 'n denkpatroon aan te leer wat hul sal help om hulle volle akademiese, emosionele en interpersoonlike potensiaal te bereik. Voorsiening word in die Suid Afrikaanse "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1) gemaak vir onderrig ten opsigte van leerders se persoonlike ontwikkeling. Met verwysing hierna, word die toepaslikheid van Programme Achieve (2de ed.) ondersoek as 'n middelom spesifieke Leerder-Uitkomste en Evalueringstandaarde, soos vervat in die "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1), te bereik.