Utilizing autoethnographic reflections in the forms of lyric, collage, and personal narrative, this inquiry shows how one teacher developed resiliency. That teacher is me. My early teaching experiences in an Ontario high school provide a qualitative focus of an inner, emotional journey to regaining strength and rediscovering passion after a period of burn-out. Tracing the passage from idealism to defeatism to resilience through metaphors, this arts-informed inquiry represents the inner life of a young woman and teacher.

Utilizing autoethnographic reflections in the forms of lyric, collage, and personal narrative, this inquiry shows how one teacher developed resiliency. That teacher is me. My early teaching experiences in an Ontario high school provide a qualitative focus of an inner, emotional journey to regaining strength and rediscovering passion after a period of burn-out. Tracing the passage from idealism to defeatism to resilience through metaphors, this arts-informed inquiry represents the inner life of a young woman and teacher.

In 2022, there were forty-two mass school shootings, a record that surpassed the previous years. As of April 2023, there have already been fourteen school shootings that have resulted in injury or death. Each year, the frequency of mass school shootings and the number of victims continue to rise. Regarding the shooters' characteristics, some have reported a history of mental illness, instability within the home, poor academic performance, and more. In the United States (U.S.), one out of five children and adolescents are diagnosed with mental health disorders (Brookman, 2017). This study will examine four significant perpetrators that committed mass school shootings in the U.S. between 1991 and 2022. Through a systematic review, it will attempt to inspect common characteristics and warning signs relating to poor mental health. In addition, this study will discuss the importance of utilizing Mental Health Screenings (MHS) to assist in prevention and interventions within schools. Many adults with mental illness were once children and adolescents with emerging poor mental health. When detected early, treatment can be administered to prevent lifelong suffering and dangerous outcomes. With the implementation of MHS, schoolteachers and counselors can refer and provide necessary psychological services to promote positive mental health and early intervention, two key variables that may play a crucial role in reducing the frequency of mass school shootings in America.

Confessions of an American Ginseng Addict uses the Lazy Branch Holler in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky as a setting for a creative nonfiction work, which uses history, confession, remembrances, and digressions to tell the story of a man dealing with loss, mental health issues, environmental sustainability, and the power of ginseng. In the style of Desert Solitaire and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the narrative is a discursive work of raw unadulterated gonzo writing.

From a psychological perspective there seems to be scant knowledge regarding the perceptions and beliefs of black traditional healers in South Africa about mental wellness and, consequently, also about mental illness. The aim of this qualitative study is to encapsulate the beliefs of black traditional healers in terms of four major areas, namely, definitions of mental wellness, definitions of mental illness, causes of mental illness, and approaches to promoting mental wellness. A convenience sample of black traditional healers was selected to participate in this study. Most of the participants practice in the greater Gauteng region and hold a monthly gathering in the Hammanskraal area where most of the research was conducted. There were no specific requirements in terms of age, gender, or field of specialisation. A total of 37 black traditional healers participated. A questionnaire was used to gather information on the beliefs and perceptions of the participants about mental wellness. The participants completed the questionnaires, after which the data was collected, and then analysed by means of thematic analysis. After the data had been analysed and transcribed it was returned to the participants for them to ascertain whether the interpretations were correct. The data that was interpreted showed that the black traditional healers participating in this study have very poorly developed definitions of mental wellness, as well as inadequate knowledge about Western mental health workers. The unique definition of mental illness as perceived by black traditional healers gave rise to new insights. During the research it emerged that there was a pressing need for proper training for black traditional healers in terms of what mental wellness actually is, and the functions of Western mental health workers. Also to the flipside it provides very important insights as to how mental wellness, mental illness and the management or promotion of these are perceived and approached by the black traditional healers participating in this study. / Dissertation (MA (Clinical Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of exercise on measures of cardiovascular fitness, depression, self-esteem, and anxiety. The 1.5 mile run (Cooper, 1972) was used to determine changes in cardiovascular fitness. The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to measure varying levels of depression. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure state anxiety. An Electromyographic Assay and Digital Skin Temperature were performed on the Experimental and Corrective Therapy Groups in order to measure physiological concomitants of anxiety. A Body Composition Assay was performed in order to measure changes in body composition.

Using a theoretical synergy between the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) and Behavioral Ecological Model (BEM), the current dissertation research provides empirical evidence to support that organized participant sporting events can play a significant role in building a healthier community. First, using a proprietary U.S. community-based panel data from 2008 to 2014, study 1 examines the incremental effects of participant sporting events (PSE) in promoting active living at the population level. Panel regression with an instrumental variable approach and Multigroup Latent Growth Curve Analysis were administered. The key findings included (1) these population-based interventions have the capacity to impact population health at the state level; (2) such an influence significantly varies across the United States contingent upon a state’s economic development and the geographical region to which a state belongs. In study 2, the Multilevel Mediation Analysis was conducted with a spatially clustered cross-sectional data in 2014. The findings revealed that the access to exercise opportunities at the state level represents the underlying mechanism through which various forms of participant sporting events have the ability to elicit positive effects on health with respects to mental health, physical health, and physical activity participation at the county level. The findings suggested that PSEs represent effective public health platform to create healthier communities through integrating physically active leisure into population’s everyday routines. Overall, empirical results also help us better understand the importance of effectively leveraging community sporting events to deliver required health benefits to the general public and create practical guidelines to inform policy formation on resource allocation. / Tourism and Sport

En el Perú, la salud mental es un tema sumamente desatendido. Existe un déficit notable de infraestructura adecuada para el restablecimiento propicio y correcto del equilibrio en la vida de las personas que padecen enfermedades mentales, pues existen solo tres instituciones especializadas en la ciudad de Lima, centralizando la atención y dejando olvidadas poblaciones en las que también existe mucha demanda. Al parecer no se considera el bienestar mental como base y mecanismo de cualquier tipo de sociedad que busca crecimiento en todos los ámbitos. De acuerdo al análisis de las causas, consecuencias y efectos que trae consigo lo antes mencionado, es necesario entender que cada población posee una historia, situación social y formas de vida distintas. Es así como regidos bajo las estadísticas de demanda en salud mental en el Perú, dadas por el Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental “Honorio Delgado Hideyo Noguchi”, se determinó que la ciudad de Ayacucho, en la sierra peruana, es la población con mayor porcentaje de personas con problemas mentales, probablemente provocado por la violencia terrorista que fueron víctimas entre los años 1980 y 2000. Finalmente, el objetivo de esta investigación es proponer un centro especializado llamado “Instituto Regional de Salud Mental” en la ciudad de Ayacucho, que mediante espacios arquitectónicamente adecuados y a la vanguardia con la psiquiatría moderna, relacionan directamente el bienestar mental de los pobladores con las costumbres propias del lugar para así fomentar el desarrollo económico, social y cultural. / In Peru, mental health is a highly neglected issue. There is a notable deficit of adequate infrastructure for the propitious and correct restoration of balance in the lives of people suffering from mental illnesses, since there are only three specialized institutions in Lima city, centralizing attention and leaving forgotten populations in which there is also a lot of demand. It seems that mental wellness is not considered as a main topic and mechanism of any type of society that seeks growth in all areas. According to the analysis of the causes, consequences and effects brought for the above mentioned, it is necessary to understand that each population has a different history, social situation and ways of life. Therefore, under the mental health demand statistics in Peru, given by the National Institute of Mental Health "Honorio Delgado Hideyo Noguchi", it was determined that Ayacucho city, in the peruvian highlands, has the population with the highest percentage of people with mental problems, probably caused by the terrorist violence that they suffered between 1980 and 2000. To conclude, the objective of this research is to propose a specialized center named "Regional Institute of Mental Health" in the city of Ayacucho, which through adequate architectural spaces and treatments of modern psychiatry, relate the mental wellness of citizens with the local customs in order to promote economic, social and cultural development in the region. / Tesis

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of school counselors who address the mental health needs of students through at least one of the following educational evidenced-based programs: Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, Response to Intervention, Restorative Practices, and Student Assistance Program. EBPs have evolved as a staple of quality educational programming with a focus on best practices, data, and accountability. Over the past several decades, school counselors have struggled to demonstrate efficiency, accountability, and transparency consistently in counseling outcomes (Generali, Foss-Kelly, & McNamara, 2013). Recent literature in school counseling embraces the movement toward evidenced based practices to urge counselors to demonstrate their capacity for leadership, advocacy, and accountability (Cressey, Whitcomb, McGilvray-Rivet, Morrison, & Shander-Reynolds, 2014; Goodman-Scott, Betters-Bubon, & Donohue, 2015). Six significant themes emerged through data analysis: 1) Cultivating advocacy and leadership skills; 2) Recognizing benefits of EBP integration; 3) Being frontline in mental health as personal-social domain dominates school counselor role; 4) Collaborating and consulting with school and community stakeholders; 5) Needing supportive environment to promote mental wellness; and 6) Navigating EBP implementation challenges. Findings from this study suggest that promoting mental wellness using EBPs is conducive to address the personal social needs of students. Moreover, the school counselor participants indicated that the EBPs reviewed were valuable school reform models as the EBPs address students’ mental health needs. The findings also suggest that school counselors, as key educational stakeholders, should be included in the discourse of EBP advancement, execution, and assessment.