Vernon, Laura

The demand for alternative treatment for depressive disorders has increased in recent years. Our clinical understanding of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has evolved, highlighting the need for different treatments to develop for this subgroup of depression. Treatment-resistant depression is defined as the absence of significant improvement in depressive symptoms despite standard therapy. Considerable improvement in depressive symptoms can seen in an improvement of functioning in everyday activities and a decrease in negative symptoms such as loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness, etc. Ketamine's rapid method of action has been shown to be notably beneficial for individuals with TRD. Research has proven its short-term efficacy compared to more traditional treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and first-line pharmaceuticals (i.e., Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). However, more research needs to be done to examine the long-term effects and implications.

To expand the variety of meditation types researched and available for use in improving mental health, this study examined whether Freeze Frame meditation, a lesser-studied meditation type, increases decision-making capabilities and wellbeing. We hypothesized that, compared to an active control group, participants engaging in Freeze Frame meditation would self-report increased wellbeing and decreased stress, as well as would rate the answers they received during the meditation to be impactful. Our hypothesis was partially supported by our results, which indicated Freeze Frame meditation increased self-reported wellbeing between pre-meditation and post-meditation time points but did not have an effect on decision-making.

With the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, awareness of mental health and the mental health crisis increased sharply on the global stage. In some countries, strides have been made to understand and combat barriers that people encounter in recognizing and treating mental health problems. Some other countries have faced difficulties in this, including India. India has encountered particular challenges in the acceptance and expansion of mental health awareness and treatment. One driving factor may be stigma. Stigma has been found to vary in different cultures as it is influenced by the cultural climate of the community. When there are high levels of stigma, there is typically less identification and treatment of mental health concerns. Stigma is vital to understand and combat in the cultural setting. This thesis will explore the role of Indian culture on stigma and its effects on treatment.

Responding to dynamic environmental stimuli, animals quickly adapt and optimize walking behaviors to conform to goal-appropriate locomotive states. However, the precise mechanisms by which animals’ nervous systems regulate these essential movements are largely a mystery, resulting in insufficient courses of action for spinal cord injuries, neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, and prosthetic limb fit and design. With the help of an unparalleled sophisticated genetic toolkit, the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) serves as a useful model system to investigate neuronal control of walking behavior. Thus, analyzing fruit-fly behaviors during activation of locomotion-inducing neurons can facilitate novel treatments. In this study, we developed an automated, multi-camera 3D pose tracking system that precisely quantifies fruit-fly joint positions and angles with markerless pose estimation software. Further, we evaluated the effectiveness of the tracking system by performing kinematic analysis of unilateral turning during optogenetic activation of P9 neurons.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is among one of the most thoroughly studied disorders in psychological and neurological fields that examine psychopathology, along with being one of the most common as well. It is known to have symptomatic features that may have a relationship, in some way, to outcomes that are linked to criminal behaviors. However, due to the disorder’s various facets, comorbidities, and unique environmental interactions, this relationship between ADHD and criminality is a rather complex and psychologically difficult one to ascertain. A number of peer-reviewed studied were analyzed and integrated in this literary review in order to explore this relationship, and the overall consensus that has been found here emphasizes a more indirect relationship between ADHD and criminality, with external factors mediating the eventual participation in non-violent and violent forms of crime in tandem with ADHD.

It is no secret that individuals with antisocial or psychopathic traits experience affective deficits and tend to lead dysfunctional lifestyles such as breaking the law. However, the extent to which callous-unemotional traits can act as a driving force of said dysfunctional lifestyles is poorly understood. The first objective of this literature analysis is to examine the overall effect of empathic deficits as a predictor or mediator of violent offenses in people with psychopathic characteristics. Also explored is the generalizability of this relation to non-offender populations with psychopathy. The last section of this paper encompasses a review of current treatment models emphasizing how the management of affective impairments may guide individuals with antisocial tendencies towards a functional lifestyle away from crime.

One of the primary goals of research in conservation psychology is to analyze how humans behave towards nature and how to change that behavior in a pro-environmental direction. Through a comprehensive literature review, this study focuses on empirically supported ways to increase individual pro-environmental behavior (PEB). We found environmental education (EE) is a useful approach to this, particularly when we implement it younger and for longer periods of time. Informal EE is another prime focus as it shows more success than formal EE alone. Connection to nature (CN) is shown to predict PEB as well. Since this study focuses on ways to change behavior, we looked at how to increase CN. Research suggests that increasing experiences with nature increases CN and, subsequently, PEB. Again, this is particularly useful when implemented during childhood. This review suggests more research attention should be placed on these methods in supporting environmental behavior.

Professional burnout is the state or process of mental exhaustion typically associated with factors such as chronic job stress and work overload. Several models of burnout have been proposed, but Christina Maslach’s (1976) model continues to be the most prominent, with her Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) remaining the most commonly used burnout assessment tool. According to her model, burnout is made up of three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy. Multiple studies have found that burnout is most highly associated with factors involving an excess of job demands and a lack of personal and professional support. Prolonged burnout is associated with decreased effectiveness on the job, multiple health problems, and an increased risk of substance abuse. Burnout researchers have found evidence which points to increased burnout levels among mental health workers, though a few studies contain evidence that mental health workers may not be at a higher risk of burnout than employees in other fields.

Expressive writing involves writing about negative experiences and emotions in a journal. This practice, used by researchers and clinicians alike, is a well-supported treatment for many psychological disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Challenging the traditional format, this study utilized both a completely online administration method as well as a mixed in-person-online administration method. Participants in the study included non-treatment-seeking college students who were randomly assigned to different administration methods (purely online or mixed online and in-person) and writing groups (factual and emotional writing, fact-only writing, and non-trauma writing). The study found increased rates of completion in the online administration and factual and emotional writing groups. Textual analysis also found increased negative affect writing with a positive outlook in those who completed the study. Similarly, variables for confidence and authenticity demonstrated difference in group variables indicating instruction adherence.

According to the World Health Organization, one of the top ten threats to global health today is vaccine hesitancy. Reasons why people are hesitant towards vaccinating their children can fall into several categories, including being exposed to misinformation and conspiracy theories, being skeptical, and having altered perceptions of what the risks and benefits of receiving vaccines are. This paper will review psychological concepts that are likely to contribute to vaccine hesitancy and will make policy suggestions on the basis of findings from the psychological literature. It is essential to understand these issues in order to move forward and develop solutions to protect the health of those involved and those who could potentially be affected. It is equally as important to study possible strategies from a psychological perspective to ensure their effectiveness.