Psychosocial Factors in Coronary Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease represents the leading cause of death globally, which includes mortality due to stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD); of these two forms of cardiovascular disease, CHD accounts for more deaths annually (World Health Organization, 2015). The primary features of CHD include plaque development in the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis), heart attack (myocardial infarct), and acute chest pain (angina; Labarthe, 1998). The traditional risk factors for CHD include age, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inactive lifestyle, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and family history of the disease (World Heart Federation, 2015). Epidemiologic evidence suggests that traditional risk factors of CHD may account for 58–75% of new cases (Beaglehole & Magnus, 2002). Other predictors of CHD may include stress‐related psychosocial factors at a person level (e.g., dispositional hostility and depression) and/or environmental level (e.g., chronic work‐related stress and lack of social support; Albus, 2010)

Pilot Study: The Effects of a Mountain Wilderness Experience on Combat Veteran Psychosocial Wellness

The purpose of this quasi-experimental pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 3.5day outdoor wilderness program (Huts for Vets, HFV) for reducing psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, and improving positive mood states. It was hypothesized that participation in the HFV program would predict improvements in psychosocial well-being in addition to reductions in PTSD symptomatology relative to a waiting-list control group. Participants included 51 adult veterans diagnosed with PTSD and/or some other combat-related disability (Mage = 36.8, SD = 8.19). The experimental group (n=32) participated in the HFV program, which included hiking and group discussions. Data collection via psychosocial scale administration took place two weeks prior to the HFV trip, on the last day of the trip, and at a 6-week follow-up. Participants in the control group (n=19) underwent the psychosocial assessments on the same schedule, however, they did not participate in the outdoor program. Results indicated significant and sustained reductions in depression, anxiety, somatic stress, negative affect, and PTSD symptoms among program participants, alongside acute improvements in positive moods, relative to the control group. The current findings suggest that therapeutic recreation offers promising benefits as a complementary intervention for combat veterans

The Effects of Music on Mood and Perception of a Visual Stimulus

We examined the influence of music on mood by instructing 81 undergraduate students to complete the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List–Revised (MAACLR) both before and after watching a 15-min video that was or was not paired with a piece of music. The 2 music categories were pleasant or depressing. Participants from the depressing group experienced a drop in positive affect, whereas participants from the pleasant group showed an increase on this measure. Men from the pleasant group had the highest pretreatment and lowest post treatment anxiety scores, whereas the women displayed no change in anxiety. The results indicate that music has only a slight impact on mood

Working with CHEETA and the Portland Housing Authority in Riverton Park: A Gratifying Internship Experience

Poster presented at the 4th annual Civic Matters Symposium of Community Based Projects and Research, Portland, ME

Predictors of Academic Success in Web-based Courses: Age, GPA, and Instruction Mode

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use a heutagogical approach to determine whether students enrolled in blended courses achieve higher grades relative to those enrolled in completely online courses, in addition to identifying demographic predictors of academic success in college courses involving Web-based modes of instruction. Design/methodology/approach Mixed models regression evaluated predictors of grade in terms of age, gender, instruction mode, graduate vs undergraduate status and full-time vs part-time load across 2,174 students (M = 27.6, SD = 9.54 years) enrolled in Web-based courses for a single term at a mid-sized public university in the northeastern USA. Findings In accordance with expectations, a significant main effect indicated higher grades among students enrolled in blended relative to completely online courses. Other predictors of academic success in Web-based courses included older age, female gender, graduate student status and part-time academic load. An interaction between age and gender on grade indicated the difference in performance between men and women diminished among older compared to younger students. Another interaction between age and instruction mode on successful course completion indicated a higher probability of success in blended courses among older students relative to their younger counterparts. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its cross-sectional design of large scope, which is incapable of addressing differences in online instructional styles and student motivation factors. Originality/value The current study offers newfound evidence that students enrolled in Web-based college courses may benefit from a blended instructional format, a finding that may be particularly evident among older students

Contemporary Education Intervention Provides Second Chances for High School Dropouts

Poster presented at the Assets: Getting to Outcomes for Maine Summit, Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, ME

Psychosocial correlates of gambling task performance: The variable influence of impulsivity, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

Poster presented at the 29th annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in Boston, MA

Pilot Study: Retreat intervention predicts improved quality of life and reduced psychological distress among breast cancer patients

Purpose Evaluate the effectiveness of a week-long residential retreat intervention incorporating photographic art therapy in concert with psychoanalytically oriented group therapy and mind-body practices in reducing psychological distress and improving quality of life (QoL) and spiritual well-being for breast cancer patients. Methods 28 female breast cancer patients completed self report assessments of psychological distress, QoL, and spiritual well-being on the first day of the retreat, the last day of the retreat, and a 6 week follow up assessment. Results Repeated measures MANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons revealed the retreat experience to predict significant and sustained reductions in depression, anxiety, and somatic stress, coupled with sustained improvements in QoL and spiritual well-being. Conclusions The current findings suggest that breast cancer patients may benefit from participation in a week-long multi-modal retreat center experience involving photographic art therapy and structured group therapy as a means to explore personal strain

The Community Schools: Introducing a Cohesive Orientation in Alternative Education

Poster presented at the Assets: Getting to Outcomes for Maine Summit, Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, ME