Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Welding Engineering

Abstract Increasing the steam temperature and pressure in coal-fired power plants is a perpetual goal driven by the pursuit of increasing thermal cycle efficiency and reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The next target steam operating conditions, which are 760°C (1400°F) and 35 MPa (5000 psi) are known as Advanced Ultra Supercritical (AUSC), and can reduce CO2 emissions up to 13% but this cannot be achieved with traditional power plant construction materials. The use of precipitation-strengthened Nickel-based alloys (superalloys) is required for components which will experience the highest operating temperatures. The leading candidate superalloys for power plant construction are alloys 740H, 282, and 617. Superalloys have excellent elevated temperature properties due to careful microstructural design which is achieved through very specific heat treatments, often requiring solution annealing or homogenization at temperatures of 1100 °C or higher. A series of postweld heat treatments was investigated and it was found that homogenization steps before aging had no noticeable effect on weld metal microhardness, however; there were clear improvements in weld metal homogeneity. The full abstract can be viewed in the document itself.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Communication Disorders

Although stress has been frequently attributed to voice disorder development and progression, little work has been done to determine the role of activation of the two major stress systems [the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA)] on changes in voice production parameters. Nineteen healthy female participants (median age: 18; range: 18 to 23) were subjected to the Trier Social Stress Test protocol. Voice production parameters (average airflow, estimated subglottal pressure, laryngeal airflow resistance, open quotient from the EGG signal, speaking fundamental frequency, and percent of syllables produced in vocal fry) were measured at seven measurement time points (2 before the stressor, 1 after an anticipatory period, and 4 after the stressor). Participants rated their levels of stress and nine emotions and provided saliva samples at each measurement time. Salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase were measured from the saliva samples. Ten of the 19 participants experienced a minimum 2.5 nmol/l increase in salivary cortisol levels from before the stressor to after the stressor, indicating that they had HPA axis activation. There were no significant changes in aerodynamic or electroglottographic measures over the seven measurement time points. There was a significant increase in speaking fundamental frequency before the stressor and a reduction in fundamental frequency after the stressor. Estimated subglottal pressure and laryngeal airflow resistance measures were significantly higher in participants who did not experience an HPA axis response. The findings of the current study further support the body of literature that has reported mainly individual changes in voice production parameters following stress. However, the addition of salivary cortisol measures in the present study revealed the novel finding that there are consistent voice production differences between participants who experience HPA axis activation (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (M.S.), University of Dayton, 2015, Biology

During the past decade, one of the most striking discoveries in the treatment of major depression was the clinical finding that a single infusion of a sub-anesthetic dose of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine produces a rapid (i.e. within a few hours) and long-lasting (i.e. up to two weeks) antidepressant effect in both treatment-resistant depressed patients and in animal models of depression. Notably, converging clinical and preclinical evidence support that responsiveness to antidepressant drugs is sex-differentiated. Strikingly, research regarding the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine has focused almost exclusively on the male sex. Herein we report that female C57BL/6J stress-naive mice are more sensitive to the rapid and the sustained antidepressant-like effects of ketamine in the forced swim test (FST). In particular, female mice responded to lower doses of ketamine (i.e. 3 mg/kg at 30 min and 5 mg/kg at 24h post-injection), doses that were not effective in their male counterparts. Moreover, tissue levels of the excitatory amino acids glutamate and aspartate, as well as serotonergic activity, were affected in a sex-dependent manner in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, at the same time-points. Most importantly, a single injection of ketamine (10 mg/kg) induced sex-dependent behavioral effects in mice subjected to the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. Intriguingly, female mice were more reactive to the earlier effects of ketamine, as assessed in the open field and the FST (at 30 min and 24 h post-treatment, respectively) but the antidepressant potential of the drug proved to be longer-lasting in males, as assessed in the splash test and the FST (days 5 and 7 post-treatment, respectively). Taken together, present data revealed that ketamine treatment induces sex-dependent rapid and sustained neurochemical and behavioral antidepressant-like effects in stress-naive and CMS-exposed C57BL/6J mice.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 0, Foundations of Education: Educational Psychology

The problem of high levels of perceived stress among pre-licensure nursing students is an ongoing concern. Research demonstrates that high levels of perceived stress are correlated with decreased thought processes, loss of motivation, increased college dropout rate, in addition to physical and mental health distress. The purpose of this study was to compare perceived stress among pre-licensure nursing students in clinical nursing courses who participated in a cognitive reappraisal stress management intervention at the beginning of the semester to pre-licensure nursing students who participated in the same intervention at midterm in the semester. The study used a crossover design with a total of 47 pre-licensure nursing students assigned in two groups to compare the perceived stress levels among the two groups. Each group completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) survey prior to the cognitive reappraisal stress management intervention at the beginning of the semester, again during the seventh week and the twelfth week of the semester. The quantitative data results showed participants who completed the intervention at the beginning of the semester reported no significant change in perceived stress level from week 2 to week 7, or week 7 to week 12 of the semester, but these participants did report a significant increase from week 2 to week 12 (p = .006) of the semester. Participants who completed the intervention at midterm of the semester reported a significant increase in perceived stress from week 2 to week 7 (p = .05) of the semester before completing the intervention, no significant change from week 7 to week 12 of the semester, then reported a significant change from week 2 to week 12 (p = .012) of the semester. These results show potential for this intervention to prevent increased levels of perceived stress and more importantly to decrease levels of perceived stress among pre-licensure nursing students.

Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2023, Social Work

Firefighters are vulnerable to adverse mental health outcomes in relation to cumulative occupational stress and trauma exposure. Emerging research suggests that mindfulness-based practices may be effective intervention strategies to reduce distress and trauma symptomology among firefighters. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the barriers, facilitators, and sample characteristics of an ongoing study to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction pilot program in reducing distress and trauma symptoms among firefighters. Nine firefighters enrolled in the mindfulness-based stress reduction pilot program and completed the pre-test survey. The sample was mostly male (66.7%; n = 6), white (88.9%; n = 8), non-Hispanic (88.9%; n = 8), 45 or older (66.7%; n = 6) and had 11-20 years of fire service (44.4%; n = 4). Major barriers to implementing the mindfulness-based stress reduction pilot program included: (a) recruitment tactics employed, (b) child-care considerations, and (c) Garmin vivosmart 4 complications; major facilitators to implementation included: (a) camaraderie, (b) session scheduling, and (c) accommodations. A benchmarking analysis revealed a nonsignificant difference in mean PSS scores, with the current study sample reporting slightly higher levels of perceived stress. A significant difference in mean PCL-5 scores was found in comparison to previously published scores, with the current study sample reporting higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Benchmarking analysis also revealed a significant difference in mean FFMQ-15 scores, with the current study sample reporting lower levels of dispositional mindfulness. Findings from this study support the potential need for an intervention like the present mindfulness program based on the sample's reported posttraumatic stress symptoms and dispositional mindfulness. Further research is necessary to evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques on firefighter di (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Biology

Flax is a dual-purpose crop for both the seeds and linseed oil; as with other major crops, abiotic stress imparted by both varying environmental conditions and climate change have significant effects on the plant's viability. In particular, nutrient deprivation is well-characterized at both the phenotypic and molecular level in four varieties of flax (Bethune, Pl, S, and L). While, salt stress susceptibility and tolerance is much less understood in the aforementioned flax varieties. The primary aims of this project included: 1. characterize the phenotype and genotype of four flax varieties under salt stress to be compared to nutrient deprivation, 2. determine the transcriptomic changes of the four flax varieties under salt stress versus nutrient deprivation, and 3. characterize the flax soil microbiome (rhizosphere) to identify punitive plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and/or well-known PGPR. The first portion of the project focused on collecting data pertaining to several phenotypic metrics (height, branching, flowering, and seed setting/collection), as well as genotypic characteristics. Such genotypic regions of interested included LIS-1 to determine if this region was inserted under salt stress, as well as, characterize of several molecular markers (scaffold regions) to identify genotypic patterns specific to salt stress. While, the second portion consisted of RNA sequencing of Bethune, Pl, S and L under salt stress (0.08 M NaCl and 0.15 M NaCl). Additionally, RNA sequencing of S and L under nutrient deprivation was conducted. These data illustrated that many candidate transcripts are those implicated in general stress response, as there was not consistent differential expression per each stress condition within or between flax varieties. Finally, the third portion consisted of 16S ITS V4 sequencing which allowed for metagenomic analysis of the Bethune, Pl, S, and L soil microbiomes under 0.08 M NaCl, 0.015 M NaCl, and nutrient deprivation. This al (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2022, Psychology

Brief (acute) stress exposure can impair cognitive flexibility—the ability to mentally switch between tasks, rules, or strategies to achieve a goal. However, findings of studies examining the effect of acute stress on cognitive flexibility have been somewhat inconsistent. Individual differences, particularly those that influence the brain and body's response to stress, such as chronic perceptions of stress, may contribute to this inconsistency. The current work aimed to test if two individual difference variables—perceived chronic stress and rejection sensitivity—shift the effect of acute stress on cognitive flexibility. Specifically, I hypothesized that the effect of acute stress on cognitive flexibility would vary as a function of perceived chronic stress. Rejection sensitivity is linked to vigilance to potential threats and may contribute to perceptions of stress. Therefore, I hypothesized that perceived chronic stress would mediate the effect of rejection sensitivity on cognitive flexibility. In Study 1, participants completed a measure of perceived chronic stress and a behavioral task measuring their cognitive flexibility. Participants were then assigned to an acute stress induction or control task before completing the cognitive flexibility task again. In Study 2, women completed a measure of perceived chronic stress and then returned to the lab two weeks later for the acute stress manipulation, after which they completed the cognitive flexibility task. In Study 3, online participants completed measures of rejection sensitivity and perceived chronic stress before completing an acute stress manipulation and cognitive flexibility task. In Studies 1 and 2, acute stress and perceived chronic stress interacted to predict perseverative errors, an indicator of poor cognitive flexibility. Individuals low in perceived chronic stress perseverated less in the control condition than the acute stress condition (Studies 1 and 2). In contrast, those high in perceived chronic (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Sociology

Racial disparity in health is a long existing and widespread problem in the United States. Additionally, Black people are generally more afflicted by stressful circumstances than their White counterparts. Using an adapted conceptual model based on Leonard Pearlin's (1981) stress process framework, I examine the role of stress over a long-term in accounting for racial disparities, among Black and White Americans, in health. This is carried out by observing five major model components: (1) social position and stress; (2) stress proliferation; (3) repeated hardships; (4) social resources; and (5) race and socioeconomic intersections. This research is composed of an analysis of secondary data from the American's Changing Lives study, which consisted of a national probability sample of adult men and women who resided in the United States. First, regarding social position and stress, findings indicate that occupying a race-disadvantaged social position can influence exposure to stressful experiences, with Black Americans showing an increased likelihood of being exposed to more stressful experiences overall. Second, regarding stress proliferation, findings reveal that stress is a cumulative process beginning in childhood. Childhood adversities can impact the risk of experiencing stress across adulthood, and this may lead to poor health outcomes for Black and White Americans. Additionally, being Black American may increase the risk of cumulative stress on health. Third, regarding repeated hardships, findings in this study show that acts of discrimination may directly impact psychological health for Black and White Americans. Fourth, regarding social resources, findings indicate that social resources, such as religious involvement and social support directly impact psychological health for Black and White Americans. Fifth, regarding race and socioeconomic intersections, socioeconomic status factors do not impact stressful experiences directly or combined with race. Overall, (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2021, Psychology

Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States with a lifetime prevalence rate of approximately 30%. Patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) present with a spectrum of debilitating anxiety symptoms resulting from exposure to one or more traumatic events. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD compared to men; however, the reason for this vulnerability remains unknown. This project investigated different routes of potential explanation for this increased female vulnerability using a rat model. Control experiments were performed to determine if there were differences in footshock reactivity or contextual fear conditioning during infancy. Gonadectomy or sham surgeries were performed in adulthood to investigate a potential role for circulating levels of gonadal steroid hormones in stress-enhanced fear learning and anxiety-like behavior. The findings from this study suggest that circulating levels of gonadal steroid hormones cannot explain female vulnerability to SEFL in adulthood. Additional research is needed to determine whether this vulnerability can be explained by organizational effects of gonadal steroid hormones or differences in sex chromosome gene expression. Doing so is critical in better understanding increased female vulnerability to certain psychiatric diseases.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Mechanical Engineering

In this study, an experimental investigation on the influence of tensile mean stress on gear tooth bending fatigue life is performed. A newly developed single-tooth bending test machine is utilized to perform gear tooth bending fatigue experiments under various loading conditions. A new single-tooth bending test fixture is developed for a chosen test gear. A detailed experimental methodology is presented on dynamic and static strain measurements of the chosen test gear root fillet profile in order to (i) quantify any dynamic loading effects at high loading frequencies, and (ii) validate maximum root stress predictions. Two sets of fatigue tests are performed at load levels of R = 0.05 and R = 0.5 whose results are analyzed statistically to generate L50 and L10 curves for each loading case. Utilizing the L50 stress-life curves, a map of constant life is obtained, showing a straight-line relationships between mean stress and alternating stress. It is shown that an increase in the tensile mean stress reduces the fatigue lives of gear teeth.

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2020, Psychology, Clinical

Sex differences have been observed in both the processing odor stimuli (Cain, 1982; Doty & Cameron 2009; Doty et. al, 1984; Larrson et al., 2004) and response to different types of stress, specifically social and non-social acute stress (Dedovic et al., 2005; Stroud et al., 2002). This project aimed to investigate whether there is a sex difference in response to social and non-social stress and in odor detection sensitivity, odor identification, odor hedonic ratings, and odor intensity ratings following stress exposure. Forty-eight participants (18 Male, 30 Female) were pseudo-randomly assigned, stratified by biological sex, to one of two conditions: social stress or non-social stress. All participants completed Time 1 self-report measures of current mood, state and trait anxiety, chronic stress, depression, and generalized anxiety. Participants also underwent Time 1 testing of olfactory functioning including measures of: odor detection sensitivity, identification, hedonic ratings, and intensity ratings. In the social stress condition, participants underwent a modified version of the arithmetic section of the Trier Social Stress Test (Allen et al., 2017), which was completed in front of a confederate and a camera prop. Participants assigned to the non-social stress condition completed the same task on a blank sheet of paper. Following the stress-task, participants underwent Time 2 testing of olfactory functioning, and self-report measures of mood and state anxiety. Results indicated that females had greater anxiety after the social stress condition compared to males, and also had greater odor detection sensitivity and more accurate odor identification regardless of time and stress condition. Regardless of sex and stress condition, results of this study also indicated that chronic stress was associated with less pleasantness and greater intensity ratings. Depression was also correlated with greater unpleasantness ratings of odors and decreased accuracy of odor identi (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program

Introduction: Adolescence is a vulnerable period in which the physical and mental development of an individual can be impacted by adverse events, which may cause major structural and functional changes within the brain. However, the psychopathology of these changes is not well understood and no potential treatments have been reported. These changes can manifest as psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. The majority of rodent models have studied the effects of early life stress in adult behavior, however, there are limited studies on adolescent behavior. This study investigated the effect of early life stress on anxiety-related and depression-like behavior in adolescence and adulthood, as well as examined differences in male and female behavior. Additionally, we tested a novel compound, M3, for the purpose of ameliorating any enhanced anxiety or depressive-like behavior observed. Methods: A “three-hit” early life stress model was used on C57BL/6J male and female mice. The three stressors included (i) prenatal stress, (ii) maternal separation, and (iii) physical stressors. Anxiety and depressive-like behavior were evaluated using different tests in adolescence, early adulthood, and late adulthood. Results: We observed that early life stress-induced an anxiety-like phenotype in adolescence, early adulthood, and late adulthood. Both males and females displayed anxiety in adolescence, they also displayed the phenotype in adulthood but at different behavioral testing time points. Additionally, the novel treatment ameliorated the anxiety-related phenotype in stressed mice in late adulthood.

Master of Science, University of Toledo, 2020, Biology (Cell-Molecular Biology)

Eukaryotes have evolved stress response pathways to adapt to a range of environmental assaults. One conserved pathway is the integrated stress response, which allows cells to cope with endoplasmic reticulum stress, heat shock, oxidative stress, and viral infection. A consequence of the integrated stress response is the formation of stress granules, cytoplasmic foci of translationally stalled mRNAs and proteins including ribosomes, translation initiation factors, and RNA-binding proteins. Stress granules have a diverse proteome, and stress granules formed during viral infection are unique in that they are enriched in host antiviral proteins and regulate the immune response. These stress responses are well characterized in mammalian systems, but studies in non-mammalian vertebrates are poorly understood. Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) is an aquatic rhabdovirus found in over 80 fish species worldwide. Viruses must subvert host immune responses, and previous studies from our lab and others have identified the VHSV matrix (M) and non-virion (NV) proteins as inhibitors of the immune response. Whether there is any interplay between VHSV and aspects of the integrated stress response remain uncharacterized. In order to explore this, we first established that rainbow trout and fathead minnow cells express proteins homologous to mammalian proteins needed to form stress granules. We showed that in response to heat shock and oxidative stress, two stressors known to induce stress granule formation in mammalian cells, both fish cell types formed stress granules. Furthermore, we observed that infection by two different strains of VHSV, VHSV Ia and IVb, induces the phosphorylation of eIF2alpha and stress granule formation, albeit with different kinetics and to different extents, in their respective host species. Phosphorylation of eIF2α and the subsequent formation of stress granules is regulated by the stress-activated kinases HRI, GCN2, PERK and PKR. After estab (open full item for complete abstract)

PHD, Kent State University, 2020, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to further understand the gamer population by assessing behavioral and psychometric variables of gamers (i.e., those that play video games and self-identify as gamers) compared to non-gamers along with determining the cardiovascular stress response and perceived stress of college-aged adults while playing an esports style video game (Fortnite) for 60 minutes against other people (competitive) and against a computer avatar (non-competitive). Through a survey of 306 college students, we found that gamers, relative to non-gamers, have decreased physical activity and grade point average (GPA) and increased sedentary behavior. Furthermore, we also found that competitive gamers who compete for club, junior varsity, or varsity esports teams are gaming much more than gamers who are not on a team and non-gamers alike. We also found significant increases in heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) while playing Fortnite compared to resting values. We observed a greater HR, SBP, and DBP response while gaming in a competitive condition compared to a non-competitive condition. Furthermore, gamers had greater cardiovascular stress reactivity compared to non-gamers. We also reported an increase in state anxiety after the competitive gaming condition. Ultimately, the stress response we have observed while gaming might have adverse effects on health, thus we should further explore this increasingly popular entertainment medium.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2019, Psychology

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are widespread in the general population and appear to increase vulnerability to adult neuropsychiatric disorders. The biological mechanisms that confer this increased risk are poorly understood. Changes in neuroimmune cell number, phenotype, and activity are observed with stress, depression- and anxiety-like behavior in rodents, and mood disorders; these cells may also program adult behavior following early life stress. In this study, male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to early deprivation stress or control handling for 4hrs./day from PD2-20. Brains from rats killed at PD21 were processed for counting of mast cells and qPCR analysis of mRNA expression related to microglial phagocytosis, histamine synthesis, and blood-brain barrier proteins in limbic regions. Adult rats were tested for anxiety-like, stress coping, and risk assessment behavior. Stress increased granulated and total mast cell count in the hippocampus, as well as hippocampal expression of genes related to microglial phagocytosis. Stress decreased hippocampal histidine decarboxylase mRNA expression, amygdala cybb mRNA expression, exploratory behavior in the open field test (in males only), risk assessment behaviors, closed arm entries in the elevated plus maze, and time immobile in the forced swim test. When controlling for experimental condition, histidine decarboxylase mRNA expression and phagocytic gene expression were significantly negatively correlated. These experiments suggest potential neuroimmune mechanisms that program maladaptive adult behaviors following early life stress.

Master of Science, Miami University, 2019, Exercise and Health Studies

The present study examined the role of green space exposure and its potential effects on high school students perceived stress levels. Stress levels can affect the health and academic performance of high school adolescents. Studies conducted on green space exposure have been associated with lower levels of perceived stress and improved academic performance. Upon obtaining parental consent, an online Qualtrics survey was administered to 118 high school students from a southwestern school on perceived stress and green space exposure. Respondents showed an average score of 19.66 for the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (range: 0–35), with a mean PSS score of 21.48 for female respondents and 17.48 for male respondents. Students who spend time in green space also have a lower Perceived Stress Scale Score. Controlling for covariates, the effect of hours of sleep on a typical night was the strongest predictor of PSS scores (−2.865, p = .000), followed by age (1.896, p = .040). Findings indicate a need for more access to green spaces especially for girls at school and provide the potential for nature-induced curriculum allowing students to utilize these natural green spaces as a unique coping mechanism for stress.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Horticulture and Crop Science

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is a turfgrass species that is widely used on golf courses throughout the United States. It can withstand extremely low mowing heights and can provide a dense cover making it an ideal species for low cut areas of the golf course. However, at times it is subjected to environmental stresses such as heat and salt. In field settings plants are often subjected to more than one stress at a time and studying stresses independently is likely insufficient. These stresses can affect plant hormone levels and, in turn, plant hormone levels can affect how well the plant tolerates stress. There were two experiments conducted. In the first experiment creeping bentgrass was transplanted into hydroponics systems in two different growth chambers. One chamber was set to have day and night time temperatures of 35 and 30-degrees Celsius, respectively. The other was set to have a day and night time temperatures of 25 and 20-degrees, respectively. Within each chamber one block received a 50 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) treatment and the other did not. The stress treatments were applied for 14 days. The experiment was repeated four times. Results of the first experiment indicated that the treatments were sufficient to negatively affect creeping bentgrass growth and health as indicated by fresh shoot and root weights, tillering, electrolyte leakage and total chlorophyll content (TCC). There were significant interactions between temperature and salt level detected for shoot and root weights and electrolyte leakage. Plants that were exposed to both heat and salt stress were more negatively affected than plants exposed to either heat or salt stress alone for all metrics except for tillering. The presence of NaCl reduced tillering regardless of temperature regime. In the second experiment plants were treated the same, but plant growth regulator (PGR) treatments were also applied. The second experiment was repeated six times and PGR tre (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2018, English (as a Second Language)

This research attempts to determine whether or not stress placement can be used to predict an individual's attitude via theories of contrastive stress. The placement of stress within a phrase is typically given to new information. With regards to the Black Lives Matter movement, this would suggest that when the phrase “black lives matter” is uttered, the stress on “matter” indicates the belief that black lives have not mattered in the past, and they should. “Black lives matter,” however, with stress on “black,” suggests the belief that black lives are more important than the lives of non-blacks. Data was taken from the streaming site YouTube to analyze instances of people saying “black lives matter” and record stress placement. The videos themselves were used to determine individual attitudes, which were then compared to their stress placement. The research had no significant findings regarding the relationship between stress and attitude; however, this was probably due to the oversimplification of what was revealed to be a much more complicated process.

Bachelor of Science, Ashland University, 2016, Sport Sciences

The goal of this study was to determine whether aerobic and mental exercise would have a statistically significant effect on reducing stress in college-aged non-athlete students. The data were collected from 25 undergraduate students at a private university in Ohio. The results were analyzed to determine if significant differences existed between the aerobic, mental and control groups. The study found that there were no statistically significant differences among the three groups.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Arts and Sciences : Psychology

As the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States (American Cancer Society, 2007), a breast cancer diagnosis strongly implies a threat on a woman's life. A number of studies demonstrate the stressful nature of a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment for the disease (e.g., Baider & Kaplan De-Nour, 1997; Golden-Kreutz et al., 2005). Life event, global perceived, and traumatic stress represent three of the most frequent lines of stress research. Little research has been done to compare the three types of stress in the same sample, making it difficult to separate the contribution of each type. The few studies that have been done with all three types find that each is uniquely related to psychological distress or physical and psychological quality of life (Golden-Kreutz et al., 2005). Although research finds that life event stress is related to initial traumatic stress levels (Butler, Koopman, Classen, & Spiegel, 1999), no known studies have examined the impact of cancer-related traumatic stress and life event stress on these women's sense of being globally overwhelmed in their lives. This longitudinal study hypothesized that higher levels of stress specifically related to the cancer diagnosis, and/or higher levels of stress related to life events in the year leading up to diagnosis, would predict the degree that women felt overwhelmed by life in general. Data from 72 women with early stage (0/I/II) breast cancer were followed from shortly after diagnosis to one year after chemotherapy treatment concluded, or 24 months after the start of hormonal therapy. Results show that cancer-specific stress significantly predicted global stress levels around the time of diagnosis. However, cancer-specific stress did not explain variance in later levels of perceived stress beyond that of initial perceived stress levels. In contrast, life event stress did not contribute significantly to the prediction of initial stress levels, but did explain a sign (open full item for complete abstract)