Universities are struggling to support college students' mental health and well-being. With finite counseling services available, it is imperative to explore upstream, strengths-based approaches that may benefit students holistically. This quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate whether a four-week program, using validated…

Social media, as a favored platform for autistic adults, provides numerous opportunities to socialize and develop close relationships. However, autistic adults may have social skill difficulties that carry over to this platform. Further, social media-related risks pose additional concerns. This study taught four autistic adults social…

This study examines the emotional experiences of preservice teachers within the context of a mindfulness intervention. With a collective instrumental case study design, my focus was highly descriptive. I ask: how do preservice teachers experience emotions around learning to teach? And, how do preservice teachers use mindfulness to frame their…

Educators throughout the United States report high levels of mental distress, anxiety, depression, and stress and difficulties with physical health. Educational systems have limited ability to address the well-being of faculty and staff in primary and secondary schools. Existing interventions are not always adequate and often do not reach the…

The present study examined the effectiveness of a curriculum-embedded, asynchronously delivered gratitude intervention with a first-year college student sample. Hypotheses included that the gratitude intervention would lead to decreased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress and increased feelings of gratitude and psychological…

Although 70% of Americans accept the reality of climate change (Leiserowitz et al., 2021), a lack of concerted societal action has not yet moved the issue to the top tier of the political agenda. This apparent "value-action gap" has been ascribed to, among other factors, maladaptive emotions in response to climate change's threat that…

The purpose of this study was to examine how to restore a child's social-emotional well being. As an administrator in a middle school, I have the opportunity to see the natural state that our children are in on a daily basis. I have observed over time, more specifically since COVID-19, that children are struggling to balance their emotions, their…

The aim of this study was to assess whether a music intervention, compared to no music intervention, influences stress and anxiety levels and academic performance of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in their first semester of nursing coursework. Nursing students experience higher levels of stress than students in any other health science…

Anxiety and depression levels among college students are high and expected to continue rising. The use of mindfulness-based stress reduction, or MBSR, combined with music listening has the potential to decrease the negative symptoms of anxiety and depression among college students. Research indicates using mindfulness meditation and music…

The present study used a latent growth curve modeling approach to (1) examine the effectiveness of a brief self-compassion intervention on reducing impostor phenomenon and its related psychological distress and (2) explore who would benefit most from this intervention. A total of 227 college students at a large Midwest university were randomly…

Students with reading difficulties frequently struggle succeeding in middle school courses due to poor early reading and language skills. Research suggests that students with reading difficulties and comorbid behavioral concerns may have difficulties making appropriate gains when exposed to academic instruction. This study examined the extent to…

This mixed-methods, action research study investigated the relationship between an emotion regulation intervention and the self-rated emotional wellness of middle school students. Research regarding emotion regulation, the process of interrupting and redirecting the emotion generation process, has blossomed over the past few decades, with findings…

Nature-based interventions (NBI) have demonstrated positive effects on a range of student outcomes, including enhanced prosocial behaviors, decreased levels of stress, and improved mood and concentration. Further, school-aged children's participation in NBIs supports students' reconnection with the natural world. Although schools represent an…

It is predicted that soon, as baby boomers continue their shift into retirement, the population age will soon hit its peak in the United States and across the globe (Mather & Kilduff, 2020). As seen with COVID-19, the United States is grossly underprepared for emergencies involving older adults, with excessive physical and mental health…

In today's diverse college student populations, mental health problems are increasingly prevalent, complex, and unmet. Further exacerbating the matter, the enduring COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted the quintessential college experience with massive psychological and physical disruptions. Undergraduate students of color are disproportionately…