Minority mental health patients face many health inequities and inequalities that may stem from implicit bias and a lack of cultural awareness from their healthcare providers. I analyzed the current literature evaluating implicit bias among healthcare providers and culturally specific life traumas that Latinos and African Americans face that can impact their mental health. Additionally, I researched a current mental health assessments tool, the Child and Adolescent Trauma Survey (CATS), and evaluated it for the use on Latino and African American patients. Face-to-face interviews with two healthcare providers were also used to analyze the CATS for its’ applicability to Latino and African American patients. Results showed that these assessments were not sufficient in capturing culturally specific life traumas of minority patients. Based on the literature review and analysis of the interviews with healthcare providers, a novel assessment tool, the Culturally Traumatic Events Questionnaire (CTEQ), was created to address the gaps that currently make up other mental health assessment tools used on minority patients.

This scoping review provides a synthesis of research which maps the literature on the topic of COVID-19 related impact on Undergraduate Student Mental Health and Baccalaureate Success. The purpose of this review was to identify existing literature pertaining to the psychological repercussions of COVID-19 on the undergraduate population, describe the range of successful interventions used to reduce stress and demand on the U.S. undergraduate population during a pandemic, and identify implications for future research. Due to the novelty of coronavirus and limited research on the given topic, this review provides a framework of available research by identifying types of available research, identifying how research is conducted on the topic, identifying and analyzing knowledge gaps, and clarifies key concepts in literature.

Colonial mentality is defined as the perception of ethnic and cultural inferiority as a form of internalized racial oppression as a direct consequence of colonialism. It promotes the notion that being lighter equates to more economic value and an increase in privilege. This psychological phenomenon is prevalent in the Filipinx community, both on the mainland and in the diaspora. Many Filipinx are encouraged to use skin-lightening products or undergo other procedures that aim to erase their ethnic features. Some experience constant microaggressions from family members about being “too dark”. And the lack of representation of darker-skinned individuals in the entertainment industry further perpetuates the notion that being lighter leads to more success. This honors thesis aims to show that Filipinx on the mainland and diaspora share similar mental and social repercussions of growing up in such an environment, frustrations regarding their identity, and a desire to reclaim their roots. These factors bond the community together. Finally, it also aims to present the extent of feeling represented in media and being accepted for the color of your skin has on one’s self-esteem and mental health. The zine accompanying this honors thesis will feature poems, interview excerpts, art, and other creative pieces done by me or the participants that describe our experiences with colonial mentality, colorism, and Westernization. It will also feature a spotlight interview with one participant.

Colonial mentality is defined as the perception of ethnic and cultural inferiority as a form of internalized racial oppression as a direct consequence of colonialism. It promotes the notion that being lighter equates to more economic value and an increase in privilege. This psychological phenomenon is prevalent in the Filipinx community, both on the mainland and in the diaspora. Many Filipinx are encouraged to use skin-lightening products or undergo other procedures that aim to erase their ethnic features. Some experience constant microaggressions from family members about being “too dark”. And the lack of representation of darker-skinned individuals in the entertainment industry further perpetuates the notion that being lighter leads to more success. This honors thesis aims to show that Filipinx on the mainland and diaspora share similar mental and social repercussions of growing up in such an environment, frustrations regarding their identity, and a desire to reclaim their roots. These factors bond the community together. Finally, it also aims to present the extent of feeling represented in media and being accepted for the color of your skin has on one’s self-esteem and mental health. The zine accompanying this honors thesis will feature poems, interview excerpts, art, and other creative pieces done by me or the participants that describe our experiences with colonial mentality, colorism, and Westernization. It will also feature a spotlight interview with one participant.

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged on an international scale, the disruption of routine and social interactions caused challenges in mental health, as people began to self-isolate and confine themselves from the world. Although the sudden interruption of social interaction led to stress and anxiety, human-animal interactions have shown a decrease in stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether companion animals influence mental health, specifically depression and anxiety, in college-aged students who attended the Arizona State University Downtown Campus during the 2020-2021 academic school year.

It is often a passion for caring for others that drives people towards the profession of nursing in the first place. At some point, however, this desire to care for other people takes over, and nurses soon forget how to properly care for themselves. It was asked: If students are better prepared with and more encouraged to use healthy coping mechanisms and integrative modalities to deal with their daily lives, are they more likely to continue to care for themselves properly as time goes on? Ample research was conducted illuminating the prevalence of this worldwide problem and highlighting potential solutions noted by credible sources. An initiative was formed with the goal of improving the self care practices of nursing students at Arizona State University (ASU) with the greater intent of promoting a healthier work environment as these students advance into their future careers. The Arizona Student Chapter of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) at ASU was formed, and it serves as the vessel for this self-care health-care mission.