Washburn University Institutional Repository
The Washburn University Institutional Repository (WU IR), managed by the University Libraries, is a digital repository offering a central location for the deposit, maintenance and long-term preservation of the research and other scholarly production of the Washburn University Community. WU IR also holds digitized items of value from the University Libraries Department of Special Collections and Archives that highlight the history, nature and culture of the University. One of our key missions is to ensure that these scholarly and creative endeavors are accessible to the widest possible audience. Candidates for deposit in WU IR include journal articles, conference papers, instructional resources, student projects, theses, dissertations, university archival materials, and more. For more information about submitting your work to WU IR, please contact us at wuir@washburn.edu.
Recent Submissions
Item Implementation and Evaluation of the STOPP Criteria to Address Polypharmacy in a Long-Term Care Facility(Washburn University, 2025-05-02)Background: Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of multiple medications and is a prevalent phenomenon in healthcare settings across the country. People who are 65 years old and older tend to take the most medications, making this the most common population for polypharmacy. Most adverse reactions are a result of polypharmacy and are one of the causes of skyrocketing healthcare costs, as well as responsible for the high number of deaths each year. Polypharmacy can also lead to increased falls, medication noncompliance, and hospitalizations. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to reduce the occurrence of polypharmacy by using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria to improve appropriate medication prescribing among those who are 65 years old and older who live in a long-term care facility in Colorado.Item Increasing Screening Rates of Chlamydia trachomalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a Midwestern University Health Setting(2025-05-29)The purpose of this project was to increase screening rates for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among college students utilizing a Midwestern University Health Center by implementing sustainable, evidence-based interventional and educational measures.Item Perceptions of Artificially Intelligent Chatbot Avatars as a Therapeutic Tool(Washburn University, 2025-04-04)The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of implementing artificially intelligent chatbot avatars for psychotherapeutic purposes. Overall, individuals had neutral to positive perceptions of implementing artificially intelligent chatbot avatars in therapy. While technology could never replace the personal therapeutic connection a therapist makes with a client, the technology has potential to enhance the therapeutic process.Item The Influence of Symptom Variation on Attention in Individuals with PTSD(Washburn University, 2025-03-28)Attentional biases have been found across a wide variety of fear and anxiety-related disorders, and specifically in individuals with trauma history. Eye-tracking was used to examine attentional biases during scene and image viewing in individuals with trauma history (TH) compared to trauma-free controls (TFCs). Past research demonstrates that individuals with TH move their eyes in ways distinct from TFCs, however, the literature is divided about whether TH individuals’ attentional bias is characterized by avoidance or fixation when viewing threatening stimuli. TH is often comorbid with anxious and depressive symptoms. Previous research suggests that anxiety- and fear-related disorders are often characterized by visual avoidance of threatening stimuli. Depressive disorders, however, are characterized by difficulty in disengaging from distressing cognitions and emotions, which is also supported by eye-tracking research suggesting depressed individuals tend to fixate on negative stimuli. The current study hypothesized (a) Individuals with PTSD would display enhanced detection of threat compared to trauma-free controls; (b) Individuals with greater depressive/ruminative symptoms would be more likely to fixate on threatening stimuli; and (c) Individuals with greater anxiety symptoms would be more likely to avoid. While no support was found for these hypotheses, this study may serve as the basis for further research into a new and largely unexplored topic.Item Treating Self-Stigma Present in an Anxiety Disorder(Washburn University, 2025-04-07)This case study follows the conceptualization and treatment process for James, a Caucasian 18-year-old, who is a freshman attending a midwestern university. Intense symptoms of anxiety and moderate levels of self-stigma were reported to the clinician at the start of treatment. The clinician utilized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to work collaboratively with James to manage anxiety symptoms, decrease self-stigma, and increase emotion regulation skills. James was assessed via utilization of the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND) and multiple self-report screeners. James’ primary diagnosis was Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), with a secondary diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder with depressive symptoms. Treatment interventions included psychoeducation on the interactions between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, mindfulness practice, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral experiments. This case study utilizes self-report measures and a semi-structured diagnostic interview for diagnosis and monitoring of symptoms, then conceptualizes James’s anxiety, depressive mood, and self-stigma via the implementation of a client-focused treatment plan via CBT. A transcript of a session is also included to provide insight into James’ cognitive processing and how treatment was implemented by the clinician.
Communities in WU IR
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