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Typically, treatment for mental health seems to focus on chemically balancing the brain using medications, emotional and behavioral treatment using psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, and more recently, anatomical treatment using brain stimulation therapies to 'rewire' neural pathways in the brain. The piece that is often forgotten is spiritual care. Everyone may not believe in something greater or consider themselves 'religious' or 'spiritual', but as human beings, we are all born with a spiritual side. Human beings innately crave to be loved, to love others, and to have some deeper connection and find meaning in something greater. When treating mental health, it is important to not only focus on the brain, but to look at the whole person and think about the way that every single part of that person, from their brain to their heart, soul, and spirit, plays an important role in their mental health and well-being. This research paper examines the way that treatment of mental health containing a spiritual care component is more beneficial and healing overall in comparison to treatment that lacks a spiritual care component.

The purpose of our study was to research how various descriptions of a famous athlete could influence sports performance in undergraduates. Specifically, words such as “graceful” compared to “strong” were used to describe famous soccer player, Alex Morgan. The current research evaluated whether females would be more likely to complete a soccer dribbling task if they were given a subtle stereotype prior to the task. Participants were randomly selected to read a summary of famous female athlete, Alex Morgan that described her performance as “graceful” or “strong”. Our research expected to find that women performed with the least amount of time and highest level of efficiency on an athletic task where a female soccer player is described as “strong.” 36 female students from Carroll College were recruited to participate between the ages of 18 and 23 years of age. Participants were of varying socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities. Results showed that individuals in the “graceful” condition (N=18) described Alex Morgan using marginally more stereotypical female terms compared to the “strong” condition (N=18). The current results suggest that media terminology may impact our perception of female athletes. Females were significantly more likely to describe Alex Morgan with stereotypical feminine language (e.g. beautiful) or neutral terms after exposure to the “graceful” article. Alternatively, females were more likely to describe Alex Morgan as athletic when exposed to the “strong” condition. In summary, results suggest that the adjectives participants viewed influenced their perception of Alex Morgan, but not necessarily soccer performance.

Previous research examined the correlation of procrastination and different types of anxiety, such as state anxiety, test anxiety, and academic anxiety. One longitudinal study (Yerdelen, McCaffrey,& Klassen, 2016) looked specifically at academic anxiety. This study showed that there is actually an inverse relationship between procrastination and anxiety over time. We explored the relationship between high and low general anxiety levels, high and low stress levels, and high and low procrastination levels using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS 21) and The Lay Procrastination Scale (1986) in college students over a mid-semester threeweek long period. We hypothesized that, based on previous research; high general anxiety and high stress levels will be largely correlated to high procrastination levels. The participants were 30 Carroll College students. The results showed that stress and anxiety were correlated, stress and procrastination were correlated, but anxiety did not correlate directly with procrastination.

A new randomly crosslinked polymer is investigated for use as an ion-exchange membrane. The polymer was produced through amination of chlorinated poly(propylene) (PP) with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) and quaternized with iodoethane. The synthesis of the new polymer is confirmed by FTIR 1H and 13C NMR. The microstructure of the polymer consists of aggregates on the order of 1 micrometer. Environmentally controlled small and wide angle X-ray analysis showed a relatively featureless amorphous morphology over length scales less than 105 nm through a full range of humidity environments. Little physical swelling of the films were observed, but very high internal water uptake was observed with lamba = 50. The highest in-plane ionic conductivity with chloride as the counter ion observed was 0.29 mS cm 1 at 90 deg C and 95% relative humidity. Infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor the relatively rapid rate of counter-ion reaction of hydroxide with ambient CO2 to form a mixture of carbonate and bicarbonate when exposed to air., The original document contains color images. Published in Electrochimica Acta, 2013.

Block copolymers of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium tetrafluoroborate) (PS-b-[PVBTMA][BF4]) were synthesized by sequential monomer addition using atom transfer radical polymerization. Membranes of the block copolymers were prepared by drop casting from dimethylformamide. Initial evaluation of the microphase separation in these PS-b-[PVBTMA][BF4] materials via SAXS revealed the formation of spherical, cylindrical, and lamellar morphologies. Block copolymers of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium hydroxide) (PS-b-[PVBTMA][OH]) were prepared as polymeric alkaline anion exchange membranes materials by ion exchange from PS-b-[PVBTMA][BF(sub 4)] with hydroxide in order to investigate the relationship between morphology and ionic conductivity. Studies of humidity [relative humidity (RH)]- dependent conductivity at 80 deg C showed that the conductivity increases with increasing humidity. Moreover, the investigation of the temperature-dependent conductivity at RH = 50, 70, and 90% showed a significant effect of grain boundaries in the membranes against the formation of continuous conductive channels, which is an important requirement for achieving high ion conductivity., The original document contains color images. Published in Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 2012. Sponsored in part by DoE. Prepared in cooperation with the Departments of Polymer Science and Engineering and Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden.

There is increasing interest in the alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) fuel cells as this device, if realized, could allow the use of inexpensive metal catalysts and the oxidation of a variety of convenient liquid fuels. While there have been some dramatic early achievements, there is still a need for a fundamental study of anion transport, cation stability and the formation of robust thin films in this area. We have undertaken a comprehensive study of AEMs where theory is linked to well-defined model systems, both in solution and in the solid state, which are characterized using very careful environmental control such that the models can be validated and used predictively. We are also fabricating a number of random copolymer AEMs that can be produced readily in large quantities, allowing us to understand film formation coupled with transport and stability. Those based on perfluorinated backbones invite interesting comparisons with the analogous proton exchange membranes., Presented at the Electrochemical Society Meeting (220th) held in Boston, MA on 9-11 October 2011. Published in ECS Transactions, v41 n1 p1761-1774, 2011. The original document contains color images.