Digital Commons Network^™

City As Cemetery, Siqiao Zhao

Masters Theses

The traditional funeral service industry has enormous environmental and financial costs. In contrast, green burial, and Natural Organic Reduction (NOR), accelerate the human body’s degradation and reduce toxic substances in the land, assuming responsibility for our burden on the earth. They provide a gateway between us and the processes of nature and ask us to set aside self-consciousness to accept our oneness with the universe. By gifting our bodies back to the earth, where decomposition enriches soils and nurtures the growth of other life forms, we honor those who have transitioned to another state by continuing the cycle of renewal. …

The Meaning Of A Choice, Julie-Louise Zeitoun

Masters Theses

If you are disabled or disadvantaged, you will be dismissed and stifled. Few people will actively care for your struggles. As a person with autism, I was deeply fearful of the persecution I had faced throughout my life; it was a fear that followed me with terrifying determination. I desperately wanted to blend into society. So I designed myself to be devoid of any weakness, and productivity was the way I chose to conceal any difficulties I faced. It was a way to measure my success — a way to measure my normalcy.

Standard medical textiles are generic, cumbersome devices. …

Bridging Empathy, Qianwen Lu

Masters Theses

As a jeweler, ally, and sympathetic witness to the traumatic stories of survivors, my work aims to support the process of reconstruction and reintegration for victims and the greater community. To move beyond isolation, resentment, and debilitating helplessness requires care and support. I want my jewelry to act as catalysts in the healing process by straddling both sides of the trauma-induced situation, to create greater awareness and empathy. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence shows that women are more likely to become victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other forms of physical and psychological abuse in unhealthy emotional relationships. These …

Phantom Spaces, Craytonia Williams Ii

Masters Theses

The world is built on ‘what-ifs’ and ‘I hopes.’ The more one can dream, the further development goes in design. We are told anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and as we have lived through many different eras, the limit in which we extend our mind has expanded. Research shows that emotional and mental instability has risen over 50% in the past decade in people under 30. How does the understanding of emotions and trauma impact the understanding and the feelings attached to designed spaces for rest and rehabilitation. We are constantly observing and adapting to …

How To Make A Hybrid Workplace More Human?, Ray Sun

Masters Theses

After COVID-19 hit, a new working method has appeared, the remote workers have an opportunity sitting at home attending zoom meetings and getting job done. While companies initially turned to remote work out of necessity, they soon realized that employees could remain productive while working from home. As the world began to reopen, many companies chose to continue with hybrid or fully remote working situations.

However, hybrid work has created challenges for maintaining a sense of collaboration and connection. Can this discomfort caused by telecommunication be solved by new tech involved? Designers are currently exploring various products and devices to …

Promoting Mental Treatment In The Arab World, Aya Emam Hassanein

Masters Theses

This study investigates why mental health has been neglected in the Arab world and what strategies could be used to promote it and break the stigma associated with mental disorders. The literature review reveals that the most prominent barriers preventing mental treatment in the Arab world are cultural stigma, poverty, illiteracy, false beliefs regarding the causation of the illness, conflicts in countries, and a scarcity of mental health services and research. The review also discusses the most common mental illnesses in the Arab world and how the culture affects the process of treatment. Additionally, it discusses the possible solutions proposed …

Posttraumatic Stress, Depression, And Subjective Social Status: Potential Moderating Effects Of Optimism, Resilience, And Self-Efficacy, Caterina Obenauf

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the potential moderating effects of optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy on the relationships between subjective social status and both posttraumatic stress and depression symptom severity in a sample of undergraduate students (N = 382, M = 19.4, SD = 1.6, 81.5% White, 60.9% cisgender women) who reported experiencing one or more traumatic events. Many participants reported the highest education level attained by at least one parent being beyond a college degree (69%). Participants completed measures assessing trauma history, subjective social status, PTSD and depression symptoms, and potential psychological resources of optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy. In the …

Examining The Use Of Video Modeling With Verbal Feedback To Enhance Performance In Springboard Divers, Erin M. J. Isola

Masters Theses

There is a growing body of literature examining the use of behavior analytic coaching techniques to enhance athlete performance across many different sports. To date, no studies have focused on performance improvement in springboard diving. Springboard diving skills are complex behavior chains and require the accurate performance of multiple smaller, component skills. Several studies have examined different types of feedback to teach and improve complex motor skills in sports other than springboard diving (BenitezSantiago & Miltenberger, 2016; Kelley and Miltenberger, 2016; Quinn et al., 2019; Walker et al., 2020). In one such study, Walker et al. (2020) combined video and …

The Construct Validity Of The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale Of Intelligence, Second Edition (Wasi-Ii) And The Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (Rias-2), Mckenzie K. Sopoci

Masters Theses

The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II; Wechsler, 2011) and the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (RIAS-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) are two intelligence tests created to assess general intelligence, using four subtests reflecting two verbal and two nonverbal (perceptual reasoning) tasks. Both tests overlap to assess individuals between the ages of 6 to 90, and while the WASI-II is specified by the publisher as a screening measure, the RIAS-2 is not. Tests like the WASI-II and RIAS-2 may provide more efficient assessment of general intelligence, which can reduce assessment time and allow professionals to engage in …

Social Anxiety And Substance Use In College Students: Understanding The Potential Role Of Substance Use Expectancies And Fear Of Evaluation, Devangi Pant

Masters Theses

The relationship between social anxiety and substance use among college students has been researched extensively, but it is difficult to understand this relationship due to the uncertainty imposed by mixed findings. However, most studies have found a positive link between social anxiety and alcohol use, as mediated by positive alcohol use expectancies. This study reviewed the literature on social anxiety and alcohol use expectancies and proposed a model that evaluated the predictive ability of social anxiety and alcohol use expectancies on alcohol use. Results indicated that social anxiety does not predict alcohol use and only negative alcohol use expectancies were …

A Preliminary Investigation Of A Brief, Virtual, Behavioral Parent Training Program On Parents’ Self-Efficacy And Young Children’S Behavior, Taylor Daniels

Masters Theses

A single-case, multiple-baseline research design was used to evaluate the effects of a two-session, virtual behavioral parent training program on parents’ self-efficacy and their children’s compliance and appropriate behavior. Participants included five parent-child dyads recruited from a grant-funded preschool program in Northern Illinois. When the parent training program was implemented, parent self-efficacy increased across four of the five parent participants (using daily behavior ratings). Effect size comparisons for self-efficacy reflected large effects for three parents. Further, child compliance increased across four of the five child participants and child appropriate behavior increased across three of the five child participants (using daily …

Examining The Relationship Between Social Anxiety, Fear Of Negative Evaluation, Fear Of Positive Evaluation And Minority Stress In Lgb Versus Heterosexual Adults, Anvita Kamath

Masters Theses

Psychological research within the LGBTQ+ community is a relatively recent phenomenon due to the stigma that has been historically placed on this population. Sexual minority populations experience a plethora of mental health problems ranging from mood disorders to personality disorders and have a greater risk of suicide as compared to their heterosexual counterparts (Gilman et al., 2001; Meyer, 2003; Steele et al., 2017). Specifically, significant differences in social anxiety levels have been found while comparing sexual minority individuals to heterosexual individuals, which may be associated with factors such as Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE), Fear of Positive Evaluation (FPE) and …

Predictors Of Attitudes About Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Claire Sullivan

Masters Theses

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are far less likely to enroll in secondary education than neurotypical students and students with disabilities (White et al., 2016). There is little research on the factors contributing to the reluctance of young adults on the autism spectrum to seek higher education. This study aims to answer two research questions. The first research question aims to determine if there is a predominance of negative attitudes towards ASD amongst present undergraduate college students. The second research question explores whether this could be a determining factor in a college determination for students with ASD. This current …

Does Need For Social Support Moderate The Relationship Between Perceived Availability Of Social Support And Depression, Anxiety, And Stress?, Katherine E. Whisenhunt

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine whether the need for social support moderates the relationship between social support (both perceived and enacted) and depression, anxiety, and stress. The study tested the role of Need for Support in the context of both buffering and direct effect models of the effect of social support on mental health and well-being. If perceived availability of social support (i.e., PASS) had a direct effect on well-being, then a simple moderation was predicted. If a buffering effect was present, then a moderated moderation was predicted. This study also predicted a positive relationship between need for social …

Social Anxiety, Worry, And Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Yu-Jin Eun

Masters Theses

Numerous cognitive aspects of social anxiety have been examined. For example, the Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) has been incorporated into the cognitive-behavioral model of Social Anxiety (Rapee & Heimberg, 1997), and more recently the Fear of Positive Evaluation (FPE) has received great interest (c.f., Weeks et al., 2008). Other relevant cognitive aspects of social anxiety have received less attention. Of interest, intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is highly related to worry but also to social anxiety (e.g., Boelen & Reijntjes, 2009; Dugas et al., 2001). However, no research, to our knowledge, has examined whether social anxiety or worry accounts for …

The Toolkit For Social Support And Social Anxiety: S*A*S*S*, Cynthia E. Kmety

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to create a toolkit for social support and social anxiety using the Communal Coping method. There was background research conducted on social anxiety and social support, COVID impact, Communal Coping, and resilience and skill building. Before constructing the toolkit, a survey was conducted with 29 Eastern Illinois University students to measure their assessment of their social anxiety and social support. The results of this survey found that students have a need for social support and are affected by their anxiety. Once the toolkit: the workbook and the facilitator’s manual, were completed, a pilot class …

Zoom Fatigue And Virtual Interviewing: The Effects Of Interpersonal Distance, Lillian Rose Schell

Masters Theses

"This research examines breaches of interpersonal distance, one of the proposed causes of Zoom fatigue, within the context of a job interview. It is proposed that when an interviewer perceives a job applicant to be close to them, Zoom fatigue increases and ratings of the applicant decrease. Participants completed a Zoom Exhaustion and Fatigue scale before and after watching an asynchronous video interview in which the size of the job applicant’s face varied between conditions. It was found that breaches of interpersonal distance did not influence self-reported Zoom fatigue. However, breaches of interpersonal distance did influence ratings of the job …

Childhood Food Insecurity In Rural America: Raising Awareness And Inspiring Action Through Art And Design, Julie Hansen Olson

Masters Theses

Children go hungry in America every day, particularly in rural communities, where statistics show food insecurity to be as high as 17%. This means one in six children in rural communities lacks nutritionally adequate food or the ability to acquire it on a daily basis. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, this appalling statistic is unacceptable. But how do we mitigate food insecurity for children and its resulting effects on a child’s physical, mental, and social development? This project proposes to educate, raise awareness, and inspire and/or enable action by all stakeholders to reduce food insecurity, specifically …

Disclosure Of Sexual Trauma To Romantic Partners: Examining Ptsd Clusters, Partner Reactions, Perceived Partner Responsiveness, And Relationship Satisfaction, Lynsey Hinnenkamp

Masters Theses

The present study examined romantic relational outcomes among individuals who have experienced unwanted or forced sexual contact. Specifically, we explored the relationship between disclosure of sexual trauma to a romantic partner and relationship satisfaction among a sample (N = 214) of community participants, and examined whether PTSD clusters, partner reactions, and perceived partner responsiveness mediated that relationship. Individuals were recruited via announcements and flyers from community organizations and advertisements on social media. Participants completed a number of measures that assessed level of disclosure, PTSD symptoms, partner reactions to disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness, and relationship satisfaction in regards to the romantic …

Psychological Flexibility, Music Performance Anxiety, And Perceived Performance Quality: A Correlational Study With University Music Students, Tracy Lianne Viator

Masters Theses

Despite the pervasiveness of music performance anxiety (MPA) among musicians, the scientific literature on effective psychological interventions is relatively limited. While some MPA researchers regard cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as the best suited psychotherapeutic option, others position acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as both a promising treatment for MPA and means of performance enhancement. A third-wave behavioral therapy, ACT stands apart from traditional CBT in that the treatment does not attempt to reduce symptoms, but rather aims to increase psychological flexibility: the ability to contact the present moment with full awareness and engage in values-congruent action, even if doing so elicits …

Borderline Personality Disorder And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Unique Patterns Of Emotion Reactivity And Regulation, Clara Defontes

Masters Theses

Both borderline personality disorder (BPD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with emotion dysfunction and often co-occur. Emotional reactivity is also evident in some studies in BPD and PTSD. Despite the frequent co-occurrence of these diagnoses, only a few studies have examined the independent and joint effects of BPD and PTSD on emotional functioning. Some data suggest that co-occurring PTSD may drive discordance between domains of emotional reactivity in BPD, dampening physiological reactivity but increasing subjective reactivity. Low reliance on acceptance-based emotion regulation may also account for this divergence. The current study examined the independent and interactive effects of …

Youth-Perceived Variability In Harsh Parenting From 8-14 Years As A Predictor Of Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms At 15 Years, Ann E. Folker

Masters Theses

Harsh parenting behaviors have been shown to predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children. These symptoms of psychopathology can persist into adolescence, which can negatively impact social, academic, and emotional functioning. Most studies, however, focus on between-person differences in average harsh parenting, rather than within-person changes in harsh parenting over time. This variability in harsh parenting has a potentially unique impact on the development of adolescent psychopathology. The present study aims to understand if child/adolescent-perceived variability in harsh parenting over time (intraindividual variability; IIV) predicts higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in mid-adolescence, while controlling for average levels of …

Changing Criteria: What Decision Processes Reveal About Confidence In Memory, Johanny N. Castillo

Masters Theses

Source memory is our ability to relate central information (the “item”) to the context (the “source”) in which it was learned or experienced. People are often highly confident in their source judgements even when this information is incorrectly recalled. Past work has aimed to explain why source errors made with high confidence occur with a framework called the Converging Criteria (CC) account. The CC account posits that item memory can interact with source memory by altering decision criteria as item confidence increases, increasing the probability of a high confidence source judgement. This prediction differs from alternate models, like the Fixed …

Borderline Personality Disorder And Learning: The Influences Of Emotional State And Social Versus Nonsocial Feedback, Elinor E. Waite

Masters Theses

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been linked to impulsive behaviors, interpersonal difficulties, and emotional reactivity. Although these impairments imply underlying deficits in decision-making, theory suggests that such deficits may be context dependent. Both emotional state and social context may influence learning in BPD. Reinforcement learning models offer an avenue to parse types of impairments in learning. The current study used reinforcement learning models to examine whether the type of feedback (social vs. nonsocial) moderates the association between BPD and learning under conditions of distress. Adults with BPD (N = 37), subthreshold BPD (N = 29), and without BPD …

The Role Of Autobiographical Memory Recall In Reappraisal Efficacy And Effort Across Age, Irina Orlovsky

Masters Theses

Socioemotional theories posit that the experience of overcoming unique life challenges over a lifetime enhances self-efficacy and emotional resilience among older adults. Older adults demonstrate greater emotional well-being and motivation to regulate emotions than younger adults, but specific regulatory mechanisms supporting late-life emotional resilience remain unclear. Cognitive reappraisal is an effective but cognitively demanding emotion regulation strategy and shows mixed efficacy in later-life. While a growing repertoire of autobiographical memories may be a resource with age, the role of autobiographical recall in momentary reappraisal has never been tested empirically. In this online study, older and younger adults were trained to …

The Impact Of A Realistic Job Preview Experience On Training Fluency, Learner Reactions, And Job Performance, Jessica Rocheleau

Masters Theses

Although the training and development literature has delineated which instructional approaches are most effective, training approaches are often selected based on entertainment value rather than empirical evidence of efficacy (Karthik et al., 2019). One reason for this trend may be learners’ positive reactions to entertaining instruction and negative reactions to effective instruction. Researchers may begin validating a means for addressing this problem by investigating methods for promoting job satisfaction within a training context. The proposed study compared the effects of two training orientation approaches on learner fluency, reactions, and job performance. A total of 175 participants were randomly assigned to …

Effects Of Expressive Writing On Reducing Anxiety About Attending Intergroup Dialogue On Race And Racism, Cemal Arda Aksoy

Masters Theses

This experimental study examined the effects of expressive writing (EW) on the level of anxiety that White college students experience for their anticipated participation in a dialogue about race and racism with a racially diverse group of people. Ninety-one undergraduate college students, aged 18 to 25 years, living in the United States and identifying their race as White/European American were randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition for this online study. In both conditions, participants were informed that they would be participating in an online dialogue about race and racism with a racially diverse group of people after they …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Upsr, Shelby Miller

Masters Theses

Person-Centered Theory (PCT, Rogers, 1959) provides the understanding of how growth-promoting relationships facilitate holistic well-being through the provision of unconditional positive regard (UPR), genuiness, and empathy. Through coaches’ provision of UPR, athletes have reported experiencing an increase of motivation, enhanced performances, and greater trust in their coach (McHenry et al., 2022). Most intriguingly, athletes created a relationship with themselves (i.e., self-regard) that mirrored their coaches’ treatment of them (McHenry et al., 2021). While UPR has just recently been studied in the coach-athlete relationship, little to no attention has been given to the relationship an athlete has with themselves (i.e., self-regard). …

In-Between Spaces: Atmospheres, Movement And New Narratives For The City, Paul Alexander Stoicheff

Masters Theses

We often think of architecture as distinct buildings, yet as we move through the city we continuously pass through a built environment that is a collage of buildings. These spaces between buildings are underestimated as influences on our experience of everyday life in the city. Considering architecture as linked existential experiences through spaces rather than confined to individual buildings is more in line with our experience of the city as a series of interconnected spaces and places. Rather than describing a single, static architecture through words, how can we express this linked experience of spaces dynamically through narratives? Can writing …

Why Does Equality Matter Anyway? How Indifference To Inequality Relates To U.S.-Born White, Latino, And Black Americans' Attitudes Toward Immigration Policy, Trisha A. Dehrone

Masters Theses

Research on attitudes towards immigration policies typically considers the economic and cultural threats that compel many Americans to favor exclusionary policies that curb immigration. Less is understood about how indifference to inequality shapes Americans’ attitudes towards immigration policies—that is, how ‘not caring’ about the unequal conditions faced by immigrants likely has detrimental consequences for their safety and wellbeing. The present research examines indifference to inequality as a predictor for policies that impact opportunities for immigrants to come to the U.S., and who are otherwise undocumented and/or at great risk for exploitation. Using survey data from the American National Election Studies …