Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of Social Identity And Industry Role On Implicit Biases In Fitness Professionals, Shayna J. Guerra, Katie Mcpherrin, Kellie A. Walters, Leilani Madrigal, Alison Ede, Amber Johnson

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(4): 1228-1251, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/SQUH3795 Implicit biases are unconscious, internally held beliefs shaped by cultural norms, societal structures, and personal experiences and are often related to societal constructs such as race, gender, age, body shape, and ability. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between social identity, industry role, and implicit biases in fitness professionals. Participants (n=296) were randomly assigned two implicit association tests (IATs): disability, weight, gender, skin-tone, or age. IATs measured implicit bias through word and pictorial associations and timed response to word/picture stimuli. Interviews (n=25) were conducted to further examine …

The Effect Of Mental Training On Psychological Hardiness And Selected Personality Traits Among Adolescent Male Volleyball Players, Moneer Fadel Ali Hassan, Omar Waleed Abdulkareem

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(4): 1186-1198, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/MQUH7716 This study was to examine the effect of a mental training program, including a combination of autogenic training and imagery, on a number of mental skills and on the development of personality traits - psychological hardiness as well as conscientiousness, openness to experience, and neuroticism - in Adolescent male volleyball players. 60 adolescent male volleyball players (aged 15–17) participated in a two-group, pretest-posttest design. The experimental group (n = 30) completed 8-week mental skills training program, including imagery, self-talk, attention control, and relaxation, while the control group (n = 30) followed …

Physical And Mental Benefits Of Chair Yoga For Older Adults: A Case Series, Justin Smith, Anna Buessing, Carson Pierce, Payton Hybarger, Taylor Antonowich, Wyatt Akins, Barbara Smith

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(5): 1166-1174, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/COQS7170 Fitness and rehabilitation professionals commonly use yoga training for improving balance, flexibility, and mental health in populations of all ages. However, little is known about how chair yoga, a specific form of yoga, would impact physical and mental health in older adults. The purpose of this case series was to explore the feasibility and benefits of an 8-week chair yoga class for older adults in an independent living facility. Four participants (ages 77-92 years) performed chair yoga interventions once a week for 8 weeks. Interventions included, but were not limited to, …

Where Is The Power In A Power Analysis?, Kevin D. Dames, Zoe Climenhaga, Jared Rosenberg

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(2): 1114-1120, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/AVGK2063 Strategic planning of research involves predicting the number of replications of the experiment needed to detect an expected effect. The power analysis to determine sample size for the proposed experiment requires known or estimated characteristics of existing distributions. When used well, power analysis reduces the risk of statistical errors, wasted efforts, and temptations to twist ensuing analyses to eke out a ‘significant’ result after data collections conclude. This editorial highlights some examples of how this process goes awry. Sections are dedicated to the role of researchers, the case for ‘pilot’ studies, …

An Example Analysis For A Gender-Inclusive Approach In Sport And Exercise Science Research Using Fitbit Outcomes From The All Of Us Research Program Dataset, James W. Navalta, Dustin W. Davis, Jafra D. Thomas, Whitley J. Stone

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(1): 1133-1141, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/HRNQ4501 Prevalence studies with wearable devices are used to understand disparities in health-related physical activity behaviors and whether interventions are efficacious. However, studies have been limited to a binary definition of sex. This example analysis aimed to demonstrate how researchers can investigate differences in data beyond the sex-gender binary. Using a cross-sectional analysis of the All of Us Research Program dataset, participants' self-identified gender was categorized into Cisgender Female (n = 10,401), Additional Options (n = 27), Non-binary (n = 84), Transgender (n = 17), and Cisgender Male …

Exploring The Behaviors Of Women Who Are Mentally Thriving With Autoimmune Disease: A Mixed Methods Approach, Emilie Ann Ellenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autoimmune diseases encompass a variety of conditions that impact millions of Americans, with a higher prevalence among women than men. These diseases involve immune system dysregulation, leading to tissue damage and dysfunction. Despite progress in understanding their underlying mechanisms, important aspects remain inadequately understood, such as the relationships among immune dysregulation, medical outcomes, and psychiatric comorbidities. Preliminary qualitative research indicates that perceived diagnostic invalidation leads to the mental health needs among women with autoimmune diseases often being unmet, and behavioral health help-seeking behaviors being reduced. Although perceived diagnostic invalidation can lead to increased mental health symptomology and decreased help-seeking behaviors, …

Evaluating Correlates Of Healthy Eating And Dietary Quality Among Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Approach To Development And Application Of A New Survey Instrument, Sara K. Rosenkranz, Donya Shamati, Anna Biggins, Alissa Mick, Christopher Acosta, Richard R. Rosenkranz

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Objectives: Community-dwelling older adults face unique challenges related to nutrition and health, but little is known about their barriers and facilitators for healthy eating behaviors. This study sought to develop and evaluate a new instrument to measure the capability, opportunity, and motivation for healthy eating behaviors (COM-HE) among community-dwelling older adults.

Design: A mixed methods approach was used to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. Participants were aged 65 years or older, community-dwelling, and English-speaking. Participants engaged in focus groups (n = 12) and pilot-testing (n = 81) to evaluate the COM-HE instrument. The Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants – Shortened …

Correlates Of Professional Breastfeeding Perceived Role, Perceived Influence, And Confidence In Providing Lactation Support Among Registered Dietitians And Registered Nurses, Lauren M. Dinour, Melanie Shefchik, Andrea Uguna

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Lactation support from health professionals is a crucial social determinant of health. Registered dietitians (RDs) and registered nurses (RNs) can play an important role in supporting breastfeeding, yet most have minimal formal lactation education and training. This study seeks to explore the correlates of professional breastfeeding perceived role, perceived influence, and confidence in providing lactation support among RDs and RNs. Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 111 credentialed providers completed an online survey assessing their breastfeeding-related training, experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. We also examined perceptions of social support, intentions for future breastfeeding, professional roles, and confidence in …

Bacterial Identification, Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (Ast), And Epstein-Barr Virus (Ebv) Testing To Increase Organ Transplantation Within A Western Regional Community, Vedarrius D. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Clinical transplantation demands have increased immensely in recent years and, along with increasing supply shortages, many barriers to successful organ donation arise from a lack of dedicated testing to rule out microbial or bloodborne infections. There are currently minimal, federal regulatory requirements for transplantation specimen testing. The purpose of this study is to explore how to increase the viability and success of transplantations in the Western regions of the United States using kidney, pancreas, and kidney/pancreas transplant data from University Medical Center Southern Nevada (UMCSN) transplant center. UMCSN transplant center and Donor Services Laboratory (DSL) in Las Vegas perform bacterial …

Promising Practices For Increasing The Number Of Equity-Owed Lifeguards In Canada And The United States Of America, Sofia Pantano, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Currently a shortage of lifeguards exists in Canada and the United States (US) (Frommer, 2023; Santucci, 2024), and those who are working as lifeguards often do not reflect the diversity of the communities they serve (Martinez, 2020). Increasing the number of lifeguards from equity-owed groups is a potential way of increasing the lifeguard workforce and decreasing the shortage of workers in these important roles, as well as a moral imperative. In this paper I explore challenges to and promising practices aimed at increasing the representation of members equity-owed groups in lifeguarding. I begin with an overview of lifeguarding in Canada …

Adopting Stuart Hall’S “Race, The Floating Signifier” As A Conceptual Framework Within Aquatic Research And Education, Kurt J. Cordice

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

During his 1997 lecture at Goldsmiths College in London, Stuart Hall, renowned for his contributions to sociology and cultural studies, offered his argument that the concept of race functions as a Floating Signifier. In this essay, Stuart Hall’s Race, the Floating Signifier is presented as a strong conceptual framework to support more accurate and effective positioning of race as an important consideration within aquatic research and education. Evidence from a range of disciplines, including historical research, is presented to establish both the importance and challenge of race within aquatic research and education. This evidence is also used to demonstrate …

Preoperative Brain Mapping Predicts Language Outcomes After Eloquent Tumor Resection, Matthew T Muir, Kyle Noll, Sarah Prinsloo, Hayley Michener, Jeffrey I Traylor, Vinodh A Kumar, Chibawanye I Ene, Sherise Ferguson, Ho-Ling Liu, Jeffrey S Weinberg, Frederick Lang, Brian A Taylor, Stephanie J Forkel, Sujit S Prabhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

When operating on gliomas near critical language regions, surgeons risk either leaving residual tumor or inducing permanent postoperative language deficits (PLDs). Despite the advent of intraoperative mapping techniques, subjective judgments frequently determine important surgical decisions. We aim to inform data-driven surgery by constructing a non-invasive mapping approach that quantitatively predicts the impact of individual surgical decisions on long-term language function. This study included 79 consecutive patients undergoing resection of language-eloquent gliomas. Patients underwent preoperative navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) language mapping to identify language-positive sites ("TMS points") and their associated white matter tracts ("TMS tracts") as well as formal language …

Efficacy Of Teaching At The Right Level Approach Combined With The Problem-Based Learning Model On Science Learning Outcomes At Middle School, Heri Syahputra Azhar Panjaitan, Ryan Dwi Puspita

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This research seeks to evaluate the efficacy of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) strategy in conjunction with the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on the scientific learning outcomes of eighth-grade students at middle school Islam Terpadu Khairul Imam. This research addresses the inadequate scientific problem-solving abilities and science learning outcomes of Indonesian students, necessitating a more interactive and individualized instructional technique. The methodology used is a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group. The sample included two purposively chosen eighth-grade classes: one experimental class (n=25) underwent the TaRL–PBL intervention, whereas the control class (n=25) simply used the lecture approach. …

Development Of Digital Comic Learning Media Based On Mobile Learning On Media: Making Media Materials In Plant Tissue Culture, Sufina Intan Pertiwi, Fauziyah Harahap, Aline Gusti Yolanda Harahap, Marsya Amira Indrawati, Aline Jelita Christiani Simanullang, Yanda Febry Gracea Br Tarigan, Maureen Efriyanti Sitinjak

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

his research was conducted based on student needs analysis, analysis of learner characteristics, and curriculum analysis, namely the lack of visualization and presentation of concepts and the lack of utilization of interactive technology in the learning process on media material and media making in tissue culture for college students. This study intends to develop digital comic media based on mobile learning and making media materials in tissue culture. This research method used research and development (R&D) with the ADDIE model: analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate. The subjects of this study were students of the Department of Biology, Universitas Negeri …

Problem-Based Learning Assisted By Augmented Reality On The Respiratory System Topic: A Study Of Students’ Critical Thinking Skills And Learning Motivation, Nyimas Dilviana, Ade Yeti Nuryantini, Sumiyati Sa'adah

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model assisted by Augmented Reality (AR) technology regarding the respiratory system in improving students’ critical thinking skills and learning motivation. The research method used was a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest model. The subjects were 30 eleventh-grade students from a public high school in Garut City. Research instruments included a critical thinking test and a learning motivation questionnaire. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ critical thinking scores after the implementation of PBL with AR support. Additionally, learning motivation data analyzed from 16 statement items revealed …

Wearable Single-Channel Electroencephalography, Brain Activity, And Putting Performance In Collegiate Golfers, Pradeep Vanguri, Savannah Calleja, Valerie G. Starratt, Marissa Bonsangue

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Wearable Electroencephalography (EEG) is a noninvasive method for assessing brain activity. Outside of the context of a traditional medical or laboratory setting, this technology may provide insight into the study of brain activity during activity or sport. In golf, for example, similar research revealed associations in skilled golfers between activity in the alpha brain wave and conscious control of motor activity during putting. The purpose of this research was to further investigate the association between brain-wave activity and athlete performance using a wearable single-channel EEG device during putting in collegiate golfers. Male and Female golfers (n = 11) from …

Assessing A Community Health Worker-Facilitated, Digitally Delivered, Family-Centered Diabetes Management Program: Single-Arm Quasi-Experimental Study, Zenong Yin, Vanessa L Errisuriz, Heather Cuevas, Bertha E Flores, Laura Delfausse, Christina Galvan, Jing Wang, Chengdong Li, Renata Morfin, Shiyu Li, Maysa Sapargeldiyeva, Giliane Yza Muyna, Minyu Zhang, Vanessa Sweet, Deborah Parra-Medina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The high prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated complications disproportionately affect low-income Latino populations, who also experience disparities in diabetes self-management (DSM), including poor medication adherence, physical activity, diet, and glycemic control.

Objective: This study examined, through an academic-community partnership, the effectiveness of ¡Salud, Salud! (an evidence-based, family-centered diabetes self-management education and support [DSMES] program) on primary (glycemic control and quality of life) and secondary (social, psychological, and behavioral factors related to T2D management) outcomes among low-income Latino adults with T2D or prediabetes.

Methods: In total, 81 adults (mean age 48.90 years, SD 12.57; n=57, 70.4%, female; …

Consciousness Below Scuba Depths, Michael Vecchione

Animal Sentience

Abstract: Jennifer Mather has nicely summarized what is known about consciousness in shallow water octopods as well as what is known about shallow water squids and cuttlefish. However, once she gets below SCUBA depths, she misses out on most of cephalopod diversity. I have attempted to add this aspect and perhaps some evolutionary biology to this target article.

Factors Influencing Employee Green Behavior And Employee Green Attitude Among Muslims In Indonesia, Kurnia Sari Kasmiarno, Mahjus Ekananda, Gina Destrianti Karmanto

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

In a Muslim majority, developing country like Indonesia, religion shapes employees’ work ethic and professional behavior, embedding spiritual and cultural values into the workplace. Despite the increasing attention to pro-environmental behavior, previous studies have largely examined Green Human Resource Management (GHRM), religiosity, and environmental concern separately, often focusing on a single sector. This leaves employees from various occupational backgrounds underexplored. This study aims to examine the effects of Green Concern (GC), Green Motivation (M), GHRM, and Religiosity (REL) on Employee Green Behavior (EGB) and Employee Green Attitude (EGA) of Muslim employees in Indonesia. Data were collected through a quantitative survey …

Implications Of Electric Vehicles Use On Value Co-Creation And Improving Community Welfare, Rastinia Kamila Hanum, Rizal Edy Halim

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Transportation is closely related and to support daily community mobility, 90% of road transportation operates on fossil fuel and it has always been accompanied by new innovations. Electric vehicles are predicted to be the future transportation to reduce greenhouse emissions. This study combines theories on behavioral and technology acceptance to create value co-creation and enhance community well-being. This quantitative study surveyed 210 respondents from the target community especially in Java island, who intend to adopt electric vehicles (EVs) using Google Form. PLS-SEM was used to evaluate research framework which integrates TPB, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Unified Theory of Acceptance …

Green Human Resource Management, Employee Behavior, And Organizational Innovation: A Multi-Theoretic Pathway To Sustainable Competitiveness, Iwan Perwira, Hernita Hernita, Suardi Suardi, Andi Tenry Sose, Muhammad Azizurrohman

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

As sustainability imperatives reshape global tourism, this study investigates how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices can serve as strategic levers for driving sustainability performance and competitive advantage within Indonesia’s tourism sector. Amid rising environmental expectations and regulatory mandates, the research integrates Social Learning Theory, the Resource-Based View, and Institutional Theory to construct and test a model that links top management support, green organizational culture, and regulatory pressure to GHRM adoption. Using a cross-sectional survey of 510 employees and managers across eco-certified tourism firms in five Indonesian destinations, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze …

Recruitment Progress And Participant Characteristics In The Glo Study, Andre Odom

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Fall Expo Online Oral Presentation

• Biological & Life Sciences

What Do Rural Caregivers Need? Implications Of Formal Service Usage And The Role Of Cooperative Extension Systems, Naomi R. Meinertz, Jeong Eun Lee, Erin L. Martinez, Leacey Brown, Chelsey Byers, Sara Richie, Kathy Tutt

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The well-being of caregivers in the U.S. is a public health crisis. Caregivers experience greater rates of depression, chronic disease, and social isolation; however, the context of rural and urban living experiences creates different caregiving realities. Using two representative datasets of caregivers in the North Central and Northeast regions of the U.S., this paper examined the experiences of rural and urban caregivers in using formal support services. Rurality was negatively related to formal support service usage. Results from a multiple regression revealed a positive association between formal service utilization and caregiver well-being. These findings suggested that formal services can play …

Creating Intergenerational Connections: A Multilevel Approach For Enriching Lives And Addressing Vital Community Issues, Matthew S. Kaplan, Nancy Z. Henkin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article presents an overview of intergenerational programs and practices as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and practice that fosters open communication, support, and civic engagement across generations. Numerous examples of how intergenerational programs and practices harness age diversity to improve the human condition are presented. This includes initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation and loneliness, strengthen families, enrich education and lifelong learning, enhance community quality of life, and transmit cherished cultural traditions and values. This article highlights Extension’s longstanding contributions to intergenerational programming, showcasing notable examples across program areas and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement, co-leadership, and …

Intergenerational Creative Movement Program: A Social Connection Intervention To Foster Health And Well-Being, Claire M. Reardon, Mohammad Khalilian, Amy F. Kostelic, Susan Thiel, Anthony R. Bardo

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

A sense of connection and belonging is widely recognized to be essential for mental health. Yet, since the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness, social isolation, and mental health problems have remained elevated across America. Transitions into young adulthood and older age, while distinct, similarly challenge social connectedness, especially among women. Our multi-lesson education program connected first-generation female college students with college-educated forty-plus women to foster belonging and improve mental health. The program integrated dance as a creative physical activity, promoted intergenerational engagement through a humanistic focus on generativity, and used a social network approach to gauge the development of connections among participants …

Empowering Public Employees For Retirement Security: Evidence From A Pre-Retirement Financial Education Program, Suzanne Bartholomae, Mengya Wang

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The United States is facing a retirement crisis, with eight in ten older adult households experiencing or at risk of financial insecurity (Tavares et al., 2024). National data shows 60% of Americans regularly contribute to retirement accounts, and just 40% have estimated their retirement savings needs (Lin et al., 2022). With approximately 5,900 Baby Boomers retiring daily (Fry, 2019), there is considerable interest in identifying effective strategies and policies to address retirement preparedness. This paper presents evaluation findings from a retirement planning financial education program delivered to 750 public employees by Iowa’s public employee retirement system and Cooperative Extension educators. …

The Science Of Sound: Studying The Cognitive, Emotional, And Physiological Effects Of Frequency, Genre, And Music, Jett Yarborough

Senior Honors Theses

Music influences emotion, physiology, and cognition, yet little is known about how the frequency it is tuned to affects these influences. Prior research has shown that music tuned to 432 Hz can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. My colleagues and I conducted two studies to investigate this. Our research found that music tuned to 432 Hz promotes a significant increase in memory retention and induces a state of focus and relaxation. These results suggest that shifting from the standard tuning frequency of 440 Hz to 432 Hz could have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives. …

Propelling Aging-Related Initiatives In A Next-Gen Cooperative Extension System: Editors’ Introduction To The Jhse Special Issue On Aging, Erin L. Martinez, James S. Bates

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Volume 13, Number 2, James S. Bates, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Erin L. Martinez

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Community Partnerships To Address Social Determinants Of Health Among Older Adults, Cory Bolkan, Raven Weaver, Cheryl Eschbach, Erik Geissal, Breanne Wise-Swanson

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Focusing on social determinants of health (SDOH) among older adults is key to addressing health disparities, maintaining independence in their homes/communities, improving health outcomes, and avoiding high-cost institutional care. While primary care settings are equipped to meet older adults’ physical health needs, the network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) is designed to meet social needs (e.g., transportation, nutrition, caregiver support). Yet, cross-sector community partnerships between AAAs and primary care are rare. This article shares an evaluation of one such partnership, where SDOH screenings were routinely implemented in primary care, yielding social prescribing and direct referral to AAA’s support services. …