Digital Commons Network^™

Love Letters To The Self: Building Heart Skills Through Positive Autoethnography, Madalena Grobbelaar, Elizabeth Reid Boyd

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article is an enquiry between two educators, one from social science and the other from counselling psychology, exploring how Positive Autoethnography can be applied in both teaching and therapeutic contexts. An exploration by co-founders of #Love@ECU, a research initiative at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia, the piece investigates the intersection of emotional learning and educational practice through the emerging framework of Heart Skills, an original format currently used in teaching interpersonal skills at ECU. It integrates personal narrative, embodied experience and emotional insight to consider how student growth and resilience can be cultivated. Central to this exploration …

Accessing Campus Mental Health Services In A Nigerian Southwestern University: Barriers To Academic Success, Caroline Dada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health disorders are a significant health concern among higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. A substantial treatment gap exists in the Nigerian healthcare system, and this gap is further worsened by cultural and religious barriers, which reinforce stigma that discourages students from seeking professional help. This qualitative narrative inquiry explored the barriers students encountered when accessing mental health services at a university in Southwestern Nigeria, to increase service access. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with seven professional mental health providers at a university counseling center between March and April 2025. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify …

Perceptions, Expectations, And Attitudes About Adolescent Telepsychiatry Among Indian American Family Caregivers, Udayvir Jalf

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Adolescent mental health concerns have risen sharply in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant turning point in mental health care access, with telehealth having become a central mode of care delivery. With adolescent telehealth, caregiver involvement has shown to improve treatment adherence and outcomes. Little is known, however, about how Indian American caregivers experience and navigate their adolescent’s virtual mental health care. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions, expectations, and attitudes of Indian American family caregivers regarding adolescent telepsychiatry and caregivers’ involvement. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indian American caregivers of adolescents who completed at …

Industrial And Organizational Psychology Researchers’ Positive And Negative Experiences With The Peer-Review Process, Alexa Weaver

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Peer review plays a critical role in advancing the field of psychology; however, limited empirical research has examined psychologists’ experiences with the peer review process. The present study investigated both positive and negative peer review experiences among industrial and organizational (I/O) psychologists and assessed the prevalence of specific reviewer behaviors. A two-phase survey design was administered via Qualtrics. Study 1 employed open-ended questions to identify recurring themes in researchers’ experiences with peer review. Thematic analysis revealed distinct positive and negative patterns of reviewer behavior, which informed the development of Study 2.

Study 2 quantitatively assessed the prevalence of behaviors associated …

The Effects Of A Teacher-Led Coaching Intervention On Paraprofessionals’ Rates Of Behavior-Specific Praise In Secondary Special Education Classrooms, Melanie Urmilla Singh

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The role of paraprofessionals in education is essential as they work alongside teachers to provide additional support to students within classrooms. Their responsibilities may differ based on the needs of the school, classroom, and student, paraprofessionals often play an important role in supporting students’ behavioral needs. While their roles being prevalent in education, paraprofessionals could benefit from additional training in evidence-based strategies, specifically when working with students with behavioral needs and the application of behavior-specific praise. Considering that teachers typically receive more formal training and work closely with paraprofessionals in the classroom, they are well positioned to provide training support …

Anxiously Ever After: The Fear Of Choosing The Wrong Person Among Individuals With Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Liv Fante

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a distressing condition in which individuals experience recurrent intrusive and unwanted thoughts (i.e., obsessions), engage in repetitive behaviors (i.e., compulsions), or both. A relatively underexplored presentation of OCD involves obsessions and compulsions centered on romantic relationships, referred to as relationship OCD (ROCD). Although OCD has been extensively studied, research specific to ROCD remains limited. Disordered eating behaviors, retroactive jealousy, social media use, social comparison, and relationship history may be associated with the development and maintenance of ROCD. The current study examined these variables as predictors of two forms of ROCD: relationship-centered and partner-focused symptoms. Gender differences …

Honor Of Culture, Gender Socialization And Behavioral Outcomes In College Students, Ana Maria Moreno Henriquez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Honor of culture is a culturally based concept that involves holding a strong defense for  the dignity and reputation on one’s family and self. This thesis focuses on the relationship between this honor of culture and gender socialization in the behavioral outcomes of college students, who are in a highly important learning phase of discovering their identity and independence from familial values. Participants were University of Central Florida (UCF) students who completed an online Qualtrics survey, which included an Honor of Culture Scale (Rodriguez Mosquera et al., 2016), Gender Role Beliefs Scale (Kerr & Holden, 1996), the Short Dark Triad …

Life In Laughter: Comedy’S Impact On Student Health And Success, Julia Weinstein

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College students face rising rates of anxiety, depression, and stress, highlighting the need for accessible, stigma-free wellness interventions. While comedy is often seen as entertainment, research indicates laughter produces measurable psychological and physiological benefits, including reduced cortisol and increased endorphins. Life in Laughter, a creative-research hybrid project, investigates how live and digital comedy experiences affect college students’ mood, stress, and sense of belonging. Using mixed methods, data were collected through anonymous audience surveys, app-based reflections via JoyScroll, and interviews, supplemented by a mini-documentary. Findings suggest humor functions as both an emotional regulation tool and a means of fostering …

Cultural Schemas Regarding Resilience And Strength In Blacks: Implications For Well-Being And Academic Success, Aniya G. Ashford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Culturally shaped strength-based coping frameworks among Black college students, particularly the Strong Black Woman Schema and John Henry’s Active Coping, are associated with responses to racism-related stress and academic pressure, yet the ways these internalized expectations interact with emotional regulation, perceived cultural norms, and academic functioning remain unclear. Prior research has primarily examined these constructs in isolation or focused on psychological distress or physical health outcomes, often relying on single-method self-report designs that do not capture how culturally embedded coping processes are reflected in lived experiences; as a result, limited work has integrated identity-based schemas, behavioral coping strategies, and narrative …

The Relationship Between Heteronormativity, Shame- Proneness, Shame-Withdrawal, And Empathy In College- Aged Men, Megan M. Tang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Due to rising social discourse regarding “the male loneliness epidemic,” this study aims to examine possible predictors of empathy in cisgender, heterosexual, college-aged males. Empathy promotes prosocial behavior and is necessary for healthy interpersonal interactions, which may be limited in male experiences due to adherence to heteronormative values and lower levels of self-disclosure in men. Shame is more likely to occur when men stray from traditional gender roles, and people are more likely to engage in social withdrawal behaviors when experiencing shame. Shame-proneness has also been shown to inhibit empathetic behavior. This study explores two hypotheses, the first of which …

Discomfort In Silence: Investigating Workplace Discrimination In Relation To Employee Disclosure Of Menopausal Health Issues, Alysia Furbish

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Menopause is a universal developmental transition for women that often coincides with peak career years, yet it remains underexamined in organizational research and is frequently treated as a private or taboo workplace topic. This lack of visibility shapes whether women feel able to disclose menopause-related challenges, seek accommodations, and access organizational support. Drawing on literature related to pregnancy and motherhood discrimination, menopause stereotypes, and disclosure literature, this study examines how symptom burden, ideal worker norms, and stigma-related identity management contribute to anticipated workplace discrimination and disclosure decisions. Data were collected via an online survey of 106 working women recruited through …

How Religious Priming Affects Morality In Sports, Daniel Prias

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research focuses on filling the hole in existing literature regarding religious priming and how it affects morality in sports. This study examined whether different types of moral priming influenced moral reasoning in undergraduate soccer athletes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an external religious prime, an internal religious prime, a secular prime, or a no-prime control group. Moral reasoning was assessed using the Moral Reasoning in Sports Scenarios Questionnaire (MRSSQ), strength of religious faith was measured using the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSRFQ), and personality traits were assessed using the Mini International Personality …

Per My Last Email: Analyzing Social & Emotional Cues In Digital Workplace Communication, Lauren Hunt

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As virtual work arrangements expand and email becomes an increasingly central workplace communication tool, the function of virtual communication norms provide valuable insight into workplace email dynamics. This study draws from social information processing theory, expectancy violations theory, and channel expansion theory to model how behavioral and linguistic features associated with virtual communication norms shape email perceptions and downstream conflict. The present research examines key communication features from real workplace email threads. Specifically, I extracted response time, sentiment, and linguistic mimicry (e.g., text length, word use), using Natural Language Processing techniques. Data was collected from 461 participants, resulting in 245 …

The Influence Of Social Connectedness And Adverse Childhood Experiences: Understanding Motivation To Change In Early Substance Use Disorder Recovery, Adam M. Daniel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Substance use disorder is a significant issue facing society today. As the rate of individuals with substance use disorders continues to rise, so too does the need of the counseling profession to explore further the ways to best support this population. The purpose of this study was to explore two specific variables for their impact on motivation to change for individuals in early recovery: social connectedness and adverse childhood experiences. Grounded in the Process-Person-Context-Time model, this study focused on the ways in which an individual’s motivation to change in early sobriety relates to their sense of connectedness to their family …

Sources Of Tensions In Ai Adoption For Organ Procurement Organizations, Amaneh Babaee

Masters Theses

"Although medical AI systems have promise, the healthcare system has not fully integrated them for improved organizational operations. Studies have been conducted to identify root causes for this hesitancy without targeting a specific domain in healthcare. This generalization can be enhanced for the nuanced or domain-specific factors that offer practical insights to organizations leader. In this thesis, I focus on the factors and sources of tensions in AI adoption in transplant system, which is highly regulated but encourages innovation. Applying the Extended Technology, Organization, Environment (TOE) framework, 10 interviews were conducted at Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs).

Although not always technically …

A Case Of Acquired Amusia And Misophonia Following Right Temporal Resection, Emily R. Dappen, Joel I. Berger, Amy M. Belfi, Joel Bruss, Timothy D. Griffiths, Alexander J. Billig, Ariane E. Rhone, Kirill V. Nourski, Daniel Tranel, Brian J. Dlouhy

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: Our perception of the auditory world allows us to enjoy the richness of music and communicate effectively with others. These everyday processes are disrupted in conditions such as amusia, an inability to perceive music accurately, and misophonia, an intense emotional reaction to common sounds produced by others. We describe a case of acquired, concurrent amusia and misophonia in a 21-year-old right-handed woman following a right posterior insula, posterior temporal, supramarginal cortex, and sensory cortex resection for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Methods: The patient participated in interviews between 4–8 months post-resection. She completed an extensive testing battery designed to …

Five Tensions Of Artificial Intelligence Adoption For Organ Allocation: Applying The Technology–Organization–Environment Framework, Amaneh Babaee, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield, Joely Grace Hall, Krista L. Lentine, Henry Randall, Mark Schnitzler

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: The US organ transplantation system is pursuing modernization of the allocation process through the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). However, the legal and ethical issues within the transplantation industry are still of concern. Objective: We explore the opportunities and challenges for Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) to adopt AI. The US organ transplant system is a highly regulated industry yet open to innovation. Methods: Ten structured interviews were conducted with OPO representatives using the Extended Technology, Organization, Environment (TOE) framework. Results: Overall, we identified five core tensions in AI adoption: (1) misconceptions, (2) approach to training, …

Character Judgements Of Rap Music Fans, Kaila C. Putter, Dan J. Miller, Amy M. Belfi, James Rees, Amanda E. Krause

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Extending Fischoff, we used vignettes to examine people's perceptions of a hypothetical rap fan accused of murder. Study 1 (N = 300) used a 2 (murder accusation) x 2 (inclusion of rap lyrics) x 2 (fan gender) experiment, asking participants to judge how capable of murder and sexually aggressive they found the fan. The presentation of lyrics and murder accusation were associated with the fan being more capable of murder, while rap lyrics and participants' rap attitudes were associated with the fan being more sexually aggressive. Thematic analysis revealed that, in conditions containing both the lyrics and the murder accusation, …

Community Attitudes Towards Voluntary Assisted Dying: Beyond Endorsed Eligibilities, Eyal Gringart, Craig Phillips, Deirdre Drake

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) has been established across seven of Australia’s eight states and territories, yet empirical research on public attitudes remains limited. The current study examined Australians’ attitudes towards VAD. A cross-sectional online survey assessed affective, behavioural, and cognitive components, as well as overall attitudes, with 704 Australian adults. Attitudes were broadly supportive of VAD but conditional. Most participants endorsed end-of-life choices, legalisation of VAD, and access to VAD in cases of physical illness, and opposed availability for those with mental illness, and existential suffering. Participants with religious affiliations held significantly less favourable attitudes. Females and those with experience …

Managing Human Sources: Identification And Management Of Motivation, Tiffany Mckenzie, Pamela Henry, Nikki Rajakaruna

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Human Source management is a critical function of intelligence and evidence collection by law enforcement and intelligence agencies across the world. Understanding the motivations of Human Sources is key to gaining high intelligence yields. Yet research which explores Human Source motivation, from a handler’s perspective, is limited. Even more limited is research which considers how motivation is identified and managed by law enforcement agencies across the course of a Human Source’s engagement with an agency. This research explores the experiences and perceptions of Human Source handlers from two Australian law enforcement agencies via semi-structured interviews (N = 17). Handlers highlighted …

User Experience In Virtual Self-Disclosure: Appraising Natural, Urban, And Artificial Vr Environments, Shane L. Rogers, Tasha Canes, Alexis Pallister

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Featured Application: This study informs the design of virtual environments for therapeutic and emotionally meaningful conversations delivered through VR platforms. The findings show that nature-themed environments, particularly virtual blue spaces, can enhance users’ comfort and calmness when disclosing personal experiences. These results can guide developers of VR counselling systems, digital mental-health tools, and conversational-agent platforms in selecting or tailoring virtual environments that promote psychological safety and ease of communication. Virtual reality (VR) offers new opportunities for delivering psychologically meaningful conversations in digitally mediated settings. This study examined how environmental designs influence user experience during emotionally relevant self-disclosure. Fifty university students …

Role-Playing For Rehabilitation: Enhancing Empathy Among Juveniles In Correctional Facilities, Nina Permatasari, Muhammad Arsyad, Muhammad Andri Setiawan, Hendro Yulius Suryo Putro, Muhammad Fajar Riva’I, Wiwik Widyanti

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study examines the effectiveness of role-playing-based counseling services in enhancing empathy among children at Juvenile Rehabilitation Center Class I Martapura. Employing a quantitative approach, the research utilized a one-group pre-test post-test experimental design to measure changes in empathy levels before and after the intervention. A total of 32 children participated in the study. Data were collected using two instruments: the Empathy Scale and the Role-Playing Engagement Questionnaire. The intervention consisted of structured role-playing sessions designed to improve both cognitive and affective components of empathy. Data analysis using paired sample t-tests revealed a statistically significant increase in empathy scores, with …

Bibliometric Analysis: Publish Or Perish And Vosviewer For Research Trends On Online Violence (2023–2025), Indriyana Rachmawati, Widya Juwita Sari, Sesya Dias Mumpuni

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Cases of online violence have become increasingly widespread since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which individuals began to grow dependent on the digital world. The digital realm has become a fundamental aspect of human life, bringing with it new forms of online violence. Online violence such as threats, hate speech, harassment, and bullying has emerged as a new weapon to control, isolate, and even torment affected victims. However, only a small body of literature has explored the changing nature of online violence following COVID-19. This study aims to review the literature on patterns of online violence post-pandemic, focusing …

Harmonizing Hope: An Idea Of Music Therapy Interventions For Schizophrenia, Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Schizophrenia is typified by a wide range of symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations, cognitive decline, and social disengagement. Even with improvements in pharmaceutical and psychosocial therapy, many people with schizophrenia still require supplementary treatment methods due to their chronic symptoms and functional limitations. Utilizing music's therapeutic capacity to address a variety of symptoms and enhance general well-being, music therapy has emerged as a possible supplementary intervention for schizophrenia. In this study, the author used a literature review with a Critically Appraised Topic (CAT); this research is a summary of the best available evidence regarding the focused aims. This CAT looks …

Integrating Islamic-Based Behavioral Activation With Buya Hamka's Tazkiyatun Nafs To Reduce Social Media-Induced Anxiety Among University Students, Dosi Juliawati, Hengki Yandri, Farid Imam Kholidin, Rasmita Rasmita, Daflaini Daflaini, Yatti Fidya

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The pervasive use of social media has led to a growing concern regarding social media-induced anxiety among university students. This study aims to integrate Islamic-based Behavioral Activation with the concept of Tazkiyatun Nafs, defined as the purification of the soul or self-purification, as proposed by Buya Hamka, to reduce this anxiety among university students. The method employed is a Single-Subject Experimental Design involving three participants from IAIN Kerinci, all of whom exhibited the highest scores of social media anxiety. Data were collected using the Social Media Anxiety Scale (SMAS) and analyzed through visual data analysis. The results indicate that all …

Peaceful School Counselors For School Violence In The Digital Era, Ahmad Yusuf Sobri, Nur Mega Aris Saputra, Dzulkifli Abdullah

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The problem of violence that occurs in the world of education is a manifestation of the incomplete realization of schools as safe places. One strategy to make this happen is through the implementation of peace education in schools that involves all school members. School counselors are one of the key roles needed for the implementation of peace education in schools. This study aims to find out the role of school counselors in implementing peace education in schools. The study is a systematic literature review using the PRISMA stages. Fifteen academic articles were selected based on the main keywords: peace education …

The Role Of Self-Management Techniques For Reducing Gadget Addiction: Empowering Students Toward Healthier Digital Habit, Dian Ari Widyastuti, Lucky Resta Widias Putri

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of individual counseling using self-management techniques in reducing gadget addiction among students. The research employed an experimental approach with a single-subject design (SSD). One participant, a student from Yogyakarta, Indonesia was selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using observation guidelines and a gadget addiction scale. Data analysis in single-subject research emphasizes individual data, and therefore, this study utilized visual analysis through graphical representations. The results of the visual analysis indicated a reduction in gadget addiction, as demonstrated by the A-B-A design graph. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that individual …

Peace Counseling In The Scientific Spotlight: A Bibliometric Analysis Of Global Research Trends, Wahyu Nanda Eka Saputra

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aims to map global trends in peace counseling research using a bibliometric approach. Data were taken only from the Scopus database, focusing on publications containing keywords related to peace counseling, such as peace counseling, peace psychotherapy, and peacebuilding therapy. The analysis was conducted on 769 selected documents published between 1937 and 2025. The results showed a significant increase in publications since 2020, reflecting the growing need for counseling approaches that support peace and psychological well-being. Authors from various countries made different contributions, with the United States dominating the number of publications and citations, while developing countries such as …

Validation Of Micro Digital Content Model Of Project-Based Learning For Guidance And Counseling Courses In Non-Formal Education, Ella Faridati Zen, Yuliati Hotifah, Riskiyana Prihatiningsih, Nur Mega Aris Saputra

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The research aims to produce a product in the form of a learning device for guidance and counseling courses in non-formal education in the form of micro digital based on project-based learning, which is theoretically accepted through expert testing. The development method uses the ADDIE design, with the procedures of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. The trial subjects or product assessors consist of material experts and media experts in the field of guidance and counseling. Data were collected with expert assessment instruments and analyzed using the average technique. The expert assessment of the product by material experts produced an …

Opening Paths: Subjective And Professional Trajectories In Psychosocial Intervention For Victims Of The Armed Conflict In Colombia, Edwin Alexander Hernandez Zapata, Diana Vanessa Vivares Porras, Juan David Soto-Fadul

The Qualitative Report

In this study, we analyzed the affective experiences and labor subjectivation processes of community psychologists working in intervention programs implemented by state institutions in Colombia for victims of the armed conflict, a conflict that remains ongoing in various regions of the country. By labor subjectivation processes, we refer (drawing on Foucault) to the ways in which individuals come to relate to themselves and to others through the norms, discourses, and practices that shape their roles within a given historical and institutional context—in this case, the field of psychosocial labor. To conduct this research, we used discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews …