Digital Commons Network^™

Economic Survival And Chosen Kinship: Analyzing Intersectionality’S Role In Reframing Trans Representation In Tangerine, Lydia Britton '27

Student Research

Transgender representation in mainstream media has grown in recent years. However, these portrayals are often hegemonic, clinging to a traditional worldview. Depictions of trans characters prioritize Whiteness, higher socioeconomic status, and transitions that adhere to the binary. Additionally, transgender characters often have access to gender-affirming care and are supported by their families throughout their transition (Mocarski et al., 2019). Research on the media representations of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals points out how these portrayals reinforce ideals surrounding transnormativity, or the idea that trans people’s identities and experiences must be applied to the dominant binary and medicalized framework (Bradford …

Efficacy Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Group Intervention For Adhd In Collegestudents Via Telehealth, Will H. Canu, Kate Flory, Maggie W. Johnson, Laura E. Knouse, Kenneth Mcclure, Emily Miller, Emily A. Bodalski, Abby De Arellano

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: college students with ADHD often experience academic and life challenges related to executive functioning (EF). telehealth interventions are generally beneficial for emerging adults, but this claim needs to be tested for ADHD. We examined a telehealth adaptation of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for college students with aDhD that focuses on organizational, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills. Participants: students at three universities (n = 106; 72.6% female; M age =22.21; 86.7% White; 91.5% Not Hispanic or Latina/e/o) presented for ADHD treatment. Method: six group sessions and three individual sessions were delivered via video conferencing software. Results: Pre-post differences in self-report …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology, Sexual Orientation Microaggressions, Minority Stress, And Reintegration Issues Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Plus Veterans, Kerry Lynn Conway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Boosting Psychological Well-Being In One Session: A Rapid Counseling Approach To Digital Detox And Music Therapy, Aryobimo Oentarto

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The rapid acceleration of technology has trapped modern youth in a digital connectivity paradox, where constant social media exposure triggers cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviors that erode psychological well-being. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Rapid Counseling approach integrated with Single-Session Music Therapy (RC-SSMT) in enhancing the psychological well-being of youth by breaking the cycle of digital addiction. Using a pre-test and post-test experimental design, the study focused on six youths (aged 15–17) at Church "X" in Jakarta who were identified as having low psychological well-being. The intervention combined a mandatory digital detox as a behavioral task with music …

Bdnf Signaling Dysfunction In College-Aged Males: Mapk/Erk Contributions To Mood, Cognition, And Motivation., Abdul-Rahman Kassak

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

BDNF Signaling Dysfunction in College-Aged Males: MAPK/ERK Contributions to Mood, Cognition, and Motivation.

Faculty Sponsor:  Professor Liane Cochran-Stafira

The Effects Of Mental Health Advertising On Brand And Product Perception, Faith L. Gideon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous research has demonstrated that framing effects, influencer sponsorships, and brand campaigns significantly influence consumer behavior and, consequently, company profitability. Over the last few decades, many companies have aligned themselves with various social justice issues, including mental health advocacy. To date, little work has explored what effect such alignment might have on brand perception or consumer behavior. The aim of this study is to explore how mental health advertising influences these variables, taking brand familiarity into account. Participants rated brand authenticity, purchase intent, and willingness to pay premium prices for products after learning about campaigns from familiar or unfamiliar brands …

The Role Of Ceo Biases And Heuristics For Large Firms’ Innovation, Cristina O. Vlas, Radu E. Vlas

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Do different CEO biases affect large firms’ innovation differently, and to what extent are these effects bounded by CEOs’ heuristics? In this article, we highlight overlooked antecedents, such as the biases imposed by CEO narcissism and self-monitoring and the heuristics driven by CEOs’ motivation (regulatory foci) for certain courses of action. We found that narcissistic CEOs differ from self-monitoring CEOs when it comes to innovation. We found that, for self-monitoring CEOs, these effects are conditioned by the individuals’ underlying promotion and prevention motivation, but this is not the case for narcissistic CEOs. These findings contour our understanding of the immutability …

Expatriate Employees’ Workplace Experiences With Cultural Intelligence, Leader-Member Exchange, And Retention Intent, Katherine Keene-Montgomery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Developing An Effective Clinical Supervision Structure In An Outpatient Mental Health Group Practice, Kourtney Dockery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Improving Human Visual Search: Enhancing Lung Cancer Nodule Detection In Medical Images, Christopher Khajira

Masters Theses

Human visual search involves the identification of relevant signals within information-rich environments, which is a fundamental problem in visual perception. While detection accuracy and response time are commonly used to evaluate performance in visual search, these measures do not reveal the underlying cognitive and computational structure that produces observable behavior. A key challenge lies in distinguishing between competing processing architectures, particularly in complex visual domains where different models can produce similar behavioral outcomes. This study addresses this challenge by developing a computational experimental framework for analyzing visual search behavior using System Factorial Technology (SFT). The experimental framework integrates naturalistic medical …

Mismatch Negativity (Mmn) And Neurodevelopmental Outcomes In Children Born Preterm, Aidee León Lúa

Theses - ALL

Premature birth is a leading factor contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and cognitive disabilities. Early detection measures can help children access services earlier, even before behavioral traits manifest. Event-related potentials (ERPs), measured though electroencephalography (EEG), are objective and non-invasive methods to study brain activity in children born preterm. The mismatch negativity (MMN), measured by the difference in neural response to alternating frequent and rare stimuli, has been associated with cognitive abilities in preterm children, but its relation to autistic traits remains underexplored. The present study examined whether speech evoked MMN amplitude and latency in children born preterm between 5 …

Authentic And Thriving: The Role Of Authenticity In Friendship And Well-Being, Arina Stoianova

Theses - ALL

Generally, authentic people have satisfying close relationships and greater well-being (Rivera et al., 2019). Having satisfying friendships is important for personal well-being and a fulfilling life (Anderson & Fowers, 2020). Thus, in three pre-registered studies, I tested whether authenticity is related to well-being through friendship satisfaction among single and partnered people. In Study 1 (N=326), singles’ authenticity was associated with having satisfying friendships, which in turn predicted greater general well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and purpose in life), but not singlehood-specific outcomes. In Study 2 (N = 623), I examined whether this finding extends to partnered people’s well-being and found that …

Sexual Identity And Sleep Health In Adolescents: The Role Of Parenting Practices, Alexa Grace Deyo

Theses - ALL

Adolescence is a developmental period marked by heightened vulnerability to insufficient sleep, which contributes to adverse emotional, cognitive, and physical health outcomes. Evidence indicates that adolescents who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) are at an increased risk for poor sleep relative to their heterosexual peers. However, little is known about which dimensions of sleep health differ by sexual identity or modifiable factors that may underlie these differences. This study examined whether adolescent sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and daytime sleepiness differed by sexual identity, and investigated whether parental acceptance and parental monitoring helped explain these differences. Participants were 5,919 …

Estimator And System Variables On Eyewitness Identification Procedure Outcomes, Gabriella Kathryn Larson

Dissertations - ALL

Eyewitness identification is fundamentally a recognition memory task, yet the field has historically been disconnected from broader memory research. The present dissertation bridges this gap by applying foundational recognition memory principles, including list length effects, encoding strength, output interference, and retention interval, to eyewitness lineup identification across three experiments. Using signal detection theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, discriminability was assessed through both theoretical (d′) and empirical (AUC) measures, alongside positive predictive value (PPV) and confidence-accuracy calibration analyses. Experiment 1 employed a 4 × 3 × 3 factorial design (n = 181) to examine the effects of lineup size, encoding …

Book Review--Luke Kemp’S Goliath’S Curse: The History And Future Of Societal Collapse (2025). Ny: Alfred A. Knopf.

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Artist Interview: Sarah Crooks, Sarah Crooks

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Developmental Ecological Psychology Meets Organicist Biology: The Example Of The Ecological Self, Catherine Read

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

In this paper we outline an ecological-organicist theoretical framework to understand human development. The ecological approach to development (Developmental Ecological Psychology, DEP) places the organism at the center and has a mutualist theoretical framework with an epistemic foundation in direct perception. While research in this tradition has paid much attention to specific developmental questions at a young age (such as perceptual learning, affordances, and action coordination), less effort has gone into the discussion of theoretical issues of overall development at the level of organism-environment mutuality. Meanwhile in biology, a new emphasis on the organism as an explanatory concept and level …

Co-Constituted Mandala-Making In Nature: A Trauma-Sensitive Field Protocol For Investigating Attention, Regulation, And Relational Orientation Toward Place, Merve Kurt

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

This article presents a theoretically grounded field protocol for mandala-making in natural settings using only already-fallen materials and intentional dissolution. The mandala is treated as an anthropogenic cultural form whose structural features, including radial organisation around a centre, bounded containment, and provisional totality, are shown to be analytically consequential for the process-level shifts the protocol seeks to foreground. Drawing on posthumanism, new materialism, Buddhist psychology, and ecopsychology, the article conceptualises this process as co-constituted mandala-making, a descriptive term for a field in which human attention and choice operate alongside material and ecological constraints and affordances, without attributing volition to nonhuman …

The Predictive Validity Of Casual Dating Advice For Early-Stage Romantic Relationship Outcomes, Jayda Patrice Felder

Dissertations - ALL

For years, relationship scientists have advocated for more research on casual dating, which can refer to the period of time between a first date and coupling among a romantic dyad, as well as the general period of time an individual is on the dating market evaluating potential partners. Though much is known about established romantic relationships, casual dating and early relationship development remain understudied. To that end, there are many ongoing debates among laypeople about casual dating advice that should be followed (or abandoned) in order to make the best partner choice and experience the best relationship outcomes, yet empirical …

Resilience In Recreation: Stories Of A Changing Climate, Casey L. Auberle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

As the impacts of climate change become increasingly prevalent, the outdoor activities that bond us to our local communities and environments are under threat. In Missoula, MT, drought, rising temperatures, and wildfire smoke change what it means to fish, ski, run, and recreate in our town. In a series of Q&A style podcasts, environmental philosophy graduate student Casey Auberle creates a platform to share stories of a changing climate through the lens of local recreators and climate activists. Capturing these voices invites us to consider our relationship with nature on both an individual and communal scale, to find unity in …

Using Forensic Psycholinguistic Analysis To Detect Dark Tetrad Traits In Police Interviews Of Murder Suspects, Amanda Janette Borman-Ballard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Cultural Identity In Transition: A Comparative Study Of Self-Defining Memories And Personality In American And Russian-American Students, Sebastian Parilov

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

This study examined cultural differences in Self-Defining Memories (SDMs) and personality traits among American and Russian-American college students. Participants included 39 college students (19 Russian-American and 20 American) aged 18-24 who completed the Self-Defining Memory Task and the Big Five Inventory to test for Openness, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. Memories were coded for overall themes, agency versus communion, and redemption versus contamination narratives. Results showed no significant differences between groups on overall Big Five personality traits. However, there were many differences in the two groups' memories. Russian-American participants reported significantly more positive and fewer negative self-defining memories than American …

Academic Self-Efficacy, Intelligence Mindset, And Locus Of Control In Predicting Academic Engagement Among English-Speaking First-Generation First-Year College Students In The United States, Carlene Camacho-Valentine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Mending The Research-Practice Gap In Psychology: Using Role-Play, Self-Reflection, And Ai Feedback To Enhance Unified Protocol Skill Development, Farryn A. Pauly

Honors Theses

This study explores ways to bridge the research-practice gap in psychology by examining how role-play, structured self-reflections, and AI-generated feedback support the development of Unified Protocol (UP) clinical skills. Using a single-subject design, the researcher simulated therapy sessions with a volunteer acting as the patient, implementing UP modules in sequence, while collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Each session included preparation using the UP, role-play, and pre- and post-session reflection. Performance was evaluated using Lyssn, an AI-based platform that generated Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTRS; Young & Beck, 1980) scores and detailed feedback on CBT techniques. This was interpreted and …

Practicing What I Value: Growth And Identity In Social Work, Janelle Diane Schmit

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio showcases my growth as a social worker during the MSW program, highlighting both my academic accomplishments and practicum experiences. It contains artifacts that illustrate my proficiency in the key areas of social work practice. Guided by my personal and professional values, my work focuses on empowering individuals and communities in a variety of settings.

Integrative Synchronicity: Learning To Hold The Space Between, Kelsey M. Bogumill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Content Analysis Of Emotional Valence And Engagement In Youtube Comments, Lydia Britton '27

Student Research

This study investigated the relationship between YouTube comment participation and emotional valence. We hypothesized that highly negative-valenced comments would generate higher engagement (likes and replies), based on prior research showing that emotionally intense content drives interaction. Fifty comments from ten popular videos across five categories (shopping, music, gaming, news, and sports) were analyzed using linguistic indicators (language and emojis) and intensifiers (capitalization, exclamation points, profanity). Each comment was assigned a dominant valence and a Likert scale rating. Engagement was measured by likes per view and replies per view. Results showed a negative correlation between emotional valence and replies. Despite trending …

Working Alliance And Subjective Engagement With A Digital Avatar Cbt Platform (Ritch®Cbt): Comparing Young Adults With And Without Co-Occurring Substance Use And Depression, Victoria Pezzino, Cassandra Berbary, Courtney Mckinney, Celeste Sangiorgio, Emi Moriuchi, Korena S. Klimczak, Robert Kay Cooper Jr., Wonkyung Kniffen, Maya Hareli, Cory Crane, Caroline J. Easton

Psychology Student Research

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) can help bridge treatment gaps experienced by young adults with co-occurring substance misuse and depression. However, it remains unclear whether engagement with these interventions differs for young adults with co-occurring conditions compared to those experiencing substance misuse or depression alone. To investigate this issue, we assessed working alliance and subjective engagement with a digital avatar-assisted cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment platform (RITch^®CBT), comparing young adults with substance use, depression, and the co-occurrence of the two. A secondary data analysis was conducted on a sample of 99 young adults aged 18–28 years who presented at …

The Politics Of Sustainability: Corporate Environmental Responsibility And Policy Implications, Andy Tuholski

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This literature review aims to examine how political factors influence corporate environmental responsibility (CER) initiatives and the subsequent policy implications for environmental sustainability. By synthesizing existing research, it will (a) provide a comprehensive overview of the political dynamics that shape CER and highlight the role of policy in promoting sustainable corporate practices; and (b) offer information for policymakers, corporate leaders, and environmental advocates on fostering sustainable corporate practices through informed policymaking.

Exploration Of Ai-Based Method Feedback For Clinical Psychology Skill Development With An Emphasis On Deliberate Practice, Beckham G. Mccord

Honors Theses

Training competent psychotherapists requires substantial time, supervision, and performance-based feedback. However, traditional methods of providing feedback are resource-intensive and difficult to sustain outside of university and research settings. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have created new opportunities to automate aspects of psychotherapy fidelity assessment and provide trainees with more frequent feedback. The present study examines the implementation of Lyssn, an AI-based psychotherapy platform that provides clinical feedback to therapists, in a graduate-level course on Evidence-Based Services. Multiple years of course data were reviewed to evaluate therapist competence, therapist behaviors, and student engagement with AI-generated feedback. Particular emphasis was placed …