Digital Commons Network^™

Online Trolling, Harassment, Misinformation: The Psychological Predictors Of Dark Participation, Randy Kim

Master's Theses

This study aims to examine the reasons why certain individuals engage in “dark participation”, antisocial social participation online involving behavior such as trolling, hate speech, harassment, and spreading disinformation. Online toxicity has increasingly destabilized our ability to engage in socially important discourse online, and trolling has such a strong effect on our environment to the point where the 2016 presidential election was, in part, influenced by online trolls. We theorize that dark participation (DP) will be predicted by high levels of moral disengagement (MD), need for chaos (NFC), and meaninglessness in life (MLN) and self concept clarity (SCC). A series …

The Lived Experiences Of Cisheteronormativity By Nonbinary Sexual Assault Survivors, Emma Jackson Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian …

Perspective-Taking, Self-Talk, And Social Connection: A Phenomenological Study Of How Individual Practices Reduce Loneliness During The Menopausal Years, Sarah Joy Groff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Menopause is a stage of the life cycle known for physical, mental, and emotional changes. Many women report feeling isolated and lonely during this time due to changes in hormones and physical appearance, lack of sleep, uncertainty about their role after raising children, and cultural pressures to remain thin and beautiful. Due to the lack of education and normalization of this life change, women often withdraw and become increasingly depressed or anxious, as a result. Loneliness is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, suicidality, premature death, and a variety of other physical ailments. However, previous research suggests that the …

Research Imitates Life: Researching Within Your Lived Experience, Bethany Donaghy, Delane Linkiewich

Patient Experience Journal

This personal narrative article seeks to bring awareness to and provide an overview of the various aspects that come with being a lived experience researcher including the host of benefits and challenges that come with conducting research within one's own area of lived experience. Throughout this narrative, we (Bethany Donaghy, an autistic person, and Delane Linkiewich a person living with chronic pain) share our perspectives on what it is like to be lived experience researchers. Our narratives discuss how the many identities we hold both improve the impact and relevance of our research while also posing challenges for us like …

A Social Ecology Model For Social Determinants Of Health As Psychosis Risk Factors, Katie Beck-Felts

Theses and Dissertations

Social determinants of health (SDOHs) significantly impact psychosis risk beyond heritability. However, there is a need for an organizing framework to observe how these diverse elements concurrently predict psychosis risk. This study examines SDOHs as psychosis risk factors using a four-level model, aligned with Bronfenbrenner's social ecology theory. The study aims to assess the proposed model’s ability to predict psychosis risk. Specifically, it is hypothesized that each socioecological level of the model would predict psychosis risk with more proximal SDOHs (e.g., individual level vs community) exhibiting stronger predictive power, aligning with Social Ecology theory. College students (N = 210) completed …

Five A Day, The Rainbow Way: A Nutrition Education Toolkit For Elementary School Aged Children, Sasha Menard

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Learning Outcome: Develop a nutrition educational toolkit based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) for obesity prevention among elementary school-aged children by improving determinants of fruit and vegetable intake.

Background: Poor consumption of fruits and vegetables is a major contributing factor to childhood obesity, increasing the risk for chronic diseases later in life. There is a need for multicomponent nutrition educational tools to influence children to improve their eating behavior by increasing their awareness and self-efficacy. The current project describes the development of a 3-component toolkit for improving participants’ knowledge and values related to fruit and vegetable intake among 6-11-year-olds.

Methods: …

Recidivism: Putting A Stop To The Revolving Door, Kathy Crowder Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism is a powerfully adverse factor in the lives of individuals who seek to reintegrate into society and the community at large. In this qualitative research, former inmates who were successfully released and had never been convicted within one year of their release were interviewed to discover the rationale. The research focused on understanding the skills and traits obtained through the Alternative Custody Program that can effectively reduce recidivism. Utilizing a phenomenological design, the purpose of this study was to understand the effects of program participation on the lives of former inmates concerning recidivism. Interviews lasting approximately an hour were …

The Psychological Victimization Of Relational Bullying Among The Lgbtqia+ Population, Erika Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem in this study was the lack of research conducted on the psychological victimization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersexual, asexual, and other (LGBTQIA+) individuals who may have experienced relational bullying by other sexual minorities. Unfortunately, relational bullying is not viewed as being as detrimental as physical, verbal, and cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to explore sexual minorities’ experiences with relational bullying at the hands of other sexual minorities. Research has shown that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience physical, verbal, and cyberbullying behavior from their family, friends, and peers. However, there was limited research on how they …

Testing The Effect Of Autonomy-Supportive Instructions During Yoga On Autonomy, Competence, And Affective Response, Bree Geary

Psychology Theses and Dissertations

This early-phase intervention development project tested the effect of autonomy-supportive instructional cues during a single yoga session on affective response, perceived autonomy, and perceived competence. Using a between-subjects experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to either an autonomy-supportive intervention condition or a mindfulness-based control condition. During the 30-minute online pre-recorded yoga sessions, affective response was measured immediately before the yoga session, at peak, pre-savasana, and post-savasana. Perceived autonomy and perceived competence were measured immediately after. Multilevel models tested the effects of the autonomy-supportive intervention on primary outcomes (affective response, perceived autonomy, and perceived competence) and secondary outcomes (yoga practice intentions …

Cbt-I Training For The Mental Health Clinician To Deliver Evidence-Based Treatment To Address Impaired Sleep Quality In A Correctional Facility, Huong Madrigal

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Description of the Problem: Insomnia significantly impacts mental and physical well-being, with long-term health effects and considerable healthcare costs. While pharmacological treatments offer temporary relief for some, they do not always provide lasting solutions.

Available Knowledge: A PRISMA-guided literature review found that training programs for cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) are effective in increasing knowledge and confidence for addressing impaired sleep.

Aim and Objectives: This project aimed to enhance mental health clinicians' ability to assess and treat impaired sleep, focusing on implementing a tailored CBT-I educational initiative in a correctional facility.

Intervention: This project implemented evidence-based CBT-I …

A Stepwise Evaluation Of Pairing, Shaping, And Nonremoval Of The Spoon For Children With Autism And Feeding Difficulties, Nicole C. Demchuk

Theses & Dissertations

Feeding difficulties are pervasive for children with autism. The present study investigated the effects of a pairing intervention on cooperation with demands/acceptance of new foods, inappropriate behaviors, proximity to therapist, and indices of happiness for three children with autism and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. When the pairing intervention alone was not effective to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase acceptance of new foods, we implemented shaping procedures. Shaping was effective to increase acceptance of four new foods for two participants. For the third participant, we ultimately implemented nonremoval of the spoon procedures to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase acceptance of …

Peer Support For Second Victims In The Healthcare Setting, Levi Gangi

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Adverse and traumatic events happen regularly in healthcare settings, and often they create a clinician “second victim” who struggles with feelings of guilt, isolation, doubt, and incompetence. Research has shown that clinicians desire support in the wake of such adverse events, but that factors such as stigma, culture of perfection, and lack of an available structured peer program limit the support that might be offered. Healthcare institutions contract with EAP (employee assistance program) agencies to provide counseling for employees, but it is more likely that a second victim will seek out or welcome help first from a peer who shares …

Disability In Cluster Headache Is More Than Attack Frequency – Results From And Validation Of The English Version Of The Cluster Headache Impact Questionnaire (Chiq), Katharina Kamm, Andreas Straube, Mark Burish, Ruth Ruscheweyh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cluster headache (CH) is associated with high disability. The Cluster Headache Impact Questionnaire (CHIQ) is a short, disease-specific disability questionnaire first developed and validated in German. Here, we validated the English version of this questionnaire.

METHODS: The CHIQ was assessed together with nonspecific headache-related disability questionnaires in CH patients from a tertiary headache center and an American self-help group.

RESULTS: 155 active episodic and chronic CH patients were included. The CHIQ showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.93, n = 44). Factor analysis identified a single factor. Convergent validity was shown by …

Educational Experiences Of Juvenile Offenders In Minnesota, Danielle Petruska

Theses and Graduate Projects

Objective of Study. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of positive adult/teacher relationships in juvenile detention educational settings in Minnesota on juvenile offenders’ perceptions of school, as well as their future plans for attending college after high school. Method. Data were obtained from the 2019 administration of the Minnesota Student Survey, involving 280 juvenile offenders (83 girls) from correctional educational facilities. Hypotheses were tested using correlational analyses to examine the relationship between perceived adult/teacher relationships and school perceptions, as well as the association between these relationships and post-high school plans. Results. Results revealed …

Sex Differences In The Diets Of Forest-Dwelling Baboons (Papio Anubis), Kara Hartunian

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to eat and switch between many food sources is an adaptative feeding strategy utilized for meeting nutritional needs across different environments, seasons, and physiological conditions. Baboons (genus Papio) excel at both dietary flexibility and foraging selectively, and consequently have one of the most widespread geographic distributions in the Order. To further expand to our understanding of baboon feeding ecology, I analyzed foraging activity and the nutritional characteristics of the diets of the relatively understudied rainforest baboons (Papio anubis) living in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I also investigated if there are differences in food type choice …

Dyslexia And Proofreading: Examining Error Detection And Cognitive Compensation, Gillian Glasser

Theses and Dissertations

Little is currently known about how well dyslexic readers can recognize written errors in English as compared to typical readers. The current study asked adult monolingual English-speakers (97 typical and 81 dyslexic) to detect spelling errors in isolated words and single-sentence contexts. Outcomes and possible dyslexic compensatory mechanisms are discussed.

Maternal And Other Social Influences On Signature Whistle Structure Of A Captive Group Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Riley Synan

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are social animals that use acoustics as a major method of communicating across a marine environment. They also live in fission-fusion groups and thus interact with many conspecifics over a lifetime. Individual dolphins have a signature whistle that functions as an identity call and serves to maintain group cohesion in murky waters or during reconciliation. Dolphins exhibit vocal learning and the signature whistle of a calf may be modeled after the whistle of their mother or another individual in the pod as they develop. Mother-calf pairs or other related animals sometimes have similar whistle types. Some …

Assessing Comprehension And Competence In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) On The Concept: Do Something Different, Charlotte M. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have been conducted using a training paradigm based on the research of Pryor et al. (1969) wherein the participants are trained on the abstract concept: do something different. This paradigm challenges working memory and requires the participants to respond with a behavior, either previously trained or novel, which has not yet been offered within the session. The work of Braslau-Schneck (1994) expanded this concept and demonstrated the ability of dolphins to successfully complete this task in synchronized pairs, though the method of accomplishing this task remained unclear. The present research was conducted as part of a broader …

Narcissus Goes Digital: The Impact Of Zoom’S Self-View Feature On Cognitive Load And Zoom Fatigue Among Those With High And Low Adhd Symptoms, Abigail Aris Weir

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with ADHD may be more vulnerable to an increased cognitive load during video conferencing (e.g., Zoom) due to the distracting nature of their reflection being displayed by the self-view feature. This feature, however, may also provide stabilizing effects by offering consistent visual feedback for self-monitoring, thus reducing anxiety.

Autism Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression: An Exploration Of Rumination And Camouflaging As Mediating Factors, Emma Wilkinson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A small body of evidence indicates autistic people experience stigma related to autism that predicts mental health outcomes. Among other stigmatized populations, use of emotion regulation process and strategies are mechanisms by which stigma leads to negative outcomes. However, these mechanisms have not yet been explored in relation to autism stigma. In a sample of autistic adults, the present study sought to evaluate whether rumination and camouflaging mediated the relationship between autism stigma and internalizing symptoms utilizing a brief longitudinal design. Participants completed measures of stigma, rumination, camouflaging, and internalizing symptoms at baseline, one month, and two month timepoints. Results …

Clinical Supervision Through A Multicultural Lens: Burnout, Vigor, And Supervisee Quality Of Life, Jacob Alexander Moore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study sought to replicate and extend existing research (Hutman & Ellis, 2020; McNamara et al., 2023) on the relations among perceived clinical supervisor multicultural competency, and physical and psychological quality of life outcomes for supervisees. Utilizing a serial mediation analysis with a sample of 285 mental health supervisees, this study tested the predictive role of multicultural competency (MC) on supervisee quality of life (QoL), as mediated by the supervisor working alliance (SWA) and burnout/vigor (B/V) of the supervisee as a multivariate set, respectively. Multivariate multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the serial mediation hypotheses. Results indicated that …

Associative Stigma Among Criminal Legal Staff: Measurement And Relation To Job Factors, Shania Siebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A sizeable portion of the United States (U.S.) population works within the criminal legal system, and individuals who have legal involvement are a highly stigmatized population. Research suggests working with stigmatized populations can result in the transfer of stigma to professionals, referred to as associative stigma. While qualitative studies indicate there are negative perceptions related to working in criminal legal settings, there is no quantitative research on criminal legal staff’s experience with associative stigma and how it impacts job-related factors. The purpose of this study was to 1) examine the psychometrics of an adapted measure to quantitatively assess associative stigma …

Constructive Memory And Conscious Experience, Daniel L. Schacter, Preston P. Thakral

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Episodic memory relies on constructive processes that support simulating novel future events by flexibly recombining elements of past experiences, and that can also give rise to memory errors. In recent studies, we have developed methods to characterize the cognitive and neural processes that support conscious experiences linked to this process of episodic recombination, both when people simulate novel future events and commit recombination-related memory errors. In this Per-spective, we summarize recent studies that illustrate these phe-nomena, and discuss broader implications for characterizing the basis of conscious experiences associated with constructive memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective.

Cyclical Patterns Of Self-Regulated Learning In College Students, David N. Longhurst

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Zimmerman’s self-regulated learning (SRL) model is a cyclical approach to learning where learners use several processes to facilitate learning or to perform a skill within many domains. Zimmerman’s model describes three phases including forethought, performance, and self-reflection, which occur respectively before, during, and after a task. Theoretically, these phases interact in a cyclical feedback loop in which a person cognitively interacts with a task before, during, and after the activity and continuously do so independently. This model has been the basis for several school-based intervention programs. Those programs have been studied regarding academic outcomes and efficacy; however, less research has …

Volume 26, Issue 2 (Special Issue) -- Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

A Multiagency Approach To Animal Hoarding In Central Iowa, Gary W. Rasmussen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research explored animal hoarding in Iowa using the qualitative method with the resource dependency theory and a case study approach. These cases were studied using multiple sources of information, from media reports in initial locating cases to court documents, to examine the results of each case. It examined how different sized law enforcement agencies’ investigations into these cases impacted the outcomes of the cases in sentencing and the use of mental health evaluations and treatments. It also explored the efficacy of how different sized law enforcement agencies investigated animal hoarding cases. The law enforcement agencies were divided into two …

The Lived Experiences Of African Canadian Custodial Caregivers Of Minors With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Alberta, Canada, Angelina Abong Atsimbom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a broad range of symptoms, skills, impairments, or disability. It is characterized by a persistent deficit in group communication and social interaction, limited behaviors such as walking, and less interest in interacting with others and participating in social events. Existing studies suggest that there are many unique challenges associated with caring for a child with ASD. Despite growing evidence of an increase in diagnosis and greater awareness of the challenges associated with caring for children on the autism spectrum, there remains a gap in the research about the unique experiences of custodial caregivers of minors …

Is There A Relationship Between Media Sources And Public’S Perception On Police?, Rio Mancilla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this research was to understand what type of influence media sources have on the public’s perception of police. To conduct this quantitative research, a survey was distributed to approximately 200 participants who were 21 years of age or older, U.S. citizens, and watched the news regularly or had some interaction with law enforcement. The survey distributed on Survey Monkey included questions pertaining to media consumption and perception of police. The theoretical foundations applied within this research were Gerbner’s cultivation theory, social cognitive theory of mass communication, social procedural justice theory, and social exchange theory. Results reflected that …

Understanding The Challenges To Robotic-Assisted Surgery Adoption From The Perspectives Of The Human-Robot Interaction, Built Environment, And Training, Patrick A. Fuller

All Theses

Introduction: Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is a form of minimally invasive surgery that is increasing in both its adoption and development due to many perceived advantages such as tremor reduction and motion scaling. However, RAS is still relatively new and there are a variety of novel barriers and challenges to the adoption of these platforms. Objectives: This study aims to understand how the integration of RAS platforms impacts the interactions and outcomes of interactions between surgical team members to explore the barriers from three aspects critical to facilitating Robotic-assisted-surgery (RAS) adoption: the human-robotic interaction, built environment, and RAS training. Future …

Exploring Healthcare Chatbot Information Presentation: Applying Hierarchical Bayesian Regression And Inductive Thematic Analysis In A Mixed Methods Study, Samuel Nelson Koscelny

All Theses

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. While contributing to over 691,000 deaths in 2021 alone in the United States (U.S.), it also imposes immense economic burden on the healthcare system, costing approximately $131 billion annually. One way to address this issue is for increased self-care behaviors and medication adherence, both of which require sufficient health literacy. Despite the importance of health literacy, 90% of U.S. adults struggle with health-related subjects. Overcoming the issues associated with health literacy requires addressing the …