Digital Commons Network^™

Social Mobility: What We Haven’T Talked About, Jacinth Tan

Asian Management Insights

More balanced understanding may curb unintended negative outcomes. While social mobility provides opportunities for a better life and societal progress, it can also lead to significant challenges, including burnout from hypercompetitive environments, feelings of isolation due to cultural mismatches, and self-blame stemming from the myth of meritocracy. Strengthening social safety nets and providing supportive environments in educational institutions and workplaces can help mitigate the unintended psychological and social costs of mobility. A nuanced approach to social mobility that acknowledges external systemic and psychological barriers, and fosters inclusivity, is necessary to ensure upward mobility benefits society while lowering the risk of …

Contraceptive Hormone Influences On The Role Of Primary Reinforcement And Reinforcer-Enhancement In Nicotine Self-Administration, Kathleen Robin Mcnealy

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Hormonal contraceptives contain a synthetic estrogen (e.g., ethinyl estradiol/EE) and/or a synthetic progestin (e.g., levonorgestrel/LEVO) and can exacerbate nicotine intake. However, whether altered intake reflects changes in nicotine reinforcement or enhancement by nicotine of co-occurring reinforcers is unknown. This reinforcer-enhancement effect is evidenced in rats when nicotine self-administration is increased by the presence of a visual stimulus (VS) reinforcer. This dissertation examined the effects of EE and LEVO on nicotine reinforcement and reinforcer-enhancement in ovary-intact female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were implanted with a jugular catheter and assigned to receive daily injections of EE (Vehicle, 0.125 [Low], or 0.18 [High] μg/day; …

Beyond Memory: The Transmission Of Trauma, Identity, And Resilience In Grandchildren Of Holocaust Survivors, Harper Gordman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The present study aims to investigate how third-generation Holocaust survivors (3G) articulate and experience intergenerational trauma. By conducting narrative interviews with five third-generation survivors, six main themes emerged: (1) Early Awareness and Understanding, (2) Transmission of Trauma, (3) Family Communication Patterns, (4) Identity Formation and Jewish Connection, (5) Responsibility to Preserve Memory, and (6) Contemporary Relevance. The participants communicated experiencing anxiety and protective behavioral patterns likely linked to their family history, while also developing high levels of resilience. Many reported feeling a great personal responsibility to preserve their family’s stories and experience a deep connection to their Jewish identity. Although …

Investigating The Effect Of Full And Partial Social Media Abstinence On Fear Of Missing Out And Well-Being Outcomes: A Daily Diary Experimental Approach, Andree Hartanto, K Tennakoon Appuhamillage Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Meenakshi Kothari, A. Y. H. Goh, Frosch Yi Xuan Quek, Nadyanna M. Majeed

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With social media deeply embedded in our daily lives, there is an ongoing debate about its potential negative impact on well-being outcomes. Several lines of correlational research suggest that social media use is associated with reduced well-being. However, these findings are preliminary, heavily relying on cross-sectional data. To address this limitation, our study implemented an experimental paradigm that manipulated varying degrees of social media abstinence and assessed fear of missing out, as well as multiple well-being outcomes, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, perceived stress, affective states, loneliness, sleep quality, and cognitive failures. A total of 280 regular social media …

The Impact Of Childhood Sexual, Physical And Emotional Abuse And Neglect On Suicidal Behavior And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Systematic Review Of Meta-Analyses, Alicia Y. Y. Chia, Andree Hartanto, Tse Shuen Wan, Shauna Sha Min Teo, Lester Sim, K. T. A. Sandeeshwarar Kasturiratna

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Self-injurious thoughts and behavior, encompassing suicidal ideation, attempts and non-suicidal self-injury, represent a critical global health concern. Amidst the multifaceted nature of these behaviors and the various underlying risk factors, childhood maltreatment emerges as significant risk factor. The current umbrella review synthesizes literature across diverse geographical regions including Africa, Asia & Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, Latin America and Oceania incorporating findings from 24 meta-analyses that cumulatively analyze 81 effect sizes. The review reveals a consistent association between various forms of childhood maltreatment and an increased risk of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors across different populations. Importantly, our findings show …

Women Residential Substance Use Treatment Program: A Quantitative Study Measuring Treatment Perceptions And Spiritual Experience Across Multiple Demographics., Michelle Davidson

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

WOMEN RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT PROGRAM: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY MEASURING TREATMENT PERCEPTIONS AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE ACROSS MULTIPLE DEMOGRAPHICS

Michelle Davidson, LCSW

March 24, 2025

Substance use disorders (SUD) present complex challenges that necessitate comprehensive and personalized treatment approaches, particularly for women. Historically, SUD treatments have been predominantly driven by male treatment approaches, often neglecting the unique needs and experiences of women. This cross-sectional quantitative survey study explores the relationship between the variables of client treatment perceptions and spiritual experiences among women in residential treatment for their SUDs. This study utilizes the Treatment Perception Survey and Spiritual Experience Index-Revised to …

Ubuntu In Namibia And Kenya: How Emerging Adults Live An Essential African Value Today, Julia S. Rotzinger, Lene Arnett Jensen, Amber Gayle Thalmayer

Psychology

Psychology in Africa often relies on Euro-American theories, despite their limitations in African cultures. Here, a shift to an Afrocentric perspective was made by exploring Ubuntu in two sub-Saharan African countries using a cultural-developmental psychology approach for in-depth emic understanding. Ubuntu (also known as botho, etc.) is a moral ideal that at core means placing a higher importance on the community than on oneself. Most literature on this important African concept has been theoretical rather than empirical, and little is known about how well it describes contemporary worldviews and experiences of emerging adults. In this interview study, Namibian and Kenyan …

Development And Validation Of The Youth Programs-Community Education Environment Scale (Yp-Cees), Francesca Adler-Baeder, Alyssa Mcelwain, Julianne Mcgill, Kim Gregson

Journal of Youth Development

The current study focused on establishing the factor structure, reliability, discriminant validity, and construct validity of the Youth Programs – Community Education Environment Scale (YP – CEES) using a large diverse sample of 1,969 youth participating in relationship education programs in multi-session workshops facilitated by trained facilitators. Six subscales were developed based on the extant literature: facilitation quality, facilitator-participant relationship quality, cofacilitator relationship quality, facilitator coregulation skills, individual connection, and group engagement. Cronbach’s alpha reliability indicated high reliabilities for the total scale and the subscales. Confirmatory factor analyses established the factor structure with good model fit for a 6-factor measure. …

The Role Of Mthfr Gene Mutation In Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Exploring Potential Correlations With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Anxiety, Heba Mehmood

All NMU Master's Theses

One of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is often co-occurring with symptoms of depression and anxiety. The misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of ADHD is agreed to be a prevalent problem. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been identified as a possible contributor to ADHD. The goal of this research is to decrease the frequency at which ADHD is misdiagnosed by investigating the correlation between the MTHFR gene at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) C677T to ADHD and anxiety. A group of 80 participants’ DNA samples were collected through cheek swabs following IRB approval. Participants …

Role-Ing While Bipoc: Understanding The Experiences Of Table Top Role Playing Game Players Of Color, Jordan K. Posey

Dissertations

In 2015, controversy surrounded the interactive computer game Mission US: Flight to Freedom. The game was unveiled as an accessible way to teach about American chattel slavery by mixing elements normally associated with roleplaying games (RPGs), Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs), and social studies curriculum. The conversations surrounding the game exemplify the complicated history of RPGS/TTRPGs and the limitations of gamification in educational settings. This qualitative study aimed to analyze aspects of gaming culture through a critical race lens by documenting the experiences of Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) players identifying as Black, Indigenous, and a Person of Color (BIPOC). Using a …

Sparks And Developmental Outcomes In Out-Of-School Time Programs: Emipirical Evidence And Theory Development, Alexandra Skrocki, Gary D. Ellis, Andrea Ettekal, Darlene Locke

Journal of Youth Development

We examined relations among select components of the 4-H Thriving Model, focusing on youth sparks and four presumed determinants: program quality, developmental relationships, situational engagement, and dosage. Based on our results and results of previous studies, we propose a formal theory of youth program sparks. Three hundred fifty-six Texas 4-H youth from a variety of 4-H programs state-wide completed a questionnaire measuring sparks, program quality, developmental relationships, situational engagement, and 4-H program dosage. We measured two indicators of thriving: growth mindset and hopeful purpose. Sixty-eight percent of study participants reported being female, 28% reported being male, 1% reported being nonbinary/third …

Recent Stressful Life Events And Perceived Stress As Serial Mediators Of The Association Between Adverse Childhood Events And Insomnia, Grant Benham, Ruby Charak, Ines Cano-Gonzalez, Joceline Mena Teran, Jordan Kenemore

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Insomnia is common in college students and linked to poorer mental and physical health. There is growing evidence that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may contribute to insomnia in adulthood. However, beyond the need for additional replication of these findings, there is a need to identify underlying mechanisms that plausibly connect the two experiences. Based on a serial mediation model, the current study examined the role of two theoretically informed mediators: recent stressful life events and perceived stress. A cross-sectional survey of 2,218 college students at a large university in the southwestern United States was conducted between August 2020 and December …

Sources Of Well-Being And Cardiovascular Health: A Mixed Methods Investigation From The Midus Study, Julia K. Boehm, Monica Adams, Jennifer Morozink Boylan

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Methods

Organizational Health Psychology: A Compilation Of Open Access Research For Future Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, Caitlin Lapine

Open Touro Created

2025

Organizational Health Psychology: A Compilation of Open Access Research for Future Industrial-Organizational Psychologists is a text designed for industrial organizational psychology graduate students and organizational practitioners working to make the workplace better for all employees. This open educational resource provides important scholarly journal articles that describe current findings in the occupational health space, including research conducted on the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on current work.

The Flourishing Child: Understanding How Adults And Children Perceive Flourishing From The Start Of Life, Jacqueline A. Davis, Belinda Davey, Emily Segers, Zenobia Talati, Desiree Silva, Susan L. Prescott, Lisa Y. Gibson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The current narrative surrounding children’s health and wellbeing often focuses on adversity and dysregulation with a lack of positive messaging. However, promoting protective and buffering factors may be as important as reducing adverse exposures. While the concept of flourishing is commonly applied in the context of adults, defining what flourishing means for children in current academic literature remains unclear. Our study addressed this gap by undertaking a grounded theory approach and consulting extensively with consumers and key stakeholders, both adults and children. This enabled us to elucidate a conceptual framework and identify determinants, as well as to examine perceived barriers …

Self-Perception As A Predictor Of Eating Disorder Severity In A Residential Sample Of Women And Girls With Eating Disorders, Emily M. Bowers, Julie M. Petersen, Tera Lensegrav-Benson, Benita Quakenbush, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions with significant negative health outcomes, high mortality rates, and comorbid mental health conditions. Despite many available interventions for eating disorders, treatment remains challenging due to the difficulty in maintaining treatment gains. Understanding effective treatment processes is crucial. This study aimed to examine the role of self-perception components in predicting eating disorder severity in a residential sample of women and girls. Participants (N = 175) completed measures assessing eating disorder severity, self-kindness, self-judgment, and self-esteem at admission. Correlational analyses and structural equation modeling were used to explore these relationships. Results indicated that self-judgment and …

An Evaluation Of Durability During And Following Delay-And-Denial Tolerance Teaching, Kendall M. Kastner, Stephanie Hood, Daniel R. Mitteer

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Across five treatment applications, we evaluated two forms of treatment relapse (renewal, resurgence) with a version of functional communication training known as delay-and-denial tolerance teaching. Renewal of challenging behavior following a context change occurred for most treatments, but challenging behavior did not increase to clinically significant levels in most cases. Resurgence of challenging behavior following decrements in alternative reinforcement occurred only in two of five extinction tests when communication responses were placed on extinction. Omitting alternative activities during extinction tests led to an appreciable increase in resurgence for one of the three participants who did not display resurgence initially. Despite …

Positive Outcomes Of Out-Of-School Time Activity Participation For Youth: A Pattern-Centered Approach, Alexandra Sandoval, Edmond P. Bowers

Journal of Youth Development

Youth participation in community-based, structured out-of-school time programs (OST) has been found to promote positive developmental outcomes by providing youth with resources to build interpersonal relationships and essential life skills. The increasing prevalence and multiplicity of youth participation in these activities leads us to expand the research evidence regarding the relation between program participation and positive youth development, with a focus on identifying nuanced patterns of OST participation that consider the breadth and frequency of activities across different types of programs. We apply this pattern-centered approach to analyzing how and for whom these activities may promote youth academic competence and …

Metacognition And The 5cs Of Positive Youth Development Programs: A Review Of Metacognitive Interventions, Omolola A. Odejimi, Leslie F. Clark

Journal of Youth Development

Positive youth development (PYD) programs have increased positive outcomes for adolescents, however research on the underlying change processes in these programs remains limited. The 5Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring and Connection) of PYD are a framework of desirable outcomes for youth programs. Change to metacognition is proposed as a mechanism by which PYD programming accomplishes these outcomes. This review describes findings from metacognitive interventions with PYD-relevant outcomes in adolescents aged 10-24. Fifteen electronic databases were searched using keyword phrases related to “metacognitive intervention” and “adolescents”. Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. Included studies addressed 2 of the 5 goals of PYD …

Development Of A Comprehensive Social-Emotional Learning Questionnaire For Elementary After-School Physical Activity Programs, Kelly L. Simonton, Mengyi Wei, Pamela Kulinna, Allison Poulos

Journal of Youth Development

Afterschool settings have continued to be identified as an ideal outlet for supporting youth development in many arenas, including physical activity (PA) behaviors and social emotional learning (SEL) skills. In fact, PA centered programs are ideal settings for youth to 8 develop and practice SEL skills in authentic ways. However, there a several issues as it relates to understanding the impact of said programs. This includes reliable measures of youth perceptions of their SEL skills, the diverse ability of learners who may attend these programs, and the age range of learners. Given the realities of evaluating youth development in real-world …

Job Demands And Resources: A Look At The Vha Workforce To Support Dod Goals, Anthony J. Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationships between job demands, job resources, burnout, turnover intention, and workplace attitudes among employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) through the lens of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. The findings reveal both expected and novel insights. Consistent with prior research, the study confirms that excessive job demands, without enough resources to balance then, lead to burnout. This, in turn, increases turnover intention and negatively affects how employees view leadership and the work environment. A significant discovery, however, challenges conventional assumptions: favorable job demands were positively correlated with turnover intention, suggesting that employees in favorable roles …

An Agent-Based Modeling Framework For Evaluating The Linkage Between Disaster Facility Damage And Mental Health, Emily S. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

This research establishes a novel agent-based modeling framework to establish the linkage between disaster-induced facility damage and mental health outcomes and the evaluation of treatment methods within the civilian and USAF mental health spheres. The study models the degradation and recovery of agent mental health using simulated data and evaluates the efficacy of three distinct treatment approaches through statistical methods. The methodology integrate agent-based modeling with resilient engineering concepts to simulate mental health resilience curves based on vulnerability, exposure, and facility damage. Agents’ mental health indices were tracked through phases of degradation, stagnation, and recovery based on the three treatments …

An Analysis Of Supervisor Job Satisfaction During Telework In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corey L. Rucker

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped workplace practices, accelerating the adoption of telework. This study examines the job satisfaction of supervisors in telework environments, focusing on qualitative analysis of survey responses from 41 supervisors in the Department of Defense (DoD). Through thematic analysis, the research identifies key factors influencing supervisor satisfaction. These themes include flexibility, communication challenges, resource gaps, and the unique stressors of managing remote teams. Findings reveal that while telework offers benefits such as improved work-life balance and productivity, it also presents challenges like reduced team cohesion, blurred work-home boundaries, and difficulties in performance management. Grounded in Herzberg’s Two-Factor …

Lived Experiences Of Rural Female Veterans Seeking Mental Health Counseling, Tina Marie Tarryk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 20 years, the number of female veterans in the United States has doubled. Research has shown a gap in the literature regarding the lived experiences of female veterans seeking mental health care services in rural areas. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of female veterans seeking mental health services in rural areas. A hermeneutic phenomenological theoretical framework through the lens of health care utilization theory was used to guide the study. Nine women meeting the inclusion criteria of being a veteran, being 18 years or older, having at least 2 …

A Qualitative Look At The Impact Of Animal-Assisted Therapy On The Lived Experiences Of Recovery Home Residents With Co-Occurring Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders, Philip M. Papoojian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a commonly used intervention strategy for addressing psychiatric disorders comorbid with substance use in Europe but is a rarely used intervention in North America. As substance abuse continues to rise in contemporary Western culture, particularly in the United States, new interventions, including AAT, need to be considered. Cannabis abuse and opioid abuse are often comorbid with other psychiatric disorders such as alcoholism, general anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD. The combination of these factors can stunt developmental processes. This study was designed as a qualitative exploration of the lived experiences of male substance users …

Exploring Mental Health, Future Rehabilitation, And Systemic Oppression In Inmates: A Qualitative Study, Vennissica F. Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of systemic oppression in incarcerated inmates, with a focus on their emotional/psychological experience of systemic oppression and how it impacted their willingness to participate in rehabilitation programs. This phenomenological study used elements of the narrative approach to obtain the common themes that surfaced while communicating with the participants and focused on two areas: systemic oppression and how it affected the mental health of inmates and how it affected their willingness to participate in rehabilitation programs. For this purpose, systemic oppression was defined as systemic power used to control others. To …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Individuals With A History Of Dismissive Avoidant Attachment Who Have Earned Attachment Security In Romantic Relationships., Ibukunoluwa Oluwafunmilade Aromolaran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study, guided by John Bowlby’s attachment theory, explored the lived experiences of individuals with a history of dismissive avoidant attachment who have earned attachment security in romantic relationships. Using a qualitative design, the study employed snowball and convenience sampling to enroll eight participants. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed, and thematic coding identified key patterns related to dismissive avoidant attachment and the pathways to earning attachment security. Themes emerged regarding early caregiving experiences, including emotionally distant caregiver, physically absent caregiver, and neglect. In romantic relationships before earning attachment security, participants described themes of avoidance of emotional intimacy, self-sabotage, fear of …

Ethnic Identity And Acculturation: Mental Health Perceptions And Help-Seeking Behaviors Of College-Age Students With Sikh Punjabi Immigrant Parents, Manreet Kaur

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of college-age children of Sikh Punjabi immigrant parents who were considering mental health treatment in Pennsylvania. The theory guiding this study was ethnic identity theory, which was developed by Jean Phinney. There were four research questions addressed: (a) How do college-age children of Sikh Punjabi immigrant parents describe their experiences when considering mental health treatment in Pennsylvania? (b) How do participants describe the impact of their parents’ perceptions regarding mental health when contemplating seeking mental health treatment? (c) How do participants describe their experiences discussing mental health–related topics with …

The Impact Of Economic Stress On Marital Satisfaction, Luis Ventura

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marital satisfaction is considered a common index for measuring the stability and quality of marriages. Various factors have been considered to affect the stability and quality of marriages. In the context of the contemporary world, in which socioeconomic dynamics influence day-to-day existence, economic or financial stress is considered a factor that influences relationships. However, the extent to which economic stress affects relationships is unclear. This study examines the effect that economic stress (through its varied types) has on marital satisfaction. It applies a correlational research design where data is collected using quantitative survey questionnaires on a sample of 80 participants …

Pornography, Problematic Use And Academic Outcomes In College Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Promise Tewogbola, Victoria Bodunde, Deborah Odaudu

Journal of Graduate Education Research

Background: The prevalence of pornography consumption among college students has raised concerns about its potential impact on academic performance. This study aims to examine the relationships between pornography use, academic outcomes, and problematic pornography use among university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 739 students from a Midwestern U.S. state university. Participants completed an online survey assessing demographics, grade point average (GPA), pornography consumption frequency, Academic Success Inventory (ASI) scores, and Problematic Pornography Use (PPU) scale scores. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between variables.

Results: Pornography consumers had 41% lower odds of …