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Latinx Parent Acculturation And Acculturative Stress: Impact On Family Functioning And Youth Well-Being, Julie Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that acculturation and acculturative stress can influence family dynamics and Latinx youth well-being. Guided by the Family Stress Model, the current study aimed to assess a latent measurement model of acculturation and examine the relationship between acculturation and acculturative stress and how acculturative stress is related to family processes and youth adjustment. Data included 898 youth and 630 parents from the SOL Youth study. Structural equation modeling was used to assess a latent two-factor measurement model of acculturation and its relation to parental acculturative stress as well as how parental acculturative stress is related to family functioning …

Different Beliefs About Collective Victimisation Predict Support For Distinct Resistance Strategies: Survey Findings Among The Kurdish Diaspora, Helin Ünal, Johanna Vollhardt

Psychology

People make sense of their group's collective victimisation in different ways. These different collective victimisation beliefs may be linked to distinct resistance strategies against the ingroup's victimisation. However, most studies have only examined a few collective victimisation beliefs and resistance strategies, limited to prototypical collective action and failed to consider which constructs are most relevant for the given context. Addressing these gaps, the present study uses a multimethod approach with findings from a Q methodology study informing a survey study to examine the relationship between context-relevant, understudied collective victimisation beliefs and resistance strategies among Kurds from Turkey and Northern Kurdistan …

The Experience Of Codependency In Young Adult Romantic Relationships, Amanda S. Soares

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of codependency among four young adults (ages 21–24) who had recently exited a codependent romantic relationship. Through in-depth interviews, themes around emotional enmeshment, identity loss, boundary erosion, emotional suppression, and healing were found. Findings indicate that early attachment patterns, trauma, and socialization intersect with emotional vulnerability and self-worth to create conditions ripe for codependent dynamics. Participants describe both the psychological toll of these relationships and the personal growth that followed. These insights contribute to the limited literature on young adult codependency and may inform prevention and intervention …

Cutting Through Stigma: Suggested Best Practices For Aharm Reduction Approach To Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Lindsay Lundeen, Erin Kern Popejoy

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

For many counselors, both topics of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and harm reduction practices can feel intimidating and unclear. Yet, depending on the client, discussion of complete and immediate cessation from NSSI can feel impossible and isolating. This article combines harm reduction principles, a concept initially developed for addiction treatment, with select existing recommendations for NSSI treatment to offer a clinician's guide to best practices for harm reduction implementation with clients engaging in NSSI. By meeting clients where they are and offering a supportive space to brainstorm nontraditional treatment options, counselors can maintain the core principles of the American Counseling Association's …

Atypical Beta Oscillatory Dynamics Are Related To Poor Procedural Learning In Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder, Jarrad A.G. Lum, Kaila M. Hamilton, Li Ann Leow, Welber Marinovic, Ian Fuelscher, Pamela Barhoun, Talitha C. Ford, Aron T. Hill, Samaneh Nahravani, Melissa Kirkovski, Peter G. Enticott, Christian Hyde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Procedural learning difficulties are commonly reported in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), yet the neural basis of this impairment remains unclear. This study addressed this gap by examining the correlation between cortical oscillatory activity and procedural learning of a sequence of finger movements in children with and without DCD. Participants were 19 children with DCD and 38 typically developing (TD) children, with a mean age of 10 years and 3 months. Children completed the Serial Reaction Time task, a standard measure of procedural learning, during which they unintentionally learned a sequence of finger movements. Electroencephalography (EEG) was continuously recorded …

Adapting A Personalized Normative Feedback Intervention For Graduate Student Drinkers, Faith Shank

Theses and Dissertations

On average, graduate students consume eight drinks per week, meeting criteria for heavy drinking and highlighting the need for a cost-effective intervention. The current study examined the efficacy of personalized normative feedback (PNF) for reducing heavy drinking in graduate students. Study 1 examined the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention content to inform a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention. Results from qualitative interviews with 13 graduate students who interacted with the intervention content preferred to receive feedback about peers enrolled in the same type of degree program. Study 2 was an RCT using PNF from peers with the …

Organizational Citizenship Behavior And Intention To Quit: Mediating Role Of Job Burnout Among Call Center Agents In Metro Manila, Philippines, Redmund Joseph D. Tocle

Social Sciences and Development Review

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and turnover intention, with the mediation of job burnout among call center agents in Metro Manila. A total of 175 participants were recruited through snowball sampling and responded to an online survey. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the average levels of OCB, job burnout, and turnover intention among respondents. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationships between these variables, while mediation analysis using the Med-Mod module in JAMOVI assessed the mediating role of job burnout. Results revealed that job burnout fully mediates the relationship between …

A Call For Change: Supporting Children With Tourette Syndrome, Matt Reall

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Tourette Syndrome affects 1 in 100 U.S. children but remains widely misunderstood due to stigma, delayed diagnosis, and media misrepresentation. This neurological disorder is characterized by involuntary tics and often co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Children with Tourette Syndrome face disproportionate challenges in social, academic, and emotional settings—despite having average or above-average intelligence. One-third engage in self-harm, and suicide rates are four times the national average. Peer-education programs like the Tourette Association of America’s Youth Ambassador initiative have shown promise in reducing stigma, but unequal access and weak institutional support limit their impact. This paper calls for early …

Investigating The Relationship Between Social Media Usage, Perceived Stress, Depression And Spirituality, Jeffrey Leyland King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The rapid rise in social media usage (SMU) in the past two decades correlates with a sharp rise in depression (Dep) and self-harm in emerging adults. Many studies have focused on the aspects of diminished well-being, self-harm and suicide, and a possible association between daily spiritual experiences (DSE) and Dep, although there is a paucity of research on DSE to moderate the association. This study was guided by three theories; need-to-belong, social comparison, and cognitive dissonance. The present quantitative study aimed to explore the significance of the association between SMU, perceived stress (PS), and Dep moderated by DSE in emerging …

Throughput Of Ascon Compared With Popular Iot Encryption Algorithms, Mitchel R. Harvey (Ryan), Andrew M. Kaiser, Garrett W. Hoiness

Military Cyber Affairs

No abstract provided.

Using Blockchain Technology To Help Secure America's Defense Critical Infrastructure, Vimal Buck, Aerin Krebs, Brynn Hillard, Jakob Gerha, Joseph Lutma, Srikar Maduposu, Ted Allen

Military Cyber Affairs

Critical water infrastructure in the United States faces increasing cybersecurity threats from state-sponsored actors, with potentially devastating consequences for national security, economic stability, and public health. (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, 2025). This infrastructure supports defense critical assets and is actively being targeted by various state-sponsored hacking groups, which poses a major concern for civilians and military alike. K. Herath (personal communication, February 24, 2025) reported being aware of two attacks on Ohio water systems during his tenure as Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Water is essential to everyday life and defense and presents as a high-value …

Quantifying Adversary Military Forces’ Susceptibility To Cognitive Attacks, Bonnie Rushing, Cole Nelson, Shouhuai Xu, Christofer “Raven” O’Keefe, Olga Karpoyan

Military Cyber Affairs

This paper introduces a method to quantify international populations’ susceptibility to cyber cognitive attacks using press freedom and media trust metrics. We present the Cognitive Influence Calculator, a tool that estimates susceptibility (𝑆) based on Press Freedom Scores (PFS) and media trust levels. Findings show that while authoritarian regimes are harder to reach, successful cognitive attacks have greater impacts due to higher trust in state-controlled narratives. Using U.S. wargaming data and international trust metrics, we compute susceptibility scores for the U.S., Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Results show an inverse relationship between PFS and media susceptibility, with local/allied …

Understanding Russia’S Cyber Policies, Strategies, And Doctrines, Bryan Hancock, Hanh Nguyen, Olga Karpoyan, Ekzhin Ear, Shouhuai Xu

Military Cyber Affairs

This study analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of Russia’s cyber policies, strategies, and doctrines through a systematic set of attributes, leading to key insights: (i) Russia has proactively adapted its cyber policies, strategies, and doctrines to its evolving environment; (ii) Russia actively conducts cognitive warfare, but remains equally vulnerable to it; and (iii) Russia’s cyber posture faces significant challenges, including a limited technological base, shortage of skilled personnel, and restrictive approach to information control, all of which undermine the effectiveness of its strategies. These insights offer valuable implications for US Cyber Command and the Department of Defense.

Characterizing Cyberattacks Against Operational Technology Infrastructures Through The Lens Of Attack Flows, Sherman Kettner, Caleb Chang, Ekzhin Ear, Shouhuai Xu

Military Cyber Affairs

Operational Technology (OT) infrastructures play a critical role in modern society and economy. However, their increasing connectivity with public networks such as the Internet has made them vulnerable to cyberattacks, much like traditional Information Technology (IT) systems. In particular, cyberattacks against OT infrastructures remain relatively underexplored and little understood. In this paper, we aim to deepen our understanding of cyberattacks against OT infrastructures. For this purpose, we propose a methodology, including novel cybersecurity metrics to analyze the attack flows of these attacks in an end-to-end fashion, which allows us to draw useful insights. We demonstrate the utility of the methodology …

Predictive Study Of The Relationship Between Self-Care And Professional Quality Of Life Among Licensed Counselors Impacted By Covid-19, Maria G. Billings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for mental health professionals, significantly increasing burnout and secondary traumatic stress while reducing available resources and limiting opportunities for compassion satisfaction. The purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative survey study was to determine whether self-care engagement predicts levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction among counselors. Grounded in Stamm’s theoretical framework on compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, the Self-Care Assessment Worksheet (SCAW) was used to measure self-care engagement, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-V) was used to assess burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. The sample included 59 licensed …

Lived Experiences Of Black African Non-Denominational Pastor’S Perceptions, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Mental Health, And Their Referral Practice In The United States, Esther Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high frequency of mental health issues within the Black African Christians communities and the insufficient use of mental health resources, was the driving forces for this study. This qualitative study aimed to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and lived experiences of non-denominational Black African pastors on mental health and identified potential barriers to mental health care and create culturally appropriate solutions by investigating their experiences. The theoretical basis of this study was centered on Goffman’s social stigma theory, which was created by Erwin Goffman, the social identity theory (SIT), and the role identity theory, the latter which served as the …

Adapting And Evaluating A Positive Psychology Intervention For Children With Cancer And Their Families, Camryn Legra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods approach in two phases. The first phase entailed adapting an evidence-based positive psychology intervention—the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP; Suldo, 2016)— for children with pediatric cancer. The WBPP has mostly been provided to students at public schools, and to the researcher’s knowledge, has never been used for children with pediatric cancer. To make it culturally appropriate for this group of students, adaptations were made by collecting input and recommendations from a sample of two caregivers of children with pediatric cancer who participated in a focus group. A micro-interlocutor analysis (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2009) was completed …

Food For Thought: Binge Planning Cognitions And Behaviors Within An Online Sample Of Adults With Binge-Type Eating Disorders, Rose H. Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has begun exploring the phenomenon of binge planning, wherein individuals who binge eat do so with forethought, rather than impulsively. What specific thought processes and behaviors comprise binge plans remains unexamined. How, or if, the eating disorder presentations of individuals who plan binges ahead of time differ from those who binge impulsively is also still unknown. The present study sought to explore the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors associated with binge planning, and to identify how the motivations, symptomologies, and personality traits (i.e., impulsivity) differ between binge eaters who do or do not plan their binges. An online study using …

Examining The Impact Of Single-Case Design Graph Characteristics On Decision-Making For School-Based Professionals Within An Mtss Context, Jessica L. Andrews

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research investigating the display of single-case design (SCD) data has demonstrated that graphing characteristics can influence visual analysis and rater interpretations regarding the effect of an intervention. Data-based decision making within school settings, particularly within the framework of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), commonly includes the use of SCD’s to support this process. Despite the push for adherence to a standard assembly for linear graphs, there is no requirement as to how these graphs should be constructed. MTSS team members are often required to make decisions about whether an intervention should be continued (or not), and thus it is important …

Finding Meaning In Loss: The Role Of Attachment Styles, Coping Strategies, And Resilience, Salma Seyam

Theses and Dissertations

Grief is a deeply personal yet universal experience impacted by personal, social, and cultural factors. The present study examines how attachment styles, coping mechanisms, and resilience impact both grief intensity and the ability to find meaning after a loss, within an Egyptian sample. While previous studies have explored the experience of grief, few have looked at these factors within a Middle Eastern cultural context. A total of 140 bereaved Egyptians who experienced the loss of a loved one within the past three years completed standardized measures assessing grief intensity (Prolonged Grief Disorder-Revised; PG-13-R), coping strategies (Brief COPE), meaning-making (Grief and …

Nepaliness As Assemblage: Diasporic Belonging, Colorism, And Caste In The Associational Life Of Nepali Migrants In Florida, Shuvechha Ghimire Sharma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The research fundamentally challenges romanticized ideas of migration—shedding older inequalities, idealizing “leveling up,” and being a part of “unified diasporic communities”—and unmasks a rather uneasy, far more intricate reality: the preexisting sociocultural and political structures and identities are not shed, rather actively reproduced and rigorously, often consciously, reconfigured within the transnational diasporic spaces. As such, the research reveals that Nepali diasporic associations in Florida play a vital role in perpetuating and reshaping social inequalities and contested national identities, significantly impacting transnational dynamics. The work contends that caste hierarchies persist in structuring associational life, influencing participation and resource distribution. Concurrently, colorism …

Do Emotion Malleability Beliefs Buffer Social Ostracism? An Experimental Investigation, Bingjie Tong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social ostracism is linked to adverse psychological outcomes, including increased suicide risk among college students. This study examined a manipulation targeting emotion malleability beliefs and its effect on psychological outcomes after a lab-induced social ostracism task (Cyberball). Psychache, a well-established predictor for suicide risk, was examined as a potential moderator variable. College students (N = 243) were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition, which presented information stating that emotions are malleable, or a neutral control condition. Participants in the experimental condition reported a greater increase in beliefs about emotional malleability, greater use of cognitive reappraisal, and less perceived burdensomeness …

Heightened Risk: Childhood Trauma And Anticipatory Grief Exacerbate The Impact Of Loneliness On Depressive Symptoms And Lps-Stimulated Cytokines In Dementia Caregivers, Kelly N. Brice, Jensine Paoletti-Hatcher, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Vincent D. Lai, Daniel L. Argueta, Michelle A. Chen, Itee Mahant, Bryan T. Denny, Charles Green, Luis D. Medina, Multiple Additional Authors

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dementia spousal caregivers are at a disproportionate risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Loneliness is associated with depressive symptoms and proinflammatory cytokine production among caregivers. Additionally, childhood trauma, anticipatory grief, and poor sleep quality are all associated with enhanced stress reactivity. This study used a cross-sectional design to investigate whether loneliness is associated with proinflammatory cytokine production and depressive symptoms in caregivers, and whether these relationships are strongest among caregivers who report high levels of childhood trauma, high amounts of anticipatory grief, or poor sleep quality. A sample of 111 dementia spousal caregivers provided blood samples and completed …

Examining Family Accommodation In Early Childhood, Allison Smith Dupre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between parent and child anxiety is well established. One factor that may account for this relationship is family accommodation (how family members alter their behavior to alleviate child distress). Family accommodation has been studied in child anxiety for the past decade and has been linked to increased parent and child anxiety. However, little research has focused on a young sample without clinical elevations of anxiety. Acknowledging the impact of family accommodation on child anxiety, the strong link between parent anxiety and accommodation, and the importance of early intervention, this study aimed to expand the literature of family accommodation …

“There Is Nothing”—Exploring Diagnostic And Service Access For Autistic Individuals In Uruguay: A Qualitative Study, Maria Montenegro, Gabriela Garrido, Leyla Feize, Liza Talavera-Garza, Bianca T. Villalobos, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Due to the higher autism research presence of higher-income countries, the known social and cultural experiences of families raising a child with autism are centered on their realities. This narrative overlooks the experiences of many families who do not fit this archetype, such as those residing in low- and middle-income countries, who are particularly challenged by the limited availability of trained professionals and barriers to accessing diagnosis and evidence-based treatments. That is the case in Latin American countries, such as Uruguay, where the present project transpires. By utilizing a Theory of Change framework, specifically developed to be used in low- …

African American Women Veterans’ Lived Experience Of Barriers To Seeking Access To Mental Health Treatment, Aaliyah Shakirah Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women veterans' race and gender present challenges as the compounded nature of the racism and sexism they experience creates specific barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment. Much of the research to date has focused on the interconnections between African American women veterans' state of mental health and their experiences in the military; however, their lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment has remained unexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore African American women veterans' lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment to better …

Psycho-Analysis Will Not Save Us: Reflections On The Gen Z Mental Health Crisis, Victor Dubitans

Middle Voices

Generation Z (born between 1997 – 2012) is characterized as having both unprecedented mental health awareness and unprecedented mental distress. An apparent contradiction with troubling implications for the mental health field: Either the response to the mounting crisis has been insufficient or the field forms part of the problem. Taking seriously Wilks’ (2023) criticism of “therapeutic overreach” of the contemporary mental health field in the lives and development of youth, this paper attempts a selfanalysis and moral inventory about the field’s potential complicity in the crisis and in the history of hysteria. Lacan’s writings on the “analyst’s discourse” are considered …

The Role Of Neuroscience In Mental Health Management Within The Adhd Population, Kadi Rae Smith

University Honors Theses

Neuroscience-based educational interventions play a role in the management of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), including the regulation of ADHD-correlated depression and anxiety. Existing research shows that elevated rates of depression correspond to anxiety within the ADHD community; approximately 8.83% of the global population. Social ostracization and isolation are established contributors to depression and anxiety which are commonly comorbid with ADHD. The need exists for further investigation of the beneficial impact that an accurate, biological understanding of how the brain works has on the mental health of the ADHD population, and by extension their families, education systems, and medical industries. …

Developmental Consequences Of Benevolent Sexism: How Awareness Can Change Women’S Lives, Bianca F. Brenes Rojas

Student Works

Benevolent forms of sexism become increasingly evident as society evolves, making everyday sexism more challenging to recognize and confront (Feigt et al., 2022; Watson et al., 2018). When unaware, benevolent forms of sexism can adversely affect women’s self-esteem, create feelings of inferiority, and may potentially increase women’s psychological stressors (Becker & Swim, 2011; Becker & Wright, 2011; Moradi & Subich, 2004). According to the ambivalent sexism theory, benevolent forms of sexism, while expressed in a positive tone, can potentially affect women due to the underlying belief that women are inferior to men (Glick & Fiske, 1996). Some women perceive benevolent …

Therapists’ Inclusion Of Forgiveness During Cognitive Processing Therapy For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Marybeth Goodman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated whether the inclusion of an evidence-based forgiveness therapy during a course of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) improved the efficacy of the treatment. This quasi-experimental, quantitative study examined 201 completed episodes of care from CPT-trained and rostered clinicians. Participants were divided into two groups. Group one contained clinicians who used no less than 46 minutes of an evidence-based forgiveness therapy intervention (n = 102), and group two (n = 99) contained clinicians who did not utilize an evidence-based forgiveness intervention. Pre- and post-treatment PTSD symptom severity was measured using the PTSD Checklist for …