Digital Commons Network^™

Psychological Impacts In Exercise Riders And Professional Jockeys Following Injury, Kelley M. Renner

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

One of the most well-known equestrian sports, horse racing, is not only a cornerstone of Kentucky’s economy, but also a vital part of its culture, with professional jockeys playing an essential role in the local communities and traditions that define the state. Despite its popularity and financial impact, mental health challenges within the sport have continually been shrouded in silence and ignored in research (Ball et al., 2007). Equally concerning is the high injury prevalence, and psychological impact of these injuries (e.g., psychological distress, depression, anxiety, loss of identity, and self-esteem (King et al., 2022; Losty et al., 2019; McConn-Palfreyman …

Cultural Identity In Mental Health Services And Helpseeking Behaviours Among African International Students, Mark Ofosu Asirifi

Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation stress impacts international students’ psychological well-being and academic success, yet research on African students remains limited. For African international students, this stress is intensified by cultural stigma surrounding mental health services, deterring help-seeking due to fears of judgment and ostracization. This identity negotiation complicates their willingness to access support, reinforcing cultural barriers to mental health care. This study explores how cultural identity shapes the mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors of African international students in the United States. Grounded in the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and the Health Belief Model (HBM), the research examines how acculturative stress, stigma, …

A New Theater For Age-Old Social Patterns: An Exploratory Study Of Interpersonal Dynamics And The Overlay Of Gender Within Ai Companionship, Miriam Wolff

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) companions fundamentally shifts the landscape of interpersonal communication, introducing artificial entities as relational partners rather than mere facilitators of human-to-human interaction. This exploratory study examines the interplay of machine gendering, self-disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and interpersonal satisfaction within human-AI interactions. Participants engaged in conversations with gendered AI companions through the program Replika, completed structured surveys, and participated in qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that users' willingness to self-disclose was influenced by their perceptions of AI responsiveness, while gendered characteristics of AI significantly shaped user expectations and communication patterns. Specifically, users often attributed distinct personality …

The Impact Of Ableist Microaggressions On The Supervisory Relationship And The Influence Of Burnout And Self-Efficacy, Berenice Contreras

Theses and Dissertations

Disabled graduate students often report experiences of ableist microaggressions in their training environment, as disability-affirming practices tend to be overlooked in higher education institutions (Kattari et al., 2019; Lund et al., 2020). Ableist microaggressions are verbal, nonverbal, and/or environmental messages that relay derogatory messages toward individuals with disabilities and normalize everyday forms of discrimination enacted toward them (Annamma et al., 2013; Kattari et al., 2019). Studies demonstrate that disabled graduate students in health psychology graduate programs report higher exposure to ableist experiences during pre internship training and supervision compared to other stages of graduate training (Lund et al., 2014; Lund …

The Role Of Ethnic-Racial Centrality On Exposure To Microaggressions And The Mental Health And Academic Success Of Second-Generation Latiné Adolescents, Lisette Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

People holding racially minoritized identities are frequently subjected to racial-ethnic microaggressions, a form of everyday racism and discrimination. Acculturative stress and microaggressions have a direct impact on immigrants' mental health (Gee et al., 2007; Finch & Vega, 2003; Hovey, 2000). The increase in conservative immigration policies has led to increased anti-immigrant sentiments and microaggressions (Sissoko & Nadal, 2021). The impact of microaggressions can detrimentally affect psychological and physiological wellbeing, as well as academic performance and cognitive function (Solórzano & Pérez Huber, 2020). Because of their experiences with discrimination, Latino children may become more aware of biases in their social interactions …

Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study, Yasmin A. Odeh

Theses and Dissertations

Problem: The shift from a focus on rehabilitation to the more punitive, “tough on crime” approach to illegal behavior in the U.S. has been enacted in no small way by policies connected to the use and abuse of drugs. The disparities between crack and powder cocaine—two chemically similar substances—have headlined this shift (Vagins and McCurdy 2006). However, research is scarce on laypeople’s approval of deterrence approaches for drug offenses, including as a function of types (e.g., powder vs. cocaine possession). This study examined people’s perceptions of prosecutorial decisions for drug offenders—whether they are punished, rehabilitated, or both—and whether people perceived …

Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are many parallels between two seemingly disparate forms of non-verbal communication: the waggle dance of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and human kinesic signaling systems. Through a comparative semiotic analysis, this research aims to conduct a comparative semiotic analysis, investigating structural and functional similarities between these communication methods, challenging anthropocentric assumptions about meaning making in the natural world. This research employs a meta-synthesis approach, drawn from a methodological literature review to examine historical representations of bee-human relationships, semiotics of non-verbal communication, and the specific mechanisms of the waggle dance and human kinesics. This methodology involves systematic categorization and analysis of extracted …

From Vinyl To Viral: Evaluating The Mere Exposure Effect Through Music And Technological Advancements, Ariana R. Deboo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Mere Exposure Effect (MEE) refers to a psychological pattern in which a person develops preference for a stimulus that has been repeatedly presented to them. The present study examined environmental influences of preference through repeated exposure to music. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Reels, and Shorts influence where people listen to music. The fast-paced consumption algorithm for new media is provided by quick, entertaining videos that allow users to scroll past content that does not keep their attention. A total of 406 participants (n=406) were involved in this study. The purpose for this study was to identify how …

The Impact Of Religiosity On Political Knowledge Among Youth Voters, Norah Sackett

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As political engagement trends among young voters have continued to shift in the United States' political atmosphere, understanding the cognitive factors that influence these decisions is becoming increasingly important. Political efficacy, or the feeling that individual political action can impact the political process, impacting their civic duties, has long been regarded as a key determinant of an individual's political engagement. This study investigates how young voters' understanding of prominent political arguments relates to their sense of political efficacy, with a specific lens on individual religiosity.

Through an examination of this relationship between religiosity and overall comprehension of political arguments, this …

Users' Trust Perceptions Of Ai Search Results, Leilani J. Cordoves

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Utilizing a repeated measure design, this experiment analyzes users’ perceptions of artificial intelligence embedded within search engines compared to traditional linked search engines in various contextual situations. The purpose of this study is to find the differences in confidence for differing search methods and the variables of trust that lead to these perceived differences. Using screenshots of AI overview search results and linked search results, we asked participants questions of confidence and human-computer trust to gauge their perceptions of the varying search methods. We find evidence of a significant interaction effect in confidence scores between the search method and the …

Investigating The Consequences Of Workplace Violence Among Certified Nurse Assistants, Daniela Florez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Workplace violence is one of the most prevalent issues in healthcare, negatively affecting the physical and emotional well-being of nursing professionals. The present study investigated the role of workplace violence in adverse outcomes for Certified Nursing Assistants. Specifically, the research aimed to examine its association with six key outcomes: (1) turnover intention, (2) burnout, (3) compassion fatigue, (4) secondary traumatic stress, (5) job satisfaction, and (6) work engagement. A cross-sectional approach was used. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5, the Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale, the Work Well-being Inventory, the Workplace Violence Scale, the …

The Role Of Social Media And Acculturation In Body Comparison, Body Dissatisfaction, And Eating Pathology Among Hispanic And Latinx Individuals, Mariana Ortega

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Eating disorders are a group of mental health conditions that are characterized by complex etiologies. The development of eating disorders varies across each individual and their personal background. The current study examined the relationship between levels of acculturation and daily social media use on the presence of body comparison, body dissatisfaction, and eating pathology in Hispanic and Latinx individuals. The aim of this study is to investigate how these factors may lead to a unique etiology of disordered eating, specific to this ethnic group. The current study consisted of two phases. The first phase determined participant eligibility by confirming ethnic …

Repressed Memories And The Body Keeps The Score: Public Perceptions And Prevalence, Kris-Ann S. Anderson, Quincy C. Miller, Deryn Strange, Kamala London

Publications and Research

The “memory wars” resurgence has renewed debates over the validity of repressed memories. This revival appears linked to factors such as changing statutes of limitations, confusion about repression, and unchallenged social media content. In a nationally representative online survey of American adults (N = 1581), we examined (a) beliefs in repression and the body keeps the score, (b) the prevalence of recovered memory claims, and (c) the impact of question phrasing on recovered memory reporting. An overwhelming 94% of respondents expressed belief in repressed memory, and 77% endorsed the idea that the body keeps the score. Additionally, 3.6% (n = …

Leadership Perceptions Of Employee Identity: How Leaders Facilitate An Inclusive Environment, Arian Sullivan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Workers spend one-third of their lives at work. Therefore, they deserve to work for organizations that focus on equity and inclusion. Despite laws that aim to protect employees, workers still experience discrimination. This thesis explores how leaders perceive their role in fostering an inclusive culture that encourages employees to bring forward workplace concerns. Through qualitative interviews with locally recognized leaders, this study examines how inclusion is understood and enacted in leadership practices. While participants largely demonstrated inclusive leadership values such as shared perspectives, worker empowerment, and collaboration, I found that participants spoke of their employees in terms of personality traits …

Juvenile Arthritis, Body Image, And Disordered Eating: An Exploration Of Experiences, Katelyn Ann Melcher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This qualitative study examined eating and body experiences among youth with juvenile arthritis (JA). JA, an autoimmune condition affecting nearly 300,000 youth in the United States, poses significant challenges including chronic pain, disability, and psychological concerns such as anxiety and depression. Adolescence is a critical developmental time for body image and disordered eating concerns to emerge. However, no qualitative research has explored the interactions of JA, body image, and eating behaviors among youth. Twelve youth with a JA diagnosis participated in a semistructured qualitative interview examining their experiences with JA and their feelings about their bodies and food as they …

Eros And The Sublime: Tools For Reaching Toward An Altered Ecological Consciousness, Aineka Carlson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis explores connections between the Kantian sublime and Anne Carson’s ideas regarding “eros.” Since Kant’s Critique of Judgement was published in 1790, the Kantian sublime has grown in popularity and been utilized by theorists and creative writers alike. While the Kantian sublime is often associated with nature in popular culture, there are certain egocentric and phallocentric elements of this mode of thinking that might inhibit a biocentric mindset. Through a character study of Oryx from Margaret Atwood’s novel Oryx and Crake, this thesis draws relations between the subjugation of women, nature, and the ways in which the popularized …

Community Resilience Factors For Gsm Individuals: Considering The Roles Of Transgender Identity And Age, Benny Ilac

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Gender and sexual minority (GSM) individuals face a variety of health disparities, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use. One explanation for the presence of these health disparities is the minority stress model, which suggests that proximal (internal) and distal (external) experiences of minority stressors contribute to poorer health outcomes in GSM populations. An important yet understudied component of this model is resilience, which acts as buffer against the negative impacts of minority stressors. Focus on community resilience factors, as opposed to individual resilience factors, may be particularly important in GSM populations in reducing the onus placed on …

Increasing Nature Connection And Decreasing Climate Change Distress In An Indigenous Population: The Development Of A Traditional Ecological Knowledge Intervention Framework, Olathe Antonio

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Research suggests that nature connection is positively correlated with pro-environmental behaviors, concern for the climate, general wellbeing, and subjective levels of climate change distress. Few research studies have examined how to increase nature connectedness without increasing psychological distress. Such research is especially important for those who are disproportionately affected by climate change such as Indigenous Peoples. To address this discrepancy, we developed a culturally-grounded psychological intervention framework based in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) for Indigenous populations and offered an adapted example for a Navajo population. The intervention was created in collaboration with TEK experts to conceptualize key psychologically-relevant TEK principles, …

Authenticity Can Be Costly: Understanding School Belonging Among Latine Immigrant High School Students, Deborah A. Ith

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

School belonging is strongly associated with positive outcomes, including overall wellness and higher educational attainment. These outcomes can have lasting impacts on the lives of students. The construct of school belonging is defined as the degree to which a student feels accepted, supported, valued, and comfortable expressing themselves authentically within the school community. Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, especially recent immigrants, often have experiences within the school setting that interfere with the development of a strong sense of school belonging. Unfortunately, much of the prior research on school belonging has relied on survey data, correlational studies, or teacher …

The Menstrual Cycle, Dual-Hormone Hypothesis, And Competition: Implications For Athletic Performance, Camille Burns

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Female athletes perceive that the fluctuating hormones of the menstrual cycle affect their performance. However, research on objective performance is inconclusive, partly due to a lack of studies conducted in real-world competitive contexts. Testosterone is often seen to be elevated near ovulation and is related to social competitiveness. Under the dual-hormone hypothesis, testosterone only predicts competitive behavior when cortisol is low. The current study had two goals: (1) to test whether the dual-hormone hypothesis applied to competitive drive and objective athletic performance, and (2) to examine whether competitiveness and the intensity of one’s response to competition varied across the menstrual …

Diversity Makes Me Uncomfortable: Effects Of Diversity Language On University Student Belonging, Ziena Baker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diversity statements and experiences form the first impressions students have of their prospective universities and employers, setting the stage for perceived feelings of belonging, otherness, and comfort within new environments (Baleria, 2021; O’Keeffe, 2013; Starck et al., 2021). Diversity statements can signal feelings of comfort and belonging or feelings of stress depending on the way in which diversity is framed (Chaney, 2022; Trawalter et al., 2016). This is especially true for students, who are more often affected mentally and physically by changes in university diversity perspectives (Sladek et al., 2021) The current study thus uses a novel blood pressure measure …

Sensory Processing And Anxiety In Bipolar Disorder, Lyric Arvizu

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Past research suggests that individuals with bipolar disorder often experience differences in sensory gating and sensory processing, and similar patterns have been observed in anxiety disorders. Given that anxiety is highly comorbid with bipolar disorder, the present study examined how these conditions relate to self-reported sensory processing differences. A total of 132 participants (88 female), including 43 with bipolar disorder, were included in the final sample. Anxiety symptomatology was measured via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Form Y. Sensory processing questionnaires included the Sensory Gating Inventory (SGI) and the Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS). Correlations, t-tests, a multivariate analysis of …

2slgbtq+ Contact As A Vehicle For Promoting Alternative Sexual Scripts Through Exposure To Queer And Trans Ways Of Knowing, Sophie R. Landry

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Research on the Traditional Sexual Script (TSS) suggests it can have harmful repercussions, such as sexual violence, gender inequity, and the undermining of communication. My research explores the novel idea that intergroup contact with 2SLGBTQ+ individuals can promote CisHet (cisgender, heterosexual) individuals to value alternative sexual scripts that emphasize communication, authenticity, and equity, and to question the TSS. In Study 1, I found that CisHet people who had more 2SLGBTQ+ contact reported greater concern for consent and were less likely to agree with traditional gender norms relative to those who made less contact. In both Study 2 and Study 3, …

Evaluating The Credibility Of Online Websites: A Digital Information Literacy Program, Emily C. Wood, Kim P. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The plethora of information currently available via the internet is greater than ever before. Given this, finding credible information is an exceedingly complex task for any information consumer, but especially so for children. Research shows that children have difficulty evaluating the credibility of online information and are more susceptible to believing misinformation compared to adolescents. While a growing body of research addresses children’s internet use, most research focuses on technology safety rather than the evaluation of online information. Several studies have found digital information literacy (DIL) interventions to be successful at increasing critical thinking and awareness of the criteria to …

Affective Forecasting With A Chance Of Collective Action: Women’S Anticipated Affect After Acting Against Sexism And Its Relationship To Collective Action Intentions, Adrianna Tassone

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Confronting sexism elicits social costs like name-calling (Mendes et al., 2018) and anticipating these costs inhibits confrontation (Good et al., 2012). But taking collective action can also improve women’s wellbeing and reduce negative emotion (Foster, 2015). How women anticipate their own emotions in response to social cost may be a predictor of action. However, it is not yet known how women anticipate taking action will make them feel, and how perceived costs relate to these predictions and action intentions. The present thesis integrates two previously distinct literatures, affective forecasting (Gilbert et al., 1998) and collective action motivation to assess the …

Children's Interpretation Of Others' Faces Covered With Medical Masks, Sevval Cinar

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

How we recognize and regulate emotions is fundamental to overall health and wellbeing. Emotional recognition and understanding are key to proper communication and emotion regulation. Barriers, such as masks, might have an impact on the way children recognize and interpret others' emotions, and therefore the way they learn, communicate, and regulate their own. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread mask-wearing, raising questions about its impact on children’s emotional development. Using a sample of children with varying levels of exposure to mask wearing adults (N= 13, ages 4 to 6), we investigated how prolonged mask wearing predicts emotion recognition, particularly …

Co-Creation, Interpretations And Engagement With A Movement-Based Symbol For Climate Justice: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kai Reimer-Watts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The climate crisis demonstrates with complete clarity the need for massive systems-level changes towards far more sustainable societies. Global and local emissions need to decline rapidly to mitigate intensifying climate breakdown, accompanied by climate and sustainability solutions, to secure a far more stable, safe, and just future for all people and all life. Within these changes, engaging in our communities is essential to support and co-create broader solutions to help advance more sustainable societies, reduce negative impacts of a changing climate, and to move towards cultures and systems that recognize natural limits and centre care for people and planet.

‘Climate …

Art/Place Making In A Settler Colonial Context: A Critical Place Inquiry On The Haldimand Tract/Kitchener-Waterloo From A White Settler Perspective, Haley Sheppard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Although critical place scholars implicate artists in settler colonial processes of placemaking, there is little information on how white settler artists (WSAs) might use their creative practice to support practices of accountability and solidarity with Indigenous resurgence. This research responds to this gap by investigating the creative practices of WSAs located on the Haldimand Tract/in Kitchener-Waterloo (KW), and how they might approach critical, contextual practices in their creative work. A critical place inquiry was combined with ethnographic research principles and a transformative critical research paradigm. Six WSAs participated in mobile interviews, which took place in a location significant to them. …

Knowledge, Efficacy, And Experience In Components Of Stem Education: The Impact Of Teacher Professional Development, Emily Krysten Marilyn Spencer-Mueller

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Around the globe, there has been a significant focus on ensuring youth receive sufficient education and training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) domains. Education reforms often begin with educators, who are responsible for effectively implementing curriculum changes. However, in Canada, although STEM education reform is underway, teacher education and professional learning (PL) and development may not have kept pace, potentially leaving some teachers feeling unprepared to integrate these changes confidently and effectively. This dissertation introduces two studies that investigate pre-service teachers’ readiness to teach STEM domains in the classroom, as well as the impact of a PL …

What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …