Digital Commons Network^™

Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Project As Community-Engaged Scholarship, Young-Me Lee, Susan Poslusny, Sara Anderson, Howard Rosing

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article describes the results of a 6 month integrated community service and service learning project aimed at the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in a largely immigrant Latino and African-American community area. A total of 64 participants were screened and six positive cases were identified. Results indicated that the adolescents studied lacked proper knowledge regarding safe sex and healthy behaviors, and most refused treatment despite providing anonymous education, screening and treatment services.

Engaged Citizenship: Public Discourse As A Foundational Communication Course, Leila Brammer, Sarah Wolter

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Public speaking is historically situated at the intersection of public discourse and community engagement, although meeting both tenets can be a challenge. In response, the Communication Studies department at a liberal arts college replaced its traditional Public Speaking course with Public Discourse, a course shaped by an extensive civic engagement project. Analysis of student, project, community, and departmental outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of this new course in preparing students for lives as engaged citizens.

Design And Implementation Of A Service Learning Course And Project: The File Of Life, Theresa Mccullough

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article details a service learning course within a pharmacy curriculum. For the service learning project, pharmacy students in their first professional year assisted community members with completion of File of Life medical information cards at various locations in Southern Illinois. Students reached over 750 community members. This project increased students’ level of confidence in delivering health-related programs and also encouraged them to participate in community service in the future. Based on feedback, the experience was beneficial.

Community Partner Perceptions About Community Engagement Experiences For Nursing Students, Judith E. Wattman, Marjorie A. Schaffer, Maureen J. Juarez, Leanne L. Rogstad, Timothy Bredow, Sara E. Traylor

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explored community agency staff perceptions about community engagement learning experiences for nursing students. Focus groups with staff from eleven health-related community organizations revealed seven themes that will contribute to effective curriculum development and implementation for community engagement: (a) agency expectations for students, (b) orientation, (c) schedule of student experiences, (d) invested student participation, (e) student match with agencies, (f) projects envisioned, and (g) effective interactions with the population. Practice implications for developing community engagement learning experiences are suggested.

Evaluating The Impact Of Seed Money Grants In Stimulating Growth Of Community-Based Research And Service-Learning At A Major Public Research University, Judith A. Jetson, Mary E. Evans, Wendy Hathaway

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

At a major research university, community engagement must intersect with research productivity and attract external funding to be well-regarded. At USF, community engagement increased its value to the institution by using seed grants for community-based research and service-learning projects. Between 1998 and 2006, 132 projects received $1.65 million in seed money from general revenue and local government funds, bringing over $9 million in grants to USF, a return on investment of approximately 6-to-1.

Providing Counseling Services In An Off-Campus Clinic: A Blueprint For Creating A Successful Partnership, Judith A. Nelson, Mary Nichter

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

We offer a blueprint for creating an off-campus clinic through a university, school district, and community partnership. The facility which is housed in the school district provides university students with direct counseling experiences with clients who have genuine needs, allows the university to expand its goal of providing for the public good, and benefits the school district by enabling it to grow its own school counselors who currently teach in the district.

One Is The Loneliest Number: The Impact Of Social Isolation On Blaberus Discoidalis, Jaden Jackson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Isolation in humans and its consequences has been documented by researchers as early as the 1700s (McNeil et al., 1984). More recently, interest in the impact of social isolation has been renewed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the studies covering social isolation and the COVID-19 pandemic rely on self-report measures obtained through questionaries or interviews. Studying social isolation experimentally is difficult due to risk factors associated with isolating one from conspecifics. This is particularly true when studying humans. Animal models of social isolation are important as they allow for implementation of necessary controls needed to establish …

Associations Between Individual And Structural Level Discrimination And Psychological And Physiological Stress Indicators During Pregnancy, Özlü Aran, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Julia Dmitrieva, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In the United States (U.S.) pervasive health disparities in prenatal care disproportionately impact marginalized individuals. The present study investigates whether discrimination at the individual and structural levels are associated with indicators of psychological and physiological stress among pregnant Latinx people living in the U.S., including both U.S. and foreign-born individuals. Pregnant participants (n = 109) reported on birthplace, lifetime experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination, perceived levels of stress, acculturation, social support, and provided residential address data and hair samples for cortisol analysis. Regression analysis revealed that individual level discrimination was linked to higher psychological stress during pregnancy ( …

Religiosity And Attitudes Toward Suicide Among Filipinos, Marc Eric S. Reyes, Therese Angelie C. Daluping, Omar Joseph Sj. Dela Cruz, Sigmund Gabriel A. Estremadura, Jonah Emmanuel D. Gavino, Elaine G. Villanueva, Alvin L. Jacob Iii

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Religiosity is generally negatively associated with attitudes toward suicide. Religious individuals typically have more negative attitudes toward suicide than individuals with lower levels of religiosity. This is partly due to the belief that suicide goes against many religious teachings that revere life as a sacred gift from God. Hence, using a cross-sectional, predictive design, we aimed to investigate the link between religiosity and suicide attitudes and how much religiosity predicts different suicide attitudes. Using non-probability convenience sampling, 1148 Filipino participants aged 18–65 completed an online test battery: Centrality of Religiosity Scale Interreligious form-20 and Attitudes Toward Suicide Scale. Results revealed …

Will Anyone Play With Me? Building Resilience Through Community Play With Transgender And Gender Diverse Young Adults, Lee Lebeda

Expressive Therapies Theses

The recent increase in anti-trans legislature in the United States has negatively impacted the mental health of transgender young adults nationwide. Current research suggests that creative expression in a group setting may be uniquely suited to help transgender people combat the negative mental health effects of internalized anti-trans messaging. Based on this research, a community engagement project was designed for transgender young adult participants to explore resilience building through drama therapy-informed community play. Three play-based support groups, facilitated by a drama therapy graduate student who identified as a peer to the participants, were offered to transgender young adults in their …

Black Somatic Liberatory Practices: The Africanist Aesthetic In Psychotherapeutic Movement Observation, Ebony Nichols

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This critical ethnographic qualitative study explored Black body-based healing practices and coping strategies used to resist and titrate the impact of racism and oppression. It also examined how Black individuals use their bodies to regulate their nervous systems to heal and cultivate liberatory practices. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Black Psychology, African Indigenous Healing Systems, Liberation Psychology, and Critical Race Theory, this research investigated the intersections of Black Aesthetics, Psychology, and the body through the lens of the Africanist Aesthetic. The study employed interaction analysis and reflexive thematic analysis to analyze non-verbal and verbal data collected from two focus …

The Psychological Impact Of Systemic Factors On Maternal Mental Health Outcomes, V Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal mental health disparities in the United States continue to impact reproductive-age women, especially those from underserved populations. In this quantitative study, how healthcare accessibility and socioeconomic status (SES) influenced psychological stress and maternal mental health outcomes was examined. Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and critical race theory guided the theoretical framework. Secondary data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to analyze three research questions related to the predictive relationships between systemic factors and mental health outcomes, and differences in stress across age groups. Key variables included insurance coverage, access to a personal doctor, cost-related barriers, income, employment …

Biophobia And Pet Ownership: Can Having A Pet Mitigate Our Fear And Aversion Towards Nature?, Alexia Barrable

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Biophobia, which we defined as fear, disgust, or aversion toward natural environments or organisms, has received little empirical attention when compared to biophilia, despite its implications for human and planetary wellbeing. This mixed-methods study explores the relationship between pet ownership, biophobia, and nature connectedness among 373 English- speaking adults. Quantitative findings reveal that (M = 26.4) exhibit significantly lower levels of biophobia than non-pet owners (M = 30.1; U = 5179, Z = -2.95, p = .002, R = 0.27), although no significant differences in nature connectedness were found across pet ownership (U = 7033, Z = 0.31, p = …

Racial Discrimination And Inflammation In Adolescence: Ethnic/Racial Processes As Moderators, Queenisha Crichlow

All ETDs from UAB

Discrimination and other psychosocial stressors contribute to chronic disease by dysregulating neuroendocrine and immune systems, which often leads to increased levels of inflammation. Given that inflammation is a key biological pathway associated with the development of chronic diseases, it has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking racial discrimination to poorer health. Most studies linking racial discrimination with inflammation have focused on adults, despite the fact that children and adolescents also experience discrimination. This dissertation explores the association between racial discrimination and inflammation, measured via salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines, among Black and Hispanic adolescents. It also examines …

At Stake In Each Other’S Company: A Systems View Of Compassion Fatigue In Mental Health Work, Susan S. Standen

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Traditional research on the phenomenon of compassion fatigue (CF) in mental health work tends to include recommendations for workers to build skills in psychological detachment and self-care. This puts the burden of coping with vicarious trauma on the individual caregiver, not on the systems they operate within. Alternatively, a transformative systemic perspective suggests that Western cultural assumptions about care-giving and individual resilience need to be reassessed. By broadening the exploration of CF and comparing it with human reactions to overwhelming crises across fields and disciplines, new questions can be asked, and new solutions can be proposed. This essay details how …

Hmongcentric Niche Charter Schools: The Role Of Social Capital On Students’ Perceived Academic Competence, Zha Blong Xiong, Ting Xu, Kyle Nickodem, Malina Her

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

Using Coleman’s (1988) social capital theory, this study investigated the connection between family and school social capital and the perceived academic competence of students enrolled in Hmongcentric niche charter schools. The study analyzed 124 participants consisting of third, fourth, and fifth-grade students residing in Minnesota, with 93% identifying as Hmong. Results of structural equation modeling showed that school social capital, as measured by school attachment and school connection, is significantly linked to students’ perceived academic competence. Further analyses suggested that school attachment, especially in charter schools that focus on culture and language, plays a more crucial role in shaping students’ …

Leveraging Ai To Democratize The Hidden Curriculum In Medical Education: An Implementation Framework, James Keith Martin Ii, Mercedes Byrd

Libraries Scholarship

The “hidden curriculum” in medical education—comprising unwritten rules, values, and expectations—significantly impacts student success, yet remains inaccessible to students from underrepresented backgrounds. This paper presents a theoretical framework and practical implementation strategy for using artificial intelligence (AI) to democratize access to this hidden curriculum. We analyze how cognitive load theory and the Fast/Slow Thinking paradigm explain inequities in professional integration, then propose a comprehensive implementation approach to guide equitable AI integration. This model demonstrates how AI tools, when thoughtfully implemented, can reduce cognitive burdens on disadvantaged students, accelerate professional acculturation, and contribute to building an inclusive medical workforce.

Fathers' Racial Differences In Perceived Workplace-Induced Stereotype Threat: Impacts On Sense Of Belonging, Job Satisfaction, And Turnover, Frances Evalyne Kealiimahiaiokalani Hampton

Dissertations and Theses

Black fathers (BFs) face unique workplace challenges due to racialized and gendered stereotypes that undermine their legitimacy as men, workers, and parents. Drawing on Stereotype Threat Theory (STT) and Stereotype Embodiment Theory (SET), this study examined how workplace-induced stereotype threat (WIST) affects BFs' job attitudes and turnover intentions (TIs). I hypothesized that BFs would report higher WIST than White fathers (WFs), and that WIST would mediate the effects of race-related perceptions on job satisfaction (JS), sense of belonging (SOB), and TIs. In addition, perceived organizational support (POS) was tested as a moderator on the relationships between WIST and these job-related …

A Dutch Translation And Multidimensional Structure Of The Adjustment Scales For Early Transition In Schooling, Robert Hamerslag, Ron Oostdam, Ruben Fukkink, Louis Tavecchio, Paul A. Mcdermott, Zoey Kim

Archives of Assessment Psychology

This study introduces and applies the Dutch translation of the Adjustment Scales for Early Transition in Schooling (ASETS), assessed in 323 kindergarten children across 30 regular schools in the Netherlands. Culturally-tailored, context-informed assessments are essential to address childhood adaptation challenges in early schooling. Starting with a professional translation and back-translation of the ASETS by a translation bureau, a panel of kindergarten teachers critically reviewed the translated items. They ensured reliability, contextual accuracy, and addressed nuances in Dutch school terminology, bridging cultural differences between U.S. and Dutch educational settings. The analysis included Exploratory Factor Analysis, revealing three behavioral problem categories: Aggressive/Oppositional, …

Navigating Grief In The Digital Age: A Phenomenological Study Of Young Widows Using Instagram For Support And Connection, Mariah Jasmine Sandoval

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of young widows who use Instagram for grief support following the death of a spouse. Young widows often face disenfranchised grief and limited access to traditional support systems, which can impede emotional processing and identity reconstruction. Grounded in Continuing Bonds Theory, which posits that ongoing connections with the deceased can be adaptive, the study examined how Instagram facilitates or complicates grief by enabling emotional expression, maintaining bonds, and fostering engagement with a community of shared loss. The central research question asked: How do young widows describe their experiences using Instagram for grief …

The Force Of Resilience: Exploration Of Correlations Between Generational Differences In Occupational Resilience And Turnover Intentions Among Active United States Law Enforcement Personnel, Kaylin Elizabeth Switzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement agencies across the United States are facing critical challenges with the recruitment and retention of officers. This study examined whether differences existed in occupational resilience and turnover intentions across generations of active law enforcement personnel, and whether resilience levels were correlated with turnover intentions. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to collect data via an online survey that included the Predictive 6-Factor Resilience Scale and the Expanded Multidimensional Turnover Intentions Scale. The sample consisted of 241 active members of law enforcement. There were two one-way ANOVA tests conducted to assess generational differences in resilience and turnover intention scores, …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Examining Student Critical Thinking Dispositions Within The College And Career Readiness Of Students Involved In Ffa And 4-H In Georgia, James D. Scott, Eric Rubenstein, Jason Peake, Nicholas E. Fuhrman Phd, Jori N. Hall

Journal of Youth Development

Preparing youth, primarily as they become high school graduates, to be ready to enter college and careers, has been a primary driving force in primary and secondary education for over 20 years. However, there lacks consistency in the definition and of the true idea of college and career readiness in the twentyfirst century. Additionally, there is a lack of research examining the impacts that student involvement in youth organizations has on the development of college and career-readiness skills. One facet of college and career readiness is the development of critical thinking skills and dispositions, which include enjoying solving problems, respecting …

Early Adult Outcomes Of 4-H Program Alumni: A Propensity-Matched Comparative Study, Steven M. Worker, Roshan K. Nayak, Anne Marie Iaccopucci, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler

Journal of Youth Development

A young person’s engagement in high-quality youth development programs should lead to stronger positive outcomes as a young adult. Theoretical literature advances broad indicators that mark success in young adulthood; however, there is a dearth of empirical publications reporting long-term outcomes to support this assumption. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study to report on three long-term outcomes (economic stability, health and well-being, and community involvement) of young adult (aged 19 to 34) alumni of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program. We compared 4-H alumni outcomes to matched peers using secondary data sources. The 4-H alumni sample demonstrated more …

Assessing The Psychological Wellbeing And Resilience Of Frontline Health Workers In Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ahmed Sarki, Joseph Atukwatse, Gideon Mbithi, Sabina Odero, Mary Namuguzi, Bernard Mutwiri, Lestine Bitakwitse, Peninah Wachira, Kevinson Mwangi, Eunice Ndirangu, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Health workers in the frontline are the major drivers of health systems in low- and middle-income countries. However, these health workers face both chronic and acute shocks and stressors that expose them to mental health problems which are often overlooked. We examined the prevalence of mental health problems, correlates of psychological functioning, and resilience of frontline health workers in Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study comprising 1800 frontline health workers across all regions of Uganda from August through October 2023. We used tools such as the PC-PTSD-5, PHQ9, PSS, GAD-7, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and CD-RISC-10 to assess PTSD, …

Prerogative In Common: On The Emancipatory Potential Of Radical Mutuality Amid Sovereign Decisionism, Matthew Builes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In times of crisis, liberal democracies resort to authoritarian measures that undermine core democratic values. Dominant thought in the study of emergency-era law and politics appeal to a dichotomy of normal and exceptional times, to critique or justify the turn to sovereign decisionism. While this strategy seems clear-cut, the persistence of exceptional spaces and the crises that supposedly generate them challenge existing frameworks by blurring the line between norm and exception. This project explores the prospect of radical mutual aid, as a transformative response to the enduring crisis of modernity.

Strategies For Out-Of-School Time Stem Educators Working With Youth Experiencing Diverse Abilities, Joelle Lemer, Rasha Elsayed, Kirsten Daehler, Nena Bloom

Journal of Youth Development

Out-of-school time learning occurs in a variety of settings including formal-learning environments, such as afterschool programs, or informal-learning environments, such as museums or youth clubs. Educators in out-of-school time contexts serve diverse youth populations. Many educators often have limited experience or preparation in how to support STEM learning, particularly with learners experiencing diverse physical and/or sensory abilities, such as mobility, dexterity, vision, or hearing. The purpose of this article is to share research-to-practice strategies for STEM in out-of-school time settings for professionals working with youth experiencing diverse physical and/or sensory abilities. These strategies are derived from a review of available …

How Young People Mobilize Social Capital Within Youth-Serving Organizations, Erica J. Van Steenis, Brian Lightfoot, Ashley Boat, Miray Seward

Journal of Youth Development

Youth-serving practitioners can incorporate organizational and programmatic approaches to support young people in strengthening their social capital. Through a robust network of support, young people can successfully transition to postsecondary education and obtain meaningful career opportunities. One way practitioners can support young people’s social capital is by leveraging their social-capital mobilization (i.e., the way relationships and resources are accessed and used to accomplish goals). Informed by an adapted version of the institutional space framework, the current study draws on insights from qualitative focus groups centered around social-capital mobilization within six education and workforce development programs. Data come from the perspectives …

Media And Mindfulness: Associations Between Adolescent Mindful Social Media Use, Chenae Christensen-Duerden, Sarah Coyne

Journal of Youth Development

The objective of this study is to examine social media mindfulness and other social media habits as predictors of depression in adolescents. As depression and poor mental health increase for American adolescents, so does the research surrounding the positive outcomes associated with mindfulness. It is possible that mindfulness could be an effective tool in managing individual social media habits, however, very little research exists exploring the effects of mindfulness on media use. The sample for the current study includes a national quota sample of 1,158 adolescents (between the ages of 10 and 17 years old) from the United States. Participants …

Development Of The Negative Attitudes Toward Nonbinary Individuals Scale, Jenna Sue Lehmann

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Research within the field of psychology examining the experiences of transgender individuals and prejudice toward transgender individuals has increased in recent history alongside the conscious awareness of transgender individuals within the United States. The research that has been conducted has primarily focused on transgender individuals broadly as a group on binary transgender individuals. As, such measures of prejudice toward these groups have been developed and validated. Although the study of nonbinary experiences and prejudice is developing, there has been no extant measure of prejudice toward nonbinary individuals specifically. A measure of prejudice toward this group is needed to (1) examine …