Digital Commons Network^™

The Abusive Effects Of Trauma On Leadership Styles And Performance, Robert Kraft

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Major Applied Project (MAP) investigates the relationship between toxic leadership in the military and trauma, particular how trauma can have negative, abusive effects on leadership style and performance. Most research in this area addresses trauma in postvention. This MAP addresses trauma’s potential effect on leadership style and explores the use of a pre-emptive, preventative training. Leadership theory is explored as well as trauma in the form of mental disorders, such as PTSD and narcissism. The author’s experience as an ordained pastor of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, serving as an Army Chaplain, revealed the value of …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

A Quantitative Study Exploring How Depression Symptom Severity Moderates The Relationship Between Emotional Suppression And Workplace Performance In A Sample Of American Office Worker, Laura A. Duffy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous disorder consisting of several subtypes, and both subthreshold depression and acute phase depression are associated with functional, occupational, and social impairments, even after remission. Studies suggest that depression symptom severity negatively affects a person’s health, work performance, and social functioning due to a person’s limited cognitive resources. In Western cultures, employers expect employees who have depression to use emotional regulation in the workplace, but these employees find that this uses cognitive resources to the extent that they are unable to do their work optimally and also fulfill their social functions in the workplace. …

Mixed Race Futurity Through Contemporary Archetypes: Mutants, Cyborgs And Dhampirs, Kobe Jackson

Masters Theses

Analysis of Enlightenment philosphes reveals how the contemporary archetypes, mutants, cyborgs and dhampirs may be situated as sources for understanding mixed race positionality. Arranged on a trajectory of hybrid mythology reaching from ancient times into the present day, their contemporary relevance is put into context. Through modern speculative fiction, historical mythology and the theoretical frameworks of sociology, and philosophy, two tropes are revealed to be imposed roles for mixed race people. The first one, the tragic hybrid is a term which references a character specific to the context of American colonial slavery, the tragic mulatto. By reframing the term, tragic …

Nature Of Child Welfare Social Work, Sarah Vail Anders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social workers in the field of child welfare ensure the safety and well-being of children. While this career field is rewarding, it results in high levels of stress, burnout, and fatigue for workers. To support the challenging needs of child welfare social workers and to enable them to successfully protect children and support their families, an examination of the nature of child welfare social work was conducted. The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of child welfare social work in North Carolina, which was gained through a qualitative transcendental phenomenological study. Twenty-one child welfare social workers were …

Attachment Security In Adult Offspring Of Parents With Narcissistic And Borderline Personality Disorder, Habiba Jessica Zaman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Available research in understanding the correlation of insecure attachment in the offspring of caregivers with traits of personality disorders and how the two presents in adulthood includes the experiences from childhood to adolescence, though thus far, no other studies have been done to understand these variables into adulthood. This mixed methods study of 172 participants for the quantitative portion and 12 participants for the qualitative portion explored the impact of having an early childhood caregiver with Narcissistic or Borderline Personality Disorder characteristics on attachment styles and interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Online self-reports utilizing The Personality Inventory (PCL-5 Brief Form) to …

Detransitioners: Dealing With The False Promises Of Gender Transition, Diane M. Roselli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Until recently, sex change surgery was rarely performed and on adults only; however, the discovery of cross-sex hormones, advances in plastic surgery, and the Dutch protocol contributed to the use of a treatment regimen for children consisting of puberty blockers (GnRHa), cross-sex hormones, and sex reassignment surgery, known as gender-affirmative treatment (GAT). A growing number of individuals, who opted to undergo the transition process, are detransitioning by ceasing hormone therapy or requesting corrective/reconstructive surgery. Their lived experiences are relatively unknown because most detransitioners drop out of treatment, are silenced by trans activists, and are not acknowledged by medical organizations. This …

Lifetime Stressor Exposure Is Related To Suicidality In Autistic Adults: A Multinational Study, Rachel L. Moseley, Darren Hedley, Julie M. Gamble-Turner, Mirko Uljarević, Simon M. Bury, Grant Shields, Julian N. Trollor, Mark A. Stokes, George M. Slavich

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite very high rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) in autistic adults, the key psychosocial drivers of this phenomenon remain unknown. To investigate, we examined how lifetime stressor exposure and severity, which have been found to predict STB in non-autistic populations, related to STB in a multinational dataset of 226 autistic adults from the United Kingdom and Australia (67% female; M_age = 41.8, SD = 13.6, range = 19–73 years old). Results revealed that autistic men and women differ with respect to the count, severity, and type of stressors they experienced over the life course. Whereas autistic men …

Understanding The Transitional Needs Of Servicemembers To Veterans: A Focus On Mental, Social, And Behavioral Health, Marieann C. Raguso

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to fill the gaps on the transitional American veterans’ lived experience using their own voice. The reconstruction of an American Veteran’s identity after transitioning back into civilian life is a process with many challenges. Transitional practices often fail to help veterans to acculturate back into the civilian world. This includes the formulation of identities and associations. There is a lack of consistency in military transitional practices leading to identity loss and the formulation of mental and behavioral disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the lived experiences of veterans who have transitioned back …

Her (Ettinger’S) Diotima, His (Levinas’) Diotima: On The Vitalness Of Eros In Education, Shiran Greenberg

Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal

No abstract provided.

Association Of Unmet Social Needs With Disease-Related Outcomes In Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease, Molly Sonenklar, Sarah Marks, Cerelia Donald, Cecelia Valrie, Wally Smith, India Sisler

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Social determinants of health (SDoH) are socioeconomic factors that influence health and well-being, though when unmet can greatly contribute to health disparities. Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at increased risk of mortality, disability, and healthcare utilization. However, there are limited data linking specific social needs with disease outcomes in this population. Therefore, we sought to identify the unmet needs in one institution and their association with healthcare utilization. Methods: Children with SCD and their guardians answered demographic and SDoH questionnaires during routine Sickle Cell Clinic appointments. We defined an unmet social need as any positive answer to …

The Relationship Between Religious Coping Styles And Eating Disorder Risk In Christians In A University Setting, Meghan E. Aubuchon

Honors Theses

Existing research on eating disorders and religion is beginning to gain momentum in the present day, but research is lacking on the topic of religious coping and eating disorder risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two known styles of religious coping—positive and negative—and eating disorder risk in University of Mississippi students, faculty, and staff who identify as Christian. A survey consisting of basic demographic questions, the EAT-26, and the Brief RCOPE was distributed via emails sent by the office of IREP to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. A total of 330 participants were …

Treating Depression Using Non-Pharmacological Interventions, Herve Preval, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Abstract

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and neuropsychotherapy are all non-pharmacological interventions that have been used in the treatment of depression. This review seeks to investigate the possible advantages of CBT, TMS, and neuropsychotherapy in the treatment of depression. Depression is a debilitating mental health disorder, and it is an extremely prevalent mental condition that is linked to increased illness and death. More than 300 million people suffer from depression worldwide. Depression is estimated to be at a rate of 5.5 percent annually in developed countries and even higher at 6.7 percent amongst young adults. In this …

Validation Of A Culturally Adapted Neuropsychology Screening Measure Among Older American Indians, Katherine A. Edwards

Psychology ETDs

American Indian (AI) older adults are most at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the United States. However, there are no cognitive screening tools validated or normed for AI populations, limiting the diagnostic accuracy of current tools. In this study, a culturally adapted screening tool was adapted for three different sites with older AI adults, and validated against widely used neurocognitive screening measures to determine convergent validity. Results found that adapted story memory scores were significantly higher than unadapted scores. Additionally, culturally salient story memory scores were more consistent with measures of crystalized intelligence, while unadapted story …

Examining The Implicit Association Between The ‘Caucasian’ Race And Scientific Ideals, Erin Cain, Tim Messer-Kruse, Anne K. Gordon Dr.

Honors Projects

This study examines the implicit associations between the term ‘Caucasian’ and scientific ideals. The racist and pseudoscientific history of the word ‘Caucasian’ invalidates its credibility and insinuates persistent racist ideologies that continue to manifest today. The term ‘Caucasian’ seems to be popularly thought of as a more exact, specific, and scientific term than that of ‘White’. This paper includes a review of the literature about the White race and the term ‘Caucasian’, how this term originated, and the pseudoscience that created it in the 18^th century. The experiment includes a control condition, and an experimental condition that primes the …

The Immune System Under Pressure: Understanding The Impact Of Stress On Immune Function And Health, Kaeshwinie Murugan

Honors Theses

Stress has a profound impact on the immune health of college students, exacerbated by challenges such as academic pressures, sleep deprivation, and inadequate coping strategies. This study investigates the relationship between stress and immune function among students at Western Michigan University, utilizing survey data and existing literature to explore mechanisms of stress-induced immune suppression and identify effective interventions. The survey, conducted with 100 participants, revealed that over 70% experienced stress that adversely affected their immune systems, with 60% reporting insufficient sleep and 20% sleeping less than five hours per night.

The survey further highlighted students' reliance on specific coping mechanisms, …

Parenting Practices And Attachment Levels In Relation To Externalizing Behaviors In Children Raised By Nonparental Caregivers, Kourtney Mia Barfield

Honors Theses

Current literature supports parenting practices and the quality of child-caregiver attachments are correlated with child externalizing behavior. However, these results typically come from samples of biological parents and their children. It is unknown if parenting practices (i.e. poor supervision, inconsistent discipline, and positive parenting) predict attachment and externalizing behavior among children of grandparents and foster parents. Previous studies have also found
that attachment mediates the relation between parenting practices and externalizing behavior among children raised by biological parents. This study aims to determine if similar relations will be found among grandchildren and foster children and if the level of attachment …

Lived Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Helping Professionals, Shairee Lackey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) professionals in helping professions. The goal of the research was to understand the challenges BIPOC helping professionals face due to systemic racism, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. These factors significantly impact the well-being and effectiveness of BIPOC professionals and are often overlooked in existing literature. Grounded in critical race theory, the study used a phenomenological research design, gathering data through semistructured interviews with 13 participants. The findings revealed challenges such as microaggressions, stereotypes, discrimination, lack of representation, and cultural invalidation. Participants showed resilience …

Policing Emotions: What Social Psychology Can Teach Fourth Amendment Doctrine, Wayne A. Logan

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Grounded Theoretic Analysis Of College Students’ Attitudes Regarding Indoor Plants And Pets As Moderators Of Daily Stressors, Lydia Dill

Honors Projects

This study explores college students' attitudes toward indoor plants and pets, and how this may impact college students’ experience with stress. Through in-depth interviews and grounded theory methodology, three key themes emerged: Plant Ownership as a Method of Establishing Structure, Plants as Ornamentation, and Pets as a Source of Comfort. Plant ownership helps students create routines and emotional stability, while plants also enhance living spaces aesthetically. Pets provide emotional support, offering companionship and support, particularly during academic pressures. The study builds on previous research by examining both indoor plants and pets together, highlighting how each fulfills unique emotional, psychological, and …

[Coming Soon: Exploring Diversity With Statistics: Step-By-Step Jamovi Guides], Ruth Walker

Open Textbooks

These resources were created to complement our undergraduate statistics lab manual, Applied Data Analysis in Psychology: Exploring Diversity with Statistics, published by Kendall Hunt publishing company. Like our lab manual, these Jamovi walk-through guides meaningfully and purposefully integrate and highlight diversity research to teach students how to analyze data in an open-source statistical program. The data sets utilized in these guides are from open-access databases (e.g., Pew Research Center, PLoS One, ICPSR, and more). Guides with step-by-step instructions, including annotated images and examples of how to report findings in APA format, are included for the following statistical tests: independent samples …

Donald Griffin: A Visionary In Science And Consciousness, Brock Fenton

Animal Sentience

I share some reflections on a sabbatical with Donald Griffin a half-century ago, with fieldwork on bats and echolocating swiftlets in Australia and our discussions of animal behavior and consciousness. Griffin's influence has been vast, from recent advances in bat research, including learning, navigation, and longevity, to his enduring legacy as a pioneer in animal cognition.

Subconcussive Impacts And Their Effect On Attention, Scott York

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, concussions have become a focal point for athletic competition and athletes beginning in grade school. The long-term implications of concussions are becoming more widely known and accepted; however, there are still areas of literature that are lacking. One of these areas is subconcussive impacts. Subconcussive impacts are defined as impacts that do not meet the threshold for diagnosed concussion but may still have clinical impact. While concussions and their effects on cognition have been examined heavily, these subconcussive impacts, and their effects, have been studied less so. The purpose of this study is to examine the possible …

Why Am I The Only Black Student? An Examination Of The Expected Level Of Engagement At Indiana Universities For High Achieving African American Students Based On Precollege Factors, Zoretta Ward-Holloway

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the individual and school level precollege factors, including student engagement levels, associated with high achieving African American graduates of varied high school types to ascertain whether a relationship/pattern emerges that provides a profile and helps to explain the interactions between multiple levels of ecological factors that impact academic success in high school and expected level of engagement in college. The Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) instrument was used to consider self-reporting archival data of high-performing African American students as a means of gathering the voices of students. BCSSE instruments from …

Evidence Of Capacity Building And Critical Consciousness In An Institutional Partnership: An Organizational Case Study Of The Gateway Research Park, Natasha E. Johnson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are complex and intricate systems of people, processes, and practices. HEI practices and processes are often extended through strategic partnerships and external collaborations, increasing their capacity or ability to obtain their stated goals. This notion extends to minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It is important to understand whether partnerships have the capacity to meet their goals, especially if there are risks for minority-serving institutions and those traditionally marginalized, which is a problem. The purpose of this qualitative organizational case study was to explore the evidence of critical consciousness and capacity building in a …

Investigating The Role Of Hopelessness In The Stress-Performance Relationship Among College Students, Vidushi Sabnani

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

As college students pursue higher education as a pathway to success, they face pressures that threaten their well-being and academic success. Balancing academic, financial, and social demands has led to a mental health crisis on campuses, with emotional stress cited as the leading cause of students discontinuing their education (Gallup, 2023). This study investigates the relationship between academic stress, perceived stress, and academic performance in college students. It also examines the Yerkes-Dodson law of a curvilinear relationship between stress and performance and the role of hopelessness as a mediator. A sample of 321 participants completed surveys assessing academic stress, perceived …

Investigating The Impact Of Mindfulness Practice On Quality Of Life And Anxiety Levels In College Students, Ope L. Oyeyemi

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Anxiety disorders are becoming more common among college students, seriously affecting their academic performance and overall well-being. This study sought to investigate how current mindfulness practices and willingness to engage in mindfulness relate to psychological outcomes in college students. Participants (N=432) were students ≥ 17 years old recruited from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Analyses compared differences in levels of anxiety, quality of life, depression symptom severity, cognitive dysfunction, and stress based on participant self-reported willingness to engage and current time spent engaging in mindfulness practices. It is expected that students who currently engage in more mindfulness will …

Increasing Pride Skills For Child Engagement Using Ipcit With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jordan Etherington

Master's Theses

Many children with autism spectrum disorder display elevated levels of problem behaviors, such as aggression and defiance, in addition to symptoms characteristic of autism, such as deficits in social communication and interaction. Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a behavioral parent training program designed to improve problem behavior in young children by teaching parents to use skills that reinforce appropriate behaviors. In addition, the interactive nature of PCIT may help children with autism increase the rates at which they engage and interact with their caregivers. There are many barriers to treatment completion in PCIT, including high attrition rates due to …

Observing Dynamic Emotional Faces From Many Generations, Tashaunda Grimmett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study sought to further understand emotion perception capabilities in younger and older adults. Previous studies examining emotion perception have consistently found emotion recognition deficits with age. The most common technique used to investigate age differences in emotion perception is a label selection task that presents static images of actors expressing emotion. More recently, dynamic stimuli have been developed; they portray realistic facial expressions that are more comparable to what one sees in real life. The use of dynamic stimuli has been found to ameliorate most age differences in the recognition of basic emotion categories. The current study presented dynamic …

The Inclusion Of Behavioral Healthcare Providers In Primary Care Settings: A Phenomenological Study, Janette A. Hernandez

Dissertations

With the shift toward integrated care, Behavior Healthcare Providers (BHPs) play a crucial role in improving patient outcomes and accessibility to mental health services. However, challenges such as time constraints, role ambiguity, and limited understanding of BHP contributions persist. This qualitative phenomenological study explores the experiences of BHPs in integrated primary care settings. Using semi-structured interviews with eight BHPs, the study examines their roles, challenges, and contributions within healthcare teams. Findings indicate that BHPs enhance collaboration with medical staff and facilitate timely mental health interventions. Yet, barriers such as inconsistent role recognition and workflow inefficiencies hinder full integration. This study …