Digital Commons Network^™

Biomedical Text Readability After Hypernym Substitution With Fine-Tuned Large Language Models, Karl Swanson, Shuhan He, Josh Calvano, David Chen, Talar Telvizian, Lawrence Jiang, Paul Chong, Jacob Schwell, Gin Mak, Jarone Lee

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

The advent of patient access to complex medical information online has highlighted the need for simplification of biomedical text to improve patient understanding and engagement in taking ownership of their health. However, comprehension of biomedical text remains a difficult task due to the need for domain-specific expertise. We aimed to study the simplification of biomedical text via large language models (LLMs) commonly used for general natural language processing tasks involve text comprehension, summarization, generation, and prediction of new text from prompts. Specifically, we finetuned three variants of large language models to perform substitutions of complex words and word phrases in …

'I’M A Pilot First, Female Second': Why Flight Deck Gender Imbalance Persists And The Case For Allyship, Kimberly Perkins, Rachael H. Merola, Sourojit Ghosh, Cecilia Aragon

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Why is there greater gender parity for long-haul truck drivers, astronauts, and paleontologists than for women airline captains? This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the underlying causes of the gender imbalance in the United States aviation industry, in which only 3.6% of airline captains are women. Two polls and one survey gather data from professional pilots (N=1093) on their experience with stereotyping, gender bias, and allyship. Direct comments were analyzed to shed light on the results of the survey. Results suggest that, contrary to prevailing perceptions, the persistent gender imbalance in the flight deck can largely be attributed …

Interpersonal Skills In A Sociotechnical System: A Training Gap In Flight Decks, Kimberly Perkins, Sourojit Ghosh, Crystal Hall

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

This research analyzed the perceptions of interpersonal skills on established aviation safety models, Crew Resource Management (CRM), and Threat and Error Management (TEM) using feedback from industry pilots. The flight deck is a sociotechnical system where much research has focused on the technical aspect, whereas we spotlight its socio aspect. The aviation industry must invest in training pilots on interpersonal skills to enhance safety through increased efficacy of safety models integrated throughout existing training programs. A 34-question survey was disseminated across both commercial and business aviation pilots (N=822). We explored three research questions regarding pilots’ perceived training on interpersonal skills …

How Does Childhood Exposure To Toys And Video Games Relate To Young Adult’S View On Gun Control?, Shelby Wilmot

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the factors influencing support for gun control and attitudes toward gun control restrictions on individuals, specifically violent video games and toys. From the 119 total responses collected, 78 (65.5%) of the participants identified as female, 34 (28.6%) of the participants identified as male, and 7 (5.9%) of the participants identified as nonbinary. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between various independent variables and the dependent variables representing these attitudes. For the dependent variable measuring support for gun control, the model summary revealed a moderate correlation

(r = .610), with approximately 37.2% of the variability …

Influence Of Maternal Abandonment, High-Crime Neighborhoods, And Experienced Abuse On Aggressive Assaultive Behavior, Michael David Austin Flood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assault crimes committed by men in the United States need to be studied empirically if a significant reduction in their occurrence is to take place. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the reported experience of abuse, growing up in a high-crime neighborhood (HCN), and maternal abandonment with regards to individuals incarcerated for crimes that were operationally classified in this study as aggressive assaultive behavior (AAB). The framework that grounded this study was Bronfenbrenner’s ecology of human development and Beck’s perspective on framing, which guided the focus on how an individual frames an experience …

Predictors Of Paraphrasing Website Use In Undergraduate College Students, Lisa Marie Chervenak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While instances of cut and paste plagiarism among undergraduate college students has decreased over the past several years, a new form of plagiarism has emerged that often goes undetected by these software systems. Paraphrasing websites allow users to enter information from a source, which the website will then reword, giving the appearance of an original work. When used by undergraduate college students, these students are not only committing plagiarism, but they are also not learning the material or working to develop writing skills. While much research has been conducted on the quality of writing created by paraphrasing websites, little research …

Self-Compassion And Perfectionism In College Music Students: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Celeste Uhl

Honors Projects

Perfectionism is a complex and multidimensional psychological phenomenon which is a proximal predictor for music performance anxiety, a risk factor associated with poorer musical performance. While existing literature emphasizes music performance anxiety as a deleterious outcome of perfectionism, less information exists regarding the relationship between perfectionism, self-compassion, and performance. There may be high levels of non- self-compassion in this population due to a folk belief that being self-critical is the best path to optimal performance. This study used a single-subject design to explore how self-compassion and perfectionism were related and if the use of daily self-compassion exercises would be linked …

Interdisciplinary Treatment Approach To Youth With Intellectual Or Developmental Disabilities And Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions, Ashley Greenwald, Erika Ryst, Diane D. Thorkildson, Lauren Brown

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Many individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have co-occurring mental health needs, yet service delivery options often do not allow for the integrated delivery of mental health treatment and social behavioral support services. Siloed treatment approaches often result in lack of collaboration between providers, increasing the difficulty in accessing comprehensive and coordinated treatments and reducing treatment potential and effective outcomes. Additionally, many service providers in behavioral support services are not trained to address significant mental health needs; similarly, providers of mental health services lack experience in modifying practices for differing cognitive needs. The lack of cross-training and cross-collaboration makes …

Project Attain: Advancing Trauma-Informed Care For Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities And/Or Gender Diverse Youth, Kady F. Sternberg, Charlotte E. Bausha, Charlotte Jones, Erin Knight, Crystal N. Steltenpohl, Rebecca R. Parton, Jennifer L. Mclaren, Erin R. Barnett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and/or gender diversity are at higher risk of experiencing trauma. Provider knowledge is lacking; trauma, disability, and LGBTQ+ resources are often siloed; and few providers screen for trauma in this population. This paper describes the design, delivery, and initial evaluation of Project ATTAIN (Access to Trauma-informed Treatment and Assessment for Neurodivergent and/or Gender-expansive Youth).

ATTAIN is an ongoing 5-year state-wide initiative aiming to assess readiness to engage in new roles and practices over time; provide state-wide training and consultation in trauma, disability, and LGBTQ+-informed practices; install screening and assessment of trauma exposure and …

Building Neuro-Inclusive Community, Strengthening Mental Health: The Autism After 21 Utah Project, Sumiko T. Martinez, Anna Smyth, Ann C. Carrick

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Over two decades of research shows strong positive relationships are a consistently powerful indicator of wellbeing and resilience. However, the U.S. Surgeon General notes that loneliness and isolation is an epidemic in the U.S., and that it is exacerbated for individuals with physical and mental disabilities as well as those with isolating economic or environmental situations. A recent review shows that many autistic adults in particular face challenges in finding the connections they want and need. They also often have compounding mental health conditions, such as depression and mental illness, lower incomes, isolating home environments due to a lack of …

Exploring Parent/Caregiver Perspectives Of Self-Determination And Its Impact On Mental Health In Adolescents With And Without Disabilities, Jessica Schuttler, Sydney Walls, Tyler Hicks, Karrie Shogren, Hannah Adams, Richard A Chapman

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Introduction. Parents and caregivers play key roles in supporting the development of self-determination and mental health needs in adolescents with and without disabilities. This study explored parent/caregiver perceptions of the relationships among mental health and self-determination constructs for youth with disabilities, across gender and disability status. Method. Parents/caregivers of adolescents with and without disabilities completed rating scales regarding adolescents’ self-determination status (Self Determination Inventory) and mental health symptoms (Behavior Assessment System for Children, 3^rd Edition). Bayesian analyses examined the relationships among self-determination and mental health status. Results. Results are mixed, indicating moderate to robust relationships for self-determination as a …

Exploring The Occupation Of Education Of Children With Undocumented Immigrant Parents, Denise Perez, Susan Macdermott, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This research study highlights the detrimental effects of family separations on children's well-being, academic performance, and long-term outcomes. It emphasizes the urgent need for research on the mental health effects of immigration policies on children at risk of parental deportation. A qualitative research study was used to understand the experiences and challenges of adults with undocumented immigrant parents during various stages of schooling. The research utilizes the Kawa model to explore emotional factors and barriers affecting students' occupational engagement in an educational setting. The study aims to identify supports and barriers to school engagement for students with undocumented immigrant parents, …

Addicted To The Beloved? A Comparison Of Craving For And Attention To Beloved And Vape Stimuli, Caitlyn Harriman

Theses

People who are in love seem to be addicted to their beloved. People who are in love have attentional biases for the beloved and people who are addicted have attentional biases for the substance they are using. This raises the question of how similar craving and attention are for the beloved and an addictive substance. However, there are no studies that directly compared craving and attention to the beloved and addictive stimuli. The aims of the current research were to directly compare subjective emotional experiences, sustained motivated attention, and early automatic attention for the beloved and vape stimuli, in people …

Mothering In The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Feminist Relational Discourse Analysis, Erin Spencer

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the caregiving landscape, presenting distinct challenges for parents. While existing literature highlights the considerable increase in parenting stress and burnout during this period (Griffith et al., 2022), it also foregrounds the indispensable and often invisible labor of mothering¾emphasizing the disproportionate burdens placed on mothers as they bridged gaps in societal infrastructure (O’Reilly & Green, 2021). Grounded in matricentric feminist theory, this qualitative study delves into the dominant ideologies and social constructs shaping normative motherhood as a framework for understanding maternal stress and resilience during a global health crisis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 mothers …

Interpersonal Violence And The Impact On Children’S Educational Outcomes, Samantha Hurst

Senior Capstone Papers

This capstone explores the complex topic of interpersonal violence which impacts children in the home and their school outcomes. Understanding children who are not getting their emotional or physical needs met could have a harder time focusing, staying awake, or being present in the classroom is incredibly important. This paper examines the pre-existing literature on the topic of how children react to interpersonal violence and how punishment in schools can affect academic outcomes. A solution is proposed for teachers to be taught trauma informed care to increase empathy towards students and decrease behavioral suspensions. Trauma informed care can mitigate partial …

Social Emotional Learning For Students In Schools And Communities, Gisselle Villar

Senior Capstone Papers

The goal of the educational approach known as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is to integrate these skills regarding SEL to be implemented in the school curriculum. In addition to emphasizing students’ abilities, education helps students build the kind of brains needed to acquire everyday tasks. The goal of this proposal is to help students develop a feeling of self-worth and awareness so they can connect and communicate honestly with one another. Schools will witness a significant shift in the lives of their students and the way teachers instruct once this learning is implemented. When this knowledge is successfully applied …

Avoidant Attachment, Coping Styles, And Body Image In Adults With Trichophagia And Onychophagia Disorders, Maryam Mehrtash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative research was to study the relationship between avoidant attachment, coping styles, and body image in adults with trichophagia and onychophagia disorders. The repeated failed attempts of patients to reduce or stop their compulsive behavior persist as a significant health concern for clinicians and researchers alike. Previous literature indicated that a lack of recognition of the underlying mental illness in these conditions exists and may be due to the absence of individualized treatment. Attachment theory, proposed in this study, integrates psychosocial and neurobiological factors to examine this study’s therapeutic constructs. Sixty-seven adults with trichophagia (N= 50) …

Personality Traits And Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Older People: A Network Approach, Jia Lee, Jihong Zhang

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

The present study aims to investigate the network structure of depressive symptoms, the interrelationships between individual personality traits and depressive symptoms, and gender differencesamong Chinese older people aged 60 and above.

Method

We performed network analyses with a regularized Graphical GaussianModel and a case-dropping bootstrap approach. A sample of 4876 older Chinese people aged 60+ was included in the analyses. We investigated the central symptoms in the depression network and the bridge nodes that connect personality facets and depressive symptoms. Gender differences were investigated by testing the global strength, network invariance, and edge weights.

Results

Sadness …

Biopsychosocial Management Of Long Covid Fibromyalgia: Lessons From The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Fibromyalgia Program, Joseph Harrison, Dennis Given Psy.D.

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the prevalence of chronic health concerns worldwide, leading to a new population of patients suffering from Long Covid. Patients with Long Covid often experience persistent symptoms impacting multiple organ systems, including neuroimmune and neurological manifestations. Recently, attention has grown toward Long Covid patients developing chronic widespread pain similar to fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a nociplastic pain disorder characterized by widespread pain and central sensitization with fatigue, sleep disturbances, and impairments in cognitive functioning. Given the nascent and limited research exploring new treatment options, patients need support now from biopsychosocial multi-modal pain management strategies. The Fibromyalgia Program …

An Exploration Of Self-Reported Training Needs For Anxiety Interventions Among Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultants, Katherine Buckheit, Ryan Willard, Kyle Possemato, Robyn Shepardson, Abigail Lashinsky, Jen Funderburk

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

Introduction: Despite the need for greater training in evidence-based interventions for the treatment of anxiety in primary care behavioral health (PCBH), there are limited data on which interventions are desired by behavioral healthcare consultants (BHCs). The objective of this study was to identify which interventions BHCs desired more training in when treating anxiety in PCBH practice, and to examine if this preference was associated with theoretical orientation. Method: We conducted an online survey of PCBH providers regarding their training preferences for treatment of anxiety symptoms. The final sample comprised 291 BHCs recruited from e-mail listservs of national professional organizations. Providers …

The Experience Of Well-Being In Educators Who Transitioned From In-Person To Online Teaching, La Toya S. Glenn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic created substantive stress and uncertainty for secondary educators, including responding to the shifts in delivering education from the traditional to the online classroom and back to the classroom. Improper training, increased work demands, increased responsibilities, and decreased autonomy took a toll on teachers’ work and home life. To better understand how teachers deal with transitions in online, hybrid, and in-person education, this study explored secondary educators' experiences of psychological well-being during the transitions from in-person to online teaching. An interpretative phenomenological approach guided the research design. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping was used …

Hgs-3 The Influence Of A Tandem Cycling Program In The Community On Physical And Functional Health, Therapeutic Bonds, And Quality Of Life For Individuals And Care Partners Coping With Parkinson’S Disease, Leila Djerdjour, Jennifer L. Trilk

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Purpose Statement: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on alleviating symptoms experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this evidence, the potential benefits of exercise for both PD patients and their care partners (PD dyad) remain unexplored. This research project investigates the effectiveness, therapeutic collaborations, and physical outcomes of a virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling program specifically designed for PD dyads.

Methods: Following approval from the Prisma Health Institutional Review Board, individuals with PD were identified and screened by clinical neurologists. The pre-testing measures for PD dyads (N=9) included emotional and cognitive status …

Psy-7 Peer Effects Of Seeking Mental Health Help From A Professional, Devanshi Patel, Susan Ruppel

SC Upstate Research Symposium

How does peer support effect the ability of students to seek out mental health help from a professional? In this study, the experimenter investigates the type of support the students receive from their peers and how that affects their ability to seek out help from a professional. Accurate intention-seeking of students was recorded for both the behavioral concerns and their support types. A Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale was used to measure the data collected in this study. It was found that the behavioral concern (mental, physical) of a student does not matter in this study, nor did the type …

Humbly Facing The Facts Of Life: Humility And Existential Concerns, Carmen Casper, Chloe Swanson, Isabella Brady, Claire Van Duinen

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Death, isolation, meaning, identity, and freedom–the five existential concerns–give rise to anxiety and reveal natural human limitations (Koole et al., 2006). People construct and defend worldviews that answer existential questions, reduce anxiety, and provide security, yet little research investigates how holding on to beliefs affects one’s flourishing. We argue that humility serves as a belief process that leads to flourishing and decreased defensiveness. We tested two competing predictions: does intellectual humility around one’s worldviews mitigate defensive responses and lead to more positive reactions, or does it undermine the confidence with which people hold their views and erode the anxiety-mitigating function …

An Examination Of The Big Five, Mental Illness Stigma, And Crisis Intervention Training, Trista Wolfgram

Theses and Graduate Projects

The number of individuals incarcerated with mental illness continues to grow, and correctional officers may play a critical role in rehabilitation. A correlation analysis was conducted between Big Five personality traits and mental illness stigma to determine whether there is a significant relationship in a sample of state correctional officers who participated in Crisis Intervention Training. A mixed model ANOVA was also conducted to assess whether personality traits impacted levels of mental illness stigma following completion of the training. A moderate negative correlation was found between agreeableness and mental illness stigma. All other findings were not clinically significant, potentially due …

Profiling Cybercriminals: Behavioral Analysis And Motivations Behind Cybercrime Activities, A'Shya Latrice Reynolds

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The study of cybercriminal behavior and motivations is crucial for understanding and combating the evolving landscape of digital crime. This paper delves into the intricate realm of cybercrime profiling, employing a multidisciplinary approach to dissect the behavioral patterns and underlying motivations of cybercriminals. Drawing from psychology, sociology, and criminology, the research examines the intricate interplay of individual traits, social dynamics, and technological factors that shape cybercriminal activities.

Through analysis of case studies and research, this paper uncovers the diverse range of motivations driving individuals towards engaging in cybercrime. From financial gain and ideological extremism to thrill-seeking and revenge, cybercriminals exhibit …

The Effect Of Visual Dominance On Word Learning In Infants And Adults, Lauren Tocco, Abby Vonk, Grace Sarafa, Calista Burke, Chloe Swanson

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Learning new words is critical in infancy, and continues to play a role in learning throughout the lifespan. In infancy, it often involves discerning the link between an object and its name. However, when an object's name is heard, many objects could be present, making it difficult to determine which object goes with the name. Yu and Smith (2012) documented one factor that may aid early word learning: infants hold objects close to their faces, making those objects appear larger ("visual dominance"). They found correlational evidence that successful name learning was associated with visual dominance. We adapted a method used …

Pessimism And Virtuous Hope: Can They Coexist?, Allie Prindle, Alexa Burgess, Katherine Yakes

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The purpose of this study is to conduct an exploratory analysis to understand if high pessimism and high virtuous Ithemba hope (see table below) can coexist as individual differences. The virtue of Ithemba hope is operationally defined as a purposeful vision in adversity, encouraging others for the common good (Thomas et al. under review). A qualitative study has suggested that the virtue of hope can coexist with pessimism especially in the context of high adversity, showing that anticipating bad events with a hopeful mindset can result in positive outcomes of flourishing (Thomas et al., 2022). This study builds on the …

Longitudinal Effects Of Meaning-Making Expressive Writing On Mental Health, Chloe Swanson, Carmen Casper, Isabella Brady, Claire Van Duinen

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Research suggests that repeated expressive writing is beneficial for one's health and can help individuals psychologically process adversity (Sexton & Pennebaker, 2009). Because research has demonstrated that expressive writing improves one's outlook on life, it is valuable to determine the most effective method of expressive writing for the best outcomes on mental health. One valuable mechanism by which a journal may improve mental health is through enhancing meaning (Edwards & Van Tongeren, 2020). Accordingly, we examined the longitudinal effects of journaling mental health over time. We hypothesized that participants who journal over a series of weeks with the intention of …

What Makes A Host Unique? A Prototype Analysis, Tyler Kennedy, Tasia Parsons, Lauren Zago

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The concept of hospitality has been in human culture for thousands of years. However, despite its historical significance, hosting has mostly been overlooked in scientific studies. Although a scale for measuring hospitality was recently developed (Meagher et. a, 2022), it draws from philosophical and theological accounts of hospitality. The current study instead investigates the associations held by the general population regarding the concept of a good host, relative to a good visitor and a good person. Following the procedure used by Samuelson et. al (2014), two studies investigate what attributes are most prototypical of a good host.

In Study 1, …