Digital Commons Network^™

Subjective Cataloging And Acquisitions In Relation To Controversial Titles: A Collection Analysis Of Challenged Lgbtq+ Titles In Louisiana Libraries, Madeline Moghimi

SLIS Connecting

In late 2022, the Attorney General of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, began a campaign to block access to books considered sexually graphic in Louisiana libraries (Landry, 2023). In a report released in February 2023, Landry called for a system that would prevent minors from being able to access objectionable books (Landry, 2023). Despite Landry’s claim that this is not censorship or an attempt at banning books, this can prevent access, effectively censoring titles for a subsection of the population. While Landry did not call for books to be moved to a different collection, this attempt at blocking access has made censorship …

Miss Me With That Misinformation: A Content Analysis Of Library Websites’ Resources Against Misinformation, Cheyenne Brady

SLIS Connecting

From the C.R.A.A.P. test to webinars and videos on how to fact-check properly, it is now more important than ever that librarians aid patrons in sharpening their critical analysis skills, especially through passive means. However, on that front, are all library websites created equal? This research examined programming and resources related to information and digital literacy through a content analysis of public and academic library websites.

Left Behind In Lockdown: A Scoping Review Of Covid-19’S Impact On The Lives Of Transition-Age Foster Youth, Johanna K P Greeson, Sarah Wasch, John Gyourko, Antonio R. Garcia, Hannah Bennett, Kate Greco, Liya Cha

Faculty Scholarship

This scoping review asked: What is known about the scope and nature of research on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on older youth with foster care experience in the United States, including the types of studies, samples and outcomes examined? Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and PRISMA-ScR, we searched 11 databases and grey literature sources (October2024 to January 2025). Eligible studies were United States based, published from 2020 onward and included primary data on foster youth or relevant professionals. Thirty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies were descriptive or cross-sectional, reflecting early phases of the pandemic. Mapping …

Adapting To Cultural Diversity At Work: A Thematic Analysis Of Resources Mobilized By Local And Posted Agricultural Workers In France, Alexandrine Ceschiutti, René Mokounkolo

The Qualitative Report

When workers have to adapt to a new culture, they develop intercultural skills as cultural intelligence (CQ), which is the ability to show an interest and act effectively in an environment characterized by cultural diversity. There has been little research on this subject in France, and studies have focused on expatriates, while acculturation also affects people from the local community. This is the case for local agricultural workers (LW), whose perceptions we compare with those of foreign posted agricultural workers (PW) in France. Our study had two aims: (a) to explore the personal resources that these workers perceive as necessary …

Discourses On Homosexuality And The Paradox Of The Closet In The New Life (2023) By Tom Crewe, Paramita Ayuningtyas, Shuri Mariasih Gietty Tambunan, Asri Saraswati

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This article offers a critical examination of Tom Crewe's biographical novel The New Life (2023), focusing on its representation of homosexual subjectivity in Victorian England—a historical context defined by restrictive moral norms and punitive legal regimes that criminalised same-sex relationships. Drawing on Michel Foucault's theory of discursive power, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's concept of the closet, and Michael Boucai's topology of the closet, the study demonstrates that the novel portrays the closet not merely as a private site of concealment but as a complex social mechanism shaped by legal regulation, gender norms, and class-based power relations. Building on this theoretical framework, …

Eye Of The Beholder: Exploring Correlates Of Subjective Cognition In Older Adults With And Without Insomnia, Amy N. Costa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is unclear how subjective cognition is related to current objective cognitive functioning in older adults, but subjective cognitive complaints are a risk factor for future cognitive decline. A lack of awareness of even subtle changes in objective cognitive performance could lead to missed opportunities for early intervention. Given past work and known associations between sleep, cardiac autonomic functioning, and cognition (both subjective and objective), it is plausible to hypothesize these factors may influence subjective cognition. Understanding how and when the subjective and objective cognition relationship diverges may inform clinicians on how to best assess cognitive functioning and factors (i.e., …

An Autoethnographic And Relational Exploration Of Identity Negotiation Within Romantic Relationships Between Nonbinary Partners And Cisgender Women, Maddison L. Russell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how trans and cisgender partners negotiate gender identity, care, and relational well-being through an autoethnographic examination of everyday communication. The study draws from eighteen personal narratives across family, academic, and romantic contexts to trace how gender-based microaggressions and cisnormative expectations become embedded in ordinary talk, gestures, and silences, shaping identity development and relational stability. At its core, this work argues that relationality emerges as a pervasive and constitutive condition that shapes how affirmation, misrecognition, and belonging are experienced within trans/cis relationships and across time. Through examining moments of misunderstanding, minimization, and avoidance, the study reveals how microaggressions …

Development Of Animation-Based Cooperative Learning Media On Lampung Folk Tales To Improve Learning Outcomes In Elementary School Students, Aprilia Nursanti, Farida Ariyani, Ryzal Perdana, Hendri Firmansyah

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This study aimed to develop and examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an animation-based learning medium integrated with Cooperative Learning for teaching Lampung folk tales in elementary schools. The study was motivated by low student achievement and the limited availability of culturally contextualized digital media in local language instruction. Using a Research and Development (R&D) approach, the learning media was developed through the ADDIE model, encompassing Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The participants consisted of 25 fourth-grade students from SDN 3 Rajabasa, Bandar Lampung. Expert validation indicated a high level of feasibility, with an average score of 88%. …

Assessment Perception: Delivery Matters, Nicole Marie Arcuri Sanders, Chelsey Simmons

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Perception shapes how individuals experience the world and guides their actions toward personal goals. In counseling, clients’ accurate understanding of assessment results is essential for informed decision-making and effective treatment engagement. Mental health clinicians have an ethical responsibility to communicate findings in ways that safeguard client welfare and empower both clients and stakeholders to collaborate in care. This conceptual manuscript introduces the BRIEF (Brief, Relevant, Interpretive, Empathetic, and Factual) Feedback Integration Framework, a structured model for delivering assessment feedback ethically and accessibly. Integrating cognitive, developmental, and cultural considerations. BRIEF provides counselors, supervisors, and educators with a practical strategy for improving …

Addressing Saintly Corrections: An Integrative, Developmental Approach To Counselor Bias Management, Travis Walker, Jennifer M. Cook

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

No person is without biases, even the most culturally adept among us. Managing biases is critical to counselors’ continued journey of understanding clients contextually and holistically. In this article, we describe two novel bias management concepts: A specific type of bias called saintly corrections and the more clinically fruitful approach of realistic corrections. We define and illustrate saintly and realistic corrections, outline a multifold approach (i.e., cognitive complexity, cultural identity development, and the multicultural orientation model) for remediating saintly corrections, and offer recommendations counselor educators can use during planned and contextual learning opportunities, including an example of a contextual …

Artemisinin Partial Resistance Mutations In Zanzibar And Tanzania Suggest Regional Spread And African Origins, 2023, Sean V. Connelly, Julia G. Muller, Mohamed Ali, Billy E. Ngasala, Wahida Hassan, Bakari Mohamed, Kyaw L. Thwai, Jacob M. Sadler, Jacob Marglous, Abebe A. Fola, Abdallah Zacharia, Shija J. Shija, Safia Mohammed, Dominick C. Msolo, Hamza Said, Editruda E. Peter, Melic Odas, Isaack J. Rutha, Mwanaidi Nwange, Karamoko Naire, Shazia Ruybal-Pesántez, Robert Verity, Rebecca Crudale, Varun Goel, Barbara B. Choloi, Anders Björkman, Jeffrey A. Bailey, Jessica T. Lin, Jonathan J. Juliano

Faculty Publications

Artemisinin partial resistance, driven by Plasmodium falciparum K13 mutations, threatens malaria control. Zanzibar is vulnerable to artemisinin partial resistance spread but lacks recent molecular surveillance. We sequenced samples in Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania collected from 2022 to 2024. K13 mutations were found in 2 of 1440 participants (P441L, A675V) in Zanzibar and 6 of 3762 (R561H, P441L) in mainland Tanzania. Based on whole genome sequencing data, K13 mutations appear to be of African origin with regional spread. Frequent parasite importation appears to maintain partner drug mutation frequencies similar to the mainland, where artemether-lumefantrine selects for mutations favoring artesunate-amodiaquine sensitivity. Ongoing …

Behavioural And Socioeconomic Drivers Underlying Solar Adoption In Egypt’S Cairo And Giza: A Micro-Level Perspective, Maha Elhini, Hoda Hassaballa, Rasha Hammam

Economics

Although Egypt falls within the solar belt, solar energy use on the household level remains very sparse. This research examines the factors driving and hindering households’ willingness to shift from fossil fuels to solar energy. The study evaluates the socioeconomic determinants of households’ willingness to adopt photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, based on a random distribution of 301 questionnaires in Cairo and Giza – two of Egypt’s most densely populated governorates. Two models were used─ a Logistic Model and a Structural Equations Model (SEM) that regresses the willingness to install PV panels on household characteristics. For a deeper analysis of how …

Adolescent Math Anxiety: Teachers' Grouping Approach At The Intersection Of Multiple Student Identities, Dara Shifrer, Hannah Sean Ellefritz, David Hernandez-Saca, Allison Roda, Karla Santana Martinez

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Math anxiety represents a substantial barrier to many students’ math learning. In this paper, we apply interdisciplinary perspectives to data on over 13,200 ninth graders and their math teachers from the High School Longitudinal Study. Results suggest that being perceived as dis/abled relates to heightened math anxiety regardless of adolescents’ gender, or race and ethnicity. Our intersectional approach reveals that adolescents’ expressions of math anxiety do not always correspond with gender, racial, and ethnic stereotypes, with Black girls, Black boys, and Latine boys expressing relatively low levels of math anxiety. Finally, consistent with the principles of inclusion and universal design, …

Lived Experiences Of Limited Sexual And Reproductive Health Education Among Egyptian Women, Nada Abdelhamid

Theses and Dissertations

In Egypt, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education remains largely absent from national education and youth policy frameworks, reflecting a broader governance gap at the intersection of education, health, and gender policy. This qualitative study explores how the lack of formal sexuality education shapes women’s knowledge, perceptions, and sexual and reproductive experiences across the life course, drawing on in-depth interviews with twelve Egyptian women from diverse marital backgrounds. The findings point to persistent gaps in basic SRH knowledge, early exposure to shame and stigma, and reliance on informal and often unreliable sources of information, which participants linked to fear of …

Self-Medication And Pharmaceutical Dispensing In Egypt: Practices, Policies, And Regulatory Challenges, Lobna Fawzy Ali Shaheen

Theses and Dissertations

Access to safe and appropriate medications is a critical component of public health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Egypt, self-medication and informal pharmaceutical dispensing have become deeply embedded practices shaped by systemic, economic, and cultural factors. This research explores the complex interplay between self-medication behaviors, pharmaceutical regulation, and healthcare access in Egypt. Through qualitative interviews with policymakers, pharmacists, physicians, industry professionals, and citizens, the research uncovers widespread informal dispensing of prescription-only medicines, driven by high out-of-pocket costs, limited insurance coverage, and high public reliance on pharmacists as primary care providers. Despite the presence of regulatory frameworks, weak enforcement, …

Gender, Integration, And Labor Market Access: The Case Of Syrian Refugees In Germany, Feras Al-Mekhlafy

Theses and Dissertations

Germany hosts one of the largest populations of Syrian refugees in Europe, making their successful labor market integration critical for social and economic stability. This study investigates the gender gap among Syrian refugees in Germany within the broader refugee–native labor market gap. Using cross-sectional data from the 2022 SOEP refugee survey, it applies a Heckman two-step selection model to jointly analyze employment and wage outcomes while correcting for selection bias. Results reveal that structural barriers (e.g.: legal and bureaucratic) and compositional factors (e.g.: human capital) rather than wage discrimination drive most observed disparities. Female refugees face significantly lower employment probabilities, …

Egyptian Feminist Critiques Of Neoliberalism, Asmaa Elmalky

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines Egyptian feminist critiques of neoliberal economic policies through a Third World feminist and feminist political economy framework. It argues that neoliberalism in Egypt has produced controlling power dynamics through restructuring labor markets, social reproduction, and legal systems in ways that disproportionately impoverish women, particularly working-class women. The research maps diverse feminist engagements with neoliberal reforms, including structural adjustment programs, privatization, labor reduction, and legal liberalization. These critiques were influenced by the debates between Third World and transnational feminism, the thesis emphasizes the importance of national specific analysis in understanding how global neoliberal policies are mediated through national …

Exploring Artificial Intelligence Governance In Higher Education: Policy Design, Implementation And Adaptability In Egypt, Rolane Eissa

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education (HE) underscores the need for effective governance frameworks that ensure ethical use and academic integrity. Despite increased policy attention, universities face significant challenges in translating AI governance (AIG) principles and policies into coherent, practical practices within complex organizational settings. Existing research on AIG remains conceptual and focused on the Global North. It offers limited empirical insight into how AI policies are interpreted and enacted at the institutional level, particularly in HE systems in the Global South. This study addresses these gaps by examining AIG in Egyptian universities, thereby providing empirically …

Digital Public Service Delivery As An Institutional Outcome: Data Governance And Interoperability In The Egyptian Public Sector, Waad Hegazy

Theses and Dissertations

Moving beyond technology-centered theories of digital transformation, this thesis examines the institutional and governance factors shaping digital public service delivery in Egypt. It analyzes how governance structures, data governance arrangements, and interoperability frameworks influence the extent to which digital transformation initiatives result in integrated, scalable, and citizen-facing public services. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on an analysis of relevant policy and program documents and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved in digital transformation initiatives in Egypt. The findings indicate that persistent challenges in digital public service delivery are driven less by technological constraints than by fragmented governance …

Spatial Abilities In Aging Adults With Down Syndrome, Yingying Jennifer Yang, Romal Bhullar, Sonia Conde

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

INTRODUCTION

People with Down syndrome (DS) have a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Deficits in spatial abilities could serve as early indicators of AD. We examined age effects on visuospatial construction and visuomotor integration in DS and whether spatial tasks could distinguish various extents of cognitive decline in DS.

METHODS

We used the Alzheimer's Biomarkers Consortium–Down Syndrome project dataset, where 376 DS participants completed a series of cognitive measures.

RESULTS

Age effects were found in visuomotor integration but not in visuospatial construction. Both abilities declined with AD progression. While both abilities showed relatively poor discrimination between cognitively stable …

The Vulnerabilities Of Smart Technology, Ryan R. Nolan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Smart technology is everywhere. In the last decade, an amazing digital transformation swept across the globe, changing how people interact and shaping the public sector interaction between the local government and the constituency. Public administrators must contend with a new communication method that will impact the constituency. Smart technology is making the world convenient, more accessible, and more connected; however, smart technology is making the United States more vulnerable to advisories that seek to harm the free world. When viewed holistically, the vulnerability of smart technology is a national security concern. The United States is not leading the smart technology …

Measuring Depression, Anxiety, Stress And Burnout In Paramedics, Dispatchers, And Call Takers Of Western Canada, Nahum Chi Heng Ip

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following dissertation examines depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in dispatchers and paramedics of Western Canada. This study is meant to bridge a research gap in mental health among emergency health workers in British Columbia, Canada. The samples were collected through two self-reporting surveys, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Index (MBI), both of which are strongly validated and widely used in similar research. Of the 948 dispatchers and paramedics who participated, 771 (81.3%) responses qualified to be included. The data was entered into the Intellectus software where a variety of tools were utilized to …

Us Federal Budgets And Federal Employee Job Satisfaction, Nathan Favero, Carla Flink, Tingli Qu

Faculty Publications

Researchers have long studied how organizational budgets relate to performance, but how do employees themselves experience the effects of budgetary decisions? Given widespread attention to political dysfunction in US federal budgeting, conventional wisdom holds that employees are negatively affected by budgetary uncertainty (volatility, delays, and stop-gap measures). We test how budget size and uncertainty are associated with US federal employee attitudes using survey and archival data from 2005 to 2020. Results provide some evidence that employee job satisfaction improves with enhanced funds, but there is little to no support for the notion that budgetary uncertainty influences federal employees' job satisfaction.

Leading In The Unexpected: Adaptive Leadership And Time Management, A Phenomenological Study Of The Small Church Pastor, Simorrah J. Majors

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most challenging obstacles small church pastors face today may be managing their time. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of the use of time management within the scope of church leadership and administration, as perceived through the lens of pastors ages 35 to 80 who are either the senior or sole pastor or elder at small trinitarian Protestant churches in the United States Northeast Region. Time management is generally defined as organizing and planning how to divide time between different activities and functions. The theory guiding this study is Ronald Heifetz's (2009) Adaptive Leadership theory …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Decision-Making, Nelson Fernandes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores how leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) experience and describe decision-making in personal, organizational, and leadership contexts. Guided by Rational Choice Theory (RCT), Behavioral Decision Theory (BDT), and Moon’s (2021) emotional intelligence framework, the study integrates psychological perspectives with biblical principles to examine how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal awareness contribute to ethical and effective decision-making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten to fifteen purposively selected participants identified as possessing high levels of emotional intelligence. The findings indicate that leaders with high EI view emotions as informational resources rather than obstacles and intentionally integrate emotional …

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding, Carroy U. Ferguson

Journal of Conscious Evolution

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

Coordinated Management Of Meaning In U.S.-Russia Relations: How Meanings Shaped Communication Surrounding The Potential Invasion Of Ukraine, Russell James Hampsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative discourse analysis applies the coordinated management of meaning theory to examine the diplomatic interactions between the United States and Russia from November 2021 to February 2022, the critical negotiation period preceding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Systematically applying the theory’s hierarchy of meanings model to the official discourse resulted in the segmentation of 1,428 official texts for analysis. Comparative coding of the data exposes how worldviews and recursive feedback patterns shape adversarial postures, perpetuate negotiation impasses, and prevent the emergence of co-constructed meaning. This research illuminates how national meanings are actively constructed and maintained through discursive interaction, reinforcing …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Clergy Premarital Financial Counseling Practices, Mary Lawrence Zimmerman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to explore how African American clergy members described their experience of providing premarital financial counseling to engaged couples. Research indicates that financial issues are a significant source of conflict for couples and rank among the leading causes of divorce (Scott et al., 2013; Hawkins et al., 2012). Numerous studies also reflect couples' perceptions of counseling interventions, including their participation and benefits. However, the literature is limited concerning the perspectives of clergy who offer premarital financial counseling (Halley et al., 2011). Given the influence of money on relationships and the biblical role …

Understanding The Effect Of Affective Context On Conflict Monitoring Through Erp And Behavioral Indices Of Cognitive Control, Amanda Holbrook

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding cognitive control in response to conflict requires examining how control-related processes are modulated by affect. This study tested the negative-affective signaling hypothesis, which posits that negative affect elicited by conflict enhances cognitive control. Undergraduate participants (n=73) completed an affective-flanker task in which affective images preceded flanker stimuli. Cognitive control was indexed by the error-related negativity (ERN), conflict N2, response times (RTs), and accuracy, and late positive potential (LPP) to images indexed motivated attention. Across hypotheses, adding event-related potential (ERP) coupling terms did not improve the predictive accuracy of multilevel models, providing no evidence for the predicted trial-to-trial affect-control coupling. …

A Case Study Of The Formation And Implementation Of Development Plan In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Anietie Edoho-Ukwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the formation and implementation of development plans by public administrators in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study will seek to understand the underlying factors affecting the success of these plans and proffer strategies for improving their effectiveness and sustainability. The theoretical framework of this research study is grounded in modernization theory, globalization theory, and transformational leadership theory. This study will conduct a comparative examination of other states in Nigeria with comparable populations and metrics. To gather data for the study, the researcher will convene with 20 current or former public …