Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Resilience And Positive Psychology – Mental Health Clinicians’ Perspectives On Schizophrenia Within The Criminal Justice System, Shaquanna Ferguson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Dropping Into The Expressive Art Therapy: A Community Engagement Arts Based Project, Sydney C. Smith, Meg Chang

Expressive Therapies Theses

This community engagement capstone explores how expressive arts practices (EXAP) may complement surf-based programming by supporting reflection, empathy, and meaning-making among participants. Research has demonstrated that surf therapy can promote emotional well-being, resilience, and social connection through embodied engagement with the ocean and supportive community environments. Integrating expressive arts practices within surf-based programs may extend these benefits by providing opportunities for reflection, creative expression, and interpersonal exchange. Grounded in expressive arts therapy (EXAT) theory and arts-based research (ABR) paradigms, this project examines how creative expression can support relational and emotional experiences within surf therapy settings. Using an arts-informed community engagement …

Medical Journals As Complex Adaptive System (Cas) Reports: Reframing Journals As Structured Detection, Interpretation, And Feedback Systems In Healthcare, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background Healthcare operates as a complex adaptive system (CAS) characterized by distributed agents, nonlinear interactions, and emergent behavior. Effective adaptation depends on mechanisms capable of detecting and redistributing signals from across the system.

Objective To conceptualize the medical journal as a structured CAS report and to examine its role in supporting system awareness among clinicians.

Conceptual Model Recurring journal sections—including original research, reviews, editorials, clinical cases, perspectives, humanities, and letters—function as distinct sensing and signaling channels. Together, they provide a multi-dimensional representation of system activity.

Implications Journals serve not only as repositories of knowledge but as adaptive communication nodes that …

What’S In A Map?: Evaluating Mapping Techniques And Measures Of Culture To Inform Equitable Cultural Planning In Dallas, Texas, Kena Nicol

Planning Masters Professional Reports

The City of Dallas developed a neighborhood typology map to assess cultural resource distribution as part of its 2018 Cultural Plan, representing a relatively new approach that remains underexplored in academic literature. In the same plan, stakeholders identified equity as a central value, highlighting the need for tools that better support equitable cultural planning. This study evaluates the outcomes of two mapping techniques–cultural asset mapping and opportunity mapping – to examine how each represents cultural resource distribution across Dallas and supports equity-oriented analysis. Cultural asset mapping, the standard approach in cultural planning, identifies the spatial distribution of physical cultural infrastructure. …

In The Era Of The Smartphone: The Case For The Continued Role Of Mnemonics As Cognitive Scaffolds That Support Encoding, Working Memory Efficiency, And Rapid Cue-Dependent Retrieval, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The ubiquity of smartphones and point-of-care digital references has prompted questions regarding the continued relevance of mnemonic devices in medical education. If information can be instantly retrieved, is memorization—and by extension mnemonic structure—still necessary? Objective: To reframe mnemonics not as relics of pre-digital pedagogy, but as cognitive scaffolds that support encoding, working memory efficiency, and rapid cue-dependent retrieval in time-pressured clinical environments. Discussion: Cognitive science demonstrates that working memory remains inherently limited regardless of technological access. Mnemonics function as structured chunks that reduce cognitive load, support pattern recognition, and facilitate transition from novice encoding to expert automaticity. In emergency …

Helping Waldo (The Poster) Be Found: Teaching Search Literacy, Discoverability And Search Engine Optimization As Core Scholarly Skills In Graduate Medical Education, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: In modern academic medicine, trainees are taught how to search the biomedical literature but rarely taught how to structure their own scholarly work so that it can be discovered. This creates a diffusion gap in which high‑quality educational innovations, case reports, and operational insights remain difficult to locate despite being presented or archived.

Objective: To propose a concise educational module that teaches residents the principles of search literacy and scholarly discoverability.

Methods: A conceptual curriculum framework was developed drawing on literature from information science, medical education, and diffusion theory. The module introduces the paired competencies of 'Finding Waldo' (literature …

Sharing Research Posters With The World: Clinical Education Posters Can Demonstrate Global Diffusion And Conceptual Portability--Evidence From Readership Maps, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Traditional academic metrics emphasize citation counts and journal impact factors as measures of scholarly influence. These metrics often overlook the early and informal diffusion of ideas across global clinical communities. Educational posters and case-based teaching materials frequently circulate through digital repositories, yet little attention has been paid to how readership analytics may illuminate patterns of knowledge diffusion across healthcare systems.

Objective

To explore the concept of conceptual portability and to introduce readership mapping as a framework for understanding how clinical ideas travel across diverse global contexts.

Methods

We examined readership analytics from an institutional digital repository hosting clinical posters …

Music And Movement For Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Jordan Butler

The Corinthian

Parkinson’s disease, affecting approximately 10 million people worldwide, causes deficits in fine motor function, speech, and movement, as well as many other secondary symptoms, such as depression (Parkinson’s Foundation, 2020, para. 1). Past researchers have outlined many different studies and interventions regarding Parkinson’s and the effects of various types of music therapy (Andrejeva et al., 2019; Bukowska et al., 2016; Tamplin et al., 2019; Thaut, Rice, Braun Janzen, Hurt-Thaut, & McIntosh, 2019; Zhang, Liu, Ye, Li, & Chen, 2017). This review includes numerous ways that music therapy has benefited, and assisted people diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Vocal practices, auditory stimulation, and …

Lindenwood Digest, May 6, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

Event & Date: The 2026 Lindenwood Showcase was held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

Geographic Grounding: The event occurred at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. 

Key Honorees/Awards: Student winners included Reghan Gacki and Luisa Gonzalez for Original Research Project, Aidan Brynes for Creative Project, Lauren Roberts, Brendan Finnery, and Judah Davis for Exploratory Project, Chloe Ceballos for Proposal Project, and Allison Schrumf and Eleri Tye for Civic Engagement Project; Kimberly Sanchez received the Alpha Chi People's Choice Award; Oral presentation winners included Ava Bilton, Stephanie Greenhalgh, Kadence Berry, Taylor Bertubin, and Piper Colantone. 

Institutional Context: The showcase highlights diverse …

Trauma, Memory, And Decision-Making: How Covid-19 Shaped Autobiographical Memories And Risky Decision-Making In Young Adults, Rachel Seo

Student Theses

Autobiographical memory is a critical component of the memory process that guides future behaviors by relying on past personal experiences connected to major public events. This decision-making process is heavily influenced by trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as they may guide individuals to riskier behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global traumatic stressor that contributed to shifts in behavioral outcomes post-pandemic. Despite research showing associations between memory accessibility, traumatic symptoms, and decision-making, there is limited research on health-related behaviors and post-pandemic behavioral outcomes in individuals with high trauma exposure specifically from the pandemic. The present study investigates …

Transforming Experience Into Practice: A Portfolio Of Growth, Identity, And Leadership, Ana I. Loli

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio documents the integration of my academic learning, practicum experience, and personal transformation throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. Drawing from trauma‑informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive frameworks, I demonstrate competency across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice, with particular emphasis on ethical decision-making, ADEI engagement, community assessment, policy analysis, research-informed practice, and collaborative leadership. Through narrative reflections and applied artifacts—including case analyses, simulated clinical sessions, community-based research, organizational evaluation, and leadership implementation—I illustrate how meaning, context, power, history, and possibility shape my approach to social work. This portfolio highlights my development …

The Moderating Effects Of Body-Mind-Spirit Well-Being On The Relationship Between Diabetes Self-Efficacy And Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management, Carly Snodgrass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Exploring Child Trafficking Survivors' Experiences: Support, Revictimization, And Justice Institutions, Max Lubin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experiences Of Facilitators Navigating Group Cohesion In Online Interpersonal Psychotherapy Groups, Jason Woodford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

How The U.S. Virgin Islands Government Responded To The Covid-19 Crisis: A Leadership Perspective, Erica Dover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Interpreting American Sign Language: A Literature Review Of Assistive Technologies, Natalie Louise Paradiso, Emma Grace Kochenderfer

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

American Sign Language (ASL) is a visually elaborate, spatially oriented linguistic methodology that relies on combinations of hand movements, body positioning, facial expressions, and motion/spatial perception, aspects of which make interpretation difficult for automated machine recognition. Current assistive technology approaches to ASL interpretation are generally within the categories of computer vision models (including deep learning, multi-focus image fusion, and keypoint tracking) and wearable, multimodal/sensor-based approaches (such as smart glasses and inertial-sensor gloves). Within controlled environments, computer vision models perform well. However, when applied to conditions such as non-manual signs/features, signer variability, and rapid assimilation, they falter in processing all aspects …

Behind The Self-Report: Cognitive Symptoms And Moderating Variables During Covid-19 Quarantine, Ashley H. Jo

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

A lesser-known impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is the impairment of cognitive functioning among seemingly unsusceptible, healthy, and young populations. Research suggests that the circumstances of extreme social isolation, incited by the pandemic, have had significantly negative effects across various social, cognitive, and psychological dimensions, with a specific focus on adolescents who are at a unique and more extreme risk than adults and children. By applying the cognitive load theory (CLT) to the COVID-19 quarantine landscape, this study measured the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on cognitive functioning among those who were adolescents and young adults at the time …

Breaking Down A.B.C.D. (American Born Confused Desi): Dual Identity Struggles & Mental Health Outcomes In South Asian American Youth, Sanchi Kohli, Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

South Asian American youth are an understudied population in mental health-related research. When looking at data, we saw that in Asian American youth, suicide is the leading cause of death. The current study examined South Asian youth mental health and the confounding factors that lead to suicidality. Including parental pressures, dual identity struggles, and internalized racism. This was done specifically under the guidance of Benet-Martínez & Haritatos’ (2005) theory of Bicultural identity integration. The study described how individuals with compatible or opposing cultural identities perceived their dual identities. In the case of this study, we identified whether South Asian American …

Parasocial Relationships In Identity & Mental Health, Josephine Railston

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Parasocial relationships are one-sided emotional connections people form with media personalities such as influencers, streamers, and celebrities. Although these relationships are inherently unreciprocated, prior research has shown that they can provide meaningful feelings of companionship. While parasocial relationships are often viewed negatively, the current study examined the association between parasocial relationship strength and multiple dimensions of psychological well-being, including loneliness, perceived stress, self-esteem, and behavior mimicry. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, media personalities were conceptualized as role models whose behaviors and attitudes are observed, internalized, and potentially imitated by audiences. Participants completed an online survey assessing the strength of …

"Silent Or Seen: How Trust Influences Protest Engagement", Adam M. Erdkamp

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The research question I have chosen for my project is, “In what ways do levels of trust impact whether someone chooses to participate in an in-person protest?” A current problem within this field from previous findings is that research claims there is no consensus on whether trust encourages participation or if distrust drives it. Therefore, while some believe that a minimum level of trust is necessary to participate in politics, others argue that distrust drives citizens to partake in non-institutionalized, radicalized, or in-person protests. My answer to this question is that I believe if people were to have high levels …

Acculturation Pressures And Substance Use Among Latino Populations In The U.S., Julie Misiewicz, Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In 2001, the Office of the Surgeon General classified Latinos with substance use disorders as a vulnerable population (Villalobos & Bridges, 2018). Although Guerrero et al. (2013) found that rates of substance use among Latinos were comparable to or exceeded those of other ethnic groups, disparities remain in access to and quality of treatment. Early adulthood is considered a high-risk period for substance use, yet Latino individuals may face additional pressures during this developmental stage while exploring identity and navigating acculturation (Unger et al., 2014). Despite documented links between acculturation pressures and substance use, little was understood about how these …

El Papel Del Bilingüismo En La Atención Médica A Pacientes Hispanohablantes, Ariela Deleon

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Spanish-speaking patients in the United States frequently face significant barriers to quality healthcare due to language differences between themselves and their providers. This project examines how English-Spanish bilingualism among healthcare professionals meaningfully improves the quality of care delivered to Spanish-speaking patients. To analyze this, the project draws on a review of academic literature on bilingualism, language concordance, medical interpretation, and health outcomes, as well as interviews with healthcare professionals across various fields who possess different levels of Spanish fluency and regularly work with Spanish-speaking patients. This project argues that bilingualism among healthcare providers is not merely a supplementary skill but …

Characterizing Core Outcomes Of Responsible Stewardship For Human Genomic Data In The Cloud, Vasiliki Rahimzadeh, Bronwyn Walsh, Heidi L Rehm, Mildred Cho, Amy L Mcguire

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

We present findings from a scoping review of the genomic data sharing literature used to inform a core outcomes set for responsible data stewardship in the cloud. Genomic and related health data stemming from government funded research have undergone mass migration to the cloud where they can be more securely stored, accessed, and analyzed within shared computing environments. While this migration reflects a shift in privacy and security infrastructure for cloud-based repositories as oversight becomes more globalized, it also necessitates new data stewardship responsibilities to align authorized data access with ethical data use. Responsible data stewardship refers to the ethical …

Library Professionals Job Satisfaction Level In Autonomous Arts And Science Colleges In Tamil Nadu: A Study, Ganapathy Kaniappan, Geetha A., Jayashree R.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study was conducted to expansively explore the job satisfaction of employees towards the career development opportunities as the main objective, followed by identifying the main factors and concluding with suggestions to conquer the dissatisfaction level of jobs of staff serving in respective libraries. The study sample consisted of 250 respondents representing all librarians, deputy librarians, assistant librarians/documentation officers, information scientists, and library assistants working in 39 district libraries in Tamil Nadu. A structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale was used to collect quantitative data for the study. Based on the survey findings, this study concluded that the library …

Taking Off The Mask: Development Of A Role Method For Late-Diagnosed Neurodivergent Women, Maria Moutzalias

Expressive Therapies Theses

Neurodivergent women are frequently underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or late diagnosed due to gender differences and the prevalence of masking. Masking is the unintentional or intentional suppression of neurodiverse traits to present more neurotypical. Consequences of long-term masking can include increased risk of anxiety, depression, and burnout. This study explores the potential of drama therapy as a modality to support unmasking and increasing self-esteem in neurodivergent adult women. Drawing on existing literature on neurodiversity, masking, and drama therapy, a two staged role-based intervention was developed and implemented within a six weeklong psychotherapy group for five late diagnosed neurodivergent women. All participants were …

Playing The Part Online: A Role-Based Telehealth Intervention Supporting Trauma Integration In Adults, Mary Schwabenland

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study explores a telehealth-adapted, role-based drama therapy intervention designed to support trauma integration in adults. Grounded in trauma theory, experiential approaches, and drama therapy frameworks, the intervention utilized interoceptive awareness, metaphor, and role embodiment to explore emotional material in dramatic reality, with aesthetic distance serving as an adjustable mechanism of activation and containment. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on clinical session notes from five adult clients. Five themes emerged from the analysis, including: aesthetic distance and modes of engagement; aesthetic quality and symbolic coherence; role narrative as integration pathway; intervention as catalyst within ongoing process; and therapist positioning …

Co-Active Therapeutic Filmmaking: A Methodology Pilot Project, Blair Webber

Expressive Therapies Theses

This pilot project examined the intersection of drama therapy and filmmaking. Drawing on the Co-Active Therapeutic Theater model from drama therapy and digital storytelling and participatory video methods from social work research, this methodology designed and delivered a co-created filmmaking intervention at a residential treatment center for adult men with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. Four participants made a seven-minute-long short fictional film based on their definition of active recovery and a theme of recovery they wished to share with an audience. It was screened at the treatment center for staff and their fellow residents. Data collection was …

How Can Art Therapy Intergenerational Groups Support Fostering Connections For Individuals With Memory Loss?, Clara Drew

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis explores the question: How can art therapy intergenerational groups support fostering connections for individuals with memory loss? In the study conducted, there were two separate groups, family-based and community volunteer-based. Both included residents of a memory care community. Through the process of this study, a total of seven groups were conducted. These groups explored art activities that focused on fostering connection through sensory and collaborative art processes. The study noted changes in the residents' moods, level of engagement, collaboration and socialization, and post-group affect throughout the day. While the focus was observing these factors for memory care residents, …

Exploring Identity Development In Adolescents Through A Series Of Self-Portrait Making Using Art Therapy, Kayla Lincoln

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study explored how self-portrait making in art therapy can support adolescent identity development. This concept was implemented through a three-part series of self-portrait directives (past, present, and future self) in a group setting at an adolescent partial hospitalization program (PHP). There were a total of 7 participants in this study, ranging in age from 14 to 17 years. Data was collected through note-taking of observations and expressions of participants and their artwork. Using thematic analysis, three themes were identified from the three group sessions: influence of others on identity, identity as an evolving process, and resilience and growth. Findings …

Queer Creativity In A State Of Surveillance: Community Art-Making As Embodied Resistance, Rachel "Frankie" Uhrig

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between community art-making and queer resilience in response to state-sanctioned violence and surveillance. Furthermore, this paper focuses on the impact of visibility/invisibility on individuals within a community that is heavily policed and how less Eurocentric, medicalized approaches to support can serve these individuals. To better study and understand this approach, multiple sessions of community-based open studios were held from the writer’s home. Research was gathered from a group of individuals already in community together through the spectrum of queerness within a roller derby team. Participants were given a variety of materials to work with and …