Personality Meets Possibility: Exploring Cognitive Engagement For Older Adults In A Changing World, Kalvry A. Cooper

All Theses

Engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSAs) is critical for maintaining cognitive health in older adults. While existing research has examined the benefits of CSAs, less is known about how factors such as personality traits, education, and technology proficiency influence engagement, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore older adults' participation in online versus in-person CSAs during the pandemic and identify key predictors of engagement. Using secondary data from the EFIT and ENACT studies, this research investigates how variables like marital status, education, personality traits, and mobile device proficiency shape older adults' decisions to engage in online or …

From Leaders To Lifesavers: The Impact Of Leader Development On Healthcare Teams, Madison B. Washam

All Theses

With annual expenditures on leadership development in healthcare exceeding $166 billion, the effectiveness of leader development interventions in improving healthcare outcomes is crucial. This study examined the impact of leader development on team-level outcomes through the implementation of a program aimed at enhancing leaders’ relationship-oriented leadership skills. Specifically, it explored the effect of leader development opportunities on declarative knowledge of relationship-oriented skills, leader-member exchange (LMX), team psychological safety, and team members’ perceptions of patient safety. The study proposed that leaders equipped with relationship-oriented skills can foster healthier, more collaborative environments. Mediation analyses tested whether increases in declarative knowledge served as …

Partners In Pilgrimage: Transforming The Journey Of Adolescence By Guiding Teenagers Toward Faithful Lives, Redefining Success, And Cultivating Connection To God, Abigail R. Weaver

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Adolescence is a formative period in which young people seek meaning, identity, and belonging while navigating a complex array of cultural, social, and developmental pressures. In suburban American contexts, these pressures are intensified by competitive academic environments, demanding extracurricular commitments, and pervasive societal expectations that equate worth with achievement. Drawing from my experience as a youth minister in suburban United Methodist churches, this dissertation examines how such forces shape the spiritual and personal development of 15- to 18-year-olds and explores the Church’s role in guiding adolescents through this landscape with wisdom and care.

Grounded in the Christian tradition and informed …

Sense Of Belonging And Self-Efficacy Of Women In Stemm At The University Of South Alabama, Emilie Dedeaux

Honors Theses

Despite decades of calls and initiatives to diversify science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines, females are still more likely to leave STEMM career paths compared to their male peers, which is often depicted as a 'leaky pipeline'. Females in STEMM often report greater social alienation, greater selfdoubt, lower sense of belonging and academic satisfaction due to a mismatch in values in STEMM disciplines. STEMM values have traditionally been normed by cisheteronormative, white, male ideologies . While extensive research has focused on the barriers females experience in STEMM that reduce sense of belonging , less research has focused on …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson's Disease, Brock Renicks

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to observe the outcomes of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This study will primarily look at changes in depression and anxiety, as these symptoms are often comorbid with Parkinson’s Disease. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive, very low-intensity form of electrical stimulation of the brain. It is being increasingly used as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and depression and anxiety, however the literature is ambiguous, showing mixed results throughout various studies, with no standardization of tDCS administration. To determine the effect of tDCS on …

Substance Use And Childhood Environment In Adolescent Head Injury: Examining The Effects Of Race, Jessica A. Phelps

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adolescents participating in sports are at an increased risk of concussion, which is particularly important given the difficulties with cognitive function, emotion regulation, and impulsivity that may occur as a result of this brain injury. These symptoms can predispose adolescents to subsequent concussions, leading to further damage during a critical time in neurodevelopment which can result in mental health disorder development in adulthood. It is crucial to understand what factors may predispose youth to increased rates of concussion for these reasons. As such, this paper explored whether race/ethnicity, gender, grade in school, childhood environment, and risk-taking behaviors were associated with …

Social Bonds And Dynamic Risk In Predicting Juvenile Recidivism Among Florida Probation Youth, Shadrach Sackey

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Juvenile recidivism remains a persistent challenge within the United States juvenile justice system, particularly among youth supervised in community-based probation programs. This study examines how family context, school engagement, peer associations, antisocial beliefs, and overall dynamic risk are associated with recidivism among juvenile probation youth in Florida. Drawing on social bond theory and social learning theory, the analysis uses administrative data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) Juvenile Justice Information System, including 6,215 youth who completed community-based probation supervision between 2015 and 2018. Recidivism was measured using two outcomes within a 365-day follow-up period: rearrest and readjudication. Descriptive …

News From Georgia Libraries Conference, Nancy A. Shore

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Finding Our Village: A Conversation About Support, Scholarship, And Surviving Doctoral Work, Kristina Clement, Nancy A. Shore, Erin B. Tan

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

National Center For Children In Poverty Releases 2025/2026 Tanf Cash Assistance Policy Series, Karen Chatfield, Sydney Elltringham

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Bank Street Graduate School of Education has released its 2025/2026 TANF Cash Assistance Policy Series to help support policymakers and advocates in strengthening these vital supports.

Gis-Based Trail Accessibility Assessment At Lime Hollow Nature Center, Ashley Siergiej

Honors Theses

Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, is an important component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially in regions such as Central New York where natural areas are abundant. Hiking trails provide opportunities for people to connect with the environment, making it important that individuals of all abilities can access and experience these spaces. However, many environmental and physical factors can influence the difficulty and accessibility of hiking trails. This study evaluates trail accessibility at Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland, New York using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and field-based data collection. Field observations were collected along the Art Meadow Loop and …

Exploring Power, Sses, And Attribution, Mckinley A. Almeida

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

People tend to take credit when they feel powerful (Lammers & Burgmer, 2019). However, subjective socioeconomic status (SSES) may shift how individuals perceive who gets credit. To test this idea, I examined whether a memory recall of power or powerlessness changed internal attributions and if this effect is dependent on SSES. After individuals self-reported their SSES, participants were randomly assigned to recall a specific high or low-influence episode in their life. They indicated “who contributed more” and “who had more influence” on the outcome of the situation. Results showed a main effect of power such that recalling high-power situations led …

Social Isolation Predicts Altered Reward Circuit Connectivity And Future Behaviors In Adolescents, Mason Lucas, Josiah Leong

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood when people explore risky behaviors, and stressors during adolescence can change structural brain connectivity. Previous research has found weaker structural connectivity between reward circuits and future cognitive impairments among children raised in orphanages. Comparative research in mice suggests that social isolation after bullying can damage these connections and induce alcohol seeking. We tested whether social isolation was related to lower connectivity of targeted structural connections and anxious behaviors in adolescent humans. We analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study and found 522 subjects had experienced extreme social isolation. …

Social Media Usage And Motives In Socially Anxious Individuals, Emma Eddy

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media use (SMU) has grown rapidly in recent years, alongside the rate of social anxiety. Plenty of research has been previously conducted exploring the relationship between SMU and social anxiety, as well as potential motivations for using social media which may explain the recent incline in usage. However, this study combines the two relationships together to test the association between social anxiety and problematic SMU as well as to investigate motives of SMU as potential mediators of problematic SMU. Problematic social media usage, social anxiety, passive vs active SMU, and four different motives of SMU were all looked at. …

Evaluating Spect Neuroimaging In Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Critical Review And Proposed Randomized Controlled Study, Kiley Carter

Senior Honors Theses

Mental illness affects a substantial proportion of adults in the United States, yet psychiatric diagnosis remains subject to diagnostic variability. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a neuroimaging technique that measures cerebral blood flow and has been proposed as an adjunctive tool for psychiatric evaluation. Existing literature reports group-level perfusion patterns associated with certain psychiatric conditions, suggesting potential utility in diagnosing complex or treatment-resistant cases. However, critics of SPECT emphasize the absence of randomized controlled data demonstrating improved patient outcomes. To address this gap, a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing standard psychiatric care with SPECT-guided evaluation is proposed. The proposed …

Agritourism Marketing Communications: An Analysis Of Practices And Challenges In Arkansas, Kyla Paige Moseley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Agritourism is seen as an avenue for operators as another channel of income, as well as a way for the visitors to learn about and experience agriculture. Marketing communication is needed by these operations to be visible to their communities. However, there is limited literature on agritourism marketing communications practices and challenges, especially in Arkansas, and on the use of word of mouth (WOM). This study aimed to fill that gap and provide practical recommendations to agritourism operators, extension offices, and the Arkansas Agritourism Association (ArAA) on how to better market operations. Using semi-structured interview questions, ArAA operators were asked …

Navigating The Nicu Without Words: A Case Study Of A Spanish-Speaking Mother’S Healthcare Experience, Emma Norris

Poster Presentations

Research on NICU experiences largely focuses on majority-language families; non-English-speaking families are understudied (Cleveland, 2008). The Family Integrated Care model promotes parent-infant connection and shared decision-making to improve outcomes (Wreesmann et al., 2020). Language barriers impede parent-provider communication, increasing miscommunication and parental anxiety (Kynoe et al., 2020; Ardal et al., 2011). The purpose of this research is to explore communication experiences and barriers between English-speaking and bilingual NICU nurses and a Spanish-speaking NICU mother.

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Brock Renicks

Poster Presentations

Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s Disease experience depression and anxiety (Zhao et al, 2025). Depression and Anxiety have been said to be localized to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brunoni et al, 2016). Transcranial Direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate depression and anxiety by targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Sreeraj et al, 2023). It is beneficial due to its cost, portability, and simplicity of use. Thus we will be assessing the efficacy of tDCS in reducing depression and anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Determinants Of Hypertension Awareness And Control In Kenya: A Secondary Analysis Of National Survey Data, Alexander K. Davis

Poster Presentations

No abstract provided.

Community Resilience In The Absence Of Aid: Recovery After The 2018 Father’S Day Flood In Houghton County, Michigan, Abby Heggem

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Community networks influenced resilience and recovery after the 2018 Father’s Day Flood in Houghton County Michigan, particularly in the absence of strong institutional support. The flood caused widespread damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure, forcing residents to rely on immediate local action before state or federal aid arrived. Rural locations like Houghton County are often neglected by government funding and support during disasters and are forced to rely on themselves. Community networks matter in disasters because neighbors, volunteer groups, and local leaders respond faster than formal institutions. This project uses a qualitative case study approach that includes content analysis of …

Fear Of Crime, Intolerance Of Uncertainty, And Trait Worry: A Mediation Model Of Perceived Risk And Victimization Concerns, Nicholai N. Chasseau

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined psychological vulnerability and fear of crime in 538 adults from Trinidad and Tobago. Perceived risk was the strongest predictor of fear, while prospective intolerance of uncertainty predicted fear directly. Mediation was supported among Afro-Trinidadians but not Indo-Trinidadians, suggesting sociocultural differences in cognitive pathways linking vulnerability to fear.

When A Friend Dies Young: Experiences Of Young People After The Traumatic/Sudden Death Of A Friend/Peer, Summer Langva

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

The sudden or traumatic death of a peer during adolescence or young adulthood is a common yet understudied form of bereavement despite the developmental importance of peer relationships during this life stage. The present study examined the long-term psychological impact of peer loss by investigating prolonged grief symptoms, perceived social support, coping strategies, and posttraumatic growth among adults who experienced the sudden or traumatic death of a peer between the ages of 12 and 25. Participants (N = 31) completed an anonymous online survey consisting of standardized measures of prolonged grief, perceived social support, coping strategies, and posttraumatic growth, along …

Emotional Working Memory Across The Visualization Spectrum, Jae Fast

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 2015, the term “aphantasia” was coined to describe a small group of individuals who lack the ability to voluntarily produce visual mental imagery. This caused a rising interest in aphantasia and its associated neural, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional features. Understanding the role of visual mental imagery in both emotional and cognitive processes, it is reasonable to question whether aphantasia may result in importantly unique experiences that may require improved therapeutic practices to account for these differences. Previous studies have found that aphantasics experience reduced emotional responses to recalled emotional events, reduced affective processing, poor autobiographical memory, and other cognitive …

Expressive Suppression Within Male Blue-Collar Coloradans, Kelsi C. Smits

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Blue-collar workers are a population that impacts nearly everyone who interacts with modern infrastructure.  Although they are crucial to modern life they are a population that is not widely researched or understood. This study aims to gain a more robust understanding of blue-collar workers by investigating male blue-collar workers in Colorado. This study will investigate how male blue-collar workers regulate their emotions. Emotional regulation will be measured using the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. It is hypothesized that male blue-collar workers within Colorado will show that emotional suppression is a used emotional regulation tactic. It is essential to understand this because emotional …

Relationships Between Therapists And Diverse Children's Populations And Their Effects, Brenda Sanchez Vega

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Roughly around 13.8% of children and adolescents in the United States receive some sort of counseling or therapy; the main focus of the research is on racial/ethnic minoritized children. Because APA’s ethical codes don’t address all possible situations, positive client-therapist relationships are bound to develop, including dyads or dual relationships, improving treatment progress. With the United States continuing to grow in diversity, there’s still a big gap in the literature surrounding minority children in therapy. Speculating if therapy approaches are used effectively for all children, including minoritized children. Based on past research already conducted, developing a positive client-therapist dual relationship …

Corporate Social Responsibility, Prosocial Behavior, And Control, Jennifer Fin

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to better understand how an organization's prosocial behaviors, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), shape an individual member's private, prosocial behavior. This study examined whether an individual’s locus of control (LOC) works as a moderator to shape the CSR-behavior relationship. Participants were recruited through Montclair State University’s SONA pool and assigned into a High CSR, Neutral, or Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR) condition. Each participant completed self-report measures to assess internal LOC before the experimental manipulation. Each participant reviewed a news article to match their CSR condition and then had an opportunity to donate their compensation, which …

Interview Format And Job Pursuit Intention, Pallavi Nimbappa Honkanadavar

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examined how interview format influences job pursuit intentions (JPI) in the context of increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in hiring. Specifically, it compared human-led, AI-led, and AI-assisted scenario interview formats, and tested whether perceived procedural fairness and anticipated interview success mediated these relationships, as well as whether AI familiarity moderated the effects. Preliminary results from a sample of 72 participants indicated that, although the overall effect of interview format on JPI was not statistically significant, the pattern of means suggested highest JPI in human-led interview formats, followed by AI-assisted interviews, and finally completely AI-led interviews. Mediation analyses …

Impostor Thoughts At Work: Examining The Relationship Between Impostor Thoughts, Employee Well-Being, And Coworker Support, Nikitha Sara Mohan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Most individuals experience impostor thoughts; however, limited construct clarity has hindered efforts to effectively examine their relationship with employee outcomes (Gullifor et al., 2021). To address this limitation, the present study adopts a sociocognitive perspective, conceptualizing impostor thoughts as beliefs that others overestimate one’s competence at work (Clance & Imes, 1978; Tewfik, 2022). Specifically, this research investigates workplace impostor thoughts and their associations with indicators of employee well-being, including job-related negative affect, burnout, physical symptoms, and perceived self-competence. Additionally, the study examines coworker support as a potential moderating factor in these relationships. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were …

From Learners To Leaders: Informal Learning And Leadership Emergence In The Workplace, Ami Rupesh Shah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study explored the relationship between informal learning behaviors and leadership emergence in workplace settings while also looking at the moderating roles of occupational self-efficacy and learning climate. Using a correlational, cross-sectional design, data was collected from 361 working professionals through an online survey with 341 being the final sample size. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing informal learning behaviors, occupational self-efficacy, learning climate, and leadership emergence. Correlational and moderation analyses were performed to test the study hypotheses. Results showed that informal learning behaviors was positively and significantly related to leadership emergence. Moreover, occupational self-efficacy and learning climate both were …

Creating A "Good Person": Netiquette And Instagram, Melissa S. Danai-Nolder

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This project aimed to ask the question, “How does digital etiquette, or netiquette, lead to socialization of self-presentation on Instagram?” I interviewed 15 students classified as "Generation Z" who attend a northeastern university and have an Instagram account. This was done using a convenience sample of participants who were asked to participate in the interview. Done by the convenience of the individuals who were at the location at the time. The results indicate a disconnect between wanting to be seen as a “good person” and the means used to paint this image. Netiquette plays a role in crafting self-presentation, as …