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Pastoral Resilience Of The Igbo Clergy In The United States, Anthony Eboh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research provided a description of the pastoral resilience of the Igbo clergy in the United States. It began with an exploration of pastoral stresses and coping strategies employed in mitigating the impacts associated with the exercise of their priestly ministries in the States. The study was theoretically grounded in the framework of Job Resources (JD-R), which integrated positive psychology to guide the research process. The JD-R framework is a model for work that shows how stress in ministry happens when the demands on clergy are greater than the resources they have, including positive psychology, to handle those demands. The …

Exploring The Challenges And Resilience Of Licensed Black Female Counselors In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic And George Floyd Era: A Phenomenological Study, Krissandra C. Haynes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the licensed Black female counselors (LBFCs) that provided mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd era. This study was guided by Schlossberg’s transition theory to examine how LBFCs navigated professional and personal transitions during a time marked by collective trauma, public health disparities, and heightened racial tension. Participants described this time of counseling clients through parallel experiences of grief and social unrest while also tending to their wellness. Core themes included the duality of the healer role, significance of spiritual and faith-based coping, influence of social activism, …

Increasing The Educational Attainment Of Youth In Extension Of Foster Care Through Positive Youth Development Centered Programming, Julia M. Rossmiller

Senior Capstone Papers

Approximately 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system in America each year. Of these 20,000 individuals, less than one-quarter will choose to participate in Extension of Foster Care services. Even fewer will complete a bachelor’s degree by age 26. Extension of Foster Care provides financial support for housing and education for young adults pursuing an education or working. However, most young adults have received little or no education on post-secondary options despite having the financial resources available for these programs. Low levels of protective factors further raise the barrier to entry for young adults to pursue an …

The Impact Of Benefits Cliffs And Asset Limits On Low-Wage Workers: New Evidence From A Nationally Representative Survey, Stephen Roll, Selina Miller, Mathieu Despard

Center for Social Development Research

Over 40 million workers in the United States receive public benefits. Many face a challenge: They would like to earn higher wages, take on more hours, or accept better jobs, but doing so can push them over benefit-program limits, causing them to lose eligibility or experience reductions in the benefits they need to make ends meet. This is also an issue for employers, whose ability to attract and retain talent is affected when the workforce’s employment decisions are driven by concerns about public benefit eligibility. Drawing on data from the Workforce Economic Inclusion and Mobility (WEIM) survey administered to a …

It Is Not Clear How Well Physical Activity Promotion Materials Are Understood: Findings From A Rapid Literature Review, Jafra D. Thomas, Jasmine C. Wong, Regina F. Hockert, Yi Sheng Wu, Winston Kennedy

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 6, 2025. Efforts to promote physical activity and other health-related behaviors are more effective when resource materials are understood by a wide and diverse audience. Before our lab’s previous investigations (Thomas et al., 2024), only one study seemed to use the cloze procedure to directly test the comprehension (i.e., readability) of physical activity promotion material (Cardinal & Seidler, 1995). Thus, this rapid literature review sought to (a) determine the extent the cloze procedure has been used to study physical activity promotion material comprehension in lay adults and (b) collate …

Interprofessional Collaboration Between Primary Care And Occupational Therapy, Ellen Modlin, Phd, Otr/L, Bcp, Caps, Deana Shevit Goldin, Phd, Dnp, Arnp, Fnp-Bc

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: This article explores the utilization of occupational therapy (OT) in interprofessional health care teams in adult populations. Primary care settings are typically the first point of contact for individuals seeking health care services; therefore, primary care practitioners (PCPs) are in a unique position to initiate collaboration with specialty clinicians to optimize the use of health care resources.

Method: Peer- reviewed literature from primary care and OT research was reviewed and summarized. The search focused on barriers and potential opportunities for collaboration between primary care and occupational therapy in adult populations.

Results: Occupational therapy (OT) is underutilized, as lack of …

School-Based Mental Health Practice: The Impact Of Physical Activity On Depression, Nafees Alam, Joy Krug

Social Work Faculty Publications

The relationship between physical and mental health has long been theorized to be profoundly important in understanding human behavior and development. This article aims specifically to highlight the state of existing research about the relationship between physical activity and the state of depression. Studies across the nation, summarized here, have found that healthy physical activity levels generally correlate with health within the mental and emotional arenas. Despite the abundance of existing literature on this topic, research remains scarce on the longitudinal effects of physical activity beginning with pre-puberty children into adulthood. Physical activity is a relatively cheap and non-harmful lifestyle …

Middle-Income Housing Affordability: An Exploration Of The Residual Income Approach In Delaware, Alexis Bryan-Dorsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Families with children face challenges finding affordable housing. The research problem addressed through this quantitative group comparison design study was the need for alternative measures of determining housing affordability for families with children. Efforts to determine the best evaluation of housing affordability could help some families that may fall into the gap and lack a substantiated voice in the development of public policy. Researchers have demonstrated issues with housing affordability, such as the rising costs of housing and a shortage of affordable housing units but have not established the significance of using alternative measures to determine affordability and the implementation …

Burnout, Life Satisfaction, And Meaning-Focused Coping In Correctional Mental Health Providers, Danielle Janet Tsamouris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have found that burnout among correctional mental health providers is related to unique stressors that impact their physical, psychological, and emotional health, including the perceived and actual threat of violence. Using the transactional theory of stress and coping, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of burnout and meaning-focused coping strategies on life satisfaction in correctional mental health providers. Online survey data from 102 master’s-holding correctional mental health professionals were recruited by SurveyMonkey who also administered the survey. Results from a standard multiple regression analysis suggested that meaning-focused coping strategies significantly and positively influenced life …

Adhd And Its Relationship With Impulsivity And Delay Of Gratification In Terms Of Reward Seeking, Seth Hall

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Abstract ADHD is one of the most common disorders in the world with a prevalence rate between 8-12%. Previous research has shown potential struggles for those with ADHD when it comes to being able to delay their behaviors in multiple facets of their lives. These studies have investigated their ability to fulfill waiting periods in both physical and technology based tasks, as well as incorporating impulsivity levels into the mix. The present study utilized a self-report survey to measure participants' risk for ADHD (ASRS), and placed them into a high risk or low risk category based on their scores. These …

Co-Parenting With The Land In Amazonian Ecuador: Speech, Breath, And Personhood Among The Napo, Runa, Kate R. Nielsen

Anthropology ETDs

This paper explores the processes of personhood in lowland Amazonia and specifically, Kichwa-speaking communities in Ecuador. In lowland Amazonia, personhood is developed through a multitude of social processes in contrast to the Western perception of birth as the defining moment of personhood. As noted in the current literature, an infants' personhood emerges through their relationships with family and community This thesis investigates whether a similar process exists among Kichwa speakers. While Kichwa infants undergo processes akin to their lowland Amazonian neighbors, such as body manipulation and food taboos, shared breath, often through speech, is vital to the ebbs and flows …

Leading Through Crisis: San Diego County Schools' Response To The Social Emotional Needs Of All Students, Johana Bielma

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented school closures, forcing administrators to take decisive action to radically change the educational system. The imperative to switch to remote learning transformed the dynamics of teaching and learning, leading to both immediate and long-term academic and social emotional consequences for all stakeholders. When schools reopened, administrators faced the challenge of reintegrating students into in-person learning while addressing the pandemic’s lasting effects on academics, mental health, and school safety. While academic regression was evident, the extent of students’ emotional struggles was less anticipated. Many students exhibited increased irritability and mental health issues such as depression …

Human Trafficking: An Examination Of Policies And The Impact Of Trafficking On Victims, Hannah Lyons

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Human trafficking is a pervasive and complex global issue that involves the exploitation of individuals. While there is also the trafficking of objects, this study solely focuses on sexual exploitation and forced labor of humans. This paper defines trafficking and examines the impact that trafficking has on victims’ physical and mental health. This paper also examines the intersection of human trafficking and policies designed to combat it, focusing on the effectiveness of legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms. By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of current anti-trafficking laws and initiatives, the paper explores how policies can be improved to better address …

Parallel Paths:, Jacob Jones

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Dance/Movement Therapy Interventions That Can Address And Decrease Impacts Of Developmental Prosopagnosia: A Literature Review, Caitlin Rivenbark

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review explores dance/movement therapy (DMT) as a treatment modality for developmental prosopagnosia (DP) or face blindness. Research on DP causes and assessments are limited, as well as research on treatments and supportive management. In order to conceptualize how DMT might support people with DP, this paper focuses on mitigating the impacts of having the condition by exploring treatments for conditions with similar impacts including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). The interventions included were pharmacotherapy, behavioral contingencies, mainstream therapies, and alternative therapies including DMT and drama therapy (DT). The various …

Hope-Centered Art Therapy Exploring The Emergence Of Relational Narratives In Nurturing Resilience In Children, Niloofar Ojani

Expressive Therapies Theses

This review examines the importance of hope and resilience in art therapy interventions for children by synthesizing current research on how art therapy can foster hope. The data were collected by reviewing published peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, reflective writing, and artmaking—arts-based research methods. The beginning sections delve deeply into the definition of hope and resilience in the context of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. Art therapy acts as a creative medium for fostering these qualities. It is discussed that creative expression contributes to emotional regulation, utilizes therapeutic intra- and inter-relationships as a source of hope, and connects the child with …

Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities In The Treatment Of Antimicrobial-Resistant Infections: The Role Of Pharmacists In Mitigating Barriers, Arin Wade, Danielle Egbujor, Anna Spalvieri, Owen Fox, Marisa Petrunich, Joshua Honaker, Samantha Mccord, Kasie Landin

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Antimicrobial resistance is an escalating global threat driven by inappropriate antibiotic use and shaped by socioeconomic disparities. Social determinants of health, including limited healthcare access, poverty, low health literacy, and environmental conditions, contribute to higher rates of resistant infections and poorer treatment outcomes in underserved populations. Barriers such as pharmacy deserts, self-medication, and inadequate stewardship infrastructure amplify these risks. Pharmacists, as accessible and highly trained healthcare professionals, play a critical role in combating antimicrobial resistance by optimizing antibiotic use, delivering culturally competent education, and leading antimicrobial stewardship programs across settings. Community and clinical pharmacists are especially well positioned to bridge …

Sacred Seeds: The Transmission Of Knowledge Seen Through Aztec Religionand Agriculture, Ian S. Hohsfield

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The integration of religion and agriculture was a cornerstone of Aztec civilization, deeply influencing societal practices and knowledge systems. Scholars have long recognized the importance of religious rituals in ensuring agricultural success; however, the specific methods by which agricultural knowledge was transmitted within religious contexts—and how these methods may have contributed to knowledge gaps—remain underexplored. This thesis investigates the relationship between Aztec religious practices and the transmission of agricultural knowledge, focusing on how the methods of knowledge transmission influenced agricultural expertise and led to potential gaps. It does so by analyzing primary sources such as the Florentine Codex and the …

Stirring The Senses: A Culinary Model Of Neuroplastic Healing In Expressive Arts Therapy, Nell J. Benedict

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis advocates for cooking as a multimodal expressive arts intervention through the lens of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) and neuroplasticity. It argues that culinary practice engages all levels of the ETC simultaneously, from embodied, kinesthetic experience to emotional and relational processing, cognitive meaning-making, and creative integration. Drawing on literature in somatic processing, emotion and memory, neuroscience, and creative arts therapy, cooking is conceptualized as an embodied practice that supports psychological and neurological integration. Its repetition and emotional salience are considered in relation to neuroplasticity, suggesting potential for fostering more adaptive ways of relating to nourishment and to oneself. …

The Connection Between An Unequitable Distribution Of Care Responsibilities And A Widening Gender Nutrition Gap In Latin America, Alexis Nicole Bodlak

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The notion of care refers to activities that satisfy the basic needs of existence and reproduction. Within rural communities, care work such as the production and preparation of food contributes to food security at the household level. Care work supports the paid workforce, allowing workers to focus on commercial productive activities that generate economic income in rural communities. Women perform 6.3 to 29.5 more hours per week than men in unpaid care work, reducing their time for income-generating activities and personal nutrition management. Affecting their economic independence and ability to access and consume nutritious food. Studies show that in food-insecure …

Strategies To Overcome The Unique Challenges Faced In Conducting Focus Groups In Extension, Vikram Koundinya, Amulya Rao, Cristina Chiarella, Deepa Srivastava, Mary Holz-Clause, Teresa Spaeth, Eleanor Haworth, Kit Alviz, Lajoy Spears, Rebecca Witinok-Huber, Natalia Pinzón, Yulia Lamoureaux

Journal of Extension

Focus groups are commonly used in extension. Extension professionals can encounter unique challenges when conducting focus groups. Extension literature is replete with best practices for conducting focus groups, but there is a lack of systematically documented practical challenges and strategies for overcoming them. We share the challenges we have faced over the past 13 years while conducting focus groups with different participant groups in extension globally and strategies that can be used to overcome or navigate these challenges. The ideas presented in this paper can provide valuable assistance to extension professionals who utilize focus groups for research and evaluation purposes.

Kid Eats App: Supporting Parents And Children Cooking Together, Amy S. Muise, Gabrielle A. Longo, Pamela N. Martinez, Umekia R. Taylor, Linda E. Torv, Barbara A. Chamberlin

Journal of Extension

Kid Eats is a free app for iPad encouraging children and parents to cook together at home using fruits and vegetables. A preliminary study with parents and children showed children enjoyed using the app and that it provided useful information to support children’s involvement in the kitchen, including guidance around safety concerns. Every family in the study voluntarily completed at least one of the recipes with their child at least once following the in-person activity. Parents reported that their children actively asked to cook the recipes from the app and felt the app helped increase their time spent cooking with …

A Tale Of Two Organizations: San Francisco & Tokyo, An Analysis Of Urban Youth Poverty In The Developed World, Arturo Paredes

Master's Projects and Capstones

This study analyzes the experiences of low-income youth in terms of their access to educational opportunities in connection to their social mobility, the study focuses on two highly prosperous cities: San Francisco and Tokyo specifically dwelling into some affected population groups and overall neighborhoods where low-income populations are clustered in. The study delves into youth poverty as a complex phenomenon facing communities and its direct implications for the lives of youth in the context of educational experiences and its connection to socio-economic outcomes. By focusing on two organizations addressing this issue in each of the contexts, the study highlights interventions, …

Weather Impacts On Migration And Food Insecurity In Bangladesh, Brendon M. Wong, Andrew Hobbs

Master's Theses

This paper analyzes the impact of weather shocks on household migration and food insecurity, and the mechanisms in which they do so. As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, subsistence farmers remain extremely vulnerable and can experience decreases in welfare. Using the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey, we construct a panel dataset to measure the effects of temperature and rainfall on remittance amounts, food consumption scores, and child wasting z-scores. We observe that weather has strong impacts on these outcomes but are dependent on the rice variety and growing season. We do not find strong evidence that the mechanism in …

Downstream Delays: Effects Of Flooding On Childrens Education And Time Use In Peru, Miki Robert Izu

Master's Theses

Flooding is a major cause of destruction and economic loss affecting over 80 million people annually. Flooding during childhood can lead to educational setbacks with long term economic impacts. This study investigates the causal impacts of flood shocks on educational achievement and children's time use using the Young Lives Survey, a panel dataset surveying children in Peru over 19 years of childhood. This study finds that flooding causes a temporary positive "spike" in girls hours of labor immediately after a flood which subsides by three to six years after flooding. The additional hours of labor does not reduce hours of …

Climate Shocks, Crop Yields, And School Enrollment In Rural Ethiopia, Mallika Matharu

Master's Theses

This study investigates how climate-induced shocks to agricultural productivity affect school enrollment in rural Ethiopia. Using five waves of panel data from the Ethiopia Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) and satellite-derived weather indicators, I estimate the causal effects of crop yields, specifically Teff, Sorghum, and Maize, on children’s school attendance. To address the endogeneity of agricultural output, I instrument crop yields with agro-climatic measures such as growing degree days (GDD), harmful degree days (HDD), and soil moisture during the Meher growing season. The main empirical strategy uses a two-stage instrumental variable approach with region and wave fixed effects. Results suggest …

Market Days For Older Adults: Addressing Healthy Aging Among A High-Risk Population At The Downtown Farmers’ Market, Allyson Brothers, India Luxton, Cheryl Noble, Sue Schneider, Alison O'Connor, Yuqin Jiao

Journal of Extension

Market Days for Older Adults is a Colorado State University Extension program that supplies low-income older adults with fresh produce purchased from market vendors at the local farmers’ market. Designed for low-income seniors, this program aims to enhance nutrition while building a sense of community and connection. Program evaluation data from the first four years of the program demonstrate evidence of program feasibility, including high levels of participant satisfaction and program utilization. We also assessed a set of healthy aging indicators (diet quality, social connection, functional health, and well-being) to drive future work. Implications for Extension professionals are discussed.

Exploring Extension Agents' Understandings Of Local And Resilient Food Systems, Hannah Dankbar, Brooke Matusko

Journal of Extension

Currently, there is a focus on bolstering local food systems to support overall food system resilience. Local and resilient food systems, though related, are distinct concepts. Their use in food system development is complicated by varying interpretations. Data from a survey of North Carolina Extension agents, a group of food system practitioners, identified a range of definitions of these terms. The results underscore the complex landscape of local food system development and identify a need to build on conceptual understandings within the Extension community and establish shared understandings within food system development efforts.

Food Insecurity In Adolescent Athletes, Andrew Donaldson, Shannon Margherio, Jay Roberson, Kevin Latz

Research Days

Background: The prevalence of food insecurity among children in the United States is estimated at 21%. Food insecurity during childhood leads to worse school performance, more emotional and behavioral health concerns, and increased suicide attempts. Further, food insecurity has been noted to have multiple deleterious effects on the collegiate student athlete, including lower GPA, disordered eating, and substance use.

Hypothesis: Food insecurity is prevalent in the adolescent athlete population and exists across demographics.

Methods: Voluntary surveys were distributed to parents at all sports medicine clinics at our institution. Demographic data was collected including athlete age, race, school and school district, …

Climate Change Anxiety And Hope Both Predict Action: A Moderation Analysis, Yuhan Bi, Grace Hyde, Orei Z. Odents, Kai Okagawa, Cassandra Hoffman, Kimberly A. Barchard

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

Climate change is associated with extreme weather events that have devastating effects on communities worldwide. These events disrupt ecosystems, damage infrastructure, and influence physical and mental well-being. Urgent action is needed. Prior studies demonstrate that people are more likely to take action if they feel anxious about climate change and if they feel hopeful they can make a difference. However, we hypothesized that anxiety and hope would interact: that anxiety would only predict action when people felt hopeful. Therefore, we used path analysis to determine if hope moderates the relation between anxiety and action.

In a cross-sectional design, 500 United …