Digital Commons Network^™

"On The Same Rope": An Exploratory Study Of Staff Experiences At The Mountain Seed Foundation's Healing Base Camp Program, Jill C. Kivikoski

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Since the escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians have faced significant social and public health challenges, particularly among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF), including disability, traumatic stress, and barriers to mental health care (Kostenko et al., 2024; Krasnodemska et al., 2023; O’Grady & Galouchka, 2023). Retreat based programs grounded in shared military identity may offer an accessible form of support (Barrett & Currin, 2024). Mountain Seed Foundation’s (MSF) Healing Base Camp (HBC) was developed to promote healing and resilience among Ukrainian SMVF (Mountain Seed Foundation, n.d.).

This qualitative dissertation used a single-case study design (Yin, …

Perceptions Of The Community Eligibility Provision (Cep) Program, Angela H. Napier

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how educators and families perceive and experience the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and its influence on student attendance, engagement, well-being, and school climate within one public school division. While prior research has established quantitative links between universal meal programs and academic outcomes, limited research has explored how stakeholders interpret and experience these effects in practice. Addressing this gap, this study employed a convergent mixed-methods design, integrating archival attendance data, surveys, and semi-structured interviews with principals, assistant principals, teachers and families. Quantitative findings revealed modest but inconsistent changes in absenteeism following the CEP implementation, while qualitative findings provided …

Msw Portfolio: Grounded In Perpetuity And Well-Being Of The Future Generation, Silver A. Little Eagle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The MSW Portfolio, Grounded in Perpetuity and Well-being of the Future Generation, by Silver Little Eagle (Northern Cheyenne), is an Advanced Integral Practice portfolio submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Social Work degree at the University of Montana. Integrating the core competencies outlined by the University of Montana School of Social Work and the Council on Social Work Education, this portfolio draws on the author's identity as an Indigenous social work practitioner, as a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, as a Tsé-tsėhéstaestse naa Só'taeo'o woman, as an eldest sister raised by her grandmothers, and as a Youth …

Farmers Markets And Produce Purchasing Behaviors Among University Faculty And Staff, Kritika Gupta, Laurel Lambert, Jangwoo Jo, Selby Rebecca Entrekin, Georgianna Mann

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: This study explores produce purchasing criteria (PPC) and produce purchasing frequency (PPF) among university faculty and staff, a population often underrepresented in dietary behavior research.

Purpose: To identify distinct PPC profiles among university faculty and staff and examine how these profiles are associated with PPF and farmers market usage, while also assessing the role of demographic and behavioral factors in shaping these relationships.

Methods: Using a 29-item online survey administered to faculty and staff at a southern United States university (N = 175), three distinct PPC clusters were identified: health/label conscious, utilitarian, and no-specified-criteria consumers. Statistical analyses — including …

College Football Free Agency: The Transactional Nature Of Big-Time College Football Recruiting, Chris Corr, Branden Johnson, Amanda L. Paule-Koba

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study explored how the transfer portal has transformed college football recruiting by disrupting traditional relationship-based practices and accelerating the shift toward a transactional performance-driven model. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, field, and capital, the research examines how recruiting coordinators navigate evolving pressures around talent acquisition, NIL compensation, and compressed recruiting timelines. Findings from comprehensive interviews with five Power-4 recruiting personnel reveal that relationships are increasingly leveraged for short-term gain. The findings of this study indicate the transfer portal has created an opaque high-stakes marketplace where trust is limited, valuation is speculative, and institutional pedigree/resources heavily influence opportunities. The …

Challenges Of Selected Philippine Higher Educational Institutions In Facilitating Extension Services: Application Of The Best-Fit Framework, Kay Guiriba-Losabia, Allan G. Dalo, Calyd T. Cerio

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

This paper deals with a case study that uses the best-fit framework to analyze the challenges faced by the HEIs in facilitating the effective delivery of extension services. Specifically, it seeks to identify the factors that influence the HEI in identifying its thrusts and directions and developing extension programs. It also aims to assess the factors that facilitate and limit the implementation of extension programs. The study used a qualitative case study. Participants in the study include HEI Extension Unit Heads and project or program leaders. Key informant interview, survey, and secondary data review were conducted to collect data. Content …

Rethinking Poverty Indices: Unveiling The Unseen Realities Of India, Soumyabrata Mondal, Anand Prasad Mishra

The Geographical Bulletin

This article critically assesses India’s recent claims of rapid poverty reduction by examining the methodological, political, and data-related foundations of the Niti Aayog Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). It scrutinises key methodological choices such as indicator selection, weighting structures, and the dependence on NFHS (National Family Health Survey) data which only partially reflect the socioeconomic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on debates surrounding the Alkire–Foster framework, the essay highlights how modifications to the MPI such as the inclusion of widely achieved indicators and the exclusion of consumption expenditure may underestimate deprivation and produce overly optimistic trends. It argues that …

Family-Level Mediators In The Intergenerational Transmission Of Maternal Childhood Trauma: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Pooled Effect Measures, Emma J. Mew, Rhayna Poulin, Veronika Shabanova, Hannah Gorman, Marie-Claire Meadows, Jessica L. Bonumwezi, Victoria Chung, Rachel Hennein, Audrey Y. Huang, Kevin Quach, Vanessa Blas, Ashlin Ondrusek, Karly Sara Weinreb, Kate Nyhan, Si’Itia Soliai-Lemusu, Jueta Mccutchan-Tofaeono, Nicola L. Hawley, Sarah R. Lowe

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Children of mothers with childhood trauma are at an increased risk for mental health problems, yet the most influential family-related mediators of this intergenerational transmission remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized effect sizes from 29 studies (n = 352,279 dyads) examining psychosocial family-level mediators between maternal childhood trauma and child mental health. We identified 380 simple and 40 serial mediation paths across four domains: child characteristics, maternal characteristics, parent–child relationship factors, and household characteristics. Maternal characteristics showed the largest pooled effects (proportion median [PM]: 31.2%; ratio median [RM]: 0.21), particularly maternal mental health (PM: 36.0%), maternal attachment style …

Lived Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Counselors Collaborating With Multidisciplinary Teams To Treat Bipoc Clients Diagnosed With Eating Disorders, Melissa Sherfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eating disorder (ED) treatment has historically been grounded in Eurocentric models that inadequately account for the cultural contexts and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), contributing to persistent disparities in care. The purpose of this descriptive transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of BIPOC counselors who provide culturally responsive care to BIPOC clients diagnosed with EDs. Guided by Husserl’s phenomenological philosophy of intentionality and Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method, the central research question addressed the lived experiences of BIPOC counselors providing culturally responsive ED care, with a sub-question addressing how counselors describe their preparedness …

Interview With Orca Award Winner David Forsythe, Unl Political Science; International Human Rights, Mark A. Griep, David Forsythe

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Prof. David Forsythe was awarded the ORCA in 1982. He was born in North Carolina and earned a bachelor’s in political science from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. Next, he earned a master’s and doctorate in Politics from Princeton University in New Jersey. In 1973, he joined UNL as an associate professor of political science and was soon promoted to full professor. In 1993, he became chair of his department and received the Charles J. Mach Distinguished Professorship of Political Science. He has authored, co-authored, or edited about 30 books on was International Human Rights, Law, and Politics, and has …

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 8, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

The Living Archive: Photography, Social Media, And The New Frontier Of Activism, Lundyn C. Herring

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis seeks to analyze the discursive field and technology of photography and its multi-faceted role in the oppression of colonized people under Western imperialism. Among the main collection highlights of many established state-run archival institutions are photographic records consisting of surveillance images, mugshots, and other visual media as representations of the political hegemony that is exerted over governed peoples. From the mid-19th century to 2026, much has shifted in the realm of photography with the introduction of smartphones, accessible technology, and social media platforms during the beginning of the twenty-first century. As states and powerholders apply the technology of …

The Power Of Beliefs: Cognitive Pathways Linking Mental Health Literacy To Psychological Distress, Katherine Elise Kirsch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Mental health disorders are prevalent in children and adolescents, and they are accompanied by challenges throughout the lifespan. Mental health literacy (MHL) provides a flexible framework to address child and adolescent mental health. Identifying significant relationships between MHL and mental health outcomes has the potential to inform successful interventions. This study uses a secondary analysis of data gathered for the Study on Attitudes of Adolescents and Young Adults Toward Relevant Health Issues to isolate MHL belief domains that significantly effect psychological distress levels in adolescents.

The Swiss Youth Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Survey was used to assess the MHL, …

Domains That Influence Underrepresented Community Wellbeing And Engagement: A Literature Review, Nicole Sung, Mei Lin Chen-Lim, Phd, Rn, Ccrc, Aunja Richards, Bis, Florence Ling, Phd

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Introduction

Inner-city neighborhoods, such as those in Philadelphia, vary in demographics, resources, access, safety, and overall health. Local non-profits that serve these communities require more understanding of the areas they serve to efficiently align resources and meet the local community needs. Community partnerships, including youth in the community, are key informants as they share lived experiences, navigate neighborhood conditions, and identify barriers and priorities.

Digital Challenges Experienced By Older Adults In Hidalgo County, Migdalia (Dee) Ochoa

Staying Safe, Smart, and Well Online: Empowering Older Adults in the Digital Age

No abstract provided.

Parents Engaging In Early Literacy (Peel): Outcomes From A Shared Reading Program Implemented Via Text Messaging, Victoria Henbest, Brenda L. Beverly, Gina M. Mejia

Victoria S. Henbest Publications

Purpose: Investigators delivered an asynchronous parent education for improving early literacy skills of typically developing preschoolers. The home-based shared-book reading program, PEEL, consisted of strategies modeled via videos and sent as text messages.

Method: Twenty parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to one of two 8-week programs targeting evidence-based early literacy strategies. One parent group was taught strategies to support print-related knowledge for learning to read, and the other learned skills to promote vocabulary and story knowledge underlying comprehension.

Results: The asynchronous parent education resulted in more frequent parental use of taught strategies compared to non-taught strategies during …

Shu World Review- March 23rd 2026, Diplolab, Seton Hall University

SHU World Review

No abstract provided.

Unpacking Low Glycaemic Index (Gi) Food Purchase Intentions In An S-O-R Framework: The Multidimensional Moderating Roles Of Consumer Knowledge And Trust, Cao Henglei

Student Works (2020-2029)

Research aim: Examine Malaysian consumers’ decisions to purchase low-GI foods using the S–O–R framework, while considering how knowledge and trust shape these decisions. Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative survey was conducted among 302 Malaysian consumers, with data analysed via confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and moderation analysis. Research findings: Attitudes toward low-GI foods are shaped by health consciousness, environmental concern, and social influence, but not price perception. Purchase intention is directly influenced by trust, with moderation observed only for subjective knowledge. Theoretical contribution/Originality: Extends the S–O–R framework through differentiating knowledge type and clarifying the role of trust in low-GI food consumption. …

A Consideration Of Food In A Diversity Society, Masayo Morofushi

Japanese Society and Culture

In recent years, the number of foreign visitors such as tourists and businesspeople, and the number of foreign residents such as workers and international students, have been steadily increasing in Japan. However, the decrease in the number of foreign residents in Japan is relatively small compared to the number of foreign visitors to Japan, due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding restaurants, Japan has experienced diversity, progress, and cross-cultural understanding; however, these changes have been stagnant due to a decrease in the number of foreign visitors to Japan during the pandemic. Many natural disasters have recently occurred, and …

Exploring The Definition Of Child Poverty : For Consideration Of Legal Policy, Kazuko Ikeya, Fumie Adachi, Kazutoshi Imade

Japanese Society and Culture

We explore the definition of child poverty for consideration of legal policy.

Survey of the actual situation in local governments and private organizations concerning child poverty.

① Some parents don’t know how to prioritize their spending, and there are cases where parents don’t provide for their children.

② This cannot be addressed only with financial investment.

It is inappropriate to define child poverty only by low household income. It should also be

defined as whether children are being provided for through their development.

Legal Permanent Residents’ Five-Year Residency Benefits Restriction, Enoch Olayinka Badamosi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The contemporary U.S. welfare system, shaped by the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and reinforced by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, established structural exclusions that bar lawful permanent residents (LPRs) from accessing core social welfare programs during their first five years of residency. Existing research provides support that exclusionary provisions caused economic instability, bureaucratic discrimination, and racialized stigma for immigrant participants, limiting access to basic needs, reinforcing poverty, and ultimately eroding trust in U.S. institutions. The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap in knowledge by examining the cumulative socio-economic and moral …

Islamic Relief As A Transnational Advocacy Network In Building Global Solidarity For Gaza, Nura Alanda Nabila, Zhafirah Fatin Azzah, Nuraeni -, R. Dudy Heryadi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This article examines the role of Islamic Relief in supporting Palestine from the perspective of the Transnational Advocacy Network. The conflict in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, raises the central question of how non-governmental actors contribute to global advocacy efforts amid the large-scale civilian suffering. The article is based on qualitative research, utilizing a literature review as a data collection technique, with constructivism as the theoretical framework. This study positions Islamic Relief as a transnational humanitarian organization whose work is shaped and rooted in Islamic values. The findings showed that the efforts to address the crisis in Gaza are carried out …

Food, Faith, And Sustainability: Rethinking Ramadan Consumption Practices In Qatar, Tamim Raihan

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines the paradox that Ramadan’s ethical horizon of restraint and moral accountability often coincides, in contemporary Qatar, with heightened provisioning and recurrent food waste. Bringing Émile Durkheim’s sacred–profane distinction into dialogue with Nancy Ammerman’s “lived religion,” the analysis treats commensality as a privileged site where religious meaning is socially produced, renewed, and contested through embodied practice. It further mobilizes Benjamin Smith’s critique of Market Orientalism to caution against culturalizing narratives that frame Gulf “excess” as moral deficiency while obscuring political-economic conditions, labor arrangements, and infrastructures that normalize surplus. Methodologically, the article is a theory-driven, interpretive conceptual essay grounded …

Exploring The Influence Of Environmental Motivations On Consumer Attitudes And Purchase Intentions Toward Upcycled Foods, Peng Lu, Jennifer Waldeck, Keith Weber, Hualu Zhou

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Food loss and waste (FLW) present pressing environmental and economic challenges. Upcycling technologies provide a sustainable pathway by transforming food by-products into value-added products; however, consumer acceptance remains a critical barrier. Guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study investigates how environmental motivations influence consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward milk enriched with upcycled peanut skins. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1488 U.S. adults. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test hypothesized relationships among motivational constructs, and cluster analysis was used to identify consumer segments based on motivational profiles. The results show that intrinsic motivation and …

Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 13, March 16, 2026, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Resilience Among Smallholder Irish Potato Farmers To The Impacts Of Climate Variability In Wanging’Ombe District, Tanzania, Timotheo Bilary Ngalaga, Digna Wolfram Mlengule, Jackson Raymond Sawe

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper examines smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate variability, and their resilience in enhancing their capacity to adopt. The data was collected from 98 heads of households using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The methods of data collection included household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews, and document review. The quantitative data were analysed using the IBM SPSS (Version 23), while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that 69.4% of respondents reported a decrease in rainfall, while 89.8% reported an increase and fluctuations in temperature over the past 29 years. Moreover, the findings …

Determining The Minimal Clinically Important Difference Of The 40-Item Smell Identification Test In People With Cystic Fibrosis, Eugene Oh, Jessa E. Miller, Michelle J. Lee, Anna Zemke, David Baraghoshi, Matthew J. Strand, Jeremiah A. Alt, Todd E. Bodner, Michael Chang, Naweed I. Chowdhury, Multiple Additional Authors

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS) and olfactory dysfunction (OD) are highly prevalent among people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) and negatively impact quality of life. The 40-item Smell Identification Test (SIT) is widely used to assess psychophysical olfaction, but a CF-specific minimal clinically important difference (MCID) has not been established. This study aimed to determine the SIT MCID in PwCF treated with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) and/or endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Methods: Data from three prospective, multi-institutional observational studies were pooled. Participants were ≥12 years old with confirmed CF and CRS who completed SIT at baseline and ≥1 follow-up (3, 6, 9, 12, or 24 …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Blood-Based Fibrosis Screening In High-Risk Metabolic Liver Diseases With Emerging Therapies, Wanyi Chen, Stephanie T. Chang, Ramsey C. Cheung, Donald B. Chalfin, Kinpritma Sangha, Szu-Yu Zoe Kao, Artem T. Boltyenkov

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) remains a global public health threat. With emerging effective pharmacologic therapies, early identification of significant fibrosis in primary care is critical. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of blood-based noninvasive tests incorporating real-world diagnostic performance in the contemporary MASLD treatment era.

METHODS: We developed a decision-analytic model for MASLD natural history and treatment to compare 6 noninvasive test strategies using Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and/or enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) tests at varying cutoffs. Patients identified with significant fibrosis were referred for hepatology staging (biopsy and/or imaging-based), and eligible individuals were considered for Resmetirom ($47,400/y; mean …

Perspectives On Food Sovereignty In Chicago, Camden Bruce Blowers

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

The research question for this project focuses on food sovereignty. “How do individuals working with food in Chicago identify their role in promoting food sovereignty?” is a research question that expands with some nuance into the question of “who” individuals are in terms of political orientation. When asked to identify political ideology and economic ideology, the values can be greater quantified. Using mixed-methods, this paper critically assesses perspectives of individuals working with food in Chicago. The online survey enumerates the individual perspectives, food culture, and sociopolitical interactions of food sellers, producers, and advocates. Ten interviews further establish 1) the sociopolitical …

From Farm To Fork, And Beyond: The International Politics Of Food Standards, Julia E. Srnec

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Food safety standards are incredibly politically charged due to how much they can differ between countries and how implementing new standards in a country can impact the economy of those depending on the exports of food products. The political division regarding food safety standards can begin to be understood once the impacts on national and international economics, as well as the consequences of regulations beyond the economy, are considered. Nongovernmental organizations such as the World Health Organization help to mitigate conflict over trade policy disagreements, however some divisions persist.The use of non-tariff barriers on the imports of food-related goods can …