Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Diagnostic Overshadowing For Co-Occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) And Eating Disorders (Ed), Eden Sweet

Scripps Senior Theses

Significant behavioral overlaps in feeding patterns are observed among individuals with eating disorders (EDs) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These behavioral similarities can blur diagnostic boundaries, contribute to diagnostic overshadowing, and consequently increase the risk of misdiagnosis and the implementation of ineffective treatment approaches. The proposed study addresses the risk of diagnostic overshadowing as it relates to the ambiguous distinction between autism-driven feeding behaviors and clinically significant eating disorders (ED) within the autistic population. Although the literature has acknowledged behavioral similarities between ASD and EDs, limited research has systematically examined how they impact diagnostic practices and influence the likelihood of …

Good Food In The Neighborhood: Localizing Nutritious Food Access, Joseph Pool

Honors Program Theses

Given contemporary changes to federal budget priorities and recent challenges to federal food access funding, this research explores the potential benefits of entrusting state-level and municipal-level policymakers with food access policy. More specifically, this research suggests that “localizing” food access has the unique benefit of not just addressing the affordability of food, but the physical accessibility of it. As observed in the previous literature and expounded upon here, food provisioning requires consideration of nutrition, physical accessibility, and financial affordability. Programs that only address one of these priorities fail to adequately help people receive the food they need. Through policy analysis …

Appalachia In Presidential Campaign Rhetoric Since 1964, Meredith Morello

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines how presidential candidates have invoked Appalachia in campaign rhetoric from Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 election through 2024, arguing the region functions not as a geographic reference but as a strategically deployable political symbol. Through mixed-methods analysis of 83 campaign-period sources archived in the American Presidency Project, a structured thematic coding schema traces how candidates frame the region across six decades using two analytically distinct modes: objective-economic and moralized-culture framing.

Five major structural patterns emerge: Johnson's institutionalization of the region as bounded domestic poverty; strategic silence during national instability; reframings enabling rhetorical reentry; symbolic portability across ideological projects; …

Improving Maternal Health: Investigating The Early Impacts Of Medicaid Coverage Of Doulas In Oregon, Miriam Akhmetshin

Scripps Senior Theses

While the U.S. spends more per-capita than any country on healthcare, we experience the worst maternal health outcomes of high-income nations. In addition to hefty healthcare bills, an overwhelming majority of mothers experience pregnancy-related health issues that decrease productivity and utility. Thus, it is critical to research cost-effective solutions that can improve maternal health and promote equitable outcomes. Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who support mothers and families before, during and after birth. As a growing body of medical literature points to the role of doulas in decreasing costly medical interventions, insurance companies have begun covering their services. In 2014, …

Food Stamp Participation And Health Outcomes In Ca Immigrants, Esther Kang

Scripps Senior Theses

The U.S. social welfare system includes programs aiming to increase access to nutritious food to reduce nutrition insecurity. However, studies suggest that immigrants continue to face disproportionate risks of nutrition insecurity and may face barriers to enrollment due to legal status. This study, using secondary data from the 2023 California Health Interview Survey, examines the associations between food stamp participation, food insecurity, and clinical diagnosis of diabetes among adult U.S.-born, naturalized, and non-citizen adults in California. The findings suggest that those enrolled in food stamps are more likely to report food insecurity than those who are not enrolled, and that …

The Connection Between Medicaid And Obesity In Northeast Ohio, Emmie Kelley, Sophie Kheder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Obesity is a major public health concern in the United States that is projected to increase exponentially over the next few years. Obesity is commonly associated with a lower socioeconomic status. Lower-income individuals tend to be supported by Medicaid, a federal insurance program for low-income Americans. Prior studies have shown a positive correlation between income status and obesity prevalence. Our goal was to find if there was a correlation between Medicaid patients and obesity in Northeast Ohio, to provide physicians with a set of characteristics to better combat obesity, since preventative and treatment guidelines are tailored to national trends. We …

Proceedings Of The Eleventh Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Stem Journeys, William S. Walker Iii, S. Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2026 conference is STEM Journeys, celebrating the multiple pathways and experiences that advance student learning in STEM education.

Health Care Governance And Structural Exclusion In Florida: A Human Rights Analysis Of Access For Latinx Communities, Natalie Medrano

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Access to health care in the United States is a complex system shaped by statutory programs and the discretionary powers of state governance. This thesis examines how Florida’s healthcare system structures access through administrative design, with particular attention to its impact on Latinx communities. Although formally race-neutral, Florida’s reliance on Medicaid non-expansion, managed care delivery, and complex eligibility processes produces systemic barriers that limit access for low-income populations. Drawing on the international right-to-health framework articulated in General Comment No. 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, alongside Latinx Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), this study analyzes how …

Grant-O-Thon: A Designathon-Informed Grant Writing Program To Enhance Research Grant Writing Skills In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Yusha Tao, Gifty Marley, Lauren Fidelak, Bin Yu, Yusuf Babatunde, Anita N. Walker, Anthony A. Attama, Andrea L. Conroy, Esther K. Afolabi, Dimitrios N. Vatakis, Iheanyi Omezuruike Okonko, Shyngle K. Balogun, Hongyun Fu, Xin Peng, Ijeoma M. Ifeorah, Patience Kukundakwe, Alexandra Cossio, Ifeoma M. Obionu, Ángela Patricia Beltrán López, Matthew Idowu Olatubi, Ucheoma C. Nwaozuru, Yuanyi Chen, Huachun Zou, Eneyi E. Kpokiri, Daniil Wu, Oliver Ezechi, Juliet Iwelunmor, Meredith Labarda, Jason J. Ong, Weiming Tang, Joseph D. Tucker

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Problem

Early career researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face substantial barriers when writing research grants and have limited writing support. A designathon approach was applied to organize a grant writing workshop (grant-o-thon) tailored for early-career LMIC researchers. This study describes the planning, implementation, and participant-reported outcomes of the grant-o-thon as a participatory training approach.

Approach

Grant-o-thons were organized in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Consistent with the designathon model, the grant-o-thon was structured in three stages: preparation using co-creation with end-users, intensive collaborative teamwork supported by mentor feedback and weekly writing deliverables, and structured follow-up. Each grant-o-thon consisted of …

Archaeology Of Yellowstone's Cascade Corner: Findings And Diet Breadth Modeling, William Brent Powell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the summer of 2025, archaeologists from the University of Montana conducted a pedestrian survey through the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park to take inventory of cultural resources. Over nearly 50 miles of trail survey, the team identified and recorded 17 new archaeological sites, mostly consisting of sparse lithic scatters on the surface. The findings indicate recurrent use of the Bechler area since the Paleoindian period. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed report on those findings, followed by an interpretation of the data through the lens of optimal foraging theory and diet breadth modeling. The first …

Association Between Caregiver Status And Physical And Mental Health Among National Senior Games Athletes, Chibuzo Uchechukwu Victor Obasi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

As the population ages, more people rely on informal caregivers, which puts many older adults at risk for health problems. Caregiving can be meaningful and strengthen family bonds, but it often leads to more psychological stress, especially for older adults who also have their own health concerns. Research shows that regular physical activity can help older adults build resilience and improve their mental well-being. Still, we know little about the health of older caregivers who stay very active. This study examines the health effects of caregiving among members of the National Senior Games Association (NSGA), a group of highly active …

The Role Of Ombudsman And Social Work Protecting Rights, Roni Alicia Werner

Selected Full-Text Master Theses Collection 2018-

This thesis examines the role of the Ombudsman as an independent and impartial mechanism for addressing complaints, resolving conflicts, and promoting accountability within organizations. It explores how ombudsmen function across institutional contexts—such as higher education, government, and corporate settings—to provide confidential, informal, and accessible pathways for dispute resolution.

The study analyzes key principles guiding Ombudsman practice, including neutrality, independence, confidentiality, and informality, and evaluates their effectiveness in fostering trust and organizational transparency. Through a review of relevant literature and case examples, the thesis highlights how Ombudsman offices contribute to early conflict resolution, reduce formal grievances, and support ethical decision-making.

Additionally, …

Understanding Community-Defined Success Of Urban Community Gardens, Josephine H. Laprad

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Invasion Of Microplastics Into The Reproductive Tissues Of Feral And Domestic Felines, Emma K. Quade

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although plastics have many useful properties in modern society, once these materials are introduced into the environment, they can cause extensive damage. Following degradation into microplastics (MP), plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, these contaminants can make their way into a variety of different environments and organisms. There are many studies that have investigated the prevalence of MP in marine environments, but fewer studies have looked into terrestrial systems, and even less that have focused on contamination in companion animals. This study sought to investigate the invasion of MP into the reproductive tissues of felines, Felis catus, …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Youtube-Based Dietary Messaging On Type 2 Diabetes For South Asians, Sukhmani K. Dhaliwal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

While South Asians experience a disproportionately high risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), culturally tailored dietary guidance remains limited within healthcare settings. As digital platforms increasingly serve as sources of health information, YouTube has grown as a prominent space for the publishing and consumption of dietary advice. This study examines how diet-related messaging about T2DM is communicated in YouTube videos directed at South Asian populations.

Using qualitative thematic analysis, 21 videos published between 2016 and 2025 by influencers with a wide reach were analyzed. Videos were selected based on relevance to South Asian audiences, focus on dietary management of …

Improving Blood Pressure Control Through Lifestyle Modification In African Americans Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension, Tasha Leonard

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

African American adults have the highest incidence of uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), leading to premature cardiovascular death in Texas and worldwide. In a South Texas cardiac clinic, over 90% of African American adults with HTN also have obesity, compared with 55% of their Caucasian counterparts. The most prevalent factor affecting this group is poor understanding of blood pressure management, which leads to nonadherence to dietary and exercise recommendations, medication regimens, and blood pressure monitoring. The objective was to determine whether lifestyle modification using a hypertensive bundle would improve blood pressure management among African American adults in the clinical setting. The initiative …

The First 1000 Days And Beyond: The Process Of Child Development, Orazio Attanasio

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper reviews recent developments in the economics of human development, focusing on the early years of life as a critical period for shaping long-term outcomes. Early childhood development is inherently multidimensional: cognitive and socioemotional skills evolve dynamically and interact with health, nutrition, and environmental influences. Economists have contributed to this field by providing a conceptual unifying framework that highlights how key drivers of development reflect the choices of individuals operating under incentives and constraints. Within this framework, the paper emphasizes two central challenges: understanding the interactions among multiple dimensions of development and identifying causal links—particularly the effects of different …

Too Warm To Win Big? Unpacking The Backer Dynamics Behind Female Crowdfunding Success Using A Warmth And Competence Perspective, Dan Liu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

While crowdfunding is often heralded as a democratized funding avenue that empowers women with higher success rates, this study reveals a more nuanced picture of gender dynamics. The Stereotype Content Model suggests that women are often perceived as warmer but less competent. Using a large dataset from Kickstarter, we find that female-led projects can attract more backers, likely due to warmth-driven appeal, but receive smaller average contributions, potentially due to concerns about risk linked to lower perceived competence. However, the total funding raised by female-led campaigns is comparable to that of male-led ones, showing no clear advantage or disadvantage. This …

Envisioning The Role Of Community-Owned Stores & Aligning Federal Food Policies: A Participatory Approach To Food Security And Food Sovereignty In Sambaa K’E, Denendeh (Northwest Territories, Canada), Narayan Subramoniam

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Northern Indigenous communities have relied on traditional food systems for meaningful, nutritious diets since time immemorial. But many Indigenous communities in remote northern regions of Canada still face disproportionately elevated levels of food insecurity due to climate change radically altering the availability for traditional foods, colonial food policies imposing Western diets, and the high costs of transporting store-bought foods. Extreme weather events such as wildfires further isolate fly-in remote communities increasing both the costs of transporting store-bought foods and the difficulties of harvesting traditional foods. There are many examples of community-based initiatives for supporting traditional and locally grown foods, however, …

Injury To Insight: Exploring The Influence Of Media On Acl Rehabilitation Experiences Of Female Soccer Players, Chynna Ho-Young Cadogan, Jill Tracey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Participation in soccer inherently carries a risk of injury, with female athletes facing a significantly higher susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (Campbell et al., 2014; Le et al., 2025; Silvers-Granelli, 2021). The increasing participation in women’s soccer, coupled with the growing demand for its consumption through spectatorship, has contributed to a rise in ACL injuries, and increase in media coverage on this phenomenon (Parsons et al., 2021). Understanding how media narratives surrounding ACL injuries and recovery may influence rehabilitation experiences can educate coaches, mental performance consultants, athletic therapists, and female soccer players to better understand and navigate ACL …

The Phone Eats First: Reconfiguring Cultural Capital And Performing Taste On Tiktok’S #Torontoeats, Annie M. Willick

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study investigates how TikTok reconfigures cultural capital through the visual commodification and performative display of Toronto’s food culture using the hashtag “#TorontoEats”. Through a digital ethnographic multimodal critical discourse analysis, my research considers Bourdieu’s (1984) definition of cultural capital as the guiding definition of distinction, status, and personal taste. This analysis considers how cultural capital manifests through algorithmic engagement, adherence to platform norms, and TikTok’s multimodal format that blends video, sound, text, and gesture to entice audiences. Findings suggest that mundane food practices and activities are transformed into conspicuous commodities on TikTok, where creators position themselves as tastemakers and …

Cultivating Diversity In Sustainable Food Systems: Black Farming And Lived Experience In Rural Southern Ontario, Kadeem Jerofy Morgan-Adamson Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research examines the lived experiences of Black food growers in rural Southern Ontario to understand how their perspectives challenge dominant narratives of rurality and inform broader discussions on food sovereignty in Canada. Grounded in postcolonial theory, the study highlights how historical dispossession and persistent inequities shape the access of Black communities to land and resources. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, semi-structured interviews, and reflexive journaling within a community-based research framework, the study documents the barriers Black food growers face. These include limited land access, insufficient funding, inadequate training pathways, and experiences of racial isolation in rural contexts. …

School-Based Mental And Emotional Support For Urban Students Experiencing Traumatic Loss, Britney Daniel-Harris

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study explores the perception of educational staff members on school-based mental and emotional resources for urban students experiencing traumatic loss. With increased levels of research centered on enhancing training protocols to educate teachers on identifying, supporting, and guiding traumatic care through evidence-based resources, there is an opportunity to understand their experiences by hearing their voices through a narrative inquiry qualitative research design. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has six principles of a trauma-informed environment, which were utilized to analyze participant stories. Five teachers, one social worker, and one special education leader participated in one-on-one interviews …

Beyond Compliance: Creating A Disability Self-Advocacy Summit For Higher Education Using Critical Disability Pedagogy, Katie Manwiller

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in place for over 35 years, yet the systems it created to ensure equity are riddled with inherent barriers and often fail to provide equal access because of the ableism baked into American society. Institutions of higher education exemplify this failure as they largely treat disability as a compliance-issue, not as a marginalized identity that deserved dedicated inclusion efforts. Most institutions provide disability inclusion solely through the ADA-mandated accommodation process for students and employees, which falls far short of creating fully accessibility cultures. Crucially, these case-by-case processes isolate disabled people and do …

Daily Routines And Activities In Association With Emotion Regulation For Children Facing Economic Hardship And The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shanelle L. Stovall, Eleanor D. Brown

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study examined family routines and child emotion regulation across pre-pandemic and pandemic/post-pandemic periods among families facing economic hardship. Participants were 187 children enrolled in Head Start preschools near the East Coast of the United States, their caregivers, and teachers. Of these families, 131 participated during the 2015–2016 through 2018–2019 pre-pandemic school years, and 56 participated during the 2019–2020 through 2022 2023 pandemic/post-pandemic school years. Caregivers completed a demographic interview and 10 daily interviews across two weeks assessing family routines. Teachers completed a validated measure of child emotion regulation. MANCOVAs examined cohort differences in routines and emotion regulation. Hierarchical regressions …

Fit Ideal Internalization And Muscularity-Oriented Disordered Eating Among College Women: Examining Social Comparisons And Body Dissatisfaction As Serial Mediators, Nicole Graumann

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Muscularity-oriented disordered eating (MODE) comprises rigid eating behaviors driven by a desire to be toned and muscular (Cunningham et al., 2021; Murray et al., 2019). While MODE has been widely studied among men, it is increasingly prevalent among women, and it is vital to explore its associated risk factors. In particular, the fit ideal (thin but also toned) is an emerging issue among women’s body image and could be a factor for women engaging in MODE; however, there is limited research exploring this relationship. The present study examined the relationship between the fit ideal internalization and MODE among college women …

Centering Community Concerns And Recommendations Amid Rapid Policy Changes: Impacts On Social Protection, Well-Being, And Health Access, Kriti Vashisht

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Rapidly evolving policies on gender identity and expression have highlighted a wide range of public and political perspectives on whether to limit or support demands for gender identification and healthcare services for the LGBTQ+ community. Due to the rise in these pro and against narratives and incidents, there were increased protection risks for this group. Scholars and practitioners working closely with LGBTQ+ members are witnessing increased distress and concerns among them, creating further barriers to care and heightened stigma. This is why community-based scholars and educators initiated an open consultation to create a non-partisan space for dialogue, reflection, and learning …

“Full And Equal Access”: A Socio-Ecological Model Of Healthcare Ableism Experienced By The Blind And The Low Vision Community, Rebecca Fischbein, Rachel Conrad Bracken, Allyson S. Hughes, Rayyan Bhutta, Nazanin M. Heydarian

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

In 2023, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designated people with disabilities as a population experiencing health disparities, citing “a wide and varying range of health conditions leading to poorer health and shorter lifespan” and “discrimination, inequality and exclusionary structural practices” contributing to pervasive health inequities. As blindness and low vision (BLV) become increasingly common due to an aging population coupled with higher rates of type 2 diabetes, more people who are BLV will require quality care. Yet, people who are BLV face many barriers to care, including healthcare provider and staff (HCP) ableism. In this chapter, we propose a …

Metabolic Mind: A Critical Literature Review On The Influence Of Mindset On Metabolic Health, Jordan Daniel M.A., M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Evidence has demonstrated that psychological processes can influence metabolic functions, which are essential to overall health, as impaired energy metabolism can compromise physiological systems (Bobba-Alves N et al., 2022). Metabolic health is defined as a state of well-being characterized by optimal levels of blood glucose, lipids, cholesterol, blood pressure, and adiposity and is the absence of metabolic dysfunction, which encompasses but is not limited to cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. A powerful psychological construct that has demonstrated its influence on health is a mindset. Defined as core beliefs or assumptions about oneself and the world, …

Just A Slip: Cognitive Distortions Associated With Lapse And Relapse In Recovery, Matthew Karr

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Substance use rates in the United States continue to rise despite low treatment utilization. Research has indicated the function of distorted patterns of thinking that can influence the relapse process. This study aimed to examine the relationships between relapse patterns, length of abstinence, and endorsed rates of cognitive distortions on the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS). This study sought participants 18 years or older with a history of problematic substance use and substance use treatment within the past 2 years. Participants were recruited through social media sites. Proposed statistical analyses included Pearson’s product-moment correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate analysis …