Digital Commons Network^™

Essays In Whistleblowing, Crime, And Experimental Economics, Danielle Nickeisha Purcell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation comprises three essays on how institutional strength, enforcement practices, and cognitive load affect behavior. The first essay presents a laboratory experiment that varies the extent to which an individual in a position of authority can interfere with the outcome of whistleblowing, holding all other monetary incentives fixed. Strengthening institutions raises whistleblowing rates, lowers theft, and reduces the rate of bribe offers, while leaving authorities’ acceptance of bribes unchanged when they face no punishment for accepting them. The second essay studies the end of stop and frisk in Chicago following the 2015 ACLU-CPD settlement agreement, which cut annual investigatory …

Making Meaning In Gender Affirming Therapy: Voices Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Individuals, Shelby Freeman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people frequently seek out counseling services and experience greater mental health difficulties than the general population. Oppressive political and social structures are often cited as a main contributor to mental health disparities. As antitransgender laws and sentiments increase in the U.S., the likelihood of mental health professionals encountering TGD clients will also increase. This requires specific competencies in how to provide effective gender-affirming mental health services. Affirming MHPs are more accessible to TGD clients now than ever due to increases in provider training and improved attitudes. However, previous research revealed that MHPs who identify as …

Tipping In The Digital Age: Comparing Group And Individual Tipping Behavior Across Cashless Payments, Akosua Sayer Koduah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tipping has long been central to the U.S. hospitality industry, where it provides a substantial share of service workers’ income. What was once a cash-based practice is now increasingly mediated through digital platforms such as card readers, QR codes, and peer-to-peer apps. These systems introduce features such as visibility of the decision, preset defaults, and group payment options that reshape how customers decide whether and how much to tip. While traditional tipping has been widely studied, research on digital restaurant tipping remains limited. This study focuses on two underexplored mechanisms: visibility (whether staff can observe the decision) and group context …

Financial Independence And Adult Role Expectations Of College Students In Emerging Adulthood, Elizabeth Ampomaa Amoako

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transition to adulthood has become increasingly prolonged and individualized. This raises questions about how college students conceptualize their readiness for long-term adult roles. Marriage and parenthood remain culturally meaningful markers of adult status, and expectations regarding the timing of these transitions offer a window into how emerging adults integrate identity development and financial considerations into life planning. Grounded in Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood and Luyckx and colleagues’ multidimensional model of identity formation, the present study examined how identity processes and financial independence relate to college students’ anticipated timing of marriage and parenthood. Data were drawn from 247 undergraduate …

Breaking Point: Exploring Side Bets, Support, And Pension Investment As Predictors Of Turnover Intention In Urban Policing, Kenneth M. Quick, Kevin T. Wolff

Publications and Research

Guided by Becker’s side-bet theory, this study examines turnover intentions among officers in the New York City Police Department by assessing pension investment and affective commitment as accumulated organizational “side bets,” alongside job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, and workplace conditions. Data was drawn from an online survey of 1,454 officers. Population weights based on gender, race/ethnicity, and rank were applied to improve representativeness. Weighted multinomial logistic regression models examined predictors of turnover intention, while second-difference tests of average marginal effects (AMEs) assessed whether workplace factors operated differently across tenure groups. Results indicate that perceived organizational attitudes and workplace conditions significantly …

The Most Age-Diverse Society In Our Country's History, Cal J. Halvorsen, Logan Fox, Tim B. Zielonko

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

The public narrative is that the United States population is getting older. This is, indeed, true. We have more people over age 50 than we have ever had in our country—both in total numbers and in the share of the population. The numbers of older people will continue to grow, all the way up until the projections stop at the year 2100. Many have asked, “What will we do with all of these older people?”

Late-Night And Early-Morning Train Scheduling With Non-Traffic Hour Maintenance Window In Urban Rail Transit Systems, Yaochen Ma, Hai Yang, Hai Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Regular maintenance during non-traffic hours (NTH) is vital for the resilience of urban rail transit (URT) systems, yet an insufficient NTH maintenance window poses a challenge for URT systems in various cities. For instance, the Hong Kong MTR Corporation has noted that the required NTH maintenance time often exceeds the available window, prompting service adjustments such as earlier late-night closures and/or later early-morning starts. To address this challenge, this study develops an optimal scheduling framework that links late-night and early-morning URT services through the NTH maintenance window requirement to maximize public welfare. A Decoupled Optimization Model (DOM) first derives closed-form …

Cultural Diplomacy Through Museums: An Analysis Of The Role Of Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi In Promoting Intercultural Dialogue Through History, Culture, And Tourism, Abdulla Almheiri, Fareed Awae, Muhammad Talhah Jima’Ain, Hamdan Chehdimae, Mohamad Azrien Mohamed Adnan, Fuad Trayek

All Works

This study aims to analyze the role of cultural diplomacy in the Emirate of Sharjah through museums. Particular emphasis is placed on the important contributions of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi in promoting intercultural communication and consolidating cultural identity through the support of history, archaeology, and tourism. The study uses a quantitative approach with a survey research design. The perspectives of 285 museum visitors have been analyzed based on arithmetic means and standard deviations to measure their level of awareness regarding the museum’s historical, cultural, and tourism dimensions. The findings indicate a high level of awareness concerning the …

The Mental Health Of Athletes: Channeling Frustration, Aggression, Internal/External Behaviors In The Real World To Improve Performance, Jabari Johnson

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how college athletes, 18 years and older, experience and interpret internalizing behaviors and externalizing behaviors within contact and non-contact sports, and how those experiences are shaped by gender, racial/ethnic background, and socioeconomic status. The study addressed a gap in the literature by centering athletes’ own perspectives on how emotions, coping, identity, and performance intersect within collegiate sport contexts. A purposive sample of 12 athletes completed a demographic questionnaire and participated in semi-structured interviews conducted in person between December 2025 and February 2026. Interview transcripts were deidentified and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s …

Examining The Relationship Between Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices And School-Level Chronic Absenteeism In Maine Secondary Schools, Tina Nightingale

Dissertations

School safety practices can influence students' perceptions of safety, emotional well-being, and engagement in the educational environment; however, limited research has examined whether trauma-informed safety drill practices are associated with measurable educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to examine the relationship between trauma-informed safety drill practices and school-level chronic absenteeism in Maine middle and high schools. Guided by trauma-informed care, adolescent neurodevelopment, and Protection Motivation Theory, the study investigated whether higher levels of trauma-informed implementation of safety drills, as measured by the Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices Index (TISDPI), were associated with lower rates of chronic …

Exploring Primary Care Providers’ Compassionate Care And Their Evidence-Based Practice With Death, Grief, And Loss: Patient Experience And Perspective, Kathryn Krzykala

Dissertations

Research on primary care providers’ (PCPs) education regarding Death, Grief, and Loss (DGL) remains limited. Specifically, data is lacking regarding patients' perceptions and opinions on what they need and expect from their PCPs regarding grief and loss. This exploratory mixed-method study comprised 146 participants who had experienced death and non-death loss. It examined participants' perceptions of 1) PCP compassion, 2) PCP utilization of evidence-based grief and loss practices, 3) their own level of comfort discussing DGL with their PCPs during medical visits, and 4) their personal grief and loss experiences. The findings revealed that PCPs' grief-informed evidence-based treatment, as reflected …

The Power And Peril Of Awe In Leadership: Transforming Follower Identity And Behavior, Jack Mcguire, Daniel Mcallister, Jochen Menges, David De Cremer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Awe is a profound emotion that has captured significant attention within psychological research. While the potential for leaders to inspire awe in followers has received some recognition, systematic research on the nature and effects of awe in leadership—and within organizational contexts more broadly—remains limited. In this article, we offer a conceptual framework that explains the multifaceted and transformative nature of leadership through the power of awe. Specifically, we identify four leader behaviors—charismatic leadership tactics, exceptional performance, problem reframing, and self-sacrificial behavior—that elicit awe among followers. We further propose three variants of awe-inspiring leaders, describing how variation in a leader’s self-construal …

2026 Summer - Friendly Correspondence Newsletter, Courtright Memorial Library

Friends of the Library

In This Issue:

• Class of '75 Feature
• Fundraising Updates
• Student Appreciation Awards
• Yearly Program Review
• BLISS
• FOL Bookmark
• Library Staff Update
• In Memoriam

Confidenceai: A Wearable And Predictive Ai Ecosystem, Denzil Paul, Xuejun Kong, Raymond Wang, Flora Fleith Lopes, Zhengjia Yang, Brain Chu, Weijian Wang, Leo Chen

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This group project presents ConfidenceAI, a conceptual wearable and predictive artificial intelligence ecosystem designed to help teenagers build confidence and manage stress in high-pressure situations such as classroom participation and public speaking. The system combines wrist-based biosensing with a personalized machine-learning model that uses physiological signals, including heart rate and heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, skin temperature, and movement, to learn an individual's baseline patterns and anticipate heightened stress responses. Rather than relying on universal thresholds, ConfidenceAI is designed to personalize the timing, method, and delivery of interventions based on each user's physiological patterns and prior responses. The proposed ecosystem …

Stuck In The Heat: A Case Study Looking At Green Infrastructure And Economic Mobility In San Antonio, Texas, Maria Fernanda Guerrero

Public Administration Institute

This case study explores how environmental conditions structure economic mobility in San Antonio, Texas. Three ZIP codes from urbanized areas within the city were used to conduct this study: 1)Near Northwest Area [78228]  2)Alamo Heights Area [78209]  3)Inwood Area [78248] While economic mobility is often associated with income, education, and employment, this study argues that place-based environmental conditions also influence whether communities have access to economic opportunity and advancement. Using a comparative case study approach, this research analyzes differences in poverty, household median income, educational attainment, heat vulnerability, environmental burden, and access to green infrastructure across the three ZIP codes. …

Collectivist Culture Values And Self-Esteem In Asian Americans With Adhd, Skye Taemi Jieling Sakashita

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a quantitative correlational analysis that evaluated the relationship between collectivism and self-esteem in Asian American adults diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A total of 29 Asian American adults with ADHD participated in this study that included a survey of three scales assessing for collectivism, self-esteem, and ADHD symptoms. The results indicated that the correlation between self-esteem and collectivism in participants was not statistically significant. The correlation between self-esteem and ADHD symptoms was also found to be not statistically significant. However, certain correlational analyses regarding collectivism and ADHD symptoms were found to be statistically significant. Specifically, the results …

Collectivist Culture Values And Self-Esteem In Asian Americans With Adhd, Skye Taemi Jieling Sakashita

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a quantitative correlational analysis that evaluated the relationship between collectivism and self-esteem in Asian American adults diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A total of 29 Asian American adults with ADHD participated in this study that included a survey of three scales assessing for collectivism, self-esteem, and ADHD symptoms. The results indicated that the correlation between self-esteem and collectivism in participants was not statistically significant. The correlation between self-esteem and ADHD symptoms was also found to be not statistically significant. However, certain correlational analyses regarding collectivism and ADHD symptoms were found to be statistically significant. Specifically, the results …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Neurocognitive Performance And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) Among Latinx Asylum Seekers, Elsie A. Arias

Doctoral Dissertations

Asylum seekers are exposed to violence and traumatic events in their home countries at high rates, leading to mental health challenges such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms and comorbidities such as depression and alcohol misuse are associated with impacts to multiple domains of cognitive functioning among populations such as Veterans. However, the neurocognitive performance of Latinx asylum seekers who experience PTSD symptoms are under-documented in the current literature despite its meaningful impact on clinical care engagement and navigation of the legal process. This study utilized an exploratory, quantitative, cross-sectional design to examine whether higher levels of self-reported PTSD, …

Navigating Unemployment Without Unemployment Insurance: Evidence From Singapore, Kim, Lanjie Wang

Research Collection School Of Economics

This study investigates the short-term impacts of unemployment among older workers (aged 50–62) in Singapore, a setting with-out public unemployment insurance. Using monthly panel data from the Singapore Life Panel, we analyse dynamic effects onmajor life outcomes such as income, spending, health, and subjective wellbeing over 2 years post-unemployment. Our findingsreveal substantial initial earnings losses with incomplete recovery: income remains 50.7% below pre-unemployment levels after24 months. Despite this persistent income gap, total household expenditure declines by 9.8% on average over 2 years (rangingfrom 7% to 16% across months). The implied two-year marginal propensity to consume is about 0.182, smaller than …

Sustainable Rural Development Under Ecological Civilization: Two Mountains Theory, “Green Rural Revival”, And Post-Productivist Transition In Zhejiang, Qian Forrest Zhang, Jianzhang Luo, Li Zhou

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing studies of China’s overarching ideological framework for national development, “Ecological Civilization”, have focused narrowly on environmental governance; how it reshapes sustainable rural development remains underexplored. This paper pursues two analytically distinct tasks. First, it reconstructs the policy history of how President Xi Jinping’s “Two Mountains” theory was incorporated into the Eco-civilization framework and how Zhejiang Province’s “Green Rural Revival” (GRR) program, as a lived example of Eco-civilization, was elevated as the national template for rural development in 2024. Second, drawing on three cases from a sample of 21 villages in Zhejiang, it identifies three core practices of GRR and …

Global Prevalence Of Internet Gaming Disorder: An Umbrella Review Of Meta-Analytic Evidence And Implications For Child And Adolescent Psychiatry, Elisabeth C. S. Poon, Xun Ci Soh, Trina J. H. Poh, Andre C. S. Tan, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background/Objectives: Internet gaming has become a widespread global activity, raising concerns about the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). However, existing meta-analyses report highly variable prevalence estimates. This umbrella review aims to clarify the prevalence and variability of IGD by synthesizing evidence from meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of IGD prevalence across populations, age groups, and regions. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were carried out across five published literature databases and two supplementary search sources. Title and abstract screening, followed by full-text eligibility assessment, were conducted independently by three authors. The same three authors then performed data extraction …

Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Systematic Review Of Global Prevalence, Profiles, Antecedents, Consequences, And Interventions, Ysabel A. Guevarra, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Charlotte K. Y. Lee, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The anonymity afforded by cyberspace enables individuals to engage in harmful online behaviours, most notably cyberbullying perpetration, which has become a pressing social and psychological concern worldwide. Despite extensive research on its antecedents, outcomes and interventions, insights into cyberbullying perpetration remain scattered, highlighting the value of a comprehensive synthesis to capture its multifaceted nature. This systematic review synthesised findings from 54 meta-analyses, comprising 314 effect sizes (Sample size: Range = 3273–1,479,614, Mdn = 46,604) across diverse populations worldwide. Results indicate that approximately one in ten individuals engage in peer cyberbullying, with even higher prevalence in partner-directed forms such as cyber …

A 10-Minute Walk From The Mrt. But For Whom?, Paulin Tay Straughan, Yi Wen (Chen Yiwen) Tan, Wensi Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

They highlighted that as people age, mobility naturally declines, adding that the convenient shorthand such as a “10-minute walk” to define accessibility is ultimately a social construct – one that must be grounded in lived realities and evidence. They noted that ageing in place is not just the ability to remain at home as one transitions into later life – it is about living in an environment that fosters attachment, continuity and well-being, which requires both the built and social environments to be supportive. Responses must be guided by solid evidence – through ongoing conversations with those whose needs we …

The Relationship Between School Connectedness And Well-Being Among Racial Minority English Language Learners: Implications For School Counselors, Laura Craven, Jonathan Ohrt, Keeland Lodato

Journal of English Learner Education

Students who feel connected to their school experience better academic performance, social competence, and mental health. English Language Learners (ELL) face unique challenges to school connectedness compared to their English-speaking peers. In this study, we explored the relationship between school connectedness and well-being for 205 racial minority ELL students. ELL students’ perceived school belonging was a significant predictor of well-being. We discuss implications for school counselors, including specific strategies for increasing ELL students’ school connectedness.

Exercise-Induced Gene Expression Profiles In Adults With Obesity: A Systematic Review Of Molecular Adaptation, Brandon Galvan, Luis Alberto Flores, Flor Isela Torres-Rojo, Natanael Cervantes-Hernández, Cinthia Verónica Villegas-Balderrama, Liliana Aracely Enríquez-Del-Castillo

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial and chronic condition characterized by excess adiposity and systemic low-grade inflammation. Exercise exerts metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects partly mediated through gene expression modulation in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. However, heterogeneous responses among obese individuals suggest that genetic and epigenetic mechanisms shape exercise adaptation. Objective: This systematic review aimed to identify the genes and molecular pathways modulated by physical exercise in adults with obesity, and to classify them according to their biological functions across different exercise modalities. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, randomized controlled trials were searched in PubMed, SpringerLink, Science Direct, Cochrane, LILACS, Web of …

The Effects Of Ballistic Resistance Training On Upper-Limb Power And Reaction Time In Youth Épée Fencers, Mahmoud Sallam, Mazin Hasan Alhasany, Hachin Chani, Ghofran Bashir, Bushra Al-Hammashi, Gaffar Saad, Hussein Hashos, Amr Hamza, Mariola Gepfert

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Explosive power and rapid reaction time are crucial in fencing. Ballistic resistance training (BRT) may improve these qualities but is rarely applied in fencing. Materials and methods: To assess the effects of an eight-week BRT program on upper-limb power and reaction time in youth Egyptian épée fencers, nineteen male fencers (aged 16.6 ± 1.5) were randomly divided into a BRT group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 9). The BRT group added three weekly 30-minute sessions of "Ballistic Six" exercises to regular fencing training. Tests before and after included: tennis ball throw (power), armed …

Time For A New Whole-Person Care Pathway For Chest Pain Admissions, Dana Kajan, Sabbir Mirza, Alexander M. Ruiz, Anthony Degennaro, Mohamad S. Saad

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Emergency department (ED) visits for chest pain are common and costly, and ED workup often shows no clear cardiac etiology in low-risk patients. Emerging evidence suggests that social determinants of health (SDOH) such as loneliness, social isolation, and food insecurity contribute to cardiovascular outcomes and chest pain presentations.

Methods

We interviewed 114 patients (>18 years) presenting with chest pain and a thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) score less than 4 at our community teaching hospital ED. Structured questionnaires assessed the SDOH triad of loneliness, social isolation, and food insecurity. Dependent variables included systolic blood pressure (SBP) at admission, …

"I Don’T Know That You Can Do That Anywhere Else": The Role Rural College Towns Play In The Formation Of Queer Identity, Amy Mcdowell, Ryan J. Parsons, Julia Kraus

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Challenging dominant narratives suggesting that rural spaces are inhospitable to LGBTQ+ identities, this study examines how queer individuals navigate space, rurality, and queerness in Oxford, Mississippi, a historically conservative college town. Drawing on oral histories from the Queer Mississippi digital archive, we argue that rural institutions of higher learning (rural IHLs) and the college towns they are embedded in serve as critical sites of queer identity formation. The rural college town provides a unique space where LGBTQ+ individuals from both within and outside the South navigate self-discovery, social networks, and belonging. We highlight the transformative role of these spaces in …

On- And Off-Field Impacts Of Foreign Players On Peruvian Liga 1 Football Teams, Juan Victor Aranibar, Claudio Rocha

Global Sport Business Journal

Despite the growing globalisation of football, little research has examined how foreign players create competitive advantage in non-traditional leagues. Using the Resource-Based View (RBV), this study explores the on- and off-field impact of foreign players in Peruvian Liga 1 clubs. Semi-structured interviews with 12 sporting directors, commercial managers, scouts, and coaches were analysed thematically, revealing five themes: physical characteristics, leadership and mental strength, cultural barriers, competitive salaries, and commercial blindness. Findings suggest that although foreign players provide valuable physical and psychological attributes, these are rarely sufficient to create sustained competitive advantage. More notably, clubs fail to capitalize on foreign players' …

Are Combat Athletes Different Sleepers? A Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Based Comparative Survey Across Athletic Populations, Zofia Tkocz, Małgorzata Hołda Dr, Michał Spieszny, Adam Zając, Robert Trybulski, Aleksandra Filip-Stachnik

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Sleep plays an important role in athletic performance, recovery, and cognitive function. The aim of this study was to compare sleep quality and selected sleep-related  variables in combat sports athletes and athletes from other sport disciplines . Materials and Methods: Ninety-eight competitive athletes participated in the study, including 52 combat sports athletes and 46 athletes  representing other sport disciplines. Sleep quality was assessed using the modified Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with a weekly recall period, global PSQI score and additional  variables, such as sleep duration, sleep latency, and habitual sleep-wake times, were analyzed using general linear models adjusted …