Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Recidivism Among Justice-Involved Youth, Jasmine Valencia, Karina V. Garcia, Genaro Fabela

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are especially common among youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and research has consistently linked these early traumatic experiences to a variety of negative behavioral and developmental outcomes. Still, we do not fully understand how strongly cumulative ACE exposure predicts whether detained youth will reoffend, or whether trauma-informed rehabilitation programs can help reduce that risk. This proposed quantitative study explores the relationship between ACE scores and recidivism among youth ages 11–18 detained at the San Bernardino County Juvenile Detention Center. Grounded in trauma theory and ecological systems theory, the study focuses on two primary questions: …

Healing Beyond Bars: Integrated And Sustainable Recovery Models For Post-Incarcerated Women, Patricia A. Nunez, Jonathan Solomon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) significantly impact the re-entry process for formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly Latina/x women, who face unique cultural, social, and economic challenges in accessing effective treatment. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of substance use disorder treatment programs in support of successful reentry outcomes for Latina/x women post-incarceration. Previous research on SUD treatment for this population remains limited despite growing awareness of the need for gender-responsive and culturally informed interventions. Qualitative research with an exploratory design within an interpretive research paradigm will be utilized to investigate the lived experiences of Latina/x women who have …

Analyzing Social Implications Of The Gender Wage Gap, Jessie A. Clarke

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The researcher seeks to understand the gender wage gap in the United States. The research question studied is “Why do women in the United States on average earn less income than men?” Women gain less power and resources as they earn less income than men. The researcher explores the phenomenon in this paper. This research proposal utilizes qualitative methods via interviews, and analysis through coding. In previous research, there is a lack of inclusion on the gender wage gap regarding various identities such as sexual orientation, other gender identities, and race/ethnicity. The researcher hopes to fill in these gaps in …

Utilizing A Social-Ecological Approach To Understand Healthcare Professional's Ability To Identify Child Sexual Exploitation, Vanessa Gudiel, Alyssa Fierro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) are an underrecognized population who face barriers when receiving healthcare services in emergency settings. A common theme that prevents them from receiving services is the healthcare professionals' (HP) inability to recognize warning signs and engage with victims. This stems from an absence of CSEC-focused curriculum in institutional settings, leading to a lack of education and confidence in identifying CSEC. CSEC screenings are not mandatory in most healthcare settings, leaving the discretion to the HP and enabling the continued missed opportunity to identify victims. The proposed study will utilize an exploratory design to conduct qualitative interviews …

Building Resilience: How Protective Factors Mitigate Acculturative Stress In The Latinx Immigrant Community, Andres I. Delgado, Jamie Tierrablanca

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This literature underscores the vital role of protective factors in reducing

acculturative stress among Latinx immigrants. Key factors such as social

support, religious affiliation, familism, and physical activity help contribute to

mitigating the negative effects of acculturation. The Latinx community can

significantly benefit from integrative, culturally responsive interventions informed

by social work frameworks such as ecosystems theory and critical race theory

(CRT) as they are essential in addressing the mental health needs of this

population. Despite existing research, gaps remain in understanding the full

scope of the Latinx immigrant experience, suggesting a need for further

exploration. The expected findings will …

Juvenile Custody Severity And Adult Mental Health Outcomes Among Black Men: The Role Of Trauma Informed And Culturally Responsive Care, Leslie Moreno, Tammy Monique Borunda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Black young men are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, yet limited research has examined how severe custody experiences are related to mental health in adulthood. This study will examine how the severity of juvenile custody experiences is related to adult mental health outcomes among Black men who have been released from custody for at least two years. Being able to understand these long-term outcomes is important for addressing disparities in mental health and access to care. This research will utilize the principles of trauma theory and will use a quantitative cross-sectional design. The study will use a purposive snowball …

Impact Of Social Worker Bias On African American Fathers With Open Children Family Services Cases, Jenna Espinosa, Cecil Perry, Jasmine Alvarado, Jennifer Garcia, Lacrietia Grate-Dixson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Systemic barriers and biases within institutions and policies affect how African American fathers engage with Children and Family Services (CFS). According to research, social worker bias, whether overt or covert, can influence case decision-making, affecting fathers' access to resources and overall involvement in their children’s lives. This study aims to quantitatively assess the impact of social worker bias on African American fathers' engagement by evaluating service completion rates at the .21e hearing. A quantitative research design will be utilized by implementing a validated survey to measure social worker bias and case file reviews to assess service completion. Statistical analyses, including …

Hypothetical Courtroom: Influence Of Expert Witness Testimony On Jurors’ Decision-Making, Macy R. Hooper

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Jurors’ decision-making is shaped by social and psychological factors that may create bias, particularly in cases involving psychopathic defendants. The present study examines how a hypothetical defendant’s perceived psychopathy, the type of scientific evidence presented (neuroimaging vs. only verbal descriptions), the gender of the expert witness, and the expert’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) affect jurors’ decisions. Participants read one of four mock trial vignettes involving a psychopathic defendant and then evaluated the defendant’s guilt, recommended sentence length, and weighed the credibility of the expert witness. Results indicated that confidence in the expert significantly decreased after participants were informed that …

May 2026 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean's Office Communication Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the May 2026 (Volume 4, Issue 10) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Against Their Own Interests? Latinos And The Rightward Shift, Marianna S. Visbal

Honors College Theses

This study examines whether Latino voters in the United States are acting against their self-interests when supporting right-wing Republican candidates, particularly in recent elections characterized by increased Latino support for figures like Donald Trump despite harmful rhetoric. While existing literature and public discourse often assume that Latino voters share a clear set of interests aligned with progressive politics, this research questions that assumption. Motivated by underrepresentation in political research and personal observations within Latino communities, I explore how political self-interest is defined and understood. Using qualitative expert interviews with Latino elected officials, journalists, and political professionals based in New York …

You Have Come Too Close To Give Up: The Use Of Social Media By Black Men During Their Doctoral Process, Lamarcus Jermaine Hall

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the dissertation is to determine how and to what extent social media contributes to and supports the success of Black men as they obtain their terminal degrees. A qualitative study collected and analyzed data from the research question, “What are the experiences of Black men who used social media during their doctoral degree process?” Eleven participants from various U.S. regions were interviewed. This research is based on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Social Network Theory (SNT), which offer frameworks to understand how social media helps participants achieve their terminal degrees. Using a narrative inquiry approach, I highlight …

We Are Still Here: A Narrative Inquiry Examining The Experiences Of Black Women Chief Diversity Officers At Historically White Institutions, Jasmin M. Robinson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of Black women serving as CDOs in higher education institutions to understand their unique challenges, opportunities, and contributions as diversity leaders. The study uses a narrative inquiry approach, comprising of in-depth, semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis to understand how six Black women CDOs lead DEI efforts at historically White institutions, what their identities mean to them, and the lessons learned along the way. Eight core themes emerged from the findings addressing institutional commitment to DEI, institutional perceptions of CDOs, chief diversity officer responsibilities, how Black women understand their race and gender, how …

Commodore Kid To Campus It Leader: The Experiences Of Black Men On The Path To Becoming Chief Information Officers In Higher Education, William Adu-Mensah

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since its inception, the chief information officer (CIO) role has become increasingly crucial. Today, the role of the CIO has never been more important. Having CIOs on the leadership table is essential, and that table should include Black IT professionals whose perspectives have long been missing. Yet, Black male chief information officers remain profoundly underrepresented in higher education information technology leadership. Across higher education in the United States, only about three percent of CIOs identify as Black. This underrepresentation raises urgent questions about barriers to entry and how these men navigate institutions with minimal racial representation. The study examined the …

The Experience Of South Asian International Students In Online Classes, Ashima Sitaula

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a widespread shift to online education, compelling higher education institutions to reassess their delivery methods. South Asian international students, a significant global demographic, were particularly affected. This qualitative study examines how South Asian international graduate students experience online learning at U.S. universities and the strategies they use to succeed. Guided by the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, the research addresses two questions: (1) What are the experiences faced by South Asian international students in online classes? and (2) What tools and strategies do they use to enhance their online learning experience? Participants were ten graduate students …

Multicultural Nationalism And The Politics Of Belonging In Australia, Grace Mancuso

Political Science

In contemporary political discourse, nationalism and multiculturalism are often stated to be fundamentally opposing forces. With nationalism emphasizing unity and shared identity, and multiculturalism emphasizing cultural diversity and difference. As the world becomes more interconnected and discourse around immigration has become rampant, many nations are looking for a way to unify their currently divided populations. Multicultural nationalism has been called upon by many scholars as a potential solution to growing divisions, especially in countries with high levels of social diversity such as Australia and the United States. However, many politicians and social scientists are skeptical of this notion fearing it …

Primate Craniofacial Trauma And Its Relationship To Socioecological Factors, Kaitlyn Harden R. Harden

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Postmortem analysis of the skeleton can reveal patterns of trauma that have accumulated over an individual’s lifetime. Patterns of trauma within a species can also provide key insights into how that species lived and reflect aspects of their socioecology and life history. Research has been conducted often on postcranial trauma, but is rare regarding the craniofacial region and has not been examined broadly across primates. To fully understand patterns of trauma in primates, rates of trauma must be compared and placed into context of a variety of socioecological factors. To do so, I examined hypotheses including that species with higher …

A Dyadic Mixed Methods Study Of An Online Asynchronous Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Intervention For Individuals Diagnosed With Dementia And Their Caregivers, Gavin Brendan Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

A dementia diagnosis can be overwhelming for both the person diagnosed and the people who care for them. Many experience stress, uncertainty, and emotional strain, yet most support programs require significant time and are difficult to access. This study examined a brief, online program called the Compassion Compass, designed to provide early emotional support for both individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

The program is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and can be completed in about 30–45 minutes. It focuses on helping individuals notice difficult thoughts and emotions, reconnect with what matters to them, and take small, …

Social Reading And #Booktok: Exploring Emotion, Community, And Book Promotion On Tiktok, Courtney B. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how BookTok, a subcommunity centered on reading, functions as a social and emotional domain that shapes contemporary reading culture. Discourse analysis of the most popular videos within the BookTok subspace revealed commonalities in how creators expressed their emotions through text, language, and audio. Patterns of emotional devastation were also present in the discourse, pointing to affective-discursive practices circulating the community. Moreover, a content analysis of the books being promoted across highly engaged BookTok videos uncovered significant themes of romance and an appreciation for modern fiction novels.

Findings suggest that reading functions as a social experience that is …

Fascism Usa: Class And Identity Politics In The Age Of Trump, Marc Edelman

Publications and Research

This essay argues that Trump’s triumph in the 2024 presidential contest represents the consolidation of an oligarchical authoritarian project, backed by a multi-class and (surprisingly, for some) multi-racial electorate. It brought intensified state and freelance attacks on immigrants, labor unions, women, LGBTQ+ people, journalists, civil servants, assorted “political enemies,” and other groups that the MAGA movement targets. It is institutionalizing authoritarian governance structures in ways that will be exceedingly difficult to undo. The paper first addresses the experience of growing up in the shadow of fascism. It analyzes various sectors that supported Trump and the impacts of inflation, incumbency, economic …

The Role Of Perceived Perpetrator Centrality In Intentions To Express Or Confront Sexist Behaviors, Anna G. Miller

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Confronting sexist acts (e.g., by saying, “That was sexist!”) has been empirically shown to reduce others’ sexist behaviors. However, bystanders are often reluctant to confront sexist acts, particularly when perpetrators of sexism are perceived as high in status. Prior studies have operationalized status in terms of organizational rank. However, individuals may also have status by virtue of their connections to other group members, which I investigate in the present study. Participants with full-time work experience (N = 451) were asked to read a vignette describing a sexist incident in which a male perpetrator of sexism had many (vs. few) …

“Am I A Criminal?”: How College Students Conceptualize Misconduct And Crime, Talia J. Norby

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Institutions of higher education play a critical role in regulating student behavior; however, existing research has given limited attention to how students themselves interpret conduct addressed through campus disciplinary systems. The present study examined how college students differentiate institutional misconduct from crime in university settings and whether those judgments are associated with perceptions of institutional legitimacy. Data was collected through an online Qualtrics survey administered to 146 students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Participants were presented with six vignette-based scenarios depicting campus-relevant behaviors and asked to classify each as criminal or non-criminal, rate its perceived severity, and identify …

Barriers To Justice: A Comparative Analysis Of Barriers To Legal Aid Across Missouri Counties, Grace Fentress

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the complexity of the issue of legal aid and specifically the disparity in access to it across the state of Missouri’s counties, as they represent 115 different counties with diverse demographics throughout the state. By examining the number of legal aid organizations, funding levels, eligibility thresholds and geographical barriers, this study aims to identify what underlying factors contribute to disparities in legal accessibility. It is critical to address this question as the need for legal services is ever present and it is important that everyone has access to adequate representation. The findings of this study would ultimately …

Place-Based Scholarship Utilization And Urban Black Males, Nkenge Amir Bergan

Dissertations

Despite the expansion of place-based scholarship programs across the United States, Black males from urban communities remain significantly underrepresented in post-secondary enrollment. Though these scholarships are designed to provide expanded or universal access to higher education, Black males disproportionately underutilize this financial resource. This qualitative investigation examines the lived experiences, perceptions, and contextual factors influencing Black males’ decisions regarding place-based scholarship utilization and college attendance.

This study, grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and self-efficacy theory, employs a qualitative design to explore participant experiences. Participants are recruited through outreach to local alumni networks and community organizations, with eligibility limited to …

A Phenomenological Study Of Black College Students’ Belonging Built Through Meaningful Interactions With Black Staff At Predominantly White Institutions, Katelyn A. Hanley Semelbauer

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore how Black students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) describe meaningful interactions with Black staff and how they make meaning of those interactions as it relates to building a sense of belonging. The conceptual framework for this study incorporates Strayhorn’s (2019) college students’ sense of belonging theoretical model as a foundation with Museus’s (2014) culturally engaging campus environment model as a lens for analysis of the findings.

Using a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, 12 Black undergraduate students were recruited to participate. Each of the students attended a public 4-year PWI in the Great …

Generations At Work: Examining Differences In The Nonprofit Sector, Cory J. Bergeron

Dissertations

This non-experimental quantitative dissertation examined generational differences among non-management employees in the United States nonprofit sector, where multiple generational cohorts work side by side. The problem addressed is that nonprofit leaders’ limited understanding of how distinct generational experiences shape employees’ work-related attitudes and preferences can contribute to conflict, reduced engagement, and costly turnover in already resource-constrained organizations. Grounded in Mannheim’s generational theory and Becker’s human capital theory, the study conceptualized generational cohorts as groups whose shared formative experiences influence what they value in their work context and how those values translate into human capital that affects organizational outcomes.

Using a …

Beyond The Cycle: How Menstruation Influences Gender Identity And Well-Being In Binary And Non-Binary Adults, Rin Nguyen

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate, including transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people, yet their experiences remain underrepresented in research. Given that menstruation can affect gender alignment and psychological well-being, understanding its impact on TGD people is critical. Gender congruence, or alignment between one’s gender identity and expression, is a key factor influencing well-being, with research linking it to reduced depression and anxiety. Furthermore, emerging research on gender euphoria, the joy experienced when gender congruence is experienced, suggests it may serve as a protective factor for mental health and well-being. Gender euphoria has been associated with reduced psychological distress and increased …

Religion As Political Influence: Representation, Rhetoric, And Advocacy In American Politics, Andrew G. Tate

All Dissertations

Religion has long been recognized as a central force in American political life, shaping patterns of representation, public opinion, and policy advocacy. At the same time, the contemporary religious landscape is characterized by declining denominational attachment, increasing religious diversity, and growth in non-denominational and unaffiliated populations. These changes raise questions about whether religion continues to influence politics through traditional mechanisms such as clear denominational alignment or whether its political effects now operate through more indirect or restructured pathways. This manuscript addresses this question through a multi-level analysis of religion’s political role, integrating three studies that examine descriptive representation, organizational political …

Having Our Say: A Sociological Examination Of English Instruction In Urban High Schools And Effects On Black And Latino Identities, Jena Marie Escareno

Dissertations

This interdisciplinary study integrates a macro‑sociological perspective on language bias with an examination of English language instructional policies and practices that shape the identities of Black and Latino former urban high school students. Its purpose is to apply a sociological framework capable of illuminating the intersections of language, race, and social justice. By bridging linguistic, sociological, and educational theories, the study seeks to explain why current approaches to language instruction remain ineffective for urban learners and may inadvertently harm minority cultural identities.

Persistent disparities in urban academic achievement often highlight race and ethnicity as explanatory factors without acknowledging how these …

An Experimental Study On Gendered Leadership Effects In Neighborhood Climate Protests, Farzana Fahmee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leaders are at the frontline as they determine the attitude that audiences have towards social movements and the level of attention they are willing to give to those movements. This paper investigates the influence of a neighborhood environmental protest leader’s gender on perceived leadership and democratic participation. The study relies on self-categorization theory, social identity theory, and the concept of issue-fit to assert the possibility of women gaining from the cultural connection between environmental care and femininity, while also experiencing backlash due to the masculine coding of leadership. A post-test online experiment involving 189 university students was conducted in which …

Volunteer Spotlighting: Costly Signaling To Promote Volunteerism, Clyde A. Raible V

Master's Theses

Prosocial behaviors, because they are initially costly and do not guarantee a direct benefit to the actor, can nonetheless increase social status by signaling a willingness to incur cost on behalf of another. Given this signal value, nonprofit organizations may be able to leverage this knowledge to increase donations, such as through the provisioning of attention to, and recognition of, volunteers through social media. I predicted that the costliness of spotlighted behavior and the target signal clarity (i.e., individual vs. group spotlight) would interact with participants’ dispositional dominance and prestige-based status motives to influence volunteerism interest. To explore these associations, …