Digital Commons Network^™

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Challenges Unique To Black Male Teachers Working In Title I Low-Income Schools In South Carolina, Tamika Levitt Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Our entire educational process begins with K-12 as the teachers tasked with providing knowledge and guidance aid students to succeed academically and personally. Teaching in low-income, underserved communities often requires teachers to assume roles and responsibilities in addition to teaching to tend to the basic needs of students. There is a dearth of literature on counseling teachers, and even less on teachers working in this environment and specific populations. The responsibility of depicting positive male representation for students in high-poverty schools and communities can pose unique challenges for Black male teachers. Understanding the lived experiences of Black male teachers has …

A Study To Understand The Experiences Of Black American Christian Women In Leadership Positions Who Serve Within The Black Church, Keyona N. Harper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study contributes to the gap in academic literature through the identification of themes within the participants' experiences of being a Black American female leader within the Black church. This study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative design to understand the experiences of Black American Christian women in leadership positions who serve within the Black church. The findings offer insight into the role of race, gender, religion, and environmental factors in the human experience. Through this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research approach, data were analyzed to find universal themes of commitment to calling, pastor idolization, exclusion, navigating church culture, balancing personal and …

Exploration Of The Congruence Between Environmental Concerns And Eco-Spirituality Programming At Retreat Centers As Experienced By Participants, Jean Golicz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple-embedded case study was to explore the role of environmental awareness and concerns in influencing engagement in retreat practices that were organized around the theme of eco-spirituality and the impact on organizational leadership and program development at two retreat centers in the northeastern region of the United States. Roman Catholic retreat centers were the focus of the study as they endeavored to fulfill leadership directives reflected in the papal encyclical Laudato si’. The centers examined offered immersion in nature, reflection on the interdependence of organic systems, and the development of action plans to address environmental issues. …

An Applied Multimethod Study: Addressing The Problem Of Property Integrity Issues In The State Of Alabama, Suzanna Kirkpatrick Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This applied multimethod study addressed the problem of property integrity issues in the state of Alabama. The central research question aimed to discover how property integrity issues could be identified and reduced within the state. The multimethod design utilized qualitative and quantitative data collection methods framed with Cohen and Felson’s (1979) routine activity theory across semi-structured interviews, content analysis of online news articles posted to the International Association for Property and Evidence’s Headline News webpage, and a survey questionnaire. Data observations revealed the problem of property integrity issues was complex. Target suitability for property items being stolen was found to …

Homeplace As A Methodology Of Care: Conducting Critical Qualitative Research With 2slgbtqia+ Youth In Higher Education, K. Rende Mendoza, Ferial Pearson, Isa Manhart

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This paper addresses the alarming trend of policies and legislative actions targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and affirmation/accessibility (DEIA) efforts in higher education, particularly those affecting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. These policies not only pose a direct threat to the physical and psychological safety of marginalized students but also undermine the institutional support systems essential for their personal and academic development. Authored by a nonbinary undergraduate and two 2SLGBTQIA+ teacher education researchers, our paper explores student-led critical qualitative research as a countermeasure to these regressive policies. Building from bell hooks' conception of homeplace, we offer our suggestions for establishing safe, supportive, and liberatory …

Structural Covariance And Episodic Memory: Sex Differences In Schizophrenia, Delaina Brooke Cimmino

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a chronic brain disease characterized by patterns of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and persist throughout the lifespan. Clinical and cognitive symptoms differ between males and females with the disease, suggesting neurobiological abnormalities that vary on the basis of biological sex. The present study used high-dimensional brain mapping and network analysis procedures of cortical and limbic regions known to be involved in memory formation to investigate sex differences in brain correlates of episodic memory among patients with schizophrenia. This study analyzed multi-site archival data from 363 male (M) and 108 female (F) …

Spousal Bereavement Enhances Proinflammatory Cytokine Production To Acute, Psychological Stress., E Lydia Wu-Chung, Ryan L. Brown, Robert Suchting, Jensine Paoletti-Hatcher, Michelle A. Chen, Angie S. Leroy, Kyle W. Murdock, Cobi J. Heijnen, Christopher P. Fagundes

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Early widowhood is characterized by chronic stress and is associated with a higher risk of incident depression and cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality. Peripheral inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder and atherothrombosis and may represent a common mechanism underlying widow(er)'s elevated risk for both health conditions. Chronic psychological stress sensitizes the release of proinflammatory cytokines during the peripheral stress response. The present study examined whether recent spousal bereavement enhances the inflammatory response to an acute, psychological stressor. Recently widowed older adults (n = 143) and non-widowed controls (n = 69) participated in a quasi-experimental study, during which …

Neuroanatomical And Morphometric Differences In Children Who Stutter, Mohammad A. Khan

Honors Scholar Theses

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder commonly known as stuttering is a neurodevelopmental speech disorder characterized by disruptions in speech fluency. While genetic and neurobiological factors are implicated, the structural brain differences underlying stuttering remain unclear. This study investigated neuroanatomical alterations in children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically fluent children (TFC), focusing on gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area in speech-related regions; the Inferior Frontal Gyrus, Middle Temporal Gyrus, and Pre-motor Operculum. High-resolution MRI data from 100 children (48 CWS, 52 TFC) aged 3–12 years were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in cortical thickness, surface …

Stomatal Distribution And Post-Fire Recovery: Intra-And Interspecific Variation In Plants Of The Pyrogenic Florida Scrub, Genevieve Triplett, Aaron S. David

Faculty Publications

Premise

Amphistomy, the presence of stomata on both leaf surfaces, can increase photosynthesis yet is uncommon across vascular plants. The relative infrequency of amphistomy is often attributed to high costs, such as transpirational water loss. The Florida scrub—a hot, dry, shrub-dominated habitat—historically has experienced frequent fire, yet decades of anthropogenic suppression coupled with the reintroduction of prescribed burns has led to varied fire regimes. In this study, we investigated the links between amphistomy and fire with regard to the presence of the trait across species in this pyrogenic habitat and within-species variation before and after experimental fire and across a …

A Resource-Based Perspective Of Stem Career Development: A Latent Class Analysis, Erika Ann Schemmel

Dissertations and Theses

Through technological developments and the growing concerns around climate change, the need and demand for electric vehicles has been steadily increasing. A trained and qualified STEM workforce is required to meet these demands, yet standard STEM education may not be sufficient. The STEM development program centered in the present study is a collegiate workforce development program that provides North American students with training and hands-on experience in the engineering of electric vehicles. Drawing from central principles of COR theory, the present study explores the experiences of students within the program utilizing a resource-based perspective and a mixed-methods approach. First, the …

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

Senior Capstone Papers

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

Cost-Effective Solutions For High-Throughput Enzymatic Dna Methylation Sequencing, Amy Longtin, Marina M. Watowich, Baptiste Sadoughi, Rachel M. Petersen, Sarah F. Brosnan, Kenneth Buetow, Qiuyin Cai, Cayo Biobank Research Unit, Vanderbilt University, Michael D. Gurven, James P. Higham, Heather M. Highland, Yi-Ting Huang, Hillard Kaplan, Thomas S. Kraft, Yvonne A. L. Lim, Jirong Long, Amanda D. Melin, Michael J. Montagne, Jamie Roberson, Kee Seong Ng, Michael L. Platt, India A. Schneider-Crease, Jonathan Stieglitz, Benjamin C. Trumble, Vivek Venkataraman, Ian J. Wallace, Jie Wu, Noah Snyder-Mackler, Angela Jones, Alexander G. Bick, Amanda J. Lea

ESI Publications

Characterizing DNA methylation patterns is important for addressing key questions in evolutionary biology, development, geroscience, and medical genomics. While costs are decreasing, whole-genome DNA methylation profiling remains prohibitively expensive for most population-scale studies, creating a need for cost-effective, reduced representation approaches (i.e., assays that rely on microarrays, enzyme digests, or sequence capture to target a subset of the genome). Most common whole genome and reduced representation techniques rely on bisulfite conversion, which can damage DNA resulting in DNA loss and sequencing biases. Enzymatic methyl sequencing (EM-seq) was recently proposed to overcome these issues, but thorough benchmarking of EM-seq combined with …

Correlates Of Internalized Weight Bias In An Ethnically Diverse College Sample, Amanda Cipolla

Psychology ETDs

Understanding factors related to internalized weight bias (IWB), particularly among diverse populations, is an important avenue of research to inform interventions aimed at reducing IWB. This study surveyed college students (n = 319) about their body image, social media use, and culture. ANOVA, multiple regression, and hierarchical regressions were used to analyze data. Overall, body image flexibility emerged as a strongly negatively related to IWB, indicating potentially protective qualities. Physical appearance comparison, objectified body consciousness, and BMI emerged as maladaptive correlates. Findings related to social media were more complicated, with appearance related social media consciousness as an important negative correlate, …

Explaining The Satisfaction Of The Religious Tourist: The Case Of Maimonides In The City Of Cordoba, César Mora Márquez, Angelo Puccia

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism was one of the most severely affected sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic. Even religious tourism, traditionally less susceptible to market fluctuations, is now compelled to adopt innovative strategies in response to these effects. This article analyses the satisfaction of religious tourism, specifically its relationship with the figure of Maimonides, who is considered to be an important religious thinker and is included within the Pantheon database of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). A questionnaire was distributed and completed by 720 tourists in the city of Cordoba, Spain, which has close links to Maimonides. The findings indicated that the spirituality …

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

Social Work Faculty Publications

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

An End-To-End Concatenated Cnn Attention Model For The Classification Of Lung Cancer With Xai Techniques, Fariha Haque, Mohammad Asif Hasan, Md. Abu Ismali Siddique, Tonmoy Roy, Tonmoy Kanti Shaha, Yamina Islam, Avijit Paul, Muhammad E. H. Chowdhury

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In the field of medical imaging, deep learning (DL) techniques have made significant contributions to the detection and classification of various cancers. Identifying the precise regions in medical images containing cancerous cells plays a crucial role in the diagnostic process. Early and accurate cancer detection is essential for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. However, manual diagnosis is labor-intensive, requiring the specialized expertise of radiologists, and the increasing number of cancer cases presents challenges in processing large volumes of image data efficiently. To address these challenges, an end-to-end concatenated Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) attention model has been proposed for automatic …

Development Of Stem-Based Virtual Microscope Module In Fundamental Geology Course, Bigharta Bekti Susetyo, Dipo Caesario, Yulia Hanoselina, Helfia Edial, Intan Lestari Mulyaning Tyas, Ahmad Syauqi Hidayatillah, Alfyananda Kurnia Putra, Salem Amer Sayma

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

This research aims to develop a STEM-based virtual microscope module. It follows a 4D development model, comprising define, design, develop, and disseminate stages. Interview were employed as the primary data collection techniques. The data analysis techniques utilized both descriptive and quantitative methods. The feasibility of developed module validated by expert validators in material content, language, and learning design. Field testing was conducted with Geography Education Study Program students from Class of 2023 in the Fundamental Geology Course. The STEM-based virtual microscope module was deemed suitable for learning activities, receiving validation scores in the "good" category with minor revisions required. Student …

Tiktok On The Clock: It Is Time To Hold Social Media Platforms Responsible For The Dangerous Content They Push To Children, Angelina Rego

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This article examines the unresolved issue of social media companies endangering children through their targeted algorithms in a world where Section 230 protects them from any consequences. Part II will provide background on harmful content, like viral challenges, plaguing social media and endangering children. In addition, Part II will present an overview of Section 230’s immunity and its very limited exceptions. Next, Part III will analyze the legislative intent behind Section 230 and its relation to the First Amendment, highlighting that protecting children aligns with the act’s original purpose. Then, Part IV will discuss the few alternative workarounds available to …

Building Resilience: The Role Of Social Rank And Alliances, Jarad Reiss

Masters Theses (Archived)

Resilience, the ability to recover from adversity, is a cornerstone of psychological well-being and a key to human thriving and mental fortitude. This study examines resilience as an adaptive psychological mechanism and situates it within an evolutionary framework to provide a clearer understanding of resilience across diverse populations, personalities, and cultures. Specifically, this study investigates whether perceived social rank predicts resilience and explores how social support and alliances mediate this relationship in a population of human service professionals. Participants (N = 256) completed an online survey that included measurements of resilience, social rank perceptions, personality, and coalition-related variables. Results suggest …

Participatory Science Newsletter 2025_05_20, Mairi Poisson, Malin Clyde, Alyson L. Eberhardt

Participatory Science News

In this edition of the UNH Participatory Sciences Newsletter, we offer news and resources on The Power of Participatory Sciences. These include a story about UNH graduate student Lauren White's work using participatory science data about horseshoe crab spawning in the Great Bay. Another story highlights UNH's Coastal Research Volunteers Beach Profiling Project and another outlines how many UNH researchers at UNH are working with local communities to find solutions to environmental problems. A final article shares information about the 2025 conference for the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences and the poster presented by scholars and students from UNH.

Fear And Oxytocin: Effects Of Intraperitoneal Pretreatment In Rats, Daniel Yeromenko, Kelsie German, Eros Fuentes, Jenna Meade, Ben Bustos

2025 Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Oxytocin is a neuropeptide widely known for its role in social bonding and emotional regulation. Recent studies have suggested its involvement in modulating fear, stress, and anxiety responses, potentially offering therapeutic applications for trauma-related disorders such as PTSD. This study investigated whether pretreatment with oxytocin reduces behavioral and physiological fear responses in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats using a classical fear conditioning model. METHODS : Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats (12 males, 12 females) were assigned to one of four groups: control (no shock, no oxytocin), shock only, shock + low-dose oxytocin (0.5 mg/kg), and shock + high-dose oxytocin (1.0 mg/kg). …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

The Effects Of Family Cohesion On The Relationship Between Trauma And State-Level Social Policy Provision In The United States, Brandon Kendall Ross Fielding

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examines how childhood trauma and family cohesion interact to shape state-level social policy generosity in the United States. The study begins with a multilevel quantitative analysis using data from the National Survey of Children’s Health and the State Safety-Net Generosity Index to assess how individual-level experiences of trauma and family support relate to state-level welfare generosity. Two trauma indices--one focused on adverse childhood experiences and bullying, and the other on food-related hardship--are used to explore how trauma influences attitudes toward public assistance, and whether family cohesion moderates this relationship. Results from marginal effects analyses indicate that family cohesion, …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Intergenerational Adverse Childhood Experiences, Jessica Schweigert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Extensive research has been conducted on the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and negative long term physical and mental health outcomes, intervention strategies after exposure in childhood, as well preventative education measures to limit ACE exposure; however, limited research has been conducted on how the exposure to ACEs could influence parental behaviors, practices, the overall experience for parents, and the intergenerational continuity of these experiences for their children. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore how the adverse childhood experiences of parents could have influenced their parental behaviors and practices, parenting style and approach, and …

Planetary Health And Indigenous Sovereignty: Exploring The Theory Of Change Of The Healthy Environments And Lives (Heal) Network In Western Australia, Lucie O'Sullivan, Theoni Whyman, Mara West, Noel Nannup, Jaime Yallup Farrant, Naomi Joy Godden, Emma Leigh Synnott, Raewyn Mutch, Anita J. Campbell, Kylie Wrigley, Brad Farrant

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper outlines the theory of change which underpins the Western Australian (WA) hub of the Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) network. HEAL is an Australian national research initiative that aims to address the health impacts of climate and environmental change. The WA hub's theory of change is focused on improving the health and well-being of the planet and people, including children, through centring Indigenous sovereignty, voices and ways of knowing and being in research, policy development and service provision. The WA hub also recognises it is essential for place-based, community-led solutions, which strengthens responses to climate and environmental change, …

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

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

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

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

Anthropology ETDs

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

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

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

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

The Normalization Of Clandestine Graves In Mexico, Alejandra Vela

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Clandestine graves are increasing at an alarming rate in Mexico, as cartels fight for dominance over the wealthiest territories. Those who fall victim to cartels are brutally tortured into submission or are murdered and disposed of. These graves are the preferred method of body disposal by the cartels. By disposing of various victims in hidden locations, the cartels seek to erase the existence of these individuals. Victims are reduced to only bone fragments and ash. Friends and family of those who have gone missing have created a large search organization, Madres Buscadoras, to combat the helplessness of authorities. Madres Buscadoras …

Oviposition And Immature Development Of Blowflies In Forensic Investigations, Amalia Herrera-Benitez

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Forensic entomology is a subspecialty within the field of forensic science where insect evidence is analyzed to solve criminal cases. Insects begin to colonize the body, with blowflies being the first insects to arrive. Within minutes, blowflies can lay eggs on a decomposing body, and the larvae will feed once they hatch. The life cycles of blowflies are analyzed to help determine an estimated post-mortem interval (PMI), which is crucial in investigations, as it can help establish a timeline. Various factors, such as temperature and access to the body, can cause delays in the oviposition of blowflies. A delay in …