Digital Commons Network^™

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

The Intersectionality Of Juvenile Justice And Education: A Comparative Study Of Educational Governance Typologies Within The Juvenile Justice System, Domonique Mckenzie-Charles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, a number of youths find themselves at an intersection between the school-to-prison pipeline (SPP) and the criminal justice system. This research study examined the relationship between educational governance typologies of juvenile justice systems and juvenile recidivism in 10 U.S. states, with a centralized focus on the model of internalized governance. The purpose of this research study was to develop a comparative typology of educational governance through the evaluation of leadership structures, to assess the association between educational governance typologies and rehabilitative outcomes. The following comparative study discovered how educational governance typologies differ across states and whether these differences …

Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions, Laundale Leopold Munroe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the challenge of unclear relational and leadership boundaries associated with reduced trust, emotional comfort, and healthy communication within the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bronx, New York. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an eight-week Structural Family Therapy-informed intervention designed to strengthen trust, emotional comfort, leadership clarity, relational boundaries, and healthy communication among church members. The goals were to increase participants’ awareness of congregational relational patterns, encourage healthier interpersonal interactions, and cultivate practices that support sustained relational health. A mixed-methods action research design was employed with eighteen adult …

For Love Or Green Card: Exploring Intermarriage Experiences Of African American Women To West African Men In The First Decade Of Midlife From A Historical, Cultural, And Psychosocial Perspective, Kelley Owusu Asante

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of African American women who married West African men during the first decade of midlife. It investigated the historical, cultural, and psychosocial factors that shaped the women’s perceptions and experiences of intermarriage. The guiding theories were social exchange theory, competitive market theory, marital paradigm theory, and sex ratio imbalance theory. Social exchange theory, developed by George C. Homans in 1958, provided a framework linking behavioral psychology and microeconomics. The study centered participants’ narratives to understand how love, commitment, and cultural negotiation unfolded in these unions. The sample comprised 12 African American women …

Trauma-Informed Coaching: An Application Of Catholic Social Teaching To Formation And Healing Through Sport, Kristin K. Sheehan, Peter Piscitello, Elaine Cassidy

Journal of Catholic Education

Mission-driven athletic programs aim to form the whole athlete—physically, emotionally, socially, morally, and spiritually. A critical component of this mission is equipping coaches to serve as ministers of the Church while embracing trauma-informed practices. This paper introduces the rationale, process, and techniques for trauma-informed coaching as a research-based approach to supporting athlete mental health. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, this framework emphasizes community, participation, and the dignity of the human person, particularly care for the vulnerable. Drawing on neuroscientific and psychological research on trauma alongside Church documents and papal pronouncements, the paper demonstrates how trauma-informed coaching fosters healing and resilience …

Sport, Human Flourishing And The Common Good: A Jesuit Perspective, Patrick M. Kelly S.J.

Journal of Catholic Education

The author interprets humanist and early Jesuit education inspired by the Spiritual Exercises through the lens of the flow psychology theory of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi to highlight that they bring about differentiation – the development of the different interests, skills, dimensions of the person – and integration – in a way that is connected to community and fosters the common good. The inclusion of physical education and sports in the humanist and early Jesuit schools – the first instance of it in Catholic schools – was influenced by longer traditions which emphasized the unity of the person and a “play ethic”, …

Antiterrorism Policies And Curbing Youth Involvement In Violent Extremism In Nigeria, Timothy Melaye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigeria continues to face significant challenges from extremist groups such as Boko Haram, unidentified militia groups, and bandits. The radicalization of youths has played a central role in the country's ongoing violent extremism and general insecurity. Efforts to curb youth radicalization remain largely unsuccessful and pose a major challenge in the country. The existing literature on curbing youth violent extremism focuses on the use of force, while other scholars argue for a complex interplay among economic, social, political, and environmental factors. They also considered that high illiteracy, lack of religious understanding, poverty, unemployment, psychological factors, and unstable family environments contribute …

Examination Of The Bureau Of Indian Affairs Public Policy Implementation In Support Of Sovereign Tribal Nations, Erna Mae Faber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social and economic disparities in the Midwestern Reservation Community have persisted for more than five decades despite the enactment of federal Indian policy designed to address them. Based on the existing research, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA’s) failure to effectively administer programs addressing health care, housing, and economic opportunity has perpetuated systemic inequities that disproportionately affect tribal nation members. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how members of the Midwestern Reservation Community viewed the implementation of BIA public policies intended to support tribal nations through the lens of the resource dependence theory, the narrative policy …

Assessing The Financial Impact Of Spoofing Attacks In Michigan’S Finance Industry, Shatarsha Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spoofing attacks have become an increasingly significant cybersecurity threat, exposing organizations and customers to financial losses by impersonating trusted identities in digital environments. Cybersecurity leaders need a better understanding of how information security maturity and the selection of cybersecurity strategy relate to spoofing loss outcomes. Grounded in game theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the relationships among information security maturity, cybersecurity strategy selection, and spoofing loss outcomes in the financial industry. Data were collected from approximately 90 IT professionals employed in a Michigan-based government office in the public finance sector with at least 5 …

Raising History From The Grave: Reparative Archival Pedagogy, International Virtual Exchange, And Community Engagement, Antonia Macdonald, Leah Rosenberg

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

This article brings together three threads in digital pedagogy: international virtual exchange, archival recovery work, and reparative pedagogy to argue that their convergence generates a transformative framework for reimaging critical archival practice and transnational collaborations. Our argument is supported by two related pedagogical projects that we undertook. The first is a collaboration with Pan Caribbean Sankofa (PCS) and the Panama Canal Museum Collection (PCMC) at the University of Florida (UF). The second is a collaborative online international learning (COIL) exchange that took place between two undergraduate classes at a university in the Eastern Caribbean and UF. Both initiatives were grounded …

Acervos Documentales De Puerto Rico Y El Caribe @ Upr-Río Piedras: On Designing Digital Strategies For Preservation And Access Of Unique Puerto Rican And Caribbean Studies Collections, Mirerza González-Vélez, Mila Aponte-González

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

This paper documents Acervos Digitales de Puerto Rico y el Caribe @ UPR-Río Piedras, its origins, goals, activities and participants. It reflects on the team engagement with fundamental discussions regarding the use of Omeka in a Caribbean context, that resulted in the articulation and enactment of ethical principles for digital curation, as well as in its commitment for fundamental digital preservation efforts based on minimal technology requirements. The paper also provides an assessment of its continuity as a DH initiative committed to preserving, improving open access, and building capacity for the effective use of unique digitized humanities collections, and poses …

Infrastructure Of Lack: Defining Caribbean Vernacular Networks, Luis Rivera Jiménez

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

This article offers a theoretical reflection on the forms and meanings of networks in the Caribbean, moving beyond traditional definitions rooted in computation and formal infrastructure. By turning to vernacular, improvised, and culturally embedded modes of exchange—such as in "Club Nintendo" culture and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) in the Dominican Republic, the DIY internet practices of Cuban users, and the ubiquity of memes and WhatsApp threads across diasporic communities—this piece reframes the concept of the “network” through a Caribbean lens. Rather than seeing the Caribbean as disconnected or technologically incipient, this approach understands the region as a space of creative, strategic, …

“Turn The Faucet”: Right-Wing Hydrosocial Imaginaries Of Irrigation Water In The Western United States, Alexander Reid Ross, Thien-Kim Bui, Alida Cantor

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The second administration of United States President Donald Trump has taken an authoritarian, centralized approach to governance in the United States. Water management is one area in which the president has attempted to show dominance. This research theorizes President Trump’s concept of water in the United States West as a “hydrosocial imaginary” in which the release of water from rivers and reservoirs indicates virility, action, and power, instead of liberal cautiousness and prudence. By ordering the release of two billion gallons of water from California’s Central Valley into the dry Tulare Basin one hundred miles north of Los Angeles for …

We Don't See Race, We See Blue: A Case Study Of Police Unions As Racialized Organizations, Sarahfina Aubrey Peterson

Dissertations and Theses

In the late 1960s, police began to unionize. Today, they are the most well-organized labor force in the United States, with 70% to 80% of sworn officers now represented by a union. Though it has been decades, little scholarship has developed about how police unions affect policing. Much of the research that does exist uses race-neutral frames to address an organization steeped in racial history. This study aims to address this gap in scholarship, in part, by introducing race as a motivation for and explanation of organizational output.

This research applies Victor Ray's racialized organizations theory to police unions. I …

Exploring Elite Athletes’ Perceptions Of The Practice Of Mindfulness For Mental Health And Optimal Performance, Omar A. Sesay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elite athletes experience physical, cognitive, and emotional demands that affect athletic performance and personal well-being, increasing the risk for anxiety, depression, burnout, attentional difficulties, and maladaptive coping strategies. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been examined for its effect on attentional control, emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and stress resilience, but limited qualitative research has examined how elite athletes experience the practice of mindfulness. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore elite athletes’ perceptions of the practice of mindfulness for mental health and optimal performance. The theoretical framework draws from mindfulness theory and MBSR principles. Semistructured interviews were conducted …

Trapped In Transition: Structural Change And Political Dynamics In Middle-Income Countries, Gabriel Duvidovich

Dissertations and Theses

The middle-income trap literature has examined why relatively few middle-income countries transition to high-income status. A range of explanations has been proposed, but the political dimension has often been overlooked. Studies that take a political perspective often focus on institutional form rather than the state’s ability to effectively implement policy. This study addresses this gap by bringing political capacity to the center of the analysis. It argues that political capacity appears important for the productive upgrading required for sustained growth in middle-income economies and shapes economic growth trajectories across countries at different income levels.

The empirical analysis uses country-period panel …

The Lottery You Do Not Want To Win: The Role Of Local Institutional Quality In Brazil's Fight Against The Persistent Transmission Of Poverty, Adaye Sosthene Yvan N'Guettia

Economics Honors Projects

When does improving local institutions increase the poverty-reducing effectiveness of transfers? This paper examines whether federal oversight strengthens municipal administration of anti-poverty programs in Brazil. I develop a governance model in which incumbents allocate resources across diversion, effort, and institutional investment under audits and incentives. Using exogenous variation from Brazil's random CGU audit lottery across 5,500 municipalities, I find audits reduce irregularities, strengthen capacity, improve nutritional monitoring and school infrastructure, and reduce extreme poverty — with effects largest in municipalities with weakest institutions. A marginal-value-of-public-funds analysis confirms the program is self-financing. Results show the poverty-reducing power of transfers depends critically …

Unpacking Treatment Effect Heterogeneity In A Large-Scale Dropout Prevention Experiment, Thomas Dee, Chloe R. Gibbs, Rebecca Margolit-Chan, Lillian Morrell, James X. Sullivan

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Timely high school completion is a critical step in successful transitions to post-secondary schooling and the labor market. This randomized controlled trial, deployed in two urban, disadvantaged school districts, tests the effectiveness of a mature and comprehensive student-support program on an unusually large scale (n=2,528). While overall effects on graduation rates are small and statistically insignificant, exploratory analyses reveal notable variation by site and over time, mirroring heterogeneity in treatment timing and program implementation. These findings highlight the challenges of scaling interventions and raise concerns about generalizing results from small-scale, single-site evaluations.

Investigating The Links Between Iq, Emotion Dysregulation, And Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia In Childhood Antisocial Behavior, Isley Jean-Pierre

Student Theses

This study examined relationships among cognitive ability, emotion dysregulation, physiological regulation, and antisocial behavior. Participants were 340 children ages 7-10. Caregivers reported on emotion regulation, aggression, and delinquency, and children completed cognitive assessments. Intellectual profiles were classified as even or uneven. No significant differences in aggression or delinquency were found between intellectual profiles. Emotion Regulation Checklist scores mediated relationships between VIQ and both aggression and delinquency. Resting RSA mediated the relationship between VIQ and delinquency, although the indirect effect was small, whereas RSA reactivity did not mediate either outcome. Overall, findings suggest that emotion regulation may be a more consistent …

Understanding Ourselves And Others: A Social Psychology Approach, Whitney Whitaker Ph.D., Noba Project

All Open Educational Resources

This book is a compilation of Open Education Resources for the use in an undergraduate level social psychology course at Fort Hays State University.

E-Health Literacy And Cyberchondria Severity Among Adolescent High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, Seyda Çavmak, Adem Bilgin

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Amid rapid digitalization and the growing use of artificial intelligence-based search engines, adolescents increasingly seek health information online. This study examined the relationship between high school students' e-health literacy and their cyberchondria tendencies.

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 683 students from public high schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the e-Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short Form (CSS-12). Descriptive statistics, comparative tests, and Pearson correlation were applied (p < 0.05).

Results: Students' e-health literacy and cyberchondria severity were moderate. Significant positive correlations emerged between e-health literacy …

Assessing Healthcare Access Among Overweight And Obese Individuals In Türkiye Using Latent Variable Modeling, Banu Beyaz Sipahi

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Overweight and obesity are critical determinants of healthcare access, yet evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped these dynamics in Türkiye remains limited. This study investigates whether the early post-pandemic recovery period altered healthcare access patterns for individuals with excess weight.

Methods: Using nationally representative microdata from the 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2022 Turkish Health Surveys, we constructed a latent Healthcare Access Index based on six indicators of unmet care needs. Probit models were estimated to assess associations between BMI categories and healthcare access, controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors. The 2022 wave serves as the early …

Book Review: Overseen Or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces, And Democratic Accountability, Tom Vance

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Authors: David P. Auerswald, Philippe Lagassé, and Stephen M. Saideman

Reviewed by: Tom Vance, US Army Reserve (retired)

In Overseen or Overlooked?, David P. Auerswald, Philippe Lagassé, and Stephen M. Saideman challenge the conventional focus on executive control of the military by spotlighting the often-underestimated role of legislatures in democratic civil-military relations. Drawing on more than a dozen global case studies, the authors reveal how parliaments struggle with capacity and motivation to provide meaningful oversight. This groundbreaking work offers practical reforms and a compelling argument: true democratic accountability in defense requires more than generals and presidents—it demands empowered legislators.

Book Review: Redemption: Macarthur And The Campaign For The Philippines, Brian Mcallister Linn

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Peter R. Mansoor

Reviewed by: Brian McAllister Linn, professor emeritus, Texas A&M University

In Redemption: MacArthur and the Campaign for the Philippines, Peter R. Mansoor delivers a gripping account of one of World War II’s most pivotal operations, blending strategic insight with vivid battlefield detail. The book explores General Douglas MacArthur’s dramatic return to the Philippines, revealing the complexities of leadership, logistics, and liberation. A masterful narrative of redemption and resilience, it captures the high stakes and human costs of reclaiming a nation under siege.

©2026 Brian McAllister Linn

Book Review: General Lucian K. Truscott: “Quite A Talent For Fighting”, Brian K. Dean

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Book Review: General Lucian K. Truscott: “Quite a Talent for Fighting”

Author: Glyn Harper

Reviewed by: Colonel Brian K. Dean, special assistant to the chief of staff, US Army National Guard

In General Lucian K. Truscott: “Quite a Talent for Fighting,” Glyn Harper brings to light the remarkable yet underappreciated career of one of America’s most capable World War II commanders. From North Africa to the beaches of Anzio, Truscott’s mastery of mechanized and amphibious warfare earned him a unique record of commanding formations from regiment to army. His compelling biography reveals a plain-speaking, resilient leader whose strategic brilliance shaped …

Book Review: The Next War: Indications Intelligence In The Early Cold War, William Phillips

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Timothy Andrews Sayle

Reviewed by: Colonel William Phillips (US Army, retired), assistant professor, Department of Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Operations, Command and General Staff College

In The Next War: Indications Intelligence in the Early Cold War, Timothy Andrews Sayle uncovers how Western intelligence agencies grappled with the challenge of predicting Soviet military intentions amid global uncertainty. Through meticulous archival research, the book reveals how early Cold War leaders anticipated conflict without provoking it, laying the foundations for modern strategic warning systems. A compelling study of fear, foresight, and fragile peace, it sheds light on the delicate balance between …

Openness To Experience And Creative Capacity Among Active First Responders, William Reagan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Because emergency services demand adaptive, creative problem-solving within procedurally rigid cultures, this study examined whether Openness to Experience predicted creative capacity among active first responders and whether age or tenure moderated that relationship. A cross-sectional design used N = 117 first responders from eight agencies. Openness was measured with the Big Five Inventory-2 (percentile ranks); creativity was assessed with the Divergent Association Task (DAT; n = 116) and the Consensual Assessment Technique (CAT; n = 111). Covariates were age, tenure, rank, gender, and, for 46 participants at one agency, a dispatch-derived operational exposure score. In the full sample, Openness did …

Promoting Digital Inclusion Through Mobile Learning In West African Educational Systems, Joshua Olaoluwa Jegede, Temitope Michael Jegede

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Mobile learning is the use of small and portable devices, such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, for educational purposes. It influences where, how, what, and why students learn, as well as from whom they learn in the digital age. While the adoption of technology in education has brought a remarkable shift from traditional to digital learning, a global digital divide distinguishes developed and developing regions. However, mobile learning leverages the affordability and ubiquity of mobile devices to provide access to educational resources, bridging the digital divide in regions with limited educational infrastructure. This study is a systematic review of mobile …

The Safe Fishbowl Model: Psychological Safety By Design In Counseling Skills Training, Mike Mariska

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Skills training in counselor education can be constrained by performance anxiety, which may reduce participation, limit deliberate practice repetitions, and shift demonstrations to the instructor. This applied-practice manuscript introduces the SAFE (Structured Avatar and Feedback Experience) Fishbowl model, a simulation architecture designed to address performance anxiety while scaling participation. SAFE Fishbowl integrates rotating counselor roles, a real-time coaching loop, structured observation grounded in experiential learning theory, and purposeful debriefing. An implementation example for group counseling leadership skills is provided, along with adaptation guidance across multiple skill domains and delivery modalities. Descriptive course-evaluation feedback illustrates feasibility and perceived usefulness. Implications include …

A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Cacrep Accreditation Standards: Implications For The 2024 Cacrep Academic Quality Standards, David Moran

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This embedded mixed methods study examined the frequency of CACREP standards cited as ‘not met’ by the CACREP Board of Directors and explored counselor educators’ experiences with program evaluation. Frequency analysis revealed that Section 4 standards were disproportionately cited, yet applied consistently across diverse institutional types and delivery formats. Qualitative interviews with 16 counselor educators identified four themes: The Paradox of Agency, Faculty Workload Challenges, Performative Compliance vs. Authentic Improvement, and Faculty Experience with Program Evaluation. Findings suggest that while accreditation decisions are unbiased, the evaluation process imposes substantial strain on faculty resources. These results have …