Digital Commons Network^™

Ada Commons: Connecting Dentists To Research, Publications And History, Alisun Dekock

Bulletin of the Ninth District Dental Association

Are you curious about what’s going on at other ADA state and local associations? Perhaps you are faced with a unique clinical or business question and wondering if your peers have written about a similar experience. ADA Commons is a new resource designed to help answer those questions.

Development And Psychometric Validation Of The Multidimensional Measure Of Purpose In Life Ii (Mmop-Ii), Louis Fang, Alfred Allan, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose in life is a central motivational construct that has a profound influence on wellbeing. However, existing measures lack the breadth and precision needed to accurately capture this complex construct. In the present study, we aimed to develop a new measure rooted in a holistic, systems-based theoretical framework of purpose in life: the 18-item Multidimensional Measure of Purpose in Life II (MMOP-II). In Study 1, our confirmatory factor analyses in a sample of 303 university students (female = 82.5.%, white = 78.5%) supported a strong five-factor higher-order model fit, outperforming the three-factor and unidimensional alternatives. The Study 2 results replicated …

Migrant Background Youth And Hazardous Drinking: Drinking To Fit Into Australian Society?, Caroline Ng Tseung-Wong, Justine Dandy, Amanda M. George

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: In this study, we proposed that migrant youth might have acculturation reasons to drink alcohol and explored the role of acculturative gap conflict and perceived drinking culture in predicting hazardous drinking. We examined proximal acculturation reasons for drinking in terms of drinking to fit into Australian culture and drinking to cope with parental/community expectations.

Methods: We conducted an online survey with 470 participants (age range 18–25 years). Data from those who reported having tried alcohol (n = 383; 65% female, 71% born in Australia) were analysed. We grouped participants under those who came from similar alcohol consumption environments to …

Disrupted Trajectories: Covid-19, Transnational Youth Mobility And Unequal Transitions To Adulthood, Simon Chambers, Anita Harris, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While the impact of COVID-19 on youth development has been widely studied, less is known about its effects on transnationally mobile young adults. This longitudinal study of Australian outbound and inbound mobility examines how the pandemic disrupted this population's experiences abroad as they navigated transitions to adulthood. It draws on two waves of survey data collected using a convenience sample between July 2020 and September 2022. Our findings reveal that COVID-19 presented significant challenges to young adults living away from home, with disruptions to their future plans, social connections, and well-being. However, these impacts were not uniform. The pandemic magnified …

Rank, Degrading Treatment, And The Italy-Albania Agreement, Jamal Barnes, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In November 2023, Italy signed a five-year agreement with Albania to transfer asylum seekers intercepted in international waters by Italian vessels to Italian-run detention centres in Albania for asylum processing and deportation. The agreement has been controversial and raises several human rights issues. This article examines these human rights concerns and argues that the agreement is degrading by design. Analysing policy documents, legal cases, speeches, international human rights and refugee law, and philosophical and legal scholarship on the concept of degrading treatment, this article argues that the cumulative effect of subjecting people to unnecessary suffering, discrimination, and dehumanisation creates a …

Connected But Disconnected: A Covid-19 Youth Participatory Action Research Study, Vianney Atugonza, Jodi Dworkin, Stacey S. Horn, Joanna A. Tzenis, Samantha Lebouef

Journal of Youth Development

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most schools across the U.S. to close and transition to remote learning. Families were forced to transform their homes into classrooms while facing challenges to their health, finances, and social connections. To better understand how young people experienced these changes, a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project was employed to engage young people in naming, exploring, and sharing their experiences during this time. Nine high school youth leaders were trained as researchers to conduct interviews with their peers. These youth scholars were also trained on how to code, sort, and disseminate data and results. …

Exploring 21st-Century Skills In A Summer Camp: A Qualitative Methodological Triangulation Approach, Alexander Bowman, Jing Song

Journal of Youth Development

Despite the recognized importance of 21st-century skills and the substantial body of research on these skills, little is known about how to identify growth in these skills. The lack of reliable methods to measure 21st-century skill growth presents a challenge for the design of relevant learning environments and for evaluating if such learning environments are effective. Using a qualitative methodological triangulation approach, this study explored camp counselors’ learning processes. Using a systematic data integration method, field observations were synthesized with participant reflections about how their skills develop. Data were collected from 13 high-school-aged junior camp counselors at a summer camp …

Becoming Who I Am: How Youth Leadership Experiences Shape Lifelong Leadership Journeys, Dustin Evatt, Deborah Acker, Parker R. Watson, Jennifer T. Peters

Journal of Youth Development

Youth leadership experiences have the power to shape individuals’ values, identities, and leadership behaviors well into adulthood, yet limited empirical research has examined how these formative experiences contribute to leadership development over time. This study examines the long-term impact of youth leadership experiences using the six-stage Leadership Identity Development (LID) model as a guiding and interpretive framework by exploring the journeys of alumni from the Shelton Challenge, a six-day immersive high school leadership program at NC State University rooted in values-based and positive youth development (PYD) principles. Using narrative inquiry, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 30 alumni ages …

4-H Program Staff Perceptions Of Including Youth With Disabilities, Brittney Muschetto, Amy Leman

Journal of Youth Development

This study’s focus is to examine 4-H youth development county program staff’s perceptions of the inclusion of youth with disabilities in the Illinois 4-H program. The majority of program staff identified positive perceptions about including youth with disabilities in 4-H. However, they also noted that there was a need for more staff training to adequately include youth with disabilities in 4-H programming. As more youth are being diagnosed with disabilities, 4-H must continue to improve its knowledge and skills to make 4-H inclusive to all youth.

A Hip-Hop-Based Workshop Cultivates Urban Underserved Youths’ Critical Consciousness Around Food Systems, Jacob Rowell, Hannah Scherer, Kim Niewolny, Anthony Kwame Harrison, Kendrick Spencer

Journal of Youth Development

Hip hop is social commentary and critique that highlights the complexity of issues within society, including systemic inequity in the food system, which disproportionately affects urban and African American populations. After-school and non-formal programs are innovative educational opportunities to engage youth in learning about and addressing local problems through culturally-relevant program design and enactment of critical pedagogy. To meaningfully connect middle-school-aged urban youth, their lived experiences, and inequities in the food system, we designed a hip-hop-based workshop and delivered it in an established afterschool program. In this qualitative case study, we explored participants’ critical consciousness related to the food system …

A Billion People In The Shadows: Understanding Disability, Kelly Dziak

Journal of Youth Development

The disability community is the largest minority group and encompasses people of all ages and backgrounds. Despite its size, members of this community frequently encounter social, educational, and economic barriers that limit opportunities for full participation. Youth development programs have the potential to support skill-building and foster a sense of belonging. However, professionals often face challenges to effectively support individuals with disabilities including limited training and accessibility barriers. A Billion People in the Shadows: The Ultimate 1-Hour Guide to Understanding Disability by Doug McCullough provides practical guidance for improving understanding and support for this population. Drawing on personal experiences with …

Sensation And Perception V3, Todd A. Kahan

Open Educational Resources

Sensation and Perception V3 is an introductory college textbook that explores how we detect and interpret sensory information from the world around us. Covering all five major senses—vision, audition, touch, taste, and smell—the book provides a comprehensive overview of the biological and psychological processes that underlie perception. While all sensory modalities are discussed, the primary emphasis is on vision, tracing the flow of visual information from the moment light strikes the retina through the complex mechanisms that allow us to perceive objects, color, motion, and depth.

Can A Critical Reflection-Based Intervention Effectively Teach Intersectional Awareness Of Gendered Racism? An Empirical Study With College Students, Jayantika Chakraborty, Alena G. Esposito

Psychology

Intersectional awareness of gendered racism refers to the understanding of how intersecting systems of power and inequality shape the distinct and unequal forms of discrimination experienced by women of color across social contexts. This form of awareness recognizes that racism and sexism operate jointly, producing qualitatively different experiences that vary across race, gender expression, and social location. Developing such awareness is foundational to advancing equity and has been linked to outcomes such as student activism and engagement with social justice efforts. However, empirical research examining whether and how intersectional awareness can be cultivated through educational interventions remains limited. Responding to …

The Cross-Section Of Empirical Evidence And Personal Experience: A Deeper Look At School Resource Officers Through The Lens Of Demarcus A. Jenkins' Research On The Public Opinion Of Their Potential Removal From Public Schools, Quin Armstrong

University Honors Theses

Following the 2020 Black Lives Matter and Anti-Police movements, there were many discussions across the nation about possible changes to law enforcement operations. Among these discussions included specific discussions about what to do about law enforcement officers stationed in schools. These law enforcement officers are known as school resource officers, or SROs.

The focus of this thesis is specifically on Portland, Oregon's Portland Public School (PPS) district's decision to sever ties with the Portland Police Bureau, and what may have contributed to that ultimate decision. This is accomplished through an analysis of a research paper written by fellow Criminal Justice …

Myths, Risks, And Realities Of Floppy Disk Preservation, Tyler Thorsted, Leontien Talboom, Julianna Barrera-Gomez, Ross Spencer

Faculty Publications

Floppy disks remain vital for accessing early digital collections, yet online forums and blogs circulate many untested myths around these carriers. This paper examines common claims about reading disks; handling, cleaning, storage and media fragility; evaluating them in the context of contemporary workflows. Drawing on practical experience, targeted testing, and collaboration with conservation experts, we distinguish between theoretical risks and real-world workflows. By situating online advice within our own preservation practice, we provided a grounded perspective that helps preservation practitioners navigate legacy media.

Remembering The Great Gumpert, Susan Drucker

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

No abstract provided.

Remembering Gary Gumpert, Lance Strate

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Thoughts on Gary Gumpert.

A Sign Of Our Times: Cities, Protest And Public Space, Susan Drucker

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

The U.S. is a country born out of protest, a nation which enshrined in its Constitution the right to assemble and petition the government, which includes the right to protest peacefully. Cities are spatial media and the site of much current contentiousness and controversy in the Trump administration’s America.  Cities can be symbols of protest such as sanctuary cities. Appropriation of everyday urban spaces and activities has been key to opposition politics. City streets have historically been the site of sign toting protesters watched o masked members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This paper explores the historical and …

Social Media Management: The Career That's Still Growing Up, Gabrielle Iorio

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

This paper explores social media management careers through in-depth interviews with 10 social media managers, analyzed using organizational communication theories. The interviewees reveal gendered and age-specific labor dynamics of the profession, struggles with mental health and work-life balance, and difficulty attaining internal visibility and fair compensation within organizations.

Economic Costs And Rhetoric Of Resisting Diversity, Bill Petkanas

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

This paper examines the history of group exclusion in various occupations and the rhetoric used to support programs in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Examples include the Manhattan Project, the Discovery of the structure of DNA, and sports. Rhetorical possibilities are suggested based on the economic advantages of DEI.

Table Of Contents, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

4-H Builds Work Readiness Skills In Youth, Mike Knutz

Journal of Youth Development

4-H Programs provide work readiness skills like teamwork, respect, leadership, critical thinking, work ethics, and communication. Supported studies are highlighted as well as results from an evaluation of youth participants from a Know Your Government statewide program. Data was collected from middle and high school age youth to measure their self-reported increase in work readiness skills as well as knowledge of government. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to life skill theory and measurement. The study supports the value of 4-H Youth Development Programs as a means for youth to acquire work readiness skills.

Teaching Personal And Social Responsibility Through A Mountain Biking After-School Program, Kayla Marsh, Kelly L. Simonton, Victoria Shiver, Tristan Wallhead

Journal of Youth Development

The Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model has been identified as an evidence-based structure that can support social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies in after-school settings. However, much of the research includes general physical fitness and skill activity-based programs, and not activities students identify with as meaningful in their lives. The current study targeted a mountain biking afterschool-program which has the potential to promote meaningful transfer of knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to explore adolescents’ beliefs and understandings of SEL skills in a mountain biking TPSR program and (b) to explore the perceptions of potential …

Powering Tomorrow: Does Financial Development Induce Renewable Energy Consumption In Brics+ Nations?, Firlana Abidin, Abdul Khaliq

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This paper analyzes the influence of financial development on the implementation of renewable energy in BRICS+ nations, addressing both short-term and long-term implications. The empirical research utilizes Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Nonlinear ARDL models, analyzing data from 1992 to 2021 for ten BRICS+ nations, while accounting for essential economic variables such as Foreign Direct Investment and inflation rate. The results demonstrate that financial institutions and markets influence renewable energy adoption, with different significance in the short and long term. The empirical findings highlight the importance of comprehending how financial development can aid countries in transitioning to cleaner energy, especially …

Sedentary Behaviors And Functional Disability Among Chinese Older Adults (2008–2018): Evidence Including Mahjong, Yen-Han Lee, Yen-Chang Chang, Minzhi Ye, Cai Xu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study examined how different types of sedentary behavior relate to changes in functional disability, measured by activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), among Chinese older adults.

Major findings: Using data from 17,939 participants in four waves (2008–2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), sedentary behavior was categorized into four types: none, playing mahjong only, combining these with other sedentary activities, and other activities alone (e.g., reading and watching TV). Cox two-state regression models estimated the hazard of transitioning in ADL and IADL disability. Engaging in sedentary behaviors was generally …

The Low Participation Of Women In The Truck Driving Industry, Aurora Floodine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women remain underrepresented in the United States trucking industry, particularly in leadership roles, despite ongoing efforts to increase workforce diversity and address persistent driver shortages. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of female trucking professionals who began their careers as truck drivers and later advanced into leadership positions. The study examined the strategies that facilitated women’s progression into leadership and the systemic barriers that may limit their advancement within the trucking industry. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 female trucking professionals, and the resulting data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Six themes emerged from the findings: (a) independence, …

Full Issue, Volume 21, Issue 3, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Joining Forces:A Research-Practice Partnership For Out-Of-School Time, Julián C. Alonso Restrepo, Trevor Bopp, Diedre F. Houchen, Chanae Jackson, Sunshine Moss, Rose M. Pringle, Christine Wegner

Journal of Youth Development

This article describes the development and early implementation of the Youth Development Research-Practice Partnership (YDRPP), a collaboration between university researchers and the Better Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Alliance in Alachua County, Florida. Established to address persistent racial and socioeconomic disparities affecting youth, the partnership used a collaborative qualitative assessment to identify local youth needs, program strengths, and organizational challenges. Findings revealed that practitioners viewed academic support, mental health, social-emotional development, positive adult relationships, physical activity, life skills, and workforce preparation as the most pressing needs of youth. Programs responded through holistic offerings that included tutoring, mentoring, trauma-informed practices, recreation, career readiness, …

Why Sports Participation Matters For Girls In Urban Core Public Schools, David Mcleod, Angela B. Pharris, David Crynes, Emmy Hufnagel, Eddie Wright, Sabrina Hynd, Tim Mclaughlin

Journal of Youth Development

Sports participation plays a critical role in supporting academic success, school engagement, and social-emotional well-being, particularly for girls in urban core public school settings. This study examines the relationship between athletic participation and academic outcomes, attendance, and social-emotional functioning in a large urban public school district during the post-COVID period. Findings indicate that student-athletes outperform non-athlete peers across multiple indicators, including grade point average, enrollment in advanced coursework, and school attendance. Female athletes, in particular, demonstrate stronger academic performance and more favorable social-emotional outcomes compared to female non-athletes. Despite these advantages, a pronounced decline in girls’ sports participation occurs between …

The Back Page - A New Chapter For The Mda Journal, Timothy Rath

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Tim Rath, MDA's Content and Editorial Manager, introduces himself as the managing editor of the MDA Journal. He outlines a new strategic chapter focused on aligning the journal's clinical content with the association's broader advocacy, educational, and membership events. Celebrating the legacy of Dave Foe and welcoming new Editor-in-Chief Dr. Romesh Nalliah, Rath emphasizes that the best story ideas originate from practitioners in the field. He invites Michigan dentists to share personal narratives of unique career paths, fascinating hobbies, unique patient cases, and life outside the clinic to foster professional inspiration.