Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Service-Learning & Critical Pedagogy In Student Empowerment Through Self-Consciousness, Democratic, And Culturally Responsive Education, Shahbaa Zaidan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological research examines the role of service learning that is based on critical pedagogy in empowering students and developing identity and consciousness in a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) on the United States-Mexico border found in South Texas. This study challenges the top-down paradigm, in which empowerment and learning are considered in view of the practices of educators, their teaching methods, and their impacts on student achievement. The research is bottom-up and student-centered. This research explores how students' experiences during service-learning courses shape their sense of identity, voice, and empowerment. Key theories include critical pedagogy (Freire), experiential learning (Dewey), transformative …

Not Just Anyone: Living Situation Is Indirectly Associated With Cognitive Impairment Via Depressive Symptoms, Chin Hong Tan, Jacinth Jia Xin Tan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Objectives: Socially isolated individuals are at a greater risk of cognitive decline. We examined whether this relationship is dependent on the type of household living situation, living alone or living with others (spouse/ partner or relative/friend), and the indirect effects of depression. Methods: We evaluated 10,545 cognitively normal (CN, mean age = 71.6) and 9334 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI, mean age = 72.9) cross-sectional data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. Participants' living situation was classified as living alone, living with spouse/partner, or living with a relative/friend. Cognitive function and depression were assessed by a neuropsychological battery and …

Digital Grief Technology To Support Bereavement: A Systematic Review Of Potential Benefits And Risks, Xun Ci Soh, Adalia Yin Hui Goh, Paye Shin Koh, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Grief is a universal and inevitable experience. However, the way we support the bereaved is changing, especially in the digital era. This systematic review examines the potential benefits and risks associated with various digital grief technologies, including online grief support groups, generative AI chatbots, online memorials, online therapy interventions, virtual reality, and digitally reproduced visuals or audio of the deceased. A systematic search was conducted in seven databases, and 30 articles were included in the final review. Findings indicate that digital grief technologies offer several benefits, such as reductions in grief and depressive symptoms, enhanced social support, greater accessibility, and …

Understanding Critical Thinking In Generative Artificial Intelligence Use: Development, Validation, And Correlates Of The Critical Thinking In Ai Use Scale, Gabriel R. Lau, Wei Yan Low, Louis Tay, Ysabel Thereze Ang Guevarra, Dragon Gašević, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Generative AI tools are increasingly embedded in everyday work and learning, yet their fluency, opacity, and propensity to hallucinate mean that users must critically evaluate AI outputs rather than accept them at face value. The present research conceptualises critical thinking in AI use as a dispositional tendency to verify the source and content of AI-generated information, to understand how models work and where they fail, and to reflect on the broader implications of relying on AI. Across six studies ( N = 1341), we developed and validated the 13-item critical thinking in AI use scale and mapped its nomological network. …

Additive Manufacturing Of Spatially Variant Actuating Structures From Shape Memory Polymers., Katia Lizbeth Delgado Ramos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation studies the structure-processing-function relationships of additively manufactured shape memory polymer blends, with emphasis on mechanical anisotropy. Chemical exposure, thermally activated recovery, self-healing behavior, and 4D printed functional response. Two polyester-based blends were studied: a binary blend composed of polycaprolactone and thermoplastic polyurethane (PCL/TPU) blend, and a ternary blend composed of polycaprolactone/thermoplastic polyurethane/ polylactic acid (PCL/TPU/PLA) blend. The materials were melt-compounded using a twin-extruder to produce filament for fused filament fabrication (FFF). Specimens were fabricated using four different raster orientations, 0°,90°, 0/90°, and 45°, to investigate the influence of processing architecture and composition on the mechanical performance, recovery behavior, …

Application Of Path Analysis To Determine The Impact Of Age And Sex On The Neural Circuits That Promote Nicotine Withdrawal Severity, Veronika Espinoza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The rising prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use presents a major public health concern, particularly in adolescent females who are most susceptible to nicotine use and its long-term negative health consequences. The goal of this dissertation was to utilize preclinical rodent models to understand how group differences in age and sex influence neural activation patterns in brain circuits believed to promote nicotine withdrawal. Prior pre-clinical work, conducted largely in male rodents, has established that there are two major brain pathways that modulate the behavioral effects of nicotine withdrawal. These include the mesolimbic and medial habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (MHb-IPN) pathways. To assess …

An Approach To Incorporate Skid Resistance Into Balanced Asphalt Mix Design Framework, Sandeep Reddy Gottam

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Balanced Mix Design (BMD) process aims to achieve an economical blend of aggregates, binder, and additives for satisfactory performance against rutting and cracking-related distresses, compared to volumetric design methods. Although the BMD process improves the structural performance of pavements, functional performance is essential for the comfort and safety of road users. Road user comfort is influenced by pavement distresses, while road user safety is largely determined by the skid resistance (frictional resistance) of the pavement. The aim of this dissertation was to incorporate skid resistance into the BMD framework through an approach. To develop an approach that integrates with …

What Do Captains And Lieutenants Believe To Be The Most Effective Professional Development For Fire Officers?, Claudia Haley

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the professional development of fire officers through a blend of research methods and theoretical frameworks. The primary question driving this research is: "What do captains and lieutenants consider to be the most effective professional development for fire officers?" The framework employed to conduct this study was constructivist grounded theory. It was essential to consider the perspectives of those actively working in the industry when developing a professional development program for officers, as their expertise lends significant credibility to the study. The research utilized the Delphi method to identify and ensure the key elements that experts believe are …

The Mouse At The Border: Magic, Money, And Manufactured Identity, Ricardo Manuel Hinojosa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates the methods by which The Walt Disney Company constructs and negotiates representations of Latine, gender, and queer identities within contemporary animation, with a particular emphasis on Coco (2017), Encanto (2021), and Wish (2023). Through a critical and intersectional lens, this research posits that Disney strikes a balance between cultural specificity and global market appeal, often leading to representations that are visually elaborate yet narratively limited. Both Coco and Encanto showcase a significant engagement with cultural traditions and themes such as memory and generational trauma; however, they ultimately fall short of thoroughly addressing systemic issues like colonialism and …

Validity Of The Cultural Determinants Of Help-Seeking Model Among Hispanic Women With A History Of Intimate Partner Violence And Psychological Distress, Genevieve Marie Jessen

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hispanic women experience disproportionately higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alongside low treatment engagement and greater alcohol use, even after intimate partner violence (IPV) has ended. Sociocultural factors may exacerbate the lasting impacts of IPV by contributing to a greater burden of disease. Prior research suggests that both psychological symptoms and sociocultural influences shape trauma recovery following IPV. However, little is known about how these factors interact after IPV cessation to impact Hispanic women's help-seeking and drinking. To address this gap, the present study applied the Cultural Determinants of Help-Seeking (CDHS) framework to examine whether inhibitory factors (e.g., barriers …

Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccine Acceptance: A Mixed-Methods Study And Randomized Controlled Trial Examining Messengers Of Hpv Vaccine Information Among Hispanic Parents, Alyssa Andrea Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hispanics make up 19.5% of the U.S. population, making them the nation's largest ethnic minority. Hispanics are disproportionately impacted by health outcomes, including many different types of cancers that are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). An HPV vaccine is available that can prevent 90% of HPV associated cancers. The purpose of this mixed-methods study and randomized experiment is to develop and test data-driven digital health messages to promote the HPV vaccine in Hispanic parents. Four specific aims were conducted among three major studies. Aim 1 (Study 1): A cross-sectional survey was conducted to obtain preliminary evidence on trusted messengers …

Energy Poverty In U.S.-Mexico Border Communities: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Lived Experiences In El Paso And Laredo, Texas And Quantitative Patterns In Brownsville, Texas, Felipe Israel Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Energy poverty in the U.S.-Mexico border region remains understudied, and much of the existing literature overlooks the lived experiences of households in this region. This thesis examines the lived experiences and coping strategies of residents in El Paso and Laredo, Texas, while also analyzing the sociodemographic variables associated with electric disconnection in Brownsville, Texas. The study employs a mixed-methods design that combines a quantitative ZIP code-year panel of electric disconnections in Brownsville, Texas from 2015 to 2024 with 14 qualitative interviews conducted with residents in El Paso and Laredo, Texas who had experienced electric disconnections or shutoff notices. These two …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Adaptive Functioning Among Student Veterans With Disabilities. A Resilience Portfolio Model Perspective, Donyeill Mozer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with long-term psychological, physical, and behavioral outcomes; however, limited research has examined their relationship with multidimensional college adjustment among student veterans with disabilities, particularly those attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Guided by the Resilience Portfolio Model, this study examined associations among ACEs, perceived resilience, and multidimensional college adjustment within an understudied population of student veterans with disabilities enrolled at an HSI. Using a cross-sectional secondary analysis of survey data, the analytic sample consisted of 129 student veterans. ACEs were measured using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, perceived resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale, …

Quantifying Spatiotemporal Ev In-Motion Load Dynamics For Flexible Distribution Grid Operations, Travis Newbolt

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The emergence of novel in-motion Electric Vehicle (EV) charging through Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) technology is enabling the transformation of traditional roadway infrastructures into fully integrated Electrified Transportation Networks (ETNs) by the direct coupling of roadways with electric power grids. This paradigm has the potential to improve charging safety, extend driving ranges, reduce EV manufacturing costs through smaller battery sizes, and shift EV charging demand to periods when Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are more readily available. In addition, the transition to ETNs can improve air quality and reduce noise pollution by displacing fossil fuel consumption from vehicles to centralized …

Implementing Mtss In Hispanic Serving Middle Schools From The Concept Of Rurality: A Qualitative Case Study On School Mental Health And The Role Of Social Work, Rosario Elena Olivera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and the integration of mental health services within two middle schools in a suburban-rural mix, predominantly Hispanic school district in Southwest Texas, referred to as Desert View Independent School District. The study explored how educators and school-based mental health professionals perceive, interpret, and operationalize MTSS within their school contexts. Methods: The study employed a qualitative case study design grounded in implementation science and ecological systems theory. Data were collected through purposive sampling and included semi-structured interviews with teachers, counselors, and a district-level school …

Discipline And Identity: Testimonios Of Queer Chicanxs, Marco Antonio Ortigoza Jr

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Every year, students are pushed away from educational opportunities due to punitive practices. A system of policies and practices that increase the student's likelihood of formal social control, including the juvenile justice system, is often referred to as the school-to-prison nexus (STPN). Existing research suggests a disproportional number of students of color, as well as queer students, are harmed by disciplinary policies. The literature, however, does not fully address students' experiences, particularly queer Chicanxs. This study attempts to narrow that gap by highlighting the disciplinary experiences of queer Chicanxs. Additionally, this study explores how disciplinary experiences impacted their identity formation. …

Understanding The Role Of The School Librarian: Insights From Principals And Librarians, Ruby Shivery

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines how principals and school librarians understand and define the role of the school librarian with the K-12 school system. Guided by Role Conflict Theory, the study explores how differing expectations regarding instructional support, leadership, collaboration, and library management contribute to role ambiguity and professional tension. As the responsibilities of the school librarian continue to expand, inconsistencies in how the role is perceived may influence both professional relationships and the effectiveness of the library programs themselves. Using semi-structured interviews with both principals and school librarians, the study investigates areas of alignment and conflict in participants' perceptions of the …

Centering Latinx Perspectives And Cultural Identification In Music Listening: Examining Musical Consumption Behaviors And Choices Among Latinx Adults, Javier Alejandro Silerio

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Music is a critical cultural activity and resource for people all over the world, often used for communication, recreation, identity formation, social bonding, and many other aspects of our daily lives. Moreover, this has been reported across many cultures and is not unique to a single group. Despite this, there is currently limited information and research around Latinx American music consumption and this population's overall relationship with music. Because of this, the purpose of this study is to examine music consumption behaviors among Latinx Americans, as well as possible relationships between their Latinx cultural identification and said music consumption behaviors. …

Salience Network Circuit Dynamics In Distress Tolerance And Drug-Seeking Vulnerability, Marina Alicia Smoak

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The psychological distress experienced during drug withdrawal can lead individuals with substance use disorder to abandon their goal of abstinence. Numerous human studies demonstrate that an inability to persist in challenging, goal-directed behavior while experiencing psychological distress is associated with multiple stages of substance use, including relapse. This behavioral construct is referred to as low distress tolerance (DT). Rodent models of DT similarly show that low DT predicts elevated cocaine relapse, particularly when DT is assessed following extended abstinence. This abstinence period corresponds with the incubation of craving, a phenomenon characterized by progressively increased cocaine-seeking over time. Importantly, relapse vulnerability …

Fluoxetine Exposure During Adolescence Alters Prefrontal Cortex Signaling And Nociceptive-Related Behavior In Adulthood, Anapaula Themann

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The long-term neurobiological consequences of adolescent antidepressant exposure remain poorly understood, despite the substantial increase in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) prescription rates in youth. Therefore, the goal of this dissertation was to determine whether adolescent exposure to the SSRI fluoxetine (FLX) produces lasting molecular and behavioral adaptations, using rodents as a model system. To do this, in Chapter 2, I assessed whether adolescent FLX exposure (postnatal day [PD] 35-49) alters signaling molecules associated with survival and synaptic plasticity (extracellular signa- regulated kinase [ERK]) within the adult prefrontal cortex (PFC) - a brain region that plays a central role in …

Fatal Remedies: How France Undermined Its Own Objectives In Algeria, 1954-1962, Elizabeth Mae Tornabene

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While much of the best-known literature on the Franco-Algerian War has emphasized insurgency, counterinsurgency, and the grievances of the colonized, this thesis takes a broader, historical and public administration approach by analyzing the relationship between the development and implementation phases of government and military policies and the unintended, sometimes fatal, outcomes that followed. Although it does this from the perspective of policymaking in the country that is trying to maintain control over its distant territory, it has implications for those interested in maximizing resistance to these policymakers.

By conducting a structured, focused comparison of a typical case across three theories …

Understanding Gambling Behavior Among Hispanic College Students: The Role Of Attitudes, Norms, Self-Efficacy, And Acculturation, Joshua Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Gambling has become increasingly accessible and socially normalized among young adults, particularly through mobile platforms and the expansion of legalized sports betting. Hispanic college students may be at heightened risk for gambling-related harms, given evidence of elevated rates of problem gambling, comorbid mental health concerns, and underrepresentation in empirical research. Cultural factors, such as acculturation, may further influence engagement in gambling behaviors and susceptibility to negative outcomes. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the present study investigated the relationships between gambling injunctive norms, gambling attitudes, and gambling self-efficacy across three outcomes: gambling frequency, problem gambling severity, and gambling intention. …

Mitigating Clay Contamination In Field Sands To Prevent Early Age Failure In Asphalt Mixtures, Suhail Rashid Vaid

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Field sands are commonly incorporated into hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements due to their availability and cost-effectiveness compared to crushed aggregates, primarily to enhance workability. Their usage, however, is generally restricted to no more than 10% of the total aggregate content because of concerns regarding their potential negative influence on pavement performance. A major concern is the presence of deleterious clay particles, which can substantially affect the behavior of asphalt concrete (AC). This research explored how clay minerals influence AC performance by examining Superpave mixtures and characterizing both clay and sand properties. The methylene blue value (MBV) was employed to …

The Moderating Role Of Cannabis Use Motives On The Relationship Between Intragroup Marginalization And Cannabis Use In Hispanic Emerging Adults, Austin Ray Vernon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Cannabis use has become increasingly normalized among emerging adults, yet associated risks to health remain a growing concern. Cannabis use among Hispanic populations has risen over the past decade, underscoring the need to examine culturally relevant factors that may influence use patterns and related harm. Intragroup marginalization, a culturally specific form of identity-based rejection from one's own ethnic group, may represent one such factor. The present study examined whether intragroup marginalization is associated with cannabis use outcomes and whether cannabis use motives moderate these associations. Participants were 358 Hispanic college students recruited from a U.S.-Mexico border university. Following informed consent, …

Unveiling The Longitudinal Dynamics Of Discrimination, Identity, And Mental Health Over Time Within U.S. Muslims Among On-Going Palestine Genocide, Manal Aboargob

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Discrimination is a pervasive stressor that shapes mental health through both direct experiences and indirect, or vicarious, exposure. In contemporary contexts marked by global media saturation, individuals may repeatedly witness discrimination and violence directed toward their social group, amplifying psychological burden. The present longitudinal study examined how direct and vicarious discrimination were associated with affective well-being among U.S. Muslims during the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and whether religious identity and religious coping moderated these associations over time. Participants (N = 103) completed a baseline survey and up to 11 weekly surveys over a three-month period. Multilevel mixed-effects growth models were …

Environmental Movements In El Paso And Ciudad Juarez: Possibilities And Limitations Of Cross-Border Organization At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Vanessa Maria Almada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

At the U.S.-Mexico border, the anthropogenic and nationalistic construction of the landscape has accelerated urbanization and unequal development without establishing effective binational institutions for governance over a shared commons. Borderlanders, then, contest unsustainable development with the added complexity of navigating a barrier which creates diverse socioeconomic and political realities that challenge cross-border cooperation. This qualitative research analyzes environmental organizations in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. Through ethnographic study of mobilization in response to environmental legislation and administrative action in each city, the immediate barriers to cross-border cooperation and limitations of nationalistic institutions in the borderlands can be better understood.

Language Attitudes In El Paso: Investigating Language Loyalty, Public Perception, And The Impact Of English-Only Policies, Dalton S. Ascone

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Language attitude studies have been a vital aspect of Sociolinguistics research along the U.S.-Mexico border, with significant contributions having been made by Hugo Mejias and his colleagues in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (1986; 2003) and Hidalgo (1986) in Ciudad Juarez. However, there has been a lack of updated language attitude research in the region in recent decades, particularly in the city of El Paso, which, up to now, has not been the subject of a general language attitude survey. The present project seeks to investigate the language attitudes of bilingual Spanish-speakers living in the El Paso region through the …

Language Control Over Structural Representation In Bilinguals, Anahy Barragan-Diaz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In daily life, bilinguals sometimes speak each of their languages in situations where the other language cannot be understood. To avoid saying words in the wrong language in such situations, bilinguals inhibit lexical representations from the non-target language (Green, 1998). But do they inhibit structural representations? This study investigated how inhibitory control operates over structural representations in English-dominant Spanish-English bilinguals via a picture description task. An experimental group was asked to describe dative-eliciting pictures in English (Baseline Phase), followed by dative pictures in Spanish (Manipulation Phase), and once again dative pictures in English (Target Phase), while a control group followed …

Mississippi Early Childhood Math Resource Guide: Supporting Mathematical Development From Birth Through Age Eight, Melissa Luckett, Systems Change Lab, Mississippi State University, Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University

Books

The Mississippi Early Childhood Math Resource Guide is a comprehensive, research-informed digital publication designed to support the development of foundational mathematical skills in children from birth through age eight. Developed by the Systems Change Lab at Mississippi State University's Social Science Research Center, the guide translates evidence-based early mathematics concepts into practical, accessible strategies for educators, families, and caregivers. 

Organized by developmental stages, the guide integrates learning domains, age-appropriate math skills, and everyday instructional practices to promote the use of "math talk" and embedded learning opportunities across settings. It incorporates activities, instructional strategies, and resources aligned to support both formal …

Bridging Care Gaps For Sickle Cell Disease: Examining Case Management And Healthcare Utilization., Lindsey Page

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience complex medical and social needs, including high emergency department (ED) utilization, fragmented care, and systemic inequities. Disease-specific case management has emerged as a promising strategy to improve care coordination, patient outcomes, and healthcare efficiency. This mixed-methods case study examined the impact of disease-specific case management on healthcare utilization, patient-reported outcomes, and healthcare providers’ perspectives. Quantitative analysis evaluated the impact of disease-specific case management on ED and inpatient admissions, healthcare-related costs, and the length of stay for inpatient admissions. Qualitative data were collected using interviews with patients and healthcare providers, exploring utilization, bias, …