Digital Commons Network^™

Experience With A Systematic Review Project From An Undergraduate Student Perspective, Maggie Schade, Bianca Welikson, Maria Kondaurova

The Cardinal Edge

Trauma exposure due to gun violence, homelessness, and/or substance abuse is prevalent in West Louisville, KY. In 2020, 65% of adults in KY reported one traumatic experience. Depression, as a result of trauma, affects significantly more adults in KY than nationwide (25.7% vs. 20.5%). It is known that depression affects the characteristics of child-directed speech (CDS), a specific register that caregivers use while interacting with their children. CDS is characterized by exaggerated prosody, more distinct vowels, shorter and structurally simpler sentences in comparison to adult-directed speech, and is an important predictor of language development. However, our knowledge of the effect …

Stress And Sleep In A Community Sample Of Preschool-Aged Children, Khadija Awale, Akira Isaac M.S., Alyssa Rodriguez M.S., Sara Bufferd Ph.D.

The Cardinal Edge

Stress influences sleep patterns, as elevated stress levels can decrease adequate sleep. However, research on this relationship in preschool-aged children is limited. The current study examined the relationship between stress and sleep in preschool-aged children and sought to evaluate associations between children’s stress and sleep, as well as parental psychopathology (i.e., anxiety and depression). Participants included N = 609 parents and their children ages three to five at Time 1. 368 of whom participated again when children were ages six to eight years old at Time 2. Participants completed study questionnaires, and children’s hair samples were taken to assess cortisol …

Urban Areas Are Associated With Earlier Breeding Timing In American Robins, Lola Hackle, Jennifer Wickes, Elise Mittlestat, Ashley Stine, Keegan Abeson, Carolina Villalona, Mikus Abolins-Abols

The Cardinal Edge

Climate change and urban environment have been shown to affect bird reproductive timing. In particular, urban development can create the so-called “heat islands” – urban areas that are hotter than the surrounding environment. While the primary cue birds use to time their reproduction is daylength, birds also use temperature as a supplementary cue to fine-tune their reproductive timing. Change in the timing of breeding may impact the survivability of nestlings due to temperature fluctuations and food availability. The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is a widespread songbird in North American cities and rural areas. We sought to see if urban heating …

The Resilient Families Project: Promoting Resilience, Mindfulness And Belonging Through Community Engagement And Interactive Reading In At-Risk Adults, Sydney Higdon, Dillon Hepler, Lora D. Haynes, Ph.D., Angela Ely, B.A.

The Cardinal Edge

Founded in 2011, the University of Louisville’s Resilient Families Project (RFP) is a community-engaged initiative that promotes evidence-based habits of resilience, mindfulness, and happiness among adults experiencing homelessness and/or in the addiction recovery program at Wayside Christian Mission (WCM). Through weekly trauma-informed sessions, RFP aims to strengthen such things as a sense of family/community, emotional awareness, positive coping strategies and a growth mindset.

This presentation highlights RFP’s current curriculum, centered around our six core values and integrated content from select storybooks, to support healthy attachment relations, interactive reading, and a sense of purpose and belonging.

The current authors also describe …

Depression, Belonging, And Self-Censorship About Palestine Among Arab Americans, Ghadir Habeeb, Amanda Jiang, Batool Alderawi, Yara Mekawi, Nadia Al-Dajani

The Cardinal Edge

Background: As a result of exposure to traumatic media depicting the Gaza genocide, many Arab Americans are moved to speak up in support of Palestine. Due to the suppression of pro-Palestinian advocacy, however, many Arab Americans self-censor as a defense mechanism, which can alleviate distress but can also exacerbate depressive symptoms. Belongingness may serve as a protective factor against the negative effects of self-censorship. Centering Arab Americans’ experiences, this study examines the relationship between self-censorship and depression, as well as the role of belongingness in this association.

Method: Arab Americans adults recruited through Qualtrics Survey Panels completed questionnaires assessing self-censorship, …

An Examination Of The Relationships Between Types Of Strain And Substance Misuse Among Queer Adults​, Mckenzie T. Nguyen, Katelyn Mcmahon

The Cardinal Edge

Current research has paid particular attention to outcomes of different strains using samples of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth; however, minimal research has examined Agnew's (1992) General Strain Theory (GST) using samples of SGM adults. Using a path analysis, this study seeks to investigate how different strains - including financial strain, relationship strain, and victimization - are predictive of drug misuse, and if those effects are mediated by negative mental health outcomes. The study utilizes Meyer's (2016) Generations Study and includes a sample of 1,518 SGM Americans. Results indicate that only financial strain is partially mediated by negative emotions, …

Making A Victim: The Quest To Define Austria In A Cold War Context, Katherine E. White

The Cardinal Edge

When the Second World War concluded, the Allied Powers were left with the complicated question of how to deal with the territories that they had occupied on their march to Berlin. Of all the territories conquered by Germany under Nazi rule, Austria proved to be one of the most difficult and polarizing to define. It towed the line between victim and accomplice, having endorsed its own annexation to Germany in 1938. For ten years after the war’s end, the Allied Powers occupied Austria, locked in a stalemate over the country’s fate. This paper examines how the various occupying powers, in …

The Kennedy Familys' Influence On The Passage Of The Immigration And Nationality Act Of 1965, Jillian Wallshield

The Cardinal Edge

This paper covers the influence of the Kennedy Family on immigration policy in the United States. United States immigration legislation changed dramatically in the 1960s with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (sometimes called the Hart-Cellar Act). This shift was caused primarily by the political work of prominent figures like John F. Kennedy, and, later, Edward Kennedy. Edward Kennedy in particular is examined through his influence on Lyndon B. Johnson, the President under which the Immigration and Nationality Act was passed. This position is supported through the examination of relevant public speeches, private telephone calls, and …

Hallucinogens For Mood And Anxiety Disorders: A Critical Review Of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies, Georgia Chlebek

The Cardinal Edge

In quite a few people worldwide, there are several mental disorders that prevent the brain from operating in the “proper” way, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being among the most common. Luckily, there are several medications that are produced and used to treat these disorders, but some medications are hard to access, and others simply don’t help the patient. Firstly, these medications take time to study and prove safe for public use, though in some cases time is not readily available. In other cases, these medications are going through shortages and becoming increasingly difficult for patients to access …

El Arte En El Siglo Xxi: ¿La Poesía Es Un Arte Perdido?, Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Friends Of Sound Record Store's New Location And Old History, Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Gustavo Cerati: Un Legado Eterno En La Música, Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

We Need To Talk About Scooters At St. Mary's University, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Talk, Talk, Talk: Is There Such Thing As Too Many Podcasts?, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Ai In Education: Education's Worst Or Best Case Scenario?, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Recycling Starts With You: Sustainability On Campus, Mary-Esther Leblanc, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

"It's Who We Are": Putting Students First In The Face Of Defunding Hsis, Mary-Esther Leblanc, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

From "Come Talk", The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Friends Of Sound Records: New Store Location And Old History, Isabella Pizzoferrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Generation Z'S Rising Interest In "Grandma" Hobbies, Isabella Pizzoferrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Social Media Influencers Turned Reality Television Stars?, Isabella Pizzoferrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

From "Moving Elsewhere", The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 114, Iss. 2

Spies, Lies, And Algorithms, Nalonie J.M. Tyrell

Joint Force Quarterly

In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, Amy B. Zegart challenges popular “spytainment” myths while offering a clear-eyed assessment of the past, present, and future of American intelligence. Reviewed by Nalonie J.M. Tyrrell, the book serves as both an accessible primer and a strategic warning. Zegart surveys the evolution of the U.S. intelligence community, covering covert action, counterintelligence, oversight, and the growing importance of open-source intelligence. She argues that intelligence agencies are ill-prepared for twenty-first-century challenges posed by empowered adversaries, data overload, technological diffusion, and weak ties to innovation ecosystems such as Silicon Valley. …

The State And The Soldier, Lindsay L. Rodman

Joint Force Quarterly

In The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relation in the United States, Kori Schake offers a concise, historically grounded examination of U.S. civil-military relations from the Founding to the present. Reviewed by Lindsay L. Rodman, the book challenges alarmist narratives by demonstrating that the U.S. military has consistently upheld civilian control, meeting two core tests of democratic stability: presidential authority over senior officers and military compliance with contested policies. Schake moves beyond Huntington’s model of strict civilian–military separation, weaving insights from civil-military scholarship and historical case studies to argue for a more pragmatic understanding rooted in …

Collisions, Peter R. Carkhuff

Joint Force Quarterly

This book review assesses Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability by Michael Kimmage, a contemporary history that interprets the war in Ukraine as the product of overlapping geopolitical collisions among Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the United States. The reviewer, Peter R. Carkhuff, highlights Kimmage’s central argument that the conflict emerged from Russia’s drive to control Ukraine, Ukraine’s strategic vulnerability, Western ambivalence toward Ukrainian sovereignty, and Vladimir Putin’s perception of American decline. The review emphasizes the book’s strength in contextualizing leadership decisionmaking through multiple perspectives and its use of historical, political, and personal sources …

U.S. Arctic Sea Lines Of Communication (Sloc): The Imperative For A Maritime Complex And Corridor In The Bering Region, Samuel A. Krakower, Troy J. Bouffard

Joint Force Quarterly

This paper examines the current American capacity to defend its newfound Sea Lines of Communication in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans. The history, and importance, of Sea Lines of Communication trace back to great naval strategists such as Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan and Sir Julian Corbett, and consistent protection of these maritime corridors in times of war and peace led to the success of the United States. As the Arctic Region emerges as a new theater of geopolitical importance, the United States finds itself significantly disadvantaged or "strategically handicapped” in terms of presence, capability, and proximity to defend …

What’S Old Is New: Lsco Casualty Evacuation In The 21st Century, Jonathan S. Pederson

Joint Force Quarterly

A future Large Scale Combat Operation (LSCO) fight will present new challenges and require different strategies and tactics than currently employed to adequately evacuate and treat the large numbers of expected casualties. Methods used in the past will be resurrected and revamped, and new innovations will be required.

Combating Iuu Fishing In The South American Pacific: An Opportunity To Counter Chinese Influence Closer To Home, Alexander E. Goodno

Joint Force Quarterly

A relatively small enterprise that began three decades ago in response to dwindling Chinese squid fisheries, China’s South American distant water fishing fleet has grown exponentially to now number nearly 500 vessels and creates a growing problem for the Pacific coastal nations of South America. By establishing itself at the forefront in combatting illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing (IUUF) activities off the Pacific coast of South America, the United States can strengthen its role as a leader in the Western Hemisphere and counter growing Chinese influence in South America. This paper will demonstrate how America can achieve this end by …

The Cyber Deterrence Dilemma: Parallels Between Cyber And Intelligence Special Operations, Jorge R. Kravetz Msc

Joint Force Quarterly

The dilemma of cyber deterrence, alongside its potential failures, has gained increasing academic attention, though its parallels with traditional special operations remain less examined. Cyber and special operations—often covert activities involving espionage, sabotage, and subversion, generally linked to strategic or military intelligence—typically evade standard deterrence mechanisms. Drawing on a theoretical framework of deterrence, academic literature, historical cases, and qualitative analyses, this article argues that deterrence tends to fail when deterrers manage to destabilize an adversary without causing significant strategic impacts on the target’s power, economic, or social dynamics, as well as on international relations. Retaliation, shaped by implicit agreements or …

Political Objectives, Nuclear Forces, And The Enduring Value Of U.S. Intercontinental-Range Ballistic Missiles, Michaela Dodge

Joint Force Quarterly

"Political Objectives, Nuclear Forces, and the Enduring Value of U.S. Intercontinental-Range Ballistic Missiles" by Michaela Dodge examines two critical components of contemporary U.S. and Ukrainian security strategy: the enduring value of U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and the structure and operational evolution of Ukrainian special forces. ICBMs remain the most responsive leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, providing deterrence against nuclear and conventional threats, assuring allies, and supporting strategic flexibility in an era of rising nuclear competition from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Despite aging systems and modernization challenges, ICBMs continue to underpin U.S. national security. At the same …