Digital Commons Network^™

“It’S Like Being Interrogated For A Crime:” The Job Interview Experiences Of Late Diagnosed Autistic Women, Brianna M. Sandner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autistic adults face disproportionately high unemployment rates, with traditional job interviewsserving as a significant barrier due to their emphasis on social norms and the importance of first impressions. Research on barriers late-diagnosed autistic women—a population historically marginalized in both autism and employment research—encounter during job interviews is nascent. This study examines four key areas through the voices of participants: challenges encountered during interviews, coping mechanisms, masking behaviors, and the impact of receiving a late diagnosis on their understanding of past job-seeking experiences. Women described experiencing difficulties with an inaccessible interview structure, navigating social and professional norms, and answering questions on …

When Disaster Strikes Y’All Street: A Study On Cross-Sector Collaboration In Protecting U.S. Financial Critical Infrastructure, Rachael A. Zerr, John Friedlander

Publications and Research

This exploratory research examines public-private collaboration between corporate security leaders and local emergency responders in the North Texas financial corridor known as “Y’all Street.” Using perception-based survey data from senior representatives in the private and public sectors, the paper evaluates partnership strength, preparedness activities, information sharing, and operational coordination. Findings indicate that collaborative practices such as facility tours, joint exercises, and emergency planning are present, but that partnership maturity remains uneven and is not yet fully standardized across the corridor. The research concludes that more formalized and institutionalized coordination will be necessary to strengthen resilience as the region’s financial significance …

The Disproportionate Impact Of Hiv On Young Women In Durban: Exploring Gendered Vulnerabilities And Socioeconomic Barriers, Adrian A. Nolasco

Capstone Collection

South Africa has a high rate of HIV, with young women in Durban especially affected due to social, economic, and cultural challenges. This study looks at the experiences of young women living with HIV and the views of healthcare professionals caring for them in KwaZulu-Natal. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women and three medical professionals to explore how HIV affects their lives, the challenges they face, and how they cope.

The findings show that both structural and personal barriers make it hard for young women to stick to treatment. Long waits at clinics, limited …

Back Matter

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Back matter for PJSL 12 (2025)

A Reflection On What Pharmacists In Different Countries Can Learn From One Another, Aaryaman Khurana, Patricia Darbishire

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

What would be the first words that come to mind if you were asked about the US health care system? I asked that question to several of my friends and pharmacy peers and received mixed responses such as “expensive,” “confusing,” “hard to navigate,” and “best in the world.” This was not surprising considering the many options and the varying quality of medical procedures, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals available. I wondered how responses might differ if I posed the same question about their health care to those in a third-world country. So, I asked the same question of friends and family …

Inaccessibility Harms: Exploring The Impact Of Inaccessible Campus Organizations On Disabled Students, Francis W. Q. Corvin, Natalie G. Horgan

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

There are 3.5 million Disabled college students in the United States, with 4,671 utilizing disability services at Purdue University. Nationwide, 8–14% of students in higher education are Disabled, indicating a substantial number of students whose needs should be prioritized and supported. Inaccessibility impacts the way Disabled college students are able to engage with the college experience. Inaccessible classes, restrooms, clubs, job fairs, and campuses create significant barriers thatthat extend far beyond the classroom. Disabled students face challenges in securing scholarships, finding employment, graduating on time, and achieving long-term socioeconomic stability. Recognizing these barriers, HonorServes, a community service student committee at …

Homeowner Well-Being And Community Livability, Leo Malachowski, Bridget Heindl

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Our project focuses on revitalizing the community by designing homes that reflect each homeowner’s unique preferences, fostering a sense of ownership and emotional well-being. In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette and guided by Ruut Veenhoven’s quality-of-life framework, we aim to create affordable housing initiatives that meet both financial and personal needs while strengthening community connections. Our work with the first homeowner, Carla, demonstrates how personalized housing enhances safety and belonging, transforming a house into a home that inspires pride.

As researchers, participating in this project has broadened our perspective beyond Purdue, especially through meaningful connections with homeowners such …

Editorial, Elizabeth B. Brite

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Editorial for PJSL 12 (2025).

Contents And Cover Art Information

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Table of contents and cover art information for PJSL 12 (2025).

The Year Of The Buttered Cat: A Mostly True Story [Book Review], Valarie A. Turner

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

Lexi Haas's voice and body were stolen when unmonitored newborn jaundice caused her to develop a rare form of cerebral palsy. This dual timeline memoir takes you on a gift-discovering journey, illustrating that Lexi's spirit speaks volumes.

Review Of Treating Callous-Unemotional Traits In Children, Jalyn Dubois

Undergraduate Research (Journal)

Psychopathy is a complex disorder characterized by callousness, empathy deficits, and a lack of guilt. While psychopathy cannot be diagnosed until adulthood, these callous-unemotional (CU) traits emerge during early childhood. Interventions aimed at reducing these traits at an early age are generally more effective than treating adults. Literature regarding these child interventions is muddled, inconsistent, and highly limited by methodological challenges. This review synthesizes this conflicting body of research in an attempt to determine best practices. Traditional parent management training (PMT) evidenced mixed results, improving when modified to emphasize the use of positive reinforcement and parental warmth. Treatment gains were …

Hold Harmless For Whom? The Impact Of Covid Era Policies On School Funding, Teachers, And Students, Michah W. Rothbart, Samantha Cervantes, Amy Ellen Schwartz

Center for Policy Research

This study evaluates the fiscal and academic consequences of New York City’s hold harmless policy during COVID-19, which aimed to stabilize school expenditures amid unexpected enrollment declines by restoring schools’ funding up to initial levels. We examine how school racial composition predicts whether or when schools receive hold harmless “treatment” and assess the impact of hold harmless on financial resources, staffing, and student outcomes, exploring heterogeneity by timing of policy announcement. Although schools with higher White student shares were no more likely than those with higher Hispanic or Black shares to receive hold harmless funds, schools with higher Black shares …

Confinement And Consent: A Comparative Analysis Of Sexual Abuse In Finnish And U.S. Prisons, Madison A. Greico

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

The Bangkok Rules and The Basic Principles for The Treatment of Prisoners are a specific outline of protections and rights for individuals( Bangkok specifically about women) within prisons adopted by the United Nations compromising states. While The United States is a leader in the United Nations and adopted this set of rules, their failures of commitment are extremely apparent. Every year, thousands of prison rapes occur behind bars in New York alone by the very guards meant to protect them. In Finland, another United Nations member, however, has virtually no record of sexual abuse within their prisons. In investigation of …

Perceptions Of Former Inmates’ Mental Health And Substance Abuse Treatment Received During Incarceration, Garla Kathleen Snapp-Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to effective behavioral treatment is critical for the imprisoned population and newly released individuals to reduce reentry into the penitentiary system. Social workers within correctional facilities can determine the need for treatment, how often treatment is required, what specific treatment is necessary, and what resources will be needed to provide those treatments. A qualitative exploratory design was used in this study. I explored the quality of behavioral health treatment provided to the incarcerated population. Systems theory was used as the theoretical framework this study. There were 17 participants in this study who had been incarcerated in a Kentucky prison …

Preferred Social Support Systems Of Black Women With Fibromyalgia Syndrome And Mood Disorders, Briana Beverly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women managing Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) and mood disorders navigate complex health care experiences within systems that often fail to recognize their needs. Health care disparities, cultural expectations, and systemic barriers create distinct interpretive contexts for this population, who often encounter delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, and dismissal of their symptoms despite often reporting higher levels of pain severity. Using the biopsychosocial model as a conceptual framework, this qualitative study utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how Black women make sense of their experiences across physical, psychological, and social dimensions. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with six participants. Key findings …

Food Councils And Federal Committees: Community Responses To Inaction On Food Insecurity By Government, Kevin O'Connell, Liam R. Rupprecht

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Food insecurity is a devastating force in the United States, as shown by its destructive impact on vulnerable groups like children, racial minorities, and those in poverty. Non-white urban communities of color especially have significantly higher rates of household food insecurity due to systemic racism in American food systems. Despite the prevalence of these factors, they are consistently overlooked by public and private forces. Federal efforts have failed to resolve the issue, leaving it to local “food council” organizations that attempt to help through advocacy and charity. These groups face a difficult task: how can they work to mitigate food …

Watching The Watchers: Redefining Privacy And Human Rights In Correctional Surveillance, Ianna H. Choi

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Incarcerated individuals exist in a space where security and privacy constantly clash. This study examines how surveillance technologies—biometric monitoring, video surveillance, and electronic tracking—in correctional settings impact the privacy rights of those incarcerated. Through a review of peer-reviewed literature, and insights from informal conversations with incarcerated individuals at Broome County Jail, this research examines the ethical, legal, and social implications of surveillance in carceral facilities, focusing on how constant monitoring impacts privacy, relationships, and mental well-being. Expanding beyond jails, the study considers surveillance in state and federal prisons, evaluating its implications under the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and …

Incarcerated Youths In Canada And The United States: A Comparative Analysis, Grace A. Mastrangelo

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Are children, who commit adult crimes, deserving of adult punishments? According to the United Nations, not if it harms their well-being. Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) adopted by the United Nations in November 1989, states that 1) the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration of all state actions involving children, 2) governments must allot children the protection and care necessary for their well-being, and 3) governmental institutions, services, and facilities that deal with children must uphold adequate standards for the safety, health, and supervision of children. The CRC is …

The Effectiveness Of Rehabilitative Activities In Social Reintegration Of Ex-Parolees Into Guyanese Society, La-Toya Lucrisha Arthur-Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many parolees struggle with successful reintegration into society. Further research was needed to assess the benefits of parole for both parolees and former parolees in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America. The insights of ex-parolees may make the country’s parole process more meaningful to offenders’ rehabilitative experience and overall social reintegration. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the effectiveness of rehabilitative activities in the social reintegration of ex-parolees into Guyanese society. The risk–need–responsivity model, general strain theory, and social support theories provided a framework for the investigation. The focus was on ex-parolees who had been …

Exploring The Experiences Of Cit Officers And Their Perceptions Of The Programs Effectiveness, Arkeshia Dominique Ware

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers across the United States frequently respond to individuals experiencing mental health crises, yet many lack specialized training to manage these encounters effectively. The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model was developed to improve law enforcement responses through collaboration with mental health professionals and an emphasis on de-escalation. Although prior research has examined measurable outcomes associated with CIT programs, limited qualitative research has explored CIT-trained officers’ lived experiences and perceptions of effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine how CIT-trained officers use their skills to reduce arrest, officer and citizen injury, and use of force …

Law Enforcement Officers’ Experiences With Secondary Traumatic Stress And Coping While Working With Child Molesters, Aaliyah Blanding

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on law enforcement officers’ experiences with secondary traumatic stress and coping while working with child molesters. Lazarus and Folkman’s cognitive model of stress and coping were used to examine how law enforcement officers manage stress, focusing on their cognitive processes and thought patterns. Using a basic qualitative approach, eight law enforcement officers who work with child molesters in the state of South Carolina were interviewed to hear their personal experiences. Interviews were semi-structured interview questions via a video-conferencing platform. The data were analyzed and coded using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. The study’s findings confirmed …

Lyari: A War Unseen, Sammi Deen

MSJ Capstone Projects

This capstone explores the conflict in Lyari Karachi and its enduring aftermath on the locals. It examines the lived experiences of conflict victims, their families and the profound psychological traumas resulting from prolonged violence. The study highlights how the conflict continue to shape everyday life in Lyari.

My capstone provides overview of the Lyari conflict, followed by an in-depth analysis of its social and human consequences. It documents the impacts on locals’ communities, particularly victims’ families, and illustrates how the conflict not only devastated lives but also contributed to the spread of drug abuse, lawlessness, and a culture of unaccountability, …

Therapeutic Self-Disclosure: Exploring The Role Of Professional Affiliation, Theoretical Orientation, And Culture, Rhea Katharyn Go Jensen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study is to explore factors that relate to use of therapeutic self-disclosure (TSD) within a client-therapist relationship. Primarily utilizing grounded theory, this research study explores the role of professional affiliation, culture, and theoretical orientation on psychotherapists use of therapeutic self-disclosure. Participants included 13 licensed psychotherapists with varying therapy degrees, theoretical orientations, and cultural backgrounds. Each clinician was interviewed on their use of TSD within their clinical practice. Those with psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theoretical orientations expressed more hesitance to disclose than those with a primarily CBT theoretical orientation. Despite this, there were similarities in motivations for use …

Protecting ‘Punks’: The Shortcomings Of The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Rachel Goldsmith

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse is widespread in US male prisons, with inmates “turning each other out” by sexually assaulting each other. While the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) received unanimous support in Congress in 2003, motivated by the Human Rights Watch Report “No Escape: Male Rape in Prisons,” scholars argue that the PREA fails to protect prisoners from prison rape: for example, its standards may be ineffective or criminalize consensual sex between prisoners. This essay will examine the shortcomings of the PREA, drawing on current legal scholarship, and propose solutions to enhance the law's effectiveness in protecting prisoners. The US government …

Lindenwood Digest, February 18, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Dr. Jen Edler; Paris Suzuki; Aubrey Wortmann; Elaine Ragland; Mary Easton Sibley; George C. Sibley; Charlsie Floyd; William and Kate Schoenhard; Dr. Ryan Guffey; Rose Lyn Zanville. 

• Key Events: Launch of the Butler Library Revival Campaign; Lindenwood University Board meetings occurring February 18–20, 2026; redesign of the Freshman Seminar (UNIV 10100) for Fall 2026; rebranding of First-Year Programs to Student Experience; Lindenwood Showcase 2026 logo competition; 2026 Honors Convocation nomination period. 

• Date/Location: February 18–26, 2026; Lindenwood University campus, St. Charles, Missouri, including the Spellmann Center and Library Services & Resources Center (LARC). 

• Archival Significance: …

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Development And Diffusion Of The Social Capital Index (Soci), Dean Kyne, Daniel P. Aldrich, Dominic Kyei

Sociology Faculty Publications

Social capital influences community disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. In 2020, Kyne and Aldrich introduced the Social Capital Index (SoCI), a pioneering, publicly available county-level measure capturing bonding, bridging, and linking social capital across the United States. Since then, the SoCI has been widely adopted across disciplines and applied in diverse research contexts. Five years later, emerging theoretical developments and expanded data availability offer an opportunity to reassess its diffusion and strengthen its methodological foundations. This study addresses three objectives: (1) revisiting the conceptual roots that informed the original index, (2) examining its diffusion through citation and co-citation analyses of …

Comments On Treasury Notice 2025-68, Jin Huang, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

In December 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced their intent to issue regulations concerning Trump Accounts (also known as 530A accounts), requesting public comments on the intended regulations and related provisions. This testimony presents comments submitted in response to that request. In it, Jin Huang and Michael Sherraden summarize evidence from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment (SEED OK), Maine’s My Alfond Grant, and Rhode Island’s CollegeBound Baby on the effectiveness of automatic enrollment in policy. They discuss the use of Social Security numbers, a centralized clearing fund, and a designated custodian network as tools …

Ethical Decision-Making And Modification Of Service Delivery: Social Workers In Connecticut During Covid, Marie Elana Hollingsworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social work professionals often experience demanding and intense situations while facing organizational restructuring during crisis situations. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the viewpoints of frontline social workers regarding their ethical decision-making processes in response to the mandatory modifications of the service delivery protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enck’s biomedical and ethical decision-making framework grounded the study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 10 frontline social workers in Connecticut who had been employed with a social service agency for at least 3 years, but no more than ten. Findings from coding and thematic analysis yielded …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Mental Health Professionals Providing Animal Assisted Play Therapy® To Adults In An Outpatient Setting, Kelsey Unger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Animal Assisted Play Therapy® (AAPT) is a growing therapeutic approach that incorporates a therapy animal into therapy while utilizing the therapeutic powers of play. There is a lack of research on using AAPT with adult clients in an outpatient setting. This needs to be explored so best practices can be developed to ensure that counselors are using AAPT with adults in a safe and ethical manner for both clients and animals. I sought to understand the lived experiences of mental health professionals providing AAPT to adult clients in an outpatient setting through hermeneutic phenomenology. The data were collected through semi-structured …

The Impact Of Cultural Competence On Patient Outcomes In The Bahamas, Erinique Denise E. Ingraham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In The Bahamas, the quality of care received by culturally diverse patients remains generally poor, highlighting an inability to adapt to the changing climate and adopt culturally responsive practices. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between perceived cultural competence of healthcare providers in The Bahamas and its impact on patient outcomes for the non-Bahamian patients they treat. The tripartite model of cultural competence grounded this study. The participants comprised 49 non-Bahamian patients from the public and private sectors. They completed the patient-reported physician cultural competency measure, self-efficacy for managing medications and treatments, and the …