Digital Commons Network^™

Powering Up Clinical Scholarship In Dental Journal Club On February 13, 2026, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

Instruction session for a dental journal club introducing common biases through critical appraisal of three article types: a systematic review (observer bias and blinding), a retrospective study (selection bias, information bias, and confounding), and a prospective pre‑post study (lack of a control group and residual confounding) in clinical research.

Understanding The Effect Of Affective Context On Conflict Monitoring Through Erp And Behavioral Indices Of Cognitive Control, Amanda Holbrook

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding cognitive control in response to conflict requires examining how control-related processes are modulated by affect. This study tested the negative-affective signaling hypothesis, which posits that negative affect elicited by conflict enhances cognitive control. Undergraduate participants (n=73) completed an affective-flanker task in which affective images preceded flanker stimuli. Cognitive control was indexed by the error-related negativity (ERN), conflict N2, response times (RTs), and accuracy, and late positive potential (LPP) to images indexed motivated attention. Across hypotheses, adding event-related potential (ERP) coupling terms did not improve the predictive accuracy of multilevel models, providing no evidence for the predicted trial-to-trial affect-control coupling. …

School Social Workers In Practice: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On Understanding Role Navigation And Providing Mental Health Support In Educational Settings, Jennifer J. Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of school social workers as they navigated their professional roles in supporting student mental health within educational settings. Grounded in Organizational Role Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the study explored the meanings participants assigned to their roles, the challenges they encountered, and factors that supported or hindered their work. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 11 licensed and unlicensed school social workers employed in the South Florida Tri-County area. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using epoché, horizontalization, and thematic clustering. Findings revealed four interrelated themes: navigating roles and …

Attitudes Of Postpartum Women Accessing Women, Hayley Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is an increase in substance use and mental health concerns among postpartum women. Although primary care, behavioral health, and integrative care services are available to postpartum women to increase wellness, these services are not being accessed. While there have been many barriers and challenges identified with postpartum women accessing services, stigma around services has been identified as the most common barrier. This led to looking at the attitudes that postpartum women have regarding accessing these services to improve wellness. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore postpartum women’s attitudes toward accessing behavioral health services, primary care services, …

Coordinated Management Of Meaning In U.S.-Russia Relations: How Meanings Shaped Communication Surrounding The Potential Invasion Of Ukraine, Russell James Hampsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative discourse analysis applies the coordinated management of meaning theory to examine the diplomatic interactions between the United States and Russia from November 2021 to February 2022, the critical negotiation period preceding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Systematically applying the theory’s hierarchy of meanings model to the official discourse resulted in the segmentation of 1,428 official texts for analysis. Comparative coding of the data exposes how worldviews and recursive feedback patterns shape adversarial postures, perpetuate negotiation impasses, and prevent the emergence of co-constructed meaning. This research illuminates how national meanings are actively constructed and maintained through discursive interaction, reinforcing …

Perspectives On Healthy Romantic Relationships In The Black Youth Community, Jharman M. Lightner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The perceptions of what constitutes a healthy romantic relationship impact relationship choice that, when unhealthy, has long term effects on mental and emotional wellbeing. This qualitative study explored how African American/Black adolescents ages 18–19 define, perceive, and experience healthy romantic relationships. Using focus group methodology, the study addressed four research questions concerning (1) definitions and perceptions of healthy romantic relationships, (2) influences on relationship beliefs, (3) essential components for maintaining relationship health, and (4) lived experiences with healthy romantic relationships. We conducted two focus groups in which data saturation was reached when no new codes, conceptual insights, or themes emerged …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Clergy Premarital Financial Counseling Practices, Mary Lawrence Zimmerman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to explore how African American clergy members described their experience of providing premarital financial counseling to engaged couples. Research indicates that financial issues are a significant source of conflict for couples and rank among the leading causes of divorce (Scott et al., 2013; Hawkins et al., 2012). Numerous studies also reflect couples' perceptions of counseling interventions, including their participation and benefits. However, the literature is limited concerning the perspectives of clergy who offer premarital financial counseling (Halley et al., 2011). Given the influence of money on relationships and the biblical role …

Institutional Factors Contributing To Child Sexual Abuse In Independent Baptist Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Adam Stephen Pearlstein

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe childhood sexual abuse survivor’s within Independent Baptist Churches experiences reporting and engaging with church leaders about their abuse in the United States. While there is great variety within these churches, they typically share a similar style of church leadership and accountability structures for that leadership. Tragically, child sexual abuse within these churches is far too common, as is demonstrated both by scientific research and by stories reported by journalists. This study will seek to look into both the ecclesiology of the church structures of these Independent Baptist churches and into teachings …

The Missed Education Of Mtss: A Phenomenological Study Of Cross-Cultural Counseling With African American Students, Whitney L. Towns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how secondary school counselors experience and implement cross-cultural counseling practices with African American students during the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. African American students disproportionately face systemic barriers that influence their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes, and counselors are often underprepared to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed care within the constraints of MTSS. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory, Intersectionality Theory, and the Trauma-Informed Practice Framework, this transcendental phenomenological study examined how counselors understood and carried out their roles across MTSS tiers while navigating issues of trust, culture, trauma, and equity. …

Human Trafficking: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Indiana Law Enforcement Human Trafficking Training Effectiveness, Keeley Chelise Keasler Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Human trafficking is a rapidly growing, pervasive issue that threatens the fundamental human rights of every man, woman, and child across the globe. Human trafficking is one of the most lucrative illicit organized crime businesses in the world, and as the fueled demand for cheap labor, services, and commercial sex continues to reach stifling rates, law enforcement organizations are desperately seeking to identify ways to effectively combat this critical issue. Today’s advanced technology and transport systems have enabled human traffickers to expand operations to every country, including the United States. Although every state in the United States is affected, reliable …

A Case Study Of The Formation And Implementation Of Development Plan In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Anietie Edoho-Ukwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the formation and implementation of development plans by public administrators in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study will seek to understand the underlying factors affecting the success of these plans and proffer strategies for improving their effectiveness and sustainability. The theoretical framework of this research study is grounded in modernization theory, globalization theory, and transformational leadership theory. This study will conduct a comparative examination of other states in Nigeria with comparable populations and metrics. To gather data for the study, the researcher will convene with 20 current or former public …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Decision-Making, Nelson Fernandes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores how leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) experience and describe decision-making in personal, organizational, and leadership contexts. Guided by Rational Choice Theory (RCT), Behavioral Decision Theory (BDT), and Moon’s (2021) emotional intelligence framework, the study integrates psychological perspectives with biblical principles to examine how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal awareness contribute to ethical and effective decision-making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten to fifteen purposively selected participants identified as possessing high levels of emotional intelligence. The findings indicate that leaders with high EI view emotions as informational resources rather than obstacles and intentionally integrate emotional …

Navigating Labor Challenges In The Hotel Industry: A Managerial Approach, Alen Sardarian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The hotel industry faces a critical shortage of qualified service workers. This HR problem poses an operational and strategic challenge that undermines delivering quality customer service. In relation, this study investigated the HR managerial struggle to recruit and retain an adequate number of service workers to meet the labor demands of the luxury hotel sector. Based on social exchange theory, this research explored how motivational features such as flexible scheduling, career advancement opportunities, training, and employee rewards function as reciprocal exchange mechanisms between the HR management and service workers, thereby influencing recruitment and retention outcomes. The study incorporated a flexible …

Investigating The Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Marital Satisfaction: A Moderated Multiple Regression Analysis, Clarence Duff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma and its negative impact on adult life is well documented as a growing global concern and has been a focus of research for many years. A growing body of literature has demonstrated its impact on psychological and physical health, as well as emotional and social well-being. However, research on how it affects marital satisfaction and variables that moderate this relationship is unexplored. Using the Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire (ACE) and Pearson correlation, the study examined the relationship between childhood trauma and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, a linear multiple linear regression was used to examine whether Experience in Close Relationship …

The Role Of Social Media Criticism In Shaping The Self-Perception And Professional Identity Of Female Sports Journalists, Hanna M. Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research explored the types of criticisms female sports journalists receive on social media and the impacts these criticisms have on self-perception and professional identity through an emergent, qualitative research design. This research used the communication theory of identity as the theoretical framework. This dissertation aimed to explore the lived experiences of female sports journalists. The study included 23 semi-structured interviews with female sports journalists who covered football, baseball, or basketball and had an active X account. The experiences of the women were used to conduct a thematic analysis that discovered primary themes related to types of criticisms (gender, appearance, …

Analyzing The Effects Of Supervisors’ Conduct On The Persistent Stress Experienced By Nevada Law Enforcement Officers, Kendra D. Still

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aimed to identify the specific actions of supervisors that contribute to chronic stress among law enforcement officers in Nevada. Chronic stress is a common issue in law enforcement and can have detrimental effects on officers’ mental and physical well-being. Despite the acknowledgement of supervisors' actions as a significant stressor for officers, there is a lack of research specifically addressing the actions that officers perceive as most stress-inducing, particularly in Nevada. This research gap hinders efforts to address and alleviate these stressors, allowing them to persist and impact officers' well-being. To address this gap, a Likert-scale survey was …

Childhood Emotional Abuse And Effects On Adult Behavioral Health, Motivation, And Resilience, Jonathan Pawson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) is a frequently overlooked form of maltreatment that disrupts attachment formation and increases vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and other internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Because the harm is relational and often invisible, its long-term effects can persist without recognition. This study examined how CEA related to adult internalizing behaviors, resilience, and motivation, and whether resilience and motivation moderated these relationships. Attachment theory guided the framework for understanding how early emotional deprivation shapes later functioning.

A quantitative correlational design was used with 249 adults who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Generalized Anxiety …

The Development And Maturity Of Borderline Personality Disorder In Modern Times, Kevin M. Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a dynamic condition that significantly varies between afflicted individuals, with a diverse variety of contributing factors in terms of symptom manifestation. Better comprehending BPD is essential in generalizing the contributing, etiological factors of the condition to broad demographics. Unfortunately, the existing research has failed to accomplish this goal, usually only studying how the condition and its symptoms manifest in Caucasian females. This study focused on closing this gap by discovering links between broader demographics within the context of etiology, comorbidities, and spiritual affiliation. This quantitative study involved collecting etiology, symptom, comorbidity, and spirituality data from …

Finding Research Datasets And Evaluating Data Quality, Ibis Anette Moreno-Lozano Phd.

Day Family Research Lab Workshop Series

No abstract provided.

Teaching Multiculturalism With A Christian Worldview To Influence Perspectives: Combating Emotions And Challenging Presuppositions Of Counselors, Steven Brooks

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In counseling education, teaching multiculturalism is a critical curricular component. Today, counselors (more widely defined as various caregivers) are more likely to encounter people whose race or culture differs from their own. Therefore, to be the most effective counselor, a solid and unapologetic curriculum in multiculturalism should be required. Because the education component of multiculturalism is often subordinate to a trainee’s reluctance—or even inability—to confront the difficult concepts, it is necessary first to address the reluctance; hence, my thesis. Multiculturalism presented and discussed on an academic plane is more likely to assuage trainees’ fears and spur them to cultural competence. …

Beyond "Place Matters": Making Spatial Analysis Accessible With Dashboard-Driven Geography, Stephen Borders

Public Health

This article presents an instructional module that uses Tableau to teach spatial thinking and policy geography through an analysis of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Tableau’s ability to integrate custom spatial files with demographic and health data makes it an accessible platform for introducing geographic inquiry without requiring specialized GIS expertise. The lesson guides instructors through building maps, bullet charts, and scatterplots that highlight gaps between eligibility and enrolment, while connecting food insecurity to health outcomes. By lowering technical barriers, Tableau provides a pedagogical bridge that helps educators foster spatial literacy in diverse classroom contexts.

This article was published …

Beyond Rationality: The Role Of Emotions In Communicative Planning, Minji Cho

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The impact of emotional dynamics has been overlooked within the field of planning. Traditional communicative planning theory, rooted in Habermas’ model of communication, typically propose that emotions should be managed to facilitate rational discussions that lead to logical agreements. Conversely, some research contends that emotions are not illogical or hazardous elements to be restrained during deliberation; instead, they are a topic requiring thorough investigation to create improved public forums. We investigate this tension by analysing facework during a land-use dispute at at the Gongjin Elementary School site in Seoul, South Korea. Our analysis reveals that facework not only impedes the …

Keeping Up With… Graduate Student Research Support Models, Giovanna Colosi

Librarian Publications

Graduate education plays a central role in many institutions’ academic missions and revenue models, yet national data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) indicate that enrollment and application patterns have shifted unevenly over the past decade, varying by discipline, credential type, and institutional context. At the same time, the graduate student population is increasingly diverse in modality and life stage, with more students enrolling part time, studying online or in hybrid formats, and returning mid-career. These changes present significant implications for academic and research libraries, particularly as graduate students’ research needs remain intensive while their schedules and pathways grow …

A Study Of The Intellectual Property Rights Of Farmers With Special Reference To The Protection Of Plant Variety And The Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, Gomathi R Ms

Theses and Dissertations

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) confer exclusive rights on individuals over the creations of their minds. Intellectual property is protected through patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, geographical indications, and other legal rights, enabling inventors to obtain economic benefits and legal recognition from their innovations. These rights provide exclusive usage for a prescribed period and have evolved significantly over the years, sharing similarities with ownership rights over tangible property. As intangible rights, IPR primarily consist of the property element and the object to which that property relates. Among the various forms of IPR, Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights recognize the creativity and …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 14 - February 12, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 14 - February 12, 2026. 20 pages.

Pinterest’S Architecture And Algorithm, Aly Kellett

Comm-entary

Aly Kellett is a sophomore Communication major with a minor in Business Administration. Originally from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, she currently resides in Georgetown, MA. Aly is a radio host for WUNH, where she contributes to News at Nine, a program featuring guest speakers and discussions on meaningful topics. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, playing pickleball, and shopping with friends.

This piece looks at how Pinterest’s San Francisco headquarters and digital platform communicate the company’s identity. It explains how the renovated building, central atrium, and knitting stairs create a sense of openness, collaboration, and creativity. The essay also …

Experiences Of Loneliness And Belonging Among U.S.-Born Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Germany, Anna Sizorina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing literature indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased levels of loneliness, particularly among individuals with transnational ties. Travel and entry bans, along with social distancing, led to separation from family abroad and from people and communities in the countries of new residence. In this qualitative phenomenological study, experiences of loneliness and belonging among U.S.-born women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany were explored. The transaction theory of stress guided the scientific enquiry, and the evolutionary theory of loneliness served as a conceptual framework for examining loneliness in the given context. Six adult female participants, born in the United …

Navigating Analytical Challenges In Clinical Trials Using The Multiverse Approach, Alexander O. Crenshaw, Nicole Pukay-Martin, Anne Wagner

Faculty Articles

Making decisions regarding data processing and analysis are crucial steps toward extracting insights from data in clinical trials. Trial registries like clinicaltrials.gov promote transparency about these decisions and encourage making them in advance. However, clinical studies often face decisions with multiple reasonable options outside the bounds of preregistration, such as when studies conduct post hoc analyses, deviate from preregistered plans, or simply were not preregistered. Additionally, even a priori decisions often have multiple reasonable options from which to choose. Methods that maximize transparency and minimize bias in such situations are needed. This paper advocates for applying a “multiverse” approach to …

Staff Education To Improving Patient Safety Outcomes Through Structured Staff Education, Imuetinyan Phillipa Ehondor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education doctoral project was implemented to address inconsistent staff knowledge of patient safety principles, disproportionate adherence to safety practices, and underutilization of standardized educational resources in an acute care clinic setting. It was important to address this issue in the context of nursing practice because patient safety is foundational to high-quality health care, directly influencing patient outcomes, regulatory compliance, organizational performance, and workforce morale. The practice-focused question was the following: In an acute care clinic, how does the implementation of a standardized safety protocol education program, compared to existing practices, impact staff knowledge regarding a culture of safety? …

Teaching Peace, Stopping Bullying: The Transformative Power Of Kh Ahmad Dahlan’S Psychoeducation, Wahyu Nanda Eka Saputra, Anya Ahda Mahira, Salsa Puspita Dwi Djajuli

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Bullying in schools remains a serious problem that negatively impacts students' academic and psychological development. A safe and violence-free learning environment is crucial to supporting the achievement of national education goals, thus requiring effective interventions to reduce bullying behavior. This study aims to test the effectiveness of group counseling services using psychoeducational techniques based on the teachings of KH. Ahmad Dahlan in reducing bullying behavior. The scope of the study focuses on the application of peaceful values in junior high schools as a prevention strategy and as a positive character development strategy for students. This study used a quantitative approach …