Digital Commons Network^™

Eat With Understanding: A Um Student Guide To Food Systems, James Deacon, Cora Johnson, Lucas Dymit, Kaeli Rackham, Elsie Danyo

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The industrialized food system creates environmental harm, reduces food sovereignty, and contributes to growing food insecurity. These problems oftentimes are overlooked in higher education. To address this gap, our project examines how access to sustainable food education and campus-community partnerships can improve well-being and informed decision-making amongst University of Montana students. This collaborative project connects partners within UM Wellness, PEAS Farm, the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center, and the Big Sky Culinary Institute. Our research includes applied learning with these organizations by hosting a variety of speaker series presentations and coordinating a cooking workshop. We collected quantitative and qualitative …

The Influence Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Female Violent Offending: A Scoping Systematic Review, Alexis M. Wolgemuth

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Female-perpetrated violence has exhibited concerning data trends in recent years. Prior scholarship indicates that past victimization and trauma in childhood, known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), are highly prevalent among women offenders. However, the research concerning ACEs and violent females is scattered. This thesis provides a scoping literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) updated 2020 guidelines. A systematic database search was conducted using Academic Search Complete, SAGE Journals, Springer Nature Link, and HeinOnline to identify relevant peer-reviewed journal articles. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are established, focusing on studies published after January 2015. These …

Social Engagement Moderates The Relationship Between Cognitive Functioning, Depressive Symptoms, And Restless Sleep In Older Black Adults, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Olufunmilola Abraham, Darlingtina K. Esiaka

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Older Black adults face higher dementia risk, but it is unclear whether social engagement offsets the effects of depression and restless sleep.

METHODS: We analyzed 1,905 Black adults aged 50+ from the 2016-2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Linear mixed-effects models tested how depressive symptoms, restless sleep, and social engagement predicted baseline cognition and cognitive decline.

RESULTS: Higher depressive symptoms and restless sleep were associated with lower baseline cognition (about 0.2 and 0.5 points lower) and faster decline (β×time ≈ −0.07 and −0.05). Greater social engagement predicted higher baseline cognition (about 0.6 points higher) and slower decline (β×time ≈ …

Understanding Workplace Psychological Safety Among Latina Professionals: An Exploration Of Intersectional Experiences, Michal Tapia

Theses and Dissertations

Latina professionals represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. workforce, yet they remain disproportionately underrepresented in executive and C-suite roles. This disparity reflects structural conditions that shape access to voice, support, advancement, and decision-making authority.

This mixed-methods study examined psychological safety among 145 Latina professionals across the United States, defined as the belief that one can speak up, ask for help, disagree, or raise concerns without fear of negative consequences (Edmondson, 1999, 2019). The study explored how identity, relationships, leadership, workplace support, inclusion, mentorship, and structural barriers shape psychological safety at work.

Quantitative analyses showed that workplace support …

Mythology Of Whiteness: Constructing Black Girls As A Bully, Kathleen O'Brien, Pamela Twyman Hoff

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This analytical essay uses data from a qualitative study by O’Brien (2017) that explored the social construction of bullying. O’Brien interviewed 16 high school students enrolled in alternative and college-preparatory high schools. Although the study did not focus specifically on Black girls, their narratives surfaced a distinctly different story—one that exposed how whiteness, intersectional power, and cultural ways of knowing construct Black girls as quintessential bullies in schools. This re-analysis explores how Black girls are cast within the mythology of whiteness as archfoes—not merely as disruptive, but as symbolic antagonists whose existence threatens the normative order of whiteness …

The Role Of Education In Reducing Social Inequality: A Systems-Level Analysis Of Socio-Technical Infrastructures And Policy Governance, Aisling O'Shea, Batzorig Dashnyam, Ximena Quintanilla

Women's & Gender Studies Faculty Publications

Social inequality remains one of the most persistent challenges to global systemic stability, threatening the robustness of democratic institutions and economic sustainability. Education has long been theorized as the primary mechanism for social mobility and the mitigation of disparate life outcomes; however, its role within modern socio-technical infrastructures is increasingly complex and often contradictory. This paper provides a comprehensive systems-level analysis of the relationship between educational architecture and social stratification. By examining the structural trade-offs inherent in contemporary pedagogical deployment, the research evaluates how institutional governance, digital infrastructure, and policy mandates either facilitate or hinder the reduction of inequality. The …

Community Resources For Older Adults With Age-Related Disabilities And Chronic Conditions: A Scoping Review, Oejin Shin, Sojung Park, Soobin Park, Sarah Sunghye Kang, Sunghei Han, Eunsun Kwon, Seoyeon Ahn, Borin Kim

Faculty Publications - Social Work

Community resources are essential for supporting older adults with disabilities and chronic conditions, yet how these resources are conceptualized and evaluated across the empirical literature remains unclear. This scoping review synthesizes U.S.-based research on community resources for older adults with age-related disabilities and chronic conditions, guided by the PAGER framework. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science, ultimately including 21 peer-reviewed studies. Findings reveal four primary resource domains: healthcare-based services, home- and community-based services (HCBS), behavioral health supports, and environmental or structural resources. Accessibility and utilization emerged as the most consistently examined dimensions, while quality …

Constructing And Deconstructing Homelessness: Challenging The Stigmatization Of The Unhoused Through Lived Experience, Brenna Jones

Theses and Dissertations

As homelessness rises across the United States, public discourse plays an important role in shaping how the housing crisis is understood and addressed. This study examines how homelessness is constructed through local media narratives and how these constructions shape the experiences of unhoused individuals. Using a case study of Greater Bangor, Maine, this research combines a critical content analysis of 315 news articles from the Bangor Daily News (2020-2025) with in-depth interviews with 18 unhoused and precariously housed individuals. The findings demonstrate how media portrayals construct homelessness as a stigmatized identity associated with disorder, addiction, and danger. These narratives contribute …

Cohabitation And Child Educational Outcomes: An Examination Of Family Stability And Transition In Australia, Shana Pribesh, Emily E. Pulsipher, Mikaela J. Dufur, Jonathan A. Jarvis, Ashley Weisman, Yuanyuan Yue

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Cohabitation has become an increasingly common context for childrearing, yet children living with cohabiting parents often exhibit poorer academic outcomes than peers with married parents. This study examines whether these disparities stem from cohabitation itself, subsequent family transitions, or underlying mechanisms related to resources, stress, or selectivity. Using data from the Growing Up in Australia: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), we follow 920 children born to cohabiting parents and track family structure changes alongside teacher-rated literacy and mathematics performance from ages 6 to 11 years. Generalized estimating equation models show that, although children whose parents transitioned to single-parent or …

Informing Policies: Examining Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing The Prevalence Of Gender-Based Violence, Patricia M. Ebubechukwu

Theses and Dissertations

Despite growing policy attention and legal reforms, Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a persistent public health and human rights concern in Nigeria. This study examines the socio-cultural influences on the prevalence of gender-based violence among ever-married women in Nigeria using data from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Drawing on a nationally representative sample of 19,863 women aged 15 to 49, the research investigates how geopolitical zone, internalized gender norms, religious affiliation, educational attainment, and household wealth shape women’s experiences of physical, sexual, and emotional IPV. Guided by social norms theory and the ecological model of violence, the …

Physical Activity Among Active-Duty Us Military Servicemembers With Overweight And Obesity, Natalie M. Yarish, Jessica L. Morse, Jennalee S. Wooldridge, Erin E. Dooley, Niloofar Afari

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

Background

To examine physical activity (PA) among US military servicemembers (SM) with overweight and obesity (OW/OB) and if they meet Physical Activity Guidelines (PAG). To assess differences in PA by sex and associations between PA and body composition.

Methods

PA duration and intensity were objectively collected via accelerometers and self-reported daily average via self-report International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) among US active-duty SM (n=113, 58% female, Mean BMI = 33.3 ± 3.9 kg/m2). Sex, body mass index (BMI), and body fat % (BF% via circumference and an equation) were measured. Accelerometer PA and sedentary time were computed for IPAQ categories …

Enhancing International School Implementation Capacity: Supporting Contextualized Learning At An International Baccalaureate School In China, Christopher J. Hayden Iv

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

International schools allocate substantial resources to implement progressive curricular innovations; however, the advantages offered by these developments are contingent on their effective execution within classroom settings. This mixed methods action research (MMAR) study examined the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Context (GC) Strategy in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at an international school in China and asked how the school might strengthen its capacity to enact this and similar innovations. Following a sequential MMAR design, a reconnaissance phase combined a whole-staff survey (n=87) with qualitative interviews to diagnose the individual, organizational, and contextual factors shaping implementation. Analyses identified …

From Mandate To Meaning: Designing Implementation Supports For Organizational Readiness In Behavioral Health Service Planning, Lauren K. Mergen

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Behavioral health agencies often struggle to translate the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) framework into practice when implementation is externally mandated. This study examined how educational leaders can support meaningful use of TCOM tools under a Midwestern state’s October 2024 requirement that behavioral health providers use the state Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment in service planning.

Using a Mixed Methods Action Research design, the study progressed through six phases: Diagnosis, Reconnaissance, Planning, Acting, Evaluation, and Monitoring. The Diagnosis Phase identified a knowledge-to-practice gap and weaknesses in implementation support infrastructure. Practitioner surveys administered immediately after training and six months …

End Matter

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Extending Norbert Elias: Adjacency And The Dynamics Of Civilizations, Arthur Michelino

Comparative Civilizations Review

Civilizations have rarely been approached as systems of interdependence and strain. Most modern theories have oscillated between cyclical visions of rise and fall and static conceptions of blocs defined by cultural essence. Both perspectives have offered sweeping interpretations, but both also detached civilizations from the environments of pressure and interaction in which they have always existed. To reframe civilizations as relational processes requires both recognition of their internal dynamics and attention to the external conditions that compel their transformation.

Watching Over Cold Waves: The Influence Of Social And Technology Surveillance On Independent Older Adults’ Safety, S M Ashfaqur Rahman

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cold waves pose a recurring and serious hazard for independently living older adults, yet the monitoring arrangements that shape their protective responses remain understudied. This study examined how social surveillance, defined as check-ins and support from family, neighbors, and community contacts, and technological surveillance, defined as weather applications, smart devices, and emergency alert platforms, jointly and independently predicted cold-wave safety behavior. A cross-sectional, exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. One hundred independently living adults aged 65 and older, residing in cold-prone U.S. states, completed a survey measuring monitoring frequency, source trust, perceived autonomy, concern across six cold-wave hazard types, and a …

The Future Of U.S. Higher Education: Equity Implications Of Shifting Immigration Policies, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

This report examines the impact of U.S. immigration policies on higher education and international students from 2000 to 2025. It traces five major policy eras, from the post- 9/11 security overhaul and Obama-era expansion to the restrictive turns of 2017–2020 and 2025, and analyzes how shifting regulations have influenced enrollment patterns, economic contributions, and student well-being. Despite hosting more than 1.1 million international students in 2023–2024, the U.S. share of the global student market has fallen from 20% to 16%, underscoring how policy volatility and restrictive measures weaken national competitiveness. Drawing on federal data, scholarly research, and institutional reports, this …

The Empirical Double Standard: Opinion Surveys Across The Civil–Criminal Divide, Kay L. Levine, Bernard Chao

Faculty Articles

Across different legal domains, liability doctrines recognize the value of community input. But do courts truly listen to the community’s voice when deciding these sorts of cases? This study is the first to explore how courts treat community opinion survey evidence within both civil and criminal law. To that end, we comprehensively examine trademark, false advertising, patent, antitrust, obscenity, death penalty, and search cases.

Our research uncovers a significant asymmetry: Courts readily admit survey evidence in civil proceedings but systematically exclude it in criminal cases. This asymmetry does not appear to stem from structural differences between civil and criminal litigation …

Covid And The Great Retrenchment, Samuel R. Bagenstos

Articles

The past six years have seen two dramatic shifts in federal health and benefits policy. First, during the COVID pandemic, the government dramatically expanded public benefits. These expansions had incredibly positive effects, and recipients were largely satisfied with them. But after a relatively short time, Congress rolled back nearly all of the expansion. Worse, the immediate pullback set the stage for even more significant retrenchments in the second Trump Administration. Where in 2023 the United States came closest to universal health care in its history—with a record low uninsured rate of 7.7%—the Trump Administration’s Medicaid cuts and failure to extend …

Designing Narrative-Based Ai Assistance For Sensemaking In Collaborative Environments: Case Studies In Education And Dementia Care, Dylan Edward Moore

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

This thesis addresses a gap in the human-computer interaction literature regarding the design, development, and evaluation of narrative-based AI assistance for collaborative, complex problem solving. I explore this design space through three case studies across the domains of education and dementia care. This work encompasses multi-year industry partnerships and longitudinal fieldwork, user-centered design, dataset curation, model training, and system evaluation.

Specifically, the first case study considers a story-based web platform for teaching AI literacy through peer-generated, personalized narrative scaffolding. Learners on the platform showed significant knowledge gains and other learning-related outcomes. To describe the novel design of this system, I …

Applying Photovoice To Uncover Fundamental Causes Of Health Inequality In Local Health Contexts, Marisa Booty, Madelyne G. Culbertson, Mason Taylor, Dakota Heise, Heather Stone, Katherine Leanne Kommer, Jennifer Gulley, Jeanette Hart, Christina Nentwick, Margaret Mcgladrey

Sociology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Participatory action research methods like Photovoice are uniquely equipped to identify structural determinants of health based on lived experiences of how they influence proximal and distal population health outcomes. This study uses Photovoice data to examine how structural determinants impact community health needs.

Methods: Qualitative thematic analysis used focus group discussion data (25 transcripts) from four Kentucky counties that embedded Photovoice into their local health department community health assessment processes. Coded excerpts were examined for ways in which participants' community health concerns reflected structural issues rather than individual health behaviors.

Results: Participants perceived issues such as houselessness, food insecurity, …

Factors Associated With Handgun Carriage Among U.S. Adolescents, 2021–2022, Marisa Booty, Maggie K. Richardson, Dylan B. Jackson, Delvon T. Mattingly

Sociology Faculty Publications

Objective: The rise in adolescent handgun carriage over the past decade represents a significant public health concern. Using nationally representative data, this study examines risk factors associated with handgun carriage among U.S. adolescents.

Methods: We used data on adolescents aged 12–17 years from the 2021 and 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health ( n = 20,869), with past-year handgun carriage defined as a binary variable. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to determine factors associated with handgun carriage across adolescent age groups (12–13 years, 14–15 years, 16–17 years).

Results: The average prevalence of …

Responding To Social Isolation: The Tole Of Chaplaincy In Addressing Social Determinants Of Health (Sdoh) In Pediatric Contexts, Adam Lubbers, Forest Melton, Simbarashe Sigauke, Sophie Le

2026

This poster describes a pilot program that integrated chaplaincy services into the care pathway for pediatric patients and families who screened positive for low social support, a key social determinant of health. The findings suggest chaplain-led interventions provide effective emotional, spiritual, and practical support, helping address social isolation, caregiver burden, financial insecurity, and other health equity concerns while offering culturally responsive care.

Handbook On Gender Mainstreaming In The Maritime Sector, Momoko Kitada

Reports

This handbook aims to serve as an introductory practical guide for maritime organizations that intend to apply gender mainstreaming. It guides them in critically reviewing their policies and practices from a gender and diversity lens. Some organizations may view their maritime operations as having nothing to do with gender and, therefore, not requiring any gender considerations. Such mindsets are good signs that an organization would benefit from gender mainstreaming. Others may view the fact that their organizations have women working in every unit as evidence of gender equality and see no need for further action. Gender mainstreaming can help identify …

Women’S Exposure To Incel Content, Perceived Safety, And Gender-Based Violence Risk In The United States, Deja Bledsoe

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

The rapid proliferation of incel-related content across digital platforms has raised concerns about online misogyny and its potential impact on women’s perceived safety. However, less is known about how exposure to such content shapes women’s perceptions of risk and emotional responses in everyday digital environments. This study examines the relationship between exposure to incel-related content and women’s perceived risk of gender-based violence and safety-related anxiety. Guided by strain theory, social control theory, hegemonic masculinity, and intersectionality, the study employs an anonymous cross-sectional online survey of women aged 18 and older. Quantitative analyses were conducted to assess whether exposure to incel-related …

Survey Measures On Perinatal Cannabis Use, Aaditya Balasubramaniyan, Jacquelyn Reiss, Amy Donley

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

No abstract provided.

Technology-Facilitated Violence And Abuse: Portrayals And Perceptions, Christina S. Walker

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

In the past, intimate partner violence (IPV) was primarily perpetrated in person. However, due to new mediated communication technologies and capabilities like social media and artificial intelligence (AI), perpetrators can use this technology for various purposes including subjecting others to violence, harassment, and abuse. Such violence can be a form of IPV and is referred to as technology-facilitated violence and abuse (TFVA). TFVA is becoming increasingly prevalent and is encountered by a staggering percent of women. Furthermore, unlike traditional forms of IPV, even men are subjected to TFVA at increasing and disproportionate rates, particularly male teens.

In the current state …

Autism And Homelessness: An Intersectional Case Study In Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Nicole J. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Homelessness is a growing crisis in Canada, with literature suggesting autistic traits as over-represented within this population. Literature addressing intersectional experiences of autism is emerging, however there are gaps in the research surrounding intersectional experiences of autism and homelessness. Research suggests that autistic individuals may be more vulnerable to experiencing homelessness and face difficulties in exiting homelessness. This qualitative case study utilizes a Disability Justice framework to explore intersectional autistic experiences of homelessness, social service usage, and suggests recommendations on improving support for autistic individuals at risk of and experiencing homelessness. Four autistic participants with experience of homelessness and accessing …

Cultivating Diversity In Sustainable Food Systems: Black Farming And Lived Experience In Rural Southern Ontario, Kadeem Jerofy Morgan-Adamson Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research examines the lived experiences of Black food growers in rural Southern Ontario to understand how their perspectives challenge dominant narratives of rurality and inform broader discussions on food sovereignty in Canada. Grounded in postcolonial theory, the study highlights how historical dispossession and persistent inequities shape the access of Black communities to land and resources. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, semi-structured interviews, and reflexive journaling within a community-based research framework, the study documents the barriers Black food growers face. These include limited land access, insufficient funding, inadequate training pathways, and experiences of racial isolation in rural contexts. …

Fear Across The Map: A Cross-Municipal Analysis Of Fear Of Crime In Canada, Muhammad Ali

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examines the predictors of fear of crime (FOC) across three Canadian municipalities: Hamilton, Ontario; Brantford, Ontario; and North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Data from 1,956 survey responses were analyzed to understand how certain factors shape FOC across different municipal contexts in Canada. This study uses descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, correlation matrices, and Ordinary Least Squares regression models to examine whether FOC, and the predictors of FOC, operate consistently across municipalities. The findings indicate that the predictors of FOC are relatively reliable across municipal contexts. However, the influence of the predictors of FOC can vary across municipalities. Importantly, the level of …