Digital Commons Network^™

Honoring Philip Zimbardo: Personal Reflections On A Legacy In Heroism Studies, Zeno Franco, Scott T. Allison, Brian R. Riches

Heroism Science

This article concludes our Special Issue of Heroism Science devoted to honoring the legacy of Philip Zimbardo. Across the preceding contributions, scholars have offered personal reflections, examined his influence on psychology and heroism studies, and discussed the applied interventions of the Heroic Imagination Project. In this closing essay, we situate Zimbardo’s distinctive contributions to psychology and reflect on the cumulative insights of the Special Issue. We then shift to a more personal register, as each of the three authors describes how Zimbardo’s mentorship, vision, personality, and scholarship have shaped our own lives and research trajectories. In doing so, we underscore …

The Hidden World Of Evil: Documenting Serial Killers Through The Centuries, An Evolution., Semieca Wilson

Master of Arts in Human Services

The following is an analysis of the phenomenon of serial killers from their development over time, and why it mattered due to how they operated on society. Cases reported from the past to present century were read and analyzed in search of recurring psychological patterns, changes in methods of inspecting cases and the effects of cultural, technological transformation on both felons as well as those who trailed them. The site is a product of my professional interest in the area of criminal psychology and forensic analysis and reflects my objective to provide myself and other interested professionals, academics, law enforcement …

Lycopene, Race And Periodontitis: Disparities In Older Adults, Katherine Kwong, You Lu, Zhuo Huan Li, Susu Luo, Zhaoyu Huang, Zhong Chen, Na Zhao, Tung Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background Periodontitis is a severe gum disease that can be an indicator of other health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Lycopene has been suggested as an adjunct therapy for periodontitis. This study aims to investigate the association between insufficient lycopene intake and the risk of Periodontitis among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) older adults. Methods The study included 1,227 adults aged 65–79 years from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2009–2014). Total lycopene intake from daily diet was studied with age, race, marital status, smoking status, BMI, diabetes, sex, and education as independent variables in …

Just A Place Or A Just Place?: Domestic Violence, Urban-Rural Differences, And Access To Justice, Cassie Chambers Armstrong

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Becoming A Social Worker: A Journey Through Community, Justice, And Recovery, Willow Coefield

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is the culminating project for the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana and demonstrates advanced integrated practice through coursework, practicum, and professional experience. It is organized into an introduction, theoretical orientation, and focused sections on trauma‑informed care and rural and Indigenous contexts of practice, followed by a mapping of portfolio artifacts to core elements and competencies, a conclusion, references, and appendices of key graduate assignments. Drawing on artifacts such as positionality work, case studies, diagnostic assessment, group design, program evaluation, policy analysis, and leadership projects, the portfolio illustrates growth in ethical and professional behavior, …

Msw Portfolio, Angeline Fox Wahl

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Journey Through, Cathan B. Tautfest

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Journey Through is the Master's Portfolio for the University of Montana for Author Cathan Tautfest. This paper serves as the capstone graduation requirement for students of the School of Social Work. Over the final semester of the Master's program, this Portfolio was created, reviewed by committee, and defended before its publication. This Portfolio is a culmination of three years and thousands of hours to demonstrate mastery of the ten Social Work competencies, the elements of Social Work Practice, and critically reflect on time spent in the School of Social Work's Master's of Social Work (MSW) program. This Portfolio reflects on …

The Social In The Spiritual: Non-Theistic Spirituality In 12-Step Addiction Recovery, Steph Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate whether Western-raised Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members engage in non-theistic spirituality and non-humanist modes of sociality with non-human beings, I conducted six qualitative interviews and a small-scale survey within a Vancouver NA community. The majority of participants practice non-theist spirituality, and three interviewees relate to non-humans in ways not accounted for by Western humanism. Findings suggest that connection and sociality are intrinsically woven into recovery and well-being. This research opens conversations about non-theistic spirituality in NA recovery, non-human sociality and healing, processes of ontological negotiation, and the entanglement of spirituality, sociality, and well-being. Through daily practices of exploration and …

A World Between Worlds: The Hidden Disconnect Of Chinese Autistic Individuals, Joy Lu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This paper examines the complex challenges faced by Chinese autistic individuals navigating both Western autism communities and broader Chinese cultural contexts. Drawing on personal experience, community observation, and cultural analysis, it explores how language barriers, cultural stigma, and differing values create a unique form of disconnection for the Chinese autistic community. This paper argues that current neurodiversity discourse is dominated by Western frameworks that often fail to account for this disconnect, resulting in the exclusion of entire groups. By centring Chinese perspectives, it calls for a more culturally responsive approach to autism advocacy: one that bridges linguistic, cultural, and historical …

Multiple Baseline Single-Case Study: Narrative Resiliency Intervention For Couples With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Emma Elizabeth Allen

Theses and Dissertations

A multiple baseline single case study design was used to examine the effects of a narrative and resiliency-based intervention for couples with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Using piecewise multilevel modeling (MLM), the study evaluated changes in depressive symptoms, dyadic coping (DCI), and growth and empowerment measure (Emotional Empowerment Scale [EES-14] and 12 Scenarios [12S]) across waitlist and treatment phases. Five couples (10 individuals) participated in up to 17 waves, with staggered baseline and treatment lengths across dyads. Results indicated significant fixed effects of the 12S subscale for growth and empowerment during the treatment phase. There were no statistically significant fixed …

Human Research Ethics Committee Terms Of Reference, Munster Technological University, Ireland

Policies & Procedures Documents

The University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) facilitates the ethical review of all postgraduate research degree and staff research activities at the University. In exceptional circumstances, a taught postgraduate research study beyond a minimal risk level, may be referred to the HREC for full ethical review using the appropriate research ethics application. The HREC may add to, amend, or delete from its terms of reference. All minor changes are subject to approval by the Research & Innovation Committee, with major changes being subject to approval by the Research & Innovation Committee, followed by Academic Council.

Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

The Impact Of Social Factors On Vagally Mediated Parasympathetic Activity, Andrew Scot Proctor

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness and social disconnection are recognized risk factors for morbidity and mortality, yet the psychophysiological pathways remain contested. This dissertation examines how social factors relate to vagally mediated parasympathetic activity indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) and tests whether conversational interventions with a human or a large-language-model (LLM)-based companion can acutely reduce loneliness and enhance connection. Across two university sites (BYU, UCSD), N=297 participants (18-27 years) were randomized to (a) a reciprocal self-disclosure conversation with a trained human confederate, (b) a parallel, vocalized LLM chatbot conversation, or (c) a non-social, vocal reading control. Resting HRV (RMSSD, SDNN, HF-HRV) was recorded …

Trading Posts And "Old Pawn": Diné Navajo Trade And The Native Art Industry, Dustin Roberto

Native American Studies Student Publications

"Old pawn" is widely used to describe antique Native American jewelry and goods once pawned for credit at trading posts in the Four Corners region. This article traces how the trading post pawn system influenced Diné Navajo economic life from 1868 through the 1970s, when federal regulators documented exploitative practices such as inflated interest, withheld mail, and items sold without notice. Weavers and individuals pawning jewelry typically received store credit or overvalued commodities instead of cash, a result of the power dynamics of the setting. Today, "old pawn" functions as a marketing label for vintage goods, often without documentation. The …

The Under-Prosecution Of White-Collar Crime, Joseph Whalen

Honors Program

White-collar crime comprises nonviolent, financially motivated offenses by individuals and corporate entities. The social costs are immense, yet the prosecution of such crimes is comparatively small compared to other forms of non-violent crime, often resolving with opaque settlements rather than prosecution. This study examines why under-prosecution is so prevalent in white-collar crime, how it undermines democratic trust, and what reforms could be implemented to improve accountability. Under-prosecution will be operationalized through a mixed-methods design, accounting for the most observable proxies. First, the share of filings involving white-collar offenses; second, the prevalence of deferred or non-prosecution agreements (hereinafter referred to as …

How Does County Educational Composition Affect Mortality?, Heeyoung Lee, Tse-Chuan Yang

Population Health Research Brief Series

The gap in life expectancy between Americans with and without a bachelor's degree keeps growing. This brief summarizes findings from a study using data from the National Center for Health Statistics Multiple Cause of Death files and the American Community Survey on 3,122 U.S. counties from 2010-2022. The authors find that a county's educational makeup creates divergent mortality effects for residents. For every 1% increase in bachelor's degree holders in a county, mortality declines by 4.5% for degree holders but increases by 1.2% for those without degrees. This pattern holds across heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The findings suggest that …

In Their Own Voice: A Grounded Theory On Overcoming Internet Gaming Disorder, Jayson Carmona

Theses and Dissertations

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is highly comorbid with depression, anxiety, sleep loss, lower productivity, and social isolation. The DSM-5 TR designates IGD as a condition for further study, however the ICD-11 has designed Gaming Disorder as a codified illness. While most studies look at IGD via a medical model lens focusing almost exclusively on symptomology, very little research explores the process of recovery in IGD. In this grounded theory inquiry, a theory of recovery from IGD is generated. Secondary internet data consisted of 113 posts on the subreddit /r/StopGaming on reddit.com. This resulted in 196 pages of data. Researcher used …

Research Note: Research Literacy

CompassPoint

Camp healthcare providers must rely on current, rapidly changing, and discipline-specific scientific evidence to care for individuals, families, and communities. Healthcare providers for camps face challenges in finding and using research evidence to inform their practice in the moment of need, in part because of the unique characteristics of their care settings. In fall of 2023, the Alliance for Camp Health (ACH) Research Committee conducted a study to determine the most frequent barriers to research utilization reported by camp healthcare providers and administrators. The study identified barriers that the researchers then classified into four categories: personal characteristics of the providers, …

Validation Of The Evaluating Nursing And Curriculum For Transformation Tool For Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Curriculum Integration, Kendra M. Barrier, Mary Dioise Ramos

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) emphasizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a foundational element for professional nursing education, crucial for preparing students to care for diverse patient populations. The purpose was to develop and validate an instrument to measure the extent to which DEI elements are integrated throughout the nursing curriculum. Methods: The ENACT (Evaluating Nursing and Curriculum for Transformation) was developed through a comprehensive process involving several phases: tool development based on DEI elements, framing each element within the Nursing Process (ADPIE), preliminary evaluation, obtaining content validity index (CVI) from experts, renaming the tool …

Bringing Mutuality And Reciprocity Into Focus: A Case Study On Sustaining University-Community Partnerships For Local Systems Change And Student Learning, Jessica L. Lucero, Lucas Martin, Jayme Walters

Transforming Communities

This case study explores a long-term university-community partnership focused on addressing homelessness, highlighting the principles of mutuality and reciprocity in achieving systemic change. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has evolved to engage university resources, faculty, and social work students through research, courses, and outreach activities, such as community surveys, the Point-in-Time Count, strategic planning, advocacy, and service system expansion. These collaborative efforts have contributed to enhanced public awareness, increased state funding, and the establishment of vital services, including a warming center. The case study also underscores the challenges inherent in community-engaged scholarship, including capacity constraints like funding and staffing …

The Social Side Of Aging In Place: Community, Belonging, And Cultural Fit, Michael Crespo

University Honors Theses

Aging in place, or the capacity of older adults to remain in their homes and communities as they age has been a central tenet of the field of gerontology and the gerontological social policy area. Although access to physical facilities and service provision has been the main focus of traditional studies, contemporary experience demonstrates that social and cultural issues are equally important as determinants of the quality of life. This thesis discusses the influence of social networks, cultural congruence, and community belonging on the aging in place experience. The content of the study is based on the Ecological Model of …

All Of Us Live In Texas, But Our Friends Hang Their Hats In New Zealand, Augusta Arata, Irene L. Flores, Angel Castillo, Robert Hoilman, Donald D. Sanders Ii

Sociology and Anthropology Student Research - Archive

Cultural similarities and differences between New Zealand and Texas through an anthropological perspective. The zine focuses on cuisine, sports, consumerism, and lifestyle choices.

Changing Minds, Changing Behavior The Role Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy In Addressing Intimate Partner Violence, Natalie Freeman

Graduate Student Thesis

Intervention programs for intimate partner violence abusers are designed to address and mitigate violent behaviors and promote healthier relationships to reduce recidivism. This paper examines various intervention programs and their strategies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy, and educational programs, along with their theoretical foundations and effectiveness. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on altering thought patterns that contribute to abusive actions, demonstrating effectiveness in reducing violent behaviors and promoting emotional regulation. This study utilized a qualitative design in collaboration with Anger Management of the Upstate, where participants in a CBT-based intimate partner violence intervention program completed an anonymous Qualtrics survey exploring their …

Asian College Students' Well-Being During A Period Of Rising Anti-Asian Sentiment, Kyuhan Choi, Ying Shi, Maria Zhu

Center for Policy Research

We use a large survey of students in U.S. colleges to study the distinct ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying anti-Asian rhetoric shaped the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that the pandemic led to Asian students experiencing more discrimination, feeling less safe during the day, and using fewer mental health services compared to White peers. The increase in discrimination and the perceived lower safety are concentrated among East and Southeast Asians, while South Asians were not affected. Despite these effects, we detect no relative deterioration in severe psychological distress or …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Who Pastor Men In The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Karen En Bailey Garrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological research project will explore the lived experiences of Black women pastoring at least three (3) who are not genetically related, weekly attending male congregants in the historically patriarchal culture of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church with a minimum of at least one hundred (100) weekly attendees or more, and actively ordained. The CME Church has traditionally believed that the Bible prohibits women from serving as pastors or in any position of control over men. In four previous studies, Harden (2023), Morgan (2024), Tribble (2005), and Williams (2024) found that female pastors encountered obstacles throughout their journey …

Criminalizing Difference: An Intersectional Analysis Of Disability In The Criminal Justice System, Rowan Eisleman

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This research addresses the central question: How do individuals with disabilities intersect with the criminal justice system, and what systemic factors contribute to their overrepresentation and victimization? Despite over 61 million Americans having disabilities, there exists a significant gap in comprehensive scholarship examining disability-criminal justice intersections, particularly regarding how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience unique vulnerabilities as both offenders and victims. This study contributes to disability studies and criminology by providing a comprehensive intersectional analysis examining how disability compounds with race and gender to create compounded marginalization. This study conducted a comprehensive literature review, analyzing government statistics from …

Improving Palliative Care Knowledge And Intentions Among Great Plains American Indians: Efficacy Results From A Randomized Clinical Trial Testing A Culture-Centric Palliative Care Message, Mary J. Isaacson, Kah Meng (Charlie) Soh, Christopher S. Wichman, Gina Johnson, Kelly Le Beaux, Semhar Michael, Lisa Sparks, Karla M. Hunter

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Methods

Results

Improving Palliative Care Knowledge And Intentions Among Great Plains American Indians: Efficacy Results From A Randomized Clinical Trial Testing A Culture-Centric Palliative Care Message, Mary J. Isaacson, Kah Meng (Charlie) Soh, Christopher S. Wichman, Gina Johnson, Kelly Le Beaux, Semhar Michael, Lisa Sparks, Karla M. Hunter

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Methods

Results

Travel Time To Treating Facility And Mortality In Men With Prostate Cancer, Stephan M. Korn, Filippo Dagnino, Danesha Daniels, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, Klara K. Pohl, Mei Chin Hsieh, Brenda Y. Hernandez, Andrea Piccolini, Alexander P. Cole, Amanda J. Reich, Joel S. Weissman, Quoc Dien Trinh, Hari S. Iyer

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Geographic access to prostate cancer care may influence outcomes but is often measured using straight-line distance, which may not accurately capture the travel burden experienced by patients. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between estimated travel time from patients’ residence to treatment facilities and all-cause and prostate cancer–specific mortality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective cohort study used data from the Multilevel Epidemiologic Tumor Registry for Oncology, a nationally representative, investigatorinitiated, population-based cancer registry that integrates geomasked residential and treatment facility information from multiple US state cancer registries. The study included patients aged 40 to 99 years from Hawaii, Louisiana, …

Sex, The Body, And Learning Gender: Demons In The World Of The Five Gods, Erin E. Mcbrien

Mythopoeic Society Seminar Proceedings

“Sex, the Body, and Learning Gender” analyzes the relationship between the physical body, sexual orientation, and gender as characterized within Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of the Five Gods series, with a particular emphasis on her Penric and Desdemona novellas. Using the framework of Bussey and Bandura’s social learning theory, and a close reading of Bujold’s text, this paper explores how the demonic characters within this series are an example of gender as a learned concept rather than a biological imperative. This is further developed by examining how the demonic characters both imprint on and contrast against the more societally-bound sorcerers …