Digital Commons Network^™

Life In Dance: Relationship To Self And Dance Environment, Emily Barz

Undergraduate Theses

Dance is an athletic art form in which the body is trained repetitively to perfect sequences of movement. The training regimen for dance requires a lot of time and dedication; this training can have an impact on self-esteem, especially when aspects of dance become detrimental to the dancer.

Maintaining a high level of self-esteem is important for dancers because self-esteem impacts a dancer's ability to grow in their artistry as well as life outcomes outside of dance.

Current research on dancer self-esteem highlights a very specific issue: body image. Dancers are expected to execute technique and fulfill high standards; oftentimes, …

Why Are The "Dones" Done? How Can Faith-Based Institutions Provide Spiritual Care For Them? A Qualitative Analysis Of Group Interviews Conducted With Disaffiliated College Students, Falon Opsahl Barton, Rachel Collins

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This research study explores how emerging adults who have disaffiliated from a Christian tradition understand faith, articulate why they are “done” with the church, and want to receive spiritual care. Part one of this article overviewed the existing research on emerging adult spirituality and explored the results of a quantitative survey with college students at a Protestant Christian university. This article explains the qualitative portion of the study, in which the researchers conducted group interviews with college students who identify as being “done” with church. This article then provides an analysis and suggested application of the results of this study. …

Who Are The "Dones" And Why Does It Matter? An Overview Of The Research And A Quantitative Study Of Disaffiliated College Students, Falon Opsahl Barton, Rachel Collins

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Based on the personal and professional experience with college students at a Protestant Christian university, the researchers designed a research study that explores how emerging adults who have disaffiliated from a Christian tradition understand faith, articulate why they are “done” with the church, and want to receive spiritual care. This article is part one of a two-part exploration of the results of this study, which triangulates data points for a deep understanding of emerging adults who are “done” with church. Part one overviews the research on emerging adult spirituality and specifically the trend of religious disaffiliation among 18-29 year olds. …

Embracing Unified Diversity: The Church’S Life-Giving Witness In A Divided World, Laura Callarman

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This article contends that the church’s call to embrace diversity and creative contextualization are essential to its faithfulness to the gospel. The church flourishes through varied expressions of Christian discipleship shaped by cultural contexts, and rather than striving for uniformity, it should embrace this multiplicity as a reflection of God’s nature and mission. By engaging different ecclesial traditions with appreciation, Christian communities can foster unity amid diversity, engage opportunities for growth, and enrich their witness. Ultimately, the article invites a renewed commitment to love, humility, and mutual learning, calling the church to embody an alternative story of reconciliation and hope …

Establishing The Creative Network: Wv's Arts Entrepreneur Ecosystem Project, Mckayla R. Braun, Domenica Queen

CRC Research Symposium

The Tamarack Foundation for the Arts’ (TFA) the fellowship for the arts is an art foundation committed to nurturing the next generation of artists by providing a comprehensive support system designed to promote both creative and professional development. Through its fellowship program, TFA provides artists with access to critical resources, including financial literacy education, mentorship, and structured opportunities for artistic and professional growth. Recognizing that creative talent alone is not always sufficient to sustain a long-term artistic practice, TFA’s mission is to equip fellows with the knowledge and tools necessary to thrive both within and beyond the studio. As part …

28th Annual Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies Symposium Program, 2025, Illinois State University, Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies Program

WGSS Student Research Symposium

Program from the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Symposium

Reasons For Divorce, Ryan Bennett, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Today, divorce is a common result for many couples regarding marital conflict and discord. The impacts of divorce have been linked to increased psychological distress, increased risk of substance abuse, depression, and poorer overall health when compared to non-divorced individuals (Amato, 2000; Hughes and Waite, 2009). Per Shelby Scott and colleagues, there are ten likely reasons for a couple to get divorced (Scott et al., 2013). By understanding these ten reasons, one may better conceptualize the overall factors that contribute to divorce.

Assessment Of Current Online Sexual Child Abuse Research, Charlotte Fry

2025 Student Academic Showcase

As the virtual world continues to expand, online sexual child abuse (OSCA) is becoming an increasingly urgent issue, with various forms of technological exploitation, such as nonconsensual image misuse and coerced image recruitment, emerging as methods of harm. A national survey conducted by the University of New Hampshire found that 16% of young adults in the United States reported experiencing at least one form of online sexual abuse before turning 18. However, victims of OSCA often delay disclosure, sometimes not coming forward until years later. This delay is often due to fear of the offender discovering the disclosure, feelings of …

Age–Period–Cohort Effects Of Adult Cigarette Smoking In The United States, 1971–2020, Dinko Kranjac, Ashley W. Kranjac

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The rates of cigarette use among American adults have dropped substantially throughout the last six decades, yet smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. It is crucial to identify the putative time-varying population-level factors of age, period, and cohort that influenced the decrease in smoking prevalence so we can maintain the downward trend. We used 49 years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and hierarchical age–period–cohort (HAPC) analysis to examine lifecycle, historical, and generational distribution of smoking among Americans aged 18–74 years old. The prevalence of smoking has …

Conversations Before The Conversation: Readying Dissidence Through Norm-Setting, Ashley N. Watson

Feminist Pedagogy

How can educators speak truth to power in ways that decenter whiteness while supporting student learning across different levels of awareness? What does the right balance of challenge and support look like in today’s unpredictable college environment? These questions are drawn from my experience as a Black predoctoral fellow teaching “Intercultural Dialogue” at a traditionally white public liberal arts university in rural Minnesota. This paper—both a reflection and recommendations for practice—outlines my approach to co-constructing and scaffolding a conducive learning environment rooted in emancipatory pedagogy.

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Promotion And Marketing Role In Increasing The Amount Of Umrah Package Sales At Pt Turisina Buana Tour And Travel, Dyandra Shafa Quamila

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

This study examines the role of promotion and marketing in increasing the sales of Umrah packages at PT Turisina Buana Tour and Travel. The aim of this research is to explore how promotional activities and marketing strategies implemented through social media can enhance the number of Umrah pilgrims, as well as to identify the supporting and inhibiting factors affecting their effectiveness. A qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through observation and in-depth interviews involving the Director of PT Turisina Buana and a customer who has used the company’s services. The findings indicate that social media promotion, supported by the …

Testing The Feasibility, Acceptability, And Preliminary Impact Of A Brief Behavioral Sleep Intervention To Improve School-Aged Childhood Sleep Behaviors, Isabella Delores Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Parent knowledge of what healthy sleep looks like in their children has scarcely been evaluated, and little is known as to whether improving child sleep through a brief behavioral intervention that emphasizes mastery, personalization, motivation, and modeling will enhance sleep outcomes in children. As a result, we designed this study with the following aims in mind: 1) determine existing parental knowledge of healthy child sleep practices of parents; 2) test the impact of a personalized, brief parental sleep intervention aimed at increasing parental self-efficacy and parent behaviors; and 3) determine preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and impact of this personalized intervention …

I Do, And I Will: Effectual Religiosity May Strengthen The Triad Chord Of Commitment To Promote Marital Flourishing For Women Of Faith, Tamara M. Chamberlain

Theses and Dissertations

Although religiosity often associates with marital satisfaction in sociological studies, very few studies have examined religiosity strengthening marital commitment for women of faith. This study used an exemplary sample to explore how religious, heterosexual married women view religion strengthening their marital commitment. Interviews from 196 highly religious couples provided insight into the following themes and subthemes (1) personal commitment, (a) decision to marry, (b) religious beliefs and practices, and (c) requires effort and sacrifice; (2) moral commitment, (a) sexual relations before marriage, (b) promises made before God, friends, and family, and (c) fidelity and feelings about divorce; and (3) structural …

Exploring The Associations Between Young Adults' Autistic Traits And Parental Differential Treatment, Madelyn Winder Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to identify autistic traits that may elicit parental differential treatment (PDT). Understanding these links are important because numerous studies have shown PDT to have negative implications for healthy development. Participants (recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk) completed a survey assessing their experiences of parental differential treatment and their own autistic traits using the Autism Quotient (AQ) measure (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001). Participants were young adults ages 18-29 (M age = 25.4; 57% Female, 43% Male; 73% White, n = 739) who resided in the U.S. and had at least one living sibling. Using regression analysis, we examined …

U.S. Births Up Slightly But Remain Near 40-Year Lows, Kenneth M. Johnson

Carsey Publications

In this brief, author Kenneth Johnson reports that new National Center for Health Statistics data for 2024 show a slight increase in annual births and the birth rate from 2023. Even with the uptick, both the number of births and the birth rate were near 40-year lows, and there is no evidence of a significant increase in fertility rates in the new data.

The long-term impact of the fertility decline has been substantial. There would have been 11.8 million more births in the last 17 years had 2007 fertility patterns been sustained through 2024. The expense and limited availability of …

Volume 16, Maggie Duncan, Madeline Little, Alicia Hoffman, Megan Livesay, Gabrielle Quaresma, Serenity Allen, Laina Pfountz, Ainslie Allred, Sabrina Robles, Nicholas J. Duellman, Trinity L. Deguzman, Melissa H. Savage, Margaret Dudley, Jocelyn Escobar, Olivia Hildreth, Olivia Hopkins, Benjamin Gettier, Lee Kassay, Jade Riddle, Ashley Seiders

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Lee Millar Bidwell

The Hujum Campaign in Uzbekistan and its Consequences by Madeline Little

Wet Cupping Compared to Dry Needling for Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic by Alicia Hoffman and Megan Livesay

Optimization of eDNA Air Sampling Via 3D Printed Fan by Gabrielle Quaresma

Beyond the Classroom: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Attrition and Retention by Serenity Allen and Laina Pfountz

The Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome with Platelet-Rich plasma Injections Verses …

God’S Got Me:The Intersection Of Faith And Mental Healing, Bre'anna Coleman

Honors Theses

Due to the lack of healthcare accessibility and other factors within the Mississippi Delta, faith and the church is often utilized within African American communities in the area as a form of mental wellness. The Intersection of Faith and Mental Healing was a photo voice methodology project that highlighted how faith and mental healing intersect and impact African Americans within the Mississippi Delta. Through three prompts, six participants discussed mental health and how faith, location, and their identities shaped their views of mental wellness. Five participants were male with one female participant. Their ages ranged from eighteen to sixty five …

Recovering The Lost Art Of Medicine: A Role For Ignatian Spirituality, Cecilia Motherway

College Honors Program

Throughout history, medicine or healing has been deeply associated with religion and spirituality, from the ancient Greek healing god Asclepius to the medieval monastic medical tradition and beyond. This lies in their common cause: addressing the vulnerability of our human existence. Humanity has long recognized that our suffering and death raise existential questions concerning our mortality that may require perspectives greater than biology and rationality can provide. However, at the turn of the 20th century, as medical technology rapidly advanced, raising the average global life expectancy by decades, the medical field removed all non-scientific, non-secular influences to position itself as …

Enhancing Holistic Patient Care Of Black Individuals Diagnosed With Hiv And Comorbid Chronic Conditions, Marc Fleming, Saharnaz Nejdat, Jon C. Schommer, Crystal K. Hodge

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Pharmacists can play a crucial role in delivering the holistic care model. Research suggests that HIV-positive African American patients particularly benefit from this approach compared to other communities. Typically, pharmacists in community pharmacy settings are limited in their access to a patient's medical record, preventing holistic care delivery.

Objectives

This study addressed the impact of access to medical records on a holistic patient care approach among pharmacists engaged in medication therapy management.

Methods

This was a sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial of the impact of community pharmacist access to medical records during MTM for African Americans diagnosed with …

The Overmedicalization Of The Female Orgasm And The Orgasm Gap, Mackenzie Dybvik

The Agora

This paper, as the title suggests, dives into the overmedicalization of the female orgasm, and subsequently, the orgasm gap. It touches on five commonly believed reasons for the orgasm gap– women’s orgasm difficulty, biology, men’s fault, interpersonal communication issues, and sociocultural influence– and it links all of them to overmedicalization. It describes overmedicalization as the actual issue that needs to be resolved, and thus proposes a solution of increased and more comprehensive sexual health. It argues that better sexual health will help tackle overmedicalization as both clinicians and citizens become more aware of how to fight overmedicalization. It concludes by …

Just Home: Understanding Cycle Of Housing Instability And Justice Involvement In Missoula County, Mckenzie Javorka, Elizabeth Sabbath, Kaitlin Fertaly

Independent Living and Community Participation

The Just Home project in Missoula County, Montana, is a collaborative initiative supported by the MacArthur Foundation to address the intersection of housing instability and justice system involvement. Led by Homeword, Inc. and the Missoula County Community Justice Department, the project seeks to develop sustainable, community-driven solutions that reduce incarceration and improve housing outcomes for vulnerable populations. To inform this work, the University of Montana’s Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities conducted a comprehensive community needs assessment using mixed methods, including administrative data analysis, qualitative interviews with service providers, and community engagement with unhoused and justice-involved individuals.

Findings show that housing …

Studying Cultural Change With Transhistorical Semantic Directions, Travis Daichi Ashby

Theses and Dissertations

This study advances the use of diachronic word embeddings in cultural sociology, contributing both methodologically and substantively. Methodologically, it synthesizes best practices for constructing semantic directions and addresses challenges arising from diachronic embeddings, including missing data and semantic drift. Substantively, it examines historical changes in schemas and conceptual metaphors related to "processing." By analyzing the changing associations between processing-related words (e.g., "raw" and "refined") and evaluative categories like authenticity, valence, and aesthetics, the study examines whether word-level changes amongst schematically-related words indicate deeper cultural shifts at the schematic level. Findings indicate a growing association between processed states and inauthenticity, a …

Zine-Making As Site Of Research Brave Space: From Ethical Challenges To Transformative Opportunities In The Study Of Digital Sexual Intimacies, Rachele Reschiglian, Cosimo Marco Scarcelli

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents zine-making workshops as sites of Research Brave Spaces (RBS), a methodological posture for scholars within transformative worldviews. Positioned within queer research methodologies, the paper argues that zine-making offers a creative and multimodal method that enhances participant engagement and reflexivity, challenging some limitations of traditional research methods. By framing research as a “brave space,” the paper shifts from the notion of “safe spaces,” emphasising the importance of embracing discomfort, vulnerability, and critical reflection throughout the research process in all the subjects involved. The methodology incorporates elements of care, collaboration, and adaptability, addressing the specific needs of marginalised participants, …

Unleashing Excellence: Strengthening It Leaders Through Executive Coaching, Tonya S. Rivers

Dissertations

This paper explores the impact of executive coaching on Information Technology (IT) leaders. Many organizations across different industries lack strong leadership, as exposed by COVID-19. Companies aim to keep exceptional leaders and establish upbeat workplaces to achieve success. Although previous research has examined leadership effectiveness, it is still unclear how best to manage employees' perceptions of effective leadership. The goal of this research is to provide new insights into what can improve perceptions of leadership effectiveness. I explored the role executive leadership coaching has on managers working in the Information Technology (IT) field. Current literature often mentions the need for …

Discovering The Cultural Impacts On Asian American, Pacific Islander (Aapi) Occupations From Adolescent Experiences, Jasmine Chew, Karen Park

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Among the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) population, there is a gap in mental health (MH) utilization and seeking support for anxiety and depression (Wu et al., 2021). Adolescents experience a higher risk for self-isolating behaviors and struggle to find appropriate support (Ai et al., 2022; Santos & Kawabata, 2023). Based on cultural and socio-political contexts, what is the occupational impact on AAPI adolescents? How do cultural factors impact the utilization of community-based MH services?

Method: A convergent mixed methods study of unobtrusive data (n = 14), surveys (n = 29), and interviews (n = 4) was …

Partial Replication Of The Severe Outcome Questionnaire (S-Oq): Determining Benchmarks Using Ecologically Valid Data, Joshua J. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The Severe Outcome Questionnaire (S-OQ) is a self-report tool whose most recent manual was published in 2008. It measures the treatment progress of the seriously mentally ill (SMI). Objective: 1). Partially replicate the outpatient and inpatient admission, change, and internal consistency data. 2). Provide a manual extension including admission and change data for new settings of care and include treatment modality benchmarks. Method: OQ Measures provided an archival data set drawn from six different community mental health organizations from around the United States covering 101 different clinics (N = 25,511; Male = 11,524, Female = 13,987). We constructed normative …

Community-Level Analysis Of Anti-Asian Hate Crime, Jisoo Cho, Jinuk Jeong, Christopher Han-Fai Seto

Publications and Research

Motivated by the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines the community characteristics associated with the likelihood of their occurrence from 2020 to 2023 through interracial conflict and social disorganization perspectives. Analyzing data from the New York City Police Department and the American Community Survey across 2,198 census tracts, we find that communities with higher levels of Asian population, racial heterogeneity, and residential instability have higher odds of experiencing anti-Asian hate crime. However, concentrated disadvantage and defended neighborhoods (White, Black, and Hispanic) are not significant across all estimated models. These findings have important implications for …

The Ethics Of Drawing Illness: Interdisciplinary Negotiations In A Participatory Graphic Narrative Project, Veronica Moretti, Annalisa Plava, Stefano Ratti

The Qualitative Report

This paper illustrates how the design of health-related comics contributes to reflecting on the methodological and ethical challenges of qualitative research. In line with Comics-Based Research (CBR), we demonstrate how creating a comic on medical topics emerges from continuous and iterative dialogue among multiple voices: patients, sociologists, artists, and physicians. On an ethical and methodological level, our study explores the creation of a comic book about pancreatic diseases with varying stages of severity and possibilities for cure and recovery. Constructing a comic in such contexts provides a new way of visualizing and understanding the illness experience. Representing traumatic memory in …

Towards An Embodied And Graphic Based Qualitative Sociology: Methodological Reflections On Reflexivity And Pictorial Embodiment In The Field Of Health And Illness, Alice Scavarda, Barbara Grüning

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this paper is to discuss the comicisation of qualitative sociology, i.e., the use of comics as research methods and analytical tools in sociology, drawing from case studies related to illness and neurodivergence. In the first part, we will pinpoint how comics as qualitative research methods enhance the reflexivity of sociologists themselves in the various phases of their research projects: from the definition of a case study to the choice of research and analysis techniques up to the communication of research outputs. In line with El Refaie’s (2012) concept of pictorial embodiment, we will show how producing drawn …