Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 100, No. 3, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period February 17 - April 20, 2025.

• Wilborn, Price. You Matter & You Are Not Alone
• Smith, Kane. Peggy Crowe Reflects on Counseling Center in Face of Staff Shortages
• Stafford, Hallie. Help with Horses – New Beginnings Therapeutic Horse Riding
• Hawkins, Kaylee. How a WKU Professor Helps Improve Student Mental Health – Jay Gabbard, National Alliance on Mental Illness Recovery Support Group
• McMahon, Jake. More Than a Coach – Brent Chumbley, Track & Field
• Simpson, Libby. WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Brings Mental Health Into the Light
• Hardesty, Emma. Trans …

Indiana Prison Writers Workshop: The Power Of Group Cohesion And Creative Expression Among Incarcerated Individuals, Lindamarie Olson, Debra Des Vignes, Amy Mclean, Bailey Wester, Uche Nwatu

Journal of Prison Education Research

Objective: The present study describes the development of the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop (IPWW), a creative writing workshop, based in group theory and designed for incarcerated settings. Methods: Quantitative evaluation data from IPWW workshops conducted from 2023-2024 were analyzed using IBM SPSS V. 29. Prior to the workshop, 149 men responded to questions on class expectations and goals, and 115 men responded at workshop conclusion. Open-ended qualitative responses from post-workshop data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Quantitative data demonstrates the effectiveness of IPWW in teaching writing skills and reflects participants’ agreement that the workshops provide opportunities to share their …

Pilot Study For Examining The Physiological Effects Of Sustained Attention In A Structured Online Mindfulness-Based Course, Eve Barton

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI's) and courses have emerged as widely recognized approaches for promoting mental health, improving cognitive functioning, and fostering overall well-being. This pilot study explored the effects of a 15-session, online, structured mindfulness course on sustained attention and subjective well-being, utilizing both objective and subjective measures. The study aimed to determine whether participants' sustained attention, assessed via a smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM) task, improved after completing the online course. Subjective attention was measured using the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) and a single item from the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), while subjective well-being was assessed using the Survey …

Deliberate Practice For Multicultural Orientation Training Novice Undergraduates, Eduardo E. Duran

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the efficacy of Multicultural Orientation (MCO) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) frameworks in enhancing undergraduates' ability to address cultural dynamics in therapeutic contexts through deliberate practice. Using a randomized control trial design, 59 participants were assigned to either an MCO as the experimental group or an MI workshop as the control group, each involving pre- and post-workshop video simulations and self-reported assessments. The workshops incorporated deliberate practice exercises with feedback to improve participants' responses to culturally rich client scenarios. Findings indicated significant improvements in cultural humility, comfort, and opportunities for the MCO group compared to the MI group. …

Navigating Gender And Equity In Education: Challenges, Personal Experiences, And Pathways For Change, Chloe Ballow

Honors Projects

This project examines how gender stereotypes influence the educational experiences of high school girls, focusing on the combined effects of gender, race, and socio-economic status. Using sources from feminist theory, educational research, and real-world examples, this study explores how societal expectations shape girls’ behavior in the classroom, their academic self-image, and their future goals. Special attention is given to African American girls and students from low-income backgrounds, who often face additional challenges due to both racial and gender biases.

The research draws on a mix of scholarly articles, reports from organizations like UNESCO and the OECD, and insights from a …

Psychological Treatment Behind The Walls:Insights From The Inside, Rogelio Serrano

Psychology Division Scholarship

Repeated eras of mass incarceration, criminalization of marginalized communities, and substance use policies have created a revolving door of justice involved populations. The ever-increasing prison population has repeatedly become the largest contingency of mental health clientele for an overburdened mental health system. Those who work with formerly incarcerated individuals in the community often don’t know the unique set of challenges faced by practitioners within the system. Increased understanding and coordination of care can offer opportunities for sustained recovery and reduced levels of recidivism. In this presentation participants will learn about the unique insights on mental health treatment that can be …

36. Protest 2025. Protest At Applied Engineering Building 1 [Article], University Of Northern Iowa

LGBTQIA+ Archive Class Projects

Citation: Klinkhammer, B. (2025, April 9). Students make their voice heard at Applied Engineering building opening. Northern Iowan, 2.

This article is a description of a recent protest at the new Applied Engineering Building. Well over 100 UNI students, Cedar Falls High School students, and the Cedar Valley came together to protest Kim Reynolds appearance for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Kim Reynolds failed to appear to give a speech and to help cut the ribbon. I think that in itself is so powerful, to know that she didn't show up because people showed up to protest against someone so …

Sex Differences In Adult Frailty At The Late-Terminal Classic (C. 750-1000 Ce) Maya Site Of Lower Dover, Rose Rioux

Honors Thesis

While it has been suggested that the compounded effects of population growth and climatic pressures over the Classic period (c. 300-1000 CE) led to a health crisis among the Maya, there is no current knowledge of whether there were significant sex differences in risks of mortality and frailty associated with metabolic stressors. This research assesses sex differences in frailty and mortality of adults (n=52) from the medium-sized Maya polity of Lower Dover in the upper Belize River Valley from the Late Preclassic (c. 300 BCE-150 CE) to Terminal Classic (c. 750-1000 CE). Osteological methods of estimating age and sex were …

A Qualitative Inquiry Of Exercise Preferences Among Hispanic Adults With Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie L Silveira, Robert W Motl, Tania Ontiveros, Victoria Flores

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study aimed to identify the components of an ideal exercise training program for Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS), cultural adaptations, and avenues for dissemination of information to this population. Online, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 adults with MS who identified as Hispanic. A deductive content analysis approach was applied for assessing necessary and desired components of an exercise program. Participants articulated preferences for "what," "when," "where," and "who" of exercise programs. All participants expressed an interest in aerobic training (n = 27) and need for resistance (n = 14), flexibility (n = 8), and neuromotor components (n = …

Intimate Partner Violence And Patriarchy: A Macro-Level Analysis, Tian Yi Xu

MA Research Paper

Past studies of intimate partner violence (IPV) have extensively examined causes at the individual, interpersonal, and community levels. However, as a worldwide issue, a complete understanding of IPV cannot be obtained without investigating macro-level causes and international variations. Thus, I examined national-level patriarchal beliefs as a macro-level societal cause of IPV. The research question is do national-level patriarchal beliefs in a country affect its IPV rate? To answer the question, I extracted variables from the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx), the World Values Survey (WVS), and the Quality of Government Dataset (QoG) and analyzed them using quantitative linear regressions with …

Their Voices, Their Work: The Challenges And Experiences Of Resettled Female Refugees In West Michigan, Cristhel Vanessa Morlidge

Masters Projects

Resettled female refugees often hope to improve their life in the country and community that they settle in. However, they can instead face multiple challenges due to their gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and language. The objective of this qualitative study is to identify the unique experiences and challenges of female refugees as they enter the formal workforce in the United States. Participants in this research are from two different countries in Africa, and all currently reside in West Michigan. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and a small-focus group to learn about their experiences through their own words. While generalizations …

Gender Myths & Colonial Lies, Sophie Camilleri

Honors Papers and Posters

The gender binary is deeply ingrained in today's society, despite a general lack of knowledge on where this system originates from. It is crucial to counter misinformation stemming from propaganda and fear campaigns surrounding the gender binary. This research sheds light on the oppressive roots of gender, as well as its role in the colonization of marginalized individuals around the globe. This paper will make connections to present day systems of oppression and the long-term effects of colonization on Black and Hispanic women.

Illustrative Storytelling And Social Sciences: Reconsidering Boundaries, Extensions, And Meanings Of Qualitative Research, Veronica Moretti, Francesco Della Puppa

The Qualitative Report

Comics are increasingly recognized as a flexible and multimodal medium capable of eliciting, constructing, analyzing, and disseminating qualitative data. Far from being merely illustrative or humorous, comics offer complex visual-narrative forms that can reflect and critique social realities, stimulate reflexivity, and engage diverse audiences. This approach highlights the scientific, ethical, and epistemological implications of using comics in research, particularly in relation to representation, positionality, and the visual construction of meaning. Comics can serve as tools for pedagogy, public sociology, and participatory inquiry, especially in areas such as health, gender, and digital cultures. From autoethnography and zine-making to the co-production of …

Hindsight Is 20/20: Epilepsy Is Not One-Size-Fits-All, Raika Kim

Northwestern University Law Review

For many, epilepsy is one of the first conditions that come to mind when thinking of a disability, and for good reason: over 50 million people in the world live with epilepsy. Yet misunderstandings about epilepsy have perpetuated social stigma surrounding the disability for centuries. Ableist beliefs led to the passage of laws in the 1900s condoning—and in some cases, requiring—sterilization of individuals with epilepsy and restriction of their right to marry. Even today, state driving laws, justified as promoting public safety, categorically prevent anyone diagnosed with epilepsy from driving unless they are seizure free for an arbitrary, nonuniform period …

Belonging Among Lgbtq+ Students At Hope College, B Schultz

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

At Christian Colleges and Universities (CCUs), studies estimate that approximately 12% of a given college's student population identifies as LGBTQ+ (REAP, 2021). Unfortunately, research literature also indicates that LGBTQ+ college students experience significant challenges, including, but not limited to, discrimination from peers and staff, alienation from the wider campus environment, and inhospitable housing conditions (REAP, 2021; Rankin et al. 2019; Kortegast, 2017; Craig et al. 2017; Wolff et al. 2016, Christie, 2021). Academic research on LGBTQ+ students at CCUs is somewhat limited, even more so research that uses a qualitative orientation, attempting to gain in-depth insights into LGBTQ+ students' experiences. …

A Narrative Review Of Military Reverse Triage., Daniel J Hurst

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Military reverse triage has been described at several points in the literature. However, an extensive review of the concept and any gaps that may exist has not been conducted. This narrative review seeks to understand how reverse triage is used in the military literature and how it might be implemented in practice, as well as the documented historical applications of reverse triage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four databases were searched manually for English-language articles: PubMed, SCOPUS, JSTOR, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. In addition, a manual search of references, U.S. DoD, and NATO doctrine, as well as other published works …

Everyone Gets Bored Sometimes: Effects Of Boredom And Burnout In A Longitudinal Study On Pre Health Undergraduate Students, Josie Oostindie

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

For some time now, medical education research has documented increased levels of undesirable outcomes as a byproduct of professionalization, such as decreased mental health and increased burnout. We introduce to this literature the concept of boredom proneness that taps into students' adaptation to a sense of the flow of time and outline how this affects their health throughout undergraduate. Trait measures of boredom tap into not merely a momentary discomfort with a context or flow of time, but a deeper existential challenge that indicates a possibly socially-induced discordance with a self in time. Additionally, a challenge of past research is …

Practicing Community, Cultivating Democracy -- Lessons From Professional Power Shifters, Sylvia Gale

Other Publications

Below I describe five intentional practices people working in human-facing professions can employ in order to create the conditions for a healthy democracy.

These practices were originally distilled from my observations at the Deaconess Foundation’s Helsinki D-Stations and from my interactions and discussions with professionals across the Foundation’s Civic Action and Community Programs team from January-June 2023, when I was hosted by the Deaconess Foundation on a Mid-Career Professional Development Award from the Fulbright Finland Foundation. Since then, I have augmented and clarified these practices through observation and reflection with colleagues in my American context, where I am the executive …

The Emotions Of Uncertainty: Science, Politics, And The Social Dynamics Of Decision Making, Alisa N. Rogers

Sociology ETDs

This dissertation examines how social and emotional factors influence attitudes toward science and decision making regarding science-based policy recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. I examine boundary work practices among the public as they evaluate experts during the pandemic and the social sources of information people used to construct knowledge. Then I examine the social and emotional factors that participants indicated influenced their own attitude formation and decisions to act regarding public health recommendations during the pandemic. I find that emotions influence each element of the decision process: information gathering, information evaluation, attitude formation, and decisions to act. Affective commitment and …

An Investigative Analysis Into The Correlation Between Police Department Budgets And Violent Crime Rates., Julie Schwartz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal justice reform and calls to defund the police have become more prevalent since the unrest that occurred in 2020. Research to date has looked at criminal justice reform, crime causation, and discussions surrounding defunding the police. Previous research has looked at police funding conceptually but not from a quantitative lens. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to provide an investigative analysis into police department funding and the effect of the funding on violent crime rates using strain theory as its foundation. The research question addressed the relationship between police department budgets, specifically the criminal investigations unit, and …

Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis Of Body Mass Index Identifies Novel African Ancestry-Specific Risk Allele, Xinruo Zhang, Jennifer A Brody, Mariaelisa Graff, Heather M Highland, Nathalie Chami, Hanfei Xu, Zhe Wang, Kendra R Ferrier, Geetha Chittoor, Navya Shilpa Josyula, Mariah Meyer, Shreyash Gupta, Xihao Li, Zilin Li, Matthew A Allison, Diane M Becker, Lawrence F Bielak, Joshua C Bis, Meher Preethi Boorgula, Donald W Bowden, Jai G Broome, Erin J Buth, Christopher S Carlson, Kyong-Mi Chang, Sameer Chavan, Yen-Feng Chiu, Lee-Ming Chuang, Matthew P Conomos, Dawn L Demeo, Mengmeng Du, Ravindranath Duggirala, Celeste Eng, Alison E Fohner, Barry I Freedman, Melanie E Garrett, Xiuqing Guo, Chris Haiman, Benjamin D Heavner, Bertha Hidalgo, James E Hixson, Yuk-Lam Ho, Brian D Hobbs, Donglei Hu, Qin Hui, Chii-Min Hwu, Rebecca D Jackson, Deepti Jain, Rita R Kalyani, Sharon L R Kardia, Tanika N Kelly, Ethan M Lange, Michael Lenoir, Changwei Li, Loic Le Marchand, Merry-Lynn N Mcdonald, Caitlin P Mchugh, Alanna C Morrison, Take Naseri, Jeffrey O'Connell, Christopher J O'Donnell, Nicholette D Palmer, James S Pankow, James A Perry, Ulrike Peters, Michael H Preuss, D C Rao, Elizabeth A Regan, Sefuiva M Reupena, Dan M Roden, Jose Rodriguez-Santana, Colleen M Sitlani, Jennifer A Smith, Hemant K Tiwari, Ramachandran S Vasan, Zeyuan Wang, Daniel E Weeks, Jennifer Wessel, Kerri L Wiggins, Lynne R Wilkens, Peter W F Wilson, Lisa R Yanek, Zachary T Yoneda, Wei Zhao, Sebastian Zöllner, Donna K Arnett, Allison E Ashley-Koch, Kathleen C Barnes, John Blangero, Eric Boerwinkle, Esteban G Burchard, April P Carson, Daniel I Chasman, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Joanne E Curran, Myriam Fornage, Victor R Gordeuk, Jiang He, Susan R Heckbert, Lifang Hou, Marguerite R Irvin, Charles Kooperberg, Ryan L Minster, Braxton D Mitchell, Mehdi Nouraie, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Alexander P Reiner, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, M Benjamin Shoemaker, Nicholas L Smith, Kent D Taylor, Marilyn J Telen, Scott T Weiss, Yingze Zhang, Nancy Heard-Costa, Yan V Sun, Xihong Lin, L Adrienne Cupples, Leslie A Lange, Ching-Ti Liu, Ruth J F Loos, Kari E North, Anne E Justice

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Obesity is a major public health crisis associated with high mortality rates. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigating body mass index (BMI) have largely relied on imputed data from European individuals. This study leveraged whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 88,873 participants from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program, of which 51% were of non-European population groups. We discovered 18 BMI-associated signals (P <  5 × 10

Casar Student Discussion Series #7: Censored Classrooms - Should Parents And Community Members Have A Say In Restricting Certain Books In Schools, Based On Factors Such As Religion, Age Appropriateness, And More?, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

Every semester, CASAR AUC holds miscellaneous student debates discussing the hot controversial topics in the US, Egypt and from around the world in hopes of raising awareness about these topics & broadening the perspectives of our students as they learn to engage in fruitful discussions as they share different opinion on the topic being deliberated.

On April 10th 2025, at this CASAR Student Discussion event #7 in light of the current book bans in the US happening from Trump's administration, we debated this question: 'Censored classrooms: Should parents and community members have a say in restricting certain books in schools …

Environmental Racism: The Role Of Racism In The Unequal Distribution Of Environmental Hazards And Resources In Urban Areas, Acadia Petersen

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

There is a large difference in the number of environmental hazards and environmental resources that people live with depending on their race. This is very damaging as certain minorities are being provided with fewer resources and more polluted areas, leading to worse health outcomes.

There is “A strong association between non-white and poor communities and the location of hazardous waste sites…Studies on air quality have documented that minorities and the poor face higher levels of air pollution than other groups” (Pinderhughes 1996).

Religious Trauma And Young Adults: What Is Their Perspective?, Ethan Lefevre

Student Research Symposium

How does religious trauma influence young adults' perspectives on organized religion and spirituality?

Effects Of Cbt For Anxiety On Sleep Quality (A Proposed Study), Brin Bement

Student Research Symposium

Good sleep has consistently been associated with good mental and physical health, yet nearly 1 in 5 Americans report sleep disturbances. Sleep-related problems (SRPs) are highly comorbid with anxiety, and the two variables have a bidirectional relationship.

How Has Lgbtq+ Representation In Media Influenced The Perceptions And Identities Among Both Lgbtq+ And Non-Lgbtq+ Individuals Ages 18-24?, Miki Beckstrom

Student Research Symposium

The modern era has allowed for a new age of storytelling. As our society continues to diversify, the question we must ask ourselves, how is the media we consume reflective of our society? Internet discourse surrounding representation of race, sexuality, and gender have continued to infiltrate our community and be a topic of contention. This study hopes to explore both the positive and adverse effects that LGBTQ+ representation in media can have.

How Are Mental Health Professionals Impacted By Their Personal Religious Beliefs Within A Client-Interaction Setting?, Olivia Kenney

Student Research Symposium

Understanding how mental health professionals’ personal religious beliefs influence client interactions is important to ensuring ethical, productive, and effective care.

Soc 3110 Presentation, Eduardo Valles

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

What do you think is the percent of inmates in jails/prisons that have a mental illness?

Did Covid-19 Change How Adolescents Connect? Analyzing Social Media's Role In Post-Pandemic Relationships, Tessi Hurst

Student Research Symposium

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly increased social media use among adolescents, altering the way they formed and maintained relationships. As in-person interactions became limited, social media platforms played a crucial role in shaping social behaviors.

Existing research highlights the shifts in friendship quality, mental health and social interaction patterns, revealing both positive and negative effects.