Digital Commons Network^™

Faith Amid Chaos: Does Religiosity Buffer Youth Delinquency In Disordered Neighborhoods?, Mason T. High

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines whether religiosity moderates the relationship between neighborhood disorder and delinquent behavior among juvenile offenders. Drawing on Social Disorganization Theory and Neighborhood Disorder, the study hypothesizes that religiosity, both as an attitude and as a behavior, serves as a protective factor against delinquency in disordered neighborhoods. Using data from the Pathways to Desistance study, this research employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with and without interaction terms to assess how individual perceptions of disorder interact with religiosity in influencing minor and major delinquency. Results indicate a significant positive association between perceived neighborhood disorder and delinquency, reinforcing the notion …

A Kinder Panopticon? Examining Effects Of Fairness And Justice On Performance Outcomes Under Advanced Electronic Monitoring Systems, William F. Tang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The adoption of Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM) systems has increased with the prevalence of remote workers post-COVID. Research indicates EPM yields conflicting performance and behavioral outcomes. EPM-related behavior can be predicted by organizational justice (the extent to which workplaces are perceived as fair in nature); environments with higher justice ratings are less likely to induce issues like stress and distrust. However, advanced EPM like electroencephalograms (EEG) may modulate the relationships between perceived fairness, stress, and work performance. This study assigned 42 participants to a modified vigilance test (based on Temple, et al., 2001), which participants took under 3 placebo monitoring …

The Post-Alert Lexicon: A Multiphased Study To Develop Content For Post-Alert Messages, Jeannette Sutton, Hugh D. Walpole, Micki Olson, Lauren B. Cain, Savanah Olivas, Bruce Pollock, Nicholas Waugh

Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity Faculty Scholarship

Using a multi-phased, mixed methods approach, grounded in theory on alerts and warnings, the Post-Alert Lexicon serves as a companion to the Warning Lexicon to provide evidence-based guidance on how to construct a post-alert message for 45 hazards and missing person events. We draw from the results of quantitative content analyses of a census of post-alert messages issued as Wireless Emergency Alerts from 2012-2022, and public message testing experiments for three hazard types (wildfire, earthquake, and bomb threat), to find that a focus on hazard resolution and public action, rather than the commonly employed language of “all clear,” increases message …

Supports For Mental Well-Being Valued By Healthcare Workers: Qualitative Analysis Of Data From A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shannon Marie Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Tanis Zadunayski, Erica Stroud, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs from four Canadian provinces was established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited to comment about workplace mental health supports at three time points. We performed a thematic content analysis of responses from 1738 participants using the Social Support Behaviour Code framework to categorize barriers to support as informational, tangible, emotional, social, or expressing esteem. Themes were synthesized into suggestions for healthcare organizations to prepare for future crises. Formal and informal peer support, workplace mental health supports, and one-on-one counseling were most often mentioned as valued. Analysis suggested that workplace social networks as …

Organizational And Structural Factors In Building The Therapeutic Alliance In A Work Rehabilitation Program With Injured Immigrant Workers In Quebec, Daniel Côté, Maude Arsenault, Jessica Dubé

Études primaires

Abstract

The therapeutic alliance is central to occupational rehabilitation, particularly for immigrant workers who face unique challenges of migration and of social and occupational integration. This study explores the development and maintenance of this alliance between immigrant workers with compensated work injuries and their care providers during work rehabilitation. Using ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, the qualitative case study involved 7 injured immigrant workers and their interdisciplinary clinical team. The study identified several factors that weakened the alliance, including administrative complexity, conflicting views on pain and disability, cultural stereotypes, and interorganizational communication issues. Many of these challenges were systemic …

Maboo Liyan Boorroo–Good Spirit Country: Using Participatory Research Frameworks To Manage Indigenous Cultural Landscapes In A Time Of Environmental And Political Uncertainty, Martuwarra Riveroflife, Anne Poelina, Martuwarra River Keepers, Sven Ouzman, Tod Jones, Naomi Joy Godden, Martin Brueckner

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Management of cultural landscapes has struggled to understand and adapt to Indigenous ways of managing heritage through a reciprocal duty of care. We argue that barriers to Indigenous cultural landscapes are threefold. First, conceptual barriers exist due to the prevalence of inappropriate heritage concepts and frameworks from the Global North. Second are relational barriers in the form of asymmetrical relationships of power between non-Indigenous heritage ‘experts’ and Indigenous individuals and communities. Third, political barriers present in neo-colonial politics are at odds with the goals of Indigenous movements. After introducing Martuwarra RiverOfLife and her co-authors, we review these barriers within a …

Explaining Mass Shooting Motivations: A Case Survey Analysis Of Us Mass Shootings (2006-2024), Isaiah H. Harris

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Research on the motivations behind mass shootings remains inconclusive as these events often lack a singular or explicit cause. The motivations of mass shooters are complex, shaped by the interplay of psychological, social, and ideological factors. While some attacks are clearly driven by extremist beliefs, others appear to stem from less defined forces such as depravity or sadistic intent. Existing typologies, such as Langman’s (2009) analysis of school shooters, offer valuable insight but are limited in scope. This study expands upon previous research by examining U.S. mass shootings from 2006 to 2024 to determine whether such events are more frequently …

Grandparenthood And Psychological Well-Being Of Middle-Aged And Older Adults: Multigenerational Family Relationships In China, Dandan Zhao

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines whether and how experiences of grandparenthood—including becoming a grandparent, providing grandchild care, living with grandchildren, and exchanging intergenerational support—affect the well-being of middle-aged and older adults in China. Drawing on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2018), a nationally representative survey of Chinese adults aged 45 and older, the study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and random effects models to investigate the associations between multigenerational family relationships and depressive symptoms among this population.

There is limited evidence that the transition to grandparenthood itself has a significant impact on psychological well-being. However, patterns …

Volume 28, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Meme Wars As Socially Situated Learning: Learning In Online Communities Of Hate, Conspiracy, And Insurgency, Kevin M. Clark

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Learning is important in a pluralistic democracy, to enable citizens to make informed decisions. However, with the rise of the internet and social media, we need more than ever to understand how learning is shaped by social context and intertwined with issues of identity and belonging. One theoretical framework that addresses these social aspects of learning comes from the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger on socially situated learning in communities of practice. This article focuses on what many would consider to be the darker side of learning—the rise of hate, disinformation/conspiracy, and insurgency in online communities. Specifically, it …

Hay Comida En La Casa: Study On Food Inaccessibility In Nyc, Crystal A. Secaira , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Learning Positive Deviance Techniques: How Non-Conformity To Vote-Buying Is Practiced And Its Outcomes, The Ugandan Context, Collins Kwarisima

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research has investigated the use of positive deviance or exemplary behavior as an innovative approach to addressing political corruption, specifically the vote-buying practice in Uganda. To understand the techniques of positive deviance in vote-buying, this study was guided by the main research question: How is non-conformity to vote-buying practiced, and what are its outcomes? Individual and focus group interviews were utilized to collect qualitative data from 40 respondents (voters and political leaders) who deter the vote-buying practice in Rukungiri District, Western Uganda. With the help of community gatekeepers, the study followed the inclusion criteria to identify voters and political …

Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Against Women In Sports: Prevalence, Impact, And Interventions In East Africa, Hesbon Hansen Owilla, Nancy Achieng' Booker, George Nyabuga, Tulinagwe Mwampanga, Samantha Agasha, Liz Awino, Ella Smith

Graduate School of Media and Communications

This study investigated the prevalence, causes, and impact of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women in sports across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study combined quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to explore the scale of SGBV, its root causes, and the lived experiences of female athletes. A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted, with data collected from athletes, coaches, administrators, and sports officials from federations and associations in the three countries. Stratified and purposive sampling techniques at the federations, clubs and within the clubs was used and this ensured representation at multiple levels of the sports …

Crises, Coloniality, And Energy Transformations In Puerto Rico, Laura Kuhl, Marla Perez-Lugo, Carlos Arriaga Serrano, Cecilio Ortiz Garcia, Ryan Ellis, Jennie C. Stephens

Sociology Faculty Publications

Increased attention to inclusive processes is essential to ensure injustices are not perpetuated during energy transitions. Crises, such as the collapse of the electric grid in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, present the promise of opening windows of opportunity for new ideas and voices to inform the future, but they also create opportunities for powerful interests to reinforce existing power dynamics. While coloniality has been recognized as a barrier to sustainable energy transformations, greater integration of the literature on climate coloniality and sustainability transitions is needed. This chapter analyzes visions of the future of the energy system among diverse constituents …

Build Your Capacity For Aging Research: A Research Readiness Curriculum, Carrie Leach, Mikayla Harrison, Zachary Rowe, Dell Stubblefield, Deborah Beard, Winona Bynum, Sandra Turner-Handy, Faith Hopp, Rodlescia Sneed, Deborah Charbonneau, Rochelle Chapman, Hayley S. Thompson

Institute of Gerontology

This curriculum was developed with and for older adults in order to provide a basic understanding of the academic research process and to familiarize them with research terms and concepts to increase thier overall level of confidence engaging with researchers.

Age-Friendly Technology Toolkit, Carrie Leach, Mikayla Harrison, Deborah Beard, Dell Stubblefield, Zachary Rowe, Winona Bynum, Sandra Turner-Handy, Faith Hopp, Rodlescia Sneed, Deborah Charbonneau, Rochelle Chapman, Hayley S. Thompson

Institute of Gerontology

A toolkit created for older people who are interested in connecting through technology. Content is based on recommendations from older adults who partnered on a project to increase digital inclusion.

Breaking Ground On Self-Efficacy: A Qualitative Exploration Of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Experiences With Therapeutic Horticulture, Rachel Marie Reeves

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

This dissertation explores how participation in a Therapeutic Horticulture program may support the self-efficacy of survivors of Intimate Partner Violence. Through a thematic analysis of interviews with 45 women living at a domestic violence shelter in Lexington, Kentucky, this study investigates whether and how gardening activities contributed to participants’ belief in their abilities to shape outcomes in their lives.

Findings are organized around Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological/affective states. These insights contribute to feminist criminology and trauma-informed care literature by illuminating the transformative potential of nature-assisted healing programs.

Emplacing Deaths Of Despair Within The Rural Mortality Penalty: The Spatial Inequality Of Violent Death Across Rural America, Cameron A. Mcalister

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

American life expectancy continues to diverge from most developed nations. Literature spanning several fields of scholarship has documented an uneven distribution of life expectancy between social groups and across geographic contexts. Frameworks such as “Deaths of Despair” and the rural mortality penalty describe the declining health trends among working class whites and rural America. But, conceptual development around these frameworks is still limited. This dissertation utilizes a rural sociological approach to bridging the gap between the Deaths of Despair framework and the rural mortality penalty by examining violent death patterns across diverse rural contexts. In doing so, I incorporate several …

News Mediated Reporting And Governmental Narratives About The Enforcement Of Elite Criminality: Exploring The Social Construction Of Financial Frauds And Discrepancies In Punishment, Dominic J. Zicari

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how financial crime enforcement decisions are socially constructed through a qualitative content analysis of news articles and government communications pertaining to two specific cases: the Enron scandal of 2001 and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. The study was guided by a theoretical framework that utilizes Barak’s (2017) theory of state-routinized crime control. The rigorous analysis of 394 news articles and government communication documents revealed that the media and the state rarely framed the subprime mortgage crisis as a criminal issue. Although the Enron scandal was frequently described as financial crime, journalists and government communicators were often …

From Conscientious French Canadian To Enterprising American: Making Memory & Measuring Social Mobility Of French Canadians 1880-1940, Brooke S. Schwaderer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis studies the social mobility of French-Canadian immigrants to the Keweenaw Peninsula 1880-1940 and memory among their descendants to explain how French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw faded over time. Oral histories were conducted to gain an understanding of the current French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw, understand how the current generation perceives changes in culture over time, and provide possible explanations for why French-Canadians thrived in the Keweenaw. Tax records from the Michigan Technological University Archives and social mobility scores, mother tongue, and homeownership information from the United States census was analyzed to measure language loss, and the social mobility …

The Impact Of Religiosity On Political Knowledge Among Youth Voters, Norah Sackett

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As political engagement trends among young voters have continued to shift in the United States' political atmosphere, understanding the cognitive factors that influence these decisions is becoming increasingly important. Political efficacy, or the feeling that individual political action can impact the political process, impacting their civic duties, has long been regarded as a key determinant of an individual's political engagement. This study investigates how young voters' understanding of prominent political arguments relates to their sense of political efficacy, with a specific lens on individual religiosity.

Through an examination of this relationship between religiosity and overall comprehension of political arguments, this …

Toward Inclusive Care: Enhancing Lgbtq+ Adolescents’ Experiences In Primary Care, Rutwa Shah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

LGBTQ+ adolescents face significant inequities in healthcare access and health outcomes, yet little is known about how they engage with routine pediatric care, where parental presence and clinician dynamics often influence their ability to access affirming services. While prior research has emphasized the importance of inclusive environments and clinician communication, few studies center the voices of LGBTQ+ youth in clinical settings. This study explored how LGBTQ+ adolescents manage sexual/gender identity disclosure, trust, and communication with primary care clinicians. This study draws on data from The VIBES Study: Viewpoints on Improving Bonds Between Health Experts and Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. …

Gender Equality And Social Capital Empowerment Of Rural Women, Nuraedah Nuraedah, Syamsul Bahri -

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This study explores the role of social capital in empowering rural women, focusing on how social networks, trust, and community norms contribute to gender equality and women's decision-making. Despite the recognition of gender equality as a fundamental right, rural women continue to face structural barriers that limit their access to resources and opportunities. By examining the interaction between social capital and women's empowerment, this research aims to fill the gap in understanding the mechanisms that support women's empowerment in rural areas. The research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing in-depth interviews with 30 women from various villages in Indonesia, complemented by …

Barriers To Healthcare Utilization Among Undergraduate Students: A Gender Identity Perspective, Akhila Damarla

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The transition to college can be a crucial period of one’s life as one gains new and increased responsibilities, including managing their own healthcare. Although campus health services are available, undergraduate students have been found to often underutilize these resources due to barriers such as financial instability, lack of insurance, and identity-based disparities. While examining the current literature on this topic,there is a gap in exploring how the role of gender identity interacts with these barriers. This study addresses this gap by analyzing secondary data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA). Results revealed that transgender …

Young Adults’ Views On Personal Death, Victor N. Soto

Anthós

Within academic discussions of death and dying, there is a deficit of qualitative studies on how young adults view personal death. This article explores young adults’ (18-24) views on personal death using inductive coding of the transcriptions of three 1:1 interviews and one focus group. Soto’s findings show that young adults view their personal death in three ways: 1) they reflect on family death experiences as frames of reference for personal death, 2) they rely on a life well- lived to ease anxiety around personal death, and 3) they use humor as a coping mechanism in thinking about and discussing …

The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths: The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths A Plan To Increase Regional Capacity, Fill Gaps In Service, And Identify Potential Sites., Matthew Snow

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

As of 2024, Virginia’s Central Region continues to produce one of the highest rates of foster care emancipations in the state, despite having minimal infrastructure to support young adults transitioning out of care. Each year, dozens of foster youth in the region age out of the system without reunification, adoption, or other forms of permanency, disproportionately entering adulthood without the stability of housing, employment, or accessible services. Although permanent supportive housing (PSH) has emerged as a nationally validated model for housing and service integration, few PSH developments in Virginia are designed specifically for aged-out foster youth or their families.

This …

Implementation Of Standard Operating Procedures 'Cold Kitchen' In Food Storage Process At Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Alya Kamilianada

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

The background of this study was conducted to find out how a kitchen must have SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), because the kitchen is very influential in supporting food management operations at Cold Kitchen Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta and to find out the system of storage procedures for perishable food ingredients has an important role as the main raw material in making types of menus in cold kitchens as a provider of various types of fruits and vegetables. The problem formulation consists of: (1) How to strive for the implementation of SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) in the process of storing foodstuffs …

Access To And Utilization Of Dental Care Services By Older Adults In Nigeria: Barriers And Facilitators, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Victor Ajayi, Munirat Sanmori, Medinah Suleiman, Raji Abdullateef, Abdulazeez Abdulganiyu

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Aims: Nigeria’s rapidly aging population presents urgent challenges for the healthcare system, particularly in oral health, which remains an overlooked aspect of well-being. While older adults are especially vulnerable to dental issues such as tooth loss, periodontal disease, and oral pain, access to care remains limited due to systemic, economic, and cultural barriers. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of older Nigerians in accessing and utilizing dental care, with the goal of identifying key barriers, facilitators, and policy-relevant insights.

Methods: Fifteen participants aged 50–83 years were purposively selected from urban and peri-urban areas of Ilorin, North- Central …

What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …

Re-Imagining Care For Aging Disabled Adults, Caitlin L. Tizzard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Ontario, the landscape of aging is shaped by ageist and ableist ideologies that view older disabled adults through the lens of decline and dependency. Much of the current discourse on aging focuses on reforming long-term care (LTC), reinforcing institutional and carceral responses both within policy and academic imagination. This qualitative study takes a different approach by asking participants how care for aging disabled adults can be reimagined beyond institutionalization. Grounded in intersectional feminist, disability justice and abolitionist praxis, and using a critical transformative paradigm, this research employed Appreciative Inquiry across three focus groups with four participants engaged in aging-related …