Digital Commons Network^™

Revisiting Insider Practices: Ethical Considerations, Practices, And Hopes For Doing Community Work And Narrative Research In And About Our Own Communities, Tiffany Sostar, Nathan Viktor Fawaz, Elliot Trimble, Theodosia Octavia Markarian, Bekett Noble

The Qualitative Report

In this paper, we describe the hopes, considerations, and questions of a narrative practice research collaboration among three closely connected transgender (trans) and/or non-binary collaborators, in a collection of work meant to support trans, non-binary, and gender expansive life and in response to trans death at a time of increasing hostility toward trans communities. We apply a specific focus on inquiring into how to do narrative therapy and community work research in and about our own communities, and what the ethical, relational and methodological practices for this work might be. We do this through reflecting on existing literature related to …

Some People Need Killing: Power Of Metaphors In Shaping And Challenging Political And Educational Realities, Rebecca Cyrene J. Lorenzana

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This study examines the significant role of metaphors in shaping and challenging political and educational discourse, focusing on the narratives from Patricia Evangelista's Some People Need Killing. Through Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA), the research dissects how metaphors of war and criminality, dehumanization, salvation, and resistance function within the context of Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs in the Philippines. The study reveals that metaphors are not merely rhetorical devices but powerful tools that construct and perpetuate hegemonic structures, legitimizing state-sanctioned violence and dehumanizing individuals involved in drug-related activities. Conversely, metaphors of salvation and resistance offer alternative narratives that challenge these …

The Texas Electorate's Views Of Health Care As A Human Right, Community Health Centers, And Certain Matters Of The Health Care Safety Net, Scott Elphingstone

Graduate Liberal Studies Theses and Dissertations

In a country in which the government does not recognize a right to health care,social safety nets are the last hope for persons without insurance or other means to pay for needed care. In United States, community health centers, hospital emergency rooms, and private charities comprise that safety net. Community health centers offer a practicable alternative for politicians and citizens who want to help improve the lives of persons who struggle to access health care. This dissertation reviews the political history of community health centers from their founding as part of the War on Poverty in the 1960s through Democratic …

A Narrative Inquiry On The Parent-Child Relationships Of Higher-Weight Late Adolescents, Hien Anh Miguel G. Dang, David Rigel Dela Cruz Panes, Belle Beatriex' M. Alemania

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Late adolescence is a crucial developmental phase marked by significant psychological and emotional changes as individuals transition from childhood to adulthood. However, the specific impact of parental influence on the body image of higher-weight adolescents remains underexplored. This narrative study aimed to examine the parent-child relationship of higher-weight Filipino adolescents, delving more into how parental opinions influence late adolescents' well-being and perception of their bodies. To answer the objective, a qualitative method through semi-structured interview was employed where four participants were chosen by conducting purposive and snowball sampling. Various themes emerged, mainly struggles with body weight acceptance and insecurities, internalizing …

Ilaw Ng Ibang Tahanan: Transnational Mothering Practices Of Overseas Filipina Domestic Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arvin John C. Ramirez

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Filipino mothers traditionally serve as primary caregivers and, at times, as the main breadwinners for their families. With limited opportunities in the Philippines, many seek employment abroad, leaving their children behind. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicated that female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) often engage in elementary jobs, including domestic work and caregiving. The COVID-19 pandemic added a challenge in fulfilling their maternal needs since health and safety have become everyone’s priority. This study investigates the transnational mothering practices of overseas Filipina domestic workers during the pandemic and how these practices differ from those before the health crisis. Through …

Learning To Be An Autistic Therapist: Personal Steps Towards An Autism-Affirming Psychotherapy, Sasha D. Strong

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

How can Autistic therapists understand and support themselves, and how can this help them support their clients? In this paper, I recount my personal journey of healing and growth as an Autistic psychotherapist, 16 months after self-identification. Here is an overview of conceptual frameworks from #actuallyautistic authors, critical theory, queer theory, and social justice that I have found helpful. I also share some of the therapeutic and wellness approaches that have been important to me, including mindfulness and bodyfulness. Organic knowing has been pivotal for me in discerning between masking and aliveness, and regaining a choice around masking behaviors. This …

The Camden Study - A Pregnancy Cohort Study Of Pregnancy Complications And Birth Outcomes In Camden, New Jersey, Usa., Stephanie Shiau, Xinhua Chen, Ayana April-Sanders, Ellen C Francis, Shristi Rawal, Megan Hansel, Kehinde Adeyemi, Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, Emily S Barrett

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a unique stage of the life course characterized by trade-offs between the nutritional, immune, and metabolic needs of the mother and fetus. The Camden Study was originally initiated to examine nutritional status, growth, and birth outcomes in adolescent pregnancies and expanded to study dietary and molecular predictors of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in young women.

METHODS: From 1985-2006, 4765 pregnant participants aged 12 years and older were recruited from Camden, NJ, one of the poorest cities in the US. The cohort reflects a population under-represented in perinatal cohort studies (45% Hispanic, 38% non-Hispanic Black, 17% White …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Juvenile Delinquency, Abigail Holmquist

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Youth that have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are at a much higher risk of delinquent acts and involvement in the juvenile legal system. This study includes discussion on two studies of ACEs, conducted by Felitti et al. (2019) and Cronholm et al. (2015), reviews the impact of ACEs on juvenile delinquency in certain demographics, and includes case examples of how I have seen ACEs impact previous clients I had on my caseload. Discussion includes examples of how Social Control Theory and General Strain Theory apply to the relationship of ACEs and juvenile delinquency. Future research recommendations …

Exploring The Complexities Of Suicide Loss: Evaluating Bereavement Experiences, Survivor Needs, And Implications For Counselors, Kristen O. Piringer, Kristen O. Piringer

Counselor Education Capstones

Suicide exposure is common and affects a plethora of people including family members, friends, and coworkers. Suicide bereavement is intricate and involves a variety of symptoms that are not common with all types of grief including: shame, guilt, isolation, rejection, trauma, and suicidal ideation. The complexities of suicide bereavement may lead to the development or exacerbation of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The grieving period is often extended for years. Suicide bereavement is frequently complicated by stigma and changes in relationships due to insensitivity or avoidance. Suicide survivors express the need for recognition …

The Significance And Impact Of Traditional Naming Practices In The Meru Community Of Tanzania, Wariaeli Ismaeli Pallangyo, Eliakimu Sane

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

In Africa, names are not assigned arbitrarily. They are deliberately chosen to reflect communities’ social, economic and political understandings. The Meru people, residing in northeastern Tanzania, near Mount Meru, identify themselves through ethnic names that embody their cultural practices. This article examines the significance of Meru traditional names, variations and their enduring value in increasing globalisation and cultural homogenisation, drawing on data from the Meru community. Employing a case study design, qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with 49 participants recruited using snowball sampling. Thematic analysis, facilitated by Microsoft Excel, was utilised for data transcription …

Teaching Sociology Through Reality Tv: Understanding Society Through The Small Screen, Monica Bixby Radu

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

This article explores reality TV’s value in teaching sociological concepts and theories for a better understanding contemporary society. Reality TV serves as a rich canvas for illustrating key tenets of major sociological theories such as structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. By analyzing reality TV through a sociological lens, insights into societal dynamics emerge, revealing how individuals navigate social norms. Additionally, reality TV serves as a cultural mirror, reflecting and shaping societal values. Globally, it influences cultural attitudes and social dynamics, transcending geographical boundaries through adaptations and social media engagement. …

Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of Community Readiness For Farm Stress And Suicide Prevention Efforts, Paula Yuma, Melissa Pearman Fenton, Lorann Stallones, Morgan Valley

Transforming Communities

The aim of the present study is to describe how Extension Agents in rural Colorado perceive their communities’ readiness to engage with farm stress and suicide prevention services and resources. Interviews were conducted with Extension Agents from five Colorado counties experiencing high suicide rates. Interview questions were based on a Community Readiness for Community Change framework, and inductive analysis was used to generate themes from the data. Results demonstrate that while prevention efforts are underway, community awareness remains low. In addition to structural barriers associated with rurality (e.g., lack of mental health providers), stigma remains a significant barrier to help-seeking. …

A Study On The Physical Health Consequences Of Excessive Online Gaming In Ui Vocational Students, Salva Feyza Najwa Zaferina, Auliya Zahra, Haura Shalihah Desti Gunawan, Nayla Nirmala Izzati, Nindya Fairuzi Pradipta, Duray Philip Rompas, Micho Gunawan

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

This study investigates the impact of online gaming on the physical health of vocational program students at the University of Indonesia, amidst the growing popularity of this activity in the digital age. Utilizing a survey method, data were collected through questionnaires to assess gaming habits and their associated health effects. Findings reveal that while students report feelings of happiness and satisfaction from gaming, they also acknowledge adverse health outcomes. Notable issues include fatigue from prolonged gaming sessions, poor dietary habits, and sleep disturbances. Although a significant majority (94%) feel in control of their gaming time, a considerable portion (84%) recognizes …

The Lived Experiences Of Poverty Among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups In A Rights-Based Anti-Poverty Programme In Jharkhand India, Monimala Sengupta

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This research explores poverty and social exclusion among Primitive Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India using T. H. Marshall's concept of social citizenship. With evidence showing a disproportionate burden of poverty in the Global South, indigenous groups are even overrepresented among the poor. India, home to one of the largest Indigenous populations, accounts for 70% of South Asia's impoverished, but the specific nature of poverty within these communities remain poorly understood.

Over the past two decades, India's national response to poverty has shifted towards rights-based, inclusive policies targeting marginalised communities such as Dalits, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, historically subjected to …

Book Review : The Digital Environment: How We Live, Learn, Work, And Play Now By Pablo J. Boczkowski And Eugenia Mitchelstein, Devi Swamy

School of Information Student Research Journal

The Digital Environment: How We Live, Learn, Work, and Play Now by Pablo J. Boczkowski and Eugenia Mitchelstein examines how digital technologies shape modern life, presenting the digital environment as a distinct sphere alongside natural and urban environments. Drawing on expert interviews, the authors explore its defining features—totality, duality, conflict, and indeterminacy—and their impact on society. The book highlights both the potential of digital tools to perpetuate inequities and their capacity to promote equity, offering insights particularly valuable to library and information science professionals.

Book Review: Creating Inclusive Libraries By Applying Universal Design: A Guide By Carli Spina, Katrina Williams

School of Information Student Research Journal

Creating Inclusive Libraries by Applying Universal Design: A Guide is a practical and useful resource for improving libraries so that they are accessible to the broadest range of people possible. The format is well organized, and the case studies illustrate principles in engaging and recognizable ways. A reader who starts with no knowledge of Universal Design would acquire a working knowledge and be able to assess their own spaces with the guidance provided through examples and checklists. Rather than focus on resources for disabled patrons, Spina encourages readers to adopt a reflective practice for considering the needs of all library …

Assessing Risks Of Atypical Sexually Violent Offenders, Lesli Mattheus

Master of Arts in Human Services

Forensic behavioral health research over the past few decades has revealed the complexities of assessing sexually violent offenders (SVOs). Risk assessments play a critical role in determining penalties and treatment, evaluating recidivism risk, and guiding interventions. However, most research has focused on adult male offenders, leaving a significant gap in understanding less common offender types, such as women, juveniles, and pedophiles or child sexual abusers. Gender biases and underreporting limit the understanding of women offenders, while juveniles face challenges like substance use disorders and mental health issues. Structured clinical judgment is a key method for assessing SVO risk, but forensic …

Schools Apart: Curricular Stratification Across School Socioeconomic Compositions And Implications For Educational Inequality In The Us, Daniel Mackin Freeman

Dissertations and Theses

Motivated by longstanding sociological theories and utilizing the most current, large, and nationally representative data, this dissertation aims to describe and add nuance to our understanding of how the curriculum US youth are exposed to is stratified by the socioeconomic composition of the schools they attend. All three empirical chapters suggest that school SES contributes to substantial differences in school structure, as evidenced by differences in course-taking patterns and how course-taking relates to academic achievement in high school and beyond. The first study suggests that the relationship between curricular intensity in secondary school and postsecondary achievement is variable depending on …

How Might One Practice? Producing Possibilities Through Co-Research As A Daily Practice Of A Minor Science, Mark Mullkoff

The Qualitative Report

Narrative practice is a broad field which includes therapy, community work, and research methods, all of which are less rigidly defined as they are connected through resonant ethics. In this paper I explore a practice I have developed in my early years as a narrative therapist asking the question, “If coming to talk to me were part of a Project— although not necessarily the first part, nor the most important part—what would that Project be called?” Through a reflexive process of aspiring towards narrative research principles of co-research, committing to relational ethics (which is grounded and contextual, rather than codified), …

Improving Health And Well-Being Through Shared Family Meals, Halle Larson, Savannah Daines, Stacy Bevan, Palak Gupta, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos

All Current Publications

Shared family meals provide numerous benefits for children, adolescents, and parents, including improved diet quality, healthier weight, better academic performance, stronger family bonds, and enhanced mental health. Regular family meals help children develop healthier eating habits, reduce risky behaviors, and foster communication skills. Despite challenges such as busy schedules and differing dietary preferences, families can overcome obstacles by starting small, keeping meals simple, involving everyone in meal prep, and minimizing distractions like screens. Creating a positive, flexible mealtime routine can help integrate these valuable moments into family life.

A Review Of The Edited Collection, Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives On The Promise Of Stories, Kristina Lainson

The Qualitative Report

Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives on the Promise of Stories, edited by Ashley Barnwell and Signe Ravn (2024), is a compelling and engagingly written collection of research projects, or stories, that showcase use of narrative in research. This review, written through the lens of a narrative therapy and community work practitioner-researcher, asks what resonances and points of interest the collection may hold for the narrative therapy and practice research field. Congruent themes highlighted include nuanced ethical caretaking, concern for matters of social justice, bringing forth subordinated knowledge, centering lived experience, paying attention to the politics of representation, and researcher transparency …

Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors In The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Vic Morris

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Morris, Victor E. “Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors in the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2024. 285 pp.

The Canadian Armed Forces has outcomes and expectations for warriors to be spiritually resilient but does not have a training program that has been researched, tested, and validated to achieve this. This study investigates how chaplains can prepare spiritually resilient warriors in CANSOFCOM. A chaplain-led spiritual resilience course was created and delivered to CANSOFCOM members. The course was aligned with the holistic wellness strategy of OPF2, and designed as an inductive, experiential learning experience. An …

Decentralized And Divided: Philadelphia’S Public Assistance System And Community-Based Initiatives, Gianna Casey, Shari Orisich

Honors Theses

Public assistance programs and community-based initiatives have aided Philadelphian’s residents in a cohesive effort to fill the gaps of community-needs. While both are inherently different in their methodologies and executions, their structures are built upon a collective foundation of legislative principles and policy-based ordinances in Philadelphia. These concepts, first began with poor laws and religious organizations in the 19th century, have turned into a complex system that has fallen tremendously short of sufficiently addressing the specialized needs of Philadelphian families. The surrounding laws for public assistance program administration (e.g. TANF and WIC), are founded within the objectives of these poor …

Conceptualization, Measurement, And Contributors To Participation Among People Living With Parkinson’S Disease, Moon Young Kim

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Participation is a key outcome of rehabilitation and key to successful aging. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often experience significant challenges in maintaining participation in meaningful activities and roles. This dissertation examines the influence of living with PD on participation by integrating findings from three studies: a systematic review, a cross-sectional study, and a longitudinal study.

The systematic review synthesized the existing quantitative research on participation in people with PD, revealing inconsistencies in the conceptualization of participation. While the evaluation tools aimed at assessing participation in PD showed acceptable coverage of domains of participation, the assessment of the aspects of …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Madison L. Good

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio highlights my growth and development as a social work student which I am hopeful and committed to continuing as I transition into a new social work professional. The five elements of advanced integrated practice will be presented followed by the competency that relates to each element. Within each competency, I will explore the dimensions of practice that include how I expanded my knowledge, skills, and values while forming and demonstrating cognitive and affective processes throughout my time in the program.

Society Of American Foresters (Saf) Academic Publications As They Relate To The Curriculum Standards For Saf Forestry Program Accreditation: A Content Analysis, Lisa M. Bentley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Goals that impact decision-making components within academic programs in the university system have the potential to define and change the direction of a field of study, and, with that, should be thoughtfully approached with a certainty of evidence that supports responsible paradigms in forestry education. Periodic revision of the standards for accreditation by SAF influences institutional expectations that result in shifts in forestry education and should be consistent with professional forestry standards. The methodology utilized in this research contextualizes data from a sociological perspective intentionally as a method to holistically integrate data as evidence to support the interpretation of Society …

Reduction Of Seclusion And Restraint Among Children And Adolescents In An Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital: A Health Policy Analysis, Huma Moez

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Background: Seclusion and restraint (SR) or restrictive intervention in inpatient/ acute psychiatric hospitals, emergency departments, crisis stabilization units, residentials, or group homes is a pressing and an immediate concern in mental health settings, particularly for children and adolescents, for whom SR rates are higher. The Joint Commission and other national organizations have made significant strides in prioritizing the reduction and elimination of SR among children and adolescents due to its negative physical and psychological consequences.

Objective: This DNP project will aim to provide the results of a policy analysis to present evidence-based techniques and a resulting re-envisioned policy recommendation to …

Stress, Screens, And Social Skills: Parental Stress As A Longitudinal Predictor Of Preschool Social Behavior Mediated By Parental Technoference, Sarah Ashby

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the longitudinal relationship between parental stress, parental technoference, and preschool children's social behavior, including physical aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behavior. Using data from Project M.E.D.I.A., the study explores how parental stress may be linked to disruptions in parent-child interactions through increased use of digital media, termed "technoference." It was predicted that an increase in parental stress would increase physical and relational aggression, and decrease prosocial behavior over time, as mediated by parental technoference. A sample of 460- parent-child dyads was analyzed across three time points using structural equation modeling. Despite expectations, results did not find significant …

Falling Victim To The Beauty Algorithm, Niti Majethia

Capstones

As life on the internet becomes the new normal, the impact of social media becomes more pervasive and relentless. This story delves into how platforms like Instagram and TikTok can amplify the societal pressures on women to live up to an impossible beauty standard. Various experts weigh in on how this pressure affects women of all ages — from little girls to grown-up, established influencers. This timely narrative underscores the steep cost of society’s obsession with beauty as a measure of value and whether there is an escape to it at all.

¿Qué Futuro Les Espera A Los Trabajadores Latinos? El Calor Extremo, Las Promesas Vacías Y La Incertidumbre Política, Yunior Rivas Garcia

Capstones

Este artículo explora las condiciones mortales que enfrentan los trabajadores latinos en Estados Unidos debido al estrés por calor, un riesgo creciente en sectores esenciales como la construcción, la agricultura y el almacenamiento. A pesar de representar una proporción significativa de las muertes laborales, las protecciones contra el calor son insuficientes, y la falta de regulación federal agrava la vulnerabilidad de estos trabajadores, muchos de los cuales son indocumentados. A través de casos específicos, como la muerte de Esvin Cruz Mateo, y un análisis de las políticas laborales actuales, el texto examina las fallas estructurales que perpetúan la inseguridad laboral …