Digital Commons Network^™

The Built Environment And Its Effects On Health Outcomes In Metropolitan Miami, Jared Sanchez Hoehing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Obesity, depression and social isolation rates are an increasing worry in the United States. As planners, we help shape the built environment, which can influence a person’s health outcomes. To assess the effects the built environment has on health outcomes, this paper looks at the percentage of park space, the population density and the national walk index score, combined with several demographic and socioeconomic variables in the Metropolitan Miami region. The study uses the spatial autoregression results of the variables on each health measurement to determine the connection with each health outcome. Despite initial hypotheses that the built environment leads …

Affect Regulation In The Context Of Sexual And Gender Minority Stress: A Scoping Review Protocol, Daphne Y. Liu, Benjamin A. Swerdlow, Shao Yuan Chong, Nadia Kako, Alex Rubin, Nicholas S. Perry

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Objective

To provide a broad, comprehensive picture of affect regulation in the context of sexual and gender minority stress, this scoping review aims to identify and synthesize methods, methodologies, and available evidence pertinent to emotion regulation and coping in the context of minority stress among sexual and gender minority (SGM) people.

Introduction

SGM people face disproportionately high rates of mental health problems due to experiences of minority stress and lack of social safety. Theories and growing evidence suggest that affect regulation plays a critical role in SGM people’s well-being in the face of minority stress. Researchers have largely studied emotion …

M-O-M-S On The Bayou: Implementation Of An Intervention To Improve Mental Health After Disaster, E. W. Harville, Gloria Giarratano, M. Patterson, M. Schultheis, K. S. Dorans, S. Turner, S. Harris, S. Longo, K. Weis

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Pregnant women are a vulnerable population after disaster. Their health may be improved through community-based support programs in addition to their standard prenatal care. We conducted a prenatal peer support program, Mentors Offering Maternal Support (M-O-M-S), focused on improving mental health in hurricane-affected areas in southern Louisiana. M-O-M-S consists of six biweekly sessions covering pregnancy acceptance, maternal role identification, family and partner relationships, preparation for labor/fears around labor, well-being/safety of self and baby, and post-delivery health and maternal-infant bonding. The program is led by a “mentor”, an experienced mother but not necessarily a clinician or social worker, who guides the …

Wei Xiqin’S Evolutionary Plan For Modern China, Nianhong Qiu

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This study examines the thinking, practices, and significance of Wei Xiqin (1882- 1952). Born in Germany and educated in various European countries, Wei was a musician and educator who played an active role in the educational reform of the Republic of China. Wei was equipped with modern European thoughts but held deep reverence for Confucianism and other traditional Chinese classics. Examining this contentious figure in the wake of “Chinese Evolutionism” trend, this study investigates the differences between Wei’s evolution theory and the dominant evolution theory during early 20th-century China. Wei’s evolutionism, which I call a type of “Cyclic Evolution,” implies …

Nasionalisme Di Era Artificial Intelligence: Scoping Review, Mudita Vidyananda, Angelina Regina Halim, Patricia Irene, Muhammad Firliansyah Maliki, Ivana Suryaprawira, Bonar Hutapea

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

This paper aims to map and thematically present the existing literature on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), identity, and AI Nationalism, following a scoping review approach. A systematic search was conducted across the Scopus, Web of Science, ACM Digital Library, and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant studies. The selected studies, published between 2020-2025, focus on the impact of AI on identity and geopolitics, resulting in six papers included in the final synthesis. The analyzed studies employed various methods, including conceptual, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Data extracted from each study included author, publication year, objectives, methodology, and key …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Delivery Of Trauma-Informed Services To Hospital-Based Clients Ot, Frank Czuba

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Hospitalization can traumatize clients and impact overall health outcomes, leading to increased hospital readmission rates and resulting in a negative impact for both clients and providers. Limited information exists regarding how hospital-based occupational therapists evaluate and address trauma, even though incorporating trauma-informed principles into professional practice can enhance the occupational therapy process. The study explored the comprehension and perceived significance of trauma-informed tenets among occupational therapists delivering services in hospital-based settings. A quantitative research study with an exploratory design was implemented to explore how occupational therapists (OT) understand and utilize trauma-informed practices with their clients in a hospital setting. An …

“I Have Already Lost My Kids”: Mothering Experiences Of Women In Jail, Bothwell Piason, Dawn Beichner-Thomas

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

Although women represent a small proportion of the incarcerated population globally, their rate of incarceration in the United States has increased dramatically over the past four decades, outpacing that of men. As carceral trends return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, jail populations continue to rise, with most incarcerated women being mothers of young children. Yet, research on motherhood behind bars has largely focused on prisons rather than jails. This study explores the mothering experiences of women incarcerated in two U.S. Midwestern jails, including both pretrial detainees and sentenced individuals. Using qualitative data from in-depth interviews with jailed mothers, the analysis examines …

Lgbtq+ Communities, Fashion, Style, And Dress: A Scoping Review, Megan Romans, Kelly L. Reddy-Best

Faculty Publications - Family and Consumer Sciences

In our review, we assess the intersection of LGBTQ+ identities with fashion, style, and dress, providing a comprehensive overview of current peer-reviewed research on the topic. Drawing from a scoping review approach, we analyzed studies published between 2000 and 2024 that address the relationship between LGBTQ+ identities and fashion-related practices. The research identifies key themes and trends, highlighting the evolving academic landscape of LGBTQ+ fashion studies. By examining studies from a range of academic databases, we categorize the literature by theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and geographic contexts. Overall, most articles focused on negotiating identity via clothing of a variety of identities …

Advancing Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Pregnant Individuals Throughout The Perinatal Period To Prevent Adverse Pregnancy And Maternal Outcomes, Emilia R. Valdez

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Intimate Partner Violence experienced by pregnant individuals contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal health. A mother’s exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) can affect their ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term (38 – 40 weeks gestational age) and places them at risk for comorbidities including; Preterm birth, Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Low Birth Weight/ Small for Gestational Age, Premature Rupture of Membranes and Miscarriage. The incidence of IPV screening is not accessible to all pregnant individuals due to healthcare providers lack of education, time constraints in the workplace, bias and discomfort towards IPV. The implementation of IPV …

An Exploratory Study Of The Relationship Between Social Factors And Social Connectivity; How Do Our Social Behaviors Impact Our Physical And Cognitive Health?, Tayler K. Errera

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Social connectedness has reportedly seen significant declines in the last two and a half decades (Hsiao et al., 2022). These trends correlate with social media, related technological advances, and COVID-19 quarantine responses. With signs that this decline has started to stagnate, interest in what individuals and communities can do to reverse this adverse impact arises. While many factors are known to correlate to social connectivity, this study demonstrates the significance of specific factors regarding college students. This study highlights the importance of exercise and technological restraint in fostering social connection.

Revisiting Bandura’S Self-Efficacy Performance Accomplishments In Pwi And Hbcu Students: A Sign Of Persistence, Britine Perkins, Douglas M. Butler, Jerrel Moore

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

This study revisits Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy by examining performance accomplishments among students attending a predominantly White institution (PWI) and a historically Black college or university (HBCU). While academic self-efficacy has long been linked to college success, much of the existing research centers on students at PWIs and often overlooks the cultural contexts shaping students’ beliefs about their academic abilities. Using the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES), the authors compare self-efficacy perceptions across institutional type and explore how performance accomplishments influence persistence. Findings highlight the importance of culturally responsive frameworks when assessing self-efficacy, particularly for minoritized and first-generation students. By incorporating …

Police Supervisor Selection Process And The Need For Uniformity In Practices To Improve Police Leadership In The Usa, Catrina M. Rhatigan

Theses and Dissertations

Effective police leadership is crucial to sustaining the culture shift in law enforcement. Leaders need to lead, and how the executive staff assess their leadership capabilities will determine whether they are up to the task. Police executives need to determine first what their motives are: to fill open supervisory spots? Promote the best leaders? This study and the results highlight the need to focus on the latter, identify the leadership qualities that best fit your department's needs, and work from there. A lack of oversight and inconsistent standards for police supervisors leads to poor policing and inadequate responses to significant …

Commercial Off-The-Shelf Electronic Warfare Threats To Global Positioning System Receivers, Matthew P. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluates the feasibility of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware developed into an electronic warfare (EW) system used to degrade or deny Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. All 16 critical infrastructure sectors rely on GPS signals to operate safely and effectively. Millions of Americans rely on GPS signals and the services they provide in their daily lives, so the loss of these vital services would dramatically impact our society. Our nation’s reliance on the GPS network makes it a potential target for COTS EW threats. The ways and means to develop COTS hardware into EW systems to interfere with GPS receivers …

Guidelines For Community Engaged Health Research, Carrie Leach, Hayley Thompson, Alex Sass, Patricia Wren, Rodlescia Sneed, Rhonda Dailey, Elizabeth Towner, Maha Albdour, Carla Caringi, Alyssa W. Beavers, Theresa A. Hastert, Vanessa Rorai, Peter A. Lichtenberg, Angulique Outlaw, Ijeoma Nnodim Opara

Institute of Gerontology

Executive Summary:

Wayne State University’s Guidelines for Community Engaged Health Research provide a practical framework for designing, conducting, and evaluating ethical, equitable, and impactful health research that engages community experts in projects that advance health equity in Detroit.

Purpose 

Developed for WSU faculty, staff, and research teams, the guidelines support the meaningful involvement of community experts across all phases of research. They respond to common challenges in community-engaged work, including limited experience with engagement approaches, the need for reflexive and equitable practices, and the time and coordination required for authentic collaboration.

The document defines Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) as collaborative work …

Teachers, Dispositions, And Classroom Management: Social Origins, Professional Development, And The Datafication Of School Discipline, Paul L. Poggemeyer

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

How do teachers’ social backgrounds and professional orientations shape the disciplinary and relational dimensions of their work? This dissertation takes up that question across three related but self-contained studies in the sociology of education, set in Central School District, a public school district in the southeastern United States. Each study examines a different facet of how teachers establish authority, manage behavior, and exercise care: the social origins of their orientations toward classroom management, the experience of becoming professionally competent in the early career, and the use of digital tools that increasingly govern how school discipline is recorded. Drawing broadly on …

Experiences Of Marginalization At The Intersection Of Race, Ethnicity, And Disability In Higher Education, Nora L. Portillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Black and Latine college students with disabilities navigate higher education at the intersection of racism and ableism, yet their experiences remain underexamined. Autism and ADHD are particularly underrepresented in research and public discourse; moreover, unlike other disability categories in which students of color are overrepresented, Black and Latine children are less likely than white children to be accurately identified, and both disabilities are often framed around white prototypes. Guided by Disability Critical Race Theory, the present exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduates identifying as Black and/or Latine and with ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum attending a …

What Happens When We Face The Harm? Reflections On Restorative Justice, Conflict, And Accountability (And A Flyer On Practical Steps), Renate Alant

A with Honors Projects

This project explores conflict resolution, restorative justice, and meaningful apologies through reflections on Dr. Mikhail Lyubansky’s workshops hosted by the Psi Beta club at Parkland College. The paper examines how restorative justice focuses on accountability and repair rather than punishment, while the accompanying flyer encourages students to learn practical conflict resolution skills.

Spirituality And Psychological Well-Being In College Students: Does Resilience Mediate This Relationship, Kevin C. Snow, Jessica Starken, Lindsay A. Phillips

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Given continued challenges of college transition and recent changes (e.g., COVID) leading to increased use of college counseling services and past studies exploring spiritualty/religion and resilience pertaining to psychological well-being (PWB), this study explored the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB in college students. Three scales, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, were used to measure the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB. Results of this study showed support for the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB in college students. Results also lend support for future research exploring therapeutic incorporation of spirituality …

Experiencing Objectification In Platform Work: Food Delivery Riders’ Accounts Of Organizational Absence And Self-Valuation, Emerald Jay D. Ilac, Ma. Tonirose D. Mactal, Clarisse Aeaea M. Kilboy

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

This study aimed to explain how food delivery platform riders experience objectification in the context of platform-based work, with particular attention to how organizational practices and leadership shape experiences of marginalization, dignity, and voice. A qualitative design was employed using Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine food delivery platform riders to describe the essential structures of their lived experiences of objectification. Subaltern Theory was used as an interpretive lens in making sense of the findings. Five experiential themes were identified: (1) leaders’ non-presence resulting in perceived abandonment, (2) leaders’ devaluing of food delivery riders, (3) social devaluation …

Exploring The Role Of Satisfaction With Love, Education, Work, And Leisure In Flourishing During Emerging Adulthood And Early Established Adulthood, Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, Tyler B. Jamison, Cindy L. Hartman

Faculty Publications - Family and Consumer Sciences

Using data from 857 young adults (18 to 35 years-old), we explored how satisfaction with education, work, romantic, and leisure experiences were associated with flourishing. We found associations between satisfaction and flourishing, even when accounting for having completed salient developmental tasks related to education, work, romantic relationships, and leisure. Although we did not find that gender (cisgender women compared to cisgender men) or developmental stage (emerging adult compared to early established adult) moderated associations between developmental domain satisfaction and flourishing, we did find gender and developmental stage differences in education, work, and leisure satisfaction as well as developmental task completion …

Beyond War: Building Wisdom Civilization To Rescue Humanity, Andrew Targowski

Comparative Civilizations Review

This paper presents a comparative civilizational analysis of humanity’s transition from a War Civilization to the emerging Wisdom Civilization. Drawing on the works of Toynbee, Sorokin, Quigley, Huntington, Spengler, and Koneczny, it interprets the present global disorder — marked by the tension between Western, Chinese, Russian, and Muslim civilizations — as a transformative moment in human history. War and militarism, once adaptive mechanisms of civilizational growth, have become self-destructive in an era of technological interdependence. It is proposed that the next evolutionary stage of civilization must integrate knowledge with conscience to form a Wisdom Civilization founded on empathy, sustainability, and …

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Conch Gone? Examining Cultural Preservation Through Bahamian Menu Analysis, Adiah J. Saunders

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social identity theory and acculturation theory expose how cultural practices, such as cuisine, can adapt due to external pressures. In The Bahamas, external pressure from the tourism industry shapes many aspects of public life, by analyzing menus we can see how cultural identity resists or succumbs to change. This study examined how Bahamian cuisine is represented on restaurant menus in Nassau, New Providence amid a dominating tourism industry. Using a stratified random sample of 30 restaurants, 1,155 menu items were coded for cultural origin, cultural language use, promotional features, as well as pricing. The results show that international dishes appear …

Innocence Interrupted: A 25-Year Study Of Reported Filicide Incidents In The United States, 1999 To 2023, Jeffrey A. Walsh, Jessie L. Krienert, Ema Voksic

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

This study examines filicide, the killing of a child by a parent or parental figure, using 25 years of data (1999–2023) from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (N = 3,974). Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze variations in offender, victim, and incident characteristics across four victim age categories: neonaticide (within 24 hr of birth), infanticide (1–364 days), child filicide (1–17 years), and adult filicide (18+ years). Results reveal significant differences in offender age, sex, race, weapon use, and victim demographics. Neonaticide is most often associated with younger female offenders and the use of personal weapons, while adult filicide …

Weaponized Borders: A Contrapuntal Analysis Of Uneven Humanitarian Aid And Comparative Landscapes, Alex Orla-Bukowski

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The proliferation of global border regimes has caused an increased level of state violence against humans and the environment. In this thesis I explore how contemporary border regimes propagate myths on human mobility, obstruct humanitarian policy, and weaponize environmental landscapes to sustain state violence while obscuring political responsibility. Building on this, I argue that borders are the source of violence and create systems of vulnerability as a core-function of state making. My research primarily utilizes semi-structured interviews with humanitarian actors and secondary data analysis to trace the testimonies of those subject to state-based harm and explore the gaps in aid …

“If You Think This Vilifies The Police, Then You Think The Police Are Villains”: Teaching Reparations Won As An Antidote To Copaganda, Kaitlyn Selman, Hannah Carson Baggett, Justin Turner

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

Building on prior research about copaganda and pro-police socialization, we argue that the Reparations Won curriculum in Chicago Public Schools is an antidote to police legitimization efforts in K-12 schools. Specifically, the curriculum affirms student experiences that are not accounted for nor deemed possible in a world built by and for policing; it emphasizes relationship-building and centers definitions of community that resist the alienation required for such a world; and it facilitates an understanding of local histories as inseparable from broader social structures. We conclude that in an era of contested curricula, Reparations Won provides the structure needed to grapple …

The Economics Of Accountability: Learning From German Holocaust Reparations, Grace I. Gates

Scripps Senior Theses

Drawing on microdata from the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, this study compares European Holocaust survivors who received reparations with similar Europeans who did not. It finds that, decades on, recipients are not systematically better or worse off on core outcomes like life satisfaction, savings, and debt. This is consistent with the argument that reparations restore parity rather than create new advantages. Where differences emerge, they point to stabilization in more vulnerable settings (e.g., lower likelihood of high debt in parts of Eastern Europe). The main takeaway from effective reparations is applicable to the United States debate: …

The Suppression Of The Opelousas Massacre Of 1868: The Blackleg Hunt Or “La Chasse A’ La Jambe Noire”, August Malveaux

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

This article examines the suppression of the 1868 Opelousas Massacre—also known as “la chasse à la jambe noire” or the Blackleg Hunt—and situates it within the broader landscape of Reconstruction-era racial violence in Louisiana. Malveaux argues that the massacre was not an isolated riot but a premeditated act of political terrorism designed to eliminate Black electoral participation and reverse Reconstruction gains. Triggered by Black political mobilization and white supremacist resistance, the violence unfolded over several days in September 1868 and resulted in widespread murder, intimidation, and property destruction. The essay challenges the historiographical minimization of the event, emphasizing how organized …

The Role Of White Racial Identity Development In Leadership Practices: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study In White Educational Leaders, Kaitlyn Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how white educational leaders experience and make meaning of their racial identity development as they lead adult professional learning focused on racial equity and culturally responsive practice. Grounded in Helms’s White Racial Identity Development (WRID) model and guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study explored the lived experiences of ten white leaders across PK–12 and Institution of Higher Education (IHE). Data were collected through three semi‑structured interviews per participant and analyzed using IPA’s six‑step process. Five major themes emerged: transformational experiences that shifted leaders’ understanding of race and privilege; the critical role of white affinity …

Reclaiming Connection: Narrative Differences Between Traumatic And Positive Birth Experiences, Ryan O. Sesker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Traumatic birth experiences can disrupt mental health and maternal bonding between mother and infant. While clinical outcomes often prioritize infant health, less attention has been given to how birth experiences shape maternal confidence and feelings of confidence and adequacy as a new parent. This study examines what factors within birth experiences influence maternal self-perception and confidence during the postpartum period. Drawing on Maternal Role Attainment Theory and self-efficacy theory, this research explores how perceived loss of control, medicalization, provider interactions, and emotional support affect maternal identity formation. Using a qualitative approach, this research analyzes publicly available birth stories shared on …