Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainability Of Food Prescription Programs In Rural Mississippi, Eve Davis

Honors Theses

Food prescription programs are an innovative strategy to address food insecurity and to promote health as a preventative measure, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Mississippi has high rates of chronic diseases relating to nutrition, poverty, and limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Throughout this research, I have analyzed program funding and sustainability mechanisms such as community investment, nutrition education, and awareness. The preliminary research has identified the need for collaboration between healthcare providers, local farmers, nonprofit organizations, and government officials. I interviewed various individuals that could become potential stakeholders for food prescription programs, such as individuals from nonprofit …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Role Of Relationship Status In Asexual College Students’ Sexual Victimization, Amanda Mollet, Wayne Black, Leslie Shelton

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This exploratory quantitative study examines sexual violence among asexual college students using the Asexual Community Survey. We conducted analyses to examine the coercive tactics used by sexual violence perpetrators against asexual college students with a focus on examining statistical differences based on characteristics of students’ relationships. Findings revealed that across multiple forms of relationships, asexual college students’ relationship experiences were significantly correlated with experiencing higher levels of multiple types of sexual violence. The study challenges existing narratives of campus-based sexual violence while highlighting the unique and specific influences of power on sexual victimization within the context of asexual college students’ …

Understanding The Transitional Needs Of Servicemembers To Veterans: A Focus On Mental, Social, And Behavioral Health, Marieann C. Raguso

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to fill the gaps on the transitional American veterans’ lived experience using their own voice. The reconstruction of an American Veteran’s identity after transitioning back into civilian life is a process with many challenges. Transitional practices often fail to help veterans to acculturate back into the civilian world. This includes the formulation of identities and associations. There is a lack of consistency in military transitional practices leading to identity loss and the formulation of mental and behavioral disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the lived experiences of veterans who have transitioned back …

The Relationship Between Religious Coping Styles And Eating Disorder Risk In Christians In A University Setting, Meghan E. Aubuchon

Honors Theses

Existing research on eating disorders and religion is beginning to gain momentum in the present day, but research is lacking on the topic of religious coping and eating disorder risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two known styles of religious coping—positive and negative—and eating disorder risk in University of Mississippi students, faculty, and staff who identify as Christian. A survey consisting of basic demographic questions, the EAT-26, and the Brief RCOPE was distributed via emails sent by the office of IREP to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. A total of 330 participants were …

How Should Scientists Act? Assessing Public Perceptions Of Scientists And Scientific Practices And Their Implications For Science Communication, Thomas G. Safford, Emily H. Whitmore

Faculty Publications

Is how science is conducted legitimate? Are scientists trustworthy? Whether the public answers “yes” to these questions is critical for science communicators. We explore how social factors affect public perceptions of the practice of science, and then test how those beliefs relate to views about how scientists engage with the public and policy making. Our results show that political ideology and religiosity affect these views. However, more importantly, respondents’ concerns about the integrity of the scientific process are the strongest predictor of views about scientists’ behavior, providing a focus area for future communication efforts in support of science-based decision making.

Methods In Environmental Studies, Erika Dunagan, Maya Mendoza, Posey Graber, Alex Cullins, Emma Mcginnis, Ally Nepomuceno, Isabella Buchan

Featured Student Work

This publication is a collection of undergraduate research conducted in the Methods in Environmental Studies course at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2024. The student-led projects explore the intersections of place, policy, ecology, and cultural identity through applied environmental research methodologies. Topics include a decolonial examination of the Forest Park Mound Group and Indigenous resilience in St. Louis; a comparative study of Navajo cosmology and ecological justice; a social and environmental impact assessment of Costa Rica’s National Decarbonization Plan; a psychogeographical analysis of Golden Gate Park and its impact on the psyche, emotions, behaviour, and health of urban …

Stories Of Mothering: Autoethnography Of Generational Sexual Abuse, Karen D. Barley Dr

The Qualitative Report

Being a mother is both rewarding and challenging and most women seek to be the best mother that they can be. Despite best intentions, many find their ability to ‘mother’ has been tempered by their own mothering. This autoethnography encapsulates a series of vignettes describing poignant and melodic memories of my mother; and explores her neglect and inability to protect me because of sexual abuse in her life. Within my family heritage there has been a craven cycle of abuse that has perpetuated a lineage of multigenerational family sexual violence. This cycle has affected the mothers in my family’s ability …

Collaborative Creative Inquiry: An Arts-Informed Approach To Transdisciplinary Research, Natalia Balyasnikova, Meghan Bruce Kumar, Yecid Ortega, Melanie Wong

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents Collaborative Creative Inquiry (CCI) as innovative arts-informed approach to transdisciplinary research. Moving away from conventional qualitative research paradigms, we adopt a reflexive stance to introduce CCI as a process that challenges static narratives and fosters inclusivity within the research process. Through critical introspection, we describe an iterative five-step CCI approach, elucidating its unique process and methodological underpinnings. Drawing upon vivid personal illustrations, we offer vignettes to illustrate the application of CCI in practice and showcase opportunities for collaborative knowledge generation with co-creation. We conclude by reflecting on insights we gained through our CCI process and inviting others …

Exploring The Incommensurability Of The Interview In Postqualitative Research: A Narrative Practice-Informed Approach, Sarah Strauven

The Qualitative Report

My starting point in this paper is the question of whether the interview, as a method to contribute knowledge, has become incommensurable and thus superfluous within post-qualitative research frameworks. I take seriously the critiques posited by scholars in the field of post-qualitative inquiry and seek to clarify the generative possibilities of aligning interviews with a post-structural paradigm. My incorporation of narrative practices into this exploration not only grounds the discussion in a narrative practice-based methodology but also offers readers practical ideas for addressing the challenges of paradigmatic congruency. This approach signals a methodological innovation, and I propose a practical process …

Social Contributors To Differences In Math Course Attainment Among Adolescents With And Without Learning Disabilities And Adhd, Dara Shifrer, Angela Frederick, Daniel Mackin Freeman, Hannah Sean Ellefritz, Rachel Springer

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Completing advanced high school math coursework relates to better adulthood outcomes. Our understanding of why youth with learning disabilities (LDs) and/or ADHD have less access to high math course attainment is limited. Using data on around 20,000 adolescents from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, results indicate that, regardless of disability status, structural inequities in family social position are more salient for youth's math course attainment than formal disability programming, universal supports, or structural inequities in how students are sorted across schools. Among youth with the same disability status, youth from higher SES families, or whose parents have a …

What Is Known And Not Known About The Impact Of Social Media On Self-Esteem: Systematic Literature Review Of Research On Adolescents (2014-2024), Kailen Mokhantha-Sopraseuth

Honors Theses

Prior research has found social media can impact how users feel about themselves and can influence how individuals perceive the world around them. Due to the increase in adolescent usage of social media, a systematic literature review of research available through Western Michigan University’s library was conducted. This study was aimed at summarizing and critically evaluating research on the impact of social media use on adolescent’s self-esteem using a qualitative systematic literature review from the last decade, with some quantitative analysis. Specifically, this study examined 1) what methods of data collection was used, 2) research designs implemented, and 3) results …

A Grounded Theoretic Analysis Of College Students’ Attitudes Regarding Indoor Plants And Pets As Moderators Of Daily Stressors, Lydia Dill

Honors Projects

This study explores college students' attitudes toward indoor plants and pets, and how this may impact college students’ experience with stress. Through in-depth interviews and grounded theory methodology, three key themes emerged: Plant Ownership as a Method of Establishing Structure, Plants as Ornamentation, and Pets as a Source of Comfort. Plant ownership helps students create routines and emotional stability, while plants also enhance living spaces aesthetically. Pets provide emotional support, offering companionship and support, particularly during academic pressures. The study builds on previous research by examining both indoor plants and pets together, highlighting how each fulfills unique emotional, psychological, and …

Aligning Artificial Intelligence With Climate Change Adaptation In Egypt, Lara Mohamed Abdelrazik Ms.

Future Journal of Social Science

Abstract:

One of the frequently witnessed barriers to accelerating action on climate change is related to the construction of data bases, variables, and models as well as data extraction. According to the Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment, several subfields of Artificial Intelligence identify patterns to support the completion of specific tasks towards combating climate change such as; gathering, completing, and interpreting large, and complete datasets by making it possible to enhance data-driven decision-making for climate action. However, the negative side of AI was also recognized.

Learning algorithms to understand how AI’s climate impact goes beyond its …

Delinquency And Inadvertent Neglect As Byproducts Of Work-Addicted Parents, Shelley Sasser

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

Over the past decade, discussions of work addiction throughout academic literature have increased substantially. However, the relationship between childhood outcomes and parental work addiction has yet to be explored. In this study, I set out to identify functions of parent-child relationships and comparisons of situational outcomes stemming from work addiction in relation to social determinants such as income, ethnicity, and gender, along with resulting stratification. The degree to which children benefit from features of lifestyles typically associated with high household incomes, such as financial security, health care benefits, access to educational resources, and neighborhood socioeconomic advantage, wherein parental work-addiction might …

The Rage, Fall 2024, Aspen Humphries, Savannah Moore, Lottie Taylor

The Rage Zine

The Rage zine is published in collaboration with Students Advocating Gender Equality and CCU Women's and Gender Studies. Volume 3, Issue 1.

Why Am I The Only Black Student? An Examination Of The Expected Level Of Engagement At Indiana Universities For High Achieving African American Students Based On Precollege Factors, Zoretta Ward-Holloway

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the individual and school level precollege factors, including student engagement levels, associated with high achieving African American graduates of varied high school types to ascertain whether a relationship/pattern emerges that provides a profile and helps to explain the interactions between multiple levels of ecological factors that impact academic success in high school and expected level of engagement in college. The Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) instrument was used to consider self-reporting archival data of high-performing African American students as a means of gathering the voices of students. BCSSE instruments from …

Challenging Myths & Addressing Intimate Partner Sexual Violence In Lgbtq+ Relationships, Nora K. Whitten

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Intimate partner violence (IPV), including intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV), is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects members of the LGBTQ+ community. This paper draws upon related, though limited, research to identify the five prevalent myths surrounding IPSV in LGBTQ+ relationships, addressing the following misconceptions: 1) IPSV can only occur in heterosexual relationships, 2) IPSV in LGBTQ+ relationships is not as severe, 3) Women cannot commit acts of sexual violence, 4) The more “masculine” partner is always the perpetrator, and 5) IPSV is a “mutual fight” among partners of the same sex. These myths perpetuate victim-blaming, minimize the severity …

The Interplay Of Covid 19, Organized Religion, And Social Media: “How Can I Be The Person I Feel I Need To Be?”, White Dove Bryant Beethoven Keith Short

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young adults are disaffiliating themselves from organized religion (Hout & Fischer, 2014). This study investigates the impact of social media use on religious identity, teaching, and learning. Social media use is changing young adults as individuals in worldview and perspective, spirituality, religion, and personal lifestyle (Schaeffer, 2019). Messages devised for young adults by Christian ministers for discipleship in teaching and instruction are inharmonious with young adults and their personal views of the world, how to live, and religion (Pew Research Center, 2019). The continued existence of religious teaching, congregant replenishment, and practice of the organized institutional Christian church within society …

Rape Beyond Fantasy: Exploring The Influence Of Booktok's Erotica And Dark Romance Literature On Young Adult Perceptions Of Consent And Boundaries, Teagan Bailey Fortune

Master's Theses

Advances in technology and media, particularly TikTok, have had a significant impact on the younger generation. BookTok, a community that emerged from TikTok, is a platform where users can promote, share, and discuss book recommendations, using “spice level” or chili emojis to indicate the rating of explicit content. While recommendations often focus on erotica and dark romance fiction, concerns arise when such content glamorizes and normalizes rape culture, especially for young adults (YA). The normalization of toxic relationships can potentially influence YA perceptions of consent and boundaries. This study explores how YA perceive rape culture and consent in erotica and …

Ephemeral Legacy, Allison Hall

Master's Theses

Recently, my thoughts have centered on the problem of legacy. How do we forge bonds with other humans? What happens on an interpersonal level when these humans pass away, or when we pass, and they continue in life? How do queer spaces consistently offer deeper phenomena of interpersonal legacies; how does death operate as generational catalyst? I am particularly interested in putting these questions in the context of queer spaces. In queer culture, kinship is formed in ways that break from typical western notions of kinship. Despite being incoherent to western notions of family, queer bonds are extremely strong (Bradway …

Local Rural Knowledge And Early Childhood Informal Science Education In Rural Nebraska, Sarah Michelle Paulos

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This study aims to discover the existing experiences that lead to local rural knowledge (LRK) of specific rural Northeast Nebraska communities. This information will assist in understanding the impact that LRK has on young children’s science knowledge in rural communities. By engaging in hands-on experiences and interactions, science learning goals for children may be achieved and developed through science outreach programs. During Phase 1 of this study, adults in the selected rural communities participated in an online survey indicating their knowledge of various common rural phrases with the option to share personal stories of experiences and family history. This information …

Economic Disadvantage During Childhood, Obesity, And Diabetes Across Three Birth Cohorts Of Older Mexicans, Jesús-Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Rebeca Wong, Neil Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes prevalence has increased markedly in Mexico. We examined the individual and joint contributions of economic disadvantage during childhood (EDDC) and elevated body weight on diabetes prevalence in 3 cohorts of Mexican adults.

METHODS: Data on those 60-69 years old from the 1930-1939, 1940-1949, and 1950-1959 birth cohorts in Waves 1 (2001), 3 (2012), and 5 (2018) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study were used. EDDC was defined as the absence of a toilet in the household before age 10. Body mass status was defined using self-reported perceived body image at age 50. Diabetes was based on respondent …

Costly Signaling Theory, Hui Ying Ivy Koh, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Costly signaling theory is the idea that the high costs incurred by an individual to convey information about underlying qualities keeps this signal reliable, as only individuals who truly possess the quality signaled can afford to send the signal.

Foster Care, Substance Use, And Social Determinants Of Health In South Carolina: A Geographic Approach, Patricia Carbajales-Dale

All Dissertations

Foster care is a critical intervention for vulnerable children, with approximately 400,000 children entering the system annually in the United States. Parental substance use, second only to neglect, is now a leading cause of foster care entry. While previous research has explored the relationship between socioeconomic factors and foster care, few studies have incorporated spatial approaches at the neighborhood level to understand how factors such as economic inequality, healthcare disparities, and substance use influence foster care entries. This study addresses that gap by integrating spatial analysis and machine learning techniques to examine the geographic and social dynamics underlying foster care …

Examining The Activity-Related Correlates Of Latine Parent Support Of Adolescents In Organized Afterschool Activities, Fuko Kiyama, Sandra Simpkins

Journal of Youth Development

Objective: This study examined the relations between Latine parent perceptions of their seventh grade adolescents’ organized afterschool activity and their support of adolescents’ participation in these organized afterschool activities; and, whether these relations varied based on the organized afterschool activity’s ethnic cultural features.

Background: Although parent support bolsters adolescents’ success in multiple contexts, including organized afterschool activities, we know little about what promotes parent support. Method: Using data on Latine parent perceptions (N = 143) of their support (17 items), of organized afterschool activities (8 items) and ethnic cultural features (7 items), linear regression models were used to evaluate the …

Resilience And Grit: What They Are And Why They Matter For Youth Development Professional, Christine Wood, Claire Sponseller, Saundra Wever Frerichs, Mark W. Demorra

Journal of Youth Development

The challenges faced by youth can hinder them from reaching their full potential or help them grow and develop as they overcome their challenges. Grit and resilience provide young people with the skills, confidence, and perseverance to overcome challenges, pursue their goals and thrive. In this article, the authors examine the complex constructs that make up resilience and grit, draw connections to positive youth development practices, and propose a model of how these constructs can be enacted by youth development professionals in their work. The article offers specific educational practices that can support young people in developing the skills and …

Demystifying Research Paradigms: Navigating Ontology, Epistemology, And Axiology In Research, Lynette Pretorius

The Qualitative Report

A sound understanding of research paradigms is crucial for developing coherent and philosophically grounded research designs, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. This paper offers an accessible overview of the most common research paradigms: positivism, post-positivism, constructivism, social constructionism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and critical realism. These paradigms differ in their approaches to ontology (the nature of reality), epistemology (the nature of knowledge), and axiology (the role of values in research). The paper also discusses the methodological and ethical implications of these paradigms. Reflexivity and ethical responsibility are emphasised, where researchers must account for how their own biases and values influence …

Intellectual Property, Global Inequality, And Subnational Policy Variations, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

This chapter criticizes the oversimplification of the binary North–South debate on intellectual property, innovation, and global inequality and highlights the wide geographic, sectoral, and income inequalities within middle-income countries. It begins by explaining why the arrival of these countries has called into question the North–South debate. The chapter then moves from the widely studied subject of global inequality to the underexplored topic of national inequality. Focusing on the intellectual property context, the discussion highlights the considerable subnational variations in the economic and technological conditions of middle-income countries. To combat national inequality, this chapter concludes by recommending interventions in three areas: …

Introduction To Intellectual Property, Innovation And Economic Inequality, Daniel Benoliel, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

This chapter provides an introduction to Intellectual Property, Innovation and Economic Inequality. It begins by discussing the problem of economic inequality, including the scale of that problem, types of economic inequality, and extant research on such inequality. The chapter then outlines the structure of this volume, which is divided into three parts: (1) theoretical, empirical, and policy issues; (2) intellectual property and national inequality; and (3) intellectual property and global inequality.