Digital Commons Network^™

Let's Grow: Investigating The Relationship Between Houseplants And Mental Health In College Students, Makia G. Adler

Honors Thesis

This literature review explores the potential mental health benefits of houseplants for college students, a population increasingly affected by anxiety and depression. With traditional mental health services strained and often inaccessible, simple and low-cost alternatives are urgently needed. This review examines whether the presence and interaction with houseplants can improve psychological well-being, specifically symptoms of anxiety and depression. Drawing from ten peer-reviewed studies, this review finds a generally positive association between houseplants and mental health, though results vary. Notably, the duration of exposure appears to have little effect, while setting and autonomy in plant interaction are more influential. Interactions in …

Toward A Global Roadmap: An Analysis Of National Strategies Toward Digital Education Improvements Across Southeast Asia And Southern Africa, Z Alexandra Anderson

Computer Science Undergraduate Theses

The rapid global expansion of digital technologies has created significant opportunities to transform education systems, foster innovation, and reduce inequalities. However, access to and benefits from these technologies remain unevenly distributed, shaped by differences in infrastructure, human capital, governance structures, and economic development. This thesis investigates how systemic approaches to digital education in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe can inform a more inclusive and adaptive global roadmap for digital transformation in education.

Adopting a mixed-methods design, this study combines a comparative quantitative analysis of the CISCO Digital Readiness Index (DRI) with a qualitative content analysis of national …

The Anatomy Of Creating A New Legal Discipline In Which Intersectionality Is Integral: Teaching Employers To Accept The Importance Of Workplace Discrimination And Understanding The Connection Between The Intersectionality Messages We Receive And How They Are Manifested In The Workplace Resulting In Violations Of Title Vii Of The Civil Rights Act Of 1964 And Lack Of Diversity, Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander

Mercer Law Review

The Author created the first law course in the country for colleges of business that taught business students how to recognize and work to avoid the genesis of workplace discrimination legal claims that lawyers are then called upon to handle, many of which are firmly rooted in intersectionality. That is, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 violations and employer liability. This led to her creating the earliest iteration of what we now know as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). In doing so, she had to explore how workplace decisions are made, which led to the realization …

Res Historica, Volume 4, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2025 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg, Samuel Sanders, and Julia Ackerman. The cover art for this volume is an open access image.

Service Learning At Children's Of Alabama, Katelyn Brubaker

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Spring Expo Poster Presentation

• Service-Learning

Controlling The Narrative: How The United Daughters Of The Confederacy Shaped Collective Memory Through Romance Novels, Karie L. Cobb

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While existing scholarship on the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) reveals the immense influence the organization wielded in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, I assert that their legacy has had a broader and more insidious reach than previously believed. Through close analysis of two foundational romance novelists’ works published during the rapid escalation of the genre’s popularity, I contend that the rhetoric of the UDC shaped generations of Southerners as demonstrated through repetitions and parallels of the Lost Cause ideology found in UDC publications and sponsored materials within romance novels written by white Southern women who came of age …

Transgender And Gender Diverse Young Adults’ Navigation Of Sexuality: What Mental Health Providers Need To Know, Sage A. Volk

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

Though literature has documented that TGD individuals may face unique challenges when attempting to develop healthy romantic and sexual relationships (Hill-Meyer & Scarborough, 2014), research has also identified that intimate partners can serve as an immeasurable source of support and resilience for their TGD partners (Coppola et al., 2021; Galupo et al., 2019). While there is strong evidence to support the importance of TGD individuals developing healthy intimate relationships, there is little guidance in the literature for mental health providers wanting to discuss these domains with TGD clients in psychotherapy (Spencer and Vencill, 2017).

The present study addresses this gap …

Transgender And Gender Diverse Youth Navigating Relationships And Sexuality: Recommendations For Affirming Clinical Practice, Hannah Marie Coffey

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

Healthy relationship development is critical for adolescents’ social-emotional wellbeing, and shifting social expectations and identity development in adolescence can be challenging (Kenny et al., 2013; Roach, 2018). This can be particularly complex for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth given the occurrence of identity development alongside navigating safety, access to affirming spaces, and limited availability of queer-inclusive education (Levitt and Ippolito, 2014; Xing et al., 2015). The positive psychosocial impacts of comprehensive sex education and the relevance of discussing relationships in therapy with adolescents situate mental health providers well to address some of the gaps in knowledge and access to …

Holding Ground In The Cerulean Tide: Minority Party Legislators' Strategies For Advancing Climate Policies In Landslide States, Sukjae Lee

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

This dissertation addresses a key puzzle: Why do states sometimes adopt nationally polarized policies, such as climate change legislation, even when doing so does not align with strict partisan interests? The analysis focuses on “landslide states,” where a single party overwhelmingly dominates, and the minority party cannot realistically expect to gain a majority. In these environments, reduced partisan conflict allows minority party legislators to break from traditional partisan paths. As a result, I argue that electoral motivations drive them to signal moderation by advancing liberal policy agendas or incorporating provisions that minimize backlash from their core constituents in landslide states. …

How Do School-Level Dynamics Impact Mainstreaming Practices In American Schools?, Natalie M. Watson

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

How do school-level dynamics impact the everyday experiences of students with disabilities, compared to their abled peers? Extant research has mostly focused on the experiences of individual students with disabilities, and their teachers. We know far less about how school-level dynamics shape students’ experiences. Historically, American schools formally separated students with and without disabilities, though the specific mode varied over time -- ranging from explicit institutionalization to segregation in special education programs. At least since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, efforts to educate students with disabilities alongside their abled peers in mainstreamed settings have increased …

Giving Voice To Student Grief: Using Community-Based Participatory Research To Develop And Pilot A Translational Storytelling Intervention For Bereaved College Students, Cassidy Rae Taladay-Carter

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to employ community-based participatory research (CBPR, Wallerstein et al., 2018) methods to attend to a pressing issue in the community. In partnership with one local grief center, we identified the need for enhanced grief support for current emerging adult undergraduate students in our area. Nearly 50% of U.S. emerging adults enrolled in four-year residential universities experience the death of an important figure (Cox et al., 2015; Cupit et al., 2021), at a time when they are developing important facets of their narrative identity. Without the coherence and meaning structures provided by narrative identity, students …

Advanced Screening For Intimate Partner Violence To Prevent Adverse Pregnancy And Maternal Outcomes, Emilia R. Valdez

Nursing | Student Research Posters

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 …

Do Political Party Voter Contact & Gotv Efforts Increase Voter Turnout?, Cody Gunsalus

Political Science Theses and Capstones

While the disconnect between potential voters and those who represent them has grown, parties have spent billions of dollars and millions of hours on voter contact. My question is how effective is pre-election voter contact in increasing voter turnout? What party is most effective at voter turnout? Does the impact of voter contact differ based on education? Is it more effective depending upon age or gender? And how has it changed over time? To address these questions, I analyze National Election Studies (NES) data. The NES has surveyed the national electorate in every national election since 1948. Preliminary analysis has …

The Impact Of American Politics On Canadian Voters, Reilly Funk

Political Science Theses and Capstones

I analyze to what degree American political forces shape Canadian elections. Due to the unique economic and cultural relationship between the countries, U.S. political and policy changes impact the Canadian political landscape. I examine this relationship with a comparative study using the Canadian Election Study of the 2021 federal election. This data enables analysis of voter behaviour within a wide variety of voters. Tentative findings show that major political events within the United States, such as presidential elections and major policy shifts, have a major impact on election results in Canada. Canadian political parties consistently adjust their messaging strategies to …

Deportation And Immigration Enforcement In The United States: Analysis Of Regional And Country Variations, Exmond Ofori Sarpiah

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This study examines the motivations behind President Trump’s mass deportation policies due to the inflow of undocumented migrants from different regions in America. The study employs data visualization techniques, such as scatter plot and bar charts, to analyze regional and country variation trends in migrant removals and undocumented populations across global regions.

Between Borders And Belief: Perspectives Of Aid Workers On Religion In A Migrant Shelter In Mexico, Kendall O. Roy

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to understand the significance of religion in the Central American migration context through the eyes of humanitarian aid workers. It is based on interviews that I conducted in May of 2024 with staff members at a migrant shelter in Mexico, analysis of prior scholarship, and building upon an understanding of relevant religious history in Latin America. I will delve into trends that the aid workers observed in areas such as religious practices and beliefs of migrants, shelter functions that addressed and nurtured spiritual well-being, and the influence of the Church as an institution on humanitarian aid work. …

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Being Muslim In European Football: Defining Spaces Of Muslimness, Leif Stenberg, Ridha Sheikh, Esen Kaya

Abdou Filali-Ansary Occasional Paper Series

This paper explores the intersection of football and Islam, looking especially at European contexts, and with particular focus on the experiences of Muslim footballers in the UK. By examining the stories of UK Premier League player Cheikhou Kouyaté and amateur footballer Yasmin Abdullahi in London, the paper investigates how these individuals navigate their Muslim identities in the context of their sporting careers. The paper reflects on the broader cultural and societal implications of Muslimness in football, considering how both Muslims and non-Muslims contribute to defining Islamic spaces within the sport. The research also touches on the evolving perceptions of Islam …

Research On Quantitative Evaluation Of Artificial Intelligence Policy Texts In The Yangtze River Delta Region, Ying Zhou, Danjie Yang, Mei Jiang, Xiaochun Zhao

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]The quantitative evaluation of existing effective artificial intelligence (AI) policies aims to provide reference for government department to formulate scientific and reasonable AI policies and promote the development of AI. [Method/process]Taking 10 AI policies in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2015 to 2024 as the research samples, the text mining method is used to construct the evaluation index system of AI policies in the Yangtze River Delta region, and conduct quantitative evaluation by combining the PMC index model. [Result/conclusion]The study found that from a macro policy text perspective, the average PMC index of the 10 AI policy samples in …

Comparative And Evaluative Research On The Data Infrastructure Policies Of Central And Local Governments In China Before And After The Implementation Of The "Twenty Measures For Data", Haiqun Ma, Tongtong Yu, Hangong Wang, Tao Zhang

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]To explore the direction for provincial governments to further plan data policies, with the aim of providing support for the establishment and improvement of data infrastructure systems in various regions. [Method/process] This article adopts the method of text similarity calculation to compare the policy texts of 22 provinces' data policies released before 2023 with the "Twenty Data Articles", and selects the "Twenty Provincial Version Data Articles" of 8 provinces for policy evaluation research. [Result/conclusion]The data shows that in terms of comparing data infrastructure systems, the data policies introduced by 22 provincial governments before 2023 show a relatively high overall similarity …

Intelligence Process Of Marine Security: Model Construction And Case Deduction, Xuehui Wang, Feng Hu, Peiwen Wang

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]In recent years, our country has been increasingly threatened by security threats from the maritime direction. In this regard, it is necessary to strengthen the intelligence construction in the maritime security system and improve the effectiveness of intelligence in maritime security governance/decision-making.[Method/process]Comprehensively applying the methods of literature research, comparative analysis and case demonstration, on the basis of clarifying the connotation of relevant concepts, sorting out and evaluating the existing intelligence process models in the academic community, combined with the actual scenarios of maritime security incidents, construct an intelligence process model for maritime security assurance and take Fukushima nuclear sewage discharged …

Investigating Gender Differences In Intimate Partner Violence Using Gendered General Strain Theory, Stephanie Victoria Dragon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health concern impacting communities and criminal justice systems. Nationwide IPV prevention and reduction policies were emphasized in the media during the aftermath of COVID-19 specifically regarding the identification of IPV offending behaviors through law enforcement screening tools. Research on IPV offending has clearly established a link in offenders exerting methods of power and control to harm an intimate partner through verbal abuse, coercion, sexual violence, and physical violence. Further, research also identified significant disproportional experiences of lethality in female victims at the hands of an intimate partner. However, criminological theories outside of control-based …

Intimate Partner Violence Among College Students: The Influence Of Gender, Sexual Orientation, Race/Ethnicity On Bystander Intention, Brooke M. Puharic

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among college students is an issue across gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. The present study highlights the sociodemographic characteristics that influence physical IPV involvement among college students by reporting past year prevalence and frequency rates of physical IPV involvement by gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. Additionally, the current study builds on research about bystander intention to intervene by exploring the influence of these sociodemographic characteristics on participants intentions to intervene, as well as their preferred type of intervention.

Participants were 525 university students recruited from the psychology research pool. They were presented with eight hypothetical vignettes …

Cultivating Community And Commerce: A Summary Of The Statewide Social And Economic Impacts Of Utah Farmers Markets, Jaclyn Pace, Bryn Watkins, Roslynn Mccann, Steven Price

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Data collected from six markets throughout the market seasons between 2023 and 2024 highlights the transformative impact of Utah’s farmers’ markets on the state’s economy, health, and sense of community. According to market patrons, Utah’s farmers' markets are vital economic and social hubs supporting local agriculture, small businesses, and community well-being.

The Ebony Edge: A Qualitative Exploration Of Math Success Among Black College Women, April Ruiz

Dissertations

Historically, women have been underrepresented as leaders in STEM. However, according to the National Science Foundation (2022), women accounted for a little more than half of the college-educated workforce and underrepresented minority women increased in broad science and engineering occupational categories. This promising upturn underscores the importance—if progress is to continue—of better understanding why some African American women succeed in and persist with their study of college mathematics.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of Black college women attending a predominantly White institution in the Midwest, to better understand what reasons Black college women ascribe to their success in …

Lessons From Roatan: Personal Growth Through Study Abroad, Cristina R. Duque, Astrid Burgos

Posters - 2025

Studying abroad is known for being significant and transformative for students. Using a pre and post survey given to 136 students at three universities before and after a goals, study abroad in Roatan, Honduras. This study assessed the goals students had before the program, how they felt when they reached their goals, if they found the program to be transformative, and how their self-esteem and confidence levels grew. It was predicted that the students would find the study abroad transformative and would reach most, if not all, of their goals. Students tended to have mainly academic/professional goals, and most achieved …

Los Muxes De Juchitán: Resistance, Identity, And Expressions Of Gender In The Zapotec Culture, Leah Mack

Audre Lorde Prize

This work is a cultural analysis of the Indigenous Zapotec third-gender community in Juchitán, México called the muxes. It examines the historical context that explains how the muxes have survived the process of Spanish colonization: a history of resistance and pride in their Indigenous identities. This essay also explains the European norms of the gender binary and how the norms in Juchitán are different and unique. Then, it analyzes a few cultural spaces that are important to the Zapotec Indigenous identity and the gender identity of the muxes, such as the market and the festive celebrations known as Las Velas. …

The Masculine Way, Jessica Asuquo

be Still

This painting was conceptualized after a particularly impactful patient visit. During the visit, the patient described a traumatic event in greater detail, stating that the doctor and I were the first people he had ever spoken to about the event.

I felt both honored and disheartened by this statement. I was honored that this man trusted us with this knowledge. Still, I was immensely sad that he dealt with the trauma of this event alone for decades. I believe he released some of the grief, pain, anger, fear, and hurt when he shared his burden with us, and I will …

Race And Greek Mythology: An Analysis Of A Racialized Hierarchy In Literary And Artistic Depictions Of The Line Of Io In Archaic And Classical Greece, Angie Pierre

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

Following the emergence of the Greek alphabet in 8th century B.C.E, Greece produced literary works which demonstrated contemporary beliefs, customs, and practices. Additionally, pottery during this era began to be more expressive. The use of geometric shapes and imagery from Egypt were later used to create stories and induce emotions in pottery. Following the Archaic period, the Classical era has produced a plethora of literary and artistic material that expands on material from the Archaic era while simultaneously providing commentary on its own period. While not in a consistent manner, an underlying theme within the art and literature of the …

Hubungan Dukungan Sosial Rekan Kerja Dengan Stres Kerja (Studi Pada Pekerja Di Pt X), Aisyah Permatasari

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Workers are vulnerable to work-related stress due to job demands, time constraints, and limited leisure time, leading to psychological issues such as anxiety related to their work. In the context of social welfare studies, job stress affects overall workers’ well-being and disrupts their social functioning in the workplace. Social support from coworkers is potentially reduce stress in workplace, which is crucial for creating organizational well-being. It also helps workers improve job engagement, cope with fatigue, and manage stress. This study examined the relationship between social support from coworkers and job stress among 90 employees …