Digital Commons Network^™

The Power Of Self-Reflection, Lucy Kaczmarski

Senior Honors Projects

Research suggests that self-reflection, which includes practices like journaling and personal narrative writing, can be a powerful tool for improving mental and emotional well-being. As a health studies major who will be pursuing a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling, I wanted to learn about self-reflection and its impact on holistic well-being. Therefore, I developed a three-phase project to accomplish this. Phase 1 entailed a careful literature analysis of peer-reviewed research exploring the benefits of self-reflection. These studies discuss the importance of knowing and expressing oneself. Sources indicate that in writing about demanding times, individuals can find closure, and …

Stopping The Bleed At Uri, Emily Lefebre

Senior Honors Projects

The number one cause of preventable death is uncontrolled bleeding from traumatic injury. From the unlikely scenario of a school shooting, to a campus car accident or an injury during a sports or club event, possessing skills to effectively stop a life-threatening bleed becomes a matter of life or death. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) STOP THE BLEED® program is a campaign to teach communities how to respond effectively and efficiently to life-threatening bleeding in emergencies. STOP THE BLEED® aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to stop severe bleeding by tourniquet application, …

Say Neigh To Poor Health: Exploring The Impact Of Equine Assisted Services On Children's Health, Courtney S. Barrus

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background: Currently, in the United States, one in six children has a developmental disability (CDC, 2022). According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (2021), developmental disabilities negatively influence an individual's ability to solve problems, social skills, life skills, ability to form relationships, and ability to learn. Equine-assisted services are a group of services, including hippotherapy and adaptive riding, which have been shown to have a positive impact on physical, emotional, and social deficits (Haig & Skinner, 2022; Helmer et al., 2021; Madigand et al., 2023; Zoccante et al., 2021). Methods: The capstone was completed in two steps. …

Social Influences On Quitting E-Cigarette Use: A Mixed Method Analysis, Olivia Peterson, Page Dobbs

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social Influences on Quitting E-Cigarette Use: A Mixed Method Analysis

Page Dobbs, Olivia Peterson, Erin Arthur, Jessica Seymore, Jenn Veilleux, Robert Davis, Mance Buttram, Mufazzela Tabassum

Words: 250/250

Introduction. Young adult e-cigarette users report peers as a reason for using these products; however, it is unclear how social influences are associated with attempting to quit e-cigarettes. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the relationship between social factors and quitting e-cigarettes.

Methods. E-cigarette users from a large southern university were recruited to take part in an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods study. First, participants (n=423) completed a cross-sectional survey about …

Examining The Effects Of Leadership-Fostered Organizational Priorities On Employee Mental Health, Lauren Cornelio

Thinking Matters Symposium

This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge by addressing the gap in the current literature regarding how organizational priorities enacted by a leader foster a work environment that can impact the mental health of employees. Utilizing a qualitative research design grounded in phenomenology, this study explores employees’ subjective experiences within different organizational cultures. By adopting a phenomenological approach, the study uncovers nuanced insights into employees’ lived experiences, shedding light on the intricate interplay between organizational priorities determined by the leader and employee mental health. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, allowing participants to reflect upon their perceptions of …

Machine Learning Model For Os Detection, Victor Ginart Belmonte, Ravjeet Chahal

Academic Festival

This poster shows the development of a deep learning model for OS detection. We begin by explaining the objectives and applications of the model. Then we show the methods used to create it, along with its results. Finally, we discuss the results, problems and future improvements.

How Income Affects Depression In Adults Aged 25-65, Stephanie Capito, Jillian F. Spindel, Claudia Uva

Academic Festival

In this paper, we explore socioeconomic status and how it is related to depression rates. This is an important topic to study because economic status determines an individual's standing in life. Furthermore, as the transfer from childhood to adulthood occurs, finding a stable job that will support the individual becomes extremely important and without it moving into adulthood becomes much more difficult. This is an issue that impacts millions of Americans as 37.2 million people live in poverty (Bureau, U.C, 2021). The number of people living in poverty increased by 11.4 percent from 2015 to 2020. Adults living in poverty …

Can Markerless Motion Capture Software Consistently And Reliably Auto Detect Important Pitch Event Markers For Baseball Players?, Jenna Engels, Sarah Mandelkow, Jacqueline Lage

Academic Festival

Markerless motion capture systems offer promising data for analyzing athletic performance with high precision; however, the camera systems utilized as part of the Pioneer Performance Center have not been tested with higher speed motions. Theia 3D software, mainly used for gait analyses previously, was utilized to examine the effectiveness of the SONY RX 0II camera system and consistency of identifying key event markers during fast moving motions, such as pitching.

A specialized pipeline was developed to auto detect the frames corresponding to 4 different important event markers: maximum hip flexion, foot touchdown, late cocking, and ball release. The automated data …

Evidence-Based (Ebp) Quality Improvement (Qi) Falls Presentation, Isabella Guarente

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Semantic Priming On Cultural Vs. Non-Cultural Words In Individuals With Semantic Dementia, Lila Armstrong, Morgan Craig, Erica Santangeli, Kathleen Vergnolle

Academic Festival

Semantic dementia (SD) is a frontal lobe dementia variant characterized by poor semantic memory and impairments in lexical access (Paplikar et al., 2022, Roelofs, 2023). It has been hypothesized that cultural words may be easier to retrieve from memory than non-cultural words because they include personal significance. This project proposes a semantic priming study to evaluate the speed and accuracy of lexical access between cultural and non-cultural words in individuals with SD. Participants will be presented with a word-picture pair and then a target picture. The target picture will be 1) culturally significant or 2) culturally neutral. The word-picture pair …

The Impact Of Frequent Repositioning In The Prevention Of Pressure Ulcers, Madison Angelico

Academic Festival

Pressure ulcers are a common complication of immobility, most frequently occurring in hospitalized patients who are restricted to bed. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2023), more than 2.5 million people in the United States develop pressure ulcers each year. Pressure ulcers develop as a result of sustained pressure on the body; this causes a restriction in blood flow and deprivation of oxygen to the tissue. Pressure ulcers may be partial or full-thickness wounds and are categorized into four stages depending on their severity. Pressure ulcers have non-blanchable skin and may appear reddened or discolored. Pressure ulcers …

Floral Renaissance For Moschino, Jenna Wolfe

Academic Festival

Given the task of developing a unique line with clear inspiration and realistic expectations of markets, "Floral Renaissance" for Moschino was born. Inspired by oil paintings of the Renaissance Era and the fluidity of ballet attire, the line was intended not only to be a work of art but to frame its possessor as one. Moschino, a brand known for its experimental taste in fashion, would present this line in the Autumn/Winter season of 2025 for Women's apparel and debut specifically on the runway. Outlined within the presentation are sales channels, pricing, design, history, and more. With Professor Loranger's guidance, …

One Year Later: Development Of The Ageist Experiences Questionnaire, Ava K. Bjelka, Francesca L. Davenport, Angelina M. Wargo

Academic Festival

Ageism refers to the combined stereotypes, prejudice, and discriminatory behaviors based on someone’s presumed age. Oftentimes we see older adults being viewed with mixed (ambivalent) perceptions, such that they are viewed as being warm, but not very capable. Thus, there are multiple forms of ageism. Hostile ageism refers to overtly negative ageism, whereas benevolent ageism refers to the seemingly kind form of ageism that still reinforces negative stereotypes (e.g., giving your seat to someone, assuming they are fragile or weak). Most current research on ageism has referred to attitudes directed towards older adults and aging. This work has found that …

Poverty's Role In Shaping The Childhood Obesity Epidemic, Leah Demko, Megan Gaffney, Abby Hudson, Katherin Mazzarelli, Sabrina Palen

Academic Festival

Childhood obesity is a major healthcare concern, as millions of children are classified as overweight and obese. Socioeconomic status (SES) influences the prevalence of childhood obesity, especially individuals from low SES. A child's living environment, attending low income schools, parental education, and low family income all impact a child's risk of becoming obese. The National Survey of Children's Health 2021 data was used to observe the relationship between Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and identification of being overweight by a doctor. Family poverty level is significantly associated with obesity among children aged 5-12. This hypothesis was tested used cross-tabulation with chi-square …

How Poverty Affects Depression In Adults 25-65, Jillian Spindel, Stephanie Capito, Claudia Uva

Academic Festival

In this research we explore socioeconomic status and how it is related to depression rates. This is an important topic to study because economic status determines an individual's standing in life. Furthermore, as the transfer from childhood to adulthood occurs, finding a stable job that will support the individual becomes extremely important and without it moving into adulthood becomes much more difficult. This is an issue that impacts millions of Americans as 37.2 million people live in poverty (Bureau, U.C, 2021). The number of people living in poverty increased 11.4 percent from 2015 to 2020. Adults living in poverty are …

Creating An Exercise Prescription Plan For A College Athlete, Jonathan Elliott

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Copycats: An Eeg Study Of Imitative Behavior In Infants, Isabella Leva

Academic Festival

The neural mirroring system activates during action observation and execution. This overlap in activation may support various social cognitive functions (e.g., imitation)—however, associations between infants’ neural mirroring activity and imitation remain relatively unclear. The present study examines whether 6-month-old infants’ mu rhythm desynchronization (MRD; indicator of neural mirroring system activity) is associated with their imitation. We hypothesized that infants with stronger MRD during action observation would imitate more actions than infants with weaker MRD.

Social Identity Salience & Threat: Validating The Sitc Inventory, Christina Poirier, Katherine Dempsey

Academic Festival

Social identity threat refers to the fear that stigmatized groups often face about being mistreated, invalidated, or devalued for their social identification. All individuals have multiple intersecting social identities that influence how people are treated and perform. Complex discriminatory experiences of advantage and disadvantage often arise and persist. Past social identity threat measures have examined identity as singular rather than multifaceted, which fails to recognize intersectionality. We introduce the Social Identity Threat Concerns (SITC) Inventory–a novel tool for measuring social identity threat concerns that allows for an exploration of threats related to both singular social identities and their complex intersections. …

The Effectiveness Of Educational Interventions In The Prevention Of Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections, Isabel Kittell

Academic Festival

Central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) pose a significant threat to patient safety and healthcare quality. This paper presents a thorough review of the effectiveness of educational interventions in mitigating CLABSIs. The primary objective is to assess the impact of various educational strategies on reducing CLABSI rates in adult intensive care units. This review aims to analyze the efficacy of educational interventions in preventing CLABSIs, encompassing diverse educational methods, both in combination and alone. A systematic search of relevant databases was conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies focusing on educational interventions aimed at preventing CLABSIs. Studies were included if they assessed the …

Corporations That Implement Corporate Social Responsibility In Their Mission And Strategic Plan Will Benefit Both The Corporation And Society, William Pearce

Academic Festival

With the prevalence of global issues, the opportunity for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to make a meaningful impact has never been greater. Additionally, with the changing demands of markets, the potential benefit to corporations from engaging in CSR has considerably increased. The power and resources of corporations have developed to a level that facilitates significant contribution to issues that pervade society and the environment. This paper will explore how quality CSR practices not only improve the world but also significantly benefit the corporation itself. It will also closely examine how corporations can best structure their governance to promote success, and …

The Effect Of Microbreaks In The Workplace, Olivia Mcgrath

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Air Pressure Mattresses Vs Static Air Mattresses In The Prevention Of Pressure Ulcers, Emily Hobbs

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

How Older Men And Women Varied In Coping During Covid-19 Pandemic, Mateo Villarreal

Academic Festival

Due to the novelty experience posed by COVID-19, understanding how older adults coped is important and more so, if their coping strategies varied by sex. Research studies show that older adults differ in terms of comorbidity, with women mostly affected. Since COVID-19 poses unique challenges such as social distancing and quarantine, the present study seeks to understand COVID-19 coping related strategies among older adults, and variations in coping by sex. The present study recruited 68 older adults (39 females and 29 males), aged 55-69 (m=65.7 years) from the East Coast region of the United States to participate in interviews on …

Assessment Of Athlete Performance In Relation To Recovery And Stress, Brigid Mcmahon, Brittany Hang, Bethany Hazerjian, Victoria Lopinto

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Perceived Risk Of Harms Of Alcohol And Cannabis Among Female College Students, Megan Dunne, Katherine Fitzpatrick, Christina Poirier

Academic Festival

Perceived Risk of Harms of Alcohol and Cannabis among Female College Students

The Influence Of Region Of Residence On Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer, Jessica Catterson, Mollie Mcmanus, Erin Tumbrello

Academic Festival

Breast cancer is a common disease among women in the United States, and there are observable disparities in outcomes after a diagnosis. Factors such as region of residence are known to impact access to resources which may cause a variation in health outcomes after a breast cancer diagnosis. If disparities in breast cancer diagnosis can be identified, resources can be provided to lessen the gap, giving each woman an equal chance of receiving preventative care, a timely diagnosis, and quality treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify if an association exists between region of residence and diagnosis of …

Unveiling The Silent Struggle: Postpartum Depression In Black Women, Alexa Scaglione

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Definition & Facilitation Of The Ncaa 20-Hour-Rule, Julia Helm, Evan Aponte

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Social Justice In Healthcare: Access And Equity To Healthcare, Francesca Catrone, Elizabeth Encke, Samantha Louros, Kayla Campisi

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Fitness Gains And Frequency Of Training, Erin Alegre, Andrew Mcinnis, Olivia Di Natale

Academic Festival

Methods-

Data and information were collected from one, female participant. The participant is 19 years of age, and a sophomore in college. Data was collected for an hour twice a week in the Strength and Conditioning lab. The participant followed an exercise plan, co-instructed by three clinical students, and supervised by Professor Hudak. This exercise plan was broken down into two (hour-long) sessions, that focused on either upper body or lower body strength. The main movements of the workouts included the bench press, trap bar deadlift, and the back squat. Some examples of accessory movements included: stationary lunges, pall off …