Digital Commons Network^™

Girls' Preferences For Coaches' Supportive Behaviors, Efrat Abadi

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Participation of girls in sports is associated with positive outcomes; however, girls continue to face barriers to participation due to gender, age, and cultural factors. Coaches play a pivotal role in girls' persistence in sports, with influential mechanisms including providing social support and cultivating high-quality coach-athlete relationships. Nevertheless, limited research has explored girls' specific preferences regarding coaches' supportive behaviors, particularly within diverse cultural contexts. Much of the existing literature is based on data from Western countries, with findings often generalized across cultural settings - without considering girls from Mediterranean populations, who remain underrepresented in research. This study employed a qualitative …

International College Athletes’ Perceptions Of Nil And Its Impact On Their Experiences: A Theory Of Capital Approach., Jessica K. Brougham, Rebecca M. Achen

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

The name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy altered the landscape of college sports and provided college athletes with new opportunities to monetize their talents and personal brands. However, while the NCAA stated that all athletes would be able to participate in NIL deals and be compensated for the use of their NIL, international college athletes (ICAs) soon discovered they were restricted from participation while located in the U.S., due to their student visa status. Through nine semi-structured interviews of current and former ICAs we identified themes related to Bourdieu’s theory of social capital and Bauder’s theory of citizenship capital that …

A Pilot Study Of A Comprehensive Mental Health Intervention For Collegiate Athletes., Joshua Celebre, Philip Sullivan, Mishka E.V. Blacker

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Research on mental health interventions for athletes have recognized systematic limitations in the field (i.e., a dearth of randomized control trials, and lack of long-term follow up measurement). The current study summarized the pilot study of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Talk Today mental health intervention within collegiate sport. Four teams (two male (n = 64), two female (n = 74)) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a wait-list control condition. Mental health literacy, stigma, psychological distress, and help-seeking were measured at four different timepoints, including a 6-month follow up. There were no significant effects between the …

Behind The Jersey: Exploring Athletic Identity And Depression In College Athletes, Matt A. Moore, Lana Loken, Anne Kelly, Mastano Nambiro Woleson Dzimbiri, Payton Bennett, Lawrence W. Judge

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

A significant increase in mental health concerns among college athletes has fueled interest in the impact of athletic identity on psychological outcomes. Research has produced mixed results regarding the association between athletic identity and mental health. This study sought to clarify this relationship and to improve our understanding of depression among NAIA college athletes, especially those who attach a great degree of importance and strength to the athlete’s role in relation to other activities. Voluntary college athletes aged 18-years-old or older and attending an NAIA member institution participated in the study (n = 361). They completed a web-based instrument that …

Teacher Shortages Are Not Myths But Misinformed: A Review, Marissa R. Bamberger, Benjamin Creed

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Background

The United States has faced teacher shortages for decades with the consequence being under-qualified individuals hired as teachers who negatively impact the education of many students, especially those students who are most disadvantaged. Recently, the media has increasingly covered teacher shortages with claims that the teacher shortage is overblown or a myth.

Purpose

Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to examine the academic and popular media articles published on this supposed teacher shortage myth to determine (1) the conditions that contribute to the endorsement of a teacher shortage myth and (2) the faulty arguments that support the …

Technology-Enabled College Access: A Field Study In Rural Mississippi Schools, Carol Cutler White, Tianlan Wei, Judith Meece

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

College choice and application processes are critical for postsecondary enrollment. This field study examines the potential utility of a technology-enabled college access (TECA) mobile app for supporting rural student postsecondary decisions. Through the TECA mobile app, participants can tour two- and four-year college campuses, view career videos, access detailed information about each institution (enrollment diversity, specialization, enrollment requirements, etc.), and connect with college advisors. The study used a theoretical framework and included 1,073 students attending seven rural high schools in Mississippi to evaluate the utility of TECA for increasing college knowledge, motivation, and preparation related to students’ choice and enrollment …

Building Competence And Confidence Through Experiential Learning: A Case Study Of The Bengal Triathlon, Caroline E. Faure Edd; Atc

The COSMA Journal

This descriptive case study examines the perceived effectiveness of the Bengal Triathlon, an experiential learning (EL) activity integrated into a sport management course at Idaho State University. Drawing on student reflections over three years, the study highlights how this experience enhanced students’ confidence and skills in planning and managing sport events, particularly in high-pressure areas such as risk management, event logistics, and customer service. Despite participation being a course requirement, a noticeable shift in student attitudes was observed. Students moved from seeing the event as a mandatory task to taking full ownership, driven by increased motivation and enjoyment. This case …

Navigating Compliance: Higher Education Leadership Strategies Amid Federal Government Dei Mandates, Patricia Henry

Economics Faculty Publications

Executive Order 14173 (Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring  Merit-Based Opportunities) has contributed to reshaping the policy  environment for marginalized populations including women,  communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities  on university campuses. There is limited scholarly research exploring  how qualitative empirical studies probe into how higher education  leaders are navigating compliance with federal diversity, equity, and  inclusion (DEI) mandates amid heightened political and legal scrutiny  in the United States. Grounded in Viewpoint Discrimination Theory,  guided by Inclusive and Transformational Leadership frameworks, this  empirical study employs a multiple-case design integrating data from  scholarly literature, policy implementation analysis, institutional policy …

Sociodemographic Influences On Student-Athlete Eating Disorder Risk And Treatment-Seeking Behavior In The National College Health Assessment, Savannah Hughbanks, Andrew W. Froehle, Brian A. Edwards

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Objective: The present study was developed to explicate attributes associated with increased likelihood of disordered eating behaviors and treatment avoidance and help practitioners better-identify and assist high-risk individuals.

Participants: Varsity athletes (n=51,882) who completed the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) between 2011 and 2019.

Methods: Data was collected from survey responses to questions related to disordered eating behaviors. Disorders were cross-sectioned into eight predictors: year in school, gender, sexual-orientation, race/ethnicity, school-type, international-student, history of mental health illness, and anxiety of impending academic performance.

Results: Two percent of the student-athletes self-reported an ED diagnosis, and within those two percent 65.9% reported …

The Bg News February 18, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. February 18, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 18.

Teaching The Science Of Reading Critically, Cheu-Jey Lee

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

In light of the increasing popularity of the science of reading (SOR) and its influence on literacy education, this paper is concerned with how to teach SOR critically without embracing it blindly. The definition of SOR, along with its limitations, is presented first. Then, critical reading is argued to be missing in SOR and its broadened/improved variations. Finally, an instructional example is provided to illustrate how to teach SOR critically through a whole-part-whole hermeneutic reconstructive process. This example demonstrates that the foundational literacy skills emphasized in SOR and the critical reading skills fostered through the four dimensions of the critical …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Storytelling In Education About Climate Change, Nina Adjanin, Srijana Katuwal, Heidi Sevestre, Gordon Brooks

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

From bedtime tales to digital narratives, stories wield unparalleled influence, shaping perceptions, and fostering empathy. Through mediums like social media and digital platforms, storytelling becomes a tool for advocacy, amplifying voices, and catalyzing social change. In this qualitative study, 107 higher education students from diverse backgrounds participated. The purpose of this study was to uncover salient beliefs about climate change stories on popular social media platforms among full-time college students. The results are based on three key components of the theory of planned behavior (TPB): affective beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs. The respondents expressed both positive and negative attitudes …

The Bg News February 04, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. February 04, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 16.

Linking Classroom Knowledge, Professional Quality, And Career Readiness Through Internship Performance: A Perspective Of Practitioners, Wonyoung Kim, Namhun Lim, Mark Vermillion, Yong-Chae Rhee, Jeffrey Noble, G Clayton Stoldt

The COSMA Journal

Experiential learning has become a foundational tool of sport management (SMGT) education (Grant et al., 2024). However, there has been a lack of research on how practitioners of internship sites assess students' career readiness based on the multidimensional factors, such as internship performance, professional quality, and level of SMGT knowledge. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of sport management (SMGT) knowledge and professional quality on students’ career readiness, which is mediated by internship performance as perceived by industry practitioners. To achieve this, a path analysis was conducted using a total of 348 final internship evaluations completed …

The Bg News January 14, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. January 14, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 13.

A Case Study Of Faculty Composition And Workload In Sport Management Programs At Small-To-Medium-Sized Colleges And Universities, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya, Aimee T. Vlachos, Alan Ledford

The COSMA Journal

Sport management has transitioned from its origins in physical education to an established, business-oriented academic discipline, prompting new questions about how faculty composition and workload shape program delivery in resource-constrained contexts. This case study investigates faculty structures, instructional variety, and workload in sport management programs at small- to medium-sized U.S. colleges and universities, as defined by the Carnegie Size & Setting Classification. A mixed-methods survey of faculty (n = 61) was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Quantitative results indicated that core courses are primarily taught by full-time faculty, with most programs relying on one to three full-time …

The Relationship Of State/Trait Anxiety And Performance In High School Athletics, Jason Dzierwa

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

The relationship between anxiety and sport performance has been investigated since the early 1900s when Yerkes & Dodson coined Yerkes-Dodson Law, which stated that there was an inverted “U” shape between arousal and performance (Gill et al., 2025, p. 158). Although this research was originally conducted using an animal model, it was eventually applied to human contexts, including athletic performance. According to this law, athletes must have a moderate level of arousal in order to perform at their best, while having too little or too much arousal will negatively influence athletic performance. Because anxiety often includes physiological (i.e., somatic) and …

The Importance And Development Of Team Record Keeping Practices: The Development Of Record Keeping Practices For Bowling Green Men's Rugby, Fitzpatrick Metzger

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

If you participated in team sports, do you know the history of the teams you played for? It is fair to assume that athletes who play at the top collegiate level have greater knowledge of the team’s history for which they play. These high-level collegiate teams have the funding and resources necessary to document their team’s history properly. Club and Varsity sports indeed have separate budgets and resources available. Throughout the sports industry, it is well known that each university provides its athletic department with differing annual budgets, which are dependent on many different factors. Based on the Proposed Fiscal …

Sense Of Belonging In Black Female Student Athletes At Predominantly White Institutions (Pwis), Danai Hardges

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

Where do I belong? This is a question most people ask themselves when placed in new environments. This is a common experience for marginalized individuals. Feelings of belonging can have an intense impact on how an individual interprets their experiences within a setting. Looking at the individual differences that influence an individual’s sense of belonging is important in understanding their experiences. This concept has been explored with intercollegiate athletes in the past. There is a plethora of research grasping an understanding of the difference in realities for student-athletes versus non-student athletes, female athletes versus male athletes, and Black student-athletes versus …

The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal Volume 6, Issue 1 Full Issue, Linda Doornbos Dr., Michele S. Phillips

The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal

None

Sport Injuries And The Impact On Athlete Mental Health, Chloe Crompton

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

Over the last decade, there has been an increased focus on athlete mental health (Wiese, 2010). More studies have focused on why athletes struggle with mental health and how mental health can significantly impact athletic performance. According to research, “Across mental health disorders, injury is frequently identified as a sport-specific risk factor for mental health conditions and is one of the most frequently researched risk factors for mental health concerns in elite athletes” (Haugen, 2022, p.4). Considering the inherent risk of injury with athletic participation, the impact of sport-related injuries on individual athletes’ mental health remains an important area for …

Marketing Plan For Community Service Initiative L.A.C.E.S. (Limitless Accessibility For Children To Experience Sports), Grace Bryant

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

I. Executive Summary

L.A.C.E.S. (Limitless Accessibility for Children to Experience Sports) is a community-based initiative focused on increasing access to youth sports for children in underserved communities. The mission of L.A.C.E.S. is to ensure that every child can experience the joy and benefits of sport by addressing barriers such as cost, transportation, lack of resources, and limited awareness. While youth sports are widely known to support physical health, mental well-being, and social development, access to these opportunities is not equal. Research shows that participation rates are significantly lower among children from low-income households and marginalized communities, largely due to structural …

Disability And Accessibility In The Voice Studio: An Open Educational Resource, Katherine Meizel, Anne Slovin

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Challenges And Opportunities For India As Well As Wellness Destinations, Michael Wallace

Visions in Leisure and Business

India has emerged as a globally recognized wellness destination, grounded in 5,000 years of traditional healing systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Naturopathy. Supported by rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and a reputation for spiritual authenticity, India continues to attract international wellness travellers seeking holistic, transformative experiences. This article examines the opportunities that strengthen India’s competitive position—such as government-backed initiatives (including the AYUSH Visa), expansion of high-end wellness resorts, and rising global interest in sustainability and authentic cultural immersion—as well as the challenges that threaten its long-term leadership in the global wellness economy.

Drawing on generational analysis, the …

A Play-Based Stoic Intervention: Preventive Pedagogy For Childhood Resilience, Ross William Podyma Mr

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Rates of reported childhood mental health difficulties have risen markedly in recent years, prompting a policy emphasis on early identification and rapid referral to clinical services. While such responses are vital for acute and complex presentations, there is growing concern that they may contribute to an over-pathologising of normative developmental experiences. Everyday challenges that once functioned as opportunities to build resilience are increasingly framed as early symptoms of mental disorder. This risks undermining children’s ability to cope adaptively with adversity, inadvertently fostering reliance on external intervention.

Since its inception in 2012, Sporting Communities CIC has been embedded in schools and …

The Play Cycle, Outside School Hours Care And Autistic Children, Jennifer Cartmel, Fiona Mackay

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Autistic children use Outside School Hours Care Services (OSHC) on a regular basis. However, they experience many barriers to a fully inclusive experience. This study examined whether the use of the Play Cycle (King, 2020) held any value as a means of reducing those barriers to access. Four educators from an OSHC service in Brisbane, South East Queensland, Australia who were using the Play Cycle and Play Cycle Observation Method in their practice were interviewed to gain their perspectives on the ways in which the play cycle was valuable to them when working with autistic children. The responses were analysed …

Teachers’ Views About School Playtime: A Systematic Literature Review, Misbah Khan, Cathy Atkinson

International Journal of Playwork Practice

School playtime exists in varying forms across the world, and there is an extensive evidence-base pointing to its beneficial effects on children. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognises these benefits and provides clear guidance to international organisations, including schools, on protecting children’s right to play. However, legislative and societal pressures have led to teacher practices which facilitate the erosion of school playtime. Teachers’ beliefs and their practices are considered to be interlinked and therefore the aim of this systematic literature review is to consolidate existing research on teachers’ views about playtime and consider how …

Expanding Epilepsy Representation: On Education And Awareness, Aliyah Wise

Honors Projects

The present-day American public education system has evolved to try to teach young students about more cultures and people of different lifestyles. However, despite these reforms to push for an inclusive education system, there is still minimal effort to teach students about disabilities and the people who live with them. As a student living with epilepsy, I have observed a lack of education or conversation about this disability. The purpose of this research project is to ask: How does miseducation on epilepsy contribute to harmful stereotypes and lead to real issues for people living with this disability? How should neurotypical …

The Impact Of Parking Services On Mental Health At Bowling Green State University, Callie Oyster

Honors Projects

The current research investigates the effects of parking on daily stress and emotional stability and perceptions of equity at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). It draws from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff via a quantitative survey of over 500 respondents that assessed parking behaviors, mental health indicators, and institutional trust. The results indicate that unpredictability, rather than simply lack of space, is the largest source of stress related to parking. Commuter and resident students reported arriving at least 20-30 minutes earlier than expected. Faculty, staff, and students reported feelings of anticipatory anxiety about driving to BGSU, with emotional …

Prosodic Comparisons Between Speech And Music For Different Emotions, Reagan Brothers

Honors Projects

This study compares the prosodic acoustic characteristics between different emotional expressions in speech and clarinet playing and evaluates the similarities in prosody between these two domains. The prosodic features analyzed include pitch, loudness, and duration, which are the psychoacoustic terms referring to fundamental frequency [f_o], intensity, and rate of time. The American folksong “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” was both spoken and performed with three emotions: neutral, sad, and happy. The first comparison was how each prosodic characteristic compared across the three different emotions within each domain, and then prosody was compared across the two domains …