Digital Commons Network^™

Crafting Ethnography: A Review, Kathleen M. Lind

The Qualitative Report

This review explores Paul Atkinson's (2022) Crafting Ethnography, the fourth installment in his series on ethnographic research. The book presents a compelling case for Embodied Ethnography as Atkinson writes of his thick participation in various introductory crafting classes, including glassblowing, pottery, silversmithing, spoon-making, life drawing, digital photography, and perfume blending. By emphasizing sensory engagement and short-term, focused fieldwork, Atkinson challenges traditional notions of ethnographic immersion. I review and critique this text as a second-year doctoral student with the hopes of understanding more about qualitative research and design. Throughout this review, I examine the book as a supplemental tool that …

Future Teachers’ Views On Their Science Teachers: A Case Of Turkey, Mehmet Karakaş

The Qualitative Report

Here future elementary and middle school teachers reflect on their experiences with science teachers encountered throughout their education and highlight their characteristics. The aim of the study was to create a program where teachers were given the explicit opportunity to reflect on their experiences through journaling that promoted reflective thought. Participants were 173 non-science and 120 science major prospective teachers enrolled in a small university in northeastern Turkey. Data were collected using document analysis. Findings show that effective science teachers do experiments, use teaching materials, and show special interest in students; also, their positive personality affected students’ positive attitude towards …

Beyond Precedent: Sexual Violence As An Act Of Genocide In The International Criminal Tribunal For Rwanda, Ciara Kilroy

Peace and Conflict Studies

Wartime sexual violence (WSV) has been a characteristic of violent conflict throughout recorded history, yet has failed to illicit the same international attention and condemnation as other war crimes. WSV has also been a particularly pervasive method of destruction during genocide, in which women make up the majority of victims and are targeted for both their gender and group membership. However, sexual violence is not enumerated as a crime of genocide in the 1948 Genocide Convention. Despite its absence from the formal genocide convention, legal institutions have still attempted to hold perpetrators responsible for sexual violence during genocide. This paper …

Development Of An Evidence-Based Nutrition Protocol For Professional Pickleball Athletes, Laura Morales

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Professional pickleball has expanded rapidly, yet sport-specific nutrition guidance remains absent. Current information available to athletes comes largely from non-professional or industry sources and lacks an evidence-based foundation. This project aims to address that gap by developing a nutrition protocol tailored specifically for professional pickleball players. The approach synthesizes data from pickleball workload studies, racket-sport physiology, and established sports nutrition consensus statements. Key focus areas include fueling strategies, protein distribution for recovery, hydration and sodium planning, heat acclimation and cooling practices, travel and jet-lag management, altitude considerations, and evidence-based supplementation. By integrating findings from racket-sport analogs and intermittent high-intensity training …

Capstone Project Proposal: The Role Of Nutrition Education On Dietary Vitamin B12 Intake In Decreasing Postpartum Depression- A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Andrea Villalba Torres

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition that affects many women after giving birth but tends to go untreated. Research has identified that nutrition has an essential role in neurological health, including iron, folate, and the B vitamins. However, recent research regarding PPD and dietary interventions is limited. To address this gap, a 12-week-long pilot randomized controlled trial is proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of a text-based nutrition education program, encouraging dietary vitamin B12 intake, on reducing PPD symptoms in women 2-6 weeks postpartum. 128 participants will be recruited from 15 different Miami-Dade WIC clinics. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

From Digital Distress To Wellness: Counseling Implications Of Social Media Use In Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Anna K. Owens, Arantxa Mascarenas

Faculty Articles

The pervasive use of social media among secondary and post-secondary students has raised significant concern regarding its impact on mental health and academic success. Excessive social media use (SMU) has been linked to anxiety, depression, social comparison, body image concerns, disrupted sleep, and diminished academic focus. These risks highlight the urgent need for counselors to integrate social media considerations into both clinical and educational practice. This article reviews evidence-based interventions that address the psychological and emotional consequences of SMU, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to challenge distorted beliefs, mindfulness strategies to improve emotional regulation, digital detox programs to recalibrate online …

Exploring Outcomes For Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries Participating In A Day Treatment Program, Christina Kane, Alexa Chappell, Kristen Frack, Sarah Salluom, Brittany Meurs

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Purpose: This study explored program outcomes of the Brooks Spinal Cord Injury & Related Disorders Day Treatment Program in Jacksonville, Florida. By examining secondary data, using both the Self-Reported Functional Measure (SRFM) and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure–III (SCIM-III), researchers determined the change between admission and discharge scores in both patient- and therapist-reported outcomes of self-care skills. This study also studied if a correlation existed between the SRFM (patient-reported) and SCIM-III (therapist-reported) outcomes.

Participants: Data from 49 participant records were collected in 2022-2023, with 42 participants data qualifying for this study.

Methods: Using secondary de-identified data, statistical analyses were conducted …

Perspectives Of Occupational Therapy-Led Caregiver Education On The Quality Of Life Of Caregivers Of Stroke Survivors, Yu Hsiang Liang-Paultre, Stefani Costanzo, Alaunte Major, Krisyadlee Mercado Lugo, Olivia Schrader

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Purpose

Occupational therapy plays a vital role in equipping caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to support individuals recovering from a cerebrovascular accident. Caregiver training provided by occupational therapy practitioners helps families manage post-stroke care and reduce the risk of secondary complications. This study explored caregivers’ perspectives on occupational therapy-led education, focusing on the type, quality, and perceived effectiveness of training before discharge.

Methods

Originally designed as a mixed-methods study, the research was modified to a qualitative design after hurricanes affected recruitment. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers of individuals who had a cerebrovascular accident …

Stress Management And Working Mothers, Mariana D'Amico, Ashley Ndip

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Abstract

Purpose: Explore evidence-based interventions to manage stress for working mothers.

Method: A scoping review was undertaken to explore and synthesize the evidence supporting occupational therapy interventions for working mothers. Select keywords were used individually and combined in EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Scopus, CINHAL, Cochrane Library Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, PubMed, PEDro.

Results: After reviewing the 14 identified articles, eight were removed for not meeting criteria, leaving six for synthesis. Four articles were at Level IV evidence, and two articles were qualitative. Social support extended family and mindfulness training were found to be helpful as reported by working mothers.

Conclusion: There …

Genomic Annotation And Biological Characterization Of Three Novel Gordonia Rubripertincta Bacteriophages, Sri Rishitha Nannapaneni

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global crisis, with 1 in 6 bacterial infections being resistant to antibiotics and causing 40 million deaths between 1990 and 2021 worldwide. This threat has resulted in the demand for alternative therapies, like bacteriophage therapy which uses viruses to treat bacterial infections by killing them. Gordonia rubripertincta is a gram-positive bacterium that is found in various habitats: water, soil, and on the exterior of plants. Gordonia species are rare, however, they are emerging as opportunistic human pathogens that may cause various infections in any individual. G. rubripertincta infections occur from surgical complications with a catheter …

Effects Of Ghost Energy Drink On Muscle Strength, Psychomotor Vigilance, And Mood., Jason M. Curtis, Jose J. Rojas, Flavia F. Pereira, Cassandra Evans, Elizabeth Espocito, Alyana Andal Andal, Gavin Poulshock, Hena Thakkar, Taila De Castro, Alexandra Jimenez, Antonio Cristanti, Antonella V. Schwarz, Juan Carlos Santana, Jose Antonio

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a commercially available energy drink (Ghost®) compared to a caffeine-matched control on measures of mental and physical performance.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind design, 62 participants were assigned to receive either the energy drink (Ghost®) or a caffeine-matched control (200 mg caffeine). Assessments were conducted at baseline and approximately 45 minutes post-ingestion, including the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), CNS Tap Test, handgrip strength, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS).

Results: Participant demographics are presented in Table 1. No significant between-group differences were observed for any performance measures. Both groups …

A Subdural Hemorrhage, Marianne Koleng

be Still

This piece attempts to weave together an understanding of medicine, healing, trauma, and neuroscience through an exploration of past injury and how pivotal moments as such can influence a future career pursuing medicine. This piece also demonstrates how seeking attention can lead to deleterious health impacts and investigates the importance of tempering pride with humility.

Attention - Volume 10

be Still

No abstract provided.

Listening Beyond The Stethoscope, Lia M. Smerina, Priya Darbhanga

be Still

No abstract provided.

What The Stethoscope Can’T Hear: A Book Review Of Every Patient Tells A Story, Faith Abraham

be Still

My love for reading has always shaped the way I see people and stories. Through books, I’ve learned to listen deeply to characters, voices, and emotions. That same curiosity drives how I approach medicine and the humanities. Reading reminds me that every person carries a story worth understanding, and that healing often begins with paying attention.

Conversations In Silence: Connecting With Nonverbal Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Allyson Nepomuceno

be Still

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Experiences With Physical Or Verbal Aggression In The Aftermath Of Covid-19, Juana M. Lang, Lucinda A. Hines, Karen Johnson

The Qualitative Report

This hermeneutical phenomenology study explored teachers’ lived experiences facing verbal or physical aggression from students after schools reopened post-COVID-19. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, Heider’s Attribution Theory, and Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Stress Theory, the study addressed the research question: What were teachers’ lived experiences with verbal or physical aggression from students after the first wave of COVID-19? Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used in the study. The sample included four teachers (two middle schools and two high schools) from the Southeastern U.S. Data were collected through open-ended iterative interviews and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed four themes: teachers …

Physics Teachers' Perceptions About Diagnostic Assessment Of Students' Physics Misconception: A Phenomenological Study, Mutmainna Mutmainna, Edi Istiyono, Haryanto Haryanto, Heri Retnawati, Caly Setiawan

The Qualitative Report

Physics learning needs to be designed by teachers to minimize misconceptions. Different diagnostic tools have been developed and used by researchers to identify student misconceptions. However, each tool has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, teachers play a crucial role, including their understanding of misconceptions and their ability to select the most effective tools according to their purpose. This study sought to uncover the experiences of eight physics teachers through phenomenological studies. Physics teachers involved in this research had diversity based on the period of experience teaching physics, geographical area, and education level. A virtual semi-structured interview (40 to 60 minutes) for …

Navigating The Storm: A Qualitative Metaphor-Based Analysis Of Resilience And Identity Reconstruction Among Displaced Professionals, Erhan Atay, Serkan Bayraktaroglu, Leo Johannesberg

The Qualitative Report

Building on previous management scholarship, this paper explains how Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and metaphorical expressions inform organizational resilience and leadership communication in employee support strategies. It tries to capture the interplay between personal sensemaking and collective adaptation. The study aims to provide practitioners with hands-on insights into developing inclusion, resilience, and identity reconstruction in organizational and societal contexts of disruption. The analysis identifies three critical metaphorical themes: resilience, which is likened to "climbing a mountain;" isolation, which is likened to being "trapped in a bubble;" and identity reconstruction, which is likened to "picking up the shattered pieces of a …

Navigating The Ethical Landscape: A Field Reflection On The Dynamics Of Informed Consent In Qualitative Research, Khim Raj Subedi, Peshal Khanal

The Qualitative Report

Our paper analyses the practical dimensions of obtaining informed consent in qualitative research, drawing on the reflective insight from fieldwork conducted as part of a study on the professional identity of primary (elementary) teachers in community schools in Nepal. Our study builds on and extends the understanding of informed consent as a legal and ethical requirement (Kadam, 2017) while considering the complexities of fieldwork. Drawing on interactions with six teachers and using the first author's detailed fieldnotes and reflexive memos, our study explores the challenges researchers face in securing consent during qualitative interviews. We argue that the consent-seeking process should …

Reflections On Researching Second-Generation Migrant Youths Amidst Covid-19 And Beyond: Challenges And Lessons For Future Researchers, Betty Chiyangwa

The Qualitative Report

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for researchers to adapt to innovative methodologies in qualitative research. I reflect on my doctoral experiences, examining the challenges I faced and lessons I learned during data collection amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. I explore the hurdles faced, mitigation measures adopted, and lessons for future researchers, using a reflective qualitative design that integrates my personal narrative and thematic analysis. The analysis included a systematic coding process, underpinned by critical narrative inquiry, reflections, observations and an analysis of my field notes. Six hurdles emerged during the data analysis process amidst COVID-19: (1) experiences of …

Young Adults And Early-Onset Psychosis: A Grounded Theory Study Of Experiences Of Identity Development, Katherine Hayden-Lewis, Deborah Rubel

The Qualitative Report

While identity development is a crucial task for young individuals ages 15-25, current research inadequately centralizes identity development in the context of first-time psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the grand research question, “How does a young person experience their identity development after the first episode of psychosis?”. Constructivist grounded theory methods influenced by critical frameworks were used to collect and analyze data with seven young adults engaged in first episode psychosis programs. Participants were young adults, between the ages of 19-24, that at the time of the study were enrolled in …

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 5, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

What Lies Beneath The Mask Of Sanity: A Comparison Of Ted Bundy And Charles Manson’S Rorschachs, Carl B. Gacono, Jason M. Smith, Tod A. Roy

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Once psychopathy level (PCL-R ≥ 30 = psychopathy) is determined, data beyond what is offered by the PCL-R is needed to fully understand the dynamics which underlie an individual’s overt criminal behavior. As we have empirically demonstrated (Gacono, 2016; Gacono & Evans, 2008; Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Smith et al., 2021), the Rorschach is ideally suited for this task. In this article we demonstrate the utility of the Rorschach Comprehensive System method (Exner, 2003; CS-R, Exner et al. 2022) in ferreting out the dynamics that underlie Ted Bundy and Charles Manson’s masks of sanity (Cleckley, 1941). Ted Bundy’s Rorschach reveals …

Science Alive - Stem Education Outreach, Brianna Bourke, Maggie Luo, Amaan Khan

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Qualitative Insights Into The Complexity Of Calling: Moving Beyond Quantitative Boundaries, Jeannel King

The Qualitative Report

Why are deeply personal and lived experiences often reduced to standardized measurements? Calling is one such experience. Although widely recognized as complex, personal, and contextually shaped, the concept of calling has most often been researched through quantitative methods over the past two decades. This study employed qualitative content analysis (QCA) to examine how calling was researched across 267 peer-reviewed journal articles, trace methodological patterns, and consider how those choices influence the field’s conceptualizations of the construct. The analysis integrated deductive coding of methodological features and inductive identification of conceptual themes, refined through abductive synthesis. This hybrid strategy positioned the study …

Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anatomy Higher Education Around The World, Sneh Patel, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted the higher education sector worldwide in several disciplines, especially those in healthcare as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that require active, experiential learning via practical application of concepts centering around anatomy. Dynamic instructional and technological interventions took place rapidly in an effort to minimize the adverse repercussions of moving away from traditional means of education in these critical scientific fields. COVID-19 necessitated administrators, faculty, students, and interns at colleges, universities, medical/ healthcare science programs and residencies to pursue teaching, learning, and assessment of anatomy courses/curricula through innovative strategies without compromising …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Additions To Nursing Education: Accommodating The Complexity Of Today’S Populations And Assuring Evidence-Based Pathways Of Patient-Centered Care, Jamie Anne Marcus, Bonnette Villalba Webb, Abigail Pauline Batin Villarroya

FDLA Journal

Predicted demographic changes in the rising older than 65 populations with possible declining mental and physical health mandate adaptations to new professional nursing roles that will incorporate technology, and changing policy environments. Nursing experience, knowledge, and skills will transition to new cognitive pathways to think and process information. Nurses will be supported by artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and become information integrators, health coaches, and continue to be deliverers of human caring. New transition pathways in nursing education to meet the needs of these diverse populations, and patient complex presentations will transcend to synergizing and optimize digital-age healthcare environments and assure …

From Barriers To Bridges: Enhancing Accessibility In Education With Generative Ai, Amy Sugar, Faith Delorenzo

FDLA Journal

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools have the potential to rapidly advance accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in K-12 and higher education settings. By effectively crafting prompts and leveraging existing GAI tools, educators and students can reduce barriers for all learners, including those with disabilities. In this paper, we discuss practical strategies and considerations when using GAI to create flexible and engaging learning experiences while building an accessible and inclusive learning environment.

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas D. Chestnut

FDLA Journal

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …