Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Occupational Therapy’S Role In Post-Secondary Student Mental Health, Anneilise C. Dunderdale

OTD Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Building Belonging: Advancing Healthy Aging Through Social Participation And Community-Based Occupational Therapy Programming, Angela F. Sykes

OTD Capstone Projects

Older adults living on the South Side of Chicago, particularly African American older adults in underserved communities, face significant barriers to meaningful social participation. As a result, this population is at increased risk for negative health outcomes associated with reduced social participation, highlighting the need for targeted, community-based interventions. This project utilized two phases of community needs assessments and the key findings emphasized the importance of strengths-based approaches to aging, the need for diverse and inclusive programming, variability in functional ability, the role of client-centered communication, and the significance of social participation as a core occupational need. The findings informed …

Bridging The Accessibility And Communication Gap At Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Jay A. Reiss

OTD Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to address the communication and accessibility gap at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). The experience consisted of collaborating with the Office for Access & Accommodations (OAA) to develop a series of web pages that included information about event accessibility resources, communication accessibility, building-specific accessibility, and creating a sensory-friendly environment. The materials created were designed to support event planners and the community by increasing transparency around accommodations and encouraging their promotion at events. A total of six webpages were created, displaying useful resources for accommodation considerations and accessibility features at SIUC. Feedback from evaluators …

Traumatic Stress Recruits An Excitatory Orbitofrontal-Amygdala Pathway To Drive Maladaptive Aggression, Mikaela Aholt

Theses

Traumatic stress is a reliable predictor of heightened aggression, yet the mechanisms linking stress exposure to aggression remain poorly understood. The Nordman lab previously found that traumatic stress activates the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala (MeApv) to drive persistent increases in aggressive behavior. However, why traumatic stress would engage an aggression-promoting pathway is unclear. To address this, the inputs to the MeApv were mapped and a population of excitatory, but not inhibitory, neurons in layer 5 of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) were identified. The OFC is classically viewed as an inhibitory brake on amygdala-driven impulses, yet emerging …

A Sharper, Stronger Reality: Rememory In Octavia Butler's Kindred, Rachael E. Vargas

Research Papers

This research paper applies epigenetic research and Toni Morrison’s concept of “rememory” to analyze Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred. This research demonstrates that, through the use of rememory, form, and genre, Butler creates an allegory for epigenetic trauma inheritance within the novel. Dana’s experiences of physical injury disablement serve to exemplify one of the many lived aftermaths of American Chattel Slavery experienced by DACS.

An Expertise-Based Approach To Training Decision-Making And Situational Awareness For Basketball Referees, Scott Warner Boatright

Dissertations

Expertise, rapid decision-making, and situational awareness are key components of high performance in many areas, including basketball officiating. Traditional methods of providing feedback on performance to basketball referees rely heavily on broadcast video and rule review, which does not adequately target the perceptual-cognitive skills associated with rapid and dynamic decision-making. The current study developed and evaluated a 360-degree video virtual reality (VR) Expertise-Based Training (XBT) program designed to accelerate expertise in intermediate-level basketball referees. Using think-aloud protocol, conducted with an expert basketball referee, expert judgments and rational were elicited and implemented as Expert-Model Feedback within the referee training program. Twelve …

From Structure To Support: An Integrative Model Of Leadership, Emotional Exhaustion, Role Clarity, And Daoist Moderation, Aradhna Mohan

Dissertations

Rooted in the understanding that effective leadership significantly influences organizational outcomes, this study examines process-oriented relationships between leader initiating structure and subordinate outcomes. Specifically, it extends the leadership literature by focusing on the cognitive resources underlying initiating structure behaviors, such as role-related clarity, that may enhance positive subordinate outcomes and mitigate negative ones. The study also incorporates an underexamined Eastern leadership style, Daoist Water-Like Leadership, and explores its associations with leader initiating structure and consideration. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this research assesses the effects of initiating structure and Daoist leadership on emotional exhaustion, examines the relationship between …

Exploring Identity And Promoting Interprofessional Collaboration In Rehabilitation, Tavae D. Lewis I

OTD Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Mental Healthcare Worker Education And Training To Reduce Stigma & Promote Occupational Engagement: An Occupational Therapy Informed Initiative, Emma Rose Osborn

OTD Capstone Projects

Stigma is still a common and often ignored factor that affects health outcomes, especially in mental health care. Stigma is a social problem that affects both caregivers and patients. It is based on deep-seated fears of disease and contagion. Healthcare workers, especially those who work in mental health, are in a unique position to both support and fight these stigmas. Even though this is possible, many healthcare professionals still don't know how much stigma affects patients' experiences and access to care. The goal of this capstone project is to investigate the prevalence of stigma in mental health settings and its …

Ot In Maternal Health, Leslie M. Baker

OTD Capstone Projects

Many organizations that serve the care of pregnant and postpartum women have identified unmet client need specific to the health and well-being of new mothers, which occupational therapy (OT) has the potential to address, through health promotion and well-being initiatives that focus on the prevention of barriers to participation, specific to the co-occupation of motherhood.  While in an emerging practice area, the inclusion of Occupational Therapy (OT) is well positioned to address the physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs of new mothers. Through the creation of educational programming, this doctoral capstone project supported from an occupational therapy perspective, the development of …

Scholary Program Notes For Graduate Horn Recital Featuring Works Of Eugene Bozza, Johannes Brahms, Gina Gillie, And Marin Marais, Isabella R. Redd

Research Papers

This paper examines the following musical works: “Le Basque” by Marin Marais, Horn Trio in E-flat, Op. 40 by Johannes Brahms, En Fôret by Eugene Bozza, and The Great Migration by Gina Gillie. The progression of horn, both its physical form and its use in music, is discussed through the lens of performance. The pieces span multiple centuries covering the Baroque, Romantic, Modern, and Contemporary periods. This paper explores the horn’s history and transformation through a consideration of the historical background, musical analysis, performance practice and select recordings of these musical works.

Law Journal Vol. 50 Winter 2026 Masthead

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Prejudicial Impact Vs. Human Psychology The Court System’S Forever Battle, Harrison Alexander Boyd

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

The correlation of legal safeguards and human psychology amplifying prejudice within the courtroom creates a perpetual challenge for those tasked with ensuring fairness in judicial proceedings. This paper focuses on the limitations of court mechanisms such as objections, jury instructions, and subsequent curative instructions in mitigating the effects of prejudicial evidence. Through case law coupled with cinematic examples and psychological theories, this paper highlights the battle between coexisting human psychology and prejudicial influences on jury decision-making. The proposed remedies within the text include enhanced jury education, pre-trial intervention, and post-trial juror reviews, all to minimize the prejudicial impact.

“Faith As A Shield”: Challenging Religious Exemptions To Child Welfare Statutes In Response To Institutional Child Abuse, Shailey Mussey

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

This Note analyzes the role of religious exemptions in federal and state child welfare statutes in facilitating abuse within the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), a loosely defined network of residential treatment programs, wilderness camps, and therapeutic boarding schools. Although religious exemptions were originally intended to safeguard religious liberty and parental rights, their statutory design has produced significant regulatory gaps that permit certain faith-affiliated institutions to operate with minimal oversight. By tracing the historical development of these exemptions and examining their contemporary application across multiple jurisdictions, this Note demonstrates how religious status can function as a shield against meaningful accountability. It …

Table Of Contents - Vol. 50, Winter 2026

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Fire Stations As Satellite Campuses Impact On Paramedic Recruitment, Training, And Retention, Joseph D. Levy

Ed.D. Capstone Reports

The ongoing national shortage of paramedics presents a critical challenge for emergency medical services (EMS), placing immense pressure on agencies to maintain adequate staffing levels while meeting the growing demand for emergency response. Workforce attrition, increasing call volume, limited access to paramedic education, and high burnout rates have compounded this crisis, threatening the sustainability of EMS operations. This capstone examines strategies to improve paramedic student recruitment, training, and retention, with a focus on utilizing fire stations as satellite training campuses to expand access to education and workforce development.

This study is guided by Human Capital Theory and Self-Determination Theory, analyzing …

Mentoring For Workforce Education And Development: Insights From Education And Broader Applicability, Ramiro Pesina

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Mentoring programs are pivotal to workforce education, bridging skill gaps and fostering employee retention across industries. Although this study focuses on mentoring practices within the education sector, its findings are broadly applicable to other professions where effective mentoring supports employee onboarding, retention, and professional growth. Through qualitative interviews with mentors and mentees in a North Texas school district, this study identifies key factors contributing to successful mentoring: structured sessions, effective leadership, and prioritization of mentor-mentee relationships. While the findings underscore the universal principles of mentoring, the application of these insights across various professions warrants further research. By situating these findings …

Pragmatist Ethics: A Problem-Based Approach To What Matters, By James Jakób Liszka, Myron Moses Jackson

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Three Deweyan Ideas For Education In The Age Of Diasporas: Social Center, Activity Curriculum, And Teacher Education Laboratory, Leonard J. Waks

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Teacher As Investigator: Improving The Education Of Migrant Students, Giuseppe Spadafora

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Principles Of John Dewey's My Pedagogic Creed And Its Apllication To Intercultural Issues Of Migrant Students, Teodora Pezzano

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Dewey On Institutions Of Democratic Art, Emma Fieser

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Education As An Intrument For Peace And Democracy: Dewey's Perspective On The Rise Of Nationalism, Chuck Howlett, Audrey Cohan

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Will Whatever It Takes Be Enough? Dewey, The Crisis Of The Eu, And The Need For An (Inter)Nationalizing Of Education, Stefano Oliverio

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Hopeful Hashtag: Digital Feminist Publics In The Trump Era, Jennifer Hansen

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Visceral Politics And Heuristic Democracy, Vincent M. Colapietro

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Pragmatism About Nationalism, John J. Stuhr

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Young William James Thinking, Vincent M. Colapietro

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Pragmatism In Transition, Michael G. Festl

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Experiencing William James, J. Edward Hackett

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.