Digital Commons Network^™

Dismantling The Stigma Of "Strong Black Girl" & "Strong Black Boy:" Cultural And Gender Differences In Trauma And Suicidality Among Black Adolescents, Tiffany Mosier-Hunter

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Trauma exposure has been linked to a plethora of negative outcomes, including suicidality. Despite the abundance of research on the effects of trauma, little is known about its relationship with suicidality among adolescents. Moreover, even less research examines cultural and gender specific risk factors among Black adolescents. This study was founded on the cultural model of suicide, and the gendering of suicide theory, suggesting that suicidality in minority populations is influenced by cultural experiences (i.e., traumas) and perceptions of suicide, as well as gender differences that dictate where Black adolescents fall on the suicide spectrum. Using archival data (e.g., YRBSS) …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Why Trafficking Victims End Up Running Away, Getting In Trouble, And Being Homeless, Makaylen Tadeo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sex trafficking of youth is something that requires people to think deeper as to how they ended up trading sex in the first place. Literature has shown that within adverse childhood experiences, abuse plays a significant factor. There are many types of abuse and a variety of harmful effects it can have on a child that is not only limited to physical and mental health but also to how they grow up and live in the world. Using the life course theory, this current study wanted to apply the concepts to explain how specific adverse childhood experiences in the form …

The Impact Of Educating Interprofessional Healthcare Workers On The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Cardiac Acute Care Setting, Jennifer L. Taosuvanna

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The acute care setting has been a vastly growing practice area for the occupational therapy profession. Occupational therapists assist clients in the acute care setting with activities of daily living retraining and functional transfer training to increase independence. Each client demonstrates a different discharge course from the acute care setting and occupational therapists play a key role in assisting the clients the most appropriate rehabilitative setting. All professionals in the acute care setting work cohesively to provide clients with the best outcome.

The doctoral project explored the importance of interprofessional healthcare worker education about occupational therapy practices in the acute …

Effect Of Asynchronous Virtual Interviews On Ethnic Minority Matriculation Into A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Conner Clark, Nanea Lagasca, Gladys Miller, Jasmine Puspos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Methods: This study examines the impact of the use of asynchronous virtual interviews (AVIs) in the admissions process of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This research aims to examine racial and ethnic subgroup differences in AVI scores, evaluate the influence of AVIs on applicant scores in the admissions process, and assess the AVI inter-rater reliability among faculty evaluators using data from the 2019-2022 admissions cycles.

Results: Significant differences were found in AVI scores among racial and ethnic groups, with Black applicants scoring highest and Asian applicants scoring lowest. Additionally, inclusion …

Factors Shaping Charter School Leaders’ Student Recruitment Practices In Southern Nevada, John E. Aydogdu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Charter schools have witnessed significant growth in the United States, accompanied by increased diversity among student populations. However, Southern Nevada charter schools diverge from national trends, enrolling a less racially and socioeconomically diverse student population. This study examined factors that shape charter school leaders’ student recruitment practices in Southern Nevada. In addition to addressing the lack of literature coverage on Southern Nevada charter schools’ demographics, this study also introduced new research regarding the predicament of charter school demographics in Southern Nevada. Using a case study approach, data from 16 charter school leaders and staff members across four identified charter schools …

Using Student Voices To Inform Educational Reform: Exploring High School Educational Desires To Improve Curricular Decisions, Anna Colquitt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the education system, the integration of student perspectives into effective pedagogical strategies is gaining momentum. This dissertation delves into the concept of 'Student Voice' and its role in shaping educational frameworks. Recognizing the growing gap in soft skill proficiency among newly recruited employees, contrasted with the emphasis on hard skills within current educational standards, this study analyzes what those skill gaps are in the education and what skills students perceive are necessary to integrate into a high school education to better prepare students for life, the workforce, and higher education. Focused on recent high school graduates in Nevada, the …

“Sex Is Fun”: A Study Of Hook Up Behaviors And Experiences Of Post-College And Middle-Aged Adults, Joshua Corum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research is a qualitative study of the hook up and casual sex behaviors and experiences of those in full adulthood, focusing on their motivations to hook up and the subsequent outcomes of those casual sex activities. Most of the existing scholarship on hooking up and casual sex primarily investigates the behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of college students within emerging adulthood. Little consideration is made for the ways in which adults negotiate hooking up and casual sex in other stages over the life course and after major life transitions. In this dissertation, I asked three questions: 1) How do adults …

Linking Scholarly Learning Activities And Professional Identity In Otd Students, Andrew Loc Ho

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Professional identity formation is a critical aspect of education, training, and becoming an occupational therapist in Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) programs. This capstone study explores the potential influences of learning activities related to research and scholarly writing professional identity development amongst OTD students using a cross-sectional descriptive design. This research study involved 32 OTD students across six cohorts participating in focus groups from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC). Through convenience sampling and latent content analysis managed with ATLAS.ti, the study identified categories underpinned by the Kawa Model to describe the dynamic interplay …

Voices Of Change: Oral Histories Of Ethnic Studies Leaders In Racialized Organizations, Bucket Manyweather

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study of implementing California Assembly Bill 1460, or mandatory Ethnic Studies (ES) in the California State University System (CSU), investigates the leadership decisions made within a set of self-governing campuses with varied institutional resources and responsibilities. This research uses an Oral History methodology, which situates personal experiences in history to illustrate how Ethnic Studies staff, faculty, and administrators navigate a racialized organization as they institutionalize a critical race curriculum and mandate within the context of individual campus histories, cultures and governances.

I reviewed the literature and documented the history of the first College of Ethnic Studies, the movement's impact, …

Barriers To A Real Second Chance: Seeking Redemption While Set Up For Failure, Kara Forrai

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the enactment of the Second Chance Act in 2008, there has been a need to better understand the effectiveness of prisoner reentry programs and the services that are provided within these programs. Since then, numerous articles have described the barriers that previously incarcerated persons encounter during reentry and how this increases the likelihood of recidivism. The goal of this current study is to understand what current barriers exist for individuals within a local reentry program and then to suggest future implementations that could reduce the impact of these barriers. To achieve this goal, qualitative research methods are employed to …

Discerning Moral Injury, Alexandra A. Merletti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Moral injury is a recently developed psychological construct used to explain trauma that cannot be adequately explained by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It arises from experiences in which sufferers feel that they have violated deeply held moral beliefs and has multiple negative long term health and professional consequences for individuals affected. In order to better understand moral injury, this study seeks to understand how it is identified in individuals by others and utilizes Christie’s (2018) Ideal Victim Theory and Gray and Wegner’s (2009) Moral Typecasting Theory as a theoretical framework. Participants for this study were 374 undergraduate students at the …

Improving Occupational Therapy Student Utilization Through A Community Engagement Program For Individuals With Dementia, Andrew Stevenson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The contents of this doctoral project include an introduction to some of the difficulties people with dementia face in regard to engaging in the community, and how that may impact their health. It goes on to support how occupational therapists (OTs) have the skills to provide treatment addressing this issue but have faced difficulty entering settings such as memory care. A literature review demonstrates some of the positive benefits that can result from providing people with dementia opportunities for community engagement and reveals some of the difficulties associated with providing quality dementia care. This helps to explain the purpose of …

Educational Attainment In The Mountain West, 2021, Isabelle G. Graham, Jesse M. Fager-Larsen, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet examines data on educational attainment rates for five states in the Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado,Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report from the Lumina Foundation explores education attainment data for those aged 25 to 64 years in all U.S. states.

How Covid-19 Changed Us: Compassion, Leadership, And Policy, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada was one of the hardest hit states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past three years, researchers at The Lincy Institute and other institutions collected interviews from 80 Nevada leaders across sectors including elected officials, leaders in education, community organizations, government agencies, and the business community. Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our communities continue to build a resilient and healthy Nevada. This forum discusses how the crisis prompted us to rethink how we lead and how we can prepare for future challenges. Following a presentation of the project and its deliverables, leaders across sectors discuss …

The Safety Net Should Work For Working Age Adults, Lauren Bauer

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

This lecture focuses attention on a population that is ill-served by the safety net but rarely acknowledged: low-income, working-age adults without dependents or government-determined disabilities. In this lecture, Brookings Scholar Lauren Bauer, a former Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary at the US Department of Education, argues that a safety net that is inaccessible to ABAWDs (able-bodied adults without dependents) fails to recognize the precarious state of the low-wage labor market or how safety-net programs allow these workers to remain in the workforce. By modernizing the parameters of who qualifies for access to safety-net programs, assistance can be …

Nevada High School Students: Graduates From Unlv And Unr, 2010-2022, Madison Dwyer, Zachary Billot, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet reports data for individuals who earned both a high school diploma from a Nevada high school and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) or the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) between 2010 and 2022, as well as the race/ethnicity and gender of these graduates.

Isn’T There A Better Way To Nominate Presidential Candidates?, Elaine Kamarck

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

This lecture examines why every four years the major political parties undertake a drawn-out, confusing series of primaries, caucuses, and conventions to determine their presidential nominees. Over the years, a number of rational and more orderly ways to select presidential nominees have been proposed but none of these ideas have been adopted. Brookings Institution scholar Elaine Kamarck, who has written extensively on the topic and served as a presidential and presidential campaign advisor, addresses these topics and more.

"They Are Usually Borderline Homeless": Exploring The Nexus Of Homelessness, Housing Instability, Successful Reentry, And Long-Term Reintegration, Emily Troshynski, Carolyn Willis

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

For previously incarcerated persons, affordable and safe housing options are scarce. Barriers to securing housing include federal mandates (i.e., eligibility requirements) as well as local rules and regulations (i.e., zoning and ordinances). When housing is available, disclosing criminal history on applications impacts individuals’ chances to rent (Philips & Spencer, 2013). A lack of a consistent rental history, no personal and/or employment references, and securing capital to cover security deposits are added challenges. Since parole rules direct ex-convicts not to associate with others that have a criminal record, living with partners, friends, and family members may not be an option. Research …

Association Between Breastfeeding Cessation Among Under Six-Month-Old Infants And Postpartum Depressive Symptoms In Nevada, Smriti Neupane, Clarlana Vitoria Ramos De Oliveira, Claudia Nery Telxeira Palombo, Gabriela Buccini

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

Background: Postpartum depression affects 13% of women after childbirth in the United States. Mothers who experience depression are less likely to breastfeed than those who do not experience depression. On the other hand, breastfeeding may have a positive effect on maternal mental health. Research aim: We aimed to analyze whether breastfeeding cessation is associated with postpartum depression symptoms among mothers of infants under six months old in Clark County, Nevada. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 using a purposive sample of 305 mother-infant dyads. Postpartum depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and the breastfeeding …

Maintenance As A Core Value Recommendations For Increasing Gender Equity On Digital Scholarship Teams, Amanda Koziura, Stephanie Becker

Library Faculty Research

As two female librarians who have worked in digital scholarship at research institutions, we have observed how patriarchal gender norms can influence the way teams operate and the toxic impact they have on librarians. In this chapter, we will identify points of impact and suggest a feminist approach, which relies on maintenance and care, to further equity in the subfield of digital scholarship within academic libraries.

Variation In Las Vegas Tree Diversity Based On Socioeconomic Status, Fabrizio Ciccone

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

An increased level of plant biodiversity has been observed in urban communities of above average socioeconomic status. This phenomenon was previously termed the luxury effect. This study aimed to identify potential disparities in tree diversity of different communities across Las Vegas and Henderson. Communities were selected based on the zip code’s median income for 2023; this information was gathered from the Healthy Southern Nevada database. Public parks were chosen from a range of zip codes, with trees initially being identified with PictureThis, then cross-referenced with Southern Nevada Water Authority’s regional plant list for validity. Trees were counted, identified, and …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Intracommunity Attitudinal And Experiential Barriers To The Utilization Of Psychotherapeutic Services In Bipoc Populations, Jade Turner

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the role that intracommunity attitudes and beliefs and negative mental healthcare experiences play in determining treatment-seeking behavior in BIPOC communities. Through in-depth semistructured interviews, five participants shared their perspectives and experiences, providing rich and nuanced insight into the subjective landscape of mental healthcare avoidance among racial and ethnic minority populations. The analysis revealed five overarching themes (pray it away, isolated and invisible, fear, perceived importance of racial matching, and therapeutic experiences profoundly impact treatment-seeking) shedding light on the nuanced ways in which BIPOC individuals make sense of and navigate mental health within …

Unlv Title Iii Aanapisi & Mcnair Scholars Institute Research Journal 2024, Jesica Godinez-Paredes, Kian Hassankhan, Apia Hickman, Robin Ruth Kee, Kevin Ayala Pineda, Briana Melendez, Kalli Ramos, Saturn L. Reyes, Fabian Leija, Selena Pepe, Silva Topchyan, Celeste Ainsley, Mayra Arzate, Jessica Balistreri, Zantana Ephrem, Mirella Jasso, Karl Panou, Nichole Pelaez, Miklo Alcala, Akshay Dave, Mey Mey Heng, Michael Finkle, Janessa Montenegro, Reynafe Naol Aniga, Victor Mejia, Angelica G. Diaz, Anayeli Flores-Garibay, Kari Lee Joe Goold, Samantha Hernandez, Lianelys Cabrera Martinez, Caitlin Reynolds, Kimberly N. Usbeck, Abdulrahman Alahdal, Angelica Diaz, Willaine Mae Kahano, Raquel Jackson, Cecia Ruiz-Hernandez, Kers Ung-Watson, Yessenia Henriquez, Vanessa Marie Booth, Alexia Brown, Darlyn Magana, Bianca Navarro, Nicholas Pereira, Gia Renemae Calip, Lucky Heng, Ralph Sagun, Lucas Abreu, Alexandra Maria Acosta, Tristan Benally, Cosset Hernandez Pena, Adrian Montenegro, Cierra Paaaina-Daquioag, Nicole Torosian, Tracy Fuentes, Julissa Martinez, Medina Mcallister, Michal Newhouse-Van Vlerin, Tiria Carr, Nima Abkenar, Isabella Aceituno, Yuhan Bi, Victoria Campos, Melika Cummings, Zachary J. Johnigan, Alexis Sotolongo-Marin

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the AANAPISI, LSAMP, and McNair Scholars Program.

Table of Contents

About AANAPISI

Dr. Chris Heavey, Interim President

Dr. Keith Rogers, Vice President for Student Affairs

Ms. Zhanna Aronov, Associate Vice President for Retention & Outreach

Fostering Udl-Informed Library Instruction Practices Developed From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Niki Fullmer, Katie Strand

Library Faculty Research

Purpose: This case study explores how universal design for learning (UDL)-informed online instruction modules developed during COVID-19 can better support student information literacy outcomes. This study will also examine how hybrid learning lends itself to UDL and may resolve some of the issues within library instruction.

Design/methodology/approach: This case study explores how a team of librarians at Utah State University developed three UDL-informed modules to support library instruction and hybrid learning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was sent to composition instructors to understand how they utilized the three new UDL-informed modules and if the modules helped …

Nevada Workforce Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Study 2023, Becky Harris, Andrea Dassopoulos

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) metrics enable organizations to set concrete goals and self-monitor their performance. In 2021, Nevada’s legislature passed Senate Bill No. 267 (SB267), authorizing the University Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) to study DEI benchmarks in the State. The study is designed to produce actionable results capable of informing policy and employer best practices in Nevada. Workforce Study data was collected for the 2022 calendar year with study participation taking place between January 2-April 30, 2023.

The questions in the study were crafted based on DEI public policy considerations as well as metrics for gauging the scope of …

The Association Between Parent-Adolescent Communication About Sex And Risk-Aware Sexual Health Knowledge In Latino College Students, Jacquelyn Rodriguez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Timing and Content of Parent-Adolescent Sex Communication: Puberty discussions as gateway to sex discussions (Miller et al., 2009; O’Sullivan et al., 2001), Abstinence-based (Grossman et al., 2013; Guilamo-Ramos et al., 2006), Shame, embarrassment, or fear (Goldfarb et al., 2015; O’Sullivan et al., 2001), Information guarding (Guilamo-Ramos et al., 2006; Rouvier et al., 2011).

Gender, Cultural, and Religious Influences on Communication: Marianismo: “pure and asexual” (Wood & Price, 1997); Sex-negative talk vs. sex-neutral or positive talk (Evans et al., 2019; Guilamo-Ramos et al., 2019; Sevilla et al., 2016); Mothers are main communications with all genders (Guilamo-Ramos et al., 2019; Goldfarb et …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And Work From Home 2019-2021, Maryam Raja, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Research Background and Methods: The ACS reports that by 2021 around 27.6 million individuals (17.9% of workers) worked from home. Pandemic affected commuting patterns and workplace systems.

Research Findings: The data presented in Table 1 account for all workers aged 16 and above. Among Mountain West states, Nevada reported the smallest percentage of home-based workers in both 2019 (tied with Colorado) and 2021. Table 2 presents population data for Mountain West MSAs with populations of 1 million or more and percentage of home-based workers with a margin of error in both 2019 and 2021.

Factors Associated With Caregiver Responsive And Non-Responsive Feeding Styles In Clark County, Nevada, Amanda Castelo Saragosa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Early childhood obesity has increased significantly over the last few decades, reaching epidemic levels in the United States. Many interventions exist to alleviate early childhood obesity; however, little focus is on preventing obesity-related risks for children under two. High-quality child-caregiver interactions are deemed critical for preventing early childhood obesity development, but there is little information on the socio-ecological factors that influence a caregivers' feeding styles. This study examined socio-ecological factors associated with caregivers' feeding styles (responsive vs. non-responsive) for infants under two in Clark County, Nevada. This cross-sectional study utilized a survey targeted to caregivers (18 and older) with infants …

Evolving Expressions Of Trauma In James Joyce, Jean Rhys, And Caryl Phillips, Sean M. Mccray

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Evolving Expressions of Trauma articulates ways that dynamic, changing theories of trauma can provide a language and conceptual space to examine innovative modes and means of expression in Modernist novels and in later, post-colonial and experimental novels. This dissertation asserts that as trauma theory has expanded to encompass and describe different types of traumata, including the mundane, the insidious, and empathetic, it has provided a scaffolding for studying difficult, even impenetrable works from the Modernist period and beyond. The works examined here are strategically selected to demonstrate scope and particularity in the growth of trauma theories and their potential applications …

Compassion, Oxytocin, And Simulation Experiences Among Prelicensure Nursing Students, Shelley L. Price

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Compassion is a core competency and the philosophical foundation of nursing. Previous studies demonstrated that uncompassionate nursing care was associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality, prolonged illness and recovery, and missed care opportunities. However, it is unknown whether prelicensure nursing education contributes to greater compassion levels among prelicensure nursing students (PNSs). Aims: These studies addressed three research aims: (1) Describe and compare levels of compassion in first-term and last-term PNSs, (2) Determine the effects of a compassion-inducing simulation event on compassion in PNSs, as measured through a survey and biological measurement, and lastly, (3) Investigate the relationship between …