Digital Commons Network^™

The Correlation Between Mental Health And Electronic Media Usage In Adults, Thea Lefave

Student Research Symposium

How does an adult's electronic media usage impact their levels of anxiety and depression and overall emotional well-being?

Gendered Rehabilitation: Male And Female Offenders' Experiences In Reintegration, Ellie Hansen

Student Research Symposium

• Gender: Socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations assigned to women, men, girls, and boys (World Health Organization).
• Gender specific (responsive) programing: Tailored interventions addressing distinct learning styles, relationship dynamics, and life circumstances of men and women (The Oregon Intermediate Sanctions for Female Offenders Policy Group 1995).
• Recidivism: Relapse into criminal behavior after sanctions or interventions (NIJ).
• Reentry: The inevitable consequence of incarceration (Visher 2015).
• Rehabilitation: Programs reducing crime by addressing root causes and improving reintegration outcomes (NIJ).
• Reintegration: Reconnecting individuals with societal institutions as both a process and goal (Visher 2015).

Effects Of The Built Environment On Intergenerational Interaction, Hyrum Worth

Student Research Symposium

What are the effects of intergenerational interaction? Who do they impact, and how?

Motivations For Engaging In Act Guide: An Online Digital Mental Health Intervention, Willa Freeman, Danny Cottle

Student Research Symposium

Mental Health in the United States

• 24% of Americans, 60 million, experienced a mental health concern in the past year (Reinert et al., 2024).
• In 2024, 1 in 4 adults with continuous mental distress could not see a doctor due to cost (Reinert et al., 2024).
• Online programs can help provide resources to improve quality of life that are cost-effective and easily accessible

How Does Social Media Influence The Self-Perceived Well-Being Of Rural Residents?, Danalee Welch-O'Donnal

Student Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Seeking Help, Randall Haws

Student Research Symposium

• One of the major barriers to completion of an academic degree is completing the mathematics or statistics requirement
• Studies indicate that college mathematics course have the highest rates of withdrawal and failure of any category of college courses
• Research indicates failure or withdrawal from a college course has a significant impact on the resilience and persistence in college

Attitudes & Beliefs About Homelessness In Cache County, Rachel Didericksen, Brynlee Wright, Bailee Allred, Natalie Rust

Student Research Symposium

The rise in homelessness at the local level calls for community member engagement in solution-building. In order to inform policy and funding decisions, it is important that we understand what perceptions community members have regarding persons experiencing homelessness (PEH), perceptions of gaps in resources, and the degree of support for expanding resources.

Housing Attainability In The Bear River Area, Peyton Reynolds

Student Research Symposium

Utahns are experiencing numerous challenges related to affording, securing, and maintaining housing.

Does Peer Influence Impact Substance Use Intentions In Pre-Adolescence? A Longitudinal Examination, Aubrey Low

Student Research Symposium

• Substance use in adolescent populations remains a significant public health concern. Although many studies have explored the association between peer influence and adolescents' substance use intentions, little has focused on how pre-adolescent populations are impacted by peer influence and their susceptibility to substance use. This gap in knowledge presents to be concerning given the increased vulnerability to social pressures during this developmental stage. This study aims to close this gap by investigating the association of the role of peer influence in shaping pre-adolescents' intent to use substances.

Examining Cultural Competency In Audiologists Across The United States: A Pilot Survey, Olivia Montoya

Student Research Symposium

• Cultural competency refers to the ability of systems to provide care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, and behaviors, including tailoring delivery to meet patients' social, cultural, and linguistic needs (Betancourt, 2002).

• Limited studies to date have explored the implementation of cultural competence in audiology, which begs the question of how audiologists are fighting against—instead of contributing to—healthcare disparities among ethnic minorities.

Designing For Everyone: The Impact Of Ada In Interior Design, Mimi Miyazawa

Student Research Symposium

In interior design, everyone is considered in the design process to ensure each place is safe, functional, and comfortable. ADA (American Disability Act) is always used in public buildings and is considered for individuals and families in residential buildings. Interior designers ensure places can be usable. This also helps companies prevent lawsuits and become more friendly, allowing people to trust and feel welcome.

Utah's Farm To Fork Landscape: Stakeholders' Perspectives On Root Causes And Potential Solutions, Utsav Bhandari

Student Research Symposium

• Farm to Fork encourages direct connection between producers and consumers reducing the intermediaries (i.e., schools, pre-schools, daycare centers, etc.)
• Empowers local producers, boosts the local economy, enhances physical and mental well-being, and promotes self-sufficiency
• Utah's Farm to Fork Task Force was formed in 2015

Editorial: Intelligent Robots For Agriculture -- Ag-Robot Development, Navigation, And Information Perception, Sierra N. Young

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Agriculture is undergoing a paradigm shift driven by global challenges such as climate change, labor shortages, and the increasing demand for sustainable food production. In response, intelligent robotics are emerging as a transformative technology, enhancing agricultural efficiency, precision, and sustainability. This Research Topic, “Intelligent Robotics in Agriculture -- Ag-Robot Development, Navigation, and Information Perception,” highlights advancements in agricultural robotics, including breakthroughs in system design, autonomous navigation, multi-sensor fusion, and machine learning applications. The collected works contribute significantly to the evolving landscape of smart farming by addressing critical challenges in agricultural automation.

Tacting The Functions Of Behavior And College Mental Health: A Mobile App-Based Approach To Developing Psychological Flexibility, Benjamin G. Pierce, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study evaluated a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Matrix app to improve college student mental health in a randomized waitlist-controlled trial. It was hypothesized that participants assigned to the ACT Matrix app would report greater improvements than the waitlist condition on measures of psychological inflexibility (e.g., Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II; Tacting of Function [TOF] scale), distress (e.g., Patient Health Questionnaire), and functioning (e.g., Satisfaction with Life Scale) as well as that changes in psychological inflexibility variables would predict improvements in distress and functioning at post-intervention and 4-week follow up. The sample included 106 students reporting elevated depression or …

The Utah Statesman, April 7, 2025, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Role Of Answer Justification In Multiple-Choice Testing: Effects On Performance And Metacognitive Accuracy, Spenser A. Clark, Michellle L. Rivers, Acacia L. Overono

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Student Research

Multiple-choice (MC) tests are widely used in educational settings but have been criticized for promoting passive recognition rather than active retrieval. Our research explores how adding a simple component to MC tests—answer justification—influences test performance and metacognitive accuracy. Across two experiments, university students studied a textbook chapter and completed either a standard MC test (MC-only group) or an MC test requiring them to justify their answers (answer justification group). Participants also provided predictive and postdictive metacognitive judgments. The results showed that the answer justification group significantly outperformed the MC-only group on an immediate test (Experiments 1 and 2) and scored …

Sdl Optomechanical Engineering Discussion, Tyrel Rupp

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

• About SDL
• SDL Manufacturing Capabilities
• Optomechanical Example-AWE
• Optomechanical Example – AWE Telescope Design
• Optomechanical Example – AWE Telescope Fabrication
• Optomechanical Example – AWE Optomechanical Assembly
• AWE Infrared Radiance of OH Layer Above Hurricane Helene
• Current Challenges in Optomechanics for SDL
• Precision Manufacturing IR&D (ongoing)
• Low CTE Moldable Composite IR&D: Athermal Design Background
• Low CTE Moldable Composite IR&D: Overview
• Low CTE Moldable Composite IR&D: Lens Tube Fabrication
• Low CTE Moldable Composite IR&D: Lens Tube Fabrication

Child Sexual Abuse: What Utahns Need To Know, Kolene Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant social, criminal justice, and public health issue that impacts families, neighborhoods, and communities of all racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. CSA is underreported, underfunded, and often accompanied by lifelong negative impacts on survivors’ physical, mental, and emotional health. Importantly, we acknowledge that not all who have experienced child sexual abuse feel that the term survivor (instead of victim) adequately conveys their feelings and experiences. However, for the sake of simplicity and to align with the terminology used in most research, we use the term in this report. Unfortunately, most survivors do not …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 6, 2025
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 6, 2025
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Educational Policies Committee Minutes April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 6, 2025
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:20 pm

General Education Subcommittee Agenda April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Call to Order – Matt Sanders
• Approval of Minutes – March 6, 2025
• Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals
• New Business
• Additional Items
• Adjourn: 9:30 am

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 6, 2025
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Senate Bill 334 update
• Year-End Summary
• Other Potential Business
• Adjourn: 2:36pm

General Education Subcommittee Minutes April 3, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - March 6, 2025
• Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals
• New Business
• Depth designation discussion
• Election of a committee chair
• Additional items
• Adjourn: 9:32

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy-Enhanced Behavior Therapy As An Intervention For Trichotillomania And Excoriation Disorder (Skin Picking): A Review, Michael P. Twohig, Leila K. Capel

Psychology Faculty Publications

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) – enhanced behavior therapy (A-EBT) is the most empirically supported treatment for trichotillomania. The data supporting A-EBT for excoriation disorder (skin picking) is small but growing. In this paper we review the model behind A-EBT including support for targeting psychological inflexibility as well as the use of more traditional behavioral procedures to reduce non-focused behaviors. To date there are 15 studies investigating A-EBT for trichotillomania and skin picking across ages and treatment delivery methods (individual, group, telehealth, and asynchronous web-based delivery). The work has occurred by multiple research teams. Data on process of change is …

Dataset: Compositional Analysis And Hydrothermal Liquefaction Of A High-Ash Microalgae Biofilm, Jacob Watkins, Hamza Abdellaoui, Elise Barton, Clayton Lords, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Student Research

This dataset contains biochemical composition data and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) yield results for a high-ash microalgae biofilm which was cultivated in effluent from a mesophilic anaerobic digester using polyethylene rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABRs). These data were originally collected for use in a techno-economic analysis of biocrude, biodiesel, and bioplastic production from algae that was cultivated using RABRs for municipal wastewater reclamation.

Biochemical data for the microalgae biomass includes bulk protein, measured both using the Bradford protein assay and by multiplying total N; carbohydrate content, measured using a 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone / dithiothreitol (MBTH/DTT) assay; total lipid content, measured using a …

Locking-It-In And Doubling: Mediating Second-Grade Students' Activity With Multiplicative Thinking, Jessica F. Shumway, Camille Lund, Joseph Kozlowski, Deborah Silvis, Jody Clarke-Midura, Ana Ashineh

Spatial Activities and Robot Coding (SPARC)

Using activity theory as a lens, we aimed to understand what second-grade students' interactions revealed about their thinking and what mediated students' engagement with important multiplicative ideas. In this setting, students interacted with multiplicative thinking using a coding robot and other artifacts as mediating tools. Through qualitative analysis, we found that students interacted with three concepts related to multiplicative thinking (i.e., composite units, doubling, iterating), and the lead mediators in their interactions included the robot's remote, dry erase marker and table, and peers/teacher. Students gravitated to artifacts that made sense to them, and the implication is that students need agency …

An Evaluation Of The Horse Powered Reading® Retreat Program, Troy Allan, Allison Garlick, Makenna Pahlke

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Horse Powered Reading® (HPR) is an equine-assisted learning program that integrates social-emotional learning with literacy skills for K -12 students. Utah State University (USU) Extension faculty held a one-day retreat to pilot the HPR program with children aged 5–17. Evaluation results showed improvements in youth’s reading skills, self-efficacy, and emotional well-being.

Preparing Youth For Careers In Drone Aviation: Evaluating Washington County 4-H Drone Camps, Paul A. Hill, Aubree L. Miller, Katarina J. Aikens

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Drone technology presents growing career opportunities, yet youth access to education in this field remains limited. This study evaluates the Washington County 4-H Drone Camps, which aimed to equip youth in 4^th – 8^th graders with essential knowledge and skills in drone aviation. The Drone Camps focused on competencies such as drone anatomy, FAA regulations, and piloting skills. Evaluation results indicated youth improved in all competency areas after completing the camp. The Washington County 4-H Drone Camps effectively allowed youth to explore drone technologies and prepare them for a possible career pathway.

“Synchronized Parenting Is Like Mixing Oil And Water”: Reimagining Parental Control For Co-Parenting In The Divorced Households, Prakriti Dumaru, Audrey Flood, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

Children from divorced households are granted access to devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets), helping them to maintain meaningful contact with both parents. However, regulating their device usage across two households presents unique co-parenting challenges, which are little studied in the existing literature on parental mediation. As we begin to address this gap, we used low-fidelity prototype designs, guided by the principles of fostering open communication and instilling self-regulation. We evaluated those designs (presented in the form of storyboards) through semi-structured interviews with 23 divorced parents, whose children are active Internet users and aged 13 years or below. Based on our analysis, …