Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying And Characterizing Cognitive Profiles In Midlife Females: A Latent Profile Analysis, Hannah Hagy

Dissertations

Females are at two-thirds greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than males. Due to this notable sex difference in cognitive aging and disease burden, there has been an increased focus on understanding the critical role of the menopausal transition (decline in fertility during midlife) as it relates to cognitive functioning across midlife. Thus, the present cross-sectional study used a sample of midlife females at different stages in the menopausal transition (N=202; Age 40-60 years) as part of a larger, multimodal design study, to elucidate distinct cognitive profiles while accounting for education, which were then characterized by other demographic factors, …

Multiracial Congregations: Transformative Or Status Quo?, Michelle Dodson

Dissertations

This dissertation aims to begin to clarify whether Protestant, multiracial churches are in fact challenging racism and, if so, how. To this end, my study turns its attention to social engagement. What role, if any, do these churches play in their larger social contexts? Are they socially engaged in ways that challenge racial injustice? Do they foster this type of social engagement in those who attend? These are some of the questions this study begins to answer. This is an ethnographic study of four congregations in Chicago, IL. Through a careful study of each congregation’s racial discourse and their understanding …

Resiliency And Positive Childhood Experiences: Implications For Black Youths' Mental And Behavioral Health And School Engagement, Sharnequa Nashay Hunter

Dissertations

Two independent studies were conducted to examine the buffering impact of positive childhood experiences on Black youths’ mental and behavioral health and school engagement outcomes. The purpose of Study 1 was to investigate the potential moderating effects of positive childhood experiences on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the occurrence of mental or behavioral health conditions (anxiety, depression, ADHD/ADD, and/or a behavioral/conduct problem) and school engagement, using secondary data from the 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health, a survey completed by primary caregivers. The study sample included 2,201 Black youth ages 6-17 across the United States. Logistic regression and …

Warm Bodies, Strong Attachments, And The Search For Better Bonds: The Politics Of Human-Animal Entanglements In U.S. Fiction And Media, John Charles Hawkins

Dissertations

This dissertation describes human-animal relationships as sites of political longing and meaningful failure in the context of twentieth and twenty-first U.S. fiction and media. I locate three tendencies of imagination prevalent in writing about bonds between humans and other animals: collaboration in regional modernity, refamiliarization in consumer capitalism, and transformation in rationalist patriarchy. These expressions of desire for a different way of relating, I argue, open important windows into the places where current power structures generate suffering and distress. I also emphasize the compelling but imperfect nature of these expressions. The texts and images in this dissertation offer attempts to …

Asian Americans’ Experiences Of Covid-Related Discrimination: Collective Identity, Critical Consciousness, And Intergroup Solidarity, Han Na Lee

Dissertations

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has stirred fear and panic with a surge of anti-Asian hate in the United States. Racial discrimination was exacerbated by labeling COVID19 as “the Chinese virus” and blaming Asians and Asian Americans as the source of the virus. Within the exacerbated xenophobic and racist rhetoric since the COVID outbreak in 2019, racial discrimination was amplified towards anyone who phenotypically presented as “Asian.” It is unclear how various Asian ethnic individuals identify with their Asian American identity while experiencing the intensified discrimination. Specifically, experiencing COVID-related racism and group-based rejection may increase or decrease Asian …

Can One-Party Dominant States Be Democratic? A Meso-Level Classification Of The Playing Field Of Hegemonic Party States., Adam Hii

Dissertations

This project seeks to fill a gap in the regime classification literature on how to approach one-party dominant states. Historically, these states have been difficult to classify with numerous scholars expressing struggles in approaching these cases. Using the level electoral playing field, this study proposes a new meso-level classification scheme to create clearer regime classification for one-party dominant states. It uses three cases studies of current one-party dominant states to see if any of these regimes can realistically be considered democratic. The case study of Botswana in comparison to the other two one-party dominant states (Tanzania and Azerbaijan) as well …

Racializing Digital Campus Spaces: A Critical Phenomenological Approach To Understanding (Re)Production Of Whiteness In Digital Campus Ecology, Victoria Elizabeth Callais

Dissertations

The landscape of higher education campus environments continues to change as student populations diversify (Parsons, 2023; Renn & Reason, 2013) and campus spaces extend into the digital realm. This critical phenomenological study examined organizational features that racialize digital campus ecology by examining the phenomena of interest, racialized digital campus spaces (RDCS). Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with undergraduate students that focused on their experiences with RDCS and semi-structured interviews with administrators that focused on the organizational infrastructure and campus digital culture, findings revealed a complex understanding of campus ecology when reflecting on issues around race. I introduce Augmented Reality …

Racialization’S Influence On African American Male University Attrition: Is It Culture Shock Or Is There More To The Story, Joseph M. Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the influence of racialization on the attrition rates of African American male students in predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The study examines whether these students experience cultural shock or face more profound systemic challenges. The research explores how African American men navigate and perceive their college environments by employing Critical Race Theory and DuBois' double consciousness. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews, demographic surveys, and document analysis to view these students' experiences comprehensively. The study focuses on four religiously affiliated universities, highlighting the intersection of race, identity, and institutional culture and revealing patterns of isolation, …

Navigating Culture And Family In Post-Secondary Education As Nigerian American College Students, Funmilayo Ojikutu

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine how Nigerian Americans and their families understand academic success, identity, and family influence. This research study aims to understand these three areas by examining the experiences of five Nigerian American undergraduate students and their respective families. The data for this study was collected through individual interviews, focus groups, and an artifact analysis. Through using the Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity framework, findings demonstrated the importance of balancing identities, community, legacy, and shifts in generational mindsets. The findings in this dissertation offer larger discussions related to differences within the Nigerian community, the impact …

Hospital-Associated Functional Status Decline In Pulmonary Patients, Amy C. Shay

Dissertations

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant worldwide cause of chronic illness and mortality and one of the most common admitting diagnoses in the United States. Persons with COPD are at increased risk for deconditioning during hospitalization, which can lead to decreased functional status at discharge. Disease-related factors and elements of the hospital environment make older adults with COPD vulnerable to hospital-associated functional status decline. The purpose of this dissertation was to identify activity factors that contribute to hospital-associated functional status decline in older adults with COPD by promoting functioning during hospitalization. This predictive correlational study is a secondary …

Infertility’S Impact On Couples’ Functioning, Elizabeth Sanders

Dissertations

Historically, infertility has been a taboo topic of discussion and is often avoided in conversation because of the stigmatization of the diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization (2022), infertility affects 186 million individuals globally. However, there seems to be a gap in the research as it pertains to the psychological well-being and treatment of men and women diagnosed with this condition. While it has become less of a feared topic, it still is not discussed or researched enough, thus further exacerbating the gap in research on mental health and treatment options. The following dissertation completed a critical review of …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

A Multifactorial Study Of Factors Influencing Self-Health Behaviors In Dementia, Elizabeth Malkin

Dissertations

The global increase in dementia cases presents a significant public health challenge, particularly given the absence of a cure and the rising healthcare burden on individuals and society. This study aims to examine the influence of knowledge, beliefs, and motivation on self-health behaviors to mitigate the risk of dementia among individuals residing in the United States. With the use of an online survey, the study utilized the U.S. normed MCLHB-DRR scale and supplemental questions about knowledge of risk factors and degree of closeness to family members with dementia to determine whether (1) more closely related relatives (first-degree relatives) and those …

A Micromagnetic Study Of Skyrmions In Thin-Film Multilayered Ferromagnetic Materials, Nicholas J. Dubicki

Dissertations

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected, localized, nanoscale spin textures in non-centrosymmetric thin ferromagnetic materials and heterostructures. At present they are of great interest to physicists for potential applications in information technology due to their particle-like properties and stability. In a system of multiple thin ferromagnetic layers, the stray field interaction was typically treated with various simplifications and approximations. It is shown that extensive analysis of the micromagnetic equations leads to an exact representation of the stray field interaction energy in the form of layer interaction kernels, a so-called 'finite thickness' representation. This formulation reveals the competition between perpendicular magnetic anisotropy …

An Autoethnography Of A Social Justice-Minded Teacher In Corrections, Graciela Rubalcaba-Munoz

Dissertations

ABSTRACT The incarceration of women has increased 93% in the last fifty years. This impacts marginalized communities at disproportionate rates. Although the provision of education in corrections became federal law in 1952 as a means to rehabilitate inmates, women’s facilities currently do not receive equitable resources to support education, which puts additional pressure on the educational staff. The legal requirement for education includes county jails, the transitory facilities that house inmates while they await court or transfer to prison. The jail educational system is volatile, making it difficult to engage students when there are constant interruptions, unexpected incidents, lockdowns, and …

Optimistic Biases On E-Cigarette Cessation: Examining Competing Theoretical Models For Young Adults With And Without Chronic Health Conditions, Eleanor Steffens

Dissertations

The dramatic increase in youth nicotine initiation is an ongoing public health concern and heightens risk for morbidity and mortality, especially among young adults with chronic health conditions. Consequently, there is an urgent need for research exploring potential psychological mechanisms for continued e-cigarette use to aid in the development of targeted cessation interventions and combat the re-emerging nicotine epidemic. Utilizing the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, the present study modeled the impact of optimistic biases for e-cigarette use on e-cigarette cessation interest among young adults with and without chronic health conditions (n=1,827). Results showed that, regardless of …

Using The Home Health Oasis To Promote Advance Care Planning Among Community-Dwelling, Frail Older Adults, Suzanne S. Sullivan

Dissertations

Despite an aging population with increasing proportions of frailty and decline, the rates of documented Advance care plans (ACP), meant to align goals for care with the level of treatment at end-of-life (EOL), are low (~30-40%). Patients expect clinicians to raise the question about serious illness goals for care when the time is right, however, there are a number of barriers to the initiation of these difficult conversations including provider bias and uncertainty. A review of the literature indicates that there are few prognostic indices available for use to identify the right time to initiate EOL conversations based on risk …

A Fundamental Cause Approach To Intimate Partner Violence In Marginalized Populations, Nicholas S. Metheny

Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern that transcends partnership types and societies, affecting approximately one-third of women worldwide. Men in same-sex relationships likely experience violence at similar rates. This dissertation takes a fundamental cause approach to social-ecological and minority stress theories, arguing that structural forces are the root causes of violence in two target populations: women residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and Indigenous men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. Consisting of eight chapters, four of which are empirical studies, this body of work creates new knowledge surrounding how social …

It Can Be Lonely At The Top, But It Doesn’T Have To Be: Workplace Loneliness As Experienced By Senior Leaders And Potential Coping Strategies, Kristen Prince

Dissertations

Workplace loneliness is a topic of growing interest among scholars and practitioners, in part because of the known impacts of loneliness on individuals’ well-being and performance. Recent literature has suggested that senior leaders may be vulnerable to feelings of workplace loneliness but lacks a thorough depiction of how leaders experience and cope with the feelings. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences and perspectives of senior leaders through interviews with 26 leaders and seven close confidants who provide a nuanced understanding of how senior leaders experience workplace loneliness and offer insight on mitigating these feelings. The findings suggest that the …

Cpsf6'S Nuclear Localization Signal Mediates Hiv-1 Intranuclear Events Following Nuclear Import, Nick Rohlfes

Dissertations

The early stages of the HIV-1 lifecycle include the trafficking of the viral capsid into the nucleus of infected cells. The viral capsid, which encloses the viral genome and accessory proteins required for reverse transcription (RT) and integration, traffics towards the nucleus and enters through the nuclear pore complex (NPC). This process is mediated through interactions between the virus and several host proteins, including cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 6 (CPSF6). CPSF6 is an early HIV-1 host factor which assists HIV-1 nuclear localization and post-entry integration targeting. CPSF6 contains a function nuclear localization signal (NLS), and as a result, is …

A Daca Initiative: Transformative Organizational Change At The School Of Medicine, Cynthia Chaidez

Dissertations

The purpose of this revelatory case study is to explore how the DACA Initiative (DI) transformed the School of Medicine (SOM) beyond just changing student demographics. In this research, I specifically explored if, through the DI, SOM organizationally changed enough to be considered transformative change in its efforts to enhance the acceptance and support of DACA medical students. In addition, I looked at the evolution of the financial operations at SOM to support DACA medical students. The research questions that guided this study were: As a result of the DI, did the organizational changes implemented by SOM to accept and …

Elucidating Enterococcal Mechanisms Underlying Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections, Baylie Hochstedler-Kramer

Dissertations

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections globally and can lead to life-threatening complications. UTI disproportionately affects females, with the majority of females being treated for at least one UTI in their lifetime. Of the females who develop UTI in their lifetime, almost one third will develop recurrence within six months after initial treatment and many will struggle with UTI recurrence for long spans of their lives. Although recurrent UTI has previously been attributed to persistence of Escherichia coli, recent studies utilizing more sensitive detection methods have shown Enterococcus faecalis is strongly associated with recurrent …

Impact Of Gamification On Engagement Of Prelicensure Nursing Students: Faculty Perceptions, Elizabeth A. Lucas

Dissertations

The United States is facing a current and worsening nursing workforce shortage which poses a threat to today's healthcare structure. Strategies to combat this shortage by increasing the number of qualified applicants admitted to nursing programs each year have been implemented. In addition to increasing the number of students admitted each year, work must be done to better support those nursing students to make it to graduation. A method that can help is through achieving student engagement which has been linked to improved critical thinking, learning, and grades. One teaching strategy that has the potential to increase student engagement is …

Sales Professional Preservation: Examining The Impact Of Incongruent Ideological Belief Systems On Intentions To Quit Among Sales Professionals, Brian Lee Morgan

Dissertations

Organizations that lead with ideologies of moral tradition, politics, and social economics are playing a losing game. The ideological belief system congruence within the organization between leaders and members creates a better atmosphere with less turnover and better recruitment. Sales professionals want an environment free of ideological incongruence. Without ideological alignment, they will defect from the organization. Leaders are miscalculating the negative impact on members’ intentions to quit when they are faced with leaders acting upon ideology changes that affect the member-customer ecosystem. In addition, leaders should be aware of the personal attributes that can exacerbate turnover and work to …

Development And Structural Origin Of Stretchable Semiconducting Polymers And Composites, Yunfei Wang

Dissertations

Stretchable semiconductors are pivotal in advancing wearable and implantable electronics, with those boasting both high stretchability and self-healing capabilities being especially significant for a myriad of wearable applications. In this dissertation, we developed an extremely soft, highly stretchable, and self-healing elastomer based on H-bonding crosslinked amide-functionalized polyisobutylene (PIB-amide). When blended with a high-performance conjugated diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP-T) polymer, the composite exhibits unprecedented stretchability, exceptionally low elastic modulus, and an innate ability to self-heal at room temperature.

The morphology of conjugated polymer/elastomer semiconducting composites have significant impacts on electrical and mechanical properties Further investigations focused on manipulating the phase separation size in …

The Pedagogical Impact Of Injury Through The Experiences Of Three Professional Trombonists, Caleb Owenby

Dissertations

As the stigma surrounding performance-related injuries in the brass community is slowly lifting, more musicians are openly seeking assistance for injuries, more musicians are willing to share their experiences with injury, and the musical community is becoming more knowledgeable in the realm of musician health. This research is aimed at preventing future dysfunctions in brass players, offering avenues of recovery for musicians currently experiencing an injury, and examining the current state of trombone pedagogy through the experiences of three performing trombonists.

Megumi Kanda, Colin Williams, and David Vining are professional trombonists and educators who have experienced an embouchure dysfunction or …

Community Outreach: A Piano Concert Designed For Children, Hsin Shih Liu

Dissertations

Evidence exists that music community outreach has been practiced for at least around a century in Western countries. However, in Taiwan, the idea of music community outreach is relatively new and not as commonly seen as in the United States. This research provides mention of community outreach organizations and individuals in Taiwan and the United States. Additionally, it is aimed to assist in designing more successful programs in the future. Included in this dissertation are a methodology of designing an effective concert program for children and the concert feedback form provided to the participants. This project featured three piano concerts …

Collegiate Esports Participation And Its Perceived Effects On Student Experience: A Phenomenological Study Of Collegiate Esports Teams, David Shimokawa

Dissertations

In an increasingly competitive higher education marketplace, institutions are seeking innovative strategies to grow or maintain their existing student populations. As student interests shift over time, institutions must stay informed of the rise and decline of various sporting activities and the impact those activities have on the student body. As more institutions look to utilize esports as a tool for recruiting and retaining students, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to create new knowledge on the phenomenon of collegiate esports participation and its perceived effects on student experience. This study had 11 participants who were active undergraduate …

Disrupting The Disconnect And Delving Deeper: A Study Exploring The Dimensions Of Black Male Educators, Terri Elaine Cole Brown

Dissertations

Nationwide, the role and impact of Black male educators and administrators in schools is a critical area of study. This research focuses on a predominantly Black, Catholic high school in the Midwest, where Black male educators and administrators comprise 40% of the staff, providing a unique setting for exploration. While numerous studies have examined Black male educators' experiences, motivations, and perspectives, this research seeks to understand the dynamics within a school where they are significantly represented. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of their influence through surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups with Black male teachers, administrators, alumni, and parents. …

New Electrochemical Platforms For The Detection Of Neurodegenerative Disease Biomarkers, Omair Adil

Dissertations

Neurodegenerative disease (ND) is a collection of progressive disorders which is marked by gradual degeneration of the central nervous system (CNS). The damage of brain and nervous system causes diminishing of brain and nerve cell which lead to body dysfunction, organ failure, paralysis and ultimately death of a patient. Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. United States of America is among highest ND prevailing disease countries. Yet the number of cases is underreported because of the complexity of disease diagnosis. With the increase in aging population the rate of ND cases is also increasing. Another important concern is that …