Digital Commons Network^™

‘They Say There’S More Equality…’: Women’S Perspectives On Progress And Setbacks In Gender Equality In Northern Iceland During Times Of Crisis, Marya Rozanova-Smith, Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Andrey N. Petrov

Faculty Publications

Enabling gender equality through the empowerment of women to fully participate in modern society is one of the most critical steps toward sustainable development. However, recent UN reports indicate that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have jeopardized the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 by 2030 in many countries worldwide, including Iceland, which has consistently been ranked as a global leader in gender equality. The main objective of this qualitative study is to examine the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by exploring women’s lived experiences during the crisis and its aftermath across the primary domains of gender equality—personal …

Whose Right(S)?: Civil Rights Impact Of Cultural Conflicts In The Curriculum, S. David Mitchell

Faculty Publications

Statutes seeking to prohibit the teaching of certain curricular topics that are considered divisive infringe upon the civil rights of students, parents, and teachers. The conflict over what should be taught implicates the rights of students, specifically their right to receive and to learn information; the rights of parents, specifically the right to control the education of their children; and the rights of teachers, specifically the First Amendment and academic freedom. “Anti-Woke” legislation, as it is broadly termed, is designed to silence those who seek to engage in the critical analysis of the structural and systemic barriers that have prevented …

Effectiveness Of A Telephone-Delivered Walk With Ease Program On Arthritis-Related Symptoms, Function, And Activity: A Randomized Trial, Christine Pellegrini Ph.D., Sara Wilcox Phd, Yesil Kim, Scott Jamieson, Katherine Devivo, Daniel Heidtke

Faculty Publications

Objective

Walk With Ease (WWE) is a six-week arthritis-appropriate evidence-based physical activity program traditionally offered in a face-to-face format. Because many populations encounter participation barriers to in-person programs, WWE was modified for telephone delivery (WWE-T). The short- and long-term effects of this program on physical activity and arthritis-related outcomes were examined.

Methods

Participants (n = 267) with arthritis were randomized to WWE-T or a wait list control. WWE-T participants received two telephone calls per week (one group and one individual call) for six weeks. Group calls focused on arthritis education and social support. Individual calls focused on problem-solving and goal …

From Disruption To Integration: Cryptocurrency Prices, Financial Fluctuations, And Macroeconomy, Zhengyang Chen

Faculty Publications

This paper examines cryptocurrency shock transmission to financial markets and the macroeconomy using a Bayesian structural VAR with Pandemic Priors from 2015 to 2024. By affecting overall risk appetite, cryptocurrency price shocks generate positive financial market spillovers, accounting for 18% of equity and 27% of commodity price fluctuations. Real economic effects are significant in driving investment but remain limited, contributing only 4% to unemployment and 6% to industrial production variance. However, cryptocurrency shocks explain 18% of price-level forecast error variance at long horizons. Narrative analysis reveals sentiment and technology as primary shock drivers. These findings demonstrate cryptocurrency's deep financial system …

The Unappreciated Role Of Intent In Algorithmic Moderation Of Abusive Content On Social Media, Xinyu Wang, Sai Koneru, Pranav Narayanan Venkit, Brett Frischmann, Sarah Rajtmajer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sex-Dependent Modulation Of Behavioral Allocation Via Ventral Tegmental Area-Nucleus Accumbens Shell Circuitry, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Jessica M. Illenberger, Hailong Li, Rosemarie M. Booze, Charles F. Mactutus

Faculty Publications

Diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder, cocaine type (i.e., cocaine use disorder), outlined in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, imply that the disorder arises, at least in part, from the maladaptive allocation of behavior to drug use. To date, however, the neural circuits involved in the allocation of behavior have not been systematically evaluated. Herein, a chemogenetics approach (i.e., designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs)) was utilized in combination with a concurrent choice self-administration experimental paradigm to evaluate the role of the mesolimbic neurocircuit in the allocation of behavior. Pharmacological activation …

Partial Least Squares Multimodal Analysis Of Brain Network Correlates Of Language Deficits In Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson Ph.D., Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Lisa Johnson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Argye E. Hillis, Gregory Hickok, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Lesion-symptom mapping techniques are essential to determine brain regions critical for language functions. However, high collinearity in neuroimaging and behavioural data remains a challenge for distinguishing neural substrates supporting multiple language domains (shared variance) and those subserving specific language functions (unique variance). Here, we employed a novel approach to multimodal lesion-symptom mapping using multivariate partial least squares regression to delineate the latent structure of lesion-behavioural mapping in aphasia and decompose the shared and unique neural determinants of language impairments. A total of 86 participants with chronic (>12-month post-stroke) aphasia after left hemisphere strokes were examined. Language impairment was assessed …

Land Of The Free, Home Of The Blazed: Legalized Recreational Cannabis Among Undergraduate College Students, Pietro A. Sasso, Shelley Price-Williams

Faculty Publications

Within the United States, attitudes toward cannabis consumption, especially among college students, have grown increasingly positive. Parallel to this trend, various additional social, cultural, and legal shifts have continued to occur in support of open cannabis consumption, though not without potential consequences. This phenomenological qualitative study explored undergraduate college students’ (n = 22) a priori experiences with cannabis use in states with legalized recreational cannabis. Findings in this study suggested a general lack of knowledge regarding cannabis consumption within the surrounding legal framework but a desire to practice safe consumption and receive a more meaningful education. Recommendations for practice included …

The 29th Scientific Conference Of The Society On Neuroimmune Pharmacology In Omaha, Ne, June 8–12, 2025, Allison M. Andrews, Linda Chang, Rosemarie M. Booze, Sabita Roy, Santhi Gorantla, Iiker K. Sariyer, Jerel Fields, Eliseo Eugenin, Howard E. Gendelman

Faculty Publications

The 29th Scientific Conference of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology (SNIP) in Omaha, NE, will occur from June 8th to 11th, 2025. This four-day conference showcases world-renowned biomedical research, providing insights into the latest advancements in the intersecting fields of neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, and virology. Presentation abstracts are organized into sections that include early career development investigators, mouse models, neurodegenerative diseases, therapeutics, substance use disorders, counseling, drug targeting, disease pathobiology, Blood-Brain Barrier integrity, educational opportunities, young investigator talks, and translational medicine. SNIP remains the sole global meeting dedicated to neuroimmune pharmacology. The focus of research centers on how the neuroimmune …

Changes In Aggressive Behaviors Over Time In Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences: Focusing On The Role Of School Connectedness, Sei-Young Lee, Mijin Choi

Faculty Publications

Previous research has found the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and externalizing behaviors later in adolescence and adulthood. However, limited studies have explored longitudinal trajectories of aggressive behaviors affected by ACEs. This study aimed to investigate how aggressive behaviors change over time and compare the trajectories of aggressive behaviors between children with three or fewer (low-risk ACEs) and those with four or more ACEs (high-risk ACEs) with the role of school connectedness on the trajectories of aggressive behaviors over time. The study sample consisted of 4231 children collected by the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal …

Associations Between 24-Hour Movement Compositions And Cardiometabolic Health In Children And Adolescents: A Five-Part Compositional Analysis Using Data From The International Children’S Accelerometery Database (Icad), Zoë A. Marshall, Adam Runacres, Pedro Curi Hallal, Russ Jago, Soyang Kwon, Kate Northstone, Russell R. Pate, Jardena Puder, John J. Reilly, Luis B. Sardinha, Niels Wedderkopp, Ester Van Slujis

Faculty Publications

Objectives The benefits of physical activity (PA) and the negative impacts of sedentary time (SED) on health in youth are well established. However, uncertainty remains surrounding how PA and SED jointly influence cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors. The aim of this study was to determine the joint influence of SED, light-, moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA (LPA, MPA and VPA), and sleep on CMR factors using five-part compositional analyses.

Methods Data were pooled from 16 cohort studies comprising 22 474 children and adolescents from the International Children’s Accelerometery Database. PA was measured using hip-mounted accelerometers with sleep self-reported. CMRs included body mass …

Christian Beliefs About Salvation: Measurement And Associations With Mental Health And Well-Being, Anthony Edward Rose, Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Religious beliefs influence many behaviors and perspectives relevant to wellbeing and mental health. In Christianity, beliefs about how one attains salvation may be particularly relevant to psychology, but limited scholarship has considered cognitive aspects of religiosity. This study developed and evaluated a new measure of Beliefs about Salvation (BAS) that assesses affirmations of salvation (a) by God’s grace alone and (b) by God’s grace after human repentance/ordinances, as understood by different Christian denominations. We examined the association of the BAS with three measures of mental health and six measures of influences on religiosity. In a sample of 1556 predominantly members …

An International Perspective On Geography Curricula: Paving A Way Forward For Geographical Thinking, Tomáš Bendl, Hilde Storrøsæter, Lene Møller Madsen, David Trokšiar, Raphaële De La Martinière, Shanshan Liu, Sizakele Serame, Jerry T. Mitchell, Péter Bagoly-Simó, Yushan Duan, Gillian Kidman

Faculty Publications

Geographical thinking is a cornerstone of modern geography education. Despite its universal value, no large-scale international study has systematically examined its integration into diverse curricular documents. This study investigates how geographical thinking is embedded in the curricula of nine countries, focusing on content and procedural dimensions. Using a structured analytical framework, the research reveals significant patterns and gaps, particularly the underrepresentation of place as a central concept, the lack of explicit focus on geographical thinking, and the limited emphasis on its procedural dimension. The findings emphasise the need for stronger interconnections between these dimensions to promote a more comprehensive approach …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Intimate Partner Violence Against Men In Kisumu Slums, Kenya, Elizabeth Akello Odemba, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

Background

Men in sub-Saharan Africa experience intimate partner violence, with few reporting their cases to the legal authorities or coming out for assistance. Consequently, data on the prevalence and drivers of intimate partner violence in different parts of sub-Saharan Africa are inadequate. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of intimate partner violence against men in Kisumu slums, Kenya.

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study included 398 randomly selected men in intimate relationships aged 18–54 years and residing in Kisumu slums. The sampling frame used was from Community Health Volunteers covering the area of study. Data collection …

Perceptions Of Spirituality And Of God: A Psychological Qualitative Study, Christopher E. Peck, Timothy B. Smith, Jamila Mastny

Faculty Publications

The majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life that is influential to their well-being. However, individuals vary widely in how they conceptualize spirituality, which often stems from and overlaps with their conceptualizations of God or so-called “God image”. Examination of people’s experiences of spirituality and conceptualization of God can enable psychologists to improve their understanding of individuals’ core personal experiences. This study evaluates both spirituality and God image, as well as the relationship between these two constructs, using qualitative hermeneutic analysis of interviews with 63 adults (51% women, 49% men, …

Social Exclusion And Mental Health Of Youths Affected By Parental Hiv/Aids In China: Based On A Serial Mediating Model, Jiaojiao Wan, Lili Ji, Zheqian Wang, Junfeng Zhao, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

The mental health of youth living with patients with HIV needs focused attention. The primary source of psychological distress they experience may stem from social exclusion. Therefore, the current study was designed to explore the relationship between social exclusion and mental health among youths affected by parental HIV/AIDS in rural China.

Methods

297 youths affected by parental HIV/AIDS were recruited to completed questionnaires of social exclusion, perceived stress, future orientation and mental health. The bootstrap method was used to examine the mediation effects.

Results

It showed that: (1) the social exclusion (M = 32.48, SD = 15.25) significantly and …

Perceived Adherence-Related Barriers For Youth Living With Hiv In The Southern United States, Kate Weaver, Sarah J. Miller, Sayward Harrison

Faculty Publications

Objective: Youth are at high risk for HIV, accounting for 19% of new diagnoses in the United States (US) in 2021. Highly effective HIV treatment is available in the form of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which enables individuals with HIV to achieve viral suppression. However, youth living with HIV (YLHIV) have poorer ART adherence and lower rates of viral suppression than adults. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of YLHIV and their HIV care providers on barriers and facilitators to ART adherence for YLHIV in the southern US. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with YLHIV (n = 16) …

The Risk Of Marginal Inclusion In The Fortune 500: A Quasi-Replication Of Lewis & Carlos (2023), W. Chad Carlos, Yasir Dewan, Ben W. Lewis, Brian P. Reschke, S. Isaac St. Clair

Faculty Publications

Conventional wisdom suggests that being included in an exclusive ranking leads to positive external evaluations. However, Lewis and Carlos (2023) found that firms situated near the threshold for inclusion on the 100 Best Corporate Citizen ranking were devalued by investors. To assess the generalizability of this surprising finding, we quasi-replicate and extend this finding by applying the same regression discontinuity design to the Fortune 500 ranking. We find corroborating evidence: firms near the bottom of the Fortune 500 receive lower external evaluations, not only from investors but also from industry peers. Our findings therefore quasi-replicate and extend Lewis and Carlos’ …

Neo-Gender Balancing In Saudi Arabia: Divorce Under Social Exchange Theory, Abdullah F. Alrebh, Radhi H. Al-Mabuk

Faculty Publications

This paper uses Richard Emerson’s social exchange theory to analyze the balance in the exchange relations between men and women in Saudi Arabia. The paper is comprised of four major sections: (1) Emerson’s social exchange theory; (2) Saudi women in Vision 2030; (3) Statistics on Saudi women marital status; (4) Power dependence. Emerson’s five assumptions are applied to cases of Saudi women in order to demonstrate how winds of social change are affecting not only attitudes but also actual behaviors and decisions regarding divorce. Using the Comparison Level for Alternatives model, the results of the analysis are reported, and a …

Impact Of Social Media On Family Relations In The Arab Gulf Region, Radhi H. Al-Mabuk, Abdullah F. Alrebh

Faculty Publications

Social media use especially among children and adolescents has become a topic of concern in the Gulf region especially for parents. This chapter addresses the issue of social media use and its impact on family relations, and is comprised of six parts: (1) place of social media in sociology; (2) prevalence of social media in the Gulf region with an emphasis on how much use, nature of use and motivation for use; (3) positive and detrimental consequences of social media use; (4) impact of social media use, especially problematic social media, on family relations; (5) parents’ role in guiding their …

The Role Of Civic Education On The Types And Causes Of Bullying In School, Besim Gollopeni, Ferdi Kamberi, William R. Henninger

Faculty Publications

Educational institutions have a responsibility to create a safe and peaceful environment, where the emotional and social well-being of students is promoted. In such an environment, students are encouraged to engage with pleasure in the learning process to develop their knowledge but also to interact constructively with their peers, strengthening their social skills and sense of belonging to the community. Such an environment is being challenged by the spread of the phenomenon of bullying, which creates deep concerns among students, parents, schools and the community. This study aims to investigate the types, causes and effects that lead to the occurrence …

Gendered Expectations: Do Voters Reward Women For Supporting Women's Interests?, Nichole M. Bauer, Anna Gunderson, Jeong Hyun Kim, Elizabeth Lane, Belinda Davis, Kathleen Searles

Faculty Publications

Are women legislators punished for not supporting women's substantive policy interests? We test these gendered expectations. We marshal an original content analysis of cable news coverage and two survey experiments testing voters' assessment of hypothetical legislators on the issues of abortion and equal pay. We find that voters rate both women and men legislators positively for supporting women's issues and negatively evaluate legislators of both genders when they do not support women's interests. We also find that women voters negatively evaluate women legislators who act against women's interests at a greater rate than men voters. While we do not find …

Generative Ai For Thematic Analysis In A Maternal Health Study: Coding Semistructured Interviews Using Large Language Models, Shan Qiao, Xingyu Fang, Junbo Wang, Ran Zhang, Xiaoming Li, Yuhao Kang

Faculty Publications

Study Objectives: The coding of semistructured interview transcripts is a critical step for thematic analysis of qualitative data. However, the coding process is often labor-intensive and time-consuming. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presents new opportunities to enhance the efficiency of qualitative coding. This study proposed a computational pipeline using GenAI to automatically extract themes from interview transcripts. Methods: Using transcripts from interviews conducted with maternity care providers in South Carolina, we leveraged ChatGPT for inductive coding to generate codes from interview transcripts without a predetermined coding scheme. Structured prompts were designed to instruct ChatGPT to generate and summarize …

Pulse Pressure, White Matter Hyperintensities, And Cognition: Mediating Effects Across The Adult Lifespan, Jade Hannan, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Natalie Busby, Sarah C. Wilson, Roger Newman-Norlund, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To investigate whether pulse pressure or mean arterial pressure mediates the relationship between age and white matter hyperintensity load and to examine the mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on cognition.

Methods: Demographic information, blood pressure, current medication lists, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for231 stroke- and dementia-free adults were retrospectively obtained from the Aging Brain Cohort study. Total WMH load was determined from T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance scans using the TrUE-Net deep learning tool for white matter segmentation. In separate models, we used mediation analysis to assess whether pulse pressure or MAP mediates the relationship between age and total …

Pulse Pressure, White Matter Hyperintensities, Andcognition: Mediating Effects Across The Adult Lifespan, Jade Hannan, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Natalie Busby, Sarah C. Wilson, Roger Newman-Norlund, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson, Leonardo Bon, Nicholas Riccardi

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To investigate whether pulse pressure or mean arterial pressure mediates the relationship between age and white matter hyperintensity load and to examine the mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on cognition.

Methods: Demographic information, blood pressure, current medication lists, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for231 stroke- and dementia-free adults were retrospectively obtained from the Aging Brain Cohort study. Total WMH load was determined from T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance scans using the TrUE-Net deep learning tool for white matter segmentation. In separate models, we used mediation analysis to assess whether pulse pressure or MAP mediates the relationship between age and total …

Appendices A & B: Supporting Faculty Parents In Professional Development: Case Studies, Recommendations, And A Call For Inclusive Approaches, Anne Marie Gruber, Lindsay Doukopoulos

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Podcasts In Mental, Physical, Or Combined Health Interventions For Adults: Scoping Review, Elizabeth M. Dascombe, Philip J. Morgan, Ryan J. Drew, Casey P. Regan, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Myles D. Young

Faculty Publications

Background:

The increasing prevalence of poor mental and physical health in adults is a global health concern. Given the scope of this problem, scalable and effective treatment interventions are needed. While podcasts (online digital audio files) are becoming more popular, the extent of podcast use in mental, physical, or combined health interventions has not been reviewed.

Objective:

This scoping review primarily aims to summarize the available evidence regarding the use of podcasts in health promotion interventions. A series of 5 research questions was designed to systematically review and accurately represent podcast use in current research interventions.

Methods:

We conducted a …

Camouflaging Depression, Seth Brown

Faculty Publications

Many individuals with depression have been observed to exert effort to appear non-depressed. This effort, referred to as camouflaging, has been systematically studied among individuals with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but not among individuals with more common disorders such as depression. The purpose of this research was to examine camouflaging amongst individuals with depression and develop a camouflaging instrument specifically for depression. The Camouflaging Depression Scale (CDS) was developed and administered to 292 individuals experiencing varying levels of depression along with other clinical measures. In this sample, engagement in camouflaging was common and similarly occurred among …

“I Know What’S Best For My Child”: A Qualitativeanalysis Of Us Cisgender-Heterosexual Andlgbtq Parents’ Perspectives On Inclusiveeducation Policies, Flora Blanchette-Oswald, Izilda Pereira-Jorge, Alexandra Garr-Schultz, Kimberly E. Chaney

Faculty Publications

Diversity education in the K-12 years is a contentious issue in the contemporary US context. Given evidence that parental identity influences beliefs about and support for diversity education, we qualitatively explored cisgender-heterosexual and LGBTQ+ parents’ (N = 609) beliefs about the appropriateness of inclusive educational policies in K-12 classrooms. We collected qualitative data on parental perceptions of inclusive signals in classrooms (e.g., displaying a rainbow flag) and on perceptions of inclusive curriculum (whether children should learn about diversity at school/from teachers or at home/from parents). Parents’ responses reflected variability in support for inclusive signals. Cisgender-heterosexual parents were more likely …

The Art Of Mediation Representation: Helping Clients Make Good Decisions, John Lande

Faculty Publications

Attorneys regularly represent clients in mediation, yet many do not perform this role effectively. The article is designed to help attorneys better assist clients in making good decisions during mediation. It explores the theory and practice of mediation representation, emphasizing how attorneys can provide excellent client service by counseling clients and communicating effectively with mediators and counterpart attorneys. Ideally, attorneys as act “quasi-mediators,” helping clients make informed, confident decisions while navigating the mediation process. Drawing on the Real Practice Systems checklists and empirical research, the article outlines key tasks before, during, and after mediation sessions. It critiques the inadequate preparation …