Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Exploring Negative Outcomes Associated With Adolescent Adhd And Parenting Excluding Co-Occurring Conduct Problems, Kaitlyn Lancia

Honors Theses

Previous research has suggested a link between ADHD and experiencing negative outcomes in adolescence. These include mental health issues, substance use problems, and especially social dysfunction. Additionally, prior research has discovered high comorbidity rates of certain behavioral disorders, like Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), with ADHD. Furthermore, other research has focused on the transactional influences between ADHD and parenting. Existing research has been limited by conduct problems being a possible confounding variable and the lack of longitudinal studies. The current study attempts to combat these limitations by separating conduct problems from ADHD symptoms and using a longitudinal …

Nazi Germany And Humanities Education As Propaganda, Sam Marie Smith

Honors Theses

One of the Third Reich’s most significant actions in their pursuit of the consolidation of power was the Gleichschaltung, in which all cultural, social, political, and economic goals were subordinated to that of the goals of the Nazi party. One of the most dramatic shifts to take place in the process of Gleichschaltung was in the realm of academia, where legitimate pedagogical and educational imperatives were overshadowed by an emphasis on perpetuating the Nazi regime’s agenda, especially racial ideology, even with the youngest students. While educators in the Third Reich carried this out in all subject areas, this project focuses …

Crossing Borders: Ways To Address Oral Health Disparities In Guatemala And U.S. Latinx Communities, Yeimi Bartolon Perez

Honors Theses

Oral health disparities remain a significant global public health concern, particularly among economically and socially marginalized populations. This study investigates the structural, socioeconomic, and cultural determinants that influence access to dental care across these two populations. Guatemala represents a context where poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and geographic isolation restrict access to preventive dental services, often resulting in treatment-seeking only during advanced stages of disease. In contrast, Hispanic/Latinx communities in the United States encounter barriers shaped by language differences, lack of dental insurance, immigration-related concerns, and systemic inequities within the healthcare system. This research employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates secondary …

Em-Vrp: Energy-Minimizing Vehicle Routing Planning For Maneuver-Aware Uav Routing, Ryan Kuederle

Honors Theses

Advanced UAV missions, such as infrastructure inspection and disaster-zone sensing, are fundamentally constrained by limited onboard battery capacity. Conventional flight planners typically optimize for shortest distance, despite the fact that maneuver-dependent energy costs vary substantially and make distance a poor proxy for power consumption. This thesis develops an energy-centric routing framework that applies an action-weighted energy heuristic to formulate and solve an Energy-Minimized Vehicle Routing Problem (EM-VRP). In addition, it examines the joint optimization of vehicle energy expenditure and data freshness to ensure timely revisitation of spatial nodes. The framework is implemented through custom mission-planning software and validated on physical …

Enhancing Balance In Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: Comparing Strength Training And Combined Strength-Balance Training, Justina Zolikoff

Honors Theses

Millions of adults live with intellectual disabilities and associated motor impairments such as reduced muscle tone, decreased strength, and impaired balance. These physical limitations can interfere with independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living including dressing, walking, laundry, and shopping. Previous research has demonstrated that strength training can improve muscular strength, stability, and reduce fall risk. Targeted balance training may further enhance functional mobility and postural control. This 12-week study included 2 weeks of pre-testing, 8 weeks of training, and 2 weeks of post-testing. The study examined the effects of strength training alone compared to combined strength …

A Treatise On Tool Development: The Arthroscope’S Cultural, Technological, And Metascientific Translation, Montgomery F. Waterer

Honors Theses

The arthroscope was a revolutionary development in the fields of medicine, engineering, and ethics. There are many valuable lessons to be learned from the story of its development and translation that are relevant to the future of medicine and society. Beginning with a brief description of the tool’s design, this paper will examine a period within the history of the arthroscope. This window contains multiple innovators and ends with the life and work of Dr. Robert Jackson. In examining the relevant historical facts of its development, this paper will then briefly address the importance of sports medicine in the development …

The Price Of Democracy: How Federal Tax Receipts Can Enhance Public Awareness, Transparency, And Civic Discourse, Hannah Bordeau

Honors Theses

Each year, the IRS collects roughly $2.18 trillion in income taxes alone, accounting for approximately 48% of the government's total revenue. However, the IRS does not audit individual tax receipts for citizens, preventing them from seeing a visual breakdown of where their money is allocated. To better understand how citizens feel about governmental spending, this project will utilize a mixed-methods approach, incorporating a qualitative case study to explore the developments (or lack thereof) regarding a “tax receipt” and conducting interviews to gain insights into public perception of a tax receipt program. In addition to the interviews, this project will explore …

A System Dynamics Model For Simulating Homelessness Trends In Montgomery County, Ohio, Samuel S. Conley

Honors Theses

Homelessness is a complex social issue influenced by a wide range of economic, social, and health related factors. Traditional methods for measuring homelessness, such as point-in-time counts, provide valuable snapshots of the population but do not capture the dynamic processes that lead individuals into or out of homelessness. This work presents a system dynamics model designed to simulate homelessness trends within Montgomery County, Ohio. The model represents the county population using five primary states: general population, at-risk, homeless, supportive housing, and unaccounted individuals. To better capture heterogeneity within the population, the homeless and supportive housing states are further decomposed into …

Extreme Value Theory And Corporate Financial Extremes In Predicting Municipal Decline, Megan Coyne

Honors Theses

Extreme Value Theory (EVT) provides a statistical approach for modeling rare and extreme events such as financial crises that can lead to bankruptcy. Traditional financial models often assume Gaussian distributions and rely heavily on historical trends, making them well suited for modeling typical corporate financial behavior. In contrast, models predicting municipal decline typically rely on urban indicators such as unemployment, housing prices, and population trends rather than corporate financial data. This study seeks to bridge these approaches by investigating whether extreme corporate financial events provide predictive information about municipal economic decline. Detroit, the largest U.S. city to declare bankruptcy, serves …

Heavy Metal, Heavy Costs: Soil Copper Contamination Undermines Bee Communities In Urban Agriculture, Penelope Fisher

Honors Theses

As city populations grow, the need for fresh produce in cities to feed people also grows. One such growing urban environment is Dayton, Ohio, which has begun to implement measures aiming to limit the hunger experienced by underserved individuals in the city. According to The Dayton Food Bank, in Montgomery County alone 14.2% of individuals living in the county experience food insecurity, a majority of whom are children. Urban farming has proven to be a lucrative solution to some of these issues. However, these farms are often established in areas where the soil is degraded due to previous land use, …

Ai-Driven Computer Vision For Automated Ripeness Detection In Tomato Plants, Austin Ebbing

Honors Theses

This work presents a computer vision-based approach for automated ripeness detection in tomato plants. The system leverages a YOLOv8 segmentation model trained on a publicly available dataset to detect and isolate individual tomatoes within complex visual environments. While segmentation provides an initial estimate of tomato regions, additional processing is required to remove non-fruit artifacts such as stems and leaves that may interfere with analysis. To address this, an edge-constrained region growing method is used to tighten segmentation masks by removing unwanted structures such as stems and leaves while preserving the underlying fruit. Ripeness is then estimated using a color-based analysis …

Relationship Between Undergraduate Students Study Abroad Experiences In The Mediterranean Region And Changes To Dietary And Functional Movement Habits, Katherine Heublein

Honors Theses

This research explored the relationship between study abroad experiences within the Mediterranean region and their impact on dietary and functional movement habits. College students are at a critical juncture for establishing lifelong health behaviors. Understanding the influence of cultural immersion on food and movement choices can provide valuable insights into strategies to promote healthier lifestyles among college students. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is characterized by high consumption of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, beans/lentils, and fish, and low consumption of red meat and processed foods, along with increased functional movement from walking and biking. This lifestyle has been correlated with lower …

Developing Adult Glioma Model In Drosophila, Anna Lindenmuth

Honors Theses

Glial brain tumors typically occur in older adults and have no known cure. Therefore, it is important to study the growth and physiological effects that this disease causes in hopes of finding an adequate solution. A great and inexpensive model to study glial cell tumors is flies because they share similar neurological pathways with humans. Our lab studies glioma brain tumors in larval stages of Drosophila, but no adult models have been made to account for and match the occurrence of cancer developing in older adults. Therefore, this study’s purpose is to create and study the growth of glial cell …

Gender-Based Violence In El Salvador: The Role Of Political Developments And The Impact On The Rights Of Salvadoran Women, Maison E. Mclean

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the ways women in El Salvador are subjected to genderbased violence (GBV), including domestic violence, reproductive violence, economic violence, and marital rape. It examines the institutional social and political conditions that shape women’s experiences with violence, with particular attention to recent policy changes under the Bukele administration. Through literature and media analysis, as well as interviews with activists, researchers, solidarity groups, and human rights organizations, this research explores how shifts in government policy and institutional practices have impacted protections and resources available to women facing GBV. In addition to examining legal frameworks, this thesis highlights the obstacles …

Ud College Student Health Literacy And Well-Being, Olivia R. Upchurch

Honors Theses

In my Honors Thesis Research Project, I studied University of Dayton (UD) students' health literacy and well-being. Well-being is a state of being comfortable and happy. It includes mental well-being and physical activity. Mental well-being is a state of positive psychological, social, and emotional health. Physical activity is bodily movement that promotes physical health. Health literacy is the ability of someone to understand and effectively use health information to make well-informed decisions regarding their health. This project is important because college represents a time when young adults begin to manage their well-being and healthcare independently from their parents or guardians. …

Parental Behaviors In Response To Childhood Internalizing And Externalizing Problems, Quinn Ryan Willerton

Honors Theses

Parents and children have been shown to mutually influence parenting behaviors (Burke et al., 2008). Abnormal behaviors in children, namely externalizing and internalizing problems, offer a route of observation that can further demonstrate the bidirectionality of the parent-child relationship. Externalizing problems (i.e. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or Conduct Disorder) are easier for parents to see because of their overt and outward nature, but they pose more difficult challenges for both parental response and treatment approaches. Internalizing problems (i.e. anxiety or depression) are more emotion-based, making them harder to recognize and diagnose. Our research is observing the presence …

Mental Stress, Physical Activity And Reproductive Health: A Pilot Study On College-Aged Females In Stem, Ellie Nichols

Honors Theses

Introduction: Undergraduate students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs face rigorous academic demands that place them under immense stress. Chronic exposure to stress elevates cortisol, a key hormone known to disrupt endocrine function, including the reproductive system; such disruptions may contribute to menstrual irregularities. Among mediators that help the body return to homeostasis, physical activity (PA) is widely recognized as an effective tool for managing stress. Previous literature has documented the relationship between stress and reproductive health, however limited research has examined how PA may buffer stress related reproductive disruptions within the undergraduate STEM student population. This …

The Lost Reader: Temptation, Free Will, And Morality In Paradise Lost And Undertale, Serena Hope Labello

Honors Theses

This paper demonstrates that video games expand on a reader’s literary experience and should be characterized as literary artifacts. My thesis research project explores free will and temptation as originally reflected in John Milton’s epic, Paradise Lost, and in Undertale, a 2015 video game where players change the trajectory of the game with their use of free will. Critics of both texts have commented on how the structure of the epic poem and the game place the reader or player in a position to make moral choices. Stanley Fish’s critique of Paradise Lost claims that the reader will fall to …

Real Horror: The Supernatural And Its Connection To Abuse In Late 20th Century Horror, John Sebastian

Honors Theses

Horror authors from the late 20th century explain the turmoil of domestic and childhood abuse through supernatural elements to represent the loss of autonomy of victims. Several horror authors from the late 20th century showcase abuse through the supernatural not to exploit the experiences of victims of abuse but allow for spaces for readers to encounter truly horrifying stories and process them. Works explored include Stephen King’s The Shining and Carrie, as well as Ira Levin’s Rosemary's Baby and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist.

The Evolution And Impact Of Fashion Marketing In The Age Of Social Media, Lillie L. Warrington

Honors Theses

This research paper aims to analyze the effect of social media on consumer behavior in fashion marketing by investigating how fashion brands have adapted their strategies to leverage social media platforms effectively and exploring the role of social media influencers in shaping brand perception and consumer loyalty. By addressing these objectives, this research seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on digital marketing in the fashion industry, offering valuable insights.

The study will be conducted through a comprehensive review of existing research and primary research, including a survey of 143 participants, to better understand how social media affects …

Therapeutic Applications Of Tabletop Role-Playing Games In Treatment Of Depressive And Anxious Symptoms In Young Adults, Dash Degrote

Honors Theses

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are played by a large population and involve the engagement of social and emotional skills, with the largest portion of the population playing them being adolescents or young adults. The therapeutic application of TTRPGs in the treatment of depressive and anxious symptoms shows potential with this population. In a literature review, three major themes are identified: TTRPG culture, stakeholder perspectives of TTRPGs, and examples of therapeutically-applied TTRPGs. Overall, evidence suggests that TTRPGs can positively impact the concerned symptoms, though more research is needed for games outside of Dungeons & Dragons as well as stakeholder perspectives.

Exercise As A Non-Pharmacological Intervention For The Prevention And Delay Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Dementia, Eden Culver

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias are rapidly increasing public health concerns due to aging populations and rising life expectancy. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration associated with amyloid-β plaques, tau neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal loss, leading to impairments in memory, cognition, and daily functioning. Because there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, identifying effective non-pharmacological prevention strategies is essential. This paper examines the role of physical exercise as a preventive and protective intervention for delaying the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Current research demonstrates that exercise supports brain health through several …

The Importance Of Trauma-Informed Care In The Juvenile Justice System, Kalinowski Lillian

Honors Theses

Trauma is a common experience among justice-involved youth, though its developmental and behavioral impacts are not always fully accounted for within juvenile justice systems. Trauma-informed care has emerged as a promising framework for addressing these challenges, however, limited research has examined how consistently such approaches are implemented in practice. This study explores the implementation and perceived effectiveness of trauma-informed care within the juvenile justice system by drawing on semi-structured interviews with five clinicians who have professional experience working with justice-involved youth in the Midwest. The findings indicate that trauma-informed care is not consistently implemented across institutional settings, with 80% of …

The Benefits Of Handcrafting, Madison Mallory

Honors Theses

Handcrafting encompasses physical creative activities such as crochet, wood working, pottery, knitting, and many others. This study includes qualitative research to focus on the impact of handcrafting on individuals. This research was conducted via interviews with 11 individuals. The parameters for individuals to be included in this study is being 18 years of age or older and having experience with handcrafting. Through these interviews two interviewees referred to hand crafting as a form of meditation while seven others expressed feeling similarly using words such as feeling present, calm, focused, and relaxed. Two people share experiences of using handcrafting as coping …

Exploring How Experiential Learning Enhances Undergraduate Education: Insights From The Wmu Cold Case Program With Michigan State Police, Maura Killips

Honors Theses

Experiential learning has become an increasingly important component of undergraduate education, particularly in fields that demand high levels of professional judgment, empathy, and technical skills. This thesis examines how the Western Michigan University (WMU) Cold Case Program (CCP), in partnership with the Michigan State Police, serves as a model of experiential learning that both enriches students’ academic experiences and contributes to real-world investigative work. Drawing on literature about experiential learning as well as my firsthand participation in the program, I analyze how structured hands-on engagement with unsolved homicide and missing persons cases has shaped undergraduate development at WMU.

Key program …

Narratives, Neurons And Narcotics: The Neurological Impacts Of Biased Crime Media And How It Disproportionately Impacts Black And Brown Drug Defendants, Jade Celestine

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how crime media and neurological bias shape the experiences of Black and Brown drug defendants in the United States criminal justice system. Drawing on existing research in psychology and neuroscience, this explanation outlines the role of perception and threat detection in the formation of implicit bias while also emphasizing a need to expand the use of neurocriminology to all legal actors. Particular attention is given towards the influence of media portrayals of criminal cases, especially for drug-related offenses and how that impacts the audiences on a neurological level. An analysis of historical factors, such as the War …

The Impact Of Cannabis Use On Pulmonary Function Among Young Adults: A Literature Review, Ava Petersen

Honors Theses

Cannabis is the most used illicit drug among young adults and many of these users perceive cannabis as harmless and do not believe the drug to be addictive. Cannabis is derived from the flower of the hemp plant and contains cannabinoids THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the psychoactive component that interacts with the endocannabinoid system to produce a coveted euphoric state among users. Cannabis can be consumed in an edible or combusted and inhaled via joint, pipe, bong, etc. The purpose of this review is to examine the effects of inhaled cannabis on pulmonary function with a specific …

Development Of A Grease Resistant Barrier For Food Industry Applications, Mira Marino

Honors Theses

The objective of this project is to develop a grease-resistant barrier coating for paper-based food packaging and to evaluate the economic feasibility of implementing this coating system at an industrial scale. As demand increases, this project focuses on identifying an optimal pigment and binder combination that enhances barrier performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The primary goal was to maximize grease and moisture resistance of coated paper while ensuring the process is economically viable and compatible with existing paper mill operations.

The final plant design consists of one continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and three centrifugal pumps integrated into an existing paper …

Investigating The Cost And Efficiency Of Two Chemical Pathways To Produce The Plant-Based Coagulants, Taylor Nixon

Honors Theses

Plant-based coagulants are promising sustainable alternatives for water treatment due to their biodegradability, low toxicity, and reduced risk of secondary pollution. Unlike conventional inorganic coagulants, they generate less sludge and avoid secondary contamination in the environment. This project examines two chemical modification strategies for producing cationic cellulose coagulants. The first involves direct amination of cellulose using CHPTAC, while the second employs periodate-oxidized dialdehyde cellulose, which enables reductive amination through reactive aldehyde groups. These approaches are expected to yield materials with differing charges, surface functionalities, and structural properties that may influence coagulation performance. The study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility …

Navigating Screens For Neurodivergent Individuals, Avery Wilson

Honors Theses

As technology becomes more prevalent in everyday life, it is important to consider the implications that this may have for one's mind and well-being. These implications are particularly important for vulnerable populations, such as neurodivergent individuals, who may have unique sensitivities to technology consumption. This paper reviews current literature to provide an overview of the implications of using media on the neurodivergent population, such as individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), who often possess unique brain sensitivities that influence technology consumption.

To begin, the paper examines the changes in brain structure and functioning in children …