Digital Commons Network^™

Independent Mediation: A Restorative Justice Approach To Conflict Resolution Among College Roommates, Sarah Morris

Honors Theses

College roommates significantly impact students' college experience. Universities have traditionally aimed to improve roommate satisfaction through pairing strategies, but evolving technology trends regarding students independently selecting roommates via social media have limited this application. This research proposes an alternative: equipping students with informal restorative justice training to independently manage roommate conflicts. Drawing on restorative justice principles, the training focuses on developing skills in active listening, framing dialogue, and crafting effective, non-transactional apologies. These methods foster accountability and empower students to collaboratively resolve conflicts without university intervention. This informal approach minimizes logistical burdens compared to formal restorative justice programs. The training …

Bridging The Gap: Factors Affecting College Students’ Use Of University Health Services, Courtney Rudolph

Honors Theses

This thesis, titled “Bridging the Gap: Factors Affecting College Students' Use of University Health Services," investigates the barriers and motivators influencing student engagement with campus health resources at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). Given that approximately 2,000 college health centers across the U.S. serve over 20 million students, understanding why some students underutilize these services is crucial for enhancing campus health outcomes (National College Health Assessment - ACHA, 2024). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research gathered data through surveys (n = 118) and an in-depth interview with the EKU Student Health Coordinator. The study aimed to identify key factors affecting students' …

We Aren’T Laughing: Analysis Of Male Stand-Up Comedy And Violence Against Women, Kaylynn R. Smith

Honors Theses

Misogyny is a prime example of a concept that humans cannot fully solve. In this thesis, I am examining comedy as an outlet for misogyny in today’s culture. This thesis collects data from the social media platform, TikTok, to gather social reactions to a prominent and controversial act in stand-up comedy. This act was performed by Matt Rife in November of 2023 on the popular streaming service, Netflix. In this particular act, Rife opened to his live audience with a joke about domestic violence and its victims. This study includes a qualitative content analysis of both the Netflix special and …

Occupational Therapy In Psychiatry: A Safe, Affordable Approach For Better Care, Isabelle G. Cassada

Honors Theses

Occupational therapy (OT) is a therapeutic practice designed to enhance independence in individuals’ activities of daily living (ADL) across all age groups. While widely recognized for its role in physical rehabilitation, it is less commonly applied in mental health care. This underutilization can be attributed to a significant gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of OT in improving occupational function (OF) for individuals experiencing the negative effects of mental illnesses. Notably, OT in mental health care is not a new concept and dates to before World War I (WWI). This thesis conducts a literature review of fifty-one sources to …

Behind Every Strong Man Is An Even Stronger Woman: Women In The Wwe, Jenna Roberts

Honors Theses

Women in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) have come to the forefront of WWE programming form out of nowhere. This honors thesis sets out to show that this narrative is false and that the progression of women in the WWE began long before the company had its current name. This thesis uses the theory of the four waves of feminism to show the correlation of the evolution of women in society to the evolution of women in the WWE. In doing so, this project shows both the similarities and differences between the women in the WWE and women in the United …

Voicing Experience: Learning About And Understanding The Latina Experience In The United States Through Coming-Of-Age Literature, Audrey G. Childress

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the works of Latina female authors from the United States of America in the coming-of-age genre and how the themes addressed in the novels provide readers with insight into what aspects of the Latino culture in the United States affect the decisions Latina women make when it comes to deciding whether to pursue higher education. The thesis examines three novels by Latina authors from the United States in the coming-of-age genre. These novels include The House on Mango Street, The Poet X , and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. It discusses themes such as …

Highs And Hollows: Exploring The Overall Drug Use Of Kentucky Universities From Urban To Appalachian, Venessa Miller

Honors Theses

Drugs cause chemical changes to a person’s mental and physical state and the misuse of such substances is a problem that affects not only strangers but our community and those closest to us. It is of utmost importance to determine the root and depth of the drug problem, especially among populations where the risk is highest. College students, also known as emerging adults, are a vulnerable group due to their unique environment that fosters higher exposure rates and the normalization of substance use. The current study focuses on students in higher educational institutions throughout Kentucky, a state known for being …

Dental Modification Among The Classic Maya Of Chac Balam And San Juan, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Katherine Kelly

Honors Theses

Perceptions of beauty and health are embedded within everyday actions, even a simple smile. How do dental modification practices among the Classic Maya from Ambergris Caye, Belize relate to these perceptions and a person’s identity and status? This thesis analyzes the practice of notching, filing, and placing inlays in maxillary incisors and canines through a qualitative analysis of Classic period AD 250-1000 Maya teeth from the sites of San Juan and Chac Balam. A lack of patterns related to sex, socioeconomic status, and the type of modification in the dentition of five individuals, including two males, two females and one …

Enhancing Fan Engagement In Medium-Sized University Athletics: A Case Study Of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga, Colin Thompson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore how medium-sized universities, specifically the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), can mimic the successful fan engagement strategies of other universities to build a sustainable and engaged fan base. This study analyzes previous research into the factors that contribute to fan engagement, including the segmentation of attendees into fans or spectators, and compares financial records of selected peer institutions. Peer institutions were contacted in an effort to gain insights from their marketing departments. A randomized survey of the current student population was conducted to analyze what factors motivate athletic event attendance. The …

The Gavel And The Camera: Environmental Law And Photojournalism's Relationship To Appalachian Identity, Emily S. Patton

Honors Theses

Both the federal government and photojournalism have played a substantial role in the “othering” of Appalachia while simultaneously attempting to save it. Examining both institutions demonstrates the exploitative processes that alter the perception of rural communities and their surrounding environment. Stacey Kranitz’s archival exhibit, As It Was Give(n) To Me, internalizes this precarious role of the camera in a region heavily journalized. By inhabiting the area for years, establishing close relationships, and researching the documented history of Appalachia, Kranitz’s work becomes her livelihood in the dissolution of profession vs. personal. She is critical of past projects whose objective portrayal of …

Matrix Training For Expanding The Communication Of Toddlers And Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jacy Durdel, Maggie Ratcliff

Honors Theses

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly display a range of deficits from communication skills to play skills. When the ability to generalize is improved, a greater number of stimuli can be learned without having to be directly taught, which can be done through matrix training. Matrix training provides a framework for actively teaching a singular exemplar of a target, and, through recombination, many more stimuli can be learned. Participant is a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD who was taught noun-verb combinations through tactile movement of figurines. All targets are tested before and after the single stimulus of each …

Wearing Endangered Species, Kylie Perry

Honors Theses

The biodiversity of our ecosystems is under constant threat every day; this makes public awareness of environmental issues incredibly important. Since this is such a time sensitive issue it is necessary to increase public awareness immediately. The constant threat was caused by humanity so we should be the ones to help save the endangered species before they are gone. My thesis focuses on how art can bring awareness to environmental issues and more specifically endangered species. This project involves linocuts printed on recycled paper on the topic of five species of endangered animals. Through the medium of printmaking, this project …

The Impact Of School-Based Education Program On Body Image In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Hendon

Honors Theses

Body dissatisfaction is an emerging public health concern and carries significant health-related consequences. These implications encompass mental health challenges, eating disorders, unhealthy weight management practices, adverse effects on self-esteem, and potential physical health consequences. Because adolescence is a critical period for healthy body image development due to age-related transitions occurring at this time, it is essential to implement an education program to promote positive body image. Educational programs focused on protective factors designed to enhance self-compassion can potentially improve body image, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction. School-based body image education programs aim to provide adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and …

Examining The Nexus Of Food Insecurity And Oral Health, Abigayle Talbot

Honors Theses

This research paper delves into the relationship between oral health and nutrition status among individuals with food insecurity. As both oral health and nutritional well-being play pivotal roles in overall health, understanding their interplay in the context of food insecurity becomes important. This study investigated how inadequate access to food resources, a characteristic of food insecurity, can impact oral health, leading to a spectrum of dental issues. The study explores the impact of compromised oral health on dietary habits, potentially resulting in nutritional deficiencies or malnutrition. By examining the potential pathways through which these factors influence each other, the study …

Proposals To Address Health Disparities In Occupational Therapy, Madison Michelle Cotten

Honors Theses

Health disparities, “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health,” are infamous for their effects within both general healthcare and occupational therapy settings (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2008). Though existing literature establishes a need for the widespread adoption of anti-discrimination measures, specific recommendations for occupational therapy schools remain limited. This project aims to remedy this gap in knowledge by serving as an initial overview of healthcare disparities within occupational therapy and by addressing the potential value of incorporating diversity courses into the curriculum of occupational therapy schools. Through the presentation …

Russian Interventionism: A Case Study Of President Vladimir Putin's Personal Influence In The Syrian Civil War, Lee Holmes

Honors Theses

The most influential factors in implementing interventionist policies into vulnerable countries are widely debated depending on political factors in the international relations sphere. Russia’s decision to intervene in Syria’s civil war in 2015 while Syria collapsed from civil unrest and authoritarian corruption is a prime example. Although most literature agrees that Russia’s intervention stemmed from an attempt to solidify political influence and diplomatic relations in the Middle East, hardly any addresses President Vladimir Putin’s individual influence as a determining factor. Since national power is consolidated to the individual leader in authoritarian regimes, it is crucial to understand President Putin’s personal …

Attitudes And Perceptions Of Sex Offenders Amongst Rural Populationns, Riley Allen

Honors Theses

The current study aims to examine rural residents’ attitudes regarding sex offenders and their perceptions of the recidivism rates of these types of individuals. Data from qualitative interviews of rural Illinois residents (N=24) will be used. This archival data will be coded with NVivo software to determine the prevalence of certain responses indicating positive or negative attitudes as well as perceptions of both adult and juvenile recidivism rates. Through the examination and analyses of the coded data, this study will help determine what kind of attitudes rural residents in southern Illinois harbor towards sex offenders and how that may correlate …

Can Vice Make Us Virtuous? The Effects Of Greed Reminders On Charitability, Hayley Pitts

Honors Theses

Historically, society wishes to encourage people to be good – but also warns against being bad. There is little comparison between the two of which works: the threat of damnation through vice, or the promise of salvation through virtue. This study examines how each of these affect donation behavior. There are two studies within the present research, each with 149 participants randomly assigned into three categories: control, vice, and virtue. Participants were distracted then asked to view an image based on their randomly assigned category, followed by a donation question: would participants donate a $1.00 bonus to a local charity, …

The Effects Of Processing Tasks On False Memories, Caroline Lewis

Honors Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects that three different processing tasks had on the rate of false memories. Participants were randomly assigned into a story condition, survival condition, or a pleasantness condition. Using a word list that had three groups of ten words each connected to a nonpresented critical word, participants were asked to process the words using instructions based on their given condition. Processing occurred through written sentences, which was then followed by a short mathematical distraction test. Participants were then given time to recall all of the words presented on the list by …

An Analysis Of Congressional Disgust Language On Twitter By Party Identification, Martha Nichols

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to advance the existing work in the field of political communications through a study of congressional Twitter use. While there has been a significant amount of study focused on presidential Twitter presence, there is less existing literature on the use of Twitter by members of the U.S. Congress. This study focuses on the use of disgust language on Twitter and tests the hypothesis that Republican congressmen and women will have a higher proportion of disgust language in their Twitter presence over time. The hypothesis was unsupported, as the results produce an unexpected outcome that Democratic members of …

As Bonecas Babadeiras: Drag Subculture And Global Media In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Logan Baggett

Honors Theses

21st century global queer culture is seeing a major boom. Drag queens are the most indicative symbols of this boom, traditional practitioners of gender-bending performances that blend music, dance, makeup, and fashion to create breathtaking performances. To this end, this thesis asks the following question: How is local drag performance culture generated in Rio de Janeiro in the context of this 21st century gay boom? In this global metropolis, drag queens confront challenges––racism, classism, sprawling urban geography, and scene competition––that color their interpersonal relationships and financial success. They also find community, creating family units in the absence of heteronormative power …

An Ethical Analysis Of Sports Specialization And The Harms It Poses To Youth Athletes, Caleb Bohannon

Honors Theses

Whereas youth sports in the United States were once commonly funded by local or state park and recreation commissions, current commercialization trends within the industry have caused youth sports to become increasingly commodified. Now, youth sports use private pay-to-play, or “competitive” sports models. Attempting to maintain a competitive advantage over their peers and further their athletic pursuits in this context, more youth now seek to specialize in their respective sports. When youth specialize, they focus their participation on a single sport for most of the year, which interferes with their participation in other sports and activities. This thesis explores neglected …

Sleep's Relationship To Executive Functioning In Toddlers, Ella Havertape

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between toddlers’ sleep and executive functioning. While there are a few studies that examine the relation between sleep and executive functioning in this age group, the majority of research focuses on older populations. Regardless, previous research has found a correlation between sleep problems and executive functioning abilities. This study utilized a parent reported questionnaire to measure children’s sleep and a battery of tasks to measure executive functioning. The results revealed no correlation between sleep duration and executive function performance, however, I did find a correlation between night wakefulness and …

Development Of A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (Cure) Using The Bess Beetle, Sreya Maddali

Honors Theses

Participating in scientific research has increasingly been important in helping students develop necessary science learning skills, like critical thinking. One way of introducing students to these experiences is a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). CUREs enable students to improve in similar ways to internships and are more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. The goal was to create a CURE centered around ecological genetics, using the Bess Beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus) as the focal organism of a 16-week course. This species was selected because of its wide geographic range and divergent genetic lineages based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) …

Labyrinth And Other Rude Awakenings, Jack Eno

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of short fiction stories written by myself over the course of my final three semesters before graduation. Four are short stories, while one is novella length. I went into this project intending to write as diverse a collection as I could manage, while still maintaining a consistent theme or set of themes throughout the collection. The stories are connected by themes of sudden and unfortunate realizations of unspoken truth, religion, and the ways in which religious trauma can affect different people. The stories range in tone, with one comedy, one horror, one criminal drama, and …

We Get To Live Here?: Housing Insecurity And Assistance Availability In Oxford, Mississippi, Ashlyn Hinton

Honors Theses

As Oxford continues to thrive as a university town and tourist destination, the rates of housing insecurity are rising for full-time residents in the community. The types of housing insecurity experienced and their effects can range broadly across households in Oxford, but they consistently lead to low to middle income families experiencing the negative side effects associated with increased transience, poor housing conditions, or being cost-burdened by housing. This study seeks to determine the factors contributing to housing insecurity in Oxford, how this affects residents, and if the current resources are accessible and proportionate to the levels of need within …

Predicting Personal Growth: An Analysis Of Self-Relevant Approaches, Cole Morse

Honors Theses

Identifying predictors of personal growth–defined as striving to fulfill one’s unique potential–may be important for achieving a life of flourishing (Ryff & Singer, 2008). While existing research demonstrates the link between self-esteem and personal growth, gaps remain in our knowledge of the relationship between other potential self-referential predictors and personal growth (Paradise & Kernis, 2002). The intention of the current study is to not only conceptually replicate the link between positive self-regard (i.e., a positive self-evaluation that is theoretically akin to self-esteem) and personal growth, but to also investigate whether different ways of relating to the self offer unique pathways …

Your Money Or Your Life: A Study Of Medical Debt In The Southeastern United States, Grace Barrett

Honors Theses

A major issue has emerged from the U.S. healthcare system: medical debt. Medical debt is a serious problem in the U.S. that often cripples those who received healthcare services, but are unable to pay the bill. The most common scenario is when an unexpected major medical issue occurs, e.g. a heart attack, an automobile accident, cancer or anything requiring an emergency room visit. These hospital visits often result in very large, very unexpected expenses. These expenses are ultimately owed to the healthcare provider by the patient (or the patient's insurance policy) and increasingly, cause lifelong financial stress to those who …

Moca Normative Data On Young Adults Using An Adapted Version And Remote Administration Via Zoom, Elizabeth Johns

Honors Theses

Overview:

Cognitive decline is often associated with the emergence of dementia and other negative developments in health. Due to the potential for harm that cognitive decline can cause, it is essential that clinicians are able to detect and identify when it is occurring. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is useful clinically mainly because of the test’s ability to identify mild cognitive impairment. Following the pandemic in 2020, telehealth has become prominent. Previous studies considering MoCA have mostly used samples of older adults, but it is important to understand the impact of traumatic brain injuries on young adults. The following study …

"Ole Miss": A Case For The Name's Removal And Steps Toward Implementation, William Henderson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to provide one justification of why the University of Mississippi should cease its usage of its nickname, “Ole Miss,” and provide insight into what the next steps of the University should be. “Ole Miss” is a term that was installed with the intention of romanticizing the social order that the system of slavery provided in the Antebellum South. The attitudes toward plantation society that the name perpetuates pose several forms of harm to members of the University’s community. Institutions of higher learning maintain a special relationship with their students, which presents a strong obligation …