Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Gap Between Occupational Therapy And Therapeutic Horseback Riding: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Further Engagement In Childhood Occupations, Veronica Smith

Honors Theses

My name is Veronica Smith and I have been a CTRI (certified therapeutic riding instructor) since 2022. I began volunteering at a therapeutic riding program center in elementary school and have accumulated 5000+ hours of experiences that instilled this passion in me. With these experiences, I recognized a gap and developed my thesis project with a clear vision.

With a passion for occupational therapy, and a special interest in equines, I focused my undergrad honors thesis project that also served as my baccalaureate project for the occupational therapy assistant program around these values. I created an activity book that can …

Effects Of Acute Pain With Cold Water Limb Submersion On Cognitive Performance Of Simple Span Tasks, Kyle J. Miller

Honors Theses

Pushing through aches and pain is a ritual for many. It is often overlooked that pain is a physical as well as mental phenomenon. It is well established that chronic pain increasingly affects performance the longer the duration and the higher the intensity. Performance in acute pain is less established for complex and simple span tasks. Previous research suggests only complex tasks are negatively affected by painful stimuli. This study seeks to confirm previous literature on complex span tasks and test if simple span tasks are affected by performance and pain intensities. 34 participants completed either the digit span test …

Aroma Comparison Of Different Pawpaw Cultivars From The Kentucky State University Pawpaw Research Program, Lauren A. Miskimen

Honors Theses

The aim of this study was to perform an analysis on the volatile profile differences in six pawpaw cultivars. There are over 30 pawpaw cultivars known to exist, and the flavor differences can be quite different for each; however, limited flavor analytical work has been done to understand which flavor compounds could be causing those differences. Recent work in Dr. Zyzak’s lab using gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) has identified key aroma compounds in the KSU-Atwood^TM cultivar. However, little is known about the other cultivars. This approach involved two steps: using a combination of GC-O and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to …

Why Ptsd Is Not Discussed Within Law Enforcement, Emma R. Leitenberger

Honors Theses

Recently in society, there is a notice that law enforcement officers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those who suffer from PTSD must meet Criteria A through E and then meet the exposure criteria. There are many potential reasons as to why these officers are not coming forward to receive help. Police officers struggle to come forward because of stigma and police subculture. There is a perceived stigma that those who come forward to receive any help for mental health struggles are weak individuals. The police subculture plays into that stigma because if other officers see an officer going …

Friend Or Faux: A Scientific Comparison Of Reciprocal Relationships And Parasocial Relationships And Their Psychological Effects, Emma J. Krouse

Honors Theses

The prominence of social media in our society has led to an increase in the presence of parasocial relationships—a relationship in which someone perceives another person as having an interpersonal relationship with them, despite not interacting with the media user directly. Our current body of literature has produced little understanding of how these relationships compare to reciprocal relationships, in terms of their psychological ramifications. Specifically, there is little consensus in the literature about what factors of well-being are most impacted by sustaining parasocial relationships. This study aimed to investigate these gaps in knowledge and compare how these different types of …

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 …

Effect Of Washing On Plastic Bag Surface Composition And Color, Katelyn Haas

Honors Theses

Plastic is prevalent in each aspect of everyday life. Due to its regular use and pervasiveness, plastic is a type of evidence that persists at a crime scene. The color and chemical signature of a plastic can be used to identify a potential common source of the bag and aid in the investigation of a crime. Plastic trash bags, composed of low-density polyethylene, colorants and/or coatings, are a common plastic submitted for analysis. However, pretreatment of the plastic in the lab before analysis (i.e. washing away debris) could alter the color and chemical signature. A deeper understanding of the extent …

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 …

9/11: Fueling The Misleading Fire Of War And Its Reflection In Country Music, Corban L. Profitt

Honors Theses

The interplay between American patriotism and country music underwent a profound transformation in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as significant historical events reshaped national identity. This project examines the evolution of conservative patriotism in country music through key events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, and the First Gulf War, culminating in the post-9/11 era and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It explores how these geopolitical shifts influenced public sentiment and how country musicians became both commentators and amplifiers of national rhetoric. The pre-9/11 era saw artists like Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Jr. use their …

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 …

State Solutions To Human Trafficking: A Critical Backbone In Combating The Tragedy, Gabriella Weiss

Honors Theses

This honors thesis paper provides an overview of human trafficking in the United States and the states’ roles for addressing the problem. It starts off by describing the background behind human trafficking, including the typical victims, perpetrators, and the locations where victims are found. In order to better understand the context of state solutions, the next section describes the current federal government’s anti-human trafficking efforts as that is important to better understand state roles and responsibilities. This section includes the current enacted laws and legislatures, victim services, awareness programs, intelligence sharing and investigation agencies, and funding. The state section includes …

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 …

Reviving Historic Buildings - Adaptive Reuse Of The Jazzy Building, Mazze Stokes

Honors Theses

In the face of rapid urbanization and modernization, the significance of historic preservation and adaptive reuse has gained prominence as a sustainable approach to development. There is an intricate relationship between historic preservation and adaptive reuse, delving into the principles, challenges, and benefits inherent in this practice as they apply to the Jazzy Building on 619/621 Market Street in Downtown Chattanooga Tennessee. A mixed-use approach for the Jazzy Building is optimal, as it addresses the pressing need for expanded housing amidst Chattanooga's population growth, capitalizes on its potential as a tourist attraction, and aligns with the city's strong environmentalist ethos.

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 …

The Jazzy Building: A Revitalization Plan, Christine Bebawy

Honors Theses

The Jazzy building is located at 619-621 Market Street in Chattanooga, TN in the City Center downtown area. Both the interior and exterior of the building show signs of being vacant for a long period. The Jazzy building has significant historical value, especially the east and west facades that feature various ornamentations and details that testify to its significance. Although the building's interior has been severely damaged, it is still possible to salvage and reuse some of the materials. To determine the appropriate use of the Jazzy building, a market analysis of downtown Chattanooga research was referenced, along with a …

Black, White, And Red All Over: Tougaloo College And The Southern Red Scare, Simeon Gates

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explain the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission’s use of red baiting tactics against civil rights activists. Civil rights activists in Mississippi weathered countless physical, economic, and reputational attacks. The movement took off during the 1950s at the same time as the nation entered the Cold War. White supremacist southerners fought to preserve segregation through violent and nonviolent means. As the rest of the nation slowly came out of Cold War-fueled hysteria known as the second red scare, segregationists in the south were influenced by it. They cast the entire civil rights movement as a …

A Series Of Accounting Case Studies: Macy's Inc. And Other Notable Financial Events, Emelyn Darnell

Honors Theses

This thesis is a compilation of six case studies focusing on financial accounting and analysis of current events in the accounting world. These were completed under the direction and supervision of Dr. Victoria Dickinson through the Honors Accountancy 420 course. Four case studies included in this compilation are analyses of Macy’s Inc. through different accounting lenses. The case studies analyzing Macy’s Inc. were done in groups in the fall semester of 2022. Our group prepared an Operational Risk Assessment, analyzed Macy’s audit risk, and comprised possible solutions to decrease risk. We also discussed Macy’s current ESG and cybersecurity procedures and …

American And German Environmental Policy: Differences In Institution Building Between The Great Lakes And Lake Constance, Thomas Johnson

Honors Theses

When it comes to the protection of water sources, the relationships between stakeholders around the Great Lakes region and the Lake Constance region differ remarkably. This is due to a variety of different reasons, the biggest reason being the major differences between the political norms of these two areas. During the 1960’s and 1970’s the relations between America and Canada and their respective ecological coalition groups were very different from those between Germany, Switzerland, Austria and their coalition groups. These differences resulted in a distinct evolution in the formation and handling of Transnational Advocacy Coalitions, or parapublic institutions, in the …

Development Of An Algorithm To Identify And Calculate The Amount Of File Slack On An Image Of A Given Drive, Nicholas Flynn

Honors Theses

As society increasingly relies on technology, the rates of cyber crime have been increasing at exponential rates. Cyber criminals are also discovering new ways to hide evidence of their crimes. This study develops a forensic analysis algorithm to evaluate the amount of file slack on an image of a drive. Slack space, leftover drive space on a disk sector after a file has been written, can be exploited to hide data. The algorithm aims to detect and calculate this slack space to help direct forensic investigations. The algorithm was evaluated on a population dataset of 100,000 files with random data …

Communication Research On Sign Language Telecommunication And Digital Modes Of Interpretation., Scooter Briody

Honors Theses

Since the invention and proliferation of the telephone in the late nineteenth century, our world has become increasingly dependent on technologically mediated communication. Nowadays we are just as likely to have our next human interaction through our smartphone or computer screen as we are to meet another person face to face. We do not even tend to think of these things as tools for telecommunication anymore, but rather as extensions of our own will. Despite the overwhelming convenience of this technology, it is also fundamentally created with the interests of certain people in mind. If you are able to use …

Comprehensive Analysis Of The Different Fields Of Law, Kaitlyn Lee

Honors Theses

Since American law developed in the early 1700s, lawyers have played a crucial role in society, advocating for justice and upholding the rule of law. Over the years the legal profession has evolved immensely and now offers many different fields for individuals to practice. People are often curious about the work that lawyers do and the education that is required to become an attorney. This thesis aims to satisfy the curiosity of those individuals by exploring many facets of the different areas of law. It will examine the unique and shared aspects of the various legal fields, detailing the specific …

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 …

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 …

The Soundscape Of The Grove: The Acoustic Environment Of A Visual Landmark, Bryce Barrett

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to evaluate the soundscape throughout the Grove and the Circle (two popular outdoor spaces on the University of Mississippi campus) by determining the sound levels and people’s perceptions of sounds. The term soundscape is defined by a person’s perception of an acoustic environment in context. The human perceptions of sounds were gathered during soundwalks, which are walking tours of a given environment where participants provide opinions on their acoustic surroundings. Five soundwalk sessions were conducted with a total of 10 participants with varying environmental conditions. Statistically significant variations in perceptions and sound levels …

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 …