Digital Commons Network^™

Afro-Caribbean/Afro-Caribbean Descendant Students' Attitudes Towards Mental Healthcare, Imani Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The low mental healthcare utilization rates for Afro-Caribbean College students living in the USA has been seldom studied. This study sought to add to the literature by measuring if Afro-Caribbean cultural affiliation, an Afrocentric worldview, and/or student generation influences mental health seeking actions and mental illness stigma in this group.

Serious Music With Bea Witkin: An Upper West Side Audio Walk, Megan Hattie Stahl

Theses and Dissertations

Serious Music with Bea Witkin is a site-specific audio walk on New York City’s Upper West Side produced by Megan Hattie Stahl. This immersive, musical documentary explores and extends the life and work of composer Beatrice Witkin (1916-1990). Across four stationary chapters and three walking interludes, participants follow a one-mile route from Riverside Park to Straus Park by way of Witkin’s longtime residence on West End Avenue. Through guided narration, archival music, interviews and recordings of contemporary musicians sight-reading a 1985 string quartet piece by Witkin, Serious Music invites listeners to consider where music begins and ends.

Witkin, who graduated …

Activism Within The Music And Recorded Sound Archive, Julius Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the integration of applied ethnomusicology within the recorded sound archive of the New York Public Library. The process of repatriating recorded sound through community engagement lead to the development and eventual reparative work of outdated subject headings and other descriptive language within the archive. This thesis also explores how cultural preservation of similar non-physical fields such as naming conventions within linguistics and the development of gastronationalism combats globalization and ultimately colonization.

The Price Of Zero: On Aesthetics, The Market, And The Salvage Art Institute, Emily Henson

Theses and Dissertations

Founded by Elka Krajewska, The Salvage Art Institute (SAI) recontextualizes artworks classified as "total loss" through public exhibition and archival practices, and challenges conventional art market values by exploring alternative frameworks for artistic worth.

Free Fall, Mariam Bolkvadze

Theses and Dissertations

Free Fall, a mixed media project, addresses the horrifying cases of infant abduction experienced in the country of Georgia over the last 40-50 years, and how the nation's systemic issue became one of the causes of illegal child trafficking in the country. The project features an infant room setting with video projections, TV screens with interviews, and custom sound effects. The setting of Free Fall is a visual metaphor of the experiences of those affected by the abductions and illegal child trafficking drawing from the iconography of early childhood. Ultimately, my installation seeks to advocate for justice and support …

Burn, Deborah Rolf

Theses and Dissertations

Burn is a hybrid documentary that explores the collective experience of being “burned out” through interviews and lumen photography. Burnout is a syndrome associated with improperly managed workplace stress. Lumen printing is an alternative photographic process where photographic paper is exposed to daylight.

Social Networks And Behavioral Adaptation Of Serrano Horses In A Rewilding Initiative In Spain, Ashley Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

Rewilding is a conservation measure that involves actively relocating species or restricting human land use to improve ecosystem sustainability. However, critics raise concerns that rewilding privileges ecosystem function over endangered species. Due to a lack of monitoring around species’ relocations, uncertainty lies in ecological outcomes and psychological, social, cultural impacts on affected animals. For this project, we collaborated with the non-profit Rewilding Europe that sought to conserve Serrano horses (Equus caballus), an ancient and under-studied breed of Spanish horse by relocating 11 individuals to a protected site in Guadalajara, Spain in June 2022. Our research aimed to address …

‘Keeping It Real’ Goes Wrong: Deconstruction Of Masculinity In The Work Of Jay-Z And Kendrick Lamar, Leo Mcmahon

Theses and Dissertations

Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar use their latest albums, 4:44 and Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, to address the wake of damage their behaviors have caused. On a personal level each artist apologizes to their wife for infidelities, but along the way they deconstruct performances of masculinity that have dominated popular hip-hop music since the late 1980's. Highlighting the pressure the music industry puts on hip-hop artists to perform a hyper-sexual, hyper-violent masculinity, I argue that the artists join the genre of African-American autobiography to reveal the inauthentic performances of 'realness' in hip-hop. Posturing as representatives of African-American men, …

Optimizing Biofilm Assay Reproducibility And Characterizing The 12-Hydroxystearic Acid On Escherichia Coli, Khilola Khusanova

Theses and Dissertations

Biofilm formation in Escherichia coli plays a critical role in microbial chemical communication and surface-associated persistence. This study investigates the antibiofilm activity of 12-hydroxystearic acid (12-HSA), evaluating its R and S enantiomers as well as a racemic mixture. E. coli BL21, biofilms were grown under standardized laboratory conditions and quantified using the Crystal Violet staining assay. Treatment with 12-HSA resulted in a measurable reduction in biofilm biomass, with differences observed between the individual enantiomers and the mixture. These findings suggest that 12-HSA influences early adhesion and biofilm development, supporting its potential as a small-molecule modulator of bacterial surface behavior. This …

Predictors Of Mental Health Clinic Staff Self-Efficacy In Recognizing And Responding To Suicide Risk, Hannah Ritz

Theses and Dissertations

Staff self-efficacy is critical to suicide prevention, yet its predictors within Zero Suicide initiatives are not well understood. Among 1,038 CCBHC staff, perceived organizational support, response-focused training, and lower suicide myth endorsement most strongly predicted self-efficacy. Clinical role and prior experiences contributed modestly, highlighting multilevel influences on workforce readiness.

School Mental Health Partnerships: A Case Study, Rebecca Bilski

Theses and Dissertations

Education in the United States continues to evolve in response to technological advancements, such as the widespread use of the iPhone, and societal changes in a post-COVID-19 world. Youth mental health challenges are at an all-time high, impacting students’ ability to succeed academically and socially (CDC, 2023). Schools are in a unique position to address these challenges, yet untreated or unidentified mental health issues can hinder students’ progress (Sanchez et al., 2018). This study examines the potential of school mental health partnerships to provide educators with the tools, training, and resources necessary to support students with diverse and complex mental …

A Case Study Exploring Elementary Teacher Job Satisfaction: What Are The Implications For School Leaders?, Nancy E. Pickford

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are leaving the profession at an increasing rate, thus posing a serious threat to the effectiveness of the American educational system. Teacher job satisfaction is at the root of this problem. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that contribute to teacher job satisfaction and how school leadership actions, behaviors, and practices may influence these factors for elementary teachers in a suburban school district in the northeastern United States. The study was based upon the theoretical framework of Herzberg’s Two Factor Motivation theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory and Daniel Pink’s Motivation theory. The …

The Science Or Art Of Teaching Reading: Literacy Educators’ Professional Identity In The Wake Of The Accountability Era, Christine M. Haight

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explored literacy educators’ levels of curriculum autonomy, teaching self-efficacy, collegiality, collaboration, differentiation of instruction, and adaptive teaching with respect to school district socio-economic status, degree status, curriculum delivery mode, curriculum used most often, and career stage. The present study also examined the extent to which curriculum autonomy, teaching self-efficacy, collegiality, and collaboration predicted literacy educators’ differentiation of instruction and/or adaptive teaching after accounting for statistically significant background variables (demographic or curricular). Levels of curriculum autonomy, teaching self-efficacy, collegiality and collaboration were explored as characteristics associated with teacher professional identity. Levels of differentiation of instruction and adaptive teaching …

The Effects Of Single-Gender Private Parochial School Education On Performance In Stem Coursework, Adam Jacob Rappoport

Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, women do not enter STEM fields as often as men. Stereotype threat could be one of the causes behind this. This study sought to examine the effects on classroom climate, self-efficacy, and performance on girls in single gender and mixed gender private parochial school settings. Eight schools were chosen, four schools with mixed gender classes and four with single gender classes. The target population were secondary school seniors currently in a STEM course. Surveys were distributed to these schools (N=222 from the mixed gender schools, N=25 from the single gender schools). The questions were answered by students using a …

It’S Complex: Teacher Praxis And Critical Pedagogies, Annmarie Dull

Theses and Dissertations

This feminist, critical research uses a bricolage of case study, principles of phenomenology, and autoethnography to examine teachers’ and researchers’ praxis with engaging in critical pedagogies. Through a case study with principles of phenomenology, this research examines two public school kindergarten teachers’ experiences with using critical pedagogies—namely culturally responsive teaching and social justice education—in their classrooms, and offers portraits of their praxis. Through the autoethnography, this research examines the researcher’s experiences with engaging in a critical feminist research with friends-as-participants, and shares reflections on ways to examine and share examples of teacher praxis with engaging in different approaches to critical …

Emotional Flooding: Examining Associations With Family Of Origin Violence And The Mediating Role Of Attentional Bias To Threat, Rachel Zukerman

Theses and Dissertations

Emotional flooding, or the experience of partner negative affect as intensely disorganizing and overwhelming, has recently emerged as an important variable in predicting maladaptive relationship behaviors, including intimate partner violence (IPV). However, not much is known about risk factors for flooding beyond qualities of the interpersonal interaction. While flooding depends on the experience of intense partner negative emotion, some individuals may vary regarding their propensities to feel flooded in a relatively stable way, and therefore may be more likely to engage in destructive relationship behaviors. Theory and research suggest that family violence negatively impacts emotional processing by increasing emotional arousal …

Testing Mediation Models Of Antisocial Behavior In The Context Of Parental Criminal Justice System Involvement, David Alfonso Tio

Theses and Dissertations

Parental criminal justice system involvement (CJSI) affects a significant portion of our children in a multitude of ways, including increasing the child’s risk for developing antisocial behaviors and, in doing so, perpetuating the intergenerational cycle of criminal offending that uniquely and unjustly afflicts marginalized communities of color and leaves behind what many have termed the ‘hidden victims’ of CJSI. This dissertation aimed to answer two research questions: 1. Does the division into two categories, the aggression, and rule breaking dimensions, provide a superior fitting model than the more commonly used unidimensional measure?; 2. Is it more accurate to model the …

My Writing Makes It So Others Can Feel Seen: A Queer Phenomenological Study Of Lgbtq+ College Students Affective Experiences In An Out-Of-School Poetry Workshop, Jenna L. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the affective experiences of LGBTQ+ undergraduates in an out-of-school poetry workshop. Through the lens of queer and affect theories, the study asks the following research questions: 1) How does reading and writing poetry foster community in an LGBTQ+ out-of-school poetry workshop? (2) How can participation in an out-of-school poetry workshop with members who identify as LGBTQ+ engender a love of writing in queer students? (3) How do LGBTQ+ college students’ affective experiences manifest in a queer out-of-school poetry workshop? Using queer phenomenological methods (Ahmed, 2006) to engage with such data sources as audio and video class recordings, …

The Role Of Colleges Of Pharmacy In Student Mental Health Support, Diana J. Patino

Theses and Dissertations

The college journey is not easy, particularly within the pharmacy program— students undergo significant transitions that include meeting new rigor levels and pace in professional coursework, establishing new peers and faculty relationships, and coping with high stress levels (Choi et al., 2019). This qualitative case study will investigate how a pharmacy program and its associated resources relate to student mental health support and how pharmacy students perceive the importance of mental health initiatives in their academic program experience.

Evolution Of Chitinases In Amphibians: A Multi-Faceted Group Of Enzymes With Dual Function In Digestion And At The Forefront Against Fungal Infections, Devashri Narayan

Theses and Dissertations

Chitinases are essential enzymes found in living organisms such as amphibians, and they ensure that amphibians survive in their varied ecosystems. They are crucial in the digestion and immunity of most organisms, including plants and animals. Chitinases’ diversity of functions is a testament to their evolutionary adaptability. The primary function of chitinases is the breakdown of chitin, a complex polymer of saccharides often found in the exoskeleton of insects and the walls of fungi. Amphibians that feed on insects make use of chitinases to hydrolyze chitin into simpler sugars that can be easily absorbed to extract the necessary nutrients from …

How Technology Overuse Is Affecting Youth’S Physical Activity Time, Amiya Prema Sikidar

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research demonstrates how time and energy dedicated to screens is negatively correlated with physical activity time (Alotaibi et al., 2020; Scaranni et al., 2023; Barot et al., 2023; Parasuraman et al., 2017). Therefore, in this research study, we aimed to investigate if time dedicated to screens is still replacing participation in physical activities or if technology has become so integrated in our lives over time that it no longer affects our physical activity time. We tested this via an online survey of 62 students (38 females, 24 males) at St. John’s University. Participants completed an internet addiction questionnaire (M=46.66, …

Childhood Trauma And Its Effects On Psychological Well-Being And Physical Health, Mohaned Elgizawy

Theses and Dissertations

There is consistent evidence concerning the impact of trauma on children and the effects on psychological well-being. This study aims to investigate the impact of childhood trauma on the psychological resilience, mental health, and physical development of culturally diverse individuals. The study also explores the influence of cultural orientation on psychological and physical well-being. Cultural orientation is the degree to which individuals identify with either individualism or collectivism, two core dimensions of cultural frameworks. The self-construal scale was applied to address the cultural orientation, which significantly covers individualistic and collectivistic aspects. The participants were 97 culturally diverse students from St. …

The Perceived Knowledge Of Effects Of Radiological Effects Amongst Radiologic Professionals, Kenneth Martinucci

Theses and Dissertations

X-ray, an accidental discovery in 1895, has been used to diagnose and treat various ailments. Despite the benefits of X-rays, it has been established that the radiation has the potential to cause harm to individuals and even death following its use. The harm associated with radiation has been evidenced in various historical tragedies globally, including the Chernobyl accidents, the Goiania accidents, and even the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These incidents highlight the potential hazards associated with radiation use. Individuals exposed to the radiation from the incidents had higher risks of cancer, neurological dysfunctions, congenital disabilities, predispositions to cardiovascular …

From The Words Of Our Fathers: Black Paternal Perspectives On Literacy And Recommendations For Literacy Instruction For Black Males, Imani A. Irving

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the literacy experiences of Black fathers and their recommendations for enhancing literacy instruction for Black male children from birth through Grade 12. Grounded in African American Male Theory, the research aimed to address knowledge gaps in understanding Black male literacy experiences and provide insights for improving Black male literacy education. Using participatory action research with an initial modified Delphi approach, the study gathered potential areas of consensus among Black fathers on essential curricular revisions to promote positive Black male literacies. Participants included a purposive sample of 10 Black fathers with Black sons from birth to adulthood. Through …

First-Semester College Students’ Perceptions Of Their Postsecondary Experiences With Learning Soft Skills, Malcolm M. Ebanks

Theses and Dissertations

Underprepared low-income students in the first semester of college may benefit from using soft skills to help them successfully negotiate college expectations. The importance of social, emotional, and affective skills is gaining momentum to increase student engagement and achievement (Randolph, 2014). This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore underprepared low-income first-semester college students’ perceptions of their experiences of learning and using soft skills. The research methodology embraced a qualitative approach aligned with the study’s theoretical framework rooted in attribute theory (Heider, 1958). The study’s significance lies in its focus on students rarely studied in areas of research related to …

Health Literacy’S Relationship With Hearing Loss And Tinnitus In Marines And Sailors At An Air Base, Caton Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy is listed as an international health issue by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is one of the primary goals of Healthy People 2030 (USDHHR, 2023; WHO, 2023). Health literacy is the minimal amount of information needed to make appropriate health decisions (Nutbeam, 2017). Individuals must have adequate health literacy to sufficiently read and comprehend medical brochures and medical pamphlets and understand verbal instructions from their medical providers (Bo et al., 2014). Poor health literacy can reduce overall quality of life and access to health care. Health literacy is lower in adolescents and lower socioeconomic groups; therefore, the …

Mechanism Of Napthenic Acid Binding To Dissolved Organic Matter, Clarissa Jules

Theses and Dissertations

The oil sands in Alberta, Canada are being destroyed by oil extraction because remediation methods have proven largely ineffective. One toxic byproduct of oil extraction is a family of cyclical surfactant organic acids known as naphthenic acids (NAs). They are toxic to aquatic life, including fish, frogs, and aquatic birds. It is suspected that NAs bind to humic acid, a major organic component of soil, in dissolved organic matter in natural water, making them difficult to remove by conventional remediation methods. This problem prompts the following question: what is the binding mechanism between NAs and humic acid when dissolved in …

Protein-Metal Interactions Of A-Synuclein And Bioactive Transition Metals Via Molecular Dynamics, Gonzalo R. Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder which has been found to target the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. It is characterized by the formation of masses known as Lewy Bodies, formed by aggregates of the intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) -synuclein (asyn). Research suggests that alpha synuclein can undergo aggregation in the presence of heavy metals, which may accumulate in the body through a variety of mechanisms. To study how metals may play a role in wildtype (WT) asyn aggregation, MD simulation of the protein was performed in the presence of bioactive transition metals including Fe2+, Fe3+, Cu+, …

An Ethnographic Survey Of Hispanic Parental Experiences With Special Education, Leila Fox Goldsmith

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored Spanish-speaking parents' involvement, perception, and experience with Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings. This study also sought to gauge knowledge and understanding of special education law. Special education law explicitly states that parents should be active participants in CSE meetings and have a role in creating their child's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Schools are mandated to abide by special education laws and conduct meetings in which every parent has a fair opportunity to collaborate and discuss the child's educational program. Previous research shows there may be a disconnect between Spanish-speaking parents and their children's educators. This study …

The Implementation Of Social-Emotional Learning: The Role Of Leadership And Administrative Support In Producing Change, Joann M. Luisa

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the administrative implementation and organizational change required for effective social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in K-12 schools. Through interviews with school educators, psychologists, social worker, deans, administrators and assistant superintendents along with analysis of implementation documents from multiple district buildings, this research examines the key factors, challenges, and best practices in implementing comprehensive SEL practices. The findings of this study imply that successful SEL implementation requires several collaborative alignments to be successful. District-wide commitment, planning for individual schools, and ongoing support and professional development for staff are vital to the success of this implementation. Strong leadership from …