Service Providers' Descriptions Of Survivors' Experiences With Mental Health Treatment, Melanie Gonzales Puente

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking survivors experience significant mental health challenges and barriers that limit their engagement towards treatment. A qualitative study was conducted that included semi-structured interviews of 33 professionals working with survivors of human trafficking in the United States. Findings indicate that survivors' engagement in treatment is limited by mistrust of providers, stigma, and a lack of access to services. Providers emphasize that addressing basic needs (e.g., safety and housing) must occur before engaging in trauma-focused therapy. Positive outcomes are associated with strong therapeutic relationships, autonomy, trauma-informed, individualized care, and offering comprehensive services. Furthermore, mental health providers should have certain abilities …

A Rho5-Cnc1-Dnm1 Signalling Module Coordinates Multi-Organelle Execution Of Regulated Cell Death In Yeast, Justin Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

Regulated cell death is a conserved process with major implications for health and disease, yet how yeast cells integrate stress signals to determine survival versus death remains unclear. This thesis investigates Cyclin C (Cnc1), a conserved Mediator kinase module component with both transcriptional and mitochondrial roles. Together with Cdk8 Cnc1 primarily represses stress response genes, while upon stress it translocates to the mitochondria to induce mitochondrial fragmentation with the dynamin-related GTPase Dnm1. Using structure-guided separation-of-function mutants, I demonstrate that Cnc1-dependent death requires its mitochondrial function rather than its transcriptional role, and that its effector Dnm1 acts as a signaling node …

Anatomy And Function Of Vasopressin Receptor 1a-Expressing Neurons In The Limbic Thalamus, David Joseph Kahn

Theses and Dissertations

The vasopressin (Avp) system modulates social behavior through region-specific and sex-dependent mechanisms, yet the role of Avp receptor 1a (Avpr1a) signaling in the thalamus has remained largely unexplored. This dissertation examined the distribution and functional contributions of Avpr1a-expressing neurons across the mouse thalamus using a combination of genetic labeling, anatomical quantification, and chemogenetic manipulation. Mapping of Avpr1a-expressing neurons revealed a presence in most thalamic nuclei, with highest densities in the anterior thalamic nuclei and midline nuclei. Notably, Avpr1a-expressing neuron densities did not mirror previously described patterns of Avp innervation, and no sex differences in Avpr1a-expressing neuron density were observed. Chemogenetic …

Engagement With Tailored Physical Activity Interventions Among Women In Midlife With Elevated Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Kiri Baga

Theses and Dissertations

Women in midlife (ages 40-65) with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) need physical activity (PA) interventions that are informed by and address their daily challenges and life circumstances, to reduce their chances of premature mortality from CVD. Sustaining engagement with PA interventions remains a substantial challenge for women in midlife. The aims of the proposed study were to describe participants’ PA-relevant characteristics and intervention preferences and to identify their patterns of engagement with different PA support tools (tailored PA website, intervention involving pairing women as PA partners). With respect to engagement, there was limited between-person stability in engagement outcomes …

Parental Gender Bias In Youth Employment Standards: Evidence From Upper Egypt, Mahmoud Saeed

Theses and Dissertations

Youth unemployment remains a critical challenge in Egypt, with female labor force participation among the lowest globally. While structural factors such as limited job creation and public sector contraction are well-documented, the role of family-level decision-making in constraining women's labor market entry has received limited quantitative attention. This thesis examines parental gender bias in employment standards in Upper Egypt, investigating whether and how parents impose systematically different job requirements for daughters compared to sons. Using primary survey data from 17,284 unemployed youth aged 18-35 across six governorates, paired with responses from their parents, this study analyzes parental preferences across six …

From Aspiration To Obligation: A Contractual Sustainability Framework For The Egyptian Construction Industry, Salma Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry is responsible for approximately 40% of global energy consumption and 35% of total waste generation, making it one of the most significant contributors to the global sustainability challenge. In Egypt, that challenge takes a specific contractual form. Egypt’s construction sector contributes approximately 23% of national energy consumption, yet the survey findings reveal that 63.5% of construction professionals report that sustainability clauses rarely or never appear in contracts, and only 11.5% confirm the presence of enforceable provisions with measurable targets. This gap is structural rather than attitudinal. Competitive procurement penalises voluntary sustainability investment, and without contractual obligation, awareness …

The Human Side Of Humanitarian Work: Well-Being And Performance Among Aid Workers In Egypt, Mai Osama Kenawy

Theses and Dissertations

Well-being and productivity are widely recognized as central to the work performance of humanitarian aid workers. Despite increasing attention to staff well-being, performance within the humanitarian sector in Egypt remains stagnant or, in some cases, declining. This study examines why expanded well-being initiatives have not yielded sustained performance improvements by examining how actors' external roles, organizational factors, and individual factors affect humanitarian workers’ well-being and work performance. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining ten in-depth interviews with humanitarian workers from international organizations, INGOs, and local NGOs, as well as a survey of eighty workers operating in the same context. The …

Work Precarity, Mental Health, And Performance Among Humanitarian Aid Workers In Egypt Post-2025 U.S. Funding Reduction, Mariam Allam

Theses and Dissertations

The humanitarian sector is increasingly characterized by precarious employment conditions and work precarity, including short-term contracts, unclear renewal terms, inadequate compensation, heavy workloads, and job insecurity, exacerbated by volatile donor funding. The 2025 U.S. funding cuts have intensified these vulnerabilities, particularly in countries like Egypt, with massive humanitarian operations because of being a significant destination for asylum applications and one of the largest refugee host countries. Despite the prevalence of precarious work in the humanitarian sector, limited research examines its effects on workers' mental health and work performance, especially during funding crises. This qualitative study explores the perceived effect of …

The Experience Of Newly Formed Syrian Female-Headed Households Refugees In Egypt: Challenges And Opportunities, Wasim Dia

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the lived experience of Newly Formed Syrian Female-Headed Households in Egypt. It focuses on how the extended displacement reshapes gender roles, decision-making, and survival strategies. Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, extensive family separation, death, disappearance, and male migration have occurred, leading to a significant rise in female-headed Syrian refugee households. As a result, displacement has intensified women’s vulnerability, generating new responsibilities and limited spaces for agency, especially within restrictive legal and socio-economic environments.

Based on in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in 2023, this research explores how Syrian refugee women navigate everyday life in Egypt …

“Between Cultural Norms And Economic Survival: Navigating Egyptian Lower And Middle Income Women’S Challenges In The Informal Versus The Formal Work: “A Case Study From Cairo”, Rowan Mahmoud Abdelnazer

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the ongoing gender inequities experienced by low and middle-income women in Egypt’s formal and informal labor economy, specifically it is based in Cairo. Although there are many advances made globally on women's rights, yet women still face great challenges such as discrepancies in salary, fewer leadership roles and cultural expectations which put child-bearing duties before professional growth. On the one hand, flexible work for women in developing countries is through informal sector, which makes them vulnerable and serves as a source of their exploitation and insecurity (e.g., lack of social security; workplace hazards), on the other hand, …

How Disability Inclusion Shapes Student Experiences In Egyptian Public Universities, Ramez Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education is a critical aspect of equity, social justice, and human rights, particularly in Egypt, where systemic barriers continue to hinder access to education for this demographic. Despite the enrollment of approximately 19.4 million students in 2018, only 38,135 students with disabilities were admitted, highlighting the significant challenges they face in accessing higher education.   Through a qualitative approach employing reflexive thematic analysis, this study explores the interplay of institutional policies, cultural attitudes, and accessibility challenges that affect the educational experiences of students with disabilities in Egyptian public universities. The analysis of 21 …

Integrative Assessment Of Body Composition And Micronutrient Status In An Adult Egyptian Population, Roua Aref Nouh

Theses and Dissertations

Integrative Assessment of Body Composition and Micronutrient Status in an Adult Egyptian Population: A Functional and Biochemical Approach

Obesity and metabolic dysfunction are increasingly recognized as heterogeneous conditions that cannot be sufficiently characterized by body mass index (BMI) alone. Alterations in body composition, particularly central adiposity and skeletal muscle mass, may coexist with micronutrient imbalances even among individuals who fall outside conventional BMI-based obesity classifications. In clinical settings, such metabolic vulnerability is frequently accompanied by non-specific functional symptoms, highlighting the need for integrative assessment approaches that extend beyond weight-centered metrics. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between micronutrient …

Mobilizing Social Capital In Social Entrepreneurship: Strategies, Networks, And Growth In The Egyptian Context, Doaa Alaa

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how social entrepreneurs in Egypt strategically mobilise social capital to access resources, legitimacy, and opportunities within a fragmented and institutionally ambiguous ecosystem. Drawing on qualitative case studies of eight legally registered, mission-driven for-profit enterprises, the study analyses how founders build and leverage offline and online networks through practices such as emotional bonding, community formation, knowledge sharing, symbolic positioning, ecosystem engagement, and digital presence. Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and secondary data, the research identifies a set of relational strategies that function as core mechanisms for entrepreneurial growth in contexts where formal support structures and legal definitions …

Engineering Nanoelectrocatalytic Systems For Co2 And Nitrate Conversion Into Value-Added Chemicals, Abdelrahman Mohamed Abdelmohsen

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis addresses two major related environmental crises: nitrate pollution of water systems and the ever-increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Both challenges are closely linked to anthropogenic disturbance of nitrogen and carbon cycles and require sustainable, energy efficient mitigation techniques. In this study, we investigate electrochemical conversion routes as a unified approach to convert these pollutants into value-added compounds: ammonia (NH3) via nitrate reduction (NO3-RR) and ethylene (C2H4) via carbon dioxide reduction (CO2RR). The first half of this work deals with the design and engineering of Cu-Zn alloy electrocatalysts for efficient NO3-RR. Tuning the alloy composition and surface nanostructure …

Sense Of Belonging Among Undergraduate Students At The American University In Cairo: Demographic Trends, Barriers And Facilitators, Lamiaa M. Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

A sense of belonging is widely recognized as a key determinant of undergraduate students’ academic success, well-being, and persistence in higher education. However, existing research is largely grounded in Western contexts and often emphasizes institution-level measures, with limited attention to how belonging is experienced and constructed by students in non-Western settings. This study examines undergraduate students’ sense of belonging at the American University in Cairo, focusing on factors that shape belonging and institutional practices that may strengthen it. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, the study examined 87 responses from a quantitative survey adapted from the University Belonging Questionnaire, followed by …

Tuning Ion Mobility And Molecular Confinement In High-Performance Polymer Electrolytes For Energy Storage, Ezzeldien Yousef Muhammed Yousef

Theses and Dissertations

This research addresses the critical energy density limitations of aqueous supercapacitors, which are traditionally constrained by the narrow electrochemical stability window (ESW) of water 1.23 V. By employing two distinct molecular engineering strategies, this study developed high-performance electrolyte systems that significantly extend voltage stability and thermal resilience.

The first system, CsBr@PAM/HA, utilizes a polyacrylamide and hyaluronic acid hydrogel matrix. This system exploits the chaotropic nature of Cs⁺ ions to disrupt the aqueous hydrogen-bonding network, enhancing ionic conductivity to 104 mS cm^-1. Through systematic salt screening, CsBr was identified as the optimal electrolyte, enabling a stable 2.0 V …

The Informal Impact Of The Headscarf Ban On Veiled Students’ Everyday University Experiences In Paris, Farah K. Lotfy

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the informal impact of the 2004 headscarf ban on the everyday university experiences of veiled students in Paris. Although the ban applies formally to public schools rather than universities, the wider social climate surrounding laïcité and the veil continues to influence how veiled students experience visibility, belonging, and participation in higher education.

Using a qualitative approach based primarily on semi-structured interviews, supported by informal observations conducted within university spaces in Paris, the study explores how exclusion is experienced through stereotypes, scrutiny, social discomfort, self-monitoring, and anticipation of discrimination rather than through formal university policy. The research focuses …

Global Health Governance Or Global Governance For Health? Navigating The Path For Pandemic Preparedness, Kadria Abdelmotaal

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic constituted a systemic stress test for global health governance, exposing structural and institutional weaknesses in national and international response systems. Although health system financing and income levels influenced baseline capacity, this dissertation demonstrates that governance performance was a decisive determinant of pandemic outcomes, shaping intervention timing, vaccine equity, and preventable mortality.

Drawing on governance theory, empirical analysis, and policy-oriented legal evaluation, this research examines whether pandemic preparedness can be achieved through strengthening Global Health Governance (GHG) alone, or whether a broader paradigm of Global Governance for Health (GGFH) is required. GGFH reconceptualizes preparedness as embedded within …

Differentiation Of Self As A Therapist Effect In Couple Therapy, Nathan D. Knebel

Theses and Dissertations

Murray Bowen proposed that a therapist's level of differentiation of self influences therapeutic effectiveness, particularly in clinically distressed relational systems. Although existing literature has demonstrated that therapist effects account for a meaningful portion of variance in couple therapy outcomes, differentiation of self has received limited empirical attention as a therapist-level predictor. The present article proposes a framework for empirically examining Bowen's hypothesis by investigating whether therapist differentiation predicts trajectories of couple relationship quality across treatment. Additionally, the article explores theoretical pathways through which therapists may increase their level of differentiation, assuming Bowen's hypothesis is supported.

Will Beauty Save The Brain? Exploring The Relationship Between Eudaimonic Reels Exposure And Egyptian Gen Z'S Mind And Motivations, Petra Zaky

Theses and Dissertations

Social media entertaining content includes a mixed bag of the meaningful and the trivial. For Generation Z, whose favorite daily entertainment is shallow yet funny short-form videos (reels), there is often an invisible price paid. The loss of ability to watch long meaningful videos, distractedness from self, “Brain Rot”, glamorizing of hedonism are among the maladies left behind the attractive rabbit hole of their daily media diet. This study explores the relationship between exposure to meaningful reels, in contrast to pleasurable reels, and Gen Z’s reflective thinking, “Brain Rot” symptoms, motivation to watch long meaningful videos and life motivations between …

Fathers’ Footprints: The Role Of The Father-Son Relationship In Shaping Men’S Experience And Expression Of Anger In Egypt, Lydia E. Wassef

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

In many Egyptian families, the father holds a central position as an authority figure, a protector, and a provider, yet often remains emotionally reserved and relationally distant. The emotional legacy of paternal acceptance or rejection extends into adulthood, shaping patterns of emotional regulation. Particularly, the father-son relationship plays a fundamental role in shaping men’s experiences and expressions of anger. Within cultural contexts discouraging vulnerability and associating masculinity with strength and emotional restraint, anger may become one of the few socially acceptable modes of emotional expression for men. This study positions these dynamics within the cultural context of fatherhood in …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

The Style Of Decision: Consumer Wisdom And The Mediating Role Of The Heuristic-Systematic Model Of Information Processing In Clothes Shopping, Nourane Sakr

Theses and Dissertations

Rationality and emotions are often treated as opposing forces in decision-making. Yet what if the more productive question is not which one prevails, but how a balance between the two might be achieved? Wisdom offers precisely this kind of integrative paradigm. Wisdom is a central trait for self-development; yet, little has been explored on Consumer Wisdom from a communications perspective. The theory has been initially examining ecology principles with an extensive space in consumer behavior and marketing practices. This research approaches consumer wisdom in online fashion advertising context whilst understanding the common information processing modes; evoked by the mediation of …

The Case For The Exclusion Of Exclusion: Intellectual Property, Masculine Legal Reason, And The Ethics Of Care, Ragya Shoukry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that current legal ideals of objectivity and neutrality are historically gendered and inseparable from the development of capitalist property relations and imperial expansion. It traces origins that begin with early modern witch hunts and Francis Bacon’s empiricism, where a new “scientific rationality” emerges alongside intensified patriarchal violence. The thesis then examines John Locke’s labour-based justification of property and the figure of the rational individual, showing how this framework legitimizes enclosure, dispossession and colonial appropriation under the guise of improvement and development. Building on this foundation, the analysis turns to moral psychology and how its allegedly universal stage …

Protection Mechanisms’ Analysis Of Gender-Based Violence Among Refugees In Egypt, George Fattah

Theses and Dissertations

Gender-Based Violence remains a critical protection challenge in humanitarian settings, yet the mechanisms that determine who reports violence, and who receives care, are often uneven. In Egypt, current data reveals significant disparities in reporting rates across demographic groups, prompting a deeper inquiry into the inclusivity of existing protection frameworks. This study investigates the structural, economic, and socio-cultural factors that influence both the reporting of GBV and the delivery of services to refugee survivors. By examining the lived experiences of different migrant groups, the research interrogates how legal precarity and identity markers interact to create distinct barriers to justice and support. …

Breaking The Silence: A Content And Expert Analysis Of The 2025 Ramadan Series Lam Shamseya's Framing And Subversion Of Child Sexual Abuse Discourse In Egypt, Maya Abouelnasr

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes how the 2025 Egyptian TV series Lam Shamseya served as a sociocultural intervention and awareness platform for reframing and subverting the typical child sexual abuse (CSA) discourse in Egypt. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study triangulates framing theory and two complementary tools of the critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the circuit of culture model through a scene-level content analysis of 304 scenes across all 15 episodes of the series and ten semi-structured interviews with media experts, media practitioners, and psychologists. Key findings include reported corroboration of subversion of traditional tropes and archetypes, as well as reframing of …

Readiness Before Adoption: Exploring Ai Integration In Egyptian Nonprofit Fundraising, Marwa Y. Zayed

Theses and Dissertations

 Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming fundraising through data-driven decision-making, automation, and personalized donor engagement. Existing research focuses on AI applications and outcomes in the nonprofit sector in western context, with little known information in the Global South, particularly Egypt. This gap makes understanding the organizational conditions that shape AI difficult and limited. This thesis examines how organizational, cultural, ethical, and resource-related factors shape Egyptian nonprofit organizations’ readiness to adopt AI in fundraising. Through a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 fundraising directors, CEOs, a governmental representative, and technology professionals working in Egyptian nonprofits based in Cairo …

Media Literacy Education In Hadhramout Governorate, Case Study: Hadhramout University, Amal Omar Ba Qatyan

Theses and Dissertations

Media literacy is an essential skill in today’s digital environment (Khoirunnisa, Udiana, & Zahra, 2025), especially in conflict-affected societies where misinformation and propaganda spread rapidly through social media platforms (Uzochukwu et al., 2025). In Yemen, the ongoing conflict has weakened the education system and reduced access to reliable information, which increases university students’ vulnerability to misleading, biased, and inaccurate media content (Moharram, 2026). Despite the recognized importance of media literacy education, academic research on this topic remains very limited in Yemen, particularly in Hadhramout Governorate.

This study addresses this research gap by examining the current state of media literacy education …

Educational Governance And Policy Implementation In Conflict-Affected Contexts: The Case Of Hadhramout, Yemen, Naa'ma M. Al-Hendi

Theses and Dissertations

Education remains a vital component of societal resilience and development in a world increasingly defined by conflict and instability. Education during conflict is crucial for academic learning and providing essential life skills and psychosocial support to children affected by war. Yemen is being plagued by political upheaval and a lack of economic flow to keep education running efficiently. Although Hadhramout, a governorate in Yemen, remains relatively stable, its education sector continues to face persistent challenges that hinder the quality and effectiveness of education. This study investigates the key challenges facing K-12 education in Hadhramout and examines the extent to which …

Instagram Influencers And Egyptian Women: Links To Self- Perception And Behavior, Fatma El Sayad

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid rise of Instagram influencers has transformed the ways young women engage with media, shaping perceptions of appearance, lifestyle, success, and everyday behavior. This study examines how frequent exposure to Instagram influencers affects self-esteem, internalization of beauty and lifestyle ideals, perceived realism of influencer content, and behavioral and consumption habits among young Egyptian females. The study explores participants’ lived experiences, interpretations, and coping strategies in relation to influencer culture. Perceived influencer credibility emerged as a key factor for females to follow them, influencers viewed as relatable, specialized, and transparent were more likely to inspire adaptive behaviors, whereas those promoting …