Digital Commons Network^™

Deliberate Practice In The Skill Of Evaluating Automatic Thoughts: A Multiple Case Study, Hanni Rizk

Theses and Dissertations

Deliberate Practice is an emerging technique for competency-based education within psychotherapy training. In this multiple-case study, deliberate practice is evaluated for training the cognitive-behavioral therapeutic skill of evaluating automatic thoughts, also known as Socratic questioning. Students in a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program responded to an actress in a simulated automatic negative thought therapy scenario before and after participating in a deliberate practice workshop. The workshop consisted of an overview of Socratic questioning, roleplay, expert feedback, and behavioral rehearsal. Scenario roleplays before and after the workshop presented situations related to client "lovability" and "competence" providing an opportunity for the participants to …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Online Teaching And Faculty Preparedness: A Case Study Of Planning And Implementing Online Learning At An R2 Public Research University, Michele Renee Haynes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single-site case study was to understand four distinct online learning aspects impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a mid-sized, urban, four-year institution in the Southern United States: (1) the faculty experience with converting courses and teaching online, (2) the university-provided instructional supports available to faculty throughout the pandemic, (3) the online learning design utilized throughout the pandemic, and (4) the university's preparedness and response to the pandemic. Through an analysis of participant interviews, document analysis, and secondary analysis of an internal COVID-19 faculty and staff survey, the study findings illustrated five distinct areas that influenced teaching …

Deliberate Practice With Motivational Interviewing: Basic Helping Skills Among Novice Helpers, Angel Laurencio Vega

Theses and Dissertations

We examined the effects of deliberate practice (DP) in teaching motivational interviewing (MI) helping skills to 45 upper-level undergraduate students in a semester-long course using an experimental crossover waitlist design. Students participated in a three-hour MI skills workshop focused on open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries (OARS) and engaged in ongoing practice throughout the semester. Students video-recorded four skill demonstrations involving real-life changes with a volunteer client, addressing behavioral change. Pre- and post-workshop video recordings were analyzed to evaluate changes in reflective listening skills and the overall consistency of using MI OARS skills. The results revealed significant increases in reflections-to-questions …

Civil War In Ancient Egypt? A Case Study Of The First Intermediate Period (Ca. 2120-1970 Bc), Marco Pinfari

Theses and Dissertations

The First Intermediate Period (FIP – ca. 2120-1970 BCE) is often described by Egyptologists as a period of “civil war.” In the Egyptological literature, however, little attention is paid to defining this notion (which was first introduced only in the Late Roman Republic, almost 2,000 years later) and to explaining how it could be applicable to ancient Egyptian history.

This thesis contributes to this debate by analyzing the FIP through the lenses of contemporary approaches to civil war, drawn from political science and other cognate disciplines. It first discusses how if the events of the FIP comply with contemporary definitions …

The Epistemological Politics Of"False Memory Syndrome", Michele Blatzheim

Theses and Dissertations

In the 1990s the psy-disciplines found themselves embroiled in one of the most acrimonious conflicts these fields have ever experienced. Often called the “Memory Wars”, this conflict emerged from the growing number of people, overwhelmingly women, alleging that a parent, overwhelmingly fathers, had sexually abused them in childhood based on previously inaccessible memories. The conflict was roughly split between clinicians who saw such delayed recall as relatively common among trauma survivors and a group of experimental psychologists who were skeptical of the veracity of such memories. The latter group would eventually ally themselves to an advocacy organization, the False Memory …

Two Sides Of The Same Coin Or Two Different Coins? The Differential Predictors Of Casual And Committed Sex, Carson R. Dover

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to analyze potential predictors of accumulating casual vs. committed sexual partners in emerging adulthood. Using a large, national sample of emerging adults in the United States, I examined how alcohol use and attachment orientation differentially predicted accumulating casual and committed sexual partners. I found that higher anxious attachment positively predicted the number of committed sexual partners, while higher avoidant attachment negatively predicted the number of casual sexual partners. I also found that alcohol use positively predicted both the number of casual and committed sexual partners emerging adults accumulated. Further, I tested the strength of …

From Eighty Acres And A Mule To Two Thousand Acres And Twenty-Four Row Planters: Anxieties Of Growth In The Agriculture Sector From Family Farms, Riley Marie Francis

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the evolution of the family farm between the 1940s until the 2020s, and how the family farm may continue to evolve in future generations. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the changing reality of agriculture and how farmers think about themselves. In the early days of the United States republic, farms were a means of providing a family or localized community with food and resources. These farms participated in an economic exchange that was an early form of capitalism, characterized by meeting needs but not accruing egregious excess. Today’s agricultural system is …

S ( M ) Othering: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Republican Motherhood, Caroline King

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines seven Republican rhetors who utilize motherhood as a rhetorical strategy in speeches between the years of 1972 and 2020. Specifically, speeches, newsletters, and debate transcripts are analyzed using four theoretical lenses to curate an archetype of the “Republican Mother” – a concept constructed of an amalgamation of the historic “mother of the republic” from the nation’s conception and the ideological values assigned to women within the Republican party, such as traditional gender and spousal roles. I argue that it is the unique combination of womanhood, motherhood, and Republicanism that creates a unique rhetorical strategy seen in these …

Peer Cybervictimization ( Pcv ) Among University Students In Bangladesh And Institutional Disciplinary Body ( Idb ) Under Routine Activity Theory ( Rat ), Selimul Quader

Theses and Dissertations

Research on cybervictimization of Bangladeshi students is scarce, but the research that does exist suggests a high prevalence of victimization followed by low extent of reporting. None of the extant research exclusively studied peer cybervictimization (PCV) in relation to students’ knowledge of the university authority, hereinafter the institutional disciplinary body or IDB. As per the added propositions of Routine Activity Theory (RAT) (Felson, 1995), the IDB can potentially contribute to guardianship building by alerting students about handlers-managers in the university premises and thereby reduce PCV among students. Thus, the knowledge of (the presence of) the IDB can respond to the …

Digital Safe Spaces: Nonbinary Community Building On Tiktok, Xan Daggett

Theses and Dissertations

Queer and trans individuals have long relied on the Internet for community building and support; however, with the introduction of more than 700 anti-trans bills since the beginning of 2023 (Trans Legislation Tracker, 2024), conservatives’ consistent mocking and dehumanization of gender nonconforming people (ADL, 2023; Berg-Brousseau, 2022), and a record increase in violence specifically against nonbinary individuals (Astor, 2023), trans and nonbinary people are turning to online spaces more than ever as they endure this hostile social and political climate. While nonbinary people make up over 60% of trans adults in the U.S. (Kirzinger et al., 2023), there is very …

Building Community Support: A Multi-Scalar Archaeological Analysis Of Sewage Infrastructure In Central Illinois, Anastasia Leigh Ervin

Theses and Dissertations

In the 1920s and 1930s in Central Illinois, urban areas implemented sewage infrastructure consisting of underground sewers and sanitation plants. These sanitary districts soon became an essential service provided within the community and the established infrastructure has undergone expansion and technological updates in the decades since. I use methods and concepts of landscape archaeology in combination with 1940 Census socio-economic demographics, GIS viewshed and smellshed (buffer) analysis, and visual spatial analysis to examine the case studies of three sanitary districts in Central Illinois: Bloomington-Normal, Urbana-Champaign, and Sangamon County to evaluate how these infrastructures shaped their landscapes, or sewagescapes. Sewagescapes have …

Migration And The Life Course: A Case Study Of African Female International Graduate Students At Illinois State University., Vivian Yawson

Theses and Dissertations

The number of graduate and undergraduate students from Africa in the United States (US) is rapidly increasing as Sub-Saharan Africans are among the fastest-growing foreign-born population in the US. Migration represents a significant turning point in individuals’ lives. Despite the growing body of research on international students in the US, there remains a gap in understanding the educational experiences of African students from a life course perspective. This study seeks to address this gap by examining student migration through the lens of the life course framework, leveraging current trends and patterns in international migration. Drawing on qualitative techniques, specifically narrative …

Reimagining Rural Readiness: Examining The Challenges Of The Rural Working-Class In Education, Todd Dugan

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Rural students comprise nearly half of all students enrolled in public schools in the nation. With increasing amounts of students living in poverty, rural school districts are combatting many issues but with less resources than urban and suburban school districts. In addition, new Federal and state regulations continue to be enacted, sometimes to the detriment of students from rural working-class backgrounds. The research design consisted of a collection of memories from the author, who grew up in a rural working-class family and spent a career teaching and leading schools from this demographic, in an autoethnographic journal narrative format. To …

A Woman Alone: Aphra Behn And The Symbolic Power Of Widowhood, Gillian Kathleen Genardo

Theses and Dissertations

Seventeenth century playwright, Aphra Behn, is often considered one of theatre’s “greats,” as her plays are still widely discussed and produced. Interestingly, all contemporary scholars really know about Behn is her career, for her early life still remains a patchwork of possible theories. One such theory is that she never actually married. Instead, she may have invented a husband and faked his death in order to use the benefits of widowhood to build herself a respectable life as a “woman alone.” This research project is interested in Behn’s potential subterfuge. In what way might Aphra Behn have felt about widowhood …

Programs And Services That Contribute To African-American Males' Academic Success At Predominantly White Institutions, Aaron Posey

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation shines a light on the indomitable spirit of African American male students, who exhibit remarkable resilience despite facing persistent challenges such as underrepresentation, academic underachievement, and racial and socioeconomic disparities. It delves into the critical role of programs and services in promoting academic success at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). The study explores how targeted institutional support mechanisms can further bolster their retention, engagement, and graduation rates. It conducts a comprehensive review of existing literature and a quantitative analysis of survey data collected from students at Midwestern PWI to understand the key factors influencing their academic journeys. The research …

Racial/Ethnic Differences In The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors Among Youth, Lorres Wan Cheung Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have examined the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on various health, well-being, and life outcomes, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, considerably less studies have investigated whether the relationships between ACEs and suicidal thoughts and behaviors vary by race/ethnicity among adolescents. Therefore, this study's purpose is twofold: 1) Is there an association between ACEs and adolescent suicidal thoughts and behaviors? 2) If so, to what extent do these relationships vary across race/ethnicity? Utilizing the 2022 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, methods of logistic regression modeling and categorical-categorical interactions were employed to answer these two questions. Results indicated …

The Impact Of Applied Mental Health Classes On Eudaimonia, Gratitude, And Heart Rate Variability, Derek Charles Bartlett

Theses and Dissertations

Rates of depression, anxiety, and stress have been increasing and college students are especially at risk. College counseling centers often have long waitlists and have difficulty addressing the growing need for psychotherapy. Researchers have suggested that depression and anxiety may arise because of low levels of eudaimonia and self-compassion. Depression and anxiety not only have a toll on mental health but on physical health as well, as researchers have observed decreased HRV in individuals with depression and anxiety. To address the disparity between available resources and treatment need, applied mental health classes were developed to see if teaching psychotherapeutic principles …

Exploring Purpose, Practices, And Impacts Of Non-Formal Education In Egypt, Mariam Hussien Sayed Abdelhamid

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores non-formal education in Egypt, analyzing its alignment or divergence with prevalent human capital and modernization discourses. Using a narrative approach, the study explores the practices of four organizations that offer non-formal education opportunities in greater Cairo: San3a Tech, Wataneya Society, Alwan wa Awtar, and AlAthar Lina. The study explores the narration of 9 educators and 10 learners from these organizations to understand from educators’ perspectives how they design their experiences and its relation to the culture and needs of the targeted audience. It also looks at what kind of impact do these experiences have on the learners. …

Syrian Investments And The Insertion Of Displaced Syrians In The Egyptian Labor Market, Sajeda Khattab

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores Syrian investments and the economic insertion of displaced Syrians in the Egyptian labor market, specifically focusing on middle/large scale investments in the hospitality and textile sectors. It addresses a gap in the theoretical literature concerning Syrian investments during displacement and their economic insertion in Egypt, examining the legal framework and provisions related to employment. The conceptual framework investigates how Syrian business owners' investments contribute to the insertion of displaced Syrians, emphasizing business size, legal status, and economic resources. The findings reveal a positive impact on economic integration, highlighting entrepreneurial strategies, local growth, difficulties, and their transformative role …

Abundant Bodies In Times Of Excess: A Critical Exploration Of Fatness From Cairo To Tokyo, Sarah Aly

Theses and Dissertations

This work is an autoethnographic exploration of the social construction of fatness in contexts of existing and emerging neoliberal state control through the embodied experiences of fat people, following the tradition of ‘fat epistemology’ promoted by the emerging 'critical fat studies' field. It is a comparative study of the experiences of fatness as an unstable embodied category of being, rather than a liminal undesirable state or medical condition, in Cairo, Alexandria, and Tokyo, paying particular attention to the gender, racial, and class dynamics surrounding the construction (and marginalization) of fatness across various spatial and temporal contexts. These experiences are considered …

Green Fame On Tiktok Analyzing Digital Persuasion Appeals On Climate Change Discourse Among The Public And Youth., Sherry Ayad

Theses and Dissertations

In a constantly changing media ecosystem, TikTok is gaining prominence and attention, particularly among youth and Gen Z. The platform’s unique affordances are recently being utilized by young voices to promote self-expression and social activism. Consequently, TikTok’s changing nature is giving space for serious social and political issues impacting the future of young generations on topics such as climate change. By analyzing the top N=400 TikTok videos from the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), this study contributes to rare knowledge of utilizing TikTok’s affordances in scientific and political topics such as …

The Romani People In The European Cultural Imagination: Alexander Pushkin, Prosper Mérimée And Virginia Woolf, Nadya Siyam

Theses and Dissertations

Scholarly literature on Roma is scarce compared to other racial groups as a lack of academic interest, financial limitations, and other social and political factors has constrained it. This resulted in a cross-cultural circulation of misinformation about Romani people and the reproduction of Romani myths and stereotypes in fiction. This project aims to analyze selected literary works on Gypsies from three Eastern and Western European countries and two periods to unpack the cultural and political roots of Romani literary misrepresentation. This research employs a range of theoretical frameworks chosen to put the Gypsy protagonists under maximum spotlight without unnecessary repetition, …

Experiences Of Female Academic Leaders In Higher Education: A Case Study In Cairo, Amina Sabour

Theses and Dissertations

Such as in many contexts, the gender gap in higher education leadership persists universally. Women are still underrepresented despite the contributions they demonstrate in leading higher education institutions. This study aims to contribute to the area of research in this regard by exploring the experiences of female academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt. It specifically highlights the challenges these women face, and how they manage to overcome it. Using a qualitative approach to deeply explore the phenomenon, ten interviews were conducted with female leaders at the American University in Cairo. Looking through the lens of intersectional feminism, under the umbrella of …

Moving Through The Violence: Yemeni Migrants And The Reconstruction Of Lifeworlds In Cairo, Jonathan Hearn

Theses and Dissertations

This Master’s thesis is based on an ethnographic study, following the lives of a small number of Yemeni people rebuilding their lives in Cairo. Their displacement is the consequence of many factors not least the outbreak of war in 2014. In response to this, I ask: In the midst of ongoing conflict, how do Yemeni migrants go about reconstructing their lifeworlds in Cairo? That is, to ask how are Yemeni migrants in Cairo responding to the violent disruption of their social realities and what sense are they making of the consequences. The reorganisation of social realities disrupted by conflict means …

Swipe For More: Digital Sex Education, The Emergence Of Femtech And The Neoliberal Subject In Cairo, Egypt, Marisa Breathwaite

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I approach digital sex education in Cairo, Egypt and how it is navigated by Cairo’s urban elite. The way digital sex education in Cairo is consumed via social media and online courses is touted as “new” by popular media coverage. The content, products and services boast the first of their kind by the creators of the platforms themselves. That middle and upper class Cairene women are talking about sex online and consuming digital sex education content, in visible public forums, is portrayed as a completely novel phenomenon—in other words, platforms like Cairo’s first femtech company, Motherbeing, are …

What Is Beyond Graduation For Mena Scholarship Alumni? Understanding The Global Journeys Of Tomorrow’S Leaders Scholarship Alumni, Albaraa Quradi

Theses and Dissertations

The research conducted by the author delves deeply into the migration experiences of students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a specific focus on graduates of the Tomorrow's Leaders scholarship program. Through the use of a case study methodology, the study investigates the complex interconnections between migration, development, inequality, and the students' countries of origin.

The investigation critically analyzes the aftermath of pursuing higher education on a scholarship basis, shedding light on how migration experiences are intertwined with broader issues of development and inequality in the MENA region. Furthermore, the research examines the factors that drive …

Assessing Adoption Barriers Of Sustainable Packaging In Egypt, Carol Ramses Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable packaging has become an essential part of business decisions and corporate directions. With the rise of environmental damages due to improper waste management and unsustainable practices, businesses have a major responsibility to analyze their products’ life cycles and redesign them with sustainability in mind. Applying sustainable packaging could save companies large amounts of resources, therefore cutting costs, while also achieving the legal and social duty as a corporation towards society and the environment. Many developing countries, with specific focus on Egypt, have recently focused on legislative and corporate decisions in order to encourage more sustainable practices. Egypt’s new Waste …

Study On The Rights Of Parties In Live-In Relationships In India - A Case Review Approach, Prabhavathi N

Theses and Dissertations

Heterosexual live-in relationship is viewed as a stigma in Indian society. However, through a plethora of judgments, the Apex Court of India granted monetary relief and physical protections to couples in live-in relationships. While so a few High Courts had refused to grant protection to the live-in couples by stating that giving such rights and protection would destroy the country's social fabric.

View of such High Courts reflects on the opinion that our Courts indeed have different ideas while granting reliefs to persons in live-in relationships. Catena of judicial decisions explained this relationship as a "walk in and walked out" …

The Effect Of Institutionalized Barriers On Historically Excluded Athletic Training Students, Chelsea Kuehner-Boyer

Theses and Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine has found that barriers exist that directly contribute to the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic groups in health professional education. Yet, little research has been done to evaluate the barriers that affect athletic training students. An integrative review was conducted to identify barriers that affect students in professional healthcare programs, and 52 articles were retained to create an original survey to measure the barriers faced by athletic training students. The purpose of this study is to understand the barriers that affect athletic training students, especially athletic training students from historically excluded groups. This study hypothesizes that …

Unhcr Egypt's Impact On Refugees And Asylum Seekers: 2000-2020, Abdallah Bahar

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the shifts in UNHCR Egypt’s practice and policy and their impacts on refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. It focuses on procedures of reception, registration, refugee status determination (RSD), and resettlement. It also examines the changes in services provided to refugees and asylum seekers, such as health care, education, residency permits, and future change. In addition, the study explores the major reasons for these shifts and whether they are stimulated by the global refugee regime or other factors such as domestic legislation. The thesis attempts to answer the following two questions: 1) what are the shifts in …