Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Anxiety, Anxiety Sensitivity, And General Mental Health In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Finley Gabrielle Elkins Sims

Theses and Dissertations

Collegiate athletes’ mental health is on the decline, and they have unique experiences that can influence the prevalence of mental health struggles. This study examined academic anxiety, comorbid forms of anxiety, and predicting factors in 187 collegiate student-athletes across 29 U.S. colleges. Athletes had significantly higher levels of academic anxiety and general anxiety compared to a college nonathlete population. There were significant gender differences in athletes, with females having greater levels of anxiety sensitivity, academic anxiety, sport anxiety, general anxiety, depression, and a history of depression than male athletes. Gender, history of depression, anxiety sensitivity, and depression were significant predictors …

Intersecting Identities, Social Support, Multiple-Minority Stress, And Health Outcomes Among Latinx Lgbtq+ Adults, Amanda Lamas

Theses and Dissertations

Latinx LGBTQ+ adults experience poor health due to exposure to intersectional discrimination; however, they also possess protective factors to cope with these stressors. This study explored the associations and interactions of identity affirmation (ethnic, American, LGBTQ+), identity outness, perceived social support, LGBT-POC microaggressions, and health among LGBTQ+ Latinx adults. Correlational analyses and regression models controlling for covariates showed that American and ethnic identity affirmation, perceived social support, and identity outness were positively associated with health, and LGBT-POC microaggressions were negatively associated with health. LGBTQ+ identity affirmation was directly correlated with mental health, but not in the regression model. Identity affirmation …

La Panza: Un Acto De Rebeldia Para Los Atravesados Y Los Que Siguen Despues / The Panza: An Act Of Rebellion For The Inbetweeners And Those Who Follow After, Abigail Guadalupe Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

Our ancestors, family members, and ourselves that live in the borderlands have embodied knowledge, and/or an innate intuition that comes from the pit of our soul, particularly from our “panza”; hence, the creation of a panza consciousness as the focus for my thesis. I’m trying to “rediscover” the embodied knowledge that has been taken from us and how we can learn to harness these forms of knowledge into a societal shift ( i.e. how we interact with others, how we see our bodies, how see the creation of knowledge, and how we see the world). Although, Eurocentric ideals sought to …

Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Readiness For Early Reading Instruction: A Mixed Methods Study Of Quantified Knowledge In Phonemic Awareness And Lived Experiences, Kristin Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the lived experiences of pre-service teachers as they develop their knowledge and instruction skills during a three-week module within their first literacy course in a teacher preparation program. Literacy courses play an important role in equipping pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote reading development. Research suggests that phonemic awareness is a crucial skill that predicts later reading achievement; however, many teachers lack the necessary experience and knowledge. This gap raises concerns about teacher preparation programs and how pre-service teachers learn. Guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study sought to understand …

Engineering Translational Biosensing Tools Forparkinson’S Disease, Mercedes Terry

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor dysfunction and early cognitive decline. Diagnosis and monitoring remain largely symptom-driven, relying on clinical scales that capture disease only after significant neurodegeneration has occurred. These assessments are inherently subjective, episodic, and insensitive to early-stage pathology, limiting both timely diagnosis and the ability to track disease progression or therapeutic response. The lack of objective, quantitative biomarkers for both molecular pathology and cognitive impairment remains a major barrier to advancing precision medicine approaches in Parkinson’s disease. This dissertation approaches Parkinson’s disease from two complementary fronts: molecular detection of alpha-synuclein pathology and quantitative …

The Effects Of Self-Management On Portion Control Consumption In A Natural Setting, Amber Nicole Lampert

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a significant public health concern, with overeating as a primary contributor. Despite national nutrition initiatives, most Americans consume inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables while exceeding recommended portions of calorie-dense foods. Understanding food groups and recommended portion sizes of each may be a prerequisite skill for a health initiative aimed at weight loss. Given that environmental and behavioral factors influence eating behaviors, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) offers an evidence-based framework for improving nutritional habits through self-management interventions. This study examined the effects of self-management components on portion control within a natural eating environment. Four adult participants, one male …

The Primary Care Experiences Of American Indian Patients Diagnosed With Opioid Use Disorder (Oud), Frank Johnson Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized descriptive phenomenology to describe the lived experiences of AmericanIndian patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), when they visit their primary care provider. The specific aims were to: 1) describe what was beneficial when visiting their provider; 2) describe what was detrimental when visiting their provider; and 3) provide recommendations for improving primary care services. Twelve participants were interviewed and the essence of the phenomenon emerged as “the interaction between the provider and patient”. A model was created. The constituents of the essence were beneficial interactions and detrimental interactions. The major themes that emerged from beneficial interactions …

Student Engagement As A Predictor Of Stem Student Success, Mosab Shaher Abu Al Foul

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigates factors influencing engagement, persistence, and degree completion among underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Guided by Tinto’s Interactionist Model (1975) and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory(1977), it examines how institutional practices and socioeconomic conditions contribute to inequities in student outcomes. Using a non-experimental, correlational design, the study analyzes National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data and institutional records from a Midwestern Research 2 university (N = 620; URM subsample n = 52). Binary logistic regression, MANOVA, and t-tests were used to assess relationships among High-Impact Educational Practices (HIEPs), engagement indicators, faculty interaction, pre-college …

Stigma Is Committing: Public Perceptions Of Race, Substance Use, And Civil Commitment, Meliyah Anderson-Tryon

Theses and Dissertations

Civil commitment in the United States is a legal process through which individuals experiencing severe mental illness may be involuntarily admitted for psychological treatment. Despite its far-reaching consequences, public knowledge and perceptions of civil commitment remain largely underexamined. These gaps may contribute to increased stigma toward individuals with severe mental illness or those who engage in substance use. This study used a vignette-based experimental design manipulating a hypothetical individual’s race and presence or absence of past substance use. The hypothetical individual was portraying symptoms related to schizophrenia, subsequently leading to being civilly committed. Participants (N = 208) evaluated perceived dangerousness …

Integrating Emotional Intelligence Into Interpreter Training: A Syllabi Analysis And Curriculum Review Framework, Caroline Lynn Becker

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs) incorporate emotionalintelligence (EI) into their curricula. To examine how these competencies are addressed, this study analyzed course syllabi from accredited four-year interpreter education programs using a structured review protocol. Syllabi from Collegiate Commission on Interpreter Education- accredited programs at both public and private institutions were included. Findings indicate that EI is rarely named, explicitly taught, or formally assessed within course descriptions or assignments. While many programs include components aligned with EI domains, such as ethics instruction, supervision, cultural engagement, and reflective practice, these elements are embedded implicitly rather than framed as …

Climate Messages In An Ai-Integrated Experiment: Interpretive Divergence, Policy Support, And A New Resonance Consistency Framework, Jayme Colosimo

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined how environmental frames—particularly “Mother Earth” and “Mother Nature”—influence public support for climate policy and how these effects differ across demographic groups. Using a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design, the study executed a media survey experiment (N = 470) followed by semi-structured expert interviews to assess responses to two primes using a conventional corporate media message, and a message with similar content that was generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Quantitative findings showed that these metaphors generated uneven and sometimes divergent priming effects. Some groups—most notably White male Republicans—reported higher support for environmental policy under the conventional media prime. Under …

Safety Assurance In A Collegiate Flight Program With Safety Management Systems (Sms): A Mixed-Methods Approach To Evaluating Safety Risk Control Effectiveness, Erin Dunker

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined safety assurance and the effectiveness of safety risk controls within a collegiate flight training program operating under a Safety Management System (SMS). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrated quantitative survey data with organizational safety performance data to evaluate how safety risk controls function across operational domains. A survey instrument, the Collegiate Aviation Safety Risk Control Effectiveness Scale (CASRICES), was developed and validated to measure perceptions of safety risk control effectiveness among respondents using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Reliability, and Construct Validity Analyses.

The EFA supported a three-factor structure consisting of Pilot Training Risk Controls, Safety Reporting …

Strengthening Teacher Retention Through Strategic Onboarding, Stacey Eger-Converse

Theses and Dissertations

The United States education system is currently facing a critical staffing crisis characterized by dwindling enrollment in teacher preparation programs and alarming rates of voluntary attrition. Each school year, school districts report difficulties filling certified positions. This cycle of departure incurs staggering fiscal costs and creates a "recursive loop" where high turnover leads to lower student performance and community dissatisfaction, which further drives teacher exits. While most new teachers participate in induction programs, districts continue to lose approximately half of their new hires, suggesting that current support structures are insufficient. This research addresses a significant gap in the literature: the …

Modeling Type 2 Diabetes Progression, Hereditary Risk, And Treatment Outcomes: Integrating Prevention, Lifestyle Modifications, And Pharmacological Interventions, Grace Ebunoluwa Fatoyinbo

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains one of the most significant chronic health conditionsworldwide and continues to place pressure on healthcare systems through its long-term complications, treatment costs, and growing prevalence. The progression of T2D is influenced by multiple interacting factors, including hereditary predisposition, lifestyle behavior, treatment access, remission, relapse, and the development of complications. Because of this complexity, mathematical models can provide useful insight into disease dynamics and the possible effects of intervention strategies over time. This study develops a compartmental model for T2D progression using a system of ordinary differential equations. The population is divided into epidemiologically meaningful classes …

Bridging Culture And Education To Enhance Cherokee Student Health And Wellness, Lindsey Hammer

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous populations face ongoing health disparities, often worsened by a lack of culturally relevant and Indigenous-led programs and interventions. This dissertation in practice was inspired by the need for community-driven, culturally grounded approaches that address these disparities for Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma. Each of the three products are inspired by and aligned with the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the Cherokee value of gadugi, and the concept of relationality, offering a holistic approach to community health and well-being. Not every product represents a fully implemented CBPR process but rather a CBPR-informed approach. Future stages will emphasize more meaningful …

Self-Talk In Esports: Extending Sport Psychology Frameworks To Digital Competition, Brett Anne Thompson Machamer

Theses and Dissertations

Self-talk is a key mechanism underlying performance, confidence, and emotional regulation, yet its use in esports remains underexplored. This study examined self-talk patterns among esports players, focusing on associations with hours played, self-talk type and valence, and contextual and motivational factors influencing its use. Esports players (N = 102; M = 18.53 hours/week, SD = 13.74) across a range of competitive levels completed an online questionnaire assessing self-talk type, valence, and contextual use. Greater hours played were associated with increased use of strategic self-talk, while self-talk valence was not significantly related to time spent playing. Participants most frequently reported using …

A Structured Mentorship Program And Its Relationship To Motivation And Confidence Of New Language Instructors, Alena Makarava

Theses and Dissertations

At the Russian School of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC), new instructors enter a demanding military academic environment that requires rapid adjustment, strong teaching skills, and sustained motivation. This study examined participants’ perceptions of a structured mentorship program and its perceived influence on motivation, teaching confidence, adjustment to the work environment, and professional growth.

Guided by Kram’s Mentorship Theory, the study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Mentors and mentees from the past five years completed an anonymous online survey. A total of 113 of 260 eligible participants completed the quantitative section, and 22 also provided written …

Thriving Within Digital Learning Courses: Examining The Influence Of Interactions In Kinesiology Undergraduate Students, Jimmy J. Morin

Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of online and hybrid education has reshaped higher education, particularly in applied fields such as kinesiology that emphasize hands-on learning. Despite this growth, limited research has examined how specific interaction types (academic, social, and deeper life) contribute to student thriving in digital environments. This dissertation explored how interactions with faculty, staff, and peers influence holistic student success in online and hybrid kinesiology programs utilizing a three-paper dissertation approach to address this gap through complementary methods. Paper 1 synthesizes existing literature on student interactions and thriving in digital learning contexts. Paper 2 uses one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA to examine …

Filling The Gaps: Rural-Remote High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Training In Student Mental Health Preparedness, Angela N. Muhs

Theses and Dissertations

Rural-remote high school teachers are frequently the first to notice and respond to student mental health concerns, yet they operate within communities characterized by significant shortages in mental health providers. Access to professional mental health services in these settings remains persistently limited, placing considerable responsibility on teachers who may lack adequate preparation. This study employed an interpretive case study design to qualitatively examine how rural-remote high school teachers in North Dakota perceive their professional training and overall preparedness in addressing student mental health concerns. Twelve licensed teachers, whose experience ranged from six months to 33 years, participated in in-depth interviews. …

Student Affairs Staff Retention In Illinois Community Colleges: A Descriptive Case Study, Autumn Scott

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of student affairs professionals at community colleges to gain insight into the problem of staff retention, especially as it exists at community colleges, a sector that is under-researched in the literature on student affairs staff turnover. As open access institutions, community colleges must engage diverse student populations in a dynamic environment. Retaining quality student affairs staff is an important strategy to support student success and meet community college missions. As part of a bounded case study approach, two Illinois community colleges served as research sites. Data collection consisted of participant interviews, participant demographic …

Spirituality And Well-Being Among Native College Students, Emma Reese Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In the current literature surrounding spirituality, definitions and conceptualizations of the construct differ. Researchers have proposed common themes of spirituality–self-awareness, interconnectedness to the world, and a relationship to a higher power or greater purpose (Hamilton & Jackson, 1998). While definitions of spirituality and how it is operationalized vary across studies, the current view in the field is that spirituality has positive outcomes on those who practice it, including their overall degree of well-being. While these positive effects have been showcased in the literature, due to the influence of western Christian perspectives on many measures of spirituality, there are methodological issues …

Beyond The Manual: Training Troubleshooting Skills Through Augmented Reality, Lawrence Allen Smith Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Many industrial maintenance departments implement and utilize Augmented Reality Technology (ART) and Augmented Reality Technical Training (ARTT) in their day-to-day operations. This study aims to examine technicians' troubleshooting skills by exploring two main questions: (1) how these skills are impacted by Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), and (2) how they are influenced by using either paper manuals or ARTT manuals. The research will compare the effects of traditional paper manuals and ARTT manuals on the learning outcomes of troubleshooters. The measurements of learning outcomes will include cognitive ability, professional specific knowledge, and skill retention. Keywords: augmented reality (AR), industrial maintenance, augmented …

Foreign Language Experience Effects On L2-Accented Speech Attitudes In College Students, Jordan L. Ellington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to test whether knowledge of a second language in college students can affect perceptions and prejudices towards speakers with foreign accents. The testing was completed through both implicit and explicit attitudinal measures in regard to recorded audio stimuli. The explicit attitudinal testing was performed through participant self reporting of attitudes. Participants were presented with first (L1) or second (L2) language accented English samples and then rated that speaker in terms of various characteristics or traits that represented the speaker's solidarity and status. The implicit testing was performed in an Auditory Implicit Associations Test on …

Preserving The Untold Stories: Leveraging Emerging Technologies (Ai And Machine Learning) For Archiving Hidden Histories Of Children And Families Impacted By The Little Rock School Integration Crisis, Oluseyi Noah Adebanjo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis challenges the dominant narrative of the Little Rock School Integration Crisis by recovering the hidden histories of families and siblings who made integration possible but have been systematically overlooked by historians. While existing scholarship focuses on the Little Rock Nine as individual heroes, this research demonstrates that integration was fundamentally a family crisis requiring collective decision-making, economic sacrifice, and multigenerational support networks. Through close reading of published memoirs, newspaper clippings, school board minutes, and original oral history interviews with Phyllis Brown and Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton, this study reveals how approximately 200 eligible families were systematically reduced to …

Recognizing Metaphorical References To Sexual Assault Resistance And Represented Rape Myths In Coraline (2009), Braden Slater

Theses and Dissertations

Is there any value in children’s horror literature and film? Literary theorists have shown that children’s horror is uniquely positioned to be not only captivating and accessible, but also educational and hopeful for some young audience members. Like most fictional monsters, those presented in children’s horror can be read as metaphors for the fears and experiences people face in real life. Scholars have argued that engaging with this type of frightening media may help people confront challenging ideas and feelings from a place of safety. Building on this theoretical foundation, I perform a close reading of the 2009 film Coraline, …

Liminality And Space In The Iliad And The Heike Monogatari, Jade Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Both the Iliad and the Heike monogatari have received scholarly attention throughout the years, though rarely in comparison with one another. A few scholars, such as Tyler Creer and Naoko Yamagata, have attempted to examine the two side by side, but very little work has been done beyond their respective analyses. This is unsurprising as a cursory glance at the two texts suggests that they are too separated by time and space to warrant closer examination. I argue, however, that there is great value in analyzing the two side by side. Indeed, a closer look at these texts reveals that …

Gratitude And The Second Language Writer: The Effects Of Gratitude Journaling In The English Language Writing Classroom, Lauren Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Gratitude journaling interventions have repeatedly been shown to enhance wellbeing when conducted in participants’ first language (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Sansone & Sansone, 2010), yet no studies to date have examined these practices in second language (L2) contexts. This mixed-methods quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of a six-week gratitude journaling intervention on adult L2 English writers enrolled in an intensive English program. Eleven writing classes (N = 183) were randomly assigned to either a gratitude journaling group or a neutral-events control group, with 123 participants completing all four stages of data collection. Trait gratitude and subjective wellbeing were measured pre-intervention, …

Robust And Interpretable Cross-Domain Arabic Readability Prediction Using Hybrid Modeling: Evidence On The Limitations Of Transformer-Based Classifiers, Sarah Alzu'bi

Theses and Dissertations

Automatic readability assessment aims to predict how difficult a text is for readers to understand. The concept of readability has been widely studied across languages due to its significant impact on reading comprehension, leading to the development of various methods and approaches. In this study, I addressed two key challenges in readability assessment. First, I examine the performance of statistical classifiers and transformer-based models, including CAMeLBERT(Inoue et al, 2021.) with a focus on their ability to generalize under domain, genre, and stylistic shifts. Second, I investigate the interpretability of transformer performance in readability task, which are often criticized for their …

The Relational Good Life: Entrepreneurship Education And Grounded Sumak Kawsay In Otavalo, Ecuador, Vanessa I. Lozano Hardman

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous Kichwa communities in Ecuador’s Otavalo region have long participated in local and transnational markets, historically as mindalaes, specialized traders of the northern Andes. Yet in recent years, international development-oriented NGOs have framed entrepreneurship education as newly necessary for economic development. These approaches emphasize individualized narratives of vision, self-reliance, and growth, often characterizing Indigenous peoples as lacking entrepreneurial skills or the appropriate mindset. Drawing on ethnographic research with youth, mothers, and teachers at Saminay–El Legado, an agro- technical, intercultural bilingual secondary school (UECIB) in the parish of San José de Quichinche, this article examines how entrepreneurship education intersects with grounded …

Principal Coaching Impact: Elementary Principals' Perspectives On Their Coaching Experience, Kyle L. Hoopes

Theses and Dissertations

School principals face increasing complexity as they navigate instructional leadership, organizational change, and the emotional demands of supporting staff and students. Traditional professional development--often episodic and compliance-driven--has proven insufficient for helping principals translate knowledge into practice. This qualitative phenomenological study examined how 20 elementary principals in a large intermountain district experienced a dual-coach, team-based leadership coaching model and how coaching influenced their leadership practices and well-being. Semi-structured interviews and iterative thematic analysis revealed that coaching shaped three core areas of leadership practice: gaining clarity and direction, prioritizing instructional and organizational goals, and strengthening collaboration within school leadership teams. Principals also …