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The Role Of Langmuir Circulation In Coastal Flows Driven By Wind, Waves And Tides, Thathsarani Dilini Herath Herath Mudiyanselage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Langmuir Circulation (LC) is a wind and wave-driven process and is a key driver of vertical mixing and transport in the ocean. In coastal shelf regions, LC can span the entire water column, linking surface and bottom boundary layers and amplifying turbulent mixing. However, the influence of LC on vertical mixing and cross-shelf transport in shallow, tidally forced coastal waters remains poorly understood. This dissertation addresses this knowledge gap by developing a novel modeling framework based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations, offering a computationally efficient alternative to more resource-intensive Large Eddy Simulations (LES).

The proposed RANS-based approach is first …

Democracy, Expertise, And The Disinformation Problem, Richard Randall Frohock Iv

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Experts are an essential part of our social epistemology. They grant us access to knowledge that would otherwise be inaccessible. Because of this, experts are also typically seen as invaluable political contributors. Without expert contributions, public policy risks being ill-informed and therefore incapable of addressing society’s needs. Recently, however, the extent to which expertise should inform public policy has come into question. Fueled largely by disinformation, there is a growing movement against traditional experts. Those within this movement argue that experts have overstepped their bounds and are working against the societies they are meant to be helping. Fearing that that …

Does Practice Make Perfect? Examining The Impact Of Text-Based Reminders On Adherence In The Helping Our Toddlers, Developing Our Children’S Skills Program, Lauren Patrusky

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are prevalent in approximately 17% of children ages birth to 5 years (CDC, 2023). DBDs can significantly impact a child’s learning, social-emotional wellbeing, and ability to develop and maintain healthy relationship (CDC, 2023). Behavioral parent training (BPT) has been proven effective in reducing disruptive behavior and improving parent-child relationships. However, many families do not fully engage in treatment, leading to poor outcomes for both the child and the family. Chacko (2016) describes BPT engagement as enrolling in treatment, attending weekly sessions, participating in group discussions or role plays in sessions, practicing skills between sessions, and completing …

Which Adolescents Benefit Most From Positive Psychology Interventions: Examining The Common Factors Of Therapeutic Change, Nicolette Bauermeister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature has found positive psychology interventions to be effective at improving the subjective well-being of youth (Tejada-Gallardo et al., 2020). Further research is needed to identify variables such as common factors of change that could be contributing to whether youth report improved outcomes after participating in a positive psychology intervention. This study examined common factors of therapeutic change as predictors for outcomes such as positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction, which are components of subjective well-being. This dissertation aimed to fill the gap in the literature regarding common factors of change as predictors of outcomes in school-based positive …

The Only Constant Is Change: The Role Of Genetic Diversification In Cancer And Beyond, Malgorzata Tyczynska Weh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Genetic diversification, the process by which genetic variation arises in a population, is fundamental to evolution by natural selection. Mutation, a central diversification process, fuels adaptation across species, including in cancer. Yet most new mutations are neutral or deleterious on cell fitness, raising the question of how mutation-driven adaptation persists. To explore this paradox, I developed a spatial agent-based model (ABM) in which population fitness emerges from individual cells acquiring mutations at varied rates and with diverse fitness effects. I evaluated model behavior across adaptive states, mutation rates, and distributions of fitness effects. The results show that high mutation rates …

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Salsa Dancing Skills To Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder And/Or Intellectual Disabilities, Joshua I. Nieves

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated behavioral skills training (BST) to be an effective teaching procedure for acquisition of a variety of skills among both neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals across different ages. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of BST for enhancing sports performance when training neurotypical children and adults. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of BST for enhancing sports performance, and specifically dance performance, among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disabilities (ID). Dance is a recreational activity that can serve as a form of physical activity for children and adults. Salsa is a Latin style …

Utilization Of Bixin-Loaded Polycaprolactone Nanoparticles To Ameliorate E-Cigarette-Induced Damage To Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells, Sophia R. Claymore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have increased in popularity and usage over the last few decades. E-cigs are generally composed of a liquid containing nicotine flavoring chemicals, a battery, a vaporization chamber, and a coil that heats the liquid upon inhalation of the mouthpiece. E-cigs were initially introduced as a healthy alternative to cigarette smoking. However, recent research has demonstrated that e-cigs elicit comparable cytotoxic and dangerous effects to conventional cigarettes. Bixin has been introduced in recent research as a candidate for therapeutic applications due to its innate anticancer, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged over the past few decades …

An Application Of A Positive Psychology Intervention To Promote The Well-Being Of Children With Cancer, Jenna Barnes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The psychological impact of pediatric cancer and cancer treatment is not well understood. Although there is evidence to suggest that pediatric cancer may negatively impact youth’s mental health and psychological functioning, other research suggests that the mental health of children with cancer is similar to that of healthy peers. Traditional psychological interventions have been used to reduce symptoms of psychopathology among children with cancer. However, less is known about the subjective well-being of children with cancer and evidence-based, positive psychology interventions to promote the subjective well-being of this population. Thus, this study sought to address this gap in the literature …

Untangling The Threads Of Hope: A Qualitative Media Analysis Of Discourse Relating To Futures For Sickle Cell Disease, Amanda R. Malerba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide, with a disproportionate burden on people of African ancestry. Life with this illness is characterized by chronic physical pain, overlapping health conditions, and often early death. In the United States, the physical symptoms of the disease are frequently compounded by experiences of racial inequality and oppression embedded in the medical system that contribute to detrimental outcomes. Because of the complex biocultural web of factors contributing to the suffering of people with SCD, much of the anthropological scholarship surrounding this illness prioritizes deconstructing systems of power, oppression, and inequality. …

An Evaluation Of Check-In/Check-Out For Children With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Norma E. Guillen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often display disruptive behavior that can hinder their learning and negatively affect the classroom environment. Check-in/Check-Out (CICO) is a Tier-2, evidence-based intervention designed to support children who have difficulty engaging in classroom activities and are at-risk of developing more severe challenging behavior. The primary goal of the intervention is to prevent the escalation of these behaviors and reduce the need for more intensive individualized interventions. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of CICO for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study examined the effects of CICO on improving on-task behavior …

Sustaining The Spark: Professional Learning For The Seasoned Principal, Jennifer C. Mccrystal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Principals play a pivotal role in shaping student achievement and supporting teacher success. However, the limited existing research reveals that professional development opportunities for principals, especially seasoned ones, are often uninspiring, inadequately designed, and disconnected from their actual needs. As a result, seasoned principals may face challenges in maintaining motivation, engagement, and continued leadership development. This study addresses this gap by investigating how seasoned principals perceive and value professional learning, focusing specifically on their pinnacle experiences—those they regard as the most impactful and significant throughout their careers.

Using a narrative inquiry approach with an Appreciative Inquiry lens, this study captures …

Embedding-Based Deep Learning Frameworks For Multimodal Oncology Data Integration, Aakash Gireesh Tripathi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a cohesive set of novel frameworks developed to address critical challenges in oncology data integration, representation learning, and clinical information extraction. The work encompasses four interconnected projects: MINDS (Multimodal Integration of Oncology Data System), HoneyBee (Harmonized ONcologY Biomedical Embedding Encoder), LLM Extraction (Large Language Model-based Extraction from Pathology Reports), and EAGLE (Embedding Analysis for Generalized Learning in Oncology). Together, these systems enable the unification of diverse cancer data modalities—from genomics and clinical records to histopathology images and radiological scans—creating a robust foundation for advanced machine learning applications in precision oncology. By addressing key barriers in data accessibility, …

Using Stomach Content Analysis To Determine The Trophic Ecology Of Omosudis Lowii, A Deep-Sea Predator In The Gulf Of Mexico, Claire De Noyo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the feeding dynamics of deep-sea communities, despite their significant ecological importance. Deep-pelagic communities contribute to marine biodiversity and ecosystem stability while directly offsetting climate change via carbon sequestration. Omosudis lowii is an understudied, deep-sea fish found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Omosudis lowii have large jaws and distensible stomachs, allowing them to capture prey items larger than their body size. The present seminal study used stomach content analysis to quantitatively describe the O. lowii trophic ecology, providing baseline data regarding diet composition, feeding selectivity, and factors that impact prey selection. …

Branching Corals Modulate Their Hydrodynamic Environment, Enhancing Capture Rates Of Evasive Prey, Kelsey Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reef-building corals obtain nutrients through two primary means: autotrophy (via mutualism with photosynthetic zooxanthellae) and heterotrophy (via feeding). The latter form of resource acquisition is understudied and many aspects of predator-prey interactions between coral and naturally occurring prey species remain unexplored. In this thesis, I elucidate the role of branching coral morphology in shaping the colony’s local hydrodynamic environment and describe how this environment impacts prey capture, particularly among evasive and hydrodynamically sensitive, but highly abundant prey such as copepods. I used acrylic cylinders of three sizes in aquaria to model the structure of coral branches across the range of …

Branding In The Spotlight: The Impact Of Name, Image, And Likeness (Nil) On Athlete Brand Image In College Athletics, Timothy Jeremiah Ervin Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative thesis explores the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) on athlete brand image within college athletics, with a focus on the lived experiences of men and women college basketball players. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight Division I athletes, the study examines how NIL has influenced personal branding, identity construction, and public visibility. Guided by brand identity theory and athlete brand image, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, four central themes emerged: athlete (brand) empowerment, legacy through authenticity, navigating influence, image, and objectification, and economic viability and opportunity. Additionally, the concept of self-presentation emerged as …

Integrating Motivational Traits Into The Approach-Avoidance Distinction, Wesley D. Gardiner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the potential for integrating motivational traits into the established approach-avoidance motivational framework, which describes individuals’ general tendencies to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Although various theories and empirical studies have advanced our understanding of approach-avoidance motivation, critical constructs such as achievement motivation and trait anxiety have often been overlooked or misoperationalized. Addressing these gaps, the current study integrates Kanfer and Heggestad’s (1997) motivational trait taxonomy with constructs from achievement goal orientation, regulatory focus theory, and reinforcement sensitivity theory. This research evaluated a hypothesized two-factor model of approach and avoidance motivation using confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses with …

Psychopathy, Emotion, And Mock Juror Decision-Making, Bailey A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that mock jurors impose harsher sentencing (including death sentencing) when defendants are described as psychopathic, but reasons for this are unclear. This preregistered study investigated the role of juror anger and cognitive biases (predecisional distortion [PDD]) in the relationship between defendant psychopathy descriptions and mock juror decision-making. In an online experiment, participants (undergraduates in a large Southeastern university [n=410] and a US Census-representative online sample [n=384]) reviewed case facts of a murder, were randomized to expert witness testimony of defendant psychopathy or control conditions and read the prosecution and defense arguments before sentencing the defendant to death or …

Adapting And Evaluating A Positive Psychology Intervention For Children With Cancer And Their Families, Camryn Legra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods approach in two phases. The first phase entailed adapting an evidence-based positive psychology intervention—the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP; Suldo, 2016)— for children with pediatric cancer. The WBPP has mostly been provided to students at public schools, and to the researcher’s knowledge, has never been used for children with pediatric cancer. To make it culturally appropriate for this group of students, adaptations were made by collecting input and recommendations from a sample of two caregivers of children with pediatric cancer who participated in a focus group. A micro-interlocutor analysis (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2009) was completed …

An Evaluation Of The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Secondary (Ptr-Sec) Model For Middle School Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Kevin R. Ochoa Casas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may encounter a wide range of challenges in academic settings. Despite several initiatives aiming to address these challenges in the school setting, research indicates that school-based professionals are still struggling to adequately support this population, using the individualized functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan (FBA-BIP) process. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model utilizes a manualized, team-based approach to streamline the individualized FBA-BIP process. However, more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of the PTR model to better support middle school students with EBD, particularly, in the areas of generalization and maintenance effects. This …

Strain In The System: Examining The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Pathways Into Cybercrime, Hannah R. Murphy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cybercriminal behavior among 238 active hackers with verified website defacements identified through the Zone-H archive. Drawing upon General Strain Theory, this research investigates whether childhood trauma influences both the developmental timing and motivational aspects of hacking activities. Using ordinary least squares and ordered logistic regression analyses with country-clustered standard errors, the study tested two hypotheses: (1) that higher ACE scores would be associated with earlier onset of hacking behavior, and (2) that higher ACE scores would predict increased likelihood of engaging in revenge-motivated hacking. Results revealed a complex relationship …

Effects Of Antecedent Choice On Academic Engagement And Disruptive Behavior In The Classroom, Ivy Grace E. Morgan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of students enrolled in public school systems receiving special education services continues to increase. Students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those classified with emotional disturbance (ED) often engage in challenging behaviors such as inappropriate outbursts, disruptive behaviors, and off-task behavior that distract other students from learning. These behaviors can negatively impact educational outcomes for both the student and their classmates. Unfortunately, teachers often lack adequate training in addressing disruptive behavior in the classroom and have limited access to feasible interventions. Across-activity choice is a feasible antecedent intervention teachers can use in the classroom. It allows students …

"You Need To Make The Decision You Can Live With": An Observational Study Of Anti-Abortion Centers In Tampa Bay, Anna Broich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Abortion Centers (AACs) pose a grave threat to the reproductive health outcomes of Americans. Disguising themselves as licensed health clinics, AACs target vulnerable communities to prevent or delay abortion care through the spread of medical misinformation, contributing to abortion stigmatization. Situated in a state with a near-total abortion ban, this secret-shopper study aimed to understand the ways in which AACs in Tampa, Florida communicate anti-abortion rhetoric to pregnant people seeking abortions. Under the guise of people who suspect they are pregnant searching for abortion care, the main researcher and her assistants conducted the first phase of the study through 25 …

Examining Associations Between Sleep Variability And Treatment Outcomes In A Clinical Sample Receiving Psychotherapy Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder, Charles A. Manzler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent among individuals with AUD. Sleep and alcohol have a bidirectional relationship such that alcohol damages sleep-promoting brain regions, and impaired sleep exacerbates cognitive and emotional deficits that can promote alcohol use. Despite the evidence that sleep improves across treatment for AUD, these improvements have had inconsistent associations with treatment outcomes. This may result from previous research focusing solely on mean values of sleep parameters rather than daily within-person variability. Sleep variability is emerging as an important correlate of physiological dysregulation and is connected to a range of negative symptoms that may promote alcohol use. The …

Examining The Impact Of Single-Case Design Graph Characteristics On Decision-Making For School-Based Professionals Within An Mtss Context, Jessica L. Andrews

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research investigating the display of single-case design (SCD) data has demonstrated that graphing characteristics can influence visual analysis and rater interpretations regarding the effect of an intervention. Data-based decision making within school settings, particularly within the framework of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), commonly includes the use of SCD’s to support this process. Despite the push for adherence to a standard assembly for linear graphs, there is no requirement as to how these graphs should be constructed. MTSS team members are often required to make decisions about whether an intervention should be continued (or not), and thus it is important …

Nepaliness As Assemblage: Diasporic Belonging, Colorism, And Caste In The Associational Life Of Nepali Migrants In Florida, Shuvechha Ghimire Sharma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The research fundamentally challenges romanticized ideas of migration—shedding older inequalities, idealizing “leveling up,” and being a part of “unified diasporic communities”—and unmasks a rather uneasy, far more intricate reality: the preexisting sociocultural and political structures and identities are not shed, rather actively reproduced and rigorously, often consciously, reconfigured within the transnational diasporic spaces. As such, the research reveals that Nepali diasporic associations in Florida play a vital role in perpetuating and reshaping social inequalities and contested national identities, significantly impacting transnational dynamics. The work contends that caste hierarchies persist in structuring associational life, influencing participation and resource distribution. Concurrently, colorism …

Do Emotion Malleability Beliefs Buffer Social Ostracism? An Experimental Investigation, Bingjie Tong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social ostracism is linked to adverse psychological outcomes, including increased suicide risk among college students. This study examined a manipulation targeting emotion malleability beliefs and its effect on psychological outcomes after a lab-induced social ostracism task (Cyberball). Psychache, a well-established predictor for suicide risk, was examined as a potential moderator variable. College students (N = 243) were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition, which presented information stating that emotions are malleable, or a neutral control condition. Participants in the experimental condition reported a greater increase in beliefs about emotional malleability, greater use of cognitive reappraisal, and less perceived burdensomeness …

Just A Spark Of Imagination: Examining Professional Development For Gifted Educators, Jennifer J. Tucker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how teachers of gifted education in a large southeastern school district perceive the high points of professional development to reimagine learning courses to encourage professional learning. In today’s changing field of education, there is an urgent need to foster teachers’ professional growth to create an environment where they feel supported to retain their expertise in the educational field. Many studies focus on students' needs, but the voice of the teacher's needs is missing from the study. Gathering narratives from teachers of gifted students empowers the teachers’ perspectives to be included in discovering how to reimagine professional …

Evaluating A Web-Based Training To Teach Behavioral Analysis Students To Implement Behavioral Skills Training, Kate N. Gray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have found that behavioral skills training (BST) is often an effective strategy when teaching safety skills to children and adults with and without developmental disabilities. Despite BST being an effective intervention to teach safety skills, it requires substantial time from trained behavior analysts to implement with fidelity. Trainee-implemented BST may allow many children to access high-quality safety skills training while not requiring the presence of a behavior analyst. A web-based module may be a cost-effective and easily accessible option for parents, teachers, or Registered Behavior Technicians to teach children these safety skills. The researcher used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline …

Supporting Achievement Motivation In Black And Latine Middle School Students: Development And Evaluation Of The Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Motivational Interviewing Intervention, Austin Roy Cole

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Participation in accelerated high school curricula can provide substantive post-secondary benefits for students. However, participation continues to reflect disparate enrollment for Black and Latine students. Though organizations and legislatures have sought to improve Black and Latine student enrollment, the enrollment gap has not closed and there is little evidence of improving academic achievement for Black and Latine students beyond increased enrollment. Research shows that when students have their psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness met, as described by Self-Determination Theory, they demonstrate better academic outcomes and social-emotional development. Barriers reported by students of color reflect these psychological needs. Thus, …

A Community-Based Study To Investigate Persistent Ambient Odors In Childs Park, Fl, Gennaro Saliceto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For many years, residents in Childs Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida, have reported unpleasant odors. Although there have been prior efforts to address the issue, the odors continue to be a concern for the community, who worry about possible health implications. This research aimed to equip residents with information to address the issue by identifying the presence of airborne pollutants that generate odors, quantifying the concentrations of toxic organic pollutants, and exploring the sources and environmental conditions that contribute to odors and their perception.

To accomplish these aims, the study utilized different methods. First, two walking measurement campaigns were conducted to …