Digital Commons Network^™

Peer Mentoring Program For Psychology Major Students: A Promising Prospect, Nadia Calderon

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Many first-year and second-year undergraduate students face challenges and abundance of college resources they may not know how to use. Learning about campus resources and dealing with these challenges could help students thrive academically and personally in the college environment. We gathered survey data from 87 students from seven sections of the Bridgewater State University Orientation to the Psychology Major (OPM) course. In one of these sections, we implemented a Peer Mentoring Program (PMP). We also hosted psychology-focused events in which 48 psychology major students attended and filled out feedback questionnaires. In this study we aimed to analyze the effectiveness …

Impairing Stress On College Students In The United States, Rachel J. King

Student Works

The purpose of this literary review is to explore how psychological and acute stress affect the academic abilities of college students. We will explore the effects of stress and how they directly impair the academic, social, emotional, and mental well-being of college students in the United States.. This can be seen as you observe and study what stress looks like on a college student. It is found that over 1⁄3 of most universities have students that struggle with intense stress. Often, students do not know or understand how to cope. This lack of knowledge can stem from their childhood, where …

Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccination Status: A Cross-Sectional Study Of California Students In Higher Education, Marcelle M. Dougan, Anji Buckner

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

To examine the factors associated with coronavirus vaccine hesitancy among students in higher education, we conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods study between June and August 2021 among California students in higher education (n = 4444). We collected information on vaccination status, socio-demographics, and attitudes towards coronavirus vaccination. After adjusting for social demographics and social network characteristics, compared to those with household members who were vaccinated, those who had household members who were unvaccinated had 0.11 (95% CI 0.09 – 0.14) times the odds of being vaccinated. Political identification was related to vaccination status: compared to those who did not identify with …

Psychology: Religious Conflicts Amongst A Christian Campus, Cole Peterson, Alyssa Shearing, Sydney Willis, Melody Alvarez

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The current study seeks to develop and validate a quantitative measure of religion on a Christian campus. As the influence of religion in multiple aspects of the world continues to evolve, it becomes increasingly important to gain an understanding of the experiences of college students within a Christian campus. It has been found that “exposure to new ideas that college provides were thought to lead students to question and ultimately abandon their traditional religious beliefs” (Maryl & Oeur, 2009). More research regarding the effect of religion specifically on a Christian campus is needed; therefore, a reliable and valid psychometric scale …

Social Justice In Higher Education: The Forgotten Needs Of Students With Visual Impairments In Bangladesh, Mohammed Mozadded Hossen, Roy K. Chen, Nahal Salimi, Jane L. Nichols

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Students with disabilities face myriad barriers and hurdles to success in higher education settings. Institutions in developing nations often lack the necessary resources to provide accessible instruction, and the absence of clearly defined policies further impedes upholding the educational rights of such a special population. The purpose of this study was to examine how undergraduate students with visual impairments in Bangladesh felt about their experiences related to social justice and challenges in learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A convenience sample of 133 students was recruited from two public universities. The authors developed two instruments, namely, the Social Justice Experiences in …

Intersectionality Of Demographic Characteristics In Self-Reported Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, And Probable Eating Disorders Among College Students, Jamie Egbert, Amy Luke, Fares Qeadan

Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health

Objective:

To investigate associations between identity intersectionality, with a primary focus on minority identity, and probable eating disorders (EDs) within the US college student population.

Method:

Data consisting of n=414,299 college students' responses to the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment between fall 2015and spring 2019 were utilized for this study. Overall and stratified adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were used to assess the association between different facets of identity(i.e., race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation) and probable EDs.

Results:

Among all, in our analytic sample, 7.15% reported a probable ED. Interactions between all three identity variables were significant, …

Social Annotation: What Are Students’ Perceptions And How Does Social Annotation Relate To Grades?, Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Social annotation is a teaching and learning technique in which students post comments on electronic course materials in a shared space. The purpose of this study is to examine students’ perceptions of social annotation in the context of motivation and social justice. In addition, the connections between social annotation and course grades were examined. Students in a face-to-face course engaged in social annotation on their course textbook and completed a questionnaire on their perceptions (N = 41). Based on the findings, students had higher overall motivation for social annotation compared with quizzes. In contrast, comparisons of motivation between social …

Evaluating Impacts Of R3 Workshops For First-Time Hunters At Universities Across The United States, Richard Von Furstenberg, Victoria R. Vayer, Lincoln R. Larson, M. Nils Peterson, Kangjae Jerry Lee, Kathryn Stevenson, Adam A. Ahlers, Christine Anhalt-Depies, Taniya Bethke, Brian Clark, Kiley M. Davan, Ashley A. Dayer, Todd E. Fisher, Benjamin Ghasemi, Larry Gigliotti, Kris Irwin, Samuel J. Keith, Matt Kelly, Gerard Kyle, Elizabeth Metcalf, Mark D. Needham, Neelam C. Poudyal, Michael Quartuch, Shari L. Rodriguez, Chelsie Romulo, Ryan L. Sharp, William Siemer, Matthew T. Springer, Richard Stedman, Taylor Stein, Timothy R. Van Deelen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

Declines in hunter numbers across the United States make hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) a high priority for wildlife management. As wildlife management agencies and nongovernmental organizations seek to reach new audiences, college campuses present a unique opportunity to cultivate nontraditional path hunters. Despite recent proliferation of R3 initiatives, little research has evaluated effects of hunting programs on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of new hunters. We designed and implemented Getting Started Outdoors: Hunting 101 workshops specifically targeting college students without previous hunting experience, and we assessed workshop efficacy with a theoretically-grounded approach to workshop evaluation. Using quantitative and qualitative …

Tiktok Use, Flow, And Addictive Behaviors, Santiago Vigil

McNair Summer Research Program

Abstract

TikTok’s design exploits sensory preferences through continuous scrolling, providing a seamless infinite amount of content. Therefore, I hypothesized that TikTok creates a flow state where people are immersed in the app and may lead to addiction-like symptoms. TikTok use may also be associated with boredom proneness and anxiety. Via a self-report survey, participants indicated their use of social media apps, answered items measuring their psychological flow state on TikTok and Instagram (as a comparison), reported the frequency of behaviors indicating symptoms of addiction, and rated their self-esteem, boredom proneness, and general anxiety. Results showed 7 of the 9 flow …

Gender-Neutral Bathrooms On Campus: A Multicampus Study Of Cisgender And Transgender And Gender Diverse College Students, Merle Huff, Katie Edwards, Victoria Mauer, Heather Littleton, Stephanie Lim, Kayla E. Sall

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examined cisgender and transgender and gender diverse (TGD) college students’ perceptions of gender-neutral bathroom availability across eight U.S. campuses, TGD students’ fear of harassment related to (lack of) availability of gender-neutral bathrooms, and the relation between fear of harassment and TGD students’ psychological distress.

Methods: Participants were 4,328 college students (4,195 cisgender, 30 binary transgender, 103 gender diverse) from eight U.S. institutions of higher education.

Results: The majority (84.2%) of TGD students and 34.6% of cisgender students perceived there were too few gender-neutral bathrooms on their campus. Further, TGD students’ fear of harassment related to a lack …

Mental Health Needs And Services Utilization Among Undergraduate And Graduate Students In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alice P. Villatoro, Vanessa L. Errisuriz, Melissa J. Dupont-Reyes

Public Health

COVID-19 created a global crisis, exacerbating disparities in social determinants of health (SDOH) and mental health (MH). Research on pandemic-related MH and help-seeking is scarce, especially among high-risk populations such as college/university students. We examined self-rated MH and psychological distress, the perceived need for MH services/support, and the use of MH services across the SDOH among college/university students during the start of the pandemic. Data from the COVID-19 Texas College Student Experiences Survey (n = 746) include full- and part-time undergraduate/graduate students. Regressions examined self-rated MH, psychological distress, perceived need, and service use across SDOH, controlling for pre-pandemic MH, age, …

The Effect Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On The Self-Esteem Of College Students, Maggie Van Heemst

Honors Program Projects

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to predict negative health and mental health effects later in life. One in two Americans has experienced at least one ACE. This issue is prevalent across class, race, and ethnicity. However, little is known about ACEs and the young adult population.

Methods: A survey was conducted to measure ACEs and self-esteem in fifty college students. The hypothesis was a negative correlation between ACE and self-esteem scores.

Results: A small negative correlation was found between ACEs and self-esteem in college students. The average ACE score was 3.9 and the average self-esteem score was 16.78. …

Mental Health And Academic Experiences Among U.S. College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael E. Roberts, Jillian Meyer '23, Elizabeth A. Bell

Psychology and Neuroscience Faculty Publications

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, U.S. college students reported increased anxiety and depression. This study examines mental health among U.S college students during the subsequent 2020–2021 academic year by surveying students at the end of the fall 2020 and the spring 2021 semesters. Our data provide cross-sectional snapshots and longitudinal changes. Both surveys included the PSS, GAD-7, PHQ-8, questions about students’ academic experiences and sense of belonging in online, in-person, and hybrid classes, and additional questions regarding behaviors, living circumstances, and demographics. The spring 2021 study included a larger, stratified sample of eight demographic groups, and we added scales to …

College Students' Perceptions Of Depression Among College Students And Non-College Students, Hafsa Ali

Research and Scholarship Symposium Posters

Abstract

Depression is a serious mental illness which is becoming increasingly prevalent among college-age individuals and the general public. Depression and other mental illnesses have come under increasing concern in the United States overall and on college campuses in particular. Given concerns regarding depression among college students, it is important to examine college students’ perceptions of depression among college students versus non-college students. The current study examined and compared college students’ perceptions of depression among college students versus non-college-attending individuals. Participants viewed an online survey which included one of two versions of a vignette which described “Sam,” a “hardworking individual” …

Beyond The Meeple: Ttrpg's Impact On Wwu Students, Nicolas Mendez

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The present study sought to develop a stronger understanding of the impact of Tabletop Roleplaying games (TTRPG’s) on college students. Data from 17 one-on-one interviews as well as 18 survey responses from students attending Western Washington University were used. The qualitative data was coded using first, second and third order coding with the use of digital coding software Atlas.ti. Of the 12 codes found from the interviews, the “Beyond Part” and the “Player versus Character” themes were examined. My analysis found that players experience the impacts of TTRPG’s beyond the table on both an individual level as well as on …

Checking The Scales: A Psychometric Evaluation Of The Weight Concerns Scale In A Sample Of College-Aged Cisgender Men From The United States, Kyle M. Brasil, Callie E. Mims, Ryon C. Mcdermott, Mary E. Pritchard

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Historically, western societies have considered body image issues to predominantly affect young, White women. While in recent years men’s body image issues have been increasingly highlighted by researchers and the media alike, many instruments currently used to identify clinically significant body image disturbances were developed and validated with samples solely of women and/or girls. One such measure, Killen et al.’s (1994) Weight Concerns Scale (WCS), was initially validated in a sample of adolescent girls. The WCS has yet to be validated in samples of men, despite being used in large national surveys of college men and women (e.g., the Healthy …

College Students And Dui: Justifications For Driving Under The Influence, Nadia Lindner

Student Publications, Presentations, and Projects

In-depth interviews were conducted in 2023 using 9 college students at a small, private university located within the southeastern area in the United States. The primary goal of our study was to identify the reasoning for students to drive after drinking despite the possible repercussions such as license suspension, arrest, or obtaining a criminal record. We discovered that these students labeled drunk driving as nothing special but rather something they considered convenient for them. Specifically, these students justified their drug use through the use of four recurring subdued DUI arguments: 1) knowing when not to get behind the wheel 2) …

Are College Students Interested In Family Health History Education? A Large Needs Assessment Survey Study, Ming Li, Oi Man Kwok, Ping Ma, Tung-Sung Tseng, Lei Shih Chen

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Family health history (FHH) is an essential foundation for personalized disease prevention. As the incidence of early-onset chronic diseases is increasing among college students, it is important to provide them with the education required to learn about their FHH. This study aimed to assess college students’ interest in receiving FHH education, preferred topics, and desired learning methods. We invited college students to complete an online survey from a large research-intensive university. A total of 2276 college students completed the survey. Nearly half of the participants self-identified as non-Hispanic white (45.5%). Slightly more than half of the sample (53.9%) were not …

Does Watching Television Correlate With Self-Esteem In College Students, Lauren Cervenak

Student Conference Abstracts

The correlation between self-esteem and television in college students was studied. It was hypothesized that younger students would report lower self-esteem than older students (hypothesis 1); students who report higher levels of television viewing will report lower self-esteem (hypothesis 2); and students who see themselves represented more often in television will report higher levels of self-esteem and students who see themselves less represented in television and tv shows would report lower levels of self-esteem (hypothesis 3). Participants consisted of 104 people between the ages of 18 and 65. Many participants were undergraduate students from Dominican University of California. Participants filled …

Strengthening Undergraduates’ Appreciation Of Engineering Ethics Through A Simulated Stakeholder Meeting On Offshore Wind Energy Development, Maija A. Benitz

Engineering, Computing & Construction Management Faculty Publications

The need for deepening students’ appreciation for the importance of engineering ethics remains ever present. However, accomplishing this learning outcome can be challenging, as the principles often come across as abstract and distant to many undergraduates. To combat these challenges, a group-based assignment and corresponding in-class role-playing activity were developed for an upper-level ocean engineering elective course, based on a local case study about offshore wind energy development. The new pedagogical approach aims to present engineering ethics in a more tangible and relatable way by requiring students to role-play a real-world scenario from their own university’s backyard. Students worked on …

Uky Slang Collection Project, Zada Komara

Lewis Honors College Research Data: Linguistics

The UKY Slang Collection Project is an ongoing effort (Fall 2021-present) to document the use of slang (group-specific language of informal register) primarily among college students at the University of Kentucky. The project is administered by Dr. Zada Komara (Lewis Honors College) as part of HON 140 Knowledge and Society, a foundational seminar about epistemology and ontology. This original research is performed by Lewis Honors College students. The project aims to document slang, both ephemeral and persistent, as a means of investigating students’ lived experiences of college, language evolution, and social identities among UKY student communities. Slang in the …

Self-Disclosure Of Mental Illness In The College Classroom: The Role Of Stigma And Avoidance, Christopher Gjesfjeld, Jeffrey Kahn

Faculty Publications - Social Work

Many college students identify having a mental health condition, yet students may be ambivalent about self-disclosing their mental health. While stigma and self-disclosure have been examined in research, personal factors may also impact self-disclosure behaviors. The present study examined 150 U.S. college students with a self-identified mental health condition. Research aimed to predict classmate self-disclosure by stigma, avoidance beliefs, and the interaction of these variables. Multiple regression analysis found a significant interaction effect, whereby stigma was negatively associated with self-disclosure only under conditions of low avoidance. Implications suggest that self-disclosure interventions target stigma and avoidance beliefs to encourage greater self-disclosure.

Advancing College Food Security: Priority Research Gaps, Matthew J. Landry, Emily Heying, Zubaida Qamar, Rebecca L. Hagedorn-Hatfield, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Cara L. Cuite, Victoria A. Zigmont, Kendra Oonorasak, Susan Chen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Despite over a decade of both quantitative and qualitative studies, food insecurity among United States college/university students remains a pervasive problem within higher education. The purpose of this perspective piece was to highlight research gaps in the area of college food insecurity and provide rationale for the research community to focus on these gaps going forward. A group of food insecurity researchers from a variety of higher education institutions across the United States identified five thematic areas of research gaps: screening and estimates of food insecurity; longitudinal changes in food insecurity; impact of food insecurity on broader health and academic …

Effects Of Peer-Supported And Self-Guided Exercise On Self-Reported Anxiety And Depression Among Young Adults - A Pilot Study, Xihe Zhu, Michael D. Kostick, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression became heightened issues for college-aged young adults during the global pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a peer-supported exercise intervention on young adults (vs. self-guided exercise) who reported elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression. A parallel group design was used where young adults (n = 27) were randomly assigned to either a peer-supported or self-guided exercise group which lasted for eight weeks. The generalized anxiety and depression subscales of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-34) were measured for a baseline and then at …

Living With Awareness, Courage, And Love: An Accessible Behavioral Intervention To Improve Well-Being, Emerson J. Hardebeck

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Accessing mental healthcare is difficult and has become more so as demand escalated during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to address this problem, an established behavior therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), has recently been adapted into a group-based format called Living with Awareness, Courage, and Love (ACL), which can be disseminated inexpensively and quickly due to its reliance on laypeople, rather than clinicians, as facilitators. This randomized-controlled trial evaluated the effects of a six-week ACL group on participants’ well-being across several domains. Compared to participants in the control group, those in the ACL intervention formed a significantly closer …

Binge Drinking And Protective Behavioral Strategies Among Greek And Non-Greek College Students, Maria Niitepold

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

One of the most problematic habits of college students, binge drinking, has been of particular interest among researchers as a result of the increased risk of harm experienced by students engaging in this high-risk behavior. Fraternity and sorority students have also come under scrutiny for habitually engaging in binge drinking and experiencing significant levels of negative consequences as a result. Little is currently understood about the differences between Protective Behavioral Strategy (PBS) use of Greek and non-Greek students. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in rates of binge drinking and PBS use among Greek and non-Greek …

Changes In Mental Health As A Predictor Of Cannabis Coping Motives And Consequences: Examining The Impact Of Covid-19 Among College Students, Rebecca Dunaief, Adrian Jorge Bravo, James Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Cannabis use is common among college students and many students use cannabis to cope with negative affect. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly stressful time for college students. Subsequently, the present study compared college students who reported increases in anxiety/depression symptoms since COVID-19 stay at home orders to those who reported no change in anxiety/depression symptoms on cannabis coping motives, use frequency, and negative consequences. Specifically, we examined whether self-reported changes (i.e., group that indicated increases) in poor mental health during COVID-19 were associated with problematic cannabis use via higher cannabis coping motives. Method: College students (analytic n = …

A Narrative Inquiry Of Latinx Undergraduates' Participation In High-Impact Educational Practices, Sarah R. Villarreal

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There are systematic barriers to educational equity in the U.S. higher education system, and the system overwhelmingly fails Latinx undergraduates more often than other students. It is crucial that evidence-based methods be used to reduce the existing postsecondary student success inequities. Scholars have linked specific educational practices to positive learning effects. A growing body of evidence has suggested these educational practices, coined high-impact practices (HIPs), provide amplified benefits to historically underserved students (HUS) and may be an effective tool for advancing equity and closing achievement gaps. The extant literature has neither adequately explained the reason(s) that HIPs provide an academic …

Once More, With Feeling: Partnering With Learners To Re-See The College Experience Through Metaphor And Sensory Language, Taran Cardone

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study focuses on better understanding students and their internal worlds through conceptual metaphor theory and sensory language. Using a phenomenological and arts-based approach, I examined students’ metaphorical constructions of their college experiences and the sensory language and information informing those constructions. By engaging participants in a multimodal process to re-see their experience through connoisseurship and criticism, I explored the following research questions: How do students metaphorically structure their college experience? What sensory language do college students use to describe the metaphorical dimensions of their college experience? How does sensory information shape the metaphorical structuring of their college experience? Through …