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Rule Breaking In Corporations: Does Leadership And Seriousness Make A Difference?, Marissa T. Montagna, Ellen S. Cohn

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Navigating Cognitive Dissonance Among Lgbtq+ Filipino Americans, Aj Laxa

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how LGBTQ+ Filipino Americans experience and navigate cognitive dissonance related to their intersecting identities, with particular attention to Filipino cultural values, religious beliefs, and family dynamics. Using pakikipagkuwentuhan as a methodology, six LGBTQ+ Filipino American participants engaged in narrative interviews. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis. Three major themes, along with subthemes, emerged: (1) religion as a source of cognitive dissonance, (2) secular Filipino values intensifying cognitive dissonance, and (3) strategies for navigating cognitive dissonance. Participants described navigating conflicts between LGBTQ+ identity and religious teachings, as well as balancing authenticity with relational …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Attitudes And Perceptions Of Female Immigrants Of Chinese Descent Regarding Access To Mental Health Services, Ming Wai Myra Kan

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived experiences and meaning-making of Chinese immigrants’ attitudes and perceptions of mental disorders and mental health-seeking behaviors in the US. This study also explored the cultural and structural barriers to mental health services in the US. A total of six participants were interviewed in this study, and the interviews were conducted in English and Cantonese. Eligible participants identified as being of Chinese descent who immigrated to the US from Hong Kong or Mainland China and were over the age of 18. IPA analysis revealed seven themes: Cultural Identity, Post-Migration Adjustment …

Elevate Hardcase, Caleb J. Bailey, Colby M. Cordoba, Marissa Mccleod, Shaan Sandhu

Mechanical Engineering

The Elevate Hardcase project developed a portable mechanical elevation system that allows users to access rugged hard cases at a comfortable working height without needing a separate table or placing the case on uneven ground. The design focuses on improving ergonomics, portability, stability, and quick setup for users in field environments such as photography, hunting, and maintenance. Through customer research, concept development, prototyping, analysis, and testing, the final system was designed to support a loaded hard case, provide height adjustability, remain stable on uneven terrain, and be deployed by a single user in under five minutes. The final prototype demonstrates …

Combat And Beyond: Predictors Of Post-Traumatic Growth In War Zone Veterans, Gabriela Crucianu

Dissertations

Veterans returning from combat often face psychological challenges, but many also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG), which refers to positive changes that can emerge after trauma. This study explored whether coping strategies, personal characteristics, social support, and combat exposure were associated with PTG in a sample of 42 war zone veterans using quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants completed validated measures assessing combat exposure, coping strategies, social support, personal characteristics (e.g., optimism), and PTG. Regression analyses showed that combat exposure, coping strategies, and optimism were not significant predictors of overall PTG. However, combat exposure was associated with appreciation for life, a dimension …

Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Over-The-Counter Medications Among Undergraduate Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anna S. Dawson

Honors Theses

This study examines and compares knowledge and attitudes towards over-the-counter (OTC) medications among undergraduate college students at the University of Mississippi. OTCs are purchased and administered without a prescription, making them an efficient, safe, and affordable method of healthcare. It is important to determine the attitudes college students have towards these drugs and if they are able to safely and correctly use them. Information gathered from this study can be used to guide future education on medication literacy and to gain insight into how college students use OTCs to medicate themselves. A Qualtrics survey was sent out to a random …

Exploring The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, And Intent To Stay Among Minnesota School Nurses, Kristin K. Coudron

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

School nurses face escalating job demands driven by increasing student health complexity, chronic condition management, and expanding public health responsibilities. Often serving as the sole healthcare professional within a school or district, they work in settings characterized by high autonomy, variable organizational support, and growing concerns about job satisfaction and retention. Limited empirical research has examined how personal and organizational resources jointly relate to school nurses’ intent to remain in practice. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory and the National Association of School Nurses School Nursing Practice Framework, this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study explored relationships among emotional intelligence, …

High School Career And Technical Education (Cte) Programming And Post-Secondary Career Pathways: A Correlational Study, Richard P. Jorgenson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational research project was to examine the association between the 6 CTE components (i.e., curriculum, work-based learning, mentorship/industry connections, student organizations/competitions, non-degree credentials, and experiential learning) and a students’ choice of a career pathway. The current literature stated the benefits of CTE but left a void as to which CTE component had the most impact on a student’s choice of a career pathway. With a theoretical framework based on the Career Self-Management Model, the author analyzed data from a sample consisting of current high school students, former high school students, and current CTE teachers to …

Bridging Research And Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Of Principals' Use Of Implementation Driver Strategies To Support The Adoption Of Evidence-Based Literacy Practices In Minnesota K-12 Public Schools, Jamie L. Nord

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Despite a substantial research base identifying effective reading instruction, some schools continue to struggle to translate evidence-based literacy practices into consistent classroom use. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the relationship between Minnesota K–12 public school principals’ self-reported use of implementation driver strategies and their self-reported adoption of evidence-based literacy practices, while also exploring how principals perceived implementation within their school contexts. Guided by the Implementation Drivers framework, the study included a statewide survey of 138 principals using the researcher-developed Leadership for Literacy Implementation Scale, followed by two focus groups with 10 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive, …

Problems And Risks Within The Agriculture Of Stann Creek, Ethan Bailey

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is a significant part of the economy of Stann Creek, Belize and faces many challenges. This research presents data from farms in the areas surrounding Dangriga regarding the problems that they have been experiencing and potential risks they may face. The research covers family/individual farms, an agriculture cooperative, commercial farms, agritourism businesses, and Mennonite communities. This research was conducted as part of an internship with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of Belize alongside extension officers of the Stann Creek branch of the MOA.

The data from the internship found that agriculture in Stann Creek dealt with problems regarding availability …

What Types Of Uncertainty Emerge In Instructional Aviation Incidents?, Abigail Henson

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study utilized narrative reports from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database to examine the types of uncertainty present in near-miss instructional aviation incidents occurring within the United States between 2015 and 2025. The final dataset consisted of 86 reports, with each report containing a set of narrative accounts from both the student pilot and the flight instructor operating under Part 91 regulations. Each instructional event was classified using a combined framework incorporating uncertainty categorizations and the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). Results indicate that epistemological uncertainty was the most common …

Tourism Dependency: Prosperity Or Precarity, Samson Eby

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tourism Dependency: Prosperity or Precarity

Is being tourism dependent in a developing country a beneficial tool to use to grow economics

Childhood Emotional Maltreatment And Its Associations With Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms In Emerging Adults, Amira C. Wallace

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This study examines how childhood emotional maltreatment influences mental health symptoms among college students aged 18 to 25, specifically exploring its association with increased prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and aggression symptoms in emerging adulthood. The relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and internalizing and/or externalizing mental health symptoms will be assessed using questionnaires. This study aims to provide recommendations for the development of supportive and inclusive academic environments that facilitate informed conversations and interventions regarding childhood maltreatment. Findings could provide valuable information about students with histories of childhood maltreatment to academic institutions, which could in turn be used …

Reflecting On Psychotherapy In Adolescence: A Qualitative Analysis Of Processes Of Change, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a sharp increase in anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescence, and many forms of psychotherapy are shown to be effective. However, most research has examined average effects for manualized treatments that address multiple areas of functioning, which makes it difficult to determine how psychotherapy causes positive change. Process-based therapy postulates that all psychotherapies work through promoting adaptive biopsychosocial patterns of behavior (i.e., processes of change). Research has increasingly focused on the process-based therapy model, and there is a need for qualitative studies to incorporate lived experience into our understanding of change processes. The current study utilized the process-based …

Artificial Intelligence And Translation: Exploring Current Applications, Limitations And Future Potential Of Language Models Through Japanese-English Translation, Loklin Elias Nord

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis highlights the recent improvements and capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically their ability to produce translations between different languages. The continued up-scaling of model sizes has led to breakthroughs in the level of their observed intelligence, allowing them to produce translations that are similar in quality to highly skilled human translators. However, to facilitate the reasoning processes that LLMs now possess, their demand for computational power and the supporting hardware and resources has increased proportionally. Considering the impacts of this technology on the environment, energy resources, and its accessibility, my research explores the possibilities of smaller, highly …

Beyond The Legal Black Hole: Hyper-Legality, Deferral, And Detention In Northeast Syria, Grace T. Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the detention of suspected ISIS affiliates and their family members held in facilities administered by the Kurdish-led authorities in North-East Syria. Thousands of foreign nationals remain detained without trial, without repatriation, and in conditions widely criticized as inhumane. Existing scholarship and political discourse often describe these facilities as legal voids, limbo, or black holes where law has broken down or ceased to apply. This thesis challenges that characterization. Rather than existing outside the law, the facilities are governed through overlapping frameworks of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, counterterrorism security resolutions, and domestic laws. I argue …

Palestinian Motherhood In Lebanon: An Analysis Of The Legal And Humanitarian Systems, Enje Matar

Theses and Dissertations

The lives of Palestinians in Lebanon are shaped by a diversity of factors that are exogenous and endogenous. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the impact of existing institutional, legal, and societal structures on Palestinian refugee mothers. It answers the following main question: how do the legal and humanitarian systems in Lebanon impact Palestinian mothers? It specifically scrutinizes 1) How do these systems shape family dynamics, maternal relations with children, and mothers’ daily lives? 2) How are these systems gendered in ways that represent broader questions of power and control? 3) How do mothers respond to these systems …

Undefined By Design: The Fragmented Public Understanding Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei) By Americans, Caroline Umphlet

Theses and Dissertations

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies have become a contentious issue in contemporary United States public discourse, yet a critical question remains as to whether the public shares a common foundational understanding of these terms. While DEI as a concept has developed and evolved significantly since the 1960s, public understanding remains ardently fragmented.

This thesis aims to answer the research questions: how does the 60+ age group in the US define and understand diversity, equity, and inclusion and DEI policies? The 60+ age group was specifically chosen because their definitions give insight into the publics’ understanding of policy topics when …

Here Comes The Sun: A Diachronic Study Of The Role Of Music In The Amarna Period, Waleed Hawatky

Theses and Dissertations

Music has and continues to play a prominent role in the lives of individuals and in society, hardwired into the human experience and integral to our understanding of the world in both its tangible and intangible manifestations. This was no different in dynastic Egypt, where abundant iconographic and physical evidence from the Old Kingdom onward shows music performed in many diverse contexts at every social level.

Music appears not only to gain prominence during the reign of Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten (c. 1353–1335), also known as the Amarna Period, but also to develop innovations, including new kinds of instruments and musical ensembles, …

Sufism At The Service Of Ḥadīth Commentary: Re-Framing Al-Kalābādhī'S Baḥr Al-FawāʾId In Fourth-Tenth Century Transoxiana, Fadhil Yunus Alsagoff

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Abū Bakr al-Kalābādhī’s (d. 380/990) understudied ḥadīth commentary, the Baḥr al-fawāʾid al-mashhūr bi-maʿānī al-akhbār. The first Anglophone study of the text as a whole, this thesis situates itself within the emergent literature on ḥadīth commentaries and challenges the prevailing scholarly tendency to reduce Sufi-authored commentarial texts to the ishārī method of interpretation and to treat them solely as repositories of Sufi themes. This thesis argues that, contrary to current perceptions of the text as primarily a work of Sufism, the Baḥr al-fawaʾid is first and foremost a work of ḥadīth commentary, its main intent being to …

Dynamic Baseline Schedule Updates Using Digital Twinning: A Case Study On Aluminum Formwork Construction, Ahmed Hamdi Sweilam

Theses and Dissertations

Repetitive high-rise construction using aluminum formwork couples consecutive floor cycles through a reused panel set and a floor-level inspection and pour barrier, so productivity loss compounds upward rather than being absorbed locally. The baseline schedule is nevertheless fixed before execution and is not revised as evidence of realized productivity accumulates. This thesis develops a simulation-based digital twin that updates the baseline from observed as-built durations and acts on its own forecast. A discrete-event simulation of a ten-story residential tower is built in AnyLogic® and verified analytically at 180.00 hours per floor. After each completed floor the twin infers activity productivity …

Embracing Social Media In Identity Exploration And Treatment, Sharon G. Stalions

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

In recent years, Americans are utilizing social media, and particularly video-based social media like TikTok. At the same time, and potentially in response to the ease of access to mental health information online, Americans are increasingly seeking diagnoses. This can be seen not only for mood disorders, but of neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Clinicians are no longer the gatekeepers to information on mental health diagnosis, and some communities question the relevance and validity of a professional diagnosis at all. As digital natives become adult therapy consumers, it is important that clinicians …

How Traditional And Social Media Shapes Public Perception Of United States Surpeme Court Decisions On Civil Liberties, Leila P. Martin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examines how traditional and social medai shape public perception of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on Civil liberties, focusing on four landmark cases: Dobbs v. Jackson, District of Columbia v. Heller, Materpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and Obergfell v. Hodges. Using Entmans framing theory, the research analyzes how tone, language, emphasis, and ideological slant differ across media platofrms and how these frames infleunce public attitudes, insitutional trust, and civic understanding. A mixed-methods design combines archival media analysis, national polling data from Pew Rsearch Center and gallup, and an independent survery to asses how media narratives, rather than …

Restorative Environments And Therapeutic Artmaking: A Strengths-Based Art Gallery Workshop To Enhance Well-Being In Emerging Adults, Jeannine Case

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Emerging adults aged 18 to 29 face increased mental health risks yet encounter considerable barriers to traditional care, which highlights the need for accessible, preventive alternatives. This mixed-methods pilot study investigated whether an art gallery environment could serve as a supportive setting for a strengths-based, positive art therapy-informed wellness workshop aimed at promoting well-being for this population. Six participants between the ages of 20 and 27, all enrolled in post-secondary education, took part in this study. Five identified as female and one as male. Three participants (50%) identified as Hispanic/Latino, one as Asian, one as White, and one as Hispanic/Latino …

Bee Positive Missoula, Sophia Mahoney, Mckenna Hill, Olivia Cornwell, Lucas Hardoerfer, Brandon Quamme

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Bees are an essential species that support the growth of plant communities and enhance human agricultural success. Urbanization is associated with increased impermeable surfaces, large-scale land-use change, and changes in plant and animal community assemblages. Urban expansion exacerbates habitat fragmentation and loss, which has a particularly negative impact on wild or native specialist bee pollinators and the plant species they pollinate. Global and local research indicate the widespread nature of these negative trends; however, there are abundant opportunities to mitigate the impacts on bee pollinators by restoring wild bee habitat in urban areas. Habitat includes nesting and floral resources, and …

Sexual Di(Et)Morphism: Using Experimental Evolution To Test Whether Resource Partitioning Promotes Divergence Of The Sexes In Drosophila Melanogaster, Owen A. Jamieson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sexual dimorphism has been a long-studied phenomenon in the field of evolutionary biology. Usually, these differences in morphology, physiology and/or behaviour between the sexes are studied through the parsimonious lens of sexual selection. However, there are natural history cases where this lens does not seem applicable. Some species show sex specific morphological traits whose presence may not be due to a direct benefit to reproduction, but a difference in how each sex interacts with the environment and differing selective pressures from the environment on either sex. Darwin even brought up examples of this kind of dimorphism and pondered their existence, …

The Benefits Of Mindfulness And Nondual Awareness In Tibetan Mind-Body Practices, Michael E. Szczechowski

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

There is abundant research on the various benefits of different mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in both clinical and non-clinical populations, but research investigating variables related to the beneficial effects on wellness often linked to mindfulness has been limited to investigating a select few MBIs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Additionally, little research exists currently on non-dual awareness (NDA) (Hanley et al., 2018). In many traditions from which mindfulness practices are derived, NDA is conceptualized as an experience in which one achieves a transient state of profound awareness, often through meditation practice. Although NDA is often seen as a powerful and …

Pathways Of Influence: Indigenous Peoples’ Agency And Leadership In Arctic Governance, Justin Barnes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

For the peoples and communities who have lived in the Arctic since time immemorial, Arctic governance is not only about international cooperation, environmental management, or geopolitical competition. It is also about sustaining and advocating for Indigenous livelihoods, relationships with land and water, rights and responsibilities, and opportunities for future generations – all themes directly affected by political decisions made across local, regional, national, and international levels. This dissertation begins from a central question about how Indigenous Peoples exercise their agency and influence in Arctic governance despite operating within an international system largely organized around states. It examines this phenomenon by …

The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention In Rolling-Admission Format On Mental Health Outcomes Of Adults In Residential Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Alice Laughlin

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Opioid use disorder is associated with serious psychological, social, and public health consequences. Co-occurring mental health difficulties further complicate recovery, underscoring the need for interventions that address psychological well-being alongside substance use. This study examined the impact of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention adapted for rolling admission (MBRP-RA) on trait mindfulness, global mental health, and abstinence self-efficacy among adults in residential treatment for opioid use disorder. Participants were randomly assigned to adjunctive MBRP-RA plus treatment as usual (MBRP+TAU) or treatment as usual (TAU) only. Two-way mixed analyses of variance indicated significant treatment condition × time point interactions for trait mindfulness and global …

The Effect Of Hormone Replacement Therapy On Osteoporosis And Osteoporotic Fracture Risk In Postmenopausal Women: A Clinical Review, Keeley E. Benfield

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a silent yet devastating skeletal disease disproportionately affecting postmenopausal women, increasing risk for debilitating fractures, loss of independence, and premature mortality. After menopause, estrogen declines causing rapid acceleration of bone loss, making early intervention critical. This clinical review evaluates whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduces the risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women compared to no HRT.

Methods: PubMed was searched using terms including “Hormone Replacement Therapy,” “postmenopausal women,” “osteoporosis,” “bone mineral density,” and “fractures,” combined with MeSH terms and Boolean operators. Filters limited results to English, free full text randomized controlled trials …