Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Effects Of Mental Health Barriers On Black Undergraduate Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions, Patrice N. Storey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black college students are experiencing mental health issues at an alarming rate. There is, however, a reluctance among Black college students to seek assistance. There is a stigma surrounding mental health. An individual with a mental illness is often stereotyped as weak, uncontrollable, or paralyzed by demons. Historical incidents such as slavery, the Tuskegee Experiment, Jim Crow, and the forced sterilization of Black women have led the Black community to distrust the medical system. The stigma embedded in the Black community is passed down from generation to generation. This literature review examines existing research on Black students and their perception …

Assessment Of Needs And Priorities For Precision Agriculture And Soil Testing In Arkansas, Solomon Frimpong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Optimum crop production is needed to meet the growing population's food, water, fiber, and energy needs. However, agricultural productivity is hampered by many destabilizing factors such as pest management challenges, declining water quantity, and climate change which threaten long-term food security. Maximizing productivity will require optimizing resources through Precision Agriculture (PA) by supplying inputs based on crop needs. Precision Agriculture offers tools that can be used to optimize crop management practices globally. However, stakeholders’ perceptions and the lack of data-driven site-specific recommendations limit stakeholders’ ability to fully harness the potential benefits of PA. Identification of stakeholder needs and approaches to …

A Simulated Qualitative Study Exploring Higher Education Faculty's Perceptions Of Factors That Influence Dynamic Decision-Making When Choosing Opportunities For Student Engagement In Asynchronous Online Courses, Leticia De La Garza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore higher education faculty’s perceptions of factors that influence dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses. More specifically, this study sought to understand how faculty in higher education perceived these factors to prevent and facilitate dynamic decision-making when designing instructor presence, student-to-student collaboration, and student-to-academic content engagement opportunities in asynchronous online courses, as Garrison et al. (1999) suggest, for a community of inquiry. There has not been much focus on the dynamic decision-making of online instructors in higher education and a call to continue exploring factors that influence …

Social Media And Mental Health: The Public Health Impact And Future Policy Directives, Renae A. Merrill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between social media use among young people and the increasing concerns of mental health problems in the U.S. and globally is on systemic agendas. Furthermore, research on social media use and mental health indicate reasons to suspect a causal relationship, but more work needs to be done. Therefore, this three-article dissertation seeks to explore (1) associations between social media use, personality, and depression; (2) associations between social media emotional support, anxiety, and personality; and (3) the relationship between social media use and mental health using Deborah Stone’s causal stories framework. Findings from this study provide an improved understanding …

From The Arab World To The United States Of America: The Wellness Of Arab Graduate Women Studying In The U.S., Mariam Mostafa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The pursuit of higher education symbolizes a profound and transformative journey, particularly for international students who embark on the path of studying abroad. This dissertation undertakes an in-depth exploration of the well-being of Arab women pursuing their graduate studies in the United States (US), emphasizing four crucial dimensions of wellness: social, mental/emotional, physical, and financial well-being. Employing a qualitative research methodology, this study delves into the multifaceted experiences of this specific student population and investigates how these experiences impact them. Through a series of interviews and rigorous qualitative analysis, we illuminate the distinct challenges and opportunities that Arab graduate students …

Evaluating Garment Fit Perception For Pregnant Women During 1st, 2nd, Or 3rd Trimesters, Nelima Zipporah Barasa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During pregnancy, women experience diverse physical body changes as the pregnancy progresses through different periods. It has been noted that anthropometric changes occur during pregnancy in a non-linear manner and can be measured using 3D body scanners at various stages of pregnancy. The changes are diverse, and impact pregnant women's garment fit differently as the pregnancy progresses through each trimester. Pregnant women have experience in dressing their pre-pregnant bodies in stylish garments and would similarly want to dress fashionably when pregnant. This has led to the need for garments that can accommodate body changes comfortably and fashionably without losing the …

The 2023 Model Core Content Of Disaster Medicine, Bryan J Wexler, Carl Schultz, Paul D Biddinger, Gregory Ciottone, Angela Cornelius, Robert Fuller, Roxanna Lefort, Andrew Milsten, James Phillips, Ira Nemeth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Disaster Medicine (DM) is the clinical specialty whose expertise includes the care and management of patients and populations outside conventional care protocols. While traditional standards of care assume the availability of adequate resources, DM practitioners operate in situations where resources are not adequate, necessitating a modification in practice. While prior academic efforts have succeeded in developing a list of core disaster competencies for emergency medicine residency programs, international fellowships, and affiliated health care providers, no official standardized curriculum or consensus has yet been published to date for DM fellowship programs based in the United States.

Study objective: The objective …

Unveiling Identity: Exploring Afrofuturism In Ekow Nimako’S Contemporary African Diasporic Sculptural Art, Kandra James

Theses

Identity expressed within African diasporic arts has historically been connected to traditional genres such as portraiture. Over time, contemporary artists have explored identity through genres beyond portraiture and through the use of non-traditional materials. The sculptural practice of Ghanaian Canadian artist Ekow Nimako, a fine arts sculptor based in Toronto, Canada, employs the unconventional material of LEGO® to offer a multi-generational perspective into deep diasporic memory. Examining Nimako’s sculptures through the perspective of colonialism and de-colonialism, materiality, and Afrofuturism, this thesis investigates the artist’s exploration of Black historical pasts to shape identities and construct narratives of Black futures. The monumental …

Enhancing A Brand With The Introduction Of Merchandise And A Social Media Content Schedule, Rachel Imming

Theses

This project focuses on how to enhance a brand by incorporating merchandise for the brand and utilizing a social media content schedule to push out content consistently and uniformly. The primary beneficiary of this project is J.E.D.I. Brew Co, a small craft brewery out of Southern Illinois. The aim of the project is to study the important aspects of marketing and brand awareness, in order to help a brand better promote themselves. Ultimately, the project studies consumer engagement, advertising, experiential marketing, storytelling, and consumer behavior to help brands understand how these things affect and aid their business.

Using Retrieval Practice, Variability, And Spacing To Facilitate Understanding Of Complex Information, Rachel Peirce

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Combining the learning strategies of retrieval practice and variability has been shown to be effective in student learning (Butler et al., 2017; Pan & Rickard, 2018), but the temporal structuring of these learning strategies (i.e., massing versus spacing of practice) may benefit or hinder learning. Study 1 investigated whether the benefits of variable retrieval practice relative to repeated retrieval practice that occurs with massed practice extends to spaced practice. Participants watched geology videos that contained a total of 12 concepts, and then either answered three questions or read three study points about each concept. Each of the three questions and …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Sixty-Fourth Annual Commencement, December 2023, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University
One Hundred and Sixty-Fourth Annual Commencement
December 2023

Genome-Wide Significant Risk Loci For Mood Disorders In The Old Order Amish Founder Population, Elizabeth M Humphries, Kwangmi Ahn, Rachel L Kember, Fabiana L Lopes, Evelina Mocci, Juan M Peralta, John Blangero, David C Glahn, Fernando S Goes, Peter P Zandi, Peter Kochunov, Cristopher Van Hout, Alan R Shuldiner, Toni I Pollin, Braxton D Mitchell, Maja Bucan, L Elliot Hong, Francis J Mcmahon, Seth A Ament

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of mood disorders in large case-control cohorts have identified numerous risk loci, yet pathophysiological mechanisms remain elusive, primarily due to the very small effects of common variants. We sought to discover risk variants with larger effects by conducting a genome-wide association study of mood disorders in a founder population, the Old Order Amish (OOA, n = 1,672). Our analysis revealed four genome-wide significant risk loci, all of which were associated with >2-fold relative risk. Quantitative behavioral and neurocognitive assessments (n = 314) revealed effects of risk variants on sub-clinical depressive symptoms and information processing speed. Network …

Cortical Thickness Is Related To Variability In Heritage Bilingual Language Proficiency, My V H Nguyen, Kelly A Vaughn, Hannah Claussenius-Kalman, Pilar Archila-Suerte, Arturo E Hernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Research suggests that bilingual experience is associated with gray matter changes, such that initial language gains are associated with expansion and language expertise is associated with renormalization. Previous studies on language proficiency development primarily focused on between-subjects, quasiexperimental comparisons of monolinguals and bilinguals. This study proposes a new paradigm to examine language expertise and cortical thickness within heritage bilinguals (

Evaluation Of The Quality Of Thyroidectomy-Related Posts On A Video-Based Social Media Platform, Yun J Kim, Matthew Lin, Ryan J Davis, Oluwatobiloba Ayo-Ajibola, Daniel Kwon, Kevin Hur

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of thyroidectomy-related posts on TikTok, the fastest-growing social media platform worldwide.

METHODS: Videos posted from April 2020 to September 2022 were queried on TikTok using the search terms "thyroidsurgery," "thyroidectomy," and "thyroidremoval." Two reviewers recorded thematic, demographic, and performance data of these posts. The DISCERN instrument was used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information contained in the videos. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize post-submitter demographics and video content. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between DISCERN scores and video characteristics. Univariate analysis of variance was …

Behavioral Or Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Of Alzheimer’S Disease: From Psychopathology To Pharmacological Management, Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Natalia Pessoa Rocha, Jennifer Gatchel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neuropsychiatric or behavioral symptoms of dementia encompass a series of disorders, such as anxiety, depression, apathy, psychosis, and agitation, all commonly present in individuals living with dementia. While they are not required for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), they are ubiquitously present in all stages of the disease, contributing to negative clinical outcomes, including cognitive decline, functional disability, and caregiver burden. Neuropsychiatric symptoms have been conceptualized not only as risk factors but as clinical markers of decline along the AD spectrum. The concept of "mild behavioral impairment", the behavioral correlate of mild cognitive impairment, has been proposed within this …

The Hidden Impact Of Orthopedic Surgeries: Examining The Psychological Consequences, Emily R Erwin, Keisha S Ray, Shuyang Han

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Orthopedic surgery is commonly considered "quality of life care," as most orthopedic procedures have been shown to provide excellent pain relief and successful surgical outcomes for patients. Although orthopedic surgeries continue to improve patients' functional outcomes through modern surgical techniques and preoperative psychological screening, variation in patient function persists in current studies. Sub-optimal function in patients has been shown to be associated with emotional health burdens, such as anxiety and depression. Previous research has found that preoperative psychological conditions could negatively affect patients' functional outcomes. However, these studies were limited in that they did not examine novel psychological repercussions in …

Teacher Professional Dialogue For Justice-Oriented Practice: A Qualitative Action Research Study, Megan Leigh Normandin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study used a qualitative action research approach to engage a group of secondary English teachers in a collective inquiry to determine the best model for transformative teacher reflexivity and dialogue. Through solution-focused conversation, the goal was to design a sustainable framework for professional development that fosters creative, just, and compassionate instruction. The primary question explored was: What is an effective structure for sustained reflective dialogue among teachers in a comprehensive public high school? The action research model provided the context for a cyclical process of reflection, discovery, and growth. Findings of this study will form both a blueprint for …

Cultivating Abolitionist Praxis Through Healing-Centered Engagement In Social Justice Youth Arts Programs, Laurel Sarah Butler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This is a critical-phenomenological interview-based study in which young people who participated in Social Justice Youth Arts (SJYA) programs during their teenage years engaged in a series of semi-structured interviews focused on recollecting their lived experiences in those programs and the years since. These interviews investigate the ways in which the principles of Healing-Centered Engagement (Ginwright, 2018) were present within these young people’s experiences of those programs, as well as the extent to which those experiences may have encouraged or cultivated a lived praxis of the principles of the contemporary abolitionist movement (Kaba, 2021; Kaepernick, 2021). This study describes how …

The Impact Of “Wellness Factors” And “Psychological Factors” On Perceived Stress Among Licensed Professional Counselors, Chase Allen Walding

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between “wellness factors” and “psychological factors” on perceived stress among Licensed Professional Counselors. This study was concerned with the predictability of “wellness factors”, specifically self-care, other-care, and “psychological factors,” including self-esteem, anxiety, and resilience on counselor perceived stress. Counselors in this study are defined as Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LPC-Associates), and Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisors (LPC-S). The population of this investigation consisted of counselors at various licensure status’ including LPCs, LPC-Ss, and LPC-As that are current and active members of the Texas Counseling Association, Texas School Counseling …

Buoying Statehood: The Impact Of Rising Sea Levels On Statehood In International Law, Hayley Stancil

North Carolina Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Mail-Order Brides And Human Trafficking In Israel: Forced Marriage As A Form Of Exploitation, Emily Zoffer

North Carolina Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Insufficient Resources To Leadership Burnout In Rural Nonprofit Organizations, Keilee Webb

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze the relationship between the lack of resources in nonprofit organizations and burnout. In this literature review, the aim is to explore various resources affecting nonprofit entities as they relate to organizational capacity. These specific resources will be reviewed and discussed to understand how closely related those resources are to burnout. Additionally, the implications of nonprofit employee and volunteer burnout will be analyzed. Within the literature review, the research indicates nonprofits in rural United States are more likely to encounter a deficit in connections to resources than their urban counterparts. This …

Nobody Has A "Corner On The Market": The Collaborative Use Of Both In-House Counsel And Outside Counsel, Jeffrey Newton

Journal of International Business and Law

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Caring Behaviors In High-Fidelity Simulation Following A Caring Concept Educational Intervention, Debra Ann Mcwilliams

Theses & Dissertations

Background.

Simulation has created a new paradigm in nursing education. Behaviors that demonstrate caring are important aspects of quality nursing practice. Nursing education needs to integrate opportunities to teach caring, and simulation is an ideal environment to do this. Faculty must assist nursing students to establish competence in psychomotor, cognitive, and the affective domains of learning. Many of the widely used, standardized scenarios in simulation predominantly focus on critical-thinking skills while marginalizing the demonstration of caring behaviors.

Purpose.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of a caring concept educational intervention (CCEI) in students’ self-reported confidence …

Elementary English Language Learners' Perceptions Of Teacher Care In The Classroom, Carol Boodram-Wright

Theses & Dissertations

English Language Learners (ELLs) experience care in the classroom based on prior experiences, teacher and student relationships, academic support, health support, and safety. The purpose of this study was to understand how ELLs experience care in the classroom with their classroom teacher as described by six ELL participants. A positive teacher-student relationship rooted in care, comfort, safety, and trust enhanced ELLs' engagement with their classroom teacher. The findings of this qualitative narrative study revealed that unconditional support and individualized quality time contributed to ELLs’ well-being in the classroom. Interpretations of care from the ELLs’ narratives depicted how experiences in the …

The Role Of Quality Of Work Life In Reinforcing Core Competencies: A Descriptive And Analytical Research In The Ministry Of Health, Ali Adnan Hasan, Haider Fadhel Kadhem, Alaulddin B. Jawad

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The research aims to diagnose the shortcomings and weaknesses in applying the dimensions of the quality of work life and the extent of their impact on employees’ attitudes and behaviors, and thus their relationship to enhancing their core competencies. The scientific value of the research stems from highlighting the importance of the dimensions of the quality of professional life in improving the productive efficiency of workers in the public sector and raising the level of organizational performance. Because the quality of working life plays an important role in enhancing the core competencies of employees in the public sector, it can …

Using Team Rewards And Individual Assessment To Incentivize Collaboration In Team Projects, Prasart Jongjaroenkamol

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Team projects are commonly used in higher education across different disciplines to promote cooperation among students. However, achieving this objective can be challenging. To address this issue, educators have explored various strategies, such as implementing peer evaluation or having periodic consultations with teams. In this paper, I present a novel approach to team assessment that combines team rewards with individual assessment. In this assessment, each team member independently takes a quiz, and the team's score is determined by the average performance of its members. Consequently, the team reward becomes intricately tied to the individual learning outcomes of all team members. …

The Psychological Science Accelerator's Covid-19 Rapid-Response Dataset, Erin M. Buchanan, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with …

How Does Parents’ Social Support Impact Children’S Health Practice? Examining A Mediating Role Of Health Knowledge, Paulin Tay Straughan, Chengwei Xu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background: Family environmental factors play a vital role in shaping children’s health practices (e.g., obesity prevention). It is still unclear how parents’ social support affects children’s obesity-related health practices. The present study argues that whether parents’ social support positively associates with children’s obesity-related health practice depends on if it could promote parents’ obesity-related health knowledge. Thus, we hypothesize that health knowledge mediates the relationship between parents’ social support and children’s health practice regarding weight management. Methods: To test the hypothesis, we conducted a questionnaire survey and collected a nationally representative sample of 1488 household responses in Singapore. The survey included …

Greater Traditionalism Predicts Covid-19 Precautionary Behaviors Across 27 Societies, Theodore Samore, D. M. T. Fessler, A. M. Sparks, C. Holbrook, L. Aaroe, Norman P. Li, Kai Lin Lynn Tan, Et Al

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

People vary both in their embrace of their society’s traditions, and in their perception of hazards as salient and necessitating a response. Over evolutionary time, traditions have offered avenues for addressing hazards, plausibly resulting in linkages between orientations toward tradition and orientations toward danger. Emerging research documents connections between traditionalism and threat responsivity, including pathogen-avoidance motivations. Additionally, because hazard-mitigating behaviors can conflict with competing priorities, associations between traditionalism and pathogen avoidance may hinge on contextually contingent tradeoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a real-world test of the posited relationship between traditionalism and hazard avoidance. Across 27 societies (N = 7844), we …