Digital Commons Network^™

Internalized Heterosexism, Shame Proneness, And Disclosure In Clinical Supervision Among Sexual Minority Supervisees, Christian Joseph Carey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sexual minority supervisees face unique struggles including prejudice, discrimination, and heterosexism, which may impact their psychological well-being and development within the supervisory experience through shame proneness and reduced disclosure. This study aims to explore the challenges facing sexual minority trainees and contribute to the empirical knowledge of multicultural supervision. Thus, this study proposes two mediation models for the hypothesized relationships among internalized heterosexism, shame-related withdrawal, shame-related negative self-evaluation, and disclosure in supervision. A total of 170 supervisees identifying as sexual minorities completed an online survey. The primary analysis included a three-step linear regression and confirmatory analysis for mediation. The results …

Exploring Early Childhood Educators’ Attitudes About Addiction And Their Association With Student-Teacher Relationships, Megan E. Mikesell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project aimed to address significant gaps in literature around addiction-related attitudes by identifying early childhood educators’ addiction-related attitudes and how these attitudes associate with their relationships with students who come from homes with addiction. A sample of 501 ECEs completed an online survey which included the Public Attitudes About Addiction Survey (PAAS; a 54-item measure used to identify a person’s beliefs about addiction across five models), the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS; a 15-item scale used to measure the level of closeness and conflict), and various demographic and community questions. Path analysis revealed that both moral and nature aligned attitudes …

Social Comparison Theory: The Effects Athletic Influencers Have On An Appalachian Generation Z Men Audience, Aaron David Dickens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many studies have highlighted how social comparison can influence self-efficacy for exercise, body dissatisfaction, and motivation to exercise, especially on social media; in addition, several studies have supported how attitude toward exercise and confidence toward exercise correlate with one another. However, these dependent variables have not been examined in the context of Generation Z men in Appalachia. Despite the lack of literature on this demographic, it is important to study Generation Z Appalachian men because of the frequent health problems this demographic faces, such as obesity. Therefore, this pretest-posttest between-subjects lab experiment investigated how an athletic influencer on social media …

Final Report: Conceptualizing Ethics, Authenticity, And Efficacy Of Simulations In Teacher Education, Carrie Wilkerson Lee, Liza Bondurant, Bima Sapkota, Heather Howell, Yvonne Lai

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This working group was a continuation of working groups in 2019 and 2021 that initially aimed to focus on equity in simulations of practice in mathematics teacher education. We began by discussing our conceptualizations of simulations and equity. Next, we reflected on the lack of work that currently exists at the intersection of simulations and equity as well as our limited collective expertise in this space. We proposed the following areas of potential research: Access, Design, Affective Domains, Teaching Practices, Assessment, Critical Conversations. Attendees self-selected into focus groups and met to discuss their current work and how future work could …

Radiogenomics Of C9orf72 Expansion Carriers Reveals Global Transposable Element Derepression And Enables Prediction Of Thalamic Atrophy And Clinical Impairment, Luke W. Bonham, Ethan G. Geier, Daniel W. Sirkis, Josiah K. Leong, Eliana Marisa Ramos, Qing Wang, Anna Karydas, Suzee E. Lee, Virginia E. Sturm, Russell P. Sawyer, Adit Friedberg, Justin K. Ichida, Aaron D. Gitler, Leo Sugrue, Michael Cordingley, Walter Bee, Eckard Weber, Joel H. Kramer, Katherine P. Rankin, Howard J. Rosen, Adam L. Boxer, William W. Seeley, John Ravits, Bruce L. Miller, Jennifer S. Yokoyama

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) within C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Thalamic atrophy occurs in both sporadic and familial FTD but is thought to distinctly affect HRE carriers. Separately, emerging evidence suggests widespread derepression of transposable elements (TEs) in the brain in several neurodegenerative diseases, including C9orf72 HRE-mediated FTD (C9-FTD). Whether TE activation can be measured in peripheral blood and how the reduction in peripheral C9orf72 expression observed in HRE carriers relates to atrophy and clinical impairment remain unknown. We used FreeSurfer software to assess the effects of C9orf72 HRE and clinical diagnosis (n …

Digital Deception And The Illusion Of Choice: How Dark Patterns Undermine Informed Consent Gdpr, Wajeeha Khan

Computer Science

Our investigation builds on prior research to examine global e-commerce data privacy, focusing on compliance with GDPR and CCPA laws introduced in 2018 and 2020. This study reveals uneven adherence to GDPR and CCPA regulations across e-commerce platforms, underscoring the persistent use of dark patterns. UK and French sites lead in GDPR compliance at 85% and 80%, while U.S. sites showed 65% adherence to CCPA. Turkish websites displayed a surprising 85% - 95% compliance with European standards. In contrast, South African platforms showed a low 30% compliance, often utilizing implicit consent methods. These findings expose significant gaps and inconsistencies in …

Higher Education’S Effect On Retention: Exploring The Experiences Of Cps Caseworkers, Alisa S. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study was an exploration of Child Protective Services (CPS) frontline caseworkers' experiences. The problem investigated was the high number of caseworkers who lacked the knowledge and skills necessary to do their job and the constant turnover of workers within the agency. Although previous researchers have explored many factors that cause caseworker turnover, the research has not focused much on the caseworkers’ perspective. Therefore, this qualitative study explored CPS caseworkers’ opinions and experiences using virtual semistructured interviews. The study specifically focused on the impact that education and training has on job performance and turnover. The study population was …

Crossing Paths: Landscape Planning For Human-Wildlife Balance, Benjamin J. Smail

Landscape Architecture Theses

Design methods to reconnect the Salish and Kootenai people, as well as those permitted to visit, to their ancestral lands and historical/cultural sites as well as the safe and efficient movement of native animal species throughout the valley is the goal of this research. Constraints will first be identified in understanding how this reconnection works with the hurdles of current and future urban development, private property, watersheds (historical and current), agriculture, and historical landmarks. Next, typological studies of other efforts in wildlife mobility will be compared with current funding opportunities and their preferences in a ‘program matrix’. This program matrix …

The Enigmatic Nature Of Toxic Masculinity: Utilizing Quasi-Photovoice Methodology To Make Distinctions Between Hegemonic And Toxic Masculinity, Taylor Elizabeth Remsburg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Studies of masculinity are fraught by inconsistent and unclear definitions. A comparison of literature which uses either hegemonic or toxic masculinity as a framework reveals that toxic masculinity can be virtually indistinguishable from hegemonic masculinity. I posit that toxic masculinity is and should be distinct from hegemonic masculinity. Failure to distinguish toxic masculinity from hegemonic masculinity makes toxicity difficult, if not impossible, to operationalize. I designed a vignette survey to clarify the conceptualization and operationalization of toxic masculinity. My vignette survey, which asks participants to respond to prompts regarding both toxic masculinity and masculinity, uses quasi-photovoice methodology to allow participants …

Understanding And Evaluating Stereotypes Towards Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptom Subtypes, Gabriella T. Ponzini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Public stigma has detrimental impacts on those with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, stereotypes associated with OCD are poorly understood. Given the heterogeneity of OCD symptom presentations, a conceptualization of stereotypes associated with symptom subtypes is warranted to inform stigma reduction efforts.

In Study 1 (N = 60), participants read one of five vignettes on OCD subtypes (Symmetry/Just Right, Contamination, Sexual, Harm/Aggression, or Scrupulous) prior to responding to Internet-delivered open-ended questions. Study 1 methods followed the qualitative description framework, such that data were derived from participant responses and findings were presented using participant language. Prior to final coding and …

First Year Teacher In Appalachia: Place, Identity, Tensions, Michael Renee Lane

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study centers on one first-year Social Studies teacher who is beginning her teaching career in a rural middle school in central Appalachia. Grounded in sociocultural theory, this qualitative study focuses understanding how the focal teacher discursively constructs her teaching identity including how she makes use of sociocultural resources, social practices, and the discourses she draws from as she describes her experiences. Data is drawn from a five-month interpretive qualitative case study that included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and the focal teacher’s personal journals. Data analysis indicated that place is crucial in shaping teachers’ beliefs and practices—including their conceptions of …

Nature Based Interventions For Human Health And Wellbeing, Samantha I. Moyers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background. Nature exposure is beneficial to human health and wellbeing, but the evidence base for nature-based interventions (NBI) is still developing. Heterogeneous naming conventions, study designs, and intervention contexts create difficulty in accessing and assessing the evidence for such programming. While NBI have been utilized in a wide array of human populations, no interventions have been reported among clinical health professions students. Aims. The objectives of this dissertation project were to review the existing body of NBI literature exploring health and wellbeing outcomes, and to conduct a feasibility trial of forest bathing, a type of NBI, among clinical students. Specifically, …

Outdoor Recreation Benefits In Urban Areas: An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Residents' Perception In Morgantown, West Virginia, Zachary D. Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Outdoor Recreation Benefits in Urban Areas: An Importance-Performance Analysis of Residents’ Perception in Morgantown, West Virginia

Zachary Cox

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in outdoor recreation has surged in primitive, rural, and even urban settings. Similarly, outdoor recreation studies that focus on residents have continually grown post-COVID-19. Through shared activities and a sense of community, residents have a strong voice in the decisions and improvements of their local environmental spaces. The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits of outdoor recreation among residents in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia. To identify these benefits and perceptions, researchers …

Evaluation Of Emerging Screening Technologies For The On-Site Detection And Identification Of Methamphetamine And Its Precursors In Simulated Clandestine Lab Operations, Alexis Nicole Wilcox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stimulant drugs comprise one of the top drug categories abused in the United States. Due to its accessibility, low price, and manufacturing simplicity, methamphetamine is frequently placed within the top 10 seized drugs in the country. As of March 2023, methamphetamine is the most seized controlled substance in the United States, with 34,291 kg. In 2022, the United States seized over 79,000 kg of methamphetamine. One reason for the proliferation of methamphetamine is related to the production itself, which does not require large warehouses but can be manufactured in houses using relatively accessible materials and small containers. When a clandestine …

Program Evaluation Of A Type 1 Diabetes Transition Process For Emerging Adults, Anna J. Shashura

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose: To evaluate a structured transition program, Preparing Emerging Adults with Knowledge and Skills (PEAKS), for pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in an outpatient pediatric endocrinology center.

Design and Methods: Program evaluation was completed following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, focusing on implementation adherence, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and provider satisfaction for the first three visits of the PEAKS program. Satisfaction was assessed using the Got Transition Sample Health Care Transition Feedback Survey for Clinicians. Implementation adherence and HbA1C were gathered using retrospective chart review.

Results: Less than half …

The Influence Of Spirituality On Caregiver Burden And Quality Of Life In Older Adult Informal Caregivers, Stephanie Marie Young

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Caregiver burden reduces quality of life (QOL) and is associated with poorer health outcomes. Older adults may be more susceptible to caregiver burden due to advancing age and declining health. Spirituality has been shown to reduce caregiver burden and improve QOL.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the direct or indirect influence of spirituality on caregiver burden and caregiver QOL in older adult caregivers. The specific aims were 1) to determine the prevalence of caregiver burden in a nationally representative sample of older adult informal caregivers of other adults and 2) to investigate the relationships among …

Imitation Learning For Swarm Control Using Variational Inference, Hafeez Olafisayo Jimoh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Swarms are groups of robots that can coordinate, cooperate, and communicate to achieve tasks that may be impossible for a single robot. These systems exhibit complex dynamical behavior, similar to those observed in physics, neuroscience, finance, biology, social and communication networks, etc. For instance, in Biology, schools of fish, swarm of bacteria, colony of termites exhibit flocking behavior to achieve simple and complex tasks. Modeling the dynamics of flocking in animals is challenging as we usually do not have full knowledge of the dynamics of the system and how individual agent interact. The environment of swarms is also very noisy …

Disaster Risk Assessment In The Context Of Social Justice Using Geospatial Data Analytics, Behrang Bidadian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Disaster Risk Assessment in the Context of Social Justice Using Geospatial Data Analytics

Behrang Bidadian

In recent decades, urban areas have witnessed a rise in floods which have posed a significant threat to human life and wealth, due to the effects of global warming. While researchers have conducted extensive studies on natural disaster risk focusing on components such as hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, certain aspects of this field have remained inadequately understood. To fulfill this need, the primary objective of this dissertation was to enhance our understanding of flood risk in urban areas, considering it a crucial example of natural …

Understanding The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On West Virginia Students In Secondary School, Hannah Mckenzye Layman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract 1

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the mental health of young people. Mental health disparities among youth are abundant, so understanding how the pandemic may have affected specific sub-groups to develop tailored interventions to mitigate variations in health disparities is essential. Methods: School-based survey data from the Young Mountaineer Health Study (YMHS) was used to create generalized estimating equations models predicting anxiety and depression among early adolescents. The cohort sample included 2,322 students. Waves 1, 2, and 3 were collected ~6 months apart. Independent variables included COVID-19-related emotional impact (scale range: 5-25) and social support. Results: Average age …

The Creation Of Virtual Online Small Groups To Increase Member Participation And Build Community At The Redding Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Robert Fisher

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many churches have struggled to continue to accomplish mission in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic while complying with the mandated restrictions. The Redding Seventh-day Adventist Church already struggled with no small group ministry prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the “stay at home” requirements for churches only increased feelings of isolation in the Redding Church members. These feelings of isolation created a hindrance to mission and resulted in a severe lack of biblical community.

Method

The research method employed in the design of this project was a qualitative one. It explored the question under examination by using NCD …

A Strategy To Increase Spiritual Maturity By Practicing Spiritual Disciplines At Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Houston, Texas, Robert W. Norwood

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church has been a pillar in the Third Ward community of Houston since the 1900s. Berean has two distinctions. It is the only Seventh-day Adventist church in downtown Houston. It is also the only predominantly African American Seventh-day church in the area. Its DNA has always been community and civic minded. Like many other churches, Berean is a commuter church. There are two individuals who live near the church; however, the majority of the members who attend Berean commute to the church to minister to the community. Berean was established by individuals who had a desire …

Premarital Education : A Comprehensive Approach For Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In The Italian Union, Roberto Ianno

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Although the Adventist Church upholds the importance of a Christlike and stable marriage, the Italian Union historically never developed a systematic and comprehensive approach to both premarital counseling and enrichment programs for married couples, whose preparation is aleatory and depends on both/either the pastor’s approach and/or the couple’s request. The results could be a weakening of both marital stability and marital satisfaction. We assume that the root problem is a naïve understanding of marriage which causes couples to put more effort into preparing for the wedding day rather than for the marital journey.

Method

An action research intervention was …

Dispositional Optimism And Autonomic Reactivity During Passive-Coping And Active-Coping Stress Tasks, Emma R. Pino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Optimism is a positive psychological factor that has been associated with improved mental and physical health outcomes. To better understand the mechanism through which optimism results in improved health, researchers have examined whether autonomic reactivity to stress moderates this relation. While many studies have examined the relation between optimism and autonomic reactivity to stress, findings are mixed. Although some studies have found optimism to be associated with reductions in heart rate and blood pressure responses to acute stress presentations, many studies exploring this relation have found optimism to be associated with greater blood pressure responses to stress. However, most of …

Transfer Information Online: Websites And Articulation Agreements At The City University Of New York, A. W. Logue, Chet Jordan, Matthew Townsell, Nicol Bellettiere, Rhina Torres

Publications and Research

Objective: Transfer students face a range of potential challenges as they prepare to move from one college to another. Websites are critical resources for transfer students because they can be easily accessible sources of information concerning credit transfer, advising, articulation agreements, and additional transfer administrative policies and procedures. Detailed assessments of colleges’ website transfer information can provide information useful to higher education institutions regarding how transfer information should and should not be communicated online. Methods: The present study examined transfer information on the websites of 19 colleges of The City University of New York (CUNY). This examination assessed the presence …

Challenges For Successful Transfer From Community To Bachelor’S Colleges: Views Of Staff And Faculty With Transfer Responsibilities, A. W. Logue, Kerstin Gentsch, Yoshiko Oka, David Wutchiett, Stephanie Abbeyquaye

Publications and Research

Staff and faculty have influential roles in the success of students transferring from associate’s- to bachelor’s-degree programs (vertical transfer students). Our survey compared the reported views on transfer of 607 staff and faculty with transfer responsibilities in associate’s or bachelor’s programs at 19 City University of New York colleges. The findings included: (1) Staff reported feeling more confident in their responsibilities than did faculty. (2) Participants working with associate’s-degree students were more likely to report their colleges had sufficient transfer-service resources. (3) Associate’s-degree faculty were the least likely participant group to respond that the biggest barrier to the transfer process …

Misogynistic Extremism: A Scoping Review, Robin O'Hanlon, Frederick L. Altice, Roy Ka-Wei Lee, Jack Laviolette, Gloria Mark, Orestis Papakyriakopoulos, Koustuv Saha, Munmun De Choudhury, Navin Kumar

Publications and Research

In recent years, the concept of “misogynistic extremism” has emerged as a subject of interest among scholars, governments, law enforcement personnel, and the media. Yet a consistent understanding of how misogynistic extremism is defined and conceptualized has not yet emerged. Varying epistemological orientations may contribute to the current conceptual muddle of this topic, reflecting long-standing and on-going challenges with the conceptualization of its individual components. To address the potential impact of misogynistic extremism (i.e., violent attacks), a more precise understanding of what this phenomenon entails is needed. To summarize the existing knowledge base on the nature of misogynistic extremism, this …

Evaluation Of The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels 8th Edition) Measures For Use With The Energy Express Summer Literacy Program, Maria Boki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examines the suitability of the DIBELS 8^th edition assessment for use within the scope and context of the Energy Express summer literacy program. The 6-week summer program helps children in grades K-5 from rural and low-income West Virginia communities improve or maintain their reading levels over the summer months. Standard, grade-appropriate DIBELS 8^th subtests were administered to 1,065 participants at the beginning and end of Summer 2022. The resulting pre- and post-scores were cross-referenced with demographic data and attendance rates from 20 counties and 35 sites in West Virginia. They were then analyzed for correlations …

Negative Forces In Consumption: Their Unpleasant But Undeniable Influence On Consumers, Yumei Mu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An unfortunate reality of consumer behavior is that it has a negative side: Consumers can experience negative emotions (Harrison-Walker, 2019); firm-consumer relationships can grow sour (Do, 2019); and so on. Already quite prevalent, negative forces in consumption have only increased lately because of the COVID-19 pandemic (Gaydos, 2020). Given the pervasiveness of negative forces in consumer behavior, it is very important for consumer psychologists to study them. To that end, the three essays in this dissertation explore wide-ranging facets of negative forces in consumer behavior and, collectively, greatly augment the field’s understanding of the behaviors, processes, and outcomes comprising the …

Not A Do-Or-Die Affair: Freelance Journalists In Nigeria And Ethical Dilemmas, Tolulope O. Olasoji

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explores the ethical dilemmas Nigerian freelance journalists face and their implications for their work. It will use in-depth interviews with select freelance journalists. Several studies have established that ethical concerns are rife in—and indeed the bane of—journalism in Nigeria. However, these pieces of research reflect the reality across conventional newsrooms, where, ideally, there is some organizational structure and support. No scholarly attention has been given to freelance journalists, otherwise known as entrepreneurial journalists, due to their autonomous nature, to understand the ethical dilemmas they may be entangled in primarily. This study seeks to address this gap in research. …

A Program Evaluation Of The West Virginia University Health Science Center Interprofessional Education First-Year Curriculum, Kathryn Lynn Smalley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The Interprofessional Education (IPE) First-Year Program was started at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center in 2013 with the goal of providing participants introductory knowledge of the IPE Core Competencies as defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). This program transfers 16 different disciplines out of their isolated educational silos and allows them to learn about, for, and with one another. Participants are introduced to foundational knowledge through several didactic sessions over the course of an academic year. Although the program has been increasingly incorporated by many health sciences disciplines since its inception, it has never officially …