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The Cultural Adaptation Of An Eating Disorders Assessment Tool For South Asian American Women, Neha J. Goel

Theses and Dissertations

South Asians (SAs) are less likely to be screened, referred, and treated for eating disorders (EDs), although they experience these serious health conditions at rates similar to those of their White counterparts. Available ED assessment tools do not adequately capture cultural nuances in the presentation of eating psychopathology in SAs. Thus, the current study culturally adapted the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) to enhance its validity, applicability, and cultural relevance for SA women living in the US. During the cultural adaptation phase, the principal investigator consulted with participant experts (N=24) and research experts (n=4) to create the …

Transgender Perceptions Of Breast Health Care And Utilization Of Preventative Breast Imaging Services, Cherish Parham

Theses and Dissertations

Little information exists on transgender patient perceptions of breast imaging care at mammography facilities. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of transgender patients at mammography facilities, their knowledge of breast care, and how these experiences have shaped their perceptions of the breast imaging community and attitude toward breast cancer screening. By applying the revised the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, this study addressed factors specific to the transgender population that may affect their healthcare utilization and how that impacts health outcomes. Researchers collected data from transgender/non-binary individuals in the Richmond, Virginia region …

Leveraging Large Language Models For Enhancing Well-Being In The Digital Age, Xiaobo Guo

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The 21st century has seen dramatic shifts in human interactions with information, peers, and the environment, primarily driven by the proliferation of online platforms and social media. These advancements offer more access to information and global connectivity, but also present challenges such as information overload, misinformation, online harms, and biased reporting that can negatively impact user well-being. This thesis examines the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) — advanced forms of artificial intelligence that understand and generate human-like text — in enhancing well-being in the digital age. The study begins by exploring the potential of LLMs to detect early signs …

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Richmond Field Office seeks to diversify their applicant pool. In an effort to provide information on how to meet this need, our doctoral team analyzed the social media sites of six federal law enforcement agencies to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Headquarters, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Richmond Field Office, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshal Service. By examining a 60-day window of images and their associated text on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, we wanted to gain a stronger understanding of …

The Effects Of Actions And Characteristics In The Perception Of Aggressive Intentions : The Case Of Russia Border States After The 2022 Invasion Of Ukraine, Noah Duteil

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

How alliance structures form and why states balance, bandwagon, or remain neutral against other states is an enduring and important question in international relations. This thesis adds to the discussion of how states make alliance decisions by testing whether perceptions matter in predicting state balancing behavior and by proposing a new theoretical framework which allows for a better understanding of the mechanisms which drive the perception of aggressive intentions as a factor within Stephen Walt’s balance of threat theory. In this thesis, I explore the construction of threat through a comparative case study analysis of border states of Russia following …

Attentional Demands Of Smooth Pursuit, Sasha Marie Willis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates whether maintenance of smooth pursuit eye movements requires attention or if the traditional small-spot pursuit stimulus has propagated this long-held belief by imposing the attentional demands of the saccadic system (through foveation) onto the pursuit task. Using a within-subjects design, we compare single- and dual-task performance for two difficulty levels of an auditory tone discrimination task and a pursuit eye movement task with both small and large pursuit targets (N = 10). Pursuit performance improved when target size increased (for catch-up saccade rate and steady-state gain) and when auditory task difficulty increased (for catch-up saccade rate). …

Augmenting Back-Translation Decision Making With Latent Semantic Analysis: Predicting Expert Decisions With Semantic Similarity Scores From American Sign Language, Jared A. Embree

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focused on a novel improvement to the current method for adapting assessments into American Sign Language (ASL). Bilingual Deaf adults participated in back translations across the United States, and those back-translation decisions were assessed by human experts to judge similarity in meaning. Translations were compared to original text samples using two types of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) models to compute semantic textual similarity (STS) scores, and to calculate weighted Youden Index (WYI) Scores. These scores were used to determine the ideal cutoff to be used when making judgments and compared to human expert decisions. The results revealed that …

The Nebulous Binaries Of C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, Amantia Menalla

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Much of C.S. Lewis’ novel Till We Have Faces can be examined through one of two binaries. The tension between rationality, or reason, and spirituality, or religion, is one of the core facets of both the text and its main character, Orual. Orual feels the pull of both ideas and thus spends most of the novel in a nebulous space between them. This tension is further complicated by the space between the feminine and the masculine which she also inhabits. By covering her face and body, Orual de-emphasizes her feminine identity and takes on a masculine role, dressing as a …

Research Priorities For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: A Long View, Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

This article introduces the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research Special Issue: Selected Papers From the 2022 Apraxia Kids Research Symposium. The field of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) has developed significantly in the past 15 years, with key improvements in understanding of basic biology including genetics, neuroscience, and computational modelling; development of diagnostic tools and methods; diversity of evidence-based interventions with increasingly rigorous experimental designs; and understanding of impacts beyond impairment-level measures. Papers in this special issue not only review and synthesize the some of the substantial progress to date but also present novel findings addressing critical research …

Intergenerational Connections: Us College Students’ Attitudes And Expectations Toward Older Adults And Aging In An Online Critical Community Engagement Project, Sandra L. Faulkner, Madison Pollino, Jaclyn Shetterly, Wendy K. Watson

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

We present a critically focused, semester-long community engagement project entitled Intergenerational Connections as a form of critical interpersonal and family communication pedagogy (CIFCP). The project utilized Zoom to connect small groups of undergraduate students in the US enrolled in a course on relational communication with older adults in a long-term care facility to dialogue about close relationships. We were interested in how dialogue across generations maintained or altered students’ attitudes and expectations about communicating with older adults and analyzed student reflections before, during, and after the dialogues using a turning point analysis. The study was framed using Social Identity Theory …

Revising The Indian Plenary Power Doctrine, M. Henry Ishitani, Alexandra Fay

Michigan Journal of Race and Law

The federal Indian law doctrine of Congressional plenary power is long overdue for an overhaul. Since its troubling nineteenth-century origins in Kagama v. United States (1886), plenary power has justified invasive Congressional interventions and undermined Tribal sovereignty. The doctrine's legal basis remains a constitutional conundrum. This Article considers the Court's recent engagement with plenary power in Haaland v. Brackeen (2023). It argues that the Brackeen opinions may signal judicial readiness to reevaluate the doctrine. The Article takes ahold of Justice Gorsuch's critical assessment and runs with it, ultimately proposing a method for cleaning up this destructive and constitutionally dubious line …

Teaching Positive Psychology Lessons In An Intensive English Program, Carolee Rogers, Benjamin L. Mcmurry, Dan Dewey

Faculty Publications

This article investigates the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in an intensive English program for non-matriculated university students. Interventions based on the PERMA model were implemented through weekly 65-minute lessons given during the first class of each week. These were followed by short daily activities during the rest of the week. Using positive psychology topics as the content, students concurrently engaged in language learning activities. Each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the semester consisting of five open-ended questions relating to the PPIs, the lessons, the activities, the topics, and how they felt the …

Here-, There-, And Every Where-: Exploring The Role Of Pronominal Adverbs In Legal Language, David Chandler, Brett James Hashimoto

Faculty Publications

Many have claimed that pronominal adverbs, such as hereby, thereafter, and wherein, are a frequent, distinctive, and problematic in their use in legal language (Tiersma, 1999; Mellinkoff, 2004). The purpose of this study is to examine those claims empirically. In the present study, the prevalence of PAs in legal registers is compared to more general registers of contemporary American English to determine the extent to which these words are distinctly legal. The study will also explore why different types of PAs may be (in)frequent in specific legal registers to better understand their use. The frequency of PAs was extracted from …

Concepts And Measures Of Human Intelligence And Anthropology: A Systematic Review Of Academic Literature From 1930s To 2010s, Leilani Maldonado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the evolution of intelligence research and its contextualization within historical biases. Using a meta-analysis approach, the study examines word frequencies in academic literature spanning from the 1930s to the 2010s to identify shifting trends in intelligence discourse. Eleven search terms related to intelligence were analyzed to interpret changes in academic focus over time. The findings reveal significant shifts influenced by historical events, societal movements, and advancements in technology and methodology. From the prominence of IQ measures during World War II to the rise of cognitive science in the 1960s and the emergence of emotional intelligence in the …

In My End Is My Beginning: Mary Stuart And The Foundation Of Her Religious Pragmatism, Shantelle M. Clement

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and Dowager Queen of France, demonstrated atypical religious tolerance during the turmoil of the sixteenth-century reformations, particularly in comparison to other monarchs of the time. This research especially focuses on her upbringing in France, and how her education and those around her influenced the pragmatism and actions displayed as a monarch in Scotland until July 1565. Her youth in France and religious tolerance is a rare focus in secondary sources compared to the more dramatic events in her later life.

Sexual Assault Disclosure: The Role Of Survivor And Disclosure Recipient Race & Ethnicity, Nola J.A. Browne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

To date, most research on sexual assault disclosure has utilized samples composed predominately of White women (Fedina et al., 2018). As a result, there is a need for research that examines sexual assault disclosure within racially and ethnically diverse samples. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether survivors’ race/ethnicity is related to whether they disclose their sexual assault to others of the same and different races and ethnicities. The study recruited undergraduate college students from the UCF Psychology Department Sona System to complete an online survey that assessed history of sexual assault and disclosure of sexual assault …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: An Anthropological Exploration Of Overdose Prevention Experiences And Perceptions Among People Who Use Drugs In Orlando, Florida, Maria De Los Angeles Ocando Monaco

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The ongoing overdose problem in the United States, particularly exacerbated by the widespread use of fentanyl, and polydrug use, represents a critical public health challenge. This thesis explores how people who use drugs (PWUD) in Orlando, Florida, are responding to the overdose problem in their community. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted at a syringe services program in Summer 2023, I argue that PWUD in Orlando actively take measures to prevent overdose and overdose deaths but are faced with many obstacles that challenge their overdose prevention efforts. I examine overdose narratives of PWUD to show how factors preventing effective overdose prevention …

Curanderismo And Healing: Insights From Hispanic Young Adults, Allisa Castro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Curanderismo is a holistic form of traditional medicine primarily used by Latin American populations and Hispanic communities in the United States. This type of care focuses on several aspects of health including physical, emotional and spiritual (supernatural). Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority population in the United States and yet healthcare access to this population remains limited by various barriers including lack of insurance, legal status, language, poverty, and other structural factors. Within this context, exploring the perceptions and role of traditional medicine, like curanderismo, as a form of healthcare becomes crucial in understanding and addressing the unique healthcare needs …

Assessing Preventive Care Utilization For Cardiovascular Disease Among U.S. Latinos, Melanie Helena Paredes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accounting for nearly 19% of the United States population in 2020, Latinos and Hispanics represent the second largest racial/ethnic group in the United States, totaling roughly 62.1 million people. Given the growing population size and longer life expectancy estimates amongst the U.S. Latino/Hispanic community, healthcare practitioners and public health officials are increasingly emphasizing the healthcare needs and outcomes of this population. Alarmingly, current literature has highlighted significant disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and risk factors among U.S. Latinos/Hispanics. As CVD continues to be one of the leading causes of death amongst all racial/ethnic groups across the United States, risk …

Ratón Pérez: A Translation Of The Spanish Tooth Fairy Legend, Sasmeta Giriraj

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Ratón Pérez story is an essential landmark in the childhoods of many, especially in Latin American culture. The tale serves as a tool to help children with the anxiety and pain that may be associated with loss of their primary teeth and creates an exciting tradition for them to partake in. Despite the prevalence of this story among Hispanic populations, the last translation of it into English was by Ada Margarete Smith, Lady Moreton (1914). Given the large oral health disparity between the Hispanic population and other ethnic groups in the United States, a more updated translation may serve …

Caring For The Caregiver: A Study On The Quality Of Life Of Informal Caregivers Of Aging And Elderly Adults With Down Syndrome, Isabel E. Latorre-Lagos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research studied the quality of life of informal caregivers of aging and elderly adults with Down syndrome. Prior research indicates some degree of deteriorating Quality of Life (QoL) for caregivers, however, there is no empirical research isolating the aspect QoL affected. This study seeks to research the following two questions: 1) What are the trends in the four domains that influence Quality of Life, both positively and negatively, of informal caregivers of aging and elderly adults with Down syndrome? and 2)What supports do caregivers of aging and elderly adults with Down syndrome want to improve their own Quality of …

The Use Of Telehealth Evaluations For Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Children Aged 0-7: A Literature Review, Teah L. Ruiz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The following literature review was intended to review current research studies related to diagnostic evaluation using Telehealth for young children aged 0-7 seeking a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The analyzed research created a comprehensive guide on the quality, quantity, and state of Telehealth research for ASD evaluation will result. Through the synthesis of available literature, the strengths, and weaknesses of different models of Telehealth ASD evaluation were assessed. The results of this literature review found that there is evidence to support Telehealth’s use in some aspects of evaluation, but not as a stand-alone methodology. Further research is required …

The Effects Of Bilingualism And Trust On Digital Scam Susceptibility, Grace M. Casanova

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Trust is an essential component of social relationships and is connected to how we make informed decisions. Humans tend to use mental shortcuts to arrive to decisions, a strategy which may be exploited by scammers. As online scams have become more common, it is critical to understand factors that can influence appraisal of potentially untrustworthy sources. The present study focused on language, in the form of self-reported bilingualism, and its relation to scam susceptibility. Language is a factor that contributes to alterations in brain structure, cognitive performance, and cognitive control systems. Bilinguals show advantages in the form of increased synaptic …

Deceptive Realities: Exploring The Nexus Of Fake News, Artificial Intelligence, And Public Perception, Victor E. Milanes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Our research delves into two critical areas: fake news and artificial intelligence (AI). Historically, fake news predates the printing press, but its resurgence after the 2016 US Presidential Election garnered mass attention. Studies indicate its potency, with one fake article found to be as influential as a campaign ad (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). However, partisan media likely skews its impact on public perception.

Conversely, AI's integration has surged in recent years, sparking both excitement and concern among the public (Pew Research Center, 2022). Its ability to generate hyper-specific images, demonstrated by DALL·E 2 and Midjourney, poses challenges in distinguishing real …

Misrepresentation Of The Archaeological Record And Identity In Italy, Julienne Zambri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the practice of the misrepresentation and manipulation of the archaeological record in Italy as it relates to identity formation through three main case studies. Moving chronologically, it begins by analyzing the Palermo National Exposition and the Mostra Etnografica Siciliana of Giuseppe Pitrè using Edward Said’s Orientalism to reveal the othering of Sicilians at this exposition. The second case study looks at the Mostra Augustea della Romanità of the Fascist era, building on the extensive scholarly discussion regarding Mussolini’s misrepresentation of ancient Roman archaeology to construct a fascist identity around the concept of romanità. Moving into the contemporary …

Identifying Quality Hispanic Children’S Literature For Use In Kindergarten Through Second Grade, (2000-2024), Alexandra Isabel Serrato

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study focuses on identifying quality Hispanic children's literature suitable for use in kindergarten through second grade from 2000 to 2024. It aims to explore key characteristics that define high-quality literature in this genre, considering cultural relevance, educational value, linguistic accuracy, and representation of diverse Hispanic experiences. By reviewing books published during this period, the research evaluates how these works support language development, multicultural understanding, and early literacy skills among young readers. The study also highlights the importance of selecting books that reflect authentic Hispanic voices and experiences, promoting inclusivity and diversity in early childhood education.

Keeping You In Shape: The Integration Of Fractals In The Study Of Healthy Systems, Alexandria Miller

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This work discusses the application of fractals in studying the human body as a complex system. I argue that the human body falls under the classification of a complex system and can thus be studied by applying the universalities that complex systems possess. One of these universalities is fractality, which I find to have benefits in both research regarding the human body and in treatment of the human body, in relation to patient care practices. I begin by analyzing the definition of complex systems and fractals, and how these two concepts can fit together. I then discuss differing interpretations of …

We Have Conducted A Comprehensive Review Of The Digital Accessibility Of This Content And Made A Good Faith Effort To Ensure It Meets Minimum Accessibility Standards., Aurea M. Jimenez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the influence of bilingualism on personality traits specifically in English and Spanish-bilingual individuals. This examines how linguistic and cultural contexts have an impact on direct personality traits—extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and openness. Using a sample of 91 participants, paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate differences in personality trait scores between languages and calculated effect sizes to understand the practical significance of these differences. The results demonstrated no statistically significant differences in personality traits across the two languages. Furthermore, effect sizes were small, suggesting that any observed differences were not practically meaningful. While these findings do …

Exploring Nurses' Perspectives Of The Use Of Hospital Interpretation Technologies Versus Other Methods For Communicating With Non-English Language Preference (Nelp) Patients: A Literature Review, Natalie Moreira-Rivera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Nurses' perspectives on the use of interpretation technologies compared to other methods for communicating with NELP patients when providing treatment in a hospital setting was explored utilizing a literature review. The literature search was conducted using CINHAL, APA PsychInfo, Medline, and Applied Science & Technology Source databases. The search resulted in 84 articles, of which 6 were eligible to be included in the narrative review. Three themes emerged that helped explain nurses’ perspectives: preferred technology, facilitators/benefits, and barriers/concerns. Interpretation technologies were preferred over in-person translators in most cases. Nurses and other healthcare providers perceived technologies as convenient, flexible, versatile, and …

Health Equity Policy In Colombia: Improving Equal Access To Health Care Services For Individuals With Low-Income, Marian Marin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In 1993, the last health reform “Law 100” was introduced in Colombia. It has been over 30 years since its implementation, and there have been many changes to the healthcare system in Colombia ever since. The policy increased health insurance coverage to almost 95% of the population, providing better and more affordable patient care. However, increasing the availability of resources does not necessarily make them accessible to all of Colombia’s residents. This study aims to analyze the outcomes of “Law 100” to the system and studies critical obstacles that halt healthcare equity in Colombia, particularly for those in rural and …