Digital Commons Network^™

Focus, 2023, Fall, Andrews University

Focus

FOCUS (ISSN 1077-9345) is published quarterly, free of charge, for alumni and friends of Andrews University, an institution owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

How Witnessing Domestic Violence Affects The Future Of Children: An Exploratory Study, Victoria Cleckler

Honors Theses

Domestic violence (DV), also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), is a widespread issue that affects many people, families, and communities, with one in four women and one in nine men falling victim to domestic violence each year in the United States. However, these statistics only consider what has actually been reported. More than 44% of domestic violence cases go unreported each year. It can be inferred that a drastic number of children are also affected. Children who witness domestic violence are indirect victims of DV, as they experience psychological and emotional turmoil simply by witnessing the abuse. However, there …

Digitalization And Quality Of Social Work Education: A Study Applied To Public Universities In Riyadh, Sarah Essa Alessa Dr.

Journal of Arabic Sciences and Humanities

The paper entitled “Digitalization and Quality of Social Work Education: a study applied to public universities in Riyadh” focuses on the organizational, human, technological, and labour market dimensions of digitalization. The study employed a social survey and targeted 63 faculty members of the Social Service Departments from three Saudi universities: Princess Noura bent Abdulrahman University, King Saud University, and Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. The results showed a high level of digitalization and a positive relationship between it and the quality of social work education. The labour market dimension ranked first with an average of 2.64, followed by the …

Can Volunteer Fire Companies Improve Recruiting?, David T. Button

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The accelerating inability of volunteer fire departments to attract new recruits presents the public sector with both above and below-the-line costs. Finding replacements for members aging out is the single greatest challenge that volunteer departments face. If this problem persists, the cost of replacing volunteers with paid staff would have a significant and negative impact on the tax base. Pay and benefits for professional staff (as well as capital costs associated with this conversion) would cause property taxes to escalate significantly in communities where volunteers have historically managed emergencies. Much research has been conducted in an attempt to determine how …

Smart Decarceration In The U.S And Our Communities, Brooke Freeland, Andrea Dehler, Jessica Rojas, Ethan Thompson, Emily Seaberg

Student Academic Conference

The rate of incarceration in the United States is one of the highest in the world and frequently affects members of vulnerable populations. The ineffectiveness of incarceration can be displayed by the following statement, “Prisoners often carry additional deficits of drug and alcohol addictions, mental and physical illnesses, and lack of work preparation or experience” (n.d.). In response, The Grand Challenges for Social Work poses smart decarceration as one solution to address high rates of incarceration. Our findings reveal the effects of decarceration policies on incarcerated persons and the community, as well as the effects of how resources are allocated. …

Intersectionality Of Social Identity, Trauma, And Education: A First-Generation College Student's Reflective Journey, Richard De La Garza

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Student Scholarship

This reflective paper explores the intersectionality of social identity, trauma, and education through the lens of a first-generation college student (FGCS) who is a neurodivergent Army veteran. I share my personal journey and experiences, highlighting marginalized communities’ challenges in the education system. I delve into the impact of cultural invasion, the transmission of trauma across generations, and the importance of critical consciousness in addressing educational inequality. I also discuss the role of spatial thinking and language in shaping learning experiences. I emphasize the need for cultural awareness, inclusivity, and equity in educational spaces and highlight the transformative power of embracing …

Interventions To Modify Negative Perceptions Of The Need For Behavioral Health Care For African American Patients, Tiffany Jones

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Background: African Americans underutilized mental health care services, compared to other population groups, in the past decades. While African Americans have the same mental health needs and rates of mental health diagnosis as other races, for some groups, there are additional cultural or environmental factors that create additional barriers to utilizing care (Alang, 2019). Methods: This project will be a cross-sectional study using an online survey of behavioral health practitioners. Results: Respondents were predominantly females (69%) and African Americans (69%). Their work medical specialties included: licensed counseling social workers and clinical social workers, mental health therapists, and psychiatrists. The average …

Ensure Healthy Development For Youth, Myrla Villa, Roseline Nehlar, Victoria Sharp, Audrey Welle, Kelly Zak

Student Academic Conference

Mental health-related concerns for youth continue to rise in the United States. Currently 20% of youth between ages 3 to 17 deal with behavioral health-related issues. These issues can have long-lasting impacts on various aspects of a youth's life. Public policies have historically focused on treating these issues after they have been identified, resulting in high costs for young people, families, and communities. To tackle this issue, policies should support universal preventive interventions to raise awareness about mental health needs, thereby removing barriers for youths seeking treatment.

Building Healthy Relationships To End Violence, Etta Danielson, Carson Hunt, Journey Ponting, Francesca Hanson, Sara Busby

Student Academic Conference

Social workers provide a crucial role in preventing, advocating, and providing services to victims of interpersonal violence in relationships within the community. The presentation will discuss the impact of the Rape Abuse Crisis Center in the Fargo/Moorhead area. There is a need to increase funding for services that could provide victims with adequate programs that can help support those individuals on their path to justice and healing. Presenters will discuss policies that hope to increase funding for prevention and intervention activities that would reduce structural inequalities that perpetuate gender-based violence. The presentation will also highlight research funding through Institutions such …

Ascende Altius: Issue 2, Cindy Haynes

Ascende Altius

No abstract provided.

Navigating Global Capitalism: Identity, Ambivalence, And Resistance In Cultural Productions, Ahmad Bilal

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

I have navigated global capitalism in cultural productions that include selected short fiction of Rohinton Mistry, Michelangelo Antonioni's L'Avventura, Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You , and Benedict Andrews' Seberg. In these works, I have explored resistance, marginality, mobility, and identity to reflect how capitalism transcends local boundaries to become a pervasive social system worldwide.

The U.S. Military Does Not Adequately Prepare Members For Transition From Service, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Nearly 250,000 U.S. military members transition out of service each year. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to prepare service members for their transition to civilian life. However, nearly half of veterans say the military did not adequately prepare them for their transition from service. This issue brief highlights the shortcomings of veteran transition programs, like TAP, and provides recommendations for improving transition outcomes through more holistic programs.

Food Insecurity Screening Of Families In A Level Iii Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Katelyn P. Vawter Rn, Bsn, Rnc-Nic, Megan Ortiz Rn, Bsn, Bobby Bellflower Dnsc, Nnp-Bc, Faanp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Full Study Title: Food Insecurity Screening of Families in a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background: Early infancy food insecurity (FI) is linked to poor health later in life, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) are often overlooked. Routine FI screening can help identify and assist the families suffering from FI seen in the NICU before being discharged home.

Purpose: The aim was to identify if families were assessed for FI by social workers or if they were more likely to report FI in a brief survey.

Method: A randomized chart review of social work notes for 30 NICU …

Ccr2+ Monocytes Replenish Border-Associated Macrophages In The Diseased Mouse Brain, Lingxiao Wang, Jiaying Zheng, Shunyi Zhao, Yushan Wan, Meijie Wang, Dale B Bosco, Chia-Yi Kuan, Jason R Richardson, Long-Jun Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Border-associated macrophages (BAMs) are tissue-resident macrophages that reside at the border of the central nervous system (CNS). Since BAMs originate from yolk sac progenitors that do not persist after birth, the means by which this population of cells is maintained is not well understood. Using two-photon microscopy and multiple lineage-tracing strategies, we determine that CCR2+ monocytes are significant contributors to BAM populations following disruptions of CNS homeostasis in adult mice. After BAM depletion, while the residual BAMs possess partial self-repopulation capability, the CCR2+ monocytes are a critical source of the repopulated BAMs. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of CCR2+ …

Managing Financial Sector Crisis: Do “Faith” And “Leave It To God” Matter?, Rebecca Attah, Christine Avortri, Emmanuel Appah, Alexander Preko

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to elucidate the understanding of two religious concepts related to the financial sector clean-up among bank customers; and second, to explore how these concepts have been employed as strategies to mitigate the impact of financial sector clean-up shocks in Ghana. This qualitative research is anchored in the theory of belief and meaning-making theory, utilizing purposive and snowball sampling methods, with twenty-eight in-depth interviews for data gathering. The findings of this study revealed that financial sector clean-up customers understood religious faith as “aggressive faith,” “passive faith,” and “offensive faith,” which were found to …

Addressing Conspiracy Theories Through Media And Data Literacy Education. An Exploratory Case Study, Francesco Fabbro, Elena Gabbi

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Lately conspiracy theories (CT) are increasingly hovering over Education Studies, mostly as problems in search of a solution. This paper problematizes this educational solutionist discourse by reflecting critically on different framing of CT (i.e. epistemological and ethico-political) and some related educational responses, ranging from pre/debunking strategies to democratic discussion. In addition, Media Data Literacy Education (MDLE) is presented as a viable educational approach to address CT circulating onlife. The approach is empirically explored through an online workshop with a small group of social workers attending a course for socio-pedagogical educators at the University of Florence. A qualitative mixed methodology is …

Spring Concerts (April 22, 23, 2024), Lindenwood University

Student Music Performance Programs

Event program for the Spring Concerts (April 22, 23, 2024), Lindenwood University.

Correlates Of Anti-Asexual Bias In The Bible Belt, Lauren Robinson

Honors College Theses

Many studies focus on LGBTQIA+ individuals in the United States, but there are fewer studies about asexuality, especially in the Bible Belt: a collection of states in the Southeast with populations having increased rates of conservatism, religiosity, and expectations of traditional gender and sexuality norms (Baunach et al, 2009). The purpose of the study was to examine anti-asexual bias and its relation to different variables in college-age students who attended college and/or lived in the Bible Belt. It was hypothesized political positioning, ethnic and racial background, religiosity/spirituality, adherence to social norms, traditional vs egalitarian gender roles, and pathologizing of asexual …

A Systematic Review Of The Literature On Sexual Assault And Dating Violence Prevention Programs For Middle Schoolers And High Schoolers, Lauren Gay

Honors Projects

Adolescent sexual abuse and dating violence are serious issues that have life-changing impacts on victims. Sex education in the United States does place an emphasis on sexual assault and dating violence prevention curriculum to be provided for students. These programs have the potential to equip students with the knowledge to lead healthy relationships and prevent violent acts from happening. This review details 25 studies that provided these prevention programs to students and the impacts they had. It was found that the programs had positive impacts on preventing sexual assault and dating violence victimization and perpetration, as well as promoting healthy …

Prepared To Teach, University Of Dayton. School Of Education And Health Sciences

School of Education and Health Sciences Blog Archive

Spring semester means many teacher education students are out in the field, completing their student teaching experience. Thanks to the robust field experience that is incorporated into prior classes, our seniors went in prepared.

The Echo: April 22, 2024, Taylor University

2023-2024 (Volume 111)

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Emancipatory Human Rights And The University: Promoting Social Justice In Higher Education, Megan N. Patterson

International Journal of Human Rights Education

No abstract provided.

The Anatomical Embodiment Of Morning Routines In The Reduction Of Anxiety: An Intervention, Natalie Wright

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The topic under investigation is whether physically embodying a morning routine that was designed through the lens of Laban Bartenieff Movement Analysis (LBMA) will reduce daily symptoms of individuals diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Since morning routines play a significant part in one’s preparation for the day, I created an individualized LBMA morning routine for a specific client to embody. In addition to the routine, the client documented the process of their anxiety levels on a weekly basis. This client was a white, female, 19-year-old, lesbian college student who was previously diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The movement analysis …

Convening The Counter-Conversation: Critical Participatory Action Research Against Real-Time Repression, Connor Maguire, Leo Jalipa, Anne Grass

Dissertations

This dissertation presents the anti-fascist Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) process of three doctoral student participants/co-researchers, all practicing educators, with varied experiences in public and private education at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. This research examines the convergence of the participants/co-researchers in response to their shared concerns about ascendent authoritarianism and rising repression and the subsequent formation of this study’s in-process CPAR research collective organized to critically counter, rather than reiterate, this repression.

Enacting the theoretical/methodological frameworks of Critical Theory and Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action, the participants/co-researchers dialogically determined contemporary fascism to be the focus of …

The Impact Of Outpatient Supportive Oncology On Cancer Care Cost And Utilization, Brooke Worster, Yifan Zhu, Gregory Garber, Sawyer Kieffer, Aaron Smith-Mclallen

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Supportive oncology (SO) care reduces symptom severity, admissions, and costs in patients with advanced cancer. This study examines the impact of SO care on utilization and costs.

METHODS: Retrospective analysis of utilization and costs comparing patients enrolled in SO versus three comparison cohorts who did not receive SO. Using claims, the authors estimated differences in health care utilization and cost between the treatment group and comparison cohorts. The treatment group consisting of patients treated for cancer at an National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center who received SO between January 2018 and December 2019 were compared to an asynchronous cohort that …

The Effects Of Virtual Group Study On Class Views And Performance, W. Matt Denning, Robert S. Thiebaud, Lindy M. Rossow

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Peer-to-peer teaching improves academic performance. During the worldwide pandemic, peer-to-peer teaching was unavailable, and feelings of isolation and loneliness increased. This study investigated the impact of virtual peer-to-peer group study on student performance and class views in a virtual, undergraduate exercise physiology course. Sixty-nine college-aged adults were randomly assigned to study with a virtual group or individually for two instructional units. Students switched groups after the first unit. For virtual group study, students met virtually for at least one hour outside of class to study course content. Those assigned to the individual study did not study virtually with classmates. Unit …

Cultural Competence In Healthcare: A Literature Review Of Barriers To The Application Of Culturally Responsive Practice For Physician Assistants, Annabelle N. Decuire

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Abstract

Culturally competent health services for physician assistants (PA), are critical for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities given the common disparities in healthcare. In addressing the multifaceted nature of disparities, the purpose of this literature review is to examine the role and responsibilities of PAs to be culturally competent. Culture is an omnipresent and dynamic process that influences every aspect of how we perceive and interact with others; therefore, it is important to recognize the diverse behaviors and beliefs of patients within respective contexts, rather than solely through the lens of a single culture. Cultural competence encompasses cultural skills, …

Considering The “Special Considerations”: The Treatment Of Female Inmates In The People’S Republic Of China Since 1994, Niklas Berry

Madison Historical Review

The purpose of this paper is to historicize contemporary gendered legal practices in the People’s Republic of China and to demonstrate that, despite rhetoric to the contrary, paternalistic assumptions rooted in Confucianism still inform the treatment of female prisoners today. Though China underwent massive political and economic shifts after the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, certain longstanding societal principles were preserved in modern China, including long-held paternalistic stereotypes about the physical and mental fragility of women. These precepts undergirded the PRC’s reforms of its judicial and criminal systems …

From Content To Composition: Equipping Non-Writing Instructors For Interdisciplinary Writing Proficiency, Taylor Weintrop

Theses

Academic writing is a fundamental component across disciplines in higher education, serving as a critical mode of communication and assessment of student understanding, proficiency, and mastery of course content. Despite its ubiquity, the responsibility for explicit writing instruction is often regulated to composition courses frequently housed within English departments, leading to a systemic and normative view that isolates writing development to a single field. This thesis critically explores the literature on writing studies, focusing on disciplinary attitudes toward writing, interdisciplinary movements, and how writing transfer occurs as students traverse academic fields. Along with the comprehensive literature review, this project includes …

With Pride: Lgbtq+ Rights & Advocacy In Legal Education Summit, Center For Civil & Human Rights, School Of Law, Gonzaga University

Gonzaga School of Law With Pride Summit

Event program for the 2024 With Pride Summit held by the Center for Civil & Human Rights at Gonzaga Law.

The program includes the summit schedule and bios for panelists and moderators, including the keynote speaker, Kellye Testy. Featured speakers include:

• Luke Boso
• Stewart Chang
• Ashlyn Hannus
• Sarah Harmon
• Heather L. Johnson
• Courtney Joslin
• Sheldon Lyke
• Dallas Martinez
• Ikál Nico Quintana
• Brad Sears
• Sarah Steadman
• Kyle Velte
• Danaya C. Wright
• Mary Yu