Digital Commons Network^™

Collaborating With An Autism Community Advisory Board To Develop A Family-Based, Neurodiversity-Affirming Intervention: Pcit-Autism, Lauren B. Quetsch, Emily Shah, Julia Kiefer

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

BackgroundParent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has been effectively implemented for autistic youth and their families who need help reducing disruptive behaviors, promoting language development, and enhancing the parent-child relationship. However, like most autism-based interventions, the PCIT protocol was originally adapted for (rather than with or by) the autism community. A new wave of intervention research calls for input from autism advocates throughout each phase of the research process. The present study signifies the first step in the development and implementation of a pilot PCIT program with autistic youth and their families (i.e., PCIT-Autism).MethodsAcademic researchers collaborated alongside an Autism Community Advisory Board …

Resilience In African History, Cymone Fourshey

Faculty Journal Articles

Between 1960, when seventeen African countries gained independence from French colonial rule, and 2020, when the global pandemic of Covid-19 emerged, just over five hundred scholarly books or articles were published addressing, to varying degrees, resilience on the African continent. Working toward this special issue has made it clear that there continues to be a great deal of slippage in how scholars describe resilience. This concept is often conflated with terms such as “resistance,” “persistence,” and “endurance.” While these do express ways humans respond to adversity, they are distinct from resilience, which is rooted in adaptation not opposition.1 Some people …

Gambling Behaviors, Perceptions, And Risks Among Nevada Adults, Andrea Dassopoulos

International Gaming Institute Faculty Research

This study presents a statewide assessment of gambling behaviors, perceptions, and gambling-related risk among 1,078 Nevada adults. Using a mixed-source, population-calibrated survey developed by UNLV and NORC, the research measures gambling participation, motivations, venue exposure, and attitudes toward harm, treatment, and regulation. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) identifies substantial levels of harm: nearly half of past-year gamblers show some degree of risk, with the highest rates among younger adults, racially diverse groups, gaming and hospitality workers, and those who gamble in neighborhood bars or slot parlors. The survey also documents public beliefs about gambling addiction, youth exposure, stigma, and …

Moderators Of A Mhealth Intervention For Adolescent Physical Activity: Intervention Refinement Study., Christopher C. Cushing, Adrian Ortega, David A. Fedele, Calissa J. Leslie-Miller, Jordan A. Carlson, Ann M. Davis, Joshua M. Smyth

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: An adaptive text messaging intervention to promote adolescent physical activity has demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy in a recent proof-of-concept study. To inform future intervention development, a secondary analysis of the data examined how physical activity is influenced by mood, environment, and physical feelings of energy and fatigue.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand how both macro- and microtemporal variables (eg, psychological and environmental variables at both levels) influence the efficacy of a brief mobile health intervention (ie, NUDGE) for physical activity.

METHODS: Using a matched control design, we evaluated the effect of daily positive and negative affect, …

Welcoming Spaces: Parent Leadership And Early Literacy As Community-Based Co-Regulation Supports, Lauren S. Dake

Masters Projects

Many young children exhibit challenging behavior in early childhood settings, often as a response to high levels of stress in their home and community environments. This applied master’s project presents Welcoming Spaces, a parent-led initiative developed to support children’s emotional development, caregiver well-being, and early literacy through informal, community-based experiences. In response to concerns about rising dysregulation and reduced access to supportive environments, the project offers portable play areas hosted by parents at events such as school functions, library gatherings, and local festivals. These spaces include calming sensory activities and opportunities for shared reading, while also providing caregivers with …

2025-12-05 Minutes & Appendices, Longwood University

Board of Visitors Meeting Minutes 1964-

No abstract provided.

Minutes, Global Initiatives Committee Meeting, Friday, December 5, 2025, Rollins College Global Initiatives Committee

The Center for Global Initiatives

No abstract provided.

U-Glide Program Fall 2025, Unf Office Of Undergraduate Research, Unf Graduate School

Undergraduate – Graduate Learning, Inquiry, and Distinctive Experimentation (U-GLIDE) Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Employee Attrition And Organizational Profitability, Saeed Almehairi

Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in the modern workplace, reshap- ing decision-making processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and influencing the dynamics of human resource management. One of the critical areas where AI demonstrates substantial potential is in predicting, managing, and mitigating employee attrition. Employee attrition remains a pressing organizational challenge, incurring substantial costs in recruitment, training, and lost productivity. This research investigates the dual impact of AI on employee attrition and organizational profitability, exploring both the opportunities and the challenges that arise from its integration into human resource and business operations. The study examines how AI-driven predictive analytics …

A Thought Paper For Allan Leslie Combs, Glennie Sewell

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This personal reflection honors Allan Leslie Combs through an intimate process letter written while the author studied under Combs in a doctoral course on consciousness studies. Exploring themes of spiritual authenticity, the nature of reality, and the pursuit of unity consciousness, the author grapples with integrating mystical experience with academic inquiry. The piece reveals the transformative influence of Combs’s teaching and embodies the vulnerable, introspective scholarship he championed, ultimately exploring the author’s own emerging vision of unity consciousness as a path toward creating collective human unity.

Keywords: consciousness studies, unity consciousness, spiritual integration, transformative education, contemplative practice, creative writing, Allan …

The Power Of Positive Lesbian Representation In Television: How It Affects The Well-Being And Identity Formation Of Lgbtq+ Adults, Brittany Berry

University Honors Theses

To date, there are no studies which explore the effects that positively represented Black and lesbian characters in television have on LGBTQ viewers. Exposure to LGBTQ characters has the potential to validate LGBTQ identities and improve well-being. A comprehensive literature review and quantitative analysis using Żerebecki et. al.'s codebook reveals there are simply not enough characters depicted to provide such research. In an attempt to demonstrate the qualities possessed by positively portrayed Black, lesbian characters, this study analyses Taissa Turner from the hit series Yellowjackets available on the streaming network Paramount+.

Human Evil (In The Weird), Lucas Ethridge

University Honors Theses

This paper examines a trending doom in speculative fiction: the post-human age. Many modern works have started to look past human civilization as humans surrender all hope and faith in a climate-doomed world. Honing in on core concepts in Weird fiction, this paper explores human merit through Old and New Weird. A good part spends time establishing the canon, looking at similar patterns across age, philosophy, war and genre. The chief question asks if humankind was ever worth saving.

Perception Of Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury Regarding The Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Process, Kalangie J. Serrano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was a social work practice gap on the perceptions of veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) regarding the Veterans Administration's (VA’s) rehabilitation process in terms of its ability to enhance their vocational skills and employability. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the vocational and employment needs of military veterans with TBI and to understand their perceptions and challenges in navigating the vocational rehabilitation and employment process. Using a generic qualitative approach and ecological systems theory, data were collected through semistructured interviews with seven veterans who had participated in rehabilitation programs. Thematic analysis of the data revealed …

A Strategic Leadership Approach To Build An Innovative Culture Through Ebp, Qi, And Research, Angela G. Bennett, Emily Calabro

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Healthcare organizations face mounting pressure to improve patient outcomes while reducing costs in a rapidly changing environment. Strong leadership is essential to foster a culture of inquiry and innovation that drives evidence-based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI), and research. However, barriers such as resource limitations, risk aversion among managers, and a lack of clear frameworks for frontline staff can impede these efforts. This initiative addressed these challenges by empowering nurses at all levels to engage in scholarly activity and lead improvement efforts.

Methods: A team of three nurse leaders within a 12-hospital system developed a comprehensive program including …

The Social Side Of Aging In Place: Community, Belonging, And Cultural Fit, Michael Crespo

University Honors Theses

Aging in place, or the capacity of older adults to remain in their homes and communities as they age has been a central tenet of the field of gerontology and the gerontological social policy area. Although access to physical facilities and service provision has been the main focus of traditional studies, contemporary experience demonstrates that social and cultural issues are equally important as determinants of the quality of life. This thesis discusses the influence of social networks, cultural congruence, and community belonging on the aging in place experience. The content of the study is based on the Ecological Model of …

The Role Of Sustainability In Family And Consumer Science Curricula, Emily Hill

Honors Theses

As climate change intensifies and global food systems face growing environmental pressures, there is an increasing need to prepare younger generations to respond to these challenges. Sustainability education is increasingly recognized as essential for helping students understand the connection between human actions, environmental resilience, and their overall well-being. This form of education already has a foundation in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) curriculum. This study examines the effects of integrating sustainability lessons into secondary Family and Consumer Sciences food and nutrition courses in a rural Michigan high school. It was hypothesized that if students participate in sustainability presentations and …

Teaching With V.I.S.I.O.N.: A Qualitative Case Study, Abbrissola A. Shull

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This qualitative case study explored how those matriculating through a teacher education program can develop a critical consciousness of K-12 students experiencing homelessness or high mobility using the Teaching with V.I.S.I.O.N workshop model. This acronym stands for V: Value the culture and lived experiences of students reflected in the classroom, I: Implicit Bias Awareness, S: Study scenarios using the equity literacy case analysis approach (Gorski, 2018), I: Increase the diversity of texts provided in the classroom to reflect these experiences, O: On-going reflection regarding current practices and ways to improve using equity literacy (Gorski, 2018), …

The Value Of Education In Healthcare: Moving Beyond Intuition To Data-Driven Advocacy, Emily Calabro, Robin Petersen

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Healthcare education departments face increasing pressure to demonstrate their value amidst budget constraints and restructuring, often leading to resource cuts that hinder their ability to improve patient care and staff development. This necessitates a robust method for quantifying the return on investment (ROI) of educational initiatives.

Methods/Procedures: This initiative describes the development and validation of a novel ROI calculator designed to empower educators and advocate for their crucial role. Grounded in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Plan-Do-Study-Act model, the calculator incorporates advanced data analytics and predictive modeling, drawing data from sources such as the Healthcare Quality Report, historical financial …

Assessment Of Cultural Competence Of Nursing Faculty, Nitha Mathew Joseph, Rebecca L. Tsusaki, D’Hania L. Miller, Doncy Joji Eapen, Marie Mcbee, Mary Ellen Trail Ross, Olivia Fitch, Riza V. Mauricio, Sara Lewandowski, Melanie Mcewen

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Nurses’ cultural competence is vital in improving patients’ experiences and reducing health disparities. Cultural competence should be integrated into nursing curricula to prepare nursing students to deliver culturally competent care. Unfortunately, not all nursing educational practices are culturally competent. Institutions and agencies for advancing nursing education have acknowledged the importance of cultural competence in nursing education. Few studies have critically examined nurse faculty readiness and preparation in cultural competence in the United States. Therefore, we aimed to assess cultural competence among nurse faculty at a large nursing school in the Southwestern United States.

Methods: Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional, …

Exploring The Impact Of Caring For Patients Diagnosed With Iv Drug Use Endocarditis At End Of Life, Kendrea Lea Todt

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose/Problem Statement: Caring for patients with substance use disorder is a challenge for nurses, especially patients who use intravenous (IV) drugs and contract endocarditis. Infective endocarditis is a cardiac infection with a high mortality rate, and yet this disease receives little attention in the media or research. IVDU-IE has been referred to as the Cinderella of Cardiology. Nurses disposition young patients in the prime of their lives to hospice care, funeral homes, morgues, or home to die. The purpose of this modified photo elicitation phenomenological study was to explore the impact of caring for patients diagnosed with IVDU-IE at the …

First Scholars: Enhanced Institutional Support For First Generation College Students, Genevieve Reside

Masters Projects

First-generation college students (FGCS) represent a large proportion of incoming freshmen at higher education institutions. Despite the having a high amount of FGCS, institution supports do not meet the high level of need presented by this student population. Lacking cultural capital that would otherwise be passed along by college-graduated parents, FGCS must navigate unfamiliar college territory on their own, requiring a high volume of support. This project explores the importance of institutional support on education outcomes for FGCS, proposing a comprehensive social and financial support program. The scholarship program, First Scholars, awards increasing scholarship amounts for subsequent years that students …

Establishing An Adhd Post-Diagnostic Support Group: A Quality Improvement Report, Katie Alexandra Jones

South West Clinical School Journal

#400WORDS: NATIONAL NURSING ASSOCIATE SPECIAL EDITION

Periodontal Precision: Diagnostic Skills And Confidence Of Dentists In Asian Countries In Applying The 2017 Efp/Aap Periodontal Disease Classification- A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study, Kamran Ali, Priti Charde, Daniel Zahra, Ewen Mccoll, Tayeb Al Hadeethi, Nader Hamdan

Peninsula Dental School

Background: The classification of periodontal disease published in 2017 by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), provides a framework for diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic skills and self-perceived confidence of dentists and dental students based in Asian countries in the use of this classification. Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study design was employed. An online questionnaire encompassing four periodontitis cases was used for data collection. A total of 500 participants were invited to provide a diagnosis and rate their confidence for each case. Results: Responses were provided …

“Chords Of Inquiry”: Alternate Guitar Tunings, Harmony, And Text-Music Relations In Joni Mitchell’S Early Songs, Peter Kaminsky, Megan Lyons

Open Access Fund Publications

In the 2003 documentary Woman of Heart and Mind, Joni Mitchell states, “Chords are depictions of emotions. These chords that I was getting by twisting the knobs on the guitar until I could get these chords that I heard inside that suited me, they feel like my feelings. You know, I called them, not knowing, chords of inquiry.” In investigating Mitchell’s music, we address the integration of guitar, harmony, and expression of feeling exemplified by “chords of inquiry.” We take as a corpus her early songs from 1968 to 1972 in which she accompanies herself on guitar. Our study …

Establishing An Adhd Post-Diagnostic Support Group: A Quality Improvement Report, Katie Alexandra Jones

South West Clinical School Journal

#400WORDS: NATIONAL NURSING ASSOCIATE SPECIAL EDITION

Expressive Language And Behavior, Bethany J. Butler

Masters Projects

Research has revealed the importance of language and its correlation with behavior. Although language and behavior are both forms of communication, this project explores young children and their relationship with society. Honing in on the essential importance of efficient expressive language to be able to participate in society. Looking at common barriers that may hinder the language process. Exploring Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, and understanding that the basic needs have to be met before having the ability to learn. In summary, the project focused on how to support the increase in language in different stages.

Inhibitory Control, Attentional Bias, And Palatable Food Consumption In Adolescents: A Laboratory Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial., Carolina M. Bejarano, Adrian Ortega, Christopher C. Cushing

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Understanding relationships among inhibitory control, attentional bias to food cues, and food consumption in nonclinical adolescent samples can inform preventive efforts for disordered eating and associated health risks.

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study conducted preliminary testing of an inhibitory control training intervention on attentional bias toward food cues, hedonic appetite, and food consumption, as well as examined inhibitory control's relationship with hedonic appetite, food consumption, binge eating, and cognitive restraint.

METHODS: Participants (N=43; mean age 15.1, SD 1.7 years; 31/43, 72% female) were randomized to a food cue-specific go/no go inhibitory control training intervention or control group, took part in …

Factors Influencing Medication Adherence In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Lydia Allison

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Good Life And Human Flourishing: Timeless Principles From Aristotle To Tolstoy, Daniel Mark Kelly

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Semantic Networks In Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Exhibit Reduced Efficiency, Interconnectivity, And Flexibility, Sophia Lall, Jennifer Pardo, Joshua Sandry

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

Word-finding deficits are common in persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS); this may be related to the inefficient organization of semantic information.

Objective

To understand whether the semantic organization and semantic retrieval are impacted in pwRRMS.

Methods

Semantic fluency data from 64 pwRRMS and 73 controls was utilized to (1) derive standard verbal fluency measures using the Semantic Network and Fluency Utility R package and (2) build semantic networks via the correlation-based network approach in the SemNet R package. Subjective word-finding concerns were assessed in a subgroup of the sample. Group differences were evaluated.

Results

PwRRMS endorsed more frequent …