Digital Commons Network^™

Supporting At-Risk Students Through Alternative Education: A Case Study On Reintegration, Behavior, And Stakeholder Perceptions At Sharpie Academy, Bryan O'Neal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a mixed-methods case study examining the effectiveness of Sharpie Academy, an alternative education program within the Chalkboard Champions School District. The study investigated three central research questions: (1) How does participation in the alternative learning environment at Sharpie Academy influence students' behavior upon reintegration into the traditional education setting? (2) What are the perceptions of parents, teachers, and community members regarding the program's outcomes? (3) How do these perceptions influence stakeholder support for the academy? Data was collected from 121 participants, including 43 students and 78 adult stakeholders, using participant observation, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and document analysis. …

Emotion Analysis And Neural Language Models For Classification, Andrew Mackey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotion analysis is a branch of artificial intelligence and natural language processing focused on recognizing emotions hidden throughout various forms of digital data, including text, images, and multi-modal representations. In this dissertation, we present four published and planned works that investigate different methodologies for natural language analysis tasks using deep learning techniques. The first published work we present considers the task of identifying fake news using various text and emotion representations. We demonstrate that emotion representations combined with word embedding techniques can improve the accuracy of fake news classification. Our second published work further investigates the fake news classification task …

National Hero And Water Deity: The Worship Of Triệu Việt Vương In The Red River Delta, Vietnam, Huong Thi Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In my dissertation, the theory of collective memory will be deployed to address many questions regarding retaining, recovering, and re-creating the worship of King Triệu Việt Vương. He was a legendary, historical king of Vietnam who supposedly lived in the 6th century. His achievements were connected to the people living in the Red River Delta in their fight against the Liang invasion. The villagers who lived near or in this area also honored him for his spiritual power. They built a small temple/ shrine right by the riverbank to worship this King. The Vietnamese dynasties, Ly (in the 11th century), …

Better Floors, Better Health: A Theory Of Change For An Improved Household Flooring Intervention In Rural Communities In Kwale And Bungoma Counties, Kenya, Stella Kepha, Hugo Legge, Katherine E. Halliday, Victoria Ochwal, Lynne Elson, Jacinta Mwongeli, William E. Oswald, Beatrice Kakoi, James Wambua, Charles Mwandawiro, Ulrike Fillinger, Rachel Pullan, Doris Njomo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Household flooring is increasingly being investigated as a determinant of health, however the pathways through which flooring may impact health and wellbeing are not yet well understood. The SABABU study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating the impact of an improved flooring intervention on soil-transmitted helminthiasis, tungiasis, and enteric infections in Bungoma and Kwale counties, Kenya. This paper presents the findings from a theory of change development process that was undertaken as part of the formative research phase of the SABABU project. Methods: A co-creation workshop (n = 1), stakeholder meetings (n = 2), and community meetings (n = …

Once Upon A Time: A Kinesthetic Approach To Teaching Evidence, Peter C. Alexander, Cheryl T. Page, Hannah G. Chapman

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

This Article describes and evaluates a kinesthetic, simulation-based approach to teaching Evidence at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School. Departing from the traditional Langdellian, case-method model, one section of Evidence requires students to memorize and apply the Federal Rules of Evidence through a series of five scaffolded mini-trials built around fractured fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Drawing on the MacCrate Report, Bloom’s taxonomy, and Vygotsky’s theory of scaffolding, we situate this pedagogy within the broader movement toward experiential legal education and argue that Evidence—because of its centrality to litigation practice—is an ideal doctrinal course in which to integrate trial advocacy …

National Priorty Industry Linkage Fund (Npilf) Roundtable Report To Government, Faith Valencia-Forrester, Caroline Rueckert, Nicola Fish, Elizabeth J. Cook

Other Reports

The National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF), introduced in 2021 and piloted from 2022 to 2024 with an extension year in 2025, significantly expanded and diversified Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) across Australian higher education. The fund aimed to increase WIL opportunities for students, grow the pipeline of STEM-skilled graduates and improve their employment outcomes, and support universities to develop and strengthen partnerships with industry. To reflect on NPILF’s impact and identify priorities for sustaining WIL quality, equity and industry engagement in the years ahead, WIL Australia convened a national roundtable in October 2025. The event brought together 126 participants from …

Entre La Sombra Y El Lienzo: Clea Dessendre Como Modelo De Personaje Secundario Complejo, Lydia Huijbregts Jaen, Antonio Horno López

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

Introducción: Este artículo analiza a Clea Dessendre en Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, explorando su versión real y la pintada en el lienzo, y su impacto en la narrativa del juego. Metodología: Se aplicó un análisis narrativo, psicológico y ludológico, integrando teorías de duelo (Kübler-Ross), socialización (Baumrind) y comunicación (DiSC) vinculadas con la jugabilidad. Resultados: Clea-Real encarna disciplina y perfeccionismo; Clea-Pintada, una proyección maternal. El gameplay conecta su psicología con la experiencia del jugador. Discusión: Las identidades paralelas muestran cómo traumas y expectativas moldean personajes complejos. Conclusiones: Clea evidencia cómo la narrativa y la mecánica se fusionan para crear …

The Effect Of Zakat Compliance On Institutional Performance Through Strategic Planning As A Mediating Variable: An Applied Study At The General Authority Of Zakat, Yemen, Ali Nasser Al-Ahnomi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study aims to analyze the mediating role of strategic planning in the relationship between zakat compliance and institutional performance in the General Authority for Zakat in Yemen, filling a research gap in fragile environments (Bin-Nashwan et al., 2021; Bryson, 2018).  The study employed a quantitative descriptive-analytical approach using a questionnaire as a key tool which was distributed to all administrative and functional leaders in the Authority and its branch in the capital, Sana'a, totaling 515, thereby representing a comprehensive survey of the research community. A total of 417 questionnaires were received. However, 398 were valid for final statistical analysis. …

Female Politicians And Corruption In Rural India, Somdeep Chatterjee, Shiv Hastawala, Elisa Taveras

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This paper leverages random assignment of female quotas for leadership positions on Indian village councils to assess its causal effect on corruption. Since the mid-1990s, India has mandated that at least one third of village council chief positions be randomly reserved for women. Using data from the Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS) 2006, we find that an additional term reserved for a female head as opposed to just a single one reduces both the occurrence and bribe amounts paid to the local government by households. This reduction is also observed in bribes paid to other local officials suggesting downstream …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement, December 2025, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University

One Hundred and Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement

December 2025

50+Years Of Restaurant Tipping Research Part Ii: An Analysis Of Research Subthemes And Suggestions For Future Research, Nick E. Johnston, Cortney L. Norris, H. G. Parsa

General Human Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Tipping reflects a complex interplay of cultural norms, economic incentives, and operational challenges, especially within the U.S. foodservice industry. Building on the systematic literature review and themes presented in Part I, this study examines the subthemes identified across 319 peer-reviewed articles published between 1974 and 2024. Findings reveal saturation points, underexplored topics and intersections, as well as debates surrounding regulations and policies of tipping practices and alternative compensation models. This review integrates a fragmented body of research, provides an overview of key findings, highlights critical gaps, and offers a roadmap for future scholarship and practical reforms in service compensation systems.

Embodied Overcrowding And Sensory Tensions: A Carceral Autoethnography Of Philippine Jails, Dwayne Antojado

Ateneo School of Government Publications

In this paper, I undertake a sensorially oriented autoethnography of two Philippine jails, illuminating the visceral textures of carceral life that conventional sociological or criminological discourses often overlook. Drawing inspiration from Jewkes and Young's (2021) examination of Kyoto Prison, I foreground the overlapping realms of sight, sound, smell, and touch, arguing that incarceration is inherently a profoundly embodied phenomenon. By weaving personal reflections, field observations, and broader scholarly insights, I reveal how overcrowded dormitories, suffocating heat, and lingering bodily odours converge to redefine detainees' spatial, temporal, and psychosocial realities in ways rarely captured by quantitative metrics. While mindful of Nelken's …

Resilience And Childhood Trauma In Mood Disorders: Psychopathological Implications And Treatment Response, Alessio Simonetti, Alexia Koukopoulos, Delfina Janiri, Lorenzo Moccia, Marianna Mazza, Mauro Pettorruso, Giovanni Martinotti, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and aim: Childhood trauma is a key risk factor for mood disorders and is associated with greater clinical severity, while resilience may act as a protective factor. This study investigates how childhood trauma and resilience interact to shape psychopathology and treatment response in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods: The study included 669 participants: 569 patients (380 MDD, 189 BD) and 100 healthy controls (HC). Symptom severity was assessed using standardized scales, with follow-up evaluations of depressive symptoms at six months. All participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). …

Implications Of Cooccurring Adhd For The Cognitive Behavioural Treatment Of Anxiety In Autistic Children, Jeffrey J Wood, Amori Yee Mikami, Connor M Kerns

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Childhood mental health conditions commonly cooccur, with potential treatment implications. Autistic children frequently experience anxiety and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We investigated the implications of this cooccurrence for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a front-line treatment for anxiety in autistic children. We tested whether (1) ADHD predicts anxiety treatment response, (2) ADHD improves in response to anxiety treatment and (3) ADHD improvement is related to reductions in anxiety.

Method: Autistic children with elevated anxiety (N = 167) enrolled in a multisite, randomised controlled trial comparing standard CBT, autism-adapted CBT and treatment as usual. ADHD symptoms and severity were assessed via …

Promoting Professionalism In Medical Education: A Toolbox For Effective Feedback And Remediation, Huma Farid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Decreasing Barriers To The Utilization Of Cryopreserved Sperm In Male Cancer Survivors: An Expert Review And Guide, Allyson Nevins, Luwam Ghidei, Jordan Kassab, Kevin Campbell, John Sullivan, Michael D Jochum, Laura Detti, Terri L Woodard, Larry I Lipshultz, Laurie J Mckenzie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Sperm cryopreservation offers male cancer patients a critical opportunity to preserve fertility prior to gonadotoxic therapy, yet utilization of banked sperm remains modest, typically under 10%. A structured understanding of barriers across the cancer survivorship continuum is needed to support patients in utilization of cryopreserved sperm in alignment with their reproductive goals.

Materials and methods: This expert review synthesizes current evidence and clinical experience to explore the multifaceted barriers to cryopreserved sperm use and propose specific solutions. Key intervention timepoints are examined, including the post-treatment fertility return visit, long-term cryopreservation while remote from family building, readiness for family building, …

Benchmarking Empirical Severity For The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Second Edition, Josselyn S Muñoz, Dayan Berrones, Vanessa Zavala Cruz, Andrew D Wiese, Jacey L Anderberg, Renee M Frederick, Tomás Miño, Nuria Lanzagorta, Juan Camilo Restrepo, Marcos E Ochoa-Panaifo, Wayne K Goodman, James J Crowley, Eric A Storch, Matti Cervin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is considered the primary instrument for assessing the presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Conceptual and empirical critiques inspired the development of an updated version of the instrument, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II), with a higher ceiling of OCD severity to better differentiate between severe and the most debilitating OCD presentations, among other revisions. The Y-BOCS-II has demonstrated sound psychometric properties across diverse samples. Empirically derived severity benchmarks have been proposed for the original Y-BOCS, yielding somewhat different ranges than what has been commonly used in clinical and research settings, yet …

Combine Ebis: A Novel Collaborative Method For Building Interventions From Existing Evidence-Based Interventions, Christopher M Ferraris, Ohemaa Poku, Phil Kreniske, Robert Remien, Efrat Aharonovich, Jennifer C Elliott, Denis Nash, Kathryn Lancaster, Till Baernighausen, Kayo Fujimoto, Adam Carrico, John A Schneider, Alida Bouris, D Scott Batey, Sheree R Schwartz, Jose Bauermeister, Patrick S Sullivan, Joseph G Rosen, Milton Wainberg, Deborah Hasin, Elvin Geng, Patrick A Wilson, Stefan D Baral

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Combining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is a discrete process from adapting EBIs, and specific guidance for how to combine EBIs could be helpful amidst the proliferation of frameworks that combine and stage EBIs and calls for services to be combined or bundled. To address this gap, we developed and applied the COllaborative Method for Building INterventions from Existing Evidence-Based Interventions (COMBINE-EBIs) approach, a five-step process for combining EBIs.

Methods: The five steps of COMBINE-EBIs are: (1) Identify and Select EBIs, (2) Develop a Shared Conceptual Model, (3) Evaluate the Conceptual Model, (4) Create a Single Combined Protocol, and (5) Refine …

Insights From A Survey Of School Nurses: Assessing The Challenges Of Constipation In Schools

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: School nurses are key responders to students with constipation, yet their experiences are underreported. This study surveyed their observations regarding constipation, identified barriers to student restroom access, and assessed educational needs.

Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional survey study, an anonymous online survey was distributed to school nurses participating in a virtual education series. The survey assessed nurse demographics, frequency of encounters with constipation and encopresis, school restroom policies, barriers to restroom use, accommodation requests, and training in constipation management.

Findings: Of 125 respondents, 95% encountered students with constipation at least monthly and 55% reported ≥ 6 encounters monthly. Commonly …

How Well Can Commonly Used Anxiety Scales Detect Treatment Outcomes In The Context Of Autism?, Eric A Storch, Philip C Kendall, Gaia Scerif, Cathy Creswell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges in autistic children, yet there is limited evidence on effective tools to measure treatment outcomes. Previous research with non-autistic children has found that the Child Anxiety Impact Scale, Parent Version achieved good diagnostic accuracy when measuring treatment outcomes and performed better than a commonly used symptom measure. However, this has not been evaluated for autistic children. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Child Anxiety Impact Scale, Parent Version in autistic children and compared its utility against other anxiety symptom measures, to detect treatment outcomes as assessed by …

Resistance Through Policy: Documenting Lgbtq+ Advocacy In Public Education, Rhys Mitchell Fryar

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines how educational policies related to LGBTQ+ students are constructed, interpreted, and implemented across federal, state, and district-levels. It asks whether institutional intent reflects authentic commitment to equity or functions as symbolic compliance in politically contested environments. Using Portland Public Schools (PPS) as a case study, the analysis situates the district within Oregon’s affirming policy landscape and the Trump administration’s restrictive federal mandates. PPS has adopted policies, such as Administrative Directive 4.30.061 AD (2023b) and the Gender Identity Support Guide (2023a), to support queer and gender-expansive students; however, it faces a federal investigation (U.S. Department of Education, 2025b, …

Black Women’S Experiences Accessing Health Care And Law Enforcement After Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Kaylen M. Moore, Linda M. Wesp, Jeneile Luebke, Peninnah M. Kako

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health issue impacting millions of people each year. Black women constitute 14% of the US population but alarmingly comprise 31% of homicides resulting from IPV. African American women survivors of IPV experience intersecting impacts of racism, sexism, and historical mistrust. This research aimed to raise awareness about their experiences of violence and perceptions of institutional support.

Objective:

This study sought to explore African American women’s experiences with IPV and navigation of health care and law enforcement after experiences of violence.

Method:

Critical ethnography was used as an approach for this qualitative …

Tennessee Reconnect And Adult Learner Retention, Brandon R. Dotson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between participation in the Tennessee Reconnect (TNReconnect) program and the retention of adult learners at two community colleges in northeast Tennessee. Grounded in Astin’s (1993) Input–Environment–Outcome (I-E-O) model, the study employed quantitative methods to investigate whether program duration, demographic characteristics, academic performance, and financial aid status predicted the likelihood of retention among adult learners.

Using institutional records of 2,355 students, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted across three models. The first model tested whether the duration of TNReconnect participation predicted retention. Results indicated that both program duration and GPA were significant predictors. Each additional semester …

College Ready Or Not? Exploring Undergraduate Perceptions Of Their High School College Preparation, Charles M. Morgan Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate students’ perceptions of their high school preparation for college. Rather than relying on institutional measures like test scores or course completion, the study focused on how students themselves described their readiness and the supports they received in high school. By highlighting student voice, the research aimed to reveal strengths and gaps in current approaches to preparing students for higher education.

The study was grounded in Educational Equity Theory (Darling-Hammond, 1997), which emphasizes that fairness in education requires supports tailored to students’ individual needs. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used. Undergraduate participants …

Branding The Divide: Political Ideology And The Strategic Challenges Of Higher Education Marketing, Oscar J. Early Mr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how first-year students experience and interpret institutional branding within the context of their personal and social identities, with particular attention to the role of political ideology. While previous research had examined general branding strategies and declining public trust in higher education, scholars have given little attention to the ways in which prospective students make meaning from institutional messaging during one of the most significant transitions of their lives.

I conducted interviews with 12 first-year students from four-year colleges and universities across South-Central Appalachia. The phenomenological analysis revealed that students’ interpretation of …

Behavioral Manifestations Of Childhood Abandonment: African-American Men's Reflections And Strategies To Support Teenage Boys In K-12 Education, Jarmel Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the behavioral manifestations of childhood abandonment as reflected in the lived experiences of African-American men and to identify strategies that may support African-American boys in K–12 educational settings. Although there has been limited documentation regarding the direct connection between childhood abandonment and behavioral challenges in school environments, this study seeks to address that gap by capturing the reflections of African-American men who experienced abandonment during their formative years. These reflections provide insight into how abandonment may shape behavior in educational spaces and what types of interventions or supports might have made a …

Assessing Post-Pandemic Engagement In The Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) In Northeast Tennessee, Christen Minnick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1974, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has provided healthy food resources, nutrition education, and provider referrals for families at risk for poor nutrition. Public health professionals have consistently presented evidence that WIC engagement reduces premature births and infant mortality, improves child health and development, and increases specialized care access for participants. While average monthly participation in WIC has increased since the program’s inception, trends indicate that only around half of eligible families have consistently engaged with the program since 2011. Research has linked declining WIC participation to administrative burden, citing learning, psychological, compliance, …

Educator Perceptions Of Mindfulness Education In Rural Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Mary C. Shepherd-Mcgown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.

Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework …

A Comparative-Correlational Study On The Mental Health And Well-Being Of First-Generation Students At A Historically Black College And University, Shedred Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mental health and well-being of first-generation college students (FGCS) in comparison to non-first-generation college students (NFGCS) at a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Southeast. This study was undertaken to investigate students' mental health and well-being, as well as their use of, access to, and the availability of mental health services. A comparative-correlational research design was employed to collect and analyze the data. The study used a sample size of 388 responses from undergraduate college students enrolled at the private HBCU. Of the 388 students in the sample, …

Exploring The Impacts Of Medical Invalidation On Postpartum Parents With Pcos, Shalini Venkat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) face an increased risk of poor perinatal health, yet little is known about whether negative healthcare experiences contribute toward these outcomes. Patients with PCOS have reported experiencing invalidation by healthcare providers; however, the effects of these encounters in postpartum populations remain unclear. Using data from an online survey, the current study investigated whether PCOS status moderated the relationships between invalidating communication by healthcare providers, pregnancy and birth complications, postpartum depression, and postpartum anxiety. While experiences of invalidating communication by healthcare providers predicted worse perinatal health, those with PCOS solely experienced an increased risk of …