Digital Commons Network^™

Becoming A Social Justice Worker, Laura Curry

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Connection Between Teaching Frameworks And Policies For Assessing Teaching, Barbara J. Bird, Beate Brunow, Eric Kyle, Shawn R. Simonson

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Most faculty policies aimed at faculty review or assessment of teaching do not include specific teaching criteria and standards but instead lean heavily on student evaluations and peer review of teaching. This approach provides no concrete path for using assessment in a feedback loop that enables teachers to improve teaching. Implementing teaching frameworks can improve feedback loops and assessment policies by providing specific criteria and standards. Developing teaching effectiveness frameworks and connecting them to teaching assessment policies can be a critical step in advancing institutional change initiatives focused on teaching effectiveness. This critical alignment enables sustainable and meaningful change. This …

An Evidence-Based Intervention To Increase Trypanosoma Cruzi, A Neglected Parasitic Infection, Diagnosis In Rural And Moderate-Size-City Us Clinics, M K. Lynn, Hunter M. Boehme, Jeffrey Hall, Patrick Kent, Alain H. Litwin, Quang H. Pham, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Prisma Chagas Team

Faculty Publications

Background

Chagas disease is a chronic, insidious parasitic infection (Trypanosoma cruzi) that slowly develops to irreversible organomegaly over several decades. The disease is traditionally acquired in endemic Latin American countries during childhood; < 1% of foreign-born adult residents in the United States have been diagnosed or treated with this potentially fatal disease. Low physician knowledge is a primary factor leading to misdiagnosis.

Methods

Starting in April 2022, a 4-part T cruzi clinical education intervention began, which included (i) 2 grand rounds presentations to >100 internal medicine providers; (ii) implementation of a “clinical Chagas champions program” incorporating 14 key clinical staff at varying departments and administrative levels educated on their specific role related to T cruzi screening, diagnosis confirmation, clinical management, and medical billing; ( …

Real Earnings Management Among Industries: Does Market Competition Matter?, Michał Comporek

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This paper investigates real earnings management (REM) practices in public non-financial companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) from 2014 to 2023, focusing on sectoral differences and the influence of market competition. REM, defined as deviations from normal business operations aimed at manipulating reported earnings, can distort financial information and harm long-term firm value. This study contributes to the existing literature in two key ways. First, it examines variations in abnormal levels of production costs, sales, and discretionary expenditures – REM proxies based on Roychowdhury’s methodology – across sectors classified according to the WSE’s industry framework. This sectoral classification, …

Ronald E. Mcnair Research Symposium Presentation Schedule 2025, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This is the presentation schedule for the 23rd Undergraduate Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium 2025.

Ronald E. Mcnair Scholars Program Profiles And Abstracts 2025, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This publication provides research abstracts and biographies of 2025 McNair scholars and their mentors.

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Human And Public Services, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

First published in October 2022. Significantly revised in April 2025 to incorporate updated labor market information. Key terminology and relationship between concepts sections added in August 2025.

2025 Fall Convocation Program, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Communications and Marketing Publications Archive

The 2025 Morehead State University Convocation Program from August 13, 2025.

Lived Experiences Of Newly Graduated Social Workers Transitioning Into The Field Of Child Protective Services, Chantrese Oliver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lived Experiences of Newly Graduated Social Workers Transitioning Into the Field of Child Protective Services by Chantrese Oliver MPhil, Walden University, 2024 MS, Walden University, 2014 AA, National Paralegal College, 2012 BS, Fayetteville State University, 2010 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2025

The Lived Experiences Of Clinically Licensed Counselors During Covid-19, Deirdre F. Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be an equal opportunity crisis. There is substantial research to better understand how individuals have reacted to crisis experiences like the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the lived experiences of clinically licensed counselors during COVID-19. This gap in the literature is important because the increase in the number of individuals seeking counseling to deal with their fears and concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic may have put a strain on counselors that were also experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to bridge the …

Effect Of Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet On Ldl Cholesterol: A Scoping Literature Review, Joel Gregory Mueller

Nursing Capstones

Background: The whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet includes whole grains, whole plants, unrefined sugars, beans, and legumes. The diet excludes meat, dairy, and added fats. The diet has been popularized by documentaries .The diet claims to lower total and LDL cholesterol to a safe level as both a primary and secondary mode of prevention.

Purpose: Review existing studies to see whether the WFPB diet will lower LDL cholesterol in adult males over a 14 day or more duration.

Methods: A scoping literature review was completed of the University of North Dakota’s library system for keyword combinations. The returned 102 studies were …

Virtual Village: The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Parental Self-Efficacy In The Orthodox Jewish Community, Ephrem Wagner

ETD Collection

No abstract provided.

Dnp Project: Research Study Using Mindfulness Meditation For Stress Reduction In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Jennifer Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Undergraduate nursing students often experience high stress from academic rigor, clinical demands, and personal challenges, contributing to mental health concerns and increased attrition. Unmanaged stress, when met with insufficient coping strategies, may contribute to students failing, leaving, or withdrawing from a nursing program. This research project addressed the need for a structured coping strategy within the curriculum at a State College to promote student resilience and reduce stress. As a quality improvement process change, the project’s purpose was to evaluate the impact of a four-week mindfulness meditation (MM) intervention on perceived stress levels of first-semester Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) …

Autism Awareness Training For Law Enforcement Officers: A Pilot Study, Kaylie Holke, Meghan Cosier, Elissa Green Kaustinen, Cathy Scherer, Andrew Wall

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to pilot a research-based autism training session for law enforcement officers (LEOs), test the Police Self-Efficacy for Autism (PSEA) scale as a measurement tool for the session and provide a preliminary examination of brief training. Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized a pre-post survey approach in which participants completed the PSEA scale pre- and post-training to measure the relationship between the training and self-efficacy scores. Findings

Results show a positive relationship between brief autism-specific training and officers’ self-efficacy scores across items and subscales. All four subscales and seven of thirteen items demonstrated statistical significance. Originality/value …

Evidence-Based Intervention Proposal For Reducing Intimate Partner Violence Against Jamaican Women, Kimisha K. Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence (DV) is a significant public health concern that negatively impacts women’s health, yet gaps in trauma-informed screening and referral processes persist within nursing practice. In Jamaica, DV remains underreported, highlighting the need for enhanced provider competency in identifying and supporting survivors. The doctoral project was used to examine how implementing the trauma-informed care (TIC) model and the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety (IRIS) program could improve healthcare staff’s ability to recognize, assess, and support DV survivors. Guided by the TIC framework and the IRIS program, a mixed-methods approach was used, incorporating pre- and posttraining assessments, staff surveys, …

Ka Mua, Ka Muri—Walking Backwards Into The Future: Revitalizing Indigenous Economies And Economies Of Well-Being, Suzie Greenhalgh, Jason Mika, Christopher Alcantara, Shaun Awatere, Kendon Bell, Kiri Dell, Donn L. Feir, Dustin Frye, Diane Jarvis, Taryn Kong, Kirsten Maclean, Cathy Robinson, Chellie Spiller, Rachel M. Wolfgramm, Emma Woodward

Indigenous Business & Public Administration

The concept of and desire for well-being economies are rising in prevalence as traditional business paradigms are questioned and alternative framings are being sought. Indigenous peoples, their economies, and their approach to business can provide a rich source of learning to enable and help facilitate a transition to economies of well-being. As Indigenous peoples are emerging from their colonial pasts, they are becoming more empowered to make investment choices, use business models, and form partnerships grounded in their worldviews, which are often well aligned with a well-being economy.

In this paper, we note some of the obstacles Indigenous economies have …

International Collaboration To Explore Elements For An Effective Residential Childcare Workforce, Justyna Siemionow, Patrick M. Tyler, W. Alex Mason, Deogratias Musoke, Maia Ordonez, Jaime A. Gomez-Blaya, Joseph G. Grzywacz

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Residential childcare workers provide critical support to vulnerable children around the world. Building and maintaining a qualified residential childcare workforce is challenged by myriad forces, the foremost of which is recruiting and retaining staff for valuable work often misaligned with available compensation; making individual qualifications at hiring; ongoing training; supervision; and data support systems to monitor performance critical for quality care. This study explored the similarities and differences among these essential elements of staffing across distinct programs: Youth Education Centers (YEC) in Poland, CiudadEscuela Muchachos (CEMU) in Spain, and the Boys Town Family Home Program (BTFHP) in the United States. …

Charting Suicide Risk In Latina Adolescents: A Qualitative System Dynamics Approach, Lauren E. Gulbas, Peter S. Hovmand, Esther J. Calzada, Carolina Hausmann-Stabile, Su Yeong Kim, Luis H. Zayas

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives: Suicide risk among Latina adolescents is shaped by dynamic interactions among emotional, behavioral, and sociocultural factors. This study develops a causal feedback theory to illustrate how these factors reinforce or mitigate suicide risk over time.

Method: Using grounded theory analysis, we analyzed qualitative interviews with 60 Latina adolescents (ages 11-19) recruited from New York City: 30 with a history of suicide attempts and 30 with no reported history of suicidal behaviors. Participants varied by Hispanic cultural group, place of birth, and documentation status.

Results: Our feedback theory is organized around seven categories: cognitive vulnerabilities, avoidant coping, high-risk behaviors, family …

Ai-Driven Biomedical Perspectives On Mental Fatigue In The Post-Covid-19 Era: Trends, Research Gaps, And Future Directions, Saba Parveen, Md Belal Bin Heyat, Umair Tariq, Faijan Akhtar, Hafiz Muhammad Zeeshan, Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah, Shang-Ming Zhou, Huang Lei

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Mental fatigue is a complex condition arising from various neurological processes and influenced by external factors such as stress and cognitive demands. This comprehensive review elucidates the primary neurological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue, particularly emphasizing how it was elevated or otherwise affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explore the intricate relationship between prolonged cognitive tasks, chronic stress, and the development of mental fatigue, emphasizing the impacts that mental fatigue has on mental health across diverse populations. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques, including machine learning and deep learning, this study identifies and quantifies the patterns of mental fatigue. The innovative approach …

Evidence-Based Child Welfare Screening And Assessment Practices, Kristin V. Richards, Melissa A. Moyer

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

This action research project examined the screening and assessment behaviors of child welfare workers in the southwestern region of the United States. With the use of a focus group, the study addressed whether social workers’ knowledge of evidence-based practice influenced their implementation of evidence-based practice in child welfare screening and assessment, and whether the agency environment affects evidence-based practice implementation and use. The family systems theory was used to evaluate child welfare practitioner work and systems theory was used to evaluate the child welfare system in the region of the study. Social workers’ knowledge of evidence-based practices and the impact …

Helping Bipoc, Women, And First-Generation Students Maximize The Value Of Unpaid Internships, Ted Thornhill, Nicole Torres, Christina Van Wingerden

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Internships and practicums are a required component of nearly all degree programs in human services and its subfields—and most are unpaid. These unpaid positions often have a disproportionate impact for BIPOC and first-generation students, especially women—many of whom are economically disadvantaged and must work to support themselves and sometimes their families. Increased student activism, non-profit campaigns, and journalistic accounts show student frustration over their unpaid labor. Despite the righteousness of these students’ cause, the reality is that the implementation of an equitable, robust, and sustainable nationwide system of paid internships, in the near-term, is politically impracticable. Given that most human …

Learning To Treat The Whole Person: Assessing Spiritual Care Curriculum Inclusion At Faith And Non-Faith-Based Doctor Of Physical Therapy And Master Of Athletic Training Programs In Texas, Tricia Blalock, Heather Hudson, Andrew R. Meyer, Ryan Hebdon

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Given the identified importance of assessing the spiritual domain of health as a component of cultural competence and holistic care in physical therapy and athletic training and the importance that their governing bodies have indicated that spiritual care should play in treating patients, this current study examined how faculty, at entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Master of Athletic Training (MAT) programs in Texas, perceive the importance and inclusion of spiritual dimensions of care in their programs. Methods: We disseminated an online, cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey to a total of 289 faculty members from a total of 27 programs …

The Consequences Of Workplace Racial Discrimination: A Scoping Review, Yaritza A. Ortiz, Evelyn D. Sarsar

McNair Summer Research Program

Racial discrimination has been consistently associated with negative mental health outcomes among marginalized communities. Racial discrimination within the workplace has shown to be detrimental to mental well-being and behavioral outcomes, however, there is much less work investigating these links. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to understand the association between workplace racial discrimination and mental and behavioral health outcomes.

Empirical articles were identified using Google Scholar and PsycINFO. The extracted data included, design of the study, the number of participants, ethnicity or race, type of discrimination, mental or behavioral outcome, and the results produced by the data. For the final review, …

Summer Commencement: August 8, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Summer Commencement program from August 8, 2025.

The Crucial Role Of Grassroots Social Organizations In Advancing Immigrant Legal Protections And Reshaping Immigration Policy, Isabella Reynolds

McNair Summer Research Program

This research project examines how grassroots social organizations contribute to the advancement of immigrant legal protections and shape immigration policy, with a particular focus on formerly incarcerated migrants in California. I focus on case studies and the personal experiences of organizers from Homies Unidos, Border Angels, and other organizations that operate near the San Diego–Tijuana border region. The study illustrates how these groups provide essential services, mental health support, and community-based initiatives for vulnerable and formerly incarcerated immigrants. By conducting oral histories and ethnography as methods for preserving emotional labor and shared memory, this research challenges prevailing narratives that criminalize …

Refugee Families: Parental Traumatic Stress And Child Outcomes A Scoping Review, Britta Sedig

Theses and Dissertations

This scoping review synthesizes recent literature (2019-2024) to explore mechanisms linking parental trauma to child mental health outcomes within refugee families. Guided by a systemic and relational focus, 20 studies were identified and analyzed, revealing five central themes: intergenerational transmission of trauma, parenting practices as mediators, parent-child dyadic attachment, family functioning and conflict, and post-migration and acculturative stress. Findings highlighted associations between parental trauma-related symptoms and refugee children's emotional and behavioral concerns. Parenting practices were frequently linked to child wellbeing, with some studies identifying risk factors like harsh discipline and emotional unavailability, and others noting protective roles of intentional caregiving. …

Exploration Of The Cultural Beliefs, Values, And Practices Of African American/Black Women Or Birthing Persons Regarding Postpartum Depression: A Focused Ethnography, Stephanie Jacobs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most prevalent perinatal mental health illness in women, affecting approximately 10% to 20% of all women in the United States, and a disproportionately higher number of African American women. The aim of this study was to explore the cultural beliefs, values, and practices of African American/Black women or birthing persons regarding postpartum depression.

Research Question: What are the cultural beliefs, values, and practices of African American/Black women or birthing persons regarding postpartum depression?

Methodology: A focused ethnography was chosen for this study and consisted of semi-structured interviews. Data was transcribed and analyzed …

Mental Health And Substance Use Interventions Within Muslim Community Spaces: A Community Based-Participatory Research Proposal, Halah Mansour Alayleh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background. Muslim Americans face significant mental health and substance use challenges compounded by Islamophobic discrimination, cultural stigma, and barriers to accessing culturally competent services. They also significantly underuse professional mental health services. Purpose. This study aims to collaborate with Muslim communities within the San Francisco Bay Area to develop a replicable intervention framework for addressing mental health and substance use stigma within mosques and other Muslim community spaces. Methods. The proposal uses a community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology while integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and stigma theory in the framework. This proposal outlines the four phases of intervention …

Effects Of Mode And Transitioning To A Mixed-Mode (Web/Phone) Design On Categorical Survey Estimates: Do Question Characteristics Matter?, Mengyao Hu, Vicki A Freedman, Justin Kamens

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

An increasing number of telephone surveys are introducing a web option. Limited experimental research has explored the implications of such design changes and how they vary by question characteristics. Using an experimental design and propensity score matching techniques, this study examines the effects of mode (web vs. telephone) and transitioning to a mixed-mode design (from telephone-only to the choice of web or telephone) on survey estimates and how effects differ by question characteristics. We draw upon an experiment embedded in the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC), in which half of NSOC-eligible caregivers were randomized to a telephone-only design and the …

Beyond A Monoracial Paradigm: Parents Practicing Racial Humility In The Racial Socialization Of Mixed-Race Children, Katherine Johnson

Sociology

Interracial parents face unique challenges in racially socializing their mixed-race children, but this socialization is imperative to their overall well-being and self-esteem. Using critical multiracial theory, the author argues that the interracial parents included in this study overwhelmingly understand the harm of promoting a monoracial paradigm of race when raising their children. They demonstrate this by implementing racial humility in their socialization practices to support and encourage the formation of a positive racial identity in their children. Drawing upon in-depth, semistructured interviews with 19 sets of interracial parents in the United States, the author identifies four themes related to how …