Digital Commons Network^™

Substance Use And Shame In Minority And Immigrant Communities, Zane Alroshood, Hassan Barade, Jeffrey Guina

Posters

Substance use disorder (SUD) has increased worldwide, especially in the United States, with millions struggling with drug and alcohol problems. Substance use (SU) can lead to significant adverse health outcomes along with stigmatization in healthcare settings. Shame plays a complex role in the development and mitigation of developing substance use problems, influenced by cultural contexts such as dignity, face, and honor. A systemic review attempted to identify the relationship between SU and shame, stating shame was reliably associated with SU, but revealing mixed results in which it served both adaptive and maladaptive functions in its development.

Interpretation Challenges In Healthcare Settings As Experienced By Refugees And Healthcare Providers In The United States, Lydia H. Samoff

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Language and interpretation barriers are significant challenges for refugees receiving healthcare in the United States. Both providers and refugee patients associate effective communication with a positive healthcare experience. Therefore, it is important to identify themes in interpretation barriers to promote productive communication between providers and refugee patients.

Purpose: To identify themes in literature surrounding interpretation challenges between refugees and healthcare workers in the United States and compare them to lived experience in a clinic in Northwest Arkansas.

Methods: Several databases were searched, including CINAHL, Medline, HealthSource, and Google Scholar, and articles were chosen with the inclusion criteria being research …

May 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the May 2025 (Volume 3, Issue 7) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Effects Of Food Insufficiency And Family Structure On Parental Aggravation And Child Outcomes, Angel Juarez

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Food insufficiency is a detrimental crisis that impacts families facing financial hardships across the United States (Nam et al., 2015). Research finds that economic difficulties and child maladaptive development are positively associated because parental stress is exacerbated by financial hardships affecting parental sensitivity to their children (Hill et al., 2013; Simons et al., 2016). The current study uses the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) data from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). It builds on these findings, investigating the relationship between food insufficiency and parental aggravation on child behavioral outcomes across different family structures in the …

Graduate Counseling Students’ Preparedness To Practice Tele-Mental Health, Clarissa L. Salinas, Eunice Lerma, Valerie Leija, Javier Cavazos Vela, Elizabeth Zamora

Counseling Faculty Publications

This qualitative study explored counseling graduate students’ preparedness to provide telemental health during their internship experience. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 11 Latine counseling graduate students’ who attended a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The following themes emerged following data analysis: (1) Challenges with Establishing Personal Relationships and Telepresence with Culturally Diverse Clients; (2) Lack of Preparation to Use Evidence-based Practices to Handle Ethical Dilemmas and Crisis Interventions; (3) Cultural Competency and Diversity; (4) Engaging Activities in a Telemental Health Counseling Environment; (5) Additional Training and Practice with Technology; and (6) Lack of Preparation to Use Telemental Health Counseling. Implications for …

Examining The Perceptions Of Restorative Practices In A Non-Profit Organization: A Comparative Analysis Of Staff And Youth Attitudes, Autumn N. Alicea, Anne Hobbs Dr

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study examines the attitudes toward restorative justice (RJ) among staff and youth at a non-profit residential organization. Using the Restorative Justice Attitude Scale, data was collected from 14 staff members and 14 youth participants (N=28). Results indicated that staff members reported significantly higher mean scores (M = 84.50, SD = 8.38) on the Total Restorative Justice Attitude Scale than youth participants (M = 67.93, SD = 15.81). ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups on attitudes toward restorative justice, F (1, 26) = 12.007, p = .002. Effect size analysis (η² = .316) indicates that approximately …

Human Trafficking Prevention Methods In Nebraska, Allison E. Munderloh

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Human Trafficking has been a concern in Nebraska for a long period of time, but there is a lack of publicly available information regarding the prevention methods being employed and their effectiveness. This study aimed to identify the human trafficking prevention methods in use in Nebraska and their effectiveness based on the opinions of human trafficking professionals in the state. The human trafficking professionals were interviewed, and the information gathered was organized into seven different themes. The themes that arose from the information gathered included educational efforts, victim intervention and resources, addressing demand, labor trafficking, measuring success, resources and funding, …

Perceptions Of Identity And Blame Attribution In Sexual Harassment Scenarios, Avarie Lambert

Honors Theses

Sexual harassment is a widespread issue influenced by societal attitudes that stem from victim blaiming and rape myth acceptance. These perceptions are often shaped by the identities of the parties involved, however there is limited research on how gender and race influence blame attribution. The purpose of this study is to examine how different identities shape public perceptions of victims in sexual harassment scenarios. Through using a nationwide sample and survey experiment, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of eight different hypothetical scenarios that differed by the race and gender of the victim, and the gender of the perpetrator. …

Constraining The Family Regulation System: The Contribution Of The Restatement Of The Law, Children And The Law, Clare Huntington

Faculty Scholarship

Advocates, policymakers, and scholars have argued for years that the family regulation system (also known as the child welfare system) fails families. Critics rightly note that the system does far too little to support families proactively and does not address the poverty and structural racism underlying many allegations of child abuse and neglect. The overrepresentation of Black, Native American, and Native Alaskan children in foster care is a stark and disturbing manifestation of these failings.

In response to these concerns, there is an active debate about abolishing or radically reforming the family regulation system to direct government funding to proactive …

Technology And Transportation’S Role In Social Isolation In Rural Older Adults, Sara F. Miller

Honors Theses

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of rural older adults. More specifically, their community experiences, connections, technology, and transportation. Past literature, when examining these topics, took a quantitative approach utilizing scales. This study takes a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews to examine the feelings behind the experiences of the participants. Interviews were conducted with four older rural adults. The four participants were female and were of varying marital statuses. Three of the participants were Caucasian, and one was African American. Four themes were found in this process. It was found that the participants were content with the connections that …

The Commodification Of International Adoptees Through A Conflict Lens, Andrew S. Antcliffe

Honors Theses

The practice of international adoption, also known as intercountry adoption (ICA), can be defined as a transference of a child from international borders (Ma, 2017). International, also known as intercountry, adoption is a process that is widely characterized to provide the creation of families and humanitarian aid to orphaned children. It is most often facilitated by privatized intermediaries, predominantly facilitating the transference of children from non-Western nations to Western ones. Adopting abroad has largely been framed as a practice of humanitarianism, yet instances of corruption, neglect, and abuse have shown a different nature of the system. Dominant source countries, such …

Predicting Resilience Among Treatment-Referred Youth With A History Of Trauma Exposure: An Exploration Of Risk And Protective Factors., Prabathi Mandara Gunathilake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While many children and adolescents experience negative outcomes following exposure to traumatic events, some demonstrate remarkable resilience. Understanding the factors that contribute to this positive adaptation is essential for developing effective interventions. Using secondary data from 199 treatment-referred youth (ages 5 to 18) with histories of maltreatment, refugee experiences, or military-related trauma, collected between 2016 and 2021 by the Metro Louisville’s Center for Promotion of Recovery and Resilience (CPRR) program, this study examined predictors of resilience in trauma-exposed youth and how resilience is conceptualized across different informant perspectives. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed distinct predictive patterns: for youth, personal strengths …

Breaking The Cycle : Empowering Exploited Women To Experience Transformational Change, Rowena Martineau-Pitt

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Critical Race Historical Examination Of Summer Programs: Impact On African American Youth, Megan Lee, June Hopps, Deryl Bailey

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Strategies For Reducing Racial Disparities In Maternal Health Outcomes: An Examination Of The Role Of Doulas, Samavi Rafique

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Comparatively high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality remain a significant concern in the United States, particularly for Black women, who face a risk of maternal mortality that is four times higher than that of white women. Realizing the historical context of this burden requires tracing American obstetric and gynecological medicine to its 19th-century roots, where the medical experimentation of enslaved Black women occurred largely unopposed by the voices of those in power. The legacy of this is embodied in the modern maternal health crisis, marked by stark racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. As non-clinically trained professionals whose supportive …

Integration Of Interprofessional Education Into Routine Resident Practice: 2 Cases Of Successful Implementation., Catherine C Skae, Victoria Gorski, Anna Flattau, Manaslu Gurung, Kalli Varaklis, Sarah Hallen

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Identifying And Addressing Current Gaps In Knowledge And Treatment Dissemination For Individuals With Trichotillomania, Leila K. Capel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Trichotillomania is an impairing and debilitating mental health condition, and while the research in this area is growing, this population is underserved. The aim of this project was to identify gaps in the research that may be contributing to lack of treatment access and begin filling those gaps. The first gap is knowledge of how treatments work and for whom they work best. While there are a variety of treatment options and ways of delivering treatment, individual factors that predict who will benefit most are not well investigated. We explored the individual factors, and aspects of treatment that we believe …

Libraries Facilitating Knowledge Creation Through Podcasting: Exploring Podcasts As A Form Of Scholarship, Annette Bochenek, Sarah Huber, Renusree Varma Mudduluru

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Students are increasingly expected to conduct research and scholarship. This paper explores podcast creation as a medium for students to deliver new knowledge and the elements of teaching and learning that support this outcome. Through focus groups, students at a large Midwestern university expressed the importance of contributing to the information landscape. The prospect of their podcasts contributing knowledge to academic communities held more interest to them than creating a podcast for an assignment. This paper addresses how librarians and libraries can support the information literacy standards and technical aspects of students creating new knowledge through a podcast assignment.

“The Point Is To Transform The Hood” Learning From The Past To Build A School That Affirms The Humanity Of Black And Brown Children, Joaquín M.S. Noguera

School of Education Faculty Works

This paper draws from a critical ethnographic case study of the Roses in Concrete Community School (RiC) in East Oakland, California to explore their approach to repurposing a traditional school into a community responsive learning institution by operationalizing a critical humanist vision of education in a marginalized, urban community. The educator activists who founded RiC envisioned a school that would not only meet the needs of students and families, but act as an intervention and a catalyst for healing and transformation. Historiographic methods are used to examine how the founders conceived and implemented the design of RiC and to demonstrate …

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Bridging The Education-Employment Gap: Barriers To Employment And Well-Being Among Unemployed Individuals In Abu Dhabi, Masood Badri, Mugheer Alkhaili, Hamad Aldhaheri, Guang Yang, Muna Albahar, Asma Alrashdi, Saad Yaaqeib, Alanoud Alsawai

All Works

Unemployment remains a critical socio-economic challenge with profound implications for individual wellbeing. This study examines the self-perceived barriers to employment and their impact on key well-being determinants, including life satisfaction, happiness, mental health (where higher scores indicate worse outcomes), subjective health, family relations, friend relations, and the ability to make ends meet (ATMEM), among unemployed individuals in Abu Dhabi. Using data from a comprehensive survey (QoL-5), the analysis reveals significant differences in well-being outcomes across demographic factors such as gender, age, education level, and head of household status. Notably, barriers such as lack of social networks, job competition, and education-related …

Analyzing The Impact Of Motivational Interviewing In A School Counseling Setting With Academically At-Risk High School Students, Brian Linhart

Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on the academic performance and motivation of academically at-risk high school students over an eight-week period. The primary research questions examine whether there is a statistically significant impact of using MI in a school counseling setting on academic performance and internal motivations. Data collection methods included academic performance, the Self-Reported Academic Beliefs, Behavior, and Self-Efficacy questionnaire, and the MI Pre and Post Meeting Questionnaire to assess students’ motivation and engagement. The study employs a quantitative approach using Friedman’s rank sum test and a paired t-test with a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, to …

Unbridled Healing: Identifying The Barriers Of Equine-Assisted Therapy, Sally A. Hamm

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite the documented benefits of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) for mental health conditions, this complementary approach remains underutilized. This qualitative study investigated barriers preventing wider EAT implementation by examining challenges faced by clients, facilities, and volunteers. Data collected through open-ended surveys from 33 participants and the researcher's autoethnographic observations revealed eight common barriers: Accessibility (48 mentions), Money (43), Time (30), Awareness (23), Physical Factors (13), Relationships (13), Risk (13), and Weather (7). Clients identified financial constraints as their primary barrier, particularly insurance limitations. Facilitators struggled most with accessibility challenges, including lack of resources, trained staff, suitable horses, and appropriate facilities. Volunteers …

Redefining Children’S Experience In Social Services Offices, Julia K. Bryant

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The effects of childhood trauma are far-reaching and diverse, influencing physical, emotional, and mental health across a child’s entire lifetime. Research indicates that children who experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse or neglect are at an increased risk for various consequences and that the environments they encounter post-trauma play a significant role in shaping their experiences. Social services offices, where many traumatized children are taken for interviews or assessments after being removed from their homes, can often become places of additional distress. This project seeks to address this issue by proposing redesigns for social services offices to create …

Learning Through Relationship, Eileen L. Lamble

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A brief compilation of growth and learning through the 10 core competencies of social work.

Knowledge And Perceptions About Feeding And Growth In Infants And Young Children Among Early Interventionists, Kayla Chambers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition plays a vital role in early childhood, where rapid growth and development occur. This study investigates Early Interventionists’ (EIs) nutrition knowledge and perceptions of nutrition-related concerns in children receiving services through the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS). An electronic survey was distributed to EIs in Tennessee to assess their nutrition knowledge and perceptions and to identify nutrition concerns. Findings revealed that most EIs have never received any nutrition education, despite being asked for nutrition guidance by families and being open to nutrition-related training. The EIs reported seeing nutrition concerns such as growth delays, food refusal, and picky eating, but …

Peer-Led Support Groups For People With Early Onset Parkinson's Disease, Linnea Tabaka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Early onset Parkinson’s Disease (EOPD) is a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease when diagnosed between the ages of 21 and 50. This population faces unique challenges due to family, social, and career demands that correlate with the age of diagnosis. Support groups have been utilized frequently for people with traditional PD and their caregivers but may not meet the unique needs people with EOPD face. This study explores the existing benefits of a peer-led support group (group led by members of the group) for persons with EOPD. Methodology: This is a qualitative case study of an established support …

The Importance Of Voice: American Indian Experiences With Their Healthcare, James Zimmer

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) have faced inequity and discrimination since colonization. Specifically, within the healthcare system, AIAN individuals have experienced maltreatment, poor quality services, and the dismissal of cultural and personal practices. Health disparities among this population have led to the highest prevalence in many chronic disease categories nationwide (Laffey et al., 2021). A qualitative study with nine respondents was conducted using virtual interviews. Respondents were recruited through healthcare agencies and snowball sampling. Interviews focused on the experiences of American Indians in the Midwest United States with their primary care provider or in a hospital within the last …

Exploring Organizational Responses To Secondary Traumatic Stress In Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Agencies In North Carolina., Kristin Cline

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is an ongoing concern for advocates working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This study examines the prevalence of STS among domestic violence and sexual assault advocates in North Carolina and explores organizational strategies for lessening its effects. Using a mixed-methods design, data was collected from three agencies through a survey, resulting in a sample of 25 advocates. The study measured levels of STS and allowed advocates to voice their needs and perspectives on the support they require from their agencies. Results indicate that STS is a significant concern for advocates and that organizational …

Home For The Brave: Housing Program, Amanda Jabr

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Veteran homelessness remains a critical issue across the United States. Since 1996, the Veterans Transition Center (VTC) of Monterey County has been at the forefront of addressing this crisis by providing comprehensive services, housing, therapy, addiction recovery, job training, healthcare, and support for families and pets to homeless and formerly incarcerated veterans. Guided by its mission of “Veterans Supporting Veterans,” VTC has achieved a notable 0% recidivism rate among program participants. This project evaluated the effectiveness of VTC’s housing program through a survey of 40 alumni veterans. The findings indicate that the majority of respondents found the program effective, credited …