Digital Commons Network^™

A New Dawn Of Joy: How Joy Is Cultivated Among Black Transgender And Nonbinary Young Adults In Florida, Courtney Marciá Gardner

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The state of Florida had a record-breaking number of implemented and proposed policies between 2023-2024 that impacted transgender and nonbinary individuals. Black transgender and nonbinary people are particularly impacted by these policies due to the compounded effects of their race and gender identity. Nonetheless, despite the growing literature on Black transgender and nonbinary individuals, a lack of research exists examining positive aspects of intersectional experiences among Black transgender and nonbinary individuals. This qualitative study shifts away from deficit centered frameworks by investigating how Black transgender and nonbinary young adults in Florida cultivate joy in their lives. This study uses a …

Queer And Thriving: Community As Resilience In An Anti-Lgbtq State, Lauren Aitken

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people are subject to unique, chronic, and socially based stressors known as minority stressors. Community can be an important resource for LGBTQ people which can help mitigate the harmful effects of minority stressors. This study sought to understand how minority stressors, such as institutionalized forms of prejudice, discrimination, and violence, affect LGBTQ people in Central Florida and how community connectedness can be used as a resource to mitigate those effects. This study used Central Florida as a research site because of its large LGBTQ population within a state where anti-LGBTQ laws are consistently …

Resilience And Stress: Trauma, Grit, Resilience And Perceived Organizational Support In First Responders, Paige Gallas Parker

Theses and Dissertations

First responders comprise an underserved and under-researched population, despite consensus that their work involves exposure to potentially traumatic events. Inconsistent definitions of “first responder” and unclear prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) limit efforts to assess and promote resilience. This study examined the relationships between grit, resilience, perceived organizational support, and trauma symptoms in a sample of 234 first responders (69% firefighters, 29% lifeguards) employed by a large West Coast fire department. Measures included a demographics questionnaire, the Professional Exposure to Traumatic Events (PETE), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Short Grit Scale …

I Hate Self-Care: A Criminal Defense Lawyer’S Lament, Abbe Smith

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Don’t get me wrong—I think people should take care of themselves. They should eat well, exercise regularly, and get a good night’s sleep. They should spend time with friends and family. They should have hobbies and interests. With any luck, they should find true love. But in the past decade or two, and especially since the COVID pandemic, there has been a disturbing turn inward. I’m talking about the “self-care” craze, which has become its own pandemic, or at least epidemic.

…

In this Essay, I share my concerns about what I regard to be an excessive focus on self-care …

Nuance As Praxis For Teaching About Mandated Reporting: Classroom Activities, Grace Pappas, Sam Harrell, Stéphanie Wahab

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

As social work instructors, we have observed students increasingly wanting to engage in critical conversations about mandated reporting. Few resources are available to support instructors in facilitating these conversations. This teaching note offers content and lesson plans for exploring mandated reporting as a moral duty, a harm, an ethical dilemma, and a legal mandate in the classroom. Together, these pedagogical tools can help instructors embrace nuance as a practice for teaching about mandated reporting.

The Adaptive Roles Framework: Trauma Adaptations And Identity Formation, Steffannie Roache

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Adaptive Roles Framework is a culturally grounded conceptual model that explains how individuals develop patterned behavioral, emotional, and relational strategies in response to family systems, culture, trauma exposure, and social environments. Rather than conceptualizing behavior through pathology or personality typology, the framework positions behavioral patterns as adaptive survival strategies, responses that increased safety, belonging, or stability within specific environments and were reinforced over time because they worked. The framework identifies seven adaptive roles observed consistently across individuals, families, workplaces, and communities: the Guardian, the Translator, the Assimilator, the Archive Keeper, the Time Jumper, the Intellectual Escape Artist, and the …

Outcomes Of A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Testing Brief Interventions To Increase Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs Attending Syringe Services Programs, Hilary L. Surratt, Sarah Brown, Abby L. Burton, Will Cranford, Laura C. Fanucchi, Christie Green, Stephanie M. Mersch, Rebecca Rains, Philip M. Westgate

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Background: Kentucky is one of seven states with high, sustained rural HIV transmission tied to injection drug use. Expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been endorsed as a key HIV prevention strategy; however, uptake among people who inject drugs (PWID) has been negligible in rural areas. Syringe services programs (SSPs) have been implemented throughout Kentucky’s Appalachian region, providing an important opportunity to integrate PrEP services. Objectives: The primary objective was to examine preliminary efficacy and effect sizes of the study interventions on PrEP initiation among HIV-negative PWID. Design: Parallel group randomized controlled trial. Methods: Eighty participants were enrolled from …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Healthcare Access, Kyla M. Frost

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and healthcare access, and ACEs and healthcare access among people of color. The current study is a secondary data analysis of the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A disproportionate stratified sample (DSS) design and a simple random sample design were used to collect data. The current study examined 48,865 participants who completed ACEs through telephone surveys. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between ACEs and healthcare access. The results also showed …

Parenting Support Groups Outcomes, Christina Howell

Graduate Research Papers

According to the American Psychological Association 48% of parents find their stress to be completely overwhelming as compared to 26% of other adults. Sixty percent of parents struggle to focus, and 41% of parents report feeling so stressed that they cannot function (American Psychological Association (APA), 2024). In this study three questions are addressed 1) Are Online parenting support groups successful at supporting caregivers and children? 2) What are the outcomes for caregivers and their children when their caregivers participate in parenting support groups? 3) Are parenting support groups successful at supporting caregivers who have experienced trauma? The findings of …

Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities As A Risk For Child Maltreatment, Maddie Hawley

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and child maltreatment. Data from the 2022 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) from the state of Minnesota was analyzed. The sample was made up of 38,083 reports of child maltreatment, where the average age of the child was 7.66 years. 51.2% of the children in the sample were female, and White children comprised the largest portion of the sample at 39.6%. Results of this study showed that children with IDDs are at an elevated risk of child maltreatment compared to typically …

Impacts Of Sexual Assault On Mental Health In Adolescents, Nicole Trip

Graduate Research Papers

The current study focuses on the impacts of forced sexual activity on mental health among high school students. This study is a secondary data analysis, using the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), which is nationally representative data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 19,945 high school students with an average age of 15.89 years, and about half of the students were White and male. This study found that experiences of sexual assault are associated with increased depression and suicidal ideation. This study also found that female youth experienced a higher level …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Chronic Health Conditions In Black Individuals, Emily K. Etringer

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and chronic health conditions among Black individuals of different genders. The study employs quantitative research methods and utilizes secondary data analysis on the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percent, mean, standard deviation, range, and inferential statistics, such as correlation analyses, independent groups t-tests, ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. This research revealed a statistically significant finding that Black individuals with an ACE score of 4+ have more chronic …

Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Impact Of Social Support, Cultural Background, And Early Interventions, Alysha Haaland

Graduate Research Papers

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a critical public health issue that leaves enduring psychological, emotional, and social impacts on survivors. This paper examines the interrelated roles of social support, cultural background, and early interventions in promoting long-term resilience and recovery, with a particular focus on male and culturally diverse survivors. Grounded in Trauma and Resiliency Theory, this literature review highlights key protective factors—including emotional, informational, and instrumental support—while exploring how cultural norms, religious beliefs, and systemic stigma shape survivors’ coping strategies and access to care. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of early interventions such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, …

Police Interactions On Adverse Mental Health Outcomes Within Black Communities, Anessa Smith

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines the relationship between police interactions and psychological distress among Black adults, contributing to existing research on systemic racism and mental health disparities. Utilizing secondary data analysis, the 2023 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), this study focuses on the analysis of a nationally representative, address-based sample of non-institutionalized Black adults residing in California, with a sample size of 1,009. The study examines associations between the number of police stops over a three-year period and psychological distress by gender. Findings indicate that a higher frequency of police stops is significantly associated with increased psychological distress. However, no statistically significant …

Transforming Lives For Eternity: 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, Southern Adventist University

Strategic Plans

Southern Adventist University's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.

The Classic, Winter 2025, Public Relations

The Classic, 2020-present

Zwemer View: The Legacy of Standout Leaders; Around the Green: Enrollment Goals Shattered; A New Colenbrander; New Corner, New Chapter; A Fresh Name, a Timeless Legacy; On Call; Agape Anthem; Program Evaluator; Perfect PA Pass Rate; Lux Circle; Ideas for Impact; Tanya Vaas: Making Campus Feel Like Home; End Of An Era: Five Retire from NWC; Summer in the Lab; Giving to Northwestern College in 2024-25; In High Demand; Faith at Work: NWC Earns "Best" Again: Classier Classrooms, Team Builder, Servant-Leader, Faithful Historian, Thoughtful Teacher; Among the Region's Best; Standout Alumni; Stimulating Simulators; Endowed Appointment; New Academic Pathways; Best in …

Enhancing Operational Efficiency Of Paratransit Services Using Predictive Models, Troyee Saha

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Paratransit services play a vital role in supporting the mobility of older adults and individuals with disabilities, yet they experienced major disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face ongoing operational issues such as trip cancellations. This dissertation explores these challenges through three distinct analyses using data from Arlington, TX. The first chapter investigates how COVID-19-related factors (policies, cases, and vaccination) and socio-demographics influenced paratransit usage from 2019 to 2021. Applying SARIMAX and Poisson regression models, the study finds a substantial drop in ridership—41% in 2020—and a shift toward essential medical travel. It also reveals that restrictive policies, such …

Homiezation, Isa D. Ferris

Social Justice | Senior Theses

This thesis presents Homiezation as a practical framework for building transformative relationships across cultural and racial boundaries, focusing on intercultural engagement for scholars, educators, and community practitioners. Based on community research in Marin County, California, it draws on interviews with Latino/a immigrants, first-generation Latino/a citizens, and one non-Latino BIPOC community member. I coined the term ‘Homiezation’ during my community work to describe the process of fostering care, trust, and shared humanity within Third Spaces, where diverse cultures interact and learn from one another.

Six interconnected themes—showing up, trust, social awareness, cultural humility, humor, and compañerismo—form the foundation of Homiezation. These …

The Photographic Lens Of Lewis Wickes Hine And The Spaces In Between Progressive, Documentary, And Artistic Photography, Lara Ann Kolinchak

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Progressive Era photographer Lewis Wickes Hine is best known for his child labor photography from the National Child Labor Committee. This dissertation seeks to expand the understandings associated with Hine’s photography of Southern and Eastern European immigrants by examining his photography as both historical document and as works of art. Pressing Hine’s work past the previous categorizations allows for analysis of his photography which opens new interpretations and spaces. Hine’s photography is not only a pictural historical reference but when read in its entirety many more historical insights become visible. Evaluating Hine’s photography from Ellis Island, The Pittsburgh Survey and …

Exploring Gratitude Journaling In 12-Step Recovery: Effects On Attitudes, Affect, And Cravings: A Pilot Study, Susan Elizabeth Hann Doyle

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the emotional and attitudinal effects of gratitude journaling exercises among 12-step program attendees for substance use disorders (SUDs) and behavioral addictions. A total of 152 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which completed Seligman’s “Three Good Things” exercise and a structured gratitude journal, or a control group, which engaged in a neutral journaling task. Emotional states were assessed using the positive and negative affect schedule-short form (PANAS-SF), while cravings were monitored with the Penn alcohol craving scale (PACS) to ensure the interventions did not exacerbate participants’ alcohol cravings. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant reductions …

Food Deserts: How To Make Them Green, Minoo Tehrani, Andreas Rathgeber, Lawrence Fulton, Bryan Schmutz

Business Faculty Publications

Despite tremendous progress in addressing food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition are still widespread across the globe. Different factors, such as low levels of income and education, lack of access to food markets and transportation, high unemployment and population rates, and abandoned homes in a neighborhood, are among the factors that have been attributed to the creation of food deserts in emerging and developed countries. Some of the leading causes of death in the U.S. are heart attack, obesity, and diabetes. These major causes of death have a higher rate among the Black, Latin, and Hispanic populations. Access to healthy and …

Second Look Commission, 2025 Annual Report, Tennessee Commission On Children And Youth

Second Look Commission Annual Reports

The Second Look Commission reviews cases of children from across Tennessee who have experienced a second or subsequent incidence of severe abuse to identify ways to improve the system and help other children avoid a similar fate. This document reports on the findings from the fiscal year.

Sexual And Reproductive Health Access Among Racial/Ethnic Minority College Students, Srithanvi Pasunuri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is critical for individual well-being, yet significant disparities in access persist among racial and ethnic minority college students in the United States. These inequities, driven by systemic barriers such as financial constraints, cultural stigmas, and inadequate campus resources, contribute to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and poor health outcomes within these populations. This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize existing literature on the barriers to SRH access for racial and ethnic minority college students, explore how cultural, social, and institutional factors influence service utilization, and assess interventions proven effective in …

Reentry Realities: Examining The Role Of Aftercare Programs In Supporting Justice-Involved Youth, Lynda Girven

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study examined if aftercare and reentry programs helped to reduce recidivism among youth who have been involved in the juvenile system, and specifically, youth released from residential placement facilities. Different components of aftercare programs were also examined, such as the inclusion of mentoring or family support, how many services were offered, and if the program followed the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model. Through completing a systematic review of studies published since 2008, five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All five studies found that the youth who received services through aftercare programs were less likely to reoffend than youth …

How Much Does America Hate Black Women?, Franchesca Smith

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper explores the relationship between sociocultural factors and intersectionality by way of economic inequalities. Intersectionality is a phenomenon that receives little to no examination especially in regards to Black women. The following research uses the theories of intersectionality, human capital, and institutional to examine which has the most significant effect on the wages of Black women compared to other demographics. Findings suggest that the intersectionality of Black women does have a substantial wage gap, but the correlation is positive, which is not true for the variables Black and women when separated. Additionally, the research suggests that the human capital …

Vol. 30 No. 1 Winter 2025

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Digital Storytelling Across Disciplinary Horizons: A Bibliometric Exploration Through Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, And Social Sciences, Desmin Davis, Manoj Praveen G, Ashna K

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study aims to know the key publication trends and patterns in digital storytelling research and to find the most influential papers, authors, journals, funding sponsors, sources, and countries that contributed to digital storytelling research from 2013 to 2023. This was examined through a systematic bibliometric analysis conducted on 508 documents collected from the Scopus database based on particular inclusion and exclusion criteria. Bibliometric patterns were obtained using the VOS viewer software. The findings indicated that the digital storytelling research field is emerging and shows growing interest in this particular field. The increasing citation trend shows its importance across various …

Insights From The Four-Wave Longitudinal Study Of Youth Identity Status In Hong Kong, Zhengmin, Kelly Peng

Department of Hospitality and Business Management

No abstract provided.

Prosocial Behaviour, Individualism, And Future Orientation Of Chinese Youth: The Role Of Identity Status As A Moderator, Zhengmin, Kelly Peng

Department of Hospitality and Business Management

There is a lack of research directly examining the relationships between future orientation, individualism, prosocial engagement and identity status among Chinese youth. This study focuses on the moderating role of identity status in the relationship between individualistic values, future orientation and prosocial behaviours. The study sample consists of 1817 Chinese youth aged between 15 and 28. Six patterns of identity statuses were identified by a hierarchical cluster analysis. Path analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the independent variables and youths’ prosocial engagement and the moderating effects of identity status. The results showed that future orientation is significantly related …

Development And Pilot-Testing Of Remote Counseling Treatment Manual And Protocol For 15-Year-Old And Above Osaec Survivors, Maria Caridad Tarroja, Ma. Araceli Balajadia-Alcala, Patricia D. Simon, Agnes B. Villegas

SDRC Projects

This mixed-method action research developed and pilot-tested a brief, evidence-based remote counseling program for victim-survivors of online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC) aged 15 years and older. Building on evidence and stakeholder consultations from Phase 1, the research team developed a treatment manual and remote counseling protocol guided by the Multimodal Social Ecological Framework. The program followed trauma-informed, culturally and developmentally appropriate, and empowerment-focused principles. Three experts with extensive experience in counseling children reviewed the manual before its pilot implementation.

The program comprised eight counseling sessions organized into three modules. Nine registered psychologists trained in the use of …