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Beyond The Game: Educating Youth Coaches In Sport Psychology And Psychological Skills Training, John Wygant

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

This paper presents the development of a manualized program designed to train youth sport coaches to implement a psychological skills training (PST) program that enhances both athletic performance and mental health. Rooted in sport psychology and coaching expertise, this program introduces a novel approach to addressing youth mental health challenges through upstream intervention. With many young athletes facing mental health struggles and traditional efforts in schools and communities showing limited success, this program equips coaches to teach essential psychological skills such as goal setting, adaptive thinking, confidence, and emotional regulation. By integrating these skills into sports practices and presenting them …

Court-Mandated Parenting Intervention: A Parenting Program To Reduce Conflict And Increase Positive Coping Skills For High-Conflict Parents In Family Court, Joshua T. Metcalf

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

The number of children in the United States whose parents have either separated or divorced has continued to increase over time. While some parents are able to effectively co-parent their children after separation or divorce, others may be unwilling or unable to effectively do so. Parents who ineffectively co-parent their children, often referred to as high conflict co-parents, can often over utilize family court resources to solve disputes and to make co-parenting decisions. In the literature review presented, current co-parenting resources often utilized by family courts are explored and research regarding current co-parenting interventions is discussed. Additionally, key components of …

Bragging Rights: How Women Candidates Use Endorsements In Strategic Messages, Eva Carter, Tyhlar Holliway

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

This research analyzes the methods and terminology employed by men and women candidates when they talk about their political endorsements in strategic campaign communication. While existing literature addresses topics such as educating uninformed voters, the influence of endorsements in political campaigns, messaging ethics, celebrity endorsements, and the correlation between money and endorsements, analyses of gender differences in the use and types of endorsements remain underdeveloped. We argue that women candidates, due to the unique vulnerabilities they face in campaigns (Bauer 2015; Lazarus and Steigerwaltz 2018), will be more likely than men to highlight their endorsements in campaign ads. We record …

Lapses In Care Among Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Mixed-Methods Study, Serina Sera Applebaum

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) affects approximately 7% of individuals with diabetes and requires consistent follow-up to prevent irreversible vision loss. Despite this, lapses in PDR care are common, but poorly characterized. We conducted a two-phase mixed-methods evaluation, including a quantitative retrospective national cohort study of individuals with PDR, followed by a qualitative study investigating participant perspectives on their own lapses in PDR care. In the quantitative component, we used data from 13 academic health systems in the Sight Outcomes Research Collaborative (SOURCE) Repository between 2008 and 2023 to identify adults aged ≥18 with PDR and ≥6 months of ophthalmic follow-up. …

Disparities In Utilization Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists And Sglt2 Inhibitors Across Social Determinants Of Health: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Nisarg Shah

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) significantly reduce cardiovascular and metabolic risk in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Yet real-world utilization remains inconsistent, and emerging evidence suggests that social determinants of health (SDOH) may contribute to unequal access and prescribing.Research Aims: The extent and drivers of these disparities have not been systematically characterized, so we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether SDOH—socioeconomic status (SES), insurance status, education, geography, and neighborhood deprivation index (NDI)—and demographic factors—race and sex—are associated with differential utilization of SGLT2i or GLP-1RA. Question: To what extent are SES, insurance …

Prevalence, Reporting, And Management Of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities And Incidental Findings On Lung Cancer Screening, Tian Wei Yu

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background: Low dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening frequently identifies incidental findings. The most frequent and consequential thoracic and upper abdominal incidental findings include interstitial lung disease (ILD), interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), emphysema, coronary artery calcification, aortic calcification, aortic aneurysm, and adrenal lesions. Many of these abnormalities carry prognostic and therapeutic implications. However, the prevalence of these findings, variation in reporting practices, and downstream management within integrated health systems remain incompletely characterized, particularly for ILA and ILD.

Research Aims: We aimed to quantify the prevalence of selected incidental findings on lung cancer screening CT across a large multi-hospital health …

Pinky Extension In American Sign Language: Evidence For A Lexically Restricted Morphological Process, Laurel Whitsett

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations

This study investigates pinky extension (PE) in American Sign Language (ASL). PE involves extending the pinky finger in signs, even though this feature is not present in standard dictionary representations of those signs. Although PE has been previously described as conveying emphasis, this account does not fully explain its distribution. This study asks whether PE reflects a meaningful part of how signs are structured in ASL, rather than a matter of individual style or variation. Focusing on adjectives, it examines whether PE interacts with sentence position. In ASL, certain adjectives may appear either before (prenominally) or after (postnominally) the noun …

Measles Vaccine Hesitancy Improvement Bundle To Improve Vaccination Rates In A Rural Outpatient Clinic, Ramie Malone

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Introduction

Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations to vaccinate children against measles, a decline in measles vaccination rates has been observed at a rural family medicine clinic. While numerous factors contribute to the decline in vaccination rates—including parental doubts about the necessity of vaccination, concerns about vaccine side effects, and insufficient education—the latter remains a fundamental underlying cause of suboptimal vaccination coverage.

Objectives

This project focused on surveying, educating, and boosting parents' confidence in measles vaccines for children under five to raise the measles vaccination rate.

Methods

This project used a pre- and post-intervention bundle over an …

Reducing 30-Day Readmission Rates In Patients With Heart Failure, Charles Mccoy

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Abstract

Globally, heart failure affects approximately 54 million individuals and has reached pandemic levels, contributing to elevated 30-day readmission rates (Sa et al., 2024). Background: In the United States, 30-day readmission rates range from 18% to 20%, with similar rates across all states. The current rate was documented as 29% at the study setting hospital. Objective: Implement a Quality Improvement project based on education, evidence-based order sets, and referral to palliative care to reduce 30-day readmission rates among adults with heart failure. Methods: Nursing staff completed education specific to heart failure, and patients received the American Heart Association Self-Check assessment. …

Ask, Advise, And Act: A Smoking Cessation Bundle For Cancer Patients, Crystal Tencate

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. For patients undergoing cancer treatment, continued tobacco use poses serious risks. In surgical oncology, smoking is associated with poorer treatment outcomes, increased postoperative complications, delayed wound healing, and higher mortality. For patients requiring reconstructive surgery, smoking-related complications can be devastating, sometimes resulting in significant wound complications or loss of the reconstruction. Despite these well-established risks, smoking cessation interventions are not consistently integrated into clinical practice.

To address this gap, a quality improvement project was implemented to strengthen smoking cessation efforts among advanced practice providers (APPs) …

Improving Asthma Management In Schools: A Comprehensive Approach To Education, Environmental Enhancements And Asthma Action Plans, Yesenia Trevino

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Abstract

Introduction

Asthma contributes to school absenteeism, especially in underserved communities. This project aimed to enhance asthma management at a South Texas elementary school through staff and student education, monthly air filter changes, and personalized Asthma Action Plans (AAPs).

Methods

A quality improvement project at a South Texas elementary school involved 40 asthmatic students over eight weeks, using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework. It included staff and student education, air filter maintenance, and facilitation of Asthma Action Plans (AAPs). Pre/post surveys, custodial logs, AAP audits, and attendance were analyzed, with paired t-tests used to assess changes (N=32).

Results

There was 71.9% …

Starting Strong: Improving Mmr Vaccination Rates In Kindergartners, Regina Bryan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Abstract

Introduction

During the 2023–2024 academic year, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage among kindergarten students in this school district did not meet the Healthy People 2030 target, thereby elevating the risk of disease outbreaks. This quality improvement project aimed to improve MMR vaccination initiation and completion through coordinated, school-based interventions.

Methods

Guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, an eight-week immunization bundle was implemented across 14 elementary schools in South Texas. Interventions included reminder calls, multilingual education, districtwide communication, and a partnership with a nonprofit clinic that provides free or reduced-cost vaccines through on-site and community clinics. Pre- and post-intervention …

Ambient Listening: Using Artificial Intelligence To Transcribe Provider Office Visits, Odia Russette

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Electronic health record (EHR) documentation burdens contribute to increased “pajama time” or after–hours charting, reduced job satisfaction, and provider burnout. Provider burnout leads to provider and critical access point losses. Ambient–listening artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have emerged as a possible tool to reduce charting burdens; however, evidence from outpatient wellness settings remains limited.

Local Problem: At an urban adult wellness clinic in Texas with limited resources for completing tasks, in-clinic and after-hours “pajama time” charting burdens contributed to provider fatigue, job dissatisfaction, and burnout.

Methods: A quality improvement (QI) project using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework implemented an AI ambient …

A Quality Improvement Project To Decrease Medication Prior Authorization Approval Times, Amena Guinn Babers

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Medication prior authorization requirements add to administrative burden, increase labor costs, and delay patient access to treatment in outpatient specialty settings. This bottleneck directly influences nursing workload and economic performance.

Purpose: To evaluate the fiscal and performance significance of implementing an electronic prior authorization (ePA) process, standardized tracking tools, and staff education in a small orthopedic clinic.

Methods: A pre–post quality improvement design was used. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (independent‑samples t tests and Mann–Whitney U tests) were conducted to compare time to approval, staff hours worked, satisfaction scores, and medication pickup timeframes.

Results: Significant reductions were observed in …

Improving Discharge Delays Through A Real-Time Durable Medical Equipment Tracking System And Enhanced Interdisciplinary Communication, Shonda Houston

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Timely hospital discharge is essential for patient safety, satisfaction and hospital efficiency. Discharge delays, particularly those related to durable medical equipment (DME), increase length of stay (LOS), strain hospital resources and negatively impact patient outcomes. Evidence suggests that structured discharge planning and improved interdisciplinary communication reduce these delays.

Problem: On an acute care stepdown unit inconsistent DME tracking and poor communication among nurses, case managers, physicians, physical therapist, and DME vendors were identified as contributors to prolonged patient stays.

Methods: Guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence- Based Practice a real-time manual DME tracking system and …

Inpatient Stroke Quality Improvement, Briyawna N. Wyatt

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Inpatient nursing documentation for stroke care is essential for meeting quality metrics, maintaining continuity, and supporting timely decisions. Gaps can lead to inconsistent care, metric failures, and reduced staff confidence. This quality improvement initiative aimed to improve metric compliance, documentation consistency, and nursing knowledge and satisfaction. A three-part intervention included targeted education, a standardized documentation verification form, and ongoing feedback from stroke champions. Outcomes measured were metric compliance, knowledge (pre/posttests), documentation completeness (Venous Thromboembolism (VTE), education, Modified Rankin Scale), and staff satisfaction. Results showed significant improvement in nursing knowledge (p < .005), reduced metric fallouts, and better documentation across all indicators. Staff satisfaction increased by about 20%. Overall, combining education, standardized tools, and continuous feedback improved documentation practices, enhanced compliance with stroke metrics, and increased nursing knowledge and satisfaction, supporting better care processes and patient outcomes.

Empowering Patient Engagement In Effort To Reduce Readmissions, Derinda Hugaboon, Msn, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Hospital readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries remain a major quality concern and are often associated with social determinants of health (SDOH) and care transition gaps. Targeted discharge interventions that address self‑management needs and follow‑up barriers may reduce avoidable readmissions. Objective: To reduce readmissions by implementing a bundled intervention addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), care‑transition gaps, and inadequate post‑discharge primary care follow‑up. Methods: Medicare Advantage (MA) members aged ≥45 were included. A total of 249 members accounted for 275 overall admissions during the project period; 191 admissions (69.5%) received at least one intervention component (informational discharge packet, face‑to‑face encounter, and/or …

A Questionnaire Assessing Attitudes And Readiness For Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Therapy For Community Members At-Risk For Hiv Acquisition In Liberia, Yishak Bedaso

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

AbstractA Questionnaire Assessing Attitudes And Readiness For HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Therapy For Community Members At-Risk For HIV Acquisition In Liberia Yishak Bedaso;1 Jessica Tuan, MD, MS;2 Yassah M. Barclay-Korboi;3 Onyema Ogbuagu MBBCh, FACP, FIDSA4 Affiliation: 1. Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA 2. Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Infectious Diseases, New York, NY, USA 3. JFK Memorial Hospital, Monrovia, Liberia. 4.Yale Antivirals & Vaccines Research Program, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Despite how effective Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is in preventing HIV, uptake among women in sub-Saharan …

Influence Of Demographics On Research Participation In Female Patients Undergoing Ambulatory Surgery, Tiana Fernandez

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background: Historically, research on women and minorities has consisted of unethical experimentation, human rights violations, and crimes against humanity. Numerous examples can be found throughout the past two centuries, including the exposure of pregnant women to radioactive iron in the Tennessee-Vanderbilt Nutrition Project (TVNP), failure to treat cervical carcinoma in situ in the Unfortunate Experiment, surgical experimentation on female slaves by Dr. J. Marion Sims, failure to treat syphilis in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, intentional exposure to and subsequent failure to treat sexually transmitted diseases in Guatemala, collection of biospecimens from Henrietta Lacks, and nontherapeutic experimentation on minority children in …

Facial Harmony And Gender Congruence: Patient-Reported Outcomes Of Gender-Affirming Facial Surgery Using The Gender-Q And Gpsq, Helia Hosseini

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background:Gender-affirming facial surgery (GAFS) addresses gender dysphoria by aligning facial features with gender identity, with historical emphasis on refining the upper facial third to render patients more attractive and feminine. The GENDER-Q, a novel patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), evaluates aesthetic, functional, and psychosocial outcomes, complementing the Gender Preoccupation and Stability Questionnaire (GPSQ) to assess effects of GAFS in this study. Methodology: Survey data from 86 patients was analyzed using GENDER-Q and GPSQ scores. Higher GENDER-Q scores indicated improved outcomes, whereas lower GPSQ scores reflected reduced gender dysphoria. Pre- and post-operative outcomes were compared using paired and unpaired t-tests. Spearman’s correlation …

A Spatial Transcriptomic Atlas And Cellular Lineage-Based Analysis Of Chondroblastoma, Will Jiang

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Chondroblastoma is a benign primary bone tumor with controversial cellular origin. Although bearing the name “chondroblastoma”, this musculoskeletal tumor has faced controversy as to whether chondroblasts are chondrocytes. Moreover, its cellular composition can make it difficult to distinguish amongst its mimics including giant cell tumor of bone, chondrosarcoma, and chondromyxoid fibromas.

This thesis aims to characterize the transcriptomic expression atlas of human chondroblastoma to better define the gene expression profile and diagnostic expression markers of chondroblastoma. Secondarily, this thesis aims to identify the lineage progression and cellular composition of chondroblastoma using spatial and temporal patterning analysis.

Histologically confirmed samples of …

Joint Venture: Curriculum Design, Implementation And Evaluation For A Novel Interdisciplinary Musculoskeletal Medicine Elective, Arielle Richey Levine

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background / Scientific Premise: Musculoskeletal medicine is underrepresented in medical education in the United States and internationally; however, it represents an increasingly critical area of patient care. Educational initiatives targeting this area of medicine are complex given its interdisciplinary nature and the challenges faced when adding new material to medical curricula. The application of medical education principles to tackle this challenge remains an area open for further investigation in terms of efficacy and reported student experience.

Research Aims: This research aims to understand the needs for improved MSK education at Yale School of Medicine, design an intervention to address the …

Neurophysiologic Responses To Endovascular Interventions For Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Management, Rafael Seth Maarek

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Background/Scientific Premise: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) continues to be a leading cause of poor outcomes in hospitalized aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. In addition to cerebral vasospasm, a growing constellation of pathophysiologic processes has been implicated in the development of DCI, including impaired autoregulation, micro-thrombosis, inflammation, and cortical spreading depolarizations. However, management options for patients showing signs of emerging DCI have largely remained spasmolytic in nature, and it remains unclear if reversing cerebral vasospasm in patients with signs of emerging DCI will reliably improve underlying neurophysiology. To our knowledge, no group has reliably shown postprocedural improvements in quantitative EEG metrics …

"It Made Me Want To Get Into Healthcare Even More": A Simulation-Based Healthcare Mentoring Program, Jack Mccarthy

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The healthcare industry in the United States continues to experience rapid growth, yet workforce shortages persist across a wide range of medical professions. In order to increase the pool of qualified individuals pursuing healthcare, innovative strategies are needed to increase interest in healthcare fields among youth. Prior research has identified that healthcare career interest is driven in part by motivational characteristics including interest in math and science, self-efficacy, and social factors like the expectations of parents and caregivers. Mentoring, career exploration, and informal learning have been identified as strategies that increase student interest in and commitment towards healthcare careers. This …

The Deepfake Dilemma: Fake Images, Real Victims, And The Legal Void In Addressing Non-Consensual Deepfake Pornography, Elizabeth A. Safaryn

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

This Note evaluates the various legal remedies available to victims of non-consensual deepfake pornography. As deepfakes are a relatively new but rapidly advancing technology, it is difficult for the law to keep up with the mass creation and distribution of AI-generated images on the Internet. With the competing interest of constitutionally protected speech, current deepfake laws fail to address non-consensual intimate image sharing (NCII) explicitly and lack the necessary deterrent effect to curb their proliferation. With an initial background on deepfakes and machine learning, this Note then explores the strained relationship between the First Amendment and the available civil remedies …

Decreasing Work-Related Stress And Burnout In Advanced Practice Clinicians, Laura Vasquez

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background

Advanced practice clinicians (APCs) face ongoing job-related stress and career burnout. Work-related stress and burnout affect healthcare quality, safety, and patient satisfaction, yet evidence specific to job-related stress and career burnout from outpatient medical facilities in the South Texas region remains limited.

Purpose

A quality improvement (QI) project was implemented to decrease work-related stress and burnout among APCs working in an outpatient medical facility in the South Texas region.

Methods

Project participants included family nurse practitioners (FNPs) (n=7) and physician assistants (PAs) (n=4). Data was collected between January 2026 and March 2026. An intervention was implemented which included engagement …

Export Controls As Intellectual Property Regulation, Doni Bloomfield

Faculty Scholarship

Export-control laws have long regulated information created outside of the U.S. government. Legal scholars have paid little attention to these national-security laws, and have not recognized that the government uses them specifically to assert a right to suppress information held in patent applications and trade secrets. In this Article, I present a new history of the relationship between export controls and intellectual property to show how the government regulates IP transfers, and how the state uses IP laws to national-security ends. Export-control laws regulate IP by controlling how people in the United States and beyond can share or use inventive …

Chapter 1 - Introduction And Overview, Anthony G. Amsterdam, Randy A. Hertz

Trial Manual for the Defense of Criminal Cases

This Trial Manual is a how-to-do-it guidebook for handling criminal cases from beginning to end. It provides a compact guide through the stages of an ordinary criminal case, from arrest and investigation to appeal. Its focus is upon the key points at which defense counsel must make decisions and take actions. Options and factors to be considered in each decision, and steps that can be taken to assert a client’s rights and protect the client’s interests at each stage, are laid out.

Table Of Contents, Anthony G. Amsterdam, Randy A. Hertz

Trial Manual for the Defense of Criminal Cases

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW (Chapters 1-2)
PART TWO: INITIAL STAGES OF THE CASE THROUGH ARRAIGNMENT (Chapters 3-16)
PART THREE: PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN ARRAIGNMENT AND TRIAL (Chapters 17-31)
PART FOUR: TRIAL (Chapters 32-46)
PART FIVE: POST-TRIAL (Chapters 47-49)

Chapter 3 - The Lawyer's Entrance Into The Case – First Steps, Anthony G. Amsterdam, Randy A. Hertz

Trial Manual for the Defense of Criminal Cases

Defense counsel may have occasion to enter a criminal case at almost any of the stages described in Chapter 2. In the early stages, at least, the crucial first steps to be taken are essentially the same. They are, in essence: (1) to make contact with the client, obtain the client’s authorization to represent him or her, warn the client against speaking with the police or others, and obtain information that counsel can use to seek the client’s release; (2) to speak to the investigating officer, find out whatever counsel can about the charges and the availability of release on …