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Understanding Depression And Adl Decline In Dementia: The Impact Of Subtype And Social Frailty, Melanie C. Ventura

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The interplay of depression and dementia alters the ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs). When depression occurs concurrently with or because of dementia, it has a more significant link to disability than the impairment of depression or dementia. This occurrence often increases older adults’ risks and a faster progression of the disease. Patients with different types of dementia have varying experiences in the interplay among dementia, depression, and ADL impairment. Moreover, the dementia type can cause variations in awareness and symptoms, influencing different levels of ADL impairment, relative preservation of awareness, and depression levels.

The present study examined …

Neuropsychological Prediction Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Functional Abilities Using Brief Screeners, Ashley Bennett

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is primarily characterized by memory impairment and decline in function. Patients often undergo lengthy neuropsychological evaluations that create testing fatigue and, ultimately, affect their validity. There are brief assessment options to assess probable AD that are not commonly explored in research and clinical settings. This study investigated the predictive ability of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) with the addition of a semantic fluency measure compared to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-13-Item Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog-13) in diagnosing AD. Additionally, this study examined the potential use of the …

Rheumatic Resilience: An Occupational Therapy Approach, Shannon N. O'Donnell

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Rheumatic conditions affect nearly one in four adults in the United States (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.) and are characterized by chronic, often progressive symptoms, requiring long-term self-management. Despite this need, accessible and non-pharmacological resources remain limited. The capstone project, Rheumatic Resilience: An Occupational Therapy Approach, was developed to address this gap by promoting sustainable symptom management strategies through programming and education, while increasing awareness of occupational therapy (OT)’s role in chronic pain management. This project focused on areas of program development, education, clinical practice, and advocacy. A 10-week, in-person program based on Lifestyle Redesign principles was …

Holistic Healing Through Horses: An Evaluation Of Interdisciplinary Collaboration In Equine-Assisted Services And Associated Pilot Program, Catherine M. Balestrini, Kathleen Hughes-Butcher

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Holistic Healing through Horses: An Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Equine-Assisted Services and Associated Pilot Program was an occupational therapy doctoral capstone project conducted through Misericordia University. This project involved the implementation of equine-assisted services to improve occupational capabilities of physically disabled community-dwelling adults and research related to interdisciplinary collaboration in the equine-assisted service industry. The education component of this capstone disseminated information regarding safe techniques and procedures for volunteers involved in the Holistic Healing through Horses program. The program component of Holistic Healing through Horses involved 12 weekly sessions designed to target goal areas of the respective participants. Progress …

Let's Go Play: Creating Adaptive Play Opportunities For Children, Haleigh J. Merriman

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Children experiencing chronic conditions or life-threatening diseases are at a significantly greater risk of having poor mental health, with symptoms including anxiety, depression, aggression, physical impairment, and problems with academics and socialization (Nijhof et al., 2018). The Let’s Go Play project focuses on program development and education to provide children with disabilities opportunities to play. Play is an important occupation that children engage in. Play is a way that children learn new things, including developing resiliency, overcoming challenges, cooperating, and negotiating with others in a social sense. This program includes weekly video modules on hospital play and switch-adapted toys. This …

Harmony In Health: Supporting College Students Through Multidimensional Wellness, Hannah Strong

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Young adults entering college face a critical developmental transition in which they assume greater responsibility for managing their health and wellness, often without adequate guidance or supportive structures. National data indicate rising rates of mental health concerns, sleep deprivation, and food insecurity among college students, highlighting the need for holistic, context-specific wellness initiatives. The Harmony in Health doctoral capstone project was developed to address this gap by applying occupational therapy’s holistic, occupation-based perspective to promote balance across the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Eight Dimensions of Wellness within the Misericordia University community. The purpose of this capstone …

Emerging Through The College Experience: Supporting The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Higher Education Institutions, Kaitlyn Dixon

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Emerging Through the College Experience was a doctoral capstone project designed to support students during the pivotal transitions of college while substantiating the role of occupational therapy (OT) in higher education. Inspired by the Emerging statues by Dugan located on Misericordia University’s campus, this project focused on developing institutional resources to support college students as they adjust to the college lifestyle. A scoping review was conducted to explore the role of OT in supporting college students with emphasis on adult life skill training. Results from the scoping review identified life skills development as foundational for increasing confidence, academic success, and …

Aging With Mercy, Thriving In Place, Emma Layne Katzman, Karen Weis, Jennifer Rugletic Washko

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Occupational engagement, spirituality, and quality of life are recognized as important dimensions of aging, however, these factors remain underexplored among older adults residing within faith-based communal living environments. This doctoral capstone experience, Aging with Mercy, Thriving in Place, consisted of two distinct but complementary components: an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved mixed methods research study and a quality improvement initiative. The purpose of the research study was to explore occupational engagement, occupational role transitions, spirituality, identity, and perceived quality of life among older adults residing within a faith-based communal living environment. Quantitative data were collected using the World Health Organization Quality …

Transformative Paths: Advancing Inclusive Healthcare Education, Morgan Young

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Transgender individuals continue to experience significant healthcare disparities, provider bias, discrimination, and barriers to accessing affirming healthcare services (White Hughto et al., 2015; World Professional Association for Transgender Health [WPATH], 2022). Despite increasing awareness of these disparities, healthcare education often lacks comprehensive training related to gender-affirming care (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2021; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], n.d.; White Hughto et al., 2015). A concurrent scoping review was conducted to answer the research question: Among healthcare providers, how do educational strategies grounded in transgender perspectives and lived experiences affect provider competence in transgender healthcare? The review …

A Narrative Review Of Bertolotti's Syndrome: Etiology, Classification, Diagnosis, And Treatment, Matyas Abel Tsegaye, Andrea Muffly

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Bertolotti's syndrome is a congenital condition characterized by chronic low back pain stemming from a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV). Because the condition is frequently overlooked, patients often face years of delayed diagnosis before the true source of their pain is identified. Furthermore, current information regarding the biological origins and clinical management of the condition remain scattered. To address this knowledge gap, this narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Bertolotti’s syndrome by consolidating these disparate sources and suggesting new connections. We synthesize the latest understanding of this condition, ranging from its genetic origins to modern clinical management. We …

Music-Based Storytelling For Older Adult Well-Being: An Adapted Multiple Case Study, Zachary Michael Palma

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Autobiographical storytelling can be a meaningful way for older adults to reflect on life experience and support social and emotional well-being. Music has been widely documented as a cue for autobiographical memory. Although the benefits of storytelling and music as a memory cue have been independently examined, limited research has explored its combination with older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore music-based autobiographical storytelling in the lives of older adults. There were three research questions: (1) How do older adults describe their experiences with music-based storytelling? (2) How do they describe the social experience with music-based storytelling? …

Form As Threshold: The Ontology Of Musical Discourse In Preludio, Fugue And Saturnal, Angel Gomez Ramos

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This study analyzes the formal organization and musical discourse of Preludio, Fugue and Saturnal through a relational and process-oriented framework. It defines form as an emergent condition resulting from the interaction of musical parameters rather than as a predetermined structural model. The analysis focuses on the behavior of pitch organization, rhythmic structure, harmonic stratification, and motivic processes.

The compositional system is examined as a network of differential relations in which musical elements acquire identity through contrast and contextual function. Harmonic and temporal stratification are treated as primary structural mechanisms, alongside the use of non-teleological organization. Motivic material is characterized by …

Burnout And Mindful Self-Care Practices Among Bipoc Women Music Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Melissa V. Peters

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapy as a profession has long acknowledged burnout as a significant occupational concern, yet the experiences of marginalized therapists remain understudied. In particular, little research has explored how burnout and self-care manifest for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) women in a field historically dominated by white women. Most of the existing literature on this topic is focused on the majority identity of music therapists, white women. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the reported levels of burnout among BIPOC women music therapists as well as their reported frequency of engagement in …

Balancing Inquiry Based Learning And Direct Instruction, Sharon Liu , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of The Whittier State School From Reform To Control, Manuella Zammit

Whittier City & College Historical Research

This paper examines the transformation of the Whittier State School from its founding in 1891 as a Quaker inspired reform institution into a punitive juvenile detention facility under the California Youth Authority. Through analysis of primary sources including The Sentinel student newspaper, The Journal of Delinquency, psychological studies, and modern reports, this study traces how the school's philosophy shifted across three distinct eras. The first era (1890s to 1912) emphasized moral rescue through vocational training, academic instruction, and structured communal life rooted in Quaker ideals of rehabilitation over punishment. The second era (1912 to 1927) witnessed the rise of …

Exploring The Impact Of Group Art Therapy On Sense Of Belonging In Early Adolescents: A Mixed Methods Study, Carol Chu

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

During adolescence, peer relationships strongly influence development and emotional well-being. In addition, Adlerian theory emphasizes social interest and the importance of connectedness within the social environment. This mixed methods study explores the impact of a four-session group art therapy intervention in a middle school setting on young adolescents’ sense of belonging. Seven students in the seventh and eighth grade from a public middle school in Sacramento County participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected at two time points in the study, before and after the intervention, using the Sense of Belonging Scale (SBS). All seven participants demonstrated an increase …

Blue Spring (2001):, George Dibble

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

“Congratulations on your graduation,” broadcasts on the upper secondary school’s PA system—the first sound in the film Blue Spring (2001), directed by Toshiaki Toyoda—yet none of the students we follow for the next 83 minutes have anything to graduate for. Like a chick denied egg-shell breakage, stuck in its hard world, the film-focused boys are told to live. But where, and how? Blue Spring exists between the graffiti laden walls of high school where classes are secondary to student politics and fights are as common as words.

Annoyances lead to murders. Money is extorted. Teachers are harassed. The first image …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Student Learning, Ranging From Understanding, Originality, Motivation, Problem-Solving, And Resilience, Joseph Whelan

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming education, challenging traditional notions of how learning should be structured in schools. Although research on educational AI remains limited, its influence on student learning is already evident. On a daily basis, educators observe the impact artificial intelligence has on five specific areas of student learning: being, understanding, originality, motivation, problem-solving. and resilience. Using a mixed-methods approach, with descriptive research using surveys with free-response questions, the study aimed to examine how the five student characteristics are affected in the classroom daily through the integration of artificial intelligence into student learning. Teachers participated in a survey …

Hope As Affect: Engaging With Crisis And Collapse Through Collaborative Performance Making, Bronte Frances

Theses : Honours

The project is interested in how hope can operate as an affective, embodied force within collaborative performance-making processes. In this specific context it was to see how, where and why the concept of hope was possible in the collaborative making of a new and original full length theatre work that was addressing themes of crisis and collapse. Invoking key theorists – Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone (2022), Donna Haraway (2016), Kathleen Stewart (2007), Jonathan Lear (2006), and Rebecca Solnit (2016) – the research investigated how hope can be consistently enacted. Centred on investigating hope as affect experienced in the present …

Compassion In Crisis: A Study Of Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses Working In The Emergency Department At A Western Australian Metropolitan Tertiary Hospital, Sonu Susamma Sam

Theses

Compassion fatigue (CF) is defined as the emotional depletion caused by ongoing involvement in caring for another individuals experiencing trauma or hardship, pain, distress, and critical incidents. It is characterised by a decline in emotional capacity, reduced ability to empathise, and feelings of helplessness, that could potentially lead to burnout and secondary traumatic stress. While CF affects many healthcare providers including physicians, social service professionals, mental health practitioners, but nursing staff are particularly vulnerable due to their close and continuous engagement with patients.

Compassion fatigue has been extensively examined in oncology, palliative care, and intensive care, where exposure to patient …

Spiritual Friendship: A Metaphor For Integrating Attachment Theory Into Classic Christian Spiritual Direction, D. Gregory Mcelyea

The Asbury Journal

This article originated in the author’s doctoral dissertation. It refines and expands the literature review with respect to attachment processes in Christian spirituality. The central thesis is that insights from attachment theory, specifically as framed in Todd Hall’s “relational spirituality” model, can be integrated into the scope of classic Christian spiritual direction. The goal is to reimagine the dynamics of insecure attachment to God as expressions of dissonance in what Adrian van Kaam called the intrasphere, which includes the disciple’s emotional life, and the intersphere, which involves the disciple’s relational life.

In fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of …

I Saw This On Tiktok: Examining The Nature Of Memorable Health-Related Messages On Tiktok, Andrea L. Meluch, Rhiannon Kallis

Iowa Journal of Communication

This qualitative study examines the foci and characteristics of health-related TikTok videos users find memorable. Specifically, this analysis applies the theory of memorable messages to understand what types of health-related messages on social media are memorable to users and the impact of these messages on health-related behaviors. Participants included college students who use TikTok and recalled a memorable health-related TikTok video. Participants identified (a) exercise and fitness, (b) nutrition and diet, and (c) mental health as the most common memorable health-related topics in TikTok videos. Study findings also indicated that participants often have a strong emotional reaction to memorable content …

Provider Satisfaction Between General Dentists And Endodontists, Vaidehi Kumar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose: Burnout and low professional fulfillment are major issues for dental providers, impacting their well-being, patient care, and workforce stability. While burnout has been widely studied in dentistry, less is known about professional fulfillment and how it varies by specialty and work environment. This cross-sectional study compared professional fulfillment and burnout between general dentists and endodontists, and examined how practice setting, demographics, and job factors affect occupational well-being. Methods: Licensed dentists (n=147; 72 general dentists and 75 endodontists) participated in an anonymous online survey. The Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) was used to measure three sub-domains: Professional Fulfillment, Interpersonal Disengagement, and …

Behavioral Adaptation To Systematically Changing Local Conditions Of Reinforcement, Kento Yasukawa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adaptation is the continual process of behavioral change in response to changes in environmental contingencies. One example of adaptation is to track the temporal distribution of reinforcers. The present dissertation investigated how responding tracked cyclically changing reinforcement schedules (i.e., cyclic interval [CI]) and how such tracking was influenced by concurrently available alternative reinforcement schedules. Across two experiments, four pigeons responded under a CI 60-s schedule in which the interreinforcer intervals (IRIs) changed systematically according to a sinusoidal function. The primary dependent variable was postreinforcement pauses (PRPs), with local response rates (response rates per IRI) examined as a secondary measure of …

An Evidence-Based Practice Initiative To Promote Debriefing Within The Obstetrics Surgical Team, Rachel Lynn Runatz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Operating room debriefing is an evidence-based strategy shown to improve communication, efficiency, patient safety, and safety culture; however, debriefing is inconsistently performed in obstetric operating rooms due to workflow, cultural, and time-related barriers.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to increase the frequency of debriefings in the Birthing Center operating rooms at WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital through implementation of a nurse-driven, evidence-based debriefing initiative.

Intervention: A nurse-driven debriefing protocol was implemented using the Iowa Implementation for Sustainability Framework. Interventions included staff education, accessible laminated debriefing documents, identification of nurse champions, leadership support, and …

Improving Sedative Administration In Patients Receiving Paralytics During Intubation: A Quality Improvement Initiative Within A Large Academic Medical Center In West Virginia, David Bryon Underwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Awake paralysis (AWP) occurs when long-acting neuromuscular blockers outlast short-acting sedatives during intubation, leaving patients chemically paralyzed but conscious. This highlights the critical need for timely post-intubation sedation.

Background: A 2024 review in the Neurological Critical Care Unit (NCCU) revealed that 72% of patients who received rocuronium were not given a post-intubation sedative. The difference in duration of action of paralyzing agents versus sedatives can result in patients being conscious while paralyzed, potentially resulting in hemodynamic instability and psychological harm.

Purpose: The quality improvement initiative aimed to reduce the number of patients receiving neuromuscular blocking agents without post-intubation sedation. …

Video-Based Heart Failure Education: A Feasibility Study, Avery Pivont

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Video-Based Heart Failure Education: A Feasibility Study

Avery Pivont

Background:  Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization in the U.S., contributing to high readmission rates and significant healthcare costs. Many of these readmissions are preventable and often stem from inadequate patient education. Effective patient education is a critical component of HF management; however, many healthcare facilities lack specialized HF nurse educators, resulting in inconsistent patient education.

Problem Statement: A quality improvement team at a large academic hospital identified increased heart failure (HF) readmission rates across an entire health system, largely attributed to inconsistent discharge education and limited availability …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Anxiety And Sedation Requirements For Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients Undergoing Regional Anesthesia: An Evidence-Based Practice Pilot Initiative, Kyra Marie Savrese

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Excessive noise in the operating room negatively impacts patient comfort and outcomes, particularly in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia who have the potential for awareness.

Background: Research demonstrates that music therapy is a low-cost, low-risk intervention that reduces perioperative anxiety and sedative requirements. Literature supports the use of music as an adjunct to anesthesia care, especially in orthopedic populations.

Purpose: At J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, orthopedic procedures with regional anesthesia expose patients to high noise levels, often leading to increased anxiety, sedation use, and longer recovery times. Addressing this problem aligns with institution goals for safe, patient-centered care.

Methods: Using …

Wellness Policies In Action: A Wscc-Based Comparative Analysis Of District-Level Policy And School-Level Practices, Leanne Denise Watson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States Department of Agriculture utilized the policy platform to implement and reinforce federal mandates aimed to improve health outcomes for student-aged youth, requiring all schools participating in the National School Lunch and/or Breakfast Program to develop a written wellness policy beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. However, the resulting impacts on school environments are unclear. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model is a recommended framework to influence wellness policies and school practices and support the holistic development of students. Nonetheless, current literature calls for more research applying the model to support its use. The purpose …

"If I Knew Then What I Know Now": Analyzing Online Narratives Of Regretful Parents, Marina Binti Mohd Hamdan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This exploratory study seeks to understand the extent to which parenthood affects individual self-actualization by identifying the trade-offs, compromises, and sacrifices that parents make within the context of family life. Using a thematic analysis of 221 archived posts from the Reddit community r/regretfulparents, this study examines how social pressures surrounding parenthood may be related to experiences of parental regret. Specifically, it identifies two domains: pressures to be parents, including social norms, familial coercion, and interpersonal conflict, and pressures of parenting, including issues of labor, number of children, and challenging children. Across these domains, this study explores how tensions between personal …