Digital Commons Network^™

High Stakes And Random Rewards: A Critical Look At Loot Boxes And Illegal Gambling, Brian T. Wersan

Touro Law Review

Since their inception in the mid-2000s, loot boxes have been legal and virtually unregulated in the United States. Ever-growing mountains of evidence demonstrate the harms of loot boxes, but their structure has not yet been found to be in violation of any current U.S. gambling law, leading to a complete lack of recovery for victims. Certainly, if people experience harm, a legal avenue providing justice must exist. While other avenues are referenced, this Note ultimately argues that loot boxes can be interpreted by courts to satisfy the elements of, and thus, violate multiple state gambling laws, revealing a path to …

How Regulatory Focus Shapes Adjustment And Performance In The Return-To-Office Era: The Roles Of Change Appraisal, Perceived Organizational Support, And Psychological Safety, Karen Jean Morris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed workplace norms and employee expectations, marking a notable shift towards remote work. As organizations increasingly encourage a return to physical offices, understanding employee adaptation during this transition has become essential. This dissertation leverages Regulatory Focus Theory to explore how employees' promotion and prevention focus influences their adjustment and performance upon re-entering traditional office settings.

A parallel mediation model is proposed, in which Change Appraisal, Perceived Organizational Support (POS), and Psychological Safety (PS) are identified as key mechanisms linking regulatory focus to employee outcomes. The findings may provide evidence that individuals who exhibit a …

A Wellness Approach To Aging, Retirement, And Suicide Risk: Gerontological Considerations, Seth T. Robinson, Derek J. Lee

Adultspan Journal

Suicide risk in older adulthood represents complex interactions between developmental transitions; changing social contexts; and interactions between ecological context and individual perceptions of belongingness, burdensomeness, and hope. This paper presents an integrative,developmentally appropriate framework for conceptualizing and addressing suicide risk in older adulthood, which is grounded in the Indivisible Self model of wellness. Drawing on current empirical knowledge of wellness, suicidality, and older adulthood, this paper presents risk and protective factors associated with older adulthood through life transitions, changing social contexts, and other relevant factors. We present a novel integration of suicide intervention, wellness, and holistic care as a suitable …

Retirement As A Psychosocial Transition: A Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework For Counseling Practice, Janelle L. Jones, Lauren Robins, Melanie Calhoun, Aaliyah Bond-Richardson, Latesha S. Holloman, Zoe N. Stuckey

Adultspan Journal

Retirement is commonly framed as a normative and voluntary developmental milestone; however, access to a psychologically healthy retirement is unevenly shaped by social, economic, and structural conditions. This conceptual article applies a social determinants of mental health (SDMH) framework to retirement, conceptualizing it as a complex psychosocial transition involving identity change, shifts in purpose and meaning, relational adjustment, and emotional variability. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, the manuscript examines how socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gendered work histories, caregiving responsibilities, health status, and access to benefits influence both the ability to retire and the experience of retirement itself. Particular attention is …

Exploring The Relationship Between Bmi Classification And Levels Of Food Noise, Edmarie Billosillo

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Rising rates of obesity in the United States necessitates an understanding of the multitude of factors that contribute to it. Recently, “food noise” has emerged as a topic of interest in this space. The current survey-based observational study aimed to understand the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and levels of food noise. The results indicate a significant association between BMI and food noise levels and a connection between a history of disordered eating and food noise levels. Additionally scores on the Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ) and the Food Cravings Questionnaire - Trait – reduced (FCQ-R-r) were found to be …

Beyond Assumptions: What Students Really Think About School Wellbeing Programs, Amanda Madden

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The study examined students’ perceptions of effective components in school-based wellbeing programs, addressing a critical gap where adolescent voices are absent. Data was gathered through a questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus groups conducted with 36 Year 12 students across three independent co-educational schools in Western Australia. Thematic analysis identified seven key components essential for effective wellbeing programming: targeted content providing respite from academic pressures, engaging and relatable presenters, strategic timing, developmental appropriateness, meaningful measurement, genuine teacher engagement, and authentic incorporation of student voice. Students valued practical, non-academic content and expressed scepticisms about teacher-delivered programs. Timing emerged as a previously underexplored …

Health Determinant Effects Of Audience Experiences At Live First Nations Music Events In Central Australia, Naomi Sunderland, Kristy Apps, Brigitta Scarfe, Ping Zhang, Darren Garvey, Rae Cooper, Brydie Leigh Bartleet, Phil Graham, Glenn Barry

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: First Nations musicians often describe live performance as a means of fostering social, cultural, and political change that shapes determinants of health (DoH) for First Nations Peoples. This study examined how audience experiences of First Nations live music events in Central Australia may influence those DoH–including intercultural understanding, social cohesion, and community wellbeing–and explored the durability of such effects over time. Design: Guided by an Indigenist mixed‑methods approach, we conducted a pilot survey at two arts festivals featuring diverse First Nations musicians, followed by optional six‑month “mini yarn” interviews to explore immediate and longer‑term audience experiences. Quantitative analyses included …

Putting Lived Experience At The Centre: A Critical Review Of Multidisciplinary, Person-Centred Mental Health Care, Laura Grattidge, Darren Haywood, Nicolas H. Hart, Bridget Elizabeth Hamilton, Ellie Fossey, Melissa Petrakis, David J. Castle

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Person-centred care is widely endorsed in mental health policy yet remains inconsistently enacted in multidisciplinary practice, particularly where services default to diagnostic dominance, risk management, and service-led priorities. This critical review examines what is required to operationalise person-centred, rights-based care across disciplines and settings, positioning lived and living experience as core expertise rather than a supplementary perspective and considering implications for suicide prevention. Methods: A critical review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was undertaken, focusing on person-centred and multidisciplinary mental health care. Five commonly used approaches were compared: the Optimal Health Program, the Strengths Model, Open Dialogue, traditional case …

Reflecting On Themes From Telehealth Consultations Early In The Pandemic: An Opportunity To Learn From Multiprofessional Colleagues, Maggie Meeks, Laura R. Joyce, John Dean, Lorna Davies, Tika Ormond, Philippa Seaton, Dale Sheehan, Dean Sutherland, Melanie Welfare, Arindam Basu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims: This study is aimed at documenting the reflections of New Zealand healthcare professionals on the use of synchronous telehealth consultations. Methods: A qualitative narrative inquiry was conducted to explore the practice of telehealth in New Zealand. Purposive sampling was used to identify clinicians from multiple professions who used telehealth during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen semistructured interviews were conducted between October 2020 and May 2021 with clinicians from primary and secondary care, including multiple professional backgrounds. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically. Results: Six themes were identified: (1) equitable access: There were concerns regarding equitable access to …

A Service Ecosystems Approach For Sustainable Volunteer Engagement: Developing Insights From Covid-19 Disruptions, Ingrid O'Brien, Fazlul K. Rabbanee, Eunjung Kim, Megan Paull, Kirsten Holmes, Jo Anne Kestel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The purpose of this paper is to develop foundational propositions designed to reflect success factors in the recruitment and retention of volunteers for future longevity. Using insights gathered from three universities' experiences of student volunteering during COVID-19, plus capturing the experiences of volunteer involving organizations, we draw on existing theories, as well as service ecosystem literature, to identify critical emerging trends. We argue that conceptualizing volunteer pathways as a set of linear, sequential stages linked to a single volunteering experience does not adequately capture the complexity of the volunteer ecosystem, including the dynamic inter-relationships among actors and the multiple roles …

Customer Participation In Service Recovery: Accounting For The Role Of Customers’ Perceived Control And Empowerment In Hotel Services, Aron O'Cass, Shahin Sharifi, Vida Siahtiri, Atefeh Saniee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Customer participation in service recovery is common, yet little is known about how different participation roles shape recovery evaluations. This gap is especially salient in hotels, where recovery often unfolds under time pressure and heightened emotions. We conceptualize participatory service recovery as involving two distinct customer roles: solution identification and solution implementation. Across three studies, we examine how these roles shape recovery satisfaction and whether perceived control and psychological empowerment help shape these effects. Study 1 uses the critical incident technique to identify role-specific participation behaviours and customers' interpretations of their recovery involvement. Studies 2 and 3 use scenario-based experiments …

Exploring A Potential Link Between Personality Traits, Sexual Assault Attitudes And The Propensity To Create Deepfake Pornography, Lorna Marns, Ross Hollett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Deepfake pornography represents a rapidly expanding form of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA), yet little is known about the psychological factors that predict individuals’ willingness to create such material. This study examined whether rape myth acceptance (RMA) and Dark Tetrad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) predicted heterosexual men’s proclivity to create deepfake pornography. Using an online self-report survey of 213 heterosexual men recruited from an Australian university and the surrounding community, participants completed measures of RMA, dark personality traits, and hypothetical scenarios assessing the likelihood of creating deepfake pornography. Hierarchical regression models showed that RMA attitudes that minimise or excuse …

Leading With Purpose: Uncovering The Impact Of Inclusive Leadership And Meaningful Work On Work Passion, Azadeh Shafaei, Mehran Nejati

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Work passion is a critical driver of employee wellbeing, engagement, and performance; however, organisations often struggle to cultivate it effectively. Understanding what fosters work passion is essential because it not only deepens insight into employee motivation but also enables organisations to enhance passion and its positive outcomes. Despite growing interest, research has primarily focused on individual traits, leaving the role of organisational and leadership factors under-explored. To bridge this gap, we extend the Employee Work Passion Appraisal (EWPA) framework by examining how inclusive leadership and meaningful work influence employees’ work passion and whether the psychological authenticity climate mediates these relationships. …

Patients’ And Health Professionals’ Perspectives On Transforming The Burden Of Haemodialysis (Hd) Treatment To An Opportunity: An In-Depth Qualitative Investigation, Haseeba Shouket, Eyal Gringart, Deirdre Drake, Ulrich Steinwandel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Most patients with End Stage Kidney Failure (ESKF) in Pakistan must undergo maintenance haemodialysis (HD) to survive. Session duration and the often lifelong nature of this treatment, along with other factors associated with HD, make it difficult to tolerate. This study took a positive psychological perspective and considered that HD sessions’ duration, which has been a major challenge for HD patients, can be turned to an opportunity for patients’ meaningful engagement. Such meaningful engagement can positively transform Pakistani patients’ experience of HD and extend into their lives outside HD. Twenty-four HD patients and six healthcare professionals were interviewed to explore …

The Complex And Multifaceted Nature Of Social Media: Perspectives From Young Adolescents, Parents And Experts, Cindy Branch-Smith, Diarmuid Hurley, Nasim Salehi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study explores the complex and multifaceted nature of social media use among young adolescents, drawing on the perspectives of young adolescents, parents and experts. It examines both the benefits and risks of social media and associated implications for adolescent mental health, self-development and social relationships. Methodology: A qualitative, interpretive design was utilised, using interviews across three stakeholder groups, with data analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings: The analysis identified a range of perceived opportunities, benefits and challenges associated with adolescent social media engagement. Participants highlighted its role in fostering connection, education and self-expression, alongside significant risks, including cyberbullying, …

Tourism Low-Carbon Decision-Making Through The Avoid–Shift–Improve Framework, Pezhman Hatamifar, Arghavan Hadinejad, Jalayer Khalilzadeh, Kourosh Esfandiar, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Using the Avoid–Shift–Improve framework, this study examines how demographic factors and psychological, behavioral, and attitudinal drivers are associated with tourists’ low-carbon decision-making across mobility, consumption, and accommodation. Survey data were collected from 416 young Finnish travelers, and analyzed using correlation tests, repeated-measures ANOVA, and cluster segmentation to examine cross-domain and cross-strategy variation. Findings show that demographic factors have limited influence, whereas psychological, behavioral, and attitudinal drivers motivate sustainable choices. Shift dominant mobility decision-making, Avoid emergence in consumption, and Improve are most common in accommodation. Three adopter groups are identified as strong, moderate, and weak, reflecting different levels of engagement. Theoretically, …

Love Letters To The Self: Building Heart Skills Through Positive Autoethnography, Madalena Grobbelaar, Elizabeth Reid Boyd

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article is an enquiry between two educators, one from social science and the other from counselling psychology, exploring how Positive Autoethnography can be applied in both teaching and therapeutic contexts. An exploration by co-founders of #Love@ECU, a research initiative at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia, the piece investigates the intersection of emotional learning and educational practice through the emerging framework of Heart Skills, an original format currently used in teaching interpersonal skills at ECU. It integrates personal narrative, embodied experience and emotional insight to consider how student growth and resilience can be cultivated. Central to this exploration …

Tour Guide Research Revisited: A Thematic Synthesis And Future Directions, Zhicheng Yu, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Jiqing Deng, Wenling Zhou, Zhiyong Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Existing knowledge on tour guiding is fragmented, which limits the understanding of this important profession. This paper aims to critically examine the progress of tour guide research, identify key theoretical tensions and propose future research directions based on a systematic synthesis of existing knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: A thematic analysis was conducted on 267 papers retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Papers were systematically coded, categorized into themes and integrated into a framework that represents relationships among key themes in tour guide research. Findings: The analysis generated an integrated framework consisting of nine interrelated …

Feeling Giggity: Ambiguous Emojis In Teaching And Learning Communications, Mary Kynn, Nicole Reinke, Eva Hatje

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is an increase in the number of digital platforms used in higher education classrooms that promote using emojis to capture students’ emotions. However, there is little evidence to suggest that interpretation of emojis is reliable in this context. This pilot project explored if emojis can reliably signify the emotions expressed by first-year university students. Students were asked to record their emotions by selecting a representative emoji and using free text to describe its meaning. A total of 72 responses were recorded in an anonymous online survey. Happy face emojis were used more frequently than emojis representing neutral or unpleasant …

Sustaining Caring Mobilities In Immobility Regimes: Adaptive Strategies Of Vietnamese Migrant (Grand)Parents In Australia, Hien Thi Nguyen, Catriona Turnbull, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(Grand)parents are increasingly traveling internationally to visit and spend time with their transnational families. This mobility is essential to provide informal, unpaid care, driven by globalisation as family members relocate for study and work. However, governments in receiving countries like Australia are implementing restrictive measures, defined in the literature as ‘immobility regimes’, to control the movement of older migrants into their territories, including overseas (grand)parents. Drawing on the lived experiences of 22 Vietnamese migrants (11 (grand)parent visitors and 11 adult migrants who host their (grand)parent visitors), this paper explores the relationship between transnational mobility and institutional migration policies in the …

When Does Alzheimer's Disease Start? Plasma Aβ42/40 Assays Show Steep Changes At Aβ-Pet Centiloid 15, Mean Age Of 66 Years, Rodrigo Cánovas, Timothy Cox, Vincent Doré, Pierrick Bourgeat, Jurgen Fripp, Azadeh Feizpour, Rosita Shishegar, Christopher J. Fowler, Simon M. Laws, Tenielle Porter, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Leslie M. Shaw, Randall J. Bateman, Yan Li, Ovod Vitaliy, Michael W. Weiner, John C. Morris, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Suzanne E. Schindler, Akinori Nakamura, Takeshi Iwatsubo, Takeshi Ikeuchi, Takashi Kato, Paul Maruff, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Christopher C. Rowe, Ralph Martins, Colin L. Masters, James Doecke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a long pre-clinical phase where amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau begin to accumulate in the brain. The primary objective was to determine the age at which AD starts by finding the average population age when both positron emission tomography (PET) Aβ (Aβ-PET) and plasma Aβ42/40 become abnormal. Methods: Two high performance immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) assays (WashU/C2N and Shimadzu) were tested on samples from 1,450 participants who were diagnosed as cognitively unimpaired (CU), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or AD-dementia across 4 international cohorts. Natural history modeling and trajectory analyses of the combined Aβ-PET …

A Mass Cytometry-Based Blood Cell Phenotyping Workflow Enabling Inclusion Of Resource-Limited And Rural Sites In Immune System Studies, Natalie J. Smith, Michael Cohen, Lauren Tracey, Julie Alipaz, Christina Loh, David King, Neha Pulyani, Rebecca Auzins, Elin Gray, Sandra Taylor, Rajat Rai, Steven Kao, Barbara Fazekas De St Groth, Helen M. Mcguire

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Insight into disease detection and treatment through comprehensive immune phenotyping relies on the generation of high-quality data. However, the execution of robust immune monitoring in clinical trials by flow cytometry is complex due to logistical challenges in sample preparation and reagent stability. These challenges are exacerbated when considering remote and rural communities in Australia, which are burdened by both an increased prevalence and a worse prognosis of many chronic and infectious pathologies. This is not unique to the Australian context as globally remote and rural communities are underrepresented in biomedical research studies, contributing to persistent health inequities. To address these …

Exploring Cultural Values In Alcohol And Other Drug Use Among African Australian Youth: A Qualitative Study, Abraham Kenin, Justine Dandy, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante, Sonam Pelden

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The heritage cultural values of Sub-Sahara African (SSA) migrants in the Australian sociocultural context could offer insights into understanding the problem of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) use among SSA Australian youth. This study explored the conceptualization of SSA cultural values in Australia, and to establish how they relate to AOD use among SSA Australian youth. Utilizing convenience sampling, one-on-one interviews were conducted with a total of 18 SSA Australians. The participants comprised 9 youth (aged 18–30; 4 females, 5 males), and 9 community leaders (aged 35–74; 4 females, 5 males). Based on a reflexive thematic analysis of the data, …

Flourishing In Hong Kong: An Analysis Of Wellbeing-Related Outcomes In The Global Flourishing Study, Lanxi Huang, Xu, Maggie Yue Zhao, Hanchao Hou, Aaron Jarden, Tim Lomas, Brendan Case, R. Noah Padgett, Ying Chen, Richard G. Cowden, Byron R. Johnson, Tyler J. Vanderweele

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Using population-based data from Hong Kong (N = 3,012) drawn from Wave 1 of the Global Flourishing Study, this study examines the distribution of multidimensional flourishing and explores sociodemographic variation across psychological, social, physical, and economic domains. Overall, respondents reported relatively strong happiness and life satisfaction and financial wellbeing, alongside less favourable social connectedness. Patterns of flourishing varied across age, gender, education, employment, and religious affiliation, highlighting meaningful heterogeneity within the population. Early older adults tended to show more favourable wellbeing profiles, whereas younger adults and nonreligious individuals displayed comparatively lower scores across several domains. Educational attainment and employment status …

Nurses' Experiences Of Pain Management For Patients With Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review, Aaron Lapuz Alejandro, Middlewick, Seng Giap Marcus Ang, Rosemary Saunders, Irene Ngune

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To synthesise the available evidence related to nurses' pain assessment and management practices for patients with diagnosed mental health conditions. Design: Mixed-methods systematic review. Data Sources: Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection. Methods: Databases search was conducted in March 2024 and updated in June 2025. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data synthesis followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Results: Of the 1318 eligible studies identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were methodologically robust overall but frequently neglected nonresponse bias and were predominantly conducted …

Social Threat, Negative Beliefs, And Altered Social Learning Underpin Paranoia In Adolescents, Jessica L. Kingston, Ellett, Linda Richards, Henry Burgess, Joseph M. Barnby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Adolescent social adversity (discrimination, bullying) enhances paranoia—the perception others want to harm or upset you. In this preregistered study (AsPredicted No. 154322), we tested the impact of prior social adversity and current social exclusion on paranoia, self/other beliefs, and latent social-learning processes in UK mid-adolescents (15-17 years, N = 502). In an experimental design, participants completed baseline social-adversity measures before random allocation to a social inclusion/exclusion manipulation (Cyberball), after which the Intentions Game assessed cognitive flexibility. We tested (a) whether adversity and exclusion interact to increase paranoia (b) via (mediated) negative self/other beliefs and (c) if this was moderated by …

Crisis Planning Intentions Among Hotel Managers: What Have We Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Feliani Tjong, Edmund Goh, Violetta Wilk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigates the motivational factors which influence future crisis planning intentions, by utilising the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as the underlying theoretical framework. This research focuses on understanding the attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control of hotel managers’ intentions regarding future crisis planning. To enhance the TPB model, the study incorporates two additional variables: perceived risk and past behaviour, thereby addressing previous calls to extend the TPB model. Employing a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews (n = 21) were conducted with hotel managers who worked at government-appointed quarantine hotels in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis was …

Young People’S Likelihood Of Intervention To Nonconsensual Touching In Nightlife Settings: Interactions Of Gender, Relationship To The Bystander, And The Recipient’S Reaction, Aimee Rose Wrightson-Hester, Maria M. Allan, Alfred Allan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Nonconsensual sexual behaviors that occur in nightlife settings pose unique policy challenges and encouraging bystander behavior (i.e., either to stop the actor or help the recipient; nonemotive words used to avoid priming participants) might be an effective way to prevent these behaviors. Few researchers, none Australian, have undertaken quantitative studies to identify factors that influence bystanders’ behavior in nightlife settings and the interactions between them. Australian participants (n= 332, 56% women) read eight vignettes depicting an incident where an actor grabbed the buttocks of a recipient, in which we manipulated the actor and recipient’s gender; relationship to the bystander; recipient …

Approaches To Personal Transformation In Tourism Research, Xiaoyu Zhang, Noel Scott, Ana Cláudia Campos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The study of tourism transformation is evolving with five different research streams identifiable, studying personal transformation, social transformation, transformative service design, and transformation related to destinations or tourism as a whole. This paper examines the evolution of these five approaches and contrasts their disciplines, theory and assumptions through a review of 310 journal articles. Each of these five approaches views the ‘self’ as the object that is transformed with variations within them as to what aspects of the self change. The key issue then is how the self is interrelated with the ‘triggers’ of transformation. In this review, three triggers …

Emerging Stronger From Challenging Times: How Servant Leaders Manage Workplace Spirituality And Employee Flourishing, Mahdi Vesal, Muhammad Aftab Alam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Business leaders, particularly in challenging times like the post-COVID era, grapple with fostering employee well-being and addressing spiritual needs. Our research explores the link between workplace spirituality—marked by meaningful work, community, and value alignment—and employee flourishing, with a focus on the role of servant leadership. Using self-determination theory, we analyzed survey data from SMEs in Iran and India, where employees navigated challenging times amid COVID-related difficulties. Study 1 (303 employees in 128 Iranian firms) found meaningful work and a sense of community positively influence employee flourishing, while value alignment has a curvilinear effect. Study 2 (215 senior Indian employees) replicated …