Digital Commons Network^™

Social Support In The College Classroom And The Impact Supportive Communication Has On Student Academic Success And Quality Of Life, Rachael Tiede

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

College students often encounter academic and personal challenges that lead to stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. These challenges can feel burdensome, making it difficult for them to determine the best course of action for the issues they face. They frequently experience difficulties in managing the demands of college. Given these challenges, a potential solution for their anxiety and stress is social support through supportive communication from friends, instructors, and others at the college or university. Guided by social support theory and social penetration theory and employing a quantitative methodology, the research examined the impact of supportive communication on college …

Unmothered: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Daughters Who Are Detached From Their Black Mothers, Imani S. Steele

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mother-daughter relationships are often characterized as foundational, nurturing bonds, but for some adult daughters, the relationship is a source of pain and disconnection. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of adult Black American daughters who are detached from their Black American mothers, influenced by Bowen Family Systems Theory’s emotional cutoff concept. Seventeen Black adult women, aged 27-49, were interviewed to assess how they made meaning of being detached from their mothers, along with the ways it shaped their lives. Findings showed that detachment was a gradual response to a history of harmful mothering. Daughters described detachment as an act …

A Phenomenological Study To Describe The Lived Experiences Of U.S. Military Veterans Diagnosed With Ptsd Who Have Completed A Spiritually Integrated Treatment Program, Roger Fall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of U.S. military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who completed a spiritually integrated treatment program. Schlossberg’s transition theory formed the study’s primary theoretical framework, through which the following research questions were answered: 1) How do U.S. military veterans diagnosed with PTSD describe their experiences before attending a spiritually integrated treatment program? 2) How do the participants describe their expectations for the program prior to their participation? 3) How were the participants’ expectations met, and were any unexpected outcomes experienced while participating in the program? and 4) …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Christian Women Emotional Traumatic Symptoms Post Spousal Infidelity, Tracy Y. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The discovery of spousal infidelity has been recognized in the literature as a devastating breach of marital commitment. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe women of faith’s experiences with emotional trauma after discovering spousal infidelity in the Northeastern United States. This study’s theoretical framework is guided by Schlossberg’s transition theory, which aims to answer the following research questions: How do women of faith describe emotional trauma after the discovery of infidelity? How does infidelity affect the psychological, emotional, and physical functioning of women and their social systems? How do participants describe their spiritual relationship with God after …

Trust In Automation Causing Automation Complacency In Relation To General Aviation: A Quantitative Study, Bart Augustin Marcules

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether a relationship exists between Trust in Automation (TIA) and the potential for automation complacency in general aviation between pilots flying automated and non-automated aircraft as single pilots, while controlling for pilot generation. Autonomation can lead to automation complacency through overreliance and trust in the automation. Automation complacency may cause pilots to lose situational awareness and be surprised by automation surprises, leading to detrimental outcomes. Although automation complacency has long challenged commercial pilots, resulting in significant research on this issue, little research has focused on this issue in general aviation. The limited research is due …

Breaking The Silence: Hispanic Male Child Abuse Survivors And Their Post Traumatic Growth, Maria Angelica Hernandez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe Hispanic male survivors’ experiences of child abuse in Southern California. The theory guiding this study was social constructivism (Pfadenhauer, 2019), as it explains how a worldview is developed. The additional theories are Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory, Bowlby’s (1973) attachment theory, and Widom’s (1989) cycle of violence and how they influence the development of an individual’s perception and worldview. Tedeschi and Calhoun’s (1996) post-traumatic theory also influenced this study as it focused on growth after the trauma experience. The study includes 12 male participants of Hispanic descent between the ages of …

Unseen But Felt: Exploring The Emotional And Developmental Impacts Of Father Absence On The Lives Of African American Daughters, Michelle Laniece Mayberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of African American daughters who grew up with absent fathers, examining how this experience influenced development, relationships, identity formation, and resilience. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, six central themes emerged: (1) father-daughter relationship, (2) emotional and psychological impact, (3) identity and development, (4) social and relational outcomes, (5) decision-making and achievement, and (6) resilience and adaptation. Each theme was interpreted through the lens of attachment and social learning theories with a biblical worldview. The findings revealed that father absence often left emotional and developmental wounds in the lives of the participants. The …

The Power Of International Relations In Local Communities: An Institutional Theory Case Study Examining The Implementation Of Sustainable Development Goal 11 In Four Virginia Communities, Latisha R. Rothenbach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, communities across Virginia may be losing their unique, local characteristics. This study investigates whether communities in Virginia have been implementing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. Guided by institutional theory, this study explores the research questions: What effect do global isomorphic pressures of SDG 11 have on local institutional integration of urban planning regarding community connectivity, land use, and open green public spaces? How do local planning documents and institutional actors frame, adopt, or resist global isomorphic pressures of SDG 11 in relation to community connectivity, land use, and open green public spaces? …

Design Of Nanomaterial-Based Sensors For Enhanced Halogen Bonding, Ben H. Edelman, Charles W. Sheppard, Lucas A. Chuidian, Arielle Vinnikov, Felix Bevc, Lillian B. Hughes, Carol A. Parish, Michael C. Leopold

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Halogen bonding is a highly directional, noncovalent, intermolecular interaction which has been harnessed for a variety of applications, including sensor design. A halogen bond (XB) is formed between a region of positive electrostatic potential on a halogen atom (X) and electron rich portions of target molecules. The strength of XB interactions relies on shorter XB bond distances and more linear R–X···B bond angles, which facilitate stronger, more negative binding energies. While prior studies have sought to maximize interactions, few have explored or experimentally demonstrated how geometries and bond angles can enhance XB interactions. Herein, fundamental studies are conducted at self-assembled …

Neuroradiological Features Across Major Psychiatric Disorders And Behavioral Variant Of Alzheimer’S Disease: A Concise Multimodal Synthesis, Sina Dindarian, Joga Chaganti, Nazanin Rafiei, Scott H. Faro

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Psychiatric disorders are complex, disabling conditions that continue to rely on subjective diagnostic criteria due to the absence of objective biological markers. Neuroradiology has become a critical discipline for examining the structural, functional, and biochemical underpinnings of these disorders through advanced brain imaging. This review synthesizes findings from five major psychiatric conditions including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, and briefly discusses the behavioral variant of Alzheimer's disease, a variant with neuropsychological overlay, across multiple imaging modalities, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging, functional MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, functional near-infrared …

Volumetric Wear Analysis Of Polyethylene Orthopedic Liners Using Point Clouds, Gabriel Landi

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

In vivo wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) orthopedic bearings represents a major problem in shoulder and knee arthroplasty, with significant amounts of devices failing due to the complication itself, and even more due to associated reasons for retrieval, including aseptic loosening. However, quantification of UHMWPE wear has largely been limited to linear and in vitro volumetric analyses, obscuring the understanding of the amount of clinically relevant material loss. This study proposes new methods to measure articular, rim, and backside surfaces of retrieved shoulder and knee UHMWPE liners, centered around the coordinate measuring machine (CMM)-based collection of high density …

2026-01-14 What Comes Next? Seattle U Seniors Share Their Stories, Maya Deguzman

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

Feeding The Youngest In Crises: Infant And Young Child Feeding Preparedness In High-Income Setting, Aileen Kennedy, Elizabeth J. O’Sullivan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is a critical public health priority during emergencies, yet remains poorly integrated into emergency preparedness planning in many high-income countries (HICs). Despite the availability of international guidance, such as the Operational Guidance on IYCF in Emergencies the implementation of these tools in national systems has been inconsistent within HICs. This review examines recent emergencies in HICs to identify policy and operational gaps affecting breastfeeding support, the management of commercial milk formula (CMF), and the distribution of commercially available complementary foods (CACFs). The present review focuses on the practical translation of Infant and young child …

Autograft Enlargement After The Ross Procedure In Pediatric Patients: Somatic Growth Or Pathologic Dilatation?, Ioannis Zoupas, Alexander C Mills, Scott D Olson, Damien J Lapar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose of ReviewPulmonary autograft autotransplantation represents a popular surgical approach for pediatric patients requiring aortic valve replacement due to the potential for autograft enlargement to accommodate somatic growth. Nevertheless, autograft dilatation and the subsequent need for reintervention are quite common. Published data suggest that autograft enlargement may result from pathological passive remodeling rather than active somatic growth and vice versa. The present review serves to comprehensively evaluate available evidence related to the fate of the pulmonary autograft after the Ross procedure as it relates to the etiology, risk factors and patterns of autograft failure.ResultsStudies present conflicting results supporting both pathological …

Prevalence And Outcomes Of Her2-Low Versus Her2-0 Status In Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer, Akshara Singareeka Raghavendra, Diane D Liu, Senthil Damodaran, Sarah Pasyar, Yu Shen, Jason A Mouabbi, Carlos H Barcenas, Kelly K Hunt, Debu Tripathy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: HER2-low breast cancer (HER2 immunohistochemical [IHC] score 1+, or IHC 2+ without HER2 gene amplification) is distinct from HER2-positive and HER2-0 breast cancer (IHC 0), with a differing prognosis and specific therapeutic options. The DESTINY-Breast04 trial demonstrated notable efficacy of the HER2 antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan over standard chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) defined as HER2-low. More recently, the DESTINY-Breast06 trial confirmed this benefit in hormone receptor-positive and HER2-ultralow (less than 1+, but with ≤10% of infiltrating cancer cells showing incomplete and faint/weak membrane staining) cases, prompting re-evaluation of HER2 diagnostic thresholds and treatment strategies.

Methods …

Diet-Responsive Genetic Determinants Of Intestinal Colonization In The Yeast Candida Albicans, Musfirat Shubaita, Mazen Oneissi, Elena Lindemann-Pérez, Cecilia Fadhel Alvarez, Anne-Marie Krachler, Diana M Proctor, J Christian Pérez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dietary components influence microbial composition in the digestive tract. Although often viewed as energy sources, dietary components are likely to shape microbial determinants of intestinal colonization beyond metabolism. Here, we report that a dietary long-chain fatty acid enhances the yeast Candida albicans colonization of the murine gut partly by eliciting modifications to the fungal cell surface. Mice fed an oleic acid-rich diet were readily colonized by C. albicans and exhibited higher fungal load in feces compared with rodents fed an isocaloric control diet. Surprisingly, β-oxidation, a catabolic process to break down fatty acids for energy production, was dispensable for C. …

The Relationship Between Religiosity, Meaning-Making, And Well-Being Among Involuntary Childless Women, Laura Beth Harter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The proportion of involuntary childless women in the United States continues to rise, with research indicating elevated risks of depression, anxiety, and diminished well-being in this population compared to their childbearing counterparts. Simultaneously, many faith communities emphasize pronatalist ideals, which may compound these psychological effects. Despite a growing body of qualitative work, quantitative research examining faith, meaning-making, and well-being among women whose childlessness extends beyond recent infertility is limited. This quantitative, correlational study examined the relationships among religiosity, meaning-making, and well-being among involuntary childless women. Participants (N = 94; M age = 44.6) completed online surveys including the Duke University …

Small Courageous Minds, Desirae Bach

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the barriers, agreements, and disagreements between mental health and Christianity, specifically as it relates to helping Christian children with anxiety. The following investigation explores how God defines and reacts to anxiety in the Bible and how anxiety is explained through scientific research. By explaining both scientific and biblical views of anxiety, the Christian community can grasp a better understanding of how to help children with anxiety. The research also builds a foundational investigation on how anxiety affects children and possible solutions for relieving anxiety in children. Educating children at a young age about mental health and offering …

Basil Oil As An Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Inhibitor For Aisi 1010 Mild Steel Pipes In The Cooling Towers, Mohammed Ali Kadhim, Nagam Obaid Kariem, Rasha Al-Saedi

Baghdad Science Journal

One of the most significant industrial problems is the corrosion of construction metals such as mild steel in pipes and storage tanks of cooling towers. Several preventive measures are used to minimize corrosion. One of them uses various corrosion inhibitors, some of which are organic and others inorganic. Most inorganic corrosion inhibitors are environmentally unfriendly materials. These inhibitors, mixed with cooling tower water, are discharged into rivers or seawater. Many of them are toxic and affect biological life through their ingestion by humans and animals or through their entry into the soil. Basil plant oil is suggested as a new …

Bioinformatics-Inspired Secure Video Encryption Using Chaotic Maps And Light Streaming Algorithms, Rajaa K. Hasoun, Rasha S. Ali, Ahmed G. Hameed, Ghassan H. Abdul-Majeed

Baghdad Science Journal

The Traditional encryption methods, such as AES, can be too slow for large video files, necessitating the development of faster and more efficient solutions for real-time video security. This research aims to enhance video security during transmission by developing a novel video encryption algorithm that is both fast and robust, specifically designed to handle large video datasets efficiently. The proposed video encryption algorithm integrates lightweight streaming algorithms for enhanced speed, modern cryptographic techniques, and chaotic maps for heightened security. The encryption process involves three key steps: Dividing the video into frames and scrambling/encrypting each frame, employing three innovative techniques: vertical …

Examining The Psychological Impact Of Adverse Childhood Traumatic Experiences In Adult Survivors: Creating A Community Of Awareness And Intervention, Lawanda T. Mobbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma encompasses experiences such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, experiences which have profound and lasting effects on an individual’s development and well-being. These behaviors can manifest in many ways. The intricate interplay between childhood trauma, mental health challenges, and maladaptive behaviors creates a complex clinical picture, often requiring specialized and trauma-informed approaches within the community. Understanding the efficacy of interventions tailored to this population is crucial for improving the quality of life and fostering resilience. Despite extensive research, there remain significant gaps in understanding the full scope of these effects and how to mitigate them. This study investigated …

African American Adult Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Their Subsequent Experiences In Intimate Partner Relationships, Christian Lee Jefferson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenology study is to explore the lived experiences of African American adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse within intimate partner relationships. The problem is that it is not known how African American adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse describe their present or past intimate partner relationships experience or the impact that childhood sexual abuse has on their intimate partner relationships. Research shows how experiences of sexual abuse create difficulty in managing intimate partner relationships. Many survivors of childhood sexual abuse often had damaging effects on adults with their romantic relationships. Findings from …

Investigating The Reliability And Validity Of The Social Connectedness Instrument Among U.S. Adults, Blake A. Fraser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Growing evidence shows that poor social connectedness is becoming a public health threat, with rising prevalence and connections to poor mental and physical health across the lifespan. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop feasible and effective social connectedness interventions. There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of current interventions, with studies recommending tailoring the intervention to an individual’s specific social connection needs. However, previous measures of social connectedness provide little information about potentially modifiable contributors of poor connection. Thus, the Social Connectedness Instrument (SCI) was developed to fill in this gap by proposing two novel latent constructs of …

Resiliency Among Service Industry Workers: A Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Assessment, Winston King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to quantify service industry workers’ resiliency’s relationships with their emotional intelligence, understanding of differing personality types, spiritual resiliency, and substance abuse, as these are all applicable to the biopsychosocial-spiritual model, which served as the theoretical framework. The study included administering the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SEIT), a self-reporting of employees’ understanding of differing personality types, a self-reporting of employees’ spiritual resiliency, and the Substance Use Brief Screen (SUBS) to social science graduate students working in the service industry. Resiliency was identified as the predictor variable and the other …

Evaluation Of Handgrip Strength As A Surrogate Measure For Athletic Performance Metrics And Lower-Body Strength In High School Boys Basketball Players, Joseph R. Northcutt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined relationships between bilateral handgrip strength (HGS) and athletic performance metrics, including vertical jump height, barbell squat one-repetition maximum (1RM), sprint speed, agility, and upper-body muscular endurance (push-up repetitions), in adolescent male basketball players. The study also evaluated whether inter-limb strength asymmetry was associated with the athletic performance outcomes.

29 male athletes aged 14-18 years participated in the research that included handgrip strength, vertical jump, lane agility drill, shuttle run, ¾-court sprint, push-up repetitions, and 1RM barbell squat. Statistical analyses were conducted using Jeffreys’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP) and included Pearson product-moment correlations, Shapiro-Wilk assumption testing, …

Evaluating Theories On End-Of-Life Dreams And Visions With Similar Phenomena In Trauma-Related Populations, Christopher Channy Vinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A grounded theory approach was used to conduct a study on participants (N=24) who were veterans with trauma-related dreams or who had a near-death experience. Research questions were designed to qualitatively examine the lived experiences of dreams and visions in a non-end-of-life setting. This allowed the data to give greater insight into the end-of-life phenomenon and deepen the body of knowledge on dreams and visions in general. A survey consisting of the PTGI-SF, LuCiD, NExS, and the Greyson NDE, along with open-ended survey questions designed to record dream narratives for a thematic analysis, was used. The dream narratives were coded …

Exploring The Counselor Identities Of Latina Counselors Through The Lens Of Their Familial, Cultural, And Religious Contexts: A Phenomenological Study, Samuel Landa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Developing a counselor identity is an essential component of becoming a counselor. There are several factors influencing the developmental process. Though there are several studies that explore the topic of counselor identity development, the research on what this process entails for Latina counselors is limited. Thus, this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study explores how family, culture, and religion influence the counselor identity development of Latina counselors. This study utilized Schlossberg’s transition theory (1981) to observe how these factors become evident in the first year of their Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP) and how they influenced their …

Examining Perceived Problem-Solving Skills, Parenting Styles, And Biblical Principles: Insights From Parents Or Guardians Of African American Teen Males, Dorothy Farrow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationship among parenting styles, the use of biblical principles in parenting, and the problem-solving skills of African American male teenagers aged 14 to 17 years in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, as perceived by their parents or guardians. The study addressed a significant gap in existing literature by integrating biblical teachings with established psychological theories on parenting. The primary theoretical frameworks included Baumrind's parenting styles theory and Bandura's social cognitive theory. Using the Kruskal–Wallis H and chi-square tests, the study assessed the potential relationships among parenting styles, biblical use in parenting, and parent-perceived problem-solving skills of their …

Unlocking The Benefits Of Transparent And Reusable Science For Climate Risk Management, Adam B. Pollack, Lisa Auermuller, Casey D. Burleyson, Jentry Campbell, Madison Condon, Courtney Cooper, Matteo Coronese, Sönke Dangendorf, James Doss-Gollin, Prabhat Hegde, Casey Helgeson, Robert E. Kopp, Jan Kwakkel, Corey Lesk, Justin Mankin, Robert E. Nicholas, Jennie Rice, Samantha Roth, Vivek Srikrishnan, Moira Scheeler, Nancy Tuana, Chris Vernon, Mengqi Zhao, Klaus Keller

Faculty Scholarship

People around the world seek climate risk information to guide their decisions. For instance, projections about future flood risk inform where households choose to live, how lenders manage credit risks, and which communities receive federal funding. Yet data limitations and fundamental validation challenges raise important concerns about the reliability of such projections. The principles of transparency and reusability help address these concerns by enabling scrutiny of assumptions and methods, development of foundational data and tools, and consistent application of evaluation standards. While there is ongoing debate about how much transparency commercial climate risk services should provide, many expect noncommercial actors …

Developing Pattern Recognition And Interpretable Convolutional Neural Network Based Frameworks For Identifying Drug Resistant And Pan Cancer Mirnas From Expression Data, Joginder Jsingh

Doctoral Theses

Micro Ribonucleic Acids (miRNAs) are short length (∼24) non-coding RNAs and are considered as key biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and treatment. They play a vital role in classifying cancer patients from normal ones and drug resistant patients from control ones. The control patients are those who have not received any drug for cancer treatment. The objective is to identify a subset of miRNAs those help in the classification of the patients using expression data. The thesis is comprised of four contributory chapters in addition to an introduction and conclusion. In the first two contributory chapters, computational methods for ranking and …