Digital Commons Network^™

Biohelm Smart Hockey Helmet: A Conceptual Wearable System For Protecting And Empowering Female Athletes, Anthony Parrucci

Theses

Women’s ice hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and needs the most articles of protective equipment. At the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level, not only do these athletes need to adapt to team issued equipment that rarely fits comfortably or safely but must also consider the important facets that impact overall performance. The main objective of this project is to promote inclusivity while protecting, empowering and educating athletes in an ethical, noninvasive manner to positively impact the culture of women’s sports. Overexertion at the NCAA level increases exponentially due to the intense training and …

Factors For Success Of International Female Doctoral Students In Science In The United States, Maria Patricia Cantu

Theses & Dissertations

Factors for Success of International Female Doctoral Students in Science in the United States

Many international doctoral female students in the sciences in the United States do not obtain a degree despite their large investment in time, effort, and financial resources. The loss of highly prepared and credentialed international female doctoral students, who have a genuine interest in science but who choose not to pursue their studies to graduation or switch careers due to real or perceived barriers, signifies such a loss not just for the women themselves and their families but for their countries of origin, their hosts universities, …

The Struggle For Identity: How Female Writers Find Their Voice, Allison Joanne Call

Masters Theses

The purpose of this project is to examine the value and purpose of the female voice in literature. In the first part of this project, my artist’s statement clarifies my intent as a writer and an academic. This statement describes certain specific works that have influenced my writing style and content, and my literary aspirations. The second part of the project is the critical paper, which analyzes the importance of the feminine voice and identity in literature throughout different time periods and through different lenses. Within this paper, I examine how male writers have dominated the writing world and explore …

Inadequate Maternal Health Care For Women In The United States, Rebecca Stull Zundel

Ballard Brief

Although insufficient maternal health care has seen improvements in most developed countries, it is still a rising issue in the United States. This insufficiency may partly be due to the accessibility barriers that both rural and urban women face in reaching adequate care. Additionally, the expenses of maternal care or gender discrimination within medical establishments may dissuade women from seeking the care that they need. Women who receive inadequate care are at a higher risk for maternal mortality, the death of their unborn or newly born infant, and having a low-birth weight child, which comes with many issues of its …

Women's Timeless Fascination With True Crime And Horror, Sarah Victoria Di Carluccio

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This thesis examines society’s interest in gothic literature, horror, and true crime. Beginning with the first gothic works, and ending with modern true crime media, a focus of this exploratory piece will be on women because women have always been, and remain, the primary consumers of the gothic, and of true crime. The question is: Why? To examine the possible reasons, I will be examining the success of original gothic writers, namely, Ann Radcliffe. Other authors who influenced the development of the Gothic genre will influence our modern understanding of these origins. I will examine Poe’s “The Mystery of Marie …

Visions And Seeds Of Change : Pathways To Defining And Seeking Liberation, Ramon Kentrell Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

From July 2015 to May 2018, the sociopolitical terrain and atmosphere of Albany, New York underwent significant shifts as the levels and types of activism and liberation discourse increased. The shifts were related to national occurrences, such as the development of the Black Lives Matter movement, the state of police brutality and state-sanctioned violence, the campaign and election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United State, and the emergence of the Me Too movement. During this period of change, activists engaged in a series of political struggles for situated identification and empowerment, the emergence of a …

Missed Opportunities In Social Media To Reduce Maternal Health Disparities For Black Women, Nerissa George

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Pregnancy-related maternal morbidity and mortality disproportionately affect Black women more than their White counterparts. Black pregnant women are more likely to omit or engage in prenatal care late than White women. Social media is an essential source of pregnancy-related information and shows it effectively improves pregnancy knowledge. Greater than 80% of Black women own a mobile device, and some data demonstrate that Black women use social media for pregnancy-related information. However, little is known about social media use during pregnancy for this population. Several gaps exist about what maternal health content is available on social media, how Black women use …

As Seen On Tv: Representation Of Women In Advertisements And The Effects On Women’S Self-Perceptions, Self-Objectification, And Self-Dehumanization, Kori Gearhart

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

When women are exposed to sexually objectifying advertisements, they experience many adverse effects such as increases in self-objectification and dehumanization of other women (Vaes, Paladino, and Puiva, 2011). Because these effects might be amplified by food advertisements in which the line between a woman’s body and a food item is non-discernible, we examined whether “women as consumable” advertisements lead women to implicitly self-dehumanize and experience reduced body satisfaction. Women (N=129) viewed a woman in hamburger advertisement. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, control condition (non-sexualized woman with a burger), sexualized condition (topless woman with burger), and edible …

The Impacts Of Positive Praise On Science Achievement Levels Of Female Students, Sidney Hanel

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

To the general eye, it appears there has been an increase of women in STEM and overall female interest in science however, this is not apparent in the high school classrooms. The lowest level physics classrooms are overwhelmingly female, and the AP Physics class of twenty-five students has two female students. Society is seeing more equal numbers of males and females in biology, healthcare, dentistry, and other medical related fields. This is a wonderful advancement however many other STEM careers are being forgotten.

This study focuses on five physical science courses one of which is provided with additional feedback and …

Gender, Sexuality, And Class In Selected Works Of Kesey, Cunningham, And Woolf, Harper Savage

English and Creative Writing | Senior Theses

At its best, literature illuminates the issues facing society. In the works of Ken Kesey, Virginia Woolf, and Michael Cunningham, these authors hold a mirror up to the issues of class, sexuality, and gender. While it is apparent that the times in which One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mrs, Dalloway, and The Hours were written heavily inform the individual character’s choices and their destinies, the themes presented are timeless. This essay explores how even today, years after these novels were written, society continues to struggle with these issues, and argues that, perhaps, through literature, a pathway to understanding can …

The Underdiagnosis Of Adhd In Black Females, Kiana Clerkley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background

Historically, Black women have continued to face discriminatory practices within the various branches of healthcare in America, including mental health.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for and factors contributing to the underdiagnosis of Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black females.

Methods

This study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods by use of collecting self-report scales and conducting individual interviews. Eight Black women were recruited by posting fliers on social media accounts that served as ADHD support groups among women. I collected data with the results of the self-report scale and …

Causal And Contributing Factors In Lynching Women, Cecelia Smith

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The violent act of lynching has mostly been identified as a method of vigilante justice perpetrated against African American men. During the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) in the south, these efforts of terror by violent mobs were employed to instill fear, to preserve an economy that had been fortified by a now-extinct slave industry, and to facilitate a white supremacist ideology. Initial lynching and data analyses have often seen scholars focus explicitly on male experiences. Women, however, were also victimized by this type of mob violence. African American women, White women, and Mexican women were lynched, but justification for such actions …

Communicating Pain Unseen: Addressing Health Outcomes In Sexual Activity For Women With Endometriosis, Madison Wiese

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Roughly 160 million women live with endometriosis, a chronic disease involving the uterine lining shedding on the outside of the uterus causing immense physical and emotional pain (Becker et al., 2020). One common symptom of endometriosis is dyspareunia, or painful sex (Ballard et al., 2008). This study aims to uncover how gender expectations from society impact women with endometriosis specifically in sexual encounters. Informed by the traditional sexual script theory and sexual script theory, the study examines how traditional gender norms might influence women’s prioritization of their own health needs as well as the physical, emotional, and relational health outcomes …

Caregiver-Child Conversations About Sex In African American Women, Hannah King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using grounded theory methods, this study examines the experience of African American women during their caregiver-child conversations about sex and the impacts of the conversations on their sexual attitudes. The process of these conversations begins with an unplanned topic and progresses further to identify six essential themes of these conversations: gender differences, race and religion, protective/emphasis on protection, lack of knowledge, withholding knowledge, and sex negativity/shame. African American women’s description of the process included feelings of shame and negativity towards their sexuality. Caregivers promoted positive messages about sex by having open conversations that advocated for equality between the genders, empower …

The Lived Experiences Of Traditionally Aged College Women In Abusive Relationships, Kelly Gentry

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been well established in the literature, but most of the research is focused on the rates, risk factors, and consequences of IPV among adults (Hamby, 2014; Jennings et al., 2017). However, IPV is most common among women (ages 18-24), which is also the age of the traditionally aged college student. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 12 women who were abused by an intimate partner during their college years. The goal was to understand the unique experiences of college women who experience IPV; Hearing directly from survivors allows for capturing a …

Perceptions, Knowledge, And Attitudes About Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (Larcs) Among Women In Appalachian Tennessee, Fenose Osedeme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Tennessee (TN), the rate of unintended pregnancies remains higher than the national rate (32.4% vs. 30.3%). Although long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are 99% effective in preventing undesired pregnancies; uptake remains low in rural and underserved communities. Previous research has provided some insight into women’s perceptions of LARCs; however, those guided by conceptual frameworks to understand the multiple influences that impact perceptions towards LARCs, especially among rural regions, are scarce. This multimethod qualitative study explored multiple influences that impact northeast Tennessee women’s perceptions and attitudes toward LARCs using the Socio-ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework.

The study comprised six …

A Cold War On The Dark Knight: Batman And American Culture 1939-1975, Angelica Cantrell

Honors Theses

In 1930, Batman fought the prevailing fears of urban America. With the addition of Robin in 1940, the comics changed to appeal to children and continued to follow the cultural trends of America during World War II and into the Cold War. Fear and paranoia during the Cold War influenced American culture and domestic policy. Anticommunism was ingrained in American social structure and initiated efforts at social containment in the 1950s. American culture shifted to emphasize morality and domesticity, and many Americans actively sought to protect traditional Christian values in their society.

Among the rising concerns, Americans became increasingly worried …

Increasing Physical Activity In Women With Obesity To Promote Weight Loss, Ashley N. Kohler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with a multitude of lifelong chronic illnesses. Obesity impacts more than 42% of the United States population (CDC, 2021b). Physical inactivity is a major determinant of obesity (Muerer et al., 2019). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to promote a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) of the participants enrolled in an existing wellness program at the EBP practice site by increasing the physical activity level of the participants compared to standard protocol. The existing wellness program’s standard protocol included diet modifications, physical activity encouragement, and medication management. The EBP …

From The Mouths Of Women: The Life Model Of Homelessness, Janeal M. White

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify commonalities in life events preceding a first episode of homelessness for women living in shelters in Texas. This built on the work of Nooe & Patterson (2010) who identified fourteen factors that contributed to increased risk of homelessness as visualized in the Ecology of Homelessness. While based on existing literature at the time, Nooe & Patterson may not have heard clearly the voices of women with lived experience. The current study sought to explore how these risk factors manifest in the lived experiences of women residing in Texas homeless shelters.

The significance …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

Gendered Sustainable Development:Issues And Challenges Faced By Women Workers In Call Centers, Khushboo Agnihotri, Sachin Kumar Srivastava

Management Dynamics

The business process outsourcing and call centre industry in India has a high prospect in present and coming future. As women are an essential part of this industry, presently, women workers comprise of nearly one-third of all the call centers and BPO’s Indian labor force. Nevertheless, regardless of such an important economic input of women to this industry, quite a few issues and challenges are encountered by women. From having suffered some form of workplace sexual harassment during the course of their work to challenging social dogmas and taboos related to the women in India. Women within the age group …

Women’S Self-Concept, Sexual Activity, And Intimacy After Sustaining A Traumatic Brain Injury, Erin Skotzke

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have a profound impact on how people think and feel about themselves and their abilities, values, goals, personalities, physical characteristics, and roles. Preliminary research findings suggest that barriers to developing a positive self-concept after injury in women include the desire to be perceived as “normal” after the injury or the feeling that society dismisses their injuries. In the field of occupational therapy, it is critical that therapists and researchers understand that self-concept can be altered after sustaining a TBI. This outcome can have a significant impact on participation in valued occupations, including participation in …

Decreased Cognition Is Associated With Altered Cardiovascular Autonomic Functions And Decreased Baroreflex Sensitivity In Women With Premenstrual Syndrome, Jothi Marie Feula, Dhanalakshmi Yerrabelli, Gopal Krushna Pal, Soundirarajan Subhashri

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a clinical entity of concern in women of reproductive age group with its onset during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that typically resolves within a few days after the onset of menstruation. Female reproductive hormones stimulate the gene promotor region of Gonadal steroids, which are modulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, in association with the autonomic nervous system (ANS), form the stress system, which regulates the homeostatic mechanisms of the body. Disruption of this mechanism can lead to sympathovagal imbalance and cognitive deficits. Objectives: This study was aimed to compare the autonomic functions and …

Modern Interpretation Of Risk Factors In Breast Cancer Of Women, Oana Denisa Bălălău, Răzvan Valentin Scăunașu, Octavian Gabriel Olaru, Anca Silvia Dumitriu, Stana Paunica, Liliana Florina Andronache, Anca Daniela Stănescu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Breast cancer is a major public health problem, being the most common cancer diagnosed in women and accounting for more than 1 in 10 new diagnoses of cancer each year. It is the most common neoplasm of women under the age of 40 and the second leading cause of cancer death in this age group, with more frequent detection of pathogenic mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes. Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are about 70% more likely to develop breast cancer. The incidence is rising in most countries and it is expected to have a growing trend in the …

Cultural, Political, And Choreographic Developments Of Feminism In Classical Ballet, Lydia Mariya Wirth

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper explores how the ballerina can be better represented in the culture, aesthetics, and politics of ballet. Despite the patriarchal and misogynistic traditions that this art form is steeped in, women have made significant strides in reclaiming ballet as a tool of female empowerment rather than of suppression or objectification. A disparity of leadership positions, a traditionally disempowering training system, misogynistic ballet narratives, and patterns of abuse and harassment all combine to create a world that disempowers female dancers on multiple levels. Despite these realities, women have been at the forefront of narrowing wage and opportunity gaps, encouraging transparency …

Human Trafficking Among Utah Girls And Women, Lindsay B. Gezinski, Mckayla Caress, Marin Christensen, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Human trafficking is a global problem that involves the exploitation of people for profit through the means of force, fraud, or coercion.¹ It takes a variety of forms, including forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation.² Systemic inequalities, such as mass displacement, extreme poverty, and lack of access to education and job opportunities are examples of contributing factors that can fuel trafficking of vulnerable populations.³ While the scale of trafficking in persons is difficult to determine, estimates suggest that there were over 40 million victims worldwide in 2016.⁴ In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic, …

Taking The Bull By The Horns: Gender Analysis In A Cattle Project In Indonesia, Febrina Prameswari

Sustainability and Social Justice

Women play a crucial role in agriculture, especially in cattle farming. However, gender inequality in livestock production remains a critical issue, as women usually have less engagement with livestock production, less control over finances, and less access to markets. The IndoBeef program in Indonesia was one of the first livestock projects to incorporate gender-specific activities in its implementation. The project used women-only focus groups, utilizing the Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index (WELI) combined with farm production data to address women’s needs in the cattle industry. I conducted a gender analysis of one of IndoBeef’s subsidiary projects, CropCow. The project did …

From Reality To Fiction: How Women’S Mental Health Was Portrayed In 19th Century Literature, Sara Mason

Honors Theses

This thesis is an examination of the history of mental health treatment for women in the 19^th century. Fictional literature written during this time by American and English female authors is used to explore the underlying attitudes towards women who were perceived to have a mental illness. This thesis explores the three works Jane Eyre, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and The Awakening, as well as the biography of the female authors. This information is used to explore the patriarchal society represented in these works and how that is shown through the authors’ writing. The medical profession is also …

Women, Retirement, And The Growing Gig Economy Workforce, Caroline Bruckner, Jonathan B. Forman

Georgia State University Law Review

Gig work—the selling or renting of labor, effort, skills, and time outside of traditional employment—is a long-standing feature of the U.S. economy. Today, millions of “online gig workers” sell goods and services, or rent rooms, houses, vehicles, and other assets using app-online and app-based platforms (for example, Uber, Lyft, Rover, DoorDash, eBay, Etsy, Postmates, VRBO, and Airbnb) to connect with customers. Millions more of “offline gig workers” run errands; walk dogs; care for children and the elderly; do housework, yardwork, and other occasional jobs; rent rooms; and sell goods at outdoor markets and roadside stands—without using online platforms to connect …

The Ghosts Shed Tears, Sarah Jentsch

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

Before I was taught what made us different, I thought my brother and I were the same. The only difference between a doe and a buck was the antlers. As I grew, I noticed differences—in the way people spoke to us, in what was expected of us, in the questions we were asked. In what our futures were supposed to look like. The difference between the doe and the buck was still the antlers, but those antlers made one a trophy and the other venison.

Many of my formative experiences I came to understand through animals. My family home, cradled …