Digital Commons Network^™

Mobile Money Innovations, Income Inequality And Gender Inclusion In Sub-Saharan Africa, Simplice A. Asongu, Peter Agyemang-Mintah, Joseph Nnanna, Yolande E. Ngoungou

All Works

This study assesses the role of mobile money innovations on income inequality and gender inclusion in 42 sub-Saharan African countries from 1980 to 2019 using interactive quantile regressions. It finds that, first, income inequality unconditionally reduces the involvement of women in business and politics. Second, mobile money innovations interact with income inequality to have a positive impact on women in business and politics. Third, the net effects of mobile money innovations on gender inclusion through income inequality are consistently negative. Fourth, as the positive conditional or interactive effects and negative net effects are consistent across the conditional distribution of gender …

Saint Brigit And Her Habits: Exploring Queerness In Early Medieval Ireland, Jacqueline K. Stephenson

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Saint Brigit's behavior and reception by society highlight an avenue by which women in the early medieval period could escape societal strictures, exercising agency over their bodies and their romantic choices, and carve out a distinct and unexpected place for themselves in a Christian patriarchal society. In Saint Brigit’s case, this is especially demonstrated by the breadth of her portrayed power as not just a nun but a saint, her extreme resistance to marriage, and her frequent comparisons to men. Indeed, her hagiography, written by Cogitosus in the seventh century, positioned her as one of the three principal and earliest …

Challenging The Master Narrative Of Holocaust Victimhood: Examining The Holocaust Through A Gendered Lens, Annabella Blowers

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women are severely unrepresented in the master narrative that has come to define what it means to be a Holocaust victim. Although men and women were subjected to different forms of victimization, women’s unique experiences of suffering have been marginalized and subsumed within the male-dominated master narrative. Examining the Holocaust through a gendered lens challenges this existing narrative of Holocaust victimhood. Conducting a gender analysis of the Holocaust is essential to fully incorporate women’s experiences into Holocaust history and the grossly inadequate narrative society uses to define Holocaust victimhood.

An analysis of fifty Holocaust fiction novels revealed that literature’s depiction …

The Emotional Needs Of Women In Sports: An Exploration Of Self-Efficacy, Self-Compassion, And Self-Conscious Emotions, Ginger S. Gummelt

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study examined the self-efficacy, self-conscious emotions, and self-compassion of women college athletes. While female athletes may benefit greatly from the athletic experience, little research has been done to address their emotional and mental well-being. Self-efficacy and the self-conscious emotions have been shown to be tied to both athletic success and emotional well- being while self-compassion has been identified as an effective tool for enhancing psychological well-being, particularly in athletes (Mosewich, Crocker, Kowalski, & DeLongis, 2013). In order to measure shame, a version of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (Tangney & Dearing, 2003), was administered to volunteer subjects. Self-efficacy was …

Are Women The Silver Bullet? Understanding Women’S Perceptions Of Gun Reform And Red Flag Laws In The United States, Emmeline Farwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines women’s perceptions of gun reform policies and how they can be used as a measure to predict how women could potentially view specific gun reform policies like red flag laws. Specific policies like the assault weapons ban and red flag laws are becoming increasingly common, practical measures to reduce gun violence, but little academic research has been done on them. Using data from the 2022 Congressional Election Survey conducted by the University of Texas at Austin University, I use several linear regressions to ascertain how one’s gender affects feelings or support for gun reform generally and for …

Persistence Of Female Faculty In Stem, Andrea Constantinou

Dissertations

The lack of women entering certain STEM fields impacts female representation in research faculty, teacher faculty, and leadership positions in higher education. Through a narrative inquiry methodology utilizing the theoretical paradigms of self-determination theory and relational autonomy, this study extended understanding of the factors that motivate persistence for women in certain STEM fields. While prior research focused on understanding the barriers to retention, this study sought to identify the factors motivating retention for women in certain STEM fields. The results of this study contribute to understanding the motivating factors that influence a woman’s persistence in STEM. The data gathered from …

A Journey To A Black Woman’S (Read Black Girl’S) Joy And Her Story Of Coming Home, Brittany Lauren Brock

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This is an auto/ethnography about the self-actualizing journey of reclaiming storytelling as my native tongue and my journey to joy. Throughout, using my story and the stories of so many others, I not only lay out the wounds (the pain, the loss, then the hope that comes) within the academy and outside in the world but I also use storytelling as a tool of healing—my tool of healing—to show how I wrote myself free.

When Black women (read Black girls) go through The Reckoning (the moment we realize something isn’t right with how we are perceived by others) …

The Missguided Project: Bringing Awareness To The Stigmas And Miseducation Surrounding Women’S Health Through Art And Creative Research, Gwyneth Cunningham, Hayley Newton, Zeen Ari, Claire Portele, Kerlous Aziz, Madelyn Kearns

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

MissGuided is a project that discusses miseducation, shame, and stigma within women's healthcare settings, and the transformative potential of storytelling and artmaking in these contexts. Women encounter systemic miseducation, leading to shame and stigma surrounding their health experiences. However, through the power of community-driven narratives and creative expression, these barriers can be dismantled. Facilitating communal dinner parties as a form of conceptual art making, we aim to explore the diverse experiences in healthcare through conversation. The accumulation of the research, dinner parties, and wellcores will be delivered through a collective cookbook which includes recipes, testimonials, and art. By sharing personal …

The Hidden Struggle: Challenges Older Women Face In Nevada, Annie Vong

Student Research

In 2020, almost one in five Nevadans was over the age of 65.[1] However, within this age group, women outnumber men due to longer life expectancies[2] and migration patterns. Women over 65 years of age make up an estimated 18.1% of the female population in Nevada.[3] Of the male population in Nevada, 15.1% are over 65 years of age.[4] Older women are less likely to be married, are less likely to have completed a bachelor’s degree, are more likely to drop out of the labor force, and are more likely to be living in poverty in …

Book Review: Organizing Women: Home, Work, And The Institutional Infrastructure Of Print In Twentieth-Century America, Christine Pawley, Madelaine Russell

School of Information Student Research Journal

In carefully selected case studies of white and Black middle-class American women, Pawley, a professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Information School, provides a detailed exploration of the “largely untold history” of women who used their involvement in print-centered organizations to reshape their lives beyond the unpaid domestic sphere (1). The first three chapters of the book trace the histories of primarily domestic women who held active roles in institutions of print culture such as journalism and radio broadcasting while the last three focus on the lives of women whose full-time employment helped to shape the developing public library …

The Impact Of Childhood Sexual Abuse On Interpersonal Relationships: A Cross-Sectional Study In Trinidad, Bernadette Marson

Journal of International Women's Studies

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a pervasive social problem that can have long-term effects on women’s relationships because it makes them vulnerable to revictimization. Girls are more vulnerable than boys to be victims of CSA, and those abused by someone they trust are at higher risk of experiencing increased trauma and interpersonal problems. This quantitative research study investigated the association between CSA and interpersonal relationships. Participants completed anonymous surveys exploring these two variables. Results showed that among other vulnerabilities, women who reported sexual abuse within the family reported overall greater interpersonal problems compared with non-abused participants. Given the prevalence of …

Biblical Literacy: A Theological Exploration Of What God Says About Women Called To Pastor, Shannel K. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctoral Research Project aims to answer the question, Is there biblical awareness among the congregation about God’s acceptance and call of female pastors? The problem presented identifies a gap in biblical knowledge about women in church leadership due to the lingering effects of patriarchal influence. There may be resistance to church growth due to the uncertainty of the Scriptures, which sanction women to the call of God. This research project proposed to improve the Bible literacy of ten Christian men and women to cultivate spiritual growth and strengthen their theology. Historically, the conservative church taught that the Bible forbids …

Living With An Altered Body: A Qualitative Account Of Body Image With Cancer Diagnosis And Its Treatment Among Women In Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Mehboobun Nahar Milky

The Qualitative Report

Cancer diagnosis and its treatments influence the body image of patients in addition to bodily functioning. This qualitative study explores cancer patients' experiences with their bodies following cancer diagnosis and its treatment. For this study, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five female cancer patients were conducted in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The interviews were transcribed verbatim to include the insider’s perspective and then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings are divided into three major themes and eight sub-themes: the altered body (changed appearance, failing functional capabilities), emotional conflicts (feelings and emotions, loss of identity), and coping strategies (avoidance, clothing adjustments, social …

Women In The Leadership Of Church Worship Upholding And Manifesting Biblical Principles Of Their God-Given Design, Joyce Ann Walter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the existing literature and changes in church governments that promote women in leadership roles of church worship, there remains a gap that specifies the biblical feminine qualities of women in worship leadership. These specifics should clarify the manifested characteristics of those women in leadership who exhibit the biblical distinctness of their gender from that of the male gender. Historical study shows in past generations that many denominations have banned women from such leading roles because of the interpretation of Scripture pertaining to the man being the head over the woman. This stance has been changing in the 21st century …

A Content Analysis: Girls And Young Women In Computer Science, Wilma Ann Anderson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The national conversation about STEM education continues. While math and science have been a constant in K–12 and higher education, curriculum in technology and engineering have not been consistently part of the tapestry of American education. As such, there is a dearth of qualified candidates for the ever-growing number of computer science and engineering career opportunities. Prevailing stereotypes that depict the typical workforce in these industries as White and male contribute to the lack of representation of other groups. This study focused on the representation of girls and young women in computer science between the years of 2005–2018. Data tracking …

Lds Women And The Teton Dam Disaster Of 1976, Emily Willis

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

June 5, 1976, started like any other spring day in southeastern Idaho. After the cold winter, most of the residents of the numerous farming towns that lie throughout the Upper Snake River Valley found the beautiful Saturday ideal for farm work, gardening, or spring cleaning. About twenty miles northeast of Rexburg, the largest town in the area, the Teton Dam neared completion. A Bureau of Reclamation project, the dam promised to stop the annual flooding that so often decimated portions of farmers' fields along the Teton River. Around 11 o'clock that morning, however, came a terrifying report: the Teton Dam …

The Feminine Expansion Of Role Theory: A Community Workshop, Alexis Cisneros

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Traditional gender roles and dominant narratives in society impose different pressures on men and women. Women experience the societal pressure to excel in multiple roles simultaneously such as caregiver, breadwinner, partner, and community member all while meeting societal judgements and expectations regarding appearance, achievements, and behavior (Ilic, 2023). This thesis will focus on the development of a drama therapy community workshop for cisgender women to explore the roles they play in Western society. Because we are living in a patriarchal society where the understanding of human experience is mostly through a white, male, heterosexual, middle-class, and able-bodied lens my focus …

Social Media Addiction Affecting Mental Health Of College Women, Praneetha Rajkumar, Don D. Shamilov, David F. Lo

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In our digital society, many teenagers and young adults use the many forms of social media, which are applications that enable users to create, share, and view content. Addiction to sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat is a rising concern due to the impact it has on the mental health of young women, particularly those aged 18-25. Addiction can result in spending an unreasonable amount of time on social media, being overly preoccupied with social media content, or having day-to-day activities that revolve around social media usage. Different sources of data were reviewed to understand why mental health concerns …

Addressing The Black Maternal Mortality Rate, Kennedy Sanders, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Kate Whelihan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: As of 2021, the Black maternal mortality rate in the United States was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births as compared to the national average of 32.9 and the White American average of 26.61. It has been demonstrated that this discrepancy is not fully explained by socioeconomic status. Doulas are professionals who provide support and guidance throughout pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Encouraging the use of doulas may be an effective approach to improve the birth experience for Black mothers. Methods: A literature review was performed using PubMed and the following search strings: maternal mortality rate (+race, +race +ethnicity, …

Art Therapy Treatment For Adult Women With Comorbid Or Co-Occurring Anxiety: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Russo

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Anxiety disorders are prevalent across the globe and are more often diagnosed in women. Anxiety disorders are highly comorbid and can worsen the outcomes of other mental and medical health diagnoses. Research on treatment for anxiety disorders has spanned decades; however, the gold standard treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy and medication, leave many individuals without significant results. Art therapy has shown, in small scale studies, the ability to be applied with success to several populations but could benefit from further research. It is the hypothesis of this literature review that art therapy can be an appropriate alternative treatment for comorbid anxiety …

Sexual Exploitation: The Crisis And Eradicative Solution, Tonnie Adams Bracey

Student Capstone Projects

French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I find this to be true in our current era of the digital age. Although technology has gifted a newly improved and vast method of making worldwide connections and broadening our perceptions and views, a change in how we communicate has conveniently presented itself, but the historic pattern of how we handle these new advancements have indeed stayed the same.
Smart phones are a mainstream vessel employing the world with a plethora of information while giving all sorts of people access to individual’s lives …

International Women Graduate Students: Transition To Public Research Universities In The Midwest, Tran Thanh Truc Nguyen

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences of international women graduate students (IWGSs) in transitioning to public research universities in the Midwest. The study utilized Schlossberg’s transition theory (Anderson et al., 2012) to gain insights into the perceptions of six participants during their college transition process. Based on the analysis of data collected through in-depth phenomenological interviews with each participant, three themes emerged that described the challenges faced by the participants during their transition. These themes were: solitary voyage, a dilemma of self-reliance and reliance, and a vicious cycle of limited time and financial constraints. Through the three themes, the …

A Randomized Controlled Study Of The Effects Of Targeted Health Education On Uptake Of Contraceptives Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Nnewi City, South-East Nigeria, Yanmeer Tyotswam, Rosebella Iseme-Ondiek, Eliphas Makunyi

Population Health, East Africa

Objective: There is a need for contraception uptake among people to enable them to fulfil their right to determine the timing, number and spacing of their children. In regions with poor contraceptive prevalence rates, lack of effective education has been largely implicated, and Nigeria falls among such regions. Thus, the present study is designed to examine the impact of an educational intervention on uptake of contraceptives among women aged 18–49 years seeking care at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi.

Methods: Being an interventional study to underscore the effect of targeted health education on uptake of contraceptives, …

Factors Associated With Anaemia Among Pregnant Women In Rwanda: An Analysis Of The Rwanda Demographic And Health Survey Of 2020, Lilian Nuwabaine, Joseph Kawuki, Livingstone Kamoga, Quraish Sserwanja, Ghislaine Gatasi, Linet M Mutisya, John Baptist Asiimwe

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is associated with several adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns, as well as their families. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of anaemia and the associated factors among pregnant women in Rwanda.

Methods: Secondary data from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) was used. Multistage stratified sampling was used to select 435 pregnant women included in the study. Anaemia among pregnant women was defined as a haemoglobin value/dL. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the associated factors with anaemia in pregnancy, using SPSS (version 26).

Results: Of the 435 pregnant …

Exploring The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Religiosity And The Experience Of Emotional Labor In Working Women, Jane Naa Koshie Acquah-Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women serve crucial roles within the home as caregivers and outside the home in the workforce, where they often fill many essential support positions such as service industry workers, teachers, social workers, nurses, and human service workers. In these roles, women must often mitigate the psychosocial issues of those whom they serve, resulting in high emotional labor with subsequent deleterious effects for them. Religiosity and emotional intelligence have been demonstrated to alleviate psychosocial stressors. Current research identified on emotional intelligence and emotional labor in diverse workspaces shows ongoing development. Biblical references to emotional intelligence and religiosity in emotional management highlight …

Providing Biblical Knowledge To Women Ages 25–70 To Place Women In Ministry And Leadership Positions In The Church, Evelyn Diane Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide biblical knowledge to equip women to assume scriptural roles in church ministry and leadership. The project was conducted at The Word Ministry Church in rural Dallas County, Alabama. The writer reviewed women’s challenges and issues in the Christian community dominated by patriarchal theories. This project provides an overview of the study group and the training criteria for preparing women for ministry and leadership. The goal was to educate women not serving in leadership or ministry positions to obtain biblical knowledge to give them the confidence and support to accept their gift of …

The Intersection Of Trauma, Faith, And Addiction Among Women In Recovery At The Walter Hoving Home, Jessica I. West

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The association between substance use disorders (SUDs), childhood trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is becoming increasingly evident. There are faith-based programs available to assist women in overcoming addiction; however, there is presently no research examining the relationship between trauma, faith, and addiction among women in such programs as the Walter Hoving Home (WHH). Through a multiple regression analysis, this quantitative study evaluated the relationship between these three variables of interest among women in recovery. This study collected data through an anonymous Qualtrics survey with a self-report questionnaire, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACEs), Tobacco Alcohol Prescription medication and Other …

How Generation Z Canceled The United States Government: An Analysis Of Trust, Corrine Hofmann

Politics Honors Papers

Gen Z, the generation of Americans born between 1997-2012, is notable for its lack of trust in political institutions. While older generations have dismissed members of Gen Z as “cynical,” “lazy,” and “argumentative,” it is important to understand the sources behind Gen Z’s lack of trust in government. Using data from the American National Election Survey, this thesis presents an empirical analysis of nine macro- and micro-level concepts that could account for this lack of trust: 1) Gender 2) Race 3) Education 4) Income 5) Religiosity 6) Congressional Approval 7) Media Consumption 8) Economy 9) and Party Identification. Only party …

Christian Nationalism’S Effect On Women's Socioeconomic Status In The United States, Chloe Vanderhoof

Student Research Submissions

This paper will discuss existing literature on the moral reasoning behind conservative evangelicals’ and Christian Nationalists’ views about women’s subordination. Through various tools like homeschooling, fear-mongering, and policy implementation conservative evangelicals have been able to shape their idea of what role women should fill and gain the following of evangelical women. Additionally, this paper will discuss the balance and reforms needed between working for equality for women and holding respect for the religious views of all Americans, including conservative evangelicals; as well as provide a counter-argument from the perspective of conservative evangelicals. This paper will also explore practical solutions to …

Millennial Latina Non-Profit Leaders: Exploring Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power, Tatiana Mendoza-Larreynaga

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by Millennial Latina nonprofit C-Suite leaders and explore the impact of these behaviors on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by Millennial Latina nonprofit leaders to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: Employing a mixed method sequential explanatory design, the research involved eight Millennial Latina nonprofit leaders, utilizing convenience and snowball sampling. Data collection included electronic Likert scales to quantify self-sabotaging behaviors and interviews to explore lived experiences. Analysis sought to identify prevalent behaviors and strategies for overcoming …