Digital Commons Network^™

Critical Roles And Critical Rolls: A Frame-Analytical Perspective Of Self-Making, Safe Spaces, And Worldbuilding In Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Cal Quayle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many gamers prefer to play tabletop roleplaying games, or TTRPGs, in order to a) join a community, and b) tell a story collaboratively with friends and acquaintances. This thesis discusses selfhood-making, safe spaces, and allegory in imaginary worlds from the perspective of Erving Goff man’s frame analysis. It relies on a theoretical framework of imagined communities, the magic circle, and subcreation. This research culminated in the understanding that people play TTRPGs for a variety of reasons - collaborative storytelling and exercising critical thinking skills, but respondents overwhelmingly reported that they enjoyed the ability to socialize with friends and strangers, and …

The Buffering Effect Of Psychological Capital On Technology Anxiety And Adoption: An Examination Through The Lens Of Artificial Intelligence, Hannah Wagner

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

This study examines how psychological resources moderate the relationship between technology anxiety and technology adoption, using artificial intelligence (AI) as a contemporary exemplar of emerging workplace technologies. Despite significant investments in technological infrastructure, organizations continue to struggle with limited employee adoption—a challenge that extends beyond technical barriers to psychological dimensions. Drawing on Psychological Capital (PsyCap) theory, this research investigates how self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience collectively moderate the established negative relationship between technology anxiety and adoption. Through a quantitative approach analyzing survey data from 1,200 employees at a large technology consulting firm, this study provides insights into psychological mechanisms that …

De Aquí Y De Allá: Exchanging Language And Visual Culture In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Chloë M. Robinson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines graphic design in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) as a site of cultural hybridity, shaped by transnational histories and bilingual practice. It explores how Mexican and Anglo design markers intersect and are negotiated in daily life through analysis of 2,180 visual artifacts, interviews with ten local creatives, and a survey of fifty residents. Historical research traces influences like nineteenth-century wood type and rótulo signage to contemporary advertising. Interviews reveal that local creatives navigate hybrid identities through code-switching, bilingual fluency, and borderlands experiences. Survey results show that participants’ language preferences predict how they categorize and rank typographic …

Festival Diplomacy (Ceremony Diplomacy) As A Lesser-Known Form Of Cultural Diplomacy By Emerging Non-State Actors: The Newroz Legacy Of The Kurdish Regional Resistance In Iraq And Syria, Khaled Sheykholeslami

The Journal of Social Encounters

Kurds as the second largest ethnic groups in Iraq and Syria are the only nation in these two major-Arab countries that celebrate Newroz every year. However, as a minority community divided among different Middle Eastern countries, the arrival of the new year and the celebration of Newroz seem to have taken on a political significance beyond merely celebrating spring and the end of winter. This essay argues that Newroz has evolved from a cultural celebration into a strategic instrument of non-state cultural diplomacy used by Kurdish actors in Iraq and Syria to resist centralizing state power and project transnational identity. …

The Migrant As A Pilgrim: Decolonising Identity And Belonging, Susan Nemec

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper responds to pilgrimage scholar George Greenia’s assertion that meaningful intersections exist between pilgrimage and various forms of displacement, such as migration or involuntary exile due to famine, war, or political unrest. Greenia proposes that vulnerable, displaced individuals might find shelter, both conceptually and emotionally, within the framing of pilgrimage. By extending concepts of pilgrimage, it can be understood as a deliberate and intentional journey, simultaneously emphasising the transformative potential inherent in migratory movement. By adopting a working definition of pilgrimage as ‘any form of travel that is intentional, purposeful, or transformative,’ the paper considers how migrancy, particularly within …

Emergent Patterns In Individual Perceptions Of Domestic Violence Among African Immigrants, Annah Ezuma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic abuse continues to be a prevalent and intricate matter within society, frequently concealed by silence. The comprehension of individuals’ perceptions of abuse is of utmost importance in the advancement of efficacious interventions and support systems. Among African immigrants in the United States, perceptions of domestic violence were often influenced by several factors like religion and migration stressors. Despite increasing concerns about abuse within this population, limited research has explored how they interpret abuse and how these perceptions shape help seeking behaviors and disclosure. The gap was significant because of the cultural transition and many immigrant experiences. This qualitative study …

Disrupted Nuclear Function And Nucleocytoplasmic Transport In Parkinson’S Disease, Ichiro M. Matoba

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

Breadth Or Depth: The Ongoing Battle In Professional Military Education, Ryan Wadle, Heather Venable

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the ongoing and oftentimes heated debates on the curricula in Professional Military Education institutions and the guidance provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. By studying the "breadth" of conflict and the national security environment, PME graduates can best apply their knowledge and skills at the intersection of military strategy and political objectives where they can be the most effective.

Prevalence And Awareness Of Obesity And Overweight Among Sulaimani University Students In Kurdistan, Iraq, Banaz Hussien Karim, Zhian Salah Ramzi

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Weight disorders, including obesity and overweight, are major global public health concerns, particularly in developing countries where underweight and obesity coexist. These conditions lead to serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. University years are critical for forming lifelong health habits, yet data on obesity prevalence and student awareness remain limited. Aim: To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among university students and evaluate their awareness of these conditions and related health risks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 756 students selected from eight colleges at Sulaimani University, using a stratified random sampling method. …

Analysis Of Traditional Wisdom For Ecological Sustainability In Tanzania: A Case Study Of Metaphorical Source Domains In Pangwa Ritual Texts, Winne Stephen Mtega, Angelus Mnenuka

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Campaigns for ecological sustainability have gained a great currency in the contemporary academic discourse. Nonetheless, from time immemorial, Africans have pushed the ecological sustainability agenda through cultural taboos and regulated resource harvesting. Many African societies have embedded ecological consciousness in daily life expressions, and have intricately expressed it through literary and ritual texts. This study focuses on ecological awareness in the ritual texts of the Pangwa community. It analyses how environmental domains—such as land, seeds, and fruits—serve as the basis for metaphors in the Pangwa community to prove the use of wisdom to promote and sustain ecological practices (ecocriticism). The …

Doc 2026-08 Proposal To Rename The Department Of Religious Studies To The Department Of Theology And Religious Studies, University Of Dayton. Department Of Religious Studies

Senate Documents

This proposal outlines the initiative to rename the University of Dayton’s Department of Religious Studies to the Department of Theology and Religious Studies to better reflect the modern academic and public distinction between the two fields. While "religious studies" is now widely understood as a secular, third-person analysis of religion, "theology" refers to the insider study of a faith tradition, which directly aligns with the department's faculty expertise and its explicitly theological MA and PhD programs. Because prospective students and local faith communities increasingly associate the term "religious studies" with purely secular education, the department has faced enrollment losses from …

Intersectionality Lunch And Learn, Shari Bissoondatt

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Hosted by the Lantana Public Library and led by Dr. Bissoondatt, this Lunch & Learn presentation introduces audiences to the concept of intersectionality, a framework first articulated by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain how overlapping identities—such as race, gender, nationality, and class—shape individuals’ lived experiences and interactions with systems of power. The talk explores how identity is formed through multiple, interconnected social positions rather than single categories, emphasizing the importance of the word “and” in understanding human experience. Drawing on cultural studies, sociology, and critical theory, the lecture connects intersectionality to broader institutional structures such as education, libraries, and …

Costumes, Connections, And Community: An In-Depth Exploration Of The Dynamics Within The Cosplaying Community, Carlo L. Ortiz, Gabriel Louie Fil Limpin Darang, Danial Mendoza Shomalzadeh, Rodnae Lu Palmito Cayat, Jorge Carle Fontanilla Dacaimat, Carl Rangel Buslayan Dangsi, Alfonso B. Astudillo Iii

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

Cosplay is a fun way to express oneself through costumes and roleplay that has given rise to a vibrant global community. While various studies have explored certain elements of this phenomenon, the cosplay community remains partially unexplored. This research aims to further investigate the dynamics of the cosplay community, providing meaningful insights into the identity processes, motivations, sense of belonging, and creativity that define it. Using in-depth interviews and online questionnaires, the research employs an inductive thematic analysis to examine how cosplayers interact with community-building, creativity, identity, and self-expression. Findings reveal that cosplayers actively engage with these aspects as they …

The Bg News March 11, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. March 11, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 20.

Leadership Strategies Nonprofit Leaders Use To Motivate Employees, Clara Dube

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unmotivated nonprofit organization (NPO) employees threaten NPO mission fulfillment. NPO leaders are concerned with poor employee motivation as it negatively correlates with organizational performance. Grounded in the integration of self-determination theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore the leadership strategies that some NPO leaders use to motivate employees. The targeted population was five leaders of an NPO in the Tigray region of Ethiopia who implemented successful leadership strategies to motivate employees. The participants comprised five leaders, purposively selected from an Ethiopian NPO, who had demonstrated the ability to motivate their employees. Data …

Treatment Of Tennis Elbow With Platelet- Rich- Plasma., Iskandar Mahdi Saleh Al-Ardi

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

platelet-rich-plasma is increasingly used in tennis elbow. This study show the clinical outcomes of a single PRP injection .our study was done between Dec. 2015 and Oct. 2016, platelet-rich–plasma was administrated to thirty patients. All subjects underwent prospective clinical evaluation, including  visual analog scale (VAS) for pain for six month follow up .most of the patient (VAS) significantly  improve from (p > 0.05) after injection with platelet-rich –plasma  .so as the result show the  PRP injections in tennis elbow showed better improvement in outcomes .

Platelet-Rich Plasma As A Treatment For De Quervain's Disease, Iskandar Mahdi Al-Ardi

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

platelet-rich-plasma is increasingly used in De Quervain's Disease. This study show the clinical outcomes of a single PRP injections.my study was done between Dec. 2015 and Oct. 2016, thirty patient receive single injection of platelet-rich –plasma All patients underwent prospective clinical evaluation, including visual analog scale (VAS) for pain for six month follow up .most of the patient (VAS) significantly improve from 5.9,to 2.0 (p > 0.05) after injection with platelet-rich –plasma .PRP injections in De Quervain's Disease showed better improvement in outcomes

Deliberate Self Harm Cases Presented To The Emergency Unit Of Al-Hussein General Teaching Hospital In Karbala/ Iraq, Amir Al-Haidary, Sami Al-Badri

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Aim:To study the socio-demographic characteristics of deliberate self harm (DSH)of patients presented to the emergency unit of Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital in Karbala governorate in Iraq and to study the methods they used and inquiring about the cause.Subject and Method: From the period (1st of May 2011) to (1st of January 2012) all patients with DSHwho were presented to the emergency unit of Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital were referred to a psychiatrist to assess them. We collected 113 patients.Registering the socio-demographic variables and the methods of use, patients then were assessed for the presence of a mental illness. Mental illness diagnosis was …

Psychiatric Comorbidity Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Najaf Province, Arafat H. Al-Dujaily

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Background:Compared with several other chronic childhood disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious and disabling group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Relatively little attention has been given to its early identification and comorbid psychiatric disorders especially in the Arab world.Objectives: The present study was conducted with the main aim to identify comorbid psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to find out the sociodemographic factors in relation to ASD.Methods: The study was conducted from 1st January 2013 to 30th December 2013. Participants were clinically referred children aged 3–12 years (n = 100) at psychiatric unit of AL Hakeem …

Prevalence Of Mental Disorders Among Adolescents Of Secondary Schools In Diwaniya Governorate, Hadi Jabor Suhail

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

- A cross-sectional study was conducted , on 1048 adolescent pupils(554 male &494 female) , in Al-Diwaniya Governorate , Iraq.-Twelve intermediate and secondary schools were chosen consecutively as a study setting ( 6 from Diwaniya city as urban ; 3 from Shamiya &3from Gammas as rural).-All chosen pupils (aged 12–18years) were considered in the self reporting questionnaire & face to face interview during the period from the 1st of May to the 30th of November 2010.-Out of 1048 adolescents assessed, 183 have positive mental disorders, giving a point prevalence of 17.46% .-Among the examined pupils are (79) diagnosed with anxiety …

Reform, Resistance, And Reluctant Change: The Southern Hookworm Epidemic In Progressive Era Georgia, 1909-1915, Hannah Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the early twentieth century, the campaign against hookworm disease in the American South became one of the most ambitious public health initiatives in United States history. Led by the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease (1909–1915), reformers sought to diagnose, treat, and ultimately eliminate a parasitic infection believed to contribute to widespread poverty, poor health, and low educational attainment in the rural South. This dissertation examines the hookworm eradication campaign in Georgia to explore how national public health reform intersected with local culture, education, race relations, and regional identity. Drawing on Georgia newspapers, Rockefeller Sanitary Commission …

A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of South Texas Non-Denominational Hispanic Ministry Leaders' Spiritual Formation Through Total Worship, Wendy Méndez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Spiritual formation transforms a believer’s relationship with Christ. For ministry leaders, especially volunteers, this process may be enhanced through worship practices. Understanding worship as a holistic lifestyle—beyond just musical or liturgical expression—had a profound influence on participants’ personal and spiritual development in this study. Despite the abundance of literature on worship and spiritual formation, a gap existed in understanding how total worship influenced the spiritual lives of volunteer leaders, particularly in culturally diverse communities. This study addressed the lack of research on the role of total worship in the spiritual formation of volunteer leaders in predominantly Hispanic, English-speaking, non-denominational, charismatic …

Not All Ei Dimensions Are Created Equal: Differential Effects Of Perceived Leader Emotional Intelligence On Lmx Quality And Employee Engagement, Michael Frommack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the pathways through which employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ emotional intelligence influenced employee engagement, with leader-member exchange (LMX) quality as a mediating mechanism. Using structural equation modeling with data from 368 full-time employees, the study investigated whether the four dimensions of leader emotional intelligence differentially predicted the three dimensions of employee engagement. Results demonstrated that leader EQ strongly predicted LMX quality (β = .80, p < .001, R² = .64), and that leader emotional intelligence and LMX quality significantly predicted employee engagement in bivariate analyses (β = .43, p < .001, R² = .19; β = .47, p < .001, R² = .22, respectively). However, LMX quality completely mediated this relationship. The indirect effect was significant (β = .26, p = .002), while the direct effect was nonsignificant after accounting for LMX (β = .17, p = .108), indicating full mediation. No dimension-specific pathways emerged after controlling for relationship quality. Supplementary analyses revealed that others’ emotion appraisal (OEA) demonstrated almost twice the predictive strength of the other emotional intelligence dimensions for predicting LMX quality (β = .45, p < .001). These findings provide empirical support for Social Exchange Theory and demonstrate that leader emotional intelligence is statistically accounted for by relationship quality mechanisms. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize relationship building competencies in leadership development and selection. Theoretical implications challenge assumptions about dimensional equivalence in emotional intelligence frameworks and establish LMX quality as the complete mediator for leadership influence on employee engagement.

Cultural Influences On Mental Health Help-Seeking: A Comparative Study Of Haiti And The United States, Luther-King Jean-Baptiste

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health stigma and help-seeking behaviors vary across cultural contexts and are shaped by shared beliefs, values, and social expectations. This qualitative study examined how cultural meaning systems influenced mental health help-seeking behaviors in Haiti and the United States. Using surveys and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 30 participants (15 from each country) who reported a history of psychological distress or mental health challenges. Findings indicated that help-seeking behaviors were not determined solely by symptom severity but were embedded within cultural, relational, spiritual, and structural frameworks. In Haiti, help-seeking was largely collective and shaped by family validation, community norms, …

Moderating Effects Of Leadership Style And Organizational Culture On Information Technology Involvement, Erick Dyson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative correlational study investigated the relationships among leadership styles, organizational culture, information technology involvement (INV), IT adoption intention (ITA), and knowledge-sharing intention (KSI) among managerial staff in educational institutions in the northeastern United States. Grounded in the technology acceptance model (TAM) and knowledge management theory, the study utilized survey responses from 141 participants in supervisory roles. Regression analyses revealed that INV significantly predicted ITA (F = 31.725, p < .001), accounting for 17.7% of the variance. However, ITA demonstrated a statistically significant but inverse relationship with KSI (F = 7.995, p < .001), indicating that greater ITA was associated with lower KSI. Hierarchical regression showed that the inclusion of leadership styles and organizational cultures improved model fit, with the final model explaining 53.3% of the variance in KSI. Charismatic, transformational, and transactional leadership styles moderated the ITA and KSI relationship, while servant and transactional leadership directly predicted KSI. Among cultural types, hierarchy and market cultures moderated the ITA and KSI relationship, while adhocracy, hierarchy, and market cultures directly predicted KSI. Seventeen significant two-factor interactions were identified, highlighting the complex interplay of leadership and culture. Reliability analyses confirmed acceptable internal consistency (α = .71 -.85), and regression diagnostics indicted no assumption violations. These findings challenge traditional TAM assumptions and emphasize the need for context-aware strategies integrating leadership and culture to enhance knowledge sharing in digitally transforming institutions.

The Rider (2026-03-09), Daniela Chapa-Reyes

The Rider Archives

Vol. 11, No. 22

2026 April 8 - Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes, Undergraduate Curriculum Council, East Tennessee State University

Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

“I Don’T Like Girls”: Centring Young Children’S Perspectives On Gender In Early Childhood Care And Education Settings., Chloe Hurley, Judith Butler, Jane O'Sullivan

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Gender development begins in early childhood and is shaped through social interactions, cultural norms, and institutional practices. This paper explores how young children learn, reproduce, and at times challenge gender norms within Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) settings in Ireland. Drawing on Feminist Poststructuralist and Intersectional theory, the study centres children’s perspectives, addressing a gap in ECCE gender research that has largely prioritised adult voices. Using participatory, rights-based methods with children alongside educator interviews and setting observations, the study generated rich, child-led data. Preliminary findings indicate that children largely conform to traditional gender norms in play, interactions and self-expression, …

Beyond The Sayable: Wittgenstein, Theory Of Mind And Affective Simulation Of Llms, Haomiaomiao Wang, Lili Zhang, Tomás E. Ward

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Wittgenstein’s distinction between what can be said and what can only be shown frames a limit of propositional language. Affect and aesthetic are not primarily matters of correct description but of how expressions function within shared forms of life. Large language models (LLMs), however, increasingly produce fluent language that resembles such understanding by reproducing the patterns through which people ordinarily talk about emotion and perspective.

This paper argues that apparent Theory of Mind (ToM) in LLMs is understood as competence in the publicly shared patterns of mental-state language, rather than as grounded understanding. Using abstract artworks, we show that LLMs …

Virtual Journal Club- A Strategy To Improve Evidence Translation And Peer Collaboration, Rachel E. Wood, Joy Huston

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Nurses are a critical component of the healthcare delivery system, weaving together science, critical thinking, empathy, compassion, and empowerment to deliver relational, expert care (Wood et al., 2023). To translate current evidence into practices that transform healthcare, nurses need to have confidence in their ability to access, evaluate, and integrate evidence. To provide compassionate, relational care, nurses themselves need to be well. This project sought to address both goals: transforming healthcare delivery by improved nurse wellbeing through peer collaboration and enhanced confidence in evidence-based practice (EBP) skills.

EBP is the intentional use of current, relevant research combined with sound clinical …