Digital Commons Network^™

Does Integrating Parental Involvement In Therapy Improve Behavior In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Pamela Lassiter

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem was the lower success rate of interventions for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because of the exclusion of parents in the counseling process. The purpose of the research was to explore if integrating parent involvement in therapy improved the behaviors in children with ADHD. The study occurred at a private mental health facility that used cognitive behavior therapy and behavior interventions with the children.

The study was guided by the phenomenological qualitative research design. Ten single parents of male children, ages 4 to 10 with ADHD, participated in this study. Parents were selected using a …

Cultural Heritage Curriculum And Student Identity Development: A Mixed-Methods Study, Alexus Corley

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the influence of a cultural heritage curriculum on first-grade students’ cultural knowledge, awareness, and understandings of culture. Specifically, the study investigated the extent to which participation in a 4-week cultural heritage curriculum influenced students’ knowledge of cultural history and contemporary contributors, their understandings and perspectives about culture, and the convergence of quantitative and qualitative findings.

Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods research design, the study was conducted with 19 first-grade students enrolled in a Title I elementary school in Central Florida. Quantitative data were collected using the researcher-developed cultural knowledge preintervention and postintervention assessment and …

Reading Achievement And Response To Intervention Participation Among Socially Promoted Elementary Students In Grades 3 To 5: A Comparative And Predictive Analysis, Paige Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined reading achievement among socially promoted elementary students in Grades 3 to 5 by investigating the relationship between Response to Intervention (RTI) participation and Spring I-Ready Reading Diagnostic scaled scores. Although RTI is widely implemented as a multi-tiered framework to provide targeted instructional support for struggling readers, limited research has examined reading outcomes among socially promoted students in rural elementary schools using standardized reading assessment measures.

This quantitative, non-experimental, causal-comparative study analyzed secure, de-identified archival student data obtained following approval from the Nova Southeastern University Institutional Review Board and authorization from school district personnel. The study included …

The Influence Of Haitian Immigrants’ Culture On Academic Outcomes At Elementary Level, Tonnette Samuels

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how teachers, parents, and administrators perceived the influence of Haitian cultural values and practices on the organizational culture and academic outcomes of elementary students in a southern United States county. Guided by the resource-based view theory, which frames culture as an intangible organizational asset, the study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the lived experiences of five participants, including three teachers, one parent, and one school administrator. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed to develop personal experiential themes for each participant and group experiential themes across cases.

The study’s findings generated four group …

The Impact Of Ufli Phonics Instruction On Second-Grade Reading Outcomes As Measured By The Drc Beacon Reading Assessment, Leari Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

There is mixed empirical evidence that infusion of phonics instruction yields consistent gains on standardized reading assessments, particularly beyond Grade 1. This inconsistency in evidence is problematic for instructional leaders who do not have clear guidance on how much phonics is needed to improve the persistent problem of many students not achieving at grade level on standardized reading assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in academic achievement by comparing two cohorts end-of-year Beacon Early Years assessment results at the target school. Specifically, this study compares one cohort of second-grade students who received explicit phonics instruction …

Preferred Practices For A Student Support Services Program To Improve Retention Of African-Caribbean Students Enrolled In U.S. Universities, Jean F. Edouard

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this research was the high attrition rate of African-Caribbean students enrolled in U.S. universities. This study aimed to ascertain preferred practices in student support services programs to improve the retention of African-Caribbean students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions. African-Caribbean students come to the United States with premigration experiences (e.g., language, cultural differences, and financial constraints). This generic qualitative study used semistructured Zoom interviews lasting 45–60 minutes with 12 African-Caribbean students who left their country of origin after age 12; interviews offered insight into their lived experiences and perceptions of U.S. higher education institutions. This study …

What's Your Partnership Recipe? Lessons From A Cupcake-Themed Wondering Session, Maia Elkana, Carol Colaninno, Alexandra Forgerson, Rachel Ruggirello

Institute for School Partnership: Research & Publications

At Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP), the concept of partnership defines our work as researchers and practitioners interested in advancing high-quality, equitable education and is central to all we do. We are privileged to partner with hundreds of schools and thousands of educators each year across many different programs, projects, and initiatives ranging from fee-for-service professional learning and curriculum programs to long-term research-practice partnership (RPP) work. Just as teacher collaboration is a vital tool in producing healthy learning communities and positive outcomes for students, research has also shown that collaboration between and across teachers, administrators, professional learning providers, …

Aphasia Treatment Research: A Decision-Making Tool To Guide The Design Of Phased Trials From The Collaboration Of Aphasia Trialists (Cats) Trials For Aphasia Panel, Erin Godecke, Emily Brogan, Rebecca Palmer, Marian C. Brady, Frank Becker, Caterina Breitenstein, Sonia Brownsett, Julius Fridriksson, Katerina Hilari, Argye E. Hillis, Paola Marangolo, Miranda L. Rose, Shirley Thomas, Donna C. Tippett, Julie Bernhardt, Kathryn S. Hayward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials with meta-analyses indicate that speech and language therapy for aphasia after stroke is effective in improving communication. However, high-quality evidence to identify an intervention’s target population (who), regimen (what), timing (when), and dose (how much) is lacking. The predominance of underpowered aphasia trials and comparative studies with design limitations may be attributed to: 1) the perceived complexity of designing trials of interventions for a complex behaviour such as human communication, 2) the lack of funded research in the field and 3) a lack of training and understanding in the field of aphasiology regarding …

Faik Tagirov And Tatar Constructivism: The Making Of A New Tatar Book, Miriam Akhmetshin

Scripps Senior Theses

Working in the style of constructivism, Faik Tagirov primarily designed book covers for Tatar agitational literature in the 1920s. Studying at VKhUTEMAS and working for numerous publishing houses, Tagirov participated in several domestic and international exhibitions with well-known artists like Aleksandr Rodchenko and El Lissitzky. Tagirov utilized photomontage, geometricism, and unique typographical designs to create potent materials for a Tatar population. Current scholarship fails to adequately acknowledge the diverse influences impacting the work of non-Russian artists such as Tagirov. Using visual and iconographic analysis, I argue for an approach that recognizes Tagirov's work as syncretic in nature, utilizing both indigenous …

The Return Of Donald Trump: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of The 2024 Presidential Election, Joan Hanson

Scripps Senior Theses

Donald Trump’s 2024 victory made him only the second president in American history to win a nonconsecutive reelection bid. This thesis serves as a preliminary investigation into why a decisive share of American voters chose Trump for a second time, drawing on voter behavior theory, analysis of digital political advertising and social media content, as well as recent election data. Theoretical frameworks including retrospective and prospective voting, as well as ideological innocence each offer plausible explanations for Trump’s repeat victory. Analysis of digital advertising and social media content leading up to the 2024 presidential election further suggests that these platforms …

Still Life As A Photographer: Visual And Mnemonic References To Photography In Yasuo Kuniyoshi’S 1944 Broken Objects And Room 110, Tara A. Attanasio

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889-1953) and his still life paintings titled Broken Objects and Room 110 as modes of implicit portraiture, self-declaration, and self-reclamation. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, government authorities deemed Kuniyoshi an “enemy alien” and confiscated his photographic equipment. Painted two years following his camera’s confiscation, Broken Objects and Room 110 contain references that recall Kuniyoshi’s prewar photographic practice and visualize his response to the loss of his camera. I foreground my analysis with Kuniyoshi’s Self-Portrait as a Photographer from 1924 and his photography from the 1930s to detail his metacritical relationship …

The Role Of Satirical And Self-Deprecating Humor In Destigmatizing Mental Health In Black Women, Zoe S. Cooper

Scripps Senior Theses

Black humor has long served as a mode of resilience, critique, and emotional expression for Black communities, yet its potential to reduce mental health stigma among Black women remains underexplored. This study examined whether exposure to culturally grounded satirical or self-deprecating humor reduces internalized mental health stigma among Black women and individuals who have experienced Black womanhood. It further investigated whether humor moderates the relationship between endorsement of the Black Superwoman Schema and internalized stigma, a framework closely tied to emotional suppression and stigma in Black women’s mental health. Participants were Black/African American women ages 18–30, as well as individuals …

These Roots Run Deep: The Exploitative And Progressive Legacy Of California's Citrus Industry, Pia N. Snellman

Scripps Senior Theses

While California’s modern citrus production is mainly centered in the Central Valley, Southern California was once the home of hundreds of thousands of commercial citrus groves. These groves have since been replaced with residential and industrial development, but the history and physical development associated with the citrus belt continue to affect this region. This thesis examines whether Southern California’s citrus industry has had a progressive or exploitative lasting legacy. Focusing on the impacts that this industry has had on environmental, social, and suburban contexts, this thesis suggests that exploitation and progress mark the orange empire’s legacy through opposing yet dynamic …

Integrating Non-Binary Morphology Into Spanish Grammatical Gender: A Study On Native And Second-Language Speakers, Abigail H. Gustafson

Scripps Senior Theses

This study investigates how native (L1) and second-language (L2) Spanish speakers process non-binary gender morphology, focusing on the pronoun ‘elle’ and the adjective/noun ending ‘-e’. Prior studies show that native speakers outperform L2 speakers in processing traditional masculine–feminine agreement, non-binary forms and their emergence in a binary grammatical system are understudied. To address this gap, I conducted an online reaction-time experiment with bilingual speakers from the Claremont Colleges, who judged the grammaticality of Spanish sentences containing either grammatical gender or social gender (él/ella/elle) agreement and disagreement. Survey data also captured participants’ familiarity with and attitudes toward the pronoun ‘elle’. The …

Madison, Wisconsin As A Climate Haven: Infrastructure, Environmental Justice, And Community Voice, Sophia N. Heffner

Scripps Senior Theses

As climate change accelerates internal migration within the United States, the concept of “climate havens” has emerged as a way to identify communities that may become receiving zones for displaced populations. Madison, Wisconsin has increasingly been positioned within academic, policy, and media discourse as a potential climate haven due to its geographic advantages, strong public infrastructure, and proactive climate policy environment. This paper evaluates Madison’s readiness for this role through an equity-centered, participatory planning lens. Drawing on planning documents, climate data, municipal policies, and interdisciplinary scholarship, it argues that Madison’s long-term success as a sustainable and inclusive climate haven depends …

Carrots, Not Sticks: A Contingency Management Model For Rural Methamphetamine Recovery, Ella House

Scripps Senior Theses

Rates of methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) have risen sharply across the United States, with rural Appalachia experiencing the steepest mortality increases. Contingency management (CM) is among the most effective treatments for stimulant use, yet implementation is constrained by cost, logistics, and clinician shortages. Utilizing digital CM platforms and peer recovery support specialists, who are central to addiction support in rural regions, may reduce these barriers. This thesis proposes a 16-week, three-arm randomized controlled trial (N ≈ 300) comparing: (1) Digital Abstinence CM Only (remote saliva toxicology and monetary vouchers for stimulant-negative tests); (2) Digital + Peer-Goal CM (digital abstinence-based CM …

Using A Novel Approach To Measure Phonological Working Memory In Parents Of Children With Autism: A Nonword Repetition Study, Giavanna Galati

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: The etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been a topic of debate among researchers for many years. Fundamental evidence, especially from twin studies, supports a strong genetic component. This evidence now prompts us to examine first-degree relatives of individuals with ASD. Many first-degree relatives, especially siblings and parents, often exhibit subclinical traits of autism, referred to as the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP). Several researchers have investigated personality traits and pragmatic language skills; however, few researchers have investigated core language skills, particularly phonological working memory (PWM), in parents of children with ASD (pASD). Purpose: Past research has …

Assessing Modular And Conventional Construction For Sustainable Student Housing At The University Of Rhode Island: A Life Cycle Approach, Lasse Franzen

Open Access Master's Theses

The building sector accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions, with embodied impacts gaining importance as operational efficiency improves. Modular construction is frequently proposed as a lower-impact alternative to conventional site-built methods, yet reported findings remain inconsistent, and no comparative study of student housing was identified in the reviewed literature. This thesis compares the embodied environmental impacts of two student housing developments at the University of Rhode Island: the New University Housing Project (NUHP), a hybrid development combining a site-built concrete and steel podium with a factory-built volumetric timber module superstructure, and Brookside Hall, a conventional site-built …

Mindfulness As A Potential Facilitator Of Self-Forgiveness?, Isabella S. Lindsay Castelli

Scripps Senior Theses

Despite clinicians’ attestation to self-forgiveness’ relevance in clinical practice, as well as research suggesting its positive relationship to well-being, most clinicians are not familiar with models for facilitating self-forgiveness. The present study draws on theoretical overlap between mindfulness theory and three prominent models of the self-forgiveness process, as well as empirical research showing a positive association between dispositional mindfulness and dispositional self-forgiveness. Participants were adults in the United States, randomly assigned to a mindfulness exercise or control (progressive muscle relaxation exercise). Participants were asked to think of a transgression they committed, report their self-forgiveness for that transgression, and retake the …

Advancing Models Of Ptsd-Aud Comorbidity: Protocol For A Multimethod Framework Using Genetics And Ecological Momentary Assessment, Elizabeth A. Stinson, Samhita Lellapalli, Sage E. Hawn, Natalie Merrill, Lance M. Rappaport, Christina M. Sheerin, Vasiliki Michopoulos, Silviu-Alin Bacanu, Roseann E. Peterson, Abigail Powers, Ananda B. Amstadter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), which are moderately heritable, frequently co-occur and contribute to significant public health burdens, particularly among economically disadvantaged urban communities. There are noted sex differences in PTSD and AUD outcomes, with evidence suggesting women have heightened susceptibility to stress-related alcohol use. Preliminary PTSD-AUD ecological momentary assessment (EMA) findings support bidirectional associations across clinical outcomes. However, no studies to date have used PTSD-AUD comorbidity models as organizing frameworks to examine the temporal ordering and stability of within-person symptom dynamics underlying the maintenance or exacerbation of PTSD and AUD symptoms, including bidirectional and …

Early Parenting Stress And Later Abuse Risk: Dyadic Analysis Of Mediation By Maternal And Paternal Negative Attributions, Jewelian N. Fairchild, Christina M. Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Predicting the likelihood parents will become physically abusive towards their children remains a high priority. Early parenting stress may increase the extent to which parents negatively appraise their children's behaviours, which in turn may influence their abuse risk. This study explored whether parental negative attributions mediated the association between early parenting stress and later abuse risk. A sample of 186 first-time mothers and 146 of their male partners reported on their parenting stress when infants were 6 months old and their negative attributions regarding child behaviours at 18 months. Parents' child abuse risk was assessed at age four using two …

Sex And Gender Differences Between Experiences Of Discrimination And Physical Health: A Systematic Review, Saam Honarvar, Maryam Ajose, Bronwyn Sutherland, Alejandra Fernandez, Shakia T Hardy, Miguel Ángel Cano, Samaah Sullivan

Library Staff Publications

Background: Despite a plethora of previous research on experiences of discrimination and physical health outcomes, there has been less attention to sex/gender differences, although some research suggests a greater stress-related biological and behavioral impact on women.

Methods: Five databases were reviewed up to May 2023 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. We included studies that examined self-reported experiences of discrimination and physical health outcomes among adults (aged 18+) in the United States if results were either stratified by sex/gender or tested a sex/gender-by-discrimination interaction term.

Results: A total of 3,397 articles were extracted, and 50 …

Psycinfo Platforms: A Tale Of Two Interfaces (Ovid Vs Ebsco), Sandra Yvette Desjardins, Jamie Quinn

Library Staff Publications

PsycInfo is a foundational database for evidence-based behavioral health literature, which makes it an essential tool for health sciences librarians. This column provides a comprehensive comparison of PsycInfo on Ovid and EBSCO platforms. It offers a foundational overview for new librarians, guiding them through essential functionalities and navigation. The article also helps librarians evaluate potential database acquisitions by highlighting the distinct features and search capabilities of each interface. This comparison aims to equip health sciences librarians with the knowledge to optimize search strategies and inform strategic purchasing decisions.

The State Of Funding For Curriculum Materials Centers And Collections, Caitlin Stewart, Jenelle Johnson

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, researchers analyzed whether there was a correlation between education student enrollment and curriculum materials center/collection (CMC) budget across eighty universities in the United States. Findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between those variables, although the relationship is weak. Universities with large education programs tend to have better-funded CMCs; however, variability across institutions is still significant. Findings suggest that many university CMCs may be comparatively underfunded based on student enrollment in education and historical trends.

Integration Of Planetary Health In Health Professions Education And Training In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review, Rayishnee Pillay, Veena S Singaram

Health Professions Education

Purpose: This review explored the integration of planetary health and sustainable healthcare education in health professions education and training in low- and middle income countries (LMICs), by mapping capacity development initiatives, pedagogical approaches and contextual barriers to implementation. Method: A literature search was conducted using the following databases, MEDLINE (PubMed), EBSCOhost (Academic Search Complete), ERIC, ProQuest, Redalyc, Sabinet, Scielo, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature search on CORE, Google and Google Scholar for publications on the incorporation of planetary health and sustainable healthcare education in health professions education and training in LMICs between 1 January 2014 to 30 …

Assessing The Academic Performance Of Medical Students In Face-To-Face And Online Examinations: A Comparative Study From A Leading Medical College Of Peshawar, Pakistan, Rizwan Faisal, Iftikhar Qayum, Lia Anwar, Usama Afridi, Abdul Rahman, Rehan Ahmad

Health Professions Education

Background: The world of medical education is rapidly replacing the traditional face-to-face assessments of students by switching to online systems, and Pakistan is also undergoing this transition in its medical colleges and universities. It is therefore essential to obtain data on the performance of medical students in this new mode of assessment so that a smooth transition is enabled. Objective: To evaluate the academic performance of medical students in face-to-face and online examinations based on gender and professional year. Methods: A comparative study was performed at Rehman Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan, from November 2023 to January 2024, on face-to-face and …

Nursing Education In Indonesia And The Global Demand For Quality Healthcare: A Systematic Review, Evelyn Hemme Tambunan

Health Professions Education

Purpose: This study systematically reviewed evidence (2019–2025) on Indonesian nursing education, focusing on accreditation, competency based curricula, and workforce readiness in relation to global standards

Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, DOAJ/PMC, and policy repositories. Eligible sources included peer reviewed studies, systematic reviews, and policy reports related to nursing education in Indonesia quality assurance, competency based learning, and workforce demand.

Results: Twelve studies and reports were included, producing three themes: accreditation and quality assurance, competency based education and curriculum innovation, and workforce readiness and global alignment. Accreditation reforms, particularly Indonesia’s 2025 outcomes based …

Climate Change Education In Medical Curricula: Integration, Collaboration, And Preparedness For Emerging Health Challenges, Sungkono Sungkono, Agus Santoso, Firdiawan Ekaputra, Firdian Makrufardi

Health Professions Education

Climate change poses increasing risks to global health, highlighting the need for healthcare professionals who understand the links between environmental change and health outcomes. Medical education is a key platform for fostering such competencies. This study aimed to examine the role of climate change education within medical curricula, focusing on its integration, the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration, and its contribution to preparing students for emerging health challenges. This perspective paper provides an overview of current approaches to the integration of climate change education into medical training. Sources addressing curriculum design, knowledge acquisition, practical skill development, and collaborative learning were considered. …

Undergraduate Research Experiences Toward Student Success: Challenges And Opportunities For Medical Science Students At A University Of Technology, Ziningi Nobuhle Jaya

Health Professions Education

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the research experiences of undergraduate medical science students at a university of technology to identify challenges and opportunities and determine the affordances of research participation for student success.

Method: The study population comprised all third-year medical science students (n=30) enrolled in the research methods module, which is the only such module offered as part of the medical science academic program. Participation was voluntary and so the final sample represents a self-selected subset of fourteen individual from the full cohort. The data collection tool comprised closed and open-ended questions evaluating challenges, lessons learned, skills developed, …

Factors Associated With Academic Outcomes And Leave Of Absence Among Health Professions Graduate Students, Laura Plummer, Emile Boutin, Hien Nguyen, Devashish Tiwari, Sanah Chatiwala, Deborah Altsher, Nara Gavini, Keshrie Naidoo

Health Professions Education

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the extent to which health professions graduate students' demographic, academic, and environmental factors influence time to graduation. It also aimed to explore the experiences of graduates who took a leave of absence (LOA), including their perspectives on the factors contributing to delayed graduation and the strategies that supported their reintegration and eventual success.

Methods: A mixed methods explanatory sequential design with the qualitative analysis providing deeper context to the quantitative data. The qualitative arm of the study utilized a phenomenological approach. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations for the continuous variables, …