Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Inclusive Education And Listening In Relation To Children's Experiences And Teachers' Perspectives, Ramazan Merk

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

This thesis addressed the field of inclusive education and the importance of listening from the perspectives of both children and teachers. Drawing on experiences in pre-school and reception classrooms in England, I explored the essence of inclusive education and effective implementation strategies to meet the needs of children, including those with diverse needs. Emphasis was placed on the necessity for teachers to acknowledge and address each child's individual needs when developing early years learning environments. Moreover, the study underlined the important role of active listening in promoting communication and understanding between teachers and children as a cornerstone of inclusive pedagogy. …

Reassembling Anti-Oppressive Teaching Practices In Professionally Qualifying Youth And Community Work Education, Christine Smith

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

New and continuing formations of oppression remains a contemporary 21st Century challenge compounded by a fracturing of democratic structures that give rise to intolerance of difference and threaten social bonds. The big questions about the type of society we want to live in, what it means to be human, and the role of education are questions that are increasingly alienated from everyday lived experiences and a collective commitment to shape a fairer and more socially just world. Thus, the scale of challenges underscores a need to think differently about how Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP) in professionally qualifying youth and community education …

“The True Me”: Unravelling The Dual Narrative Of Borderline Personality Disorder And Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Robin Iliffe-Lewis

School of Psychology Theses

Purpose: There is growing recognition that some individuals who receive a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are later diagnosed with autism. However, existing literature on this topic remains limited. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals diagnosed with BPD prior to autism, how they made sense of these diagnoses, navigated clinical systems, and learnt to manage the complex challenges associated with this diagnostic sequence.Methods: Thirteen (6 male, 6 female, 1 non-binary) adult participants took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their diagnostic journeys. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop a nuanced understanding of their experiences.Results: Three themes …

Developing New Memory Tests In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Development And Initial Pilot Study., Áine Maguire

School of Psychology Theses

Objective: This development and pilot study aimed to create and assess the utility and feasibility of using three new computerised memory tests of semantic interference during learning, short-term visual memory binding, and cross-modal associative memory binding with people with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Method: The new memory tests were evaluated as potential diagnostic and staging tests in AD using a sample of older adults: 15 with a clinical diagnosis of AD, mean age 70.80±5.41 years; 14 with positive AD biomarkers but no known cognitive impairment (preclinical AD), mean age 70.60±4.49 years; and 15 healthy controls (HCs), mean age 69.60 ±7.38 years. …

Detecting Meaningful Longitudinal Cognitive Change In Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease From Statistics To Clinical Tools: A Psychometric And Multivariate Evaluation, Wayelina Marianne

School of Psychology Theses

Objective: To improve early detection of transitional cognitive decline associated with stage 2 preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), this study evaluated three statistical approaches: Reliable Change Index (RCI), Standardised Regression-Based (SRB) models, and Multivariate Base Rate (MVBR) analysis for identifying Alzheimer’s disease related cognitive decline over a 12-month interval. Method: A longitudinal cohort of older adults (N = 91), including healthy controls, individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), and diagnosed AD patients, completed a neuropsychological battery at two time points. Test–retest reliability and practice effects were estimated, followed by calculation of RCI, SRB, and MVBR indices at both 5th and 16th …

Exploring Individuals’ Experiences Of Working With Probation Who Have Personality Disorder: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Approach., Nikki Morfey

School of Psychology Theses

Utilizing a Community-Based Participatory Action Research approach, semi-structured interviews were used to explore seven individuals’ experiences of working with Probation who self-identified as screening into the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of the data resulted in the construction of six Group Experiential Themes. Findings reflect participant confusion with the Personality Disorder label in light of feeling it was imposed without discussion, speaking to their experiences of the power dynamic in the probation relationship. Participants described being reduced to a case to be managed, with no space to be seen as a person, and a gap between …

The Experiences Of Systemic Invalidation In Chronic Pain Care Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Individuals: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Claira Moro

School of Psychology Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities living with chronic pain and prescribed pain-relief medication. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, eight participants were recruited from a single primary care network in England. Two Group Experiential Themes were developed. This paper reports one: From dismissed to disengaged: the trauma of seeking help, with three sub-themes: (1) “Being fobbed off” – dismissal across healthcare and benefit systems; (2) “It just seemed horrible to me, to take it off me” – pain relief as withdrawn, stigmatised, or conditional; and (3) “Do I want to poke the bear?” – disengagement …

“We've Just Kind Of Woven In All These Different Ways Of Keeping Him Close By” A Narrative Analysis Of How Children And Their Surviving Parent Co-Construct Continuing Bonds Following Parental Death, Miriam Summers

School of Psychology Theses

Continuing bonds research has predominantly focused on adults and considered from an individualistic perspective; consequently, little is known about how such bonds may be developed relationally within families. This study aimed to explore how parentally bereaved children and their parent/caregiver co-construct continuing bonds. Eight families were recruited, and parent/caregivers and their children were interviewed together. Narrative analysis explored semantic themes and interactional processes. The findings highlighted that continuing bonds are co-constructed through regular joint remembering, family acts of remembrance, joint connecting through objects and shared interpretations of signs from the deceased. Constructive interactional processes included collaboration, agreement and sharing positive …

A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Project Exploring The Experiences Of Suicidal Distress For Autistic Adults: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Kyah Sisulu, Emily Hustwick, Philippa Wood, Bethany George, Lealah Hewitt-Johns

School of Psychology Theses

Background: Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–29 (WHO, 2021). Autistic individuals experience elevated rates of mental health difficulties, often linked to stigma, discrimination, and a lack of appropriate support (Botha & Frost, 2020; Hedley et al., 2018). They are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours than the general population (Hirvikoski et al., 2016). Despite this, limited research has explored autistic adults’ lived experiences of suicidal distress. Calls from autistic advocates highlight the need for inclusive, co-produced research to avoid perpetuating harm (Pellicano et al., 2014; Kapp et al., 2013).Aims: This study …

Shooting For The Stars: The Place Of International Economic Law In The International Legal Order, Valentina Vadi

Indian Journal of International Economic Law

In the universe of international law, the galaxy of international economic law (IEL) consists of various legal instruments, institutions, and experts that – like stars, planets, and vast clouds of dust – are all bound together by gravity. Like cosmonauts, international economic courts ‘must look for reliable reference points in the known legal cosmology.’2 This article aims to contextualise the galaxy of international economic law within the universe of international law, discuss its role within the same, and identify some reference points that can help adjudicators navigate by the stars.

Emcreg-International Multidisciplinary Consensus Panel On Management Of Hyperkalemia In Chronic Kidney Disease And Heart Failure, Natalie Kreitzer, Nancy M. Albert, Alpesh N. Amin, Craig J. Beavers, Richard C. Becker, Gregg Fonarow, W. Brian Gibler, Katherine W. Kwon, Robert J. Mentz, Biff F. Palmer, Charles V. Pollack, Iliana L. Piña

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Hyperkalemia, generally defined as serum potassium levels greater than 5.0 mEq/L, poses significant clinical risks, including cardiac toxicity and muscle weakness. Its prevalence and severity increase in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus, and heart failure (HF), particularly when compounded by medications like angiotensin converting inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and potassium sparing diuretics. Hyperkalemia arises from disruptions in potassium regulation involving intake, excretion, and intracellular-extracellular distribution. In CKD and acute kidney injury, these regulatory mechanisms are impaired, leading to heightened risk. The management of chronic hyperkalemia presents a challenge due to the necessity of balancing effective cardiovascular …

Self-Perceived Importance And Confidence Of Adolescents Transitioning To Adult Care., Lisa Lestishock, Carrie Cuomo, Teresa Hickam, Tisa Johnson-Hooper, Michele H. Maddux, Evan Muzzall, Margaret Mcmanus, Patience White

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: Motivational interviewing (MI) techniques are used by health care teams to engage adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in health care self-management and pediatric to adult health care transition (HCT) planning efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the initial level of motivation of AYAs prior to receipt of HCT anticipatory guidance and to determine associations with demographic and health coverage factors.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 5112 AYAs, aged 12-26 years, from four health systems. All AYAs completed the Got Transition readiness assessment that includes MI questions on importance and confidence related to the move to an …

The Social Processes And Integrated Theory Of The Credible Messenger, David C. Brotherton

Publications and Research

The phenomenon of the credible messenger in anti-violence interventions in the United States has expanded greatly during the last decade or more. While the number of credible messengers has mushroomed along with their roles, there has been little attention paid to the agency of the subjects that makes these projects possible. In 2023-4 I led an evaluation study of such an intervention in New York City. Using an inductive analysis to discover emergent themes from qualitative interviews with credible messengers that centered on their: (i) life stories, (ii) training, (iii) field experience and (iv) professional trajectories, I propose an integrated …

The Inevitability Of Adaptability - Comparative Contributions To Understanding Originalism, Anna C. Conley

Faculty Law Review Articles

What can comparative law teach us about originalism as a constitutional interpretation method? After synthesizing existing comparative analyses, this article seeks to redefine comparative law’s role in understanding originalism. When defining originalism strictly to require adherence to fixed original meaning, originalism is not used by courts anywhere in the world. Instead, courts use history purposively to understand the intent behind constitutional text as one of many methods of interpretation. Comparative works suggest historical constitutional interpretation has a complex relationship with rights, politics and culture.

Comparative law can provide not only descriptive understandings of originalism but also interrogate its mandate that …

Switching To Tumescent Dissection In Mastectomy, Emna Bakillah, Ari Brooks, Seye Adekeye

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Introduction: Tumescent dissection (TUM) combines the use of crystalloid, local anesthetic, and epinephrine to create a bloodless plane to raise skin flaps. We aim to compare outcomes of TUM versus standard electrocautery dissection in mastectomies with and without reconstruction. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent mastectomy by a single surgeon between January 2016 and October 2020 utilizing the electronic medical record. The primary outcome was complication rate, and the secondary outcome was operative time. Chi-squared analysis and two-sample t-tests were used to examine outcomes. Results: Among 242 patients, 141 patients underwent TUM and 101 …

Beyond A Boundary Of Systemic Anti-Black Racism In The Workplace In Canada, Adelle Blackett

Dalhousie Law Journal

In this lecture, I will, however, focus on one of the legacies of slavery, that is, the largely untold story of racial segregation in the world of work in Canada. We have come so effectively, and rightly, to focus on the effects of discrimination, that we may have inadvertently walked past the history. Reclaiming this history will comprise the first part of my talk.

The second part of my talk will reference the emergence of the duty of fair representation. I will seek to illustrate the weight of the erasure of anti-Black racism through this duty. In other words, far …

A Right To Be Born?: What Dobbs Could Mean For Artificial Reproductive Technologies, Stewart Chang

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Life In Hampton Roads Survey: The 16th Annual Life In Hampton Roads Survey Report, Tancy Vandecar-Burdin, Randy R. Gainey, Jesse Richman, Caylin Smith, Katie Sturniolo, Chelsey Stull, Wendi Wilson-John

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report

Executive Summary:

The Social Science Research Center (SSRC) at Old Dominion University (ODU) has compiled the results from the 16th annual Life in Hampton Roads (LIHR) survey. The purpose of the survey was to gain insight into residents’ perceptions of the quality of life in Hampton Roads. A total of 718 web-based surveys were completed between July 7 and July 24, 2025. This year the survey was conducted using a web-based approach. Over two-thirds of respondents rated the quality of life in the region as excellent or good (68.5%). This is higher than last year and is similar to pre-COVID …

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Leukocyte Infiltration Profiles At The Site Of Intradermal Injection Of Silikon-1000 In Scleroderma-Prone Ucd200/206 And Healthy White Leghorn Chickens, Katee L. Johnson, Jossie M. Santamaria, Chrysta N. Beck, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Intradermal injections of silicone-based fillers for the face and body may cause chronic inflammation and fibrotic reactions in some individuals. Chickens from the UCD 200/206 White Leghorn (WL) line spontaneously develop a fibrotic autoimmune disease known as scleroderma/systemic sclerosis (SSc). Using the SSc-prone UCD and healthy WL chickens, a longitudinal study was conducted to examine the cellular inflammatory responses to intradermal (i.d.) injections of sterile SILIKON-1000. Specifically, the pulp (a skin derivative) of growing feathers (GFs) was i.d. injected with sterile SILIKON-1000 or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as injection control (8 and 3 birds/line, respectively; 10 µL/GF; 20 GFs/bird). Two GFs …

Perceived Credibility Of Allegations Of Sexual Assault Across Victim Race And Mental Health History, Liyah C. Morgan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Previous research examined the effect of victim gender and rape myth acceptance (RMA) on perceptions of victim credibility; however, little attention has been given to the impact of victim race and mental health history, and even fewer studies have explored the intersection of these two identities. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify factors affecting understanding of perceived credibility of victims of sexual assault, specifically in terms of victim race and mental health history. The study also examined the role of RMA on perceptions of credibility and explored participant attitudes related to color-blind racial attitudes and mental …

Resilience And Grit In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Danielle Oehring

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Resilience is the way in which an individual positively adapts to challenging or difficult life experiences. This process is marked by adjustments to external and internal demands through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Grit is perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Although grit and resilience have been researched in children and adolescents, there is a gap in the literature for how these variables relate to developmental disorders, like autism spectrum disorder, in children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the relationship between autism spectrum disorder and internalizing and externalizing symptoms and whether grit and resilience moderates these relationships. Based …

The Moderating Effects Of Self-Compassion On The Relationship Between Shame And Depression In Military Populations, Sarah Foran

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The U.S. Military has faced a continuous rise in mental health concerns reported by service members and veterans (Currier et al., 2017; Rosenheck & Fontana, 2007). Studies of military personnel have found that up to 15% of service members meet the criteria for experiencing depression (Shen et al., 2012). Often, individuals with military experience face numerous stressors that positively contribute to this experience of depression and feelings of shame (Bradbard et al., 2014; Litz et al., 2009). Military culture (often emphasizing shame related to mental health) has also been found to put military personnel at higher risk of experiencing depression …

Educator Perceptions Of Crisis Frequency And Levels Of Preparedness In Rural Schools, Misty C. Duncan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent national trends, particularly in rural education, highlight the urgent need for enhanced crisis prevention and intervention strategies. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness among rural educators. Through a survey, data were collected on participants' perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness across various crisis areas. Preliminary findings revealed a significant gap between the perceived level of preparedness and the actual needs for school safety. Despite some training, the quantity and quality of training received by rural educators varied widely, impacting their preparedness to respond to crises. Moreover, an alarming percentage of educators reported not …

Can Fungal Endophytes Suppress Trialeurodes Vaporariorum And The Transmission Of Tomato Infectious Chlorosis And Chlorosis Viruses In Field Conditions?, Marial Makur Zechariah Paweer, Everlyne Samita Namikoye, Shem Bonuke Nchore, Komivi Senyo Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Field trials were conducted for two seasons in two experimental sites (Mwea in Kirinyaga and Ngoliba in Kiambu counties of Kenya) to assess the efficacy of fungal endophytes Hypocrea lixii F3ST1 and Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4 in the control of Trialeurodes vaporariorum vector of tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) through seeds inoculation. TICV and ToCV’s disease incidence, severity and the yield were also evaluated. All the fungal endophytes successfully colonized all the tomato plant parts, but the highest root colonization was observed in H. lixii F3ST1 compared to the T. asperellum M2RT4 in both seasons. The …

The Role Of Information And Communication Technologies-Based Extension In Agriculture: Application, Opportunities And Challenges, Kelvin Mulungu, Menale Kassie, Maurice Tschopp

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Limited access to information about new technologies is a major barrier to agricultural productivity. To bridge this information gap, agricultural extension services increasingly use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide timely and actionable information to farmers. This systematic review analyses evidence from 49 studies examining the impact of ICT interventions including mobile apps, SMS messaging, educational videos, and voice calling services on awareness, agricultural practices adoption, yields, and income. The review reveals that 76% of studies reported increased adoption of good agricultural practices, 60% demonstrated improved awareness, 74% indicated higher yields, and 68% observed enhanced incomes. Cereals, particularly maize, …

Biology-Informed Inverse Problems For Insect Pests Detection Using Pheromone Sensors, Thibault Malou, Nicolas Parisey, Katarzyna Adamczyk-Chauvat, Elisabeta Vergu, Béatrice Laroche, Paul André Calatayud, Philippe Lucas, Simon Labarthe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Most insects have the ability to modify the odor landscape in order to communicate with their conspecies during key phases of their life cycle such as reproduction. They release pheromones in their nearby environment, volatile compounds that are detected by insects of the same species with exceptional specificity and sensitivity. Efficient pheromone detection is then an interesting lever for insect pest management in a precision agroecological culture context. A precise and early detection of pests using pheromone sensors offers a strategy for pest management before infestation. In this paper, we develop a biology-informed inverse problem framework that leverages temporal signals …

Artificial Intelligence In Science And Society: The Vision Of Usern, Tommaso Dorigo, Gary D. Brown, Carlo Casonato, Artemi Cerda, Joseph Ciarrochi, Mauro Da Lio, Nicole D'Souza, Nicolas R. Gauger, Steven C. Hayes, Stefan G. Hofmann, Robert Johansson, Marcus Liwicki, Fabien Lotte, Juan J. Nieto, Giulia Olivato, Peter Parnes, George Perry, Alice Plebe, Idupulapati M. Rao, Nima Rezaei, Fredrik Sandin, Andrey Ustyuzhanin, Giorgio Vallortigara, Pietro Vischia, Niloufar Yazdanpanah

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The recent rise in relevance and diffusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems and the increasing number and power of applications of AI methods invites a profound reflection on the impact of these innovative systems on scientific research and society at large. The Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), an organization that promotes initiatives to support interdisciplinary science and education across borders and actively works to improve science policy, collects here the vision of its Advisory Board members, together with a selection of AI experts, to summarize how we see developments in this exciting technology impacting science and society in …

Biological Control Of Ticks In Domestic Environments: Modeling The Potential Impact Of Entomopathogenic Fungi On The Transmission Of East Coast Fever In Cattle, Joseph Wang Ang A. Oundo, Nienke Hartemink, Mart C.M. De Jong, Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt, Shewit Kalayou, Daniel Masiga, Quirine Ten Bosch

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Biological control of ticks using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a highly desired alternative to chemical acaricides for the control of tick-borne pathogens. For Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7, one of these EPFs, efficacy against multiple tick species has been demonstrated in laboratory and field settings. However, we currently have little quantitative understanding of how EPFs can impact transmission. We developed a deterministic model of tick–host–pathogen interactions to explore how the effects of EPF on Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks may impact the transmission dynamics of East Coast fever (ECF) in cattle populations. We parameterized the multi-faceted effects of EPFs on tick dynamics …

Nutritional And Antioxidant Properties Of Two Species Of Edible Scarab Beetles (Cetonia Aurata And Oryctes Rhinoceros), S. S. Mwanza, C. M. Mudalungu, N. M. Kimani, H. O. Mokaya, B. O. Ochieng, S. Juma, C. M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible scarab beetles are important repositories for nutritive and bioactive compounds, but this information remains largely unexplored. This study explored the nutritional and therapeutic properties of two edible scarab beetles from three different locations (Embu, Murangâa and Nairobi Counties) in Kenya. Morphological and molecular characterization of the wild collected larvae revealed two important edible beetle species (Cetonia aurata L. and Oryctes rhinoceros L.). The larvae of both species are excellent source of crude proteins (44% for O. rhinoceros and 63% for C. aurata). The larvae of O. rhinoceros were rich in minerals, particularly calcium (15.75-22.65 mg/g) and potassium (13.62-22.88 mg/g). …