Digital Commons Network^™

Relative Hazard Losses Along The Atlantic And Gulf Coasts, Erin Kemp

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal areas face a variety of natural hazards, many of which are increasing in frequency or severity due to climate change. Continued coastal development emphasizes the need for a better understanding of the impact of these hazards on coastal communities. This study aims to improve this understanding by investigating temporal, spatial, and causal patterns in county-level relative losses (RL) from hazards along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from 2001 to 2021. Three research questions are addressed: 1) Are relative losses increasing over time in coastal counties? 2) Where are the highest relative losses among coastal counties? and 3) Which hazards …

Exploring Technology Use And Loneliness Among African American Older Adults, Sarah Pace

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness among African American older adults is a pressing public health concern, affecting more than one-quarter of this population and increasing the risk of premature death. This study explores the experiences of loneliness among African American older adults and examines the technologies they use, the purposes they serve, and their perceived role in mitigating loneliness. It also investigates barriers and facilitators to technology use for promoting social connection. Guided by the Social Support Theory and Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3), the study centers the perspectives of an underrepresented population.

Fifteen African American women aged 67–82 participated in semi-structured interviews between …

Methods And Applications For Bayesian Semiparametric Survival Analysis, Zile Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Survival analysis is a cornerstone of biomedical and clinical research and plays an important role in fields as diverse as engineering, actuarial science, and sociology. In this dissertation, we develop new semiparametric Bayesian methodology for three problems from survival analysis: 1) adjustment for treatment crossover in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 2) multilevel modeling of clustered survival outcomes when the cluster size is also informative, and 3) divide-and-conquer Bayesian inference for massive survival data. Our methods are semiparametric in the sense that we assume the covariates have a linear effect with regard to the log-hazard or the log- survival time; however, …

The Moderating Effects Of Religious Support And Family Support Between Racial Discrimination And Psychological Health Outcomes Among Black Adolescents, Tiera Cleveland

Theses and Dissertations

Racial discrimination is a common experience for Black adolescents. This study aimed to examine family support and religious support as a moderating variable between discrimination and mental health among Black adolescents. This study utilized data from an existing data set, the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent (NSAL-A). The NSAL-A included 1170 adolescents: 810 African American¹ and 360 Black Caribbean². The sample contained an equal amount of female (n = 608) and male (n = 562) Black adolescents³, who range in age from 13 to 17 years. Significant findings suggest that family support moderates the impact …

Impact Of Participation In Extracurricular Activities On Female Students’ Motivation, Noha Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of extracurricular activities (ECAs) on academic motivation among female high school students at a semi-governmental international school in the UAE. It addressed three research questions: (1) the effect of ECA participation on academic motivation, (2) students’ perceptions of how these activities influence their motivation, and (3) teachers’ perspectives on their impact. I conducted this action research in a school of 4,500 K-12 students predominantly local and from high-income backgrounds with an international teaching staff. Participants included grade 11 and 12 female students (ages 16–18) enrolled in one of four clubs (Reading, International, Sports, and Art) …

Characteristics Of Individuals Who Desired A Mentor But Did Not Have One: A Nationally Representative Study, Kenzie Delposen

Theses and Dissertations

Youth are experiencing increased mental health challenges due to the parallel increase in loneliness and social isolation. Mentorship has emerged as a potential solution to reduce social isolation and provide support, guidance, and encouragement to young people. The context of the mentoring relationship positively impacts adolescent lives by promoting a safe, stable, nurturing relationship (SSNR) to reinforce the intrinsic motivation to connect with others. However, many young people lack these relationships despite indicating that there were times when they wanted one (Garringer & Banning, 2023). Access to mentorship is influenced by factors such as racial or ethnic background, socioeconomic status …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Child-Centered Play Therapy Facilitated Through A Virtual Playroom On Disruptive Behaviors: A Single-Case Research Design, Keeland Kelley Lodato

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-manuscript dissertation comprises two interconnected articles that collectively explore facilitating Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) through telemental health (TMH) using a virtual playroom. Chapter Three includes a qualitative manuscript using thematic analysis to understand the experiences of eight counseling students who participated in a training where they learned how to create and utilize a virtual playroom, followed by a virtual play session with elementary-aged children. The results from this study provided six emergent themes and subthemes. Chapter Four includes a quantitative manuscript using a single-case research design. More specifically, this study used a reversal design to investigate the impact of …

Determination Of Structure-Function Relationships In Hybrid Catalysts On Metal Oxide Supports, Joseph John Kuchta

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metal catalysis has revolutionized chemical synthesis, enabling efficient and selective transformations critical to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and materials industries. However, traditional methods often rely on expensive, non-sustainable metals and harsh reaction conditions that generate significant waste. This dissertation explores a series of innovations aimed at bridging the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis through the development of hybrid catalysts. These systems combine the molecular precision of homogeneous catalysts with the stability and practicality of heterogeneous supports, offering a pathway to more sustainable and scalable catalytic processes.

The first area of focus investigates nickel-based hybrid catalysts as a cost-effective and …

Irish Teachers’ Perceptions Of Immigrant Students: Exploring How Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Affects Biases, Metacognition, And Inclusive Teaching Practices, Dorothy Widener Alton

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to describe a qualitative, reflective action research study that examined if learning and reflecting on culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) affected Irish post-primary teachers’ perceptions of immigrant students, metacognition of biases, teaching practices, and inclusivity of these marginalized students. Qualitative data consisted of administering an online survey to post-primary teachers across Ireland, chosen by convenience sampling. In addition, I conducted an in-depth reflective survey before, during, and after providing CRP literature to four select participants, selected by purposive and snowball sampling. Data was analyzed by coding and observing emerging patterns to identify overarching themes …

Investigating The Impact Of Cross-Loadings On Model Fit And Mediation Inferences In The Latent Mediator Model, Qiulin Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-loadings are a common phenomenon in psychological research. Extant studies have focused primarily on measurement models, like confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and have shown that omitted cross-loadings can bias the inter-factor correlation. These results suggest that omitted cross-loadings might likewise bias structural paths in other structural equation models (SEMs), but this area remains under-investigated. Such an effect could impact the evaluation of third variable effects, like mediation, when estimated in a SEM framework.

This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of cross-loadings in single, latent mediator model in a simulation study. The performances of conventional SEM and Bayesian …

Moderation Amid Resistance: African American Advocacy, Educational Equity, And School Desegregation In Botetourt County, Virginia, Katherine Blanton

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the historical and social dynamics surrounding African American education in Botetourt County, Virginia preceding, during, and following court ordered desegregation. Using historiography, the researcher incorporated archival resources, interviews, and oral histories to examine the African American leadership of the County Wide League and their steadfast commitment to provide equal educational opportunities for African American children in Botetourt County. Set against the history of southern segregation, white school boards, and massive resistance to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision to desegregate in Brown v. Board of Education, the historiography represents the moderate stance of the County in …

Latinx Parent Acculturation And Acculturative Stress: Impact On Family Functioning And Youth Well-Being, Julie Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that acculturation and acculturative stress can influence family dynamics and Latinx youth well-being. Guided by the Family Stress Model, the current study aimed to assess a latent measurement model of acculturation and examine the relationship between acculturation and acculturative stress and how acculturative stress is related to family processes and youth adjustment. Data included 898 youth and 630 parents from the SOL Youth study. Structural equation modeling was used to assess a latent two-factor measurement model of acculturation and its relation to parental acculturative stress as well as how parental acculturative stress is related to family functioning …

Hardware Accelerated Simulation Of Buck Converters Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks, James Clayton Crews

Theses and Dissertations

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) are an emerging machine learning method for learning the behavior of physical systems described by governing differential equations. Dc-dc power-electronic converters are used in a variety of industry applications such as motor drives or power supplies where real-time simulation is critical for control and safety. This thesis investigates physics-informed machine learning as an approach to develop a real-time digital twin for dc-dc power converters. Traditional numerical integration methods are used to approximate discretized behavior, and the results are compared with a trained PINN model. Modern ML frameworks (such as PyTorch and TensorFlow/Keras) are used to quickly …

A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Lived Experience Of Shared Trauma In Psychiatric Nurses During Covid-19, April Lynne Hutto

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Psychiatric nurses (PNs) had a unique lived experience of shared trauma (ST) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These nurses experienced the same traumatic event, COVID-19, with associated trauma symptoms as their patients. This mixed methods study aims to triangulate data on ST in PNs using a quantitative and qualitative study. Methods: PN (N=24) completed a semi-structured interview during the summer and fall of 2024. A quantitative study PN (N=552) in spring 2023, using the Shared Trauma and Professional Posttraumatic Growth (STPPG) inventory, was completed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SAS 9.4. A thematic analysis of the interviews was completed …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Interdisciplinary Strategies For Addressing Trauma And Chronic Pain In Group Therapy, Kara Marceil Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain and trauma are distinct yet interconnected public health concerns, each significantly affecting physical, psychological, and social well-being. The comorbidity of these conditions highlights a critical need for integrated treatment approaches. This dissertation explores interdisciplinary strategies that merge group counseling and physical therapy to address trauma symptomology and chronic pain within a group therapy setting. Grounded in the biopsychosocial model, somatic therapy principles, and the gate control theory of pain, this multi-manuscript dissertation employs a mixed methods design to examine counselor experiences, intervention feasibility, and participant outcomes.

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning (Sel) Lessons On Students’ Mental Health Surrounding Standardized Testing, Margaret Denning

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research examined the emotional impacts of standardized testing on 4th and 5th graders and the effects of targeted social-emotional learning lessons in a Title 1 school. Pre- and post-intervention data were gathered through surveys (Children’s Test Anxiety Scale) and focus group interviews. By employing thematic and narrative analysis, findings revealed significant initial cognitive anxiety, physical symptoms, and difficulties in self-regulation. Following the SEL intervention, the data indicated that students exhibited improved emotional resilience, reduced anxiety symptoms, and enhanced coping skills. Although the SEL interventions enhanced overall emotional well-being, anxiety was not fully eliminated. This study highlights the …

Combining Remote Sensing And Field Sampling To Assess Microphytobenthos Distribution In The North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, Joseph Carmine Mcguinn

Theses and Dissertations

The study of microphytobenthos (MPB) distributions in mudflat ecosystems is critical for understanding coastal ecosystem health and resilience. This research integrates high-resolution multispectral imagery and elevation data to predict chlorophyll-a concentrations in mudflats within the North Inlet estuary, South Carolina. Using statistical analyses, MSAVI was identified as the most effective spectral index for chlorophyll-a prediction, and a regression model was generated for this index, finding significant correlation with elevation. Temporal and spatial patterns of chlorophyll-a distributions were explored through predictive rasters, revealing significant relationships between MPB abundance and microtopography. These findings demonstrate the value of remote sensing for …

Deprivation And Threat As Predictors Of Executive Functioning And Emotion Regulation In Early Adolescence: The Protective Role Of School Support, Abigail Best De Arellano

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood adversity (CA) impacts a large proportion of US youth with far reaching consequences for development and subsequent health outcomes (McLaughlin et al., 2012). Given the widespread impact of CA, it is imperative to understand how these exposures impact development, as well as identify opportunities for intervention. McLaughlin and Sheridan (2016) proposed the Dimensional Model of Adversity of Psychopathology (DMAP), providing a framework for understanding the heterogeneity of outcomes related to exposure to CA. DMAP emphasizes that deprivation (i.e., lack of expected cognitive or social stimulation) and environmental threat (i.e., exposure to harm or the threat of harm) impacts youth …

Navigating Survival: Trans Adults’ Information Practice In South Carolina, Rhys R. Dreeszen Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

This community-based action research dissertation has two parts. First, through interviews with 25 trans adults in South Carolina, I asked how trans people use information to survive. The findings indicate that while trans people face significant financial, medical, legal, and social barriers, they are generally well-equipped to navigate them. I identified the following themes from the interviews: Identity practices shaped information outcomes. Participants' understanding of themselves as trans impacted how they evaluated and used information. 2) Participants preferred to find information from within trans communities. The internet was a popular place to seek information because it was a way for …

Investigating The Immunomodulatory Effects Of Cdk8/19 Inhibitor Senexin631 In A Her2-Positive Breast Cancer Model, Stephen O'Rourke

Theses and Dissertations

HER2-positive (HER2⁺) breast cancer is aggressive and often develops resistance to anti-HER2 therapies. CDK8 and CDK19, transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases (tCDKs) in the Mediator complex, are dysregulated in HER2⁺ breast cancer, correlate with poor survival, and support transcriptional escape driving therapeutic resistance. Previous studies Previous studies in immune-deficient models demonstrated that CDK8/19 inhibition (CDK8/19i) reduces pro-tumor macrophages (M2Φs), but its role in immune-competent tumors and innate immune–mediated tumor control remains unclear. Since HER2⁺ tumors are often immunogenic and anti-HER2 therapies rely on innate immune activation, reprogramming immunosuppressive M2Φ toward an M1Φ-like phenotype could enhance antitumor immunity. We hypothesized that CDK8/19i modulates …

Positive Self-Talk, Politics, And Poetry: The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Workshop In A High School Support Lab, Danielle Ann Verwers

Theses and Dissertations

This action research dissertation describes my effort to expand access to the arts for my high school students with IEPs through a culturally responsive poetry workshop. For this qualitative study, I used ongoing content analysis to explore how the experience impacted my students and me, drawing insights from artifacts, field notes, and interview data. Predetermined categories of student identity, writing, and poetry yielded themes like positive self-talk, family, voice, and reimagining to illuminate the students’ experiences. As I analyzed my own experience, two categories of pressure and political impact emerged, characterized by freedom, growth, struggle, burnout, and hope. In addition …

The Influence Of Sex Education On Sexual Behaviors From Adolescence To Young Adulthood In South Carolina, Megan Elizabeth Austin

Theses and Dissertations

Sex education in South Carolina (SC) is known to be limited, which may influence adolescent sexual behaviors, leading to a higher likelihood of lower ages of sexual initiation, more sexual partners, and more experiences of sexual violence. These behaviors are associated with many negative health outcomes.

A political content analysis of bills, laws, and educational standards provides insight to changes in political discourse around sex education from when the Comprehensive Health Education Act (CHEA) was passed in 1988 until 2024. A variable created through this analysis is used along with SC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data to assess changes in …

The Impact Of A Case-Based Learning (Cbl) Intervention In A Medical Spanish Course, Deonna Lavette Reliford

Theses and Dissertations

I implemented a different instructional approach for my medical Spanish course in Spring 2025. This case-based learning intervention utilized two main learning theories of socio-constructivism and situated learning theory in translation and interpreting studies (SLTIS) grounded in the learning design framework of case-based learning (CBL) to answer three research questions. Cases in both Spanish and English were provided for study participants to analyze and discuss. This research study used an embedded mixed-methods action research design (Efron & Ravid, 2020), with qualitative data embedded as the secondary source of data within a study that prioritized the primary quantitative data collected from …

Saw Biosensor For The Detection Of Cyanobacteria And Cyanotoxin, Tally Bovender

Theses and Dissertations

The growing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms and associated cyanotoxins, such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR), presents a significant threat to water quality and public health. Conventional detection methods, including ELISA and PCR, are often time-consuming, expensive, and require trained personnel, limiting their application in field settings. Hence, a miniaturized, quick testing sensor is proposed to circumvent the current sensing challenges for real time, in-situ diagnostics of MC-LR. The proposed high-frequency ultrasonic sensor employs surface acoustic waves (SAW). The sensor was designed using a multi-physics simulation tool to understand wave propagation in the piezoelectric substrate (lithium tantalate) and optimize the design of the …

Design Of Supercritical Reactors To Understand Supercritical Water Oxidation Process And Hydrothermal Flames, Victor Dubceac

Theses and Dissertations

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) has been a topic of immense interest as an effective technique/tool for hazardous aqueous waste disposal. SCWO can be achieved by introducing an oxidizer (e.g., H2O2), or a hydrothermal flame as an internal source of both heat and oxidizer species in an aqueous environment at conditions above the critical point of water (P > 218 atm and T > 647 K). SCWO poses important environmental advantages for the treatment of harmful organic materials contained in waste streams. An SCWO reactor has the potential to be compact in design and therefore can be an ideal alternative to existing technology …

Modeling The Interaction Between Pain And Movement: Insights From Brain Activation Patterns And Context-Dependent Emotion In Chronic Low Back Pain, Pradeep Kumar Sahu

Theses and Dissertations

In persons with chronic pain, fear or anxiety related to movement is a well-established model under the biopsychosocial framework that explains in part, the chronicity of symptoms commonly reported by individuals with chronic low back pain (cLBP). This dissertation aimed to further understand the link between the context-dependent emotion network in the brain and movement in two separate studies using brain functional MRI and autonomic nervous system indices. Aim 1sought to investigate the brain functional connectivity linking brain regions involved in context-dependent emotion and movement while cLBP participants moved their back inside the scanner by performing a modified trunk bridging …

Artificial Intelligence In Sport Management: A Systematic Review, Scale Development And Validation, And Implications, Kemardo Tyrell

Theses and Dissertations

The democratization of intelligent systems and their ubiquitous presence across the sport industry have created an urgent need to understand the current environment and how stakeholders perceive artificial intelligence (AI) as it reshapes decision-making, engagement, and organizational design. This three-manuscript dissertation conceptualizes artificial intelligence as a contested domain shaped by stakeholder meaning-making, consumer perception, and shifts in organizational practice. The first manuscript provides a systematic review of AI in sport management using the PRISMA framework, mapping how AI has been conceptualized as a methodological tool or contextual innovation across the sport industry segmentation (performance, production, and promotion). The second manuscript …

Causes And Effects Of Science Tutor Attrition At The Colleges Of Education In The Northern Zone Of Ghana: A Qualitative Study, Collins D. Amadu, Rose Dognia, Solomon Boachie, Taarique-Ahmad Yahaya

Journal of Global Education and Research

The study investigated the causes and effects of science tutor attrition in the colleges of education in the Northern Zone of Ghana. Three science and mathematics colleges were used for the study. The study adopted a qualitative approach with 9 participants who volunteered to take part. The interview guide was the sole instrument for data collection. The interviews were conducted through face-to-face and phone calls. The recorded conversations were transcribed and categorized into themes. The study found that the science tutor attrition rate was caused by several factors. These factors could be grouped into unmet expectations of the tutors and …

Learning From Afghanistan: The Futility Of Occupation In Nation-Building, Jithin Raveendran

Journal of Strategic Security

This article explores the challenges and failures of nation-building under occupation Amidst an active warfare, using Afghanistan as a critical case study. Over two decades, the US-led intervention sought to establish stability and democracy but ultimately faltered due to misaligned strategies and systemic flaws. Efforts to impose Western governance structures clashed with Afghanistan’s deeply rooted tribal and cultural norms, fueling resistance and eroding legitimacy. The article identifies key shortcomings, including the neglect of local agency, cultural insensitivity, over-reliance on military solutions, and the perpetuation of dependency and corruption. It argues that nation-building by occupying forces is inherently flawed without prioritizing …

Our Knowledge Of The Taliban As Guide For Us Policy, Marvin G. Weinbaum

Journal of Strategic Security

Many explanations have been offered for why after two decades of insurgency the US military mission in Afghanistan failed. Some of our judgments about what went wrong can be useful in helping us shape future US policy toward a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Even more valuable, we have the benefit of several years of observing the Taliban exercising the responsibilities of governing to guide us in engaging the regime and furthering our security and strategic objectives with Afghanistan and its region. This article identifies seven broad conclusions about the Taliban that should be instructive: Among these are the Taliban’s resistance to transactional …