Digital Commons Network^™

Missionary Body Politics: Physical Education In West China, 1905-1950, Cory Willmott

Asia Pacific Perspectives

Republican Era China saw a radical transformation in Chinese physical culture as it aimed to compete in the global geopolitics of nation-states. Employing an historical ethnographic approach, this paper outlines how the unique conditions of Sichuanese warlordism and secret societies affected missionary relations with the Guomindang (GMD) as they implemented increasingly militarized physical education programs. Before the 1928 GMD consolidation of power, missionaries and GMD educators aligned with the YM/ WCA in physical education programs. After the GMD moved their headquarters to Chongqing in 1938, relations soured between the GMD and the Sichuan missionaries. Although the latter had been the …

Cross-National Longitudinal Insights Into College Alcohol Beliefs And Consequences: The Role Of Food And Alcohol Disturbance, Javiera A. Hernandez Puelma, Katherine A. Berry, Luke Herchenroeder, Alison Looby, Adrian J. Bravo, Christopher C. Conway, Fermín Fernández-Calderón, James M. Henson, Lee Horgarth, Manuel I. Ibáñez, Debra Kaminer, Matthew Keough, Oleg Medvedev, Laura Mezquita, Yanina Michelini, Generós Ortet, Ricardo Pautassi, Matthew R. Pearson, Angelina Pilatti, Mark A. Prince, Jennifer P. Read, Verónica Vidal Arenas, Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the mediational role of FAD-intoxication (i.e., restricting calories to increase or quicken alcohol intoxication) in the relationship between college alcohol beliefs (CABs) and negative alcohol-related consequences. A sample of 2543 student drinkers from six countries completed the baseline survey, and 505 drinkers completed at least one follow-up. Two models examined whether frequency of FAD-intoxication mediated the relationship between CABs and alcohol-related problems, and structural invariance testing was conducted across sex and countries. FAD-intoxication was concurrently and prospectively associated with greater endorsement of alcohol-related consequences and significantly mediated the effects of CABs on alcohol-related consequences. The relationship …

From Molecules To Minds: Integrative Multi-Omics In Psychiatry, Hossein Abbasi, Sage E. Hawn, Arash Javanbakht, Soraya Seedat, Kyle Bourassa, Sinead M. Sinnott, Antonia V. Seligowski, Sian Hemmings, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Alicia K. Smith, Leslie Brick, Divya Mehta

Psychology Faculty Publications

Psychiatric disorders are biologically complex conditions arising from interactions across genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and metagenomic layers. Single-omics approaches rarely capture more than a fraction of the variance in complex conditions, underscoring the importance of integrative multi-omics frameworks. This mini-review summarizes key methodologies and their application in psychiatric research, with a focus on systems-level integration of genomic risk scores, transcriptomic networks, and neuroimaging data to advance biological understanding of disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. We also outline the infrastructural requirements for effective multi-omics research, including standardized biobanking, Laboratory Information Management Systems, adherence to FAIR data principles, …

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 …

Reward Deficits In Co-Occurring Social Anxiety And Depression: The Roles Of Anhedonia, Boredom, Loneliness, And Covid-19 Social Restriction, Nathan M. Hager, Alicia L. Milam, Hannah C. Hamrick, Benjamin Swanson, Matt R. Judah

Psychology Faculty Publications

Prior research points toward reward deficits as crucial to the link between social anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. However, studies have not explored specific types of reward deficits or how social-environmental factors may impact them. The current study examined whether the indirect effects of three reward deficits (anhedonia, boredom, and loneliness) accounted for the connection between social anxiety and depression. Questionnaires were collected in a sample of college students (N = 523) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing examination of environmental stressors (i.e., remote learning and current friend network size) on reward deficits. Indirect effect models …

Can An Experienced Qualitative Researcher Distinguish Ai From Human Qualitative Content Analysis?, Alexandra T. Lucas, Jianna Ramos, Maria Bajwa, Aaron Calhoun, Mark W. Scerbo, Janice C. Palaganas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly embedded in research workflows. Large language models (LLMs) are being used to code segments of text, organise codes into themes and interpret patterns within contexts. Recent comparisons between human and AI analyses demonstrate up to 80% thematic overlap, yet humans consistently exhibit deeper interpretive integration and contextual understanding. This study assesses whether experienced researchers can distinguish between entirely human-generated and AI-generated qualitative content analyses of a simulation debriefing.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative descriptive study comparing human-generated qualitative content analysis (QCA) with ChatGPT-4o-generated QCA using a single focus group transcript on emotion management …

Best Practices For Using Biological Data In Psychological Research, Sage E. Hawn, Sinead M. Sinnott, Alicia K. Smith, Kyle Bourassa, Leslie Brick, Sian Hemmings, Soraya Seedat, Arash Javanbakht, Lauren Smith, Antonia V. Seligowski, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Divya Mehta, Hossein Abbasi, Erika Wolf

Psychology Faculty Publications

Advances in statistical techniques for analyzing biological data have driven the need for larger sample sizes, which are ultimately made possible through team science efforts. Findings from these efforts have led to a significant shift in approaches to biological data collection over the past decade, from traditional approaches relying on single measures or assays collected by individual investigators in small lab-based studies to high-dimensional methodologies embedded within large cohorts or multi-site studies. These recent large scale consortium efforts necessitate careful consideration across the full data pipeline, from pre-data generation and sample collection to processing and statistical analysis, while addressing challenges …

A Real-Time Examination And Comparison Of Differentiation Among Suicidal Thinking And Affect Items In An Adolescent Sample, Elizabeth A. Edershile, Kinjal K. Patel, Annabelle M. Mournet, Richard T. Liu, Catherine R. Glenn, Evan M. Kleiman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Suicide risk assessments require individuals to differentiate among types of suicidal thoughts (e.g., passive vs. active); yet most research relies on aggregate metrics that obscure this differentiation. Indeed, more severe forms of suicidal thinking are thought to involve the simultaneous experience of multiple forms of thoughts at high intensities. The present study draws on concepts from the affect differentiation literature to (a) examine different ways to operationalize differentiation in suicidal thinking and (b) compare differentiation in suicidal thinking with differentiation in affect. Adolescents (N = 200) recently hospitalized for suicidal thoughts and behaviors completed a 28-day ecological momentary assessment …

English Only: The Increasing Problem Of National Origin Discrimination In Federally Funded Clinical Research, Sarah Reckess

Health Matrix: The Journal of Law-Medicine

Title VI of the U.S. Civil Rights Act prohibits institutions receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin. The term “national origin” includes people with limited English proficiency (“LEP”). The number of LEP residents has increased in the United States to over 10% of the residents in the most populous states (Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Nevada). Executive Order 13166, issued in 2000, requires all federal agencies to comply with Title VI by establishing guidelines that remove language barriers to federal programs, services, benefits, and activities. Additionally, it allows federal agencies to withhold funding …

From Classroom To Career: Use Of Digital Collaboration Tools To Bridge Theory & Practice, Della Clark, Kristina Kaufman, Sphurti Sewak, Peter Kaufman, Rick Valentin, Hulda Black

Faculty Publications – Marketing

Teamwork and project management skills, from in-person to remote interactions, remain central to marketing graduates’ career readiness, yet students often complete team projects with limited guidance on how to organize work, especially in hybrid and technology‑mediated environments. This study explores a pilot of integrating Miro, a widely used digital collaboration whiteboard, into classroom student projects. A pre- and post-survey design was implemented across two undergraduate marketing courses at a large Midwestern U.S. university to explore if Miro can improve students’ team‑project experience and perceived preparedness for working with emerging technologies. Students completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the semester …

Metabolic Profiles Distinguish Normal And Malignant Breast Tissues In African American Women, Delisha A. Stewart, Lance Buckley, Wimal W. Pathmasiri, Susan L. Mcritchie, Tammey J. Naab, Robert L. Dewitty, Kelly Bolden, Estelle Cooke-Sampson, Desta A. Beyene, Vikisha T. Fripp, Luisel Ricks-Santi, Robert L. Copeland, Jr., Susan J. Sumner, Yasmine M. Kanaan

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common malignancy in women where incidence, distribution, clinical outcomes, and mortality rates vary widely among women of different racial and/or ethnic backgrounds.
 
Methods: To explore the metabolome of normal and malignant breast tissues and try to discriminate BCa disease in a cohort of African American women, biospecimens (n=48) were analyzed by untargeted metabolomics using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Breast specimens were characterized as control or malignant. Control samples were obtained from reduction mammoplasty surgeries, including those with benign fibrocystic changes or non-malignant fibroadenoma, whereas malignant BCa samples encompassed grades I-III and …

“I’M Throwing The Red Flag”: Online Peer Responses To Teen Descriptions Of Abusive Relationship Behaviors Posted On Reddit, Kyla M. Cary, Morgan E. Pettyjohn, Erin Nolen

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Adolescents in the United States experience abusive relationship behaviors at alarming rates; yet formal education on navigating harmful relationship dynamics is lacking. Thus, many teens use the internet to disclose abuse experiences and seek information or advice from their online peers. To better understand the types of responses, advice, and information teens receive from their online peers, we analyzed peer-to-peer discussions about abusive relationship behaviors from teens in the Reddit community r/teenrelationships. Using qualitative content analysis, we analyzed comment responses (n = 154) to Reddit posts (n = 56) in which teen users discussed experiences of interpersonal harm …

Fishing For Father Relationships: Motivations, Successes, And Barriers To Participating In A Community-Based Program, Jordan A. Arellanes, Kyle Miller, Travis Hicks, Ryan J.S. Liew, Earl Kloppmann

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Fathers who participate in community programs experience a range of positive outcomes, including improved relationships with their children. However, many community programs struggle to gain fathers’ attendance at local events. To counteract this, we utilized Community-Based Action Research in collaboration with local and state agencies to develop a father-specific community program that capitalized on the traditionally masculine parenting activity of fishing. The program educated families on the basics of fishing and then provided them with all the necessary materials. Over the course of three years of data collection, 48 fathers participated in interviews, designed to gain a deeper understanding of …

Emotional Contagion In Nonhuman Working Animals: Lessons From Canine Rescue Teams, Kimberly T. Schneider, S. Burak Ozkum, Alexandra Ilie, Dan Ispas

Faculty Publications – Psychology

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Work-Strengths Affirmation Intervention On Death Anxiety, Begüm Orhan, Margaret M. Nauta

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Meaning Management Theory suggests that engaging with meaning-related resources helps individuals constructively regulate consciously experienced death anxiety. Consistent with that theory, we tested whether a single-session, online work-strengths affirmation intervention reduces college students’ (N = 201) death anxiety. Participants completed baseline measures of death anxiety, meaning in life, and self-esteem. One week later, they were randomly assigned to complete either a work-related strengths reflection exercise or a neutral writing task. We assessed outcomes immediately post-intervention and two weeks later. The intervention did not significantly reduce death anxiety in the full sample. Exploratory analyses showed small, immediate reductions among participants …

Daily Fluctuations In Adolescents’ Political Stress, Jacqueline Cerda-Smith, Sholeh Najafian, Shevaun Neupert, Kelly Lynn Mulvey

Faculty Publications – Psychology

This study explored adolescents' daily political stress during the 2024 US election and how proximal and distal factors shaped stress. Participants completed surveys for 20 consecutive days before, during, and after the election. At baseline, they reported perceptions of peer and family election-related experiences and anticipated election impact. Daily surveys captured their daily political stress and election-related exposure. The final sample included 445 daily observations reported by 36 adolescents (aged 13–18, M = 15.61, SD = 1.23) who were mostly white, female, and Democrats. Participants reported significant daily fluctuations in political stress and greater political stress on days when they …

School Psychologists As Advocates: Addressing Microaggressions Targeting Students In Schools, Brea M. Banks, Lourdes D. Concepcion-Cabas, Farhia A. Osman, Kendell Kelly

Faculty Publications – Psychology

The aim of this conceptual paper surrounds a discussion of school psychologists’ role as advocates who can combat the prevalence of microaggressions in schools. The authors first define microaggressions in the context of Critical Race Theory and discuss the negative impact these transgressions have on students. Advocacy is a foundational role of school psychologists, and combatting microaggressions is one way school psychologists can engage in such efforts. Given the goal of this special issues is to highlight how social justice advocacy can address critical issues in school psychology, we use the NASP Practice Model as a framework to describe how …

Work Analysis And Competency Modeling In Effective Circular Economy Implementation, Katherine C. Wheeler, S. Burak Ozkum

Faculty Publications – Psychology

First paragraph in lieu of abstract:

In their focal article, Schilling et al. (2026) specifically illustrate how interorganizational and intraorganizational cooperation are the most critical areas through which I-O psychology can contribute to a sustainable circular economy (CE) transition. This commentary elaborates on the application of I-O psychology by highlighting how work analysis and competency modeling enable effective CE implementation through organizational cooperation. Transitioning from a linear to a CE represents a major organizational change. During this change, organizations must ensure that their systems remain aligned. Work analysis and competency modeling are crucial to this alignment.

Higher Order Affordances For Serve Reception In Volleyball, Danilo G. Arruda, Bethany Freeman, Jeffrey B. Wagman, Thomas A. Stoffregen

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Using a head-mounted virtual reality system, we investigated the ability of skilled volleyball players to perceive virtual volleyball serves, and to use such information to control their actions in receiving serves. We compared shorter and taller groups of competitive players, and we varied the height of incoming serves. In two experiments, we found that, with very rare exceptions, participants used either an overhead or underhand technique to receive serves. Technique selection was reliably related to serve height, such that the overhead technique was used for higher serves and the underhand technique for lower serves. In Experiment 1, participants were free …

Look-Ahead Cyber-Threat Forecasting For Connected And Automated Transport: A Spatio-Temporal Graph Learning Approach, Md Al Amin, Mohammad Shafat Ahsan, Jannatul Maua, Arifa Akter Eva, M.F. Mridha, Md. Jakir Hossen

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Modern intelligent transportation systems (ITS) increasingly rely on connected electronic control units (ECUs), exposing in-vehicle networks to cyber-attacks such as message injection on the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. While prior work has focused on post-factum detection, this paper addresses the underexplored task of forecasting cyber-attacks before they occur. We propose a spatio-temporal graph neural network (STGNN) architecture that models CAN traffic as a dynamic graph sequence, where nodes represent active CAN IDs and edges capture statistical co-activation patterns. Each graph snapshot encodes temporal features such as inter-arrival statistics and entropy, and is processed using graph attention layers followed by …

Examining Leadership Accountability Standards And Protocols In The U.S. Church, Grace E. Emmert

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research project addresses the current condition of accountability standards and protocols in the U.S. church. This research focused on U.S. Protestant denominational and nondenominational churches. First, a review of the Scriptural mandate for leadership accountability was examined through a study of the specific impact accountability played in the leadership failures and successes in the lives of Kings Saul and David throughout Books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Second, a literary review examined current formal leadership accountability standards and protocols in the U.S. Protestant church. This review encompassed surveys and polls from the last fifteen years, church censuses, theological journals, …

The Role Of Leaderhip In The Diocese Of San Diego California: Servant Leadership Theory, Clarissa Jayne Hutcheson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of the absence of a comprehensive leadership formation process for individuals serving in pastoral leadership roles within the Diocese of San Diego, California. To ground the study theologically, the research engages the biblical Book of Nehemiah as a formative model of leadership rooted in covenantal responsibility, moral courage and communal restoration. Building upon this biblical foundation, the study turns to contemporary Servant Leadership Theory to examine how leadership grounded in service can foster the growth and maturation of both leaders and pastoral teams. Employing a mixed methods research design, quantitative survey data and qualitative interviews …

Authentic Transformational Leadership: A Model For Empowerment And Organizational Effectiveness For Training And Coaching Modern Ministry Leaders, David Macharia Njau

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the influence of authentic transformational leadership on the integration of empowerment and organizational effectiveness among leaders and followers, as a holistic engagement process, to foster ethical leadership and flourishing communities within the Kenyan diaspora in Western Pennsylvania. The review examined the literature on the transformational leadership dimensions of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Research investigated leader-follower reciprocal relationships to foster authentic transformational leadership and empowerment strategies for organizational effectiveness, setting a compelling vision and commitment for leaders and followers aligned with the organizational mission and strategy. This study concluded that authentic transformational leadership …

Breaking Barriers: A Ministry Approach To Understanding And Addressing The Needs Of Somali Immigrants In The Twin Cities, Yared K. Woldemariam

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relational dynamics and ministry barriers between Somali immigrant communities and Christian churches in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, with the aim of identifying practical and theological strategies for cultivating trust-based engagement. Grounded in diaspora missiology and the biblical model of hospitality in the Book of Acts, the research explores how historical experiences, cultural perceptions, and communication patterns shape present-day interactions.
A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design was employed, consisting of twenty-one semi-structured interviews with church leaders and Somali community leaders, supported by questionnaire data to identify comparative trends. Inductive thematic analysis revealed that relationship history, language interpretation, institutional …

The Need To Identifying An Assessment Method To Evaluate Narcissistic Leadership Traits In Christian Churches In The Minneapolis Area And Determining Their Impact On Assemblies From The Perspective Of Congregants, Rita Lekova

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the need for effective assessment methods to evaluate narcissistic leadership traits in Christian congregations in the Minneapolis area and the consequential effects of these traits on assemblies, as perceived by the congregations. This study addressed growing concerns about destructive leadership behaviors that compromise spiritual well-being, organizational trust, and biblical paradigms of servant leadership, as exemplified by Jesus. Employing an interdisciplinary framework that includes the theological, psychological, and leadership studies literatures, the research examined the expression of narcissistic traits by ecclesiastical leaders and ministers and how these tendencies are perceived by congregants and attendees. Qualitative and quantitative research …

Understanding And Avoiding Institutional Betrayal Of Congregants When Accusations Of Domineering Pastoral Leadership Are Made, Jonathon R. Hansel

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines institutional betrayal within evangelical churches as experienced by congregants who reported concerns about domineering pastoral leadership and encountered minimizing or dismissive responses from church elders. Institutional betrayal, understood as harm that occurs when trusted institutions fail to respond protectively to wrongdoing within their own systems is examined as a distinct and compounding form of spiritual and relational injury.
The study employed a qualitative research design consisting of two primary data sources: (1) an anonymous online survey of congregants who self-identified as having experienced harm following reports of domineering pastoral leadership and (2) semi-structured interviews with church elders …

Equitable Grading: Practices, Challenges, And Implementation, Hannah Lauree Jacott

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grading methods in K-12 education have remained largely unchanged over the past century. As schools consider revisiting grading policies, multiple factors influence the success and sustainability of reform efforts, particularly because grades serve conflicting purposes for various stakeholders. This thesis investigates traditional grading practices, reviews literature on equitable grading frameworks, and evaluates both existing and proposed grading practices in relation to the purpose of grading and principles of grading equity. The literature suggests that many commonly used grading practices, such as the inclusion of nonacademic behaviors and reliance on percentage-based systems, may reduce the accuracy and consistency of grades as …

Decision-Making Consistency In Mtss And Special Education: Implications For Equity And Student Outcomes, Alyson Renee Reeves

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) are widely used to guide early intervention and data-based decision making in schools; however, variability in how educators interpret data and apply decision-making frameworks may influence student access to interventions and special education services. This study examined decision-making practices within MTSS and special education systems, with particular attention to eligibility determination, reevaluation, and dismissal processes. Drawing on existing research related to MTSS implementation, equity in special education, and professional judgment in data interpretation, this study explored how educators interpreted student data and applied decision-making criteria within Minnesota school systems. The purpose of this research was …

Barriers To Creativity: Addressing Anxiety And Self-Doubt In Secondary Visual Arts Students, Wenlai Fang

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a crucial stage for self-development and creativity development. During this period, middle school students will experience creative anxiety and self-doubt about creative expression in multiple dimensions. To help students manage the uncertainties inherent in the creative process and build confidence and resilience, this study, based on Rhodes' (1961) 4P creativity framework (Person, Process, Press, and Product), systematically investigated the obstacles to the development of adolescent creativity and identified teaching intervention measures for fostering a supportive creativity ecosystem.
This study demonstrated that the development of adolescent creativity is a result of multi-faceted and multi-dimensional interactions from the 4P creativity …

Transboundary Water Dependence And State Legitimacy In Iraq: Assessing The Political Consequences Of Iraq's Vulnerability To Upstream Water Control By Türkiye, Nawras Hamanoori

SSRC Faculty Publications

Iraq’s dependence on transboundary water resources is an important but underexamined dimension of ‎its domestic governance challenges. As a downstream state in the Tigris-Euphrates basin, Iraq relies ‎substantially on flows originating beyond its borders. This article examines how transboundary water ‎dependence can pressure state legitimacy in Iraq. Using a theory-guided qualitative case-study ‎approach, it draws on academic scholarship, institutional data, policy documents, and public-opinion ‎evidence. The analysis integrates hydro-hegemony, asymmetrical interdependence, environmental ‎security, and performance-based legitimacy. It finds that upstream water asymmetry does not ‎independently determine legitimacy outcomes. Rather, it interacts with domestic institutional ‎fragmentation, weak infrastructure, water pollution, salinity, …