Digital Commons Network^™

The Protective Power Of Psychological Resources In Mitigating Burnout And Enhancing Flourishing, Dylan R. Polkinghorne, David J. Radosevich, Deirdre M. Radosevich, Dianne D. Murphy, Laken James, Sue S. Craver

Management Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

This study explores how burnout mediates the relationships between critical psychological resources, specifically resilience, flow and self-efficacy, and flourishing in contemporary work environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 374 participants, including undergraduate students at a regional comprehensive university in the Midwest and full-time working adults in the USA, were analyzed using mediation analysis in MPlus 8.11 to assess the indirect and direct effects among burnout, psychological resources and flourishing in a work environment.

Findings

Results indicate that self-efficacy significantly predicts lower burnout levels and higher flourishing. Resilience and flow were negatively associated with burnout, reducing its impact; however, the direct effects …

Room To Breathe: The Surprising Capaciousness Of Osh Act Preemption, Michael C. Duff

All Faculty Scholarship

This essay is part of a Saint Louis University Law Journal seminar, conducted by the Wefel Center for Employment Law, titled "Shifting Workplace Law in an Era of Federal Vacuums: Business as Usual or Polycrisis?" The symposium presumed that the federal government would be scaling back workforce regulatory enforcement dramatically in the shadow of DOGE and several other developments. The essay focuses on OSHA and more narrowly questions the extent to which the OSH Act preempts state and local efforts to regulate workplace safety and health. The essay shows that unless OSHA promulgates a full-blown “standard” – a tedious form …

Effects Of Student And School Technology Adoption On Student Reading Achievement In The United States: The Case Of Pisa 2018, Mikah J. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

This study examined the relationship between student and school-level information and communication technology (ICT) factors and reading achievement using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 in the United States. In an increasingly digital world, reading and information literacy are essential skills, yet significant gaps in digital competencies persist. This study investigated how ICT access, use, and perceptions relate to reading achievement in the context of student and school background factors.

A two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) framework was employed to account for the nested structure of students within schools. The sample included approximately 4,000 students across …

Tourism And Its Impact On Housing Affordability In Coastal Communities: Aquidneck Island, Olivia B. Costa

GLO 300 Public Policy Writing

This policy research addresses the current affordable housing shortage in Aquidneck Island, especially focusing on the city of Newport. The impact seasonal tourism has on the housing market in a small coastal community is analyzed, identifying central issues that stem from a tourism-driven economy including the dark house phenomenon, short-term rentals, inflated housing costs, high demand, and seasonal workforce. Three policy options are studied and evaluated including constructing more housing aimed toward full-time lower to middle class residents, placing restrictions on short-term rentals, and city collaboration with private institutions to provide seasonal housing. This research concludes with overall recommendations for …

National Security And Statecraft: A Case Study Of Sweden's Political Discourse Surrounding The Civilian-Military Geostrategic Nexus And The Application For Membership In Nato, Martina Sprague

Ph.D. Dissertations (Open Access)

This dissertation examines Sweden’s political discourse on NATO membership following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Sweden had long cooperated with NATO, a broad political consensus historically favored neutrality/non-alignment to maintain the country’s role as an impartial peace mediator. Right-leaning parties generally supported closer NATO ties, whereas left-leaning parties opposed membership, citing over 200 years of peace. Yet even conservative leaders like former Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt cautioned that joining NATO could escalate tensions. Russia’s invasion prompted a reassessment of Sweden’s security policy and ignited intense debate. Party positions were shaped by security concerns, ideological traditions, and domestic politics. Some …

Rhode Island Extremist Group Activity: Threat Levels And Trends, Robert J. Hehl, Gabrielius Bazikas, Daniel Brien, Rebecca Morrison

CJC 450 - Criminal Justice and Criminology Capstone

This Capstone Research Assessment (CRA) will focus on extremist group threats to public safety in Rhode Island. This paper will analyze regional trends in extremist group activity and recent demonstrations and conclude with recommendations for policies and procedures to mitigate the potential for future violent demonstrations.

The Nature Of El Salvadoran, Venezuelan, And Brazilian Street Gangs In Rhode Island, Robert J. Hehl, Shelby Weed, Aryanna Clasby, Matthew Levesque, Tyler Zummo

CJC 450 - Criminal Justice and Criminology Capstone

This Capstone Research Assessment focuses on identification of any El Salvadoran, Venezuelan, and Brazilian street gang activity or presence in Rhode Island in given their established presence in bordering states which are all connected by the I-95 corridor that runs through Rhode Island.

“Good Don’T Listen”: Application Of Situational Crisis Communication Theory To Online Cancelation, Teresa R. Sacchinelli

ENG 490 Senior Seminar Capstone

The cancel culture movement forces organizations to learn how to address a new kind of online crisis. Corporations use Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to alleviate the reputational threat from an ongoing crisis. This study examines SCCT potential application in addressing cancelation through analysis of pop star The Weeknd’s response to backlash regarding his HBO show The Idol (2023). Findings revealed use of SCCT strategies in The Weeknd’s tweets, interviews, and press conference during the cancelation, but failure to follow theory guidelines, resulting in an ineffective reputation recouperation. Thus, the study finds possible application of the theory for cancelation if …

Challenges To Export Control Regimes (Itars) And Project Shield America (Psa), Robert J. Hehl, Colleen Faucher, Magaret Guidone, Joseph Salute, Marchello Delucia

CJC 450 - Criminal Justice and Criminology Capstone

This Capstone Research Assessment (CRA) will review the challenges to enforcement of export controls (ITARs) regimes and the challenges to the Department of Homeland Security program, Project Shield America, in protecting United States proprietary information and property from foreign threats.

Assessing Contributing Factors To Organized Retail Crime In New [email protected], Robert J. Hehl, Jazlyn Rivera, Morendah Lesperance, Victor Perez, Lauren Westman

CJC 450 - Criminal Justice and Criminology Capstone

This Capstone Research Assessment (CRA) focuses on the growing threat of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) across New England and the United States. The assessment examines how the lack of consistent reporting from establishments, as well as insufficient training among investigators, has led to ineffective investigations and low apprehension rates.

Secondhand Books Industry Between Extinction And Challenges Of The New Millennium: Insights Urban And Architectural Considerations From Al-Azbakeya Book Market., Ahmed M. Selim, Heba M. Gaber, Nehal M. Elmahdy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

At the beginning of the 21st century, the printed and secondhand book industry has faced enormous challenges, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when book consumers sought to engage directly with e-books. The Azbakeya Book Market in Egypt is one of the markets that confronts this challenge, while maintaining its distinctive historical character. This study aims to rehabilitate the secondhand book market in Al-Azbakeya district as a model that simulates the potential urban and sustainable architectural design strategies for reviving this industry. The study framework was comprised into four sections. First, "desk-based research" was conducted to discuss the secondhand book industry …

Intelligent Audio‑To‑Indian Sign‑Language And Sign‑To‑Audio Translation System Using Mediapipe, Tensorflow, Whisper And Google Tts, N. Pothanna, T. Kusuma, S. Haindavi, T. Sreeja, Shaik Shaheem Taj

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Communication barriers between the Deaf community and the general public remain a persistent challenge, particularly in multilingual settings where Indian Sign Language (ISL) is the primary mode of interaction. We propose a real-time bidirectional translation framework integrating MediaPipe for hand landmark extraction, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifier built with TensorFlow/Keras for gesture recognition, OpenAI Whisper for robust multilingual speech-to-text transcription, and Google TTS for naturalistic speech synthesis. The system achieves 93% classification accuracy across 35 ISL classes (alphabets A–Z and numerals 1–9) on a dataset of 42,700 images, with macro and weighted F1-scores of 0.93. Deployed as a Flask …

Analytical Study Of Transient Mixed Convective Radiative Jeffrey Fluid Flow With Diffusion–Thermo And Chemical Reaction, V. Sathiya, R. Vijayaragavan, B. Rushi Kumar

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This research examines the behavior of unsteady mixed convective radiative Jeffrey fluid flow over a permeable moving plate with a diffusion thermo effect. The study incorporates multiple factors, including aligned magnetic fields, heat generation, radiation, and chemical reactions. The behavior of Jeffrey fluid under these combined conditions is particularly relevant to the design of efficient heat exchangers, MHD generators, and cooling systems for electronic components. A regular perturbation technique was employed to solve the governing equations, yielding distributions for velocity, temperature, and species concentration. These solutions enabled the derivation of expressions for skin friction, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number. Through …

Remember To Say Her Name - Addressing Black Women's Experiences Of Vicarious Police Brutality And Testing A Racial Trauma Meditation, Gabriella A. Roper

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Black women and girls are disproportionately impacted by police violence, as some are victims of brutality but also as viewers of police violence videos and advocates for police reform (Williams, 2021). Yet, most media coverage centers on police brutality against Black men, rendering the suffering of Black women largely invisible. Studies indicate heightened rates of distress experienced by Black women as a result of race-based stressors, compounded by their limited access to adaptive coping mechanisms (Beauliere, 2022; Hawkins, 2022). This study investigated the psychological effects of vicarious police brutality exposure on Black women. In addition, this study evaluated the effectiveness …

From Perfect Victim To Resilient Upstander: How Educators Can Help Middle-School Students With Asd Thrive Despite Peer Aggression, Julie R. Johnson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely to be bullied by peers (46-94%), bullied by siblings, and chronically bullied than typically developing students (30.5%). Some victims become bullies, particularly when impulsivity and hostility are high or perseverance or prudence are low. Students with ASD are more likely to become bully-victims, especially if they have certain comorbidities. This literature review explores how educators can mitigate this cycle. Schools need a multi-tiered system of supports to support victims with ASD so they do not become bullies: Tier One needs clear policies, anti-bullying programs, and neurodiversity-affirming classrooms. Tiers Two and Three …

Physical Activity And Cognitive Function Among Youth: Implications And Recommendations For Increasing Physical Activity Participation, Allison C. Ims

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity is extensively recognized as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. For children, it is important for the development of their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Nationally, there are physical activity recommendations for youth; however, most children and adolescents do not meet these recommendations. It’s recommended that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. However, many youth are not achieving this recommendation due to physical, environmental, and social barriers. The purpose of this thesis was to look at the relationship between physical activity, executive functioning, and academic performance among youth. …

Disproportionality: The Impact Identifying Students For Special Education, John M. Bradford

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the topic of disproportionality as it relates to the special education population. Disproportionality is an area of interest for this researcher, who wanted to explore and learn more about disproportionality, the true numbers behind it, the consequences of overrepresentation, and the consequences of our current system for addressing it. Some populations of students have been seemingly overidentified for special education, and current thinking suggests that these services may have negative consequences for the groups that are overidentified. Disproportionality data were reexamined, along with the concept of whether proportional representation in special education should be expected. Additionally, …

From Visibility To Value: How Can Digital Art Achieve Long-Term Legitimacy In The Contemporary Artworld?, Ziyuan Wang

MA in Art Business Dissertations

This dissertation explores the evolving legitimacy of digital art within the contemporary artworld, addressing the central question: How can digital art achieve long-term legitimacy in a cultural landscape increasingly shaped by decentralised networks and technological innovation? Through a qualitative methodology involving interviews with digital artist, curator, collectors, and platform leader, this study aims to discover how value, legitimacy, and aesthetic quality are constructed in digital art markets.

Within the art ecosystem, digital art often emerges from community based, peer-to-peer validation, which generates visibility and drives market activity such as high-profile sales. Yet, participants continue to place value on institutional endorsement …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Burrowing And Subterranean Locomotion In The Sand Lance Using A Transparent Sediment, Issei Fujita, Makoto Tomiyasu, Jun Yamamoto, Yasuzumi Fujimori

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Sand lances (Ammodytes spp.) rely on rapid burrowing into sediment for predator avoidance. Although their sediment grain-size preferences are well documented, the biomechanics underlying burrowing success remain unclear because natural substrates are opaque. Using a transparent-sediment system, we directly visualized and quantified burrowing kinematics to: (1) test the effect of body size (total length, TL) on burrowing success; (2) examine entry mechanisms (e.g., swimming speed, entry angle); and (3) describe locomotion within sediment. Logistic regression on the full dataset (N = 28 fish) identified TL as the primary determinant of success, with larger individuals exhibiting significantly higher success …

Effect Of Heat Treatment On The Corrosion And Wear Behavior Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel For Marine Applications, Syuan Tai, I-Kon Lee, Ming-Yuan Lin, Kang-Yu Liao, Chin-Chun Chang, Hung-Bin Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study explores the tribocorrosion behavior of conventionally cast 17-4 PH stainless steel under real seawater conditions, focusing on the effects of three heat treatments (Solution, H900, H1100). Electrochemical tests, tribocorrosion experiments, SEM, XPS, and quantitative analysis were used to establish a three-stage tribocorrosion mechanism. Results show that H900 exhibits superior corrosion and wear resistance, while H1100 suffers increased material loss and surface cracking at high potentials. Elemental analysis revealed NbC migration forming third-body particles, which, although briefly reducing friction, induced local stress concentration and crack initiation. The findings highlight the critical influence of microstructure, passive film stability, and third-body …

Hear Me Out: A Lesson In Civil Discourse, Cheryl Black

Funded Scholarship

This article describes an innovative and engaging lecture and class exercise designed to 

teach students how to think critically about issues from different perspectives and communicate effectively with those who disagree with them. The interactive lecture and class exercise introduce a civil discourse framework to encourage constructive dialogue. Developed for business law and ethics courses, the civil discourse framework enhances any curriculum that addresses controversial topics or different perspectives on complex issues. The lecture and class exercise offer a concrete, replicable model to teach civil discourse

(Not So) Common Courtesy, Michael Saba

Journal of the Macomb Dental Society

This article features a monthly column from the Macomb Dental Society's editor, Dr. Michael Saba. This month Dr. Saba shares a story that reminds readers to both be courteous and to enforce it early with patients.

Harm Reduction Awareness And Perceived Norms Around Cannabis Usage Among College Students, Tiana Selimagic

Honors Program Theses

Harm reduction refers to behaviors that are used to reduce the harmful risks or negative consequences that are associated with using drugs and aim to protect individuals. Research indicates that harm reduction strategies associated with cannabis are scarce, but that college students may be unaware of these behaviors since the legalization of cannabis in many U.S. states. However, there are gaps within research in regards to if college students are unaware of harm reduction strategies or if the perception of cannabis-use related harm reduction effectiveness or if there is a social norm aspect that relates to using these strategies. The …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence In Advertising: An Experimental Evaluation Of Ai Video Generators, Josie Koenigs

Honors Program Theses

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed the landscape of modern advertising, reshaping how agencies conceptualize, create, and deliver campaigns (Gujar and Panyam 51). Today, advertising agencies and standalone advertisers increasingly integrate AI tools to automate tasks, generate creative content, and analyze consumer behavior with precision. These technologies have introduced significant strengths, including enhanced creativity, efficiency, and time-saving capabilities, that allow marketers to produce highly targeted and engaging campaigns. However, the growing use of AI also raises questions about critical weaknesses, including issues of authenticity, bias, and ethical safety concerns in AI-generated content. Existing research has explored the general applications of …

Dementia Related Programs: A Case Study Of Spousal Care And Mental Health, Candace Hoisington

Honors Program Theses

This research paper explores the experiences of informal caregivers of people living with dementia. Focusing on topics such as mental health, caregiver education, and access to supportive resources within dementia related programs. The current literature highlights significant gaps in caregiver education and access to resources for spousal and older adult informal caregivers. A qualitative study was conducted by surveying informal caregivers from the Cedar Valley, Iowa area. Analysis of the survey results included use of Braun and Clarke’s (2020) six-step thematic analysis approach. Results found from four participants caused four major themes to emerge. The informal caregivers identified friends and …

Disaster Risk Management During Climate Emergencies In The Dominican Republic And Puerto Rico, Rosleny Ubinas

Dissertations and Theses

This paper analyzes the DRM approach as an effective framework in addressing climate emergencies across the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. These two Caribbean regions, with high hurricane exposure and differing response structures, are deeply shaped by their governments and affiliated international organizations. Disaster Risk Management is the systematic process of using laws, plans, institutions, and community networks to reduce vulnerability to hazards and coordinate effective response when disasters occur. It covers the full cycle, from prevention to reconstruction and rebuilding more resiliently. The Dominican Republic’s law-based intervention led to greater local-level community participation during disasters with its embedded volunteer …

Executive Self-Management Of Reading And Writing For College Students With Adhd, Jiajie Li

Dissertations and Theses

Background. College students with ADHD often experience difficulties with self managed academic tasks, for which there are currently few specific interventions. The present study examined associations among ADHD symptom severity, executive functioning, academic achievement, and perceived helpfulness of reading- and writing-focused sessions within a cognitive-behavioral intervention for college students with ADHD. Method. N = 41 undergraduate students (Mean age = 21.32 years, SD = 2.74; 70.7% female) with ADHD were recruited into a 12-week group-based cognitive behavioral intervention for executive functioning difficulties. Two sessions were devoted to skills and strategies specific to academic tasks, Reading for Retention and Planning, Organizing, …

The Ick Factor: Explaining The Term Through Lenses Of Sexual Disgust And Avoidant Attachment Style, Maxum O'Halloran

Dissertations and Theses

The phenomenon of the “ick” has gained significant traction in the context of modern romantic relationships, particularly across social media platforms, where individuals describe trivial negative traits and habits in potential and current romantic partners. Despite their trivial nature, icks are often treated as meaningful dealbreakers, raising questions about whether they reflect genuine psychological processes or are simply a social media trend. The present study examined whether the presence of an ick influences perceptions of attractiveness and dateability, and whether individual differences in sexual disgust sensitivity and attachment style help explain icks and reactions to icks. Participants (N = 236) …

Risk And Releasability: Rethinking “Suitable” Support Networks For Former Foster Youth In Ontario Bail Courts, Marsha Rampersaud

Journal of Law and Social Policy

Contemporary societal trends indicate many young adults rely on their families for financial and other support for longer than in the past, often well into their 20s. Youth leaving the child welfare system, however, do not have similar supports to rely on when they reach the age of majority (eighteen in Ontario). In bail court, the experiences of those who have familial support differ markedly from those who do not. Qualitative interviews with youth, lawyers, and social workers illuminate the experiences of young adults (ages eighteen to twenty-four) who have exited the child welfare system and come into conflict with …

Who Bears The Cost? A Module For Researching The Intersection Of Technology, The Individual, And Climate Change, Jonathan Auyer

Climate Change and the Individual, 2025-26

Who Bears the Cost? A Module for Researching the Intersection of Technology, the Individual, and Climate Change is a multi-day writing and research module designed for first-year composition courses. Using the ongoing controversy surrounding the Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Genesee County, New York as a central case study, students investigate the ethical, environmental, and social dimensions of artificial intelligence and climate change. The module guides students from initial inquiry, exploring the philosophical question of whether technology is value-neutral or value-laden, through source research, collaborative discussion, and persuasive writing. Drawing on the rhetorical framework of They Say …