Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Multidimensional Psychometric Scale For Assessing Vulnerability In Human Behavior, Jibran Rasheed Khan, Sumaira Mustufa Qureshi, Farhan Ahmed Siddiqui, Syed Asim Ali

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Human behavior is a persistent and primary cybersecurity vulnerability. However, existing psychometric tools for assessing these factors are often fragmented, focusing on isolated aspects such as knowledge, compliance intentions, or organizational context, and lack a unifying theoretical framework. To address this gap, this study developed and pilot-tested the Cyber-behavioral Index, a novel multidimensional instrument to holistically assess human behavior. The scale operationalizes the CBS framework, comprising five latent dimensions: attitude and habits, perception and belief, social influence, digital influence, and trust in technology. Following a rigorous development process including expert review (n = 3) and cognitive pretesting (n = 10), …

Pathological Or Religious Emotions? Exploring The Effect Of The Fear Of Divine Punishment On The Subjective Well-Being Of Devout Indonesian Muslims, Subhan El Hafiz, Jas Laile Suzana Jafaar, Ahmad Shamsuri Muhamad

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

The fear of divine punishment has been identified as a religiosity marker among Muslims. Nonetheless, scholars hold varying perspectives on this emotion. While some consider it a pathological emotion, others view it as a religious emotion. To further investigate this issue, a study was conducted involving 392 non-clinical devout Muslims in Indonesia, using a measurement tool to assess excessive fear of divine punishment. The findings revealed that devout Muslims scored high on the measurement, implying that the fear of divine punishment is not an excessive or pathological emotion but rather a religious one. Although it indicates Muslim religiosity, the emotion …

You Can(Not) See Me: Exploring The Role Of Anonymity On Online Self-Disclosure In Social Media X By Emerging Adults, Vania Ardelia, James Goulding

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

The significant rise in the use of social media in recent decades has given humans efficient communication, with X becoming one of the most well-known platforms. Prior studies have found that the features of the X can make individuals feel more comfortable sharing their personal information online while remaining anonymous, which in turn could increase the incidence of maladaptive online self-disclosure. However, to date, few studies have specifically examined how anonymity contributes to emerging adults’ online self-disclosure on social media. This study aims to explore the role of visual and discursive anonymity on the online self-disclosure of emerging adults on …

How Schema Modes Are Associated With Self-Presentation Tactics: An Examination On Online Dating Platforms, Gülşah Durna, Özlem Serap Özkan, Arzu Araz

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

With the internet being an important part of our daily lives, online dating platforms have become extremely widespread for meeting people. Accordingly, self-images on these platforms and the factors that influence their emergence or maintenance have gained increasing interest. The present study aimed to scrutinize the relationship between schema modes, which can explain human emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a broader range of categories, and online self-presentation tactics used on dating platforms. The sample consisted of 246 users of online dating platforms in Türkiye. A set of surveys measuring schema modes and self-presentation tactics was used. The results of hierarchical …

The Moderating Role Of Coping Strategies In The Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms And Hypersexuality Among Young Filipino Adults, Kathryn H. Jacob, Voltaire M. Marquez

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Mental health among young adults is receiving increasing attention because of its significant influence on overall well-being, including physical health, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning. Among the key concerns within this age group are depression and hypersexuality. This study investigated the moderating role of coping strategies in the relationship between depressive symptoms and hypersexuality. We hypothesize that adaptive coping strategies—such as problem- and emotion-focused coping—would attenuate the negative effects of depressive symptoms on hypersexual behavior, whereas avoidant coping would intensify this relationship. To test these assumptions, a cross-sectional explanatory study was conducted involving 407 Filipino young adults aged 18 to …

Combat And Beyond: Predictors Of Post-Traumatic Growth In War Zone Veterans, Gabriela Crucianu

Dissertations

Veterans returning from combat often face psychological challenges, but many also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG), which refers to positive changes that can emerge after trauma. This study explored whether coping strategies, personal characteristics, social support, and combat exposure were associated with PTG in a sample of 42 war zone veterans using quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants completed validated measures assessing combat exposure, coping strategies, social support, personal characteristics (e.g., optimism), and PTG. Regression analyses showed that combat exposure, coping strategies, and optimism were not significant predictors of overall PTG. However, combat exposure was associated with appreciation for life, a dimension …

Familismo: Exploring A Culturally Sensitive Correlation Between Parentification And Relationship Satisfaction Amongst First Generation Mexican-American Adults Through An Attachment Theory Lens, Ana K. Perez

Dissertations

Parentification refers to the role reversal of children who take on adult responsibility to care for family members. This role is often filled by Mexican-American children as a result of immigration and assimilation. This study explored the relationship between parentification and adult romantic relationship satisfaction among first-generation Mexican-American adults, with particular attention to the moderating roles of attachment styles and perceived unfairness. While earlier research has linked parentification to mental health challenges, few studies have examined its long-term impact on intimate relationships, including relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner violence. A total of 132 participants completed an online survey …

Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Over-The-Counter Medications Among Undergraduate Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anna S. Dawson

Honors Theses

This study examines and compares knowledge and attitudes towards over-the-counter (OTC) medications among undergraduate college students at the University of Mississippi. OTCs are purchased and administered without a prescription, making them an efficient, safe, and affordable method of healthcare. It is important to determine the attitudes college students have towards these drugs and if they are able to safely and correctly use them. Information gathered from this study can be used to guide future education on medication literacy and to gain insight into how college students use OTCs to medicate themselves. A Qualtrics survey was sent out to a random …

Analyzing Environmental Education In Northern Mississippi And Its Impact On Student Outcomes, Vishnu S. Gadepalli

Honors Theses

This thesis examines environmental education in public high schools in northern Mississippi, investigating how educators describe its presence, delivery, and institutional support in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harm. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with high school teachers across four northern Mississippi schools, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through iterative thematic coding under Institutional Review Board approval. Five themes emerged: opportunistic curricular integration, time and standards as overriding structural constraints, passive institutional support, student receptivity tempered by limited awareness, and significant variation across school contexts with one magnet school as a clear outlier. The study concludes that environmental education in these …

Design And Production Of A Carbon Fiber Longboard, John R. Beebe, Jacob Williams, Julia Stradinger, Vince Fitchtel, Jordan Cochran

Honors Theses

This thesis contains an overview of the design, prototyping, and manufacturing of a carbon fiber long board. The purpose of this capstone was to create a viable product for the real-world market and then determine how to manufacture it at scale with sustainable financial practices. In order to accomplish this task, engineering, accounting, and manufacturing challenges had to be overcome throughout all stages. The production process involved the carbon fiber layup, baking, water jet cutting, and assembly of the carbon fiber longboard. In order to optimize this process, continuous improvement and lean manufacturing problem solving techniques were applied. After a …

Bridging Research And Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Of Principals' Use Of Implementation Driver Strategies To Support The Adoption Of Evidence-Based Literacy Practices In Minnesota K-12 Public Schools, Jamie L. Nord

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Despite a substantial research base identifying effective reading instruction, some schools continue to struggle to translate evidence-based literacy practices into consistent classroom use. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the relationship between Minnesota K–12 public school principals’ self-reported use of implementation driver strategies and their self-reported adoption of evidence-based literacy practices, while also exploring how principals perceived implementation within their school contexts. Guided by the Implementation Drivers framework, the study included a statewide survey of 138 principals using the researcher-developed Leadership for Literacy Implementation Scale, followed by two focus groups with 10 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive, …

Problems And Risks Within The Agriculture Of Stann Creek, Ethan Bailey

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is a significant part of the economy of Stann Creek, Belize and faces many challenges. This research presents data from farms in the areas surrounding Dangriga regarding the problems that they have been experiencing and potential risks they may face. The research covers family/individual farms, an agriculture cooperative, commercial farms, agritourism businesses, and Mennonite communities. This research was conducted as part of an internship with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of Belize alongside extension officers of the Stann Creek branch of the MOA.

The data from the internship found that agriculture in Stann Creek dealt with problems regarding availability …

The Long Tail: Business Viability After The Crisis, Emma M. Woo-Ming

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the barriers to business growth and youth development in Dangriga, Belize, within the broader context of post-crisis economic recovery. Despite Belize’s record-breaking tourism arrivals in 2024, Dangriga has not experienced parallel growth, hindered by limited government support, insufficient infrastructure, and gaps in workforce readiness. Through field research, stakeholder interviews, and the development of tailored business strategies, this project identified critical needs in risk assessment, collaboration, and youth engagement. The findings underscore the interconnectedness of politics, culture, and economics in shaping local business ecosystems, and highlight the importance of adaptable, context-specific solutions over the direct application of models …

Impact Of An All-Gender Cabin Intervention At A Residential Summer Camp On Self-Esteem And Perceived Social Support In Lgbtq+ Youth, Suzanne D. Dinubile

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation with a mixed-methods design that evaluated the impact of Camp Tawonga’s All-Gender Cabin Intervention and LGBTQ+ programming showed no statistically significant changes, likely due to small sample size, but descriptive trends indicated improved outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth in All-Gender cabins. Semi-structured interviews with six LGBTQ+ campers revealed increased self-awareness and acceptance, empowerment, self-confidence, and a stronger sense of belonging within the LGBTQ+ community, along with positive interactions with non-LGBTQ+ peers. Notably, the three campers in All-Gender cabins highlighted unique themes of identity affirmation, emotional and behavioral growth, and relief from minority stress. Findings support …

Digital Maturity In The Administrative Prosecution In Egypt, Asmaa A. Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

The growing deployment of information and communication technologies in public service delivery, in general, and in the judiciary in particular, underscores the need for an assessment tool to evaluate digital maturity. Understanding digital maturity, a state in which an organization has completed digital development, helps diagnose the status quo, identify enablers, and address challenges, and consequently provide a roadmap for efficient improvements. This study aims to examine key factors affecting digital maturity within the Administrative Prosecution (AP) in Egypt, a pillar of the judicial authority and mandated to investigate financial and administrative violations committed by public servants. A mixed-methods approach …

Eritrean Refugees Between Securitization And Survival Along The Sahara Route To Egypt, Zeina Shoukry

Theses and Dissertations

Eritrea remains one of the largest refugee-producing countries in the world, with mandatory military conscription serving as a primary driver of displacement. This thesis examines the precarious journey of Eritrean refugees across the Sahara Desert en route to Egypt, situating this movement within the broader context of border securitization. It argues that the journey itself constitutes a critical and often overlooked phase of the migration process, as significant as both departure and destination.

Drawing on migration infrastructure theory and migrant network theory, this study foregrounds Eritrean refugees’ agency and resilience. It analyzes how refugees mobilize knowledge, digital technologies, social networks, …

Beyond The Legal Black Hole: Hyper-Legality, Deferral, And Detention In Northeast Syria, Grace T. Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the detention of suspected ISIS affiliates and their family members held in facilities administered by the Kurdish-led authorities in North-East Syria. Thousands of foreign nationals remain detained without trial, without repatriation, and in conditions widely criticized as inhumane. Existing scholarship and political discourse often describe these facilities as legal voids, limbo, or black holes where law has broken down or ceased to apply. This thesis challenges that characterization. Rather than existing outside the law, the facilities are governed through overlapping frameworks of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, counterterrorism security resolutions, and domestic laws. I argue …

Evolution Of Pre-Service Teacher Beliefs Along The Traditional-Reform Continuum: An Examination Of Normative Beliefs And Discursive Claims A Decade Later, Mary Elizabeth Riley Lloyd, Adam Jordan

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This study replicated an earlier study that explored the beliefs of a sample of K-8 pre-service teachers (PSTs). Results of this study position PSTs’ beliefs along a traditional-reform continuum. The positioning from the current study is compared to that of the former study, to determine the level of progress made toward the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ commitment to high-quality instruction. To position beliefs, PSTs completed a Likert survey, including open-ended questions, three times throughout their teacher preparation program (TPP): before taking any of their mathematics education courses, after taking both required mathematics education courses, and after student teaching. …

An Analysis Of The Pedagogical Price Of Mathematical Tricks: The Case Of Factoring, John Beam, Jason Belnap, Eric Kuennen, Amy Parrott, Jennifer E. Szydlik

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Students are exposed to a variety of mathematical tricks that ostensibly make it easier for them to solve problems. But tricks also undermine their understanding that mathematics is supposed to make sense; they rob students of opportunities to explore and struggle with ideas; and they obscure mathematical structure.

Egypt’S Accession To Brics: Hedging And Strategic Positioning In A Multipolar Order, Daria Konstantinova

Theses and Dissertations

Amid Egypt’s longstanding, multifaceted cooperation with the U.S. and Western institutions, spanning political support, economic partnerships, and IMF/World Bank programs, 2024 BRICS expansion included Egypt as one of the new group’s members. This move might be explained by leadership strategic vision, domestic constraints, and geopolitical global and regional dynamics. This research explains the drivers behind Egypt’s accession to BRICS and the way this decision reflects Egypt’s strategic positioning in a changing global order, using agency-centered approach and the theoretical framework of strategic hedging.

While existing literature on BRICS expansion partially explains the reasons behind the new members’ accession and its …

Undefined By Design: The Fragmented Public Understanding Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei) By Americans, Caroline Umphlet

Theses and Dissertations

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies have become a contentious issue in contemporary United States public discourse, yet a critical question remains as to whether the public shares a common foundational understanding of these terms. While DEI as a concept has developed and evolved significantly since the 1960s, public understanding remains ardently fragmented.

This thesis aims to answer the research questions: how does the 60+ age group in the US define and understand diversity, equity, and inclusion and DEI policies? The 60+ age group was specifically chosen because their definitions give insight into the publics’ understanding of policy topics when …

Circulating Futures: Infrastructure, Value, And The Making Of Contemporary Egypt, Yasmine Abdeldayem

Theses and Dissertations

Since 2014, Egypt has undertaken an unprecedented expansion of its road network as part of a broader project of territorial development and national renewal. Roads are presented in this project as the connective infrastructure through which new cities, investment zones, and desert territories are brought into circulation. Yet their developmental effects are often difficult to discern: infrastructure is rapidly built but unevenly maintained, while projects justified in terms of mobility, growth, and public benefit can produce dispossession, exclusion, and new forms of risk. This thesis argues that roads cannot be understood solely through the developmental outcomes they are intended to …

Between The Lens And The Gaze: Reflections Of Femininity In Film, Noureen Sakr

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the male gaze’s construction of femininity through the use of glass and reflective surfaces, particularly mirrors, windows, glasses, and cameras in film. Reflections and depictions of women are recurring motifs in cinema, often symbolizing dynamics of perception and power. This thesis mobilizes related psychoanalytic and feminist conceptions to examine and compare the recurring visual motifs in the following films: Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train (1951) and Rear Window (1954), Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct (1992), & Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010). This thesis employs a qualitative, interdisciplinary methodology that integrates psychoanalytic theory, feminist film theory, literary criticism …

Hell Reimagined: Dante’S Inferno And The Secular Afterlives Of Divine Punishment, Yara Mohamed El Hashimi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines contrapasso and how it changes across different media and different sources of moral authority. In Chapter One, I examine four different cantos of Dante’s Inferno and rely on Teodolinda Barolini’s work to examine textual contrapasso. Chapter One also discusses how Dante’s work shows the sinner’s moral condition and makes it visible through the punishment inflicted. Additionally, Dante’s Inferno presents punishment as part of a divinely authorized moral order, which becomes important in Chapter Two when I examine how William Blake visually interprets and questions that system. In Chapter Two, I examine the works of Blake that correspond …

How Can Egypt’S Technical And Vocational Education System Be Adapted To Improve The Employability Of Autistic Youth And Adults?, Miriam A. Menkarious

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides original qualitative evidence on autism, employability, and TVET in an LMIC context, focusing on Egypt’s ongoing TVET reforms. The research investigated barriers and facilitators to employment for autistic youth and adults in Egypt, with a particular focus on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a potential pathway into work, and explored stakeholder perspectives on the potential, barriers, and conditions for adapting the Egyptian TVET system to improve their employability. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework, this qualitative study relied on 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews with autistic youth and adults, parents …

The Functioning Of The Refugee Regime In The Global South, Rihem Sejil

Theses and Dissertations

Why do states continue to sign compacts and reaffirm responsibility-sharing, even as protection burdens fall increasingly on the Global South? This thesis argues that this concentration is a direct result of, rather than an exception to, international cooperation. It introduces the concept of "selective cooperation" to explain how states maintain formal commitments to protection while repurposing cooperation: shifting it from a remedial tool designed to assist burdened hosts to one focused on containment and preventing arrivals. Three mechanisms facilitate this shift: donor retrenchment, resettlement contraction, and externalization, with each mechanism closing gaps left by the others. Analyzing cases spanning resettlement, …

Unearthing Potential: Impact Investors’ Perspectives On Egypt’S Social Enterprise Market, Yousef Hesham Shoukry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines impact investing in Egypt from the vantage point of the impact investors, revealing that Egypt's constraint is not the availability of capital but its direction, as the absence of legal recognition, coordinated intermediaries, and a shared impact-measurement standard keeps capital out of a market otherwise rich in social enterprise potential. The study employed a constructivist grounded theory approach, drawing on eleven semi-structured interviews with impact fund managers, ecosystem enablers, and public-sector policy advisors operating in or considering Egypt's social enterprise market. Data revealed that practitioners converge on the founding principles of impact investment (combined financial and social …

Adjudicating Technology Facilitated Violence Against Women In Egypt: Between The Text And The Application, Eman E. Zidan

Theses and Dissertations

Technology-facilitated violence against women (TFVAW) has surged on digital platforms, leading to a sharp rise in victimization rates among girls and women globally. Egypt’s pioneering cybercrime legislation, though comprehensive, remains gender-neutral and inadequate in judicial application. Community perceptions reveal systemic gaps that erode public trust and fuel demands for specialized protections. This study analyzes Egyptian judicial responses to TFVAW cases through comparative jurisprudence with jurisdictions that feature gender-specific norms. Findings demonstrate that textual provisions alone fail to arrest this escalating phenomenon, underscoring the need for integrated reforms: tailored legislation, heightened awareness campaigns, and collaborative education on rights, duties, and societal …

The Olde Post Inn Tasting Menu 2017, The Olde Post Inn

Menus of the 21st Century

The Olde Post inn was built in the 1800s. It opened as a post office in 1884, grocery & residence. It had a number of owners and was for some time derelict before it was renovated into a restaurant with accommodation in early 1990s. It has been run as a restaurant since and was taken over by Gearoid & Tara Lynch in November 2002. Since then it has gone under further refurbishment and been extended to include two Hampton Conservatories.

To have a complete dining experience, it is not just about the food or wine it is about the whole …

A Policy Analysis Of Accountability And Governance In Journalism By Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Salama

Theses and Dissertations

The growing use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and AI-assisted tools in journalism raises governance questions concerning accountability, human oversight, transparency, verification, editorial responsibility, and implementation. In Egypt, these issues arise within an emerging but fragmented governance environment that includes national AI guidance, media regulation, professional self-regulation, and developing newsroom practices. This study examines how these arrangements can be integrated into a coherent national sector-specific policy framework for GenAI and AI-assisted journalism.

The study adopts a qualitative methodology combining a descriptive qualitative document analysis with stakeholder semi-structured interviews. Four governance instruments were analyzed: the Council of Europe’s Guidelines on the …