Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Parental Communication On Alcohol Use And Self-Esteem As A Mediating Variable, Alanna Hartman

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Alcohol abuse has become a problematic phenomenon among young adults. Previous studies have found that parental communication with low warmth leads to greater risk for alcohol abuse later in life. We predict there is going to be a positive correlation between negative parental communication and alcohol abuse. Self-esteem has also been shown to have a relationship with alcohol abuse in previous research. We hypothesize that self-esteem would negatively correlate with alcohol abuse in the current study. Additionally, the literature suggests a relationship between self-esteem and parental communication. Given the relationships among these variables, we predict that self-esteem would partially or …

Beyond Caseloads And Calendars: Measuring Staff Satisfaction In Treatment Court, Ariana R. Huntington

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Background and Purpose: Treatment courts are specialized programs designed to divert individuals from incarceration while supporting recovery and rehabilitation. With more than 4,000 treatment courts operating nationwide and serving over 150,000 individuals annually, they represent a critical component of the criminal justice system. Treatment court staff may be particularly vulnerable to stress due to sustained exposure to complex substance use cases and systemic, administrative, and team-related demands. Assessing staff well-being is therefore essential, as it has implications for court effectiveness, workforce stability, and overall system functioning. Despite this importance, limited research has examined the experiences of treatment court professionals. The …

Implementation Of Education Regarding Trafficking Among Healthcare Staff And Community Organizations, Anna M. Peterson, Kate E. Arndorfer

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Background: Over the past two decades, human trafficking has received increasing media attention and public awareness efforts. Despite this, significant gaps remain in the knowledge and preparedness of healthcare professionals, specifically nursing staff, to identify and respond to trafficking victims. Human trafficking includes the exploitation of individuals through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for labor or sexual acts. Survivors often experience acute injuries, chronic illness, psychological trauma, and long-term health complications. Healthcare settings, particularly emergency departments, may be one of the few opportunities for victims to have contact with professionals outside of trafficking situations. However, there is a …

Disaster Preparedness In Healthcare Workers, Helen Prow

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Disasters can negatively impact healthcare systems worldwide, with increased impacts on resource-limited communities. Nurses and other healthcare workers are often on the frontlines of disaster response; evidence shows that many healthcare workers worldwide are not adequately prepared to respond effectively. The purpose of this honors project is to analyze factors and interventions that influence healthcare workers, specifically nurses, in disaster preparedness in resource-limited settings globally. A review of peer-reviewed literature published within the past ten years was conducted using systems such as CINAHL, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Open Evidence. Articles were selected based on relevance to disaster preparedness among healthcare …

Understanding Factors Associated With Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Kaidin S. Barnes, Paige Christianson, Kylie Buck, Kyra Nelson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Understanding factors associated with mental health among collegiate athletes may help inform targeted support and reduce barriers to care. This study examined relationships among athletic identity, perceived stigma, psychological distress, and sport participation in college students. Participants (N = 312) reported varsity or club sport involvement, with 28.2% identifying as varsity or club athletes. Variables measured included athletic identity, perceived stigma, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. A subset of participants also reported injury history. Data were analyzed using correlations and independent samples t-tests. Athletic identity was moderately and positively associated with stigma, indicating that students who identified more …

Scrolling Tiktok, Like It’S My Job… Because It Is, Lauren Larson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

I work as a social media and admissions intern at Winona State University's admissions office. Located in Winona, MN, in Maxwell Hall on the WSU campus. For this internship, I was tasked with creating content for the WSU admission platform, typically on TikTok and Instagram.  To go along with creation, I was also involved in the behind-the-scenes, looking at analytics. Another responsibility was giving the welcome speech before tours to prospective students and their families. I also gave tours during the larger events held by the admission office, such as Warrior Way Day and OGVs.  I can apply what I …

A Metaphor Criticism On Disney-Pixar's Elemental, Erin O. Donovan

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Immigration is a contested topic, having a variety of opinions, both negative and positive throughout history. Films are important to study, as they can frame important topics, like immigration, and shape our understanding. Animated children's films have the ability to deliver messages and create meaning through a fun, innocent vehicle that disguises these messages. The use of metaphors in this case, are a delivery method of underlying messages, as metaphors can be strategically used to go unnoticed in a story. This study sets out to use metaphor criticism on the Disney-Pixar film, Elemental (2023), by Peter Sohn, to examine its …

Neuroplasticity On The Water: Transforming Mental Habits Into Elite Performance, John Paul Fryrear, Dayne Harter, Jada Ward

Liberty University Research Week

This proof-of-concept study examined whether a brief cognitive intervention could enhance key psychological skills in collegiate athletes. Twenty-four student-athletes from a university rowing team completed three workshops targeting neuroplasticity, attentional control, and emotional intelligence. Pre-, post-, and competition-based assessments, supplemented by qualitative feedback, indicated small but meaningful improvements in growth mindset, attentional control, and reductions in adverse competitive cognitions. Although most quantitative changes were not statistically significant, qualitative findings supported positive shifts in mindset, trust, and emotional regulation under pressure. Results suggest that targeted mental skills training may benefit athletes’ psychological adaptability despite methodological limitations.

Birth Order’S Impact On Conscientiousness & Personality In Adults: Mixed-Method Insights On The Firstborn Profile, Liliana Mejia

Liberty University Research Week

The impact of birth order on personality, particularly the trait of conscientiousness in firstborns, remains a controversial topic due to methodological inconsistencies and differing theoretical perspectives. This study examines whether firstborns exhibit significantly higher scores on measures of conscientiousness than laterborns or only children, and how adults perceive the impact of birth order on their personality development in childhood and adulthood. Utilizing a convergent mixed-method design, this study assesses the impact of birth order on personality among 300 U.S.-residing adults. Participants were divided into three groups (firstborns, laterborns, and only children), and all took the HEXACO-100 Personality Inventory. A subset …

Evaluation Of Social Connectedness And Loneliness Scale As Predictors Of Flourishing, Abigayle Minger, Aaron Hall, Faith Davis, Isaac Uehling, Kailyn Rowland, Tanner Simoneaux

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of social connectedness and loneliness as predictors of the subsequent levels of flourishing. This study will use multiple regression analysis from data collected on 478 U.S. adults to determine how each of the six levels of the Secure Flourishing Index are predicted by the UCLA Loneliness Scale and Social Connectedness Instrument. More specifically, how does social connection, or loneliness, act as a predictor for happiness and life satisfaction, mental & physical health, meaning & purpose, character & virtue, close social relationships, and financial & material stability. Previous literature indicates that …

Prayer As A Predictor To God Attachment, Levi Morgan, Hampton Still

Liberty University Research Week

Attachment theory describes the innate desire for infants to form bonds with their caregivers, which impacts biopsychosocial functioning across the lifespan. Attachment theory has expanded to religious and spiritual contexts to describe the innate desire for individuals to form a relationship with God. One prominent religious practice is prayer, which is a relational tool performed by an individual or a group to communicate with and form a stronger relationship with God. Prayer has demonstrated relationships with various positive mental health outcomes and a stronger attachment to God. However, previous literature has yet to examine the relationship between various forms of …

Hope: A Vital Sign In Behavioral Health, Isaac Uehling, Alexis Lykins, Jade Gordon, Kelsey Messer

Liberty University Research Week

Hope at its core is the key motivating factor for patient’s pursual of behavioral health interventions, and is a critical upstream factor in the success of behavioral health treatments. The current understanding of hope is centered around goal-making and pathway engagement (Snyder et al., 1991). Although these concepts contribute to hope’s definition, they don’t fully encapsulate the multifaceted nature of hope. Our current study is a continuation of a previous study that expanded the definition of hope through an explorative lens by developing a multi-dimensional instrument – the Powers of Hope Scale. This scale assesses an individual’s level of hope …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of A Sensory Reduction Room, Wyatt Price

Liberty University Research Week

Stress is a significant issue amongst university students, and many interventions are being developed to decrease stress to increase the general well-being of students. The Office of Disability and Accommodation Support (ODAS) has developed a sensory room open to all residential students as an intervention to decrease stress. Methods: A quasi- experimental, non-equivalent group design was used with a convenience sample of university students (N = 58) recruited through the Office of Disability and Accommodation Support (ODAS). The experimental group sat in a sensory room for 20 minutes, while the control group engaged in routine ODAS activities while connected to …

The Psychological And Physiological Effects Of Acute Social Media Use, Noah Rimmer

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Connectedness And Mental Health, Annie Barnish, Brooke Akins, Hadley Harris, Katiann Kasell, Noah Mathis, Sophia Lashey

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Changes In First-Year Students’ Self-Regulated Learning From High School To College, Nancy E. Rodriguez, Anna C. Brady

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

During the first semester of college, students experience drastic changes in their independence, and learning strategies. This transitional period from high school to the first semester of college requires researchers to understand students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) processes during their first year. It is important to understand the connection between students’ experiences, learning strategies, and persistence in college. Knowledge on this connection can support funding for institutional resources like first-year seminar classes. These classes can improve students’ commitment for graduating on time, and academic achievement. For this reason, the proposed project aims to investigate students’ engagement in SRL by answering the …

Unmet Needs And Resilience In Internally Displaced Populations (Idps) In Nigeria: Evidence To Inform Humanitarian Interventions, Great Onyedika Okereke, Tahirou Diallo

Liberty University Research Week

Background: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) face food insecurity, unmet healthcare needs, unsafe living conditions, and trauma, all of which may impact psychological resilience. Hopefulness can serve as a practical proxy for resilience, but few studies examine how cumulative unmet needs affect hopefulness among IDPs. This study explores the association between unmet need severity and hopefulness among IDPs in Nigeria to guide targeted humanitarian interventions.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey data from 98 displaced adults were analyzed. Hopefulness was a binary outcome (hopeful vs not hopeful). The main exposure was a cumulative unmet need score covering food insecurity, unmet healthcare, unsafe living conditions, …

Creative Resilience In Career Counseling: Innovative Strategies For Diverse Populations, Janita Daggy, Deepa Michelle Emmanuel, Stacey Coyne

Liberty University Research Week

Ongoing workforce shifts and social inequities have intensified the challenges many individuals face during career transitions. While creativity and resilience are each associated with career adaptability and success, their combined application in career counseling has received limited attention. This presentation introduces a creative resilience framework grounded in career construction and narrative approaches. Creative interventions, including narrative reframing, metaphor, expressive writing, and experiential strategies, are highlighted as tools for supporting flexibility, meaning-making, and engagement. A culturally responsive practitioner toolkit is proposed for use with diverse populations such as first-generation students, veterans, and displaced workers. Implications for counseling practice and future research …

The Effect Of Early Sport Specialization On Psychological Burnout In Youth Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic, Caitlynn Ybarra, Brylee Starling

Liberty University Research Week

Context: The prevalence of youth athletes specializing in a single sport prior to puberty has steadily increased, often driven by aspirations to achieve elite performance status and secure scholarships. Clinicians, however, have observed significant negative consequences associated with early specialization, including psychological burnout, premature retirement, amotivation, and exhaustion. Within youth athletics, how does single-sport specialization early on compare with multi-sport participation when looking at the impact it has on psychological burnout throughout growth and maturation?

Methods: Across the included studies, early single-sport specialization was consistent in having higher levels of psychological stress and burnout symptoms when compared to multi-sport youth …

Relationships Among Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Reactivity, And Heart Rate Variability, Miriam Bowser

Liberty University Research Week

Ability emotional intelligence (EI) and trait EI have been correlated with heart rate variability (HRV), suggesting adaptive regulation facilitated by the autonomic nervous system. Emotional reactivity (ER) is also positively correlated with EI, possibly because individuals with higher EI are more sensitive to emotional information. The current study utilizes a cross-sectional design (N = 71) to measure trait and ability EI, self-reported emotional reactivity, and HRV. The current study found no relationships among trait and ability EI, suggesting that they encompass distinct underlying constructs. EI did not have a relationship with HRV, which could be due to the study’s small …

The Effects Of Digital Restriction On Psychological And Physiological Well-Being, Rachel Anderson, Andrew Gatto, Caroline Berghuis, Kaden Randlett, Lilianna Franke

Liberty University Research Week

Past research on digital restriction has shown that limiting smartphone usage could have a significant effect on psychological well-being. We also propose that smartphone restriction could have an effect on physiological well-being. To understand these effects, we completed a mixed-methods randomized delayed intervention factorial experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to smartphone restriction immediately (1A) or delayed (1B), or social media restriction immediately (2A) or delayed (2B). During each lab visit (baseline, two weeks, and four weeks), data on perceived well-being and smartphone screentime logs were collected. To assess physiological well-being, heart rate variability (HRV) was collected using Polar-brand H10 chest …

Loneliness And Health Behaviors, Haylee Goral, Jianna Bigio, Ashley Bustamante, Ruby Maton, Sullivan Morefield, Avery Owen

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Honoring Survivors’ Wholeness: Recommendations For University Offices Of Wellness, Maeve Jillian King

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Rates of child abuse are nationally significant, especially after considering how much violence goes unreported. Many college students have experienced sexual violence prior to arriving on campus, where incidents of sexual victimization are prominent. With this in mind, how can university offices of wellness support survivors wherever they are in their journey of survivorship? Previous research rarely considers both realities of victimization, but displays large concerns surrounding survivor’s mental health and educational obtainment. Additionally peer and social support play significant roles in survivor outcomes. This interdisciplinary literature review examines current university practices, mental health realities, and impacts of culture on …

Thinking Under Pressure: Does Mindset And Mood Affect Cognitive Performance?, Pamela Kplivi, Hannah Nowicki, Emmy Carmichael, Charlie Guri, Abigail Blanda, Brandon Sookkasem, Shayne Alexander, Hope Williams, Gabriella Tossah, Meeraben Patel, Michael Woodcock, Virginia Wickline

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring creative problem-solving, can be influenced by both individual and situational factors. Prior research highlights intrinsic beliefs about intelligence and external factors such as mood states as determinants of problem solving outcomes (Baumeister & Vohs, 2016; Okon-Singer et al., 2015). The present study utilizes a 2 x 3 between-subjects experimental design to examine how mindset (growth vs. fixed) and temporary mood state (positive, neutral, negative) interact to shape performance on a creative problem solving task. Mindset is assessed using the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale (ITIS; Dweck, 1999), cognitive performance is measured using a shortened …

Systemic Barriers To Parental Involvement In Immigrant Families: Impact On Children’S Academic Outcomes, Ama Jane Baffoe

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This literature review examines how parental involvement and systemic barriers influence children’s academic outcomes, specifically within immigrant families. By analyzing research on language proficiency and work schedules, this study identifies how these factors limit parental participation in school-based activities. Findings indicate that while parental involvement consistently correlates with academic achievement and emotional stability, current school systems often disadvantage immigrant families facing these barriers. The review concludes that schools must develop more inclusive involvement strategies to eliminate educational inequalities and better support the success of students from diverse backgrounds.

Unpaid Internship Award Presentation By Cella Porter, Cella Porter

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

As a Behavioral Health Intern at Alternatives, I support students at Theodore Roosevelt High School through weekly one-on-one mentorship meetings. Because of my impact at this unpaid internship, Loyola University of Chicago has granted me the Unpaid Internship Award. This presentation outlines my role, work, and takeaways from my time at Alternatives.

What Is The Impact Of Stress? A Comparison Study Of College Athletes & Non-Athletes, Paige M. Christianson, Kyra Nelson, Kylie S. Buck, Kaidin S. Barnes

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The aim of this study was to explore differences in stress mindset, perceived stress, and extreme life stressors among athlete and non-athlete college students. The sample included participants recruited from a Midwestern university (N = 312), in which 28.2% identified as an athlete in either a NCAA Division II team and/or a sports club. Participants completed an online anonymous Qualtrics survey answering questions measuring their stress mindset, perceived stress, and current most extreme life stressor. Comparisons between the two groups, stress mindset scores and perceived stress scores were evaluated through independent samples t-tests, while differences in most extreme life stressor …

Public Health Book Club, Ashia Meister, James W. Durst, Ameila Beyer, Kelly K. Freymiller, Julia I. Kunz, Jaci M. Winchell, Josephine M. Sandquist, Chloe F. Sand

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Introduction: This project describes the development and implementation of a book club focused on population health topics to promote learning, discussion, and community engagement. A public library is a safe space to host book club meetings due to its non-intimidating environment. All members of the community are welcome to participate. A book club was hosted on campus for members of the nursing cohort to attend. With a focus on public health, these book clubs build awareness, critical thinking, and community engagement around population health issues. Purpose: The promotion of a book club can improve health literacy in the community by …

What Do Healthy Eaters Do?: A Qualitative Analysis Of Self-As-Doer Healthy Eater Identities, Ava N. Krolnik, Esther A. Gauerke, Megan L. Ekern, Georgia R. Jeddeloh, Isabelle C. Okeson, Riley G. Buck, Madeline Bersch

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Healthy eating is critical for promoting longevity, lowering risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and maintaining a healthy weight. However, only 1 in 10 Americans are meeting dietary guidelines and 60% have one or more diet-related chronic diseases. Research on psychosocial factors like the Theory of Planned Behavior and identity may help promote the engagement of healthy eating behaviors. Longitudinal research suggests that factors such as attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and intentions predict long-term eating behaviors and lifestyle changes when intentions are internalized and believed. Research also demonstrates that constructs such as the self-as-doer identity predict healthy …

Social Dominance In Cd1 Female Mice, Hannah G. Casselman, Eli Illescas-Huerta, Nancy Padilla-Coreano

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Social rank and dominance have a profound impact on the survival of many animals. Social dominance fosters social stability and modulates neuroactivity, immune response, and endocrine function. Understanding and measuring social rank in laboratory mice is crucial when assessing social behavior. Previous research has focused primary on dominance in male mice based on measurements of aggressive and competitive behaviors. However, it remains unclear how social dominance is exhibited in female mice and which behavioral assays are most effective for measuring their rank. Males tend to be aggressive and territorial, whereas females engage in less aggressive and visibly competitive behaviors. Given …