Digital Commons Network^™

Fostering Resilience Among Urban Youth: Protective Settings And Processes, Yaneira Pyszniak

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Research has shown that adolescence is a vulnerable period for mental health problems, especially for youth living in high-stress urban environments. Youth can also build resilience in the context of protective processes during this period. Thus, it is critical to recognize which environments and settings help build resilience in youth. Environments such as the youth’s home and school are the most well-established protective settings in the development of mental health problems (Luthar et al., 2000). However, less is known about what other settings can foster resilience in youth as well as the specific processes associated with positive outcomes across each …

Acculturative Stress And Depression In Latinx Youth: Exploring The Roles Of Emotion Reactivity And Maternal Attachment, Melisa Dangles

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Acculturative stress (AS) is a type of stress that emerges from acculturation challenges and is commonly experienced by families of immigrant backgrounds affecting their mental health and well-being. AS is strongly associated with negative emotion and psychological outcomes, including increased depressive symptoms. While previous research has primarily focused on the direct relation between AS and mental health, fewer studies have examined the mechanisms explaining this association or the factors that may buffer its effects. This study utilizes data from 281 Latinx youth (Mage = 11.4; SD = 0.94) to explore the roles of Emotion Reactivity (ER) and Maternal Attachment in …

The Impact Of Family Relationships And Communication On The Mental Health Of Urban Immigrant Adolescents, Gayatri Vatsavai

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This study examined whether family relationship quality and communication with parents during stressful situations were associated with mental health among urban immigrant adolescents. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping, I used secondary data from the Stress and Learning Study, which surveyed 78 immigrant adolescents in Chicago Public Schools (ages 11 to 14) at two time points approximately 7-9 months apart. Family functioning was assessed with the Family Relationship Scale, parent focused communication during stress was assessed with binary items from the Response to Stress Questionnaire, and mental health was assessed with Youth Self Report Total …

Black Educated Women's Experience With Relationship Formation After Intimate Partner Violence, Jeannette Aris Thompson-Beckford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at disproportionately high rates, yet most research has focused on those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, overlooking how educated Black women navigate relationships after IPV. While extensive studies have examined the health consequences of IPV among Black women, less attention has been given to their experiences with intimacy, trust, and partner selection post-IPV. Additionally, existing research on relationship formation after IPV has largely centered on other racial groups, leaving the unique challenges faced by Black educated women underexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Black, educated women describe their experiences …

Alienation On Campus: Students, Agency, And A 'Praxis Of Possibility', Julia R. Allison

Dissertations

In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the idea of alienation took hold across the United States as a way of explaining feelings of disconnection, powerlessness, and meaninglessness that seemed to be pervading American society. This was no less true on college and university campuses, where students engaged in protest over both government action and inaction and a new youth counterculture took root. What led to alienation’s prominence as a social phenomenon is a matter of some debate, as are the causes of its precipitous decline in the early 70s. However, after an extended silence more recent decades have seen something …

University Resilience: Examining The Relationship Of Acute, Externally-Driven Crisis Events To University Enrollment And Financial Stability, Amy Kyhos

Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the phenomenon of a significant, acute, externally-driven crisis event on university resilience at four-year, tuition-driven, public and private higher education institutions in the United States of America. The study primarily considered the resilience indicators of university undergraduate enrollment and financial stability through the crisis context of COVID-19. It is theorized that a perceived lack of reliability, flexibility, and pace to evolve that higher education exhibited during and shortly after COVID-19 is a sustained point of vulnerability to a field under increasing review from a range of stakeholders and points of financial and public pressure. The study contemplated …

2026-01-21 Can Puppets Save The World? Sociology Course Aims To Find Out, Julia Pilch

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

Distress Calls As Social Stressors Affecting Chicken Welfare, Katherine A. Herborn, Benjamin Wilson, Sarah A. Collins, Malcolm A. Mitchell, Alan G. Mcelligott, Lucy Asher

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Social signals about current environmental risks can shape development in young animals. Distress calls made by young chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) may also encode affective state, with high arousal, potentially ‘anxiety-like’ state characterized by continuous calling, and learned helplessness or potentially ‘depression-like’ state by a more intermittent pattern. During early life (age 4–7 days), we played chicks artificial stimuli mimicking these two call patterns. Growth effects suggest caller affective state can modulate this social signal: chicks exposed to bouts of ‘Continuous’ calls grew faster and were heavier by late commercial life (day 43) than Controls. In contrast, chicks exposed to …

Navigating Trauma With Philosophy, The Philosophical Discussion Group

The Philosopher's Stone

• Navigating Trauma with Philosophy

The Role Of Familism In The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Sleep In Hispanic/Latino Adults: Results From The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol), Tetyana Krutsik

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Hispanic/Latino individuals in the U.S. face sleep health disparities, reporting higher rates of short sleep duration and fragmented sleep compared to non-Hispanic white individuals. While Hispanic/Latino immigrants initially report better sleep health than their U.S.-born counterparts, prolonged residence in the U.S. is associated with worsening sleep, possibly due to acculturative stress. Ethnic identity and familism are cultural factors that have been correlated with positive health outcomes, even mitigating the adverse effects of acculturative stress and discrimination. However, little is known about the associations between these cultural factors and sleep health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effect of ethnic …

Chinese Young Children's Science Learning From Viewing Big Bird Looks At The World, Minxi Cheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study examined how cognitive and contextual factors jointly predict Chinese preschoolers’ science learning from the educational television program Big Bird Looks at the World (BBLW). Grounded in Fisch’s capacity model and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory, the research aimed to clarify how children’s cognitive resources and ecological conditions interact to shape learning from media. Using secondary data from a large experimental sample of Chinese preschoolers (N = 849) across multiple regions, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was employed to estimate the relative contributions of predictors at the child and regional levels. Child-level variables included prior science knowledge, memory capacity, interest, age, household …

Grassroots Governance And Resilience: The Role Of Barangay Disaster Communication Amid Political Uncertainty, Karl Lenin Calaramo Benigno, Elsie Pilar, Yolanda Sabado-Lao

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study examines the role of barangay-level communication in disaster preparedness and response amid political uncertainty, focusing on Ilocos Norte, Philippines. Specifically, it investigates how comprehension of disaster warnings and COVID-19-related terms affects citizens’ compliance, and how demographic and barangay-related factors moderate this relationship. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving surveys of 44 respondents (household heads, barangay officials, and Sangguniang Kabataan officers) and key informant interviews to document communication practices, sources of information, and community trust. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.843, p < 0.001) between comprehension and compliance, highlighting the critical role of understanding in disaster response. Findings also show that traditional communication channels, such as barangay announcements and personal networks, remain central, while political uncertainty can indirectly undermine trust and affect message adherence. Youth participation via SK initiatives contributes to information dissemination but requires enhanced resources and training. This study contributes novel insights by integrating statistical evidence, qualitative analysis, and political context to explain the dynamics of grassroots disaster communication. Policy recommendations include capacity-building, hybrid communication strategies, participatory governance, youth engagement, and integration of political risk into preparedness planning, aimed at enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity in local communities.

The Effect Of Billboard Content On The Electability Of Female Mayoral Candidates In Kendari City In 2024, Sirajuddin Sirajuddin, Dewi Anggraini, Nur Atnan, Sitti Harnia

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study aims to analyze the effect of billboard content on the electability of female mayoral candidates in the 2024 Kendari City Regional Head Elections (Pilkada). The main issue underlying this study is the fact that every Pilkada in Kendari City always features female candidates, but they repeatedly experience defeat despite conducting political campaigns through various outdoor media, including billboards. The method used is a descriptive quantitative approach with simple random sampling technique and a total of 123 respondents. The independent variable in this study is billboard content, while the dependent variable is candidate electability. Data were collected through a …

Clinical, Imaging And Blood Biomarker Outcomes In A Phase 3 Clinical Trial Of Tau Aggregation Inhibitor Hydromethylthionine Mesylate In Mild Cognitive Impairment And Mild To Moderate Dementia Due To Alzheimer’S Disease, Claude Wischik, Richard G. Stefanacci, Peter Bentham, Serge Gauthier, Henrik Zetterberg, Gordon Wilcock, Lutz Froelich, Alistair Burns, Emer Macsweeney, Clive Ballard, Jin-Tai Yu, Tay Siew Choon, Vahe Asvatourian, Natalia Muehlemann, Jan Priel, Karin Kook, Tenecia Sullivan, Diane Downie, Sonya Miller, Carol Pringle, John Storey, Tom Baddeley, Charles R Harrington, Lewis Penny, Mohammad Arastoo, Roger Staff, Anca-Larisa Sandu, Helen Shiells, Serena Lo, Nafeesa Nazlee, Emily Evans, Claire Hull, Bjoern Schelter

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) targets tau pathology and has tau-independent symptomatic activity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of HMTM in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD).

SETTING: 82 centres in Canada, European Union, United Kingdom and United States of America.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 598 amyloid β-PET positive participants were included; 44% (263) met clinical criteria for MCI due to Alzheimer's disease and 56% (335) were diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia due to AD.

INTERVENTION: HMTM 16 mg/day and 8 mg/day were compared with methylthioninium chloride (MTC) …

Power, Privilege, And Perceptions: A Critical Case Study Of Ffa And Gsa Members’ High School Experiences In A Southern Rural High School, Eric Moser, Stacy Vincent, Rebekah Epps

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

There is an urgent need to address the rampant homophobic and transphobic systems and rhetoric in the United States. School cultures reflect the systemic privileging of heterosexual and cisgender identities, which places queer students at an increased risk of victimization and harassment. Rural schools have been found to uphold heteronormative and cisnormative cultures more than suburban and urban schools, which increases safety concerns for rural queer students. Rural schools commonly offer school-based agricultural education (SBAE) and FFA programs, which have been found to struggle in their inclusion of racial minority students. To combat hostile school cultures, many schools offer a …

Beyond The Bathroom: Systemic Barriers To Trans Student Success, Andrew Leclair

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

At the intersection of educational inequity and systemic marginalization, transgender youth face some of their greatest obstacles upon walking through the schoolhouse door—ranging from legislative attacks and gender negation to denied facility access and pervasive bullying. In rural K-12 public schools—where populations are often smaller, more demographically homogenous, and vie for more socially conservative policies—trans youth are particularly vulnerable. Within this context, this piece centers the experiences of transgender students in rural K-12 public schools—highlighting the sociocultural dynamics and systemic barriers that continue to marginalize them within the United States education system today. Through a blend of literature synthesis and …

"What Are They Going To Do? Fire Me?" The Paradoxical Empowerment Of Nonbinary Teachers In Rural South Carolina, Chris Cyan Divens, Jonathan M. Coker

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Nonbinary teachers are seldom the focus of teacher studies, particularly in challenging places such as the rural Southeastern United States. Through a critical ethnographic case study, we explored the stories of two nonbinary teachers who grew up and worked in rural South Carolina. We examined their cultural contexts, including legislative factors, school policies, and school cultures, and we highlighted how these systems created a hostile environment for queer and trans* individuals. Our participants shared how their lived experiences as queer and gender-diverse individuals provided them with an insider perspective about rural South Carolina culture and its limitations. We also found …

Reading About Gender Identity In A Rural Community: Discourse Around Young Adult Literature And Social Justice, Ashley S. Boyd, Rachael R. Wolney

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This study explores how a rural adult book club engaged with gender identity through young adult literature (YAL), focusing on Mason Deaver’s I Wish You All the Best. Facilitated by two teacher educators, the club brought together local residents and a guest speaker from a regional support organization to discuss gender, pronouns, and the experiences of nonbinary youth. Using critical discourse analysis and thematic coding, the authors examine how participants, cisgender adults, navigated unfamiliar concepts, reflected on their own beliefs, and considered implications for their personal and professional lives. Findings highlight the power of YAL to serve as a …

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: Personifying The South In Rural Queer Collegians’ Stories, Miranda N. Rutan, Leia K. Cain

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In this study, we explore the complex interplay between queer identity and Southern cultural narratives among rural college students in the U.S. Bible Belt. We integrated narrative inquiry and arts-based research to examine how participants personify the South within their own stories, revealing nuanced understandings of belonging and identity. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant-created artwork, and discussions about these artworks. Our findings illustrate a dynamic representation of the South as both a source of support and a site of conflict, highlighting the dual roles of community and marginalization in shaping rural queer Southern identities. This research contributes to …

Rural Geographies, Queer Youth And Metronormativity, Fenton Litwiller

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In 1995 Weston articulated an oft recited story where queers move from persecutory rural geographies to the more accepting city. While Weston interrogated this spatial binary and demonstrated failed promise of the metropolis to deliver, particularly across intersections of gender, the urban flight narrative persists. Jack Halberstam (2005) used the term ‘metronormativity’ to illustrate the power of this narrative that influences a research focus on urban queers. This study contributes insights on how queer youth who live in remote Canadian geographies navigate and express gender and sexuality. Eight participants (12 – 24) attended an informal educational space, a genderplay workshop, …

“I’Ve Already Invested So Much Time, Effort, And Money Into This, So I Stay For Me”: A Case Study Of Paulina A First-Generation Trans Latina Rural Community College Student, Ángel De Jesus Gonzalez

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

While research continues to emerge on queer and/or trans (QT) experiences in higher-education, a paucity remains on the nuanced realities of those who exist at the intersections of identities, institutional, and regional contexts. Guided by jotería identity-and-consciousness, this intrinsic case study focuses on Paulina, a first-generation trans Latina rural community college student via queer pláticas. She informs ways that trans Latina students in rural community colleges exists and resists hostile ecological educational environments and in doing so generate queer futurities of rurality. Paulina’s jota-historia disrupts notions of QTs communities presence in rural spaces, rural spaces as synonymous with white, …

Rotating Along The Borderlands: Contextualizing Border Rurality Among Queer Transfronterizxs College Students, Carlos A. Fitch

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Queer Transfronterizx students at rural higher education institutions experience an array of systemic and racialized inequities related to Queerphobia, residential nativism, and immigration challenges. Through a Critical Race Feminista Methodology (CRFM), seven Queer Transfronterizx college students engaged in testimonios and a Queer plática to shed light into the navigation of their rural higher education contexts and lived experiences. The findings note the collaborators’ experience of (1) endangered educational oases, (2) the dual identity isolation pertaining to Queer and Latinx belongings, (3) transborder hypervigilance emerged from border- crossings practices, and (4) a rural border flexibility that provides Queer privileges. Recommendations for …

A Trans Youth’S Encounters With Queerness In Puerto Rico, Gabriel T. Acevedo

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This article explores the lived experiences of Pedro, a transgender youth from rural Puerto Rico, to examine how queer and trans identities are negotiated within contexts shaped by colonialism, Catholic traditions, machismo, and rural community life. Drawing on queer theory, Latinx studies, rural education research, and narrative inquiry, the study highlights Pedro’s voice through interviews, self-narratives, and reflections, positioning youth as knowledge creators rather than passive subjects. Findings reveal three interconnected themes: (1) the importance of educational relationships in fostering belonging and dialogue, (2) the disruption of normative expectations around adolescence, queerness, and urban migration, and (3) the expression of …

Does Sequence Matter? Impact Of Redesigning Sequential Calculus Course On Students’ Learning Outcomes, Chantal Levesque-Bristol Dr., Wonki Lee Dr., Emily M. Bonem, Benjamin C. Wiles, Jennifer D. Moss, Wilella D. Burgess, Weiling Li

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

As colleges and universities increasingly transform their STEM courses through the adoption of more active, student-centered pedagogies, there is a growing need to understand the impact of these educational innovations on student outcomes. This study is conducted in the context of a university-wide faculty development and course redesign project, IMPACT (Instruction Matters, Purdue Academic Course Transformation). IMPACT supports faculty in implementing student-centered pedagogical practices and creating equitable and inclusive learning environments. This study focuses on a sequence of two introductory calculus courses (Calculus 1 and Calculus 2, hereafter CALC 1 and CALC 2) that were transformed as part of the …

Diet: Another Piece Of The Crime Puzzle?, Jerrod Brown, Jeremiah Schimp, Leanne Skehan, Amanda Fenrich, Janina Cich

Nutritional Neurocriminology Today

An expanding body of research suggests that diet and nutrition may play an influential yet underrecognized role in problematic and criminal behaviors. This article synthesizes research linking excessive consumption of sugar and ultra-processed foods to adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, impaired impulse control, aggression, mood dysregulation, and sleep problems. Integrating research suggests that metabolic disruption, neuroinflammation, and gut–brain axis dysfunction may influence cognitive and emotional regulation. While criminal behavior is complex and multifactorial, this article emphasizes nutrition as a modifiable factor to inform forensic mental health practice, correctional policy, and rehabilitative strategies.

Prevention Of Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting In Early Recovery: A Comparative Study Of Ondansetron And Metoclopramide In Adults Undergoing Elective Lower Abdominal Surgery, Majid Fakhir Al-Hamaidah, Ali Ihsan Abdul Mahdi, Maytham Alaa Shahid, Sajjad Salih Rasan, Lina M. Shaker, Shahab Abdulla, Ralela Makline

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remain common complications following surgery, despite the availability of various prophylactic antiemetic agents. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ondansetron and metoclopramide in preventing PONV in patients undergoing elective lower abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 80 adult patients were equally allocated into two groups: one receiving 0.1 mg/kg of intravenous ondansetron and the other 0.2 mg/kg of intravenous metoclopramide at the end of surgery. The incidence, frequency, and need for rescue antiemetics were evaluated over 24 hours postoperatively. The overall incidence of nausea was higher in the …

Brief Of Amici Curiae Children's Rights Scholars And Advocates In Support Of Appellants' Opening Brief: Lighthiser V. Trump, Abigail L. Fleming, Douglas A. Ruley, Catherine Smith

Scholarly Articles

For decades, constitutional doctrine has recognized that children possess enforceable constitutional rights and that their developmental, physical, and social differences from adults are important considerations in constitutional analysis. Courts may not impute adult capacities, privileges, or political agency to children when determining whether their rights may be vindicated, leaving them no democratic mechanism to alleviate their injuries.

The district court’s dismissal of the youth plaintiffs’ claims rests on precisely that error. Although the court recognized that the children alleged concrete, severe, and escalating harms caused by the challenged executive actions, it concluded that relief must come from the political branches …

Students’ Perceptions Of The Use Of Technology In Rural Elementary Schools, Evadney Moncrieffe - Jumpp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid technological advancements have transformed educational experiences, optimizing learning outcomes while providing interesting experiences to learners and educators. More insight was needed on how students perceive learning via technology, as this information can shape how teachers implement technology, especially in rural elementary schools. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the perceptions of students in rural areas between Grades 1–5 regarding the increased use of technology education. The research questions concerned how students in rural elementary schools perceive (a) the use of technology in education and (b) the quality of the teaching–learning process when using or mediating technological …

Fire Service Leadership Cost-Effective Strategies To Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death, Kathryn Marie Bernardo-Preston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract A high incidence of on-duty firefighter sudden cardiac death (SCD) results in increased costs and decreased organizational performance. Fire department leaders are concerned about the financial burden of SCDs as they put strain on departmental budgets and subsequently limit operational readiness. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore how fire department leaders used cost-effective strategies to reduce SCD episodes among on-duty firefighters. Participants comprised six fire department leaders located on the East Coast of the United States who had successfully implemented strategies to minimize firefighter SCD. Data were collected using …

Faculty Perceptions Of Student Use Of Critical Thinking And Clinical Judgment In Prelicensure Alternative Pediatric Clinical Education, Vanessa Lee Lugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Both the changing healthcare environment and diverse pediatric care needs highlight the importance of exploring nontraditional clinical placements for entry-level pediatric nursing students to assess their critical thinking (CT) and clinical judgment (CJ). Many graduates are unprepared for pediatric care, creating safety risks and gaps in meeting children’s healthcare needs. The purpose of this study, guided by communities of practice theory, was to explore faculty experiences with and perceptions of CT and CJ use at alternative pediatric clinical sites for prelicensure undergraduate students in the Northeastern United States. Eleven nursing faculty with recent experience working in nontraditional pediatric sites and …