Digital Commons Network^™

E-Health Literacy And Cyberchondria Severity Among Adolescent High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, Seyda Çavmak, Adem Bilgin

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Amid rapid digitalization and the growing use of artificial intelligence-based search engines, adolescents increasingly seek health information online. This study examined the relationship between high school students' e-health literacy and their cyberchondria tendencies.

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 683 students from public high schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the e-Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short Form (CSS-12). Descriptive statistics, comparative tests, and Pearson correlation were applied (p < 0.05).

Results: Students' e-health literacy and cyberchondria severity were moderate. Significant positive correlations emerged between e-health literacy …

Needlestick Injury Risk And Preventive Behaviors Among Nursing Students, Angga Wilandika, Riandi Alfin, Rosa Intan Khoerunnisa

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Needlestick injury (NSI) remains a persistent occupational safety risk for nursing students during clinical practice, with implications for worker safety, patient care, and healthcare safety systems. Understanding preventive safety behavior within clinical training environments is essential for improving workplace safety in healthcare settings.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing students undertaking hospital-based clinical placements. Using a purposive sampling, participants completed a structured self-administered questionnaire assessing NSI exposure, preventive safety behaviors, clinical supervision, safety training, and perceived safety within the clinical learning environment. Data was analyzed to identify patterns of NSI risk and associated preventive behaviors. …

Assessing Healthcare Access Among Overweight And Obese Individuals In Türkiye Using Latent Variable Modeling, Banu Beyaz Sipahi

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Overweight and obesity are critical determinants of healthcare access, yet evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped these dynamics in Türkiye remains limited. This study investigates whether the early post-pandemic recovery period altered healthcare access patterns for individuals with excess weight.

Methods: Using nationally representative microdata from the 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2022 Turkish Health Surveys, we constructed a latent Healthcare Access Index based on six indicators of unmet care needs. Probit models were estimated to assess associations between BMI categories and healthcare access, controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors. The 2022 wave serves as the early …

Explicit Reading Comprehension Instruction: Developing An Evidence-Based Resource Guide For Upper Elementary Teachers, Amanda M. Moser

Masters Projects

Reading comprehension is a complex process that requires more than accurate decoding and word recognition. Many elementary students benefit from explicit instruction in the cognitive, linguistic, and metacognitive processes that support comprehension. The purpose of this project was to examine research on reading comprehension and develop evidence-based instructional resources for upper elementary teachers. The theoretical framework for this project draws on four perspectives: the Constructive-Integration Model (Kintsch, as discussed in Conner et al., 2016), Transactional Theory (Rosenblatt, 1978), Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, as discussed in Palincsar et al., 1987), and the Active View of Reading (Duke & Cartwright, 2021). Collectively, these …

Staff Education On Improving Medication Adherence, Oneil Dobgima Galega

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed a practice gap in an outpatient behavioral health setting involving inconsistent use of structured communication strategies to support medication adherence among psychiatric patients. Although nurses routinely provided medication instructions, approaches such as motivational interviewing and psychoeducation were underutilized, limiting patient engagement, understanding, and adherence, and ultimately affecting care continuity and outcomes. The purpose of the project was to improve psychiatric nurses’ knowledge and intent to use motivational interviewing and psychoeducation to enhance medication adherence. The guiding practice-focused question examined whether a structured educational intervention could strengthen nurses’ competencies in these communication strategies. …

Challenges Early Childhood Educators Encounter When Balancing Play-Based Learning With Preparation For Standardized Testing, Shanette Damar Mcbride

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that emphasis is being placed on standardized testing, which is causing early childhood educators to feel pressured to eliminate or reduce playtime in their classrooms. Framed by Vygotsky’s theory of social development and Lave and Wenger’s situated learning framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of early childhood educators in a southcentral U.S. state regarding the challenges they face in balancing a play-based learning curriculum and the support they need, while emphasizing information about standardized testing. The data were collected from semistructured interviews with 12 certified kindergarten …

Exploring The Experiences And Support Needs Of African Immigrant Families Raising Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Ohio, Linda Nkoumba Eteki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents unique challenges for families; however, African immigrant parents raising children with ASD in Ohio experience additional difficulties related to cultural stigma, systemic inequities, and limited access to culturally responsive services. This social work practice problem is important because it reflects disparities in diagnosis, intervention, service access, and family support that align with social work’s commitment to equity, advocacy, and social justice. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African immigrant families raising children with ASD in Ohio and to examine how they describe autism-related stigma, caregiving challenges, and interactions with …

Openness To Experience And Creative Capacity Among Active First Responders, William Reagan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Because emergency services demand adaptive, creative problem-solving within procedurally rigid cultures, this study examined whether Openness to Experience predicted creative capacity among active first responders and whether age or tenure moderated that relationship. A cross-sectional design used N = 117 first responders from eight agencies. Openness was measured with the Big Five Inventory-2 (percentile ranks); creativity was assessed with the Divergent Association Task (DAT; n = 116) and the Consensual Assessment Technique (CAT; n = 111). Covariates were age, tenure, rank, gender, and, for 46 participants at one agency, a dispatch-derived operational exposure score. In the full sample, Openness did …

Local Farming Sustainability Nongovernment Organization’S Perceived Driving Forces For A Crisis Management Plan, Nthonoki Cynthia Tsepe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operate in increasingly volatile environments characterized by financial uncertainty, political pressures, and climate-related disruptions; however, many lack formalized crisis management systems. The absence of structured crisis governance exposes organizations to operational instability, financial risk, and reputational damage. The purpose of this qualitative force field analysis study was to explore a local farming sustainability NGO’s perceived driving and restraining forces for developing a formal crisis management plan. Guided by Burnett’s crisis management model and Lewin’s force field analysis framework, data were collected from nine organizational leaders involved in governance and operational decision making. Round 1 included open-ended online …

Strategies For Reducing Employee Turnover In Retail Business, Mia Bulger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strategies for Reducing Employee Turnover in Retail Business by Mia S. Bulger MS, University of Phoenix, 2022 BS, Clark Atlanta University, 2005 Qualitative Pragmatic Inquiry Business Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University August 2026

African American Fathers’ Experiences Of Emotional Distress Within The Context Of Black Masculinity After Their Children’S Autism Diagnosis, John Notice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although parental experiences following a child's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis have been examined, mothers’ experiences have garnered the most exploration, with comparatively less attention given to fathers’ experiences. There was a gap in knowledge, in particular, on how African American (AA) fathers experience their children's ASD diagnoses while navigating emotional distress within the context of Black masculinity. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how AA fathers experienced their children's ASD diagnoses while navigating emotional distress within the context of Black masculinity. Crenshaw's intersectionality theory served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected by conducting semistructured …

Strategies For Managing Change In Home Health Care Businesses, Halbert Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Home health care agencies may experience financial hardship when regulatory inspections result in deficiencies and administrative penalties. Home health company (HHC) leaders are concerned because ineffective change management strategies may contribute to ongoing regulatory deficiencies, penalties, and reduced business performance. Grounded in Lewin’s change management theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore change management strategies some HHC owners successfully implemented to reduce administrative deficiencies and penalties to augment business performance and profitability. The participants were six leaders from HHC firms in the southwestern region of the United States who had developed effective strategies to improve …

Lived Experiences Of Clinical Psychologists: Personal Coping Strategies To Address Emotional Exhaustion, Ayushi Shrestha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional exhaustion is a key element of burnout among clinical psychologists. However, there are limited qualitative studies that examine how psychologists experience and cope with it. This study explored how licensed clinical psychologists experience and cope with emotional exhaustion. The study used Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory to explore how clinicians perceive, interpret, and respond to emotional demands. Semi structured interviews with licensed clinical psychologists experiencing emotional exhaustion were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, including descriptive and pattern coding to identify themes. Five themes were identified: workplace and organizational stressors; emotional experience of …

Staff Education To Improve Behavioral Health Integration In Primary Care, Nelly Endah Atu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education project addressed a persistent gap in the delivery of integrated physical and mental healthcare for patients with co-occurring conditions. Fragmented care in primary care contributes to untreated mental health needs, increased patient distress, higher costs, and poor outcomes. The aim of this project was to develop, deliver, and evaluate a staff education program equipping nurses, nurse practitioners, and interdisciplinary team members with the knowledge, skills, and practical strategies needed to improve behavioral health integration in primary care. The practice question was, among interdisciplinary staff in a community health setting, did the implementation of an evidence-based, ADDIE-designed staff …

Sbirt Staff Education To Registered Nurses In The Emergency Department, Rosemary Thuet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The project hospitals have, on average, 2,400 emergency department (ED) visits a month. Although patients receive a social screening, there are no specific assessments to determine if the person is at risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The lack of screening is a missed opportunity to provide a Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) assessment of over 2,400 patients a month or 48,000 people annually. Although several screening tools could be used for an SBIRT assessment, the recommendation of ED nursing leadership is to implement the tool known as the CAGE Questionnaire (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and …

Youth With Mental Illness Transitioning Into Adult Judicial Systems, Susan K. Beltran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite attempts to alleviate the issues of recidivism in juveniles, this issue continues to have a major impact on young adults suffering from mental health challenges. Criminal justice involvement continues to present significant challenges for individuals with behavioral health disorders, underscoring the need to identify factors associated with arrest to inform prevention and intervention efforts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between recidivism and the age of first arrest, gender, and psychiatric diagnosis for youths in an adult facility. The current study used data from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, with a sample size of N=1829. …

Lived Experiences And Competencies Of Mental Health Professionals Supporting Postpartum Mothers’ Mental Health And Well-Being, Shaynie Wolski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and postpartum psychosis, affect postpartum individuals and their families. Limited research has examined the lived experiences and competencies of licensed mental health professionals who address PMADs, potentially limiting counselor educators’ ability to prepare counselors for postpartum mental health needs. Guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and informed by Ecological Systems Theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to answer the guiding question: What are the lived experiences of licensed mental health professionals in recognizing, assessing, and treating PMADs among postpartum clients? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight …

Unfolding Dynamics Of Distractor Suppression Through Reaching Movement Trajectories, Shinhae Ahn

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Efficient visual search requires prioritizing relevant information while suppressing salient but irrelevant distractors that compete for attention. Previous studies have shown that attentional suppression of salient distractors can be modulated by perceptual grouping (Ma & Abrams, 2023) and distractor salience (Stilwell et al., 2023; 2024). However, prior work has relied primarily on discrete keypress or oculomotor measures, such as reaction time, accuracy, and first saccadic destination. Although these measures provide important evidence about whether distractors interfere with or are suppressed during visual search, it still remains unclear how distractor-induced spatial biases emerge and change over the course of the target …

Racial Trauma And Posttraumatic Growth: Implications For Counselors, Margaret M. Poandl, Nowoola Awopetu, Paul C. Harris Dr.

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Racial trauma is ubiquitous among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and people who belong to other marginalized groups. It is likely that counselors will work with individuals who have experienced racial trauma. Aligned with the counseling profession’s values, counselors can take a strengths-based approach that incorporates facilitation of a historical trauma posttraumatic growth (HT-PTG) framework. This paper presents evidence-informed practices that can foster growth on individual and collective levels. A case example is provided that integrates individual- and collective-level interventions bidirectionally, along with implications for counselor training pedagogically, through supervision, and continuing education. Counselors can identify, encourage, and …

The Safe Fishbowl Model: Psychological Safety By Design In Counseling Skills Training, Mike Mariska

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Skills training in counselor education can be constrained by performance anxiety, which may reduce participation, limit deliberate practice repetitions, and shift demonstrations to the instructor. This applied-practice manuscript introduces the SAFE (Structured Avatar and Feedback Experience) Fishbowl model, a simulation architecture designed to address performance anxiety while scaling participation. SAFE Fishbowl integrates rotating counselor roles, a real-time coaching loop, structured observation grounded in experiential learning theory, and purposeful debriefing. An implementation example for group counseling leadership skills is provided, along with adaptation guidance across multiple skill domains and delivery modalities. Descriptive course-evaluation feedback illustrates feasibility and perceived usefulness. Implications include …

A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Cacrep Accreditation Standards: Implications For The 2024 Cacrep Academic Quality Standards, David Moran

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This embedded mixed methods study examined the frequency of CACREP standards cited as ‘not met’ by the CACREP Board of Directors and explored counselor educators’ experiences with program evaluation. Frequency analysis revealed that Section 4 standards were disproportionately cited, yet applied consistently across diverse institutional types and delivery formats. Qualitative interviews with 16 counselor educators identified four themes: The Paradox of Agency, Faculty Workload Challenges, Performative Compliance vs. Authentic Improvement, and Faculty Experience with Program Evaluation. Findings suggest that while accreditation decisions are unbiased, the evaluation process imposes substantial strain on faculty resources. These results have …

Integrating Consensual Non-Monogamy In Counselor Education: Practical Guidelines And A Pilot Descriptive Study, Yun-Zhuo (Zoey) Liu, Lena Salpietro

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) is a prevalent and diverse relationship structure, yet mononormative assumptions persist in counselor training and practice, contributing to stigma and inadequate care. Research indicates that counselors’ CNM-specific knowledge and attitudes are critical to positive therapeutic outcomes (Schechinger et al., 2018), highlighting the need for clear guidance. In response, this paper presents Guidelines for Incorporating CNM in Counseling Curricula. Three domains are grounded in multicultural and social justice principles: foundational knowledge and terminology, challenging bias and promoting self-reflection, and application informed by attachment theory. Additionally, findings from a survey of counselor educators (N = 54) are presented. Results …

U.S. Service Member To Counseling Student, Nicole Marie Arcuri Sanders, Kellie Forziat-Pytel

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This qualitative descriptive study examines the absence of military career pathways for licensed mental health counselors (MHCs) and the impact of this structural limitation on service members' career transitions. Findings indicate that both combat and non-combat veterans pursued mental health counseling due to personal service-related mental health experiences and dissatisfaction with available care while in service. Despite these challenges, many participants expressed a strong desire to continue serving their country as professional counselors. Over half of the participants reported separating from the military because no occupational role existed for licensed MHCs. At the same time, most indicated they would have …

The Expert Myth: Impostor Phenomenon And Research Identity In Counselor Education, Kristi B. Cannon, Kelly Coker, Trent Hepting, Lidian Ramirez-Fiol, Robyn T. Simmons

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Imposter Phenomenon (IP) affects counselor educators across career stages, yet it is often conceptualized as an individual deficiency rather than a systemically reinforced experience. This article frames IP in counselor education through the lens of the Expert Myth—a systemic pattern within academic culture that reinforces the expectation that faculty must consistently present as fully knowledgeable, productive, and self-assured to be regarded as credible. We examine how institutional cultures, publish-or-perish pressures, and inadequate mentorship structures create and reinforce imposter feelings, particularly among marginalized faculty and those navigating researcher identity development. Drawing on existing literature, we propose that meaningful intervention requires systemic …

Modernizing Career Counseling In Counselor Education: A Conceptual Exploration, Yuhyun Park, Se Hoon Kim, Rasheed Adeyemo, Sarah Ebner, Mallory Redmond, Breeana Donayre, Carly Steves

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Career development is often confined to a single course despite its relevance across counseling practice. This conceptual article reframes it as an integrative foundation for counselor preparation, supervision, and professional identity. It examines connections among work, mental health, education, disability, relationships, and social context across counseling specializations. The article also considers doctoral training and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in career-related practice. Recommendations address curriculum design, supervision, and future research on integrated career preparation.

The Lived Experiences Of Queer And Trans Counselor Educators In Cacrep Programs, Erin Pitts, Kathleen Brown-Rice, Maribeth F. Jorgensen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Queer and trans professionals historically experience discrimination, persecution, and oppression in the workplace. While counselor education has ethical and accreditation standards requiring multicultural inclusion and competence, there is limited research that explores the experiences of queer and trans counselor educators in the workplace. We used an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of queer and trans faculty working in CACREP programs. Four participants completed semi-structured interviews, resulting in four themes: 1) career journey, 2) visibility matters, 3) if not us then who, and 4) work in progress. Implications for counselor education programs are offered related to identifying and addressing …

Developing Grief-Informed Counselors: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Of Counselors-In-Training’S Learning Experiences, Katherine Atkins, Sonya Lorelle, Jennifer Slawson

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Grief remains underrepresented in counselor education despite its relevance across the lifespan and its inclusion in the 2024 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. This qualitative study explored how counselors-in-training (CITs) conceptualized grief and their developing professional role following participation in a structured grief education series. Eleven master’s-level CITs engaged in didactic instruction, experiential grief interventions, and reflective focus groups. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four interrelated themes were constructed that addressed grief conceptualization, counselor role development, integration of the personal self, and educational supports for grief competence. Findings reflected shifts toward relational, culturally responsive, and …

Political Interest And News Media Literacy Among University Students: Case Of The U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2023), Nhat Anh Nguyen, Ngoc Thuy Duong Le

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

In today’s complex media environment, the ability to critically evaluate news plays an essential role in shaping political interest, especially among youth. Although media literacy has been extensively investigated in relation to civic outcomes, the particular link between news media literacy (NML) and political interest is still little known. This paper investigates this link among Vietnamese university students by means of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as a prominent foreign policy instance. Drawing on Potter’s (2004) cognitive model and Maksl et al.'s (2015) NML scale, this study primarily employs a quantitative approach using survey data (N = 410), complemented by …

The Impact Of Japan’S Security Policy Expansion On Great Power Competition In Southeast Asia: The Case Of Indonesia, Rafyoga Jehan Pratama Irsadanar

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

This paper discusses how fragmented perceptions of threat impact the outcome of international security cooperation. It analyses the impacts of Japan’s expanding security posture in Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on the Japan-China great power rivalry in the region. While previous research has examined Japan’s intention to intensify its security engagement with Southeast Asian countries, this paper aims to study the broader impact of Japan’s expanding security cooperation on the region's security constellation. To achieve this objective, the paper employs Japan-Indonesia security and defence cooperation as a case study. The research found that, despite strengthening bilateral relations, the increasing Japan-Indonesia security …

Relational Reasoning Across Cultures: Consistency And Variation In South Korea, The United States, And China, Alexandra Carstensen, Minju Kim, Youngon Choi, Caren M. Walker

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Abstract reasoning in early childhood is often described as following a “relational shift,” over which children become increasingly sensitive to relations. However, recent work has challenged the generality of this account, showing that children in the US and China follow distinct trajectories in a relational match-to-sample task. This difference aligns with multiple cultural and linguistic factors implicated in relational reasoning, where the US and China appear at opposite ends of a continuum, focusing on objects (US) versus relations (CN). This raises the possibility that differences in culture and language may shape variation in the development of abstract reasoning. Here, we …