Digital Commons Network^™

College Athletes’ Perception Of The Specialization Process Through Youth Sport, Clayre J. Shaver

Masters Theses

This study explored the adolescent sport experiences of Division I student-athletes, focusing on early sport specialization versus sampling. Past research was seeking the influences that drive athlete and stakeholder decision making through adolescents up until college. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, important themes emerged in these athletes’ stories, including family involvement, financial support, birth order, transitions within athletics and the athletes’ internal goals and motivations. The core finding of this research was the role family played in these athletes’ lives, both positively and negatively, that shaped their athletic and mental development. Athletes expressed how important it is to have …

The Effect Of Occupational Roles, Burnout, And Efficacy On Job Satisfaction Among K-12 Teachers, Chloe Schwahn

Masters Theses

The aim of this study was to investigate variables that may impact the ratings of job satisfaction by practicing Illinois K-12 teachers specifically examining if the variables of occupational roles, burnout, efficacy, and other relevant covariates are correlated and/or have predictive utility on teacher job satisfaction. A secondary goal was to raise awareness about the stressors teachers face in their work environments. Survey materials included a demographics questionnaire, an occupational roles catalog, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale. Seventy-six practicing Illinois K-12 teachers completed the study. Results of the current …

Implementing Gestures Into Vocabulary Instruction To Aid Recall And Retention, Emma Dilley

Masters Theses

This study highlighted the idea of incorporating gestures into vocabulary instruction to help the students recall and retain the new vocabulary words. The researcher predicted that with the incorporation of the strategy of gestures into instruction, kindergarten students will be able to retain more vocabulary words compared to vocabulary instruction that does not include gestures. A total of 22 students and one teacher from a rural town in central Illinois participated in the study. This study was a mixed methods study, which included quantitative data in the form of pretest and posttest and qualitative data in the form of a …

Crisis Communication Guidebook For Small And Medium-Sized Food Business: From Theory To Practice, Yixin Li

Masters Theses

This creative thesis aims to develop a practical crisis communication guidebook for small and medium-sized food businesses. Compared with larger businesses that have greater human and financial resources, small and medium-sized food businesses are often more vulnerable to the influences of crises on revenue and reputation. For this reason, they have a bigger need for practical and systematic crisis guidance. This project is grounded in crisis communication theory and analyzes existing literature in order to translate academic research and theoretical knowledge into an applied guidebook.

The guidebook is organized into three sections based on the timeline of crisis development: before …

Teachers' Perceptions And Professional Uses Of Artificial Intelligence In Education, Lexie Coartney

Masters Theses

This study explores Illinois teachers’ perceptions and professional uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. A mixed methods approach was implemented, including a survey completed by 137 Illinois teachers and four interviews. The research questions examined teachers' perceptions of AI, their professional use of AI, and their approach to students’ use of AI. Findings concluded that participants generally hold positive perceptions of AI, especially its time-saving abilities and being supportive, while also holding concerns including reliability, accuracy, and ethical issues. Results showed that 77% (n = 106) of teachers use AI tools mostly for lesson planning, creating assessments, differentiation, …

Integrating Military-Acquired Iso Quality Management Principles Into Civilian Employment: A Phenomenological Study Of Post-9/11 Veterans, Paul Encinias

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study explored how post-9/11 U.S. military veterans describe their lived experiences of understanding and applying four ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Principles (leadership, engagement of people, process approach, and evidence-based decision making) during the transition to civilian employment. This study further sought to understand how veterans articulated these competencies across employment stages and how those competencies were recognized within civilian organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study used semistructured interviews with 10 post-9/11 U.S. military veterans residing in the United States who had separated from active duty and were engaged in the transition to civilian employment. Participants were …

From Glass Ceilings To Balustrades: The Barriers And Supports In Gender-Balanced Corporate Boards Through The Lens Of Activity Theory, Erica Joy Thompson Dias

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine, through the lens of activity theory (AT), barriers individuals on public company boards of directors experienced in achieving or maintaining gender balance and supports that mitigated those barriers.

Methodology: Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 16 directors representing 13 gender-balanced public company boards. Data were coded using the AT framework, which conceptualizes human activity through interacting components including subject, object, rules, tools, community, and division of labor. In this study, barriers were tensions that obstructed progress toward gender balance, and supports were methods, resources, or actions that mitigated those …

Student Perceptions Of Academic Support Systems: A Sequential Mixed Methods Analysis Of Persistence, James Anderson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was to assess the perceived influence of first-year institutional support services on student retention from the first to the second year at regional public universities in the Northeastern United States.

Methodology: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, 437 retained second-year students completed the researcher-designed Retention Support Impact Survey to assess service utilization and perceived effectiveness. In the qualitative phase, 10 students participated in semi-structured interviews to provide deeper contextual insight into the numerical data.

Findings: The data indicated a disparity between service utilization rates and student-reported …

Exploring Exemplary Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of Campus Presidents, Krysten Stone

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the strategies used by exemplary campus presidents to build and lead resilient teams in for-profit vocational colleges, grounded in Kirkman and Stoverink’s (2023) team resources framework.

Methodology: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 10 exemplary campus presidents serving in for-profit vocational colleges throughout California’s Central Valley. Purposeful sampling was used to identify participants who met the study’s criteria. Data were collected through semistructured, open-ended interviews and the analysis of four organizational artifacts including strategic plans, communication workflows, meeting structures, and leadership models. Data were systematically coded …

Elementary General Education Teachers' (Tk–1) Experiences Implementing Inclusive Practices For Students With Disabilities, Emily Ruth Engelson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to examine the challenges elementary general education teachers (TK–6) face, including confidence and skills, when working to successfully include students with disabilities in their classrooms. The study also sought to identify the most valuable professional development experiences, the role of grade-level collaboration in building teachers' capacity, and the administrative support and resources that contribute to teachers' success in including students with disabilities.

Methodology: This qualitative multi-case study employed semi-structured interviews with six TK–first grade general education teachers in Orange County, California, each with at least one year of experience including a …

An Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study Identifying And Describing The Perceived Impact Of Five Disruptive Career Skills On Women’S Career Advancement To An Executive Leadership, Roque Ramirez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe the perceived impact of Johnson and Mohr’s (2019) five disruptive career skills on the career advancement of female chief petty officers with a military background as they progressed into a leadership position.Methodology: This explanatory mixed-methods study examined the experienced of eight female chief petty officers regarding the use of personal disruption strategies. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on predetermined eligibility criteria and recommendations. Data were collected and analyzed by calculating means scores for quantitative responses and identifying qualitative themes related to the five personal disruption …

Practices Alternative Education Principals Use To Create An Infinite Mindset In Their Schools To Inspire Extraordinary Results, Renee Gates

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary alternative education principals perceive the practices of Simon Sinek’s Infinite Mindset Framework are embedded within their organizations to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand the organizational supports and barriers these exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology: Interviews were used to explore and describe how exemplary alternative high school principals perceive the five practices of Sinek’s Infinite Mindset are embedded within their organizations. The study is intended to contribute to and extend current …

Echocardiography Evaluation Of Aortic Dissection: A Case Study, Alyssa Garvey

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Aortic dissection is a deadly condition where the layers of the aorta tear apart, often causing sharp pain and a lack of blood flow to vital organs. A 55-year-old male presented with worsening shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, and peripheral edema. A transthoracic echocardiogram and computed tomography angiogram were performed and uncovered an ascending aortic aneurysm and a combined Stanford A and B aortic dissection. The patient was rushed into emergency surgery where a Bio-Bentall Procedure was performed. Due to lack of insurance, the patient put off receiving medical aid causing his condition to progress for the worse. Improved …

The Role Of Academic Vocabulary Instruction In Supporting Secondary English Learners' Science Proficiency, Chue Seng Her

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This literature review examines the extent to which academic vocabulary instruction influences secondary English learners’ (ELs’) science proficiency. Science learning requires students to interpret complex texts, engage in academic discourse, and construct evidence-based explanations using discipline-specific language, which may present challenges for ELs. This review provides an overview of research on language demands in science and instructional approaches that support vocabulary development. Findings indicate that academic vocabulary plays a critical role in students’ ability to comprehend scientific content, participate in discourse, and communicate reasoning effectively. Instructional approaches such as explicit vocabulary instruction, scaffolding, discourse-based strategies, reciprocal teaching, cognitive strategy instruction, …

Perceived Adolescent Insecure Attachment With Mothers And Fathers, Helena Pipová, Martin Dolejš, Jaroslava Suchá, Alexander T. Vazsonyi

Sociology Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to test relationships between adolescent insecure attachment (anxious and avoidant) with mothers and fathers and three outcomes: food addiction, eating disorders, and weight status, in a large multi-regional sample of Czech adolescents. Anonymous, self-reported data were collected from 3,677 adolescents (1,688 boys, 45.9% and 1,989 girls, 54.1%). Both anxious and avoidant attachment with mothers were positively associated with food addiction (p <.001) and eating-disorder risk (p <.001). Importantly, avoidant attachment with fathers uniquely and additively explained variance in both food addiction (p <.001) and eating-disorder risk (p =.003), after controlling for maternal attachment. Weight status was unrelated to attachment and was predicted by sex and parental education only. Study findings highlight the salience of insecure attachment with both mothers and fathers for food addiction and eating disorders among adolescents and identify the parental relationship as a key potential preventative strategy.

“Policymakers Need To See This!”, Ramona G. Olvera, Peter Balvanz, Owusua Yamoah, Kesla Klingler, Marisa D. Booty, Sylvia A. Ellison, Amy Farmer, Amy K. Kuntz, Hilary L. Surratt, Carrie B. Oser, Margaret L. Mcgladrey

Sociology Faculty Publications

The use of Photovoice methods to identify and address public health challenges has evolved since this participatory action research method’s inception in the 1990s. However, there is a notable lack of research on the dissemination of Photovoice findings to promote community action and change. This study evaluates audience and Photovoice participants’ experiences of dissemination events presenting the results of 21 Photovoice projects that supplemented the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), a multistate community-based study of strategies to reduce opioid overdose deaths. The Photovoice projects captured the perspectives of people with lived experience of substance use disorder and front-line providers regarding their …

Understanding Resilience In Children In Out-Of-Home Care: Using Person-Centered Health Services Research, Hyeeun K. Shin

Theses and Dissertations--Health Services Research (HSR)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which refer to exposure to traumatic life events before age 18, and instability in caregiving experiences contribute to poor physical, mental, behavioral, and developmental health outcomes for both children and adults. Previous research shows that these experiences can have negative effects both in the short term and throughout a person’s life. However, children’s strengths, which are the internal and external assets that support their development, can help protect against the impact of ACEs. Effective parenting, positive social support, and self-regulation skills are essential factors that build resilience, helping individuals adapt to challenges that may affect their …

Suicide Stigma In A Cross-Cultural Context: Comparison Between Mexican And Mexican American Communities., Robin E. Gearing, Micki Washburn, Kathryne Brewer, Luis R. Torres-Hostos, Pedro Isnardo De La Cruz, Miao Yu, Natalia Giraldo-Santiago, Alberto Cabrera, Adelaido Garcia Andres

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Suicide and suicide-related stigma are serious public health issues affecting Latine communities and often serve as a barrier to help-seeking Mexicans and Mexican Americans experiencing mental health concerns. Despite this, there are still gaps in our understanding of how suicide stigma specifically impacts Latines of Mexican heritage. While Mexicans and Mexican Americans share many familial, cultural, and religious values, their exposure to different societal norms may shape distinct perceptions of suicidal ideation and mental health. To better understand suicide-related stigma in these communities, we conducted a community-based survey with 248 Mexican Americans in Houston and 203 participants in Mexico City …

The Digital In The Library: Finding The Mutually Beneficial Synergy, James M. Donovan

Law Faculty Books and Chapters

With the value of access to digital resources abundantly demonstrated during the COVID-19 lockdown, enthusiasm for the format is reaching new heights. This chapter counsels restraint, rebutting the argument that skepticism concerning the wide adoption of digital materials into the library is due merely to nostalgia by anti-technologists for a now-bygone age. Despite their obvious usefulness in certain situations, patrons have not responded well when libraries propose to discard legacy print collections in favor of transient electronic formats.To explain this rejection, this chapter argues that libraries are built upon principles of collection development and organization of materials in order to …

Face2cam: A User-To-Webcam Distance Estimation Image Dataset, Yixuan Zhai, Arryn Robbins

Psychology Faculty Publications

Estimating the distance between a user and their device’s camera is important for tasks such as gaze-aware interaction, adaptive interface scaling, and accessibility tools. Specialized depth sensors are effective but rarely available in everyday computing devices; by contrast, webcams are ubiquitous yet lack native distance information. To advance accessible distance-aware computing, we present Face2Cam, an openly available dataset of webcam images annotated with user-to-camera distances. Thirty-six adults were photographed under controlled variation of head orientation, gaze direction, and illumination, yielding 3,240 labeled images spanning distances from 30–80 cm. As a baseline, we trained a convolutional neural network as a lightweight …

The Relationship Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms And Reading Abilities And The Moderating Roles Of Parent-Teacher Involvement And Family Emotional Expressiveness, Tatiana Lombana Mims

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The present study focuses on how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms influence reading abilities and whether parent-teacher relationships and family emotional expressiveness moderate that relationship. This study provides further knowledge on the relationship between mental health struggles and academic performance and possible risk/protective factors. Structural equation modeling through AMOS 31 was used to construct path analysis models to analyze the significance of OCD symptoms on reading abilities with parent-teacher involvement and family emotional expressiveness, both positive and negative, as moderators. The relationship between OCD symptoms and reading abilities indicated a consistent negative association though not statistically significant. Parent-teacher involvement did indicate …

The Efficacy Of Co-Response Teams: A Scoping Review, Kristen N. Burkhart

Social Work Theses

This scoping review explores co-response teams, a coordinated response consisting of a mental health professional (MHP) and a law enforcement official (LEO). It examines the implementation, effectiveness, and outcomes of these interventions, highlighting barriers and facilitators of co-response teams. The review analyzed peer-reviewed studies from the years 2016-2026. Using the Arskey & O’Malley framework, an initial database search yielded 691 studies of which 30 were included in this review.  The review identifies four areas of ideas: legal system diversion and outcomes, frontline stakeholders' roles and friction, specialized co-response teams, and systemic barriers and resource constraints. Significant gaps remain in long-term …

Designing An Approach To Developing Students' Symbol Sense For The Derivative In Calculus, Laura E. Weinstein

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Students often struggle to connect the conceptual meaning of the derivative with the symbolic structures of Leibniz (dy/dx) notation. Although symbol sense has been described as the coordination of mathematical concepts, signs, and objects, little is known about how instruction can purposefully support students in developing symbol sense for the derivative. This study addresses this gap by designing and examining a learning approach aimed at helping students construct the relational structures underlying derivative notation. Using design research methodology, the study engaged intact algebra, precalculus and calculus classes in a suburban New Jersey high school across iterative cycles of design, implementation, …

Engagement Is Not A Checklist, Michael S. Bowden

The Utah English Journal

A Familiar Classroom Scene

A teacher stands at the front of her classroom, mid-lesson, and scans the room to check for understanding. She sees what many teachers recognize in their classrooms every day: a sea of students, each seemingly in a different place. In the projector’s glow, she sees a few students intently taking notes on the lesson; a couple are scratching doodles on their page, one is staring straight ahead but not really interacting, and she can hear two more click-clacking on their keyboards as they are looking at something on their Chromebooks.

The Utah English Journal, Volume 54, 2026: Full Issue

The Utah English Journal

No abstract provided.

Protecting Those Who Protect Us: A Blueprint For Mandatory Mental Wellness Standards For First Responders, Joy Hutchinson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

First responders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), dispatchers/telecommunicators, and corrections officers, serve as the backbone of public safety in the United States. Their work requires rapid decision-making, repeated exposure to traumatic events, and sustained emotional regulation in high-stakes environments (Hoell et al., 2023; Vig et al., 2020). Despite their critical roles, mental health support across these professions remains inconsistent, optional, and largely reactive rather than preventative, with many systems relying on self-referral only after crisis onset (Burke, 2021; Johnston et al., 2025).

Between 2021 and 2025, U.S.-based research has documented alarming levels of burnout, depression, anxiety, …

The Suppression Of The Opelousas Massacre Of 1868: The Blackleg Hunt Or “La Chasse A’ La Jambe Noire”, August Malveaux

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

This article examines the suppression of the 1868 Opelousas Massacre—also known as “la chasse à la jambe noire” or the Blackleg Hunt—and situates it within the broader landscape of Reconstruction-era racial violence in Louisiana. Malveaux argues that the massacre was not an isolated riot but a premeditated act of political terrorism designed to eliminate Black electoral participation and reverse Reconstruction gains. Triggered by Black political mobilization and white supremacist resistance, the violence unfolded over several days in September 1868 and resulted in widespread murder, intimidation, and property destruction. The essay challenges the historiographical minimization of the event, emphasizing how organized …

The International Order, International Law, And The Definition Of Security, Harlan Grant Cohen

Michigan Journal of International Law

As economic security has seemingly moved to the center of American and European foreign policy, both the United States and the European Union have broadened their interpretation of international law rules governing security, coercion, and intervention. But these interpretations are not exactly new, echoing developing state interpretations of international law that developed states had long ago seemingly rejected. How are these once moribund interpretations of security, force, and coercion being brought back to life?

This article argues that these interpretative shifts highlight the role of the international order as an interpretative mechanism within international law. Borrowing from the work of …

Menstrual Leave In Spain, Lidia De La Iglesia Aza

Dispatches

This dispatch aims to outline a new regulation in Spain regarding menstrual leave as a social security benefit that allows women to take paid leave from work in cases where menstruation-related reasons prevent them from performing their duties. To this end, it looks at menstrual health as a workplace issue in general, before turning to menstrual leave regulation in Spain and its novelties, challenges and remaining controversies.

Speculative Journeys Through Young Adult Graphic Novels: How Time Travel Interprets Trauma, Xhorxhina Gjergji

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines the significance of the speculative element of time travel in young adult graphic novels. The graphic novel format and its visual elements facilitate understanding of a fractured identity resulting from trauma. The speculative work of time travel allows consideration of “what-ifs.” This thesis focuses on three graphic novels, Displacement by Kiku Hughes, Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn, and Orange by Ichigo Takano, in order to explore how time travel serves as a metaphor for the processing of trauma. These young adult graphic novels explore how someone’s relationship to time changes in the wake of traumatic events. …