Substance Use Behaviors And Treatment Engagement In Individuals With Severe Psychopathology With And Without Comorbid Obesity, Rachel M. Madera-Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Research has found significantly higher rates of both substance use and obesity among individuals with SMI compared to population samples which in turn can lead to worsening health outcomes. Despite this, there is limited research on the co-occurrence of obesity, substance use, and SMI and how these conditions may interact to affect patient outcomes. In addition, there are many gaps in the research regarding the relationship between substance use and body weight, appetite and/or eating behaviors. This study conducted a secondary analysis of the NSDUH 2021 survey that characterized substance use and disorders among individuals who had severe psychopathology, examined …

Metamorphosis, Allegra Codamon

Theses and Dissertations

Relevance to Interior Design Research

In Richard Sennett’s The Craftsman, he starts from the premise that thinking and feeling are contained in the process of making. This thesis builds on that premise, arguing that through the embodied process of glassworking, making constitutes a form of interior knowledge—where perception, memory, and bodily awareness are formed through material resistance and responsiveness. Drawing on Sennett and Juhani Pallasmaa, this work positions glassmaking as a mode of thinking-through-doing, in which interiority is produced through sustained material engagement.

Research Question

What does interiority embodied through the making process look like? This question will be investigated …

Connectedness And Help-Seeking Among Veterans: Integrating The Andersen Behavioral Model And The Three-Step Theory Of Suicide, Samuel Ochinang

Theses and Dissertations

Veteran suicide rates remain higher than those of nonveterans, yet many veterans who die by suicide are not engaged in care prior to death. Veteran help-seeking research often focuses on healthcare utilization, overlooking informal sources of support and the decision-making processes that precede service use. Connectedness is a central protective factor in suicide theory but has received limited attention within help-seeking models. This study examined how connectedness influences veterans’ willingness to seek help. Guided by the Andersen Behavioral Model and the Three-Step Theory of Suicide, this secondary analysis used data from the Military Health and Well-Being Project. The analytic sample …

Family- And Cultural-Level Influences For Latine Adolescent Nicotine Use: A Qualitative Study Informing Prevention, Cindy M. Hernandez Castro

Theses and Dissertations

Early tobacco use among Latine adolescents represents a critical public health concern, with 23.8% reporting current use and exceeding rates among other racial/ethnic groups (Birdsey et al., 2023; Gaddy et al., 2022). This early initiation elevates risks for nicotine dependence and related morbidity in adulthood (Tsao et al., 2023). Guided by Structural Ecosystems Theory (Szapocznik & Coatsworth, 1999) and contemporary grounded theory analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Charmaz, 2006; Noble & Mitchell, 2016), this study examined multilevel influences on nicotine-related attitudes among Latine youth, including: (1) familial factors (i.e., parental monitoring, caregiver-youth communication), (2) cultural dynamics (i.e., cultural values and …

Designing For Trust, Transparency, And Public Understanding: Insights From Paul (The Polling Monitor), Stacia Tipton

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DESIGNING FOR TRUST, TRANSPARENCY, AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING:

INSIGHTS FROM PAUL (THE POLLING MONITOR)

Stacia Q Tipton

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Product Innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2026

Director: William Benton, Program Director, Innovation, University College

Americans are curious about each other, despite the shouting matches, polarizing news and political ads made to outrage. When given the chance to find out what their fellow citizens think, most people take it. Traditional polling formats, including the industry's routine charts, percentages, findings and crosstabs, report what the public …

Examining Bidirectional Associations Between Mothers’ Beliefs About Emotions And Child Social-Emotional Outcomes, Sydney Sumrall

Theses and Dissertations

Social-emotional (SE) skills encompass the ability to recognize and regulate emotions, manage behavior to act on goals, and maintain social relationships (Abrahams et al., 2019). Parents play a crucial role in child SE skill development. According to theories of emotion socialization (ES), the beliefs parents hold about emotions shape parents’ ES behaviors, including teaching children how to understand and express feelings (Eisenberg et al., 1998; Gottman, 1996). Because emotion socialization practices are influenced by cultural values (Raval & Walker, 2019), the parent beliefs and ES strategies that best support children’s SE skill development may vary across families’ racial backgrounds. Although …

Social And Community Determinants Of Alcohol Use Among Hispanic/Latino College Students: The Role Of Early Adversity And Drinking Motives, Isis A. Garcia-Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Alcohol use remains one of the most prevalent health-risk behaviors among college students in the United States and is associated with a range of academic, physical, and psychological consequences. Hispanic/Latino college students navigate complex social and cultural environments that may influence alcohol use behaviors, including exposure to early-life adversity, sociopolitical stressors, and culturally grounded sources of resilience. Guided by the Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, this study examined how social and community context factors relate to alcohol use among Hispanic/Latino college students and whether drinking motives function as a psychological mechanism linking social experiences to …

Proof Of Recovery: A Model To Enhance Data Integrity In Data Management Systems, Gustaf Barkstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Businesses lose millions of dollars every year when they can’t restore data from backups. Research shows that Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing is not conducted frequently enough, nor are records maintained that demonstrate full data recovery from backups. This work introduces a design science artifact called PRTOK that aims to increase DRP testing. The design science artifact is a software solution that integrates with Data Management Systems (DMS)

such as iRODS and DSpace, and can work with formats such as HDF5 and BagIt. Proof-of- recovery records, or tokens, are recorded in a replicated, resilient, and indelible proof-of- authority blockchain data …

In Search Of The Soul Of Creativity: Authorship, Agency, And Meaning In Refractive Collaboration With Generative Ai, Fatima Nazir

Theses and Dissertations

When images can be generated in seconds, what remains uniquely human in the act of creation? In Search of the Soul of Creativity: Authorship, Agency, and Meaning in Refractive Collaboration with Generative AI investigates where authorship, agency, and meaning reside within design practices mediated by generative AI. Rather than using AI to produce predictable results, this research deliberately relinquishes control to observe how generative systems interpret language through their own learned associations. Through a practice-led investigation across four generative models within the Higgsfield platform, user prompts were progressively shortened from full sentences to single words, revealing recurring patterns and cultural …

The Ethereal Being That Is Me, And Maybe You, Hwiy Chang

Theses and Dissertations

The Ethereal Being That Is Me, and Maybe You is a 23-minute video collection of short stories accompanied by an installation at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University. This thesis explores the work’s creation as a visual and narrative meditation on self-transformation, drawing from personal experiences in therapy and philosophical texts including Carl Jung’s concept of the unconscious. The paper examines how each story represents a distinct stage of transformation—from recognizing patterns to confronting setbacks to reshaping internal dialogue—and how watercolor’s fluid, unpredictable nature serves as a visual metaphor for the process of change. The installation component …

Follow The Cyclists: Everyday Navigation Of Richmond's Bike Infrastructure, Emily E. Schreer

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the embodied experience of cycling in Richmond, emphasizing the importance of centering firsthand, lived experience in cycling research and urban planning. While traditional transportation planning can often myopically prioritize efficiency and safety metrics to evaluate infrastructure, this project argues that such approaches overlook essential experiential, sensory, and emotional dimensions of cycling that determine how infrastructure is perceived, used, and ultimately succeeds or fails.

Through an ethnographic approach combining field observation of cyclist behavior and mental mapping sessions with Richmond cyclists, this study positions people who bike in Richmond as expert knowledge holders. Participant contributions, combined with observations …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Teacher-Report Modifications Of A Tier 2 Evidence-Based Program In Elementary Schools After Implementation Supports Are Withdrawn, Navneet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Growing literature emphasizes the importance of examining modifications (i.e., responses to unforeseen challenges and deliberate changes to a program) made by implementers to understand the long-term outcomes of evidence-based programs (EBPs), particularly after formal implementation supports, such as training and coaching, are withdrawn. Although prior research has documented that they occur during implementation, less is known about whether modifications occur once external supports are no longer available, and if so, what types of modifications are made, and the rationale for them. This gap is especially salient in school settings for teacher-delivered interventions. To address this gap, this study used semi-structured …

Examining The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Meditation On Posttraumatic Growth Following Interpersonal Trauma: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Margaret Poandl

Theses and Dissertations

Research on interventions designed to increase posttraumatic growth (PTG) among interpersonal trauma survivors is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a six-week trauma-informed mindfulness meditation intervention on PTG. Additionally, I examined outcomes of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and loneliness, as well as analyzed the variables of dispositional mindfulness, hope, spirituality, and self-compassion to understand their potential role as mechanisms of change within the intervention on PTG. To answer these research questions, I conducted a randomized controlled trial study with 113 adults from a community sample who reported experiencing interpersonal trauma. Utilizing linear mixed modeling and …

Exploring, Understanding, And Supporting Academic Help-Seeking In Context, Molly L. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Conceptualized as a self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy, academic help-seeking is a fascinating behavior because it is self-directed while also reliant on social interactions with help-givers (Karabenick, 2004). What is known about help-seeking in academic settings largely revolves around individual traits, strategies, motivations, beliefs, and identities, and how each of these constructs influence help-seeking outcomes (Bornschlegl et al., 2020; Fong et al., 2023; Karabenick & Gonida, 2018). What is underexplored in these areas, however, is how features of the learning context interact with student-level factors to shape academic help-seeking behaviors and beliefs. This dissertation attempts to address some of these gaps …

Profile: More Is Morris, Communications And Marketing

Profile (1996-)

In this Issue: New Name and New Director for the AgCountry Challenge ; Salute to Scholarships ; Gift to Not Only Enhance Cougar Sports Center But Entire Community ; Lucy Imholte's Lasting Legacy Honored Through Sculpture ; From Dining Hall to Third Floor Behmler: Rodriguez '87 is Eighth Chancellor ; Partnership Pilots New Energy Storage Technology on Campus ; Faculty and Staff Awards ; Van Wey Named Fulbright Finalist ; UMN Morris Receives Carnegie Community Engagement Classification ; Public Lecture, Telescope Viewing Part of SCOPES Conference ; UMN Morris Adds $165.3 Million to Minnesota's Economy Each Year ; PBS Documentary …

Embracing Imperfection And Stress As The Foundation For Growth, Excellence, And Well-Being In Dentistry, John W. Claytor Jr., Dds, Magd-Llsr, Facd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Studies reveal that stress in dentistry begins early in training and may progress throughout a dentist’s career. Fear of managing patient dissatisfaction, demanding schedules, time constraints, staff issues, and the stressors of clinical dentistry all contribute to professional strain. Difficulties associated with perfectionistic tendencies, burnout, and mental health concerns remain ever-present challenges within the profession. This article discusses evidence-based strategies, coping skills, organizational approaches, and professional resources that may help mitigate the effects of stress in dentistry. Particular emphasis is placed on reducing stigma surrounding mental health care and supporting initiatives such as the Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation’s “Safe Haven” …

Embodied, Relational, And Rooted: A Social Work Portfolio, Deneen Pancari

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects my professional and personal growth over the past three years of the University of Montana!s (UM!s) Online Master of Social Work (MSW) Program and showcases my understanding of advanced social work competencies (University of Montana School of Social Work, n.d.). My background includes yoga facilitation and preschool education, where I developed a strong appreciation for early childhood development and mindfulness. I never imagined how this path would lead me into clinical work in eating disorder recovery, adolescent therapy, and somatic-based interventions, which focus on the connection between the mind and body. My MSW coursework and practicum experiences …

Practicing From The Inside Out: A Portfolio Of Trauma-Informed And Spirit-Led Social Work, Cailey R. Denboer

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio represents the integration of academic learning, practicum experience, and personal growth throughout my Master of Social Work education at the University of Montana. Grounded in empowerment theory, trauma-informed care, and anti-oppressive practice, this work reflects my commitment to ethical, culturally humble, and relational social work across individual, community, and organizational contexts. Drawing from coursework and practicum experiences, I highlight the development of core competencies through applied work.

A central theme of this portfolio is the ongoing process of self-reflection and humility, particularly in recognizing areas of growth and navigating the tensions between personal values, professional responsibilities, and systemic …

General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Emotional Impairment, Ivy Smith

Brehm Scholars Research

Roughly 67% of students with disabilities spend 80% or more of their day in a general education setting (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). This can be challenging for general education teachers as they do not receive the same level of training on disabilities as special educators, leading to struggles with students with behavioral difficulties and Emotional Impairment. This study surveyed Michigan general educators’ to assess their understanding of Emotional Impairment eligibility as written in the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE). Results from a survey completed by 16 participants were derived through descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis. …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Families Of Students With Significant Disabilities In Accessing Community Transition Supports In Rural Settings, Michael David Green Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transition process beyond high school can be daunting for students with disabilities and their families. Families often encounter difficulties accessing community-based supports after students leave the K–12 education system despite federal legislative mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Rural contexts further complicate the experience for families accessing adult services after high school. The current hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how families of students with significant disabilities experienced accessing community transition supports after leaving high school in rural contexts. Through the lens of van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenology, the study explored …

Finding Community: Addressing Doctoral Student Loneliness And Fostering Belonging In Higher Education, Sydney Hamrick

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral students often experience loneliness, isolation, marginalization, and other challenges related to belonging. While prior research has connected belonging to persistence, well-being, and academic success, little is known about doctoral students’ lived experiences of belonging and loneliness. This hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Max van Manen’s Phenomenology of Practice, guided by the Sense of Community Theory and informed by a Transformative Worldview, explored how institutional, structural, relational, and personal factors shaped doctoral students’ experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach informed by van Manen’s lifeworld existentials, including lived relation, lived space, lived …

Supporting Clinical Readiness And Well-Being In New Graduate Nurses: A Scoping Review, Angela Cyr

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Objective: To map and synthesize current evidence on orientation strategies that integrate clinical and psychosocial support for newly licensed nurses, with a focus on first-year retention outcomes.

Rethinking Orientation: Embedding The Fundamentals Of Care Framework In The Onboarding Of Newly Licensed Nurses, Angela Cyr

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

The transition from education to NICU practice is a vulnerable and high‑stakes period for new nurses, requiring rapid clinical, emotional, and professional adaptation. Grounded in the Fundamentals of Care framework, this work reframes orientation as a person‑centered, relational process that supports readiness, well‑being, and sustainable practice.

The Relationships Among Adverse Childhood Experiences, Medical Usage, And Somatic Symptoms: Stress And Coping As Mediating Factors, Samantha Harper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It has been estimated that the costs of childhood adversity amount to $14.1 trillion annually (Peterson et al., 2023). Nearly two-thirds of people report adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, that reverberate well beyond childhood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023; Felitti et al., 1998). Greater exposure to ACEs is linked consistently to poorer health outcomes, including somatic symptoms or physical symptoms with no organic cause (Katon & Walker, 1998; Sansone et al., 2001; Stuart & Noyes, 1999; Waldinger, 2006). The present study examined the relationships among ACEs, somatic symptoms, and healthcare utilization in …

Socialization Interventions For Older Adults In Assisted Living Facilities: A Systematic Review, Anoop S. Muvva

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Older adults, defined as individuals over the age of 65, are a growing population in the United States, with projections estimating this group will reach approximately 80 million persons by 2050. Over 90% of older adults are diagnosed with a chronic condition, which can make it difficult to carry out the activities of daily living. As a result, some older adults reside in assisted living facilities, where dedicated staff provide daily support. However, issues in the delivery of care within these settings, including unmet socialization needs and complications among care staff, may contribute to social isolation. Programs designed to address …

Illuminating Those Who Lurk In The Shadows: An Examination Of The Use Of Psychological Profiling In Identifying Violent Criminals In The Modern Age, Skylar R. Holmes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the role of psychological profiling in apprehending violent criminals. Psychological profiling involves analyzing behavioral patterns at crime scenes, exploring the relationships between victims, and identifying characteristics and tendencies of offenders. It is currently used by many law enforcement agencies across the country to narrow down a pool of potential suspects and direct researchers, making the most of the limited manpower available. There is, however, a significant limitation in the literature and available evidence that suggests its tenets may be based on intuition and anecdotal evidence purported by investigators, subject to internal bias and thus should not be …

Casual And Confused: Engagement In Non-Committal Sexual Relationships And Its Contributions To Depression And Self-Esteem Struggles Among Young Adults, Sofia A. Marasco

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Non-committal sexual relationships such as hook-ups, friends-with-benefits (FWB/FWBR), and situationships have become increasingly common among young adults and have generated substantial discourse on social media. Despite the rise in modern relationship dynamics and new terminology (i.e., “situationships”), these relationship categories have not been adequately represented in psychological research. The present study examines whether engagement in non-committal relationship types is associated with differences in self-esteem and depressive symptoms compared to committed romantic relationships. Using Bowlby’s Attachment Theory and the Big Five Personality Model, this research also explores whether common interpersonal patterns, attachment styles (anxious and avoidant), and personality traits predict relationship …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Gender And Race On The Stigmatization Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Joshua Samet

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stigma surrounding mental health reduces treatment-seeking behaviors and can worsen symptoms. Research on stigma surrounding borderline personality disorder (BPD) has shown that race and gender can impact the nature of the stigma associated with the disorder; however, less is known about the interaction between the two. This study investigated if stigma varies when considering both the race and gender of the stigmatized individual simultaneously. 218 undergraduate students read one of four vignettes describing either a Black male, White male, Black female, or White female, then completed the Attribution Questionnaire-20 (AQ-20) stigma scale. The results indicate that there is a statistically …

Perceptions, Expectations, And Attitudes About Adolescent Telepsychiatry Among Indian American Family Caregivers, Udayvir Jalf

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Adolescent mental health concerns have risen sharply in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant turning point in mental health care access, with telehealth having become a central mode of care delivery. With adolescent telehealth, caregiver involvement has shown to improve treatment adherence and outcomes. Little is known, however, about how Indian American caregivers experience and navigate their adolescent’s virtual mental health care. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions, expectations, and attitudes of Indian American family caregivers regarding adolescent telepsychiatry and caregivers’ involvement. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indian American caregivers of adolescents who completed at …

Who Makes The Jury? Demographics And Decision-Making In The Jury Process., Ana B. Pons

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the American judicial system, juries have played a central role in promoting representation and fairness in the courtroom. However, limited information exists on whether prosecutorial decisions during jury selection, jury composition, or jury behavior differ based on the sex, race/ethnicity, type of case, political ideology, or geographic location of potential jurors. Following PRISMA guidelines, this scoping review synthesizes 48 peer-reviewed articles published between the 1940s and 2026 to examine whether prosecutorial decision-making and jury outcomes vary based on the sex, race/ethnicity, type of case, political ideology, or geographic location of potential jurors. Findings indicated that men are disproportionately selected …