Digital Commons Network^™

A Qualitative Exploration Of Future Health Professionals' Dementia Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dementia-Related Technology Support, Helen M. Haydon, Melissa Taylor, Annie Banbury, Cindy Jones, Georgina R. Chelberg, Louise Horstmanshof, Richard Hicks, Centaine L. Snoswell, Melissa Carey

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This research aimed to explore healthcare professional (HCP) students' dementia knowledge, perceptions of older adults' digital literacy, and perceived usefulness of digital health interventions for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore HCP student perceptions of cognitive ageing and their understandings of the relationship between technology and healthcare practice. Researchers also explored students' knowledge of dementia and their contemporary educational experiences.

Results: Findings revealed a lack of formal education regarding the use of technology in cognitive care associated with ageing populations. Students also reported limited experience with the use of technology in …

A Systematic Review Of Children’S Digital Funds Of Knowledge In Early Childhood Education And Care: Beginning The Conversation, Jess Hardley, Lennie Barblett, Maria Enriquez-Watt

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children's ‘funds of knowledge’ (FK) offer a strengths-based approach to recognising how children contribute to the curriculum. Growing up in a postdigital world, young children's lives are enmeshed with digital technologies. Yet the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector remains hesitant to embed digital experiences in play and learning. While the concept of ‘digital fund of knowledge’ (DFK) has been explored in primary and secondary education, it remains underexamined in ECEC. This systematic review of four databases identified seven studies spanning Europe, Australia, the USA, Malta, Sweden and Finland. These highlight challenges including limited educators' understandings of children's DFK, …

Benefits Of Prehabilitative Exercise On Physiological, Functional And Patient-Reported Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Oncologic Surgery: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Natália Casagrande, Favil Singh, Anderson Rech, Régis Radaelli, Bruna M. Paniz, Guilherme T. Silvestro, Guilherme N. Eberhardt, Janaína Brollo, Maximiliano C. Kneubil, Claudio P. Júnior, Pedro W.M. De Almeida, Maria Cristina F. Magalhães, Francesco Bettariga, Pedro Lopez

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Prehabilitation, delivered between cancer diagnosis and surgery, may enhance functional reserve and improve tolerance to surgical stress, but evidence remains conflicting across cancer types and outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the effects of prehabilitative exercise on physiological, functional, and patient-reported outcomes in patients undergoing oncologic surgery.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted (PROSPERO: CRD420251072796). Randomized controlled trials comparing structured exercise interventions with usual care in adults undergoing oncologic surgery were included. Searches were performed across seven databases until June 2025. Outcomes included cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, physical function, fatigue, psychological distress, and quality of life. A three-level …

Commission Pathways For Sexual Offences Against Children: A Novel Methodological Approach Exposing Distinct Pathways As A Function Of Offending History, Kelly Jackson, Raphaële Arlettaz, Alfred Allan, Joseph Clare, Frank Morgan, Hilde Tubex

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Using neural network analysis, we examined how specific dispositional and situational factors influence pathways for the commission of sexual offending against children. Use of non-linear multifactorial models is still developing in psychological and criminological research, making this a unique contribution to these fields.

Method: We used prior offence status as the outcome variable in a multi-stage analytical strategy that included chi-squared analysis, sequential binary regression and neural network modelling. Subjects came from a database containing pre-collected psychological and criminological information on Western Australian men who had sexually offended. An initial sample of offenders convicted of sexual offences against children …

Diet And Physical Activity Behaviours Among People With Insomnia Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Survey To Understand Treatment Needs And Acceptability, Jacy Hyland, Moira Junge, Joseph J. Scott, David Cunnington, Mia A. Schaumberg, Mathew J. Summers, Timothy Baird, Claire M. Ellender, Caitlin Fehily, Emma Axelsson, Sara Winter, Jenny Bowman, Hattie H. Wright, Christopher D. Askew, Alexandra P. Metse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: High adherence to a Mediterranean diet and regular moderate-intensity physical activity (≥5 days/week, ≥30 minutes/day) reduce the risk of insomnia symptom onset and maintenance, yet engagement in these behaviours among adults with insomnia symptoms and the acceptability of lifestyle support are not well understood.

Methods: Objectives: (1) characterise diet and physical activity behaviours among people with insomnia symptoms, including adherence to the Mediterranean diet and physical activity guidelines (moderate-intensity physical activity on ≥5days/week for ≥30 minutes/day), as well as the regularity of these behaviours; (2) explore clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with these behaviours; and (3) investigate the acceptability …

Fostering Authentic Corporate Social Responsibility Through Place-Based And Relational Methodologies In Mining Governance: A Global Synthesis, Mehran Nejati, Eduardo Ordonez-Ponce, Rumen Rachev, Belen Lopez Vazquez

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: As the global economy shifts towards low-carbon development, sustainable mining practices are becoming increasingly vital for balancing resource extraction with environmental and social responsibilities. This study aims to critically evaluate how traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks fall short in addressing power asymmetries and territorial impacts, and to explore how place-based and relational methodologies can foster authentic corporate social responsibility (ACSR) in mining governance.

Design/methodology/approach: This review synthesises findings from 77 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, covering diverse global mining contexts. The analysis identifies transformative themes through a qualitative meta-synthesis approach, focusing on governance practices that empower …

Fostering Student Innovation Through Entrepreneurship Education: The Roles Of Alertness, Proactivity, And University Support, Emmanuel Mensah Kparl

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although widely studied, the way entrepreneurship education drives innovative behavior in resource-limited contexts is still unclear. While prior research has explored its influence on entrepreneurial intention, few studies have examined how individual traits and institutional contexts shape the link between education and innovation. Drawing on Entrepreneurial Alertness Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, this study investigates how entrepreneurship education influences innovative behavior through the cognitive pathway of entrepreneurial alertness and the dispositional factor of proactive personality. It also examines how university support strengthens these relationships. A three-phase survey design was employed among 718 undergraduate students, using structural equation modeling for analysis. …

From Awareness To Articulation: How Character Strengths Support Wellbeing Literacy In Pre-Service Teachers, Narelle Lemon, Marnie Harris, Rozita Dass, Carli Sanbrook, Rikki James, Tammy Green, Bev Adkin, Gail Berman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher wellbeing demands urgent attention given documented attrition and burnout, yet teacher education programmes often treat wellbeing as peripheral to professional preparation. Sustained teacher wellbeing is also linked to enhanced pedagogical efficacy, professional engagement, and the modelling of wellbeing for learners. This study examines how character strengths function as a scaffolding language through which wellbeing literacy, the intentional language to comprehend and compose wellbeing for self and others, is integrated within initial teacher education for pre-service teachers. Six podcast episodes from the Teachers Supporting Teachers series captured conversations between pre-service teachers and university academics exploring character strengths understanding and enactment. …

Human Resource Development Practices And Employee-Focused Voice: A Conceptual Model And Research Agenda, Hossein Ali Abadi, Andreas Wallo, Daniel Lundqvist, Alan Coetzer, Janice Redmond

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Critical theorists contend HRD has prioritized managerial interests over employee well-being. Some have advocated an ethics of care approach, emphasizing employee needs and well-being. However, there are few models to guide research on integrating care-oriented practices. We adopt a mutual gains perspective, proposing that HRD practices can enhance performance and employee well-being through employee-focused voice. HRD has overlooked voice, which is well-theorized in HRM. To address this gap, we conceptualize how key practices can foster employee-focused voice. We adapt and extend Nishii and Wright’s (2008) HR process model, integrate leadership styles, and develop propositions to guide studies on facilitating voice.

Living On Display: Reciprocal Gazes, Everyday Encounters, And The Politics Of Visibility In The Sunshine Coast Tourism Community, Madura Thiwanka Pathirana, Noel Scott

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This community case study analyses the production, negotiation, and contestation of reciprocal gazes within everyday settings, particularly focusing on contemporary lifestyle tourism destinations, and the examination of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Based on 48 in-depth interviews with tourists and locals, this case study looks at the politics of visibility that are part of host-guest relations in everyday encounters at the beach, cafe, marketplace, and online-mediated market. Intersecting with critical tourism studies, and tourism studies on the traveler, host, and reciprocal gaze, this study focuses on residents' experiences of being observed, judged, and photographed and the impacts of their experiences on …

Mechanisms Influencing Maximum Joint Range Of Motion And Stiffness: A Narrative Review, Camila D. Lima, Anthony J. Blazevich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Joint ‘flexibility’ is an encompassing term influenced by both a joint’s maximum range of motion (ROMmax) and its resistance to rotation, i.e. its stiffness. A critical amount of flexibility is thought to be important for both sports performance and daily and occupational tasks. Improvements in joint ROMmax, specifically, are often assumed to result from material and mechanical changes in the joint’s soft tissue structures; however, they also may result from changes in sensory information relayed from peripheral receptors to the brain, or the interpretation of that information. Changes in psychological state mediated by pain, state arousal and other psychological factors …

Mental Health Impacts Of Anti-Trans Stigma On Transgender People In Australia: A Mixed-Methods Study, Sav Zwickl, Sasha Bailey, Rin Chan, Shalem Y. Leemaqz, Joel Murray, Stevie Lane, Foster Skewis, Julian Grace, Eli Ward-Smith, Tomi Ruggles, Ada S. Cheung

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Anti-trans stigma has escalated globally, yet there is limited empirical evidence examining its mental health impacts on trans populations.

Methods: In a May 2024 mixed-methods cross-sectional online survey, trans people aged ≥16 years living in Australia reported the frequency of seven anti-trans stigma experiences in the previous month, including exposure to anti-trans remarks in the news media or online; personal experience of online bullying, harassment or threats; having thought about, seen or heard about anti-trans rhetoric by Australian politicians and high-profile individuals; or anti-trans rallies; or police violence; or international anti-trans legislation and violence. Generalized linear models examined associations …

Music Teacher Wellbeing And Flourishing In Australian Primary Schools, Han Meng, Jason Goopy, Narelle Lemon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher wellbeing is often generalised across roles, while a nuanced understanding of specialist teachers is often overlooked. This study used the positive psychology strengths-based PERMAH model to investigate factors that support wellbeing and flourishing of primary school music teachers in Australia and opportunities for growth. As part of a larger mixed-methods research project, data for this article were generated through interviews with 14 music teachers who deliver primary school class music and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that music teacher wellbeing was promoted by joy derived from students’ learning, passion for teaching music, and recognition and support …

Relationships Between Physical Performance Characteristics And Match Characteristics Of English Academy Soccer Players, B. Dickinson, P. Jones, P. Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between physical performance and match characteristics of Elite academy soccer players using pooled data across U15, U16, U18, U23 age groups. Sixty elite academy soccer players including u15 (Subject: N = 15; age: 14.64 ± 0.25; mass: 59.88 ± 9.12 kg; height: 171 ± 6.69 cm), u16 (Subject: N = 15; age: 15.42 ± 0.36; mass: 65.11 ± 8.70 kg; height: 175 ± 7.21 cm), u18 (Subject: N = 15; age: 17.00 ± 1.00; mass: 72.85 ± 7.43 kg; height: 179 ± 6.43 cm), u23 (Subject: N = 15; age: …

School Is No Longer A Lone Wolf Effort: Leadership Strategies For Inclusive, Community-Based School Cultures, Stuart Woodcock, Elias Avramidis, Umesh Sharma, Pearl Subban, Caroline Sahli Lozano, Harry Kullman, Tim Lorman, Sergej Wüthrich, Margarita Knickenberg

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Based on the premise that the successful implementation of inclusion is largely dependent on the educators’ commitment to inclusive ideals, this study sought to examine the ways principals promote an inclusive vision and foster the development of associated practices in their school community. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 principals of highly-ranked inclusive schools from four countries: Australia, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. In so doing, the emphasis was placed on the principals’ perspectives and practices that contribute to the development of an inclusive school culture. The iterative process …

Selective Human Resource Practices, Psychological Safety Climate And Employee Wellbeing, Yvonne Brunetto, Matthew J. Xerri, Geremy Farr-Wharton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Engineers and healthcare professionals perceive higher levels of stress compared with the general population, suggesting that past human resource management (HRM) systems have failed to manage them appropriately. This study examines whether psychosocial safety climate (PSC) acts as a psychological conduit in translating HRM practices and mediating their impact on wellbeing using the common good HRM (CGHRM) and Conservation of Resources theoretical frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using surveys collected at two points – one-month apart, and then analysed using structural equation modelling (Analysis of Moment Structures) to manipulate survey data from 300 matched employees.

Findings – The variance …

Restorative Restitution, Lula A. Hagos

American University Law Review

How to best meet the needs of crime victims while also furthering the imperative of decarceration has long vexed advocates and scholars alike. This dilemma comes into sharp focus when one examines two developments in criminal procedure that, until now, have been analyzed separately: victim restitution and restorative justice.

Criminal restitution, the monetary payments ordered from defendants to victims, often fails both groups. Because most defendants are indigent, restitution obligations lengthen defendants’ involvement with the criminal legal system without delivering meaningful compensation to victims, making restitution more symbolic than restorative. At the same time, interest in restorative justice has surged …

The Leasehold World, Jeffrey Manns

American University Law Review

The ideal of American fee simple property rests on a popular misconception. Many Americans often think of fee simple property in terms of absolute ownership. In reality, however, fee simple title has many similar features of a “public” leasehold in practice, which has significant implications for understanding the relationship of private property “owners” to the state. The American state, at all levels, effectively serves as a landlord over private property “owners,” mirroring the traditional role of the king in feudal England.

The American Revolution is often framed as a sea change in property rights and individual liberty. But efforts to …

Beyond Marriage: Challenging Marital Prerequisites In State Adoption Laws Through A Constitutional And Child-Centered Lens, Alisha Glass

American University Law Review

Many state adoption laws restrict joint adoptions to married couples, thus excluding unmarried partners who share loving and committed relationships with the children they seek to adopt. These marital prerequisites reflect society’s outdated preference for the nuclear family while conflicting with adoption law’s commitment to the best interests of the child. Nonmarital families experience unequal legal protections based on marital status and geographic location. Building on the Kentucky Supreme Court’s decision in G.G. v. Cabinet for Health & Family Services, this Comment examines the limits of resolving these disparities through statutory interpretation and identifies the constitutional questions that remain …

Application Of The Lancet Commission Criteria For The Diagnosis Of Obesity To A Clinical Trials Population: The Leap Trial, Faith Anne N Heeren, Kathleen R Ruddiman, Courtney Simmons, Brian N White, Byron C Jaeger, Nicholas M Pajewski, Stephanie A Hooker, Deborah B Horn, Katy Martin-Fernandez, Kimberly A Gudzune, Caroline Blackwell Young, Jamy Ard, Kristina Henderson Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This study aimed to apply The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology criteria for diagnosing obesity among clinical trial participants and understand participants' characteristics by obesity status.

Methods: The criteria were operationalized and applied to baseline data from the Long-term Effectiveness of the Anti-obesity medication Phentermine (LEAP) trial (NCT05176626). Excess adiposity, organ and tissue dysfunction, and limitations to daily activities were assessed. We examined differences between participants with "no obesity," "pre-clinical obesity," and "clinical obesity."

Results: Among the 860 participants, 0.8% had no obesity (mean BMI 29.0 kg/m2 [SD 0.6]), 18.7% had pre-clinical obesity (mean BMI 35.2 kg/m2 [SD …

Healthcare Provider Perspectives On A Clinical Decision Tool To Support Individualized Exercise Prescriptions And Discussions For Breast Cancer Survivors, Jinani Jayasekera, Oliver W. A. Wilson, Kaitlyn M. Wojcik, Eleanor M. Kerr, Rachelle Brick, David Berrigan, Jennifer Yeong-Shin Sheng, Takeo Fujii, Kathleen Thomas, Henri K. Parson, Padma Sheila Rajagopal, Richard L. Street Jr.

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose: We evaluated healthcare providers' current knowledge, practices, and perspectives on a novel clinical decision tool (beta-version) to facilitate individualized exercise prescriptions and discussions in clinical settings.

Methods: We recruited healthcare providers who had treated or provided care to breast cancer survivors aged >= 35-years in the past 12 months. The participants were presented with a tool to provide individualized exercise recommendations considering women's individual, clinical, and contextual characteristics. Validated and reliable pre-existing instruments were used to survey providers' current knowledge, practices regarding exercise discussions, and perspectives on the beta-version (paper-draft) of the novel tool.

Results: The sample consisted of …

By Design, Roger Allan Ford

American University Law Review

In recent years, scholars and policymakers have increasingly embraced regulation “by design” to address new problems, especially those caused by new technologies. These approaches go by various names, like privacy by design, security by design, even the rule of law by design. Despite the popularity of these approaches, though, describing what goes into regulation “by design” is surprisingly challenging. Different speakers use the term in strikingly different ways, with little consensus about why design is important, how design and new technologies interact, or how design can be harnessed to deliver policy results.

Design exists along multiple dimensions: process versus result, …

Tyranny Of A Feather: Asymmetry In Civil Burdens Of Proof, Thomas O. Main

American University Law Review

Civil litigation suffers from a paradox that is at once self-evident, unfair, and overlooked: the trial process promises equality between plaintiffs and defendants under the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, even as the pretrial process is skewed dramatically in defendants’ favor. At trial a plaintiff needs only “50% plus a feather” to tip the scales and prevail, reflecting a commitment to equal treatment of the parties. Pretrial, however, the playing field tilts steeply: plaintiffs alone must navigate a procedural gauntlet of motions that impose pleading and production burdens for which defendants face no equivalent. This entrenched asymmetry in pretrial practice has become so …

The Painted Ones’ Fine Line: Batok As A Protectable Form Of Traditional Knowledge Under Trade Secret Jurisprudence, Kathleen M. Dinoso

American University Law Review

For centuries, the ancestral tattooing practice of batok has served not as mere ornamentation but as a visual archive of Indigenous Filipinos’ history and identity. In 2021, a digital creator invited the public to learn batok online for merely fifteen dollars. Soon after, many discovered that the renown instructor, Apo Whang-Od, may not have agreed to take part. The resulting discourse exposed a broader issue: Indigenous customs and creations become increasingly vulnerable to misappropriation and improper commodification as they enter global markets and multimedia platforms. Though this event occurred abroad, it highlights how U.S. law is poorly designed to protect …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Barriers To College Students’ Seasonal Vaccination Intentions And Behaviors, Kelly S. Clemens, John Matkovic

Faculty Publications – Health Sciences

Objective
Vaccination is crucial to college student health, but quantitative analyses of barriers in this population are limited. The present study expands the work of Su and Chen to determine the relative influence of structural, psychological, and social vaccination barriers.

Participants
Participants were 650 students from a large, midwestern university during the 2024 vaccination season.

Methods
Participants were recruited from a college campus and randomized to respond to items assessing their barriers to, intentions to receive, and uptake of the COVID-19 or influenza vaccination.

Results
Structural, psychological, and social barriers were differentially important to vaccinations and to intentions vs. uptake …

Shades Of Stress: Colorism As Minority Stress For Women Of Color, Caitlin M. Mercier, Brea M. Banks, Lourdes D. Concepción Cabán, Michelle Duong

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Women of color often endure indignities shaped by colorism and skin tone discrimination, pressuring them to adhere to racialized beauty ideals (i.e., lighter skin). In response, some women of color may internalize these standards (i.e., through internalized coping and racial self-hatred) which can foster psychological distress. Yet, these associations remain underexplored. Using minority stress theory, in our cross-sectional study we collected online survey data to examine whether internalization and racial self-hatred explained the indirect link between colorist microaggressions and psychological distress among 121 women of color at a Midwestern US historically white institution. Using path analysis, we found support for …

Fishing For Father Relationships: Motivations, Successes, And Barriers To Participating In A Community-Based Program, Jordan A. Arellanes, Kyle Miller, Travis Hicks, Ryan J.S. Liew, Earl Kloppmann

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Fathers who participate in community programs experience a range of positive outcomes, including improved relationships with their children. However, many community programs struggle to gain fathers’ attendance at local events. To counteract this, we utilized Community-Based Action Research in collaboration with local and state agencies to develop a father-specific community program that capitalized on the traditionally masculine parenting activity of fishing. The program educated families on the basics of fishing and then provided them with all the necessary materials. Over the course of three years of data collection, 48 fathers participated in interviews, designed to gain a deeper understanding of …

“I Know How To Identify And Communicate My Needs”: A Qualitative Study Of The Self-Perceived Strengths Of People In Polyamorous Relationships, Alexander K. Tatum, Sharon M. Flicker, Nawar Albarak, Jessi M. Schroeder, Ash Moomaw, Idil Ugurluoglu, Alex Whitman, Alysse Wiggins, Danielle Davis, Robyn Fisher

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Little empirical research has adopted a strength-based approach to examine strategies that help offset challenges (e.g., discrimination, internalized stigma) faced by people in polyamorous relationships. The current qualitative study assessed the self-perceived strengths of 63 US-based, adult participants who reported present or former engagement in at least one polyamorous relationship. Participants' responded to the open-ended question, “What particular characteristics do you have that help you navigate the challenges of polyamory?” A thematic analysis identified strengths across eight broad themes: personality traits, a willingness to challenge mononormative socialization, ability to manage difficult emotions, experiencing compersion and/or low levels of/well-managed jealousy, strong …

The Effects Of A Work-Strengths Affirmation Intervention On Death Anxiety, Begüm Orhan, Margaret M. Nauta

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Meaning Management Theory suggests that engaging with meaning-related resources helps individuals constructively regulate consciously experienced death anxiety. Consistent with that theory, we tested whether a single-session, online work-strengths affirmation intervention reduces college students’ (N = 201) death anxiety. Participants completed baseline measures of death anxiety, meaning in life, and self-esteem. One week later, they were randomly assigned to complete either a work-related strengths reflection exercise or a neutral writing task. We assessed outcomes immediately post-intervention and two weeks later. The intervention did not significantly reduce death anxiety in the full sample. Exploratory analyses showed small, immediate reductions among participants …

Daily Fluctuations In Adolescents’ Political Stress, Jacqueline Cerda-Smith, Sholeh Najafian, Shevaun Neupert, Kelly Lynn Mulvey

Faculty Publications – Psychology

This study explored adolescents' daily political stress during the 2024 US election and how proximal and distal factors shaped stress. Participants completed surveys for 20 consecutive days before, during, and after the election. At baseline, they reported perceptions of peer and family election-related experiences and anticipated election impact. Daily surveys captured their daily political stress and election-related exposure. The final sample included 445 daily observations reported by 36 adolescents (aged 13–18, M = 15.61, SD = 1.23) who were mostly white, female, and Democrats. Participants reported significant daily fluctuations in political stress and greater political stress on days when they …