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Beyond The Surface: Exploring The Experiences Of Black Female Athletes At Power 4 Institutions, Michonné Leatrice Gamble-Rivers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black female athletes, have a long history of fighting for visibility and inclusion. They are celebrated and hyper-visible as performers on the court yet deemed invisible in the institutional decision making that shapes their holistic development and success. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP) challenges this structural problem looking to amplify voices that have been historically silenced by systems that reduce these individuals to mere athletic capital.

Beginning with Manuscript I, this three-manuscript dissertation is built on a conceptual framework anchored in Womanist Theory, Intersectionality, and Athletic Identity, providing the necessary critical lens to investigate challenges like double jeopardy and limiting …

The Relationship Between Exercise And Prospective Memory: A Meta-Analysis, Shaykhah Salman Alqahtani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prospective memory (PM)—the ability to remember and carry out future intentions—is essential for everyday functioning. This cognitive process involves intention formation, retention, cue detection, and execution. Emerging research suggests that physical exercise may influence prospective memory performance through potential enhancements in attention, executive functioning, and neuroplasticity. This thesis examines the relationship between physical exercise and prospective memory through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature.

This review synthesized evidence from experimental studies to evaluate the effects of acute and chronic exercise interventions on prospective memory in diverse populations. Six studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In The Associations Between Alcohol Use Disorder, Aggression, And Suicidality Among Adolescents With Ptsd, Gabrielle Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is well documented and associated with elevated risk of aggression and suicidality among certain populations. However, no research to date has examined these associations among adolescents. Using data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), the present study examined whether the presence of AUD was associated with greater outward aggression, suicidal ideation, and attempts, and whether these associations differed across race/ethnicity, in a weighted sample of 737,996 adolescents with PTSD (10.3% Hispanic, 16.4% Black, 73.3% White). AUD presence was significantly associated with higher odds of breaking items, attacking …

The Impact Of State-Mandated High-Stakes Standardized Testing On The Job Satisfaction Of Third-Grade Reading Teachers In Mississippi, Jenny Kate Ernst

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how state-mandated standardized testing influences the job satisfaction of current and former third-grade reading teachers in Mississippi. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, and the Job Demands-Resources Model, the research explored how accountability pressures shape teachers’ motivation, emotional well-being, and instructional autonomy. Data were collected through an open-ended online survey of current and former Mississippi third-grade reading teachers. Analysis of responses revealed four central themes: emotional strain and burnout, loss of autonomy and creativity, impact on instructional practices, and student impact. Findings indicated that teachers perceive standardized testing as a major source of stress that …

The Lived Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Individuals Living In Male Residential Spaces In The South, Bri Reda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While LGBTQ+ visibility on college campuses has increased, LGBTQ+ students still report negative experiences, particularly in residential environments where harassment and unwelcoming attitudes are common (Kortegast, 2017; Pryor, Ta, & Hart, 2016). Previous studies have shown that LGBTQ+ individuals often conceal their identities in residence halls due to discomfort, further diminishing their feelings of safety and connection to the campus community (Blakmon, O’Hara, & Viars, 2020; Pryor, Ta, & Hart, 2016). Despite efforts to implement inclusive policies, little research has explored the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in male-assigned residence halls, especially in states like Mississippi with gender-segregated housing requirements (Mississippi …

Reading Teacher Perceptions: The Impact Of Educator Preparation Program Literacy Coursework And Clinical Experiences On Teacher Efficacy In Historically Underrepresented Populations, Emily Taubken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite research that indicates the critical importance and lifelong impact of early reading proficiency for students, national reading proficiency trends demonstrate most students in the United States are not yet reading at grade level, with disparities existing among historically underrepresented subgroups. Additionally, research shows that preservice and in-service teachers have documented limited feelings of self-efficacy in teaching reading specifically, suggesting limitations in preservice training for educators. To better understand how reading teachers perceive the efficacy of their preservice teacher academic and clinical experiences, especially for those who serve historically underrepresented student populations, this study seeks to document the perspectives of …

Knowledge Acquisition On Mass-Shooting Events Via Llms For Ai-Driven Justice, Benign Ihugba

All Theses

Mass-shooting events pose a significant challenge to public safety because they generate large volumes of unstructured textual data, making it difficult to conduct effective investigations and formulate public policy. The proposed knowledge acquisition system utilized Large Language Models (LLMs) with few-shot prompting to extract vital information from news articles, police reports, and social media content at high speed. The system used entity recognition to detect vital information, which included offenders, victims, locations, and criminal instruments that support legal investigations. An experimental study conducted on actual mass-shooting datasets showed GPT-4o performs best for mass-shooting NER. The o1-mini delivered competitive performance while …

Mental Health Outcomes Of A Pediatric-Focused Obesity Randomized Control Trial In Rural Communities, Brittany D. Lancaster, E. Goldenberg, A. S. Trofimoff, Y. Dai, B. Forseth, R. S. Romine, K. Fleming, Ann M. Davis

Publications

Objective: This study explores the impact of iAmHealthy, a rurally focused pediatric obesity intervention, on mental health outcomes and examines how baseline mental health affects body mass index (BMI) outcomes for child–parent dyads in rural communities. Method: Eighteen schools were randomly assigned to iAmHealthy or the Newsletter Control group. iAmHealthy consists of health coaching and group sessions via televideo. Child and parent height and weight, child depression, child quality of life, and parent distress were assessed at baseline, posttreatment (8 months), and follow-up (20 months) from October 2017 to December 2021. Multilevel modeling assessed treatment effects on mental health and …

From Parallel Beginnings To Divergent Destinies: A Comparative Study Of China’S State-Led Liberalization Growth And Pakistan’S Dependency Trap, Safeer Ahmad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the development trajectories of China and Pakistan, which shared a similar colonial legacy and hampered economic, political, and social conditions at the time of their establishment in the mid-20th century. However, despite these similarities, the former is a global power, and the latter is still struggling to project a sustained development approach in the 21st century. This research addresses this divergent outcome by using a comparative approach to analyze the institutional, economic, and policy decisions of both countries that eventually shaped their contemporary position and role in the international community. China’s reformation period under a centralized government …

Visualizing The Fretboard: Arpeggiated Patterns, Muscle Memory, And Neurocognitive Strategies For The 5-String Electric Bass, Matthew Alexander Woisin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proficient navigation of the 5-string electric bass requires a comprehensive mastery of various techniques and a solid understanding of music theory. This includes a detailed grasp of arpeggios, chord extensions, and the development of deeply ingrained muscle memory for precise execution. This thesis introduces a structured methodology that refines existing fretboard visualization techniques and applies a unique manner of fretboard mapping, offering a more precise framework for comprehending and unlocking the full range of the instrument. By drawing insights from music theory, music education, cognitive science, neuroscience, and technology this approach is achieved by synthesizing research on visual pattern recognition, …

Examining The Relations Between Parenting Stress, Harsh Parenting Practices, And Children’S Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms, Caitlin A. Wharton

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This study examines: relations between maternal parenting stress in infancy and preschool-aged children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms; whether verbal and physical harsh parenting practices mediate these relations; and whether these relations are moderated by child gender. Research links maternal parenting stress to harsh parenting, which is a risk factor for children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. But limited research has examined how maternal stress in infancy affects preschool-aged children’s outcomes, or how verbal and physical harsh parenting practices independently affect these outcomes. The study data came from the Future of Families & Child Wellbeing Study. Results indicate maternal parenting stress in …

Distributed Agency And Posthuman Rhetoric In Genai-Assisted First-Year Composition Writing, Bianca E. Guzman

English Department Theses

This thesis explores the dynamic interaction between human and non-human agents in the process and production of writing. In particular, theories on the co-constitutive nature of the human-technological relationship, posthumanist theory, and rhetorical theory are used to reframe first-year writing as an act of distributive agency that always involves people, objects, and their material environments. In recognizing the essential role of “things” in first-year writing, this thesis considers how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can be critically conceptualized and utilized as a pedagogical tool by instructors in the college writing classroom. Additionally, this thesis details an IRB-approved research study done at …

Thesis A Reimagined World Language Curriculum For Secondary Education-Does Culture Matter?, Florence Duncan

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The focus of this study is culture within the New Mexico high school world language

curriculum. Culture, as a topic, over time has evolved from near nonexistence to

becoming a fundamental element helping students derive multilingual and multicultural

understanding.

This study is an effort to reveal practices high school teachers use to teach, discuss and

evaluate cultural understanding. It uses qualitative interviews with high schools world

language teachers. Practices are evaluated against research findings and analyzed for

reliability and effectiveness. Findings will help with curriculum design for world language

application.

Overall, the study’s findings were positive. Interviewed teachers generally incorporate …

Identifying Common Characteristics Among Female Serial Killers And The Role Of Early Childhood Abuse, Jill Marie Raichel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 17% of known serial killers in the United States are women, and often their crimes go undetected for years accruing a higher number of victims than their male counterparts. The purpose of this study was to identify common characteristics of female serial killers (FSKs). A multidisciplinary, holistic and developmental approach was used to guide the identification of common characteristics based on theories by Erik Erikson and Carol Gilligan as well as feminist theory. Case studies of 15 FSKs were randomly selected for participation from a list of over 100 known FSKs documented in the Radford Serial Killer database. Common …

Early Childhood Educators' Perception Of Burnout: Impact On Educator Self-Efficacy, Teacher-Child Relationships, And Children's Emotional Regulation, Isaac M.D. Bowman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Early childhood educators (ECE) play a critical role in the academic advancement and nurturing care provided to children in their care, a distinct difference in role and responsibilities compared to traditional K-12 schooling. Published by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, a report pertaining to ECE turnover revealed a nearly 40% annual turnover rate. Factors ECEs previously attributed to their exit of the early childhood education field involve low wage, low self-efficacy, and dealing with challenging behaviors. While not an exhaustive list, in a field relying predominantly on routine and consistency, ECE turnover rate highlights a necessity in exploring potential indirect …

Ethnic Identity, Parental Involvement, And Academic Outcomes: A Qualitative Study Of African International Students' Experiences, Kenanile Olivia Marie-France Bigba

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored how parental involvement intersected with cultural backgrounds and values through ethnic identity formation among African international students, and how these interactions influenced students' self-concept clarity, self-esteem, and subsequent academic attitudes and performance. Using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology guided by van Manen’s (2023) approach, the study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with African international students (one from East Africa, one from West Africa) enrolled at a Midwest university. Through systematic thematic analysis, five interconnected themes emerged: (1) Evolving Parental Involvement, from direct guidance to distant trust, revealing how parental engagement transforms across geographical distance with financial circumstances moderating this …

Public Perceptions Of Leadership Effectiveness In Ethiopia Over The Last Decade, Fikadu Reta Alemayehu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ethiopia is one of the largest countries in Africa, with a fast-growing economy, rich history, diverse agroecology, more than 70 languages, and a population exceeding 130 million. However, the country continues to face serious internal conflict, high malnutrition, and economic hardship, while the study of leadership effectiveness remains limited and lacks consistent longitudinal research. To help fill this gap, this study examined how public perceptions of leadership effectiveness and development outcomes changed in Ethiopia between 2013 and 2023, using Afrobarometer survey data. The analysis explored how citizens’ views about governance, wellbeing, and access to services evolved during a decade of …

Brands & Virtual Personas: How Virtual Influencer Types Impact Brand Awareness, Carol Calderon Ambelis

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As social media continues to shape how consumers interact with brands, virtual influencers (VIs) have emerged as a new type of digital celebrity. While previous research has explored how VIs contribute to brand image and awareness, there has been limited attention on how different types of VIs, both anime-like and human-like, affect consumer perceptions across different markets. This study examines how these two types of VIs impact relatability, aspiration, and brand awareness, with a focus on the differences between luxury and mass market. Using a within-subjects experimental design, this study recruited 574 participants with social media experience using MTurk. The …

Undergraduate Awareness Of Sexual Harassment Law In Tanzania's Higher Learning Institutions: Case Studies Of Two Universities, Salma Ramadhan Fundi Phd Candidate

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

This study examines undergraduate students' awareness of legal provisions and guidelines concerning sexual harassment in Tanzanian higher education, focusing on the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) as case studies. Sexual harassment significantly impacts students’ well-being, safety, and academic success. Despite the existence of legal frameworks, students' knowledge of these provisions is often limited. The study employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological research design to explore students’ experiences and perceptions of harassment policies. This design allowed participants to share the meanings they attach to their experiences and how such policies are understood …

Losing Control: Evaluative Access And The Limits Of Attributability In Angela Smith’S Theory Of Moral Responsibility, Henry Kissam

Honors Theses

The unwilling addict agent archetype–who wholeheartedly resolves to abstain from taking a drug but takes it regardless–is important to moral responsibility theorists for many reasons, but two in particular stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. The first is the frequency with which the archetype must be reckoned with through our everyday practices of moral assessment. It is not an idle thought experiment, pushing nothing but the theoretical limits of a particular theory. It is a near-ubiquitous presence in real, practical moral assessment. The second reason is a consequence of the first. Because we deal with the archetype frequently, we morally assess …

Exploring The Relationship Between Social Media And Anxiety In Deaf Community Students: A Mixed-Methods Approach., Gigi Zheng

Theses

The mental health of Deaf individuals, particularly in relation to social media engagement, is an understudied area amid growing global concerns about anxiety disorders. Deaf individuals face unique challenges, including communication barriers, social isolation, and stigma, all of which can heighten anxiety levels. Although social media offers valuable opportunities for connection and self-expression, it may also amplify stress and feelings of inadequacy when accessibility barriers persist. This mixed-methods study examined anxiety among Deaf college students and explored the cultural validity of two widely used anxiety measures—the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Quantitative data were collected …

Prevention Of Burnout Among Critical Care Nurses, Jenelle Balaoing, Junela Bautista

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Nursing burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive stress among nurses. Critical care nurses face challenges with direct patient care that contribute to emotional and psychological strain that are greatly influenced by workplace adversity and emotional management. Purpose: This research examines the prevalence of burnout among pediatric and adult intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, highlighting particularly high rates of burnout among those with extended years of service. Method: ICU nurses will participate in a qualitative interview that involves open ended questions relevant among burnout and resilience during shifts. Aspects specifically years of critical experience …

Complete Volume 42

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete Volume 42 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

Teachers' Evaluation And Reporting Orientations And Their Impact On Elementary Students' Motivation: A Secondary Analysis Of Ecls-K: 2011 Data, Melissa L. Lefebvre

Doctoral Dissertations

Few studies examine the specific component of teacher evaluation and reporting and its relationship with student motivation. Student motivation to learn and achieve is a fundamental element of academic success in school. Motivation has been linked to educational outcomes like curiosity, persistence, learning, conceptual understanding, and long-term achievement (Vallerand et al., 1992). Diminished motivation can lead to consequences such as higher dropout rates and increased anxiety. Research indicates that classroom climate and student-teacher relationships have the most significant impact on student motivation (Jansen et al., 2022). This dissertation explores the association of teachers’ evaluation and reporting practices with student motivation. …

Evolution Of Regulatory Pathways In Vibrio Fischeri Strains Impacts Biofilm Phenotypes And Symbiotic Capacity And Curriculum Interventions Differ In Their Impact On Microbiology Utility Value In Nursing Students, Jennifer Calawa

Doctoral Dissertations

Vibrio fischeri strains vary in their capacity to form mutualisms with animal hosts such as the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes, yet these differences are often not explained by phylogeny. Successful colonization requires biofilm production, which is tightly controlled by a complex network of two-component system regulators including hybrid histidine kinases BinK and RemK, as characterized in the model symbiont strain ES114. Divergence in biofilm network architecture or regulatory logic may lead to strain-specific differences in biofilm formation, limiting symbiotic potential. Part I of this work investigates genetic divergence underlying reduced colonization capacity in strain H905, a planktonic isolate and …

Ecotheology For Kids, Lana Glenn

Theses

This project includes research into the eco-anxiety of children and how ecotheology may help ease the children’s minds. This project is meant as a sign of hope in the climate crisis; there are so many reasons to look forward to ecological improvements for the Earth. As adults, we should remind children of these reasons to be hopeful for the future. This 24-page book has illustrations with prayers to help calm the readers, while the cover is informational and inviting.

The Vampire In Video Games: Narrative Structures, Game Mechanics, And Cultural Significance, Ricardo Longo Minervino

Theses

This thesis examines how vampires are represented in video games by analyzing narrative structures, game mechanics, and cultural meaning. Using the existing games of Vampyr, V Rising, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, The Sims 4: Vampires, Skyrim: Dawnguard, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Bloodlines 2, the study identifies which design strategies successfully create an engaging and believable vampire experience for the player, as well as determining which development decisions could hurt the experience for players. Using formalism, symbolism, feminist methodology, and player reception theory, this thesis argues that vampire games function best when players confront moral dilemmas, experience consequences for feeding …

Rubbing Away Respect: How Repeated Touch Alters The Meaning Of Women’S Statues, Olivea Kittrell

Theses

This thesis examines how repeated public interactions with statues of women, particularly the ritualized rubbing of their breasts, alter both the material surfaces and symbolic meanings of statues. We will focus on three bronze sculptures: the Molly Malone statue in Dublin, the Juliet statue in Verona, and the Bust of Dalida in Paris. Through these, we will investigate how statues created with commemorative intent become sites of sexualized behavior based on gender. The problem this thesis addresses is the lack of scholarly analysis on how gendered public interaction physically and symbolically transforms statues of women. While some scholarship covers either …

Improving Pharmacovigilance Via Systematic Gass Screening And Interdisciplinary Collaboration In The Outpatient Setting, Dustin Bower

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The goal of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project was to enhance pharmacovigilance practices among non-medical mental health providers (NMMHPs) in an outpatient psychiatric setting. The project addressed the issue of limited recognition and reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by NMMHPs, which can lead to delays in clinical intervention and compromise patient safety. To tackle this problem, a quasi-experimental, pre–post intervention design was employed. Two evidence-based strategies were implemented: (a) eight weekly collaborative training sessions that focused on identifying, documenting, and communicating ADRs, and (b) the integration of the Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-Effect Scale (GASS) into the …

Quality Improvement Project: Empowering Nurse Educators: Implementing A Mentoring Program For Professional Growth, Sarah Sugg

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

With the ongoing nursing shortage, nursing education plays a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare through the preparation of competent and skilled nurses. Literature supports that a persistent challenge within nursing academia is the lack of structured mentoring programs to support novice nursing faculty transitioning into academic roles. This quality improvement project addressed this gap through the implementation of a structured, evidence-based mentoring program compared to informal mentoring. The purpose of the project was to empower novice nursing faculty with less than three years of teaching experience by enhancing teaching competence, confidence, job satisfaction, and retention. Guided by …