Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Attitude Ambivalence In Extending The Theory Of Planned Behavior: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Factors Predicting Influenza Vaccine Uptake Intentions Among Active-Duty Military Parents For Themselves And Their Children, Walter Eugene Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a mixed-methods study examining how U.S. military parents form intentions to vaccinate themselves and their children against influenza. The study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the construct of ambivalence tounderstand how attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence vaccination decisions within the unique institutional and cultural environment of military life. Quantitative data were collected from 341 military parents through an online survey distributed across more than 50 military-affiliated Facebook groups. Regression models tested TPB constructs, flu knowledge, and social media use as predictors of vaccination intention and ambivalence. Results showed that flu shot …

Examining The Utility Of Haptic Feedback To Improve Pilot Situational Awareness & Performance: A Psychophysiological Approach, Jessica Van Bree

Theses and Dissertations

Pilot situational awareness (SA) has been deemed to be a critical component of flight efficacy, efficiency, and overall mission success. Studies have shown that several incidents and accidents have been the result of level-one SA errors, meaning that members of the flight crew have failed to accurately perceive the elements in their environments. As such, several strategies have been investigated to improve pilot SA. One potential avenue of research is the addition of haptics in to the flight deck. In some studies, the implementation of haptics have shown to improve piloting tasks, pilot safety, and aircraft control. The current study …

Understanding Bias And Fairness In Large Language Models: An Empirical Study, Joshua Johnson

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates demographic bias in large language models (LLMs) through the use of evaluating outcome disparities when utilized in decision making tasks as well as underlying associations that could contribute to furthering these disparities. Using profiles from the Adult dataset, we analyze how Gemini 2.0 Flash performs in an income prediction task using zero-shot and few-shot prompting methods. Our findings show that models exhibit measurable differences in demographic parity and false positive rates, with the use of few-shot prompting reducing these disparities. Alongside this line of testing, we tested associational bias in Qwen 2.5 using probability based association tests …

Gender Considerations When Examining The Association Between Military Sexual Trauma And Chronic Pain Conditions, Lily Sarfaraz

Dissertations

Military sexual trauma (MST) amongst veterans is a growing concern for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Veterans who screen positive for MST receive VHA care for any injuries caused as a result of MST, psychological or physical, free of charge. MST is difficult to track, can result in long-term disability, and the burden of illness varies across genders. Current data highlights discrepancies seen across the literature of actual detected MST cases, with rates varying vastly. Efforts to track prevalence of MST identify additional concerns over the various comorbidities seen in MST cases. When examining symptom sequalae of MST, there is …

The Withdrawal From Afghanistan: Impacts On U.S. Veterans Who Served In Afghanistan, Nicole Wall

Dissertations

This study explored the experiences and perspectives of U.S. military veterans who served in Afghanistan regarding their views on the impacts of withdrawal from Afghanistan. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study explored the effects of the immediate and unexpected withdrawal from Afghanistan as it pertains to military veterans' perspectives on the purpose, value, and meaning of their previous military service, and the service of future generations. The study included 10 participants who had previously served at least one deployment to Afghanistan; each participated in a semi-structured interview via phone call, Zoom meeting, or in-person. The interview included 10 demographic …

Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, Esmeralda Mora

Dissertations

This dissertation, Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, by Esmeralda Mora, Ed.D., of National Louis University, specializing in Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy, investigated the impact of shifting a Midwest high school world language department from a traditional, grammar-focused model to a proficiency-based approach centered on Language Learner Literature (LLL). Employing a Modified Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design, the study first analyzed longitudinal AAPPL proficiency scores from 1,134 high school students (2020–2025) using T-tests and Multiple Linear Regressions to establish measurable outcomes (the "what"). This quantitative phase demonstrated significant and consistent gains in expressive skills (Writing and Speaking) post-LLL implementation, …

From Medical Exceptions To Reproductive Freedom, David S. Cohen, Greer Donley

Michigan Law Review

Since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022, there has been a significant focus on pregnancy complications. This focus has created some risks. Highlighting medically indicated abortion stories could stigmatize the vast majority of abortion seekers who lack medical reasons for abortion and result in narrow remedies that do nothing to undermine abortion bans. This Article presents a way to convert these risks into an opportunity: to use pregnancy complications as a wedge to challenge abortion bans more generally and make abortion more accessible for everyone. We present a long-term strategy to dismantle abortion bans, using several legal …

Utilization Of Mushroom Stems As A Feed Resource For Sustainable Poultry Production, Kayla Stamps

All Theses

Soybean meal (SBM) is the primary protein source in poultry diets; however, its escalating cost and the environmental impact of soybean cultivation underscore the need for sustainable alternatives. Mushroom stems are generated at large volumes as agricultural waste, yet contain bioactive compounds and essential nutrients that may benefit poultry health and productivity. Despite these attributes, limited research has evaluated their potential as feed ingredients across different poultry species. This study addressed this gap by investigating whether mushroom stem powder can partially replace SBM in poultry diets while improving performance, health, and environmental outcomes.

Specifically, four experiments were conducted to evaluate …

Mozgus, Damian Cerda, Madison Lopez

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The indie game market is flooded with genre experiments, yet few successfully combine fast-paced action with meaningful strategic decision-making. Our project aims to fill this gap by creating a game that fuses top-down action combat with resource-management tycoon mechanics. We found that in many games, the management phases lack mechanical stakes. Our goal was to intertwine these systems so that choices made in one phase meaningfully impact the other.

Psychological Effects Of Health Disparities: A Multi-Identity Understanding, Shayda Shokooh, Kiana Hosseinzadeh, Olivia Copeland, Katie Wong

Psychology and Child Development

The United States has a long history of public health inequities which continue to impact individuals based on their varying intersectional identities. These systemic obstacles often impede access to healthcare, comprehensive treatment by physicians, and preventative care, among other factors. Disparities within healthcare consequently result in decreased overall well-being and negative psychological impacts, based on identity. We reviewed a variety of academic peer-reviewed studies, both empirical and systematic, investigating three identity factors: racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomic status, and cognitive disabilities, and examining how these facets influence a person’s mental state and experience of healthcare. We analyzed each of these …

Violence Against Children And Youth In Humanitarian Settings: Findings From A 2024 Survey Of Refugee Camps In Ethiopia, Refugees And Returnees Service, Unhcr Regional Bureau For The East And Horn Of Africa And Great Lakes, Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

While several Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) have been conducted in development contexts, this survey is only the second-ever VACS carried out exclusively in a humanitarian setting—specifically, within refugee camps in Ethiopia. The first VACS conducted exclusively in a humanitarian context was implemented in refugee settlements in Uganda. Both of these Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (HVACS) were led by the Baobab Research Programme Consortium.

The survey aimed to assess the prevalence, nature, and consequences of physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children and youth in refugee settings. The findings from this survey provide critical insights …

The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation On Cognitive Flexibility, Emotion Regulation And Stress Reduction, Angelika Juric

University Honors Program Senior Projects

This study examined the short-term effects of mindfulness meditation on cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, and stress reduction. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to enhance attentional control, emotional awareness, and adaptive coping, contributing to overall psychological well-being. Using a pre-test/post-test experimental design, 23 adult participants completed the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS), Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) before and after a 15-minute guided Open Monitoring Mindfulness Meditation (OMM) session. The meditation emphasized nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. It was hypothesized that participants will demonstrate increased cognitive flexibility, improved emotion regulation, and reduced stress, anxiety, …

Content And Consequences: Impact Of Representation In Stem Higher Education Instructional Content On Marginalized Students, Nichole Ventura

Doctorate in Education

This qualitative study examined representation of historically marginalized students in STEM instructional content at the higher education level and its impact on their learning experiences. Despite growing diversity initiatives in STEM enrollment, curricular materials often fail to reflect the identities of underrepresented students. Using critical theory and interpretivist approaches, this research investigated how representation—or its absence—shapes students' sense of belonging, academic identity formation, and persistence. Through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students from historically marginalized backgrounds, and purposeful sampling, this study captured the lived experiences of students engaging with STEM instructional materials. Interview protocols explored how students perceive their representation in …

Optimizing Virtual Reality User Experience With Balanced Integration Of Quality Attributes, Ananth Ramaseri

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a real-time adaptive framework for mitigating cybersickness and enhancing user experience in virtual reality (VR) environments by dynamically adjusting key visual rendering parameters in response to users’ head movements. Conventional VR systems typically rely on fixed or manually configured settings that do not account for individual motion patterns or varying susceptibility to discomfort, leading to suboptimal usability and degraded immersion. In response, this work integrates software architecture tactics with data-driven machine learning models to proactively manage cybersickness while preserving rendering performance.

The proposed system employs a client–server architecture based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. We conducted a …

A Neutrosophic Probabilistic Distribution Framework For Modeling Uncertainty In Political Learning Environments: Precision Delivery Models Evaluation For College Political-Ideological Education, Guangda Zhao

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Modeling Of Cognitive Political Dynamics For Teaching Effectiveness In University Thought And Politics Curriculum In Blended Learning Environments, Xiaoqin Chen

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Distractor Model Specifications On Assessment Quality Within The Framework Of Assessment Engineering, Sunhyoung Lee

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

Responding to the high demand for new test items, model-based item development has emerged as a promising approach for efficient item creation. Item models within Assessment Engineering (AE) offer a systematic framework that effectively generates a large volume of new items. In the development of multiple-choice questions, well-constructed distractors are essential for ensuring item quality, although creating them requires significant time and resources. A distractor model is a sub-model within an item model, producing correct answers and distractors aligned with all potential items to be generated. Various types of distractor models have different characteristics and offer efficient methods for generating …

Investigating Programming Behaviors To Understand Student Engagement And Experience In Introductory Programming Courses, Marcus Eugene Gubanyi

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

Introductory programming courses are foundational to developing students’ problem-solving abilities and shaping their persistence in computing pathways. Engagement with programming tasks plays a central role in student learning and experience. Many research measures, including self-reports and code submissions, offer only a limited view of student engagement with programming tasks. This dissertation leverages programming process data, consisting of keystrokes and compilation events, to capture the programming process as it unfolds and to investigate observable programming behaviors. Guided by educational theories, three studies examine how students’ programming behaviors vary across instructional and assessment contexts, how they relate to motivational profiles, and how …

Ethical Decision-Making Processes In Authentic Environmental Engineering Contexts Through Systems Thinking And Team Collaboration Lenses: An Embedded Single Case Study, Toluwalase Eniola Brower

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

Ethical and professional responsibility is a critical learning outcome emphasized in ABET accreditation. However, ethics instruction in engineering education often lacks integration of system-level considerations such as economic, environmental, and societal contexts, that are essential for developing engineering solutions that ensure the safety and welfare of diverse stakeholders. This embedded single-case study investigated the integration of authentic ethics instruction within a junior-level environmental engineering course at a Midwestern U.S. university during spring 2025 and explores how civil engineering student teams within the course engage in ethical decision-making process during authentic problem-solving.

The instructional intervention consisted of four problem-based ethics modules, …

The Motivation And Influence Behind The Decisions Of High School Students To Participate In The National Ffa Organization, Taylor A. Nielsen

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Today, high school students are increasingly engaged in extracurricular activities, navigating a diverse range of options for which clubs and organizations to join during their secondary education. This poses a challenge for students and for Career and Technical Student Organizations as they work to recruit talented students. High school students have several influences and pressures on their time, including peers, family, and teachers. These influences often recognize how organizations such as FFA can be pivotal in shaping students’ personal and professional development. We wanted to explore the motivations and influences guiding high school students’ decisions to join and actively participate …

Faculty Perceptions Of Student Mental Health And Real-World Readiness, Allison A. Maloney, Meghan Pontz

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The mental health of students is a cornerstone for achieving global goals of quality education & good health and well-being. These priorities are urgent calls to action for educators and policymakers to foster sustainable economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the vulnerabilities of educational and health systems worldwide, redefining how students are educated and prepared for the workforce. This challenge is pertinent in higher education, where faculty play a role in equipping students for professional environments while addressing their mental health needs—a determinant of future workforce resilience and productivity.

This study examines faculty perceptions of student mental health and …

Service-Learning In Nurse And Midwifery Education: Building Capacity In The Americas, Adelais Markaki, Deborah Bowers, Emily Patton, Lisa Theus

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Service-learning (SL) integrates purposeful and immersive community-based experiences into the curriculum while addressing health disparities.^1,2 Growing evidence from North America shows that academic service-learning nursing partnerships can lead to impactful change.³ Yet, the need to integrate SL into the curriculum must be informed by country-specific, regional evidence.

Purpose: To train in and promote integration of SL by nurse and midwife educators in alignment with the Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery⁴ for developing clinically competent and culturally-sensitive practitioners equipped to provide population-targeted services.

Objective: Identify evidence from the Americas region on service-learning integration and best …

Passing The Bar In And Through Community: The Science Behind Why We Truly Do Better Together, Katherine O. Armstrong

University of Dayton Law Review

Law school graduates preparing for the bar exam often face isolation, leading to mental health challenges, decreased motivation, and impaired performance. This sense of loneliness, coupled with the known mental health and substance abuse issues in the legal profession, underscores the urgent need for change. Research shows that community engagement enhances mental and physical well-being, fosters motivation, and improves educational outcomes. However, little scholarship addresses the role of community in bar exam preparation, leaving a critical gap. This Article explores the transformative power of community during bar preparation. It provides a detailed view of a law school that has successfully …

Dual-Level Pattern Tree For Visual Field Improves Glaucoma Progression And Polygenic Risk Prediction, Luo Song, Lucy Q. Shen, Louis R. Pasquale, Michael V. Boland, Sarah R. Wellik, Carlos Gustavo De Moraes, Ayellet Segre, Janey L. Wiggs, Constance Turman, Jonathan S. Myers, Tobias Elze, Nazlee Zebardast, David S. Friedman, Jae H. Kang, Mengyu Wang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To develop a dual-level pattern tree to characterize visual field (VF) loss subtypes that can be used to better predict glaucoma progression and glaucoma polygenic risk scores (PRSs).

METHODS: This study included 113,030 patients from three datasets, each used for a specific purpose: (1) model training, (2) progression forecasting, and (3) PRS correlations. We applied archetypal analysis to cluster 24-2 VFs into trunk patterns and their branch patterns. The Cox regression model was used to forecast VF progression using mean deviation (MD) slope, MD-fast slope, total deviation (TD) pointwise slope, and visual field index (VFI) slope. Multivariable regression analyses …

Asymptote, Aybuke Yilmazer

Theses

Asymptote is a short film that is an expression of mankind’s emotional consumption through confusing love with sex. This film is a frame-by-frame hand-drawn animation that combines digital and analog techniques. It was produced between August 2024 and April 2025, and its music was re-produced in August 2025. This paper is a written declaration of the motives and intentions of the director, Aybuke Yilmazer, in making this film, and analyzes the filmmaking process. The text of the thesis is in third person except for the self-evaluation section.

Evaluating The Perceptions, Barriers, And Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In Grades K-12, Serena Sowin

Dissertations

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is designed to promote positive behaviors and prevent behavioral challenges. Despite widespread adoption, implementation fidelity, especially at Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels, remains inconsistent, impacting students who require the most intensive support. This study was conducted in one middle school. The purpose of the program evaluation was to investigate the perceptions of, and barriers to, PBIS implementation, with a specific focus on evaluating the impact on student behavioral and disciplinary outcomes, identifying the training and support provided to educators, and examining how data are used to drive decisions. Overarching research questions assessed educator …

Bridging The Gap: Culturally Responsive Bereavement Support In Latino Families, Maria I. Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Hospice of the Central Coast (HCC), a division of Montage Health, delivers high-quality end-of-life care and bereavement support to adults and families in Monterey and select areas of San Benito County. This capstone project sought to address the disparities by developing and implementing an eight-week bereavement support group curriculum translated and adapted for Spanish-Speaking Latino families. Despite the organization’s longstanding commitment to compassionate and inclusive healthcare, internal data reveal substantial gaps in service for the latino population: of 628 patients served in 2023, only 47 patients were of Hispanic or Latino origin. This discrepancy stems from ingrained barriers such as: …

Digital Literacy And Family Engagement For Student Success, Genesis B. Mendoza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The North Monterey County Unified School District (NMCUSD) in Castroville, California, serves a student population in which 87.5% are identified as low-income and nearly half are designated as English Language Learners. Families face significant barriers to accessing educational and community resources, barriers worsened by limited digital literacy and technology access. The NMCUSD Castro Plaza Family Resource Center serves as a vital hub supporting families in the predominantly rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged region. This project aimed to strengthen family engagement and digital inclusion through hands-on workshops. Workshop topics included online student registration and data verification, training on essential district digital tools …

Empowering Families To Support Youth Mental Health In Santa Cruz County, Monica Garcia‐Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Youth mental health challenges have become an increasingly urgent public health concern, particularly among Hispanic and Latino adolescents in Santa Cruz County, California. United Way Santa Cruz County’s Jóvenes Sanos program is a youth-led initiative through the United4Youth Department which aims to reduce stigma surrounding mental health, promote peer-to-peer connectedness, and provide opportunities of growth and leadership skills. However, barriers connected to parent involvement and participation in collaboration of parent-program relationships has limited parental communication about mental wellness, the primary contributing factor for effective youth support, mental health, and overall well being. This capstone project was designed to strengthen parent …

Survey For Woman Warriors, Molly L. Daniels

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Survey for Woman Warriors was created as a capstone internship project in collaboration with GI Josie. This local nonprofit organization serves women veterans (WVs), active-duty servicewomen, and their families. Women veterans represent an understudied population that experiences distinct mental health and wellness challenges. This survey aimed to gain a clearer understanding of the experiences and needs of WVs residents in Monterey County. The methodology involved designing and delivering a trauma-informed needs assessment, selected as a time- and cost-effective approach to collecting mixed-method data from participants. Results indicated that the project met its expected outcomes, highlighting a need for greater …