Digital Commons Network^™

Empowering Mothers: A Digital Intervention For Perinatal Mental Wellness, Morgan Edmunds

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Aim: The aim of this project was to develop a smartphone application prototype for peripartum mental health. The goal of this application was to enhance access to education and quality mental health care.

Background: Currently, in the United States, peripartum mental health conditions are the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality (The Joint Commission, 2023). There is a gap in education, screening, and treatment for peripartum mental health due to distrust and a lack of resources, including a lack of mental health providers (Dossette et al., 2024; Feldman & Perret, 2023). Therefore, there is a significant number of women …

Prenatal Exposure To Domestic Violence And Its Impact On Infant Stress-Response Development, Erica Cooper

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Fall Expo Online Poster Presentation

• Health Sciences & Health Professions
• Social & Behavioral Sciences

Preventing Adverse Outcomes For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Rural Areas, Angela Osakoda

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this Social Change Portfolio is to prevent adverse outcomes for children at risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in rural communities who are unable to obtain a diagnosis or have limited access to services through parent coaching programs that connect caregivers with skills training, psychoeducation, and resources. Significant Findings: ASD impacts 4% of children nationwide (Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health, n.d.). In rural areas, these children often face long waitlists to receive a diagnosis and limited access to services, making it difficult for them to receive the recommended amount of interventions (Boydston …

Reduction And Prevention Of Intimate Partner Violence In King County, Wa, Leta Whitney

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of my social change project is to reduce and prevent intimate partner violence in King County, WA, through educational awareness, training, and supportive resources for victims and perpetrators, as well as the communities in which they reside. Significant Findings: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a preventable public health issue that affects millions of Americans and their communities, and it can occur across an entire lifespan. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) suggests that an estimated 8.5 million women and 4 million men in the United States have reported experiencing a level of IPV …

Identifying Coercion To Prevent Human Trafficking Of At-Risk Youth In Duval County, Florida, Maeve G. Coen

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Preventing at-risk youth, adolescents, and teenagers from human trafficking victimization.

Significant Findings:Duval County faces the ongoing public health issue of human trafficking at-risk youth. At risk youth can be identified based on risk and protective factors identified through the social-ecological model. Individual risk factors may include child maltreatment, sexual abuse, and exposure to antisocial behaviors throughout childhood. Children with increased exposure to child abuse and maltreatment will escape their homes and engage in endangering behaviors with peers and adults exhibiting antisocial and coercive behaviors. Institutional, Community and Public Policy in Duval County has made advances in treating youth …

Alcoholism In Northampton County, Pa, Lauren Stack

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal is to reduce alcoholism rates in Northampton County, PA by addressing stigma associated with alcohol use, providing age-appropriate education about alcohol in schools targeting youth, and supporting the creation of public policies that facilitate these prevention efforts.

Significant Findings: In Northampton County, the percentage of the population who report excessive alcohol use is higher than the national average (Lehigh Valley Health Network, 2022). Risk factors to alcoholism can include childhood trauma, lack of economic opportunities, and societal norms (SAMHSA, n.d b). Prevention can begin within our youth by implementing strategies that target societal norms. Male adults …

Twenty-Fourth Annual International Advocate For Peace Award, Honoring Dr. Zafra Lerman, Zafra Lerman, Andrea K. Schneider, Felix Wu, Armando Gonzalez

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

On March 6, 2025, the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution presented the twenty-fourth annual International Advocate for Peace Award to Dr. Zafra M. Lerman. The following is a transcript of the event.

Supporting Faculty Parents In Professional Development: Case Studies, Recommendations, And A Call For Inclusive Approaches, Anne Marie Gruber, Lindsay Doukopoulos

Faculty Publications

Educational development is often scheduled during academic breaks with the intent of allowing faculty participation; however, this can actually make it more difficult for faculty who are in parenting roles, particularly during summer and school breaks when childcare options are limited. This article provides case studies from two different institutions describing approaches to offering childcare support to faculty participants in professional development. Ultimately, although both cases were successful, they were limited solutions to what is actually a much larger cultural problem. Our discussion shares lessons learned, recommendations, and urges others to embrace inclusive and equity-focused endeavors in supporting faculty caregivers' …

Implementing A Standardized Ssri Tapering Protocol In The Outpatient Setting, Chelsea Sopo-Ngwa

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one of the most prescribed antidepressant medications in the outpatient psychiatric setting. Abrupt discontinuation or improper tapering of these medications may result in SSRI withdrawal symptoms. Adverse effects may lead to poor patient outcomes and increase healthcare utilization. A baseline chart review and provider readiness survey within the outpatient psychiatric practice revealed inconsistency in provider documentation related to SSRI tapering plans, patient education, and follow-up planning. The gap in practice highlighted the lack of a standardized SSRI tapering protocol to guide evidence-based medication tapering practices and promote patient safety.

Aim: The …

Quality Improvement Initative To Reduce Falls Among Geriatric Patients In The Inpatient Mental Health Setting, Regina Johnson

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Falls are widely recognized as a leading cause of injury and hospitalization among older adults, with geriatric psychiatric patients at particularly high risk due to polypharmacy, cognitive impairment, and mobility challenges. At the project site, baseline audits revealed inconsistent use of structured fall risk tools, limited nurse-driven medication review, and gaps in post-fall documentation. The absence of an embedded electronic health record feature for medication review highlighted a significant practice gap requiring intervention.

Aim of the Project: The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project was to reduce fall risk in a geriatric psychiatric hospital through structured post-fall medication …

Fall Reduction Utilizing Fall Tailored Intervention For Patient Safety In Acute Care, Lauren Poindexter

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Hospitalized patient falls cause physical, psychological, and financial harm and persist despite prevention bundles. A Midwest Ohio acute medical unit experienced higher-than-benchmark fall rates (1.53–7.58 falls/1,000 patient days; unit rate 113% of the national median), with a rising trend in FY25. Reliance on the Schmid tool and existing interventions lacked structured patient/family engagement, as well as comprehensive medication assessment, leading to under-recognition of risk and limited nurse-driven prevention.

Aim of the Project: The aim of the project was to reduce inpatient fall rates and fall-related injuries on a medical unit by implementing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Parents' Experiences Of Homeschooling In The United Arab Emirates: Motivations And Challenges, Reem Thani Aldhaheri

All Works

Homeschooling in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an understudied phenomenon despite the growing numbers of homeschoolers. Controversies about homeschooling and its impact on children’s well-being create a social stigma around families that choose to homeschool their children for various reasons. This study explored the experiences of homeschoolers in the UAE, specifically, the motivations for homeschooling and the challenges homeschooling families face during the experience. The study followed a qualitative exploratory approach using a semi-structured interview. The sample consisted of 16 parents of different nationalities living in the UAE. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach to gain an in-depth …

The Effect Of Administrative Bullying On The Quality Of Education, Hanadi Alrashdan, Najwa Darawsheh, Abdulla Almheiri, Yaseen Aljanabi, Majid Al-Khataybeh, Nahla Al-Quran

All Works

Background/purpose. Administrative bullying has become associated with inappropriate behaviors at work. This raised some concerns about how to define and measure it precisely. Nonetheless, there is a theoretical and practical gap in educational literature. So, this study explores the impact of administrative bullying on the quality of education. Materials/methods. The sample consisted of (300) employees selected randomly from employees working at Jordanian universities. To achieve the objectives of the study, Administrative Bullying and Quality of Education questionnaires were developed Results. The results showed that the level of administrative bullying practiced at Jordanian universities was low (M=2.30, SD=0.13); that the level …

Adapting To Inflationary Pressures: Household Coping Strategies In Urban Egypt (2016– 2025), Mohamed Mohamed Ashraf Kamal

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, Egypt has faced persistent economic challenges including repeated currency devaluations, high inflation rates, subsidy reforms such as the gradual reduction of food and energy subsidies, and the ripple effects of global crises that have significantly impacted household well-being, especially in urban areas. These pressures have eroded purchasing power and heightened food insecurity, especially among low- and middle-income families. Although substantial attention has been paid to macroeconomic indicators, there remains a critical gap in understanding how households adapt on a daily basis to manage financial stress and sustain their livelihoods. This inquiry is especially timely, as household …

St. John Paul Ii On Obedience And Its Spirituality In Religious And Consecrated Life, Paul Nguyen Van Hoa

Loyola Papers

This paper examines the theological and spiritual meaning of the vow of obedience in religious life through the teachings of Pope John Paul II. It presents obedience as Christ-centered, Trinitarian, ecclesial, and pneumatological—understood as a free and loving response modeled on Christ. Reframed as dialogue grounded in listening, discernment, and mutual trust, obedience is shown to foster authentic freedom and communion. By integrating theology with lived religious practice, the study highlights obedience as a liberating, relational, and Spirit-led path that deepens personal dignity, communal fidelity, and mission.

Editor's Preface, Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo

Loyola Papers

No abstract provided.

Ready For A Theology Of The Mind? Faith Response To The Mental Health Crisis, Ramil R. Marcos, Phil Nielsen G. Galvez

Loyola Papers

This article argues for the urgent development of a “theology of the mind” as a pastoral and theological response to the growing mental health crisis in the Philippines. This timely study highlights the systemic problems surrounding this important concern, such as limited access to professional help, cultural stigma, poverty, and inadequate government facilities. The paper draws from Scripture, Church teaching, papal pronouncements, and local initiatives to show that mental health struggles are not alien to Christian life but resonate deeply with biblical figures, the life of Christ, and the Church’s mission of compassion. Among its unique contributions is the proposal …

Full Issue, Volume 6, Issue 2

Loyola Papers

No abstract provided.

Exploring Positive Psychology And Goal Setting In Esports Coaching: A Thematic Analysis Of Professional Fortnite Coaches, Samuel Jaffe, Nigel Jackson, Jonathan Rhodes

School of Psychology

This study investigates how professional Fortnite coaches integrate positive psychology, specifically Seligman’s PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) model and goal-setting frameworks, to enhance player performance and well-being. Through semistructured interviews with 16 esports coaches, the research examines how psychological strategies influence motivation, resilience, and long-term success in a highly competitive, digital coaching environment. Using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, three key themes were constructed: defining and measuring success, goal-setting practices, and balancing positive versus pressured coaching styles. Coaches defined success beyond tournament outcomes, emphasizing player development, consistency, and psychological resilience. Goal-setting strategies were highly individualized, blending …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, School Culture, And School Leadership, Virginia Lorean Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was a qualitative instrumental single holistic case study as outlined by Robert Stake in

1995. It focused on three research questions. The goal was to gain perspectives from teachers

and a principal on teacher retention and the culture of a campus. The emotional level of the

principal was evaluated on social awareness, self-awareness, relationship management, and self-

management by the principal taking part in an emotional intelligence assessment. The single

holistic case study approach was used, which had six phases of analyzing the data. The results

were then compared to the teachers’ interviews and surveys that were …

¿Soy Bilingüe? ¡Soy Bilingüe!: How Bilingual Proficiency Influences Code Switching, Natalie S. Cortez , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Between Opposite And Unity: A Cross-Linguistic Study Of Contranyms In Classical Chinese, German, And English, Che Lu , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This thesis aims to contribute to the study of contranyms — a special kind of polysemy where one word, character, or even morpheme, has two contradictory meanings — from a comparative perspective by examining representative examples in Classical Chinese, English, and German, with a brief consideration of the absence of such phenomena in Modern Chinese. With the help of Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) and Hegelian dialectics, this study will analyze how such words encode semantic dialectics and the evolution of meaning.

The selection of these three languages reflects their distinct typologies and approaches to meaning formation. Classical Chinese, as an …

Analysis Of The Prevalence Of Dissociative Identity Disorder Using Neutrosophic Plithogenic Statistics, Verónica Elizabeth Saltos Paz, Tanya Elizabeth Borja Pante, Gloria Madaly Plasencia Álvarez, Milena Rodríguez Salcedo

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is one of the most enigmatic, intricate issues of contemporary psychiatry. It is challenging to assess how prevalent it is and what diagnosis means because dissociative identity disorder is a complicated disorder that manifests differently across populations. Yet when the disorder can be analyzed with statistically significant results from solid populations, critical advances in disorder awareness, treatment, and quality of life for those with IDD exist. Yet the literature does not provide such a statistical approach that will process uncertainty and vagueness based upon clinical observation of persons with DID. Therefore, this research attempts to apply …

Evaluating Community Satisfaction With Cultural Educational Projects Through Neutrosophic Plithogenic Iadov, Claudia Yadira Cuenca Macas, Jack Franck Jaramillo Herrera, Isaac Roger Martinez, Rudy Garcia Cobas, Nayade Caridad Reyes Palau

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This study addresses the gap of assessing the Kawymeno indigenous community's satisfaction with an interdisciplinary teaching project which was designed to enhance cultural identity for these children at risk of cultural loss due to other identity-possessing persons' facilitation. Preservation of cultural identity is important because with indigenous people and non-indigenous persons, for example, globalization might facilitate the loss of the ancestral tongue and age-old activities, thus, it's important to know whether such communities approve or not of such teaching endeavors. Relative to the international findings about intercultural education, very few studies exist that assess the phenomenon from a multicultural perspective …

Predictive Model Of School Dropout In Higher Education Through Learning Analytics With Neutrosophic Plithogenic Hypotheses, David Núñez, Purificación Galindo-Villardón

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Higher education dropout rates are an international problem, as many people abandon their studies, especially in the early years. This problem affects institutions, causing significant losses. In this context, it is essential to consider methods that allow for predicting dropout rates and taking rapid and effective measures. Objective: The main objective is to analyze prediction models using Learning Analytics, integrating neutrosophic plithogenic hypotheses, to identify early the risk of dropout in higher education. This provides institutions with useful tools to implement actions that help retain more students, considering uncertainty and complex interactions between academic and non-academic factors. Methodology: The method …

The Reality Of Reason: Fiction, Method, And Modernity In The Metaphysics Of Francisco Suárez, William Martin Nee Cox

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

In the Metaphysical Disputations (1597), Francisco Suárez asserts that the human intellect, because it is imperfect, must make use of determinate mental fictions in order to know “real being” (ens reale). In this dissertation, I reconstruct why and how this should be the case. I show that the supreme imperfection of our intellect implies our embodiment, which in turn implies our inability to know any being entirely as it is in itself. To compensate for this inability, we humans must make use of both “beings of reason” (entia rationis) and “nonbeings of reason” (non entia rationis). In the process of …

Topical Themes And Sentiment Analysis Of Social Media Posts Surrounding Book Bans During Banned Books Week 2024-2025, Jin-A Choi, Lauren Nicosia, Bond Benton, Yi Lou

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

Every year, the American Library Association (ALA sponsors “Banned Books Week” as an opportunity to celebrate free expression and open access to information. In articulating the importance of the event, the ALA states the following:

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Held in the last week of September or first week of October, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers …

Pleasure & Pain In Intellectual Property, Andrew Gilden

William & Mary Law Review

Intellectual property produces pleasure. IP laws incentivize investment in popular culture, helping to ensure the viability of entertainment industries and the steady production of our favorite shows, cherished brands, and beloved celebrities. Across IP-heavy industries, creators cite the joy of writing, composing, coding, and experimenting as a motivation for countless hours in the office, studio, or lab. Nonetheless, in a broad range of settings, and across several areas of IP, courts have responded with hostility to personal accounts of pleasure in IP disputes. When a defendant admits to using IP because they are fans of the plaintiff, or because they …

Capitalizing On Teacher Retention: The Role Of Human, Social, Structural, And Positive Psychological Capital, Mary A. Hamner

PhD in Education

This study explored the influence of psychological, social, human, and structural capital on teacher retention within a large Florida school district, guided by Mason and Matas’s (2015) four-capital framework. Using a nonexperimental quantitative design, the research examines how demographic variables and perceptions of professional capital relate to educators’ decisions to remain in the profession. Findings revealed that most demographic factors—gender, age, years of service, and degree type—did not significantly affect perceptions of the four capitals, suggesting a relatively equitable distribution of organizational supports. However, educational degree status was associated with higher perceptions of social, human, and structural capital, indicating that …

Venezuelan Migrants In Prostitution: A Personal Decision?, Yazmin Maria Lucila Cadena Camargo, Izara Maite Mondragon Moreno, Isabela Osorio Jaramillo, Paula Angélica Suárez Álvarez, Andrés Duarte Osorio, Carlos Gómez-Restrepo

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper explores the multifaceted experiences of Venezuelan migrant women engaged in prostitution, framed through three critical moments: the “decision to enter in prostitution,” the unique abuses faced, and the resultant consequences on mental, physical, and social health. The study highlights how socioeconomic vulnerabilities—exacerbated by migration and poverty—significantly influence the likelihood of entering prostitution. It also shows how traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood and adolescence, coupled with a lack of support networks, contribute to a heightened risk of exploitation. Eleven life stories were collected through a phenomenological approach, revealing a common narrative of abuse, poverty, and the search for survival …