Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Voices: Stress And Coping Mechanisms Among The Teaching Profession, Jasmine Suttles

Education | Master's Theses

Stress is a natural response that occurs in our body when we feel overwhelmed, and it can manifest in both positive and negative instances. The teaching profession is not exempt from this phenomenon, as it is unique in that educators have multiple roles to play and have to manage and interact with many students simultaneously. Teachers have been described as "exasperated by heavy loads of emotional labor in the classroom" (Ferguson et al., 2022). This "heavy load" can place the teaching profession at risk of stress and burnout if self-care is not addressed or mental health resources are not offered. …

Enhancing School Culture Through Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (Pbis) Training And Implementation: Insights From Teacher And Administrator Educators, Grazia Benedetti

Education | Master's Theses

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a comprehensive approach to fostering a positive school environment by supporting social behavior throughout the school community. The goal of PBIS is to enhance both educational and social achievements for all students. Research has indicated that successful implementation of school-wide practices requires initiation that includes administrative engagement, creation of a leadership team, and alignment with the school’s vision and mission (Cook & Odom, 2013). Administrator support and ongoing professional development were crucial for the success of positive behavior interventions. School-wide PBIS, described by Angus and Nelson (2019), was a proactive approach to teaching …

What's The Problem: Teacher Stress And Student Behavior, Emma Jaime

Education | Master's Theses

With student behavior and teacher stress being directly linked, there is a lack of insight into how teachers are managing that both in and out of the classroom (Clunies‐Ross, Little, & Kienhuis, 2008). This research highlights the impacts teachers have on their students, both positive and negative. It also offers insight into coping strategies teachers can use in order to maintain a positive classroom environment. I interviewed and collected reflective journals from four teachers with varied levels of experience and grade levels in a singular public elementary school. In the data collection process, common themes included personal and professional stressors, …

Empowering Achievement: Investigating Leadership, Agency, And Access For First-Generation College Students, Antonia Marcelle Pettit

Education | Master's Theses

This research demonstrates that first-generation college students excel when they can be open to new spaces, people, and experiences and have access to robust support systems and the necessary resources to build solid personal self-efficacy. The intentionality behind this research is grounded in students finding their agency and self- efficacy to become strong and confident leaders within their communities and future workplaces. One of the theoretical frameworks this research touches on is Vince Tinto’s interactionalist theory of student persistence, which identifies the importance of academic and social integration in higher education students. All six participants in the study were in …

A Foveated Model Of Visual Discrimination Based On Windowed Texture Statistics, Jan W. Kurzawski, William F. Broderick, Eero P. Simoncelli, Jonathan Winawer

MODVIS Workshop

Most information from visual scenes is discarded by the human nervous system and thus cannot influence visual behavior. Here, we investigated the loss of spatial pattern information. This loss increases dramatically with eccentricity. Recently, models have been developed that average image features in pooling windows whose diameters scale with eccentricity. These models can be used to synthesize “metamers” of natural scenes, images which are physically different but perceptually indistinguishable. Psychophysical experiments have identified the maximum window scaling for which model discrimination abilities match human performance (“critical scaling”). If images are synthesized with pooling windows that exceed critical scaling (“supercritical scaling”), …

A Pilot Study On The Measurement Of Connectedness To Nature Around Nature Immersion With Green Exercise On Desert Trails, Dustin W. Davis, Elias M. Malek, Robert Salatto, Marcus M. Lawrence, Jacob W. Manning, Mark Debeliso, Merrill Russen Landers, Graham Mcginnis, James W. Navalta

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 5, 2024. Studies have reported that non-exercise nature immersion (e.g., sitting) and green exercise increase connectedness to nature. The sitting was long, and the exercise was moderate-to-vigorous. And whether the scales used are valid and test-retest reliable is unclear. The main purpose of this study was to determine whether brief sitting and walking in green space affects connectedness to nature. The second purpose was to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Visual Analog Scale-Nature (VAS-N) with the Love and Care for Nature Scale (LCN). The third purpose was to …

Teaching And Developing Deliberative Capacities: An Integrated Approach To Peer-To-Peer, Playful, And Authentic Discussion-Based Learning, Rousiley Celi Moreira Maia, Gabriella Hauber, Danila Cal, Augusto Veloso Leão

Democracy & Education

Drawing on theories of deliberative democracy, this article analyzes initiatives in educational settings to develop deliberative capabilities—defined here as a person's motivation and abilities to explain their views based on thoughtful considerations, reciprocal engagement, and more inclusive and respectful communication. Building and expanding on previous education experiences and citizen assemblies, we propose an integrated approach that includes: (a) peer learning, (b) playful and performative activities, and (c) authentic discussions about controversial political issues in small groups. Our field experiment involving more than 500 public school students in Brazil is used to illustrate combinations of methods to develop conceptual understandings and …

Heavy On The Solidarity, Light On The Adultism: Adult Supports For Youth Activism, Stephanie C. Serriere, Tennisha Riley

Democracy & Education

This data-based theoretical paper explores the contrasting tensions of adults being in “solidarity” with youths while not reproducing systems of oppression through adultism. Written by adults who have been engaged side-by-side with youth activism, the purpose of this article is to better understand what adult solidarity and support look like according to youth activists themselves as we grapple with the unintentional mechanisms of reinforcing oppressive power dynamics between young people and adults in activist communities. Extending on the Gaztambide-Fernández’s (2012) notion of relational solidarity, the findings offer four types of actions (modeling, connecting, supporting, and protecting) adults can do …

What's In A Deadname?, Theodore J. Szpakowski

The Mercury

No abstract provided.

In My Head, Ellie Bentz

The Mercury

No abstract provided.

You Will Be Ok, Ellie Bentz

The Mercury

No abstract provided.

Dissecting Bayes: Using Influence Measures To Test Normative Use Of Probability Density Information Derived From A Sample, Laurence T. Maloney, Keiji Ota

MODVIS Workshop

Bayesian decision theory (BDT) is used to model human performance in tasks where the decision maker must compensate for uncertainty in order to gain rewards and avoid losses. BDT prescribes how the decision maker can combine available data, prior knowledge, and value to reach a decision maximizing expected winnings. Do human decision makers actually use BDT in making decisions? Researchers typically compare overall human performance (total winnings or overall percent correct) to the predictions of BDT but we cannot conclude that BDT is an adequate model for human performance based on just overall performance. We break BDT down into elementary …

Explaining The Staircase Gelb Illusion, Simultaneous Contrast, And Perceptual Fading Of Stabilized Images With A Neural Model Driven By Fixational Eye Movements, Michael E. Rudd

MODVIS Workshop

A neural model of lightness computation driven by fixational eye movements is described and used to simulate various lightness phenomenon, including the Staircase Gelb illusion and its variants, simultaneous contrast, the Chevreul illusion, and perceptual fading of stabilized images. The model provides a precise account of the lightness matches from several experiments, with an overall error of only 1.5%. In the model, spatial maps of transient ON and OFF cell activations—produced as the eyes traverse the visual scene—are sorted by eye movement direction in visual cortex. At a subsequent processing stage, the activations within these maps are summed across space …

Depression Among College Students: Differences By Race, Generation Status, And Their Intersection, Kenzie Thomas

Symposium of Student Scholars

Previous research has shown that depression can negatively impact college students. Yet, there is a major gap in the literature regarding differences in depression among college students by race, generation status, and their intersection. One study demonstrated that first-generation college students (FGCS; neither parent obtained a college degree) experience higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to continuing-generation college students (CGCS; at least one parent obtained a college degree). Similarly, another study found that African American college students endure more experiences of hopelessness and depression than their counterparts. Still, this evidence is scant, and there remains little research on depression as …

Pregnancy Behind Bars: Exploring The Impact Of Incarceration On Prenatal And Postnatal Care For Female Inmates, Caitlin Callahan, Anisah Bagasra, Meghan Bankhead

Symposium of Student Scholars

Incarcerated women have a constitutionally protected right to obtain appropriate medical care. Past research has found that “38 states had inadequate or no prenatal care in their prisons” (NWsLC, 2010). A report from The US Department of Justice states that “46% of pregnant imprisoned women reported they received no pregnancy care” (Maruschak, 2008). There is a gap in the literature of analyzing primary accounts of pregnant inmates. The current study is investigating the interaction of incarceration and the available care and quality of care given to female inmates in American correctional institutions. This study is comprised of a qualitative video …

Accounting For The Structure Of Noise In Binocular Rivalry With A Bayesian Sampling Approach, Stella Qian, Jake Spicer, Adam N. Sanborn

MODVIS Workshop

Binocular rivalry occurs when two eyes are presented with incompatible images; observers experience temporal alternations of the two eyes’ images. Such descriptions often mislead readers to assume regular rhythmic rivalry dynamics.

However, rivalry dynamics are noisy: percept durations show high variability. (1) The percept durations follow a gamma distribution. (2) Autocorrelations in the percept durations, although widely known, receive little attention in modelling. (3) Similarly, there is a substantial chance of and individual differences on returning to the same exclusive percept after a mixture percept (van Ee, 2009). These observations are unlikely to be explained by injecting Gaussian noise in …

Addressing Mental Health In Young Adults: A Modern Approach Compared To Previous Generations, Breeha A. Shah

DePaul Journal of Health Care Law

The escalating prevalence of mental health issues among today's young adults underscores the vital importance of addressing mental health in the pursuit of public health objectives. In response to this, The House Education and Labor Committee issued a report on the Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2020 (the Act), to amend the Public Health Service Act relating to school children. This revision seeks to bolster the support for students and young people by ensuring their access to comprehensive mental health programs within the school environment. The Act recognizes that safeguarding mental health is an immediate concern for public …

"Because They Recognized Us": Triangulated Perspectives Of Syrian Mothers' Resettlement Experiences In The Eastern United States., Kayte Thomas

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Research indicates that post-resettlement experiences can be particularly challenging for people with refugee status. Despite finding safety in and adjusting to their new home, former refugees have indicated that this time can be stressful and even traumatic. The current Syrian crisis has created the largest wave of refugees ever known, and Syrian women are amongst the most vulnerable. However, women’s needs and preferences are often not taken into consideration during the resettlement journey and when they are, there is no distinction between mothers and their childless counterparts. As social workers strive to empower the individual person within their environment, it …

Matrix Training For Expanding The Communication Of Toddlers And Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jacy Durdel, Maggie Ratcliff

Honors Theses

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly display a range of deficits from communication skills to play skills. When the ability to generalize is improved, a greater number of stimuli can be learned without having to be directly taught, which can be done through matrix training. Matrix training provides a framework for actively teaching a singular exemplar of a target, and, through recombination, many more stimuli can be learned. Participant is a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD who was taught noun-verb combinations through tactile movement of figurines. All targets are tested before and after the single stimulus of each …

The Palestinian Feature Film "200 Meters" Addresses The Issue Of The Apartheid Wall, Samar Abd Al Karim Farahat

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to explain the methods of processing the Palestinian feature film" 200 meters " to the issue of the apartheid wall, using sub-objectives highlighting political, social and psychological issues and topics in addition to the characters and cinematic elements, to identify the form of processing carried out by the film in an integrated manner. Given the nature of this study, which aimed to find out how the 200-meter film dealt with the issue of the apartheid wall, the researcher adopted the most appropriate approach to studying this type of phenomena, which is the analytical approach. The results of …

Pain Interference In Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Examining A Resilience Model Of Dispositional Optimism, Coping Responses, And Mind-Body Practices, Trey Heffernan

Dissertations

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Pain interference, or the ways chronic pain negatively interferes with everyday life, is the biggest problem impacting individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Although previous research has targeted risk factors associated with poor health outcomes, the adaptive functioning of some patients with chronic pain highlights a need for research investigating resilience factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between resilience factors of optimism, coping responses, and mind-body practices on pain interference for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Specifically, the resilience model …

404 Error – Gender Not Found: Lived Experiences Of Genderqueer Autistics Assigned Female At Birth, Christina-Marie J. Wright

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also …

The Power Of Words: Unpacking Language's Role In Educational Inequities, Zara Yokohama, Liz Beccari, Malcolm Jasmin

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The language used to describe racial disparities in education may inadvertently influence how we address them. Framing such disparities as “achievement gap” rather than as “inequality in educational outcomes” assumes a deficit thinking mindset, shifting focus from the structural injustices contributing to education disparities to individuals, resulting in decreased prioritization of racial equity (Quinn & Desruisseaux, 2022). We aim to replicate this prioritization effect, specify the language driving the effect, and examine the impact of frames on perceptions of how to achieve racial equity. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions framing racial equity concerns as: a racial achievement gap, racial …

Comparing Executive Control: Bilingualism's Cognitive Advantage, Malcolm Jasmin, Tonya Buchanan Ph.D.

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The Stroop Task is a widely used method for studying executive control. It helps to understand cognitive processes like inhibition and attentional regulation to examine how reading text and naming colors can interfere with each other. The study intends to use the Stroop Task to explore the executive control abilities of both bilingual and monolingual individuals. Previous research has shown that bilingual individuals perform better in the Stroop test compared to those who only speak one language (Bialystok et al., 2010). The impact of this advantage is believed to be due to the need to switch between languages and prevent …

Oncology Patients’ Willingness To Report Their Medication Safety Concerns From Home: A Qualitative Study, Deema Bunni, Grace Walters, Misun Hwang, Katie Gahn, Heidi Mason, Milisa Manojlovich, Yang Gong, Yun Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Oncology patients often struggle to manage their medications and related adverse events during transitions of care. They are expected to take an active role in self-monitoring and timely reporting of their medication safety events or concerns to clinicians. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing oncology patients' willingness to report adverse events or concerns related to their medication after their transitions back home.

Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted with adult patients with breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer who experienced care transitions within the previous year. A semi-structured interview guide was developed to …

Building Moral Character Through “Catholic Athletes For Christ’S Program” At The Diocese Of Trenton, New Jersey, Neiser Cardenas

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The tendency to care more for the business than the human being has increased the problem of unethical conduct in sports. Catholic schools, along with their limited resources, have worked over the last few decades to be better organized, more competitive academically, and more focused on social and moral responsibility. Unsportsmanlike behaviors go against the teachings and values of the Roman Catholic Church, so Catholic schools have the mission to minimize the problem.

This qualitative study explored whether combining sports activity and teaching Christian virtues could help student-athletes reduce unsportsmanlike behaviors. This study aimed to identify the success factors that …

Formula: A Poetic Alchemy Of Emotion And Identity, Arman Eshtiaghi

Graduate Artistry Projects and Performances

"FORMULA: A Poetic Alchemy of Emotion and Identity" is an interdisciplinary art project that explores the intersection of mathematical symbolism, typography, and emotional cartography to examine the complexities of identity formation. Rooted in personal experiences and queer theory, the project delves into the cognitive processes that shape the self, particularly within the context of sexual orientation and societal norms. By intertwining poetry with digital media—such as 3D animation, video projections, and deep neural network-generated visuals—"FORMULA" creates a multisensory experience that invites viewers to engage with the intricate landscapes of human consciousness.

The exhibition challenges traditional perceptions of identity by employing …

Intervening For A Better Social Life? A Comparative Analysis Of Psychological Egoism And Aristotle As Alternate Foundations For Applied Social Psychology's Aims, Samuel D. Major

Theses and Dissertations

The scientific aim which distinguishes applied social psychological research from basic social psychological research is that of using social psychological theory to develop interventions meant to rectify social and practical problems in hopes of fostering a flourishing or thriving social sphere. In developing their interventions, however, many applied social psychologists have failed to consider their pre-investigatory philosophical commitments, commitments which imply the kind of flourishing social life that may come as a result of interventions rooted in them. The aim of this dissertation is to invite applied social psychologists to consider if their frequently noted, yet often unexamined, commitment to …

Psilocybin Utilization In Alcohol Use Disorder, Hannah Hall, Sarah Turske, Hannah Blake, Abigail Carter, Connor Dains, Haylee Whyde, Brianna Lu, Joshua Honaker, Lindsey Peters

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that arises from the inability to control alcohol consumption regardless of negative consequences. Over 10% of the US population met the diagnostic criteria for having AUD in 2022.1 Each individual presents with symptoms of AUD differently and may therefore need more personalized treatment. Research has shown that using a combination of currently available pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options provides the best results for patients with AUD. However, there still remains a pressing need for the development of newer treatment options. Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound, is currently under investigation due to …

Reducing Delirium In Post-Surgical Patients Through Pre-Operative Risk Assessment Screening: A Policy Option, Skye Porter Berg Msn, Fnp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

One of the major complications and reasons for prolonged stay amongst patients who undergo surgery is related to the occurrence of hospital associated delirium. Unfamiliar environment, previous comorbidities, age and anesthesia can alter and affect cognitive status in the general population. While there is substantial evidence previously listing high risk patients through demographics as well as prior medical history, this study collectively gathers information based upon prior evidence-based practice data to determine the benefit of prescreening patients through use of a predictive indicator tool. Based on the literature review and inclusion data gathered from fifty patients undergoing surgery, it was …