Digital Commons Network^™

Decoding Officer Wellness: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of The Decision-Making Processes In Law Enforcement Administrations And Government Partnerships, Erik Lee Peffer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how law enforcement administrators in Orange County, California, in collaboration with the governments they serve, make decisions regarding the development, implementation, and evaluation of officer wellness programs. Lewin's Change Theory guided the study and framed the movement from unfreezing to changing to refreezing. Ten administrators participated in semi-structured interviews. Each administrator had at least five years of experience and held decision-making authority over officer wellness initiatives. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Screening and demographic questionnaires, field notes, and member checking were also used to support …

Examining The Predictive Relationship Between Overparenting And Student Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Benjamin C. Carlisle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine the relationship between overparenting (helicopter parenting) and basic psychological need satisfaction informed by self-determination theory among emerging adult college students. This study fills a gap in the literature and expands upon existing research by examining this relationship. The target population was residential emerging adult students ages 18–25 at a southern, private university. Using convenience sampling, the researcher distributed surveys within courses and through flyers, resulting in 176 responses. Out of the 176 respondents who began the survey, there was a completion rate of 84.7% giving the sample size of N …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study: How Female Student-Athletes Diagnosed With Adhd Leverage Athletics To Mitigate Challenges With Self-Regulation Throughout Their Academic Careers, Alyssa J. Knight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experience of participation in athletics for female student-athletes with ADHD in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Zimmerman’s social cognitive theory of self-regulated learning, which posits that goal setting and self-reflection are necessary for developing self-regulation skills. The central research question was, “How do female student-athletes diagnosed with ADHD leverage athletics to mitigate challenges with self-regulation in their academic careers?” This study employed hermeneutic phenomenology, as outlined by van Manen, to interpret data and understand lived experience within the academic context. The sample consisted of …

Burnout And Job Performance Among Working Mothers: The Moderating Roles Of Servant Leadership And Perceived Organizational Support, Claudia Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Working mothers frequently navigate competing work and family demands that increase vulnerability to burnout and may affect job performance. Despite these challenges, working mothers remain underrepresented in organizational research examining burnout and performance outcomes. Limited studies have explored how perceived organizational support (POS) and servant leadership influence the burnout-performance relationship across the individual dimensions of burnout. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationships between burnout and job performance among working mothers in the United States and tested whether POS and servant leadership moderated these relationships individually and jointly. The sample included 86 full-time working mothers recruited through convenience and snowball …

Paying The Success Tax: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Women Navigating Workplace Microaggressions, Santisha Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of professional Black women as they relate to microaggressions experienced in professional spaces. Professional, for this study, refers to Black women in professional positions that require a degree, advanced degree, professional licensure, and those with current/past military service in the enlisted rank of E-7 and above or commissioned officers in the rank of O3 and above. The theory that guided this study was the phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), which emphasizes how people develop, considering the unique intersectionality of multiple social identities (Spencer et al., 1997). …

A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Personal Branding Practices Of Forbes 30 Under 30 Honorees, Hannah Naylor Regitz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study examines the personal branding practices of 10 honorees from the Forbes 2025 North American 30 Under 30 list. Through a thematic content analysis of Instagram, the honorees’ posts, captions, and the conversation climate of their comments from October 2025 were analyzed to determine patterns and similarities in their personal branding practices. Grounded in cultivation theory, this study explored how repeated exposure to curated content of these high-achieving young professionals shapes their personal brand perception. Additionally, it explored their interaction with commenters and the types of comments they engaged with. The analysis revealed seven themes that were present …

Faith Leaders’ Lived Experiences And Culture Competencies In Addressing Mental Health Stigma Within Faith Communities, Shareen S. Bundy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faith leaders often witness the mental health challenges of congregants firsthand. Cultural and doctrinal beliefs shape opinions on mental illness, and there continues to be stigma associated with mental health in faith-based communities. The purpose of this study was to explore how faith leaders understand and experience their roles in promoting mental health and reducing stigma within their faith communities. A phenomenological qualitative study design was used. Cultural competency, stigma, and attribution theories served as the theoretical framework. Data were gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews with seven faith leaders from several faith traditions in the United States. Thematic analysis revealed …

Standardized Testing For U.S. Defense Contract Proposals, Brian Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative correlational study examined whether readability in Department of War (DoW) Requests for Proposals (RFPs) influences contract performance outcomes. The research employed the Flesch Reading Ease Scale (FRES), a standardized readability measure used within Department of War documentation, to assess 250 randomly selected and published RFPs issued in February 2023. The theoretical framework for this study was the Flesch Reading Ease Score, used as a baseline for clear writing style. The Flesch Reading Ease Score is a well-established readability test that measures the complexity of written material and its level of comprehension and content delivery. The purpose of this …

The Literacy Link: Connecting Parents Who Are Incarcerated With Their Young Children Through Reading Aloud, Mary Campbell Wood, Heidi Ungrodt, Pamela Wedig-Kirsch, Ronda Davis, Jacqueline Buck, Lindsay A Weymouth

Journal of Extension

Parental incarceration is consequential for children. Outreach strategies can maintain parent–child relationships during incarceration. The Literacy Link connects parents in jail and prison with their children through two strategies: a dialogic reading workshop and a recorded book reading program. Over 3 years, we implemented these strategies with parents in jails and prisons located in 12 counties. We surveyed parents and the caregivers with whom children live during their parents' incarceration. Parents reported improvements in attitudes and confidence related to reading aloud. Most parents and caregivers reported that these strategies provided a connection between parents and children during incarceration.

Job Satisfaction Among Latina Female Administrators In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Susana Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the job satisfaction experiences for Latina female administrators at higher education institutions in the Central California region. The theory guiding this study was Herzberg’s two-factor theory. The central research question was: What are the descriptions of the lived experiences related to job satisfaction among Latina female administrators in higher education institutions in the Central California region? The sub-questions focused on the motivators and hygiene experiences that lead to job satisfaction among the participants. A transcendental-phenomenological qualitative design was selected for the study to examine the job satisfaction experiences of 14 …

Decreasing Falls In Older Adults, Hannah L. Brudigam Jensen, Gina Crudden

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Falls among adults aged 65 years and older are a leading cause of injury, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and healthcare costs. Early identification of individuals at risk is essential to preventing falls and related complications.

Intervention: Guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice, a fall risk program was implemented in a rural Midwestern emergency department. Following a 30-day staff education period, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) algorithm and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) were implemented in adults aged 65 years and older during a 30-day pilot.

Measures: Outcomes …

Improving Radon Knowledge And Confidence Through A Clinic-Based Intervention In Rural Iowa, Anna L. Gill, Gina Crudden

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Iowa has the highest average indoor radon levels in the United States, but awareness, testing, and mitigation rates remain low in rural communities. Many residents are unaware of radon’s health risks, and primary care settings offer an opportunity for environmental health education. This project addressed gaps in radon knowledge and testing behaviors among adults in a rural outpatient clinic.

Intervention: A brief, five-minute radon education session was offered during routine clinic visits using evidence-based educational materials. The intervention focused on radon health risks, Iowa’s radon prevalence, testing procedures, mitigation options, and available community resources. Education was delivered in person …

Before The First Feed: Advancing Breastfeeding Success Through Prenatal Education, Grace R. Bessmer, Linda Hughes

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Breastfeeding is a critical determinant of maternal and infant health. However, initiation and continuation rates remain below national and global targets, particularly among primiparous women in rural settings. Limited access to prenatal education and lactation support contributes to early breastfeeding cessation. This project aimed to improve breastfeeding outcomes through a structured, evidence-based prenatal breastfeeding education intervention for first-time mothers at a rural Midwestern hospital, consisting of a 20-minute virtual video delivered between 33–35 weeks’ gestation focused on breastfeeding benefits, early initiation, positioning and latch, and management of common challenges. A post-intervention design was used to evaluate outcomes among 18 participants …

Reducing Inappropriate Antibiotic Use In Pediatric Patients With Upper Respiratory Infections, Kelsea Marescalco, Christina Vejnovich

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for pediatric upper respiratory infections (URIs) remains a significant public health concern, contributing to antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug events, and increased healthcare costs. Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students represent future prescribers who play an important role in promoting evidence-based antibiotic use and antimicrobial stewardship. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention designed to improve second year FNP students’ knowledge and confidence regarding pediatric URI management and antibiotic stewardship. The project was implemented at a Midwestern college of nursing and utilized a pre- and post-intervention observational …

The Lead, Mid-Fall, 2026, Lindenwood University

The Lead

Newsletter from the Lindenwood University College of Education and Human Services.

Prepared To Protect: Evaluating Food Allergy Training Needs For Teachers And Staff, Sonja M. Hubka

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Food allergies are a growing public health concern among school-aged children and can lead to life-threatening reactions if not recognized and managed properly. This Doctoral Scholarly Project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational PowerPoint intervention designed to improve elementary school personnel's knowledge of food allergies. The project focused on increasing awareness of common food allergens, recognizing signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, and providing appropriate first-line management, including timely epinephrine administration.

A pre-experimental design using a pre-test/post-test format was implemented with elementary school staff participants. Baseline knowledge and perceived confidence were assessed using a brief 10-question …

Called Beyond Aspirations: Undergraduate Vocation In Teacher Education, Rebecca Pruitt

Education Department Faculty Articles

Sharing the results of a multi-year journey of embedding vocational exploration into a major course in education, this article presents the progression of students’ thinking in relation to their calling. Student responses from the beginning to the end of the semester reveal expanding views of calling related to their chosen profession. Arriving at the middle of junior year with budding confidence regarding career goals, students are presented with vocation literature that provides language to describe these aspirations. Utilizing reflection prompts to process course assignments leads to further engagement with vocation concepts, extending student views to include progressively outwardly oriented ambitions. …

Lean Thinking Tools And Their Effect On Rural Faculty Motivation In Assessment, Bliss Adkison

College of Education

Faculty engagement in academic program assessment remains difficult in rural higher education institutions because limited resources and multiple responsibilities can make assessment feel like an isolated compliance task. Grounded in self-determination theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined whether faculty participation in a rapid improvement event (RIE) (lean thinking-based intervention) was associated with faculty members’ perceived enjoyment, effort, and competence in program assessment. Faculty from two rural institutions participated in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest non-equivalent-groups design. Forty-seven faculty completed the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) pretest, and 45 faculty completed the posttest. Six faculty were also interviewed. Analysis of covariance was used …

Voices Unheard: Multilingual Students Reshaping Rural Stem Education, Erin Brooke Elliott-Elrod

College of Education

The multilingual student population in the United States averages 10.6% nationally. Growth has been most pronounced in the rural Southeast, where schools face demographic shifts with limited linguistic support. At one rural Deep South school named Ridgeway High School (a pseudonym), multilingual student enrollment grew from approximately 5% in 1998 to over 50% by 2024 (A. Harrison, personal communication, January 24, 2026). Yet, not one EL-designated student achieved proficiency in English Language Arts, and school-wide math proficiency stands at 9.15% (Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), 2024). STEM disciplines compound these barriers, as access to content and discipline-specific discourse depend …

Experiments On Sediment Exclusion From Marinas And Harbors, Brian Barkdoll

Michigan Tech Publications

Sediment clogging in marinas is a problem throughout the world and leads to the loss of functionality of the marina and loss of revenue in terms of shipping and recreational value. Although no methods exist for completely keeping sediment out of marinas, laboratory experiments were carried out here to test various approaches. What makes it so difficult to exclude sediment from marinas is that sediment can enter from all directions: not only from along the shores but also from waves at various angles. Several methods were modeled here for longshore currents, including (1) an Accelerator Wall, (2) a Break-Accelerator Wall, …

Client Turnover And Service Engagement In Organization X, Chenee Lajuan Glaspie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral health organizations face challenges related to client turnover, inconsistent service engagement, workforce instability, and operational inefficiencies that can disrupt continuity of care and organizational performance. Guided by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore organizational and leadership factors contributing to client turnover and inconsistent service engagement within a nonprofit outpatient behavioral health organization. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with organizational leaders and review of organizational documents, attendance reports, retention-related data, and operational records. Thematic coding and triangulation identified eight themes: leadership communication and responsiveness, workforce strain and burnout, inconsistent engagement …

Improving Accessibility For Individuals With Neurological Diseases: Stakeholder Strategies For Effective Legislation In U.S. Aviation, Teresa Thurtle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with neurological diseases and their caregivers may encounter inconsistent accessibility practices, inadequate staff support, and physical design barriers during U.S. commercial air travel, despite disability protections. Although the extant literature documents accessibility challenges for travelers with disabilities, less is known about how this population experiences the implementation of aviation policy, staff training, and design. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand what participants described as needed in effective laws and policies to improve accessibility on commercial aircraft. Policy feedback theory and evidence-based policymaking provided the conceptual framework. The central research question asked what participants described as …

Assessing The Overheating Resilience Of A Novel Earth Walled (Cobbauge) Building Across Different Climate Zones In Europe Using A Calibrated Building Performance Simulation Model, Halat Alnaqshabandy, Matthew Fox, Steve Goodhew

School of Art, Design and Architecture

CobBauge is a dual-layer earthen construction material, optimized to meet Part-L of the Building Regulations in England and Wales. A classroom constructed with CobBauge demonstrated high resilience to overheating during two heatwaves in Plymouth, highlighting its potential as a sustainable and ultra-low-carbon material. This study assesses its overheating resilience using a simulation model, calibrated to achieve 7.30% CV(RMSE) and 1.34°C RMSE against measured indoor temperatures. Plymouth's future climate and nine European locations representing different Köppen climate classifications were incorporated into the model to analyse the building's thermal performance and its compliance with CIBSE TM52 criteria. Results showed no overheating risk …

Evidence Synthesis Of The Ethical And Legal Challenges Of Generative Artificial Intelligence In The Provision Of Patient Health Information, Krithika Anil, Inocencio Maramba, David Cook, Daniel Cyrus, Zhamayne Fakharuzi, Amir Hossein Namdar, Timothy West, Sandeep Shirgill

Peninsula Medical School

Large language model (LLM)-based generative AI offers the promise of responsive health information for patients and carers but presents ethical and legal challenges when used outside clinical oversight. This review maps these considerations for patients accessing information on long-term conditions in non-clinical settings. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web of Science) between April and May 2025. The review synthesises 24 cross-sectional studies regarding patient-facing LLMs, excluding clinician-support tools. Results indicate that LLMs perform well on general topics but struggle with specialised information, often generating complex responses with unreliable citations. Ethical concerns highlight inaccuracy, insufficient empathy, …

Supporting The Adoption Of Digital Technology On-Farm: Ten Tips For Extension, David Rose, Kayleigh Crouch, Lisa Blix Germundsson, Myriam Gaspard, Onno Giller, Livia Ortolani, Robert Strong

Journal of Extension

We held a symposium to exchange lessons from U.S. and European experts on how Extension can be best designed to support adoption of digital agricultural innovation. We highlight 10 tips for an Extension audience in the United States: (a) ensure connectivity between all actors involved in agricultural innovation, (b) utilize the private sector, (c) advocate for adoption costs, (d) shape an enabling digital ecosystem, (e) create a service, not just a technology, (f) update Extension agents' digital skills, (g) support farmer-led innovation, (h) capture everyday farmer practices, (i) monitor and evaluate progress, and (j) offer long-term support.

Documents From The October 14, 2026 Meeting Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana (Asum), University Of Montana--Missoula. Associated Students

Senate Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 2007-Present

Agenda and meeting minutes from the October 14, 2026 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM). No resolutions were discussed during this meeting.

Oral Insulin Nanoparticles In Animal Models Of Diabetes: A Systematic Review Of Recent Studies, Dhea Rahmania, Shaum Shiyan, Yulianto Kusnadi, Subandrate Subandrate, Juliana Palungan, Ayeshah Augusta Rosdah

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Oral insulin has long been explored as a potential alternative to injectable insulin therapy. However, the development remains challenging due to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and limited intestinal absorption. Nanoparticle-based delivery systems have also been proposed as a strategy to protect insulin and improve uptake after oral administration. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to summarize recent preclinical studies investigating oral insulin nanoparticles in diabetic animal models and examine the reported pharmacological outcomes. Relevant studies were identified through database searches in PubMed, SpringerLink, and ScienceDirect using predefined keywords related to oral insulin, nanoparticles, diabetes, and animal models. Articles published …

Urgent Care: Triaging To The Appropriate Level Of Care, Emma Majerus, Lyndsi Hall, Linda Hughes

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Patients present to urgent care clinics who may have conditions that need a higher level of care. These patients are often triaged incorrectly by their primary care providers and triage line nurses who are not always familiar with the resources available at urgent care. The purpose of this project is to utilize evidence-based practice to educate primary care providers and triage lines about the resources available at an urgent care clinic to better direct patients to the appropriate level of care.

Intervention: Educational meetings and posters were used with three primary care providers and four triage line nurses who …

Developing A Universal Screening Tool To Identify Barriers To Preventive Care In A Food Pantry Setting, Nikole R. Wagner

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Low-income populations experience significant barriers to preventive healthcare access, contributing to delayed screenings, chronic disease burden, and health disparities. Although food pantries are trusted community resources, many lack standardized methods to identify barriers affecting clients’ preventive care access.

Purpose: This project developed and piloted a universal screening tool to identify perceived barriers to preventive healthcare among clients of a Midwestern food pantry.

Intervention: A five-item anonymous paper survey was developed based on evidence-based screening concepts and assessed five domains: personal constraints, social supports and trust, organizational logistics, community infrastructure, and policy barriers. Pantry staff were trained to distribute surveys …

Standardized Eye Care In The Icu, Natalia Milanowski, Haden Puri, Ashley Vang

Cohort 37

No abstract provided.