Digital Commons Network^™

Quality Improvement Project: Faculty Preparedness For Recognition, De Escalation, And Reporting Of Violence In Clinical Education Settings, Dawn "Deedee" D. Moline

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Violence and aggression in healthcare settings present ongoing safety concerns for nursing faculty supervising students during clinical education, particularly when teaching occurs in hospital environments where faculty are not employed. Faculty often rotate across multiple clinical sites and may lack consistent preparation or access to standardized safety education and reporting systems. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to evaluate the effect of a targeted educational intervention on nursing faculty perceived preparedness to recognize, de escalate, and report aggression encountered during clinical instruction. Guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Lewin’s Three Stage Change Model, …

Promoting Participation In Leisure Activities At The Center For Living And Learning, Katie Eison

OTD Capstone Projects

The Center for Living and Learning is a private nonprofit residential treatment facility on a 30-acre farm in Franklin, TN, housing adults who experience severe and persistent mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The Center provides opportunities for leisure activities during the day; however, due to symptomology such as avolition, anhedonia, and social withdrawal, residents often struggle with participation in valued leisure activities. This doctoral capstone project aimed to promote participation in leisure activities, social participation, and community engagement. The Interest Checklist and Leisure Satisfaction Measure were administered to determine residents’ individual interests and satisfaction levels with leisure …

Quality Improvement Project: Improving The Clinical Teaching Experience Through Clinical Adjunct Orientation, Elissa Saunders

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Clinical adjunct nursing faculty often transition into academic roles without formal preparation, leading to role insecurity and high turnover rates that negatively impact student clinical experiences. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a structured orientation checklist to improve perceived clinical teaching competency among novice clinical adjunct faculty. The project aimed to standardize onboarding and support the transition from clinical practice to academia. A quantitative pre-post intervention design was used with a convenience sample of clinical adjunct faculty employed for less than one year at a rural university nursing program. The project was guided by Kotter’s …

Enhancing Provider Self-Efficacy And Documentation In Hypertension Management, Stephanie Nsiah

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Primary care providers often experience inconsistent confidence and incomplete documentation when managing hypertension, contributing to suboptimal blood pressure control. This quality improvement project addressed the need for structured provider education at an outpatient family clinic. The purpose was to evaluate the impact of a structured educational intervention on provider self-efficacy and documentation completeness. Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act model and Lewin's Change Theory, a 60-minute educational session was delivered to 12 licensed providers. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention self-efficacy surveys using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) and Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) and Feasibility of Intervention …

Why Last-Minute Studying Fails, Ava Oberg

Psychology Student Publications

This paper discusses why last minute cramming is ineffective and can be detrimental if you are trying to remember the information long term. It highlights the benefits of spaced practices and retrieval -based Practices to improve your long term retention. This paper states that adopting more effective study strategies can improve your academic performance and help with long term retention.

Does Music Education Improve Test Scores?, Claire Mclaughlin

Psychology Student Publications

Music programs are often among the first to be reduced when schools face budget constraints. Yet many educators believe that music education contributes to students’ broader academic success. This paper examines whether music education improves test scores? Drawing on longitudinal studies, quasi-experimental research, and correlational analyses, this paper explores the relationship between music training and academic performance, particularly in reading and mathematics. Research suggests that students who participate in music education often demonstrate improved executive functioning, academic competence, and standardized achievement scores. However, findings also indicate that the relationship is complex and influenced by factors such as instructional quality, socioeconomic …

The Effects Anorexia Nervosa Has On Cognitive Function, Gracie Jensen

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examines the effects of anorexia nervosa on cognitive function and how it impacts children and adolescents' everyday lives. It highlights the importance of increased awareness and support for the individuals affected by the disorder.

Helping Others To Help Yourself: Effects Of Prosocial Behavior On Anxiety And Depression, Matheus Muniz Pereira Vargas

Psychology Student Publications

Helping others is a good way to help prevent psychological disorders. The literature reviewed here points towards a protective and mitigating effect on symptoms of anxiety and depression brought upon by prosocial behaviors. Prosocial behavior is associated with higher positive moods in participants with depression (Schacter & Margolin, 2019), it is negatively correlated with feelings of reported rates of depression, anxiety and isolation (Naclerio et al., 2026), and seems to have a protective effect against development and exacerbation of anxiety (Okuyucu et al., 2024). All of that indicates that encouraging these behaviors lead to more positive mental health outcomes without …

The Extent To Which Online Symptom Searching Predicts Health Anxiety Among Adults, Lakelyn Jonell

Psychology Student Publications

The internet has the potential to provide inaccurate, misleading and alarming information. Individuals may begin to hyper fixate on their symptoms and overall health when being provided with worse-case scenario answers. This experience can lead an individual to develop health anxiety, a condition characterized by excessive fear and worry due to a perceived threat to individuals health.

Effective Interventions On Gambling Disorder While Reducing Social Stigma, Kayla Tretter

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examine effective interventions on gambling disorder and how stigma can derail an individual's recovery. It specifically focuses on the integration of motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as treatments.

The Effect Of Background Music On Reading Comprehension, Erika Murry

Psychology Student Publications

This paper reviews recent findings by researchers surrounding the relationship between listening to background music and reading comprehension. Tempo, lyrics and mode are examined, as well as several confounding factors.

The Effects Of Visual Supports On The Acquisition Of Guitar Chords, Cole S. Jahna

Thesis Projects

There is a current literature gap in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and music-based leisure activities. This study utilized a multiple-probe design to evaluate the effects of visual supports on the guitar fretboard combined with behavioral skills training (BST) to teach correct strumming and finger placement of three guitar chords (i.e., E, C, and G) to a neurodivergent adult. By using a task analysis, the strum and each individual finger placement were scored as correct or incorrect during each chord trial. Three chords that were under 50% accuracy in baseline were selected for the intervention. The intervention was introduced sequentially to …

Equine-Assisted Interventions For Pediatric Clients With Cerebral Palsy: A Handbook For Occupational Therapists, Draydin Ferguson, Lesley Khan-Farooqi, Phd, Otd, Otr

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster outlines the development of an evidence-informed instructional handbook intended to guide Occupational Therapists in implementing equine-assisted interventions with pediatric clients diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

Groove ‘N’ Grow: Promoting Social Participation Through Dance And Movement, Juliana N. Ward, Karen Park

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Groove ‘n’ Grow is a structured pediatric occupational therapy group program designed to improve social participation, engagement, and sensory regulation in children with developmental and sensory processing differences through dance and movement-based activities. The program was developed as part of an occupational therapy doctoral capstone project and implemented within a pediatric outpatient therapy clinic. The purpose of the program is to provide children with developmental and sensory processing differences opportunities to practice peer engagement, cooperative participation, emotional regulation, and emotional awareness in a supportive small-group environment.

Of Another Order: Constructing The Everyday Elsewhere, Hannah Yandoh

Theses

This thesis investigates the intersection of contemporary painting and ceramics through the critical framework of Situationist thought, using it as a lens to destabilize binary systems of meaning. Ceramic forms are treated both as physical structure and as metaphor. The project draws on Situationist ideas to question authorship, value, and artistic authority, while embracing naïve and unresolved visual strategies. Repetition, variation, and spatial ambiguity shape works that exist between object and gesture, especially within the domestic sphere. Combining studio experimentation, material exploration, and surface intervention, this work proposes a hybrid practice where 2D and 3D operate together as interdependent destabilizing …

Effective Strategies Used By Small U.S. Technology Business Leaders To Reduce Turnover And Improve Productivity, Iesha Tyrie Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover in small U.S. technology firms undermines productivity and disrupts workforce stability. Small U.S. technology business leaders are concerned with employee turnover because persistent workforce attrition weakens operational continuity, increases organizational strain, and limits the ability to sustain a stable and effective workforce. Grounded in psychological capital (PsyCap) theory, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore leadership strategies used by small U.S. technology business leaders in North Carolina to mitigate negative employee experiences that contribute to turnover and reduced productivity. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and publicly available organizational documents. Using thematic analysis, three themes emerged: (a) …

The Reason To The Rhythm: The Impact Of Music Training On Cognitive Development, Gretta Gebhard

Psychology Student Publications

Musical training is often associated with growth artistically, however its influence reaches beyond artistry into further advancement of cognitive development. This paper explores the extent of the benefits that learning to play an instrument can have on a child’s developing mind through various executive functioning, attention control, memory processing, and language based skills.

Is It Altruism Or Codependency? A Dive Into Our Relationships With Others, Livia Dietrich

Psychology Student Publications

Codependency is characterized by the tendency to put others’ needs ahead of your own. It can affect anyone; but is typically most common in mothers. This paper explores many reasons someone may fall into these patterns, such as low self-esteem or an abusive partner. Trends of relationships in one’s past, like their relationship with their parents, could also affect the likelihood of codependent tendencies. These examinations can help to identify what codependency looks like in order to repair relationships moving forward

Shu World Review- April 20th 2026, Diplolab, Seton Hall University

SHU World Review

No abstract provided.

Do We Even Know What ‘Even’ Does? A Ca Investigation, Emily Johnson

Comm-entary

Emily is a Senior communication major with a Business Administration minor. She is originally from Merrimack, NH, and is planning on working in PR or something similar when she graduates in May.

What does “even” do in conversation? This study shows that when used mid-turn, “even” functions as a systematic device for intensifying stance. Analyzing naturally occurring interactions, I demonstrate how speakers use “even” to upgrade assessments, noticings, and complaints, making them more extreme or noteworthy. Recipients consistently orient to this intensification through agreement, accounts, or escalation. Even when the upgrade is left incomplete, others step in to realize it, …

Conventions Of Photography As Means Of Social And Technological Critiques, Ava Lannery

Comm-entary

Ava is a Communication major with a specification in Business Applications. She’s an Irish dual citizen from Newton, MA.

This piece looks  at how photography can be used as a form of Social and technological critique. Through Mark Peterson’s ICE’s Spectacle of Intimidation and Jack Latham’s Beggars Honey, this essay argues that photographers can manipulate composition, technology to create deeper meanings about power, style, social stage agency, immigration enforcement, and modern digital manipulation. Ultimately, this writing piece shows how photography depends on audience context and literacy to be fully understood. 

Traditionally Certified, Second-Career Teachers’ Perceptions Of Intent To Stay In The Classroom, Tara L. Wells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was the high teacher turnover, including traditionally certified, second-career teachers (TCSCTs), in United States classrooms, despite support and additional resources provided. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine TCSCTs’ perceptions on the reasons and their recommendations to remain in the classroom. Ingersoll's teacher turnover and retention framework was used to conceptually frame this study. Using a basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 TCSCTs. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The following themes emerged: TCSCTs remain in the profession primarily due to a sense of purpose in their …

Burnout And Secondary Traumatic Stress Experiences In Mental Health Professionals Working With Military Veterans, Megan Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout among mental health professionals has been a long-standing phenomenon when working with trauma individuals resulting in increased job turnover rates and decreased quality of care for patients. The job demands- resourced model and constructivist self- development theory were used to guide this study. The purpose of this research study was to explore how mental health professionals working with the military veteran population experience burnout and secondary traumatic stress. A descriptive qualitative design was used with purposive and snowball sampling to attain 10 mental health professionals from various facilities serving military veterans. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and were …

From Browsing To Building: Navigating Your Google Resource Space (Drive & Site), Libby Cunningham

Capstone Projects

This capstone project aimed to develop a trauma-informed, evidence-based support hub for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) working with children involved in the foster care system. CASA advocates are frequently exposed to secondary trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue, which can impact their effectiveness and overall well-being. Additionally, trauma exposure significantly affects children’s emotional regulation, behavior, and participation in daily occupations. The primary objective of this project was to design, develop, and organize a comprehensive digital resource platform tailored to the needs of Kalamazoo CASA and their active cases. Utilizing evidence-based literature on trauma-informed care and secondary trauma, relevant resources were …

The Missing Link Between Occupational Therapy And Hemodialysis: Program Development And Implementing Intradialytic Ot In A Rural Hospital Setting, Madison Maki

Capstone Projects

Occupational therapy (OT) has demonstrated effectiveness in supporting individuals undergoing hemodialysis, a life‑altering yet lifesaving treatment for end‑stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite this, hospitalized patients who require dialysis often receive reduced rehabilitation services due to the time‑intensive nature of dialysis and the productivity demands placed on therapists. Additionally, gaps in therapist knowledge regarding the unique functional deficits and educational needs of this population further limit service delivery.

This doctoral capstone project (DCE), conducted at Upper Peninsula Health System (UPHS), a hospital in rural Northern Michigan, addressed these barriers through the development of a comprehensive resource …

Development Of 6-Week Tier 2 Intervention Tracks Within An Elementary Mtss Framework, Maxwell Lyle

Capstone Projects

The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is designed to provide levels of support with differing intensity that align with student needs. Tier 1 is universal instruction provided to all students in the classroom. Students who do not demonstrate adequate progress may receive Tier 2 interventions, which are primarily small-group and, when appropriate, individual interventions that are skill-specific, time-bound (6–8 weeks), and include progress monitoring. Students who do not respond to Tier 2 may require Tier 3 supports, which are intensive, individualized interventions. Many school systems lack consistent, structured Tier 2 supports, particularly in Occupational Therapy-related skills, such as fine motor …

Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Care: A Crosspollination Through Content Analysis, Ryan Andrew Partika

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate additional ways trauma-informed care can have more of a whole child approach, especially for the most vulnerable students. This research, with an eye on the most vulnerable, addressed the following a guiding question: what would a traumainformed system of care look like with a social justice dimension? To gain a better understanding of such a possibility, this research used a content analysis of the literature on trauma-informed care. From the literature, it became apparent cultural responsiveness has often been suggested as a needed addition for trauma care but has never been fully …

Teachers' Perceived Impact Of Teacher-Led Committees On Agency And Morale, Sherry Wibben

Dissertations

The action research study examined how participation in teacher-led committees influenced teachers’ perceptions of agency and morale within an urban Midwestern high school. Grounded in theories of shared and distributed leadership, the study addressed a problem of practice centered on limited teacher voice, fragmented communication, and inconsistent collaborative structures. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed to evaluate changes in teacher morale and professional agency following implementation of teacher-led committees.

Quantitative data were collected using Wong’s (1991) Staff Morale Questionnaire (SMQ), measuring leadership synergy, cohesive pride, and personal challenge. Surveys were administered at baseline (N = 30) and endline ( …

Nightlights For Older Adults: Enhancing Bedroom-To-Bathroom Transitions With Community Resident Feedback, Yue Luo, Aubrey Contreras, Susana Valdivia-Rivas, Yuhao Chen, Boyi Hu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study aimed to inform nightlight design by analyzing older adults’ subjective feedback and kinematic responses during evening activities. Twenty-seven older adults (mean age: 81 ± 6 years; 14 females) participated in the study. Their preferences for nightlight illuminance and hue were surveyed, and gait and posture adaptations under two illuminance levels were analyzed using spatiotemporal comparisons, principal component analysis (PCA) based analysis, and waveform reconstruction. The results revealed that older adults preferred low illuminance over high illuminance, with warm white and cool colors as the favored choices for evening lighting. Significant differences were observed in spatiotemporal gait variables, particularly …

Sleep Disturbance Trajectories In Critically Ill Children Post-Icu Discharge: A Longitudinal Observational Study, Wenchao Wang, Xiaorui Fan, Yuxia Yang, Jos M. Latour, Guoping Lu, Ying Gu

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background/Objectives: Sleep disturbances have an impact on children’s physical and psychological development, yet little is known about the changes and factors influencing sleep after PICU discharge. To explore the trajectory of changes in sleep quality of critically ill children and to identify factors affecting sleep quality three months after Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) discharge. Methods: A longitudinal observation study was conducted between November 2022 and November 2023 at a tertiary children’s hospital. The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was used at six time points: PICU-admission (T0), 1 week (T1), 2 weeks (T2), 1 month (T3), 2 months (T4), and …