Digital Commons Network^™

Spectator 2026-04-16, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Montana Kaimin, April 16, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

The Laureate - An Undergraduate Literary Journal, Amelia Perleberg

Honors Theses

This thesis reflects on the editorial and publication process of the 24th edition of The Laureate, an undergraduate literary arts journal, during the 2025-2026 academic year. This thesis displays the role of editor-in-chief and examines the responsibilities, challenges, and personal growth that accompanied leading the journal. Through overseeing submissions, editing creative works, coordinating with the Design Center, and organizing the launch event, this thesis explores the collaborative and creative work required to produce a successful publication. The Laureate accepts a wide range of creative works, including poetry, fiction pieces, personal essays, photography, painting, scripts, etc. allowing undergraduate students to …

“An App That Truly Works For Us”: Co-Designing A Mobile Health Intervention To Support The Transition To Adulthood For The Latino Autism Community, Antonio F. Pagán, Miriam Ortiz, Breana Mccormack-Sadler, Ana Esparza, Grace Gogola, Cecilia Montiel-Nava, Katherine A. Loveland

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Background: Autistic Latino young adults face significant disparities and a service cliff during their transition to adulthood. While mobile health (mHealth) applications offer a scalable solution, few evidence-based, culturally adapted programs have been successfully transitioned to mHealth platforms for this population. This study aimed to conduct a multi-stakeholder needs assessment to guide the development of a culturally adapted mHealth app designed to accompany the ¡Iniciando!/Launching! treatment program to support young adults transitioning to adulthood. Methods: This study used a multi-phase, mixed-methods design. An initial needs assessment survey was administered to three key stakeholder groups: autistic young adults ( …

Eleven Major Challenges Utah Girls And Women Face: A 2026 Update, April Townsend, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Decades of research—across Utah, the nation, and the globe—consistently show that reducing the challenges girls and women face begins with clearly identifying the issues.¹ Greater awareness lays the groundwork for meaningful, effective solutions. In Utah, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) serves as the state’s primary entity for this work, producing hundreds of research reports that illuminate the barriers, challenges, and opportunities shaping the lives of girls, women, and families.

Neural Responses To Acute Hypoxia And Hyperoxia, Daniel Graham, Jonathan Marsden, Alastair D. Smith, Gary Smerdon, Stephen D. Hall

School of Psychology

The brain's high metabolic demands make it highly sensitive to oxygen level changes, with both hypoxia and hyperoxia affecting cognitive and neural function. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to characterise the effects of acute normobaric hypoxia and hyperoxia on neural function and perceptual thresholds using EEG, visual evoked potentials (VEPs), and critical flicker fusion (CFF) thresholds. In a single-blind, randomised, crossover design, thirty participants inhaled 10.5%, 21%, or 100% oxygen while resting-state EEG, VEPs, and CFF thresholds were recorded. Hypoxia reduced CFF thresholds in an exposure-dependent manner, while hyperoxia produced a smaller, transient reduction. Resting-state …

Investigating Racial Bias And Attribution Error In Grading Student Performance, Tony Reibel, Rachel Roegman

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Standards-based grading (SBG) is a relatively recent alternative model of grading designed to increase the reliability of grading while reducing the influence of teacher biases that can distort student evaluations. This study investigated whether SBG mitigates race‑related bias and attribution errors through a mixed‑methods 3×2 factorial vignette experiment with in‑service teachers. A total of 219 teachers scored the same student essay using a common SBG rubric and provided a 1-4 proficiency score, a binary evaluation concerning success criteria and written feedback. “Learning profiles”– a description of the student’s current and past abilities – varied by tone (positive, negative, none: name-only) …

Managing The "Trauma Dump" In Personal Statement Writing, Faith Kurtyka, Amelia Harahap

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical commentary offers methods for helping students who may "trauma dump" in personal statements learn to write their stories for a wide audience in a way that preserves the writer's dignity.

Critical Explorations: Using Feminist And Artful Inquiry In An Adolescent Literature Class, Emily L. Freeman

Feminist Pedagogy

Using feminist and artful inquiry in teacher education courses creates spaces of resistance to normative modes of sharing knowledge. The Critical Explorations project is the final assignment for a required young adult and adolescent literature course and requires that students engage in creative modes of expression when sharing their research. The teaching activity opens up new possibilities for engagement with texts and research questions that works to disrupt traditional English Language Arts assessments.

Mental Health Equity For Sexual And Gender Minority Students At A Rural University: Evidence From Etsu’S Healthy Minds Study, Richard Mutua Kilonzo

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Universities nationwide are reporting rising psychological distress among students, yet inequities in mental health for sexual and gender minority (SGM) students—those whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from the majority—remain poorly understood in rural settings. This project examines whether SGM students at a rural public university in Central Appalachia experience greater mental health burden, distinct barriers to care, and less affirming service environments than their non-SGM peers, testing the hypothesis that SGM students have both higher symptom levels and greater unmet need for care. Guided by Minority Stress Theory (which links stigma-related stressors to health outcomes) and a social–ecological …

Self-Compassion And Health In Sexual Minorities: Do Reductions In Internalized Homophobia, Better Sleep, And Less Depression Explain The Link?, Jordan Godfrey

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Purpose: LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) individuals experience persistent health disparities, including poor general health. Internalized homophobia, or negative attitudes directed toward one’s identity, is related to such outcomes, potentially via its deleterious impact on sleep and mood. However, self-compassion, encompassing self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, may mitigate these effects. Methods: We hypothesized that self-compassion would be positively associated with general health, and that this association would be serially mediated by internalized homophobia, sleep quality, and depression. Our national sample (N = 441) completed self-report measures. We conducted bivariate correlation and serial mediation regression analyses, covarying …

2024 Joint Annual Report On The Status Of Emergency Medical Services For Children, Tennessee. Department Of Health.

EMS and BLHCF Annual Report on Pediatric Emergency Care

No abstract provided.

How Unique Cultural Concept Translation Is Made Possible, Hariyanto Hariyanto

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

The plethora of experience in one culture is stored in concepts which are further manifested in the lexicon, grammar and metaphors of the language. Some concepts are congruent across languages, while some are not. Theoretically, some linguists maintain that translation is impossible on the ground of linguistic relativity hypothesis. However, in practice translation is always done again and again, and this proves that translation of expressions referring to these concepts is doable

Perception Of Senior High School English Teachers And Students About Personal Competence, Aurora Paramahita Kusumawardhani, Utami Widiati, Fachrurrazy Fachrurrazy

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This survey study was intended to investigate the perception of senior high school English teachers' and students about personal competence. Using Probability Simple Random Sampling, this study involved 35 English teachers and 246 students of public senior high schools in Kota Malang. The findings revealed that both English teachers and students perceived the English teachers personal competence is very good.

Management Of Internal Quality Assurance In Character Education, Rakhma Agustina Sulistyowati, Achmad Supriyanto, Mustiningsih Mustiningsih

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This study aims at describing the internal quality assurance management in character education. This research was a qualitative research using multi-site design study. The findings of this study were the implementation of quality assurance of schools vision and mission and the meaning of quality assurance; The establishment of indicators of quality standards and their implementation systems; The implementation of quality standard using activity program.

A Development Of Questionnaire For Assessing Implementation Of Multicultural Education In Learning At Elementary School, Lalu Hamdian Affandi

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

The aim of this research is to develop a questionnaire of multicultural education implementation in learning at elementary schools. Questionnaire was developed based on four of five dimension of multicultural education proposed by James Banks in four point Likert Scale. Data were collected from 150 elementary school teachers employed in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. This research found that from 54 items, there are 29 items valid for 6 factors of multicultural education dimensions.

Al-Qur'an Speech Therapy For Children With Autism., Evi Chamalah, Meilan Arsanti

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Semarang Autism Therapy Center is one of the autism therapy centers in Semarang. This therapy is a combination between speech therapy and the Quran. Based on the identification of the problem, then the purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of Alquran Speech Therapy method in healing children with autism in Semarang autism therapy center. The result can be concluded that there is positive effect of giving the children suffering from autism speech therapy with Quran recitation.

Strategies Of Successful English Language Learners Among Private School Students, Stella Ang, Mohamed Amin Embi, Melor Md. Yunus

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This study is designed to identify the area of language learning strategies that were employed by ten successful English Language Learners of Form Five from a private secondary school in Kuching, Sarawak. Using a purposive sampling procedure, a group comprising of ten successful language learners participated in the study. The findings indicated that successful language learners are high frequency users of language learning strategies. The findings revealed that metacognitive strategies are among the highest frequently used strategies.

From Stories To Speech: Cultivating Cultural Competence And Linguistic Awareness In Future Slps, Alexis Lawton

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This manuscript reports on a pilot study examining how storytelling and linguistic diversity may cultivate cultural competence in graduate students in speech-language pathology (SLP). Through engagement with traditional folk tales, students explored the cultural significance of narratives and the linguistic features that shape them. The assignment emphasized adapting stories for diverse audiences while highlighting culturally relevant vocabulary, dialectal variations, and the complexities of language use. Facilitated discussions following student presentations prompted reflections on how these elements influence communication and understanding. Preliminary findings suggest that narrative exploration can foster both cultural and linguistic awareness, equipping students with emerging skills to provide …

Creativity And Generosity: From Therapy To Canvas, Kelly Allen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Teresa Grzeslo, a retired occupational therapist and artist from Chicago, IL, created the artwork for the Spring 2026 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The acrylic painting, Wetland Heron (2023), features a great blue heron with its characteristic piercing gaze and elegant form, standing still in a marshland environment among tall grasses and shallow water. Painted using only her right side while seated in her wheelchair at home in her art studio, the painting’s rich textures and detail reflect careful observation and a reverence for birds and wildlife. Grzeslo’s artistic practice began after developing multiple sclerosis (MS), …

The Occupation Of Dance And Its Potential Effects On Trauma, Magan Higgins Gramling

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Trauma is a complex phenomenon. Because of its subjective nature, it can be defined in a variety of ways depending on the health care provider being asked. Though there are various forms of trauma, most definitions are comprised of components that establish its broad understanding of an emotional response to a disturbing incident. Trauma is a subjective experience and can occur in any setting, to any person. How trauma is stored in the body is less subjective though, with most experts understanding it not only lives in the brain, but also in the very cells affecting health and wellness on …

Perspectives On An Unconventional Partnership Between Occupational Therapists And Pediatric Dental Professionals, Marissa Holsonback, Reeti Douglas, Leslie Gazdeck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Pediatric clients with disabilities are at increased risk for dental problems, including periodontal disease. Developmental delay and sensory processing dysfunction hinder acceptance of the stimulating dental environment and engagement in oral care routines at home. This health disparity is magnified by many dental professionals’ lack of training and confidence with children who have special needs. The holistic occupational therapy scope of practice is inclusive of oral care, pediatric diagnoses, sensory integration, and behavior management, allowing occupational therapists to collaborate with pediatric dental professionals to address the oral health disparity. This perspective manuscript provides occupational therapists with an evidence-supported understanding of …

Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators’ Perceptions Of Ot Student Rapport-Building Abilities During Level Ii Fieldwork, Carson Elwell, Tylar Fallaw, Ryan Harley, Abby Key, Kathleen Maley, Ryan M. Carrick

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The aim of this study was to inform Occupational Therapy (OT) practice and future OT educational content through identification of rapport- building components. Fieldwork educators are uniquely positioned to assess OT students’ abilities and readiness for client rapport building during fieldwork.

Methods: A descriptive survey of 55 fieldwork educators (FWEs) investigated skills that FWEs consider necessary for OT students to build client rapport at a Level II fieldwork experience. A Qualtrics survey assessed FWEs’ perceptions of OT student rapport- building readiness components at the beginning of Level II fieldwork.

Results: Data from 55 responses revealed that …

The Use Of Gamification In Occupational Therapy Education, Chris Mulligan, Leslie Bennett, Donald F. Graves

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Gamification is an approach to game-based learning, also called educational games. These fun supplemental tools are infused into K-12 and higher education curriculums. This study aimed to discover faculty and student perspectives and explore gamification or game-based learning in accredited occupational therapy graduate programs through the lens of faculty (n = 47) and students (n =54). The primary researcher distributed two anonymous surveys: Survey 1 to current faculty and Survey 2 to students in occupational therapy programs, examining their use of game-based learning tools. The findings revealed that most faculty (n = 38, 85%) and students (n = 48, 92%) …

Exploring Stress Contagion: The Effect Of Faculty Stress Levels On Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Dana Kolbfleisch

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Research has indicated a relationship between faculty and students as it pertains to stress levels and subsequent well-being in occupational therapy (OT) programs (Grab et al., 2021), a potential indication of a stress contagion effect. This research aimed to determine if faculty stress levels affect student stress levels in OT graduate programs. The researcher used an ecological correlational study design with a nonprobability convenience sampling procedure. Faculty and students (n = 19 and n = 165, respectively) from 367 accredited OT graduate programs across the United States completed a survey consisting of demographic questions and the PSS-10. In addition, OT …

A Study Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Use Among Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students, Gustavo Reinoso, Rachel Allen-Mchugh, Thomas Decker, Yolanda Griffiths, Stacey Huffman-Main, Leslie Jackson, Ashley Murray, Jamie Rognes, Christine Urish

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into higher education, yet little research explores its use among entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students. This study developed a scale to assess AI usage and perceptions, examining differences across academic years. Eighty OTD students from a mid-sized urban university completed a 44-item survey refined using a Delphi method with nine faculty experts. Exploratory factor analysis identified three subscales—Efficiency and Adaptability, Academic Integrity Concerns, and the Student-Professor Divide—accounting for 46.04% of the variance (Cronbach’s α = .72–.93). Multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant effects of academic year on subscale scores (Wilks’ Λ = .822, …

Addressing Feeding And Eating Issues With The Pediatric Population Using A Telehealth Service Delivery Model: A Case Report, Lyndsay Fait, Raegan Furman, Devani Emery, Bryan M. Gee

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This case report reviews the implementation of telehealth-based occupational therapy interventions for pediatric feeding issues in a client with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). It highlights the use of a synchronous telehealth service delivery model to address sensory-based feeding issues.

Method: A single-patient case report was conducted, outlining the occupational therapy process with an 11-year-old male with ASD and ARFID who receives most nutrition through G-tube feedings and presents food selectivity. Telehealth sessions were conducted via Zoom, with occupational therapy assistant students providing interventions under faculty supervision.

Results: Telehealth interventions were successfully implemented to …

Face And Content Validity Of The Corbett-Targeted Coin Test: A Survey Of Users And Experts, Carla Floyd-Slabaugh, Jeanine Beasley, Kaitlyn Anstey, Kasey Bowman, Kaitlyn Hesse, Lauren Mannes, Samantha Vansumeren, Kirk Anderson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The Corbett-Targeted Coin Test (CTCT) is unique in that it measures dexterity with in-hand manipulation and proprioceptive target placement, but it lacks established face and content validity (CV).

Methods: Two mixed methods surveys were created and piloted, one for face validity (for users of the tool) and another for CV (for content experts), each using a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended comments. Quantitative data analysis included frequencies, means, and ranges. The content validity index (CVI) was calculated for CV. Qualitative data analysis used thematic analysis.

Results: The CTCT demonstrated 97.1% endorsement among users of the tool. Each item was …

The Development Of The Retire Well Program For First Responders, Boguslawa T. Syrotiak, Noralyn Davel Pickens, Cynthia Evetts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: First responders experience challenges during retirement transition because of exposure to stress and trauma on the job and a high level of identification with their work. Our objective was to develop a client-centered retirement transition program for first responders and their families.

Method: Using a participatory research approach, data were collected from two focus groups of health care providers and retired first responders and analyzed using a content analysis approach.

Results: Data yielded themes and subthemes leading to the development of an outline of a retirement transition program: The Retire Well program, an occupation-based program that …

The Relationship Between Burnout, Resilience, And Locus Of Control In Occupational Therapy, Tabitha Gibbs, Miguel Garcia, Karen Menard, William O'Bannon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Burnout in occupational therapists is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished accomplishment.

Method: This non-experimental correlational study, guided by Rotter’s Locus of Control Theory and the attribution theory of motivation, analyzed the relationship between resilience, locus of control, and burnout among occupational therapists using the Brief Resilience Scale, the Internal-External Locus of Control Short Scale -4, and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. The sample of 83 participants was obtained via questionnaires sent to a convenience sample of occupational therapists with at least 6 months of work experience in any practice setting.

Results: The results of this study …