Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Childhood Adversities On Prison Misconduct: A Study Based On General Strain Theory, Ellen Brefo Agyei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Drawing on General Strain Theory, this study examines how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shape the choice of coping mechanisms of inmates within correctional settings. While prior research has explored prison misconduct, little research has looked at the relationship between ACEs, negative emotions, and prison misconduct. To address this gap, this study uses the nationally representative dataset, Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI) conducted in 2016, to explore how ACEs affect prison misconduct and whether negative emotions mediate this relationship. Findings from the regression analyses suggest that inmates who experienced more ACEs experienced higher levels of negative emotions and were more likely …

Lindenwood Digest, November 12, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

The Effects Of Virtual Reality On Anxiety In The Pediatric Perioperative Patient, Gerald R. Connors

DNP and Student Works

Background: Virtual reality (VR) was an emerging intervention to offer children a form of distraction to combat feelings of despair and positively impact anxiety and improve coping.

Problem: Hospitalization and surgical procedures often cause anxiety, fear and stress for the pediatric patient and negatively affect clinical outcomes and recovery time.

Methods: The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the pre intervention and post intervention anxiety scores of 39 participants, ages 8-18 years of age, over an eight-week period. Descriptive statistics and a paired t test were used to report results. The Knowledge to Action translational science model was …

Examining Teachers' Perceived Competence In Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices In Inclusive Classrooms In The United Arab Emirates, Rhoda Myra Garces-Bacsal, Daisy Loyd, Maxwell Peprah Opoku, Najwa Mohamed Alhosani, Hala Elhoweris, Osha Almuhairy, Ahmed Mohamed, Rachel Alison Takriti, Sana Butti Al Maktoum, Amani Mohamed, Hamdah Jibar, Zachary Walker

All Works

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a diverse, multicultural context which has introduced ambitious policies and strategic plans to accelerate inclusive education. The extent to which culturally responsive teaching is reflected in inclusive classrooms across the country has not been captured. This study used a cross-sectional survey methodology employing the culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy scale as a survey instrument to examine teachers' perceived competence in implementing culturally responsive teaching practices with students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. All mainstream schools in the UAE were approached to participate and data were collected from 999 teachers from public and private schools across …

2025 Unm Library Scholarship Day Collcted Abstracts, Unm Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center, Unm Law Library, Unm University Libraries

Scholarship Day 2025

This booklet compiles citations and summaries of recent scholarly works (and works in progress) authored by librarians from all three campus libraries. UNM authors’ names are bolded. It offers readers a snapshot of the ideas, innovations, and collaborations shaping the information science discipline today. Consider it an invitation to connect with colleagues whose work reflects the intellectual vibrancy of UNM’s libraries.

Do No Harm?: An Assemblage Of Care, Compliance, And Resistance To North Carolina’S Parents’ Bill Of Rights, Sarah Cornette, William Pryor Iv

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

North Carolina’s Parents’ Bill of Rights (NC-PBOR) requires school counselors to disclose sensitive student information to parents, creating profound legal-ethical dilemmas. This study examines how counselors navigate these mandates through interviews, surveys, and arts-based analysis. Findings show counselors experience institutional betrayal, ethical precarity, and emotional exhaustion, yet also engage in subtle resistance through strategic ambiguity, relational buffering, and quiet noncompliance. Methodologically, we integrate coding, poetic inquiry, and visual confection to capture affect, embodiment, and contradiction often missed by conventional analysis. By foregrounding emotion and multiplicity, we contribute to assemblage-informed policy studies and queer qualitative inquiry, while bearing witness to the …

Education Standards And The United States Military, Makayla Donnelly

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

The United States military has been observed by many conservative and libertarian think tanks, such as The Heritage Foundation and CATO, as losing strength and effectiveness. Many outside these major think tanks are concerned about why defense takes up so much of the discretionary budget when the military seemingly continues to decline as most military branches fall short on their recruitment quotas. To boost recruitment and bolster the US military several branches have reexamined policies and altered them to expand the recruiting pool. One policy that is being investigated for reexamination is education standards. Education standards in some branches may …

Chinese Communist Party Infiltration Of U.S. Pacific Islands: Protecting American National Security Through Defending Strategic Pacific Assets, Contessa Amedore

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Many Americans picture the U.S.’s Western most border to be the coast of California. However, when threats have historically formed in the Pacific, U.S. Pacific Island territories have served as the nation’s first line of defense. Today, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have slowly but ambitiously deployed new age or ‘unrestricted’ warfare tactics against the United States and allies in their long awaited plan to assume global hegemony. Their illegal infiltration and psychological operations have gone past Taipei and reached American soil in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. This paper examines how the (CCP) uses unrestricted warfare …

Edgar Wright’S The World’S End: What Really Matters?, Sophie Guthrie

Episteme

No abstract provided.

Unearthing The Undead Prejudice: How ‘Feminist Science’ Creates A More Empirically Accurate Scientific Framework By Revealing The Inherent Bias In All Investigate Methodologies, Horatio Holloway

Episteme

No abstract provided.

The Structuralist Semiotics Of Hidden Places, Alexander Shin

Episteme

No abstract provided.

Cv: Philip Blankenship (Behavioral Neuroscience), Philip Blankenship

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Music's Effect On The Mental Health Of Differing Age Groups, Margaret Cleve, Kaniyah Newborn, Luke Magro

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Mental health disorders are a significant concern in today’s society. Music therapy has been shown to be an effective intervention for conditions such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and insomnia. However, it is not clear if the benefits function the same across different ages. The present study examined the influence of music on mental health across age using a publicly available dataset from Kaggle.com. We hypothesized that music listening would be associated with improved mental health outcomes regardless of age and that increased listening time would correlate with lower anxiety and depression. Results indicated that daily hours of music …

Association Between Adherence Barriers, Self-Reported Adherence, And Psychiatric Symptoms Among Adults With Bipolar Disorder, Martha Sajatovic, Jennifer B. Levin, Clara Adeniyi, Jessica Black, Celeste Weise, Nicole Fiorelli, Erika Kelley

Faculty Scholarship

Aims: While suboptimal medication adherence is a widely recognized problem for people with bipolar disorder (BD), it is less clear how individual characteristics are associated with varying levels of adherence and how specific adherence barriers impact behaviors. This interim analysis from an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined associations between patient-reported adherence, adherence barriers, and mood symptoms among poorly adherent individuals with BD. Methods: RCT participants were adults age ≥ 18 years old with BD Type 1 or 2, difficulties with medication adherence, and actively symptomatic as measured by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) score ≥ 36, Young Mania Rating …

Road Safety In Urban Sustainable Cycling Tourism. An Application Of The Protection Motivation Theory, Jurgena Myftiu, Daniele Crotti, Elena Maggi

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

Urban cycling tourism represents a cornerstone of sustainable mobility strategies aimed at reducing motorised travel and improving environmental and social well-being in cities. However, despite the crucial role of safety in encouraging cycling uptake, research has seldom examined how urban bike tourists adjust their behaviour to mitigate risk and cope with perceived road unsafety. Likewise, the influence of information on cycling accidents and risk perception on the intention to engage in urban cycling tourism remains largely overlooked in the literature. This study advances knowledge in this field by analysing data from an Italian online survey of city cyclists, adopting the …

Access Denied: An Argument Against King’S Propositional Access Principle, Jesse Fitts

Philosophy Faculty Research

Accounts of propositions face a problem that originates in the ontology of numbers: If propositions are abstract and causally isolated, then it’s unclear how agents cognitively access them. Jeff King presents a solution to this problem for his theory of propositions. King’s solution follows from a more general principle of cognitive access, which this paper challenges.

Anonymity And Social Pressure: A Sociological Analysis Of Lolcows On Kiwifarms, Mary R. Smith

Honors Theses

This research assesses the website KiwiFarms using a mixed-methods approach, including content analysis and descriptive statistics, to determine whether demographic factors, such as weight, disability, and sexuality, influence an individual’s susceptibility to online trolling for others' entertainment.

The study found that most disproportionately targeted group was found to be overweight females. Meanwhile, Kiwi Farms users were found to be predominantly male, aged 18-24, and reside in the United States. The study's results indicate that the expressions of anomie on KiwiFarms are predominantly disciplinary, suggesting that KiwiFarms users mainly focus their criticism on rule violations rather than targeting individuals based on …

November 11, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experience Of U.S. Law Enforcement Officers And The Challenges They Face While Investigating Sexual Assault Victim Reports, Ariekan Josephs-Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual assault is a pervasively dangerous crime affecting persons of all ages, races, and genders, both in the United States and globally. Essential in the safeguarding of American citizens, U.S. law enforcement officers are among the first responders on scene to investigate reports of sexual assault claims. However, echoed in previous research are the sentiments of victim-survivors who experienced negative encounters with officers who exhibited an implicit lack of victim-centered training and were dismissive in their investigative approach. Consequently, this gap in the literature requires exploration; therefore, this study focuses on the lived experiences of U.S. law enforcement officers and …

Community-Based Counselors’ Preparedness For Providing Trauma-Informed Care, Lashaunda Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This constructivist grounded theory study examined how community-based mental health counselors perceive their preparedness to provide trauma-informed care. Guided by Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory, semistructured interviews were analyzed through coding and constant comparison to co-construct meaning around counselors’ lived experiences. This study explored how counselors define, develop, and sustain preparedness for trauma-informed care. The purpose was to generate an interpretive understanding of how counselors constructed meaning around their preparedness, including how training, supervision, and professional experiences shaped their ability to serve trauma-affected clients. Participants included 12 master’s-level licensed and pre-licensed community-based mental health counselors with experience serving trauma-affected clients. Findings …

Deprescription Of Benzodiazepine, Oji Gibson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Background: Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for anxiety disorders; however, long-term use increases risks of dependence, cognitive impairment, falls, and overdose. Despite established guidelines recommending time-limited use, inappropriate chronic prescribing remains prevalent in primary care. Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to develop and implement an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) to reduce benzodiazepine overprescribing for adults with anxiety disorders in a primary care setting. The goal was to improve prescriber adherence to current best practices and promote patient safety. Methods: This quality improvement project utilized the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model to guide development, …

How Law Enforcement Officers’ Perceived Public And Self-Stigma Predicts Their Willingness To Seek Mental Health Services, Elizabeth Mae Mooney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The work of previous researchers has shown officers to have higher rates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety, and suicidality than the public, and a lower rate of mental health service-seeking. Stigma, both public and self-stigma, has been revealed by previous researchers to be the predominant barrier that deters officers from seeking out needed and/or desired services. A gap in research existed in examining alternative service types, and whether law enforcement officers perceived these service types as more or less stigmatizing than traditional methods. This study employed a quantitative research design to predict the probability that law enforcement …

Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated College Minority Men Criminalized For Behavioral Issues, Francine Zysk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The school-to-prison pipeline, where minority men experience decreased academic performance, higher truancy rates, and increased vulnerability to arrest, persists in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how systemic racism is experienced by formerly incarcerated, college-educated Black men who were criminalized for behavioral issues that contributed to their incarceration. The research problem was a lack of knowledge of the experiences of educational environments and disciplinary systems that perpetuate racialized behavioral labeling and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. Grounded in the theoretical framework of institutional racism, the study featured a constructivist paradigm to capture participants' experiences. …

The Stress Parents Face When Their Autistic Child Turns 21, Everetta Joyce Irene Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This exploratory study examined the lived experiences of parents whose autistic children turned 21 and aged out school and services provided by the federally funded Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) program. Although researchers have conducted numerous studies on autism, limited research has focused specifically on the stress parents face when their autistic child turns 21 and loses access to FAPE. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, logistical, and systemic challenges these parents encountered during the transition out of high school. Family Systems Theory provided the conceptual framework for exploring these …

Impact Of Team Coaching, Team Resilience, And Team Learning Agility On Team Adaptive Performance In Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, And Ambiguity Environments, Devon Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With volatile and rapidly changing environments, teams are under increasing pressure to adapt and maintain performance. This quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study examined the extent to which team coaching predicts team adaptive performance in volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity environments, with team resilience as a mediator and team learning agility as a moderator. An integrated theoretical framework combining conservation of resources theory, social cognitive theory, goal-setting theory, and team coaching theory grounded this study. Participants included 291 working professionals with at least 3 months of team membership and coaching experience, spanning various industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, and government sectors. They …

The Lived Experiences Of Imposter Syndrome Among Women Of Color Professors In Higher Education, Adrianna Marie Hooker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the unique challenges faced by women of color professors in higher education, who often experience imposter syndrome due to systemic barriers and underrepresentation. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of how these professors experienced and made meaning of imposter syndrome in academic settings. The central research question examined the meaning of imposter syndrome among women of color professors in higher education. This study was grounded in intersectionality and self-determination theory, which provided frameworks for understanding how multiple identities influenced feelings of inadequacy and professional identity. Participants included 12 women of …

The Impact Of Microaggression Exposure On Emotional Reactivity And Distress Following An Emotionally Provocative Movie Scene, Gwendolyn Jefferson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study explored how past experiences with racial microaggressions affect emotional reactions to racially charged media and whether factors like age and gender influence that response. Using Minority Stress Theory as a guide, 183 African American adults completed the Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after watching a racially provocative film clip. The first analysis found no direct link between microaggression exposure and emotional change. However, further testing with analysis of variance showed that people with higher exposure reported much stronger emotional distress than those with lower exposure, F(1,180) = 38.12, p < .001, η² = .175. When demographic factors were added in a hierarchical regression, the model became significant, F(7,175) = 2.06, p = .036, R² = .076, showing that age (β = .086, p = .009) and gender (β = 1.505, p = .039) influenced emotional responses. Thus, older African American women showed the strongest distress, suggesting that the combined effects of race, gender, and age increase vulnerability to racial stress. These findings support the idea that racial trauma is complex and shaped by overlapping social identities. The study highlights the need for culturally sensitive mental health support, inclusive media portrayals, and greater awareness of generational and caregiving stress among African American women. By showing how overlapping identities shape emotional well-being, this research advances social change through empathy, reduced stigma, and institutional accountability, encouraging equity-driven practices that foster racial healing, fairness, and psychological resilience across communities.

Perspectives Of Therapists Treating First Responders On The Role Of Peer Support In Psychological Recovery And Development Of Ptsd Symptoms, Audrey Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First responders face an increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to repeated exposure to traumatic events. While traditional treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication remain standard, peer support has become a supplementary strategy. However, limited research has investigated how licensed therapists view the role of peer support in clinical care. Therapists’ perspectives on the effectiveness, limitations, and integration of peer support in first responder PTSD recovery were explored in this qualitative, phenomenological study. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping and Masten’s resilience theory, how peer support serves as both a coping mechanism and …

Educators' Reflections On Competency-Based Learning: Reflecting 5 Years Of Nep 2020, Gaurav Agarwal, Anannya Chakraborty, Dimple Sood, Priyanka Sharma, Aditi Malviya, Shreevarshini K, Abha Bhagat

ACER India

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 brought a significant transformation in India’s education system by promoting a more holistic, adaptable, and skills-focused approach to learning, moving beyond rote learning. At the core of this shift is Competency-Based Learning (CBL), which encourages the development of essential skills like critical thinking, creativity, and application of what students learn in real life. To make this shift meaningful, understanding the thought process and perspectives of teachers who operationalise CBL principles is crucial. Their experience and insights can help identify the systemic supports that are necessary to build a strong foundation for teacher and student …

“Home.”: A Trauma-Informed Children’S Book Exploring Secure Attachment For Children In Foster Care, Keeli Langford

Undergraduate Theses

Estimates suggest 6% of U.S. children (nearly half a million) will be placed in foster care at any point between their birth and eighteenth birthday (Turney & Wildeman, 2017). This population of children is subject to multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; Turney & Wildeman, 2017). Such ACEs include parental divorce, parental incarceration, parental abuse, a household member with a psychological disorder, violence exposure, or a household member grappling with substance use. Exposure to childhood ACEs can negatively affect children behaviorally, emotionally, socially, and academically (Lawrence et al., 2006; McGuire et al., 2021). Research indicates youth in foster care are more …