Digital Commons Network^™

Preferences For And Effectiveness Of Role-Play On The Acquisition Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills, Logan D. Zupko

All NMU Master's Theses

Effective training of clinicians is crucial for ensuring high-quality clinical practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of and preference for two teaching strategies within a behavior skills training (BST) framework for training novice adults in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) components. College students participated in multiple laboratory sessions across three study phases: Introduction, Choice, and Training. During the Introduction Phase, participants learned CBT Component 1 with either feedback only or feedback combined with brief role-play for incorrect skills. These two teaching strategies alternated across trials to ensure the participant was exposed to each equally. The Choice Phase allowed participants to select …

State Of Menstrual Health Education In 2024: Content Analysis Of Us K-12 Public School Education Standards, Emily Richardson, Sarah Bemis, Page Dobbs, Hope Ballentine, Shristi Bhochhibhoya, Victor Kwaku Akakpo, Kylie Lovett

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Exploratory study aiming to assess the prevalence and time of initiation of menstrual health curriculum in US public school education standards by state. Methods: US public school Kindergarten-12th grade education standards from each state's Department of Education website, including D.C. (n = 51), were searched for menstruation, menstrual, menses, menopause, period, menarche, reproduction, puberty, and growth and development. Results25.5% (n = 13) of US education standards include menstruation. Of these, constructs of comprehensive menstrual health were recorded including abnormal menstruation (n = 6), menstrual hygiene (n = 6), menopause (n = 1), and stigma (n = 7). Education is …

When Performance Takes Priority, Matthew D. Whitwer, Joseph H. Hammer, Brenna Gomer, Elahe Vahidi, Sarah A. Wilson

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Engineering education is at a critical juncture where supporting student mental health is essential for fostering persistence, equity, and the development of a resilient and innovative workforce. Yet, undergraduate engineering students experiencing mental health concerns are often unlikely to seek professional help. To identify factors that account for this gap in treatment, this project administered the Undergraduate Engineering Mental Health Help Seeking Instrument to 1903 engineering undergraduates across five institutions. Correlations and regression were used to examine the links between help-seeking intention and (a) help-seeking mechanisms (e.g., attitude, perceived norm, self-efficacy) and (b) beliefs about seeking help. Students’ personal evaluation …

The Advocacy Pipeline: High School Debate Topics As Mirrors Of Contemporary Justice Systems, Larrisha Mcdonnough

Dissertations (2016-Present)

High school debate, often regarded as a rigorous academic and extracurricular activity, is widely recognized for cultivating students’ critical thinking, research, and argumentation skills; however, limited research explores its role in shaping students’ perceptions of justice systems, fairness, and systemic equity. This study examines how high school debate serves as an intellectual and civic pipeline, fostering student engagement with legal, ethical, and policy-related issues that define contemporary justice systems. More specifically, this research investigates how participation in debate shapes students’ understandings of fairness, systemic bias, and the administration of justice by tracing the evolution of justice-related debate topics over time. …

The World Is Beautiful, Chelsea Demott Wildey

Theses

My thesis, The World is Beautiful is a short, digitally animated film that follows the journey of a jaded employee working at a dystopian fishery. The intention of this piece was to tell a well-paced, coherent story that also served as an allegory to spark verbal discourse in an audience. As a surface level story, the film portrays a working protagonist who has been forced to remain seated at her desk by a mechanical chair. She, presumably, has been monotonously pressing icons on a screen for her entire life until something catches her eye and prompts her to break free …

Beyond Mass Deportation, Nancy Plankey-Videla, Huyen Pham, Angela D. Morrison, Luz E. Herrera

Faculty Scholarship

Donald Trump’s threats to carry out the mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants helped propel him to a second term as President of the United States. For the estimated 11 million people in the U.S. without lawful status, those threats have increased fears of forced returns to their countries of origin. While American immigration law is heavily focused on the legal processes leading to deportation, little attention has been paid to the post-deportation experiences of individuals who must reintegrate into their home countries. This gap in understanding is especially alarming given the high stakes of reintegration. A successful transition can empower …

Selective Sharing And Social Bonding: A Qualitative Study Of Online Health Information Behaviour Among Older Adults In Shanghai, Minzhi Ye, Yan Liu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The health information landscape has been revolutionised by the advent of social media, significantly affecting older adults’ access to and interaction with online health information. In this study, we examine how older adults interact with health information on social media. In total, 30 participants aged 60 years and older from Shanghai were interviewed, focusing on their health information-seeking behaviour, perceptions, and subsequent actions using a semi-structured, in-depth interview approach. Furthermore, in this study, we employed grounded theory to analyze the data, and the results revealed that older adults utilise a comprehensive cognitive process for evaluating health information. Information-sharing decisions among …

Differences In Patient And Parent Preferences For Prognostic Communication Across Disease Milestones In Advanced Childhood Cancer, Rachel A Kentor, Shoshana Mehler, Caroline Christianson, Harmony Farner, Tara M Brinkman, Justin N Baker, Pamela S Hinds, Jennifer W Mack, Erica C Kaye

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Navigating prognostic communication is challenging for clinicians caring for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with poor-prognosis cancer. Presently, little is known about how AYA and parent preferences for prognostic disclosure evolve over time. This study explored communication preferences at key illness milestones of disease progression to inform individualized, person-centered approaches to optimize prognostic disclosure.

Procedure: Sixty-five participants, including 25 AYAs aged 12-25 years and 40 parents, were recruited at distinct illness timepoints-diagnosis, relapse/progression, Phase I/II trial enrollment, and bereavement-to participate in semi-structured interviews about their preferences for timing, style, and content of prognostic communication. Rapid analysis was conducted to …

Cognitive Reserve Predicts Baseline Tau Burden In The Us Pointer Trial Imaging Cohort, Valory N Pavlik, Chris J Weber, Joseph C Masdeu, Laura D Baker, Melissa M Yu, Michele York, Rachel A Whitmer, Susan M Landau, Theresa M Harrison, Tomas M Holland, Laura Lovato

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Higher cognitive reserve (CR) is associated with reduced dementia risk. We hypothesized that higher CR is associated with less baseline Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) cohort.

Methods: A subsample of participants underwent amyloid beta and tau positron emission tomography imaging. Regression analysis was used to model the association between educational attainment (EA) as a CR proxy measure, amyloid positivity, and entorhinal cortex (ERC) and meta-temporal region of interest (meta-ROI) tau standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR).

Results: In 911 participants with complete imaging data, higher …

The Effect Of Perceived Principal Leadership Styles And School Type On Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy, Karen M. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of perceived principal leadership styles and school type on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy. The study examined two research questions. The first examined differences between teachers’ self-efficacy in Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools, and the second examined differences in teacher self-efficacy and perceived principal leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire). The convenience sample included 129 elementary teachers from social media teacher groups that taught in various Title 1 and non-Title 1 school districts. I used a quantitative, causal-comparative method to collect data and survey questionnaires that identified trends in leadership styles …

Exploring The Influence Of Self-Efficacy And Cultural Identity On Black Teacher Retention, Cicely Kelly Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the persistent challenge of retaining Black educators in racially diverse U.S. secondary schools. The specific problem was a knowledge gap regarding how the lived experiences of Black teachers connect their self-efficacy and cultural identity to retention. The purpose of this study was to explore these dynamics to inform the development of more effective support strategies. This qualitative phenomenological study involved semistructured interviews with 10 Black secondary school teachers who had 3 or more years of experience in the Southeastern region of Texas. The researcher analyzed the interview data using a thematic analysis framework to identify patterns of …

Understanding The Retention Of Alternatively Certified Teachers: Key Factors And Insights, Donna M. Hardy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the high attrition rate of alternatively certified teachers

who often exit the classroom at greater rates than traditionally trained teachers, particularly

within their first 5 years of teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived

experience of alternatively certified teachers to identify the support, conditions, and leadership

practices that contributed to their persistence. A qualitative phenomenological study was used,

with data collected from 14 alternatively certified teachers who work in a Central Texas school

district, utilizing semistructured interviews. Data collection methods included interviews,

member checking, and researcher field notes. Research …

The Effectiveness Of A First-Year Experience Course: A Case Study From A Public Regional University In The Central United States, Taler J. Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student retention has become an increasingly popular topic for colleges and universities as they look for ways to keep students amid ever-changing budget climates. Research shows that high quality first-year experience (FYE) courses can provide crucial support to new students as they enter the college or university. Additionally, many researchers have found that supporting students through their transition to a new college environment, developing their sense of belonging, and helping them get involved on campus lead to increased student retention. The purpose of this study was to explore the curriculum, format, and delivery of the FYE course at Blue University …

The Heart Of Policing: Exploring The Essence Of The Phenomenon Between Organizational Culture And Police Officer Job Satisfaction, Charles C. Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the essence of the phenomenon between organizational culture and police officer job satisfaction among rural law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma. Retaining police officers has become an increasingly challenging task for law enforcement organizations across the United States, as high turnover, costly recruitment, and voluntary resignations continue to strain departments. While previous research has primarily examined demographic and occupational variables influencing satisfaction, limited attention has been given to how organizational culture affects the lived experiences of U.S. police officers. Guided by Edgar Schein’s organizational culture theory, this study examined how …

Breaking Barriers: Mentorship Pathways For Hispanic Women In Leadership Roles, Ana Paola Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the unique lived experiences of 10 Hispanic Latinas serving in leadership roles in 2-year community colleges in Texas. As the graduation rate of Hispanic women increases, institutions must identify mentorship programs that motivate women who continue to graduate to seek leadership positions within their institutions. Through life stories and lived experiences, the study's findings illustrate that mentorship is essential to creating, but that self-determination and self-advocacy also make it possible to find paths to leadership. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged from the data: identity and representation, mentorship and support structures, and resilience and advocacy. …

Point/Counterpoint: Upfront Braf Inhibition For Adult Braf-Mutant High-Grade Gliomas, Sebastien Perreault, Marjolein Geurts, Jasia Mahdi, Karisa C Schreck, Matthias Preusser, Patrick Y Wen, Mary Jane Lim-Fat, Jan-Michael Werner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Growth Hormone Effects In Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mahmoud N. Almutadares, Nour M. Gazzaz, Naseem Y. Alyahyawi, Nuha M. Alrayes, Eman A. Mazi, Fahad F. Mansouri, Kholoud A. Hothan, Hanaa A. Hamadallah, Esraa M. Bukhari, Ahlam A. Mazi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the long-term effects and mortality rates associated with GH therapy in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Prader-Willi Syndrome is a rare genetic disease characterized by growth hormone (GH) deficiency among other endocrine disorders. Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out on 4 databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. The search was based on two keywords: “Growth hormone” AND “Prader-Willi Syndrome”. Outcome data included height-standard deviation score (SDS), weight SDS, body mass index (BMI)-SDS, insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1), mortality, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and blood glucose. Results: A total of …

Empowering Saudi Pharmacy Students: A Nudge-Based Intervention For Improved Health Behaviors, Fahad M. Alzahrani, Bsmah S. Bojan, Haifa A. Fadil

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To promote healthy habits among pharmacy students through curriculum-embedded challenges. Student well-being is a growing concern in Saudi pharmacy education, with high rates of stress and poor health behaviors reported among students. Traditional interventions often fall short in bridging the gap between awareness and action. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted from September to December 2024 at Taibah University. Four month-long challenges targeting smartphone use, physical activity, sleep, and gratitude were integrated into a required hospital pharmacy course. The intervention was grounded in behavioral economics principles (salience and inertia) and delivered via Blackboard LMS with minimal extrinsic incentives. A …

Research On The Impact Of Strategic Orientation, Employees’ Environmental Identity, And Use Of Artificial Intelligence On Corporate Green Innovation, Hao Yang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Based on social cognitive theory and integrating the perspective of technology enablement, this study constructs a moderated mediation model to systematically explore how environmental policy orientation and environmental market orientation influence corporate green innovation through environmental identity, and to examine the boundary role of AI application intensity. Through empirical analysis of 313 teams and 939 valid questionnaires, the following conclusions are drawn: First, both environmental policy orientation and environmental market orientation independently and significantly promote green innovation. Second, environmental identity plays a partial mediating role between the two orientations and green innovation, indicating that strategies need to be internalized as …

Research On The Influencing Factors Of Bim Technology Adoption In Construction Enterprises, Meng Zhao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The construction industry plays a pivotal role in national economic development, yet it faces significant challenges, including inefficiencies, limited informatization, and fragmented management. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative digital technology, offering the potential to revolutionize construction enterprises by enhancing collaboration, reducing costs, and improving project lifecycle management. Despite increasing government support and global advancements, BIM adoption in China, particularly during the construction phase, remains inconsistent and insufficiently explored. This dissertation adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative component, through interviews, identifies the primary barriers to BIM adoption during the construction phase, …

Human Sex Trafficking, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Living With Purpose, Michelle Dinman, Cal J. Halvorsen, Nancy Morrow-Howell

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Having purpose is good for all of us at any age. Patrick Hill, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at WashU, defines purpose as the “notion that you have daily activities you find meaningful or engaging and that give you direction for your life [and] reasons to continue going.” In a major sense, purpose can be described as the why of living, instead of the how.

Living Longer, Working Longer, Michele Dinman, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one-in-five Americans ages 65 and older (19%) were employed in 2023, a rate nearly twice that from 35 years ago. They’re also working more hours, on average, than in the recent past. In fact, more than three-in-five older workers (62%) work full time, an increase from the 47% working full time in 1987. Older workers today are also more educated and are more likely to be receiving employer-sponsored benefits, such as retirement savings plans and health insurance, than in earlier decades. While only 4% of the entire labor force was made up of …

The Link Between Intergenerational Social Mobility Of Cohorts And Individual Self-Rated Health: A Multi-Country Analysis., Jacinth J. X. Tan, Gregory T. H. Hng, Faith A. Wee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This research examined the potential health consequences of increased opportunities for social mobility. Specifically, we used indices of intergenerational social mobility of cohorts—the average level of change in economic status relative to one’s parents experienced across individuals within a cohort—as proxy measures of individuals’ exposure to opportunities for social mobility and investigated links to their self-rated health (SRH). We combined recent multi-country data on cohort social mobility from the World Bank with multi-country individual SRH data from the World Values Survey waves six (Ncountries=44, Nrespondents=48,955) and seven (Ncountries=41, Nrespondents=37,051). Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that at the aggregate, SRH had negative …

Youth Attitudes And Perceptions Regarding Police, Courts, And Political Engagement: A Texas Study, Marika Dawkins-Cavazos, Camille Gibson, Yudu Li

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Youth are often perceived as disengaged from civic and political processes, yet their potential to influence elections is receiving increasing attention. This study examined how differences in race, ethnicity, sex, and age shape youth civic engagement, particularly their willingness to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Through surveys of college students in the diverse southern region of the United States, the research explored the relationship between perceptions of law enforcement, trust in the justice system, and civic participation. Specifically, it hypothesized that Black and Hispanic youth would report lower trust in law enforcement, which may influence their willingness to engage …

Occupational Therapy Interventions Supporting Return-To-Work After Cancer Treatment: A Systematized Review​, Kateryna Brichka, Jordyn Spotanski, Kara Warner, Danielle Westmark, Stacy Smallfield, Molly Whitlow

Student Systematized Reviews: Occupational Therapy

PURPOSE: Return to work (RTW) is a key milestone in cancer survivorship, supporting identity, stability, and quality of life. Many survivors face physical, social, and psychological barriers (Wilson et al., 2023). Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) are well positioned to address these challenges through energy conservation, environmental modification, and work reintegration strategies (Désiron et al., 2016). This systematized review synthesized evidence on OT interventions that support RTW for adult cancer survivors.

DESIGN: A systematized review was conducted by a medical librarian from the McGoogan Health Sciences Library. Articles were included if published in English between 2003–2024 and classified as Level I–VI …

Exploring The Future Of Occupational Safety Research: A Strategic Foresight Approach, Jessica M K Streit, Sarah A Felknor, Nicole T Edwards, John J Howard

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A team from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted a strategic foresight project to explore the future of occupational safety research (OSR). Data collected via systematic horizon scanning and key informant interviews were synthesized into six drivers of OSR change: (1) technological advancement, (2) partnerships and public trust, (3) prioritizing research investments, (4) safety and health integration, (5) data and science quality, and (6) worker protections. These drivers served as the basis for envisioning four potential OSR futures. Analysis of the resulting scenarios identified opportunities to enhance and advance OSR methods and approaches, innovation, systems thinking, …

Mitigating Food Insecurity-Related Stigma: A Review Of Intervention Strategies, Evyn Y Appel, Mckenna M Halverson, Valerie A Earnshaw, Tania Cruz Cordero, Maya Rozin, Raquelle Powell, Grace Sands, Nithila Chrisostam, Sarah E Katz, Shreela V Sharma, Allison Karpyn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To characterize intervention strategies addressing food insecurity-related stigma implemented in federal nutrition programs (e.g. SNAP, WIC) and emergency food programs (e.g. food pantries, food cupboards) within high income countries.

Methods: Six databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertations and Theses Global) and the Internet were searched through September 2024. Data on study characteristics and stigma intervention characteristics were extracted with a structured template. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used.

Results: The review found 46 intervention strategies across 18 articles. The majority of articles were based in the United States (89.9%) with the remaining portion from …

Multilevel Selection In The Margins: A Review Of Its Representation In Undergraduate Biology Textbooks, C. A. Greene, S. J. Mcpeek, L. Mitchem, A. B. Clark, Vincent A. Formica

Biology Faculty Works

Multilevel selection (MLS) is a foundational framework that expands the concept of natural selection beyond the traditional focus on individuals or genes to larger units, like groups. Despite strong empirical support and applications in a broad range of biological fields, MLS, often referred to as group selection, has a controversial history, which has impeded its wide use and led to incorrect inferences on the sources and strength of selection. Here, we explore how MLS is currently presented to undergraduate biology students by analyzing the content of nine commonly used Evolutionary Biology and Animal Behavior textbooks. We ask whether and how …

Women’S Unique Health Needs And The Sustainable Development Goals: A Meeting Report From The 79th United Nations General Assembly Science Summit, Irene Aninye, Sarah Chew, Nicole Althaus, Michele Barry, Ru-Fong Cheng, Carolyn Harris, Eleanor Nwadinobi, Beth Battaglino, Aisha Brooks, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Biological sex, hormones, and gender uniquely affect health and disease, often resulting in disparities for women across the lifespan and from different racial and ethnic groups, geographical locations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Without intentional investment and infrastructure to support good health and wellbeing for women, half of the world’s population remains vulnerable to preventable morbidity and mortality. The Society for Women’s Health Research and ECHAlliance–The Global Health Connector convened a women’s health program as part of the 10th Annual Science Summit during the United Nations 79th General Assembly. This hybrid event was held in New York, NY, (USA) and virtually in …