Digital Commons Network^™

Difference In High School Geometry End-Of-Year State Exam Scores Between Three Different Retake Time Frames, Christina Noel Walton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A grading policy was implemented in a Northeastern suburban public school district that left it to curriculum teams to define the amount of time between the original test and its retake resulting in a slight decrease in high school students’ geometry end-of-year state exam scores. Guided by Bloom’s theory of mastery learning, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to investigate if there were statistically significant differences between high school students’ geometry end-of-year state exam scores or between high school students’ geometry math growth scores when controlling for the preassessment score differentiated by three schemes of retake timing: short-term, …

Smartphone Attachment In Emerging Adults : Impacts On Mental Health Through Basic Psychological Needs, Jialin Xiao

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

In the digital era, smartphones have become integral to daily life, fulfilling various emotional needs. Mirroring human attachment, past studies have found people can develop three types of attachment to smartphone: secure (comfortable, dependable connection), anxious (intense emotional reliance with separation anxiety) and avoidant (preference for independence from one’ s phone) attachment. However, little is known about how these types of smartphone attachment relate to mental health over time. Moreover, the mechanism underlying the relationship between smartphone attachment and mental health is unknown. To fill these gaps, based on the attachment theory, this study examined the longitudinal associations between smartphone …

The Impact Of Mental Health Courts On Public Attitudes Held Toward Justice-Involved Individuals With Mental Illness, Maeve Porter

Student Theses

Prior research has established that mental health court programs play an important role in reducing recidivism and mental health symptoms of defendants. However, there is a lack of understanding of the stigma that justice-involved individuals may encounter upon release from mental health court into the community, and the extent to which the general public is aware of mental health court programs. The present study sought to address public perceptions regarding mental health courts, their efficacy, and their participants based on the awareness and availability of these specialized courts in two similar states (New York and New Jersey), one in which …

Understanding Loss To Follow-Up: The Role Of Social Determinants Of Health In Infants Referred After A Positive Newborn Screening – A Quantitative Analysis, Betsy Graham-Moeller Graham-Moeller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Newborn screening (NBS) is a vital U.S. public health initiative that identifies medical conditions shortly after birth. Patients with positive screenings are referred for medical follow-up or evaluation. However, many patients do not receive the recommended long-term follow-up, posing concerns for healthcare providers and public health professionals working to ensure timely treatment and care continuity. Based on the Social Determinants of Health framework, this quantitative, retrospective cohort study aimed to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with follow-up adherence among 691 infants identified through NBS in Colorado and Wyoming. The purpose of the study was to determine whether race, ethnicity, …

Relationship Between Perioperative Nurses’ Perception Of Empowerment Versus Burnout And Intent To Leave In A Level 1 Hospital On The East Coast, Kelly D. Sambrano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining perioperative nurses is vital for maintaining high-quality care, operational efficiency, and financial stability in healthcare settings. These nurses are integral to surgical care and require significant training and resources, making their retention a strategic priority. This quantitative study, grounded in Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment, used secondary data to explore two main questions: (a) Which demographic factors—such as age, experience, training, certification, and loyalty predict empowerment, burnout, and intent to leave? and (b) How do empowerment and job satisfaction influence the intent to stay? With nearly 20% of the perioperative workforce expected to retire within five years, identifying retention …

Predicting Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among Undergraduate Nursing Students On College Campuses In The Mississippi Delta, Deidra Michelle Byas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over recent years, concerns about the mental health of nursing students in the Mississippi Delta have increased. However, research indicated that many nursing students do not utilize mental health services. This population has received little research attention, creating a gap in the literature and leaving counselor educators and supervisors ill-equipped to prepare counselors to meet the needs of nursing students. This quantitative study examined whether attitudes toward mental health services, social and cultural stigmas, and demographic characteristics explained the variance in nursing students’ willingness to seek help. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the study focused on three areas: …

Reconciling Harm Reduction Philosophy And Approaches Among Abstinence-Only Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals, Amy Rose Ashton-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in the United States has been firmly grounded in abstinence-only treatment approaches. Harm reduction as a treatment model has gained additional traction. With increased rates of opioid use, overdoses, and advancements in medications for SUDs, harm reduction treatment approaches are becoming more important to improve lives of people who use drugs. Little is known about how counselors who have been educated, trained, and deliver abstinence-based SUD treatment reconcile use of harm reduction into their practice. To address this gap in literature, a generic qualitative study was conducted using the social constructivism theory. A purposive …

Strategies To Use Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Programs To Increase Employee Performance And Profitability, Kecia Bailey Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective strategies for implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to increase employee performance and profitability is a concern for leaders in the education industry. This problem is significant to educational leaders because, without effective strategies for implementing DEI programs, they cannot address the gap in practice that hinders improvements in employee performance and organizational profitability. Grounded in Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry identified and explored the effective strategies educational leaders used to successfully implement DEI programs to increase employee performance and profitability. Participants were six leaders from both for-profit and non-profit educational …

Ski Resort Cybersecurity, Nathan Clark

All Student Scholarship

By comparing ski resorts to other industries, such as beach resorts, infrastructure, and live events, this study aims to establish a foundation of understanding for ski hills. Through an analysis of data collected from state-level data breach lists and corporate filings required by the SEC, the study utilizes this broader scope to identify the primary cyber concerns facing the ski industry. The study aims to identify the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by ski resorts and compare them in terms of security concerns with those in large-scale events and the tourism industry.

Using Individualised Bowel Care Plans To Improve Clinical Outcomes In Specialist Intellectual Disability Mental Health Units In England And Wales: Quality Improvement Project, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Background Constipation is a significant problem for people with intellectual disabilities, with a prevalence of 33-50%, causing at least five deaths annually in England. Individualised bowel care plans (IBCP) are recommended in England and Wales. Aims We evaluated the feasibility and impact of IBCPs for people with intellectual disabilities who are in in-patient psychiatric units, and the effect on clinical outcomes. Method People with intellectual disabilities who were at risk of constipation were recruited from four specialist in-patient psychiatric units in England and Wales. A constipation questionnaire was used to capture relevant data to devise IBCPs. Baseline, 3- and 6-monthly …

Applying Machine Learning To Developmental Psychopathology, Robert Jesus Jirsaraie

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Psychopathology arises from a combination of many contributing factors, which can include genetic predispositions, family history, environmental stressors, developmental processes, and psychosocial dynamics. Each of these contributing factors has been researched for decades, and their influences on mental health have been well documented. In recent years, there has been a growing enthusiasm for integrating these risk factors using machine learning. However, there are a wide array of data-driven frameworks that have been implemented, and the relative strengthens of each approach is not clear. Through of series of four research studies, we examined each data-driven approach in terms of its potential …

Multimodal Representation Learning For Geospatial Soundscape Mapping, Subash Khanal

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Sound is one of the fundamental senses that helps us reason about our environment. There exists an intricate relationship between the visual appearance of a location and the distribution of sounds present there. We propose leveraging this relationship to formulate the task of soundscape mapping—predicting the most probable distribution of sounds that could be perceived at a given geographic location, as observed in its overhead imagery. To support research on this task, we curated a comprehensive dataset, GeoSound, which consists of geotagged audio recordings from various sources, paired with both low- and high-resolution overhead imagery. We approach the soundscape mapping …

The Psychology Of Sharing Experiences, Hyebin Kim

Olin Business School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

From dinners with family to parties with friends, consumers frequently spend time with and share experiences with other people. Sharing consumption with other people can uniquely shape people’s decisions and experiences, often in ways that differ from when individuals are on their own. In my research, I examine what kinds of experiences consumers like to share with other people, and how being the one who organizes gatherings for other people influences consumers’ decisions and experiences during shared consumption. In Chapter One, “When Sharing Experiences with Others, People Prefer Novel Experiences,” I examine how the social context of an experience, in …

Relationships Between Household Economic Distress And Child Mental Health: Determinants, Mechanisms, And Interventions, Yuanyuan Yang

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Economic inequality has grown dramatically worldwide, creating serious problems for children and families. At the same time, child and adolescent mental health problems have reached crisis levels, yet many of them cannot access treatment. Researchers have studied how economic inequality affects mental and behavioral health, but most of this work focuses on adults rather than children. This dissertation used recent data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (2019 and 2021 waves) to unpack the complex relationships between household economic distress and child mental health across multiple levels, including individual, family, school, and community factors in the United States. This …

Using Exercise To Treat Anxiety In Adult Patients With Addiction, Emmanuella N. Nnadozie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, I selected a staff education as the best intervention to improve staff knowledge in using exercise to treat anxiety disorders in adult patients at a recovery clinic for addiction. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among individuals undergoing substance abuse treatment, often exacerbating withdrawal symptoms and increasing relapse risks; thus, integrating the use of exercise in addition to existing standard care for anxiety treatment in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) will lead to decreased anxiety, decreased alcohol use and drug cravings, improved quality of life and affect, increased abstinence, and improve …

Multimodal Emotion Detection And Analysis From Conversational Data, Abhinay Jatoth, Faranak Abri, Tien Nguyen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

—Emotion recognition in conversations has become increasingly relevant due to its potential applications across various fields such as customer service, social media, and mental health. In this work, we explore multimodal emotion detection using both textual and audio data. Our models leverage deep learning architectures, including Transformer-based models such as Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), Robustly optimized BERT approach (RoBERTa), Audio Spectrogram Transformer (AST), Wav2Vec2), Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiL-STM), and four fusion strategies that combine features from multiple modalities. We evaluate our approaches using two widely used emotion datasets, IEMOCAP and EMOV. Experimental results show that fusion models …

Racial Differences In Global Satisfaction At A Predominantly White Regional Comprehensive University, Philip B. Mason, Michelle Petrie

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

In the face of tightening state funding and increased reliance on tuition and growing enrollment, regional comprehensive universities continue to focus on the retention of students. Underserved students continue to represent areas of growth in college enrollment at regional comprehensive universities; yet these students are often at the highest risk of attrition. Overall institutional satisfaction is among the most useful indicators of student persistence, but research demonstrates that students of color report lower levels of overall satisfaction than their white counterparts. Scholarship on college student persistence documents several variables that predict higher retention, progression, and graduation rates among students. Research …

Innovations In Developing Hots Ipas Essay Questions For Fifth Grade Elementary School Students, Adyatma Nugrahsanto Wicaksono, Siti Faizah

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The development of High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions in Science and Social Studies (IPAS) for fifth-grade elementary students is a crucial step toward improving education quality. These questions go beyond testing memory by fostering critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills aligned with modern educational demands. Employing the 3D model (Define, Design, Develop) the study systematically develops HOTS based questions tailored to learning objectives and student needs. The process integrates cognitive levels C4-C6 of Bloom's taxonomy, emphasizing analysis, evaluation, and creation to enhance higher-order thinking. Validation results show that these HOTS-based questions are "Highly Relevant," achieving scores of 92.86% for …

Assessing University Students’ Self-Reported Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use, Yirgalem Girma

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Learning vocabulary is certainly a vital component of language learning and without this integral component of language communication becomes hardly meaningful. Thus, students are expected to have rich vocabulary power that enables them to communicate successfully via listening, speaking, reading, and writing; it assists students in expressing a range of meanings in various communicative situations for various purposes. This demands students to learn vocabulary using diverse vocabulary learning strategies that assist them in learning (internalizing, storing, recalling, and using) words properly. However, several students barely manage vocabulary learning tasks and/or use appropriate and diverse vocabulary in English classes. Consequently, this …

Teachers' Difficulty Factors In Implementing Differentiated Learning In Geography Subjects, Aulia Nindy Fadila Gastama

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The implementation of differentiated learning in geography subjects provides benefits for teachers and students. On the other hand, teachers still have difficulty implementing differentiated learning elements. This research aims to analyze the factors related to teacher difficulties in implementing differentiated learning in geography subjects. The research method used descriptive qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. The informants used were geography teachers of SMAN Malang City. Data analysis was conducted by 1) data reduction, 2) data presentation, and 3) conclusion drawing. The results showed that geography teachers in Malang City State Senior High School faced difficulties in implementing differentiated learning. In content …

Targeted Depression Screening For At-Risk High School Students: An Integrated Review, Joseph Calub

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Depression in high school students is underrecognized because symptoms can present not only as mood issues but also behavioral or academic problems. This integrated review examined literature from 2010-2015 using PsycInfo, ERIC, CINAHL, and PubMed to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted depression screening for students referred for behavioral, academic, or social concerns. Studies meeting inclusion criteria assessed targeted or clinically referred screening methods, with a focus on validated tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire modified for Adolescents (PHQ-A). Findings indicate that targeted screening effectively identifies depressive symptoms in at-risk students and is more feasible in resource-limited schools than universal …

An Analysis Of Vulnerable Road User Crashes In Alaska Using Spatio-Temporal Methods, Santosh Adhikari

Engineering

This study presents a two-part investigation into the spatial patterns of crashes and safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs). VRUs, cyclists and pedestrians in this context, represent approximately 18% of traffic fatalities in Alaska annually. However, existing studies on VRU safety in Alaska are limited and causal factors and effects of safety projects are not well understood making it difficult to implement targeted and strategic approaches to improve VRU safety. To that end, the objectives of this research are two-fold: 1) analyze spatial interactions of VRU crashes involving risk tolerant behaviors; and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of Highway Safety Improvement …

An Exploration Of Factors That Influence A Clinical Supervisor's Decision To Address The Personal Development And Dispositions Of Supervisees, Kirsten K. Hagen

Psychology

Research suggests that addressing a supervisee’s personal factors in clinical supervision is critical to developing their therapeutic capacities (Aponte, 1994; Krug and Schneider, 2016; Southern, 2007; Zorga et al., 2001). However, little is known about the factors contributing to clinical supervisors’ decisions to address supervisees’ personal development and dispositions in clinical supervision, despite their importance in supervisees’ professional development. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to discern the nuanced narratives of clinical supervisors and construct a theory of factors related to their decisions regarding whether to address or not address the personal development and dispositions of supervisees in …

The Wnba And Activism: A Case Study Of Power Of The Dream, Jakki Padilla

Communication

This thesis looks at how WNBA players used their platform to stand up for social and political change during the 2020-2021 season. This research focuses on the documentary Power of the Dream (Porter, 2024), which follows the Atlanta Dream and other WNBA players during a time of a global pandemic, racial injustice, and an election year. Guided by public relations scholars Bernays (1961), Curtain and Gaither (2007), Ciszek (2015) for my methodology. By using the Cultural-Economic Model (CEM) (Ciszek, 2015) and understanding their five interconnected components to guide understanding of activism in sports. By using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, …

The Transformational Learning By Web-Conferencing Circuit Board: A Conceptual Model Outlining The Conditions That Facilitate Transformation In Synchronous Spaces, Rachel L. Reilly

Communication

As synchronous technologies and high-speed internet have become more accessible, opportunities for learning in web-conferencing settings have also increased. Despite the ubiquity of learning experiences taking place over web-conferencing, there is a lack of research on what makes for effective adult learning in synchronous settings from learners’ perspectives. Moreover, there are few studies examining how transformational learning—learning that changes an adult’s mindset, beliefs, or perceptions—occurs in web-conferencing settings. This qualitative study explores the conditions through which transformational learning occurs in web-conferencing settings. It includes the perspectives of adult learners (all at least eighteen years old) who have participated in a …

Spatial And Temporal Epidemiology Of Suicides Among Alaska Native People, Deborah Hull-Jilly

Counseling

Alaska has one of the highest suicide rates among Indigenous populations in the United States. This study used data from the Alaska Violent Death Reporting System (AKVDRS) and applied spatial, temporal, and space-time analyses to identify unusual concentrations—or clusters—of suicide among Alaska Native people. This research identified one low-risk rural cluster and ten high-risk spatial clusters: six in urban boroughs and census areas (BCAs) and four in rural BCAs. Space-time analysis revealed eight clusters, most lasting an average of five years, with one emerging during the final three years of the study period. The study identified notable differences in mental …

Factors Influencing The Performance Of Farmer-Producer Organizations (Fpos) And Their Societal Impact In Tamil Nadu, Arjune S

Theses and Dissertations

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) are formed mainly for the farmers to have better institutional access to acquire them. They are also under the inspiration of the director's abstinence and the incentive of getting more money. These are socio-psychological individual differences and thus of importance to markets, the perception of markets, and market relevance of group interaction. Self-esteem, attitude to participation in group activities, and willingness to participate in these types of activities are of some significance for his/her performance because they have an effect on their performance afterward.

Farmer social empowerment increased but not farmer economic empowerment did so much …

In Silico Investigations Of Class Ii Trans Activator (Ciita): Its Plausible Implications In Neuroinflammation And Neurological Disorders, Kishore N

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation plays a significant role in maintaining homeostasis. Neuroinflammation is a chronic inflammatory response in the central nervous system (CNS), leading to brain or spinal cord dysfunction. To promote mental health, it is crucial to understand the regulation of neuroinflammation. Class II transactivator (CIITA) is a master-regulator of the major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII).

Modulation of CIITA has been suggested as a promising intervention for inflammatory conditions, including neurological disorders. However, there is limited knowledge about the role of CIITA and its interactors in inflammation. This study aimed to understand the role of CIITA in neuroinflammation and neurological disorders using …

Hindcasting The Occurrence Time Of Major Earthquakes Using Machine Learning And Time Series Analysis, Rubidha Devi D

Theses and Dissertations

An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground that typically occurs when tectonic plates move beneath the surface of the Earth. Scientists analyze historical seismic records and geophysical and atmospheric signs to build models estimating the probability of major earthquakes by detecting patterns and anomalies in data such as ground deformation and seismic waves. This study would help in predicting earthquakes to minimize risks of people and buildings.

The present study investigates the devastating earthquakes along the Chilean subduction zone in South America, linking non-seismic data to machine learning predictions of Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and Relative Humidity (RH) …

Hindcasting The Occurrence Time Of Major Earthquakes Using Machine Learning And Time Series Analysis, Rubidha Devi D

Theses and Dissertations

An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground that typically occurs when tectonic plates move beneath the surface of the Earth. Scientists analyze historical seismic records and geophysical and atmospheric signs to build models estimating the probability of major earthquakes by detecting patterns and anomalies in data such as ground deformation and seismic waves. This study would help in predicting earthquakes to minimize risks of people and buildings. The present study investigates the devastating earthquakes along the Chilean subduction zone in South America, linking non-seismic data to machine learning predictions of Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and Relative Humidity (RH) …