Digital Commons Network^™

Branching Out: Expanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy Through Nature-Based Practice, Sarah Kelly

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

The current intake and outtake process lacks uniformity and there is no structured system in place to effectively monitor client progress and outcomes during the program or after its completion. Develop a streamlined process for screening, goal setting, and following up on goal progression at the end of camp.

Independence Beyond Sight: Occupational Therapy's Role In Promoting Functional Independence In Low Vision Communities, Kristina Holcomb

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Many individuals with low vision experience a multitude of barriers limiting access to community and healthcare services. Interviews highlighted the need to expand outreach to youth, build an updated community resource guide, and the need for community events for all programs.

Play With Intent: A Community Based-Approach In Promoting Inclusive And Child-Led Engagement With Easterseals Superior California, Margerie Vergara Vinoya

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Neurodiverse children may require additional environmental support to successfully engage, socialize, and adapt due to differences in their sensory systems. However, there’s a lack of inclusive, child-led, and sensory-rich environments that promote meaningful participation and social success.

Implications Of Occupational Therapy In Veterans Returning And Reintegrating Into Higher Education, Michael Siyluy

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

There is the need to expand the resources and support in the student veteran population for return and reintegration in higher education.

Exploring Mental Health Utilization Among First-Generation College Students, Sophia Kohgadai

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Background & Purpose: One or more parents did not earn a 4-year college degree. Compared to their non-firstgeneration peers, First Generation College Students face higher rates of unaddressed mental health issues and other unique challenges. Despite reporting greater symptom distress, they are less likely to utilize psychological services on campuses.

Enhancing Health Literacy Among Spanish-Speaking Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease, Christie Ledezma

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Parkinson’s disease may be significantly under-represented and inadequately treated in rural areas, specifically in the Spanish-speaking community due to lower health literacy levels and limited resources. Project: Determine barriers faced by Spanish-speaking individuals with Parkinson’s disease and implement into solutions.

Growing Through The Senses: A Sensory Garden Approach To Support Emotional Regulation And Sensory Awareness In Young Adults With Visual Impairments, Deanne Nguyen

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Young adults with visual impairments are at a greater risk of experiencing mental health challenges. Encounter unique challenges that impact emotional, social, and personal development.

From Plan To Practice: Enhancing Lifestyle Management Through Effective Carry Over Strategies Using Occupational Therapy Perspective, Josephine Hernandez

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Explore and build on existing knowledge of occupational therapy’s role in lifestyle management techniques through embodied experience. Explore evidence-based research on embodied interventions with multidisciplinary care. Explore and exercise advocacy skills within a multidisciplinary team. Explore and apply marketing and outreach initiatives for increased community awareness of resources.

Reclaiming Your Body, Reframing Your Mind: An Ot Perspective On Postpartum Exercise Participation, Abigail Waisner

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Perinatal Mental Health conditions affect up to 84% of birthing women. These include: Depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, Bipolar Disorders, and Psychosis. These mental health challenges may be influenced by stress, lack of sleep, role changes, family history, social determinants of health, etc.

Understanding Biological Behavior 2nd Edition, Emily Marler

Open Educational Resources Collection

Understanding Biological Behavior, 2nd Edition, compiled by Emily Marler in collaboration with UMSL Libraries, is a Open Educational Resource (OER) that offers free access to an engaging exploration of where biology and psychology intersect. As an openly licensed textbook, it removes financial barriers to quality education while helping students understand how our biological systems directly influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

The web version of this text can be found at https://umsystem.pressbooks.pub/ubb2e/

This resource systematically progresses through twelve carefully structured units that build upon each other to create a complete understanding of biological psychology. Beginning with fundamental concepts of nerve …

A Single-Blind Active-Control Randomized Controlled Trial Of Group-Based Social Competence Intervention, Erin Kang, Tamara E. Rosen, Cara M. Keifer, Alan H. Gerber, Matthew D. Lerner

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study evaluated specific effects of a blinded randomized controlled trial of a group-based social skills intervention, Socio-Dramatic Affective-Relational Intervention (SDARI), against an active attention control (AC) intervention. Fifty-five autistic youth (Mage=12.40; SDage=2.92; 73% boys) were randomly allocated to either the SDARI or the AC condition. Both interventions comprised 10 weekly sessions and were tightly matched for structure, participant age, IQ, and gender, such that the specific activities of SDARI were directly examined. Multimethod assessments at pre-, post-treatment, and 10-week follow-up included informant-reported social skills and autism-related behaviors, observer-rated spontaneous peer interaction, peer-rated friendships, and …

"Check-The-Box" Enrollment Will Limit Participation In Trump Accounts: Lessons From Asset-Building Research, Jin Huang, Margaret M. Clancy, Stephen Roll, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

As the U.S. Treasury Department considers the implementation of Trump Accounts, one proposed enrollment method is a “check-the-box” option on the federal tax return, requiring parents to actively grant permission to open an account. This policy brief draws on evidence from prior research to explain why such a check-the-box opt-in model is very unlikely to achieve full participation in Trump Accounts

Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Infections In Genital And Extragenital Samples Among Men And Women, Kristal J. Aaron, Charlotte A. Gaydos, Edward W. Hook, Max Chernesky, Jeanne Moncada, Stephanie N. Taylor, Harold C. Wiesenfeld, Kenneth H. Mayer, Matthew R. Golden, Alexander Boutwell, Barbara Van Der Pol

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background For people who have anal and/or oral sex, many programs recommend genital and extragenital (defined here as anorectal and oropharyngeal) screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) to identify all potential sites of infection. Methods We assessed genital and extragenital CT and NG prevalence among people reporting extragenital sexual exposure. Results Among 343 gay and bisexual men who reported sex with men (GBMSM), 42 (12.2%) had CT with positivity of 3.5%, 9.3% and 1.8% in the genital, anal, and oral samples, respectively. In this same group, 55 (16.0%) had NG with positivity of 5.2%, 8.5%, and 7.6% …

Asdat: Evaluating Autism Symptom Severity, Anne F. Coffey, Amanda Oliver, Laura Phipps, Patricia Zemantic, Alice Shillingsburg

Posters: 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This study aims to develop and validate the Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment Tool (ASDAT), a user-friendly, objective tool for assessing the severity of ASD symptoms and informing treatment planning. Currently, there are no tools that both evaluate ASD severity across DSM-5 criteria and guide treatment dosage recommendations. The ASDAT will address this gap by providing a standardized measure that aids diagnosticians and practitioners in determining appropriate care and treatment levels. Children aged 16 months to 14 years who are receiving diagnostic services at MMI’s Autism Diagnostic Clinic, along with their caregivers, will be recruited for this study. While the children …

Set Up For Success: The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Nonviolent Offenders And Their Challenges Of Successfully Reentering Society, Ciera Lee'nette Day

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This dissertation firmly highlighted the critical necessity for effective diversion plans tailored to nonviolent offenders, presenting a compelling qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of 12 former nonviolent offenders and their views on diversion centers. The research employed in-depth interviews as the primary data collection method, engaging participants aged 18 and older who had committed nonviolent offenses, had no pending legal cases, and had been released from incarceration or probation within the past six months. To analyze the data, NVivo 15 and MAXQDA software were utilized, ensuring a rigorous and systematic approach to organizing and interpreting unstructured data, developing robust …

Enhancing Digital Health Development Through Speech Act Theory: Application To Peripartum Depression Management

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The peripartum period is a time of complex transition into motherhood when women may develop peripartum depression (PPD). Digital information sources can help prevent and monitor symptoms through social support and mental health knowledge. However, few studies have characterized the content and form of peer interactions in PPD online forums to inform interventions. In this paper, we present preliminary work using a dataset of 55,301 interactions to inform our digital health development. We combine manual coding for speech acts, behavioral theory mapping, and user engagement modeling to conceptualize dynamic digital education modules for PPD. Results reveal "Expressive" speech act, where …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Nurse Managers: Leadership Development And Competency Acquisition During Role Transition, Jasmine Yvette Mc Gee Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The transition from a clinical nursing role to a nurse manager position is often challenging and stressful. Nurse managers are expected to possess a complex set of leadership competencies; however, many feel unprepared and unsupported during this critical transition. This qualitative interpretive study explored the lived experiences of nurse managers in relation to their leadership development and competency acquisition within the hospital setting, focusing on challenges and successes encountered during the transition into the nurse manager role. Using Interpretive Phenomenological methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 nurse managers from various hospital settings across the United States. Two areas of …

Black Lives In Ivory Towers: Unveiling The Racialized Experiences And Belonging Of African American Students At A Predominantly White Institution In The Southeast, Caitlin Erin Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This qualitative study employs Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a guiding framework to examine the perceptions and experiences of African American and Black students at a predominantly White institution (PWI), specifically focusing on their racialized encounters and the persistent challenges they face. Historically, the pursuit of education by African Americans in the United States has been profoundly influenced by a longstanding interplay of racial segregation, deeply embedded societal norms, and discriminatory practices. Despite notable legal advances and social reforms intended to promote equality, racism remains a pervasive issue within educational systems, continually shaping the experiences of students of color. Critical …

Suicidal Risk Factors In Male Veterans: The Protective Role Of Emotional And Sexual Intimacy In Romantic Relationships, Rachel Goodman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In light of the heightened suicide risk among male Veterans, identifying contributing factors remains a critical priority. One of the most empirically supported models explaining suicide risk, the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS), highlights the importance of interpersonal connection. Although intimate partner distress is commonly reported among Veterans who die by suicide, little is known about how intimacy within romantic relationships functions as a protective or risk factor within the IPTS framework. Further, while meaning in life has emerged as a robust protective factor against suicide—and is shaped by both intimate connection and IPTS-related interpersonal risks—research exploring how these …

The Impact Of Othermothering On Black Male Persistence In The Hbcu Context, Terrance D. Pryor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Black male students in higher education continue to face disproportionate challenges to their academic persistence and success, often navigating institutions that marginalize their identities and potential. Within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Black women faculty, staff, and administrators have historically served as vital pillars of support—embodying the practice of Othermothering, a culturally rooted, communal form of care and mentorship. This dissertation investigates how Othermothering shapes the persistence trajectories of Black male undergraduates at an HBCU, illuminating a relational pedagogy that sustains and empowers students often underserved by dominant educational paradigms. Grounded in African American Male Theory (AAMT), the concept …

Examining The Perception Of Transactional Distance Sub-Constructs Learner-Facilitator Interaction, Learner-Learner Interaction And Learner-Content Interaction Predictive Qualities For Employee Satisfaction With Course Outcomes And Professional Development In A Synchronous Instructor-Led Online Course, Angela Cetera Garner-Samuels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In recent years, there has been an increase in providing training and professional development via online environments. Employees have reported positive and negative experiences with workplace training in online settings. This study examined whether Transactional Distance Theory sub-constructs Learner-Facilitator Interaction (LFI), Learner-Learner Interaction (LLI), and Learner-Content Interaction (LCI) predict learners' satisfaction with workplace training course outcomes and perceptions of professional development for individuals enrolled in a synchronous instructor-led online course (SILOC) offered through their employer. The utilization of Transactional Distance Theory provided a theoretical framework to address the structural, social, and psychological distance learners experience in distance education, which influences …

The Evaluation Of Traditional And Latency Based Functional Analyses On The Identification Of The Function Of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Mallie N. Donald

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that up to 80% of children with developmental disabilities have feeding problems. Feeding problems typically coexist with the presence of inappropriate mealtime behavior which includes behaviors such as aggression, throwing food or utensils, or turning head away from the presented bite. As a result, functional analysis procedures are commonly used to determine the function of inappropriate mealtime behavior to later inform effective function-based interventions. Traditional functional analysis procedures utilize the measurement of the rate of inappropriate mealtime behavior. Several limitations exist within traditional procedures for the assessment of inappropriate mealtime behavior which include demands across all test and …

Measuring Emotional Biases In Attention And Memory In Individuals Who Fear Happiness, Michael R. Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

A central goal in contemporary clinical science is to measure emotionally driven factors of psychopathology through cognitive experimental methods. However, limitations in previous experimental paradigms have led to a lack of sensitivity and reliability in measuring the biased processing of positive and negative information. Additionally, these biases have not been investigated in individuals who fear happiness. Therefore, this study examined the unique relations between attention and memory biases of emotional stimuli and fear of happiness scores. A more sensitive experimental paradigm tracked eye positions while participants viewed faces over time to measure tendencies to attend to emotional content. A memory …

Tabletop Role-Playing Games As A Therapeutic Intervention: Translating Ttrpgs To Therapy, Joanne Adelle Hillerman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the aspects of tabletop role-playing games, or TTRPGs, that are appealing to therapists, aspects of TTRPGs that may be challenging for therapists to implement, and to identify outside factors that may associated with therapists’ interest in using TTRPGs. This study used the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989) as a theoretical framework. A sample of therapists and mental health workers (N = 102) answered survey questions on their perceptions of the ease-of-use and usefulness of TTRPGs in therapy, their likelihood to use TTRPGs in therapy, and additional items measuring outside influences on their …

Documenting Children’S Use, Physical Activity, And Social Play In Tom Lee Park’S Playscape, Laurel Kelton

Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of nature and physical activity on children’s health and development are well documented. However, many children lack access to nature and physical activity. Researchers have found that “innovative playgrounds” —which, by definition, are more likely to include natural elements that facilitate nature immersion— are associated with increased physical activity and duration of stay. This thesis is a case study of a public innovative playground at Tom Lee Park. It sought to understand the playground’s areas and physical characteristics that have higher levels of use, physical activity, and social play and longer durations of stay. Data was collected over …

Family Matters: How Caregiver Influence And Internal Locus Of Control Relate To Academics, Maia Mclin

Theses and Dissertations

Academics in college predicts life outcomes; students from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds often face greater challenges. One such population, consisting of many individuals from marginalized backgrounds, are those raised by nontraditional parents. This study investigated predictors of academics among 357 college students, examining authoritative parenting style, intrinsic motivation, academic locus of control (LoC), SES, and caregiver type (parental vs. non-traditional). Academics was assessed using two composite scores: 'academic knowledge' (GPA/ACT) and 'compensatory attention' (working memory via n-back task accuracy and attention/concentration via SMALSI-C). Hierarchical regressions revealed that higher authoritative parenting, higher SES, and being raised by biological parents significantly …

In Good Times & Bad: Measuring Ambivalence In Custodial Grandparents, Marin Gail Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Like other forms of caregivers, custodial grandparents experience both the joys and trials of raising their grandchildren. This culmination of positive and negative feelings is called “caregiver ambivalence." It has only recently been studied in relation to caregiver burden and wellness in the form of caregiver ambivalence theory (CAT). By collecting data from approximately 395 custodial grandparents via an online survey, the current study aimed to test if custodial grandparents’ feelings of burden influence their perceived well-being and if feelings of ambivalence mediate this relation. Implications of this research include identifying areas of strength and growth within custodial grandparents and …

Mastering Skills Together: Effects Of Video Modeling On Parent-Implemented Academic Intervention, Chelsea S. Thorpe

Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency is a fundamental skill for academic success and long-term developmental outcomes. Yet, despite ongoing efforts to strengthen literacy education, a significant number of students continue to face reading difficulties that hinder comprehension, critical thinking, and overall academic achievement. National data demonstrate the urgency of this issue. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that 40% of fourth-grade students and 33% of eighth-grade students scored below the Basic level in reading, marking the highest rate on record for eighth graders. Early reading challenges can often lead to other academic and psychosocial challenges such as low achievement, low …

Effects Of Psychological Arousal And Relaxation On Muscle Performance, Activation, And Heart Rate Variability During Maximal Muscle Strength And Precision Tasks, Allison Ann Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological arousal plays a vital role in athletic performance, with the optimal point of arousal and performance level varying by task complexity. A common manipulator of arousal is music, which can produce multiple physiological effects. This study investigated whether unfamiliar arousing or relaxing music influences heart rate variability, muscle activation, maximal muscle strength, and muscle precision. Theoretically, if participants are found to have differing muscle performance responses as a result of differing music selections, this would further support the notion that the optimal point of arousal and performance is dependent upon the complexity of the task at hand. Thus, coaches …

Soil Ethics In Practice: Harvesting Conservation Choices Among Puerto Rican Coffee Farmers, Patricia Marie Cordero-Irizarry

Theses and Dissertations

Coffee farming in Puerto Rico has declined over recent decades, partly due to deteriorating soil quality. However, the decision-making process behind farmers’ adoption of soil conservation practices remains unclear, particularly the overlooked role of soil ethics, which emphasizes the moral principles guiding human relationships with the soil. This mixed-methods study examined coffee farmers’ adoption of soil conservation practices by integrating the Values-Beliefs-Norms (VBN) theory and a newly developed Soil Ethics Survey (SES) instrument for the quantitative component, while using Decision-Making Theory and Social Cognitive Theory to qualitatively explore how farmers’ experiences and reflections shape their soil ethics. Quantitative findings revealed …