Digital Commons Network^™

Mitre Attack Framework Adaptation In Uav Usage During Surveillance And Reconnaissance Missions, Jeffrey Greer Iv

Theses and Dissertations

As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increasingly become integral to surveillance and reconnaissance (S&R) operations, their susceptibility to cyber threats poses significant risks to operational integrity. The current cybersecurity protocols often fail to address UAV operations’ unique vulnerabilities and challenges in S&R contexts, highlighting a gap in specialized cybersecurity strategies. This research adapts the MITRE ATTACK framework to enhance cybersecurity approaches, safeguarding UAVs against evolving cyber threats. This thesis maps existing vulnerabilities against comprehensive tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) through a scenario-based analysis. Hypothetical and practical S&R operation case studies demonstrate the applicability of proposed cybersecurity strategies, validating their effectiveness in …

Motivations For Habitat Management Of Private Lands In The Southeastern United States: Implications For At-Risk Species, Caleb Michael Blake

Theses and Dissertations

Private lands play a crucial role in protecting at-risk species in the Southeast, and finding ways to increase landowner participation in conservation efforts is essential. I surveyed non-industrial private forest owners in Mississippi to assess how their motivations for land management relates to their willingness to manage for at-risk species. I also assessed if landowners who hunt are more willing to manage for at-risk species. Results showed that landowners are motivated by a sense of stewardship for the land, but there is a lack of awareness about at-risk species. Although the effect size was minimal, there is a significant relationship …

The Impact Of Financial Aid Awards On Alabama Community College Student Success, Theresa V. Mays

Theses and Dissertations

Financial pressures, encompassing factors such as tuition, fees, books, and work-life balance, consistently substantially influence student success in higher education. Existing research highlights finances' significant role in a student's withdrawal decision. This study aimed to assess the impact of financial aid awards on the retention, persistence, and completion of students enrolled in two community colleges in Alabama, primarily those residing in rural or urban areas. The research focused on the retention and completion outcomes of first-time, full-time students who began their enrollment at two community colleges, UCC and RCC, in the fall of 2017 and received financial aid. Utilizing a …

Collectors Versus Non-Collectors With Hoarding Symptoms, Caitlyn A. Nix

Theses and Dissertations

Research assessing the diagnostic criteria for hoarding disorder has firmly differentiated hoarding disorder from normative collecting. However, there has been no examination of non-normative collecting – that is, collectors that experience elevated hoarding symptoms. The current study utilized an online survey to explore differences between self-identified collectors (n = 140) and non-collectors (n = 169) in externalized hoarding symptoms, saving cognitions, and psychosocial functioning. Collectors reported higher general self-efficacy and higher need for control of items than non-collectors. Hoarding symptoms were not significantly different between collectors and non-collectors. These results suggest that identifying as a collector does not significantly change …

The Transnational Beat: Paramilitary Policing And America’S Associational Defense State, Ryan Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the role of Cold War-era American law enforcement and intelligence institutions in shaping U.S. grand strategy and carrying out paramilitary operations. It examines American civil-military relations through the formal and informal relationships between the U.S. military, private organizations, and American law enforcement personnel within a framework I call “associational defense.” The concept provides a framework for observing and comprehending the existence of an American garrison state. While police institutions are civil institutions and not military organizations, law enforcement possessed a paramilitary mission throughout the Cold War and into the War on Drugs and the Global War on …

Individual Differences In Attention Processes And Creative Thinking, Berna Altunisik

Theses and Dissertations

Effects of mind wandering on creative thinking is unclear in the literature. Using multiple measures of mind wandering and creativity, the current study investigates the role of different contexts on the relationship between mind wandering and creative thinking. Thought probes measured intentionality and freely moving dimensions of mind wandering in a lexical decision and a movie task (between-subjects). Three measures of attention control were also obtained. Deliberate and spontaneous mind wandering traits were measured with a survey. Participants did not show off-task behaviors during the mind wandering tasks. Attention control positively predicted creative problem solving and divergent thinking scores. Freely …

The Impact Of Academic Advising On Persistence In Nontraditional Students Completing A Baccalaureate Degree Online, Kali M. Dunlap

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing enrollment of nontraditional students in online degree programs has underscored the importance of effective academic advising practices. These students, often over the age of 25 and juggling full-time employment and family responsibilities, encounter unique challenges in navigating the asynchronous, online learning environment. Academic advisors play a pivotal role in mitigating these obstacles by fostering trust and delivering comprehensive support systems tailored to the needs of online learners. While previous studies have explored various advising models and approaches in connection with student satisfaction, inadequate attention has been given to assessing the quality of advising specifically tailored to nontraditional, online …

Stimulus Complexity And Feature Binding In Visual Sensory Memory, Mary F. Catington

Theses and Dissertations

In all past research, iconic memory shows a significant benefit over visual working memory for storage capacity of visual items. However, this effect has only been studied on simple items such as colors and letters. The goal of this thesis was to determine whether an iconic benefit also exists for visual stimuli with higher visual complexity, such as shapes and faces. Five experiments tested iconic and working memory capacity for complex face stimuli, intermediate-complexity shape stimuli, and simple color stimuli, as well as examining feature binding of objects in iconic memory. Results from these five experiments indicated that increased visual …

Feasibility And Effectiveness Of Physical Activity Program In People With Down Syndrome Using Self Determination Theory, Maria Haider

Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous physical activity (PA) is challenging for adults with Down syndrome (DS) therefore PA programs tailored around facilitators of PA in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) that also align with Self-determination theory (SDT) components could be a feasible and effective way of increasing PA. The purpose was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a physical activity program based on self-determination theory in adults with Down syndrome. A dance program was conducted twice a week for 8 weeks. Each session was 60 minutes long. Adults with DS (n = 8) were tested before and after intervention for basic psychological needs …

Improving Cultural Safety: A Thematic Analysis Of Older Rural African Americans’ Experiences With The U.S. Healthcare System, Sarah Marie Israel

Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increase in research regarding the healthcare outcomes and experiences of diverse groups, some significant gaps in the literature remain. Among the most understudied and underserved groups are those with intersectional identities. Although researchers have made significant efforts to increase research regarding health care experiences of people of color, older adults, and rural populations, less is known about the health care experiences of older rural African Americans. Due to the lack of research focusing on the unique experiences of this intersectional group, qualitative research was an important first step towards broadening this research base. This study utilized a cultural …

Generation Z’S Perceptions Of Public Sector Culture Moderate Their Aspirations Towards Public Service, Andrew S. Rendon

Theses and Dissertations

Within the next 15 years, a significantly large percentage of adults will exit the U.S. public sector workforce, taking their experience and knowledge with them. This considerable number of departures from the public sector workforce is expected to create a crisis of sorts for society as it grapples with how to ensure the public sector is not without its most important feature – public servants. The immediate crisis relates to how we, in record time, recruit and retain a new and highly qualified workforce that can quickly fill the gaps left by the exodus. Recently coming into their adult age, …

Investigating The Pretesting Effect Under Cognitive Load Through Increased Playback Speed, Oscar Ramirez Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Pretesting prior to a study session has been shown to benefit memory for pretested information compared to traditional study. While previous research has not found a detriment to non-pretested but related material, it is possible that taxing attention by increasing the playback speed of presented material could reveal such impairments. The current study (N = 239) compared multiple-choice learning from educational videos at 1x, 1.5x, and 2x speeds. Three videos (one at each speed) were presented after a pretest, for which half of the tested material was pretested, and half was not (non-pretested related). Another three videos were presented without …

Preparing To Come Home, Not Recidivate: Juvenile Offenders' Perceptions Of The Juvenile Justice System, Robbie Kaitlyn Salters

Theses and Dissertations

Crimes committed by juvenile offenders are a significant concern of society. In response to this concern, the juvenile justice system addresses juvenile crimes in a developmentally appropriate manner. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate juvenile offenders and steer them from a life of crime and toward becoming productive members of society. Yet, some juvenile offenders continue to offend. While research has explored juvenile offenders’ perceptions of juvenile delinquency, re-entry, and recidivism, less is known about how the detention center prepares juvenile offenders for re-entry. The following study explores the perceptions of detained juvenile offenders in a …

Identity Status And Identity Style In The Emo Subculture: Exploring Identity Between Emo Vs. Non-Emo Emerging Adults, Melanie Rebekah Uggen

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood can be viewed as a time of exploration and experimentation for college-aged adults (Arnett, 2000). As individuals begin trying on their possible selves as they explore personal identity, they can gravitate to peer groups that fit their interests. For some, that can mean being drawn to the emo subculture. This subculture focuses on its fashion, often based on dyed black hair, dark clothing, studded accessories, and black eyeliner (Chernoff & Widdicombe, 2015), centered around music with lyrics often interpreted as depressive or angst?ridden. Emo subculture has been subject to criticism and stereotypes, especially those with mental health themes …

The Effect Of Salient Features And Recent Strategy Use On Strategy Selection In Problem Solving, Xinyu Xie

Theses and Dissertations

Salient features of a task play an important role in how people create task representations which then influence strategy selection for accomplishing the task. We examined two theories, Represent-Construct-Choose-Learn and Rational Metareasoning, both of which incorporate task features into their models of strategy selection but differ in feature set modification. We used the Building Sticks Task (BST) in which it has been shown that people are sensitive to a salient feature in the BST to test the predictions of both theories. The results showed that neither theory aligned closely with empirical data. Additionally, we investigated participants’ strategy preferences in BST …

Insights From The Past: Does Access To Unsuccessful Problem Attempts Facilitate Restructuring In Insight Problems?, Emily Ann Williamson Creel

Theses and Dissertations

Insight problems are often comprised of a period of impasse during which no new attempts are generated followed by an abrupt realization of the solution arising from the restructuring of an initial flawed problem representation. However, the precise mechanisms precipitating these processes are still being investigated. One hypothesis is that analyzing the unchanging elements of previous attempts may facilitate restructuring. We investigated this hypothesis using three classic insight problems. Participants were provided either three common examples of unsuccessful problem attempts, their own problem attempts, or no previous attempts. The prior attempts conditions eliminate the need to rely on memory to …

Theory, School Policy, And Practices In Education And Culture In A Classroom Setting For Minority Students, Philip Turner

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates the discrepancies between theory, school policy, and practices within educational settings, particularly concerning minority students. Grounded in the persistent racial achievement gaps documented in educational literature, the study aims to understand the challenges and successful strategies for bridging these gaps. Drawing upon Critical Race Theory (CRT), Intergroup Contact Theory, and Stereotype Threat as conceptual frameworks, the research explores the experiences of eight participants through thematic analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: challenges aligning theories, policies, and practices; successful strategies for alignment; and unsuccessful strategies. Findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive curriculum, teacher professional development, student- …

Disparities In Accessing Specialty Behavioral Health Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic And Why We Need Pediatric Integrated Primary Care., Ayanda Chakawa, Trista Perez Crawford, Leslee Belzer, Hung-Wen Yeh

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Youth unmet behavioral health needs are at public health crisis status and have worsened since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (Covid-19). Integrating behavioral health services into pediatric primary care has shown efficacy in addressing youth behavioral health needs. However, there is limited guidance on facilitating equitable access to care in this setting, including in triaging access to co-located services (i.e., onsite outpatient behavioral health services with only the behavioral health provider) or to specialty behavioral health services in other clinics within larger health systems.

METHODS: A retrospective, comparative study was conducted to examine variability in access …

Servant Leadership Impact On Generation Z Employees’ Workplace Engagement, Maria Helena Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace engagement with the Gen Z cohort born between 1995 and 2012 continues to be a challenge within the United States. The specific research problem addressed through this study was that it remained unknown whether the servant leadership characteristics exhibited by organizational leaders impacted Gen Z employees’ workplace engagement in Florida. These seven servant leadership characteristics include: (a) emotional healing, (b) creating value for the community, (c) conceptual skills, (d) empowering, (e) helping subordinates grow and succeed, (f) putting subordinates first, and (g) behaving ethically. Greenleaf’s servant leadership theory, Blau’s social exchange theory, and Khan’s employee engagement theory grounded this …

The Concept Of Leadership During Climatological Crisis: A Comparative Case Study Of Puerto Rico Higher Education, Aniello Alberti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During times of climatological crisis, leadership is a crucial component of postsecondary education administrators’ arsenal, specifically regarding their ability to execute strategies in action plans aimed at restoring the normal operations of institutions. This comparative case study aimed to examine how strategies in crisis leadership plans were implemented in Puerto Rico's higher education system, focusing on the experiences of key administrators in two higher education units who managed the response to the impacts of the 2017 Hurricane Maria. The conceptual framework for this investigation was grounded in Blanchard and Hersey's situational leadership theory and Bass’s transformational theory. In-depth interviews were …

A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of The Experience Of A College Merger On Employee Engagement, Satisfaction, And Burnout In Faculty, Staff, And Administrators At Minnesota North College, Molly Elise Franz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Higher education institutions were becoming more competitive due to meeting the needs of changing demographics of prospective students, increasing costs of tuition, fees, and operations, meeting workforce demands, providing access to high quality technology tools, and more. A merger process impacted employee engagement, satisfaction and burnout. It was important for administrators in higher education to create and maintain a supportive and inclusive culture for employees, especially during each stage of the merger process. It was also important to clearly communicate the purpose of the merger, and to provide employees an opportunity to engage with the planning and implementation stages of …

The Impact Of The Master Schedule On Student Perception Of Teacher-Student Relationships In Minnesota Middle Schools, Jonathon Graff

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Teacher-student relationships have been shown to have a marked decline at the transition to middle school (Hughes & Cao, 2018). The decline has been linked to a potential mismatch between middle school structure and the unique needs of the young adolescents that they serve (Eccles et al., 1993). This quantitative, correlational study explored the impact of school master schedules (i.e., school structure) on teacher-student relationships (i.e., TSRs) in Minnesota middle schools. The study searched for potential associations between student perceived teacher care and master scheduling type with the intent to fill a gap in literature and to help inform district …

An Investigation Of How High School Teachers Can Positively Influence The Mental Health Of High School Students, Anthony Mahady

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to better understand student mental health needs to advocate for intentional change within the school district where the study occurred. A critical case study approach was taken to learn about student and teacher needs, within a bounded location and time, to invoke intentional change for students in the school district. The study elicited responses from a student focus group of seven students, where they addressed the current mental health needs of students in the district. Responses from the focus group were used to inform the questions in the six semi-structured interviews conducted with high …

Getting Real: Examining The Effectiveness Of Authentic Learning In The English/ Language Arts Classroom, Tanya Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

To prepare students for the challenges of the future that cannot even be imagined, a paradigm shift is needed to change the focus of classroom to a more organic, learner-centered approach. The purpose of this study was to understand the heightened level of engagement with an authentic learning experience that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. It answers one question: Why does authentic learning affect students’ engagement and motivation to learn in English/ language arts (ELA) classes? This qualitative, instrumental case study used an interpretivist paradigm with a combination of emic and etic lenses. The participants were mostly White …

Premarital Counseling And Education Group, London Defender

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Relationship education programs were developed in the 1970s (Markman et al., 2013). Relationships and marriage require continual self-growth, learning opportunities, and partnership. This literature review discusses current marriage and divorce rates, approaches used in marriage counseling, effectiveness and limitations of premarital counseling, and techniques used during group counseling programs. Also included is an overview of a premarital psychoeducational and skills couples group along with the weekly sessions laid out with objectives, discussion topics, group and partner exercises, and handouts. The information utilized in the premarital couples group is derived from John and Julie Gottman’s Sound Relationship House Theory, as well …

Dungeons And Dragons As A Therapeutic Intervention Training, Samuel Grove

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a role-playing game that gives players’ versatility by allowing them to dictate, customize, or create their own experience. There are many different iterations of role-playing games with varying presentations for in-person and online play; table-top role-playing games and video games (Connell, 2024) (Kowal et al, 2021). Through the 3 pillars of play (Exploration, Role-play, and Combat) player are able to customize their own experience to their preference or collective preference of the group. The balance between the 3 frames of play (Player, Game, and Character) optimizes the players role-playing experience (Connell, 2023). D&D is the …

Anxiety Group For Teens Group Manual, Jacob Kinnen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Early intervention has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and improving overall function and life satisfaction. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common disorders among youth (Watson et al., 2014). Through early intervention, adolescents can grow with more confidence and feel less anxious by improving their social skills and overall life satisfaction. This manual examines the impact of anxiety in adolescents and the various practices that have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders. This group manual provides interventions based on evidenced based practices have been found to be effective in treating …

The Well-Being Of College Students Who Participate In A Regular Yoga Nidra Practice, Angie Clark

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

College students experience significant stress, which affects their health and executive functioning. The purpose of this study was to explore if students could improve their well-being through a yoga nidra intervention. Yoga nidra is a deep relaxation practice with conscious awareness. Twelve students from a Midwestern college campus participated in a yoga nidra non-credit class. Students were expected to participate in two yoga nidra sessions per week for 50-minutes per session over the course of 12-weeks for a total of 24-yoga nidra sessions. The study was conducted through an action research qualitative study. Participants completed pre- and post-reflections on their …

Best Practices For Working With Children Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse: A Training Resource Manual For Mental Health Counselors, Olivia Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This paper reviews literature related to issues and practices associated with childhood sexual abuse including best practices for working with victims of sexual abuse. Children who are victims of sexual abuse often suffer from trauma related symptoms and the use of certain approaches can provide better treatment outcomes. Following the review, a training will be presented that provides counselors with information on best practices when working with children who have experienced sexual abuse.

Keywords: Childhood Sexual Abuse, Trauma, PTSD.

Mental Health Literacy Training For Coaches, Daniel Anthony Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There has been an increase in awareness towards the mental health of athletes. With prominent figures in the world of athletics putting themselves first over their sport. The sports world is shaken every time there is a report of death by suicide, such as the passing of Tyler Hilinski, quarterback for Washington State. A study done over the course of 20 years, published in April of 2024 stated that suicide is now the second leading cause of death among student-athletes (Whelan et al., 2024). Becoming independent and coping with the uncertainty that college brings are some of the developmental challenges …