Digital Commons Network^™

Look: An Examination Of The Clothing And Clothing Assemblages Of The Washington D.C. Punk Scene, Cedric Ansah

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Punk clothing has iterated and innovated on aspects of its own history as a subculture, it has been representative of yet another chapter in the long history of subculture and counterculture, and it has been indicative of the values of whatever geographical area or scene spawned it. Broadly, history has favored the representation of some geographical punk spaces over others. While Britain, New York, the Midwest-U.S., and California have all been observed and championed by punk scholarship as being unique chapters in punk history, other geographical spots, such as the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., have gone underrepresented by comparison in …

Unpacking My Dreadlocks: My Hair Matters Depending On Where I Go, Tia Jones

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Deliberation of the natural hair movement continues to be an evolving and ever-changing series of expressions and identity. Black folks represent and make sense of their hair by maintaining the standard to upkeep hair textures, sizes, styles, shapes, and colors, to develop social markers about their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and age. In this way, hair serves as an integral part of one’s identity, especially providing an opportunity to embrace one’s culture while promoting self-expression. This study seeks to answer the overarching question: “How is Black hair, specifically dreadlocks, portrayed to a non-West-Indian society and what is its connection to …

The Relationship Among Oral Contraceptive Use, Sleep, And Sexual Behavior, Sureyya Sanchez

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to discover if individuals taking oral contraceptives differed on measures of sleep and sexual behavior compared to those who are taking no form of birth control. Participants wore motion loggers every night for two-weeks, tracking their sleep, and filled out a questionnaire every morning inquiring about their sleep, sexual feelings, sexual behaviors, and affect from the day before. Research in this area of study is very sparse and results are conflicting, therefore I aimed to obtain comprehensive information to derive a basic understanding on if sexual behavior variables and sleep variables are in fact …

Shaping Tomorrow’S Ethical Leaders, Christina M. Secrist

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the essences of ethical leadership by reviewing existing theories and frameworks, the characteristics and behaviors of ethical leaders, the leadership styles that portray an ethical component, the motivations of ethical leaders, and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders when faced with challenging decisions of an ethical nature. A thorough literature review was completed in an effort to gain a better understanding of how research studies have defined ethical leadership over the last couple of decades. Transcendental phenomenological interviews were conducted with four self-identified ethical leaders across the industries of agricultural manufacturing, a global non-profit …

Measuring Alumni Career Outcomes: A Validity Study, Mason Jones

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Higher education experiences routine scrutiny as the cost continues to rise and evidence of a return on investment is variable. Higher education institutions would benefit from measuring post-graduate outcomes to better articulate their impact. The current study examines the factor structure and measurement invariance of the National Alumni Career Mobility (NACM) a 25-item survey, that is widely used to assess alumni career outcomes. Prior psychometric reports for the NACM purported two different factor structures: a five-factor and bifactor model. National reports disaggregated the data by demographic variables, including first-generation status. Disaggregation by first-generation status is problematic given the lack of …

Dynamics Of Skin-Based Gene Expression In Red-Sided Garter Snakes (Thamnophis Sirtalis Parietalis): Sex And Seasonal Influences, Emily C. Plant

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The skin is the key organ regulating the animal-environment interface and is particularly sensitive to the abiotic factors of temperate environments, such as extreme cold and aridity during winter. Previous research found that, in the skin, temperate birds and reptiles upregulate expression of lipid synthesis genes to prevent tissue freezing and evaporative water loss in winter. My study species, the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis), has seasonally variable skin lipid composition, and females produce a modified set of these lipids that function as a sex pheromone. The pheromone is maximally produced in the spring breeding season following …

“It’S Not You, It’S Me”: Understanding The Relationship Between Students Academic Advising, Xavier Grier

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Understanding what students need should be at the forefront of every higher education institution’s design or plan for impact. From an academic advising standpoint, listening to the voices of students should be of utmost importance when determining how advisors can effectively influence student success. The purpose of higher education is to promote the success of students. Providing assistance towards individual, professional, and career development is the main focus of educational institutions when regarding their ability to help their respective students succeed. One avenue of this assistance is through their academic advising departments. Academic advising is a vital part of how …

Intersectionality And Success: A Study Of Black Women Teachers In Higher Education, Harmony Wilson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the lived experiences of Black women teachers in the United States. Specifically, the research aimed to uncover the meanings of success among Black women teachers and the ways in which intersectionality impacts those meanings. The researcher interviewed four Producers of Knowledge (POK); two were from Virginia, North Carolina, and New York. The findings show that the participants of this study share lived experiences of systemic sexism and racism at their universities, actively pushing back on systems, stereotypes, and policies, and shared feelings regarding representation, support, and the importance of community. The implications of …

Role Of Dunc-13 Isoforms In Alcohol Sensitivity In Drosophila, Makenzie Havard

Honors Theses

Functional alcohol tolerance is an adaptation made by the nervous system to high doses of alcohol, and is seen by a significant reduction in sensitivity to this drug. This tolerance is a significant contributing factor in the progression to Alcohol Use Disorders. A major goal of alcohol research is to understand how alcohol induces this tolerance. Dunc13 is a presynaptic active zone protein essential in synaptic vesicle docking and priming. Alcohol binds to the C1 domain of Dunc13 at physiological concentrations, which inhibits Dunc13 from binding Diacylglycerol. This inhibition is predicted to reduce Dunc13 activity and presynaptic activity. Yet, genetically …

Spin Coating Multilayer Polymer Films To Improve The Consistency And Longevity Of Interval Drug Release, Katherine Nevils

Honors Theses

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a clinical diagnosis for patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). An inadequate response to the dosage or duration of antidepressant medication can lead to the diagnosis of TRD. This diagnosis is common in up to 50% of patients with MDD following treatment. Microdosing of classical psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has been shown to have positive cognitive and therapeutic effects on patients with TRD. However, issues of patient compliance to the complex regimen and abuse/diversion of the schedule I controlled substances remain unresolved. The goal of this project is to create an implantable, …

Relations Between Parent Reports Of Effortful Control And Behavioral Measures Of Executive Function In Toddlers, Racheal Embry

Honors Theses

Recent proposals have identified many commonalities in conceptualizations of effortful control and executive function (EF, e.g., Zhou, Chen, & Main, 2012). However, the overlap of effortful control and EF during periods of emerging regulation in toddlerhood has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, I examined the relationship between effortful control and EF in 14, 18, and 24 month old toddlers by a combination of in-lab tasks and parent report measures. Results revealed few relations between effortful control and EF during this time. The lack of overlap between effortful control and EF may be explained by a number of …

Guardian's Goals And Gains: The Relationship Between Need Satisfaction And Parenting Goals In Parents Of Toddlers, Kallen E. Mitchell

Honors Theses

Self Determination Theory (SDT) theorizes that when three core psychological needs are met (i.e., competence, relatedness, and autonomy) then humans reach their highest level of optimization (Deci & Ryan, 2000). One common way people tend to satisfy these needs is through social relationships, typically ones where their efforts can be reciprocated; however, not all relationships are reciprocal. This study looks at the psychological needs within an asymmetrical relationship between a parent and their toddler aged child. Given an already established relationship (Smith et al. 2023) between need satisfaction and the types of goals parents have for their college aged kids …

Skin To Skin: A Mixed-Media Exploration Of The Inheritance Of Identity, Angeline Morgan

Honors Theses

Skin to Skin is a mixed-media project that investigates the inheritance of identity through fine art and anthropological approaches. With a focus on womanhood, maganda (beauty), and Filipino-American culture, Skin to Skin reflects my deconstruction of cultural beauty practices. Growing up, proximity to lightness and darkness was a heavily emphasized metric. I witnessed family members experiment with light, water, and skin-lightening products on their skin. Now, I use alternative process photography to mirror their aesthetic experimentation.

To visually connect darkroom and beauty rituals, I created a series of unique, experimental prints where I treat paper surfaces as skin. I produced …

A Visual Journey Of Diseases, Joanna Ni

Honors Theses

Patient journey maps serve as invaluable tools in healthcare to comprehend and enhance the patient experience. This research explores the significance of patient journey maps in understanding the diverse interactions between patients and healthcare systems. By visualizing each stage of the patient’s experience, from initial symptoms to post-treatment care, the journey maps offer insights into patient needs, preferences, and pain points.

Of the eight patient journey maps identified, most examined a patient’s journey through cancer, and concerned a Canadian patient. Evaluation of these maps revealed that there are many factors that can challenge and facilitate a patient’s journey through the …

Early Developmental Exposure To Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Causes Latent Behavioral, Growth, And Bioenergetic Effects In Danio Rerio, Astra Hahm

Honors Theses

Early developmental exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol causes latent behavioral, growth, and bioenergetic effects in Danio rerio

(Under the direction of Dr. Kristine Willett)

Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) is used during pregnancy to mitigate symptoms such as nausea, pain, and insomnia. It is established that Δ9-THC exposure early in life causes adverse effects in children’s development including behavioral disorders. Our goal was to determine the latent and generational impacts on growth, behavior, and mitochondrial bioenergetics following exposure to Δ9-THC. Wildtype (5D) zebrafish were exposed to 0 (0.05% DMSO), 0.08, 0.4, or 1 µM Δ9-THC from 6-96 hours post-fertilization (hpf), then subsequently raised in clean …

A Comparison Of Assessment Experiences Between Standards-Based Practices And Traditional Practices Within Secondary Mathematics Classrooms, Emily Mayes

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to compare assessment experiences and find ways to improve those experiences for students in two mathematics classrooms: one classroom that employs Standards-Based Grading and one classroom that uses traditional grading practices. The research examines students’ perceptions regarding their level of preparation, their anxiety levels surrounding assessment, the validity of assessments, and using assessments and grading practices to give accurate indications of student progress in their learning, given the students’ perceptions. Students in both settings voluntarily and anonymously participated in completing pre- and post-assessment free-response surveys which asked questions about students’ assessment experiences. This research …

The Effects Of Vigorous-Intensity Acute Exercise On Hippocampal- And Prefrontal Cortex-Dependent Memory, Lauren Hord

Honors Theses

Acute exercise has been shown to differentially impact memory, dependent on whether the task is considered prefrontal cortex- or hippocampal-dependent. More specifically, acute exercise has been shown to impair PFC-dependent memory while enhancing hippocampal-dependent memory. No study has compared whether exercise differentially impacts separate types of cognition, so this experiment was designed to determine the relationship between high-intensity acute exercise and both prefrontal cortex-dependent and hippocampal-dependent memory. This study consisted of five total visits for 55 participants. In the first visit, participants engaged in a maximal exercise test, where their heart rate reserve was obtained. In visits 2-5, participants engaged …

Childhood Food Insecurity As It Relates To Adult Intuitive Eating Patterns, Lily Langley

Honors Theses

Many American families struggle with food insecurity and do not have the economic capabilities to obtain a sufficient quantity of nutritious food. Childhood food insecurity is associated with negative health effects and altered relationships with food as an adult. Intuitive eating, a non-diet framework that emphasizes mindful eating, may attenuate these effects. It includes unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, and body-food choice congruence. Previous research has not examined whether childhood food insecurity can affect one’s ability to eat intuitively as an adult. The goal of this study was …

Reconstruction Retold: Perspectives From 20th Century Us Secondary History Textbooks, Lyric Church

Honors Theses

Since the creation of the American public school system, the use of the textbook has been vital to history education. It has been the primary tool used by educators to teach children about the past to help them understand the present and shape the future. To this day, in the modern technological age, they are, still, used in classrooms across the country. This thesis investigates the effects of changing societal thought on United States history textbooks used in the secondary classroom, using the Reconstruction Era as the area of study. Analyzing multiple textbooks from each decade of the twentieth century, …

Functional Connectivity Of The Hippocampus In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Noah Watts

Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological developmental disorder that affects around 1/44 of individuals in the United States. ASD individuals tend to struggle with things such as communication and socialization. This disorder has been found to affect many brain regions; however, autism’s effect on the hippocampus has been heavily understudied. Since the hippocampus is not commonly referred to as the brain region affected by autism, the importance of the hippocampus in ASD may have been unrecognized. While ASD hippocampi have been very narrowly researched (only size and shape), there is compelling evidence that the hippocampus could be another part …

Pandemic Impact On Feedback Environments Among Remote And Traditional Office Workers, John Bryan Gianneschi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on feedback-seeking, a critical component of employee self-regulatory behavior, has heavily relied on conventional offices, laboratories, and classrooms. Researchers have called for studies in varied workplaces and remotely situated work locations, but opportunities were constrained by organizational limits on deploying workers beyond organizational offices. The COVID-19 pandemic’s forced dispersal of office workers to work remotely from their homes overcame these organizational limits. This quantitative survey study compared 232 employee ratings of feedback environments and leader-member exchange relationships to assess their relative effectiveness among employees dispersed by the COVID-19 pandemic to remote locations with those of employees remaining in conventional …

Perception Of African Immigrants Living In The United States Towards Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Hesitancy, Akinwale O. Obatayo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 80% of active tuberculosis (TB) cases are caused by untreated latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), with most being foreign-born United States residents. Despite the availability of preventive therapies, African immigrants living in the United States are hesitant to accept LTBI treatment. Although researchers have explored LTBI treatment hesitancy among foreign-born United States citizens, no study has explored the perspectives of African immigrants living in the United States. This generic qualitative study explored the perception of African immigrants living in the United States on LTBI treatment hesitancy. Participants’ inclusion criteria include those 18 years and older with a positive TB test, …

Type 2 Diabetes As A Risk Factor For The Development Of Cognitive Dysfunction In U.S. Adults, Bobbi Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is no consensus as to whether having type 2 diabetes increases an individual’s risk for developing cognitive dysfunction. Though cognitive dysfunction is considered a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, it is also classified as a newly formed diabetes-related complication. The purpose of the study was to evaluate if self-reported healthcare – diagnosed diabetes has any association in the risk of the development of cognitive dysfunction in individuals living with type 2 diabetes. Self-determination theory served as the theoretical framework. The research questions concerned whether (a) an association exists between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, (b) ethnicity plays a vital …

The Experiences Of Post Secondary School Completion Of Academically Talented African American Teenaged Parents, Adrienne Denise Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen pregnancy and parenting are cited as the reasons 1 in 3 teens drop out of high school. For African American teenagers, the drop-out rate is slightly higher, with 38% of teen parents leaving high school without a diploma. Living in impoverished communities with substandard educational facilities and opportunities, academically talented African American teen mothers must make choices about education and parenting. Pregnant teens must consider their future and decide whether to keep their baby, to complete high school or dropout, and if to attend a postsecondary institute. The problem is the low college attendance and graduation rate for parenting …

Dimensions Of Emotional Intelligence As Predictors Of Emotional Labor Strategies Among Ems Professionals, Joseph Mctaggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emergency medical service professionals face frequent demands of emotional labor, requiring them to regulate their emotions to best provide patient care in critical situations and handle emotional upset in the public they serve. Surface acting (faking emotions to meet work expectations) is associated with outcomes like burnout, increased turnover intent, and reduced job satisfaction. Emotional intelligence has been identified as a factor influencing emotional labor strategies; however, more research is needed. This research examined the extent to which dimensions of emotional intelligence (self-emotion appraisal, others’ emotion appraisal, use of emotion, and regulation of emotion) predict emotional labor strategies among emergency …

Multiple Location Retailer Online Training Strategies For Improving Customer Support And Relations, Shaun Paythress

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Online customer services have always been difficult for companies to handle using either employees or management. The general business problem is that leaders of retail organizations face challenges to satisfy and retain customers. The specific business problem is that some corporate retail leaders in retail organizations with multiple locations lacked effective strategies to train employees to improve online customer support. Grounded in the theory of diffusion of innovation and transformational leadership, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies corporate retail leaders use to train employees to improve online customer support in multiple locations. These developments implement …

The Relative Strength Of Social Media Use, Social Comparison Orientation, And Materialistic Values On Self-Worth, Jeanine Frost

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive social media use is linked to psychological and emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Social media may expose its users to idealized representations of others’ material success that, by comparison, makes individuals feel wanting. In the United States, where material possessions are often a measure of one’s value, the comparative lack of material possessions takes a toll on social media users’ self-worth. While researchers have investigated the potential for individual differences in social status seeking, malicious envy, and social media use to influence self-esteem/worth, none have examined the relative strength of social media use, social comparison …

Relationship Between Self-Concept And Self-Compassion Scores And Weight-Loss Surgery Outcomes In Women, Christine Curry-Tuthill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a global health concern associated with a multitude of psychosocial issues, including emotional dysregulation, depression, low self-esteem, social isolation, and economic issues related to bias. Weight loss surgery is generally considered to be an effective treatment; however, insufficient weight loss and weight regain are not uncommon. Because self-compassion and self-concept are psychological and social constructs that have been shown to influence obesity and health, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between weight loss surgery outcomes and these two concepts to obtain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind suboptimal weight loss. The theoretical framework …

Physician Burnout And The Marital Relationship: Spouse Perspective, Lisa Anne Muehlenbein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physician burnout rates have consistently been higher than the general working population; however, recent literature suggested that after a steady decline in physician burnout rates, the COVID-19 global pandemic and additional organizational factors have caused physician burnout to reach an all-time high. Substantial research is available on physician burnout; however, little is known about how a physician’s burnout is experienced in the marital relationship through the spouse’s perspective. This basic qualitative study used purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling methods to recruit 10 female spouses of male physicians to participate in semi-structured interviews. The research question investigated the participants’ perceptions of …

Social Environment-Based Opportunity Costs Dictate When People Leave Social Interactions, Anthony S. Gabay, Andrea Pisauro, Kathryn C. O’Nell, Matthew A. J. Apps

School of Psychology

There is an ever-increasing understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying how we process others' behaviours during social interactions. However, little is known about how people decide when to leave an interaction. Are these decisions shaped by alternatives in the environment - the opportunity-costs of connecting to other people? Here, participants chose when to leave partners who treated them with varying degrees of fairness, and connect to others, in social environments with different opportunity-costs. Across four studies we find people leave partners more quickly when opportunity-costs are high, both the average fairness of people in the environment and the effort required …