Digital Commons Network^™

Regulating Producers By Randomizing Consumers, Michael B. Abramowicz

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Consumer law aims to empower consumers with accurate information and to protect them from misinformation. For complex goods and services, however, mandated disclosure laws and other consumer law tools have had only limited success in helping consumers project their satisfaction and costs. Market responses, such as ratings, have limitations that have prevented them from compensating adequately for consumer law’s shortcomings. This Article describes how regulators could improve measurements of quality and cost by borrowing a tool from drug law: randomization. In designated markets, consumers who accept an incentive to volunteer would be randomized among two or more choices, and the …

Mandated Reporting And The Legal Educator's Duty, Cori Alonso-Yoder, Eve Rips

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

As lawyers and educators, law teachers often navigate systems that have failed to account for the needs of the communities that are subject to regulation. These same systems generally fail to appreciate the hybrid role exercised by lawyers who face competing demands as educators. A key example is the tension that exists for legal educators who engage students in clinical and other forms of experiential learning where questions of abuse or maltreatment of vulnerable community members may trigger mandated reporting to government officials. These laws can place legal faculty in the fraught position of needing to reconcile statutory reporting mandates, …

Value-Centered Lawyering: Reshaping The Law School Curriculum To Promote Well-Being, Quality Client Representation, And A Thriving Legal Field, Katya S. Cronin

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

For three long and harrowing years in law school, students learn to think like lawyers, to put their clients first, to interpret the law as it stands, to deftly advocate for positions they do not believe in, and to strive for successful and prestigious careers. These lessons help them develop analytical and advocacy skills, creativity and perseverance, a strong work ethic, and ambition. But there is a darker side to these learning objectives. What law students often take away from their time in law school is that their own personal beliefs, values, and experiences are irrelevant to the practice of …

The Relationship Between Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms At 3 Timepoints And Infant Sleep Practices At 6-Month Follow-Up In A Population Of Mothers In Santo Domingo, Ecuador, Kassidy Lane

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Abstract

Background

Previous studies have linked maternal depression with poor infant sleep (e.g., waking up at night and infants having trouble settling to sleep). This study examined the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms at three time points and safe infant sleep at 6-month follow-up.

Methods

Data was collected from a randomized clinical trial including 100 women recruited from a health center in Santo Domingo, Ecuador during their third trimester of pregnancy. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of safe infant sleeping at 6 months among mothers who reported depressive symptoms at 3 …

Empirical Insights Into Survivorship Care: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Coc Accredited Hospitals In Kentucky, Amanda M. Beckett

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

ABSTRACT

Background:

Cancer survivorship care programs play a vital role in supporting cancer survivors and improving their quality of life. Understanding the landscape of survivorship and the potential barriers is key to optimizing care delivery.

Methods:

The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore existing cancer survivorship care programs offered by Commission on Cancer (CoC) accredited hospitals in Kentucky. Data from the Markey Cancer Affiliate Network (MCCAN) from 2022 through 2023 was analyzed. Variables included hospital characteristics such as rural code, types of survivorship services offered, and reported barriers to these services.

Results:

Analysis of n=19 CoC facilities …

Novel Cannabinoid Use Among Young Adults In Lexington, Kentucky, Victoria A. Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to implement a survey to estimate the prevalence of novel cannabinoid use among young adults in Lexington, Kentucky, and to examine modes of use and motivations for novel cannabinoid use. The primary hypothesis of this study was that many respondents would indicate medical reasons for using novel cannabinoids.

Methods: A cross-sectional primary data analysis of 101 young adults in Lexington, Kentucky to determine prevalence of lifetime novel cannabinoid use, past 30-day novel cannabinoid use, mode of use, motivation for use, and related demographic characteristics. Univariate and bivariate analysis were produced using the PROC …

Mccovid Campaign – A Social Media Implementation To Decrease Vaccine Hesitancy In Rural Counties, Harper Ford

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

This capstone will explore the challenges of vaccine hesitancy, a continuously rising problem in the public health field. The focus is primarily on rural millennials in McCracken County, Kentucky. The study identifies key factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy including misinformation, trust issues, and the rapid development of the covid-19 vaccine. To address the above concerns the study proposes a targeted social media campaign using the health belief model to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake through Facebook ads targeting millennials. The campaigns utilize the leverage of local insights and real-time data to enhance engagement and reduce hesitancy, focusing on adapting strategies based …

Child Language And Happiness Behaviors: Evaluating The Effects Of Caregiver Coaching, Ashlen Grubbs

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Caregivers of young children who have or are at risk for disabilities may struggle supporting their child’s language development. This study used a tailored rapid coaching intervention to teach a caregiver different naturalistic language interventions that can be used with their child during play. Evidence-based naturalistic skills for increasing child communication were chosen to teach the caregiver based on baseline levels of skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored RCI (training and coaching) with caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. Like other studies, this study involved evaluating child-level communication but extended child measures …

Mapping Cooperation: Insights Into Colombia's Humanitarian Response To Migration From Venezuela, Liss Dayana Romero, Jose J. Padilla, Katherine Palacio, Erika Frydenlund

VMASC Publications

Introduction: Since 2015, Colombia has faced a significant humanitarian challenge, receiving 2.9 million displaced Venezuelans. This study examines organizational cooperation in the humanitarian response to this migration crisis, aiming to understand the coordination dynamics among key organizations and actors.

Methods: Our research combined interviews and web scraping to gather data on key actors and their relationships in the humanitarian response. We employed Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine these relationships and the collaborative strategies among entities, focusing on how they address the migration challenges.

Results: The results indicate that cooperation occurred through mediated channels, where established NGOs collaborated via coordination …

The Impacts Of Gut-Supporting Feed Additives On The Growth Performance, Gut Health, Blood Chemistry, And Immune Status Of Broiler Chickens Exposed To Different Stressors, Richard A. Adefioye

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of different feed additives in mitigating stress in broiler chickens. Experiment 1 used 504-day-old male by-product Cobb breeder chicks with 8 treatments replicated 9 times with 7 birds per replicate cage, structured as a 2x4 factorial arrangement of treatments. All birds were on the experimental diets for 20 days. There were 2 levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge [no challenge vs. LPS challenge at 1 mg/kg BW) and 4 types of feed additives [no additive, 0.05% PostB, 0.1% PostB, and 0.1% Tynagen^TM]. In experiment 2, 672-day-old male by-product Cobb breeder chicks …

Promoting Caregiver Mental Health Literacy: A Pilot Study Of The Online Program “Mental Wellness At The Lake”, Erika Baylis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The mental health needs of children are growing in the United States. Caregiver’s mental health knowledge and attitudes about help-seeking can impede the awareness of help-seeking behaviors. The Baylis Model is a framework for caregivers to increase their mental health knowledge. This research is a pilot study to provide elementary caregivers with mental health knowledge to increase their awareness to access treatments for their children. Participants completed a pre-test to determine mental health knowledge to begin the study. A total of 14 families completed a 10-module course (Mental Wellness At The Lake) on canvas, a web-based learning management system. Throughout …

Ptsd, Chaos, And Subjective Executive Dysfunction, And Its Impact On Qol, Emmy Y. Velazquez Santiago

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research with veterans suggests executive dysfunction associated with PTSD often results in problems with quality of life. Objective impairments in executive functions do not significantly correlate with subjective reports; despite this discrepancy, the perception of dysfunction impacts quality of life. Research indicates that perception of chaos/unpredictability can undermine the ability to perform executive functions. This study explored how the perception of chaos impacts the relationship between PTSD and subjective executive dysfunction and quality of life among veterans. A Pearson product-moment correlation was used to determine whether a relationship exists between PTSD symptomatology and subjective executive dysfunction and between subjective executive …

The Use Of Problematic Behaviors As Predictors Of Suicidal Ideations And Attempts In Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients, Jessica Lamont-George

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Suicidality is a health concern among adolescents. Approximately, one million people attempt suicide each year and it is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 19. Inpatient hospitalizations may be beneficial for individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others since it provides a safe environment for the individual to receive individualized care. Many individuals who have been admitted for psychiatric inpatient hospitalization have suicidal ideations or attempts. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment-Youth Scale (CABA-Y) explores an individual’s stressors and problem behaviors that may be contributing to the reasons for hospitalization. While inpatient, some …

Loss Of Mooring And Acculturational Resilience: Understanding Resilience, Adversity, And Trauma Among Female Muslim Arab Refugees In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Norah Fahad Aldawsari

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The phenomenon of resilience is found in the literature reviews of trauma and is considered an important element in overcoming adversity and traumas (Brown, 2015; Civan Kahve et al., 2021; Saul, 2022). Resilience is considered to be a cultural, contextual, and historical concept, and its conceptualization, illumination of influential factors, and identification of coping strategies can be considered unique from one culture to another (Saul, 2022). Many research studies highlight the importance of resilience when coping with adversity and trauma, as well as incorporating a strength-based therapeutic approach. This approach incorporates one’s social and communal interventions and elements and cultural …

Parent Assessment Of Children's Executive Capacities, Matthew J. Davis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Family environments function in a way determining that all children are expected to perform at certain levels based on their age and developmental stage. Academic tasks require using numerous executive skills simultaneously, sometimes making it challenging to pinpoint specific executive strengths and weaknesses. Understanding a child's challenges with executive control can provide insights into areas where they might benefit from extra help and support. The present study examined parents’ ratings of executive functions collected during the standardization of the MEFS-PR given the students’ ages and level of academic competence. The data used in this study were the parent ratings of …

Building Technology Breaks Into Classroom Instruction To Reduce Media Multitasking And Increase Learning, Lisa Decicco

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study was designed to investigate the impact of media multitasking on learning outcomes in the classroom. The goal was to develop an instructional intervention that reduces the negative effects of media multitasking on learning outcomes by incorporating technology breaks into the instructional design. High school students in an all-girls school took part in three learning sessions, each with a different instructional strategy related to media multitasking in the classroom: Condition 1: Instruction as Usual; Condition 2: No access to technology; Condition 3: Technology Breaks. Students completed a pre and post-test knowledge-based assessment to measure their retention of the …

Sex Differences In Cognitive Distortions In Individuals With Fibromyalgia, Corey Adams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Chronic pain is a significant problem in both clinical practice and research, which does not occur equally in all groups of people. Of the 2% of adults with fibromyalgia in the United States, 3.4% of them are women. Understanding these differences may be useful in informing treatment (Jahan et al., 2012). One such area is distorted thinking, which can have a negative impact on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain sensitivity (Varallo et al., 2021). This study examined how cognitive distortions may play a role in the disparities seen between men and women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This study used a …

Healthcare Providers’ Willingness To Prescribe Buprenorphine To Adolescents And Young Adults With Opioid Use Disorder, Nicole M. Fusco

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis, with opioid use frequently beginning during adolescence and young adulthood. Opioid-related overdoses have continued to increase among adolescents and young adults. Despite the efficacy of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in treating opioid use disorder (OUD), they remain underutilized. A critical step to addressing this issue is identifying the barriers that prevent physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants from prescribing MOUD. This study investigates healthcare providers' willingness to prescribe buprenorphine to adolescents and young adults with OUD. Participants included physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who currently treat adolescents and young …

Relationship Between School Connectedness And Actual Help-Seeking Behavior Among Adolescents, Eric Dougherty

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students’ perception of school connectedness and their actual engagement in help-seeking behaviors. This study also investigated whether or not the level of support obtained (e.g. formal versus informal) and the type of stressors experienced (e.g. academic issue versus non academic issue) served to influence the relationship between school connectedness and actual helpseeking behaviors. Archival data obtained from a Philadelphia area suburban high school was used to complete this study. Results suggest that students with higher levels of school connectedness do seek support at a greater rate than students who …

What Does It Mean To Be An Ethical Lawyer?: The Importance Of Context, Leslie C. Levin

Faculty Articles and Papers

Although the entire legal profession shares a single ethical code, lawyers’ understanding of what it means to be “ethical” shows considerable variation. This article discusses the factors that shape lawyers’ ethical conduct in practice. We review the role of legal education, bar associations, the workplace, and hard and soft regulators in the construction of lawyers’ ethical values. We then explore the important role that practice contexts play in shaping lawyers’ understanding of appropriate ethical conduct. Some of the key explanatory factors for differences among lawyers include type of client, office size, specialty and specialization, regulators, and the extent to which …

Foreward: Judges In The 21st Century: Confidence Lost?, Leslie C. Levin, Bruce A. Green

Faculty Articles and Papers

No abstract provided.

Family And Peer Social Capital And Child Behavioral Outcomes In Japan, Jared M. Poff, Jonathan A. Jarvis, Mikaela J. Dufur, Shana L. Pribesh

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Child problem behaviors have been linked to immediate and long-term negative outcomes. Research has found that family and peer social capital have a strong influence on child behavioral outcomes. However, most research about social capital and child behavior problems has been conducted in Western contexts. Social capital may influence child behavior problems differently in non-Western sociocultural environments due to different family and peer dynamics. Methods: Using a sample from the Japan Household Panel Survey and Japan Child Panel Survey (N = 182), we expand this literature on various forms of social capital to the Japanese context with data that …

Feeling Of Being Together In The Metaverse: Positive Influence Of Copresence On Subjective Well-Being, Do Yuon Kim, Dooyoung Choi, Namhee Yoon, Ha Kyung Lee

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Applying the flow theory, this study examined how copresence improved the subjective well-being of users through flow and escapism. An online self-administered survey of 249 US adults who are currently using metaverse platforms is conducted. The collected data are analyzed by SPSS, AMOS and PROCESS. Findings suggest that the feeling of being together with other users in a metaverse can influence consumers’ satisfaction with their lives. Copresence in the metaverse specifically enhanced flow, which is being immersed in the experience; and escapism, which is avoiding unpleasant realities. Copresence and flow were found to improve the subjective well-being of metaverse users. …

Breastfeeding Perceptions And Decisions Among Hispanic Participants In The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children: A Qualitative Study, Emily Fisher, Priyanka Patel, Kathryn G. Wouk, Bidusha Neupane, Futun Alkhalifah, Marilyn M. Bartholmae, Chuanyi Tang, Qi Zhang

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a nutrition assistance program in the U.S. WIC served 2.5 million eligible Hispanic women, infants, and children under the age of five in 2021, which is WIC's largest racial/ethnic group. However, limited research has been conducted to understand Hispanic WIC participants' perceptions of WIC breastfeeding recommendations and their breastfeeding decisions. For this qualitative study, we interviewed 18 of these pregnant and postpartum WIC participants on their experiences and decision-making processes related to breastfeeding. Hispanic cultures and home country norms were identified as prominent influences on breastfeeding decisions, along …

Navigating New Normals: Student Perceptions, Experiences, And Mental Health Service Utilization In Post-Pandemic Academia, Hadiza Galadima, Anne Dumadag, Cara Tonn

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

This study explores the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, focusing on shifts in learning experiences and students’ intentions to utilize mental health services post-pandemic. Utilizing Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, this study assesses perceptions from a stratified random sample of college students on post-pandemic learning experiences and mental health service utilization intentions. Findings reveal a positive reception to university initiatives and a preference for ongoing virtual classes. There is an evident increase in, and varying intentions for, using mental health services, shaped by demographics, employment, and prior service utilization. Younger and female students showed …

Diagnostic Certainty During In-Person And Telehealth Autism Evaluations, Natasha N. Ludwig, Calliope Holingue, Ji Su Hong, Luther G. Kalb, Danika Pfeiffer, Rachel Reetzke, Deepa Menon

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Background

Many diagnostic evaluations abruptly shifted to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, little is known about the impact on diagnosis patterns for children evaluated for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this clinical research study was to examine (1) the frequency of diagnoses evaluated beyond ASD; (2) the frequency of diagnoses made, including ASD; and (3) clinician diagnostic certainty for all diagnoses evaluated for children who received an evaluation due to primary concerns about ASD via telehealth during the pandemic compared to those evaluated in person before the pandemic at an ASD specialty clinic.

Methods

The sample included …

Delivering The Right Message For Maximum Impact In The Student Enrollment Journey, Ashley Miller

University Administration Publications

Meeting today's prospective college students where they are is key to staying ahead of current enrollment challenges. Understanding which messages resonate with which students and at certain parts of the enrollment funnel helps to ensure institutions are getting the right message, to the right student, at the right time in their journey. By utilizing a MaxDiff approach, one can better understand the impact a particular message has compared to others and which combination of messages will ultimately drive action. The maximum difference scaling (MaxDiff) method provides useful guidance on how enrollment professionals can better segment their communication strategies to their …

Caregivers' Perceptions Of Covid-19 Educational Disruptions On Children With Developmental Language Disorder And Typically Developing Peers, Katherine Radville, Danika Pfeiffer, Karynn Sheranian, Julie Wolter, Jessie Ricketts, Tiffany L. Hogan

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: Understanding the experiences of families of children with developmental language disorder (DLD) during COVID-19 educational disruptions is essential for designing responsive supports during pandemic recovery efforts and beyond. This qualitative study describes the experiences of families of first-and second-grade children with DLD during the pandemic as compared to the experiences of families of typically developing (TD) peers.

Method: A conventional content analysis approach was used to analyze caregivers’ written responses to open-ended questions regarding their perceptions of COVID-19 educational disruptions. Responses were analyzed separately by group: caregivers of children with DLD (n= 23) and caregivers of TD children (n= …

The Impact Of The Syrian Civil War On Its Education Sector, Talar Haidostian

Pepperdine Policy Review

The Syrian Civil War that started in the year 2011 has left many negative implications on the country, its civilians, and the region as a whole. This paper delves into the current status of the education sector in Syria and proposes potential policy recommendations to prevent the sector from a complete collapse. Through examining the current economic status in Syria, alongside the main negative impacts of the Syrian Civil war on the education sector, this paper argues for the necessity of collaboration between the Syrian government and international organizations by increasing funding, providing more resources, and increasing online learning modalities …

Reforming Special Education To Accommodate Students With Emotional Disturbances, Troy Collazo

Pepperdine Policy Review

This capstone paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the current state of special education for students with emotional disturbances, with a particular focus on the need for reform to accommodate these students better. Drawing on two qualitative case studies and quantitative census data research, the paper recommends several specific policy changes, including basing the standard for educational disability on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), providing grants to states to redesign sensory-friendly schools and classrooms, and reforming disciplinary standards to involve psychological assessment. The conclusion suggests that this research provides a valuable foundation for further study and …