Digital Commons Network^™

What Is The Impact Of An Education Program Designed To Remove The Healthcare Professional As A Barrier To Care For The Transgender And Gender Diverse Community?, Richard D. Dansereau

Doctoral Projects

Healthcare disparities disproportionately affect transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals, often due to implicit biases among healthcare providers. This study examines the impact of an educational intervention designed to address these biases and improve care for TGD patients. Using the Biased Care Model as a guiding framework, the intervention targeted three critical phases of bias: pre-visit assumptions, in-visit interactions, and post-visit decisions. Conducted in the intensive care unit of a mid-sized hospital in Northern California, the study employed a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design involving multidisciplinary healthcare workers. Participants completed a modified Jefferson Scale of Empathy survey to assess changes in cognitive and …

A Counselor’S Experience: Trauma-Informed Care When Working With Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Abbigail Rinard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the lived experience of professional counselors when implementing trauma informed care to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. There are few studies that have assessed the counselors lived experience of implementing TIC, and even fewer that have examined professional counselors experience doing so in a specialized population.

To understand the lived experience of professional counselors, the participants of the study were purposefully selected to include those who have an active professional counseling license, implement TIC, and work with children diagnosed with ASD. The study was conducted with a total of eight participants who have implemented …

Hacking Adhd: Activating Adaptations Through Technological Affordances, Victoria Masi

Dissertations - ALL

The last two decades have brought about the actualization of powerful new affordances in online information environments. Online networking platforms such as YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok have enabled individuals across the globe and in various marginalized groups to access information, take action, and form communities in ways that were never before possible. In the last decade, hacker culture has taken root in communities bound not by their passion for technology but empowered by the affordances of technology and bound by a shared need, motivation, and ethic. The accessibility of online affordances for marginalized populations combined with the re-emergence of …

What Modren Dental Dna Sequencing And Tooth Analysis Combined With Historical Context Can Tell Us About The Human Experience, Brynn Butko

D.U.Quark

Dental DNA extraction and visual analysis of teeth are subjects that aid many different research fields. Odontal analysis, specifically combined with forensic science and anthropology, allows for age and sex estimations, the identification of remains, and an in-depth historical account of human history. Because tooth analysis is utilized in various fields, a lack of uniform protocol for handling, analyzing, and extracting teeth persists. This review will explore the methods of dental analysis, the individual dental characteristics that identify age and sex in remains, and a depiction of the past through tooth evaluation. Creating a standardized protocol for the process of …

Identifying Strategies In Moral Decision Making, Ilaria Siriner

Theses - ALL

This study explored the strategies used in moral decision-making, within the context of selfdriving car scenarios. Our goal was to uncover the strategies people use when faced with moral dilemmas, using methodological approaches previously applied to the study of decision-making. The strategies that we were interested in were those that align with the ethical frameworks of utilitarianism, deontology or a blend of the two. In this study, participants were confronted with a series of moral dilemmas involving self-driving cars. Their choices and decision-making processes were analyzed using Machine Learning Strategy Identification (MLSI), which incorporated features related to the information participants …

Predicting Detection Threshold Performance With Modality-Specific Sensory Profile Scores, Marie Shuter

Theses - ALL

Research on tactile psychophysics among autistic people has examined inhibitory pathways within the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Both adults and children with autism are equally able to detect vibrotactile stimuli in dynamic and static task conditions. In contrast, typically developing peers find dynamic tasks harder than static tasks due to pre-stimulus inhibition. Task performance has been linked to sensory overresponsivity in children with autism (McKernan et al., 2020); however, recent literature suggests that sensory processing (e.g., overresponsivity) in autism may be better defined within sensory modalities. Here, I utilized a cross-sectional design to 1) replicate findings of similarities and differences …

Better Writers: Our Relationship To Graduate Student Writers In Rhetoric, Composition, And Writing Studies, Zakery R. Muñoz

Dissertations - ALL

My dissertation studies graduate students and how we teach them disciplinary writing conventions. Following the work of rhetorical genre theorists such as Catherine F. Schryer and Caroline R. Miller, I question how our mainstay academic genres in graduate school influence writing habits and the extent to which they are incommensurate with disciplinary genre expectations and the workload of faculty. I believe studying graduate students as writers is an ironically underexamined area of research in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing Studies (RCWS)—a field committed to undergraduate writing. The data in this dissertation comes from a large national study that I distributed to …

Exploring Higher-Order Networks, Hao Tian

Dissertations - ALL

Networks are natural representations of interactions in the real world (social networks, bio-networks, road networks, and the like) and are utilized across various disciplines. By default, network interactions are pairwise; in recent years, the demand for model ing higher-order interactions has kept increasing. For example, in collaboration networks, we aim to distinguish between one publication coauthored by three or three publications coauthored by two in a triangle. In this work, we perform higher-order network analysis in the following two directions. First, we explore the influence of higher-order structures on dyadic (pairwise) graphs; second, we model higher-order interactions by ordered hy …

Becoming A Counselor: Applying Critical Phenomenology To Uncover Narratives From Black Women Counselors About Wounds And Healing, Linzy Sunshine Andre

Dissertations - ALL

The purpose of this Critical Phenomenological dissertation study was to explore the lived experiences of becoming a counselor for Black women with self-identified personal histories with woundedness and engagement in processes of healing. In doing so, the experiences of becoming a counselor were explored for 11 Black women counselors at various points in their professional counselor identity development journey (e.g., counselors-in-training, practicing counselors, pre- and post-doctoral counselor educators). Data collection followed Seidman’s critical-in-depth interviewing model and the three main areas of Critical Phenomenological inquiry – The Life History, Experiences in Details, and Reflection on Meaning. Three individual semi-structured interviews were …

The Impacts Of Social Context For Women In Cybersecurity Degree Programs, James Joseph Enwright

Dissertations - ALL

The cybersecurity workforce has a major problem in that it is comprised of only approximately 25% women. This shortage of women is a contributing factor to the growing field’s considerable overall lack of qualified candidates and has also resulted in a critical gender diversity deficiency. Our adversaries tend to come from more various backgrounds. As such, it is essential that those of us in the cybersecurity field embrace diverse perspectives so we can defend and protect our organizations more effectively. This study was influenced by the researcher’s area of practice, Cybersecurity Education, and the desire to help broaden women’s participation …

Disabling Structures: Disability And Graduate Student Professionalization, Gabriella Wilson-Kopko

Dissertations - ALL

While scholarship on graduate education and graduate teacher assistant training has emerged as a growing trend in the field of rhetoric and composition, perspectives from disabled graduate students about their navigation of academic spaces remain understudied and undervalued (Lutkewitte, Kitchens, Scanlon; Macaulay; Badenhorst, Amell, Burford; Brown). An often neglected and precarious student population, disabled graduate students’ experiences are critical to graduate education scholarship because their lived experiences offer insight into critiques of normative and disabling academic structures. This IRB-approved study contributes to scholarship on graduate education by carefully analyzing the cultural expectations of normativity, ability, and productivity that are implicitly …

Exploring The Longitudinal Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) On Later Psychological Outcomes, Linghua Jiang

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Experiencing adversity in childhood (ACEs) can significantly affect an individual’s health across the lifespan. However, most prior research has relied on a cumulative risk approach, focusing on the association between the total number of ACEs and psychological outcomes. Additionally, limited studies have explored how ACEs influence depression across different developmental stages. Meanwhile, most research focuses on individuals’ health outcomes without considering the profound impact of ACEs on parenting, which can affect the developmental outcomes of future generations. Furthermore, few studies have examined how protective factors at multiple levels (e.g., family, school, and neighborhood) buffer the effects of various ACE …

Geometry And Mechanical Response Of Twisted Thin Tubes, Pan Dong

Dissertations - ALL

Nature provides many examples of thin sheets and shells, from flower petals to graphene sheets. Such materials can exhibit complex deformations such as creases, folds and wrinkles, particularly in thin, flexible structures like cylindrical shells and ribbons. Here we investigate the geometric transformation and mechanical response of a twisted thin tube, which is made from a thin polymer sheet. In Chapter 2, an interesting "locking behavior" was found in a thin cylindrical shell. After an initial compression, the shell can be twisted with little resistance until it reaches a “locking angle”, which coincides with the appearance of an ordered wrinkle …

Black Girls Graduating High School: Advanced Courses, Career Technical Education, And Extra Curricular Opportunities, Tara Michelle Gourdine-Jennings

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract This dissertation examines the impact of advanced coursework, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and extracurricular participation on the graduation outcomes of Black girls in a midsized urban school district in Central New York. Grounded in Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit), this study addresses how systemic barriers and inequities influence access to educational opportunities that are often gatekeepers for postsecondary success. Despite the longstanding underrepresentation of Black girls in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and STEM-based CTE pathways, this study highlights the academic and social benefits of these experiences when access is equitably provided and supported. Using district-level data …

Exploring The Interplay Of Restorative Justice, Mental Health, And Support Structures In Shaping Student Outcomes, Harneet Kaur

Dissertations - ALL

In recent years, educational policymakers and researchers have increasingly recognized the complex interplay between school discipline, mental health, and the availability of support personnel, and their cumulative impact on student outcomes. My dissertation aims to investigate these interrelated factors through the lens of three distinct but complementary studies. Each study examines different aspects of this multifaceted issue: the effectiveness of Restorative Justice (RJ) reforms in school discipline, the influence of access to mental health resources on student disability diagnosis, and the long-term economic impact of mental health issues on young adults. The first study of my dissertation, titled "Moving Away …

Disparate Patterns In U.S. Emergency Medical Services And Data Missingness As A Socio-Technical Determinant Of Health, Mary Elizabeth Helander

Dissertations - ALL

Understanding health disparities is fundamental to population health and is essential for design and promotion of health policies that protect individuals from inequitable access, unfair treatment, and discrimination. However, despite broad reliance on technology and digital data, missingness is a common issue in patient health records. This research aspired to increase understanding of health outcome divergence through the lens of emergency medical events in the United States. Retrospective study focused on outcome missingness in the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) years 2017 through 2023, a voluminous public research dataset consisting of roughly a quarter billion patient events. Only …

Exploring The Therapeutic Potential Of Art Materials Through Direct Engagement In The Art Process: A Heuristic Art-Based Research Study, Emily Christine Bulthuis

Theses - ALL

This study explored the therapeutic potential of various art materials to enhance future client sessions. Utilizing a heuristic art-based approach, I explored seven materials, including: acrylic paint, watercolor, paper, colored pencils, air-dry clay, charcoal, and oil pastels; each approached in five distinct ways. The materials were selected for their affordability, accessibility, and versatility in creative expression. After each session, I completed a self-designed four-question questionnaire to reflect on my emotional and physical interactions with the materials. I then wrote a thick description of each material, drawing from my personal experience and evaluating how it could be used with clients in …

Commonplace Revelations: Quaker Women Amid Reformation And Revolution In 1770s Pennsylvania, Emma Grace Waney

Theses - ALL

This thesis looks to further our understanding of the Quaker experience in Pennsylvania in the 1770s amidst the Quaker reformation and American Revolution. By including the voice of Quaker Women through their commonplace books, the period is highlighted as one of negotiation and fear, as Quakers struggled to realign themselves within stricter Quaker doctrine whilst fearing disownment and exile at the hands of Quakers and non-Quakers. Due to increased surveillance, many felt strain on their families and friendships, fearing their possible dissolution and the possibility of being perceived as failing to practice Quaker values. Over the course of three chapters …

How Toxic Communications In Chinese Online Fan Groups Affect Fan Engagement, Tian Xia

Theses - ALL

Abstract The study used a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) theoretical framework to explore how toxicity impacts fan engagement in online fan groups in China. An online survey method in China with a sample size of 205 participants was used to measure the hypotheses 1)Toxicity causes fans to feel less autonomy in online groups, 2) Toxicity causes fans to feel less skilled (competence) in online groups, 3) Toxicity causes fans to feel less relatedness in online groups and research questions and the research questions 1) How will autonomy, competence, and relatedness relate to specific fandom behaviors? 2) What is the difference between …

Exploring Rupture Through Documentary And Narrative Filmmaking, Luca David Higonnet - Faithfull

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines the theme of rupture—familial, cultural, and personal—across three films by the author: the documentaries 8 Years and 90 Miles (2023) and La Atrevida (2025), and the narrative short Family Practice (2026). I explore how my personal/family life and cross-cultural background shape my cinematic investigations of identity, resilience, and belonging. 8 Years and 90 Miles traces Cuban athlete Bruno Rendon’s defection, revealing how the experience of exile fractures a person emotionally and physically. La Atrevida redefines Reggaeton’s history by telling the story of Excenia Knights, the first woman on the Reggaeton scene. It highlights the cultural shifts and …

Resisting (Un)Accountability: Rhetorical Strategies Of Forgetting Denmark’S Iud Campaign In Greenland, Cæcilie Paarup Madsen

Theses - ALL

This thesis explores how colonial amnesia manifests rhetorically in media representations and public discourse about Denmark’s IUD campaign in Greenland. Beginning in the mid-1960s, this state-led initiative systematically targeted Greenlandic Inuit girls and women, fitting them with IUDs as part of a nationwide birth control campaign, some without their consent or knowledge. During the campaign’s most intensive years from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, approximately 4,500 girls and women – half of the fertile female population – were subjected to this reproductive violence. The spiral campaign was largely forgotten by the Danish public until an investigative podcast, Spiralkampagnen, brought it to …

What Makes Me Feel Cold Is Not Winter Or Night, Yushan Liu

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines how cinematic form can render visible the lived experiences of displacement, temporal disjunction, and marginalization among transnational subjects, particularly international students navigating between legal regimes, emotional landscapes, and cultural systems. Through a practice-led methodology anchored in film theory, phenomenology, and spatial analysis, the project explores how space and time function not as narrative backdrops but as agents of affective rupture. The film WHAT MAKES ME FEEL COLD IS NOT WINTER OR NIGHT employs disjunctive spaces—such as parking garages, mini-golf courses, and restaurant interiors—as sites of perceptual tension, drawing from Deleuze’s concept of the “any-space-whatever.” These locations, stripped …

The Role Of Causal Structure In Romantic Stay-Leave Judgments, Judith Lynn Burkle

Theses - ALL

I report on one between-subjects experiment exploring the impact of causal structures on decisions regarding staying in relationships. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a first-person perspective or a third-person perspective. In each condition, subjects encountered several relationship scenarios that instantiated one of five distinct causal structures: (a) common cause, (b) common effect, (c) causal chain, (d) positive feedback loop, and (e) negative feedback loop. Within these scenarios, subjects were asked to make causal attribution judgments by evaluating how each event described in the scenario would influence the decision to stay in the relationship. Additionally, subjects rated …

Chinese Women’S Perspectives In Metaphorical Narratives: Exploring Identity, Growth, And Societal Expectations Through Illustration, Cancan Jin

Theses - ALL

This thesis explores the struggles and growth of Chinese women through metaphorical narratives, focusing on how they navigate societal expectations, gender inequality, and personal identity. First, it examines the importance of metaphor and anthropomorphism in storytelling. It analyzes how these techniques are used to address women's issues. Second, it explores the social background of Chinese women, from the May Fourth Movement, which challenged traditional gender roles, to the socialist era’s push for labor equality, and the modern struggles of workplace discrimination and the "double burden." Third, it introduces Tortoise on the Way, a visual thesis written and illustrated by the …

Flexible Rate: A Motor-Learning Based Treatment For Childhood Stuttering, Jenna Renee Sherry

Theses - ALL

Abstract Purpose: This study examined the efficacy of a novel teletherapy speech restructuring treatment, Flexible Rate, grounded in motor learning principles and delivered within the Challenge Point Framework. The following variables were evaluated: stuttering frequency (percentage of stuttered words), perceived stuttering severity (rated by participants, parents, and the researcher), perceived speaking control, and communicative attitudes. Methods: A series of single-case studies utilizing an ABA design was used to examine the effects of Flexible Rate treatment in two children who stutter, ages 10 and 13. During treatment (B), participants completed two 30-minute virtual sessions per week for eight weeks. Participants were …

Factors Affecting Dissolved Organic Matter Concentrations And Its Long-Term Change In Adirondack, Ny, Lakes., Amos Kiplimo Bungei

Theses - ALL

Lakes in Europe and North America have experienced increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations over the past few decades, a phenomenon called “browning”. Dissolved organic matter is a mixture of reduced organic compounds, such as humic and fulvic acids, derived from allochthonous organic matter from the watershed and autochthonous organic matter sources produced within surface waters. The long-term browning of lakes has far-reaching ecological consequences. First, changes in the attenuation of light and heat penetration affect thermal stratification, oxygen concentration gradient, biogeochemical cycling, and primary production in lake systems. Increases in colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) can shift the …

An Analysis Of Female Hero Imagery In Tang Chuanqi, Jingya Zhang

Theses - ALL

This paper aims to analyze the characteristics and narrative structures of female hero characters in Tang Dynasty chuanqi stories, using renowned works from Chinese literature, such as Nie Yinniang, Hongxian, and The Biography of Xie Xiaoe as examples. It also explores the literary development and historical context that contributed to the formation of these figures. Furthermore, this study examines the connections between the female heroes in Tang chuanqi and the contemporary social environment. It investigates how the political landscape and women's status during the Tang Dynasty influenced the actions of these female heroes and how these stories, in turn, reflect …

Love Against The Machine, Jalal Ghias Beygi

Theses - ALL

The ties that bind existence to meaning offer powerful forms through which we can examine the nature of Being. I examine technology through opposing concepts of death, time, and space. My work is a mirror reflecting how the technology of this century has evolved into an individualistic desire machine. While confronting these forces, it ultimately finds salvation through the exercise of inner freedom. Here, art becomes a form of resistance and reclamation, the last stand for humanity against commodifying systems.

The Idiot's Asylum: What Better Place To Do It Than From My Own Grave?, Kara Stallings

Theses - ALL

The Idiot's Asylum: “What better place to do it than from my own grave?” is an essay that examines how vulnerability and collaboration operate as the throughlines of collective creativity. By utilizing live performance, large-scale installation, video, food, and humor, I explore how immersing my audience in a unique experience encourages them to bear witness to or physically engage in a social and vulnerable act of trust – especially within a state of uncertainty. I consider historical and cultural movements centered around radical play, humor, and participation such as Dada, Surrealism, Fluxus, Situationism, and feminist performance art to be foundational …

The March Towards A Totalitarian Ecology: Making Sense Of 'Ecofascism' Through The Political Ecology Of German Nazism, Cassidy Glen Thomas

Theses - ALL

In recent years, the topic of ‘ecofascism’ has been increasingly engaged in both scholarly and popular contexts, but often with little clarity or consistency in how the term is defined—sometimes detaching the concept from historically-based understandings of ‘fascism’ altogether. This thesis intervenes on this front, thoroughly grounding the concept of ecofascism in fascism through an explication of the political ecology and economy of interwar and Nazi Germany. As this thesis shows, while it is inaccurate to speak of a cohesive ‘green-wing’ within the Nazi Party, the nascent German conservation movement played a key role in cultivating a range of ecologically-themed …