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Comfort And Knowledge As Predictors Of An Accurate Diagnosis Of Factitious Disorder Imposed On Another Among Counseling Professionals, Ari Gartin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative predictive study examined comfort and knowledge as predictors of an accurate Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA) diagnosis among master-level mental health counseling professionals in Washington State. This study also explores why researchers have struggled to develop a collective body of knowledge that can predict an accurate diagnosis of FDIA. The person-centered theory model guided this research. Data from the online platform SurveyMonkey was used to collect participant demographics, answers to the diagnostic questionnaire, and answers to the knowledge and comfort survey. All data collection took place between June and July 2024 and all data collected was electronically …

Executive Summary: Staff Education Project Prescription-Based Virtual Reality Solution For Chronic Pain Management, Adesina Adegoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The gap in practice addressed in this educational project was that the staff at the project site in central Massachusetts did not have adequate knowledge of how virtual reality (VR) technology can be a treatment alternative to pain medication. According to a survey in 2010, approximately 24% of the adult population of Massachusetts had chronic pain and may often depend on opioids for pain management. The problem question was: Does educating the mental health staff on VR technology as a viable alternative to opioid medication improve knowledge as evidenced from pre- to postsurvey? With this evidence-based educational project, I aimed …

Relationship Between Non-Affirmation Of Gender Identity, Healthcare Stereotype Threat, And Perceived Employment Inequities, Len M. Meyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) population faces barriers when seeking healthcare and perceived employment inequities for simply identifying as their gender identity. This study examined the relationships between non-affirmation of gender identity, healthcare stereotype threat, and perceived employment inequities for TGD people across the United States. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective, quasi-experimental study was to determine if there was a relationship between non-affirmation of gender identity, healthcare stereotype threat, and perceived employment inequities. This study was guided by the sexual citizenship theory devised by T.H. Marshall, which examines three elements of the model: (a) civil society, (b) political society, …

Effective Business Promotion Strategies Small Business Owners Use To Improve Revenue And Increase Business Viability, Shirley Owusu-Ankomah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are vital to national and local economies, yet many struggle to sustain operations in the long term. A significant concern for small business owners is the lack of effective promotion strategies, a key factor in business failure. Grounded in open system theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate the promotion strategies employed by small business owners to improve revenue and increase business viability. The participants were six small business owners from Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana’s Western Region, who successfully utilized strategies to improve revenue and maintain their businesses. Data sources included semistructured interview data and …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Awareness And Perceptions Of African Immigrant Men Regarding Hpv Vaccine Uptake In Children To Prevent Cervical Cancer, Netsai Nancy Mariga Andere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptance remains one of the most crucial disparities in the US by country of origin among children. The study aims to qualitatively explore the HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and perceptions among African immigrant men to help reduce the HPV-related cervical cancer burden among African immigrants living in the US. The health belief model (HBM) was used for this basic qualitative study of self-reported awareness and perception among African immigrant men in the US with responses from 11 individual interviews. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the data collected from the interview responses. Six themes …

Patient Satisfaction And Nurse Communication Pre- And Posthospital Mergers And/Or Acquisitions, Shakeeya Sorrells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Amid continuing mergers and/or acquisitions (M&As) of their institutions, U.S. hospital leaders have found it challenging to maintain favorable patient satisfaction Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to explore the correlation between patient satisfaction (identified as the “likelihood to recommend” metric) and “nurse communication” HCAHPS scores pre- and post-hospital M&As. Donabedian’s theoretical framework and triad model of structure, process, and outcomes within health care quality served as the foundation for the evaluation. HCAHPS and 2019 change of hospital ownership data were obtained from the Centers for Medicaid …

Childhood Religious Participation As Mediator For Posttraumatic Symptoms And A Joyful Disposition In Adulthood, Kara S. Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who have experienced trauma may have varying life experience outcomes based on trauma histories and other factors. Little to no study has been done to determine whether childhood religious involvement can be a mediating factor. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test if any potential mediating effects exist between childhood religious attendance, the presence of joyfulness in life, and adult posttraumatic symptoms. The theoretical framework utilized in this study was Kenneth Pargament’s theory of religious coping. Data were collected in a secure fashion utilizing Survey Monkey, and all participants voluntarily answered questions that utilized the short posttraumatic …

Relationship Between Parental Neglect, Socioeconomic Status, And Aggression In Adolescents, Chemarin Eve Boyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggressive behavior among adolescents poses significant challenges for families, educators, and communities, often stemming from complex interactions between parental behavior and environmental factors. This quantitative nonexperimental study examined the relationship between parental neglect, socioeconomic status (SES), and adolescent aggression, guided by the parental acceptance-rejection theory. Data were collected from 250 parents of adolescents age 12-18 divided into two groups: those reporting no to low levels of aggression and those reporting moderate to high levels. Binary logistic regression was employed to predict the likelihood of adolescent aggression based on parental neglect (categorical) and SES (scale). The results demonstrated that parental neglect …

Risk Factors For Peripheral Artery Disease-Related Amputations Among Black Americans, Darnell L. Blake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that Black Americans (BAs) are at a significantly higher risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD)-related amputations. This study aimed to examine risk factors for non-traumatic lower extremity amputation (NTLEA) among BAs with PAD addressing a significant knowledge gap regarding racial disparities in PAD outcomes. Grounded in Bandura's social cognitive theory, which posits the interplay among personal factors, environmental influences, and behavior, this study examines how age, gender, income, and comorbidities like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes influence NTLEA across various insurance types (private, Medicaid, Medicare, self-pay). This quantitative cross-sectional study used the 2020 National Inpatient Sample, 1% …

Understanding Grief Experiences Of Pet Loss Among African Americans, Michele Lisa Whitney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disenfranchised grief responses and associated stigma from pet loss have been documented among researchers; however, the unique lived experiences of African American adults facing pet bereavement have been underrepresented in research. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to deepen the understanding of grief responses after pet loss, specifically focusing on African Americans’ experiences of human–pet bereavement. Grounded in the dual process model of coping with bereavement, which emphasizes the oscillation between loss- and restoration-oriented coping strategies, this study explored how African American pet owners experience and make meaning of grief following pet loss. A phenomenological design was employed with a purposeful …

A Simple, Low-Cost Implant For Reliable Diaphragm Emg Recordings In Awake, Behaving Rats, Taylor C. Holmes, Jesus D. Penaloza-Aponte, Alyssa R. Mickle, Rachel L. Nosacka, Erica A. Dale, Kristi A. Streeter

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Breathing is a complex neuromuscular process vital to sustain life. In preclinical animal models, the study of respiratory motor control is primarily accomplished through neurophysiologic recordings and functional measurements of respiratory output. Neurophysiologic recordings that target neural or muscular output via direct nerve recordings or respiratory muscle electromyography (EMG) are commonly collected during anesthetized conditions. While offering tight control of experimental preparations, the use of anesthesia results in respiratory depression, may impact cardiovascular control, eliminates the potential to record volitional nonventilatory behaviors, and can limit translation. Since the diaphragm is a unique muscle which is rhythmically active and difficult to …

Pain Is Modulated Differently Between Females With And Without Patellofemoral Pain: Factors Related To Sensitization, Kemery J. Sigmund, Marie K. Hoeger Bement, Wendy E. Huddleston, Kyle T. Ebersole, Jennifer E. Earl-Boehm

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Context

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) has poor long-term recovery outcomes. Central sensitization describes central nervous system changes altering pain modulation, which can complicate recovery (poorer prognosis and worse function). Signs of central sensitization include amplified pain facilitation, pain hypersensitivity, and impaired pain inhibition, which can be measured with temporal summation of pain (TSP), pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM), respectively. Sex differences exist for these test responses, but female-only PFP investigations of sensitization are uncommon. Understanding pain modulation in females with PFP could improve treatment protocols.

Objective

To determine whether females with PFP exhibit signs of central sensitization …

Who Owns The Heat? Navigating Pennsylvania's Geothermal Property Rights, Todd S. Aagaard, Rachel S. Winfield

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Two Decades Later, Steven L. Chanenson, Douglas A. Berman

Faculty Publications

A generation after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in United States v. Booker changed federal sentencing laws and practices, it is remarkable how much and how little has changed. This brief introduction provides an overview to this issue of the Federal Sentencing Reporter, with an array of authors providing perspectives on Booker after two eventful decades.

Post-Term Births As A Risk Factor For Small For Gestational Age Births And Infant Mortality In Brazil, Mexico, And Palestinian Refugees: An Analysis Of Electronic Birth Records, Zeina Jamaluddine, Lorena Suarez Idueta, Enny S. Paixao, Julia M. Pescarini, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Miho Sato, Akihiro Seita, Luis A. Martinez-Juarez, Mauricio L. Barreto, Eric O. Ohuma, Louise T. Day, Oona M.R. Campbell, Hannah Blencowe

Faculty Publications

Background:

Post-term pregnancy, defined as reaching or exceeding 42 + 0 weeks of gestation, is known to be associated with unfavourable birth outcomes. High-income countries have responded to this risk by widely adopting labour induction protocols in late-term, but many low- and middle-income countries have not. However, understanding underlying mechanisms linking post-term births to adverse newborn and infant outcomes remains limited.

Objective:

To investigate the (a) prevalence of post-term, (b) the risk factors associated with post-term (c) the association between post-term births and the risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates and of infant mortality in middle-income settings.

Methods:

We used existing …

Efficacy Of 3d-Printed Chitosan-Cerium Oxide Dressings Coated With Vancomycin-Loaded Alginate For Chronic Wounds Management, Sharareh Shahroudi, Amir Parvinnasab, Erfan Salahinejad, Shaghayegh Abdi, Sarah Rajabi, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Multifunctional wound dressings with antibacterial and antioxidant properties hold significant promise for treating chronic wounds; however, achieving a balance of these characteristics while maintaining biocompatibility is challenging. To enhance this balance, this study focuses on the design and development of 3D-printed chitosan-matrix composite scaffolds, which are incorporated with varying amounts of cerium oxide nanoparticles (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt%) and subsequently coated with a vancomycin-loaded alginate layer. The structure, antibiotic drug delivery kinetics, biodegradation, swelling, biocompatibility, antibacterial, antioxidant, and cell migration behaviors of the fabricated dressings were evaluated in-vitro. The findings reveal that all of the formulations …

Beliefs Regarding The Use Of Imaging Among Patients With Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study In The Context Of A Middle-Income Country, Leandro M. Diniz, Ítalo R. Lemes, Ana P. C. F. Freire, Ana F. Guimarães, Lucas A. C. Ferreira, Marcia R. Franco, Arianne P. Verhagen, Guy Simoneau, Rafael Z. Pinto

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Patients with low back pain may play an active role in the pre-scription of excessive spine imaging.

Objective: To determine the proportion of patients with low back pain who have beliefs not aligned with current evidence regarding the use of imaging and to identify factors associated with these beliefs.

Design: Secondary analysis of baseline data of a previously published randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Outpatient physical therapy clinic in a middle-income country.

Patients: Individuals with non-specific low back pain.

Methods: Outcome variables were two statements assessing the extent of patient agreement on the need for imaging in the management of …

Effects Of Ischemic Conditioning On Microvascular Reactivity To Single Passive Limb Movement In Young Adults: A Pilot Study, Alicen A. Whitaker-Hilbig, Jennifer N. Nguyen, Amanda E. Wietrzny, Gabriel R. Merkow, Sergey Tarima, Emilie A. Klevenow, Luke Nelson, Allison S. Hyngstrom, Matthew J. Durand

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Single passive limb movement (sPLM) of the lower extremity is a simple and clinically relevant measure of the microvascular vasodilatory response to movement. A promising stimulus to improve microvascular health is ischemic conditioning (IC). We examined whether a single session of IC could improve microvascular reactivity to sPLM in young adults.

Methods

This was a blinded, crossover, randomized clinical trial. Participants were seated in an isokinetic dynamometer that passively moved the knee 90° at a frequency of 1 Hz while superficial femoral artery leg blood flow (LBF) was measured. The absolute and the relative peak changes in LBF were …

Childhood Sexual Trauma, Substance Use, And Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Older Adults Living With Hiv: A Mediational Analysis, Monique J. Brown, Josie Zhang, Prince Nii Ossah Addo, Amandeep Kaur, Daniel Amoatika, Elizabeth L. Crouch Ph.D., Steven A. Cohen

Faculty Publications

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is linked to substance use and lower antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. However, studies examining the mediational role of substance use between CSA and ART adherence are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the potential mediational role of substance use between CSA and ART adherence among older adults living with HIV (OALH) (n = 91). Mediation analyses assessed the direct and indirect relationships between CSA, substance use, and ART adherence. Statistically significant differences existed in substance use by gender (male vs. female: 12.3 vs. 9.97) and ART adherence by race (Black vs. …

Deepfakes Can Ruin Lives And Livelihoods – Would Owning The ‘Rights’ To Our Own Faces And Voices Help?, Graeme W. Austin, Jane C. Ginsburg

Faculty Scholarship

Not that long ago, the term “deepfake” wasn’t in most people’s vocabularies. Now, it is not only commonplace, but is also the focus of intense legal scrutiny around the world.

Known in legal documents as “digital replicas”, deepfakes are created by artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate the visual and vocal appearance of real people, living or dead.

Unregulated, they can do a lot of damage, including financial fraud (already a problem in New Zealand), political disinformation, fake news, and the creation and dissemination of AI-generated pornography and child sexual abuse material.

For professional performers and entertainers, the proliferation and increasing …

Willie Albert Cone

African American Funeral Programs

Willie_Albert_Cone.pdf - Funeral program for Willie Albert Cone

Managing The Trade-Climate Policy Interface Through Open Plurilateral Agreements: Learning From The Eu Deforestation Regulation Experience, Bernard M. Hoekman, Charles F. Sabel

Faculty Scholarship

Trade policies motivated by security or commercial interests are increasingly complemented by trade measures that seek to induce foreign producers to green their production processes. A prominent example is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Such unilateral measures are unlikely to be efficient, and at the limit may simply be ineffective. In this paper we use the EUDR experience to make the case for countries seeking to use trade policies to negotiate jointly defined approaches to achieve nontrade goals. We consider the scope for doing so in the framework of trade agreements and through stand-alone, issue-specific open plurilateral agreements (OPAs). We …

Review Of Carolyn Sharp, Jeremiah 26-52. (Kohlhammer: Stuttgart, Germany, 2021), Oliver Glanz

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Blind And Low-Vision Students As Surveyors Of In/Accessibility In Technology-Mediated Formal Education, Natalie Shaheen

Faculty Publications - College of Education

K-12 institutions are slowly realizing (a) that many of the instructional technologies they use are inaccessible and (b) that technical debt oppresses blind and low-vision (BLV) students. Herein, I report the findings from a qualitative exploration of how BLV students differentiate between accessible and inaccessible technology-mediated education. The findings suggest that in/accessible technology-mediated education is an assemblage of learning, access labor, teachers, technologies, temporalities, and affectivities. I argue that to construct technology-mediated education that is equitable and accessible to BLV students K-12 institutions must do more than pay off their technical debt. I conclude with recommendations for how K-12 institutions …

Addressing The "Isms" In Deaf Education: What Are The Views Of Teacher Candidates?, Michelle Gremp

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Teacher preparations programs are obligated to prepare teachers who understand biases and work toward fostering inclusivity for their students. This presentation will report on the teacher candidates’ knowledge around ableism and other impediments to inclusivity and suggest next steps for ensuring a more democratic approach to education for all.

This poster was presented at the Association of College Educators - Deaf & Hard of Hearing (ACEDHH) Conference 2025.

'When The State Looks At You': Administering Whiteness Through Surveillance, Affect, And Efficiency In Elementary Literacy Teaching, Michael J. Young

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Elementary literacy education policy continues to centre intensified use of standardised testing in the early elementary grades across the United States. The increase of datafication in schooling works to establish a surveillance system in schools. Including analysis through the lenses of Foucauldian disciplinary power and critical whiteness studies, this qualitative article examines teacher narratives from five white elementary literacy teachers. Through these narratives, these teachers share their lived experiences in navigating school reforms involving increased datafication. Findings highlight the affective technologies and colonial discursive constructions white teachers employed through this surveillance and how literacy and literacy teaching were shaped through …

Response To Michael Conway’S Review Of Maurice Blondel On The Supernatural In Human Action: Sacrament And Superstition (Boston & Leiden: Brill, 2017) By Cathal Doherty Sj., Cathal Doherty

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

This is a brief response (1000 words) to Michael A. Conway’s lengthy book review in Irish Theological Quarterly, Vol. 84, No. 2 (May 2019): 212–218.

Co-Evolution Of The Humoral Immune And Serotonergic Systems In Chickens Selected For High Or Low Blood Antibody Titer Response To Sheep Red Blood Cells, Joshua M. Lyte

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Serotonin is a potent immunomodulatory neurohormone. Activities of the serotonergic and immune systems are often reported together in poultry studies with unidirectional analyses focused on serotonergic signaling mediating immune response. Considering serotonin's relevance across a range of immune-related poultry topics, elucidation of whether the immune system affects the serotonergic system can provide valuable insights into the bi-directionality of poultry neuroendocrine-immune interactions. The present study sought to determine whether selection for divergence in blood antibody titers to a non-pathogenic antigen coincides with parallel changes in the chicken's serotonergic system over the life of the bird. We utilized generations 49 and …

Sustainable Poultry Education For Undergraduate Students, A. C. Fanatico, A. Kollanoor Johny, A. Upadhyay, S. B. Bramall

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sustainable poultry production can help address many critical socio- and environmental issues, including food insecurity, climate crisis, and loss of biodiversity. The education of undergraduate students in poultry science helps prepare a future workforce in poultry production and to develop responsible citizens for global engagement. The University of Connecticut has a poultry project, funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Systems, that researches the sustainability of meat chickens, particularly holistic health and alternatives to antibiotics. The project's education component is led by the Sustainable Development Department at Appalachian State University in partnership with the Universities of Connecticut, Minnesota, …

Leveraging Electron Beam (Ebeam) Technology For Advancing The Development Of Inactivated Vaccines, Ruvindu Perera, Suresh D. Pillai, Adnan Alrubaye, Palmy R.R. Jesudhasan

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This review provides an overview of electron beam (eBeam) technology and its applications across a wide variety of disciplines. More importantly, it discusses this technology's advantages and its benefits in developing inactivated vaccines. eBeam technology is currently being used all around the world for a variety of industrial applications, extending from food pasteurization to the cross-linking of polymers in the wire and cable industries. It is a successful emerging alternative for developing vaccines against bacterial, protozoan, and viral pathogens. This review includes a descriptive account of the mechanism of action of eBeam and how this technology achieves the complete inactivation …