Digital Commons Network^™

We Can't Apply From The Grave: Why The Asylum Standard Of Proof Fails Those Who Need It Most, Hilana Said

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

A woman in Florida sits in front of her TV, unsure if the sound of static is coming from shock or the screen. Her eyes reflect the fires that blaze from within her church in Alexandria, Egypt. Numbly, the pads of her fingers attempt to call family members, praying that, for once, they skipped service. She lets go of a breath she did not know she was holding. The time between now and another attack exists on a clock that she cannot see. But she knows it is ticking.

The Inadequacy Of Perpetuating Vestiges Of Segregation In K-12 Curriculum: The Justiciability Of Reviewing Duties To Adequacy In Florida's Education Clause, Soumya Sreerama

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

Although the Supreme Court declared segregation the most abusive affront to education and ruled to eliminate vestiges of segregation “root and branch,” those same roots have grown unchecked to remain prominent today. One of the undercurrents of state-sponsored discrimination that has escaped desegregation remedies is the skewed, whitewashed curriculum that permeated K-12 classrooms in Jim Crow America. More troubling, is that those vestiges of an inadequately biased curriculum are still slithering in students’ courses today. Although student movements and education reformists have attempted to counter skewed curricula by supplementing them with separate ethnic studies courses, states like Florida recently passed …

Property Problems In The New Non-Marriage: Inheritance, Eliot Tracz

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

Marriage equality has been a hotly contested topic for many years, in both the court of public opinion and in courts of law. Major Supreme Court cases have found that marriage is a fundamental right, yet issues such as marriage outside of one’s race or to a person of the same gender have still been topics of litigation. At times, the very definition of marriage has been at issue, but throughout all of this litigation, courts have consistently defined marriage as a relationship between two people.

From The Kkk To The Modern Day: How An Accurate Understanding Of History Can Inform The Proper Standard For Punishing Civil Rights Conspiracies Under 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3), Bair Srivastav

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

Following the Civil War, Congress passed the Reconstruction Amendments, which secured political rights for newly freed slaves and ushered in a new era for the United States. The Union defeated white Southerners on the battlefield and removed former Confederates from the halls of political power. But white Southerners were still Confederates in spirit. Full of racial hatred, they did not perceive a new era of freedom, but a world twisted into an unnatural order where African Americans walked freely amongst white people and participated in the political process of Southern society. In response to the extension of basic freedoms to …

Harmful Connections: How Tort Law Can Address Algorithmic Account Recommendation Harms And Protect Youth Social Media Users, Francesca Kennedy

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

In 2023, the United States Surgeon General published an advisory to bring an urgent public health issue affecting America’s youth to the nation’s attention. The urgent public health issue was the ongoing negative impact of social media on children and adolescents. The report revealed that ninety-five percent of youths aged thirteen to seventeen use social media. Exposure to harmful content poses a risk to their mental health, including body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, depression, and, in extreme cases, death. Their mental health is also harmed by predatory behaviors and interactions with malicious adults that target and exploit minors on internet platforms. …

Ending The Cycles Of Voter Suppression, Gilda R. Daniels

Articles

No abstract provided.

Elder Family Photographs - Accession 1073, Elder Family

Manuscript Collection

This collection consists of a photograph album documenting the Elder family of McConnells, South Carolina, in York County. The album includes images of family members, fishing trips, and homes built or occupied by the family, as well as notable landmark photographs such as the American Falls at Niagara Falls and the Hotel Amphitrite, a former battleship converted into a floating hotel in Beaufort, South Carolina. Most photographs are candid, unidentified, and undated, but generally date from approximately 1935 to 1945. Together, the images provide a valuable glimpse into the daily life and experiences of a South Carolina family during …

Information Research At 30: Its Role As A Diamond Open Access Journal Supporting Scholarly Communication In Library And Information Science, Jungwon Yoon, James E. Andrews, Eunkyung Chung

School of Information Faculty Publications

Introduction. This paper examines the contributions of Information Research as a diamond open access (OA) journal within the library and information science field.

Method. The dataset was extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection.

Results. The journal’s commitment to geographical diversity, its sustained journal impact and its role as a scholar-led publisher were revealed.

Conclusion(s). The journal demonstrates the potential of diamond open access publishing while maintaining high impact and visibility.

The Influence Of Mental Skills And Social Support During The Injury Rehabilitation Process, Paige Kisley

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Strengthening Social-Emotional Learning For Elementary Students Through Explicit Instruction, Miah Phalen

Honors Program Theses

Teaching social-emotional learning skills has been found to yield various behavioral and academic benefits for students, yet there has been limited research into effective instructional practices for teaching these skills. This qualitative study examined the extent to which specific explicit instruction elements are present in kindergarten lessons from three evidence-based SEL curricula: Kindness in the Classroom, Leader in Me, and Second Step. Each of these lessons was rated on a 0-2 scale regarding the presence of clearly established learning goals, lesson opening, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, opportunities for feedback, lesson closure, and skill sequencing. Results of this study indicated …

The Effects Of Short-Term, High Dosage Creatine Supplementation On Cognitive Measures Following Mental Fatigue In Healthy Young Adults, Olivia Van Meter

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparative Analysis Of Hydration Status And Microbial Quality Of Tap Water Between Urban And Rural Settings In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana, Marina A. Tandoh, Priscilla Owusu, Claire-Rush N.A. Nkrumah, Veronica Tawiah Annaful, Chris Y. Asare, Samuel Selormi Attu

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Maintaining proper hydration is crucial for human health, physiological functions, and cognitive performance. This study sought to determine the hydration status and the microbial safety of tap water in an urban setting (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Campus) and a rural community (Adjamesu) in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The water safety perception and hydration status of 171 study participants aged 10-61 years were assessed. Six taps were randomly selected at each site in triplicates, resulting in 36 water samples. The microbial quality of the water was assessed by testing for heterotrophic bacteria, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella. …

Using Guided Notes To Provide Scaffolded Design As A Tool For Cognitive Efficiency And Conceptual Clarity, Ryan Schuffert

Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository

These supplemental learning materials streamline the learning process through a design that facilitates scaffolded learning by organizing focus on mastering macro-level concepts as a prerequisite to individualized details in content-dense courses.

Guided notes lead the learner on a path of discovering the depth of content while the layout encourages the development of discernment among multiple pathologies that share disease/disorder categorization.

This tool has helped students master the skill of chunked learning and has allowed them to implement this strategy, using these worksheets as a template, into multiple disciplines outside of pathophysiology.

Math Escape Room: A Virtual/Blended Problem‑Solving Adventure, Youssef Ibrahim

Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository

A narrative‑driven digital escape room turns secondary‑level mathematics review into a collaborative quest: students unlock successive “rooms” by solving algebraic, geometric, and data‑analysis challenges in Google Forms and Genially. Timers, conditional branching, and embedded hints sustain flow, while instructor analytics reveal misconceptions in real time.

Sexual Education, Sexual Self-Concept, And Behavior Of Adolescents: A Retrospective Study, Rachel Albanese

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adolescence is a period within the lifespan of a human where sexuality is a key component of development; therefore, it is appropriate that adolescents are provided sexual education during this time. There continues to be a debate regarding sexual education; while some studies consider specific ways to provide sexual education, they do not compare the effect of differing sexual education (i.e., how and who provided sexual education) or lack of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual selfconcept during adolescence. This study retrospectively examined the impact of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual self-concept. It also explored …

Exploring The Relationship Among Postpartum Depression, Cognitive Distortions, And Relationship Satisfaction, Kylie A. Hastings

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Postpartum depression is the most prevalent psychological disorder experienced following childbirth, impairs daily functioning, negatively impacts child growth and development, and is linked to maladaptive parent-child interactions. Previous research also suggests a link among distorted thinking, depression symptoms, and interpersonal tension. The current study explores the interplay among postpartum depression symptoms, cognitive distortions, and relationship satisfaction among postpartum individuals. Researchers examined how specific thinking errors, including catastrophizing, mindreading, and labeling, are associated with depression symptoms and relational experiences in the postpartum period. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 90 participants using validated instruments: the …

Power Training Impact On Running Ability After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study, Sandra M. Tremblay Pt, Ms, Cws, Mscs

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Sunset Provisions In The Local Tax Code: Perspectives Of City Leaders In Arkansas Cities Of The First Class, Sara R. Deuster

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Unlike their federal and state counterparts, local governments do not have someone to pass the buck to when it comes to carrying out public programs and have a limited means to generate their own source revenue to sustain non-enterprise government services. Taxation is the primary means local governments rely on to generate such revenue. With the responsibility to provide services, maintain infrastructure, and accommodate growth, municipalities must capitalize on the taxing authority allowed by their respective state. The purpose of this study was to seek understanding on how city leaders in Arkansas cities of the first class view the use …

Quality Over Quantity: Doula Perspectives On Equity, Access, And Quality Of Care In Black Maternal Health Outcomes, Terry-Ann E. Lynch

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Black maternal mortality in the United States is a public health crisis. There are a plethora of reasons as to why maternal and fetal deaths disproportionately impact Black women. From a public health perspective, health disparities are an area of concern in marginalized communities, with Black maternal mortality being a risk factor. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black (subsequently, Black) women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White (subsequently, White) women (26.6)” Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021” …

Gods Guns: Why Firearms And Firearm Culture Remain Sacred To Rural Americans, Thomas Westrick

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

With ample evidence demonstrating a link between low levels of gun regulation and high levels of firearm fatalities, it seems intuitive that Americans would want to increase the level of firearm regulation to bring down the level of violence. However, the target population, white males living in rural areas of the State of Indiana and practicing the Christian Evangelical Protestant tradition, display high levels of resistance to new firearm regulation. This study sought to explore that resistance through the lens of the rural gun culture with an interpretivist qualitative design using reflexive thematic analysis to answer the research question: How …

The Effects Of Physical Exercise On Emotion Dysregulation In Postsecondary Students With And Without Adhd, Elizabeth Bodalski

Theses and Dissertations

Emotion dysregulation is a common issue among college students with ADHD, and emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD is associated with many negative outcomes including higher levels of psychological distress and social impairment, poorer functioning at school and work, greater symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lower quality of life. Past work suggests that physical exercise can be useful in treating core ADHD symptoms for children and adolescents with ADHD, but less is known about its effects for young adults with ADHD. Exercise has been shown to be effective in targeting emotion dysregulation among the general adult population. Some work …

Emotions And Cognition, Krystal D. Becks

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cognitive functioning is linked to emotional processes, with this relationship shaped by various biological (e.g., age, sex, diseases, and genetics), psychological (e.g., emotional well-being, coping strategies, mental health), and sociological (e.g., income and education) factors. Understanding these interactions is critical for advancing research on cognitive-emotional health across diverse populations. Purpose: To examine the relationship between positive and negative emotions and cognitive functioning among healthy adults. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Aging Brain Cohort (ABC) study (n=434). The independent variables were subsets from the NIH toolbox emotional battery. The dependent variables were from the NIH …

Intimate Partner Violence Victims' Experiences With Civil Legal Interventions, Jessica Brooke Pomerantz

Theses and Dissertations

The court system has become a central part of the societal response to intimate partner violence (IPV) and is a frequently used as a source of help for victims (Cattaneo et al., 2013). Despite the importance of a justice system response to IPV, it is not always accessible or helpful to victims. Past research has demonstrated barriers to IPV victims seeking legal intervention including mistrust of the court system generally, extensive and confusing legal processes and procedures, and failure of the courts to assess more invisible forms of abuse (Calton et al., 2017; Cerulli et al., 2015; Cuomo & Dolci, …

Self-Regulation In Children With Fragile X Syndrome: Biobehavioral Underpinnings, Familial Predictors, And Outcomes, Erin Evelyn Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Self-regulation is a multifaceted construct that occurs on biological, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral levels. Self-regulatory abilities typically emerge in the first years of life and continuously develop through early adulthood. There is considerable interindividual variability in developmental trajectories of self-regulation which are associated with numerous adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. Factors influencing the development of self-regulation include interacting genetic and social environmental factors. Given the high heritability of self-regulation, within-family associations are common.

Individuals with Fragile X syndrome (FXS), an inherited, single-gene neurodevelopmental disorder, have heightened vulnerability for self-regulation deficits that are evident in early infancy; however, the developmental trajectories and …

Cerebellar Contributions To Speech And Clinical Outcomes In Stroke: A Multimodal Investigation Of Structural Integrity Across Chronic And Acute Cohorts, Makayla Joy Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the critical role of the cerebellum in speech production, with a focus on chronic post-stroke apraxia of speech (AOS), lesion-related cerebellar degeneration, and age-related changes in cerebellar structure among healthy individuals. While speech deficits have traditionally been attributed to cortical lesions, mounting evidence suggests that the cerebellum contributes significantly to speech-motor planning, execution, and error correction. Using multimodal neuroimaging, lesion-symptom mapping, and standardized speech assessments, this research examines cerebellar gray matter volume (GMV) across three complementary studies.

Aim 1 evaluates the association between cerebellar GMV and AOS severity in individuals with chronic left hemisphere stroke. Findings support …

Examining Effects Of A Cultural And Family Resilience Program On Improving Physical Activity And Eating Behaviors Among Overweight Black Adolescents, Mary Quattlebaum

Theses and Dissertations

Black adolescents have higher rates of physical inactivity, lower quality dietary intake, and fewer family meals compared to their White peers. These health inequities place Black adolescents at greater risk for overweight and obesity, as well as long-term health consequences, including chronic disease and early mortality. However, few health promotion programs have been successful in improving health behaviors among Black adolescents and families. Elevated rates of chronic stress, namely racial stress, among Black families may be a prominent obstacle for engagement in and effectiveness of health promotion initiatives. Limited family-based health promotion programs with Black families have incorporated cultural and …

A Math Teacher’S Reflexive Journey Into The Opportunity Gap, Richard A. Ball Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study sought to determine what educational factors, if any, impacted Black students in a public school located in the South-eastern United States, to enroll in a lower-level math course. The study also aimed to view the mathematical identities of these students and have myself reflect on my practice both locally and globally. This, however, is a result of the Problem of Practice, the opportunity gap. H. Richard Milner’s (2012) opportunity gap framework served as the theoretical framework for this study and for which all findings were situated. The data was analyzed using deductive coding, with the elements …

Digital Twins For Flexible Manufacturing, Drew Brandon Sander

Theses and Dissertations

With the establishment of Digital Twins as an enabling technology for Industry 4.0, it is time to transition from the previous foundations to works that implement and highlight the capabilities Digital Twins present. The Industry 4.0 paradigm has recentered the focus on customizability, leading to reemerging goals of flexibility within manufacturing. Empowered through new cyber-physical systems, new enabling technologies are driving the revolution. To identify how Digital Twins as an enabling technology contribute to flexibility within manufacturing, a comprehensive investigation is conducted along with a detailed case study. A systematic literature review is conducted to analyze quality Digital Twin implementations …

Investigating The Role Of Rps3 In The Homologous Recombination Dna Repair Pathway, Jerome Robert Dorsey

Theses and Dissertations

Ribosomal proteins have been demonstrated to perform extra-ribosomal functions beyond protein synthesis, including roles in cell signaling, transcription regulation, apoptosis, and DNA repair. Ribosomal protein S3 (RPS3), in particular, has been implicated in DNA repair and apoptosis pathways, suggesting a critical role in maintaining genomic stability. However, the specific mechanisms involving RPS3 are still unknown, particularly in the context of double-stranded break (DSB) repair. DSBs are among the most severe types of DNA damage, often resulting in chromosomal instability or cell death if not properly repaired. Nonhomologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR) are the two primary DNA repair …

Utilizing Evisits To Increase Access To Genetic Services For The Hearing Loss Population: A Tailored Service Delivery Model, Ansley Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Patients referred for genetics services have specific barriers decreasing accessibility, such as communication difficulties, long wait times, and misconceptions about the utility of genetic testing. We assessed a new tailored service delivery model used by the Greenwood Genetic Center to evaluate patients referred for hearing loss to determine if this model increases access to genetics services for individuals with hearing loss. Methods: Data points such as wait times, testing plan, and diagnostic yield were compiled from patient medical records. Comparison and analysis of data was completed by visit type, in-person, virtual, and electronic visits (eVisits), between October 2023 – …