Digital Commons Network^™

Theoretical Frameworks Used To Conceptualize The Intersection Of Deafness, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, And Language In The Literature: A Scoping Review, Jeremy M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rate for emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD) among d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/DHH) students has consistently been reported as statistically elevated in the literature, but the exact reason for this high prevalence has not been determined. Factors such as diagnostic shadowing, language proficiency, and difficulties in interfamilial communication have been identified; however, recent research suggests that language deprivation may also be a contributing factor. The intersection of language deprivation and EBD among d/DHH students has been studied by numerous researchers, but, to date, no one has explored how these topics are conceptualized together in the literature. As such, I …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into The (In)Visibility Of Black Women Leaders In Social Work, Jere Murry

Theses and Dissertations

Black women are vital contributors and innovators within the American workforce yet remain underrepresented in executive leadership roles in most employment settings. Despite the contributions Black women have made, our continued marginalization is a direct result of systemic oppression and institutionalized racism, which persistently deny Black women opportunities for leadership ascension (Beckwith et al., 2016; Collins, 2000; Crenshaw et al., 1995; Wilkerson, 2020). This qualitative narrative approach explores the stories of Black women leaders employed in the child welfare and foster care system, illuminating the challenges, including systemic barriers, limited mentorship, and inequitable career advancement practices. This study examines the …

Examining The Impact Of Conceptual Mathematics Instructional Practices On Middle School Achievement For Low-Income Public-School Students, Tracy L. Donath

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice investigates the persistent decline in mathematics proficiency between the fourth and fifth grades, particularly among low-income compared to high-income students in a large, urban public school district in central Illinois. Using Mintrop’s Cycle of Inquiry and the CPED framework in a 90-day intervention, seven fifth-grade teachers implemented small group lessons designed to build students’ conceptual understanding of grade level mathematics. This data-driven intervention encouraged the teachers to use a variety of manipulatives and visual representations to improve students’ mathematics proficiency on four grade level Common Core standards. Data collected through classroom pretests, posttests, and exit tickets, …

Navigating Intelligence: Exploring The Social Implications Of Smartness For Economically Disadvantaged Black Boys, Errika Tenise Baker Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

With a focus on how perceptions of race and socioeconomic class interact to influence friendships and peer acceptability, this study examined the social experiences of Black males with academic potential who come from low-income families. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT), Du Bois’ concept of double consciousness, and the framework of racial opportunity cost as guiding frameworks, the study examined how “smartness” functions as a cultural practice tethered to whiteness and how these dynamics affect identity and belonging.

This study was conducted using a qualitative research design, leveraging an interpretivist paradigm. To extract the stories of the research participants, semi-structured interviews …

The Impact Of Coaching On Teachers' Implementation Fidelity Of Goal Setting Strategy, Brandi M. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

Educational settings are filled with educators who have varying experiences in working with students who have disabilities and students who are considered at-risk. Typically, students who have disabilities or are considered at-risk struggle with self-regulation skills and require interventions to improve. However, literature has shown that there is very little training for teachers that will help them implement evidence-based strategies with fidelity. One of the strategies that can be used to improve self-regulation is goal setting, however, within the literature for the goal setting strategy, teachers are not well equipped to implement the strategy. Coaching has been deemed an effective …

The Comparison Of Human And Machine Performance In Object Recognition, Gokcek Kul

School of Psychology Theses

Deep learning algorithms have advanced significantly due to better hardware and large training sets, with some claiming they now match or exceed human performance. Recent findings indicate improvements in robustness against Out-Of-Distribution benchmark sets and alignment with human categorisation behaviour. This thesis evaluates various machine learning models to ensure a fair comparison with human performance using principles from comparative psychology. Chapter 2 introduces a psychologically grounded framework for comparing human and machine object categorisation performance, focusing on different presentation times and task complexities. The results indicate that while recent machine learning models have reached or exceeded human performance under optimised …

Exploring The Mechanisms Of Functional Imagery Training For Sleep Problems: A Single Arm Pilot Study, Ross Allen, Jackie Andrade

School of Psychology Theses

Functional Imagery Training (FIT) is a brief motivational intervention grounded in the Elaborated Intrusion theory of desire. It helps individuals use personalised, emotionally vivid mental imagery to support goal pursuit by drawing on past successes to plan actions, overcome obstacles, and rehearse behavioural strategies. Delivered in the client-centred style of Motivational Interviewing (MI), FIT aims to strengthen motivation for sustained behaviour change. While FIT has shown promise in areas such as weight loss and anxiety, its application to sleep-related behaviour change remains unexplored. This single-arm pilot study examined whether FIT is associated with improvements in sleep quality and motivation to …

What Helps And Hinders Staff Supporting People With Intellectual Disabilities Regarding Sex And Relationships, Laurence Constable, Deanna Gallichan

School of Psychology Theses

Background Studies have suggested that staff experience multiple obstacles to providing effective support around relationships and sexuality. The literature has suggested several potential solutions yet it is not clear what impedes the implementation of these. Understanding these barriers could improve care. Methods Two focus groups were carried out with a total of 13 participants recruited from the Southwest of England. Participants were recruited from client-facing roles across care providers, education provision, and social care provision. The focus groups were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Four themes were drawn from the data. These were ‘Fear hinders care’, ‘Care is led …

Exploring Individuals’ Experiences Of Working With Probation Who Have Personality Disorder: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Approach., Nikki Morfey

School of Psychology Theses

Utilizing a Community-Based Participatory Action Research approach, semi-structured interviews were used to explore seven individuals’ experiences of working with Probation who self-identified as screening into the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of the data resulted in the construction of six Group Experiential Themes. Findings reflect participant confusion with the Personality Disorder label in light of feeling it was imposed without discussion, speaking to their experiences of the power dynamic in the probation relationship. Participants described being reduced to a case to be managed, with no space to be seen as a person, and a gap between …

Masculinity, Muscles, And Minds. Investigating The Interplay Of Factors Affecting Gym-Attending Men For Psychological Formulation., Abigail Middlecote

School of Psychology Theses

Background: This study explores pursuits of a muscular ideal among gym-attending men, to aid understanding and exploration of Drive for Muscularity, considering potential for a Compassion Focused Therapy formulation.Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, the research examines psycho-social dynamics surrounding ideals and experiences of men, particularly the role of masculinity within a western society. Quantitative data from 80 men analysed relationships among Gender Role Conflict, Traditional Masculine Ideology, body image, Drive for Muscularity, social rank, Attachment, Self-Compassion, Body-Compassion, and Help-Seeking. Qualitative interviews with eight participants focused on relevance of the CFT-formulation in considering these dynamics.Results: Quantitative findings demonstrated most variables significantly …

The Experiences Of Systemic Invalidation In Chronic Pain Care Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Individuals: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Claira Moro

School of Psychology Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities living with chronic pain and prescribed pain-relief medication. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, eight participants were recruited from a single primary care network in England. Two Group Experiential Themes were developed. This paper reports one: From dismissed to disengaged: the trauma of seeking help, with three sub-themes: (1) “Being fobbed off” – dismissal across healthcare and benefit systems; (2) “It just seemed horrible to me, to take it off me” – pain relief as withdrawn, stigmatised, or conditional; and (3) “Do I want to poke the bear?” – disengagement …

‘I Am Free, But I Am Not Free’: Nature-Based Interventions With Refugee And Asylum Seekers – An Ethnographic Action Informed Study, Louise Morgan

School of Psychology Theses

Refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) in the UK face significant barriers to well-being due to hostile immigration policies and limited mental health support. Nature-based interventions (NBIs) are emerging as culturally inclusive psychosocial support, yet RAS experiences remain underexplored. An Ethnographic Action Research (EAR) informed approach was used to examine a nature-based programme in Southwest England, developed with four lived experience co-researchers. Data was collected through five observation days, sixteen conversations, and one focus group, involving three staff facilitators and 30 RAS participants. Thematic Framework Analysis identified four themes: To Access, To Connect and Belong, To Survive, and To Be Me …

Bridging The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Trainee Clinical Psychologists’ Experiences And Learning Needs For Working With Refugees, With Co-Produced Training Guidelines., Megan Stuart-Richards

School of Psychology Theses

AbstractRefugees face unique and traumatising challenges to their mental health across multiple socio-political climates. Services are providing inequitable support for refugees, which lack appreciation of transcultural conceptualisations of mental distress, amongst a backdrop of social injustice. Refugees were employed as Co-researchers to co-produce every stage of this project. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was utilised in this study to examine experiences and learning needs of 79 Trainee Clinical Psychologists (TCP’s) in their survey responses. Novel training guidelines, to be accessed via ‘supplementary materials’, were co-produced alongside scoped learning needs, which contribute to health research and practice. Four interrelated overarching themes became evident. …

A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Project Exploring The Experiences Of Suicidal Distress For Autistic Adults: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Kyah Sisulu, Emily Hustwick, Philippa Wood, Bethany George, Lealah Hewitt-Johns

School of Psychology Theses

Background: Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–29 (WHO, 2021). Autistic individuals experience elevated rates of mental health difficulties, often linked to stigma, discrimination, and a lack of appropriate support (Botha & Frost, 2020; Hedley et al., 2018). They are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours than the general population (Hirvikoski et al., 2016). Despite this, limited research has explored autistic adults’ lived experiences of suicidal distress. Calls from autistic advocates highlight the need for inclusive, co-produced research to avoid perpetuating harm (Pellicano et al., 2014; Kapp et al., 2013).Aims: This study …

Bcg-Induced Dna Methylation Changes Improve Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Immunity Without Decreasing The Risk For Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Marisa Lozano, Seth P Lerner, Rebecca Hannigan, Tomoki Nishiguchi, Abhimanyu, Daanish Sheikh, Malik Ladki, Alexandra Portillo, Amrit Koirala, Tajhal D Patel, Zoe Spieler, Aaron B Benjamin, Maxim Lebedev, Theresa U Ofili, Robert W Hutchison, George Udeani, Lynne A Opperman, Gabriel Neal, Anna M Mandalakas, Mihai G Netea, Moshe Arditi, Pablo Avalos, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Jeffrey D Cirillo, Andrew R Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The BCG vaccine induces trained immunity, an epigenetic-mediated increase in innate immune responsiveness. Therefore, this clinical trial evaluated if BCG-induced trained immunity could decrease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related frequency or severity.

METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of healthcare workers randomized participants to vaccination with BCG TICE or placebo (saline). Enrollment included 529 healthcare workers randomized to receive BCG or placebo. Primary analysis evaluated COVID-19 disease frequency, while secondary analysis evaluated coronavirus immunity in a subset of participants. Study enrollment ceased early in December 2020 following introduction of COVID-19-specific vaccines.

RESULTS: Study enrollment was halted early, prior to reaching …

Proteomic Characterization And Comparison Of The Infective And Adult Life Stage Secretomes From Necator Americanus And Ancylostoma Ceylanicum, Mali Camberis, Graham Legros, Bin Zhan, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Ricardo T Fujiwara, Edita Ritmejeryte, Thewarach Laha, Sujittra Chaiyadet, Piyanan Taweethavonsawat, Paul J Brindley, Bethany K Bracken, Paul R Giacomin, Makedonka Mitreva, Alex Loukas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

More than 470 million people globally are infected with the hookworms Ancylostoma ceylanicum and Necator americanus, resulting in an annual loss of 2.1 to 4 million disability-adjusted-life-years. Current infection management approaches are limited by modest drug efficacy, the costs associated with frequent mass drug administration campaigns, and the risk of reinfection and burgeoning drug resistance. Subunit vaccines based on proteins excreted and secreted (ES) by hookworms that reduce worm numbers and associated disease burden are a promising management strategy to overcome these limitations. However, studies on the ES proteomes of hookworms have mainly described proteins from the adult life stage …

From Myriad To Moderna: The Modern (Bio)Pharmaceutical Company, Ana Santos Rutschman

Faculty Publications

This Article examines the emergence of two modern pharmaceutical companies: Myriad and Moderna. After providing a brief background on each company, this Article contrasts them across the following areas: the technologies they have brought to market; their location; their start-up stages and the role that venture capital played in catalyzing their evolution from start-ups to large corporate structures; their relationships with other entities in the private sector, in academia and in the public sector; and their intellectual property and licensing strategies.

The Military's Constitutional Role, Brenner M. Fissell

Faculty Publications

A basic principle of the American constitutional order is that civilian authority must be supreme over that of the military. The violation of this principle by the British was one of the grievances enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, and the Framers responded with a Constitution that made military rule impossible. But why is so-called “civilian control” of the military so important? This deep normative question has yet to be thoroughly answered by scholars, most of who assume it away as a given. This Article takes up that task, using contemporary political theory to defend the principle of civilian control. …

Molecular Chaperones At The Host-Virus Interface: Heat Shock Protein Roles In Hiv-1 And Emerging Insights For Hiv-2 And Dual Infection, Sabastine Eugene Arthur, Kirk Klogo, Emmanuel Kobina Mensah, Maame Ama Pentsiwa Cudjoe, Adomia Baaba Mensah, Nyamekye Amoabeng Ankrah, Catherine Laaripuoh Omosule, Evelyn Yayra Bonney, George Boateng Kyei

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are essential molecular chaperones involved in protein folding, cellular stress responses, and homeostasis. Recent studies reveal their critical and dual roles in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) life cycle, both promoting and restricting viral replication, latency, and immune modulation. This review synthesizes current evidence on how key HSP families, HSP70, HSP90, and HSP40, interact with HIV proteins such as Tat, Rev, Nef, and Vpx, affecting viral transcription, protein trafficking, and latency. We also highlight Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) as a direct regulator of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR), facilitating latency reversal via recruitment of …

Adapting Data Science Competencies By Role And Purpose: Voice Ai, David A Dorr, Andrea Krussel, Rachel Hauck, Christie Jackson, Abhijeet Dalal, Steven Bedrick, Philip R O Payne, Bridge2ai-Voice Consortium;, William Hersh

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Competencies help define the skills and knowledge needed by learners. Often broad, educators integrate competencies to provide a framework for curricula or professional standards. For data science, the rate of change in the field, role variations, and specificity in key applications can be challenging. Our objective was to adapt general data science competencies for different learner roles in an emerging area: the clinical utility of Voice, Language, and Speech-based Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML). Using a persona-inductive approach, we adapted competencies to support learners from varying professional and educational backgrounds and implemented these adaptations in a multi-institutional summer school. Results from …

Upper Limb Motor Recovery In Chronic Stroke-Longitudinal Aggregate Analysis From Control Group Outcomes, Fabien Scalzo, Robert A Coker, Lauren Souders, Leo Petrossian, Kern Bhugra, Lauren Sheehan, Eric C Leuthardt, Alexander R Carter

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the effects of regular physical activity on upper extremity motor recovery during the late subacute and chronic phases of stroke.

METHODS: Data were aggregated from 20 studies comprising 368 participants in control groups receiving usual care or general rehabilitation without specialized interventions. To isolate the impact of non-specific physical activity, studies involving robotics or task-specific therapies were excluded.

RESULTS: The primary outcome was the change in Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) motor scale. The pooled effect size for FMA-UE change was small and non-significant (Cohen's

DISCUSSION: These findings provide a quantitative benchmark for expected gains …

No Evidence Of Mmr Induced Trained Immunity To Prevent Sars Cov2: Results From A Multi-Centre Rct, Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, George Kyei, Erik Dubberke, Linda Yun, Leon Du Toit, Mary Politi, Ben Swan, Anne Deschryver, Sherry Mckinnon, Ananya Gupta, Shabaana Khader, Michael S Avidan, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Measles-containing vaccines (MCV), by training innate immune cells, are hypothesized to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS: In this international, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults, 18 years and older, to receive MCV or saline. The primary outcome was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed symptomatic COVID-19, up to 60 days after intervention. Secondary outcomes were PCR-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 and serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, up to 150 days after intervention.

RESULTS: Of 3411 randomised participants, the modified intention-to-treat population included 1607 in the MCV and 1545 in the saline group. …

The Evolution And Application Of Multi-Omic Analysis For Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors, Sangami Pugazenthi, Shree S Pari, Ziyan Zhang, Julie Silverstein, Albert H Kim, Bhuvic Patel

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are a heterogeneous group of intracranial neoplasms that vary in hormonal activity, histological features, and clinical behavior. The rise of high-throughput sequencing and molecular profiling technologies has enabled multiomic approaches-including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics-to deepen our understanding of PitNET pathogenesis. These studies have identified key mutations, transcriptional lineages, epigenetic modifications, and proteomic features that contribute to tumor subtype classification, invasiveness, and treatment response. Integrative multi-omic analyses have further revealed distinct molecular subtypes, complex regulatory networks, and molecular profiles that can predict recurrence and therapeutic efficacy. These approaches hold strong potential for advancing personalized medicine …

The Perfect Storm: Unraveling The Interplay Of Genetic Predisposition And Viral Triggers In Type 1 Diabetes Pathogenesis, Daniel A Veronese-Paniagua, Jeffrey R Millman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the T cell-mediated destruction of insulin-secreting pancreatic β cells, leaving patients reliant on exogenous insulin to establish normoglycemia. Despite advancements in glucose management, the precise pathological mechanisms linking genetic predisposition and environmental triggers to the loss of immune tolerance remain incompletely understood, hindering the development of preventative therapies. This comprehensive review synthesizes clinical, experimental, and epidemiological data to detail the intricate pathogenesis of T1D, focusing on the convergence of autoimmunity, high-risk genetics, and enteroviral infection. We discuss how T1D is fundamentally a disease caused by failures in central and …

The Role Of Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Neuropeptides In Reward And Aversion, Kathryn Braden, Daniel C Castro

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The dorsal raphe nucleus is a critical node for affective and motivated circuits in the brain. Though typically known as a serotonergic hub, the dorsal raphe nucleus is also highly enriched in a variety of neuropeptides. Recent advances in biotechnology and behavioral modeling have led to a resurgence in neuropeptide research, allowing investigators to target unique peptide systems with unprecedented clarity. Here, we review and discuss multiple neuropeptide systems in dorsal raphe and consider how their activity may contribute to reward and aversion. While this is not an exhaustive review, this short overview will highlight the many opportunities available to …

Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue In Lung Transplantation: A Facilitator Of Rejection Or Regulator Of Tolerance?, Alexander N Wein, Charles R Liu, Daniel Kreisel

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The role of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) in the regulation of immune responses to transplanted lungs remains an area of interest and controversy. Early studies in a rat pulmonary transplant model suggested BALT may accelerate rejection of grafts by inducing a local and systemic inflammatory response. Such observations were corroborated in intrapulmonary tracheal transplant models in the rat. While some human studies have described the presence of BALT in grafts that have been chronically rejected, others did not observe an association between induction of BALT and adverse outcomes. More recent investigations have found that BALT, enriched in immunoregulatory cell populations, …

Characterization Of Tlr9 Responsiveness In Cell Subsets Derived From In Vitro Pdc Differentiation Of Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells, Sabina Sánchez Hernández, Tobias Wang Bjerg, Ian Helstrup Nielsen, Anders Laustsen, Hai Q Tang, Lars Henning Pedersen, Eynav Klechevsky, Martin R Jakobsen, Rasmus O Bak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are multifunctional immune cells with roles in both the innate and adaptive immune system. Their hallmark function is production of large amounts of type I interferons in response to viral infections, but they are also capable of producing a range of other cytokines, antigen presentation, and cytotoxicity. Their potential as an immunotherapy for cancer and infectious disease is being explored, but broad application of these cells is challenged by low frequency in the blood and low viability during

Uncovering A Novel Binding Trench In Errα: Insights From Molecular Simulations, Lamees Hegazy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) holds significant therapeutic potential for treating various disorders, developing selective agonists remains challenging due to the poor pharmacokinetics and limited selectivity of current ligands. This study presents unconstrained molecular dynamics simulations of ERRα bound to an agonist ligand, uncovering dynamic ligand-binding behavior as the ligand shifts between two orientations: one in the orthosteric pocket and another in a newly identified trench adjacent to this site. The free energy landscape reveals that both binding orientations are comparably populated, with an accessible transition pathway between them. The identification of this novel binding trench expands our understanding of …

Emergency Department Utilization Among Youth In Foster Care: Benefits Of A Patient-Centered Medical Home, Nicholas Szoko, Allison Phad, Mary E Fournier, George M Hoganson, Melissa Jonson-Reid

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Foster youth face unique medical, psychological, and social challenges, which can impact patterns of emergency department (ED) utilization. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) offers a potential model to reduce overutilization of healthcare resources. Little work has examined relationships between PCMHs and ED utilization among foster youth.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to describe longitudinal trends in ED utilization among foster youth in a PCMH.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study leveraged electronic health record data from foster youth seen in a PCMH from 2018 to 2024. Frequency of ED utilization was calculated before, during, and after involvement in the PCMH. We used …

Exploring Implementation Strategies In Evidence-Based Open Streets Programs For Promoting Physical Activity In The Americas: A Scoping Review, Raúl D Gierbolini-Rivera, Milena Franco Silva, Lorna Fabiola Pineda, Bryan J Weiner, Byron J Powell, Ross C Brownson, Diana C Parra

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Chronic diseases are a leading public health concern in the Americas, and physical inactivity contributes significantly to their burden. Open streets program-community initiatives that temporarily close urban streets to vehicles-promote physical activity and community engagement, demonstrating positive health and social impacts. Effective implementation depends on identifying suitable strategies and frameworks. The Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy, developed for clinical/healthcare contexts, has not been widely assessed for community-based interventions such as Open Streets. Implementation strategies could lead to specific outcomes (e.g., adoption, sustainability) that differ from program outcomes (e.g., PA levels, chronic disease prevalence). This scoping review focuses …