Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Pain Of Women And Femmes: A Multi-Session Class Activity On Generative Ai-Technology And Gender Norms, Bethany L. Johnson, Margaret M. Quinlan

Feminist Pedagogy

This unit helps students examine the societal implications of reproductive pain, focusing on healthcare settings and in post–Roe America. Through active listening, media analysis, and interactive research with ChatGPT, students examine how generative AI responds in a neutral tone; however, with additional data and correction, large language models (LLMs) produce more expansive and inclusive responses. Class activities include group discussions, research, and simulations. By using transcripts from the podcast “The Retrievals” and analyzing recent media, students evaluate how LLMs adjust their answers to identical questions, thereby calling into question their design, functionality, and benefits. The unit employs feminist pedagogy to …

The Effect Of Weight Training With Blood Flow Restriction On Muscle Strength Development In Mma, Tomáš Kozák, Marek Kokinda, Pavel Ružbarský

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the effect of weight training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on explosive power and isokinetic strength in combat athletes. Materials and methods: The sample included 12 male MMA fighters divided into a control (19.50±0.50 years) and an experimental (18.00±1.00 years) group. Participants trained twice weekly for 8 weeks, with BFR in the experimental group. Explosive power was assessed using following tests by Optogait: countermovement push-up, kneeling countermovement push-up and kneeling squat push-up for upper limbs and countermovement jump, countermovement jump with free arms and squat jump for lower limbs. Isokinetic strength was measured by …

(Re)Claiming Homeplace: Dance As Embodied Resistance & Healing For Health & Spatial Justice, Preeya G. Kannan

University Honors Theses

This thesis argues that dance functions as both an upstream public health intervention and a form of radical spatial resistance; creating healing, agency, and belonging among historically marginalized communities. Drawing on bell hooks' concept of homeplace, Jasbir Puar's assemblage theory, Nancy Krieger's eco-social theory, and Katherine McKittrick's Black geographies, I position the body as both an ecological and political landscape shaped by histories of colonialism, racial capitalism, displacement, and resilience.

Through this community-based participatory research study, Homeplace, I explore dance as a form of social prescription that centers liberation rather than pathology. Movement is often reduced in public health discourse …

Explaining Variation In Medical Aid In Dying Policy Across U.S. States, Abigail Hopper

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This paper asks why Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) policy in the United States does not follow a simple partisan pattern between states. Existing scholarship on morality policy emphasizes ideological conflict and partisan alignment, but this framework cannot fully explain why states with similar political compositions have adopted different MAiD policy outcomes, indicating that some key mechanisms shaping the variation have been overlooked. To address this, this paper combines a national dataset of MAiD policies across all fifty states with a comparative case study of Montana, Colorado, and West Virginia, focusing on differences in institutional venues, framing strategies, and coalition …

Bridging Interprofessional Gaps: A Pilot Study On Aac And Asl Training For Allied Health Profession Students, Angela M. Riccelli, Danielle Osmelak, Leslie Guca, Keith Werosh, Valerie Coolman, Rebecca Kvasnicka

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Interprofessional education (IPE) is recognized as a critical component of health professions training, equipping future clinicians with the skills necessary for collaborative practice and patient-centered care. However, students in speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy programs often have limited exposure to individuals who rely on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) or American Sign Language (ASL). This study evaluated the impact of a grant-funded, AAC- and ASL-focused IPE event at Governors State University on students’ self-reported interprofessional competencies. Using the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS-R) developed by Archibald, D., Trumpower, D., and MacDonald, C.J., in 2009 and revised in …

Motherwise In Nicaragua: The Implementation Of Culturally Adapted Relationship Education For Women During Pregnancy And Postpartum, Amanda Key Correa Love

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a concerning public health issue of global proportions, particularly within rural and under-resourced settings. Communities in these settings face elevated risk for relationship abuse, further compounded by barriers to access culturally responsive preventive intervention programming. This qualitative study investigated participant experiences, cultural adaptation, and implementation of the MotherWise program, a healthy relationship education intervention in rural Leon, Nicaragua. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with former and current program participants as well as the program facilitator following the initial program implementation. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns related to participant experiences, the types of …

Testing Potential Correlations Between Childhood Lead Exposure And Authoritarianism In Adulthood, Kragen Anderson

University Honors Theses

A significant body of research links lead exposure during childhood to negative effects ranging from increased impulsivity to societal level effects such as an increased likelihood of committing violent crime in adulthood. Due to exposure vectors such as lead water pipes, lead solder, lead based paints, and leaded gasoline there was significant lead exposure during childhood for large portions of the American population. This paper tested and found a statistically significant association between average population level lead exposure in childhood and likelihood of voting for candidate Trump later in life.

Granular Phenotyping Of Neuromuscular And Cortical Adaptation In Elite Judo Athletes: A Three-Group Experimental Analysis Using Eeg And Emg Markers, Magdalena Prończuk, Dariusz Tadeusz Skalski, Wirginia Likus, Łukasz Jaworski, Adam Maszczyk, Kinga Łosińska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Inter-individual variability in neuromuscular and cortical adaptation presents a significant challenge for the personalization of neurofeedback protocols in elite sports, particularly in judo. Objective: This study aimed to identify distinct adaptation phenotypes in elite Polish judo athletes by integrating electrophysiological and performance-based measures following an EEG biofeedback intervention. Materials and methods: Twenty-four male athletes from the Polish national judo team completed a 15-session EEG biofeedback protocol targeting frontal alpha asymmetry. Post-intervention assessments included surface EMG amplitude (RMS), median frequency (MF), percentage EMG change, composite EEG indices (EEG_SUM), and normalized lower-limb strength. A composite Global Adaptation Index (GAI) was used …

Will Beauty Save The Brain? Exploring The Relationship Between Eudaimonic Reels Exposure And Egyptian Gen Z'S Mind And Motivations, Petra Zaky

Theses and Dissertations

Social media entertaining content includes a mixed bag of the meaningful and the trivial. For Generation Z, whose favorite daily entertainment is shallow yet funny short-form videos (reels), there is often an invisible price paid. The loss of ability to watch long meaningful videos, distractedness from self, “Brain Rot”, glamorizing of hedonism are among the maladies left behind the attractive rabbit hole of their daily media diet. This study explores the relationship between exposure to meaningful reels, in contrast to pleasurable reels, and Gen Z’s reflective thinking, “Brain Rot” symptoms, motivation to watch long meaningful videos and life motivations between …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Understanding Moral Injury In Emergency Department Clinicians: Predictors, Outcomes, And Evidence Gaps, Rose Doering Lightspeed

University Honors Theses

Moral injury (MI) is an emerging construct for understanding clinician distress in high-acuity healthcare settings, yet its application to Emergency Department (ED) clinicians remains limited. MI refers to psychological distress resulting from exposure to, or participation in, situations that conflict with deeply held moral or ethical standards, often due to systemic or organizational constraints. Although prior research has examined MI in heterogeneous healthcare samples, the ED remains underexamined despite its unique combination of high patient acuity, throughput pressure, and resource limitations.

This review synthesizes literature on MI among healthcare workers with a focus on ED clinicians, drawing on Industrial-Organizational psychology …

Evolution Lower Limb Functional Asymmetry In Women's 400 M Hurdles From 1978-2022, Janusz Iskra, Wojciech Paśko, Paweł Gwiazdoń, Magdalena Chanas, Krzysztof Przednowek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Functional asymmetry of the lower limbs in the technique of clearing 10 hurdles in the 400 m hurdles event was the subject of the study. Materials and methods: This study investigates the patterns of hurdle clearance, distinguishing between left and right lead legs by 196 female hurdlers competing in major championship events (including Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships) from 1978 to 2022. The hurdlers were categorized into three groups based on competition periods: Group A (1978–2000), Group B (2001–2011), and Group C (2012–2022). The share of the left lead leg (assumed by most authors to be the lead …

Equine-Assisted Therapy For Dementia: A Pilot Rct On Standardizing Sessions To Improve Cognition, Mood, And Quality Of Life, Madeline Alford, Maria Dos Prazeres Da Silva Gonçalves Dr., Maria Manuela Da Silva Leite Dr.

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating equine-assisted therapy (EAT) into memory workshops for older adults with mild to moderate dementia. EAT is hypothesized to enhance cognitive function, promote physical activity, and improve mood through multisensory experiences. To ensure consistency and replicability, a standardized 8-session cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) protocol was developed, structuring interventions across cognitive, emotional, and motor domains.

Methods: A 3-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials .gov: NCT06662578) was conducted with 36 older adults diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: equine-assisted therapy workshop (EATW), traditional …

Disability Rates Among South Asian Immigrants In The U.S. Vary By Country Of Origin, Sobia Mushtaq, Marc A. Garcia

Population Health Research Brief Series

South Asian immigrants are often grouped together in U.S. health data, masking significant differences in health outcomes across subgroups. This brief uses data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (N = 6,643,738; 2020–2024) to describe disability rates among foreign-born adults from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh residing in the U.S. The authors find that while South Asian immigrants as a group have lower disability rates than U.S.-born adults, this average is driven largely by Indian immigrants, who make up about 79% of South Asians in the U.S. Among adults aged 65 and older, Bangladeshi immigrants have …

The Role Of Project Managers And Pmp Principles In Improving Operational Efficiency In Healthcare Organizations, Karan Thakkar

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Healthcare organizations operate in increasingly complex, regulated, and resource-constrained environments while managing a growing volume of projects tied to digital transformation, process improvement, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure development. Despite the project-intensive nature of healthcare operations, many organizations do not formally employ trained project managers or consistently apply Project Management Professional (PMP) principles; project responsibilities are frequently absorbed by clinical or administrative leaders whose primary expertise lies outside formal project management. This qualitative study examined how the project manager role and PMP principles contribute to operational efficiency in healthcare organizations. The study was conducted as a qualitative document analysis and thematic …

When School Culture Excludes: Deficit Discourse, Microaggressions, And The Mental Health Of Marginalized Students – A Conceptual Framework With Implications For School Psychology Practice And Equity Policy, Modupe Mercy Oyewunmi

Publications

Deficit-laden language like ‘behavior problem,’ ‘not college material,’ ‘won’t fit in’, ‘not a cultural fit’, operates as a systemic form of implicit bias and microaggression in school settings. Despite decades of research on school belonging and well-being, school psychology has yet to integrate these exclusionary discursive practices into a coherent health-determinant model that also accounts for the current anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy environment. This conceptual paper proposes a testable framework linking deficit discourse and school-based microaggressions to student identity suppression, academic impostor phenomenon, and educator moral injury, with downstream effects on school mental health outcomes. We situate these …

Psychogastroenterology: An Introduction For Behavioral Health And Healthcare Professionals, Jerrod Brown Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., M.S., M.S., Jeremiah B. Schimp Phd, Ma, Lpcc, Leanne Skehan Dcn, Msacn, Mph, Mba, Cns, Ches, Shelley Mydra Dmft, Lmft, Jonathan Ward Dc, Phd(C), Ms, Dibcn, Tiffany Flaten Cns, Ldn

Nutritional Neurocriminology Today

Although often difficult to discuss with clients, gastrointestinal (GI) issues affect an estimated 60 to 70 million Americans (American Gastroenterological Association, 2022). Yet only about 25% of those experiencing these conditions receive treatment. This is troubling because GI issues frequently co-occur with clinically significant consequences for physical health, psychological well-being, daily functioning, and overall quality of life. Designed for behavioral health and healthcare professionals, this brief article introduces the field of psychogastroenterology, with emphasis on symptoms, stigma, diagnosis, and treatment. Key topics include the gut-brain axis, common digestive health conditions, and the mental health implications associated with gastrointestinal disorders.

Acute And Inpatient Occupational Therapy Practice For People With Chronic Conditions Who Are Experiencing Homelessness, Emily K. Simpson, Anne K. Mokate, Elizabeth A. Gibbs, Nina K. Duric

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Despite having high rates of chronic illness, people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in the United States face barriers to healthcare access that result in unmet health needs and poor health outcomes.  The objective of the study was to identify the barriers to service experienced by occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) in acute and inpatient settings in providing services to PEH and to describe education strategies to reduce those barriers. Methods: Researchers employed a cross-sectional design with OTPs (n=292) with experience treating PEH. Results: Barriers to treatment for OTP included lack of education, need to prioritize acute concerns, and inadequate institutional resources. …

Living Through Misinformation: An Autoethnography Of Autism In Chinese Communities, Joy Lu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This critical autoethnographic essay examines how misconception, misinformation, and disinformation shape understandings of autism within Chinese communities and produce tangible harm for autistic individuals and their families. Drawing on lived experience, advocacy work, digital observation, and cross-cultural analysis, it explores how language, medical practices, social media, and professional authority sustain persistent misrepresentation.

The essay argues that this misinformation is not merely the result of ignorance, but a socially reinforced and institutionally supported system of knowledge. By situating personal encounters within broader cultural and structural contexts, it highlights the interconnected roles of language, power, and exclusion in shaping autistic lives. It …

Assessing Indoor Heat Vulnerability And Cooling Strategies In Three Mobile Home Communities In Boulder, Colorado, Usa, Mehdi P. Heris, Skye Niles, Alana Wilson, Megan Mccurdy, Amy Lacourse, Nick Lankau

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Extreme heat is an increasing public health and environmental threat shaped by both physical and social factors. This study assesses the vulnerability of mobile homes and their residents at three mobile home parks in Boulder, Colorado. We examined indoor temperature, housing conditions, and social and personal risk factors of the households. We monitored indoor and outdoor temperatures using 27 indoor and 5 outdoor temperature data loggers, comparing mobile homes with air conditioning, swamp coolers, and passive cooling designs. This work provides a detailed analysis of indoor temperature patterns and demonstrates how evaluating trends yields insights into the performance and effectiveness …

Rape Pregnancies And Consequent Ptsd Resulting From The Overturn Of Roe V. Wade, Emma Lindenfelser, Yulia Garaeva, Nenette Nti-Agyemang, Ellen Davis, Anna Kabwa, Alexandra M Calaman

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Prior to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, access to safe legal abortions was limited and often restricted along racial, economic, and geographic lines. Nearly fifty years later, women’s health policy evolved again following the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade. This court ruling decimated federal protections of abortion. This paper presents the research that the 2022 Dobbs judicial decision may contribute to and exacerbate rape-related PTSD on 1 out of 20 American who are unable to access a safe abortion after a rape-related pregnancy. Pregnant women living in conservative states that have outlawed …

Exploring Interprofessional End-Of-Life Communication Through Simulation: A Qualitative Study, Stephanie Jeffers Phd, Rn, Eric Stein Dsw, Lsw, Meg Hall Phd, Rn, Caroline Campbell Phd, Lsw, Carly King Msw, Lsw

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: The purposes of this qualitative descriptive study were to understand the perceptions of nursing and social work students regarding communication with patients and families at the end of life and to explore the perceptions of nursing and social work students' regarding interprofessional roles at the end of life.

Methods: An interdisciplinary simulation about death and dying was conducted with 16 undergraduate nursing students and 3 graduate social work students to understand their perceptions regarding communication with patients and families at the end of life and to explore their perceptions of interprofessional roles. Simulations lasted approximately 20 minutes and were …

Evaluating Interprofessional And Cultural Competency: A Community-Mental Health Interprofessional Education Event, Megan A. Whitbeck, Carrie A. Griffiths, William F. Miller, Laura M. Skoronski Chavez, Krisy Elrod, Autumn M. Forgione, Anna L. Grippi, John P. Merchant

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: This study examined the effectiveness of a mental health focused interprofessional education (IPE) event, where undergraduate and graduate students from four different healthcare disciplines collaboratively completed a case study activity, that included diversity and mental health components.

Methods: A quasi-experimental, one-group pretest–posttest design was used. Participants included 72 undergraduate and graduate students from nursing, occupational therapy, health administration, and counseling programs at a private university. Students engaged in a structured team-based activity emphasizing communication, collaboration, and cultural responsiveness in a mental health care context. Self-reported measures included the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) and the Cultural …

Community Health Fair As Experiential Learning: Interprofessional Faculty And Student Perspectives, Sharon Stevenson, Martha Rojo, Jing Jin, Erickson Feliciano, Margaret Love, Scott Wright

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Abstract

Background: Traditional, precepted clinical practice sites continue to decline. Community health fairs (CHFs), led by experienced interprofessional faculty, present a valuable opportunity. In addition, CHFs provide students with hands-on experience in real-world settings.

Aim: This study examined the perspectives and clinical experiences of interprofessional faculty and students participating in a CHF.

Methods: This study utilized qualitative and quantitative design. Fourteen participants (seven students, seven faculty) engaged in conversational interviews, and completed a faculty and student survey as well as a demographic survey. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample and survey responses, and thematic analysis was used to …

It's (Not) Raining Men: Exploring The Themes Surrounding Low Male Presence In Pediatric Nursing, Marcin Janczak

Honors Projects

Background: Men remain underrepresented in nursing, with an even smaller presence in pediatric nursing. Purpose: To examine pediatric-specific themes that may contribute to the low presence of men in pediatric nursing, and strategies to counteract these potential barriers. Methods: CINAHL Ultimate and Google Scholar were searched for primary research published from 2015 to 2025 related to male nurses, male nursing students, gender bias, pediatric care, and clinical experiences. Findings: Four major themes emerged: gender stereotypes and the feminization of pediatric nursing, sociocultural barriers and gender bias, fear and distrust toward male nurses, and psychological and professional impacts on men in …

Cross-Cultural Differences Among Children And Youth With Special Health Care Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Chinese, Spanish, And English-Speaking Families, Kathleen Mcgrath, Miriam Franco, Amy Morales-Lara, Karen Bonuck Phd, Joanne Siegel

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

One in five U.S. children has a special health care need, with prevalence rates rising each year. Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) from immigrant and/or non-English speaking families face heightened barriers to care, unmet health needs, and worsened health outcomes. This mixed-methods study explores cross-cultural similarities and differences among English-, Spanish-, and Chinese-speaking families of CYSHCN across four key domains – (1) the diagnostic process, (2) access to essential services, (3) community integration, and (4) social supports. As part of a statewide, New York State Department of Health funded initiative implemented across three University Centers for …

Does The Availability Of An Additional Set Of Bunker Gear Impact Firefighter Health, Safety, And Operational Readiness?, Ryan Riley

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Firefighting is a complex and inherently dangerous profession. Firefighters today face a growing array of occupational hazards, not just from the effects of being exposed to fire and smoke, but also from the personal protective gear they wear, commonly referred to as “bunker” or “turnout” gear. While this gear is designed to protect firefighters in dangerous environments, prolonged use and repeated exposure to smoke, chemicals, and products of combustion can compromise the gear. Research has shown that bunker gear contains and can also retain cancer-causing chemicals. To this end, this paper examines whether the availability of an additional set of …

Life Sustaining Well-Being Practices And Physiological Health Among Black Men, Dakota W. Cintron, Monique N. Golden, Jennifer M. Boylan, Julia K. Boehm, Tomiko Yoneda, Hebi Wang, Erik M. Hines, James L. Moore Iii

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

To identify culturally grounded well-being practices among Black men in midlife and examine their associations with physiological health.

Methods

Analyzing data from the 2004–2005 Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we examined, 116 open-ended responses to the question, “What do you do to make your life go well?” Network topic modeling identified six topics: (1) interpersonal kindness and positive mindset; (2) caring for children; (3) practicing spirituality and faith; (4) maintaining social connections and well-being; (5) avoiding stress; and (6) meaningful work and daily activities. Topic scores, reflecting participants’ tendency to discuss these themes, predicted allostatic load and …

An Exploratory Study: The Presence Of Imposter Syndrome In New Graduate Allied Health Professionals And Its Relationship To Location Of Practice, Samantha J. Barber, Carol A. Flavell Dr, Moira Smith Dr

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Imposter syndrome (IS) explores the feelings of fraudulence within personal and professional settings. Commonly IS results in impaired self-confidence, and self-perceptions of one’s own abilities, their mental health, and places them at a higher risk of burnout. Imposterism is linked to transitionary periods, such as being newly graduated, and while IS addressed amongst the medical community [doctors and nurses], there is a gap in literature relating to IS amongst allied health professionals (AHPs). Additionally, there is no known literature in which IS presence or severity is explored in relation to an individual’s geographic location. The aim of this study …

Her Fire This Time: Black Women Faculty And The Liberatory Pedagogy That Can't Wait, R. Danielle Scott, Andi Toliver-Smith, Nailah Smith

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The purpose of this paper is to document the experiences of Black women faculty sustaining culturally responsive, justice-oriented, liberatory pedagogy in the current sociopolitical climate of higher education. In the context of coordinated attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion infrastructure, the erasure of culturally responsive accreditation standards in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences (SLHS), and the unwritten expectation that Black women faculty absorb the weight of equity work that institutions have abandoned, this paper examines the sustaining forces that keep liberatory teaching aflame. Drawing on critical autoethnography and reflective practice, three Black women, two faculty members and one doctoral student …