Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Southerners Acting Southern: On Celebrities And Their Star Personas In The Imagined South, Chantelle Swaren

The Southeastern Librarian

Tison Pugh

Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2025

ISBN: 9780807184011

276 pp. $34.95 (Pbk)

This Southern Metropolis: Life In Antebellum Mobile, Kristine Stilwell

The Southeastern Librarian

Mike Bunn

Athens: NewSouth Books, 2024

ISBN: 9781588385246

162 pp. $27.95 (Pbk)

Sela Officers And Executive Committee, State Representatives, Committees, Sections, And Round Tables, John H. Barnett

The Southeastern Librarian

Current SELA officers and representatives.

Evaluating And Supporting Transformative Agreements: Five Institutional Perspectives In Discussion, Anna R. Craft, Peggy Kain, Danica Lewis, Camille Mccutcheon, William Joseph Thomas

Libraries Professional Work

Transformative—or Read and Publish—deals are impacting the open access (OA) publishing landscape, allowing libraries to test new models for funding and incentivizing OA publishing, while also providing direct benefits for authors, including discounts and waivers on article processing charges (APCs). But how sustainable are transformative deals in light of library materials budgets and workloads for personnel who negotiate these deals, manage the implementations, and support campus authors? And how can libraries evaluate the perceived value of these deals in relation to the specific needs of their institutional users?

Younger African American Men’S Beliefs And Attitudes Toward Prostate Cancer Screening, Linda Teemer-Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostate cancer screening has been a focus of scholars since the late 20th century, as researchers have sought to address persistent disparities in early detection and mortality rates among African American men. Researchers have demonstrated that cultural beliefs, mistrust of the medical system, and limited access to healthcare significantly influence prostate cancer screening behaviors within this population. However, researchers have yet to establish how younger African American men specifically interpret prostate cancer risk and how their beliefs and attitudes shape decisions regarding screening participation. The purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of younger African …

Childhood Events And Counseling Experiences Of Chinese And Korean American Transracial Adoptees, Mele Kramer, Lee Stadtlander

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

From the 1950s through 2024, transracial adoptions—particularly of Korean and Chinese children—have been increasingly prevalent in Western societies. While these adoptions provided children with opportunities to grow up in loving and supportive families, they also introduced unique challenges related to identity, cultural integration, and self-esteem. This basic qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Chinese and Korean transracial adoptees (TRAs) within their adoptive families, in their interactions with counseling, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of counseling interventions. The study was grounded in Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) and the Openness to Communication framework to examine the experiences of 19 …

Effects Of Experiences Of Widowhood Practice On Young Widows’ Well-Being In Southeastern Nigeria, Ijeoma Josephine Edinoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria long-standing sociocultural norms dictate widowhood practice, which widows are expected to undergo when they lose their husbands. The impact of this ancient culture, which has continuously been encouraged from generation to generation to date, has been devastating for widows. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the effects of widowhood practices on the well-being of young widows in southeastern Nigeria. Feminist theory was the conceptual framework. Through semistructured, audio-recorded interviews conducted via Zoom, data were collected from 10 young widows between age 18 to 45 in the southeastern Nigeria. After the data were collected, Braun …

Editorial: Migration And Health: A Human Rights Perspective - Conference Insights And Beyond, Noemi Rodriguez, Mira Goral, Justine Mcgovern, Allison Squires, María Isabel Roldos

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Joint Action (In)Action: A Communicatively Constituted Examination Of Shared Governance, Organizational Sustainability, And The Future Of Liberal Arts In Institutions Of Higher Education, Rebecca R. Todd

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are at least two versions of higher education today. One is that universities and curriculum need to be reformed to suit contemporary exigencies, particularly market-driven logics and direct paths to desirable job and career outcomes. The other is the story in this dissertation, namely, that the liberal arts hold value for the creation of new knowledge, critical thinking, and empowerment. With this admittedly one-sided corrective to the dominant narrative of higher education, this abstract and dissertation begin.

In the contemporary landscape of American higher education, the liberal arts are under siege. Once heralded as the cornerstone of democratic citizenship …

Exploring The Bank Lending Channel: How Bank Characteristics Shape Monetary Policy Effectiveness, Filip Świtała

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This paper examines how individual bank characteristics influence the transmission of monetary policy through the bank lending channel. Using panel data and a Fixed Effects model validated by the Hausman test, the author analyses how bank size, capitalization, profitability and asset quality affect responses to monetary tightening. The study highlights the importance of inter-bank differences in shaping monetary policy effectiveness and offers insights for regulatory frameworks and macroprudential policies aimed at strengthening financial stability.

Pow, Bam, Snikt: Using Superheroes To Teach Mental Health, Christopher Dabbs

Journal of Thematic Instruction

Undergraduate psychopathology (abnormal psychology) courses traditionally emphasize case vignettes of individuals with psychiatric disorders to illustrate etiology, nosology, and treatment. While pedagogically useful, these depictions can inadvertently provoke distress in students, potentially impeding engagement and learning. To address this dilemma while continuing to center the same learning outcomes, I formulated a course structure which embedded some course topics in superhero-related material with the express intent to create psychological distance between potentially distressing topics and the learners themselves. This commentary provides background for the course, evidenced-based rationale for specific pedagogical choices alongside topical material recommendations, and ends with personal reflections.

From The Stage To The Classroom: Reflections On A Psychology Of Musical Theater Class, Jill M. Swirsky

Journal of Thematic Instruction

Thematic instruction, which uses a central popular culture theme to bridge theoretical concepts and lived experience, is a powerful tool for engaging students in complex subject matter. This paper explores the design, structure, and outcomes of a Psychology of Musical Theater course that uses popular musicals as a lens for examining key psychological theories and themes. Utilizing a hybrid course design, students explored psychological themes in musicals (e.g., racism in Hairspray) through reflective writing, small and large group discussion, and a final project. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this approach enhanced engagement and promoted deeper learning, as students reported personal growth, …

5th International Annual Conference Proceedings: A New Global Order, Yet Again, Centre For Business And Economic Research (Cber), School Of Economics And Social Sciences (Sess)

Conference Proceedings

The School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS) and the Center for Business and Economics Research (CBER) at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, are pleased to announce the 5th International Annual Conference on "A New Global Order, Yet Again" In an era marked by geopolitical realignments, technological innovations, green transitions, climate change, and evolving trade dynamics, the global economic landscape is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Developing economies today face multifaceted challenges: leveraging new opportunities in a decentralized global system while managing debt insolvency risk, uncertainties in international trade, climate change vulnerabilities, and rising socioeconomic inequality.

This conference seeks …

Mass Layoffs And Its Potential Security Risk, Riley M. Mcdonough

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This research paper aims to understand the threats posed to the United States' protection of national security regarding the use of OSINT. This paper identifies the risks associated with displaying personal information, such as security clearances. Understanding the Potential national security risks that mass layoffs by Doge may cause. Examine how foreign actors exploit this information and how layoffs impact their efforts to recruit potential spies.

Left Of The Boom: Addressing Burnout Before It Occurs, William S.D. Vernon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined healthcare burnout, focusing on both organizational and individual factors that contribute to it, as well as mitigation strategies. Healthcare burnout increases the risk of harm to healthcare workers as well as their patients. Participants of the study included healthcare workers with direct experience in burnout. The aim was to understand their personal experiences, the actions, both individual and organizational, that contribute to burnout, and the methods that have been used with varying success to address it. The study also explored the connection between self-determination theory and the areas-of-work-life model, along with participants’ insights into contributing actions and …

Examining The Relationships Among The Cognitive, Emotional, Social, And Physical Domains Of Listening-Related Fatigue For U.S. Adults Between The Ages Of 30 And 50 With Hearing Loss, Nichole Marie Wooton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adults with hearing loss (AHL) frequently report high levels of listening-related fatigue (LrF). This has mainly been attributed to the increased biopsychosocial demands involved in communication efforts for those with hearing loss (HL). Such fatigue can be measured objectively using the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A-40) (Hornsby et al., 2021a). This quantitative survey study explored the relationships among gender, type of HL, and socioeconomic status (SES) and their complex connections among the four domains as defined by the VFS-A-40: cognitive, emotional, social, and physical. Using an online survey method, this research employed a strictly quantitative design to examine differences …

Life After Prison: Exploring Gendered Differences In The Impact Of Social Support On The Ease Of Reintegration For Previously Incarcerated Men And Women, Joy Ferdinand

Theses and Dissertations

Successful reintegration into society remains a significant challenge for formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly in securing stable housing and employment. This study examines the gendered impact of social support on reintegration outcomes, specifically assessing how peer instrumental support, familial instrumental support, and familial emotional support influence housing stability and employment within three months of release. Using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), this study employs logistic regression models to explore whether gender moderates the relationship between social support and reentry success. Findings indicate that peer instrumental support significantly affects housing stability, but its impact varies by gender. …

Accuracy Matters: Evaluating The Value Of Ai Tools For Summaries In Metadata, Emily Baldoni, Angela Yon

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence on library workflows has been a topic of immense interest—and sometimes anxiety—in the library profession. In the area of cataloging and metadata, one frequently cited potential use for AI (particularly Large Language Models (LLMs)) is constructing summaries and abstracts of information resources. However, very little systematic assessment has been done of the characteristics, quality, and utility of AI-generated abstracts for library materials, leaving information professionals with little evidence on which to make data-driven decisions as to how, if at all, to implement AI-assisted workflows for this aspect …

Practice Research Collaboratives: Promising Communities Of Research?, Sidsel Natland, Bowen Mcbeath, Heidi Muurinen, Marianne Wyder, Mike Austin

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: This article reflects an analysis of the establishment and development of the Practice Research Collaborative on Organizational Supports (PRC-OS) within the International Community of Practice Research. The basic thesis concerns the importance of building intersecting special interest groups to form communities of research practice.

Methods: The study is a qualitative case study, consisting of diverse data as written documents, field notes, and participative observation. A thematic and abductive analysis was conducted.

Results: Sharing of practices and knowledge, values and ethos are important factors to develop the PRC-OS, as is also negotiations on participation and organization. These themes are intertwined …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 8 - November 13, 2025

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 8 - November 13, 2025. 20 pages.

Novice Teacher Voice Of Preservice Preparation To Support Low-Ses Students, Edna Richardson Richardson Billingsley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that there is a gap in the literature about the preparation of mid to lower elementary novice teachers to teach students with low-socioeconomic status (low-SES) in several districts throughout the Southern United States. Grounded in social justice theory, the purpose of the basic qualitative design was to explore lower to middle elementary teachers' perceptions on their preservice preparation to teach low-SES students. For this basic qualitative design, 12 novice teachers participated in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis with the following three top themes emerging: (a) poor preparation towards …

School Discipline And Its Negative Impact On Student Achievement Outcomes: An Evaluation Of Discipline Policy, Samantha L. Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community stakeholders raised issue with the lack of evaluative tools to measure the effectiveness of the implemented school discipline policy in the Metro Atlanta School district. These tools are important to implementing the appropriate interventions to referred students in the district. This professional administrative study evaluated how exclusionary discipline practices influence equity and student outcomes within a Metro Atlanta school district. The guiding research question asked: Is the currently implemented discipline policy effective in promoting equitable student outcomes and reducing exclusionary practices? The concept used for this study is grounded in a constructivist paradigm, the study applied the Centers for …

The Impact Of Access To Mental Health Services For Minority Offenders From The Perspective Of Mental Health Professionals, Quentin Eugne Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many reintegrating offenders residing in northwest Florida’s rural areas are negatively impacted by a lack of access to mental health professionals. Inaccessibility to treatment service providers impacts the offender’s physical, mental and economic well-being. While research studies focus on examining access barriers in metropolitan jurisdictions, a gap remains in understanding how this issue adversely impacts offenders in rural communities. This qualitative research study examined the impact of inaccessibility to treatment services related to minority offenders in rural jurisdictions. Grounded by the intersectional theory and the general strain theory, this study utilized interviews with six mental health professionals who counseled offenders …

Pauline Style And A Biblical Theology, Andrew Whitney Perkins

Masters Theses

Advances in biblical linguistics, especially in the Greek of the New Testament, have provided a means for a better understanding of the text of Scripture. Advances in Greek lexicography, syntax, verbal aspect, discourse analysis, exegetical and hermeneutical methods, and the historical background behind the gospels and letters of the New Testament have greatly increased interpreters’ ability to determine what the text meant from both the writers and to the recipients of those documents. However, Christian theology, especially Systematic Theology, has remained mostly static, unaffected by these advances, and by a more accurate understanding of the biblical text. This thesis affirms …

Optimizing Fleet Management: Evaluating The Feasibility Of Electric Vehicles And Leasing Strategies At The Utrgv Police Department, Van Edward Slusser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to improve readiness and cost discipline in a campus public-safety fleet and to assess the feasibility of electrification and leasing. A qualitative case-study design triangulated semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, administrative records (maintenance, fuel, costs), and telematics from eight vehicles to characterize duty cycles and constraints. Key findings were: stakeholders endorsed a phased, evidence-gated approach that relies on vehicle- and role-level analytics and coaching-based idle management; cost analysis supported availability-weighted replacement paired with warranty-anchored leasing to stabilize maintenance exposure and smooth appropriations; and telematics revealed role-differentiated patterns—administrative vehicles converted engine-on time to distance efficiently …

Relational Satisfaction In Middle-Aged Married Adults In The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca S. Trouse

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Relational satisfaction is an essential component of marriage that impacts longevity, stability, and well-being. Currently, there is an alarming surge in divorces among middle-aged and late-aged married adults in the United States, often related to mid-life relational satisfaction. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand relational satisfaction in middle-aged married adults in the United States. The study’s research questions explored how middle-aged married adults in the United States described their lived experiences of relational satisfaction in marriage and how they and their spouses contributed to relational satisfaction in their marriages. Four married couples (i.e., eight adults) participated …

Mental Health Among Minorities In Law Enforcement Positions, Sydnee Monet Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Law enforcement officers often deal with complex work environments, including negative public opinions, challenging legal systems, and resource constraints. These factors can compound to make officers' work more psychologically stressful. This is especially true for minority officers who also have to deal with daily incidents of prejudice, discrimination, and cultural misunderstandings within the police force. The current qualitative phenomenological study employed semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of minority police officers, in an effort to gain more insight into their mental health experiences. The results of this study show that discrimination, systemic issues, and stigma associated with accessing psychological help …

Analyzing Discipline Rates For Students In Grades 6-12 With Emotional Disturbances: A Comparative Study Of Four Years Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic., Maegan N. Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigated the trends in discipline rates for students in grades 6-12 with emotional disturbances. It compared data from the four years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (2016-2019) to the four years following its onset (2021-2024). Emotional disturbances can significantly affect students' behavior, often leading to higher rates of disciplinary actions within school settings. However, the impact of COVID-19 on these students, particularly in terms of remote learning, school closures, and shifts in behavioral norms, has yet to be fully explored. Using archival data from multiple middle and high schools, this study examined variations in suspensions and other disciplinary …

The Pressure To Endure: How Black Women Over 50 Navigate The Dichotomy Of Human Resilience And Supernatural Strength, Debra Ann Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover how Black women over 50 interpret their life experiences in the face of pressure to be strong and faith filled. It explored the intersection of race, gender, age, and faith, specifically concerning older Black women and their interpretations of the impact of cultural and societal expectations. With data from ten interviews, this study examined how the women view the dichotomy of life as Strong Black faith-filled women who are inwardly self-silencing, suppressing, and who use other coping mechanisms through decades of lingering emotional trauma. From prior studies, the Strong Black …

The Impact Of Follower Conscientiousness On Leader-Member Exchange Quality: Exploring The Moderating Role Of Work Environment, H. A. Eliason

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Effective leadership is a vital component of an organization’s viability and competitive edge in today’s complex and dynamic environments. Leadership is not a one-directional act but instead a reciprocal process that shapes both individual experiences and organizational outcomes. Despite recognition of this reciprocal nature, a gap remains in understanding how specific contextual factors, such as individual personality traits or work environment, affect the quality of leader-member exchanges. At the same time, workplace relationships are undergoing momentous change and transformation as organizations shift between traditional, hybrid, and remote models in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the influence …