Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Coverage To Care: Evaluating The Effects Of Aca Medicaid Expansion On Birth Outcomes, Bailey R. Lengfelder

Economics Honors Projects

I examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion on maternal and fetal health outcomes using National Center for Health Statistics Natality data from 2006 to 2023. I exploit staggered state adoption as a quasi-experiment, and the staggered differences-in-differences estimates indicate an increase in the share of Medicaid births but broadly no impact on maternal prenatal care, maternal health, and fetal health. The absence of statistically significant effects is consistent across heterogeneity groups. These null findings indicate that expanded insurance access through the Affordable Care Act may be insufficient to improve health outcomes. I do find a statistically …

The Evolving Roles Of U.S. Academic Librarians: A Snapshot Of Job Responsibilities In 2023, Russell Michalak, Laura Rose Taylor, Michelle Reed, Amanda Koziura, Devon Ellixson

Library Faculty Research

This study examines the evolving roles of academic librarians across North America. Adapting a survey tool published in a prior Canadian study, it surveys over 350 librarians in the United States, analyzing shifts in Research Support, Teaching and Learning, Digital Scholarship, User Experience, and Scholarly Communication. Results indicate significant engagement in information discovery and digital scholarship with a growing need for training in digital tools and data management. The resulting report highlights the crucial role of academic librarians in adapting to technological and educational changes, underscoring the necessity for ongoing professional development.

First-Job Contract Review Cheat Sheet, Johanna Jones-Morris, Ashlee Martellacci

Teaching and Learning Resources

This cheat sheet helps first-time employees understand what to review before signing an employment contract. It highlights job duties, compensation, scheduling, employment terms, benefits, restrictive clauses, worker classification, and common red flags so that individuals can ask informed questions and recognize potentially unfair or unclear terms.

Behind The Curtain: A Literature Review Of Personal And Ecological Risk Factors And Current Multi-Level Interventions For Performing Artists, Christopher A. Robles

Social Work Theses

Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current …

Flirting Motivations Across Communication Media: Face-To-Face Versus Online Context, Charles Afful Maccarthy

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study examined whether individuals' motivations for flirting differ across communication contexts, specifically face-to-face and online interactions. Drawing on Henningsen’s (2004) six flirting motivations – relational, sexual, fun, esteem, instrumental, and exploring – and Walther’s (1996) Hyperpersonal Model, this research tested whether flirting motivations influence the choice of communication medium. Using a quantitative mixed-design approach, 103 participants were randomly assigned to reflect on either a face-to-face or online (social media) flirting experience and completed a structured questionnaire measuring the six motivations. Data were analyzed using a 2 (communication medium: face-to-face versus online) x 6 (motivation type) mixed ANOVA. Results revealed …

A Multi-Case Qualitative Study Exploring Counseling Skills Courses For The Presence Of The Practice Of Counselor Reflexivity, Timothy Marlin Olsen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Counselor reflexivity is an integral component of the skill set and professional identity of the effective counselor. However, counseling skills and methods courses often do not include the teaching of this practice within their curriculum of valuable counseling techniques. Further, there also exists a gap in scholarly counseling literature about counselor reflexivity. Through this qualitative multi-case study of five counseling skills/counseling methods courses I sought to discover if counselor educators understood and subsequently taught this practice which seems to be underrepresented in such courses. First, through a review of supporting literature my study revealed no clear delineation of counselor reflexivity …

Monetary Sovereignty In Peril? Cryptocurrencies, Capital Controls And Exchange-Rate Volatility: A Quantitative Global Analysis, Mckeown Boadi Owusu

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines whether the rise of cryptocurrencies affects the constraints states face in exercising monetary sovereignty, specifically in stabilizing their currencies. The analysis tests two hypotheses: first, that higher levels of cryptocurrency interests are associated with greater exchange-rate volatility; and second, that this relationship is stronger in countries with more stringent capital-flow management measures. Drawing on a panel dataset of country–month observations across 46 countries from 2017 to 2024, The results provide no consistent evidence that cryptocurrency interest is directly associated with higher exchange-rate volatility. Similarly, the interaction between cryptocurrency interest and capital controls remains insignificant across all models, …

Operationalizing Cyber-Routine Activities Theory For Senior Cybercrime Prevention: An Evaluation Of The Shield Training-The-Trainer Program, Kyung-Shick Choi, Insun Park, Mijin Kim, Ji Yae Bong

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Older adults face growing risks of cyber-enabled fraud, yet scalable, evidence-based prevention programs remain limited. Guided by Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT), this study evaluates the pilot implementation of the Seniors Harnessing Internet Education for Lasting Defense (SHIELD) Training-the-Trainer program, designed to prepare law enforcement officers and community leaders to deliver cybercrime prevention education to older adults. A key innovation of SHIELD is its integration of interactive game-based simulations, which allow participants to practice verification, refusal, and reporting behaviors in realistic cybercrime scenarios. Following the December 2025 pilot session in Boston, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants from law enforcement, …

Vishing And Smishing Perpetrators And Their Victims In Nigerian Slums, Lateef J. Adeyemo, Tirimisiyu Y. Olabulo, Idenyi G. Peter

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

This study investigates the personal accounts of both perpetrators and victims to better understand the techniques and strategies used in vishing and smishing schemes. It adopts a qualitative cross-sectional design across three Lagos slums (Ajegunle, Amukoko, and Ijora-Badia), using snowball sampling to recruit 20 victims and 10 perpetrators for in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that perpetrators impersonate trusted entities using low-tech tools (pre-registered SIMs, bulk SMS apps) to exploit trust. Selective morality emerges among offenders, with some repaying known victims due to guilt while exploiting strangers, alongside a mentorship culture where experienced scammers train newcomers. Poverty and peer influence normalize the …

From Authorization To Loss: A Blockchain Forensic Analysis Of Transaction-Level Mechanisms In Cryptocurrency Airdrop Scams, Chanwoo Shin, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cryptocurrency airdrop scams have emerged as a rapidly growing form of cyber-enabled financial crime, yet remain underexplored in empirical research. This study examines how transaction-level mechanisms and offender strategies influence variation in monetary loss in airdrop scam incidents. Grounded in Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT), the study conceptualizes financial harm as occurring within decentralized environments where users’ online behaviors, particularly transaction authorization, intersect with limited digital capable guardianship. Data were drawn from 112 validated airdrop scam cases reported on Chainabuse.com between January and December 2025. Blockchain forensic analysis using Breadcrumbs was conducted to reconstruct transaction pathways, identify exchange interactions, and detect …

(Re)Making Our Own Monsters: Critical Posthumanism And Youth Activism In The Wild Ones, Judith Dunkerly-Boulanger

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study examines the graphic novel The Wild Ones through a critical posthumanist lens and multimodal content analysis (MMCA) to explore its portrayal of youth activism, cultural diversity, and interconnectedness. The story follows four children who summon monsters from their cultural folklore to resist capitalist developers’ demolition of their apartment building. The analysis identifies three key themes: wildness as a source of constructive power, the challenge to anthropocentric narratives, and intersectional youth empowerment. The book subverts traditional hierarchies by blending human and nonhuman agency and emphasizing relational networks among humans, nonhumans, and the environment. The monsters serve as symbols of …

Lessons Learned Using Participatory Research To Develop Physical Education Resources And Recommendations For Blind Students, M. Ally Keene, Nina Marranca, Julia Lagrand, Andrews Mead-Colegrove, Angela Eckhoff, Justin Haegele

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Using a participatory action research (PAR) methodology, the purpose of this manuscript was to describe the experiences of co-constructing resources and recommendations for physical education (PE) teachers, with blind individuals as research partners, aimed at enhancing PE for blind students. Four blind young adults served as research partners within the project. The project consisted of 15 meetings over 19 weeks and two stages, and took place entirely on Zoom. Stage one consisted of four meetings and focused on exploring the needs of the partners and their experiences and opinions related to improving PE for future blind students. Stage two consisted …

Languages Of Marginalization: Educational Inequality And Identity Formation Among Rohingya Refugees In Bangladesh, Md Khalid Rahman

Sustainability and Social Justice

This research paper investigates how language-of-instruction policies shape educational inequality and identity formation among Rohingya refugee children living in protracted displacement in Cox’ Bazar, Bangladesh. Analyzed from a human right–based framework, the study examines whether existing educational policies align with international legal standards on the right to education, including the UDHR, ICESCR, Child Convention and SDG 4. While these frameworks guarantee non-discriminatory and inclusive access to education, the reality in Cox’s Bazar reveals a persistent gap between normative commitments and policy implementation. Moreover, the study explores how the exclusion of both the host language (Bangla) and the native Rohingya language …

My Autobiography Of Listening: A Worksheet, David Keck

C. Listening for One’s Own Voice

This 1-page worksheet provides a framework for exploring the ways in which a person's experiences shape their listening habits and capacities. It helps users answer the question, "How did I come to listen this way?"

Florida Springs: From Geography To Politics And Restoration, Linh Uong

The Southeastern Librarian

Christopher F. Meindl

Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2024

ISBN: 9780813079158

245 pp. $38.00 (Hbk)

Invisible Blackness: A Louisiana Family In The Age Of Racial Passing, Tim Dodge

The Southeastern Librarian

Katy Morlas Shannon

Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2025

ISBN: 9780807183823

184 pp. $29.95 (Hbk)

Employing The Marketing Mix Framework To Increase Usage Of Academic Libraries, Chantelle Swaren

The Southeastern Librarian

Academic libraries face a regular influx of new students, creating an ongoing need to increase awareness and usage. To accomplish this, many academic libraries rely on short-term outreach tactics that focus on only one element of the marketing mix: Promotion. This article introduces the complete marketing mix framework, including seven elements (7 Ps), and explains how they can be applied in academic libraries. Definitions and library-specific examples are provided for each element: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Proof. The integrated approach of marketing mix theory and planning can be employed by academic libraries to increase patron awareness, …

Member Spotlight: Wanda Kay Brown, Blair Jones

The Southeastern Librarian

Member Spotlight no. 3 for the Winter 2026 issue of The Southeastern Librarian. The spotlight shines on Wanda Kay Brown, Director of Library Services at the C. G. O'Kelly Library at Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina.

Leading The Change: Staff-Driven Ai Transformation In Smu Libraries’ Collection Team, Siew Khim Lim, Fion Goh

Research Collection Library

Why do libraries need to use AI? It is crucial for Libraries to stay relevant in this digital age by improving efficiency, access, and user experience. By adopting AI, libraries can better manage growing digital collections, provide innovative services, and ensuring they remain essential as hubs for knowledge and learning in an AIdriven world.

Protected And Conserved Areas In Canada: Advancing Conservation Policy, Practice & Indigenous Leadership, Christopher J. Lemieux, Don Carruthers Den Hoed, Eli Enns, Catherine E. Reining

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Protected and Conserved Areas in Canada: Advancing Conservation Policy, Practice, and Indigenous Leadership, is Canada’s first bilingual, interdisciplinary, open-access textbook dedicated to the evolving management and planning of protected and conserved areas. This resource addresses critical pressures and transitions in conservation, integrating Indigenous perspectives and case studies from across Canada to prepare the next generation of practitioners and researchers to become ethical, equitable, and effective decision-makers.

Over the past decade, Canada has experienced rapid expansion of protected and conserved areas, including the rise of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), the expansion of marine protected and conserved areas, and …

Aires Protégées Et Conservées Au Canada: Faire Progresser Les Politiques, Les Pratiques, Et Le Leadership Autochtone En Matière De Conservation, Christopher J. Lemieux, Don Carruthers Den Hoed, Eli Enns, Catherine E. Reining

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Aires protégées et conservées au Canada : faire progresser les politiques, les pratiques et le leadership autochtone en matière de conservation est le premier manuel bilingue, interdisciplinaire et en libre accès au Canada consacré à la gestion et à la planification en pleine évolution des aires protégées et conservées. Cette ressource aborde les enjeux et transitions critiques qui marquent le domaine de la conservation, en intégrant les perspectives autochtones et des études de cas provenant de tout le pays, pour préparer la prochaine génération de praticiens et de chercheurs à devenir des décideurs éthiques, équitables et efficaces.

Au cours de …

Afro-Indigenous Burial Ground Gpr Survey Data From Umass Boston Archaeological Work, Shelter Island, Ny, John M. Steinberg, John Schoenfelder, Nedra Lee, Stephen Mrozowski, Chiara M. Torrini, Tess Ostoyich, Claire Ross, Kristen Delatour, Joseph E. Kinney

Data and Datasets

Survey data from the ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey at the Afro-Indigenous Burial Ground (AIBG) at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, NY. Zip folder contains raw recorded data (radargrams). Additional files include zipped shapefiles for GPR transects, trees and rocks; and  dat file. Fieldstone marker files include zipped folders with an excel sheet listing numbered fieldstone markers, and a sheet listing the photographs of the fieldstone markers. Fieldstone marker number allows tor joining the photographs, and the "rock" shapefile to the list of markers.

The .rd7 files are the type generated by MALA GPR systems to record raw data (they are …

The Resonant Geometry Field Model: Mapping The Fluid Dynamics Of Emotion, Syntax, And Resonance, Michael J. Miller, Chatgpt (Ai~Nesbo+)

Psychology

We present a minimal field model of communication—resonance geometry—in which 11 core emotions emerge as geometric features of a shared medium rather than as discrete labels. This model extends the Theory of Communication Resonance & Intelligence Tuning (ToCRIT) by translating its qualitative constructs—resonant tethers (connection “wells” between communicators), lucid/drag zones (smooth vs resistant flow of emotion and syntax), and the Cognitive-Emotive Fracture Principle (closeness in syntax or emotion can increase risk of rupture)—into quantifiable field metrics: throughput (𝓣), rigidity (ρ), coupling (k), and hemispheric shear (α).

Additional modifiers include a Ranvier–Stokes analogue (continuity punctuated by “node kicks”) and a death-gravity …

Trade Openness And Economic Growth In Africa: Goods Or Services?, Fe Doukouré Charles

Journal of African Trade

This study examines the impact of trade openness in goods and services on economic growth across Africa, utilizing panel data for all 54 countries from 1980 to 2022. The analysis, conducted at both continental and regional economic community levels, finds that trade openness generally exerts a positive effect on economic performance. However, a significant regional heterogeneity emerges. Notably, a decoupling is observed between goods trade expansion and strong GDP growth in Central and East Africa, a weaker relationship in Northern and Southern Africa, and a similarly decoupled pattern for services trade and GDP growth in most regions, except for a …

Review Of Vampire Forensics: Uncovering The Origins Of An Enduring Legend, Elizabeth Brandt

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend (2010) by Mark Collins Jenkins.

Navigating The Tightrope: Balancing Access & Cybersecurity In Academic Publishing, John W. Felts, Amanda Ferrante, Matthew Ragucci, Heather Staines

Library Faculty Presentations

Institutions, publishers, and scholars are grappling with the complex challenges of ensuring security while fostering access to knowledge. The drive to make research more easily available brings with it new cybersecurity risks, from safeguarding sensitive information in publisher databases to protecting the integrity of scholarly content. These challenges underscore the need for a coordinated approach that balances ease of access with robust digital security practices.

This paper will examine the intersection of cybersecurity and access within academic publishing, exploring how industry stakeholders can collaboratively address these issues. With an increasing reliance on digital platforms to distribute and access research, ensuring …

Bridging The Gap: Strengthening The Integration Of Theoretical Knowledge And Practical Application Among Social Work Students In Practicum Education., Franzeska Sampson-Bacchus

Publications and Research

This study examined challenges Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students face in connecting classroom learning to field practice. It explored: (1) barriers to applying theory, (2) the role of faculty and field instructors in supporting integration, and (3) effective educational interventions. A survey was given to students in capstone and field placement courses. Findings revealed that students often struggle due to nervousness, fear of making mistakes, and difficulty translating theory into practice. While some supervision included discussions linking theory to practice, many students reported these conversations were inconsistent. Supervision often emphasizes agency tasks over reflective learning. Three key themes were …

Lawn And Order: Government Information On Gardening, Arizona State University, Fletcher Library

Agriculture/Horticulture

Photographs, Bibliography, and Collection Description for a display of government documents from Fletcher Library at Arizona State University.

The Rise Of Right-Wing Populism Among Young Men, Oliver Lorgen

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Since the end of World War II, young people of Western Liberal Democracies have generally leaned left, holding views of reform, social progression, and policies that lead to a general increase in quality of life through social programs (Universal healthcare, food programs, public housing, etc). With unprecedented economic security, many people, especially younger ones, refocused their priorities away from ones of survival through strict authority and toward left-liberal positions of individual autonomy, civil rights, and redistribution of wealth and power. This trend continued throughout the 20th century. However, as instability begins to plague Western Liberal Democracies in the 21st century, …

Leveraging Research-Based Knowledge Translation Via Rural Libraries To Improve Maize Postharvest Practices In Uganda, Jackline Estomihi Kiwelu, Patrick Ngulube

Libraries

Background: Rural community libraries are increasingly recognised for providing localised knowledge, yet their potential to support agricultural extension services and improve access to postharvest knowledge in Uganda remains underexplored.
Objectives: This study examined the postharvest information needs of smallholder maize farmers and explored how community libraries can be leveraged to translate and repackage research-based knowledge to meet these needs.
Method: A mixed-methods parallel design was employed. Data were collected from a survey of 312 maize farmers, personal interviews and two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 22 extension workers and four librarians. Desk research was conducted to analyse relevant documents. Quantitative …