Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Harm Reduction In Corrections And Improved Treatment Programs, Aliceanne Pegg

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C in the United States corrections system is discussed. The importance of implementing harm-reduction strategies to help reduce the spread of bloodborne viruses is described. Also examined are rural communities' barriers to behavioral health and substance use treatment programs. The need for these treatment programs will be defined, and a policy to correct the issue will be proposed. These programs are not without criticism, and the ethics of implementing these programs are often called into question. Ethical considerations of these programs are considered, and an action plan is described to …

Exploring Faculty And Academic Advisors’ Experiences Supporting College Students With Mental Health Challenges: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Shantalea Johns

Social Work Faculty Publications

This interpretive phenomenological study explores faculty and academic advisors’ experiences in supporting students with mental health challenges. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, which suggests that personal beliefs, prior experiences, and familiarity with symptoms influence behavior, the study examines participant narratives to identify key factors that shape their approaches to supporting students. Findings indicate that personal beliefs about mental health, prior experiences with individuals facing mental health challenges, and campus-based mental health training opportunities all significantly enhance mental health support mechanisms for students outside traditional counseling settings. The ability of faculty and academic advisors to recognize signs of mental …

A Randomized Controlled Study Of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback In An Older Adult Sample, Whitney D. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) is a controlled breathing treatment designed to increase the variation in consecutive heartbeats leading to improved regulation of one's autonomic nervous system thereby improving one's ability to self-regulate and maintain homeostasis. Changes in heart rate variability (HRV) are seen in those of increased age and lower HRV is associated with poorer outcomes (e.g., increased mortality, worse emotional functioning, cardiovascular risk factors). As such, older adults are a group that stands to benefit from HRVB principles. The current randomized control trial was designed to understand the impact of HRVB in an older adult population on resting …

Microsimulation: A Solution For Effective Client Engagement, Girish Balakrishnan

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

A key challenge that product management professionals face is to convince their clients about the relevance of a product towards their business needs by aligning those with the product vision. To accomplish this need, new strategies to engage the clients with the product vision are extremely critical. Microsimulation is a wonderful way to not just communicate product vision but also to familiarize clients with unique functionalities offered by the product. Microsimulations avoid miscommunications by establishing interaction between provider and consumer. This research study primarily focuses on solving the problem of client disengagement in organizations involved in product development and operating …

Preventing Carbon Emissions With Imaging-Based Civil Infrastructure Assessment And Evaluation, Thomas Schumacher

PSU Transportation Seminars

For concrete bridges without existing plans, simplified and highly conservative load rating (structural evaluation) methods may be used, which can lead to unnecessary load restrictions, unjustifiable strengthening, or in the worst case, preventable replacements. Avoiding these outcomes not only saves money but it prevents carbon emissions from longer travel and construction activities and resources associated with replacement.

This presentation discusses a case study of a prestressed concrete bridge that required a load rating, and for which no plans existed. Imaging and image fusion using radar and ultrasonic measurements taken from the top and bottom of the slab were performed to …

Culturally Considerate Trauma-Focused Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment In Latine/X Populations: A Scoping Review, Alejandra Kukuli Delgado, Ryan Holliday, Shira Maguen, Nicholas Holder

Psychology Student Research

Background/Objectives: While theoretical articles describing cultural considerations for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment in Latine/x populations exist, empirical trials are less common. The present study aimed to review the existing literature for empirically tested, trauma-focused PTSD treatments among Latine/x samples to describe treatment outcomes, cultural considerations, and gaps in the existing literature. Methods: For this scoping review, we identified studies that met inclusion criteria as culturally considerate, trauma-focused PTSD treatments reporting symptom outcomes in Latine/x adults. We searched databases (n = 7) and collected 2176 unique records. Six reports met inclusion criteria. Studies enrolled 176 participants into five …

Mentoring And Change Management: Integrating Organizational Mentorship With Change Initiatives, Ramiro Pesina, Danny Darden, David Silberman

Student Posters

Change is an inevitable and defining force in organizations. While structured change management frameworks provide critical guidance, they often overlook the human dimensions of change. We investigate mentoring and argue that it should not merely support change initiatives but serve as a strategic driver of successful transformations, serving as a multidimensional driver of cognitive alignment, emotional support, and behavioral adaptation, and introduce a mentoring framework that addresses these areas while bridging the gap between the procedural and human-centric change elements.

By interviewing participants who have been involved in mentoring programs yet experienced significant organizational change, we will identify their support …

Stop The Brain Drain: A Higher Education Collaborative Autoethnographic Change Study Using A Soft Systems Approach, Danny Darden, Angela Nunez, Stella Shen, Rob E. Carpenter, Ginger Vaughn, Tim Murphy

Student Posters

Knowledge loss is a common challenge within IHEs—highly educated and skilled individuals leave—often taking the knowledge to do their job well with them. Turnover in IHEs is currently at an all-time high. There is a strong correlation between knowledge management practices and organizational performance. This paper (in progress) explores this phenomenon using collaborative institutional ethnography, enabling a critical analysis of how power dynamics and uncertainty shape both individual experiences and broader workplace social structures. Participants include six IHE employees (in various IHE roles) from three separate universities in the eastern region of Texas. We aim to uncover the internal experiences …

Toward A More Effective Dod Contribution To Strategic Competition In The Western Hemisphere, R. Evan Ellis

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

©2025 R. Evan Ellis

Innovative new thinking on the security dimension of the challenges posed by the PRC’s engagement in Latin America and the DoD’s role in the whole-of-government US response is needed. This monograph highlights risks from PRC influence networks, digital architectures, and dual-use commercial facilities in the region, particularly at ports and in the space sector; shows how PRC economic engagement and other support sustains illiberal regimes, indirectly contributing to the risks these regimes pose by hosting criminal and terrorist groups and other US adversaries, such as Russia and Iran; and illustrates how commercial, people-to-people, and security engagements …

Educating Nurses To Use Age-Appropriate Communication Strategies In A Pediatric Hospital, Diane Arce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quality improvement staff education project was developed to address a gap in practice related to family-centered communication in the project facility. New nurses are often unaware of the impact of family-centered communication when caring for pediatric patients. The lack of preparation for basic nursing tasks after graduation may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of clinical time related to hospitals ceasing school rotations for clinical training. This impacts new nurses’ preparation for the duties and responsibilities of a licensed registered nurse in a pediatric hospital. This education program aimed to increase nurses’ knowledge about evidence-based family-centered communication …

Asean's Scs Divergence: An Analysis Of Historical, Economic, And Strategic Factors, Carl E. Dick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a significant gap in the scholarly literature on the Association of Southeast Asia Nations’s (ASEAN's) internal divisions and policy inconsistencies in responding to China's expansion in the South China Sea that considers national interests, economic dependencies, and security concerns. There is no cohesive regional strategy. This study examined the ASEAN’s responses to Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea, focusing on the Second Thomas Shoal. It addressed the research question: how have historical, economic, and strategic factors influenced ASEAN's collective and individual member state responses to China's actions. Territorial peace theory and constructivist perspectives were used to analyze …

Reading The Rainbow: Exploring Themes And Identities In Lgbtqia+ Picture Books, Amanda Melilli, Alicia G. Vaandering, James W. Rosenzweig

Library Faculty Presentations

This presentation shares an analysis of over 275 picture books featuring LGBTQIA+ identities, providing evidence that the depiction of queerness in children’s literature is complex and varied. Tools for defining narrative themes and LGBTQIA+ identities will be shared as well as data on queer characters with intersecting identities. By exploring the nuances of LGBTQIA+ representation in picture books, attendees will gain a better understanding of novel research inquiries into representation.

Presentación Del Libro: Reflexiones En Comunicación, Colaboración Y Convergencia, Primera Edición, Cristo Leon Ph.D., Marcos O. Cabobianco B.A., James Lipuma Ph.D., Victor Hugo Guzmán Zarate Ph.D., Esteban Rodríguez-Flores

STEM for Success Resources

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Employment On Canadian Caregivers’ Mental Well-Being, Tayma Hayek

MA Research Paper

Millions of caregivers experience mental strain from balancing caregiving and work responsibilities, yet there is relatively little research on Canadian caregivers’ experiences. The first aim of this study was to analyze the impact of employment status and work flexibility on caregivers’ mental health and stress. The second aim was to examine if caregivers’ mental health or stress varies by life-stage. The study used the life-course perspective and logistic regression to analyze the mental health and stress of employed Canadian caregivers ages 25 to 64 using data from the Canadian General Social Survey (GSS) cycle 32. Results indicated that caregivers working …

Ensuring Free, Immediate, And Equitable Access To Federally Funded Research (August 25, 2022)

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research (August 25, 2022)

Is Ethical Review A Barrier To The Publication Of Research On Violence Against Women And Children For Low- And Middle-Income Country Researchers?, Elizabeth Dartnall, Sarah Homan, Kevin Lalor, Mpho Silima, Chi-Chi Undie

Articles

Producing and publishing research on violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) is essential for developing evidence-based solutions to these widespread issues. However, researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face numerous challenges and structural inequities that hinder their ability to contribute to the global knowledge base. Among these, obtaining research ethics approval, which is essential for ensuring research integrity and safeguarding participant welfare, stands out as a particularly critical and often arduous hurdle. Access to research ethics approval presents significant challenges for researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), due to: (1) limited availability and accessibility of …

Бадхызские Архивы. Том 2, Р. И. Горелова, В. Я. Фет

Books Published by MU Libraries in MDS

Gorelova, RI, Fet V, editors. The Badkhyz Archives, Vol. 2. Huntington, WV: Marshall University Libraries; 2025. 387 p.

This book represents the second volume of the series started in 2021. It compiles memoirs and research information about the unique Badkhyz Natural Reserve, now in Turkmenistan, formerly at the southernmost point of the USSR. Established in 1941, the Reserve—nicknamed a Serengeti of Central Asia— housed many unique and endangered species, with an iconic wild ass, or kulan, preserved only there. The second volume includes unique and otherwise unavailable information about the workers of the Reserve in 1940s-1980s. We continuento publish …

The Current - Volume 35 Issue 9, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Lowell Hardin: Mentor Extraordinaire, Larry L. Murdock, Thomas W. Hertel, Gebisa Ejeta

Purdue University Press Books

Lowell Stewart Hardin (1917–2015), an Indiana farm boy who became an enormously influential international agriculturalist, made the world a better place for the poor and the hungry on this earth. For seventeen years he led the Ford Foundation’s agricultural development efforts, contributing to the Green Revolution. He helped to found and guide international agriculture research centers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He inspired others to get involved and opened doors for them. He taught by example, gave others credit, and always stepped back, avoiding the limelight himself. In this volume, twenty-two people who knew him well share stories of …

The Power Of Disconnecting: The Moderating Effect Of Decompression On Safety Culture And Organizational Commitment In Nurses, Mackenzie Zimmerman

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of decompression in moderating and mediating the relationship between safety culture and affective organizational commitment among nurses in a pediatric healthcare organization. Data from 908 nurses were analyzed to test two primary hypotheses. The first hypothesis proposed that safety culture would positively predict organizational commitment, and the results supported this, showing that stronger safety cultures were associated with greater organizational commitment (b = 0.55, p < .001). The second hypothesis suggested that decompression would moderate the relationship between safety culture and organizational commitment. However, decompression did not significantly moderate this relationship across the overall sample (b = 0.03, p = .258). Post hoc mediation analysis, however, revealed that decompression acted as a significant mediator (b = 0.071, p = .05), highlighting that decompression enhances the effect of safety culture on organizational commitment. These findings underscore the importance of fostering a strong safety culture and implementing decompression strategies, such as mindfulness practices and structured breaks, to improve nurse well-being and retention. Implications for healthcare organizations aiming to enhance workforce resilience and commitment are discussed, alongside suggestions for future research exploring departmental variations in decompression's effectiveness.

University Students & Faculty Would Like More Knowledge About Using Ai In Academics, Tessa Richardson

Research on Capitol Hill

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prevalent in every aspect of human life. Understanding both faculty and student attitudes and behaviors toward AI in education allows governing boards and lawmakers to effectively discuss and make informed decisions regarding policies that impact its usage.

Drought And Lack Of Water Are Among The Top Environmental Concerns For All Utahns, Sydney Fisk

Research on Capitol Hill

Rural populations are often left out of research, so we wanted to highlight rural Utahns and their opinions on the environment.

To Eat Or Not To Eat: Body Neutrality In The Context Of Educator Eating Disorders, Victoria Mcdermott, Nike Jacob

Feminist Pedagogy

Academia, like many other industries, polices its members through explicit and implicit systems of oppression: thinness, patriarchy, accessibility, and whiteness. Previous research has argued that professors who meet the criteria of current beauty standards (e.g., thinness, attractiveness) experience higher student evaluations, more opportunities for promotion, and better overall academic success than those in diverse body shapes and sizes. As a result, decoupling one's sense of self-worth from these expectations based in power can prove challenging. The present critical reflection and commentary explores the perceptions of two academics with histories of eating disorders (e.g., anorexia and binge-eating disorder), disordered eating, and …

Still Accounting For My Teacher’S Body: The Objective Body/Body As Objective In The Classroom/Classzoom, Leda M. Cooks, Jennifer A. Zenovich

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical commentary reflects on Cooks’ 2007 article, “Accounting for my Teacher’s Body: What can I teach/What can we learn?” by reconsidering power and body relations in light of the concept and pedagogy of body neutrality in the classroom in the 2023 COVID-19 era. The digital and physical classroom are spaces where the (embodied) body is never neutral. By extension, the body is never neutral anywhere regardless of the mindful body neutrality practices suggested by Pellizzer and Wade (2023). In this commentary, we first discuss how the teacher in physical and digital space communicates ideals of competence in performance of …

Reenvisioning Identities That Precede Us: “Body Acknowledgement” As Social Justice Practice Within A Communication Ethics Course Redesign, Wendy Kz Anderson, Ollivia Webster, Nicole Yang, Cass Bryant, Taylor Herr

Feminist Pedagogy

We infuse this conversation of “body neutrality” through social justice responsiveness (compassion, equity, and accountability of body/presence privilege) by specifically attending to intersections of race, gender, and body mindset built into our identities. In reimagining the term “body-neutrality” through identity engagement, we introduce the term “body acknowledgment” as an active interpretative state. As a co-authored pedagogical “co-conspiring” for racial justice (Houdek and Ore, 2021, p. 92), we (instructor, teaching assistants, and previous students) offered a course redesign centering social justice strategies to address the following question: How can dialogue about intersectional communication work toward redesigning learning with difference and develop …

Exploring The Role Of Body Neutrality Perspectives In Feminist Pedagogy, Sydney E. Brammer

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Twitter Politics: The Effect Of Language Style And Source Type On Credibility Judgments, Grace M. Wasinger, Haley Moon, Brooke Mann

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

Politicians can harness social media to influence public perception and shape narratives about current events. Twitter is a social media site that many users engage with for information-seeking purposes. This study investigates how language style and source type influences media viewers’ perceptions on Twitter. In an experiment, participants were presented with tweets that varied by the formality of language used and the type of account used varied by political or personal accounts. Findings suggest a difference in source credibility judgments on the account type and language style used. Specifically, participants viewed formal language and professional accounts as more competent, while …

A Law Enforcement Leader's Response To Human Trafficking, Samuel Whitebear

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Law enforcement leaders must consider how their agency can effectively investigate human trafficking in their jurisdiction. These leaders are tasked with creating an agency culture that prioritizes ethical decision making, which directly affects variables such as officer training and officer treatment of trafficking victims during investigations. Ethically sound decision making has rewards, such as inspiring other leaders to act in a similar fashion. Human trafficking training with an emphasis on the thought-behavior link will enable officers to understand the motivations of both traffickers and victims. Untrained officers rely on biases and assumptions when interacting with sex workers. This is because …

Gratitude And Personality: A Meta-Analysis, Nancy E. Frye, Selenay Aytac, Michele M. Dornisch

Post Library Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between gratitude and personality through a comprehensive review of existing research and a meta-analysis of findings on the correlation between gratitude and the Big Five personality dimensions.

Development And Implementation Of Mental Health Court: Benefits, Barriers, And Bridges, Nevada Smith

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The effective development and implementation of a specialty treatment court program such as a Mental Health Court is tedious, involved, and thorough; the impact of these comprehensive efforts is equally worthwhile, valuable, and substantial. The overall success of a mental health court program’s development and implementation derives from equal and intentional consideration of legal, ethical, and administrative factors. Considering these lenses collaboratively establishes the necessary groundwork for any new mental health court program in its infancy to build upon. This research expands on the ongoing statewide crisis involving individuals who are inadvertently left to slip through the cracks of the …