Development Studies Commons^™

The Indispensable Role Of The Sister Disability Agencies: Safeguarding Progress And Enhancing Outcomes Through Collaboration, Lesley Cottrell, Susan Given, Christina E. Wiseman

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This manuscript emphasizes the critical importance of having a Disability Network of services—including University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and Protection & Advocacy organizations - in promoting systemic innovation and improved outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. Highlighting a case study from West Virginia, where collaboration between West Virginia University’s Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Disability Rights of West Virginia, and the West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council has resulted in cost-effective, sustainable improvements, this paper underscores the urgent need to protect and expand these programs amidst current policy threats. The evidence underscores that …

Increasing Participation Through Online Focus Groups With Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Emily L. Cary, Chris A. Taylor, Susan Havercamp, Andrea Witwer

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The aim of this study was to develop and describe methods on how to conduct virtual focus groups with adults with intellectual disability. Using a community-engaged research approach, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities helped develop virtual focus group methods. We report on the implementation of these methods through an illustrative application of applying these adaptations to virtual focus groups with 13 adults with intellectual disability in a study assessing their perspectives on mental health therapy.

This work resulted in several adaptations that can enhance inclusivity of focus group research to individuals with intellectual disability. Adaptions broadly included: involving guardians …

Training On "Learn The Signs. Act Early." In Head Start And Early Head Start Shows Ineffective Without Supporting Implementation Policy, Kayla Livingston, Mary O'Donnell, Kate G. Barlow

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays improves child outcomes, yet many children are not monitored, screened, or identified early despite its effectiveness. The relationship between the use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” developmental monitoring program and referrals to intervention services is not well understood. This study investigated how “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” implementation practices within Massachusetts’ Head Start and Early Head Start agencies correlated with the rate of referrals to intervention services. Researchers utilized a non-experimental quantitative design. Secondary data on referral rates from Head Start and Early …

Educating Medical Trainees On Mental Healthcare And Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Andrea Palmieri, Joan B. Beasley, Micah Peace Urquilla, Jennifer Mclaren

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Many children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience mental health conditions and commonly receive treatment with psychotropic medications. Prescribers often overuse these medications in children with IDD, who are frequently treated with polypharmacy and antipsychotics, a trend that continues into adulthood. Medical trainees receive little training regarding the IDD patient population. This paper describes the development and evaluation of an evidence-informed, easy-to-use training curriculum. The 6-hour training establishes a foundation for medical trainees regarding the treatment of mental health conditions in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD-MH) as part of an integrated health, interdisciplinary treatment approach. …

Balls, Boots, And Bats: Indo-Fijian Women Reimagining Sport, Masculinity, And Identity In The Global South, Rohini Balram

Journal of Global South Sport Studies

In Fiji, physicality and hegemonic masculinity are largely defined by rugby and the military, institutions dominated by Indigenous Fijian men, who are predominantly Christian, often marginalising other races, genders, religions, and sports. While research in the Global South has examined intersections of race and gender, little is known about how masculinity is understood across different sports, sporting icons, and contexts—particularly from the perspective of South Asian migrant women in Oceania with hybrid identities. This paper investigates how young Indo-Fijian women negotiate masculinity, identity, and agency through sport, Bollywood cinema, social media, and cultural narratives. Drawing on a year-long, multi-method participatory …

Reinventing Islamic Pilgrimage In Jogokariyan Mosque, Indonesia, Ahmad Izudin

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Indonesian Muslims have a longstanding tradition of visiting holy sites as part of Islamic pilgrimages. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in mosques as popular destinations for spiritual journeys and meditation. This shift could potentially impact local communities and may lead to the development of new pilgrimage routes within the context of spiritual exploration. However, this paper examines the Jogokariyan Mosque in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which has become a significant stop on the Islamic pilgrimage route. The author utilises a case study approach, collecting data through observation, interviews, and documentation. The study highlights that a mosque, as the material objective …

From Warning To Action: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Conflict Early Warning And Early Response Systems In Nigeria, Chukwudi G. Njoku

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

Violent conflicts continue to persist and escalate, with frequently changing dynamics in Nigeria. This is notwithstanding the existence of active conflict early warning and early response (CEWER) systems. While some of the CEWER systems have recorded some successes, gaps have been identified in their effectiveness, especially around how the early warning information are utilized for prompt response to prevent and mitigate conflicts. The study also identified a dearth of literature on the subject, highlighting the need for research on the effectiveness of CEWER systems in Nigeria. The study adopts a mixed research method which combines qualitative, quantitative and geospatial approaches. …

The Role Music Plays In Facilitating Transformation And Self-Actualization In Israeli Music Students Impacted By Trauma, Adina Feldman

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the role music plays in facilitating transformation and self-actualization among Israeli undergraduate and alumni music students who have experienced trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder. Guided by social constructivist and humanistic-existential frameworks, this research employs a narrative methodology to examine how music operates as a medium for meaning-making, resilience, and growth in non-clinical contexts. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and the analysis of musical compositions and artifacts from two singer-songwriters who transformed personal adversity into creative expression. The findings reveal that although trauma leaves lasting psychological and emotional effects, engagement with music enables …

Development Of Research Productivity Appraisal Tool (Reprodapt): Validity And Reliability, Daisy Alberto, Roberto C. Sombillo, Danaida Marcelo, Juanito O. Cabanias

The Lasallian Journal of Health

Objectives: The aim of this study is to develop a research productivity appraisal tool (ReProdApT) and determine its validity, reliability/reproducibility, feasibility, and usability for De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute.
Methods: The ReProdApT has a set of indicators and an academic relative value unit as recommended by several authors for measuring academic research productivity [1-3]. Through a non-experimental, crosssectional design, the tool underwent content validation by experts, inter- and intra- rater reliability testing and assessment of feasibility and usability. Results: Of the 22 faculty members from different colleges who participated in the study, 13 were females and nine …

Building Healthy Parent-Adolescent Relationships Within A Religious Context, Brooklyn Williams

ASPIRE 2026

Religion has been founded to be a protective factor for adolescence consistently in research.  During the project, a family life education program was developed and implemented based on the population needs. Specifically, the developmental asset research was used to develop a program for parent and child engagement.

Sensory Modulation For Adults With Developmental Disabilities: An Occupational Therapy Approach For Adult Day Programs, Aveen Dulai

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

This occupational therapy (OT) doctoral capstone project focused on the development and implementation of a proactive sensory modulation program with the use of Assistive Technology (AT) for adults with Developmental Disabilities (DD) at an adult day program. Adults with DD have diverse needs such as - motor, communication, behavioral, cognitive, and sensory processing challenges. These varying abilities often require AT and environmental adaptations to afford meaningful participation in occupations.  Providing customized and accessible programing for adults with DD arediversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) issues (Kripke, 2018). Often, adult day programs are limited in OT services, including accessible sensory …

Full-Time Career Retirement: A Black Man’S Narrative Of Survival And Protecting His Peace, Demetrius Cofield, Amaya Rakes

Adultspan Journal

Full-time career retirement is a major developmental transition that is often examined through race-neutral frameworks, leaving Black men’s experiences underexplored in counseling and aging scholarship. This perspective article centers the narrative of a retired Black man veteran who transitioned into full-time career retirement after decades of state employment. Using a narrative interview approach, this manuscript examines the factors that shaped his retirement decision and adjustment to later adulthood. The interview frames retirement as a process of self-preservation, continuity, and intentional living rather than identity loss or disengagement. Findings highlight the role of disciplined wellness practices and selective disengagement in promoting …

Family Factors And Adolescent Behavior: How Parenting Practices And Parent-Child Relationships Shape Internalizing And Externalizing Behaviors, Angela J. Spikes

Social Work Dissertations

Mental health challenges can emerge across childhood and adolescence, often manifesting as internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These outcomes are shaped by the complex interplay of environmental and contextual influences, particularly parenting practices and family dynamics. This study examines how parental practices and caregiver-child relationship quality influence adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors while accounting for key sociodemographic factors, including sex, race/ethnicity, maternal education, income, and household structure. Using a longitudinal design, secondary data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Well-being Study. The analytic sample included adolescents and caregivers with data from Wave 5 (Year 9) and Wave 6 …

Living In A Bubble: How Children And Adults Use Generics To Talk About Social Kinds In Unique Sociocultural Contexts, Ny Vasil, Alejandro Curiel, Tiffany Zhu, Anna Pederneschi, Katherine Ritchie

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Generics like "kids love sugar" convey generalizations. But what is their scope? Are they taken to be global, or can generics communicate regularities restricted to "sociocultural bubbles"? Two studies examined the developing capacity for contextual restriction of generics in 137 4-7-year-olds (63/70/4 female/male/other) and 222 adults (128/89/5 female/male/other). Participants evaluated generics attributing group properties prevalent globally vs. "within-bubbles," with contextual cues that speakers conveyed broad vs. contextually restricted regularities. Both children and adults appreciated that generics can communicate group characteristics occurring within narrow sociocultural contexts. Adults selectively endorsed global or local generics depending on context, but younger children allowed socially …

Children's Peer Selection In Stem: The Influence Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Disability, Meagan Girard, Kim P. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present study examined how children’s peer selection in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) may be influenced by gender, ethnicity, and physical disability. Sixty-four children (ages 6-12) from elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario completed three tasks: a simulated peer selection task, an attribution of ability task, and a stereotype belief questionnaire. In the peer selection task, participants were repeatedly asked to select one peer from a set of AI-generated photographs showing children who differed by gender (male, female), ethnicity (White, Black, East Asian), and physical disability status (able-bodied user vs. nondisabled). The Peer Selection Task was based on the …

Partisipasi Pendidikan Menengah Atas Dan Perkawinan Remaja Perempuan 16–18 Tahun Di Indonesia, Herjuno Bagus Wicaksono, Diahhadi Setyonaluri

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

This study examines the relationship between upper secondary education participation and early marriage among women aged 16–18 in Indonesia. Using district-level panel data for 2014–2023, the analysis applies a fixed effects regression to estimate the association between the female net enrollment rate and marriage prevalence among adolescent women. The results indicate that higher participation in upper secondary education is associated with lower early marriage rates. Socioeconomic factors and the implementation of the Marriage Law Reform are also relevant contributors. These findings suggest the importance of expanding access to upper secondary education as part of broader efforts to reduce early marriage.

Assessing The Feasibility Of Small Modular Reactor Deployment On Islands In Southeast Asia And The Pacific, Hayden C. Beauchemin

CMC Senior Theses

This study looks at the feasibility of using Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to provide island microgrids in Southeast Asia and the Pacific with clean, reliable electricity. SMRs are compared to current methods of electricity generation, namely diesel generators, as well as to renewable alternatives. Policymakers will face geopolitical, technical, economic, and domestic political challenges to SMR deployment. The key considerations of SMRs, including economic viability, safety approaches, public attitudes, and diplomatic relations are considered, and solutions are identified for issues such as financing and nuclear waste disposal. The analysis reinforces the conclusion that SMR deployment is feasible for islands in …

Policy Recommendations To Reduce False Confessions By Juveniles In Wrongful Conviction Cases, Rohit R. Iyer

CMC Senior Theses

This research focuses on false confessions by juveniles in the United States justice system. False confessions are statements made by suspects during investigations in which individuals provide statements to investigators admitting to a crime in which they had no part. In these cases, individuals often spend years, if not the entirety, of their lives behind bars for crimes they did not commit. False confessions are the result of a number of systemic factors that will be discussed in this paper. While relatively rare, they are one of the largest blemishes in the U.S. justice system. Juveniles – individuals below the …

Exploring Students' Perceptions Of Active Learning Practices And Their Role In Critical Thinking Development In Undergraduate Biology Education, Kwame Kyeremah

All Master's Theses

As the global landscape becomes increasingly complex and undergoes more rapid changes than ever before, critical thinking has become an indispensable skill for addressing challenges in society, science, and the workplace. Despite its widespread adoption in undergraduate STEM education, active learning remains poorly understood from the student's perspective. This study investigated how undergraduate biology students perceived active learning in a ten-week biostatistics course (BIOL 213) at Central Washington University, and whether those perceptions aligned with critical thinking gains measured by the California Critical Thinking Skills Test with Numeracy (CCTST-N). A convergent mixed-methods design integrated student perception and mindset survey data …

Child Care Directors' Perspectives On Inclusion And Classroom Performance On Quality Rating Observation Measures, Dana C. Childress, Kristen Ingram, Ann Maydosz, Jonna L. Bobzien

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

This research examined child care center directors’ perceptions of inclusion, specifically related to staff’s knowledge and skills of how to care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental delays and disabilities. They were also asked if their center’s ability to care for these children could affect performance on classroom observation measures such as those included in quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS). Two hundred forty-four directors in one southeastern state in the United States responded to a cross-sectional, electronic survey and provided the following insights: (1) staff were likely to have at least some knowledge of how to include and …