Introduction To Panelists: Sex Trafficking Of Black Women And Girls, Stephany Powell

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Psychological Health Of First Responder Women And Their Children, Shelby S. Deschepper

Honors Thesis

Abstract

First responders (law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians) often face occupational stressors and may have exposure to traumatic events. As a result, they are at risk for developing mental health conditions. Although there is substantial research on first responder mental health, potential gender differences within this population have received limited attention. The existing evidence suggests that first responders who are women encounter an even higher risk for adverse mental health outcomes than first responders who are men. Additionally, few studies have explored the mental health outcomes of children with first responder parents, and even fewer have …

Adultification Of Black Girls, Melanie Thompson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

The Resilient Families Project: Promoting Resilience, Mindfulness And Belonging Through Community Engagement And Interactive Reading In At-Risk Adults, Sydney Higdon, Dillon Hepler, Lora D. Haynes, Ph.D., Angela Ely, B.A.

The Cardinal Edge

Founded in 2011, the University of Louisville’s Resilient Families Project (RFP) is a community-engaged initiative that promotes evidence-based habits of resilience, mindfulness, and happiness among adults experiencing homelessness and/or in the addiction recovery program at Wayside Christian Mission (WCM). Through weekly trauma-informed sessions, RFP aims to strengthen such things as a sense of family/community, emotional awareness, positive coping strategies and a growth mindset.

This presentation highlights RFP’s current curriculum, centered around our six core values and integrated content from select storybooks, to support healthy attachment relations, interactive reading, and a sense of purpose and belonging.

The current authors also describe …

The Collective Impact Of Physical Activity, Somatic Therapy, And Nature-Based Spirituality (Pastans) On Individuals Recovering From Substance Use Disorders (Suds), Sara R. Maddox

University Honors Theses

This correlation research study explores the collective impact of physical activities, somatic therapies, and nature-based spirituality (referred to as PASTANS, a term created by the researcher) on individuals recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs). The study aimed to evaluate how these practices enhanced emotional regulation and fostered community development, thereby supporting sustained recovery and overall well-being. PASTANS interconnected to alleviate cravings and rewire brain reward pathways, promoting cultural connections through activities that resonated with pre-colonial traditions and were accessible to atheists and agnostics.

Participants engaged in movement and somatic practices in natural settings, including yoga and hiking. Somatic therapies are …

Social Media And E-Cigarette Use In Youth: Does Depression Play A Mediating Role?, Soumya Upadhyay, Mohammad Karim, Shivank Chhaya

Healthcare Administration and Policy Faculty Research

About 28% of middle and high school students report the use of e-cigarettes per the 2019 NYTS survey. Social media can seclude a youth into limited set of beliefs, including affirmation for e-cigarette use. Internalizing problems like depression may be due to overuse of social media, and youth with depressive symptoms are more likely to use e-cigarettes to cope. National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) 2023 data was used (n = 18 143) in a cross-sectional design. Ever e-cigarette use was the binary (Y/N) dependent variable. Independent variable, social media use, was categorized as “never,” “nondaily,” “daily.” Mediator variable, presence of …

Reimagining Safety And Justice: Experiences Of And Resistance To Police Sexual Violence In New York City, Priscilla Bustamante

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the era following both Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, police sexual violence (PSV) currently constitutes the second most commonly reported police complaint after excessive force. Police across the U.S. are caught for some form of sexual misconduct once every five days, with on-duty officers found to commit sexual assaults at more than double the rate of the general population. The gendered and racialized perpetration of sexual violence extends far beyond policing; however, it has been intensified within the masculine, militarized carceral structures designed to legally control and punish.

Accordingly, this dissertation utilizes an interdisciplinary, multi-method approach to offer what …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

Assessing School Readiness For Social And Emotional Learning: A Study Of School Leadership Perceptions And Attitudes, Nahla Elharati

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) in a number of British schools across Egypt, focusing on how school leaders defined and perceived its importance in student development. Through in-depth interviews with twelve school leaders, this study found that school leaders’ definitions of SEL emphasized self- awareness, self-regulation, and relationship-building, alongside a strong focus on the real-life applicability of SEL both within school settings and in students’ future lives. School leaders also expressed positive attitudes toward the benefits of SEL, particularly its role in enhancing academic performance, promoting student well-being, improving peer relationships, and reducing bullying, …

Keeping It Together: Assessing The Wellbeing Of Project-Based Development Practitioners In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Abdallah Fekry Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the wellbeing of project-based development practitioners in Egypt, revealing how systemic pressures—bureaucracy, job insecurity, and fragmented workloads—undermine both wellbeing and productivity. The study employed a mixed-approach, combining 10 in-depth interviews with subject matter experts and practitioners and 75 surveys with development practitioners in Egypt. Data revealed that while many practitioners are driven by purpose, structural challenges erode resilience and motivation over time. Social support networks and personal coping strategies help but cannot replace institutional protections. The study argues that wellbeing must shift from being treated as an individual concern to a structural responsibility. Reframing organizational models around …

Family Caregivers And Suicide Prevention: A Needs And Assets Assessment In Egypt, Lina Osama Allam

Theses and Dissertations

In the Arab world, suicide prevention is shaped by cultural stigma and religious beliefs, shaping both help-seeking behaviors and the design of support systems. Family caregivers play a vital role in suicide prevention but often face significant emotional and logistical burdens. This study is the first known scholarly effort in Egypt to examine the intervention needs of these caregivers. It explored three key questions: the roles and challenges of caregivers supporting individuals with suicidal thoughts or behaviors; the availability of clinical and community-based resources; and the characteristics of future interventions to support them. A total of 92 mental health professionals …

The Correlation Between Spiritual Tourism And Mental Health Of Young People In Binh Duong, Vietnam, Anh Nguyen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

While researchers are in agreement about the positive relationship between spiritual activities (SAs) and mental health (MH) among the general population, the relationship between spiritual tourism (ST) and MH, particularly among young adults, is yet to be adequately investigated. As such, this research was conducted to determine the contribution of ST towards the MH of the younger generation. The respondents are undergraduate students located in Vietnam’s industrial province of Binh Duong. The findings, from the quantitative research approach, indicate that young people perceive ST mainly as a means for visiting places of worship, with little consideration for the MH benefits …

“I Don’T Want To Be The Bad Kind Of Special”: The Lived Experiences Of Autistic Youth In Extracurricular Programs In Their Communities, Catherine A. Sargent Ph.D.

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

Autistic youth face barriers to participation and belonging in community settings. Historically, autism research has privileged researcher perspectives and deficit-based frameworks, often excluding the authentic voices of autistic individuals, particularly young people. This qualitative, phenomenological study sought to address that gap by exploring the lived experiences of autistic youth (ages 13–18) participating in extracurricular community programs in Massachusetts. Framed by critical disability theory, critical autism studies, ecological systems theory, and intersectionality, the study examined how autistic youth experience inclusion, connection, and self-expression within programs designed largely for neurotypical participants.

Seven autistic youths contributed to this research through participant-generated photographs and …

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Among Nurses And Nursing Students In A Culturally Conservative Country, Hanadi Mohamad Nur Steitiyeh, Fatin Ahmad Safa, Jana Daoud Al Hajj Daoud, Adam Tarek Ikkawi, Sahed Ali Fawaz, Hiba Deek

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The prevalence of sexual harassment among nurses and nursing students in Lebanon is an unidentified social concern. This study aims to identify this prevalence and assess the related factors. Using a self-administered questionnaire the sociodemographic characteristics, workplace variables, physical appearance, and the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) were assessed, the data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A total of 380 participated with 71.8% being female and 63.9% aged between 18 and 25. Sexual harassment was experienced by 91 participants (23.9%) and occurred mainly in the patients’ rooms and during procedures. Policies were absent or …

Creativity In A Flash: Exploring The Perceived Therapeutic Effects Of Combining Creative Arts Therapies And Flash Technique, Celia J. Gagnon

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has revealed a significant strain on mental healthcare systems and healthcare professionals. Concurrently, there has been a rapid escalation in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and adolescent suicide rates, all of which have reached critical levels (World Health Organization, 2025; World Health Organization, 2022; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2025; American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Post-pandemic, these statistics continue to rise across all nations and socioeconomic groups (WHO, 2025). Consequently, there is an urgent need to intensify research that supports the enhancement of mental health services globally (Institute for Health Metrics …

The Effects Of Strong Parental Support And Societal Support Compared To Low Or Absent Support In Lgbtqia+ Youth, Kassandra Bautista

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: LGBTQIA+ youth with unsupportive backgrounds face negative outcomes in their mental health. Past studies share that LGBTQIA+ youth have increased symptoms of mental illness including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors related to unsupportive environments among parents, peers, and society. Objective: By advocating for this minority group through education and culturally competent care, healthcare providers can reduce negative outcomes in the mental and physical well-being of the youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the impact of parental and societal support in LGBTQIA+ mental health, and to implement interventions and increase awareness of this issue. …

Formal Vs. Informal Disclosure Of Campus Sexual Assault: Social Reactions, Institutional Responses, And Associated Posttraumatic Stress, Karyna Fowler

Honors Theses

With research demonstrating increasing rates of sexual victimization on college campuses (Koss et al., 1987; Koss et al., 2022), sexual assault disclosure has become a critical construct with implications for victim-survivors’ posttraumatic stress (PTS) and healing. In the present mixed-methods study, college students (N = 558) at Bucknell University completed a survey assessing sexual victimization, disclosure, peer responses, institutional betrayal and support, and PTS; a subset (n = 9) participated in qualitative interviews examining social reactions, barriers to disclosure, and present functioning. Consistent with hypotheses, women reported significantly higher rates of sexual victimization than men; disclosure was relatively infrequent (26.5%) …

Exploring Engagement With The Ecoschools Platform: An Interactive Display Board Exploratory Evaluation, Kaitlyn E. Ashmore

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study explores strategies to enhance engagement with EcoSchools Canada, an online sustainability platform used across Canada. Through an exploratory case study involving two Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) schools, the research evaluates the effectiveness of interactive tools such as an Interactive Display Board (IDB) and action cards in fostering student engagement, self-efficacy, and action competence in sustainability initiatives. Through examining user experiences and feedback from Eco-teams and staff, the findings aim to identify if and how these interventions serve as valuable complements to EcoSchools activities. Although not a standalone solution, these tools facilitate deeper involvement when integrated within …

Cultural Schemas Regarding Resilience And Strength In Blacks: Implications For Well-Being And Academic Success, Aniya G. Ashford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Culturally shaped strength-based coping frameworks among Black college students, particularly the Strong Black Woman Schema and John Henry’s Active Coping, are associated with responses to racism-related stress and academic pressure, yet the ways these internalized expectations interact with emotional regulation, perceived cultural norms, and academic functioning remain unclear. Prior research has primarily examined these constructs in isolation or focused on psychological distress or physical health outcomes, often relying on single-method self-report designs that do not capture how culturally embedded coping processes are reflected in lived experiences; as a result, limited work has integrated identity-based schemas, behavioral coping strategies, and narrative …

Relational Spirituality And Maternal Coping In Carceral Contexts: A Participatory Action Study Of Meaning-Making And Mental Health Among Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Jessica Peters

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal incarceration carries significant psychological, familial, and community consequences, yet limited research centers the mental health experiences of mothers themselves. This study explored how religious and spiritual engagement shape mental health and coping among formerly incarcerated mothers using a participatory action research framework. Guided by this, small groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mothers in collaboration with a community-based organization. This approach prioritized lived experience and aimed to reduce barriers to participation among a population often mistrustful of research institutions. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns in psychological distress, coping strategies, and meaning-making. Findings revealed pervasive and …