The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
Recent Submissions
Item Vampire Literature: Perpetuating and Challenging Stereotypes(2024-05-01)Vampire literature, like any form of literature, can both perpetuate and challenge stereotypes related to marginalized communities. How literature is interpreted can depend upon the specific text, the author's intentions, and the context in which the story is told. The perpetuation of stereotypes can also contribute to institutionalized discrimination and cultural traditions that further marginalize certain groups (Hilton and von Hippel). While the intent of vampire literature may not be to reinforce stereotypes, there are instances where certain works have contributed to such perpetuation. Therefore, it is important to decontextualize content in order to facilitate discourse that uncovers diverse interpretations.Item A Phenomenological Perspective on Shakespeare's Dark Lady Sonnets(2024-05-01)Shakespeare's Sonnets 127 to 152, also referred to as the “Dark Lady Sonnets,” explores a complex love interest characterized by descriptions of obsession, lust, and infidelity between the speaker and the Dark Lady. Applying a phenomenological perspective to the “Dark Lady Sonnets” can serve to interpret the intersectionality between the experiences of the characters, the author, and the audience. However, the ambiguity surrounding the Dark Lady allows for an even broader range of interpretations based on the perceived identity of the character. Therefore, a phenomenological analysis of Shakespeare’s “Dark Lady Sonnets,” differentiated by the potential identities of the characters, will provide insight into the intricate and varied interpretation of the sonnets.Item ESL Lesson Plan - Emotions(2024-05-09)Objectives: Speak and read emotion vocabulary words Assign the emotion vocabulary word to actions Engage in conversation using emotion vocabulary words Audience: Beginning to intermediate adults or childrenItem Embrace to Enhance a Deeper Connection: Integrating Emotionally Focused Therapy and Sex Therapy to Improve Adult Couples Intimacy Through Cuddling(2024-06-30)In recent years, declining intimacy among adult couples has become a significant concern due to work stress, technology use, and societal pressures. This capstone explores combining emotionally focused therapy (EFT) and sex therapy, with a focus on cuddling, to address these issues. The aim is to create and evaluate a therapeutic intervention that enhances emotional engagement, communication, and secure attachment through cuddling. The literature review covers EFT's role in addressing attachment needs and restructuring negative patterns, and sex therapy's emphasis on communication and cognitive-behavioural strategies. Integrating these therapies is proposed to improve both emotional and sexual intimacy. The capstone also highlights cuddling's benefits as a non-verbal communication tool that strengthens emotional bonds and fosters security. Practical strategies for therapists include comprehensive assessments, safe therapeutic environments, attachment dynamics exploration, sex therapy techniques, mindfulness, sensate focus exercises, and communication skills training. Therapists are encouraged to assign cuddling and other intimate behaviours as homework. This capstone offers innovative insights and practical guidance for therapists, potentially contributing to a deeper understanding of intimacy enhancement in adult couples.Item The Mental Health Impact of Infertility in Females(2024-06)Across the globe roughly one out of six people will be diagnosed with infertility, defined as difficulties in conceiving a child. This capstone will explore the mental health impact of female infertility, exemplifying that female infertility is linked to the following negative mental health outcomes, depression, suicide, anxiety, stress and grief and loss. Despite these results, the research was not without its limitations such as a lack of consistent definition of infertility, the exclusion of a major population of females, females with pre-existing medical problems that make it difficult to conceive a child, despite not trying to get pregnant, and the research was limited by their sample techniques in a multitude of ways. Considering these limitations, there are a variety of implications for researchers, doctors and counsellors. Researchers should create a new universal definition of infertility, adapt or create a new conceptualization of infertility that includes females with pre-existing medical problems, and prioritize new research that incorporates a more diverse and inclusive population. For doctors, they should increase their fertility support for females with pre-existing medical problems, as well as reflect on how their chosen definition of infertility may exclude certain females struggling with infertility. For counsellors implications range from incorporating a feminist and narrative lens, prioritizing the exploration of the negative mental health outcomes linked to this condition, to exploring biases and assumptions around infertility.
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