Schedule of Events
Social and Behavioral Science Poster Session
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
2:15 pm - 4:15 pm
Soiland Arena, Gilbert Sports & Fitness Center
Students from the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences will present their research, creative, and experiential learning projects in an interactive poster session. Attendees can browse the posters, ask questions, and engage directly with student researchers to explore their findings, methodologies, and real-world implications. This event highlights the breadth of inquiry across the social and behavioral sciences and provides an excellent opportunity to support and celebrate student scholarship.
Student Abstracts
Cultural Influences in Parental Relationships: Within-Group Differences Among Young Adult Males
Parental relationships play a critical role in shaping youth development that extend into adulthood. Although substantial research has examined differences in mother/father–child relationship quality (Shearer et al., 2005), less is known for young adult males. This gap highlights the need to examine parental influences during this transitional period. Additionally, cultural context may shape how young men understand/experience their relationships with parents, making it important to examine these dynamics within diverse ethnic groups (Zhang & Grant, 2023). Therefore, the study explores within-group differences among White, Black, and Hispanic young adult males. It is hypothesized that 1) mother– and father–child relationship quality will differ within each ethnic group, and 2) higher parental relationship quality will be associated with adult developmental outcomes within each group. A sample of 76 young adult males completed a survey assessing parental relationship quality, academic motivation, and depression. Within-group analyses (Black, White, and Hispanic participants) showed mother–son relationship quality was rated higher than father–son relationship quality (e.g., Black participants: Mothers M = 4.33, SD = 0.84; Fathers M = 3.25, SD = 1.25), t(27) = 4.35, p < .001, d = 1.35, large effect. Preliminary correlations indicated that higher mother–son relationship quality predicted lower depression, but only among Black participants (r = –.51, p = .006, N = 28). For White participants, both mother–son (r = .37, p = .033, N = 33) and father–son (r = .35, p = .045, N = 33) relationship quality were positively associated with academic motivation.
Student(s):
Angela Abalo
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Nicole Talarico
Public Health Intern at Perinatal Wellness, Inc.
This project focuses on increasing awareness of the emotional, psychological, and practical challenges experienced by families with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Through the development of trauma-informed communication materials, this work aims to highlight the mental health impact of NICU stays on parents while making complex mental health concepts more accessible to the public. In addition to content creation, this project supports outreach by identifying and compiling contact information for leaders within the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to strengthen connections with perinatal mental health professionals. Overall, this work contributes to improving public understanding, reducing stigma, and promoting access to mental health support for NICU families.
Student(s):
Anadege Adibonou
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
Public Health Through California's Perinatal Hub
California's Perinatal Hub is an online space for families to receive care, connections, and healing.The organization provides a team of doulas, coaches, educators, and wellness advocates specialized in perinatal mental health. Through this program, I was able to get more experience on the importance of mental health advocacy for moms/families from a public health perspective. My main focus was to serve the organization by developing health marketing campaigns to promote services for mothers who may need health education and support. My main goal for this internship was to learn how to develop effective health promotion campaigns to serve to parents/families with NICU babies.
Student(s):
Jazmin Aguilar
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
A Public Health Internship at Westminster Free Clinic
In my public health internship, I had the opportunity to be at the Westminster Free Clinic located in Thousand Oaks. The clinic provides essential services to the community such as medical care and access to a food pantry, promoting healthy eating habits. One of the key programs that is offered is Corazones Sanos. This program supports and focuses on individuals who may have limited access and knowledge to nutritional education as well as helping manage conditions like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
During my internship, I assisted with data collection for the programs Corazones Sanos or Healthy hearts, by tracking pre and post evaluations of patients and assisting distribute the nutritionally valuable food for families. The data collection is then used to better understand any of the community needs while also identifying trends in patient health and the effectiveness of the program.
During my internship, I assisted with data collection for the programs Corazones Sanos or Healthy hearts, by tracking pre and post evaluations of patients and assisting distribute the nutritionally valuable food for families. The data collection is then used to better understand any of the community needs while also identifying trends in patient health and the effectiveness of the program.
Student(s):
Cassandra Aguirre
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
The Relationship Between Cultural Factors and Help-Seeking Attitudes Among Latinx/e Parents
Cultural factors such as machismo, marianismo, and acculturation often pose as important elements that influence attitudes and behaviors of psychological services among Latinx/e individuals. Traditional machismo refers to male Latinx/e gender roles along with beliefs, values, and behaviors emphasizing masculinity, whereas marianismo refers to traditional female Latinx/e gender role beliefs and behaviors. Acculturation is used to describe one’s assimilation into a mainstream culture. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between machismo, marianismo, and acculturation, and how these factors are associated with parental attitudes regarding the use of psychological services for their own children. Male and female Latino parents (n = 95) were recruited through Prolific. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted and did not yield a significant overall model (p = .193). There were no significant bivariate correlations between machismo (p = .068) with parental help-seeking attitudes nor with acculturation (p = .479) and parental help-seeking attitudes. Marianismo (p = .031) however was significantly correlated with parental help-seeking attitudes. Additionally, acculturation was not significantly correlated with marianismo (p = .249) nor machismo (p = .229). The lack of significance in the regression model further suggests that additional factors (i.e., stigma, prior experiences with mental health services, SES, culturally specific beliefs about mental health) may be more salient predictors of help-seeking attitudes. These findings suggest that marianismo, but not machismo or acculturation, is associated with parental help-seeking attitudes, indicating that cultural gender role beliefs may be more influential than acculturation.
Student(s):
Mariana Amaya
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jennifer Gamarra
Pathways to Change: Prosocial Skill Development Workshops Among Incarcerated Youth
Following the closure of the California Youth Authority in 2023 under Senate Bill 823, the juvenile justice system aimed to shift their core focus toward more local rehabilitation efforts, revealing alternatives to standard forms of imprisonment. In the efforts to aid in this fundamental transition for incarcerated youth, there is a critical need to acknowledge and fill the gaps in education, life skills, and prosocial development that, if unaddressed, can fuel cycles of criminality that can persist into adulthood. This research project serves as an extension of the CLU Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program by bringing California Lutheran University professors back into a Juvenile Facility in Oxnard to deliver short-term, evidence-based academic workshops specifically aimed at developing prosocial skills among high school-aged youth ages 14-17. Using a pre- and post-survey design, we examine whether participating in structured educational workshops increases prosocial skills in areas such as literacy, cooperation and collaborations, cultural competency, critical thinking, public speaking, and job readiness. The preliminary findings aim to inform future juvenile justice programming and contribute to short and long-term individual impacts and community safety.
Student(s):
Miya Avila, Dominic Demaio
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Schannae Lucas
Internship with California’s Perinatal Hub
During the Spring 2026 Semester, I worked as an intern for California's Perinatal Hub, a non-profit organization. As an intern, I had the opportunity to create training materials for healthcare professionals, developing educational resources that promote the organization’s mission to foster more inclusive and accessible perinatal care for families. I specifically worked on a webinar titled Words Matter, with the goals of improving professional understanding of the word “perinatal” in clinical and healthcare settings, exploring how language shapes care, access, and inclusion, and promoting inclusive communication across perinatal health systems. I created presentation slides and one-sheet marketing to facilitate the webinar, and also worked on promotional brochures for the organization. Overall, through this internship, I have become more skilled in designing training materials for public health audiences, improved my marketing and outreach competency, and learned how to collaborate with public health professionals on real-world program development.
Student(s):
Nico Ayala-Brown
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
Implicit Associations Between Age and Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a skill that enables people to identify, understand, and regulate their emotions, which can develop throughout one’s life. Previous research indicates that people can develop and exhibit EI at different times in life, but also shows that people still form internal beliefs about how EI develops. However, few studies indicate whether people form a direct, implicit connection between EI capacity and age. This study explored the implicit and explicit beliefs people form about human EI capacity at different ages in two quasi-experimental studies. Each experiment had the same design, procedure, and materials. The first version of this study found no significant main findings, but its results were slightly limited by a small sample size and the study was conducted in an uncontrolled setting. While implementing the same methodology, this study addresses the sample size limitation of the first study by using a new, larger sample of data collected in a laboratory setting, conducted in person. The first version of this study was conducted online using Prolific (n=112), and the second was conducted in a laboratory setting at CLU (n=172). In the experiments, participants first completed an adaptation of the Implicit Association Task (IAT) to measure the implicit associations they formed about EI capacity in two different age categories: “young” and “old.” Then, participants completed two scales that measured their explicit beliefs about EI capacity in adults and children, and their implicit theories about EI development.
Student(s):
Nico Ayala-Brown
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Andrea Sell
The Effect of Room Color Lighting on Perceived Attractivness, Trust, and Aggression
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of room color lighting on perceived attractiveness, trust, and aggression of a female target. This study hypothesized that participants exposed to red lighting would perceive a female target as more attractive and more aggressive than participants exposed to blue or neutral lighting. It was also hypothesized that participants exposed to blue lighting would perceive a female target as more trustworthy than participants exposed to red or neutral lighting. The study had 70 participants that were undergraduate students. They were randomly assigned to neutral (white), red, or blue room color lighting, and then asked to rate a picture of a neutral female target on attractiveness, trust, and aggression. Contrary to the hypotheses, results revealed that there was no significant effect of room color lighting on perceived attractiveness, perceived trust, and perceived aggression of a female target. While this research did not have significant results, future research can continue to explore how we can utilize colored lighting in other settings or industries, such as hospitals to make patients feel better, marketing materials to influence people’s emotions, and for light therapy.
Student(s):
Eden Benezra
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
The Effect of Talk-Type on Task Performance, Self-efficacy, and Persistence
Prior research has shown that performance extends beyond physical ability alone and often includes psychological factors such as self-efficacy and persistence (e.g., Martinez et al., 2024). The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not different talk-types, such as motivational, instructional, or no talk, affect performance, persistence, and self-efficacy. To investigate this, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: motivational talk, instructional talk, and no talk. Depending on the group, the researcher read either a motivational script (“You can do it”), an instructional script (“Focus on maintaining your technique”), or instructed participants to start the task (control condition). Participants then squeezed a stress ball with their non-dominant hand for one minute and recorded how many times they squeezed the ball. Afterwards, they completed a persistence and self-efficacy questionnaire. A one-way ANOVA was conducted and results revealed that there was no significant effect of talk-type on performance. There was also no significant effect of talk-type on persistence, for either the motivation or persistence subscale. A lack of significant findings may be due to the type of task completed. Future studies could consider using more traditionally athletic tasks. While these results were not significant, coaches may benefit from adapting their coaching style to better motivate athletes, potentially increasing their self-efficacy and persistence, which in turn, may improve performance.
Student(s):
Mia Calderon
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Indigenous-Centered Wildfire Resilience
In California’s warm, dry climate, where fire is native to the landscape, it is unrealistic to try to prevent it. Prescribed burning is one of the most effective ways to build fire resilience because it mimics the natural fire regime in a controlled, manageable way. For thousands of years, Indigenous people in California set purposeful fires that served to both clear fuel from the land and to enhance the growth of culturally significant endemic plant species. However, the United States government stopped Indigenous people from using the land in their traditional ways, including carrying out cultural burns, and eventually removed them from the land entirely. Fire suppression became the dominant land management paradigm, and it is one of the major causes of California’s current wildfire problem. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how public land management agencies have or have not taken advantage of prescribed/cultural burning as a fire resilience strategy, and to assess Indigenous representation and power in prescribed fire operations. To do so, this study uses qualitative data collected from interviews with content experts and relevant site visits. Restoring beneficial fire to California’s landscapes is important for fire resilience, but given its cultural importance, it is essential to create opportunities for Indigenous people to be involved and to lead. Ultimately, the objective is to maximize both fire resilience and equity by incorporating principles of Indigenous environmental justice into land management practices.
Student(s):
Emma Caputo
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Haco Hoang
The Scenic Edit
The Scenic Edit is a mini documentary series covering 4 master scenic artists and their works at the USITT 2025 Paint Lab. The series is meant to act as an educational resource for aspiring scenic artists. Scenic art is usually taught in in-person classes or workshops; this project aims to create a free online resource for aspiring scenic artists to learn from. The series documents not just the 2025 Paint Lab, but also supplements and adds to it with interviews from the master scenic artists. The series aims to be an easy-to-digest means of learning an otherwise long process with editing, going from a 3-hour workshop to 4 20-30-minute long episodes.
Student(s):
Torben Careway
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Andrea Sell
Look Good, Feel Good, Play Good: Reasons Behind Changing a Female Athlete's Appearance
Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) defined objectification as the reduction of a woman’s body to an instrument for men in their own gratification. For athletes, specifically, the pressure to perform at high levels on and off the field can be exacerbated by media portrayals of female athletes and critical comments of their bodies by coaches, teammates, and fans. The purpose of the current project was to analyze the effects of internalization of sociocultural attitudes, how it impacts experiences with body surveillance, as well as the way that these feelings manifest in self-presentation behaviors before and during competition. This mixed-methods study examined experiences of NCAA women athletes (n = 120) regarding their appearance choices for competitions (e.g., hair, makeup, uniforms choices, etc.). Internalized sociocultural attitudes of appearance were found to be directly related to increased rates of objectifying body consciousness r (118) = .501, p < .001. This is thought to be due to an incongruence of expectations held by external sources, unrealistic norms set by media, and the internalized ideals of the athlete. Overall, collegiate female athletes are at an elevated risk of internalizing societal attitudes as a result from critical comments that lead to body surveillance. This is important because body surveillance has the potential to lead to negative outcomes, such as disrupted flow states and decreased performance. These findings can contribute to the development of resources as protective measures for female athletes from experiencing incongruence in their appearance ideals and presentation for competitions.
Student(s):
Catherine Croft, Alison Ede, PhD
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jennifer Gamarra
The Impact of Dobbs v. Jackson on Public Opinion
In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where it concluded that there is no constitutional protection of abortion. This landmark decision reversed nearly fifty years of precedent established by the cases of Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), which previously affirmed abortion as a constitutionally protected right. As a result of the Dobbs decision, the authority to regulate abortion returned to the states, leading to significant policy variation across the United States. Furthermore, abortion policies have significant implications for social and economic participation, particularly for young women and minorities. Given the wide-reaching impact of abortion policies, this study examines how Dobbs influenced political mobilization and engagement by comparing public opinion in 2022 and 2024 across demographics. The findings suggest abortion has become an important issue for many voters following the decision, with a majority expressing support for legal access to abortion in both years. These attitudes were consistent across gender, age, and racial groups, though variation existed in intensity of support and perceived importance. In 2024, this public sentiment contributed to the passage of seven state-level ballot measures that expanded protections for abortion in various states.
Student(s):
Katherine Curtis
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Haco Hoang
The Impact of Suspect Attire on Criminal Justice Perceptions
Bias in legal decision-making can influence outcomes within the criminal justice system. This study examined whether suspect attire influences perceptions of trustworthiness, guilt, dangerousness, and sentencing recommendations. It was hypothesized that a suspect wearing a hoodie would be perceived more negatively than a suspect wearing a t-shirt or a suit. Additionally, a suspect wearing a t-shirt would be perceived more negatively on the same measures than one wearing a suit. Participants (n = 46) were undergraduate students randomly assigned to view an image of a male suspect either wearing a suit, t-shirt, or hoodie after reading a shoplifting scenario. Participants then completed Likert-scale questionnaires assessing their perceptions of the suspect. A one-way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of attire on perceived trustworthiness, indicating that the suspect wearing a hoodie was perceived as less trustworthy than those wearing a t-shirt or suit. No significant effects were found for perceived guilt, dangerousness, or sentencing recommendations. These findings partially support the hypotheses, suggesting that attire influences initial impressions but may not affect more consequential legal evaluations. Overall, the results highlight the importance of reducing bias in legal contexts.
Keywords: suspect attire, perception bias, criminal justice
Keywords: suspect attire, perception bias, criminal justice
Student(s):
Alexis Diaz
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Improving Access to Oral Healthcare in Underserved Communities: A Community Clinic-Based Approach
Through my public health internship at Conejo Free Clinic, I had the opportunity to support underserved communities by improving access to essential oral healthcare services. Conejo Free Clinic is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free medical and dental care to uninsured and low-income individuals, helping reduce barriers to healthcare access. During my internship, I worked closely with dental professionals to assist with chairside procedures, maintain infection control protocols, and ensure efficient clinic operations. I also engaged in patient education, emphasizing the importance of oral hygiene practicesand routine dental care to promote long-term oral health.
Student(s):
Sheneli Fernando
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
Reimagining Teacher Preparation Programs to Uplift of Native American Culture
Purpose: In 2022, California passed Assembly Bill 1703, which advocates for the teaching of local tribal history as part of the K-12 curriculum. In 2024, California also passed Assembly Bill 1821, which requires the teaching of Native American genocide as part of this curriculum. While these new laws have the potential to transform the hegemonic narrative that permeates the teaching of Native American culture across schools in California (Sanchez, 2007). The K-12 curriculum still fails to teach the history of local tribes through a culturally relevant perspective (Schwarz, 2013). Previous studies have found that a culturally diverse curriculum humanizes groups such as Native American people leading to higher levels of academic engagement, empathy and critical consciousness (Paris & Winn, 2014) This absence of such a curriculum across California necessitates educators identify approaches for integrating local Native American culture into the curriculum. Hence, the research question for this study is the following:How does the integration of Native American culture and identity as an anchor in K-12 curriculum and instruction empower students?
Using archival research, I examine the Chumash nation’s history, culture, and community practices as an approach for enhancing the teaching and learning of this group across education. The Chumash nation is a small tribe located along the central coast of California. Archival research was chosen as a way to identify artifacts that enhance the learning of the Chumash nation as a part of K-12 instruction.
Using archival research, I examine the Chumash nation’s history, culture, and community practices as an approach for enhancing the teaching and learning of this group across education. The Chumash nation is a small tribe located along the central coast of California. Archival research was chosen as a way to identify artifacts that enhance the learning of the Chumash nation as a part of K-12 instruction.
Student(s):
Caitlin Fitzgerald, Emma Rich
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Brandy Yee
"Everything Hurts": How Childbearing Complications Impact Postpartum Sexuality
In recent times, the increase of maternal-childbearing complications in the United States has remained prevalent, and the resulting impacts on sexuality are still relatively unexplored in the U.S. Faculty Co-PIs designed and collected data over several years via in-depth interviews with 41 participants who self-identified as women who had given birth and experienced maternal morbidities. Student Research Assistants contributed to the qualitative analysis, helping to refine codes and look for patterns in the 27 participants who had described struggles encountered in their postpartum sexuality journey.These interviews help us understand the lack of healthcare and the lack of educating new parents about their changes in sex life, and how that lack of care harms the new parents' sex life postpartum. Their patient narratives note that physiological pain and social-psychological distress are too often not addressed due to inadequate healthcare and a lack of postpartum-specific sex education given to partners postpartum. Because of these deficits, these issues affect both partners navigating sexuality postpartum. The results emphasize that postpartum sexuality is a shared experience that requires mutual understanding and attention from both partners in a committed relationship. We found that the disconnection between medical providers and patients further exacerbates the lack of sexuality knowledge postpartum. Even those who have access to medical resources report unhelpful medical providers who make them feel dismissed and/or neglected. These findings underscore the need for improved medical guidance and comprehensive education given to these individuals navigating postpartum sexual health and their journey.
Student(s):
Erika Garcia, Jennifer Quintero, Adina Nack, Christine Morton
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Adina Nack
The Effects of Cognitive Offloading Through Lecture Slides
Cognitive offloading has become increasingly relevant as students rely on external tools to support learning. This study examined whether access to lecture slides influences students’ comprehension and perceived learning during a short lecture. We hypothesized that the group with access to the slides would score higher on comprehension and learning effectiveness due to research suggesting external aids assist with understanding and retention. Participants included 40 undergraduate students between 18 and 31 years old recruited from a university participant pool. Each participant listened to the same seven-minute lecture and was randomly assigned to either view accompanying lecture slides or hear an audio-only version. After the lecture, students completed a 10-item comprehension quiz followed by an eight-item survey evaluating their perceived learning effectiveness. Independent-samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results showed no significant difference in comprehension scores between the slide and no-slide conditions. However, students who had access to slides rated their learning effectiveness significantly higher than those in the audio-only condition. The key finding is that lecture slides increased perceived understanding without improving actual recall or comprehension. These results suggest that visual aids like slides may improve a students’ confidence in their understanding of the material with no actual influence on learning performance.
Student(s):
Rheea Ghattaura, Olivia Knight
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Andrea Sell
“Rooting for Her”: A Public Relations Campaign for Angel City Football Club
Angel City Football Club is one of the world’s most valuable women’s sports teams, but its new training facility near Cal Lutheran’s campus has yet to form meaningful ties with the community it calls home. This campaign invites girl dads living in Thousand Oaks to reconsider their relationships with women’s sports and discover their place in ACFC’s mission to “build the fiercest, most inclusive community in world football.”
Research from S&P Global Market Intelligence states that 61% of men were fans of FIFA women’s soccer in 2024, compared to only 39% of women, with the majority around 35 years old. Allison and Kossakowski’s 2024 study also suggests that men are more likely to engage with women’s sports through close relationships with their daughters.
The “Rooting for Her” campaign focuses on family and community connection to build fandom through three tactics targeting millennial girl dads in Thousand Oaks: A Father’s Day event at ACFC’s training facility, game day watch parties at local venues like Cronies Sports Grill and a beer collaboration with Tarantula Hill Brewing Co.
Our message will be amplified through hashtags #RootingForHer and #TOxAngelCity via Facebook, Instagram and X channels. Success will be measured through KPIs including earned media coverage, tracking social media engagement on game days, and attendance at the inaugural Father’s Day event at ACFC’s training facility.
Watch our Gold ADDY-winning consumer campaign here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PVL_XXRM9rEa5HKawn8FN9WYTPjerstb/view?usp=sharing
Research from S&P Global Market Intelligence states that 61% of men were fans of FIFA women’s soccer in 2024, compared to only 39% of women, with the majority around 35 years old. Allison and Kossakowski’s 2024 study also suggests that men are more likely to engage with women’s sports through close relationships with their daughters.
The “Rooting for Her” campaign focuses on family and community connection to build fandom through three tactics targeting millennial girl dads in Thousand Oaks: A Father’s Day event at ACFC’s training facility, game day watch parties at local venues like Cronies Sports Grill and a beer collaboration with Tarantula Hill Brewing Co.
Our message will be amplified through hashtags #RootingForHer and #TOxAngelCity via Facebook, Instagram and X channels. Success will be measured through KPIs including earned media coverage, tracking social media engagement on game days, and attendance at the inaugural Father’s Day event at ACFC’s training facility.
Watch our Gold ADDY-winning consumer campaign here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PVL_XXRM9rEa5HKawn8FN9WYTPjerstb/view?usp=sharing
Student(s):
Sarah Graue, Liam Flenniken, Margarita Lievanos, Kyle Otting
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jean Sandlin
Beyond Criterion A: Significance of Racial and Historical Trauma
Aim: Criterion A of PTSD is not inclusive of instances of racial and historical trauma despite observed correlations between racial microaggressions, historical loss symptoms, and PTSD symptoms.
Method: A total of 299 Black U.S. born young adults aged 18-29 were recruited to complete an online survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the predictive effect of racial microaggressions, historical loss symptoms, and Criterion A events on PTSD symptoms.
Results: Analyses demonstrated that racial microaggressions had the strongest effect on PTSD symptoms (β = 0.42, p < 0.001), followed by historical loss symptoms (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), with PTSD Criterion A events having the least amount of predictive strength for PTSD symptoms (β = 0.12, p = 0.009).
Conclusion: Findings suggest the expansion of Criterion A given the stronger predictive value of racial and historical trauma over Criterion A events on PTSD symptomatology.
Method: A total of 299 Black U.S. born young adults aged 18-29 were recruited to complete an online survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the predictive effect of racial microaggressions, historical loss symptoms, and Criterion A events on PTSD symptoms.
Results: Analyses demonstrated that racial microaggressions had the strongest effect on PTSD symptoms (β = 0.42, p < 0.001), followed by historical loss symptoms (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), with PTSD Criterion A events having the least amount of predictive strength for PTSD symptoms (β = 0.12, p = 0.009).
Conclusion: Findings suggest the expansion of Criterion A given the stronger predictive value of racial and historical trauma over Criterion A events on PTSD symptomatology.
Student(s):
Kathleen Guntner, Michael Bauman, BS, Maureen Mazloum, BA, Alondra Bautista, BA, Giselle Villa Garcia, BA, Natalie Hwang, BS, Chantel T. Ebrahimi-Azadegan, PhD
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chantel Ebrahimi-Azadegan
The Effect of Metric Performance on Consumer Trust: Do We consider Likes, Comments, or Views?
The increase in use of social-media because of the digital age has prompted the commercial market to begin using social-media as a marketing tool. Individuals interested in the efficacy of this new tool have reason to speculate, since metric performance visibility to consumers is a new variable that marketing teams must consider when working with social-media. This study addresses this by conducting an experiment to examine the effect of metric performance on consumer trust—a critical variable to consumer purchasing behavior. This study hypothesized that increased exposure of metric performance to a consumer audience would increase factors of consumer trust, i.e., personal interest, perceived authenticity, and product endorsement. This study’s methodology employed an experiment where participants were randomly assigned to one of three metric exposure conditions, i.e., no exposure, partial exposure, and full exposure. Participants completed a three-part questionnaire that measured their level of consumer trust based on the factors of personal interest, perceived authenticity, and product endorsement. A One-Way ANOVA indicated an approaching significance in trend that no exposure and full exposure groups indicated stronger levels of consumer trust and mean comparisons indicated the partial exposure group indicated a lower level of consumer trust. However, the effect does not meet the criteria that would indicate reliable findings. This study failed to prove that increased exposure of metric performance to a consumer audience will increase factors of consumer trust. However, future studies should consider reformatting this approach via increased sample size and development of stricter consumer behavior measures.
Student(s):
Ray Gutierrez
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
The Effect of Cell Phone Sounds on Test Performance, Anxiety, Distractability, and Fear of Missing Out
This study examined the effect of phone noise on test performance, anxiety, distractability, and the fear of missing out (FOMO). It was hypothesized that students would report higher levels of anxiety, FOMO, and distractability as well as perform at a lower level on the task when there was social media noise than when there was notification noise. It was hypothesized that students would report higher levels of anxiety, FOMO, and distractability as well as perform at a lower level on the task when there was notification noise than when there was silence. Students who participated were grouped into one of the independent variable levels: silence, text noise, and social media noise. They completed a multiplication times table test for two minutes while hearing one of the independent variables, then filled out a survey about their feelings during the test. There were no significant results found for this survey. This is important because it shows that phones are not necessarily always negatively impacting test performance, and not leading to anxiety, FOMO, or distractability.
Student(s):
Miller Holland
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Public Health Aspects of Programs in Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley
The Boys & Girls Club Of Greater Conejo Valley is an organization where you could gain hands on experience in the education industry. The BGC is an after school program where students ranging from Tk-8th grade can join. There are three middle schools in Thousand Oaks that have a Boys & Girls Club, I work at Notter which is Redwood Middle School. I've always had a passion for working with kids so as I started this internship I had the intentions of gaining hands on experience with kids. This internship conncets with public health as I try focusing on their mental health and becoming one of their supporters.
Student(s):
Juliana Huizar
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
COPE Health Scholars Internship at St. John’s Regional Medical Center
The COPE Health Scholars program is designed to give students the opportunity to dig deeper into their career goal by offering clinical and administrative health care experience. The goal while in this internship is to identify if this field of work is the best choice for you and to complete volunteer hours and experience for the future. My personal goal in this program is to engage with the position and to learn what it is like to be on the caregiving side rather than the patient. There are several tiers that you will move up to after earning certain amount of hours that will allow you to explore the different careers within the hospital such as Telemetry, Intensive care unit, Surgical units and much more. Overall, you will complete 280+ hours over a time track that fits best for you whether that is 3-, 9-. or 15-months.
Student(s):
Hasley Jimenez Verdugo
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
"The Director's Cut"
A presentation on the process of directing. The topic covers choosing a play, cutting a script, collaborating with your designers, casting, and working with your actors. Covers preproduction through performances. Features pictures and design work from the student-directed show, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", spring 2026. Includes the original pitch for the production alongside the final director's note.
Student(s):
Hadley Julca
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Christine Cummings
The Study of Civic Engagement
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of political brief length on different civic involvement likelihoods. It was hypothesized that people who read a long-brief would have higher scores in civic engagement, civic obligations, and perceived civic impact compared to those who read a short-brief or control article. This study was conducted in a laboratory space with 55 participants from California Lutheran University. Participants were asked to read one of three political articles about climate change (long-brief, shorter-brief, and control article) and then completed a series of four scales to measure different areas of civic life. A one-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant effect of political brief length on civic engagement, civic obligations, and perceived civic impact. Even though this study did not find any significant results, further modifications to the methods and an increase in sample size could lead to the possibility of finding significant outcomes. The implications of this research are that it helps political scientists better prepare their political briefs and ads so that their target audience will be more likely to act out in civic life. It also has the potential to reveal how people absorb information and how likely they are to use it to make decisions in their daily lives.
Student(s):
Robert Lewis
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
After Roe: Polarization, Mobilization, and the Fight for Reproductive Rights in U.S. Elections
The Supreme Court's landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) overturned nearly fifty years of precedent established by Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal constitutional right to abortion and returning the issue of abortion regulation to individual states. This literature review project analyzes the political consequences of the Dobbs ruling, arguing that Dobbs has not only intensified partisan polarization but has also triggered a broader struggle over democratic participation and civil rights in the United States. The findings of this study are synthesized from leading legal, public opinion, and policy sources, and demonstrate how abortion attitudes now function as a primary marker of partisan identity, with striking demographic divides along racial, geographic, and ideological lines. This review reveals a strategic alignment between reproductive restrictions and voter suppression, showing that states enacting abortion bans are often the same states implementing restrictive voting laws. This disproportionately disenfranchises and harms women of color who are more likely to live in states with bans on reproductive freedoms and face barriers to political participation. Furthermore, an analysis of the 2024 election cycle reveals an electoral landscape showing strong public support for abortion access has driven significant mobilization, yet its impact at the ballot box is often hindered by competing concerns such as that of the country's economy. The post-Roe era is thus defined by the intersection of reproductive rights, voter access, and racial equity, posing an array of questions for the future of what American democracy will look like.
Student(s):
Carolyn Maguire, Katherine Curtis
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Haco Hoang
Justice For Some: Bipartisan Frustration Over the Role of Elitism in the Justice System
This qualitative study looks at a sample of the online public discourse following the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Digital ethnographic methodology is used to examine the data, with Reddit serving as the primary data source. This case study examines data to explore partisan views of the justice system in Reddit discussions, focusing on micro-level experiences (local policing and anecdotes) and macro-level issues (corporate influence and government regulation). Results show that liberals and conservatives converge at the micro level but diverge on the macro level. Tangible, personalized issues foster cross-party agreement, while abstract policy debates heighten polarization.
Student(s):
Jasper Marichal-Nack
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Cynthia Duarte
The Pink Body Bag: Addressing the Crisis of Femicide in Latin America
Femicide, the gender-based killing of women, remains a critical human rights crisis in Mexico, where more than ten women are killed daily despite existing legal protections. This project was undertaken to examine why violence persists at such high levels even after significant policy reforms. The purpose of this research is to analyze how structural inequality, cultural norms such as machismo, and systemic impunity undermine the effectiveness of Mexico’s efforts to prevent and prosecute femicide. Using a qualitative methodology, this study combines legal analysis of national legislation, human rights reports, regional statistical data, and case studies with interview-based research conducted with community members to incorporate local perspectives on institutional failure and social impact. The findings indicate that although Mexico has formally criminalized femicide, weak enforcement, corruption, and underfunded institutions continue to limit the effectiveness of these laws. Comparative references to countries such as El Salvador and Honduras provide regional context while reinforcing Mexico as the central case. This research concludes that femicide in Mexico reflects deeper structural violence and requires sustained institutional reform, cultural change, and stronger accountability mechanisms.
Student(s):
Shaelynn Martin
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Gregory Freeland
Public Health as a COPE Health Scholar
COPE is a program for those interested in the healthcare field. Through the COPE health Scholars program at Adventist Health Glendale (AHGL) I gained valuable, hands-on experience in three different departments, the Couplet Care, Emergency Department, and Labor and Delivery. I also served as a Recruitment Coordinator and through which I would reach out to prospective Health Scholars and to professors about the program. My goal for this internship was to explore different career options in the medical field and accumulate volunteer hours. I chose to rotate in Couplet Care (CC) and in the Emergency Department (ED) where, as a Health Scholar, you work side by side with different kinds of healthcare providers.
Student(s):
Angela Martinez Dominguez
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
To Empower or Marginalize: Latinos and the American Catholic Church
The American Catholic Church is facing a crisis in declining membership, a shortage of priests, and fallout from the sexual abuse scandal. Yet Latino Catholics remain a vital and growing presence, sustaining many of the nation’s most vibrant parishes. Despite this, Church leaders have often neglected or marginalized Latino communities, creating tensions that now threaten long-term engagement.
This project, Reluctant Evolution: Latino Communities and the American Catholic Church, asks why this neglect persists and how it shapes the Church’s future. Through content analysis of Church documents and interviews with bishops, priests, and Hispanic ministers, the research examines both institutional responses and Latino experiences. The findings reveal how history, culture, and organizational structures complicate Latino integration, offering critical insight into religion, politics, and demographic change in the United States.
This project, Reluctant Evolution: Latino Communities and the American Catholic Church, asks why this neglect persists and how it shapes the Church’s future. Through content analysis of Church documents and interviews with bishops, priests, and Hispanic ministers, the research examines both institutional responses and Latino experiences. The findings reveal how history, culture, and organizational structures complicate Latino integration, offering critical insight into religion, politics, and demographic change in the United States.
Student(s):
Negeen Mohsen
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Kiku Huckle
Effect of Experimenter Clothing on Participant Performance, Perceived Value, and Motivation
This study aimed to observe the effect of three different clothing sets (lab coat, professional, and casual) on task performance on a reading comprehension task, participant motivation, and perceived value of psychologic research. Before the study began, it was hypothesized that the set of a lab coat would yield higher task performance, participant motivation, and perceived value of psychological research from the participants over the professional and casual clothing sets. Once the study began, participants were randomly assigned to a clothing set condition and read through a text passage and answered a self-developed reading comprehension test, a questionnaire assessing their motivation for completing the study, and a self-developed survey assessing their perceived value of psychological research as a whole. Results from a one-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant effect of clothing on motivation or perceived value, but there was a marginally significant result for task performance. Participants who were exposed to the lab coat set tended to perform better compared to their counterparts. This suggests potential value in a replication pursuing these trends with increased priming time and/or measures with higher reliability. Should these future studies show significant results, these discoveries could provide a lower-cost option for how universities or facilities can improve the study-running process for their participants.
Student(s):
Samuel Munoz-Vignes
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariane Young
Black Digital Nomads: Identity, Mobility, and Power in Global Remote Work
Digital nomadism has emerged as a growing global phenomenon in which professionals use technology to work remotely while traveling across countries. While the digital nomad lifestyle is often associated with privileged white professionals, recent research suggests that Black and other BIPOC travelers are increasingly participating in this form of mobility. This project examines how Black digital nomads construct identity, community, and freedom while navigating global systems shaped by race, power, and inequality. The purpose of this research is to analyze how Black digital nomads represent their experiences and values in digital spaces and how these narratives relate to broader historical and political contexts of Black travel and expatriation.
Using a qualitative research design, this study applies critical discourse analysis and content analysis to social media platforms, travel blogs, and digital nomad communities. Online content from platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and travel websites is examined to identify recurring themes in the representation of lifestyle, identity, race, and belonging. The project also draws on existing literature on digital nomadism and Black expatriate experiences to contextualize these narratives within broader discussions of globalization and mobility.
The findings aim to contribute to emerging scholarship on digital nomadism by highlighting the experiences and perspectives of Black travelers, whose voices remain underrepresented in existing research. Understanding these narratives provides insight into how race, technology, and globalization intersect to shape new forms of identity and mobility in the twenty-first century.
Using a qualitative research design, this study applies critical discourse analysis and content analysis to social media platforms, travel blogs, and digital nomad communities. Online content from platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and travel websites is examined to identify recurring themes in the representation of lifestyle, identity, race, and belonging. The project also draws on existing literature on digital nomadism and Black expatriate experiences to contextualize these narratives within broader discussions of globalization and mobility.
The findings aim to contribute to emerging scholarship on digital nomadism by highlighting the experiences and perspectives of Black travelers, whose voices remain underrepresented in existing research. Understanding these narratives provides insight into how race, technology, and globalization intersect to shape new forms of identity and mobility in the twenty-first century.
Student(s):
Negar Nezhadi
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Russell Stockard
The Effects of Choice Set Size on Decision-Making Experiences
This study examined how the number of available options influences individuals’ decision-making experiences. Specifically, the effect of choice set size (3, 7, or 15 stickers) on decisional conflict, satisfaction, and confidence was investigated. Participants (N = 65) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions and asked to select a sticker from a set before completing self-report measures. It was hypothesized that larger choice sets would increase decisional conflict and decrease satisfaction and confidence. A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant effect of choice set size on decisional conflict or confidence. However, there was a significant effect on satisfaction, such that participants who chose from 15 stickers reported greater satisfaction than those who chose from 7 stickers. These findings suggest that having more options does not always lead to negative decision-making experiences and may, in some cases, enhance satisfaction. Overall, the results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of choice overload in everyday decision-making contexts.
Student(s):
Jodie Oparanaku
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Decision Making for Dilemmas
This study examines how varying levels of time pressure affect decision latency, decision paralysis, and state anxiety during moral decision-making tasks. It was hypothesized that higher time pressure would result in shorter decision latency (less time taken), greater decision paralysis, and higher state anxiety. Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions: low (no time limit), moderate (30 second time limit) and high (18 second time limit). Participants had done a series of moral dilemmas for seven hypothetical scenarios, followed by a self-developed Decision Paralysis Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Subscale (STAI-S; Spielberger et al., 1983). A one way ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the effect of time pressure on decision paralysis such that participants in the high time-pressure condition reported greater paralysis than those in the no-time pressure condition. No other group differences were significant. There was no significant effect of time pressure on state anxiety. Also, an independent sample t-test demonstrated that participants under high time pressure had significantly shorter decision latency compared to those under low time pressure. These findings suggest that while increased time pressure accelerates decision-making, it may also increase feelings of cognitive difficulty or indecision. However, time pressure does not appear to significantly impact state anxiety in this experiment. Overall, the results exemplifies the complex effect of time constraints on the cognitive processes and emotional aspects for decision making.
Student(s):
Josie Oparanaku
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Stage Managing A Midsummer Night's Dream: The Conductor of the Magic
This poster examines the comprehensive process of stage management within a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It focuses on the multifaceted responsibilities that are involved with effective theatrical coordination. Central to the stage manager’s role is the orchestration of communication across departments, including directing, design, and actors, ensuring that artistic intentions are consistently translated into each rehearsal. The main tool in that stage manager's toolbox is the prompt book. This meticulously maintained document consolidates blocking, cues, technical notes, and rehearsal reports, functioning as both an archival record and an operational guide during performances. The stage manager’s responsibilities extend throughout the production process and include things like scheduling, organizing rehearsals, and real-time oversight during performances, where they call cues and maintain the integrity of the production’s timing and technical precision. Equally critical is the collaborative dimension of stage management, which requires adaptability, leadership, and interpersonal skills to mediate between creative vision and logistical constraints. The role requires a dynamic integration of administrative rigor, artistic sensitivity, and collaborative practice, positioning the stage manager as an essential link within the theatrical production framework. In simple language, a show cannot function without a stage manager.
Student(s):
Madeline Popielak
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Christine Cummings
Artificial Intelligence Usage Among Undergraduate Students at California Lutheran University
This study examines patterns of artificial intelligence (AI) usage among undergraduate students at California Lutheran University, focusing on academic year and major type (STEM vs. non-STEM). The research aimed to answer the question: How do college students use artificial intelligence, what are their opinions on it, and what demographic factors influence AI usage? A quantitative survey of 115 students was conducted to identify relationships between AI usage, academic year, and STEM affiliation. Findings show that upperclassmen use AI more frequently than lower classmen, contradicting the group hypothesis. Results also indicate that non-STEM majors use AI at higher rates than STEM majors, with statistical tests showing no significant association between major type and AI usage. These findings highlight differences in how students engage with AI tools based on academic demands and point to the need for further research on how AI is integrated into higher education.
Student(s):
Ahlexis Quintero, Jasper Marichal-Nack, Angelina Merida , Joselyn Serna
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Cynthia Duarte
The Effect of Dental Information Medium on Patient Attitudes
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of dental information mediums on dental anxiety, likelihood of seeing a dentist, and fear of pain. Participants were randomly assigned into one of three groups: watch a dental video, read dental information, or receive no dental information. After being exposed to the dental information, participants were asked to complete surveys aimed at assessing dental anxiety, likelihood of seeing a dentist, and fear of pain. It was expected that those who watched a dental video would report lower dental anxiety, higher likelihood of seeing a dentist, and lower fear of pain than those who read or had no dental information. Results revealed that there is no significant difference among dental information mediums and patient attitudes. Although no significant results were revealed, this study is of benefit to the field of dentistry by exploring methods to allow for dental visits to become less anxiety-inducing and more sought after.
Student(s):
Diego Rivera
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Ariana Young
Reimagining Costume Design in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Costume design plays a key role in character storytelling, world building, and shaping how audiences experience a production, especially in a play as whimsical and imaginative as A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. By taking inspiration from the boundless creativity of childhood, I explored how familiar, everyday materials can evoke wonder and contribute to the story.
The purpose of this project was to reimagine the costume design of A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the lens of childhood play, emphasizing imagination, creativity, big dreams, and fantasy.
I designed and crafted each costume using many materials I used to play with as a child including soda can tabs, sticks, yarn, and glitter.I aimed to mirror how children create meaning and fantasy from their everyday surroundings. I was able to experiment with many unique textures and materials to create costumes that embodied the magic of the play and the fun of youthful creativity.
The purpose of this project was to reimagine the costume design of A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the lens of childhood play, emphasizing imagination, creativity, big dreams, and fantasy.
I designed and crafted each costume using many materials I used to play with as a child including soda can tabs, sticks, yarn, and glitter.I aimed to mirror how children create meaning and fantasy from their everyday surroundings. I was able to experiment with many unique textures and materials to create costumes that embodied the magic of the play and the fun of youthful creativity.
Student(s):
Natalie Ruiz
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Christine Cummings
Background Music and the Effects on Students During an Academic Task
Given how often students utilize music to study and do academic work, this study examined the effect of background music on memory, engagement, and perceived stress. Knowing whether background music improves or distracts from focus could help create more effective study techniques and learning spaces. An online Qualtrics form was given to California Lutheran University undergraduate students (n = 66). After completing a two-minute timed reading task in one of three settings (lyrical jazz music, instrumental jazz music, or no music), participants were asked to respond to 10 multiple-choice questions that scored their memory of the passage. Participants completed two brief likert-scale and self-report surveys after the memory test to see how focused and stressed they felt during the activity. A one-way Anova showed that background music did not have significant results on their memory and stress, showing that the effects of music are not consistent among people. While there weren’t any significant results found, this study can still be important. With further research, it may show a number of ways different background music can affect stress and memory, pointing out the need for more research to figure out when and who music can be helpful in academic tasks.
Student(s):
Siobhan Sandoval
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Arianna Young
Acute Efficacy of Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of RCTs
Psychotherapies are considered effective at treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for acute interventions. Cognitive Therapies are some of the most commonly used forms of therapy for PTSD (Rosenburg et al., 2008; Shalev et al., 1996). Exposure Therapy, a subset of Cognitive Therapies, yields mixed results on its efficacy for treating PTSD (Shalev et al., 1996). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed for treating individuals with trauma without common cognitive therapy practices like exposure, describing experiences, challenging beliefs, or homework (Hurley, 2018). The methodology was derived from a study by Kline, et al. (2018). Effect sizes were calculated as Cohen’s d and converted into Hedge’s g to minimise bias. Moderators included were treatment, measure type, and population type. All statistical analyses were conducted using R version 4.4.1. This meta-analysis evaluated the post-treatment effects of psychotherapies in randomized controlled trials. The overall effectiveness of Psychotherapy, with 121 treatment conditions in 58 PTSD, was g=-1.23 (<.05). Effect sizes were significantly larger for all four psychotherapy subgroups relative to the control conditions post-treatment. EMDR had the largest effect size (-1.58) while Nondirective therapies had the smallest ( -0.766). The moderators of population type and measure type had no significant difference. Findings provide that acute efficacy of interventions produce significant decrease in PTSD symptoms relative to control groups. It also shows which treatments subgroups are more effective than others. Current limitations include that the subgroups are broad, including numerous variations of therapy, therapy with adjunctive treatments, or psychotherapy in conjunction with medication.
Student(s):
Sebastian Sawyer
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jamie Bedics
No Camera, No Action, Just Lights: A Look Into Lighting Design
This is a look into the research and planning that goes into Lighting Designing a show for A Midsummer Night's Dream. It will be a dive into the incidence angles, research images, and specific instrument use. This board will highlight my planning and construction of different looks, and how those translate to the stage. I will discuss specific throw angles and how that effects my total pool of light, as well as the math that takes place when planning wattages and managing power on a limited grid.
Student(s):
Logan Smoot
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Christine Cummings
Dramaturgy in A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night’s Dreamis one of William Shakespeare’s most popular and earliest comedic plays, written between 1594 and 1596. The play has many allusions to the works of the Roman poets Virgil and Ovid, first-century Greek historian Plutarch, and medieval English poet Chaucer, all of which William Shakespeare would have studied in Stratford-Upon-Avon during grammar school, similarly to his contemporaries. The most significant of these inspirations is Ovid’s Metamorphoses, centered around Greek myth as well as the tragic story of the lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe.
As the dramaturg for California Lutheran University’s Theatre Department show of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I sought to discover the rich history behind the play’s creation. I researched political context, prominent themes and symbols, literary analysis, and how plays would have been performed in 16-17th century London.
I discovered that despite A Midsummer Night’s Dream being considered a good “beginner” play, lighthearted for middle schools (the time when I first read it), it has incredibly dark themes of coersion, rape, the slippery slope of hatred, and masochist perceptions of love. Desperation and magical influence bring many characters to do what they never would have imagined. Concerned with the intensity, the director and I started out with a more toned-down script but several actors were excited for the opportunity to portray what is seen in culture as taboo, restrictive, and supressed. Midsummer is also special in the way that Shakespeare played with the language in ways of malapropisms, innuendo, parallel speech, and subverting iambic pentameter.
As the dramaturg for California Lutheran University’s Theatre Department show of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I sought to discover the rich history behind the play’s creation. I researched political context, prominent themes and symbols, literary analysis, and how plays would have been performed in 16-17th century London.
I discovered that despite A Midsummer Night’s Dream being considered a good “beginner” play, lighthearted for middle schools (the time when I first read it), it has incredibly dark themes of coersion, rape, the slippery slope of hatred, and masochist perceptions of love. Desperation and magical influence bring many characters to do what they never would have imagined. Concerned with the intensity, the director and I started out with a more toned-down script but several actors were excited for the opportunity to portray what is seen in culture as taboo, restrictive, and supressed. Midsummer is also special in the way that Shakespeare played with the language in ways of malapropisms, innuendo, parallel speech, and subverting iambic pentameter.
Student(s):
Ruby Strickland
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Christine Cummings
Examining the Role of Screenings and Consultations in Sexual Health Communication Efficacy
Earlier estimates indicated that 19 million women in the U.S. received an annual preventive gynecological exam (Mehorta et al., 2007), but more recent data suggest a decline in these visits. In 2022–2023, 73% of women reported having a medical visit within the past year, reflecting shifts in healthcare patterns (WWVR, 2025). This reduction may limit opportunities for patient–provider communication about sexual health. Importantly, a persistent communication gap between patients and doctors remains (Uzdavines et al., 2022). Addressing this gap is critical, as effective communication during medical visits can increase self-efficacy and improve health. This study examined how prior health screenings/doctor consultations relate to adults’ self-efficacy in discussing sexual health. It was hypothesized that (1) prior screenings would be associated with higher self-efficacy, (2) consulting a doctor would be linked to differences in self-efficacy, and (3) there would be an interaction between screenings/consultations. A sample of 269 young adults completed an anonymous online survey assessing their history of screenings and consultations, as well as their comfort and confidence discussing sexual health topics. A two-way between-subjects ANOVA focusing on confidence in discussing contraception revealed a main effect of prior screening, F(1, 257) = 9.51, p = .002, η² = .036, with screened participants reporting higher confidence than those without screening history. There was also a main effect of prior consultation, F(1, 257) = 4.37, p = .037, η² = .017. Although the interaction was not significant, the pattern suggested the highest confidence among participants with both prior screening and consultation experience.
Student(s):
Ella Thompson
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Nicole Talarico
Functional Behavior Analysis and Behavior Modification for Disruptive Behavior
Functional behavior analysis and behavioral modification plan report for the clinical practicum course. The poster centers around a 5-year old male student in the Transitional Kindergarten class who has been struggling with disruptive behaviors.
Student(s):
Ella Thompson
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jodie Kocur
Clinical Experience and Patient Care: COPE Health Scholars
This project highlights my internship as a COPE Health Scholar at Kaiser Permanente, where I gained hands-on experience in a clinical healthcare setting. The purpose of this internship was to build essential clinical skills, improve patient interaction, and better understand the responsibilities of healthcare professionals. Throughout the experience, I supported patient care and observed the daily workflow of nurses, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team. This opportunity strengthened my communication, professionalism, adaptability, and confidence in a fast-paced medical environment. Overall, this experience reinforced my goal of becoming a Physician Assistant and provided meaningful insight into my future career in healthcare.
Student(s):
Natalie Villamor
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Amy Cook
Memory Recall and Confidence Levels According to Media Type
Reading comprehension and memory are essential components of academic success and life, yet the impact of reading medium on these processes is still unclear. This study examined whether the reading on paper versus a digital device (iPad) influences memory recall and confidence in memory among CLU undergraduate students. It was hypothesized that differences in medium may affect both recall performance and confidence levels.
Participants were randomly assigned to read a passage either on paper or on an iPad. After reading, participants completed a recall assessment consisting of 8 questions measuring the number of correctly remembered items and then rated their confidence in their memory on a 1-7 scale. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare recall and confidence between conditions.
Results indicated no statistically significant difference in memory recall between the paper condition (M=7.92, SD=0.41) and the iPad condition (M = 8.00, SD = 0.00), t(43) = -0.93, p = .355. However, a significant difference was found in confidence levels, with participants in the paper condition (M = 6.33, SD = 0.82) reporting higher confidence than those in the iPad condition (M = 5.81, SD = 0.81), indicating a statistically significant finding t(43) = 2.15, p = .037).
These findings suggest that while reading medium may not impact actual recall performance, it can influence individual’s perceptions of their memory. These findings have important implications for how students evaluate their learning and study habits across different medium types.
Participants were randomly assigned to read a passage either on paper or on an iPad. After reading, participants completed a recall assessment consisting of 8 questions measuring the number of correctly remembered items and then rated their confidence in their memory on a 1-7 scale. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare recall and confidence between conditions.
Results indicated no statistically significant difference in memory recall between the paper condition (M=7.92, SD=0.41) and the iPad condition (M = 8.00, SD = 0.00), t(43) = -0.93, p = .355. However, a significant difference was found in confidence levels, with participants in the paper condition (M = 6.33, SD = 0.82) reporting higher confidence than those in the iPad condition (M = 5.81, SD = 0.81), indicating a statistically significant finding t(43) = 2.15, p = .037).
These findings suggest that while reading medium may not impact actual recall performance, it can influence individual’s perceptions of their memory. These findings have important implications for how students evaluate their learning and study habits across different medium types.
Student(s):
Michelle Wilson, Aime Gonzalez
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Andrea Sell
Exploring Counselor Perceptions & Experiences at Camp HOPE for Children Affected by Domestic Violence
This study examines counselor perspectives on Camp HOPE, a week-long program for youth exposed to domestic violence. Through surveys of 14 counselors, we investigated perceptions of program effectiveness and how counselors' own Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) influence their work. Results show strong consensus on the program's effectiveness. Notably, counselors who believed they facilitated hope, healing, and resilience "extremely well" all had multiple ACEs, suggesting shared experiences enhance effectiveness. Counselors regardless of ACE background reported personal healing through their service, indicating reciprocal therapeutic benefits.
Through our research we hope to contribute to the literatures on trauma-informed programming for youth, to improve the effectiveness of Camp HOPE and to inform decisions about future program development for the Ventura County Family Justice Center.
Through our research we hope to contribute to the literatures on trauma-informed programming for youth, to improve the effectiveness of Camp HOPE and to inform decisions about future program development for the Ventura County Family Justice Center.
Student(s):
Elisa Zarate, Gracie Marcelo, Dr. Molly George
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Molly George