The Husson University Repository
The Husson University Repository is an institutional resource managed by the W. Tom and Bonnie Sawyer Library and is made possible, in part, by the John M. Webber Husson University Library Endowment Fund. Our mission is to provide a central repository to collect, organize, archive, disseminate, and showcase the scholarly, creative, and institutional works of Husson University.
Content is organized into high level communities by College and School, and then into collections based on Student or Faculty/Staff work.
To have your work included in the repository:- Students: Please work through your course instructor.
- Faculty & Staff: Please contact the Sawyer Library.
See this guide for more information about using and submitting to the repository.
Communities in DSpace
Select a community to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Vigue, Elizabeth
Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Office of Assessment
LYING AND DECEPTION IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIPS
(2026-04-16) McLaughlin, Alyiah; Smith, Rachelle
Domestic violence is widely recognized as a significant social and psychological issue, however, much of the research has historically focused on physical violence while less attention has been given to the role of deception within abusive relationships. The following literature review examines how lying and deception function within intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly as mechanisms of control used by perpetrators and as survival strategies used by victims. Major psychological concepts discussed include gaslighting, coercive control, trauma bonding, cognitive dissonance, and power-and-control dynamics. Peer reviewed research from psychology and interpersonal violence journals was gathered from Husson University Library, including Academic Search Ultimate. They were then reviewed to understand how deception operates within abusive relationships and the psychological consequences of such deception. Findings across these studies suggest that deception is frequently used by perpetrators to manipulate victims, deny abusive behavior, and maintain power within the relationship. Research also indicates that victims may engage in deception as a protective strategy to avoid escalation of violence or social stigma. To add to this, chronic exposure to deception, particularly gaslighting, has been linked to psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and trauma symptoms. Overall, the literature supports that deception plays a central role in sustaining abusive dynamics and complicating victims’ ability to seek help. Understanding the psychological mechanisms behind deception in domestic violence relationships is critical, as it can help improve intervention strategies, clinical assessment, and support services for survivors.
STRENGTHENING INTRAPROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: OUTCOMES FROM STUDENT-LED DPT/PTA WORKSHOPS GROUNDED IN IPEC COMPETENCIES
(2026-04-16) Slike, Michelle; Abbott, Emma; Crone, Aidan; Bernardo, Marlon; Hinckley, Emily; Pomerleau, Jessica; Reynolds, Mitchel
Background & Purpose:
Education on the collaborative relationship between Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and physical therapist assistants (PTA) remains limited despite its recognized importance (Sellheim et al., 2020). This gap is particularly important given evidence that PT/PTA collaborative models yield patient outcomes comparable to PT-only care, while facilitating more efficient discharge (Baumann et al., 2023). Prior research indicates that team-based learning enhances student comfort with collaboration and emphasizes the need for improved role clarity and intentional curricular integration (Hawthorne et al., 2018; Hayward et al., 2021). This study evaluated the impact of student-led workshops on PT and PTA students’ understanding of roles, communication, and teamwork, while also exploring strategies for integrating intraprofessional education into entry-level curricula aligned with accreditation standards.
Description:
DPT students designed and facilitated two workshops for DPT and PTA students. A literature review and a clinician informed needs assessment identified the key themes of collaboration, role clarity, and communication. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies guided the content. Workshops included didactic sessions on roles, ethics, patient simulations, anatomy dissections, and team-building activities. Pre- and post-surveys assessed understanding of roles and collaboration, with satisfaction surveys evaluating perceived value.
Results:
A total of 160 participants (113 DPT, 47 PTA) engaged in the workshops. Quantitative analysis showed improvements across all measured domains. Median scores rose from 3 pre-workshop to 4 post-workshop for preparedness, role understanding, communication, delegation, and readiness for collaboration. Mann-Whitney U tests confirmed these gains were statistically significant (p < .05). Participants cited simulations as most impactful for understanding roles and communication, and dissections for fostering teamwork. Suggestions included extending activities and adding more complex cases.
Conclusion:
Findings support structured, student-led intraprofessional education as an effective method to enhance PT/PTA collaboration. Integrating such models into entry-level curricula may improve role clarity, teamwork, and readiness for team-based care.
IN PROGRESS (ALWAYS) – A RETORSPECTIVE EXHIBITION
(2026-04-16) Delicata, Janelle; Smith, Kathi
Janelle Delicata, MFA, adjunct faculty in Fine Arts will present 25 mixed media artworks, which include a combination of paintings, drawings and assemblage in the WBRC Gallery, Gracie Theatre. In the discipline of Fine Arts, scholarship includes the dissemination of creative works through exhibition. This body of work encompasses visual exploration with abstract and landscape-based forms created over the last 30 years. The works in this show were selected from pieces from the 1990s to 2025. As the artist looked through the work, she recognized recurring forms and shapes. Delicata looks beyond the surface of her motifs and explore what’s not readily visible. Her explorations start in reality but she works intuitively. Delicata believes that her art, like in her life, is a work in progress. It’s an ongoing journey, a constant search and exploration—in progress, always. This sentiment is shared both conceptually and aesthetically by many Modernist art movements, including but not limited to the Abstract Expressionist, Cubists, and even Surrealist artists of the 20th century. Delicata takes a contemporary lens to a familiar subject of form inspired by landscape.
Delicata believes that all art is autobiographical in that each artist’s work is influenced and informed by his/her perceptions and life experiences. She interprets influences and forms from land, water, sky and elemental forces to create a personal iconography and language. Her earlier work incorporates more dimensional elements whereas the more recent work, while layered, has more flat surfaces. All include explorations in texture, color, line, and movement.
Janelle Delicata was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. She lived and worked throughout the eastern United States and Canada before settling in Maine in 1986. She works in several media and likes to “mix things up,” incorporating elements from one medium into another.
Delicata earned a BFA at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD in 1975 and an MFA at Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts, Rochester, NY in 1983 with a major in Weaving & Textile Design and a minor in Jewelry & Metals. She is an artist member of the Maine Crafts Association and a member of the Union of Maine Visual Artists. She owns a small business creating and selling my jewelry and artwork.
IMMERSIVE DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION
(2026-04-16) Hope, Colby; Avelange, Dylan; Ahlers, Eric; Knupp, Michael
This project is a spatially driven Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) concept that reimagines the typical music creation process by placing the user inside a digital recreation of a studio environment using virtual reality. This project explores how music composition, collaboration, and performance can be made more intuitive and accessible by positioning musical creation tools within a virtual 3D space. Users can interact with instruments and engage with elements of the music creation process through immersive, hands-on experiences in virtual reality. In some cases, this approach can make these tools more accessible to individuals who may not have access to a dedicated mixing or music creation space. Our focus is on emulating as much of the music creation and mixing process as possible while ensuring the environment runs smoothly on standalone VR hardware, usability, and realism.