Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MIXED REALITY IN SUPPORTING NURSES’ EVALUATION PROCESSES IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Ibrahim, Turki Mohammed; Lu, ZhipengHealthcare design is a multifaceted process that involves collaboration among various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patients, and architects. However, engaging nonarchitects in the design process can be challenging, as they often lack familiarity with architectural concepts and terminology. Given the inherent complexity of healthcare environments, there is a growing need for advanced tools that enhance visualization, facilitate collaboration, and support effective design evaluation. Immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional 2D and 3D drawings and physical mock-ups. Despite their potential, a comprehensive understanding of their practical impact remains limited. This research explores the comparative effectiveness of VR and MR mock-ups in enhancing nurses’ spatial understanding and participation in healthcare design assessments. To address this gap, the study comprises three interconnected investigations: a systematic literature review, an experiment, and qualitative analysis. The first study synthesizes existing knowledge on the application of immersive technologies in healthcare design, highlighting key design tasks, associated benefits, and challenges. The second study presents a comparative user experiment involving nursing students and professionals, evaluating how they interact with VR and MR environments during design evaluation tasks. This study assesses user experience, engagement, cognitive workload, and task performance through a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. The third study extends these findings through qualitative analysis of think-aloud and interview data to explain how VR and MR shape evaluation behaviors, influence situational awareness within virtual environments, and affect the completeness and actionability of user feedback. Together, these studies provide evidence-based insights into the practical value of immersive VM-ups for healthcare design evaluation and clarify how modality characteristics shape performance and user experience. The dissertation concludes that VM-ups can meaningfully support nurse participation in design review and that MR, in particular, strengthen clinically relevant detection of design problems without reducing perceived usability. These findings inform evidence-based selection of immersive evaluation tools and guide the development of standardized, stakeholder-centered VM-up protocols for healthcare facility design.13 0Item Restricted Decarbonising the aluminium value chain through cross-regional corridor optimisation: a techno-economic and emissions framework for Australia-Middle East-Europe pathways(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alsayed, Mohammed; Rahman, DaiyanAluminium is a structural input to the energy transition, yet its production remains emissions-intensive because of the heat demand of alumina refining, the electricity intensity of smelting and the carbon consumed at the anode. This study develops a corridor-level techno-economic and emissions framework for aluminium value-chain configurations linking Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to destination markets in Europe and China. The framework integrates bauxite extraction, inland logistics, alumina refining, primary smelting and casting, secondary aluminium production and marine delivery within a consistent mass, cost and emissions accounting structure. Stage-level process assumptions are combined with location-specific electricity-system outputs and a set of scenario pathways spanning natural-gas baseline operation, gas with abatement, electrification, hydrogen-supported refining, inert-anode deployment, PPA-based electricity procurement and secondary recycling. The framework is used to examine whether the lowest-cost corridor is also the lowest-emissions corridor, to quantify switching behaviour under electricity, hydrogen and carbon-policy sensitivities, and to evaluate how CBAM alters the relative competitiveness of Australian and Middle Eastern routes. The results show that no single corridor dominates across all objectives. Under the five-criterion multi-criteria assessment with balanced weighting, the Australian full chain ranks first, while the United Arab Emirates full chain ranks second. When the analysis is extended in the final synthesis to include subsidy reliance, CBAM 2034 exposure and pathway flexibility, the ranking shifts: UAE-anchored full-chain configurations emerge as the highest-ranked balanced option, reflecting their combination of low delivered cost, limited CBAM exposure and minimal reliance on direct subsidies, while hybrid Australia-to-UAE smelt corridors follow as a competitive intermediate option. Australia-only full-chain routes dominate under carbon-priority weighting and score strongly on regulatory stability and chokepoint resilience, supporting their inclusion in a diversified procurement portfolio. Applied to the Australian baseline, the framework estimates a delivered cost of USD 2,906/t Al and an embedded footprint of approximately 11.0 t CO₂-e/t Al under business-as-usual conditions. Under the 2050 S2 gas-with-abatement pathway, delivered cost rises to USD 3,835/t Al while embedded emissions fall to 4.3 t CO₂-e/t Al, remaining below the 2050 LME reference of USD 4,200/t Al. The corresponding 2050 S2 full-chain cases for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reach USD 3,174/t Al and USD 3,261/t Al, with emissions of 4.5 and 4.1 t CO₂-e/t Al, respectively. Secondary aluminium delivers the lowest per-tonne emissions but is bounded by scrap availability and alloy quality, and therefore acts as a complement rather than a substitute. Taken together, the findings indicate that aluminium decarbonisation is best approached as a corridor and portfolio problem, and that long-term industrial PPAs, supported by time- limited Contract-for-Difference mechanisms, can help bridge the near-term renewable-electricity competitiveness gap during the transition.11 0Item Restricted Advancing understanding of post-stroke dysarthria in the UK and Arabic-speaking populations: Clinical practice, communication outcomes, and lived experiences(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Benafif, Shahd; Mitchell, Claire; Conroy, PaulDysarthria, a motor speech disorder affecting the neuromuscular system underlying speech production, is a common sequela of stroke and has significant functional and psychosocial consequences. This PhD thesis aimed to advance understanding of post-stroke dysarthria in both UK English-speaking and general Arabic-speaking populations by examining clinical practice, communication outcomes, and the lived experiences of stroke survivors. The thesis comprises four interrelated studies: a systematic review and three empirical studies. The first study was a systematic review that identified 14 measurement instruments across 9 studies for the assessment of non-progressive dysarthria in Arabic-speaking contexts. These instruments were evaluated in terms of their availability, clinical utility, psychometric properties, and alignment with the ICF framework. Most were clinician-rated, focused on impairment, and based on norms derived from English-speaking populations. The second study explored assessment and treatment practices through surveying 55 SLTs working with Arabic-speaking stroke survivors. Building on the findings of the systematic review, the survey examined the extent to which the identified instruments are used in clinical practice. The survey indicated that, although the availability of some of these tools were reported, two-thirds of SLTs relied on informal assessments. Clinicians also highlighted the need for formal, culturally and linguistically appropriate tools. The third study was a quantitative investigation describing the baseline demographic and clinical profile of 169 stroke survivors with dysarthria in the UK, a well-established healthcare and research context. It also examined communication outcomes and the relationship between assessment domains and patient and clinician perspectives, demonstrating alignment across ICF domains and positive associations between clinician-rated and patient-reported outcomes. The fourth study explored the lived experiences of stroke survivors with dysarthria in the UK through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 27 participants. Findings indicate that communication is shaped by interacting factors, including speech difficulties, co-occurring impairments, and the cognitive and emotional demands of social interaction, with significant implications for self-image and participation. Collectively, these studies provide a comprehensive, multidimensional understanding of post-stroke dysarthria. They highlight the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate tools and a holistic understanding of stroke survivors with dysarthria, including co-occurring impairments. They further emphasise the importance of incorporating the patient perspective to support person-centred care within contemporary stroke pathways. The findings establish a clear agenda for future research, particularly to continue exploring the long-term impact of dysarthria, develop comprehensive frameworks for dysarthria management in Arabic-speaking contexts, and explore the lived experiences of Arabic-speaking stroke survivors with dysarthria.18 0Item Restricted Designing Privacy-Preserving IoT Smart Speakers: A Human-Centered Wearable Privacy Approach in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alorini, Abdulrhman; Baki, KocaballiPrivacy concerns surrounding Internet of Things (IoT) smart speakers have become increasingly prominent, yet users struggle to understand and manage risks associated with continuous voice monitoring, cloud-based data processing, and third-party access. Existing privacy research predominantly focuses on Western contexts, creating a critical gap in understanding how cultural factors influence privacy protection behaviours in non-Western settings. This thesis investigates privacy protection behaviours among smart speaker users in Saudi Arabia and develops wearable technology-based interventions to enhance privacy awareness through three interconnected studies. Study One employed cultural probes and semi-structured interviews with 16 Saudi users, revealing that privacy protection behaviours are shaped by collectivist values, Islamic principles, and multi-generational household structures. Study Two developed a smartwatch application through co-design workshops with nine participants. Field evaluation with ten participants demonstrated sustained improvements in privacy awareness, with participants preferring the wearable interface over conventional privacy controls and the majority expressing intention to continue use beyond the study period. The thesis contributes three primary findings: privacy protection behaviours in Saudi Arabia are culturally constituted rather than individually motivated; wearable interfaces can bridge the awareness-action gap in IoT privacy management; and effective interventions must encode local cultural protocols rather than assuming universal user needs.13 0Item Restricted Monitoring vegetation change associated with the Riyadh Green Initiative using satellite data(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) ALSULTAN, SULTAN ABDULAZIZ S; Robinson, Todd; Dewan, AshrafUrban greening is central to improving liveability in hot-arid cities. In Riyadh, daily maximum temperatures can reach 52°C during summer, increasing the importance of urban greening for heat-stress reduction. In this context, the Green Riyadh initiative has become an important programme for improving the urban environment. However, there remains limited neighbourhood-scale evidence showing where vegetation cover has increased or declined across different parts of Riyadh. This study provides neighbourhood-scale evidence of vegetation change in selected districts of Riyadh by comparing vegetation conditions between 2017 and 2025. Landsat 8 surface reflectance imagery from 2017 and 2025 was used to compare baseline and recent vegetation conditions.7 0Item Restricted A Study of Domestic and Inbound Tourism Trends in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) ALSAAD, MANSOUR FAHAD; Atefeh, KhazaeiDomestic Tourism , Inbound Tourism , Saudi Arabia , Tourism Trends , Data Analytics , Tourism Analysis1 0Item Restricted أثر سياسات القوى الإقليمية على الأمن الوطني الخليجي(إسرائيل – تركيا)(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) العقلا, عبدالله; الديربي, عبدالعال عبدالرحمنكتسب هذه الدراسة أهميتها العلمية والعملية من كونها تسهم في إثراء الأدبيات المتعلقة بدراسات الأمن الإقليمي والخليجي، وتقدم تحليلاً مقارناً لسياسات قوتين إقليميتين مؤثرتين، بما يساعد صناع القرار والباحثين على فهم أعمق لديناميكيات التفاعل الإقليمي وتأثيراته المستقبلية على الأمن الوطني الخليجي في ظل استمرار حالة السيولة الاستراتيجية التي يشهدها الإقليم.تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تحقيق مجموعة من الأهداف، من أبرزها:1- تحليل توجهات القوى الإقليمية غير العربية (إسرائيل – تركيا) وتأثيرها على الأمن الوطني الخليجي.2- متابعة ورصد متطلبات الأمن الوطني الخليجي في ظل زيادة الأهمية الاستراتيجية لمنطقة الخليج العربي. 3- تحليل الاتفاقات الأمنية العربية للحفاظ على الأمن الوطني الخليجي4- استشراف السيناريوهات المستقبلية المحتملة لتطور أثر هذه السياسات على الأمن الوطني الخليجي5 0Item Restricted تنظيم الذات والدافعية كمتغيرات معدلة للعلاقة بين الاكتئاب وجودة الحياة لدى عينة من مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب: دراسة إكلينيكية(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) العميري, مشعل; زيدان, أكرمهدف البحث الحالي الى التعرف على تنظيم الذات والدافعية كمتغيرات معدلة للعلاقة بين الاكتئاب وجودة الحياة لدى عينة من مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب، وكذا دراسة الفروق بين مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب في كل من تنظيم الذات والدافعية والاكتئاب وجودة الحياة، باختلاف كل متغير من متغيري: السن (أصغر – أكبر)، ومدة فترة الإدمان (طويلة - قصيرة) والتفاعل بينهما. وتكونت عينة البحث الكلية من (250) من الذكور مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب تنظيم الذات والدافعية، طبق عليهما قائمة بك للاكتئاب (تعريب غريب عبد الفتاح غريب)، ومقياس جودة الحياة (مجدي الدسوقي)، ومقياس تنظيم الذات والدافعية (فوقية حسن رضوان). كما توصلت النتائج أنه "يوجد تأثير دال إحصائيًّا لتنظيم الذات والدافعية بوصفها متغيرًات معدلة للعلاقة بين الاكتئاب وجودة الحياة لدى مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب. وأنه "توجد علاقة ارتباطية سالبة بين الاكتئاب وبين كل من تنظيم الذات والدافعية وجودة الحياة، وعلاقة ارتباطية موجبة بين تنظيم الذات والدافعية وجودة الحياة لدى مدمني المواد النفسية المؤثرة في الأعصاب".1 0Item Restricted Limitations of Current Solar Magnetic Field Modeling Techniques Across Spatial and Temporal Scales(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alanazi, Abdulhadi; Shelyag, SergiyMagneticfieldsgovernmanyofthephysicalprocessesobservedinthesolaratmosphere, includingenergytransport,wavepropagation,andtheformationofstructuredfeatures suchasfluxtubesandactiveregions. Accuratemodellingofthesemagneticconfigurations is essential for understanding their behaviour and for validating numerical magnetohy- drodynamic(MHD)simulations. Thisthesisdevelopsaunifiedanalyticalandnumericalframeworkforstudyingsolar magneticfieldsandlinearMHDwaves. Magnetohydrostatic(MHS)equilibriaarederived usingflux-functionandGrad–ShafranovformulationsinbothcylindricalandCartesian geometries. Theseequilibrianaturallysatisfythesolenoidalconditionandprovideclean, controlledmagneticstructuressuitableforbenchmarking. Numericalevaluationconfirms that divergence is preserved to machine precision, and visualisations in two and three dimensionsreproducetheexpectedexpansionandtopologyofsolar-likemagneticfields. LinearMHDwavesareanalysedwithintheseequilibriabycomputingthephasespeeds oftheAlfv´en,fast,slow,andacousticmodes. Theresultsagreecloselywiththeoretical dispersion relations, demonstrating the suitability of the equilibria as backgrounds for wavepropagationstudies. Takentogether, theanalyticalconstructionsandwavediag- nostics establish a consistent and flexible framework for understanding solar magnetic structuresandsupportongoingdevelopmentandvalidationofnumericalMHDmodels.5 0Item Restricted أثر المتغيرات الدولية والإقليمية على السياسة الخارجية للمملكة العربية السعودية (٢٠١١ – ٢٠٢٤)(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) القرني, عبدالله; الديربي, عبدالعال عبدالرحمنتنطلق أهمية الدراسة من أهمية المملكة العربية السعودية كفاعل محوري في الإقليمين العربي والإسلامي، ومن ثم فإن فهم تحولات سياستها الخارجية يساعد في تفسير ديناميات الأمن الإقليمي، ومسارات التحالفات، ومستقبل التوازنات الاستراتيجية في الشرق الأوسط، كما تسهم الدراسة في إثراء الأدبيات الأكاديمية المتعلقة بتحليل السياسة الخارجية لدول الشرق الأوسط، من خلال ربطها بالمتغيرات الدولية والإقليمية في فترة زمنية حافلة بالتحولات غير المسبوقة. كما تقدم إطارًا تحليليًا لفهم كيفية تفاعل الدولة مع بيئة دولية وإقليمية. أهداف الدراسة تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى: ١. تحليل أبرز المتغيرات الدولية التي شهدها النظام الدولي خلال الفترة (٢٠١١-٢٠٢٤) وانعكاساتها على السياسة الخارجية السعودية. ٢. دراسة المتغيرات الإقليمية في الشرق الأوسط، ولا سيما الصراعات الإقليمية وتوازنات القوى، وتأثيرها في توجهات المملكة الخارجية. ٣. رصد وتحليل تطور أدوات السياسة الخارجية السعودية، من الدبلوماسية التقليدية إلى الدبلوماسية النشطة والمتعددة المسارات. ٤. تقييم دور العوامل الاقتصادية، وخاصة أسواق الطاقة والتحولات الاقتصادية العالمية، في صياغة علاقات المملكة الدولية. ٥. تحليل جوانب القوة والضعف في السياسة الخارجية للمملكة العربية السعودية وتقديم التوصيات لتعظيم الجوانب الإيجابية وتجاوز الجوانب السلبية.2 0