Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Traci Pooler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of college faculty experiences and perceptions of student learning outcomes during forced virtual instruction in the spring 2020 semester. The study was limited to faculty who taught at one of the 18 member institutions of the Association of Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU). Factors such as the discipline being taught were considered. Other factors considered were faculty experience with virtual instruction, the availability of technology for faculty and students, and the support provided to students and faculty amid the transition to virtual instruction. The survey reviewed responses from each AIKCU …

Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire

Dissertations

The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …

The Prevalence Of Mirror Gazing Behaviors In Men, Rutuja Pramod Chinchankar

Dissertations

Muscle Dysmorphia is when the individual is preoccupied with the idea that his or her body build is too small or insufficiently muscular. This study looked at the distinct criteria of MD, which is persistently and obsessively checking one’s appearance in the mirror and being dissatisfied with it. It studied the reasons behind these repetitive mirror-gazing behaviors. This study also attempted to understand the effect of an individual’s age, educational background, religious orientation, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status on his predisposition to MD via mirror-gazing behaviors. This study used a qualitative research design. Part I of the study included participants …

Reflections On Professional Development: An Autoethnographic Study In Theories Of Practice, Sara Elizabeth Jennings

Dissertations

This autoethnographic project extends the work of Argyris and Schön (1974); Houchens (2008); Houchens and Keedy (2009); Houchens, Hurt, Stobaugh, & Keedy (2012); and Houchens, Stewart, and Jennings (2017) by replicating an experiment in reflective practice using a self-coaching protocol as a means for mapping one’s own theories of practice. Relying on selfreflexivity to study professional learning in a culture of school reform, the author used Argyris and Schon’s (1974) theories of practice as a conceptual framework by adapting a self-coaching protocol (Houchens, 2008; Houchens et al., 2012; Houchens et al., 2017) and pairing it with selfobservations of video-recorded instructional …

The Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Online Boundaries And Relationship Satisfaction, Jay Ingram

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of how the use of social networking and online boundaries affects relationship satisfaction. Because the literature has not yet addressed how social networking intrusion affects couples, this study draws on previous research of face-to-face boundary setting. An instrument was developed specifically for this study to measure the extent of intrusion of social networking use from factors of romantic jealousy, partner surveillance, and relationship conflict. Previous research found these factors to have a negative impact on relationship satisfaction in face-to-face situations.

Three hundred thirty-one participants completed the Relationship Assessment Scale, the Social …

Exploratory Study Of Factors That Predict Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence In An Intervention Program, Cres'sena S. Thomas

Dissertations

This study explores factors that predict persistence for underrepresented minority students participating in an intervention program that branches off into a Living Learning Community. This research is significant due to the growing change of student demographics across college campuses and the need for institutions to understand how they can assist in student persistence. The study was conducted as a quantitative study and responses from study participants were analyzed using SPSS. The findings concluded that cumulative GPA was the only significant factor in predicting persistence for this student population. There are some noteworthy mentions from the study regarding the Living Learning …

Development Of A Scale To Measure School Psychologists' Self-Efficacy For Working With Gifted Populations, Brittany Marie Dodds

Dissertations

School psychologists are specialists in educational assessment, consultation, youth mental health, and social-emotional-behavioral development. As a result of their training, school psychologists are positioned to serve students with exceptionalities, including gifted students. However, research indicates that school psychologists' familiarity with gifted issues is lacking and that information regarding school psychologists' self-efficacy for working with this population is nonexistent. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to create a tool to assess school psychologists' self- efficacy for working with gifted populations. The Dodds Inventory of Gifted Self- Efficacy for School Psychologists (DIGS-SP) was developed and administered to 229 practicing school …

Clinicians' Use Of Mhealth Applications In Interventions For Substance Use Disorders, James Daniel Bender

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine how clinicians are identifying, evaluating, and utilizing mHealth apps as treatment adjuncts with their clients who have a substance use disorder. A sample of 93 participants (20 males, 72 females, and 1 not listed) completed measures of demographics and inquiries about their use and evaluation of mHealth apps in their practices. Clinicians who work at mental health centers and private practicing clinicians were recruited. The majority of the sample (71%) reported that they had not utilized mHealth apps with their clients who have a substance use disorder diagnosis. Participants who have attended …

Examining Treatment Acceptability Of An Eight-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Protocol, Blake William Palmer

Dissertations

The goal of this study is to examine whether levels of perceived stress, experiential avoidance, personality traits including openness to experience and agreeableness, and demographic variables will predict the treatment acceptability (indicated by responses on the Treatment Acceptability and Adherence Scale) of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. This study collected data in the Spring of 2019. The final number of participants in the study was 116 (40 females, 76 males, Mage = 36, age range: 22-69 years). Participants completed measures including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), the agreeableness and openness to Experience domains …

Psychometric Properties Of The College Athlete Psychological Screening Tool: Validation Of The Depression And Anxiety Subscales, Joseph C. Case

Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to gain a better understanding of the descriptive psychometric properties of the College Athlete Psychological Screening (CAPS) measure. The CAPS is a newly developed assessment screening measure designed to assess 14 common problem areas for college athletes. For the present investigation, 395 participants completed the 108-item CAPS measure. To establish criterion validity, participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The present study had three research questions. Question one discussed the descriptive psychodynamic properties (Cronbach’s alpha, means, and standard deviations) of the 14 CAPS subscales. Question two …

The Relationship Between Organizational Trauma-Informed Care And Secondary Trauma Symptoms In Staff Members Of Kentucky Domestic Violence Programs, Mary Ellen Foley

Dissertations

This study evaluated secondary traumatic stress (STS) levels in 89 employees from Kentucky’s 15 regional domestic crisis programs to determine whether certain demographic variables predicted STS levels (as measured by the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale©) and whether employee perception of organizational trauma-informed care practices (as measured by the Ticometer©) reduced levels of STS. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that personal trauma history severity did significantly impact STS levels. In this way, the current study rejected the null hypothesis. Results also indicated that the more the employee perceived the organization to adopt and execute trauma-informed care practices, the lower …

Apprenticeship Participation At Ge Appliances: An Insider’S Ethnographic Study Of Apprentice Participation And Factors Contributing To Student Success, Berschel Robert Hunt

Dissertations

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has defined an apprenticeship as a combination of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation (Smith, 1996, p. 5). General Electric Appliances (GEA) has viewed the DOL model as a viable solution to the decreasing numbers of skilled workers available to employers. Leaders at GEA determined a void existed between the number of skilled workers needed for GEA operations compared to the number of skilled workers available. GEA apprentice programs were suspended in 1995 but reinstated in 2015 to address …

Applying The Homework, Organization, And Planning Skills (Hops) Intervention To Elementary Students With Adhd, Ayanna Maia Peake

Dissertations

Students need appropriate executive functioning (EF) skills to improve their academic achievement. The Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Interventions were implemented for 16 sessions with three elementary students with ADHD and executive functioning (EF) deficits. The study aimed to improve the homework, organization, and time management skills of each participant. The interventions were expected to decrease both EF deficits and teacher reports of homework behavior difficulties. This study used a multiple baseline across participants single subject research design with interventions implemented concurrently. A behavior rating scale provided pre and post-intervention data on the participants’ EF deficits. Classroom teachers also …

Baseline Trauma Symptoms: Residential And Non-Residential Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Brooke R. Jacobs

Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a preventable public health problem that’s literature has documented the clinical presentations of those who have experienced IPV. These presentations include what is generally consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as a wide range of other symptoms including different medical comorbidities, defensiveness, difficulties in self-regulation, externalizing behavior, difficulties in relationships, withdrawal, and somatic preoccupations. These presentations are typically assumed to be symptoms of IPV but some argue that some of these, such as insecure attachment or trauma exposure, may be precursors to experiencing IPV. This has been discussed with great caution to avoid victim …

The Use Of Vouchers To Negatively Reinforce Number Of Weeks Compliant Among Clients In A Mental Health Court, Michele Nicole Murdock

Dissertations

The literature is sparse on the use of contingency management procedures in a mental health court (MHC). The purpose of this study was to examine the use of negative reinforcement for behavioral changes in a MHC. Specifically, the present study explored whether a voucher-based contingency management intervention improved the number of weeks compliant on MHC probation and whether participants were more externally than internally motivated to comply with MHC probation requirements. Vouchers were given for compliance with MHC probation requirements. The vouchers allowed participants to miss a future court date. It was hypothesized that participants who received the voucher would …

Meeting The Needs Of Graduate International Students In A Mid-South University: A Descriptive Phenomenology Study, Ifeyinwa Onyeke-Onwelumadu

Dissertations

NAFSA’s economic analysis indicates that international students and their families created or supported 340,000 jobs and contributed $26.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2013-2014 academic year (NAFSA, 2014). The analysis for reveals that for every seven international students enrolled, three U.S. jobs are created or supported by spending. These occur in the following sectors: higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications, and health insurance. By the 2017-2018 academic year, the US witnessed further significant contribution of international students to the US economy, contributing $39 billion from living expenses, tuition, and fees. Also, the contributions of international students created …

Physician Stress: Is The Electronic Health Record To Blame?, Zack Ward

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationship between Family Medicine physician burnout and the electronic health record. To do so, this study utilized the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to assess burnout among physicians, along with specific questions regarding usage of the electronic health record and measurement of physician perceptions of the electronic health record. Members of the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians were sent two separate invitations to participate in the study twice over a one-month period via email.

The study yielded no significant differences in Family Medicine physician demographics and their degree of burnout, or the …

A Collaborative Perspectives Approach For Understanding Effective Care Coordination In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rachel Severs

Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes significant impairment in social and communication areas. The severity of the disorder can often result in a substantial degree and amount of service access and expenditures relating to a child’s needs. This study examined the experiences of how family caregivers and service providers of children with ASD view service delivery using a basic qualitative research design. For the study, 10 participants (five family caregivers and five service providers) were enrolled and interviewed. Interview data were collected and coded to produce a qualitative analysis of the experiences of these individuals who …

Parent Perception Of The Working Alliance, Parent Self-Efficacy, And Parent Locus Of Control As Predictors Of Child Therapy Outcome, Christopher Glenn Chandler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that parent-therapist working alliance, parent self-efficacy, and parent locus of control have on child therapy outcomes. Bordin’s model of the working alliance provides a framework for measuring the collaboration between the parents and therapists while Social Cognitive Theory informs the decision to assess parent self-efficacy and parent locus of control.

The research questions were as follows: 1) Does a strong parent and therapist working alliance, as perceived by the parent, predict improved outcomes in child counseling? 2) Does parent self-efficacy predict outcomes in child counseling? 3) Does parent locus of …

The Role Of Self-Care As It Pertains To Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline Staff, Crystal T. Henson

Dissertations

The present study was designed to explore the role of an agency/supervisor to increase self-care participation among suicide prevention crisis hotline staff. The impact self-care participation was found to increase compassion satisfaction while decreasing both burnout and secondary traumatic stress in this population of helpers. Self-care is meant to be a preventative measure to help increase an individual’s overall well-being and can also impact job satisfaction. As helpers, self-care is often recommended to those individuals with whom they are working; however, helpers have historically not followed their own recommendations. Research has shown that those helpers with higher levels of compassion …

Client Perceptions Of The Utilization Of Mindfulness Activities In Therapy, Anissa S. Pugh

Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine client perceptions of the use of mindfulness activities in the therapeutic process. For this current study, 21 participants completed a seven-item demographic questionnaire, a 39-item Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and a 10-item Mindfulness Experience Questionnaire. The present study investigated three research questions. Research Question 1 looked at how clients perceived the effectiveness of the use of mindfulness activities in therapy. The next research question examined how clients viewed the addition of mindfulness activities to be an acceptable treatment approach based on personal values and beliefs. The third research question for this …

Emotional Intelligence And Leader Development: Measuring Trait Emotional Intelligence Scores Of Mid- Career Commissioned U.S. Army Officers, Stephan Lorentz Walters

Dissertations

The United States Army is preparing for the ambiguous and consistently changing realities of the modern world by developing leaders who are adaptive, mentally agile, and open to change. However, without instruments or tools that purposefully measure adaptability within each individual leader, it is challenging to determine the U.S. Army’s effectiveness at the strategic goal to develop adaptive and self-aware leaders.

The dependent variables of interest are the trait emotional intelligence scores of commissioned U.S. Army leaders who have at least 10 years of military experience. This quantitative survey based study samples (N = 28) mid-career U.S. Army Majors using …

Confabulation In Individuals With Disorders Of The Corpus Callosum: Educational Implications, Cheryl Lynn Wright

Dissertations

Individuals with disorders of the corpus callosum (DCC) may have subtle cognitive differences. Historically, confabulation has been associated with DCC. Therapies to mitigate confabulation is a newly emerging field. This study explores the possible educational implications that those with DCC may experience with confabulation.

The community of people with DCC and the community of people who interact with individuals with DCC were surveyed to ascertain the prevalence of confabulation within the population of those with DCC. A subset of questions probed whether age and/or gender impact the rates of reported confabulation. The research paradigm included a section that covered the …

Effectiveness Of Repeated Reading And Error Correction Strategies On The Reading Fluency Skills Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Regina Martin Guthrie

Dissertations

As the incidence rate of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) appears to increase, the need for evidence-based reading interventions for these students, which are important for the reading development of students with ASD, also increases. Unfortunately, there has been little research on evidence-based strategies to effectively improve the reading fluency skills of students with ASD. Repeated reading and error correction methods have been effective for children in improving their reading fluency. This study used a single subject multiple baseline design to investigate the effectiveness of the evidence-based strategies of repeated reading and error correction strategies on the reading fluency …

The Goal-Driven, Resilient, And Influential Teens Program In Kentucky High Schools: The Impact On Social And Emotional Learning And Influencing Factors, Brant Von Goble

Dissertations

In order to assess the effects of the Goal-driven, Resilient, and Influential Teens (GRIT) program on social and emotional learning and academic performance in high schools throughout Kentucky, data from several sources were compiled and analyzed. These sources included results from the Student Engagement and Performance (STEP) survey, an instrument developed by the Rock Solid Evaluation Team at Western Kentucky University and administered yearly to high school students and teachers, and school-level academic and socioeconomic data from the Kentucky Department of Education. Additional data on fidelity of GRIT program implementation were obtained from FranklinCovey, the GRIT program’s developer and publisher. …

The Influence Of Culture On The Use Of Healthcare Services By Refugees In Southcentral Kentucky: A Mixed Study, Chika N. Ejike

Dissertations

The world as a global village has become a ubiquitous trope in the popular discourse, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, with its substantial immigrant population, may be considered an exemplar of this idealized community. It has become an ideal location for research regarding the challenges faced by immigrants. Due to the diverse cultural identities of the refugee/immigrant population, it is particularly well suited for studies into complex culturally dependent healthcare utilization patterns.

The central research question for the study was as follows: What are the healthcare-seeking behavioral patterns (as influenced by culture) among refugees at their nearest healthcare facilities? This mixed …

Christian Nonprofit Ceos:Ethical Idealism, Relativism, And Motivation, Sharlene Garces Baragona

Dissertations

Strong ethical character and the ability to inspire others form crucial areas for leadership effectiveness, particularly in nonprofits. This study explored the relationship between ethical ideologies (idealism and relativism) and inspirational motivation of Christian nonprofit CEOs affiliated with the Christian Child and Family Services Association. The Ethics Position Questionnaire of Forsyth (1980), the Bass and Avolio (2004) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Leader Form (5X Short) – Inspirational Motivation, and a demographic questionnaire comprised the 30-item survey for this study. The participants’ responses were collected either online or on paper and were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The response rate was …

Ethical Decision Making: The Lived Experiences Of African American Women Leaders In Western Kentucky, Greta G. Jones

Dissertations

The purpose of the phenomenological qualitative study was to determine the way in which 10 African American women leaders in organizations in Western Kentucky made difficult decisions based on their ethical values. African American. The constructs reviewed in the study include ethics, decision making, leadership, and African American women. Empirical Phenomenology was used as the methodological approach for this qualitative study in order to understand the lived experiences that shaped the ethical values in the workplaces among the women. According to the findings, the seven overarching themes that emerged from the participant narratives are: (1) professing Christian, (2) ethical foundation …

The Influence Of Texting And Virtual Peers On Adolescent Alcohol Use, Eric Steven Gregory

Dissertations

The Social Development Theory has guided substance abuse prevention planning and programming for the past two decades. One of the key risk factors cited in and targeted by Social Development Model strategies is that of the influence of peers on adolescent substance use. With the advent of modern cellular technology, the manner in which adolescents currently interact has shifted in preference from that of traditional face-to-face to interaction through text messaging. Recent research has suggested a link between the frequency of adolescent texting behavior and adolescent substance use. This shift in interaction may influence the mechanisms of peer influence and …

The Effect Of Stress And Perceived Social Support On Job Satisfaction: A Comparison Between U.S Born And Foreign-Born Faculty, Lisa Owen

Dissertations

Research indicates that academic work-stress is a significant and growing problem for faculty members. General work-stress studies suggest that social support may buffer the negative impact of stress on faculty job satisfaction. To date, little research has been conducted in this area. Even fewer studies have examined the potential differences between U.S.-born and foreign-born faculty members regarding these variables. This quantitative, non-experimental multivariate study utilized a survey to assess academic stressors, perceived departmental social support, and job satisfaction at a large U.S. university. The surveyed institution consisted of 807 full-time faculty members. The three-week survey yielded a response rate of …