Digital Commons Network^™

Empathy And Cognitive Flexibility As Correlates Of Forgiveness, Rebecca Bennett Katovsich

Dissertations

Problem. For the past three decades, there has been a growing body of literature related to the topic of forgiveness. The idea that empathy, consisting of both emotional and cognitive aspects, plays an integral role in the process of forgiveness is widely supported in the literature, although there is limited empirical evidence for this claim. Beyond interest in examining the relationship between forgiveness and empathy, this research also aimed to explore the role of cognitive flexibility in the forgivenessprocess, considering both the intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions of cognitive flexibility.

Method. The Enright Forgiveness Inventory, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the NEO …

The Iron Age I Structure On Mount Ebal: Excavation And Interpretation, Ralph K. Hawkins

Dissertations

Problem. The Iron Age I site on Mt. Ebal, discovered in 1980 by Adam Zertal and excavated between 1982 and 1989, has remained largely unknown by both the scholarly community and the public. No scholarly congress or colloquium has ever been held regarding the Mt. Ebal excavations. The Mt. Ebal excavations, however, may have important implications for reconstructing Israelite origins. This present study investigates the Mt. Ebal excavationand its results.

Method. My study uses the comparative method and is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 serves as in introduction, giving an overview of the investigation to be carried out in …

Understanding The Relationship Between The Emotional Competence Inventory - University Edition And The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator In The Admission Of College Students To An Orthopaedics-Based Honors Program, Carrie A. Yocum

Dissertations

Problem

The Orthopaedic Scholar Institute (OSI) Team realized its need for a more objective selection and admission process that, as much as possible, quantified the characteristics desired in OSI students rather than relying solely on referral perception, intuition, and an interview, but it did not have a clear method or approach to do so. Administering standardized inventories that highlighted these desired characteristics and aided in the selection and admission process seemed to be an objective approach to obtain more quantifiable data. The problem for my study was, therefore, whether the Myers- Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) alone could measure a student’s …

The Health Of Patient Privacy: The Patient's Perspective On The Hipaa Protected Health Information, Deborah Lange-Kuitse

Dissertations

Problem

As healthcare entities continue to focus on HIPAA compliance, they must enforce policies that require patients to sign and express understanding of the organization’s privacy policies. It appears the patient’s perspective on healthcare privacy has not been considered within the HIPAA privacy ruling. Patients are healthcare consumers, yet little research has been done on assessing the individual consumer’s perspective on what Protected Health Information (PHI) is actually important to protect and from whom it is important to protect it.

Method

A quantitative survey was developed and distributed to the participants of the Carnegie group, an independent insurance firm in …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Reading Comprehension In High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Helen C. Bryant

Dissertations

Problem. Research indicates that students who receive an exclusively academic education that does not include emotional intelligence skills may not be prepared for future challenges of the 21st century because traditional intelligence contributes to only 20% of the factors that determine life success. Students with learning disabilities have average or above average cognitive intelligence. However, many do not demonstrate academic and social behaviors that normally would be compatible with average intelligence. Even though their cognitive intelligence has been tested, their emotional intelligence has not been tested. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and …

The So-Called Mixed Text: An Examination Of The Non-Alexandrian And Non-Byzantine Text-Type In The Catholic Epistles, Clinton S. Baldwin

Dissertations

Problem. Since the eighteenth century, textual scholars have been grouping New Testament Greek manuscripts into groups called text-types in order to evaluate the thousands of variant readings found in these manuscripts. These text-types form the basis for determining the earliest form of the text--the primary goal of New Testament Textual Criticism. Almost all textual critics recognize three main text types: Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine. However, in recent times, W. Larry Richards and his followers identified a "mixed text-type" in six books of the Catholic Epistles that is distinguishable from the already established text-types. This text-type if supported by empirical investigation …

Hospitality Versus Patronage: An Investigation Of Social Dynamics In The Third Epistle Of John, Igor Lorencin

Dissertations

Problem. This investigation focuses on social dynamics in the third epistle of John. In the context of 3 John hospitality and patronage seem to be opposed as two non-compatible models of behavior. In what sense they are different and what makes them non compatible in a church setting is the main focus of this research.

Method. A social approach is utilized in this investigation for the purpose of understanding the social system, values, and circumstances that shaped the events of 3 John. I first collect evidence to explain the ancient customs of hospitality and patronage in order to create a …

Codependency In Master's-Level Counseling Students, Terri Lynne Pardee

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to examine codependency in master’s-level counseling students, to determine if there was a significant difference between incoming and exiting students, and to investigate codependency as related to age, gender, and religious preference.

Method

The Codependency Assessment Tool was administered to 275 Spring Arbor University master’s-level counseling students to measure codependency in five core areas: Other Focus/Self-Neglect, Low Self-Worth, Hiding Self, Medical Problems, and Family of Origin Issues.

Results

Respondents’ CODAT mean score showed a minimal level of codependency. There were no significant differences between incoming and exiting students on the …

Organizational Orientations Of K-12 School Leaders In The Columbia Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Rose Tooley Gamblin

Dissertations

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to examine the organizational orientations--structure ,human resource, political, and symbolic --of the K-12 school leaders in the Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and the relationship, if any, to their personal variables of age, gender, experience, and their professional variables of grade levels served, educational attainment, enrollment, support, feelings of success, and job satisfaction.

Method

A self-administered Organizational Orientations survey instrument, based on the multiple orientation framework of Bolman and Deal, was used to gather information about the school leaders. The population surveyed provided 56 usable responses, which were analyzed …

Perceptions Of Public School Teachers Regarding The Effectiveness Of The Career Path System Evaluation Instrument In The Bahamas, Solomon Ward

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to measure public school teachers’ perception regarding the effectiveness of their evaluation instrument, the Career Path System, in the Bahamas.

Method. The research population consisted of two categories of public school teachers: (a) level of teachers—elementary and secondary teachers, and (b) status of teachers— evaluated and non-evaluated teachers. The data were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics, means, and ANOVA.

Results. The results of this study indicate that public school teachers, regardless of the categories elementary or secondary, evaluated or non-evaluated, perceived 44 of 46 performance items of the Career Path System (CPS) …

Institutional Effectiveness : The Integration Of Program Review, Strategic Planning, And Budgeting Processes In Two California Community Colleges, Eileen Knight White

Dissertations

Problem. Effective institutional planning is vital to the ability of community colleges to deliberately respond to external and internal pressures to increase accountability and demonstrate institutional effectiveness. A significant indicator for assessing the effectiveness of a program review process is the use of the outcomes for other institutional purposes such as research, planning, and resource allocation—in other words, informed decision making. In the past, program review, planning, and budgeting processes for the most part have been independent functions or limited in their integration within an institution. The literature provides theories of integration, but little has been written about how …

The Use Of Play Therapy With Adult Survivors Of Childhood Abuse, Mary J. Roehrig

Dissertations

Problem. A growing trend among therapists is the use of play therapy interventions with adult clients to facilitate resolution of early childhood trauma and to promote emotional and spiritual growth. The purpose of this study was to explore the use and effectiveness of play therapy techniques with adult survivors of childhood abuse.

Method. In an exploratory approach, therapists were invited to participate in an online survey. Of the participating therapists, 21 agreed to a subsequent in-depth interview. The Theme Analysis for Word-Rich Data was used to identify themes from the interviews.

Results. Play therapy with adult survivors of childhood abuse …

The Curriculum, Instruction, And Assessment Of Dispositions In Preservice Teacher Education, Andrea Marie Baldwin

Dissertations

Problem. In 2000, NCATE included dispositions in its professional standards as a requirement for teacher education units seeking (re)accreditation with its organization. The problem of this investigation was to examine how program directors, faculty, and preservice teacher candidates in three selected preservice teacher education programs in Indiana and Michigan were responding to this NCATE mandate.

Purpose. The purpose was to explore the ways in which and to what extent dispositionswere included in the curriculum, taught, and assessed in programs, both religiously affiliated and public.

Methodology. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect and analyze data. Three levels of participants were …

Teacher Success, Assessment, And Evaluation Practices In Service-Learning Composition Courses, Faith-Ann Abiola Mcgarrell

Dissertations

Problem. Over the last 15 years, service-learning in first-year composition has emerged as a critical area of study. Service-learning in composition places students in writing environments within the community, encourages reading and writing about social issues, and provides the opportunity for students to participate in community projects. A significant problem with this approach is the alignment between outcomes of the discipline and those of service. Practitioners feel that a clear understanding of compatibility between the two areas of study would result in better practice and further buy-in by those who do not teach from a service-learning perspective.

Method. In service-learning …

An Evaluation Of Reserve Component Leaders' Attitudes And Motivation As They Relate To Situational Leadership Theory In A Peacekeeping Operational Environment, Clark C. Barrett

Dissertations

Program. This study investigated the relationships between Reservist leaders' attitudes and Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Theory (SLT), and Thomas's Integrative Model of Intrinsic Motivation during a 2004 Sinai, Egypt, peacekeeping mission.

Methodology. This descriptive study provided quantitative and qualitative results. Three instruments were used with a convenience sample of leaders within one forward-deployed National Guard infantry battalion. The LEADSelf instrument determined the SLT style of unit officers and non-commissioned officers. The Thomas Empowerment Survey profiled participants' intrinsic motivation. A researcher-developed survey determined preferences for intrinsic versus extrinsic motivator factors.

The study centered on the following issues: (1) Are the …

Acknowledged And Perceived Reasons For Non-Attendance At Christian Churches In The Pacifica Community, A Suburb Of San Francisco, California, Peter Edward Burch

Dissertations

Problem. Although formal research on the reasons for non-attendance at Christian churches in America has been conducted, it is not known how these reasons apply to the Pacifica community of California, a suburb of San Francisco. Furthermore, little, if any, research has been conducted to compare the reasons for non-attendance as acknowledged by non-attenders with the reasons as perceived by attenders. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the reasons for non-attendance in Pacifica.

Method. A survey research method was employed to collect data on the acknowledged and perceived reasons for non-attendance at Christian churches in Pacifica. …

A Comparison Of The Adult Bible Study Guide Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church And A Prototype Guide Designed To Promote Spiritual Growth, Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti

Dissertations

Problem. Despite the Adult Bible Study Guide's potential for promoting Christian spirituality among Seventh-day Adventist Church members, no studies have investigated its impact on the spirituality of its users. Beginning as a way to disseminate the unique biblical doctrines of thefledgling Church, the Guide remains largely expository and apologetic in nature, often neglecting the use of methods and spiritual disciplines which promote spirituality.

Method. Based on the same topic as the regular Guide for second quarter, 2005, an Adult Bible Study Guide using Kolb's learning cycle and learning styles was developed to promote Christian spiritual growth. The effect both Guides …

Reasons Seventh-Day Adventist Parents Gave For Not Sending Their Children To Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary And Secondary Schools, Irma C. Laborde

Dissertations

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist elementary and secondary schools in the USA show a continuous enrollment decline. This study’s goal is to explore the reasons SDA parents give for why they do not send their children to SDA schools.

Method.

The participants were limited to the church members of the Lake Union Conference. Qualitative methodology was used in this study. Three groups of participants were selected using criterion sampling—non-home-schooling parents, home- schooling parents, and administrators. Data collection occurred through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and a one-question survey. The interviews were audiotaped. The tapes were transcribed verbatim, coded, and grouped into themes. …

An Evaluation Of Performance As It Relates To Leadership Training In The United States Coast Guard, Chad Arron Long

Dissertations

Problem. Training programs that focus on leadership and management are becoming more prevalent in society with little regard to the training’s impact. This study’s purpose was to determine if there was a relationship between leadership training and performance in the United States Coast Guard.

Method. The sequential mixed-method study examined the impact o f a 33-day resident training course on the graduate’s performance. The measurement o f performance was obtained quantitatively through annual performance evaluations and qualitatively through interviews. The performance evaluations were collected from 40 graduates of the Coast Guard C hief Petty Officer Academy and analyzed using a …

Organizational Expectations And Role Clarification Of Pastors And Educators Serving K-10 Schools Operated By The Georgia-Cumberland Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Stanley E. Patterson

Dissertations

Problem Statement

The two major issues addressed in this study are the professional relationship that exists between the educators in K-10 schools and pastors who serve the churches that host the schools and the professional roles that each serves in the school. The roles and organizational expectations for each may impact the health of their professional relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership role expectations of pastors and educators in the K-10 school system o f the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Methodology

A survey instrument was administered to all K-10 teachers and principals in the …

Demonstrating Experiential Learning At The Graduate Level Using Portfolio Development And Reflection, David Winslow Rausch

Dissertations

Problem. Various guidelines for assessment have been developed in an effort to promote academic quality and integrity for educational programs that recognize experiential learning. The purpose of this present study was to determine the extent to which experiential learning and assessment, through portfolio development, help adult students in a graduate-degree program demonstrate graduate-level learning and competency.

Method. This qualitative single-case study used the assessment processes and outcomes elements of the Jackson and Maclsaac process model to analyze the use of reflective practice and the use of portfolios in a graduate education program. Data were triangulated using individual interviews and the …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of The Jbte Teaching-Practice Benchmarks : A Descriptive Exploration Of Two Teachers' Colleges In Jamaica, Hyacinth Paulina Rose

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of and perceptions of the Joint Board of Teacher Education benchmarks for teaching practice, or student teaching. Data were gathered concerning how the benchmarks were implemented and the perceptions of multiple stakeholders regarding the adequacy of their implementation. Additionally, stakeholders were asked about the possible need for including some benchmarks from the USA in order to create an ideal teaching-practice program in Jamaica.

Method. This study used a multiple descriptive case study design. Two teacher training institutions in Jamaica were purposively selected. From each of these institutions a focus …

The Effectiveness Of Rating Scales And Semi-Structured Interview In Diagnosing Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Carolyn Mae Cofrancesco

Dissertations

Problem and purpose. There are few standardized tools for diagnosing ADHD in adults. The purpose of this study was to compare a standardized rating scale (CAARS) used by different observers, with a comprehensive diagnostic interview (CAADID) with respect to their ability to diagnose subtypes of ADHD.

Method. Subjects for this study came from baseline data of 98 patients (18 to 60 years ofage) participating in a drug trial for adult ADHD. The CAADID interview results in a yes-no decision as to whether the patient meets DSM-IV criteria for the subtypes ADHD. A t -test was used to compare the CAADID-diagnosed …

An Exploration Of The Interest In And Challenges Of Fostering Undergraduate Leadership-Development At Andrews University, Frances Mae Faehner

Dissertations

Problem. Among the wide spectrum of definitions regarding the meaning of leadership there are also themes regarding a critical need for leadership-development, and the belief that leadership can be learned and should be available to all. Therefore, it can be said that higher education has both a responsibility and an opportunity to purposefully develop this a new generation of leaders. This study explored the potential of Andrews University to foster a culture of leadership-development that will transform students who will work in collaborative spheres of influence around the globe.

Methodology. I used an exploratory, mixed-methods design. Data from an electronic …

The Function Of Loipos In Contexts Of Judgment And Salvation In The Book Of Revelation, Leslie N. Pollard

Dissertations

Problem addressed. The function of loipos in the Apocalypse is the focus of this research.

Method. A close reading approach to the Apocalypse was employed in this study. Every occurrence of loipos as it applies to human entities in contexts of judgment and salvation in the Apocalypse is examined. First, comes textual and translation matters. Then the examination of the literary context and structure follows. Next comes the historical background to each passage. Finally, the interpretation of that passage is presented.

Results. Chapter 1 presents a review of the scholarly literature from the Old and New Testaments on the remnant …