Digital Commons Network^™

Learning To Be Trauma-Informed: An Examination Of Individual-Level Factors Predicting Perceptions Of And Response To Trauma-Informed Practice Trainings, Kelly Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trauma is a substantial threat to public health. As such, significant effort has been exerted into developing interventions which mitigate the consequences of trauma. Trauma-informed practice (TIP) aims to alleviate the effects of trauma by building policies and practices focused on safety, trust, transparency, support, collaboration, and empowerment. This study investigated how individual-level factors, including readiness for organizational change, perceived benefit of TIP training, and personal trauma history affect one’s ability to apply a TIP lens in a sample (n =100) of members of a graduate-level college. Further, it explored if one’s perceptions of and response to trauma-informed practice training …

Shame, Guilt, And Behavioral Responses To Conflict In Organizational Life: A Correlational Study, Lori Anne Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between self-conscious emotions, namely shame and guilt, and constructive and destructive behavioral responses to conflict among working adults in the United States. Researchers have underscored the importance of task-focused conflict and adaptive leadership in fostering positive conflict outcomes. However, the connection between shame and guilt and behavioral responses has yet to be explored. Drawing upon the Conflict Dynamics Profile and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3, this correlational study examined the associations between shame and guilt and 15 distinct behavioral responses to conflict among a sample of 203 participants, mostly women employed full-time. The cross-sectional survey …

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

African American Women’S Experience With Invisibility And Hypervisibility In The Workplace: Does It Matter To Career Advancement?, Elisha R. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions in the workplace although they are the most educated in the workplace. This study explores the lived experience of African American women who work for the federal sector and their career advancement into leadership and managerial positions. A qualitative method was used, and the participants consisted of Black women who worked for the federal sector who had either promoted to a leadership position within the last 3 to 5 years or aspired to be in a leadership position.

Interviews were conducted via Zoom, and in vivo coding was used to …

Leadership In Extreme Contexts: An Emerging Typology, Ashley Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between leadership and extreme contexts through the lens of rural hospitals facing environmental jolts. Rural hospitals offer a unique setting for this research, given their inherent geographic isolation, lack of resources, and the critical role these facilities play in their communities. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews with Chief Executive Officers of rural hospitals, this research takes a grounded approach to build theory surrounding how leadership not only shapes but is shaped by extreme contexts and environmental jolts. The research results in four primary contributions. Namely, this study extends existing typologies on leadership in extreme …

Balancing Act: Navigating Employee Autonomy And Neglect, Lekshmy Sankar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fine line between granting employee autonomy and inadvertently falling into patterns of neglect presents a complex challenge within organizational leadership. This study explores the question: What do leaders perceive as effective strategies for providing autonomy to remote employees without being perceived as neglecting them? Employee autonomy empowers employees to make decisions, while leader neglect towards subordinates (LNS) is defined through this research as a gradual decrease in a leader's interest or effort in sustaining positive relationships with employees. Navigating this balance is crucial to maintaining employee engagement.

This qualitative study uncovered nuanced perceptions on this issue using a grounded …

Navigating University Of Denver As A Latinx Male-Identifying Undergraduate Student, Quisi Rodriguez-Oregel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students of color continuously persist at a lower rate than their white counterparts in higher education. Particularly for Latinx males, the number is lower than Latinx women. Universities have incorporated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies to focus on their diverse student population and address issues of race, ethnicity, class, and gender. Despite these efforts, low retention rates for Latinx males persist. This study explores how Latinx male undergraduate students navigate a predominantly white institution as well as explore some of the challenges of DEI efforts at that institution. I conducted participant observations at the University of Denver (DU) and …

The Impact Of Cognitive Coaching On Educator Identity And Teamwork Through Classroom Observation As Perceived By Teachers And Administrators., Carrie Elizabeth Wade

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classroom observations are meant to help teachers improve their instructional practice and improve learning outcomes for students. But for many educators, traditional, in-person classroom observations can not only be difficult to arrange but difficult to truly gain valuable feedback from when teachers can’t see what was happening in the moment (Drago-Severson & Blum-Stefano, 2017). Teaching and leading in an environment characterized by a constant state of change is more likely to cause stress and negative feelings when the employees care deeply about the outcome (Wisse & Sleebos, 2016). Cognitive Coaching methods, applied to classroom observations, aim to reduce focus on …

Faculty And "Teams": Academic Literacies In The Post-Lockdown, Digital University., Morgan Suzanne Blair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increased presence of disruptive digital technologies in academia has been a subject of multidisciplinary scholarly conversation and public speculation over the past few decades. Many literacy studies scholars have contributed to this discourse, examining topics like multimodal literacies and perceptions of agency among students. These scholars have noted with skepticism that such technologies may mask operations of power, surveillance, and control which serve the demands of an increasingly “corporate” or “neoliberal” university. Building upon this scholarship, my study contends that the evolving literacy environment of the digital university requires a closer examination of corporate-sponsored narratives and literacy practices implicating …

A Design Science And Implementation Framework For Studying Interruptions And Its Application In A Dental Clinic., Carsten Ziegler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interruptions during dental treatment are frequent, and often have detrimental effects on quality of care, patient safety and processing times, and have an impact on provider satisfaction and performance. Interruptions can significantly increase the cognitive load on dental providers, making it hard for them to concentrate on complex procedures. Frequent interruptions also disrupt the workflow in general, leading to delays in treatment, which can reduce the overall throughput of a clinic. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive approach to collectively (i) analyze interruptions in dental healthcare, (ii) design an intervention, and (iii) implement and sustain it. This research proposes a comprehensive …

Unraveling The Black Superwoman: Identifying Successful Higher Educational Leadership Pathways For Black Women Navigating Barriers In Southern Medical Colleges, Latoya R. Windom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research is necessitated as Black women continue to face unique and significant challenges in educational leadership. Supported by Black Feminist Theory, this study explores the successful leadership pathways of Black women in medical higher education while navigating barriers. The goal is to promote the inclusion of Black women in medical education and leadership positions by utilizing three core tenets of Black feminism – intersectionality, lived experiences/storytelling, and Black women as agents of knowledge (Black feminist epistemology). This groundbreaking study challenges the dominant narrative and discourse surrounding Black women's experiences in medical higher education. The personal stories shared by Black …

Culture Education Program To Improve Work Culture In Healthcare, Ngufor Fube Divine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of a culture educational intervention program in addressing toxic work culture within healthcare settings. The prevalence of toxic work environments in healthcare has been linked to adverse outcomes for both employees and patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a targeted culture educational intervention on shifting organizational culture towards more positive dimensions, specifically focusing on Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy cultures. Utilizing a quantitative quasi-experimental design, this study employed repeated measures to assess participants' perceptions of organizational culture before, immediately after, and preferred following the intervention. The sample consisted …

Harnessing The Power Of Cliftonstrengths®: How Multinational Corporations Can Use Deep-Level Diversity To Enhance Organizational Inclusion, Trapper Kay Pace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explicitly investigated how multinational corporations can enhance workplace inclusion through the novel use of the CliftonStrengths® assessment as a dimension of deep-level diversity. The study gleaned insights from employees’ perspectives, employing a constructivist grounded theory approach to explicate their experiences in rich qualitative narratives. Through open-ended surveys and intensive interviews, participants were selected using purposeful sampling to ensure meaningful data collection from the study organizations’ three global regions. The researcher conducted the analysis systematically through the constant comparison of data utilizing the NVivo14 software to assist in constructing codes, themes, and a theoretical schema. Results highlighted the significance …

The Impact Of Resilience On A Middle Manager’S Resistance To Organizational Change, April D. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Change is never ending in organizations, as it is necessary to maintain a competitive advantage. Although change is needed, research shows most change implementations do not succeed.

Middle managers (MMs) are considered the main facilitators of change. They receive directive for change and are tasked with not only processing and accepting the change but also communicating the directive down into the ranks and executing upon it. This basic qualitative study explored how resilience can aid an MM when implementing change, where resistance is present. The conceptual framework for this study included Lewin’s (1947) three-stage model of change theory and the …

Feasibility Of Influencing Clinician Perceived Knowledge And Competence Of Human Trafficking Via A Continuing Education Workshop, Rachel Wakefield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has examined the complex mental and social health deficits of those who were trafficked that clinicians have to treat therapeutically (Litam, 2017; Pascual-Leone et al., 2017). Other research has explored how continuing education workshops often change the knowledge, competence, and attitudes of attendees to use more effective and evidenced techniques and skills (Neimeyer et al., 2009; Raghavan et al., 2008). However, there is a lack of understanding about how a complex topic, specifically treatment considerations of those who were trafficked, changes the knowledge and competence of continuing education workshop attendees. The purpose of the current study is to …

Computer Cravings In 20th Century Schools: From Creativity To Capitalism, Keely E. Amos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the push for computers in education from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. During that time, computers were introduced into schools across America with big promises, in turn creating big dreams. Instead of the cognition, creativity, and collaboration that was envisioned with computers in the classroom, the shifting motivations regarding computers have exacerbated the datafication and standardization of our students (Cuban, 2001). The problems associated with the corporation of computers into the curriculum are widespread (Pinar et. al, 1995/2004). Following the methodology of Historiography, this paper provides a critical examination about what was promised, and by …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed Instructional Practices In One Northeast Tennessee School District, Alecia Burleson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions of classroom-level educators regarding the application of trauma-informed instructional practices. This was achieved by evaluating educators' understanding of the influence of trauma on students, their level of familiarity with trauma-informed instructional practices, and their assessments of the effectiveness of these practices. Trauma refers to an individual's response to a single traumatic incident, a succession of traumatic events, or extended exposure to a traumatic event (SAMHSA, 2014). As awareness of the prevalence of childhood trauma has increased, it is acknowledged as a serious public health issue (Lang et al., …

Professional Collaboration In Small Rural Schools: Teacher Perceptions Of The Role Of School Administrators, Brian A. Bettis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative research study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of school administrators’ support of collaborative planning in small rural schools. Although there has been much research conducted on teacher collaboration through Professional Learning Communities, there has been little documentation of teacher collaboration in small rural schools (DuFour et al., 2020; Hansen, 2015; Moore, 2018). This research study examined teachers’ perceptions of collaboration and the role that school administrators play in the work to establish, support, and maintain collaborative teaming structures.

Data collection strategies included individual interviews of practicing teachers, serving in small rural schools. Analysis of …

Organizational Change In Saudi Healthcare Settings: Evaluating Organizational And Individual Readiness For Change, And The Mediating Role Of Readiness For Change Between Management Support And Commitment To Change., Sultan Alsaif

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: To respond to the constantly changing environment and developments of healthcare, leaders of healthcare organizations have been trying to introduce and implement transformations that allow their organizations to be able to operate effectively and efficiently to meet the shifts in healthcare demand and to deal with new patterns of health issues, comply with the new policies, and to enhance their present in the market. Thus, it is important for managers to determine the level of readiness for implementing organizational changes from to perspectives. These perspectives include organizational readiness for change and individual readiness for change. METHOD: This first manuscript …

The Experiences Of Leaders Who Transitioned To Leading A Virtual Team During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study., Jason W. Oliver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic led to organizations rapidly transitioning their workforces to virtual work settings. This sudden shift brought about many challenges to organizations and their employees. In this study, a phenomenological research approach was used to describe the lived experiences of leaders who transitioned to managing a virtual team during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also explored how leaders adapted their leadership practices and leveraged people and technology when transitioning to managing a virtual team. The findings revealed seven themes that highlighted both benefits and challenges of virtual leadership and work. Leaders recognized the need for intentionality in their actions …

Transformational Leadership Training For Leaders, Kristie M. Gilliland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of transformational leadership training on improving a leader’s skills and knowledge in performing daily operations and interacting with frontline staff, decreasing attrition. Ineffective leadership contributes to staff dissatisfaction, poor performance, and attrition. The literature supports transformational leadership is effective in leading teams of nurses and contributes to staff autonomy, staff satisfaction, decreased attrition, and improved patient outcomes. A quasi-experimental research study was completed on a leadership team in a managed care organization. Fourteen leaders with anywhere from 1 to more than 6 years of leadership experience were evaluated. Lewin’s change …

Teacher Perceptions On The Sustainability Of Trauma-Informed Practices In A Delaware School, Joy Elaine Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore teacher perceptions about the sustainability of trauma-informed practices implementation in a secondary, public comprehensive school. For the purpose of this study, the researcher examined perceptions of 10 staff members who have knowledge of and experience with implanting trauma-informed practices into their school routine. The findings from this study can be used by teachers, support staff, school leaders, and district leaders to help sustain an institutional application and implementation of trauma-informed care in schools. The implication from this study suggests resources for school staff to successfully sustain trauma-informed care.

An Empowerment Evaluation Of Colorado Mountain College’S Mountain Scholars Program Via Latino Alumni Aspirational Goals And Outcomes, Laura Anne Bruch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry evaluated Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) in-house Mountain Scholars Program (MSP) via semi-structured interviews with five of its Latino alumni. This study’s assets-based social justice/transformative philosophical framework included David Fetterman’s methodological empowerment evaluation and Tara Yosso’s conceptual community cultural wealth (CCW) theory. This dissertation in practice examined the gap in literature with regards to an in-house student support services program evaluation that partners with the community and focuses on Latinos’ aspirations and aspirational outcomes. I wanted to be a worthy witness to the student demographic group at CMC, as well as at most American postsecondary institutions, considered the …

The Use Of Regularization To Detect Racial Inequities In Pay Equity Studies: An Empirical Study And Reflections On Regulation Methods, Christopher M. Peña

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the late 1970s, multiple linear regression has been the preferred method for identifying discrimination in pay. An empirical study on this topic was conducted using quantitative critical methods. A literature review first examined conflicting views on using multiple linear regression in pay equity studies. The review found that multiple linear regression is used so prevalently in pay equity studies because the courts and practitioners have widely accepted it and because of its simplicity and ability to parse multiple sources of variance simultaneously. Commentaries in the literature cautioned about errors in model specification, the use of tainted variables, and the …

Transitioning From Early Childhood Intervention To Early Childhood Special Education: A Phenomenological Study, Brenda E. Arzu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to document and analyze the experiences of Texas parents as their children transition from an early childhood intervention (ECI) program to an early childhood special education (ECSE) setting from parents’ perspectives in hopes of learning what practices made the transition process more meaningful. The specific problem addressed in this study was that parents do not always have insights into the process that their children undergo during the transition from ECI to ECSE. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Schlossberg’s transition theory, which incorporates applications to guide adults with life …

Developing Teachers To Teach English Language Learners (Ells) Via Ell Notebook Strategies, Ebony D. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study explored the effect of developing teachers to teach English language learners (ELLs) through strategic professional development utilizing interactive notebooks to enhance the academic achievement of ELLs. Students trying to learn English as a foreign language need extra language support. For this reason, their teachers should be trained to teach them using various tools, such as interactive notebooks. The action research studied two focus areas dealing with ELLs, which included (a) preparing teachers to teach ELLs who face learning English and content area learning and (b) the use of interactive notebooks and their impact on ELLs’ academic growth. …

School Superintendents’ Perspectives Regarding Subordinates Developing, Utilizing, And Implementing Gifted Identification Equity, Vincent T. Landrum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study’s focus was the lived experiences of school superintendents about inconsistencies in gifted and talented education policy and ensuring the superintendents’ direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices, specifically for culturally, linguistically, and economically disadvantaged (CLED) students. Specifically, the researcher investigated the following: (a) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students; (b) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring their direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students through professional development for those subordinates; and (c) …

Examining The Relationship Of Transformational Leadership And New Graduate Nurse Turnover Intention During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Becky Louise Goens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The nursing shortage in the Canadian healthcare system presents challenges in meeting the healthcare needs of the population and addressing the growing demand for health services. There is strong evidence emphasizing the pivotal role leaders play in fostering retention through positive practices. As new graduate nurses are crucial to the healthcare team, targeted strategies by nursing leaders and managers are needed to enhance nurse retention. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and new graduate nurses’ turnover intention, and organizational commitment. Methods: The study included 106 registered nurses who passed the NCLEX-RN …

Police Officers’ Perspectives On The Death Of George Floyd By Minneapolis Police Officers: A Descriptive Study, Janet Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On May 25, 2020, four Minneapolis police officers reported to the location where an African American man had been accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill in a convenience store. After being taken outside of the store, the man, George Floyd, was eventually placed in the back of a police patrol car, after he was handcuffed. Saying he was claustrophobic and resisting arrest, Mr. Floyd was removed from the patrol car, and placed on the ground on his stomach. One of the patrol officers, the most senior officer present, and a field training officer, placed his knee on …

Unit-Based Onboarding Program For New Graduates On A Medical-Surgical Unit, Racquel A. Brewster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurse turnover is prevalent among new graduate nurses. Many new graduate nurses feel unsupported by their peers, lack self-confidence, or feel overburdened due to the workload assigned to them. New graduate nurses with support systems are more likely to stay with an organization. Research suggests the creation of a supportive environment for new graduate nurses to help increase nurse retention in this demographic. A unit-based transition onboarding program was launched to create a supportive environment to help retain new graduate nurses on a medical-surgical unit. New graduate nurses with at least 1 to 3 years of experience completed a Likert-type …