Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Patterns And Challenges Of Parenting School-Age Children Among Selected Sub-Saharan African Immigrant Parents In Southwest Michigan: A Multiple-Case Study, Israel M. Kafeero

Dissertations

Problem. Parenting among immigrants presents unique challenges to parents whose cultural orientation is different from the host culture. Because of the meager research literature on immigrant families in the USA, little is known about the phenomenon of parenting among sub-Saharan African immigrant parents. This study investigated the patterns related to the parenting practices of selected sub-Saharan African immigrant parents, how they conduct corrective discipline to their children, and the challenges they face rearing children in Southwest Michigan.

Method. Qualitative research methods including interviews, observations, focus group discussions, and artifact collection were used in this dissertation to generate data. A snowball …

The Stressors And Coping Strategies Of Women In Leadership Positions, Patricia Ann Bernard

Dissertations

Purpose

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) survey, 60% of employed women cited stress as their most serious problem at work. Working outside the home and balancing a family create conflicts between work and family obligations which become a likely cause of stress for women. While stress may be a problem among working women in general, it seems highly probable that women who function in leadership positions may experience additional stressors. Consequently, this study focused on investigating the stressors of women who currently function in leadership positions and the coping strategies they use to combat …

Counselor Religiosity And Its Relationship To The Willingness To Encourage Forgiveness And Reconciliation In Clients, Annmarie Cutting

Dissertations

Problem: Although the concept of forgiveness is very old, it has not been systematically studied until fairly recently. As forgiveness therapies and the empirical study of these therapies continue to emerge, the question of the counselor’s own sense of religiosity and forgiveness has not been considered. This study looked at the religiosity of counselors/psychotherapists and how this influences the degree to which they have forgiven an individual who has hurt or offended them, as well as whether a counselor’s religiosity influences their willingness to encourage a client to forgive someone who has hurt or offended them.

Purpose: The purpose of …

A Critical Analysis Of The Relationship Between Salvation And Social Justice In The Minjung Theology, Ilmok Kim

Dissertations

The intent of this study is to investigate the relationship between salvation and social justice in minjung theology. Minjung theology grew out of social awareness in the 1970s that created adesire to fight oppression and misery in Korea.

The introductory chapter defines the problem, which is to critically evaluate minjung theology's attempts to reconstruct the traditional Korean Christian notions of salvation. This study is primarily limited to the works of two representative minjung theologians: Nam Dong Suh and Byung Mu Ahn.

Chapter 2 traces the historical context of Korea from which minjung theology emerged. The chapter particularly notes the religious …

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 …

Motivational Factors That Influence African American Women To Serve As Michigan State Legislators, Rogenia Goza

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to discover factors that influence the political career choice of African American women legislators to serve in the State of Michigan Congress. Therefore, this study focused on motivations that affected three African American women legislators' political experiences.

Method. This study used a case-study approach, and the end result is a multi-faceted case study of the political experiences of three State of Michigan African American women legislators. The techniques used in the ethnographic research---interviews, observations, note-taking, and reviews of public and personal documents---were intended to increase understanding of the observed phenomena. Data …

The Relationship Between Leadership Traits And Church Growth Among Pastors Of Free Churches In Germany, Edgar Machel

Dissertations

Problem. Many German Christian denominations have been losing members year by year for the past five decades. There are more and more voices that question the way pastors function as leaders. Therefore, this study looked at the differences of personality traits among pastors of Free Churches in Germany in the context of church growth. The leading research question was. What kind of leadership traits, behaviors, and attitudes are favorable to lead a church toward growth and to return stagnating churches to vibrancy?

Methodology. The “Business-focused Inventory of Personality” was sent out to 1,100 Pentecostal, Baptist, and Adventist pastors, of …

A Study Of The Expectations Of Treasurers As Chief Financial Officers In Local Conferences In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists: Perceptions Of Roles, Responsibilities, And Relationships, Theodore Brown

Dissertations

Problem. The chief financial officer's position has changed in the business community. However, it is not clear whether the expectations of the treasurer in the Seventh-day Adventist Church are changing. They do not seem to be clearly defined or communicated. There appears to be a tacit knowledge about how treasurers should do their work. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived roles, responsibilities, and relationships of the treasurer from the perceptions of presidents, treasurers, and board members in the local conferences in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.

Method. This study used a mixed method, sequential …

Suicide Attempt And Characteristics Of Religiously Affiliated Puerto Rican Adolescents And Young Adults, Saúl Rivera

Dissertations

Problem. Recent research has identified several risk factors associated with attempted suicide among the general population. Puerto Ricans, in general, and Puerto Rican Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs), in particular, may face unique challenges that are related to their familial, social, and religious environment that may affect the suicidal attempts among this group. Therefore, this study examined family-related factors, history of being abused, religiosity factors, sexuality factors, gender, substance abuse, age, and socioeconomic status factors among a sample of religiously affiliated Puerto Ricans (73.2% SDAs) living on the island.

Methodology. The data for the study came from the Avance PR study. Avance …

Youth Ministry And Beliefs And Values Among 10- To 19-Year-Old Students In The Seventh-Day Adventist School System In North America, A. Barry Gane

Dissertations

Problem. A survey of the literature revealed that there was little by way of empirical study on the relationship between youth ministry and attitudes, beliefs, and values held by young people. We empirically tested the anecdotal evidence that youth ministry is effective in the transmission of beliefs and values. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether Seventh-day Adventist youth ministry in North America makes any difference in the lives of youth in the Seventh-day Adventist school system.

Method. The sample for this study was 10,832 10- to 19-year old students enrolled in SDA schools in 2001. …

Developmental Processes Critical To The Formation Of Servant Leaders In China, Thomas William Horn

Dissertations

Problem. This study concerns three matters: the leader formation process in general, servant leadership formation in particular, and the application to crossing cultures, with China as the primary context. The central problem of this study revolves around leader formation . What events, experiences, people and other formative processes contributed as critical to the formation of exemplary Christian leaders in China?

Method. The design of this research was a narrative, qualitative study that explored the central phenomenon of leader formation. The researcher was the instrument to collect data through in-depth interviews. This study purposefully selected three exemplary Christian Chinese leaders. The …

A Critique Of The Urban Mission Of The Church In The Light Of An Emerging Postmodern Condition, Kleber De Oliveira Goncalves

Dissertations

The world is becoming an urban society. The urban expansion witnessed during the twentieth century and continuing into the twenty-first century is unprecedented in the history of the human civilization. Simultaneously, the Western world faces the paradigm shift from the modern era to a postmodern condition. Both movements have remarkable implications for the mission of the church in urbanized, postmodernizing societies. Shaped by the modern worldview, the church is now further ostracized by the postmodern condition.

While the literature of urban mission has grown in the past few years, very little consideration has been given to the particular issues and …

The Concept Of Salvation In 19-34-Year-Old Seventh-Day Adventists Who Live In The State Of Indiana, Neva Charlotte Regal

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study. The purpose of this study was (a) to describe how the concept of salvation develops among Adventist young adults and (b) to examine the perceived influence of mentors and (c) life experiences, especially traumatic experiences, on the development of the concept of salvation and intrinsic religious motivation.

Method. This cross-sectional developmental study utilized three instruments: (a) the Salvation Concept Interview, (b) the Life Experience Interview, and (c) the Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religious Motivation Scale. Interviews were conducted with 132 individuals, and the data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively using Spearman rho correlations and Chisquares.

Results and Conclusions. Limited …

A Study On Various Factors And Their Relationship To Burnout Among Seventh-Day Adventist Clergy, W. Don Edwards

Dissertations

Problem. Few studies have addressed burnout among Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) clergy. Many SDA ministers report experiencing high stress in their ministries and they find it difficult to function optimally under these circumstances. Others experience serious complications that lead them to terminate their work as ministers.

Method. A quantitative research design was used for an ex post facto study of 130 pastors from the Pacific Union Conference. They completed two questionnaires: the Pastoral Services Demographic Data Sheet (PSDDS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Results. This study examined 12 variables and found that 10 variables had a significant …

An Examination Of Perceived Stress And Coping Patterns Of Pastoral Wives In The Nigerian Union Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Olufunmilayo Janet Ola

Dissertations

Purpose of Study. Most studies examining stress and coping patterns of pastoral wives have been conducted from an advanced country background. Even though all the researchers agreed that these pastoral wives do experience a certain amount of stress, very little is known about pastoral wives in third-world countries who are faced with poverty, illiteracy, diseases and cultural restraints. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine perceived stress and coping patterns of pastoral wives of the Nigerian Union Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

Methodology. A quantitative method of collecting data was used in this study. The two psychological …

A Theoretical Proposal For Reaching Irreligious Czech People Through A Mission Revitalization Movement, Petr Činčala

Dissertations

The main goal of this study was to develop a theory of missionary outreach to unchurched Czech people which is biblically informed and culturally relevant. The theoretical proposal for a plausible model of churching in the Czech Republic builds on basic theological, philosophical, and conceptual assumptions (chapter 2), a societal analysis of the problem of Czech churching (chapter 3), and a review of the issues relating to the situation of existing churches and religious movements.

Based on Wallace’s theory of revitalization movements a model is developed for starting a missionary movement that aims at reaching today’s unchurched and seemingly irreligious …

The Relationship Between Spiritual Belief, Life Attitude, And Mental Health Among Physical Fitness Participants In Northern Indiana, Sharon K. Sacks

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study is to explore spiritual beliefs as defined by an interconnectedness with self and others, generated from a relationship with a higher power, and consider its impact on attitude toward life and mental health.

Method. This study employed the survey research method to collect data investigating the relationships between spiritual beliefs, attitude toward life, and mental health. A battery of three instruments was selected for this study. The Royal Free Questionnaire on Beliefs and Experiences, developed by King, Speck, and Thomas (1994), was used for measuring spiritual beliefs. The Optimism and Pessimism Questionnaire provided a …

Personality Profiles And Problems Related To Clergy Misconduct, Kenneth S. Brodie

Dissertations

Problem. Clergy sexual misconduct is a significant problem for the church. There are legal and financial problems, as well as damage to individuals and communities. The purpose of this study was to examine personality profiles and situational themes of ministers in treatment whose presenting problems included sexual misconduct.

Method. Inactive case files of ministers in treatment were analyzed. From the case file it was determined if the minister was involved in an intimate affair which included an emotional bond, a casual affair with no emotional bond, or was not involved in an affair. The complete MMPI-2 profile and the …

The Relationship Between Religious Beliefs, Moral Development, Self-Control, Peer Pressure, Self-Esteem, And Premarital Sex, Jacynth A. Fennell

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there is any relationship between religious beliefs, moral development, self-control, peer pressure, self-esteem, and premarital sex, providing for a comprehensive framework for understanding this phenomenon.

Method. Subjects were 148 undergraduates attending three schools in different geographic regions within the United States. Subjects were primarily between 18 and 25 years old. A survey was completed by 148 students. Data-were analyzed using Analysis of Variance and Independent-Samples t test.

Results. Of the 148 students who participated in the study, 38% were Black, Hispanic, 38% were White, non-Hispanic, 10% were …

Characteristics Of Hispanic Seventh-Day Adventist Adolescents Who Attempted Suicide, Juanita E. Trivino

Dissertations

Problem. Hispanic adolescent suicide attempts appear to have been understudied, while suicidal behavior continues to be a concern as a youthful phenomenon. The present study sought to contribute to the understanding of Hispanic youth suicide and its association with acculturation, family, religion, and gender in a sample of Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist adolescents.

Method. The data used for this study came from the Avance survey, the largest denominational survey conducted among Hispanic Seventh-day Adventists in the U.S. (1993-1994). The sample consisted of 869 adolescents, comprised of 380 males and 489 females. Chi-square, t test for means of two independent samples, …

Marital Satisfaction Factors For Korean-Americans, Soonja Choi Lee

Dissertations

Problem. Many marital satisfaction studies have focused on many sub-groups: Caucasians, Blacks, and many ethnic groups such as Japanese, German, Polish, Indian, Chinese-American, Swedish, Mexican-American, Nigerian, and Koreans in Korea. No study was found that has investigated marital satisfaction factors for Korean-American couples.

Method. This study evaluated marital satisfaction factors that were important to Korean Americans. The Korean-American population for this study was reached through the Korean-American church organizations in America by random selection of churches.

A total of 558 surveys was usable for analyses. Of the 558 subjects, approximately 49% were husbands and 51% were wives. Three hundred …

The Relationship Between Parent Status And The Home Learning Environment, Self-Esteem, And Academic Achievement Of Fifth- To Eighth-Grade Students From Ohio Conference Seventh-Day Adventist Schools, Joseph R. Allison

Dissertations

Problem. The social issues at the end of the 20^th century have not left the Seventh-day Adventist church untouched. This present study sought to determine the differences that may exist between one- and two-parent students in the area of home learning environment, self-esteem, and academic achievement.

Method. Eighty-eight male and female students from 14 Ohio Seventh-day Adventist schools in grades 5-8 were studied. Data for the study were collected from three instruments: the Hare Self-Esteem Scale, the modified Henderson Environmental Learning Process Scale, and the Family Survey. Additional data were gathered from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills student …

The Relationship Between Treatment Programs And Recidivism With African American Delinquents Under The Age Of 14, Sonya D. Gray

Dissertations

Problem statement. African American youth are over-represented in the juvenile justice system, which fails to meet their needs. Research is necessary, therefore, to discover treatment alternatives that effectively address these delinquents' needs.

Methodology. This study examined the relationship between treatments and recidivism of 100 African American male delinquents under the age of 14. Recidivism was defined as any arrest, within a 3-year period, for either criminal or misdemeanor offenses, subsequent to the court's referral for the treatment programs named in the study. Only delinquents who were adjudicated for the first time in 1991 through 1994 were included in …

The Influence Of Social Integration, Religious Integration, And Religious-Social Regulation On Suicidal Behaviors Among Seventh-Day Adventist Youth, Elizabeth A. Hossler

Dissertations

Problem. Since Durkheim's classic 1897 study of differences in suicide rates between Catholics and Protestants in Europe, much research has focused on the relationship between religion and suicide. Pescosolido and Georgianna (1989) have suggested that Durkheim's Catholic/Protestant paradigm may not work well in the more heterogenous religious culture within the United States. This present study used Pescosolido and Georgianna's (1989) social network theory to examine the influence of social integration, religious integration, and religious-social regulation on attempted suicidal behavior in Seventh-day Adventist adolescents.

Method. The data used for this study came from the Valuegenesis (1989) survey conducted by the Search …

Quality Of Fathering And Its Relationship With Family Background, Demographics, And Characteristics Of Present Family : A Study Of Seventh-Day Adventist Fathers And Fathers From A National Sample, Ruth Depaiva

Dissertations

Problem . Fathers have been assumed to play an important role in the socialization and education of their children. The need to understand the influence and the role of effective fathers becomes especially important in a generation which views fatherlessness as one of the most harmful demographic trends. The Seventh-day Adventist Church considers fatherhood vital for the normal functioning of the family. The present study investigated how selected variables from family background, demographics, and characteristics of present family are related to fathering as measured by self-report of fathering dimensions, practices, and satisfaction.

Method . Two groups of fathers participated in …

A Longitudinal Study On The Essence Of Success Development As Seen By Caribbean Canadian Women In The Storied Landscape Of Their Lived Experience, Glenda-Mae Greene

Dissertations

Problem. Caribbean Canadians are often susceptible to negative stereotyping because of issues of social class and length of residence in Canada. This study describes how three Caribbean Canadian young women avoided stereotype vulnerability and journeyed to their definition of success. This narrative study focuses on themes which acted as catalysts for success in their lives. The data collection began with interviews conducted during their high school years and concluded with another set of interviews in the post-college years. The study records their stories as they strive to develop and achieve their idea of success in the non-school world.

Method. Through …

Predictors Of Divorce Adjustment Among Members Of Three Conservative Protestant Denominations, Andreas Erben

Dissertations

Problem. Only a few attempts have been made thus far to explore the situation of Christian divorced men and women in a scholarly manner. The basic question for this research was to find out what social factors, religious factors, and coping strategies are related to the divorce adjustment of divorced Christians who are members of predominately conservative Protestant denominations and how well these Christians adjust to divorce.

Method. The population for this research project was composed of all currently divorced men and women residing in the United States of America who are members of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, the Church …

The Development Of A Church-Based Seminar On The Impact Of Historicist Eschatology Upon Seventh-Day Adventist Marital Life, Etzer Obas

Dissertations

Problem. The reading of Eph 5:25-27 shows that Christ will marry the church in a state of holiness and blamelessness. Family life on earth must follow the model of the love of Jesus for the church. But there are no guides, seminars, or studies that combine marital life and preparation for Christ's second coming.

Method. This dissertation developed a seminar that emphasized the belief in the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as accepted by the Apostolic Church. Such belief affects all aspects of the Christian life and particularly the family lifestyle. The seminar tied together eschatology and family …

The Empirical Development Of An Instructional Product Designed To Enhance The Cognitive Awareness Of And The Modification Of Affect Toward The Disability Condition, Rikard Ashmore Bailey

Dissertations

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist church had no empirically developed instructional product in the form of an educational curriculum designed to enhance the cognitive awareness of and the modification of affect toward the disability condition. The purpose of this project was to develop empirically an instructional product in disability awarenesstraining for Seventh-day Adventist church members and their guests so to better build aninteractive, empowered, and inclusive sense of community.

Method. The developmental process of Baker and Schutz (1971) was used to produce and validate the instructional product. First, the content of the curriculum to train Seventh-day Adventist church members and their …

Spiritual Nurture In The Local Seventh-Day Adventist Congregation Through The Spiritual Gifts Of Prophecy And Shepherding, Francy Duran

Dissertations

The purpose. The purpose of this research was to analyze the church as a nurturing entity, and the spiritual gifts that enable the church to develop a ministry of spiritual nurture.

Method. This study followed the documentary methodology. The Scripture data, in both Old and New Testaments, regarding the purpose of the church and the gifts of prophecy and shepherding were analyzed indepth. Secondary sources, including books, journal articles, and research reports, were used where applicable.

Conclusion. The church was called to accomplish a specific ministry. This ministry is much more than the Gospel proclamation that leads to conversion and …