Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Voices Unveiled: Exploring Americans' Perspectives On Social Media Censorship And Advocacy For Reform Through A Qualitative Lens, Vail Forbeck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explored social media users’ perceived experience of censorship on social media communication platforms to better understand the effects of censorship on users. The study relied on a qualitative questionnaire with open-ended questions to collect initial data from 115 participants in the United States. Of the questionnaire respondents, 12 participated in an in-depth interview. The questionnaires and interview answers gathered information about users’ perceived experiences of censorship on social media platforms to determine whether there is a need for changes in current social media practices and policies. The study found that Black males between the ages of 25 …

A Phenomenological Study: Experiences Of Men Residing In A Substance Abuse Recovery Program With A Domestic Violence Perpetration Intervention Cohort, Tauchanna Gilmore Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of men in a substance use disorder (SUD) residential program simultaneously receiving domestic violence (DV) perpetration intervention and services that address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). This study examined men’s ACEs, substance use, and DV perpetration. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and Rudolf Moos’ modification of socioecological model provided the foundational context and theoretical framework for the study. Although there are various reasons individuals use substances, one of the underlying causes is often unattended ACEs. Individuals with SUDs are also often the perpetrators of DV within their intimate relationships. …

Emotional Shared Experiences: A Phenomenological Qualitative Transcendental Study On The Shared Experiences Of Ten Pastors In Rural Central Virginia Due To The Covid 19 Mandate That Closed Their Houses Of Worship, Earnest L. Shannon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological research study was to describe the shared emotional experiences of 10 senior pastors of Christian churches located in rural central Virginia due to the national COVID 19 mandate that forced them to close their houses of worship. Moreover, in the United States of America, a COVID 19 mandate was implemented that closed places of worship, which altered the American pastor’s routine schedule. Therefore, the central research question explicated in this research study was, “What are the personal emotions experienced by 10 senior pastors in rural Virginia during a phenomenon, the national COVID 19 …

Transition To Civilian Life: Exploring That Of The Fewer, The Prouder, And Female Marine, Glenisha Foreman

All Student Theses

Female Marine veterans are a group that intersects two at-risk populations, Marines and female veterans, and the potential struggles associated with them. Marine veterans have among the highest rates of suicide after transition, as well as one of the highest military sexual trauma (MST) rates. Studies indicate that women veterans are at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), housing instability, and PTSD. Additionally, various social factors impact female veterans, such as a lack of familial support. There are many studies on the overall transitional experiences of the military and even some that evaluate experiences of female service members, but information …

A Phenomenological Study On The Strategies Used To Support Minority Gifted Students, Christina Patrice Cobb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe effective constructivism teaching strategies and approaches for reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in a middle school gifted program at Stoneybrook Middle School in the Downey-Raine School System through an examination of the lived experiences of teacher participants. The theories that guided this study were Piaget’s cognitive constructivism and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Both theories focused on the possible obstacles that educators may face when addressing the reduction of the achievement gap within this type of setting. Methodologically, this study followed the qualitative phenomenological research design. The …

Changing The Way We See Ourselves In The World: Critical Youth Participatory Action Research Investigating Intergenerational Trauma And Macro-Cultural Influences With Adolescent Girls, Raja Sinjab

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This study explores the social-ecological experience of human development in adolescent girls in attempts to better understand what young people may need. Five adolescent girls participated in a three-month long critical youth participatory action research study utilizing a photovoice method to investigate environmental messages that impact their identity. Specific themes of intergenerational trauma and macro-cultural influences were identified through a co-generated data analysis process, which contributed to a community action plan. The data generated with the co-researchers provided thematic information for the researcher to apply in a critical discussion exploring the influence of social power structures on families and youth. …

A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Leaders, Sherita Dianne Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Society is comprised of individuals with different personality types who are frequently referred to as extraverted or introverted. Research has suggested individuals fall somewhere along the continuum of extraversion to introversion. Based on statistics, introverts are thought to comprise between 33% to 50% of the greater population, but introverts only comprise 4% of the management teams leading companies. The literature has vast amounts of information about leadership and extraversion but limited information about introversion and leadership. From the literature, what is not clear is how the introspective tendencies of introverted leaders may influence the strategic planning, decision making, or other …

A Phenomenological Study Of Experienced Social Justice Disparities Described By African American Public Policymakers, Lawrence L. Crenshaw

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe African American public policymaker's experiences with social justice disparities in the United States of America. Currently, social justice disparities are understood as inequities that exist as the result of policies and practices that create an unequal distribution of money, power, and resources among communities based on race, class, gender, and geographical location. A theme central to this investigation is to understand the impact of societal beliefs concerning mental and physical health concerns such as anxiety and hypertension among African Americans. This insight will aid in the development of positive societal-level psychological …

Decoding Babel: “Ungrieved Futility” And The Unrecognized Order Of The Depression Research Field, Marty Lynn Cooper

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

The field of depression research and theory is a preparadigmatic potpourri of different orientations without a central, consensus definition of depression. This study attempted to address these issues by investigating the depression sub-literatures (cognitive–behavioral, psychoanalytic, evolutionary, biomedical, phenomenological, existential–humanistic, cybernetic, environmental, and religious–spiritual theories) using a comparative analytic methodology, which allows for comparing disparate fields that do not share a common definitional set by relating them to a third concept, in this study the construct of “ungrieved futility” (UF) as a dynamic model of depression. UF defines the objective and/or subjective experience of the permanent loss of an attachment object …

Trauma-Informed Supervision Experiences: A Preliminary Phenomenological Study, Gina Martin, Gideon Litherland, David K. Duys

The Qualitative Report

Trauma is pervasive in the clinical world of counseling. The current literature indicates adverse effects for survivors of a traumatic event and the counselors listening to the details of traumatic events, but there is a gap in research on the adverse effects trauma in counseling has on supervisors. This study aims to understand the lived experiences of supervisors who have dealt with traumatic experiences in clinical work through interviews with current supervisors of those who work with trauma. The results indicate trauma-informed supervision consists of trauma taking many forms, supervisors (and counselors) using the self in their work, supervisors knowing …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Counselors-In-Training In A Trauma Certificate Program, Mike Caverly

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Psychological trauma is common in mental health, the recent pandemic, the ongoing social justice issues, and the sociopolitical environment add to an already high rate of trauma in the general population. The literature revealed a paucity of adequately trained trauma counselors across the mental health field. Many counseling programs do not offer specialized training despite the prevalence of trauma. Further, the literature revealed that many counseling programs have a training clinic at the university that serves the campus community. The prevalence of trauma in the general community, the prevalence among university students, the likelihood of a clinic at the university, …

Posttraumatic Growth Following Critical Incident Exposure For Urban Firefighters, Deirdre Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are often exposed to critical/traumatic incidents. Regular exposure to critical/traumatic incidents has the potential to cause negative psychological problems among this population, though there is also a likelihood that firefighters can experience a positive effect such as posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a result of critical incident exposure. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of PTG for urban firefighters following exposure to work-related traumatic events. The phenomenon of PTG provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured telephone interviews with eight urban firefighters. Findings from coding and thematic analysis …

Social Workers’ Role In School Discipline Of Black Male Students, Teresa L. Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators enforce various forms of school discipline, including office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions, as strategies to maintain safe learning environments for students and staff. Over four decades of research indicate Black male students experience more consequences and receive tougher school discipline than their peers of other races. School discipline potentially causes adverse outcomes for students. Schools employ social workers to support behavior and academic needs of students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of school social workers in their role in school discipline of Black male students. The theoretical framework used for this study …

It Takes Two: Professional Interconnections And Potential Collaborations Between Small-Town Family Attorneys And Couple/Family Therapists, Wendy Lenk Mcclary

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Attorneys who specialize in family practice may experience significant rates of mood disorders and substance reliance. Law schools typically do not provide supportive coursework or mentoring to help students learn to manage their feelings and those of crisis-impacted clients. Lawyers may well consider that understanding emotional needs and providing emotional support does not fall within their codes of practice. Societal stigma may prevent family attorneys and their clients from seeking therapy. Small-town attorneys may be particularly vulnerable to professional stress and safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of family attorneys practicing …

Long-Term Impact Of Growing Up In A Blended Family: Emotional And Attachment Issues, Sarah Lucille Sloan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research indicates that three out of four people who go through a divorce may marry again, and more than half of all marriages today are at least the second marriage for one partner. Recent studies estimate that 65% of remarriages involve children from a prior marriage creating a blended family or stepfamily during their lifetime. This study explored the lived experience of individuals raised in a blended family or stepfamily and what, if any, was the impact on their development and adult attachments. It also explored why adults often report adjusting to communication styles, abandonment, self-esteem, and individual behavior issues …

What Are School Counselors From Exemplary Alternative Schools Doing To Support Social And Emotional Learning With Students?, Sandra Shaw

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the best practices school counselors from exemplary alternative education schools in San Bernardino County use to support social emotional learning (SEL) using the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) core competencies (self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making). An additional purpose of the study was to describe the CASEL SEL core competencies that were perceived as most important by school counselors from exemplary alternative education schools in San Bernardino County.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study identified and described the best practices school counselors from …

Lived Experiences Of Police Officers And Their Roles During Opioid Overdose, Sean Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have conducted multiple studies regarding opioid users, opioid addicts, relatives of addicts, and health professional responses. The opioid crisis has been a focus for scholars following the first wave of prescription in 1991 (CDC, 2016). However, there is limited research that examines the lived experiences of law enforcement officers and their roles during an opioid overdose. As the opioid crisis has continued to negatively affect individuals, families, communities, cities, and countries, federal, state, and local policymakers have searched for ways to combat the opioid crisis. For many law enforcement agencies, policymakers have enacted policy that mandates patrol officers carry …

Experience Of Parents Receiving In-Home Behavioral Treatment For Their Child With Autism, Gerald Lavarias

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment has well-documented results and is widely recommended for children with autism. Since 1987, parents have sought and implemented ABA treatment in their homes for their children with autism. However, research on parents’ lived experiences with in-home ABA treatment is limited. As such, there is a need to study the impact and influence of ABA treatment on parents’ quality of life (e.g., challenges, scheduling, parenting). This qualitative study explored parents’ lived experiences while their children with autism received in-home ABA treatment. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of 5 parent participants who …

Junior Managers’ Perceptions Of Executives Leadership Styles And Communication Practices, Kaprina Townsend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective communication and leadership practices continue to be an ongoing problem within organizations due to executives’ inability to effectively lead and communicate. The primary concern in this study was how junior managers perceive the effectiveness of executives’ communication practices as well as how executives’ leadership styles influence the junior managers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of junior managers. The leader-member exchange theory provides the framework for this study on exploring junior managers lived experiences and their perceptions on how executives’ leadership styles influence them and their perception of executive’s ability to disseminate top …

Student-Parenting During A Global Pandemic: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Experience Of Community College Student-Parents, Malinde Althaus

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Approximately one-quarter of undergraduate students are parents or guardians of dependent children. While having similar or higher GPAs, student-parents have lower rates of graduation than peers without children and often struggle with finances, childcare, and scheduling. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many new stressors to our lives. In addition to the mental and physical health risks during the pandemic, college students experienced a change in delivery of classes to largely online and for parents of school age children, it has added challenges of supporting children at home in distance learning. This study used a feminist phenomenological approach to discover the lived …

A Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Members’ Experiences With Attempting To Integrate Religion And Spirituality Into Counseling Psychology Doctoral Training, Theresa M. Nutten

Dissertations

Religion and spirituality (R/S) are two of several multicultural variables salient to some clients seeking counseling, therefore psychologists are expected to be sensitive to and respectful of R/S in professional duties (APA, 2017a; APA, 2017b). However, research has shown that the integration of topics of R/S into the training of psychology graduate students has been minimal at best (Brawer et al., 2002, Hage et al., 2006, Saunders et al., 2014; Schafer et al., 2011; Schulte et al., 2002; Vogel et al., 2013). There are potential logistical and personal barriers to the inclusion of religion and spirituality into mental health training …

“Las Experiencias De Padres Con Hijos Discapacitados” Lived Experiences Of Mexican-Immigrant Parents Of Children With Identified Disabilities, Christina Cortez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A nurturing and engaging environment within the family often leads to enhanced student performance. Nonetheless, the education system continues to struggle to connect with families from racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse groups, particularly parents with limited English proficiency or those who have children in special education programs. Amplified difficulties may arise because children with identified special needs—such as physical impairments, learning deficiencies, or developmental disabilities—require additional support, interventions, parental support, and/or services. As the nation attempts to mainstream children in public education and provide them support, Mexican immigrant families in many cases remain underrepresented, or they fall into greater risk …

Women's Expereinces Of Internalized Sexism, Syeda Rahmani

Dissertations

This study involved exploring the lived experiences of women with sexism and its internalization. Ten women participated in the study to share their experiences through personal narratives. The study was qualitative in nature and results yielded coded phenomenological themes related to the experiences of sexism and how it can become internalized. The study’s results are divided into themes and subthemes and supported by direct quotes from the participants. Themes included development & socialization across a range of environments, gender expectations, family of origin, intergenerational sexism, relationship conflict, sexism at work, career expectations, loss of income, intersectional experience of discrimination, appearance …

Empty Cribs: Infertility Challenges For Orthodox Jewish Couples, Itay Kohane

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation discusses an issue that is of importance to many people throughout their lifetime—infertility. One in every eight couples (12%) is incapable of carrying a pregnancy to term after one year of natural attempts. This paper further examines the prevalence of infertility among couples, bringing into focus more common variables such as gender and age. But, going beyond these, the present study will demonstrate that other variables including stressors such as social factors, interpersonal dynamics, and personal judgment affect couples in a manner which indirectly reduces their chances of conceiving a child. This research will touch on a number …

A Phenomenological Exploration: The Black Bile Of Depression, Charles L. Dunlap Ii, M.A.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The phenomenon of depression manifests itself in many different forms, haunting us with its simultaneously inescapable, diffuse and pervasive presence. The rich thickness of depression is often severely drained and confined within the overall field of psychology, in which this phenomenon is regularly expressed as an all-encompassing, diagnostic label, to limitedly describe an almost endless number of symptomatic permutations. We shall attempt to distill something of depression’s essence in returning to its ancient, etymological, spiritual and metaphysical roots, in order to begin transcending the traditional clinical notion of depression as simply a disease to be cured and suppressed. The relatively …

Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of The Effect Of Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation On Depression With A Clinical Population, Grace Lynn Bellingham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This interpretative phenomenological analysis explored the use of spiritually focused mindfulness meditation for clinical depression. Although antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are the leading evidence-based treatments for clinical depression, major depressive disorder is recurrent, and progressive and relapse rates are increasing. Numerous studies examining the use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies, which include the use of meditation to treat depression, have emerged in the literature. In this study, three individuals who met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder used spiritually focused mindfulness meditation for three weeks and participated in in-depth interviews to explore their experiences. Findings revealed significant …

Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Antibullying Programs In A U.S. Middle School, Nneka Uzoma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School bullying has become a serious issue in U.S. schools, with children being harassed, hurt, and even killed or driven to suicide or homicide as a result of being bullied. Bullying in schools has persisted despite the various intervention measures taken to curtail the phenomenon. The purpose of this phenomenological exploration was to explore how teachers and principals at a U.S. middle school perceive the school's existing bullying programs and elicit recommendations about how to improve the programs. The theoretical basis of this investigation was Bandura's social learning theory. Data were collected through interviews with 4 principles and 6 teachers. …

Forgotten Victims: Understanding Latino/A Non-Offending Parents Of Sexually Abused Children, Alba Rocio Andrade

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Childhood sexual abuse is widely condemned by society and religion (Roesler & Wind, 1994; McCallum, 2001). Nevertheless, it is estimated that approximately one in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused by the time they turn 18 years old (Stauffer and Deblinger, 1996). This trauma affects the victim as well as other members of the family including the non-offending parent(s). However, services are often provided only to the victimized child, which overlooks the needs of the non-offending parents. The existing body of research into the stressors experienced by non-offending parents typically is focused on non-offending parents of …

The Lived Experience Of Daughters Who Have Absent Fathers: A Phenomenological Study, Sibhon Jolette Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that this study focused on was the difficulties and challenges experienced by daughters who had absent fathers. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of daughters who grew up with absent fathers, and the effects on them as adults at home, in school, in their neighborhoods, and in their decision-making processes. The sample consisted of 20 daughters who grew up with absent fathers. Data were collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using 5 phases of Hycner's (1999) phenomenological research. Results indicated that participants' lived experiences of home life were characterized by …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Prisonization And The Psychological Effects Of Incarceration, Wanda Lynn Bates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adjustment to prison culture may influence the development of psychological issues for some individuals and may contribute to the difficulties of reentry to society, potentially contributing to the high rates of recidivism. The purpose of this study was to explore prisonization and its potential psychological effects from the perspective of individuals who experienced it. The theoretical foundation used to guide this study was the constructivist self-development theory, which can be used to explain how individuals may or may not have been affected by their traumatic experience. The participants for this phenomenological study included 10 individuals who experienced incarceration to fulfill …