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Non-Fatal Overdose Among Florida Opioid Users: A Quantitative Analysis Of Anxiety, Depression, And Insurance Providers, Zachary Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonfatal overdose (NFOD) is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the opioid crisis, significantly contributing to the public health burden of opioid use disorder (OUD). The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between depression severity, anxiety severity, and health insurance type with repeated nonfatal opioid overdoses among individuals with Opioid use Disorder (OUD) in Florida. This study was guided by the biopsychosocial model, which highlights the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in health outcomes. A total of 90 anonymous surveys were collected from participants who met the requirements. A multiple linear regression …

Balancing Parental Rights And Child Welfare In Custody Decisions Involving Mental Health, Colette Methling

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the evolving intersection of parental rights, child welfare, and mental health within the context of termination of parental rights proceedings. Historically, mental illness was often viewed as a categorical disqualifier for parenting, with courts relying on stigmatized assumptions rather than individualized evaluations. These early judicial approaches, influenced by eugenics and social biases, as exemplified by Buck v. Bell (1927), led to systemic injustices and overly broad state interventions into family life.

Through a doctrinal and historical legal analysis, this thesis traces how U.S. courts have gradually moved from rigid, diagnosis-based determinations toward more nuanced, evidence-based standards. It …

The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Journaling On Psychological Well-Being, Jonah Guthrie

Honors Projects

This study investigated the effects of mindfulness-based journaling compared to free-form journaling on perceived stress, emotion regulation, and mindfulness in undergraduate students. Participants (N = 43) were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based journaling group or a free-form journaling group. Both groups journaled daily for two weeks and completed pre- and post-intervention assessments using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ).

A series of 2 × 2 mixed-design repeated measures ANOVAs revealed a significant main effect of time for perceived stress, F(1, 7) = 28.38, p = .003, …

Parent–Child Interaction Therapy Adapted For Older Children, Luke W. Badley

Dissertations, 2020-current

Externalizing behavior problems in children refer to negative outward actions directed toward others and the environment (Liu, 2004; Maughan et al., 2005). Between 2013–2019, the CDC reported a prevalence of 8.9%, with the highest rates in children aged 6–11 (Bitsko et al., 2022). If untreated, these behaviors may worsen and impact broader psychological functioning (Masten & Cicchetti, 2010). A review of the literature regarding the treatment of child behavior problems using Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) interventions highlights the critical role that parents play in the development and treatment of childhood behavior problems. BPT interventions enable parents and other important adults …

Longitudinal Assessment Of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi): Impact On Structural Neuroimaging Correlates, Working Memory, And Processing Speed, Carmen Velez

Dissertations

The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq led to a significant surge in blast-related traumatic brain injuries (bTBIs). However, our understanding of their lasting neurological impacts remains incomplete. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study of its size to explore whether increasing levels of blast exposure predict neural atrophy or cognitive decline over time. We analyzed 149 baseline and follow-up data sets from service members categorized by blast exposure: blast naïve (n = 57), single blast (n = 70), and multiple blasts (n = 22). Participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropsychological assessment.

All data were drawn …

The Dark Lord And The Mafia Boss: A Comparison And Contrast Of Toxic Leadership In Darth Vader And Vito Corleone, Mya A. Garcia, Mikheil Makhviladze

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project employs a qualitative media analysis to explore toxic leadership through a comparative study of two characters: Darth Vader, the Dark Lord of the Sith, from the Star Wars Franchise, and Vito Corleone, from the movie The Godfather. Both rule very strongly, but in a destructive manner to those who serve underneath them. From using the book Haslam et al.’s (2020) "The New Psychology of Leadership”, we can analyze how they rule toxically through manipulation, fear, control, and how the followers are affected by their rule. Darth Vader rules under the idea that centralized power brings order. Never taking …

Is There Strength In Vulnerability?: A Qualitative Review Of How Black Women Navigate Emotional Vulnerability, Cicely L. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative, phenomenological study explored how Black women navigate emotional vulnerability. Utilizing semi-structured interviews, that examine their core beliefs, experiences, and historical views on vulnerability, the research aimed to uncover the different ways in which these women experienced and managed vulnerability, particularly in light of the Strong Black Woman Schema (SBWS). The study addressed three primary research questions: How do Black women living in rural areas describe their lived experience with emotional vulnerability within their personal, social, and cultural contexts? How do Black women living in rural areas describe their lived experience with the Strong Black Woman Schema? How do …

Multiple Platform Social Media Engagement Correlation With Perceived Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Among Active Church Members, Penny K. Hampton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media has remained an area that each person has related to in their everyday experiences. The growth of social media has continued and expanded to include a wide range of varying platform opportunities for users. Given the variances with social media engagements, everyone differs with their resulting overall mental health characteristics. This study explored the relationship between the user engagement on multiple social media platforms and self-reported depression, stress, and anxiety. The variables included the number of social media platforms and the self-reported responses to the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS21). For this study, the participants included 117 individuals …

Perceptions Of Employability With Ai Skills, Brandy Whitford, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making AI proficiency a key factor in hiring and career advancement. By late 2023, 75% of knowledge workers integrated AI into their workflows, with 92% reporting increased productivity and creativity (Kimbrough, 2024). Employers are adapting—66% prefer candidates with AI expertise, and 77% consider AI skills essential for career growth (Microsoft & LinkedIn, 2024). However, hiring biases related to AI-skilled applicants remain underexplored, particularly concerning gender disparities in employability perceptions. This study examines how AI-related skills influence perceived employability and whether these perceptions vary based on applicant gender. Specifically, it explores whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher …

Parental Experiences Of Work And Family Conflict While Parenting A Child With Cancer, Marshall Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The occurrence of work-family conflict is one that many parents with children experience, however, working parents whose child has received a diagnosis of cancer face additional unique and seemingly insurmountable challenges in family and work expectations. The work and family conflict (WAFC) scale, caregiver distress scale (CDS), and financial toxicity (COST) instruments were completed via self-report by 156 participants. All 156 participants were organized into a crisis (n=15), chronic (n=90), terminal (n=49), or “other” (n=2) group based on the time since their child’s diagnosis, time-to-treatment, or type of diagnosis given. The participants in the “other” group were excluded as they …

The Perceived Impact Of A Faith-Based Divorce Support Group On One’S Spiritual Strength, Mental Health And Ability To Forgive Oneself And Others, Lauren Channing Moultrie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Faith-based support groups are an important offering by churches to provide resources and support to those in their community who are experiencing difficult circumstances. And for those who are going through a divorce and may question the support that they would receive within their church, the offering of a faith-based divorce support group can be encouraging. Faith-based divorce support groups may allow individuals to gather and learn about the divorce journey as they focus on mental health, forgiveness, spiritual growth, and other unique aspects of divorce. Due to the limited existing research on faith-based divorce support groups, I sought to …

Analysis Of The Relationship Of Spirituality And Spiritual Bypass On The Resilience Of Survivors Of Homicide In The U.S., Katie Ann Wiggins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The quantitative study examined the influence of spirituality and spiritual bypass on the resilience of homicide survivors, an area with limited research. This correlational design used multiple regression analysis to investigate how spirituality and case solution status moderated the effects of spiritual bypass on the resilience of homicide survivors. While substantial studies address grief from natural and sudden loss, there have been few that explore the experiences of homicide survivors grieving loss due to murder. It was the researcher’s anticipation that there would be a positive effect between spirituality and resilience in addition to the negative effect on resilience from …

Resilience And Extrication Stories From Female Victims Of Narcissistic Abuse And Intimate Partner Violence During The Covid-19 Pandemic Isolation Period, Kristin A. Musacchio

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

I studied the prevalence of narcissistic abuse and intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic’s isolation period. This research provides a nuanced understanding of the tactics and consequences of narcissistic abuse and intimate partner violence during a global health crisis. I uncovered ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected preexisting abusive behaviors while simultaneously providing new opportunities, during the isolation period, for the abusers to control and manipulate their partners. I explored resiliency and religious coping strategies to understand the psychological healing process of female victims of intimate partner violence or narcissistic abuse. A qualitative approach was utilized to …

The Impact Of Church Members On Single Parents In Residential Family Care Systems, Vanessa M. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper discusses the value of grace and its significance for making positive, lasting change. The researcher initially hypothesized that accountability alone was the sole catalyst for transformation (van Manen, 1990; Williams, 2008). The researcher conducted 30-minute interviews of seven single mothers with a minimum of 2 years residence in one or more Residential Family Care (RFC) programs, identifying them with pseudonyms for the purpose of protecting their identities. Each interview transcript was then evaluated for key repeated themes and phrases. While accountability did indeed play a significant role in the women’s change processes, the researcher found that grace, facilitated …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Adult Nutrition; A Correlational Study, Tabitha Ostrout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a wealth of knowledge surrounding adverse childhood experiences and their immediate consequences. In recent years, researchers have expanded the scope of studies to explore the long-term impact of these negative early childhood events. One focus of interest is examining the connection between adverse childhood experiences and adult nutrition. To further contribute to the body of knowledge, a quantitative research study was conducted to determine if there is a correlation between the two variables. Data was collected from 106 participants to analyze the impact that adverse childhood experiences may have on later adult nutrition, as well as to investigate …

Impact Of Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence For Elementary Age Children: Counseling Recommendations, Makayla Essington

Honors Theses

This literature review explores the significant impacts that witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) has on elementary-aged children and presents evidence-based counseling interventions to support their healing. Children are not always direct victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). However, simply witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the home has significant impacts on children, such as emotionally, physically, cognitively, and behaviorally. This literature review highlights the significant impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) on children’s mental health, including risk of anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and PTSD symptoms. Witnessing intimate partner violence also impacts the physical health of children, including risk for sleep disturbances …

A Qualitative Inquiry Of People Experiencing Prolonged Unforgiveness In Connection To Christian Psychology, Josephine Agbons Fleming

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore Christian women's experiences and understanding of prolonged unforgiveness from the perspective of people living with prolonged unforgiveness. Harboring unforgiveness leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and increased bitterness. It also leads to negative emotional experiences and physical and psychological concerns. A previous study encountered a transparent narrative that it is not good to harbor bitterness toward others. Some researchers have explored the outcomes of unforgiveness that involve empirical analysis. Other studies have described the nature of unforgiveness and its effects without explaining what unforgiveness does to people if it is prolonged and strategies …

Operationalization Of Emotional Connectedness In The U.S. Military, Demetrius N. Booth Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the dynamic and challenging environment of military operations, the successful completion of missions often hinges on strategic insight, technical skills, and interpersonal relationships among service members. Despite its significance, emotional connectedness (EC) is often an overlooked dimension of military leadership. The existing literature on connectedness shows that leaders who prioritize fostering an environment marked by shared leadership, organizational citizenship behavior, work commitment, perceptions of justice, and perceptions of support gain influence and help establish a climate of trust and innovation. This research assists military leaders in defining EC within a military context and developing a practitioner-centered theoretical framework that …

Holistic Wellness In The Workplace, Tiffany Youngberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a significant disconnect between the eight dimensions of wellness with employees and the workforce. Near the turn of the 20th century, there has been more focus on wellness in the workplace to increase productivity, with more of a push around the 1990s to improve health. Unfortunately, current research still has significant gaps. Most wellness programs focus on physical health, which does not address all wellness needs, as there are eight dimensions of wellness for working-age adults. Even holistic wellness programs are missing some crucial aspects; they focus on limited components of wellness with a heavy focus on physical …

The Moderating Effects Of Perceived Organizational Support And Work-Life Balance On Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions, Marvin J. Ramlall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employees often contemplate departure from their organization because they experience a dissatisfaction that is associated with their jobs. Many of these employees lack adequate support from their organizations. This quantitative non-experimental research examined the moderating effects of perceived organizational support (POS) and work-life balance (WLB) on the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intentions in frontline female nurses in New York City (NYC). A total of 68 full-time nurses from several NYC hospitals participated in this study. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire–Short Form (MSQ-SF) was used to examine job satisfaction. The Turnover Intentions Scale (TIS-6) was used to measure turnover intentions. …

Examining The Relationship Of Neuroticism And The Three Dimensions Of Religious/Spiritual Doubt Through The Mediating Role Of Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Michael E. Mullins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research on religious/spiritual (r/s) struggles, such as doubt, has increased over the past two decades and is important because of links between these struggles and negative holistic outcomes. The problem is there are Christian adults with r/s doubts that lead to negative outcomes, and there is a lack of research that examines how the personality trait factor of neuroticism and the dispositional factor of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) affect r/s doubt. The aim of this study was to examine the possible mediating influence of IU upon neuroticism and r/s doubt (including the three dimensions of r/s doubt: factual, emotional, and …

The Relationship Of Christian Spirituality And Sustained Recovery From Trauma-Related Substance Addiction, Carol Beatrice Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation contains information regarding research that has been done on integrating spirituality into addiction recovery and trauma recovery. Research shows a strong relationship between addiction and trauma experiences and that when recovery counselors integrate spirituality into recovery the chances of relapse decrease. There is a need for additional research and education for recovery counselors and the support systems that help people to recover from addiction. This can help lead people to a life with purpose to prevent further addiction, relapse, overdose, and death. There has been some research that shows that integrating Christianity into recovery can help increase the …

An Exploration Of Factors Impacting Child Welfare Professional Burnout: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Jeffrey L. Nitz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Child welfare professionals (CWPs) have challenging and stressful jobs that routinely expose them to the traumatic narratives of children and other individuals. As a result of this, and when added to the reality that CWPs have a significantly higher average of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) compared to the general population, the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout and high turnover rates is substantial. This non-experimental quantitative survey study of 212 direct service CWPs from both public and private agencies sought to examine the relationship of ACE scores to burnout, and whether secondary traumatic stress plays a mediating role in …

Which Virtues Are 'The' Virtues? A Rank-Ordered Analysis Of Virtues In Leadership, Maegan L. Winegar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current research study was conducted from an Aristotelian and Christian understanding of virtue within leadership. Nineteen virtues were identified in the literature review and discussed as essential for living a life of eudaimonia or flourishing. Within the literature review, a gap was identified in the discrepancy between how the general public conceptualizes virtue and how philosophers, psychologists, and theologists understand virtue. Additionally, scientific research in leadership is inconsistent in the operationalization of virtue, which limits the ability to research virtues in leadership validly and reliably. Therefore, this study provided the general public with an online survey of 19 virtues …

The Leadership Barrier: How Organizational Support, Culture, And Stigma Influence Mental Health Utilization In The Nypd, Ian Demodna

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined systematic barriers that affect NYPD officers' utilization of mental health resources. Despite efforts to provide mental health resources, deep-rooted stigma, rigid organizational culture, and inconsistent leadership support continue to impede officers' utilization. A survey was distributed to two groups of police officers: officers with 5 years or less of active service (n = 548) and 15 years or more of active service (n = 880). The survey questions focused on leadership support, organizational culture, and stigma to assess the differences in mental health utilization. The results showed no significant differences between groups in utilization (p = .437), …

The Relationship Of Physical Literacy, Motivation, Cognitive Function, And Academic Performance Among Elementary School Children, Meagan A. Hartman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Physical literacy could promote the development of confidence and motivation to engage in physical activity, reducing chronic health issues within the United States. This study examined physical literacy and its relationship with motivation, cognitive function, and academic performance among fourth and fifth graders. Participants completed the Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth – basic (PLAYbasic), Motives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM) and Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM), which measured physical literacy, motivation to engage in physical activity, and cognitive function, respectively. Academic scores from the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) were collected to measure academic performance. Scores from these measures were …

Military Retirement: The Spouse Experience At The Mct, Candace M. Kelp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive qualitative study aimed to understand the experiences of spouses as they transition out of the military alongside an active duty service member due to retirement. Current research highlights the stress that is involved for the retiring service member and even that of the family unit, however, there is little research available which explores the experiences of spouses as they transition from the military to civilian life alongside an active duty service member at retirement. The literature review brought to light this gap in research as it explored the military experience from both the active duty service member and …

Motivating Remote Working Employees, Sandesh Bilgi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how remote employees who have previously worked in-person describe their lived and perceived experience with motivation in remote working environments. Participants completed the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS), which measures degrees of work-related motivation among employees focusing on traits that signify each worker’s intrinsically or extrinsically motivated nature. Through in-depth interviews with 30 participants, this research examined how remote workers are motivated in remote work settings, which factors increase or decrease motivation, and how leaders can influence the motivation levels of their employees. The interviews were conducted online, …

The Consequences Of Social Isolation On Early Adolescent Youth: The Rise Of Gender Identity Questioning, Rachele Hauck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The year 2020 brought forth a global pandemic that changed the way human beings went about their daily life. Coinciding at the same point in history, the number of adolescents questioning their gender identity almost doubled. This transcendental phenomenological qualitative study sought to understand the journeys of seven adolescents surviving the stay-at-home mandates put in place by officials attempting to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in a rural midwestern town. These participants identify as a gender that does not align with the gender they were given at birth. Their voices are documented with subject led interviews and attention to expressionistic …

A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study Exploring Divorce In Blended Families, Steve Hudgins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriages are supposed to be for a lifetime, but there is a gap in the research as to what is causing a high divorce rate in blended families. There is a research gap considering why divorce percentage rates are higher and more predictable than those of the first marriage. The causes of second divorces within blended families remain largely unexplored in the current reviewed literature; however, relationship studies are more prevalent on the specific roles, such as those of bio- and stepparents within the family. By revealing the research gap, researchers in the field of mental health can understand the …