Digital Commons Network^™

Chronological Intersectionality: Navigating Off-Time Career Reinvention For Women At Midlife And Beyond, Sara W. Bailey

Adultspan Journal

Counselors are trained to anticipate on-time retirement-linked risks but increasingly are serving women pursuing off-time midlife career reinvention within ageist, sexist, racist, and ableist systems of power. Grounded in the author’s personal narrative, this perspective article highlights the compounded burdens of gendered ageism, biopsychosocial aging, and non-prototypical professional acceleration for midlife women. Built upon Crenshaw’s (1989) framework, chronological intersectionality is introduced as a way for counselors to conceptualize the concurrent biopsychosocial and systemic pressures and marginalization that can occur when age-expected norms collide with career changes for midlife women. Implications for clinical practice are described.

Exploring The Perspectives Of Individuals Who Were Formerly Incarcerated To Determine The Barriers And Facilitators To Successful Reentry Programs In Maryland, Ansu Sawi Momoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to persistently high rates of incarceration and recidivism, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services developed policies and programs geared towards reducing recidivism. Existing literature indicated that successful reentry depends on access to coordinated support services, there was a lack of qualitative studies that explored the perspectives of individuals who were formerly incarcerated, specifically in the state of Maryland. The purpose of this generic qualitative research was to understand the reentry process from the perspective of 12 individuals who were formerly incarcerated. Semi structured interviews were used to explore the barriers and facilitators within the re-entry programs …

Looking Beneath The Surface: Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Through The Caregiver’S Lens—Support, Advocacy, And Self-Care, Melissa Fredin

Master of Arts in Human Services

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure that can affect cognitive functioning, adaptive skills, communication, emotional regulation, and daily living abilities. Individuals with FASD and their caregivers often face complex challenges while navigating behavioral, educational, healthcare, human service, and criminal justice systems. Although awareness of FASD continues to increase, gaps remain in caregiver education, professional understanding, and access to coordinated, trauma-informed supports. The literature indicates that caregiver education is central to improving outcomes for individuals with FASD and is associated with stronger advocacy, more effective support strategies, greater caregiver resilience, and improved …

Spiral & Wheel, Red Audiss

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio: Tributaries Of Growth, Madison Hergenrader

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Tributaries of Growth reflects mastery in the field of Social Work; reflections on the five elements and ten competencies as seen through the academic and practicum experiences at the University of Montana.

Becoming A Social Worker, Sheyanne Marie Herron

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is a reflective overview of my journey toward becoming a social worker. It highlights how my education, professional experiences, practicum placements, and coursework have shaped my development as a clinician, advocate, and leader. The portfolio demonstrates growth across the core MSW competencies, including ethical practice, assessment, intervention, research, policy, advocacy, cultural humility, and leadership. It also emphasizes my person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approach to practice and my commitment to social justice and lifelong learning.

The International Adoption Movement From South Korea: A Sociological Analysis Of Its Rise, Fall And Relevance Today For Children’S Rights Issues, Madeline H. Engel

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

From “Fixer” To “Facilitator”: A Clinical Review Of Shared Medical Appointments As A Strategy For Workforce Sustainability, Barbara A. Slusher

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

Clinician burnout remains a significant threat to workforce sustainability, particularly in resource-constrained settings managing complex chronic diseases. While shared medical appointments (SMAs) have demonstrated clear benefits in patient satisfaction and access, their impact on clinician well-being and professional fulfillment is less clearly defined. This review evaluates whether participation in SMAs improves clinician satisfaction and mitigates burnout by facilitating a conceptual transition from isolated “Fixer” to collaborative “Facilitator.”

A targeted literature search of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar identified peer-reviewed publications examining shared medical appointments and clinician-centered outcomes, including burnout, clinician satisfaction, and workforce sustainability. …

Energy Security Strategy Empowered By Artificial Intelligence, Qiang Ji, Jiaofeng Pan, Yu Song

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Against the backdrop of unprecedented changes in a century, geopolitical restructuring has led to the fragmentation of energy game camps, climate change has impacted the resilience of energy infrastructure, and energy transformation has promoted the multidimensional and coordinated expansion of security connotations. Artificial intelligence, with its core advantages such as optimizing geopolitical risk prevention and control, enhancing infrastructure protection, improving energy system efficiency, and accelerating the integration of renewable energy, has promoted the shift of energy security strategy from experience driven to data-driven intelligence, achieving comprehensive risk identification, dynamic evaluation, collaborative response, and full chain monitoring, significantly improving the efficiency, …

Challenges, Opportunities, And Countermeasures For China’S Green Transition In Context Of Global Reallocation Of Energy Supply Chains, Yan Sun, Pu Wang, Yi Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The stability and resilience of energy supply chains are directly linked to an orderly economy and society, national energy security, and global governance of climate change. Tensions and strategic competition in global geopolitics have accelerated regionalization, consolidation, and localization of global energy supply chains, posing significant challenges to China as a major energy consumer. Based on the latest situation of global energy changes, the study focuses on the new challenges in China’s green transition, and highlight four key areas for China in global energy supply chains, including critical mineral resources, clean hydrogen, electric vehicles, and power batteries. Policy recommendations are …

Large Models Empowering Cybersecurity: Opportunities And Challenges, Zhuofeng He, Dongbin Hu, Yige Yuan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Cybersecurity serves as a critical pillar for national security and social stability. Large models in cybersecurity are emerging as key enablers for the intelligent transformation of cyber offense and defense systems. As one of the most advanced core technologies in artificial intelligence, large models are introducing new research directions and application paradigms in the cybersecurity domain. This study systematically reviews the current landscape of cybersecurity-oriented large model applications and products, and explores their deployment scenarios in practice. It further analyzes the development trends in model capabilities, industry ecosystems, and trustworthiness, while identifying major practical challenges such as data privacy protection, …

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions, Laundale Leopold Munroe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the challenge of unclear relational and leadership boundaries associated with reduced trust, emotional comfort, and healthy communication within the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bronx, New York. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an eight-week Structural Family Therapy-informed intervention designed to strengthen trust, emotional comfort, leadership clarity, relational boundaries, and healthy communication among church members. The goals were to increase participants’ awareness of congregational relational patterns, encourage healthier interpersonal interactions, and cultivate practices that support sustained relational health. A mixed-methods action research design was employed with eighteen adult …

The Impact Of Sexual Trauma On Survivor’S Affected Disposition, Savannah Fedorovich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Sexually victimized women are an increasingly vulnerable population within our communities, states, and nations. Many survivors are experiencing a wide range of emotional and relational impacts on their overall well-being. The theoretical framework for this quantitative study will include Tracy and Robin's Model of Self-Conscious Emotion, Hellman’s Hope Theory, the Theory of Life Satisfaction, and Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. Additionally, sexually traumatized women and their emotional and relational functioning was conceptualized through multiple constructs and assessments, including the Adult Hope Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA), and the Attachment Style Questionnaire – Short From …

The National Law Enforcement Staffing Shortage’S Impact On Central Texas, Mark Vincent Valli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between perceived support from public administrators and law enforcement supervisors/executives and staffing levels in Central Texas law enforcement agencies. Guided by Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Public Service Motivation (PSM), the research investigated how administrative and supervisory support influences vacancy and turnover rates, two key indicators of staffing stability. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed to integrate quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Quantitative data were collected from agency records and surveys administered to sworn law enforcement personnel across the Central Texas region (defined for this study as the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) associated …

Barriers And Benefits Of Trauma-Informed Practices: A Phenomenological Study Of K -12 Central Mississippi Educators In Predominantly Minority Rural School Districts, Melissa M. Barney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adverse childhood experiences and trauma vulnerability among K-12 students in rural areas, low income, and ethnically diverse communities highlight need for school-based early interventions through trauma-informed practices. However, many educators lack adequate trauma training to manage student trauma. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the barriers and benefits of trauma informed practices in five rural Mississippi school districts serving predominately historically marginalized African American and Latinx low-income students. Guided by Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, this study explores how cultural norms, community dynamics and school policies contribute to trauma exposure, educator responses, and policy implementation, as …

Grace, Reciprocity Norms, Adverse Life Events, Religious Struggle, Salience Of Religion, Relationship To God As Modifiers, Calvin Jay Slot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether adverse life events, reciprocity norms, relationship to God, salience of religion, religious struggle and/or grace moderate the frequency of church attendance-physical health relationship or if the psychospiritual variables interact with adverse life events (ALE). 1,000 participants were recruited through Prolific to produce a sample representative of the United States population. An additional 20 participants were recruited through pastors of three churches in Illinois. Multiple linear regression revealed relationship to God, religious struggle, reciprocity norms, and ALE were moderators. Additionally, religious struggle and negative reciprocity norms interacted with adverse life events, …

For Love Or Green Card: Exploring Intermarriage Experiences Of African American Women To West African Men In The First Decade Of Midlife From A Historical, Cultural, And Psychosocial Perspective, Kelley Owusu Asante

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of African American women who married West African men during the first decade of midlife. It investigated the historical, cultural, and psychosocial factors that shaped the women’s perceptions and experiences of intermarriage. The guiding theories were social exchange theory, competitive market theory, marital paradigm theory, and sex ratio imbalance theory. Social exchange theory, developed by George C. Homans in 1958, provided a framework linking behavioral psychology and microeconomics. The study centered participants’ narratives to understand how love, commitment, and cultural negotiation unfolded in these unions. The sample comprised 12 African American women …

Digital Forensic Skill Gaps Among Law Enforcement And Implications For Modern Criminal Investigations, Chip Thornsburg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Digital evidence has become a routine component of modern criminal investigations; however, many law enforcement agencies face challenges in developing the personnel, training, and resources needed to manage increasingly complex digital evidence. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to examine digital forensic skill gaps among Texas local law enforcement agencies and their implications for modern criminal investigations. Guided by Human Capital Theory and Routine Activities Theory, Phase I employed a statewide survey of agencies to assess digital forensic resources, training, competency, and digital evidence usage. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, chi-square tests of …

A Qualitative Case Study On The Negative Impact The Global Pandemic Had On The Oil And Gas Industry, Sarah Denise Hagans

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this flexible-design single-case study was to expand the understanding of the reasons behind the negative impact the global pandemic had on international trade in the oil and gas industry. The research was critical to understanding the turbulent period for the oil and gas industry during the global pandemic. The study was essential because the possible negative effects of the global pandemic on the oil and gas industry were not fully determined or understood because of the volatility in upstream, midstream, and downstream production. The research aimed to determine the driving factors and explanations for how the negative …

Perspectives On Community Services Board Telehealth Interventions For Suicidal Ideation: An Intrinsic Case Studysalaam, Dwane B. Salaam

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The expressed purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand and describe the personal perspectives of those individuals who facilitate telehealth interventions for suicidal ideation and behaviors, as it relates to quality of care delivered via remote modalities at a local CSB (Community Services Board) in Virginia. Cases were selected from multiple modalities and examples of remote interventions for suicidal ideation (SI), as well as in-depth interviews, reports, and documents. The theory that guided this study was Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory, which emphasizes that knowledge construction and learning are deeply embedded in social, cultural, and collaborative interactions that …

“It’S Not Just A Story”: A Phenomenological Study Of Evangelical Christian Women Who Have Disclosed Childhood Sexual Abuse To An Evangelical Pastor, Erin M. Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Evangelical Christian women's experiences disclosing childhood sexual abuse to their pastor in the southeastern region of the United States. Childhood sexual abuse has been a globally studied public health and human rights concern. Over the past few decades, the knowledge of childhood sexual abuse has accumulated in a substantial amount of empirical research, through state and federal legislations, as well as with media coverage. This research has shed light on the gaps in the study regarding disclosure of childhood sexual abuse to an evangelical pastor. Most available research discussed the physiological …

Exploring Resilience And Religion’S Influence On Addiction Recovery: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Nicole Mason-Dye

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Substance use disorder (SUD) continues to be a pressing public health crisis in the United States, marked by complex mental, physical, and spiritual consequences. While evidence-based treatments are well developed, relapse rates remain high, highlighting the need for integrative models that incorporate spiritual and psychological resilience. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study described individuals recovering from SUDs’ experiences sustaining long-term sobriety in the Southeastern United States within a 100-mile radius of a metropolitan city as well as understand how spirituality and resilience interact to sustain sobriety and encourage personal transformation. Guided by resilience theory and framed within a constructivist-phenomenological paradigm, the …

A Study Of Combat Veterans Residing In Rural Communities Who Have Experienced Suicidality After Discharge, Kelly Muratorri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of combat veterans residing in rural communities who experienced suicidal ideation following discharge from military service. The central research question guiding this study was, What are the lived experiences of combat veterans who reside in rural areas and have contemplated suicide since discharge? The theories guiding this study were Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide, which emphasizes perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability for suicide, and Shneidman’s theory of psychache, which highlights the intolerable psychological pain that often is an underlying factor of suicidal behavior. Although there …

Spiritual Abuse: A Qualitative Study On The Lived Experience Of Survivors And Their Attachment To God, Danielle Farra Bingham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Christian survivors of spiritual abuse and their relationship with God. The study also examined whether participants described those experiences using language comparable to Attachment Theory. Ten adult Christian survivors participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using Smith et al.'s (2022) interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework. Six Group Experiential Themes (GETs) emerged from the analysis: (a) wondering whether God was safe after sacred harm; (b) keeping God close enough to need Him and distant enough to survive; (c) trying to separate God's heart from the voices …

A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study On The Effects Of The Mindfulness Oriented Recovery Enhancement Program On Emotion Regulation In Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Alex Rhodes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Those with substance use disorders (SUDs) often display difficulties in emotion regulation, which contributes to addictive behaviors and relapse. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental pilot study was to examine the effects of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement program (MORE) on difficulties in emotion regulation and emotion regulation strategies among individuals with substance use disorders. Specifically, the study examined whether participation in an 8-week MORE program resulted in changes in (a) difficulties regulating emotions, as measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and (b) emotion regulation strategies, as measured by the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Participants (N = 9) enrolled …

Quiet Ego And Psychological Empowerment In Virtual Knowledge Work, Jazzlin Mouton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is an explanatory sequential mixed methods study designed to examine whether a high quiet ego orientation predicts high psychological empowerment in knowledge workers functioning as part of a team in a virtual workspace. The quantitative phase used simple linear regressions to test the hypotheses, followed by a qualitative phase consisting of unstructured interviews and a phenomenological approach to data analysis. Quantitative findings were not significant. Although quiet ego orientation did not predict psychological empowerment or any of its subscales (meaning, competence, self-determination, impact), qualitative findings indicate that individuals with high quiet ego scores consistently demonstrated intentional, prosocial workplace …

The Influential Integration Of Emotional Intelligence And Discipleship: A Thesis For The Degree Of Doctor Of Ministry, Shawna R. Willis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The end goal of this research was to create a training guide manual that integrates discipleship and emotional intelligence to introduce and educate believers on how God made them through the collation of three well-known emotional intelligence tools: temperament, personality, and skill strengths. The three validated assessments were Arno Profile Assessment from the National Christian Counseling Association, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and Gallup StrengthsFinder©. Participants completed five steps of intervention design that aimed to increase emotional intelligence with a final step of training that taught biblical tools and Scripture resources to manage emotions, make godly relational choices, and apply towards discipleship. …

Student Veterans’ Lived Experiences With Military Sexual Trauma In Higher Education: A Heuristic Study, Matthew W. Durkee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This heuristic study examined the lived experiences of veterans with sexual trauma, focusing on their resilience in earning a college degree. Although researchers have studied military sexual trauma (MST) extensively, few have investigated how student veterans (SVs) build resilience and achieve academic success after trauma. Using a qualitative, phenomenological design, data were collected through semi-structured, open-ended interviews and focus groups. The researcher and ten co-researchers (participants) were student veterans with lived experience in higher education. Data analysis incorporated heuristic inquiry and NVivo software to support thematic development. An external expert, a former student married to an active-duty service member, contributed …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of Secular And Christian-Based Correctional Operations: Exploring The Impact On Recidivism, Reintegration, And Spiritual Transformation, Cullen B. Burch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative descriptive study examines the effectiveness of secular versus Christian-based correctional programs in reducing recidivism among offenders and enhancing reintegration outcomes. The primary purpose is to explore perceived limitations of secular correctional methodologies, given observed challenges such as rising recidivism and limited offender transformation. In contrast, Christian-based programs, grounded in biblical principles and spiritual transformation, are posited to foster meaningful change among offenders. The study focuses on the perspectives of formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in secular and faith-based initiatives while incarcerated in Texas. Data collection is exclusively qualitative, involving semi-structured interviews with these formerly incarcerated individuals and a …