Digital Commons Network^™

The Missed Education Of Mtss: A Phenomenological Study Of Cross-Cultural Counseling With African American Students, Whitney L. Towns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how secondary school counselors experience and implement cross-cultural counseling practices with African American students during the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. African American students disproportionately face systemic barriers that influence their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes, and counselors are often underprepared to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed care within the constraints of MTSS. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory, Intersectionality Theory, and the Trauma-Informed Practice Framework, this transcendental phenomenological study examined how counselors understood and carried out their roles across MTSS tiers while navigating issues of trust, culture, trauma, and equity. …

Human Trafficking: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Indiana Law Enforcement Human Trafficking Training Effectiveness, Keeley Chelise Keasler Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Human trafficking is a rapidly growing, pervasive issue that threatens the fundamental human rights of every man, woman, and child across the globe. Human trafficking is one of the most lucrative illicit organized crime businesses in the world, and as the fueled demand for cheap labor, services, and commercial sex continues to reach stifling rates, law enforcement organizations are desperately seeking to identify ways to effectively combat this critical issue. Today’s advanced technology and transport systems have enabled human traffickers to expand operations to every country, including the United States. Although every state in the United States is affected, reliable …

The Vulnerabilities Of Smart Technology, Ryan R. Nolan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Smart technology is everywhere. In the last decade, an amazing digital transformation swept across the globe, changing how people interact and shaping the public sector interaction between the local government and the constituency. Public administrators must contend with a new communication method that will impact the constituency. Smart technology is making the world convenient, more accessible, and more connected; however, smart technology is making the United States more vulnerable to advisories that seek to harm the free world. When viewed holistically, the vulnerability of smart technology is a national security concern. The United States is not leading the smart technology …

A Case Study Of The Formation And Implementation Of Development Plan In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Anietie Edoho-Ukwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the formation and implementation of development plans by public administrators in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study will seek to understand the underlying factors affecting the success of these plans and proffer strategies for improving their effectiveness and sustainability. The theoretical framework of this research study is grounded in modernization theory, globalization theory, and transformational leadership theory. This study will conduct a comparative examination of other states in Nigeria with comparable populations and metrics. To gather data for the study, the researcher will convene with 20 current or former public …

Autistic Mothers And Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv): An Intersectional Analysis Of Vulnerability And Systemic Barriers, Rachel D. Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how autistic mothers raising children with autism describe the support they received and the barriers they faced when leaving an IPV environment. The guiding theory for this study was Ecological Systems Theory, which was utilized to explore vulnerability to exploitation through aggressive abuse histories, normalization of violence, and the inability to see red flags in potential relationship partners. Intersectionality was utilized to examine how the interplay of abuse, autistic traits, race, socioeconomic states, and gender created a complex and challenging situation for autistic mothers affected by intimate partner violence. Eight …

Leading In The Unexpected: Adaptive Leadership And Time Management, A Phenomenological Study Of The Small Church Pastor, Simorrah J. Majors

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most challenging obstacles small church pastors face today may be managing their time. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of the use of time management within the scope of church leadership and administration, as perceived through the lens of pastors ages 35 to 80 who are either the senior or sole pastor or elder at small trinitarian Protestant churches in the United States Northeast Region. Time management is generally defined as organizing and planning how to divide time between different activities and functions. The theory guiding this study is Ronald Heifetz's (2009) Adaptive Leadership theory …

The Role Of Forgiveness: Spirituality, Loneliness, And Depression In A Christian University, Elda Botello-Ramirez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For university students, loneliness has harmful effects, like depression, but choosing to forgive and embracing spirituality can lead to better mental health. Yet, limited studies have examined these constructs among students enrolled in long-distance learning (LDL) courses. This is important because an increase in loneliness continues, and more students are taking LDL classes. Still, there is a paucity of work on mental health among students in Christian universities. Thus, this quantitative research study examined context-specific or transgression-specific forgiveness (state forgiveness) while considering the role of personality traits (i.e., trait forgiveness) related to forgiveness to investigate its impact on loneliness and …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Decision-Making, Nelson Fernandes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores how leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) experience and describe decision-making in personal, organizational, and leadership contexts. Guided by Rational Choice Theory (RCT), Behavioral Decision Theory (BDT), and Moon’s (2021) emotional intelligence framework, the study integrates psychological perspectives with biblical principles to examine how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal awareness contribute to ethical and effective decision-making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten to fifteen purposively selected participants identified as possessing high levels of emotional intelligence. The findings indicate that leaders with high EI view emotions as informational resources rather than obstacles and intentionally integrate emotional …

Navigating Labor Challenges In The Hotel Industry: A Managerial Approach, Alen Sardarian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The hotel industry faces a critical shortage of qualified service workers. This HR problem poses an operational and strategic challenge that undermines delivering quality customer service. In relation, this study investigated the HR managerial struggle to recruit and retain an adequate number of service workers to meet the labor demands of the luxury hotel sector. Based on social exchange theory, this research explored how motivational features such as flexible scheduling, career advancement opportunities, training, and employee rewards function as reciprocal exchange mechanisms between the HR management and service workers, thereby influencing recruitment and retention outcomes. The study incorporated a flexible …

Investigating The Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Marital Satisfaction: A Moderated Multiple Regression Analysis, Clarence Duff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma and its negative impact on adult life is well documented as a growing global concern and has been a focus of research for many years. A growing body of literature has demonstrated its impact on psychological and physical health, as well as emotional and social well-being. However, research on how it affects marital satisfaction and variables that moderate this relationship is unexplored. Using the Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire (ACE) and Pearson correlation, the study examined the relationship between childhood trauma and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, a linear multiple linear regression was used to examine whether Experience in Close Relationship …

The Role Of Social Media Criticism In Shaping The Self-Perception And Professional Identity Of Female Sports Journalists, Hanna M. Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research explored the types of criticisms female sports journalists receive on social media and the impacts these criticisms have on self-perception and professional identity through an emergent, qualitative research design. This research used the communication theory of identity as the theoretical framework. This dissertation aimed to explore the lived experiences of female sports journalists. The study included 23 semi-structured interviews with female sports journalists who covered football, baseball, or basketball and had an active X account. The experiences of the women were used to conduct a thematic analysis that discovered primary themes related to types of criticisms (gender, appearance, …

Empirical Study Of China’S Foreign Direct Investment In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kennedy Agyei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent years, China's presence in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has increased. The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine what explains the variation in China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) levels across SSA countries. This research examined how political stability, the Corruption Perceptions Index, natural resources, market size, and trade openness influence Chinese FDI inflows into Africa. The sample comprised 48 SSA countries, and a panel data set covering the period from 2003 to 2022 was used for analysis. The study adopted the international political economy (IPE) theory, which holds that international investment flows depend primarily on the quality of …

Analyzing The Effects Of Supervisors’ Conduct On The Persistent Stress Experienced By Nevada Law Enforcement Officers, Kendra D. Still

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aimed to identify the specific actions of supervisors that contribute to chronic stress among law enforcement officers in Nevada. Chronic stress is a common issue in law enforcement and can have detrimental effects on officers’ mental and physical well-being. Despite the acknowledgement of supervisors' actions as a significant stressor for officers, there is a lack of research specifically addressing the actions that officers perceive as most stress-inducing, particularly in Nevada. This research gap hinders efforts to address and alleviate these stressors, allowing them to persist and impact officers' well-being. To address this gap, a Likert-scale survey was …

Measuring Depression, Anxiety, Stress And Burnout In Paramedics, Dispatchers, And Call Takers Of Western Canada, Nahum Chi Heng Ip

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following dissertation examines depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in dispatchers and paramedics of Western Canada. This study is meant to bridge a research gap in mental health among emergency health workers in British Columbia, Canada. The samples were collected through two self-reporting surveys, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Index (MBI), both of which are strongly validated and widely used in similar research. Of the 948 dispatchers and paramedics who participated, 771 (81.3%) responses qualified to be included. The data was entered into the Intellectus software where a variety of tools were utilized to …

Burnout, Perceived Organizational Support, And Spirituality: In Msd Special Educators, Bianca Grider Fisher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational research study explored whether burnout (BO) is correlated with perceived organizational support (POS) in special education teachers (SETs) working with moderate to severe disabilities (MSDs) students during distress, and whether spirituality moderates the correlation. SETs working with MSD students face a heightened risk of BO, yet there is little literature exploring how organizational or spiritual resources help. Exploring these factors is necessary to strengthen SETs’ well-being. Guided by the Organizational Support Theory, theoretical frameworks on BO, Maslow's Theory on Spirituality and Hierarchy of Needs, the Cognitive Appraisal Approach, and biblical truths, this study explored how internal and …

Childhood Emotional Abuse And Effects On Adult Behavioral Health, Motivation, And Resilience, Jonathan Pawson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) is a frequently overlooked form of maltreatment that disrupts attachment formation and increases vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and other internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Because the harm is relational and often invisible, its long-term effects can persist without recognition. This study examined how CEA related to adult internalizing behaviors, resilience, and motivation, and whether resilience and motivation moderated these relationships. Attachment theory guided the framework for understanding how early emotional deprivation shapes later functioning.

A quantitative correlational design was used with 249 adults who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Generalized Anxiety …

The Development And Maturity Of Borderline Personality Disorder In Modern Times, Kevin M. Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a dynamic condition that significantly varies between afflicted individuals, with a diverse variety of contributing factors in terms of symptom manifestation. Better comprehending BPD is essential in generalizing the contributing, etiological factors of the condition to broad demographics. Unfortunately, the existing research has failed to accomplish this goal, usually only studying how the condition and its symptoms manifest in Caucasian females. This study focused on closing this gap by discovering links between broader demographics within the context of etiology, comorbidities, and spiritual affiliation. This quantitative study involved collecting etiology, symptom, comorbidity, and spirituality data from …

Finding Research Datasets And Evaluating Data Quality, Ibis Anette Moreno-Lozano Phd.

Day Family Research Lab Workshop Series

No abstract provided.

Teaching Multiculturalism With A Christian Worldview To Influence Perspectives: Combating Emotions And Challenging Presuppositions Of Counselors, Steven Brooks

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In counseling education, teaching multiculturalism is a critical curricular component. Today, counselors (more widely defined as various caregivers) are more likely to encounter people whose race or culture differs from their own. Therefore, to be the most effective counselor, a solid and unapologetic curriculum in multiculturalism should be required. Because the education component of multiculturalism is often subordinate to a trainee’s reluctance—or even inability—to confront the difficult concepts, it is necessary first to address the reluctance; hence, my thesis. Multiculturalism presented and discussed on an academic plane is more likely to assuage trainees’ fears and spur them to cultural competence. …

Beyond "Place Matters": Making Spatial Analysis Accessible With Dashboard-Driven Geography, Stephen Borders

Public Health

This article presents an instructional module that uses Tableau to teach spatial thinking and policy geography through an analysis of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Tableau’s ability to integrate custom spatial files with demographic and health data makes it an accessible platform for introducing geographic inquiry without requiring specialized GIS expertise. The lesson guides instructors through building maps, bullet charts, and scatterplots that highlight gaps between eligibility and enrolment, while connecting food insecurity to health outcomes. By lowering technical barriers, Tableau provides a pedagogical bridge that helps educators foster spatial literacy in diverse classroom contexts.

This article was published …

Beyond Rationality: The Role Of Emotions In Communicative Planning, Minji Cho

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The impact of emotional dynamics has been overlooked within the field of planning. Traditional communicative planning theory, rooted in Habermas’ model of communication, typically propose that emotions should be managed to facilitate rational discussions that lead to logical agreements. Conversely, some research contends that emotions are not illogical or hazardous elements to be restrained during deliberation; instead, they are a topic requiring thorough investigation to create improved public forums. We investigate this tension by analysing facework during a land-use dispute at at the Gongjin Elementary School site in Seoul, South Korea. Our analysis reveals that facework not only impedes the …

Keeping Up With… Graduate Student Research Support Models, Giovanna Colosi

Librarian Publications

Graduate education plays a central role in many institutions’ academic missions and revenue models, yet national data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) indicate that enrollment and application patterns have shifted unevenly over the past decade, varying by discipline, credential type, and institutional context. At the same time, the graduate student population is increasingly diverse in modality and life stage, with more students enrolling part time, studying online or in hybrid formats, and returning mid-career. These changes present significant implications for academic and research libraries, particularly as graduate students’ research needs remain intensive while their schedules and pathways grow …

A Study Of The Intellectual Property Rights Of Farmers With Special Reference To The Protection Of Plant Variety And The Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, Gomathi R Ms

Theses and Dissertations

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) confer exclusive rights on individuals over the creations of their minds. Intellectual property is protected through patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, geographical indications, and other legal rights, enabling inventors to obtain economic benefits and legal recognition from their innovations. These rights provide exclusive usage for a prescribed period and have evolved significantly over the years, sharing similarities with ownership rights over tangible property. As intangible rights, IPR primarily consist of the property element and the object to which that property relates. Among the various forms of IPR, Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights recognize the creativity and …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 14 - February 12, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 14 - February 12, 2026. 20 pages.

Pinterest’S Architecture And Algorithm, Aly Kellett

Comm-entary

Aly Kellett is a sophomore Communication major with a minor in Business Administration. Originally from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, she currently resides in Georgetown, MA. Aly is a radio host for WUNH, where she contributes to News at Nine, a program featuring guest speakers and discussions on meaningful topics. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, playing pickleball, and shopping with friends.

This piece looks at how Pinterest’s San Francisco headquarters and digital platform communicate the company’s identity. It explains how the renovated building, central atrium, and knitting stairs create a sense of openness, collaboration, and creativity. The essay also …

Experiences Of Loneliness And Belonging Among U.S.-Born Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Germany, Anna Sizorina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing literature indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased levels of loneliness, particularly among individuals with transnational ties. Travel and entry bans, along with social distancing, led to separation from family abroad and from people and communities in the countries of new residence. In this qualitative phenomenological study, experiences of loneliness and belonging among U.S.-born women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany were explored. The transaction theory of stress guided the scientific enquiry, and the evolutionary theory of loneliness served as a conceptual framework for examining loneliness in the given context. Six adult female participants, born in the United …

Navigating Analytical Challenges In Clinical Trials Using The Multiverse Approach, Alexander O. Crenshaw, Nicole Pukay-Martin, Anne Wagner

Faculty Articles

Making decisions regarding data processing and analysis are crucial steps toward extracting insights from data in clinical trials. Trial registries like clinicaltrials.gov promote transparency about these decisions and encourage making them in advance. However, clinical studies often face decisions with multiple reasonable options outside the bounds of preregistration, such as when studies conduct post hoc analyses, deviate from preregistered plans, or simply were not preregistered. Additionally, even a priori decisions often have multiple reasonable options from which to choose. Methods that maximize transparency and minimize bias in such situations are needed. This paper advocates for applying a “multiverse” approach to …

Staff Education To Improving Patient Safety Outcomes Through Structured Staff Education, Imuetinyan Phillipa Ehondor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education doctoral project was implemented to address inconsistent staff knowledge of patient safety principles, disproportionate adherence to safety practices, and underutilization of standardized educational resources in an acute care clinic setting. It was important to address this issue in the context of nursing practice because patient safety is foundational to high-quality health care, directly influencing patient outcomes, regulatory compliance, organizational performance, and workforce morale. The practice-focused question was the following: In an acute care clinic, how does the implementation of a standardized safety protocol education program, compared to existing practices, impact staff knowledge regarding a culture of safety? …

Teaching Peace, Stopping Bullying: The Transformative Power Of Kh Ahmad Dahlan’S Psychoeducation, Wahyu Nanda Eka Saputra, Anya Ahda Mahira, Salsa Puspita Dwi Djajuli

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Bullying in schools remains a serious problem that negatively impacts students' academic and psychological development. A safe and violence-free learning environment is crucial to supporting the achievement of national education goals, thus requiring effective interventions to reduce bullying behavior. This study aims to test the effectiveness of group counseling services using psychoeducational techniques based on the teachings of KH. Ahmad Dahlan in reducing bullying behavior. The scope of the study focuses on the application of peaceful values in junior high schools as a prevention strategy and as a positive character development strategy for students. This study used a quantitative approach …

The Efficacy Of Rapid Counseling With Single-Session Music Therapy On Enhancing Emotion Regulation In Response To Activating Events, Aloysius Selo Aryobimo Oentarto

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study examines the efficacy of Rapid Counseling with Single-Session Music Therapy (RCSSMT) in enhancing emotion regulation in response to activating events. Many daily circumstances are uncontrollable, often leading individuals with negative thought patterns to experience distress and anxiety, known as activating events. Music therapy, as a holistic approach, acts as an emotion-focused coping strategy by calming physiological stress responses and preparing the individual for cognitive restructuring. This research employed a single-subject pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design, with the subject being SG, who had the lowest initial score on the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The scores showed a gradual but significant …