Digital Commons Network^™

Black Birth Work As Radical Praxis: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Of Leadership Among Black Birth Workers, Lesa C. Clark

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the leadership experiences of Black birth workers (BBWs), revealing critical insights into leadership dynamics within maternal healthcare. Through a theoretical framework integrating African feminism, Black feminism, and anti-racist feminism, the research examines how BBWs conceptualize and enact leadership through embodied, relational, and liberatory approaches. This study addresses a significant gap in leadership literature, particularly regarding generational knowledge and practices of BBWs, which remain understudied despite their vital role in Black maternal healthcare. This study reveals distinct leadership perspectives and methodologies through in-depth interviews with eight BBWs and a detailed interpretive analysis. The findings contribute to …

The Importance Of Accessibility, Self-Advocacy, And Affirming Care: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Older Adults’ Primary Care Experiences, Jason Vaught

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The present study explored the lived experiences of Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) older adults when receiving primary care. The methodology utilized for this study was Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three participants completed individual, semi-structured interviews. The themes that emerged included “Lack of Accessibility to Services,” “Need for Self-Advocacy,” and “Value of Affirming Care from Providers.” These results illustrated the multifarious needs that arise for TGD older adults when accessing primary care. The findings provided recommendations for healthcare organizations, primary care physicians, and other healthcare professionals. Specifically, the recommendations emphasized two key practices for physicians treating TGD older adults: (1) …

Reimagining Care: Experiences Of Trauma-Informed Approaches And Deinstitutionalization In Caribbean Child Welfare, Sarah L. Subhan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the perceptions and experiences of child welfare professionals on trauma-informed care and implications for deinstitutionalization in Trinidad and Tobago. The qualitative study utilized research interviews from 21 participants to inform findings. The participants included professionals from various agencies who work with children in care and protection. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, yielding six overarching themes (1) the need for training and capacity building in child protection, (2) systemic and organizational challenges to trauma informed care, (3) cultural and community factors impacting child protection, (4) the need to support family units as a pathway to …

“Be Careful, That One’S Aggressive!”: Canine Counterstories: Shifting Shelter Dog Narratives For Improved Welfare, Lori Carscadden

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study uses Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) methodology to challenge dominant narratives surrounding shelter dogs, as well as to examine how human perceptions and subsequent behaviors impact shelter dogs’ experiences in American animal shelter institutions. Drawing from personal and professional experiences as a canine behaviorist, I challenge prevailing “bad dog” narratives and introduce Canine CounterStoryTelling, a framework that I have developed which combines Standpoint Theory, Environmental Enrichment Theory, and Humane Education values. By integrating this theoretical framework in conjunction with the introspective nature of SPN, this study focuses on interrupting the status quo and creating impactful spaces to contribute to …

Cultivating Empathy: A Content Analysis Of Empathic Themes In Best-Selling Children's Books, Elnaz J. Afousi

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the presence and nature of empathic content in best-selling children’s picture books, with a focus on developmental relevance for preschool-aged readers. Using a modified version of the iEPIC empathy coding system, 10 titles from the New York Times best-seller list were analyzed to assess the frequency and complexity of three empathy-related constructs: Emotion or State Description (ESD), Exploring Emotion or State (EES), and Empathic Understanding or Concern (EUC). Results indicate that while all books contained some empathy-related content, ESD3 (self-reflective emotional descriptions) and EUC2/EUC4 (understanding and helping others) were most prevalent, suggesting an emphasis on both intrapersonal …

Frozen: A Grounded Theory Of Transgenerational Trauma Cycles In The Evangelical Slavic Diaspora Of Former Soviet Union Refugees, Yulia Shtareva

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation builds on historical and scientific assertions that Former Soviet Union immigrants survived distinct political traumas, resulting in unique, culturally adaptive behaviors and beliefs. Using constructivist grounded theory, it examined how these behaviors manifest in the evangelical Slavic community (ESC) of former Soviet Union Refugees (FSURs) in the U.S. The researcher asserts that (a) adaptations are generationally preserved in the ESC through a “cycle of authoritarianism,” and (b) survival strategies became maladaptive in new social environments. Narratives from eight young adults raised in the ESC were analyzed alongside a literature review and lived experience. Findings show that coping strategies …

Status-Based Microaggressions Experienced By Teacher-Librarians And Advocacy Strategies To Address Them, Jennifer Mary Mckenzie

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of Oregon certified teacher-librarians and examines how status-based microaggressions impact their professional roles, working conditions, and advocacy efforts. Drawing from focus group methodology, consciousness-raising groups, and microaggression theory, particularly Dr. Derald Wing Sue’s Five Phase Microaggression Process Model, this study analyzes data from nine virtual focus groups with 20 participants representing 14 Oregon school districts. Oregon teacher-librarians are among the most understaffed in the nation and often experience professional marginalization. This study introduces participants to the term “status-based microaggression,” instances rooted in perceived organizational hierarchies. This study finds that all participants were unfamiliar …

Black Women Found: Higher Education Leadership Experiences And Lifespan Identity Development Through Hip-Hop Feminism, James Antone Perry Jr.

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study investigates the leadership experiences and lifespan identity development of Black women in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) of higher education at the dean level and above. Black women have typically been excluded from positions of leadership at colleges and universities nationwide throughout history. Additionally, the experiences of Black women in higher education leadership roles have not been extensively studied in scholarly research. The literature review clearly demonstrates that a sizeable portion of the analyses on leadership identity and experiences have been shaped by homogeneous viewpoints. Hip-Hop feminism is the theoretical framework utilized within this study. The methodology is …

No Consistent Evidence For Between- And Within-Person Associations Between Objective Social Media Screen Time And Body Image Dissatisfaction: Insights From A Daily Diary Study, Adalia Y. H. Goh, Andree Hartanto, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Nadyanna M. Majeed

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With the abundance of social media content that promotes unrealistic beauty standards, there are growing concerns about the potential negative impact of social media use on body image satisfaction. While some studies highlight negative associations, others present null effects, pointing to methodological limitations like biased and unreliable self-reported screen time measures and a focus on singular platforms. Addressing these gaps, our study employed a daily diary method to objectively measure social media screen time across six major platforms (Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook), alongside daily body image dissatisfaction among 252 young adults (Mage = 21.67 years, 67.77% female) …

The Overlooked Dynamics Of Sibling Violence: Sociological Perspectives And Intervention Strategies, Rowland Edet

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Sibling violence (SV) represents a pervasive yet underexplored dimension of family violence, encompassing physical, emotional, and psychological abuse. This paper critically examines the intersection of gender dynamics, societal norms, and family structures in shaping SV behaviors. Using social learning theory (SLT) as a foundational framework, the analysis explores how gendered expectations and traditional roles influence the prevalence and forms of aggression, with boys more likely to exhibit overt physical aggression and girls engaging in relational aggression. The paper critiques the deterministic tendencies of SLT, highlighting the agency of individuals in rejecting modeled behaviors, and incorporates intersectionality to address the interplay …

Applying The Ecological Model Of Medical Encounters To Understand Patient-Centered Communication For Older Korean Migrants In The U.S., Seulgi Park

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Patient-Centered Communication (PCC) is defined as an approach that places patients at the center of communication with healthcare providers. PCC has been recognized as a strategy to address disparities experienced by minority populations. However, despite its associations with positive health outcomes and ethical significance, there has been a paucity of research on PCC in minority populations such as older Korean migrants in the U.S. Understanding PCC within this group may contribute to improving healthcare communication tailored to their needs. This dissertation aimed to (1) explore the expectations of PCC in primary care settings among older Korean migrants in the U.S., …

Officers’ Perceptions Of Body-Worn Cameras: An Exploratory Study Of Small Police Departments In Upstate New York, Stefan A. Dela Riva

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The aim of this exploratory study is to examine how police officers perceive the impact of body-worn cameras (BWCs) on their use of discretion when communicating with members of the public. In this context, “discretion” refers to an officer’s authority to make independent judgments while enforcing the law; deciding whether to issue a warning, make an arrest, or resolve an incident informally when legality permits. To understand officers’ opinions, a cross-sectional, quantitative online survey was distributed to various police departments and sheriff’s offices in upstate New York. Participants completed a series of Likert-style survey items addressing their general views on …

“I Learned To Bottle Up My Feelings From A Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis Of Latina Young People’S Family Mental Health Socialization, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of helpseeking

compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing

their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina

young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs,

attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering

in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared

stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical

construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates …

Street Outreach And Reentry: The Role Of Community Violence Intervention In The Reintegration Of Returning Citizens, Hilary Jackl

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Amidst ongoing efforts to reduce the nation’s prison population, as well as calls to defund the police and invest in civilianized public safety strategies following the murder of George Floyd, community-based violence intervention (CVI) strategies have been increasingly recognized as a critical means by which to ameliorate the United States’ enduring gun violence problem without exacerbating the harms of overpolicing and mass incarceration. However, most contemporary CVI research has assessed program impacts on neighborhood rates of gun violence and has produced conflicting findings, leading scholars to call for the need to examine a wider range of program-related functions and outcomes. …

Rethinking Rural Identity: Reimagining Rural Politics, Matthew B. Kirk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This work chiefly consists of a genealogical critique of rural identity. Tracing the development and deployment of the concepts of rurality and rural consciousness, I argue that our current depictions of rurality as “spatial other,” replete with its harmful stereotypes, stem from a misconception about the nature of power. Political theorists’ and political scientists’ appraisals of rurality suggest that the set of actions that define rural politics are a product of their relative powerlessness. Rural locales’ removal from the center of power in urban spheres means that rural politics is reduced to reactionary, violent, and conservative political thought and engagement. …

How Do Young Adults With Drug Use Disorder (Dud) Utilize Treatment? Exploring And Examining Lived Experiences Towards Treatment Completion In Indonesia, Dewi Kartikawatiningsih

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In Indonesia which has the highest rate of drug addiction in Southeast Asia, there is currently little knowledge about how young adults perceive the barriers faced when completing treatment or how treatment providers' perspectives influence their treatment completion. Understanding and identifying barriers to treatment completion is essential to making drug treatment more effective. The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives and live experiences of young adults with DUD and their addiction counselors to develop a deeper understanding of treatment needs. This study interviewed 33 clients and 15 counselors from the rehabilitation center of the Badan Nasional Narkotika …

Y’All Means All: Pro-Choice Abortion Activism In West Texas Post-Dobbs, Hannah S. Noblewolf

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In the spring of 2021, a six-week abortion ban passed by popular vote in the city of Westerburg, Texas. It had a civil enforcement mechanism, allowing someone to collect a reward of $2,000 if they successfully sued someone they reported for “aiding and abetting” abortion. The ban, called the Westerburg Sanctuary City ordinance, was referred to as “bounty hunting.” When the ban passed it became the template for the state-level Texas Heartbeat Act, which provides a greater financial reward for a successful civil suit, with a minimum of $10,000 plus legal fees. In the face of this ban, pro-choice activists …

Pathways To Disclosure And Treatment Among Individuals With An Attraction To Minors, Theodore Jackson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Child sexual abuse prevention is a significant social concern in the United States and internationally. While there have been some successful efforts to reduce recidivism risk among individuals who have committed sexual offenses, we fall short when preventing first time offenses. Therefore, looking at ways to provide treatment to those who are more at-risk for a first offense seems like a potential solution to this problem. One such relevant risk-factor is attraction to minors. This study is a qualitative examination using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of how people who are attracted to minors make the decision to disclose their attraction, seek …

Effects Of Actualized Language Policy On Ukrainian Stability, 1989-2022, Dawn Hersey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation seeks to generate a new perspective of the complicated relationship between actualized policy and stability through looking at Ukraine’s language policies and stability in a mixed manner approach that includes both primary and secondary sources. Russia justified its irridentist activities through claiming to protect Russian nationals within Ukraine’s borders: language policies within Ukraine appear to be a trigger for Russian antagonism. Neither Russian irridentism nor Ukrainian nationalism are being considered as right or wrong in this dissertation: the intent is to highlight trends, patterns, and perceptions in alignment with Ukrainian language policy. This dissertation does not present a …

A Theoretical And Empirical Adaptation Of Signaling Theory For Digital Communication: Examining Organizational Brand Identity And Credibility, Victoria Barbeisch

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation adapts signaling theory for digital communication and tests its relevance in strategic communication, specifically concerning unobservable organizational traits like brand identity values. Signaling theory explains how parties with unequal information (senders/signalers and receivers) use signals to bridge knowledge gaps and influence decision-making. While rooted in biology and economics, its application in computer-mediated communication (CMC) remains limited. This research addresses this gap through two primary aims. Aim 1 presents the first comprehensive theoretical adaptation of signaling theory for digital communication, consolidating fragmented research across multiple disciplines. Aim 2 investigates the theory's relevance in strategic communication related to unobservable brand …

First-Gen Latinx/Afro-Latinx And Complex: Keeping Resilient Responses On Shuffle, Tibisay I. Hernandez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This qualitative study examined the racialized experiences of first-generation Latinx and Afro-Latinx students in higher education. Fourteen participants engaged in pláticas, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups to reflect on how their identities, race, and institutional dynamics shaped their collegiate journeys. The study examined how these students navigated both personal and institutional settings, revealing the emergence of tensions around belonging, authenticity, and cultural responsibility in everyday interactions. Using Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) alongside Multidimensional Identity Negotiation Theory (MINT) and Co-Cultural Communication Theory (CCCT), this study developed an emergent framework—the Resilient Response Model—to better understand how students respond to complex identity …

Family And Community Role In The Provision Of Informal Care For Older People Living With Chronic Life-Limiting Illnesses In Rural Ghana, Barbara Adonteng-Kissi, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Informal care for older people living with chronic life-limiting illnesses is associated with difficulties. The informal care system built around generational values and cultural norms is steadily weakening in rural Ghana because of economic challenges, migration, urbanisation, and changing family structure. In responding to this knowledge gap, we aimed to ascertain how the immediate family, extended family and community support impact on mechanisms underlying provision of informal care for older people living with chronic life-limiting illnesses. Ethnographic interviews were conducted amongst fifteen older people; fifteen informal caregivers; ten health care professionals, after participatory observations during six months of fieldwork utilised …

Production & Perception Of /S/ And Pitch Of Transgender Speakers, Connor J. Ryan

Honors Theses and Capstones

Linguistic research on how transgender speakers use speech traits commonly associated with gender, such as f0 and /s/, is still limited in scope. Past research has focused primarily on singular gender groups within the transgender community, particularly transmasculine speakers, leaving gaps in how speech differs among transgender speakers. Additionally, there has been little research on how transgender identity influences perception of gender in speech. Here, I use data from reading passages by fifteen university-age transgender speakers in New England to analyze variation in /s/ and f0 among transmasculine, transfeminine, nonbinary, and multigender speakers. I then performed a perception study using …

Split Nationality Households: A Strategic Response To Optimise The Citizenship Constellations Of Transnational Families, Catriona Stevens

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper explores the citizenship choices of Chinese migrants in Australia who must evaluate the relative benefits of Australian versus Chinese legal citizenship. Given the insecurities inherent in non-citizen status in either country, many families decide some members will take Australian citizenship while others retain Chinese citizenship in combination with Australian permanent residency. Forming these split nationality households aims to optimise the benefits and limit risk across all jurisdictions, attempting to exert control over personal circumstances and manage feelings of fear and anxiety in the face of unpredictable national policies and broader geopolitical instability. The paper extends Bauböck's concept of …

In Search Of A Sea-Life Balance In An Adverse Environment : Understanding Seafarers' Life, Work And Turnover, Bikram Singh Bhatia, Raphael Baumler, Maria Carrera-Arce

Reports

The Officers’ Union of International Seamen (OUIS) commissioned the World Maritime University (WMU) to conduct the Work & Health Balance at Sea (WHEAB) project to examine some dimensions of seafarers’ working lives.

Building on exploratory interviews, a survey was designed and administered. The current report presents findings on work patterns (onboard and home periods), working hours, work-related stress, safety management system, shore leave, mental well-being, and career intention.

The survey gathered responses from 4,372 seafarers, mainly from India (n=1,098; 25.1%), the Philippines (n=690; 15.8%), the United States (U.S.) (n=501; 11.5%), and other worldwide regions (n=2,083; 47.6%). The overrepresentation of U.S. …

Adolescent Parent Perceptions On Sustainable Career Opportunities And Building Employability Capitals For Future Work, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As primary career influencers, parents must support adolescent children in navigating evolving and increasingly challenging employment landscapes. Using a capitals lens, this study explores secondary school parents’ capacity to provide informed career advice and their perceptions on factors known to enhance youth employability and employment prospects. Survey data were collected from 301 Australian secondary school parents to examine their understanding of sustainable youth career opportunities, what can aid youth’s employment prospects, and their utilisation of available resources to support career advice for adolescents. While parents’ perceptions of opportunities by sector and industry aligned with wider thinking, many lacked awareness of …

The Effect Of Computer Monitoring On Employees’ Productivity In Telecommuting Arrangements, Yea Hee Ko, In Gyun Baek

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When employees work from home, organizations have traditionally placed a stronger reliance on output-based controls because of the inability to physically observe its employees. Because of recent advances in technology, however, many organizations now use input-based controls. One such input-based control is computer monitoring, which records the number of hours spent working and leaves out any time in which an employee does not perform work activities. On the one hand, computer monitoring may provide productivity-enhancing benefits by reducing the likelihood of employees experiencing self-control problems, such as procrastination. On the other hand, computer monitoring may motivate reduced effort by decreasing …

Love Is Dead In The Restless West: Hippies, Manson, And California Culture, 1966-1970, Rebecca Allen

Scripps Senior Theses

Though an extreme aberration from most of the hippie counterculture of the 1960s, Charles Manson’s ultimately murderous cult arguably represents something particular about American culture in the late sixties, in which youthful hostility towards the status quo sometimes grew radical, and in the case of the Manson Family cult, extremely violent. By the mid-sixties, more and more young people began to feel alienated by a culture they felt no longer embodied their larger aspirations, and as a result, were drawn to the emerging counterculture that embraced alternative lifestyles that frequently clashed with the traditional sensibilities of their parents’ generation. After …

Echoes Of Play: Traditional Outdoor Games Of Chitral`S Mountain Communities, Rubina Nawab, Fozia Parveen

Institute for Educational Development Pakistan (IED-PK) Archives

No abstract provided.

The Legitimacy Of Israel: A Sociological Perspective, Luis Fleischman

FIU Law Review

The article focuses on the foundations of Israel’s legitimacy. It explores the issue of Israel’s legitimacy from the viewpoint of the sociology of law and the sociology of politics. It aims to provide perspective and nuance to some highly problematic and inherently anti-Zionist arguments raised by the Palestinian narrative and academic paradigms, such as "settler colonialism" and reductionist manichean theories of conflict.