Digital Commons Network^™

Breaking Barriers: Bridging Gaps In Mental Health Literacy Through Digital Innovation, Adraine Racquel Chapman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addressed the development and implementation of digital innovations aimed at bridging gaps in mental health knowledge, promoting awareness, reducing stigma, and enhancing support networks for children and adolescent families. Recognizing the critical need for accessible mental health education, this research reviewed methods in which digital tools were used to create engaging and informative resources. The study investigated the effectiveness of these digital innovations in increasing mental health literacy, fostering open communication, and building supportive communities. By integrating theoretical frameworks and empirical data, the dissertation highlighted the potential of digital platforms to revolutionize health education. The findings spotlighted and …

How Spanish Seventh-Day Adventists Respond To A Discipleship Characteristics Training Program, Victor N. Rodriguez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current condition of the local church reflects a problem that concerns many churches in North America: There is a lack of understanding regarding the meaning of discipleship. The local church needs to recover a sense of biblical discipleship to execute the Great Commission and make disciples who make disciples. The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to understand how members of Olympia Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church would respond to a discipleship characteristics training program (DCTP). This research project used a mixed method approach to collect and analyze data from 16 participants and 16 members of a control …

Integrated Marketing And Impact To Consumer Loyalty And Customer Satisfaction, Richard A. Sizemore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explored how the lack of an effective marketing strategy can result in the loss of consumer loyalty and customer satisfaction when a grocery retailer takes an omnichannel approach. The researcher used a flexible, single case study to explore the potential when a grocery retailer offers services for in-store and virtual platforms when an integrated marketing strategy is not used resulting in the loss of brand equity. The researcher was guided by two critical questions and two sub questions to set the limitations, assumptions and delimitations to understand a contemporary issue. The literature review, which contained over 110 peer-reviewed …

A Comparison Of Two Worship Education Programs And The Relative Effectiveness Of Preparing Worship Leaders For The 21st Century Evangelical Church, John Dawson Kinchen Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines and compares the worship leadership programs at Liberty University and Union University, focusing on their curriculum design, development, and effectiveness in preparing worship leaders for the 21st-century modern evangelical church. Utilizing a multiple-case study methodology, the research traces the historical development of these programs, evaluates their curricular frameworks, and analyzes their alignment with the standards set by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The study identifies shared core learning competencies, including music theory, conducting, ensemble participation, and theological understanding, while highlighting unique strengths in each program's approach.

Liberty University’s curriculum emphasizes contemporary worship practices, integrating …

Exploring Social Exchange Theory (Set): The Effects Of Internal Communication Between Select Staff And Managers At Yale University, Lalani Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explores the impact of internal communication on employee engagement and productivity between a select group of non-academic staff and managers at Yale University, using Social Exchange Theory (SET) as a theoretical framework. SET posits that interpersonal relationships are shaped by the exchange of resources, both tangible and intangible. While SET has been widely applied in organizational studies, there is limited research on its application within higher education, particularly concerning how communication dynamics influence employee engagement and productivity. This study seeks to contribute to the academic literature by examining the communication practices between a select group of non-academic …

Lived Experiences Of Ukrainian Nursing Students In The Us: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Katherine E. Ferrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological was to explore the lived experiences of Ukrainian prelicensure nursing students at a midwestern nursing program. The theory guiding this study was Albert Bandura’s social learning theory as it explains how people learn through observing, imitating, and modeling. The second theory guiding this study was Madeleine Leininger’s transcultural nursing theory as it identifies that nursing faculty must understand and have knowledge of different cultures to provide meaningful care and education to their students. This study obtained IRB approval before beginning recruitment of 10 Ukrainian nursing students from a private, faith-based university in the midwestern …

A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study With Parents Of A Child With Adhd And Their Lived Experiences With Their Child’S Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Mariah Elizabeth Couser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of parents with a child who has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive/Impulsive Disorder (ADHD) with their child’s clinical mental health counselor. There are over 6.5 million children diagnosed with ADHD within the United States, and it continues to grow every day. Within the current literature, there is a lack of understanding of what parents of children with ADHD need from their child’s clinical mental health counselor to help reduce their parental stress levels. The theoretical framework guided the hermeneutic phenomenology study, aimed to discover themes …

Empowering The African American Community Through A Support Network Program At St. Luke Cathedral, Tasha Sharron Baston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research dissertation-in-praxis project designed and implemented a strategic intervention to enhance the effectiveness of reciprocal support networks within an African American church. The researcher collaborated with a predominantly African American church and community facing socioeconomic challenges in need of an anchor for community support, a role historically filled by the Black church in these circumstances (Moore, 2014). Under the praxis project plan, the researcher worked with a strategic team and coach from the collaborating organization, St. Luke Cathedral, to design, develop, and implement reciprocal support network-building activities for the church. The project was based on the findings of …

Strategic Steps Applied Using A Team Leadership Model To Implement A Restructured Leadership Program, Angel Cynthia Gayle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To fulfil its mission, an organization must operate effectively and efficiently. The role of the organization’s leadership is to implement the most appropriate solution to alleviate the problems. However, when the leadership of the organization itself is the strategic problem, organizational theory is a valuable source to implement as steps are taken to solve the problem. Team leadership was the topic of discussion in this research project. The topic of team leadership was researched with the quest of selecting an appropriate team leadership model for Christians In Action International Network, Inc. in Tamarac, FL. The benefits and values in the …

Addressing Church Retention In A Post-Christian Age: A Multi-Faceted Approach, Lawrence Kendall Gurley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Declining and shuttered churches in America have become the norm in the past several decades. Congregations and church organizations have witnessed a steep decline while the average age of members and clergy continues to rise. Interventionist efforts to alter the calculus of these trends have been underway for many years in both mainstream and evangelical circles. Only recently have Pentecostal organizations begun to address this decline. The research shows that church decline and attrition, although pervasive, are not inevitable but require concerted and sustained efforts to restore health and a sense of mission to local churches. This dissertation builds on …

Verify And Protect: Guarding Children From Online Pornography, Adam Opp

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The growing rate of children in the United States being exposed to pornography and its negative consequences on their development necessitate action to protect them from the evils of pornography. While federal and state governments have legal barriers surrounding pornography and obscenity, options remain for children to access pornographic content. Research suggests that more children are viewing pornography at younger ages, which has detrimental effects on their development and holistic well-being. Several policy options exist to mitigate pornography access to children, and this paper will specifically analyze options to be implemented by the state of Maryland, which could serve as …

Manumission In Virginia: A Christian Witness, Venture Ciccarelli

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

While uncommon, slave manumissions occurred in the United States of America. Manumissions were voluntary releases of slaves through legal documents such as wills and deeds. While manumissions happened in many states prior to and during the Civil War, the Commonwealth of Virginia had the most manumissions. Varied reasons were given for the freeing of slaves, some of them religious. This article explores many of the explicitly Christian reasons given for the freeing of slaves, seeking to illustrate the connection between people’s political and legal action and their identities as followers of Christ, doing all things before the face of God. …

Readings From The Kenyan Constitution: A Critical Discourse Analysis On Legacy And Freedom, Sarah Marjie

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

One of the most important documents about historical realities is the Constitution. It establishes the principles of fundamental human rights and institutional provisions for governing a country. Given the above, the study explores the aspects of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, focusing on the themes of legacy and freedom. It aims to explore the relevant articles and chapters to show how the principles of legacy and freedom are articulated. It does this by paying attention to the language employed, the historical and cultural contexts adopted, and the power dynamics at play in the Constitution. The purpose of the study is to …

An Overview Of Ghana’S Investment Opportunities For Virginia Businesses, Ben Ellis

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Ghana and the US have a strong history of partnership in trade and investment. Ghana’s economy has faced some challenges, but the country is on a positive trajectory of growth. To foster trade between the US and Ghana, both countries must work together to identify viable opportunities and recognize potential risks. In addition, the US and Ghana must find common ground and build local partnerships to ensure mutually beneficial trade agreements. Specifically, there are investment opportunities in the real estate, energy, agriculture, and education sectors. Several VA-based businesses could take the first step by investing in these opportunities on a …

Comparing Modern Scottish And Indigenous North American Political States In Relation To Their Colonizers, Katrina Jorquez

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Colonization has had a major impact upon the formation and relationships of the vast majority of current countries. While much of colonization happened at a geographical distance from the conquering country this was not the case for Scotland or the majority of Indigenous North Americans. Both were geographically close to their colonizers (or inhabiting the same land, in the case of Indigenous Americans), but still maintained strong separate cultures that persist in spite of forced assimilation. As acts of colonization became more politically distasteful, the respective colonizers have both changed their relationships to the colonized state to allow for greater …

Philosophy, Power, And Morality: Towards A Better Haiti By Forging And Wielding Biblical Moral Sword, Cedrick Albert Saint-Elien

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

21^st century Haiti, it is the worst of times, an age of foolishness, an epoch of incredulity, a season of darkness, a dry season of despair, and a century of contaminated moral atmosphere. This gradation explains the rationale behind the self-exile of a great number of Haitians to other countries where life is not as invaluable as it is in the poorest country of Central America. This paper is an attempt to mainly pose solutions to the problems of impunity, unauthorized power, and transparent corruption. How does a nation go up after hitting rock bottom repeatedly? Does a “failed …

Education Standards In The Us Military, Makayla Donnelly

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The United States military has been observed by many conservative and libertarian thinktanks, such as The Heritage Foundation and CATO, as losing strength and effectiveness. Many outside of these major thinktanks are concerned about why defense takes up so much of the discretionary budget when the military seemingly continues to decline as majority of military branches fall short on their recruitment quotas. To boost recruitment and bolster the US military several branches have reexamined policies and altered them to expand the recruiting pool. One policy that is being investigated for reexamination is education standards. Education standards in some branches may …

Tackling Violent Extremism And Terrorism In Ghana: Interventions Of The State, Afua Boatemaa Yakohene

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The West African sub-region appears to be at crossroads, in tackling the spread of violent extremism and terrorism within the Sahel region. The spread of terrorist cells and their activities continues to pose a threat to the stability of the region. The concerted efforts of some West African states to tackle violent extremism and terrorism continues to expose the vulnerabilities of member states. Despite, the drafting of policy frameworks such as the Accra Initiative on terrorism, Economic Community of West African States counter-terrorism strategy implementation plan and the African Union Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, the spread …

Slowing The Decline: How Restoring Congress’S Capacity To Compete With The Executive Branch Can Help Restore The American Republic, Elizabeth Gillanders

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Aristotle is one of the most influential figures both in the realm of philosophy and political science. In one of his most well-known works, The Politics, he explores various forms of government and how they will eventually decline. It is Aristotle’s prerogative that nothing can stop the decline of a state from happening, but citizens can attempt to slow it down if they understand how to spot the symptoms. One of these symptoms includes a major concentration of power in a single ruler (known as the One) as opposed to allowing the people (the Many) to rule. This paper seeks …

The Fallacies Of North Korean Political Philosophy, Unbi Choi

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

This paper analyzes the fallacies of North Korean political philosophy. The rise of the Juche ideology in North Korea can be attributed to Kim Il Sung's desire to maintain power and autonomy in the face of changing political influences from the Soviet Union and China. The Juche ideology in North Korea, founded by Kim Il Sung and developed by Kim Jong Il, emphasizes the absolute authority of the leader and uses the Songbun system to maintain power. The Songbun system classifies citizens based on loyalty and family background, resulting in poor intelligence levels among government officials and widespread corruption. The …

Religious Freedom In The Romanian Constitution And Legislation During The Communist Regime, Marieta Safta, Daniel Fodorean

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Romania had three constitutions throughout the communist dictatorship from 1947 to 1989: the 1948 Constitution, the 1952 Constitution, and the 1965 Constitution. Each of these documents guaranteed religious freedom. From the onset of the communist regime and continuing for many years after its fall, the status of religions was specifically regulated by Decree No. 177/1948, which governed the general regime of religion and remained in effect until January 10, 2007. Nevertheless, while religious freedom was formally acknowledged, it was not effectively protected. This study aims to identify and present the factors within the Romanian legal and political system that contributed …

Tackling Violent Extremism And Terrorism In Ghana: Approaches And Strategies Adopted By Non-State Actors, Peter Joilah Lambon

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Globally, non-state actors have played crucial roles in supporting the state in key areas of national security and defense. The recent spread of violent extremism and terrorism within the West African-sub-region, particularly within the Sahel region, has called for a renewed spirit of partnership and cooperation between state and non-state actors in tackling these emerging threats. This is evidenced in the sporadic nature of attacks carried out by jihadists and terrorist cells across the Sahel region. Ghana’s close door neighbor’s, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, are currently being threatened by violent extremists and terrorist’s cells within the Sahel region. There …

Chinese Strategic Cognitive Warfare Use Of Tiktok And Social Media, Johnny B. Davis

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The 21st century is the era of cognitive warfare and messaging, reshaping warfare, diplomacy, and economics. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) holds that the pillars of cognitive warfare are public opinion, psychological operations, and legal influence. Further, Cognitive Warfare is actions and operations “to affect attitudes and behaviors, by influencing, protecting, or disrupting individual, group, or population level cognition, to gain an advantage over an adversary.” Cognitive warfare operations seek “to modify perceptions of reality, whole-of-society manipulation has become a new norm, with human cognition shaping to be a critical realm of warfare.” The People's Republic of China (PRC) …

Jeffersonian Republicanism: Majoritarian Conservative Internationalism And Expansionism, David W. Bolton

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

As a liberal Anti-Federalist, Thomas Jefferson employed a unique approach to republicanism, influencing his successors toward majoritarian conservative internationalism and the expansion of democratic ideology throughout the world. In this paper, Jefferson’s republicanism will be explored through evidence based on historical events and literature proving effective in the debate over state-federal power distribution during the US Constitution ratification era and considerations within the Bill of Rights. The proposition of a national bank, the influence of the Alien and Sedition Acts, the political split between the Federalists and Democratic Republicans, and the effects of the 12^th Amendment on the elections …

U. S. Military Interventions For Democracy: A Covered Imperialism Or A New Manifest Destiny?, Virgile Samba-Moussinga

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Between 1776 and 2019, the United States undertook over 400 military interventions. The shift from an isolationist to an interventionist U.S. foreign policy choice has captured scholars’ interest in investigating the rationales and impact of these military interventions on democratic consolidation worldwide. The central research question is: How have the U.S. military interventions enabled democratic consolidation? This research paper identifies two schools of thought. On the one hand, researchers argue that the U.S. military interventions only support the liberal principles of the founding era, drawing on the assumptions that the Founding Fathers believed that American moral and political values were …

Examining The Nexus Of School Leadership And Teacher Retention: A Phenomenological Study, Melvina A. Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the influence of school leadership on teacher retention for public school teachers at Helam Public School District. The phenomenon of the influence of school leadership on teacher retention encompasses various interconnected factors that significantly affect the decision of teachers to remain in or leave the profession. The historical, social, and theoretical context of teacher retention were highlighted in the introduction. The theory guiding this study was the transformational leadership theory. The central research question aimed to understand the school leadership experiences of retained public school teachers at Helam Public School District. …

Exploring Mental Health, Future Rehabilitation, And Systemic Oppression In Inmates: A Qualitative Study, Vennissica F. Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of systemic oppression in incarcerated inmates, with a focus on their emotional/psychological experience of systemic oppression and how it impacted their willingness to participate in rehabilitation programs. This phenomenological study used elements of the narrative approach to obtain the common themes that surfaced while communicating with the participants and focused on two areas: systemic oppression and how it affected the mental health of inmates and how it affected their willingness to participate in rehabilitation programs. For this purpose, systemic oppression was defined as systemic power used to control others. To …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of African American Professors In Predominantly White Universities In The Southern United States: A Phenomenological Research Design, Jeniaka Spencer Hames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the personal and professional journeys of African American professors through consideration of the self-perceived challenges and opportunities encountered while employed at predominantly White southern universities. The theory guiding this study is critical race theory (CRT), which provides a framework for analyzing the racial dynamics in academic institutions. The central research question guiding this inquiry is: What are African American professors’ lived experiences in predominantly White universities in the Southern United States regarding their roles and responsibilities within academic institutions? The methodology involves a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with African American …

Understanding The Sense Of Belonging Within Inclusive Elementary Settings: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Precious La'shawn Sanders-Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand how educators foster a sense of belonging for students in inclusive elementary schools. The results of this study were intended to help policymakers and teachers in inclusive elementary schools make decisions about how to encourage both students’ involvement and teachers’ effectiveness. The theory that guided this study was social identity theory, which helped in understanding how individuals perceive and express their feelings towards belonging in social groups. Tajfel’s social identity theory provided a framework to answer the central research question: What are the lived experiences of educators regarding the sense …

The Effects Of Fact-Checking Misinformation About U.S. Politics On Tiktok Through The Lens Of Two-Step Flow Theory: A Quantitative Content Analysis, Toi Travis Thornton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The social media platform, TikTok, has grown tremendously over the past few years. With the freedom that users have to communicate in the way they desire to and with any information they want to communicate, the spread of misinformation has continued to spread on the application. This has called for a need for reputable fact-checking organizations to correct the misinformation with truth. This research paper examines the effects of fact-checking on TikTok videos containing misinformation about American politics. It addresses the research problem which is that misinformation spread on TikTok has confused users about American politics, which in turn could …