Digital Commons Network^™

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses Within Bipoc Communities, Angela M. Houghton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With a pressing need to examine racial and ethnic differences in ASD detection to discern potential inaccuracies in diagnosis within groups, this study used a transcendental phenomenological design to explore the explanations for misdiagnosis within Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) households, comparing their encounters with Whites. The research involved six parents and one family member of children who were originally wrongfully identified, only to in the future confirm ASD. Through semi-structured conversations, the study delved into the distinctive trials of BIPOC households. Data analysis respected the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen technique, with thematic exploration used to recognize repetitions, highlighted differences in …

The Case Mountain Cases: Escapism Through Alternate Worlds, Monsters, And Environment In Fiction, Jerry J. Hewitt

Masters Theses

This thesis began with the idea of horror and science fiction novel’s ability to provide readers with a sense of escape in exploring alternative worlds through descriptions of scary monsters and brooding environments. The location of my manuscript takes place in real-life hiking area in Connecticut called Case Mountain, which I have been hiking in since I was a child. Throughout my life, I have always had a fascination with the folklore and ghost stories surrounding Connecticut, and much of my writing has always had a focus on sharing these tales and providing readers with the ability to escape their …

Post-Course Statistics Interpretation Anxiety In An Asynchronous Online Statistics Course: A Causal-Comparative Study Of Traditional And Nontraditional Students, Andrea Rose Boito

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there was a difference in post-course statistics interpretation anxiety for asynchronous online introductory statistics students who were traditional, those under age 24, and those who were nontraditional, aged 24 and older, when controlling for pre-course statistics interpretation anxiety. This study provides valuable information to creators and instructors of online statistics courses to understand how to better create courses to service students concerning statistics interpretation anxiety. Sixty-nine students taking the same online statistics course at a large university in the northeastern United States were assessed. The pre-course and post-course Statistical …

The Efficacy Of Suboxone As Mat Therapy For Women: A Phenomenological Study, Sara C. Swepston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Opioid Epidemic has plagued the nation for decades, with little success in treating patients for long-term sobriety. Billions of dollars are spent annually treating patients with opiate use disorder, most popularly with the pharmaceutical drug, Suboxone. However, evidence and research are lacking to truly understand if the synthetic opiate medication works in treating women with OUD. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to know from the women who have been treated using Suboxone if the medication works. The participants are all women, aged 18-45 who used Suboxone for Medically Assisted Treatment for a minimum of 90 days. The …

In Search Of New Originals: An Examination Of Experiences In Upper-Division Jazz Improvisation Pedagogy, Bruce Babad

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jazz improvisation courses have become part of the canon within upper-division course offerings, yet only a few students end up sounding original or creative. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to elucidate, understand, and articulate the significance underlying the lived experiences of adept jazz musicians as they contemplated developing and disseminating improvisational skills. Upper-division jazz improvisation pedagogy is rooted in music theory, a chord-scale approach to jazz harmony, solo transcriptions, and commonly used patterns. Combining these approaches has reduced improvisation to feats of problem-solving or painting by numbers. This study aimed to illuminate the lived experiences of original, creative jazz improvisers …

A Case Study Of The Perceived Pedagogical Strategies Used To Increase Student Motivation And Effective Technology Use In The Secondary Classroom, Adam Herring

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single-instrument case study is to understand the strategies that educators perceive to be effective in successfully increasing student motivation when using personal technology in the high school classroom at River Valley High School in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study is Ryan and Deci’s theory on self-determination as it examines the relationship between motivation and academic achievement. The central research question in this study, that is, how can relatedness, competency, and autonomy support the use of personal technology in the secondary education classroom, explores how personal technology could influence the perceived motivation of …

Creating A Caring Culture, Julie Harrison-Swartz

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Caring is a word that is synonymous with nursing. Nurses are equipped to engage in all aspects of patient care and be present. Caring and presence are also imperative in nursing education. While caring is instrumental to patient healing and outcomes, it is equally important in demonstrating care through nursing education. While convenient it is often difficult to express caring in the remote environment. This paper will describe a brief history of nursing, concept of caring, and nursing education.

Trauma-Informed Care And Support For Dei: Exemplars In Diabetes And Self-Reflection, Karla Giese

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Traumatic life experiences may disproportionately affect individuals with social disparities, marginalization, or injustices. Nursing advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to recognize and affirm all patient voices. Nurses can address DEI by developing competence in the evidence-based skills of trauma-informed care (TIC) and self-reflection.

The Moderating Effect Of Teacher Experience On Secondary Traumatic Stress And Teacher Self-Efficacy Among Rural Public School Teachers, Donna Short

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Millions of teachers have exited the teaching profession as of 2020 and over 50% are likely to leave the profession during the next five years. High emotional stress is most often cited as the primary reason for the loss of teachers. There is also an increasing number of students entering school who having experienced various forms of trauma, such as abuse, death, violence, and neglect. In rural areas, poverty is a concern. These students often display trauma behaviors because of limited mental health resources. As rural public school teachers learn about student trauma, these teachers are at risk of secondary …

Exploring Teachers' Perception And Use Of Whole Brain Teaching: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Amber Jay-Claycomb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to understand Whole Brain Teaching (WBT) through the experiences and perceptions of teachers who utilize this system in the United States. The theory guiding this study was George Miller’s information processing theory, which identified how information is attained, stored, and retrieved, a foundation of the WBT system. This study attempted to answer the central research question: What are the perceptions of classroom success for teachers who use WBT systems? This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research focused on WBT teachers across the United States, contacted through an online platform. Data collection consisted of interviews, …

A Qualitative Study Of Federal Employee Whistleblowing And Reprisal For Whistleblowing, Bruce S. Mclean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Federal employee whistleblowing is essential to holding government officials accountable. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was established in 1979 to provide a secure channel for federal government employees to report wrongdoing while protecting them from reprisal. More statutory protections were enacted with the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) in 1989; however, deficiencies in the WPA led to the eventual passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act in 2012. The problem is that the literature on whistleblowing fails to distinguish the OSC as the Executive Branch whistleblower protection agency nor recognize its annual reports and surveys as the only known …

The Voices Of Black Women: Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence And Mandatory Arrest, Lacoya Charnis Crape

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Black female victims of IPV concerning mandatory arrest and how they perceive the outcomes and effects of the arrest on either partner involved. The findings revealed that Black women had mixed experiences with mandatory arrest; those with Black abusers reported positive experiences with this law, and those with White abusers experienced negative encounters. Eight out of twenty-three mandatory arrest states were identified as problematic states by Black women due to measures of poor police performance. Outcomes suggest that Black women with White abusers experience unique barriers associated …

A Quantitative, Cause-Comparative Design Study Of Teacher Self-Efficacy Based On Classroom Environment And Professional Development, Tiffany Cain Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative design study is to determine if there is a difference in teacher self-efficacy scores between teachers who participate in professional development on inclusion and teachers who do not participate in professional development on inclusion and to determine if there is a difference in teacher self-efficacy scores based on the classroom environment. Identifying teacher self-efficacy is important as it will help determine what teachers need professional development in to better serve students with disabilities. The researcher used the Teacher Sense of Efficacy (TSES) scale to identify teacher self-efficacy scores. A convenience sampling procedure was used …

The Relationship Between Parental Regard And Youth Athlete Performance And Contingency Of Self-Worth, Alysia M.K. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Youth athletic participation is important for the socioemotional development of children, such as lowering the risk of antisocial behaviors, increasing prosocial behaviors, improving physical and mental health, and lowering the risk of obesity. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between the youth athletes’ perception of how their parents regarded them and their self-worth and perception of their athletic performance, which was explored from the perception of the former youth athlete. The variables were operationalized by utilizing the following instruments: the Parental Conditional Positive Regard Scale (PCPRS), the satisfaction of sporting experience using Turman’s (2006) …

The Shared Experiences Of The Effectiveness Of Christian Mindfulness Meditation For Adult Evangelical Christians In Florida Experiencing Ptsd Symptomatology, Loraine Yvonne Pennant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mindfulness meditation, though secular in origin, is a distinct Christian principle found in the Bible and are practices that Christians in general subconsciously subscribe to especially in times of traumatic stress. When adapted to reflect Christian principles, this practice should retain the basic concepts of mindfulness meditation while safeguarding the integrity of the biblical tenet. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe the shared experiences of the effectiveness of Christian mindfulness meditation of adult evangelical Christians in Florida suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder symptomology. A gap in literature exploring the topics of Christian rumination (meditation) and …

Examining The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Role Overload, And Intent To Leave The Profession Among Elementary School Teachers, Rachael D. Egli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

District and school leaders experience significant challenges in recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers, year-to-year. This non-experimental quantitative correlational study examined relationships between components of teacher role overload and intent to leave the profession among elementary school teachers. The study also examined emotional intelligence as a moderator variable on the relationship between teacher role overload and teachers’ intent to leave the profession. A total of 106 eligible teacher participants were recruited to complete an anonymous online survey. Demographics data, as well as emotional intelligence and occupational stress data, using the BEIS-10 and TOSFQ were collected (Davies et al., 2010; Foxworth et …

Learning Delivery Methods And Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction And Frustration: A Causal-Comparative Study, Tiffany Adora Cotterman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there is a difference among Instructor-led Training, Virtual Instructor-led Training, and Instructor-led Training with Autonomous Learning participants’ scores in autonomy satisfaction, autonomy frustration, relatedness satisfaction, relatedness frustration, competence satisfaction, and competence frustration. This study expounded upon the current knowledge of adult learning, including its effect on the six dimensions of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and provided recommendations for future studies. A convenience sample of 123 newly hired Eastern Caribbean Business Process Outsourcing agents participating in a five-day onboard training were surveyed. Instrumentation consisted of the 24-item Basic …

A Phenomenological Study Examining Lived Experiences Of Persistent Non-Traditional Students With Learning Disabilities At Community College, Mary Elizabeth Regis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of persistent non-traditional community college students with learning disabilities at community colleges in the Midwest United States. For this study, persistent, non-traditional community college students are defined as students who completed their first year of college, were currently enrolled in their second year of college or earned more than 30 credits, and were 25 or older, with commitments in addition to their academics, College students with learning disabilities were defined as students who had a documented learning disability rather than self-identified diagnoses. Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory …

A Phenomenological Study Of Novice Special Education Teachers' Experience Applying Causal Attributions To Challenging Behavior, Mandy Marie Augst

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe novice special education teachers’ experiences attributing causes to challenging behaviors in U.S. public schools. This study was guided by Bernard Weiner’s attribution theory of motivation. This framework allowed for the examination of teachers’ causal attributions for challenging behavior as well as their personal motivation in responding to challenging behaviors. This study's central research question focused on novice special education teachers’ experiences attributing causes to challenging behavior. The researcher employed a transcendental phenomenological approach, engaging participants as co-researchers to understand their lived experiences. A sample of 11 participants was recruited from …

Exploring The Barriers Colleges Face Implementing Positive Psychology Interventions To Reduce Depression, Anxiety, Or Stress In College Students, Margaret U. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand the barriers that colleges face implementing positive psychology interventions (PPIs) to reduce depression, anxiety, or stress (DAS) in college students. The problem was the lack of utilizing PPIs to reduce DAS in college students, despite increased reports of symptoms among this population. Several research studies have supported the use of PPIs to reduce. DAS in college students. However, no prior research was identified regarding barriers to initiating these interventions. The three research questions that guided this study were fueled by previous empirical studies that revealed three barriers to implementing …

Providing A Paradigm Of Pastoral Care For The Marginalized Through Jesus Centered Eyes At Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church, Dawn E. Pratt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project outlines a paradigm of pastoral care for the marginalized through Jesus-centered eyes. Enhancing resources and implementing pastoral care within Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church (CCF) will establish a Jesus-centered pastoral care center while developing a more profound theological paradigm to identify and implement strategies to enhance pastoral care in marginalized communities. CCF's pastoral theological approach to empathy requires that many layers of different circumstances be inquired about while keeping close to the subject or individual in need. CCF is the vehicle that has established a transformational view through the eyes of Jesus at the center. A solid literature review …

Developing Resiliency Body Armor Through Psychological And Spiritual Means: How U.S. States' Icac Personnel Cope With Secondary Traumatic Stress, Jameson Lee Denagel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Global online child sex abuse and exploitation is rising due to the immense accessibility of the internet, and it takes specially trained and devoted investigators to combat the problem. However, combating these heinous crimes can create traumatic events for investigators, resulting in secondary traumatic stress. This quantitative correlative study examined the psychological and spiritual coping strategies to develop a resiliency body armor concerning Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force personnel (ICAC-TF) working on child sexual exploitation investigations. The theoretical framework combined the concepts of Resiliency Theory, psychology body armor, and spiritual body armor to create resiliency body armor. The study …

The Relationship Between Meaning, Basic Psychological Needs, And Motivation At Work: A Self-Determination Perspective, Cory Anne Trevena

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the following dissertation, I explored the predictive influence of meaning in life on autonomous motivation at work and psychological well-being in the presence of the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness identified by self-determination theory. The first hypothesis for this correlational study was that meaning in life would distinctly predict autonomous motivation at work beyond autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The second hypothesis for this study was that meaning in life would distinctly predict psychological well-being beyond autonomy, competence, and relatedness. I conducted a multiple regression analysis on the data collected from 94 working adults recruited using …

From Perspective To Practice: Investigating Elementary Educators' Insights Into Secondary Traumatic Stress In The Classroom, Cassie Bailey Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the central phenomenon of elementary educators recognizing their lived experiences of secondary traumatic stress and investigate their self-care techniques. The theories guiding this study were secondary traumatic stress theory and the constructivist self-development theory. Research questions investigated in this study included how elementary educators make meaning of secondary traumatic stress (STS) caused by interactions involving students with traumatic lived experiences. How do educators experiencing secondary traumatic stress perceive the training available to them to mitigate the effects of STS? How do educators experience and interpret their use of self-care in managing …

Nurses’ Ability To Provide Diabetes Education In A Hospital Setting, Nicole Ancrum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Diabetes is a destructive health problem that affects millions of people throughout the United States. Diabetes rates are drastically increasing, and diabetic adults have a higher risk of excessive hospitalization and readmission. One in every four or five hospitalized adult patients has diabetes. Hospitals nationwide are saddled with the responsibility of assessing the need for and supplying diabetic education. Registered nurses’ perception, awareness, and utilization of diabetes education are essential to patients’ ability and willingness to perform diabetes self-management interventions effectively. Meeting inpatient diabetes educational needs requires persistent, innovative strategies appropriate for available resources and staffing models. Nurses play a …

An Exploration Into The Social And Emotional Effects Of K-12 Music Education, Jerrod T. Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In music education, a student must learn to read music notation, develop eye-hand-mind coordination, develop keen listening skills, develop team skills for playing in an ensemble, and develop the discipline to practice. Several research findings show that musical training is a powerful intervention that could help students emotionally and intellectually mature. This research aims to connect the current research on music education with the lack of exploration and knowledge to find the correlation between music and students’ academic success. The methodology used for this study will be a quantitative historical study format directed to discover research-backed evidence based on this …

A Phenomenological Study Of Challenges Faced By Pastors’ Kids; Effects On The Children And The Pastor, Comfort Kanco-Ackep

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this phenomenological study is to identify the challenges faced by pastors' children and understand their repercussions. The phenomenon of pastor's children deviating from the faith and straying from religious beliefs is a prevalent issue. The Bible shows that priests like Eli and Samuel had children who disobeyed the Lord, in the Old Testament. God's children have had their children wander from moral or religious ways many times. This is due to the many obstacles they face. The pastor's children have numerous expectations and challenges. This study examines how these problems affect pastors' children and pastors. Felitti and …

The Perceived Effect Of The Cliftonstrengths Assessment Of Christian Leader Self-Awareness, Daniel Lee York

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceived congruence between the coached CliftonStrengths (CS) assessment model and leader self-awareness (SA: internal, external, and spiritual) as described by the participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The theory behind this study was emotional intelligence, with specific attention on self-awareness and its import to general leadership theory (Antonakis et al., 2009; Bar-On et al., 2000; Goleman, 2019; Higgs, 2002; Eurich, 2017).

A selective phenomenological study was utilized because the author evaluated leaders’ perception of the effect of CS on their SA or “What is it like to experience such-and-such?” (Leedy …

Exploring Attitudes Within Legal Precedents Related To Police Use Of Force, Jazmine L. Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Policing is a dangerous profession: Data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety revealed that policing is the second highest in occupational homicides (White et al., 2019). Fifty-nine police officers were killed in the line of duty from January 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021, which is a 51% increase compared to results found in 2020 (FBI, 2021). Therefore, officers must-read situational cues, communicate effectively, and make decisions to choose the best actions for a situation whether that be de-escalation or escalation, all within fractions of seconds. These decisions are rarely black and white with each situation being different and …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership Attributes / Behaviors And Congregant Commitment Among United Pentecostal Church International Churches, Corey D. Driggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research regarding servant leadership has grown and resulted in positive results supporting the potential benefits for organizations to adopt a servant leadership culture among leaders (Neubert et al., 2008; Walumbwa, Hartnell, and Oke, 2010). Most prior research has focused solely on the development of a working construct model (Barbuto and Wheeler, 2006; Dennis and Bocarnea, 2005; Ehrhart, 2004; Hunter, et al. 2013, Liden, Wayne, Zhao, and Henderson, 2008; Parolini, Patterson, and Winston, 2009; Sendjaya, Sarros, and Santor, 2008; van Dierendonck, 2011). Studies have also shown that there is a significant relationship between servant leadership attributes and behaviors with organizational commitment …