Digital Commons Network^™

Leadership Strategies And Registered Nurse Burnout, Chloee Wendorf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout among registered nurse leaders has intensified within academic medical centers, where increasing clinical demands, staffing challenges, and organizational complexities converge. This qualitative single-case study explored how 32 nurse leaders within the experienced and responded to burnout, and how leadership strategies shaped emotional resilience and team well-being. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources model and transformational leadership theory, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using memoing, coding cycles, and NVivo-assisted thematic analysis. Findings revealed that burnout was largely driven by workload intensity, emotional labor, and misalignment between demands and available resources. Transformational leadership strategies, including individualized support, relational transparency, …

A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Military Spouses With Secondary Traumatic Stress Who Are Married To Veterans Diagnosed With Ptsd, Trisha R. Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) in military spouses whose partners have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The theory guiding this study was Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC). The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of STS in spouses married to a service member with PTSD? Additional sub-questions addressed changes in worldview, marital satisfaction, and daily functioning. Criterion and snowball sampling were used to select participants who were married to service members with PTSD for the study. Following the hermeneutical phenomenological …

Impact Of The Menstrual Cycle On Female Endurance Athletes' Performance, Julia M. Monk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Background: During different phases of the menstrual cycle, a female endurance athlete will experience some physiological and fatigue variables. This study aims to analyze whether the differences in variables, specifically an increase in heart rate and fatigue, impacts endurance performance. Method: 20 endurance-trained, runners performed a maximal treadmill test in each of the phases of the menstrual cycle: early follicular phase (days 2–3, ± 1 day), mid-follicular phase (days 10–12, ± 1 day), and luteal phase (days 21–22, ± 1 day). Heart rate was measured before, during, and immediately after the test as well as time to exhaustion and the …

Quantitative Study Of The Predictive Correlational Relationship Between Passenger Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors In Aviation Ground Safety Events, Nikkolas Howard Kraay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationships between passenger cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior using the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) framework as the guiding theoretical model. Although prior aviation safety research has demonstrated a linear progression from knowledge to attitudes to behaviors, these studies were conducted primarily in Asian cultural contexts. The present study investigated whether this linear sequence would hold within a larger cultural passenger population. A predictive correlational design was used, and data was collected through an online survey completed by 194 adult airline passengers. The instrument measured cabin safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intent, along with demographic characteristics.

Data was …

Exploring The Relationship Between Telework Intensity And The Voluntary Or Involuntary Nature Of Physical Work Arrangements Related To Work-Related Rumination, Savannah R. Schwartz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Work-related rumination occurs when an individual thinks about work during non-work hours. Following the emergence of COVID-19, more employers adopt flexible models of physical working arrangements for their employees that extend beyond traditional on-site (working from a designated business office location) models, such as hybrid (working part of the time from home and part of the time at a designated business office location) and fully remote (working from home all of the time) models. The present non-experimental quantitative, cross-sectional survey study explored the relationship between telework intensity (i.e., the amount of time one spends working remotely), as well as the …

Positive Behaviors And Traits In Clinical Supervision: A Qualitative Study, Katelyn Jakubovic

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explored the individual lived experiences of mental health counselors undergoing clinical supervision, focusing on their perceptions of the supervisory relationship, supervisory process, and outcomes by identifying specific traits and behaviors across various domains. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the sample of 20 participants across professional developmental stages and practice settings. Narrative and thematic analysis of the data revealed a nuanced portrayal of the supervisory relationship. Overall, participants characterized their supervision experiences as being predominantly positive and growth-facilitating. Participants identified key supportive factors, such as communication, resources, and scheduling flexibility. Analyses also uncovered significant areas for improvement, …

Predicting Middle School Students’ Attitude Towards Mathematics By Race And Biological Sex After Participating In Open Up Resources Mathematics Curriculum: A Quantitative Study, Sharonna Laquenette Howell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational design study was to examine how well race/ethnicity and biological sex predict students’ attitudes toward mathematics among middle school students following participation in the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum. By conducting this study, the researchers filled a gap in the literature by determining whether the use of the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum, race, and biological sex predicted students' attitudes toward mathematics. Research on the impact of K-12 Open Education Resources curricula on students’ attitudes toward mathematics was lacking. Participants in this study included middle school students in a North Carolina school district. …

Health Behaviors Of First-Generation College Students Affected By Acculturation, Angel Camacho Castro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative narrative ethnographic study was to understand how acculturation affects health behaviors and wellness of first-generation college students at a state university on the West Coast of the United States. The theory guiding this study was social constructivism theory, proposed by Lev Vygotsky, who claimed behaviors are constructed by social interactions around social settings. This research focused on how students navigated the changes in inherited cultural values of health behaviors and wellness practices affected by mainstream and college cultures. The dissertation investigated challenges first-generation college students faced in an environment that often conflicted with family values …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Critical Thinking Skills In Community College And University Stem Students, Jason H. Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between STEM students’ classification (freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior) and their overall critical thinking scores among community colleges and universities in north central Ohio. This study is important because critical thinking has been shown to improve success in collegiate STEM programs and the future careers of their students. In addition, there has been growing interest in examining potential critical thinking differences between STEM students enrolled in two-year community colleges and four-year universities. The sample is composed of 231 community college and university students enrolled in STEM programs. Data …

Fostering Innovative Leadership: A Case Study Of Academic Leaders’ Role In Integrating Ai Technologies In Higher Education, Dorian Ryleigh Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the role of higher education leadership in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for faculty and administrative decision-making at higher education institutions in the United States of America. The theory guiding this study was the transformational leadership theory as it provides a framework for examining how institutional leaders influence the adoption, implementation, and ethical considerations of AI in higher education. The central research question guiding this study was: How do higher education leaders navigate the integration of AI technologies within their institutions? This study employed a qualitative case study design, …

Self-Compassion And Emotional Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Adhd Traits In Clinical Mental Health Counseling Field Experience Students, Alicia N. Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, cross-sectional, survey study explores the potential influences of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits on clinical mental health counseling students’ capacity for self-compassion and emotional regulation. This study is grounded in Kristin Neff’s self-compassion theory (2003). Data were collected using self-reporting measures via an online survey platform through Qualtrics. Participants in this study included students in a Council for Accreditation and Counseling and Related Educational Program-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program currently enrolled in field experience courses including practicum, Internship I, and Internship II (N = 35) at a private southeastern university. This study used a Pearson’s r …

No Place To Stand: Gender, Discipline, And The Contradictions Of Military Womanhood, 1945–1975, Angela Bouma

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

From 1945 to 1975, American servicewomen stood inside an institution that depended on their labor while restricting their place within it. The post World War II military relied on women to sustain administrative, technical, and medical operations across a widening Cold War landscape, yet guarded the authority and recognition attached to combat and command. Women kept global communications running, delivered medical care in field hospitals, and carried out intelligence work that shaped military decisions. However, legal and cultural boundaries limited the reach of such contributions.

The 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act formalized this tension. Regular status came with ceilings …

The Lived Experiences Of Generation X With Social Media Use And Body Image Perception: A Phenomenological Study, Consuela Coburn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media use grows worldwide daily with several available applications having both positive and negative values. Several studies found negative effects on mental health and body dissatisfaction in adolescents and young adults. Existing literature predominantly focuses on young female participants, resulting in a gap in understanding the effects of social media use across other age cohorts. This phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Generation X adults regarding social media use and the perceived effects on body image. Additionally, this study identified themes that emerged based on the semi-structured interviews of Generation X adults. NVivo 15, a computer assistance …

Associate Degree Program Administrator Perceptions Of Clinical Dishonesty, Cynthia Moore Swineford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of associate degree nursing program administrators regarding faculty reporting of dishonest clinical behaviors by pre-licensure nursing students. Aristotle’s theory of virtue ethics guided this examination of how administrators interpret ethical responsibility, leadership influence, and professional accountability related to clinical dishonesty. The central research question asked, “What are the perceptions of associate degree program administrators regarding faculty reporting of dishonest student behaviors in clinical settings?” The sample included 11 associate degree nursing program administrators from programmatically accredited nursing programs in three mid-Atlantic states. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, …

Barriers And Bridges To Mental Health: A Quantitative Study Of Religious Commitment, Mental Health Stigma, And Help-Seeking Attitudes In The Black Community, Catisha Tillman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health is a silent killer in the Black community. The Black community prefers to seek mental health support from their pastors, friends, families, and church members rather than from a professional counselor. This mistrust is seated in a deeply rooted history of transgenerational trauma towards the medical and mental health care system. Stemming from the enslavement of the Black community to the present day, with systemic racism, disparities in mental health care, limited educational resources, and socioeconomic disadvantages. The following research examined how religious commitment affects mental health stigma, help-seeking attitudes, church-based relational support, and perceived barriers to mental …

Exploring How Leadership And Religion Improve Work Motivation And Well-Being, Laura G. Strickland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership is a well-researched topic that shows that leaders have a significant impact on employees’ perspectives of work motivation and well-being factors. There are gaps in research on older generations and the impacts of leadership since there has been such a heavy focus on research learning about the incoming work force. Other studies have found that strong religious beliefs help build better leadership skills. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how leadership behavior and religious beliefs impact employee work motivation and well-being in older adults. In this qualitative study, interviews were conducted to understand older adults’ experiences …

The Impact Of Gratitude Interventions On Job Satisfaction Among Healthcare Workers In A Hospital Setting, Miranda Rae Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative experimental study sought to examine job satisfaction among healthcare workers in a hospital setting and to determine if the use of daily gratitude journaling increases job satisfaction. Healthcare workers were recruited from healthcare organizations within the United States. The aim of this study was to use reciprocity of Social Exchange Theory (SET) to encourage participants to use daily journaling prompts to focus on positive interactions within their organization and with leadership or colleagues. Data was collected using the Job Satisfaction Survey and the Gratitude Questionnaire-6 and analyzed using a paired samples-t test to compare pre- and post- intervention …

Student Misbehavior And The Lived Experiences Of School Administrators And Teachers: Legal Challenges And Policy Implementation In A Georgia School District: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Mary C. Cox

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of school administrators and teachers in managing student misbehavior along with the legal challenges and policy implications in a Georgia school district. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as it provided a framework for examining how school administrators and teachers’ self-efficacy influences their perception, interpretation, and response to student misbehavior in the classroom. This theoretical lens was integral to exploring the dynamic interaction between personal beliefs, environmental factors, and behavioral outcomes. The central research question for this study was: What are the lived experiences …

Christian, English-Speaking-Hispanic, Individuals’ Experiences With Marital Internet Infidelity Of Their Partners: A Phenomenological Study, Ivan Herran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experience of Christian, English-speaking Hispanic individuals who have experienced internet-based emotional infidelity. The increasing use of digital communication has contributed to new forms of relational challenges within marriages, particularly in a faith-based context. Data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and a focus group, with participants purposively recruited via personal outreach and referrals. The analysis focused on understanding how individuals perceived, interpreted, and coped with emotional infidelity within their relationships. Findings revealed that participants experienced emotional distress, disruptions in trust, and challenges in communication, while also relying on personal, relational, and faith-based coping strategies. …

Psychological Contract And Perma Well-Being, Ryan T. Roddey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The PERMA model, a five-factor framework- positive emotion (P), engagement (E), relationship (R), meaning and purpose (M), and accomplishment (A)- was developed to assess the building blocks of well-being (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). In the workplace setting, organizations perceive how positive organizational psychology shapes employee well-being through exchange relationships (Donaldson et al., 2022). Previous research confirms the effect of the psychological contract on well-being when the contract is violated in the workplace. Yet, limited studies examine the association between overall well-being and employee exchange agreements, such as the psychological contract. This study explored the differences between relational and transactional psychological …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Counselors Completing Wellness Checks For Their Black Clients, Shanique Slowley-Azeez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black counselors who have contacted the police for wellness checks on their Black clients. This study explored how factors such as intergenerational trauma, systemic oppression, and race shaped the perceptions and experiences of these counselors who sought wellness checks from law enforcement for Black clients. This research was guided by intergenerational trauma theory (1966) and social constructivist theory (1978). Social constructivist theory allowed the researcher to understand how individuals describe and assign meaning to events, thus shaping their knowledge and lived experiences. The researcher employed semi-structured interviews …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Within The First Two Years After Gray Divorce Among Middle-Aged Adults, April R. Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experiences within the first two years after gray divorce among middle-aged adults. Historically, the research has focused on young adults who have experienced divorce, with limited data on middle-aged adults divorcing after being married for at least a couple of decades. Utilizing the suggestion by Polkinghorne, phenomenological researchers conduct interviews with 5 to 25 participants who have gone through the same phenomenon. Thus, this researcher interviewed 14 participants, reaching saturation. These participants were operationally defined as middle-aged adults who have had recently divorced after 20+ years of marriage. This study …

Training & Support Impacts To Leader Mental Health: A Multiple Case Study, Casey R. Childers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This expansive body of work displays a composite overview of the problem considered, research process employed, and conclusive findings centered on mental health in leadership within the healthcare setting. From the research background, literature review, planning phase, execution tasks, data analysis, and conclusive findings, the research comprehensively signifies a complex contribution to the current body of knowledge. Throughout this study each of the specific research phases are carefully outlined to fully identify the problem surrounding insufficient support systems and the subsequent impact on team engagement, retention, and overall performance. The study leverages a flexible design to approach the problem statement …

Early Educational Benefits In Criminal Justice Learning And Practice: Efficacy Of High School-Level Criminal Justice Programs, Richard Brewer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The value of educational progress and placing optimally educated agents into the criminal justice career field has been carefully examined throughout the history of justice, and the procurement of skills and knowledge applicable to field operations is aligned with several core Peelian tenets. The safe assumption is that every police action is observed or documented, and efforts must be made to build bridges to amend the law enforcement misconducts of yesteryear. One methodology to reduce the number of undesired incidents, expand occupational growth, and obtain optimal confidence levels among personnel in the volatile policing arena is implementing earlier learning development …

Examining The Relationship Of Telehealth Use Between Zoom Fatigue And Psychological Well-Being, And The Moderating Role Of Social Support Seeking And Work-Life Boundaries Among Remote Therapists, Angelia M. Worley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health therapists rapidly transitioned to telehealth services. In addition, therapists experienced a significant increase in client demand, leading to larger caseloads and longer waitlists. In the post-pandemic context, many therapists have continued to deliver services via telehealth, either fully remote or in a hybrid format. However, there is limited research on the relationship between telehealth intensity and therapist wellness. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between telehealth intensity (duration, frequency, and burstiness) and wellness outcomes, specifically, synchronous telehealth fatigue (STF; therapist-related Zoom fatigue) and psychological well-being (PWB). Furthermore, this study …

Lived Experiences Of Individuals With Adverse Childhood Experiences And Mitigating Factors Of Personal Spiritual Disciplines, Carolyn Potts Simoneaux

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study sought to understand the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what mitigating factors can help alleviate the pain and suffering caused by their residual life-long impacts. A literature review was done, and a gap was found on the subjects of personal spiritual disciplines (PSDs) of prayer, Bible reading/study, public/private worship, repentance and forgiveness as mitigating factors for the impacts of ACEs. This study recruited 15 participants who identified as victims of ACEs and used PSDs as mitigating factors to overcome the lifelong impacts. Interviews were done, using an online forum, to question participants on their …

Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Christian Women’S Response To Their Spouses’ Pornography Use, Margaret Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the emotional responses Christian women experience upon discovering their spouse’s pornography use and how they perceive their spouse’s openness during and after disclosure. Guided by Husserl’s descriptive philosophy, the study used confidential Zoom interviews and a focus group with Christian women aged 18 and older to gather first‑person accounts of the phenomenon. Through phenomenological reduction, repeated readings, and the refinement and synthesis of meaning units, six superordinate themes emerged: faith as an Interpretive lens; pornography as a violation of relational, emotional, and moral boundaries; discovery as an emotional and relational turning point; communication as a …

Evaluating Inner-Tainment With A Ghetto Perspective For Positive Thought Adjustment In Ghetto Communities, Shontae L. Graham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Environmental challenges and disadvantages impact cognitive scripts and develop persistent frustration. Frustration is both mental and physical and can be negative or positive. It evokes emotion, which is prompted by memory and its associated level of importance. The integration of emotion, memory, and imagination can set the stage and create an act to transition negative frustration and align past experiences with new perspectives. This study used a qualitative Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis approach to investigate the use of self-scripted enactment as a self-help technique for positive thought adjustment. The technique is called Inner-tainment and was used to determine if there were …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study: The Experiences Of Faculty In Educational Settings Operating On A Four-Day Workweek, Jennifer Strickland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the personal experiences of educational faculty working in K-12 schools, colleges, and vocational organizations operating on a four-day school workweek. The theory guiding this study was Seligman’s positive psychology theory (PPT), stating there are five life aspects impacting well-being. The research is grounded in the theoretical framework of PPT as it strived to understand the shared personal experiences of the participants and how their perceptions surrounding the five aspect areas influence their lives. Seligman’s theory of PPT provided the framework to answer the central research question: what are the experiences …

Graduate And Undergraduate Student-Teacher Alliance During Problem Solving: A Comparative Phenomenological Study, Quidi-Ann Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological (TPh) study aimed to help current and future teachers reach their full teaching potential by making them aware of the need to stay up-to-date in their field and meet the needs of different students in their classrooms. Furthermore, the investigation enabled educators to acquire strategies for mitigating mathematics anxiety and to identify a theoretical framework that aligned with their teaching pedagogy and learners. It also facilitated maintaining instructional control or compliance, fostering a conducive environment that encouraged teaching and learning. The phenomenological investigation explored the experiences of undergraduate and graduate professors regarding student-teacher alliances and their impact …