Digital Commons Network^™

Special Education Teachers’ Experiences And Knowledge Regarding Individuals With Severe And Profound Disabilities: A Qualitative Study, Nicole Valentine-Sokolowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of special education teachers regarding their knowledge and experiences in teaching students with severe and profound disabilities during their pre-service special education teacher training. The problem is many students with severe and profound disabilities are not receiving appropriate services or instruction, which is affected by how special education teacher training programs are preparing future teachers. The theory guiding this study was John Dewey’s theory of experience, which emphasizes the importance of gaining experience to succeed. The central research question is: How prepared did special education teachers feel regarding …

From Hype To Habit? Attractional Youth Ministry Methods And Young Adult Church Involvement, Melanie L. Holbrook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults ages 18–22 who previously participated in attractional youth ministry programs and to examine how those experiences relate to their current levels of church involvement. This study addressed a need among church and ministry leaders to better understand how attractional youth ministry approaches shape ongoing church involvement during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, a period often marked by declining church participation. By using a qualitative phenomenological design, this researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants recruited from churches along Colorado’s Front …

The Effect Of Structured Prebriefing On Pre-Simulation Anxiety In Baccalaureate Nursing Students Participating In High-Fidelity Simulation: A Quantitative Quasi-Experimental Nonequivalent Pretest-Posttest Control Group Study, Laura D. Wade

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group study was to examine the effect of structured prebriefing on pre-simulation state anxiety among baccalaureate nursing students participating in high-fidelity simulation (HFS) at a private faith-based university in the South-Central United States (U.S.). Simulation is widely used in nursing education; however, nursing students frequently experience elevated anxiety prior to simulation that may negatively influence learning and performance. Despite recognition of prebriefing as best practice in simulation-based education, limited quantitative research has examined the effect of structured prebriefing on pre-simulation anxiety. A convenience sample of 73 baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in …

A Qualitative Study Of Multiracial Individuals Sharing Black And White Racial Identities Within The Southeastern United States, Carissa N. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Racial identity can be complex, especially when considering those with a biracial or multiracial identity (Holliday, 2019). American society often conceptualizes race through a monoracial lens, leaving individuals with multiracial identities marginalized, sometimes forcing them into an unchosen identity and resulting in a potential loss autonomy (Albuja et al., 2020; Albuja et al., 2019; Harris et al., 2021; Mitchell, 2022; Rozek & Gaither, 2021; Song, 2021). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand social, emotional, mental, and relational impact of living in a monoracially lensed society on individuals with Black and White multiracial identities in the southeastern …

The Impact Of Modern Police Equipment And Training On Reported Anxiety And Depression Of Police Officers, Matthew Roy Burford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study investigated the relationships among law enforcement officers’ access to modern equipment, their confidence in their training, and their reported levels of anxiety and depression. The study also tested whether confidence in training moderated the association between equipment and mental health outcomes. Mental health symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck et al., 1988). Two researchers-developed instruments to assess officers’ perceived adequacy of their equipment and confidence in their training. Participants were recruited from law enforcement agencies across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and data were collected through …

The Relationship Between Estimated Vo2max And Poor Mental Health: A Study Of Brfss Data, Angelina Somadina Oputa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health conditions are one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. Despite advancements in mental health therapies and psychiatric medications, significant numbers of patients continue to struggle with mental illness. Despite these challenges, exercise can serve as a powerful tool to address mental health concerns. Current literature has referenced the value of physical fitness to support mental health, however there is limited large-scale research assessing the estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2Max) as a predictor of poor mental health days. In response, this quantitative secondary analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between estimated VO2Max and poor …

Values And The Black-White Mental Health Paradox, Tiffany Soignoli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative cross-sectional study explored the Black-White mental health paradox (BWMHP), which proposes that Black individuals have better or similar mental health than White individuals despite additional stressors, but the etiology of these differences has not been found. While self-esteem has been consistently found to differentiate Black and White adults in relation to the BWMHP, values have not been investigated. Therefore, using a total sample of 191 Black and 191 White American adults (N = 382), values were examined to determine whether they contribute to the differences in depression, stress, and anxiety, leading to better mental health. Chi-square tests of …

Technology Acceptance And Chatgpt Use In The Workplace, Niya Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being integrated into organizations and workplaces increasing the need to better understand the influence this technology has on employees. Research investing psychological factors that influence employees' intended use and benefits of these technology tools will help to better understand strategies to support adaptation and effective use of these tools for employees. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationships among technology self-efficacy (TSE), perceived usefulness (PU), decision-making confidence (DMC), occupational self-efficacy (OSE), and technology acceptance (TA) of ChatGPT among working adults across various occupational sectors. Mediating and predictive mechanisms that influence workers objectives to engage with ChatGPT …

The Relationship Between Musical Aptitude And Multiple Intelligences In High School Music Students, Rachel Connor

Masters Theses

This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between musical aptitude, measured by Edwin Gordon’s GIA assessments, and students’ predominant multiple intelligences (MIs), as defined by Howard Gardner. Although MI has been widely researched, little is known about how intelligence strengths relate specifically to musically adept students. High school music students at Fayetteville Christian School in Fayetteville, NC, were first assessed using the GIA to identify those demonstrating musical aptitude. Eligible students then completed the AMI R/ARCH Profile to determine their strongest MI. A correlational analysis examined whether specific intelligence strengths are commonly associated with musical aptitude. Grounded in Gardner’s MI …

Creating Trust: Strengthening Visual Communication Systems For Small Nonprofits, Jennifer R. Wenz

Masters Theses

This study explores how small nonprofits often fail shortly after they are created because of weak design practices and limited access to professional design tools and skills. Large organizations and nonprofits survive because they invest in strong branding, clear messaging, and long-term design strategy. Small nonprofits rely on volunteers with little to no design training which leaves them with inconsistent branding, unclear visual communication, and materials that fail to build the trust they need to survive. This project will examine the gap through research in the nonprofit areas of communication, visual psychology, accessible design systems, and case studies of successful …

Reality Tv & Social Media Impact On The Psyche Of Adult Women Who Experience Physical Image Discomfort, Tierra James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine the perception of adult women regarding the role of reality television and social media in influencing body image, self-worth, and mental health. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 women aged between 18 and 50 years, who lived in the United States and actively used reality TV and social media, and reported body-image distress, which was indicative of body dysmorphic trait. Data interpretation was done in an ideographical manner and followed by pattern analysis across cases. The results suggested that idealized and edited media images were popularly identified by the participants as …

Interviewing Civilians For A Local Perspective Of Violent Extremism In West Africa, Benjamin Ellis

Masters Theses

This study examines how civilians in West Africa experience violent extremism, with the goal of informing more effective policy solutions. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on a focus group conducted with ten participants from various countries in West Africa. Data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in participants’ responses. Six major themes emerged: prolonged fear and restricted daily movement; economic and infrastructural disruption; psychological distress and uncertainty about the future; recruitment into extremist groups driven by complex factors; limited outsider understanding of local realities; and support for multidimensional responses rather than purely …

Violent Tides: A Novel, Teal Rose

Masters Theses

Violent Tides is a coming-of age fantasy novel that invites readers to navigate themes of identity, forgiveness, and compassion

The Cold War And Abba, Samantha Foster

Masters Theses

ABBA was a 1970s Swedish pop group. Spending approximately ten years together as a group, their output included hits such as "Dancing Queen," "Waterloo," and "The Winner Takes it All," among others. During ABBA's time together, though, the Cold War was a known fact in everyday life for people worldwide. The Cold War impacted ABBA in a number of ways, thus making the group an example of the Cold War struggle over popular culture. The band was acceptable to the Soviet Union because they hailed from neutral Sweden and their music was unlike Western rock music of the 1960s and …

Heirlooms, Jenna Ashby Macfarland

Masters Theses

The title of my creative manuscript is Heirlooms. It contains chapters of a fictional novel in the mystery genre. In the critical paper, I address Literary Tradition as it pertains to mystery writing. Specifically, I focus on the evolution of the mystery genre from the detached rationalism of Sherlock Holmes to the psychological realism of writers like Tana French and Liane Moriarty. Their styles reveal a shift from intellectual detection to moral introspection within the genre. Heirlooms continues this transformation by centering a female protagonist whose investigation becomes a search for spiritual and emotional truth. By integrating women’s voices and …

The Things That Keep Me Up At Night, Kaitlyn Grace Wilson

Masters Theses

This creative nonfiction manuscript is a collection of reflective personal essays centered on ordinary experiences, curiosities, anxieties, and observations that gradually expand into larger questions about identity, memory, adulthood, faith, and human behavior. Rather than relying on dramatic plot or chronological structure, the essays move associatively through thought, humor, research, and reflection. Subjects throughout the manuscript range from fireworks, sourdough starter, dreams, and Facebook Marketplace to art history, floating the Chattahoochee River, weddings, music performances, and irrational fears. Through these seemingly small topics, the manuscript explores the emotional weight and philosophical questions hidden within everyday life.

Much of the project …

Shame, Guilt, Resilience, And Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study, Tiara Schnese Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive phenomenological study explored how shame and guilt among Christian CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivors influence resilience, intimate relationships, and social support in the United States. The central research questions examined how Christian CSA survivors experienced shame, guilt, and resilience over time; how these emotions affected intimate and romantic relationships; and how they shaped help-seeking behaviors in both clinical and faith-based contexts. Guided by Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory (1958), data collection involved semi-structured interviews with participants selected through purposive sampling to meet specific inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Giorgi’s (2012) descriptive phenomenological method, and eight essential constituents …

Barriers And Beliefs: Narratives Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Among First-Generation Latino/Hispanic College Students, Karina L. Alba Lockhart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health challenges among college students in the United States have increased in recent years, yet first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students continue to underutilize available services while facing unique cultural and structural barriers to care. This qualitative narrative study explored how first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students made meaning of mental health help-seeking in relation to perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and cultural values such as familismo and stigma. Guided by the health belief model and cross-cultural psychology, this study recruited 15 participants from four-year institutions in the United States and collected data through an online asynchronous questionnaire. Thematic and narrative analysis revealed that …

The Effects Of Miscarriage On African American Men, Serita E. Baysmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of African American men who have endured the loss of a child through miscarriage. Schlossberg’s transition theory, developed in 1981, was used to identify how men work through their grief by focusing on how they enter into, move through, and move out of the transition. By centering the descriptions on lived experiences, semi-structured interviews were utilized with African American men from a North Texas church, which boasts a predominantly African American population, and by word of mouth. After completion of the interviews, the data were analyzed according …

The Prevalence Of Moral Injury Among Veterans Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd): Analyses By Combat Exposure, Gender, Age Group, And Military Service, Carl B. Forkner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, heralded in a new concept affecting our combat and support military personnel. This concept is known today as moral injury. Military personnel were already familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether from personal experience or from reading and training on the subject, but no training addresses the prevalence or effects of moral injury. The term moral injury (MI) was first coined by psychiatrist Jonathan Shay and his colleagues based on feedback from military and veteran patients in 1998; however, it remains that …

The Lived Experience Of Inconsistent Legal Recognition: A Phenomenological Study Of Job Burnout And Moral Injury In Florida Correctional Officers, Jeffrey A. Snipes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Florida correctional officers (FCOs) regarding inconsistent legal recognition and the divergence between functional mandates and legislative definitions. Utilizing Dr. Jonathan Shay’s moral injury framework, this research explores how statutory marginalization functions as a precursor to burnout. A transcendental phenomenological research design was employed; 21 officers were screened using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS) followed by semi-structured interviews with a nine-participant subsample.

Data analysis followed Creswell’s spiral procedures to identify themes describing the essence of these experiences. Findings suggest that inconsistent recognition as first responders catalyzes moral injury, exacerbating burnout and …

Predicting Employee Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Technology: The Roles Of Job Embeddedness & Grit On Military Veterans In The U.S. Workforce, Ajay Joseph Koovackal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) technology demands are growing rapidly to aid organizations in innovation, improving efficiency, increasing profits, and staying competitive within their respective markets. However, the irresponsible implementation of AI tools may cause organizations to suffer significantly by negatively affecting employee attitudes, perseverance, affiliation, and retention. This research is a cross-sectional quantitative study investigating the relationship between attitudes toward artificial intelligence (ATAI), job embeddedness (JE), and grit (GT). The study participants are 132 adult military veterans employed full-time in the United States. The researcher collected data through a self-report survey deployed on the SurveyMonkey online platform. After which, the …

Veteran Reintegration: A Strategic Approach To Success, Stephanie Irene Hennessy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A critical gap exists in non-clinical support programs for military service members transitioning to civilian life, especially in addressing purpose, personal narrative, and community reintegration. This study examined how a reintegration program addressed this gap through a unified conceptual framework—Purpose, Narrative, and Community (PNC)—which guided program design and delivery. The program was delivered through the Surf Brigade Foundation, a veteran initiative specializing in surf immersion located on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Using a quantitative pretest-posttest case study design, this research evaluated changes in well-being, purpose identification, and social connectedness among participants. Outcomes were measured using the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences …

Effectiveness And The Music Teacher: A Correlational Study Of Emotional Intelligence In Secondary Music Instruction, Rachel Gonzales

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and teacher effectiveness among secondary music educators in Texas. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Emotional Intelligence Assessment for Secondary Music Educators (EIASME), a researcher-developed instrument comprised of the four domains of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Teacher effectiveness was assessed using the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T TESS) and the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sightreading (UIL C/SR) assessments. Data were collected via a digital Qualtrics survey completed by seventy-five qualifying respondents representing secondary directors in band, choir, and orchestra. Descriptive statistics and …

Correctional Leadership And Its Relationship To Psychological Well-Being And Job Satisfaction Among Former Department Of Corrections Staff, Brittaney Brown Kovacs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Correctional institutions represent complex work environments in which leadership may influence employee psychological well-being and job satisfaction. Although prior research has primarily focused on correctional officers, less attention has been paid to the broader workforce within Departments of Corrections (DOCs), including educational, healthcare, and administrative personnel. This retrospective mixed-methods study examined the relationships between employee perceptions of transformational, transactional, and authoritarian leadership styles and employee outcomes among former staff of state-level DOCs in the United States. Participants included 75 former DOC employees from multiple states. Quantitative data were collected using standardized measures of leadership, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Multiple …

Use Of Smart Safety Devices And Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Workplace Injury Reduction In High-Risk Industries In Cameroon: A Qualitative Exploration Of Worker And Management Perspectives, John Atabong Zifac

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Workplace injury has been a significant concern within high-risk industries in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially Cameroon, with weak worker safety standards, poor infrastructure, lack of compliance with regulatory requirements, and a limited level of digital infrastructure contributing to a high risk of worker injury. While artificial intelligence (AI) supported smart safety technologies have revolutionized the way companies conduct workplace safety management in developed nations, little research exists on the perception of these technologies and practicality among low-resource industrial operators in Sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative phenomenological study investigated management and employee perceptions regarding the use of AI-based smart safety devices to reduce …

How Do Veterans Describe Their Experiences With Homelessness In Rural Areas Within Virginia?, V'Tessa J. Watson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Homelessness is a complex issue affecting individuals across the United States and can be understood as a significant public health concern. Veterans are not exempt from this crisis; in fact, veteran homelessness has increased nationwide since the pandemic. In Virginia alone, it is estimated that over 400 veterans are experiencing homelessness, although this figure remains approximate. Previous studies have failed to incorporate veterans’ perspectives on this issue; therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe veterans' experiences of homelessness in rural areas throughout Virginia.

Twelve veterans participated in this study, which employed a semi-structured interview approach. A criterion …

Understanding Secondary Trauma In Cross Cultural Ministry Contexts, Rebekah M. F. Baxter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian cross cultural missionary workers serving in cross cultural contexts frequently operate in emotionally and spiritually demanding environments characterized by poverty, violence, displacement, and systemic suffering. In these settings, ongoing exposure to trauma narratives and the distress of others may place ministry workers at risk for secondary traumatic stress (STS), a condition commonly studied in healthcare and counseling professions but under-explored in ministry contexts. STS can manifest in emotional, cognitive, and spiritual symptoms that affect both personal well-being and vocational sustainability. While existing literature acknowledges that missionary workers face unique risk factors, the lived experiences of Christian cross cultural missionary …

The Lived Experiences Of Individuals With Serious Mental Illness And Cumulative Trauma Seeking And Maintaining Employment While Receiving Holistic Trauma-Informed Care: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Andrea Evon Mcdowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and cumulative trauma (CT) seeking and maintaining employment while receiving holistic trauma-informed care (TIC). Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenology, which evolved from Husserl’s method of phenomenology, served as the methodological framework for this study. The goal of hermeneutic phenomenology is to understand how individuals see themselves within their natural environments. Hermeneutic phenomenology was a valid design for this study because it allowed the participants to describe their SMI/CT and their lived experiences with holistic TIC. The participants in this study consisted of …

The Black American Women, Mental Health, Self-Stigma, And The Church, Sylvia D. Dorsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of Christian Black American women who underutilize mental health services due to a perceived notion of self-stigma of Christian Black American women seeking mental health services and how the church may play a role. A transformational theory guides this study. In a transformative framework the study focuses on looking at marginalized groups that have power differentials and are viewed as being less important in society and to understand their life experiences. Stigma and self-stigma are the dominating factors that contribute to the underutilization of mental health services …