Investment Advisor Succession Planning: Attitudes, Norms, And Control, Don Mueth

Dissertations

This study investigated succession planning intentions of investment advisors who lead their small businesses. We employed the theory of planned behavior to better understand the attitudes, norms and perceptions of control that impact these business leaders’ intentions to plan. Our research included a pilot study of interviews with 10 investment advisors and a main study of advisor survey responses. With a sample size of 198 participants, we analyzed survey responses measuring traditional TPB constructs as well as involvement in outside activities. Using two-step structural equation modeling, our model fit was acceptable, and our results supported our hypotheses that beliefs, attitudes, …

A Quantitative Study Of Collaborative Theories Of Action, Teacher Collective Efficacy, And The Behaviors Of Student Self-Directedness, Melissa Ann Huff

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationships among teacher collective efficacy, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, the gap between these theories, and student self-directedness. Costa and Kallick (2014) and Tough (2016) suggested student success is more than just academic. Frey, Hattie, and Fisher (2018) indicated student success is achieved when students develop a self-directed disposition. Based on the historical work of Argyris, Putnam, and Smith (1987), establishing the difference between espoused theories and theories in use, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, and the gap between these theories of action were investigated. The …

Searching For A “Home”: Examining The Experiences Of Confucian Asian College Students With Third Culture Kid Backgrounds, Yuima Mizutani

Dissertations

Third culture kids (TCKs) spend their childhood and adolescence outside of their home countries. Because of their unique backgrounds, TCKs and adult TCKs face challenges including identity development, low self-esteem, lack of connection with their home countries, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, adjustment disorder, and others. Although the number of TCKs is increasing due to globalization, this population has been understudied. Moreover, most existing research has focused on TCKs in Western countries. Few researchers have studied Confucian Asian adult TCKs; that is, adult TCKs from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and others. Confucian Asian countries have collectivistic cultures …

Racial Battle Fatigue And Black Male Higher Education Administrators, Joshua Walehwa

Dissertations

Racial Battle Fatigue was first coined by Dr. William A. Smith as a theory describing the burnout of African Americans in higher education institutions. While much of the current research focuses on the faculty and student experiences, in various formats, this provides an autoethnography capturing the various phases of a Black Male higher education administrators experience with experiencing and coping through Racial Battle Fatigue. The belief behind this approach focuses on the value of storytelling and autoethnography in particular in research, the interconnected nature of life experiences that impact professional life as well as the reverse, and a call to …

Nursing Students' Perceptions Regarding Faculty Feedback, Deborah Hartzog Chatham

Dissertations

Higher education researchers in a variety of disciplines have explored instructor and student perceptions of what constitutes feedback that is useful and timely. Researchers agree that students desire feedback but are often not sure of how to interpret or use faculty comments. Students vary in an understanding of what constitutes feedback. Nursing researchers have conducted fewer studies to determine student concerns regarding faculty feedback. Nursing faculty differ in perceptions of what constitutes effective feedback. Nursing faculty use various forms of feedback, such as written comments, audio recordings, and automatically generated feedback. These variations suggest nursing faculty do not always know …

Academic Success Factors Influencing Linguistically Diverse And Native English Speaking Associate Degree Nursing Students, Josie L. Veal

Dissertations

To address the healthcare needs of vulnerable populations, nursing educators should evaluate educational preparedness and identify which factors influence a successive academic trajectory in nursing school. A prospective design was used to determine the relationships and differences among the anatomy and physiology course grade, self-efficacy, linguistic diversity, language acculturation, and components of the National League for Nursing pre-admission exam for registered nurses and first semester nursing course grades of linguistically diverse and native English speaking associate degree nursing students. A relationship exists between the PAX-RN composite score, anatomy mean grade, language diversity, and general self-efficacy score, the Nursing Pharmacology and …

Design Thinking As A Common Language Between Higher Education And Employers, Johnna Denning-Smith

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores student skill preparedness for the work force through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current college students, faculty members, and employers. Responses from study participants were transcribed, coded, and thematically organized into the following four categories of skills that employers seek in recent college graduates: critical thinking skills, resiliency, workplace skills, and discipline specific skills. The findings include participant perceptions of the importance of these skills and whether higher education effectively prepares recent graduates for the workforce. As part of this discussion, design thinking is presented as a bridge between these groups and as a solution …

Comparison Study: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Trauma, Colleen Marie Kirsch Hiltz White

Dissertations

There is a need for more evidenced based treatments for adolescents with trauma related disorders. Currently, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF CBT) is the gold standard, but clients and clinician need the ability to choose between effective treatments. This study completed a direct comparison between six weeks of treatment in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Trauma and TF CBT via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Treatments were measured using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale. Both treatments were found to be effective in reducing trauma related symptoms in two 12-year-old females.

Generational Diversity: Absenteeism Examined Through Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And Authentic Leadership, Ebony Lisa Spencer-Muldrow

Dissertations

This study explored the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employee perception of organizational justice and employee propensity to engage in negligible absences—those that could be avoided by the employee but are not. The study sought an understanding into possible differences between the absence behaviors of the Millennial generation and Generation X. Data were collected from 214 participants primarily located in the Midwest United States. Participants were nearly equally distributed between the two target populations. Participants completed a comprehensive, web-based survey comprised of Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) and the Walumbwa et al. (2008) Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), along …

Empowering Nurses Of Minority In The Face Of Incivility And Bullying: Through The Lens Of Phenomenology, Corrine Floyd

Dissertations

Abstract

Up to 85% of nurses have reported exposure to incivility in the workplace (Hunt & Marini, 2012). The often-subtle nature of incivility toward nurses in a minority population may partially explain why it remains a problem. Healthcare organizations realize the need for civility to counter the high turnover rate, staff shortages, and low job satisfaction reported by nurses, but lack understanding of how nurses of a minority population perceive incivility and bullying. This study aimed to answer the research question how do nurses with minority representation experience incivility and bullying versus empowerment in the workplace? A descriptive phenomenological design …

Predictors Of Positive Outcomes In Treating Individuals Diagnosed With Idd And Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders, Jacob Omondi Wasonga

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of a new treatment protocol, the systemic treatment plan (STP) by identifying the predictors of positive treatment outcomes for individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and comorbid mental health conditions. This study examined the relationship between challenging behaviors, psychiatric conditions, and positive treatment outcomes for individuals with IDD and co-occurring disorders, particularly those individuals whose treatment was driven by the STP. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine which challenging behaviors and psychiatric disorders best predict positive outcomes in systemically engaged treatment. The results from this study …

Racial/Ethnic Identity Modeling: An Exploration Of The Effects Of Bilingualism On Racial/Ethnic Identity Expression And Self-Esteem In Multiple-Race Black/African American Adults, Tritia Miyako Finley

Dissertations

The psychological well-being and racial/ethnic identity expression of bilingual multiple-race individuals mixed with Black/African American and another minority racial/ethnic category are largely underrepresented topics in current scholarly literature despite their growing population in the United States. In the current study, the sociohistorical and political processes of colonialism and coloniality were discussed to provide context for the critical examination of familial foreign language ability (FLA), self-esteem (SE), and Black/African American racial/ethnic identity (BRI) expression among multiple-race Black/African American adults (N = 204). Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that higher levels of FLA were related to higher levels of SE. …

An Analysis Of Gothic Conventions In Abu Al-Reesh’S Umm Al-Duways And Saadawi’S Frankenstein In Baghdad, Amna Matar Khalfan Mohammed Al Neyadi

Dissertations

Gothic as a literary form first appeared in late eighteenth-century British literature, when Horace Walpole described the second edition of his novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), as a Gothic story. From that time, and throughout the nineteenth century, Gothic continued to exist in English literature and other European nations’ works of literature. This dissertation aims at proposing and delineating the existence of Gothic elements in modern Arabic novels. In doing so, this research demonstrates that the Gothic genre is part of contemporary Arabic novels, even though Arab literary criticism pays less attention to this fact. This study focuses on …

Mindfulness And Social Emotional Learning: The Lived Experience Of Students Learning English As A Second Language, Lara Catherine Donnelly

Dissertations

In a phenomenological case study, the author sought to gain an awareness of the lived experiences of 4th and 5th grade ESL students, their parents, and their teachers who participated in the MindUp mindfulness curriculum. The author was interested in the relationship between the mindfulness curriculum and SEL based on the perspective of all three participant groups. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 3 students, at least one parent of each of those three students, and the two classroom teachers who conducted the MindUp lessons. Five main themes developed from coding of the raw data: (1) positive impact on students; (2) …

Recognition Of Gender Microaggressions In The Workplace: The Case Of Predisposition And Propensity To Recognize, Alicia Ako-Brew

Dissertations

This study examined the individual factors that affect the recognition of gender microaggressions in the workplace. A total of 220 subjects participated in this study. Specifically, this study revealed how social dominance orientation, ambivalent sexism and gender discrimination perceptions toward women affect a third-party observer’s recognition of gender microaggressions perpetrated against women. In addition, this study examined the effect of role congruence on the propensity to recognize gender microaggressions. Role congruence stems from role congruity theory which posits that a woman in a leadership or masculine role will receive positive or negative evaluations based on the degree to which she …

An Examination Of Optimal Level Of Ceo Narcissism: Why, How, And When Narcissism Impacts Firm Performance, Scott Boswell

Dissertations

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) may have narcissistic tendencies that impact the firm and its performance. We explore the definition of narcissism, how it is measured, and when it might be optimal or harmful to the firm’s performance. Leaders exhibiting higher scores on one or more Dark Triad traits often are viewed negatively both inside and outside the firm. Should such negative perceptions disqualify a leader who displays a measure of a Dark Triad trait? This research answers the primary question, is there an optimal level of CEO narcissistic traits and if so, are there moderating factors that impact the level? …

The Relationship Among Perfectionism, Perceived Stress, And Coping In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Amanda Finley

Dissertations

Perfectionism in nursing students is an understudied problem that may affect student and workforce success. Perfectionism has been linked to increased stress and less effective coping styles, as well as depression, anxiety and other psychological alterations. However, it has rarely been studied in nursing students. Studying perfectionism in this population is important because it may increase the likelihood that new nurses will struggle with the stress of practice and it could be a significant factor in early career attrition. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to gain a better understanding of the incidence of perfectionism in a nursing …

Assessing A Cognitive Model Of Trauma-Related Sleep Disturbance, Rebecca Chesher

Dissertations

Sleep disturbance is a symptom of many mental health disorders that may negatively affect cognition and mood. Trauma-related sleep disturbance is a core reaction of traumatic stress and PTSD, similar to symptoms experienced by individuals with insomnia or other sleep-wake disorders. Although the cause and symptom progression of trauma-related sleep disturbance may be very different, research and clinical practice assess and treat it with measures and interventions designed for general insomnia. Using a cognitive model of insomnia modified for trauma-related sleep disturbance, the current study assessed the relations between select trauma and sleep variables within the proposed constructs of: 1) …

Risk Perception, Safe Work Behavior, And Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Critical Care Nurses, Soo Jeong Lee

Dissertations

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a major occupational health problem among nurses. Existing interventions have not totally eliminated the risk for WRMSDs. Safe work behavior and risk perception may play an important role in modifying this risk.

The aims of the study were to identify factors influencing safe work behaviors related to patient handling and risk perceptions about risk of musculoskeletal injury among critical care nurses; and examine the relationship between safe work behavior and risk perception.

Examining Health-Related Decision Making Patterns Of African Americans With Coronary Heart Disease: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Ann Love

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the themes that affected the day-to-day health-related decision making of African Americans managing coronary heart disease (CHD). Understanding the lived experience of African Americans with CHD can offer health care providers additional strategies to improve disease management. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilized to explore: (1) what is the lived experience of managing CHD among older African Americans? (2) What is the essence of health-related decision making among older African Americans living with CHD? Two audio taped 30 to 60 minute open ended in-depth interviews per participant.

Development Of A Church-Based Educational Program To Increase Prostate Cancer Screening For Black Men 40 And Older, Dawn Marie Silvera-Ndure

Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States and is one of the leading causes of cancer death among men of all races. However, African-American men are at particularly high risk. These men are diagnosed more often with prostate cancer, are diagnosed later, and are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than are Caucasian men. A strategy to address this inequity was to develop a community based program that would reach this at risk population. The goal of the project was to develop an evidence-based, theory-supported education and referral program to …

Bedside Nurse Recognition Of Delirium In The Medical-Surgical Setting, Bridget Ann Denzik

Dissertations

Delirium in adults aged 65 and older is a common occurrence in the acute care setting and is often unrecognized by bedside nurses. Delirium can trigger a negative cascade of events resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality, functional decline, longer length of stay, and high rates of post hospital institutionalization and has a significant socioeconomic impact. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to establish a solid foundation using scholarly literature to support the development of a delirium prevention, recognition, and treatment program in the medical-surgical acute care setting applying the program logic framework. The goal was …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of An Individualized Preoperative Education Intervention For Symptom Management Following Total Knee Arthroplasty, Rosemary Ann Wilson

Dissertations

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical procedure for the treatment of patients with pain and immobility as a result of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Pain-related interference, pain and nausea are recovery-limiting in these patients in the immediate postoperative period. Preoperative educational interventions that include pain communication and management information have been shown to decrease pain in joint replacement patients (McDonald & Molony, 2004). This randomized controlled trial compared usual preoperative education to an individually delivered preoperative education program.

Relationships Between Professional Development And Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills In Play Therapy Among Counselors, Cynthia Ann Anderson

Dissertations

Most counselors receive inadequate training in play therapy, through university counselor education programs, to counsel children using the method, which leaves novice counselors searching for workshops, institutes, conferences, or self-training to effectively meet the mental health needs of children with play therapy. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researcher investigated relationships between professional development and play therapy among working counselors and measured attitudes, knowledge and skills, and types of training in play therapy. A nonrandom sample of counselors were recruited from relevant online sources in this quantitative study. Attitudes, knowledge, and skills were measured by the self-reported Revised Play Therapy Attitude-Knowledge-Skills …

Donor Families’ Experiences From Initial Loss Forward: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Linda Sue Meeker

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lives of those who have consented to organ donation at the time of an unexpected death of a loved one. The qualitative data illuminated participants’ experiences as members of donor families as they shared their observations and experiences from the initial loss forward. The participants in this study included eight women and one man who were the primary next-of-kin and the individual who provided consent to donate the organs. The results indicated that there are steps in the care of these families that could be improved, allowing for better care of …

A Task Analytic Model Of Tenderness In Emotion-Focused Therapy For Couples: The Discovery Phase, Corie Mcnally

Dissertations

The focus in the present study was to develop a refined model of tenderness events in emotion-focused couples therapy. The model was created in the discovery phase of a task analytic research study through a rational-empirical method. The study was designed to combine empirical and rational data on the expression of tenderness and the display of a tenderness expression within the context of therapy. The rational model was derived from a review of the literature on emotions, couples therapy, and tenderness as an emotion. Empirical data were observed and recorded through reviews of videotapes and transcripts obtained during the York …

Accurately Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Among A Comorbid Population, Michelle Okolita

Dissertations

Two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are diagnosed in early childhood. The two disorders share similar impairments across domains, are highly comorbid, and have many overlapping symptoms. Studies have shown that among this comorbid population, children receive an ASD diagnosis a few years after their initial ADHD diagnosis, which leads to many negative consequences, including a delay in treatment. The focus in this study was on the early indicators of ASD that are present prior to the age of 3 years in order to educate others on these symptoms. In an …

The Evaluation Of The Jostens Renaissance Incentive Program And The Impact It Has On Students At A Southwest Florida High School, Saneik Buchanan

Dissertations

As state requirements for academic achievement continue to become more rigorous, school administrators and counselors strive to create positive school environments. Therefore, administrators and counselors must find creative incentive programs tailored to meet the needs of respective school settings, such as the Jostens Renaissance incentive program. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Jostens Renaissance education incentive program at one Title I high school in Southwest Florida by studying the relationship among students’ GPAs, attendance, and disciplinary issues before participation in the program. The evaluation was a quantitative, quasi-experimental design that utilized pre-existing data of …

Exploration Of The Link Between Migration And Acculturation Related-Stress, Attachment Style, And Psychological Distress In Arab Immigrants, Refugees, And Asylees, Hayat Nadar Psy.D.

Dissertations

Abstract

The migration process is fraught with experiences of ethnic discrimination and has been linked to heightened levels of psychological and acculturative stress. Interestingly, earlier research revealed a higher prevalence of insecure attachment in migrant compared to non-migrant populations. Attachment style may be influenced by sociocultural and sociopolitical forces and the associated prejudice and discrimination experienced by a particular migrant population. The current study was conducted to explore whether higher levels of sociocultural adversity were associated with increased psychological distress and attachment insecurity and to test attachment as a mediator between sociocultural adversity and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional design, …

Career Influences: A Phenomenological Study Of Career Influences Of African American Women In The Counseling Profession., Tamara L. Ford

Dissertations

The current literature concerning African American women in the counseling profession is limited. Research is available regarding women in the profession; however, research on African American women is scarce. This study seeks to add to the body of literature by exploring the reasons African American women become counselors, thereby improving recruitment techniques to increase representation in the field and improve mental health care for the African American community. This qualitative research study used a phenomenological approach to explore, interpret, and describe the lived experiences of eight African American women who are Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors currently practicing in the …