Digital Commons Network^™

School Psychologists’ Experiences And Roles In Trauma-Informed Practices, Taylor Williamson

Dissertations

Due to a wide breadth of training, school psychologists are uniquely qualified to provide indirect and direct services outlined by best practices, such as school-based mental health services, special education evaluations, and trauma-informed practices. Professional standards indicate that school psychologists are equipped to identify trauma response symptoms and provide evidence-based services when supporting students with trauma histories. However, an identified gap between best practices and the present realities of school psychologists' has been identified in the literature. The few studies that explored the experiences of school psychologists endorsed a lack of training and confidence with identifying trauma response symptoms and …

Like Teacher, Like Student: An Exploration Of Racial Matching On Black Student Identity Development In Secondary Education, Crystal Gloria Lennix

Dissertations

Research on racially matching teachers of color with students of color has demonstrated a plethora of benefits, whether it is in West-Indian teachers with West-Indian students (Warikoo, 2004), Mexicana educators with Mexicana students (Sosa-Provencio, 2019), or Black students with Black teachers (Brooms, 2017). Black teachers are warrior spirits, acknowledging education as a “racial, cultural, linguistic, and spiritual reclamation” for Black students (Sosa-Provencio, 2018). In this study, I sought to understand how the racial matching between Black teachers and Black students can impact Black students’ identity and achievement. Numerous studies say racial matching helps students, but only a few focus on …

The Impact Of Intersensory Redundancy On Face Processing In 12-Month-Old Infants: An Investigation Using Behavioral Methods And Erps, Aslı Bursalıoğlu

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Embodied Freedom: Nietzsche On Agency, Health, And Value, Nathan University Berthiaume

Dissertations

This study examines Nietzsche’s views on freedom to show how they inform a notion of human flourishing. I argue that while Nietzsche denies the existence of a metaphysical freedom in which the self is an unconditioned cause of events, he affirms an embodied freedom in which our consciousness can function as part of the causal explanation for action in virtue of its ability to alter the expression of bodily drives. However, I demonstrate that agential power in this sense can only function in conjunction with other causal factors that constitute constraints on freedom. As such, I argue that there is …

Examining The Creative Process Of Visual Artists: A Phenomenological Study, Filiberto Vargas

Dissertations

Creativity fuels problem solving and innovation, driving both economic growth and individual success. Yet, many schools and organizations fail to nurture it. Today, there is a decline in creativity scores among U.S. students. This is concerning since many of these students will be the future leaders of organizations and communities. For this reason, this dissertation explores the creative process of visual artists to better understand how creativity can be cultivated. Visual artists' perspectives and sense-and-meaning-making processes offer a unique view of innovation and creativity. However, there is limited research on the creative processes of contemporary visual artists from culturally diverse …

A Delphi Study Of Effective Strategies For Addressing The Most Significant Barriers That Prevent The Successful Implementation Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices As They Relate To Alleviating The Achievement Gap For African American Students, Candra Loftis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to determine how expert fifth- to eighth-grade teachers who have demonstrated competence in the implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices for African American students identify and describe barriers they have observed that prevent the successful implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices, to rate the difficulty of overcoming those barriers, and to identify and describe strategies for overcoming the five most difficult barriers.

Methodology: This study is characterized as a Delphi normative study. An expert panel received three rounds of online surveys. The first round open-ended question asked, “How do expert teachers identify …

Personal Disruption In The Career Advancement Of Female Executives In Medical Education, Ifeoma Dawodu

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe the perceived impact of Johnson and Mohr’s (2013) five disruptive career skills on female medical education executives on their advancement to executive leadership positions.

Methodology: This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach to explore the career advancement strategies of female leaders in academic medicine. First, a quantitative survey using Likert scales assessed the use and impact of personal disruption strategies among female executives; next, semistructured interviews provided deeper insights into their experiences. The sample focused on senior female leaders in California medical schools who …

How Teachers Use Adversity And Challenging Organizational Environments To Achieve Exceptional Organizational Goals, Matthew Avalos

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods thematic multivariable Delphi study was to identify the personal qualities effective teacher–leaders possess when faced with adversity using Maxwell’s (2021) selected practices leaders employ to overcome adverse situations. Methodology: This mixed methods multivariable Delphi study recruited expert Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA), or TSA, to serve on a Delphi panel to gather consensus through three rounds of surveys. TOSAs were asked to answer three questions focused on the personal qualities teacher leaders use to meet their instructional goals by connecting their teaching to the organization’s vision, making appropriate decisions or good choices, and …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Servant Leadership Characteristics For Developing High-Performing Teams As Perceived By Public School District Early Childhood Leaders, Reggi'e Faye Webster

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary public school district early childhood leaders apply four key characteristics of servant leadership (listening, stewardship, building community, and commitment to people’s growth), as defined by Spears (2010), to develop high-performing to support early learning programs.

Methodology: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was selected to explore participants’ experiences and perceptions of how they use four servant leadership characteristics to develop and sustain high-performing teams within early childhood programs on public school elementary and secondary school campuses. Participants were purposefully chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations from an …

A Delphi Study On Strategic Behaviors From The Adaptive Leadership Framework Used By Successful Cxos For Business Agility In A Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, And Ambiguity Environment, Sevak Markarian

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the strategic leadership behaviors, as outlined in Heifetz et al.’s (2009) adaptive leadership framework, that CXOs use to develop agile and adaptive organizations that succeed in volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) change environments. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of these behaviors and determine specific actions that CXOs recommend for implementing them successfully.

Methodology: This mixed-method Delphi study collected data from 20 technology executives through surveys and interviews, using purposive, convenience, and expert sampling. In Round 1, participants identified strategic adaptive leadership behaviors from Heifetz et al.’s …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Servant Leadership Characteristics For Developing High-Performing Teams As Perceived By Public School District Early Childhood Leaders, Reggi'e Faye Webster

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary public school district early childhood leaders apply four key characteristics of servant leadership (listening, stewardship, building community, and commitment to people’s growth), as defined by Spears (2010), to develop high-performing to support early learning programs.

Methodology: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was selected to explore participants’ experiences and perceptions of how they use four servant leadership characteristics to develop and sustain high-performing teams within early childhood programs on public school elementary and secondary school campuses. Participants were purposefully chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations from an …

The Impact Of A Paid Work Experience On High School Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities From The Parental Perspective, Lori Lee Schleinkofer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how the parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities in Southern California perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students with respect to confidence, independence, motivation, responsibility, self-advocacy, self-esteem, and social skills. The central research question was “How do parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students?” Methodology: Interviews were conducted with 11 parents of participants in paid work experience programs. A qualitative interview question development matrix was used …

How Supervisors Can Help Their Subordinates Manage Stress Post-Covid-19: A Phenomenological Qualitative Research Approach Focused On The Lived Experiences Of Police Sergeants And Their Role In Helping Mitigate Stress Among Police Officers, Elvis Nti

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research was to explore how police sergeants effectively lead their police officers in managing stress post-COVID-19 using the leadership traits of collective interest, moral purpose, personal temperament, and resilience (Fast, 2021).

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative research approach focused on the lived experiences of police sergeants and aimed to explain how they reduce stress among police officers. Participants were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Semistructured interviews were conducted with police sergeants from the Los Angeles Police Department. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Themes naturally emerged and were compared across participants to identify …

Phenomenological Study Of Personality-Driven Leadership In Social Justice Nonprofits Of The Pioneer Valley, Kelvin Molina-Brantley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how executive directors of nonprofit organizations leading social justice initiatives implement leadership styles shaped by their unique personality traits, and how these styles influence employee attitudes, team functioning, and organizational performance.Methodology: Guided by Hogan and Kaiser’s (2005) leadership model, which asserts that “who we are determines how we lead,” this qualitative study used semistructured interviews with 10 executive directors of social justice-focused nonprofits in the Pioneer Valley. Participants reflected on their leadership development, the role of personality in decision-making, and its influence on organizational life. Data were collected through virtual …

They Do Not See What I Carry: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Male Educational Leaders And The Quiet Weight Of Imposter Syndrome, Malik A. Richard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Black male educational leaders experience and cope with Impostor Syndrome (IS) as defined by Zorn’s (2005) nine elements—anxiety, lack of self-confidence, depression, perfectionism, procrastination, self-presentation, emotional exhaustion, fear of failure, and fear of success, within their organizational, social, and cultural contexts. Methodology: Guided by Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals from Black male leaders in K–12 educational settings in the Boston region. Purposeful sampling (Patton, 2014) ensured participants had significant leadership experience. Data were thematically coded, aligned with Zorn’s nine elements, and …

A Study On Betrayal And Safety: Understanding The Experiences Of Community College Employees, Jennifer Marie De La Rosa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the experiences of community college employees who perceived their psychological safety had been compromised, leading to a sense of institutional betrayal. Its second purpose was to identify the experiences participants believed most impacted their psychological safety and contributed to feelings of institutional betrayal.

Methodology: This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach to explore how community college employees made sense of their experiences related to psychological safety and institutional betrayal. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling strategies, representing a range of roles across California’s community colleges. Semistructured interviews …

Administrator Leadership And Collective Efficacy: Enhancing Math Education In Public High Schools In California, Lina Ahmadieh

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, multicase study was to determine challenges that high school administrators experience when they establish the elements of collective teacher efficacy (CTE) based on the elements of common purpose, collective teacher accountability practices, protocols for collective practices, and interventions in their mathematics department and to determine the strategies that high school administrators use when they establish CTE in their mathematics department.Methodology: In this qualitative, multicase study, five interviews were conducted with public high school administrators in California. The researcher employed qualitative methods to explain the challenges that high school administrators experience when they establish the …

A Phenomenological Study: Implicit Bias In The Hiring Practices Of Health Care Organizations (Perception, Impact On Workforce Diversity, Mitigation Methods, And Implementation Assessment), Mohamed Boubrik

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how implicit bias influences hiring practices within health care organizations. Specifically, it investigated the perceptions of hiring professionals regarding implicit bias, its impact on workforce diversity, the strategies used to mitigate it, and the effectiveness of those strategies in real-world implementation.

Methodology: This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of hiring professionals in Southern California health care organizations. A random sampling method was used to select participants across various health care facilities. Data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews, using a validated interview protocol as …

Breaking Barriers: A Delphi Study On Strategies Military Women Of Color Use To Advance Into Senior Leadership In The California Air National Guard, Michelle Leon Carrasco

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to determine what strategies military women of color (in ranks of E–8 and above or O–4 and above) used to overcome workplace barriers to advancement in the California Air National Guard (CAANG), to rate the importance of the strategies identified in Research Question 1, and to determine the methods by which they employed the top five most important strategies.Methodology: This study used a three-round Delphi method to collect data from women of color senior leaders in the CAANG. In Round 1, the expert panel identified strategies to overcome workplace barriers to advance …

Resetting The Imposter Phenomenon Reality: A Mixed Methods Research Study Of An Immediate Cognitive Behavioral Intervention On Stem Practitioners, Peter D. Smith

Dissertations

Imposter Phenomenon (IP) remains an essential framework for understanding how professionals attribute success to chance or misconceptions rather than genuine abilities. IP is especially pertinent for individuals who feel like frauds when attaining higher positions, convinced the promotions resulted from luck rather than accomplishments and credibility. The misguided mindset cultivates feelings of inadequacy or deceit, even when accolades, experiences, and qualifications prove the contrary. The prevalence of IP is widespread, impacting numerous individuals who have faced or continue to endure episodes of varying intensity. The psychological state makes individuals vulnerable to feelings of inadequacy, leading to reduced productivity, increased procrastination, …

Bookmarked: A Study Of Reading Engagement, Miranda W. Dickson

Dissertations

In many Science of Reading programs, the focus on foundational skills like phonics and fluency can overshadow the importance of reading engagement in elementary classrooms. This dissertation investigates the effects of a balanced literacy intervention designed to incorporate purposeful engagement strategies across 12 lessons for at-risk third-grade readers. The six-week intervention integrated skills instruction with reading engagement strategies in the subcategories of social, cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement. Grounded in Engagement Theory (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000), the study's instructional framework and literature review explore foundational theories of reading engagement within these subcategories: behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social. The research was …

A Phenomenological Study Of Gender And The Leadership Of Female Academic Library Directors, Julia D. Grace Dr

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how the gender of female academic library directors affects their leadership. The theory guiding this study was Acker’s theory of the ideal worker, as it offers a framework for examining the impact of worker gender in the workplace. The central research question of this study examined how the gender of female library directors at medium nonprofit private universities and colleges in the U.S. affected their leadership. This study utilized a phenomenological approach, conducting semi-structured interviews of female academic library directors at medium nonprofit private universities and colleges in the U.S. The …

Assessing Best Practices Of Facilitation Of The Free Exercise Of Religion By Army Chaplains Utilizing The Success Case Method, Geoffrey N. Bailey Phd

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined how U.S. Army chaplains experience and facilitate the free exercise of religion. The research explored compelling narratives of best-case facilitation experiences, identified leadership qualities associated with successful religious support, and analyzed similarities and differences between best and worst-case scenarios. Using Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method, the study distributed a quantitative survey to 1,478 active-duty chaplains (achieving a 23% response rate) followed by twelve guided interviews with participants representing diverse ranks and faith traditions. The research revealed six major themes: significant gaps in education for pluralistic ministry, tension between personal religious convictions and professional duties, crucial impact of …

Returning To School After A Pandemic And The Lived Experiences Of 9-12 Grade Athletic Coaches On Student-Athlete Success, Louie Vallejo

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological examination examines ninth-12th grade athletic coaches’ perceptions of the impact on athletes returning to athletic competition after being online during the pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, athletic achievement, attitude, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed athletic coaches in the Tri-County Athletic Conference in Central California. Semi structured open-ended interview questions were the main source of data collection. Data were coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns, and the results were validated through the interrater process by an experienced researcher.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes, the researcher …

Leadership In Times Of Crisis: Motivating Employees Through The Challenges Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hanan Khamis

Dissertations

Purpose: This study explores the critical role of leadership and employee motivation in sustaining organizational effectiveness during times of disruption, focusing specifically on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates how leadership styles and motivational theories evolve in response to heightened uncertainty, rapid operational changes, and emotional strain. Central to this purpose is understanding how adaptability, empathy, communication, and relational leadership practices help maintain employee engagement and ensure continuity within higher education institutions during crisis conditions.Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to capture the lived experiences of 10 human resource (HR) leaders representing public and private universities …

The Contributions Of Patient Education And Home Visits To Reduce Post-Cesarean Hypertension Readmissions, Stephanie Armstead

Dissertations

Cesarean births in the United States (U.S.) have increased steadily over the last decade. Researchers have identified maternal hypertension/hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) as a comorbidity associated with the increase of cesarean births. Mothers who are diagnosed with HDP and undergo a cesarean birth have a dual diagnosis of high-risk pregnancy, and due to worsening conditions, are readmitted to the hospital more frequently than mothers who experience a vaginal birth. This study aimed to determine whether a patient discharge education intervention provided by a transition of care (ToC) team or interdisciplinary care team (IDT), combined with early follow-up care from …

Affordability Culture In Practice : Survey Validation Through A Socio-Technical Lens, Taylor Yeazitzis

Dissertations

Affordability has been a key directive in engineering projects as organizations seek to develop larger and more complex systems on stable or reduced budgets. This dissertation proposes a socio-technical framework of affordability to evaluate current affordability practices in organizations. Socio-technical frameworks have been used in complex organizations due to the ability to examine both social aspects as well as technical aspects as interconnected organizational components, yet previous research is lacking when attempting to approach affordability from this perspective. This research aimed to bridge this gap by validating a survey that examines affordability from both social and technical perspectives to gain …

The Effect Of Inclusive Leadership By Pastoral Leaders On Catholic Parish Vitality, Matthew F. Manion

Dissertations

Catholic parish life in the United States has passed the point of decline where minor changes will enable it to grow again. Church leaders need a new missionary culture and outward-focused approaches to reach people today with the timeless truths of the faith. The old mindset of putting all the responsibility on the shoulders of the clergy to solve problems no longer works. Since heterogeneous groups make better decisions than homogeneous groups in complex, adaptive situations, this study explores the hypothesis that inclusive leadership by Catholic parish leaders leads to more innovation and better solutions to the challenges of church …

“Remember, You Are Not A Superhuman”: The Lived Experience Of Rest, Unrest, And Leadership In Special Operations, Trey Zoda

Dissertations

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were …

Exploring Leadership Through The Lenses Of Psychological Safety: Experiences From The Warehousing Industry, Francis V. Manigault

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how psychological safety is experienced and sustained in warehouse environments, particularly through leadership practices. The research focused on five central questions regarding how psychological safety is defined, the barriers to sustaining it, and the specific leadership behaviors that influence employee voice and workplace culture. Seven participants from warehousing operations across the southeastern United States were selected through purposive sampling. These individuals held leadership positions and had firsthand experience with efforts to promote psychological safety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed thematically using Colaizzi’s method. The study found that psychological safety in warehouse settings …