Digital Commons Network^™

What About The Children? An Exploration Of Family Counselors' Play Therapy Training And Preparedness To Integrate Children Into Family Counseling, Patricia J. Walker Monical

Dissertations

Children are an important part of families, yet family counselor education programs often do not incorporate training for including children in family counseling. At some point in their careers, family counselors and therapists will encounter clients who have children 3–12 years old. The problem is that since these professionals often receive little to no training in play therapy and thus do not typically include young children in family therapy, these younger family members are often overlooked. Research has confirmed that, due to a lack of sufficient training and supervision in play therapy, many family therapists report feeling unprepared to work …

Becoming A Leader “On The Job”: An Exploratory Study Examining How Internal Interim Leaders Build Their Leadership Capacity While Nonprofit Executive Directors Are On Sabbatical, Michelle Schneider

Dissertations

Nonprofit organizations have long underinvested in leadership development, potentially hindering their ability to fulfill their missions effectively. This study examined the use of nonprofit organization sabbaticals that give executive directors time away while building the leadership capabilities of the interim leader. This research explored the on-the-job leadership development of six individuals who served as interim leaders in southern California nonprofit organizations during their executive directors' participation in a 3-month, foundation-funded sabbatical program.

In this study, data were collected through in-depth interviews with interim leaders. A formative influences timeline technique was employed to center the participant's voice rather than the interviewer's …

Learning Paradigms For Rhythm Detection And Generation Using Mathematical Models, Biophysical And Artificial Neural Networks, Prianka Bose

Dissertations

Humans possess an inherent ability to recognize evenly-spaced rhythms, known as isochronous rhythms, owing to the brain's predisposition to entrain to external auditory stimuli with regular temporal intervals. The central focus of this research is to understand how the brain learns and retains rhythmic time intervals in the context of music. This dissertation studies rhythm detection and generation through mathematical models, biophysical networks, and artificial neural networks, addressing both isochronous and non-isochronous patterns.

A primary focus of the thesis is on isochronous rhythms. In particular, given a perturbation to an isochronous rhythm such as a tempo change or phase shift …

Crowd-Sourced Learning For Computer Graphics Applications, Yunhao Zhang

Dissertations

Computer Graphics (CG) revolves around virtual content creation using computational methods, spanning applications from games to visual effects. Typically, the creation of CG content is led by expert practitioners who guide computational algorithms towards satisfactory results. Thus, creating CG content often requires manual iterations encompassing algorithm design, parameter tuning, and aesthetic feedback. This work investigates how to leverage crowd-sourcing to streamline such creation processes, focusing on animation and simulation. In animation, a novel crowd-sourcing framework is proposed for combat animation, enabling users to analyze motion similarities, and retrieve matching motions using novel crowd-sourced motion features. Such features enable quantifying previously …

Representation Of Alaskan Native People In Nonprofit Leadership, Vanessa Smith

Dissertations

The nonprofit sector faces a significant issue: the underrepresentation of the communities it aims to serve, including Alaska Native communities. This research investigates the likely causes of this underrepresentation and explores potential solutions. It includes nine qualitative interviews with a majority of Alaskan Native leaders and consultations with other non-Native nonprofit leaders who have extensive experience in Alaska's nonprofit organizations.

This study arose from firsthand experience in an Anchorage, Alaska nonprofit, where the lack of Alaska Native representation in leadership roles within an organization meant to serve the Alaska Native community was evident. The research aimed to understand how well …

Beyond Average Effects In Education Research Syntheses: Explaining Heterogeneity Of Concept Mapping Research In Science Education Through Meta-Regression Modeling, Aaron Wenger

Dissertations

Contemporary education research seeks causal inferences in order to guide policy and practice. Often well-controlled quasi-experimental and experimental designs are used as they are very useful for supporting and contextualizing causal inferences. Nevertheless, individual studies, even high-quality, resource-intensive randomized controlled trials, are not able to establish generalized claims. Because primary studies vary over dozens of variables (e.g., grade, subject, duration) simply conducting additional primary studies cannot change this. Furthermore, the informal assessments of primary studies common in literature reviews are unable to resolve certain challenges (e.g., publication bias) that are described in the emerging field of meta-research. These challenges require …

Rethinking Safe Nurse Staffing In The Post-Covid Icu: A Comparative Analysis Of The Nurse-To-Patient Ratio And Mixed Model Approach For State Policies, Emilie A. Maxie

Dissertations

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) led to an unprecedented surge in ICU admission, increasing the nurse-to-patient ratios and intensifying stress on ICU nurses. This prompted many nurses to leave bedside care, exacerbating the ongoing nursing shortage and creating unsafe working conditions. Fourteen states have enacted safe nurse staffing policies. California implemented a mandated nurse-to-patient ratio, while Massachusetts adopted a mixed model for ICUs that involves a ratio, nurse committees, and workload tools. In post-COVID, this raises the question of which state policy approach is more effective in retaining ICU nursing staff. Literature suggests a mixed policy may be more effective.

A Phenomenological Study To Determine How Expert Avid Teachers Use Collaboration To Strengthen Student Metacognition And Student Self-Efficacy And Determine When It Occurs, Megan Hernandez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine how expert AVID teachers from the California Central Valley describe the use of collaboration to strengthen student metacognition and self-efficacy and how they describe the evidence that indicates metacognition and self-efficacy are occurring.

Methodology: Five Central California school districts were chosen to conduct the phenomenological study on expert AVID teachers. One to two AVID teachers from each of the five school districts were chosen in the study for eight participants. The expert AVID teachers were chosen for having at least five years of experience teaching AVID and being up to …

Discovering The Process Of Reasonable Academic Accommodations For Pre-Licensure Nursing Students With Learning Disabilities, Amy Yarbrough

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the process by which nursing faculty make reasonable academic accommodations for students with learning disabilities in the classroom setting. Nursing students with identified learning disabilities require academic accommodations to facilitate their success. The process of reasonable academic accommodations for nursing students with learning disabilities has not been examined within nursing education literature. Clarification is necessary regarding this process to promote student success and inclusive learning environments within nursing education. Constructivist grounded theory methods as described by Charmaz (2014) guided data collection and analysis. The accommodation processes with categories were identified. The emergent …

Examining Teachers’ Experiences In Fostering Social-Emotional Learning After Returning To In-Person Instruction In The Midst Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rosario Grajeda

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study examines how middle school teachers in Riverside County, California, support the social-emotional learning (SEL) needs of students as students returned to in-person instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: This qualitative study explores how Riverside County middle school teachers addressed students' social and emotional needs upon returning to in-person learning after COVID-19. Twelve teachers from local public middle schools (grades 6-8) participated in semi-structured interviews, answering ten questions. Data from interviews and artifacts were transcribed and analyzed using NVIVO software to identify recurring themes related to the study questions. Findings: The shared experiences of participants and …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of High-Risk Children's Problematic Sexual Behavior, Claudia Campbell

Dissertations

As research and intervention regarding children’s problematic sexual behavior (PSB) have broadly defined PSB, including all forms of developmentally atypical sexual behavior and all potential etiological factors, limited work to date has identified subtypes or unique patterns of PSB. The aim of the current study was to examine the presence of unique patterns of PSB and etiological factors among high-risk children utilizing latent profile analysis (LPA) based on children’s self-focused PSB, interpersonal PSB (IPSB), maltreatment factors, co-occurring symptoms, adaptive functioning, and family functioning. The present study included 689 8-year-old children (50.1% male, 50.2% Black) with potential PSB and their caregivers …

Faculty And Staff Pay Satisfaction And The Impact On Organizational Commitment And Retention, Jennifer Hennings

Dissertations

This mixed-method study explored the relationships between pay satisfaction, organizational commitment, retention, and seniority among faculty and staff at a private, four-year institution in the Midwest. The research investigated how satisfaction with a compensation program influences organizational commitment and turnover intentions. The researcher used a quantitative method to study the impact of pay satisfaction on organizational commitment and turnover intention. Additionally, a quantitative method explored relationships between seniority and turnover intention. Findings revealed positive relationships between pay satisfaction and organizational commitment, along with pay satisfaction and turnover intention. Findings also revealed positive relationships between seniority, measured as years of service, …

Prostate Cancer Screening Survey Among African-American And Their Partners, Angela James

Dissertations

The purpose of this translational research project was to survey adult African-Americans and their partners to explore inhibitors and facilitators to PC screening.

Circadian Body Temperature And Activation Rhythms And The Well-Being Of Independent Older Women, Diana J. Mason

Dissertations

This study examined changes in the circadian parameters of body temperature and activation and their relationship to the well-being of the older woman.

Nurse Educators' Perceptions Regarding Faculty Participation In University Governance, Janet J. Gross

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify nurse educators' perceptions of faculty participation in university governance

Nurse Delegation Decision Making: Impact On Nurse Job Satisfaction, Lynn Carol Parsons

Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to ascertain if a structured educational intervention (versus a mimic intervention) was followed by a statistically significant increase in nurse delegation decision making knowledge and nurse job satisfaction.

Reducing The Use Of Multiple Restraints In The Psychiatric Emergency Department, Juliet Nneka Udo

Dissertations

The purpose of the quantitative quality-improvement project was to implement the interprofessional collaborative practice model (ICPM) education program for providers, as an evidence-based intervention in reducing the use of multiple restraints in the psychiatric emergency department.

An Exploratory Study Of The Barriers Of Pediatric Palliative Care Programs And Their Relationships To Funding, Mary Maureen Kirkpatrick Mclaughlin

Dissertations

This study, a sequential mixed methods design, used quantitative techniques and a qualitative, phenomenological approach. The quantitative phase addressed the research question: Does the reimbursement of services for the delivery of pediatric palliative care differ between types of funding, and is funding related to directors' perceptions of obstacles to the delivery of care? The qualitative phase addressed the research question: What are the barriers that CHI PACC directors' experience in their roles and how do they overcome them?

An Analysis Of A Governance Model In Nursing Service, Linda R. Stumpf

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of governance type on culture, nurse work satisfaction, nurse retention, and patient satisfaction with care in acute care hospitals.

The Moderating Effect Of Religion On Death Distress And Quality Of Life Among Christian Cancer Patients In The United States With Muslim Cancer Patients In Saudi Arabia, Doaa A. Almostadi

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether religiosity has a moderating effect on the relationship between death distress and quality of life among patients facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.

Compassion Fatigue And Satisfaction Among Nurses At A State Psychiatric Hospital: An Opportunity To Educate, Santhi Avula

Dissertations

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aims to bring awareness to psychiatric nurses at NOPH about CF and burnout and educate them on ways to improve resiliency and compassion satisfaction as professional nurses.

PICOT: How do psychiatric nurses at NOPH (P) who are at increased risk for CF benefit from a webinar-based educational intervention (I) to identify and reduce symptoms of CF and improve compassion satisfaction (O) one month after intervention (T) compared to preintervention (C)?

More Than Just A Grade: Factors Influencing Secondary Students’ Engagement With Digital Feedback, Mandy Prior

Dissertations

The increasing use of technology in secondary education has shifted teacher feedback practices to digital environments. While digital feedback offers many promising affordances, the factors that influence how students engage with and use digital feedback are not well understood. Previous research indicates that digital feedback poses unique challenges for engagement. New paradigm feedback models seek to identify processes and actions that promote feedback engagement. However, these models require further study in digital and pre-higher education contexts. This qualitative single-case study investigated the factors influencing secondary students' engagement with digital feedback. Data included 24 student interviews conducted across four grade levels …

Administrators' Perception Of The Effectiveness Of Trauma-Informed Practices In Disciplinary Decisions, Rebecca Cahill

Dissertations

This research study examined administrators’ perceptions of the effectiveness of trauma-informed practices in disciplinary decision-making. Ten elementary school assistant principals were interviewed about their experiences with trauma-informed practices following a student referral. The participants also submitted behavioral expectation matrices and discipline flowcharts for analysis. The participants recognized and valued the underlying elements of trauma-informed practices (relationships, context, support, and cultural factors). However, they lack a clear understanding of and processes for full implementation of trauma-informed practices into disciplinary decision-making. Given the increase in negative student behavior and teacher requests for support, more research is needed to identify a process(es) for …

High School Principals’ Experiences Implementing The Whole-Child Approach To Education, Elise Heaton

Dissertations

The prevalence of the whole-child approach to education has grown significantly as schools recognize that students' needs extend beyond academics to include their social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This approach emphasizes nurturing all aspects of a child's development to ensure they thrive in a diverse and ever-evolving world. This phenomenological qualitative case study explores the lived experiences of high school principals as they implement the whole-child approach to education. Through data collected via various methods, including interviews, document analysis, and site observations, this study provides an in-depth examination of how principals navigate the complex demands of addressing the multifaceted …

Improving Diabetes Self-Management Skills Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Through Weekly Education, Carthia Joachim

Dissertations

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major health issues worldwide, which has led to many health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, nerve damage that leads to limb amputation, kidney damage, and even death (Sameer et al., 2020). Lack of self-care management is one of the reasons diabetes is becoming such an issue in society. Studies have shown that T2DM outcomes can be improved by implementing diabetes self-management education (DSME) (Hailu et al., 2019). The study evaluated the effectiveness of DSME intervention in adult patients with T2DM over 12 weeks in Orlando, Florida. Using a structured education program, the …

Examining The Relationship Between Textbook Formats, Students’ Self-Efficacy And Academic Performance In Higher Education, Anthony Eya

Dissertations

Ideally, educators would have sufficient data to understand how textbook formats (Ebook and Pbook) can transform negative student behaviors resulting from low self-efficacy to improve their academic performance (Alegre, 2014; Masa’deh et al., 2022). The problem driving this study is the lack of empirical data on the relationship between textbook format, student self-efficacy, academic performance, and behavioral factors that undermine student success in a self-regulated learning environment (Masa’deh et al., 2022). Also, there is a need for data that could inform strategies for solutions to poor student self-efficacy regarding textbook type and low academic performance (Alegre, 2014). This study used …

The Nurse Faculty Compassion Instrument: A Methodological Study, Nancy Pritchard

Dissertations

As nursing shortages rise, nursing faculty have the important responsibility of increasing the number of nursing school graduates that enter the nursing profession. Unfortunately, attrition and retention continue to prevent nursing students from graduating on time or at all. Nursing faculty compassion has been identified as one important factor that could decrease nursing student attrition and increase nursing student retention and program completion. Compassion is a concept built upon the constructs of forming connections, empathetic behaviors, student suffering and faculty recognition of needs, and alleviation of suffering. No existing instruments measure all of these constructs. Some existing tools that measure …

The Role Of Mentorship In Teachers' Intent To Persist In P-12 Public Education, Collins Robinson

Dissertations

Soaring attrition rates among teachers in public education have led researchers to attempt to obtain more insight into teaching intent to persist in American, public P12 education. Mississippi schools are allowed to join the MDE Division of Educator Effectiveness. This single division focuses on enhancing specific areas: “Mentoring and Induction programs, Mississippi Professional Growth system, Mississippi Teacher Residency, and Recognition Programs.” (Steen, 2024). The purpose of the study was to determine if there exists a statistically significant relationship between Mississippi public education teachers’ mentorship experience, mentorship effectiveness, and intent to persist. Secondly, this study was expected to determine to what …

Teacher Perceptions Of Students With Disabilities And Their Ability To Meaningfully Participate In An Inquiry-Based Mathematics Model, Lori Luthy

Dissertations

This study focused on a school district in the Midwest region of the United States, which implemented a new inquiry-based math curriculum for all kindergarten through fifth-grade students during the 2021-2022 school year. The purpose of this study was to determine elementary general education and special education teachers’ perceptions of students with disabilities and their ability to learn mathematics at high levels from inquiry-based instruction. Also, the implications of deficit thinking were investigated. In addition, end-of-the-year progress results were compared to determine if implementing an inquiry-based model of mathematics increased student achievement. The population for this study consisted of educators …

A Phenomenological Study Of Social-Emotional Learning (Sel) Through Covid-19, Maria Iracema Da Rocha-Alvarez

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies used by elementary teachers in California before and during the shift to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also sought to determine which SEL strategies were most effective in supporting students’ emotional well-being in a virtual learning environment.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of elementary teachers who implemented SEL strategies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through 20 interview questions aligned with the research objectives to gain insight into effective SEL practices during virtual …