Adult Attachment In Close Relationships And Trait Emotional Intelligence: The Moderating Role Of Mindfulness, Laura Kimberly Chang

Dissertations

The moderating role of mindfulness on the relationships between trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and both attachment-related anxiety and avoidance among college students (N = 510) was explored in the present study. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations aligned with the extant body of literature, suggesting strong relationships between attachment-related anxiety, avoidance, and TEI. As expected, results suggested a strong relationship between levels of mindfulness and TEI. In the interest of assessing the degree to which mindfulness explained variance in participants’ TEI levels (while accounting for attachment levels), a hierarchical multiple regression was conducted. Data analysis indicated that the variables college classification …

Expressions Of Emancipatory Knowing In Undergraduate Nursing Service- Learning, Heather Corinn Voss

Dissertations

Emancipatory nurses recognize social and political problems of injustice or inequity and participate in social and political change to improve people’s lives. The recent spotlight on relationships among health, health inequity, social determinants of health, and structural institutional barriers, has led to demands that nurse educators integrate innovative curricular and pedagogical strategies to analyze and address social justice issues in today’s healthcare system. A mixed-method, qualitative study was conducted to elicit expressions of emancipatory knowing during and after a service- learning experience. Interpretive description was used to analyze data from 15 written reflections and eight semi-structured interviews. Nine expressions of …

Black Graduate Students’ Experiences Of Stress And Coping, Shealyn J. Blanchard

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of Black graduate students related to stress and coping. Specifically, this study seeks to further examine the concept of cognitive appraisal and help-seeking intentions among Black graduate students. Research has indicated that Black graduate students face unique stressors related to race, in addition to general stress demands that can be experienced in graduate education programs. Regarding help-seeking, the literature has tended to focus on psychological help-seeking attitudes with African American populations and undergraduate students. This present study utilizes theories from stress and coping, as well as help-seeking and planned behavior, …

Qualitative Analogue Study On Student Therapist’S Reactions To Client Suicidality, Cynthia A. Beevers

Dissertations

Suicidal clients are a reality for both professional and student therapists providing counseling (Chemtob et al., 1988; Dexter-Mazza & Freeman, 2003; Goodman, 1995; Howard, 2000; Jacobson, Ting, Sanders, & Harrington, 2004; Kleespies, Penk, & Forsyth, 1993; Kleespies, Smith, & Becker, 1990; Mackelprang, Karle, & Cash, 2014; McAdams & Foster, 2000). Previous research has investigated the experiences of professional therapists working with suicidal clients, but little is known about student therapists’ experiences with suicidal clients. Only two studies were found investigating the experiences of student therapists working with suicidal clients (Kleespies et al., 1993; Kleespies et al., 1990). However, in the …

Counselor Educators’ Perceptions Of Nontraditional Master’S-Level Counseling Students And How Those Perceptions Shape Teaching Practices, Pamela J. Jordan

Dissertations

Graduate students age 40 and older, defined as “nontraditional” for this study, consistently represent approximately 20% of the graduate student population (United States Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). Master’s degree programs in counseling may attract a higher percentage of these students, as some studies suggest that careers in fields such as counseling are sought out by adults changing careers at midlife and later (Bluestone & Melnik, 2010; Schaefers, 2012). These nontraditional students bring to the classroom their own characteristics of age, life stage, and experience, and they have distinct strengths and challenges that set them apart …

A Study Of The Protective Factors That Foster Resilience In Teachers, Zundra Gates

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the protective factors of teachers in various fields: discipline, tested and non-tested subject areas, and teacher certification route. The study involved 161 kindergarten to twelfth grade Mississippi teachers who were full-time during the 2016-2017 school year. The 36-item Resiliency Questionnaire was used to measure the presence of six protective factors. The six protective factors that were examined on the questionnaire are: purpose and expectation (PE), nurture and support (NS), positive connections (PC), meaningful participation (MP), life guiding skills (LGS), and clear and consistent boundaries (CCB). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test …

Impact Of Child And Family Teaming In A Child Welfare Agency, Madeline Roachell

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was twofold, (1) to describe the family experiences of those who had a CFT and those who did not, and (2) to identify and describe the impact of child and family teams (CFTs) on reentry into foster care.

Methodology. The study used a mixed-methods approach collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data included archival data and an electronic survey. Qualitative data included in-depth interviews and narrative comments from the survey.

Findings. A careful analysis of the data resulted in nine major findings and three dominant themes. The dominant themes of the study …

Traumatic Brain Injuries: A Telehealth Alternative For Veterans, Jessica Dickman

Dissertations

Problem: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are known as the signature wound of veterans serving in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). After the initial TBI diagnosis, outpatient TBI follow-up rates are reported to be approximately 9% less in the Veteran Healthcare Administration (VA) system when compared to the private sector. The purpose of this quality initiative was to decrease the rate of missed appointments among OEF/OIF veterans using a telehealth alternative.

Methods: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method was used to implement a consistent process for the telehealth visit option. A retrospective medical record review over the same …

Assessment Of Nursing Knowledge Before And After Implementation Of Educational Intervention On Heart Failure, Sarah Scott

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of nursing staff on a cardiology unit before and after the implementation of heart failure specific education. Methods: Forty staff nurses on a cardiology unit at a single institution were given The Nurses Knowledge of Heart Failure Education Principles Survey (NKHFEP), a validated tool to assess nursing knowledge of heart failure. A series of four educational sessions were given to the same forty nurses. They were then given the NKHFEP survey a second time to assess change in knowledge post educational intervention. Results: The mean of Pre-education (M = …

Aligning With Patient-Centered Medical Home Standards: Depression Screening In Primary Care, Elizabeth Segura

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a model of care that improves the quality and experience of care and decreases cost. Use of a validated depression screening tool for adult patients is a PCMH certification requirement. The purpose of this quality initiative was to obtain baseline data when a depression screening tool was utilized among adult patients in an internal medicine clinic within a Midwestern public health department.

Methods: This was a quality improvement project utilizing a descriptive and observational design. A retrospective medical record review was used to assess the rate of depression screening utilizing the …

Evaluation Of A Youth Emergency Room Enhancement Program For Behavioral Health, Anne Thatcher

Dissertations

Problem. Pediatric mental health complaints and subsequent hospitalizations have been steadily increasing. The Behavioral Health Network (BHN) developed an intensive outreach case management program aimed at reducing youth mental health emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient psychiatric admissions. The Youth Emergency Room Enhancement (YERE) program was a process improvement initiative to provide immediate case management to youth and caregivers for mental health care.

Methods. A Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method utilizing a retrospective case record review occurred over a six-month period. A convenience sample of youth aged 6-20 years presenting to one of eight healthcare facilities for either ED or inpatient hospitalization …

Aligning With Patient-Centered Medical Home Standards: Depression Screening In Women's Health, Charity Galgani

Dissertations

Problem: The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model of care improves health care quality and patient experience of care, and decreases costs. Depression screening is a requirement for becoming a PCMH. The purpose of this quality initiative was to obtain baseline data to describe depression screening rates among female adult patients receiving women’s health care within a Midwestern public health department seeking PCMH recognition.

Methods: The study utilized a descriptive, observational design and was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. A retrospective medical record review was used to assess the rate of depression screening utilizing the PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 tools, and …

Implementing A Caps Simulation To Increase Nursing Education Practice Students’ Self-Awareness Of Attitudes And Beliefs About Poverty, Melissa Ehmke

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this project is to determine if college students who are currently in nursing school, will benefit from the addition of a poverty simulation to positively influence their self-awareness and individual-level beliefs and attitudes towards poverty, therefore being able to serve those in poverty fully and guide them to appropriate resources.

Methods. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Doctoral Nursing Practice (DNP) students participated in a three-hour Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS). A twenty-one item Attitude Toward Poverty Scale short form (ATPS) survey was completed pre and post-simulation participation.

Results. Significant improvements resulted in three of …

The Role Of Self-Care As It Pertains To Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline Staff, Crystal T. Henson

Dissertations

The present study was designed to explore the role of an agency/supervisor to increase self-care participation among suicide prevention crisis hotline staff. The impact self-care participation was found to increase compassion satisfaction while decreasing both burnout and secondary traumatic stress in this population of helpers. Self-care is meant to be a preventative measure to help increase an individual’s overall well-being and can also impact job satisfaction. As helpers, self-care is often recommended to those individuals with whom they are working; however, helpers have historically not followed their own recommendations. Research has shown that those helpers with higher levels of compassion …

A Mixed Methods Comparative Analysis Of The Implementation Of The Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support In Missouri Elementary Public Schools, Laura Smith

Dissertations

This study consisted of a mixed-methods comparative analysis of the implementation of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in public school districts in the state of Missouri. The researcher surveyed nine public school districts similar in demographics of socio-economic representation, free and reduced lunch percentage, and average daily fund expended to educate students. One district administrator responsible for the implementation of MTSS represented each school district. In the qualitative component of the study, the researcher utilized an original electronic survey to gather insights into the unique implementation path each district employed. Coding and analysis resulted in identification of themes, similarities, …

The Effect Of Mantram Repetition On Qol In Low-Income, Urban Dwelling Older Adults, Marissa Katerina Mackiewicz

Dissertations

Background: Quality of life is an important concept of increasing significance for the healthcare in the United States, especially when taken in perspective of the aging population. Low-income, urban dwelling older adults are challenged in a number of ways that may negatively impact their QOL. This unique group is prone to report lower QOL, therefore, interventions targeted to improve QOL are timely. The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of mantram repetition (MR) on QOL in a sample of low-income, urban dwelling older adults.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-posttest study was conducted using a sample population of low-income …

Formerly Incarcerated Adults In Higher Education: A Life-History Study Of A Restorative Approach To Prisoner Reentry, Robert Michael Ehnow

Dissertations

The U.S. is the world’s “leading jailer” with both the highest incarceration rate and the largest number of prisoners. Each year more than 700,000 inmates are released from prison and re-enter their communities. The majority of released prisoners lack the necessary education, work experience, and life skills to successfully reintegrate back into society.

One alternative to the retributive model of justice used in the United States is a restorative justice strategy. A restorative approach to prisoner reintegration seeks to re-establish community support and acceptance for criminal offenders in order to allow them to become beneficial members of society. The literature …

The Effects Of Organizational Commitment And Harmonious Passion On Voluntary Turnover Among Social Workers: A Mixed Methods Study, Ashley Scales

Dissertations

The retention of Social Workers (SWs) is a concern that affects government and private organizations and the workforce. Voluntary turnover among SWs is increasing at an alarming rate. Not only is voluntary turnover rising, but organizational commitment and harmonious passion are declining (Wharton University of Pennsylvania, 2012). This study explored and examined the effect organizational commitment and harmonious passion have on voluntary turnover among Child Protective Services (CPS) SWs. The study used a concurrent mixed method design. Data collected during the quantitative phase provided information on the perceptions of SWs regarding organizational commitment, harmonious passion, and their intent to leave. …

Exploring Organizational And Professional Commitment, Servant Leadership, Occupational Stress, And Humor Perspectives: How Nurses Manage, Brian Steven Perna

Dissertations

The primary research objective of this study was to explore how nurses’ communication influences organizational commitment, professional commitment, servant leadership, occupational stress, and humor use. These concepts were approached qualitatively to obtain deep and rich information about communication influences on nurses’ work lives.

A total of 34 nurse participants from network sampling and snowball sampling techniques were interviewed for this study, most from a medium-sized southeastern hospital. Specifically, semi-structured interviews were conducted where participants were asked to provide perspectives regarding communication events of organizational commitment, professional commitment, servant leadership, occupational stress, and humor use. These perspectives were analyzed using Strauss …

A Male Elementary School Principal’S Experience Of Gender And Leadership, Joanne Eileen Chatlos

Dissertations

Schools are a site for the reproduction and transformation of masculinities, impacting both children and adults. For principals, both gender and leadership are roles that they perform in social relation. In this case study, focused on an elementary school in the Western United States, I explored the ways constructions of gender impact a male public elementary school teacher’s leadership experience and the ways local gender norms relate to faculty perceptions of his leadership. Utilizing a methodological bricolage, I sought to examine the ways in which gender and leadership are enacted and understood through discourses such as speech, gestures, dress, or …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Factors Related To Ethnocultural Empathy Among White Counselor Education Faculty: Implications For African American Male Students., Courtney R. Boddie

Dissertations

Cultural competence represents a central element of the professional practices exhibited by professional counselors and counselor educators (CACREP, 2016). Inconsistent with the place it holds in the field, cultural competence has been minimally studied among those responsible for gatekeeping, teaching, supervision, and research – faculty. Among variables relevant to measurable outcomes is ethnocultural empathy (EE), ideal as it is described as a combination of empathic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward others with whom you have differences in cultural identities and experiences (Wang et al., 2003). This study sought to add to the body of literature on the cross-racial interactions between …

Examining The Impact Of A Criminal Background In Social Work Education, Amy S. Vliek

Dissertations

Many returning citizens want to access higher educational institutions (HEIs) to access desired professions and increase employability. However, many HEIs and profession education programs have restrictions in place for returning citizens. An MSW is the most sought-after degree for returning citizens. However, social work education has restrictions in place for returning citizens. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the lived experiences of MSW returning citizen students considering these restrictions. The dissertation attempts to answer the following research questions: How did applicants who disclosed a criminal background at the time of application experience the MSW application process? Did the …

Comparison Of Religious Problem-Solving Styles On The Use Of Problem-Focused And Maladaptive Emotion-Focused Coping Related To Financial Strain And Stress, Kirk A. Vander Molen

Dissertations

Poverty negatively impacts individuals and society as a whole in various ways, including emotional and physical health, relationships, education, crime, stress, and the economy (Adler & Ostrove, 1999; Anakwenze & Zuberi, 2013; Caplan & Schooler, 2007; Yoshikawa, Aber, & Beardslee, 2012). How people cope with the stress of poverty and engage with its causes and potential solutions impacts their capacity to survive, manage, and work toward improving their situation (Caplan & Schooler, 2007; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Santiago, Etter, Wadsworth, & Raviv, 2012). Problem-focused coping involves a person’s engagement to make plans, mobilize resources, and take action to manage or …

Increasing The Buy-In And Effectiveness Of A Social And Emotional Learning Class Program In A Single Sex, Urban And Charter High School: Social And Emotional Learning Specialists And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Social-emotional learning has yet to be implemented in many schools in America. Without adequate social and emotional skills, students struggle to navigate their academic and social environments. Students attending a single-sex, urban charter school participated in focus groups and completed surveys about their perceptions of a social-emotional learning program that was implemented during the 2015–2016 school year. Social-emotional learning facilitators completed surveys and participated in focus groups to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Graphs and themes based on the information gathered from the surveys, open-ended questions, and focus groups were used to analyze the data. Both students …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Character Education Program In A Single-Sex, Urban Charter High School: Learning From Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Students who are taught the Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards are granted skills that help them make positive contributions to society. Well-rounded individuals have acquired abilities that allow them to make sound decisions, interact with others, and develop self-awareness skills. Adept individuals who have the skills to teach students strategies that help them to develop an emotional intelligence should implement character education programs using evidence-based strategies. Students who attended a single-sex charter school in an urban area participated in a program evaluation to determine if it was being implemented with fidelity. Students and program implementers …

Status Of The Profession Of United States Emergency Management: An Exploratory Analysis Based On Select Attributes Of Occupational Closure, Timothy Wayne Sevison

Dissertations

Emergency management as a concept has been evolving since the early 19th century, but the occupation of emergency management, and discourse concerning professional status has primarily occurred within the last 30 years. This dissertation is an exploratory analysis of the current status of the profession of United States emergency management based on perceptions of leaders from state level emergency management organizations and state level emergency management professional organizations. A mixed methods approach (survey instrument, open-source data collection, semi-structured interviews) was utilized to explore the perceptions of emergency management leaders on two key attributes of occupational closure: control of entry into …

Increasing School Social Worker Supports For Schools In Illinois: Policy Recommendations For Supporting Student Learning And Growth., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Administrators and board members at the Illinois State Board of Education recommended that schools with certain demographics hire one social worker for every 350 students. The policy has yet to be implemented despite high rates of student poverty, lagging test scores, school bullying, suspensions, and an increased number of school shootings. The Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards guide educators and policy makers to interact and educate each student. School social workers equipped with the necessary skill set provide services, implement district-wide social and emotional learning programs, and work with various stakeholders to monitor progress. A …

Diabetes Prevention Program: Exploring Spirituality And Spiritual Interventions On Outcomes, Sharon E. Plutko Long

Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore a relationship between a modified Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for adults with pre-diabetes (pre-DM) or type-2 DM with variables of spirituality and religiosity (S/R) to illuminate the potential religion-health connection based in changes in participant weight, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity. A secondary purpose is identifying spiritual interventions used by faith-based DPP coaches in a group setting.

Methods

A mixed-methods study was conducted with 34 DPP participants and 11 DPP coaches who completed the core section (weeks 1-26) of DPP courses held in Macomb Country, Michigan. Independent variables are …

A Psychometric Analysis Of An Instrument That Tests Genetic Knowledge Of Advanced Practice Nurses In Genetics, Jeanine Seguin Santelli

Dissertations

The purposes of this methodological psychometric study were to: 1) develop a criterion-referenced instrument using the steps outlined by Waltz, Strickland and Lenz (2005) to provide effective documentation of knowledge of advanced practice nursing in genetics; 2) determine the validity and reliability of the instrument; 3) compare pass/fail outcomes of nurses within and outside of the genetic specialty using the instrument; 4) compare pass/fail outcomes of Masters' prepared and non-Masters' prepared nurses using the instrument; and, 5) compare pass/fail outcomes of credentialed and non-credentialed advanced practice nurses in genetics using the instrument. An additional proposed aim, to evaluate congruence between …