Digital Commons Network^™

Medical Cannabis And Recreational Marijuana: Patient Perceptions, Stigma, And Gender During A Time Of Emerging Legalization, Matt Reid

Dissertations

Marijuana’s status as an illegal drug has been redefined over the previous three decades. Despite Michigan and 32 other states having comprehensive medical cannabis programs, both academics and laypeople commonly present the medicalization of marijuana as an intermediary phase or proxy for fully legalized recreational use. While some evidence exists to support this position, this framework marginalizes the struggles and experiences of patients who have found relief through their therapeutic use of cannabis. As such, the goal of this study is to re-center the voices of cannabis patients in academic conversations of cannabis as medicine.

My study is unique in …

How Elementary Teachers Demonstrate Leadership In The Classroom To Increase Science Learning, Dipsy Anais Etanislao Gonzalez

Dissertations

In the DR, the need of producing drastic changes in students’ outcomes fostered the adaptation of a professional development (PD) program to improve the public education system. In 2013, the National Institute for Teacher Preparation chose the School Centered Continuous Teacher’s Preparation (EFCCE, acronym in Spanish) PD program to help teachers with the needed transformation. This program aimed to form knowledgeable and skillful teachers who exhibit instructional leadership in the classroom.

This qualitative, multiple instrumental case study involved 10 Dominican science elementary teachers who had completed the EFCCE program and who had self-identified as a teacher actively implementing engaging science …

The Voices Of Single-Headed Household African American Mothers Concerning The High School Completion Of Their Daughters, Lametria A. Johnson_Eaddy

Dissertations

African American female students in urban schools are not graduating from high school at the same rate as females of other ethnic groups (Bucknor, 2015; Martin & Halperin, 2006; Stillwell & Sable, 2013). This study sought to investigate the voices and lived experiences of single-headed households of African American mothers whose daughters graduated from high school within the traditional four-year schedule. Through the voices and lived-experiences of these African American mothers, this study sought to capture the impact certain internal and external support systems from within both the home and school environments had on their daughters’ persistence in graduating from …

The Role Of Search Consultants In Interpreting And Communicating Organizational Identity During Presidential Searches At Small, Private Colleges, Dawn M. Markell

Dissertations

Search consultants’ perceived expertise in reaching a target audience and generating a pool of qualified candidates has led to their widespread use across higher education, including small, private colleges (Atwell, 2009; CIC, 2018; Johnson & Ferrare, 2013). As small, private colleges confront an unprecedented level of existential stress, they are faced with competing pressures to differentiate themselves through their historical organizational identity while still pursuing change (Baker & Baldwin, 2015; Jaquette, 2013; Stensaker, 2015; Weerts, Freed, & Morphew, 2014). Matters of identity become especially significant during times of leadership transition (MacDonald, 2013). Despite the convergence of these factors, there is …

The Influence Of Intergroup Contact On Attitudes Toward Diversity Among Professional Counselors: A Mixed Methods Study, Jiyoung Moon

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore diverse intergroup contact experiences and attitudes toward diversity among professional counselors. A total of 137 participants were included in the first phase of the study, which was a quantitative survey of intergroup contact experiences and attitudes, and eight participants were interviewed for the second qualitative phase. The quantitative results indicated that the quantity of intergroup contact was positively related to the perceived importance of intergroup contact, and all intergroup contact variables were positively related to the overall attitudes toward diversity. While multicultural courses in graduate counseling programs were not found to …

Short-Term Athletic Foreign Tours And Student Learning Outcomes: A Program Evaluation, April L. Elsbernd

Dissertations

Many studies have shown that the same student learning outcomes observed in long-term study abroad can be met during short-term programs, if executed correctly. Intercollegiate athletic foreign travel tours (AFTs) are similar to short-term study abroad programs, but little research has been done on these programs. By analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from surveys of student-athletes who recently participated in AFTs, as well as interviews with relevant staff members, I was able to determine strengths of the program and identify areas for growth. The evaluation process shaped organizational change recommendations, along with an institutional policy that will allow the AFT …

Bay Area Lgbtq+ Millennials: The Newest Generation Leading The Gay Civil Rights Movement, Sara Miyo Hall-Kennedy

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ millennials that influenced their participation in the gay civil rights movement in the Bay Area of California. Another purpose of the study was to explore and describe the recommendations LGBTQ+ millennials have for the future of the national gay civil rights movement.

Methodology: A qualitative analysis of the data from a combination of both social movements and symbolic interactionism theoretical perspectives was conducted. Data for this study was generated through the synthesis and triangulation of the thematic coding of 12 interviews conducted by …

Women In County Government Leadership: Using Personal Power To Overcome Self-Sabotage, Jamie R. Crews

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female county government executives and to explore the impact these behaviors have had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female county government executives to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: An explanatory mixed methods research design was used to explore the use of self-sabotaging behaviors of 9 female county government executives in Southern California. A 10-item survey instrument was administered to participants, followed by a semistructured interview consisting of 13 scripted questions. Data collected …

Characteristics Of Notes Taken During The Employment Interview And Their Impact On Organizational Outcomes, James T. Mundell

Dissertations

Note-taking during the interview process has been recommended by both academics and practitioners. However, little research on note-taking in employment interviews exists. Although the limited amount of research points to the benefits of note-taking, characteristics of the notes taken have not been studied in detail and in relation to many organizational outcomes. As such, this study examined characteristics of note-taking (including job relatedness, detail, and valence) and their impact on interview question scores, hiring recommendations, hiring decisions, employee performance, and turnover. Archival data from an organization was utilized and the notes taken during employment interviews were coded to better understand …

Against The Wind: A Study On Aviation As A Female Career Choice, Bonnie Gagliardo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to identify and describe the educational and social experiences that sparked the interest of female pilots as young women to pursue a career in aviation.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study utilized semi- structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of female pilots, to understand if there were common social and educational factors which influenced them to become interested in aviation. Using convenience sampling, eleven pilots who hold a Federal Aviation Administration Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot’s License were selected to participate in this study.

Findings: The findings from this …

Exploring The Political Styles And Strategies Used By Successful Women Classified Managers In Educational Agencies, Colleen Stanley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the political styles of successful women classified managers within California’s central coast region who advanced from middle management to top-level management level positions within an educational agency. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to explore and understand the political strategies that they perceived enhanced or hindered their ability to be promoted.

Methodology: This phenomenological study captured the stories of classified women managers’ lived experiences as they successfully advance in their careers to high-level management positions within an educational agency. A sample size of 15 …

Political Strategies Used By Regional Occupational Program Superintendents To Work Effectively With The Different Political Styles Of Their Board Members: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, Maura Murabito

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to identify the political styles of exemplary Regional Occupational Program superintendents and school board members as perceived by Regional Occupational Program superintendents. In addition, the purpose was to identify and explain the political strategies exemplary Regional Occupational Program superintendents use to work with the different political styles of school board members.

Methodology: In this sequential explanatory mixed methods study, both electronic surveys and face-to-face interview data were collected from five exemplary ROP superintendents and analyzed to identify the political strategies used to work successfully with their boards of education. …

Service To American Heroes: Exploring The Experiences Of Veterans Suffering From Ptsd Transitioning From Military Service To Civilian Careers, Samuel Scaife

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the experiences of post-9/11 veterans suffering from PTSD residing in California who transitioned from military service to civilian careers within the last 3-5 years, through the lens of Schlossberg’s 4S factors of situation, self, social support, and strategies.

Methodology. A qualitative case study was used allowing for in-depth exploration. A multiple case study was selected to explore the lived experiences of PTSD veterans who recently transitioned from military service to civilian careers in San Diego, CA. The primary method of data collection was semi-structured interviews to gather the …

The Lived Experience Of Black American Women Who Were Teen Mothers And Their Pathway To Achieve Master’S Degrees And Higher, Shuante Bingham

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this heuristic phenomenological study is to examine the lived experiences of Black American women who were teen mothers and achieved master’s degrees and higher. Furthermore, this study seeks to describe the economic barriers and support resources that hinder and/or influence educational achievement as perceived by Black American women who were teen mothers.

Methodology: This heuristic phenomenological study shares the personal experiences and commonalities of 16 Black American women who were teen mothers as the support resources perceived as impacting or encouraging their ability to achieve a master’s degree or higher.

Findings: There were four overarching themes …

Structural And Psychological Empowerment Of Community/Public Health Nurses, Linda C. Royer

Dissertations

This descriptive, non-experimental study examines the perceptions Community/Public Health Nurses (C/PHNs) have about the work they do and about their workplace when questioned about organizational factors that potentially lead to a sense of empowerment and commitment.

The Lived Experience Of Non-Degreed Learners From A Time Modified Traditional Baccalaureate In Nursing Program, Stephanie S. Deboor

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to describe, interpret, and gain a deeper understanding of how non-degreed, traditional baccalaureate nursing students experience education in a Time Modified Traditional Program of study.

Stories, Ethics And The Interpretation Of Meaning: Bearing Witness To Mothers' Stories Of Their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Experience, Angela C. Blackburn

Dissertations

This study grounded in narrative perspectives was conducted to uncover mothers' experience of having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret mothers NICU experiences, and to sensitize health care professionals about the importance of mothers' personal experience stories. The NICU experience began with mothers' birth experience or the incident that led up to her infant requiring care in the NICU and her experience extended beyond the NICU with future concerns about the health and wellbeing of her baby.

Brokering Student Well-Being: Understanding The Work Of School Health Administrators, Samantha Blackburn

Dissertations

Despite a well-documented need for school health programs (SHPs) among school children who have chronic conditions, require medically complex interventions at school, or experience socio-emotional health issues, there is little school health funding in California. There is limited research on the role of those who manage SHPs.

This qualitative study investigated the work of a selected group of school health administrators (SHAs) in California. Study aims were to explore SHA job pathways and responsibilities, the contextual factors influencing their work, and how they get their work done given limited funding for SHPs.

Development And Testing Of A Measure Of Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care, Lee A. Schmidt

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to test an empirically derived measure of patient satisfaction with nursing care. Existing measures of this important phenomenon lack adequate validity and a strong theoretical base. A grounded theory study was completed with patients discharged from medical surgical units of a tertiary care facility.

Perceived Political Styles Of School Board Members And The Strategies Superintendents Employ To Work With Them, Roni Jones

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to identify and describe perceived political styles of school board members and the strategies superintendents employ to work with them.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study analyzed quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to answer the research questions in regard to the political styles of exemplary rural elementary superintendents and school boards and the political strategies superintendents use to engage with their school board members.

Findings: Examination of mixed methods data from the five school districts participating in this study indicated a variety of findings. The major strategies exemplary …

The Experience Of Violence And Help-Seeking Among Mothers Of Adult Chronically Mentally Ill Individuals, Darcy A. Copeland

Dissertations

Mothers of mentally ill adults are frequently primary caretakers. If mentally ill individuals become violent, mothers are most often victims. In their role as primary caretakers, mothers are knowledgeable regarding their children's illnesses. They are also familiar with the mental health system, including criteria for involuntary hospitalization. Mothers can identify signs of decompensation in their mentally ill children and recognize their need for hospitalization. They cannot, however, always access mental health treatment due to their children's refusal and/or not meeting legal criteria for involuntary hospitalization. This is problematic, particularly for mothers whose mentally ill, adult children have a history of …

The Perfect Storm: Unexpected Birthing Experiences And Perinatal Mood Disorders, Joanne G. Goldbort

Dissertations

Intrapartum nurses play a significant role in shaping the lived experience of a woman's birth. Examining the lived experience of women's birth can serve as a critical component in nursing practice as a means to improve patient care outcomes with regards to the development of a perinatal mood disorder. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine women's unexpected birth experience in order to ascertain what contributions from these women's stories might be made to enhance nursing care. Husserl's descriptive phenomenology was the qualitative research design used to examine women's unexpected birth experience, defined as any or all of …

Families' Perceptions On Immunodeficiency Virus Hiv/Aids Phenomenon And Its Impact On Family Functioning Of Puerto Rican Families With Children: A Grounded Approach, Marta Rivero-Mendez

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to generate a detailed description of Puerto Rican families' perceptions of their experiences and processes of functioning when the HIV/AIDS phenomenon is present in the family unit. The sample consisted of six family units composed of 29 members who were followed for seven months. A grounded theory approach framed within the symbolic interactionism perspective was followed to answer the research questions and to generate a substantive theory of family functioning. Data were collected, coded, and analyzed concurrently using the method of comparative analysis.

Factors That Influence Contraceptive Decision-Making In African American Women, An Intergenerational Perspective, Allyssa L. Harris

Dissertations

African American women represent a unique group of women in the United States and have a long history of lack of reproductive freedom. Slavery and forced procreation, sterilization abuses, the Eugenics movement, and federally mandated contraception have all impacted on African American women's independence in contraceptive decision-making. Given this population's history, it is important for healthcare providers to understand African American women's contraceptive decision-making, as women often seek their guidance. The purpose of this dissertation research was to discover the intergenerational influences on African American women's contraceptive decision-making. The specific aims of this study were to: (1) develop an understanding …

Dysmenorrhea And Related Factors In Taiwanese Adolescent Girls, I-Chen Lu

Dissertations

The purpose of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to validate the factors that are related to dysmenorrhea in Taiwanese adolescents. The specific aims were to describe the perceived dysmenorrhea pain symptom experience (SE), related self-care strategies (SCS), and perceived effectiveness of self-care strategies (PESS); to explore the relationships between SE, SCS, and PESS; and to explore the influence of contextual factors on SE, SCS, and PESS. A conceptual framework based on the revised Symptom Management Model was developed and guided this study.

Patient Satisfaction With Postpartum Teaching Methods Used By Nurses, Debra L. Wagner

Dissertations

Background. Maternity nurses have a responsibility to provide extensive teaching to new mothers after they deliver their babies prior to discharge from the hospital. Since patient satisfaction is an important indicator of nursing care quality, it is incumbent upon nurses to know which method of discharge teaching enhances satisfaction.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between new mothers' interaction with nurses using different methods to provide postpartum discharge teaching and their satisfaction with nursing care. The relationship between new mothers' background variables and the level of their satisfaction with nurses' teaching methods was also explored. …

The Process Of Adoptive Parenting, Julie A. Luetschwager

Dissertations

Nurses assist families as they shift and change over their lifecycle. Maternity nurses work closely with biological families as they integrate the infant into the family unit; however, the nurse's role with adoptive families focuses on caring separately for the birth mother and the infant being relinquished for adoption. This study seeks to describe the process of adoptive parenting from the perspective of the adoptive parent. An exploratory field design based on grounded theory methodology was used.

Revisiting Rural Crime: The Contributions Of Labor Markets And Interdependency, Kristina J. Thompson

Dissertations

Although rural communities – which are home to nearly 20 percent of the U.S. – have experienced disruptive labor market restructuring, few studies examine how such events influence rural crime. Moreover, general methodological approaches to rural crime treat rural places as isolated and unaffected by the broader labor market conditions around them, despite a growing body of sociological literature which suggests that urban and rural communities have varying degrees of interdependence. Drawing from urban crime theories emphasizing the importance of place and systemic relations, this dissertation explores how shifting labor market conditions and extra-local labor market opportunities influenced crime in …

Taxonomy Of Nursing Clinical Credibility As Described By Nurses And Physicians, Claudia Disabatino Smith

Dissertations

Nursing clinical credibility, a complex, abstract concept is rarely mentioned in the clinical setting, but is implicitly understood by nurses and physicians. The concept has neither been defined nor explored, despite its repeated use in literature. A review of the extant literature formed the basis for a concept analysis of nursing clinical credibility, which is currently under review for publication.

Navigating Troubled Waters: Chronic Illness Experience In A Health Care Crisis, Sally Thorne

Dissertations

This dissertation chronicles the complexity of chronic illness experience in a western biomedically-oriented health care system. It combines an exhaustive description of what it is like to be chronically ill in the current social context with an analysis of the implications of health care service delivery structures and ideologies for shaping that experience. In so doing, it applies an account of the chronic illness experience toward an understanding of some inherent flaws underlying modern health care delivery systems. The methodology for this research applies secondary analysis to an extensive data base derived from indepth qualitative investigations of chronically ill individuals …