Digital Commons Network^™

How Exemplary Rural Superintendents Build Trust With And Between School Board Members, Edwin Cora

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to identify and describe what strategies exemplary rural superintendents perceive as most important to build trust with school board members using the five domains of competence, consistency, concern, candor, and connection.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed-methods case study combined both quantitative and qualitative approaches, also known as an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study. Numerical data (quantitative), through use of a survey, were used to provide the researcher a broad perspective on how exemplary superintendents build trust with and between school board members. Also, narrative data (qualitative), in the form of select …

The Effect Of Emotional Intelligence And Adversity Intelligence On Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, Career And Interpersonal Success Among Chinese Adults, Yuyang Zhao

Dissertations

Few studies examine the comprehensive effect of EQ and AQ on mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, anger, positive automatic thoughts), life satisfaction, career success (i.e., job position and organizational commitment), and interpersonal success (i.e., interpersonal sensitivity and empty). By conducing two studies, totally 512 Chinese adults were recruited. Results from the multiple regression analysis revealed that part of EQ (i.e., regulation of emotion) and AQ (i.e., consistency of interest and acceptance of self and life) negatively predicted depression; whereas part of EQ (i.e., utilization of emotion) and AQ (i.e., personal competence) positively predicted depression. All aspects of EQ were not …

Leadership In Corrections: An Examination Of Leadership In California Prisons, Julia Ann Munoz

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine leadership perceptions within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), as well as determine if a statistical different existed between leaders’ self-perceptions and employees’ perception of leader.

Methodology: The study employed a quantitative approach to gather data regarding leaders’ self-perception of their leadership skills and employees’ perceptions of leaders’ skills as measured by the Transformational Leadership Skills Inventory (TLSi). A total of 142 participants from three southern California prisons completed the survey items to yield results. Research Questions 1 and 2 included descriptive statistics to determine the leaders’ self-perceived leadership …

The Muzzling Of The Sheepdog: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of The Impacts Of Media Reporting On Police Officer Performance, Christopher Landavazo

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to understand:

Questions 1 and 2: How do police officers in major metropolitan law enforcement organizations experiencing crime spikes since 2008 perceive the impacts of the media coverage on them personally/professionally?

Questions 3 and 4: Is there a significant difference about the perception of how media coverage impacts patrol officers personally and professionally in major cities experiencing crime spikes since 2008 based on gender/race?

Methodology. The study used a phenomenological mixed-methods case study approach collecting both quantitative and qualitative data.

Findings. An analysis of the data resulted in ten major findings …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Leaders In Investor-Owned Utilities In California On Managing Organizational Change Initiatives, Maria Liza Legaspi

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study employing in-depth interviews was to identify the strategies and practices executive leaders and midlevel managers of investor-owned utilities (IOUs) perceive are effective in creating employee acceptance and support of organizational change and to identify the supports and barriers executive leaders and midlevel managers perceive as affecting employee acceptance or resistance to organizational change in IOUs.

Methodology: A qualitative research design enabled the capture of deeper thoughts and insights of executive leaders and midlevel managers of 4 IOUs in California. The study delved into the strategies and practices used by IOUs that are perceived …

The Lived Experiences And Perceived Challenges Of Young Arab Muslim Females With The Hijab In Southern California In The Contemporary Era, Sepideh Baniani

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and perceived challenges of Southern California Arab Muslim females who wear the Islamic head covering (18–40 years old) in the contemporary era.

Methodology: A phenomenological approach was utilized to capture the essence of the participants’ lived experiences while identifying the researcher as the instrument. Data collection was through in-depth, phenomenological, semistructured, and face-to-face interviews with 12 participants who were Arab, Muslim, female, wear the hijab, between 18 and 40 years old, and lived in Southern California.

Findings: This study revealed Arab hijabi women generally feel safe and …

Complexities Of Clery Act Reporting Requirements As Related To Non-Compliance: Perceptions Of Compliance Officials At Midwest Higher Education Institutions, William R. Kenny

Dissertations

Violent crimes and sexual assaults on higher education campuses in the United States has been an ongoing for decades. In 1990, Congress enacted the Jeanne Clery Act in to enhance the safety of students by requiring higher education institutions to publish their crime statistics and security policies in the form on an Annual Security Report (Fox, Khey, Lizotte, & Nobles, 2012; Richards & Kafonek 2013). Previous research revealed the Clery Act’s many requirements are confusing and open to interpretation, which has prevented higher education institutions from maintaining compliance (Wood & Janosik, 2012). This study investigates the complexities of Clery Act …

A Mixed-Method Study Evaluating English Second Language Student Classroom Placement At The Secondary Level In A Midwest Public School, Corbin Kreamalmeyer

Dissertations

English second language (ESL) learners have been present in the United States public schools for decades. While the identification and procedures for entering students into an ESL program have improved throughout the years, there still seems to be a lack of understanding of academic backgrounds and program support for these students with unique educational backgrounds and languages. Instructional techniques for ESL students have varied widely, but there has not been a common consensus on which technique to utilize with secondary ESL students. Placement of ESL students has proved to be a difficult task in districts with limited options and often …

G.I. Jane Fem Etran Goes Corporate: An Exploration Of Post-9/11 Female Combat Veterans Transitioning To A Civilian Career, Tumona Austin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore the experiences of post- 9/11 female combat veterans transitioning from military service to civilian careers, using the Schlossberg transition model factors of situation, self, social support, and strategies.

Methodology: This multiple-case study identified and interviewed post-9/11 female combat veterans transitioning from active-duty to civilian career. Respondents were purposively chosen based on specific criteria and expert panel recommendations.

Findings: Examination of case-study interview data and artifacts from the 3 post-9/11 female combat veterans indicated nine major findings:

1. The factor of situation clearly outweighed the other Schlossberg factors in impact.

2. …

The Attitudes And Learning Styles Of Adult Learners To E-Instruction Of The Spanish Language, Brian Santos

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between adult learner attitudes toward technology and learning style. A sample of community college Spanish students in a Midwestern city in the United States was surveyed to determine (a) an attitude score toward Spanish E-Instruction based on the Lukow ATUTS (Attitudes toward Using Technology Survey) and (b) a learning style measured by the Kolb LSI (Learning Style Inventory). The majority of participants (n = 151) were aged 18-29 (95%), used between one and five software programs on a daily basis (88%), spent at least 11 hours a week online (88%), and reported an "Accommodating" …

Conversational Leadership Behaviors Of Exemplary Unified School District Superintendents, Jacqueline A. Cardenas

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors that exemplary unified school district superintendents practice to lead their organizations through conversation using Groysberg and Slind’s (2012b) 4 elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, and intentionality.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological inquiry methodology to study the behaviors of 10 unified school district superintendents in Southern California. Semistructured interviews followed a peer researcher-developed guide and were used in conjunction with observations and artifacts to learn about the lived experiences and perspectives of conversational leadership. Data collection and analysis was facilitated by NVivo software to …

Cognitive Function In Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy, Catherine E. Jansen

Dissertations

Recent studies suggest that standard dose chemotherapy (CTX) may cross the blood-brain barrier. However, the evidence for CTX-induced cognitive impairments in breast cancer patients is inconsistent.

Purposes. (1) to describe the literature about CTX-induced cognitive impairments in women with breast cancer; (2) to review the domains of cognitive function and their corresponding neuroanatomic structures as well as present current evidence for neurotoxicity associated with specific CTX agents and potential mechanisms for CTX-induced cognitive impairments; (3) to estimate the effect sizes for the effect of CTX on each domain of cognitive function; (4) to determine the sensitivity of neuropsychological tests which …

The Assessment Of The Mother-Newborn Interaction, Jeanne T. Grace

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between individual differences in mother-newborn interactional contingency and individual differences in three month postpartum measures of infant competence, perceived maternal role attainment and interactional contingency for a group (n = 72) of disadvantaged adolescent and young adult mothers.

Predictors Of Health Maintenance Behavior Of Young Adults With Cystic Fibrosis, Judith Kimchi-Woods

Dissertations

The purpose of this ex-post facto study was to explore the relationships between health locus of control (HLOC) characteristics, family type, and health maintenance behaviors of young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). A criterion sample of 143 young adults with CF, ages 18-28 years, was drawn from ten CF centers in the Midwest. The group's FEV1 ranged from 21% predicted to 115% predicted. A comparison group of healthy individuals was obtained by convenience sampling from a large Midwestern university (power analysis =.94). Four instruments were administered to each subject in both groups: The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (HLOC); FACES …

Explication Of The Meaning Of Reminiscence For The Elderly Living In The Community, Roberta Claire Cavendish

Dissertations

Human beings have the distinct capacity to reminisce. Reminiscence is a function of memory and memories are autobiographical. Studying memory expanded an understanding of the phenomenon. Although reminiscence occurs in all age groups, special significance has been attributed to its meaning in this population. This area has yet to be studied. Using a semi-structured interview technique, eight participants, six females and two males were asked to describe reminiscing. The data were analyzed using a qualitative methodology.

The Effect Of Two Tube-Feeding Protocols On Bacterial Contamination And Diarrhea In Icu Patients, Lynda J. Davidson

Dissertations

Diarrhea, a serious outcome for patients, commonly occurs following institution of enteral feeding. One suggested etiology for the problem is bacterial contamination of the enteral feeding solution. The purpose of this study was to extend previous pilot research on the occurrence of bacterial contamination and diarrhea in tube-fed ICU patients by comparing two enteral feeding protocols. The protocols compared were the routine hospital protocol vs an aseptic protocol for the preparation and maintenance of enteral nutrition. A convenience sample of 63 ICU patients, who met the inclusion criteria, were followed from the first day of enteral feeding to the fourth …

How Latinas Come To Know About Aids And Aids Prevention, Patricia Walker Caudle

Dissertations

By the year 2000, Latinos will become the largest minority group in the United States. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is occurring at a disproportionately high rate among Latinos. As care-giver and health decision-maker in the family, the Latina needs to know about AIDS and AIDS prevention. This research identified and offers an explanation of how the Latina comes to know about AIDS and AIDS prevention within the context of the family and the Latino culture. Grounded theory methodology was used to explore the complex socialization patterns within the Latino community that affect how the Latina perceives HIV/AIDS. Data were collected …

The Experience Of Chief Nurses In Military Operations Other Than War, Martha H. Turner

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to describe the experience of chief nurses in military operations other than war. The study is significant to the profession because nurses will continue to provide care in humanitarian operations, peacekeeping missions and disaster relief efforts. Inquiry into the experience will lead to an understanding of the foundations of the global caregiving community. Hermeneutic phenomenology provided a description and thematic interpretation of the meaning of the experience. Purposeful sampling yielded thirteen participants, eleven women and two men. Duration of the deployments ranged from 3-7 months. Sites included Saudi Arabia, Oman, Panama, Cuba, Somalia, Guam, …

Clinical Research Ethics And Pediatric Hiv Infection, John G. Twomey

Dissertations

This research study investigates the views of a select group of people about the ethics involved in the conduct of clinical research that uses children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus as subjects. Physician and nurse researchers, Institutional Review Board members, and parents of children with HIV were interviewed using an open-ended interview structure.

Ethical Issues Experienced By Primary Care Nurse Practitioners Caring For Vulnerable Patients In Nursing Centers, Susan M. Beidler

Dissertations

Primary care nurse practitioners (NPs), working in nursing centers, frequently care for vulnerable patients who are at increased risk for poor health outcomes and diminished quality of life. Risk and marginalization compound vulnerability and create the context for a variety of ethical issues. Daily exposure to ethical issues leads NPs to become frustrated and stressed. This study explored the ethical issues experienced by primary care NPs caring for vulnerable patients in nursing centers and how they handled these issues. A naturalistic inquiry using a multiple, embedded case study design with cross-case analysis was used.

Descriptive To Substantive Representation: A Study Of Gender Quotas In The National Assembly Of Pakistan, 2002-2018, Ameena Zia

Dissertations

Women’s political representation is linked to the empowerment of women in society. In efforts to alleviate women’s disenfranchisement from the political discourse, the international development framework included gender quotas as mechanisms to facilitate an increase in the presence of women in parliaments. Existing research has examined the link between Hanna F. Pitkin’s conceptualization of descriptive representation and substantive representation with a focus on performative measures of women parliamentarians. This longitudinal study expands the scope of existing inquiry and captures the transformational change in power relations as an outcome of the increase in women members of parliaments. This research provides an …

Examining The Effects Of Brain Education On Employee Stress Management, Work Performance, Relationships, And Well-Being, Ericka Crawford

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify, examine, and describe the lived experience of employees who received Brain Education training in the areas of stress management, work performance, relationships, and well-being.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study utilized semi-structured interviews to collect data from employees trained in Brain Education. Employees were purposefully chosen based on specific criteria, including those trained in Brain Education for at least three months, worked for organizations that employee more than 20 people, and were located in California.

Findings: Analysis of the data showed 10 major findings across 29 major themes and 76 associated codes. …

The Effects Of Service-Learning On Middle School Students’ Personal Growth, Social Growth, And Citizenship, Kae C. Saelee-Hiraoka

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe and explain middle school administrators’, teachers’, and coordinators’ observations and knowledge of the effect of service-learning on students’ personal growth, social growth, and civic engagement.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative study based its findings on in-depth interviews, transcripts, and participant artifacts. Six middle school administrators and eight teachers, and coordinators located in Tulare County, California utilizing service-learning in the 2017-2018 school year, or prior, were interviewed. An interview script, which was developed using the research questions, was used to elicit administrators’, teachers’, and coordinators’ observations and knowledge pertaining to the …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of How Elementary Principals Build Trust With Staff Using Weisman's Five Domains Of Trust Model, Cynthia Smith-Ough

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify and describe how elementary principals establish trust with staff using the 5 domains of trust: connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency (Weisman, 2010). In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine the elementary principals’ perceived degree of importance of the 5 domains for building trust.

Methodology: This mixed-methods research design used quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the research questions related to trust between elementary principals and their staff. The study combined surveys and in-person interviews. The quantitative data were gathered via a 10-question online Likert Scale …

Application Of The Picoloyl Group In Carbohydrate Chemistry, Michael Mannino

Dissertations

Stereocontrol of glycosylation reactions is a constant struggle in the field of synthetic carbohydrate chemistry. The application of the picoloyl (Pico) substituent can offer numerous stereocontrolling avenues. The most popular application is the Hydrogen-bond-mediated Aglycone Delivery (HAD) method that provides excellent selectivity in the glycosylation of a variety of sugar substrates. The HAD method relies on the formation of an intermolecular hydrogen bond between the nitrogen atom of the Pico substituent on the glycosyl donor with the hydroxyl group of the glycosyl acceptor. This interaction provides a facial preference for the nucleophilic attack and hence provides powerful stereocontrol for the …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of The Workshop Model And Sri Scores In The Middle School Setting, Kelly Manning

Dissertations

The workshop method of teaching in English Language Arts classrooms allowed teachers to be student-centered. Through the method, teachers taught for a specific amount of time and focused on one skill. Students always received independent reading time during the class period. In this mixed-methods study, the researcher investigated the use of the workshop method of teaching and growth in Lexile scores with middle school students. The study began January 2017 and took place in a suburban school district encompassing three middle schools. Thirteen middle school English Language Arts teachers chose to participate and 1,180 student scores were analyzed. The researcher …

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Of The Pilot Program Paws For Reading In A Midwest Public Library, Marie T. Baine

Dissertations

This was an evaluation of the pilot program Paws for Reading along with other children’s programs ages 5-11 or Kindergarten through fifth grade, according to their mission in a Midwest public library setting. Public libraries were incorporating more programming into the schedules for the benefit of the patrons and growing communities. In this mixedmethods study, the researcher created instruments including a survey, questionnaire, and observation form to evaluate library programming. The library patrons, staff, and managers gave their opinions about the children’s programs provided by the library and the Pilot Program Paws for Reading. Questions included preference in library schedule, …

Exploring The Experience Of Benefit Finding In Parents Of Children With Cancer: A Grounded Theory Study, Carol E. Zogran

Dissertations

The diagnosis of cancer in a child is one of the most significant stressors a parent can experience, and research in the area of stress-related effects of illness on parents has emerged in many areas. The majority of studies have focused on the potential or actual negative impact on parents during and after treatment of their child's illness. However, studies that initially set out to explore the difficulties associated with coping with childhood cancer found that parents often reported positive aspects about the experience. There is now increasing interest and support for the study of "positive-health" factors that contribute to …

Using African Cultural And Liberating Concepts, Sean Nichols

Dissertations

Abstract The purpose of this autoethnography is to explore the impact on learning for a delineated cultural and ethnographic student population when the instructional process is interwoven with a plethora of student-reflective cultural and ethnic information and knowledge gained through the process of in plethora of knowledge and valuable information of retelling rich stories of students, parents, teachers, and stakeholders conveyed from an emancipatory perspective. I believe that these stories can assist in improving the educational conditions of children of African descent in the United States and the diaspora. Throughout my life, I have wondered about the absence of my …

Indices Of Attachment In Elderly Women Who Are Not Mentally Compromised Residing In Nursing Homes, Kay Lynn Foland

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to take the concept of attachment as it has been developed in the literature of early childhood, extend it to the world of the elderly, and to describe the feelings and behaviors of attachment reported by elderly women residing in nursing homes. Bowlby's theory that attachments do not end in childhood, but endure throughout the life-span, served as the organizing framework for this descriptive exploratory study. An open-ended questionnaire was developed to determine the feelings of attachment and attachment behaviors in the sample.