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Family Experiences With Long-Term Childhood Technology Dependence: An Interpretive Interactionist Approach, Maureen O'Brien

Dissertations

Increased numbers of children who are technology-dependent are now being cared for at home by parents and other caregivers. However, there is inadequate understanding of the daily lives of families who care for technology-dependent children at home and how these families manage over time. The purpose of this descriptive, naturalistic study was to explore the meaning of and factors involved in the long-term home care of a child who is technology-dependent from the family's point of view using an interpretive interactionist approach (Denzin, 1989). The sensitizing theoretical framework for the study was Kazak's (1986, 1989, 1992) systems and social-ecological model.

Exploring Workplace Spirituality And The Benefit It Has On Teams, Tracey Kimberly Johnson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the perception of nonprofit leaders on how spirituality in the workplace fosters a positive workplace culture.

Methodology: In this phenomenological qualitative study, data were collected using interviews of 12 nonprofit leaders. The essential data collection method for this study was in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interview questions, key informant interviews, and pilot study data interviews. After the data were collected and transcribed, the coding process began, and themes were identified.

Findings: The research on spirituality in the workplace and spiritual intelligence of nonprofit leaders has been completed. There is still …

The Influence Of Stressful Life Events On The Development Of Type 2 Diabetes, Joshua Minks

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between distress and the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the presence of established risk factors. Distress secondary to mental health disparities, stressful life events, and work conditions has been shown to promote insulin resistance and the development of T2DM.

Subjects (N=79) diagnosed with T2DM within the previous six months were recruited from SSM Health Centers and VA Medical Centers in the greater St. Louis area. They completed the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, and a demographic survey and analyses were conducted to determine differences between the veteran …

Crisis Leadership And Management Of Superintendents During The 2017-18 California Wildfires, Dianna Kitamura

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods heuristic research study was to discover how school superintendents described their crisis leadership and management experiences during the 2017-2018 wildfires in California through the lens of the Five Critical Tasks of Strategic Crisis Leadership framework of sense making, meaning making, decision-making and coordination, learning, accounting (Boin, 't Hart, Stern, & Sundelius, 2017). Additionally, this study determined the extent to which school superintendents identify their use of the Five Critical Tasks of Strateby Dianna W. Kitamuragic Crisis Leadership framework.

Methodology: This explanatory, sequential mixed methods heuristic research study investigated a quantitative survey and qualitative …

Building A Social Identity: Peer-To-Peer Sexual Harassment In Adolescents, Denise Giannascoli Link

Dissertations

Peer-to-peer sexual harassment is pervasive in secondary schools and is responsible for a number of health effects such as sleeplessness, loss of self-esteem and depression, as well as other negative educational and social effects (AAUW, 1993; Morrisey, 1995; PCSW, 1995; vanRoosmalen & McDaniel, 1998). As a behavior that is learned, the incidence of peer-to-peer sexual harassment may be reduced through interventions aimed at changing inappropriate and harmful behavior. The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the basic social psychological process that induces and perpetuates peer-to-peer sexual harassment in adolescents. In order to achieve this goal, it was …

A Psychometric Analysis Of The Self-Report Of Labor Pain, Nancy K. Lowe

Dissertations

This non-experimental, field study investigated the reliability and validity of the postpartum recall of labor pain, and the relationships between pain and a number of selected antecedent, intervening, and labor related phenomena.

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Cutaneous Stimulation And Distraction On Children's Perceptions Of Injection Pain, Laurie G. Sparks

Dissertations

Research has shown that children fear injections and perceive them as painful. Virtually all children experience injections through immunizations, and, therefore, methods to decrease injection pain could have widespread results. This study examined the effects of two nursing interventions on injection pain in preschool children: distraction and cutaneous stimulation. A quasi-experimental design was employed to test the interventions. The study was guided by Roy's adaptation theory of nursing and the gate-control theory of pain.

College Student Risk Behavior: The Implications Of Religiosity And Impulsivity, Mary A. Cazzell

Dissertations

College student risk-taking among 18 to 21 years olds includes smoking cigarettes, binge drinking, casual sex with multiple partners, automobile accidents due to risky driving or driving under the influence, and substance use. Among 10 to 24 year olds, 72% of all fatalities result from automobile accidents, unintended injuries, homicide, and suicide. Since not all college students participate in risk behaviors, protective factors such as religiosity may be a protective social or psychological buffer that supports positive relationships and moral order. Impulsivity, an inability to squelch inappropriate thoughts or actions, is associated with the later development (in the mid-twenties) of …

Factors Influencing Prefatory Maternal Response In The Primigravida, Leslie H. Nicoll

Dissertations

A prospective survey with two data collection periods was conducted to test a theoretical model deductively derived from a conceptual system suggested by Rubin (1967a, 1967b, 1984). A sample of 123 primigravid women were recruited from 5 sites in the greater Portland, Maine area. Study subjects completed six questionnaires: (a) the Self-Coherence Survey; (b) the Hassles Scale; (c) the Uplifts Scale; (d) the Health Responses Scale; (e) the Support Behaviors Inventory; and (f) the Psychosocial Health Reproductive Tool. Data were analyzed by path analysis and correlated t-tests.

The Clinical Reasoning Of Expert Acute Care Registered Nurses In Pre-Cardiopulmonary Arrest Events, Alyce S. Ashcraft

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) identify the clinical reasoning processes of expert acute care Registered Nurses (RNs) in pre-cardiopulmonary arrest events using empiric indicators and to (b) make inferences about the expert acute care RN's reasoning processes during pre-cardiopulmonary arrest events.

Exploring The Perceptions Of Parents On Parent Involvement In County Community School Students’ Academic Achievement, Maria Haro

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand and explain how parents perceive parent engagement affects high school academic achievement within county operated community schools in Riverside County California. An additional purpose of the study was to understand and explain actions parents believe are necessary to increase parent engagement within county community schools in Riverside County.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perspectives of 16 parents who had students attending County Community Schools in California. The research focused on parent engagement and the actions necessary to involve parents in their children’s education. The researcher in conjunction …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Teachers And Principals On Parent Involvement In County Community School Students’ Academic Achievement, Sandra Luz Hernandez-Monreal

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand and explain how teachers and principals perceive how parent engagement affects high school academic achievement within county operated community schools in Riverside County California. An additional purpose of the study was to understand and explain actions that teachers and principals believe are necessary to increase parent engagement within county operated community schools in Riverside County.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perspectives of 13 teachers and seven principals in county community schools on parent engagement and the actions necessary to involve parents in their children’s education. The researcher …

A Dynamic Approach To Understanding Immigration, Ethnicity And Violent Crime In Chicago Communities, Saundra Trujillo

Dissertations

Once again, politically-driven events in the United States have brought the relationship between immigration and crime to the forefront in public, political, and academic discourses. Yet, despite proclamations made by a key U.S. political figure claiming that immigrants, specifically Mexican immigrants, are “bringing drugs...[and] bringing crime” (Trump, 2015) to U.S. communities, criminological research consistently finds that there is either an inverse relationship between immigration and crime- or no relationship at all (see Ousey and Kubrin, 2017 and National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, 2015 for review). Moreover, with decades of research on the relationship between immigration and crime, this …

Human Trafficking Identification Among Nurse Practitioner Students During Objective Structured Clinical Examinations, Zoe Onyun

Dissertations

Problem: Human trafficking (HT) is a significant worldwide and domestic issue affecting all ages, races, and genders resulting in over 40 million victims globally. Nurse practitioners (NP) often unknowingly come into contact with victims of HT, however, few NP’s have had formal education on the topic and may fail to recognize signs and risk factors. The purpose of this study was to initiate HT training for NP students.

Methods: A quality improvement (QI) initiative for a university college of nursing (CON) utilizing a prospective, observational, descriptive, cohort design. A plan-do-study-act (PDSA) methodology was implemented. A written case study given …

Leading With Trust: A Phenomenological Study Of The Strategies Leaders In Certified B Corporations Use To Build Trust With Their Employees, Victoria Wodarczyk

Dissertations

Purpose:The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how senior management leaders of certified B Corporations (B Corps) build trust with employees, using the 5 domains of connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency.

Methodology:Aqualitative phenomenological approach was used in this study to explore how senior leaders of certified B Corps build trust with their employees using The Values Institute (TVI; Weisman, 2016) trust framework and the accompanying domains of connection, concern, candor, competence, and consistency. Participants were purposely chosen based on study criteria of a senior management leader in a certified B Corp including leadership for at …

Public Policy Regarding Infant Mortality: Rhetorical Criticism Of The Mass Media, Joanne Rains Warner

Dissertations

Nurses interested in impacting the formation of policy must understand the multiple factors which influence the process. Mass communication is one important factor because it influences the creation and transmission of political realities. Rhetorical criticism was the methodology used to analyze the persuasive powers of the mass communication, and thereby provide insights into the policy formation process. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the rhetorical strategies of mass communication regarding the issue of infant mortality. The strategies were illuminated within the political context of Indiana's 1988 and 1989 legislative years, and related to legislative activities surrounding legislation which …

The Role Of Courage In The Experience Of Patients With Diabetes Complications, Patricia Donohue-Porter

Dissertations

Over ten million Americans have diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disease with multiple complications. The person with diabetes complications may experience progressive debilitation from such serious conditions as blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage and cardiovascular disease. These complications are progressive and life-threatening, requiring treatments which may be painful, exhausting and often unsuccessful. The patients have multiple tasks to perform in order to cope with this devastating physical illness. They are thrust into a unique emotional experience which has not been investigated by nurses. The experience necessitates drawing upon patients' inner resources. Nursing research into their experience is essential. In an …

Academic Achievement And Participation In Out-Of-School Educational Robotics Competitions For High School Latino/A Students In Southern California, Jesus Ulloa-Higuera

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in academic performance in mathematics as measured by class grades between high school Latino/a students in Southern California who participated two consecutive years in robotics competitions and high school Latino/a students who did not participate. A secondary purpose was to examine the difference in mathematics academic performance between Latino and Latina students who participated in robotics competitions. A third and final purpose was to describe the experiences of Latino/a college students who participated in robotics competitions and how those experiences influenced their interest in pursuing a STEM college …

Family Health In The Families Of The Young Chronically Mentally Ill, Mary Molewyk-Doornbos

Dissertations

Although the family plays a major role in the care of young adults with serious and persistent mental illness, there has been limited research on the impact of these ongoing caregiving responsibilities on the health of the family unit itself. The specific objective of the study was to explore the relationship of family stressors, family coping, family perception of the client's level of health, and time since diagnosis of mental illness to the outcome of family health. In so doing, it also sought to empirically test a middle range theory that was deduced from King's Open System's Model. A predictive, …

Culturally Responsive School Leadership: How Principals Use Culturally Responsive Leadership Strategies To Develop Engaging And Inclusive School Environments For All Students, Cherilynne Hollowell

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic investigation was to identify and describe culturally responsive leadership practices and strategies principals of Title I high schools, in suburban contexts, of the Inland Empire in Southern California use to develop schools that engage and include all students.

Methodology: This qualitative study identified and described the practices and strategies of 15 Inland Empire principals of Title I comprehensive high schools in Southern California, used to develop schools that engage and include all students, particularly students that have been historically and traditionally marginalized. Participants were purposively chosen based on specific criteria. The researcher collected data …

A Methodological Study Of Self-Disclosure In Chronically Ill Patients, Jean M. Dedonder

Dissertations

The purpose of this methodological study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the DeDonder Self-Disclosure Questionnaire. DeDonder's conceptual framework of patient self-disclosure was the organizing framework.

Predictors Of Quality Of Life In The Chronic Hemodialysis Patient, Pamela B. Simmons

Dissertations

This was a descriptive, correlational, predictive study designed to investigate the relationships between treatment-related stress, satisfaction with nursing care, and depression in the chronic hemodialysis patient and to determine which were predictive of quality of life (QoL). Demographic variables and selected clinical indicators were also assessed for their ability to predict QoL.

The Use Of Guided Imagery To Enhance Power For Smoking Behavior Change, Christine A. Wynd

Dissertations

Cigarette smoking is known to be a risk factor in several fatal disease syndromes. Despite increasing knowledge of the danger, thirty-one percent of all Americans continue to smoke (Thornberry et al., 1986). Individual responsibility for behavioral change is indicated for successful, long-term smoking abstinence. However, there is need for continued systematic study of interventions which assist clients in their pursuit of healthier lifestyle change. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of guided imagery for enhancing client power relevant to smoking behavior change.

Determinants Of Psychological Well-Being In Immigrants, Kimberly A. Christopher

Dissertations

Immigration accounts for nearly half of US population growth in the past 20 years. This trend is expected to continue. To improve the nursing care of this vulnerable group, investigations have focused on clinical issues related to the increased incidence of physical and mental health problems, culturally specific health belief models and self-care practices, and how the resettlement experience effects psychosocial adjustment. Analyses have identified key demographic and migration characteristics, coping resources, and perceptions of life circumstances which influence immigrant health and psychological well-being. However, the association between such factors has not been explored nor has the relative importance of …

Vicarious Experience: A Source Of Self-Efficacy For Birth, Cynthia L. Farley

Dissertations

Vicarious experiences constitute a source of information regarding self-efficacy for the task of giving birth. What influence does the vicarious experience of witnessing birth have on the childbirth self-efficacy of pregnant women anticipating their first birth? Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this nonexperimental study that compared pregnant, nulliparous women who had a prior live modeling vicarious birth experience with women who had not had this experience on self-efficacy percepts for labor and birth. Selected antepartal, intrapartal, and postpartal variables were examined.

African-American, Hispanic, And Caucasian Parents' Perception And Management Of Chronically Ill Children In The Home, Patricia D. Joffe

Dissertations

Advances in technology and knowledge have contributed to a growing population of children with chronic illness. Nurses caring for chronically ill children and their families in the home environment have witnessed a rapid increase in the occurrence and complexity of care that children receive at home. A challenge for pediatric nurses is to develop, teach, and deliver health care that is sensitive to a multicultural population. There is a lack of research regarding the experience of caring for a chronically ill child from a cultural perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine how African-American, Hispanic, and Caucasian families …

Exploring Older Adults' Perceptions Of The Utility And Ease Of The Use Of Personal Emergency Response Systems, Patrica Ann Mclean

Dissertations

The aim of this study was to explore and describe perceptions of the utility and ease of use of a personal emergency response system (PERS) among older adults who are aging in place. Research Question: "What is the meaning of a PERS use for functionally impaired older adults?"

Masters In Nursing Students' Experiences As A Member Of A Virtual Classroom On The Internet, Carla L. Mueller

Dissertations

There is a growing demand for masters prepared nurses to meet the health care needs of the population. However, adult students find that multiple role responsibilities make it difficult to participate in the leisurely pace of the youth-centered model of traditional higher education. Courses in virtual classrooms on the Internet have been established to provide more convenient access to graduate nursing education. However, few attempts at systematically investigating and rigorously assessing the experiences of graduate students involved in courses in virtual classrooms on the Internet have been published. Disciplined investigation of students' experiences is warranted in order to fully explore …

Meaning Makers: A Mixed-Method Case Study Of Exemplary Small Business Owner Leaders And The Strategies They Use To Create Personal And Organizational Meaning, Margaret S. Ohlhaver

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this replication of a thematic, mixed-method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that small business owner leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration.

Methodology. Qualitative interviews with exemplary small business owners were conducted to capture their insights on how they used behaviors associated with character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration to create personal and organizational meaning. In a quantitative survey, followers of each small business owner leader participants were asked to assess how important each of the variable behaviors were …

A Qualitative Self-Study Of Educational Philosophy Within The Context Of A Structured Educational Framework, Tiffany Young

Dissertations

This study came about as the result of my belief that my philosophy as an educator was no longer in alignment with that of the school district in which I taught. As a result, I decided to conduct a self-study that incorporated my own reflections of myself and my teaching, as well as those of my then-current and previous colleagues and thencurrent and previous administrators/building leaders. Participants varied in their positions and in their number of years of teaching experience, roles, age, gender, and then-current teaching status. It was important to me that I had people with whom I had …