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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Impacts Of Network Training On Church Revitalization, Timothy Alan Houston Jun 2021

Impacts Of Network Training On Church Revitalization, Timothy Alan Houston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Does the impact of executive team training in church networks enhance problem-solving at the local church level and develop theologically informed theoretical practices? The action research project addressed the question that if the staff at Harvest Network received instruction in biblical principles of church revitalization, the expected result might be that the network team may become better equipped to serve the churches of the network. Four primary themes emerged from the literature research: barriers to church revitalization; detrimental pastoral leadership; church revitalization culture; and organizational team training. The designed intervention included interviews, focus groups, participant observations, reports, surveys, instruction, and …


Factors Hindering Human Papillomavirus(Hpv) Vaccination Uptake Among Children And Young Adults Between Ages Nine To Twenty-Six In America, Foluke Olufunbi Ajuwon Jun 2021

Factors Hindering Human Papillomavirus(Hpv) Vaccination Uptake Among Children And Young Adults Between Ages Nine To Twenty-Six In America, Foluke Olufunbi Ajuwon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Integrative Review Project searched relevant literature and conducted research to discover factors hindering HPV vaccination among children and young adults in America and interventions to increase HPV vaccination among individuals in this group. The importance of the HPV vaccination cannot be understated; the HPV vaccine is the most effective approach for preventing infections and decreasing risk of HPV-associated conditions such as cervical, oral pharyngeal, and rectal cancer. In the United States, HPV inoculation uptake is reported to be less than 80% for the initial dosage, and less than 40% of young males and females complete all the series dosage …


A Self-Check Model To Build Resiliency And Balance In Ministry Leaders, Mark R. Williams Jun 2021

A Self-Check Model To Build Resiliency And Balance In Ministry Leaders, Mark R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a significant problem with stress and burnout in ministry leaders. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-check model for ministry leaders to help them with life-balance and resiliency. To have and know peace in one’s life is to draw close to God and live by His design. Loving God with all one’s heart, mind, soul, strength and loving one’s neighbor as one’s self is critical for a healthy, well-balanced life and ministry. The researcher introduced a simple self-check model to enable ministry leaders to develop balance and resilience in their lives called the Star Model. …


Collaborating Mentors In The Discipleship Process, Tyson Wahl Jun 2021

Collaborating Mentors In The Discipleship Process, Tyson Wahl

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher presents an action thesis conducted at Crossroads Family Ministries, studying multiple mentors’ effects in the discipleship process. Single mentor discipleship systems where one mentor disciples one mentee are common in many churches. However, placing one mentee with multiple mentors should produce better-discipled individuals with a greater experience and spiritual gift base from which to grow. This study aims to measure the effect collaborative mentoring has on a mentee during the discipleship process. The researcher has recruited five mentees and fifteen mentors to participate in this study. Four mentees are unfamiliar with the discipleship material and will each be …


The Effects Of A Mindfulness Curriculum On Mathematics Word Problem Performance In 3rd And 4th Grade Students, Adrianne S. Blackwelder Jun 2021

The Effects Of A Mindfulness Curriculum On Mathematics Word Problem Performance In 3rd And 4th Grade Students, Adrianne S. Blackwelder

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if a 15-week mindfulness curriculum, MindUP, impacted participants’ performance on a standardized mathematics word problem measure. The study was conducted in two elementary schools in a large public school district in North Carolina during the 2020-2021 school year. Participants included 74 third- and fourth-grade students who received a supplemental mindfulness curriculum and 77 students who received only business as usual instruction (N = 151). The research question and null hypothesis were tested using a quantitative, quasi-experimental, pretest posttest, nonequivalent, control group design. The TOMA-3 Word Problems subtest was administered by school personnel …


The Reset: Connecting Internal Crisis Communication Strategy With Post-Pandemic Remote Worker Populations Through An Employee Engagement Framework, Erin Leigh Black Jun 2021

The Reset: Connecting Internal Crisis Communication Strategy With Post-Pandemic Remote Worker Populations Through An Employee Engagement Framework, Erin Leigh Black

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the post-pandemic workforce, unprecedented events are the new normal. Although the remote worker revolution has been rumored for decades, in early 2020, the idea became an instant reality when global governments closed their borders, instituted lockdown, and ordered citizens to shelter-in-place (Weideman & Hofmeyr, 2020). Given the global shift in work, organizations have an immediate need to communicate with the crisis-ladened, post-pandemic, remote workforce; however, there is a sizable gap in research between internal crisis communication and the post-pandemic remote worker population. Through a phenomenologically based, interpretive analysis of current strategic and crisis communication research and frameworks, this project …


Mitigating The Risk Of Opioid Overdose And Death Of The Veteran: An Integrative Review, Cheryl Anne Landry Jun 2021

Mitigating The Risk Of Opioid Overdose And Death Of The Veteran: An Integrative Review, Cheryl Anne Landry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pain is a complicated phenomenon; it is an individual’s subjective experience and is often characterized by its duration. Chronic pain lasts longer than 90 days and can continue after the injury or illness that caused it has healed or gone away; chronic pain was identified as a national public health problem in a 2017 study by the National Academy of Medicine. Not only is chronic pain a national problem, but there is an opioid epidemic in the United States that is perpetuated by prescription pain medications. The opioid epidemic continues to consume veterans daily, but not much is said about …


Characteristics Of Successful Nurse Mentors And Potential Effects On The Retention And Job Satisfaction Of New Graduate Nurses: An Integrative Review, Toni Cheryl Thompson May 2021

Characteristics Of Successful Nurse Mentors And Potential Effects On The Retention And Job Satisfaction Of New Graduate Nurses: An Integrative Review, Toni Cheryl Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mentoring is a process that has become embedded into new graduate nurses’ transition to professional practice since the 1980s. The Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing identifies mentoring as a mechanism to increase patient safety and satisfaction. Effective mentoring has been categorized as one of the important components of transforming nurses into leaders, improving retention, and increasing job satisfaction. By recognizing the characteristics of successful mentors, organizations can increase the consistency and success of their mentoring programs. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine successful mentor characteristics and identify the effect of mentors on new graduate nurses’ …


A Comparison Of Special And General Educators' Perceptions Of Collegiality, Jessica Brower May 2021

A Comparison Of Special And General Educators' Perceptions Of Collegiality, Jessica Brower

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The move to an inclusive model has placed additional strain on educators in both general and special education. Collegiality, an identified factor of educator attrition, could serve to reduce that strain. However, little is known about collegiality in education. This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the differences in perceptions of collegiality among special and general educators from six Mid-Atlantic school districts, using the Teacher Collegiality Scale (TCS). Participants were drawn from a sample population of teachers representing (n = 234) special and (n = 234) general educators. This sample included participants from four states and approximately 235 schools. This sample is …


Principal Perceptions On The Inclusion Of Music Education And Professional Development Opportunities: A Qualitative Study, Gabriel Woods May 2021

Principal Perceptions On The Inclusion Of Music Education And Professional Development Opportunities: A Qualitative Study, Gabriel Woods

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study identifies perspectives that have not yet been explored and documented concerning the difference in attention across school levels when it comes to offering professional development opportunities for music teachers. The majority of previous studies have focused on STEM programming, not the arts. In this study, the researcher interviewed six K-12 principals who aided in deciding whether to include music programs to students and professional development opportunities to teachers. Two principals were interviewed in the different K-12 school levels: elementary, middle, and high schools. The results of this study add to the literature and can foster an …


The Effect Of Anxiety On Academic Performance Among English Language Learners College Students, Sergine Cadet May 2021

The Effect Of Anxiety On Academic Performance Among English Language Learners College Students, Sergine Cadet

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

English Language Learners (ELLs) who can write and read competently can fully participate in American schools, work environments and the society. However, ELLs face challenges while learning the English language. Anxiety is characterized as one of the issues impacting the learners’ accomplishment, which involves stages of communicative anxiety, fear of adverse assessment, test anxiety, and anxiety of English classroom. Moreover, anxiety is identified as being prevalent in the field of education and psychology as one factor that has negative influences in language acquisition (Hashemi, 2011). Studies have shown that there is a relationship between anxiety level and academic performance of …


A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers Implementing Restorative Practices, Janiese Pauline Mckenzie May 2021

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers Implementing Restorative Practices, Janiese Pauline Mckenzie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore and understand the perceptions of teachers as they endure change while implementing restorative practices at the secondary level. The central research question guiding this study asked, “How do secondary level teachers from central North Carolina describe their experiences with restorative practices in the classroom?” I interviewed and discussed the lived experiences of 11 participants, all teachers who have been trained in restorative practices by the International Institute of Restorative Practices and implemented in their classroom for one year in central North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Michael Fullan’s change …


Development Of Spiritual Competency In Counseling: A Pilot Research Study Of Graduate Students At End Of Training, Rebecca Dawn Hill May 2021

Development Of Spiritual Competency In Counseling: A Pilot Research Study Of Graduate Students At End Of Training, Rebecca Dawn Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers suggested religious practice and spirituality are multicultural or diversity counseling competencies. Professionals who treat religious and spiritual concerns are sought by a majority of clients. Religious and spiritual training is critical for the ethical treatment of the client, a part of developmental wellness and integrated holistic health theories, and also vital to optimum physical and mental health development. Yet, spiritual and religious competencies are often neglected in graduate studies, leaving counselors fearful and inadequately trained to address spiritual and religious concerns with clients. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) requires training in graduate education …


Enhancing Outpatient Participation In Advance Care Planning Via Nurse-Led Intervention: An Integrative Review, Daniel Patrick Arthur May 2021

Enhancing Outpatient Participation In Advance Care Planning Via Nurse-Led Intervention: An Integrative Review, Daniel Patrick Arthur

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Advance care planning allows for medical care at the end-of-life that is congruent with a patient’s wishes, values, and beliefs. Even with well-known organizations such as the Institute of Medicine recommending advance care planning completion and legislative encouragement such as the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990, only approximately one-third of American adults have completed any form of advance directive. Barriers to participation include lack of time, lack of knowledge, and misconceptions on the part of healthcare providers and patients. As an integral part of the care team having significant patient contact in most healthcare settings, nurses are in an ideal …


Improving Freshman African American Female Students Awareness Of Non-Traditional Career Opportunities: An Applied Research Study, Mary Jane Harris May 2021

Improving Freshman African American Female Students Awareness Of Non-Traditional Career Opportunities: An Applied Research Study, Mary Jane Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of freshman African American female students being unaware of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, at universities located in the United States’ southern region and to formulate a solution for career advisors to implement. Historically, African American female students have identified with traditional female career fields in nursing, caretaking, and teaching and have infrequently pursued non-traditional careers. For African American female students, educational accomplishments yield access to professional advancement possibilities, higher wages, extensive job opportunities, and job satisfaction, especially when they are aware of underrepresented careers. Krumboltz (1976) …


Examining The Role Of Self-Compassion In Resilience Among African American Women: A Qualitative Perspective, Vivian W. France May 2021

Examining The Role Of Self-Compassion In Resilience Among African American Women: A Qualitative Perspective, Vivian W. France

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study aimed to fill an important gap in the literature by exploring the role of self-compassion in resilience among African American women. This study was an investigation of some of the challenges African American women face in their lived experiences that impact their self-compassion and to provide an understanding of the role self-compassion plays in their pursuit of higher education. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach and thematic analysis for gathering and extrapolating primary themes and subthemes from the participant data sets was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five African American women ages 27–58 years who had …


The Effect Of A Screening Protocol On Opioid Use: An Integrative Review, Stephen D. Wright Jr May 2021

The Effect Of A Screening Protocol On Opioid Use: An Integrative Review, Stephen D. Wright Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The opioid crisis is a pervasive and social problem in the United States. Since 2001 several hundred thousand people have died from the misuse of prescription and illicit opioids. On average nearly 130 Americans perish every day due to opioid abuse while millions annually struggle with morbidity derived from opioid abuse disorders. This crisis causes tremendous physical and emotional suffering and death and is likely the most profound public health crisis our nation has faced. In 2015 alone, 52,000 people died of drug overdoses, with over 30,000 of those dying from opioid drugs. If left unchecked, the epidemic will continue …


Virtual School Counseling Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Tawonda Maria Hunter May 2021

Virtual School Counseling Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Tawonda Maria Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School counselors work with students and families to remove or minimize social, emotional, and academic barriers to education. In a traditional setting, school counseling can be rewarding yet not without obstacles. These obstacles or challenges are compounded when variables like role changes, shifts in the work setting, and a pandemic are present. This phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived virtual school counseling experience amid COVID-19 for elementary school counselors in Georgia. The phenomenological theoretical framework by Edmund Husserl was the theory guiding this study. This theoretical framework helped provide a rich description of school counselors' lived experiences working virtually …


The Biblical Model Of Marriage In Preventing Divorce: Maintaining Healthy Relationships Among Couples, Aviva B. Gafford Williamson May 2021

The Biblical Model Of Marriage In Preventing Divorce: Maintaining Healthy Relationships Among Couples, Aviva B. Gafford Williamson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to provide methods for married couples to follow as it relates to Ephesians 5:25-33 and Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling. As divorce rates increase and couples struggle to remain in their marital union, this project brings relevant data, information, research, and solutions to couples so they can maintain. This project provides insight from the perspectives of couples and ministers as it relates to characteristics of a healthy marriage, the current state of marriages, common marital issues, biblical principles, and solutions to resolve problems so that couples can have healthier marriages based on what God envisioned …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of Client Suicide On Mental Health Professionals: Personal And Professional, Hernel Lois Selman May 2021

A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of Client Suicide On Mental Health Professionals: Personal And Professional, Hernel Lois Selman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the impact that client's suicide has on mental health professionals' lives, both personally and professionally. The study's central question was: What is the influence that spirituality/religions have on the impact experienced by mental health professionals after the death of their client by suicide? The theories that guided this study are Joiner’s interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and Bowlby's attachment theory as it relates to grief and loss and the challenge to obtain support with an insecure attachment style; Sanders, Jacobson, and Ting's theory of the five phases of guilt experienced after …


Music Appreciation Course Design: Facilitating The Increased Participation Of Non-Music Majors In Collegiate Music Performance Ensembles, Rebecka Elizabeth Rose May 2021

Music Appreciation Course Design: Facilitating The Increased Participation Of Non-Music Majors In Collegiate Music Performance Ensembles, Rebecka Elizabeth Rose

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The cessation of music performance after high school graduation can be mitigated through recruitment type course design methods interwoven within collegiate Music Appreciation courses. When appropriately designed, Music Appreciation could serve as a catalyst for resuming musical participation in music ensembles. This study investigated how the college level Music Appreciation course may renew interest in performing music by non-music major students. Best teaching methodologies and Music Appreciation curriculum components to engage non-music majors are examined in addition to music ensemble recruitment techniques that can be integrated within Music Appreciation course design. This study is of qualitative design and utilizes the …


Analyzing The Investment Potential To Increase Prenatal Care Utilization As A Tactic To Decrease Preterm Birth Costs In Tennessee, Michael S. Wiggins May 2021

Analyzing The Investment Potential To Increase Prenatal Care Utilization As A Tactic To Decrease Preterm Birth Costs In Tennessee, Michael S. Wiggins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Preterm birth contributes significantly to health care costs in the United States (Frey & Klebanoff, 2016). Certain components of prenatal care reduce preterm birth incidence (Newnham et al., 2014). Tennessee’s preterm birth rate ranks 35th among the 50 United States (National Center for Health Statistics, 2019). This study analyzed the investment potential to reduce preterm birth cost through increasing prenatal care utilization in Tennessee. Based on 2018 data, the study identified a significant relationship between prenatal care utilization and preterm birth incidence in Tennessee. The study also identified a significant opportunity to increase prenatal care utilization in Tennessee when compared …


The Underlying Implications Of Chronic Poverty: Investigating The Exponential Increase In Suicides From 2001-2017 Among African American Female Teenagers, Kevin Adarell Johnson May 2021

The Underlying Implications Of Chronic Poverty: Investigating The Exponential Increase In Suicides From 2001-2017 Among African American Female Teenagers, Kevin Adarell Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to investigate and ascribe meaning to the lived experiences of African American females and examine plausible circumstances that could cause an exponential increase in suicides among teenagers from 2001-2017. The theories that guided this study were Albert Bandura’s (2018) social cognitive theory (SCT) and Icek Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB). TPB is a model used to predict and explain behaviors based on an individual’s attitude and intentions toward the behavior. When TPB is interwoven with SCT, the theories helped interpret influences that explained the participants’ perspectives, thoughts, and behavior that could …


The Impact Of Leadership Development And Psychological Capital On Burnout And Turnover, Michelle Jacobs May 2021

The Impact Of Leadership Development And Psychological Capital On Burnout And Turnover, Michelle Jacobs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations should strive to function at the highest level possible. One way to create high functioning is to ensure the wellbeing of employees. Middle managers in healthcare directly influence organizational success, yet administrators overlook the wellbeing of this employee group. A literature review revealed a significant gap among the leadership development (LD) of those managers, which fostered burnout. Psychological capital (PsyCap) was a critical element of wellbeing, though the subsequent influence on burnout and turnover was unknown. A qualitative, single-case study occurred to determine the wellbeing of middle managers at a specified hospital in the Mid-West United States., specifically related …


There Is A Need For A Biblically Sound Education For Developing Healthy Blended Families At Healing The Broken Hearted Ministry, Canuta Daganio Price May 2021

There Is A Need For A Biblically Sound Education For Developing Healthy Blended Families At Healing The Broken Hearted Ministry, Canuta Daganio Price

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Blended families experience repeated divorce and contribute to the growth of dysfunctional families because churches do not have a dedicated biblically sound education that is specifically designed for blended families. Such an education, addressing issues representative of what blended families experience, will help establish blended families that follow the biblical model as stated in Colossians 3:18-21, with a submissive wife, a loving husband, and obedient children. Blended families will continue to struggle if they cannot access additional resources that will help them in dealing promptly with blended family issues as they surface, using God’s precepts. Family therapists and counselors, including …


Preliminary Examination Of School Counselors' Perception Of Their Ability To Provide Direct And Indirect Student Services, Angela K. Waggoner May 2021

Preliminary Examination Of School Counselors' Perception Of Their Ability To Provide Direct And Indirect Student Services, Angela K. Waggoner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) national model, over 80% of school counselors’ time should be spent providing direct and indirect student services, which represents a major shift in the roles and responsibilities of school counselors. Additionally, after the Santa Fe mass shootings, Texas school counselors are now required to provide these services to students experiencing trauma and/or crisis. However, little research has been found regarding school counselors’ perceptions of their ability to provide direct and indirect student services, including trauma and crisis-related counseling, as outlined by the ASCA. This study addressed this gap by collecting survey data …


A Case Study Of The Perspectives Of School Administrators In Ontario On Policies And Practices Addressing Disproportionality In Student Discipline, Annastasia Onyinyechukwuka Oraegbunem May 2021

A Case Study Of The Perspectives Of School Administrators In Ontario On Policies And Practices Addressing Disproportionality In Student Discipline, Annastasia Onyinyechukwuka Oraegbunem

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the perspectives of school administrators in Ontario on policies and practices addressing disproportionality in student discipline and suspension rates for minority students. The problem is that minority students get school suspension at significantly higher rates than non-minority students. The theory guiding this study is the Black identity development theory. There are four research questions with a central research question is, what are school administrators' perspectives on policies and practices addressing disproportionality in student discipline and suspension rates for minority students in Ontario? This single qualitative case study design purposefully sampled 10 …


New Believers: Committing To Faith To Sustain The Life Of The Christian Church, Allen Scott May 2021

New Believers: Committing To Faith To Sustain The Life Of The Christian Church, Allen Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis's objective was to implement a more robust integrated program that would result in fewer people joining Cedar Crest Church and then leaving. Jesus mandates in Matthew 28:18-20 that man is given the authority to make disciples throughout the world by baptizing in the name of the Trinity, teaching them to observe everything that he had commanded while believing that he would be with them at all times. One way of validating this mandate's fulfillment is found in Hebrews 10:25 by not abandoning the opportunity to assemble with other believers through encouragement until the day of Jesus' return. To …


Moral Disapproval, Perceived Addiction, God-Image And Externalization: A Moderation Analysis, Christopher L. Ostrander May 2021

Moral Disapproval, Perceived Addiction, God-Image And Externalization: A Moderation Analysis, Christopher L. Ostrander

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research has indicated a positive correlation among religious individuals who view pornography and report experiencing increased moral incongruence and perceived addiction as a result of their use. Research also shows how one views God (loving, distant, and cruel), known as God-image, can attenuate or exacerbate psychological distress associated with pornography use and or religious/spiritual struggles. Recently a small number of studies have shown externalization, the tendency to blame others, as an effective coping mechanism in the reduction of sexual shame. Based on Grubbs, Perry, et al., (2019) theoretical model, pornography problems due to moral incongruence (PPMI), this study aimed to …


The Influence Of Emotion Regulation On The Emotional Well-Being Among Diverse College Students, Shandia Robertson Gardiner Apr 2021

The Influence Of Emotion Regulation On The Emotional Well-Being Among Diverse College Students, Shandia Robertson Gardiner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Emotion regulation is essential as it may help to enhance long-term well-being, improve work performance, enrich personal relationships, and lead to better overall health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between emotion regulation and emotional well-being among diverse university students when moderated by perceived discrimination. A similar study was conducted by Lavanya and Manjula (2017), with an Indian student population divided into two groups. The study's findings showed a significant correlation between emotion regulation strategies and psychological problems among the two groups. Results indicated negative emotion regulation strategies were associated with psychological issues among group two …