Digital Commons Network^™

Problematic Sexual Beliefs And Behaviors In The Church: A Content Analysis Of Faith-Based Curricula Related To Evidence-Based Interventions, Vicki Neill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Internet pornography use, sexual problems, and sexual addiction are problematic not only for society but also for the church. The religious community needs interventions that can effectively treat sexually addictive and non-addictive problems that do no harm to individuals. The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine five faith-based curricula available for use in churches to determine whether they include key evidence-based treatment (EBT) components found effective in treating sexual addiction, and (b) to determine whether these curricula differentiate between addictive versus non-addictive sexual behaviors. Because no known studies have been conducted to examine faith-based treatment (FBT) curricula for …

How To Live While Ministering To The Dying: A Guide For Hospice Chaplains, Wayne Bruner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout, turnover, and attrition are common among hospice chaplains. A guidebook to hospice chaplaincy, prepared by a veteran hospice chaplain, would articulate the specific characteristics, habits, ministry mindsets, lifestyle interests, spiritual development, and support systems that have proven effective in the lives and ministries of long-tenured hospice chaplains. Such a practical and biblical guidebook would be a welcomed tool for individuals considering hospice ministry, for novice chaplains, and for hospice organizations since it would foster chaplains’ resiliency and quality of life by showing what it means to “live” while ministering to the dying. This guidebook will review best practices in …

Satisfaction Of Nontraditional Students In Health Sciences: A Causal Comparison Study Investigating Institutional Effectiveness, Erica Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nontraditional students have personal obstacles they must overcome in their journey through college. These barriers differ from traditional students and can include feelings of isolation and a sense that their chosen institutions are insensitive and inflexible to the particular nontraditional student needs. In this quantitative, causal-comparative study, the researcher sought to determine if students’ satisfaction, as measured by the Student Satisfaction Inventory, differed based on student status (traditional or nontraditional) and health science program (nursing, dental hygiene, or radiologic technology) enrolled at technical colleges of Georgia. This study was conducted at technical colleges in Georgia. Participants were students from five …

The Effects Of Informal Mentoring On Adjunct Faculty Job Satisfaction At An Open Enrollment University, Kevin Nanna

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Job satisfaction has long been considered a predictor of employee loyalty and retention. On the academic side, adjunct faculty have played a key role in post-secondary education for decades. As use of part-time adjunct faculty increases, now more than ever colleges should be focusing on attracting and retaining qualified adjunct faculty. Increasing enrollment, a changing demographic of student, modern technology and cost implications are all reasons why there has been an increase in demand for non-tenured or part-time faculty. With increased demand comes competition for the most qualified and able instructors. While competitive salary is a consideration, there are many …

Factors Influencing Special Education Teachers' Mathematics Teaching Efficacy, Owen Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examined the relationship between secondary special education teachers’ mathematics teaching efficacy and the number of years of teaching experience, years of co-teaching experience, and number of math content coursework taken at the undergraduate level. Students with special needs continue to score significantly lower than their general education peers on Virginia’s standards of learning mathematics tests. A quantitative, non-experimental correlational research design was used in this study. The targeted sample consisted of approximately 120 collaborating special education teachers in two school districts in southeastern Virginia. The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) was measure mathematics teaching efficacy and teacher …

The Impact Of Mentorship On The Motivation To Learn: A Phenomenological Study Of High School African American Male Students At Risk For Failure, Godwin M. Prospere

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how at-risk male African American students who attend Title I inner-city high schools in Central Florida, and are at risk for failure, perceive mentorship impacts their motivation to learn. The theories that guided this study were Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and Bandura’s social cognitive theory of self-efficacy, as each theory describes the basic needs that must be satisfied before an individual can be motivated to learn, and the role of interaction in developing self-efficacy and the motivation to learn. The central research question that guided this study sought …

Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Teachers’ Experiences With Academic Parental Involvement At Denied-Accreditation Elementary Schools In Virginia: A Phenomenological Study, Allison Knappenberger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to understand third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers’ experiences with academic parental involvement at denied-accreditation elementary schools. Parent involvement refers to two-way communication between parents and teachers. Denied accreditation refers to schools scoring below 70% on state assessments for four or more consecutive years. The theories guiding this study were the Getzels and Guba (1957) social systems theory and Bakhtin’s (1986) theory of dialogism as they influence teachers’ experiences of academic parental involvement through socio-psychological and dialogic environmental interactions. The research questions for this study included: How do third, fourth, and fifth …

Returning To Class: A Phenomenology Of Former High School Dropouts' Pursuit Of Higher Learning, Sean Englert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of former high school dropouts who have completed their high school credential through an adult education program and are enrolled in a postsecondary program of study at a technical college, community college, or four-year university in a state located in the southern United States. The two guiding theories of this study were the theory of multiple intelligences as it related to learning and student engagement, and transformative learning theory as it related to the participants’ changed perspective regarding their own learning. The research questions of the study were: …

Pornography Use: The Lesser Of Two Evils For Religious Emerging Adults, Lea A. Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pornography use has become the norm instead of the exception among emerging adults (18 – 26-year-olds) and has been found to be associated with increased sexual permissiveness and sexual shame outcomes among the general population, but does the same hold true for religious emerging adults who maintain a moral opposition to viewing pornography? Within the context of recent developmental theory research among emerging adults, this study examined associations between pornography use, sexual permissiveness, and sexual shame. This research hypothesized that religiosity and age would moderate the relationships between pornography use and sexual permissiveness, and pornography use and sexual shame. The …

Examining The Effect Of Parental Attachment, Emotional Maturity, Spiritual Maturity, And View Of Suffering On Sense Of Coherence, Alyssa M. Gavulic

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Suffering and loss are inevitable parts of the human experience. Nonetheless, the ability to find meaning in various forms of suffering has been shown to impact individual responses to diverse experiences of pain, distress, and loss. Despite the ubiquitous nature of human suffering, perceptions of the cause, purpose, impact, and outcome of experiences of suffering can vary greatly among individuals. Consequently, this inquiry-oriented, descriptive dissertation research examines how emotional maturity, spiritual maturity, and views of suffering mediate the relationship between parental attachment and sense of coherence. This study employs a correlational research design that examines the scores on a variety …

A Strategy To Build A Healthy Church Through Dynamic Cell Ministries: The Case Of Global Mission Church In Korea, Kyung Sik Shin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research covers a strategy to build a dynamic cell church. The purpose of the cell church is not simply for church growth, but to restore the essence and function of a biblical community. This study will examine a biblical community as well as cell churches in theory. The study will focus its research on adult cell groups of Global Mission Church, one of the representative Korean cell churches, which served Korean churches and others in the world through cell conferences for its first 10 years since it began operation in a cell church system, from 2004 to 2014.

The …

A Strategy For The Church Growth Through The Development Of Senior-Friendly Pastoral Ministries: The Case Of The Senior Ministry At Shinlim Central Church In Korea, Hoo Sik Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest the necessity of and alternative strategies for senior-friendly pastoral care to achieve sustained church growth amid the growing phenomenon of aging in Korean society. The recent aging of Korean society also has effects on changes in church members. As the ratio of senior members becomes increasingly high, pastoral alternative strategies for coping with it has also been urgently needed. The problem is that although this social phenomenon was already foreseen several years ago, there are insufficient practical strategies for pastoral care to deal with it.

The researcher first conducts biblical, theological, historical, …

The Effect Of Animated Self-Concept Videos On Hispanic Fifth-Grade Students Self-Concept, Richard Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Studies have documented a major downturn in the self-concept of fifth-grade students as they transition to middle school (Twenge & Crocker, 2000). Two of the major risk factors are being female and Hispanic (Cavazos-Rehg & DeLucia-Waa, 2009). Various interventions have been tried with limited success. The purpose of the present study is to use an animated self-concept video series to test if an animated self-concept video series could support and/or increase the self-concept of fifth-grade students, particularly those in the Hispanic and female risk categories. The study population (N = 192) was a convenience sample drawn from a sample size …

An Exploration Of Internal Controls And Their Impact On Employee Fraud In Small Businesses, Kent Lachney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain greater understanding of the current practices of the internal control systems of small businesses and to explore the effectiveness of their systems in comparison with anti-fraud activities recommended by forensic accountants. The researcher selected five small businesses that were members of the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce and had fewer than 100 employees. The researcher interviewed the owners and/or managers of the businesses, reviewed and analyzed company documentation, interpreted data, made observations, and offered recommendations. The researcher asked each participant to respond to questions related to the five elements of …

Measuring Pornography Use Identity: Validation Study Of The Modified Centrality Of Event Scale, Michael Takacs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There has been an increase in research focused on the influence that pornography use has on an individual. Observations of dysfunction with pornography users, in both clinical and religious settings, have driven a large part of this increase in research. Current research findings on religiosity and incongruent sexual behaviors further support the need to examine the correlation between the individual and their pornography use, especially with religious users. To date, there has been no research in the literature addressing the connection between the individual’s beliefs towards their pornography use and the effect of these beliefs on their identity or other …

A Phenomenological Study Of Educators' Perspectives Of School Climate In Secondary Schools Implementing Positive Behavior Intervention And Support, Tory Lawrence

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a school-wide initiative implemented in many schools across the United States as an approach for addressing discipline concerns and promoting a positive school climate. This study used a phenomenological design to examine the school climate perceptions of 13 staff member from three secondary schools from two school districts in the southeastern region of North Carolina that were implementing PBIS with fidelity. The transformative learning theory, which explains how knowledge may be obtained from lived experiences of individuals, guided the research study in examining three research questions: (a) How do select secondary school staff …

A Plan For Founding A Christian Alternative School As A Type Of Youth Ministry In Korea With A Rationale For Church-Sponsored Christian Schools, Chan Sik Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study aims to contribute to the change of the prime age-centered traditional pastoral ministries present in Korean churches for the future generation-centered ministries. The researcher's church, too, has an inverted triangular structure under which the future generations disappear. To overcome this, this study sets up a model of new growth for the future generations. The researcher analyzes and evaluates the cause of the problem of decreasing youth in Korean churches. The researcher will do mentoring work in the special environment of alternative schools so that the youth may have sound faith and not leave the church even after they …

Scheduling Of Recess Before Mathematics And Third Grade Students' Mathematical Achievement In Virginia: A Causal Comparative Study, Sarah Danaher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Recess is a vital piece of the elementary school day. The impact of this time extends beyond students’ physical, emotional, and social health. Recess has also been shown to have a positive impact on the classroom performance of students. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to test the theory of the impact of recess in elementary school that relates to the scheduling of mathematics directly after recess time to achievement on a standardized mathematics assessment for third grade students in Central Virginia. Grade level and assessment type were controlled for in this study. Participants were third grade students …

Relationships Between Achievement Emotions And Academic Performance In Nursing Students: A Non-Experimental Predictive Correlation Analysis, Susan Kirwan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental predictive correlation study was to investigate the relationships between achievement learning emotions and academic performance in 155 nursing students from one faith-based academic institution in the mid-Atlantic of the U.S.A. The theory guiding this study was the Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions. The study was designed to answer two study research questions: (a) “What are the relationships between the outcome variable (academic performance) and predictor variables (achievement emotions during learning) in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students?” and (b) “How accurately can the outcome variable (academic performance) be predicted from a linear combination of …

Students' Spiritual Integration Into Bible Colleges: A Grounded Theory Study, Brett Blount

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explain how undergraduate students integrate spiritually into Bible colleges in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States and discern the role spiritual integration plays in persistence. Spiritual integration of Bible college undergraduate students occurs when they perceive that their spirituality, whether possessed by them upon their enrollment and/or formed during their attendance, has aligned with the spiritual environment of their college and therefore have accepted their place in that environment. A total of 35 participants, 28 students and seven faculty members, were interviewed to obtain their perceptions of how students experience the …

Validation Of The Professional Quality Of Life Model Among Correctional Officers, Tiffany Arrows

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stress has significant effects on correctional officers’ physical and mental health. Given the risks involved in a career in corrections, development and implementation of preventive programs to address work-related stress has become a recognized need, and subsequently a call for increased research using standardized, established, and theoretically-driven models and instruments. This study sought to establish the Professional Quality of Life model as a valid and reliable measure among correctional officers, linking the population to the greater literature base of first responders and health care workers along the constructs of compassion fatigue, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Research questions …

A Phenomenological Study Of College Students In Developmental Mathematics Classes Experiences With Mathematics And Computer Anxiety, Dan Murphy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No research has been conducted on college students in developmental mathematics classes struggling with both mathematics anxiety and computer anxiety in a qualitative manner. Prior studies have dealt with college students in developmental mathematics classes struggling with mathematics anxiety and college students in developmental mathematics classes struggling with computer anxiety. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of students taking developmental mathematics who self-report both mathematics anxiety and computer anxiety. The theory guiding this study was the social cognitive theory by Bandura (1986) as modeling is a key component in the learning of mathematics, especially …

Effectively Transporting A Spiritually Based Intervention For Reducing Subsyndromal Anxiety And Increasing Coping Skills In Urban Adolescents: A Multiple Baseline Design, Morais Cassell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A critical review of literature revealed a gap in the literature of spiritually based interventions, most notably the subject of a spiritually based intervention for reducing subsyndromal anxiety and increasing coping skills in urban adolescents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between a spiritually based intervention, a triangulation approach, subsyndromal anxiety, and coping skills in urban adolescents, employing the add-on/integration of a Prayer Wheel intervention. Utilizing a multiple baseline design across subjects to demonstrate the controlling effects of spiritually based intervention/prayer wheel, research revealed a decrease in subsyndromal anxiety levels, and an increase in coping skills …

Using Assessment Feedback For Motivation Among Early Adolescents: A Grounded Theory Study, Nichole L. Griffin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a general theory explaining how verbal or written teacher feedback on formative assessments may influence early adolescent motivation for academic achievement, along the SDT continuum. I based this study on Deci and Ryan’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT), and to a lesser degree expectancy-value theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000) and self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1993). I also used Tunstall and Gipps’ (1996) typology research as a framework for describing and classifying feedback in the data. Related literature and research findings are presented to lay a foundation for the study and identify the …

Employee Perceptions Of Succession Planning Within Higher Education: A Qualitative Case Study, Matthew Swanson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Higher education institutions provide programs and services in support of personal, professional, and community development. The positive impact of higher education is threatened by the imminent departures of experienced employees responsible for implementing institutional programs and services. Research suggests succession planning assists organizations in responding to the potential departures of experienced employees while successfully serving stakeholders, yet a majority of higher education institutions do not possess adequate succession planning programs. Employee perceptions are essential to developing and evaluating programs, however, there is currently a lack of available insight into employee perceptions pertaining to succession planning within the field of higher …

Divine Physiology: Deity Revealed Within The Conception Of Jesus Christ, Robbin Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project will develop an educational instrument linking science to faith supporting the deity of Jesus Christ, specifically as it relates to his conception. This information will be used by this author’s church to understand the identity of Jesus. This thesis project will employ analytical, theoretical, and scientific research methods as applies to a study of medical and theological information, as well as interviews with medical professionals, and religious leaders.

In Covenant: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of What Helps Evangelical Marriages Recover After Sexual Infidelity By The Husband, Theresa C. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Infidelity is a commonly identified reason for the dissolution of marriages, including Christian evangelical marriages. Although there is empirical research investigating factors that contribute to infidelity, there is little research on how couples recover from such a breach to the marriage commitment. This study sought to answer the question: What helps evangelical marriages recover after sexual infidelity by the husband? The qualitative research was built on a semi-structured interview framework that collected the personal narratives of three couples that were a minimum of two years post disclosure of an infidelity in the marriage relationship. Infidelity, for the purposes of this …

The Relationship Between Counselor Educators' Leadership Experience And Competence And Burnout, John Harrichand

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mentorship and servant leadership are requirements of quality counselor educators. Recognized as leaders in the field of counseling, counselor educators exert great influence on students, clients, peers, and society at large. However, it is apparent from the paucity of research on the subject that attention and resources examining the impact leadership has on burnout in counselor educators is lacking. This study examined the relationship between a counselor educator’s experience and competence of leadership and dimensions of burnout. The results from this pilot study indicated no significant correlations between the Principles and Practices of Leadership Excellence Experience subscale and each of …

The Effect Of Peer Practice On Communication Apprehension In High School Students: A Quantitative, Quasi-Experimental, Static-Group Study, Ashley Bowman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Curricula nationwide is trending toward mandating mastery and assessment of communication skills; however, little research exists to provide insight on how to support students suffering from communication apprehension. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, static-group comparison study examines the impact of peer practice on communication apprehension, public speaking anxiety, group discussion, meeting, and interpersonal communication among high school students. This study utilized a convenience sampling with a control and a treatment group; the sample consisted of 275 participants enrolled in grades nine through 12 at a large, public high school in South Carolina. McCroskey’s Personal Report of Communication Apprehension 24 (PRCA-24) (1982b) was …

A Causal Comparative Study Of Ninth Grade Academy As An Answer To Unsuccessful Eighth Grade To Ninth Grade Transition, Ursula Dionne Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the traditional ninth-grade classroom or the ninth-grade academy would have the greatest impact on retention rates and discipline referrals to administration of students transitioning into high school. The data in this causal-comparative research was secondary data collected from the counselors and administrators of the four schools that participated in this research study. The data was evaluated using an independent samples t-test. The results of this study did not indicate the need for transition programs based on the predicted significant statistical difference in the retention rates and in the Group A and …