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Impacts Of Opioids On Health And Ways To Overcome The Addiction, Kennedy Chidi Alajemba Mar 2024

Impacts Of Opioids On Health And Ways To Overcome The Addiction, Kennedy Chidi Alajemba

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Background: The opioid crisis in the United States has affected millions of individuals, causing high levels of opioid addiction among the population. With the onset of synthetic opioids, deaths from opioid-related causes have increased drastically. This study aims to understand the effect of opioid addiction and methods of controlling the problem for adult African Americans and Latinos at Pathways to Recovery Counseling and Education Services, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Methods: The theories guiding this study are the Intersectionality Model and the Bay Area Regional Health Inequalities Initiative (BARHII) model. These theories reveal that factors such as age, ethnicity, and gender have a …


Rural Music Pedagogy In Minnesota Secondary Band Classes A Qualitative Case Study, Kelly R. Taylor Feb 2024

Rural Music Pedagogy In Minnesota Secondary Band Classes A Qualitative Case Study, Kelly R. Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite a vast amount of literature addressing issues and concerns regarding curriculum in secondary band classes, pedagogy in the rural classroom remains under studied. Music educators in rural public schools must employ a unique approach to maintain enrollment, and their public image, which vastly differs from those in suburban settings. Many educators in rural public schools find themselves alone, with no guidance and nothing like any coursework on how they were prepared to teach in college. This study examined the approaches of instrumental directors in rural towns that support a summer, street-style marching band and their approach to the classroom …


Educated Cops: A Qualitative Analysis Of Police Chiefs' And Police Officers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of Post-Secondary Education On Job Performance, James Wesley Blair Feb 2024

Educated Cops: A Qualitative Analysis Of Police Chiefs' And Police Officers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of Post-Secondary Education On Job Performance, James Wesley Blair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Municipal policing in the United requires a complex array of skills for police officers to perform the duties of their jobs effectively. At any given time, a police officer may act in the role of a warrior in confronting an armed assailant in a school or deliver a death notification to a family whose life has just been shattered by a tragic car crash. That same officer will be asked to perform CPR on a heart attack victim, counsel a suicidal individual on the edge of a bridge, and deliver a presentation to a group of business owners. Each of …


Suicide In Black Adolescents: How Does The Relationship And Attachment Styles Impact The Grieving Experience Of Non-Custodial Black Grandmothers, Edith Marie Walton-Carter Feb 2024

Suicide In Black Adolescents: How Does The Relationship And Attachment Styles Impact The Grieving Experience Of Non-Custodial Black Grandmothers, Edith Marie Walton-Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to gain insight into the relationship and grief experiences of the non-custodial Black/African American grandmother(s) who have lost a grandchild by suicide. The theories guiding this study are attachment theory, psychosocial stages of development, and grief and loss. The central research questions are used to explore the attachment and relationship between the Black grandmother(s) and grandchild(ren) and whether suicide changes the grieving experience. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling. The sample size for this study includes six Black women between the ages of 48-65 who are non-custodial grandmothers and have experienced grief …


A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher Experiences Personalizing Learning In English Language Arts, Kristen N. Soper Feb 2024

A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher Experiences Personalizing Learning In English Language Arts, Kristen N. Soper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of secondary English language arts teachers implementing personalized learning in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Teachers who personalize learning must currently determine their own method of doing so without adequate research about the process to inform their pedagogy. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s theory on social development, as it highlights the necessity of social interaction to help students stay within the zone of proximal development even in a personalized learning framework. The ten participants for this study were selected by purposive sampling, and data were collected through semi-structured …


Recruitment And Retention In The Post-Floyd Era: A Phenomenological Study Of Miami-Dade County Law Enforcement, Carlos A. Vesco Feb 2024

Recruitment And Retention In The Post-Floyd Era: A Phenomenological Study Of Miami-Dade County Law Enforcement, Carlos A. Vesco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study employed a phenomenological approach to analyze law enforcement professionals' perspectives regarding police recruitment and retention in Miami-Dade County after the murder of George Floyd. The study focuses on two primary issues: the ongoing shortage of police officers and the absence of effective retention measures. The study’s theoretical approach is informed by the principles of transformational leadership theory and Herzberg’s two-factor motivation-hygiene theory. The research utilized a qualitative methodology, including face-to-face interviews with a total of twenty-nine participants from three police jurisdictions within Miami-Dade County. These individuals were selected based on their experience in the field. The data was …


Remotely Close: A Phenomenological Exploration Of How Online Education May Impede Academic Persistence And Social Integration, Daniel Ryan Day Feb 2024

Remotely Close: A Phenomenological Exploration Of How Online Education May Impede Academic Persistence And Social Integration, Daniel Ryan Day

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The aim of this transcendental phenomenological study is to define and describe the lived experiences of those who have taught and taken online classes at post-secondary Assemblies of God schools. Tinto’s theory of academic persistence and social integration served as the guiding theory of the study, as it was an indispensable part of exploring how online education may impede academic persistence and social integration between students and professors. The central question of the study deals with how online educators may improve academic persistence and social integration between their students and themselves by applying Tinto’s model of integration. By strategically utilizing …


Marketing Management Of Online Negative Reviews Of Medical Services, Christopher Edward Feltes Feb 2024

Marketing Management Of Online Negative Reviews Of Medical Services, Christopher Edward Feltes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Various internet platforms contain the ability to share information about medical services. These internet platforms include patient review websites, online forums, and social media websites. Some of the information that customers share are reviews of their negative medical experience. Much of the related research includes exploring the problem of online negative reviews of medical services from a medical professional perspective on how to manage the situation with the patient. This research project includes exploring the role of marketing professionals and the situation of customers producing online negative reviews of medical services. The general problem addressed is the detrimental impact of …


Asynchronous Online Learning Motivation Experiences For Community College Degree-Seeking Non-Traditional Adult Learners: A Qualitative Study, Tomie L. Gartland Feb 2024

Asynchronous Online Learning Motivation Experiences For Community College Degree-Seeking Non-Traditional Adult Learners: A Qualitative Study, Tomie L. Gartland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to discover the asynchronous online learning experiences that support learning motivation for community college degree-seeking non-traditional adult learners in the United States. The theoretical framework guiding this study is Knowles’ andragogy adult learning theory. The utilization of Moustakas’ analysis of transcendental phenomenology utilized epoché, or the removal of personal bias, and the focus of Moustakas’ bracketing of the central research question. The central research question is: How do community college degree-seeking non-traditional adult learners experience motivation in the asynchronous online learning environment? The study consisted of 10 degree-seeking non-traditional adult learners who …


The Lived Experiences Of Premarital Counseling And Its Influence On Martial Satisfaction, Donna M. Saulter-Carney Feb 2024

The Lived Experiences Of Premarital Counseling And Its Influence On Martial Satisfaction, Donna M. Saulter-Carney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of married couples from various demographic backgrounds who have engaged in premarital counseling in Maryland. How do couples experience premarital counseling is the study’s central research question. The theory guiding this study is Gottman’s (1993) cascade model of marital dissolution. This model offers a theoretical framework for understanding how minor issues in marriage can exacerbate and foster the entire marital experience. The study is quantitative research using an interpretive phenomenological design to recruit the participants for the study. The study conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with couples to …


A Qualitative Descriptive Study: What South Carolina Church Leaders Believe About Congregational Active Shooter Preparation, Charles David Watts Jr. Feb 2024

A Qualitative Descriptive Study: What South Carolina Church Leaders Believe About Congregational Active Shooter Preparation, Charles David Watts Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to establish a baseline of understanding what experiences South Carolina Southern Baptist church leaders have in active shooter training and what they believe about preparing, training, and equipping congregations for an active shooter incident in their house of worship. This researcher examined how church leaders prepare, train, and equip congregations for security threats like active shooter incidents. This study fills a gap in the existing literature, adding to the research by Auten (2021), Rainer (2017), and the FBI (2016). This researcher examined how churches prepare for security threats like active shooter incidents. …


Fake News And Social Media: The Impact Of Emotional Lexicon On Interactive Behaviors, Charles Bishop Montjoy Feb 2024

Fake News And Social Media: The Impact Of Emotional Lexicon On Interactive Behaviors, Charles Bishop Montjoy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As issues with fake news continue to increase, so does the need to understand better the motivation for interacting with these types of articles. Social media has become a primary source for finding news. Individuals within social media have the option to share, like, and comment on new articles. Interventions such as fake checkers, rater comments, and other types of warnings have been proven helpful in slowing the believability and interactive behaviors of fake news articles on social media sites. This qualitative, phenomenological study interviewed five participants to gain insight into how individuals experience the negative emotional lexicon within fake …


Crisis Management And Peer Support, Kevin H. Eaton Feb 2024

Crisis Management And Peer Support, Kevin H. Eaton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods Doctor of Ministry Research Project examined peers’ roles during crisis management situations and sought to improve their knowledge, skills, readiness, and confidence during crises. Peers are often the first to see precursors of a crisis or are the first present when a crisis ensues. This was true in the ministry context of a United States Army Reserve unit. A training program was developed to equip participants on crisis precursor identification, prevention, intervention, stabilization, post-intervention, and normalization concepts and techniques. Additionally, ethical consideration, professional resources, and resiliency concepts were trained. The concepts were delivered via an online web-based platform …


A Quantitative Study Of The Effects Of Algorithmic Recommendations On Users Of Streaming Services, Katarina Smikova Feb 2024

A Quantitative Study Of The Effects Of Algorithmic Recommendations On Users Of Streaming Services, Katarina Smikova

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, the proliferation of streaming services has dramatically augmented access to television as a medium for cultural narration, facilitated by rapid technological advances. The popularity of streaming platforms has prompted companies to leverage sophisticated recommendation systems and algorithms. These tools are used to tailor content offerings based on consumer behavior analytics. However, these algorithmic recommendation systems have potential detriments, particularly their capacity to perpetuate biases and inequalities and raise concerns over consumer privacy rights. The purpose of this study was to examine the nuances in the influence of algorithmic recommendations offered by various streaming services on …


Building High-Performance Ministry Teams: Pastors, Ministers, And Leaders Of Selected Baptist Churches In Macon, Georgia, Michael Wendell Johnson Feb 2024

Building High-Performance Ministry Teams: Pastors, Ministers, And Leaders Of Selected Baptist Churches In Macon, Georgia, Michael Wendell Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological research explored the experiences of pastors, ministers, and leaders of selected Baptist churches in Macon, Georgia regarding the impact of a shared vision on the development of high-performance ministry teams. The study's goal will be to understand how a shared vision can motivate pastors and church leaders to do what is necessary to improve church ministries so they can function in a way that would advance the Kingdom of God. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the experiences of pastors and church leaders in building high-performance ministries. Shared vision will be defined as a clear and common …


The Lived Experiences Of In-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Education: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Joshua J. Jackson Feb 2024

The Lived Experiences Of In-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Education: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Joshua J. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to identify, describe, and interpret the lived experiences of in-service teachers with culturally responsive education. The theory guiding this study was the social cognitive theory, emphasizing reciprocal determinism, or the bi-directional relationship between the personal, environmental, and behavioral determinants. This study's central question asked, " What are the lived experiences of in-service teachers concerning the concept of culturally responsive education?" The study took place in a large, suburban school district in Florida. The researcher selected 10 participants who have at least three years of classroom experience and have received an equity-micro-credential, which …


The Signs Of Cinema: Exploring The Effects Of Signifying God In Shadowlands, Bad Times At The El Royale, And The Tree Of Life, Eric Wescott Smith Feb 2024

The Signs Of Cinema: Exploring The Effects Of Signifying God In Shadowlands, Bad Times At The El Royale, And The Tree Of Life, Eric Wescott Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the cinematic semiosis of God, to understand how God is signified through the film medium, and to explore possible effects of this signification on the American Christian mythos. This qualitative study was conducted as an artifactual analysis study. The selected artifacts were three films and two works of literature. The film artifacts were Shadowlands, Bad Times at the El Royale, and The Tree of Life. The literature artifacts were A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis and The Book of Job. The practice of close reading was given to each artifact …


Discipleship: A Biblical Approach And Alignment To The Spirit Of The Ministry At Kingdom Collegiate Academies Early Childhood Program, Ella Louise Brown Feb 2024

Discipleship: A Biblical Approach And Alignment To The Spirit Of The Ministry At Kingdom Collegiate Academies Early Childhood Program, Ella Louise Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the spiritual practices of early childhood teachers at Kingdom Collegiate Academies Early Childhood Program at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church. The research study was designed to develop a professional training program to increase staff effectiveness and alignment with the Spirit of the Ministry traits at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church. The program was delivered through a biblically based discipleship and Spirit of the Ministry training program. Through the Bible study, each trait was examined and discussed to solicit adherence to the various traits. During the study, early childhood teachers grew in …


A Study On The Effects Of Biblical Counseling Techniques On Teacher Relationships With Students With Autism, Matthew Mcneill Feb 2024

A Study On The Effects Of Biblical Counseling Techniques On Teacher Relationships With Students With Autism, Matthew Mcneill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are in need of greater spiritual care from their teachers. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a concept which is becoming increasingly present in the world of education. With this growing presence, autism is becoming an issue in Christian education, as it seems that Christian educators struggle to understand it and to care for their students with autism spiritually. Further, little to no research has been done regarding autism and this area. The purpose of this study was to train Christian special educators in biblical counseling techniques and perspectives in order that they might better …


A Phenomenological Study: The Academic Experiences Of Low-Socioeconomic-Status Esl Learners Enrolled In A Mid-Sized Urban Community College, Anna Buck Feb 2024

A Phenomenological Study: The Academic Experiences Of Low-Socioeconomic-Status Esl Learners Enrolled In A Mid-Sized Urban Community College, Anna Buck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the academic experiences of low socioeconomic status ESL learners enrolled in a mid-sized urban community college located in Pennsylvania. The theory that guided this study is Walberg’s theory on educational productivity, as it looks at how learners’ psychological characteristics and the psychological environments in which they live influence academic outcomes and their ability to succeed academically. Walberg’s theory of educational productivity provided a framework to answer the central research question and three sub-questions: (A) What are the academic experiences of low socioeconomic status ESL learners? (B) What are the socioeconomic …


Redefining Disproportionate Arrest Rates: An Exploratory Quasi-Experiment That Reassesses The Role Of Skin Tone, Soren G. Brockdorf Feb 2024

Redefining Disproportionate Arrest Rates: An Exploratory Quasi-Experiment That Reassesses The Role Of Skin Tone, Soren G. Brockdorf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The New York Times reported that Black Lives Matter was the third most-read subject of 2020. These articles brought to the forefront the question of disparity in arrest rates for darker-skinned people. Questioning arrest disparity is understandable because virtually everything known about disproportionate arrest rates has been a guess, and virtually all prior research on disproportionate arrest rates is questionable because of improper benchmarking (the denominator effect). Current research has highlighted the need to switch from demographic data to skin tone data and start over on disproportionate arrest rate research; therefore, this study explored the relationship between skin tone and …


The Relationships Of Perceived Supervisor And Peer Support On Job Embeddedness And Turnover Intent In Special Operations Post Covid-19, Jason James Howard Feb 2024

The Relationships Of Perceived Supervisor And Peer Support On Job Embeddedness And Turnover Intent In Special Operations Post Covid-19, Jason James Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic created a societal recalculation based on a situation where mass populations were sent into isolation. Research noted the need for meaningfulness and intimacy creating a psychological imbalance that resulted in withdrawal from work and a reinvestment in higher priorities, called the Great Resignation. These cascading effects continue to negatively impact morale and performance, something that U.S. Special Operations cannot afford as the premier global combatant command. From a pool of 140 Special Operations participants data was collected through an anonymous survey to quantitatively assess correlational relationships among perceived peer support, perceived supervisor support, job embeddedness, and turnover …


How The Physical, Social, And Psychological Environment Impacts Border Security, John J. Smietana Jr. Feb 2024

How The Physical, Social, And Psychological Environment Impacts Border Security, John J. Smietana Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is a theory of crime control that posits that crime can be mitigated by shaping the physical, psychological, and social environment to prevent the meeting of perpetrators and victims. Over several decades, the United States applied the principles of CPTED to the United States-Mexico border in San Diego to secure the international border. Despite the sovereign right to secure the international border, border security became a divisive and emotionally charged topic in the United States. Studies on the effectiveness of border security were qualitative and humanitarian, describing how border security negatively impacted certain groups …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Mainstream Classroom Teachers And Overly Active, Distracted Students, Elizabeth I. Minney Feb 2024

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Mainstream Classroom Teachers And Overly Active, Distracted Students, Elizabeth I. Minney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore those lived experiences that predispose some mainstream elementary teachers to initially modify in-classroom instruction to meet the needs of their overly active, distracted students before referring them for an ADHD evaluation. Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory was the lens through which this study was examined. In essence, social learning theory suggests that individuals learn what they know and how they should act through formal and informal interactions with others. The central research question around which this study revolved was: What are the lived experiences of mainstream classroom teachers who prefer …


Fake News: Finding Truth In Strategic Communication, Anne Damisa Feb 2024

Fake News: Finding Truth In Strategic Communication, Anne Damisa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Fake news is an old phenomenon that has become a new obsession and a menace to society due to technological advancement and the proliferation of social media, which has changed traditional journalism norms. As the spread of false information has increased these past few years, it has become increasingly difficult for information consumers to distinguish between facts and fakes. A comprehensive systematic literature review to extract themes revealed the major factors responsible for spreading fake news. This qualitative interpretative meta-synthesis (QIMS) aims to better understand and offer solutions to combat fake news. This Ph.D. dissertation will serve as a guide …


The Lived Jiu-Jitsu Training Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers In Rural Central Texas: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Richard Odin Segovia Feb 2024

The Lived Jiu-Jitsu Training Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers In Rural Central Texas: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Richard Odin Segovia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the Jiu-Jitsu training experiences of law enforcement officers in rural central Texas. Grappling and ground fighting martial arts are generally known as, and synonymous with, Jiu-Jitsu. This dissertation employs Brizin and Kernspecht’s general theory of combat, which is principally concerned with utilizing various means to direct ends. Brizin and Kernspecht used Carl von Clausewitz’s combat logic theory as their foundation. A qualitative approach was appropriate for this study and included collecting data from qualitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and naturalistic observations. The qualitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and naturalistic observations indicated that …


Gender Differences In Compassion Fatigue And Burnout Among Sheriff's Deputies, Charity Creech Feb 2024

Gender Differences In Compassion Fatigue And Burnout Among Sheriff's Deputies, Charity Creech

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Law enforcement has a long and sordid history with mental health. Recently researchers have begun to dissect the effect of professional and occupational stressors on LEOs. I focused on secondary constructs, compassion fatigue and burnout, that contribute to mental health concerns. Compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout (BO) have been studied most thoroughly in medical settings, but less so in law enforcement settings. While most researchers study law enforcement as a genderless mass, I hypothesized that there is a gender difference in burnout and compassion fatigue levels among Sheriff Deputies (SD). Research aimed to identify how gender differences can contribute to …


Does Intergenerational Trauma Influence Growth Or Fixed Mindset Among Ethnic Minorities?, Kevin Ladunn Thomas Feb 2024

Does Intergenerational Trauma Influence Growth Or Fixed Mindset Among Ethnic Minorities?, Kevin Ladunn Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Intergenerational trauma is a phenomenon commonly experienced by ethnic minorities in the United States. This type of trauma can profoundly affect individuals, families, and communities. Despite the prevalence and importance of intergenerational trauma, little research has investigated the link between intergenerational trauma and individuals’ mindsets. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the perceptions, experiences, and beliefs of ethnic minorities with intergenerational trauma regarding fixed and growth mindsets. The theory guiding this study was Carol Dweck’s mindset theory. To assess the influence of intergenerational trauma on ethnic minorities’ mindsets, 12 individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds were …


Preparing Early Educators To Support Young Children's Social And Emotional Development: A Phenomenological Study Of Higher Education, Elizabeth Burany Feb 2024

Preparing Early Educators To Support Young Children's Social And Emotional Development: A Phenomenological Study Of Higher Education, Elizabeth Burany

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of higher education faculty regarding their role in preparing the early childhood education workforce to support young children’s social and emotional development in North Carolina. The conceptual framework used to guide this study was the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. Using a transcendental approach, experiences of faculty were examined to learn more about the instructional methods used to equip pre-service educators with the knowledge and practices needed to effectively teach social and emotional concepts in an early childhood classroom. …


Support Systems: The Effect They Have On Domestic Violence Victims, Kimberly Diann Burton Feb 2024

Support Systems: The Effect They Have On Domestic Violence Victims, Kimberly Diann Burton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the last five years, domestic violence has escalated in the number of episodes reported and in the severity of violence. Researchers attribute this increased frequency and severity to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown time of the pandemic, victims and their abusers could not escape from arguments, which resulted in tensions rising. This study brings attention to the fact that domestic violence is still a pervasive problem. It gives information to help the abused stay out of violent relationships and/or escape. There was conflicting research on whether support systems help victims of these violent relationships escape or stay in …