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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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A Descriptive Case Study On How Suburban Texas Police Department Drone Use Conforms To Public Opinion, Terrill Brett Spell Jul 2025

A Descriptive Case Study On How Suburban Texas Police Department Drone Use Conforms To Public Opinion, Terrill Brett Spell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the use of drones by suburban police departments in Texas, and its central research question asked how that drone use aligns with what prior research found the public supports. The research design used a holistic multiple-case approach that involved interviewing police officers who use drones as part of their law enforcement responsibilities. Relevant theoretical frameworks were social contract theory, Packer’s theory on law enforcement, and evidence-based policing theory. Data collection involved semistructured interviews of 13 officers representing the same number of Texas suburban police departments. The data collected and analyzed …


Self-Care: The Solution To Exhaustion For Captain (O-3) Chaplains, James W. Gladden Jul 2025

Self-Care: The Solution To Exhaustion For Captain (O-3) Chaplains, James W. Gladden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The U.S. Army Chaplain Corps is a unique group of Soldiers who have been called to serve as professional military religious leaders in a military context, nurturing the living, caring for the wounded, and honoring the fallen. In meeting those objectives in the military, some Chaplains find themselves reaching a level of exhaustion that could have long-term damage to their spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. At the battalion level, Captain (O-3) Chaplains are the Religious Leaders who will face the brunt of the stress, as they are the first to respond to boots-on-ground ministry at the tactical level. On …


Intergenerational Trauma: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Impact Of Ace’S And Attachment Styles, Quinche` Williams Jul 2025

Intergenerational Trauma: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Impact Of Ace’S And Attachment Styles, Quinche` Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many individuals are impacted by ACEs at some point during their childhood. Researchers claimed that ACEs can be prevented; however, there are multiple factors that increase the risk of exposure to childhood adversity, which makes prevention and treatment more difficult. Childhood trauma can cause lasting problems that impact many areas of life and multiple generations. Attachment styles are formed early in life and shape how individuals respond in relationships and situations throughout their lives, including those with their future children. This study used a qualitative method to explore ACEs, attachment styles, intergenerational trauma, and how the intensity and timing of …


Online Child Sexual Grooming: Understanding The Origins And Problems Within The Criminal Justice System, Tara Kristich Jul 2025

Online Child Sexual Grooming: Understanding The Origins And Problems Within The Criminal Justice System, Tara Kristich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Grooming children for sexual abuse is complex and challenging to understand because it is constantly evolving due to technology. Prior to the eruption of social media and internet platforms, predators typically had to be in a position to gain access to children or be close to a family with children to sexually groom, abuse, and exploit children. Technology has enabled predators to have instant access to children through chat applications and various internet platforms globally. This qualitative study explored the current platforms that impact child sexual victimization, the impact on victims' mental health, and the laws pertaining to online child …


Social Media Marketing Impacts On Sme Customer Engagement And Prodictivity, La'keisha J. Morton-Carter Jul 2025

Social Media Marketing Impacts On Sme Customer Engagement And Prodictivity, La'keisha J. Morton-Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative multiple case study explored the underutilization of social media marketing among small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs and its impact on customer engagement and business productivity. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, the study examined how SME owners perceive, adopt, and apply social media platforms in their marketing efforts. Data were collected from 38 participants through semi-structured interviews and surveys and analyzed using NVivo 15 software. Thematic analysis revealed five emergent themes: Digital Hesitancy, Strategic Gaps, Customer Engagement Variability, Resource Constraints, and Peer Influence. Findings indicated that while entrepreneurs recognized …


Digital Identity Management As A Critical Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Legal Issue: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Reasonable Person Factors Involved In Court Decisions, William H. Nicholson Jul 2025

Digital Identity Management As A Critical Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Legal Issue: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Reasonable Person Factors Involved In Court Decisions, William H. Nicholson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative applied study is to define and explain through analysis the reasonable person standard as it relates to prosecution and sentencing computer crime cases involving digital identities while addressing the problem of digital anonymity. This has been done by analyzing computer crime cases with the advent of current and planned technologies, and surveying potential jurors to understand the current state of knowledge of digital attribution. This descriptive qualitative research method analyzed the problem through the use of criminological theories of control and social learning theory to better understand the reasonable person standard in computer crime …


The Effect Of Sleep Latency, Duration, And Quality In Adolescents When Altering Nighttime Smartphone And Social Media Use, Ryan R. May Jul 2025

The Effect Of Sleep Latency, Duration, And Quality In Adolescents When Altering Nighttime Smartphone And Social Media Use, Ryan R. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Smartphones and social media are quickly becoming standard technological tools for connection and socialization within the modern-day adolescent population. Inversely, sleep for adolescents/young adults is decreasing while sleep problems are rising. This research trend is prompting researchers to investigate how restricting or eliminating smartphone/social media use benefits sleep health. The current study hypothesized that when adolescents/ young adults aged 18-21 eliminate smartphone/social media usage one hour before bedtime there would be a significantly lower number of nighttime awakenings, a reduction in sleep onset, and a higher number of minutes slept for participants in the experimental group when compared to participants …


The Impact Of Stress Reduction Programs In Reducing Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Military Spouses With Disabilities, Faith Clemons Jul 2025

The Impact Of Stress Reduction Programs In Reducing Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Military Spouses With Disabilities, Faith Clemons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pregnant military spouses with disabilities have high levels of anxiety and depression, as these individuals are more exposed to stress due to various health risks and worries during deployments. Health care experiences of pregnant military spouses who are disabled are explored through interviews and surveys to determine if appropriate services reduce anxiety and depression and help with stress. The study encompasses qualitative design, interviewing with eight participants from the Clarksville, Tennessee area, known for its many military families near Fort Campbell. The study targets evidence-based therapies through theoretical frameworks of attachment, social support and stress and coping theory such as …


Exploring How People Become Investigative Genetic Genealogists Who Assist With Law Enforcement Investigations: A Multiple Case Study, Matthew Serio Hoggatt Jul 2025

Exploring How People Become Investigative Genetic Genealogists Who Assist With Law Enforcement Investigations: A Multiple Case Study, Matthew Serio Hoggatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s world of criminal justice, the use of Deoxyribonucleic Acid, otherwise known as DNA, to solve crimes, has become a popular tool for law enforcement, and a popular subject plot within the entertainment industry. Also growing in popularity at a fast rate, is the use of DNA combined with consumer-based genealogy websites to help identify unknown suspects or unidentified human remains. This process has become commonly known as investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), or forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG). What remains unclear however, is how people learn the skills necessary to establish a career within the IGG field. The purpose …


Using Simulation To Teach Students Transferable Skills For Paramedic Educators In A Prehospital Clinical Setting In Urban Georgia: A Phenomenology, George Antonio Rouse Jul 2025

Using Simulation To Teach Students Transferable Skills For Paramedic Educators In A Prehospital Clinical Setting In Urban Georgia: A Phenomenology, George Antonio Rouse

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of using simulation to teach students transferable skills for paramedic educators in a prehospital clinical setting in urban Georgia. The theory guiding this study is Kolb’s experiential learning theory as it supports the use of low and high-fidelity simulation to provide students with interactive and realistic learning experiences that are transformative in nature. The central research question guiding this study was: What is the lived experience of paramedic educators using simulation to teach students transferable skills? Data was collected via qualitative surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups …


The Regulars: Joseph Russell Knowland And The Roots Of Contemporary Republican Conservatism, Ron Cook Jul 2025

The Regulars: Joseph Russell Knowland And The Roots Of Contemporary Republican Conservatism, Ron Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The “regular” Republicans were the conservatives within the reform-dominated Republican Party at the dawn of the twentieth century. Heirs of the Republican “stalwarts” of the Gilded Age, they were the “machine,” “establishment,” and “old guard” Republicans in the Age of Theodore Roosevelt. Overall, they preferred traditional, “patron-based” and “service-oriented” party organization over the “issue-driven coalitions” of progressive reformers. Across most of the nineteenth century, American politics was rooted in simple party identity, and this traditional “politics of organization.” In the early twentieth century, however, progressives ushered in what historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., later called a “politics of ideology,” grounded not …


Investigating The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Performance Among Non-Traditionally Aged Undergraduate Students, Joseph Anthony Giandonato Iv Jul 2025

Investigating The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Performance Among Non-Traditionally Aged Undergraduate Students, Joseph Anthony Giandonato Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine a relationship between physical activity (PA) participation and academic performance (AP) among non-traditionally aged undergraduate students (NTAS), aged 25 and older, which represents one of the fastest growing enrollment segments at higher education institutions within the US. The sample (n = 167) was constituted of undergraduate students aged 25 and older enrolled at a large private university located in the Southeastern US for two consecutive academic terms. Data collection was comprised of disseminating a modified version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) accompanied by a brief demographic …


Understanding Dissonance Between Clinical Theory And Christian Principles In Counseling: Equipping Clinically Trained Professional Counselors To Counsel Through A Christian Worldview, Herbert Douglas Geiger Jul 2025

Understanding Dissonance Between Clinical Theory And Christian Principles In Counseling: Equipping Clinically Trained Professional Counselors To Counsel Through A Christian Worldview, Herbert Douglas Geiger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action project focuses on addressing the need for a research-based activity to understand the operational worldviews related to the counseling practices of the counselors at the Abundant Life Counseling Center. With the increasing demand for clinically and theologically informed counseling, the study explored how a counselor's worldview affects faith integration into a clinically based, therapeutic approach. The goal is to equip counselors to provide wisdom through theologically grounded and clinically informed training within a Christian philosophical framework, improve their Christian counseling skills, and reduce dissonance caused by the lack of integration skills in Christian-principled counseling (Prov 29:18). Every Christian-principled …


Adult Romantic Attachment Styles, Attachment To God And Recidivism Risk Among Adult Male Sexual Offenders, Mary Crystal Wring Jul 2025

Adult Romantic Attachment Styles, Attachment To God And Recidivism Risk Among Adult Male Sexual Offenders, Mary Crystal Wring

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the possible relationship between attachment to adult romantic partners and attachment to God style and sexual/violent recidivism risk scores. The study, also, sought to understand the lived experiences of adult male sexual offenders in relation to their family of origin, romantic partners, and with the Christian God. Participants (N=38) completed self-report questionnaires on their attachment styles to adult romantic partners (ECR-R) and to God (AGI). These scores were analyzed using chi-squared test of independence and multiple linear regression with scores of sexual/violent recidivism risk assessments performed by their probation or corrections officers (STATIC 99R, CPORT). This study …


Leading Through Critical Incidents: A Phenomenological Study Of K–12 School Leaders’ Responses To Critical Incidents, Terry-Ann Griffin Jul 2025

Leading Through Critical Incidents: A Phenomenological Study Of K–12 School Leaders’ Responses To Critical Incidents, Terry-Ann Griffin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how K–12 school leaders respond to critical incidents in schools. A critical incident is any actual or alleged event or situation that creates a significant risk of substantial or severe harm to physical or mental health, safety, or well-being. The study focused on three major critical incidents: school shootings/gun violence, the COVID-19 pandemic, and racial unrest. The research was guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, which explains human behavior through reciprocal interactions between personal, environmental, and behavioral factors. The central research question was: How do K–12 school leaders respond to …


Perceptions Of Air National Guard Students’ Transformative Technology Experiences During Their Professional Military Education Courses: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Colburn Jul 2025

Perceptions Of Air National Guard Students’ Transformative Technology Experiences During Their Professional Military Education Courses: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Colburn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of Air National Guard students stationed in the United States about technology integration during their professional military education (PME) courses and its role in encouraging leadership perspective transformative learning in the United States. The theory guiding this study was the transformative learning theory. This study explored how technology could help students expand their views while completing their PME courses and enabled them to use their own experiences to add value to the course. The central research question was: What are the perceptions of Air National Guard students on …


Exploring Higher Education Faculty Experiences With Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study, Keisha Pierre-Stephen Jul 2025

Exploring Higher Education Faculty Experiences With Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study, Keisha Pierre-Stephen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of higher education educators integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, in curriculum work conducted within a university setting, focusing specifically on faculty members. The theory guiding this study was the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, which presented a window for understanding the integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in educational practices. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members at an urban university on the West Coast of the United States regarding students' use …


A Phenomenological Study Understanding Religious And Spiritual Coping In African American Female Veterans Who Experienced Combat-Related Trauma, Dawn Raini Long Jul 2025

A Phenomenological Study Understanding Religious And Spiritual Coping In African American Female Veterans Who Experienced Combat-Related Trauma, Dawn Raini Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American females are drawn to pursue a military career for many reasons, including upholding a family tradition, securing funding for education, or simply due to the stability it offered in a challenging economic climate. This study depicted narratives of battlefield-induced psychological stress arising from the convergence of military culture intersectionality, posttraumatic stress, and the transition to civilian life. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the religious or spiritual coping of African American female veterans who experienced combat-related trauma in the military. The participants were interviewed at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) and Veterans Bridge Home. …


Marketing Culture Of Award-Winning Secondary School Librarians: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Martin Schmidt Jul 2025

Marketing Culture Of Award-Winning Secondary School Librarians: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Martin Schmidt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences developing, understanding, and implementing marketing culture for award-winning secondary school librarians in the United States. The conceptual framework guiding this study was marketing culture, which explores the context of marketing attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of organizations, purportedly leading to organizational success. This study used a phenomenological approach with secondary school librarians who had won an award for their work as a school librarian. Data collection consisted of individual semi-structured interviews, artifact analysis, and reflective journal prompts. Data analysis consisted of a hermeneutic epoché-reduction followed by a manual …


Long-Term Psychological And Emotional Impacts On Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Quanesha Lashay Johnson Jul 2025

Long-Term Psychological And Emotional Impacts On Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Quanesha Lashay Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) has lasting psychological and emotional effects, yet limited research directly compares long-term outcomes between CSA survivors. This study addressed that gap by examining adult survivors’ long-term depression levels, emotional wellbeing, and sexual wellbeing, focusing on how the relationship to the perpetrator may influence outcomes. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, the study employed three validated instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), BBC Subjective Wellbeing Scale (BBC-SWB), and the Natsal Sexual Wellbeing Measure. A total of 78 adults participated. Of these, 46 reported experiencing CSA by a family member or family friend, 17 experienced CSA by someone else …


A Phenomenological Study Exploring Marital Stress When Wives Serve In Ministry, Sharon Deloach Jul 2025

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Marital Stress When Wives Serve In Ministry, Sharon Deloach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was specifically to do an in-depth exploration of female clergy and their husbands to make sense of these experiences in their marriage. A sample of six clergy females and their husbands in the United States participated in an on-line semi-structured interview as a couple and separately as individuals for a comprehensive detailed description of their stories in the own words. The central research question asked about ministry stress impact on clergy marriages when the wife is employed by the church. Many studies have been conducted on male clergy stress and more recently …


Church Support For People With Suicidal Ideations Or Attempts: A Phenomenological Study, S. Allyson Bowers Jul 2025

Church Support For People With Suicidal Ideations Or Attempts: A Phenomenological Study, S. Allyson Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of people with suicidal behavior seeking help from an Evangelical Church. The theories that guided this study were Kelman’s social influence theory and Kelly and Thibaut’s interdependence theory. The social influence theory explains the influence the church may have over an individual, and the interdependence theory describes how church leadership impacts interactions with church members who have suicidal behaviors. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of participants. The interviews were recorded to help with accuracy and transcribed. Participants reviewed the transcriptions for accuracy. Then the researcher went through …


Exploring The Influence Of Early Life Attachment And Faith On Resilience And Independence In Emerging Adulthood: The Role Of Childhood Loss, Moriah E. Lewis Jul 2025

Exploring The Influence Of Early Life Attachment And Faith On Resilience And Independence In Emerging Adulthood: The Role Of Childhood Loss, Moriah E. Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The transition to emerging adulthood is a period of change that is shaped by early attachment. Previous literature has established that attachment security influences functioning later in life, including both resilience and independence. Additionally, faith is often associated with positive outcomes. However, limited research has examined how these constructs relate to one another in emerging adulthood. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore how faith moderates the relationship between early life attachment and both resilience and independence in emerging adults. The study employed self-report surveys to measure attachment, resilience, independence, and faith in a sample of 70 …


The Decision-Making Process In Student Conduct: A Qualitative Study, Kupenda Palmer Jul 2025

The Decision-Making Process In Student Conduct: A Qualitative Study, Kupenda Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the perspectives and experiences toward decision-making for student conduct administrators at various institutions in the Midwest and Northeast regions. The theory guiding this study is Westaby’s behavioral reasoning theory, as it explains the relationship between decision-making and reasoning for leaders. The central research question for the study is: How do student conduct administrators make decisions concerning student conduct matters? This study adopts a qualitative approach grounded in constructivist philosophy to understand how Student Conduct Administrators (SCAs) make decisions regarding student misconduct. A case study design was chosen to explore the …


Developing The Importance Of Integrity To Consistently Display Biblical Principles And Characteristics In Ministry Leadership Roles, Michella R. Keys Jul 2025

Developing The Importance Of Integrity To Consistently Display Biblical Principles And Characteristics In Ministry Leadership Roles, Michella R. Keys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Integrity in ministry is not a choice; it must be the lifestyle of those in leadership. Christian leaders must understand the influence they have on others (Bredfeldt, 2006). The dissertation focuses on the importance of integrity and how, as Christian leaders, it is essential to consistently display integrity, biblical principles, and biblical characteristics when in leadership roles in ministry.. The problem arises when ministry leaders do not live a consistent lifestyle that aligns with God’s word. Training and developing Christian leaders who know Jesus as their example and can lead by being a role model for others with consistent character …


The Protective Factors Of Trauma-Informed Care For Parents With Autistic Children, Carolynn J. Redd-Recksiek Jul 2025

The Protective Factors Of Trauma-Informed Care For Parents With Autistic Children, Carolynn J. Redd-Recksiek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this current phenomenological study is to understand the experience of parents with autistic children and their lack of trauma-informed care from direct care providers in Northern Utah. This study is guided by trauma-informed theory, which is a model of care delivery created by Maxine Harris and Roger D. Fallot (2001). Trauma-informed care recognizes how adverse experiences can impact a person and have a negative impact on the health and well-being of that person and how those negative experiences have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the family, which directly impacts the health and well-being …


The Christian Impact On Addiction Recovery In The Revive And Restore Recovery Ministry In Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Donald Albert Walczak Jul 2025

The Christian Impact On Addiction Recovery In The Revive And Restore Recovery Ministry In Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Donald Albert Walczak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Revive and Restore Recovery Ministry is that participants fail to grasp the importance of a biblically based approach to addiction recovery. The purpose of this action research project is to develop a written plan that implements an effective Christian-based approach to addiction recovery. The field of addiction recovery provides a multi-faceted approach to accomplish healing for individuals seeking wholeness and healing. The primary goal of this study is to develop a viable Christian recovery model. The implementation of this model will be detailed in the research. Research methods include the gathering of basic data points through the …


Exploring The Bidirectional Relationship Between Attachment Styles And Spiritual Practices In Protestant Christians: A Qualitative Study, Emily Lauren Pritt Jul 2025

Exploring The Bidirectional Relationship Between Attachment Styles And Spiritual Practices In Protestant Christians: A Qualitative Study, Emily Lauren Pritt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explores the bidirectional relationship between spirituality and attachment among Protestant Christians—a topic with limited empirical focus. Grounded in attachment theory and theological insights, prior research often treats attachment as a static predictor of spiritual development, with little attention to how spiritual engagement may reshape attachment. This study addresses the gap by examining how these relational domains mutually inform each other and affect psychological well-being within a Christian context. The purpose was to explore if adult attachment styles and spiritual practices influence emotional health, relational security, and overall well-being among active Protestant Christians. Twenty-two adults actively engaged in …


Uncovering The Parental Self Identification Process, Danita M. Baber Jul 2025

Uncovering The Parental Self Identification Process, Danita M. Baber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation sought to uncover the first-time parent’s novel journey of transforming their identity from individual to parent. Through highlighting the well-established theories that describe the self-identification process, this study centered around concepts related to the conceptualization of the self, the developmental process of self-identification, and the establishment of one’s self-concept, through the lens of parenting. Specifically, this study asked, “For first time parents, does the age of one’s infant impact one’s level of obtained parental identity?” To best answer this question, this study followed a quantitative research design to discover if there was a positive relationship between measured parental …


A Phenomenological Study Of African American Males In Education Doctoral Programs, Byron L. Kelly Jul 2025

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Males In Education Doctoral Programs, Byron L. Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of African American males in education doctoral programs at three universities in the southern region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s retention theory on integration, as it explained how academic and social integration help to retain students and ultimately assist them in graduating. This hermeneutical phenomenological study was designed to allow the researcher to interpret the lived experiences of individuals. Ten African American males enrolled in or graduated from education doctoral programs from three universities in the Southern region of the United States …