Digital Commons Network^™

The Homeschooled Student Athlete And Their Transition To College: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Michele Marie Sandon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover homeschooled student-athletes’ lived experiences as they transitioned to the rigors of academics, social settings, and athletic life at NCAA and NAIA institutions in the United States. This study was guided by Tinto’s integration theory, which offers insight into how college students experience academic and social integration. The central research question asked: What was the homeschooled student-athlete’s experience in transitioning to college? This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological design to examine those lived experiences. The data was collected from a purposeful sample of eleven homeschooled student-athletes through semi-structured interviews conducted …

Healthy Outcomes From Positive Experiences Training And Child-Serving Providers, April Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An in-depth knowledge base of prevention frameworks with strategies to address the root causes of dysfunction is lacking for many child-serving providers as they work to prevent and mitigate Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Through learning the building blocks of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) that prevent and buffer trauma, child-serving providers may become more effective in preventing ACEs and enhancing resiliency. Child-serving providers often focus on reducing deficits or mitigation of traumatic experiences, as opposed to building resilience to prevent traumatic experiences from occurring in the first place or strengthening the ability of children to bounce back when ACEs occur. The …

Exploring The Role Of Values And Ethics In Transformational Leadership And Their Impact On Teacher Wellbeing: A Qualitative Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Brittany Nicole Evans Javier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact of values and ethics in transformational leadership on teacher wellbeing for teachers at a private Christian school. The transformational leadership theory proposes that leaders lead through inspiration, and this theory underpinned the study, as more recent research focused on specific aspects of transformational leadership and called for further research in the area of ethical leadership. The primary research question asked how values and ethics in transformational leadership impacted teacher wellbeing in a private Christian school in North Carolina. A transcendental phenomenological study was conducted, as a phenomenological qualitative study …

Singing Is Believing: A Case Study Of Worship Song Themes Sung By Sbc Churches, Cindy L. Beirne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a notable gap in scholarly research on whether a denomination’s beliefs are clearly and accurately represented in the songs used in corporate worship. This study examines the themes of Contemporary Praise and Worship songs and hymns used by a sample of Southern Baptist congregations and compares them with core beliefs in the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. The study seeks to identify the intersection of the songs commonly sung, the importance of contributing to the formation and reinforcement of SBC beliefs, and the factors that influence song selection. This mixed-methods research study examined a sample of Southern Baptist …

Church Disaffiliation's Impact On Black Christian Millennials' Faith Development, Kevin M. Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher explored the faith, ways of living, and ideologies of Black Christian millennials that unite them with others and with God, leading to what James Fowler called the “ultimate environment” (Attfield, 1994). The study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design to examine whether the faith development path of Black Christian millennials had been impacted by church disaffiliation. From their perspective, identifying factors that fuel their beliefs, religious expressions, and views on their religious identity (Thomas, 2017). Faith, in its simplest form, is defined not by creeds or their institutional practices, Fowler acknowledges. However, its foundational truth lies in the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastoral Perspectives Of Conservative Churches Effectively Serving The Disability Community, John D. Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the experience of pastors leading conservative churches engaging with and serving persons with disabilities and their families. It focused on six theologically conservative churches providing special needs ministry, with at least three distinct scheduled ministry opportunities staffed by lay leadership, meeting a minimum of quarterly, and overseen by a paid staff member. This research sought to understand the perspectives of the pastors leading these churches, focusing on their personal experiences with disability, vision implementation, and leadership development. This study explored these pastors’ leadership through the lens of Transformational Leadership Theory and whether their style demonstrates transformational …

The Lived Experiences Of Olympic Medalists As They Describe Their Sense Of Self: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Ana Barend

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Olympic medalists are characterized by their commitment to performance excellence. While research has extensively examined factors that influence athletic outcomes, comparatively less attention has been paid to how elite athletes experience and make meaning of their own identities beyond sport. Despite possessing extraordinary personal resources, many struggle with identity foreclosure during transitions and mental health challenges at rates comparable to the general population. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Olympic medalists as they perceive and describe their sense of self. Guided by van Manen's approach to human science research and informed by Self-Determination Theory, this inquiry examined …

The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Romantic Relationships, Chelsea A. Fiszbajn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study’s purpose was to examine the role social media has in adult romantic relationships. This study focused on the impact social media has on trust, communication, and the quality of the relationship. Social media platforms have become a very integral part of today’s relationships, which in turn has added room in the relationship for more jealousy, temptation, and validation from others. This study used a survey-based methodology to collect data on individuals' personal experiences and perceptions of how social media impacts their current romantic relationships. Using quantitative measures, the research evaluated how often a partner uses social media, …

What Is The Relationship Between Mental Health Court Participation And Recidivism In Georgia's Juvenile Courts?, Damarius Thompson-Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Juvenile Mental Health Courts (JMHCs) intend to address mental health issues that are related to youth delinquency through a therapeutic justice model rather than a punitive justice model. Still, the question of whether JMHCs decrease recidivism among young offenders in Georgia remains understudied due to limited empirical research on these programs. This quantitative, causal-comparative study addresses this gap by examining two key aspects: (1) the impact of JMHC participation on recidivism rates and (2) the predictive role of individual program components. The study included 300 juveniles (150 JMHC and 150 standard court participants) across five Georgia counties. Recidivism was operationally …

The Emotional Aspects Of Disbelief: A Study Of Negative Emotions And Their Influence On Atheists When Reasoning About God’S Existence And Christianity, Esteban Canales

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The lack of sufficient evidence has been signaled by atheists as the main reason for their disbelief, identifying arguments such as God’s silence and the problem of evil as intellectual reasons against the existing of God and the plausibility of Christianity. While Christians found in arguments from Natural Theology, Scripture, morality, and the like, reliable sources in order to recognize God’s wonders and purpose for humanity, for atheists it seems that no argument seem sufficient neither rational. But what about if these so-called intellectual reasons are the product of an underlying emotional condition, affecting negatively the way atheists reason the …

Use Of The Casper Test As An Admissions Test For Predicting Academic And Clinical Performance In Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists: A Predictive Correlational Study, Barbara A. Acord

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, non-experimental, predictive correlational study examined the extent to which CASPer test scores predict academic and clinical performance among student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs). Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) provide over 80% of anesthesia services in the United States, showing the importance of effective admissions processes to identify candidates most likely to succeed academically and clinically. Traditional admissions criteria in nurse anesthesia programs largely prioritize grades and may underrepresent non-cognitive attributes associated with student success. A convenience sample used a medium effect size, power of .8, and alpha level of .05, with G*Power calculated to be 85 participants 2nd …

Protecting Computer Systems In The Post-Quantum World, Thomas C. Gerlach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The 20th century saw remarkable growth due to technological advances, with many of the most significant advances due in no small part to the transistor and the computer revolution it spawned. During the last several decades, an even more transformative technology has been making incredible advances: quantum computing. Quantum computers will significantly impact computer security, with a profound risk to encryption and privacy. However, because of the incredibly complicated nature of quantum computing and the variety of fields involved, quantum computing continues to be viewed as science fiction by many and is failing to garner enough attention within the computer …

Experiences Of Parents Moving In, Moving Through, And Moving Out Of Play Therapy: A Phenomenological Study, Carly Rowan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of parents as they make meaning of their children’s participation in play therapy in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Schlossberg's transition theory was utilized to provide a theoretical framework for answering the following questions: How do parents describe their expectations and perceptions of play therapy for their children who have received a minimum of eight play therapy sessions? How do parents describe their expectations for play therapy before their experience? In what ways were the parents' expectations met, and what were the unexpected outcomes experienced while their child was …

Exploring Help-Seeking Behaviors For Marital Distress Amongst African American Clergy, Desmond John Crawley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the help-seeking behaviors of African American clergy along the East Coast of the United States in response to marital distress. The theory guiding this study is social constructivism, which was developed in the 1930s by Russian Social Scientist Lev Vygotsky. This theory explores how meaning is developed through social interaction within and between individuals in a given community. Relative to this study, this constructivist perspective will help to explore the meanings that African American clergy assign to marital distress, the prioritization of help-seeking, and their role within the Black community. This …

Do Financial Institutions’ Senior Leaders’ Shared Vision Moderate Or Mediate The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Sales Professionals’ Work Engagement?, Jacob Glen Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The modern workplace is driven by rapid changes, complexities, and challenges resulting from disruptions in the global marketplace. The disruptions have prompted organizations to prioritize leadership effectiveness to navigate the required business changes better and maintain a competitive advantage. The prioritization of leadership effectiveness has brought emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, and employee work engagement to the forefront of research. This study evaluated the relationship between the emotional intelligence of financial institutions’ leaders and their sales professionals’ work engagement as mediated or moderated by the leaders’ communication of a shared vision. The sales professionals and their leaders at select asset managers …

Study On The Prevalence Of Police Whistleblower Retaliation In The United States Of America, Brian Andrew Morrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research indicates that two substantial problems arise as a result of retaliation against law enforcement whistleblowers. The first is that up to 10% of whistleblowers attempt suicide, with more contemplating the action (Shepard, 2021). The second problem is that, in law enforcement, the corruption of the investigative authorities involved in such cases represents a significant issue. In the last 5 years, the need for change in law enforcement has grown; one cause of this has been the rising voices of those who have witnessed corruption. Consequently, the aim of this applied quantitative study is to help unravel the problem of …

Career And Technical Education Teacher Efficacy In Embedding Disciplinary Literacy: A Predictive Correlational Study, Susan Gwin Higley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational nonexperimental study was to determine the relationship between high school career and technical education (CTE) teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ highest level of education, and teachers’ participation in disciplinary literacy professional development, and their relationship to teachers’ efficacy in embedding disciplinary literacy instruction into their content area teaching. The reading requirements for CTE students are very different from the curriculum taught in English Language Arts classes. Also, texts in specific disciplines of CTE vary greatly. As such, CTE teachers must embed disciplinary literacy in their daily teaching to ensure that their students develop the …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of How Daily Explicit Writing Instruction May Contribute To Early Foundational Reading Skills: A Case Study, Jamie Shenk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single case study was to explore how K-3 elementary teachers’ perceptions of how daily writing instruction contributes to early foundational reading skills. The theories guiding this study were Sweller’s cognitive load study and Bartlett’s schema theory. The central research question was: How do educators perceive connections between an explicit, daily writing approach and its influence on foundational reading skills? A single case study was used for this research in order to focus on K-3 teachers who had completed a one-year study on explicit writing instruction. The participants were 12 K-3 teachers in one Title I school …

The Lived Experiences Of People With Fibromyalgia (Fms) With Histories Of Traumatic Stress, Tamille L. Northern

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of 21 study participants who had comorbid Fibromyalgia Syndrome and PTSD/CPTSD, and had experienced traumatic stress before their fibromyalgia diagnoses, hoping to increase the understanding of this central phenomenon. An ontological theoretical framework guided this research approach to explore and describe the study participants’ subjective realities while describing their perceptions of their situations. Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a chronic pain condition with characteristics like widespread debilitating musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, tenderness, muscle atrophy, chronic fatigue, rashes, sensitivities, gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome, cognitive difficulties, stigmatization, unacknowledged disability, …

Morality Meets Education: Transactional And Transformational Leadership Of Business Students, Arthur L. Conyers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In an era where ethical failures in business can destabilize markets and damage public trust, understanding how future leaders develop moral clarity is becoming increasingly urgent. Transformational leadership highlights relational influence and purpose, while transactional leadership provides structural clarity that supports organizational operations. Morality, broadly defined as adherence to a standard of righteousness, remains essential for leadership in commerce, policy, and organizational contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study looked into how business and management students experience leadership development, moral decision-making, and faith integration in their academic and personal lives. Students enrolled in accredited colleges and universities were interviewed, and transcripts were …

A New Testament Theology Of Evangelistic Prayer, Preston Gagnon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evangelistic prayer is widely assumed to be appropriate, but the biblical basis for the practice has been insufficiently argued. Some evangelistic resources assume evangelistic prayer is necessary. Others overlook the practice, and many discuss evangelistic prayer by making minimal arguments for the practice. Due to the lack of comprehensive arguments for evangelistic prayer, some authors have been able to claim that prayers for the lost are unbiblical. This dissertation enters the conversation by arguing that the New Testament presents evangelistic prayer as a biblically mandated, exemplified, and theologically supported practice. This argument is made by expositing twelve key New Testament …

Childhood Sexual Abuse, Cultural Secrecy, And The Management Of Social Relationships Among Single African American Mothers, Najah Briana Blassingame

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of African American female survivors’ residing in the state of South Carolina. This study explored how the cultural norms of secrecy within the AA community discouraged the open disclosure of personal or familial trauma to maintain a family’s reputation, protect the community’s image, and display family loyalty (Brazelton, 2015). The normalization of secrecy within the AA community contributes to the continuation of generational trauma which can break the family apart or mend it back together (Petion et al., 2022). The theories that guided this study were identified as the …

The Correlation Between Leadership Performance And Personality In Virtual Technology Workers, Henry C. Mullins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between leadership performance and personality traits among leaders in the technology sector, who work across the spectrum of virtuality. Personality traits were measured using the Big Five model: extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, using the IPIP-NEO-60 instrument. Leadership performance was measured using the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and interpreted through both the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and Transformational Leadership theories. Holistically this is viewed through a Transformational Christian worldview. This study also examined the role of virtuality, defined as the extent to which an individual works from an office or remotely. Participants were …

The Effectiveness Of Wellness Programs On Public Safety Personnel, Thomas T. Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stressful situations have become a common theme that many first responders have encountered while on the job. As more studies have surfaced regarding the causes of stress, the ability to reduce stress while minimizing any adverse reactions that result from them have been minimal. Just as the catalysts for stress are not the same for everyone, the reactions to treatments that are offered will vary in effectiveness. Since not all agencies have programs in place to deal with the mental and physical traumas that affect first responders, the focus will be on one agency that has recently implemented multiple treatment …

The Lived Experiences Of Remote, Part-Time Faculty Members With Transformational Leadership: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study At A Private Christian College In Appalachia, Edward Christian L. Chicko

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of remote, part-time faculty at a private Christian college in Appalachia as they encountered transformational leadership in their professional roles. Faculty morale was defined as the emotional, psychological, and professional well-being of faculty as shaped by their perceptions of institutional leadership in a remote teaching environment. Guided by transformational leadership theory, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, this study examined how leadership behaviors influenced faculty engagement and institutional connection. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to examine participants’ lived experiences. Purposeful sampling recruited 11 …

A Multiple Case Study: Communicating Uncertainty In Intelligence Community Analytic Judgments, Donald S. Terry Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) analysts face incessant challenges in expressing and explaining uncertainty (dependent variable) when communicating analytic judgments to their clients. IC analysts theorize and apply estimative language and levels of confidence in their analysis, and then it is received by decision-makers, ultimately having an impact on policy making. Historic case studies of the pre-war intelligence assessment of Iraqi WMD, the operational and diplomatic outcome of the 2011 raid on UBL, and the intelligence surprise of COVD-19 reflect the impact that uncertainty has on strategic analysis. Data is collected from primary sources, coded, and interpreted to survey ideas and …

Evaluating Pathways Into Health Care Among Healthcare Students In Virginia, Olivette Burroughs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gaps in healthcare training that lead to healthcare access inequalities and the role of the pathway programs' effectiveness in the pathway process in Virginia. The problem addressed in this study was to assess how healthcare education pathway programs impact access to care in rural and underserved areas of Virginia. The study used the qualitative health belief model by Hochbaum, Rosenstock, Kegeles, and Leventhal to examine pathway program participants' beliefs and perceptions, and the grounded theory by sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss, to establish theoretical relationships. The rationale for the study was …

A Causal-Comparative Study On The Difference Between Elementary, Middle, And High School Special Education Teachers’ Emotional Exhaustion Based On Years Of Experience, Stacey Spruill Earp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether emotional exhaustion differed among special education teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the southern United States while controlling for years of teaching experience. This study is significant because emotional exhaustion is a central component of burnout and has implications for teacher well-being, retention, and the quality of services provided to students with disabilities. A quantitative, non-experimental comparative design was employed. Data was collected from a sample of 158 special education teachers working in public schools in the southern region. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey through …

Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Lived Experiences With Simulation: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jamie O'Connor Florez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of prelicensure associate degree nursing (ADN) students related to skills acquisition and workplace readiness through simulation-based learning at community colleges in California. Skills acquisition and workplace readiness were defined as students’ perceptions of their ability to competently perform nursing skills and prepare for entry into the healthcare workforce. Guided by Kolb’s experiential learning theory, data were collected from 13 ADN students through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journaling and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis.

Three themes emerged: varying emotions from excitement to feeling overwhelmed; experiences of collaboration and unprofessionalism …

Ethical Artificial Intelligence In Public Administration: Public Perception And Challenges In Implementation, Jacob V. Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into public administration offers opportunities to improve efficiency and decision-making. However, it also poses significant ethical challenges, such as bias, transparency, and accountability, which directly affect public trust. While previous studies have examined the technical and ethical aspects of AI, there is still a gap in understanding how these issues impact public perception and the effectiveness of AI-driven government services. This dissertation addresses this gap by exploring public perceptions of AI use in government, focusing on ethical concerns and their link to trust. It uses a quantitative survey to analyze participant responses, identifying patterns and trends …