Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Wellbeing In Refugee Youth From The African Great Lakes Region., Victory Osezua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young refugees are a vital and growing population in the United States that experience health inequities that make them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes. The health inequities that are evident between refugees and the general population elucidate the disparate power relations between the outcomes of the colonial past and postcolonial present. Although research shows that colonialism and their more recent experience of racism may have adverse long-term impacts on young people's health, it is essential to understand the contexts that shape their wellbeing. While the westernized model of wellbeing focuses on the individual, this study prioritizes the prevention of illness …

An Exploration Of Afrocentric Features At A Black Homeschool Collective., Tytianna Nikia Maria Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the development and benefits of familial relationships as the primary feature of Afrocentricity at Black Scholars Academy (BSA), a Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) through 12th-grade Black homeschool collective in the United States. This qualitative study draws upon Afrocentricity as a theoretical framework to analyze and interpret data collected from classroom observations, individual interviews with current and former teachers and students, and textual artifacts between July and November 2019. Familial relationships—an African time orientation, a personalized learning plan, OurStory, and Rising Meeting—are present in BSA. Familial relationships helped students develop cultural pride, agency, self-determination, independence, liberation through education, and a …

Clube Da Esquina 1970-1972: A Compositional Analysis According To Ron Miller's Modal Jazz Concepts., Tullio Mesquita Cunha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this paper is to analyze the harmonic and melodic transcriptions from the LPs Milton and Clube da Esquina according with the book Modal Jazz Composition and Harmony by Ron Miller in order to exemplify the compositional idiosyncrasy from Milton Nascimento, and especially, Lô Borges. The result is that Borges has a linear approach to write melodies while his vertical line has the use of open strings chords with mixed upper structures such as tertian, quartal and clusters.

Part-Time., Anthony Mark Piedmonte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a creative writing project in prose covering the first 70 pages of a novel manuscript titled Part-time. Part-time will center around a 25-year-old medical school dropout starting a new job at a neighborhood golf clubhouse and gym. This coming-of-age narrative follows Danny as he struggles with his sexual identity, student debt, and job outlook after returning to the privileged community he grew up in. This sample will introduce the major characters, the clubhouse setting, and the forming relationship dynamics. By the end of these pages, readers will gain insight into how the part-time employees of the Longwood …

Charting The Unknown: Examining The Prevalence And Correlates Of Seconday Traumatic Stress In Kentucky Probation And Parole Officers., Amanda Marie Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to discern the prevalence and magnitude of both exposure to traumatic events and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS); as well as potential correlates of STS in a group of Probation and Parole officers in the state of Kentucky Department of Corrections (KY DOC). Participants (N=302) completed a written survey which asked them to indicate demographic variables (age, gender, and ethnicity), as well as several important occupational variables, namely years of experience in the KY DOC, caseload volume, prison work experience, and whether or not they are responsible for a sexual offender caseload. Participants were also …

Exploring The Promotion Of Youth Voice And Activism By Youth Development Workers In Community-Based Programs., Rebecka M. Bloomer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Youth-adult partnerships (Y-APs) and youth voice promotion are best practices within the youth development sector, but youth development workers receive little training or guidance in employing these concepts. A scarcity of research explores the relationships between organizational supports, as demonstrated by training, supervision, evaluation, and worker engagement in promoting youth voice. The two studies within this dissertation investigated the social processes of how and why youth development workers promoted youth voice. Program participants were primarily youth of color living in areas of high multidimensional poverty. They also explored how and why organizational factors impacted the promotion of youth voice within …

The Invisible Language: Unintentional Patronage And Missions Practice In Contemporary Thailand, Samuel Burton Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patronage-clientelism is a current and important topic of discussion among the anthropological and missiological community. The effects of unintended patronage by Western missionaries in the context of Thai culture, however, are underexplored in academic research. In this study, I analyzed the effects of unintentional patronage among Western missionaries in a Thai cross-cultural ministry context. To do this I utilized a multiple case study method in which I compared four cases and analyzed for examples of how unintentional patronage is generated. I discovered that unintentional patronage was likely a result of insufficient missionary education regarding patronage-clientelism, as well as a lack …

School Nursing Practice And Experiences During School Closures, Susie E. Birden Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This evidence-based quality improvement project was to evaluate public school nurses’ relationships and reaction to their new work environment during the closure of schools in Northern California resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This project addressed the change in school nursing, especially the nurses’ working environment. A stress management program was offered to the school nurses as an intervention to give them information on perceived stress. The stress management program included mindfulness and stress-relieving techniques over a 1-month period. The research methodology used in the project was a pre- and postintervention using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS) to measure if the …

The Role Of Embodied Metaphor In The Relationship Between Vestibular Dysfunction, Anxiety And The Self, Kaitlyn Abrams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is considerable evidence that vestibular dysfunction and anxiety are correlated. Clinical and philosophical arguments suggest that a loss of sense of self, experienced through symptoms like derealization and depersonalization, might contribute to this relationship. The present study used a mixed methods approach, including Systematic Metaphor Analysis, to analyze written short answer and quantitative survey data from one hundred and thirteen participants with vestibular disorders. The Systematic Metaphor Analysis revealed several primary metaphor concepts which elucidated the connections between concrete experience and abstract concepts in vestibular dysfunction. These included metaphors of Agency, Stability, Orientation, Self-Object, and Figure-Ground. Primary metaphors for …

Social Cognition, Impulsivity, And Emotion Regulation Factors In Aggressive Behavior Among Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder., Kelly E. Slaughter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit greater levels of aggressive behavior than their typically developing peers, often resulting in impairment in social and family functioning. Aggressive behavior is often differentiated into two functions: reactive, or “hot-blooded” and proactive, or “cold-blooded” aggression. Prior research has identified several factors contributing to aggressive behavior within a general population, including emotion dysregulation, negative urgency, social information processing (SIP), and parenting behaviors. A paucity of research has examined these factors within an ADHD population. Thus, the present study aimed to examine social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive factors associated with aggression among children with ADHD. Specifically, …

Social And Academic Experiences Of Black, First-Generation, College Graduates While Attending Predominantly White Institutions, James Edward Stukes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students represent a significant percentage of all college students and comprise various sub-identities and unique backgrounds. Compared to continuing generation college students, many first-generation students arrive on college campuses without complete understanding of how to navigate college life. Factors, such as family support, finding a sense of belonging, and the availability of resources and campus support, play key roles in the overall success of first-generation college students. The current study sought understanding of these aspects of college life and their relationship to the success of Black, first-generation, graduates of predominantly White institutions.

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological …

Assessment Scores Of Remote And In-Person Learning For Grades Three - Six Students In An East Tennessee School District, Jessica Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this comparative, quantitative study was to explore the relationship of interim test scores among remote and in-person learners, low-income students, and students with disabilities. In March 2020, a portion of students enrolled in a K-12 school in Northeast Tennessee was moved into remote learning until the end of the school year in May 2020. In July 2020, parents were given the option for their child to attend remote or in-person learning. While some chose in-person learning, giving reasons such as child-care, work obligations, or personal preference, others chose for their children to continue to receive online learning …

The Impact Of The United States Army Nurses Corps On The United States Army Fatality Rate In The Mediterranean And European Theater Of Operations During World War Ii, Joshua Benjamin Groomes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

World War II was the most devastating war in human history in terms of loss of life. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, plunged the United States into war. Less than seven thousand military nurses were on active duty at the time of the attack. By the end of the war, there were over fifty-thousand active-duty nurses. The army nurses performed under fire in field and evacuation hospitals, on hospital trains and ships, and as flight nurses on medical evacuation transport aircraft. The skill and dedication of the Army Nurses Corps insured a 95% survival rate …

Developing Digital Literacy In Digital Natives: A Quantitative Study Of Digital Literacy And Niswonger Online Students, Elizabeth Pavlovich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental, quantitative study was completed to determine if Tennessee high school students who take an online, asynchronous course better their digital literacy through the environment of online learning. The study focused on the pretest and posttest scores of Niswonger Online students during the spring and summer semesters of 2021. It grouped the high school students by location, high school size, grade level, and courses taken to assess differences in digital literacy. Finally, it evaluated overall student growth in digital literacy scores after completion of an online high school course.

Data from a pretest and posttest of Niswonger Online students …

Student Collaboration: Early Childhood Teachers' Roles And Perspectives, Kimberly Ballantyne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood environments can offer valuable opportunities for student collaboration. Social interactions allow students to practice listening to each other and learn how to work together. This study focused on the roles and perspectives of early childhood educators related to student collaboration in the classroom. Six educators from one elementary school in New Hampshire participated in two focus group discussions, the first of which included a presentation on student collaboration with first graders. Participants also completed four concept maps highlighting their perspectives about student collaboration and one written reflection comparing their perspectives before and after engaging in the focus group …

School Accountability And Chronic Absenteeism In The State Of Tennessee, Heidi Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to explore a possible relationship between the number of students in grades 9-12 classified as chronically absent and the inclusion of the Chronically Out of School indicator in Tennessee’s accountability model for schools and school districts. Using publicly available data from the Tennessee Department of Education, the research study examined 6 years of data from the 2014-2015 to 2019-2020 school years. Data were divided into 3 years before and 3 years after implementation.

Results of the study indicated that the mean number of chronically absent students in grades 9-12 were significantly lower …

Racial Diversity Of Texas School Teachers, Julie Ann Olguin-Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing gap between the racial demographics of public-school teachers and their students. Teachers with demographic backgrounds similar to a school’s student population are often successful, particularly in Title 1 schools with high proportions of minority students; however, teacher turnover is high. The students in Texas public schools are a growing minority-majority population. Changes in the student body racial composition and other school-related variables could influence teacher workforce demographics. The focus of discussion of this quantitative research study is to determine the factors that predict the racial diversity of teachers in Texas high schools. The research questions addressed …

Assessing Freezing Effect On Kiwifruit Cultivars And Mapping Suitable Areas For Growing The Crop In Eastern Texas, Lais De Oliveira Machado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kiwifruit is a perennial vine originating from China where it has been grown for centuries. In the United States, green kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is primarily produced commercially in California. They are fuzzy, green fleshed and well known in the marketplace. Kiwifruit plants require low to moderate soil pH, adequate winter chilling and adequate precipitation to guarantee plant development and good fructification. Actinidia chinesis or golden kiwifruit are smooth skinned, feature golden flesh and are a more recent introduction into the global market. Kiwifruit crops have attributes that favor production in east Texas, including low pest problems, current long …

Black Women's Perceptions Of The Experiences, Challenges And Barriers Leading To Senior-Level Leadership Positions In Higher Education, Latisha L. Marion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the lived experiences of Black women as they progressed in their careers to senior-level leadership positions in higher education. Using interpretative phenomenology analysis, this study specifically explored how Black women perceived their experiences, challenges and barriers leading to them obtaining senior-level leadership roles. Prior literature on the advancement of Black women leaders identified that women who fit the category of Black undergo extreme challenges, including the angry Black woman stereotype, concrete and glass ceilings, tokenism, colorism, imposter syndrome, and sexism. The findings from this study validate the literature as many of the themes produced in this study …

Exploring Service Provider Perspectives On Facilitators And Barriers To Needle Exchange Program Participation By Females Who Inject Drugs., Tammi Alvey Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the opioid epidemic lingers on across the country, many areas have set up harm reduction strategies such as needle exchange programs (NEPs) to combat the long-term consequences of injection drug use (IDU). Males and females face a plethora of health issues associated with injection drug use such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C. While males comprise the largest portion of the injection drug use population, most research is gender neutral, which makes it difficult to discern issues specifically related to females inhibiting our ability to design interventions and procedures targeted to address their needs. Females require varying …

Literacy Abilities Of Children And Adolescents With Williams Syndrome., Caroline Greiner De Magalhaes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I report findings from two studies of the literacy abilities of children with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder associated with intellectual disability. I had two overarching goals: 1) evaluate the applicability of theories of reading and spelling acquisition developed based on typically developing children to children with WS; and 2) provide results that would inform the development of targeted assessments and interventions. In Study 1, individual differences in phonological awareness, visual spatial perception, vocabulary, overall intellectual abilities, and reading instruction approach (systematic phonics vs. other approaches) for sixty-nine 6 – 7-year-olds (most of whom were in …

Hospital-Based Professional Spiritual Care: Evaluating The Utilization, Availability, And Impact Of Chaplains., Kelsey B. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act, enacted in 2010, transformed healthcare policy and forced hospitals to reevaluate traditional methods for care delivery. Researcher advocated for patient-centered models of care to reduce costs, address inequitable access to services, and improve service quality. These models prioritize patient values, preferences, and beliefs inclusive of patients’ religious and spiritual needs. Professional chaplains provide religious and spiritual care within many hospital settings. This dissertation explored the characteristics of hospitalized persons using chaplains, the factors associated with a hospital reporting a chaplaincy department, and how those services impacted patient satisfaction. METHODS: The first analysis used a two-part …

Sustainable Urban Groundwater Governance In Faisalabad, Pakistan: Challenges And Possibilities., Shahbaz Altaf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Groundwater use is high in developing countries, especially in places where municipal water authorities struggle to meet the water demand of their residents. To analyze the interactions between groundwater and piped water in the Global South context, Faisalabad, Pakistan was taken as the case study area. Using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework and Elinor Ostrom’s design principles as analysis tools, formal and informal institutions governing the piped water and groundwater, including their congruence with the social and ecological factors, were explored. The results showed that scarcity of piped water pushed people towards groundwater and the absence of informal and …

Implementing Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Nurse Burnout, Jannelle V. Sanchez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

There will be an estimated shortage of 100,000 nurses by the year 2022, with 500,000 seasoned nurses retiring. The nursing profession has recently experienced a devastating pandemic that left no time to combat the detrimental effects of burnout, specifically for intensive care nurses, who are the frontline workers of a physically and psychologically draining working environment conducive to burnout. Nurses experience burnout for a mixture of reasons, but mainly it is due to the lack of interventions to help them combat the disease. Mindfulness meditation represents an interventional tool that has been shown to reduce the negative stressors associated …

Opioid Use Disorder: A Crisis Of Concern, Evangella Harville

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2000 and 2017, approximately 700,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States. Approximately 128 persons lose their life each day from an opioid overdose. The data for this study were collected by the vice president of operations at the study site from a preexisting database for 2019 and 2020. The participants were inpatient patients, 18 and older, both male and female, and were from all ethnicities. The study facility was located in Western New York and offered a 30-bed inpatient treatment center with 24-hour …

Addressing The Psychosocial State Of High-Risk Individuals Undergoing Hereditary Cancer Screening By Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Aprns) In The Community Oncology Setting, Aquilina Kerubo Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Neoteric advances in genetics make it possible to define genetic risk in cancer, and there should be methods in place to provide comprehensive genomic care with oncology advanced practice registered nurses bridging this gap. The current scope of nursing practice stipulates genetic and genomic literacy; however, there remains a deficit among advanced practice registered nurses in identifying and addressing psychosocial distress during the genetic cancer risk assessment process. Oncology advanced practice registered nurses must be equipped with the knowledge that the genetic cancer risk assessment also involves protecting patients from the psychosocial repercussions of carrying a hereditary cancer gene …

Reducing The Potential For Physical Harm In Student Nurses Caring For Clients Who Are Under The Influence, Hunter William Halford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This DNP project was conducted to identify gaps in knowledge and adequate preparation of nursing students in safely caring for a client who is behaving violently and is under the influence of illicit drugs. Student nurses are trained using a generalist approach, meaning they are taught the essentials of a variety of topics. It is not until these students enter the workforce that they are trained specifically for a certain position. Currently, the curriculum does not address specific measures to maintain client and personal safety. It is an almost unavoidable fact that a nurse will encounter a violent client or …

Rural School District Strategies To Increase College, Career, And Military Readiness, Amelia J. Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preparing students for life after high school is a challenge faced by all K-12 educators. In small, rural school districts, school leaders encounter unique barriers and limitations due to the limited capacity of school counselors, geographic isolation, lack of resources, and other factors. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the district-wide strategies utilized by rural school districts in West Central Texas to increase the career, college and military readiness (CCMR) of all students. Five cases were identified that met the criteria, which included being a rural district defined by TEA, a school administrator responsible for …

The Lived Experiences Of Filipino Teachers Teaching In Texas: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jeffrey Chua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among the estimated 100,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) working in the United States, a small group of Filipino teachers may have lasting impacts on one of the most important pillars of the nation: its public schools. Thus, it is important to understand the lived experiences of Filipino teachers teaching in Texas. This research aimed to contribute to existing literature that explores the lived experiences and the acculturation process of Filipino teachers. Utilizing a transcendental phenomenological approach, seven such teachers were selected through snowball sampling and were interviewed. The findings of the study showed their shared experiences revolved around four themes: …

Transformational Leadership And Information And Communication Technologies (Icts): A Case Study Of Primary Teachers At An Urban School In Bogotá, Colombia, Mary Elizabeth Ferguson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to establish if transformational leadership influenced teachers’ attitudes and usage of information and communication technologies in an urban public school in Colombia. Transformational leadership components were examined to determine if school leaders exhibited transformational leadership characteristics and if their leadership style influenced teachers’ attitudes and information and communication technologies usage. A convenience sample of 29 primary teachers and four school leaders participated in the study. There were 16 teachers who participated in semistructured interviews and 13 teachers who participated in a 90-minute focus group discussion. Semistructured interviews, document analysis, focus group discussion, …