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Reevaluating The God-Human Relationship Through The Psychological Origin Of Sin: A Comparative Theology Of Schleiermacher And Kierkegaard On The Doctrine Of Sin, Brandon Tsark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In his The Concept of Anxiety, Kierkegaard’s decision to have Haufniensis acknowledge Schleiermacher’s contribution to the doctrine of sin continues to raise questions regarding Schleiermacher’s influence on Kierkegaard’s intellectual development. These questions also serve to underscore the general need to locate Kierkegaard properly within the larger context of religious and theological studies in the nineteenth century. Our project here seeks to address these questions with a comparative theology of Schleiermacher and Kierkegaard on the Christian doctrine of sin. I argue that Kierkegaard is right to credit Schleiermacher as a source of inspiration in The Concept of Anxiety because of …

Exploring College Experiences Of Muslim Students At Four-Year Institutions In Colorado: A Narrative Inquiry, Kamal Gamada Ararso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last two decades, Colorado's number of Muslim Americans (citizens and permanent residents) has substantially increased (Bowen, 2009a; Bowen, 2009b; Mohamed, 2021; Roberts, 2022). This increase is reflected in the growing number of Islamic community centers, emerging Islamic schools, mosques, grocery stores, Muslim cuisines, and the diversity of students in the post-secondary education system (Roberts, 2022). Although centralized data about Muslim college students are hard to find, their presence within the higher education system is well-known. Still, in Colorado, Muslims' religious, racial, cultural, and gendered experiences within the higher education system remained unexplored in the research. Therefore, this exploratory …

An Empowerment Evaluation Of Colorado Mountain College’S Mountain Scholars Program Via Latino Alumni Aspirational Goals And Outcomes, Laura Anne Bruch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry evaluated Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) in-house Mountain Scholars Program (MSP) via semi-structured interviews with five of its Latino alumni. This study’s assets-based social justice/transformative philosophical framework included David Fetterman’s methodological empowerment evaluation and Tara Yosso’s conceptual community cultural wealth (CCW) theory. This dissertation in practice examined the gap in literature with regards to an in-house student support services program evaluation that partners with the community and focuses on Latinos’ aspirations and aspirational outcomes. I wanted to be a worthy witness to the student demographic group at CMC, as well as at most American postsecondary institutions, considered the …

Seeking Sisterhood: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry Into The Sorority Rejection Experiences Of Black Women, Jasmine Michelle Pulce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In response to a call to fill the gap left by previous studies on collegiate sorority rejection, this study explored the meaning Black women ascribe to experiences of rejection from historically Black sororities. Using Black feminist thought and sista circle methodology, this study introduced narratives from five Black women who came together to comprise a collective standpoint. To better understand this phenomenon, study participants completed individual interviews, two Sista Circles, and one reflection survey. Three main findings were the interconnectedness of Black Greek-letter organizations and Black subcommunities at predominantly white institutions, the nonlinear nature of the Black sorority rejection experience, …

The Knowledge And Utilization Of Trauma-Informed Care By Educational And Mental Health Professionals Who Serve Children In A Texas City, Mashelle D. Ancell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the knowledge and utilization of trauma-informed care by professionals serving children within schools, social service agencies, or child therapy in a middle-sized Texas city. Previous studies acknowledged the prevalence of trauma and the need for systemic trauma-informed care in communities. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was attachment theory due to the emphasis on securely attached relationships, which is consistent with trauma-informed care. Data collection methods included an online open-ended questionnaire and semistructured personal interviews. Data analysis was completed using reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes from participant …

Psychological Safety And Conflict Management Among Nurse Practitioners In Interprofessional Teams, Scott Tyler Faust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative correlational study explored the relationships between perceived psychological safety, conflict management styles, and perceived conflict management success among nurse practitioners (NPs) operating in interprofessional acute or critical care teams in the United States. Despite existing literature on conflict management and psychological safety, there is a noticeable gap concerning the interplay of these factors, specifically among NPs. A multi-item survey was developed from validated measures to assess psychological safety, conflict management success, and conflict management style. The final sample included 944 NPs. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference in the scores of perceived psychological safety, depending on the …

Perceptions Of School Administrators On The Role Of Support Systems In Attrition Among Principals And Assistant Principals, Karina N. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School administrators hold complex, varied, and challenging roles. As literature has suggested, these campus leaders must acquire a vast amount of information and knowledge during their formative years in leadership. Yet, the majority have reported that educational preparation programs do not adequately prepare them for the realities of their roles. Without purposeful, structured guidance, school administrators are left to navigate the complexities of their roles with little support or in isolation, which leads to exhaustion, burnout, and attrition. Attrition results in instability for teachers and students and has a financial impact for school districts. The district of study has experienced …

The Sustainability Of African American Female-Owned Businesses, Chantelle Daniel Thibeaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American women–owned small businesses fail more often than non-Black-owned
businesses. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe successful
African American women small business owners’ leadership styles, traits, strategies, and
behaviors. Additionally, this study aimed to provide insights into specific leadership traits,
strategies, and behaviors that affect the sustainability of African American women–owned
businesses. Three leadership styles that have contributed to their business success were used to
frame this study: transformational, transactional, and situational leadership. All three of these
styles of leadership have been shown to help businesses succeed. Data were collected from
African American women business …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions Concerning Involvement In Professional Organizations And The Decision To Remain In The Profession, Cynthia D. Villalovos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Teacher retention was a grave situation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that has since become a global epidemic. Losing early career educators has had a cost that hinders the U.S. public school system. There have been previous studies detailing the plight of teacher retention throughout the years indicating the causes of teacher attrition. Each study gave examples of the detrimental costs of teacher retention from the perspective of the school district. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the perceptive phenomenon of teachers’ involvement activities in professional organizations and the decision to remain in the …

Ex Post Facto Study Of The Effect Of Generational Cohort And Employment Tenure On Employee Satisfaction Of United States Federal Employees, Justin Lee Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generational differences and the socialization process within the workplace are often seen as opposing theoretical approaches when attempting to explain or understand employee satisfaction. Generational cohort theory asserts that the perceptions and outlooks developed during an individual’s formative years are based on historical events and location, which become instrumental in how they see and interact with the world around them. Social identity theory asserts that exposure and inclusion into a group or organization creates acceptance for the individual and this assists in structuring their outlook. The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to determine if and to …

Teacher Perceptions On The Sustainability Of Trauma-Informed Practices In A Delaware School, Joy Elaine Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore teacher perceptions about the sustainability of trauma-informed practices implementation in a secondary, public comprehensive school. For the purpose of this study, the researcher examined perceptions of 10 staff members who have knowledge of and experience with implanting trauma-informed practices into their school routine. The findings from this study can be used by teachers, support staff, school leaders, and district leaders to help sustain an institutional application and implementation of trauma-informed care in schools. The implication from this study suggests resources for school staff to successfully sustain trauma-informed care.

Developing Teachers To Teach English Language Learners (Ells) Via Ell Notebook Strategies, Ebony D. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study explored the effect of developing teachers to teach English language learners (ELLs) through strategic professional development utilizing interactive notebooks to enhance the academic achievement of ELLs. Students trying to learn English as a foreign language need extra language support. For this reason, their teachers should be trained to teach them using various tools, such as interactive notebooks. The action research studied two focus areas dealing with ELLs, which included (a) preparing teachers to teach ELLs who face learning English and content area learning and (b) the use of interactive notebooks and their impact on ELLs’ academic growth. …

A Phenomenological Study Examining Job Embeddedness Of Direct Support Professionals In Community-Based Services Programs: Why Do They Stay?, Athena M. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) live in the community in apartments, group home settings, and host home environments. They need support in all aspects of adaptive living skills to live independently. Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide support in areas of grooming, oral hygiene, toileting, laundry, housekeeping, meal planning, meal preparation, medication administration, mobility, recreation, shopping, and grocery shopping. This qualitative phenomenological study examined why DSPs remain in the position despite experiencing low wages, inadequate benefits, lack of adequate training, and lack of opportunities for upward mobility. Using the theoretical framework of job embeddedness, this research was conducted to …

Unit-Based Onboarding Program For New Graduates On A Medical-Surgical Unit, Racquel A. Brewster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurse turnover is prevalent among new graduate nurses. Many new graduate nurses feel unsupported by their peers, lack self-confidence, or feel overburdened due to the workload assigned to them. New graduate nurses with support systems are more likely to stay with an organization. Research suggests the creation of a supportive environment for new graduate nurses to help increase nurse retention in this demographic. A unit-based transition onboarding program was launched to create a supportive environment to help retain new graduate nurses on a medical-surgical unit. New graduate nurses with at least 1 to 3 years of experience completed a Likert-type …

Mental Health Education For Nurses Caring For Adults With Severe Mental Illness, Juliet O. Onyia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was on mental health education for nurses who care for adults with severe mental illness. Severe mental illness is rising, and nurses cannot adequately provide quality patient-centered care to the population due to poor knowledge. In this study, the knowledge and perceptions of mental illness and care among registered nurses in the community were assessed before and immediately after a mental illness educational session. A non-experimental quantitative descriptive study was conducted using convenience sampling in a home health setting. Dorothea Orem's self-care theory was the theoretical framework that guided the project. Instruments included the Mental …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study On High School Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding School Safety And Lockdown Drills, Hector Leija

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed teachers’ perceptions of safety and emergency preparedness. The problem that was addressed in this study is that lockdown drills are regularly being conducted at public high schools, but it was not known how teachers perceive their role in safety and emergency preparedness, which is important to teachers’ sense of security. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how lockdown drills negatively or positively affect high school teachers’ perceptions of emergency preparedness to answer the research questions regarding school safety. This study was grounded in the cognitive mediation processes framework of protection motivation theory. Data …

Understanding Immigration-Based Intractable Conflict Behaviors Through The Lenses Of Social Identity And Emotions, Caryn Cade Moir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this post-intentional phenomenological study was to understand how participants experience social identity, emotions, and cognitive freezing in the context of immigration-based conflict. Immigration-based conflict in the United States exemplifies intractable conflict; it increases polarization, negative emotions, and intolerance among individuals in the United States. This study included action research; learning more about how participants experienced immigration-based conflict contributed knowledge that mediators can use to better serve parties in conflict, particularly during premediation interviews. The researcher used semistructured interviews to gather data from six participants. The data indicated that immigration-based conflict in the United States is consistent with …

Exploring Habits Of Well-Being Rooted In Resiliency Among Ministry Leaders Having Experienced A Leadership Transition Of Senior Pastor In The Church: A Case Study, Eric D. Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological single case study sought to understand potential influence of well-being and resilience of ministry leaders where an unplanned leadership transition had occurred. With an interest in personal well-being of ministry leaders, the researcher was curious how those who remained on church staff endured a 2-year period between the departure of one senior pastor and the hiring of a new senior pastor. Much of the existing research on church leadership transitions focused on the negative factors associated with failures. Generally, there is a lack of understanding of the positive influences of well-being and resiliency. The researcher sought to …

Exploring Expatriate Academics' Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction Relating To Organizational Support At International Branch Campuses In China, Liam P. Duffy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International branch campuses are generally a recent institutional development, especially in China, which has built several campuses in recent years. As such, researchers have a limited understanding of these growing higher education sites. The purpose of this study was to learn more about how these campuses can improve, expand, and thrive, instead of shuttering as many have in other countries. Literature shows a clear relationship between job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, employee retention, and the imperative to support expatriate academics. This qualitative study focused on expatriate academics’ perceptions regarding job satisfaction and organizational support. The researcher utilized individual faculty interviews …

Police Officers’ Perspectives On The Death Of George Floyd By Minneapolis Police Officers: A Descriptive Study, Janet Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On May 25, 2020, four Minneapolis police officers reported to the location where an African American man had been accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill in a convenience store. After being taken outside of the store, the man, George Floyd, was eventually placed in the back of a police patrol car, after he was handcuffed. Saying he was claustrophobic and resisting arrest, Mr. Floyd was removed from the patrol car, and placed on the ground on his stomach. One of the patrol officers, the most senior officer present, and a field training officer, placed his knee on …

Proposing A Measure Of Ethicality For Humans And Ai, Alejandro Jorge Napolitano Jawerbaum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Smarter people or intelligent machines are able to make more accurate inferences about their environment and other agents more efficiently than less intelligent agents. Formally: ‘Intelligence measures an agent’s ability to achieve goals in a wide range of environments.’ (Legg, 2008)

In this dissertation we extend this definition to include ethical behaviour and we will offer a mathematical formalism and a way to estimate how ethical an action is or will be, both for a human and for a computer, by calculating the expected values of random variables. Formally, we propose the following measure of ethicality, which is computable, or …

Examining The Relationship Between Acculturative Stress And Depression Among Saudi International Students In The Usa, Alaa Shawly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored Saudi international students’ acculturation processes through an examination of the relationship between acculturative stress and depression among Saudi international students in the U.S. Moreover, the study also examined the role of social resources—social support and the use of counseling services—in mediating this relationship.

Data was collected through an online survey from 103 Saudi international students enrolled at universities across the U.S. The survey included three scales: the Acculturative Stress Scale for

Saudi International Students (ASSSIS) (Bashir & Khalid, 2020), the Beck Depression Inventory

(BDI) (Beck et al., 1996), and LEVEL 2–Depression–Adult (PROMIS Emotional Distress– Depression–Short Form) …

Equity Of Access To Higher Education: An Examination Of Racial Minority And Socioeconomic Status Student Enrollment Trends, Jason Stack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the enrollment trends of racial minority and low socioeconomic enrollment, and the equity of higher education access at a four-year private institution in western Pennsylvania. The study concentrated on two student populations over a five-year period at a four-year private institution in western Pennsylvania, enrolled and accepted but not enrolled students of various racial minorities and socioeconomic backgrounds. The research was informed by the theoretical frameworks of Human Capital Theory, Meritocracy Theory, and Net Price Theory. The research questions that guided the study were the following: What are the enrollment …

Examining School Nurses' Knowledge And Confidence Related To Their Intention To Screen For And Report Child Sexual Abuse: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study, Suzanne Ackers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) in a preventable national public health problem that results in adverse health consequences. Research suggests many victims are currently attending school. Screening for early detection of health issues is integral to school nurse (SN) practice but there is little evidence that screening for CSA is occurring in schools despite recommendations that it should be. Lack of confidence and knowledge related to screening for suspected CSA contribute to a SN’s missed opportunity for early intervention.

Purpose: To describe SNs knowledge and self-efficacy associated with screening for and reporting CSA in school settings.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional …

The Impact Of Repeated Reading Intervention On Oral Reading Fluency For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) In Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al Naji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rate of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen concurrently with their inclusion into public schools in Saudi Arabia. Being in schools, they face academic challenges, particularly in reading. This increased rate evokes the importance of implementing valuable strategies to keep up the academic skills of those students. These students require Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), which have been demonstrated crucial for their reading development. Nevertheless, limited research has been done on examining the efficacy of EBPs used to enhance the reading skills of learners with ASD, especially their Oral Reading Fluency (ORF). This study used an effective approach …

The Impact Of The Social Story Intervention On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) In Saudi Arabia, Marwan Alkhudhayri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the rise in Saudi Arabia, and the field of Special Education is currently working to expand awareness about ASD as well as evidence-based intervention availability in the country. The Social Stories Intervention has been shown to have positive results in work with children with ASD in other countries, however its effectiveness in Saudi Arabia had not thoroughly been examined. The Social Stories Intervention provides an important tool for practitioners to use with children with ASD in order to help improve their social skills development. The current study utilizes a single-subject design to assess the …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Using Point-Of-View Video Modeling On Mathematics Improvement In Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Tirad Alsaluli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video Modeling (VM) is one of the most widely used approaches by researchers to improve many skills, such as academic skills in students with Learning Disabilities (LD; Boon et al., 2020). As the incidence rate of individuals with LD in Saudi Arabia increase (Almedlij & Rubinstein-Ávila, 2018), the need for evidence-based math interventions focused on the math development of individuals with LD also increases. Although VM is recognized as an Evidence-based Practice (EBPs), a limited number of studies have implemented VM as an intervention to improve mathematic skills. Implementing VM as a math intervention strategy would explore its effects on …

The Effect Of Using Story-Mapping To Enhance Reading Comprehension Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi, Omar Alshikhi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) represent between 5% and 10% of the total number of students in public schools in Saudi Arabia (Abu Nayyan, 2015). Further, 80-90% of students with SLD exhibit reading difficulties including difficulties in reading comprehension (Mercer & Pullen, 2009). Although there is a large number of students with SLD that exhibit reading difficulties in Saudi Arabia, there is a dearth of research attempting to understand the specific effectiveness of strategies to improve reading challenges for students with SLD, particularly in the area of comprehension. The current study aimed at investigating the effects of the use …

Isolation And Total Synthesis Of Sigma-2 Ligands From Marine Cyanobacteria, Andrea Hough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria have been studied for over 50 years as a source of new antibiotics, antiviral, and anticancer drugs. The research described in this dissertation investigates marine cyanobacteria as a source of natural products with activity within the central nervous system and with cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells. Barbamide (1) is a known cyanobacterial metabolite that has been re-isolated from a variety of species and collection sites suggesting broad utility as a signaling molecule. Utilizing the psychoactive drug screening program, we screened barbamide for CNS activity and found that barbamide exhibited affinity for the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and …

Indirect Aggression And Victimization: Investigating Instrument Psychometrics, Gender Differences, And Its Relationship To Social Information Processing, Taylor Steeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study of indirect bullying behaviors, relational aggression and social aggression, has been of theoretical importance and interest to researchers and psychologists within the last few decades. In this investigation, using a convenience sample of 451 late adolescents attending a private university in the mid-Atlantic U.S., I examined the factor structure of two measures of indirect bullying, the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale – Victim (YASB-V) and the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale – Perpetrator (YASB-P). Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), I found that the YASB-V comprised a four-factor model, differing from the model that had been identified in the …