Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Impact Of An Experimental Intervention On Reducing Social Anxiety Through Impression Efficacy Changes, Alexandria Dismuke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety is a prevalent and harmful experience, predicting negative outcomes even for those not reaching clinical levels. While evidence-based treatments are well-documented for Social Anxiety Disorder, simple and accessible interventions for subclinical samples are a valuable endeavor for research. The current study aimed to test an experimental task for reducing social anxiety through increasing participants’ impression self-efficacy. A secondary goal was to explore the impacts of and responses to positive and neutral feedback. The primary hypothesis was that condition would predict changes in social anxiety indirectly through changes in impression self-efficacy. Participants (n=127) completed a structured interaction with a …

Student Achievement In The State Of Tennessee Through Virtual Learning In Asynchronous, Bisynchronous, And Hybrid Approaches, Lindsey Weeden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was used to investigate the differences in asynchronous, bisynchronous, and hybrid learning environments in student achievement in online schools. Utilizing quantitative data analysis, the research examines student growth data, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and ACT scores across these modalities. The research holds significant implications for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in enhancing the quality of online education. The results may contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding effective pedagogical practices in the digital age by providing evidence-based insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each instructional mode. By addressing the challenges of the digital divide, the results may be used …

Enhancing Ethical Competency: A Review Of Ethical Instruction For Law Enforcement, Alexis Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As public confidence in policing has dropped, demand for ethical behavior from law enforcement officers has grown, and correspondingly, a better understanding of ethics training and ethical acquisition processes has become paramount. Though much literature exists on related topics, understanding of the ethics training for law enforcement officers as it currently exists, has remained murky. This research aimed to gain a better understanding of ethics training for law enforcement in the United States, and as such, to fill the aforementioned gap in the literature. Four research questions were explored in this study including the understanding of current pre-service and in-service …

The Effects Of A Period Of Match Congestion On Countermovement Jump Height And Match Performance Variables In Ncaa Division I Female Soccer Players, Fiona Dodge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effects of a congested match period on countermovement jump height (CMJ) and match performance variables were examined over the course of a D-I female soccer season. Twenty-one female collegiate soccer players (20.3 ± 1.8 yrs, body mass (kg): 62.3 ± 7.3, height (cm): 168.9 ± 6.1, body fat (%): 23.0 ± 3.7. performed CMJ testing prior to regular season matches. Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to assess physical match performance, while pre- and post-season lab and field-based testing was also performed. Analysis of variance trend analyses (ANOVA) were conducted using a linear mixed-effects model (LMM) to examine trends in …

Trauma Informed Schools: Investigating K-12 Educator Perceptions From Professional Learning To Implementing Practices, Kelsey Cupp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to further the understanding on how access to trauma-informed professional learning changed research-based practices in classroom and school-wide settings in K-12 schools. The guiding question for this quantitative study was: How has trauma-informed professional learning influenced changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings in K-12 schools? This research assessed the perceptions of elementary, middle, and high school teachers in one school district to investigate access to trauma-informed professional learning and potential changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings. Participants were teachers, in Northeast Tennessee, employed in urban schools implementing …

An Exploratory Study Of Flora Poaching In Central Appalachia, Mckinley Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of flora poaching among conservation officers, park rangers and botanists within Central Appalachia. Though some work has sought to understand poaching in other forms, such as animal poaching, little is known regarding the poaching of plants. This is especially true within the Appalachian Region. Several research questions were explored in this study, including the types of flora being poached, the characteristics of poachers, poaching tactics utilized, and deterrence measures that are currently in place. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals working in the field. Findings contribute to the …

Informed Consent Document Delivery: Effects On Appalachian Caregivers' Comprehension, Trust In Researchers, And Willingness To Participate, Tess A. Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether altering an informed consent document (ICD), in ways that either promote or inhibit accessibility, would affect potential participants’ willingness to participate in a child development laboratory-based study. Specifically, I was interested in assessing the willingness to participate of historically underrepresented groups, especially Appalachian caregiver-child dyads. I altered three parameters of a previously approved and employed ICD to explore whether these parameters impacted Appalachian caregivers’ comprehension of the study, willingness to participate, and trust in the researchers. The manipulated parameters included reading level, utilization of illustrative pictures, and inclusion of text-to-speech …

College Students' Perceptions Of The Student-Teacher Relationship, Lauren E. Biggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Humans, as social creatures, pursue relationships with others to fulfill various needs. As such, when we enter school, we naturally seek to establish relationships with teachers, who act as significant individuals in our lives. In general, research has shown that students with close, warm relationships with their teachers tend to experience more favorable outcomes related to academic achievement, behavior, and social-emotional factors. Students with more negative relationships with their teachers conversely tend to experience poorer outcomes. Though decades of research have consistently shown this correlation, few studies have examined the relationships between college students and their professors. The current study …

Effects Of Secondary Traumatic Stress And Burnout In Special Education Teachers, Alison Bradford M.A.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Secondary traumatic stress and burnout have been well-documented in the psychological field. In recent years, these effects of occupational stress have started appearing in other professions, especially in helping fields such as mental health, social work, and even education. The purpose of the study was to explore teachers’ perspectives about their current levels of stress, including burnout and secondary traumatic stress along with their current methods of managing stress to determine whether secondary traumatic stress predicts burnout and whether secondary traumatic stress affected special education teachers at a higher rate than general education teachers. A survey was used to gather …

The Impact Of Perceived Administrative Support On Teacher Burnout, Madison L. Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are crucial to many facets of life (Güneyli, 2012). Due to current occupational requirements and emotional demands, many educational professionals experience burnout (Roethler, 2021). Burnout occurs when daily occupational challenges overpower one's ability to maintain a healthy emotional state and meet professional demands (Roethler, 2021). Previous studies have been conducted on the levels of teacher stress and burnout (Agyapong et al., 2022; Chang, 2009; Lindqvist et al., 2021; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2021), while few studies explored the impact of administrative support and its contribution to burnout within the teacher population (Howard et al., 2017; Jacob, 2007; McCray-Davis, 2022; Tickle …

A Qualitative Narrative Study About Mental Well-Being And Coping Strategies In Generation-Z Undergraduate Student Leaders, Lacey Folsom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was a qualitative narrative on the advantages experienced by Generation Z students who participated in leadership roles within university-sponsored student organizations. This study incorporated generational, coping, and transactional theories to help the researcher establish a potential link between the mental well-being of students and their participation in cocurricular university-sponsored groups. The primary goal of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how students perceived the influence of their participation in student organizations on their ability to handle mental well-being issues. It sought to explore whether factors such as time commitment, skill development, or an increased sense …

Associative Stigma Among Criminal Legal Staff: Measurement And Relation To Job Factors, Shania Siebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A sizeable portion of the United States (U.S.) population works within the criminal legal system, and individuals who have legal involvement are a highly stigmatized population. Research suggests working with stigmatized populations can result in the transfer of stigma to professionals, referred to as associative stigma. While qualitative studies indicate there are negative perceptions related to working in criminal legal settings, there is no quantitative research on criminal legal staff’s experience with associative stigma and how it impacts job-related factors. The purpose of this study was to 1) examine the psychometrics of an adapted measure to quantitatively assess associative stigma …

Co-Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescence, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescence were examined: co-rumination, which occurs when friends excessively talk about problems; and psychological inflexibility, which occurs when one avoids negative feelings and fails to act on values. I hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would exacerbate the effect of co-rumination on adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants were 167 adolescents (Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.3; 65.7% cisgender males) who completed standard measures as part of an online survey. Results indicated no moderation effect, but there were main effects of co-rumination and psychological inflexibility on depression symptoms. Co-rumination may relate to …

Spectral Sensitivity Of Circadian Entrainment In Araneoid And Non-Araneoid Spiders, Craig Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Artificial lighting at night is a growing worldwide phenomenon that can negatively impact flora and fauna in the surrounding area. With new technology, there is now opportunity for change: newer LEDs can emit specific wavelengths of light that may be less ecologically damaging. In this study, we aim to describe the circadian spectral sensitivity of two phylogenetically distant urban spider species with similar life histories, the Araneoid Parasteatoda tepidariorum and non-Araneoid Pholcus manueli, to determine differences between them. We exposed these spiders to progressively dimmer levels of white, blue, green, or red light. Despite evidence that spiders lack visual …

Dismantling Barriers: Exploring Effective Support Systems For African American Success In Stem At Community Colleges, Traci L. Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the barriers and effective support systems for African American male students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at community colleges. Given that African Americans represent a significant portion of community college students but a disproportionately small percentage of STEM graduates, this research sought to identify the factors contributing to this disparity. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the support systems that can enhance academic and social success for African American men STEM majors. Questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and archival records were the data collection methods used to examine African American male students …

Shame, Guilt, And Behavioral Responses To Conflict In Organizational Life: A Correlational Study, Lori Anne Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between self-conscious emotions, namely shame and guilt, and constructive and destructive behavioral responses to conflict among working adults in the United States. Researchers have underscored the importance of task-focused conflict and adaptive leadership in fostering positive conflict outcomes. However, the connection between shame and guilt and behavioral responses has yet to be explored. Drawing upon the Conflict Dynamics Profile and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3, this correlational study examined the associations between shame and guilt and 15 distinct behavioral responses to conflict among a sample of 203 participants, mostly women employed full-time. The cross-sectional survey …

Texas High School Counselors’ And Advisors’ Ccmr Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Descriptive Study, Amanda R. Jolivet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last 20 years, there has been a growing emphasis on ensuring high school graduates are prepared for college and career in the 21st century. This is especially true in Texas, a state that has not only instituted college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) policies but has also monetarily incentivized schools and districts for meeting specific CCMR accountability metrics. Although Texas high school counselors and advisors are responsible for ensuring students across the state have access to CCMR information, support, and resources, not much was known about Texas high school counselors/advisors’ self-efficacy as it relates to postsecondary planning or …

Harry Potter And The Immersive Space: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter, Kendra Bolin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability of humans to share stories has changed over time. From myths shared around a campfire to the introduction of cinema, we can now tell massive, immersive stories on an epic scale. One example of this is the storytelling present in theme parks. Present-day theme parks are continuously growing and expanding each year both in size and attendance. The continued success of these theme parks and the rhetorical influences of their audiences is a cultural phenomenon that deserves rhetorical scrutiny. My analysis looks at how one theme park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, immerses guests …

Examining Enrollment & Engagement In A Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Intervention Study At A Level 1 Trauma Center, Leigh Frederick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Violence is a significant healthcare issue that affects the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Violence prevention and intervention programs are a powerful way to stop the revolving door of violent injury in our hospitals and communities. The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), develops and connects violence intervention programs, promotes equity for victims of violence globally, and is dedicated to engaging patients during the window of opportunity when they are recovering in the hospital after a violent injury to reduce the chance of retaliation (related to the injury) and recurrence. A small body of research shows …

African American Women’S Experience With Invisibility And Hypervisibility In The Workplace: Does It Matter To Career Advancement?, Elisha R. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions in the workplace although they are the most educated in the workplace. This study explores the lived experience of African American women who work for the federal sector and their career advancement into leadership and managerial positions. A qualitative method was used, and the participants consisted of Black women who worked for the federal sector who had either promoted to a leadership position within the last 3 to 5 years or aspired to be in a leadership position.

Interviews were conducted via Zoom, and in vivo coding was used to …

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

Impact Of Workplace Spirituality On Turnover Intention, Employee Engagement, And Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Study On Allied Health Care Professionals In The United States, Kerene A. Hoilett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare organizations may experience high expenses, turnover costs, and low morale, which may limit their ability to keep allied healthcare employees engaged and satisfied, resulting in high turnover. Yet, little is understood concerning the impact workplace spirituality may have on job outcomes such as turnover intention, job satisfaction, and employee engagement among allied healthcare workers in the United States. Job embeddedness and social exchange theories guided this study. An online survey incorporating workplace spirituality, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and employee engagement was administered to 133 United States allied healthcare employees. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to describe the data …

Make It Funny! Developing A Novel Humor-Based Digital Positive Psychology Intervention To Investigate The Influence Of Duchenne Laughter And Mirth On Psychological Distress In Daily Life, Joshua Semko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present research was to develop a novel digital humor-based PPI (Make it Funny!) to investigate the influence of Duchenne laughter and mirth on psychological distress in daily life. Participants (N = 159; Age_­median­ = 39 years; 47.77% biologically female; 68.15% White) were tasked with completing Make it Funny! or a placebo activity every day for 7 days. Duchenne laughter frequency had a small negative cross-sectional moderation effect on the relationship between the occurrence of stressful events psychological distress (t(79.71) = -2.33, b = -10.89, p = .022). Within participants, Duchenne laughter …

Bridging Design And Perception: Novel Tools And Technologies For Creating Effective Human-Robot Interactions, Benjamin Dossett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores human perception of robots through the use of novel tools and technologies. First, the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) data presentation on human perception of robots is investigated. A study conducted with the AR human-robot teaming system found that robot performance significantly influenced participants’ perceptions, overshadowing the impact of matching or mismatching robot confidence feedback. Second, the DU Want to Build-A-Bot platform is presented, which enables participatory robot design and opens the door for novel research of how robot design affects human perception. The Build-A-Bot platform enables the collection of diverse robot designs, facilitating machine learning analysis …

Collective Case Study Career Critique Of Social Entrepreneurs Who Are Gifted Adults, Joi Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes a qualitative research study that grows our understanding of the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of social entrepreneurs who are gifted adults (SEGA) so that we may nurture the career development of future SEGA. Research questions for this study probed the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of SEGA and the shared social value they create. The conceptual frameworks for this study are the ecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); the theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016); social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994); the perceived instructional arc (Uhrmacher et al., 2017); and …

Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy And Neural Mechanisms Of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses To Infant Cues And Parenting Outcomes, Shannon Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal …

Radical Hospitality: Height And Excess Of The Other And The New Host Self, Diako Alikhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing on Emmanuel Levinas’ ethical framework and its emphasis on the “height and excess” of “the Other,” this thesis explores and develops a sense of “radical hospitality” in Levinas and across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In particular, the thesis explores how encounter with the Other is not only marked by an overwhelming excess, but one which transforms the subject into what I call a “New Host Self:” Where the self is the host who greets the stranger with hospitality, it is ultimately the stranger—the refugee, the migrant—who transforms the host into someone new. Here, the host ultimately receives a gift …

Honoring Indigenous Worldview: Cultural (Un)Responsiveness In Gifted Education, Vicki Boley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many working understandings of giftedness exist within dominating Western frameworks, gatekeeping gifted education from students who do not “fit” inside such frameworks (Owens et al., 2018; Rinn et al., 2020; Sternberg et al., 2021). As a result, K- 12 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students are underrepresented in gifted education programs (Sternberg et al., 2021) and overrepresented in special education programs (NCLD, 2023). When considering Indigenous students in particular, Western orientations surrounding giftedness perpetuate assimilation, dominance, and continued colonization (Battiste, 2013; Dunbar-Ortiz, 2014; Gentry & Gray, 2021a). Leveraging Positionality and The Pedagogy of Listening as conceptual frameworks, this …

Culturally Responsive Leadership For Newcomer Students: A Case Study Of An Elementary Newcomer Program School Leadership Team, Ahmad Fayaz Amiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on the pivotal role of an urban elementary school leadership team with a newcomer program. It aims to uncover how school leadership decisions, practices, and policies address the diverse needs of newcomer students. Challenges faced by newcomers, including economic and social needs, cultural adjustments, and potential feelings of alienation despite academic success, are explored. The tension between preserving home culture and adapting to a new one adds complexity to newcomer students’ identity formation.

This study examines the practices of a newcomer school leader who addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable newcomer students. With schools being …