Digital Commons Network^™

Did The Psychological Implications Of Covid-19 Influence Employees To Say, “I Quit”, Lori Fay

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the forces that influenced employees to quit and how the employee-manager relationship mitigated this. The research centered on employees employed in the retail industry throughout the year 2020. This study aimed to investigate what factors motivated employees to remain committed to their organizations amidst the psychological impacts of COVID-19. The findings of this study suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental well-being of individuals, as evidenced by their experiences of anxiety, depression, and emotional fatigue. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on employee turnover and the influence of the employee-manager relationship …

Overcoming The Space Between Us: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Bridge Building, Kate Hanisian

Theses and Dissertations

Facilitators in organization and community contexts (and other practitioners whose job it is to move groups of people forward together) are faced with the undercurrent of human conflict every day in meetings and gatherings around the world; often with limited access to an overarching tool to help prevent and manage conflict in most settings. The purpose of this paper was to uncover patterns in bridge building practices so that anyone who finds themselves in the role of facilitating conversations between people who are very different or do not like each other might lean into a set of practices that can …

Non-Binary Experiences In The Context Of Gender Dichotomization: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Chyna (C.J.) Parker

Theses and Dissertations

Gender diverse persons have historically and presently faced unique challenges, marginalization, and discrimination. The lived experiences of the transgender nonconforming population are still widely unresearched, and most research treats transgender and transgender nonconforming (TGNC) people as a homogeneous group. This neglects the nuanced and diverse experience of the TGNC population. This integrative systematic review of the literature was conducted in order to identify and highlight the experiences of transgender nonconforming persons in the context of a binarily set world. The following questions guided this study: (a) What are the identity-related experiences of non-binary individuals in the context of gender dichotomization?, …

Effectiveness Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Therapeutic Play For Hospitalized Children Diagnosed With Cancer: An Integrative Systematic Review, Dianne Kong

Theses and Dissertations

Psychotherapy provides essential coping mechanisms and strategies for children who are diagnosed with cancer, as they experience the extraordinary burden of physical, emotional, and mental strains. While many medical advancements have been made within the past few decades, progress related to psychotherapy for pediatric cancer patients has not been commensurate, evidenced by the limited current literature. Given the sparsity of relevant research, it is presently difficult to compare and evaluate the various psychotherapeutic interventions available for pediatric oncology patients. Additionally, there are significant challenges in providing psychotherapeutic care for patients and their families, including lack of consistency, disruption of care, …

A Systematic Review On Anxious Attachment And Relationship Satisfaction, Laura Mendez

Theses and Dissertations

Romantic relationships can serve as a source of intimacy, security, support, and comfort for many individuals. Many studies have identified adult attachment as an important predictor of romantic relationship/marital satisfaction. However, many studies have found anxious attachment to be a predictor of poor relationship satisfaction. Moreover, individuals high in attachment anxiety have been found to constantly worry and ruminate about their relationships, specifically, about the fear of being abandoned or rejected by their romantic partner. As such, it is important to further understand which factors strengthen or weaken relationship/marital satisfaction in anxiously attached adults. This systematic review aimed to answer …

Effectiveness Of Writing Interventions For The Treatment Of Trauma: A Systematic Review, Melissa Maccarini

Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness for writing interventions in the treatment of trauma has been a long-researched topic with research continuing to be conducted. This systematic review with narrative synthesis aimed to examine the effectiveness of writing interventions over the past two decades in reducing trauma or related symptoms in adults diagnosed with PTSD or having experienced a criterion-A event. Researchers searched the following databases: PsycINFO, Scopus, EBSCO, ProQuest (PTSDPubs), and PubMed. The last search yielded 100 manually full-text screened studies, with 18 articles included in the systematic review. The results point to some evidence for statistically significant decreases in trauma or related …

The Use Of Dance And Movement For The Embodied Healing Of Interpersonal Trauma In Women And Girls: A Systematic Review, Catherine Xinyu Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal trauma is a serious and devastating problem for women and girls from all walks of life. Research has shown that there are physiological consequences for experiencing trauma, and as such, treatment for trauma may need to target the body. Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) has been emerging in the current literature as one body-oriented treatment approach that is effective in helping women and girls heal from interpersonal trauma. This review examines how practitioners are currently using DMT for this population, what treatment outcomes have been observed, and what the racial/ethnic identities and international contexts are for survivors who have benefited from …

The Impact Of Non-Affirming Christian Secondary Schools On Students Who Identify As Lgbtqia+: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Alexis C. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, nearly 100,000 LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) students attend non-affirming religious secondary schools yearly (Green et al., 2019; Institute of Education Sciences [IES] & National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2019a, 2019b). Because organized religion can have both beneficial and harmful outcomes on LGBTQIA+ youth (Wolff, 2016) and a secondary school environment has a significant impact on a student’s sense of academic success and well-being (Forber-Pratt et al., 2021), it is essential to understand and implement best practices that support LGBTQIA+ students in non-affirming religious secondary schools. Using phenomenological methods within a qualitative …

Application Of Third-Wave Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions In The Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Emily Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a high comorbidity rate, with substantial risks for anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is considered the first-line psychotherapy treatment for OCD. While highly efficacious, not all patients achieve full remission with ERP, and given the chronicity of OCD and its sensitivity to stress-related events, many patients struggle with ongoing symptoms. A growing area of research has been the use of third-wave behavioral and cognitive therapies that potentially enhance patients’ willingness to engage with exposure-based treatment and provide strategies to cope with residual symptoms. This integrative systematic review summarizes and synthesizes …

Exploring Prosocial Theories For Teaching Civility In Baccalaureate Level Business Communication, Mikelle Barberi-Weil

Theses and Dissertations

The paralysis of civility and the heightened acrimony in both public and private fora is considered a detriment to the health of a high-functioning and prosperous society. In the context of contemporary culture, the potential conflict between people with antithetical values and antithetical ideologies in a nonconsensual and neutral-ground locale is at a heightened level. When two people are obligated to each other in professional environments, they need to get along. Yet, as organizations have flattened and gone casual over recent decades, the boundaries of traditional politeness and respect have diminished (Andersson & Pearson, 1999). Leadership and organizational environments are …

Examining The Workplace Well-Being Of Elementary School Teachers Whose Students Participated In A Social Emotional Learning Program, Yorri Berry

Theses and Dissertations

In the past few decades, public school teachers have faced many challenges, including differentiated instruction to diverse students, increased classroom management, and standardized testing. The accumulation of these challenges has created high teacher attrition rates leading to teaching shortages. Understanding the barriers and useful supports to address the challenges teachers face can help lower attrition rates and enhance teaching quality. This study examines the workplace well-being of elementary school teachers whose students participated in a social and emotional learning program. The study included 16 elementary school teachers in schools with a large population of students who are particularly vulnerable to …

The Relationships Among Financial Literacy, Financial Behaviors, Financial Attitudes, And Homeownership Within Low-Moderate Income Households In Los Angeles County, Aliyu Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how financial literacy, financial capability, financial self-efficacy, and future time perspective affect the likelihood of low-moderate income (LMI) households in Los Angeles County owning a home and holding a mortgage. It draws on existing literature on financial literacy, financial capability, financial self-efficacy, future time perspective, and homeownership to develop a theoretical framework that identifies the factors that influence LMI households’ access to homeownership. Using secondary data merged from six surveys conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) Understanding America Study (UAS) from 2015 to 2022, it analyzes the relationships among financial literacy, financial behaviors, financial attitudes, …

An Examination Of Grief Interventions With Black And Latinx Communities, Melissa Mares

Theses and Dissertations

Grief is a universal experience that is influenced by socio-cultural cultural norms. While past research has acknowledged that attention to diversity and culture are in integral part of treatment, research on grief interventions for Black and Latinx populations has been limited and even more so for interventions that incorporate cultural adaptations. Using peer reviewed articles published between 1985-2022, this systematic review set out to investigate three questions: What are the grief interventions used with grieving Latinx and Black communities? What is the effectiveness of the interventions in reducing grief symptomology? How has cultural adaption been implemented? This review revealed that …

The State Of Psychological Services For People With Physical And Cognitive Disabilities: An Integrative Systematic Review, Megan K. Benton

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the state of psychotherapy for people with physical and cognitive disabilities in a systematic review. Specifically, this study analyzed qualitative and quantitative studies which examined therapists’ abilities to conceptualize disability as a dimension of cultural competence, the models and conceptualizations of disability and psychotherapy being used with people with disabilities (PWD) in psychotherapy, and the experiences of PWD in psychotherapy. This study analyzed 18 empirical studies and integrated both qualitative and quantitative methods. Source eligibility criteria for this systematic review was the same for both qualitative and quantitative studies. Eligibility criteria included being: peer-reviewed journal articles, …

A Systematic Review Of The Psychological Effects Of War On Children From Croatia, Zaneta Mudrovcic

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Multiple wars across the globe in the 20th century have affected countless children. One of these wars was the Croatian War of Independence or Homeland War, which lasted from 1991-1995. This systematic review examined the psychological and behavioral impact of war on children in Croatia in order to inform intervention with these children as adults, as well as to inform the literature on the effects of war on children more broadly. Methods: An integrative systematic review was conducted with qualitative and quantitative studies using narrative synthesis to review and integrate the findings from multiple studies. Studies eligible for inclusion …

Challenges Of Early Career School Psychologists, Edyn Fion

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning from a student to a practitioner can be a very difficult and challenging period in one’s career. Early career school psychologists are not only responsible for adapting to the everchanging and fast paced work of school psychology but must also deal with adjusting to a new career. This qualitative phenomenological study focused on shedding light to the challenges that are encountered by early career school psychologists. Additionally, it set out to discover the strategies, methods, and resources that they use to overcome these obstacles. With the purpose to answering the four main research questions of this study, thirteen participants …

What Is A Book: Best Practices For Literacy Specialists To Engage K-5 Students In Reading, Cydnee Clarke Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

Student success is closely related to student engagement and literacy instruction, which can positively or negatively impact a student. It has been documented that children motivated to read have a strong sense of reading efficacy and academic competence (Wigfield et al., 2015). This research study addressed the skills needed by literacy specialists to engage students in reading. This study sought to determine the best practices used by literacy specialists identified as highly effective in engaging K-5 students in reading. While issues and challenges of literacy education have made it to the forefront for many educational agencies, there are still gaps …

From The Boardroom To The Laptop: An Exploration Of African-American Women's Journeys Navigating The Transition From Corporate America To Digital Entrepreneurship, Nina Grace Shelby

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explores African-American women's challenges transitioning from Corporate America to entrepreneurship. It aims to highlight the lived experiences of African-American women entrepreneurs and the strategies they employ to achieve successful business ownership. The study utilized a phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews with African-American women entrepreneurs to gather data on their experiences. The research findings identify significant challenges such as bias and discrimination, lack of resources and support, and personal obstacles that African-American women face when transitioning to entrepreneurship. The research study also identifies effective business practices used by African-American women, such as networking, mentoring, and having a solid …

Trust In Integrated Medical Care Using A Population-Based Normative Approach, Heather Summers

Theses and Dissertations

The role of integrated care partnerships in addressing health care and social needs to achieve whole person care is important as health care costs rise and quality of care outcomes are incentivized. Medicaid reform and 1115 Medicaid waiver programs are implemented statewide as innovative programs aimed at achieving cost savings and improved clinical quality of care outcomes. Understanding how cross sector partnerships can meet the needs of individuals through integrated care cross sectoral coordination between government, social services and managed care is needed. This research study examined the role of normative care values, vision, trust, shared care, and leadership. The …

Convening The Climate Pledge: A Transorganizational Development Case Study Of Amazon's Role As Convener, Charles W. Billingsley, Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The present case study research details Amazon’s role as the convener of The Climate Pledge (TCP), a transorganizational system of over 400 signatories as of 2023 collaborating to address the climate crisis and issues surrounding the decarbonization of the global economy. The study answered one central question: How did Amazon’s role as a convener impact TCP, as experienced by stakeholders? Study participants were Amazon employees working for TCP. Data sources included interviews, TCP public announcements, and internal communications. The study determined that Amazon utilized robust action tactics from 2019-2023, indicative of a Convener. Findings indicated that Amazon’s future convening strategy …

The Factors Contributing To The Perceived Strength Of Female Truck Drivers, Carlinda Tabor

Theses and Dissertations

The perceptions of women in the workforce take different forms. Customarily, the perception of women in the workforce leans toward women being somewhat docile and powerless and needing external empowerment, especially women in male-dominated/oriented fields. The literature conveys this mindset and philosophy that permeates our culture, perpetuates this perception, and influences many women. Nonetheless, women with a different reality or experience need corroboration that supports them and dispels the described cultural influences and the ensuing impact on the next generation. This study investigated women in the trucking industry to unveil the factors contributing to women's innate strength. This qualitative study …

Molecular Target And Circuitry Underlying The Preclinical Effects Of Psychedelics In Models Of Opioid Use Disorder, Alaina M. Jaster

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD), like other substance use disorders (SUD), is characterized by maladaptive behavioral allocation away from other rewarding aspects of life following prolonged use, as well as large rates of relapse. While pharmacotherapies exist for OUD, they tend to only target the opioid receptors rather than the underlying mechanisms behind the maladaptive behaviors. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is involved in modulation of cravings and regulation of motivational reward-related behaviors, thought to be due to a top-down processing method of external and internal stimuli. Serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT_2AR) are widespread throughout the brain and most densely populate layer …

Emergent Trends Of Contemporary Dramatic Recontextualization: An Exploration Utilizing Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra, Cameron M. Nickel

Theses and Dissertations

The art of adaptation in the realm of drama has undergone an easily recognizable evolution in the past couple of decades, from the work of Sarah Ruhl to Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. This evolution has opened doors to an altogether new form of adaptation in the theatre: dramatic recontextualization. While the two forms are built upon a foundation of shared aspects, there are certain observable and quantifiable delineations between the two artistic forms. As this trend continues to grow exponentially in the world of theatre, it is important to further research the origins and methodologies of contemporary dramatic recontextualization, both to provide …

Provider Racial Concordance And Medical Mistrust In Pediatric Dentistry, Chinelo Eke

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Studies have drawn varying conclusions on the importance of a racially concordant patient provider relationship. Medical mistrust has continued to garner attention as healthcare enterprises thread equity, diversity and inclusion throughout their organizational policies, practices and systems.

Methods: Parents/caregivers of pediatric patients at VCU Pediatric Dentistry were invited to participate. Surveys included questions about demographics, racial concordance, language preference, and the validated Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale.

Results: A total of 246 guardians completed the survey. For guardians, 40% reported Black or African American, 31% Hispanic, and 19% Caucasian. Seventy-one percent of guardians reported speaking English, 18% Spanish, and 11% …

The Use Of Silver Diamine Fluoride In Dentistry In Virginia, Jessica Eisenberg

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to determine the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in dentistry in Virginia and the factors that affect the practitioners’ decision. Methods: A survey was sent to the members of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) by email and posted on the VDA social media accounts. The survey questions measured the practitioner’s demographics, knowledge, and factors that affect their utilization of SDF. Results: Most providers were general dentists (77%). The most common clinical situations for SDF use were to arrest caries in children with behavioral issues (77%), to delay restorative treatment (73%), in medically …

The Age And Primary Reason For The First Dental Visit In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Amanda Dickerson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this project is to evaluate the average age and primary reason for the first dental visit among patients with special health care needs as well as to examine socioeconomic factors and other barriers related to children with special health care needs accessing care.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey that was distributed to caregivers of children with special health care needs. Study data was collected through REDCap, a secure web-based survey application. The inclusion criteria for participating in the survey included having a child with a special health care need that presented for a recall or …

Children With Special Healthcare Needs: The Cost Of Medical Care, Kasey Dye

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that impact children with special healthcare needs’ (CSHCN) health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The Ecological Model for Health Promotion developed by McLeroy et al. (1988) was the guiding theoretical framework for this study. Using data from the 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health, I conducted descriptive statistics, logistic regressions, and multilevel modeling analyses to determine if health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses for CSHCN differed by individual, family, and community, organization, and policy factors. Results indicated that race, gender, disorder category, insurance type, and family’s federal poverty level were …

Dental Treatment Planning: Decisions With Interdisciplinary Cases, William W. Porzio

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To explore the variance in treatment planning options with interdisciplinary cases that involve a combination of endodontic, periodontic, and prosthodontic factors.

Methods: A REDCap survey was emailed to Virginia based American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) members, American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) members, and periodontal residents to assessing various treatment planning options for six interdisciplinary cases.

Results: A total of 56 individuals responded to the survey; 10 periodontal residents, 35 practicing periodontists, 11 practicing prosthodontists. Response rate was not able to be evaluated based on the fact that third-party organizations were used to disseminate the survey in …

Histone Acetylation In Periodontal Diseases, Sarang Saadat

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emerging data has indicated the significant role of epigenetic control in inflammation. Acetylation of lysine residues on histones is a major epigenetic modification of chromatin, which is required for cytokine gene expression and regulated in inflammatory diseases. It has been shown that periodontal bacteria induce histone acetylation in oral epithelial cells and experimental periodontitis in rodents. In this study, we investigated the acetylation level of histone 3 (H3) in gingival tissue from healthy and periodontitis patients. We hypothesize that cytokine over-production in periodontitis is associated with the hyper acetylation of histones. Methods: Periodontitis and healthy subjects who need periodontal …

Home Disruption And Substance Use: The Moderated-Mediating Role Of Family Conflict And Stress Among Racial-Ethnic Minoritized College Students, Geovani Muñoz

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted first-generation college students who identify as racial-ethnic minorities (REM). Aside from the academic and health repercussions caused by COVID-19, little is known if home disruptions have increased substance use for REM college students. Specifically, increased home disruptions may directly relate to substance use and indirect relationships through increased family conflict and stress. Therefore, this master's thesis examined the direct relationships between home disruption and substance use. I also examined the relationships between home disruption and family conflict, as well as home disruption and stress. Further, I also investigated the relationships between family conflict and …