Digital Commons Network^™

#Livingwhileblack: A Mixed-Method Exploratory Analysis Of The Social Media Documentation Of Racism Via Twitter And Interviews, Judy A. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans have endured marginalization related to racial and cultural disparities. #LivingWhileBlack has become a unique repository of all related experiences that Black people are encountering, while performing every day, seemingly mundane tasks and activities. The #LivingWhileBlack hashtag went viral on Twitter (https://twitter.com/), allowing users, including Black Twitter (https://twitter.com/), to use the international platform to share their own Black story and experience. The three research questions that were explored included the following. First: How are profiling events related to #LivingWhileBlack events documented, reported and expressed by Social Media Users? Second: How are others/people using Twitter (https://twitter.com/); affected by various incidences …

Community Reentry And Juvenile Justice: The Role Of Developmental Science In Legislative Decision-Making, Kristina A. Mcguire

Theses and Dissertations

The goals of the present study were to examine federal and selected state legislation for reentry initiatives within the juvenile justice system using content analysis, including determining if bill language utilized terminology reflecting research or developmental science. Thematic analysis was used to examine publicly available federal documents focused on juvenile justice reentry to understand how policymakers were promoting reentry initiatives. Federal bills and documents from April 1, 2008 to December 31, 2019 and state bills from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 for Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Maryland, New Jersey, Kansas, and Georgia that referenced juvenile justice and …

Development Of A Strengths And Empowerment Focused Group Intervention For Marginalized Populations With A Focus On Women, Low-Income, And Racial-Ethnic Minorities, Kristin Goradietsky

Theses and Dissertations

Members of marginalized groups face numerous stressors, including racism, discrimination, and a lack of access to quality mental health and medical care. Members of marginalized groups are also at a higher risk of developing mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. There is a lack of literature regarding effective mental health treatment for members of marginalized groups, including those who are homeless or low income; Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC); and women. A literature review indicated interventions based in empowerment, positive psychology, mindfulness, and critical consciousness may be particularly applicable to vulnerable populations. Therefore, …

Homicidal Loss And Disenfranchised Grief, Mothers Of Murdered Descendants: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Michael Wayne Eagle

Theses and Dissertations

Violent acts of homicide committed against youth or children can lead to prolonged, devastating, and painful effects on their surviving mothers. Sudden unexpected deaths of descendants can lead to anger, guilt, sorrow, and isolation affecting survivors both emotionally and physically. Descendants’ deaths before the mothers’ deaths are unnatural and can lead to a decline in a survivor’s social actions, a rise in hospitalization rates, higher cases of mortality, complicated grief, and symptoms of PTSD. Cases of disenfranchised grief can surface after a survivor’s loss is ignored or no longer culturally allowed. Instances of empathic failure can result when empathy from …

A Critical Ethnographic Study Of The Sociological And Educational Factors That Contribute To Scholastic Disengagement Prior To Adolescence And The Nexus To The School To Prison Pipeline, David Diehl

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this critical ethnographic study was to examine the lived experiences of formerly or currently incarcerated, Hispanic males who attended elementary school in Central Coast County (pseudonym), and affiliated, or previously affiliated with, one of the two major Mexican gangs in the State of California. This study sought to investigate what influence or impact, if any, a student's educational experience prior to entering middle school may have on a desire to become involved with the gang culture. The unusually high teenage homicide rate occurring in a non-urban setting has garnered national attention. Teachers, school administrators, a probation officer, …

Dna Analysis And The Postmortem Submersion Interval From The Microbiome Of Waterlogged Sus Scrofa Skeletal Remains, Claire Cartozzo

Theses and Dissertations

Following water-related deaths, soft tissue on victims’ remains may be entirely absent after a temperature dependent period of time. Due to their physical and chemical components, which protect them from environmental deterioration and biological attack, bones preserve DNA for longer periods of time. Therefore, the ability to both identify an individual and estimate the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) may depend on DNA obtained from skeletal remains. The goals of the dissertation were to examine differences in both the degradation of skeletal DNA and the microbiome inhabiting bone in freshwater aquatic environments (e.g., Henley Lake and the James River). At each …

Design, Synthesis, And Biological Evaluation Of Mu Opioid Receptor Selective Antagonists Bearing Pyrazole And Imidazole Side Chains, Pornprom Klongkumnuankarn

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is one of the major national threats to human health and economic system. Since the opiate substances produce their pharmacological effects mainly at the Mu Opioid Receptor (MOR), the development of potent MOR selective antagonists is imperative. By application of the message-address concept, the novel selective MOR antagonist, NAP was synthesized in our group. The molecular modeling studies of NAP revealed that its MOR selectivity was determined by interactions between the C(6) side chain and the non-conserved residues of the receptor. To enrich our understanding of Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) of the opioid ligands as well as …

Education Support For Foster Care Youth: The Impact Of Federal Spending On Employment Outcomes, Carlisle C. Bates

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which supportive services funded through the federal John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCP) are associated with academic success and employment in foster care youth. Studies suggest that this group experiences poorer employment outcomes (Gypen, Vanderfaeillie, De Maeyer, Belenger, & Van Holen, 2017; Okpych & Courtney, 2014) and earn less money annually (Gypen et al., 2017; Okpych & Courtney, 2014; Pecora, 2012). Despite a 29.4-billion-dollar annual budget for foster care services, individuals with a foster care history struggle after they transition out of care.

The CFCP is intended to help states improve education …

Measuring The Impact Of Perceptions Towards Performance-Based Cash Rewards On Performance In Federal Agencies: Testing The Role Of Public Service Motivation As A Causal Chain, Layla F. Alanazi

Theses and Dissertations

Significant research has demonstrated how public service motivation (PSM) predicts individual outcomes, such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and choice of employment sector. Other research has demonstrated how PSM serves as an outcome variable. Between these two strands of PSM research, there is a knowledge gap concerning how PSM acts as a mediator. This study contributes to the growing literature on PSM by proposing and testing a causal model that estimates the direct effect of perceptions towards performance-based cash rewards on performance as well as their indirect effect through their influence on PSM, which then influences individual and organizational performance. …

Characterizing Patterns Of Cannabis Use And Related Health Effects Among Young Adults Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Alyssa Rudy

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Rapid changes in cannabis use policy and prevalence, particularly among young adults, and the lack of information regarding cannabis harms warrant investigation regarding the daily use patterns of cannabis users. Little is known regarding how variability in cannabis use frequency and administration method use patterns may be associated with differential acute cannabis-related health effects (i.e., subjective intoxication and respiratory symptoms). The purpose of the study was to characterize daily and weekly cannabis use patterns and associated cannabis-related intoxication and respiratory symptoms and test the interactions of cannabis use frequency and cannabis administration method use on cannabis-related intoxication and respiratory …

An Exploration Of Task Independence For High School Students In A Self-Contained Classroom Using Structured Work Systems, Lorinda Rene Otto

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of a method to support higher levels of independent performance and generalization of skills using a structured work system with a visual schedule when teaching online task completion skills to high school students with ASD and intellectual disabilities. Students with ASD and intellectual disabilities are typically deficient in independent skills. They often struggle to initiate and complete tasks on their own. By learning to complete tasks independently, high school students with ASD and intellectual disabilities gain essential life skills needed for employment. Structured work systems, along with visual schedules, have shown to be useful in …

Teacher Perspectives Of Fidelity With Universal Design For Learning In The Classroom, Sharon Rehenea Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study is designed to explore teachers’ perspectives on the implementation and sustainability of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the classroom at a local rural Title I elementary school. The rural elementary Title I school classroom presents a unique dynamic in comparison to its surrounding rural elementary school counterparts. The most significant difference is the students residing in poverty and the circumstances associated with poverty. Despite this school’s rural Title I circumstance UDL is used to encourage and stimulate students.

Teachers are the primary source of UDL implementation. It is vital for teachers to …

Factors That Influence The Perception Of Higher Education Leaders In The Adoption Process Of Instructional Technology And Distance Education, Diego Tibaquirá

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed by this study was that many administrators at institutions of higher learning are faced with the task of finding ways to provide the latest technologies while being extremely constricted by budgets and the rising cost of education. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the perceptions of higher education leaders in the adoption process of Instructional Technology and Distance Education. This included an examination of the decision-making process and what determined if Instructional Technology and Distance Education were either implemented or upgraded at various higher learning institutions.

The researcher implemented a mixed-methods …

Improving Educational Experiences Of Students With Disabilities At A Private Postsecondary University, Levenle Jean-Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this research study was that students with disabilities were experiencing challenges at a private postsecondary university in the United States that were impacting their educational experience. The purpose of this research study was to discover the challenges individuals with disabilities experience at a private postsecondary university and to find possible resolutions to those challenges. It was anticipated that this research study may improve the education experiences of students with disabilities at a private postsecondary university in the United States. It was equally important to discover (a) challenges experienced by students with a disability in a private …

Measuring The Social And Emotional Skills Of Hispanic American Students In An Afterschool Karate Program, Noel Adrian Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

The social and emotional learning skills of children play an important role in their development. These skills include persistence, self-control, and social competence. The lack of these skills can often be a predictor of future criminality and antisocial behavior. Aggressiveness in youth plays a key role in violence among juveniles. Violent crime committed by juvenile offenders has been a longstanding issue facing the United States criminal justice system. It lacks an effective prevention method, disproportionately affects minority youth, and is often cited as a future predictor of criminality.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, one-group, pretest–posttest design study, was twofold. First, …

Students’ Perceptions Of Their Community Service Experience Based On High School Resources, Brooke A. Muriello

Theses and Dissertations

The research questions focused on students’ perceptions of how the school’s resources influenced students’ benefits from community service. This research is designed to provide information that identifies factors that affect students’ perceived benefits from their mandatory or credit merit community service work based on high schools varying approaches to implementing a mandatory community as a graduation requirement or awards credit toward graduation for students’ community service work in states without a statewide high school service requirement; credit toward graduation for service-learning or community service; or explicitly permits districts to adopt a service requirement for high school graduation.

The service-learning experiences …

Understanding Effective Orientation Practices From Orientation Professionals At Public Hbcus, Ronnie Mack Jr

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation focused on understanding the perceptions of orientation professionals of the impact of orientation programming at public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This study illustrates the effective practices of orientation programming and their impact on the retention of first – year African American students.

The theoretical framework that supported this study focused on challenge & support, retention, involvement, transition, belonging, and Black identity theory. The research study looked to understand orientation professionals’ perceptions of the impact of orientation programming at a public HBCU on the successful transition and retention of first-year students.

The qualitative multiple case study …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy, Teacher Mentoring And Administrative Support On Teacher Retention In Title 1 Schools, Holly Cwiklinski

Theses and Dissertations

Information Security Policy (ISP) compliance is crucial to the success of healthcare organizations due to security threats and the potential for security breaches. UNIX Administrators (UXAs) in healthcare Information Technology (IT) maintain critical servers that house Protected Health Information (PHI). Their compliance with ISP is crucial to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI data housed or accessed by their servers. The use of cognitive heuristics and biases may negatively influence threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and ultimately ISP compliance behavior. These failures may result in insufficiently protected servers and put organizations at greater risk of data breaches and financial loss. …

The Link Between Animal Cruelty And Violent Crime Victimization: An Assessment Of The Lifetime Impact Of Animal Cruelty On Secondary Victims, Amber Ahern

Theses and Dissertations

Animal cruelty and the secondary victimization of humans caused by animal cruelty are significant social problems. The dissertation presented a comparative research study on the developmental, psychological, and emotional symptomatology experienced by crime victims who had prior experiences with animal cruelty as a secondary victimization versus those who had not. Secondary victimization, as well as animal cruelty experiences, were operationally defined. This dissertation presented a broad literature review focusing on animal cruelty, its overall impact, and the link to other forms of criminality. This dissertation reviewed the importance of this line of research and possible implications for policy, future research, …

Doctor-Patient Communication: The Experiences Of Black Caribbean Women Patients With Diabetes, Rosanne Paul-Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the verbal and non-verbal communication experiences of Black Caribbean diabetic women patients with their doctors, in order to provide a better understanding of the essential aspects of doctor- patient communication and their experiences as they managed their condition. Black Caribbean women have been disproportionately impacted by medical conditions such as diabetes. It has been a documented fact that minorities experience disparities in the health care system at different levels and doctor-patient communication is no exception. Poor doctor-patient communication has been known to hinder patients’ health outcomes, and therefore warrants such studies to increase …

Establishing Teaching Presence In Higher Education Online Mathematics Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Deltrye Eagle Holt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe, based on the teaching presence component of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework, the lived experiences of mathematics instructors while establishing teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses. Teaching presence, which is one of the three core elements of the community of inquiry (CoI) framework, is necessary for achieving learning outcomes and student satisfaction. The three main research questions were: 1. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses? 2. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in face-to-face higher education mathematics courses? 3. …

Job Stress Effects On Job Satisfaction And Attrition In 9-1-1 Call Centers, Damarys Jaile Gilligan

Theses and Dissertations

In 9-1-1 call centers across the nation the personnel shortage has become a crisis. The nature of the job of a 9-1-1 telecommunicator is stressful due to the high volume of emergency calls. This applied dissertation was designed to learn if there is a relationship between job stress, burnout levels, and job satisfaction in 9-1-1 telecommunicators. This was a nonexperimental quantitative survey research with a correlational approach. The population was a nonprobability convenience sample recruited through the Survey Monkey Audience platform. Data was collected at one point in time. A total of 37 participants took part in the study. All …

A Qualitative Study Of Collaborative Lesson Planning For Teachers Of Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities, Wendy K. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

During the generic qualitative research, a system for facilitating collaborative lesson planning for teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities was developed and studied. The collaborative model allowed teachers to meet both school and district expectations for lesson plans. The purpose of the study, however, was to focus on the teachers’ experience of participating in the collaborative lesson planning system.

Questions were asked of teachers at three points during the study: (a) during business as usual individual planning, (b) after 3 weeks of collaborative lesson planning training and practice, and (c) at the end of 6 weeks of PLC lesson …

The Effects Of A Computer Based Program On Student Mathematics Achievement Within An Urban Middle School In Georgia, Sheree Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of adaptive computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on student mathematics achievement. The researcher sought to describe factors that may influence academic achievement for eight-grade students. The instruments used to gather data were post curriculum-based mathematics benchmark assessment data administered during fall, winter, and spring semesters, the spring mathematic assessment for the Georgia Milestones, and open and close-ended questionnaires. A purposeful sampling of 63 students were chosen to complete questionnaires. Data analyzed from the 2018 Mathematics scores from SchoolCity and the Georgia Milestones revealed that the SuccessMaker® online adaptive software tool positively …

Haitian Centenarians: An Undocumented Phenomenon, Erna Dasilma

Theses and Dissertations

A ceaselessly neglected phenomenon until recent years, especially in developing countries, centenarians bring unique wisdom, perspective, history and science to our society based on their lived experiences. Although there is a strong interest in the experiences of individuals who are over 100 years old, few formal research studies have been conducted concerning centenarians, principally in developing countries. One of the central goals of conducting this study was to bridge the gap in the literature when it comes to centenarians in less developed countries, given the lack of reported statistics, with emphasis given to those living on the battered, but resilient …

A Correlation Study Of Parental Involvement And Student Outcomes In A Georgia School District, Courtney T. Flournoy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a statistically significant association existed between the responses of parents of middle school students in a Georgia public school district on a parental involvement survey and three variables: eligibility of students to receive free or reduced-price lunch parental marital status, and parental education level.

This study was initiated because of a persistent problem of low academic achievement of the middle school students. There is extensive research related to the importance of parental involvement and the effect of this involvement on student achievement. However, prior to the implementation of this study little …

The Teacher’S Role In Increasing Student Engagement In High School Social Studies Courses, Quarnitra L. Price

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored (a) how teaching practices of high school teachers influence student engagement levels and performance in social studies classes, (b) how teachers might deliver more student relatable social studies content, (c) how teachers might help students relate to and become more engaged with important social studies concepts, and (d) how teachers can motivate students to become well-informed and fully engaged citizens. This study also examined existing barriers that prevent students from learning or engaging in social studies coursework.

Research findings suggest teachers play essential roles in how students perceive social studies content and respond to lessons …

Unsolvable? Assessing The Accuracy Of Missing Person Case Data, Scott Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

Annually, about 100,000 individuals are reported missing to authorities in the US. Fortunately, the majority of these investigations are resolved quickly with the persons being accounted for and reunited with loved ones. Conversely, the number of cases that remain open represent dilemmas for police as the incidents could be connected to unsolved homicides, other violent crimes, or endangered persons. Despite the commonality of missing persons, research on the topic is scant. Predominantly, published studies on missing persons focus on investigations from European countries. In 2008, the US Department of Justice launched the National Missing and Unidentified Person System (NamUs), a …

An Exploration Of Barriers And Supports Of High School Equivalency Diploma (Hsed) Graduates Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Chanell Butler Morello

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the perceived barriers and supports of High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) graduates upon their consideration of attaining a higher education degree at a community college in North Carolina. Other areas explored in this qualitative study included the way completing the HSED program changes a student’s perception of learning and/or increases his or her motivation to continue their studies.

A primary objective of the Basic Skills programs, also known as College and Career Readiness programs, is to transition as many students as possible to postsecondary education and employment. In spite of such goals, North …

Law Enforcement Officers As Victims Of Felonious Killings And Assaults: An Analysis Of The Predictors Of Lethality And The Likelihood Of Officer Assault Or Death, Gabriella Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to explore the predictors of lethality for the outcome of police officer assault with injury and felonious death. Recent news has focused on police brutality and their excessive use of force. Conversely, the inverse relationship has not received much focus. To explore the aforementioned relationship, data from the LEOKA program on 1,375 officers who were feloniously killed or assaulted with serious injury between the years of 2008 and 2017 were examined to determine the statistical significance between several predictor variables and the outcome variable.

Binary logistic regression was used to answer the research questions posed by …