Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Impact Of The Cultivation Of Presence On Autonomy, Hai Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Paradoxes, such as the co-existence of stability and continual change, are characteristic of a complex organization. The ability to adapt to change is a vital trait that leaders must acquire to embrace and integrate organizational paradoxes. The autonomous person is one who is best able to adapt to change. The cultivation of presence (CP) is an approach to developing autonomy that holds great promise in facilitating change. The central purpose of this research was to determine if CP was positively related to the fulfillment of the basic psychological need for autonomy. The study involved 14 alumni from graduate degree programs …

Effect Of Work-Life Balance On The Self As Instrument, Soumya Naidu

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of work-life balance, or lack thereof, on the use of self as instrument by consultants from a physical, cognitive, and action perspective. Organization development practitioners may not be aware of importance that the development of self has on their ability to be effective consultants, and how much of an impact the ability to maintain a balanced, well-rounded life has on the self as instrument. A mixed method approach was used, which consisted of a survey set (made up of four separate scales) and an interview process. The survey gathered demographics and data on work and …

Including People With Disabilities In Disaster Preparedness: A Delphi Study, Michael Anthony Castañeda

Theses and Dissertations

Recent disasters demonstrate that the needs of people with disabilities are not being met when disaster strikes. At the root of the problem is a widespread failure to include people with disabilities in preparing for emergencies before they occur. This study used a 2-round Delphi methodology with a panel of experts, consisting of people with disabilities and key players in emergency planning and response. The study instrument consisted of questionnaires containing items presented in Likert, yes-no, and open-ended formats. The goal of the study was to reach consensus on a way for people with disabilities and emergency planners to address …

Comparing The Emotional Intelligence, Personal Traits, And Work Impacts Of Performing Versus High-Performing Middle Managers, Teresa Lara

Theses and Dissertations

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) has grown in popularity over recent decades. Some authors have argued that EI results in heightened personal and professional success. Middle managers, in particular, are believed to require EI, as they are tasked with linking and coordinating the strategic and operational levels of the organization. Having EI is believed to help middle managers develop relationships; influence others and garner their support; create harmony among stakeholders; and communicate, collaborate with, and lead others. All of these activities require understanding and managing others, their needs, and their emotions--in short, all of these activities require EI. However, …

Schizophrenia, Acculturation, And Chinese American Families : A Review And Clinical Recommendations For Treatment, Lorena Ho

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a disorder that appears across cultures, typically creating a tremendous amount of suffering and loss for both the individual diagnosed, and his or her family. While psychosocial family treatment (along with medication) has proved thus far to be the most promising treatment for schizophrenia in Western cultures, it has yet to be proven effective with ethnocultural minority groups. Furthermore, literature shows that Western treatments for schizophrenia cannot be uniformly applied to ethnocultural minority groups with the expectation of similar results. In the United States, Asian Americans, and specifically Chinese Americans, continue to underutilize mental health services for schizophrenia, …

A Study Of Reading First Implementation And Literacy Performance Of Students In Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade In Lancaster School District, Michele Marie Bowers

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined elementary student literacy performance in Lancaster School District in kindergarten through 5th grades for 6 elementary schools implementing the Reading First program and 6 elementary schools not implementing Reading First. Subgroup data for English Language Learners, Hispanic, and African American students was closely examined and compared with the literacy performance data of white students to determine whether implementation of the Reading First program has narrowed the achievement gap. The study also explored the relationship, if any, between the level of Reading First program implementation (RFII) and literacy achievement of students as measured by the English Language Arts …

Drivers Of Member Advocacy And Detraction In Credit Unions: Key Contributors To Net Promoter Scores, Neil Goldman

Theses and Dissertations

Credit unions today face an uncertain future, with their very survival in question. This study sought to understand where credit union leaders should focus to foster growth and create lasting organizational success. Treacy and Wiersema (1995) proffer that the key to growth rests in "customer intimacy" and as others suggest, the creation of an exceptional customer experience (McConnell & Huba, 2003; Pine & Gilmore, 1999). As customers for credit unions are called members, an exceptional "member experience" is thus necessary. Customer (or member) satisfaction levels indicate the member experience. Member loyalty levels also reflect the member experience. This study sought …

A Qualitative Program Evaluation Of A Structured Leadership Mentoring Program At A Large Aerospace Corporation, Romney P. Teller

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher utilized a qualitative approach to conduct a program evaluation of the organization where he is employed. The study intended to serve as a program evaluation for the structured in-house mentoring program at a large aerospace corporation (A-Corp). This program evaluation clarified areas in which the current mentoring program is lacking and could be improved to align with best practices for mentoring that have been identified in the research literature. As a participant observer, the researcher used telephone focus groups as the main data source. A secondary data source included documents such as the training manual and intranet descriptions …

Designing High Fidelity Simulation To Maximize Student Registered Nursing Decision-Making Ability, Cathleen Deckers

Theses and Dissertations

The current healthcare environment is a complex system of patients, procedures, and equipment that strives to deliver safe and effective medical care. High fidelity simulation provides healthcare educators with a tool to create safety conscious practitioners utilizing an environment that replicates practice without risk to patients. Using HFS learning opportunities to refine a learner's clinical decision-making skills under time pressure and high stakes outcomes could provide new opportunities for training the healthcare workforce of the future. This design based research project explored how to structure HFS training to facilitate the development of decision-making in second semester Registered Nursing learners. Borrowing …

Student-Led Conferences: Perceptions Held By Parents Of Children Attending A Christian Elementary School, Angele’ Foster-King

Theses and Dissertations

This concurrent multiple methods study was to inform the work at Ontario Christian School (OCS) related to student-led conferences in grades K-3rd during the 2009-2010 school year. OCS elementary parent perceptions were explored regarding the benefits, if any, of student-led conferences in addition to how, if at all, student-led conferences have influenced parent awareness of K-3rd student academic performance, communication between parents and students in regards to school, parental expectations and parenting style, as well as their influence on student motivation and accountability. Participating parents completed a quantitative survey and a qualitative questionnaire. Five main findings resulted. First, the parents …

Muslim Female Leadership, Maliha Marri

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership by women is by no means a new concept in the Islamic world. In fact, Islamic history is replete with female Muslim leaders. Researcher Badawi (1995) has extrapolated that the obstacles in the path of Muslim female leadership are “cultural practices”, not Islam. Even though it may be hard to do so in an Islamic way, there is actually no proof in the Quran that prohibits Muslim women from assuming leadership roles. Remnant androcentrism continues to be an impediment in the way of Muslim female leadership. Abugideriri has explained that traditionally, Islamic leadership has been gendered, with the males …

Successful Change Strategies For A Major Research And Consulting Company, Islam Ahmad Azzam

Theses and Dissertations

This case study describes a major change initiative undertaken by a major consulting-contracting agency, 3 Tier Research and Development, Inc., engaged in market branding, research, and development in the United States. Focusing on one client account, Go-Green Auto Corp, the study scrutinizes relevant organizational theories as they apply to real-time organizational leadership and change-management strategy scenarios. Members of the studied organization from one office in Southern California, predisposed by their own mind-sets and training in the organization's mission statement and policies and procedures of operation, voluntarily participated in field research that included questionnaires and interviews by the researcher. The goal …

Childhood Physical Abuse And Adulthood Mortality In Treatment-Seeking Male Veterans With Combat-Related Ptsd, Anna F. Leshner

Theses and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with increased overall risk for mortality as well as deaths death due to behavioral causes in combat veterans. In addition, adverse childhood experiences, including childhood physical abuse, have been associated with many of the leading causes of death in adults. The present study investigated childhood physical punishment experiences in 1,866 U.S. military male combat veterans who had been in residential PTSD treatment in order to explore whether such experiences were related to increased risk for mortality or cause of death in this population. It was hypothesized that more physical punishment would be related …

The Role Of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media In The Future Of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study, Rebecca Coates Nee

Theses and Dissertations

Unprecedented changes in journalism practices have been occurring since the 21st century ushered in the digital age. News gathering methods, means of information delivery, and consumer habits have altered dramatically because of technological advances, causing a disruption in the traditional business model. Newspapers, historically the key instrument for investigative and public affairs reporting in the United States, have been the media sector facing the biggest decline in revenue and circulation. While the audience is migrating to traditional news outlets online, the advertisers are not. Free services such as eBay and Craig's List have contributed to a nearly 50% drop in …

How Husbands Can Support Their Wives In Achieving Weight Management Goals: The Development Of A Self-Help Resource, Christi Lynn Kush

Theses and Dissertations

The nationwide prevalence of obesity calls for more effective strategies for weight loss and maintenance of desired weight. The majority of weight loss programs focus on behavior change (diet and exercise) with some success, although lost weight is often regained. Interventions that boost the long-term effects of weight loss achievements are greatly needed. Marriage provides an ideal context for the lifestyle changes required for effective weight maintenance. Although well-intentioned, spouses may not know how to support their partner's weight loss efforts. Because women are more likely than men to attend to their spouses' health needs and women struggle more than …

Religious And Spiritual Beliefs, Practices, Professional Attitudes And Behaviors Of Clinical And Counseling Psychology Interns, Jeanette Francis

Theses and Dissertations

It is important for clinicians to address religious and spiritual matters in their psychological treatment. Personal religious and spiritual beliefs can have a significant impact on the consideration of religious and spiritual issues in psychotherapy. The religious and spiritual views of clinicians form as a function of general development and may be influenced by graduate education and training. The current study sought to determine the religious and spiritual attitudes, beliefs, and practices of doctoral students in clinical and counseling psychology, their views on religious and spiritual clinical interventions, and the effect of graduate education and training on both of these …

Influence Of Social Support And Intimate Partner Abuse In African American Mothers' Substance Use, Shaquita Tillman

Theses and Dissertations

African American women are at increased risk for severe forms of partner abuse. Moreover, women abused while pregnant have reported higher frequencies of severe intimate partner abuse compared with women who have been abused only before and/or after pregnancy. Literature suggests that social support is a critical resource for abused women who are seeking safety. Specifically, African American women, both those who report experiences of abuse and those who do not, endorse social support as a healthy coping strategy. The current study is a secondary analysis of the multisite Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study dataset looking at the relationship …

Significant Traits, Characteristics, And Qualities Of High Effective United Methodist Church Clergy, Grant John Hagiya

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to identify the key traits, characteristics, and qualities of high effective United Methodist Church clergy. The experimental study employed a mixed methods design, with a quantitative component that compared high effective and low effective clergy on the dimensions of their Emotional Intelligence using the BarOn Assessment, leadership qualities using the Leadership Practices Inventory, church size and vitality, and finally, self identification as to leadership abilities and ministry effectiveness. It also included a qualitative component in the form of in-depth interviews with high effective United Methodist Church clergy on their leadership traits, characteristics, and qualities. The dissertation's quantitative …

Cultivating 21st Century Competencies In A Virtual Worlds Learning Environment, Terry K. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Education reforms in recent years have pressured schools to show achievement results through testing and conformity to standards. Problems of low student engagement in the current test-heavy environment have been a serious barrier to learning in schools across the United States, especially in low socioeconomic areas. After years of unsuccessful testing programs, educators and researchers are calling for approaches that enhance student engagement and foster the 21st century competencies that students need to succeed. Researchers have found that engagement, 21st century competencies, and learning can be enhanced using virtual worlds approaches (Arici, 2008; Barab, Dodge, & Ingram-Goble, 2006; Dede, Nelson, …

Uncovering And Analyzing Potential Gaps In Teaching Graduate Programs In Leadership By Way Of Online Education, Joseph E. Craig

Theses and Dissertations

With online education becoming a more viable option to students around the globe, the ongoing problem of optimal ways of teaching leadership in this format has become an issue to be investigated. The design of teaching leadership at a graduate level in which the format is conducted at least 60% online has been the focus of this study. In investigating this, the research has centered on a quantitative and qualitative study, which came about as the result of responses from 27 professors out of 78 across the nation whom were sent requests from schools that met the aforementioned criteria. In …

A Study To Determine Differences In The Level Of Perceived Preparedness In Teaching Algebra To Eighth Graders Between Teachers In The United States And Teachers In Lebanon, Seta Khajarian

Theses and Dissertations

Algebra is a branch in mathematics and taking Algebra in middle school is often a gateway to advanced courses in high school. The problem is that the United States and Lebanon had low scores in Algebra in the 2007 Trends in Mathematics and Sciences Study (TIMSS), an international assessment administered to 4th and 8th graders every 4 years. On the 2007 TIMSS, Lebanon's average score in Algebra was 465, a lower score than the United States' average of 501. This paper attempted to determine if there were differences in the level of perceived preparedness between teachers in Lebanon and teachers …

Identifying The Challenges And Support Needs Of Baby Boom Mothers Middle Managers, Audrey Sloofman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges, development needs, and support needs of Baby Boomer middle manager women who have children and plan to continue working for the next 10 years. Baby Boomer women have played the role of groundbreakers for other women in the workplace and must continue to do so, as many organizations are still male-dominated at the uppermost levels. As mothers and managers, they have developed a holistic view of the world, which can add insight at C-suite levels. This study involved in-depth interviews with 12 Baby Boom generation women (born between 1946 and …

The Role Of Process Consultation And Appreciative Inquiry In The Coaching Model At Los Angeles Universal Preschool, Karel Kreshek

Theses and Dissertations

Enabling American students to race to the top through the education reform launched by the Obama Administration begins with attention to its youngest citizens. Studies have shown that high-quality early childhood education is associated with improved school achievement in later years. However, limitations in the reach and effectiveness of federal and state preschool programs have prompted the creation of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving access to preschool for underserved children. One such organization is Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP), whose design includes coaching for childcare providers to heighten the quality of their preschool programs. This study examined the use and …

Interception In Open-Grown Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga Menziesii) Urban Canopy, Mitchell Bixby

Dissertations and Theses

I hypothesized that Douglas-fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii) standing apart from other trees ('open-grown') will intercept more rainfall than Douglas-fir trees standing near other trees ('closed-canopy'). Open-grown trees differ structurally and are more common in urban settings, yet have been infrequently studied. Existing literature, based primarily on closed-canopy trees, suggests Douglas-fir trees in Pacific Northwest forests intercept approximately 25% of rainfall annually. Because open-grown trees have more vertical leaf area than individual trees in closed-canopy forests, I expected to find higher interception by open-grown trees.

I collected throughfall under four open-grown Douglas-firs using six static collectors ('buckets') per tree, …

Romans 12:17-13:10 & Quakers' Relation To The State, Cherice Bock

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

The (Com)Motion Of Love: Theological Formation In John Woolman's Itinerant Ministry, Jon Kershner

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Who Took The Christ Out Of Quakerism, Guy Aiken

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

The 1955 Union And The Future Of Friends, Ruth M. Pitman

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Some Reflections On "Theapostasy" And Ecumenism , John Punshon

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

A Letter To The Editor 2/12/2011, John Edminster

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.