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2023

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The Necessity Of Spiritual Preparation In Short-Term Missions As It Correlates To Ministry Effectiveness, Brent Edward Allen Dec 2023

The Necessity Of Spiritual Preparation In Short-Term Missions As It Correlates To Ministry Effectiveness, Brent Edward Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a lack of resources available providing spiritual preparation training specifically for teams preparing for a STM with M4 Institute. The purpose of this action research project is two-fold. First, to develop a spiritual preparation resource for STM work in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Second, to determine if providing spiritual preparation training for a team preparing for said STM work will improve the ministry effectiveness of the trip. An eight-week, five-phase intervention guide was created to implement with the focus group. This consisted of two in-person, on-site team trainings, three pre-trip Zoom team meetings, mid-trip communications with participants …


A Phenomenological Study Exploring An Infertile Christian Woman's Experience From Clergy Counseling In A Local Church, Laura Lasek Dec 2023

A Phenomenological Study Exploring An Infertile Christian Woman's Experience From Clergy Counseling In A Local Church, Laura Lasek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the perceptions of infertile women’s perceived experiences with receiving counseling from their local church pastor. The theories guiding this study were identity theory and narrative identity theory, as an infertile woman often feels a loss in their identity due to not being able to become a mother. This study explored how an infertile woman had hope to identify as a mother perceived counseling from her local church. The central research question for this transcendental phenomenological study was: How does a Christian woman who is coping with infertility describe the impact of …


Exploring The Need For Additional Title Ix Education And Training, Maria K. Lamiotte Dec 2023

Exploring The Need For Additional Title Ix Education And Training, Maria K. Lamiotte

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study explores the differences between students, faculty, and staff about the need for additional Title IX education and training at a community college in Southeastern Connecticut from the four-level construct of the Social-Ecological Model of sexual misconduct prevention. This paper analyzed the existing literature on sexual misconduct education and training across higher education institutions, specifically related to community colleges nationwide. The literature was limited, related to community colleges. The data analysis explored the differences between students, faculty, and staff’s gender, sexual orientation, and college status about the need for additional Title IX education and training using archival data …


Worship And The Generational Divide: A Study Of Inclusive Worship In The Church, Willie S. Moody Dec 2023

Worship And The Generational Divide: A Study Of Inclusive Worship In The Church, Willie S. Moody

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Every generation has a different way of engaging in congregational worship, sometimes at odds with another generation. The current challenge for pastors and worship leaders of churches with multiple generations is planning worship services that consider the congregation's complex make-up and remain faithful to the principles of biblical worship. The purpose of this qualitative research project is to provide a worship model that facilitates the worship styles and preferences of multiple generations within a church congregation. An atmosphere of worship is desired for all persons attending weekly worship services whose hearts and minds are receptive to the move of God …


A Quantitative Study On The Impact Of Covid-19 On Drug Treatment Courts, Derek J. Kingsbury Dec 2023

A Quantitative Study On The Impact Of Covid-19 On Drug Treatment Courts, Derek J. Kingsbury

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study was to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted drug treatment courts (DTCs) in Pennsylvania. DTCs were created as an alternative to the traditional court system by allowing those convicted of a drug offense to receive treatment. Just as these DTCs were dealing with the opioid crisis, a new obstacle occurred in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing DTCs to adapt to the quickly evolving and changing mandates and policies implemented by the federal and local governments. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these essential DTCs was examined using a therapeutic jurisprudence perspective. …


Forgiveness In Education: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Forgiveness Experience For Educators, Corinne D. Denhartog Dec 2023

Forgiveness In Education: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Forgiveness Experience For Educators, Corinne D. Denhartog

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Forgiveness is as powerful as it is complex. Evaluating how teachers understand and practice forgiveness has potential applications within broader forgiveness theory as well as more practically in discussions of both teacher health related to practicing forgiveness and student learning of forgiveness. The present study sought to gather qualitative insights related to teacher understanding of forgiveness, teacher practice of forgiveness within their jobs, and teacher opinions on forgiveness education. A total of six semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with groups of two to four public school teachers. Results indicated that there is variety in understanding amongst teachers of what …


Using Mindfulness In Nursing Burnout. An Integrative Review., April Day Branham Dec 2023

Using Mindfulness In Nursing Burnout. An Integrative Review., April Day Branham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this integrative review is to evaluate if mindfulness is effective in decreasing nursing burnout. Nursing burnout has negatively affected the nursing profession for many years, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears to be worse. Mindfulness is a practice that has been used for decades, however, it is gaining more attention in the nursing realm. Mindfulness consists of being present in a moment without judgment. It can consist of individual exercises that are completed using an instructor in person, in an application on a smartphone or computer, or yoga-based mindful activities. A preliminary literature review was completed …


Pain Management By Chemogenetic Control Of Sensory Neurons, Yize Li, Xin Ge, Ru-Rong Ji Dec 2023

Pain Management By Chemogenetic Control Of Sensory Neurons, Yize Li, Xin Ge, Ru-Rong Ji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In this study, Perez-Sanchez et al.1 developed a chemogenetic method aimed at alleviating pain in mouse models while dampening excitability in human sensory neurons. This analgesic effect was attained through the introduction of human α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and glycine receptor pore domain via virus-mediated expression in sensory neurons, forming a chloride channel. The activation of this channel was made possible by specific agonists. This study highlights the potential for treating clinical pain by gene therapy.


“I Remember Feeling Pretty Darn Lucky”: Crafting Family Resilience In Response To A Medical Emergency, Sophie Downing Dec 2023

“I Remember Feeling Pretty Darn Lucky”: Crafting Family Resilience In Response To A Medical Emergency, Sophie Downing

Communication: Faculty Scholarship

Through a combination of autoethnographic reflections and oral history interviews with my parents, I explore the ways in which we enacted resilience throughout my father’s unexpected hospitalization, rehabilitation, and his subsequent years of recovery, both individually and communally. Using communication theory of resilience (CTR) as a framework, I identify the ways in which we engaged in the five processes outlined by Buzzanell (2010): crafting normalcy, emphasizing action while backgrounding negative feelings, affirming identity anchors, relying on communication networks, and employing alternative logics. I then propose three additional processes of enacting resilience that emerged from my family’s insights: enacting performative resilience, …


How Do Staff And Families Perceive The Effects Of After School Programs On The Overall School Experience?, Selena Alonzo Dec 2023

How Do Staff And Families Perceive The Effects Of After School Programs On The Overall School Experience?, Selena Alonzo

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.


How Has Military Service Affected Veteran Who Become Teachers, Jason Opalinski Dec 2023

How Has Military Service Affected Veteran Who Become Teachers, Jason Opalinski

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.


The Impact Of Therapist Credentials On Perceptions Of The Psychotherapist, David Mackey Waugh Dec 2023

The Impact Of Therapist Credentials On Perceptions Of The Psychotherapist, David Mackey Waugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Objective. The aim of the present study was to assess whether providing credential information about therapists from an online source would have an impact on perceptions of psychotherapists comparable to when such information is conveyed in physical settings. Method. Participants viewed two emulated psychotherapist websites, one in which credential information was included and another without these credential details. After viewing each website, participants rated the perceived skills and empathy of the therapist. Results. Analysis revealed that therapists were viewed as more expert when professional credentials were provided. Therapists were also viewed as more empathic with credential included, but only when …


The Role Of Religiosity In Predicting Behavioral Economic Variables And Alcohol-Related Consequences Experienced By Black Emerging Adults, Alton Joe Withers Dec 2023

The Role Of Religiosity In Predicting Behavioral Economic Variables And Alcohol-Related Consequences Experienced By Black Emerging Adults, Alton Joe Withers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Psychosocial adversities increase alcohol use and consequences in emerging adults. Black Americans experience more adversities compared to other demographics and this may increase risk for misuse of alcohol. Religiosity may serve as a predictor of alcohol misuse, but little is known about longitudinal associations between alcohol misuse and religiosity in Black emerging adults (EAs). Behavioral economics (BE) posits that alcohol use is determined by the availability and price of alcohol compared to the availability and price of other reinforcements. Moreover, the value of these competing rewards is influenced by the delay of the rewards. Associations between sharply devaluing delayed outcomes …


Is Seeing The Therapist Important? Perceptions Of Therapist Empathy And Skill, Jerry Lee Lovelace Dec 2023

Is Seeing The Therapist Important? Perceptions Of Therapist Empathy And Skill, Jerry Lee Lovelace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Psychotherapists have increasingly used alternate telehealth formats for providing treatment (e.g., videoconferencing, telephone, and online chat). In some modes, therapists may not be seen clearly or even at all. The current study aimed to assess visibility’s impact on observers’ perceptions of therapists’ empathy and skill. Participants were randomly assigned to evaluate vignettes of psychotherapy sessions with differing levels of visibility: a video of the session or an audio of the session. Analyses revealed that observers’ perceptions of therapists differed by visibility condition. The study found that in the non-visible condition, female presenting therapists were perceived as less skilled and empathetic. …


Exploring The Dimensionality Of Reading Fluency In Grade 4: Prosody And Its Role In Supporting Reading Comprehension, Hannah Anderson Dec 2023

Exploring The Dimensionality Of Reading Fluency In Grade 4: Prosody And Its Role In Supporting Reading Comprehension, Hannah Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purpose of the current study was to examine the dimensionality of prosody and its role in supporting comprehension in Grade 4 students (N = 198). Participants were administered a grade-level CBM probe and i-Ready Diagnostic, including the Vocabulary, Literary Text, and Informational Text subtests. Spectrographic analysis was used to extract the prosodic data from audio recordings of the passage reading. A comparison group of 30 adults were recruited. A four-factor measurement model was proposed, with a reading comprehension factor comprised of i-Ready subtest, two prosodic factors comprised of pitch and pausing features gathered from the grade-level passage, and a …


A Quantitative Analysis Of Preschoolers’ English Consonant Spellings: Teasing Apart The Influences Of Frequencies, Phonetics, And Children’S Own Names, Jayde Elizabeth Homer Dec 2023

A Quantitative Analysis Of Preschoolers’ English Consonant Spellings: Teasing Apart The Influences Of Frequencies, Phonetics, And Children’S Own Names, Jayde Elizabeth Homer

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Before children are formally taught how to use letters to symbolize speech sounds, they know quite a bit about both. In three studies, I explored competing predictors of the quality of preschoolers’ spellings of the first phoneme of words—the first phoneme of a word being the most likely phoneme that a 3-, 4-, or 5-year-old attempts to spell. Frequency-based predictors included how common a word is or how often caregivers talk about certain letters. Phonetic-based predictors included segmenting the phonemes within a consonant cluster, how long a word is, the extent to which a letter name gives clues to the …


With Or Without The Table, We Gather: Reinforcing Innate Resiliencies In The African American Family, Jessica L. Stevens-Eddy Dec 2023

With Or Without The Table, We Gather: Reinforcing Innate Resiliencies In The African American Family, Jessica L. Stevens-Eddy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aims to determine whether food-sharing (gathering to eat) can be considered a suitable medium to facilitate increased cohesion within African American families. This study focuses on informal food-sharing as an extension of formal meal-sharing. Previous research links consistent formal meal-sharing to positive and secure identity development, better familial attachment, and improved family cohesion. These practices leave a lasting, detrimental impact on the African American family model. Additional barriers to some African American family meal-sharing practices include working extended and atypical work hours, food insecurity, and poor familial communication. There is a lack of research concerning the impact …


Mindfulness For The Reduction Of Anxiety, Stress, And Depression In The Preservice Teacher Community, Shelley R. Crampton Dec 2023

Mindfulness For The Reduction Of Anxiety, Stress, And Depression In The Preservice Teacher Community, Shelley R. Crampton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teachers and students alike suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression. Mindfulness-based strategies have been indicated to help teachers and students deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. Teachers often report not wishing to add more learning strategies to their packed schedules and workload. Education in mindfulness is not easily accessible due to the time constraints of this overworked population. The criteria for participation in the study required the college students in preservice education classes to be over 18 years old, enrolled in the teacher education program, and not have participated in any mindfulness in the last six months. The study is …


A Case For Offering An Associate Of Fine Arts In Music At Community Colleges In Rural Northwestern And Northern Regions Of North Carolina, Frieda Eakins Dec 2023

A Case For Offering An Associate Of Fine Arts In Music At Community Colleges In Rural Northwestern And Northern Regions Of North Carolina, Frieda Eakins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative method research paper with survey design identifies the need to implement an associate in fine arts degree in music at community colleges located in the rural northwestern and northern regions of North Carolina. A music degree would provide early college students with music courses comparable to those offered in traditional area high schools and greater accessibility for a diverse student population of community college students. At the inception of this study, early college high school programs in rural northwestern and northern regions of North Carolina did not offer music courses. Students in these programs relied on the community …


A Phenomenological Study In Understanding African American Spiritual Leaders And The Black Church On Elder Abuse, Cassandra R. Downey Dec 2023

A Phenomenological Study In Understanding African American Spiritual Leaders And The Black Church On Elder Abuse, Cassandra R. Downey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study described how the Black Church and African American Spiritual Leaders in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, understood the issue of elder abuse and the Black Church's role in navigating education and resources to those who are victims or at risk. African-American Spiritual Leaders' role and leadership are integral in combating elder abuse among their older members of the church and society. African Americans have always placed a significant portion of their support in the church and frequently turn to them before considering other options. Acknowledging the church's and spiritual leaders' involvement in comprehending the awareness of elder maltreatment is essential …


The Need For A Spiritual Reboot In The Youth Of Great Commission Church, Jean Max B St Louis Dec 2023

The Need For A Spiritual Reboot In The Youth Of Great Commission Church, Jean Max B St Louis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The decline of the youth attendance is evident in many Protestant churches. This research paper examined forty-three young believers from three Haitian Baptist churches, respectively, located in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. These data results help develop a suitable spiritual program that includes the six key influencing factors for spiritual growth: discipleship, mentoring, parental influence, church attendance, personal devotion, and ministerial involvement. This spiritual program was tested on a small group of young people from Great Commission Church in Queens. This research uses a mixed-method methodology, which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data. The …


A Phenomenological Study Of African-American Clergys’ Experiences With Mental Health, Rosalind R. Smith Dec 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of African-American Clergys’ Experiences With Mental Health, Rosalind R. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological qualitative study was to describe African-American clergy’s lived experiences with mental health and mental health’s influence on the construction of their teachings, sermons, and church practice. The goal was to use interpretation to bring to light to an underlying coherence of actions of a group of people. This study reduced individual African-American clergy beliefs regarding mental health to a universal understanding. There were four philosophical assumptions in this study: 1) a search for wisdom to understand the phenomenon of African-American clergy’s lived experiences with mental health influence their teachings, sermons, and church practice, 2) …


Teacher Perceptions Of The Benefits Of Duets In Private Trumpet Lessons: A Qualitative Survey Study Of University Teachers In South Carolina, Todd Edison Jenkins Dec 2023

Teacher Perceptions Of The Benefits Of Duets In Private Trumpet Lessons: A Qualitative Survey Study Of University Teachers In South Carolina, Todd Edison Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While research exists surrounding trumpet pedagogy and utilizing duets in piano and string lessons, no studies currently focus on teachers’ perceptions of employing duets in private college trumpet lessons. Teacher perception is important because of the significant amount of trumpet duet literature available for teachers to implement as part of their curriculum to improve the dexterity and musicianship of their students. Ensemble skills, articulation, phrasing, style, transposition, and the introduction of piccolo trumpet and trumpets in other keys are important skills at all levels of trumpet performance. Trumpet teachers may utilize duets as a facet of their curriculum to teach …


And All Those Jazz Hands! A Curricular Show Choir In An Elementary Public School: A Case Study, Anne Valadia Binkley Dec 2023

And All Those Jazz Hands! A Curricular Show Choir In An Elementary Public School: A Case Study, Anne Valadia Binkley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the known benefits of adolescent participation in secondary music ensembles and the advantages of singing for elementary-aged students, researchers have yet to evaluate the positive effects of student participation in a public school elementary curricular show choir. The potential benefits of an elementary show choir in a public school can reveal more possibilities for music educators to involve students in relevant music-making. This study examines the perspectives of former elementary show choir members, parents, city officials, and elementary school administrators concerned with a public school curricular show choir. Respondents have shared views on benefits to students, families, and the …


Increasing The Number Of High School Seniors Meeting The South Carolina "Profile Of A Graduate" Mandate, Cecil Bonner Dec 2023

Increasing The Number Of High School Seniors Meeting The South Carolina "Profile Of A Graduate" Mandate, Cecil Bonner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This applied study aimed to solve the problem of the inadequate number of high school seniors at Avenger Career Technology Center that meet the requirement of South Carolina's Profile of a Graduate. A multimethod approach was utilized to examine the problem of high school seniors not meeting college and career mandates. Data was collected through interviews with administrators, a focus group of ACTC students, and a quantitative survey from Avenger Career Technology Center teachers. Interviews were conducted with five administrators. A focus group of 10 students was held. Eighteen teachers completed a quantitative survey. Data were analyzed for codes and …


The Transformation Of Rural Elementary Classroom English Language Teachers During Distance Learning: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Cecilia Frazier Salzer Dec 2023

The Transformation Of Rural Elementary Classroom English Language Teachers During Distance Learning: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Cecilia Frazier Salzer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the transformation of rural elementary classroom teachers who transitioned to distance learning with English learners (ELs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the California Central Valley. The theory guiding this study is Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. At the same time the conceptual framework is Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge (TPACK), as both will ascribe meaning to how EL teachers transformed their perspectives, assumptions, feelings, and judgments while conducting distance learning. The research question guiding this study is: What transformation did teachers experience while providing distance learning instruction to rural elementary English …


Moral Injury: The Hidden Adversary Of War, Lashell Y. Davis Dec 2023

Moral Injury: The Hidden Adversary Of War, Lashell Y. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of United States Army combat veterans who have supported combat operations at least once over the past fourteen years in either Iraq or Afghanistan who self-identified as suffering from symptoms of moral injury. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of faith on resilience and coping mechanisms and broaden previous research on moral injury and whether Army leaders should identify and mitigate moral injury within the ranks. Phenomenology focuses on the interpretation and meaning of how individuals experience their world within a given context. Seven …


Examining The Effect Of Utilizing 1:1 Ipad Technology On Third Grade Reading Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Analysis, Sharla E. Edwards Dec 2023

Examining The Effect Of Utilizing 1:1 Ipad Technology On Third Grade Reading Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Analysis, Sharla E. Edwards

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined the effects of one-to-one (1:1) iPad instruction versus traditional instruction on urban third-grade students' English Language Arts (ELA) achievement. The research is significant given the rising use of technology, like the 1:1 iPad initiative, to combat declining reading proficiency. It highlights the pivotal role of third-grade reading proficiency in future success, aligning with education policies and catering to modern learners. This study provides valuable insights for educators, administrators, and education stakeholders by elucidating the impact of technology on reading achievement. As one-to-one instruction gains prominence, understanding its influence on students' reading performance is crucial due …


Tears Of Anger: The Compositional Function And Theology Of Imprecation In The Book Of Lamentations, Christopher William Peters Dec 2023

Tears Of Anger: The Compositional Function And Theology Of Imprecation In The Book Of Lamentations, Christopher William Peters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the rise of redaction criticism as an area of scriptural exploration, much scholarship has centered on the composition of discrete biblical texts. Recently, research has expanded into treatments of canonical composition, determining how individual books unite into the larger Old Testament, New Testament, or biblical corpus. Given the lacuna surrounding these areas of research into the Old Testament Writings, this dissertation will explore compositional strategy and theology in the book of Lamentations. The thesis of this dissertation proposes that the imprecations of the book of Lamentations function textually as compositional seams to unite the poems into a cohesive whole …


How Successful Middle School Band Directors Display Supplemental Illustrations, Instructions, And Reference Material In Their Classrooms, Christopher Ryan Kristich Dec 2023

How Successful Middle School Band Directors Display Supplemental Illustrations, Instructions, And Reference Material In Their Classrooms, Christopher Ryan Kristich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although presenting visual information is commonplace in a learning environment, many music educators could do this more effectively. This grounded theory project aimed to determine how successful middle school band directors display supplemental illustrations, instructions, and reference material in their classrooms. School administrators often require teachers to exhibit material related to the curriculum. Music educators are typically permitted autonomy with their wall displays if they maintain the educational parameters. Despite the potential benefits of displaying quality visual information, not all middle school band directors ensure that the auxiliary material presented in their room is relevant and constructive. Available resources that …