Digital Commons Network^™

Dementia Caregiver Support: Offering Spiritual And Emotional Guidance To Loved Ones Filling The Gap, William Reid Bishop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Tremont Church of God is that members offering caregiver support to their loved ones with dementia are unaware of the coping skills needed for support. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to provide an 8-week training program to teach caregivers techniques for managing their emotional and spiritual needs. The sample population for this project is church members over the age of 18 who are actively caregiving for a spouse or close relative with dementia. The sample size is between 10 and 15 participants. The training is located at Tremont COG. The training is in …

A Phenomenological Study On Korean Christian Immigrants’ Searching For Wholeness, Hyunjin Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Wholeness is a way of living that integrates life’s paradoxes into a cohesive whole, and biblically it is living in harmony with God, others, and oneself. While both scientific and biblical perspectives affirm spirituality and virtues as central to wholeness, existing empirical models often fall short of capturing its full scope within Christian and cultural contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to gain deeper insights into the common essence of Christian wholeness by exploring the lived experiences of wholeness among Korean Christians living in the United States of America. Twelve participants engaged in in-depth interviews and focus groups, and data …

The Impact Of Nutritional Education On Hemoglobin Levels In Adolescent Cross-Country Runners, Phillip L. Hardy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Iron deficiency and anemia have been documented in adolescent endurance athletes, particularly female runners, due to increased physiological demands during growth and sustained training stress. However, limited research has examined seasonal hemoglobin progression in high school cross-country athletes while simultaneously examining outcomes during participation in structured nutrition education. Therefore, the purpose of this longitudinal quantitative study was to examine hemoglobin levels, dietary iron intake, and nutrition knowledge among adolescent cross-country runners across a competitive season during participation in a four-session, nutrition education program delivered from August 2025 through November 2025. Participants included 44 high school runners from northwest Georgia who …

Parents As First Teachers Living In Their Home Environment: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Dana Lynne Horne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of parents as their child’s first teachers and how these experiences influence their child’s early educational development for Head Start parents at a school in Virginia. The central phenomenon of the study was generally defined as the multidimensional lived experiences of parents of children ages 0 to 6, living in unstable or substandard housing, and navigating the roles of caregiver, teacher, and advocate within complex social-cultural ecological environments. The theory guiding this study is Bronfenbrenner’s (1974) sociocultural environmental framework. This study focused on understanding Head Start Program parents’ …

Bridging The Intention-Behavior Gap: A Quasi-Experimental Study Of A Hapa-Based Approach To Reducing Sedentary Behavior And Improving Productivity In Remote Employees, Laurel Lb Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The rise of remote work has increased sedentary behavior (SB), which is associated with negative health and organizational outcomes. Physical activity (PA) can mitigate these risks. Therefore, this quantitative quasi-experimental study examined changes in PA, SB, and productivity associated with a 6-week Health Action Process Approach (HAPA)-based intervention, informed by Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Nudge Theory, among remote employees. The intervention was delivered asynchronously and targeted both motivational and volitional components of behavior change. A one-group pretest-posttest design required participants to complete the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ; N = 21) and the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire …

Employee Engagement In The Digital Age, Kimberly A. Wells

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher in this qualitative multiple-case study explored how technology has impacted employee engagement in the modern workplace. The problem being addressed is the continual decline in employee engagement, and the limited understanding of whether technology influences engagement -and if so – how it impacts engagement. A flexible design and qualitative methodology were used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 25 subjects across two non-profit organizations. The researcher transcribed each interview, which was then coded and analyzed. The findings revealed several core themes, including digital saturation, device benefits, device etiquette, device boundaries, and technostress. These themes indicate that technology enables greater …

Empathetic Administration: Leveraging Phenomenological Insights To Enhance Student Mental Health Support In Higher Education, Arlissia Lenton Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how students at universities in Texas navigated online mental health resources and coping supports while managing mental health challenges. The central research question that guided this study was: What were the lived experiences of students in higher education who were managing mental health issues? Utilizing Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework, the study examined how cognitive appraisals and self-effective beliefs, environmental supports and constraints, and behavioral coping strategies interacted as students interpreted and responded to mental health stressors in academic contexts. Data was collected in a virtual setting …

Age Of First Smartphone Ownership With Social Media Access And Its Impact On Mental Health Outcomes, Derrick W. Swandol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the age of smartphone ownership with social media access (ASO) and self-esteem and depression symptoms, as well as to determine if the results could be moderated by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as an individual transitions from adolescence to adulthood. The study was conducted with n=54 (72% female), of whom 83% first owned a smartphone with social media access ≥ 12 years-of-age. This study was unable to obtain the minimum sample size for a statistically significant study and is considered underpowered due to needing a minimum sample size of …

Smartphone Addiction And Issues Associated With It, Clifford C F Massie Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The focus of this research is the possible addiction to smartphones and the effects on mental, physical, and social health. Smartphones are one of the most commonly used devices in the world today with billions of people in the world having them. People of all ages have formed a connection to and dependence on these devices and use them multiple times daily. People obsess over these devices daily by checking them or just touching their pocket to ensure they are still there. This could be considered a form of addiction. This study aimed to look at the connection to these …

Becoming An Ambassador Of Jesus Christ: A Strategy To Recruit, Enlist, And Develop Volunteers At Restoration Church, John Christopher Blackwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry thesis project is to develop a biblical strategy to recruit, enlist, and develop volunteers at Restoration Church by reframing service through the scriptural identity of believers as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Within the ministry context of a rapidly growing, culturally diverse congregation, Restoration Church faces a persistent shortage of volunteers stemming from congregational mergers, spiritual apathy, negative associations with volunteering, and the absence of a sustainable philosophy of service. Therefore, this project focuses on a comprehensive, reproducible approach that connects gospel transformation to participation in ministry. A biblical curriculum called Discover Restoration was …

An Investigation Into Bridging The Rural Stem Gap With Multimedia Learning Principles: A Phenomenological Study, Joseph W. Halko

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the lived experiences of STEM teachers at rural secondary schools concerning the use of multimedia learning tools to support cognitive processes during instruction. Meyer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) provides the theoretical framework for this study, ensuring that multimedia learning modalities, such as e-learning platforms and educational technology, are grounded in sound cognitive theory. The central question is, “What are the lived experiences of rural secondary STEM teachers concerning the use of multimedia learning tools to support cognitive processes during instruction?” To support this investigation, a phenomenological methodology based …

Scriptural Coping And Emotional Wellbeing: Examining The Mediating Role Of Hope Among Christian Professionals In The Helping Profession, Chinedum Amene

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationship between scriptural coping and emotional well-being among Christian medical and mental health professionals, with particular attention to the mediating role of hope. Christian medical and mental health professionals often operate in emotionally demanding environments and are frequently guided by faith-based practices, such as engaging with Scripture, to manage stress and maintain emotional stability. While religious coping has been extensively studied, limited empirical research has examined scriptural coping as a distinct construct within psychological research.

Grounded in Religious Coping Theory, Snyder’s Hope Theory, and principles of cognitive-behavioral theory, this study investigated whether engagement in scriptural …

The Influence Of Humility And Spirituality On The Relationship Between Work-Family Conflict And Mental Help-Seeking Attitudes In Skilled Trade Workers, Charles Dean Twellmann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationships among work-family conflict (WFC), humility, spirituality, and mental help-seeking attitudes (MHSA) among skilled trade workers in the United States. Skilled trade occupations are characterized by demanding schedules, physical labor, safety risks, and cultural norms emphasizing independence and self-reliance, factors that may influence occupational strain and attitudes toward psychological support. Although WFC and help-seeking have been examined in other high-demand professions, limited research has explored how humility and spirituality relate to these constructs within skilled trade populations. Validated self-report measures of WFC, humility, spirituality, and MHSA were administered to 196 skilled trade workers who were …

Black Women Special Educators And Burnout: A Phenomenological Study, Whitney Patrice Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand Black women special educators’ experiences with burnout while working in Georgia, public, K-12 schools. The first theory guiding this study was Black Feminist Thought, as it provides an understanding of Black women’s unique experiences in the workplace due to the intersectionality of their race and gender. The second theory guiding this study was Maslach’s multidimensional theory of burnout, as it provides a framework for understanding burnout in the workplace. The central research question explored how Black women special educators describe their experiences with burnout in Georgia public K-12 schools. This …

Pastors’ Children’S Stress In Evangelical Church In Java, Indonesia: A Phenomenological Study, Daniel Trihandarkha

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the pastors’ children's experience with stress in the evangelical church on the island of Java, Indonesia. The theory guiding this study is the self-determination theory developed by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, as it explains the existence and absence of psychological needs of organisms to grow and thrive. The theory describes the struggle of the pastors’ children in environments where the relationship with the caregivers is fundamental in determining the growth of the pastors’ children and their well-being. The theory where relatedness, autonomy, and competencies, will examine the lived life of …

Postpartum Depression: The Role Of Education, Age, And Family Social Support, Carrie B. Messick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand the moderating effect of age and family social support on postsecondary education in women experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum depression develops within 4–6 weeks following birth and can last up to 2 years. Current estimates indicate that postpartum depression affects approximately 8% to 20% of women. Multiple factors influence the development of postpartum depression, including physiological factors, cultural and social influences, psychosocial characteristics, and genetics. The literature has explored multiple risk and protective factors, such as education, age of the mother, and social support, which are protective factors for postpartum depression. The literature …

The Harmonic Confluence: A Worship Synthesis Model For One God And One Worship Examining The Impact Of Leadership Styles And Music Selection On Congregational Unity In Evangelical Churches Of The Bible Belt, Joshua Dwayne Randle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite significant scholarship on church growth strategies and worship practices, the nuanced impact of worship leadership styles on church dynamics within the Bible Belt remains underexplored. This study examines how worship leadership styles ranging from traditional liturgical approaches to contemporary band-led services shape congregational engagement, retention, and growth within evangelical churches across this historically significant region. Tracing the Bible Belt’s revivalist heritage, denominational distinctives, and worship traditions, the research situates contemporary practices within their broader historical and theological framework. Utilizing a historical qualitative research design, the study integrates archival research, denominational reports, church bulletins, worship setlists, and livestream archives. It …

How Rural Veterans Enrolled In Veteran’S Treatment Courts Describe Their Experiences With Having Their Health Care Needs Adequately Met By The Court, Armando B. Dela Rosa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the experiences of rural veterans enrolled in Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) with a focus on their access to healthcare services. The purpose of this research is to understand how these veterans' healthcare needs are being met and the barriers they face, contributing to the academic discourse on veteran healthcare accessibility. The central research questions address the adequacy of healthcare provision for rural veterans and how they navigate court-ordered care. The study employs a qualitative research design, utilizing in-depth interviews with a sample of 15 veterans from various rural locations in Nevada. Data was collected through structured Zoom …

Americanism In The Soviet Union: How Albert Kahn Industrialized The Soviet Union, Daniel Leclair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The aim of this dissertation is to examine Albert Kahn’s influence on the Soviet Union during Joseph Stalin’s first five-year plan, how the Soviet Union influenced Albert Kahn and obstacles that Albert Kahn, Inc. faced from American news reporting. This research focuses on the significance of American news reporting on Albert Kahn’s first contract with the Soviet Union until after Albert Kahn’s death and Germany’s attack on Stalingrad in 1942. The opposition that Albert Kahn faced early on with his dealings with the Soviet Union, because of the red scare that the US faced between 1917 and 1920 and then …

Wrestling With The Cold War, Robert M. Barnum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines how professional wrestling functioned as a cultural arena through which Americans interpreted, dramatized, and emotionally processed the Cold War from the 1950s to the early 1990s. By analyzing wrestling storylines, character archetypes, promotional narratives, and fan responses, the study demonstrates that wrestling not only reflected prevailing geopolitical tensions but also actively shaped public perceptions of the ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. Throughout the Cold War, promotions deployed foreign “heel” characters—initially German and Japanese, later Soviet and Iranian—to embody national anxieties and reinforce patriotic sentiment. Soviet characters, including Nikolai Volkoff, Ivan Koloff, and …

Beyond The Game: A Four-Phase Financial Development Program For Student-Athletes, Joanna Cirrincione

Masters Projects

Student-athletes face unique challenges including, but not limited to, significant time demands, limited financial socialization, and emerging name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities that influence their financial knowledge and behaviors. Although financial education exists, it is often inconsistent and not tailored to the needs of the population which the education intends to serve. This project is grounded in Nancy Schlossberg’s (1984) transition theory and Nevitt Sanford’s (1962) theory of challenge and support, framing financial literacy development as a process requiring intentional challenge and support as student-athletes transition into life after collegiate athletics. A four-phased, structured development program is proposed to …

Centering Access: Reimagining Basic Writing Through Critical Disability Frameworks, Jason Burton Mccormick

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Despite decades of scholarship arguing otherwise, developmental writing spaces are still often treated as places of deficit in higher education. This deficit positioning emerges in the ways the courses are discussed (as barriers and burdens to graduation), the way learners are imagined (being “unprepared” for college work), and the way placement is understood as punishment. Developmental educators continue to fight this stigma, but rely on stories of students “overcoming” rather than acknowledging that the stigma is a product of the institution and its discriminatory norms, not the offering itself.

My work reimagines the developmental writing classroom as an essential liminal …

Sister Suite, Evan Lebouef

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Sister Suite is a large ensemble work for a 17-piece jazz orchestra, double string quartet, 3 vocalists, and media. This piece is informed by the historical significance of music in the lives of three sisters and by how their musical choices each reflect their personalities, societal roles, and effects on their children and loved ones. In this work, themes, interpretations, and motivic development shape the soundscape for the audience. Using interviews and detailed musical research, I have created a substantial work that highlights the effectiveness of music and how siblings can influence one another and those outside their families.

The Impact Of The Application Of Disability Ministry And Discipleship Within The Southern Baptist Churches Of Virginia, Minsoo Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how individuals with disabilities serving as church leaders and congregants experienced belonging within Southern Baptist churches in Virginia. The researcher framed the study using Baumeister and Leary’s (2017; 1995) need to belong theory, which posits that human beings possess an innate drive to form and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships. The researcher examined how belonging was expressed through physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions within congregations engaged in disability ministry and contributing to fulfillment of the Great Commission. The researcher employed purposive sampling to recruit 11 participants from Southern Baptist congregations in Virginia who self-identified as individuals …

Life Lessons In Goodbye: Exploring Family Communication And End-Of-Life Depictions And Messages In Disney And Pixar Films Through A Content Analysis, Vanessa A. Gordon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Death is a friend of ours said Francis Bacon, and Hargarten stated that death has an inevitable arrival. This research aimed to explore the depictions and messages of death in Disney and Pixar films. The qualitative content analysis research methodology coded 267 deaths in Disney films (1937–2003) and Disney and Pixar Films (2003–2024). The study centers on replicating the scholarship of three prior works, while extending the research by incorporating more recent films into the analysis. Additionally, this current study applies a new theoretical framework, family communication patterns, to all films, including those previously reviewed solely for depictions of death, …

Distraction Or Tool? Exploring The Relationship Between Social Media And Practice Habits Of Collegiate Music Students With Adhd, Marianne Nicole Mills

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the relationship between social media use and the practice habits of collegiate music students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While social media platforms inspire collaboration, creativity, and educational resources, they also introduce potential distractions and barriers to initiating practice sessions, especially for students with executive functioning challenges. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework, five applied music students at a small, private college in Florida participated in semi-structured interviews and kept reflective practice journals for six weeks. Findings indicated that social media served as a dual-purpose influence, supporting learning and community while also increasing procrastination, …

Most Granite Staters Report Good Or Better Mental Health But Anxiety & Depression Higher Than In 2022 4/29/2026, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Three-quarters of Granite Staters rate their mental health as very good or good. Measures of anxiety and depression among Granite Staters have increased since January 2022 and under a quarter report feeling symptoms of loneliness in the past two weeks. A quarter of Granite Staters report high levels of stress, up slightly since January 2022. Politics, international news, and work are the most common contributors to daily stress and residents most often deal with stress by taking action to improve the situation, focusing on self-care, and taking their mind off of the source of stress.

Structural Corruption And Political Development In Arizona: Growth, Governance, And Accountability, 1912-1980, Kaitlin D'Amico

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that corruption in twentieth-century Arizona flourished because the regulatory structures created during the Progressive era contained foundational vulnerabilities that were exposed and exploited by Sunbelt-era economic growth. While scholars have tended to treat Arizona’s corruption scandals as episodic, this study demonstrates that they were the predictable outcome of institutional weaknesses embedded at statehood. Covering Arizona’s political structures and identity from statehood in 1912 through the post-Bolles reform era ending in 1980, the dissertation focuses on institutional development while using Don Bolles’s investigations and 1976 assassination as a focal point. This study draws primarily on contemporary newspaper reporting, …

Understanding Public School Montessori Teachers Who Align Their Methods Of Teaching Reading To The Texas Reading Academies: A Phenomenological Study, Christian T. Mcglory

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of K-3 public Montessori teachers who must align their methods of teaching reading to the Texas Reading Academies. To advance reading achievement for students, teachers must implement evidence-based instructional practices. The theory guiding this study was Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development. The central question for this study was, “What are the experiences of public Montessori teachers who provide reading instruction to students and incorporate reading comprehension strategies through the implementation of Texas Reading Academies?” The data collection process included interviews with 16 teachers who provided reading …

Literacy Nonprofits And Social Media: Advancing An Understanding Of Message Functions And Communication Flows In Online Stakeholder Engagement, Diane M. Goodman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Countless nonprofit organizations in the United States have worked diligently to increase adequate access to literature and to improve child literacy rates through supplemental programming. Revenue growth in a nonprofit depends largely on the relationships between the organization and the public, yet nonprofits face additional obstacles to achieving strategic organizational goals in comparison with their for-profit counterparts (McGee & Donoghue, 2009). Although the majority of nonprofit organizations have been addressing societal issues at a grassroots level (Carter et al., 2019), most community-based nonprofits have faced challenges expanding to other communities and difficulties in replicating effective stakeholder engagement strategies (Nardini et …