Digital Commons Network^™

Adult Romantic Attachment Styles, Attachment To God And Recidivism Risk Among Adult Male Sexual Offenders, Mary Crystal Wring

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the possible relationship between attachment to adult romantic partners and attachment to God style and sexual/violent recidivism risk scores. The study, also, sought to understand the lived experiences of adult male sexual offenders in relation to their family of origin, romantic partners, and with the Christian God. Participants (N=38) completed self-report questionnaires on their attachment styles to adult romantic partners (ECR-R) and to God (AGI). These scores were analyzed using chi-squared test of independence and multiple linear regression with scores of sexual/violent recidivism risk assessments performed by their probation or corrections officers (STATIC 99R, CPORT). This study …

Leading Through Critical Incidents: A Phenomenological Study Of K–12 School Leaders’ Responses To Critical Incidents, Terry-Ann Griffin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how K–12 school leaders respond to critical incidents in schools. A critical incident is any actual or alleged event or situation that creates a significant risk of substantial or severe harm to physical or mental health, safety, or well-being. The study focused on three major critical incidents: school shootings/gun violence, the COVID-19 pandemic, and racial unrest. The research was guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, which explains human behavior through reciprocal interactions between personal, environmental, and behavioral factors. The central research question was: How do K–12 school leaders respond to …

Perceptions Of Air National Guard Students’ Transformative Technology Experiences During Their Professional Military Education Courses: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Colburn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of Air National Guard students stationed in the United States about technology integration during their professional military education (PME) courses and its role in encouraging leadership perspective transformative learning in the United States. The theory guiding this study was the transformative learning theory. This study explored how technology could help students expand their views while completing their PME courses and enabled them to use their own experiences to add value to the course. The central research question was: What are the perceptions of Air National Guard students on …

Exploring Higher Education Faculty Experiences With Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study, Keisha Pierre-Stephen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of higher education educators integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, in curriculum work conducted within a university setting, focusing specifically on faculty members. The theory guiding this study was the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, which presented a window for understanding the integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in educational practices. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members at an urban university on the West Coast of the United States regarding students' use …

A Phenomenological Study Understanding Religious And Spiritual Coping In African American Female Veterans Who Experienced Combat-Related Trauma, Dawn Raini Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American females are drawn to pursue a military career for many reasons, including upholding a family tradition, securing funding for education, or simply due to the stability it offered in a challenging economic climate. This study depicted narratives of battlefield-induced psychological stress arising from the convergence of military culture intersectionality, posttraumatic stress, and the transition to civilian life. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the religious or spiritual coping of African American female veterans who experienced combat-related trauma in the military. The participants were interviewed at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) and Veterans Bridge Home. …

Marketing Culture Of Award-Winning Secondary School Librarians: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Martin Schmidt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences developing, understanding, and implementing marketing culture for award-winning secondary school librarians in the United States. The conceptual framework guiding this study was marketing culture, which explores the context of marketing attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of organizations, purportedly leading to organizational success. This study used a phenomenological approach with secondary school librarians who had won an award for their work as a school librarian. Data collection consisted of individual semi-structured interviews, artifact analysis, and reflective journal prompts. Data analysis consisted of a hermeneutic epoché-reduction followed by a manual …

Long-Term Psychological And Emotional Impacts On Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Quanesha Lashay Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) has lasting psychological and emotional effects, yet limited research directly compares long-term outcomes between CSA survivors. This study addressed that gap by examining adult survivors’ long-term depression levels, emotional wellbeing, and sexual wellbeing, focusing on how the relationship to the perpetrator may influence outcomes. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, the study employed three validated instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), BBC Subjective Wellbeing Scale (BBC-SWB), and the Natsal Sexual Wellbeing Measure. A total of 78 adults participated. Of these, 46 reported experiencing CSA by a family member or family friend, 17 experienced CSA by someone else …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Marital Stress When Wives Serve In Ministry, Sharon Deloach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was specifically to do an in-depth exploration of female clergy and their husbands to make sense of these experiences in their marriage. A sample of six clergy females and their husbands in the United States participated in an on-line semi-structured interview as a couple and separately as individuals for a comprehensive detailed description of their stories in the own words. The central research question asked about ministry stress impact on clergy marriages when the wife is employed by the church. Many studies have been conducted on male clergy stress and more recently …

Church Support For People With Suicidal Ideations Or Attempts: A Phenomenological Study, S. Allyson Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of people with suicidal behavior seeking help from an Evangelical Church. The theories that guided this study were Kelman’s social influence theory and Kelly and Thibaut’s interdependence theory. The social influence theory explains the influence the church may have over an individual, and the interdependence theory describes how church leadership impacts interactions with church members who have suicidal behaviors. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of participants. The interviews were recorded to help with accuracy and transcribed. Participants reviewed the transcriptions for accuracy. Then the researcher went through …

Exploring The Influence Of Early Life Attachment And Faith On Resilience And Independence In Emerging Adulthood: The Role Of Childhood Loss, Moriah E. Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The transition to emerging adulthood is a period of change that is shaped by early attachment. Previous literature has established that attachment security influences functioning later in life, including both resilience and independence. Additionally, faith is often associated with positive outcomes. However, limited research has examined how these constructs relate to one another in emerging adulthood. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore how faith moderates the relationship between early life attachment and both resilience and independence in emerging adults. The study employed self-report surveys to measure attachment, resilience, independence, and faith in a sample of 70 …

The Decision-Making Process In Student Conduct: A Qualitative Study, Kupenda Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the perspectives and experiences toward decision-making for student conduct administrators at various institutions in the Midwest and Northeast regions. The theory guiding this study is Westaby’s behavioral reasoning theory, as it explains the relationship between decision-making and reasoning for leaders. The central research question for the study is: How do student conduct administrators make decisions concerning student conduct matters? This study adopts a qualitative approach grounded in constructivist philosophy to understand how Student Conduct Administrators (SCAs) make decisions regarding student misconduct. A case study design was chosen to explore the …

Developing The Importance Of Integrity To Consistently Display Biblical Principles And Characteristics In Ministry Leadership Roles, Michella R. Keys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Integrity in ministry is not a choice; it must be the lifestyle of those in leadership. Christian leaders must understand the influence they have on others (Bredfeldt, 2006). The dissertation focuses on the importance of integrity and how, as Christian leaders, it is essential to consistently display integrity, biblical principles, and biblical characteristics when in leadership roles in ministry.. The problem arises when ministry leaders do not live a consistent lifestyle that aligns with God’s word. Training and developing Christian leaders who know Jesus as their example and can lead by being a role model for others with consistent character …

The Protective Factors Of Trauma-Informed Care For Parents With Autistic Children, Carolynn J. Redd-Recksiek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this current phenomenological study is to understand the experience of parents with autistic children and their lack of trauma-informed care from direct care providers in Northern Utah. This study is guided by trauma-informed theory, which is a model of care delivery created by Maxine Harris and Roger D. Fallot (2001). Trauma-informed care recognizes how adverse experiences can impact a person and have a negative impact on the health and well-being of that person and how those negative experiences have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the family, which directly impacts the health and well-being …

The Christian Impact On Addiction Recovery In The Revive And Restore Recovery Ministry In Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Donald Albert Walczak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Revive and Restore Recovery Ministry is that participants fail to grasp the importance of a biblically based approach to addiction recovery. The purpose of this action research project is to develop a written plan that implements an effective Christian-based approach to addiction recovery. The field of addiction recovery provides a multi-faceted approach to accomplish healing for individuals seeking wholeness and healing. The primary goal of this study is to develop a viable Christian recovery model. The implementation of this model will be detailed in the research. Research methods include the gathering of basic data points through the …

Exploring The Bidirectional Relationship Between Attachment Styles And Spiritual Practices In Protestant Christians: A Qualitative Study, Emily Lauren Pritt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explores the bidirectional relationship between spirituality and attachment among Protestant Christians—a topic with limited empirical focus. Grounded in attachment theory and theological insights, prior research often treats attachment as a static predictor of spiritual development, with little attention to how spiritual engagement may reshape attachment. This study addresses the gap by examining how these relational domains mutually inform each other and affect psychological well-being within a Christian context. The purpose was to explore if adult attachment styles and spiritual practices influence emotional health, relational security, and overall well-being among active Protestant Christians. Twenty-two adults actively engaged in …

Uncovering The Parental Self Identification Process, Danita M. Baber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation sought to uncover the first-time parent’s novel journey of transforming their identity from individual to parent. Through highlighting the well-established theories that describe the self-identification process, this study centered around concepts related to the conceptualization of the self, the developmental process of self-identification, and the establishment of one’s self-concept, through the lens of parenting. Specifically, this study asked, “For first time parents, does the age of one’s infant impact one’s level of obtained parental identity?” To best answer this question, this study followed a quantitative research design to discover if there was a positive relationship between measured parental …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Males In Education Doctoral Programs, Byron L. Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of African American males in education doctoral programs at three universities in the southern region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s retention theory on integration, as it explained how academic and social integration help to retain students and ultimately assist them in graduating. This hermeneutical phenomenological study was designed to allow the researcher to interpret the lived experiences of individuals. Ten African American males enrolled in or graduated from education doctoral programs from three universities in the Southern region of the United States …

The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Care Education On Healthcare Providers And Staff In An Outpatient Clinic: A Holistic Approach To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Ngozi Azu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trauma is an emotional response that an individual may experience due to exposure to an event beyond their ability to manage. Trauma-informed care (TIC) is essential in health care for creating a supportive and safe atmosphere for individuals with a trauma history, but many health providers and staff lack proper training in TIC. The purpose of this project was to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive education program focused on TIC for health care providers and staff in an outpatient clinic setting. A quasi-experimental methodology and the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice were used. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected …

Investigating The Need For A Contemporary Bachelor Of Music In Music Education Degree At Trevecca Nazarene University And Union University, Thomas Paul Goddard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the traditional music education curriculum being valuable to music education majors, it fails to provide contemporary approaches and relevant content within a modern musical society. Students graduate from Trevecca Nazarene University’s (TNU) School of Music (SoM) and Union University’s (UU) Department of Music (DoM) and enter the music education field without sufficient guidance. This study examined the perspectives of music education professionals from interviews and the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES). Guided by Gordon’s music learning theory, this multimethod study identifies experiences from music educators that create a comprehensive undergraduate music education curriculum. In addition to the traditional …

Superintendent Stress And Mental Health: The Case Of African American Female Superintendents In The United States, Kamika Lynette Bell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the challenges faced by African American female K–12 school superintendents in the United States, with a particular focus on work-related stress and mental health. The unique challenges encountered by African American women in leadership positions include work stressors, racial and societal barriers, and gender discrimination. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of the work-related stress and mental health experiences of African American female superintendents in K–12 schools. The study was a means to elicit new information from the experiences of African American women regarding experiences of gendered racism and its …

No Evidence Of Pitavastatin Effect On Muscle Area Or Density Among People With Hiv, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Michael T Lu, Jana Taron, Marissa R Diggs, Pamela S Douglas, Kathleen V Fitch, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Markella V Zanni, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Katharine Breaux, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Craig A Sponseller, Judith S Currier, Gerald S Bloomfield, Sarah M Chu, Alex B Lu, Carlos D Malvestutto, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (Rapid ART) is a key strategy for the Ending the HIV Epidemic inititative. In Harris County, Texas, a priority Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdiction, 57% of persons with HIV receive care at 1 of 5 public agencies that receive funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, and HIV/AIDS Bureau. This program administers grants to clinics and local/state programs to deliver medical and support services (Part A) for low-income persons with HIV. In 2019, …

Exploring Biblical Foundations In Biology, Keith Snyder Phd

The Journal of Biblical Foundations of Faith and Learning

Biologists have one of the most challenging areas of study due to the breadth of topics. Biology literally encompasses all life. Since life is based on chemical principles, which in turn are based on physical laws, we need to understand this panorama of science. Because academia in the US has pigeon-holed so much of our education, students are often unable to see the true integration of all aspects of life, resulting in a warped understanding of the interrelated complexity of our God’s creation. It is our duty to show how this intertwining of science and faith more fully represents God’s …

Building The Playground: The Direction Of Children’S Theatre With Junie B. Jones, Michael Oberton

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

An insight and analysis into the process of directing an engaging and meaningful production of children’s theatre through Alison Gregory’s Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook, adapted from Barbara Park’s vibrant stories. This examination considers how a thoughtful directorial approach can elevate a play beyond entertainment, using the unique power of children’s theatre to inspire joy, curiosity, and learning, not only to entertain, but also to enrich the minds of all who experience it. Through a careful study of the directorial process, this work explores how a well executed piece of children’s theatre can create an impactful experience for …

The Decline Of Baseball In African American Communities And Its Sociocultural And Historical Context, Owen Dylong

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

When you look at baseball at every level today, it’s clear that the sport has become predominantly a "white man's" game. The lack of African American representation at both the player and fan levels has become a significant issue, and many wonder how the sport can reclaim its connection with African American communities and revitalize its cultural relevance in the years to come.

Not only has such a shortage prevailed within the MLB, but also at a collegiate level. According to the NCAA’s 2014-15 student-athlete ethnicity report, only four percent of baseball players at the Division I, II, and III …

La Lutte Pour Les Droits Des Femmes Africaines: Le Womanisme Dans Taafe Fanga, Elizabeth Davis

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

Dans cette thèse, j'analyserai le film Taafe Fanga (Pouvoir de Pagne en français), un film de 1997 du Mali, réalisé par Adama Drabo. Le film suit l'histoire du village de Yanda où des femmes, avec l'aide d'un masque qui invoque la peur dans des hommes, changent des rôles de genre, leur permettent de prendre le rôle masculin et dominant et mettent des hommes dans les rôles que les femmes tenaient avant. J'examinerai ce film d'un angle womaniste. J’affirme que, bien que les femmes dans le film d'Adama Drabo qui s'appelle Taafe Fanga luttent pour les droits des femmes, ce n'est …

The Lengthening Shadow Of The Legal Tech Market On The Supreme Court Of India, Varsha Aithala, Siddharth Peter De Souza

Book Chapters

Across Asia, courts are taking a variety of approaches to digital transformations. This book documents the diversity and complexity of the ways in which judiciaries are seeing the promise, as well as the perils, of digital transformations. Through in-depth case studies, the book brings together contributions from those with experience in the administration of technology in courts itself to those who are actively finding ways to develop technology as a tool for adjudication. It also includes reflections from those who are challenging the effects of technology in terms of court processes and arguing for the need for care and caution …

Accelerate Hdd Secure Erase In Jbod, Xiong Liu, Wenxiang Xie

Defensive Publications Series

The vibration induced by cooling fans makes PES (Position Error Signal) greater than Write Fault Threshold (WFT) regularly; when PES > WFT, the write operation stops, which makes HDD (Hard Disk Drive) write data throughput drop significantly. WFT is used to protect the erasure of the adjacent tracks. Normally, WFT is around 10% of TP (Track Pitch). However, whether adjacent tracks can be read back or not becomes irrelevant when executing the Secure Erase command to overwrite the entire media. Setting WFT to higher value such as 20% does not affect anything. In this paper, increasing WFT value, e.g. to 20% …

Analisis Dampak Pelaksanaan Event Dalam Mewujudkan Ekonomi Berkelanjutan Pelaku Umkm Di Kota Bandung (Studi Kasus Event Bazar 101 Project), Jihan Ros Yoewawinata, Anisatul Auliya

Jurnal Administrasi Bisnis Terapan

MSMEs play a crucial role in the Indonesian economy, and events such as bazaars can be a strategic means to increase their competitiveness, sales, and business sustainability. This study aims to analyze the impact of event implementation on the sustainable economy of MSME actors in Bandung City with a case study of the Event Bazar 101 Project. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method. Data were collected through observation and interviews of MSME actors who participated in the event and the event organizer's expert team. Findings show the Event Bazar 101 Project generated impacts on increased sales, networking, and MSME …