Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Resilient Special Education Teachers In Jamaica, Carlene Lawrence

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of resilient special education teachers in Jamaica. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman's cognitive appraisal theory, also known as the cognitive appraisal theory of stress and coping, as it is related to how special education teachers appraised and coped with stress. What did appraisal and coping look like in the lived experiences of resilient special education teachers from Jamaica? Given the nature of a transcendental phenomenological approach, which focuses on describing a phenomenon, this approach was suitable for this …

Recognition And Rewards In Healthcare: A Qualitative Exploration Of Employee Experiences Within A Single Health System, Karen B. Brodbeck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study, grounded in a constructivist research paradigm, explored how enhancing recognition and reward systems within a healthcare organization improved employee morale, retention, and overall organizational success. Guided by a flexible research design, the study sought to understand the lived experiences of healthcare professionals and how they perceived recognition within their organizational environments. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 25 to 30 participants, allowing for rich, contextualized insights into how recognition practices influenced motivation, engagement, and commitment. By examining participants’ subjective interpretations and shared meanings, the research illuminated how recognition and reward systems were experienced in practice and …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Members Of Alcoholics Anonymous Which Changes Behavior From Addiction To Recovery, Marie Buchanan Wiles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of AA members in rural southern Virginia, leading to behavior changes from addiction to recovery. Exploring these experiences will provide an understanding of how this organization provides recovery capital, reduces rural barriers to addiction treatment, and facilitates a spiritual awakening that supports behavior change. The spiritual awakening is achieved by following the 12-step principles of AA, which results in behavioral changes leading to improved sobriety outcomes. Changes in behavior have been explained by the Social Cognitive Theory, which posits that behavior results from a reciprocal interaction between the …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perspectives Of Transition Planning For High School Special Educators, Keva A. Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of integrating transition planning for special educators at secondary schools in Triton County, Michigan. The theory guiding this study is Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, as the principle theorizes that an individual’s behavior is determined by their intentions and perceived behavior of control. The central research question of this study is: What are special educators’ lived experiences integrating special education transition planning at secondary schools in Triton County, Michigan? The design of this study employed hermeneutic phenomenological design with various units of analysis. The data was collected through …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Ptsd Symptom Severity, Alcohol Use, And Resilience In American Military Veterans Using Standardised Assessment Instruments, Oladimeji Owolabi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) continues to be a significant mental health concern among U.S. military veterans. This quantitative study examines the interrelationships among PTSD symptom severity, alcohol use, and psychological resilience using three standardised instruments: the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). A cross-sectional correlational design was implemented with a convenience sample of 150 American military veterans, recruited through online platforms and veteran-focused organisations from all branches. Participants completed an anonymous online survey that assessed trauma-related symptoms, alcohol consumption behaviours, and resilience levels. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, …

Investigating The Effects Of Biological Sex And Academic Qualifications On Teacher Self-Efficacy Among Middle School Teachers In Ghana: A Causal Comparative Study, Enock Yeng

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to investigate the differences in teacher self-efficacy among middle school teachers in Ghana based on biological sex and academic qualifications. This study investigated the effects of biological sex (male or female) and academic qualifications (associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree) on teacher self-efficacy among 196 middle school teachers in the Effutu Municipality (Winneba) in the central region of Ghana. The study addressed the ambiguity of how academic preparation and demographic characteristics shape a teacher's confidence to positively impact student learning. Data were collected using the teachers' sense of efficacy scale, and a …

Trauma Bonding In Sex-Trafficked Women: A Single-Subject Multiple-Baseline Mixed Methods Study, Kathysue Dorey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trauma bonding was studied in a convergent mixed methods single-subject multiple-baseline experiment research design that captured the lived experiences of female sex-trafficked victims. The relationship between the transtheoretical treatment program as the independent variable and the dependent variables of trauma bonding, the ESI framework of EQ, creative problem-solving, Christian doctrine, and the creative environment were investigated. While the moderated mediation Hayes Model 89 statistical program initially was proposed to analyze quantitative data, the study design was revised to reflect the N = 2 subject pool. The TBRP–A, EQi® 2.0, SAI, and PEFSC were used as quantitative instruments, along with their …

Impact Of Hierarchical Organizational Structures On Gen-Z Turnover Intention, Mason W. Doty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project sought to address the influence hierarchical organizational structures have on Gen-Z turnover intention. Technological advancements coupled with Gen-Z entering the workforce with their unique perspectives and expectations have sparked a new phenomenon of “job-hopping.” This research focused on U.S. servicemembers and Department of War civilian employees that are employed at a military installation in Texas to evaluate turnover intention as a direct result of their hierarchical organizational structure. This research featured two survey instruments: the 6-item Turnover Intention Scale (TIS) and 25-item Expanded Multidimensional Turnover Intention Scale (EMTIS) to identify potential correlations in turnover intention across the …

The Perceived Influence Of Co-Curricular Support Systems On The Educational Leadership And Development Of High-School-Aged Children In Single-Parent Homes In South Florida: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jonathan A. Biles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of co-curricular support systems regarding the educational leadership and development of high-school-aged children in single-parent homes in South Florida. Focusing on the Tri-County area of South Florida, the theory guiding this research is Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, which pertain to the adolescent stage of development. The central research question was: What is the perception of co-curricular activities' influence on the academic achievement of adolescent-aged students raised in single-parent homes? Using multiple data collection methods: questionnaires, personal interviews, and focus groups, the data gathered was used …

Establishing The St. Paul Ame Church’S Community Youth Chaplain Ministry To Equip African American Youth To Manage Their Mental, Emotional, And Spiritual Health, Michelle A. Creer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American youth face a myriad of challenges that negatively impact their well-being. As such, this study explores the role of community youth chaplaincy interventions in helping African American youth manage their mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The study focused on training the trainers who will guide and support the young people. The training and self-application/intervention centered on building resilience, identity formation, addressing racial trauma, and nurturing spiritual growth through understanding that God created participants in His image and their identity is in Christ. Nine adult participants who are engaged in churches and activities within the African American community, contributed …

Career And Technical Education Faculty Members' Attitudes Toward Assessment: A Case Study, Cecelia R. Brewer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand career and technical education (CTE) faculty members’ attitudes toward assessment at a community college in Kansas. This study explored how faculty members perceived and engaged with outcomes assessment, including their beliefs about its effectiveness, their level of influence in assessment-related decisions, and their sense of being valued within a culture of assessment. The research questions were: 1) What are faculty members’ attitudes toward various assessment methods in career and technical education, including the assessment of both knowledge and skills?, 2) How much do faculty members believe assessment contributes to improving teaching …

Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …

The Shared Experiences Of Learning Forgiveness Of Oneself Using The Reach Forgiveness Model For Those With Chronic Illnesses And Disabilities, Diane Delezene Browers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to understand the shared lived experiences of disabled persons after using self-forgiveness coping skills. The theory guiding this study is Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping theory, which explores the ability of a person to manage stressors when the mind is overwhelmed and the ability to cope with stress falters. Furthermore, the stress and coping model of forgiveness, which was developed lessen stress by using forgiveness as a coping strategy, and critical disability theory are foundational to this study with specific relation to chronic illness, mental health, and ableism. The principal …

The Lived Experiences Of Community College Faculty Working With Students With Cross-Categorical Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study, Michelle Rosalie Amenta

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the preparedness towards disability for faculty members at community colleges. The theory guiding this study was Oliver’s social model of disability, as the theory explained the relationship between environmental, institutional, and attitudinal barriers and disabilities. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of community college faculty who instruct students that self-disclose their cross-categorical disabilities? The research sample included thirteen faculty members from community colleges in varied disciplines across the United States. Data collection consisted of individual interviews and focus groups, with analysis using Moustakas’ modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method …

A Father To The Fatherless: A Trauma-Informed Care Ministry For Fatherless Fathers, Delmus L. Gillis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This DMIN action research project proposed that the Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) did not develop ministries that specifically addressed the persistent unbiblical endemic of fatherlessness within its congregation. The initial tragedy of fatherlessness can be transformed into the beautiful design of godly families when proper attention is given to the root cause of damaged relationships and effective means of correcting abnormalities are properly instituted in the church. Therefore, the researcher created the Trauma-Informed Care Ministry for Fatherless Fathers to guide fathers who experienced fatherlessness into a biblical model of fatherhood. When the church remains silent on important matters of faith, …

Sexual Scripts In Conflict: Does Religiosity Moderate The Relationship Between Pornography Use And Permissive Sexuality?, Alex D. Castaneda

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The sexual script acquisition, activation, and application model (3AM) posits that viewing pornography leads to the internalization of the scripts implicitly and explicitly depicted. Recent research indicates that pornography viewing is associated with more permissive sexuality. Religious individuals, especially conservative Christians, report greater distress from their pornography use, and research has investigated the role of religiosity in pornography-related outcomes. Religiosity has been shown to protect against pornography exposure and buffer against the internalization of the pornographic script. Sexual script theory posits that individuals with existing scripts that are more deeply held will be less susceptible to new, contradictory scripts. This …

Relative Impact Of Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions On Deficit Accumulation Frailty Over 24 Months In The U.S. Pointer Trial, Mark A Espeland, Kayloni Olson, Christy C Tangney, Darren R Gitelman, Maryjo Cleveland, Amber A Thro, Yitbarek N Demesie, Heather M Snyder, Rachel A Whitmer, Pankaja Desai, Rifat Alam, Lucia Crivelli, Thomas M Holland, Olivia Preissle, Rema Raman, Michele K York, Laura D Baker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multidomain lifestyle interventions hold promise as approaches to slow aging. Deficit accumulation frailty indices (FIs) are increasingly used to capture aging processes. Frailty is highly associated with increased mortality and chronic disease risk, but the degree to which multidomain lifestyle changes impact frailty is not clear.

Methods: The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) was a 2-year randomized clinical trial to compare two multidomain lifestyle interventions designed to increase exercise, improve diet, and promote social and cognitive stimulating activities and health monitoring. The Structured intervention incorporated greater structure, intensity, and accountability …

Goals And Budgets: An Exploratory Study Of Sequencing In Budget Simulation Engagement, Frankline Muthomi

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to examine how the sequencing of budget simulations influences the alignment between priority goals and budgetary decisions. Drawing on behavioral perspectives, the study posits that two simulation sequences—goal setting to budgeting (default) and budgeting to goal setting (alternative)—shape individuals' budgetary responses, particularly the proximity between a program's total cost and the corresponding budgetary allocations. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quasi-experimental research design using Balancing Act modules that enable participants to articulate their priority goals and corresponding resource allocations. Adult Americans (aged 18 and above) were recruited through an online crowdsourcing platform and randomly …

Development And Feasibility Testing Of A Video-Based Virtual Reality Bullying Safety Skills Intervention For School-Aged Children With Disabilities, Trevor C. Maxfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising instructional tool for children with disabilities; however, research on using VR to improve safety skills in this population remains limited. The present study employed a 2-phase approach to develop and evaluate a video-based VR bullying safety skills intervention for children with disabilities. In Phase 1, bullying and applied behavior analysis experts reviewed and validated the intervention content, including the response to bullying steps, school-based scenario storyboards, and embedded behavioral procedures, rating the content as valid and technically adequate. Expert feedback informed refinements to the intervention content and the decision to transition …

Pengaruh Hukum Pembuktlan Belanda Terhadap Hukum Pembuktlan Indonesia, Ibrahim Idham, S.H., M.H.

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

An Assessment Of Biophilic Design Strategies Application In Selected Hostels In A Typical Tertiary Institution, Nigeria., Emokpae Erebor, Foluke Jegede, Pontip Nimlyat, Benjamin Moral

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Designing spaces that incorporate the principles of biophilic design enhances the buildings occupants closeness to nature while also enhancing spaces connectivity and place conditions. It has environmental, health and other important benefits not only for the environment but also for the human beings that domicile around them. Firstly, this study was carried out using quantitative data obtained from 120 female students of two selected hostel facilities in a typical private University in South-West Nigeria. Secondly, observation is in identifying the actual applications where these strategies have been applied within these hostels through photographic images. This was done by identifying different …

Aspek Sosial Dan Hukum Tingkah Laku Orang Mabuk Alkohol, Soerjono Soekanto

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

The Effect Of Livelihood Capital Accessibility On The Financial Security And Financial Well-Being Of Sheep Farming Households (Survey In Wanaraja Subdistrict, Garut Regency), Suhendarsyah Suhendarsyah, Unang Yunasaf, Sondi Kuswaryan

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

This study analyzed the influence of livelihood capital accessibility on the financial security and financial well-being of sheep-farming households in Wanaraja Subdistrict, Garut Regency. A quantitative approach was used through a survey with organized interviews of 95 sheep farmers. The research variables include livelihood capital accessibility (X), financial security (Z), and financial well-being (Y). The livelihood capital accessibility construct was built as a Higher-Order Construct with five dimensions: human, natural, financial and physical capital. Data analysis used Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS_SEM) with a two-stage approach. The results evince that social capital are the most influential dimensions in …

Community Perception Of Wild Boar Meat Consumption Based On A Halal Perspective, Roudhotul Jannah, Hamzah Siswara, Yuny Erwanto, Meireni Cahyowati

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

Consuming wild boar meat is still popular among the people of Sekaran Village, Tuban Regency, even though the religion they believe in is Islam. The aim of this research is to investigate people's perceptions of the consumption of wild boar meat, to know the background of people who consume wild boar meat and to know the distribution of wild boar meat in the Tuban area. This research was carried out in several stages, namely observation, interviews using a sample of 100 respondents and documentation. Perception measurement uses a likert scale with an assessment score of 1-3 scores and data processing …

Annual Report State Fiscal Year July 2022-June 2023, Tennessee. Department Of Children's Services.

Department of Children's Services

No abstract provided.

Annual Report State Fiscal Year July 2023-June 2024, Tennessee. Department Of Children's Services.

Department of Children's Services

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Layer Complex Adaptive System Framework For Ai-Driven Robo-Advisory Services, Jesty Mariam Philip, Mohit Boralkar, Alwin Joseph

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into investment advisory services has changed financial decision-making, giving rise to adaptive robo-advisory systems capable of real-time analysis, personal recommendations, and autonomous portfolio optimization. Existing research evaluates these systems primarily through technological performance or investor adoption, overlooking the complex feedback-driven interactions that emerge when AI analytics, data environments, and human behavior operate together. This study addresses this gap by conceptualizing AI-enabled robo-advisors as a multi-layered Complex Adaptive System comprising historical data, real-time data, AI analytics, investor perception, and decision-making layers. A simulation model grounded in machine learning dynamics, behavioral finance, and complexity theory …

Symbolic Consumption As Self-Preservation: Psychological Vulnerabilities And Identity Repair In Low-Income Luxury Consumers, Aaliyah W. Wilkerson

Atlantic Marketing Association Student Proceedings

This extended abstract presents a conceptual study exploring why low-income consumers engage in luxury fashion consumption despite financial limitations. The research reframes these purchases as emotionally driven acts of identity repair, introducing the constructs of perceived social identity lock-in and moral self-validation to explain how consumers cope with exclusion and affirm self-worth through symbolic consumption. A conceptual model is proposed and a sequential mixed-methods design is outlined for future empirical testing. This work contributes to Transformative Consumer Research by centering emotional coping in aspirational consumption and offers practical insights for inclusive, dignity-based branding strategies.

Behavioral Biases As Drivers Of Complexity In Stock Markets: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach, David Joseph Dr, Alwin Joseph, Blesson James, Kajal Dass

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

By modeling financial systems as Complex Adaptive Systems, this study investigates how behavioral biases influence emergent complexity in stock markets. The study integrates heterogeneous agents, such as rational traders, herding agents, overconfident traders, and anchoring/disposition-driven investors, within a Limit Order Book framework calibrated to both U.S. and Indian market conditions using an Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) approach implemented through the high-fidelity ABIDES simulation environment. Price dynamics, volatility patterns, and liquidity structures were analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation experiments with different behavioral compositions. The results show that behavioral biases cause nonlinear price reactions, produce heavy-tailed return distributions that distort order-book complexity, and …

Increased Medications In Patients With Burning Mouth Syndrome Should Not Be Overlooked, Especially For Older Women, Yang-Zhou Huang, Zhou-Hui Wu

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.