Digital Commons Network^™

God-Image And Romantic Partner Relationships: Emotional Neglect And Adult Women, Danette Alene Buchanan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood emotional neglect often leads to relationship dissatisfaction, psychopathology, decline in physical health, and permanent scars from a lack of emotional validation. Women who have grown up with a history of emotional invalidation are at risk for suicide, divorce, emotional instability, unstable relationships, and a chronic belief that they are not enough. Lacking emotional attachment from parents and other primary figures, girls and young women may transition into adulthood either anxiously attached, avoidant attached, or both. This state of dysphoria may extend into their perceptions of God and other authority figures. Counselors and other professional helpers such as clergy, teachers, …

A Study On Factors Affecting Perseverance And Commitment In Christian Marriages, Oluwafemi O. Owadasa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concept of marriage is as old as the world itself and in Christianity, the bond is promised to sustain a lifetime. Current research has presented little insight into the concept of marriage in Christianity and the reasons leading to divorce among Christian couples in developed nations as opposed to underdeveloped nations. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of perseverance, culture, and extended family involvement on Christian practice, marriage, and divorce in developed and underdeveloped nations. The philosophy that guided the study was positivism. A total of 100 participants who regularly attend church were selected to …

From Whence Cometh Her Strength, Janis E. Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

On May 29, 1851, Isabella Baumfree, a 54-year-old former slave, delivered the keynote address at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. Baumfree, better known as Sojourner Truth, could have focused her speech on the lashes grooved in her back, or her children she watched sold off into slavery. Yet her rallying cry came in the form of a simple question: “Ain’t I a woman?” Before gendered racial microaggressions had been defined, Sojourner Truth recognized that although she was a woman, she was not treated the same as non-Black women. There is no shortage of data on the deleterious effects of …

The Effect Of Ebook Reading On Overall Literacy Development, Beth Bosman Acosta

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effect of eBook reading, in contrast to traditional print reading, on developing overall literacy in lower elementary school students. It focused on student motivation, phoneme awareness, word recognition, and comprehension as they pertain to student achievement. This research study is important since it investigated a unique way to implement technology to assist both early and struggling readers. The study was designed to examine the effect of using an eBook application (Raz-Kids) instead of the traditional reading curriculum to engage the students through the interactive activities. The study involved 106 lower elementary school students in a private, …

Mobile Learning Among Students In A Private, Title I High School: A Phenomenological Study, George Lasley Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceived impact of using mobile learning to improve the academic achievements of low-income, private high school students. My Christian faith and emphasis on students’ educational development were strong contributors to the study’s purpose. The theory guiding this study was the technology acceptance model. This framework helped explore the perceived impact that mobile learning had among low-income, private high school students. The central question was: What is the lived experience of low-income, private high school students using mobile technology in class? Subquestions were used to explore the academic, personal, and social …

Pastoral Leadership: The Importance Of Succession Planning Development And Transition In Our Local Churches, Michelle Renee Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A pastoral succession plan will address the issues of who will be responsible for leading the respective congregation if something happens to the current Pastor. Without clear direction, leaders leave their flocks in precarious positions. The problem is that churches may not have a concise succession plan to identify a qualified leader to take up the leadership mantle. The study will lay the foundation from a biblical perspective on the importance of identifying a leader’s successor and the advantages of providing a smooth transition for the assembly. The research will stress the importance of pastors not only identifying their successors …

The Impact Of Law Enforcement Training On The Ability Of Officers To Recognize Human Trafficking Situations In West Tennessee, Marie Angelena Garrett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No one knows the true extent of human trafficking in America today, yet law enforcement officers may encounter victims during routine assignments. There exists a growing body of research associated with law enforcement officers and human trafficking. However, few researchers have explored the connection between human trafficking training and officers’ ability to recognize human trafficking situations. Grounded in schema theory, this quantitative study surveys law enforcement officers in West Tennessee. Survey questions assess officers’ awareness of human trafficking generalities, their ability to recognize possible locations of human trafficking, and training related to human trafficking. Questions then describe potential human trafficking …

Church Revitalization: Strategies For Revitalization And The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence For Pastors And Church Revitalizers In The Frontier Baptist Association, Timothy F. Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Southern Baptist Churches in North America are plateaued or in decline. Without a new effective strategy for church revitalization, the largest evangelical denomination will close thousands of local churches. Knowing what to do and how to do it is critical for revitalization. The study presents a synthesis of research that reveals common factors present in plateaued and dying churches, strategies advanced for successful church revitalization, and church revitalizers’ qualifications. This project thesis included research concerning the utilization of emotional intelligence (EQ), EQ testing, and training. Pastors with high EQ are well suited for leading a church through …

Applying Biblical Teaching To Resolve Power Struggles Between The Pastor And Deacons In A Southern Baptist Church, Jason Oneal Sweeton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the Body of Christ, each person within the church must know their role and responsibility, especially the leadership. The Bible teaches that there are pastors, elders, and bishops referring to one office who have been given the authority to shepherd, or lead as it were, the church. The Bible teaches that deacons are an integral part of the church. They are to be servants in the church and minister to the needs of the congregation. The purpose of this project lies in the misconceptions surrounding the roles and biblical responsibilities of both deacons and pastors. Many churches simply follow …

A Phenomenological Study Of Trauma, Creativity, Resilience, And Artistic Inspiration, James William Teachenor Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceived resilience of creativity derived from childhood trauma for professional creatives employed in the Nashville music industry. The theories guiding this study were Masten’s resiliency theory and Vygotsky’s theory of creativity as they informed the literature on my topic by understanding the link early childhood, especially trauma, had on creativity and the link trauma had on resilience and the life courses of individuals. The qualitative design of this study was hermeneutical phenomenology. The purposive sample consisted of 10 participants who qualified from a purposive sample pool of 117 occupational creatives …

How Christian Teachers Perceive Their Engagement Facilitates Spiritual Formation Within At-Risk Male Students: A Case Study, Stephanie Eldridge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study was to understand the experiences of teacher’s perception of their engagement to facilitate spiritual formation within at-risk students at Southeast Christian Alternative School (pseudonym). This participating school is recognized by the North Carolina Department of Administration as a non-public school. The program uses a Wilderness Therapeutic approach to learning. Four essential elements were explored. Teacher’s engagement concerning behavior management was assessed through processes that tactically managed disorderly conduct or acts of misbehavior. Implementation of any behavior plans or behavior models were applicable. Teacher’s engagement concerning spirituality was assessed through active practices of …

An Evaluation Of The Responses Of Self-Studies For Aeth Certification Of Hispanic Bible Institutes, Marta Noemi Luna

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current literature on accreditation of theological education institutions does not include studies focused on the self-studies phase of the accreditation processes (Hernandez et al., 2016; Ramirez, 2019; AETH, 2020b). Little information was found on the number of incomplete self-studies or incomplete certification or accreditation processes (AETH, 2020b). The purpose of this exploratory sequential study was to evaluate the AETH Certification program and the self-study responses by collecting data to determine the factors that prevent Hispanic Bible institutes from successfully fulfilling the requirements, exploring the effects on the stakeholders and the AETH Certification program. The study implemented the CIPP Evaluation …

The Medium/Message Is The Message: Intersemiotic Complementarity In James Hogg's The Private Memoirs And Confessions Of A (Justified) Sinner, Jaix Chaix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This semiotic analysis identifies and characterizes how textual, compositional, and mathematical resources have been strategically articulated to project intersemiotic complementarity in the book The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner; Written by Himself: With A Detail of Curious Traditionary Facts, And Other Evidence, By The Editor attributed to Scottish author James Hogg. This qualitative study approaches the original 1824 edition as a literary work in its original compositional medium as a printed book—not as a text. A theoretical extension of philosopher and media theorist Marshall McLuhan’s maxim The Medium Is The Message serves as a basis for the …

Fire Prevention Education For Boys And Girls Who Misuse Fire: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Analysis Of Effective Intervention Programming, Matthew B. Ferdock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A child referred for an assessment following fire misuse (e.g., setting a fire intentionally) triggers an intervention strategist who constructs a program that almost universally includes fire safety education (FSE). While FSE media tailored by age and grade is available from the U.S. Federal Government, most youth fire misuse intervention educational programming differentiates children by age. However, program designers rarely consider gender, racial differences, and socioeconomic factors during education design and delivery. Limited research demonstrates efficacious FSE. However, since almost no FSE accounts for differences beyond age, no empirical evidence exists examining its efficacy by demographic or socioeconomic differences. Using …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effects Movement Strategies Have On Student Learning, Mary Catherine Strickland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand teachers' use of movement strategies to improve students' learning. The theory guiding this study was Shapiro's embodied cognition theory, which asserts that the body plays a significant role in cognitive processing. The study attempted to answer the central research question: How do teachers perceive and understand movement and learning in the classroom? The teachers who participated in the study came from a private school in the Southern United States and were chosen using purposeful criterion sampling to ensure their familiarity with movement as a strategy. Data was collected through in-depth …

Exploring Parental Perceptions Concerning Sexual Communication Between Sub-Saharan African Immigrant Parents And Their Children, Kwame Owura Frimpong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Abstract Sub-Saharan African families experience communication barriers due to factors such as sexual silence, cultural taboos, and shame, preventing them from having sexual health communication with their children. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of Sub-Saharan African immigrant parents concerning sexual shame and parents’ attitudes, knowledge, and comfort level in having a conversation with their pre-adolescent children concerning sexuality and sexual practices. While numerous researchers have demonstrated efficiency in audience-specific interventions, the literature reflects little attention to African immigrants, specifically Sub-Saharan immigrants. The research questions addressed perceptions of influences of a decision to discuss issues relating …

Differences Of Attitudes And Norms Toward Plagiarism Between First- And Continuing-Generation College Students, Michael Owen Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, causal-comparative study examines differences in attitudes and subjective norms between first- and continuing-generation college students toward plagiarism. Research studies have reported that up to 90% of college students admitted having committed plagiarism. Plagiarism harms the student who cheats, the reputation of the school, and all associated. First-generation college students experience greater challenges in their first years of college than their continuing-generation peers and may be more at risk for resorting to plagiarism. The researcher employed the Attitude Toward Plagiarism Questionnaire (Cronbach’s score of .79) to measure attitudes and norms toward plagiarism. The findings from the administration form the …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study In Perceived Experiences That Enhanced Gospel Zeal In Christian Educational Leaders, Arlynne Gail Perley-Huebscher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate and reveal the perceived experiences that enhanced Gospel zeal in Christian educational leaders in ministry. Scholarly studies reflect that contemporary ministry trends affect Christian educational leaders' longevities (Barna, 2020a) but do not address effects on Gospel zeal. The researcher cites Ryle (1880, Chapter One, Para. 2) regarding the Gospel zeal phenomenon, “Zeal in Christianity is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire, which is not natural to men or women. It …

The Rise Of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Their Effects, And How We Can Stop Their Growth, Andrea Prisco

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Dramatic changes in the agricultural industry over the last century have led to the rise of concentrated animal feeding operations– industrial facilities that raise a large number of animals in confined spaces. Animals raised in these facilities suffer from poor quality of life and abuse. For humans, these facilities have had adverse effects on the environment and public health, but they are also associated with high productivity and low food costs. This Comment analyzes the effects of concentrated animal feeding operations on animal well-being, the environment, and public health. This Comment also analyzes current federal legislation that helps combat the …

Truth And Reconciliation: The Ku Klux Klan Hearings Of 1871 And The Genesis Of Section 1983, Tiffany R. Wright, Ciarra N. Carr, Jade W.P. Gasek

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Over the course of seven months in 1871, Congress did something extraordinary for the time: It listened to Black people. At hearings in Washington, D.C. and throughout the former Confederate states, Black women and men—who just six years earlier were enslaved and barred from testifying in Southern courts—appeared before Congress to tell their stories. The stories were heartbreaking. After experiencing the joy of Emancipation and the initial hope of Reconstruction, they had been subjected to unspeakable horror at the hands of white terrorists. They had been raped and sexually humiliated. Their children and spouses murdered. They had been savagely beaten …

Front Matter

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

No abstract provided.

How In The World Could They Reach That Conclusion?, Hon. Carlton Reeves

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

No abstract provided.

Unqualified Immunity And The Betrayal Of Butz V. Economou: How The Supreme Court Quietly Granted Federal Officials Absolute Immunity For Constitutional Violations, Patrick Jaicomo, Anya Bidwell

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Qualified immunity has been the subject of well-deserved scorn in recent years as a legal mechanism that shields government officials from constitutional accountability. But its shadow has hidden another mechanism that provides an unqualified immunity from constitutional accountability. That de facto absolute immunity extends to federal officials in all but a vanishingly few contexts where claims are still permitted under the 1971 Supreme Court decision Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics. But it was not always that way. In its 1978 decision Butz v. Economou, the Supreme Court permitted Bivens claims to proceed against …

The Neuroscience Of Qualified Immunity, Gary S. Gildin

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Qualified immunity not only absolves public officials from accountability for the damages caused when they deprive a citizen of their constitutional rights; by virtue of companion doctrines shielding governmental entities from liability, conferral of immunity leaves the victim to bear the loss. Therefore, it is essential that the contours of immunity be carefully calibrated to align with its intended purposes.

The United States Supreme Court has continuously expanded immunity to protect the exercise of discretion where, albeit acting in violation of constitutional norms, the official could have reasonably believed their conduct was constitutional. This Article exposes the implicit assumptions as …

Global Partnership Should Be The Way Forward To Combat Money Laundering, Maame Nyakoa Boateng

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

This Comment compares the major anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws in the United States and Iran. This Comment argues that even though the United States is advanced in its compliance approach, without a partnership with countries that are more vulnerable to money laundering attacks, its AML efforts could prove counter-productive because of the inter-connectedness of our world today. Accordingly, this Comment proposes a global partnership between countries with effective AML legislation and countries with less effective AML legislation to combat this complex crime.

Bringing History Home: Strategies For The International Repatriation Of Native American Cultural Property, Alec Johnson

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The theft of Native American cultural items has been ongoing since Europeans began to colonize the Americas. As a result, millions of Native American artifacts are now located outside the borders of the United States. Native American tribes have long sought international repatriation—the return of these cultural objects to their tribal owners. Unfortunately, many countries have been unsupportive of repatriation attempts and Native Americans seeking the return of their cultural items face nearly insurmountable barriers in foreign courts. The U.S. government has a moral imperative to assist Native American tribes in these repatriation efforts. The debate over repatriation is defined …

All That Breathes, Sheila J. Nayar

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of All That Breathes (2022), directed by Shaunak Sen.

A Telehealth Blood Pressure Education Program On Hypertension Knowledge, Selfcare, And Behavior, Cheynnie N. Burnett Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Hypertension poses a significant risk for morbidity and mortality. Regular blood pressure monitoring, medication compliance, and/or lifestyle modifications have shown to improve control. Digital communication in healthcare, such as telemedicine provides patients and primary care offices an opportunity to improve access to care and education.

Objectives: This Quality Improvement (QI) Project aimed to answer the question: In adult patients with a diagnosis of hypertension, what is the effectiveness of implementing an evidence- based telehealth blood pressure management program in a primary health care setting, when compared to baseline, on blood pressure knowledge, management, and self-care over a nine- week …

No Justice, No Pleas: Subverting Mass Incarceration Through Defendant Collective Action, Andrew Manuel Crespo

Fordham Law Review

The American penal system is a system of massive, racially unjust incarceration. It is also, to quote the U.S. Supreme Court, a “system of pleas.” The latter drives the former, as coercive plea bargaining makes it possible for the state to do two things that are otherwise hard to pull off at once: increase convictions and sentence lengths. Mass incarceration is a predictable result. But while plea bargaining is intensely coercive when leveraged against individuals, the system of pleas has a structural weak point. That Achilles’ heel is exposed once we see people facing prosecution not as isolated individuals but …

A Commons In The Master’S House, Daniel Farbman

Fordham Law Review

Almost everyone who reads these words is an institutional insider in some form. Those of us who aspire toward transformation, liberation, and resistance from our institutional settings are forced to confront Audre Lorde’s striking admonition that “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” For some, finding themselves in the master’s house is a spur towards purism—a rejection of institutional power in search of a “pure” remove from which to critique it. For others, it is a dispiriting check on their aspirations and an invitation to sullen fatalism. This Essay questions whether we are bound to the hard consequences …