Digital Commons Network^™

From Rural Roads To College Credits: Understanding Dual Enrollment In New Hampshire's Rural High Schools, Sarah Chase

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Dual enrollment programs vary significantly across states, schools, and districts, leading to inconsistent college readiness outcomes. While previous research primarily examines differences at the state level, little is known about how these programs operate within rural high schools in the same region. This study examines dual enrollment in four rural high schools in New Hampshire using a multiple-case study approach and thematic analysis. Data was collected through interviews with administrators, faculty, counselors, and alumni, along with reviews of public documents. Six key themes emerged: (1) Barriers to Dual Enrollment, (2) Conflicting Perspectives of Key Players, (3) Benefits of Dual Enrollment, …

Beyond Strong: A Phenomenology Of Women Executives And The Connection Between Leadership And Fitness, Nozomi Bullock

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Senior-level executive leaders’ work in a dynamic, competitive, 24/7 business environment can be physically rigorous, mentally demanding, and emotionally isolating. The same holds true for women pursuing senior-level leadership roles in corporate America. Women who achieve and succeed in such roles remain the minority: Outsiders in elite spaces who are held to higher standards and overly scrutinized. Among senior-level executive women leaders, those committed to a fitness and training regimen including weightlifting constitute an even smaller minority. Senior-level executive roles require stamina, resilience, and courage—qualities that make up the foundation of the mindset of fitness and strength training (Foyster et …

Not Everyone Had Glass Slippers: A Black Feminist Trauma-Informed Literary Analysis Of Cinderella, Snow White And Alice In Wonderland, Marcia Lynn Dinkins

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation reimagines Cinderella, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland through a Black feminist, healing-centered lens to examine how Black girls and women have been erased, misrepresented, and silenced within dominant literary traditions. Through creative retellings, cultural remembrance, and critical analysis, it introduces the Soulforger, a new archetype and methodological figure who refuses erasure, reshapes silence, and forges meaning out of rupture and scar. Developed uniquely within this study, Black Feminist Trauma-Informed Literary Analysis merges Black feminist theory with transformative approaches, material culture, and embodied knowledge to position storytelling as both scholarship and transformation. The retellings—Mari’Ella: A Black Cinderella, Sola …

Experiences Of Exemplary Supervisors Promoting Workplace Dignity Across Social Identity Differences, Emily Joy Aiken

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Imagine a workplace where supervisors centered the dignity of each unique individual and sought to honor each person in their wholeness. This type of work environment moves beyond a toxic culture to a space that fosters flourishing, growth, and inclusion. Given that supervisors play an integral role in the experiences of staff members, this study explored the experiences of supervisors in promoting workplace dignity across cultural differences within higher education. With a focus on relational practices and a positive framing, this research sought to develop a nuanced understanding of dignified leadership across social identity differences. Leveraging a constructivist grounded theory …

Digital Transformation Of The Maritime Labour Law : Srems Complaints & Claims Legal, Digital Solution, Case Study Of Morocco, Rida El Missaoui

World Maritime University Dissertations

This Master’s dissertation investigates the strong need to reform and digitalize the mechanisms of monitoring and follow-up of the on-board compliance on seafarer’s rights and obligations through a legal-digital tool.

Scrupulosity: A Comprehensive Review Of The Research, Julie M. Painley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of the current research on scrupulosity, a subtype of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to religious and moral concerns. The dissertation identifies key similarities and differences from OCD, and directs focus to thematically related yet unsubstantiated theoretical work in psychology that helps elucidate the core features and etiological factors of scrupulosity as differentiated from other OCD subtypes. The study addresses the critical dearth of research on scrupulosity, aiming to fill significant gaps in the literature regarding its historical context, varied presentation and prevalence in different cultural contexts, and …

Caretaker Of Captors: The Experience Of Role Conflict Among State Correctional Officers, Camille M. Botticelli-Pohl

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A variety of policies at the national level over the last 70 years have resulted in the mass incarceration of various marginalized populations, inclusive of individuals with mental health problems or severe mental illness. Although Constitutional mandates require that psychology staff be available at all state and federal facilities, these providers spend a fraction of the time with incarcerated people than correctional officers do. Correctional officers seem to play an important, if often overlooked, supporting role in the management of the day-to-day lives of people in custody, including elements of their mental health care. They are also, theoretically, tasked with …

Nature Interaction Assists With Coping And Resilience: An Interaction Pattern Approach With Adolescents With Histories Of Trauma In A Youth Group Home, Chrystal L. Dunker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Adolescents with histories of trauma often experience disruptions to their emotional, social, and behavioral development. For those living in group home settings, supportive environments can play a key role in fostering healing and resilience. While nature interaction is increasingly recognized as a valuable way to support mental health and resilience, little research has explored its role in these settings. This study introduces an innovative methodology—the Interaction Pattern Approach (IPA)—to examine the role of nature interaction in coping and resilience for 12 adolescents with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) living in a youth group home. In this design, IPA integrates photovoice data …

Unmasking The Nexus Of Race, Ethnicity, And Health: An Intersectional Analysis Of The Epistemology Of Race In Medicine, Medical Curricula, And Health Disparities, Antoinette Leonard-Jean Charles

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The persistent health disparities faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States are deeply rooted in systemic racism embedded within medical education and clinical practice. Historical acceptance of racial supremacy in the United States has shaped both the foundations and continued practices of medical education, leading to entrenched biases that affect healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. This dissertation critically examines the intersection of race, education, and health by analyzing how historical and contemporary understandings of race and ethnicity shape medical curricula, healthcare practices, and patient care. Through the integration of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social …

Shaping Leadership: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Inspirational Moments, Sabine Mathilde Maiberger

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leadership is a complex construct shaped by the interplay of theoretical knowledge and meaningful personal experiences that define us as people. This autoethnographic exploration investigates the question: How have inspirational moments shaped the leader I am today? Understanding how personal experiences influence leaders’ development is critical to leadership studies. To address this, nine of my pivotal life moments were selected and validated through personal artifacts, such as journals and letters, ensuring analytical depth. These moments were analyzed through servant, justice-oriented, and transformational leadership theoretical lenses. The findings revealed eight key lessons: embracing vulnerability, reflective practice, trust-based leadership, advocacy, curiosity, adaptability, …

Weaving Threads Of Identity: A Qualitative Study On Reconnecting Indigenous Folx, Rachael L. Fuller

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research is a qualitative phenomenological inquiry into reconnecting Indigenous participants’ experiences in how they navigate and integrate their cultural heritage, identity, and intergenerational experiences to shape their present and future lives. Previous literature examines characterizing Indigeneity, navigating multiple spaces, and culture as wellness. Rooted in Tribal Critical Race Theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants who self-identified as Indigenous. A thematic analysis highlighted six themes of reconnection: a) oppression, b) ancestors, c) belonging, d) barriers to reconnection, e) learning, and f) connection with community. This research makes a contribution to the growing Indigenous identity literature by providing an …

Mental Heath Experiences Of Transracial Adoptees Of The Global Majority (Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color - Bipoc)., Phebe Brako

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of transracial adoptees of the global majority (BIPOC), focusing on their bicultural identity integration and its impact on mental health. During semi-structured interviews, nine participants shared their stories of navigating cultural and racial dynamics as adoptees in predominantly White adoptive families and communities. The findings revealed six core themes: (1) the Quest for Bicultural Identity Formation, (2) Cultural Integration and Adaptation, (3) Navigating Racial and Cultural Tensions, (4) the Role of Family in Cultural Integration, (5) the Importance of Community and Support Systems, and (6) Mental Health and Therapeutic Experiences, addressing …

They Forgot We Were Seeds: Critical Counter-Narratives Supporting Culturally Informed Community Seed Work, Florentina Rodriguez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This Professional Innovation dissertation utilizes Critical Counter-Narrative both as research methodology to generate narrative reflections and as praxis for liberatory transformation. Through research vignettes adapted from the author’s experience with critical collaborative autoethnographic seed work, this study produced critical counter-narratives aimed at addressing inequities in small-scale seed systems. These counter-narratives were incorporated into curriculum materials synthesized as an educational toolkit for a professional research

sister-project: the new Culturally Informed Community Seed Pledge and Code of Ethics (CICSP/COE). This project seeks to address disparity and extractive practices; outline relational pathways for reciprocity and respecting communities of origin; and provide evaluation metrics …

Pay Attention! A Comparative Analysis Of Psychological Assessments And Neurological Mechanisms For Adhd Within A Pediatric Population, Kristen E. Newberry

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study evaluated the predictiveness of the WISC-V, NEPSY-II, CPT-3, and CATA when compared to each other in a sample of 272 children aged 8–16. Archival data was analyzed using binary and multinomial logistic regression models to assess concurrent validity of specific subtests and indexes. Participants were grouped by ADHD subtype (inattentive, combined/hyperactive, or no diagnosis), with gender and executive functioning measures included in the models. Findings indicated that lower Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) and executive functioning scores (e.g., Animal Sorting, Response Set) predicted any ADHD diagnosis compared to the no diagnosis group, whereas higher CATA scores predicted lower Inattentive …

A Program Evaluation Of Restorative Storytelling As Professional Development For Waldorf Teachers, David Earl Sewell Mccann

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Storytelling, when using the National Storytelling Network’s definition, “the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination,” can be found in most classrooms around the world. If we agree with Walter Fisher and see stories as content with “coherence” and “fidelity” (Fisher, 1987), then much of the communication in classrooms could be considered a form of storytelling. A real question then becomes apparent: why aren’t teachers given extensive training and tools to strengthen their storytelling skills? Restorative Storytelling, a practice I developed out of my years as …

Distal Effects Of Teenage Pregnancy And Childbirth, Amy M. Sutherland

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

While pregnancy during adolescence is declining, research on the topic continues, particularly regarding: the reasons teenagers become pregnant and choose parenthood; their experiences as teen parents; and near-term outcomes for themselves and their children. The focus of this dissertation has received little study: how the experience of having been a birthing parent in adolescence continues to affect the personal experiences of individuals in midlife, if it does at all. Eight individuals between the ages of 30 and 43 who gave birth as teens were interviewed, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to identify how they interpreted and made meaning …

Motivated By Love: Can Deep Listening Support The Health And Wellbeing Of Anthroposophical Inspired Organizations, Barbarah Jean Nicoll

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Goethe expressed his devotion to his scientific and artistic pursuits as “love” (Lambert, 2011, p. 35). Motivated by love for anthroposophical initiatives in the world, the research question for this dissertation is: can deep listening be a support for the organizational health and wellbeing of anthroposophical inspired initiatives? Exploring and examining research on listening attuned to anthroposophical initiatives, this research seeks to understand existing wisdom on listening and its impact on organizational wellbeing. The theoretical foundations for this research are based on anthroposophical insights and a Goethean worldview. These foundational concepts relate to indigenous ways of knowing through their acknowledgement …

Loving-Learning-Leading-Living: A Scholarly Personal Narrative Of A Black Gay Father, Russell E. Thornhill

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the roles, challenges, and contributions of a Black Gay father, a demographic largely absent from academic discourse. While literature explores themes of the church, LGBTQ+ identities, and social justice, there remains a critical gap addressing the lived experiences of a Black Gay father. This study fills that void by elevating narratives as community activists, family leaders, and clergy members, acknowledging their transformative impact within familial and societal structures. The methodology used is the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). It allows for in-depth, reflective engagement with personal experiences in conversation with scholars while situating them within broader sociocultural, theological, …

The Inward Gaze: White Faculty's Self-Perceptions Of Racial Identity, Privilege, And Its Impact On Pedagogy, David E. Houle

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the evolving self-perceptions of racial consciousness among White faculty in higher education and its impact on pedagogical practices for fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. This study is guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory and Rowe et al.’s White racial consciousness model and uses interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore participants’ narratives of White racial identity, disorientating dilemmas, critical self-reflection, and pedagogical transformation. The research highlights key moments of self-reflection and transformation that influence inclusive teaching strategies, such as prioritizing marginalized voices in course content and rethinking classroom dynamics to respond to systemic inequities. The findings reveal how …

A New Normal: An Autoethnographic Analysis Of Gender Complexities In Los Angeles Social Justice Theatre Storytelling, Sue Hamilton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study uses autoethnography to examine the role gender plays in Los Angeles social justice theatre storytelling. Chronicling my autoethnography as a queer, nonbinary artist and social justice theatre practitioner, I will examine gender through the context of my social justice theatre company, Artists Rise Up Los Angeles (ARULA), by analyzing selections of its original, politically focused, professional stage plays performed from 2017 to 2019, utilizing ARULA’s emerging themes of gender expression and inclusion. ARULA was born out of a determination to create original social justice theatre storytelling to understand and transform reality by bringing theatrical expression to the environment …

Avoiding Racial Equity Detours: Racial Equity Trainers’ Visions Of Racially Equitable Residential Environmental Education, Anna Mooney Ph.D.

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study investigated how racial equity trainers envision racially equitable residential environmental education (REE). While addressing racial inequities has been central to environmental scholarship, equity detours undergirded by systemic power structures continue to pose significant barriers in addressing inequities in practice. The research explored the question: “How do racial equity trainers envision racially equitable residential environmental education?” Using constructivist grounded theory and drawing on portraiture’s “search for goodness,” the study conducted 1-hour virtual interviews with six racial equity trainers, employing iterative coding through the constant comparative method. A 2-hour virtual focus group and subsequent 30-minute “dissertation reality check” provided additional …

The Air We Breathe: How Whiteness Permeates Racial Equity Efforts In Suburban Schools, Bailey Elizabeth Tighe

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This critical ethnographic study examines how white culture influences educators' perceptions of their participation in racial equity work in a predominantly white, suburban Massachusetts public school district. This research explored five educators' experiences through Critical Race, Critical Whiteness, and White Supremacy Culture Frameworks. The study extends CWS by illuminating how white cultural norms operate within institutional contexts, revealing patterns through which racial equity work is neutralized. The study found that superficial equity initiatives, color-evasive language, and prioritizing white comfort over substantive transformation all actively perpetuate inequity. Recommendations directly address these findings: developing comprehensive professional development that explicitly names whiteness and …

Psychological Techniques For Athletes With Orthopedic Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review, Nicole L. Williams

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Musculoskeletal injuries and recovery from them play a vital role in both the physical and psychological wellbeing of the public. Existing research has been conducted primarily within the athlete population with rehabilitation from these injuries having a profound impact on the physical and mental health. One of the most frequent psychological responses related to sports injuries is a trauma response, which has been shown to hinder the rehabilitation process and to increase the likelihood for reinjury upon return to play. Embedded within the many inputs to trauma responses to these injuries are psychological distress reactions, in particular fear connected to …

Resilience Of Food Sovereignty Organizations To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rachel M. Brice

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study explored the organizational resilience of food sovereignty organizations (FSOs) in the northeastern United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a novel “open structural learning approach” that integrates structural contingency theory, open systems theory, and organizational learning theory, this research examined how FSOs’ structural attributes, resource flows, and organizational culture shaped their ability to navigate crisis. The study engaged FSO leaders through surveys (n = 13) and in-depth interviews (n = 7), supplemented by archival data analysis, to explore factors that strengthened or diminished FSO resilience. Findings revealed that FSOs navigated COVID-19 with multiple concurrent …

For Black College Students Who Considered Dropping Out When Grit Wasn’T Enough: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Influence Of Family Messaging On Collegiate Outcomes, Dawn M. Wilson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Black college student outcomes are well researched areas in education literature. This dissertation sought to explore the influence of academic and ethnic racial socialization on experiences of shame and guilt and examine the association of those relationships on Black college student retention and persistence. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to investigate the socialization experiences of 272 Black college students in the US. Conditional process model analyses revealed that academic socialization is associated with experiences of guilt and shame—guilt predicted improved retention outcomes, while shame predicted lower retention outcomes. The analysis also revealed that while ethnic racial …

Professional Development Needs In Educational Support For The Waldorf Teacher, Leah M. Mrozinski

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In the past few years of immersion into the Waldorf world through both my work and my educational pursuits, I have recognized that there is an absence of basic special education knowledge in the practice of Waldorf education. My research sought to answer the question: What topics of educational support are most relevant and needed for Waldorf teachers and trainees today? My literature review explored best practices in special education and Waldorf education and connections with polyvagal theory. More specifically, it includes a basic review of special education law, best practices in special education, how a Waldorf education meets the …

Post-Migration Living Distress And Suicidal Behavior In Refugee Populations Resettled In Vermont, Phoebe K. Lewis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The study of refugee psychology and suicidal distress is a comparatively nascent field when compared with the body of research concerning non-refugee populations. Over the past fifty years, however, the post-migration refugee experience has been the subject of growing clinical interest. In particular, the construct of post-migration living distress (PMLD) has been identified as a salient factor contributing to psychological distress in refugee populations. This dissertation explores the relationship between PMLD and suicidality in a sample of refugees resettled in a New England city. Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), this dissertation considers how elements of the post-migration …

Creating A General Psychology Curriculum That Embeds Humane Education, Kristina Marie Pham

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Academic freedom is under attack in the United States, hindering the ability of educators to develop critical thinking skills in students to prepare them for their roles as participating members of a democracy. The inquiry that informed the curriculum development is as follows: How to embed Humane Education and Participatory Action Research into a General Psychology class? The theoretical framework of Humane Education was the basis for utilizing the principles of Participatory Action Research in the General Psychology curriculum co-created with rural community college students. The Backward Design Model was chosen because the curriculum was created using an existing General …

Heart-Thinking Leadership: A Transformative Approach To Binary Hierarchies In Waldorf Schools, Chiaki Uchiyama

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores heart-thinking leadership as a transformative approach to dismantling elitism, hierarchy, and binary structures in education, leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Grounded in insights from Damásio, Spinoza, Emerson, Hegelian dialectics, and wisdom traditions such as Manichaeism, African spirituality, and Indigenous feminism, it examines how third space thinking fosters inclusivity and dynamic leadership. By integrating intuition, intellect, and relational awareness, heart-thinking leadership moves beyond rigid dualisms—mind and body, self and other, power and subjugation—to cultivate a holistic way of knowing. This perspective critiques conventional DEI models that reinforce binaries of oppressor and oppressed, advocating instead for an …

How Marriage And Family Therapy Graduate Programs Awaken, Develop, And Teach Clinical Intuition: A Hermeneutic Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jessica Fountas

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research explored how marriage and family therapy graduate programs awaken, develop, and teach clinical intuition. Using criterion-based sampling and snowball sampling, six licensed marriage and family therapists participated in a two-step hermeneutic phenomenological study consisting of individual semistructured interviews and a follow-up focus group. Requirements for participation were licensed marriage and family therapists who were in clinical practice, had experienced the phenomenon of clinical intuition and awakening of clinical intuition, and used clinical intuition in therapy with clients and in systemic supervision with supervisees. The research findings highlighted 14 themes: Reflection of the Experience of Clinical Intuition; Bodily Knowing, …