Digital Commons Network^™

The Perspectives Of Mental Health Providers Concerning Public Personnel Management And Staffing Shortages In The Navy: A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study, Shauna L. Turner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The federal government's public personnel management policies, established over a century ago, may now be ineffective in addressing twenty-first-century problems. The Navy faces an unprecedented global staffing shortage in the mental health career field. To address the problem, the Navy implemented human resource strategies to improve personnel quality of life and invested in improving service members' mental health. The problem is that the Navy’s existing personnel management policies may be ineffective at retaining clinical counselors at Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSCs), contributing to persistent staffing shortages that undermine service delivery and warrant an evaluation of alternative retention strategies. This …

Not All Ei Dimensions Are Created Equal: Differential Effects Of Perceived Leader Emotional Intelligence On Lmx Quality And Employee Engagement, Michael Frommack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the pathways through which employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ emotional intelligence influenced employee engagement, with leader-member exchange (LMX) quality as a mediating mechanism. Using structural equation modeling with data from 368 full-time employees, the study investigated whether the four dimensions of leader emotional intelligence differentially predicted the three dimensions of employee engagement. Results demonstrated that leader EQ strongly predicted LMX quality (β = .80, p < .001, R² = .64), and that leader emotional intelligence and LMX quality significantly predicted employee engagement in bivariate analyses (β = .43, p < .001, R² = .19; β = .47, p < .001, R² = .22, respectively). However, LMX quality completely mediated this relationship. The indirect effect was significant (β = .26, p = .002), while the direct effect was nonsignificant after accounting for LMX (β = .17, p = .108), indicating full mediation. No dimension-specific pathways emerged after controlling for relationship quality. Supplementary analyses revealed that others’ emotion appraisal (OEA) demonstrated almost twice the predictive strength of the other emotional intelligence dimensions for predicting LMX quality (β = .45, p < .001). These findings provide empirical support for Social Exchange Theory and demonstrate that leader emotional intelligence is statistically accounted for by relationship quality mechanisms. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize relationship building competencies in leadership development and selection. Theoretical implications challenge assumptions about dimensional equivalence in emotional intelligence frameworks and establish LMX quality as the complete mediator for leadership influence on employee engagement.

A Phenomenology Of Sexual Assaults On College Campuses, Karon R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The rate of sexual assaults for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals on college campuses is reported at a higher rate compared to males and is continuing to rise at a staggering rate, causing this to become a national issue. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the subjective experience, campus culture, psychological disorders, and changes in students' religious beliefs after a sexual assault. Victims’ perceptions and campus norms reporting sexual violence and assault incidents help to explain institutional support systems, the afterlife, and long-term outcomes of victims, prevention programs, and services. The frameworks for this …

Examining The Relationship Between Burnout And Emotional Intelligence In Ministry Leaders Of Start-Up Churches, Jacquelyn Steidel-Santiago

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to utilize Emotional Intelligence (EI) and burnout models to examine the relationship between perceived EI and firsthand experiences of burnout in ministry leaders of start-up churches to establish a unique connection and offer valuable insights for participants and other ministry leaders facing similar circumstances. Personal characteristics were divided into demographic information about the participants (i.e., age, race, years in ministry, congregation size, etc.) and information about the participants’ experience with specific features of burnout. The demographic information was used to identify possible factors related to various levels of EI, with the expectation …

Lived Experiences Of Teachers Implementing Student-Centered Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Jennifer R. Knowlton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers implementing student-centered learning (SCL) in high schools in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Deci and Ryan’s Self Determination Theory, as it was a framework for understanding what factors help or hurt psychological well-being, autonomous extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation. This study sought to answer the central research question: What are teachers lived experiences implementing student-centered learning (SCL) in high schools in the southeastern United States? This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research focused on SCL high school teachers across the southeastern United …

The Causes And Effects Of Toxic Leadership In Organizations, Patton Flannery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Toxic leadership in organizations can negatively affect employee well-being, productivity, performance, motivation, and potentially the organization’s brand reputation. This flexible qualitative study, utilizing multiple case studies, explored the causes and effects of toxic leadership within the DJ Construction Company to identify how abusive supervision, emotional strain, dysfunctional leadership behaviors, and employee coping mechanisms collectively affect employees and the organization. This study employed semi-structured interviews with 25 participants and surveys completed by 31 participants representing diverse roles within the company. Data were analyzed using thematic coding, frequency counts, and cross-theme comparison to gain a better understanding of both the frequency and …

Deuteronomy As A Meta-Hermeneutic To Understand The Land Promise In The Abrahamic Covenant, Alan Leonard Schafer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One component of the Abrahamic Covenant in Gen 12:1–3 is the promise of land. This promise is reiterated to Abraham in Gen 12:7; 13:14–17; 15:7; 15:18–19, and 17:8, then to Isaac in Gen 26:3–5, and finally to Jacob in Gen 28:4 and 28:13–15. Numerous references in the Pentateuch refer to this promise, often using the phrases “the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” and “the land He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Although reading the Pentateuch would lead one to believe the Abrahamic land promise refers to an actual piece of real estate with boundaries, many today question …

Paul’S Use Of Μυστηριον In His Epistles To New Testament Churches, Daniel G. Hutchins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The world in which the apostle Paul ministered was not one where the religious landscape was blank and there was no competition for worldviews. Indeed, the cultural forces of Judaism, Hellenism, and Roman imperialism produced an environment where numerous religious belief systems were present including Jewish apocalypticism and mysticism, Greco–Roman mystery religions, and imperial worship. Paul found himself preaching a message that had to stand on its own merits in an environment that had been religiously conditioned for centuries. Typical of their parent culture, competing religious systems of Paul’s day took different views of Christianity. For Judaism, Christianity represented a …

Teachers' Lived Experiences Addressing The Benefits And Challenges Of Screen Based Technology Use In The Classroom: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Amanda M. Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher explored Title I elementary school teachers’ lived experiences in addressing the challenges and benefits of screen based technology (SBT) use in classroom spaces. Guided by Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural learning theory, a transcendental phenomenological approach was utilized by the researcher to explore the unique nuances of different learning spaces, buildings, and educational contexts. As SBT has become indispensable to modern education practitioners, teachers must balance the benefits to student learning with screen fatigue, reduced interpersonal interaction, and access disparities. The central research question states: How do Title I elementary school teachers describe their lived experiences in addressing SBT use …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Women Caregivers Of The Sandwich Generation, Keri L. Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe female members of the sandwich generation’s experiences as care providers during and post-COVID-19 in Central Florida. At this research stage, female members of the sandwich generation are understood as women in midlife who occupy dual caregiving roles for dependent children and aging parents, and whose lived experiences offer insight into caregiving experiences during a global pandemic. (Steiner & Fletcher, 2017). As life expectancy has increased and financial insecurity has been a concern for all generations, the sandwich generation caregivers, specifically women, have become more focused on providing varying levels of care …

Rivalry, Risk, And Ruin: The Economic Politics Of Antebellum Florida, Tyler Mudd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigates the interplay of land speculation, legal authority, and political governance in the Florida Territory from 1821 to 1845. Centered around the extensive Forbes and Innerarity land claims carried over from the Spanish period, the litigation and politics are demonstrative of the territorial administration and was profoundly shaped by a concentrated cohort. This faction of legally trained officeholders and investors, figures such as Joseph M. White, Richard K. Call, James, Gadsden, and William P. DuVal, operated as governing nucleus. Their ability and command of statutes, access to federal patronage, and strategic involvement allowed them to use land speculation, …

The Role Of Personality In Collegiate Athletes’ Indicators Of Performance And Injury Experiences – A Mixed Methods Study, Allison Traub

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This mixed methods study explores the impact of collegiate athletes' indicators of personality traits as attributed to athletic performance, injury experiences, and sport identity. Sports often emphasize physical abilities, yet the role of personality is equally significant—though it has received comparatively little attention in psychological research. This research addresses such a gap through examining how personality traits shape athletes’ competitive behavior along with coping strategies. The traits are defined within the 16 Personalities framework using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and how it influences just how athletes recover. This research will explore research questions such as how personality affects college athletes' …

From Divine Absence To Eternal Presence: Reframing The Jeremianic Temple-City Abandonment Motif From Its Ancient Near Eastern Roots To Its Fulfillment In Christ As The Ultimate Yahwistic Temple, Patrick Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation offers a canonical-theological and comparative study of temple destruction, divine absence, and the logic of return by tracing a five-stage “temple-city abandonment” motif across two corpora: the Sumerian City Laments (and related balag̃ material) and the biblical canon. The Sumerian laments depict the catastrophic loss of temple and city within a deterministic world where divine decisions often appear opaque, emotionally volatile, and only tenuously repairable through ritual lament and reconstruction. By contrast, the biblical narrative interprets the same crisis within a covenantal grammar: Jerusalem’s fall is grounded in articulated covenant breach, responsibility is named and confessed through prophetic …

Navigating Recovery From Toxic Leadership In The Pentecostal Church: A Qualitative Study, Traci Sumner Daniels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research examined the ways in which Pentecostal Church members experience toxic leadership and their process of healing from such experiences. The research included interviews with thirteen people who experienced spiritual abuse or manipulation. The analysis of data produced four main themes, which included spiritual betrayal and disillusionment, emotional and psychological trauma, rebuilding trust in God and community, and rediscovering authentic servant leadership. The research defines toxic leadership as a form of leadership characterized by maladjusted, malcontent, and malevolent behavior that inflicts severe and enduring harm on individuals, groups, organizations, and communities through destructive behavior and dysfunctional characteristics (Semedo et …

A Quantitative Causal-Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Dynamic Versus Static Visualization And Gender On Middle School Teachers' Mathematics Anxiety, Daniel Kobina Lindsay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teachers' mathematics anxiety on the effect of instruction-based dynamic versus static visualization and gender among teachers in middle schools. This study is critical because it addresses policies and pedagogical practices that address mathematics anxiety among middle school teachers. The gender of teachers and the medium of instructional delivery play a crucial role in assessing these teachers' engagement and achievement in the United States educational system. The sample (n = 293) was composed of teachers, divided into groups based on their instruction method and …

Expanding The Role Of Law Enforcement Chaplains: Fostering Holistic Wellbeing Through Comprehensive Pastoral Care, Jacqueline Turner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study aimed to understand the interplay between the mental well-being of law enforcement personnel and the potential for pastoral care provided by law enforcement chaplains. Mental well-being is defined as one’s ability to cope with the stresses of life, recognize one’s abilities, learn effectively, work efficiently, and contribute to one’s community (World Health Organization, 2022). The study was guided by Grossoehme et al.’s “Listening Presence” theory, which involves chaplains actively listening to an officer’s story of trauma and fostering a sense of emotional well-being in the officer, thereby shedding light on the interplay between law enforcement officers’ mental …

Muslim Leaders’ Perception Of Neighborhood Policing In New York City, Jamiel Altaheri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative descriptive study explored Muslim community leaders’ perceptions of the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) neighborhood policing strategy in communities disproportionately affected by post-9/11 Islamophobia and surveillance. Guided by Tajfel’s (1978) social identity theory, the study examined how leaders’ understandings of group identity, trust, and belonging shaped their views of police, neighborhood policing, and the perceived risks of radicalization or violent extremism. The focus on Muslim leaders addressed a gap in predominantly law-enforcement–centered scholarship on Muslim–police relations in the United States. A qualitative methodology was chosen to generate a rich, practice-relevant account of how leaders described neighborhood policing …

Florida’S Impact On The War Of 1812, Corey M. Booth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation challenges the traditional historiography of the War of 1812, which favors maritime disputes and northern campaigns, by demonstrating that Florida constituted a central theater whose strategic significance has been systematically understudied. Drawing upon multi-archival research in Spanish, British, and American sources and employing a borderlands analytical framework, this study argues that three interconnected imperatives, not discrete motivations, shaped American policy toward Florida during the conflict. First, Florida represented a critical national security vulnerability: British forces exploited Spanish colonial weakness to establish military footholds, armed Creek and Seminole allies, and thereby threatened the entire southern frontier with coordinated indigenous-imperial …

Crude Oil Production And Nigeria’S Reliance On Foreign Refineries: Implications For Trade Dependencies And Energy Security In Foreign Policy, Tomiloba Olaniyi-Quadri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the paradox of Nigeria’s position as a major oil-producing nation that remains heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum. The central purpose of the research is to examine how governance failures, including policy misalignment, corruption, and regulatory inefficiencies, contribute to the persistent underperformance of Nigeria’s refineries, reinforcing trade dependencies and energy insecurity. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, this research analyzes Nigeria alongside Brazil and Venezuela to explore how different governance frameworks shape refinery efficiency and international trade dynamics. The study is grounded in Dependency Theory and Energy Security Theory, illustrating how internal governance deficiencies perpetuate economic …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Cognitive Overload In Manufacturing Engineers During Online Training In An Industrial Environment, Sarah J. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore experiences of cognitive overload among engineers in manufacturing during digital training in industrial environments. Engineers in manufacturing manage substantial physical and cognitive demands in order to maintain safe and efficient industrial environments. In addition to these responsibilities, engineers are often expected to engage in digital training within active work settings, frequently without physical or cognitive separation from job-related tasks. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected from 10 participants and analyzed through triangulation and thematic coding. Data collection methods included a qualitative questionnaire, individual interviews, and a letter-writing …

Sacred Space, Divine Presence, And Covenant: A Theological Trajectory From Eden To The Indwelling Spirit Across The Pentateuch And The Book Of Joshua, William C. Merry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation thesis is that sacred space, divine presence, and covenant are a theological triad that gives form to the canonical progression from Eden through the Pentateuch into Joshua and finds its eschatological orientation in the indwelling Spirit. The project as a whole, and its treatment of Genesis–Deuteronomy and Joshua in particular, maintains that the presence of God is never conceived independently of a covenantal relationship and is thereby always concretized, i.e., spatialized in and through the site or locale of the sacred space: Eden, the tabernacle, the land, and the sanctuary at Shiloh. Each of these stages in the …

The Exploration Of Parental Involvement On Student Academic Achievement From The Perspective Of The Educator: A Phenomenological Study, Kwame Vladamir Hennagan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of educators regarding parental involvement in a rural South Carolina school district. Guided by Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Epstein's Parental Involvement Theory frameworks, the study examined how teachers perceive, promote, and experience parental engagement, and what barriers influence effective collaboration between school and home. The Central Research Question answered in the study is: What are the lived experiences of educators with students with low parental involvement at a local school district in South Carolina? The methodology of this manuscript begins with the phenomenological research design.The sample size included …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Black Male Students’ Use Of Integrated Educational Technologies In Stem Fields At Predominately White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Devon Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the lived experiences of Black male students' use of integrated educational technologies in STEM fields at predominately White institutions of higher education in East Tennessee. The theory guiding this study is Piaget's (1950) theory on constructivism, as it is the framework through which active learning, prior knowledge, and social influences shape students' learning. The central research question addressed in the study is how Black male students experience the use of integrated educational technologies in STEM fields at PWIs of higher education in East Tennessee. The transcendental phenomenological approach is used …

Encouraging Ethical And Practical Local Government Managers: How The Icma Code Of Ethics Promotes Servant Leadership, Steven Vaughn-Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study empirically examined the association between the adoption of ethical codes and servant leadership in local government organizations. Analyzing survey data from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) from 2012-2018, along with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Community Engagement and Volunteering Supplement (CEVS) to the 2021 Current Population Survey (CPS), this study explored how the associations between adoption, scope, and enforcement mechanism of ethical codes impacted seven categories of servant leadership: relationships with elected officials, policy collaboration, information exchange, innovation, performance effectiveness, service delivery, and public/community engagement. This study also explored the relationship between ethics training and these seven dimensions …

Investigating Nursing Instructors’ Perceptions Of Students’ Critical Thinking And Clinical Judgment After Attending A Flipped Pathophysiology Course, Ashley L. Harmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand an instructor’s ability to develop critical thinking and clinical judgment for pathophysiology nursing students at a state university in the southeastern United States while using the flipped pedagogical approach. The theory guiding this study was Piaget’s constructivist theory, which aligned with the active role of learners in constructing knowledge, and supported the exploration of how flipped classrooms influenced the development of critical thinking and clinical judgment. The central research question for this study was: What are nursing instructors’ perceptions of students' development of critical thinking and clinical judgment when applying pathophysiology …

A Multimethod Study Of The Barriers Of Women In The General Schedule 15 Grade And Senior Executive Staff Experience In Promotion At The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Terry Michael Acie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study was to discover why the female executive employee population is experiencing a gap in representation in senior management at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The scholarly literature addressing federal disparities across the gender demographic identified several issues such as underrepresentation, social equity, pay equity, turnover intention, job satisfaction, and diversity as primary barrier drivers preventing or slowing female promotion. The issues are rarely investigated in an intersecting manner which plausibly could create several hurdles women must navigate to obtain a promotion and decrease their representation in executive service. The theoretical approach used is …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Teachers’ Responses And Adaptation To How They Transitioned From Traditional Classrooms To Partial Or Full Virtual Learning Environments Post Covid-19, Kaprice L. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the responses and adaptation process for public school teachers in a southern state that transitioned from traditional classrooms to full or partial online learning environments post-COVID-19. The theory that guided this study was the Theory of Adaptation of Educators Teaching Technology-Based Courses, which theorizes that educators experience phases of transformation visioning, learning, rationalizing and doing, and modernizing that foster resilience and adaptability within evolving educational landscapes (Pinatil & Ramos, 2023). Guided by the social constructivist paradigm, the study examined how teachers adjusted instructional strategies, demonstrated emotional resilience, and integrated technology …

Student Anxiety And Lassitude In A Foreign Language Learning Classroom: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Mcgraham Anyanwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that university students studying French in Nigerian schools as a foreign language experience anxiety because of communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study is to explore how university students studying French as a foreign language describe experiences of anxiety and lassitude with French language learning at University Alpha in Nigeria. The central research question guiding this study is: How do university students studying French in Nigeria describe their experiences of anxiety and lassitude in a foreign language learning classroom? The theory guiding this study is Krashen’s theory …

Examining The Effect Of Enhanced Retrieval Practice With Or Without Artificial Intelligence On Task Value And Self-Efficacy Of College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Duane N. Stutzman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to determine if a significant difference exists in college students perceived task value and self-efficacy when using different forms of retrieval practice enhanced with or without artificial intelligence. This study is important because task value and self-efficacy may have an impact on student motivation and engagement; therefore, the study adds to the literature demonstrating that retrieval practice can help improve active, rather than passive learning. The sample was composed of 140 undergraduate students enrolled in a hybrid health science course at a large university in the Midwest. After participants completed their assigned …

Navigating Fear: Exploring The Influence Of Media And Other Factors On Perceptions Of Terrorism, Malachi-Chaim A. Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examined factors influencing the fear of terrorism among U.S. adults in the post-9/11 context, where frequent media coverage impacts public perception. The central research question asked: To what extent is the fear of terrorism influenced by news consumption, ethnic intolerance, religion, gender, education, race and ethnicity, political affiliation, age, previous victimization of violent crime, and trust in government institutions? A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2025 using Zoho Survey, collecting 408 responses through stratified random sampling to approximate national representation. Chi-square tests revealed significant bivariate relationships for nine predictors: perceived credibility of terrorism-related news, perceived risk of …