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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Autism Spectrum Disorders And Positive Familial Effects, Genevieve Weaver Dec 2019

Autism Spectrum Disorders And Positive Familial Effects, Genevieve Weaver

Senior Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been found to significantly impact familial structures and outcomes in various studies. The majority of the impact, however, has been primarily negative; effects like increased stress, marital discontentment, and stigmatization are commonly expressed by families. In this study data from a questionnaire, interview, and picture presentations were analyzed and triangulated to identify the positive familial effects of having a child or sibling with ASD. Parents and siblings shared that having a child or sibling with ASD has bettered their life through learning to enjoy the identity of the individual with ASD, through personal growth, and …


Compassionate Divorce Recovery For Christian Women, Alice Drusilla Hoag Dec 2019

Compassionate Divorce Recovery For Christian Women, Alice Drusilla Hoag

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Depression, anxiety, anger, and guilt causes significant distress for 70% of divorcees, typically lasting upwards of two years, while 15-30% report more devastating and life-altering distress for the rest of their lives. Christians divorcees have the added shame of spiritual failure, leading to an increased sense of judgment and isolation from their worship communities. Self-compassion is an attitude toward oneself comprised of self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, and has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, shame, stress, and social isolation. To date, there are no published divorce recovery programs specifically tailored for Christians utilizing self-compassion techniques. This quasi-experimental study analyzed …


The Effectiveness Of Christian Accommodative Mindfulness In The Treatment Of Shame, Tracy Lynn Jones Dec 2019

The Effectiveness Of Christian Accommodative Mindfulness In The Treatment Of Shame, Tracy Lynn Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Shame is a destructive moral emotion experienced by a vast majority of the population and is found at the core of numerous mental illnesses and spiritual crises. Unfortunately, Christians seeking help for these conditions are often left with unmet cultural needs in the process of treatment, potentially hindering full healing or even entrance into needed treatment. The current small N time series case study research addresses this dilemma utilizing a culturally accommodated form of mindfulness, which is an existing treatment known to promote healing in the physical and mental health realms. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to be useful in the …


The Correlation Between Trait Emotional Intelligence And Feelings Of Social Isolation In Alaskan Homeschool Students, Doniel Shawn Wolfe Aug 2019

The Correlation Between Trait Emotional Intelligence And Feelings Of Social Isolation In Alaskan Homeschool Students, Doniel Shawn Wolfe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and feelings of social isolation in children that homeschool in rural and remote areas of Alaska. The topic of social isolation has continued to be prominent in the homeschool research. Tenuous claims resulting from studies that lack methodological rigor and representative sample sizes have perpetuated the debate by producing disparate conclusions with inherent limitations. This study acknowledged, that given a particular set of circumstances, the likelihood that an individual will experience feelings of social isolation increases. The compounding of conditions such as geographic isolation, time spent without access to a …


Exploring The Adulthood Transition Through The Eyes Of Adults Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Phenomenological Study Of Their Expectations, Perceptions, Experiences, And Goals Regarding Adulthood, Matthew Noakes May 2019

Exploring The Adulthood Transition Through The Eyes Of Adults Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Phenomenological Study Of Their Expectations, Perceptions, Experiences, And Goals Regarding Adulthood, Matthew Noakes

Senior Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent developmental disorder that makes daily, independent living difficult for many people around the world. Depending on the severity of ASD symptoms, individuals living with ASD rely on various supports to develop everyday skills. However, many of these supports fade away as these individuals transition out of high school into adulthood where they are introduced to an entirely new set of social systems including postsecondary institutions, workplace environments, independent/codependent living arrangements, and mature social relationships. Four emerging adults with ASD were interviewed to gather their expectations, perceptions, experiences, and goals regarding these different domains …


The Impact Of Lyric Choices On Spiritual Edification, Hanna Jane Byrd May 2019

The Impact Of Lyric Choices On Spiritual Edification, Hanna Jane Byrd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Modern Christian worship music has gained influence within the evangelical community. The words of these songs, sung corporately, have the potential to influence the spiritual lives of church congregants, making it important for worship leaders and songwriters to identify the most beneficial lyrics. Despite numerous opinions about theological and personally relevant lyrics, little research has been conducted on the spiritual effects of lyric content within the lives of Christian believers. Diminutive scholarly inquiry has been limited to historical, theological or qualitative methodologies. Utilizing the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Spiritual Transcendence Index (STI), this quantitative quasi-experimental study …


Factors Affecting International Students’ Developmental Functioning: Student And Faculty Perspectives From Liberty University, Andrea S. Childs May 2019

Factors Affecting International Students’ Developmental Functioning: Student And Faculty Perspectives From Liberty University, Andrea S. Childs

Masters Theses

The enrollment rates of international students are increasing, but the attrition rates of international students may also be on the rise. Aligning with Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, the goal of this study was to obtain insight about the encounters that undergraduate international students face. The purpose of this study was to evaluate these encounters to ascertain and compile core themes that will promote international student success. Data gathered from undergraduate faculty also contributed valuable insight. Recommendations were made for both the international student body and the undergraduate faculty. This qualitative research design investigated a small sample of undergraduate international students and …


Perspectives Of Indian Internationals On Mental Illness And Christian Missions, Morgan Margerison Apr 2019

Perspectives Of Indian Internationals On Mental Illness And Christian Missions, Morgan Margerison

Senior Honors Theses

When psychology is integrated with Christianity as a form of missions, it is vital that the destination country’s cultural perspectives be considered in the practice of these fields. This phenomenology obtained Indian cultural perceptions and experiences of mental health, as well as their perspectives and experiences regarding the integration of psychology and Christianity. The participants framed mental and emotional health in the context of relationship, addressed it with faith practices and values, and evaluated it based on cognitive functioning and lack of positive emotions. They expressed cultural concerns with victim mentality, stigma, and shifts in moral values. Regarding the integration …


Teaching English To Refugees Through Storytelling, Emily Camplejohn Apr 2019

Teaching English To Refugees Through Storytelling, Emily Camplejohn

Senior Honors Theses

Many refugees are trying to learn English while assimilating to a new culture. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has identified several needs and goals of refugees including competence in the language of the receiving culture and participation in a new, welcoming community. Storytelling, expressing or receiving a narrative through oral or written communication, can be implemented for teaching English to refugees with these goals and can link academic learning with real life experiences. In addition to using storytelling as a meaningful way to interact with language, storytelling also fosters a community within the classroom. The teacher is …


Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of The Effect Of Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation On Depression With A Clinical Population, Grace Lynn Bellingham Mar 2019

Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of The Effect Of Spiritually Focused Mindfulness Meditation On Depression With A Clinical Population, Grace Lynn Bellingham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This interpretative phenomenological analysis explored the use of spiritually focused mindfulness meditation for clinical depression. Although antidepressant medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are the leading evidence-based treatments for clinical depression, major depressive disorder is recurrent, and progressive and relapse rates are increasing. Numerous studies examining the use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies, which include the use of meditation to treat depression, have emerged in the literature. In this study, three individuals who met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder used spiritually focused mindfulness meditation for three weeks and participated in in-depth interviews to explore their experiences. Findings revealed significant …


Kali Psychi, Judith A. Reisman Phd, Aaron Nazif J.D., Mary Mcalister Esq. Jan 2019

Kali Psychi, Judith A. Reisman Phd, Aaron Nazif J.D., Mary Mcalister Esq.

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.