Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 75

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Nurturing The Aesthetic: Learning To Care For The Environment In A Waldorf School, Melissa A. Grella Jan 2015

Nurturing The Aesthetic: Learning To Care For The Environment In A Waldorf School, Melissa A. Grella

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of the study was to explore the aesthetic foundation of the Waldorf pedagogy in order to understand how art and aesthetic experiences may develop care toward the environment. A form of humanistic education developed by Rudolf Steiner in the early twentieth century, Waldorf education is a learning model envisioned as a framework for moral education. Waldorf education is known for its intentional use of art and aesthetic experience as well as its focus on developmentally appropriate curriculum and teaching methods. As in other forms of holistic education, Waldorf educators focus on the head, heart and hand of every …


Behavioral Adjustment In Children With Life Threatening Illness A Qualitative Study, E. Joseph Becher Jr. Jan 2015

Behavioral Adjustment In Children With Life Threatening Illness A Qualitative Study, E. Joseph Becher Jr.

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study investigated factors that affect adjustment in children with life-threatening illness from the viewpoint of the parents/caregivers. The data were collected from parents/caregivers whose children have a life threatening diagnosis. Parents/caregivers were interviewed and asked to complete the Parent Request Questionnaire (PRQ) which was given to them after the in-person interview. This newly developed PRQ was utilized into prior research to predict the levels of adjustment in children. It includes age, whether the child has been informed of the diagnosis, whether the child engages in age-appropriate activities, the child's prior experience with death, the child's family's involvement in treatment, …


A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience Of Parenting Half-Siblings Within A Blended Family, Nicole Josephsen Jan 2015

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience Of Parenting Half-Siblings Within A Blended Family, Nicole Josephsen

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Blended families are a growing population and encompass a diversity of characteristics and family types. Among the different types of blended families are those with both stepchildren and mutual children. Research on the complex experience of parenting a mutual genetic child and a stepchild within a blended family is minimal. To better understand the unknown experience of such parents, this phenomenological study was conducted to provide an in depth description of the experience of simultaneously parenting mutual children and stepchildren within a blended family. In this phenomenological study the researcher conducted interviews with six participants who varied by gender, socioeconomic …


Grandmothers' Leadership Roles As Reflected In The Lives Of High-Achieving Women: A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Grandmothers On Granddaughters During Their Formative Years, Sylvia E.M. Asante Jan 2015

Grandmothers' Leadership Roles As Reflected In The Lives Of High-Achieving Women: A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Grandmothers On Granddaughters During Their Formative Years, Sylvia E.M. Asante

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to document and recognize the role of grandmothers as leaders, role models, and mentors who can positively influence the lives of their granddaughters. Grandmothers’ roles are not typically associated with leadership, and this phenomenon of presenting grandmothers as effective leaders will fill a void and add to the canon of leadership literature. The use of phenomenological study, which describes the lived experience (Husserl, 1970), as well as transformative leadership and feminist theory perspectives will be pivotal to this study. Due to the dearth of data on grandmothers’ leadership roles, this phenomenological study will "give …


Smart Partnerships: How Higher Education Institutions Can Enhance The Capacity Of The Un To Govern The Global Commons, Melissa Goodall Jan 2015

Smart Partnerships: How Higher Education Institutions Can Enhance The Capacity Of The Un To Govern The Global Commons, Melissa Goodall

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores how partnerships between UN agencies and higher education institutions (HEIs) can enhance governance of the global commons. Unique attributes that HEIs have to offer in this regard include collaboration on development and dissemination of knowledge, the ability to design and test new technologies and systems, and the capacity to develop analytically rigorous research and evaluation. Many HEIs also explore issues across scales, sectors, and disciplines, and can act as neutral fora to promote dialogue. And all are educating future citizens and leaders. With the aim of highlighting the mutual value of partnerships between the UN and HEIs …


Adapting To A Virtual Learning Environment, Winston H. Maddox Jan 2015

Adapting To A Virtual Learning Environment, Winston H. Maddox

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This participatory action research (PAR) dissertation examines the experiences of five experienced faculty transitioning from teaching in a traditional classroom to a virtual learning environment. The research participants used technology to deliver course material and reflected on the changes in their pedagogical practice. Data were collected using four phased sessions, including the completion of interview questions, individual interview video sessions, and group video sessions and the review of participant video validation postings. Research participants used journaling to reflect on their values, beliefs, assumptions, and experiences associated with teaching and learning. Research participants teaching in virtual learning environments were provided an …


A Phenomenological Study: Marriage And Family Therapists' And Clinician's Perceptions Of How Secondary Traumatic Stress Affects Them And Their Families, Norja Elizabeth Cunningham Jan 2015

A Phenomenological Study: Marriage And Family Therapists' And Clinician's Perceptions Of How Secondary Traumatic Stress Affects Them And Their Families, Norja Elizabeth Cunningham

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Multiple facets of clinicians' lives are influenced by compassion fatigue including physiological well-being, the perspective of clinicians in relation to the world, and psychological and emotional reactions to trauma triggers (Figley, 1998). Work stress research considers the systemic effects of stress on workers' relationships. Research also shows that romantic relationships are negatively influenced by work stress (Sanz-Vergel, Rodriguez, Bakker & Demerouti, 2012). This phenomenological study investigated the lived experience of three clinicians and how compassion fatigue was experienced in their relationships with their partners and children. Clinicians completed the Professional Quality of Life assessment and those with a score of …


A Mixed Methods Study: Dimensions Of Cross-Cultural Professional Success: Experiences Of Western Women Living And Working In Eastern Cultures, Tami J. France Jan 2015

A Mixed Methods Study: Dimensions Of Cross-Cultural Professional Success: Experiences Of Western Women Living And Working In Eastern Cultures, Tami J. France

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In this world of global interconnectedness women continue to develop cross-cultural careers and their experiences impact and influence global scholarship and practice. Through this study, the relationships, resources, and characteristics that support female expatriate success were explored, with additional focus on the role of mentor and coach relationships. The mixed-methods study was conducted using a sequential approach to research that began with one-on-one semi structured interviews with ten professional women from the United States and Canada working or formerly working in China and Hong Kong. A survey was designed based on the interview findings. Professional women from western countries working …


A Mixed Methods Perspective: How Integral Leaders Can Contribute To The Growth Of Emerging Leaders, Susan M. Hayes Jan 2015

A Mixed Methods Perspective: How Integral Leaders Can Contribute To The Growth Of Emerging Leaders, Susan M. Hayes

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Given that organizational complexity continues to increase, leaders are looking for credible information, and a process that helps them become a better leader. Emerging leaders are faced with trying to be the best leader they can be while leading teams of people who think and act differently from them. To assist emerging leaders with their leadership, this study explores the literature and looks to highly respected and admired leaders for how they became the leader they are today. The purpose of this study was fourfold: first, to identify and describe first and second tier integral theory leaders from a sample …


Creativity In Urban Placemaking: Horizontal Networks And Social Equity In Three Cultural Districts, Tom Borrup Jan 2015

Creativity In Urban Placemaking: Horizontal Networks And Social Equity In Three Cultural Districts, Tom Borrup

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Many authors point to expanding disparities related to wealth and social benefits brought by globalization and the creative city movement while culture and creativity emerge as growing forces in urban placemaking and economic development. The phenomenon of cultural district formation in cities around the globe presents challenges and opportunities for leaders, planners, and managers. Emerging theory related to cultural districts suggests culture can serve to build horizontal relationships that bridge people and networks from different sectors and professions as well as across ethnicities, class, and interests. Research for this dissertation examined the formation of three urban cultural districts social and …


The Lived Experience Of Adolescents Who Engage In Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Erin Elizabeth Holley Jan 2015

The Lived Experience Of Adolescents Who Engage In Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Erin Elizabeth Holley

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of the current study was to explore the lived experience of adolescents who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Phenomenological interviews inquired about emotionality, conflict styles, and parental relationships among a clinical population of six adolescents. All participants met criteria for the proposed diagnosis of NSSI found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Nine central themes emerged as significant: identification with an alternative to the dominant culture, inhibition of affect, difficulty managing conflict, suicidality, negative emotionality, feeling numb, negative internal monologue, self-harm as a temporary coping skill, and maternal conflict. …


Therapeutic Horseback Riding With Military Veterans: Perspectives Of Riders, Instructors, And Volunteers, Leslie Lafleur Jan 2015

Therapeutic Horseback Riding With Military Veterans: Perspectives Of Riders, Instructors, And Volunteers, Leslie Lafleur

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Statistics reveal that over 353,000 military members have been diagnosed with PTSD and/or TBI resulting from war-related activities. With the rising number of war stress injuries, there have not been enough psychotherapeutic services to meet the current demand for the care of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Although some intervention strategies have been deemed successful, the current standards of care (e.g., exposure therapy, cognitive therapy) are limited by training inadequacies, accessibility, and outcomes (e.g., retention, early drop out, resistance, non-responsiveness). Furthermore, it is unclear whether these treatments are efficacious in addressing the unique symptom presentations of this population. The …


Loneliness And Perceived Stigmatization Among Older Adults Enrolled In Opiate Substitution Treatment Programs And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Jennifer B. Armstrong Jan 2015

Loneliness And Perceived Stigmatization Among Older Adults Enrolled In Opiate Substitution Treatment Programs And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Jennifer B. Armstrong

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Little research has examined the role that loneliness and perceived stigmatization play in the decision to seek mental health services among older adults enrolled in opiate substitution treatment. Researchers studying this at-risk population have called for more studies to examine services that can be implemented within current opiate substitution treatment settings. This study advances research in the field by utilizing standardized self-report measures to examine the relationship between loneliness, perceived stigmatization, and the impact of said variables on the utilization of available mental health services among older adults enrolled in opiate substitution treatment programs. Ninety-four 50-71-year-old adults from an opiate …


Survey Of Compassion Fatigue Education In Apa-Accredited Clinical And Counseling Psychology Programs, Marissa Joy Scroggins Jan 2015

Survey Of Compassion Fatigue Education In Apa-Accredited Clinical And Counseling Psychology Programs, Marissa Joy Scroggins

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the present state of compassion fatigue (CF) education in APA-accredited clinical and counseling doctoral level training programs. It also sought to identify the number of training programs that require CF training or offer it as optional, attempted to discern the type of setting in which it is taught (class, supervision, etc.), as well as identified some of the reasons why it may not have been included (cost, time, interest, etc.) in programs without CF training. A researcher-developed survey was designed and consisted of a mixture of yes/no and multiple choice questions. Program …


Short-Term Attachment Outcomes Of Infants In The Child Welfare System, Tracy Markowitz Jan 2015

Short-Term Attachment Outcomes Of Infants In The Child Welfare System, Tracy Markowitz

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Children with prenatal substance exposure are often born into families of low socio-economic status, low educational level, and with restricted access to health services. Pregnant substance-using mothers tend to reject, neglect, and generally misattune to their infant children. These environmental risk factors increase the likelihood of negative developmental outcomes such as poor academic performance, externalizing behaviors, and an insecure attachment style. In compliance with the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Adoption and Safe Families Act, Child Welfare Services often places at-risk infants into traditional or kinship foster care placements. This study looked at how placement type and …


Powerlessness Within A Budget-Driven Paradigm: A Grounded Theory Leadership Study From The Perspective Of Michigan Corrections Officers, Timothy Michael Eklin Jan 2015

Powerlessness Within A Budget-Driven Paradigm: A Grounded Theory Leadership Study From The Perspective Of Michigan Corrections Officers, Timothy Michael Eklin

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the lived-experiences of 15 correctional officers and 5 sergeants working in adult state-operated prison facilities in Michigan. In particular, this qualitative grounded theory study revealed the impact that budget driven decision-making had on the lives of correctional officers: its effect on institutional custody, security, and safety. The study finds that many recent policy changes resulted in a sense of powerlessness expressed by the participants of the study. Participants found themselves in a precarious position, situated in between the prison population and the administration. Having an understanding of how correctional officers make meaning of their work in relation …


Rural Clinicians’ Perceived Ethical Dilemmas: Relationships With Clinician Well-Being And Burnout, Amithea M. Love Jan 2015

Rural Clinicians’ Perceived Ethical Dilemmas: Relationships With Clinician Well-Being And Burnout, Amithea M. Love

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Mental health clinicians are bound by professional ethics codes that are intended to ensure beneficence toward clients. When clinicians reside in rural areas, ethical dilemmas result from the distinct nature of rural life and clinical practice. Despite extant literature on the ethical dilemmas of rural practice, little research has examined the effect of ethical dilemmas on the social-emotional functioning of clinicians. In response to this need, the study investigated the relationships of frequency of and discomfort from ethical dilemmas on clinician social-emotional functioning. Participants were rural and small town clinicians (N = 60) between ages 24-65 and primarily Caucasian (83.3%), …


Combating Corruption At The Grass-Roots Level: The Case Of Individual Oath Takers, Emmanuel Funso Oluyitan Jan 2015

Combating Corruption At The Grass-Roots Level: The Case Of Individual Oath Takers, Emmanuel Funso Oluyitan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Nigeria ranks as one of the most corrupt nations in the world. Its abundant natural resources are being exploited by some privileged few while the majority suffers abject poverty. In spite of a series of laws and reforms directed at waging war against corruption and campaigns against corruption by both government and non-government organizations (NG0s), corruption still reigns in Nigeria and has become part of Nigerian culture. The Association of Nigerians Against Corruption (ANAC), which I founded in 1984, is one such NGO campaigning against corruption through a series of seminars. ANAC focuses on appealing to the minds of individuals …


A Narrative Study Of Emotions Associated With Negative Childhood Experiences Reported In The Adult Attachment Interview, Lynne Hartman Jan 2015

A Narrative Study Of Emotions Associated With Negative Childhood Experiences Reported In The Adult Attachment Interview, Lynne Hartman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Attachment patterns, which tend to be stable over time, are passed from one generation to the next. Secure attachment has been linked to adaptive social functioning and has been identified as a protective factor against mental illness. The parents’ state of mind with regard to attachment—as measured with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Main, Goldwyn, & Hesse, 2002)—predicts the attachment classification for the infant in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). Earned-secure individuals have overcome negative childhood experiences to achieve a secure state of mind in adulthood. Earned security, like continuous security, strongly predicts infant security …


Tapestry Of Tears: An Autoethnography Of Leadership, Personal Transformation, And Music Therapy In Humanitarian Aid In Bosnia Herzegovina, Alpha M. Woodward Jan 2015

Tapestry Of Tears: An Autoethnography Of Leadership, Personal Transformation, And Music Therapy In Humanitarian Aid In Bosnia Herzegovina, Alpha M. Woodward

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In the fall of 2003 I was invited to lead a team of music therapists in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a country that had been recently savaged by two brutal inter-ethnic wars. The program operated out of the Pavarotti Music Centre on the East side of Mostar, a divided city in the southwest region of BiH. My journey over the next four years was epically challenged by my immersion into the complexities of post-conflict recovery, and the cultural confusion that followed the atrocities of those wars. Transformation and change not only characterized the world in which I worked, but also …


Matrix And Edge Effects On The Maintenance Of Ecological Function In An Afromontane Protected Area, Robin M. Martino Jan 2015

Matrix And Edge Effects On The Maintenance Of Ecological Function In An Afromontane Protected Area, Robin M. Martino

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Land use type in the human dominated matrix surrounding tropical forest can influence edge effects at the forest-matrix interface. Edge effects can alter ecological processes and impact the function of forest edge ecosystems. A key ecological process that helps maintain tropical forest and is affected by forest disturbance is seed dispersal by large, fruit eating vertebrates (frugivores). This dissertation examines how the type of vegetation in the matrix, the `soft’ edge contrast of pine plantations and the `hard’ edge contrast of tea plantations, affect seed dispersal behavior of large frugivores, and the structure and composition of tree species, in forest …


Leadership For Social Change: Illuminating The Life Of Dr. Helen Caldicott, Leah Hanes Jan 2015

Leadership For Social Change: Illuminating The Life Of Dr. Helen Caldicott, Leah Hanes

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation is a biographical study of the life of Dr. Helen Caldicott that details her life and work over the years from 1997 to 2014. The history of her significant role in the end of the Cold War and her influence in public opinion regarding nuclear power and nuclear arms has been well-documented through many books, films, and articles as well as her own autobiography up to this twenty-year-period. My study will help to fill the gap in her most recent life. In particular, I will explore the impact of her activism on society and her personal life in …


Effects Of Presenting Normative Alcohol Data On Perceptions Of College Drinking Behavior, Cullen Patrick Hardy Jan 2015

Effects Of Presenting Normative Alcohol Data On Perceptions Of College Drinking Behavior, Cullen Patrick Hardy

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Alcohol abuse, often in the form of binge drinking, is a problem that every college campus faces. Many researchers suggest that students believe that their peers drink more alcohol than is actually true, and use such a perception as a justification to drink more alcohol than should be consumed (Perkins, Haines, & Rice, 2005). The purpose of this study is to understand whether presenting normative information on drinking behavior among college students in two different ways (focus on heavy drinking or focus on abstinence) has an effect on the perceptions of drinking behavior.


Character Strengths Of Students At Risk Of Dropping Out Of High School, Sarah Baker Jan 2015

Character Strengths Of Students At Risk Of Dropping Out Of High School, Sarah Baker

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The goal of this study was to determine the participants' perceptions about what strengths at-risk students who follow through and graduate from high school have, using the conceptual framework of positive psychology, and its classification system of virtues and character strengths. To reveal the strengths of these students, this study used a qualitative methodology, interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). In addition, the participants were asked to fill out a Likert scale survey to rate how frequently at-risk students who graduated employed each of the 24 VIA characteristics. The purpose of this study was to add to the under-researched area of identifying …


Servicewomen’S Experiences Of Recovery In The Aftermath Of War: A Qualitative Analysis, Courtney P.R. Glover Jan 2015

Servicewomen’S Experiences Of Recovery In The Aftermath Of War: A Qualitative Analysis, Courtney P.R. Glover

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Military women’s involvement and contributions to the Global War on Terror (GWOT) are unprecedented and, as such, servicewomen are returning home in numbers that far exceed prior conflicts (Street, Vogt, & Dutra, 2009). Addressing and supporting servicewomen’s postdeployment recovery needs—as similar or distinct from their male counterparts—requires a richer understanding of their lives. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology, this study addressed the paucity of in-depth qualitative research devoted to exploring the recovery experiences of servicewomen in the aftermath of combat deployment. Nine servicewomen with GWOT combat deployments were interviewed on this topic using a semi-structured protocol designed to elicit …


Racial/Ethnic Status And Perceived Stigma For Breastfeeding In Public, Nicole I. Medina-Shewey Jan 2015

Racial/Ethnic Status And Perceived Stigma For Breastfeeding In Public, Nicole I. Medina-Shewey

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The World Health Organization recommends babies be exclusively breastfed for at least six months. However, the Centers for Disease Control reported that only 18.8% of American mothers exclusively breastfed their children to six months in 2014. Past studies have indicated that Minority women breastfeed at rates lower than Caucasian women. The current study aimed to determine if perceived stigma associated with breastfeeding in public is a possible factor in this phenomenon. It utilized a hardcopy and online version of a survey that was distributed at Women Infant Children’s (WIC) offices in New Hampshire and online breastfeeding support groups. The sample …


Designing A Data-Tracking System For A Private Therapeutic Day School, Olin J. Bittner Jan 2015

Designing A Data-Tracking System For A Private Therapeutic Day School, Olin J. Bittner

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The Children's Institute on Mercer Island (CHILD) is a private therapeutic day school in the Seattle area serving students in elementary and secondary education. Their stated mission is to "provide innovative school programs and therapies that promote social, emotional and academic development for children with special needs." In the fall of 2012 they engaged in a program evaluation that in many respects resembles a needs assessment in order to explore and improve aspects of their functioning. Through preliminary evaluation processes, including dialogue with CHILD's Leadership Team and a survey of internal stakeholders, an area of interest in student mental health …


Treatment Decision Making In The Postpartum Period: Examining Women’S Preferences And Perspectives, Jenessa Danielle Deleault Jan 2015

Treatment Decision Making In The Postpartum Period: Examining Women’S Preferences And Perspectives, Jenessa Danielle Deleault

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This research study aims to understand the medical decision-making process for new mothers who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, or psychological distress following birth, and understanding their treatment preferences. This study replicates one by Patel and Wisner (2011), and was developed from their suggestions in further research. The goal was to replicate the methodology with a more diverse sample of new mothers. The study reviews recent literature on postpartum depression and anxiety, including, symptoms, etiology, risk factors, the impact on family functioning and child development, as well as the literature on medical decision-making. The Decisional Conflict Scale, the Problem-Solving Decision …


Anna Julia Cooper: A Quintessential Leader, Janice Y. Ferguson Jan 2015

Anna Julia Cooper: A Quintessential Leader, Janice Y. Ferguson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study is a leadership biography which provides, through the lens of Black feminist thought, an alternative view and understanding of the leadership of Black women. Specifically, this analysis highlights ways in which Black women, frequently not identified by the dominant society as leaders, have and can become leaders. Lessons are drawn from the life of Anna Julia Cooper that provides new insights in leadership that heretofore were not evident. Additionally, this research offers provocative recommendations that provide a different perspective of what leadership is among Black women and how that kind of leadership can inform the canon of leadership. …


At The Heart Of The Classroom: Teachers' Experience Of The Suffering And Success Of Students For Whom They Care, Randall Kenyon Bartlett Jr. Jan 2015

At The Heart Of The Classroom: Teachers' Experience Of The Suffering And Success Of Students For Whom They Care, Randall Kenyon Bartlett Jr.

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The core of teaching is the relationship of care between the student and the teacher. A community can be created in the classroom that honors and respects the inherent worth of each individual and through such mutual respect students and teachers can experience success. The suffering and the successes that teachers experience are central to the way they care for their students. There is currently a great deal of focus on education and schooling in the United States and generally this focus ignores the necessity and vitality of the relationship of care. Teachers must daily support and care for students …