Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mapping The Hidden: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Multigenerational Family Secrets, Tracy Oliver

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Family secrets can be a driving force, whether explicitly or implicitly, for many seeking therapy. Despite this, there is little qualitative research examining how individuals experience and make sense of their family secrets. Through this study the researcher examined the phenomenon of family secrets amongst five individuals from different families. Qualitative research using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) along with a Bowen Family Systems Theory approach was used to explore multigenerational family secrets. Purposive sampling was used to select that participants and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. A genogram was also drafted to identify multigenerational relationships and the history of …

Metaphoric Generative Genograms: A Journey To Bring Genograms To Life Through Metaphorical Components, Elisa Garcia

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to offer a greater understanding of the potential of genograms through my clinical work from a Bowen Family Systems lens. I account for how I processed and effectively blended metaphorical components, by examining six cases from my two-year journal entries, of bringing genograms to life in sessions. I also explain how I created a useful tool, the Metaphoric Generative Genogram, that can benefit other clinicians working with children and families in the foster care community.

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Marriage And Family Therapy Students Who Study Bowen Family Systems Theory, And Relating Those Experiences To Concepts Of Differentiation Of Self And Emotional Intelligence: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Tracey-Ann Dushane Spencer

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Bowen Family Systems Theory’s (BFST) concept of differentiation of self has the ability to contribute to the self-development of the therapist, and is considered the technique of this theory (Kerr & Bowen, 1988). Emotional intelligence is an essential skill for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), as it provides the ability to accurately perceive, express, and evaluate emotions in one’s self and others to facilitate thought, and the regulation of emotions in order to enhance emotional and intellectual growth (Salovey & Mayer, 1997). This study explored the lived experiences of Marriage and Family Therapy students who studied BFST and related those …

Balancing Act: Successfully Combining Creativity And Accountability In The Practice Of Marriage And Family Therapy, Nathalie Duque Bello

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The conditions that allowed early MFTs the freedom to creatively explore different interventions and theories of change are no longer available in today’s mental health care system. Although there are many benefits to the structure of managed behavioral healthcare organizations, a thorough review of the literature demonstrates that many therapists working in managed care agencies struggle with maintaining their theoretical creativity, claiming third-party payers’ service requirements and paperwork a barrier to their creativity. A phenomenological transcendental research method was utilized to understand the phenomenon of successfully combining creativity and accountability in the practice of marriage and family therapy from the …

An Appreciative Inquiry Of An Exemplary Hospice Interdisciplinary Group Caring For Individuals With Alzheimer’S Disease, Patricia Ozzie Dixon

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating illness that is the 6th leading cause of death among the elderly. The treatment of Alzheimer’s requires multiple interventions due to the complexity of the disease. The interdisciplinary group (IDG) model of care is considered a best practice for patients’ medical management (Molyneux, 2001). The IDG focuses on a holistic approach, which includes both patients and their caregivers. The IDG in hospice consists of professionals from different clinical disciplines whose collaborative knowledge and skills assist in caring for patients and their families.

This study focused on what works well in an exemplary IDG, using appreciative …

Winter 2015, Department Of Conflict Analysis And Resolution

DCRS on the Move

No abstract provided.

Nsu College Of Arts, Humanities, And Social Sciences (Cahss) 2015–2016 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Technology And Legal Research: What Is Taught And What Is Used In The Practice Of Law, Rebecca Sewanee Trammell

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Law schools are criticized for graduating students who lack the skills necessary to practice law. Legal research is a foundational ability necessary to support lawyering competency. The American Bar Association (ABA) establishes standards for legal education that include a requirement that each law student receive substantial instruction in legal skills, including legal research. Despite the recognized importance of legal research in legal education, there is no consensus of what to teach as part of a legal research course or even how to teach such a course.

Legal educators struggle to address these issues. The practicing bar and judiciary have expressed …

A Study Of Assistive Technology Competencies Of Specialists In Public Schools, Betsy B. Burgos

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.

The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: …

Motivating The Solicited And Unsolicited Sharing Of Tacit Knowledge Through The Process Of Externalization, Sheila Yvonne Sorensen

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

While several U. S. firms have invested in Knowledge Management (KM) tools and software, it has become apparent that investments must be made in additional facets of KM, such as knowledge sharing (KS), thought by many researchers to be the most important component of KM. Of the two types of KS, explicit and tacit, the sharing of tacit knowledge has been shown to contribute the most to an organization’s performance. However, since tacit knowledge is difficult to both convey and acquire, this unshared tacit knowledge may ultimately harm an organization when, without the appropriate knowledge, individuals cannot effectively perform their …

An Investigation Of The Factors Contributing To The Development Of Poorly Defined Is Strategies For Firms In The United States, Karen B. Lacaden

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Although empirical research has shown that a clearly defined information system (IS) strategy has a positive impact to a firm’s performance and a poorly defined IS strategy has a negative impact to a firms’ performance, firms still develop poorly defined IS strategies. Further compounding the problem, research has revealed that 87% of the business executives believe information systems are a critical enabler to their firms' strategic realization, yet only 33% of business executives involve the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in their firm’s business strategy development. The main goal of this research study is to empirically identify factors which impact development …

Determinants Of Intention To Use New Technology: An Investigation Of Students In Higher Education, Yolanda Dupree

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The federal government continues to monitor the cost of paper texts as an essential component of postsecondary education expenses. The Higher Education Act (HEA), which was initially passed in 1965, was created to buttress the educational resources of colleges and universities. Along with addressing the benefits of financial aid in postsecondary and higher education, the act referenced the projected financial burdens of paper texts. The last 2008 reauthorization suggested that colleges and universities develop plans to reduce the costs of college. Congress is currently working to reauthorize the legislation. Based on this information, the problem identified in this study explored …

Implicit Measures And Online Risks, Lucinda W. Wang

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Information systems researchers typically use self-report measures, such as questionnaires to study consumers’ online risk perception. The self-report approach captures the conscious perception of online risk but not the unconscious perception that precedes and dominates human being’s decision-making. A theoretical model in which implicit risk perception precedes explicit risk evaluation is proposed. The research model proposes that implicit risk affects both explicit risk and the attitude towards online purchase. In a direct path, the implicit risk affects attitude towards purchase. In an indirect path, the implicit risk affects explicit risk, which in turn affects attitude towards purchase.

The stimulus used …

The State Of Mobile Learning Implementation In Government Cabinet-Level Agencies And Departments, Algernon B. Corbett

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

As mobile technologies have increasingly become a part of personal and work environments, mobile learning is emerging as a viable alternative for training and education needs. Faced with the need for innovative and cost-efficient ways for training government employees, agencies and departments are considering the use of mobile learning. The availability of a wide range of mobile technology provides many options. Other than the Department of Defense, little is known about implementing mobile learning in United States government cabinet level agencies and departments. A concurrent, mixed methods case study was used to examine how organizations decide to use, implement and …

Well-Being Technologies: Meditation Using Virtual Worlds, Laura Downey

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

In a technologically overloaded world, is it possible to use technology to support well-being activities and enhance human flourishing? Proponents of positive technology and positive computing are striving to answer yes to that question. However, the impact of technology on well-being remains unresolved. Positive technology combines technology and positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on well-being and the science of human flourishing. Positive computing includes an emphasis on designing with well-being in mind as a way to support human potential. User experience (UX) is critical to positive technology and positive computing. UX researchers and practitioners are advocating for experience-driven design and …

An Empirical Investigation Into The Role That Boredom, Relationships, Anxiety, And Gratification (Brag) Play In A Driver’S Decision To Text, Nathan White

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Texting while driving is a growing problem that has serious, and sometimes fatal, consequences. Despite laws enacted to curb this behavior, the problem continues to grow. Discovering factors that can reduce such risky behavior can significantly contribute to research, as well as save lives and reduce property damage. This study developed a model to explore the motivations that cause a driver to send messages. The model evaluates the effects that boredom, social relationships, social anxiety, and social gratification (BRAG) have upon a driver’s frequency of typing text messages. In addition, the perceived severity of the consequences and the presence of …

Doctoral Program In School Psychology Policies And Procedures Handbook 2015-2016, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Master's Programs In Counseling Policies And Procedures Handbook 2015-2016, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

College Of Psychology 2015-2016 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Master's Program In General Psychology Policies And Procedures Handbook, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The Trouble With Truth-Telling: Preliminary Reflections On Truth And Justice In Post-War Liberia, Gabriel Twose Ph.D., Caitlin O. Mahoney Ph.D.

Peace and Conflict Studies

This study investigates perceptions of the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), particularly focusing on understandings of, and the links between, truth, justice, and reconciliation. Forty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted at three research sites in Liberia. Findings indicate that although most Liberians agreed with the TRC in principle, most of those who followed its proceedings saw major problems in its implementation, harming perceptions of reconciliation. Participants expressed concerns that the Commission had failed to discover the full truth of wartime abuses, that the truth that was discovered was not told in the right way, and that there had been problems …

Resiliency Of Multiple-Placed Foster Youth Experiencing Emotional Competence: A Mixed-Methods Study, Audrey Murph-Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to address the resilient processes of multiple placed foster youth to develop age-appropriate emotional competence. Adding texture to the study was the role played by race and culture. Inherent to the study were the voices of successful multiple-placed foster youth. The research attempted to respond to gaps in the literature regarding African American and Hispanic youth placed in foster placements that, if better understood, can positively impact the livelihoods of other multiple-placed foster youth. The minor participants, 10 to 17 years old, selected for this study were no longer wards of the state, having been …

The Development Of A Theoretically-Supported Model Of Resolution For Student Complaints In Higher Education, Laura Garrido

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Conflict in higher education is inevitable and theoretically driven processes in conflict resolution can be employed to help in managing conflict or mediating issues. Students often are not a part of the well thought-out process that may exists in certain institutions, and the way in which conflict is handled could lack theoretical support. In conflict resolution theory, the process to resolve a conflict is often just as important as the outcome. Students may not be fully satisfied with the outcome of a mediation process when a conflict arises. However, if the mediation session was facilitated properly and a student's input …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Sustainable Value And Water Conservation: A Case Study Of Social, Environmental, And Economic Concerns In The Rookery Bay Estuary, Bruce Victor Lilyea

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Stakeholders’ perceptions of social, environmental, and economic concerns in the Rookery Bay Estuary were examined through this research. The purpose of this study was to discover the shared value and common resolution responses for the people of the Rookery Bay area that can extend to other local environmental management scenarios. Using Stakeholder Theory, Rational Choice Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, and Systems Theory as theoretical foundation, the following research questions were considered: RQ1) What are the points of shared value of community stakeholders facing environmental management issues? RQ2) How do the perspectives of the community stakeholders toward the social, environmental, and economic …

Threads And Stitches Of Peace- Understanding What Makes Ghana An Oasis Of Peace?, Hippolyt Akow Saamwan Pul

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Ghana is considered an oasis of peace despite having the same mix of ethno-political competitions for state power and resources; north-south horizontal inequalities; ethno-regional concentrations of Christians and Muslims; highly ethnicised elections; a natural resource dependent economy; and a politically polarized public sphere, among others, that have plunged other countries in Africa into violent and often protracted national conflicts. Use of the conflict paradigm to explain Africa's conflicts glosses over positive deviance cases such as Ghana. This study used the peace paradigm in a mixed method, grounded theory research to examine Ghana's apparent exceptionalism in staving off violent national conflicts. …

Afghan Muslim Male Interpreters And Translators: An Examination Of Their Identity Changes And Lived Experiences During Pre And Post-Immigration To The United States During The Afghanistan War (2003-2012), Michael Tyrone Solomon

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the lived experiences of an Afghan Muslim male participant group. This study explored their immigration from a Southwest-Asian, highly non-secular society to a Western-style, liberal, secular nation-state. Further, this research was an examination of Muslim male identity as an attribute that is closely related to lived experiences, environment and cultural assimilation. Also, this study looked closely at the meanings that this Afghan Muslim male immigrant group attached to identity, as well as exploring their unique narratives during pre-immigration and post-immigration periods. This qualitative research study used narrative methods to unearth the lived experiences of five Afghan Muslim …

Transcending Thresholds: A Phenomenological Study Of How African American Women Working In The Federal Government Experience Professional Development, Betsy A. Kelly Bell

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the professional development experiences of federally employed African American women and to discover whether and how they perceive race and gender as informing their professional development. The researcher used an existential phenomenological approach, guided by the following research questions: what are the professional development experiences of African American women working in the federal government?; what, if any, challenges to professional development have been experienced by this population, and what meaning do they find in those experiences?; and what are the perceptions of this population regarding how social-organizational constructs inform their professional …

A Phenomenological Study Of Notable Family Mediators: An Examination Of Family Mediator Effectiveness, Paula Bell

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This study defined family mediator effectiveness as ‘having a lasting positive impact on parties after mediation has concluded’. The purpose of this research was to uncover the nuances that give some family mediators effectiveness. This study used Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology as presented in the book, Idea: General introduction to pure phenomenology (Husserl 1962/1913). Since this was a phenomenological study, advanced family mediators shared their lived experience to provide valuable information. Participants for this study were selected for their family mediation experience. A group of 18 advanced family mediators who had at least 15 years of experience and at least 75 …

Constructing Development: A Caribbean-Centered Approach For Security And Growth, Paula Lynne Lockhart

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

For a long time, the Caribbean has experienced underdevelopment even as there have been improvements in living standards. A region is directly linked to the wider global system with historical significances spanning much of the globe, it is important to address this “mis-development” phenomenon in order to advance development that can sustain human security and peace. The case study method employed in this dissertation allowed the opportunity to assess the progress of the issue of peace and development as it occurs across the region. This study tests the development outcome of a number of cases in light of the Millennium …

The Fake Bad Scale: Malingering Or Litigation Response Syndrome -- Which Is It?, David S. Nichols, Carlton S. Gass

Archives of Assessment Psychology

This report examines the similarity of items on the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF versions of the Lees-Haley, et al. (1991) Symptom Validity (formerly Fake Bad) Scale (FBS; FBS-r) with emotional and somatic symptoms described in an earlier article by Lees-Haley as credible stress reactions to litigation involvement: the Litigation Response Syndrome (Lees-Haley, 1988). Substantial overlap was found between the FBS items and these earlier symptom descriptions, with a majority of the litigation-based stress items found on both the FBS and FBS-r. The probable impact of credible symptom reporting on FBS/FBS-r scores in personal injury litigation is discussed.