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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Parents’ Perceptions Of Change On Child And Parent Outcomes In Response To A Disability Responsive Adaptation Of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, Elizabeth Francoise Parr-Comeaux Jan 2023

Parents’ Perceptions Of Change On Child And Parent Outcomes In Response To A Disability Responsive Adaptation Of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, Elizabeth Francoise Parr-Comeaux

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently exhibit behavioral problems such as tantrums or aggression, and parents of children with ASD experience disempowerment and anxiety relating to their children. Child–parent relationship therapy (CPRT) is a parent-mediated, attachment-based, and parent-involved parent training program with demonstrated efficacy as a treatment for children with externalizing problems (e.g., defiance and aggression). Adaptations to CPRT have demonstrated effectiveness in decreasing children’s problem behaviors and decreasing parenting stress in the parent–child dyad with toddlers, preadolescents, and adoptive families. However, no disability responsive adaptation (DRA) of CPRT has been implemented involving parents of young children with ASD …


The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mental Health Well-Being Among Staff Of A Domestic Violence Shelter, Tonisia Lynette Brown-Cotten Dec 2022

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mental Health Well-Being Among Staff Of A Domestic Violence Shelter, Tonisia Lynette Brown-Cotten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitatively study via the Case Study approach was to recognize the impact that coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had on the mental health of randomly selected female domestic violence shelters’ board members, staff, volunteers, and counselors and therapists. To guide this study, the theory of integrating existing knowledge of a topic generated an in-depth, multi-faceted understanding of a complex issue. The case study aimed to answer how COVID-19 impacted higher levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the female gender. The study focused on the experiences of vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress (STT), compassion …


A Phenomenological Study On Church Leaders' Perspective Of Internet Church As A Biblical Community, Jason Lavon Rankin Dec 2022

A Phenomenological Study On Church Leaders' Perspective Of Internet Church As A Biblical Community, Jason Lavon Rankin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current events and relatively recent technological developments have caused and significantly increased the use of digital technology in most aspects of life. The digital revolution, as some have termed it, has permeated all organizations, from businesses to institutions of higher learning, including religious institutions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine Christian church leaders’ perspectives on whether the internet church fulfills the biblical and theological definitions of the church or biblical community. At this stage in the research internet church, also known as online church, e-church, virtual church, etc., is defined as a group of people with shared …


What’S Sparking The Madness? Exploration Of Social Media Possibly Influencing Aggression Amongst Online Users, Tia Porterfield Dec 2022

What’S Sparking The Madness? Exploration Of Social Media Possibly Influencing Aggression Amongst Online Users, Tia Porterfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to address the research gap regarding social media platforms having a possible influence when provoking experiences of internal (i.e., emotions/feelings and cognitions) and/or external (i.e., behaviors) forms of aggression and problematic internet use in their online community members. A brief examination of the aggression-frustration hypothesis will construct a foundational theoretical framework of the emotional and behavioral processes that may occur in users while utilizing their preferred social media platform. Recent peer- reviewed literature will be examined to highlight the existing research gap. The present study will attempt to explore possible explanations behind users’ motives …


Predictors Of Online Faculty's Organizational Commitment, Anna Carroll Stevens Dec 2022

Predictors Of Online Faculty's Organizational Commitment, Anna Carroll Stevens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Online higher education is a booming industry; however, concerns have been voiced about the quality of online education. As a significant participant in the online environment, the online faculty member plays an essential role in the delivery of quality online education. Yet, research on online faculty and their experience is limited. With high turnover rates and the quality of online education coming into question, this mixed methods study sought to gain a more in-depth understanding of the predictors of online faculty’s organizational commitment. The delivery method of faculty’s previous educational experience as a student, their highest earned degree, employee status, …


It’S The Trauma Talking: A Phenomenology Of Foster Parents’ Trauma Knowledge In Central Virginia, Stephanie Lynn Cheek Dec 2022

It’S The Trauma Talking: A Phenomenology Of Foster Parents’ Trauma Knowledge In Central Virginia, Stephanie Lynn Cheek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe foster parents’ trauma knowledge in Central Virginia. The theories guiding this study include childhood complex trauma theory and experiential learning theory (ELT). As discussed by Herman (1992) and Terr (1991), childhood complex trauma theory explains the behaviors and actions of foster children who have suffered complex trauma. As discussed by Kolb (2014), ELT explains the processes that foster parents go through in gaining and applying trauma knowledge to their fostering. The central research question is, how do foster parents in Central Virginia describe their trauma knowledge? Further research questions include, how …


The Role Of Evangelical Beliefs In The Attainment Of Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Sandra Jean Mcmillan Dec 2022

The Role Of Evangelical Beliefs In The Attainment Of Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Sandra Jean Mcmillan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a post-trauma outcome that is extraordinarily complex due to the many subjective aspects and various emerging models regarding the mechanisms leading to it. Studies have led to traditional models of PTG; however, some special populations have limited data regarding factors leading to PTG. Adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) are a distinct population due to the unique sequela emerging from CSA. Religious or spiritual growth is a recognized domain that has been shown to predict PTG; however, no study to date has examined Evangelical Protestant beliefs in relation to PTG among adults with a history …


The Lived Experiences Of Intercultural Couples' Attachment To Their Respective Culture And Its Influence On The Success Or Dissolution Of Their Marriages, Emmanuella Etienne Denis Dec 2022

The Lived Experiences Of Intercultural Couples' Attachment To Their Respective Culture And Its Influence On The Success Or Dissolution Of Their Marriages, Emmanuella Etienne Denis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of intercultural couples’ devotion to their cultures and how it influenced the success or dissolution of their marriages. The theories guiding this study included cultural attachment and intersubjectivity. The cultural attachment theory helps couples explore their childhood experiences because not all attachment is solid and dependable. Intersubjectivity theory suggests that every person is influenced by their friends, family members, and surrounding culture. Worldwide, when couples enter a relationship straying away from their culture instead of staying connected to their native culture, intercultural couples face a dilemma. However, when …


A Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Christian Mothers Navigating Through Societal Worldviews And Social Movements, Holly Amber Neavitt Dec 2022

A Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Christian Mothers Navigating Through Societal Worldviews And Social Movements, Holly Amber Neavitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study will investigate the lived experiences of Christian mothers as they navigate through various societal worldviews and influences. By examining the available studies on the misuse of Christian doctrine that facilitate the patriarchal worldview and the feminist movement to abolish faith-based gender assignment, the need to investigate the experiences of Christian mothers will be identified. Moreover, the burden of social conformity will be examined. Motherhood can feel like unfamiliar territory as mothers take on their role of motherhood. Investigating these influences and identifying the common experiences mothers face will help to better support Christian mothers. Investigating these lived experiences …


Examining Belief In Prayer, Frequency Of Prayer, Prayer Types, And Level Of Stress In A Sample Of African American Adults, Katina C. Pittman Dec 2022

Examining Belief In Prayer, Frequency Of Prayer, Prayer Types, And Level Of Stress In A Sample Of African American Adults, Katina C. Pittman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African Americans face many stressors in their daily lives, including financial difficulties, crime and safety issues, perceived racism or discrimination, and physical health issues. Many African Americans use prayer to cope with stress. This study explored African American adults' belief in the efficacy of prayer, frequency of prayer, prayer types (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, and reception), and their association with stress levels. The theoretical frameworks used for this study were Pargament’s theory of religious coping, cognitive stress theory, and Vroom’s expectancy theory. This quantitative study used a cross-sectional survey design intending to provide counselors with information regarding prayer as a …


Phenomenological Study On Use Of Sports And Exercise For Veterans With Ptsd, Hope Angelina Torres Dec 2022

Phenomenological Study On Use Of Sports And Exercise For Veterans With Ptsd, Hope Angelina Torres

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological research was intended to explore the effectiveness of sports and exercise to decrease or manage D-PTSD symptoms in veterans. The study was framed around four research questions: How do veterans describe the impact sports and exercise have on their D- PTSD?, When there are PTSD symptoms being experienced prior to engaging in a sport or exercise, how does the veteran feel after the sport or exercise is completed?, What do veterans describe as the primary catalyst that draws them to engage in combative sports?, What is the holistic connectedness with sports and exercise for veterans with D- PTSD …


American Policy Discourses On China: Two Centuries Of National Imagination And Constructed Reality, Yan Chang Bennett Dec 2022

American Policy Discourses On China: Two Centuries Of National Imagination And Constructed Reality, Yan Chang Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), the United States government has declared that the world is at an inflection point in which there are tremendous challenges that the American people face with regard to their collective continuing security and prosperity. One of those challenges that the Biden administration has identified is the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which, according to the NSS, “harbors the intention and increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order in favor of one that tilts the global field to its benefit.” As the administration believes, The PRC threatens the U.S.-led …


Drug Evaluation And Classification Program: An Evaluation And Validation Study In The State Of Florida, Micah Moore Dec 2022

Drug Evaluation And Classification Program: An Evaluation And Validation Study In The State Of Florida, Micah Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the past several decades, the fatality rates in traffic crashes related to drug-impaired driving have increased significantly. Specialized law enforcement officers are currently being deployed to help reduce the number of drug-related traffic crash fatalities and identify drugged impaired drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) developed the drug evaluation and classification program (DECP) to certify law enforcement officers as drug recognition experts (DREs). An evaluation and validation study was conducted on the DECP in Florida. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the DECP in Florida to …


Marital Satisfaction And Attachment Style: The Mediating Role Of Emotional Intelligence And Religious Commitment, Denise Dos Santos Moitinho Dec 2022

Marital Satisfaction And Attachment Style: The Mediating Role Of Emotional Intelligence And Religious Commitment, Denise Dos Santos Moitinho

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Most couples enter marriage hoping to experience happiness and satisfaction. This study acknowledges that spouses bring their worldviews, personalities, behaviors, and emotions to the marriage relationship, and for this reason, this study investigates the connection between marital satisfaction and attachment style as mediated by emotional intelligence and religious commitment in a sample of heterosexual married Christian individuals living in the United States. This quantitative, non-experimental, survey-based research analyzes data collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk from 530 married individuals to understand the relationship between variables affecting marital satisfaction. Results from Pearson’s correlation analyses show a significant relationship between attachment style subscales …


Who Cares? Suicide And Christian Pastoral Intervention, Debra Kay Averitt Dec 2022

Who Cares? Suicide And Christian Pastoral Intervention, Debra Kay Averitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The fallen world we live in presents challenges that often seem too much to bear. How we view those challenges depends not only on our worldview but also on our interpretation of it. These same beliefs help determine if, when, and to whom we go for help. Beliefs and worldviews also drive those who provide help, making the decision of who to see that much more important. This study addresses the dispute between pastoral and secular counseling—Who is better prepared to treat individuals presenting with severe distress? In essence, this quantitative survey is a letter to the churches asking pastors …


The Relationship Between Young Adult Attachment And Loneliness Factors With Their Childhood Social Media Usage Patterns, Kenneth Walter Mark Dec 2022

The Relationship Between Young Adult Attachment And Loneliness Factors With Their Childhood Social Media Usage Patterns, Kenneth Walter Mark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media use has become an integral and often ignored part of children’s lives because it is rationalized not to be detrimental to their future development. However, childhood social media use was associated with insecure attachment styles and possible loneliness issues emerging in young adulthood. Past research examined social media use and secular attachment in the present only, without examining spiritual attachment or loneliness levels. This is the first research study to explore longitudinally the relationship between past childhood social media use and current young adult (aged 18-24) secular attachment, spiritual attachment, and loneliness levels. The population (N = 149) …


Teacher Retention Crisis After Natural Disaster Trauma And A Global Pandemic, Kimberly Marie Jarrard Dec 2022

Teacher Retention Crisis After Natural Disaster Trauma And A Global Pandemic, Kimberly Marie Jarrard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Natural disasters affect the communities of over one million students and educators in the United States every year; however, school-based preparedness and prevention programs are nearly non-existent across disaster-prone areas. School-based trauma intervention programs are somewhat present in schools; however, it is more expensive and at a cost, and most public school systems do not have funds readily available to spend. However, the price is more significant on the adolescents' and educators' mental health and communities affected when they are only treated reactively rather than proactively. There are many studies on the results and after-effects of trauma on the mental …


The Correlates Of Right-Wing Extremism, Michael Damian Tucker Dec 2022

The Correlates Of Right-Wing Extremism, Michael Damian Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research into the correlates of right-wing extremism has been focused on the group level, mainly ignoring the individual right-wing extremist behaviors, characteristics, and traits. Although group milieu strongly affects the ideology of individuals, personal decisions making often comes from a combination of unique experiences, cognitive abilities and biases, and differences in individual traits. This biographical study aimed to examine the life course events of twenty-five individual right-wing extremists identifying common biological and circumstantial correlates among and between the subjects. By analyzing the different correlates, this study created a matrix that identifies the correlates for significance. The results of the analysis …


Sports Podcast Consumption: A Qualitative Media Content Analysis, Eric Philip Thomas Dec 2022

Sports Podcast Consumption: A Qualitative Media Content Analysis, Eric Philip Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objective of this research is to identify the elements of a podcast production that foster and facilitate audience gratifications. The Uses and Gratifications Theory posits that consumers of media seek out desired content to fulfill their needs or gratifications. This qualitative media content analysis researches gratifications derived from sports podcast consumption by analyzing fifteen podcasts in three different categories: high-ranking, medium-ranking, and low-ranking. Through the qualitative content analysis of over 54 hours of podcast content, the emergence of four structural content elements that seem to foster and facilitate audience gratifications were identified. The implications of the findings of this …


African American Male Pastors’ Perceptions Of Managing Racism As Black Men And Spiritual Leaders, Priscilla Lenora Miles Dec 2022

African American Male Pastors’ Perceptions Of Managing Racism As Black Men And Spiritual Leaders, Priscilla Lenora Miles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this psychological phenomenological study was to give African American pastors a platform to express their perceptions of racism as Black men and spiritual leaders. The appropriate relationships can endure unforeseen trauma with Erickson's (2013) recognition of the dependability and reliability of the scriptures, as well as Bowlby's (1969/1982) concept of pastors' attachments fostering trust. The research questions were as follows: How would African American pastors describe the challenges they face when addressing the issue of racism with their congregations? What strategies would African American pastors encourage to congregates when addressing racism? How would African American pastors describe …


Utilizing Resilience And Persistence Strategies To Reduce African American Doctoral Attrition, Dudley Davis Dec 2022

Utilizing Resilience And Persistence Strategies To Reduce African American Doctoral Attrition, Dudley Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the attrition rate of African American doctoral students and how to improve their retention and graduation using resilience and persistence. Across all disciplines, 40–60% of students who began doctoral programs did not persist to graduation (Falconer & Djokic, 2019; Mirick & Wladkowski, 2020). A semi-structured interview format was used to collect the data from 27 African American participants, 20 females and 7 males, who had already obtained their doctoral degrees. The study sought to explain the phenomenon of African American doctoral students who persevered to finish their degree, in spite …


The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Law Enforcement Protocols In Middle Appalachian States, Timothy W. Roberts Dec 2022

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Law Enforcement Protocols In Middle Appalachian States, Timothy W. Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the operational procedures of law enforcement organizations across the United States. The COVID-19 virus has forced police administrators to rethink strategies and procedures dealing with law enforcement’s multiple functions and roles in society. The pandemic is causing unprecedented challenges for law enforcement administrators to balance the organization’s priorities and the safety of officers under their command. The police functions are adapting to include personal protection to prevent the spread of the virus among the law enforcement community. This multiple case qualitative study aimed to show the immediate operational changes in law enforcement since the start …


Exploring The Impact Of Generational Trauma On Mother-Daughter Relationships With An Emphasis On The African American Community, Bernadette Denise Ward Dec 2022

Exploring The Impact Of Generational Trauma On Mother-Daughter Relationships With An Emphasis On The African American Community, Bernadette Denise Ward

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In many communities the mother-daughter relationship is not only vital in the younger years but also in the teen and young adult years. Several studies have explored a mother’s influence on her daughter’s views of the self, others, and the world in general. The mother-daughter relationship does not only impact personal morals and values but also the types of relationships the daughters gravitate to. In the African American community, many of the mother-daughter relationships are known to be similar in nature and/or dynamics throughout generations. Relationships that are tainted or known as toxic also seem to cycle throughout several generations. …


Addressing The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Of Adults Through The Pastoral Counseling Ministry Of Victory Church, Joseph Randall Tapp Dec 2022

Addressing The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Of Adults Through The Pastoral Counseling Ministry Of Victory Church, Joseph Randall Tapp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dr. Vincent Filetti's landmark 1998 study exposed the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on children and adults. His analysis determined that childhood traumatic experiences could strongly correlate to serious health issues in adults. Exposure to childhood adversity has been shown to correlate not only with mental health issues such as depression, suicide, and substance abuse but also with chronic, life-threatening health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and immune system issues. This DMin study aims to address the impact of ACEs on adult clients of the pastoral counseling ministry of Victory Church, a large non-denominational Christian church located …


Mental Health Implications Of Isolation During Hospitalization For Covid-19: Self-Perceived Variations In Emotion, Rebekah Ruth Jones Dec 2022

Mental Health Implications Of Isolation During Hospitalization For Covid-19: Self-Perceived Variations In Emotion, Rebekah Ruth Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Forced isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous mental health consequences. Individuals who have required hospitalization due to contracting the illness are at an increased risk of developing potentially harmful mental health concerns resulting from the emotional distress of forced isolation. Families separated from one another experience anxiety and fear due to helplessness fostered by the separation. Furthermore, medical caretakers are placed in the position to make life-altering decisions for their patients, increasing their stress and anxiety levels. Therefore, it is imperative that hospitals provide adequate mental health support for patients and their family members. Furthermore, communities …


Organizational Factors Influencing Campus Law Enforcement Agencies Belonging To Professional Accrediting Bodies, Jamie Adam Gauthier Dec 2022

Organizational Factors Influencing Campus Law Enforcement Agencies Belonging To Professional Accrediting Bodies, Jamie Adam Gauthier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Accreditation in campus law enforcement agencies is considered a modality of professionalism in the industry. The use of accreditation requires a voluntary approach to implement industry standards, policies, procedures, and best practices, while being scrutinized by an accreditation team. Law enforcement leaders frequently review a management strategy to professionalize the policing industry, although, without accreditation in place, the methodology is based on prior trial and errors of the past. Using a quantitative nonexperimental research design, this study aims to examine the implementation of accreditation within campus law enforcement agencies. With a nationally representative sample, a research question addressing the factors …


Understanding Foster Care Elopement And Impact On Well-Being: A Phenomenological Study, Dana Monette Hart-Raynor Dec 2022

Understanding Foster Care Elopement And Impact On Well-Being: A Phenomenological Study, Dana Monette Hart-Raynor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how elopement behaviors impacted short- and long-term well-being and daily functioning of older youth participating in North Carolina’s Foster Care 18 to 21 Program and foster care alumni in North Carolina. The theories guiding this research study were Bowlby’s attachment theory, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Fragmented relationships with foster caregivers were intensified with frequent elopement behaviors and problematic interpersonal relationships continued to manifest after foster care exiting. Fostered youth, their caregivers, child welfare professionals, and the community-at-large were impacted by the youth’s decision to elope. The …


Prayer: The Effect It Has On Decreasing Marital Conflict With Heterosexual Couples, Michelle Corbett Brown Dec 2022

Prayer: The Effect It Has On Decreasing Marital Conflict With Heterosexual Couples, Michelle Corbett Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is not much research that shows whether prayer has a positive or negative effect on marital conflict; and which type of prayer is better at combatting marital conflict. The purpose of this quantitative study is to unveil the independent variables (IVs): religious strategies and prayer types that interact positively with the dependent variable (DV), marital conflict, in decreasing the marital conflict with heterosexual couples. The researcher created one survey to include questions from the Behavioral Religiosity Scale, Kansas Marital Conflict Scale, Poloma and Pendleton’s Prayer Types, and Prayer for Partner Measure for participants to answer. A sample size …


Tanf Work Policy Influences On Family Behaviors And Child Development, Robert William Sturgill Jr Dec 2022

Tanf Work Policy Influences On Family Behaviors And Child Development, Robert William Sturgill Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There has been a lack of research on how work participation policies have impacted child development through their influences on family decisions. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the perspectives of families toward TANF work participation policies, discover how those policies have influenced family behaviors, and analyze how those policy-behavior phenomena have impacted child development. First, the literature review showed that families with chronic welfare dependency had negative impacts on child development. The research showed that when TANF work participation policies were unenforced or income limits were too low, some recipients worked less and persisted in …


Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Exploring The Crisis Of Faith Process Of Former Members Of The Cjlds Within The United States, Kent Taylor Critchlow Dec 2022

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Exploring The Crisis Of Faith Process Of Former Members Of The Cjlds Within The United States, Kent Taylor Critchlow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians are experiencing a crisis of religious faith throughout the United States at an alarming rate, especially among millennials. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there were 20 primary and secondary reasons that created a crisis of religious faith and there were 13 reasons that motivated each participant to eventually abandon their Church membership. Over 80% of the reasons why the participants left the Church were directly and indirectly tied to the Prophet Joseph Smith and to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. The use of the Internet played a significant role in expediting …