Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Examination Of Perceptions Of Strangers' Trustworthiness: A Comparison Of Religious Beliefs, Angelia Theresa Hogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When Panikkar wrote that the “meeting of religions is an inescapable fact of today,” he was describing the very premise of this study. The continual social interactions between people of different faiths and beliefs require an understanding of both perceptions and prejudices in order to help foster trust and cooperation in a global setting. The availability of current data on unimpeded and immediate perceptions of the social trustworthiness of a photographed face on the part of people of different religious beliefs is sorely lacking. This study examined whether people with six different religious affiliations assigned different levels of trustworthiness to …

Designing A Grief Intervention To Address The Religious Problem Of Evil, Charles Lee Burris Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian fellowships should have grief ministries. The problem is the Greater Morning Star Baptist Church lacks a clear and practical intervention to support adult congregants coping with grief. The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to equip adult congregants of the Greater Morning Star Baptist Church through a biblically designed grief curriculum that provided training and encouragement to improve quality of life. This DMIN action research project applied qualitative and quantitative methods that included a pre-grief curriculum interview, a pre-grief curriculum survey, a post-grief curriculum focus group, and test assessments (pre-grief curriculum, mid-grief curriculum, and post-grief curriculum) for …

A Phenomenology Of High School Educators’ Experiences Teaching Students With Traumatic Backgrounds In South Carolina, Amanda R. Eron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe educators’ lived experiences teaching high school students who have experienced trauma in South Carolina. This study focused on the following central research question: How do educators describe their lived experiences teaching high school students who have experienced trauma in South Carolina? The study explores three research sub-questions: (1) How do educators describe and understand the complex demands they experience and the available resources they have within their classroom, schools, and school district? (2) How do educators describe their experience with trauma-related training or education? (3) How do educators describe their …

Childhood Trauma And Adult Psychological Disorders: A Case Study, Jessica Marie Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma including experiences of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to violence has been widely recognized as a significant risk factor for the development of psychological disorders in adulthood. Such early life adversities can disrupt emotional, cognitive, and social development which can contribute to long-term mental health challenges. This qualitative study aimed to explore and understand how childhood trauma influenced adult psychological disorders, not only by examining direct impacts but also by identifying perceived moderating factors that shaped incarcerated individuals’ outcomes. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research investigated the lived experiences of adult incarcerated males …

The Relationship Between Hr Practices And Employee Engagement: Mediating Role Of Perceived Organizational Support Across Job Classifications, Mike Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employee engagement is critical for organizational success, but recent trends have shown it to be in decline. This has prompted the need for more research into the antecedents that drive overall employee engagement levels. Grounded in perceived organizational support theory, job demands-resources theory, social exchange theory, and goal setting theory, this quantitative study examined the relationship of HR practices on employee engagement while exploring the mediating effect of perceived organizational support and the moderating effect of job classification. Responses from 180 participants were collected via an anonymous online survey comprised of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, HR Practices Perception Questionnaire, …

Effects Of Deployments On Military Families: A Phenomenological Study, Joseph E. Hensley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An emerging area of focus in the military sub-culture is the phenomenon of secondary stress experienced by military spouses and children due to high-tempo operational rates of the military member. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a greater understanding of what factors are at play and possibly influencing military members and their families in avoiding deployment resources that could assist them in preventing secondary stress. The central research questions were designed to assess whether connections between the secondary stress that military families experience (due to the deployment cycle) were instigated by a lack of awareness or a …

Lived Experiences Of Adoptive Mothers Who Dissolved Their Adoption Of A Child: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Aimee Moore Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis research study was to understand the lived experiences of adoptive mothers in the United States who had relinquished their parental rights and legally dissolved their adoption of a child. The theory guiding this study was the theory of being and time. Through the theory of being and time, each adoptive mother was viewed holistically, as inseparable from her personal history, her current state of being, and her interpretations of space and time. This interpretative phenomenological analysis utilized Internet-based, in-depth, individual interviews of adoptive mothers to answer the question: How do adoptive mothers in …

The Emotional Residue Of Elementary: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Elementary School Counselors With Students Exhibiting High-Risk Suicidal Thoughts Or Behaviors, Katlyn Greene Kegley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the prevalence of high-risk suicidal thoughts and behaviors in elementary school children in Virginia, and how these incidents impacted their elementary school counselor. It examined the professional and personal impact that high-risk suicide events with elementary school students have on their elementary school counselor. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. After data analysis, four themes emerged: the counselor’s role and identity (advocacy, compartmentalization, risk assessment and safety planning, and focus on relationships); confidentiality (protecting student’s information and pressure to maintain); transformative experiences (clinical versus school counseling backgrounds, vigilance, mental health impact, and changes to school counseling …

An Analysis Of Burnout Among Mental Health Practitioners By Types Of Work, An Examination Of Differences By Religious Affiliation And Personal Time Off As Coping Strategies, Kenzi Turpin-Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout influences turnover, job satisfaction, and quality of life of employees across various occupations. Mental health practitioners are considered a high-risk population for burnout because of demanding work conditions, but little research exists exploring the differences in this population by type of work, religious affiliation, and time-off. Most current research on burnout focuses on individual types of work and lacks a comprehensive approach to the population. This study examined whether there were differences in the level of burnout among mental health practitioners based on religious affiliation, time off, and type of work. This study distributed a voluntary survey, which included …

The Invisible Struggle: Exploring The Experiences Of African American Women Diagnosed With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Pcos) And Their Interactions With Healthcare Providers, Trulissa L. Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of African American women diagnosed with PCOS, focusing on their interactions with medical providers, perception of healthcare, and overall well-being. The cultural competence framework guided this study, and the patient-centered care model is a theory that operated within the broader cultural competence framework. The cultural competence framework and patient-centered care model took into consideration the systemic and individual issues that affect African American women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This study examined the difficulties African American women diagnosed with PCOS faced in healthcare, as well as their mental …

Domestic Violence Survivors And Resiliency: An Investigation Of Belief In God And Faith Factors Impacting Survivors’ Ability To Leave And Thrive Post-Violence, Sherry A. Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose [KC1.1]of this phenomenological study is to describe the role of faith in the process of leaving an abusive relationship for IPV survivors who believe in God from MA. The theories guiding the study include the survival theory of DV created by Gondolf and Fisher (1988), which believes victims of DV as survivors who most times do desire and seek help and should not be viewed as passive victims. Further, resilience theory builds on survival theory, which will guide the inquiry regarding resiliency. Survival theory and resilience theory both view survivors of DV not as helpless victims but as …

Christian Leadership In The Information Age: Has Unlimited Access To Information Influenced Truth, Robert J. Houk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to understand and explore what influences and effects, if any, may be identified as church leaders interact with congregants that have been exposed to a wide array of information in pursuit of truth obtained from various sources. At this stage in the research, the Information Age is being examined to determine if it has had any influence on the pursuit of truth as people seek answers to life's fundamental questions. Previous research had identified growing changes within young people’s beliefs as they sought higher education thus leading to a decline in enrollment …

The Mental Health Of Latino Immigrants, Brenda Gallardo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study explores the daily challenges, coping strategies, and mental health outcomes of undocumented adult Latino immigrants currently residing in the United States of America. The purpose of the research was to address the critical gap in scientific literature regarding the mental health of Latino immigrants residing in the United States. The healthy immigrant effect theory guided the study, which posits that immigrants' health declines the longer they live in a foreign country. Data collection occurred through a qualitative case study design using the first-hand accounts from 18 Latino immigrants residing in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Each participant …

Brainspotting And The Strong Black Woman Schema: A Pretest–Posttest Study On Psychological Wellness, Iiesha Lasha Ricks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black women in the United States experience disproportionate health disparities resulting from the intersecting effects of racism and sexism. Although researchers widely acknowledge these disparities, they have given less attention to how race- and gender-based oppression affect mental health outcomes. Brainspotting (BSP) is a trauma-informed approach emphasizing clinician attunement and a nonjudgmental space for processing distress. While BSP has shown promise with diverse populations, few studies have specifically examined its use with adult Black American women. This quantitative pretest–posttest study investigated the efficacy of BSP in improving psychological wellness among Black women and whether endorsement of the Strong Black Woman …

Corrections Ministry: Leading By Serving County Level Incarcerated Women’S Practical Needs Through The High School Equivalency Test, Jeri Lea O'Neill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research study explored one possible way that corrections ministry leaders and teams may impactfully serve incarcerated women exemplifying Jesus’s servant leadership and earthly ministry model. In this regard, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to evaluate if a relationship exists between High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) attainment and reentry success of women incarcerated at a large southeastern United States county corrections complex.

The study covered an eight-year timeframe from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2024. The total population entailed 6,599 incarcerated women of which the sample was 2,901. The study assessed the reentry success of incarcerated …

Leveraging Technology To Enhance Caregiver Competency In Aba Treatment: Reducing Barriers To Learning Through Qr Codes & Inquiry, Edward Bonacci

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple‑case study is to explore how linking quick‑response (QR) codes (IV) to parent‑focused digital resources shapes caregivers’ experiences and perceived competence (DV) in implementing compassionate applied behavior analytic (ABA) procedures for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in various settings. Anchored in a constructivist paradigm and pragmatic theory, the study aimed to understand how immediate, technology‑based instructional supports aided skill acquisition and independent engagement during parent training. The central research question aims to understand how parents and caregivers construct meaning around the use of a streamlined platform while learning and applying ABA strategies, perceived accessibility, …

Church Hurt: A Phenomenology Of The Lived Experience Of African American Christians, Danny Streeter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta who have experienced church hurt in the Black Church. The theory guiding this study was Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which consists of five levels of needs: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. This study addressed the following research questions: How do African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta describe their experience with church hurt in the Black Church? How do African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta describe their relationship with the church after their church-hurt experience? How do …

Play, Instruct, Lead: Investigating The Influence Observing Same-Gender Role Models Has On Leadership Development Of Collegiate Women Student-Athletes Coaching At Youth Sports Camps: A Phenomenological Study, Mercy-Nora Osei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how observing same-gender role models influenced the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes (CWSA) when coaching at youth sports camps (YSC) at NCAA institution campuses in the United States. The theory that guided this study was Albert Bandura’s theory on social learning, as it explained the relationship between observational learning and the influence role modeling had on leadership development. The central question was: How does observing same-gender role models influence the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes when coaching at youth sports camps? This study used a transcendental phenomenological design to …

Infotainment And Youth Political Perceptions In Pakistan: A Qualitative Uses And Gratifications Study, Sara Anwar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research presents the problem of infotainment as a media genre and its contribution to the political perceptions, civic behavior, and cultural attitudes of youth in Pakistan. The uses and gratifications theory, situated within the sociopsychological tradition and the transmission model of communication formed the basis of the research where the integration of information and entertainment was viewed as a process that changes the political awareness among the youth. A qualitative exploratory research design was utilized. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with students at the university who participated in the study because of purposive selection. NVivo software was used to …

Dance Movement For Wounded Warriors With Mental Health Diagnoses: A Phenomenology, Amelia Ann Forsmo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to understand how dance movement can improve the psychological health of military veterans who are experiencing a mental health disorder such as posttraumatic stress disorder. The theories guiding this study are Carl Rogers’ humanistic perspective, Schlossberg’s transition theory, and the post-traumatic growth theory. A purposive sample of 12 to 15 veterans will be selected for participation in this study. Each veteran will have different military backgrounds, various battle wounds, and unique experiences with dance movement or dance movement therapy. For this reason, these perspectives allow each participant to be prioritized and heard. …

A Pilot Study Of Life Model Informed Therapy And Its Efficacy For Reducing Anxiety And Increasing Joy In Adults, William R. Mouer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This pilot study researched Life Model Informed Therapy (LMIT), a modality developed into a six-week treatment targeted to decrease anxiety and increase joy in adults that self-reported as having anxiety. Fourteen participants were recruited by Facebook ads in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Outcome data were collected using the State Joy Scale (SJS) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Participants received the same LMIT treatment for six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions. Participants self-reported on their joy and anxiety levels at three periods of time, including a pre-treatment, post-treatment and one month after-treatment test. Two one-way RM-ANOVA tests were conducted. Results of …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Who Pastor Men In The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Karen En Bailey Garrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological research project will explore the lived experiences of Black women pastoring at least three (3) who are not genetically related, weekly attending male congregants in the historically patriarchal culture of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church with a minimum of at least one hundred (100) weekly attendees or more, and actively ordained. The CME Church has traditionally believed that the Bible prohibits women from serving as pastors or in any position of control over men. In four previous studies, Harden (2023), Morgan (2024), Tribble (2005), and Williams (2024) found that female pastors encountered obstacles throughout their journey …

Exploring The Experience Of East African Immigrants With Accents In Michigan Mental Health Counseling, Ermias Kebede Tessema

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of East African immigrants with accented English in Michigan mental health counseling context. The purpose was to understand how accented speech shaped communication, emotional safety, and therapeutic connection between clients and counselors. Grounded in B.F. Skinner’s theory of language learning, along with the language transfer and critical period hypothesis frameworks, the study employed semi-structured interviews with ten East African immigrant adults who had received mental health counseling in Michigan. Data analysis produced five overarching themes: (1) Accent as a Communication Barrier, (2) Counselor’s Cultural Competence, (3) Emotional Experience of Counseling with an …

Experiences Of Attachment And Childhood Sexual Abuse In Transgender Adults, Kimberly M. Langford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the experiences transgender adults have with attachment and childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The theory guiding this study is John Bowlby’s attachment theory, as secure attachment has the potential to act as a buffer against increased risks in cases where histories of CSA have occurred. Patterns of insecure and disorganized attachment are found at higher percentages within the transgender and gender dysphoric population than the cisgender population when a history of CSA is present. Research was needed to further explore and better understand the transgender population’s experiences of attachment and CSA with …

Overcoming Fragmented Implementation: Leadership Insights Toward A Standardized Framework For Generative Ai Adoption In Enterprises, Chelle M. Meadows

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This convergent-parallel mixed-methods study examined how the absence of a standardized framework for integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) affected leadership alignment, organizational consistency, and ethical governance within enterprises. Grounded in the pragmatic research paradigm, the study combined quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate factors that shaped AI framework effectiveness and to identify insights that could guide future framework development. Quantitative data were collected from 137 full-time professionals representing executive, technology, employee, and regulatory roles across industries. Using validated constructs derived from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST), statistical analyses including ANOVA, chi-square, and regression were conducted …

Faith Versus Safety: Exploring How Black Churches Navigate Through Intersections Of Faith, Culture, Safety, And Social Work When Dealing With Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Wanda Rw Mckinley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quality improvement study was to understand the cultural and structural barriers that hinder “Blessings and Grace Church,” a Black faith-based institution, from effectively addressing intimate partner violence (IPV). The study identified context-specific strategies to improve survivor support, enhance safety measures, and strengthen resource accessibility within the church. The goal was to inform culturally responsive and theologically sensitive improvements tailored to the needs of this specific faith-based community. The setting for the study was an urban Black church in southern Texas. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory was the theoretical framework guiding this study. According to this theory, a …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Affective Organizational Commitment And Their Effect On Turnover Intentions, David Dix Tomblison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationships among emotional intelligence, affective organizational commitment, and turnover intentions among millennial employees in Washington State’s technology sector. A fixed, cross-sectional quantitative design was used with data from 459 participants collected through the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Meyer and Allen Affective Commitment Scale, and the Cohen Turnover Intention Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 30; IBM Corp, 2023) for simple regression analysis and the PROCESS Macro (Version 5.0, Model 1) for moderation analysis. Findings showed that emotional intelligence was positively associated with affective organizational commitment and negatively associated with …

Lay-Led Crisis Intervention Strategies In The Adult 3 Ministry Of First Baptist Dallas, Jeffrey Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This DMIN action research project focused on the care, counsel, and advocacy lay leaders can provide to church members who experience a crisis. Due to the growing member-to-minister ratio at First Baptist Dallas, lay leaders can supplement the work of the ministers by providing frontline support. The problem is that most lay leaders within the church have limited training in crisis management outside their own life experiences. If lay leaders are equipped in biblical crisis management and intervention responses, then they will be able to provide guidance to church members in crisis. The qualitative research for this project was completed …

A Quantitative Study Exploring The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Fibromyalgia Symptoms And The Moderating Role Of Attachment To God, Darlene M. Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Fibromyalgia, also known as Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), is a condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain throughout the body, insomnia, tenderness and inflammation at specific pressure points on the body. This research aimed to explore the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and FMS symptom severity. In addition, this study examined if attachment to God is a moderator of the relationship between ACEs and FMS symptoms, and if adults with four or more ACEs have higher levels of FMS symptoms than those with three or fewer ACEs. The sample consists of 99 (n = 99) participants diagnosed with FMS recruited online. …

Ace Scores And Ipv Perpetration Among Domestic Violence Treatment Court Participants In New Mexico, Laura S. Daniels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative archival study examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence (IPV) among participants in a specialized Domestic Violence Treatment Court (DVTC) in New Mexico. Between January 2019 and December 2024, 69 individuals volunteered for the DVTC, with 49 graduating successfully, reflecting a graduation rate of approximately 78%. The study’s purpose was to determine whether a sample of offenders (N=22) reported higher levels of ACEs compared to the U.S. general population. ACEs were measured using a 10-item questionnaire, and data were compared to national benchmarks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A …