Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Transformational Leadership In Manufacturing: Integrating Biblical Principles To Enhance Organizational Culture, Employee Development, And Operational Excellence: Dissertation, Kaynnera T. Capers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the current research was to explore how combining transformational leadership with biblical concepts could benefit an organization’s culture, employee development, and performance. Within a pragmatic approach and a qualitative design with flexible elements, the study included 30 interviews, case analysis, and triangulation techniques. I sought to address the challenges leaders face when implementing organizational cultural changes and maintaining employee motivation without a value-driven approach. I intended to explore whether the application of stewardship, humility, and servant leadership could facilitate transformational leadership. As a result, the findings indicated that these approaches could help leaders develop trust, innovative thinking, …

The Protective Factors Of Alcohol Use And Problem Drinking By Emerging Adults During The 2020s And The Era Of Covid-19, Aubrey A. Coplon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research investigated the protective factors that shape alcohol use and problem drinking among emerging adults during the 2020s, with a spotlight on the COVID-19 pandemic. As this age group grapples with the complexities of self-discovery and independence, the pandemic introduced a new set of challenges and shifts. Through qualitative interviews, this study worked to uncover the resilience strategies and support systems that have emerged as crucial in mitigating alcohol misuse. It examined the role of social connections, mental health resources, coping mechanisms, and evolving social norms in buffering against problem drinking. While the pandemic intensified some risks, it also …

Understanding The Perceptions Of Racial Socialization As A Protective Factor Influencing Resiliency Adaptation Among Black Males Who Matriculated To College In Northeastern Florida When They Were Aged 18 – 24 And Who Had A History Of Criminogenic Risk Factors Or Criminal Justice System Contact, C. Darnell Stroble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of racial socialization (“RS”) as a protective factor that leads to resiliency adaptations among Black males who matriculated to college in Northeastern Florida when they were aged 18 – 24 and who had a history of criminogenic risk factors or criminal justice system contact. Grounded in Unnever and Gabbidon’s (2011) Theory of African American Offending (“TAAO”), the study used a qualitative phenomenological case study research design to explore participants’ understanding of RS messages from their parents and their resiliency adaptations in response to those messages. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How …

Stuck In A Paradox: Loving An Unseen God While Hating The Neighbor That Is Visible: A Quantitative Correlational Study, Felisha A. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Racism within the Christian church is a persistent concern that may influence interpersonal relationships and spiritual development. Although research has examined this broadly, there has been limited research on the relationship between perceived racism and spiritual maturity in a Christian church setting. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between racism and spiritual growth amongst Christians, assess the perceived prevalence of racism in the church, and explore perceptions of responsibility for addressing racism in the church. It was hypothesized that a negative relationship would be found between racism and spiritual maturity. Data was collected from …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Faith-Based Advocacy Experiences Of Leaders Of Christian Academic Libraries, Melanie Lewis Croft

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the faith-based advocacy experiences for library leaders at Christian institutions of higher education. The theory guiding this study is spiritual leadership theory, which demonstrates how library leaders connect library resources and services to the advancement of the mission and goals of a Christian institution of higher education. The central research question asked, What are the lived experiences of library leaders in Christian institutions of higher education who have engaged in faith-based advocacy? Participants in this study were those who served as the primary administrator of an academic library within a …

How Christian Beliefs Shape Long-Term Recovery In A 12-Step Program, Decarol L. Gulliford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how individual Christian beliefs play a role in long-term recovery in a 12-step program. The findings from this study, focusing on this purpose, addressed the problem recognized as having a lack of research related to the Christian spiritual beliefs associated with the 12-step program and its successes or failures. Logotherapy provided the lens for the theoretical framework with data collected from a sample of seven individuals who had been sober for at least 10 years. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed for themes using Braun and Clarke’s six phases …

A Strategic Guide To Understanding How Leadership Motivation Creates A Productive Work Environment In The Service Sector, Sakina Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study explored the challenges leaders face in motivating employees in the service sector that threaten a productive work environment in the educational sector. The problem to be addressed is the challenges leaders face in motivating employees within the service sector that threaten a productive work environment. The purpose of this study is to explore how leadership strategies influence employee motivation and productivity, particularly within the education industry, where leaders often contend with stressors such as workplace change, low morale, and burnout. Guided by a constructive constructivist paradigm, the research employed a qualitative multiple-case study design, using semi-structured …

The Lived Experiences Of School Counselors In Counselor Education And Supervision Doctoral Programs: A Phenomenological Study Of Self-Efficacy And Professional Identity, Bryana Lynn Caviness

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceived impact of doctoral studies on self-efficacy for school counselors who have earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) from CACREP-accredited programs. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory as it emphasizes the role of beliefs in one’s capabilities to manage prospective situations. This study sought to understand the lived experiences of these professionals and how their doctoral education influenced their confidence in performing the multifaceted roles of school counseling. By capturing these lived experiences, the study aimed to identify both the strengths …

Well-Being And The New Economics Of Labor Migration Theory: A Study Of Elderly Left-Behind Parents In Guatemala, Dawn Marie Lawson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study tested whether multidimensional self-assessed well-being constitutes a suitable dimension for extending the New Economics of Labor Migration (NELM) framework. Specifically, the study examined the association between perceived migration-related material outcomes, namely consumption of market goods, savings, property holding, and business ownership or expansion, and self-assessed well-being among left-behind elderly parents in Guatemala. Well-being was operationalized using the Well-Being of Older People instrument (WOOP), a measure that the study established as culturally relevant to the sample. Given the ordinal levels of measurement used to capture the variables, the study used nonparametric statistical methods, viz., Kendall’s tau-b, Spearman’s rho, …

Switching Sides: A Grounded Theory Study Of Transition From Christian To Atheist, Joel C. Furches

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study developed a data driven, six stage model of deconversion, defined as the transition from publicly identifying as a Christian to publicly identifying as an atheist. Using a Grounded Theory approach for analysis, and an archival approach for data collection, the research analyzed 35 autobiographical accounts of deconversion to identify common psychological, social, and behavioral processes underlying religious-deidentification and atheist identification. The findings revealed six background features characteristic of religious environments with higher likelihood of producing deconverts, four categories of objections that precipitate dissonance, and six coping strategies individuals employ in response to that dissonance. Central to the model …

The Phenomenology Of Residential Youth In Child Welfare Settings And The Social Workers Who Work With Them., April Leigh Rorabaugh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study examines the experiences and challenges faced by social workers in child placement for adolescents aged 12-18 within North Carolina’s child welfare system, an issue that warrants immediate attention. Hardworking and determined social workers are on the ground fighting in an already overtaxed system that is resulting in options that are frighteningly few for the care our youth so desperately need. Many of the most vulnerable children in the welfare system are being placed in other states for residential treatment. This is not only traumatic but also robs youth of everything they are familiar with at such a …

Collisions Of Law: Judge William Howard Taft At The Intersection Of Labor, Capital, And Government, 1887-1900, Michael Richard Crill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

William Howard Taft’s early judicial career has been dismissed by historians and biographers for nearly a century as merely an unimportant preliminary phase before his later political and Supreme Court career. This dissertation challenges that interpretation through a detailed examination of forty-six labor and antitrust-related opinions written by Taft while serving on the Superior Court of Cincinnati and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. During his eleven years on these courts, Taft wrote a disproportionate share of labor and antitrust-related opinions and engaged deeply with legal problems arising from the socioeconomic upheavals of the Second Industrial …

Associating Herzberg’S Motivation-Hygiene Two-Factor Theory And Influential Factors On Turnover Intentions Within The U.S. Federal Government Agencies: An Ex Post Facto Quantitative Method Approach, Beatrice Nadine Sibug Fant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study examined the critical issue of employee turnover in U.S. federal government agencies and the challenge of retaining highly qualified individuals amid competition from private-sector companies offering employees multiple benefits. It follows Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Two-Factor Theory and measures the impact of employee satisfaction, engagement, work-life balance, and performance on turnover intentions. Additionally, the study considered demographic and occupational variables, such as gender, supervisory status, military service, and years of service in the federal government. Using data from the 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), which received responses from 557,778 participants (a 35% response rate), the study investigates how employee …

The Effect Of The Dobbs Decision On State Abortion Policy Regarding Telemedicine, Margo Deihl Nicholas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Telemedicine is a growing area of health care that has become one of the primary policy tools to enhance abortion access following the 2022 Dobbs decision, which gave states full autonomy over abortion policy as a result of overturning the landmark case Roe v. Wade (1973). The purpose of this dissertation is to study the effect of the Dobbs decision on state abortion policy regarding telemedicine and understand how these policies are used to either restrict or protect abortion at the state level. This dissertation was guided by Buchanan’s Public Choice Theory. The following research question guided the study: What …

Moral Injury And Spiritual Healing Among Missouri Male Combat Veterans Of Operation Iraqi Freedom: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Rebekah Mills

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of moral injury and spiritual well-being among male Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veterans ages 35 to 55 in Missouri. The theory guiding this study was Park’s Meaning-Making Model, with moral injury theory providing conceptual context for understanding morally injurious experiences. The questions guiding the study are: How do male combat veterans between the ages of 35 to 55 of Operation Iraqi Freedom describe their lived experiences of moral injury and spiritual well being? How do the veterans understand the relationship between morally injurious experiences and their spiritual well-being? …

Lament Shift: Utilizing Biblical Lament As A Reframing Process To Help Church Members Of First Baptist Church Of Lumberton, Mississippi, Cope With Emotional Distress, Paul Wiseheart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to address the problem that church members at First Baptist Church of Lumberton, Mississippi (FBCL) were unprepared to use biblical lament as a meaning-making coping practice to manage emotional distress. The thesis statement was that if FBCL church members participated in Lament Shift, they would report greater preparedness to manage emotional distress. Lament Shift is a curriculum-based program designed to equip FBCL church members to use biblical lament as a meaning-making coping practice in the context of a four-week peer support group. The study used a pre-experimental mixed methods design and …

Forgiveness And Marital Restoration After Infidelity Among Mid-Atlantic Christian Couples: A Hermaneutic Interpretation, Denise Crable Crarey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Infidelity can inflict substantial damage to a marital relationship, specifically emotional trauma, broken trust, instability, and possibly divorce. However, some choose to extend forgiveness and work towards restoration of the marital relationship. The problem addressed by this study is the absence of known factors contributing to marital restoration from the perspective of wounded partners among Christians in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The purpose of this study is to understand which factors promote marital restoration from the perspective of the injured spouse in the Christian community from the Mid-Atlantic United States. The theoretical perspectives for this study are the Enright Process …

Caring For ‘Lewy’: The Lived Experiences Of Adult Children Caregivers Of A Parent With Lewy Body Dementia, Tina Ellis Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of adult children caregivers of a parent with Lewy body dementia (LBD). The study was guided by Pearlin’s stress process model (SPM) and Thibault and Kelley’s social exchange theory (SET), as these theories informed aspects of caregiver burden and stress, as well as caregiver motivation. The study implemented a qualitative design with a transcendental phenomenological approach, exploring caregivers’ subjective individual experiences, while also observing caregivers’ common objective experiences. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, journal prompts, and cognitive representations, and was analyzed using the Colaizzi open coding …

Iran’S Development Of Criminal Foreign Policy Capabilities In The United States From 2013–2020, Scott James Harr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Iran’s development of criminal foreign policy capabilities in the United States represents an emerging phenomenon that is transforming the U.S.-Iran foreign policy relationship from a national security issue, primarily executed abroad, into a homeland security threat located within the United States. As an emerging dimension of the U.S.-Iran foreign policy relationship, this behavior by Iran must be thoroughly understood to aid U.S. policymakers in developing relevant policies to address the issue. However, Iran’s motivations for its international behavior are hotly debated among scholars of international relations (IR) theory. Some see Iran’s behavior as ideologically based, while others claim Iran’s behavior …

A Phenomenological Study On Secondary School Leadership Perceptions Of Self Efficacy Based On Student Vaping Infractions, Tara N. Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The intent of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore how secondary school leadership perceive their self-efficacy in regard to overseeing student vaping infractions. Youth vaping has grown in the past few years, leading to an increased presence in school communities. Adolescents are faced with electronic vaping through a variety of interactions during the school day, expanding on opportunities to vape. In response o the uptick in “at-school” vaping, secondary school leaders are now tasked with responding to this growing influx in addition to other duties and demands within their job role. In addition to overseeing disciplinary measures for students …

A Strategy For Identifying, Equipping, And Empowering High-Capacity Church Leaders Within The Zero Collective Network, Blake Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the shortage of high-capacity lay leaders within The Zero Collective (TZC), a multi-church network in West Michigan, which has limited the sustainability and expansion of ministry initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a practical, biblically grounded strategy for identifying, equipping, and empowering high-capacity leaders to strengthen the network’s leadership pipeline and support its mission.

Using an action research methodology, this study engaged a select group of lay leaders identified as having high leadership potential. Data were collected through a triangulated approach, including pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, …

A Virtual Coach Model For Christian Leaders: Addressing Burnout And Other Mental Health Challenges, Hillary Arlene Hinds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The demands placed on pastoral leaders have increased immensely, and according to Eser (2025), this has caused emotional exhaustion, declining mental health, and feelings of isolation that threaten their well-being and ministry. Data on pastoral leadership burnout and the extent to which a coaching approach is used to assist them in addressing mental health challenges in Canada are limited. This research reported on the use of Whitmore’s (1980) GROW model contextualized within a biblical worldview to mitigate burnout with a group of pastoral leaders (N = 5) in Saskatchewan, Canada. Findings from this research, though from a small population, were …

Secondary Traumatic Stress: Lived Experiences Of Urban Educators, Stephanie R. Booker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and interpret the lived experiences of urban educators who experienced secondary traumatic stress resulting from exposure to the traumatic events of their students. Teachers in urban school settings serve students with high exposure to poverty, violence, and trauma, and these shared experiences often result in the urban educator experiencing secondary traumatic stress (STS). The theory guiding this study was Hans Selye's Stress Theory. Data were collected through interviews with ten secondary urban educators from five states and eight cities with varying years of experience, grade levels, and racial and ethnic backgrounds. …

Barriers And Beliefs: Narratives Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Among First-Generation Latino/Hispanic College Students, Karina L. Alba Lockhart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health challenges among college students in the United States have increased in recent years, yet first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students continue to underutilize available services while facing unique cultural and structural barriers to care. This qualitative narrative study explored how first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students made meaning of mental health help-seeking in relation to perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and cultural values such as familismo and stigma. Guided by the health belief model and cross-cultural psychology, this study recruited 15 participants from four-year institutions in the United States and collected data through an online asynchronous questionnaire. Thematic and narrative analysis revealed that …

The Black American Women, Mental Health, Self-Stigma, And The Church, Sylvia D. Dorsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of Christian Black American women who underutilize mental health services due to a perceived notion of self-stigma of Christian Black American women seeking mental health services and how the church may play a role. A transformational theory guides this study. In a transformative framework the study focuses on looking at marginalized groups that have power differentials and are viewed as being less important in society and to understand their life experiences. Stigma and self-stigma are the dominating factors that contribute to the underutilization of mental health services …

To What Extent Do Different Types And Dosages Of Cannabinoids Have In Treating Anxiety Disorder, Lourdes Cristina Garcia Carrillo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods study investigated the efficacy of various cannabinoid types and dosages in treating anxiety disorders among young adults (19–23), examining cannabis's role in regulating a deregulated endocannabinoid system. Fourteen participants tracked real-time anxiety symptoms, strain type, dosage, and affective states using the Releaf App. Quantitative analyses included repeated-measures ANOVA and Pearson correlation, complemented by quantitative content analysis of affect descriptors. Key findings revealed a statistically significant reduction in self-reported anxiety symptoms following cannabis use (p < .001, partial 2 = .97), supporting the hypothesis that cannabis can regulate a deregulated endocannabinoid system. No significant differences in anxiolytic effects were observed among Indica, Hybrid Indica/Sativa, and Hybrid Sativa/Indica strains. The optimal dosage for perceived anxiety relief appeared to be higher than initially hypothesized, with a moderate-to-strong association between dosage and anxiety relief (r = .662, p = .0099). Participants overwhelmingly reported positive affective states, such as "calm," "peaceful," and "relaxed," post-cannabis use, with no negative descriptors observed in the analyzed data. These results suggest that cannabis can serve as a short-term coping strategy for anxiety in young adults, leading to perceived emotional regulation.

A Phenomenological Study Of Binge Eating Disorder And Trauma In Black Women Managed By Religious Coping, Nicole Rae Skinner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the relationship between trauma, binge eating disorder (BED) and religious coping among Black women in America. Black women are faced with stereotypes such that they are expected to be strong, resulting in avoidance behaviors related to emotions. Core to the issue of BED is an inability to manage difficult emotions in a healthy manner, thus leading to the negative pattern of bingeing. Therefore, guiding this research were two key theories: Gross’s emotional regulation theory and Pargament’s theory of religious coping. The emotional regulation theory addresses how emotions are experienced and an …

The Role Of Employee Recognition On Nurse Turnover And Departmental Engagement In Public Hospitals: Department Type As A Moderator, Dawn M. Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nurses are indispensable to the operation of public hospitals, often serving on the front lines of patient care in high-pressure environments characterized by limited resources and elevated patient acuity. These conditions contribute to burnout, disengagement, and turnover, threatening healthcare quality and workforce sustainability. This quantitative, correlational, and predictive study examined the relationship between recognition received through a digital recognition portal with nurse engagement and turnover in public hospital settings. Drawing on two years of archival organizational data, this research examined whether recognition frequency and recognition satisfaction predicted engagement and turnover, and whether department type moderated those relationships. Analyses included linear …

Lived Experiences Of Polysubstance Use And Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Candee Dione Rillon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders (MHD), with particular attention to the transition into polysubstance use. The purpose of the study was to understand how individuals experience and make meaning of these co-occurring conditions and the factors influencing substance use patterns. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants who reported both mental health challenges and substance use histories. Thematic analysis revealed that participants experienced SUD and MHD as deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing, often functioning within a cyclical pattern of distress and temporary relief. Substance use …

Demographic Congruence On The Therapeutic Relationship Among African American Therapists And Trauma Survivors, Patrice Ann Warren

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American therapists in forming therapeutic relationships with African American adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma. Although the therapeutic alliance is recognized as a critical component of trauma treatment, limited research has examined the role of demographic congruence in therapeutic relationships among African American trauma survivors. Guided by homophily theory, this study explored therapists’ perspectives regarding the influence of shared racial identity on trust, safety, cultural understanding, and therapeutic engagement. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 African American therapists who had experience treating African …