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

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

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 …


Childhood Adversities And The Impact On Development, Karey Womack Dulaney Nov 2022

Childhood Adversities And The Impact On Development, Karey Womack Dulaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Experiences in life are crucial in determining how one’s development will progress throughout their lifespan, with many of the factors occurring in early childhood. The factors include but are not limited to adversities experienced at an early age, toxic stress, and childhood trauma. Childhood adversities can impact a child’s cognitive development and biological systems. Children living in adverse situations are at a greater risk of not reaching their full developmental potential in life. Although previous research and literature discuss and demonstrate the cruciality of early childhood interventions to mitigate adverse childhood experiences, gaps in the research exist for individual interventions, …


A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell Sep 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of stress and stress-coping of five Michigan pastors who led their Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) congregations through the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic. Stress is generally defined as the psychophysiological response to a perceived threat or stressor, and stress-coping is generally defined as intentional behaviors designed to manage stress. The theoretical background of this study is the transactional theory of stress and coping (TTSC) (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) as it relates to pastors’ lived experience of ministry-related stress and coping in crisis conditions. The rationales for …


Cognitive Abilities Of Criminal Justice Leaders, Dustin Joe Addison Aug 2022

Cognitive Abilities Of Criminal Justice Leaders, Dustin Joe Addison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to help in the understanding of how stress has a significant impact on criminal justice leadership. The research design with the applied study was multimethod. The multimethod design correlated interviews, surveys, and archival data to understand the correlation between stress events and perceived cognitive abilities. The central questions within this study were related to prolonged exposure to high stress and whether criminal justice leaders have a lower cognitive ability than those not exposed to high-stress situations. With the malleability of the human brain allowed by neuroplasticity, do criminal justice leaders have altered abilities …


The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety, Stress, And Resilience In Economically Challenged Single Mothers, Gloria Jean Hill-Murray May 2022

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety, Stress, And Resilience In Economically Challenged Single Mothers, Gloria Jean Hill-Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of economically challenged single mothers during Covid 19. Mitigating the severe anxiety and stress risks linked with COVID-19 has been a goal of public health incentives. Less effort has been spent on studying the psychological issues connected to the worldwide epidemic, particularly among economically challenged communities. The aims of the study were to explore the impact of anxiety and stress of the COVID 19 pandemic on economically challenged single mothers, to determine the needs of this group, and to identify prevention and interventions that might support them in …


Evangelical Mental Health During A Pandemic: A Three-Way Interaction Analysis, Michael Sean Williams Apr 2022

Evangelical Mental Health During A Pandemic: A Three-Way Interaction Analysis, Michael Sean Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

COVID-19 quickly became a global pandemic and a biological disaster. Mental health deteriorated due to fear, stress, isolation, and loneliness. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, and disturbed sleep have been associated with COVID-19. There is limited research on mental health and well-being among evangelical Christians. A primary concern is that church congregants and leaders are tired and struggle with mental health issues. Thus, care for the congregation and community is limited. The rate of distress and depression among the religious is on the rise. The purpose of this quantitative research is to evaluate the interaction of perceived stress and emotional …


Sabbath-Keeping And Mental Health: The Influence Of Weekly Sabbath-Keeping On Stress, Anxiety And Well-Being, Kathryn Mcnichol Apr 2022

Sabbath-Keeping And Mental Health: The Influence Of Weekly Sabbath-Keeping On Stress, Anxiety And Well-Being, Kathryn Mcnichol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the current study is to explore the effectiveness of a psychoeducational Sabbath intervention. Using a multiple baseline design, subsets of participants were assigned the psychoeducational intervention at varying times and completed a series of mental health questionnaires before, during, and after the intervention to assess its benefits. After receiving the psychoeducational intervention, participants began a weekly Sabbath-keeping practice. This study added to the limited existing literature on Sabbath-keeping and health, specifically mental health, by assessing the impact on anxiety, stress, and well-being. Results of this study indicated a potential connection between the practice of Sabbath-keeping and positive …


A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Client And Stylist Interaction As A Culturally Specific Form Of Coping With Stress For Black Women In The United States, Nicole Michelle Holden Jan 2022

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Client And Stylist Interaction As A Culturally Specific Form Of Coping With Stress For Black Women In The United States, Nicole Michelle Holden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of Black women who visit the salon regularly in the United States. This study is constructed around the culturally intimate relationship of the stylist-client interaction in the Black community as a historical coping mechanism in which Black women utilize for stress and life challenges rather than seek professional mental health services. Although COVID-19 continues to mount a significant mortality rate and financial hardships, its disproportionate effects on communities of color will have lasting implications on their mental health. The need for mental health services has increased due to the mental …