Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

More Than Just Multiculturally Competent: Doctoral Student Competency And Preparedness To Work With Individuals With Disabilities, Kristen N. Dickens, Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson, Synthia Best

Georgia Educational Researcher

Phenomenological inquiry was used to interview counselor education doctoral students about their experiences and perceived competency and preparedness to counsel individuals with disabilities. Three overarching themes emerged: (1) continuous self-directed learning, (2) disability is multifaceted, misunderstood, and evolving, and (3) influential learning factors. Implications and recommendations for counselor educators and training programs are provided.

Sources Of Tensions In Ai Adoption For Organ Procurement Organizations, Amaneh Babaee

Masters Theses

"Although medical AI systems have promise, the healthcare system has not fully integrated them for improved organizational operations. Studies have been conducted to identify root causes for this hesitancy without targeting a specific domain in healthcare. This generalization can be enhanced for the nuanced or domain-specific factors that offer practical insights to organizations leader. In this thesis, I focus on the factors and sources of tensions in AI adoption in transplant system, which is highly regulated but encourages innovation. Applying the Extended Technology, Organization, Environment (TOE) framework, 10 interviews were conducted at Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs).

Although not always technically …

The Efflorescence Of Apocalypticism (Imminent & Prepping Beliefs): Considering Informational And Motivational Regulatory Mechanisms, James T. Good Mr.

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In the last quarter of the 21st century, apocalyptic beliefs emerged in scholarly and lay representations notably doubling over the last decade. With nearly forty percent of United States citizen reporting this belief, unfulfilled questions arose: What drives discrepancies in beliefs of an imminent end of the world? Additionally, what drives beliefs in the need to prepare for an end of the world? These individual questions were examined together in this study using Construal Level Theory (CLT) and Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) in an attempt to identify how psychological mechanisms are significantly affecting the fluctuations, in these self-reported beliefs. A …

Exploring The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Preventive Healthcare Utilization In Rural Georgia, Ryan R. Traylor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and preventive healthcare use among adults in Georgia, specifically within rural populations facing structural barriers. Using 2023 Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, the research analyzes associations between ACE exposure, rural residence, and preventive care outcomes, including physical exams and flu vaccinations. Guided by an intersectionally adapted version of Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, the study evaluates how predisposing factors, enabling resources, and perceived barriers relate to healthcare engagement. Logistic regression analyses assess the correlation of ACE exposure, cost barriers, provider access, and sociodemographics with preventive …

Impact Of Religion On Mental Outcomes Among Racial/Ethnic And Sexual/Gender Minority Individuals, Braden J. Waugh, Michael E. Nielsen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Marginalized identities (Adams & Miller, 2022) are associated with elevated risks for negative outcomes (Ching et al., 2018; Kayode et al., 2024). Religion has been found to act as a protective and risk factor. Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 2003) and Intersectionality Theory (Crenshaw, 1991) are used to examine the relationship between identity status and anxiety, prosocial tendencies (PT), and quality of life (QoL). One hundred fifty-two participants were primed with a religious or neutral stimulus, and then answered measures regarding these outcomes (GAD-7, Spitzer et al., 2006; PBIS, Baumsteiger & Siegel, 2019; WHOQOL-BREF, The Whoqol Group, 1998; IFS, Hammer & …

Swimming In Uncertainty: Filling Data Gaps And Providing An Educational Platform For Beach Water Quality At Tybee Island, Georgia, Lukas Roberson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

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Swimming in beaches water contaminated with high levels of bacteria can make you sick. Current monitoring at the public beaches on Tybee Island consists of weekly monitoring and enumeration of fecal indicator bacteria that takes 24 hours for results. If the number of bacteria exceed regulatory limits, a public health advisory is issued, and affected waters are retested until …

Enhancing Military Health System Organizational Efficiency And Quality Of Care Through A Social-Ecological Framework, Eric L. Peipelman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Timely and fair adjudication of incivility-related actions within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Health System (MHS) is increasingly crucial for maintaining accountability, mission readiness, and quality of care. Ongoing delays in resolving workplace complaints and inefficiencies in resource-heavy adjudications highlight the need to shift from reactive complaint handling toward proactive civility promotion and transparent decision-making. This Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) introduces the Peipelman Civility Discussion and Assessment Toolkit (PCDAT)—a comprehensive, evidence-based framework designed to improve civility, optimize resources, and enhance communication, even in the MHS. Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM) and adapted from the Workplace Power and …

The Effect Of Complexity Of Expert Testimony And The Presence Of A Defensive Rebuttal On Jurors' Decisions In Criminal Trials, Shelby E. Madden

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Forensic science plays a critical role in criminal trials, yet forensic techniques vary in their reliability. Expert testimony, often held in high regard by jurors, can be a decisive factor in verdicts, but its influence is complicated by factors such as technical complexity, adversarial bias, and heuristic processing. The present study examined how the complexity of prosecution expert testimony and the presence of a defensive rebuttal influenced jurors’ decisions when presented with faulty forensic evidence. Participants (N = 142) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (testimony complexity: high v. low) x 2 (defensive rebuttal …

Examining Firefighter Perceptions Of Stress And Recovery Across A Shift And Engagement In Recovery Activities, Nathan T. Ebersole

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The occupational demands of firefighting, such as fire suppression and rescue tasks, working in hazardous conditions, inconsistent sleep patterns, and exposure to traumatic events, can lead to work-related injuries, burnout, and feelings of isolation. To date, there is limited research on the impact of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery and the recovery activities that may influence these perceptions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery status as well as the recovery activities firefighters choose to engage in. Forty-three firefighters across …

Maternal Healthcare In The United States: An Exploration Of The Organizational And Political Determinants Of Maternal Healthcare Quality And Outcomes, Tamaya S. Browder

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Despite having an advanced U.S. healthcare system, childbirth remains risky in the US, especially for socially vulnerable populations. Medicaid covers a large portion of births and is equipped to implement large-scale interventions to improve maternity care and patient outcomes. Two studies were conducted to (a) examine the relationship between organizational factors in U.S. hospitals and adverse clinical outcomes among Medicaid-insured maternity patients, and (b) analyze state-level Medicaid bundled payment models for maternity care. Guided by the Donabedian Quality of Care Model, Study One used logistic regression on data from the 2018-2020 National Inpatient Sample to explore how hospital organizational factors …

Fur-Ever In Memory: College Student Grief And Coping After Pet Loss, Rohit Paruchuri

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Pet loss is a significant yet often overlooked form of bereavement, particularly among college students who are navigating emerging adulthood. Pets play an important role serving as a source of emotional support and are often viewed as family members; however, grief following pet loss is a type of disenfranchised grief, meaning it is not accepted by the society as something significant and often overlooked when compared to grief following human loss (Spain et al., 2019). Research suggests that grief following pet loss can mirror responses to human loss including sadness, guilt, loneliness, and disruption of daily routines (Eckerd et al., …

Geospatial Investigations Of Big Buckhead Cemetery, Millen, Ga, Audrey E. Popard

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Geospatial investigations of burials are increasingly recognized as the most efficient and ethical means of determining grave locations in forensic and bioarchaeological research. A methodology of multi-tiered geospatial investigation has been applied to the Big Buckhead Baptist Church cemetery in Millen, GA. Using the systematic layering of geospatial technologies, the present study seeks to identify ground surface anomalies, with the objective of delineating known and potential unknown burial locations. It is hypothesized that the layered use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), will allow for the most efficient and accurate demarcation …

Food Access Disparities In Fulton County, Georgia: Examining Structural Barriers And Community-Level Determinants, Paige J. Perry

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Food insecurity remains a significant public health issue affecting communities at global, national, and local levels, including Atlanta, GA. Despite being an affluent and rapidly growing urban area, disparities in food access persist across Fulton County. This study examines the structural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors associated with food access at the census tract level. Using quantitative analysis, the study evaluates how geographic location, population characteristics, transportation access, and economic conditions influence the likelihood of low food access. Findings highlight significant disparities linked to transportation availability, demographic composition, and geographic variation within the county. These results underscore the importance of addressing …

Spieltrieb, Edward F. Newcomb

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates the creative and pedagogical intersections of nostalgia, play, and neurodivergent experience through a mixed-media studio practice. Grounded in Friedrich Schiller’s concept of Spieltrieb—the human drive to play as a balance between sensual and rational impulses—this work explores how childhood memory, instinct, and impulsive mark making inform both artistic production and art education.

Drawing on theoretical frameworks by Susan Sontag and John Berger, the work resists overinterpretation in favor of sensory immediacy, inviting viewers into direct, embodied encounters with material form. Sontag’s critique of mimetic representation and Berger’s analysis of reproducibility and context inform a practice that …

Identification Of A Rural Black Community-Based Mental Health Intervention Via Cbpr, Kirsten Mengell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Poor mental health in the US has increased since 2011 (Mental Health America, 2022). Rural communities face disparities in mental health shortages (Andrilla et al., 2018). African Americans face additional barriers, including a historical underutilization of mental health and high mental health stigma. This is significant given the higher rates of mental distress and discrimination among rural African Americans compared to Whites (James et al., 2017), and a recent increase in suicide among Black Americans (Stone et al., 2023). Illustrating a need for options within rural Black communities that can overcome professional shortages and cultural barriers to improve mental health …

The Hows And Whys Of Gendered Grouping Practices In Primary Physical Education In England, Shaun D. Wilkinson, Annette Stride, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Single- and mixed-sex grouping have long been a focus of attention in physical education (PE) and are matters often at the fore of discussions about curriculum planning, teaching, and learning. Nonetheless, there remains little consensus or guidance on which approach (or combination of approaches) should be preferred in PE in primary and secondary schools in England. Further, while single- and mixed-sex grouping have been extensively researched in PE in secondary schools, hitherto there remains an absence of research examining these practices in PE in primary schools. This research sought to address gaps in the literature to build a stronger …

Care-Full Climate Justice Organising, Kylie Wrigley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Feminist, Indigenous, and disability theories and activisms have long called for more attention to care–both as an ethic and practice–in response to environmental and social issues. Although care work is vital for collective survival, it is relatively devalued and trivialised in society and under-examined in climate justice research. Emerging critical research suggests that care work is central to how climate justice communities understand and respond to climate change and interlocking structural violences. Yet, there is limited climate justice scholarship that attends to the intersections of care and climate movements. At this juncture, this article draws on empirical reflections from a …

Managing Human Sources: Identification And Management Of Motivation, Tiffany Mckenzie, Pamela Henry, Nikki Rajakaruna

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Human Source management is a critical function of intelligence and evidence collection by law enforcement and intelligence agencies across the world. Understanding the motivations of Human Sources is key to gaining high intelligence yields. Yet research which explores Human Source motivation, from a handler’s perspective, is limited. Even more limited is research which considers how motivation is identified and managed by law enforcement agencies across the course of a Human Source’s engagement with an agency. This research explores the experiences and perceptions of Human Source handlers from two Australian law enforcement agencies via semi-structured interviews (N = 17). Handlers highlighted …

I Am Still Concerned About Them: Grandmother Kinship Caregivers And The Challenge Of Abuse By Children In Their Care, Hajara Bentum, Vicki Banham, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research evidence has shown that adverse occurrences within the kinship caregiving environment, such as the grandparents' experiences of violence and abuse, may introduce new stressors or exacerbate existing aged-related challenges, leading to adverse impacts on grandparent kinship carers. Yet no research has explored the impact of abuse and violence experienced by grandparent kinship caregivers from children in their care. This study involved narrative interviews with 31 grandmother kinship caregivers in Ghana to explore the adverse effects of the abuse they have experienced from children in their care. The study findings revealed the following impacts on grandmothers: (1) high blood pressure, …

Human Resources Representation Models And Municipal Employee Outcomes: A Quantitative Study Of Small Pennsylvania Municipalities, John W. Crouser

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Small municipalities operate in resource-constrained environments that shape how human resource management (HRM) is organized and experienced. This study examines whether HR representation models (in-house, delegated, outsourced, and hybrid) differ in association with employee job satisfaction and manager-reported turnover trends (RQ1), and whether delegating HR responsibilities to non-HR managers is associated with outcomes differently than other models (RQ2). Grounded in Strategic Human Capital Management, the Resource-Based View, and contingency theory, the study assesses whether HR information system (HRIS) capability is associated with turnover trends or employee satisfaction (RQ3) and whether Strategic Human Capital Management (SHCM) alignment is associated with manager-reported …

An Investigation Into Distinctions Between Nonsuicidal Self-Injury And Disordered Eating Behaviors, Kyle Ross

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The investigation of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and eating disorders (EDs) is important for the field of clinical psychology to clearly conceptualize and treat self-destructive behaviors. The present study aimed first to understand experiences of NSSI and ED behaviors and then to determine the best way to conceptualize indirect versus direct self-harm behaviors to inform treatment. Four research questions focused on (1) experiences of the behaviors, (2) functions of the behaviors, (3) conceptualization of direct/indirect self-harm, and (4) descriptions of treatment experiences. Interviews were conducted with nine people (eight women, one nonbinary) with a mean age of 31 years old. Participants …

You Are Your Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams: A Journey Beyond The Lens Blueprinting The Influence And Impact Of Media And Podcast Pedagogy On Black And Brown Creatives In Higher Education And Beyond, Diamond N. Morgan Dr.

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Explores the influence and impact of media and podcast pedagogy on Black and Brown creatives (BBC) in higher education. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), the Black Creative Educational Experience (BCEEs) framework, and the conceptual lenses of sociological and public podcasting, this study examines how podcasting functions as a transformative pedagogical and sociocultural tool for storytelling, identity development, creative expression, and community building within collegiate environments. Utilizing a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study integrates quantitative survey data from 65 participants with qualitative focus group discussions to provide a holistic understanding of participant experiences across personal, professional, academic, social, …

Politics As Usual: Racial Pay Inequity And The Illusion Of Inclusion In The Rise And Fall Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Accessibility Executive Orders, Francois C. Melville

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This research examines pressing moral policy questions of our time: who determines when the United States of America has fulfilled its broken promise of equality for all, and what constitutes an appropriate measure of reparative justice. It interrogates why the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Orders (EOs) implemented across presidential administrations, intended to advance social equity, were grounded in conflict and symbolic gestures rather than scientifically evidenced issues such as wage inequality directly linked to upward career mobility. Race conscious policy generates cultural clashes centered on the perception that gains made by Black and Brown Americans come at the …

School-Based Mental And Emotional Support For Urban Students Experiencing Traumatic Loss, Britney Daniel-Harris

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study explores the perception of educational staff members on school-based mental and emotional resources for urban students experiencing traumatic loss. With increased levels of research centered on enhancing training protocols to educate teachers on identifying, supporting, and guiding traumatic care through evidence-based resources, there is an opportunity to understand their experiences by hearing their voices through a narrative inquiry qualitative research design. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has six principles of a trauma-informed environment, which were utilized to analyze participant stories. Five teachers, one social worker, and one special education leader participated in one-on-one interviews …

The Experiences Of Black Women’S Maternity Care And Its Effects On Pregnancy Outcomes, Joy O. Osaghae

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Health disparities in maternal health are a significant challenge to the public health of the United States, and Black women have double the morbidity and mortality rates of maternal illnesses in comparison with White women. These inequalities persist across socioeconomic levels, highlighting systemic inequities within the healthcare system. Some published studies have focused on quantitative outcomes, but few have examined Black women's lived experiences and their impact on pregnancy outcomes. This paper fills this gap by discussing the maternity care experiences of Black women in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this qualitative phenomenological study explored …

Antecedents Of Emergency Services’ Street Level Bureaucrats’ (Slbs) Delivery Of Public Value: An Exploratory Study, Yvonne Brunetto, Ben Farr-Wharton, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Fleur Sharafizad, Matthew Richman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Street Level Organisations (SLOs) determine the Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) in their workplaces and we examine pathways from SLBs’ PSC and Public Service Motivation (PSM) to discretionary power, work stress, wellbeing and the subsequent delivery of public value. The structural equation modelling results from 195 Australian police, fire, ambulance, and emergency services workers indicate that PSC had a more significant role in explaining SLBs’ delivery of public value compared with PSM. The implication is that SLOs’ management must ensure psychosocially safe and supportive workplaces conducive to building SLBs’ wellbeing, because that is the pathway for delivering public value.