Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Influencer Effect: Impression Management In The Age Of Social Media And Online Dating, Erin L. Callahan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the relationship between individuals who follow social media influencers online and their impression management behaviors on online dating profiles. The central problem was defined as individuals adopting beliefs, goals, products, and news from the social media influencers they follow on Instagram. The theories guiding this study are Kelman’s Social Influence Theory and Goffman’s Presentation of Self Theory. This exploratory qualitative study employed comparative content analysis as its research method. Two sets of content were compared and analyzed: content from social media influencers (subjects) and the Hinge dating profiles of participants who …

Child Protective Service Workers And Burnout: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Various Types Of Factors That Contribute To Burnout In Rural Virginia, Laurel A. Parks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the job difficulties that contribute to burnout for child protective service (CPS) workers at social service centers in Virginia. The theory guiding this study was the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, proposed by Arnold Bakker and Evangelia Demerouti. The JD-R model states that the more demands one has on the job and the fewer resources available to fulfill those demands, the more likely one is to experience burnout. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to answer the three research questions. Ten child protective service workers from three of the five regions of Virginia participated in …

The Relationship Between Self-Care, Resilience And Burnout, And The Role Of Self-Esteem And Self-Awareness To Facilitate Self-Care Among School Counselors, Sarah C. Mccarthy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School counselors play a pivotal role in fostering students’ academic, social, and emotional development. School counselors are responsible for addressing a wide range of student needs, such as academic advising, assisting in behavior management, crisis intervention, and mental health support. Being in this position that requires many responsibilities, coupled with high student-to-counselor ratios, many school counselors report having elevated stress levels, potentially leading to the feeling of burnout. Therefore, the purpose of this study focuses on three goals: (1) Determine which self-care practices, and at what frequency, are being used by school counselors to determine which type of self-care practices …

Predictors Of Self-Efficacy In Single Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Melissa L. Constable

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Single mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face significant difficulties. Challenges faced by these women have notable impacts on their psychological well-being and subsequently their families. Self-efficacy is a key construct to understanding psychological well-being and potentially a key area of intervention for these mothers. This study examined the factors of health care alliance, perceived social supports, and religious coping on maternal self-efficacy in 87 single mothers of children with autism. Findings from a regression analysis suggested that these variables have predictive power regarding maternal self-efficacy, F (4, 82) = 3.721, p =.008. Though when analyzed individually,© no …

Motivation To Hunt: A Qualitative Semiotic Analysis Of Moral Conflict Theory And Social Judgment Theory Of Influential Women Hunters On Instagram, Brittany Alexandra Hosmer Longoria

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research investigates the motivations of women hunters on Instagram through semiotic analysis grounded in moral conflict theory and social judgment theory. Hunting is primarily male-dominated, but the emergence of women hunters on social media challenges stereotypes and shines new light on the dynamics between gender roles, ethics, and public perceptions of the values of nature. The study examines visual symbolism, focusing on how women hunters navigate moral conflicts and social judgment in an increasingly polarizing digital landscape. Through semiotic analysis and personal interviews, the research identifies themes including motivations to hunt, which often respond to or preempt criticism …

The Relationship Between Morality, Perceptions Of Self And Others, And Purpose In Life: A Moderation Analysis, Ashley Burgess Leininger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Morality is an understudied construct in psychological research, despite its fundamental role in shaping human behavior and self-perception. This quantitative study examined whether purpose in life moderated the relationship between morality and perceptions of the self and others. Two hypotheses were tested, H1: There will be a relationship between morality and perception of self and others; H2: Purpose in life will moderate the relationship between morality and perception of self and others. Ninety-one individuals recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk completed the Purpose in Life scale (PIL), Moral Foundation Questionnaire (MFQ30), Rosenberg’s Self Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Collective Self-Esteem Scale …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of The Role Of Spiritual Mindfulness Practices In Coping With Divorce Loss In Christian Women, Gale Louise Nicolai

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study aims to understand the role of spiritual mindfulness practices in counseling individuals who have experienced divorce. The theory guiding this study is the biopsychosocial-spiritual model, which recognizes the interconnectivity and mutual influence of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. This data will be descriptive, using open-ended interview questions. Data analysis will be thematic. The study participants are women who self-identify as Christian at 1-10 years post-divorce. The independent variable is spiritual mindfulness practices. The dependent variables are women who self-identify as Christian at 1-10 years post-divorce.

The Christian Church’S Inclusion Of Children With Autism Who Experience Parental Incarceration: A Phenomenological Examination Of Christian Ministry Leaders’ Experiences, Julia Frances Vasquez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States has the highest incarceration rate worldwide. Parental incarceration increases children’s susceptibility to adverse childhood experiences and often results in the transmission of criminal behavior. Research on children of incarcerated parents and separate findings on the experiences of children with autism reveal that these children endure bitter societal stigma, even within the church. Stigma toward disability erects barriers to much-needed spiritual support. There is a gap in the literature concerning Christian outreach and spiritual community support for children with autism who experience parental incarceration. Understanding effective ministry support for these dually marginalized children and the barriers preventing access …

Divine Grace In Human Flourishing Amid Suffering, Sutjipto Utomo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Human flourishing is as potent as it is intricate. There is a need in the Christian context for a model of human flourishing among other available models. This current qualitative study seeks to gather insights into human flourishing amid suffering among Methodist clergy in Indonesia. The phenomenological approach delved into the essence of encountering the grace of the Lord and flourishing amid the adversities in their ministry. The purposeful sampling was carried out, and fifteen clergy participated in the semi-structured interviews. Their responses helped with gaining insights into the themes of God’s grace, suffering, and human flourishing amid suffering. The …

Onboarding And Sense Of Belonging: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Natalia Volkonsky

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Extensive research has examined the link between onboarding and employees’ sense of belonging, yet no known studies have explored whether the type of onboarding—delivered in-person, remotely, or through virtual platforms—affects this relationship. This quantitative, correlational study investigated how onboarding quality relates to employees’ sense of belonging, whether purpose in life mediates this relationship, and whether onboarding type moderates it. A sample of full-time employees (N = 112), onboarded within the past 12 months, completed validated measures assessing onboarding quality, purpose in life, and sense of belonging. Results showed a significant positive correlation between onboarding quality and sense of belonging. Purpose …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Adults With Personality Disorders Arising From Childhood Trauma: Understanding The Connection Between Childhood Trauma And The Development Of Personality Disorders In Adulthood, Patricia Osei Sarpong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma is one of the key factors that influences the development of personality disorders in adults. Even though there is a wealth of quantitative evidence linking early trauma to later mental health issues, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about the lived experiences of persons who had experienced such trauma and gone on to develop personality disorders. By examining these individual accounts, this study aimed to contribute to a more thorough understanding of the ways in which childhood trauma impacted personality development and contributed to the onset of personality disorders. In this study, 20 individuals, aged 20 …

Rumination As A Moderator In The Relationship Between Divine Forgiveness And Forgiveness Of Self In Older Adults, Christopher R. Giles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A growing body of research supports empirical evidence that the ability to self-forgive benefits mental, emotional, and physical health. Recent literature has documented the predictive relationship between divine forgiveness and self-forgiveness. However, little attention has been given to the cognitive processes that may influence this relationship. Furthermore, research on forgiveness has largely overlooked the older adult population, despite forgiveness being shown to be a developmental construct. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between offense-specific divine forgiveness, rumination, and self-forgiveness in individuals aged 60 and older. Data were collected from 101 participants through an anonymous online survey utilizing previously validated …

Adults With Learning Disabilities Navigating The Transition From School To Work, Shatrece L. Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of adults with learning disabilities when transitioning from academics to the workplace, with an emphasis on emotional intelligence. The two research questions asked how adults with learning disabilities described their lived experiences and experiences of emotions and emotional regulation in their transition from academic environments to the professional workplace. The theory guiding this study was the emotional intelligence theory developed by Salovey and Mayer, which was used as a determinant in building relationships and upholding social interactions. The sample consisted of 13 adults with learning disabilities working at …

The Perception Of Neurofeedback Therapy In Improving Sleep Quality And Reducing Nightmares In Women With Ptsd, Amber Nicole Garcia Roper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research investigation sought to examine the lived experiences of women diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) undergoing neurofeedback therapy with a concentrated emphasis on sleep quality and nightmares. Sleep disturbances are very common in individuals affected by PTSD and sleep disturbances make a remarkable impact on the broader mental health dimensions. Neurofeedback therapy, an emerging type of brainwave therapy, claims to play a promising role in dealing with these issues. Following this approach to phenomenology, putting greater emphasis on the subjective experiences of participants, this study establishes an understanding of how neurofeedback therapy influences sleep quality and the …

Crisis Intervention Training (Cit) For School Resource Officers In Florida Schools: Assessing Adequacy, Experiences And Perceptions, Jocelyn Wells

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School resource officers must aid students struggling with mental health issues. However, school resource officers in Florida schools may not receive adequate crisis intervention training to address mental health crises on the part of students effectively. A research gap exists regarding what factors make crisis intervention training effective or ineffective for police, what the appropriate place of police officers is within the context of schools, and how police officers perceive their crisis intervention training experience and skills relative to their readiness to respond to mental health-related incidents within schools. Therefore, the nature of crisis intervention training for school board police …

Integrating African American Veterans Into Church Life: The Impact Of Urban Neo-Tribalism At Olivet Church, Dennis Allen Rose Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American veterans at Olivet Baptist Church attended worship services but did not participate in broader church activities. Many remained disconnected except during annual recognition events. This project was developed to address that gap. The Veteran Re-engagement Module (VRM) was delivered through six small group sessions. It focused on helping veterans talk through their past experiences, explore how those experiences affected their faith, and reconnect with the church. The approach centered around Scripture, group conversation, and spiritual storytelling. To evaluate its impact, data came through before-and-after surveys, individual interviews, and session notes. Twelve veterans participated. Some said this was the …

Insufficient Leadership Training For Ministers At Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church That Enables Them To Serve The Congregation In The Absence Of The Senior Pastor, Shirley J. Gamble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to create an operation and coaching module on every aspect of church ministry to train ministers. This project aims to establish a process following Ephesians 4:11-12, which states, “And He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (King James Version). The Christian leadership training for ministers at MSMBC will enable them to serve the congregation in the absence of the senior pastor. The desired …

Tough Decisions: Balancing Statutory Authority With Moral Obligation In The Federal Law Enforcement Community, Carl J. Lepard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Following the 2022 tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where an armed assailant killed 21 people and injured 17 others, the U.S. Department of Justice released a critical incident review of the law enforcement response. Absent in the Justice Department’s response was an analysis of the lack of statutory law enforcement authority for the 150 federal law enforcement officers who responded to the school that day. This qualitative phenomenological study aims to examine federal law enforcement officers’ understanding of their statutory authority to exercise police powers. It sought to understand the decision-making process of federal law enforcement officers …

Where Is God In Times Of Order And Disorder: A Practical Approach To Life Events With God, Chinedu Festus Onuigbo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to uncover what six next-generation females in Colorado, USA, encompassing high school through post-college, have experienced as they answer the question, "Where is God in times of order and disorder." Next generation refers to persons currently 25 years and younger. Pew Research (2019) reports, next-generation demographic during the transition from adolescence to adulthood may undergo one or more of the following: fall away from faith, question the existence of God, depression, and identity crisis. This researcher using phenomenology explored his Study Concept, a practical approach to experiencing life events with God using threefold biblical …

College Students' Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Risks And Benefits In Pakistan, Rauf Arif, Muhammad Ittefaq, Lamia Zia

Faculty Scholarship

With the rapid advancements in technology over the past 2 decades, it has become crucial to understand people’s attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and its associated risks. Given the increasing access to the AI technologies, it is imperative to examine how young people in non-Western societies like Pakistan perceive AI risks and benefits. We conducted an online survey of college students who had used AI technology in the past 6 months. The results of our study indicate that the majority of college students view AI technology positively and perceive it as an opportunity to enhance workplace productivity. In addition, …

Empowering The Next Generation Of Female Leaders In Restoration Church Rhode Island, Elizabeth Faroul Arah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this praxis-in-dissertation was to enhance the leadership skills of current Christian female members within the Fervent Women’s ministry at Restoration Church (REZ Church) in Rhode Island. The plan was to enable them to engage and connect with young and new females who would be interested in joining the ministry. By using the situational leadership model as a tool to support the selected female participants from one stage to the next, the ministry Director gained valuable insights into their own leadership effectiveness and how they were able to best support each female through the process. The results of …

Sociohydrodynamics: Data-Driven Modeling Of Social Behavior, Daniel S. Seara, Jonathan Colen, Michel Fruchart, Yael Avni, David G. Martin, Vincenzo Vitelli

Data Science Faculty Publications

Living systems display complex behaviors driven by physical forces as well as decision-making. Hydrodynamic theories hold promise for simplified universal descriptions of socially generated collective behaviors. However, the construction of such theories is often divorced from the data they should describe. Here, we develop and apply a data-driven pipeline that links micromotives to macrobehavior by augmenting hydrodynamics with individual preferences that guide motion. We illustrate this pipeline on a case study of residential dynamics in the United States, for which census and sociological data are available. Guided by Census data, sociological surveys, and neural network analysis, we systematically assess standard …

The Relations Between Online Communication, Social Capital, And Well-Being In Chinese Preadolescents, Xiaotong Li

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

In the digital era, preadolescents (aged 9–12 years) increasingly use social media platforms for communication and social interactions. However, research on whether online communication contributes positively or negatively to preadolescents’ well-being is inconclusive. Moreover, the underlying mechanism linking preadolescents’ online communication and well-being remains unclear. Hence, the research objectives are twofold. First, based on the concepts of social enhancement perspectives and self-determination theory, this study investigates the bidirectional relations and potential mechanisms between preadolescents’ online communication factors (including frequency, online self-disclosure, online perceived responsiveness) with four targets (family members, real-life friends, online friends, and online strangers) and well-being (including subjective …

Volatility Of The Usd/Chf Exchange Rate At The Beginning Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anna Gaweł, Janusz Kudła

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Purpose

We address the problem of forecasting USD/CHF volatility at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. We chose popular currencies (Swiss franc and American dollar) in the period 1.07.2020 to 31.12.2020.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed several volatility models, including APARCH, EGARCH, GJR-GARCH, TGARCH, and GARCH-MIDAS, on high-frequency USD/CHF data. Particular emphasis was placed on asymmetric models to capture volatility asymmetry.

Findings

The highest volatility occurred during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volatility forecasts are most accurate with EGARCH and GARCH-MIDAS models that incorporate long-term asymmetry, particularly when predicting volatility over a longer planning horizon. GARCH-MIDAS models with short-term asymmetry …

How Personality Type Can Inform Strategic Discipleship, Jonathan Andrew Cline Ii

Masters Theses

Despite many Americans growing up in the church, there is a wide disparity gap in how many of those Christians are heading down a path of greater intimacy with God. Rather than this gap being a result of lackluster desire for something more, research shows that the disconnect stems from a lack of understanding in how to connect with God beyond the theories and philosophies individuals have acquired in church. Churches and discipleship programs, therefore, should consider developing strategies for spiritual development informed by the range of personality types based on Jung’s psychological types. Each person has a God-given way …

Barriers To Implementing Comprehensive Sexuality Education As A Strategy To Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy In Indramayu District, Indonesia, Een Kurnaesih, Chahya Kharin Herbawani, Nelly Febriani

Kesmas

The implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is not optimal. This qualitative study aimed to identify and contextualize barriers to CSE implementation, specifically in Indramayu District, Indonesia. Conventional content analysis procedures were used. Seven participants, consisting of relevant authorities, were interviewed. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select participants. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. The barriers to CSE implementation in Indramayu District were identified across five themes: advocacy, technical considerations, coordination and collaboration, integration with other sexual and reproductive health projects, and …

Development Of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia In Young Infants With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preterm Birth, And Typical Development, Jessica Bradshaw, John E. Richards, Julia Yurkovic-Harding, Eilis Mclaughlin

Faculty Publications

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a key index of parasympathetic function and environmental adaptability. Lower resting RSA has been linked to preterm (PT) birth in infancy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in childhood, yet RSA across the first 2 years in young infants born PT or later diagnosed with ASD remains unknown. This study examined resting RSA and mean interbeat interval (IBI) development from 1 to 24 months in infants at varying ASD likelihoods, including infant siblings of children with ASD and those born PT. A longitudinal design tracked resting RSA and mean IBI in 137 infants from 1 to …

Sharing And Preserving Sociolinguistic Corpora On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Katherine Christoffersen, Isabella Calafate, Julio Ciller, Ana M. Carvalho, Ryan M. Bessett, Brandon J. Martínez, Hannia Rojas Barreda, William Flores, Richard Quiroz

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

Since William Labov outlined the methodology for the sociolinguistic interview in 1972, sociolinguistic corpora have been used widely in the field of sociolinguistics to study diverse speech communities and linguistic features. However, most of these invaluable sociolinguistic collections have been available only to the individual researcher or research group, and these data sets usually disappear from use with that individual scholar. More recently, there has been a push towards data sharing in sociolinguistics, reflective of data sharing and the open science movement in other fields. Still, accessible online sociolinguistic corpora are few and far between, in part due to the …

The Leader And Employee: A Public Administration Study On Legitimacy In Small To Medium-Sized Municipal Governments, Dustin Bovee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this empirical study was to investigate how municipal government administrative leaders’ effectiveness, value creation, innovation, ethical behavior, fairness, contributions, role alignment with duty expectations, trust, and support influence their employees’ perceptions of leader legitimacy. The target population consisted of public service employees working in two county governments and four city governments in Western Colorado. The theory guiding this study is the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, which offers a nuanced framework for examining factors influencing employees’ perceptions of legitimacy for their leaders. The study explored the factors that influence employees’ perception of leader legitimacy within municipal government departments. …

Do Males Use Ai Tools Differently Than Female Students When Conducting Social Science Research?, Marsha A. Donaldson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quasi-experimental, cross-sectional, applied, relational study aimed to explore how male graduate students used AI tools differently from female graduate students when conducting social science research. The sample for the study was collected using the Prolific application. The inclusion criteria were that participants had to be adults aged 18 years or older, English-speaking, graduated between 2020 and 2024, social science majors, and had utilized AI tools in their research. The study’s total sample consisted of 210 participants, which were disaggregated into 50% female and 50% male participants. T-test, correlation, and regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between multiple …