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Emerging Black Male Adults\u27 Lived Experiences with Racial Microaggressions and Social Media
Get PDFRacial microaggressions on social media take a serious psychological toll on emerging Black male adults (EBMAs), leading to heightened stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Despite increasing awareness of these issues, research has yet to fully examine how religious involvement buffers the mental health effects of digital racial adversity. This study examined how EBMAs experience social media racial microaggressions, the impact of these encounters on their mental health, and whether engagement in religious activities helps reduce psychological distress. This research adopted a qualitative phenomenological design, integrating interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and thematic analysis to understand these experiences through microaggression theory and critical race digital literacy (CRDL). Fifteen EBMAs, ages 18 to 25, were recruited through purposive sampling and took part in virtual semi-structured interviews. Data received thematic analysis via NVivo, revealing key patterns in experiences, coping strategies, and religious engagement. Findings demonstrated that religious involvement builds resilience by providing emotional relief, a supportive faith community, and identity. Participants turned to prayer, Biblical reflection, and digital faith communities to cope with racially charged digital encounters. These findings show the need to include religious coping in culturally relevant mental health interventions as well as faith-based and digital literacy initiatives. By connecting psychological resilience, racial justice, and faith, this study enriches broader conversations about religion, race, and digital mental health
Public Employees\u27 Resistance to Organizational Change
Get PDFResistance to organizational change among public employees is a significant challenge for public sector organizations, as it directly impacts their effectiveness. This researcher explored the inability of public leaders to manage such resistance effectively, aiming to deepen understanding of its root causes, the role of leadership during change, and how leaders can influence employees’ responses. Using a flexible, multiple case study design, the research examined two educational organizations undergoing similar changes in distinct contexts. The researcher employed a conceptual framework based on existing literature, incorporating key ideas, including specific factors that contribute to resistance, effects of resistance to the success of change implementation, and how public organizations can actively influence employee attitudes toward change. The research also included the transformational leadership theory to assess its relevance and impact within public institutions. Therefore, the researcher examined two schools in Saxony, Germany, that went through substantial organizational changes, focusing on digitalization with a similar scope but differing organizational structures and operational environments. By focusing on front-line workers and organizational leaders as the primary actors driving change, the researcher emphasized their central role in either facilitating or hindering progress. To ensure a robust and ethical research process, data collection primarily involved 28 semi-structured interviews with front-line staff and analysis of relevant organizational documents. Overall, the study shed light on the complex interaction between leadership and employee resistance in public organizations, suggesting that effective leadership, particularly transformational leadership, can play a vital role in mitigating resistance and ensuring smoother implementation of change initiatives
A Phenomenological Look at Licensed Professionals\u27 Perceptions and Lived Experiences of Parental Alienation in the Family Court System
Get PDFParental alienation (PA) frequently emerges in high-conflict child custody disputes and is commonly understood as one parent encouraging a child to unjustifiably reject the other parent. The behaviors associated with PA encompass a complex form of family violence, incorporating elements of both intimate partner violence and child psychological abuse. As a polarizing and multifaceted social issue, PA necessitates further dialogue and interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals. This qualitative research study explored licensed professionals’ perceptions and lived experiences of PA in the family court system. The research aimed to investigate the meaning professionals attributed to PA across individual, family, and institutional levels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 licensed professionals involved in PA cases, generating in-depth responses that were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis (TA). The study identified fifteen overarching themes, and 68 codes. Most notably, the study found that professionals highlight significant challenges in the court system, including a lack of education and training on parental alienation, polarized views, and uncertainty about effective intervention. Additionally, professionals emphasize the need for court reform, questioning whether meaningful change is possible. The study enhances theoretical and practical understandings of parental alienation across multiple levels, highlights the need for improved education and training for professionals, emphasizes stakeholder collaboration in family court, and underscores the imperative for further research to drive systemic reform and address social injustice
A Phenomenological Study Exploring Teacher-Student Relationships for Students with Moderate To Severe Disabilities
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative, transcendental, phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of general education and self-contained classroom teachers building relationships with students who have moderate to severe disabilities in rural Maryland. Teachers were selected from elementary school settings in the rural part of Maryland’s eastern shore. The theory that guided this study was Bowlby’s attachment theory. Vygotsky focused on language development and how it affects social interactions between others while Bowlby’s theory explored a child’s attachment to close adults. This study explored teacher-student relationships as it relates to elementary-age students on Maryland’s eastern shore. The methodology for this research was a qualitative transcendental phenomenology study. Teachers were selected based on specific criteria related to relationships obtained with students who have moderate to severe disabilities within schools. Interviews, observations, and journals were used for the data collection process. The researcher used coding to analyze and interpret the data from the study. Themes were created and horizontalization was used to confirm the reliability and dependability of the study. The results of the study highlighted the lived experiences of teachers and related service providers. Teachers and related service providers work to build meaningful relationships with students who have moderate to severe disabilities in spite of the challenges, time, and other barriers they experienced
The Use of an Online Orientation at a For-Profit Higher Education Institution to Support and Retain Online Adult Learners: A Qualitative Case Study
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative holistic case study was to explore how support staff, faculty, and online adult learners at a FPHEI located in Pennsylvania perceive the use of an online orientation as a proactive institutional support strategy to increase the preparedness of online adult learners and potentially improve their retention rates. The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s theory of student departure. The central research question that was guiding this study was: How do support staff, faculty, and online adult learners at one FPHEI perceive the effectiveness of an online orientation as a proactive institutional support strategy to enhance the preparedness and retention rates of online adult learners? A qualitative methodology with a holistic case study design was used to gather in-depth information through interviews, an open-ended questionnaire, and hypothetical letters. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 12 support staff, nine faculty members, and 10 online adult learners at one FPHEI located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The support staff completed a semi-structured interview, the faculty members completed an open-ended questionnaire, and the online adult learners wrote a hypothetical letter. Saldana’s level 1 and 2 analysis coding cycles was used to analyze the interview transcripts, open-ended questionnaire responses, and hypothetical letters. Three themes emerged from the participants’ experiences. Themes included participants’ ideas on the effectiveness of the online orientation as a proactive institutional support strategy as well as the participants’ ideas on how to improve the online orientation for a better student experience. The participants felt that the online orientation was an effective proactive institutional support strategy to enhance the preparedness and retention rates of online adult learners
The Role of Mindset in the Academic Resilience of Non-Residential Health Profession Students: A Phenomenological Study
Get PDFThe purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of academic resilience of non-residential healthcare students in rural regions of the Northeast United States. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Carol Dweck\u27s theory on growth mindset, as it exposed the relationship of personal perspective on academic resiliency. This study attempted to answer the central research question: What are the lived experiences of academic resilience among non-residential health profession students? An extensive review of the literature revealed the compounding aspects of resilience research with specific attention to health profession students. Data collection methods included a letter-writing prompt, individual interviews, and focus group sessions, strengthening the study findings. Data analysis measures consisted of three core processes: Epoche, transcendental phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation. The thematic findings of the study included emotional and psychological challenges, interpersonal dynamics, program demands, program and life balance, and growth and development. A final synthesis of the integration of themes and concepts revealed the phenomenon\u27s essence. The study\u27s results exposed perceptions of overwhelm and burden inherent in health profession programs. The complexities of the programs, coupled with competing life and work obligations, complicated participants\u27 lives and identified academic resilience as a necessary trait. Key implications include enhancing professional development for health profession faculty, embedding resiliency-building strategies, and improving student support programs. Future research should be considered as it would expand resilience and mindset literature for improved health profession student experience
Nursing Faculty Experiences of Teaching Dementia Care: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study
No full textThe purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of nursing faculty teaching dementia care to nursing students in Texas. The theory guiding this study was Kolb’s experiential learning theory as it offers a structured framework for examining how experiences lead to learning. This theory also introduced the concept of the Experiential Educator profile, specifically delineating the role of educators in facilitating knowledge acquisition (Kolb, 2014). This study bridged the gap in existing literature regarding the experiences of nursing faculty in teaching dementia care to nursing students and provided a comprehensive look at dementia education in nursing schools. The researcher used interviews, reflective questionnaires, and field notes for data collection. This study included 10 participants who had taught dementia care in Texas within the last five years. The following six themes emerged: (a) need for advocacy and systematic change in dementia education, (b) emotional and personal impact of dementia education, (c) effective teaching strategies are essential for empathy building, (d) need to equip students to manage behavioral and emotional issues in patients with dementia, and (e) cultural perspectives and addressing stigma in dementia care
Biblical Metanarrative Discipleship for Women: A Paradigm for Women in the Church that Impacts Christlike Growth Through the Influence of Biblical Literacy
Get PDFThis DMIN research project seeks to resolve the problem of the lack of a biblically literate small group discipleship strategy to assist adult women in their spiritual journey of Christlikeness at Eastlake Church in Moneta, Virginia. Discipleship for women is assumed through the event, and program-driven ministry opportunities for women; however, the void of an intentional disciple-making strategy generates recipients rather than replicators. The gap between the discipleship that Jesus demonstrated and how it is observed among women today underscores the need for contemporary discourse on this issue. Current research reveals that biblical illiteracy is rising, and church attendance is declining. Spiritual formation for women is presumed by utilizing topical or thematic curriculums. This project proposes transitioning to a comprehensive paradigm to disciple women with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring Christlike transformation to hearts, minds, and lifestyles.
The project intervention promotes a holistic view of God\u27s overarching story from Genesis to Revelation through biblical metanarrative discipleship for women paradigm that connects them with other disciples, the local church, and the world by discovering their place in God\u27s story and fulfilling the Great Commission. The paradigm centers on the inductive study of the biblical metanarrative. It includes four critical components of relational connection, replication, spiritual disciplines, and God interaction that operate simultaneously. Using a mixed research methodology that combined lived experience with measurable data provided a comprehensive knowledge acquisition that validated the effectiveness of the intervention design
The Differences in Emotional Intelligence Within Schools That Have Adopted Glasser’s Choice Theory: A Causal-Comparative Analysis
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if statistically significant differences exist in the emotional intelligence (EI) of students in classrooms that have adopted Glasser’s choice theory (CT) compared to schools that have not (NCT). CT, the guiding theory, defines social-emotional learning (SEL) practices and seeks to improve relationships, internal locus of control, and motivation while fostering an engaged learning environment. Research clarifies the need for social-emotional health to support academic achievement; however, the specifics of these relationships require further clarification. The participants were a convenience sample of 59 private and public elementary school students from North Carolina and Norfolk, VA, during the 2024-2025 school year. The Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) was used to measure emotional intelligence (EI). A non-experimental, causal-comparative research design was employed, and three independent t-tests and one Mann–Whitney U test were conducted to determine the differences between the means of the CT and NCT groups on the four subscales: emotion perception, utilizing emotions, managing self-relevant emotions, and managing others’ emotions. Findings indicated the CT group exhibited elevated scores in managing self-relevant emotions compared to the NCT group, however, this difference was only marginally significant after applying a Bonferroni correction (p = .012). No statistically significant differences were found in the remaining subscales. Results suggest that CT practices may be associated with improvements in specific aspects of emotional intelligence (EI), although differential effects across the broader spectrum of EI require further investigation using a larger sample and more comprehensive assessments
Virtual Reality in Trauma Therapy: Clinicians Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) With Technological Resources in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Get PDFThis dissertation aims to establish how virtual reality (VR) integrated with other technological devices in the management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The technology will lay the foundation for how it can establish controlled and safe VR contexts that can help patients address traumatizing occurrences. I will also stress the use of virtual therapists through online tools and applications, giving access to those who cannot attend meetings in person. Also, I will examine the individualization of the treatment process through the application of digital technologies and their potential effects on the outcomes of the therapeutic process. The research also examines how cost-effective digital interventions are and how they affect treatment costs.
The qualitative research approach will require clinicians and developers to fill in questionnaires and respond to interviews. This work will explore aspects pertaining to the feasibility of VR-based therapies and the relationship between technology developers and clinics. Also, the study will identify enablers and barriers that either promote or negatively influence the incorporation of the technology in the trauma treatment process. I will review both the long-term recovery and the reemergence of symptoms to explore the difference between conventional treatments and methods that employ technologies. This work will address areas of practice that have scarcely been explored. The research will examine the long-term efficacy of using VR when used in combination with other more conventional methods of intervention. The project will target clinicians who incorporate technologies into their practice and provide Liberty University with relevant information regarding existing developments and issues with applying digital tools in trauma treatment