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USA Sitting Volleyball Professional Athletes’ Perspectives on Transition Through Sport: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
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This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of United States sitting volleyball para-athletes and retired para-athletes during the transition from professional sports to civilian life, addressing the lack of employment opportunities, career development support, and societal perceptions of disability. The purpose was to explore how para-athletes understood and navigated this transition through Schlossberg's transition theory (1981) and Stambulova's athletic (2003) career transition model. The study was based on three research questions: What are the lived experiences of transitioning from professional sports to retirement and the workforce (RQ1), how do individuals perceive and describe the opportunities encountered (RQ2), and what strategies are most supportive during the transition (RQ3). Using a phenomenological design and purposive sampling, fourteen para-athletes volunteered to participate in this study. National team coaches communicated via email about the study, then participants were selected through a snowball sampling approach. Data were collected through virtual, semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using transcendental phenomenological analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through protocols that included informed consent, confidentiality, member checking, and reflexive journaling. Three themes emerged: 1) an athlete’s paradox that struggles with transition and organizational gaps; 2) opportunities become practical when communication, mentorship, networking, and accommodations are met; and 3) proactive, thorough methods such as early career planning, certifications, benefits, and insurance orientation and mental health awareness. Participants shared concerns about the challenges of their transition, classification, logistics, and upkeep of their prosthesis. They emphasized the need for a well-structured aftercare period. Addressing the needs of para-athletes by providing career support and serving as a mentor can help the transition process. These findings highlighted the need for structured transition support that extends beyond years as an active professional athlete and addresses the realities para-athletes encounter during transition, retirement, and workforce entry. It is recommended that USA Sitting Volleyball implement a formal transition pathway throughout athletes’ careers that includes career planning, mentorship, mental health support, and employment networking
The Therapeutic Alliance in Substance Abuse Counseling From a Therapist’s Perspective: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
No full textSubstance use disorder poses a global public health challenge, with treatment dropout and relapse often undermining long-term recovery. A key predictor of successful outcomes in addiction treatment is the therapeutic alliance, but the specific therapist behaviors that foster and sustain a strong relationship, particularly in the context of substance abuse treatment, are not well-defined. This study explores strategies and the behaviors used to establish, develop, and maintain the alliance in substance use counseling, guided by self-determination theory. The population of interest included addiction treatment clients at risk for disengagement and professionals seeking effective engagement strategies. A qualitative methodology was employed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived experiences of 15 licensed addiction counselors practicing in Israel. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a six-stage coding process to identify relevant themes. Findings highlighted the importance of authentic presence, empathic connection, transparency, and emotional safety during initial sessions. Long-term maintenance of the alliance was supported by relational consistency, validation of effort, and autonomy-supportive behaviors that respected client pacing and agency. These results indicate that the therapeutic alliance is not merely a byproduct of effective treatment but a critical mechanism for promoting recovery. This study contributes to the literature by operationalizing relational behaviors aligned with the psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Implications include prioritizing relational skill development in therapist training programs and examining how these behaviors influence client outcomes across diverse populations and treatment contexts
The Houdini Code: Discovering the Shift that Makes Nano-Influencers Great
No full textThe focus of this study was to identify the mindset shift factors that drive social influencers to become successful. The problem addressed in this study was the need to understand the key drivers of mindset shifts that contribute to successful outcomes for social media influencers. The purpose of this non-experimental qualitative study is to determine if a formula for success can be identified by examining the drivers of social influencers as they establish and grow their digital tribes, addressing issues related to credibility, content quality, and target audience alignment. The procedure involved interviewing 25 nano-influencers, each with between 1,000 and 10,000 Facebook (now Meta) followers, across five marketing niches: sustainable living, mental wellness, gaming, business coaching, and religious messaging, and transcribing their comments into a series of theme-based spreadsheets. The study’s conceptual framework was guided by Hovland et al.'s (1953) source credibility theory, a response to Goebbels' World War II propaganda efforts, and was further refined by Zimbardo's research into persuasion and cult survivors. This research study began with a review of the current literature on social media influencers, then moved backward in time from seminal work to seminal work to determine which theories remain relevant today. Along the way, persuasion and propaganda were examined, starting with Aristotle's principles of rhetoric. Then traveling through the ruins of World War I Germany to Germany’s propaganda efforts during World War II, and the Allies' response. Then, after World War II, with the building blocks in place, came the race to the moon. Finally, the literature review ends with the current research on metaphors hijacking the amygdala. The results identified 24 factors that, when done properly, can help the social influencer build their digital tribe. The implications, especially in our digital age, when the economy has become increasingly dependent on screen time, are far-reaching. New or failed social influencers and businesses wanting to leverage social influence to increase market share could all be impacted. The highest recommendation is for a large-scale study of nano-influencers; the second recommendation is a study of micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers)
Investigating How the Use of Social Media by Senior Leaders in the United States Army Has Made a Significant Impact on the Lives of Soldiers Within Their Formations.
No full textThis mixed-methods study examined the impact of senior Army leaders’ social media use on Soldiers’ lives within their formations. While social media has enhanced communication, accessibility, and leader–Soldier engagement, concerns persist regarding its effects on operational security, unit cohesion, discipline, and mental well-being. The study sought to understand how leaders’ digital presence influences Soldiers’ perceptions, morale, and trust, and to identify measures to mitigate associated risks while strengthening professional communication. Data were collected through surveys administered to 120 Soldiers and focus group discussions with 5–8 participants per session, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights. Findings revealed a critical disconnect between the increasing reliance on social media in modern leadership and the Army’s existing framework for regulating its use. Participants acknowledged the benefits of improved communication and transparency but also highlighted significant risks, including security vulnerabilities, erosion of professionalism, and negative impacts on mental health and unit cohesion. The study concludes that leaders’ social media presence is no longer solely personal but a professional extension of leadership that directly influences organizational climate. Recommendations include strengthening policy enforcement, enhancing leader education on responsible social media use, and integrating digital leadership practices into professional military development. These findings contribute to improving leadership effectiveness and safeguarding Soldiers in an increasingly digital operational environment
An Examination on the Challenges that Black Women Experience in Starting a Business in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study
No full textThe problem addressed in this study was the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experienced when starting and sustaining a business in Georgia (Williams, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experience when starting a business in Georgia and to identify strategies that promote business sustainability and success. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 15 Black women entrepreneurs who owned or sustained businesses in Georgia, focusing on the systemic challenges they encountered during business initiation and sustainability. The intersectionality theory and disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship examined how gendered racism, discrimination, and institutionalized chauvinism converged to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship posits that Black women pursue entrepreneurship not solely for opportunities but also due to exclusion from traditional labor markets and systemic racial barriers that hinder financial success. The phenomenological approach was employed to obtain rich narratives that illustrated structural and relational constraints, including funding issues, lack of support, non-acceptance, and racial and gender discrimination from dominant entrepreneurial networks, and persistent racialized and gendered bias. Participants provided strategic insights for rising Black women entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of community building, mentorship, resilience, and engagement in professional development. Based on the findings, Black women-owned businesses in Georgia accounted for a significant share of new ventures and entrepreneurial networks, yet these networks remained inequitable and under-resourced. The findings suggested a need for policy reform and support from other Black businesses and from local, state, and federal agencies. This study contributed to the growing body of entrepreneurship literature by enriching the knowledge of entrepreneurship through the lens of intersectionality theory and the disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship. These frameworks collectively highlighted the interconnected systems of oppression that shaped the participants’ entrepreneurial voices as business owners in Georgia, thereby impacting the sustainability and viability of their businesses
More Than a Meal: Food as a Pathway to Healing, Connection, and Community
No full textThis capstone explores the growing sense of disconnection experienced by many young people and considers how communal cooking and shared meals might serve as relational practices that support healing, empathy, and belonging within school environments. Historically, preparing and sharing food together functioned as a daily rhythm of family and community life, offering natural opportunities for conversation, cooperation, and the transmission of cultural knowledge. However, modern western social structures, including increased busyness, changing family routines, and the industrialization of food systems, have contributed to a decline in shared meal practices and relational time. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from psychology, sociology, education, and food studies, the literature review examines the importance of social connection for human well-being, the developmental benefits associated with shared meals, and the cultural significance of food within Mennonite traditions, Indigenous food sovereignty practices, and other communal food systems. Research on cooking interventions and experiential learning further suggests that cooking can support psychosocial well-being by fostering confidence, collaboration, resilience, and a sense of shared accomplishment. Within this context, schools emerge as important environments where relational experiences can be intentionally cultivated. Building on both the research and the author’s experience teaching a middle school foods program, this capstone suggests that foods classrooms can function as spaces where students learn not only practical life skills but also empathy, cooperation, and belonging through the shared preparation and enjoyment of food. Recommendations include reframing foods education to emphasize relational learning, creating opportunities for collaborative cooking and shared meals, and recognizing communal food experiences as accessible approaches to supporting youth connection and well-being within schools and communities
A Causal-Comparative Study of Security Vulnerabilities in AI-Generated versus Human-Generated Source Code from GitHub
No full textIn this causal-comparative quantitative study, security vulnerabilities of AI-generated code versus human-generated code were analyzed in publicly available software projects. With this growing usage of large language models to create source code, there is still uncertainty on whether AI-generated code presents a higher security risk compared to human-written code. This is a problem that affects software developers, security practitioners, and organizational leaders charged with the responsibility of secure software engineering and technology governing. The theory that informed the study was the Intellectual Capital theory and informed by structured security risk management principles. A code analysis tool tested source code of over 134 publicly available GitHub repositories based on three programming languages. Three research questions were answered by using descriptive statistics, t-tests of independent samples, and chi-square to determine the severity and distribution of security vulnerabilities depending on their code of origin (AI or Human). The outcomes showed that there is a statistically significant difference in the average severity scores, as the human-generated code had a higher average severity score than the AI-generated code. The results indicate that AI-generated code is not more severe than human-generated code yet both need thorough security verification. The research conducted adds new empirical data to the growing body of literature on AI-assisted software development and highlights the necessity of disciplined risk management, secure software engineering practices, and governance irrespective of the source of the code’s origin. Future studies need to increase repository samples, consider other programming languages and include complementary security analysis methods
A Transformative Quantitative Study of the Impact of Classical Education and K-12 Achievement with Civil Rights Implications
No full textThis study addresses the persistent achievement gap in academic performance among K-12 students from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. This disparity continues to challenge educational equity and civil rights in the United States. The purpose of this transformative quantitative study was to examine whether classical education, characterized by the Trivium and Quadrivium, offers a viable pathway to narrowing the achievement gap compared with traditional public schooling. Guided by a conceptual framework that considers educational model, socioeconomic status, and academic outcomes, the research analyzed five to seven years of archival data from a sample of 43 schools: classical charter schools affiliated with a national initiative and traditional public schools within a large urban district. A stratified random sampling method was employed to ensure representation, and data included standardized test scores in core subjects and high school graduation rates. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and ANOVA, were conducted to assess differences in academic achievement and trends over time, with all data analyzed in SPSS. Demographic characteristics were summarized at the school level to maintain confidentiality and comply with ethical standards. Key findings indicate that classical charter schools consistently outperformed traditional public schools in mathematics, English language arts, and science, with notable but narrowing gaps in social studies. Graduation rates were higher and more stable in classical schools, though the difference did not reach statistical significance. The results suggest that classical education can help reduce achievement disparities across diverse student populations. These findings have significant implications for educational practice, supporting the expansion of classical curricula, targeted professional development for teachers, and policy initiatives to increase access to rigorous, content-rich instruction. The study recommends further qualitative research to explore the lived experiences underlying these quantitative trends and to inform the development of more effective, equitable educational strategies. By providing empirical evidence, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on educational reform and justice, highlighting classical education as a promising model for promoting academic excellence and equity in K-12 settings
Learning to See Otherwise: Building Your Research Avatar Through Qualitative Awareness
No full textDr. Pallavi Mittra holds an M.S. in Management, an M.Res. in Research Methodology, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of Strathclyde (UK). Her academic work is grounded in qualitative inquiry, with a particular focus on organizational behavior informed by psychoanalytic and interpretive perspectives. As an Academic Coach (Level II), Dr. Mittra works closely with graduate students on qualitative research design, data analysis, and all facets of academic writing. She is especially passionate about helping students develop strong, coherent, and critically grounded qualitative arguments. In her previous roles, she has taught undergraduate students and presented her research at several international conferences. She is also a recipient of a Best Paper Award from the British Academy of Management and has been nominated for a Teaching Excellence Award.Qualitative research methodology is not confined to data collection or analysis. Instead, it shapes how we define research problems, frame questions, select designs, and interpret findings. This guide cultivates a qualitative research sensibility that makes inquiry rigorous, reflective, and defensible from inception to conclusion. It is intended for doctoral researchers seeking to explore the potential and nuances of qualitative research and to those adopting a qualitative lens to their research problem.
The first section unpacks common conceptions of reality and knowledge through accessible illustrations of foundational philosophical concepts. The second section illustrates how a research problem can be framed and examined differently depending on the paradigms – of positivism, critical realism, and interpretivism – that determine how we view the social world we seek to examine. The final section presents a toolkit for querying and examining the literature and data by exploring the inductive, deductive, abductive, categorical, patterned, and causational facets of the knowledge we discover and create critically, reflexively, and more crucially, qualitatively. The guide further includes discipline-specific examples to illustrate how these concepts can be applied to a research problem
Exploring the Views of White Therapists on Confronting Racism in Therapy with White Clients
No full textA gap exists in the marriage and family counseling literature regarding how White therapists address racism and engage in social justice efforts when working with White clients. When these conversations occur in therapy, it is unclear what strategies, and ethical considerations guide therapists’ responses. This qualitative study addressed the following research problem: there is a gap in literature examining White therapists’ experiences of addressing race related topics with White clients in therapy, leaving White therapists potentially unprepared to manage harmful attitudes and systemic inequities in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to explore White therapists’ experiences of addressing racism with White clients, the interventions they employ, and the ethical concerns they navigate. The study’s conceptual framework, critical race theory (CRT), was used to examine systemic power dynamics and the ethical responsibility of therapists to promote racial awareness. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) informed, inductive thematic analytic process was employed. A purposive sample of licensed White therapists in the United States, including marriage and family therapists, licensed counselors, and social workers, was recruited through an anonymous online questionnaire shared via Facebook. The final sample consisted of 12 participants who completed an open-ended questionnaire exploring their experiences of confronting racism in therapy. Patterns of meaning were identified inductively through sustained, interpretive engagement with participants’ responses. Three main themes emerged: (1) confronting racism with White clients, highlighting therapist discomfort and client defensiveness; (2) interventions and microskills, including psychoeducation and cognitive-behavioral strategies; and (3) ethical considerations, emphasizing the tension between client autonomy and challenging harmful beliefs. The findings revealed the complexity of addressing racism in therapy and the sustained emotional and ethical engagement required of White therapists as they navigate power, privilege, and accountability within therapeutic relationships. Recommendations for practice include integrating anti-racist training into counselor education, promoting therapist self-reflection, and using therapy as a platform for racial awareness. Recommendations for future research include examining the effectiveness of anti-racist interventions, exploring diverse therapist populations, and investigating client outcomes when racism is addressed in therapy. This study contributes to counseling theory, ethics, and education by positioning anti-racism as essential to competent and ethical clinical practice