Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Felicidad Aplataná: How Dominican Migrants Living In The Nordic Countries Make Sense Of Their Happiness, Ivanna Lajara

Dissertations

As globalization evolves and the number of migrants and cross-cultural interactions among world citizens increases, understanding various aspects of immigrants’ experiences, including their happiness and subjective well-being will become fundamental to organizations, governments, and societies. However, there are substantial cross-cultural differences in how people understand their happiness, make sense of experiences that influence happiness, and how large-scale social trends, such as globalization, relate to the individual migration perspectives (Uchida and Ogihara, 2012). Research affirms culture as a key factor influencing happiness (Ye et al., 2015) and living in a foreign country may not only impact one’s perspective on life, but …

The Dark Side Of Leadership: Mid-Level Managers And Their Experience With Hubristic Behaviors Of Executives, Leili Sadaghiani

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify the emotional reactions of mid-level managers to executives’ hubris behaviors in a corporate setting.

Methodology: This leadership study uses qualitative phenomenological methodology was executed to explore the lived experiences of mid-level managers with past executives who practiced hubristic behavior.

Findings: The findings of this research on the lived experiences of mid-level managers with hubristic behaviors of executives suggest that the lack of support lessens the mid-level manager’s confidence; with little support; the mid-level manager was either afraid to fight the executive or gave up trying; the mid-level manager faced stress even …

Self-Compassion And Experiential Avoidance: Potential Pathways To Posttraumatic Growth, Julia Sager

Dissertations

Social support has been identified as one of the most consistent predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG). Although the role of social support in the process of PTG is informative, social support is intrinsically reliant on other people. Identifying internal, potentially malleable, factors that are associated with PTG is essential for developing preventative interventions to improve trauma-related outcomes and increase levels of PTG among trauma survivors. Internal processes such as self-compassion and experiential avoidance may promote, or interfere with, deliberate processing and the subsequent development of PTG; however, this has not yet been examined in the literature. Thus, the primary aims …

Understanding The Ethical Decision-Making Processes Of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Practitioners, Lisa Krystosek

Dissertations

Equine-assisted psychotherapy is a unique field in which interdisciplinary teams of practitioners provide mental health services to clients. These teams are comprised of at least two practitioners, one licensed mental health specialist and one certified equine specialist. While ethics and ethical decision-making are significant issues in the mental health industry, there exists a significant gap in the literature pertaining to the ethical decision-making processes of interdisciplinary teams of equine-assisted psychotherapy practitioners. This dissertation aimed to address the gap through the development of an understanding of how teams of equine-assisted psychotherapy practitioners engage in ethical decision making. Further, the researcher sought …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Conflict Transformational Strategies Used By Exemplar Student Support Service Leaders In K-12 Public Education To Achieve Common Ground And Breakthrough Results, Amber Ramirez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological conceptual replication study was to discover and describe how exemplary student support service leaders establish common ground and produce breakthrough results by using the six domains of conflict transformation.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological conceptual replication study discovered and described the use of conflict transformation domains to resolve conflict, establish common ground, and produce breakthrough results as perceived by student support service leaders in K-12 public schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California. The research was part of a thematic team of six peer researchers and five faculty advisors who developed a semistructured …

Gottman Processes And Couple Outcomes While Navigating Infertility, Clayton Brigance

Dissertations

Infertility remains one of the most difficult relational contexts for couples. However, some research suggests that some couples actually increase their overall satisfaction in their relationship through infertility due to a deeply shared emotional experience. To the knowledge of the author of this dissertation, no studies exist which explain how couples arrive at their relational outcomes through the experience of infertility. These studies within this dissertation add to the present literature by explaining how couples may arrive at their relational outcome through the lens of Gottman Method Couple Therapy (GMCT). For both studies presented here, 902 participants were recruited through …

The Effect Of Student Perception Of Parent Involvement And Socioeconomic Status On Academic Intrinsic Motivation, Pallavi Aggarwal, Taylor Lawson Smith

Dissertations

Many teachers struggle to help students become intrinsically motivated in their school work. Research has shown that students who are intrinsically motivated tend to have higher academic achievement than students who are not (Mendoza, 2012). There are many factors that contribute to students’ intrinsic motivation. Building on existing research, the relationship between perceived parental involvement and students’ intrinsic motivation, as well as the relationship of perceived socioeconomic status and intrinsic motivation was investigated. A mixed methods research approach was used to determine a) the relationship between perceived parent involvement and students’ intrinsic motivation, b) the relationship between perceived socioeconomic status …

A Phenomenological Study On The Informal Learning Experiences Of Female Mid-Level Administrators, Kathryn L. Curameng

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to identify and describe the informal leadership development experiences of female mid-level administrators in private nonprofit higher education.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identifies and describes the informal leadership development experiences of female mid-level administrators in private nonprofit higher education institutions in California. Respondents were selected based on specific criteria and recommendations of a sponsor. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews and observations of participants.

Findings: Examination of the qualitative data from interviews with 16 female mid-level administrators working in private nonprofit higher education yielded nine major findings. These included 2 unexpected …

Red, White, Blue & Black: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The African American Officer Experience Of Mentorship In The California Army National Guard, Larry B. Rankin Ii

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis is to explore the perception of mentorship through the experiences of African American Officers (in the ranks of O-4 and above), as it relates to their retention in the California Army National Guard.

Methodology: For this study, a qualitative design was used to conduct research to identify and describe the perception of mentorship through the experiences of African American Officers. The sample was composed of five African-American officers (rank O-4 and above) still serving in the California Army National Guard.

Findings: Analysis of the data collected from 10 semi structured interview questions …

Being Multicultural In The Workplace, Fiorella Morales

Dissertations

As the workforce becomes increasingly diverse and organizations elevate their efforts to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), it is critical to engage in a deeper investigation of the experiences of multicultural individuals at work. In this qualitative study, nine multicultural individuals were interviewed using a sociological lens to gain their perspective on the relationship between their identity and their work experiences. The primary research questions that guided this study were: (a) how do multicultural individuals influence the workplace? In turn, (b) how do their workplace experiences affect their identity and sense of self? Data was coded and …

An Examination Of Various Dimensions Associated With Nonprofit Board Member Diversity: The Significance Of Organizational Factors, Patrick Luke Decker-Tonnesen

Dissertations

This dissertation examined how leadership and organizational factors influence nonprofit board diversity. The goal of the research was to expand the data available in the social service sector associated with understanding the role of board member diversity within nonprofit organizations. Utilizing data from BoardSource’s Leading with Intent (2017) dataset, which included responses from 1,378 nonprofit Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), board racial, gender, and total diversity, along with several organizational factors, were included for descriptive and inferential analysis. Organizational factors included CEO racial and gender demographics, organization type, geographical location, revenue, personal contribution of board members, CEO perception of mission and …

Establishing A Health-Based Social Hierarchy, Akila Salaam Raoul

Dissertations

Social dominance theory (SDT) proposes a basic human nature to form social hierarchies based on social group membership with dominant and subordinate social groups. These social hierarchies are maintained through legitimizing myths, or beliefs that work to frame the existing social system as fair by suggesting that individuals receive the social status they deserve based on their actions and contributions to society as opposed to their group membership. The level at which an individual wants to maintain social hierarchies is indicated by their Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). SDT has been extensively studied in the context of race, gender, and age …

Higher Education, Neoliberalism, And Conflict: A Case Of The University Of Balochistan In Pakistan, Syed Amir Shah

Dissertations

The current study focuses on the role of peacebuilding in the higher education sector of Pakistan’s conflict-affected region of Balochistan. The research is an extended case study of the University of Balochistan. It addresses how the institution’s peacebuilding agency has evolved in the face of ethnic conflict and the neoliberal reforms pursued by the state during the past two decades. The research is based on the study of policy documents, official reports, and individual and focus group interviews with various educational actors.

The peacebuilding agency of the institution is theorized according to the 4Rs (Novelli et al., 2019; Novelli et …

Toward A Biblical And Missiological Framework For Transformational Advocacy In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Michelet William

Dissertations

Problem

Adventists have been inconsistent in dealing with inequality and injustice in society, swaying between silence, accommodation, positional statements, and direct advocacy approaches. Although advocacy has become more prominent among Adventist thinkers since the end of the twentieth century, there is a lack of empirical data which answer questions related to contemporary Adventists' beliefs and practices in relation to advocacy in the context of mission. Concomitantly, there does not yet exist a documented or articulated Adventist missiological perspective on advocacy.

Research Questions

(1) What part, if any, has biblically-based social advocacy played in Adventist mission history? and (2) What do …

Teaching Shante Curtelia Dominique Ophelia Brown Johnson : An Autoethnography Of A Black Male, Seventh-Day Adventist, Jazz Avant-Garde Artist, Michael Gayle

Dissertations

Leadership is part and parcel of societies and cultures. Leadership research can provide understanding that in turn provides knowledge, resources and growth opportunities for leaders. Leadership may be understood from a personal perspective as being bound up with identity. As I examine myself as a person and as a leader, I realize that several identities are prominent: Black male identity, Christian identity, jazz avant-garde artistic identity. Each of those identities have features that contribute to leadership.

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore leadership experiences of a Black male, from the Seventh-day Adventist Christian tradition who is …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Ethnic Identity, Spirituality, And Social Support As Predictors Of Resilience Among Black Male College Graduates Born In The United States, Sandy Belizaire

Dissertations

Problem

This study aimed to assess the influence of ethnic identity, spirituality, and social support on resilience among Black males (BM) who were born in the United States of America and are recent college graduates. The achievement gap between BM and their counterparts is among education's most infuriating problems. Educators are more likely to dissuade Black men from going to college, and those who enroll drop out before they graduate (Noguera 2003; Wilborn 2013).

Method

This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative correlation research design using self-report questionnaires. The target population for this study was American-born Black males who were graduates …

Impact Of The Regionalization Of Universidad De Antioquia In The Development Of Human Capital And Improvement Of The Equity In The Region Of Urabá, Monica Castaño Mejía

Dissertations

Problem

In Colombia, higher education plays a relevant role in developing human capital and equity, giving everyone the opportunity to access higher education. In particular, the government has been supporting public and private universities to open campuses in rural areas where guerrillas, the mafia, and paramilitary groups were fighting the government to dominate the territories. In 1995, the government of the State of Antioquia officially established the regionalization of higher education as a strategy to promote higher education in disadvantaged regions. The Universidad de Antioquia (Universidad de Antioquia) adopted that strategy as part of its development plans during the last …

Predictors Of Bullying Behaviors Among Adolescents In Saudi Arabia: The Role Of Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence And Moral Disengagement, Ayat Hamzah

Dissertations

Problem

Bullying issues are increasing among school-age children worldwide. Children and adolescents involved in bullying as victims, perpetrators, or both are likely to experience negative consequences on their emotional, social, and academic levels (Espelage & Holt, 2001). In spite of the increasing research on bullying in Saudi Arabia, there exists gaps in the literature, especially in the role of individual traits (self-esteem, emotional intelligence) and cognitive processes (moral disengagement) on bullying behavior. Additionally, using modeling analysis to understand the predictive factors affecting bullying involvement processes also filled in some of the gaps in the literature. The current study investigated the …

Religiosity, Family Sexual Communication & Gender As Predictors Of Attitudes Toward Oral Sex Among College/University Students In The United States, Antoinette Napier

Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether religiosity, family sexual communication and gender were predictors of attitudes toward oral sex among college/university students in the United States.

Method

Participants completed several surveys, which measured participants' personal religiosity, family sexual communication, and attitudes toward oral sex. A path analysis model was used to analyze the relationship between the proposed variables.

Results

The path analysis hypothesized model resulted in a poor fit for the data. The model was respecified by removing three items which showed weak beta weights. The respecified model produced a good fit for the data. The …

"A Raisin In A Box": The Experiences Of Racialized Black Males In Leadership Roles In The Non-Profit Sector In Toronto, Canada, Morris Anthony Beckford

Dissertations

Problem

The marginalization of Black and other racialized bodies (people of colour) has led to the position of a leader becoming so synonymous with Whiteness that it is normalized and naturalized; and worse, there has been limited analysis about why this is so. There is even less analysis of the experiences of the few people of colour who occupy leadership roles in organizations (Berkshire, 2008; Bradshaw et al., 2009; Mills et al., 2010; Nkomo, 2011; Ospina & Foldy, 2009). Astonishingly, organizations in diverse communities also have exiguous conversations about such salient issues like race and gender even though there is …

The Correlation Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, And Sexual Revictimization On North America Emerging Adult Females' Romantic Relationship Satisfaction With Spiritual Well-Being And Post-Traumatic Growth As Mediators, Sara C. Ward

Dissertations

Problem

Emerging adulthood is a time of great adjustment, in both personal and relational terms. One of emerging adulthood's most important developmental tasks includes the excitement of intimate romantic relationships (Shulman & Connolly, 2013). These intimate romantic relationships can involve sexual as well as emotional intimacy (Fisher, 2006). When there has been sexual abuse in childhood, the perception of self and others is maladaptive and damaging, increasing one's chance of experiencing sexual revictimization and intimate partner violence (Williams et al., 2010). This can greatly influence romantic relationship satisfaction. There are very few references to strength- based trauma mediators in the …

The "Othering" Of America: How The Strategic Use Of Crisis And Ressentiment Succeeded In The Trump Era, Laura J. Franklin

Dissertations

The establishment of a crisis theme through public rhetoric often triggers widespread attention, resulting in public concern and media coverage of an issue that could potentially be overblown or deceptive. In right-wing political discourse, this crisis warning is typically delivered by a White male leader with ready access to the powerful news media. An “us versus them” theme often occurs. Within this mode of a hegemonic exclusion, a culture of immigrants or an American minority are often depicted, perhaps aggressively, as a threat: A threat used to motivate, enrage and create the frustrations inherent in ressentiment. This dissertation explores the …

By Chameleonic Means; "Trust Based" Philanthropic Relationships, "The Business Of Yes," As Experienced By Black Fundraisers, Novien Yarber

Dissertations

In the wake of society’s reinvigorated consciousness around structural and systemic racism, conversations centering justice, equity, inclusion, access, and cultural diversification are going far beyond political discourse. Contemporary fundraising practices are also challenging antiquated hegemonic ways of philanthropy and are critically examining the practice from within. Among many things, this entails diversifying the historically White-female dominated fundraising workforce. In this, fundraising literature has paid minimal attention to intercultural/cross-racial dynamics as implications of diversification of the fundraiser workforce. Although some research may center fundraisers themselves (relative to their ethical and/or professional standards), this dissertation expands this field of study by offering …

Perceptions Of The Grant Decision-Making Process: A Study Of Foundation Grantmakers And Grant Seekers Who Focus On Youth Violence In Chicago, Illinois, Patiya Freely

Dissertations

Local partners like churches, schools, and community organizations are often at the front lines of addressing the problem of recurring deadly violence against Black urban youth. Foundation grants are frequently used to fund their work. While foundations annually award millions of dollars in grants to community-based organizations addressing youth violence, there is little detailed information available about the foundation grantmaking decision-making process. Notably, there is a lack of research on the determinants of the grant decision-making process that may inadvertently affect grantee outcomes and ultimately the of beneficiary organizations and communities.A sample of ten decision-makers who had funded or sought …

Twitter Sentiment Analysis: Applications In Healthcare And Finance, Jiali Wang

Dissertations

This research explores the influence of Twitter sentiment on healthcare and finance industries. It assesses how Twitter sentiment and culture measure influence COVID-19 statistics, and it investigates the impact of Twitter sentiment on S&P 1500 stock mispricing. Furthermore, it examines how tweet sentiment predicts major industry returns.

The first part examines how Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions (HCD) and Twitter economic uncertainty index (TEU) relate to COVID-19 infection rate and death rate. The results show certain aspects in HCD, such as power distance index (PDI) and masculinity (MAS) both are negatively and significantly associated with the infection rate, while indulgence (IVR) and …

The Future Of The Urban Street In The United States: Visions Of Alternative Mobilities In The Twenty-First Century, Esther Zipori

Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the present and future of urban streets in the United States. The goal is to document and analyze current visions, policies, and strategies related to the form and use of American urban streets. The dissertation examines current mobility trends and offers a framework for organizing visions of the future of urban streets, evaluating them through three lenses: safety, comfort, and delight: assessing physical conditions in accordance with livability standards toward sustainable development. At the same time, it demonstrates the way 12 scenarios (NACTO Blueprint for Autonomous Urbanism, Sidewalk Labs: Quayside Project, Public Square by FXCollaborative, …

The Impact Of Job Satisfaction On Retention And Motivation For Leadership Advancement Of The U. S. Citizenship And Immigration Services (Uscis) Millennial Supervisors, Kelvin Medlock

Dissertations

Purpose: This explanatory mixed-methods study aimed to identify the job satisfaction level of millennial supervisors at the five service centers of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, it identified the impact that job satisfaction levels have on their job retention and motivation for leadership advancement.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential design data collection method was used to identify and describe the level of job satisfaction of USCIS millennial supervisors. This Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was completed by the participants and was followed by an open-ended interview designed to collect in-depth data on job satisfaction factors’ impact on retention …

Educators’ And Parents’ Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Students With Emotional And Behavior Disorders, Shannon L. Howze

Dissertations

Educating students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) has historically been a difficult task for educators (McKenna et al., 2021). The general education setting comes with many barriers when attempting to include students with EBD to the equation. Parents are instrumental to the success of their students with EBD regardless to the setting. Educators may lack in the skills needed to communicate, educate, and understand students with EBD. Without educators and parents collectively communicating and collaborating, students with EBD will not have the opportunity to have the positive experiences and outcomes to be successful. Applying the theoretical frameworks of Bandura’s …

The Role Of Mate Seeking Motives, Status Acquisition Motives, And Dark Personality In Predicting Responses To An Aggression-Provoking Situation, Savannah Merold

Dissertations

Aggressive behavior is associated with many adverse consequences, prompting extensive research on the potential adaptive functions of aggression. For example, there is evidence that aggression may be beneficial for attaining status and attracting a potential mate (e.g., Buss & Dedden, 1990; Daly & Wilson, 1988; Griskevicius et al., 2009). Additionally, several personality traits have been identified as robust predictors of aggressive behavior (e.g., psychopathic, Machiavellian, narcissistic, and sadistic traits; Chester et al., 2019; Neumann & Hare, 2008; Paulhus & Jones, 2017; Twenge & Campbell, 2003). These two research traditions (i.e., evolutionary and personality) have remained separate, with few studies combining …

Policy Implications Of Managing Biodiversity And Natural Resources Across International Boundaries, Dillon Brown

Dissertations

Fisheries Management under the best of scenarios is a complex action. It requires thoughtful consideration of resources that tend to be out of sight, widely distributed, highly variable both spatially and temporally, and present dramatic variation in life history and ecology. No one management approach has been developed which can effectively incorporate all these variables. Add to this the issue of transnational boundary movements of these resources, and one discovers that this complex issue needs to be addressed by multiple entities, agencies, and nations to have any chance of success.

This research set out to discover ways in which fisheries …