Our children come to school every day to learn, participate, and prepare for what the future will bring. Others come to school to find refuge and help from those who dedicate their lives to ensure they are well and safe. They come with their minds filled with hopes and dreams, while others walk around the hallways with their hearts filled with…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe experiences of dialectical behavior therapy for special education teachers at a large, suburban school district in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), as it explains how new behaviors are learned and…

The increasing prevalence of single-parent households, particularly among Black single mothers, presents unique challenges in higher education. Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs) serve a significant proportion of non-traditional students, including single parents. However, little research addresses how HBCC leadership can effectively…

Student behavior management is a critical component of efficacious teaching and a leading contributor to teachers' stress. Prior research has shown that teachers experiencing greater levels of workplace stress may utilize more punitive and exclusionary disciplinary techniques. However, these strategies often do not effectively manage student…

Disciplinary exclusion, particularly school expulsion, presents a significant challenge to school-age children and their families. Although the impacts of disciplinary exclusion from school on children are well-known, less is known about how this phenomenon affects their parents. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to…

This study explores the challenges that elementary science educators face when teaching science in a time of crisis, as well as how to best provide elementary teachers with ongoing support for their science teaching during the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Using a phenomenological approach, this research focuses on elementary science teachers,…

International students face multiple challenges while adjusting to the U.S. academic culture. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore and identify the academic problems these students face and how these problems influence academic adjustment. The study also focused on identifying students' strategies to overcome these academic…

This research study focused on gathering the experiences of adversity of Generation Z, Latinx, children of immigrants in addition to exploring how they navigate their adversity. The purpose of this study was to recognize the multiple and intersecting identities and experiences to advance the knowledge about Generation Z and to better understand…

This doctoral project explores the relationship between Catholic school culture and teacher burnout within the context of Catholic secondary schools in the state of Texas. While the subject of teacher burnout has gotten considerable attention in educational research, there is very little research on the specific relationship between school culture…

An emerging literature base suggests that symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) persist beyond adolescence and are associated with unique psychosocial impairment for adult populations. The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical characteristics of ODD symptoms in a young adult population. Three-hundred and five young adult…

Teacher burnout during the pandemic has resulted in a mass exodus of teachers that, compounded with consistently low enrollment in teacher preparation programs, has caused a severe and catastrophic teacher shortage. This qualitative study investigated teacher perceptions of pandemic-related workload and emotional stress and their effects on job…

The purpose of this feasibility project is to implement and evaluate the effect of a trauma-informed modification on an evidence-based classroom intervention model to promote effective trauma-informed classroom management and coping skills with potential reduction of educator stress and burnout. Trauma is the most-common psychological health…

There is a lack of research available on how students with selective mutism transition from secondary school to a university setting and beyond. This suggests a need for further study as it relates to students on the verge of completing their undergraduate studies and preparing to move into a career. This researcher used a qualitative…

There are many factors which contribute to college/university retention rates, two of which are a sense of entitlement and a lack of academic coping skills among rising college freshmen. The theoretical foundations of this research is conflict theory in education and social construct theory. This study examines grade inflation and social promotion…

In a midwest, rural, and high-poverty elementary school, teachers expressed concerns about difficult student behaviors in their classrooms. It was important to address the problem because student misbehavior disrupts the learning of all students in the classroom. To provide information to the school that could inform possible interventions, a…