Although substance use is very common, it is estimated that about 37% of those enrolled in college regularly use substances, and 54.9% used substances in the last month (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2018). This population is more susceptible to use than those not enrolled due to the risk factors they experience.…

The United States is experiencing a surge in international graduate students, particularly from Southeast Asia. These students bring a wealth of knowledge and fresh perspectives, significantly enriching the U.S. economy, academia, and scientific research (Popadiuk & Arthur, 2014). Their contributions extend beyond the academic realm, fostering…

This study applied a qualitative methodology and generated descriptive data while exploring the food insecurity (FI) of student service members and veterans (SSM/V). Thematic data analysis was used to rigorously interpret the participant's reporting's (Braun, & Clarke, 2006; Terry, et al., 2017). The conceptual framework that informed the…

The current school environment creates stressors for principals preventing them from being instructionally-focused leaders. This project determined current stressors perceived by principals that interfere with their ability to provide instructional leadership and strategies they use to manage those stressors so they are able to focus more time on…

Re-injury anxiety is common among college student-athletes at the varsity (Podlog et al., 2011; Putukian, 2016) and club (Watanabe et al., 2023) level. Coping with sport injury has been studied in previous reviews (Putukian, 2016; Sims & Mulcahey, 2018) and literature (Kontos et al., 2013; Schlierf & Vosloo, 2020), but the relationship…

The problem addressed through this study was that public elementary school teachers in the United States have reported increasing levels of workplace stress. Teachers' stress levels need to be studied and addressed because they affect students as well. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary public school K-3…

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) impacts professionals who assist others experiencing trauma. Assistant principals and principals help both students and staff members suffering crises yet remain an understudied population in relation to STS. This study sought to answer: what is the prevalence of STS in secondary campus administrators, and does the…

The experience of teachers who cope with the potential of violence in their workplaces was the topic of this dissertation. The research question was the following: What is the process of coping with the increased potential of violence in the school/work setting for teachers? This question was posed to examine how teachers process and cope with the…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how first-year college students describe their experiences with stress and coping. This study sought to understand what coping mechanisms first-year college students use when they experience stress. Prior to this dissertation, it was not known how first-year college students describe…

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused unexpected and unprecedented disruptions worldwide, inflicting inconvenience in daily life, heightened health risk, and psychological distress. University students, especially international students, faced unique challenges and stressors related to education, financial situation, safety, mental…

International students represent a large portion of student populations in higher education in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic had a large impact on international students. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of international students who were stranded in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive…

The number of single mothers continues to grow across the nation, and many are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. Little research focuses, however, on how single mothers describe their experiences of balancing motherhood, work, and pursuing higher education, all while undergoing food insecurity. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress…

Prolonged teacher stress and burnout cause teachers of all experience levels to resign early, creating a school staffing problem (Ingersoll et al., 2021; King & Yin, 2022; Oberle et al., 2020; Sutcher et al., 2016; Will, 2022). Maslach and Jackson (1981) defined burnout as a syndrome caused by job demands and stress with three factors:…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine coping strategies for teachers in elementary schools who taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers experienced mental, physical, and spiritual challenges throughout the pandemic, and this study shared how teachers coped. Through this study, 48 teachers serving in three different elementary…

College students, including student athletes and nonathletes, experience significant stress from factors such as academic demands, transition to adulthood, social pressure, and the expectation of obtaining a college degree. High levels of stress can have negative impacts on mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. At the…