Educators throughout the United States report high levels of mental distress, anxiety, depression, and stress and difficulties with physical health. Educational systems have limited ability to address the well-being of faculty and staff in primary and secondary schools. Existing interventions are not always adequate and often do not reach the…

Navigation of the state and federal child welfare and special education systems in the U.S. presents significant challenges for caregivers, particularly those of children with disabilities. This dissertation explores the experiences of caregivers who were involved in these two systems, discussing the challenges they faced and analyzing the…

This dissertation explores the role that shame plays in schools in the United States, both historically and today. Through utilizing the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) arts-based inquiry method, I consider my own encounters with shame both as a student and teacher, and position these stories as a jumping-off point to further investigate the…

In recent years, gratitude practices arising from positive psychology have increased in the classroom. Considering teachers' vital role in creating an environment that fosters positive character development such as gratitude is critical because their own perceptions about gratitude and how well-prepared they are influences student engagement.…

The purpose of this research was to explore experiences of nontraditional doctoral students with impostor phenomenon (IP) at an R1: Doctoral University in the U.S. The research questions guiding the study were: (1) what are the experiences of nontraditional doctoral students with impostor phenomenon at an R1: Doctoral University in the U.S.? (2)…

The purpose of this research was to explore master-level counseling students' lived experiences when taking online counselor education courses within the past five years (i.e., 2017-2022). Traditionally, counselor education programs and classes are offered through in-person learning modalities. However, the increased movement and utilization of…

Taking tests can trigger multiple emotions. To regulate emotions we might experience during test-taking situations, strategies such as reappraisal and suppression are often used. This study aimed to investigate if college students' cultural values affect their emotion regulation in test-taking situations. The sample included 298 college students.…

Throughout much of American history, spirituality has played an important role in the lives of students of color. This has led to students of color tending to have higher levels of spiritual identity compared to their White peers. Additionally, we have seen increased access to higher education for previously underrepresented student populations.…

This exploratory, mixed-method study investigated how strength-based approach to mathematics instruction (SBAMI) influences the academic optimism of general education and special education pre-service teachers (PSTs). Academic optimism, linked to student achievement in previous research, was used as the theoretical framework. Data included…

This qualitative phenomenological investigation explores the impact of systemic racism on stress among African American doctoral students in clinical psychology aged 25 to 55 and identifies coping strategies employed by this demographic. The study analyzes participants' experiences, emotional responses, and coping mechanisms in the face of…

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship and correlation between positive psychological capital (PsyCap), which includes the resources of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, to student status and academic achievement. PsyCap can potentially increase academic success, possibly increasing college retention and graduation…

Drawing upon three individual interviews with each of five students enrolled in a first-year writing (FYW) course I observed throughout a semester, this dissertation explores how a group of socially privileged students emotionally experienced, interpreted, and responded to discourses of differences encountered in their FYW course. Contributing to…

This hermeneutic phenomenological research project involved nonprofit board members' insights into their leadership role in dealing with children with rare illnesses. The organization studied was a charitable 501(3)(C) nonprofit foundation in Indiana and utilized interviews with 13 nonprofit board members to gain information attained from these…

Teacher educators play a multifaceted role in designing and implementing curriculum to nurture preservice teachers' growth in content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and teaching efficacy. Amidst evolving educational landscapes and diverse classroom environments, there's an increasing emphasis on fostering teacher agency and autonomy to navigate…

Within the broad, interdisciplinary field of adult education, affective aspects of experience and the roles they play in learning have, thus far, not been properly theorized or researched. This dissertation first explores how John Heron's whole person theory (WPT) conceptualizes feeling as an expansive affective capacity at the root of all human…