A narrative inquiry study explored six graduate students' experiences of "imposter syndrome" during their graduate studies. Semi-structured interviews occurred with each participant at two time points: one initial interview and a follow-up interview to discuss the impact of the initial interview and to perform member checking. Each…

Teachers have been confronting burnout even before COVID-19 appeared; however, with COVID-19, teacher burnout has amplified and persisted. Resilience is a component within individuals that exhibits endurance to burnout. One factor that could feasibly be a component of resilience is hope. Hope within the Positive Psychology framework is seen as a…

International students experience adaptation difficulties that have the potential to affect their psychological well-being. Qatar has a growing yet understudied population of international students. The problem addressed in this study is that little is known about the role that cultural distance, psychological well-being, and selected demographic…

Being uncomfortable by choice as a means of personal growth has been touted for hundreds of years among scholars, philosophers, religious leaders, modern pop culture icons, and more. Yet, research pertaining to the benefits of being uncomfortable by choice is sparse. This qualitative, grounded theory study addressed the first step of…

This study investigated how emotion could enhance the effectiveness of a digital training game in improving the cognitive skill of shifting. Participants were randomly assigned to either an emotionally-positive visual design of the game, featuring warm colors, round shapes, and high-intensity character expressions, or an emotionally-neutral…

Universities are struggling to support college students' mental health and well-being. With finite counseling services available, it is imperative to explore upstream, strengths-based approaches that may benefit students holistically. This quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate whether a four-week program, using validated…

The current study examined the relationship between trait hope, state hope, connectedness, trauma symptoms, and positive religious coping with psychological distress among undergraduate students while also assessing the moderating effect of trauma symptoms. Grounded in theoretical frameworks by Snyder et al. (1991), Hobfoll et al. (2007), and…

This phenomenological study explored how senior-level leaders foster psychological safety for employees at public higher education institutions in Texas. The participants in this study consisted of 10 current senior-level leaders who report directly to the president at a public university in Texas. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted…

Using narrative inquiry, this study investigated the lived experience of embodied cognition--the integrated emotional and intellectual functions "of" cognition--in transformative learning in the context of a disorienting dilemma. These two fundamental "conscious" experiences of embodied cognition are preceded by three…

Higher levels of social anxiety predict greater incidence of alcohol-related consequences among college students, yet little is known about for whom social anxiety may pose the greatest risk of experiencing alcohol-related consequences and the significance and direction of association between social anxiety and alcohol use remain unclear. This…

This dissertation examines the distinct motivational variables that impact philanthropic contributions among millennial graduates of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). This study focuses on examining the philanthropic behaviors of millennial graduates from FAMU, with a particular emphasis on understanding the significant impact…

Social anxiety is a mental illness and can lead to problematic behaviors in adolescents, which can have a detrimental effect on student academic success. The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation existed between social anxiety and academic achievement emotions in virtual high school students. I used the control-value theory of…

Notwithstanding significant privilege and benefits, research suggests that collegiate student-athletes experience higher rates of mental exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and risk-taking behaviors compared to non-athletic peers. Student-athletes have been found to compartmentalize and manage academic and athletic responsibilities by engaging in a…

Accelerated baccalaureate nursing (ABSN) programs educate students faster than traditional nursing (BSN) programs; programs are 12-20 months and demanding. Research established test anxiety exists among BSN students; however, there is limited research on test anxiety in ABSN students. This study sought to identify prevalence of test anxiety among…

The United States is facing a crisis of college and university closures as we approach the demographic cliff. As a result, the expected number of four-year college closures is predicted to be substantial. This doctoral project offers a theoretical model (HERC Model) that provides tangible suggestions or recommendations for how to confront the…