The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
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Item Understanding the Impact of Systemic Racism on How Black Women Seek Prenatal and Postpartum Care: How Does This Effect Maternal Outcomes?(2026-03)The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Black women experience perinatal and postpartum care within the context of systemic racism and how those experiences influence when and how they seek help. The problem addressed was the persistent and disproportionate burden of adverse maternal outcomes among Black women that cannot be explained by individual or purely medical factors. Guided by critical race theory, this study examined how structural racism and discriminatory care in health systems undermine safety, trust, and engagement for Black women. Thirteen Black women in Texas, pregnant or within 18 months postpartum, completed virtual semi‑structured interviews. Data were analyzed using six‑phase thematic analysis within a descriptive phenomenological approach. Transcripts were coded using NVivo and manual methods and organized into 12 themes across four questions on help‑seeking amid systemic racism, effects of prior maltreatment, timing and trajectories of discrimination, and preparation for childbirth and postpartum care. Participants reported recurrent dismissal of concerns, structural racism in care, and emotionally costly adaptive engagement. Prior maltreatment shifted decisions about disclosure, trust, and adherence, and discrimination over time, forming trajectories that shaped when participants sought care. Participants reported preparing proactively, advocating for themselves, and relying on partners and community, yet facing systemic and logistical barriers that limited these supports. Conclusions highlight that inequity arises not from rare events but from routine processes that determine how symptoms are heard, decisions made, and care accessed. Recommendations highlight validation‑forward communication; symptom‑driven escalation; respectful documentation; coordinated referrals; protected advocates; timely postpartum access; and equity‑focused metrics, including longitudinal and mixed methods designs, to test equity interventions.Item Exploring Undergraduate Educators’ Preparedness in Addressing Students’ Overall Well-Being in a Post-Secondary Online Environment: A Qualitative Case Study(2026-03)Declining student well-being in online higher education presents a significant challenge for institutions seeking to improve engagement, persistence, and academic success. Although faculty often recognize the importance of supporting students’ social, emotional, and mental health needs, many report feeling underprepared to address well-being concerns in virtual learning environments. This dissertation in practice examined how full-time undergraduate educators perceive their preparedness to support students’ overall well-being in an online setting. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory single case study was to explore the preparedness and experiences of full-time undergraduate educators in addressing students’ well-being in online learning environments. The study was guided by the PERMA model of well-being (Seligman, 2011), which emphasizes positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment as foundational elements of human flourishing. The research was conducted at a private university in the western United States serving primarily online undergraduate students. Seventeen educators completed an open-ended questionnaire, and eleven participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic coding, including open coding, category development, and theme synthesis across data sources to support triangulation. Findings revealed that faculty conceptualized preparedness primarily through relational practices such as building trust, maintaining presence, and fostering psychological safety. Participants described confidence as developing largely through experience and informal learning rather than structured professional development. Ambiguity regarding institutional expectations and limited clarity about referral processes contributed to variability in faculty confidence and response approaches. Faculty also emphasized the importance of understanding students as whole adult learners whose broader life responsibilities influence academic engagement. The findings also suggest that institutions should align professional development, instructional policies, and institutional messaging to reinforce relational teaching practices, clarify faculty roles, and promote consistent support structures. By intentionally integrating well-being support into everyday instructional practice, institutions can strengthen faculty preparedness and enhance student engagement and persistence in online higher education.Item The Psychological Impact of Transgenerational Superwoman Schema and Racialized Impostor Phenomenon in Black Women(2026-03)The focus of this applied doctoral project is to examine how African American women experience transgenerational Superwoman Schema and Racialized Impostor Phenomenon, and how these experiences contribute to adverse mental and physical health outcomes. The purpose of this project was to explore these lived experiences to inform the development of a culturally responsive support group curriculum for African American women. A qualitative participatory action research design was employed. African American women between the ages of 25 and 65 participated in a single-session focus group centered on shared storytelling and collective reflection. Reflexive thematic analysis of the discussion identified seven themes: redefining strength; boundaries as survival; generational expectations; culturally rooted language for emotional distress; grief, shame, guilt, and grace; being the first or only; and health as a living witness. Findings underscore the importance of culturally grounded group spaces that validate lived experiences and promote rest, self-compassion, and holistic wellness. Implications include the expansion of culturally responsive group interventions and increased clinical attention to the impact of racialized gendered expectations on health outcomes.Item Data Literacy Perceptions and Experiences Among K-12 District Leaders(2026-02)The problem addressed in this study is that K-12 district leaders face a deficiency in data literacy training, limiting their ability to effectively utilize learning analytics within their data-driven decision-making practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how K-12 school district leaders leverage learning analytics tools and demonstrate data literacy competencies when planning and executing educational improvement initiatives. The theoretical frameworks for this study were the generic framework for learning analytics and the data literacy framework. A qualitative case study design was used. The target population for this qualitative case study was K-12 leaders serving at the central office level in a large, urban, public school district in Washington, District of Columbia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants, and documents were collected. The data were codified, categorized, and analyzed inductively via NVivo software and manual review to compare, contrast, and synthesize perspectives and identify themes regarding participants’ use of data. The results suggested that translating data into actionable strategies is central to how district leaders leverage learning analytics. Leaders also emphasized aligning data with strategic goals while navigating challenges such as limited infrastructure, competing priorities, and gaps in professional development. These findings contributed to practice by underscoring the need for organizational support and professional learning to enable sustainable, equity-driven data use.Item Principals' Perspectives on Overcoming Barriers to Implementing Capacity-Building in Southwest Texas: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was many K-12 public schools' reading/language arts (RLA) test scores did not meet grade level in the southwest region of Texas, prompting the mandatory implementation of intervention measures to build capacity and increase student learning. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore how principals overcome barriers to improve low RLA test scores. Studies indicate that universal educational achievement can be achieved through instructional leadership (IL). However, implementation fidelity is lacking in application. The professional realities of eight principals who employed various capacity-building practices through IL were examined for this study. Grounded in Coleman's social capital theory and Hallinger and Murphy's IL framework, this research focused on IL barriers and the actions principals took to overcome them. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group using Zoom's video recording and transcription features. The transcripts were analyzed using NVivo. The data were categorized, sorted, and investigated using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis. The detailed analysis culminated in the emergence of four themes and eight subthemes. RQ1-barriers faced implementing IL: (1a) administrator duties and an underdeveloped learning culture, (1b) teacher lack of accountability and adaptability. RQ2-actions to overcome barriers: (2a) data analysis and professional learning communities, (2b) effective monitoring and feedback, and building an effective learning culture. This study found that principals who delegated specific duties, fostered a positive learning culture, managed data analysis, engaged structured PLCs, and maintained effective feedback systems achieved progress on their campuses. Future research could include exploring teacher accountability, comparing IL-trained campuses to those not trained, and a correlational study using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS).
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