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 An Examination on the Challenges that Black Women Experience in Starting a Business in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experienced when starting and sustaining a business in Georgia (Williams, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experience when starting a business in Georgia and to identify strategies that promote business sustainability and success. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 15 Black women entrepreneurs who owned or sustained businesses in Georgia, focusing on the systemic challenges they encountered during business initiation and sustainability. The intersectionality theory and disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship examined how gendered racism, discrimination, and institutionalized chauvinism converged to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship posits that Black women pursue entrepreneurship not solely for opportunities but also due to exclusion from traditional labor markets and systemic racial barriers that hinder financial success. The phenomenological approach was employed to obtain rich narratives that illustrated structural and relational constraints, including funding issues, lack of support, non-acceptance, and racial and gender discrimination from dominant entrepreneurial networks, and persistent racialized and gendered bias. Participants provided strategic insights for rising Black women entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of community building, mentorship, resilience, and engagement in professional development. Based on the findings, Black women-owned businesses in Georgia accounted for a significant share of new ventures and entrepreneurial networks, yet these networks remained inequitable and under-resourced. The findings suggested a need for policy reform and support from other Black businesses and from local, state, and federal agencies. This study contributed to the growing body of entrepreneurship literature by enriching the knowledge of entrepreneurship through the lens of intersectionality theory and the disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship. These frameworks collectively highlighted the interconnected systems of oppression that shaped the participants’ entrepreneurial voices as business owners in Georgia, thereby impacting the sustainability and viability of their businesses.Item Virtual Simulations Enhance Student Learning and Attitudes in Microbiology Laboratory Courses(2026-01)Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of virtual laboratories in microbiology instruction was limited; however, their adoption increased rapidly during campus closures. Despite this shift, few studies have examined if and how virtual simulations support student learning and attitudes in college-level microbiology laboratory courses across instructional modalities. This quasi-experimental study examined whether virtual simulations support student learning and attitudes in a pre-allied health microbiology laboratory course required for a nursing and other health programs. Virtual labs were aligned with course learning outcomes. In-person students completed simulations before class and performed hands-on experiments during lab sessions; while online students completed only virtual labs. Learning was measured using pre- and post-test questions aligned with course outcomes. At the same time, student attitudes were assessed through end-of-course surveys to gauge confidence, motivation, anxiety, and perceptions of self-paced learning. Mixed-effects modeling revealed significant learning gains in both groups. All students improved in six of seven outcomes, while a few learning gains varied by modality. Surveys showed increased confidence and motivation, and reduced anxiety across modalities. A 5-year follow-up of students in the study showed that 69% and 50% of the in-person and online-only students, respectively, had graduated from nursing or allied health programs. Overall, this study showed increased student learning using microbiology simulations was significant over time as well as a positive effect on student attitudes towards microbiology lab.Item Adults' Perspectives on Resiliency After the Trauma of Being Chronically Verbally Bullied in Adolescence.(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was to investigate the challenges associated with chronic verbal bullying that individuals encountered during adolescence and how these experiences manifested in adulthood. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, multiple-case study was to investigate how adults who endured chronic verbal bullying during adolescence articulate their experiences of developing and sustaining resilience into adulthood. The primary aim was to examine the contextual factors within participants’ social environments that contributed to overcoming negative experiences and fostering resilience. Social cognitive theory guided this study highlighting how individuals learn by observing behaviors, self-efficacy, and environmental factors. Data were collected through semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 12 participants, who provided in-depth reflections on their experiences. Two central research questions guided the inquiry: RQ1: How do adults who experienced chronic verbal bullying during adolescence articulate their processes of developing and sustaining resilience in adulthood, particularly in relation to personal and social challenges? RQ1-a: How do these adults reflect on the strategies they have employed to cultivate resilience and navigate adversity across diverse life domains, including relationships, employment, and emotional well-being? This study aimed to contribute to the broader understanding of resilience-building after trauma, emphasizing the critical role of social context in shaping adaptive responses to adversity.Item Renaming Pedophilia to Minor-Attracted Persons to Minimize Stigma-related Barriers and Challenges Mental Health Professionals Face with Treating this Population(2026-03)This study examined how stigma surrounding terminology creates barriers and challenges for mental health clinicians who provide treatment to individuals who experience sexual attraction to minors and explored whether replacing the term “pedophile” with the term “minor-attracted persons” (MAPs) may reduce these barriers. Stigma influences both those seeking help and the clinicians responsible for providing care, limiting disclosure, restricting treatment engagement, and straining therapeutic relationships. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore clinicians lived experiences with stigma-related barriers and to determine whether renaming the condition could meaningfully influence treatment dynamics. The study was guided by the Theory of planned behavior, which provided a framework for understanding how clinicians’ attitudes perceived social expectations, and perceived control influence their intentions and actions when treating this population. A purposive sample of licensed mental health clinicians (N = 16) from the Northwestern Pennsylvania region participated in the study. Eligible participants were required to be licensed mental health professionals with direct experience providing treatment to individuals diagnosed with pedophilia or who experience sexual attraction to minors. Recruitment occurred through direct email outreach, and data were collected through sixty-minute, semi-structured interviews conducted via videoconferencing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns related to the research questions. Participants were also given the option to review their transcripts for accuracy. Findings revealed that clinicians face substantial stigma-related barriers, including fear of professional judgment, legal uncertainty, emotional discomfort, and limited specialized training. These factors shaped therapeutic rapport and influenced willingness to treat. Participants offered mixed views on the renaming: some perceived it as a supportive, person-first term that may reduce stigma, while others believed terminology alone cannot overcome deeply rooted societal attitudes or resolve ethical and legal complexities. The study concluded that renaming may offer modest benefits by softening initial impressions, but significant reductions in stigma-related barriers require broader systemic changes, including enhanced education, clearer treatment guidelines, and increased professional support. Recommendations for future research include examining how terminology interacts with clinical decision-making, policy, training, and prevention-oriented treatment approaches.Item Barriers to Therapy Engagement for Youth in Care: The Influence of the Therapeutic Relationship(2026-03)The purpose of this capstone was to examine how the therapeutic relationship influences therapy engagement among youth in care, with particular attention to attachment disruption, relational trauma, and systemic instability. Youth in care, including those in foster homes, kinship placements, and residential treatment settings, face significant barriers to engaging in therapy. These barriers are often rooted in disrupted attachments, histories of relational trauma, and systemic instability, which can foster mistrust and resistance in therapeutic contexts. Guided by attachment theory and trauma-informed care, this capstone employed a structured literature review of 50 peer-reviewed and foundational sources published between 1969 and 2025, with the majority of literature drawn from the past 10–15 years. Articles were identified through academic databases including PsycINFO and Google Scholar and selected based on relevance to youth in care, therapeutic engagement, and relational processes. An iterative thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurring patterns across the literature. Findings highlight the critical role of therapist consistency, relational attunement, and nonpunitive responses in fostering safety and trust. Additionally, systemic factors, such as placement disruptions and institutional practices, were found to exacerbate challenges to engagement. Findings suggest that behaviors often labeled as therapeutic resistance should be reframed as adaptive self-protection rather than pathology, underscoring the importance of approaching youth with curiosity and empathy. Implications indicate that strengthening therapist reliability, integrating trauma-informed and attachment-based practices, and addressing systemic barriers are essential for improving therapy outcomes for youth in care. This project contributes to counselling psychology by enhancing understanding of how relational dynamics shape therapy engagement in marginalized child welfare populations.
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