As internet use continues to rise, school counselors encounter challenges related to problematic internet behaviors among secondary students. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Georgia school counselors when working to prevent, manage, and support these behaviors. I used a semi-structured format to interview 15 school counselors in…

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States, with approximately 24 million Americans currently infected. In 2018, men, ages 15-59, had higher HPV infection rates and HPV high-risk type infections compared to…

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of a professional development program aimed at enhancing early childhood education (ECE) teachers' abilities to identify and address developmentally appropriate versus maladaptive behaviors in young children. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study involves pre- and…

Evidence shows that edutainment programs have been successfully employed to tackle health-related problems across the world and in Nigeria. This effort has not been extended to academic corruption in Nigeria. This study explored the effects of a corruption-themed edutainment drama on participants' knowledge, attitude, perceived self-efficacy, and…

Behavior challenges impact children and educational professionals on a daily basis; however, it is difficult for educators to obtain high quality training in behavior management. The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive apprenticeship and group work, two teaching methods, to determine which provides better knowledge and implementation…

Adolescents now have greater access to digital resources and spaces and are more likely to engage in risky online behaviors for which they are unprepared. The study's purpose was to examine the little-understood online behaviors of adolescents to better educate and prepare them for safe online interactions. The study was framed by two theories:…

The current study examined the impact of a live, virtual training on the combined topics of affirmative consent and bystander intervention among 1,395 students new to the university in 2022. Student responses on pre-survey and post-training surveys were analyzed to determine if attending the intervention promoted students' ability to understand,…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with comorbid disorders like anxiety. However, special education teachers may lack the training to implement specific interventions in the classroom setting for adolescents with ASD and anxiety. This qualitative action research study was conducted to examine how special education…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to collect in-depth information from school psychologists regarding their perceptions toward expressive therapies and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as interventions when working with students who are exposed to trauma. Individual Zoom interviews were conducted with seven practicing school psychologists who…

The nationwide shortage of special educators is well documented. Preparedness is a key component of building self-efficacy and longevity in the PK-12 teaching field (Clark & Newberry, 2019; Darling-Hammond et al., 2002; Ingersol et al., 2012; Ondrasek et al., 2020). This qualitative study examined the preparedness of novice special education…

This program was developed to offer caretakers information and support in their role as gatekeepers for their children and preadolescent's consumption of technology. Information is offered via psychoeducation, research, and statistics concerning the trajectory and effects of unsupervised, passive, excessive, and/or counteractive interaction of…

This study examines the influence of teaching digital resources of MyPlate on the nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to healthy eating habits among first and second-grade students. A pre-and post-assessment of this quasi-experimental research study measured the baseline KAP levels of 45 participants regarding healthy…

The overrepresentation of Black/African American students receiving exclusionary discipline in K-12 schools in the United States is a persistent problem that harms Black/African American students' academic outcomes, contributes to social emotional challenges, increases the likelihood of student dropouts, and fuels the school-to-prison pipeline.…

This study was conducted to explore K-5 general education teachers' understanding of behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the behaviors of students with DB. K-5 teachers completed questionnaires and individual interviews were conducted to understand the descriptions of DB that K-5 teachers provide regarding the effects of DB in their…

The U.S. Surgeon General defines determinants of health as "the range of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status" (Donatelle, 2019). These determinants encompass various health goals but despite them, health-related issues persist across the population, indicating a need for comprehensive…