Bullying was a pervasive issue affecting high schools in the United States despite anti-bullying programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of former high school bullying victims about why anti-bullying programs have not reduced incidents of bullying. The conceptual framework that supported this study was…

The purpose of the dissertation study was to increase understanding of the social experiences of students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are at increased risk of being involved in the bullying dynamic and experiencing greater social difficulties relative to their typically developing peers (Farmer et al., 2015; Rose & Gage,…

The research related to the immigrant paradox tells a story of immigrant students experiencing a decline in positive outcomes including academic achievement (Garcia Coll & Marks, 2012; Suarez-Orozco, Rhodes, et al., 2009). Researchers in the field have recommended interventions related to CASEL's SEL framework to remove barriers andincrease…

This study examined if differences in the experiences of student support co-occurred with differences in student perceptions of safety and the experience of bullying victimization as functions of race (Black/African American students; White/Caucasian students) and grade band (middle school students; high school students). Participants for this…

School bullying is a significant health concern for youth worldwide. The struggle to combat bullying in schools is an ongoing issue. There is no universally accepted definition for bullying, though there is widespread agreement. The voice and understanding of those that experience bullying the most has not been considered in defining and…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine how African international students describe their lived validation experiences with academic advising and cultural adjustment in one Midwestern community college. It was not known how African international students experience validation with academic advising and cultural…

Many previous studies have focused on the aggressive homophobic discrimination and harassment that LGBTQ students face on college campuses, as well as measures taken to improve their situation. However, few studies have explored the unique forms of sexual and racial discrimination encountered by Black male homosexual and bisexual college students…

College and university policymakers are often forced to react to incidents of homo- or transphobia on their campuses. This study explores the case of one institution, Watershed University, that endeavored to add protections to the institution's anti-discrimination policy for sexual orientation and gender, following an incident of viral…

The "American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics" (2014) purpose and intent are to ensure that the individuals that counselors are providing support to warrant the opportunity to be empowered through facilitating respect to all of the individuals that the counselors provide support through counseling sessions. The code of ethics…

This qualitative interview study was designed to explore with Trans-Spectrum college students, including graduates, current students, and dropouts, how they have conceptualized and made meaning of their experiences in traditionally Red States since the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. This study resulted in recommendations that would enable…

Social media has become a crucial form of communication and social interaction. However, users are often unaware of the possible ramifications of using social media platforms or how their user-generated content is being used. The problem addressed in this study is that sexting, bullying, and cyberstalking occurs in all social media platforms…

Given recent calls for advancing valid instrumentation in the field of cyberaggression, the present study evaluated construct validity and measurement invariance for the Cyberbullying Experiences Survey (CES) in a high school and college student sample. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), reliability analyses, and a nomological net…

The number of students with visual impairments in general education schools has been increasing in the United States as well as worldwide. Research needs to investigate the experiences of individuals with visual impairments in general education classrooms. The developmental niche theory was used to explore how people with visual impairments…

This dissertation aims to elucidate that current school-based mental health services need a more LGBTQI+ affirmative stance to counter and disrupt the heteronormativity, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia that LGBTQI+ students regularly encounter at school. Many LGBTQI+ students continue to be harassed, bullied, and discriminated against;…

Bullying encompasses aggressive behaviors in a situation where an individual experiences negative actions from one or more individuals repeatedly and over time in the forms of emotional, verbal, physical, race-based, and cyber aggressiveness. Anti-bullying research and interventions ensure healthy school climate for students as well as promote…