Date

7-15-2024

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Karla Swafford

Keywords

dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, special education, behavior, Autism, phenomenology, social emotional learning, emotion regulation

Disciplines

Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe experiences of dialectical behavior therapy for special education teachers at a large, suburban school district in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), as it explains how new behaviors are learned and acquired. The central research question was: What are special education teachers' experiences of dialectical behavior therapy at a suburban school district in the Southeast United States? This qualitative design utilizes a phenomenological method. The sample included 12 special education teachers in behavior classrooms receiving dialectical behavior therapy. The setting was a large, suburban, public school district in the Southeast United States including elementary, middle, and high schools. Data collection utilized surveys, interviews, and artifacts analyzed using epoché, phenomenological reduction, and textural/structural descriptions. Resulting themes include: a) DBT and mindfulness skills support the improvement of student behaviors, b) certain coping skills are viewed as more valuable than others, and c) teachers view the coping skills as personally beneficial and empowering. The results of this study support findings from similar studies conducted within other settings regarding DBT and mindfulness.

Download

Share

COinS