Date
6-26-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
James Sigler
Keywords
Special Operations Forces cadre, self-efficacy, social cognitive theory, modeling.
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Funes, Edward O., "Special Operations Forces Cadre Self-Efficacy: Insights From a Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Education and Training" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7139.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7139
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of the special operations forces’ cadre self-efficacy throughout their educational journey at the Special Operations Forces Training Center (SOFTC). The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s self-efficacy, based on the social cognitive theory, which posits that individuals’ belief in their capabilities is crucial to their success. The central research question is: What are the experiences of the special operations forces’ cadre self-efficacy throughout their educational journey? The methodology used in this study ensures that all its chapters are interconnected with a robust, cohesive, and rigorous approach to describe the lived experiences of the participants. The research design describes and informs the data collection methods through semi-structured individual interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. The sample size consisted of 10 participants, which allowed for saturation. The data analysis involved data preparation, organization, and reduction into themes through coding and data representation. The types of sampling used were maximum variation and snowball sampling. Maximum variation allows for documenting diverse individuals from various sites. Snowball sampling enables participants, through a peer recommendation system, to identify information-rich individuals who may be willing to participate. The results revealed the following themes: teaching confidence, with two subthemes: mastering content and learning from experience. The second theme was student-centric instruction, which yielded two subthemes: handling diverse learning styles and encouraging student engagement. The third subtheme, job satisfaction, emerged with two subthemes: fulfillment from student success, mentorship, and collaboration.
