GSEP Research Symposium

Follow

• 

  Authenticity as a Relational Signal

  As generative AI becomes a fixture of modern life, new questions about authenticity, personal voice, and relational trust are emerging. For business leaders, the challenge is not simply whether or not to use these tools, but how AI-mediated expression shapes their internal sense of authorship, identity, and alignment. This interpretive phenomenological study of eight externally-visible women business leaders examined how AI use in professional communication is experienced internally, as a question of felt alignment rather than technical function. Using asynchronous reflective surveys and semi-structured interviews and drawing on theoretical frameworks in authenticity and leadership identity (Ibarra, 2015; Snyder, 1974), psychological ownership (Pierce, Kostova & Dirks, 2001), and AI-mediated communication (Hancock, Naaman & Levy, 2020; Draxler et al., 2024), the analysis developed an understanding of how leaders make meaning around voice, alignment, and relational presence when AI is involved. The findings extend existing scholarship in three directions: the conditions under which the AI Ghostwriter Effect operates in professional communication contexts (Draxler et al., 2024), the routes through which leaders pursue felt authorship of AI-assisted output (Pierce, Kostova & Dirks, 2001), and the applicability of professional identity orientation as a predictor of AI engagement behavior (Ibarra, 2015). From these observations, the study proposes the AI-Engagement Orientation (AI-EO), a typology framework for understanding how a leader's identity orientation and pursuit of psychological ownership shape their characteristic pattern of engagement with generative AI.

• 

  Uncovering the Occupational Stress of Dual Roles in Academia and Mental Health: Community-Engaged Strategies for Professional Resilience

  Melissa Huy and Allison Annerino

  The levels of stress, burnout and mental wellness of educators remains to be a research focal point. Occupational stress factors consisting of teaching demands, tenure advancement, mitigating student issues, and nuances associated with online instruction were persistently among the variables measured in contemporary investigations (Huy, 2024; Myers et al., 2022; Sabagh et al., 2018, Vyletel et al, 2023; Xu & Wang, 2023). Professionals working in the mental health field also report work related stressors resulting in elevated levels of symptoms associated with compromised mental health functioning (Vivolo et al., 2024; Williams et al., 2020; Winburn et al 2023). Interestingly, there is insufficient data regarding the intersection of psychology and education, that is the wellness of educators who consecutively balance teaching and mental health clinical work (Huy et al., 2025). This is of particular importance given the multifaceted role of professors as well as the central role that clinicians play in promoting client health outcomes. Targeted research focused on the professional responsible for both academic and clinical demands will provide useful data aimed at better understanding the academic-clinician's levels of perceived occupational wellbeing. The current study examined the relationships between occupational variables and indicators of mental health wellness including symptoms associated with stress, low mood, burnout and levels of meaningfulness. The study participants consisted of actively working clinicians who also teach graduate psychology courses. The present findings align with existing literature documenting elevated levels of stress and burnout in this population. In fact, nearly 70% of respondents rated levels of exhaustion despite the perception that their work was meaningful and valued. Findings indicated that 92% of participants experienced some level of burnout related to work, 42% of participants reported moderate to severe levels of work stress and 24% rated sometimes to always having a persistent low mood. This study provides foundational empirical insight into wellness factors within this unique population, highlighting important implications for

  graduate psychology programs staffed largely by professionals in these dual roles. This current investigation is in alignment with the symposium’s themes of community engagement, enriching research and enhancing teaching by strengthening purpose driven lives, service and value driven leadership for the greater good. Through their professional roles working with students, scholarly colleagues, clients and beyond, academic-clinicians manifest and cultivate lives of purpose, service and leadership. Improved occupational wellbeing among academic-clinicians benefits the professors, their students and the public good. Collaborative engagement with community stakeholders can inform practical, evidence-based strategies to enhance the well being and resilience among academic-clinicians. This study advocates for such a partnership aimed at supporting those responsible for both training the next generation of community leaders and caring for those in need.

• 

  Childhood Exposure to Parental Domestic Violence and Post-Separation Parent-Child Contact: Implications for Mental Health and Intergenerational Risk

  Caroline Kim

  Intimate partner violence (IPV) is often described as a hidden epidemic, affecting at least half a million women in the United States annually (Roberts et al., 2010). IPV can be defined as “controlling behaviors and acts within intimate relationships that cause physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological harm”, and it will be used interchangeably with the term domestic violence (DV) throughout this review (Abordo et al., 2023, p. 297). Due to the heightened need for increased IPV awareness, substantial research has been conducted in analyzing the harmful effects it has on female victims primarily, and significant strides have been made in understanding the psychological, physical, and social consequences for survivors (Holt et al., 2008).

• 

  Cultural Diversity and Community Engagement in Tourism

  Maher Abdelwahab

  This phenomenological study examines how tourism leaders use Cultural Intelligence (CQ) as a vital leadership framework to foster meaningful, lasting community engagement in global tourism destinations. In today's globalized era, cultural diversity is a defining characteristic of the industry, compelling leaders to engage thoughtfully with host communities while balancing organizational economic objectives with deep social and cultural responsibilities (Tang & Xu, 2023). While involving the host community is widely recognized in academic literature as a fundamental pillar of sustainable tourism development (Dong & Nguyen, 2023; Tosun, 2000), there currently remains a significant gap in our understanding of how industry leaders actively apply CQ to plan through increasingly complex cultural landscapes and cultivate genuine, mutually beneficial partnerships with local residents (Li et al., 2022).

• 

  Wellness4Kids: An Integrated Mental Health Education and Movement-Based Model for Building Resilience in Youth

  Ashinee Reynolds and Chelsi Ferguson

  Children today are experiencing rising rates of anxiety, peer conflict, and emotional distress, yet many lack access to preventative mental health services. Wellness4Kids (formerly Move & Shine) is an integrated program model that pairs mental health education and social-emotional learning with movement based, experiential activities to build coping skills and resilience in youth before crises emerge. This program model is guided by three research questions concerning emotional awareness and long-term coping skill development. The program has been implemented across diverse community and school settings in California, Missouri, and Belize, reaching more than 3,458 students to date. The evaluation combined program specific feedback, teacher feedback, direct observation, and participation tracking. Across all three pilot sites, findings suggested high student engagement, increased emotional awareness and coping skills understanding based on participant responses, teacher feedback, and direct observation, along with strong teacher buy in and interest in program continuation from partnering schools and organizations. Results suggest that pairing movement with social-emotional learning is a promising, scalable strategy for delivering preventative mental health education to youth across varied cultural and geographic contexts. These findings have implications for school-based prevention programming, community partnerships, and the development of future youth mental health curricula.

• 

  Leadership Through Belonging: Community Engagement as the Hidden Engine of Purpose-Driven Leadership

  Lina Safa

  Leadership scholarship increasingly recognizes that effective leadership extends beyond individual competence to include relational, cultural, and community-based dimensions. Yet, the role of belonging as a foundational mechanism shaping leadership identity and community engagement remains underexplored. Drawing on qualitative data from a study of Lebanese women leaders in higher education, this work examines how experiences of belonging, within families, institutions, and professional communities, serve as a developmental engine for purpose-driven leadership and sustained community engagement.

• 

  9th GSEP Research Symposium - 2025

  The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

  This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the event showcased 50 selected presentations. These contributions represented emerging and established scholarship that bridges disciplines and responds to the evolving needs of diverse communities.

  Highlights included deep dives into educational and psychological research, explorations of culturally responsive pedagogy and equity in STEM, discussions on public health and wellness, and innovative uses of AI in learning, leadership, and research. The event emphasized applied practices, social impact, and transformative leadership across sectors and settings.

  The proceedings include comprehensive abstracts and updated references, capturing the richness of ideas shared during this meaningful event.

  As GSEP continues its mission to foster academic excellence and global engagement, the 2025 Research Symposium proceedings stand as a testament to the power of research to elevate humanity, drive innovation, and inspire purposeful action across borders and disciplines.

• 

  GSEP Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

  The 8th Annual GSEP Research Symposium, was themed "Dismantling Barriers between Research and Practice: Shining a Light on Global Interdisciplinary Solutions," took place on July 18-19, 2024, at the picturesque Château d'Hauteville in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland.

  The annual symposium is hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). The symposium served as a dynamic platform for students, faculty, alums, and staff to come together and explore innovative ideas across multiple disciplines. Featuring 69 selected presentations under five distinct tracks, the proceedings showcase groundbreaking research, foster meaningful discussions, and promote professional development.

  The symposium aimed to bridge the gap between research and practice, highlighting GSEP's commitment to academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge. The proceedings include comprehensive abstracts and references, offering insights into the diverse and impactful research presented during this enriching two-day event.