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Faith-Based Support For Alzheimer's Family Caregivers In Madison County, Alabama, Meredith Lewis Jan 2019

Faith-Based Support For Alzheimer's Family Caregivers In Madison County, Alabama, Meredith Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, is incurable. Because of the extensive long-term care required for patients with Alzheimer's, the typical caregiver is often a middle-aged family member with his or her own health problems. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine the extent to which there was a difference in the perception of quality of life between Alzheimer's family caregivers who receive tangible faith-based support compared to the Alzheimer's family caregivers who receive no social support. The theoretical basis was social support theory, which suggests that support buffers stress. The …


Counter-Ideology As A Wider Strategy For Defeating The Boko Haram Terrorist Group, Kwesi Ayima Jan 2019

Counter-Ideology As A Wider Strategy For Defeating The Boko Haram Terrorist Group, Kwesi Ayima

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need to address current military strategies to defeat the resilience of the Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) group. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a counter-ideology framework as an alternative strategy to defeat the group. The relational/vengeance and relative deprivation theories provided the theoretical foundation for the study, and the research question addressed the extent to which counter-ideology strategies can be instituted to defeat the BHT group. Data were collected through semi structured interviews from 20 participants who were Muslim clerics, community leaders, and military personnel, and data were analyzed using Nvivo software. The themes …


Career Pathway And Leadership Attributes Of Academic Administrators At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Dyanne Mitchell-Williams Jan 2019

Career Pathway And Leadership Attributes Of Academic Administrators At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Dyanne Mitchell-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic administrators at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are faced with multiple challenges regarding retention of students, funding, and maintaining status as an HBCU, yet little is understood about how and why leaders choose a particular career pathway. This lack of understanding creates opportunities for failure related to turnover in leadership, funding discrepancies, and lower rates of retention and persistence for students. Using Maslow's needs theory as the foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to better understand the career pathways of established executive level leaders atin HBCUs in order to determine attributes of success among leaders with …


Law Enforcement Perception Of Social Media As An Influence In Mass Shootings, Jazma Mekelle Parker Jan 2019

Law Enforcement Perception Of Social Media As An Influence In Mass Shootings, Jazma Mekelle Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mass shootings have been a persistent issue in the United States, and the underlying factors that continue to influence this crime are not yet evident. This study explored the effects of social media as an influence on mass shootings in the United States. Its purpose was to address the role of social media in spreading opinionated ideologies. The research question addressed the role of social media in influencing the actions of perpetrators of mass shootings in the United States. The study framework was based on the social-ecological model to facilitate classification of the susceptibilities of social media users to adverse …


Relationship Between Novice Counselors' Supervisory Attachments And Boundary Practices And Perceptions, Glenda Hill Nanna Jan 2019

Relationship Between Novice Counselors' Supervisory Attachments And Boundary Practices And Perceptions, Glenda Hill Nanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Novice counselors may struggle to understand and follow ethical guidelines for boundary behaviors with clients. When counselors violate therapeutic boundaries, harmful consequences can result for clients and counselors. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the possible relationship between novice counselors' (NCs') attachment to supervisors and NCs' ethical perceptions and boundary practices. This study addressed the possible predictor variables of age, gender, relationship status, and practice setting. Bowlby's attachment theory provided the framework for the study. Survey data from 114 NCs were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical linear regression. Each regression analyzed predictors of age, gender, relationship …


The Influence Of Social Support On Recidivism Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Alison Dockery Jan 2019

The Influence Of Social Support On Recidivism Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Alison Dockery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who are released from incarceration face many challenges with reintegration into the community, and it is important that they find stable environments to foster positive social integration. Family involved treatment programs have been shown to be successful in many areas for reentry. However, these programs lack information regarding the relationship between the individual's criminal history, risk of recidivism, and social support. This quantitative study was designed to evaluate the impact of social support on recidivism among participants. Secondary data were used from a 3-year period from a reentry program located in a large northeastern city and the Division of …


Cancer Treatment Decision Making In Aging Minorities, Patrice Kemp Jan 2019

Cancer Treatment Decision Making In Aging Minorities, Patrice Kemp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cancer incidence is high for aging minority and underserved populations, yet research is limited about patient-provider communications with aging racial and ethnic minority populations. Achieving high-quality cancer care is crucial to reducing health disparities for this population. However, potential shortages in professional health personnel, the cost to treat cancer, a strained health care system, and large aging populations contribute to the problem. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the personal experiences of aging minorities during cancer treatment decision making when communicating with their cancer care providers. Purposive sampling methods were used to recruit 10 minority women and …


Bullying And Resilience In Elementary School Children And Mitigating Pro-Social Behaviors, Suzette A. Bean Jan 2019

Bullying And Resilience In Elementary School Children And Mitigating Pro-Social Behaviors, Suzette A. Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between bullying behaviors, as measured by the Personal Experiences Checklist (PECK), and resilience, as measured by the Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS), as well as whether the prosocial behaviors of controling anger, solving problems, and cooperating with others during activities mitigated the effects of bullying behaviors. A relationship between bullying behaviors and resiliency in children has been shown in past research. The theoretical framework for this study was social learning theory. The foundation of social learning theory is that children learned behaviors by imitating the behaviors of others. …


Training Satisfaction Of Behavioral Health Providers Treating Older Adult Substance Use, Claudia Lpc Crosse-Wynn Jan 2019

Training Satisfaction Of Behavioral Health Providers Treating Older Adult Substance Use, Claudia Lpc Crosse-Wynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance use disorders among the baby boomer generation are steadily increasing, but knowledge and training satisfaction regarding older adult substance use disorders among behavioral health providers (BHPs) has not been explored. Using the Kirkpatrick evaluation model, this quantitative study involved an examination of the knowledge and training satisfaction of four behavioral provider groups: addiction counselors, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists/social workers, and psychologists. Each participant (N = 154) completed a demographic questionnaire, satisfaction questionnaire, and the Alcohol and Older Adult Questionnaire to measure knowledge level on older adult substance use disorders. The results showed that licensed professional counselors …


Expert Perspectives On How The Islamic State Potentially Shaped The Future Of Islamic Transnational Terrorism: An Exploratory Study, Richard Bryant Culp Jan 2019

Expert Perspectives On How The Islamic State Potentially Shaped The Future Of Islamic Transnational Terrorism: An Exploratory Study, Richard Bryant Culp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) declared its caliphate in June 2014, there has been an unprecedented amount of terrorist attacks conducted in the West by individuals either inspired by jihadist ideology or linked to ISIS. As evidenced by the number of ISIS-related attacks throughout Europe and North America, the West faces an ongoing and persistent transnational threat from Islamic terrorism. There is an extensive amount of literature on terrorism and ISIS. However, there is a gap in literature on the potential impact of ISIS on the future of Islamic terrorism. This qualitative case study explored how …


Community Health Worker's Perceptions Of Integration Into The Behavioral Health Care System, Juliette Swanston Jenkins Jan 2019

Community Health Worker's Perceptions Of Integration Into The Behavioral Health Care System, Juliette Swanston Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness in the United States is a major public health problem. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2017, 18.9% of adults in the United States had a mental illness. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions held by community health workers (CHWs) regarding their integration into the behavioral health care system in Maryland. Using a social constructivism paradigm and phenomenological approach, a purposive sample of 11 CHWs who supported patients with behavioral health conditions in 17 counties in the state were interviewed. Howlett, McConnell, and Perl'€™s five stream confluence …


The Effect Of Early Childhood Abuse On Educational Attainment, Onzie Luke Jan 2019

The Effect Of Early Childhood Abuse On Educational Attainment, Onzie Luke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to fill a gap in the literature regarding survivors of child abuse and their capacity to continue their educational pursuits beyond high school. Thus, this study explored the lived experience of self-identified abuse survivors who were enrolled in higher education. The theoretical bases for this study included Bandura'€™s social cognitive theory, Rotter'€™s theory of locus of control and Heider'€™s and Weiner'€™s theory of attribution. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of child abuse enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an online or brick and mortar university. The interviews were then …


Phenomenological Study On Social Workers With Children With Special Needs, Natasha Yvette Mike Jan 2019

Phenomenological Study On Social Workers With Children With Special Needs, Natasha Yvette Mike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents with children with special needs experience challenges when caring for their children. These challenges may be uniquely affected by the parent'€™s employment. Because social workers are in professional roles, understanding their lived experiences provides awareness of the needed services and resources that help social workers maintain effectiveness in their home and work life. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of social workers who have children with special needs. Bronfenbrenner'€™s ecological theory guided this study. Criterion and snowball sampling were used to recruit 8 participants. Data were gathered through 3 in-depth semistructured interviews. Moustakas phenomenology method was used to …


A Correlational Examination Among Law Enforcement Officers' Operational Stress And Media Consumption, Patrick Schmucker Jan 2019

A Correlational Examination Among Law Enforcement Officers' Operational Stress And Media Consumption, Patrick Schmucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Twenty-first century technology advancements have made the consumption of law enforcement related information on different types of media platforms more accessible. There is a relationship among media consumption on various platforms (traditional, social, and entertainment) and the altering of societal and personal perceptions and behaviors. However, there is little to no research on whether media consumption alters a law enforcement officer's operational stress (OS). The purpose of this quantitative study was to fill this knowledge gap by exploring a sample of active duty law enforcement officers in South Carolina. Social learning and rational choice theories comprised the theoretical framework for …


The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice Jan 2019

The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of maternal incarceration are potentially linked to development of delinquency in the children of these mothers. Current literature points to the intergenerational transmission of criminality that may result in future low socioeconomic status and unemployment for children of incarcerated mothers, yet little of this literature addresses the link between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency. Using attachment theory as the foundation, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess correlation between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency, as well as investigate the mediating role of child gender, race, current relationship with the primary caregiver, and disciplinary environment. The …


Clinicians' Attitudes Toward Sex Offender Treatment, Vallerie Hancock Jan 2019

Clinicians' Attitudes Toward Sex Offender Treatment, Vallerie Hancock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinician attitudes toward a client have a significant influence on outcomes for that client's treatment. Exploring the attitudes of clinicians toward sex offenders can provide additional insights into methods to improve treatments for this population. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine the attitudes of clinical professionals who work with sex offenders to identify the specific ways that these attitudes influenced professional behaviors and client interactions. Grounded theory was used to move beyond a general description of the issue to formulate a theory regarding clinician work with sex offenders and its implications. The sample comprised 10 …


Social Workers' Experiences With Interventions For Clients With Congenital Heart Disease, Corinne Smorra Jan 2019

Social Workers' Experiences With Interventions For Clients With Congenital Heart Disease, Corinne Smorra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many adults born with congenital heart disease (CHD) face long-term psychosocial issues related the disease. The purpose of this project was to better understand social workers' experiences with interventions for clients who have CHD and experience psychosocial problems. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was a basis for the research questions, which focused on clarifying social workers' experiences with interventions and identifying the ecological levels to which the interventions align. A narrative design with nonprobability sampling was used. Six social workers who counsel adults with CHD from 6 of the 109 U.S. CHD clinics participated in individual interviews. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and …


Mothers' Parenting Discipline Style And Their Early Puberty Daughters' Engagement In High-Risk Behaviors, Yvette C. White Jan 2019

Mothers' Parenting Discipline Style And Their Early Puberty Daughters' Engagement In High-Risk Behaviors, Yvette C. White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some early puberty girls engage in high-risk externalizing behaviors such as early sexual activity, delinquent behavior, and disruptive behaviors. Harsh parenting experienced by girls who develop early has been associated with delinquent and disruptive behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine predictive relationships between the style of parental discipline by mothers of early puberty girls and the likelihood and frequency of the girls' engagement in high-risk behaviors. Parenting style theory, including the authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive style of parenting, served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Survey data were collected from 28 mothers who identified …


Understanding Ecommerce Consumer Privacy From The Behavioral Marketers' Viewpoint, Brenda Ivory Jones Jan 2019

Understanding Ecommerce Consumer Privacy From The Behavioral Marketers' Viewpoint, Brenda Ivory Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ecommerce sales were expected to increase to $4.8 trillion dollars in 2021 for online retailers in the United States. Behavioral marketers increase sales and revenue by targeting potential customers based on the use of ecommerce consumers' personal information. This correlational research study was framed with the theory of planned behavior. The participants were behavioral marketers based in the United States who completed an online survey. The data were analyzed using multiple regressions and analysis of variance analyses to answer the research question. The results of the analysis answered the research question regarding the correlation between behavioral marketer's attitudes, social norms, …


Career Pathway And Leadership Attributes Of Academic Administrators At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Dyanne Mitchell-Williams Jan 2019

Career Pathway And Leadership Attributes Of Academic Administrators At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Dyanne Mitchell-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic administrators at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are faced with multiple challenges regarding retention of students, funding, and maintaining status as an HBCU, yet little is understood about how and why leaders choose a particular career pathway. This lack of understanding creates opportunities for failure related to turnover in leadership, funding discrepancies, and lower rates of retention and persistence for students. Using Maslow's needs theory as the foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to better understand the career pathways of established executive level leaders atin HBCUs in order to determine attributes of success among leaders with …


The Impact Of The Use Of Wearable Video Systems In Law Enforcement, Dearis Vontae Hoard Jan 2019

The Impact Of The Use Of Wearable Video Systems In Law Enforcement, Dearis Vontae Hoard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wearable video systems (WVSs) are one of the most popular and fastest growing technologies used by law enforcement today. While published WVS literature predominantly focuses on stakeholder perceptions, community interactions, assaults against officers, and use of force, there has diminutive exploration of the impact of WVSs as it related to aspects of police misconduct, especially in the Cruiser Police Department (pseudonym; CPD). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe how the use of the use of WVSs by the CPD impact police misconduct, by tracking the changes in complaint type and disposition of a 5-year …


Relationship Between Spirituality And Perceived Social Support With Success In Alcoholics Anonymous, Mala Sita Hosmane Jan 2019

Relationship Between Spirituality And Perceived Social Support With Success In Alcoholics Anonymous, Mala Sita Hosmane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure in treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) leads to continued addiction, but practitioners need to learn which factors predict better outcomes in AA to make better referrals. Here, the predictive relationship between spirituality and perceived social support with success in AA was examined based on Frankl's theory on meaning in life. A quantitative, correlational design was used to determine whether there was a statistically significant predictive relationship between spirituality, as measured by the Assessment of Spirituality and Religious Sentiments, and perceived social support, as measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, with success in AA, as measured by …


Challenges Of Combating Homegrown Terrorism In Kenya: A Youth Radicalization Perspective, Alice Mary Wamuyu Kariuki Jan 2019

Challenges Of Combating Homegrown Terrorism In Kenya: A Youth Radicalization Perspective, Alice Mary Wamuyu Kariuki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Radicalization and recruitment of young Kenyan males into homegrown terrorism has persisted since November 2011 following the decision by the government to send Kenya Defense Forces to fight al Shabaab terrorist groups in Somalia. Using Schneider and Ingram's conceptualization of social construction of target populations as a guide, the purpose of this multicase study was to explore the motivation of young Kenyan males in accepting radicalization and recruitment into homegrown terrorism and their interpretations, feelings, and perceptions of the policies and strategies in place to empower them. Using a purposeful sampling with a maximum variation strategy, data were collected through …


Technology And Organizational Decision-Making: A Qualitative Case Study Approach, Brad Marcus Mcrae Jan 2019

Technology And Organizational Decision-Making: A Qualitative Case Study Approach, Brad Marcus Mcrae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology and communication skills simultaneously increase organizational productivity and decision-making. However, excessive use of technology to make decisions can diminish the added benefits that nonverbal communication can bring. The interpersonal sensitivity effects on perception of service quality model, face-to-face communication versus teleconferencing, the technology acceptance model, and decision-making were the conceptual framework of the study. The research questions examined how excessive use of technology to make decisions can diminish the added benefits that nonverbal communication can bring to organizational leadership decision-making. Employing an exploratory multiple case study design, organizational leaders from the Southern California region, ranging in seniority from team-leader …


Relationship Between Juvenile Offenders' Psychosocial Maturity And Experienced Parenting Style, Denesha Alexander Jan 2019

Relationship Between Juvenile Offenders' Psychosocial Maturity And Experienced Parenting Style, Denesha Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile delinquency continues to be a social ill with parents often being liable for their child's reprehensible behavior. In this nonexperimental, correlational study, the relationship between experienced parenting style and psychosocial maturity was examined in a sample of juvenile offenders receiving intensive in-home services. The General Theory of crime by Gottfredson and Hirshi provided the framework for the study along with parenting style typologies by Baumrind. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 60 11th grade juvenile offenders and their parent/caretakers using questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the data. The Psychosocial Maturity Index was used to …


The Relationship Between Social Support And Resilience Among School Nurses, Kathryn Vargo Hsu Jan 2019

The Relationship Between Social Support And Resilience Among School Nurses, Kathryn Vargo Hsu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research exploring the relationship between social supports and resilience among hospital-based nurses and teachers has offered little to illuminate how school nurses identify and access social support and the impact it may have on their ability to manage ongoing daily stressors or develop resilience. The social networks and social support model suggest that access to social support may underscore the development of effective coping. This study explored the relationship between social supports as measured by a self-report questionnaire, and resilience as measured by the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). It was hypothesized that a positive correlation would exist between use of …


Caregiver Review Of Nonpharmacological Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms Associated With Dementia, Karla Chaney Ballew Jan 2019

Caregiver Review Of Nonpharmacological Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms Associated With Dementia, Karla Chaney Ballew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and affects an individual’s overall cognitive function, including orientation, memory, and executive function. Most AD patients in the United States reside in residential care facilities or private homes under the care of individuals with little education on the challenges of the AD patient. Among the challenges faced by caregivers are behavioral and psychological symptoms related to dementia (BPSD). Education has been shown to improve caregivers’ treatment of BPSD in AD patients and to improve caregiver retention. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based education module guided by …


A Thematic Analysis On How Forensic Psychologists Conduct Personal Injury Evaluations, Denise M. Autret Jan 2019

A Thematic Analysis On How Forensic Psychologists Conduct Personal Injury Evaluations, Denise M. Autret

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychological evaluations administered by forensic psychologist in personal injury cases are surrounded by complex issues. Although empirically-based research has legitimized that psychological damages do exist in personal injury cases there is a missing link in the way forensic psychologists are conducting these evaluations. Prior researchers suggested that some personal injury evaluations had been dismissed or overlooked due to a lack of a standard of care. Addressing the current literature, this study examined how a diverse group of 14 licensed forensic psychologists, operating in different judicial jurisdictions (Daubert, Frye, and Independent) were conducting personal injury evaluations and their perspectives on the …


The Role Of Strategic Leadership In Healthcare Profitability, Joyce Collette Conner-Boyd Jan 2019

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In Healthcare Profitability, Joyce Collette Conner-Boyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The failure rate of leadership achieving profitability targets is estimated to be as high as 60%. Many organizations fail to meet profitability targets due to a lack of expertise and insight into strategic leadership skills. The objective of this single case study was to explore the role of strategic leadership in healthcare organization profitability in the United States. Five senior healthcare executives from Georgia with at least 15 years of expertise in the healthcare sector and 10 years in senior leadership were chosen to participate in the study. Purposeful sampling was used to identify the participants. The resource-based view framed …


Exploring Healthcare Transitions And Health Equity: An Integrative Review, Susan Ann Jordan Jan 2019

Exploring Healthcare Transitions And Health Equity: An Integrative Review, Susan Ann Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compared to their typically developing peers, adolescents, and emerging adults with special healthcare needs (AEA-SHCN) disproportionately experience healthcare transition (HCT) disparities and poor access to adult care. Theoretical models that describe how access gaps develop and strategies to address unmet HCT needs are not well understood. While HCT researchers describe both system and patient healthcare barriers, a comprehensive approach that discovers how these factors interact and interfere remains misunderstood. An integrative review (IR) was conducted to understand the multiplicity of these factors. An intersectional theory (IT) provided further clarity on how key findings influence patient HCT experiences. Several themes were …