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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

2019

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School-Based Social Work And Socioemotional Learning Interventions In Alternative Education Programs, Heather Oosterhoff Jan 2019

School-Based Social Work And Socioemotional Learning Interventions In Alternative Education Programs, Heather Oosterhoff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active school social workers are tasked with teaching social-emotional learning to students, including high need youth placed in alternative education settings. Multitiered systems of support provide a framework utilized by school systems to identify and address all student needs. However, a gap in research exists for evidenced-based social-emotional learning practices for students falling within Tier 3 of the multitiered systems of support framework, particularly those separated from the mainstream population and educated in alternative programs. This study explored how school social workers address the social-emotional learning needs of students in alternative education settings within the state of Illinois. The qualitative …


A Quality Improvement Evaluation Of Patient Experience Through The Enhanced Recovery Program, Sarah Orozco Jan 2019

A Quality Improvement Evaluation Of Patient Experience Through The Enhanced Recovery Program, Sarah Orozco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of adopting clinical care bundles for the enhanced recovery program (ERP) at the project site. The practice-focused questions explored whether care bundles from the enhanced recovery program (ERP) would achieve positive postoperative patient care experiences when compared to the traditional surgical care pathways. The concepts, models, method, and theories used for this project include the Iowa model, the plan-do-study-act model, lean methodology, Donabedian's framework, and Watson's theory of caring. The sources of evidence included the facility site analysis report to evaluate surgical inpatient complications, morbidity, and mortality rates. Over 100 …


Experiences Of African American Lesbians Who Attended A Historically Black College Or University, Lee Kimball Outlaw Barmore Jan 2019

Experiences Of African American Lesbians Who Attended A Historically Black College Or University, Lee Kimball Outlaw Barmore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lived experiences of African American lesbians who attended historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have not received sufficient empirical attention; therefore, this study was conducted to understand and describe their experiences. The study followed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The multidimensional identity model, developed by Reyolds and Pope, was used as the framework through which to understand the participants' experiences. Semistructured, 40 to 60-minute interviews were conducted with 6 women who identified as African American lesbians and attended HBCUs. Initial hand and subsequent NVivo coding of interview data led to the development of the following 7 themes: (a) either African …


Demographic, Behavioral, And Cultural Factors On Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection, Philis Grace Palmer Jan 2019

Demographic, Behavioral, And Cultural Factors On Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection, Philis Grace Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chlamydia trachomatis is a sexually transmitted disease, and its incidence has been increasing in recent years in the U.S. population. Certain demographic factors have been identified as posing an increased risk to acquire this disease. The purpose of this mixed-methods research was to examine how population demographics (quantitative section) and cultural and behavioral factors (qualitative section) affect risk for contracting chlamydia trachomatis in the Miami-Dade, Florida area. The theory of reasoned behavior was the theoretical framework of the study. The quantitative component used secondary data from Jackson Health System (2012- 2018) pertaining to 333 Miami-Dade young adult individuals with incidents …


Noise Pollution/Reduction Education For Frontline Staff In The Acute Care Setting, Lopa Patel Jan 2019

Noise Pollution/Reduction Education For Frontline Staff In The Acute Care Setting, Lopa Patel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Noise levels in hospital settings have risen beyond the recommended range of 35-40 decibels, resulting in poor patient healing outcomes and other health conditions ranging from sleep deprivation, anxiety, agitation, delirium, depression, and high heart rate and blood pressure. These negative patient health experiences are evidenced by poor scores for the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, which are indicators of patients' perceptions of care. This project explored whether an educational activity for 48 direct care staff, who include registered nurses and nursing assistants, in a cardiac unit on the impact of noise pollution on patient healing would …


Music Therapy Effects On Social-Communicative Response Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Raymond Payton Jan 2019

Music Therapy Effects On Social-Communicative Response Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Raymond Payton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are challenged with communicative skills, which can negatively influence their emotional development. As children with ASD in the local school were not demonstrating functional communication skills as measured by the Assessment of Social Skills for Children with Autism (ASSCM), music therapy was introduced as remediation. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which music therapy increased the ASSCM scores. This single subject design study was guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, which holds that individuals are impacted by various environmental systems around them. The research question addressed the extent to …


Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing Differentiated Instruction For English Language Learners, Mary E. Pegram Jan 2019

Teachers' Perceptions Of Implementing Differentiated Instruction For English Language Learners, Mary E. Pegram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrators and teachers are concerned that English Language Learners (ELLs) in an urban elementary school in a southern part of the United States are not meeting required state standards in reading. Teachers have indicated that they do not always know how to differentiate instruction for ELLs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate teachers' implementation of differentiated instruction for ELLs. This research study was guided by the conceptual framework of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and Tomlinson's theory of implementing differentiated instruction. The research questions investigated teachers' perceptions of differentiated instruction and their professional development for mediating …


Efficacy, Risks, And Ethics Of Aversive Or Positive Therapy In Identical Twins, Jacqueline Salerno Jan 2019

Efficacy, Risks, And Ethics Of Aversive Or Positive Therapy In Identical Twins, Jacqueline Salerno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aversion therapy has reemerged as a treatment for self-injurious behavior (SIB) but remains unpopular, as it is perceived to be unethical. The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to investigate the effectiveness of positive therapy and aversion therapy in the treatment of twins with SIB as well as to understand the lived experiences of their caretakers regarding treatment ethics. The frameworks used included classical and operant conditioning as well as utilitarian ethics theory. Quantitative research questions focused on changes in SIB, aggressive and prosocial behaviors with treatment, while the qualitative research question focused on the perceptions of caretakers …


Social Networks And Sense Of Community Effects On Psychological Distress Among Community X Residents, Marci A. Salone Jan 2019

Social Networks And Sense Of Community Effects On Psychological Distress Among Community X Residents, Marci A. Salone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A certain community within the southern region of Texas has consistently been linked to escalating poverty, high crime rates, low educational achievement, and poor physical and mental health. For the purpose of this research, this community will be referred to as Community X. Although some researchers have found that sense of community and supportive social networks are associated with healthy mental and physical functioning, others have suggested that in a debilitated community social networks can facilitate psychological distress and a strong sense of community is difficult to develop. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study …


The Effects Of Sexual Education On Sexual Behaviors Of Adolescents In Rural Jamaica, Deborah Simmonds Jan 2019

The Effects Of Sexual Education On Sexual Behaviors Of Adolescents In Rural Jamaica, Deborah Simmonds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent pregnancy and the sexual behaviors of adolescents continue to be robust public health and social problems in Caribbean countries such as Jamaica. Numerous researchers have conducted studies on the impact of sex education on sexual behaviors and pregnancy patterns among adolescents with mixed results (i.e., a lack of knowledge) especially in rural communities. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the impact of school- or home-based sex education on sexual behavior and pregnancy patterns of adolescents aged 15 —19 years in the rural community of St. Thomas, Jamaica. The parental expansion of the theory of planned behavior and …


Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Antibullying Programs In A U.S. Middle School, Nneka Uzoma Jan 2019

Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Antibullying Programs In A U.S. Middle School, Nneka Uzoma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School bullying has become a serious issue in U.S. schools, with children being harassed, hurt, and even killed or driven to suicide or homicide as a result of being bullied. Bullying in schools has persisted despite the various intervention measures taken to curtail the phenomenon. The purpose of this phenomenological exploration was to explore how teachers and principals at a U.S. middle school perceive the school's existing bullying programs and elicit recommendations about how to improve the programs. The theoretical basis of this investigation was Bandura's social learning theory. Data were collected through interviews with 4 principles and 6 teachers. …


High School Band Directors' Experiences Using Social Media In The Classroom, Heidi Welch Jan 2019

High School Band Directors' Experiences Using Social Media In The Classroom, Heidi Welch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While social media is becoming an innovative tool in education for teacher and student use, little is known about how social media is being used in the high school band room to communicate with students, increase student-connectedness, or improve classroom community. Using Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism, Siemens's theory of connectivism, and Wenger's community of practice theory as a framework, this study explored the phenomenon of social media as used in the high school band room for communication, student-connectedness, and classroom community. Participants included 10 high school band directors located throughout the United States who shared their experiences through 1-on-1 …


Socioeconomic Impacts: Exploring Relationships Between Parenting Styles And Emotional Intelligence In Odd, Radhia Afif Jan 2019

Socioeconomic Impacts: Exploring Relationships Between Parenting Styles And Emotional Intelligence In Odd, Radhia Afif

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are at a higher risk to develop other serious problems based on reoccurring symptoms such as; aggression, hostility, and lack of empathy for others. Based on the emotional intelligence theory, it may be possible that understanding emotional intelligence in children with ODD could help reduce future psychological and social problems. This quantitative study addresses the problem of poor or low Emotional Intelligence (EI) in children diagnosed with ODD. A correlation between parenting style, as defined by Baumrind's parenting style theory, and the development of emotional intelligence has been found in current research. However, …


Reducing Door-To-Provider Times By Using Nurse Practitioners In Triage, Megan Lynnell Anderson Jan 2019

Reducing Door-To-Provider Times By Using Nurse Practitioners In Triage, Megan Lynnell Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased patient wait times it the emergency department (ED) have been linked to poor patient outcomes and adverse health care events. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if placing a nurse practitioner (NP) in the triage area would reduce door-to-provider times and improve patient throughput within the ED. The primary question for this quality improvement project was whether the use of NPs in the triage area would improve patient throughput and decrease wait times in the ED. A secondary question identified was if implementing an NP in the triage area would decrease patient length of stay …


Caribbean Students' Experience Of Readiness For The Secondary Education Certificate Exam, Cleon Pauline Athill Jan 2019

Caribbean Students' Experience Of Readiness For The Secondary Education Certificate Exam, Cleon Pauline Athill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is general agreement about its importance, the construct of educational readiness is nebulous with much debate about what constitutes readiness. Readiness has been found to be a multidimensional psychological construct from a psychometric perspective. However, there is a growing awareness that this psychometric focus is lopsided, and that readiness does not only reside in the child. Further, there is an accompanying appreciation that readiness research may need to focus more on the subjective experience of individuals within the context of their environment. This phenomenological study, using Bronfenbrenner's social-ecological model, explored how Antigua and Barbudan students experienced readiness as …


Strategies To Mitigate Supply Chain Disruptions In Grocery Businesses, Gift Wilford Bondwe Jan 2019

Strategies To Mitigate Supply Chain Disruptions In Grocery Businesses, Gift Wilford Bondwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chains have become more complex in the global economy, which has made supply chain disruptions inevitable. Disruptions can cause loss of profitability and hinder business growth. The goal of this multiple case study was to explore strategies to mitigate the effects of disruption in grocery store supply chains. The conceptual framework for this study was the resource dependency theory, which stipulates that firms rely on other businesses in the external environment for critical resources to create a competitive edge. Four purposively selected participants from 4 grocery store businesses in Northwest Arkansas participated in semistructured interviews and provided organizational documentation …


Gang Injunctions Effects: The Experiences Of Residents And Enjoined Gang Members, Natasha R. Burnett Jan 2019

Gang Injunctions Effects: The Experiences Of Residents And Enjoined Gang Members, Natasha R. Burnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Civil gang injunctions (CGIs) are bans on nuisance behavior that have been enacted against gang members. Numerous studies conducted on the efficacy of CGIs have proven that they have little to no long-term effects on the communities in which they are implemented, nor on the gang members enjoined under them and their gang activities. The purpose of this empirical, phenomenological interpretative analysis study was to (a) determine the sociofamilial effects of CGIs on community residents; (b) determine the effects of CGIs on the behaviors and activities of enjoined gang members; and (c) determine the overall efficacy of CGIs based on …


The Impact Of University Writing Curriculum On Preservice Teachers' Praxis I Scores, Virginia Ann Braithwaite Jan 2019

The Impact Of University Writing Curriculum On Preservice Teachers' Praxis I Scores, Virginia Ann Braithwaite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Until 2014, admission requirements for the educator preparation program at a university in the north central United States included a minimum competency level on the Praxis I basic skills writing test and completion of one general education writing course. However, evidence from the university's ETS reports showed that less than 60% of students as first-time test-takers met the required score. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the required writing course in assisting students to meet the Praxis I writing competencies. In 2014, the ETS Core Academic Skills for Educators test replaced the Praxis I. Because …


Job Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, And Turnover Intention In Federal Employment, Kristina J. Calecas Jan 2019

Job Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, And Turnover Intention In Federal Employment, Kristina J. Calecas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Federal Government had a turnover of more than 3.6 billion employees in 2018. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to use data drawn from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey to determine if there were a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction, employee engagement, and turnover intention among U.S. Federal Government employees. The population for this study consisted of 598,003 individuals surveyed in 2018. The multiple linear regression results revealed a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction, employee engagement, and turnover intention, F(2, 563,432) = 33,273, p <.001, R² = .106. Herzberg’s motivationhygiene theory and Adams’s equity theory were used as frameworks for this study. The study can be extended to more specific branches of the U.S. Federal Government. The study could impact social change by allowing human resource managers to change strategies related to retention to decrease turnover and retain knowledge in the U.S. Federal Government. Retention efforts could be translated to other industries to create long-term employment and increase overall employee job satisfaction.


Perceptions Of Access To Healthcare In Cameroon By Women Of Childbearing Age, Wenceslaw Chap Chapnkem Jan 2019

Perceptions Of Access To Healthcare In Cameroon By Women Of Childbearing Age, Wenceslaw Chap Chapnkem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased poverty and unemployment rates, minimal investment in social amenities, a shortage of healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, inadequate social services, and poor institutional and political leadership have weakened the healthcare status of Cameroon's women who have reached the age of childbearing. The World Health Organization expressed increased urgency for healthcare providers and patients to develop new healthcare policies to eliminate health-related disparities. The aim of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of women of childbearing age living in Mamfe rural community in regard to Cameroon's healthcare system and its impact on their lives. The theoretical foundation of the …


Secondary School Educators' Perspectives On Strategies To Support Acculturation Of Haitian Students, Brian Clarke Jan 2019

Secondary School Educators' Perspectives On Strategies To Support Acculturation Of Haitian Students, Brian Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adjusting socially and emotionally to a new cultural environment can be challenging for immigrants. Yet, the academic and behavioral performance of immigrant children can be enhanced when acculturative strategies are implemented in schools to address their unique cultural differences and needs. However, a scarcity of information exists pertaining to educational strategies to support acculturation of Haitian students, particularly those with disabilities. A qualitative case study was conducted to explore strategies that support acculturation of Haitian students with disabilities and the link between the use of acculturation strategies and student achievement from the perspectives of 3 regular education educators, 2 special …


Social Media Marketing Strategies Used By Owners Of Small Retail Businesses, Curtis Dean Jan 2019

Social Media Marketing Strategies Used By Owners Of Small Retail Businesses, Curtis Dean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementing an effective social media marketing strategy campaign to engage customers and increase sales is a challenge for owners of small retail business owners The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the social media marketing strategies owners of small retail businesses used to increase sales. The conceptual framework for this study was the social media marketing strategy theory. Data were collected from 5 small retail business owners in North Carolina through semistructured, face-to-face interviews and a review of company documents, websites, and social media sites. Data analysis through Yin's 5-step process of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and …


Implementation Of A Transcultural Nursing Education Program To Improve Nurses' Cultural Competence, Ann Marie Elizabeth Edwards Jan 2019

Implementation Of A Transcultural Nursing Education Program To Improve Nurses' Cultural Competence, Ann Marie Elizabeth Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The exponential growth of culturally diverse populations in the United States has led to a multicultural patient population while the nursing workforce remains predominantly White. At the project site, managers identified that staff nurses struggled to deliver culturally competent care. The purpose of this project was to improve the cultural competence of registered nurses (RNs) through a transcultural nursing education program. Leininger's transcultural nursing theory guided the project. Sources of evidence used to develop a face-to-face educational program included peer-reviewed journals, credible websites, and the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-R tool. Aggregate pretest and …


Self-Injurious Behavior And Social Media Use By Adolescents, Victoria Lynn Fye Jan 2019

Self-Injurious Behavior And Social Media Use By Adolescents, Victoria Lynn Fye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a surprising dearth of research related to the phenomenon of self-injurious behavior/nonsuicidal self-injury (SIB/NSSI), such as cutting. Research conducted on SIB has revealed that this maladaptive behavior is more common among adolescents than other populations. The act of posting SIB on social media deserves research attention, as it seems to contradict what had previously been considered a very private behavior. The goal of this qualitative case study was to better understand why adolescents engage in SIB as well as investigate why they post these behaviors on social media. Merton's theory of social strain and anomie, which focuses on …


Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Individuals' Perceptions Of The Criminal Justice System, Delisa Shundra Hamilton Jan 2019

Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Individuals' Perceptions Of The Criminal Justice System, Delisa Shundra Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of 10 transgender and gender nonconforming individuals who had interacted with the various sectors of the criminal justice system (i.e., law enforcement, the prison system, and the court system). The focus of this phenomenological qualitative study was providing insight into how sexual orientation and gender identity influenced transgender and gender nonconforming individuals' experiences and perceptions of the criminal justice system. Procedural justice theory guided this study by providing an understanding of how the behavior of the actors in the criminal justice system shaped the cooperation or resistance of transgender and gender nonconforming …


Primary Teachers' Knowledge And Beliefs As Predictors Of Intention To Provide Evidence-Based Reading Instruction, Brandi Harrold Jan 2019

Primary Teachers' Knowledge And Beliefs As Predictors Of Intention To Provide Evidence-Based Reading Instruction, Brandi Harrold

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Primary teachers in the United States accept responsibility for teaching children how to read, and the instruction they provide results in reading proficiency for approximately 37% of students. Although researchers have established a relationship between teacher-related factors and students' performance in reading, they have not yet been able to identify the combination of teacher characteristics that best predicts teachers' intention to provide evidence-based reading instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among teacher knowledge, teacher beliefs, and intention to provide evidence-based reading instruction using a conceptual framework that integrated the theory of planned behavior with the …


Resilience And Healthy Adult Relationships Post-Childhood Maltreatment, Nicole Sharie Jackson Jan 2019

Resilience And Healthy Adult Relationships Post-Childhood Maltreatment, Nicole Sharie Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of resilience and protective factors (PFs) in the life of women who have experienced childhood maltreatment (CHM). A further purpose was to understand how women who faced CHM develop resilience, and how the proper use or misuse of PFs later affected their adult relationships, whether intimate, social, or familial. Resiliency theory was the theoretical foundation that informed the study. A qualitative methodology with an interpretative phenomenological analysis design was used in this study. Participants included 7 women who were recruited through social media support groups for adult survivors of child …


Evidenced-Based Staff Education Program For Novice Perioperative Nurses, Marjorie Jasinski Jan 2019

Evidenced-Based Staff Education Program For Novice Perioperative Nurses, Marjorie Jasinski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Knowledge of surgical procedures, instruments, and supplies is essential to the perioperative nurse working in the operating room (OR). Nursing school curricula do not specifically educate surgical nurses; therefore, it is difficult to fill open OR positions with experienced perioperative nurses. The purpose of this doctoral project was to develop a perioperative educational program for RNs newly hired in the OR. The practice-focused question asked whether an evidence-based staff education program for the novice perioperative nurse would increase the nurse's knowledge of OR procedures and protocols for patient management. The novice-to-expert framework was used to explore how adult learners acquire …


Acuity-Based Nurse Staffing And The Impact On Patient Outcomes, Sara Kollman Jan 2019

Acuity-Based Nurse Staffing And The Impact On Patient Outcomes, Sara Kollman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The costs of healthcare in the United States are of national concern. The systematic review of the literature (SRL) explored the practice-focused nursing question regarding the relationship between the use of acuity-based staffing (ABS) models and positive patient outcomes. Analyzing the impact of ABS models on patient quality outcomes and the potential economic value could provide evidence essential for the healthcare executives responsible for fiscally prudent labor management and for creating an evidence-based business case for adequate, patient-centric nurse staffing. The synergy model for patient care and Covell's nursing intellectual capital theory guided the doctoral project. The Preferred Reporting Items …


Association Of Adaptive Early Phase Study Design And Late Phase Study Results In Oncology, Donna Elise Levy Jan 2019

Association Of Adaptive Early Phase Study Design And Late Phase Study Results In Oncology, Donna Elise Levy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study assessed the association of the design methods used for early phase oncology studies (adaptive versus traditional) and the outcome of late stage clinical trials. Differences by cancer type and by drug classification were also assessed. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks used were the general systems theory and the design and evaluation of complex interventions, respectively. Units of analysis were individual oncology studies in the ClinicalTrials.gov database and Bayesian logistic modeling was applied on a random sample of 381 studies initiated after November 1999 to December 2016. When assessing study design and outcome, there were lower odds of …