Education Commons^™

Discriminant Profile Of Dimensions Of Acquired Disability On Domains Of Posttraumatic Growth, Linda Denise Portis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transformative process of personal growth following suffering and challenges, or posttraumatic growth (PTG), is limited in persons with acquired disability. The dimensions of acquired disability, as outlined by the World Health Organization, include impairments in body functions, body structures, and growth restrictions in activities and participation. The 5 domains of PTG include personal strength, new possibilities, relating to other people, appreciation of life, and spiritual change. Using discriminant function analysis, the purpose of this quantitative study was to identify a discriminant analysis of the dimensions of acquired disability on the domains of posttraumatic growth. The first research question focused …

The Interrelationships Of Socialization, Integration, And Spirituality Among Students At A Historically Black College, William Rookstool

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education has not been successfully producing students with positive self-identities and an integrated sense of self with the world. Little research shows how the relationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality can address the problem of cognitive dissonance. The research question for this study examined interrelationships among socialization, integration, and spirituality at a small, historically black, Christian college located in the mid-South? This quantitative, exploratory study utilized Durkheim's integration theory and Blau's theory of structuralism as the theoretical base. Survey data were gathered through a survey developed from Astin's, Reeley's, and Ross & Straus's survey instruments to help create a …

Teacher Assessments Of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, Gequana Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Discipline is of increasing concern to school stakeholders in districts around the world. It is especially concerning in a district of a southern U.S. state, where a zero tolerance policy calls for the removal of disruptive students from the classroom. Students, teachers, administrators, and other district officials may benefit from effective implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a positive discipline program that includes educators using data for instructional and discipline decision making. In the local district, little is known about the teachers' opinions regarding the PBIS implementation. The purpose of this project study was to gain insight on …

A Comparison Of Restorative Justice Ideology Between Administrators, Teachers, And Parents, Renée J. Alger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers suggest that restorative justice processes in schools are a successful alternative to traditional punishments for school discipline, and are used for both reactive and proactive responses to behavior issues. However, the processes are not sustainable if the administration implementing restorative justice do not promote a restorative justice ideology (RJI), and if all systems that impact the student are not aligned. Therefore, study was conducted to compare the level of restorative justice ideology between groups of administrators, teachers, and parents with a validated restorative justice ideology survey instrument that includes cooperation, restoration, and healing, and an accumulative score for RJI …

Effect Of Eustress, Flow, And Test Anxiety On Physical Therapy Psychomotor Practical Examinations, Todd Joseph Bourgeois

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at the graduate level undergo higher levels of stress compared to their peers, and this stress is known to affect academic performance. Most of the research is focused on the negative aspect of stress. Positive psychology aspects, such as eustress and flow, are related to success in some activities; however, it is unknown whether these correlate with academic performance. Several stress-related theories-Yerkes-Dodson curve, cybernetics, conservation of resources, and choking under pressure-guided this quantitative study of the effects of eustress, flow, and cognitive test anxiety (CTA) on a psychomotor practical examination for physical therapy students. A sample of 192 physical …

Predictive Relationship Between Anger And Violence In Canadian Secondary Students, Lawrence Alfred Deck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence among Canadian secondary students remains a concern for administrators, teachers, community members, and students. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine the predictive relationship between anger and violence among secondary students in Canada using the Anger Regulation and Expression Scale (ARES). The general aggression model provided the framework for the study. Survey data were collected from 138 students using the ARES. Demographic data and archival data from students' school files were also collected. Results of receiver operator characteristic analysis and binary logistic regression indicated that the ARES total score provided fair to good predictive ability …

Professional Counselors' Lived Experiences Of Counseling Gender Diverse Clients, Veronica Monea Kirkland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender diverse individuals experience stigma, discrimination, and transprejudice regularly, in response to daily interactions with society. These negative experiences lead to the development of physical, mental, and emotional instability. Gender diverse individuals experience transprejudice and discriminatory experiences in transpohobic counseling environments. Furthermore, current research highlights the need for counselors to increase training and knowledge to work with gender diverse individuals. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in a Heideggerian philosophy, was to illuminate the lived experiences of professional counselors engaging in counseling with gender diverse clients and bridge the gap in the current literature. Data were collected from …

The Predictive Nature Of Vicarious Trauma In School Counselors, Connie J. Honsinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past decade, the counseling profession has begun to recognize the impact of vicarious trauma on counselors who provide services to individuals who have experienced trauma. The constructivist self-development theory asserts that interpersonal frameworks can determine healthy versus unhealthy coping styles and impact a counselor's susceptibility to vicarious trauma. Researchers have explored vicarious trauma in a number of professions such as mental health counseling and social work however they have not examined potential risk factors specific to school counseling. The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate variables associated with vicarious trauma in school counselors. The research focused …

Positive Youth Development Sustainability Scale (Pydss): The Development Of An Assessment Tool, Michael Sieng, Scott Cloutier, Katherine Irimata

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

Our study details the development of the Positive Youth Development Sustainability Scale, a self-reporting tool to assess the impacts of positive youth development (PYD) programs. The Positive Youth Development Sustainability Scale provides practitioners a tool in the field of PYD both domestically and internationally, addressing the concern of global application and sustainability criteria (e.g., resilience and happiness). First, we conducted a detailed literature review on existing PYD program assessment techniques. Next, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis, via SPSS and AMOS software, to establish the number of factors in the scale. The constructs of the five-Cs model (Lerner, …

Home As Workplace: A Qualitative Case Study Of Online Faculty Using Photovoice, Lee Stadtlander, Amy Sickel, Lori Lacivita, Martha Giles

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The present study examined how online faculty members structure their workspace in their homes and how their work situation affects their home environment. The case study’s goal, guided by an extension of Vischer's user-centered model of the work environment, was to address this research gap through interviews and using PhotoVoice, a technique in which participants take photos and are interviewed about them. Eighteen faculty members from a large online university were recruited through ads in the faculty newsletter. The inclusion criterion was that the individual must only work online. Interested individuals completed an email interview and emailed a photo of …

Perceptions Of Women Receiving Services From Domestic Violence Advocacy And Counseling Programs, Lisa Y. Proby

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine domestic violence victims’ perceptions of advocacy and counseling programs that provide women with safe refuge, prevention education, mental health treatment, and other services. Many women in the United States are victims of intimate partner violence. Review of existing literature found that little is known about the extent to which the needs of these victims are met from available advocacy and counseling services. The health belief model was used to theorize victims’ perceptions of services and risk factors for re-abuse. A phenomenological design was used to answer research questions, and in-depth …

Guided Imagery Relaxation Effects On South Texas Public School Teachers' Stress, Elsa Nora Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public school teachers face a great amount of stress, and that stress may lead to other adverse health outcomes. This study examined elementary public school teachers' stress levels before and after the use of guided imagery relaxation. Guided by the transactional model of stress and coping as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of guided imagery as an effective technique in the stress reduction of elementary public school teachers, thus enhancing the learning experience of students and creating healthier public school teachers. Eighty-one teachers (71 women, 10 men) participated in this study by …

The Lived Experiences Of Low Income Parents Of Children With Autism, Renee L. Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies indicated that parents raising children with autism (CWA) experience higher rates of stress; however, no qualitative studies have addressed low-income parents' lived experiences of raising CWA. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the challenges that low-income parents of CWA face daily within the framework of family systems theory and biopsychosocial theory. Research questions focused on the impact of income and the core symptoms of autism (social deficits, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors) on marital and interpersonal relationships. Semistructured interviews with 13 parents were conducted, and transcripts were analyzed for themes using a 4-step process. …

African American Male College Students' Experience Of College Preparation, Linda Denice Valentine-Cobb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American male students have a high risk of not completing high school and not going to college. Students receive some college preparation as early as middle school, yet it is not enough to increase the number of African American male high school or college graduates. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe what 18-24-year-old African American male college students recalled from middle school and high school about college preparation, college planning, and college attendance. Critical race theory was used to reveal how outside factors such as oppression, racism, or socioeconomic status prevent African American male students from …

Attack At Fort Hood: Experiences And Suggestions For Security, William P. Moravits

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past 8 years, at least 4 lone wolf terrorists have targeted military bases or recruiting centers in the United States and research suggests attack on the US military are increasing globally. The problem was that research had not addressed the lived experiences of survivors of lone wolf attacks or how they could inform procedures regarding a sense of security for military men and women. The purpose of this research was to establish a need to address threats to the security of the military from these attacks, to provide a rich description of survivors' experiences of the attack at …

Hopeful Thinking: Conceptualizing A Future Beyond Domestic Abuse, Henri Zombil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence is a continuing public health problem. Immigrant women facing domestic violence have additional challenges in dealing with domestic violence and accessing services. Hopeful thinking has been identified as a strategy for intervening and surviving beyond domestic violence. The purpose of this multiple descriptive case study was to explore hopeful thinking in Haitian immigrant women domestic abuse survivors' (HIDAS) conceptualizations of the future beyond domestic abuse. The framework for the study was resilience theory, which emphasizes the individual's ability to bounce back from stressful situations. This framework was used to investigate how HIDAS in the United States experience hopeful …

Teachers' And Parents' Perceptions Of Special Education Referral For African American Students, Darlene Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patterns of representation of African Americans in K-12 special education programs vary across the United States. A school district in Arizona has a 13% African American population, yet the African American special education representation is 17%. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate an understanding of the processes related to special education referral and assignment of African American elementary students as perceived by 7 teachers and 6 parents in the school district. Inductive analysis including open, axial, and selective coding led to the categorization of three themes: complexity in the referral process, inadequate teacher-parent communication and lack …

Policy Decisions And Options-Based Responses To Active Shooters In Public Schools, Vicki M. Abbinante

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active shooter events in K-12 schools have increased since 1990, and developing response policies to such events is a responsibility of school personnel. A paucity of data regarding options-based response practices existed with no focus on policy processes. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to describe the decision-making processes used in school districts when approving the inclusion of options-based responses to active shooter events in Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs). The research questions addressed processes that shaped the development of options-based responses to active shooter policies in 3 K-12 school districts within the Midwest. The conceptual framework was informed …

Relationship Quality Associations Family Values For Online Graduate Students With Intimate Partners, Tracy J. Jones-Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research found that relationship quality (RQ) for intimate couples may be adversely effected in times of stress, potentially decreasing marital satisfaction up to 36% during a four-year period for high stress couples. Previous research indicated family values (FV) may mediate RQ in stressful times; however, no research has examined this relationship for online/blended program graduate students. Students in these programs experience unique stress, change, and at times, physical distance from an intimate partner. Coombs's theory on values consensus postulated that the more alike family values are in a relationship, the better the RQ will be. The purpose of this …

Racial Ethnic Health Disparities: A Phenomenological Exploration Of African American Adults With Diabetes Complications., Florence A. Okombo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial/ethnic minority groups experience a higher mortality rate, a lower life expectancy, and worse mental health outcomes than non-Hispanic in the United States. There is a scarcity of qualitative studies on racial/ethnic health disparities. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the personal experiences, attitudes, and perspectives of 6 African American adults with chronic health issues related to diabetes through a face-to-face interview. Social cognitive theory and health belief model guided the study. The participants were recruited through purposeful sampling. The data were coded using axial and thematic coding and subsequently analyzed through phenomenological interpretive inquiry. The …

Staff Member Perceptions Of Bullying In An Afterschool Center, Sherrich Monsher Thegg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peer-to-peer bullying negatively impacts over 20% of school-aged children annually. While much literature exists on bullying on school premises, peer-to-peer bullying outside of the classroom is still relatively understudied. Despite states' implementation of antibullying legislation, peer-to-peer bullying has continued in schools and other areas such as afterschool centers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate staff perceptions of peer-to-peer bullying in afterschool centers. It specifically investigated bullying and the hierarchical imbalance of power using Sidanius and Pratto's social dominance theory. The research questions were designed to investigate the staff members' knowledge of bullying at the Boys and Girls …

The Effect Of Emotionally Validating And Invalidating Responses On Emotional Self-Efficacy, Gregory Witkowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The power of abuse, either in childhood or in adulthood, is clear in many cases. Yet certain types of abuse are harder to detect and understand. Emotional invalidation is one type of abuse that is characterized by an incongruence or minimization of another person's emotions. This experimental study explored effects of emotional invalidation and emotional validation on people's level of emotional self-efficacy. Participants (n = 230) were recruited through Quest Mindshare using a survey created through SurveyMonkey, and randomly placed into 3 groups. All participants were given a survey that asked them to choose how certain pictures made them feel. …

Effect Of Summer Bridge Programming On Students' Performance On The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Consuela Michelle Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) have been used as a means of increasing students' college readiness and academic skills. University Southeast implemented a SBP in 2013 for students placing into developmental courses on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA). However, researchers have found mixed results when evaluating the effectiveness of SBPs, and at University Southeast, it has not been investigated. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the difference in TSIA score gains between first-time-in-college students with developmental-level test scores who attended a three-week SBP and those who did not. Tinto's longitudinal model of student departure guided the study …

Multicultural Psychosocial Education And The Malleability Of The Epistemic Essentialist Entitativity Processes, Kathryn Marie Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cognitive epistemic systems are reasoning structures that promote an individual's categorization of group members through processes known as cognitive epistemic essentialist entitativity (EEE). The propensity of these processes to become stagnant is known to lead to stereotyping and prejudiced behaviors when individuals are presented with ambiguous information about outgroup members. Educational materials about the contributions, cultural patterns, and social customs of ethnic and cultural groups can reduce stereotyping and prejudiced behaviors. However, whether being presented this material through multicultural psychosocial education in a formal setting is an effective strategy to influence the malleability of EEE processes has not been addressed …

Rural Colorado Drug Courts: A Program Evaluation Of Two Different Modalities, Arthur Kleinschmidt Kleinschmidt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, 78 problem-solving courts operate in the 20 judicial districts in Colorado. The Summit County and Eagle County drug court programs are located in Colorado's Fifth Judicial District and have not been previously studied. Evaluating treatment programs for effectiveness contributes to social change because it ensures individuals in need of treatment are receiving the proper services. The Eagle County drug court program had 117 participants and the Summit County drug court program had 33 participants. The Summit County Drug Court used 2 cognitive behavioral therapies: moral reconation therapy and strategies for self-improvement and change. The …

Paralleled Support Models For Young Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Lucy Ellen Klym

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the State of Indiana, for students over the age of 14 who have been diagnosed with intellectual or developmental disabilities, the transition from special education to Medicaid waiver oversight should occur seamlessly, but gaps in integrated and aligned goal development strategies remain. As a consequence, students who need adult-based support may not be receiving the full scope of services to which they are entitled. Using common-pool resource theory as a foundation, the purpose of this explanatory case study of transitional services to Indiana Medicaid was to understand, from the perspective of disability support service staff, the barriers to effective …

Differentiation Of Self As A Predictor Of Vicarious Trauma In Mental Health Professionals, Denise Purvis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health professionals in all settings work with clients who are affected by trauma. Traumatic events expose mental health professionals to the negative psychological and emotional impact of witnessing and listening to client stories. Vicarious trauma is the emotional consequence of this empathic engagement with clients. The purpose of this correlational study was to identify predictors of vicarious trauma in mental health professionals that had not been studied before. The theoretical framework guiding the study was the Bowen family systems theory and the construct of differentiation of self. A regression analysis was conducted with a purposive sample of 83 licensed …

Gender Differences In Discussion Strategies Of Asynchronous Online Undergraduate Psychology Major Students, Shawna Marie Burtis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous studies have focused on gender differences in communication in various learning settings and have found that men and women typically communicate in different ways; however, no studies have directly investigated undergraduate psychology major students. Based on symbolic convergence theory, a survey design was in this quantitative study to examine gender differences in online discussion strategies among undergraduate psychology student majors at online universities. Focusing on 4 asynchronous online discussion strategies, the research questions addressed gender differences in discussion strategies while controlling for students' previous experience with online learning and level of study in their current program. A convenience sample …

Mindfulness Meditation Practice By Individuals With Substance Dependent Behavior, Quyen Ho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many people in the United States suffer from substance dependence, which leads to depression, anxiety, work impairment, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, crime, and health care problems. Mindfulness meditation has been applied in many aspects of mental health treatment and all belief systems. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore substance dependents' experiences related to their mindfulness meditation practice of at least 6 months and up to 3 years. A constructivist conceptual framework, which states that human beings create systems for understanding reality based on their individual beliefs, emotions, and interpretations, was used for this study. Research questions focused …

Oversight And Quality Assurance Of Academic Programs Under F-1 Visas, Faye Janine Pleso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An F-1 academic visa is required for foreign students studying at academic institutions in the United States. While requirements for acquiring the F-1 visa are a matter of federal policy, some of the principles regulating orientations, host families, and home-stays do not align with best practices found at the university level, which include quality student orientations and thorough trainings with a vetting process for host families and home-stays. This lack of regulation may place visiting students at risk in terms of personal safety and wellbeing and have negative impacts for program credibility and lost revenue. Using Stone's regime theory as …