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Self-Efficacy, Cultural Competence, And Perception Of Learning Environment In Traditional And Interprofessional Education Physical Therapy Curricula, Laura Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interprofessional education (IPE), a concept that brings students from different health care professions together in the learning process, has been adopted by some physical therapy (PT) schools as an alternative to traditional PT-only curricula. Both approaches have the goal of improving patient outcomes for an increasingly diverse population. There was a void in the research comparing IPE and traditional curricula in PT education. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of adult and social learning theory, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in students' self-efficacy, cultural competence, and perceptions of the learning environment based on curricular type and prior …

Effects Of Investor Sentiment Using Social Media On Corporate Financial Distress, Tarek Hoteit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The mainstream quantitative models in the finance literature have been ineffective in detecting possible bankruptcies during the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis. Coinciding with the same period, various researchers suggested that sentiments in social media can predict future events. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between investor sentiment within the social media and the financial distress of firms Grounded on the social amplification of risk framework that shows the media as an amplified channel for risk events, the central hypothesis of the study was that investor sentiments in the social media could predict t he level …

The Correlation Between Virtual Communication And Employee Engagement, Ryan Nathaniel Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers' ability to engage virtual employees (those in different geographic locations) is a determining factor of employee productivity and commitment to an organization. Since 2005, the number of U.S.-based virtual employees increased; however, research regarding virtual communication and employee engagement is limited. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if a significant correlation exists between employee engagement (the dependent variable) and the quantity and perceived quality of virtual management communication (the independent variables). The research question assessed the correlation among the quantity of time managers spend communicating with virtual employees, quality of virtual communication, and employee engagement. Homans's …

The Correlation Between A Pastor's Job Experience And Church Servant Leadership Practices, Beth Ann Fylstra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Churches contribute both indirectly and directly to community economic development and social transformation. Some researchers cite lack of leadership as a factor in Christian churches in the United States experiencing declining attendance, with many churches closing. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a senior pastor's past and current church leadership experience affects servant leadership practices in the pastor's current church. Servant leadership theory was this quantitative, correlational study's theoretical framework. Five research questions focused on a pastor's past and present church leadership experience and how it affects the servant leadership practices within the organization's …

Implementing Technology For Science Classrooms In São Tomé And Príncipe, Maria Dolores Rodrigues Jardim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative bounded case study was designed to understand how technology integration in schools could be addressed in a first-wave country. The integration of educational technology in São Tomé and Príncipe (STP), a first-wave agricultural civilization, can narrow the divide between STP and third-wave information age societies. The conceptual framework was based on theories of change, learning, and context. Toffler’s wave theory described how societies changed while Fullan’s change theory examined how the people might change. Roger’s diffusion of innovations addressed how processes change. Bandura, Vygotsky, and Siemen provided the framework for the learning within the model of change. Finally, …

Small Business Strategies For Company Profitability And Sustainability, Denise Leigh Gandy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are critical to the health of the United States economy as they account for approximately 50% of all jobs and 99% of all firms. The purpose for this descriptive multiunit case study was to explore what strategies small business owners used to achieve profitability by the end of the first 5 years of opening their business. The sample comprised 4 small business owners who have been profitable by Year 5 of being in business in Denver, Colorado. The conceptual framework for this study was built upon the general systems theory. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and …

Ceo Duality And Performance Of Not-For-Profit Hospitals, Anh Ngoc Pham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depending on their needs for enhancing and sustaining their business and market values, some firms choose to operate with a corporate governance structure of CEO duality, in which an executive serves as the CEO and the chairperson of the board of directors. The problem addressed in this study is that past empirical and theoretical studies of the relationship between CEO duality and firm performance of organizations across different industries have generated ambiguous results, and no studies have focused specifically on the relationship between CEO duality and financial performance of not-for-profit hospitals. Based on agency and stewardship theories, and considering that …

Exploring Potential Associations With The Presidential Discretionary Power Of Fema Funds Dispensation, Matthew Thomas Eagles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

US presidential approval of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding has been the subject of much research that largely has been inconclusive or contradictor as it relates to whether funds may have been distributed in a biased way through the use of presidential discretionary power. The purpose of this study was to explore if or to what degree US presidents acted in a potentially biased manner with the approval of FEMA approvals during election years in election battleground states. This study was an exploration of whether there was presidential political favoritism in approving FEMA funding from 1996-2012. The theoretical constructs …

Spiritual Well-Being Of Black Lgbt Individuals When Faced With Religious Homonegativity, Patricia Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spiritual Well-Being of Black LGBT Individuals When Faced With Religious Homonegativity

by

Patricia A. Hill

MA, Loyola University-Chicago, 2004

BS, Chicago State University, 2000

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Psychology

Walden University

May 2015

Abstract

Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals in the United States often face homophobic sermons and messages within their traditional religious settings. This phenomelogical research study was designed to document and understand the lived experiences of Black LGBT individuals' spiritual well-being in the face of homonegativity, and to identify the ways in which they …

Experiences Teaching Stoichiometry To Students In Grades 10 And 11, Cynthia Denise Bridges

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students have problems learning stoichiometry, a complex mathematical chemistry concept used to determine how much product will be produced or formed from a given quantity of reactants. The problem addressed in this study was teachers' lack of understanding of how to teach stoichiometry in a Midwestern urban school district. The conceptual framework of the study was based upon constructivist theory. A qualitative narrative approach was used to obtain the perceptions of 5 high school chemistry instructors related to their experiences, successful or unsuccessful, in teaching stoichiometry to students in Grades 10 and 11. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews, …

Midcareer Women Leaving Information Technology: An Examination Of The Phenomenon, Susan F. Way

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Midcareer women are leaving the information technology (IT) career field at a much higher rate than are men. This attrition has contributed to a decreasing percentage of women in the IT field, hindering the creativity, innovation, and productivity that can result from a diverse workforce. This phenomenological study addressed a gap in the current research by examining the lived experience of women who have left the IT field. The conceptual frameworks of the study included Rhodes and Doering's integrated career change model based on traditional turnover theory, a model of gender and power in careers by Ragins and Sundstrom, and …

Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Locus Of Control And Marital Satisfaction, Jesus Botello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition researchers have cited as a major cause of marital discord and divorce for veterans with PTSD. This study examined the psychological construct of locus of control among the wives of veterans diagnosed with combat-related PTSD and whether or not it was a predictor of marital satisfaction within this context. An extensive search of the current literature revealed no previous studies that had investigated this relationship. Utilizing the family systems theory to address this gap, this study sought to compare reported marital satisfaction in wives with an internal locus of control to …

The Implementation Of Curriculum Mapping At A Private High School, Ellen E. Dutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Using curriculum mapping to align the expected curriculum and the actual curriculum has been demonstrated as an effective approach for ensuring educational equity for all students. To improve student achievement, a private high school in the Midwest implemented curriculum mapping to better align curriculum and eliminate gaps and repetition between and within grade levels. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine fundamental implementation strategies for the mapping process and teachers' and administrators' perceptions of those strategies. The theoretical framework was based on change theory. Data were collected from 10 participants through individual interviews and observations. Teachers and administrators …

Examining The Relationship Between Parental Involvement And Mobile Technology Use, Toinette Marie Flowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding how mobile devices can enhance parent/teacher communication is important because parents play an important part in their children's learning. Research on parents' use of mobile devices to communicate with their children's teachers is limited. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to determine the relationships between parents' (a) knowledge of using mobile devices, (b) general use of mobile devices, (c) purpose for using mobile devices, (d) perceived ease of using mobile devices, (e) perceived usefulness of mobile devices, (f) attitude toward using mobile devices, and (g) use of mobile devices to communicate with teachers. The study was informed …

Small Seasonal Business Strategies To Increase Profits Through Community Collaboration, Kevin B. Gibbons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seasonal small business owners (e.g., boating and golf industries), primarily within the upper and Midwestern United States, face challenges for profit and growth because of a brief business potential year and limited time to establish a reliable and committed customer base. The purpose of this case study was to explore strategies that seasonal small business owners in Oakland County, Michigan may use to collaborate with local associations and charitable organizations to increase profits. Stakeholder theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sample of 4 successful small seasonal business owners in Oakland County, Michigan participated in face-to-face …

Profitability And The Financial Strategies Of Women-Owned Small Businesses, Kellie J. Emrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The fastest growing segment of business development in the United States comes from small business start-ups, with 42% of these businesses being women owned. Women-owned businesses are annually 25% less profitable when compared to the average small business in the United States. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this single exploratory case study was to investigate how women small business owners and their employees use financial strategies to increase the profitability of their businesses. Data came from semistructured interviews with 1 woman business owner and 5 business consultants who work for the women-owned small business. The …

The Use Of A Standardized System Of Communication To Change The Perception Of Handoff Communication In A Psychiatric Setting, Alicia Renee' Plunkett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Use of a Standardized System of Communication to Change the Perception of Handoff Communication in a Psychiatric Setting

by

Alicia Renee' Plunkett

MSN, Walden University 2007

MSHA, University of St. Francis, 2005

BSN, University of Memphis, 1995

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

December 2014

The Joint Commission's review of sentinel events indicated that communication errors were the cause of over 65% of the sentinel events occurring in healthcare. The nursing profession has the responsibility of providing 24-hour care in an acute care setting and nurses are …

Frequent Superintendent Succession: The Impact On Personnel Trust And Morale, Edgar Byrum Davis Camacho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A superintendent is vital to the success of school districts. Stability of an individual in this position is important for building trust and morale for district personnel over time. Small school districts in a large southern state have experienced increased rates of voluntary or involuntary superintendent succession, having had 2 or more superintendent changes within a 6-year period. Participative leadership theory served as the framework for this study. The guiding questions for this study investigated the impact of frequent superintendent succession in small school districts and the levels of trust and morale among district personnel. The variables for the study …

One Hospital's Patient Satisfaction Plans In Response, Valerie A. Smart Shoup

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement programs resulted in $1 billion in payments to hospitals based on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. Approximately 50% of the 3,000 hospitals currently receiving Medicare supplements may receive increases in reimbursement payments while 50% will receive decreases in payments. This case study explored how one hospital team in North Texas achieved high HCAHPS scores. The primary provider theory, Deming's model of plan-do-study-act (PDSA), and disruptive innovation theory framed the study. The data collection process included administrator interviews (n = 7), hospital document analysis …

Borrower Experiences With Subprime Mortgage Loans In Gwinnett County, Georgia, Terence Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When purchasing a home, buyer considerations include price of the home, credit rating, mortgage type, and lending agency. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the loan options successful business leaders consider when shifting loan lending from prime mortgage loans to subprime mortgage loans. Systems theory formed the conceptual framework for the study. A purposive sample of 20 participants from Gwinnett County, Georgia completed semistructured interviews and described their personal experiences. Data analysis incorporated van Kaam's technique to code and cluster information into topics. The following themes emerged from the analysis indicating what these business leaders considered when …

Obesity Surveillance In Childhood, Jessica Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current practice behaviors for obesity management have remained refractory. Research has shown that lack of time and poor training/skills by primary care providers has led to poor or absent obesity counseling in practice. The purpose of this intervention was to facilitate obesity counseling in a pediatric office by using an evidence-based model called the 5As model of behavioral change. Lewin's change theory was the framework for this project to help clinicians transition their practice to include the 5As model in practice. The project consisted of a 30-minute power point presentation that included 2 case samples demonstrating how the 5As would …

Stakeholders' Perception Of Alternative Certification Program, Sherry Park

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The diminution of Alternative Certification Program (ACP) teachers contributes to the teacher shortage and complicates the challenges of hard-to-staff schools. Some ethnic minority, economically challenged districts have experienced a growing attrition rate of teachers prepared by ACPs, resulting in a scarcity of qualified teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of stakeholders, including teachers currently in the program, teachers who left the program before completion, and program administrators, in order to understand the ACP program. A conceptual framework was based upon theorists Feistritzer and Klagholz, the originators of the ACP movement. Ten participants were selected for …

The Effects Of Parental Motivations On Home-Based And School-Based Parental Involvement, Steve C. Strickland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at a Title I middle school in Georgia have scored low on standardized state tests for several years. Of the many possible ways to address low test scores, the school focused on increasing parental involvement, which can have a strong positive correlation with academic success. Researchers have indicated that parental involvement programs are more successful when created based on the specific motivations of parents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parental motivation on parents' home-based and school-based involvement behaviors. The theoretical framework for this study was the work of Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler who …

Utilizing Education To Change College Students' Attitudes About Mental Illness, Claudette Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that public opinion of people who are mentally ill is often negative. This study, grounded in cognitive theories, was conducted to determine if education would improve college students' attitudes toward mental illness and if there were gender differences in those attitudes, as past studies had shown. Attitudes of 184 Jamacian adult college students towards mental illness were measured before and after a didactic seminar using the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ), Opinion About Mental Illness Scale (OMI), and Help Seeking Attitudes Scale. A nonrandomized trial was used to generate nonequivalent comparison groups, with one group attending …

The Psychological Resilience Of Spousal Caregivers Of Multiple Sclerosis Family, Marisa Diane Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine an under-researched topic: the relationship between psychological resilience and personal growth with spousal caregivers of patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Chronic illnesses contribute to potentially stressful changes (i.e., lifestyle, quality of life, financial wellbeing, and interpersonal relationships) for the caregiver. The theoretical foundation for this study was Walsh's family resilience theory, which contends that resilience is vital for coping with stressful life experiences and leading a more successful life. Three separate analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the total scores of the RS and the PGIS, the SWLS, …

Prostate Cancer And Afro-Caribbean Men: Experiences, Perceptions, And Beliefs, Harold Evelyn Taitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the high incidence of prostate cancer (PC) amongst men of African descent, there is a paucity of qualitative data that explores how Afro-Caribbean men perceive their risk, susceptibility to, and management of this disease. This phenomenological study sought to explore and analyze beliefs about PC in a sample of Afro-Caribbean men who reside in the United States (U.S.). The research questions considered the perceptions, beliefs, and lived experiences of participants. The conceptual framework is a synthesis of the health belief model (HBM) and the theory of reasoned action (TRA), primarily because the TRA allows for a culturally-based relevance and …

Flexible Work Schedules, Virtual Work Programs, And Employee Productivity, Kelley Marie Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a workplace marked by increasing change and competing commitments, business leaders require an increased understanding of alternative work programs. Utilizing spillover theory, motivator-hygiene theory, and adaptive structuration theory, this single case study was an exploration of the strategies that business leaders use for flexible work schedules and virtual work programs. The population consisted of 3 managerial business executives and 6 employees within a midwestern United States division of a global blood management solutions firm. The data collection process included a series of semistructured interviews, a focus group, and the assessment of company documentation. Methodological triangulation identified 5 emerging themes: …

The Perceptions Of Adults Adjusting To Low Vision And Using General Communications Technologies Including Online Forums, Deborah Forest

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of individuals facing vision loss as adults is increasing, and the need for these adults to have access to training and skills to aid in their adjustment process is prevalent. Guided by the tenets of connectivism, this phenomenological study examined current trends in social networking and the possibilities that are available to adults adjusting to low vision by using technology as a means for continued learning, social interaction, and professional connections. The main research question focused on the participants' perception of the adjustment process and their ability to learn and use technology. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews …

Mental Health Administrators' Knowledge And Perceptions Of Delivery Of Relationship-Based Services, Alan Frank Singer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has recommended that clinical mental health (CMHC) administrators employ a relational focus to their work, but little evidence exists that such a relational focus is actually being utilized. Guided by Rogers' principles of client-centered therapy, this study examined whether CMHC administrators possessed the knowledge and attitudes to utilize the recommendation of relational based therapy and whether implementation in the CMHC was feasible. A qualitative multiple case study design was utilized to collect personal interviews with 12 CMHC administrators who could discuss Norcross and Wampold's single recommendation about therapeutic relationships. Results were triangulated with the guide for CMHC financing, …

The Effects Of A Sickle Cell Disease Education Intervention Among College Students, Edwin Ahunwan Guobadia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 100,000 Americans have SCD, and more than 2 million Americans have a sickle cell trait (SCT). People with SCD are more likely than others to suffer premature mortality. Genetic screening is an important step in improving quality of life and increasing longevity for those with SCD. Early detection may lead to effective management of the disease and reduction of complicating factors. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine whether health education about SCD would …