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Exploring Effective Strategies To Improve Financial Sustainability Among Microfinance Institutions In Delta State, Nigeria, Joseph Nmadu Onyejose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In May 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria revoked the licenses of 179 microfinance banks due to insolvency and noncompliance with regulatory standards. Directors of microfinance institutions (MFIs) are concerned with financial instability because the collapse of MFIs undermines poverty alleviation efforts and local economic development. Grounded in agency theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the strategies that managers within MFIs in Nigeria used to ensure financial sustainability. The participants were eight directors in the finance industry, including six from MFIs and two from the Central Bank, located in Delta State, Abuja, and Lagos, …

Patient Care And Certified Nursing Assistants’ Motivation And Job Satisfaction In Nursing Facilities, Roswell Royce Lawrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on certified nursing assistants’ (CNAs) views of the association between their motivation, job satisfaction, and the quality of care they offer to patients in one chosen nursing home center in New Jersey. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation and a generic qualitative design were used to explore CNAs’ experiences and perspectives relating to their motivation, job fulfillment, and the level of care. The study included semi structured interviews with the 12 CNAs, who were directly and consistently in contact with their respective patients at the selected nursing home center. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed …

Fathers’ Lived Experiences After Their Children Experienced Child Sexual Abuse, Joan Michelle Lucien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a global health crisis with deleterious consequences that violates children’s safety worldwide. Exact rates of CSA prevalence vary, as most cases of CSA are not disclosed. Survivors delayed or nondisclosure impedes early interventions to alleviate documented adverse effects of CSA. CSA survivors have an increased risk of suicidal ideation. This phenomenological study involved examining the lived experiences of adult fathers after their children experienced CSA. Finkelhor and Browne’s traumagenic dynamics framework guided this study. Traumagenic dynamics influence children’s cognitive and emotional functioning and distort their self-esteem, identity, worldview, and affective capacities. Stigmatization has been associated …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions About Lgbtq+ Inclusivity In The Classroom, Tanya Nordhaus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that middle school teachers struggle to incorporate LGBTQ+ issues into their classrooms. As the middle school years are pivotal, teachers may need support to be inclusive of their LGBTQ+ students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how middle school teachers incorporate LGBTQ+ issues in the classroom, as well as these teachers’ perceptions of their successes and challenges in doing so. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was queer pedagogy, which questions the normalization of heterosexuality and cisgenderism through pedagogical praxis. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were …

Effective Small Business Employee Job Retention Strategies, Cynthia Marie Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unsuccessful retention strategies for small businesses can significantly impact an organization's success. Small business leaders who struggle to retain employees beyond two years are at high risk of business uncertainty. Grounded in Freeman’s (1984) stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore practical strategies that small business leaders use to retain employees beyond 2 years. The research project comprised eight small business leaders who had an effective strategy to retain employees for more than two years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis, five key themes …

Cyberloafing And The Effects On Information Technology Infrastructure, Robert Ceneskie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyberloafing, or the use of business resources for nonwork-related internet activity, can negatively affect technology infrastructure and organizational productivity. In K–12 public school districts, IT administrators and school leaders are directly affected, as network degradation and ransomware attacks can disrupt instruction, compromise sensitive data, and reduce access to critical resources. This quantitative correlational, ex post facto study, grounded in activity theory and the theory of human-technology interaction, was to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between employee cyberloafing, network degradation, and ransomware security attacks in the education sector. Data were collected through public records requests for bandwidth usage, …

Effective Strategies For The Implementation Of Environmental Social And Governance Initiatives To Improve Brand Value, Charity Ndisengei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders lack effective strategies to develop and implement their organization’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives to improve the value of the organization’s brand. Business leaders, in particular, are concerned with balancing the improvement of brand value while addressing stakeholder expectations and navigating regulatory complexities. Grounded in institutional and legitimacy theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies for the implementation of ESG initiatives to improve brand value. Participants included five senior leaders from the energy, nonprofit, technology, and consulting sectors who had implemented ESG initiatives. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and …

The Impact Of A Trauma-Informed Care Education Program On Nurses’ Knowledge And Confidence In Managing Sexual Trauma In A Psychiatric Clinic, Fatiatu Jobi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This staff education project evaluates whether a staff education program on trauma-informed care (TIC) approaches would improve the knowledge, confidence, and skills of nurses working at a local mental health clinic in managing symptoms of sexual trauma-affected patients. With notable increased incidence of sexual trauma and inadequate protocols to address it there is need for TIC. Sexual trauma, if inadequately addressed, leads to profound and long-lasting psychological effects. The goal of this project was to enhance nurses’ understanding and capabilities related to TIC, using a pretest and posttest interventional design utilizing questionnaire that consisted of three sections: knowledge, perceived …

Consumer Behavior-Based Strategies Small Business Leaders Use To Increase Online Sales Revenues, Alexander Sakharov

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business leaders struggle to tailor online strategies that drive demand, limiting growth and differentiation in competitive digital markets. Business leaders must adopt data-informed, customer-centered approaches that align digital marketing efforts with consumer behavior and market expectations. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the online shopping marketing strategies that some small business marketing leaders use to increase demand for products and services. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six small business leaders from Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; and Seattle, Washington. The four main themes identified using thematic analysis …

Active Learning And Nclex-Rn Pass Rate On First Attempt In Bsn And Adn Programs, Janette Tingson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt affects not only the students and their families but also nursing programs. To increase NCLEX-RN pass rates, nursing programs are shifting from traditional teaching to active learning in their aim to produce nursing graduates who will pass the NCLEX-RN exams on the first attempt. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study, guided by theory of constructivism, was to determine if there is a relationship between faculty’s use of active learning strategies (ALS) and nursing students’ NCLEX-RN pass rates on the first attempt in bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and associate degree in …

Improving Staff Knowledge On Hourly Rounding Using The 4ps To Reduce The Fall Rate, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I designed this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project to develop an educational program that increases staff knowledge of hourly rounding using an evidence-based approach, specifically pain, position, potty, and possession (the 4Ps), to prevent falls among residents in a long-term care facility. According to facility leadership, the observed gap in practice was the nursing staff members’ lack of knowledge in performing hourly rounding. The facility’s fall records for the lockdown units indicated a surge in fall rate, with 32 falls among 62 residents per month, reflecting a need for action. The practice-focused question guiding the project was: For staff …

Enhancing Disaster Response Through Mental Health Resilience: A Force Field Analysis, Veronica Portillo-Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having a post-disaster program in place can offer survivors and emergency responders support, resource navigation, and resiliency planning. Human services workers in the field aid in disaster recovery and crisis prevention. The problem is that rural Nevada is already limited on resources and workforce with respect to mental and behavioral health response and recovery services. The purpose of this study was to identify unknown gaps within mental and behavioral health services in rural and frontier Nevada, in order to focus on advocating to enhance community resilience-related services post-disaster and potentially bolster resilience and disaster response preparedness. The framework for the …

Young Adults’ Self-Perceptions Of Parenting Styles And Attachments Influencing Juvenile Criminality, Keristin Zanda Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting styles, parent-to-child attachments, and parental involvements are contributing factors leading to juvenile delinquency. Adolescents are committing offending acts at a younger age, recidivating, and perpetrating with peers or parents. However, there is a lack of empirical research on juvenile perceptions of parenting, juvenile criminality, and desistance implications. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore past juvenile criminal offenders’ lived experiences and the corresponding influence parenting styles had on their deviant behaviors. Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Baumrind’s parenting style theory, and Bandura’s social learning theory provided a lens for examining young adults’ perceptions of parenting related …

Playful Learning Journeys: Exploring The Perceptions And Knowledge Of Lecturers/Tutors And Student Teachers, Frank Twum, Samuel Kweku Hayford, Dandy Dampson, Johnnie Kojo Hayford

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This paper investigated the perceptions and knowledge of play-based learning (PBL) by lecturers/tutors and student teachers. Ninety lecturers/tutors (68 males, 22 females) and 363 student teachers (191 males, 172 females) participated in the study. While both lecturers/tutors and student teachers favored PBL, they had some concerns. Lecturers/tutors acknowledged the benefits of PBL, including its enhancement of memory, conceptual development, and motor skills in children. However, nearly two-thirds found it time-consuming. Student teachers were of the view PBL promoted positive student experiences. However, more than half felt PBL offered limited opportunities for their own learning during lessons. Both groups demonstrated knowledge …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Mental Health And Socio-Emotional Challenges Of English Language Learners, Nilufer Guler, Dincer Guler, Kyle Bush

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

A fast-growing percentage of students in K–12 classrooms are English language learner (ELL) students, and a large number of these students are experiencing a vast array of academic and non-academic challenges at school. Many ELL challenges involve inadequate socio-emotional learning (SEL) skill development, as well as mental health obstacles, and many schools are not equipped with the resources needed to address and resolve these challenges for ELLs.

In this study, we focus on teacher observations of the SEL and mental health challenges that K–12 students face. In the initial survey, 120 teachers participated regarding ELLs and these challenges. Following the …

Strategies Human Resource Leaders Use To Increase Employee Retention In The Automotive Industry, Kendra Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excess turnover of personnel threatens organizational viability and long-term success. Human resource leaders need to develop strategies to increase employee retention. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore and identify successful employee retention strategies employed by human resource leaders to mitigate employee turnover. Data were collected from human resources managers using semistructured interviews and public data from companies’ websites. Through thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) job assignment, (b) employee feedback, (c) employee benefits, and (d) training, growth, and development. A key recommendation is for human resource …

Exploring Organizational Success: Strategies That Optimize Employee Performance In Small Businesses, Latoya Anthony

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee retention challenges in small businesses can undermine organizational effectiveness and profitability. Small business leaders in the Midwestern United States service industry are particularly concerned with ineffective human resource (HR) strategies, as these shortcomings often contribute to reduced workforce engagement and higher turnover. Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore successful HR strategies that small business leaders in the Midwestern United States service industry use to sustain organizational effectiveness and overall profitability. The participants were six HR leaders from small service firms who had successfully implemented HR practices that …

Strategies Managers Use To Improve Employee Retention, Jeanette L. Moncure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Addressing employee turnover and boosting retention are major challenges for companies looking to achieve long-term success. Project managers are crucial in tackling this issue, as high turnover can undermine team performance and increase operational costs. Grounded in Herzberg’s two factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies that some project managers use to reduce high employee turnover. The participants included six project managers in Mississippi who had an active role in using strategies to increase employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, organizational documentation, and research statistics. Thematic analysis identified six key strategies: (a) …

Nigerian Immigrant Mothers’ Parenting Style In Supporting Academic Achievement In Their Children, Ganiyat Olasumbo Saidu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supporting their children’s academic activities while navigating the socioeconomic norms of the new system continues to be a significant challenge for most immigrant parents in urban areas of the United States. However, there is inadequate literature on the parenting behaviors used by Nigerian immigrant parents to support their children’s academic achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how Nigerian immigrant mothers describe the parenting styles that support their children’s academic achievement. The theoretical framework for this study was Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory and Baumrind’s (1966) theory of parenting styles. For this basic qualitative study, the population …

Artificial Intelligence And Collaborative Learning: Impacts On Creativity, Critical Thinking, And Problem-Solving, Abderrahim Agnaou, Hayat El Asri

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The rapid development of large anguage models (LLMs) has sparked growing interest in their potential to transform education. This study explores how LLMs influence collaborative learning, focusing on student creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collective intelligence. Specifically, it investigates whether artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted group work enhances or hinders these aspects of the learning process. We used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data from surveys, structured interviews, and analysis of student project outputs. We collected data from 102 undergraduate students via questionnaires and 15 follow-up interviews, which offered deeper insight into their experiences using LLMs in team-based projects. The …

Effective Strategies For Increasing Diversity In Leadership To Strengthen Organizational Success, Shamirah D. Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective diversity strategies for leadership roles that represent the customer base can negatively impact organizational success. Retail business leaders who struggle with achieving effective diversity in these roles risk impeding organizational performance, making it crucial for them to identify successful approaches. Grounded in the balanced scorecard theory and stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore the practical strategies employed by some retail business leaders to enhance diverse representation in leadership roles, thereby strengthening organizational success. The participants comprised seven retail business leaders with demonstrated success in implementing such strategies. Data were collected …

School Resource Officers’ Perceptions Of Their Role And The Effects Of Their Interactions With Students, Tameka Arlene Elizabeth Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of school resource officers (SROs)—trained police officers who have been assigned to schools—has markedly increased with the rise in school shootings in the United States. However, after several high-profile incidents of excessive force by SROs, there has been a movement toward removing them from schools. Although researchers have studied the use of SROs in schools, few have examined how the relationship between SROs and students affects students’ perceptions of the police. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of how SROs experience their interactions with students and how those interactions affect students' perceptions of police …

A Content Analysis Of Prison/Custodial Suicide In Bangladesh, Anisur Khan, Rasel Hussain

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Suicide is the leading cause of death in prisons and custodial settings globally. International studies have consistently shown that prisoners and detainees are at a higher risk of suicide compared to the general population. Despite Bangladesh having a large prison population, there is no scholarly work on suicide within these settings. Against this backdrop, this study explored online newspaper content analysis capturing the characteristics of prison and custodial suicide in Bangladesh from 2014–2024. A total of 20 suicide cases were identified during this period. The data were arranged based on year-wise trends, age, sex, type of custody, nature of criminality, …

Reducing Stigma And Enhancing Outcomes: An Antistigma Education Program For Mental Healthcare Professionals, Chidi Oriaku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a staff education project that addressed the stigmatization of patients with mental illness (PMI) within psychiatric contexts. The project site healthcare organization’s mental health professionals had a high rate of stigmatization of PMI. Stigma is linked to poor medication adherence rates, delays in accessing healthcare, lower healthcare utilization among PMI, psychiatric morbidity and mortality, and poor quality of life. Despite recognizing this problem, the healthcare organization had no targeted antistigma interventions. I developed an antistigma education to improve outcomes. The practice-focused question was: In mental health staff, will an educational program on …

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Aggressive Behavior And In-School Suspension, Martha Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggressive behavior can lead preschool students to be suspended in and out of school. The problem in this study was the high rate of in-school suspension (ISS) among preschool students in response to child aggressive behavior. Informed by Harvey’s domain model of social reasoning and social information processing, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of preschool teachers working in childcare centers in one city in Texas regarding children’s aggressive behavior that may lead to ISS as a response to that behavior. Four research questions probed how preschool teachers describe the level of choice exercised by …

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge On Facilitation Of Psychoeducational Groups, Kenyett Moody

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University College of Nursing This is to certify that the doctoral study by Kenyett Moody has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Margaret Harvey, Committee Chairperson, Nursing Faculty Dr. Robert McWhirt, Committee Member, Nursing Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University 2025 Background and Purpose: Nurse-led psychoeducation groups are essential for improving patient outcomes by educating individuals about health conditions and coping strategies. In a dual-diagnosed inpatient psychiatric unit, a quality improvement (QI) project …

The Perceptions Of Middle School Educators Concerning Failed Proficiency In Reading And Writing By Multilingual Learners, Carolyne Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multilingual learners (MLs) education has been a topic of study among scholars for many years. The problem that was investigated is that middle school (MS) English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are challenged to improve reading and writing instruction for MLs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges MS ELA teachers face when trying to improve the reading and writing proficiency of MLs. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of literacy and Ladson-Billing’s theory on culturally relevant pedagogy. For this basic qualitative design, data were collected through 11 semistructured interviews with MS …

Behavioral Health Leadership Strategies Used To Promote Cultural Change Within A Behavioral Health Organization, Jessica Wishom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The deficiency of patient-centered care and active treatment within behavioral health hospitals continues to contribute to decreased patient satisfaction, increased rapid readmissions, and low employee engagement and morale. This qualitative case study explored how behavioral health leadership in a for-profit behavioral health hospital in the southwestern United States addressed challenges related to patient-centered care and active treatment to foster cultural change. The study was grounded in the Baldrige framework of excellence. Data collection included semi structured interviews with behavioral health leaders and analysis of the hospital’s internal archival data, including patient satisfaction surveys and rapid readmission rates. Thematic analysis identified …

First-Generation Black And Latinx Students And Their Perceived Level Of Postsecondary Education Preparedness, Shawanna Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-generation Black and Latinx students report challenges of belonging and preparation in the transition to college. Limited research on these experiences hinders counselors’ support for these students. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore first-generation Black and Latinx college students’ meaning of their high school experiences. A hermeneutic phenomenology conceptual framework was used to explore the lived experiences of first-generation Black and Latinx college students, focusing on how guidance from high school counselors influenced their sense of belonging, persistence, and degree attainment in postsecondary education. Data were collected from nine participants through semistructured interviews and analyzed using …

Service Learning And Association To Social Responsibility And The Process Of Cultural Competence In Nursing Practice, Helene Kay Hegge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Service Learning and Association to Social Responsibility and the Process of Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice by Helene Hegge MSN, Walden University, 2011 BSN, Mount Marty University, 1986 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Nursing Walden University August 2025 Cultural competence and social responsibility are essential qualities of baccalaureate-prepared nurses. Cultural competence and social responsibility can occur in nursing students following their service learning (SL) experience and remain to influence practice as a professional nurse. The purpose of this basic qualitative study using 18 individual interviews of nurses who participated in …