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A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying, Jodi Marie Daly Jan 2011

A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying, Jodi Marie Daly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International research on bullying suggests that bullying is pervasive in schools and the workplace. Most researchers concur that bullying behavior is a disruptive factor to the social and educational well-being of students. Previous research, grounded in social and family systems theory, has indicated those who bully tend to be involved in self-destructive and delinquent behaviors. Additionally, in the only-large scale study on bullying behaviors, 29% of the 10th-grade student body admitted to being bullied that school year. Further, in a new study conducted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, half of all high school students reported that they have bullied …

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The Association Of Mentorships And Leadership Practices With Nursing Faculty Retention, Lisa M. Rettenmeier Jan 2011

The Association Of Mentorships And Leadership Practices With Nursing Faculty Retention, Lisa M. Rettenmeier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of mentored relationships among nursing educators has the potential to negatively influence perceptions of leadership practices and could decrease the numbers of nursing faculty staying in academia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of mentorships and leadership practices of nursing faculty teaching in academia. Watson's caring theory was the theoretical foundation to explain the congruence between mentored relationships, leadership practices, and the association with faculty retention. The first research question focused on differences between mentoring experience, assistance, and characteristics by mentor training type. Question two assessed the relationship between leadership practices by mentor training …

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Correlates Of Resilience Among American Indians In A Northwestern Us State, Bruce M. Bradway Jan 2011

Correlates Of Resilience Among American Indians In A Northwestern Us State, Bruce M. Bradway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite low life expectancy, high suicide and homicide rates, and excessive levels of poverty and violence, American Indians continue to survive. However, few researchers have assessed the correlates of resilience among adult American Indians. Current researchers assessing American Indian resilience have focused primarily on adolescents and preadolescents, resulting in a definition of resilience that is more often than not defined by the lack of negative youth outcomes. In this quantitative survey study, data were collected from 103 American Indians living off-reservation in a northwestern state. Gender, age, education level, degree of enculturation (using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure), level of …

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Assessment Of Admission Criteria And Selection Process For Nurse Education Programs, Mary Ann Jarmulowicz Jan 2011

Assessment Of Admission Criteria And Selection Process For Nurse Education Programs, Mary Ann Jarmulowicz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Qualified student enrollment to nurse education program is limited by admission criteria predetermined by faculty; however, little is known regarding the development and consistency of selection criteria. The purpose of this study was to examine the admission requirements of nursing programs to better understand the philosophical underpinnings and complexity of selection criteria. The conceptual frameworks of teaching philosophy, complexity, and gatekeeping guided this research. This descriptive correlational study used a cross-sectional design to survey a purposeful sample of full-time faculty teaching in nurse education programs in a southeastern state. Descriptive analyses, independent t test, and a Lambda analyses were employed …

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The Perspectives Of African American Nonprofit Female Executives From The Northeastern Region Of The United States About The Work-Family Balance, Tammy Evans-Colquitt Jan 2011

The Perspectives Of African American Nonprofit Female Executives From The Northeastern Region Of The United States About The Work-Family Balance, Tammy Evans-Colquitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although many studies have been conducted on the increased pressure and stress facing women who are trying to fulfill work and family demands, little is known about African American women in executive positions and their perspectives about work-life balance. A particular gap in the research literature exists on the lived experience of African American nonprofit executive women in maintaining work-life balance. The conceptual framework of this phenomenological study was the bidirectional frame of both work interfering with family and family interfering with work. Data were collected through semistructured telephone interviews of 12 African American women ages 30 to 45 and …

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A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools, Charles Jerry Williams Jr. Jan 2011

A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools, Charles Jerry Williams Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The willingness to work and a high school diploma were once all that was needed to start one's career. The problem is that on the twentieth anniversary of the reports by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), high school graduates may still lack what business and education leaders require for success in entry-level employment or post-secondary studies. The research question included understanding how prepared graduates from at-risk high schools are for post-secondary work or study. The study used a Likert-scaled survey to assess participant work readiness in 36 skill or competency areas. The sample consisted of recent graduates …

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Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of High-Stakes Testing, Amy Pavia Jan 2011

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of High-Stakes Testing, Amy Pavia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High-stakes testing has increased since the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. Many teachers are using teacher-centered activities with memorization and testing coach books instead of creating student-centered higher-order thinking activities. Some school districts are eliminating subjects that are not tested on state assessments. The purpose of this study was to collect information regarding the teaching experiences of 9 elementary teachers from the same school within one public school district. Teacher interviews were utilized in this case study to explore the perceived effects of high-stakes tests on elementary curriculum and instruction. The theoretical foundation …

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Middle School Educators' Perceptions Of Online Professional Development, Kelley E. Theodocion Jan 2011

Middle School Educators' Perceptions Of Online Professional Development, Kelley E. Theodocion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous researchers have investigated distance education in postsecondary settings, but there is a paucity of research regarding the design and delivery of online professional development for K-12 educators. The goal of this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was to examine attitudes of middle grades educators toward an online professional development course held for teachers employed by one suburban school district in the southeast region of the United States. The theoretical framework is Knowles's theory of adult education (andragogy). The research questions addressed perceptions of connectedness and learning in an online professional development course. A structured interview protocol was used to …

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Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner Jan 2011

Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science content integration, or the simultaneous teaching of science with other subjects during learning activities, has been explored by multiple studies. However, due to a lack of consensus on its definition, it was difficult for educators in a local school district to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of this instructional technique. This qualitative collective case study, based on a constructivist theoretical foundation, centered on the questions of how teachers defined and used science content integration, and perceptions of impediments to its use. Participants were five teachers in a suburban elementary school. The sources of data for this study were interviews, …

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First-Year Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Induction Program Components, Kathyleen Bliss Jan 2011

First-Year Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Induction Program Components, Kathyleen Bliss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational literature has established that over half of all teachers leave the profession within 3 years. Exploring the 1st-year teacher transition and its inherent challenges has been necessary to educational stakeholders seeking to achieve national standards and improve the educational environment, student achievement, and teacher retention. This study's purpose was to investigate 1st-year teacher induction programs; determine the type of support components included, whether from administrators, mentors, or colleagues; and identify which components 1st-year teachers perceived as most effective. The professional development models of Wong, of Johnson and Kardos, and of Curran and Goldrick provided the conceptual framework. The guiding …

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Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training And Its Impact On Attitudes Toward Help Seeking, John Angelo Cascamo Jr. Jan 2011

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training And Its Impact On Attitudes Toward Help Seeking, John Angelo Cascamo Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Trainings such as Question Persuade and Refer (QPR) are used to increase suicide awareness and teach participants basic suicide intervention skills. Previous researchers showed that QPR training increases knowledge of suicide risk factors and increases participants' willingness to intervene with individuals at risk of suicide. It was hypothesized that completion of QPR would also increase positive attitudes toward the utilization of mental health services and that this outcome would be more pronounced among male participants. The examination of attitudes was rooted in the theoretical framework of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. The Inventory of Attitudes toward Seeking …

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The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Literacy Achievement Of Secondary Students, David P. Jones Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Literacy Achievement Of Secondary Students, David P. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proficiency in language arts and communication skills is essential to success in the global workforce. Most states assess students in language arts literacy (LAL) through standardized tests that assess a student's ability to read, interpret literature, and write expressively. Although educational reformers strive to improve the foundations that prepare students in literacy, reforms have not fully incorporated the theory of emotional intelligence (EI), which explains a student's ability to use, understand, perceive, and manage their emotions in order to think critically, make decisions, and solve problems. Although it is not known whether EI directly correlates to literacy, emotional skills are …

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The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling Jan 2011

The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts struggle to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading in first grade. Nine percent of first grade students at the study site were not meeting state performance standards in the area of language arts. Specifically in the area of fluency, 38% of first grade students were not achieving AYP. Because of the close connection between oral fluency and early reading achievement, first grade students need to be more fluent to attain state standards. Based on LaBerge and Samuels theory of automaticity within reading fluency, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of the Scholastic Guided …

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The Human-Animal Bond And Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Melissa White Jan 2011

The Human-Animal Bond And Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Melissa White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early into the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, reports revealed that less than half of individuals displaying symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder sought help from the mental health community. As a means to cope with the stresses of war, many soldiers turned to animals for emotional support, and anecdotal reports identified reduction in the severity of distress among soldiers. However, no study was found that investigates this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of service members with combat-related posttraumatic stress symptoms and the human-animal bond. The study applied a blend of constructivism and phenomenology to …

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The Relationship Of Faculty Demographics And Attitudes Toward Technology Integration, Brian Michael Mckinley Jan 2011

The Relationship Of Faculty Demographics And Attitudes Toward Technology Integration, Brian Michael Mckinley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stakeholders in a midsized rural high school district were concerned that faculty failure to integrate educational technologies into instruction was adversely affecting student performance as measured by recent state mandated test scores. The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships existed between faculty age, gender, tenure, and overall attitude toward technology, and the implementation of technology into classroom instruction. Dewey's and Knowles' theories of adult learning were used as theoretical frameworks because they emphasize the practical application of knowledge in the transfer of learning. The research design was a one-time cross-sectional survey of teachers within the district. The …

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The Relationship Between Cell Phone Use And Identity Theft, Lewis O. Saunders Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Cell Phone Use And Identity Theft, Lewis O. Saunders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growth of mobile phone use has paralleled increased reports of identity theft. Identity theft can result in financial loss and threats to a victim's personal safety. Although trends in identity theft are well-known, less is known about individual cell phone users' attitudes toward identity theft and the extent to which they connect it to cell phone use. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how cell phone use is affected by attitudes toward privacy and identity theft. The study was based on social impact theory, according to which people's attitudes and behavior are affected by the strength …

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Evaluation Of Bureau Practice For Illegal Drugs Use Among Teens, Sharon D. Heard Jan 2011

Evaluation Of Bureau Practice For Illegal Drugs Use Among Teens, Sharon D. Heard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Bureau of Substance Abuse Treatment Recovery and Prevention, which oversees drug intervention services for Detroit residents, has found the city's illegal drug use among teens to mirror national rates. Illegal drug use is associated with addiction, major health problems, and stigma. Incorporating evidence-based screening during all teen health care visits would decrease missed opportunities to identify at-risk behaviors, the number of teens that do not receive intervention, and the stigma associated with screening. The purpose of this project was to develop evidence-based policy and practice guidelines for teen screening services for illegal drug use. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was …

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The Impact Of Nutrition-Teaching Self-Efficacy On Daily Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Leslie E. Rawls Hoglund Jan 2011

The Impact Of Nutrition-Teaching Self-Efficacy On Daily Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Leslie E. Rawls Hoglund

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is directly linked to the prevalence of obesity and chronic disease in the United States. The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) offers elementary school teachers access to healthy foods as part of the public school classroom experience. The purpose of this study---which was based on self-efficacy theory and the socio-ecological model---was to examine if an association exists between selected factors: (a) daily fruit and vegetable consumption, training status in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and an established school nutrition policy and (b) nutrition-teaching self-efficacy (NTSE) among elementary school …

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Board Member Perceptions Of Nonprofit Organization Effectiveness, Laura Levy Maurer Jan 2011

Board Member Perceptions Of Nonprofit Organization Effectiveness, Laura Levy Maurer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In contemporary American society, the nonprofit board is accountable for ensuring that an organization has sufficient resources to carry out its mission. Filling the gap between demands for services and the resources to meet them is often a struggle for small, local nonprofit organizations. This hermeneutic phenomenological study examined how board members of small, local nonprofits in the focal community perceive organizational effectiveness. Understanding the nature of nonprofit organization effectiveness according to board members contributes to understanding how those accountable meet their organizational objectives. A review of the literature revealed that nonprofit effectiveness involves the action of contributing and the …

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Leadership Styles And Nursing Satisfaction Rates, Wilma Lee Jones Jan 2011

Leadership Styles And Nursing Satisfaction Rates, Wilma Lee Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to translate evidence-based literature into policy and practice guidelines in order to improve leadership standards and skills among nurse managers and improve patient outcomes and the quality of care. Guided by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Model and Lewin's change theory, which sets the framework for creating exceptional nursing leaders, a literature search was conducted from studies ranging from 2010 to 2012 from several databases. Inclusion criteria were based on the presence of one or more leadership styles discussed in the articles and the impact of leadership style on nursing satisfaction. A total …

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Generational Cohort Differences In Types Of Organizational Commitment Among Nurses In Alabama, April Lavette Jones Jan 2011

Generational Cohort Differences In Types Of Organizational Commitment Among Nurses In Alabama, April Lavette Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In hospitals in the United States, the ratio of nurses to patients is declining, resulting in an increase in work demands for nurses. Consequently, organizations face challenges with nurses' organizational commitment. Studies have revealed generational differences, as determined by birth year, in employee levels of organizational commitment in a number of organizational settings. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the impact of generational cohorts on the organizational commitment of nurses. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional design was to address whether generational cohorts of nurses differed in their levels of organizational commitment, and to investigate whether …

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The Use Of Narrative Therapy With Latina/O Students Pursuing Higher Education: Implications For School Counselors And Counselor Educators, Javier Cavazos Jr., Mary Louise Holt, Brande Flamez Jan 2011

The Use Of Narrative Therapy With Latina/O Students Pursuing Higher Education: Implications For School Counselors And Counselor Educators, Javier Cavazos Jr., Mary Louise Holt, Brande Flamez

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The techniques of narrative therapy show promise when used with Latina/o students in the pursuit of higher education: defining the problem, mapping the influence of the problem, evaluating the effects of the problem, identifying unique outcomes, and re-authoring the story (White & Epston, 1990). This report provides a case example illustrating these narrative techniques in counseling and discusses the implications for school counselors and counselor educators.

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Efficacy Of Fixed Infrared Thermography For Identification Of Subjects With Influenza-Like Illness, Christopher M. Hinnerichs Jan 2011

Efficacy Of Fixed Infrared Thermography For Identification Of Subjects With Influenza-Like Illness, Christopher M. Hinnerichs

Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation

Due to pandemic threats and the occurrence of biological terrorism, technological advancements are being vetted, developed, and implemented as part of surveillance systems and tools. A potential surveillance tool is infrared thermography (IRT), and its efficacy for screening was the focus of this dissertation. IRT-screened participants' temperatures were compared to laboratory diagnostics to confirm the presence or absence of influenza-like illness (ILI). An archival dataset of personnel on United States Navy and Marine vessels that were identified as exceeding an ILI threshold limit provided the data for the 320 study participants. Using a guiding thermo-science framework, derived from past IRT …

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Physiologic Capacity As A Predictor Of Postoperative Complications And Associated Costs In Three Types Of Oncological Surgeries, Vicky D. Woodruff Jan 2011

Physiologic Capacity As A Predictor Of Postoperative Complications And Associated Costs In Three Types Of Oncological Surgeries, Vicky D. Woodruff

Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation

An estimated 12 million individuals undergoing non-cardiac surgery in the United States each year will experience postoperative complications. The costs of complications are manifested in the growing healthcare economic burden and patients' reduced quality of life, future economic productivity, and shortened long-term survival. This research is grounded in a conceptual framework derived from literature in physiologic capacity and stress. The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that physiologic capacity is a predictor of postoperative complications and associated costs in three types of oncological surgery (esophagectomy, hepatectomy, and radical cystectomy). Data analysis strategies included forward step-wise binary logistic …

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Effect Of Stress, Emotional Lability And Depression On The Development Of Pregnancy Complications, Servitje, Estibalitz Laresgoiti Servitje Jan 2011

Effect Of Stress, Emotional Lability And Depression On The Development Of Pregnancy Complications, Servitje, Estibalitz Laresgoiti Servitje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic stress and other emotional factors may have relevant impacts on pregnancy outcomes because they are related to neuroendocrine changes that lead to alterations in immunomodulation during pregnancy. In this quantitative prospective cross-sectional study, the relationship of emotional lability, depression, and stress during pregnancy and the development of preterm labor, preeclampsia, placental abruption, and low birth weight for gestational age babies was examined. Additionally, social support scores were compared to levels of stress/anxiety, depression, and emotional lability in pregnant women. Two hundred and forty two pregnant women who received prenatal services at the National Institute of Perinatology in Mexico City …

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Stakeholders' Roles In Prioritizing Technical And Vocational Education And Training In Postconflict Liberia, Edward S. Forh Jan 2011

Stakeholders' Roles In Prioritizing Technical And Vocational Education And Training In Postconflict Liberia, Edward S. Forh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postconflict governments and counterparts have collaborated to provide skills training to communities as a critical postconflict development strategy. In these undertakings, the role of community members remains largely undefined. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to understand the perceptions held by rural community members regarding the role they played in influencing government's policy priority for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a local human development strategy in postconflict Liberia. The conceptual framework was based on human capital theory and concepts of motivation and achievement. Fourteen participants were purposefully selected for the study. Data were collected …

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Care Coordination, Family-Centered Care And Functional Ability In Children With Special Health Care Needs In The United States, Madeline Marti-Morales Jan 2011

Care Coordination, Family-Centered Care And Functional Ability In Children With Special Health Care Needs In The United States, Madeline Marti-Morales

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) generally have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that require a broader range and greater quantity of health and related services compared to typical children. Care coordination (CC) and family-centered care (FCC) are necessary in the quality of health care for CSHCN. A gap exists in the literature regarding the impact of CC and FCC on children's functional ability (FA). Previous researchers have focused on met and unmet health care needs, but not on health outcomes or functionality. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between CC, FCC, …

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Assessing City Preparedness For A Biological Attack, Joseph T. Moore Jan 2011

Assessing City Preparedness For A Biological Attack, Joseph T. Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of preparedness by local communities in the event of a biological attack is a predicament that will result in chaos and an increase in casualties. Assessing city preparedness is essential in the event of a biological attack. The potential for an enormous number of casualties is real; it is imperative, therefore, for local communities to be prepared in the event of a biological attack. This descriptive single case study investigated whether one city in the southeastern United States is prepared for a biological attack. System theory provided the theoretical framework for this research, with the unit of analysis …

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Early Childhood Educators Teaching And Learning In Professional Learning Communities: A New Approach To Professional Development For Preschool Teachers In A Southern California School District, Robin Fairfield Jan 2011

Early Childhood Educators Teaching And Learning In Professional Learning Communities: A New Approach To Professional Development For Preschool Teachers In A Southern California School District, Robin Fairfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education teachers have been challenged with the demands for accountability in literacy and English language development, as well as kindergarten readiness skills of preschool children. Researchers have studied professional learning communities (PLCs) as a framework for professional development and student achievement. However, few have studied the effects of PLCs in preschool. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how PLCs support preschool teachers in Head Start and other preschool programs. The research questions involved understanding teaching and learning opportunities for early childhood education (ECE) that can produce positive child outcomes. Using social constructivist assumptions, data …

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Public Safety Directors' Leadership Role For The Implementation Of The National Incident Management System, John C. Mccauley Jan 2011

Public Safety Directors' Leadership Role For The Implementation Of The National Incident Management System, John C. Mccauley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is the result of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5). NIMS requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a national policy template for state, local, regional, and federal agencies to work together during emergencies. One difficulty with NIMS is that state and local agencies interpret and implement NIMS requirements differently. Using Lusier & Achua's theory of integrative leadership and Burns, Bass, Kouzes, and Posner's concept of transformational leadership, this study examined the relationship between the leadership provided by city public safety directors (CPSDs) and effective NIMS implementation at the local level. Two research …

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