Digital Commons Network^™

Law Enforcement Help-Seeking Behaviors And Organizational Mental Health Supports, Jordan Elizabeth Longendorf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to the traumatic and repetitive nature of law enforcement work, mental health support is often needed by officers, but is not consistently sought. Law enforcement leaders need to understand this concern as a leading indicator of workforce well-being, organizational effectiveness, and officers’ willingness to seek needed mental health support. Guided by the conceptual framework of Rickwood and Thomas’s help-seeking behaviors, the purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore law enforcement officers’ lived experiences of help-seeking behaviors for emotional and mental health issues. Data were collected through six semistructured interviews with current law enforcement officers in four different …

U.S. Health Care Leaders’ Strategies To Improve Operational Efficiency Through Artificial Intelligence In Hospital Settings, Antwonne Demarco Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders in the United States increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational efficiency, yet many organizations struggle to achieve sustained operational value from AI initiatives. This problem is important to health care leaders, patients, clinicians, staff, and communities because AI-supported decisions may affect workflow, access, safety, staffing, and trust. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies U.S. health care leaders used to improve operational efficiency through AI in hospital settings. Eight U.S. health care leaders in hospital settings across the United States participated. The technology-organization-environment framework grounded the project. Data were collected …

Risk Factors Of Suicidality Among Physician Assistants, Lynn Marie Page

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is a global public health issue that affects all ages, genders, races, and social classes. Although suicide rates are higher among health care providers than in the general public, there is a gap in the literature regarding the suicidal risk factors of physician assistants (PAs), who increasingly provide health care in the United States. The aim of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to explore the association between anxiety, burnout, and depression and the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), as well as the dependent variable suicidality among PAs in the United States. A self-directed questionnaire incorporated psychometrically validated tools …

Staff Education To Instruct Nurses On How To Use The Braden Scale To Increase Their Knowledge, Anna Shedrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Nursing Competency In The Ambulatory Surgery Center, Rachael Owokole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this project, I addressed a persistent practice problem among agency nurses working in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Southern California, who often enter the facility with varying familiarity with its policies and procedures. I designed this staff education, evidence-based practice (EBP), quality-improvement initiative to strengthen nursing knowledge and competency among agency nurses at the facility. The practice question was designed to assess on whether their knowledge and self-perceived competency improved after participating in the education program. I obtained evidence for the project from peer‑reviewed research, clinical guidelines, and national competency frameworks. I identified sources through systematic searches of …

Prepared Or Not? Perceptions Of Novice Counseling Professionals On Working With Trauma Clients, Christina L. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of trauma across clinical settings and limited trauma training for clinicians can negatively affect trauma survivors. The impact of novice clinicians’ lack of preparedness and its implications for clients should be important considerations for educators, supervisors, and policymakers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of novice counselors and their preparedness to work with trauma survivors. Grounded in descriptive phenomenology, this study explored participants’ perceived preparedness to work with trauma survivors and the ways these experiences may inform counselor education and supervision. Participants were provisionally licensed counselors within three years of graduating from …

Exploring Lifestyle Transitions And Perceptions Of Weight And Health Among College Students In Huntsville, Texas, Keyonna Nicole Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College students aged 18–25 transitioning to independent living often experience changes in diet, physical activity, stress, and time management that increase health risks. These challenges may be amplified in semi-urban communities by limited access to healthy food, transportation barriers, and scheduling constraints. This qualitative phenomenological study explored how college students in Huntsville, Texas, perceived and interpreted these lifestyle changes and their influence on perceptions of health and weight. Guided by the social ecological model, the study included 12 participants who were 18–25 years old, enrolled in college, living independently in Huntsville, Texas, and able to describe their experiences with lifestyle …

Psychosocial Characteristics Of Self-Identifying Incels, Joleen Koroluck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research examining individuals who self-identify as involuntary celibates (incels) has increased in response to concerns surrounding online grievance communities and violence-related rhetoric. Despite growing scholarship, limited research has examined the psychosocial lived experiences of individuals who identify as incels. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore these experiences and examine factors associated with violent or extremist beliefs within incel-related online communities. Guided by social comparison theory and social identity theory, reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine 90 publicly available forum posts collected from 4Chan, Incel.is, and Looksmaxx. The data were manually coded and analyzed through iterative thematic …

Construction Workers’ Perceptions Of Immersive Virtual Reality Training Effectiveness, Tyiesha "Ty" Gainey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction remains one of the most hazardous industries in the United States, while employer-sponsored training opportunities have declined, raising concerns about safety, workforce readiness, and knowledge transfer. Construction leaders need to understand how workers perceive immersive virtual reality (IVR) amid these challenges as an indicator of persistent safety risks, limited workforce preparedness, and ineffective knowledge transfer. The purpose of this single exploratory case study was to examine construction workers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of IVR in transferring knowledge to enhance job performance. Guided by Kirkpatrick’s four-level model of training evaluation, participants’ perceptions of reaction, learning, behavior, and results were examined. …

Examining The Relationship Between Employee Engagement, Career Advancement, And Talent Retention, Nadeen Angella Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining talent continues to be a challenge for organizations and their business leaders. The problem is important to human resource (HR) business leaders because retaining talent helps reduce turnover costs, preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen workforce stability, and enhance organizational success and competitive advantage. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research project, grounded in the social exchange theory, was to examine the relationships between employee engagement, career advancement, and talent retention among employees working for organizations throughout the southeastern United States. The participants were 78 employees in the southeastern United States who met the exclusion criteria and who completed the Utrecht …

Perceptions Of African American Males Regarding Legal Risks Of Alcohol Misuse, Tylisha Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol misuse among young adults leads to legal, social, and behavioral consequences in the United States. The justice system unequally impacts young African American males. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand perceptions of legal risks of alcohol misuse among African American young adult males who were formerly adjudicated or nonadjudicated. The research question involved African American young adult males and legal risks associated with misuse of alcohol. The differential association theory guided this study in terms of its emphasis on decision-making and learned social behaviors. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight …

Social Determinants And Policy Implications Of Lived Experiences Of Multidimensional Poverty In Nigeria, Oluwatayo David Aduloju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poverty disproportionately affects rural populations, women, and children and is shaped by structural inequalities in access to resources and opportunities, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage. Although existing literature provides extensive quantitative evidence on multidimensional poverty, there remains a limited qualitative understanding of how these deprivations are experienced at the household level. This generic qualitative study addressed this gap by examining the lived experiences of heads of households in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Nigeria, where poverty incidence and intensity are among the highest nationally. Drawing on Sen’s capability theory, Atkinson’s multidimensional poverty framework, and the social determinants of health model, this study …

Fall Prevention Education Among Older Adults At Townson Assisted Living Facility (Talf), Yolana Farrell-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls in the elderly are a significant cause of injury, disability, and preventable medical expenditure; thus, fall prevention is an issue to assisted living homes like Townson Assisted Living Facility (TALF). The internal incident reports showed that persistent fall incidents were associated with inconsistent knowledge among the staff and unequal observed compliance with fall-prevention guidelines, indicating a practice gap in the systematized education of nurses. Educational interventions are effective in achieving high-quality staff, adherence to protocols, and outcomes concerning falls. Consequently, the current project was conducted to determine whether a specialized falls-prevention education program would enhance the knowledge and competency …

Licensed Social Workers’ Perceived Structural And Systemic Treatment Barriers For Clients With Severe Mental Illness, Myron Curtis White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was a gap in the existing strategies in social work practice regarding the structural and systemic barriers to health care treatment for clients with serious/severe mental illness (SMI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented that addressing mental health destabilization in the United States is important and requires an understanding of the mental illness to be addressed, including its causal factors, the relationships between the mentally ill and their community/environment, and the methodology for effecting care. This general qualitative study explored what licensed social workers perceived as structural and systemic barriers to health care treatment access for their …

Strategies To Prevent The Development Of Dependence Among Head Start Beneficiaries, Shira Stallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Head Start programs provide educational, health, nutritional, and family support services to children from low-income families. Despite these benefits, concerns remain regarding factors that may contribute to dependency among some beneficiaries. Understanding these factors is important because public administrators seek to promote family self-sufficiency while ensuring support programs effectively address community needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of Head Start teachers and an education specialist regarding factors that may contribute to dependency among beneficiaries and to identify strategies that promote family self-sufficiency. The practice-focused research question was: What potential issues may contribute to …

The Ppp Model In Action: Empowering Tertiary Vocational Students Through Digital And English Training, Hüsem Korkmaz, Ali Geris, Cenk Yoldaş

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the stakeholder perspectives in a public–private partnership project as a remarkable initiative to enhance quality education at the tertiary level in Turkey. In this regard, the motivations behind participating in the partnership, perceived benefits and challenges, significant outcomes, and recommendations for similar prospective partnership programs were investigated empirically.

Method: The study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design, which relies on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with the key stakeholders of a public–private partnership project to empower vocational higher education. The data were collected from the representatives of Enerjisa Üretim Company (n = …

Comparative Analysis Of “Silver Education” In Kazakhstan, Europe, Asia, And The United States, Diana Abetova, Albina Dossanova, Mehmet Cuneyt Birkok

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The study aimed to compare “silver education” policies in Kazakhstan, several European countries (Germany, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain), countries in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand), and the United States to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Kazakh model and to suggest improvements.

Methods: Methods included synthesis, comparative and system analysis, and structural-functional analysis.

Results: The findings show that Kazakhstan is in the early stages of developing silver education, lacking a dedicated legal framework and offering limited educational opportunities for older adults (aged 65 and over). In contrast, other countries examined have well-established …

A Glimpse Into Classrooms: Teachers’ Experiences Pre- And Post-Covid, Sam Hilbert, Katherine Wheeler, Robin H. Lock, Janna Brendle, Kassi Gregory

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many schools to pause in-person learning. Prior research indicates that these closures affected overall mental health and student academic performance. Mental health concerns, particularly anxiety and depression, were exacerbated for many school-aged children during these closures. Research has linked disorders, such as anxiety and depression, with changes in behaviors. Academic gaps have also been linked with negatively displayed behaviors in school settings. COVID school closures resulted in a 25% increased global prevalence of anxiety and depression diagnoses and an estimated 1-year academic loss in student learning. Although both variables have been shown to contribute to changes …

Navigating Leadership With A History Of Parental Incarceration: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Nurse Managers’ Professional Relationships And Coaching Receptivity, Demetria Hazlett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse managers play a critical role in healthcare organizations, yet limited research has examined how early-life adversity, such as parental incarceration, influences leadership relationships and development. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study, guided by interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), was to explore how nurse managers’ lived experiences of parental incarceration made sense of their influenced attachment-related relational patterns, professional relationships, and receptivity to leadership coaching. The attachment theory and Karpman’s Drama Triangle grounded this study. The participants comprised eight nurse managers in six states within the United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using the IPA analytic …

The Relationship Between Autistic Traits And Depression Among Self-Reporting College-Aged Adults, Tyler Michael Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a prevalent mental health concern among emerging adults, particularly within college populations where academic, social, and developmental stressors are heightened. Autistic traits are increasingly understood as dimensional characteristics that exist across both clinical and non-clinical populations, yet their relationship to depressive symptoms in college-aged adults remains insufficiently understood. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the relationship between self-reported autistic traits and depressive symptoms among non-clinical adults aged 18 to 25. The study was grounded in Beck’s cognitive theory of depression and the diathesis–stress model, which posit that cognitive vulnerabilities interact with environmental stressors …

Maternal Attachment Style As A Moderator Between Maternal Stress And Postpartum Depressive Symptoms, Kristie Lynn Hills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research aimed to discover if maternal attachment style moderates the association between maternal stress and postpartum depressive symptoms for mothers living in the United States. Previous research has indicated a trend of maternal bonding mediating the association between postpartum depression and maternal stress. In this study, attachment theory was utilized as the foundational theory for understanding whether the link between maternal stress and postpartum depressive symptoms vary as a function of maternal attachment style. This quantitative examination was completed using a multiple regression analytic approach. An online questionnaire measured the three study variables. The target population for this study …

Shame, Resilience, And Disclosure Predictors Of Mental Health Seeking In Male Veterans With Ptsd And Military Sexual Trauma, Neftali Melendez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male veterans are often the least likely to report military sexual trauma (MST), increasing the experience of shame, fear, fragility, and mental health disorders. The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship of shame (internal and external), attitudes towards disclosure, and resilience on mental health help-seeking in male veterans who have experienced sexual abuse while in the military. Brown’s theory of shame resilience guided the development of the hypotheses and interpretation of results. Approximately 146 veterans participated in an anonymous online cross-sectional survey using a convenience sampling design and psychometrically validated questionnaires (Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale, …

The Association Between Food Insecurity, Housing Insecurity, Self-Care Practice And Depression Among Black Immigrants In The United States, Beatrice Ngozi Mbaocha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence and poor prognosis of depressive symptoms remain significant among adult Black immigrants in the United States. This study examined the complex interplay between food insecurity, housing insecurity, self-care practices, and depression among adult Black immigrants in the United States. Grounded in the socioecological model, this quantitative cross-sectional study analyzed data from N = 469 noninstitutionalized Black immigrant adults (54.2% female, 45.8% male) using the 2023 National Health Interview Survey. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the probability of depressive symptoms as a function of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and self-care practices, controlling for age, gender, and employment …

Enhancing Learning Strategies Of First-Year Medical Students Through A Remedial Course At A Medical School In The Caribbean, Aruna Ullal, Ed.D., Andrea Wilson, Phd

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Remediation is a crucial factor for some students to succeed in a medical career. Well-designed remedial courses can enhance students’ learning skills and improve their study habits, promoting long-term retention and academic success. A medical school in the Caribbean has designed a remedial program called the Learning Enhancement Course, with the goal of supporting underperforming students in enhancing their study skills and gaining the competencies necessary to progress in their medical school journey. This quantitative study examined the influence of the remedial course on students’ learning and study skills after their participation in this structured course. We analyzed archival pre- …

First Year College Students’ Perceptions Of Their Engagement Skills And Satisfaction In Online Courses, Ryan Ann Mathews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is the gap in literature on first-year college students’ perceptions of engagement and satisfaction in online courses. Grounded in the framework of Astin’s student involvement theory and Cotton et al., happy productive theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore first-year college students’ perceptions of their engagement and satisfaction in online courses. Semistructured interviews with eight first-year online college students throughout the U.S. were conducted. Through thematic analysis, the following four themes emerged: First-year online college students noted that their (1) engagement skills and study habits, when used consistently, …

African American Women’S Perceptions And Experiences With Weight Management And Ensuing Health Outcomes, Brenda Louise Gill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women (AAW) experience disproportionately high rates of obesity and chronic disease compared to all other demographic groups in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of AAW aged 36–64 residing in Nashville, Tennessee, regarding food, weight management, and chronic disease management. The social-ecological model (SEM) served as the theoretical framework, providing a multilevel lens through which individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal factors are examined. Three research questions guided the inquiry, examining individual-level experiences, parental and caregivers’ influences, and community and societal-level factors shaping participants’ relationship with food, weight management, …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Alcoholism Among African American Communities Aged 65 And Older, Kymberly Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol use disorder among African American older adults (aged ≥65) remains an underrecognized contributor to preventable morbidity and diminished quality of life. Although previous research has identified individual risk factors for alcohol misuse, little is known about how social determinants of health shape alcohol use among this population. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how family support, experiences of racial discrimination, religious engagement, and economic stability influence late-life alcohol use. Cultural Resilience Theory guided the exploration of how cultural resources and structural stressors influence alcohol use. Five African American adults aged 65 years and older were …

Educating School Nurses On Trauma-Informed Care, Na-Keisha Allene White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trauma-informed care is a critical component of supporting students' overall wellness, and school nurses are central to this work. They are often the first professionals to recognize when a student is exhibiting a trauma response or experiencing a mental health concern during the school day. Although evidence-based school health organizations have advanced efforts to ensure that academic environments are prepared to support students’ mental health needs, school nurses are too often left out of these strategic planning processes. Their exclusion not only overlooks their clinical expertise but also weakens the school’s ability to respond effectively and holistically to student needs. …

Fecal Fatty Acids And Other Risk Factors Associated With Multiple Sclerosis Score, Progression And Diagnosis Among Hispanic Adults, Juliana Ayala-Viqueira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition with insufficient research regarding risk factors influencing MS severity score (MSSS), progression and diagnosis among Hispanic adults living in the United States. This cross-sectional study assessed factors associated with MS score, progression and diagnosis using secondary data from the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS). Guided by the ecological model, the study included N = 576 participants with MS. Manuscript 1 explored the association between body mass index (BMI), sodium consumption, and the MS severity score in a Hispanic adult population. A multiple linear regression was conducted to examine whether age and …

Examining Inmate Labor In Emergency Management: Contributions, Challenges, And Ethical Considerations, Boris Eugene Valiance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarcerated individuals remain inconsistently engaged in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, creating both an operational gap and an ethical challenge regarding labor equity, safety, voluntariness, and human dignity. Guided by RBT and EMT, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how incarcerated individuals are utilized in emergency management and to examine stakeholder perceptions of the operational, ethical, and policy implications of inmate labor programs. The research questions examined current utilization patterns, stakeholder-perceived benefits and drawbacks, and ethical concerns influencing participation decisions. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with purposefully sampled emergency management professionals, policymakers, and correctional …