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Major Depressive Disorder: Precursors, Predictors, And Coping Mechanism Among Undergraduate Students, Grace Antia Bickham Jan 2015

Major Depressive Disorder: Precursors, Predictors, And Coping Mechanism Among Undergraduate Students, Grace Antia Bickham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common among college students. The disease perpetuates depressive symptoms and potentially leads to chronic depressive episodes. Existing literature has shown that students who use both cognitive and behavioral maladaptive coping skills are more prone to endure depressive symptoms and poorer academic performance. Despite these known associations, little research has examined the relationship between coping skills and self-efficacy in response to warning signs of MDD in college students. This study sought to fill the gaps in the research of MDD related to precursors, predictors, and coping mechanisms among undergraduate students in a national sample of U.S. …

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Retention In Nursing Programs: Factors Contributing To The Success Of Esl Students, Patience Jegbefu Mbulu Jan 2015

Retention In Nursing Programs: Factors Contributing To The Success Of Esl Students, Patience Jegbefu Mbulu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this project is the high attrition rate among English as Second Language (ESL) students in a local community college associate degree nursing program. If the retention problem is addressed, the increase in the number of ESL nursing student graduates could result in a more diverse nursing workforce, reflecting the diversity of the community. The purpose of this study was to examine student and faculty views regarding factors that contribute to the academic success and retention of ESL students. To that end, a qualitative case study approach was used, guided by the theoretical frameworks of Cummins's contextual …

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Reforms In Relation To Research-Based Theories Resulting In Successful Test Results, Veronica Renee Christian Jan 2015

Reforms In Relation To Research-Based Theories Resulting In Successful Test Results, Veronica Renee Christian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study school in Bibb County, Georgia had a passing rate of approximately 60% on 9th grade literature and composition End of Course Tests (EOCT). An instructional paradigm was needed to help provide quality instruction and facilitate students' efforts to meet the mandate for performance. Research supports differentiated instruction (DI), instructional technology (IT), Gardner's multiple intelligences, and Vygotsky's theory of constructivism as the foundation for quality instruction. This ex post facto study used a cluster sample to explore 2 questions. One research questions explored the effect of DI enhanced with IT on students' learning in 9th grade literature and composition …

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Early Childhood Teacher Perspectives Of Developmentally Appropriate Use Of Computer Applications, Heather S. White Jan 2015

Early Childhood Teacher Perspectives Of Developmentally Appropriate Use Of Computer Applications, Heather S. White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little evidence in the literature that early childhood (EC) teachers are using developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) in implementing computer applications in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to identify EC teachers' perspectives about the use of developmentally appropriate computer applications and to identify their perspectives on strategies for implementing change toward greater use of developmentally appropriate computer applications. The study was based upon Joseph and Reigeluth's conceptual framework of systemic change processes, which provides educators with the foundation to achieve sustainable changes. The research questions that guided this qualitative case study were designed to obtain teachers' …

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Experiences Teaching Stoichiometry To Students In Grades 10 And 11, Cynthia Denise Bridges Jan 2015

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, …

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English Language Learners And High School Transition Experiences, Kimberly Watkins Jan 2015

English Language Learners And High School Transition Experiences, Kimberly Watkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spanish speaking English language learning (ELL) students in U.S. public schools are among those most likely to drop out of high school. However, there is a research gap concerning Spanish speaking ELL student success and their experiences in transitioning from supported English as a second language (ESL) classes into mainstream, general education classes in high school. Guided by the framework of transitional bilingual education, the purpose of this study was to present the phenomenological experiences of former ESL students as they transitioned from ESL to English-only classes. Participants included 7 adults who transitioned from Spanish speaking ESL during their high …

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Evaluation Of A Supplemental Kinesthetic-Based Reading Program For Disabled Students, Kenneth W. Hodges Jan 2015

Evaluation Of A Supplemental Kinesthetic-Based Reading Program For Disabled Students, Kenneth W. Hodges

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research study addressed the need for an evaluation of the effectiveness of teacher-written supplemental reading lesson plans for elementary students with significant disabilities. The participating elementary school implemented the supplemental kinesthetic-based reading program in the 2010-2011 school year in order to improve the reading test scores of these disabled students. The theories of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences and Maria Montessori's individualized learning process guided this research. The research question focused on exploring the effectiveness of the lesson plans. Participants included 6 students and their parents, 3 teachers, and 1 principal. Closed- and open-ended survey responses were collected from each …

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Perceptions Of Mode Selection Of Textbook Delivery Across Course Subjects, Gail M. Spencer-Scott Jan 2015

Perceptions Of Mode Selection Of Textbook Delivery Across Course Subjects, Gail M. Spencer-Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Universities are exploring the use of e-books in order to mitigate the high cost of textbooks. The study university was providing both delivery modes to students but was considering adapting to using e-books exclusively. An investigation of users' perceptions on textbook delivery modes had not been conducted at the local site. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of students about using e-books and the experiences of textbook directors in the decision-making processes regarding the use of e-books versus textbooks. The Davis' Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) served as the conceptual framework for the study and …

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Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses, Eric D. Williams Jan 2015

Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses, Eric D. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changing workforce demographics, combined with a gap in knowledge and skills between older and younger generations, threatens small business viability. The presence of four generations in the workforce, where 1 in 5 employees are 55 years and older, presents an unprecedented challenge for small business leaders planning for succession with a multigenerational workforce. The purpose of this case study was to explore the effect of Baby Boomers' presence on small business leaders' ability to retain and transfer knowledge to successive generations. Using snowball and purposeful sampling techniques, 36 small business leaders in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area participated. The conceptual …

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Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Incorporating Alternative Assessments To Accommodate Students, Terra Wright Jan 2015

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Incorporating Alternative Assessments To Accommodate Students, Terra Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A suburban middle school located in the southeastern United States included differentiated instruction and technology in all aspects of the curriculum. Teachers at this school received professional development on differentiated strategies; however, many teachers did not apply the strategies to assessments and continued to use traditional assessments despite the poor performance of their students on class evaluations. This qualitative case study, rooted in constructivist theories, examined middle school teachers' perceptions and use of alternative assessments. All 6th Language Arts teachers were selectively invited to participate in my study because they teach a core 6th grade subject, four teachers responded and …

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Childhood Hearing Loss And Its Stress On Hearing Families, Julie Macker Jan 2015

Childhood Hearing Loss And Its Stress On Hearing Families, Julie Macker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood disability increases parental stress. Research on the laterality of childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) as it relates to stress in hearing parents was limited before this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify relationships between the independent variables of laterality (unilateral and bilateral) of a childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) and the dependent variable of stress in hearing parents. Family systems theory provided a framework for viewing each member of the family as a part of a whole, whose life events, feelings, and actions affect all of the …

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Factors Contributing To The Limited Use Of Information Technology In State Courtrooms, Concetta Manker Jan 2015

Factors Contributing To The Limited Use Of Information Technology In State Courtrooms, Concetta Manker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few state courtrooms in the United States have integrated information technology (IT) in court trials. Despite jurors' beliefs that using courtroom technology improves their abilities to serve as jurors, the attitudes and experiences among attorneys and judges toward the utility of IT continue to pose barriers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of attorneys and judges in the State of Virginia with regard limited use of IT in state courtrooms. The conceptual framework included Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw's (1989) technology acceptance model; Rogers's (2003) diffusion of innovation theory; and Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and …

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Exploring The Impact Of Wyoming's Pathways To Professional Development Program On Childcare Providers And Quality Early Childcare, Colleen Kay Bartlett Jan 2015

Exploring The Impact Of Wyoming's Pathways To Professional Development Program On Childcare Providers And Quality Early Childcare, Colleen Kay Bartlett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childcare programs that provide high quality care can strengthen children's early development. One component of a quality program is having providers who are knowledgeable in child development; however, despite the understanding of these known predictors of child development, Wyoming does not require childcare providers to complete any training before beginning to work with children. Guided by the constructivist theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bruner, this objectives-based program evaluation investigated the Pathways to Professional Development program to determine participants' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the program. A researcher-produced survey was created based on the objectives of the program …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Achievement Gap Between High-Achieving Students And Below-Basic Students, Helen Anne Iaconelli Jan 2015

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Achievement Gap Between High-Achieving Students And Below-Basic Students, Helen Anne Iaconelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Atlantic Avenue Elementary School (AAES) experienced reading achievement gaps between high-performing students and below-basic students within the school reading curriculum and balanced literacy framework. Vygotsky's theories of scaffolding and zone of proximal development served as the framework guiding this project, which used a qualitative case study design to explore reading teachers' perceptions of the ways in which they were addressing this reading achievement gap. Individual interviews, classroom observations, and lesson plans were the sources of the qualitative data collected from 6 reading teachers. The data were coded manually using emerging and constant-comparative strategies to identify common themes. The themes that …

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Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tracey Jane Siegel Jan 2015

Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tracey Jane Siegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing programs have traditionally used teacher-developed multiple-choice (MCQ) examinations to prepare students for licensure. Researchers have determined that poorly constructed MCQ tests used as formative and summative evaluations may penalize nursing students and impact progression and retention in nursing programs. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine issues related to the use of teacher-developed MCQ examinations as the only method of student assessment in the theory component of nursing courses. The National League for Nursing Core Competencies for Nurse Educators and the revised Bloom's Taxonomy were used as the conceptual frameworks for this study. The Director of …

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Understanding Health Literacy Skills Of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease And Diabetes, Patrick J. Dunn Jan 2015

Understanding Health Literacy Skills Of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease And Diabetes, Patrick J. Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on health information and is linked to health outcomes. It is unclear how health literacy skills are developed in patients with complex conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals on how health literacy skills were developed in patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The research questions addressed how knowledge and skills were acquired, the role of digital tools, instructional strategies used by healthcare professionals, and how the instructional strategies of the healthcare professionals matched …

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Instructional Practices Of English As Second Language Teachers, Karen Ann Wallis Jan 2015

Instructional Practices Of English As Second Language Teachers, Karen Ann Wallis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement, Charlene Lane Bazemore Jan 2015

Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement, Charlene Lane Bazemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students' struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers' perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students' reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students' progress of work documents, and the district's integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated …

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White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students, Karen Marie Spader Jan 2015

White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students, Karen Marie Spader

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a Midwestern university, White novice teachers struggled to be prepared to implement culturally responsive pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore White novice teachers' perceptions about how their higher education classroom experiences had equipped them for teaching a culturally diverse population of students. The theoretical/conceptual frameworks of this study were White identity development theory, a multicultural education framework, culturally relevant pedagogy, and the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching. Data were collected by interviewing 8 White novice teachers to convey their perceptions of teaching culturally diverse classrooms and how these perceptions influenced their behaviors. Data were …

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Exploring The Experiences And Relationships Of First-Year Teachers And Mentors, Melanie Jane Strey Jan 2015

Exploring The Experiences And Relationships Of First-Year Teachers And Mentors, Melanie Jane Strey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators have a moral imperative and job-embedded expectation to effectively teach all students, which requires a commitment to continued personal growth. The purpose of this instrumental project study was to explore the lived experiences of first-year teachers and their mentors who teach in a culturally-diverse school district. The conceptual framework was based on supporting adult learning methods through the theories of critical thinking, constructivist perspective, the theory of mentoring, and culturally-instructional teaching. The guiding research questions addressed the perceptions of 5 first-year teachers and 5 mentors regarding individual and shared learning as a result of mentor-mentee relationship. A constant comparison …

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Lived Experiences Of Attorneys Who Represent Transgender Clients In Prison Placement, Heidi Jo Green Jan 2015

Lived Experiences Of Attorneys Who Represent Transgender Clients In Prison Placement, Heidi Jo Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that there are no formal guidelines for placing convicted transgender felons in the United States in correctional facilities and addressing their post-placement medical care and treatment. The problem is that inappropriate placement may lead to the discrimination of transgender offenders; it may also put them in situations that threaten their safety. Attorneys are legal advocates assigned to defend and protect the rights of their clients during the trial and sentencing phase when correctional placement is determined. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of attorneys who represent transgender clients during the …

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Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Classroom Instruction, Lora Coonce Jan 2015

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Classroom Instruction, Lora Coonce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Response to intervention (RTI) is a federal program created to improve student learning and reduce the number of students misidentified as needing special education services. Differing interpretations of how best to implement RTI between campuses and districts have resulted in teachers' confusion and misperceptions of the program. The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary classroom teachers' perceptions of RTI affect classroom instruction. Based on Gagne's instructional theory and Bruner's theory of constructivism, the study examined the perceptions of 10 classroom teachers in 2 low socio-economic elementary schools. The study examined how RTI forms and protocols, administrative leadership, …

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Examining The Achievement Gap Between Fifth Grade Girls And Boys In Writing, Phillip Williams Jan 2015

Examining The Achievement Gap Between Fifth Grade Girls And Boys In Writing, Phillip Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the national, state, district, and building levels, girls outperform boys in writing. The purpose of this study was to examine the achievement gap between 5th grade girls and boys in the content area of writing. The research questions explored the perceptions of 5th grade teachers and building administrators and examined the instructional strategies that were used to teach writing to 5th grade students. Attribution theory was used as the theoretical framework to address the achievement gap. Using a qualitative instrumental case study design, data were collected from a building administrator and a 5th grade writing teacher in the form …

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Behavioral Operations Management In Federal Governance, Frederick Leonard Mobley Jan 2015

Behavioral Operations Management In Federal Governance, Frederick Leonard Mobley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The environmental uncertainty of federal politics and acquisition outsourcing in competitive markets requires an adaptive decision-analysis structure. Practitioners oriented toward exclusively static methods face severe challenges in understanding qualitative aspects of organizational governance. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine and understand behavioral relationship attributes within intuitive, choice, judgment, or preference decision-making processes. The problem addressed in this study was the detrimental effects of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB), and social exchange theory (SET) on the acquisition management relationship The OCB, CCB, SET dictates that sound business development, relationship acumen, emotional intelligence and perceptiveness …

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The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of Leaders Practicing Mindfulness Meditation: A Phenomenological Investigation, Denise A. Frizzell Jan 2015

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of Leaders Practicing Mindfulness Meditation: A Phenomenological Investigation, Denise A. Frizzell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the gap between the demands of the global work environment and the maturity of its leaders, minimal research exists on the trend of the practice of mindfulness meditation and the developmental experiences of leaders, thereby resulting in a growing divide between theory and practice. Consequently, leadership scholars have little understanding of how an increasing number of leaders experience mindfulness meditation. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceived impact mindfulness meditation had on leader development for 20 manager-leaders who had a regular (at least 3 days a week) mindfulness-meditation practice. The primary recruitment strategy included outreach …

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Communication Strategies To Generate Employee Job Satisfaction, Kenyatta Natasha Hills Jan 2015

Communication Strategies To Generate Employee Job Satisfaction, Kenyatta Natasha Hills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers spend 75% of their time actively communicating with employees. Effective leadership communication is fundamental to employee job satisfaction. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how communication strategies that government agency leaders use may motivate greater employee job satisfaction. Twenty employees of a government office in Florida were the general population sample. The motivational language theory helped explore the nature of job satisfaction by focusing on leadership and employee communication strategies. Leadership communication influences employee motivation through incorporating 3 categories of utterances: empathetic (illocutionary) language, direction-giving (perlocutionary) language, and meaning-making (locutionary) language. The Van Manen selective approach …

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Qualitative Case Study Of Read-Aloud Expository Text Strategies In Kindergarten Through Grade 2, Mary Adeyemo Jan 2015

Qualitative Case Study Of Read-Aloud Expository Text Strategies In Kindergarten Through Grade 2, Mary Adeyemo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an inner-city elementary school, students continue to lag in reading proficiency, and implementation of research-based, district-mandated teaching strategies is not well understood. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of mandated, read-aloud expository text strategies in K-2 classrooms. The conceptual framework was Vygotsky's social constructivism model of learning, which envisions students learning by interacting with teachers and peers, in this case, using read-aloud strategies, until they become autonomous, expository readers. The research questions focused on benefits and challenges of the implementation of read-aloud expository text by K-2 teachers who were given a 5-year mandate by …

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Adhd And Multiple Intelligences: Does A Pattern Exist?, Kathleen Mettler Jan 2015

Adhd And Multiple Intelligences: Does A Pattern Exist?, Kathleen Mettler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has typically been treated with a deficits-based response while most research has ignored any intelligence differences between the subtypes, despite differing symptomology. This quantitative study explored whether or not a distinct pattern of intelligences existed within each of the subtypes or presentations of ADHD: inattentive (IT), hyperactive (HT), and combined (CT). Using Gardner's multiple intelligences theory, data were collected via an online, self-administered survey from a sample of 132 participants, over 18 years of age, with IT, HT, and CT ADHD. The goal was to identify the most predominant of 8 different strengths or intelligences. …

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Acculturation Stress And The Coping Strategies Of Nigerian Immigrant Women In The United States, Oluwatoyin Mofoluwaso Adewunmi Jan 2015

Acculturation Stress And The Coping Strategies Of Nigerian Immigrant Women In The United States, Oluwatoyin Mofoluwaso Adewunmi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigerian women who migrate to the United States are faced with complex social challenges as they acculturate to a new society. Stressful conditions and acculturation experiences may threaten the overall mental health of these immigrant women. The purpose of this study was to explore the acculturation experiences of Nigerian immigrant women living in the United States, identify stressors associated with the process, and highlight the coping strategies they employed. Stress and coping theory provided the theoretical framework for the study and phenomenological inquiry guided the research questions and method. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Content analysis and coding were …

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Quality-Of-Life Indicators For African American And European American Long-Term Survivors Of Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Cher De Rossiter Jan 2015

Quality-Of-Life Indicators For African American And European American Long-Term Survivors Of Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Cher De Rossiter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This meta-analysis investigated the difference in perceptions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among long-term early-stage breast cancer survivors (BCS). The comparison was between African American and European American women. Initial pilot searches suggested that enough studies existed for a meaningful meta-analysis of a BCS population at least 5 years post diagnosis. Only studies using the outcome measure HRQOL were included in the study; this yielded an initial sample of 212 study reports, with 56 reports entering the coding phase of the process. African American women were grossly underrepresented in this set of studies in comparison to the overall breast …

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