Digital Commons Network^™

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

A Meta-Analysis Of Association Between One-Carbon Metabolism Gene Polymorphisms And Risk Of Prostate Cancer, Mahmood Tazari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. The purpose of this quantitative, meta-analysis study was to examine one-carbon metabolism gene polymorphisms in a group of genes to determine their association with prostate cancer risk. The genetic epidemiology theory provided the framework for the study. The data collected were from published articles. From over 2,800 individual studies, 20 articles were retained for results and data abstraction, following the title, abstract screen, and full text screening in the second phase. The data were analyzed by a meta-analysis statistical method, combining the results from selected studies to estimate the overall association. …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Strategies To Overcome Barriers To A More Effective Leadership Style, David Barnwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disengaged employees and leaders lacking the skills to engage their employees account for an estimated $300 billion annual loss through lowered productivity. This study focused on a leader's understanding of employee engagement as a means of increasing productivity. Utilizing the theory of leadership styles and expectancy theory for the conceptual framework, this descriptive study explored strategies small business leaders have used to develop effective leadership styles to improve workplace engagement. Interviews with a purposive sample of 20 highest-ranking executives at small businesses with between 50 and 250 employees in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States were analyzed using the …

Understanding The Stressors Of Low Socioeconomic Rural Parents Of Autistic Children, Wendi Marissa Dunham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit high parental stress which may be caused by parent-child behaviors, child behaviors, and parent distress. Awareness and understanding of ASD is critical for parents and educators to connect students with support services and resources. The purpose of this bounded, descriptive case study was to identify perceived parental stressors and to determine the primary stressors of parents with low socioeconomic status who are raising a child with ASD in a rural area. The foundation of family systems theory framed this study. Ten parents raising a child with ASD were purposefully selected …

Career Goals For Joining Law Enforcement And Subsequent Stress, Earl Riggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers experience stress from operational and organizational demands which are extrinsic in nature. Officers may also experience stress from not being able to attain their personal goals for becoming a police officer, which is referred to as goal negation. The purpose of this mixed model, exploratory study was to examine if stress from goal negation is an intrinsic moderating factor of police officers' overall experience of career-related stress that may be adding to the health risks of the profession. The framework for the study included the concept of goal negation and the theory of operational and organizational or intrinsic …

The Deterrent Effect Of Disciplinary Segregation On Prison Inmate Misconduct, Joseph William Lucas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although a widely used practice, it was previously unknown whether disciplinary segregation is actually effective at modifying prison behavior. This quantitative, retrospective observational study tested deterrence theory and explored the effectiveness of disciplinary segregation in deterring subsequent prison inmate misconduct among those subjected to it (N = 228). It compared a cohort of male inmates incarcerated by the Oregon Department of Corrections who had spent time in disciplinary segregation in 2011 and/or 2012 with a comparison cohort who had not spent any time in disciplinary segregation. Three models were tested, each with the outcome variable operationalized in a different way: …

Behaviors Contributing To Native American Business Success, Stacey Bolin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Native Americans start fewer businesses than do other U.S. populations, and the receipts and employment of those businesses are 70% lower than the U.S. average. However, little knowledge exists concerning Native American (NA) business success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the likelihood that attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control predict business success amongst NA business owners. Understanding the factors that contribute to NA business success is imperative to developing best practices for business owners and business support agencies. The theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework for this study. Of the …

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: A Comparison Of Unlicensed And Licensed Professionals, Pamela A. Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to comparatively examine child specific expulsion rates and parent satisfaction of children who received early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services delivered in 2 states for the 2012 program year: Maryland (unlicensed) and Delaware (licensed) . This current study examined secondary data to determine whether unlicensed (Maryland) ECMHC professionals are equally or more effective than licensed (Delaware) ECMHC professionals. Of the total number of child specific consultations or cases referred for services in Maryland (unlicensed), N = 370, n = 266 children avoided expulsion and were able to remain at their childcare placements while n = …

Southeastern United States' Parental Perspectives To Promote Adolescent Sleep Health, Steven Mark Tompa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many U.S. adolescents suffer from sleep disorders. Although poor sleep habits may contribute to health issues, less is known about how parental perspectives influence sleep health in adolescents. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to address a knowledge gap in understanding parental views to promote better sleep habits in adolescents. The blended theoretical framework included the theories of caring science, social learning, advocacy paradigm, and repair and restoration of sleep. Twenty parents in the Southeastern United States participated in open-ended interviews. Research questions were designed to elicit parental perspectives about recognizing unhealthy sleep habits, improving daily sleep health …

Emergency Medical Service Worker Knowledge Of And Compliance With Occupational Exposures To Infectious Diseases, Debra Ann Wrentz-Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighter Emergency Medical Service (EMS) responder personnel are at a high risk for occupational exposures to bloodborne and airborne infectious pathogens due to their unpredictable work duties in the pre-hospital environment. Not much is known about the compliance with Universal Precautions (UP) among firefighter EMS responders' personnel with regards to occupational exposures to infectious diseases. The purpose of this cross-sectional research study was to determine the relationship between compliance with UP, knowledge of UP, attitudes towards UP, occupational practices, and occupational exposures to bloodborne and airborne pathogens to prevent transmission of infectious disease among firefighter EMS responder personnel in the …

Skills Women Bring To The Position Of Chief Of Police, Jo-Ann Helen Savoie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders are unaware of the gender-specific leadership skillsets women possess to increase organizational effectiveness and how to address potential barriers for assuring these skillsets are recognized as effective. Of the estimated 69,000 police officers serving in Canada, approximately 14,000 are women. Of those 14,000, only 10% hold a senior rank, and less than 3% hold the position of Chief of Police. Technology speed, globalized crime, and shrinking budgets have created a need for a new style of leader in policing, and increasing the representation of women may address this need. This multiple case study used the concept of doing …

Displaced Workers With Low Academic Skills Retraining At A Community College, May Hang Khang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community colleges in Western North Carolina have enrolled many displaced workers who lack basic academic skills and are unable to find jobs. This study focused on the problem of displaced workers with low academic skills who rarely advance beyond Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes for retraining in high-tech job skills. The purpose of this single case study was to determine the barriers that prevent functionally illiterate displaced workers or nontraditional students enrolled in ABE programs from completing ABE classes and advancing to retraining programs. The adult learning styles and learning impediments framework were used to study what prevented student advancement …

The Relationship Between Final Grades And Tutoring Methods Of At-Risk College Freshmen, Valeria A. Russ

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Without academic intervention, such as tutoring, at-risk students may not pass their courses. This study examined differences between the final grades of at-risk students and tutoring methods, such as self-determined tutoring, academic advisor scheduled tutoring, group tutoring, one-to-one tutoring, peer tutoring, and professional tutoring. This study drew from cognitive learning theory and humanistic theory for its conceptual framework. A quantitative, ex post facto research design was used. Archived data supplied by the Registrar's Office and the Academic Enrichment Coordinator included records of 95 male and female students conditionally enrolled at Methodist University in the Academic Enrichment Program during the 2007 …

Exploring The Risk Factors That Influence The Parental Dental Deferment Decision, Megan White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When caregivers defer their personal routine dental care (RDC) in order to provide RDC for their children, they risk detrimental consequences in their personal health and the health of their children. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the risk factors that led to the parental dental deferment decision. The oral health and personal care services conceptual models guided the development of the research questions, facilitated the selection of risk factors on the decision-making process, and provided the basis for the data analysis thematic categories. Ten caregivers who made the decision to defer their personal RDC for …

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 …

The Effectiveness Of Educational Methods On Medication Adherence, Prema David

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonadherence to medications for chronic illnesses is a public health problem that requires education related to its illnesses and medications in order to reduce morbidity, mortality, and health care costs, and to improve quality of life. Scholars have identified that morbidity and mortality are much higher among African Americans due to poor medication adherence when compared to Euro-Americans. This study focused on African Americans to increase their medication adherence with chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of using different educational methods to enhance medication adherence. The social cognitive theory and the theory of planned …

Influences Of Csi Effect, Daubert Ruling, And Nas Report On Forensic Science Practices, Timothy Patrick Scanlan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The media exaggerates the capabilities of crime laboratories while it publicizes the wrongdoings of individual forensic scientists. Such portrayals skew the perspectives of jurors and hinder expert witness testimony. Complicating the problem are separate, but related, phenomena that influence how forensic laboratories conduct casework. These phenomena are Cole and Dioso-Villa's conceptualization of the unrealistic expectations of forensic science created by fictional television, known as the CSI Effect; the Daubert ruling on the admissibility of expert testimony; and some federal policy changes as a result of a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report that impacted requirements for the daily operation of …

The Predictors Of Obesity In Young Adults, Dominic Richard Tarinelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is becoming an increasing health concern for young adults. There have been numerous studies on the potential predictors of obesity. However, few studies have researched the predictors of obesity in young adults. Guided by the health belief model, this quantitative cross sectional study investigated the potential predictors of obesity in young adults. The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to gather data on the potential predictors of obesity, including physical activity, health care coverage, excessive alcohol consumption, and demographic characteristics on 1,511 young adults, aged 18-34 years, who were living in New York State. Data were analyzed …

A Study On The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Mental Illness Stigma, E. Nicole Armstrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigmatizing mental illness involves negative perceptions or attitudes about mental illness and the individuals who have mental illness, generating problematic consequences for both the general population and for people with mental illness. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes that intelligence includes skills and abilities in any area; emotional intelligence (EI), therefore, includes an individual's ability to identify, interpret, and regulate emotions and emotional responses. This study was designed to evaluate level of familiarity with mental illness as a potential predictor for stigmatizing mental illness, to assist in evaluating the relationship between stigmatizing mental illness and EI. The study was specifically …

Investigation Of Reasons Children Are Unvaccinated, Tracy L. Clawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many communicable diseases can be prevented with the use of immunizations. The issue this study addressed was the use of vaccinations and the rise of continued preventable communicable disease. Researchers have recommended that children be vaccinated, a recommendation that is bolstered by the readily available supply of vaccinations worldwide. However, even with vaccine promotions, availability, and education, children continue to be unvaccinated and outbreaks have continued to occur. For this study, data will be collected from the Iowa Registry of Immunization Records and a local community health center pediatric clinic. Examples of data that will be collected are vaccine records, …

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 …

Relationship Between Organizational Commitment And Turnover Intentions Among Healthcare Internal Auditors, Mouhamadou Thile Sow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insufficient auditing staff has become a challenge facing internal auditing in the healthcare industry. Auditors' turnover rates range from 13.4% to 46.6% in the United States based on the type of organization. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between affective commitment, continuance commitment, normative commitment, and turnover intention among auditors. Self-determination theory of motivation was the theoretical framework for examining the employee turnover problem. A random sample of 92 internal auditors was administered the TCM Employee Commitment Survey and Turnover Intention Scales. The model as a whole was able to significantly predict turnover intentions, F(3, …

The Role Of Nursing Practice In Promoting Sleep During Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Jill Massengale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During hospitalization, sleep can be interrupted or even elusive. It has been established that quality sleep is essential in neural repair. Previous research has indicated that many nurses are unaware of the impact of sleep disturbance on brain injury recovery and do not understand how to promote sleep in the neurorehabilitation setting. The purpose of this project was to determine whether educational intervention would influence nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward sleep. Benner's (2001) novice to expert theory provided a framework for the project. With the collaboration of a neuropsychologist, this study produced a sleep knowledge and attitudes instrument. Pulmonary sleep …

Effect Of Neighborhood Features On Bmi Of African American Adolescents In South Los Angeles, Francisca Omelogo Obiora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a major national and worldwide public health crisis. The occurrence of childhood obesity, caused to large extent by an imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure, has increased in the last 30 years. Although the prevalence of obesity has stabilized in recent years, it remains a top public health concern in the United States, especially in urban centers. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between diet, physical activity, and the built environment in relation to the mean body mass index (BMI) of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years living in South Los Angeles, …

Listening To First-Year Community College Students, Mary Elizabeth Drake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-year community college students are often from underrepresented groups who are unaccustomed to voicing their needs or to being recognized for having more and varied needs than other groups. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the factors that may engender or prevent success through listening to what first-year community college students have to say. Research questions addressed what students identified as challenges and successes during their first year and how first person accounts can contribute to the information college personnel need to understand.

Human development theories and models of student persistence informed this study. …

School-Wide Factors In New York State High School Counseling Program Readiness, Dianah Cantres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While current accountability regimes in U.S. public education focus on the job performance of individual school professionals, research in industrial/organizational psychology has established the importance of system-wide factors for organizational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify school-wide factors that predict guidance program readiness in New York State high schools. This nonexperimental, quantitative study was based on a survey sample of 97 guidance counselors in New York State. Multivariariate analyses of variance showed that two school-wide independent variables-urbanization of school location and counselor-student ratio-predict scores on guidance program readiness, measured using the American School Counselor Association Readiness Survey. …

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act And High School Obesity, Derek Grills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States high school student obesity rates have doubled in the past 30 years to 13%, threatening the health of millions of adolescents. To mitigate the epidemic, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2010, which mandated significant changes to school nutrition and physical education. From a public policy perspective, the HHFKA changed school nutrition and exercise policy to affect obesity rates by changing intake and energy expenditure at school, though no study using national-level data examined this relationship. As such, the purpose of the study was to examine whether HHFKA policy compliance had a statistically significant effect …

The Role Of Information Technology Organizational Design In Firms' Ability To Innovate, Hassan S. Halimi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Information technology (IT) organizations have become an integral part of many firms, with increasing strategic significance. Consequently, investments in IT represent a significant percentage of a firm's expenditure. Despite the investment, the business value of IT has been difficult to quantify, creating uncertainty about a firm's investments in IT innovation. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine relationships between a firm's innovativeness and 3 IT organizational design factors: knowledge creation, dynamic capabilities, and communication structures. The research questions addressed the relationships between a firm's ability to innovate and specific design elements of the IT organization. The study was …

Lived Experiences Of Military Personnel Reintegrating With Their Preschool Aged Children, Rob Atchison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that school-aged children with a caregiver who had been deployed were more likely to exhibit emotional and behavioral problems. These problems were impacted by the ability of the parent at home to manage emotions so as to utilize appropriate parenting skills with the child. However, there remained an important gap in the literature regarding the experiences of the military personnel reintegrating with their preschool aged child. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to address the experiences of military caregivers with their preschool-aged children through semistructured interviews to better understand the variables that impacted the ability …