Digital Commons Network^™

Revitalizing Public Health Policy And Legislation For Effective Management Of Sickle Cell Disease, Elvelyna B. Beaubrun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition of care from childhood to adulthood can impact young adults with chronic conditions. U.S. public health policy and legislation can mitigate the challenges with the transition of care through education and policy guidelines. There was a lack of information on the public policies that evaluate continuing care practices, education, and the competence of young African American (AA) adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) living in Pennsylvania. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of 10 AA adults ages 18–25 with SCD to understand what education was necessary for policymakers to reform legislation and …

K–2 Teachers’ Perspectives On Managing Student Behaviors In Inclusive Classrooms, Hailey Camp Kilcrease

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the start of the full inclusion movement, K–2 general education teachers have been overwhelmed with their behavior management due to the increased numbers of students with disabilities in their classroom who display emotional/behavioral challenges. This basic qualitative study aimed to explore K–2 teachers’ perspectives on having a broad range of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms, along with what barriers and facilitators K–2 teachers describe as affecting their ability to manage behaviors in the classroom. M.A. Barnes’ inclusive education conceptual framework supported and guided the research study and data analyses. The sample for this study was 12 K–2 general …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Transgender Men Living In The Southern United States, Coltena Reynolds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transgender individuals face challenges such as safety, stereotyping, mental illness, racialized violence, lack of support, and cultural challenges. There has been considerable media attention paid to transgender people, but there was little knowledge of the lived experiences of African American transgender males and how they manage situations in which invisibility is required to survive in the world, especially in the southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of African American transgender men in this region. Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality was used to understand how the intersectionality of many social statuses impacts …

Nigerian Nurses' Perceptions Of Caring For Women With Female Genital Mutilation, Jane-Frances Echeozo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are numerous health problems associated with female genital mutilation (FGM) practice. In Nigerian healthcare, professionals need to ensure culturally sensitive care for FGM cases. However, there was a literature gap involving culturally sensitive care for Nigerian women with FGM complications, evidenced by some northern Nigerian nurses who were not able to identify FGM categories or cultural given names associated with FGM types. Thus, this qualitative study involved ascertaining the worldview of Nigerian nurses and midwives in Owerri regarding providing culturally competent nursing care for FGM complications, guided by the process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services …

Strategies To Reduce Turnover And Increase Retention Among Therapists And Case Managers In Community Mental Health, Genice Mae Harvey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of employee turnover has been widely recognized. High turnover and poor retention of clinicians, specifically therapists and case managers, in the community mental health arena of behavioral health impact not only an organization, but also the consumers it serves. The subject of this qualitative case study was a state contracted provider of the community mental health authority. Semistructured interviews were held with five behavioral health leaders of this organization in addition to a review of organizational records. The Baldridge Performance Program was the conceptual framework that grounded this study. A thematic qualitative analysis of the interviews in addition …

Impact Of Coronavirus Pandemic On Employee Turnover In Financial Institutions In Ghana, Maame Esi Abbam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic in late 2019 brought about a lot of challenges that affected several sectors and industries. The current research focused on assessing the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on employee turnover within the financial institutions in Ghana with a specific focus on women employees. Financial institutions are significant pillars of the Ghanaian economy, and they contribute to economic growth and provide essential financial services to businesses and individuals. Through Vroom’s expectancy theory and a qualitative phenomenological approach and analysis, the study was designed to explore the factors that contributed to employee turnover with a …

Strategies For Effective Labor-Management Relationships In The Foodservice Industry, Nichola A. Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The relationship between unions and management is particularly critical for food service firms, which rely heavily on unionized employees to meet operational needs. Food service managers are concerned with ineffective strategies for engaging with unions because managing these ineffective relationships jeopardizes employee retention and the firm's performance. Grounded in authentic leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies food service managers use to develop and maintain an effective union-management relationship for retaining unionized employees. The participants were six food service managers from three large food service firms who implemented success strategies to develop and maintain …

Social Workers, Positive Behavior Interventions Supports, And Exclusionary Discipline Of Black Males, Jacqueline Binion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School social workers play an instrumental role in providing school faculty members with skills and interventions to facilitate positive outcomes in both schools and the community at large. It is not known what role social workers play in the suspension and exclusion of Black male high school students. The research questions for this generic qualitative study explored the perspective of high school teachers and social workers from various South Mississippi counties perceptions of the roles social workers play in the implementation of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and social workers’ impact on the exclusion of Black male students from …

Strategies Leaders Of Small Businesses Use To Develop And Implement Succession Plans, Selma Daphne St. Prix

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of succession plans can lead to organizational knowledge loss. Small business leaders are concerned with succession planning, which can lead to company closures. Grounded in Woodworth and Thorndike’s knowledge transfer for succession planning theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies small business leaders use to develop and implement succession plans. The participants were two small business owners of a health sector organization in the Midwestern United States who implemented succession plans to prevent organization knowledge loss. Data were collected using the Baldrige Excellence Framework, semistructured interviews, and a review of organizational documents. …

Effective Strategies Leaders Use To Reduce Fraud In The Nigerian Banking Industry, Maroof Suleiman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Financial institutions may be liquidated by banking fraud. Bank leaders are concerned about ineffective strategies to prevent fraud and reduce revenue losses. Grounded in the fraud diamond theory and the fraud triangle theory, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study aimed to identify and explore bank leaders' strategies to reduce fraud in the Nigerian banking industry. Data were collected by conducting semistructured interviews with nine bank leaders from six Nigerian banks and reviewing publicly accessible information from their companies' websites. A thematic approach adapted from Yin's methodology yielded three key themes: (a) the combination of multiple strategies, (b) employee and customer collaboration, …

The Moderating Effect Of Race On The Relationship Between Perceived Supervisor Support And Burnout Amongst Public Health Workers, Douglas Diontay Gaffney, Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent research has shown that burnout is a prevalent problem across the public health workforce. Burnout (BO) contributes to workplace challenges in turnover, employee performance, job satisfaction, and overall quality of life, and is more prevalent among racial minorities. Not only has BO been found to differ across racial demographics, employee perceptions about their level of support from supervisors (PSS) also differ. This quantitative study, informed by Meyer’s minority stress theory, examined Black-White differences in PSS and BO, and whether race moderated the relationship between PSS and BO. Data collected by De Beaumont’s 2017 national public health workforce interest and …

Association Between Medication Adherence And Asthma Among Latinos In The United States, Denisse Silva

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research has shown that Latinos in the United States face disproportionate challenges in managing their asthma symptoms. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors that may influence medication adherence and asthma episodes among Latinos in the United States and was guided by Andersen’s health behavior theory. Data from 2020 Latinos who participated in the National Health Interview System in 2020 were analyzed. Findings indicated that nearly 23% of respondents reported an asthma episode. Approximately 25% of the sample reported an asthma episode during the last 12 months. A total of 43.6% of the sample reported not taking medication every …

Trauma Informed Care And Secondary Traumatic Stress Experienced By Counselors In Community Mental Health, Rebecca Renee Cameron-Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is prevalent in counselors working with clients with trauma. Clients seeking services in community mental health (CMH) settings often have a higher prevalence of traumatic experiences and are unable to access services outside of CMH settings. Counselors working in these settings also generally face high caseloads, less pay, and often less experience in the field. Trauma informed care (TIC) has been shown to increase positive outcomes for clients and counselors providing services to clients. This quantitative survey study focused on the relationship between counselor attitudes related toward TIC and the severity of STS experienced by counselors. …

Self-Management Of Coronary Heart Disease Among Middle-Aged And Older Low-Income African Americans, Tina Alfred-Iyamu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coronary heart disease (CHD) stands out as the predominant cardiovascular condition, exerting a significant toll on both mortality and morbidity. Notably, African Americans (AA) grapple with an alarmingly elevated incidence, prevalence, and mortality rate compared to other demographics within the United States. Extensive research underscores the potential for effective CHD management through self-management practices, though this is notably deficient. This qualitative, phenomenological study delves into the intricate lived experiences surrounding the self-management of CHD among low-income individuals in the middle-aged and older AA demographic. My theoretical framework was the Health Belief Model. Impressively, the study participants exhibited a profound understanding …

Relationships Between Pedagogical Practices And Affective States For Effective Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Insights From University Professors, Carola Bruna, Verónica Villarroel, Alejandro Sánchez, Joaquin Cortes, Pablo Castro-Carrasco, María Leonor Conejeros-Solar

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze how pedagogical practices and affective states during emergency remote teaching influence professors’ perspectives on their capabilities and the professor-student relationship.

Method: We used a nonexperimental quantitative design, collecting data through an online survey during the first year of the pandemic. Participants were recruited using a non-probability sampling method. A total of 636 university professors from Chilean universities participated. We performed descriptive and correlation analyses between variables. Also, to gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing perceptions of the professors’ competence and the professor–student relationship, we conducted linear regression models.

Results: A higher perception …

Strong Black Woman Schema And Its Impact Among Black Women, Charissa Simon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the impact of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema on the mental health and help-seeking behaviors of Black/African American professional women, contributing novel insights to existing literature. Despite possessing access and financial means for mental health services, a strikingly low rate of Black/African American professional women seek such resources. The study was grounded in intersectionality theory and the self-silencing theory. Eleven Black/African American professional women participants volunteered. Thematic analysis illuminated common barriers including pride, distrust in the mental health system, a strong inclination towards self-reliance, feelings of being misunderstood, and a lack of emotional support. …

Social Desirability And Relational Self-Esteem In Adults That Experienced Childhood Peer Victimization, Trisha Jeffers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood peer victimization occurs every day in the United States. This experience causes stress, mood changes, and social discord for the victims. Other researchers have examined the long-term implications of childhood peer victimization, which include depression, anxiety, stress response, attention deficits, and poor overall well-being. Further research is needed to identify more areas impacted by childhood peer victimization. Social learning theory proposed experiences influence behaviors and provided the theoretical foundation for this study. Ninety-nine participants were recruited for this quantitative study using online crowdsourcing and social media. The participants completed a survey comprised of the California Bullying Victimization Scale Retrospective …

A Qualitative Examination Of Teachers’ Experiences Building Student Resilience In Rural Kenya, Priscilla Ann Stafford Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students in rural and underresourced school settings often perform poorly due to adversity. This is evident in subcounty schools where challenges such as domestic violence and low socioeconomic status further impact students' academic performance. Researchers have demonstrated that the relationship between students and teachers is instrumental in building resilience and developing social emotional competence. By fostering resilience, teachers can play a crucial role in mitigating these challenges. However, few studies have examined teacher experience in building resilience in students through a qualitative study. Using a generic qualitative descriptive study and grounded in the theory of resilience, semistructured interviews were completed …

Intersectional Model Of Service Use: Understanding Transgender And Nonbinary Healthcare Access, Jarrod Call, Brendon Holloway

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people often have difficulty accessing healthcare services because of the systemic forces of transphobia and cisgenderism. Despite this, there is little theory specifically designed to examine healthcare access among TNB people. We conducted a literature review to identify studies examining TNB healthcare access. We screened a total of 2,050 unique articles for inclusion, resulting in a final sample of 46 articles that met the review criteria. Theories used and key findings were coded to inform the development of the Intersectional Model of Service Use (IMSU) for TNB people. The IMSU builds upon current theoretical frameworks including …

School Counseling Site Supervisors’ Lived Experience Of Supervision Preparedness, Erin Augustine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs mandate specific supervision requirements for counselors-in-training, in all specialty areas. Supervising school counselors-in-training (SCITs) differs due to the unique responsibilities of school counselors, which encompass crisis response, curriculum development, consultation, data management, small group and individual counseling, leadership, and student advocacy. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of preparedness levels of school counselor site supervisors. Data collection involved semistructured interviews with six participants who had all served or were currently serving as a school counseling site supervisor. The …

Church Leaders' Perception Of Their Role In The Deterrence Of Juvenile Reincarceration, Sherine Sandrea Brown-Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2019, U.S. law enforcement officers detained almost 700,000 juveniles under the age of 18. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention stated that 55% of juveniles were rearrested within a year, and after that, 24% of juveniles were reincarcerated within a year. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore church leaders’ perceptions of their role, experiences, and activities in contributing to reducing the risk of reincarceration of juvenile offenders, and to create a model for other community leaders. The conceptual framework for the study was Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization theory. …

Examining Technology Use And Competence Of Higher Education Academics During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The present study describes the utilization frequency and competencies of educational technologies among academics at a university in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Participants were 391 faculty members and lecturers working in the faculties and vocational schools of a Turkish university during the 2020–2021 academic year. A survey included questions regarding the use of educational technologies and perceived competency in the use of those technologies.

Results: Academics are more familiar with distance education than hybrid or blended learning. Academics reported that blended learning, hybrid learning, and distance education provide more effective education on integrating technology but report that …

Development Of Technology Pilot Training To Reduce The Number Of Senior Citizens Victimized By Computer Fraud Scams, James Eric Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is need in the public sector to help people 60+ years of age in the safe, practical use of technology for business, personal use, and family interaction. This age group is targeted more than others involving technology fraud. The current study focused on which topics need to be part of Technology Fraud Pilot Training to reduce the victimization that is put upon seniors 60+ years of age. The project included measures that may improve understanding and safe usage of basic technology that is frequently used. These searches came from public administration, technology, government, city government, state sources, and others …

Effect Of Formal Toileting Programs On Urinary Tract Infection Rates In Long Term Care, Deborah Jeanmarie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urinary tract infection (UTI) accounts for up to 31% of sepsis diagnoses and is the fourth leading cause of infections in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Timed and prompted toileting programs are used by LTCs to reduce incontinence episodes, but there is a lack of information regarding the effectiveness of timed and prompted voiding incontinence management programs on the rate of UTIs. The purpose of this study, guided by Donabedian’s conceptual model of quality improvement, was to determine if there is a difference in the rate of UTIs in Georgia LTC facilities that have a timed and prompted voiding program and …

The Relationship Between Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Bernardina Marcelo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about how domestic violence treatment outcomes relate to substance abuse among intimate partners. Previous studies have reported that intimate partners who are in treatment for substance use struggle with the containment of domestic violence. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate how substance abuse among intimate partners relates to domestic violence treatment outcomes. Two theoretical frameworks, namely cycle of violence theory and social exchange theory informed the study. A convenience sample of 76 participants participated in the study. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression, and the results showed that women in domestic …

Caregivers' Attachment Relationships With Infants And Toddlers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rebecca Ellen Roth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health and safety protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its variants continue to influence practices in infant–toddler programs one western state in the United States; caregivers in the state are concerned about attachment relationships with infants and toddlers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore caregiver perceptions of attachment relationships related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its variants and the influence of health and safety protocols on caregiver practices. The conceptual framework combined attachment and biobehavioral theories. Data from interviews with four infant and six toddler caregivers were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by searching for patterns …

Challenges To Inclusive Education For Students With Disabilities In Japanese Higher Education Institutions, Karina Dyliaeva, Steven B. Rothman, Nader Ghotbi

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of the study was to elucidate the current challenges to inclusive education (IE) at the university level in Japan, thereby addressing the gap between policy and the provision of inclusion.

Method: This qualitative case study of a private university supporting inclusive policies in Japan included content analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews to ascertain themes.

Results: The four identified themes were: inclusion practices as a conceptual challenge, conflicting practice of reasonable accommodations, inclusion management gaps, and barriers to and opportunities for inclusive education.

Conclusions: There is a significant disconnect between legal obligation and actual implementation of …

Social Enterprises And Evidence-Based Practices Of Sustainable Development, Gregory Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some managers of social enterprise organizations lack strategies to improve business operations and profitability in a social business inside a private market. Social enterprise managers must implement successful strategies to improve business operations and profitability; otherwise, businesses may fail, causing a loss of jobs, increased social injustices, and weakened communities. Grounded in the competing values framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies used by managers of social enterprises to improve business operations and profitability. The participants comprised six social enterprise managers who implemented successful strategies for at least 3 years to improve business operations and …

Community Nonprofit And Small Business Partnerships - The Impact On Community Well-Being, Tracye D. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, the challenges impeding the establishment of sustainable partnerships between small businesses and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in South Fulton, Georgia, and their potential impact on community development were explored. Drawing upon existing literature and employing a qualitative research approach involving ten community leaders from NPOs and ten small business (SB) owners, the perceived barriers hindering successful partnerships were examined through thematic coding in NVivo. The findings revealed a range of obstacles, including inadequate funding, limited financial capacity, divergent interests, uneven benefits, and challenges arising from the COVID-19 economic landscape. The study included insights into the potential for stronger …

U.S. Health Care Leaders' Perceptions Of A $15 Living Wage And Its Influence On Organizational Outcomes, Mary Trenice Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, paying employees a living wage has been a salient topic for organizations, social advocacy groups, and politicians in recent years. Advocates have introduced a $15 per hour wage as an appropriate living wage. There is existing research on living wages; however, research is limited on perceptions of living wages among leadership in the health care industry. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore leaders' perceptions of a $15 living wage and its influence on organizational outcomes in the health care industry. The efficiency wage theory provided the theoretical framework for the investigation. A …