Digital Commons Network^™

Relationship Between Perceived Leadership Styles And Millennial Membership Growth In Nonprofit Churches, Larry Latham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the widespread decline in church membership and attendance among all mainline denominations, there was a particular concern about retaining the millennial generation. Church leaders need to understand this concern as a key indicator of millennial retention in nonprofit churches. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between millennial membership growth and perceived leadership styles, including authoritative, partnership, democratic, team oriented, relationship oriented, serving, people oriented, task oriented, and goal oriented leadership. The social exchange theory and resource-based view theory grounded this study. The archival data from 2011 to 2022 comprised 17,012 Millennial participants from 665 …

Prevention, Consultation, And Advocacy, Terrance Mcclellan

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

My goal is to prevent depression among single mothers ages 20–30 in low-income areas of Southeast Missouri by expanding access to community-based emotional support, parenting resources, and skills training that strengthen coping and resilience.

Significant Findings

Young single mothers in Southeast Missouri, especially those in their twenties, often carry the emotional and financial weight of raising children on their own, which puts them at higher risk for long-term stress and depression when support is limited (Tafet & Nemeroff, 2016; NAMI Missouri, 2025). Many face persistent barriers such as high childcare costs, reduced access to mental health providers, transportation …

Perceptions Of Community College Faculty Regarding Online Student Engagement Challenges And Recommendations, Jana Allen-Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that local community college faculty members struggle to develop student engagement in online courses. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore community college faculty perceptions about challenges with student engagement in online courses and recommendations for fostering that engagement. The conceptual frameworks for this study were Knowles’ theory of andragogy and self-directed learning, as well as Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight community college faculty members teaching online courses. Through open and axial coding the following themes emerged: faculty noted that their own technological …

Exploring Turkish Adolescents’ Humor Styles And Social-Emotional Skills In Relation To Gender, Alev Üstündağ, Elif Dursun, İlayda Avcı

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

We conducted this study to explore the relationship between different humor styles and social-emotional competence in terms of gender differences in Turkish adolescents. A total of 504 high school students participated in this descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study. The age of the subjects ranged from 15 to 18 years. We used a demographic information form, the Child Humor Styles Questionnaire (CHSQ), and the Social Emotional Competency Questionnaire as data collection tools. The data were analyzed with percentage and mean, t test in independent groups, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. We found a relationship between gender and humor …

Fathers, Futures, And Fragile Contexts: Men’S Intergenerational Perspectives On Pregnancy In A Low-Income South African Setting, Urlridge A. Thompson, Johanni Beukes, Michelle Leal, Stephanie Alcock, Stephen Lye, Shane A. Norris, Catherine Draper

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Men’s involvement in their partner’s pregnancy in low-income South African settings is influenced by a complex interplay of contextual factors that influence the nature and extent of their participation. The confluence of these factors contributes to limiting men’s adoption of an intergenerational perspective of their partner’s pregnancy. The adoption of an intergenerational perspective by men may enhance outcomes for maternal and child health, but it remains understudied. This qualitative study explored intergenerational perspectives of men in Soweto, South Africa, regarding their partners’ pregnancies. An exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was employed. We conducted in-depth individual interviews with 19 male partners (fathers …

Use Of Innovative Methods In The Creation Of Testing And Assessment Materials For Future Computer Science Teachers, Gulzhan Mazhibayeva, Serik Kenesbayev, Salamat Idrissov, Indira Salgozha, Zhanel Akhmetova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives:This study aims to examine the effectiveness for future computer science teachers of employing innovative methods when creating innovative testing and assessment materials.

Methods:The methodology for this study involved analyzing survey data using statistical methods, such as descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression, and factor analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative methods in computer science education. Additionally, this study incorporated virtual labs, learning management systems, interactive quizzes, and artificial intelligence–based assessment tools to enhance learning outcomes and student engagement. We collected survey responses for this study from 56 student participants. We then developed a …

Perspectives Of Efl Teachers Toward The Influence Of Ai Writing Tools On Students' Writing Content And Organization, Nguyen Huu Hoang

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study investigated Vietnamese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perspectives on the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools on students’ writing content and organization, examining tool selection patterns and effectiveness relationships through a mixed-methods approach.

Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, combining semi-structured interviews and classroom observations with six EFL teachers, followed by a survey of 52 teachers from various Vietnamese universities. Data analysis integrated thematic analysis of qualitative data with correlation and regression analyses of survey responses to examine relationships between usage patterns, institutional factors, and effectiveness ratings.

Results: Teachers strategically combined multiple …

Lived Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers Assigned To Co-Response Teams Responding To Mental Health Crises, Roxanne Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers are increasingly called upon to respond to mental health crises, yet their experiences as members of co-response teams (CRTs) remain underexplored. This study was conducted to address that gap by examining the lived experiences of officers assigned to CRTs that pair specially trained officers with mental health clinicians to respond jointly to calls involving individuals in crisis. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe how officers experience CRT work and how it shapes their perceptions, practices, and professional identity. The study was guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress, appraisal, and coping, …

Investigating Sex Offenders’ Experience Of Being Registered As A Sex Offender, Stacey Mitchell-Swingle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In society, sex offenders are subject to unforeseen consequences of the sex offender registry. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how the sex offender registry contributes to the mental distress of registered sex offenders and their concerns about recidivism. This study addressed a gap in understanding the sex offender registry experiences from the offender’s perspective. The research question addressed how adult male registrants describe their experiences of mental distress associated with registration and how they perceive registration as shaping their risk of reoffending. The theoretical framework was John Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming theory, with a specific focus on …

Impact Of Burnout And Empathy On Correctional Officers’ Aggression, Sagan Ladd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional officers experience persistent occupational stress that places them at elevated risk for burnout, which may negatively affect emotional functioning and increase aggression. Guided by general strain theory, this quantitative nonexperimental correlational study examined the relationships between burnout, empathy, and aggression among uniformed correctional officers working in U.S. jails and prisons. Participants (N = 58) completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire–Short Form through an anonymous online survey. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to answer three research questions. Results indicated that burnout significantly predicted aggression, F(1, 56) = 12.38, p < .001, R² = .18, such that higher burnout was associated with higher aggression scores. Empathy did not significantly predict aggression, F(1, 56) = 2.32, p = .133, R² = .04, though the relationship trended negatively. A multiple regression analysis revealed that burnout and empathy together significantly predicted aggression, F(2, 55) = 7.74, p = .001, R² = .19; however, burnout remained the only significant predictor when controlling for empathy. Additional analyses indicated that burnout significantly predicted all four facets of aggression: verbal aggression, physical aggression, anger, and hostility. These findings suggest that burnout plays a central role in aggression among correctional officers and highlight the importance of organizational and mental health interventions aimed at reducing burnout to promote staff well-being and institutional safety.

Psychologists’ Attitudes On Capital Punishment And Interpretation Of The American Psychological Association’S Ethics Code, Darya Baugh-Ruschman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When defendants are sentenced to death due to the nature of the crime, psychologists may be asked to participate in these cases, performing tasks such as conducting competency evaluations. Because the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code states that psychologists cannot participate in activities that violate human rights, an ethical debate has emerged regarding whether they should participate in capital cases. The present study examined psychologists’ opinions on capital punishment and their interpretation of the APA Ethics Code, which does not specifically define what constitutes a violation of human rights. The theoretical framework for the study is the ethical decision-making …

How Case Management Can Improve Access To Outpatient Mental Health Clinics For Low-Income African American Women, Marie Daphney Vilseant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract: African American women face deeply rooted systemic challenges that affect their access to mental health care treatment. There are no case management techniques that are strategic and equity driven and offer individualized support tailored to the needs of African American women, especially those from low-income backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of case management as a potential solution to improve access to outpatient mental health services for this under-served group. The Anderson behavioral model for health care was utilized to understand access and utilization of health care services. The review question focused on case …

Strategies For Retaining Employees In The Global Healthcare Industry, Tanisha L. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High healthcare employee turnover rates pose a significant threat to organizational productivity, workforce stability, and patient outcomes. Healthcare leaders are concerned with high employee turnover because it contributes to rising operational costs, employee burnout, and a decline in the quality of patient care. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry identified and explored effective strategies that healthcare leaders use to retain employees to maintain organizational productivity and enhance patient outcomes. Data were collected from nine healthcare leaders in the United States using semistructured interviews and publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis with triangulation and member checking …

Clinical Practice Guidelines For Suicide Risk Assessment, Jelitta Cleatus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this doctoral project, I developed a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the lack of a standardized suicide risk assessment protocol at a Texas mental health clinic. At project initiation, suicide risk assessment at the facility was inconsistent due to the absence of a CPG. The guideline incorporated the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a validated instrument that improved early detection of suicidal ideation and behaviors, which were often under recognized in older adults. This inconsistency led to the following clinical question, Does the evidence support the development of a CPG for assessing suicide risk among high-risk patients using …

Improving Early Detection Of Lung Cancer In Underserved Primary Care Settings, Trent Arden Goode, Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, with underserved populations experiencing higher rates of late-stage diagnosis and preventable death. Despite established screening guidelines, adherence within primary care remains inconsistent, particularly in safety-net settings, reflecting a healthcare administration problem driven by organizational structures and care processes. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify administrative interventions that improve primary care provider adherence to lung cancer screening referral guidelines in safety-net healthcare settings. Guided by the Donabedian Quality Framework, a systematic integrative review was conducted to examine how healthcare structures and processes influence screening implementation. …

Staff Education On Medication Adherence, Jerome Obiagba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project focuses on improving medication adherence in mental health settings, where many patients do not take medications as prescribed, leading to worsening symptoms, relapse, frequent hospitalizations, higher healthcare costs, and reduced quality of life. This problem mainly affects individuals with anxiety, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia, and is often related to poor understanding of treatment, cultural beliefs, or limited access to care. Because nurses play a key role in medication monitoring, education, and patient support, the project examined whether staff education improves nurses’ knowledge, confidence, and effectiveness compared to standard practice …

Staff Education To Streamline Congestive Heart Failure Education, Shannon Hunter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a progressive disease that affects a diverse population. Patient-centered education is key to lowering rehospitalizations and mortality rates. Although nurses are essential providers of patient-centered education, those in acute care settings often have unclear directions for implementing and documenting CHF education. Multiple educational materials within electronic health record (EHR) systems further complicate the process and highlight the practice gap. The aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to streamline CHF education by clarifying the role of nurses in education delivery and documentation, potentially enhancing nurse confidence and improving patient health outcomes, with …

Optimizing Patient Intake Efficiency: Integrating Data Accuracy And Workflow Improvement Strategies, Breanna Virginia Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For a professional therapist, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist, improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care is a central responsibility. This qualitative single-case study examined how WGGX, a nonprofit behavioral health organization in South Philadelphia, addressed challenges within its patient intake process to improve workflow efficiency, data accuracy, and the client onboarding experience. Guided by the Baldrige Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence, the study explored how leadership practices, workforce engagement, and process management influenced organizational effectiveness related to intake operations. Data were collected through semistructured, in-person interviews with six organizational stakeholders and a review of organizational documents and …

Risk Awareness Of Alcohol Related Car Fatalities In Whatcom County, Tayler Wilson

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

My goal to address alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Whatcom County is to reduce the prevalence of these fatalities by 20% over two years through preventative community education and targeted enforcement programs to decrease high-risk drinking behaviors in college-age youth.

Significant Findings

There has been a significant rise in alcohol-related traffic fatalities within Whatcom County, upwards of 50% of fatal car accidents in 2024 involving alcohol; 67.8% higher than the national average (CDC, 2024; Starks et al.,2025). The population most impacted by this public health risk is 21-24 year-olds, especially young men, who are four times more likely to …

A Prevention Model For Delaware: Reducing Opioid Relapse After Release From Incarceration, Jaime Basara

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

The goal of this Social Change Portfolio is to reduce relapse risk among individuals with opioid use disorder who are reentering society after their release from a Delaware correctional facility, by enhancing clinical continuity of care, including counseling, relapse-prevention planning, and linkage to community-based treatment programs.

Significant Findings

This portfolio aims to raise the awareness that justice-involved individuals with opioid use disorder in Delaware face extremely high rates of relapse, overdose, and death during the post-release period, particularly within the first few weeks and months after reentering society. This is often due to abrupt discontinuation of treatment, reduced …

Better It Disaster Recovery And Procedures To Improve Response After Computer Crime, Allan Eduardo Arroyo-Melendez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of an effective disaster recovery plan (DRP) can negatively impact business outcomes following a cyberattack. Information technology (IT) managers are concerned that the lack of DRP may increase the risk of ransomware, fines, and public distrust. Grounded in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study is to explore strategies that some IT managers use to implement a DRP. The participants are four IT managers in the southeast United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis, three themes were …

The Environmental Mental Health Services Needed For Youth Ages 18-25 Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Keelin Leger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth transitioning out of foster care experience increased mental health challenges that affect their ability to age out successfully to independence. In this qualitative modified action study, the environmental mental health services needed for adolescents, aged 18 to 25, aging out of the foster care system in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana were explored. This study was guided by the Families Rising framework. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 participants who provided insights to this study. Participants were reached by posting flyers on social media and the online platform forums, and they signed the consent form to participate. The data were …

Strategies Some Small Business Owners Use To Implement New Accounting Technology, Susie Annmarie Stewart-Branch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Small business owners often face challenges when implementing accounting information systems, resulting in inefficiencies and reduced competitiveness. The study was grounded in the technology acceptance model (TAM), which guided examination of how small business owners implemented, evaluated, and sustained accounting software use while addressing implementation challenges and leveraging internal and external support. Data were collected through semi-structured interview questions from six small business owners who used accounting software such as QuickBooks, and thematic analysis identified five themes: (a) change management and organizational culture, (b) importance of external support and strategic partnerships, (c) measuring effectiveness through operational and client metrics, …

Staff Education To Use The Teach-Back Method Toward Increasing Adherence To Medications In A Mental Health Clinic, Yanysel Gonzalez Torres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A staff development project was conducted at a mental health clinic to improve medication adherence among patients. The intervention was an evidence-based presentation on the teach-back method for staff members to educate them about the importance of using the teach-back method for patient teaching to increase medication adherence among mental health patients. The gap identified by leadership was that staff members are often unaware of strategies for patient education designed to ensure that patients take their medications as prescribed by the provider. The project was conducted over a period of 4 weeks, with sessions held 3 days per week, taking …

The Role Of Leadership And Communication Training In Non-Profit Hospitals And The Influence On Leadership Change, Brian Pugliese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Non-profit healthcare organizations face ongoing challenges in aligning leadership competencies with the dynamic demands of the healthcare environment, with a significant gap persisting in formal leadership training and communication development for both emerging and established leaders. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine existing knowledge on healthcare leadership in non-profit hospitals and provide best practices in leadership communication to decrease leadership-gap in current and future leaders in non-profit hospitals. The review question focused on determining evidence-based strategies for enhancing communication training and leadership skill development among administrative leaders. Kotter’s 8-Step Process provided a framework for successful organizational change. …

Promoting Equitable Early Childhood School Readiness Through Prevention And Advocacy In A Rural Community, Teri Kimberling

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

The goal of this Social Change Portfolio is to promote healthier developmental outcomes for young children in our rural community by increasing access to early childhood readiness supports that prevent social-emotional and behavioral difficulties in kindergarten.

Significant Findings

Early childhood school readiness is a significant public health and mental health concern in the rural coastal community of Lincoln County, Oregon. A large number of children enter kindergarten without any school readiness, whether it was in a formal preschool or just done at home. This can be due to many factors, including socioeconomic disparities, such as high poverty rates, …

Strategies To Improve Team Cohesion Among Hybrid And Remote Teams To Improve Customer Satisfaction, Leslie Collins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of team cohesion among hybrid and remote teams can negatively affect customer satisfaction. Customer service leaders require effective strategies to improve team cohesion in increasingly flexible work environments; however, limited understanding exists regarding the strategies these leaders use to foster cohesion in hybrid and remote work settings. Grounded in the composite conceptual framework of theories of group development and customer focus, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies that some leaders in the South Central region of the U.S. customer service organizations use to improve team cohesion among hybrid and remote …

Staff Education For The Management Of Chronic Pain In Patients With Mental Health Disorders, Jude Osagie Ukpebor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was a practice-focused quality improvement staff education initiative designed to address a gap in nurses’ knowledge related to chronic pain management in patients with mental health disorders. Chronic pain frequently coexists with psychiatric conditions, yet nurses often lack formal education on biopsychosocial, trauma-informed, and non-pharmacologic pain management approaches, contributing to fragmented and inequitable care. Addressing this gap is essential to improving patient outcomes and advancing evidence-based nursing practice. The practice-focused question asked whether implementing a targeted nurse education program would improve nurses’ knowledge related to chronic pain management in patients with mental health disorders. …

Mental Health Professional Shortages In Washington State, Lanh Tran

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

The social change portfolio aims to highlight the persistent shortage of mental health professionals in Washington State, the reasons behind this crisis, and to find sustainable solutions to reduce burnout.

Significant Findings

Washington State is experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals in the urban and rural areas. The most significant contributing factor is professionals' feeling burnt out. This happened before the pandemic, but it escalated significantly afterwards. Burnout is physical and emotional exhaustion coupled with self-doubt because of a psychological response for people in roles of caring and supporting others. In Washington State, there is 1 mental …

Strategies Some Business Leaders Use To Implement Technological Innovation For Increasing Performance, Judy Muiruri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Incorporating technological innovation is essential for maintaining organizational performance. Company executives in software-as-a-service (SaaS) enterprises who do not incorporate technological innovation risk reduced organizational performance and profitability. Grounded in Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies employed by business leaders to effectively implement technological innovation and, in turn, increase organizational performance. . The participants consisted of fifteen business leaders who successfully incorporated technological innovation designed to improve organizational performance and profitability. The data collection process incorporated both semi structured interviews combined with a review of publicly available documents about …