Digital Commons Network^™

Law Enforcement Officers’ Perceptions About Antipolice Sentiment And Social Media As A Force Multiplier, Edward Peter Pope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a newly emergent form of mass communication, social media platforms can act as a force multiplier in fomenting negative and critical attitudes or viewpoints toward law enforcement officers and agencies. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of law enforcement officers about antipolice sentiment and social media as a force multiplier. Amid growing concerns regarding public opinion and the impact of social media on law enforcement practices, more research was needed on how officers navigate and interpret these challenges. Data from in-depth interviews with 10 law enforcement officers were thematically analyzed to …

Staff Education To Educate Healthcare Providers On Effective Communication And Support Strategies For Child Sexual Abuse Victims, Njideka Ajemba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With this project, I sought to enhance the quality of care provided to child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors by improving healthcare providers’ skills in trauma-informed communication and support strategies. The project was undertaken at a large, private behavioral health facility located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, where an assessment of the practice environment revealed a critical gap in provider training. This gap often resulted in missed indicators of abuse, limited emotional support, and poor therapeutic outcomes for children affected by sexual abuse-related trauma. To address this, the project implemented a targeted educational intervention grounded in current evidence …

Effective Strategies To Leverage Organizational Culture To Enhance Employee Retention, Tavares E. Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee retention is a critical issue for healthcare organizations, with the average tenure in the U.S. being only 3.8 years. High turnover contributes to staffing shortages, increased costs, and compromised patient care. Hospital administrators and healthcare leaders are particularly concerned, as sustained turnover threatens organizational sustainability, care quality, and long-term profitability. Identifying strategies to retain employees is essential to improving workforce stability, maintaining service excellence, and securing financial viability. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies healthcare managers in private medical healthcare systems used to leverage organizational culture to enhance employee …

Probation Officers’ Perspectives Of Outside Services In Reducing Recidivism, Karla Murguia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has underscored the critical role of probation officers in improving rates of recidivism. However, the literature on the comprehensive impact of outside services on recidivism was sparse and underdeveloped. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how probation officers in court services and a community corrections agency in Garden City, Kansas perceived the utility of outside services in reducing adult recidivism for probationers. Ecological systems theory was used to guide the study. Eight probation officers recruited via purposive sampling participated in semistructured interviews. Transcribed data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis protocol. Findings revealed that probationers …

Identifying And Exploring Successful Leadership Strategies To Improve Nurse Retention, Jennifer Triggs Rickerson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse turnover has become a critical concern in healthcare, as low retention rates lead to decreased patient care quality and increased operational costs. A critical issue for hospital stakeholders is that many nursing leaders lack strategies to improve nursing retention. Grounded in the leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore successful leadership strategies used by nurse managers in the Pacific South region of the United States to improve nurse retention. The study included interviews with six nurse managers who successfully implemented retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and publicly available …

Predictive Study Of The Relationship Between Self-Care And Professional Quality Of Life Among Licensed Counselors Impacted By Covid-19, Maria G. Billings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for mental health professionals, significantly increasing burnout and secondary traumatic stress while reducing available resources and limiting opportunities for compassion satisfaction. The purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative survey study was to determine whether self-care engagement predicts levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction among counselors. Grounded in Stamm’s theoretical framework on compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, the Self-Care Assessment Worksheet (SCAW) was used to measure self-care engagement, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-V) was used to assess burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. The sample included 59 licensed …

Effective Strategies For Empowering Women In Aerospace: Shaping The Future Of Leadership, Mariel R. Forster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some aerospace leaders face challenges in implementing effective strategies to advance women in leadership roles in the industry. Executive leaders are concerned with the lack of strategies to retain women, which contributes to their underrepresentation in aerospace leadership. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies aerospace leaders use to advance women in aerospace leadership. The participants were seven aerospace leaders from the Southeastern United States who had implemented successful retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of public documents. Through thematic analysis eight themes were identified: …

Exploring Strategies In Manufacturing To Reduce Loss Of Workers And The Costs Associated With Turnover, Aaron Sterrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover rates in the U.S. manufacturing firms create significant operational and financial challenges. Leaders of U.S. manufacturing firms seek to address employee turnover, which threatens productivity, profitability, and long-term sustainability. Grounded in the competing values framework, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project aimed to identify and explore manufacturers' efficient management strategies to reduce employee turnover. The participants were five individuals who work in different management roles within the manufacturing industry and have assisted in developing successful employee retention strategies. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of organizational information. Four themes were identified during qualitative coding analysis: …

Impact Of Military-Related Moves On Spousal Perinatal Depression Screening And Mental Health Services, Chambraia Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal depression, including perinatal depression (PND), poses significant public health risks to women, infants, and families. Although routine PND screening is recommended, limited research has examined screening and referrals among military spouses, an underserved population affected by frequent relocations and deployments. This study examined how permanent change of station (PCS) frequency affects PND screening and referrals to mental health services. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and the CDC’s social ecological model of health, eight research questions explored associations between PCS frequency, PND screening, referrals, and the moderating roles of military branch and deployment status. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used …

Novice Early Childcare Educators’ Experiences Applying Pre-Service Education Knowledge And Theories In Practice At Childcare Centers, Jodi Mcbride

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some novice early childhood educators (ECEs) experience barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice and experimenting with their roles at childcare centers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore novice ECEs’ experiences of barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice at childcare centers. Mezirow’s transformative learning theory grounded this study by describing adult learners’ personal transformation from obtaining and understanding new knowledge to applying it in practice. For this study, eight adult learners who completed an early childhood education program, had up to 5 years’ experience, held a current …

Lived Experiences Of Black African Non-Denominational Pastor’S Perceptions, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Mental Health, And Their Referral Practice In The United States, Esther Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high frequency of mental health issues within the Black African Christians communities and the insufficient use of mental health resources, was the driving forces for this study. This qualitative study aimed to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and lived experiences of non-denominational Black African pastors on mental health and identified potential barriers to mental health care and create culturally appropriate solutions by investigating their experiences. The theoretical basis of this study was centered on Goffman’s social stigma theory, which was created by Erwin Goffman, the social identity theory (SIT), and the role identity theory, the latter which served as the …

Gender Differences In Regretted Consensual Sexual Experiences And Problematic Alcohol Use Among First-Year College Students, Shannon Shen, Soyoung Kwon, Sukho Lee

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Regretted sexual behaviors and alcohol use often occur in tandem for college students; however, few studies have examined their interrelationships or the variance across gender. This study tested gender differences in how regretting a consensual sexual experience is related to college students’ alcohol use. One hundred and forty first-year students (63% women, 69% Hispanic) surveyed in 2018 and 2019 reported their sexual behavior and alcohol use (following the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index [RAPI]). Twenty-one percent of men and 16% of women reported a regretted sexual encounter. Interaction effects from regression models revealed that men with sexual regret had a significantly …

Teaching Cultural Awareness To Dental Hygiene Students Through Project Based Learning, Jennifer Fehrenbacher

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

I implemented a cultural awareness project (CAP) to enhance dental hygiene students’ understanding of diverse cultural needs and beliefs related to oral health. This 2-year quality assurance project aimed to assess student perceptions of the CAP.

Two cohorts of 23 junior students each participated. I collected data via post-project surveys adapted from the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) instrument after obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and consent. Both cohorts (n = 23 each) demonstrated positive perceptions of the CAP, with mean scores of 4.9 and 4.8, respectively (p = .024). These data suggest that the CAP …

Respite Care Services And The Experiences Of Unpaid Adult Child Alzheimer’S Caregivers, Juanita Serena Elliott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Primary unpaid family caregivers of Alzheimer’s care recipients endure physical fatigue, emotional stress, psychological pressures, and health issues that could hinder their capacity to deliver consistent care. Respite care services can help reduce caregiver burden and enhance health outcomes; therefore, examining and evaluating their effectiveness is beneficial in meeting the needs of primary unpaid family caregivers. This study was conducted to address a lack of information in the literature and to evaluate the efficacy of respite care services for primary unpaid family caregivers of Alzheimer’s care recipients in Alaska and their caregivers’ awareness of and motivation to utilize these services …

Understanding The Perspectives Of African American Women Towards Initiating A Fitness Program, Clarissa Sheneka Davis Best

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women residing in rural communities have seen substantial increases in preventable diseases resulting from obesity. The research problem addressed in this study surrounded the perspectives that African American women have towards initiating a fitness program. The purpose of this study was to explore those perspectives utilizing a sample population of African American women living in Salisbury, North Carolina. This study embraced the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) created by Prachaseree et al., (2021) and the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1991) as the conceptual frameworks. Three research questions guiding this study were: What specific barriers do African American …

Social Determinants, Covid-19, And Geographic Disparities In African American Mental Health Access, Jennifer Marie Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disparities in service use of mental health care persist in the United States, and African Americans have been disproportionately affected. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened these disparities, increasing barriers such as stigma, lack of culturally appropriate care, distance, and affordability. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, and correlational study was to examine the relationships between sociodemographic factors and the use of mental health counseling or therapy services. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was applied to examine how the systemic factors in the mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem work together to influence care availability. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between race, income, education, …

Disability And Leadership: Barriers And Business Culture Perspectives, Ernest Edward Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persistent disparities in employment rates between people with disabilities (PWDs) and people without disabilities (PWODs) indicate that PWDs continue to face barriers and challenges to employment opportunities. The research problem is the underrepresentation of PWDs in leadership positions within business cultures and persistent barriers and challenges faced by human resource managers (HRMs) and leaders concerning their hiring and retention. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the varying perspectives of business leaders with disabilities (LWDs) and HRMs concerning the barriers and challenges associated with hiring and retaining PWDs for leadership roles. Critical realism, universal design, and human …

Effective Employee Retention Strategies Used By U.S. Hotel Organizations, Marian Yvette Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover rates continue to represent a significant challenge for U.S. hotel organizations, impacting operational efficiency. Hotel leaders are concerned that turnover negatively affects profitability and organizational viability, making retention strategies critical for competitiveness. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to identify and explore effective strategies that some business leaders in U.S. hotel organizations use to enhance employee retention. The participants were eight leaders who have implemented effective employee retention strategies in U.S. hotel organizations in Georgia. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, company website information, and publicly available documents. …

Sustainability Of Private Historically Black Colleges Or Universities, Herbert A. Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, private Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have been declining in enrollment, revenues, and profitability, and many have closed permanently. The problem, which is important to HBCU leaders, is the lack effective strategies for sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this pragmatic inquiry research project was to explore the successful strategies some successful HBCU leaders have used to increase enrollment and maintain profitability for sustainability. Data were collected through personal interviews and publicly available documents or documents provided by participants. Yin’s 5-step process was used for data analysis, which …

Reducing Readmission Rates In A Mental Health Hospital, Zamzam Mohamed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary I designed this clinical practice guideline (CPG) doctoral project to address the critical practice problem of high readmission rates in a mental health unit at a large academic medical center. This quality improvement initiative focused on developing and evaluating CPG to improve discharge planning. I aimed to address gaps in continuity of care, inadequate discharge education, and limited post discharge follow-up, which had been identified as contributing factors to early psychiatric readmissions. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: What evidence supports the development of a discharge planning CPG designed to reduce readmission rates in a mental health unit? …

Clinical Practice Guideline For Intentional Rounding, Julia Griggs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This is a quality improvement clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the inconsistent staff rounding practices, developed following recognition of a fall rate of 3.2 per 1000 patient days and declining patient satisfaction in the project facility. I developed the CPG using current evidence-based practices to establish standardized procedures for purposeful rounding to enhance patient safety, satisfaction, and care quality. Three experts, including an educator, clinician, and administrator, evaluated the CPG using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II), a tool consisting of seven domains used for measuring the methodological rigor and transparency in which a …

Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Methods For Digital Financial Services In Sub-Saharan Africa, Emmanuel Niyikora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid growth of digital financial services (DFS) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has significantly expanded access to financial services for underserved populations. However, cybersecurity managers within telecommunications regulatory agencies in SSA remain concerned about emerging cyber threats that pose risks to DFS providers and their customers, potentially undermining trust and economic growth. Grounded in the technology-organization-environment framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore strategies cybersecurity managers within telecommunications regulatory bodies in SSA use to assess the cybersecurity readiness of DFS providers. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with six cybersecurity managers from telecommunications regulatory bodies …

Educating Staff On Using Medication-Assisted Treatment (Mat) In Opioid Use Disorder (Oud), Demie Alaekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, especially those led by providers, can expand access to care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD). The gap in practice at the site was the insufficient knowledge among nurses on how to effectively use MAT in treating OUD. The purpose of this staff educational project was to design and implement a training module to educate mental health providers on the principles and interventions of MAT. The practice-focused question was: Does educating nurses on MAT principles while incorporating evidence from the literature improve their knowledge as measured by pre- and post-test? The ADDIE pedagogy model was …

Faculty Implementation Of Online Teaching Practices Learned In A Professional Development Course, Laurie Ann Pendleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was the low implementation rate of practices learned during professional development courses which can limit positive student outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the challenges online faculty encounter when implementing teaching practices learned in an online PD course in effective online teaching practices and to better understand the characteristics of the practices they were able to implement. Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory grounded the study. In this basic qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 12 participants who recently completed the course and responded to an …

Improvisation In Agile Environments To Manage Disruption From Vuca Events, Christopher J. Remediani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) events have always existed and demonstrated increases in regularity as well as damage. Management’s ability to mitigate and manage VUCA events has been challenged as they and nonmanagement employees are required to engage in rapid problem analysis and decision-making outside of standard procedures to identify and implement solutions. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of Agile practitioners in the information technology (IT) industry regarding their integration of improvisation techniques to mitigate and manage VUCA disruptions. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were used to guide the study and address …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Benefits Of Art Education For Elementary Students With Autism, Brenda Lynn Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge regarding art teachers’ perceptions of the social and emotional benefits of art classes for elementary school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school art teachers’ perspectives regarding the social and emotional benefits of school-based art education for elementary school students with ASD. Schweizer et al.’s art therapy model was the conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews from 12 elementary school art teachers were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using axial coding procedures and thematic analysis. Results produced the …

Effective Strategies Nursing Home Leaders Use To Implement Changes And Increase Staff Retention And The Quality Of Patient Care, Evaristus C. Chu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective retention strategies for nursing home staff can negatively affect the continuity of patient care, employee morale, and patient outcomes. Nursing home leaders who struggle to implement changes and increase staff retention and quality of patient care are at high risk of business instability. Grounded in Greenleaf’s servant leadership conceptualization and Kotter’s eight-step change model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies nursing home leaders use to implement change, retain staff, and enhance the quality of patient care. Data sources consisted of semistructured interviews, public websites, and current and archival public documents. Thematic analysis yielded five …

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Lack Of Social Skills Needed For Success In Preschool And Kindergarten, Janet S. Grigg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was many preschool students in the United States lack the social skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. The study’s purpose was to explore preschool teachers’ perspective regarding some children’s lack of social skills needed for success in kindergarten and the efforts teachers made to promote development of these skills. Using Flavell’s theoretical framework of metacognition and cognitive monitoring, 2 research questions were developed to address teachers’ perspectives and efforts to improve children’s social skills. Twelve preschool teachers from Louisiana with one to twenty years of experience in early childhood were interviewed via Zoom, …

Exploring Leadership's Role In Improving Completion Rates In Substance Use Disorder Programs, Benjamin John Hoppie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the influence of leadership on low treatment completion rates in a nonprofit outpatient substance use disorder program in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The purpose of this case study was to examine how leadership styles, decision-making processes, and supervisory alignment affected client engagement and treatment outcomes at the program. The study was grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework, which provided a systems-thinking lens to assess leadership behavior and organizational performance. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with two senior leaders and a review of limited internal documents, including the organization’s …

African American Women Veterans’ Lived Experience Of Barriers To Seeking Access To Mental Health Treatment, Aaliyah Shakirah Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women veterans' race and gender present challenges as the compounded nature of the racism and sexism they experience creates specific barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment. Much of the research to date has focused on the interconnections between African American women veterans' state of mental health and their experiences in the military; however, their lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment has remained unexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore African American women veterans' lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment to better …