Digital Commons Network^™

Caseworkers' Perspectives On Female Juvenile Delinquent Rehabilitation Based On Age Groups, Cynthia Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence of female juvenile delinquency is increasing and, along with it, the need for effective age-appropriate rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to address the lack of research regarding age-appropriate rehabilitation programs for female juvenile delinquents. This basic qualitative approach was used to uncover the perspectives of experienced caseworkers on the best practices and success of age-differentiated rehabilitation programming for female juvenile delinquents. Data were collected to answer the following guiding research question: What are the perspectives of caseworkers on rehabilitation programming for female juvenile delinquents, taking into account the age differences among the incarcerated youth population? Bronfenbrenner’s …

Association Between Childhood Secondhand Smoke Exposure And Inflammatory Bowel Disease Development, Stephanie Eve Walsh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of diseases that affect the gastrointestinal tract. Environmental factors, such as smoking, have been shown to play a role in the development of IBD; however, minimal research regarding secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and the development of IBD has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there was a relationship between childhood SHS exposure and the development of IBD. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was used in this study as a basis that the environment can aid in the development of disease. The research questions addressed the potential association between childhood …

Practitioners’ Perceptions Of Medical Compliance Among Homeless Clients With Hiv And A Mental Health Diagnosis, Kyle Samuel Berkley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research on HIV medical adherence has focused on incentive-based interventions, while previous research with the chronically homeless has focused on substance abuse, mental illness, and health disparities. This qualitative study focused on the experiences and perceptions of medical providers in a metropolitan area who work on medical adherence with homeless people living with HIV and mental illness. Ecological systems theory provided foundation to explore how medical providers form interventions based on clients’ ecosystems. The data were collected via audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews with 15 case managers, mental health therapists, nurses, and primary care physicians who worked at outpatient medical centers. …

Understanding The Increase In Military Couples Seeking Counseling Throughout The Military Lifecycle, Ellen F. Saccoia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the start of military operations following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the nation has experienced the longest sustained war in its history. Military couples are at an increased risk of experiencing relationship stressors due to supporting long-term global military operations. Most of the research literature identifying the difficulties experienced by active-duty military couples was conducted over the past two decades following September 11, 2001. Missing from the literature are present-day problems facing military couples seeking counseling following the drawdown of overseas military operations (see United States Government Accountability Office [U.S. GAO], 2016). The purpose of this action …

Perceptions Of Influence Of The Wage Gap On Immigrant Ghanaian Women’S Career Aspirations, Daniel Otoo Kwasi Djan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wage inequality and gender-based career advancement barriers have plagued immigrant women in the United States since world war II. The Equal Pay Act was enacted to address wage inequalities but did little to fix the concerns of the wage gap and promotional barriers for women in the United States. This generic qualitative study addressed a research gap about perceptions of influence of the wage gap on immigrant women’s career aspirations to address the documented problem of income disparity. The theoretical framework guiding the study consisted of feminist and conflict theories . The main research question concerns immigrant Ghanaian women’s perceptions …

Community-Based Workers’ Treatment And Relationship With African American Men With Dual Diagnosis, André V. Haley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Helping professionals have a role as service providers when working with African American men with dual diagnosis and incarceration histories. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to understand how helping professionals provided community-based treatment and established a helper/helpee relationship with this population of African American men. Hirschi’s social control theory provided the framework for the study. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 9 helping professionals who worked with this population in the Northeast United States. Yin’s 5-step model for case studies was used for data analysis and thematic coding. Findings indicated that professionals lacked competency …

Bachelor Of Social Work Students’ Experience Of Moral Reasoning At An Evangelical Christian University, David Scott King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have documented a lack of effective education and training for integrating faith and social work practice. Also, researchers have identified challenges regarding conflicting philosophical paradigms in social work and cultural changes among emerging adults affecting evangelical Christian universities teaching faith integration. However, little information is available regarding the experiences of students and conflicts between social work values and their religious beliefs. This study was an investigation of the experiences of social work students when considering value conflicts between their religious beliefs and social work practice. The research questions examined the moral reasoning of students at an evangelical university considering …

African American College Students’ Attitudes Toward Help Seeking For Mental Health Illness, Sylvia Krow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has shown that African Americans are less likely to seek treatment for mental health illness compared to individuals in other ethnic groups. Research has also revealed that African American college students’ attitudes, perceptions, and stigmas against mental illness impacts their willingness to seek treatment for mental illness. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational study was to investigate the predictive relationships between ethnic identity, perceptions of mental illness, stigma and attitudes toward seeking professional help for mental illness among African American college students attending Historically Black colleges and universities. The research question addressed the predictive relationships between ethnic …

Roles Of Nephrology Social Workers In Health Literacy, Tiffena Gail Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy is vital for hemodialysis patients because they need to undergo routine treatments 3 days per week and adhere to medication regimens requiring them to understand complicated health information. The questions for this study focused on a social work practice of their roles when assessing and promoting health literacy in dialysis patients. Nephrology social workers are vital in helping dialysis patients understand their medical information so that they can make better-informed decisions about their healthcare. This study also includes an exploration of the strategies nephrology social workers use to increase health literacy in patients with chronic kidney disease. An …

Exploring The Use Of Familismo To Manage Depression Among Elderly Latino Women, Denise Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the elderly population continues to increase in the United States, so does the concern of major depressive disorder. Despite the need to forcefully recognize and address depression among this age group, efforts have been docile and passive; many elderly individuals continue to go undiagnosed. With the increase of Latino population within the past and upcoming decades and with studies showing that elderly Latinos appear to live longer than non-Latinos, it is critical that differences in treatment interventions be explored. This study aimed to explore the use of familismo (intense importance and attachment the Latino culture places on nuclear and …

Social Workers' Experiences With Pregnant And Parenting Teens In Alabama, Luanne Londria Washington-Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among western industrialized countries, the United States has the highest teen birth rate; Alabama ranks 9th in the nation. Teen pregnancy and parenting often lead to financial, social, and health problems. The purpose of this action research project was to capture the experiences of social workers who work with pregnant or parenting teens in Alabama, including perceptions of Alabama’s opt-out policy for sexual education and strategies used to address teen’s beliefs, attitudes, and values about sexual behavior. Social learning theory was the theoretical framework. Data were collected through a focus group of 12 social workers with practice experience working with …

Systematic Review Of Family Nurse Practitioner Utilization Within School Environments, Luz Elena Zapien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Institute of Medicine recommend school health screening programs to detect problems that might interfere with a student’s education and general well-being, and many U.S. states require compliance with enrollment requirements such as updated immunizations and physical exams prior to attendance. In low-income areas, however, there is often a shortage of physicians available to meet the healthcare needs of the population. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) can be utilized in school health settings to deliver health care services that support school attendance and the well-being of school students, yet little is known about their impact. …

The Lived Experiences Of Caregivers Of Children With Reactive Attachment Disorder, Abby Baumgart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents of children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) encounter challenges in parenting and parent-child relationship development that are not typical to most parental situations. The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of caregivers of children with RAD, to identify current met and unmet needs, to explore the experiences the caregivers of children with RAD have and the resources available to them. The study included a hermeneutic phenomenological foundation and incorporated the conceptual frameworks of family systems theory and attachment theory. A nonprobability, self-selection sampling strategy was utilized with recruitment through Facebook support groups. Methods included …

Health Care Providers’ Use Of Nudging With Families Of Older Patients Making Discharge Decisions, Tabatha Bowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The health care system has focused on reducing costs associated with longer lengths of

stay while facilitating safe and appropriate discharges. The purpose of this educational

project was to increase awareness among health care providers regarding nudging and

how it influences discharge planning decisions by patients and families. Enhancing health

care providers’ understanding of the impact of discharge communication may address the

issue of alternate level of care (ALC). Transition theory was used to frame the project.

Practice-focused questions addressed how the use of evidence-based case studies about

nudging could improve discharge planning for patients in a large community hospital …

Experiences And Challenges Of Social Workers Working With Transitioning And Postmilitary Service Members Who Have Mental Health Issues, Joyce M. Hewitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active duty service members, veterans, and their family members are faced with a myriad of problems including mental health issues, substance abuse issues, traumatic brain injury, suicide, family integration issues, and family distress. Understanding the organizational, environmental, and person-centered factors that affect the delivery of mental health care treatment to active duty service members, veterans, and their families is urgent to this unique population for social work practitioners (licensed master, advanced, & clinical). This project explored the experiences and challenges that social work practitioners (licensed master, advanced, & clinical) have in providing effective services for mental health care treatment to …

A Multiple Case Study Of School Administrators On Use Of Disciplinary Measures, Michele L. Jones-Pace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disproportionately high rates of out-of-school suspension and expulsion of African American children represent an ongoing issue in the U.S. public school system. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory was used as the theoretical framework for this multiple case study. The research question focused on the perceptions, perspectives, and experiences of a purposeful sample of 7 high school principals and what they believed were the reasons for persistently high rates of out-of-school suspension for African American students. The principals represented Title I and non-Title I schools located in urban, rural, and suburban regions of a southern state. Data from individual interviews and archival data …

Exploring Gender Dysphoria Among Active-Duty Transgender Service Members In A Right-To-Serve-Openly Military, Ralph Ogburn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of Defense’s June 2016 directive-type memorandum 16-005 permitting transgender service members to serve openly in the U.S. military disqualifies transgender personnel with a history of gender dysphoria from serving in the military unless a licensed medical doctor certifies that they have been free from significant distress for 18 months. Research has illuminated the prevalence of gender dysphoria among military veteran transgender members due to their military experiences, but not in active-duty military. Informed by role theory and minority stress theory, the purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis study was to explore role conflict and stress in the …

Fall-Related Patient Education: An Essential Feature Of A Fall Prevention Program, Immaculata Okonkwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project documented the evaluation of a voluntary patient falls prevention education

program (VPFPEP) of a rehabilitative facility in a Mid-Atlantic US state and ascertained

its sustainability. The project was designed using the customized Moore et al. evaluation

model and Lippitt’s planned theory of change to encourage patient engagement in

physical activity (PA) through fall prevention education to allay patients’ fear of falling.

The sample included patients who opted into the facility’s VPFPEP. Evaluation was

performed using run charts to visually and quantitatively monitor trends and patterns of

fall incidents over time. Run charts also facilitated comparison of injuries sustained …

Stigma And The Life Experiences Of Recovering Counselors, Carroll Annette Beverly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigmatization, labelling, and stereotyping have been recognized through historical literature as categories that classify recovering counselors with the status of a second-class citizen. One of the subtle impacts of stigmatization on recovering counselors has been the reluctance of these counselors to share their substance abuse histories or admit they formerly used alcohol and other drugs. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the impact of stigma on the life experiences of recovering counselors in the addiction and counseling fields. The social identity theory was the theoretical foundation of this study. Four participants (3 recovering counselors and …

Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence And Workplace Instability, Robert Boyd Cannon Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on victims’ employment status is well-documented. The purpose of this study was to examine the implications of domestic violence on the status and stability of employment for victims who work in the public sector. The study’s 2 research questions asked how victims’ perspectives on IPV could provide insights to (a) help public sector employers improve victims’ employment stability and (b) create policies and practices that support victim disclosure. A phenomenological approach was used to understand the experience of victims of IPV and unstable employment. The theoretical framework derived from feminist theory and focused …

Information Technology Disaster Recovery Planning By Florida Nonprofit Organizations, Derek Keith Erfourth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate information technology (IT) disaster recovery planning (DRP) by nonprofit organizations could lead to organizational failure post-large-scale natural disasters. Without proper funding and planning, organizations may not be able to withstand the effects of a natural disaster resulting in the closure and the community losing a critical need service. Grounded in resilience theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies utilized by Florida-based nonprofit organization technology managers to adopt and implement an IT DRP to aid in post-natural disaster recovery efforts. The data collection included interviews with 5 IT managers and reviews of 4 business …

Mental Health Needs In Schools As Predictors Of Burnout In School Counselors, Sondra Junek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found an increasing number of students with mental health issues, and

school counselors are often the first resource available to students. School counselors are

faced with many job duties including supporting students’ academic, career, and

emotional needs. Maintaining these duties of school counseling can increase stress and

lead to burnout. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine mental health

needs, mental health knowledge, and mental health skills as predictors of each of the

three subscales of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal

accomplishment) among early, middle, and late career school counselors. Lazarus and

Folkman’s transactional theory …

Does Counselor Type Affect A Manualized Treatment?, Cynthia C. Kay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study was to determine whether there are differences in client treatment outcomes based upon the type of counselor who conducted an empirically supported treatment called Seeking Safety for persons diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder. Many studies show that counselors’ personal attributes impact treatment; however, this study added to the literature by focusing on a standardized treatment for the co-occurrence disorder of substance use and posttraumatic stress disorder. Archival data from an outpatient treatment facility was used. Clients were provided integrated services, which included psychological and substance use treatment. The participants/clients were men and women …

Perceptions Of The Reentry Process Among African American Male Ex-Offenders With Multiple Incarcerations, Chanae Latrice Lumpkin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within 3 years of their release from the criminal justice system, almost 7 out of 10 released African American males go back to. There is limited social science research into how these ex-offenders perceive their lived experiences after release. The research questions that guided this inquiry related to understanding the post-prison experiences of African American males with a history of multiple incarcerations. The conceptual framework was guided by Tajfel’s social identity theory and Becker’s social reaction theory. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 6 African American males with a history of multiple incarcerations who had been released from …

Mental Health Professional Perceptions Of Barriers To Fidelity For Empirically- Supported Treatments, Chris Streidl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is estimated that one in five adults in the United State of America experience mental illness in a given year. When mental health organizations implement empirically-supported treatments but fail to maintain them, it can result in individuals not being provided the services that they need. The purpose of this study was to identify perceived barriers to maintaining fidelity for empirically-supported mental health treatments. The study utilized a quantitative cross-sectional correlational research design (N = 154) and the Perception of Barriers Scale (PBS) was developed to measure perceived barriers to maintaining fidelity for empirically-supported treatments. Bandura’s social cognitive theory as …

The Impact Of Executive Hiring Decisions Within Homeless Services Providers, Thela Rachelle Thatch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inequities in staffing may affect the ability of organizations to deliver social services to the homeless. As homeless services are challenged with roadblocks exacerbated by systemic racism, a focus on hiring diverse employees may impact the delivery of services to minority clients. Little is known about the effects of diverse hiring in social service programs that serve the homeless. The purpose of this study is to bridge the gap in knowledge by examining the diverse hiring practices of senior employees that hold decision-making roles that affect the delivery of homeless services. Research questions were focused on discovering participants lived experience …

Changes In Operating Performance In Rural Hospitals From 2012 To 2019, Oluwaseyi Tami Young-Harry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rural hospitals treat patients while dealing with the challenges of an inadequate workforce, limited financial resources, and an isolated geographic location, leading to difficulties in achieving financial viability. The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the operating performance of rural, general, medical and surgical hospitals in the United States and to determine if performance had changed from 2012 to 2019. Guided by x-efficiency theory, this study addressed whether hospital ownership explained variation in performance and if performance had changed from 2012 to 2019. A random sample of 394 rural hospitals was used, with data drawn from the American …

Self-Efficacy Of Older Homeless African American Men, Renee Carnithia Harvin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older adults in the United States without permanent housing are witnessed living in shelters, cars, and on street corners in many urban centers and older adults now make up a third of the homeless population. There are stressors that may precede, or may result in homelessness, which may also affect older (i.e., age 50 or above) homeless adults' abilities to maintain their self-efficacy, a key to their self- management. This study further explored the lived experiences of self-efficacy among older homeless African American men. A descriptive phenomenological design and individual semi-structured interviews of 10 African American homeless men, aged 50 …

Child Protection Workers' Experiences In Implementing Natural Mentoring With Older Foster Youth, Claudia Maxie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emancipated foster youth are at risk for increased rates of unemployment, low educational attainment, reliance on public assistance, substance abuse, behavioral issues, homelessness, unplanned pregnancies, and illegal activities. Lack of connection to a caring adult when exiting foster care and emancipated foster youth's inadequate independent living skills are critical factors that could place young people at risk. Prior studies have shown that mentoring is a means of providing foster youth with protection against psychological stress and promoting well-being; however, mentoring is not a widely used intervention in the child welfare system. There is limited research on the process of implementing …

Strategies African American Stepfathers Use To Build Positive Relationships With Their Stepdaughters, Shauntele Peynado-Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have shown that strained relationships between stepfathers and their stepchildren contribute to family dysfunction and stress. As the number of blended families in the United States continues to rise, it is important to determine how stepparents develop positive relationships with their stepchildren. The purpose of this study was to determine what strategies African American stepfathers use to develop positive, supporting relationships with their school aged stepdaughters. Family systems theory guided this research. The generic qualitative approach was used to conduct the study. Purposeful sampling resulted in data being collected from 7 participants using semi structured interviews. Colaizzi's 7-step method …