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Improving Screening Of Social Drivers Of Health In A Subspecialty Pediatric Cardiology Clinic, Gloria Mlewa Okorley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female African American nontraditional students (25+ years with family and work demands) have high attrition rates, they leave degree programs before graduating, worsening socioeconomic disparities. This phenomenological study described their experiences with support services, which shaped student self-efficacy related to completing programs, and identified what changes were needed to improve support for higher graduation rates among female African American nontraditional students participating in 2-year degree programs offered by junior colleges. Guided by Bean’s industrial model of student attrition and Fishbein and Aizen’s importance of intention model, the study posed two research questions: What are the lived experiences of female nontraditional …

Identifying Motivators For Retention Of Service Workers In Youth Group Care Programs, Michelle Lynn Briegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Residential group care programs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada face challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified human service workers. This workforce retention issue affects the quality of care provided to vulnerable children and youth, as well as the overall stability of residential group care. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore why service workers in front-line jobs choose to stay in their positions in youth-serving residential group care programs, guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. Nine participants were recruited through purposeful sampling via social media and email, with the criterion that they had been employed at …

Exploring Challenges Of Parents With Disabilities Affecting Custody Of The Children, Kendyll King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 promoting equality for people with disabilities, parents with developmental and intellectual disabilities experience high rates of involvement with child welfare services due to outdated terminology, information about disabilities, and policies. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and determine if they differ from those of parents without a disability. This was a generic qualitative study grounded in intersectionality theory. Education, employment, health and safety concerns, independence, assistive technology, social services involvement, and supports or resources were examined through the perspective of the …

School Counselors Lived Experiences With Executing Child-Centered Play Therapy In High-Diversity Elementary Schools, Ruth Devito

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority students are often omitted from social, economic, cultural, and political life due to ethnicity or poverty, which increases their risk of adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse or neglect, and increases their likelihood of discrimination that can obstruct their normal childhood development, including academic performance. Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a multiculturally appropriate approach that creates a safe and nonjudgmental environment, supporting adjustment and coping. However, many school counselors are not using CCPT. The research question was as follows: What are the lived experiences of school counselors who use CCPT in their work at high-diversity elementary schools? This study …

Community College Students’ Perceptions Of Access And Barriers To Mental Health Supports, Kevin Paul Kuntz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this project study was that community college students are graduating at lower rates than the national average, despite the on-campus mental health services in place in the Midwestern United States. Grounded in Tronto’s framework of institutional ethic of care, the purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of their access to and barriers to receiving mental health support in community colleges. For this basic qualitative design, 10 students who attended at least one semester at one community college were interviewed. The semistructured interviews were coded and thematically analyzed with the following themes emerging: Students …

Clinicians’ Perceptions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency, And Treatment Engagement With Criminal Offenders, Aaron Pena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the pervasive impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on clinicians, particularly those who provide services to criminal offenders. ACEs contribute to a range of mental and physical health issues that can extend into adulthood, affecting not only individuals who experienced these adversities, but also clinicians who treat them. Despite the growing body of research on the consequences of ACEs, there remained a significant gap in terms of understanding how clinicians’ own histories influence their professional resilience and treatment efficacy. Garmezy’s resiliency theory, the framework for the study, emphasizes the role of positive contextual, social, and individual factors …

Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted to explore the lived experiences of licensed psychologists in diagnosing adolescents with bipolar disorder, aiming to answer two key questions: How do psychologists make sense of diagnosing bipolar disorder in adolescents? And do they rely on their education and lived experience in the diagnostic process? Drawing from developmental psychology, clinical decision-making theories, and ethical considerations, the study highlights the complexities and challenges of diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth. Semi-structured interviews with four psychologists were transcribed and analyzed to identify recurring themes, which emphasized the importance of collateral information, developmental context, and professional judgment. …

System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barriers to brokering therapeutic services cause challenges for school social workers to address their students’ mental health needs, especially in Georgia, where students’ mental health needs are high. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore school social workers’ perceptions of the system barriers related to brokering these services. The research questions explored school social workers’ perceptions of brokering on-site versus community-based therapeutic services in the state of Georgia. In addition, this study inquired about the system barriers that school social workers face when brokering these services. This study was grounded in the ecological systems theory, which argues that …

Navigating Transition: Lived Experiences Of Discharged Foster Care Youth (18–24) In Accessing Community Resources, Joi Junetta Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition from foster care to independent living represents a critical life stage for youth, especially those aged 18–24, who face numerous challenges in accessing and utilizing community resources. In the United States, nearly 391,000 children are in foster care, with many experiencing negative outcomes upon exiting the system, such as homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of discharged foster care youth, focusing on their ability to access and utilize available resources, including education, employment, healthcare, and mental health services. The study was grounded in social adjustment theory and resiliency theory, which framed youth …

Positive Education And Student Success In College: An Overview And Practical Implications, Lin L. Agler, Saurabh Gupta

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Institutions of higher education are facing a historically challenging time as student graduation and retention rates continue to be less than ideal, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a critical time of transition for the competitive structure of higher learning, as finances, technology, student success, and institutional rankings all have a joint leading position in this structure. Applying concepts of positive psychology to higher education has been shown to be advantageous for student success and retention. This strengths-based approach helps institutions remain innovative and competitive. However, instructors face a great challenge in effectively applying positive psychology …

Identifying Coercion To Prevent Human Trafficking Of At-Risk Youth In Duval County, Florida, Maeve G. Coen

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Preventing at-risk youth, adolescents, and teenagers from human trafficking victimization.

Significant Findings:Duval County faces the ongoing public health issue of human trafficking at-risk youth. At risk youth can be identified based on risk and protective factors identified through the social-ecological model. Individual risk factors may include child maltreatment, sexual abuse, and exposure to antisocial behaviors throughout childhood. Children with increased exposure to child abuse and maltreatment will escape their homes and engage in endangering behaviors with peers and adults exhibiting antisocial and coercive behaviors. Institutional, Community and Public Policy in Duval County has made advances in treating youth …

Supporting Youth Through Violence And Loss, Tiara Bolden

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this prevention portfolio is to strengthen protective factors for adolescents in Richmond, Virginia, who have experienced violence or loss. The focus is on reducing emotional distress, strengthening resilience, and promoting healthy development among youth who have been affected by community trauma. Significant Findings: Youth in Richmond are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and exposure to loss, which contribute to high rates of depression, anxiety, and emotional distress. The City of Richmond Community Health Needs Assessment (2022) found that nearly 29% of youth live in poverty, while the Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2023) reported that …

Factors Impacting School Social Workers’ Trauma-Informed Support Of Students With Disabilities, La Kisha Miles-Sneed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with disabilities in underserved New Jersey communities are disproportionately exposed to trauma due to compounding systemic inequities. This basic qualitative study explored how school social workers support these students through special education case management. Grounded in disability critical race theory, the trauma-informed schools framework, and ecological systems theory, the study addressed the primary needs of trauma-exposed students with disabilities and the supports and challenges school social workers face in meeting those needs. Semi-structured interviews with 9 school social workers revealed core student needs: emotional and relational safety, access to school-based mental health services, trauma-informed individualized education program (IEP) supports, …

Navigating Succession: Exploring Succession Planning Strategies In Polish Family Businesses, Jan M. Klaczak, Theresa M. Neal, Yvonne Doll

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Family businesses are the foundation of modern economies and societies, yet many encounter continuity challenges during succession. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study grounded in Rothwell’s seven-step model for succession planning was to explore succession planning strategies Polish family business leaders used for ownership and leadership transfer to the next generation. Three family business leaders who executed succession planning in their firms participated in the study. Data were collected via semistructured interviews, researcher notes, and company document reviews. Using methodological triangulation and Yin’s five-step data analysis, four themes emerged: systematic succession, grooming the successor, communication with nonfamily stakeholders, and …

Women Clergy Members' Perceptions Of Mentorship Strategies For Leader Development, Linda Ann Brady

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, women were underrepresented in senior leadership in the global Christian church, and leadership pathways for the development of women were often lacking. The local problem within the International Christian Church (ICC) was a lack of understanding of holistic mentoring strategies that support the development of women clergy members, which could help fill the current leadership gap. Guided by Dahlvig and Longman’s model of women’s leadership development, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of women clergy regarding holistic mentoring strategies that might increase the number of women in leadership within the …

The Level Of Awareness Of County Services In Maryland Offered By A Local Care Team To Youth With Developmental Disabilities And Mental Illness, Wanna Nedgie Dare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental and developmental health challenges remained a significant concern in one Maryland county. The Maryland Governor’s Office for Children (GOC) funds and supports the Local Care Team (LCT). Participation remains low, indicating a lack of community awareness. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness of LCT services and strategies to improve outreach, interagency coordination, and communication to increase service use. The research question was: What is the Level of Awareness of County Services in Maryland Offered by a Local Care Team to Youth with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness? Guided by the person-centered care (PCC) model, evidence …

Examining The Feedback Effects Of The Child And Family Services Review Process On The Child Welfare Caseworker, Molly Blanchette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) is a federally mandated continuous quality improvement process that sets and assesses national child welfare performance standards. The CFSR impacts agency practices and caseworker responsibilities. Research has linked high turnover rates, averaging around 30% nationally, to agency-related variables, some of which are influenced by the CFSR. Given this context, it was necessary to understand how the CFSR performance standards impact the workforce. Policy feedback theory grounded this study as it was used to examine the feedback effects of the CFSR on child welfare caseworkers. The research question was “How are the federal performance …

Perceptions Of Adulthood Preparation Among Individuals Who Aged Out Of The Foster Care System, Victor Torrez Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This generic qualitative study was focused on the lived experiences of former foster care youth and their ability to acquire and retain self-sufficiency skills during their transition to adulthood. Using Bandura’s social learning theory as a framework, the research was focused on how interpersonal relationships with caregivers, mentors, and professionals influenced the development of these skills. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 10 former foster care youth. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and three key themes and 13 subthemes emerged highlighting both support and barriers that youth encountered. The analysis of the data revealed that …

The Progressive Changes In Posttraumatic Symptoms And Posttraumatic Growth Associated With Traumatic Incident Reduction, Joseph L. Mcclory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many millions of people are suffering from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Just in the United States, 13 million Americans had a PTSD diagnosis as of 2020. Through the theoretical lens of catharsis, analysis of variance was used to examine whether traumatic incident reduction (TIR) is associated with changes in posttraumatic symptoms and posttraumatic growth by comparing pre, mid, and post-TIR PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) scores. Regression was also used to test whether post-PCL-5 scores accounted for variance in the post-PTGI scores. Ninety-seven TIR cases from the mental health agency between 2017 and …

How Medical Mistrust Serves As A Barrier To Mental Health Treatment In The African American Community, Nicholas Young

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Throughout history, research has depicted the notion that African Americans do not make use of mental health treatment, even when their mental health status may deem it clinically necessary. One of the most prevalent deterrents to African Americans seeking treatment is the mistrust of the medical system. In the African American community, medical mistrust has a longstanding history that stems from the discrimination, racism, lack of representation in the field, and medical mistreatment that African Americans received as test subjects by the medical community over time. Various instances, throughout history, of African Americans being unjustly treated— for the sake of …

Social Service Supervisors' Perceptions Of Professional Development Training, Jaida Elaine Patterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chafee Independent Living Skills and Goals Program (CILSGP) is a federally mandated program for public child welfare organizations that provide services to adolescents and young adults in the foster care system. The problem that was addressed through this study was that program administrators are unsure of the additional professional development (PD) needs of the social service supervisors at the study site, a foster care independent living program for youth. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate social service supervisors’ perceptions on the PD they receive; the influence the PD has on their self-concept as a learner, their …

Families Experiencing Domestic Violence Related Homelessness, Brittany Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness in the United States remains a persistent issue despite legislative efforts to address it. Single parents navigating homelessness encounter unique challenges in accessing stable housing and essential services, with domestic violence often serving as a significant contributory factor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of practitioners regarding the needs of single parents navigating domestic violence-related homelessness. The empowerment theory provided the framework for this study, and data were obtained from focus groups with leaders and administrators who work in the areas of homelessness, economic security, and family violence. The study’s findings revealed significant gaps …

Relationship Between Peer Support Services And Offender Reentry Organizations, Julie Megan Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed the gap in understanding the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of peer support services (PSS) among two groups of reentry staff in North Carolina (NC): those in the community and those within the Department of Adult Correction (DAC). Both groups of reentry staff completed a web-based survey encompassing the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM). The sampling strategy, response rate, and survey administration details are provided. Guided by ecological systems theory, this study examined how PSS can improve reentry outcomes and address insufficient public safety, social relationship deterioration, and …

Exploring The Service-Learning Volunteer Experience Of African American Male Educators In Urban Schools, Gia N. Paige

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators who self-identify as African American male educators are underrepresented in educational leadership and scholarship on service learning, despite the significant roles they play in shaping urban educational spaces. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the lived service experiences of five African American male educators who engaged in service-learning and volunteerism in urban schools were explored. The purpose was to examine how these educators narrated their service experiences and how those experiences intersected with their identity as African American males. African American male theory was used to frame the study, emphasizing cultural heritage, resistance to deficit perspectives, and the affirmation of …

Covid-19 Crisis: Contemporary Trauma Theory And Clinical Social Workers’ Perspectives Of Work-Related Secondary Trauma Post-Pandemic, Dr. Veronica Y. Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global crisis that challenged clinical social workers’ traditional client-centered strategies and exposed some to secondary trauma. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore clinical social workers’ perspectives on work-related secondary trauma post-COVID-19 pandemic using the contemporary trauma theory as the theoretical framework. The research question involved exploring their perspectives of how this trauma affected their biopsychosocial functioning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants who were clinical social workers between 28 and 36. Using thematic analysis, themes were identified and grouped into the three functioning groups: personal, relationships, and career. Twelve themes …

Change For The Use Of Phenobarbital In Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, Rylee J. Studiner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a critical condition commonly encountered in hospital settings. If not properly treated, AWS can progress to seizures, delirium tremens, and death. Traditionally, benzodiazepines guided by the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar), have served as a mainstay of treatment. However, emerging evidence supports the use of phenobarbital as a pharmacologic alternative and the Severity of Ethanol Withdrawal Scale (SEWS) as a more objective and clinically practical assessment tool. This doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project aimed to develop an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the use of phenobarbital in managing severe …

The Meaning Of Academic Achievement For Fathers Of African American At-Risk Urban Female Youth, Shurise Telesford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family dynamics, parenting styles, and the impact of parental involvement on children have long been studied, with much of the focus traditionally placed on the mother-child relationship. This study shifted that focus to explore the perceptions of African American fathers of at-risk female youth regarding academic achievement. Using a generic qualitative approach and guided by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a theory emphasizing how the marginalized learn through critical awareness and collaboration, I sought to understand how these fathers view their daughters’ educational experiences and barriers to success. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven fathers living in urban …

Canada’S Indigenous Social Workers’ Medicinal Plant Knowledge: A Land-Based Way Of Knowing For Indigenous Practice, Iris Kim Plain Eagle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canada’s Indigenous people of Treaty 7 region have experienced intergenerational trauma resulting from colonization perpetrated by the Canadian government. While the use of medicinal plants, are employed by Indigenous social workers, their integration into mainstream human services organizations remains limited. The gaps in Indigenous social work practice hinders client culturally competent care and the acknowledgement of Indigneous knowledge systems in colonial systems. This generic qualitative study explored the experiences of participants who integrate medicinal plant healing and ancestral knowledge into practice. Informed by indigenous wholistic theory, the study aimed to understand how Indigenous social workers navigate the challenges and opportunities …

Women Veterans' Use Of Gender-Specific, Online, Social Support Systems For Social Identity After Military Service, Katie M. Baillio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of women veterans serving in the military is growing. This qualitative study explored women veterans' perspectives and experiences with gender-specific online social support services, and how that contributes to their social identity after military service. A generic qualitative design was used, and data were collected through semistructured interviews for 10 women veterans who had transitioned out of the military within the last 5 years. Five themes emerged: (a) big picture: connecting with other women veterans was helpful; (b) veteran forums were used for federal or state benefits, but women used gender-specific forums for questions specific to women's issues; …