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The Policing Strategy Of Racial Profiling And Its Impact On African Americans, Derrick Paul Jones Jan 2017

The Policing Strategy Of Racial Profiling And Its Impact On African Americans, Derrick Paul Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior literature on racial profiling indicates that African Americans have been mistreated, harassed, and discriminated against by law enforcement because of this controversial policing strategy. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to bridge the gap in knowledge by analyzing the impact of racial profiling on African American adults and discover whether it contributed to unintentional violence in racial and ethnic minority communities. The theoretical framework for this research study was critical race theory. The research question for this study was: How does racial profiling impact African Americans' perception of the police? This phenomenological research study used purposeful sampling …


The Experiences Of African American Women Participating In Church-Based Weight Loss Programs, Mangle L. Shanks Jan 2017

The Experiences Of African American Women Participating In Church-Based Weight Loss Programs, Mangle L. Shanks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While obesity is a nationwide phenomenon, African Americans - especially women - continue to be more severely affected than any other ethnic group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 20% of African American women are obese compared to 15.6% of Caucasian women. The church is an important community center for many African Americans, and is often a site for health promotion programs, though little is known of the effectiveness of these programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to study the experiences and attitudes of African American women who have gone through a church-based weight-loss …


Racial Microaggressions, Faculty Motivation, And Job Satisfaction In Southeastern Universities, Saundra Elizabeth Carr Jan 2017

Racial Microaggressions, Faculty Motivation, And Job Satisfaction In Southeastern Universities, Saundra Elizabeth Carr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For racial minority faculty, racism is associated with adverse outcomes, including poor job satisfaction and less motivation, which may lead faculty to leave the teaching profession. It is unknown what relationships, if any, exist among perceived racial microaggression, job satisfaction, and employee motivation among African American (AA) faculty and other faculty of color in colleges and universities in the southeastern United States. Critical race theory provided a framework to investigate the relationship of perceived racial microaggressions toward AA faculty and other faculty of color with motivation and job satisfaction. This study involved a correlational design using multiple linear regressions to …


Leadership Strategies For Managing Change In The Nigerian Banking Industry, Jude Ememe Jan 2017

Leadership Strategies For Managing Change In The Nigerian Banking Industry, Jude Ememe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Nigerian banking system is experiencing changes brought about by globalization. Operating in a changing business environment requires that bank leaders evolve strategies to manage and adapt to change. There are direct and indirect costs associated when banks are unable to adapt to change such as bank closures, and loss of economic and business opportunities. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Nigerian bank leaders regarding strategies they used to manage change in the banking industry. The conceptual framework was based on transformational leadership theory and change management theory. Data were collected from document …


First-Time Fathers' Perspectives On Pregnancy, Birth, And Fatherhood, Lynette Marie Talley Jan 2017

First-Time Fathers' Perspectives On Pregnancy, Birth, And Fatherhood, Lynette Marie Talley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffectively addressing a first-time fathers' perception of pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood by medical providers and other medical personnel, may lead to problems of inadequate support, increased tension, anger, concern, and fear at a personal level and between partners. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the perspective of first-time fathers during pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood. The biopsychosocial model was used as the framework to provide the foundation for this study. Research questions addressed first-time fathers' biggest fears, deepest concerns, and most embarrassing questions related to pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood as well as the emotion and physical changes …


Addressing Challenges Faced By Small Business Immigrant Entrepreneurs In Houston, Texas, Yahya Alghafir Jan 2017

Addressing Challenges Faced By Small Business Immigrant Entrepreneurs In Houston, Texas, Yahya Alghafir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigrant entrepreneurs play a significant role in the economic development of the United States. However, some small business immigrant entrepreneurs are less successful than small business nonimmigrant entrepreneurs. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore the strategies some small business immigrant entrepreneurs use to sustain and grow their businesses profitably. Using a purposeful sampling technique, the population for this study consisted of 5 small business immigrant entrepreneurs having sustained and grown businesses for a minimum of 5 years in Houston, Texas. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was a combination of Barney's resource-based theory and the Light's …


The Effect Of Rules On Racially-Influenced Policing And Police Uses Of Force, Joe D. Mazza Jan 2017

The Effect Of Rules On Racially-Influenced Policing And Police Uses Of Force, Joe D. Mazza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public opinion polls have shown the public lacks confidence in U.S. police to use appropriate amounts of force and treat racial minorities fairly, which undermines police legitimacy and the quality of life of all citizens. Although rules have been shown to positively constrain police uses of force, researchers have not demonstrated the effect of rules on racially influenced policing (RIP). In 2005, the RIP directive which prohibits officers from using race as a factor in taking discretionary actions was promulgated in New Jersey. The purpose of this study was to determine through the theoretical lens of Lipsky's street-level bureaucrat theory …


Development Of A Guideline For Hospice Staff, Patients, And Families On Appropriate Opioid Use, Trenika Alexander-Goreá Jan 2017

Development Of A Guideline For Hospice Staff, Patients, And Families On Appropriate Opioid Use, Trenika Alexander-Goreá

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an identified problem with patients receiving suboptimal pain management at a hospice agency in the northwestern United States. At this agency, undertreatment of pain is prevalent. Evidence indicates that this may be a result of a lack of guidelines, education, and knowledge of appropriate prescribing. Known barriers to the correct prescription and administration of potent opioids in the hospice setting include prevailing beliefs, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, all of which can impact care negatively. Contextually, hospice principles mandate patient comfort and caregiver involvement in continuous quality improvement, which includes adequate and informed pain management. Moreover, hospice metrics demand …


Non Medical Prescription Drug Use In Rural Communities And Social Work, Izetta Mounice Briggs-Bolling Jan 2017

Non Medical Prescription Drug Use In Rural Communities And Social Work, Izetta Mounice Briggs-Bolling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the roles and responsibilities of social workers providing services to nonmedical prescription drug users (NMPDU). Researchers have indicated NMPDU disproportionately affects people living in rural communities. The overarching research question sought to explore the concerns of social workers when providing services to patients coping with NMPDU in the rural community of Ulster County, New York. The intention was to examine systemic challenges facing rural social workers when attempting to decrease morbidity risks and increase the health of Ulster County residents. A total of 7 social workers participated in 3 focus groups to explore their ideas for defining, …


Relationship Between Educational Leisure Motivation And Recovery From Mental Illness Among Members Of Clubhouse International, Dianna Rene Pearce Jan 2017

Relationship Between Educational Leisure Motivation And Recovery From Mental Illness Among Members Of Clubhouse International, Dianna Rene Pearce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) exhibit low motivation to participate in educational leisure activities at Clubhouses accredited by Clubhouse International (CI). This correlational study examined the relationship between each of 4 motives, intellectual, social, competence-mastery, and stimulus-avoidance, to engage in leisure activities, and the perception of recovery from SMI. Knowles's theory of andragogy supported the concept of informal self-directed learning, which occurs with leisure activities. Literature indicates that participating in leisure activities such as those offered at Clubhouses aids in the recovery from SMI. Quantitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 75 individuals at 4 CI clubhouses …


Young Adult Narratives Of Sibling Loss And Bereavement During Adolescence, Kelly Lynn Collins-Colosi Jan 2017

Young Adult Narratives Of Sibling Loss And Bereavement During Adolescence, Kelly Lynn Collins-Colosi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Up to 90% of adolescents in the U.S. experience a loss of a family member or friend. However, prior research on loss of a family member has focused predominantly on the adult experience (e.g., loss of a spouse), parental bereavement (loss of a child), or grief counseling as an intervention for dealing with loss. Little is known about the sibling loss experience, particularly from the point of view of the surviving sibling who suffered the loss when they were young. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the narratives of young adults who experienced the loss of …


Polyfidelity And The Dynamics Of Group Romantic Relationships, Jeff R. Peterson Jan 2017

Polyfidelity And The Dynamics Of Group Romantic Relationships, Jeff R. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Monogamy is considered the romantic norm for establishing family and kinship. Alternative relationships such as polyfidelity, that is, a group romantic relationship, often face prejudice and social stigma resulting in a greater need for mental health counseling services compared to those who are not stigmatized. Yet counselors and counselor educators lack both understanding and cultural competency for serving this population. The purpose of this study was to better understand the dynamics of a polyfidelity relationship, as well as how a counselor might better serve the needs of individuals engaged in this type of relationship. In this study, 14 participants described …


Strategies For Reducing The Effects Of Employee Absenteeism On Organizational Profitability, Marjorie D. Waye Jan 2017

Strategies For Reducing The Effects Of Employee Absenteeism On Organizational Profitability, Marjorie D. Waye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee absenteeism is a significant threat to organizational profitability. Finding solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of employee absenteeism on organizational profitability is critical to the success of organizations. The purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies human resource leaders used to mitigate the adverse effects of employee absenteeism on organizational profitability. The conceptual framework was performance prism theory. Data were gathered from in-depth interviews and publicly available organizational documents, including wellbeing program resources and annual investment presentations and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting documents. Participants included 4 human resource managers and a third party service …


Law Enforcement Officer Knowledge Of Mental Illness, Nashira Funn Jan 2017

Law Enforcement Officer Knowledge Of Mental Illness, Nashira Funn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Media and activist groups have recently exposed the problem of negative interactions between law enforcement officers and civilians. Many of these civilians have a mental illness. Various researchers attribute these negative interactions to insufficient officer knowledge of mental illness due to a lack of training, education, and personal experiences. Very little research addresses how insufficient knowledge of mental illness may influence interactions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and analyze self reported law enforcement knowledge using Malcolm Knowles' conceptualization of adult learning theory and andragogy as the theoretical framework. This framework bases self-directed learning/training on a needs …


Initial Findings Of A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Program, Hesper B. Nowatzki Jan 2017

Initial Findings Of A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Program, Hesper B. Nowatzki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the emphasis of benefits on preventive health, many older adults are not receiving the recommended age specific, evidence based screenings and vaccinations. The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is designed to address modifiable risk factors with aging adults and close gaps in care not captured in routine office visits. Although a free Medicare benefit to patients, and a reimbursable service to health care providers, participation in the AWV is low nationwide. The purpose of the project is to introduce an AWV program to a rural health clinic in Northwest Illinois that has a population consisting of over 25% of …


Facilitating Environmental Enrichment In Senior Care Activities With Professional Development, Celia Mary Ross Jan 2017

Facilitating Environmental Enrichment In Senior Care Activities With Professional Development, Celia Mary Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little known about the current state of professional development and continuing education practices for empowering activity professionals to better enhance environmental enrichment in long term care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the activity professional's perceived role and best strategies for professional development to enrich the long-term care environment. The study used social cognitive theory as its theoretical framework to develop research questions focused on the views of activity professionals concerning professional development and continuing education to support care for long-term care residents. Using a narrative approach, 9 activity professionals were recruited through networking at …


The Impact Of Parental Incarceration On Childhood Health, Nastassjiah Cunningham Jan 2017

The Impact Of Parental Incarceration On Childhood Health, Nastassjiah Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many children in the United States have experienced the imprisonment of a parent, given the country's high rate of incarceration. Researchers have found that such children have a higher likelihood of having health problems than do other children. However, a gap in current literature exists regarding these children's ability to acquire needed health care services to accommodate health issues resulting from the experience of parental incarceration. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between these children's health status and their experience of parental incarceration. Bowlby's attachment theory, along with life course theory, constituted the conceptual …


Keeping The Children: Nonviolent Women Offenders In Two Michigan Residential Programs, Denise Smith Allen Jan 2017

Keeping The Children: Nonviolent Women Offenders In Two Michigan Residential Programs, Denise Smith Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventy-five percent of women offenders confined to prison, jails, or residential treatment programs are custodial parents of minor children at the time of their separation. Little is known, though, about how prosocial networks are used to address the effects of separation from children. Using Bui and Morash's conceptualization of the theory of gendered pathways, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand, from the perspective of incarcerated women, the experience of using prosocial networks to cope with the effects of separation. Data were collected through interviews with 10 mothers from 2 residential treatment programs in Michigan. Interview data …


Instructional Strategies That Promote Cultural Competence In Nutrition And Dietetics Education, Cecile Adkins Jan 2017

Instructional Strategies That Promote Cultural Competence In Nutrition And Dietetics Education, Cecile Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changing demographics in the United States to a minority-majority culture require health care professionals who are culturally competent to provide appropriate care to patients. In a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a gap existed between student education and the culturally competent professional practice of entry-level registered dietitians. Using Freire's notion of social justice and Vygotsky's constructivist theory as the conceptual frameworks, the purpose of this study was to explore educators' instructional strategies that promoted cultural competence in nutrition and dietetics education. The research questions examined how educators described the instructional practices they employed to promote cultural …


Common Psycholinguistic Themes In Mass Murderer Manifestos, Laura E. Hamlett Jan 2017

Common Psycholinguistic Themes In Mass Murderer Manifestos, Laura E. Hamlett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mass murder in the United States is increasing, yet understanding of mass murderers is still relatively limited. Many perpetrators compose manifestos, which include journals, blogs, letters, videos, and other writings. Previous research has indicated that personal messages are of great social and psychological importance; however, there remains an important gap in the current literature regarding studies specific to these manifestos. As such, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to provide greater understanding of mass murderers' motives and mindsets through psycholinguistic analysis of their recorded words. The constructivist conceptual framework enabled gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting thematic language …


Quality Of Sibling Relationship And Age Spacing In Single-Parent Households Versus Two-Parent Households, Mari Varga Overlock Jan 2017

Quality Of Sibling Relationship And Age Spacing In Single-Parent Households Versus Two-Parent Households, Mari Varga Overlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sibling relationship quality is affected by several variables, such as gender, age spacing, marital conflicts, parenting, and parent-child relationship, which simultaneously influence personality and developmental outcomes. Furthermore, sibling relationships can significantly influence the social climate of the family and vice versa. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of household composition (1-parent home vs. 2-parent home) and the number of years between siblings ages on sibling relationship quality, and to determine whether parental conflict response management strategies differ between single-parent and 2-parent homes. The participants were 124 adult mothers with at least 2 children. Participants provided demographic …


Impact Of Plans, Finance, And Zoning Policies On What Developers Choose To Build, Michele Ann Williams Jan 2017

Impact Of Plans, Finance, And Zoning Policies On What Developers Choose To Build, Michele Ann Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is considerable academic research on the intersection of comprehensive plans, finance policies, zoning policies and how these factors influence real estate developers' choice of what land to develop and what buildings to construct on that land, little is understood about whether these three variables promote or hinder real estate developers' choice of whether to build communities that promote healthy living. Using urban planning theory as the foundation, the purpose of this correlational study was to determine how real estate developers' decisions are made to support healthy New Urbanism development in the United States. Secondary data from the Urban …


Using Health Literacy To Improve Emergency Department Discharge, Alicia Ortiz Jan 2017

Using Health Literacy To Improve Emergency Department Discharge, Alicia Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients with limited health literacy often fail to understand verbal and written discharge instructions, and they frequently return to the emergency department (ED) for care. Patients returning to the ED and 30-day readmission rate are core quality performance measures. The purpose of this project was to decrease repeat visits and readmissions to the ED by implementing components of health literacy programs within the ED on patient education and written discharge instructions. Change implementation consisted of (a) use of teach back method (b) modifying medical terminology to language that patient could understand (c) limiting use of words with more than three …


Succession Planning For Next Generation Business Leaders, Yetta Toliver Jan 2017

Succession Planning For Next Generation Business Leaders, Yetta Toliver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The ability to backfill leadership positions has become a key focus of business leaders since 2005 when the baby boom workforce started to age. An aging workforce threatens the capability of business leaders to develop leadership pipelines to ensure business success. Grounded by the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies that technology services managers used to align core business objectives to improve succession planning at a technology services organization located in Dallas, Texas. Data collection and triangulation included semi structured telephone interviews with 12 technology services managers, company documents, and …


Strategies To Expand The U.S. Automated External Defibrillator Market, Arturo Cervantes Jan 2017

Strategies To Expand The U.S. Automated External Defibrillator Market, Arturo Cervantes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite defibrillation as the only effective treatment for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), less than 15% of homes and public facilities have access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). In the United States, ineffective response to SCA cases occurring each year classifies it as a business problem for medical device manufacturing leaders, emergency responders, and bystanders. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore the marketing strategies AED manufacturing leaders use to expand their consumer customer base. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of participants from 2 U.S. AED manufacturers on the east coast, 2 AED …


Planning Strategies For Generational Succession In Flemish Third-Generation Family-Owned Businesses, Anne-Marie Esther De Scheemaecker Jan 2017

Planning Strategies For Generational Succession In Flemish Third-Generation Family-Owned Businesses, Anne-Marie Esther De Scheemaecker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survival over generations is critical for family-owned businesses (FOBs). Only 3% of family firms survive the 3rd generation, and a succession strategy is the most challenging decision for family business leaders to make. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore nonfinancial succession planning strategies that 3rd-generation FOB leaders in Flanders, Belgium, apply for the transition of ownership and leadership to the 4th generation. The conceptual framework for this study was the socioemotional wealth paradigm. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, archival document reviews, company internal and public documents, and press releases. Yin's 5-step data analysis was applied …


Offender Recidivism: A Quantitative Study Of Motivational Risk Factors And Counseling, Nazak Dadashazar Jan 2017

Offender Recidivism: A Quantitative Study Of Motivational Risk Factors And Counseling, Nazak Dadashazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prison system releases over 590,000 inmates annually, adding to the current 5 million ex-offenders on supervised release. The purpose of this study was to explore the problem of increasing recidivism by identifying ex-offenders' dynamic risk and criminogenic need factors using the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R), coupled with or without mental health services during reentry in relation to recidivism. This quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study included data collected from a sample of 128 male recidivist and nonrecidivist federal ex-offenders currently on supervised release, who were recruited during probation office meetings within the South Texas region. Regression analysis yielded statistical significance …


Gender Differences In Health Service Utilization Among Veterans With Acute Kidney Injury, Freneka Fronsha Minter Jan 2017

Gender Differences In Health Service Utilization Among Veterans With Acute Kidney Injury, Freneka Fronsha Minter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) studies on acute kidney injury (AKI) have focused on defined procedures and outcomes but not on gender differences. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in health services utilization by gender and other predisposing factors (age and race) among hospitalized veterans with AKI during a 5-year period from 2008 to 2013. The study included a retrospective cohort design and the behavioral model of health services utilization as the underlying theoretical framework. Secondary data were collected from an existing VA cohort. Data from 1,636 hospitalized AKI veterans were subjected to t tests …


Strategies For Small Business Enterprise Success In Ireland: A Case Of Three Businesses, Usman Isa Yaru Jan 2017

Strategies For Small Business Enterprise Success In Ireland: A Case Of Three Businesses, Usman Isa Yaru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, only 50% of Irish small firms survived in business for more than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative, explorative case study was to explore strategies some Irish small firm owners use to succeed in business beyond 5 years. The case population consisted of 3 small business owners operating in Lucan, County Dublin, Ireland who had been managing a profitable small business venture beyond 5 years from beginning operations. The conceptual framework was the competitive theory of entrepreneurial orientation. Data collection included semistructured interviews with the 3 participants, which also involved member checking and triangulation with business documents …


U.S. Military Psychologists' Contemporary Lived Experiences Of Burnout, Rui Heng Babilonia Jan 2017

U.S. Military Psychologists' Contemporary Lived Experiences Of Burnout, Rui Heng Babilonia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, the high level of burnout among military psychologists resulting from contemporary military service is gaining attention. However, there is insufficient knowledge of their lived experiences of burnout. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore burnout, based on the military occupational mental health, military job demand-resources models, and biopsychosocial models. Eleven active duty and prior service military psychologists were recruited for interviews using snowball sampling. The first phase of data analysis employed NVivo software. The second and third phase used the 7-step modified version of the Van Kamm method, resulting in 7 themes and 1 discrepant case. The …