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The Perception Of The Participants Of The Unemployment Relief Program On Employability: A Social Policy Initiative In Trinidad And Tobago, Marsha De Souze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Unemployment Relief Program (URP) has failed to contribute sufficiently to improve employability and reduce unemployment in Trinidad and Tobago. The URP is an active labor market program that aims to alleviate unemployment and stabilize the labor market. Although there have been studies on unemployment programs and policies in Trinidad and Tobago, the gap in the literature revealed a need for adequate labor market research on unemployment policies and programs and their contribution to employability and unemployment. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the URP participants’ perceptions of the program on their employability and unemployment. The …

Asian American Pacific Islander Representation In Middle School Social Studies, Erin Dorothy Mccarthy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, Asian American history has been misrepresented or omitted from the overall narrative of American history in standards, textbooks, and curricula. The problem was that Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) perspectives were missing and underrepresented in the middle school social studies curriculum in Wisconsin. Framed by Ladson-Billings’ culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how middle school social studies teachers integrated the voices of AAPI identities into the curriculum. The research questions probed how middle school teachers met state statutes on including multicultural voices and how they included AAPI perspectives …

Assessing The Influence Of Core Transformational Leadership Style On Job Satisfaction And Organizational Citizenship Behavior In A Rural Healthcare Facility, Bruce Daryl Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The successful application of core transformational leadership (CTL) in healthcare may enhance the quality of patient care and foster a positive and optimistic workforce. As such, CTL may be linked with job satisfaction (JS) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). There was a knowledge gap in understanding CTL’s relation to JS and OCB. In this quantitative study, the influence of the predictor variable CTL on the dependent variables JS and OCB was examined. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provided a theoretical lens for the investigation. The secondary data set included data from 221 participants: 37 physicians, 111 nurses, and 73 other workforce …

School Principals’ Perceptions Of Hiring School Counselors, Wendy Carol Vaughn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School principals are the primary hiring authorities in U.S. K-12 public schools when employing school counselors. Despite the expansion and diversification of schools’ qualifications, characteristics, and roles, there is a gap in knowledge about principals’ hiring perspectives, priorities, and specific criteria. These elements provide vital information for school counseling educational programs and organizational advocacy for hiring school counselors based on current standards and qualifications. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of school principals regarding the hiring of school counselors. Targeting the research question “What are the perceptions of principals interviewing and hiring school counselors …

Prohibitive Factors Of Successful Completion In Rural Drug Courts: A Quantitative Study, Travis Zimmerman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug courts have been heralded as largely successful alternative sentencing programs for criminal drug offenders. While these programs demonstrate their ability to be effective with clients, little insight has been gained into the factors that impact client success and failure. The study utilized data from the Multi-site Adult Drug Court Evaluation (MADCE) to investigate the factors that lead to program failure for participants in drug court. Borrowing from the tenants of generalized strain theorists, the study batched together raw data into four “strain factors,” which were then analyzed to discern any corollary effect between the presence of these strains and …

Burnout, Life Satisfaction, And Meaning-Focused Coping In Correctional Mental Health Providers, Danielle Janet Tsamouris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have found that burnout among correctional mental health providers is related to unique stressors that impact their physical, psychological, and emotional health, including the perceived and actual threat of violence. Using the transactional theory of stress and coping, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of burnout and meaning-focused coping strategies on life satisfaction in correctional mental health providers. Online survey data from 102 master’s-holding correctional mental health professionals were recruited by SurveyMonkey who also administered the survey. Results from a standard multiple regression analysis suggested that meaning-focused coping strategies significantly and positively influenced life …

The Impact Of Functional Disabilities On The Quality Of Life Of Older U.S. Adults, Bernadette Lavender

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among older U.S. adults, functional disabilities are critical determinants of quality of life (QoL), influencing mobility, social engagement, and independence. Despite growing evidence of these impacts, limited research examines how healthcare access, social support, and socioeconomic factors moderate this relationship. This quantitative study explored the effects of functional disabilities on QoL, operationalized through self-reported health, while examining the moderating roles of key social determinants. Using a cross-sectional design, secondary data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were analyzed. The sample included 42,405 participants aged 60 years and above from all 50 states. Multiple regression analyses and ANOVA were employed …

Gender And Age Differences Among Juvenile Homicide Offenders, Amanda Nichole-Wells Jabaay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The involvement of juveniles in homicide-related crimes has been a matter of growing public concern in the United States. Although prior research suggests that boys and girls who kill vary in important ways, there is limited research that has examined gender and age differences among juvenile homicide offender (JHO) characteristics and crime-related variables on a national level, with only eight previous national studies to date. Guided by the social control theory, the purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to explore gender and age differences among JHOs and other crime-related variables on a current national level. Archival data (N = …

The Lived Experiences Of Gay Trafficked And Traumatized Men Seeking Psychological And Forensic Restoration Services, Katreace Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Feminine-centric, heteronormative psychological restoration interventions on gay minority men exposed to trauma and human trafficking are poorly understood. This study includes an analysis of forensics and psychological causal factors retrieved from 6 semi structured interviews with gay minority male psychological services providers. The corroboration of the clinical opinions of the participants and the enrichment of data using database reviews reflected poor treatment outcomes for the gay, minority-men population. The qualitative methodology and thematic analysis framework highlighted oppressive factors of structural intersectionality. This results in heteronormativity gender binaries that misalign with self-identified gender perceptions of gay-minority men exposed to trafficking and …

Postpandemic Perspectives Of Teleassessments In Clinical Psychology, Jacklin B. Cardentey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teleassessments gained prominence as a viable means of conducting psychological assessments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was an exploration of teleassessment use catalyzed by the pandemic, with a focus on the postpandemic era. The aim was to identify the factors influencing perceptions and strategies used in effective postpandemic teleassessment adoption, including factors that influence licensed psychologists’ perceptions of effective teleassessments and strategies adopted to maintain quality practices since face-to-face restrictions were lifted. The significance of this inquiry extended to various stakeholders, including mental health care practitioners, policymakers, and the public, all of whom have a vested …

Effects Of Healthcare Administrators And Icu Nurses’ Perspectives Of Leader Bullying On Work And Physical Six Sigma/Lean Training, Agha Raza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the U.S. government-funded initiatives, public responsiveness, and antibullying legislation to improve healthcare, leadership bullying behavior remains a serious concern in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). The ICU nursing involves high stress levels and hospital work conditions, which lead to bullying behaviors. When ICU nurse leaders do not participate in work and physical Six Sigma/Lean training, they may develop different perceptions of leaders’ bullying behavior compared to those whose leaders participate in this training. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative cross-sectional survey study was to discover any significant relationships between the type of Six Sigma/Lean training (descendant, ascendant, and horizontal) …

The Experience Of Spirituality And Self-Image In Sexually Abused Women, Nereyda Sullins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I explored the role of spirituality and self-image in the healing processes of adult women who have experienced sexual abuse. Using trauma theory as a guiding framework, I sought to understand how survivors engage with spirituality to reconstruct their identities and navigate their recovery. I aimed to contribute to the growing body of literature on trauma recovery by offering insights into the ways survivors integrate spiritual practices and self-perceptions to foster resilience. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to capture the lived experiences of 12 women who had experienced sexual abuse and engaged with spirituality as a coping mechanism. Thematic …

Avoiding Recidivism Of Recently Released Offenders In North Carolina, Josue Genaro Galvez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a problem with recidivism in the North Carolina prison system and the United States. This study fills the gap in the literature by focusing on what life experiences contribute to behaviors in recently released offenders not to reoffend in North Carolina. Edmund Husserl's (1913) Transcendental Phenomenology used several angles of perception and a thematic analysis of the participant’s lived experiences. This study employed a purposive sampling method by targeting 17 participants who may have represented characteristics of the intended population. Researchers do not know what kept these released offenders from avoiding prison. This phenomenological design focused on the …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Teachers' Perceptions Of School Security Measures, Rozetta Michelle Isaac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the lived experiences of six middle school teachers who provided their perceptions of school safety measures at their work locations. This phenomenological qualitative study aimed to examine whether the participants feel safe while at work. The theoretical framework that guided this study was PET (Punctuated Equilibrium Theory) which focuses on policy change over time. Participants were given a survey questionnaire to answer. The survey questionnaire contained open-ended survey questions. The survey was utilized in lieu of in-person interviews (due to COVID -19 restrictions). Participants were asked open-ended questions about their experiences and perceptions regarding school safety measures. …

Minority Stressors As Predictor Variables For Animal Abuse In Lgbtq Same-Sex Relationships With Interpersonal Violence, S Paige Brenner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

LGBTQ individuals face a distinct set of societal issues that can lead to intimate partner violence (IPV) and animal abuse together. Grounded in minority stress theory, the purpose of the study was to reduce animal abuse in LGBTQ male and female same-sex relationships by examining the co-occurrence of internalized homophobia, degree of outness, and IPV. The hypotheses for the study include whether internalized homophobia and degree of outness predict animal abuse in LGBTQ same-sex relationships experiencing IPV. This study was conducted with a population of individuals (N = 149) with inclusion criteria of being 18 years of age or older, …

African American Men’S Perception Of Fear Of A Deadly Encounter With Police During Traffic Stops In Detroit, Delshawn King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative, phenomenological study is an examination of the fear of deadly encounters during traffic stops as experienced by seven African American men in Detroit. This fear is rooted in the historical context of slavery, where laws permitted the use of force to control African Americans. Using the critical race theory framework, the impact of traffic stops on African American men was explored, including how these encounters contribute to fear, psychological distress, and potential escalation of violence in interactions with law enforcement. The study shows that the fear of police encounters significantly impacts the psychological well-being, trust, and security of …

Investigating The Association Between Metabolically Healthy And Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity With Disease, Colleen Marie Cohick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a global health concern, affecting individuals of all ages and ethnicities worldwide. A key factor in health concerns related to obesity is metabolic health: Obese individuals are either metabolically healthy obese or metabolically unhealthy obese, leading to different degrees of risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.. There is a lack of comprehensive research examining the association between metabolic health status among obese individuals and kidney, liver, and stomach diseases. This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted to examine whether metabolic health status is a significant predictor of kidney, liver, and stomach diseases among obese individuals when lifestyle is a …

Enhancing Strategies For Government Partnerships To Meet Organizational Goals And Objectives, Nuela Uche Umeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organization X’s mission to strengthen legal rights and rehabilitate inmates involves effective collaboration with government entities. Organization X struggled to build strong partnerships with government agencies, limiting its ability to provide legal aid and rehabilitation services to marginalized inmates and victims of human rights violations. The purpose of this study was to use a SWOT analysis to explore the challenges and opportunities in government partnerships, aiming to identify barriers and recommend strategies to strengthen collaboration, build staff capacity, and enhance service delivery. Guided by four research questions, the study examined barriers and opportunities in government partnerships. Data were collected through …

Christian Church Leaders’ Perceptions Of Improving Their Congregations’ Self-Efficacy, Well-Being, And Membership, Joseph M. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Declining church membership has reduced congregational engagement, and challenges in fostering self-efficacy and well-being have created significant concerns for Christian church leaders in the United States. Understanding how church leaders perceive and address these challenges is crucial for sustaining faith-based organizations and their impact on communities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the Christian church leaders’ perceptions of improving their congregation’s self-efficacy, well-being, and membership in Westchester, New York. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and Seligman’s theory of well-being grounded this study. The participants comprised 10 Christian church leaders. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Through Braun …

Implementation Of Classroom Technology For Elementary Students With Adhd, Melanie Flemming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is the teacher-reported increase in behavioral problems among students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) since a mandated introduction of educational technology in the classroom aimed at improving student performance. Using the PICRAT (passive, interactive, creative, replacement, amplification, transformation) describes the impact of technology on a teacher's previous practice model as the conceptual scaffold, this study was conducted to explore teachers’ experiences integrating educational technology and any corresponding student behavioral changes in classrooms that include students with ADHD. Following a basic qualitative design, data were collected through semistructured interviews, using a self-designed interview protocol, with …

Successful Strategies Utilized By Business Leaders To Balance Tax Planning With Profitability, Quarnelia Patterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The absence of business tax planning strategies can lead to a higher tax burden. Business owners are concerned because a higher tax burden may result in lower after-tax earnings and reduced cash flow. Grounded in the PESTLE analysis framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore successful strategies that business leaders use to balance tax planning with profitability. The participants were eight small business owners located in the southwest United States who actively engaged in tax planning. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis, nine themes were …

Examining The Impact Of Reentry Programs On The Employability Of African American Ex-Offenders Entering The Workforce In The State Of Michigan, Lawrence Gene Caldwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American ex-offenders in Michigan have faced numerous challenges when trying to secure employment after incarceration. Despite the well-documented difficulties of reintegration, their personal experiences and perceptions of these obstacles remain largely unexplored. Successful reintegration has required individuals to break free from the behaviors and social patterns reinforced during their time in prisons. This generic qualitative study examined the role of reentry programs in addressing these challenges and emphasizes the need to reassess current criminal justice practices to better support formerly incarcerated individuals. This generic qualitative study focused on the employment struggles faced by African American ex-offenders and the broader …

Probation Officers Perceptions Of Probationers Economic Barriers To Successfully Complete Probation In Eastern North Carolina, Dwayne Ponton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored probation officers’ perceptions of the economic barriers that prevent probationers in Eastern North Carolina from successfully completing probation. Challenges such as unemployment, financial sanctions, housing instability, and debt were identified as key obstacles contributing to noncompliance and recidivism. Grounded in Merton’s Strain Theory, the study addressed a gap in research by focusing on the experiences of officers who directly supervise probationers facing economic hardship. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with twelve officers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) What economic barriers prevent probationers from successfully completing …

How The Code Of The Street Contributes To Incarceration Among Black Women, Jennifer Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rising incarceration rates of Black women in the United States highlight the urgent need to examine factors contributing to this trend. This study investigates how Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street influences behaviors that lead to incarceration among Black women in low-resource neighborhoods. Via the social disorganization theory, the research explored how economic instability, weakened social institutions, and community disorder contribute to adopting the street code and how adherence to the code contributes to participants’ incarceration. This qualitative study employed thematic analysis of interviews with 11 formerly incarcerated Black women, focusing on their perceptions regarding how the street code shaped …

Challenges Individuals With Mental Illness Encountered With Reasonable Accommodation After The Implementation Of Title I Of The Americans With Disabilities Act, Kristie Demarco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policy makers often lack information associated with the perspective of those living with mental illness as to whether Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act is working as intended. When considering requests for workplace accommodations, the research literature has focused on the perspective of employers, and the impact on those with physical disabilities, yet few studies considered the impact on individuals with mental illness. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to obtain the perspective of individuals with mental illness who have requested reasonable accommodations. Using a conceptual framework comprised of narrative policy framework and critical disability theory, …

High School Teachers' Perspectives On The Components Of A Quality Online Structure For Remote Learning In Digital And Media Art Classes, James E. Marone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that there were inconsistencies in the research literature and a gap in practice regarding teachers' perspectives on the components of a quality online structure in a digital and media art class during the post-COVID-19 era. Despite evidence of the benefits of remote learning, there was a gap concerning implementation of improved quality online structures. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of digital and media art teachers on their needs for a quality online learning structure in the post-COVID-19 era. The conceptual framework was Davis’s technology acceptance model. …

The Impact Of A National Crisis On Academic Research Productivity: Experiences Of Program And Department Heads In Israel, Emanuel Tamir

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The research examined the impact of a national crisis on the research output of academic program and department heads in Israel, investigating how these leaders functioned in the face of prolonged uncertainty and exploring whether their administrative role resulted in personal costs.

Methods: Data were drawn from interviews with 27 heads; then 133 heads answered a questionnaire.

Results: The findings revealed factors restricting research during the crisis: overload relating to students, overload relating to administration, family difficulties, and inaccessible research infrastructure. Some heads developed successful strategies to sustain their research during the crisis.

Conclusions and Implications: Critical insights into …

Complementary Self-Care Therapies To Self-Manage Endometriosis In Association With Health-Related Quality Of Life, Sarah Cummins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of understanding within the psychological and medical communities on the extent to which endometriosis impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with endometriosis (PWE). This population is understudied in relation to the effects of endometriosis on HRQoL, the various methods used to treat and cope with endometriosis-related symptoms, the influence of self-managing endometriosis on PWE’s HRQoL, or the HRQoL outcomes associated with using nontraditional methods to self-manage endometriosis. As such, there is a lack of knowledge on the extent to which the use of various types of complementary self-care therapies to self-manage endometriosis is …

The Psychological And Social Effects Of Asset Building Among Low-Income Consumers, Al Maurice Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low-income consumers face social and psychological barriers to economic self-sufficiency. This qualitative inquiry aimed to bridge the knowledge gap by examining how social and psychological factors that impede single mothers from achieving economic self-sufficiency. Grounded in Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examined factors influencing single parents’ financial behaviors. The findings supported TPB, showing that financial literacy shapes intentions, perceived control increases with stability, and social norms influence financial behavior. Demographic questionnaires were administered, and structured interviews were conducted with 15 single African American mothers. The data was analyzed using themes, code annotations, and categorical classification. …

An Investigative Analysis Into The Correlation Between Police Department Budgets And Violent Crime Rates., Julie Schwartz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal justice reform and calls to defund the police have become more prevalent since the unrest that occurred in 2020. Research to date has looked at criminal justice reform, crime causation, and discussions surrounding defunding the police. Previous research has looked at police funding conceptually but not from a quantitative lens. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to provide an investigative analysis into police department funding and the effect of the funding on violent crime rates using strain theory as its foundation. The research question addressed the relationship between police department budgets, specifically the criminal investigations unit, and …