Digital Commons Network^™

Genome-Wide Association Study On The Sleep Symptom Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tammy Pooler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that presents with 3 main symptoms're-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyper arousal'after an individual experiences a traumatic event. Recent evidence suggests a potential genetic basis for PTSD and a sub symptom of hyper arousal, sleep, as a potential pathway for PTSD development, but no study has identified candidate genes associated with specific symptoms such as sleep difficulty. Based on a conceptual framework in which specific genes are associated with the onset of PTSD, this study used a genome-wide association

study (GWAS) method with a case control study design to compare the genomes of individuals …

The Predictors Of Obesity In Young Adults, Dominic Richard Tarinelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is becoming an increasing health concern for young adults. There have been numerous studies on the potential predictors of obesity. However, few studies have researched the predictors of obesity in young adults. Guided by the health belief model, this quantitative cross sectional study investigated the potential predictors of obesity in young adults. The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to gather data on the potential predictors of obesity, including physical activity, health care coverage, excessive alcohol consumption, and demographic characteristics on 1,511 young adults, aged 18-34 years, who were living in New York State. Data were analyzed …

Teacher Interventions Based On Childhood Bullying Experiences, Marcia Rushin Teemer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Guided by Premack and Woodruff's theory of the mind and Bandura's social learning theory, this qualitative study examined the issue of bullying at school, and whether teachers' childhood experiences of bullying had effects on how they, as adults, handled bullying situations in their classrooms. Convenience sampling was used to administer the Bauman, Rigby, and Hoppa Handling Bullying Questionnaire to 22 middle school educators with three or more years of teaching experience at the participating school, to determine their responses to bullying scenarios. Twelve educators completed the questionnaire. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed for frequencies of responses. Teachers' responses …

Black Online, Doctoral Psychology Graduates' Academic Achievement: A Phenomenological Self-Directed Learning Perspective, Cathy Q. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Guided by the conceptual framework of self-directed learning and culture, this study investigated the effectiveness of Title IV private, for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs). Little research has examined this topic, which is problematic considering the disproportionate rate of student loan defaults experienced by Black FPCU borrowers. A phenomenological design was used to explore the meaning of academic achievement for Black doctorate recipients who attained a doctorate in psychology through an FPCU. This study specifically examined how Black students experience the completion of doctoral psychology programs at 2 FPCUs and what factors contributed to these students finishing their degrees. A unique-criterion-purposive …

Effects Of An Online Skills Program On Ela Achievement Among Ged Students, Gwendolyn Amanda Flowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

K-12 schools are more commonly using online learning to supplement traditional classroom learning. Previous online adult education researchers have found no significant differences between traditional and online learning outcomes. However, little research has been done with regard to online General Educational Development (GED)-level learning for adults. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the effect of the Skills Tutor program compared with traditional learning on GED student achievement in reading/language arts. The Skills Tutor program was used as a means to address the low GED graduation rates at an adult education program through Memphis City Schools. This research …

Enhancing Quality Of Life: The Effects Of Positive Cognitions, Claudine Antoniette Gerald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enhancing Quality of Life:

The Effects of Positive Cognitions

by

Claudine Antoniette Gerald

M.S., Walden University, 2009

B.S., Florida Atlantic University, 2002

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

General Psychology

Walden University

August 2015

The purpose of this study was to test the nature of the relationship among cognitive factors to determine quality of life in a sample of 180 adult internet users. Theories of the positive psychology paradigm, salutogenesis, dynamic equilibrium model, family systems, and family resilience theories were the bases for examining the relative significance of the cognitive factors, …

Impact Of Goodwill Organizations And Community Collaboration On Aids-Orphans' Needs In Nyanza Province, Kenya, Anthonia Nwagbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A number of researchers have explored the toll of AIDS on the children who have become orphans as a result of the disease; others have investigated the roles of aid-giving agencies on the alleviation of the orphans' situation. However, despite researchers' pointing to the germaneness of community and goodwill agency liaison, no study had examined the impact of such collaboration on the resources available to the orphans. To this end, the heads-of-household of 532 AIDS orphans under 18 years old in Kenya's Nyanza province were surveyed to investigate the impact of community-referral on the state of AIDS orphans with regard …

The Association Between Online Risk Behaviors And Real Life Sexual Behaviors Among African American Female Adolescents, Nicole Rankine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increased exposure to the sexual content of traditional mass media (i.e., television, magazines, movies, music) affects real life sexual behaviors among adolescents. Engaging in online risk behaviors such as sharing/posting sexual content using social networking sites, cellphones, smartphones, IPads, or other new media devices has become common among adolescents. The purpose of this quantitative, correlation study, based upon the theory of reasoned action and three pre-existing national surveys, was to determine whether significant associations exist between attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to online risk behaviors and real life sexual behaviors among African American female adolescents in Metro Atlanta. Data …

Relationship Between Organizational Commitment And Turnover Intentions Among Healthcare Internal Auditors, Mouhamadou Thile Sow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insufficient auditing staff has become a challenge facing internal auditing in the healthcare industry. Auditors' turnover rates range from 13.4% to 46.6% in the United States based on the type of organization. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between affective commitment, continuance commitment, normative commitment, and turnover intention among auditors. Self-determination theory of motivation was the theoretical framework for examining the employee turnover problem. A random sample of 92 internal auditors was administered the TCM Employee Commitment Survey and Turnover Intention Scales. The model as a whole was able to significantly predict turnover intentions, F(3, …

Racism Vs. Social Capital: A Case Study Of Two Majority Black Communities, Bruce W. Strouble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Several researchers have identified social capital as a means to improve the social sustainability of communities. While there have been many studies investigating the benefits of social capital in homogeneous White communities, few have examined it in Black homogeneous communities. Also, there has been limited research on the influence of racism on social capital in African American communities. In this dissertation a comparative case study was used within a critical race theory framework. The purpose was to explore the role of racial oppression in shaping social capital in majority African American communities. Data were collected from 2 majority Black communities …

Women And Thyroid Disease: Treatment Experiences And The Doctor-Patient Relationship, Laura J. Mccormick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thyroid disease, a chronic illness, affects nearly 200 million people worldwide and is more common among women than in men. Numerous factors make diagnosing and treating thyroid disease in women challenging. The standard blood test for diagnosing thyroid disease and determining treatment effectiveness is inconsistent in its accuracy. Many women with thyroid disease are misdiagnosed or struggle with symptoms even once receiving treatment. Although thyroid disease is highly prevalent among women and the doctor-patient relationship is known to influence treatment outcomes, there is a gap in the literature regarding the treatment experiences of women with thyroid disease and the doctor-patient …

Effect Of Neighborhood Features On Bmi Of African American Adolescents In South Los Angeles, Francisca Omelogo Obiora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a major national and worldwide public health crisis. The occurrence of childhood obesity, caused to large extent by an imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure, has increased in the last 30 years. Although the prevalence of obesity has stabilized in recent years, it remains a top public health concern in the United States, especially in urban centers. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between diet, physical activity, and the built environment in relation to the mean body mass index (BMI) of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years living in South Los Angeles, …

An Outcome Evaluation Of An Evidenced-Based Leadership Framework On Nursing Retention In A Tertiary Medical Center, Robbie Gail Robbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An evidence-based leadership (EBL) framework is an intervention designed to facilitate organizational changes such as the reduction of nursing turnover and the improvement of nursing job enjoyment. This project provides an overview of the effect of nursing turnover on an organization, presents the components of the EBL framework, and provides an evaluation of the influence of EBL on nursing turnover and job enjoyment. The EBL framework provided a method for reducing variance in leadership skill and behavior by outlining specific methods necessary to reduce inconsistency. The project objective was to determine if the implementation of an EBL framework for 820 …

Impact Of Environmental And Individual Risk Factors On Pregnant And Parenting Teenagers, Lakeasha Thrasher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teenage pregnancy is both a social and a public health problem in the United States, with approximately 750,000 young women between the ages of 15 and 19 becoming pregnant each year. In addition, teen pregnancy is more prevalent in the African American (15%) and Hispanic (14%) communities than it is in White communities (5%). The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors contributing to teen pregnancy among racially diverse teenagers 15 to 19 years of age living in the rural south. This study, guided by social cognitive theory, used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to determine whether living …

Sport Participation, Gender Schema, Athletic Identity, And Internalized Homophobia In Lesbian Women, Renee Barragan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lesbian athletes face criticism and discrimination from coaches, fans, and society. Researchers have suggested that female sport is stigmatized due to perceived masculinity and homosexuality, causing athletes to focus on heterosexual and feminine behaviors. The dichotomy of athleticism and femininity in sports has been extensively studied in the heterosexual population. However, the impact of the overt discrimination and pressure to conform to societal standards of femininity and heterosexuality has not been studied in lesbians. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study utilizing survey design was to examine the relationship among sport participation, gender schema, athletic identity, and internalized homophobia. A …

The Relationship Between Science Curriculum Aligned To Common Core State Standards And Scientific Literacy, Amber Lee Struthers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supporting the development of scientifically literate students is a priority in public school education, and understanding how that development is influenced by the Common Core State Standards is vital to quality science education. However, little quantitative research has been conducted about how the Common Core State Standards impact science education. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine how the alignment of science curriculum and instruction to the Common Core English Language Arts State Standards impacts the development of students' scientific literacy skills. Bybee's framework for scientific literacy provided the theoretical framework. Participants included 7 middle school students in …

Conducting A Needs Assessment At Outpatient Medical Clinic, Fidelia Ijeuru Ukah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States and confronting its challenges has remained a problem to the United States health sector, especially among outpatient clinics. Guided by health belief model, the purpose of this needs assessment was to identify patients age 50 and older in outpatient clinic located in a large metropolitan city in Texas who should receive information on the need for colorectal cancer screening based on their risk for developing colorectal cancer as outlined by American Cancer Society. A sample of 70 charts of patients age 50-75 years was randomly selected and …

Lived Experiences Of Attorneys Who Represent Transgender Clients In Prison Placement, Heidi Jo Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that there are no formal guidelines for placing convicted transgender felons in the United States in correctional facilities and addressing their post-placement medical care and treatment. The problem is that inappropriate placement may lead to the discrimination of transgender offenders; it may also put them in situations that threaten their safety. Attorneys are legal advocates assigned to defend and protect the rights of their clients during the trial and sentencing phase when correctional placement is determined. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of attorneys who represent transgender clients during the …

The Effect Of A Culture Of Safety On Patient Throughput, Laurie Lee Dawn Dillon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a national movement to create improvements in patient safety and outcomes due to evolutionary changes in the healthcare. Many health care organizations are using the framework of a culture of safety in order to create a reliable and stable work environment that emphasizes safety and improves patient outcomes. Patient throughput, defined as the active management of the supply of patient beds (rooms for occupation) to the demand of patients to beds and the length of time it takes for this action to occur, has been identified as one of the areas in need of improvement. This study considered …

Race/Ethnicity, Diet, And Physical Activity Behavior Among College Students, Ronda Herbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scarce knowledge exists about the lifestyle of college students from heterogeneous racial/ethnic backgrounds and how race/ethnicity may influence their diet and physical activity behaviors. College students, especially those who are members of minority groups, are at risk for unhealthy lifestyles resulting in negative health outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the role of racial diversity on dietary and physical activity habits. The study was guided by social cognitive theory, and the research questions examined the relationship between race/ethnicity on diet and physical activity in a multiracial ethnic population. The study research design was a quantitative cross-sectional …

Effect Of Sleep On Vigilance, Short-Term Memory, And Learning In College Students, Ayesha Uddin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite years of research supporting a link between sleep and cognitive functioning, little research has focused on the effect of sleep on cognitive factors in the college population. According to the trace reactivation hypothesis, sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation and learning. Cognitivism further indicates that the processing of information is limited when sleep is restricted. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of sleep on vigilance, short-term memory, and learning; an additional goal was to test whether these variables influence grade point average (GPA). Sleep and GPA data were collected using self-report questionnaires. …

Hiv Stigma Within Religious Communities In Rural India, Krutarth J. Vyas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of HIV/AIDS-related stigma within religious communities in rural Gujarat, India. This study used the hidden distress model of HIV stigma and the HIV peer education model as conceptual frameworks to examine a rural population sample of 100 participants. Regression analysis was conducted to test if school education had a moderating effect on the relationship between illness as punishment for sin (IPS) and HIV stigma. Religiosity was tested for mediating effects on the relationship between early religious involvement (ERI) and HIV stigma. The results of this study indicated that single unemployed men …

Chlamydia Trachomatis And Neisseria Gonorrhoeae: Impact Of Health Literacy On Prevalence, Patricia Alice Abshier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of dollars are spent each year on preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), yet the rates of chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) and neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) infection continue to be high. Health literacy and its impact have been recognized in diabetes maintenance, control of hypertension, medical adherence, and reproductive health outcomes, yet no research has been conducted regarding the relationship between health literacy and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence. This study examined the relationship between health literacy scores and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence health literacy scores and reproductive health/STD knowledge, and reproductive health/STD knowledge and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence. Participants included 114 women …

The Severity Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Hypertension Among Middle Aged Asians, Michel Juson Benin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the prevalence rate of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as an independent variable in association with hypertension as an outcome. Studies conducted outside of the United States suggest that differences in craniofacial features among middle-aged Asians increase the prevalence of OSA in comparison to Caucasians with similar age and lower BMI. No similar study had been conducted in the United States. The sufficient component cause theory guided this study and was able to describe the association between OSA and hypertension among middle-aged Asians. The objective of this cross sectional retrospective study was to determine the prevalence rate of …

Screening For Peripheral Artery Disease, Cheryl Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 8 to 10 million Americans, and the incidence of PAD is expected to increase as the population ages. A high percentage of the PAD is undiagnosed prior to the onset of a serious cardiovascular event; therefore, the inability to screen and diagnose for PAD in the early stages could hinder efforts to decrease adverse consequences of cardiovascular disease. Individuals with PAD have a 3 to 5 times increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality when compared to people without PAD. Guided by the Stetler model, the purpose of this project was to evaluate the relationship …

Counselor Supervisors' Perceptions Of Tertiary Trauma, Eric David Jett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vicarious trauma impacts counselors in various ways: by diminishing their feelings of importance in the profession, hindering their completion of adequate work with clients, and negatively affecting their personal life choices. Although numerous qualitative and quantitative studies have been conducted on vicarious trauma over the past 20 years, there is a rarity of research investigating the implications of trauma for counseling supervisors. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of tertiary trauma among 11 counselor supervisors from Oklahoma and Missouri who were providing active supervision. This study was approached through a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. …

Relationship Between Product Quality And Customer Satisfaction, Albert Vitales Cruz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimated that over 35,000 people died in U.S. traffic accidents. About 3.8 million traffic crash injuries requiring medical attention occurred in 2013, and the number of deaths was about the same over the last 5 years. The NSC found that product recalls, car repairs, injuries, and deaths were due to unsafe product designs or inferior product quality. These statistics underscore the challenge of producing quality vehicles while satisfying customers. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine relationships among product (vehicle) quality, product cost, product safety, and consumer satisfaction. The hypotheses inquired the extent …

Comparison In Personality Profiles Between Child Abusers Versus Child Neglectors, Jodi R. Cuneo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children who suffered parental abuse or neglect can be returned home if their safety can be ensured following offender treatment. However, some caregivers will continue to abuse or neglect their children upon return home, leading to additional treatment, state involvement, and harm to the child. This study assessed personality differences between child abusers and neglectors who were caregivers by applying a binary logistical regression analysis to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) scores sampled from archival data for 215 caregivers. Analysis showed that the abusers had statistically significant higher scores on the F Scale ('Faking Bad'), but significantly …

High School Visual Art Students' Perceptions Of Creativity, Jacqueline B. Henson-Dacey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When high school art teachers do not understand how their students experience creativity, studio art programs are less effective in fostering student learning than they would otherwise be. Nevertheless, extant research does not reveal a consistent or comprehensive understanding of how adolescents experience creativity in art education. Drawing on Csikszentmihalyi's theory of creativity and flow, this study explored students' perceptions of creativity and its relationship to flow, or the state of consciousness associated with optimal pleasure. This phenomenological study investigated students' perceptions of creativity and flow by interviewing nine high school advanced placement students in a public high school in …

Marketing Strategies For Profitability In Small Independent Restaurants, Wanda Y. Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The restaurant industry is the second largest employer in the United States; however, only 33% of restaurants are successful during the first 3 years of operation. The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to determine what marketing strategies small independent restaurant owners need for profitability. Aaker's brand equity model was the conceptual framework used to ground this study. Using a purposeful criterion sampling technique and semistructured interviews, 12 individuals (2 managers and 2 employees from 3 restaurants in Philadelphia) participated in the study. Data collected from interviews and archival business records were analyzed to generate themes, also allowing …