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Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention Bundle, Patricia Cal Jan 2015

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention Bundle, Patricia Cal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a serious complication in critically ill patients; it can prolong intubation, increase intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and increase mortality to twice the level of patients who do not develop VAP. The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of an evidence-based educational program to prevent VAP on ICU nurses' actual and documented practices for preventing VAP. The research questions addressed whether an educational program focused on VAP prevention will affect critical care nurses' compliance with a VAP prevention bundle, and whether the education will result in maintenance of a rate …

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The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On The Mathematics Achievement Of High School Students, Keriann Currlin Jan 2015

The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On The Mathematics Achievement Of High School Students, Keriann Currlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant percentage of US students are not reaching expected proficiency on mathematics content. As a response, educators have been urged to use more evidence-based practices; however, due to the lack of readily available strategies, these efforts have been thwarted. In related fields, video modeling (VM) has been successful in teaching behavioral skills through edited video clips that allow target populations to observe models successfully performing featured tasks. Stemming from Bandura's social learning theory, the intent of VM is to increase the frequency of the modeled behavior through observational learning. Despite the many studies that have shown success with VM, …

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Uterine Fibroid Symptom Severity And Impact On Health-Related Quality Of Life Among African American Women, Ilisher Ford Jan 2015

Uterine Fibroid Symptom Severity And Impact On Health-Related Quality Of Life Among African American Women, Ilisher Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A disproportionate number of African American women are at increased risk for uterine fibroid tumors (UF) compared to their Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic counterparts. Researchers have indicated that women diagnosed with UF can have a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL) when compared to women who do not have a diagnosis of UF. The overall aim of this study was to explore the impact of UF symptoms on the HRQOL of African American women. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed utilizing the revised version of Wilson and Cleary's model of HRQOL. A sample was gathered of 80 participants who were …

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An Examination Of The Differential Impact Of University/College Research Emphasis On Levels Of Counselors' Resilience, Erica Ann Handon Jan 2015

An Examination Of The Differential Impact Of University/College Research Emphasis On Levels Of Counselors' Resilience, Erica Ann Handon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counselor resilience is the ability to transform adversity into growth opportunities that become part of the professional's identity and the core values of a counselor. However, researchers have yet to identify why some counselors exhibit higher levels of resilience while others exhibit less. Counselor resilience can be learned and nurtured at any point of an individual's development. The purpose of this study was to examine how differences within the foundational edification of a research-embedded curriculum impact a counselor's level of resilience. Participants included practicing counselors who received their counseling degrees from a 2014 U.S News and World Report (USNWR) Nationally …

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The Influence Of Demographics And Cultural Attitudes On Sexual Orientation Attitudes In African American Adults., Bernadette Dawn Harrell Jan 2015

The Influence Of Demographics And Cultural Attitudes On Sexual Orientation Attitudes In African American Adults., Bernadette Dawn Harrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) are discriminated against in the African American community. Sociodemographics such as income, education, age, and religion/spirituality have been shown to be associated with sexual prejudice. There is limited research on how African American cultural attitudes influence attitudes towards sexual orientation. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which demographic variables and African American cultural attitudes (measured by the African American Acculturation Scale-Revised; AAAS-R) predict attitudes toward sexual orientation in African American adults (measured by the Attitudes towards Lesbians and Gay Men Scale; ATLG). Social identity …

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Impact Of Pretreatment Self-Perceived Quality Of Life On Chronic Pain Patients, Michelle Laird Jan 2015

Impact Of Pretreatment Self-Perceived Quality Of Life On Chronic Pain Patients, Michelle Laird

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers and practitioners have developed new treatment options for chronic pain management based on biopsychosocial models of pain known as interdisciplinary pain management programs (IPMP), which involve interdisciplinary care that integrates physical treatment with emotional, environmental, behavioral, and cognitive interventions. Despite literature documenting the effectiveness of IPMPs, patients find it difficult to obtain authorization for these programs from third party insurance payers. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study was to explore whether a patient's perceived quality of life after injury but prior to treatment will affect his or her success in an IPMP. This study was based in …

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Perceptions Of Empty Nest Mothers From Diverse Socioeconomic Backgrounds With Boomerang Kids, Banning Kent Lary Jan 2015

Perceptions Of Empty Nest Mothers From Diverse Socioeconomic Backgrounds With Boomerang Kids, Banning Kent Lary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, a growing number of young people are failing to launch into self-sufficiency, a characteristic of adulthood recognized by most cultural groups. These "boomerang children" return home and interrupt the life course development of their "empty nest" mothers who must suspend plans for self-development. How mothers from different socioeconomic backgrounds cope with this countertransitional phenomenon while preparing their children for successful relaunch is not well known. Elder's life course paradigm provided the theoretical framework for this phenomenological study. Perceptions were collected from an ethnically diverse group of 23 empty nest mothers with 30 boomerang children and seven …

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Program Evaluation Of A Tutoring Program To Prepare Disenfranchised Students For College, Rhonda Lee Petrini Jan 2015

Program Evaluation Of A Tutoring Program To Prepare Disenfranchised Students For College, Rhonda Lee Petrini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2001, the San Colombano Project has provided the College-Bound Tutoring program for disenfranchised prospective first-generation college students in a southwestern community of the United States. However, an evaluation of the program had never been conducted. The purpose of the study was to conduct a qualitative, responsive program evaluation in a naturalistic setting using a case-study approach with a constructivist lens to create a narrative portrait of the program. Guided by critical race theory, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Wlodkowski's motivational theory, the study explored the effectiveness of the program. Interviews were conducted and archival data were examined to …

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Perceptions Of High School Teachers On Integrating Technology Following Professional Development, Charnice Starks Ray Jan 2015

Perceptions Of High School Teachers On Integrating Technology Following Professional Development, Charnice Starks Ray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers integrate technology to make the learning environment interactive and appealing to students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore perceptions of teachers at one high school working to integrate technology into instruction following participation in professional development. Guided by Dewey's constructivist theory and Mishra and Koehler's technological pedagogical content knowledge model, this study explored teachers' perceptions of pedagogy and technology integration following participation in professional development and the strategies they used to overcome barriers to integrating technology. Twelve purposefully selected high school teachers from English, social studies, mathematics, science, electives, health education, and special education provided …

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Promoting Information Literacy Through Teacher - School Library Media Specialist Collaboration, Pamela Denise Taylor Jan 2015

Promoting Information Literacy Through Teacher - School Library Media Specialist Collaboration, Pamela Denise Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools that support collaboration between teachers and school library media specialists (SLMS) outperform those that do not. Teachers at a rural Georgia middle school were not using the library media program or being trained on how to collaborate with the SLMS to promote student achievement. Guided by Bruner's socioconstructivist theory of learning, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to investigate teachers' experiences with integrating technology and information literacy into the curriculum and to examine the collaborative services the SLMS could provide to enhance integration. Eight teachers in Grades 6th through 8th comprised the sample. Data sources included teacher …

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Cultural Competence In Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Martina Renee Steed Jan 2015

Cultural Competence In Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Martina Renee Steed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For several decades, the field of nursing has focused on the integration of cultural competence content into its prelicensure educational programs. Despite this focus, little is known about the cultural competence of nurses extending their education past initial licensure into an advanced practice nursing specialty, such as nurse anesthesia. Researchers in other fields have found that provider race and previous cultural competence training are associated with higher levels of cultural competence. This research, guided by the culture care diversity and universality theory, sought to determine the relationship between the two subscales, Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity (CAS) and the Cultural Competence …

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Health Education To Decrease Obesity In Adolescents With Asthma, Mitzie Eumarie Thomas Jan 2015

Health Education To Decrease Obesity In Adolescents With Asthma, Mitzie Eumarie Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity increases asthma severity and is costing the health care industry a significant amount of money. Decreasing adolescents' obesity will decrease the risk for chronic health problems, which can have a significant impact in adulthood. Implementing a school-based health education program can decrease the prevalence of obesity amongst adolescents. This program will be implemented by school nurses in the after-school program at Public School 59 (P.S) in New York City. The purpose of this project is to develop adolescents' school-based obesity prevention policies and documentation which will focus on increasing their nutrition education, increasing physical activities, and providing skills to …

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Southeastern United States' Parental Perspectives To Promote Adolescent Sleep Health, Steven Mark Tompa Jan 2015

Southeastern United States' Parental Perspectives To Promote Adolescent Sleep Health, Steven Mark Tompa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many U.S. adolescents suffer from sleep disorders. Although poor sleep habits may contribute to health issues, less is known about how parental perspectives influence sleep health in adolescents. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to address a knowledge gap in understanding parental views to promote better sleep habits in adolescents. The blended theoretical framework included the theories of caring science, social learning, advocacy paradigm, and repair and restoration of sleep. Twenty parents in the Southeastern United States participated in open-ended interviews. Research questions were designed to elicit parental perspectives about recognizing unhealthy sleep habits, improving daily sleep health …

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Implementing Change: How, Why, And When Teachers Change Their Classroom Practices, Diane Beth Van Bodegraven Jan 2015

Implementing Change: How, Why, And When Teachers Change Their Classroom Practices, Diane Beth Van Bodegraven

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher implementation of school reforms varies widely and often results in inconsistent student outcomes. Teachers adopt or resist change for complex reasons that are not fully understood. This qualitative study explored how veteran teachers described their experiences with school reform and changes in classroom practices that occurred over the course of their careers; it also examined factors that teachers identified as having positive and negative influences on their adoptions of change. The conceptual framework was based on Senge's systems theory as applied to learning organizations and Goleman's emotional intelligence theory. The research questions focused on: (a) How veteran teachers described …

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Marketing Strategies Of Mobile Game Application Entrepreneurs, Talaya Waller Jan 2015

Marketing Strategies Of Mobile Game Application Entrepreneurs, Talaya Waller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mobile game application entrepreneurs can offer many benefits to the U.S. economy; however, 80% of the entrepreneurs in this study stated that marketing their mobile applications was a major business challenge. Successful strategies that entrepreneurs have used to overcome their mobile game application marketing challenges may be beneficial to other entrepreneurs. Based on Schumpeter's theory of economic development and new value creation of technological innovation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the strategies that entrepreneurs have used to market their mobile game application development businesses successfully. Twenty mobile game application entrepreneurs from northern California, who successfully sustained …

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Public-Police Relations: Officers' Interpretations Of Citizen Contacts, Donal Alfred Hardin Jan 2015

Public-Police Relations: Officers' Interpretations Of Citizen Contacts, Donal Alfred Hardin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perceptual differences in how citizens and police view police-initiated contacts can result in individual and communal tension, mistrust, and social strife, which complicate the relationships needed in order to thrive and promote safe environments. To examine how police officers interpret these contacts, this case study sought to explore the nature of citizen-police relations from the perspective of police officers in a city in the northwest part of the United States. Social contract and procedural justice theories were used to examine the circumstances that officers cited for taking enforcement actions, including operational definitions of police fairness and legitimacy from the Queensland …

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A Mixed Method Study Of Diagnostic And Adaptive Functioning Challenges In African American Preschool-Aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Douglene Jackson Jan 2015

A Mixed Method Study Of Diagnostic And Adaptive Functioning Challenges In African American Preschool-Aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Douglene Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known to experience performance and participation challenges, with early diagnosis being critical for improved outcomes. Children from ethnic minority backgrounds tend to receive their diagnoses later, even when symptomatology is similar. This mixed methods study explored symptom severity, functional difficulties, and age at diagnosis for ASD and to describe the functional challenges encountered by preschool-aged children with ASD of African American descent. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health along with the Model of Human Occupation were the theories used for this study to conceptualize functional challenges and other potential factors. Research …

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Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald Jan 2015

Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology integration continues to be a professional development concern, especially in elementary schools. It remains unclear why there is a difference between how teachers talk about using technology and how they apply it in teaching reading. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development options that would help teachers connect theory to practice by studying their decision-making process. The conceptual framework was based on elements of the knowing-doing gap and reflective practices. The research questions explored (a) the decision-making process, (b) reflective practices used during decision-making, (c) professional development that facilitates closing the knowing-doing gap, and (d) recommendations …

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Planning A Smoking Cessation Program In A Mental Health Hospital, Victoria Omuson Jan 2015

Planning A Smoking Cessation Program In A Mental Health Hospital, Victoria Omuson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence of smoking among mentally ill people is very high. Smokers have a 50%, rate of mental illness diagnosis compared with 23% rate for general population. To address this problem, the purpose of this project was to plan a smoking cessation program for patients in a mental health facility. The theoretical foundation for this project was based on the theory of planned behavior, which identifies the predictive nature of smoking and the benefits that can be derived from implementing a systematic approach for change. The project question examined the effectiveness of smoking cessation program using educational support, pharmacological strategies, …

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Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike Jan 2015

Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Epidemiologic surveillance indicates an increased susceptibility to obesity among children with special health care needs (SHCN) in comparison to children without. The present study investigated this disparity in weight severity between both groups, with a focus on the provision of obesity management counseling by physicians. This study consisted of a retrospective medical record review that acknowledged the effect of patient-provider interactions on health behaviors and risk perceptions. An independent sample t test compared the incidence of clinician-initiated obesity management counseling received by children with SHCN to that which was received by children without SHCN. This t test revealed a statistically …

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Media Literacy Education Exposure Related To Self-Esteem, Body Esteem, And Sociocultural Ideals In College Students And Graduates, Tammy Stargardt Jan 2015

Media Literacy Education Exposure Related To Self-Esteem, Body Esteem, And Sociocultural Ideals In College Students And Graduates, Tammy Stargardt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of eating disorders (ED) in the United States has increased while the media consistently presents thinner representations of the body. Scholars have found media to negatively influence factors associated with the development of EDs. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional survey design study was to explore relationships between exposure levels to MLE and self-esteem, body esteem, and the internalization societal appearance ideals. Participants included undergraduate students or recent graduates majoring in either communications or an alternative major with comparatively less MLE curriculum. The Body Esteem Scale, Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Surveys were …

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The Perceptions Of Adults 35 And Older On Online Learning, Hector Alvarez Trujillo Jan 2015

The Perceptions Of Adults 35 And Older On Online Learning, Hector Alvarez Trujillo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study examined the level of satisfaction among a group of adults ages 35 years and older enrolled in an online education program (OLEP) in a university in Puerto Rico. Although the current literature revealed that adult students 35 years and older are the fastest growing population enrolling in online college education programs in Puerto Rico, prior satisfaction studies conducted by this institution did not focus on this population. The theoretical framework of this study was guided by Holsapple and Lee's Post e-learning success model. The goal of this study was to understand students' satisfaction with the online …

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Content Analysis Of Archetypal Portrayal Of Females In Picture Books Read In Preschool Classrooms, Karen Lynn Ellefsen Jan 2015

Content Analysis Of Archetypal Portrayal Of Females In Picture Books Read In Preschool Classrooms, Karen Lynn Ellefsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Literature that depicts females in restrictive roles may limit girls' aspirations and success. Previous studies of award-winning books for young children have found gender-stereotypical role portrayal to be common. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to identify the archetypal roles assigned to female characters in picture books read aloud by teachers in the preschool classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was derived from feminist theory and Jungian archetypes. Data were collected in the form of teachers' logs of books they read aloud over a 2-week period. Data were analyzed by employing the 3-read method developed by Madsen, …

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An Examination Of Social Support, Contentment With Life And Time Spent In An Assisted Living Setting., Rebecca Esliker Jan 2015

An Examination Of Social Support, Contentment With Life And Time Spent In An Assisted Living Setting., Rebecca Esliker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policies at assisted living facilities should be designed to develop high quality social relationships among older persons that could increase the contentment of the residents. Despite the broad consensus on this mission, the role of social support in the perceived contentment of assisted living facility residents has not been adequately explored. Using social network theory as the framework for this study, the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether (a) perceived level of social support was related to perceived level of contentment with life among assisted living facility residents, (b) the length of time spent in the facility …

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The Relationship Between Social Intelligence And Hearing Loss, Deborah Finken Jan 2015

The Relationship Between Social Intelligence And Hearing Loss, Deborah Finken

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an exploration of adults with long-term hearing loss (LTHL) and how it may relate to social intelligence (SI) proficiency. The outcome of this study was intended to illuminate a gap in the literature, namely, the manner in which those with long-term LTHL were able to understand social situations and communicate with others when auditory comprehension was limited. A quantitative nonexperimental method was used that provided the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS) to a group of 66 adults with LTHL who were diagnosed with hearing loss as children, as well as a group of 70 adults with no …

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Physician Assistants' Preventive Medicine Practices And Related Habits, Attitudes, And Beliefs, Judia Yael Malachi Jan 2015

Physician Assistants' Preventive Medicine Practices And Related Habits, Attitudes, And Beliefs, Judia Yael Malachi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physician assistants play a pivotal role in expanding access to care, yet research on their preventive medicine practices is limited. Guided by Lewis's conceptual model for predicting counseling practices, this cross-sectional study examined the relationship between physician assistants' preventive medicine practices, personal health habits, prevention and counseling attitudes, and perceived barriers to the delivery of clinical preventive services. A 104-item self-administered survey was used to collect data from 314 physician assistants attending the American Academy of Physician Assistants' 42nd Annual Conference. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression. Results indicated that physician assistants engaged in …

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Military Enlistment: The Motivations Of Former Military Personnel Coming From Single-Parent Homes, Jada Amber Philips Jan 2015

Military Enlistment: The Motivations Of Former Military Personnel Coming From Single-Parent Homes, Jada Amber Philips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine how the single-parent home environment, together with other demographic attributes like socioeconomic status, influenced young adults' decisions to enlist in the military. Adolescents transitioning into adulthood are often faced with the choices of what to do after high school, such as whether or not to join the military. Previous studies on youth enlistment in the military do not address in-depth the question of why they enlist or their motivating factors. Interviews via face-to-face, over the phone or via Skype, were conducted with 9 participants between the ages of 25-35 years who were …

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Socioeconomic Challenges Faced By African American Men Entering The Information Technology Industry, Melvin Smith Jan 2015

Socioeconomic Challenges Faced By African American Men Entering The Information Technology Industry, Melvin Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men experience impediments when entering the field of Information Technology (IT), which may portend the disappearance of this ethnic group from the technology-driven work force of the future. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the socioeconomic factors faced by African American men from their own viewpoints. With this goal in mind, three research questions were studied focusing on the availably of IT resources; the quality of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based education; and existing hiring practices within the IT industry. The conceptual framework for this study was the critical theory perspective, which provided …

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Technological Change And Employee Motivation In A Telecom Operations Team, Samuel Ogbonnaya Ude Jan 2015

Technological Change And Employee Motivation In A Telecom Operations Team, Samuel Ogbonnaya Ude

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some managers view innovative product development and convenient service delivery as necessary to business survival. However, unmotivated employees might negate any gains from the use of innovation. The purpose of this correlational study, grounded in diffusion of innovation theory, was to assess the relationship between creativity and support for innovation, resistance to change, and organizational commitment and employee motivation. A random sample of 81 information technology (IT) professionals from telecom service centers completed an online survey. Simultaneous multiple linear regression was the statistical technique used to analyze these data. The results indicated a poor model with low R2 to significantly …

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Witnessing Parental Domestic Violence And Young Girls' Dating Relationships, Brinda Kay Mckinney Jan 2015

Witnessing Parental Domestic Violence And Young Girls' Dating Relationships, Brinda Kay Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence afflicts people regardless of ethnicity, socio-economically status, age, or gender. Too often, girls enter and remain in abusive relationships, despite the trauma and risks of doing so. Using Roy's theory of adaptation, this study explored the effect of witnessing inter-parental violence on girls' experiences of physical violence or sexual abuse in their dating relationships. Original data collection occurred at a Midwestern U.S. university via e-mail using questions adapted from the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey Surveillance System. The study used 526 responses from female participants who self-disclosed if they had or had not witnessed inter-parental violence for categorical …

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