Digital Commons Network^™

Voice Over Internet Protocol (Voip), Video Games, And The Adolescent's Perceived Experience, Geoffrey J. Nugent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Video games are an everyday experience for adolescents and have changed how adolescents interact with one another. Prior research has focused on positive and negative aspects of video game play in general, without distinguishing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIPing) as the mode of play. Grounded in entertainment theory, motivational theory, and psychological distress theory, this cross-sectional, correlational study examined the relationship between VOIPing and quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory), Yee's motivation to play video games, and resilience (Child and Youth Resilience Measure). A series of linear regression and multivariate canonical correlation models analyzed self-report responses of 103 …

Modelling Risk Management In Banks: Examining Why Banks Fail?, Daniel Onyebuchi Okehi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistent bank failures in the Nigerian financial system have been a major concern of the government, depositors, shareholders, and the general public because of the important roles banks play in the economy. The aim of this research was to determine why there have been persistent bank failures in Nigeria and to investigate whether ineffective risk management in banks, coupled with poor corporate governance practices and nonadherence to regulations (independent variables), play a significant role in the banks' performance(dependent variable). The variables were operationalized by taking VaR as the proxy for risk management, having CRO as proxy for ERM , …

Resource Control Or Terrorism: Competing Perspectives On The Conflict In The Niger Delta Region, Nigeria., Peter Ogoegbunem Opone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A state of conflict has existed in the Niger Delta for fifty years. The nature of the conflict, whether it is terrorism or civil insurrection, has not been resolved by the respective legislative entities. This qualitative case study was designed to explore the nature of the Niger Delta conflict from the perspective of several members of the Nigerian National Assembly and determine whether terrorism in Nigeria is related to the general conflict. Social conflict theory provided the basis for the exploration. An ancillary question explored whether antiterrorism legislation in 2006 alleviated the Niger Delta conflict. Interview data were collected from …

Collaborative Trust: A Case Study Of Trust Evolution In A Public/Nonprofit Partnership, Maria Stella Odumodu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of trust between nonprofit organizations and the communities in which they are located is a well-documented problem in the academic literature. The nature of this mistrust is far less understood, and little is known how community-nonprofit collaborations can overcome these gaps in trust. Guided by Simmel's theory of trust, this study examined the role of collaborative trust between public and non-profit organizations with a focus on better understanding how trust evolves. The research questions focused on how trust was defined and the factors that enhanced and inhibited trust evolution within the context of collaborations between nonprofit organizations and communities. …

Understanding Distinctive Beliefs And Perceptions About Depression Among Haitian Men, Darlyne Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of 2010, depression was the second most serious disorder among developed nations. Historically, African Americans, Latinos, and people of Caribbean descent have underutilized mental health services and have therefore been underrepresented in such statistics. Investigation into depression among Haitian men, from a Western or a non-Western cultural perspective, has been sparse in the literature. Bandura's social learning theory and Mahalik's biopsychosocial framework provided the theoretical foundation for this investigation. The purpose of this quantitative analysis was to explore the relationship between levels of depression in Haitian men related to restrictive emotionality, self-reliance, subjective masculine stress, spiritual well-being, and length …

Role Conflict And Nonsexual Boundary Violations Among Correctional Officers, Ronald M. Ruggiero

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Role Conflict and Nonsexual Boundary Violations Among Correctional Officers

by

Ronald Ruggiero

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Human Service--Criminal Justice

Walden University

May 2014

Abstract

Despite the growing presence of prisons in American society, little is known about challenges experienced in the job performed by correctional officers (COs); specifically, no research has investigated how their intermediary status between inmates and prison management can result in role conflict. This descriptive case study explored role conflict among 10 retired CO's and the presence of inmates who enter prison with a high public …

Developing A Lifestyle Modification Toolkit To Prevent And Manage Hypertension Among African American Women, Julia Ugochi Ugorji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension is a global public health issue affecting many people in the United States. African American women remain the highest in percentage by race and ethnicity for developing hypertension with poor risk awareness. Hypertension has costly implications for the health care system. Through lifestyle modifications in the form of a nutrition plan called Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension and increased physical activity, hypertension could be prevented. Among African Americans, the incidence of hypertension increases in their late thirties. The purpose of the project was to develop a toolkit of resources for African American women between the ages of 20 to …

Nontraditional Hispanic College Students' Perceptions Of Their Sense Of Belonging At A 2-Year College In Southwest Texas, Ronald Eugene Zawacki-Maldonado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand how a sense of belonging contributes to graduation persistence among nontraditional Hispanic college students. The collectivist culture among these adult learners often results in family and work obligations that curtail their pursuit of higher education. The voices of these students are mostly absent in the current literature and warrant the current research study. Sense of belonging and retention theory formed the conceptual framework for this phenomenological study. A purposeful sample of 16 nontraditional Hispanic students enrolled in a 2-year community college in Southwest Texas participated in interviews. Data analysis focused on themes …

Diminishing Incontinence In Long-Term Care Using Electronic Health Records, Catherine Rodgers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urinary incontinence affects up to 70% of residents living in a long-term care facility and can affect their quality of life. Specifically, urinary incontinence has a direct impact on older adults in regards to self-esteem, pressure ulcer development, falls, urinary tract infections, and psychosocial wellbeing. The goal of this quality improvement pilot project was to determine if an electronic health record (EHR) assessment tool could help older adults remain continent longer and assist in maintaining an independent lifestyle. Orem's self-care deficit theory and social cognitive theory were used to determine how the electronic health record incontinence template could be used …

The Evaluation Of An Environmental Leadership And Service Program's Effectiveness, Roberta Harlow Mcfarland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to a recent report from the National Center for Educational Statistics, approximately 20% of the United States' high-school aged population is at risk of dropping out of high school, an outcome that strongly limits participation in economic and educational opportunities. The importance of earning a high school diploma has increased many local districts' efforts to close graduation gaps across the student population. Accordingly, this study evaluated a recuperative environmental leadership and service (EL&S) program in a northwestern local district to ascertain its effectiveness in providing at-risk students the personal and academic support required for high school graduation. Following the …

Teaching And Learning With Smart Board Technology In Middle School Classrooms, Elizabeth Lewis Pourciau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions have been spent in the Southern Gulf Coast states on equipping classrooms with Smart Board/interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology without an implementation plan for effective usage in lesson design and without teachers knowing how to best use these boards. The purpose of this project study was to explore the challenges and barriers that teachers face while using their IWB. Framed by the theories of adoption of technology within the K-12 classroom and self-efficacy of teachers regarding technology, the guiding research questions identified the challenges related to integrating IWB technology into lessons, as well the needs of teachers who are trying …

Early Childhood Perspective Of The K-12 Common Core State Standards Implementation, Anita Lesh Benson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The importance of school readiness and social-emotional development for children who live in poverty is well established. Head Start programs have championed the development of the whole child across all learning domains. The implementation of the K-12 Common Core State Standards (CCSS) focuses instructional skills on reading language arts, and math. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore Head Start teachers' perceptions and experiences of the CCSS implementation. The study was guided by the constructivist learning framework of Piaget and Dewey. Research questions explored the understanding and effects of the K-12 CCSS implementation from a group of …

Emerging Diabetes Pandemic In India: A Case Study For An Integrative Approach, Chhaya Sanjeev Chaudhry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Every day, India sees the addition of 5,000 new cases of diabetes to its current diabetic population of 65 million people. This number is projected to cross the 100 million mark in 15 years. The emerging pandemic scale of diabetes growth is straining India's already-overburdened public healthcare resources. India is home to several well-established native and adapted foreign traditions of medicine that are widely practiced. These traditions include Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homeopathy. The modern and traditional medicine approaches are extensively used as independent systems. The purpose of this qualitative research case study was to evaluate the …

Veteran Educators' Perceptions Of The Internet's Impact On Learning And Social Development, Matthew Vincent Glowiak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a time where some 2.4 billion Internet users exist worldwide, children are increasingly impacted by the Internet's influence, both directly and indirectly. With technology now playing a significant role in childhood learning and social development, many unforeseen shifts are occurring that will ultimately impact lifespan development. Although researchers have provided mixed results concerning the impact of the Internet on learning and social development, the body of evidence indicates that veteran K-8 educators who are comfortable and experienced with the Internet view it more favorably. This grounded theory study systematically generated the multisystem technological engagement theory (MSTET) to explain the …

Influential Leadership In A Diverse Retail Environment: Implications For Reducing Voluntary Employee Turnover, Stuart Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many investigators have documented the impact of high attrition rates on an organization's ability to deliver its expected results. However, limited information is available regarding the efficacy of a specific bundle of variables, which would support a leader's ability to influence voluntary employee turnover. This quantitative study investigated the effectiveness of a 60-day treatment implemented to address the problem of voluntary employee turnover in a diverse retail environment. The research questions examined the effectiveness of an increase in communication, answering, recognition, and training on voluntary employee turnover and job satisfaction in a diverse retail environment. The theoretical foundation of the …

Prioritizing Offshore Vendor Selection Criteria For The North American Geospatial Industry, Simon Wolfgang Musaeus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. market for geospatial services totaled US $2.2 billion in 2010, representing 50% of the global market. Data-processing firms subcontract labor-intensive portions of data services to offshore providers in South and East Asia and Eastern Europe. In general, half of all offshore contracts fail within the first 5 years because one or more parties consider the relationship unsuccessful. Despite the high failure rates, no study has examined the offshore vendor selection process in the geospatial industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the list of key offshore vendor selection criteria and the efficacy of the analytic hierarchy …

Academic Analytics In Higher Education: Barriers To Adoption, Willie L. Pomeroy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The analysis of big data points and the use of data analytics have proven successful in improving corporate business efficiencies, growing profits, and increasing competitive advantages. The theory of academic capitalism, which holds that institutions of higher education are becoming more like corporations due to declining operating funds and the need to become more efficient, transparent, and competitive, guided this study. Despite the positive outcomes that analytic tools may produce in advanced efficiencies and competitive growth, college academic administrators have not yet adopted these tools, due in part to barriers facing the administrators. The purpose of this phenomenological study was …

Food Safety Knowledge And Self-Reported Practices Of Food Handlers In Jamaica, Marcia Annmarie Thelwell-Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food-borne illnesses are responsible for disease globally. One of the most important strategies for combating food-borne diseases is the training of food handlers. Using social cognition theory as a framework, the purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the mandatory training program for food handlers in a rural parish in Jamaica. A cross-sectional survey, using self-administered questionnaires, was used to assess and compare food safety knowledge and self-reported practices of food handlers trained in 2 government training programs, while using untrained food handlers as controls. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as t test, chi-square test, and ANOVA …

Diffusion Of Social Network Technology And Overuse Among Health Industry Knowledge Workers, Abdel Rahman Toure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many organizations now realize the important role of social network technology (SNT) in building social capital and hence broadening their customer base. However, observations have indicated that, while working, many knowledge workers use SNT to engage in non-job related activities, potentially leading to a decrease in productivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the usage of SNT and productivity in the health sector. The theoretical foundation of this study emanated from Rogers's theory of diffusion of innovations and Campbell, Rodney, Scott, and Christopher's theory of performance. Collection of data involved a self-administered survey designed with …

Church-Based Hiv/Aids Prevention For Adults, Hattie Acheampong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) disproportionately affect African Americans in the South; given that population's high rate of church attendance, churches have been one potential avenue for HIV/AIDS education. Research has shown the importance of HIV/AIDS education in reducing risk behavior and infection, although church-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs for adults have received little scholarly attention, including the impact of such programs on attitudes, behavioral control, and intention to engage in safe sexual practices. Using Ajzens' theory of planned behavior as a foundation, the purpose of this quantitative study was to explore whether there is a statistically …

A Historical Analysis Of The Relationship Of Faith And Science And Its Significance Within Education, John Gerard Yegge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science curriculum and pedagogy are at the center of a centuries-long debate concerning the appropriate relationship of faith and science. The difficulties that science educators face seem to be based in misinformation about the historical roots of this conflict. To address that conflict, the goals of this research were to separate myth from reality and to provide a necessary context to the current tensions that are disrupting science pedagogy and curriculum content within American public schools. Working within a theoretical framework of historical literacy, this qualitative, historical analysis was a comprehensive examination of the relationship of faith and science from …

Financial Resources And Technology To Transition To 450mm Semiconductor Wafer Foundries, Thomas Earl Pastore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Future 450mm semiconductor wafer foundries are expected to produce billions of low cost, leading-edge processors, memories, and wireless sensors for Internet of Everything applications in smart cities, smart grids, and smart infrastructures. The problem has been a lack of wise investment decision making using traditional semiconductor industry models. The purpose of this study was to design decision-making models to conserve financial resources from conception to commercialization using real options to optimize production capacity, to defer an investment, and to abandon the project. The study consisted of 4 research questions that compared net present value from real option closed-form equations and …

Correlates Of Asthma Among The Minority Population In South Bronx,New York, Veronica Chibumma Uwanaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Asthma among children has become an inherent problem in many communities in the United States, especially among the minority population. The South Bronx has a large minority population and a high prevalence of asthma. However, no study to date has explored the factors associated with this high prevalence rates in this population. Drawing from theories of social ecology and environmental health, the objective of this quantitative cross-sectional study is to investigate the correlates of asthma among children in the South Bronx by studying the sociodemographic and environmental risk factors, including parental occupation; neighborhood and housing characteristics, air quality, and poverty. …

African American Women's Perception Of Subprime Lending Practices On Their Home Buying Knowledge And Behaviors, John Howard White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The subprime mortgage lending practices from 1995 to 2007 were disproportionately concentrated on minority and low income neighborhoods of the United States. Despite the negative effects of subprime loans, these loans are regaining popularity. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to bridge the gap in knowledge about their effect on African American women by exploring the home buying knowledge and behaviors of African American women between 2004 and 2007 in a southern state. Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework of this study, which explored factors that motivated African American women to buy …

Evaluation Of The State Of Georgia's School Instructional Extension Program (Siep) At One Middle School, Taiesha Marie Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the implementation of the State of Georgia's School Instructional Extension Program (SIEP) at one middle school in a rural school district. SIEP was adopted in this district in an effort to improve outcomes for students who demonstrate deficiencies in core-academic subjects. For the past 2 years, SIEP has been used at this study site to address low academic performance in the area of mathematics. However, to date, school leaders have not developed a system to evaluate the efficacy of the program. The purpose of this project study was to conduct a comprehensive program evaluation that addressed the …

Business Drivers For Environmental Regulations Compliance In Ghana's Mining Sector, Georgina Angorkor Ahorbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ghana's mining sector is a significant contributor to the national economy; however, environmental degradation continues to stigmatize the sector. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore experiences and perspectives of middle managers on how to drive compliance with EPA regulations and standards in Ghana's mining sector. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior was the conceptual framework for this phenomenological study. A purposive sample of 20 middle managers from Ghana's mining sector participated in interviews, which were transcribed and then coded to generate common themes. The primary research question involved exploring factors that promote employee compliance in Ghana's mining sector. …

A Developmental Disabilities Program: A Proposed Education Program For Direct Support Professionals, Yurlene Sales Dela Cruz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses can play integral role in collaborating with community leaders and identifying health promotion strategies, such as physical activity and nutrition classes, for people with developmental disabilities (DD). This study identified a role that nurses can establish among Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who serve important functions in the daily supervision and care of clients with DD. The data reviews from the archival results from Association of Individual Development Health Matters Assessment Reports in August 2012 and September 2013 indicated DSPs' need for further training in their roles as health instructors. The Health Matters Assessment Report in 2012 indicated low scores …

Perceptions Of Higher Education Online Learning Faculty In Lebanon, Noha Adib Haidar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this case study was to explore faculty attitudes toward online learning in a Lebanese Higher Education Institution (HEI). The research problem addressed the disinterest among faculty at the Arts, Sciences, and Technology University of Lebanon (AUL) in enhancing learning using online technology. The research questions for this study explored the attitudes of the faculty toward applying online learning and the extent of the faculty readiness to adopt this technological change. A qualitative case study design was used that employed multiple sources of information including semi-structured interviews and existing literature. The target population was AUL faculty including full-time …

Enhancing Strategies To Improve Workplace Performance, Francine Williams Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When employees become dissatisfied at an organization, they may develop negative behaviors that can impede profits and productivity. The purpose of this single case study was to explore what strategies are essential for organizational leaders to improve workplace performance. Maslow's hierarchy of needs served as the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection involved face-to-face, semistructured interviews of 20 managers, floor employees, and clerical staff from a business organization in Southwest Georgia. Participant selection was based on employees' tenure of at least 1 year of experience within the organization. Interviews were transcribed and then coded for common patterns and themes. …

Supporting And Securing Personal Mobile Devices Within An Existing Information Technology Environment, George Allen Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Personal mobile devices are becoming integrated into the daily operations of business. Managers are realizing that employees who are allowed to use personal mobile devices to access corporate information systems may reduce costs as users buy their own devices. The problem was that managers have a limited understanding of the need to secure or support personal mobile devices. The purpose of this survey study was to examine the relationship between employees' desire to use personal mobile devices and corporation needs for security and support. Hypotheses were tested by examining the relationships between the requirement to support and secure personal mobile …