Digital Commons Network^™

Examining School Culture And Resources As Predictors Of The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Intervention, Cassandra L. Martinez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lag in implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBI) in public schools in the United States. This lag creates a gap between what has been scientifically supported and what has also been implemented in school settings by special education teachers and school psychologists. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if consultation and professional development resources and 2 elements of school culture (school climate and school characteristics) predict the implementation of EBIs. The study tested 7 potential predictor variables: professional development, consultation, school climate, inclusive characteristic, exclusive characteristic, bureaucratic characteristic, and adhocratic characteristic. Survey data from 137 …

Soft Skills Perceived By Students And Employers As Relevant Employability Skills, Ann-Marie Claudia Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local employers believe the lack of prerequisite soft skills is inhibiting the graduates from a local community college from securing employment. The rationale of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions of students and employers related to the soft skills needed to be successful in future employment. The theoretical framework was based on Mezirow's transformational and Daloz's mentorship theories. Individual face-to-face, semistructured interviews were used to gather data from 12 business and computer students and 7 employers (N=19) who were selected using purposeful random sampling. The typewritten transcripts of participants' responses were imported in MAXQDA 11, then were open …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Social Supports For Autism Spectrum Disorders: Postsecondary Student Perspectives, Griselda Wells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College environments can pose both academic and social challenges for students with disabilities. For teachers and parents of children with Asperger's syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA), these challenges include communication, behavioral, and social difficulties that can hinder their attainment of educational objectives. Limited research has been conducted regarding postsecondary outcomes of elementary and secondary public school interventions provided to these students. This case study gathered information from postsecondary students with AS and HFA regarding their experiences of public school social skills interventions and their perceived impact on current social and academic outcomes. Findings were interpreted using critical theory …

Classroom Management Strategies As A Cornerstone Of Elementary Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Niamh Kathleen Conner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the local school district under study, there has been a lack of professional development (PD) in classroom management, and challenging student behaviors in the classroom are increasing, eroding teachers' self-efficacy. The purpose of this correlational study, guided by a constructivist theoretical framework, was to examine the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy in the classroom when addressing challenging student behaviors and the amount of PD that the teachers have had in classroom management. The convenience sample comprised 99 teachers from 8 elementary schools; this total was based upon a response rate of 45%. The instrument, the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale …

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, …

Evaluation Of A Mobile Health Intervention To Improve Anti-Retroviral Treatment Retention In South Africa, Ambereen Jaffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

South Africa has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates globally, with nearly 2.5 million people accessing antiretroviral treatment (ART) at the end of 2013. Retaining patients on ART has become a major problem in this country. When patients no longer show up for ART for unknown reasons, they are considered lost to follow-up (LTF). LTF is the highest contributor to ART attrition. This study, guided by the health belief model, evaluated the effectiveness of a technology-based, mobile health (mHealth) appointment reminder intervention on LTF among patients accessing ART services. The study ascertained differences in 6- and 12-month LTF rates …

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 …

Effects Of Single-Gender And Coeducational Learning Environments On Middle School Mathematics Achievement, Tasha Graves Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of the increased number of schools failing to meet adequate yearly progress (AYP), school districts are searching for innovative ways to raise student achievement and meet the rigorous performance standards set by state governments. Using the theoretical framework provided by brain research and the theory of multiple intelligences, the purpose of this quantitative study was to compare 2 middle school classroom structures for differences in mathematics achievement among students. The study examined whether a significant difference existed in mathematics achievement scores on the state-mandated mathematics test for 2 groups (single gender classes versus coeducational classes) in 6 …

Addressing Gaps In Student Reading: Read 180 Program Evaluation, Shonda Patrice Pittman-Windham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students are reaching middle school 2 or more years behind in reading ability. As a result, they are unable to meet state testing standards. In 2007, the READ 180 program was implemented at an urban middle school in Virginia to address the reading gaps of these middle school students. The purpose of this sequential mixed-method program evaluation was to analyze the reading success of 30 READ 180 students and the perceptions of 4 teachers who taught the READ 180 curriculum. The theoretical framework that served as a basis for this study was Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, which holds that …

A Program Evaluation Of A Remediation Program For Underprepared College Students, Jane Neuenschwander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This participant-oriented program evaluation study was prompted by the problem that a cohort remediation program for underprepared freshmen at a small, private university in Appalachia was implemented for 1 year and dropped without any review of the program's impact on retention. The purpose of this project study was to conduct a summative program evaluation that recorded perceptions from the cohort program's participants and to compare their retention rates with underprepared students' retention rates from the subsequent year's individualized remediation. The study was guided by Tinto's retention theory, which posits that academic and social integration is critical to retention. A Chi-square …

The Triple Bottom Line And Social Responsibility Framework In Public Sector Management, Matthew Ajiake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of public sector agencies must incorporate the voices of diversified stakeholders into planning and decision-making processes. With aging infrastructures around the world, public agencies are challenged to move public benefit projects forward when citizens are not engaged or empowered to participate in the process. The purpose of this triple bottom line (social, ecological, and financial) and social responsibility study was to explore whether public sector organizations are socially responsible by law. A case study was developed using data from publicly available documents and interviews that explored how the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) implemented a social responsibility framework …

The Effects Of Stress And Burden On Caregivers Of Individuals With A Chronic Illness, Betty Wilborn-Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Informal caregivers have played a significant social and economic role in the care and treatment of individuals diagnosed with chronic illness. However, caregiving can have harmful effects on a caregiver's physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. Using caregiver stress theory as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this archival research was to determine the predictive relationship of stress in relation to caregiver quality of life for 309 selected cases. Correlational and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The independent variables examined were environment and context, stressors related to …

Nursing Care Of Terminal Patients In Intensive Care Units, Pervell Velethia Dunbar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing Care for Terminal Patients in Intensive Care Units

by

Pervell Dunbar

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

August 2015

Although the goal of the ICU has always been to save lives, ICU now additionally provides end-of life (EOL) care. The objective of this project was to provide ICU nurses with a comprehensive awareness of physical, emotional, and spiritual EOL care issues of patients and their families in order to be better equipped to handle EOL care. The framework used was Jean Watson's Caring model (10 Caritas). A …

Vitamin D Deficiency And Immune Function In African American, Hiv-Infected Men, Rana H. Ismail

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vitamin D deficiency is common in individuals diagnosed with HIV and is known for its detrimental health effects. Its recognition as a potent immune-modulator with possible immune health implications in HIV disease progression was the main impetus for this study. The association between Vitamin D and CD4 count falls short of being consistent and is too weak to allow conclusions. Similarly, the literature is inconsistent with regard to the impact of Vitamin D supplementation on CD4. This observational, retrospective chart review study aimed to explore the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and CD4 count/percent, and to evaluate whether changes in …

Exploring The Experiences Of Call Center Employees Regarding Business Scripting, Roman Dzuba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scripting, defined as the mechanization of business processes through automated tools or orchestrated responses, has played a significant role in shaping call center activities and the resultant customer relationship. However, findings of industry research have shown that the use of scripting to maximize operational efficiency has had a disempowering effect on call center employees by lowering their job-skill and knowledge requirements. Grounded in the concepts of knowledge management and knowledge transfer, this study explored the experiences of frontline call center employees on the effects of scripting on customer problem solving. A single-case study design with semistructured interviews was used with …

The Effects Of Competency On Job Satisfaction For Professional Counselors When Providing Court Testimony, Joshua David Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional counselors experience increasing levels of ethical complaints when they provide opinions in child custody cases; the complaints question their competency levels and potentially affect job satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to determine any relationship between competencies and job satisfaction for 277 counselors and 66 psychologists. The competence theory served as the foundation of the study. The quantitative study was a nonexperimental, correlational design using a closed-ended survey. A new, validated Professional Competence Standards Instrument (PCSI) measured both competency as the independent variable and job satisfaction as the dependent variable to assess if competency affected job satisfaction. E-mail …

The Association Of Gender And Socioeconomic Position With Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Adolescents, Quentin Oliphant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This meta-analysis investigated the association of gender and socioeconomic position with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents. Public health professionals know the importance of physical activity level as a modifiable behavior; however, the literature has revealed that more research is needed on the association of sociodemographic variables like gender and socioeconomic position with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents. Using the physical fitness and health outcomes conceptual model as a guide, the overall effect sizes across studies were assessed as well as the moderators of study design, sample size, age, and country. A systematic review of literature identified a total of 18 peer-reviewed studies …

Nurse Educators' Perspectives Of Supplemental Computer-Assisted Formative Assessment In An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Jennifer Buehler Sugg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the implementation of various strategies to improve outcomes, the pass rates for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for an associate degree nursing (ADN) program continue to decrease. This study examined the use of a supplemental computer-assisted formative assessment (SCAFA) as a strategy for NCLEX-RN success. A qualitative case study with a theoretical framework based on constructivism was designed to investigate nurse educators' perspectives of this particular strategy for successful outcomes. To explore these perspectives, data were collected from face-to-face interviews with nurse educators and from program documents from 1 ADN program in the southeastern United …

Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of literacy has expanded to include understanding and effective utilization of information, media, and technology. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires school districts to teach proper online use and behavior. The lack of a technology requirement in a rural, public school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania that meets the needs of 21st century learners and the conditions of the Children's Internet Protection Act was the rationale for the development of this project study. The study's conceptual framework stemmed from theories related to new literacies, multimodality, computer education practices, and millennial learners. The research questions examined educators' perceptions of topics …

A Phenomenological Study Of High School Teachers' Motivation As Related To Teacher Performance Management, Richard Hugh Wildman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher motivation factors prominently in the sustainable development of educational institutions, and relate to self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and retention. Prior motivational research in education has addressed factors relating to teacher motivation, but there is a dearth of research into the impact of performance management on motivation. This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 5 teachers in relation to the performance management process in the selected school. The project study was guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. In-depth, semistructured interviews were used to extract the essence of the lived experiences as expressed …

Predictors Of Knowledge Of Stroke And Intent To Call 911 Among African Americans, Hyacinth Idu Hyacinth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stroke is associated with significant health disparity and predominantly affects the elderly. Stroke outcome is significantly improved if an individual is able to get "clot-bursting" medication. A significant predictor of an on-time arrival to the emergency room for treatment in the event of a stroke is the ability to accurately recognize stroke signs and symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors (demographic, socioeconomic, and educational) that predict the knowledge of stroke signs/symptoms and intent to call 911 in the event of a stroke. The study was grounded in the social ecological theoretical model and analyzed archived …

The Relationship Between Terrorism, Oil Prices, And Airline Profitability, Ubirathan Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Given the financial challenges faced by the airline industry, understanding of the combined effect of terrorism and the price of petroleum on airline profitability is imperative. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if a combination of terrorism and the price of petroleum significantly predicted airline profitability, and which variable was the most significant. This study collected samples of financial records from major American commercial passenger and cargo airlines on costs of fuel (n = 84) and airline profitability (n = 84). The terrorism data (n = 84) were comprised of terrorist attacks on petroleum infrastructure in oil-producing …

Strategies To Retain Tacit Knowledge From Baby Boomers, Rhonda Jean Corwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Baby boomer employees who leave the workplace without sharing tacit knowledge create a knowledge gap within the organization. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies local government leaders use to retain tacit knowledge of baby boomer employees. Six government leaders who worked in the Midwest United States participated in the study and shared their experiences and perceptions. Building upon systems theory, transformational leadership theory, and knowledge management theory, research was conducted to identify strategies to retain tacit knowledge from retiring baby boomers. Physical artifacts and participant interview data were collected and analyzed using traditional text analysis. …

Diffusion Of Electronic Health Records In Rural Primary Care Clinics, Patricia Lynn Mason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

By the end of 2015, Medicare-eligible physicians at primary care practices (PCP) who do not use an electronic health record (EHR) system will incur stiff penalties if they fail to meet the deadline for using EHRs. Yet, less than 30% of rural primary clinics have fully functional EHR systems. The purpose of this phenomenology study was to explore rural primary care physicians and physician assistants' experiences regarding overcoming barriers to implementing EHRs. Complex adaptive systems formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 21 physicians and physician assistants across 2 …

Biopsychosocial Factors That Discriminate Between White Collar Offenders And Business Professionals, Susan Lynn Zukowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

White collar crime is pervasive with a larger financial impact to society than violent or street crime, yet it has been understudied. Violent and street offender research has moved beyond the examination of motive and opportunity to study personality, demographics, sociological influences, and psychological influences on development and criminal behavior; however, the bulk of white collar offender research has focused on greed as a motivator and organizational opportunity. Legislative efforts have attempted to curtail white collar crime, but incidents of crime continue to rise, resulting in a continued need to understand white collar offenders and the influences on offender behavior. …

Motivating Higher Education Faculty For Technology Integration: A Private College's Approach, Jacinth Coultman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some faculty in higher education are not embracing technology in their face-to-face classes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe faculty members' techniques for improving the technological integration within the curriculum at an urban college. This study investigated the incorporation of professional development activities within the college structure to determine if these mandated requirements resulted in enhanced technology use. Interview and observation data on technology integration practices were collected from 15 faculty members who taught within 5 departments of an urban college for 5 or more years. A combination of open and axial topic and …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Women With Spinal Cord Injury Who Undergo Urinary Diversion Surgery, Sukhpinder K. Dhillon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following spinal cord injury (SCI), bladder management is of primary importance. As an activity of daily living (ADL), it affects community integration and quality of life (QOL). Women with SCI have neurogenic bladders that require self-catheterization, but they are unable to catheterize the native urethra, thus making bladder management physically and emotionally challenging. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of women with SCI who undergo urinary diversion surgery for bladder management. Qualitative data were collected using semistructured interviews from 10 women with SCI after urinary diversion surgery for bladder management. Qualitative Nvivo analysis of interview data …

A Proposal For The Development And Validation Of A Diabetic Self-Management Education (Dsme) Program, Melissa Sue Garrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The World Health Organization has estimated that by 2030, approximately 350 million people will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Currently, 18.8 million people are diagnosed with T2DM. An additional 7 million people have high blood sugar but have yet to have an official diagnosis of diabetes. The literature supports early identification and prevention are key to reducing the severity of T2DM its complications. The Health Belief Model, the Chronic Care Model and Orem's Theory of Self-Care guided the current proposal, whose purpose was to develop and validate a new T2DM DSME module. A validation of the DSME …

Downsizing The United States Air Force Security Forces: A Phenomenological Investigation, Winell De Mesa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Air Force (USAF) has downsized an average of 10,000 active duty personnel each year from 1990 to 2010. Despite this downsizing, the mission remains the same, which increases the workload on the remaining airmen, lowers morale, decreases specialization, changes the mindset/culture, accelerates promotion rates, and shifts the dependence on technology in the Security Forces career field. The USAF needs adequately sized and proficient members to meet its mission. This phenomenological study examined the effects of USAF downsizing on the USAF Security Forces career field. The great man theory, social learning theory, theory of expertise, and Maslow's hierarchy …

A Grounded Theory Study Of Navigating The Cycle Of Decline In Public School Teaching, Jenny Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive teacher turnover has considerable financial, logistical, and academic implications for public education. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory (GT) that conceptualized the experiences of former Georgia public school teachers in order to better understand voluntary teacher attrition. Informed by Ryan and Deci's self-determination theory, this GT study provided insight into the process by which teachers arrive at the decision to leave public schools. Interviews with 12 former Georgia public school teachers were conducted. A constant comparative analysis was used to develop the theory of navigating the cycle of decline, which accounts for the general …