Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Interoception, Cognitive Flexibility, And Posttraumatic Growth, Sheaneh Sattari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiencing a traumatic event is a common occurrence within the world population. Researchers have found post-traumatic growth (PTG) occurs in individuals who grow, adapt, and change after experiencing a trauma. Through the lens of adaptation and neuroplasticity frameworks, cognitive flexibility and interoception can be regarded as forms of change and growth. However, scholarly literature was deficient in the investigation of the possible associations between interoception, cognitive flexibility, and PTG in individuals with histories of trauma. The purpose of this nonexperimental cross-sectional correlation study was to find the combined effect and relative importance of cognitive flexibility and interoception in accounting for …

Pink Bamboo Ceiling: Barriers And Breakthroughs For Asian American Women Leaders, Mele W. Kramer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAsian Americans are the most diverse and fastest-growing minority group in the U.S. and have the highest average level of education of all minority and dominant groups in America making up 6.2 % of the labor market. However, Asian Americans overall hold one percent of the executive leadership roles in Fortune 500 organizations. Low leadership representation leaves this demographic without a decision-making voice and without power in society. The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn about the lived experiences of Asian American women (AAW) leaders and potential leaders as it pertains to race, gender, and stereotypes in the …

The Role Of Nonprofit Organizations Serving Vulnerable Populations During Disasters, Joy Dvornicich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disasters can strike any population, but research has shown that poor, disabled, medically underserved people and children are more adversely affected than the general population. This qualitative descriptive case study aimed to understand better nonprofit organizations' (NPO) impact on vulnerable populations during disasters. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with representatives of NPOs from a southeastern city in Pennsylvania whose clients are vulnerable populations. This qualitative case study was based on Weisbrod’s theory of government failure. The 4Cs of communicate, collaborate, coordinate, and cooperate were investigated through semistructured interviews and a review of secondary data. The research questions were designed …

Community College Faculty Perceptions Of Classroom Role In Student Persistence, Courtney L. Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research into community college (CC) education shows low percentages of student persistence in many CCs in the United States. The problem addressed in this study was the low rate of students completing CC in a southeastern state and across the United States. Many CC organizations are not meeting graduation standards set forth by accrediting bodies. The purpose of this basic qualitative study using open-ended interview questions was to explore CC faculty’s (CCF) perceptions regarding their role in CC student persistence to complete the CC program. Currently furloughed CCF of this CC were interviewed to gather data on their perceptions. The …

Effect Of Developmental English Faculty Instructors’ Employment Status On College Student Performance In A Freshman Composition Course, Kauscha Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research attempted to determine whether faculty instructors’ employment status played a role in the success of students who are not college ready. The purpose of this study was to determine whether developmental English faculty instructors’ employment status had an effect on grades in a freshman composition course (English 101) among community college students while using functional role theory as the theoretical foundation. The quantitative study utilized two-way analysis of covariance. The research used archival data for 2,364 community college students to determine if employment status and gender differences among developmental English faculty instructors had an effect on subsequent grades …

Integration Strategies For Mergers And Acquisitions In The United Kingdom Housing Sector, Mark Allen Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many letting and factoring company leaders face challenges in the United Kingdom housing sector, necessitating mergers and acquisitions (M&As) to adopt hybrid growth models. Yet, the company leaders typically lack M&A integration strategies to achieve sustainable growth. Grounded in the theory of the competitive forces, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore M&A integration strategies business leaders used to achieve sustainable growth in the United Kingdom social housing sector. The participants were four executive-level leaders of a for-profit housing and property factoring organization representing 17 of 32 local authority locations throughout Scotland, United Kingdom. Data were …

The Impact Of Instructor Workload On The Use Of Written Corrective Feedback, Juanita Hutchison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The personal and professional feedback instructors provide impact of their workload. Moore’s theory of transactional distance was the theoretical foundation for this study. The purpose of this study to is to examine whether number of students, number of classes, and years of online teaching experience determine what written corrective feedback types (direct and indirect feedback) instructors use. There was a gap in literature concerning number of students, number of classes, and years of online teaching experience among university instructors. The questionnaire along with demographics were distributed to 40 university instructors who were members of an accredited university. The findings determined …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Language Learners And Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Niyoka S. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English language learner (ELL) students come from diverse linguistic backgrounds, and educators need specific training in second language acquisition and content instruction to provide culturally responsive instruction leading to academic success. This phenomenological interpretative analysis was designed to explore the lived experiences of general education middle school teachers of ELL students and their practices of culturally relevant pedagogy in diverse classroom environments. The theoretical foundation of this study was grounded in both social constructivism and diversity pedagogy theory, as both theories support the construct of sociocultural interactions experienced by educators in this setting. The research question inquired about the perceptions …

A Study Of The Comparison Between Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate And The Existence Of Professional Learning Community Dimensions, Ladwan Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that there is a direct link between student academic achievement and school quality. Research has also indicated that the leadership style of school principals influence teacher attributes, from adeptness and job contentment to academic focus and engagement levels. Even though the research on professional learning communities (PLCs) is extensive, there is a gap in the study of the perceptions that teachers and teacher leaders have on the essential dimensions that make up a community of learners and on whether the existing climate has an influence on making such a community possible within a school. The purpose of …

Online Disclosure Boundaries And Marital Quality Among Facebook Users, Dominique M. Jones-King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCurrent marital and social media research has revealed that married couples are often unsuspecting of the negative marital ramifications associated with impulsive disclosure to Facebook friends, poor disclosure boundaries, and inappropriate online emotional affairs until the affair has been revealed and the emotional detachment has already incited a legal divorce. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation, if any, between online intimate disclosure with another sex, online disclosure boundaries, and marital quality among Facebook users. The theoretical framework for this study was the social penetration theory. A quantitative, nonexperimental correlational research design was used. A total of …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use Of Cognitively Guided Instruction In Mathematics Classrooms, Irin Sultana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary teachers in California were tasked to use cognitively guided instruction (CGI) strategies in mathematics classrooms, but it was uncertain if they had the self-efficacy, confidence, resources, and support to do so consistently. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate K-5 teachers’ perceptions about their self-efficacy and confidence in using CGI strategies in the mathematics classroom and what resources or support they felt needed to implement CGI strategies successfully. Bandura’s social cognitive theory, which emphasizes four sources of self-efficacy, was used for the framework analysis. Research questions supported teachers’ self-efficacy and confidence through research questions- What challenges …

The Lived Experience Of Expectant Mothers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bridgette Schulman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many changes to obstetric care practices. While the changes aimed to decrease transmission and protect mothers and infants, the study revealed unintended consequences of the changes put in place during COVID-19. Currently, there is a gap in knowledge and understanding of how the changes in obstetric care practices affect women’s perceptions of the birth experience. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experience of mothers who gave birth in the health care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of those who experienced it. The research question was: What is …

Principal Leadership Style And Teacher Retention In China’S Bilingual Kindergartens, Feng Yang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High teacher turnover affects school development and student achievement in bilingual kindergartens in China. Relaying on this gap in practice, the project study explores how teachers perceive the influence of their principals’ leadership styles on their decisions to stay in or leave bilingual kindergartens in Shanghai. The concepts of instructional leadership, transformational leadership, and distributed leadership from leadership theory were used as the conceptual framework for the study. The research questions addressed bilingual kindergarten teachers’ reasons to stay or leave and, in particular, their perceptions of their principal’s leadership style as a retention factor. In this basic qualitative research study, …

Promoting Social Involvement To Increase The Graduation Rate Of At-Risk Students, Kenya Waters Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Graduating from high school is a step in preparing students for positive life outcomes, enabling them to participate in the economy and to engage in civic life. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and student support staff regarding cocurricular learning and extracurricular activities and their influence on the graduation rate of at-risk students. Astin’s student involvement theory served as the framework for this study. The research questions addressed how administrators, teachers, and student support staff perceived how programs at an urban high school in a southeastern state influenced the graduation rate …

Undocumented First-Generation Hispanic Adolescents, Acculturative Stressors, And Academic Performance, Maria Inez Acuna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on the acculturative stressors affecting the academic performance of undocumented first-generation Hispanic adolescents is very limited. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of undocumented first-generation Hispanic adolescents enrolled in a U.S. middle school and the effects of acculturative stressors on their academic performance. To better understand the effects of acculturative stressors, Bandura’s social learning theory and Berry’s theory of acculturative stress were the theoretical foundations for the study. Seven participants from Mexico and Honduras answered four questions from a semi structured interview protocol. Data analysis included Epoché bracketing, horizonalization, clustering into themes, textural description …

A Staff Education Program To Improve Nurses’ Knowledge Of Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Steven Essien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOlder adults residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) have high prevalence rates of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, registered nurses practicing in these settings often lack the essential knowledge to manage the condition. The staff development activity developed for this project was to improve LTCF registered nurses' knowledge of understanding of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) position statement on the management of diabetes in LTCFs. The project was grounded in Knowles's adult learning theory. Lynn's content validity model was used to evaluate the staff development activity. The project's practice-focused questions concerned whether the educational sessions met Lynn's evaluation criteria and …

Oncology Providers Barriers To Providing Quality Healthcare Services For Caribbean Women Of Color With Breast Cancer, Michelle Charmaine Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is a global public health issue, and oncology healthcare providers (OHPs’) play a pivotal role in ensuring access to cancer care for their patient population. Caribbean women of color in the United States have the highest death rate of any racial or ethnic group. Strategies have been introduced to reduce this gap, and they still have not addressed the needs of Caribbean women of color, who tend to be diagnosed after developing late-stage breast cancer. No previous studies have explored OHPs' perceptions and lived experiences regarding barriers to healthcare service delivery and access for Caribbean women of color …

Improving Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation In Adults Undergoing Screening Through Health Literacy Education, Kimmarie James-Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women in the United States. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for CRC screening; however, the diagnostic efficiency of a colonoscopy is highly dependent on bowel preparation (prep) quality. Up to 30% of colonoscopy patients present with poor bowel prep. Poor bowel prep is a significant clinical practice problem that can lead to missed lesions, increased risk for CRC, increased risks for procedure-related complications, ineffective use of resources, and increased health care costs. A huge barrier to effective colonoscopy is low health literacy. This quality improvement project …

Self-Efficacy And Perceived Social Support As Predictors Of Academic Achievement Among First-Generation African American Females At A Historically Black College And University, Felicia Brown Kelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American, female, first-generation students face unique social and academic challenges due to their triple minority status of being Black, female, and first-generation and often perceiving low social support. The problem this study addressed is the role that self-efficacy and social support play for this group of students is insufficiently known. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that self-efficacy and perceived social support play for first-generation African American females at a Historically Black College and University. Theoretical frameworks for this study were Bandura’s self-efficacy theory which analyzes self-efficacy relating to mastery and Bandura’s social cognitive theory, …

Evidence-Based Approaches To Screening For Polypharmacy In Older Adults, Carmelo Maddy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPolypharmacy is the concomitant use of five or more medicines and is associated with a higher risk of being prescribed potentially inappropriate or interactive medications. Polypharmacy in adults over 60 years of age may correlate with adverse outcomes of multimorbidity such as functional impairment, low quality of life, high healthcare use, and increased costs. Health practitioners need to be aware of tools and methods to manage polypharmacy-related issues to optimize patient safety. The gap in practice is that a primary care practice did not have a comprehensive clinical guideline for a systematic and ongoing assessment of appropriateness of medication use …

Elementary Teacher Experiences Regarding Use Of Technology In The Western Pacific Islands, Lynn Ordonez Mendiola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the Western Pacific Islands School District (WPISD), technology standards were last developed and adopted in 2008. These standards have not been revisited or revised. The problem is that teachers are expected to use the latest educational technology, but technology standards are not current for preparing students for the 21st century workforce. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to explore how elementary teachers use current classroom technologies to address 21st century skills as mandated by the WPISD, despite having outdated technology standards. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework guided the study in order to integrate pedagogy, content, …

Teach-Back Program To Improve The Quality Of Patient Medication Education, Dawn Africa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInstitutions are invested in improving healthcare providers’ ability to enhance the quality of patient teaching. The teach-back method provides tools and strategies for promoting patient-focused learning and has the potential to increase nurses’ conviction and confidence in teaching patients about their medications. Nurses are not routinely taught how to teach patients, and they usually lack confidence in teaching about medications. This project was developed using the Donabedian model of structure, process, and outcomes. Studies and journal articles were searched through a variety of libraries and online sources, including the internet, using various teach-back and patient literacy combinations of search terms, …

Society’S Perception Of Former Offender’S Impact On Housing Accommodation Options, Fealita Kimbre Prunty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was designed to explore United States societal members’ perception of the term offender and crime type concerning post-incarceration housing accommodations in the United States. Housing is an essential need for offenders re-entering society and can contribute to recidivism rates. The purpose of this study was to explore United States adult societal members’ perception of the term offender and crime type concerning post-incarceration housing accommodations in the United States. This study included a parallel mixed-method design inspired by Teddlie and Tashakkori. The theoretical framework incorporated Becker’s labeling theory. This study examined the United States adult societal members’ perception of …

Teacher Perceptions Of Social Networking Tools For Increasing Student Literacy And Engagement, Kishema Yolanda Simms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social networking tools are innovative practices utilized by higher education institutions to promote the development of literacy skills and encourage engagement in an online learning platform. There is limited understanding of whether social networking tools have a similar effect on fourth-grade students' literacy development and engagement. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore fourth-grade teachers' perceptions of using social networking tools for literacy development and engagement. Using the Garrison, Anderson, and Archer's community of inquiry conceptual framework, research questions were designed to explore fourth-grade teachers' perceptions of using social networking tools in English language arts classes …

Health Educators’ Perspectives On Black And Latin@ College Students’ Health Literacy, Desiree Williams Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEmerging adulthood is a critical life stage when participation in higher education can facilitate the transition of young individuals into adulthood and independence. The barriers associated with low health literacy levels are higher among racial or ethnic groups facing health inequalities, including those enrolled in higher education institutions. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how health educators promoted the health literacy of Black and Latino emerging adult college students. The theoretical framework was based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory. Eight health professionals who served to promote health literacy across diverse college campuses and different states in …

Business Strategies Towards Financial Stability For Community College Administrators: A Qualitative Study, Lauren Holubec

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationwide, community college administrators are attempting to maintain financial stability amid extreme budget challenges. The problem that was addressed through this study is that some community college administrators at a large Northeastern state lack strategies to sustain financial stability, which threatens the 14 institutions’ ability to continue to operate as a viable educational choice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the strategies that community college administrators at multiple institutions of varying financial stability use. The conceptual framework that grounded the study was Porter’s five forces framework. Research questions focused on what strategies are used, why these strategies are …

Role Of Intravenous Access Support In Novice Nurses’ Job Satisfaction And Intent To Stay, Shaji Kurian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing shortage is a growing concern across the country, especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Novice nurse retention is essential to solving this national problem. The purpose of this study was to examine whether intravenous (IV) access support influences job satisfaction and retention among novice nurses to improve their retention. Herzberg’s two-factor theory guided this research; IV access support acts as the hygiene factor. The absence of IV access support can result in dissatisfaction among novice nurses, contributing to higher turnover rates. This quantitative nonexperimental causal-comparative research design utilized a nurse work satisfaction questionnaire and intent to stay scale …

Oil Rig Trainees’ Perspectives On The Influence Of Drilling Simulation On Their Learning And Motivation, Adel Mohamed Hassanein Abdelaziz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low enrollment levels in vocational drilling training programs in the Arabian Gulf area have resulted in a talent gap, with little success in building and retaining national crews. With current simulation technology, it is believed that trainees' learning, motivation, and achievements will increase; however, further study is needed to determine if these conclusions hold. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how using simulation technologies influences trainees' learning, motivation, and perspectives about completing their education at an oil-field drilling rig’s vocational training facility. Davis’s technology acceptance model concerning user reception of information systems formed the conceptual framework. …

Increasing Knowledge Of A Weekend Staffing Policy Among Nurses Working Weekends, Fatima Bah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The relationship between adequate nurse staffing and patient outcomes is well documented. The local organization identified a concern with appropriate weekend staffing due to repeated callouts by nurses. The purpose of this DNP project was to determine whether an educational intervention on the relationship between adequate staffing and positive patient outcomes, coupled with a review of the organization’s policy regarding weekend staffing, increases knowledge and awareness among nurses working weekends. Benner’s novice to expert theory and systems theory were used to ground this project. Following an invitational email, 20 individuals participated in the educational intervention. Most participants (n = …

Strategies For Succession Planning And Sustained Business Profitability For Small Business, Icy Mae Barton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Baby boomers are retiring rapidly and vacating prominent small business positions, leaving no one to replace them, which may result in business failure. When a small business fails, all stakeholders, including small business owners (SBOs), investors, employees, customers, and the community, suffer emotional and financial distress. Grounded in Argyris and Schön's organizational learning theory and Burns's transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies SBOs use to develop an effective succession plan. The participants were seven SBOs in the Washington, DC/Baltimore, MD metropolitan area who had been in business for more than 5 …