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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Educator Retention And Director Practices In Early Childhood Education Settings, Katherine Williams Feb 2026

Educator Retention And Director Practices In Early Childhood Education Settings, Katherine Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education (ECE) educators leave their profession at a rate 14% higher than K-12 educators, resulting in multisystemic issues that affect children, families, staff, and the ECE industry. Research has shown a connection between leadership practices and ECE educator turnover intentions; however, there is limited research on the relationship between the servant-leadership (SL) practices of ECE directors and ECE educators’ turnover intentions. Grounded in Greenleaf’s theory of servant-leadership, the purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between ECE director SL practices and its seven dimensions, measured using the SL scale, and ECE educator turnover intentions, measured …


Colorism And The Black Family: Effects Of Colorist Messages Among Black Women, Carolyn Frink Feb 2026

Colorism And The Black Family: Effects Of Colorist Messages Among Black Women, Carolyn Frink

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem examined in this study is how colorism affects Black families. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women and the colorist messages they received from family members, how those messages were internalized, and the messages perceived effects. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the colorist-historical trauma framework, and data were obtained through individual interviews with Black women ages 22–70, from various socioeconomic backgrounds and selected through purposeful sampling. A multiple case study approach was used to examine similarities and differences among the participants. A thematic analysis was …


Strategies To Recruit And Retain Imaging Ancillary Staff For Healthcare Organizations, Stephania Poveromo Feb 2026

Strategies To Recruit And Retain Imaging Ancillary Staff For Healthcare Organizations, Stephania Poveromo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospitals and healthcare facilities in the United States continue to face persistent shortages of ancillary imaging technologists, creating significant challenges for hospital administrators. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify effective strategies for recruiting and retaining imaging staff in hospitals. The review question concerned what best practices and strategies healthcare administrators can use to improve the recruitment and retention of ancillary imaging staff. The theoretical frameworks for this research, strategic human resource development and Maslow’s theory of human motivation, provided a lens for understanding organizational enhancement and employee engagement, respectively. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, …


Secondary Students’ Mental Health And Absenteeism Post-Covid-19: School Social Workers’ Perspectives, Tiffany Hines Sutton Feb 2026

Secondary Students’ Mental Health And Absenteeism Post-Covid-19: School Social Workers’ Perspectives, Tiffany Hines Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School social workers practice in a post-COVID-19 educational context where anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation are closely associated with chronic absenteeism among middle school students. This practice problem is central to clinical social work because distress-based avoidance is often misinterpreted as defiance, resulting in punitive responses that intensify disengagement. The purpose of this doctoral project was to explore how school social workers perceive and respond to the interconnected dynamics of student mental health and chronic absenteeism following COVID-19. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory guided the inquiry. A qualitative descriptive design was employed using semi-structured interviews with 10 middle school social workers …


Educators Of Color’S Perceptions On The Influence Of Induction Practices, Malia Oshiro Lee Feb 2026

Educators Of Color’S Perceptions On The Influence Of Induction Practices, Malia Oshiro Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this this study is the low retention of educators of color despite increased funding and resources aimed at supporting early career teachers in Washington State public schools. Elfers et al. noted that in Washington State over the course of 4 periods of time, early career educators of color are more likely to leave the profession than their White counterparts. Grounded in Holtom et al.’s job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore educators of color’s perceptions about the usefulness of induction practices as it relates to their professional needs and career retention. …


Impact Of Suicide Literacy In Hispanic/Latinx Communities, Denisse Centeno Lamas Feb 2026

Impact Of Suicide Literacy In Hispanic/Latinx Communities, Denisse Centeno Lamas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.


Enhancing Training For Law Enforcement In Mental Health Responses In The Community, Tiffany Raines Feb 2026

Enhancing Training For Law Enforcement In Mental Health Responses In The Community, Tiffany Raines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant issue in human services practice in Macon, Georgia, is law enforcement officers’ responding to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in public. Many police officers are not equipped to handle situations involving individuals experiencing mental health events, leading to possible adverse outcomes such as injury, incarceration, or even fatalities. There are increasing rates of mental illness disorders, and therefore, the need for compassionate, informed approaches for human service professionals to respond to those in crisis. More training to improve responses can lead to better outcomes for individuals in crisis, foster community trust in law enforcement, and enhance overall …


Experiences Of Loneliness And Belonging Among U.S.-Born Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Germany, Anna Sizorina Feb 2026

Experiences Of Loneliness And Belonging Among U.S.-Born Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Germany, Anna Sizorina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing literature indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased levels of loneliness, particularly among individuals with transnational ties. Travel and entry bans, along with social distancing, led to separation from family abroad and from people and communities in the countries of new residence. In this qualitative phenomenological study, experiences of loneliness and belonging among U.S.-born women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany were explored. The transaction theory of stress guided the scientific enquiry, and the evolutionary theory of loneliness served as a conceptual framework for examining loneliness in the given context. Six adult female participants, born in the United …


Work-Life Balance And Occupational Stress: Moderating Factors Among African American Telecommunication Workers, Robert Charity Feb 2026

Work-Life Balance And Occupational Stress: Moderating Factors Among African American Telecommunication Workers, Robert Charity

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After the COVID-19 pandemic, remote call center employees faced intensified challenges in maintaining work-life balance (WLB) while experiencing elevated occupational stress (OS) levels. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the relationship between WLB and OS among African American (AA) call center professionals employed in the telecommunications industry, moderated by resilience (RS), gender, and generational age (GenAge). The theoretical framework included boundary theory, the job demands-control model, and resilience theory. The participants comprised 103 AA telecommunications call center professionals aged 28 to 65 in the southwestern United States. They completed the work-life balance scale, perceived occupational stress …


Impact Of Workplace Ostracism, Moderated By Personality Traits On Psychological Safety, Aniko Rastovac Feb 2026

Impact Of Workplace Ostracism, Moderated By Personality Traits On Psychological Safety, Aniko Rastovac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychological safety, an essential element for fostering collaboration, trust, and innovation, can be undermined by negative interactions in the workplace. Most importantly, a lack of psychological safety is a barrier to individual and organizational growth, development, and innovation, which is necessary for gaining a competitive organizational advantage. The present study examines the concept of workplace ostracism as a negative interaction in the workplace that affects psychological safety. Using the big five personality traits framework, Edmondson’s (1999) concept of psychological safety, and Tett et al.’s (2021) trait activation theory, this quantitative study examined how individual differences moderate the impact of workplace …


The Moderating Role Of Self-Esteem In The Relationship Between Perceived Gender Bias And Job Satisfaction Among Women In The Technology Industry, Roberta L. Minicola Feb 2026

The Moderating Role Of Self-Esteem In The Relationship Between Perceived Gender Bias And Job Satisfaction Among Women In The Technology Industry, Roberta L. Minicola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women employed in the technology industry continue to experience gender-based bias that may adversely affect job satisfaction. Although the deleterious impact of gender bias on women’s job satisfaction has been well documented, the potential of self-esteem to mitigate this impact has not yet been examined. Informed by social dominance theory, the purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study was to examine the moderating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between perceived gender bias (i.e., insufficient support, devaluation, hostility) and job satisfaction among women working in the U.S. technology sector. Data were collected from 138 female technology professionals recruited through Amazon …


Effects Of The Efficient Implementation Of Corporate Finance Strategy On Company Performance, Benjamin Adewale Olugbemiro Feb 2026

Effects Of The Efficient Implementation Of Corporate Finance Strategy On Company Performance, Benjamin Adewale Olugbemiro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The present global business environment requires organizations to be proactive, dynamic, innovative, and resilient in the face of increasing competition. Corporate executives must understand how effective implementation of finance strategies influences performance and how these strategies can be leveraged to support sustainable, socially responsible initiatives. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the understanding of corporate executives’ perspectives about the effects of the efficient implementation of corporate finance strategy on company performance. The conceptual framework included Modigliani and Miller’s capital structure theory, stakeholder theory, and agency theory. The participants comprised 13 senior corporate executives and finance managers …


North Dakota Emergency Medical Personnel’S Perceptions Of Human Trafficking, Jessica Evans Feb 2026

North Dakota Emergency Medical Personnel’S Perceptions Of Human Trafficking, Jessica Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking is an abhorrent human rights violation, and victims experience a myriad of health disturbances while being exploited. Victims often seek emergency medical care, but research consistently shows that emergency medical personnel (EMP) are largely unprepared to screen, identify, and respond to them. However, there has been no research exploring their preparedness to screen, identify, and respond to victims of human trafficking, the barriers and challenges to identification of human trafficking victims, and training needs to improve screening, identification, and response to human trafficking victims in North Dakota. This study employed a generic qualitative approach grounded in constructivism. The …


Determinants Of Clinical Supervisor Self-Efficacy In Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Victoria A. Nagel Feb 2026

Determinants Of Clinical Supervisor Self-Efficacy In Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Victoria A. Nagel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance use disorder counselors face increasing challenges in responding to a growing and more severely affected population, often presenting with co-occurring mental health conditions and complex clinical needs. Clinical supervision plays a critical role in supporting counselor development, yet little is known about the factors that contribute to clinical supervisors’ self-efficacy in providing supervision for alcohol and drug counselors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether years of counseling experience, years of substance use disorder (SUD) counseling experience, years as a clinical supervisor, professional counseling credentials, and supervisory credentials predicted self-efficacy among clinical supervisors. This study …


Survivors Of Sexual Trauma: Abortion Experiences Of Black Women In The Southern United States, Katie Grace Geter Feb 2026

Survivors Of Sexual Trauma: Abortion Experiences Of Black Women In The Southern United States, Katie Grace Geter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women who experience both sexual trauma and abortion within their lifetime are highly likely to struggle with serious mental health symptoms; however, social work students and practitioners lack education and knowledge on how to serve these women. Recent events, including the uprising of gender and race related movements, COVID-19, heightened political division, and increased governmental control on abortion rights also impact social-work practice. Acknowledging intersectionality, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of abortion for Black women in the Southern United States who have a history of sexual trauma. The experiences of 6 Black women with …


Staff Education To Improve Knowledge On Early Recognition Of Staff Burnout In Nurses Working In Long-Term Care, Geraldine Ndeng Akonwah Feb 2026

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge On Early Recognition Of Staff Burnout In Nurses Working In Long-Term Care, Geraldine Ndeng Akonwah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project was a practice-based staff education project aimed at educating nurses concerning early burnout recognition. The educational intervention was chosen to promote awareness and knowledge related to the concept of burnout and self-care among nurses employed in a long-term care facility. The practice problem addressed was the high prevalence of nurse burnout and the limited ability of nurses to recognize early signs of burnout. The problem is significant in nursing practice as burnout is detrimental to the clinical judgment, patient safety, job satisfaction and staff retention. The guiding question of the project was as follows: Does a staff …


Understanding Reporting Decisions: Qualitative Exploration Of Hate Crime Underreporting Among Minority Transgender Individuals, Shanise Anita Benitez Feb 2026

Understanding Reporting Decisions: Qualitative Exploration Of Hate Crime Underreporting Among Minority Transgender Individuals, Shanise Anita Benitez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority transgender individuals experience disproportionately high rates of hate‑motivated violence, yet these incidents remain substantially underreported. This qualitative study examined the social, structural, and identity‑based factors that influence reporting decisions among minority transgender adults in the United States. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory and Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory, the study examined how participants’ lived experiences, community-based observations, and intersecting marginalized identities influence their perceptions of safety, trust, and institutional legitimacy. Semi‑structured interviews with minority transgender participants were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns related to reporting behaviors, community‑driven coping strategies, and barriers to formal engagement with law enforcement. Findings …


Emergency Nurses’ Perspectives On Workload, Stress, And Violence In The Context Of The U.S. Nursing Shortage, Wanda Marie Haynes Feb 2026

Emergency Nurses’ Perspectives On Workload, Stress, And Violence In The Context Of The U.S. Nursing Shortage, Wanda Marie Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing shortage is a critical global issue that significantly impacts emergency nurses (ER), leading to increased workloads, psychological stress, and heightened exposure to workplace violence (WPV). This phenomenon raises concerns among healthcare administrators and nurse leaders who seek strategies to improve retention and ensure quality patient care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning of workload, stress, and WPV among ER nurses during the U.S. nursing shortage. Guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the study employed a phenomenological approach to capture nurses’ lived experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight ER nurses from diverse …


Understanding Interventions For Generational Trauma From The Experienced Counselors’ Perspective, Christina Ann Cartagena Feb 2026

Understanding Interventions For Generational Trauma From The Experienced Counselors’ Perspective, Christina Ann Cartagena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healing generational trauma involves counselors’ understanding and recognizing the symptoms of unhealthy coping mechanisms in adults who witnessed adverse emotional reactions as children. Generational trauma occurs when generations have trouble building healthy relationships and pass unhealthy coping mechanisms to future generations. There has been a reported increase in youth and adults seeking mental health services for generational trauma. The problem was that there was insufficient information about how counselors recognize and respond to the symptoms of generational trauma or what treatment methods or modalities to use to support patients. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the …


Experiences Of Care-Seeking Parents With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In India, Yash Navnit Patel Feb 2026

Experiences Of Care-Seeking Parents With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In India, Yash Navnit Patel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 18 million individuals in India, yet the factors influencing parental care-seeking behavior were not well understood. Guided by the health belief model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how parents’ perceived severity of a child’s symptoms, parental beliefs about the causes of autism, and perceived mental and physical health outcomes of caregiving influence parents’ intention to seek services for children aged 1–10 years diagnosed with ASD in India. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 10 mothers of autistic children. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. …


Factors That Contribute To Lone-Wolf Terrorist Attacks In The United States, Kevin Klatte Feb 2026

Factors That Contribute To Lone-Wolf Terrorist Attacks In The United States, Kevin Klatte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the United States, current strategies aimed to prevent terrorism focus on terrorist organizations and international terrorism. The predominant literature on lone-wolf terrorism has focused mainly on quantitative data, and the qualitative studies that have been conducted do not uncover all factors that led to the individual committing the attack. Lone-wolf terrorism, while less frequent than international terrorism, has a significantly higher number of victims per attack and is extremely difficult to predict and prevent. The existing qualitative literature has heavily focused on the mental state, emotional status, and cognitive ability of the offender. This study explored why an individual …


Incarceration’S Impact On Young Adults’ Psychological Development, Well-Being, And Reintegration Into Society, Monica Murrell Feb 2026

Incarceration’S Impact On Young Adults’ Psychological Development, Well-Being, And Reintegration Into Society, Monica Murrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how individuals who experienced incarceration during emerging adulthood understood and made meaning of their developmental, emotional, and psychosocial experiences. Emerging adulthood, defined as ages seventeen through twenty-five, is a critical developmental stage, and incarceration during this period may disrupt identity formation and emotional maturation. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives and coping mechanisms of individuals incarcerated during this stage to better understand how early adult imprisonment shapes trauma responses, identity development, and reintegration. Social learning theory served as the conceptual framework. Data was collected through interviews with six formerly incarcerated adults …


The Perspective Of Rural Secondary Vocational Education Instructors On Employability Skills, Unqualified Advancement, And Expulsion To Reduce Delinquency And Justice System Contact, Stacy Lynn Feb 2026

The Perspective Of Rural Secondary Vocational Education Instructors On Employability Skills, Unqualified Advancement, And Expulsion To Reduce Delinquency And Justice System Contact, Stacy Lynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, the problem in Tennessee and across the United States where the skills of employability, which are used in the reduction of recidivism, are not being emphasized at the secondary level to prevent delinquency and initial justice system contact was highlighted. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of rural secondary vocational educators on student unqualified advancement, expulsion, and program employability skills of students participating in vocational education, referencing the reduction of delinquency and justice system contact. Bandura’s social learning theory and subsequent social cognitive theory were the theoretical frameworks for thematic analysis using interpretative …


Citizen Perceptions Of Law Enforcement Use Of Facial Recognition Technology, Helena Raye Weiskittel Feb 2026

Citizen Perceptions Of Law Enforcement Use Of Facial Recognition Technology, Helena Raye Weiskittel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in criminal investigations is potentially controversial in terms of privacy rights. This study involved examining public perceptions regarding police officers’ use of FRT in criminal investigations. A qualitative research method and descriptive design were used to explore participants’ perceptions of FRT. The procedural justice theory and a pragmatic paradigm guided this general qualitative research. The target population for the study was 10 participants from the United States. Results of this study showed privacy concerns involved a lack of public anonymity and the risk of data breaches due to facial recognition. This shows use of …


Emotion Regulation And Stress In Adult Learning Through Social Media Platforms, Jennifer Irocky Feb 2026

Emotion Regulation And Stress In Adult Learning Through Social Media Platforms, Jennifer Irocky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media platforms have become significant contexts for informal learning among adults, offering access to information and peer exchange outside of formal educational settings. These platforms are also emotionally complex environments in which stress and emotion regulation may shape learning outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to examine the relationship between social media use and informal learning in adults, with perceived stress and emotion regulation examined as moderating variables. Secondary data from the Stress in America: The State of Our Nation, 2007–2018 surveys were analyzed, using binary logistic regression with moderation while controlling for age, gender, and …


The Predicting Value Of Grit And Helicopter Parenting On Relational Satisfaction, Ashley Ann Puga Feb 2026

The Predicting Value Of Grit And Helicopter Parenting On Relational Satisfaction, Ashley Ann Puga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Helicopter parenting has been extensively studied within the emerging adult population. However, previous studies have recruited their participants solely from a university setting. The current literature on grit and emerging adults is limited. Therefore, this study sought to add to the current literature by recruiting emerging adults through multiple platforms, such as multiple social media platforms, to allow non-university participants. This study also sought to add to the current literature on emerging adults and grit. Utilizing the theories of social learning theory and self-determination theory, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine if helicopter parenting and grit …


Staff Education To Medical Surgical Nurses On Structured Discharge Checklist, Johnmary Odinigwe Feb 2026

Staff Education To Medical Surgical Nurses On Structured Discharge Checklist, Johnmary Odinigwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inconsistent discharge practices among medical-surgical nurses contribute to communication gaps, patient confusion, and preventable adverse outcomes following hospital discharge. Nurses, as frontline providers of discharge education, play a critical role in ensuring safe and effective transitions of care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed a practice gap in nurses’ knowledge of implementing a structured discharge checklist. The purpose of this staff education project was to evaluate whether a structured discharge checklist education program would improve medical-surgical nurses’ knowledge of standardized discharge education practices. A pretest–posttest design was used to assess changes in knowledge among 36 medical-surgical nurses. Participants …


Perceived Retirement Preparedness Of Gen X Women Participating In Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, Tammie Moore Parran Feb 2026

Perceived Retirement Preparedness Of Gen X Women Participating In Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, Tammie Moore Parran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As Generation X (GenX) women near full retirement age, concerns about retirement preparedness have increased due to limited time to save and greater dependence on employer-sponsored retirement plans. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore Gen X women’s perceptions of their retirement preparedness and to identify themes that influence effective retirement planning. Life cycle theory, the theory of reasoned action, and vested interest theory ground the conceptual framework for this study, which together explain how individuals anticipate future needs and engage in intentional financial behaviors. The study primarily focused on participants’ perceptions of retirement preparedness and …


Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Integrating Technology Into Facilitating Learning In Georgia, Monia Gibbs Thomas Feb 2026

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Integrating Technology Into Facilitating Learning In Georgia, Monia Gibbs Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that middle school teachers in Georgia Middle School Districts (GMSD, a pseudonym) face challenges integrating technology into their teaching. Guided by Mishra and Koehler’s technological pedagogical content knowledge framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore teachers' perceptions of successes, challenges, and support needed to effectively integrate technology into their teaching at GMSD. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 middle school teachers who were purposively selected by emailing all GMSD teachers. Through Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, the following themes emerged: GMSD teachers have (1) no …


Food Security Through Church-Sponsored Food Programs, Samantha Scott Feb 2026

Food Security Through Church-Sponsored Food Programs, Samantha Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A south-suburban Cook County, IL city lacks grocery stores with high-quality food options, which contributes to food insecurity. Residents often rely on highly processed, low-nutrient foods, contributing to nutritional vulnerability. Friendship Church’s food bank sporadically serves this food desert, but sustaining its operations is challenging. Using community-based participatory action research design and the food security theory, data were collected from 25 semistructured interviews with food bank beneficiaries and church staff/volunteers and analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. The four dimensions were examined: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Two questions guided the research: How do parishioners in one south-suburban Cook County community …