Digital Commons Network^™

Sexism, Just-World Beliefs, And Defensive Attribution: Relationship To Online Discourse And Child Sexual Abuse, Andrea M. Barbis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that individuals' willingness to believe a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is related to just-world beliefs, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution. However, researchers do not know whether these variables relate to posts made in response to online articles describing CSA. Negative or disbelieving posts may impact not only the author, but also readers who view these comments via hindrance of disclosures, increased self-blame, and avoidance of help seeking. In this quantitative study, just-world, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution theories provided the theoretical basis used to determine whether just-world beliefs, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution influenced comments …

Factors Deterring Male Enrollment In Higher Education In Barbados, Debbie Samantha Bovell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean, is experiencing the challenge of low male enrollment in higher education (HE). The research indicated that this problem, left unaddressed, could undermine the development of men, their families, and communities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide insight into the dispositional, institutional, and situational factors deterring young men who acquired the requisite number of certificates for entry to HE but did not enroll. The theoretical frameworks used to ground this study were Cross's chain of response theory, Bourdieu's social capital theory, and Knowles' theory of andragogy. The research questions addressed …

Factors Deterring Male Enrollment In Higher Education In Barbados, Debbie Samantha Bovell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean, is experiencing the challenge of low male enrollment in higher education (HE). The research indicated that this problem, left unaddressed, could undermine the development of men, their families, and communities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide insight into the dispositional, institutional, and situational factors deterring young men who acquired the requisite number of certificates for entry to HE but did not enroll. The theoretical frameworks used to ground this study were Cross's chain of response theory, Bourdieu's social capital theory, and Knowles' theory of andragogy. The research questions addressed …

Black Individuals' Lived Experiences With Racial Microaggressions And Implications In Counseling, Letitia V. Browne-James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of racial microaggressions in the United States has important implications for counseling due to the mental and physical health concerns individuals who experience them may develop. Although the current literature addresses racial microaggressions among Black individuals and implications for counseling, no qualitative studies that included the voices of Black individuals using relational cultural theory were found. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black individuals who have encountered racial microaggressions and learn their perspectives on what counselors can do to help them in counseling. Adding this perspective will help fill this gap …

Faculty Perspectives On Redesigning Classrooms With Active Learning Technology Tools, Zhanat Alma Burch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective integration of active learning technology tools in classrooms is a key component of 21st century higher education classrooms. Challenged with outdated technology access and traditional classrooms, a local university in North Carolina initiated a strategic plan to update classrooms and laboratories with the 21st century technology. The problem of the study was that limited information existed regarding faculty perceptions regarding benefits of and barriers to integrating active learning technology tools. The goal of this study was to uncover the faculty members' views and perceptions about redesigning classrooms with the active learning technology tools. The technology acceptance model (TAM) framework …

Korean Immigrant Women's Perceptions Of Cervical Cancer Screening In Hawaii, Eurina Yujin Cha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority immigrant women are more likely to be diagnosed with and suffer from cervical cancer compared to other minority women in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to explore cultural health perceptions, behaviors, and barriers to cervical cancer prevention among Korean immigrant women (KIW) in Hawaii. The health belief model and the social-ecological model were used to guide the study. Data were collected using individual structured interviews with 20 KIW ages 21 to 65 who are first-generation KIW immigrant to Hawaii. Data were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Findings revealed that participants (a) prefer …

Exploring Restorative Factors For Trafficked And Sexually Exploited Women, Carol C. Chilaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Many women who survived sex trafficking continue to suffer from severe and persistent psychological distress even after the traditional treatment and rehabilitation program. The lingering psychological symptoms that these survivors suffer make reintegration into their families and communities difficult. This phenomenological study identified the restorative factors that helped some women who were earlier engaged in sex trafficking to recover, readjust, and reintegrate into their families and communities. Six female survivors of human trafficking and six program directors/counselors at different rehabilitation centers were individually interviewed in in-depth with semi-structured questionnaires and audio recorded. I kept diary of my readings and …

The Influence Of School Discipline Approaches On Suspension Rates, Donna Christy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A free and appropriate public education is promised to every child in the United States. However, zero tolerance school discipline policies have broken that promise, pushing students out of the classroom and into the school-to-prison pipeline. Despite the growing body of research demonstrating negative social and economic impacts of exclusionary discipline, public school administrators have been slow to adopt innovative policies that provide rehabilitative alternatives. The purpose of this study was to compare, using the consequences of innovations application of Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory, the impact of various school district approaches to school discipline on suspension rates while controlling …

Stress Management Treatments Among Police Departments, Cedrick D. Crockett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The police profession is viewed as one of the most stressful occupations in the world. Police officers are responsible for handling calls for service, serving and protecting the community, enforcing laws, and preventing and solving crimes. These responsibilities along with many others can become overwhelming and lead to police stress and trauma. Police stress has been linked to adverse effects on the performances and health of police officers. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to describe the internal and external factors of police stress through their lived experiences as police officers, and the stress management techniques used by …

Instructional Behavior And Its Impact On Student Engagement, Debra Joan Crumpton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to expand understanding of leadership behaviors and their influence on follower engagement. Researchers have shown that engagement is a predictor of retention and organizational performance. Leadership theory and the conceptual framework of worker engagement were the study's theoretical anchors. Despite a proliferation of leadership studies, engagement antecedents are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to narrow the gap in the literature by examining the extent to which there may be a relationship between college instructors' behaviors and student engagement. Although not traditionally regarded as frontline leaders, extant leadership literature affirmed college …

Strategies To Combat Tenant Fraud In The Rental Housing Market, Dr. Gwendolyn B. Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many business executives lack strategies to detect and eliminate tenant fraud in subsidized rental housing. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies some business executives used to detect and eliminate tenant fraud in subsidized rental housing. The conceptual framework used to guide this study was the theory of planned behavior. Data were gathered using semistructured interviews with 6 purposively selected business executives of public housing authorities, supplemented with a review of policies and procedures that business executives used. Yin's 5-step analysis, which entails examining, categorizing, tabulating, creating a data display, and testing the data, guided the process …

Predictive Relationship Between Anger And Violence In Canadian Secondary Students, Lawrence Alfred Deck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence among Canadian secondary students remains a concern for administrators, teachers, community members, and students. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine the predictive relationship between anger and violence among secondary students in Canada using the Anger Regulation and Expression Scale (ARES). The general aggression model provided the framework for the study. Survey data were collected from 138 students using the ARES. Demographic data and archival data from students' school files were also collected. Results of receiver operator characteristic analysis and binary logistic regression indicated that the ARES total score provided fair to good predictive ability …

Nigerian Hospital-Based Interprofessional Collaborative Patterns And Organizational Implications, Osaeloka Christiandolus Ekwueme

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interprofessional collaboration is recognized as the innovative, evidence-based strategy that strengthens health systems and improves performance and health outcomes. While resource-rich countries have benefited much from the implementation of this initiative, literature is scarce regarding sub-Sahara Africa. This quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study described the extent of interprofessional collaborative practice at the tertiary care level in Nigeria and its implications on patient health outcomes, professionals' performance, satisfaction, and healthy practice environment. The relational coordination theory (RCT) provided the conceptual framework for the study. Key research questions were on the association between the extents of interprofessional practice and each of the outcome …

Holistic Health And Hawaii's Renewable Energy Future, Richard M. Esterle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collective efficacy, time urgency, and health literacy have been a focus of research since the 1970s. Researchers have demonstrated that these factors influence health and decision making. However, researchers have yet to establish how these factors may be connected to the achievement of policy aims that impact holistic or environmental health. This study utilized the health belief model, social cognitive theory, time urgency theory, health education and promotion theory, Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, and the Meikirch model. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the factors of collective efficacy, perceived time urgency, perceived health literacy, ethnicity, age, …

A Grounded Theory Of Emergent Leadership In Nonhierarchical Virtual Teams, Randall Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Grounded Theory of Emergent Leadership in Nonhierarchical Virtual Teams

by

Randall David Fleming

MS, Colorado Technical University, 2008

BA, The Ohio State University, 1984

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Management

Walden University

November 2018

Health Promoting Behaviors Of Young Adults With Chronic Lyme Disease, Patricia D. Bolivar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lyme disease is the most prevalent arthropod-borne (tick) disease in North America. The disease is more prevalent in some Eastern and Central states than in Western states. The general problem is that, in southern California especially in Los Angeles County, both patients and practitioners fail to recognize the disease, resulting in misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Consequently, the patient may develop the long-term, chronic Lyme disease (CLD). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact of CLD on the health-promoting behaviors of ethnically diverse young adults from similar educational and socioeconomic backgrounds based on their lived experiences. The …

Testing Matching And Mirroring With Homophily In Onboarding Leadership Socialization, Manuel Almendarez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was designed to test the relationship between matching and mirroring (MM) and homophilous perceptions (PHM) in leadership socialization. Elevated PHM levels were hypothesized to affect workplace acceptance levels. The need for testing leadership socialization skills was magnified with the current demographic shift known as the leadership succession crisis, creating problems with onboarding strategies. The theoretical foundations of the study were based on the social identity theory, the social presence theory, the leader-member exchange theory, and the similarity-attraction paradigm. The study conducted at Workforce Solutions North Texas in Wichita Falls, Texas was sampled based on the calculated strength of …

Strategies To Prevent And Reduce Medical Identity Theft Resulting In Medical Fraud, Junior V. Clement

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical identity fraud is a byproduct of identity theft; it enables imposters to procure medical treatment, thus defrauding patients, insurers, and government programs through forged prescriptions, falsified medical records, and misuse of victim's health insurance. In 2014, for example, the United States Government lost $14.1 billion in improper payments. The purpose of this multiple case study, grounded by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act as the conceptual framework, was to explore the strategies 5 healthcare leaders used to prevent identity theft and medical identity fraud and thus improve business performance in the state of New York. Data were collected …

Haitian Votes Matter: Haitian Immigrants In Florida In Local Politics And Government, Bobb Rousseau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study investigated perceived barriers to the incorporation of Haitian immigrants in Florida into local politics and government. The theoretical framework for this study was Marschall and Mikulska's theory of minority political incorporation to better understand the political ambition of Haitian immigrants to emerge as candidates and voters toward achieving electoral success and a substantive representation. The research question addressed the lived experiences and perceptions of Haitian immigrants related to barriers to their political mobilization at district, state, and federal levels. A phenomenological study design was used with open-ended interviews of 10 Haitian Americans who lived in Florida for …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Parent Experiences That Influence Positive Adoption Outcomes, Deena Shelton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children who age out of foster care face adjustments and mental health issues at higher rates than their peers, but those who are adopted have the opportunity to heal from previous trauma and experience better outcomes. To create healthy family systems for adopted children, adoptive parents need support and guidance as they personally adjust and help their children adjust to a new family system. Previous research has focused on child identifiers rather than on the broader family system in efforts to understand adoption success and failure. In this transcendental phenomenological study, adoptive parents provided their lived experiences of support during …

Police Stress: An Analysis Of The Impact On Child Sexual Exploitation Investigators, Damon Landon Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The psychological and physiological effects of work-related stress on law enforcement causes high morbidity and mortality rates and rates of alcoholism, substance abuse, domestic violence, and suicide higher than the national average. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to examine whether work-related stress experienced by child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child sexual abuse (CSA) investigators differ from that of other duty assigned subgroups. I used Karasek's job demands-control model as the theoretical framework for this study. I conducted the study within a medium sized law enforcement agency in eastern Washington State. The sample in the quantitative study …

Relationship Between Airline Category, Geographical Region, And Safety Performance, Peter Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Passengers rank safety as a key factor in airline choice. Thus, safety performance impacts an airline's ability to attract customers. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship and difference between airline category low-cost carriers (LCCs) and full-service carriers (FSCs), geographical region, and safety performance measured by accident rates. The target population comprised all airlines in all countries that had an accident during the 14-year period 2004 to 2017. Data consisted of archival data of all global airline accidents and airline departure frequencies for the 14-year period. The theory of organizational accidents in complex sociotechnical systems explains …

Case Study Of Inclusive Environments For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Employees, Darin Dale Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the positive changes occurring regarding American attitudes toward members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, empirical evidence indicates that LGBT individuals do not believe inclusive environments exist, as 48% of the population remains closeted at work. A gap exists in the literature relating to the formulation of practical solutions that establish and sustain inclusive environments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the possible influence of cultural lag on the workplace engagement of LGBT employees. Ogburn's cultural lag theory served as the conceptual framework. The following research questions guided the study: (a) The …

Strategies To Improve Business Performance With Information From Social Media, Taylor Chan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past 3 decades, China has experienced rapid economic growth. The China retail market reached renminbi (RMB) 29,651 billion in 2016, up by 10.4% from 2015. Using traditional ways that developed before the Internet era to acquire information regarding customers' changing preferences for products and services in a fast-moving business world is insufficient to support management in the retail industry to make informed strategic decisions. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful customer-centric strategies that business leaders used to improve business performance with marketing information acquired from social media. The population comprised business leaders from …

A Program Evaluation Of A Preadolescent Girls' Youth Development Program, Linda F. Weekley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Programs that include skills to help girls successfully navigate the difficulties of preadolescence have been shown to be beneficial. One such youth development program in the southeastern part of the United States began in 2014 but has had no formal evaluation completed. The purpose of this qualitative study was to conduct a utilization-focused process evaluation, asking questions that addressed the perceptions of a school leader (n = 1) and volunteers of the program (n = 8). Their input was solicited concerning successful implementation strategies used, and recommendations for adaptations, recruitment, and volunteer training. Semistructured interviews were conducted using predetermined open-ended, …

Digital Fundraising Strategies For Nonprofit Marketing Leaders In International Markets, John Basco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of North American nonprofit healthcare organizations require funding from international markets but lack the resources to reach these markets through traditional marketing or the skills to reach them through digital marketing, a cost-effective alternative. The purpose of this multiple case study was to document digital fundraising strategies successfully used to reach international markets by the marketing leaders of 5 North American nonprofit healthcare organizations. Participants in the study were involved in implementing digital fundraising strategies. Marketing systems theory was the framework for the study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analysis of documents that illustrated the digital marketing …

A Limited Rational Choice Theory In Local Public Health Decision Making, Lona Bryan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The threat and occurrence of terrorist attacks have increased in the United States since September 2011, heightening concerns for weaponized anthrax, other biological pathogens, and epidemics and pandemics. Early decisions and funding levels in local public health agencies can be the first line of defense or first point of failure; yet little is understood about how decisions are made when there are budget cuts before a biological event happens. Using Lindblom's conceptualization of limited rational choice theory, the purpose of this single case study was to understand how a local public health official made decisions after budget cuts in a …

An Exploratory Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Unmarried College-Educated Black Women, Courtney T. Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there has been a decline in heterosexual marriages, marriage is still an expectation for adults in the United States. Consequently, unmarried women feel pressured to explain their single marital status. Black women are the least likely to marry, compared to non-Black women and Black men, yet there is limited research addressing the experiences of unmarried Black women. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of unmarried, college-educated Black women and the effects of cultural and social expectations of marriage. Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 women. The intersectionality theory was used as the theoretical …

Changes In Attitudes Towards Substance Use Among High School Students, Laura Sue Catherine Elias

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Use of alcohol and illicit drugs during adolescent development can have negative effects on cognitive functioning and mental health. The purpose of this cross sectional study was to examine grade level, sex, athletic affiliation, and ethnicity as they relate to substance-using attitudes to isolate the period in which shifts in attitudes toward substance use in adolescents occur. The social learning theory provided the framework for the study. Participants included 276 high school students from a midsized Midwestern city. Students in the ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades who participated in the study were asked to complete a brief electronic survey …

Predictors Of Gambling-Related Problems In Adult Internet Gamblers, Barbaradee Foote

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of the Internet to gamble has become increasingly prevalent in recent years.

Although researchers have suggested that adult Internet gamblers are at high risk for

developing a gambling disorder, few studies, overall, have been conducted on the effects

of Internet gambling. Furthermore, conflicting research exists regarding what moderates

gambling-related problems. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if

age, gender, and emotions prior to the gambling experience are related predictors of

Internet problem gambling severity. A retrospective design was used. The pathways

model was used to support the belief that emotions felt before an Internet gambling …