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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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The Lived Experiences Of Imposter Syndrome Among Women Of Color Professors In Higher Education, Adrianna Marie Hooker Nov 2025

The Lived Experiences Of Imposter Syndrome Among Women Of Color Professors In Higher Education, Adrianna Marie Hooker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the unique challenges faced by women of color professors in higher education, who often experience imposter syndrome due to systemic barriers and underrepresentation. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of how these professors experienced and made meaning of imposter syndrome in academic settings. The central research question examined the meaning of imposter syndrome among women of color professors in higher education. This study was grounded in intersectionality and self-determination theory, which provided frameworks for understanding how multiple identities influenced feelings of inadequacy and professional identity. Participants included 12 women of …


Effective Strategies For Business Leaders Of Homeschool Consulting And Testing Services To Attract New Clients And Sustain Operations, Chartel Arnida Amos Nov 2025

Effective Strategies For Business Leaders Of Homeschool Consulting And Testing Services To Attract New Clients And Sustain Operations, Chartel Arnida Amos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders of homeschool consulting and testing services are experiencing a critical challenge in attracting new clients, which threatens their ability to sustain operations. Grounded in the Baldrige excellence framework and the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore effective strategies used by one business leader of a homeschool consulting and testing services organization in North Carolina to attract clients and sustain operations. Data sources included (a) semistructured interviews, (b) organizational archival records and documents, (c) public data such as reports and websites, and (d) literature including peer-reviewed articles and books. Findings …


The Stress Parents Face When Their Autistic Child Turns 21, Everetta Joyce Irene Davis Nov 2025

The Stress Parents Face When Their Autistic Child Turns 21, Everetta Joyce Irene Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This exploratory study examined the lived experiences of parents whose autistic children turned 21 and aged out school and services provided by the federally funded Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) program. Although researchers have conducted numerous studies on autism, limited research has focused specifically on the stress parents face when their autistic child turns 21 and loses access to FAPE. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, logistical, and systemic challenges these parents encountered during the transition out of high school. Family Systems Theory provided the conceptual framework for exploring these …


The Lived Experience Of U.S. Law Enforcement Officers And The Challenges They Face While Investigating Sexual Assault Victim Reports, Ariekan Josephs-Greene Nov 2025

The Lived Experience Of U.S. Law Enforcement Officers And The Challenges They Face While Investigating Sexual Assault Victim Reports, Ariekan Josephs-Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual assault is a pervasively dangerous crime affecting persons of all ages, races, and genders, both in the United States and globally. Essential in the safeguarding of American citizens, U.S. law enforcement officers are among the first responders on scene to investigate reports of sexual assault claims. However, echoed in previous research are the sentiments of victim-survivors who experienced negative encounters with officers who exhibited an implicit lack of victim-centered training and were dismissive in their investigative approach. Consequently, this gap in the literature requires exploration; therefore, this study focuses on the lived experiences of U.S. law enforcement officers and …


Effect Of Workplace Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Programs On Black Women Leaders At Nonprofit National Associations Of Regulatory Boards, Staci Mason Nov 2025

Effect Of Workplace Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Programs On Black Women Leaders At Nonprofit National Associations Of Regulatory Boards, Staci Mason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that due to their intersecting identities, Black women must contend with both racism and sexism in the workplace, resulting in oppressive work environments and limited access to career advancement. Studies also highlighted Black women’s disillusionment with workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming and its role in addressing these negative impacts. However, these issues have not been studied through the perceptions of Black women leaders at national associations of regulatory boards. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine perceptions of these Black women regarding the impact of DEI programs on their career. Using Benet’s …


The Impact Of Microaggression Exposure On Emotional Reactivity And Distress Following An Emotionally Provocative Movie Scene, Gwendolyn Jefferson Nov 2025

The Impact Of Microaggression Exposure On Emotional Reactivity And Distress Following An Emotionally Provocative Movie Scene, Gwendolyn Jefferson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study explored how past experiences with racial microaggressions affect emotional reactions to racially charged media and whether factors like age and gender influence that response. Using Minority Stress Theory as a guide, 183 African American adults completed the Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after watching a racially provocative film clip. The first analysis found no direct link between microaggression exposure and emotional change. However, further testing with analysis of variance showed that people with higher exposure reported much stronger emotional distress than those with lower exposure, F(1,180) = 38.12, p < .001, η² = .175. When demographic factors were added in a hierarchical regression, the model became significant, F(7,175) = 2.06, p = .036, R² = .076, showing that age (β = .086, p = .009) and gender (β = 1.505, p = .039) influenced emotional responses. Thus, older African American women showed the strongest distress, suggesting that the combined effects of race, gender, and age increase vulnerability to racial stress. These findings support the idea that racial trauma is complex and shaped by overlapping social identities. The study highlights the need for culturally sensitive mental health support, inclusive media portrayals, and greater awareness of generational and caregiving stress among African American women. By showing how overlapping identities shape emotional well-being, this research advances social change through empathy, reduced stigma, and institutional accountability, encouraging equity-driven practices that foster racial healing, fairness, and psychological resilience across communities.


Examining Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Collaborating With Police Officers To Foster Community Trust In Oklahoma, Lashonda Lanette Dale Nov 2025

Examining Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Collaborating With Police Officers To Foster Community Trust In Oklahoma, Lashonda Lanette Dale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current study was administered in order to examine Oklahoman social workers’ perception of collaborating with police officers to foster community trust. The goal was to determine whether the collaboration amongst social and police officer fostered trust when collaborating during services calls. The theory of planned behavior and policing (TPBP) studied by Ishoy and giving credit to Ajzen’s were the foundational theory used to support this study. Collaboration among social workers and police officers can foster community trust and benefit both parties. Such collaboration could also lead to joint training and education, as well as alleviating public fears and misconceptions. …


Intimate Partner Violence: Serving Heterosexual Male And Same-Sex Victims, David Welch Nov 2025

Intimate Partner Violence: Serving Heterosexual Male And Same-Sex Victims, David Welch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an ongoing social problem across nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, and genders. Historically, research into IPV has focused on the heterosexual female victim and male perpetrator paradigm, including identifying the root causes of this phenomenon and appropriate treatment models. There is a distinct gap in the current literature addressing how therapists in the psychological community approach working with heterosexual male and same-sex victims of IPV, beginning with case conceptualization. To explore the unique case conceptualization considerations of therapists as they encounter heterosexual male and same-sex IPV victims in their practice, a general phenomenological research …


Improving Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge On Heart Failure Self-Care Management, Linda Nkeiruka Ukwu Nov 2025

Improving Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge On Heart Failure Self-Care Management, Linda Nkeiruka Ukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge On Self-Care Management Of Hypertension, Zainab Kebbie Turay Nov 2025

Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge On Self-Care Management Of Hypertension, Zainab Kebbie Turay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This DNP staff education project focused on improving staff knowledge on self-care management of hypertension. The overarching patient care problem at the project site was uncontrolled hypertension among adult patients with lack of staff knowledge and confidence in delivering related patient education. Addressing uncontrolled hypertension is vital within nursing practice due to its impact on public health and the opportunity for a nurse-led evidence-based intervention to improve patient outcomes. The practice-focused question for this project was: “In adults with uncontrolled hypertension, does staff education program on hypertension self-care management improve staff knowledge on how to educate patients on self-care …


U.S. Government Software Development Entity Implements A Hybrid Of Waterfall And Agile To Address Failures, Dwight Jerome Peters Jr. Nov 2025

U.S. Government Software Development Entity Implements A Hybrid Of Waterfall And Agile To Address Failures, Dwight Jerome Peters Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although organizations allocate substantial resources to software development process initiatives, a significant portion of these projects fail. The U.S. government software development leaders and managers need to understand the disadvantages of both waterfall and agile methodologies as leading indicators of project failure. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the consequences in government software development fostered by a hybrid approach of waterfall and agile methodologies pertaining to the inherent shortcomings of each methodology. The participants consisted of four current and four former team members from the U.S. government software development …


Junior-Level Women Experiences Influencing Their Departure From The U.S. Coast Guard, Jill Lynn Lazo Nov 2025

Junior-Level Women Experiences Influencing Their Departure From The U.S. Coast Guard, Jill Lynn Lazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite increasing attention to public service motivation (PSM) in organizational research, there is a notable absence of studies examining the experiences of women in military contexts, particularly within the United States Coast Guard (USCG). This generic qualitative study, grounded in PSM theory, explored why junior-level women in the USCG prematurely exited military service. While existing research on PSM and women is limited and none specifically focused on women in the USCG, this study addressed that gap by interviewing 16 junior-level women who had separated from the USCG between four and eight years prior. The purpose of the study was to …


Teachers’ Perceptions Of The National Professional Development Policies And Mathematics Performance In Guyana, Nicola Marcia Johnson Nov 2025

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The National Professional Development Policies And Mathematics Performance In Guyana, Nicola Marcia Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Ministry of Education in Guyana has focused on improving primary students’ performance in mathematics; however, low student performance persists. The problem addressed in this study was the limited understanding of how Guyanese primary teachers used the national professional development policies (NPDP) to address the low performance of students on the Math National Grade 6 Assessment (MNGSA). Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Senge’s systems thinking theory, the purpose of this study was to explore Guyanese primary teachers’ perceptions of their successes and challenges using the NPDP to address the low performance of students on the MNGSA. For this …


Disability Accommodations In Field Education: Exploring The Msw Student Perspective, Alicia Dawn Melnick Nov 2025

Disability Accommodations In Field Education: Exploring The Msw Student Perspective, Alicia Dawn Melnick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of students with disabilities is increasing, yet little is known about how graduate social work students navigate accommodation during field placements. This study addressed the limited understanding of Master of Social Work (MSW) students’ experiences applying Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations in practicum settings. How accommodations are managed can determine whether disabled students gain equitable access to training and the profession. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to examine how MSW students with disabilities describe their experiences with applying ADA accommodations during field placements. Critical disability theory guided the study, emphasizing ableism and structural barriers …


The Relationship Between Theory Of Planned Behavior Constructs And Small Business Owners’ Tax Evasion And Avoidance Behaviors, Kenyatta Patton Nov 2025

The Relationship Between Theory Of Planned Behavior Constructs And Small Business Owners’ Tax Evasion And Avoidance Behaviors, Kenyatta Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of the Treasury incurs substantial costs due to a tax gap, and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has limited capacity to implement non-enforcement strategies without a deeper understanding of the behavioral drivers of tax non-compliance. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationships between small business owners’ attitudes toward taxation, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and tax compliance behaviors. The participants comprised 121 small business owners in the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area. They completed a combined survey consisting of the ethics of tax evasion survey instrument …


Examining Emergent Patterns Of Behavior In White Female Sexual Homicide Offenders, Kristin Bemis Nov 2025

Examining Emergent Patterns Of Behavior In White Female Sexual Homicide Offenders, Kristin Bemis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of studies on sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) have been conducted on male sexual homicide offenders (MSHOs). In many aspects, this is due to society’s reluctance to view women as capable of sexual murder. There have only been a handful of studies conducted on female sexual homicide offenders (FSHOs). However, these studies found substantial differences between MSHOs and FSHOs, as well as between White FSHOs and Black FSHOs. Since prior studies on FSHOs have all been quantitative, this study employed a qualitative case study approach to analyze FSHOs. Using rational choice theory, 12 White FSHO cases were examined, using …


Associations Between Devices, Flavors, Ease Of Acquisition, And Use Of E-Cigarettes Among American Youth, Sasha Anderson Nov 2025

Associations Between Devices, Flavors, Ease Of Acquisition, And Use Of E-Cigarettes Among American Youth, Sasha Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Initiation of use of e-cigarettes is attributed to many factors and must be understood to curtail health-related problems such as cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases that are associated with use of tobacco products. This study used the Social Cognitive Theory to analyze how curiosity and peer influence could be possible predictors of e-cigarette use among youth in the United States. Predictors of flavor preference and acquisition were also examined. Data were acquired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey (N = 20,189). Statistical tests to determine existing relations and associations were binary and multinomial …


Effects Of Foster Care Placement With Kin Or Nonkin On Opiate Abuse And Criminality, Pamela Bouyer Oct 2025

Effects Of Foster Care Placement With Kin Or Nonkin On Opiate Abuse And Criminality, Pamela Bouyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Opioid abuse has remained a public health crisis with far-reaching economic and social consequences that include costs associated with healthcare and increased foster care placements. Children placed into foster care are at risk themselves for opioid use and delinquency. The purpose of this quantitative research was to explore the causal-comparative relationship between foster care placement with kin (family) or nonkin (nonfamily) and its impacts on opiate abuse and criminal behavior. The Attachment Theory guided this study. Data were collected using a web-based, retrospective survey distributed at behavioral health agencies in Northeast Ohio, social media platforms, and Centiment, an online survey …


Exploring Public Health Nurses’ Perceptions Of Syringe Services Programs In Southern Rural Areas, Joel Lowery Oct 2025

Exploring Public Health Nurses’ Perceptions Of Syringe Services Programs In Southern Rural Areas, Joel Lowery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public health nurses are potentially key stakeholders in syringe services program (SSP) implementation in rural areas, where they can act as liaisons between public health, private healthcare, and the community. However, little research reflects an in-depth understanding of how public health nurses perceive SSPs in rural areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of syringe services programs held by public health nurses practicing in rural areas with no existing SSPs in southern states and ascertain their potential roles in facilitating harm reduction for people who inject drugs. This study was guided by a conceptual framework …


Parents’ Experiences With The Social-Emotional Development Of Toddlers With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Completing Early Intervention, Veronica Bayer Oct 2025

Parents’ Experiences With The Social-Emotional Development Of Toddlers With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Completing Early Intervention, Veronica Bayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social-emotional development of autistic toddlers is a critical area of concern for parents and early childhood professionals. Parents need to understand how early intervention programs influence this development, as it can significantly impact long-term outcomes for children with autism. Grounded in the DIR (Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based) theory by S. I. Greenspan and S. Wieder, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences parents had with their autistic toddlers’ social-emotional development after completing an early intervention program. The participants comprised of eight parents whose toddlers completed an early intervention program and were later diagnosed with autism. …


Shared Family Identity And Emotional Abuse From A Childhood Caregiver As Predictors Of Self-Censorship Willingness, Jillian Theryon Oct 2025

Shared Family Identity And Emotional Abuse From A Childhood Caregiver As Predictors Of Self-Censorship Willingness, Jillian Theryon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood emotional abuse may be underreported and unnoticed. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine whether shared family identity (SFI) with an emotionally abusive childhood caregiver was linked to self-censorship of social and political opinions in adulthood. The study also examined whether this relationship is intensified among those with a strong sense of SFI with that caregiver. Linear multiple regression analysis of survey data collected from 119 participants, recruited through Survey Monkey Audience, revealed that willingness to self-censor was significantly shaped by the interaction between SFI and emotional abuse, especially overcontrol. Although SFI is often seen as …


Successful Strategies Used For Volunteer Retention In Nonprofit Organizations, Sheraaron Nicole Hurt Oct 2025

Successful Strategies Used For Volunteer Retention In Nonprofit Organizations, Sheraaron Nicole Hurt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability to retain volunteers critically undermines nonprofit leaders’ capacity to deliver consistent and effective services to vulnerable community populations, threatening organizational stability and mission fulfillment. Persistent challenges with volunteer retention hinder nonprofit leaders’ operations, reduce program reach, and drive up recruitment costs, weakening organizational sustainability. Grounded in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this qualitative multiple case study explored effective strategies that nonprofit leaders use to retain volunteers and support organizational sustainability. Five nonprofit leaders from the U.S. East Coast were participants and selected because each demonstrated success in volunteer retention. The themes that emerged from thematically analyzing semistructured interviews and …


High School Instructional Staff Perspectives On Effective Strategies For Increasing Enrollment In The Career And Technical Education Pathway, Briana O'Brien Oct 2025

High School Instructional Staff Perspectives On Effective Strategies For Increasing Enrollment In The Career And Technical Education Pathway, Briana O'Brien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the challenges of enrolling students in the career and technical education (CTE) pathway at a northeastern high school, despite local and national commitments to expanding CTE opportunities. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore high school instructional staff perceptions of the challenges in enrolling students in the CTE pathway and the strategies they suggest would increase enrollment. The study was grounded in the conceptual framework of the concerns-based adoption model and the expectancy-value theory, which allowed for an understanding of staff concerns, motivations, and perceptions in relation to student enrollment …


Business Intelligence Architectures And Implementation Strategies, Christopher Ziebert Oct 2025

Business Intelligence Architectures And Implementation Strategies, Christopher Ziebert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations often make inferior decisions without business intelligence (BI) architectures. Information technology (IT) managers are increasingly concerned that without effective BI architectures, they forfeit data-driven intelligence, hindering organizational competitiveness, innovation capacity, and broader economic progress within their industries and communities. Grounded in the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies used by data architects to implement BI architectures in the financial industry. The participants were six data architects who had successfully implemented BI architectures in the financial industry in the southwestern United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, field notes, and …


Excessive Expulsions And School Suspensions Of Black Children, Lasharee O. Rogers Oct 2025

Excessive Expulsions And School Suspensions Of Black Children, Lasharee O. Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While national and state-level literature has documented racial inequities in school discipline, limited research has focused on how these policies are specifically implemented and perceived within the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Region School. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine factors related to higher rate of expulsions and school suspensions of Black high school students in the CMSR Schools in comparison to their peers through the lens of the critical race theory. This research was used to engage teachers and administrators on current school suspension and expulsion policies while encouraging modifications to those policies that warranted equity and …


Compassion Fatigue And Daily Spiritual Experience Among Mental Health Male Technicians In Locked Facilities, Felicia Mar'shae Davis Ramsey Oct 2025

Compassion Fatigue And Daily Spiritual Experience Among Mental Health Male Technicians In Locked Facilities, Felicia Mar'shae Davis Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health provider’s ongoing exposure to clients’ traumatic experiences can cause increased compassion fatigue. Due to negative implications on mental health professionals’ work and personal life experiences, researchers have increasingly studied burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress. The study included a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to interview mental health providers across specialties and regulations to acquire understanding of professionals lived experiences of compassion within their personal lives, work lives, and spirituality. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of compassion fatigue in male mental health technician and how they use …


Self-Management Experiences Of Heart Failure Patients Who Received Telehealth Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christie Devine Oct 2025

Self-Management Experiences Of Heart Failure Patients Who Received Telehealth Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christie Devine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the utilization of telehealth in managing chronic conditions such as heart failure. Existing research has primarily focused on patient experiences with specific telehealth platforms or settings, limiting generalizability within the diverse United States healthcare system. The purpose of this qualitative study, guided by the health promotion model, was to describe patient experiences with self-management of heart failure while receiving medical care through any type of telehealth service (e.g., telephone, video calls, remote monitoring) in the United States. Twenty-two participants were interviewed who met the criteria of having a diagnosis of heart failure and using telehealth since …


Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Venous Leg Ulcer Prevention, Bini John Oct 2025

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Venous Leg Ulcer Prevention, Bini John

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project implemented a standardized program to strengthen knowledge, confidence, and adherence to venous stasis ulcer (VSU) prevention among staff in an outpatient vascular clinic. The practice problem was the lack of standardized staff education, leading to inconsistent patient teaching and recurrent ulceration. VSUs are a significant public health challenge, increasing morbidity, healthcare utilization, and reducing quality of life (He et al., 2024). The practice-focused question for this project was: In frontline medical staff at a vascular outpatient clinic, does a staff education program on a standardized approach to patient education for VSU …


Strategies Hospitality Business Leaders Use To Retain Employees During Organizational Change, Jennifer Harris Nyanfor Oct 2025

Strategies Hospitality Business Leaders Use To Retain Employees During Organizational Change, Jennifer Harris Nyanfor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover during organizational change can weaken the hospitality sector’s operational efficiency, leading to inconsistencies in service delivery and reduced productivity. To mitigate these effects, hospitality business leaders are encouraged to adopt evidence-based retention practices that strengthen employee commitment and sustain organizational success. Grounded in job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies hospitality business leaders used to retain employees during organizational change. Six hospitality business leaders from the Southeastern United States region were participants in semistructured interviews. The four themes that emerged through thematic analysis were clear communication, competitive compensation, rapport building, …


Relationship Between Parent Demographics And Attitudes About Their Child’S Diabetes In Nigerian Parents Who Live In The United States, Vivian Obioma Nwankwo Oct 2025

Relationship Between Parent Demographics And Attitudes About Their Child’S Diabetes In Nigerian Parents Who Live In The United States, Vivian Obioma Nwankwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Relationship Between Parent Demographics and Attitudes About Their Child’s Diabetes in Nigerian Parents who Live in the United States by Vivian Obioma Eluwa Nwankwo MA, Walden University, 2018 BA, University of Nigeria, 1992 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human and Social Services Walden University August 2025