Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 541 - 570 of 6482

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of The Cultural, Structural, And Potential Training Barriers That Prevent Police Agencies From Adopting An Effective Emergency Response System, Allan David Dunham Oct 2025

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of The Cultural, Structural, And Potential Training Barriers That Prevent Police Agencies From Adopting An Effective Emergency Response System, Allan David Dunham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the proven efficacy of the incident command system (ICS), police agencies face obstacles in effective critical incident response. This qualitative study explored the cultural, structural, and potential training barriers that hinder the adoption of the ICS within police agencies. The purpose was to investigate how police can more effectively adopt this unified command structure designed for multiagency emergency response. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, the research question addressed how California police officers’ attitudes, perceived social norms, and sense of behavioral control influence their adoption of incident command system principles. Data were collected using semistructured Zoom interviews with …


The Victims’ Experience: Emotional Spiritual Abuse In The Christian Community, Arianna Branae Dotson Oct 2025

The Victims’ Experience: Emotional Spiritual Abuse In The Christian Community, Arianna Branae Dotson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, greater attention has been paid to the effects of sexual abuse within Christianity. There was a need for greater understanding of the psychological aspect of spiritual abuse within familial dynamics. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the phenomenon of emotional spiritual abuse that victims experience within Christian families. Using a theoretical foundation based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory and Bowen's family systems theory, this study focused on relationships within victims’ microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem. It also explored the concept of emotional triangles in times of conflict. The data source consisted of one-on-one participant interviews …


Sociocultural Factors Influencing Excess Gestational Weight Gain In Pregnant Puerto Rican Women, Sonia O. Roselló Aponte Oct 2025

Sociocultural Factors Influencing Excess Gestational Weight Gain In Pregnant Puerto Rican Women, Sonia O. Roselló Aponte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 50% of women experience excessive weight gain during pregnancy or are overweight at the start of pregnancy, increasing their risk of short and long-term maternal and fetal complications. The literature highlights the relationship between sociocultural factors and excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and the need to explore these factors in ethnic subgroups. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study, guided by Nola Pender’s health promotion model, was to explore the sociocultural factors that influence EGWG for pregnant women living in Puerto Rico. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants recruited from public and private prenatal clinics in Puerto …


Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood Oct 2025

Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female African American nontraditional students (25+ years with family and work demands) have high attrition rates, they leave degree programs before graduating, worsening socioeconomic disparities. This phenomenological study described their experiences with support services, which shaped student self-efficacy related to completing programs, and identified what changes were needed to improve support for higher graduation rates among female African American nontraditional students participating in 2-year degree programs offered by junior colleges. Guided by Bean’s industrial model of student attrition and Fishbein and Aizen’s importance of intention model, the study posed two research questions: What are the lived experiences of female nontraditional …


Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon Oct 2025

Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With different types and sizes of school districts across the United States, not all federal safety and security recommendations will work for every school district. The school district stakeholders are important components to help administrators understand whether the current policies are working and provide recommendations for change. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and compare the perceptions of parents and school officials on safety practices at a rural school district in North Texas. Using routine activity theory, this study provided information on how current practices were perceived by stakeholders in ensuring a safe school environment. Data were …


Emotional Labor, Dissonance, And Job Satisfaction Among Black Student Affairs Professionals, Joseph Glover Oct 2025

Emotional Labor, Dissonance, And Job Satisfaction Among Black Student Affairs Professionals, Joseph Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black Student Affairs Professionals (SAPros) at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) experience high levels of emotional labor that diminish job satisfaction and increase turnover, threatening workforce diversity and culturally affirming student support. However, limited understanding exists of how emotional labor relates to job satisfaction among Black SAPros at PWIs and whether emotional dissonance mediates this relationship. Grounded in Hochschild’s emotional labor theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between emotional labor scores as measured by the Emotional Labor Scale and job satisfaction scores as measured by the Job Satisfaction Survey and to determine whether emotional …


Successful Cybersecurity Strategies For Protecting Consumer Data, Zylia Ortiz Oct 2025

Successful Cybersecurity Strategies For Protecting Consumer Data, Zylia Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The continued advancement of information technology, although extraordinary and innovative, may have a profoundly negative impact on the adequate protection of consumer information. Consumers and organizational stakeholders alike are increasingly concerned about the risk of data ending up in the hands of cybercriminals. Grounded in the routine activity theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore the strategies information technology leaders use to protect customer data from security breaches. The participants were eight information technology leaders in the Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and public websites. …


Perceptions Of Educators Toward Implementing Professional Development Training In Inclusive Classrooms, Saleha Ahmed Syed Oct 2025

Perceptions Of Educators Toward Implementing Professional Development Training In Inclusive Classrooms, Saleha Ahmed Syed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored educators’ perceptions of implementing professional development training (PDT) in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive training could benefit both teachers and students with disabilities. Few researchers had previously examined educators’ attitudes and beliefs about implementing inclusive PDT and teaching students with disabilities. The research question focused on how educators applied inclusive instructional training in their classrooms. This phenomenological study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of eight public school teachers regarding the implementation of professional development in their inclusive classrooms and their biases toward these students, using Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned action as a framework. Interview data …


Jamaican Newspapers’ Strategies For Transitioning From Print To Web Publishing, Collin George Turner Oct 2025

Jamaican Newspapers’ Strategies For Transitioning From Print To Web Publishing, Collin George Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective strategies to transition from print publishing to web publishing can adversely impact newspaper publishers’ sustainability and profitability. Business leaders of established newspaper publishers are concerned, as they require such strategies to enhance and maintain financial viability. Grounded in Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the effective strategies some Jamaican newspaper publishers used to transition from print publishing to web publishing to improve and sustain profitability. The project participants included six business leaders from established Jamaican newspaper publishers. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, public websites, and other publicly …


Identifying Motivators For Retention Of Service Workers In Youth Group Care Programs, Michelle Lynn Briegel Oct 2025

Identifying Motivators For Retention Of Service Workers In Youth Group Care Programs, Michelle Lynn Briegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Residential group care programs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada face challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified human service workers. This workforce retention issue affects the quality of care provided to vulnerable children and youth, as well as the overall stability of residential group care. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore why service workers in front-line jobs choose to stay in their positions in youth-serving residential group care programs, guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. Nine participants were recruited through purposeful sampling via social media and email, with the criterion that they had been employed at …


Examining The Relationship Between Technology Acceptance Model (Tam) Factors And Ai Adoption In Financial Industry’S Nontechnical Staff, John Beraducci Oct 2025

Examining The Relationship Between Technology Acceptance Model (Tam) Factors And Ai Adoption In Financial Industry’S Nontechnical Staff, John Beraducci

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the financial services industry has created a need for financial services managers to understand which factors drive AI adoption among non-technical staff, because shortfalls in AI adoption can erode efficiency gains and competitive advantage. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU) of AI, perceived ease of use (PEOU) of AI, and AI adoption among non-technical employees in the financial services industry. The research questions focused on whether PU and PEOU were significantly related to AI adoption …


Strategies For Standardizing Nurses’ Pay To Mitigate Equal Pay Regulatory Fines, Pamela Davis Oct 2025

Strategies For Standardizing Nurses’ Pay To Mitigate Equal Pay Regulatory Fines, Pamela Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders face pressure from community and government officials to standardize employee wages. Fines and litigation risks can be substantial for employers who fail to comply with equal pay regulations. Grounded in the wage devaluation theory and the equity theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies healthcare leaders use to standardize wages and ensure compliance with equal pay regulations. Participants were four senior healthcare human resource leaders of private nonprofit hospital systems in the United States who have been successful in standardizing wages and in being compliant with equal pay regulations. Data were collected …


Exploring The Black Woman Experience Related To Sexual Practice, Sexual Identity, And Sexual Expression: A Qualitative Study, Ashley V. Rodriguez Oct 2025

Exploring The Black Woman Experience Related To Sexual Practice, Sexual Identity, And Sexual Expression: A Qualitative Study, Ashley V. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study revealed the complex interplay between personal identities and social constructs, focusing on Black-identifying women and their lived experiences with sex, sexuality, and sexual expression. Over centuries, societal influences depicted Black women as hypersexual, simultaneously exposing them to criticism, shame, and judgment for their sexual expression and meaning-making related to sex and sexuality. Consequently, Black women remain a high-risk demographic for unsafe sexual practices and sexually transmitted infections. Using intersectionality theory and Black feminist theory, this study explored how Black-identifying women give meaning to sex, sexuality, and sexual expression as they shape the Black feminine experience. I sought to …


Secondary World Language Teachers’ Perspectives On Gamification-Based Assessments, Taryn Thompson Oct 2025

Secondary World Language Teachers’ Perspectives On Gamification-Based Assessments, Taryn Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that there was a gap in the literature about secondary world language teachers using gamification-based assessments and the influence on student learning. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perspectives on the benefits and challenges of gamification-based assessments. The study was grounded in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, digital game-based language learning, and Krashen’s second language acquisition theory. To secure a sample of 12 participants for this study, purposeful and snowball sampling were employed, wherein potential secondary world language teachers were solicited through …


Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya Oct 2025

Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted to explore the lived experiences of licensed psychologists in diagnosing adolescents with bipolar disorder, aiming to answer two key questions: How do psychologists make sense of diagnosing bipolar disorder in adolescents? And do they rely on their education and lived experience in the diagnostic process? Drawing from developmental psychology, clinical decision-making theories, and ethical considerations, the study highlights the complexities and challenges of diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth. Semi-structured interviews with four psychologists were transcribed and analyzed to identify recurring themes, which emphasized the importance of collateral information, developmental context, and professional judgment. …


System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam Oct 2025

System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barriers to brokering therapeutic services cause challenges for school social workers to address their students’ mental health needs, especially in Georgia, where students’ mental health needs are high. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore school social workers’ perceptions of the system barriers related to brokering these services. The research questions explored school social workers’ perceptions of brokering on-site versus community-based therapeutic services in the state of Georgia. In addition, this study inquired about the system barriers that school social workers face when brokering these services. This study was grounded in the ecological systems theory, which argues that …


Towards A Standard Assessment And Treatment Protocol For Firefighters: A Delphi Study, Amy K Gearhard Oct 2025

Towards A Standard Assessment And Treatment Protocol For Firefighters: A Delphi Study, Amy K Gearhard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are 5 times more likely than civilians to experience depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Firefighters have suicidal ideation and attempt rates that are 2 to 3 times higher than the general population, yet most do not seek treatment. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to develop an expert consensus on psychological assessment and treatment practices with firefighters through the lens of an expert panel of 19 psychologists who work with this population. Siebert’s normative theory was used with the assumption that the panelists would provide feedback based on their clients’ best interests. The expert panel was recruited …


Influence Of High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Availability On Aggregate Academic Outcome Measures For Washington State High Schools, Jessie A. Tanksley Oct 2025

Influence Of High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Availability On Aggregate Academic Outcome Measures For Washington State High Schools, Jessie A. Tanksley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited research has been conducted about the potential influence of high-speed broadband infrastructure availability in rural and urban communities on high school academic outcome measures in Washington state. Guided by Siemens’s theory of connectivism and van Dijk’s digital divide theory, the purpose of this quasi-experimental, causal-comparative, quantitative study was to determine whether significant differences in high school academic performance, measured by graduation rates and standardized test scores, exist between urban and rural communities with and without access to high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in Washington state. Three research questions were developed to examine differences in graduation rates, 10th-grade English Language Arts …


Strategies For Recruitment And Retention Of Mental Health Providers In The Military Health System, Christopher J. Chase Oct 2025

Strategies For Recruitment And Retention Of Mental Health Providers In The Military Health System, Christopher J. Chase

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recruitment and retention of mental health professionals are critical challenges for the Military Health System (MHS), affecting timely access to behavioral health care, workforce stability, and mission readiness. Persistent shortages threaten the well-being of service members and increase reliance on the resilience of overburdened staff, particularly in rural and underserved areas. This integrative review aimed to identify and synthesize best practices to improve recruitment and retention of mental health providers within the MHS. Using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model, a systematic literature search and thematic analysis were conducted on 27 high-quality research and non-research articles. The Affective, Continuance, …


Civic Engagement Among African American Women And The 2024 Presidential Election, Arquena Dailey Oct 2025

Civic Engagement Among African American Women And The 2024 Presidential Election, Arquena Dailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although election data exists on the importance of African American women for the Democratic Party, a gap remains in the literature regarding the influences of African American women who participated in the Democratic Party civic engagement during the 2024 presidential election. Key findings from existing literature included the tension between hope and burnout and the reliance on faith-based and peer networks to sustain motivation. The purpose of this study was to explore the influences responsible for African American women’s civic engagement in the 2024 presidential election. This authentic narrative qualitative study’s conceptual framework was grounded in the digital peer influence …


Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, And Trust In Malawian Executive, Legislative, And Judicial Institutions, Rodgers Brenner Chawani Oct 2025

Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, And Trust In Malawian Executive, Legislative, And Judicial Institutions, Rodgers Brenner Chawani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Political trust matters for good governance and democracy. Although Malawi's constitution affirms trust as a key component of authority, Afrobarometer surveys have revealed broad declines, hindering democratic consolidation and the achievement of the long-term Vision 2063 development goals. Prior researchers studying the country have fixated on qualitative analyses and overlooked affective polarization and differentiation across government branches. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the predictive relationship between perceived government performance, responsiveness, corruption, affective polarization, democratic satisfaction, and trust in the Malawi president, parliament, and judiciary, using generalized linear models to apply Easton's political support theory to …


Strategies That Clinical Research Site Managers Use To Minimize Employee Turnover, Christina Holston Oct 2025

Strategies That Clinical Research Site Managers Use To Minimize Employee Turnover, Christina Holston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High turnover rates among clinical research staff present a business problem that reduces continuity, quality, and cost-effectiveness of clinical trials. This problem is important to clinical research managers because employee stability is essential for participant retention, regulatory compliance, and operational success. Grounded in the job embeddedness and transformational leadership theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the effective strategies that some clinical research site managers use to reduce employee turnover in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six clinical research leaders and triangulated with publicly available documents. Using Yin’s …


Educational Experiences Of Traditional And Online Learning Graduate Students, Beverly Crawford Williams Oct 2025

Educational Experiences Of Traditional And Online Learning Graduate Students, Beverly Crawford Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how graduate-level human services students who have attended both traditional and online courses describe their educational experiences, particularly in terms of engagement, knowledge application, and peer connections. Semistructured interviews were conducted among 12 graduate-level, human services students who had experience in both learning environments. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation used in the study. Thematic analysis, revealed four major themes describing distinct learning experiences across modalities. First, online and traditional learning involve different forms of engagement. Second, relational engagement in academic environments is important. Third, constraints on engagement across learning …


Strategies African American Women Leaders Use To Promote Charitable Giving To Nonprofit Organizations, Christian Arko Sey Oct 2025

Strategies African American Women Leaders Use To Promote Charitable Giving To Nonprofit Organizations, Christian Arko Sey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations led by African American women face persistent challenges in achieving operational success and financial sustainability. When nonprofit leaders fail to implement effective strategies to engage and motivate diverse donors to make significant charitable donations, they could limit their organization’s capacity to fulfill its mission, which in turn affects the community. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore the strategies that some African American women leaders used to increase donor engagement and improve fundraising effectiveness. The study was grounded in the conceptual frameworks of the Baldrige Excellence Framework, McKinsey 7-S, and servant leadership theories. Data were …


Effective Strategies To Integrate Social Media Influencers In Marketing Frameworks, Vanessa R. Alexander Oct 2025

Effective Strategies To Integrate Social Media Influencers In Marketing Frameworks, Vanessa R. Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media dominates modern marketing, yet many retail businesses struggle to integrate social media influence into their business marketing frameworks. This problem is important to retail marketing leaders because unsuccessful integration influence can weaken brand credibility and reduce revenue. Grounded in Cialdini’s theory of social influence and the electronic word-of-mouth model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies that retail industry marketing leaders on the East Coast of the United States used to integrate social media influencers. The participants were eight retail industry marketing leaders on the East Coast of the United States. …


Effective Marketing Strategies Business Leaders Use To Remain Profitable And Sustainable Beyond 5 Years In The Digital Age, Lauren Taylor Sawyer Oct 2025

Effective Marketing Strategies Business Leaders Use To Remain Profitable And Sustainable Beyond 5 Years In The Digital Age, Lauren Taylor Sawyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective marketing strategies to stay profitable in the digital age is a concern for small and medium-sized business leaders because it can lead to early business failure, lost revenue, and reduced long-term sustainability. Grounded in relationship management theory and Kotter’s (1996) 8-step change model, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was conducted to explore effective marketing strategies business leaders use to remain profitable and sustainable beyond 5 years in the digital age. Participants were six business leaders located in the Southeastern United States who had successfully sustained their companies for over 5 years and were directly responsible for marketing …


Effective Leadership Strategies For Retaining Millennial Employees, Michele Donna Cameron Oct 2025

Effective Leadership Strategies For Retaining Millennial Employees, Michele Donna Cameron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millennial employees are likely to leave their jobs when work preferences are unmet. The problem is that business leaders often lack effective leadership strategies to retain millennial employees, which can hamper the productivity and profitability of their organization. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore effective leadership strategies to improve millennial employee retention rates. The participants were eight experienced business leaders who successfully led and retained millennial employees. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available resources. Utilizing Braun and Clarke’s six-stage thematic analysis model, four …


Improving Nurse Adherence To Medication Reconciliation During Patient Admissions To Reduce Medication Errors Through Targeted Education, Wendy J. Marlowe Oct 2025

Improving Nurse Adherence To Medication Reconciliation During Patient Admissions To Reduce Medication Errors Through Targeted Education, Wendy J. Marlowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication reconciliation errors are a significant clinical concern because they have the potential to result in serious or even life-threatening harm to patients. Implementing risk-reduction strategies through targeted education and systematic processes for medication reconciliation is crucial to enhancing patient safety and mitigating the risk of errors. Over 40% of medication errors occur during patient transitions, such as admissions, which are mainly due to inadequate medication reconciliation. The project addressed a practice-focused question to increase patient admission medication reconciliation by improving nurse knowledge by 20% and reducing medication errors by 60% within 2 months. I employed a pre-/posttest design in …


Fema Public Policy Impacts On Emergency Preparedness In Florida, Sara Sambolin Oct 2025

Fema Public Policy Impacts On Emergency Preparedness In Florida, Sara Sambolin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older adults are at an increased risk of mortality during hazardous emergencies; therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how current emergency preparedness policies are related to preparedness perceptions of older adults. Findings in recent literature identified the underrepresentation of older adults in Emergency Preparedness studies across all areas and Counties of the state of Florida as a gap that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the 2023 FEMA policy on emergency preparedness and the self-reported degree of preparedness among Florida’s older adult residents in urban and rural areas across …


Strategies Managers Use To Retain Financial Advisors New To The Industry, Andraes Anthony Alexander Oct 2025

Strategies Managers Use To Retain Financial Advisors New To The Industry, Andraes Anthony Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover can negatively affect a business. Some financial advisor managers are concerned about the retention of financial advisors who are new to the industry, as addressing this issue is vital for organizational efficiency, given the high costs of employee replacement. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the strategies financial advisor managers use to improve the retention of financial advisors who are new to the industry. The participants comprised eight financial advisor managers with successful retention strategies. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and by reviewing organizational websites and …