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Impact Of Child Abuse Education On Parent's Self-Efficacy: An Experimental Study, Sabina Balkaran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, approximately 1 million children are found to have been abused, with an average of 4.5 children dying each day at the hands of parents, caretakers, relatives, and friends. Child abuse recognition and parental self-efficacy is understood to decrease the prevalence of child abuse. The literature documents the importance of educating mandatory reporters and suggests inconclusive findings about sex differences in child abuse recognition parental self-efficacy. The current research examines the impact of child abuse education on parental child abuse detection self-efficacy, child abuse recognition knowledge, and sex differences in parental child abuse detection self-efficacy. Bandura's self-efficacy theory states …

Exploring The Impact Of Wyoming's Pathways To Professional Development Program On Childcare Providers And Quality Early Childcare, Colleen Kay Bartlett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childcare programs that provide high quality care can strengthen children's early development. One component of a quality program is having providers who are knowledgeable in child development; however, despite the understanding of these known predictors of child development, Wyoming does not require childcare providers to complete any training before beginning to work with children. Guided by the constructivist theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bruner, this objectives-based program evaluation investigated the Pathways to Professional Development program to determine participants' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the program. A researcher-produced survey was created based on the objectives of the program …

Leveraging The Power Of Shared Governance, Cynthia S. Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Shared governance (SG) creates an evidence-based framework to support decision making in healthcare organizations by encouraging nursing staff ownership of nursing practice issues. This project assessed the current state of shared governance at a community hospital through: (a) deployment of Hess's Index of Professional Nursing Governance (IPNG) and the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) nursing satisfaction surveys which were open to nurses working in areas included in the SG framework at the project site, and (b) retrospective review of Unit Practice Council (UPC) and Nursing Senate (NS) minutes and agendas. Kotter's theory of change and the logic model …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Achievement Gap Between High-Achieving Students And Below-Basic Students, Helen Anne Iaconelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Atlantic Avenue Elementary School (AAES) experienced reading achievement gaps between high-performing students and below-basic students within the school reading curriculum and balanced literacy framework. Vygotsky's theories of scaffolding and zone of proximal development served as the framework guiding this project, which used a qualitative case study design to explore reading teachers' perceptions of the ways in which they were addressing this reading achievement gap. Individual interviews, classroom observations, and lesson plans were the sources of the qualitative data collected from 6 reading teachers. The data were coded manually using emerging and constant-comparative strategies to identify common themes. The themes that …

Alcohol Use Disorder And The Sibling Relationship: A Phenomenological Enquiry, Christine Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous researchers have indicated that alcohol use disorder affects relationships between family members. Exposure to parental alcohol use disorder disrupts important relationship skill-building development between the children of the family, and may impact conflict resolution in later life relationships. The sibling relationship provides a learning opportunity on how to manage conflict, yet little is known about the effects of parental alcohol use disorder on the sibling-to-sibling relationship from the perspective of adult siblings. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological enquiry was to explore the lived experiences of adult siblings who experienced parental alcohol use disorder in their family of origin. …

An Assessment Of Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Among 7th Grade Students, Racquel D. Weaver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) continue to remain a public health concern in the United States, especially among young people. Levels of knowledge with regard to STDs have been investigated in prior research; however, these investigations have been limited primarily to older adolescents and young adults. Grounded in the social cognitive and subjective culture theories, this quantitative, cross-sectional study assessed STD knowledge (other than HIV/AIDS) among 7th grade students attending a public middle school in the United States. Demographic differences (age, gender, and ethnicity) in STD knowledge were examined to determine if these demographic variables predict STD knowledge scores and if …

Using Character Analysis Techniques To Teach Cognitive Empathy, Heather Allyson Chapman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who report better relationships with their mental health providers have better treatment outcomes. One element of the relationship is therapist empathy, or the therapist's ability to see the world from the client's point-of-view. Researchers have struggled to define, measure, and teach empathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether instruction in character analysis techniques, such as those used by actors, had an effect on cognitive empathy. A convenience sample of 20 adults enrolled in undergraduate or graduate-level coursework was recruited for participation in this study. Each individual provided demographic information and completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) …

Military Enlistment: The Motivations Of Former Military Personnel Coming From Single-Parent Homes, Jada Amber Philips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine how the single-parent home environment, together with other demographic attributes like socioeconomic status, influenced young adults' decisions to enlist in the military. Adolescents transitioning into adulthood are often faced with the choices of what to do after high school, such as whether or not to join the military. Previous studies on youth enlistment in the military do not address in-depth the question of why they enlist or their motivating factors. Interviews via face-to-face, over the phone or via Skype, were conducted with 9 participants between the ages of 25-35 years who were …

Progression Of Elementary Teachers In Implementing Language Arts Common Core State Standards, Holly Franks Boffy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The challenges of implementing the Common Core State Standards at the classroom level resulted in political pushback to the reform initiative after the local media covered poor implementation decisions. This study explored how elementary school teachers and instructional leaders described teachers' progress along the implementation continuum for the standards. The concerns-based adoption model served as the conceptual framework for this study. This multicase study design consisted of 16 interviews of teachers and instructional leaders from 4 schools. Data were analyzed through a process that began with open coding followed by axial coding to identify themes. Teacher collaboration driving implementation progress …

Predictor Variables Of Online Sports Problem Gambling By College Fraternity Members, Matt Stanley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The quantitative study identified predictor variables of online sports problem gambling, as measured by the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) among fraternity students at major college universities. The data were composed of 125 college fraternity students from ages 18 to 25 years of age. The average SOGS score was 1.776 with a standard deviation of 1.93. A SOGS score of 5 or greater indicates a probable problem gambler. The study used the Blaszczynski and Nower (2002) pathways model to determine how fraternity students could become problem gamblers. A stepwise regression model was run in SPSS using multiple independent variables taken …

Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement, Charlene Lane Bazemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students' struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers' perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students' reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students' progress of work documents, and the district's integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated …

Understanding The Impact Os Stress, Irrational Health Beliefs, And Health Behaviors Among Adults18-45, Toni Loe Rabalais

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the role of stress on irrational health beliefs and health behaviors among individuals 18-45 years old. Previous research has shown that this age group reported higher stress levels, more physical symptoms of stress, and the highest level of negative health behaviors. The theoretical frameworks were health belief model, the transactional model of stress and coping theory, and Ellis's concept of irrational beliefs. A survey using 3 published instruments measured the perceived stress level, irrational health beliefs, and health behaviors of a sample of 97 individuals aged 18-45. The data were quantitatively assessed using a mediation model to …

Narrowing The Gap Of Financial Fraud Detection In Corporations, Solomon Aborbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders remain exposed to financial and accounting fraud as well as loss of profitability, despite the dictates of the SOX Act of 2002. The most challenging aspect of corporate management is the unexpected nature of an emerging, existing, or an inherent financial risk. Guided by the evolution of fraud theory, this exploratory case study's purpose was to identify and explore the financial management strategies that corporate financial managers need to adequately protect investors. Twenty participants from a population group of corporate auditors of Fortune 1000 corporations within 70 miles of Columbus, Ohio provided input for this study. Data from …

Self Esteem, Locus Of Control, And The Relationship With Registered Nurses' Experience With Workplace Incivility, Elizabeth Anne Berry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study's purpose is evaluating the relationship between locus of control and selfesteem

in relation to the registered nurse's experience and perception with lateral and

vertical incivility. There is a lack of research concerning nurse-to-nurse incivility within

the nursing profession. The hypothesis examined whether dynamics of locus of control

and self-esteem could provide insight into the personality dynamics influencing incivility

in the workplace. This non-experimental quantitative study used 2 self-evaluation tools

and 1 demographic survey tool to collect data via Survey Monkey, a commercial data

collection company. Participants were 65 randomly selected faculty (n = 36) and

graduate students (n …

Rural Year-Round Growing To Ameliorate A Possible Negative Effect From Climate Change, Kimberlie A. Brussa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggested that, as the world population grows, food and water shortages will become even more serious issues (IPPC's 2014 predictions about the future effects of climate change (CC), Year-round growing (YRG) may provide a way for communities to extend growing seasons, expand local farm systems, and provide food year round. This case study included a detailed analysis of responses from representatives of all sectors of rural Mesa County, Colorado, regarding YRG and a local food and farm plan due to CC. The case was bounded by time (6 months of data collection) which …

Preparation And Support Of Female Head Athletic Trainers In Collegiate Sport, Bekki Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972 has significantly improved women's access to previously male-dominated areas of education in the United States, but few of these studies have focused on the experiences of women currently in the higher education field. This study explored female head athletic trainers' perceptions of the role of U.S. higher education institutions in preparing and supporting their achievement of leadership positions in U.S. collegiate sports: it also explored their views on potential changes in current higher education curricula and certification processes. This phenomenological study used Ridgeway's status construction theory as its theoretical lens for …

The Use Of Mock Code Training In Improving Resuscitation Response, Maureen Anne O'Brien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) has established measures for how quickly a resuscitation team is to respond in a cardiac arrest with performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation. Two of the core measures for GWTG require initiation of CPR within 1 minute of cardiac arrest and defibrillation within 2 minutes in at least 85% of cases. The problem of interest in this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was that the facility had not been able to reach 85% on these 2 measures. The purpose of this project was to achieve nursing response times for …

Effects Of Telemedicine In The Intensive Care Unit On Quality Of Care, Amanda Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing concern over the nursing shortage has affected the intensive care unit (ICU) and how these units provide quality care, adhere to best practices, and maintain high satisfaction scores. Implementing telemedicine technology allows the ICU to have additional staff available, via cameras at an offsite location, to assist with patient care. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the potential benefits of telemedicine application used within an ICU on quality of care, adherence to best practices, and satisfaction, as evidenced by data from the hospital's telemedicine dashboard. The goals of this project were to reduce length of stay, …

Identifying Risk Factors For High Incidence Of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters Complications: Reducing Infiltration Rate Within The Hospital, Janise Marrisette Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed an increasing number of peripheral intravenous catheter infiltrations within hospitals, leading to problems such as phlebitis and cellulitis, which may result in a longer length of hospital stay. The purpose of this project was to determine how to reduce infiltrations in order to increase the longevity of the catheter. A quantitative, description design was used, guided by Abdellah's classification framework for identifying nursing problems. The target population was 50 patients experiencing incidents of peripheral intravenous catheter infiltration, identified in a patient safety event log used across a 252-bed hospital. Each incident was assessed for several risk factors, …

Effects Of Mild To Moderate Stress On Mental Rotation, James Frederick Bell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental rotation (MR) is the ability to mentally shift one's visual perspective of any object by changing the orientation of a mental image of that object. Research into the effects of stress on MR could be used to help improve understanding of a variety of visual-spatial tasks performed in hyper-vigilance situations. However, until the present study, there has been no research on the effects of stress on MR. The Yerkes-Dodson Law predicts performance will be improved when an individual is exposed to mild to moderate stress. The purpose of this study was to answer three research questions. The questions examined …

Exploring The Efficacy Of School-Based Professional Development, Michele Theresa Glynne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No method exists for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development (PD) for teachers in Boston Public Schools. Often PD does not contribute to teacher quality, which can hinder student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of PD among K-8 teachers and to examine the alignment of PD in the schools with the 4 prerequisites of professional learning outlined by Learning Forward. These 4 prerequisites served as the conceptual framework. Of the research questions, 4 reflected the topics of the 4 prerequisites: commitment to students, readiness to learn, collaboration, and learning styles. The …

A Comparative Study Of Compliance Among Patients Attending An Opiate Outpatient Treatment Center In Rural Appalachia, Jerry Russell Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adults with an opiate addiction have a higher rate of noncompliance with treatment, which limits its effectiveness and increases the burden of care for society. Effective treatment decreases emergency room visits, and overdoses. The tristate area of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio has experienced increased opiate-related arrests and deaths. This study sought to measure the extent to which treatment type (medical treatment (MS) or faith-based component of service (FBS)) predicts compliance when measured by number of clean urine drug screens (UDSs) and number of kept pill count, over and above dual diagnosis, college education, and income. The on-site records of …

Educational Intervention: Effects On Heart Disease Risk Factor Knowledge Among African Americans, Linda M. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Fatal coronary heart disease among African Americans is associated with a

disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Research has indicated that CVD risk factor knowledge and the prevalence of ideal CVH both persist at suboptimal levels. However, few researchers have investigated the relationship between culturally-tailored community-based heart health sessions, short-term knowledge acquisition of CVD risk factors, and the awareness of the American Heart Association's (AHA's) CVH construct. The purpose of this cross-sectional, secondary analysis study was to examine the interplay between these variables in an urban African American sample. Guided by social cognitive theory, the study analyzed …

A Case Study Of Rti Data Teams, William Lee Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study addressed the persistent achievement gaps in annual measurable objectives (AMO) data at a public rural elementary school in the Mideast United States. Response to intervention (RTI) data teams from 2010 did not produce expected student gains after 5 years of implementation in the school under study. Based on Mandinach and Jackson's data-driven decision making conceptual framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the work of the RTI data teams as they attempted to improve student learning and close achievement gaps. A purposeful sample of 13 staff members involved in the RTI implementation process was …

Formative Program Evaluation Of A Professional Learning Community In An Urban Elementary School, Cherie Laverne Ameyaw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a professional learning community (PLC), school personnel participate in focused collaboration to improve adult learning and facilitate student achievement. Implementation of a PLC is often haphazard and not evaluated for effectiveness, resulting in poor implementation. This study, a PLC-specific qualitative formative program evaluation, addressed a lack of documented PLC effectiveness at a local urban elementary school in the southern United States. The purpose of this project was to determine how teachers described the functioning of their PLC. The conceptual framework for the study was Hord and Tobia's 6 characteristics of a PLC. The research questions focused on how teachers …

Assessing And Guiding Instructional Practice: Administrators' And Teachers' Perceptions Of The Framework For Teaching Evaluation, Latonya Patrice Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School officials in a large district adopted a research-based teacher evaluation system, the Framework for Teaching (FFT). Despite a 4-year phase-in of the FFT, teachers' evaluation ratings increased while student achievement results decreased. This disparity impacted the school district's growth targets as set by the State Department of Education. If target growths are unmet, school administrators must relinquish school operations to the state. A bounded, qualitative case study was designed to explore administrators' and teachers' perceptions of the FFT and its influence on school administrators' assessment of teachers' instructional practices. Social constructivist and andragogy theories formed the study's conceptual framework. …

Teacher Certification In Technology Education: Differences In Testing Scores Of Alternative And Traditional Certified Teachers, Kenya S. Avant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New Jersey has utilized alternative certification to combat the shortage caused by technology education (TE) teacher attrition. Research has examined the effectiveness of alternative certification preparation programs for the core academic programs; however, very little research has been performed in the area of TE. The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate the Praxis scores of teacher candidates in New Jersey seeking licensure in technology education, and (b) determine if there were differences between the TE among teachers completing different preparation programs. The theoretical framework that guided this quantitative study was rooted in Knowles' theory of andragogy, which supported …

Provider-Initiated Condom Education, Hiv, And Stds Among Older African American Women, Natasha Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older African American (AA) women are at increased risk for HIV and STDs. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of provider-initiated condom use education on condom use among unmarried, heterosexually active AA women aged 50 and over using the constructs of self-efficacy and attitudes of the health belief theoretical model. The relationships between provider education on condom use, condom use self-efficacy, condom use attitudes, and actual condom use were tested individually, and provider education on actual condom use was tested after controlling for condom use self-efficacy and attitudes among 95 study participants recruited primarily from …

Lived Experiences Of Attorneys Who Represent Transgender Clients In Prison Placement, Heidi Jo Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that there are no formal guidelines for placing convicted transgender felons in the United States in correctional facilities and addressing their post-placement medical care and treatment. The problem is that inappropriate placement may lead to the discrimination of transgender offenders; it may also put them in situations that threaten their safety. Attorneys are legal advocates assigned to defend and protect the rights of their clients during the trial and sentencing phase when correctional placement is determined. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of attorneys who represent transgender clients during the …

Animas-La Plata Project Stakeholder Narratives: A Case Study Using Kingdon's Three Streams Theory, Denise Renee Rue-Pastin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Population growth, coupled with changing weather patterns, is straining water supplies, especially in the American Southwest. A multitude of tools, including additional storage, will be needed to meet water demand and supply gaps. The Animas-La Plata Project, a reservoir in southwest Colorado, provides a case study of how groups worked for nearly 70 years to solve a water problem: insufficient irrigation for agriculture. This qualitative case study addressed a lack of first-person narratives from those most involved. Its purpose was to gather stakeholder narratives and analyze them using Kingdon's three streams theory to address the extent to which the problem, …