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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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College Readiness Of Freshman Students From Inner-City Schools, Shanitra Jones Barnes Jan 2021

College Readiness Of Freshman Students From Inner-City Schools, Shanitra Jones Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem that exists in higher education is that many students are not college and career ready. Many students enter college without being academically prepared to succeed. The purpose of this study was to explore the academic college readiness barriers and supports of freshmen college students from a Midwestern inner-city college. The conceptual framework of this study was Bourdieu’s social capital theory. The research questions address what college freshmen who graduated from inner-city public high schools perceive to be the barriers and necessary supports to reaching their academic goals. The basic interpretive research design was used to investigate the problem …


Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland Jan 2021

Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a significant diabetes problem. This chronic disease affects the body physically and mentally. One of the emotional effects of diabetes is depression. Depression is often present in individuals with diabetes, chiefly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While depression is common in T2DM and can interfere with treatment adherence, clinician screening for depression in T2DM patients is low. The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning screening patients with T2DM for depression. Through a qualitative case study approach centered on reasoned action theory, 3 physicians and 5 nurse …


Mental Health Disparities In Social Work Practice Of Minority Youth Offenders, Beverly Ann Rivera Jan 2021

Mental Health Disparities In Social Work Practice Of Minority Youth Offenders, Beverly Ann Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA large number of minority youths placed in the juvenile justice system across the United States have mental health disorders. Most of these youths do not receive mental health services or support within the system, which increases risk factors such as undiagnosed and untreated mental illness and adverse outcomes such as recidivism. This action research sought to uncover whether mental health disparities in social work practice in the juvenile justice system were due to race and ethnicity and asked social workers to recommend strategies to improve mental health availability, access, and provision. Participants in the study were social workers who …


Street-Level Bureaucracy And Perceptions Of Juvenile Prostitution, Leshian J. Lockwood Jan 2021

Street-Level Bureaucracy And Perceptions Of Juvenile Prostitution, Leshian J. Lockwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juveniles in the United States continue to be arrested for prostitution even though the U.S. Federal law recognizes them as victims of sex trafficking. The purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to explore what factors law enforcement officers consider when encountering a juvenile involved in prostitution that influences their judgment on whether the juvenile is a victim of sex trafficking or a juvenile delinquent. Each of the 50 U.S. states has laws that address juvenile sex trafficking. The research questions for this study centered around the Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA) and factors that influence officers' use of discretion …


Exploring African American Women’S Transition From High School To A Postsecondary Setting, Keniesha Johnson Jan 2021

Exploring African American Women’S Transition From High School To A Postsecondary Setting, Keniesha Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American women encounter obstacles that diminish the effectiveness of mental health treatment received through postsecondary school-based service. Consequently, there is a reduction in the population’s socioeconomic outcomes. The purpose of the study was to increase awareness of the mental health treatment experience of African American women and identify strategies that would be helpful to prepare African American women for the postsecondary setting. Black feminist theory was used to guide the research questions for the study, which examined the experiences of African American female students and identified strategies used by certified school social workers, that African American women thought prepared …


Organizational Factors Contributing To Mental Health And Wellness In Behavioral Health Leaders, Julie Johnson Jan 2021

Organizational Factors Contributing To Mental Health And Wellness In Behavioral Health Leaders, Julie Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, a behavioral health leader’s (BHL’s) mental health and wellness is an important factor in an organization's ability to effectively provide mental healthcare. Mental health and wellness in BHLs lead to sustainability in their organization. Researchers have demonstrated that mental health and wellness in BHLs are factors contributing to an organization’s sustainability but have not established the factors contributing to mental health and wellness in BHLs. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to examine the organizational factors contributing to the mental health and wellness in the BHL of the organization. The Baldrige excellence framework …


Coping With Death, Quality Of Life, And Compassion Fatigue Among Hospice Social Workers, Virgen L. Dominguez Jan 2021

Coping With Death, Quality Of Life, And Compassion Fatigue Among Hospice Social Workers, Virgen L. Dominguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that working with dying patients and their families could causeemotional reactions that not only affect their well-being but their quality of life and desire to continue in their profession. Although researchers have examined compassion fatigue among other professionals, there is a gap in research on the phenomenon among hospice social workers. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to obtain a richer understanding about how hospice social workers cope with death, what their experiences are with compassion fatigue, and how their quality of life is impacted by their work. The conceptual framework was the transactional theory of …


Intersectionality And Community-Based Counseling: Experience Of African American Female Sexual Minority Youth, Lauren Smith Jan 2021

Intersectionality And Community-Based Counseling: Experience Of African American Female Sexual Minority Youth, Lauren Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social problem examined in this qualitative analysis is the limited available knowledge on the experience of ethnic minorities who are also sexual minority youth. Sexual minority youth are at increased risk of experiencing mental health disparities compared to their heterosexual peers. Due to the increased risk for psychosocial stressors such as substance use, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts, homelessness, and trauma, clinicians should be aware of the intersectionality of identifying as a sexual minority youth who is also an ethnic minority. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of African American sexual minority female youth ages …


Relationships Between Demographics, Adverse Childhood Experiences, And Compassion Fatigue In Volunteers, Sreela R. Stovall Jan 2021

Relationships Between Demographics, Adverse Childhood Experiences, And Compassion Fatigue In Volunteers, Sreela R. Stovall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Volunteers are vital to the operation of human service organizations, but nonprofit organizations remain at risk of turnover and disruption of services due to compassion fatigue of volunteers. Researchers have gained insight with respect to adverse childhood experiences being related to compassion fatigue. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between volunteer demographics, adverse childhood trauma (ACEs survey), and compassion fatigue (Professional Quality of Life Compassion Fatigue subscale). Compassion fatigue resilience theory was the theoretical framework used for this study. Three research questions were used for the study, with data collection completed online via survey. …


Understanding Parental Responses To Having An Lgbtq Child, Donnell Mccutcheon Butler Jan 2021

Understanding Parental Responses To Having An Lgbtq Child, Donnell Mccutcheon Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current research about parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) children does not provide insight into whether attitudes towards sexual minorities, relational self-esteem, and sex-role stereotypes predict parents’ emotional responses when learning their child is LGBTQ. The purpose of the study was to investigate factors influencing parental responses when learning about their children’s LGBTQ identities using the social identity theory. The research questions were (a) are there statistically significant relationships between parental responses, negative attitudes toward sexual minorities, parents’ relational self-esteem, and sex-role attitudes and (b) do negative attitudes toward sexual minorities, parents’ relational self-esteem, and sex-role …


Head Start Program Staff Perspectives On Fully Engaging Families, Taylor Lashay Reid Jan 2021

Head Start Program Staff Perspectives On Fully Engaging Families, Taylor Lashay Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates family engagement yields positive outcomes for children. However, data indicate that educators struggle to engage families. Current evaluation methods assess the number of family services offered and not how families are engaged. It is not known how the Head Start program staff fully engages families. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how to fully engage families in Head Start programs as perceived by staff. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the complexity theory comprised the conceptual framework. The research question explored perspectives of Head Start staff about how to fully engage families. Selection criteria for …


The Social Work Perspective Regarding The Underutilization Of Mental Health Services Among African American Families, Carissma Tempest Hughes Jan 2021

The Social Work Perspective Regarding The Underutilization Of Mental Health Services Among African American Families, Carissma Tempest Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underutilization of mental health services amongst African American families has been a long-standing concern in the African American community within large metropolitan cities in Texas. The metropolitan cities are Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and McAllen. There remain experiences that impede families’ ability to engage in mental health services. These experiences involve the conflict between prayer and therapy, stigma, lack of awareness of local mental health services, and cultural competency. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore experiences of African American families and how those experiences affect mental health engagement, as well as how practicing …


Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Readmissions And Mortality In Veterans Administration Hospitals, Carolyne S. Davis Jan 2021

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Readmissions And Mortality In Veterans Administration Hospitals, Carolyne S. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRates for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have continued to increase, resulting in readmission tracking by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for community hospitals and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals. By using the Andersen healthcare utilization model as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational research was to examine differences in 4,879 COPD readmission and mortality rates in VHA hospitals for the four Veteran Administration (VA) regional districts—Northeast, Southeast, Continental, and Pacific—as well as and between rural and urban VA hospitals. Secondary data was acquired from an open website through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. …


School Administrators’ Perceptions On Teaching Foster Children, Tisha Marie Hess Jan 2021

School Administrators’ Perceptions On Teaching Foster Children, Tisha Marie Hess

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children in foster care face multiple barriers compared to their nonfoster peers, especially as it pertains to their educational success. The problem was school administrators, such as principals and assistant principals, face greater challenges in meeting the educational needs of foster children in addition to balancing the extraneous issues foster children face. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences, perceptions, and challenges of elementary school administrators who work with foster youth in one school district in Illinois. The specific focus was on administrators’ role in curriculum design, support services, and ability …


Social Workers’ Attitudes Toward Medication-Assisted Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, William Tillman Spivey Jan 2021

Social Workers’ Attitudes Toward Medication-Assisted Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, William Tillman Spivey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the last decade, opioid misuse has emerged as a major problem in the United States. The extreme increase in overdose deaths affects both public health and social welfare in north central Florida. Social workers play a major role in the delivery of treatment for opioid misuse. Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder has become widely used yet faces debate among social workers. The practice-focused research question for this project addressed the attitudes of social workers toward the use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Social learning theory was the theoretical framework used in this action research study. Data …


Effects Of School Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In An African American All-Boys Urban School, Theresa Thomas Jan 2021

Effects Of School Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In An African American All-Boys Urban School, Theresa Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Teachers and administrators spend a great deal of time addressing minor to moderate school discipline behaviors with punitive actions such as suspensions and expulsions from school. Past research has revealed that such punitive actions do not correct the unwanted behavior, and extensive use of punitive disciplinary actions have been linked to negative outcomes such as repeated suspensions, repeating grades due to time missed from school, increased likelihood of dropping out of school, or potential involvement in the juvenile justice system. This single case study design addressed the following research question: How school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) affected …


Relationship Between Wellness, Resilience, And Vicarious Trauma Among Clinical Mental Health Counselors Serving Interpersonal Violence Survivors, Elizabeth O'Neill Hunter Jan 2021

Relationship Between Wellness, Resilience, And Vicarious Trauma Among Clinical Mental Health Counselors Serving Interpersonal Violence Survivors, Elizabeth O'Neill Hunter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interpersonal violence (IPV) can result in the traumatization of primary survivors, as well as the mental health professionals who support them, which is referred to as vicarious trauma (VT). VT is an occupational hazard that if unaddressed can lead to significant personal and professional disruption. Clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs) who provide counseling services to IPV survivors are at increased risk of integrating the traumatic session content into their worldview. VT can lead to psychological distress including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and can threaten the quality and ethical nature of the counseling relationship. The purpose of this quantitative survey …


Effect Of Culture-Based Education On Retention Of First-Time Degree-Seeking, 1st-Year Indigenous College Students, Lucas Moe Jan 2021

Effect Of Culture-Based Education On Retention Of First-Time Degree-Seeking, 1st-Year Indigenous College Students, Lucas Moe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Western pedagogy dominating higher education institutions creates a barrier that is difficult for many Indigenous students (IS) to overcome. To address the concern of low IS retention rates, a local community college (CC) infused culture-based education (CBE) into the existing curriculum. Grounded in Cross’s cultural competence framework, the purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the difference in retention rates between first-time degree-seeking 1st- year IS (FTFYIS) who attended the CC from 2008-2010 (n = 1,000), before CBE was implemented, and those who attended the CC from 2011-2013 (n = 1,286), after CBE was implemented. Raw data were …


The Relationship Between Burnout And Self-Care Of Children's Social Service Professionals, Annie L. Pritchett-Jackson Jan 2021

The Relationship Between Burnout And Self-Care Of Children's Social Service Professionals, Annie L. Pritchett-Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBurnout has plagued human and social services professionals at higher rates than most other professions resulting in the need for interventions and research. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control groups design was to examine to what degree self-care affects the stress levels of children’s social service professionals in a nonprofit agency in a southern U.S. state. Cognitive activation theory served as the theoretical framework. Nonprobability purposive sampling strategies recruited 77 participants, 21 years of age and older. The study included two groups, with one group received self-care intervention designed to increase self-care and to reduce burnout (N = 56). …


Hiv/Aids And Substance Use Among Older Adults, Jamerlia E. Wyatt Jan 2021

Hiv/Aids And Substance Use Among Older Adults, Jamerlia E. Wyatt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV/AIDS and substance abuse among older adults is a significant national and worldwide problem. As older HIV-positive adults continue to age, they will have problems with managing their HIV/AIDS, comorbidity disorders, and quality of life, which can lead to substance abuse. The purpose of this descriptive, phenomenological study was to explore the socio-risk behaviors, specific treatment preferences, and daily lived experiences of adults aged 50 years and older living with HIV/AIDS and substance use in a large northeastern urban city. The conceptual framework used to ground this qualitative study was Engel's biopsychosocial model. The purposeful sampling method was used to …


Perceptions Of Caregivers Of Parkinson's Patients Regarding Using Advance Directives, Meghan Morgan Jan 2021

Perceptions Of Caregivers Of Parkinson's Patients Regarding Using Advance Directives, Meghan Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing focus on end-of-life (EOL) care is influencing the role of advance directive (AD) documents. Difficult conversations among family caregivers and their loved ones are becoming more and more critical. Considering the value of communicating EOL wishes, family caregivers’ perceptions about ADs for their loved ones with Parkinson’s disease (PD) must be examined. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a foundation, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand family caregivers of PD patients and their perceptions and experiences relating to AD documents. This study involved using purposeful sampling and semi-structured interviews with 11 family …


Are Black Girls Okay: Microaggressions And Academic Strategy Development For Black Women In Doctoral Programs, Marcella Rolle Jan 2021

Are Black Girls Okay: Microaggressions And Academic Strategy Development For Black Women In Doctoral Programs, Marcella Rolle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past years, researchers have explored the lived experiences of people of color, namely Black women, in academia. Examiners have learned that Black women often learn how to succeed in academia but at the expense of their mental well-being and even in the midst of oppressive situations. Most of the work previously presented was largely qualitative and has not considered predictive factors or unpacked the strategies Black women used to reach academic success. Therefore, this study used the doubled-edged sword conceptual framework and the Black feminist thought theoretical lens to investigate the relationship between microaggressions, academic strategy development, and …


Factors And Pre-/Post Bariatric Surgery Alcohol Behaviors And Attitudes, Tyrease T. Hammond Jan 2021

Factors And Pre-/Post Bariatric Surgery Alcohol Behaviors And Attitudes, Tyrease T. Hammond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBariatric surgery is the only long-term effective treatment for severe obesity and as the use of bariatric surgery has increased there has been an increase in cases of onset and transfer addictions to alcohol. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationship between demographics and pre and post bariatric surgery alcohol use consumption behavior. The Alcohol Use Disorder Test (AUDIT) and Alcohol Self-Regulated Questionnaire were used to measure pre and post-surgery alcohol use behaviors and attitudes respectively. The health belief model and theory of planned behavior provided the theoretical framework for this study. Purposeful convenience and …


Grandparents In Parental Roles With Grandchildren And Social Work Practice, Anetrice Nicole Rogers Jan 2021

Grandparents In Parental Roles With Grandchildren And Social Work Practice, Anetrice Nicole Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver the last 30 years, there has been an increase of grandparents who are raising grandchildren. Grandparents often need social services such as case management, legal services, counseling, adoption, and custody services. Although grandparents feel it is rewarding to raise their grandchildren, there are also challenges. Participatory action research was used as the method of study. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was used to guide the participatory action research. Participants included social workers and social service workers from various social service agencies in Atlanta, Georgia. This study aimed to understand grandparents' needs and how prepared social workers and social service workers are …


Operational Analysis Of Child Protection Investigations During Disasters, Derek Smith Jan 2021

Operational Analysis Of Child Protection Investigations During Disasters, Derek Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Two decades of research documents the lack of conclusive relationships between childprotective investigations and natural disasters. While trends regarding child abuse report generation and natural disaster have been previously explored, those results do not provide generalized conclusions. This study explores the relationship between the Hurricane Irma natural disaster and child abuse report generation of a child protection organization in the state of Florida, while introducing child maltreatment types and child protective investigator response times as contributing factors. Utilizing the emergency management conceptual framework, the purpose of this study is to provide an updated analysis of the child abuse report generation …


A Narrative Policy Framework And Feminist Critical Policy Analysis Of The Welfare Reform Acts, And The Higher Education Of Single Welfare Mothers, Evelyn Jean Mangin Jan 2021

A Narrative Policy Framework And Feminist Critical Policy Analysis Of The Welfare Reform Acts, And The Higher Education Of Single Welfare Mothers, Evelyn Jean Mangin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractScholars approached poverty through welfare reform by focusing on reductions in caseloads, timing out of benefits, and who was and not deserving of a four-year college degree. There is limited research regarding the power of narratives during the policy process and their influences on the language in welfare public laws. This qualitative study addressed the gap in the literature and policy analysis research by comparing and analyzing the welfare narratives and language used by policymakers and political actors from four presidential administrations: Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump, between 1996-2018. This study employed the narrative policy framework (NPF), a theory …


Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns Jan 2021

Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLong-term care, also known as aging services, is evolving to meet the needs of the aging population in the United States, which is increasingly ethnically and racially diverse. The objective of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how immediate family members experienced the transition of older African American women as they moved into assisted living facilities. Black feminist theory provided a theoretical framework. Narrative interview data were collected from four adult children family caregivers who facilitated the move. Three themes emerged from the content analysis: (a) Transition is not planned in advance and does not happen until a …


Previously Incarcerated Individuals' Perception Of Job Acquisition Post Transitional Program Participation, Arbutas Antinet Washington Jan 2021

Previously Incarcerated Individuals' Perception Of Job Acquisition Post Transitional Program Participation, Arbutas Antinet Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTransitional programs prepare previously incarcerated individuals (PIIs) to re-enter society and acquire employment. However, many such programs have failed to offset the effects of prisonization, a process that affects the social skills needed for the job interview process and employment acquisition. The purpose of this generic qualitative research study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of PIIs after participation in a transitional program and a job interview. The theoretical foundation for the study included the theories of prisonization and self-efficacy. The research question concerned experiences and perceptions of 23 to 39-year-old PIIs regarding the job interview process after serving …


Physical Distress And Psychological Outcomes: An Examination Of Hurricane Katrina Rebuilders, Danita M. Muse Jan 2021

Physical Distress And Psychological Outcomes: An Examination Of Hurricane Katrina Rebuilders, Danita M. Muse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHurricane Katrina made land fall in New Orleans on August 29, 2005. When Hurricane Katrina came ashore at the mouth of the Mississippi River it struck with such vengeance that the protective levees surrounding the New Orleans area were breached. The purpose of this quantitative research is to broaden the understanding the relationship between two phenomena: physical distress and posttraumatic growth among Hurricane Katrina rebuilders who rebuilt their lives 15 years following a natural disaster along the Gulf Coast. The Conservation of Resources and Self-Efficacy Theory were the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions examined if statistically significant …


Helping In The Home: Counselors’ Experiences Providing Clients With In-Home Services, Melissa Jane Franzen Jan 2021

Helping In The Home: Counselors’ Experiences Providing Clients With In-Home Services, Melissa Jane Franzen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counseling is an essential service that helps individuals work through struggles and live their best lives. Such service now includes providing counseling in clients’ homes. Counselors may require specific training or education to prepare for counseling in a home environment. This need for training and education is due to a lack of knowledge of the lived experiences of counselors providing services in the home. Transcendental phenomenology was used to guide a qualitative exploration into the lived experiences of counselors providing services in clients’ homes. Participants were 7 professional counselors, 5 female and 2 male, having met minimum state licensure requirements …