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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …


Programs That Impact Juvenile Recidivism Beyond Mandatory Sanctions, John M. Marras Jan 2023

Programs That Impact Juvenile Recidivism Beyond Mandatory Sanctions, John M. Marras

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism, especially juvenile recidivism, has been a major concern for the United States. In fact, 10.6% of the total U.S. population was composed of juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17 in the year 2009. The statistics have shown that juvenile recidivism is one of the key issues in the country that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this study was to isolate the youth programs that affect juvenile recidivism beyond their successful completion. The theoretical foundation of the study derived from Agnew’s general strain theory, which suggests focusing on factors that lead to delinquency and the commission …


Nonprofit Social Service Employees’ Perceptions Of Barriers Or Facilitators To Voting Registration Among Previously Incarcerated Individuals, Anthony J. Nixon Jan 2023

Nonprofit Social Service Employees’ Perceptions Of Barriers Or Facilitators To Voting Registration Among Previously Incarcerated Individuals, Anthony J. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most U.S. states have applied permanent restrictions on incarcerated individuals in custody for crimes more serious than misdemeanors. After the time is served and limitations are removed, the right to vote may not be restored to previously incarcerated individuals. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore what nonprofit social service employees perceive to be barriers or facilitators to voter registration among previously incarcerated individuals. The social acceptance model provided the theoretical framework to support the study. Data collection was completed through a brief demographic survey and individual interviews with 15 nonprofit organizers in Ohio. Data were analyzed …


Preincarceration Collaborative Religious Coping Strategies Of Black Males With A History Of A Criminal Offense, Pearlette E. Springer Jan 2023

Preincarceration Collaborative Religious Coping Strategies Of Black Males With A History Of A Criminal Offense, Pearlette E. Springer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans are 56% of the incarcerated population in the United States. Black males spend an average of 13.4% of their working lives incarcerated and 82.6% of their working lives addressing the stigma and restrictions associated with incarceration. The purpose of this study was to address a gap in research by exploring the preincarceration collaborative religious coping strategy experiences of Black males with a history of criminal offenses. Pargament’s theory of collaborative religious coping strategy guided the research, interview questions, and data analysis. The qualitative narrative approach with purposeful and snowball sampling was used to recruit and collect data from …


The Lived Experiences Of Civilian Review Board Members, Vereen Charmaine Barton Jan 2023

The Lived Experiences Of Civilian Review Board Members, Vereen Charmaine Barton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research was to describe the lived experiences of investigative civilian review board (CRB) members. The central research question of the study examined the lived experiences of investigative civilian review board members as it related to recruitment and selection, training, and support. Eight participants from two CRBs in the Northeast and Midwest formed a random sample of six females and two males. Three data collection instruments were used in this research (in-depth interviews, writing prompts, and personal narratives) to elicit information. The instruments were designed to prompt information about CRB members' experiences based on the …


Intimate Partner Violence: The Silent Enemy Among African Immigrant Women, Omoniyi Anne Bello Jan 2023

Intimate Partner Violence: The Silent Enemy Among African Immigrant Women, Omoniyi Anne Bello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence among immigrant and minority groups remains a social and health problem that has garnered little attention. African immigrant women particularly face intersectional challenges (e.g., language barriers, unemployment, and lack of access to health care, resources, and services) that heighten their vulnerability to partner violence. Yet, knowledge about their experiences remains elusive in empirical research. Examining the nature and extent of their experience can provide valuable insights that could enhance research and practice on partner violence. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African immigrant women survivors of partner violence in Edmonton, …


Public Policy And African American Victims Of Inner-City Violence, Michael Andrew Benson Sr. Jan 2023

Public Policy And African American Victims Of Inner-City Violence, Michael Andrew Benson Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of being victimized or being a witness to a violent traumatic event without the support of public institutions, such as criminal justice, social service agencies, and mental health care clinics has led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and success factors for victims of inner-city violence as it related to access to public administration institutions to address their victimization. Self-efficacy theory was used as the theoretical foundation, and the study’s research question focused on victimization and access to public policy institutions. The study used a qualitative design with 10 …


An Evaluation Of Community-Based Juvenile Firesetting Programs Through The Custodial Lens, Peter William Blaich Jan 2023

An Evaluation Of Community-Based Juvenile Firesetting Programs Through The Custodial Lens, Peter William Blaich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Using general strain theory and social learning theory as the foundation, this generic qualitative study addressed whether interventions and prevention services for juvenile firesetters in the City of Charlotte–Mecklenberg County met needs from the perspectives of critical stakeholders. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 parents/guardians of justice-involved adolescent fire offenders. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a six-step procedure for thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. The study's results revealed that the current juvenile firesetters intervention and prevention program is perceived as inadequate when applied without input from the adolescent’s parent or guardian. The participants perceived the need …


Social Workers’ Philosophical Attitudes Towards Harm Reduction Services In Housing First Organizations, John Gay Woolley Jan 2023

Social Workers’ Philosophical Attitudes Towards Harm Reduction Services In Housing First Organizations, John Gay Woolley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver the past three decades, harm reduction has gradually become more prevalent among social workers and is now viewed as an instrumental approach in treating people with drug and alcohol problems. Although there have been several studies that described how harm reduction approaches were applied in Housing First (HF) settings, there are few studies that have described social workers’ perspectives of their philosophical attitudes regarding harm reduction in HF settings. The purpose of this study was to understand social workers’ perspectives of their philosophical attitudes toward harm reduction services and how those attitudes were apparent in their interactions with substance-using …


Variables Associated With Police Use Of Excessive Force In The United States, Leander Shane Zanders Jan 2023

Variables Associated With Police Use Of Excessive Force In The United States, Leander Shane Zanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA negative relationship persists among minority communities and law enforcement officers, including officers’ use of excessive force. Use of force researchers hold that a high percentage of African American men and boys can expect to die at the hands of police in the United States. Further, African American men are more likely than their White peers to die during an encounter with police. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between predictor variables and the use of excessive force against racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, controlling for race, gender, and household income. The …


Help-Seeking Behavior Of African American And Non-African American Victims Of Elderly Abuse, Tesfaye Yigletu Wosene Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behavior Of African American And Non-African American Victims Of Elderly Abuse, Tesfaye Yigletu Wosene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly abuse is a pervasive public health problem in the United States. Most abuse and neglect go unreported due to barriers including fear for safety, concerns about the consequences, culture, lack of knowledge about elder abuse, shame, and self-blame. However, there is limited research on how race and ethnicity impact help-seeking behaviors of the elderly. This cross-sectional quantitative study examined the difference in reporting and help-seeking behavior between African American and non-African American victims of elderly abuse. Applying the behavioral model of health services use, this study involved a secondary data analysis using the Nation Elderly Mistreatment Study Wave II …


Retention Of Foster Parents For At-Risk Youth In Tennessee, Marvin Amos Jan 2023

Retention Of Foster Parents For At-Risk Youth In Tennessee, Marvin Amos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal legislation with the Family First Prevention Service Act (FFPSA) of 2017 required Tennessee to increase foster parent retention strategies. Tennessee does not have enough available foster homes for adolescents. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore foster parent retention in Tennessee and to inform policymakers on how to adapt policy to increase the retention. The theoretical foundation for this study was based on the policy feedback theory, to identify the policy scope in Tennessee, and the two-factor theory, to guide the data analysis in the context of employee satisfaction and retention measures. Purposive sampling techniques were …


American Women's Motivations To Join Overseas Terrorist Groups, Zuri Sushil Birla Jan 2023

American Women's Motivations To Join Overseas Terrorist Groups, Zuri Sushil Birla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increasing number of American women are actively engaging in overseas terrorist organizations and networks. Their motives, though, are little understood by researchers, although familial relationships and other associations, gender roles, and social media propaganda may play a role. The purpose of this qualitative narrative case study was to better understand the motives, decision-making, and behaviors of radicalized American women. The theoretical framework was social behavior theory and the research design, narrative case study based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Motivation. The research question addressed American women’s immersion into terrorism through social media outlets and familial partnerships that emphasize …


Exploring The Reasons People Abuse Animals, Barbara Bittinger Jan 2023

Exploring The Reasons People Abuse Animals, Barbara Bittinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research on animal abuse has grown over the years which has led to studies that determine the psychological implications of animal cruelty in relation to various societal and environmental agents. From these studies, researchers have addressed animal abuse and cruelty in general but have not established the cause of the behavior or reasons why people abuse animals. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the reasons motivating human beings to abuse animals. Using the qualitative method, this study used snowball sampling to interview a total of 10 professionals who work in the fields of veterinary medicine (veterinarians …


Clinician Perceptions Of Female Sex Offender Treatment In Modern Society, Taylor J. Bryant Jan 2023

Clinician Perceptions Of Female Sex Offender Treatment In Modern Society, Taylor J. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians are starting to see a higher population of female sex offenders enrolled in their treatment facilities. Current research indicates that both society and clinical professionals struggle with viewing women as sex offenders due to gender stereotypes and minimization of sex crimes committed by women. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine clinician perceptions of female sex offender treatment and how these perceptions may impact clinician engagement. The theoretical frameworks utilized in this study were the attachment theory and psychoanalytical theory. Data included clinician experiences with treating female sex offenders, exposure to professional trainings on this population, and …


Unvoiced Lgbt Individuals’ Perceptions And Experiences Of The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Dr. Deshaunt'e A. Burns Jan 2023

Unvoiced Lgbt Individuals’ Perceptions And Experiences Of The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Dr. Deshaunt'e A. Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face discrimination, harassment, and bullying by different education and criminal justice system entities because of their sexuality. Research has also indicated that when it comes to the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP), children of color are often mistreated and face harsher penalties, and research must be done to see how LGBT individuals are treated because they are considered abnormal because of their sexuality. Little is known about the perceptions and experiences of LGBT individuals when they are punished for violating minor infractions in school. This study addressed the critical race theory …


Understanding Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Information Sharing In Homegrown Violent Extremism Cases, Danielle Corry Jan 2023

Understanding Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Information Sharing In Homegrown Violent Extremism Cases, Danielle Corry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local law enforcement agencies are charged with the responsibility to prevent terrorist events in the United States, including the emerging threat of homegrown violent extremism. Without the use of the terrorism prevention tool of information sharing, with other applicable state and federal law enforcement agencies, there continues to be a breakdown in the ability to prevent terrorist events, especially those associated with homegrown violent extremists, in the United States. This qualitative case study explores the information sharing process in law enforcement agencies by examining the recent Boston Marathon Bombing in Boston, Massachusetts that occurred in 2013. Five themes emerged from …


The Effect Of Crime Drama Viewing Habits And Technology On Potential Jurors, Erin Marie Cosenza Jan 2023

The Effect Of Crime Drama Viewing Habits And Technology On Potential Jurors, Erin Marie Cosenza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proponents of the “CSI effect” argue that viewers of fictional crime drama television programs are inappropriately influenced and have heightened expectations for the presentation of forensic evidence during jury trials and therefore cause jurors to incorrectly weigh the importance of the evidence on the outcome of the trial. Television programs make measurable contributions to viewers’ perceptions of reality and cultivate the way people learn about the world. Cultivation theory suggests that the ability to use critical thinking is inhibited in discerning truth from glamorized portrayals of evidence collection, analyses, and the timeframe with which criminal investigation storylines are concluded. The …


Professional Discretion Of Child Protective Services Investigators In Foster Care Placements, Leonard Fikes Jan 2023

Professional Discretion Of Child Protective Services Investigators In Foster Care Placements, Leonard Fikes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Families of color in North Carolina have been disproportionately affected in the child welfare system, particularly in the foster care system. The purpose of this qualitative research study examined the discretionary powers of Child Protective Services (CPS) investigators and how they interpreted and applied child welfare policies that disproportionally impacted African American families from marginalized, underrepresented communities. Guided by Wallander and Molander’s professional discretion as the framework, this research expanded the current literature and increased awareness of racial disproportionality and the continued disproportionality of African American children in the child welfare system, especially foster care placements. The central research question …


The Lived Experiences Of Homelessness Of Former Foster Youth Navigating Their Way Into Adulthood, Debra B. Hampton Jan 2023

The Lived Experiences Of Homelessness Of Former Foster Youth Navigating Their Way Into Adulthood, Debra B. Hampton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractYouth exiting the U.S. foster care system can experience a complicated process as well as lack of support and resources to help in their transition. Also, despite federal policies in place, these youth can face socioeconomic challenges that lead to homelessness. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of homelessness of adults who age out of the foster care system without continued support when they turn 18. Social capital theory provided a theoretical foundation for the study. Participants were 10 individuals 18 years of age and over who exited out of foster care …


Stress And Wellness Among Correctional Officers In The State Of Oregon, Dewayne Hendrix Jan 2023

Stress And Wellness Among Correctional Officers In The State Of Oregon, Dewayne Hendrix

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It remained unknown if the effects of the employee wellness policy implemented in Oregon in 2018 were reducing stress and improving the health of correctional officers which if it does may benefit the local communities to help enhance social stability. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the employee wellness policy, as implemented in the state of Oregon in 2018, in reducing stress and improving the health of correctional officers. This study was guided by the perceived organizational support theory, which holds that employees develop existential views about how much their employer values their contributions and …


Relationships Between Racial Diversity Of Counties And Police Departments And Disproportionate Minority Contact At The Referral-Level In The State Of Georgia, Jacquelyn D. Johnson Jan 2023

Relationships Between Racial Diversity Of Counties And Police Departments And Disproportionate Minority Contact At The Referral-Level In The State Of Georgia, Jacquelyn D. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The existence of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is a serious problem throughout the juvenile justice systems in every state in the United States. The DMC phenomenon is well documented in the 159 counties in the State of Georgia juvenile justice system. Although numerous researchers have investigated the role of county-level variables in the creation of these racial disparities, these researchers have not discovered any explanations for differences in outcomes from one county to another county within the same state based on the diversity of the county population or police departments in each county. The purpose of this quantitative study was …


Disenfranchisement Laws Affecting Voting Rights Of Black Americans In Mississippi, April Masha Jones Jan 2023

Disenfranchisement Laws Affecting Voting Rights Of Black Americans In Mississippi, April Masha Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From Black individuals being enslaved and freed to being incarcerated in modern-day society more frequently than White individuals, the desire to have a voice in the decision-making process has been challenging. Black voters in Mississippi may be underrepresented because of felony disenfranchisement laws. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of Black Mississippians about felony disenfranchisement laws and voting rights. The first research question addressed perceptions of Black Americans in Mississippi regarding the felony disenfranchisement laws. The second research question addressed the experiences related to any political implications among the electorate in Mississippi. The …


The Experience Of Compassion Fatigue In School Counselors, Melissa Lynn Manganaro Jan 2023

The Experience Of Compassion Fatigue In School Counselors, Melissa Lynn Manganaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School counselors play a crucial role in U.S. education. In recent years, their student caseloads have increased as more students are diagnosed with a mental health disorder. With additional stressors from providing social/emotional counseling, school counselors are vulnerable to secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue; however, research was limited on counselors' experiences of these conditions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain understanding of school counselors' experiences of compassion fatigue and strategies for coping. Ten school counselors from public schools in Arizona, who had scored in the moderate- to high-risk range on the Compassion Fatigue Self-Test, …


Covid-19 Social Isolation And Young Adult Mental Well-Being And Socioeconomic Status As A Moderator, Falescia Ware Matlock Jan 2023

Covid-19 Social Isolation And Young Adult Mental Well-Being And Socioeconomic Status As A Moderator, Falescia Ware Matlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIt is not currently known how social distancing guidelines impact mental health for emerging adults and whether socioeconomic status moderates this relationship. The psychosocial development theory states that emerging adults experience a psychological conflict—intimacy versus isolation—where the goal is to seek connections. Without connection, emerging adults are likely to experience impaired psychological well-being, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perceived social distancing guidelines on the mental health of emerging adults and if this relationship is moderated by socioeconomic status. This study followed a quantitative comparative design of emerging …


Understanding The Barriers Of Lgbtq Youth Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Quadasha Mcilwaine Jan 2023

Understanding The Barriers Of Lgbtq Youth Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Quadasha Mcilwaine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, there have been significant barriers experienced by youths aging out of the foster care system. A new area of focus highlights youths that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). In this study, the opinions of LGBTQ youths who have aged out of the foster care system in North Carolina were explored and the barriers these youths may encounter as they transition into adulthood were illuminated. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory is the framework that was used to guide this study. A basic qualitative approach was used with semistructured interviews of 10 LGBTQ aged-out youths in North Carolina. …


International Military Peacekeepers And Sex Offenses Committed In The Central African Republic, Michael Tabung Njong Jan 2023

International Military Peacekeepers And Sex Offenses Committed In The Central African Republic, Michael Tabung Njong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractStudies have been conducted on the sexual offending of the local population by peacekeepers, but few have been conducted on the lived experience of professionals providing support and assistance to these victims. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of experts providing support and assistance to victims of sex offenses committed in the Central African Republic by international military peacekeepers. The classical deterrence and retributive justice theories guided the study. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling and data collected through face-to- face interviews and analyzed using the Modified Van Kaam method. Two research questions were used …


Social Workers’ Perspectives On Why Stepparents Kill, Laquitta Daniella Simms Jan 2023

Social Workers’ Perspectives On Why Stepparents Kill, Laquitta Daniella Simms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The term accidental filicide refers to the death of a child that occurs inadvertently due to abuse or neglect. In this category of child homicides, death was not the intended outcome. Stepparents outnumber biological parents as the primary perpetrators of accidental filicide based on data collected nationwide. There is limited research on how child protection social workers perceive the risk and safety associated with accidental filicide by stepparents. The objective of this study was to investigate the safety and risk factors related to accidental filicide and the perceived barriers through the lens of child protection social workers who investigated allegations …


Utilization Of An Opioid Antagonist And Comprehensive Medication-Assisted Treatment In Correctional Settings, Amanda K. Trent Jan 2023

Utilization Of An Opioid Antagonist And Comprehensive Medication-Assisted Treatment In Correctional Settings, Amanda K. Trent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many people brought into the U.S. criminal justice system have substance abuse problems that served as the primary or secondary catalyst for offending. To treat substance use disorder in these individuals, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is being evaluated as a viable option in the criminal justice system. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a MAT treatment program by reviewing existing data regarding offenders who were receiving the opioid antagonist naltrexone, other supplemental medications, and cognitive behavior therapy in a therapeutic community inside a correctional setting. Biological and social learning theoretical frameworks guided the study. Secondary …


Hide Or Seek? Paradigms Of Publicized Police Killings And The Paradox Of Police Calls, Dr. Ty Woods Jan 2023

Hide Or Seek? Paradigms Of Publicized Police Killings And The Paradox Of Police Calls, Dr. Ty Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police departments and the 911 emergency call system were created for public safety purposes. However, when a 911 call summoning police for assistance leads to another 911 call involving a deceased victim of a police encounter, public safety seems lacking. Many citizens vicariously witness or view fatal police encounters through the lens of extant media information, and how the public perceives media coverage can negate citizen trust and confidence in law enforcement. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the influence of perceived media coverage of police-caused deaths of unarmed Black men and its impact on the inclination …