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Investigation Of The Relationship Between Interoception, Cognitive Flexibility, And Posttraumatic Growth, Sheaneh Sattari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiencing a traumatic event is a common occurrence within the world population. Researchers have found post-traumatic growth (PTG) occurs in individuals who grow, adapt, and change after experiencing a trauma. Through the lens of adaptation and neuroplasticity frameworks, cognitive flexibility and interoception can be regarded as forms of change and growth. However, scholarly literature was deficient in the investigation of the possible associations between interoception, cognitive flexibility, and PTG in individuals with histories of trauma. The purpose of this nonexperimental cross-sectional correlation study was to find the combined effect and relative importance of cognitive flexibility and interoception in accounting for …

Exploration Of Cybersecurity Managers’ Experiences Protecting Users’ Privacy, Emmanuel Abayomi Segun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The protection of individual privacy and personal data in cyberspace continues to be a problem. The research problem was that cybersecurity managers must constantly navigate between the adoption of new security laws, new applications, and the internet of things (IoT) to protect the privacy of individual users. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of cybersecurity managers who have adopted new security laws, new applications, and the IoT to protect users’ privacy. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was protection motivation theory and cybersecurity awareness. Data were collected through telephone and web-based interviews …

Public Safety Personnel And The Use Of Peer-To-Peer Mental And Emotional Support Through Social Media, Tiffany R. Shinton-Truitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The emotional and mental health of public safety personnel has been a topic that is continuing to receive attention. Being exposed to multiple traumatic events takes a mental and emotional toll on those who place their lives in harm’s way to help others. The study was based on social cognitive theory which focused on self-efficacy through social influences and environment. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of public safety personnel’s training regarding their perceptions to mitigate emotional stress; the experience of public safety personnel with seeking mental health services; experience of public safety personnel with the …

Strategies To Reduce Entrepreneurial Burnout, Eva Singleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout is a threat to small business sustainability. Many small business entrepreneurs start their business endeavors lacking strategies to reduce burnout that could lead to business failure. Grounded in self-leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies small business entrepreneurs use to reduce burnout in their initial three years in business. The participants were four South Carolina licensed barbers in business for a minimum of three years who had successfully implemented strategies to reduce burnout. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and public documents from participants’ business websites and social media. Thematic data analysis resulted …

The Lived Experience Of Older, Independent Residents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Karen Graeb Stanley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing older population confronting the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic have a story to tell of their experiences that may influence the way society confronts future pandemics. Little research has been done on older adults in independent living communities and their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to fill that gap using the biopsychosocial model as a framework to guide the exploration of the research question addressing the lived experiences of older, independent residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a basic qualitative analysis design, a purposive sample of 10 participants from a continuing care retirement community were …

Clinicians’ Experiences Working With Noncontact Sex Offenders, Jaclyn Nicole Stapleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exploring the unique relationship between therapists and their noncontact sex offender clients can provide additional insight into the complexity of clinicians' occupations. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the personal experiences felt by mental health clinicians (psychologists, social workers, nurses) when working with noncontact sex offenders in a clinical setting. The theoretical framework of this study was guided by a psychosocial approach of cognitive dissonance and self-perception theory, which emphasized the development of defined behaviors and thoughts concerning physical and mental health. The data were collected from in-depth interviews with eight clinicians who treated and assessed …

Investigating The Experiences Of Foster Youth On Community College Campuses, Jerrica Stimage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the age of 18, foster youth are considered adults and typically released from the state’s custody and left alone to transition into adulthood with little to no support. The lack of support that these youth experience forces many of them to seek refuge at colleges and universities. Prior to completing this study, I discovered that there is no current research that explores the lived experiences of former foster youth in the state of Mississippi or the challenges that they may face when transitioning to a community college in the state of Mississippi. The focus of this research study was …

Impact Of Poverty On Antibiotic Prescribing Rates In The United States Through Mediation Effects Of Underlying Health Conditions, Nato Tarkhashvili

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Resistance to antibiotics among bacteria develops largely due to frequent use of antibiotics in human and animal medicine. Little is known about how patients’ socioeconomic factors, in conjunction with chronic health conditions, impact antibiotic prescribing rates in the United States. The research questions aimed to explore the relationship between poverty and antibiotic prescribing rates while also adjusting for confounders such as population aged ≥ 65, physician density, prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The relationships were evaluated using a quantitative, ecological study design using the ecosocial theory and mediation analysis of 2020 survey results provided by …

The Meaning Of Spiritual Care For Behavioral Health Nurses, Rowan Sirri Teboh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients with mental and substance use disorders who are under the care of behavioral health nurses (BHNs) frequently present with spiritual needs. However, there is no information related to how these needs are addressed. It was relevant to explore the lived experiences of the BHNs as they attend to the spiritual needs of this patient population. Therefore, this qualitative study explored the meaning of spiritual care and the lived experiences for BHNs as they attend to the spiritual needs of patients with mental and substance use disorders. Using the descriptive phenomenological design, open-ended interview questions were administered via telephone and …

Factors Influencing The Effectiveness Of Managing Human–Robot Teams, Theodore B. Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Certain factors can influence the capabilities of a robot–human team by affecting their social and behavioral dynamics in a work environment. But these factors were not known due to the progressive nature of human–robot partnerships and a lack of peer-reviewed literature on the topic. This e-Delphi study aimed to identify and understand these unknown influential factors based on the participants’ insights. The overarching research question asked about the need to determine factors that might influence the effectiveness of managing human-robot teams. The basis for the conceptual framework for this study was the theory of communication used in organizational management. Twelve …

How Teachers Promote Academic Success Of Primary Grade Students In Rural Schools By Supporting Their Resilience, Miranda Kay Teston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low levels of academic success for primary grade students attending rural schools located in the southern region of the United States may be related to student resilience. Researchers have found that educators can support the development of students’ resilience, which can result in improved academic success, but little is known about how teachers in rural schools promote their students’ academic success by supporting the development of their resilience. Guided by a conceptual framework that combined ecological systems theory with resilience theory, this basic qualitative study explored how rural-school teachers promoted the academic success of primary grade students by supporting the …

Differences On Employee Satisfaction And Intent To Leave Between Older And Younger Federal Leaders, Alex P. Thames

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The retiring of an aging workforce leaves significant deficits in leadership positions across the federal government. As employee turnover increased, onboarding was not occurring at rates necessary to replace retirees, ultimately contributing to the leader deficit. The evidence was insufficient on how the employee satisfaction of both older and younger leaders affects their intent to leave and ultimately the leader deficit. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the differences in employee satisfaction and the intent to leave between older (i.e., age >= 40) and younger (i.e., age < 40) federal leaders to discern how their age influences their satisfaction and desire to leave federal service. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Strauss and Howe’s generation theory, the research questions addressed if the independent variable, categorized age of supervisory employees, had an effect on the dependent variables, employee satisfaction and intent to leave. Archival data from the 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey were analyzed. The results of the Welch t-test and Fisher’s exact test (r x 2) found no significant statistical differences (p > .05) between the categorized age group of supervisory employees and …

Vitamin K Deficiency And Ischemic Stroke In Atrial Fibrillation Patients On Warfarin, Kimberly Therese Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with poor nutritional vitamin K status can suffer from atrial fibrillation (AF) due to misinterpretation of warfarin instructions by healthcare providers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was an association between inadequate dietary vitamin K intake in AF patients and stroke outcomes to address the lack of research surrounding stroke outcomes in patients with true vitamin K deficiency. Grounded in the health belief model, this study assessed if individual beliefs from health education influenced the nutritional quality of their diet and health outcomes. The study is a secondary data analysis of the Framingham Heart …

The Efficacy Of Juvenile Treatment Program Services As Evidenced By Posttreatment Re-Offenses, Michelle R. Valenzuela

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe determination of whether juvenile intervention programs are effective in the reduction of future delinquency has been an ongoing research concern among scholars for over a century. Researchers have established that intervention programs are helpful for some juveniles but have not determined if intervention treatment outcomes continued beyond adolescence. The purpose of this quantitative study was to address the efficacy of services provided within juvenile intervention programs. This study addressed these gaps in previous research, focusing on the services provided within the intervention program and outcomes of continued delinquent behaviors beyond 3 years using multiple regression analysis. Social control theory …

The Influence Of Parents' Pathological Social Media Engagement And Parenting Style On Delinquent Behavior Among Mexican American Adolescents, Martha Lilia Varela-Rios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The pathological use of social media is a growing problem for diverse groups today. For parents, the resulting detachment from their adolescent children, compromised communication, and limited monitoring of children's activities appear highly correlated with increased adolescent delinquency. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the predictive relationships between Mexican American parents’ pathological use of social media and their adolescent's delinquent behavior and between these parents’ parenting styles and their adolescent's delinquent behavior. Unhealthy parenting styles have also been associated with delinquency in adolescents. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on Bowlby’s attachment theory and …

Disciplinary Teacher Perceptions And Challenges Of Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Scarlett Nicole Wetherington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disciplinary teachers who teach mathematics, science, and social studies are challenged to embed literacy instruction into their disciplines for the growing population of English language learners (ELLs). In a rural middle school in the Southern region of the United States, disciplinary teachers are struggling to embed literacy instruction to support ELLs to meet grade-level achievement standards. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions about the challenges of using literacy strategies to teach ELLs in the disciplinary classroom. The conceptual framework for this study included Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning. The key research questions of this …

Involvement In Interscholastic High School Sports And Juvenile Delinquency, Emily Rene Wheeler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary research problem that prompted this study was to identify if involvement in interscholastic sports could be an option to alleviate financial burdens of delinquency and provoke a level of rehabilitation for youth. To provide context on this aforementioned financial burden, between 2018 and 2019, 5.56% or 696,620 youth in the United States aged 10-17 were arrested, (Puzzanchera, 2021). The cost of these arrests can be up to $407.58 per day per youth, and taxpayer dollars supplement this price tag. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which a relationship exists between juvenile involvement …

Perceived Diabetes Susceptibility Among African American Female College Students, Khaliah India Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of death among African American women ages 20-44 years, and African American female college students are at high risk. Research shows that college students tend to underestimate their susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes, despite their existing risk factors. There is a gap in knowledge concerning African American female college students and their perception of diabetes susceptibility, despite their increased risk. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental, correlational study was to identify the factors associated with perceived personal susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes-related health behavior among African American female college …

Treatment-Seeking Behaviors And Malaria Prevalence Among Under-5 Children In Niger, Aissa Yaye Habi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is a deadly vector-borne disease that mainly affects children in Africa, especially in Niger. Although public health efforts in malaria prevention have been successful in many parts of the world, malaria remains a significant public burden in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among children. Despite the numerous studies conducted on individual factors influencing the prevalence of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and Niger, there is little knowledge about the collective influence of treatment-seeking behaviors and malaria prevalence among under-5 children in Niger. This study was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design guided by the social-ecological model (SEM) that used secondary data …

Experiences With Addiction Transfer Among Weight Loss Surgery Recipients, Latoya Smalls

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity remains a significant problem linked to psychological, behavioral, metabolic, and environmental factors. Some individuals who struggle with obesity turn to weight loss surgery. Studies exploring the long-term effects of weight loss surgery and its connection with transfer addiction have reached conflicting findings. This phenomenological study was conducted according to procedures developed by Husserl and Giorgi. Data were collected for this qualitative study through semistructured interviews with 10 bariatric weight loss surgery recipients. Data were analyzed using the five stages of Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method process of data analysis. Analysis of the data led to five themes and eight subthemes. …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Prison Medical Professionals’ Perspectives On Dignity In Death For End-Of-Life Inmates, Charlene Lupo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care requirements of older persons in prison are complicated, and many may require palliative care before their term is completed. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore perspectives on dignity in death for end-of-life inmates through the lens of nine prison medical professionals. Concepts of dignity provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from one-to-one audio-recorded Zoom interviews and reflective literature articles. Axial coding and thematic data analysis were used to identify five themes: committed to their vocation, lack of services in administering proper health care, institutional barriers prohibiting death with dignity, …

Early College High School, Dual Enrollment, Traditional College, And Time To Obtain A 2-Year Degree, Christopher D. Mccraw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early college high school (ECHS) and dual enrollment programs offer opportunities for students to work toward their 2-year degree while still in high school. The problem for this study was that the ECHS and dual enrollment programs had not been compared to see if they facilitated 2-year college degree completion compared to one another and to a traditional college program. The problem was urgent because there was a need to evaluate two different ECHS screening methods, assuming significantly less time to degree completion for the ECHS students. The purpose of this quantitative project study was to determine if the time …

A Study Of Racialized Identity Among Single, White Mothers Of Biracial Children, Shonjala Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A limited amount of research addresses the challenges single, White, birth mothers of Black-White biracial children have experienced with racialized identity within their kinships and social networks. In this transcendental, descriptive, phenomenological study, the lived experiences of eight single, White, birth mothers of Black-White biracial children were investigated to address that research gap. The conceptual framework was Helms’s Black and White racial identity theory. After thematic analysis of semistructured interview data, five themes emerged to describe the experiences of the single, White, birth mothers of Black-White biracial children: (a) the mother’s insight, (b) racism, (c) attitude about a Black partner, …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Kinesthetic Learning And Academic Performance Among Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Beverly Mount

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle academically more than students without ADHD. Although kinesthetic learning, a motor and tactile style of experiential learning, has been found to benefit students generally, parents’ perceptions of it as an educational intervention for students with ADHD has not been examined. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents’ perceptions of kinesthetic learning and academic performance among students with ADHD. The experiential learning theory, which posits that learning occurs through experience, was the theoretical framework for the study. Eleven parents participated in an open-ended question interview ranging from 7 to 22 …

Weight Change And Hyponatremia As Predictors Of Polydipsia Among Persons With Schizophrenia, Kingsley Okechukwu Nwachukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPolydipsia is found in 20% of inpatients with chronic severe mental disorders. Of this, 80% are diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia, hence polydipsia is strongly associated with chronic schizophrenia. Despite the prevalence and serious health complications of coexisting polydipsia in this population, its current method of detection is flawed. The purpose of this quantitative study was to accurately identify comorbid polydipsia in schizophrenia using periodic weight change and hyponatremia. The Wilson’s complexity theory and primary data were used to attempt to explain the relationship between weight change and hyponatremia and polydipsia, in a cross-sectional study design. The dependent variable was polydipsia, …

Juvenile Probation Officers' Perceptions Of Strategies To Reduce Juvenile Delinquency In Maryland, Ebenezer Nwaedozie Obonna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractYoung offenders aged 10 to 17 years have increasingly become involved with the juvenile justice system, causing concerns about their future prospects and their role in positively contributing to the prosperity of society, particularly in Maryland. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to provide detailed descriptions of the strategies that stakeholders in the juvenile criminal justice system and the offenders can use to reduce youth crime in Maryland. Cognitive-behavioral therapy theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 11 probation officers from Maryland. Findings from thematic analysis demonstrated that some juvenile justice …

Depression, Drug Use, And Hsv-2 Among Women Who Have Sex With Women, Viani Picchetti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), the main cause of genital herpes, is an incurable sexually transmitted infection responsible in 2018 for 18.6 million infections in the United States. HSV-2 is twice as frequent in women than in men. Women who have sex with women (WSW) have a higher prevalence of depression and drug use than women who have sex exclusively with men (WSM), which are each related to HSV-2 as they increase the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive relationship between depression status, nonprescription drug use status, and …

Perspectives Of Parents Of Black Head Start Graduates Regarding The Black-White Achievement Gap, Telisa Pitts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of this study was the achievement gap that exists between Black and White children prior to kindergarten entrance. As children continue in school this gap grows substantially; therefore, it was important to understand perspectives of stakeholders regarding this gap. The purpose of this study was to explore perspectives of parents of Black Head Start graduates regarding the Black-White achievement gap, and how those perspectives shaped parents’ actions in promoting their children’s kindergarten readiness. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory. The research questions focused on parents’ perspectives and how they believed those perspectives …

Grief Experiences Of Mothers After A Child’S Death From A Drug Overdose, Shonetesha L. Quail

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractResearch on young adult deaths primarily focuses on other causes of death such as homicide, suicide, and accidents. There is very little research surrounding maternal bereavement when the cause of death is from a drug overdose. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and lived experiences of grieving mothers who had a biological, adopted, or stepchild die from a drug overdose when the decease’s age was between 18 and 25. Guided by Le Poi Devin’s multidimensional grief theory, the study sought a better understanding to assist mental health and other healthcare providers in developing individualized …