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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Fast-Food Consumption And Metabolic Syndrome Risk In African Children And Adolescents, Norkinsha Willis Apr 2026

Fast-Food Consumption And Metabolic Syndrome Risk In African Children And Adolescents, Norkinsha Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity and excessive fast-food intake represent a significant public health concern among African American children. Grounded in the social-ecological model, this quantitative, cross-sectional study examined whether frequency of fast-food or pizza meal consumption and reliance on low-cost food was associated with total cholesterol (mg/dL) and waist circumference among African American children and adolescents aged 6–15 years while controlling for key sociodemographic factors (age, gender, parental education status, and annual household income). Secondary data from the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed (N=184). Descriptive statistics, nonparametric analyses, and a multiple linear regression model were used to analyze …


Psychosocial Experiences Of Custodial And Caregiving Grandparents With Adjudicated Violent Offending Grandchildren, Clifton George Burns Jr Apr 2026

Psychosocial Experiences Of Custodial And Caregiving Grandparents With Adjudicated Violent Offending Grandchildren, Clifton George Burns Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Primary caregivers of teenage violent offenders play a vital role in identifying and addressing safety concerns, providing emotional and financial support, and meeting individual developmental and psychosocial needs. As more grandparents assume the role of primary caregiver, the need for targeted interventions to support their emotional and psychosocial health continues to grow, emphasizing the increasing importance of population-specific support for grandparents caring for their grandchildren. Problems arise when grandparents take on this role without access to interventions or resources that are designed for caring for adjudicated teen violent offenders. This qualitative generic study involved exploring emotional challenges faced by custodial …


Determining Factors Leading To Sobriety In Native American Graduates Of A Joint-Jurisdictional Court Program, Ryan Fisher Mar 2026

Determining Factors Leading To Sobriety In Native American Graduates Of A Joint-Jurisdictional Court Program, Ryan Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of driving under the influence (DUI) is a continuous problem in rural communities, especial those in Indian Country. Alcohol use and abuse has long been a health concern for these communities contributing to higher mortality rates and increased incarceration rates for American Indian / Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations. Wellness courts, using the problem-solving court model, have been successful in helping DUI offenders achieve sobriety and wellness. While the model has been successful, there remains a lack of qualitative research into why participants find success in these programs; especially marginalized populations such as AIAN. This phenomenological qualitative study was …


Educating Staff Nurses On Pain Reassessment, Katie Louise Pemberton Mar 2026

Educating Staff Nurses On Pain Reassessment, Katie Louise Pemberton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pain is one of the most common reasons that patients seek medical care, and chronic pain is a major health problem. The goal of this project was to address a lack of current, evidence-based knowledge of nurses regarding pain reassessment. The context for this project was a medical-surgical area in a rural hospital. The Doctor of Nursing Practice project attempted to answer the practice focus question on whether education improved knowledge related to improving pain reassessment. The project framework utilized in the doctoral project was the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation model. An education program was designed with the …


Effective Digital Presence Strategies For Certified Public Accountant Organization Leaders To Attract And Retain Clients, Ian Claude Pounall Mar 2026

Effective Digital Presence Strategies For Certified Public Accountant Organization Leaders To Attract And Retain Clients, Ian Claude Pounall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit professional associations often face challenges in sustaining organizational excellence and member engagement within resource-limited environments. Certified public accountant (CPA) organizational leaders are concerned with identifying effective strategies to enhance performance and ensure long-term organizational service relevance. Grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework and resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study research project was to identify and explore strategies that online CPA organizational leaders can use to develop a comprehensive digital presence framework to attract and retain organizational clients. The participant was a single Canadian CPA organizational leader. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analysis …


Alignment Of Projects With Business Strategy, Lyndon Leathan Martin Mar 2026

Alignment Of Projects With Business Strategy, Lyndon Leathan Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some organizations lack strategies to ensure that project outcomes are aligned with organizational objectives. Business leaders are concerned when project outcomes are misaligned with organizational objectives, as this can lead to decreased profitability and a loss of competitive advantage. Grounded in Porter’s Five Forces model, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies business leaders use to ensure project outcomes are profitable and aligned with organizational objectives. The participants were six executive leaders of real estate and development companies in the Caribbean, purposefully selected because their organizations had successfully fulfilled organizational objectives through project outcomes. Data …


Exploring The Strategies Used By Caribbean Business Leaders To Adopt Artificial Intelligence To Improve Business Performance And Decision-Making, Hazarie Ramoutar Mar 2026

Exploring The Strategies Used By Caribbean Business Leaders To Adopt Artificial Intelligence To Improve Business Performance And Decision-Making, Hazarie Ramoutar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective strategies for adopting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) limits business leaders in the Caribbean’s ability to enhance business performance and decision-making. Business executives, shareholders, employees, and policymakers are vested in the success of Caribbean businesses to remain competitive and become more efficient. Grounded in the technology acceptance model (TAM), the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore the strategies Caribbean business leaders use to successfully adopt GenAI, thereby enhancing business performance and decision-making. The participants were seven business leaders from for-profit organizations in the English-speaking Caribbean. Data were collected using semistructured interview-based …


The Experiences Of Faith-Based Non-Profit Human Services Professionals In The Implementation Of Parental Resources For Homeless Mothers, Latasha Sublett Mar 2026

The Experiences Of Faith-Based Non-Profit Human Services Professionals In The Implementation Of Parental Resources For Homeless Mothers, Latasha Sublett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness is a worldwide, complex social problem that has impacted groups like women and children. In recent studies, researchers have demonstrated that homeless mothers can face mental health challenges and stressors related to parenting, while homeless children can experience emotional and physical difficulties. Parental resources have been cited as a tool to help homeless families address stress and development in distinct settings in current research; however, there was limited research on how faith-based non-profits utilize parental resources to help homeless mothers. The purpose of the generic qualitative study was to learn the perceptions and experiences of faith-based non-profit human services …


Exploring The Process Of Using Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy To Treat Anxiety, Danica Yates Mar 2026

Exploring The Process Of Using Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy To Treat Anxiety, Danica Yates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Anxiety is the most rapidly growing mental health problem globally, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Mental health clinicians need effective integrative health treatment strategies to address the anxiety epidemic. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to explore the perspectives of clinicians on the process of using equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) to treat adolescents and young adults with anxiety through the lens of a somatic theory, bioenergetics. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 12 EAP clinicians and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: 1. The process of EAP is highly effective because energetic …


Teachers And Administrators’ Perspectives Of Teacher Retention Rates During The First 5 Years Of Employment, Seth Hay Mar 2026

Teachers And Administrators’ Perspectives Of Teacher Retention Rates During The First 5 Years Of Employment, Seth Hay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was the high percentage of novice teachers leaving the profession during the first 5 years of teaching in a Southwestern state. Grounded in Mitchell et al.'s job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore K-12 teachers’ perspectives on factors influencing their decision to remain in the education profession, as well as K-12 administrators’ perspectives on influencing novice teachers’ decisions to persist in the education profession in a Southwestern state. For this basic qualitative design, data were collected from 10 teachers and three administrators and analyzed using Braun and …


Lived Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Counselors Collaborating With Multidisciplinary Teams To Treat Bipoc Clients Diagnosed With Eating Disorders, Melissa Sherfield Mar 2026

Lived Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Counselors Collaborating With Multidisciplinary Teams To Treat Bipoc Clients Diagnosed With Eating Disorders, Melissa Sherfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eating disorder (ED) treatment has historically been grounded in Eurocentric models that inadequately account for the cultural contexts and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), contributing to persistent disparities in care. The purpose of this descriptive transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of BIPOC counselors who provide culturally responsive care to BIPOC clients diagnosed with EDs. Guided by Husserl’s phenomenological philosophy of intentionality and Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method, the central research question addressed the lived experiences of BIPOC counselors providing culturally responsive ED care, with a sub-question addressing how counselors describe their preparedness …


The Experiences Of Faith-Based Non-Profit Human Services Professionals In The Implementation Of Parental Resources For Homeless Mothers, Latasha Sublett Mar 2026

The Experiences Of Faith-Based Non-Profit Human Services Professionals In The Implementation Of Parental Resources For Homeless Mothers, Latasha Sublett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.


Examining Predictors For Surgical Site Infection Following Abdominal Hysterectomy Among Women In New York, Nicole Henry Mar 2026

Examining Predictors For Surgical Site Infection Following Abdominal Hysterectomy Among Women In New York, Nicole Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain one of the most frequent and preventable complications following abdominal hysterectomy. Existing literature has focused on clinical and procedural risk factors, while less is known about how social conditions shape surgical outcomes. This gap is especially concerning for women in New York State (NYS) where differences in income, marital status, primary payer, rurality, and county-level food insecurity may influence postoperative outcomes and subsequent care. The socioecological model provided the foundation for this retrospective cohort study by examining how social drivers of health (SDoH) are associated with SSI incidence following abdominal hysterectomy, and whether food insecurity …


Decision Making Processes Of Adolescent Women About Entering Intimate, Long-Term Romantic Relationships, Jeannie Miller Mar 2026

Decision Making Processes Of Adolescent Women About Entering Intimate, Long-Term Romantic Relationships, Jeannie Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a high rate of women in their late 20s and early 30s that are in destructive relationships, many because of decisions that were made during adolescence . Little research has focused on understanding the decision making process of entering intimate, long-term romantic relationships from the viewpoint of adult women in their late 20s through 30s who made that decision during adolescence. This phenomenological study allowed for a greater understanding of adolescent decision making, specifically about entering intimate, long-term romantic relationships. The research questions were (a) What are the lived experiences of young women as they enter intimate, long-term …


Assessing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Christine A. Mccaulay Mar 2026

Assessing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Christine A. Mccaulay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice capstone project presents the development and evaluation of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the assessment and management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in adults. The project addresses the ongoing challenge of diabetes-related complications and hospitalizations, highlighting the critical role of personalized patient education and the integration of smartphone technology for home monitoring. Central to this initiative was the question of whether an expert panel would endorse an evidence-based guideline for diabetes monitoring using innovative technology, as evaluated by the AGREE II tool. A robust review of the literature supported the guideline’s development, with high-quality …


Evaluation Of Nurses' Leadership Self-Efficacy In Belize, Ruth Rosalee Reina Jones Mar 2026

Evaluation Of Nurses' Leadership Self-Efficacy In Belize, Ruth Rosalee Reina Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing leadership in Belize is lacking but crucial to the well-being of patients, families, and the healthcare team. The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive, comparative study was to a) determine the difference in leadership self-efficacy for current nurse leaders with three years or less of leadership experience compared to current nurse leaders with more than three years of leadership experience in Belize, and b) examine the differences in leadership self-efficacy between nurses in a leadership position and nurses not in a leadership position in Belize. The theories supporting the study were Burns’ transformational leadership theory and leadership self-efficacy, based on …


Effective Marketing Strategies Of Private Entities For Leading The United States Military Armed Forces, Harry B. Willis Iii Mar 2026

Effective Marketing Strategies Of Private Entities For Leading The United States Military Armed Forces, Harry B. Willis Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective marketing strategies contribute to lower retention outcomes by failing to communicate the value of training programs and build sustained community engagement. Training managers must implement intentional marketing strategies that strengthen community engagement and improve participant retention. Grounded in organization theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the successful marketing strategies used by training managers of private organizations in the United States to increase military numbers. The participants were six training managers from the Southwest United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews. Through thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) marketing strategies, (b) training managers, (c) …


Opioid Overdose Associations In The United States Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women During 2019-2023, Permecia Winston-Dixon Mar 2026

Opioid Overdose Associations In The United States Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women During 2019-2023, Permecia Winston-Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rising trend of opioid-involved overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum women in the United States from 2019 to 2023 represents a pressing public health issue. This population faces increasing risk due to opioid use and co-occurring mental health conditions, yet remains underrepresented in research. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between opioid involvement among pregnancy-associated overdose deaths, while controlling for pandemic periods (pre-COVID: 2019, peak COVID: 2020–2021, post-peak COVID: 2022–2023). Grounded in the syndemic theory, this study addressed two research questions Grounded in syndemic theory, this study addressed two research questions focused on opioid-involved …


From Silos To Systems: Examining Leadership Communication During Change In A Non-Profit Behavioral Health Organization, Julie Skye Raskin-Li Mar 2026

From Silos To Systems: Examining Leadership Communication During Change In A Non-Profit Behavioral Health Organization, Julie Skye Raskin-Li

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Silo mentality within nonprofit behavioral health organizations creates barriers to effective leadership communication and undermines change management efforts. This case study involved examining how siloed practices influenced leadership communication during organizational change at a nonprofit behavioral health organization in a rural area of California. The study was grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework, which emphasizes leadership, workforce engagement, and systems alignment. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with leaders at multiple organizational levels and review of internal archival documents. Thematic analysis revealed 3 central themes: siloed decision-making, information gatekeeping, and inconsistent communication, as well as localized resilience practices that were …


Perceptions Of Black And Hispanic Superintendents In Texas Regarding Their Superintendency Pathways, Maria Faqier Mar 2026

Perceptions Of Black And Hispanic Superintendents In Texas Regarding Their Superintendency Pathways, Maria Faqier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of diversity in the superintendent workforce in Texas is a significant concern that affects the educational experiences and opportunities of Texas students, teachers, families, and their communities. The problem addressed through this study was the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic superintendents in Texas school districts. Guided by critical race theory and intersectionality theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Black and Hispanic superintendents’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and recommendations to secure a superintendent position in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine Black and Hispanic superintendents (two Black women, two Black men, two …


Single Custodial Fathers And The Challenges To Receiving Services, Oriesha Anyah Peña Mar 2026

Single Custodial Fathers And The Challenges To Receiving Services, Oriesha Anyah Peña

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Single fathers are an increasing population in the United States and worldwide. However, the literature and programs that guide human services professionals supporting single fathers’ parenting experience are limited in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. There is a need to further study the varied challenges these fathers experience so that professionals in social support organizations and agencies can implement appropriate services, support, programs, and resources into practice and ensure access to support their families and parenting. This qualitative study includes a force field analysis as part of a formative program needs assessment to explore human services professionals' perceptions of service needs, …


Faith-Based School Leaders’ Strategies For Addressing Achievement Gaps Since The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jolene Culver Mar 2026

Faith-Based School Leaders’ Strategies For Addressing Achievement Gaps Since The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jolene Culver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that faith-based school leaders are challenged to support teachers to address student achievement gaps following the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in Bass’s transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate strategies veteran faith-based school leaders use to support teachers in addressing student achievement gaps in six Ohio districts that had a minimum of 50 students. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with one faith-based school leader from each of the six Ohio districts. Thematic coding yielded four themes encompassing the strategies that veteran faith-based school …


Justice-Involved Adults’ Perspectives On Multidisciplinary Treatment Teams During Community Re-Entry, Monique D. Brown Wellons Mar 2026

Justice-Involved Adults’ Perspectives On Multidisciplinary Treatment Teams During Community Re-Entry, Monique D. Brown Wellons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adults with mental illnesses have been disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, often due to limited access to timely mental health treatment and fragmented community-based support. When continuity of care was inadequate, justice involvement frequently replaced coordinated interventions designed to promote stabilization and recovery. This qualitative study was guided by the sequential intercept model and the risk-need-responsivity model to examine how multidisciplinary treatment teams influenced rehabilitation and reoffending outcomes among formerly incarcerated adults diagnosed with mental illness. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with justice-involved adults who described their experiences with multidisciplinary support during their reentry process and analyzed …


Implementation Of Sustainable Development Goals In Higher Education, Adam Mehmet Kilic Mar 2026

Implementation Of Sustainable Development Goals In Higher Education, Adam Mehmet Kilic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that higher education institutions play a critical role in advancing the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), yet limited research offers guidance on how institutions can implement the SDGs through systems-oriented strategic planning. Guided by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Senge’s systems thinking, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the integration of SDGs into its policies and practices to inform effective, transformative approaches at a private Texas university. For this case study design, data were collected through 11 semistructured interviews, a focus group with five administrators and faculty, and …


Exploring Identity Development Of Therapeutic Boarding School Alumni, Travis Philipsen Mar 2026

Exploring Identity Development Of Therapeutic Boarding School Alumni, Travis Philipsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on therapeutic boarding schools (TBS) has largely focused on treatment experiences and immediate adolescent outcomes, with limited attention to identity development after program discharge. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine identity development during emerging adulthood in TBS alumni aged 18-24 and to explore how internal strengths and external supports influenced participants’ developmental experiences after leaving TBS. Positive youth development was the guiding theoretical framework, emphasizing the bidirectional relationship between a person and the external ecological assets they access. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six alumni, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis within a …


Food Insecurity’S Influence On Obesity, Hypertension, And Diabetes In Rural Vermont And Adirondack New York, Lindsay Morse Mar 2026

Food Insecurity’S Influence On Obesity, Hypertension, And Diabetes In Rural Vermont And Adirondack New York, Lindsay Morse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity (FI) is a persistent public health challenge in the United States and disproportionately affects rural communities. Guided by syndemic theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study examined associations between FI and chronic disease outcomes among rural residents of Vermont and the Adirondack region of New York. Social determinants of health screenings and electronic medical records from 35 rural primary care sites were analyzed. Secondary data from n = 72,505 adults were used to evaluate these relationships. Binary logistic regression models assessed obesity, hypertension (HTN), and diabetes (DM), and a multinomial logistic regression model evaluated the combined presence of obesity and …


How Recruitment And Retention Of Staff Affect Behavioral Health Care Facilities, Teresa A. Rodriguez Mar 2026

How Recruitment And Retention Of Staff Affect Behavioral Health Care Facilities, Teresa A. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

ABC Organization identified the barriers of how recruitment and retention of staff affect a behavioral health care agency. The goal of the study was to determine how these barriers affect behavioral health care organizations. The framework used for the study was the Baldridge framework. The research questions that guided the study addressed how recruitment of staff affects an organization and how retention of staff affect an organization. The methodology was a qualitative case study with 10 participants. Data was analyzed by coding and identifying themes. The results showed that when an organization invests in the leaders and offers benefit packages, …


Quality Of Prenatal Care, Provider Preference, And Preeclampsia Among African American Women In Georgia, Lyteasha Bass Mar 2026

Quality Of Prenatal Care, Provider Preference, And Preeclampsia Among African American Women In Georgia, Lyteasha Bass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women experience disproportionately high rates of preeclampsia in the United States; however, the contributions of prenatal care provider type, health care access, and quality of care to this disparity were insufficiently defined. Guided by the quality health outcomes model, this quantitative case-control study used primary data to examine associations between these factors and the occurrence of preeclampsia among African American women age 18–40 who had given birth within the previous 5 years in Georgia. Descriptive statistics and binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. Prenatal care quality was measured using the Quality of Prenatal Care Questionnaire (QPCQ), …


Emotional And Psychological Well-Being In Early Postmenopausal Women: A Phenomenological Study, Marjorie F. Leon Mar 2026

Emotional And Psychological Well-Being In Early Postmenopausal Women: A Phenomenological Study, Marjorie F. Leon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how early postmenopausal women experience and navigate emotional and psychological well-being during the postmenopausal transition. Although menopause has been widely examined as a biological process, women’s lived emotional and psychosocial experiences during the early postmenopausal period remain underexplored in psychological research. Conceptually informed by Engel’s biopsychosocial model, this study examined how biological, psychological, and social factors intersect in shaping resilience, identity, and coping during this transitional life stage. Thirteen women within 5 years of menopause onset participated in semi structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive …


Child Protection Workers’ Perceptions Of Burnout And Work Dissatisfaction, Ashley-Camille Jackson Mar 2026

Child Protection Workers’ Perceptions Of Burnout And Work Dissatisfaction, Ashley-Camille Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child protection workers work in a stressful and demanding occupation, subject to high staff turnover and inexperienced staff. This situation has created problems for child protection workers in doing their jobs effectively—for example, handling their daily tasks and caseload—leading to potential burnout and work dissatisfaction. Existing literature has explained how burnout begins to develop as a response to chronic exposure to job-related stressors, to a point of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. Researchers have found that work-related conditions have contributed to the development of burnout, especially when attempting to define how one could be overworked and how much labor …