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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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The Perception Of African American Clergy Regarding Mental Health Services, Tamara White Jan 2016

The Perception Of African American Clergy Regarding Mental Health Services, Tamara White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rise in diagnosable mental illness disorders in the United States is a major concern. However, researchers indicate that African Americans are far less likely to seek mental health treatment than Caucasian Americans. This qualitative, phenomenological study addressed a research gap regarding the beliefs, perceptions, stigmas, and practices of African American clergy regarding their promotion of mental health services. Two conceptual frameworks consisting of the sociocultural theory and the social learning theory guided the study. There were two research questions used to guide the exploration of the purposive sampling of 6 African American clergy from major African American denominations across …


Small Business Crisis Management Strategies, Dovie Wilson Jan 2016

Small Business Crisis Management Strategies, Dovie Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The absence of adequate crisis management strategies in small firms could result in a premature small business closure. A qualitative multiple-case study was used to explore the crisis management strategies that 3 small business owners have used to survive an unexpected operational interruption. The small business owners in this study were from different industries in the southeast region of the United States and each owner owned a business for more than 5 years and had survived at least a single crisis. The theory of crisis management and crisis intervention theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data collection occurred …


Exploring Small Business Strategies In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Oluwatoyin Oluremi Akindoju Jan 2016

Exploring Small Business Strategies In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Oluwatoyin Oluremi Akindoju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners contribute 39% of Canada's gross domestic product and account for 67% of new jobs created, but only 50% survive beyond the first 5 years of existence. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what strategies some small business owners in Halifax, Nova Scotia used to sustain their business operations beyond the first 5 years. The study population consisted of 6 small business owners of professional firms located in Halifax, Nova Scotia who had succeeded in business beyond the first 5 years. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was the systems theory. Data were …


Culture And Attitudes Regarding Physical Punishment Of Children In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Alfred Aniefiok Bassey Jan 2016

Culture And Attitudes Regarding Physical Punishment Of Children In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Alfred Aniefiok Bassey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined whether cultural factors could predict parents' attitudes toward the use of harsh physical punishment on their children in Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria. Presuming that most people disapprove of child abuse, different cultural groups may define the parental behaviors that constitute abuse differently, and such variances may result in a disparity of identification of parents from some cultures as more abusive than others. Four different independent cultural variables were measured: (a) conflict tactics, (b) nurturance, (c) drinking, and (d) valuing children. Form P, Part E of Dimension of Disciplinary Inventory (DDI) was used to measure parents' perception …


Business Leaders Marketing To Bottom-Of-The-Pyramid Consumers In Nigeria, Chantell Ramaun Beaty Jan 2016

Business Leaders Marketing To Bottom-Of-The-Pyramid Consumers In Nigeria, Chantell Ramaun Beaty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders often leave more than half of the world's population the bottom of the pyramid (BOP), a $5-trillion market of potential consumers untapped for products and services on account of failing to see BOP markets as profitable for business, yet business leaders who have managed inclusive BOP marketing in Nigeria have experienced profit margins as high as 120%. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies of business leaders who market to BOP consumers in Nigeria and maintain a profit. The study population consisted of 3 business leaders in the Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan area …


Special Education Teachers' Sense Of Efficacy And Reading Achievement Of Students With Severe Disabilities, Melissa Victoria Beck Wells Jan 2016

Special Education Teachers' Sense Of Efficacy And Reading Achievement Of Students With Severe Disabilities, Melissa Victoria Beck Wells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assessment scores indicated students with severe disabilities (SWSD) have not been performing to their maximum potential, which may lead to lower quality of life after graduation. Teacher efficacy has been shown to impact student achievement; thus, this study involved exploring the teacher efficacy of the teachers of SWSD. Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, and Hoy's teacher efficacy conceptual framework guided this nonexperimental correlation study to investigate if levels of self-efficacy, years of overall teaching experience, and years of teaching experience with Grade 3 to 8 SWSD were predictors of student reading achievement in a New York City school district. Two open-ended questions …


The First 4 Years: A Small Business Sustainability Study, Iris Ann Cooper Jan 2016

The First 4 Years: A Small Business Sustainability Study, Iris Ann Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses create most of the new jobs in the world, yet more than half fail before the 5th year. Small businesses contribute to the economy by originating new products and services, yet they often lack the strategies to overcome the challenges of the beginning years. When businesses fail, the community wanes from unemployment, poverty, crime, and other social dilemmas. The purpose of this single case study was to explore small business strategies for sustainability beyond Year 4, specifically in a single independent operating Ohio restaurant owner with less than 500 employees. The conceptual framework was Schumpeter's theory of the …


The Role Of Real Time Checking For Understanding In The Middle School Classroom, Earl Dalke Jan 2016

The Role Of Real Time Checking For Understanding In The Middle School Classroom, Earl Dalke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the value teachers give to the process of formative assessment and their experience with the process. This study was conducted at a rural middle school where formative assessment was not effectively used as reflected in state assessment data. The social constructivist framework, which views students as active participants in their own learning, guided this study. Research questions focused on how the teachers participated in and felt about the process of formative assessment. Eleven teachers, all of whom use formative assessment as part of their practice, were purposefully selected for this study. Data …


The Lived Experiences Of Immigrant Canadian Women With The Healthcare System, Salma Debs-Ivall Jan 2016

The Lived Experiences Of Immigrant Canadian Women With The Healthcare System, Salma Debs-Ivall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigrants to Canada report better health status than the Canadian-born population when they first arrive in Canada, a phenomenon called the Healthy Immigrant Effect. However, by the fourth year after immigration, immigrants report a health status that is worse than that of the Canadian-born population. Visible minority immigrant women report the largest deterioration in health. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of visible minority immigrant women with encounters with the Canadian healthcare system to examine the multiplicative impact of gender, ethnicity, and immigration on their health. This phenomenological study, guided by Crenshaw's feminist intersectionality …


The Lived Experiences Of Counselor Educators Using Mindful Teaching Approaches, Abby E. Dougherty Jan 2016

The Lived Experiences Of Counselor Educators Using Mindful Teaching Approaches, Abby E. Dougherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that mindful teaching approaches support students and educators throughout the learning process. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of counselor educators with a daily mindfulness practice in the classroom with culturally diverse students. Relational-cultural theory (RCT) was the conceptual framework. Relational cultural theory concepts of relational connections and disconnections were used to explore the participants' lived experiences implementing a mindful teaching approach. Purposeful sampling yielded 10 participants who participated in semi-structured interviews. Using an inductive approach, the data were analyzed to identify essential themes. Thematic analysis was conducted by hand …


African Americans' Understanding Of The Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act, Ewang Theo Epie-Alobwede Jan 2016

African Americans' Understanding Of The Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act, Ewang Theo Epie-Alobwede

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans as a group tend to have numerous health issues, and by the time they seek healthcare, the conditions often advance into more serious ailments. Researchers have shown that cultural distrust of the U.S. healthcare system coupled with some discriminatory practices has hindered African Americans seeking care and taking full advantage of the healthcare system. With the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is some confusion about the application of the law, resulting in many intended beneficiaries misinterpreting it, and not accessing quality healthcare. This interpretive phenomenological study explored how African Americans in the …


Texas Sheriff Perceptions Of The Militia Movement, John F. Fisher Jan 2016

Texas Sheriff Perceptions Of The Militia Movement, John F. Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the election of President Barack Obama, the United States has seen a steady increase in the number of right-wing militia groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Department of Homeland Security have claimed that the various militia groups are a dangerous domestic terrorism threat. Law enforcement perceptions of the threat that these militia groups pose served as the focus of inquiry in this multiple case study. These perceptions were explored through the theoretical frameworks of groupthink, Credulous Bayesianism, and nudge theory. A purposeful sample of 12 local sheriffs in Texas were interviewed in an attempt to identify common …


Nurses' Perceptions Of Supports And Barriers In Transitioning To The Nurse Faculty Role, Kelly Flanigan Jan 2016

Nurses' Perceptions Of Supports And Barriers In Transitioning To The Nurse Faculty Role, Kelly Flanigan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed nurses' perceptions of supports and barriers in transitioning from a clinician to a faculty role in a 3-year diploma nursing program located in Eastern Pennsylvania. This problem is significant at both the local and national level due to the shortage of qualified nursing faculty members. A qualitative case study design using in-depth interviews was used. The framework to guide the study was Schoening's Nurse Educator Transition (NET) Model. The guiding question addressed perceptions of new nursing faculty members regarding supports and barriers of transitioning to the faculty role. Interview questions focused on participants' identification of their …


Industry Best Practices Contributing To Small Business Success, Timothy John Giardino Jan 2016

Industry Best Practices Contributing To Small Business Success, Timothy John Giardino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners generate jobs within the local community, but half of new business owners often fail to sustain operations for the first five years. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore strategies that small business owners in central Texas used to sustain their businesses beyond the first 5 years. Schumpeter's theory of economic development grounded the study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 small business owners due to their success in creating strategies resulting in sustaining their businesses beyond 5 years in a postrecession business environment. All interpretations from the …


Self-Care Activities And Nurse Manager Well-Being, Gretchen Eileen Johnson Jan 2016

Self-Care Activities And Nurse Manager Well-Being, Gretchen Eileen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role of the nurse manager is important in organizations and influences outcomes such as the safety and quality of care provided on a unit, satisfaction, turnover of nursing staff, and overall health of the work environment. Stressors for managing nurses can impair physical and emotional health and lead to poor patient and staff satisfaction, safety, and outcomes. The evidence-based practice project will explore nurse managers' well-being and self-care activities. The theoretical framework of the project is the Relationship-Based Care Model as well as Kotter's change theory. The literature suggests that self-care activities can reduce stress and improve well-being. A …


Graduates' Perceptions Of An Early Childhood Education Teacher Training Program In Jamaica, Patricia Jacobs Jan 2016

Graduates' Perceptions Of An Early Childhood Education Teacher Training Program In Jamaica, Patricia Jacobs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher training institutions in Jamaica have been introducing, developing, and revamping undergraduate degree programs. There is, however, little evaluation of these efforts. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine The Mico University College's early childhood education undergraduate degree program by exploring the lived experiences of its graduates. The research questions elicited from the participants their views about how changes were being implemented in the program, and how they impacted the institution's development and improvement, how major policy shifts related to changes in national educational policies, and how together these shifts may impact future processes at The Mico and …


The Relationship Between The Apex Program For Instruction And High School Student Academic Success, David Gordon Krosner Jan 2016

The Relationship Between The Apex Program For Instruction And High School Student Academic Success, David Gordon Krosner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An alternative high school campus in the State of Georgia introduced a new program to support academic growth and engagement among at-risk students. This program, the APEX program, merges technology with content to provide students with self-paced learning facilitated by teachers with the objective of improving test scores, course completion, and graduation. The purpose of this goals-based evaluation was to examine the relationship between APEX program usage and the academic success measures of EOCT scores, course credit accrual, and graduation; it was grounded in the behavior objectives approach. The study followed a cohort of students who were enrolled in Grade …


Compassion Fatigue And Crisis Workers' Attitude To Work, Maria Adneza Loolo Jan 2016

Compassion Fatigue And Crisis Workers' Attitude To Work, Maria Adneza Loolo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has revealed that mental health practitioners experience challenging reactions in the course of their professional interactions with traumatized clients in the clinical work setting. The demands of caring, without commensurate replenishment, deplete the practitioners' empathy and produces forms of apathy and indifference towards the suffering of others, known as compassion fatigue. This quantitative, exploratory, cross sectional study examined the predictive relationships between compassion fatigue and work attitudes in primary care physicians located in West Africa. The etiological model of compassion fatigue and constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) formed the conceptual framework for examining clinician responses to trauma-related experiences in …


The Exposure Of Workplace Conflict On Residential Mental Health Clients, Shawna Deann Stoneking Jan 2016

The Exposure Of Workplace Conflict On Residential Mental Health Clients, Shawna Deann Stoneking

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who receive residential mental health services rely on caregivers for support, supervision, and a safe living environment. Residential clients exposed to workplace conflict among staff may feel insecure and mistrust their caregivers, which in turn could negatively impact quality of life and treatment outcomes. The theory of therapeutic alliance proposed by Zetzel, emphasizing the client's perception of the therapist as a nurturing beneveolent figure, was used as the conceptual framework for this phenomenological study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 adults, recruited with homogenious sampling, who had experienced conflict among staff members and who had been discharged from residential …


Perceptions Of Stroke Risks Among West African Male Immigrants In San Diego, Lawrence Agi Jan 2016

Perceptions Of Stroke Risks Among West African Male Immigrants In San Diego, Lawrence Agi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence and knowledge of the risk factors of stroke across ethnic groups in the United States have been examined in multiple studies. However, it is not well known if the foreign-born African immigrants who constitute about 4% of the U.S. immigrant population are at a higher risk of the incidence of stroke than are other nonimmigrant population in the U. S. This ethnographic study explored the perceptions of Anglophone African male immigrants residing in San Diego on the risk factors of stroke. The theoretical framework for this study included the health belief model and the health promotion model. Data …


Blended Value Accounting And Social Enterprise Success, John Anner Jan 2016

Blended Value Accounting And Social Enterprise Success, John Anner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social enterprises (SEs) are businesses managed by entrepreneurs who seek to improve society, and they represent an important trend in social change work. However, there is little empirical knowledge about which blended value accounting (BVA) methods are used by SE managers, and whether the use of BVA is perceived by SE managers as a critical success factor. Blended value accounting is a conceptual framework for measuring combined social and financial outcomes in SEs, and some believe that the use of BVA may be a critical success factor for SEs. This research was based on Covin and Slevin's conceptualization of entrepreneurial …


The Effects Of Reader's Theater On Reading Comprehension And Fluency Of Fifth-Grade Students, Laura Ashley Black Jan 2016

The Effects Of Reader's Theater On Reading Comprehension And Fluency Of Fifth-Grade Students, Laura Ashley Black

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, an estimated 75% of students who are poor readers in 3rd grade continue to be poor readers in 9th grade. Although much research has been conducted on this topic, engaging and successful reading programs that put theory into practice are scarce. Reader's theater is a strategy students use to collaborate, rehearse, and critique one another while the teacher offers support and modeling. The research questions addressed the effectiveness of using Reader's Theater to improve scores in reading fluency and comprehension. LaBerge and Samuels' automaticity theory was used as the …


Exploring The Financial Management Skills Of Independent Rock Bands, Mary A. Hobson Jan 2016

Exploring The Financial Management Skills Of Independent Rock Bands, Mary A. Hobson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the post-Napster era of disruptive innovations, independent artists are managing more nonmusical roles and more revenue streams to remain competitive and earn a living wage from their music. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the financial management strategies that one independent rock band needed to understand music royalties. Disruptive innovation was the conceptual framework used to guide the study. The sample was comprised of 4 members of an independent rock band based in Northeast Ohio. The selected band met the criteria for the study as members who earned revenue from copyrighted works, merchandise, and CD …


Incidence And Factors Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ani K. John Jan 2016

Incidence And Factors Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ani K. John

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most common hepatic diseases worldwide, making the diagnosis and management of NAFLD an emerging public health issue. Theories associated with NAFLD surmise that inflammation may be the root cause, along with the complex interplay of other chronic conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unknown if other inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), along with the use of methotrexate (MTX), might confer increased risk for NAFLD. Longitudinal data collected from a retrospective cohort of 17,481 adult RA patients in the United States …


Adult Literacy Program Evaluation For First Year Traditional College Students, Yvette Joyce Mccauley Jan 2016

Adult Literacy Program Evaluation For First Year Traditional College Students, Yvette Joyce Mccauley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First year traditional college students required to register in a sequence of remedial courses prior to enrollment in credit-bearing courses often get discouraged by the financial burden and time commitments of this additional work and, subsequently, decide to drop out. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to examine the effectiveness of the remedial adult literacy program being used at a 4-year urban college in the northeast and assess the curriculum alignment with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) standards. Knowles theory of andragogy, which suggests that adults are self-directed and expect to take responsibility for their own …


Obesity Among Women In Rural Kenya: Knowledge, Beliefs, And Perceptions., Ann Mugo Jan 2016

Obesity Among Women In Rural Kenya: Knowledge, Beliefs, And Perceptions., Ann Mugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity or being overweight is a prevalent health concern around the world. Despite the growing problem in developing countries such as Kenya, there is scant literature available on obesity or being overweight among women in rural Kenya. This research study provides information necessary for bridging the gap in understanding the perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge of obesity among women in rural Kenya. This study used the social cognitive theory (SCT) framework to assist in understanding the impact of obesity or being overweight among women living in rural Kenya. Participants were women aged 20 to 45 recruited from a local church in …


Factors Associated With Primary And Secondary Sexual Transmission Of Hiv In Concurrent Relationships In Kenya, Daphne Parker Jan 2016

Factors Associated With Primary And Secondary Sexual Transmission Of Hiv In Concurrent Relationships In Kenya, Daphne Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study was designed to understand the lived experiences of a purposive sample of 9 participants from local villages in Nairobi, Kenya, who had sexual behaviors that contributed to higher HIV risk exposure. Past studies have provided information about the increased rates of HIV infection; however, little has been done to identify the solutions for minimizing the negative impact of HIV among concurrent partnerships. The study investigated the role of high risk cultural practices among participants in married and cohabitating unions. The conceptual framework of the study was gender and power theory, which addresses the complex sexual relationships between …


Complexity Of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis In African American Men In The United States, Adam B. Sumlin Jan 2016

Complexity Of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis In African American Men In The United States, Adam B. Sumlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified higher incidence rates and mortality rates among African American men (AAM) diagnosed with prostate cancer than they have among urban African American men. This quantitative descriptive study was conducted to measure the association between advanced stage and grade of prostate cancer, demographic location, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels over a 5-year period in AAM and European American men (EAM) in rural versus urban communities. This study addressed 4 research questions concerning cancer grade, cancer stage, age, geographic location, PSA level, and the impact that each of these variables had on prostate cancer diagnosis in AAM in …


Comparing Fountas And Pinnell's Reading Levels To Reading Scores On The Criterion Referenced Competency Test, Shunda F. Walker Jan 2016

Comparing Fountas And Pinnell's Reading Levels To Reading Scores On The Criterion Referenced Competency Test, Shunda F. Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading competency is related to individuals' success at school and in their careers. Students who experience significant problems with reading may be at risk of long-term academic and social problems. High-quality measures that determine student progress toward curricular goals are needed for early identification and interventions to improve reading abilities and ultimately prevent subsequent failure in reading. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental ex post facto research study was to determine whether a correlation existed amongst student achievement scores on the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment and reading comprehension scores on the Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT). The item …


Impact Of Music Education On Mathematics Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students, Curt Glendale Willis Jan 2016

Impact Of Music Education On Mathematics Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students, Curt Glendale Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Music education has been shown to be related to a variety of positive outcomes, including student achievement in math. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between music education and student achievement in math. The framework for the study was Miendlarzweska and Trost's model of musical instrument training. A deidentified archival data set consisting of middle school students' (N = 116) total math scores on the Iowa Assessments was used to determine the impact of music education on students' math achievement, while controlling for students' sex and socioeconomic status. Changes in student achievement were measured by calculating math scores …