Digital Commons Network^™

Kindergarten Teachers’ Implementation Methods For School Readiness Skills In A Rural School, Beverly Vashon Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten students in a Title 1 elementary school are lacking school readiness skills. When students enter kindergarten unprepared to learn, they may experience difficulties with approaches toward learning skills related to physical, language, social, emotional, and cognitive development, which are reliable predictors of subsequent academic and life success. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study with a constructivist framework was to examine how kindergarten teachers implemented the five domains of school readiness at a Title 1 school to improve incoming kindergarten students’ learning. Convenience sampling was used within a bounded system of four kindergarten teachers in a Title 1 …

Sustainable Luxury Fashion Consumption Through A Circular Economy Business Model, Mairy Aminatou Alim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The luxury fashion industry, forecasted to reach a value of 84.04 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, has stalled in adopting a circular economy (CE) business model to raise sustainable luxury consumption in mature markets. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to describe CE business experts’ views on how luxury fashion leaders can make a profitable shift from a linear to a circular business model in mature markets. This study was framed by two conceptual models: Donato et al.’s concept of sustainable luxury consumption and Chiaroni and Urbinati’s concept of adopting a circular business model. Data were collected …

Relationship Between Faculty Age, Stress, And Intent To Leave Academic Medical Institutions, Susan Christian Atterton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty intent to leave academic medicine affects clinical productivity, patient and teaching service quality, and institutions' profitability. Understanding factors associated with faculty intent to leave is critical for healthcare and human resources leadership within academic medical institutions in efforts to reduce faculty intent to leave. Grounded in Graves’ spiral dynamics theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between faculty age, faculty stress, and faculty intent to leave academic medical institutions. The data were collected and analyzed for 125 faculty physicians with an M.D., Ph.D., D.O., or M.B.B.S. degree in an academic medical institution in the …

Conflict In Human Relationships And Seeking Out Pets As A Safe Haven, Jennifer Rachael Bakal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed the positive physical and the psychological aspects of pet ownership, suggesting that an individual’s attachment style can impact the kind of relationship they have with their pet. Two theories guided this qualitative study; the first was Bowlby’s attachment theory, which suggests that if a child feels that the attachment figure is attentive and accessible, the child will feel loved and secure. Another theory was Ainsworth’s attachment theory in which attachment figures are described as possessing four features: proximity maintenance, separation distress, secure base, and safe haven. This study consisted of 212 participants at least 18 years old …

Potential For Burnout, Coping Styles, And Help Seeking Attitudes Of Human Service Providers In A State Psychiatric Hospital, Alison Aulsbrook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAlthough there is an abundance of literature on the relationship between burnout and coping styles among providers, this study explored the gap in research about the relationship of these factors to help seeking attitudes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between burnout, coping styles and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among a sample of 76 human service providers, guided by cognitive appraisal theory. Burnout in participants who work at a state psychiatric hospital in Texas was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Coping styles were measured using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations which measures …

Beliefs About Evidence-Based Practice Among New Graduate Nurses, Julie Bane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is an expectation that new graduate nurses (NGNs) use evidence-based practices (EBP) in patient care; however, studies indicated that NGNs lack confidence in, belief in, and a full understanding of EBP processes and implementation. The doctoral project practice-focused question addressed whether immersion in EBP education and completion of an EBP project through a quality-improvement pilot program would enhance NGNs’ beliefs about the benefits and processes of EBP as well as increase confidence in their ability to implement EBP in the clinical setting. Knowles’ adult learning theory and Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory guided the project’s motivation and examination of …

Perspectives Of Human Resource Personnel And Employees Hired As Military Veterans On Veterans’ Hiring Processes, Tiffany Barrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Finding employment after transitioning out of the military is a formidable challenge faced by many veterans. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple-case study was to explore the perspectives of human resource personnel (HRP) and military veteran employees about the hiring processes of private organizations that have a veterans’ employment rate of 25% or more. The processes investigated in this case study included hiring strategies, practices, actions, steps, and applications. The target population comprised 16 participants, who were employees hired as military veterans and HRP of private organizations that had hired veterans at a rate of 25% or more. The …

Perspectives Of Physicians Mandated To Complete Cultural Competence Education, Wayne Mccarthy Boatwright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perspectives of Physicians Mandated to Complete Cultural Competence Educationby Wayne M. Boatwright

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services

Walden University May 2021 Abstract Studies show that ethnic and racial disparities continue to exist in health care delivery. The economics of today’s multicultural world along with changing demographics and persistence of inequality in healthcare have challenged healthcare professionals to consider cultural competency (CC) training to assist in eliminating health disparities. The purpose of this study was to identify the perspectives of physicians who were mandated to complete CC education. …

Predictors Of Recidivism For Offenders With Substance Use Disorders, Yvonne Cheeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRecidivism is a substantial problem in the United States due to the number of paroles/probationers reoffending. The U.S. prison system has become the new asylum and a revolving door for individuals, which is even more true for those with substance use disorders (SUDs). Once these individuals leave prison, they are likely to end up reoffending at some point in the future due to substance use/abuse (i.e., committing crimes to support substance use, selling substances, etc.). Scholarly literature lacked studies examining the predictors of recidivism for offenders with SUD in North Carolina. . The purpose of this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study …

Consequences Of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives For Stakeholders, May Chian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulation model for businesses to be socially accountable to society and stakeholders. The research problem is that some managers have a limited understanding of the consequences of strategic CSR initiatives for stakeholders to maximize company’s profits in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the implications of U.S. corporations’ CSR initiatives for stakeholders while maximizing profitability. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was the stakeholder theory of CSR and agency theory, which provided an appropriate lens for data collection and analysis. An online questionnaire of 10 open-ended questions …

The Moderating Impact Of Yoga On The Relationship Between Employee Job Satisfaction And Trust In Management, Khalid George Darargeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employees with low job satisfaction are less likely than employees with average or high job satisfaction to achieve organizational productivity objectives. Owners of U. S. companies lose an estimated $605 billion each year in productivity due to low employee job satisfaction. Grounded in the leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the moderating impact of yoga on the relationship between employee trust in leadership and employee job satisfaction. Using LinkedIn and Facebook, participants were 80 full-time professionals living in the Baltimore County or Baltimore City vicinities who varied in their participation in yoga as …

Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, And Stress Among Women In Treatment For Substance Disorders, Zummuna Zonzanna Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability of an individual to perceive, use, comprehend, and regulate emotions. While relationships between EI and risk of drug abuse have been explored, possible mechanisms through which higher EI may serve as a protective factor remain undefined; there was a need to understand how EI was related to stress among women with substance use disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine resilience as a mediator between EI and stress, a risk factor, among women in treatment for chemical dependency. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Salovey and Mayer’s EI model. …

Continuous Improvement Strategies For Nonprofit Organizations, Juan Alberto Delduarte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many leaders of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) face challenges implementing a strategic plan to improve organizational performance and enhance the sustainability of their businesses. Grounded in Deming’s total quality management theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the use of quality management standards in strategic planning to improve organizational performance. The participants were three senior leaders from an NPO in the midwestern region of the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, internal organizational documents, and public sources. The 5-step thematic analysis revealed the use of quality management standards in strategic planning, employee empowerment, and …

Counselor Education And Supervision Students’ Stage Of Program And Intimate Relationship Investment, Rachel Dell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The doctoral counselor education and supervision (CES) program has three stages (entry, integration, or candidacy), each involving specific challenges resulting in varying time requirements, workloads, and stress levels. Personal struggles may have consequences that influence the completion of students’ doctoral program and the outcomes of students’ research. Interdependence theory is the theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine CES doctoral students’ intimate romantic relationship investment as measured by the Investment Model Scale (IMS) and to investigate the relationship between CES doctoral students’ stage in the program and students’ intimate romantic relationship investment. The …

Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Catholic Priests, Richard Ehusani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests that the clergy could be at the risk of developing secondary traumatic stress (STS) because of their secondary exposure to trauma within pastoral work; however, there has been no explicit discussion of STS related to Catholic priests who may be more at the risk of developing STS than their counterparts in other churches. The requirement of priestly celibacy often leaves Catholic priests with little to no immediate social and emotional support network of family. Because of their sacred vow to keep the confessional seal unbroken in whatever circumstance, Catholic priests also may not share confessional information, even when …

The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that inspired this study is that Turkish students’ mathematics rankings on global exams such as The Program for the International Students Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) had been below the average for many years, a problem that may have rooted in children’s early experiences with mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative pretest posttest quasi-experimental control group study was to determine the effect of computer-programming classes with Code Studio on mathematics scores of preschool students. Siemens’s connectivism theory for the digital age formed the foundation for this research. A single research question regarding …

Cell Phone Use And Adolescent Weight Problems, Florence Kenkor Njang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOverweightinadolescenceincreasestheriskofobesityandmanyadversehealthoutcomeslaterinlife.The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectionalstudy was to investigatetheassociationbetweencell phoneuseandweightstatusinadolescents,ages14 17yearsold,livingintheUnitedStates.Thesocio-ecologicalmodel(SEM)wasusedtoexplainthelinkbetweencellphoneuseandoverweightamongadolescents.Threeresearchquestionswere used to explore(a)therelationshipbetweencellphoneuseandadolescentweightstatusaftercontrollingforage,gender,andrace;(b)the effectofcellphoneuseonoverweightandnormalweightstatusesamongadolescentsaged 14 17yearsaftercontrollingforage,gender,andphysicalactivity;and(c)themodifyingeffectofraceontherelationshipbetweencellphoneuseandadolescentoverweightaftercontrollingforageandgender.Secondary data from the2017YouthRiskBehavioralSurveillanceSystemwere analyzed usingbinarylogisticregressiontoanswer theresearchquestions.Highcellphoneusesignificantlyandpositivelypredictedoverweightinadolescentsaftercontrollingforage,gender,andrace(p<0.001).Afteraccountingforage,gender,andphysicalactivity,highcellphoneusewasasignificantpredictorofoverweight(p<0.001).Similarly,racehadasignificantmodifyingeffectonthepositiveassociationbetweenhighcelluseandoverweightamongadolescents(p<0.001).Thekeypositivesocialchange implication of this studyis the potentialtointegratehealthycellphoneusewithexistingobesitypublichealthinterventionsthatcanreduceoverweightandpositivelyimpactindividuals,families,andcommunities.

Traumatic Experiences, Gang Involvement, And Psychopathic Traits Among Juvenile Offenders, Tamika Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychopathy is associated with serious criminal behavior, behavioral control issues, and recidivism among juvenile offenders. The identification of risk factors associated with psychopathic behavior is critical for treatment and intervention planning. Childhood trauma and delinquent peer associations are important psychosocial risk factors to consider for juvenile offenders. Research on the relationships between affective psychopathic traits and risk factors is extensive. There is a significant lack of literature concerning antisocial psychopathic traits. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between psychosocial risk factors and Psychopathy Checklist -Youth Version antisocial traits. The integrated psychosocial model of criminal social identity …

Social Media Use To Build Capacity In Nonprofit Maternal Mental Health Organizations, Brandy Lynn Abbott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Capacity building is key to organizational sustainability in the competitive environment of nonprofit behavioral health organizations. Strategic use of social media plays a prominent role in fundraising and stakeholder engagement to support capacity building. The aim of this study was to examine the use of social media by maternal mental health nonprofit organizations to increase income for the purpose of capacity development. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to ground this descriptive, multiple case study of four organizations in the United States. The primary data sources were public social media posts and statistics, organizational websites and documents, and data from …

Nursing Majors’ Attitudes Toward Suicide And Mental Health Training, Beverly Arleen Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe mental health training of nursing majors may play a role in their levels of confidence in attending to suicide patients as working professionals. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore what impact, if any, attitudes toward suicide had on nursing majors’ levels of confidence in their mental health training. Pender’s health promotion theory was the theoretical framework. A descriptive correlational survey was used to explore individuals majoring in nursing confidence and perceived skills in mental health training. The 4 research questions asked the relationship between the level of confidence in helping someone with a mental health problem …

Teacher Perceptions Of Culturally Relevant Strategies To Promote Black Student Achievement, Kimberly Elyse Hendricks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A long-standing, race-based academic achievement gap between Black and White students has existed in a local district in the southwest United States for more than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions and experiences related to the use of culturally relevant or responsive (CRR) teaching strategies. The study was guided by Hale’s theory explaining how culture shapes a child’s cognition and learning styles, indicating benefits when the teacher used the students’ cultural assets during instruction. Research questions were written to address teachers’ perceptions of, experiences with, and the value of using CRR …

Strategies For Implementing Internet Of Things Devices In Manufacturing Environments, Todd Efrain Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been exploited as a threat vector for cyberattacks in manufacturing environments. Manufacturing industry leaders are concerned with cyberattacks because of the associated costs of damages and lost production for their organizations. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies electrical controls engineers use to implement secure IoT devices in manufacturing environments. The study participants were eight electrical controls engineers working in three separate manufacturing facilities located in the Midwest region of the United States. The data were collected by semistructured interviews and 15 organizational documents. …

Addressing Work-Induced Stress And Depressive Symptoms In Police Officers, Demetrius Markey Latham Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers across the nation face a significant issue as it relates to work-induced stress and depressive symptoms. Specifically, the problem is the lack of preventative mental health services available to officers. This study aims to explore the perceived presence of work-induced stress and depressive symptoms in patrol officers employed by the Field Police Department (Pseudonym; FPD). To gather these data, the potential research participants were offered the ability to take an online anonymous survey. The results indicated that many of the survey participants were suffering from work-related stress and depressive symptoms. The research results further displayed many of the …

Elementary Reading Teachers’ Perspectives On Differentiating Reading Instruction For Low-Socioeconomic Students, Edwina Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction (DI) is recognized as a factor that could improve the reading disparity among students despite diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Few studies have been conducted that document elementary public school reading teachers’ perspectives on differentiating reading instruction and selecting DI strategies for low-performing, low-socioeconomic (LP-LSES) students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand third- through fifth-grade reading teachers’ perspectives on their abilities to differentiate reading instruction and select DI strategies effectively. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Tomlinson’s DI model and Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory. The research questions focused on the perspectives of third- through …

Educating Clinicians In A Nursing Facility To Proactively Manage Urinary Tract Infections, Setha Joseph

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUrinary tract infections (UTIs) have been identified as the most common reason for hospital visits among adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the prevalence of UTIs in long-term care facilities ranges from 20%-50%. The purpose of this staff education project was to implement an educational program to increase staff knowledge of proactive management of urinary tract health with the ultimate goal of reducing acute illnesses at the skilled nursing facility (SNF). Knowles theory of adult learning informed curriculum development and Kirkpatrick's levels of training evaluation guided program evaluation. The project team planned, developed, implemented, and evaluated …

Alterations In Crime And The Ferguson Effect: An Analysis Of Crime Trends In The St. Louis, Mo Metropolitan Area, Robin Christine Lohman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Ferguson Effect, which has resulted in de-policing or disengaging from proactive community policing in response to increased violence against police since 2014 and fear of civil liability, has led to increases in crime and attacks on law enforcement officers. Previous research focused on exploring law enforcement officers’ perceptions of media and public scrutiny, crime rates, self-legitimacy, and willingness to engage in community relations. No studies identified have attempted to predict the source of the Ferguson Effect and its effect on crime. Moreover, no studies have conducted a time-series analysis of crime and de-policing focusing solely on the St. Louis, …

How Cyber Activity Influences Depression And Anxiety In Teenagers, Mary Fridah Gatwiri Muiruri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Both depression and anxiety have been a focus of scholars since their rates have recently skyrocketed from 5.4 % in 2003 to 20 % currently among teenagers in the United States. Although numerous studies have assessed the association between playing video games and depression, few studies have examined how cyberbullying and screen time contribute to depressive symptoms in teenagers. The purpose of this study was to analyze cyberbullying and screen time on depression in teens. . The exploration of associations between the dependent variable, depression, and the independent variables, screen time, video gaming, and cyberbullying, were guided by Bandura’s social …

An Exploration Of Principal Instructional Leadership Increasing Instructional Capacity Through Collaborative Relationships, Michael Henry Myers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

State and federal mandates designed to increase student learning and development through principal instructional leadership are based on research that demonstrates the potential benefits teacher collaboration can have on teacher efficacy, school culture, and student learning; however, many principals are inadequately trained for instructional leadership roles that utilize collaboration. The problem this study investigated is the lack of research about successful instructional leaders using collaboration to increase the instructional capacity of the teachers in high-achieving, suburban high schools. High-quality teaching is important and requires the collective skills and expertise of well-trained teachers. The organizational development theories of McGregor, the adult …

Parole Officers’ Perspective On The Needs Of Indigenous Offenders On Conditional Release, Ritesh Dalip Narayan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indigenous offenders are overrepresented in all aspects of the Canadian criminal justice system, including corrections. Indigenous offenders are overrepresented in the prison population and are least likely to be granted an early release from prison. Indigenous offenders also disproportionately breach their conditional release orders and consequently spend more time incarcerated than non-Indigenous offenders. To understand the reasons behind the breaches, need-based theoretical lenses were used to analyze data. Sixteen parole officers were interviewed using a narrative design where participants shared their accounts on supervising Indigenous offenders while highlighting the needs which they felt were not being met by their Indigenous …

An Exploration Of African American Women’S Clinical Experience With European American Clinicians, Tonia L. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American (AA) women experience decreased rates of retention and increased rates of mental health conditions. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of AA women who received therapeutic services from European American (EA) clinicians. The strong Black woman (SBW) schema served as a conceptual framework for this study. The research question was to examine how the endorsement of the SBW schema affect AA women’s experiences of the therapeutic alliance during clinical treatment with EA clinicians. Data collection was accomplished through semi structured interviews conducted through Zoom from six participants in Atlanta, GA. Participant …