Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Factors That Predict Policy Practice Among Social Workers, Dawn R. Broers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social work profession has long touted a dual focus on service within micro and macro realms of practice, preparing social workers to serve marginalized populations at the boundary between the powerful and the powerless. Research, however, has shown that macro social work, or policy practice, has diminished. Current research has been inconsistent in identifying predictive factors of increased policy practice. With recent efforts by the profession to bolster waning policy practice among social workers, it is vital to identify factors that predict higher engagement. Theoretical frameworks suggest that professional socialization in policy practice as a group norm, having resources …

Credit Recovery And Grade Point Average In An Alternative High School System, Antoinette Marie Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The dropout rates of African American and Hispanic students in the United States are significantly higher than that of White students. Failure to obtain a high school diploma has adverse economic and social implications for these students and for society. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between a credit recovery program with key demographic variables and high school GPA, which is a graduation antecedent, for students in an alternative school. Knowles' framework of adult learning theory was used to examine how participation in the credit recovery process in a system of predominantly African American-serving alternative …

Psychometric Properties Of The Modern Homonegativity Scale In The Southern United States, John T. Gavlas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS) is designed to measure a distinct modern form of prejudice against gay people. Based on the conceptual framework of old-fashioned and modern antigay prejudice advanced by Morrison and Morrison, the present study was conducted to assess the reliability and validity of the MHS as a measure of modern antigay prejudice in the southern United States a region where antigay prejudice appears to be particularly pervasive and damaging. This purpose was achieved by analyzing survey responses from 691 adult residents of 14 southern states. As hypothesized, MHS scores were correlated with political conservatism, contact with gay …

Small Business Restaurant Marketing Strategies For Sustainability, Lyle John Hubbard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 52% of food and accommodation businesses survive 5 years or more. Small business restaurant owners face greater challenges in marketing and sustainability than larger and well-established chain restaurants. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the successful marketing strategies of small business restaurant owners who sustained their businesses 5 years or more. The population was small business restaurant owners in Eugene, Oregon. The conceptual framework for this study was Porter's 5 forces. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 4 business owners, and data analysis consisted of coding and thematically analyzing interview data and data collected from …

Self-Care Management Of African American Men With Type 2 Diabetes, Kevin Konstantinos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes and have a 3 times higher rate of 3 serious complications of diabetes, including blindness, amputations, and end-stage renal disease, compared to other groups. The purpose of this project was to address the gap-in-practice disparity that exists in care of African American men with diabetes by providing one-on-one self-care management education in an outpatient clinic setting. The behavior change theories that supported the project intervention were Orem's self-care theory and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Employing a quasi-experimental design, 33 participants between the ages of 40 and 65 were divided into an …

Factors That Influence How Sunni Muslims In Western Michigan Perceive Violence, Joyce Busch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decisionmakers in organizations like the Department of Defense and the State Department rely on accurate information to develop strategies to engage foreign populations. There is gap in understanding how perceptions are formed in religious adherents, specifically understanding how Muslims determine if violence is an acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Informed by Hobföll's conservation of resources theory of stress, the purpose of this case study was to identify and understand the religious and secular factors that influenced a group of Sunni Muslims in Western Michigan to accept or reject violent behaviors. Research questions focused on how this population's perception of violence was …

Perceptions Of Healthcare Workers Toward Influenza Vaccination, Amos Adedokun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even though influenza vaccinations were provided free to all healthcare workers in the United States, healthcare workers were not 100% compliant. The non-compliance with influenza vaccinations may expose their patients, their families, and the public at large to a high-risk source of influenza infection. This study's research questions included how registered nurses perceived influenza and influenza vaccination; registered nurses' self-reported incidents with influenza vaccination; and factors that contributed to registered nurses' non-compliance with influenza vaccination. Guided by the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the factors that …

African American Women Caring For Loved Ones With Alzheimer's Disease And Dementia, Lisa M. Forbes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

In 2016, a dramatic shift occurred in demographics in the United States because the oldest people in the baby boomer generation, which consists of people born between 1946 and 1964, reached age 65. The larger aging population and longer lifespans have produced an increased need for care and services. There are an estimated 5.4 million Americans of varying ages living with a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease are more prevalent among African Americans than other ethnicities. With little research found on culturally appropriate interventions for specific ethnic groups, a more detailed review of the …

Government And Nongovernmental Collaboration To Build Community Resiliency Against Terrorism In Oklahoma City, Kimberly K. Heltz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The way communities build resiliency and prepare for acts of terrorism is ambiguous in the United States; best practices remain unclear. Due to mobility and advancements in communication technologies, individuals and organizations share information, incite anger, recruit, and act on ideological grievances with ease. Such grievances are bolstered by the political and social exclusion of disparate groups through poorly designed policies and ineffective government structures. Using a combination of social constructivism and systems thinking theories, this case study explored collaboration efforts between government agencies and nongovernment experts in Oklahoma City, OK, identifying best practices as a result of lessons learned …

Job Satisfaction And The Effects And Influences On Nurse Retention, Burke N. Kline

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have predicted that by 2020 the United States will experience a severe shortage of registered nurses. The purpose of this correlation study, using the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses 2008, was to investigate the relationship between nurse job satisfaction and its effect on nurse retention nationwide. Secondary data sets from the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses and examining relationships between the variable of nurse retention and job satisfaction. Bivariate (correlation coefficient, chi squares, and simple linear regression) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses identified and connected associations and examined measurement levels between the dependent and independent variables, …

Quantitative Assessment Of Psycho-Social Factors Associated With Alcoholics Anonymous Involvement, Dianne Bentley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol use disorders are a major health problem in the United States; approximately 7.4% of the population meets the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. However, Reed, Levin, and Evans (2012) reported a lack in research regarding alcoholism's risk factors and how these influence Alcoholics Anonymous involvement. Though there is evidence for several risk factors, researchers have found mixed results regarding gender and impulsivity. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation of this study and guided the exploration and interpretation of these risk factors. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to understand the relationship that impulsivity (as …

Perceptions Of Employees And Supervisors Of A Skills Training Program, Lincoln Calcavecchi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders know that training improves worker performance, but training is often initiated without considering employees' work task requirements. This instrumental case study was conducted to understand the perceptions of employees who completed a skills training program and those of supervisors. The conceptual framework was andragogy, emphasizing self-efficacy and self-direction, motivation, and goal setting for adult learners. The guiding questions addressed the perceptions of employees about their self-directed participation in the skills training program and its relationship to work tasks and supervisors' perceptions of employees' participation in that program. Semi-structured interviews with 8 individual employees and a focus group with …

Awareness And Attitudes Of Young Nigerian Immigrants In The United States To Sickle Cell Screening And Premarital Genetic Testing, Timothy Atolagbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The carrier frequency for sickle cell anemia among Nigerians, who account for a high percentage of African immigrants in the United States, is high, according to the World Health Organization. Even though sickle cell disease contributes $2.4 billion annually to U.S. health care expenditures, ascertaining the number of affected individuals in the U.S. is difficult because sickle cell is not a reportable genetic disease. However, according to the Census Bureau, the number of African immigrants continues to grow at a steady pace among the foreign-born immigrant population in the U.S. There is a lack of research on the contribution of …

Strategies Used By Cloud Security Managers To Implement Secure Access Methods, Eric Harmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing can be used as a way to access services and resources for many organizations; however, hackers have created security concerns for users that incorporate cloud computing in their everyday functions. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by cloud security managers to implement secure access methods to protect data on the cloud infrastructure. The population for this study was cloud security managers employed by 2 medium size businesses in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area and that have strategies to implement secure access methods to protect data on the cloud infrastructure. The technology …

Beliefs Vs Behavior Of Elementary Teachers Integrating Technology In Mathematics, Annette Huzzie-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many elementary students struggle to meet expectations on mathematics assessments despite an increase in science, technology, engineering, and math instructional strategies. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore elementary math teachers' technology integration self-efficacy, their level of technology adoption, and their actual technology integration behavior. The conceptual framework used in this study included Bandura's social cognitive theory, which is often used in the investigation of self-efficacy. Additionally, the International Society for Technology Education Classroom Tool, which is in alignment with the National Educational Standards for Teachers, was used to gauge the level of technology integration in the …

Generational Homelessness In New York City Family Homeless Shelters, Deborah Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness has been a problem in New York City (NYC) for decades. Part of the problem is children who grew up in the shelter system and then returned as adults, a phenomenon known as 2nd-generation homelessness. Literature indicates that no researchers have interviewed second-generation homeless adults about their experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of 2nd-generation homelessness from the perspective of homeless adults returning to the shelter system. The sample included 1 second-generation homeless adult and 10 case managers at Tier II homeless shelters. Interviews were conducted and data were analyzed using hand coding to …

Sport-Related Concussion And Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries In High School Athletes, Lisa Koperna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sport-related injuries (SRI) can be foreseen and averted when mechanisms and risk factors are completely understood. An appreciation of the relationship between sport-related concussion (SRC) and lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries (LEMI) is emerging amid professional and collegiate athletes. However, findings of such a relationship in adults may not be generalizable to younger populations, and the literature has not addressed this relationship in adolescents. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the relationship between SRC and LEMI in high school athletes. The dynamic model of etiology in sport injury provided the study's conceptual framework. A de-identified secondary dataset …

Teachers' Job Satisfaction And Efficacy As Indicators Of Intent-To-Leave Teaching, Vinessa Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding possible contributing factors of teacher attrition is important and necessary to retain effective teachers in schools. The purpose of this project study was to investigate how teacher job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy were related to their intent-to-leave. Locke's definition of job satisfaction and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and collective efficacy provided the theoretical foundations for this study. Research questions addressed the extent of the relationship between 3 independent variables---teacher job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy--with a single dependent variable, teacher intent-to-leave. The Job Satisfaction Survey, Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, Collective Efficacy Scale, and Intent-to-Leave Questionnaire were used …

Problem Solving, Decision Making, And Kirton Adaption-Innovation Theory In High-Performance Organizations, Miriam Grace Michael

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on high-performing nonprofit boards has indicated a positive relationship between a board's strength and an organization's effectiveness; however, how boards achieve success remains relatively unknown. The Kirton adaption-innovation (KAI) theory was used to examine board members' cognitive styles in relationship to facilitating problem solving and decision making. This nonexperimental, quantitative study included archived nonprofit board data from 2 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) studies that had addressed the high performance of boards and factors associated with organizational success. A total of 102 randomly selected, high-performing nonprofit board members completed the KAI Inventory, which was used to measure cognitive …

Adaptive Behavior Assessment Of Ethnically Different Children Referred For Special Education Services, Kelly C. Moynahan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 6 children are diagnosed with a developmental disability or with developmental delays, which are associated with impairments in physical, language, cognitive, and/or adaptive behaviors. To fill a gap in the literature, the adaptive profile of young children initially served as developmentally delayed (DD) were analyzed to explore adaptive differences between different ethnicities and placement settings of children at the time of the initial referral prior to DD assessment. Archival data included 333 preschool aged children. The independent variables of eligibility status (DD or not DD eligible), ethnicity (White, …

A Comparison Of Social Disconnectedness And Perceived Isolation In Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Women And Hearing Women, Mellissa Perry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has concluded that hearing loss is related to psychological risk factors in a person that could potentially increase feelings of disconnect or isolation. However, the gap in literature and lack of knowledge regarding social disconnectedness and perceived isolation specifically for deaf/hard of hearing women makes it difficult for clinicians to develop appropriate programs to assist this population. The purpose of this study was to contribute information regarding the effects of hearing loss on social disconnectedness and perceived isolation to help clinicians create proper treatment plans to better assist the deaf/hard of hearing with negative feelings (e.g., loneliness, depression) …

Leaders' Strategies To Support And Accommodate Employees With High-Functioning Autism, Jonathan Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders often lack strategies to create supportive and accommodating workplaces that capitalize on the unique skillset of autistic employees. Research has shown that employers benefit from creating supports; however, there is a lack of research on how or why organization leaders provide support and accommodations. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to identify leaders' strategies for supporting autistic employees. The research question centered on managements' support and accommodations for employees while capitalizing on their strengths. The conceptual framework included labor process to address management extracting benefits from labor, and resource-based theory to examine gaining a competitive advantage by …

Relationships Between Transformational Leadership And Organizational Citizenship Behavior In Ghanaian Organizations, Adjoa Randy-Cofie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The recent global financial crisis prompted organizations to search for effective ways to minimize loss of revenue due to settlement of organizational scandals. Transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) are known to affect employees and subsequently organizational productivity. However, little is known about the relationship between transformational leadership and the OCB of employees of multinational corporations (MNCs) in Ghana. The purpose of this quantitative study was to bridge the gap in knowledge by examining the relationships between transformational leadership and the OCB of employees of MNCs in Ghana. The theoretical frameworks for this study were Bass' transformational leadership theory …

Kansas City, Missouri, Inner City Schools' Parent Involvement Policy, Practices, And Accreditation Problems, Gena L. Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, the Missouri Board of Education took away Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) accreditation status. For over 40 years, KCPS has struggled with poor academic achievement, decreased enrollment and budget, and numerous leadership turnovers. Although KCPS regained provisional accreditation in 2014 and earned enough points on the annual performance report for consideration to become a fully accredited school system, state education officials first want to ensure that the district can sustain its new performance level before granting full accreditation. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore parents' perceptions about how the KCPS' parent involvement policy and …

Association Between Adaptive Sports Programs And Quality Of Life Among Amputee Veterans, Sean V. Seay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adaptive sports programs (ASPs) are important for enhancing the physical, psychological, and social aspects of life for amputee combat veterans while reducing the risk of depression and anger. Although the role of ASPs in improving quality of life (QoL) has been researched in relation to amputee combat veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, there has been limited examination of the role of ASPs in improving QoL among veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation Noble Eagle (OND). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of …

Video Game Development Strategies For Creating Successful Cognitively Challenging Games, Walter K. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The video game industry is a global multibillion dollar industry with millions of players. The process of developing video games is essential for the continued growth of the industry, and developers need to employ effective strategies that will help them to create successful games. The purpose of this explorative qualitative single case study was to investigate the design strategies of video game developers who have successfully created video games that are challenging, entertaining, and successful. The technology acceptance model served as a conceptual framework. The entire population for this study was members of a video game development team from a …

Cognitive Behavioral Substance Treatment On Latino Engagement, Motivation, And Drug Use Thinking, Santiago Zepeda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Latino population seeking substance abuse treatment has nearly doubled over the past 10 years, yet ethnic-based research and intervention strategies are lacking. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Treatment Readiness Induction Program (TRIP) among the Latino adolescent population. Cognitive behavioral therapy and the integrated judgment and decision making model provided the theoretical framework. Secondary data from 137 Latino/Latina participants were collected on engagement, motivation, and drug use thinking scales and their respective subscales to evaluate differences by gender and by a group of clients who received standard operating practice treatment (SOP) …

Social Media Marketing Among Small Retail Clothing Businesses, Irene Michel Abrons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media marketing influences consumer trust in businesses, and trust accounts for about 37% of consumer purchasing decisions. The purpose of this multiple case study research was to identify the barriers to social media marketing that owners of small retail clothing businesses must overcome to be competitive. The conceptual framework was the technology acceptance model. Collected data consisted of company documents and semistructured interviews with 3 small retail clothing business owners in Chicago, Illinois, who had experience with social media marketing. Data analysis consisted of an open coding approach and member checking. The study revealed the small business owners who …

Cultural And Environmental Determinants Of Dental Discoloration Among School-Aged Children In Nigeria, Ogbudu Gabriel Ada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dental discoloration from fluorosis is a global public health problem. In Nigeria, 11.4% of the population is impacted by this disorder. Dental discoloration is caused by successive exposures to high fluoride concentrations during tooth development in utero and it is linked to the development of a variety of psychological and physiological problems, from dental aesthetics to a reduction in intelligence and skeletal changes. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the cultural and environmental determinants of dental fluorosis in children in a rural community in Nigeria. A multilevel theoretical model was used to develop possible fluoride exposure …

Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program For Patients With Depressive Disorder: A Parental Perspective, Emmanuel Akpan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychosocial support from family is important in outpatient treatment programs for individuals with depressive disorder. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of parents of patients with depressive disorder regarding intensive outpatient treatment. The research question was what are the experiences and perceptions of parents of patients with depression regarding their role as caretakers in intensive outpatient treatment? The conceptual framework was a biopsychosocial framework and family systems theory. Content analysis was used to analyze data provided from interviews with parent participants (n = 8). Many participants reported high levels of involvement with …