Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2020

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 28231 - 28260 of 30634

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Understanding School Climate, Chronic Absenteeism, And Effective Practices For Improving Absenteeism At A Private High School, Tiffany Nerveza-Clark Jan 2020

Understanding School Climate, Chronic Absenteeism, And Effective Practices For Improving Absenteeism At A Private High School, Tiffany Nerveza-Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student absenteeism in high school continues to be a nationwide educational challenge. In manifestation of this problem, a private high school in Utah was identified as having a significant number of students with excessive absenteeism. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological theory and Baumrind’s authoritative model, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore teacher and administrator perceptions about school climate and how to improve chronic absenteeism (CA). The research questions focused on how faculty perceived school climate, its effect on student absenteeism, and best practices being used to encourage attendance. The data collection included a) descriptive information from 13 …

Go to article

Financial Management Strategies For Sustaining Small Entertainment Businesses, Michael Nana Nitto Jan 2020

Financial Management Strategies For Sustaining Small Entertainment Businesses, Michael Nana Nitto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of effective financial management control strategies results in many small business entertainment owners (SBEOs) failing within their first 5 years of operations. Without strategies to develop and maintain adequate financial management controls, SBEOs may lose market share and potentially go bankrupt, which would result in the loss of jobs and income for employees. Grounded in the mental budgeting theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore financial management strategies successful SBEOs use to improve productivity and profitability to sustain business operations beyond 5 years. The participants comprised 4 successful SBEOs in Northern Virginia who effectively …

Go to article

Understanding The Impacts Of Military Unit Suicides On Fellow Soldiers As Witnessed By Battalion Commanders, Tom M. Noble Jan 2020

Understanding The Impacts Of Military Unit Suicides On Fellow Soldiers As Witnessed By Battalion Commanders, Tom M. Noble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing concern over the increase of suicides in the military remains a topic of discussion for senior leaders as they seek to provide services and resources to those in need. However, little research exists to address the impact of suicides on the soldiers who remain in units after suicides occur. The purpose of this thematic analysis study was to explore the observed experiences of battalion commanders who have witnessed the impact of suicide on their soldiers. Through the semistructured interviews of 4 battalion commanders, this research described the experiences of soldiers in military units where suicides had occurred. McCann …

Go to article

Firearm Restriction And Its Impact In Reducing Violent Crimes In California, Sampson C. Onwuka Jan 2020

Firearm Restriction And Its Impact In Reducing Violent Crimes In California, Sampson C. Onwuka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There have been recurring incidents of gun violence, murder, and mass shootings that have raised public concern on the dangers of guns, and people have demanded government regulation on firearms usage. Studies have attributed these incidents to non-strict laws on guns; however, it was unclear whether firearm restrictions affected California's violent crime reduction. This quasi-experimental, quantitative study was focused on finding out the impact of gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) on violent crime reduction in California. Four research questions addressed the changes in the variables after the establishment of the GVRO. Secondary data from the California Department of Justice were …

Go to article

Pedagogical, Attitudinal, And Environmental Influences On Student-Centered Technology Practices Of Elementary Teachers, Shanna Renae Opfer Jan 2020

Pedagogical, Attitudinal, And Environmental Influences On Student-Centered Technology Practices Of Elementary Teachers, Shanna Renae Opfer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While much is known about individual influences on teacher technology use, there is a lack of research explaining the overlapping factors of pedagogy, attitude, and environment that intersect to influence teachers’ decisions to use student-centered technology. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive descriptive study was to examine how the intersection of these factors influenced the student-centered technology practices of 14 third through fifth grade teachers in faith-based schools across the United States. The study’s conceptual framework was built on both social cognitive theory and first- and second-order barriers to technology use. Data were collected through virtual interviews with participants who …

Go to article

Accuracy Of Death Certificate Data In Reporting Suicide In The United States, Miland Ned Palmer Jan 2020

Accuracy Of Death Certificate Data In Reporting Suicide In The United States, Miland Ned Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Death certificates are currently being used by public health professionals and policy makers as a main source of public health surveillance data on suicide. The accuracy of death certificates in tracking and reporting suicides has not been well quantified or evaluated in the United States. Death certificates from other countries have been found to under-report suicide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of death certificates in reporting suicides in the United States. The National Violence Death Reporting System (NVDRS) collects information on all …

Go to article

Readmissions Of Heart Failure Patients: The Caregiver’S Perception, Jill Pansini Jan 2020

Readmissions Of Heart Failure Patients: The Caregiver’S Perception, Jill Pansini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure patients account for 27% of readmissions within 30 days of discharge, which is an indicator of poor quality of care. Additionally, heart failure patients report that they do not receive adequate discharge planning, pointing to a need for improved discharge planning and practitioner follow-up. As the severity of heart failure increases, caregivers may be the key to decreasing readmissions. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and challenges faced by caregivers of heart failure patients ages 65 and over readmitted within 30 days of discharge. The transitional care model guided the …

Go to article

The Relationship Between Spirituality And Mental Health Among Kidney Dialysis Patients, Eddy Darcy Perez Jan 2020

The Relationship Between Spirituality And Mental Health Among Kidney Dialysis Patients, Eddy Darcy Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 9th leading cause of death in the United States is kidney disease. An estimated 37 million Americans in the United States, or about 15% of the adult population, have some level of chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease is multifaceted and has implications for both physical and psychological health of a patient. However, research on kidney dialysis patients has primarily focused on physical health. Grounded in social learning theory, this quantitative study used a correlational research design to examine the relationship between spirituality and mental health in 128 kidney dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease. Kidney dialysis patients at kidney …

Go to article

Head Start Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Experiences Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Leronda Phillips Jan 2020

Head Start Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Experiences Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Leronda Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorders are pervasive developmental disorders in which a student’s inability to communicate, undeveloped social skills, and restricted interests require intervention from trained professionals. Autism spectrum disorder is an eligibility for special education where students can be affected by the presence of a lack of qualified teachers. Teachers who work with students with special needs experience more frustration and burnout than do teachers of typical students; research has suggested that teachers with higher self-efficacy have more success than do teachers with lower self-efficacy. The study’s theoretical basis was derived from Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. This phenomenological qualitative research study explored …

Go to article

Identifying The Policy Barriers For A Microgrid System In Ohio, Robert Pursley Jan 2020

Identifying The Policy Barriers For A Microgrid System In Ohio, Robert Pursley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The electric grid may be the most critical and vital component of the United States' infrastructure but is projected to fail more frequently in the future. One solution for improving grid resiliency is through renewable energy and microgrids. However, many cities lack public policies to bring these solutions to fruition. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceived and real challenges to the development of policies necessary for the implementation of a microgrid system for a small city in Ohio. Using a generic qualitative approach and the principles of participatory action research, data were obtained through interviews of …

Go to article

Leadership Experiences Of Secondary School Principals In Trinidad And Tobago, Asha Ramraj-Sookdeo Jan 2020

Leadership Experiences Of Secondary School Principals In Trinidad And Tobago, Asha Ramraj-Sookdeo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Meeting the leadership needs of principals poses a challenge globally. This problem is exaggerated in Trinidad and Tobago, as certification in leadership is not a requirement to become a principal. Additionally, the lack of empirical data about principal leadership in this country poses a major challenge in developing principals. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to explore principal leadership in secondary schools in this context. The conceptual lens incorporated Neumerski’s angle on instructional leadership theory developed from Hallinger’s model and Theoharis’s social justice leadership theory. The research questions addressed the nature of the principals’ leadership experiences in …

Go to article

Perceptions Of Fruits And Vegetables Amongst Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients, Latasha Shanelle Reddick Jan 2020

Perceptions Of Fruits And Vegetables Amongst Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients, Latasha Shanelle Reddick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are the primary source of food for Georgians with an annual income under the federal poverty level. This program provides monthly monetary benefits to allow the purchase of food through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Georgia SNAP beneficiaries do not receive nutrition counseling or have purchasing restrictions associated with their benefits. Previous research has indicated that there is a significant benefit to eating fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this qualitative study was to apply the health belief model theory to understand the viewpoint of Georgia SNAP beneficiaries regarding fruits and vegetables. Data …

Go to article

Academic Incivility: Can The Dark Triad Personality Traits Predict Academic Entitlement?, Melissa M. Foley Jan 2020

Academic Incivility: Can The Dark Triad Personality Traits Predict Academic Entitlement?, Melissa M. Foley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic entitlement is a view held by students that can cause dissent and student incivility. Academic entitlement can be driven by various factors, including the personality traits of the Dark Triad (personality traits of Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism). Other researchers have examined the relationship between these traits and academic entitlement, but further research on this subject is needed. Adams’ equity theory, which proposes that people experience distress when they identify as either under- or over rewarded individuals, provided the theoretical foundation for this study. Using a quantitative approach, 160 participants were recruited using online methods and asked to complete a …

Go to article

Association Between Maoa U Vntr Genetic Polymorphism And Aggression, Gender, And Race In Adolescents, Almaz Adair Johnson Jan 2020

Association Between Maoa U Vntr Genetic Polymorphism And Aggression, Gender, And Race In Adolescents, Almaz Adair Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A genetic polymorphism found in the upstream region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene upstream variable number tandem repeat (u VNTR) has been shown to have an influence on aggression with mixed results. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between the u VNTR genetic polymorphism of the MAOA gene and aggression in an adolescent population 13–18 years of age. The conceptual framework was based on the biosocial model of antisocial behavior that indicates genes can influence aggressive behaviors with or without environmental influences. Data (N = 2506) from the National Longitudinal Adolescents and Adult …

Go to article

The Effects Of A Clinical Coaching Education On Clinical Faculty’S Coaching Behaviors, Kara L. Kaldawi Jan 2020

The Effects Of A Clinical Coaching Education On Clinical Faculty’S Coaching Behaviors, Kara L. Kaldawi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New graduates’ readiness to provide safe nursing care is a goal of nursing programs and employers. However, new graduate nurses do not always have the skills to make decisions in the clinical setting during a patient situation, which can result in poor patient outcomes. But clinical coaching is a faculty teaching framework that promotes the development of clinical reasoning through the deliberate practice of questioning and feedback after a patient situation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in a clinical coaching education program improved the coaching behaviors of clinical nurse educators. Knowles’ theory of adult …

Go to article

Experiences Of Refugee Women With Different Physical Abilities In Kenya, Grace Faraja Nkundabantu Jan 2020

Experiences Of Refugee Women With Different Physical Abilities In Kenya, Grace Faraja Nkundabantu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Refugee populations worldwide increase every day as a result of social and political wars. Women and children, particularly those with different physical abilities, are the most vulnerable populations affected by atrocities in their home countries and in their countries of refuge. In Africa, it is believed that women with different abilities bring shame to their families. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of refugee women with different physical abilities, specifically regarding challenges related to accessing services in Kenya. The research question that guided this study focused on the lived experiences of refugee women …

Go to article

Physician–Patient Communication: Association With Health Literacy In African Americans Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Brittany Egeh Jan 2020

Physician–Patient Communication: Association With Health Literacy In African Americans Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Brittany Egeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy is needed throughout care to understand basic health, prevent diseases, understand diagnoses, and treatment and management of complicated diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Inadequate physician–patient communication is related to medication errors and overall understanding of basic health information in chronic condition such as T2DM. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physician–patient communication and health literacy, glycemic control, diabetic knowledge, and demographics. The target population consisted of African Americans, ages 18-75, diagnosed with T2DM. Primary data were collected from a family medicine clinic using 4 questionnaires: s-TOFHLA (short form of functional …

Go to article

Familial Caregivers’ Perceptions Of Alcohol Use Among Mature Adults Residing In Assisted Living Communities, Lemeshia Meshana Agee Chambers Jan 2020

Familial Caregivers’ Perceptions Of Alcohol Use Among Mature Adults Residing In Assisted Living Communities, Lemeshia Meshana Agee Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests that alcohol abuse is among the 8 primary causes of death for mature adults, which includes individuals age 65 and older. Alcohol use is a growing, unaddressed, public health concern among this referent population. Additionally, as mature adults enter the retirement phase of their lives, many of them transition to residing in assisted living communities. The purpose of this study was to explore mature adults’ alcohol use in assisted living communities and how such use, as perceived by the familial caregivers, affected the mature adults’ ability to age successfully. The population under study consisted of 8 familial caregivers, …

Go to article

Case Study Of A Principal-Directed Mentorship Program For Untrained Primary School Teachers, Joycelyn Archibald Pennyfeather Jan 2020

Case Study Of A Principal-Directed Mentorship Program For Untrained Primary School Teachers, Joycelyn Archibald Pennyfeather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Issues relating to teacher quality are being discussed internationally. Locally, teachers in St. Kitts and Nevis are hired to teach without any formal training, resulting in poor quality teaching. The problem studied was the poor-quality performance of first-year teachers in a rural primary school of St. Kitts and Nevis. One school principal introduced a mentoring program in an effort to improve teacher quality. The purpose of this study was to explore educators’ perceptions of the implementation of that principal-directed mentoring program and make suggestions for its improvement. Guided by Chinnasamy’s concept of mentoring as andragogy in action, this study examined …

Go to article

Factors Affecting Seatbelt Use Among The Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing, Deidre G. Mott Jan 2020

Factors Affecting Seatbelt Use Among The Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing, Deidre G. Mott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, despite the proven significant economic, health, and social benefits of seatbelt use, millions of Americans do not use seatbelts. It is known that some factors, including obesity, reduce the rates of seatbelt use; however, a lack of research exists regarding whether individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (HOH) have different rates of seatbelt use. The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in seatbelt use between deaf or HOH individuals and hearing individuals after adjusting for individual-level factors (BMI, marital status, education, and access to health care). The theoretical foundation for this study was …

Go to article

Demographics, Naloxone Accessibility, And Repeat Opioid Overdose In The United States, Craig Hamp Booker Jan 2020

Demographics, Naloxone Accessibility, And Repeat Opioid Overdose In The United States, Craig Hamp Booker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 2.1 million people in the United States suffer from opioid use disorder, and over 47,600 people die from opioid-related overdoses each year. Opioid overdose is often treated with naloxone, a quick-acting medication that counteracts the effects of an overdose. This quantitative, correlational study was conducted to determine whether demographics (gender, age, and race) and naloxone accessibility were predictors of repeat opioid overdose in a Tennessee county in the United States. The study was developed and conducted using principles of the diffusion of innovations theory. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using secondary, county-level data (n = 967) from emergency …

Go to article

Relationship Between Correctional Support Programs And Incarceration Rates In A Southeast U.S. State, Laverne Jane Knight Jan 2020

Relationship Between Correctional Support Programs And Incarceration Rates In A Southeast U.S. State, Laverne Jane Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Released prisoners continue to relapse into criminal behavior resulting in high incarceration rates. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between incarceration rates and program support types in a Southeast U.S. correctional institution. Maslow’s theory of human motivation provided the framework for the study. The research question addressed whether a correctional center’s programs (general education development and vocational certificates) predict its incarceration rates. Secondary data from the correctional center’s website were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Findings indicated that GED was not significantly related to incarceration rates, but vocational certificates showed a significant relationship to …

Go to article

Strategies Road Freight Transport Leaders Use To Increase Driver Retention, Johnny Mumphrey Jr. Jan 2020

Strategies Road Freight Transport Leaders Use To Increase Driver Retention, Johnny Mumphrey Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The turnover of skilled over-the-road (OTR) truck drivers in the road freight transportation (RFT) industry results in significant yearly financial losses to organizations across the United States. Leaders in the industry continue to struggle to develop successful strategies for retaining these drivers. Grounded in the motivation hygiene theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies 5 transformational leaders from two RFT firms in North Texas used to improve OTR driver retention. Data collection included semi structured face-to-face interviews, a review of company webpages, and an assessment of company documents (e.g., employee handbooks, training manuals, and vision …

Go to article

The Influence Of Attachment On Learning Dispositions Of Nontraditional Community College Students, Kristen E. Muleya Jan 2020

The Influence Of Attachment On Learning Dispositions Of Nontraditional Community College Students, Kristen E. Muleya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraditional students constitute the majority of college students in the United States, yet compared to traditional students obtaining a bachelor’s degree, they are disproportionally at risk of not completing community college. Most research consists of traditional college students as participants. Research is needed on attachment styles and learning dispositions of nontraditional students to understand the needs for academic success. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to investigate the differences between 174 nontraditional community college students’ attachment style (independent variable) and their behavioral learning dispositions (dependent variables). Attachment theory served as the theoretical foundation for this study. This study …

Go to article

Forensic Insight On Predatory Behavior: Fantasy And Relational Paraphilic Attachments In Stalker Processing, Elizabeth Ann Duemig Jan 2020

Forensic Insight On Predatory Behavior: Fantasy And Relational Paraphilic Attachments In Stalker Processing, Elizabeth Ann Duemig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the push to criminalize stalking, many of the actions that would legally fall under these provisions do not materialize into stalking-based arrests or convictions as stalking frequently becomes a lesser included offense under charges that escalate into violence. Insight into offender pathways related to predatory pursuit could serve to inform individuals faced with the forensic challenges of legal decision-making. The dynamics of stalking behavior include elements of fantasy and attachment. The objective of this study was to examine patterns of violent sexual fantasies and relational paraphilic attachment (RPA) in an offender’s process of stalking preselected victims. The research question …

Go to article

Mathematics Cognitive And Content Abilities Across The Vincentian Student Population, Brendalee Rorena Cato Jan 2020

Mathematics Cognitive And Content Abilities Across The Vincentian Student Population, Brendalee Rorena Cato

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mathematics achievement is a key component of student overall academic achievement. However, many students from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Vincentian students) continue to perform poorly on the regional Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) mathematics examination. This poor mathematics performance is a concern for education stakeholders. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to explore the extent to which the CSEC mathematics scores of high-scoring Vincentian students versus low-scoring Vincentian students in the cognitive domains of knowledge, comprehension, and reasoning differ across the content domains of algebra; geometry; measurement; statistics; and relations, functions, and graphs (RFG). The theoretical foundation …

Go to article

Association Between Mentoring Interventions And Drug Abuse Among African Americans Aged 10-24 Years, Anthonia Ifeyinwa Dunkwu Jan 2020

Association Between Mentoring Interventions And Drug Abuse Among African Americans Aged 10-24 Years, Anthonia Ifeyinwa Dunkwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug abuse represents a significant public health problem worldwide, with socioeconomic consequences shaped by a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena and serious social, physical, emotional problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between mentoring interventions and drug abuse among African American young people. The health belief model was the theoretical framework. The secondary data analysis was done using the data set from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The dependent variable was drug abuse, while the independent variable was mentoring interventions. The Chi-square analysis revealed an association between participation in school-based …

Go to article

Public Stigma, Familiarity With Mental Illness, And Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services, Eugenia Combie-Knowles Jan 2020

Public Stigma, Familiarity With Mental Illness, And Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services, Eugenia Combie-Knowles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public stigma and adverse beliefs and attitudes toward individuals with mental illness can negatively influence help seeking. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to assess associations and the effect of stigmatized attitudes toward mental illness and familiarity with mental illness on help-seeking attitudes in three community health clinics in the Bahamas. Attribution theory and theory of planned behavior provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 366 individuals who completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions, the Attribution Questionnaire that assessed stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs toward individuals with mental illness, and …

Go to article

Teach-To-One Blended Mathematics' Impact On Middle School Students' Mathematics Achievement, Navdeep Dhindsa Jan 2020

Teach-To-One Blended Mathematics' Impact On Middle School Students' Mathematics Achievement, Navdeep Dhindsa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Blended learning that integrates computer-assisted instruction with face-to-face instruction is gaining popularity in U.S. middle schools; therefore, the effectiveness of such blended learning models in improving middle school students' achievement in mathematics needs to be explored. Middle school students at a public Connecticut school have shown poor performance in mathematics on a state standardized test. The local district implemented a blended learning model, Teach to One: Math (TTO), in 1 of the middle schools to improve students' performance in mathematics. The theoretical framework for this study was Koehler and Mishra's theory of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. The key research …

Go to article

Relationship Of Complementary Modes Of Agency In The Self-Management Of Diabetes, Andrew Romo Jan 2020

Relationship Of Complementary Modes Of Agency In The Self-Management Of Diabetes, Andrew Romo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective control of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is essential for minimizing the likelihood of developing comorbidities that result from poor glycemic control. Extensive self-management considerations are required of people with DM because they must actively participate in their own care and engage with other socially-based sources of self-management support. The purposes of this quantitative study were to determine if there is an association between (a) the extent that the individual mode of human agency is employed and quality of diabetes control among adults who have been diagnosed with DM2 for at least one year and (b) the extent that the …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last