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Socioecological Determinants Of Psychoticism Among Central-Asian Immigrants To The United States, Viktor Dlugunovych

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Every year, thousands of individuals from every country and every walk of life arrive in the United States in hopes of better lives for themselves and their families. A significant portion of immigrants arrives from Central Asia countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Stress associated with the process of uprooting in the country of origin and adaptation in the country of destination often makes newcomers vulnerable to developing mental health illnesses. The purpose of this work was to analyze relationships between psychoticism, psychological comorbidities, and psychosocial factors. This study used archival data that included 195 cases of individuals …

Phenomenological Study Of Fathers’ Parental Alienation Experiences, Jerry Dean Gibson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHigh-conflict divorce and resulting parental alienation (PA) impact both the children and the parent who has been the target of PA. This situation has been found to cause mental health issues and unhealthy coping skills in children. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nonresidential fathers who were alienated from their children in the context of a high-conflict separation or divorce. This study was rooted in Bowlby’s attachment theory. Data were collected from interviews with 10 adult participants. The software program Quirkos was used to review the data and discern thematic patterns and correlate …

Associations Between Provider Type And Medicaid Overpayments, Kezia Hercules

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare costs have been rapidly increasing in the United States and consume a significant percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A percentage of these costs are attributed to increased incidences of healthcare overpayments to providers. This study examined the impact of these overpayments by provider type, and the underlying reasons which resulted in overpayments from the Medicaid perspective. The theoretical framework used in this study was Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework. The study used all available data (N = 682) from New York State Medicaid Inspector General final audits of providers for Medicaid overpayments. A chi-square test …

Experiences And Perceptions Of School Principals Regarding School Safety Programs And Bullying, Denise Lowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany researchers have documented the continued problem with safety in U.S. schools, which may be related to bullying. Though the most effective way to address bullying in schools is schoolwide programs, limited information is available relating to principals’ views on safety programs in U.S. suburban high schools. Accordingly, this study included two research questions and eight interview questions to address the problem relating to safety programs and interventions with 12 principals in Catholic suburban high schools in Kansas and Missouri. Six distinctive themes emerged from the data based on participant answers to interview questions: effective safety intervention programs, mental health …

Examination Of The Efficacy Of The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act To Reduce High School Childhood Obesity Rates System, Catrina Lashawn Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid rise in U.S. high school student obesity rates to 20.8% in 2018 presented significant risks to the health and well-being of American children and foreshadowed increased future healthcare costs. To address high school obesity, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2010 that mandated the U.S. Department of Agriculture develop regulations to nutrition to improve the nutrition of school cafeteria breakfasts and lunches. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test for changes between 2009 and 2016 in high school obesity rates attributable to the HHFKA using Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data, adjusted for …

Financing Strategies For Small And Medium Enterprises In Mexico, Mónica Nuñez Huerta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At least 33% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico do not survive the first year and 65% close during the first 5 years of operations. SME survival is essential for a globally competitive market and professional development opportunities for SME employees. Grounded in the pecking order theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies four Mexican SME leaders used to obtain appropriate financing for their sustainability and growth during and beyond 5 years of beginning operations. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, organizational documents, and social media platforms. Data were analyzed using thematic …

Exploring Citizen Security In The Nigeria Federated State: Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency In Perspective, Adesoji Olaitan Ogunsanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe research problem of this study was centered on the state of insecurity in Lagos State and the intervention of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency. Evidence from previous studies supported the use of community policing, police reform, training of security personnel, and collaboration amongst security agencies as measures to address issues of insecurity in Lagos State. The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine the impact of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency on the security challenges of the state and generate additional discourse. Institutional theory was used as the theoretical foundation for this research with a purposive sampling …

Nigeria And Boko Haram: Societal And Cultural Dysfunction Affecting Military Performance, Michael George Petranick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2009, the Nigerian military has been fighting the insurgent and terror group Boko Haram in the Northeast region of Nigeria. In 2016, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) formed as an offshoot of Boko Haram and aligned with the remnants of ISIS. The Nigerian army has failed to defeat the insurgent groups and has, according to the research, committed abuses and atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, against the civilian population. The norms of military effectiveness, the normative theory of military performance and, the neorealist combat balance theory formed the theoretical basis for this study. The research questions addressed …

Leaders’ Strategies For Reducing Unethical Behavior In Organizations, Miranda Evelyn Sawyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unethical conduct among business leaders and managers results in employee turnover. Senior business leaders who cannot mitigate unethical behavior risk increased hiring and training costs, decreased productivity, and reduce employee performance. Grounded in the ethical leadership construct and a composite of the social learning theory and the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies senior leaders use to mitigate managers’ unethical conduct in their organizations. The participants comprised five senior leaders of a United Kingdom-based company in the northeast region of the United States who successfully implemented strategies to mitigate unethical conduct. …

Psychosocial And Academic Outcomes Of De-Shifting Three-Year High Schools In The Republic Of Trinidad And Tobago, Joanne Shurland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe vision of the first postcolonial leader of Trinidad and Tobago was to build a nation of citizens who were educated. Education for All drove the new post-independence government in 1962 with a focus on free and equal education. This was achieved by using a three-year double shift schooling system to provide two school cycles in the morning and afternoon. This system was implemented in the early 1970s but was fraught with challenges. After achieving its Education for All mandate, the government de-shifted the three-year double shift schools and converted these to five-year full day schools by 2008. This study …

Why Boys And Men Do Not Report Mental Or Physical Abuse, Retha Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe focus of this study was on males who have experienced intimate partner violence. Abused men experience unique stressors that include societal minimization of the problem. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of abused men regarding mental health services and whether their attitudes about services have changed over time. Participants were men over the age of 18 who had previously been involved in a relationship where they were the victims of domestic violence. Six male participants who experienced abuse were interviewed. Upon the completion of the interviews, the process of phenomenological reduction aided in the recognition of the feelings and …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Singapore Ex-Addict Prisoners’ Motivation To Remain Drug Free After Release, Chee Kin Steven Tham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing recidivism for drug offenders has been a challenge in Singapore since the late 1990s, when there was a spike in reentry into the system. In the year 2000, resources were invested in rehabilitation and reintegration programs to bring a reduction to the recidivism rate, but the interventions have been unsatisfactory in preventing relapse and reincarceration. This study’s purpose was to describe and interpret the lived experience of male ex-addicts who were in prison in Singapore and how they made sense of their motivation to stay drug free after their incarceration. Motivation is an important predictor of reduction and abstinence …

Social Media Marketing Strategies For Increasing Customer Engagement, Joe Nwachukwu Umunna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders are not using social media to improve customer engagement resulting in a potential loss of profit. Ineffective social media marketing strategies can negatively impact customer engagement. Grounded in the networking, representation, engagement theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore social media marketing strategies business leaders use to increase customer engagement. The participants comprised of six business leaders located in the northeast region of the United States who effectively used social media marketing strategies to increase customer engagement. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: marketing …

Issues Facing Community-Based Social Workers When Providing Female Offenders With Reunification Services, Karen N. Vertti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe goal with this action research project was to understand how community-based social workers (CBSWs) could address female offenders’ and their children’s needs while striving to reintegrate them into the community of Central Los Angeles County, California. Postrelease female offenders with children suffer from a variety of issues related to housing, employment, and personal childhood trauma. The trauma exacerbates the risk of revictimization and recidivism. CBSWs play a pivotal role in helping female offenders overcome barriers to successful reentry and reunify with their children. This study incorporated Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory which provided a systems lens to this project. The …

Mental Health Provider Experiences Among Juvenile Offenders With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Vanessa West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated various treatment options available such as medication management or family therapy for juvenile offenders struggling with a diagnosis of, or symptoms of, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Exploring mental health clinicians’ perceptions may provide insight into treatment needed for this population to contribute positively to society. Past researchers refrained from obtaining mental health clinicians’ perspectives on treatment when working with this population. Rational choice theory indicates that individuals examine the costs and benefits of their actions prior to making decisions. Gestalt/feature-intensive processing theory promotes the inclusion of necessary information to help with processing when making decisions. Youth …

Understanding Millennials’ Experiences In Entry-Level Management Engagement And Commitment In Retail Organizations, Eiesha Micha Williamson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA growing problem for upper managers in many organizations is disengagement and high turnover rates among managers despite their significant position in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to understand millennial managers’ engagement and commitment in the workplace as it pertains to successful retention efforts. The research question addressed how upper management deals with millennial managers in an organization to overcome disengagement, a lack of commitment, and high turnover rates. A three-component model of commitment, self-determination theory, and engagement behavior framed this study. Data were collected from interviews with 18 participants via Zoom teleconferences. Data were analyzed for …

Mobile Forensics: The Perception Of Privacy, Charlsea Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology companies like Apple pride themselves on protecting its consumers’ data, which they express within their mission statement and by also encrypting their mobile devices. This encryption stalled an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, resulting in them taking Apple to court. There has been a lack of information about mobile forensic examiners perceptions on issue they face in the mobile forensic field. The purpose of this research study was to address the perceptions mobile forensic examiners experience when dealing with encryption, privacy, and national security concerns. This qualitative phenomenological study included interviews with 10 mobile …

Indigenous Women: Violence, Vulnerability And Cultural Protective Factors, Christina M. Agloinga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The disproportionate rates of violent crimes, historical oppression, and cultural assimilation disrupted the traditional practices and belief system within Alaskan Native communities, thus changing the influence of protective factors that support balance and equality for women. Identifying protective factors provided by cultural practices that support resiliency provides an increased understanding of how cultural strengths can combat distorted stereotypes within the criminal justice system. This study included characteristics of a phenomenological, narrative, and ethnographic study. The social constructionist framework and the social construction of target populations theory was used to explore how traditional cultural practices can influence the current gender identity, …

Parental Education As A Potential Predictor Of Adolescent Substance Use Status, Haruna Bida Aliyu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAdolescents in the United States commence substance use as early as 12 to 14 years old and as late as 15 to 17 years old. Several factors influence adolescent substance use/abuse status, including environment, boredom, friends, teachers, and parental influence. The influence of parental communication with adolescents about the danger of substance use/abuse (SUA) required further study. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to understand the influence of parental knowledge and communication with adolescents as potential predictors of substance use/abuse status. The social cognitive theory and social determinants of adolescent risky behavior provided the theoretical framework of this …

Church Leaders' Perceptions Of Their Roles In Mentoring Young Black Males' Development, Johnny Anthony Beckwith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBlack Baptist church leaders are potential male role models for their communities, however there is no straightforward guide on how to optimally support the adolescent, Black male population with life skills development. The research question that guided this generic qualitative study addressed the perceptions of male, Black, Baptist church leaders regarding their role as a support for the development of life skills for the adolescent, Black male. Thirteen, Black, male, Baptist Church leaders from the southeast United States participated in semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Their responses were analyzed thematically, resulting in the identification of four emergent themes: (a) conceptualizing …

Effects Of Attribution And Appraisal Of Control On Emergency Department Nurse Stress When Treating Patients With Severe Mental Illness, Cynthia Lynn Bentzen-Mercer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the prevalence of severe mental illness continues to rise and access to mental health care is scarce, an increasing number of U.S. adults seek treatment in emergency departments. Nurses who triage the severity of a medical emergency may appraise the situation both through the lens of mental illness stigma and the degree of confidence they have to control the outcome. However, the research community knows little about the extent to which attribution and appraisal of control affect nurses’ appraisal of stress. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental, canonical correlational study was to examine the extent to which various combinations …

Teacher And Parent Perception Of Cyberbullying In A Middle School Setting, Jacqueline Gallo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this mixed method study was to evaluate differences in cyberbullying perception and self-efficacy between teachers and parents. The study aimed to determine how teachers and parents reacted to cyberbullying. The importance of examining teacher and parent perception and self-efficacy in addressing cyberbullying determined the significance of intervention. The theoretical framework for the study was Bandura’s social learning theory. The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the perceptions and self-efficacy of cyberbullying between teachers and parents as measured by the Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire Revised and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. A sample that incorporated perception and …

Law Enforcement Arrests In Florida's Public Schools, Patricia A. Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUnarmed, nonviolent public school students and sworn law enforcement officers carrying firearms and nightsticks making school-based arrests in a southeastern school district may contribute to the United States maintaining its distinction as the world leader in its use of incarceration. On any given day, nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 are incarcerated in juvenile jails and prisons in the United States. Arrest records for students are barriers to their college, employment, housing, military and immigration status. School Resource Officers are the entry point to the criminal justice system and the direct targeting of vulnerable groups by way of arrests. There …

Interactions Among Learning Style Preferences, Generational Cohorts, And Gender, Cassaundra De-Vonne Gilchrist

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe body of literature on learning -style preferences reflects differences among generational cohorts in the constructs of values, attitudes, and personality. While scholars have theorized learning, styles vary based on membership in generational cohort, very little research has been conducted on generational preferred learning preference. The problem was the need to understand the preferred learning style of multiple generations due to individuals 55 years and older having a longer life expectancy and working beyond retirement age. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental comparative survey study was to determine the learning style score based on generational cohort, gender, and the interaction …

Factors Influencing Family Planning Uptake Among Adolescents And Postpartum Women In Kenya, Shiphrah Kuria-Ndiritu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family planning (FP) is a cost-effective public health strategy, but the uptake is low with marked disparity among adolescents and postpartum women. However, data on these marginalized groups are limited. This quantitative, cross-sectional study sought to provide information on the factors that contribute to the uptake of FP among adolescents and postpartum women in Kenya. The 2014 Kenya Demographic Health Survey FP data were analyzed regarding the factors associated with FP uptake among adolescents and postpartum women as well as the differences by region. The factors were organized according to the socioecological model (SEM) and included intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and …

Exploring The Private And Environmental Events Of Repeat Offenders Relative To Low Self-Control, Xavier Mims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dissection of self-control theory itself has served as a supplemental platform for understanding how the lack of self-control can perpetuate criminal conduct. Previous research has indicated that employing self-control theory to predict criminal behavior has been widely supported by various forms of test samples, measurements, and methodologies. However, there remains a gap in the current literature regarding the internal-motivative factors between the relationship of the offender's criminal behaviors and self-control theory. Partial understanding of what the offender experiences constitutes a significant disparity between subjective concepts and actual accounts based on an offender's view on his personal life. Therefore, the …

The Experience Of Recovery From Childhood Sexual Abuse Among Black Men, Zeneth Myrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) can result in consequences that are devastating and long lasting. Differences in the nature of CSA for males and females potentially influence recovery and the role of moderating factors, such as spirituality. Studies of recovery from CSA, especially men's experiences of recovery, are relatively few indicating that this is an under researched area. This lack of studies is particularly evident for ethnic minority groups. While addressing the gap in the literature, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of recovery from CSA among African, Caribbean, Black identified male survivors of CSA living …

Perceived Effects Of Power Distance On Organizational Change In A Multicultural Organization, Magdaline Nkando

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational change researchers have reported an accelerated rate of change in modern organizations, with as many as 70% of them reportedly failing to deliver expected results. Change management scholars and practitioners have yet to reach consensus on the main contributors to this high rate of failure, despite having evaluated a variety of organizational change success factors. The purpose of this qualitative single case study of a multinational financial organization was to explore the concept of power distance with an aim to increase understanding and general awareness of its perceived effects on the process of an organizational change in a global …

Adults With Asd Perceptions Of Inclusion Education, Susan Mary Weiss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAdults with ASD Perceptions of Inclusion Education by Susan M. Weiss

MA, Adelphi University, 1989BS, Hofstra University, 1987

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Special Education

Walden UniversityFebruary 2021

AbstractThe perspectives and experiences of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not included in the body of educational research on inclusion education. Because students with ASD are academically capable, they are placed in inclusive education environments. The perspectives of adults with ASD about their inclusion experiences could offer valuable information to educational practitioners and parents of students with ASD. Using …

The Impact Of Media Representation Of Police Use Of Force On Minority Students' Intentions To Pursue Criminal Justice Degrees, Stacey Shawn White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, reports of police use of force incidents have proliferated across traditional and social media. The extent and nature of the impact of these reports on the relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve have received significant attention from scholars and researchers. In addition, a growing body of literature examining the impact of the media on communities of color and their relationships with and perspectives on law enforcement also exists. However, there is a gap in the research on the effect of media coverage of police use of force incidents on minority criminal justice students. In …