Digital Commons Network^™

The Psychological Impact Of Covid-19, Medina Marie Hudson-Odoi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEmployees from a large government agency were abruptly switched to telework for an extended period of time. There was no plan to address potential psychological stressors associated with the disruption of work-family-life balance that emerged as a result of COVID-19. A knowledge gap in how to support employees was apparent from discussions during team and administrative meetings. The project question explored whether the use of stress first-aid (SFA), an educational program, would enable employees to learn self-care strategies to address stressors in a less protected environment. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide a staff education awareness program …

Balanced Scorecard Perspectives On Financial Sustainability Of A Small Private University In Canada, Hyne-Ju Huizenga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Private higher education institutions have been a focus of scholars because of their increasing closures due to the lack of financial sustainability. Researchers have demonstrated these closures limit society’s choices in higher education and have yet been able to explore the perceptions of leaders of a small private university in Canada regarding their university’s financial sustainability. The purpose of this study was to explore these perceptions using Kaplan and Norton’s balanced scorecard conceptual framework to analyze its four perspectives, particularly its financial perspective. Using the qualitative, descriptive, single case study, data from fourteen leaders were collected from focused interviews. The …

Emotional Intelligence Of Undergraduate Engineering Students With And Without Internships, Isgard Swana Hueck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace expectations for engineers have changed in the 21st century due to rapid technology advances, globalization, customer centricity, and team-based design practices, which require engineering graduates to have well-developed emotional intelligence (EI) to perform at high levels in the engineering profession. To fill the gap between engineering employers’ expectations and academic preparation of engineering students, internships in engineering industries have shown many benefits as work-based educational strategies in higher engineering education. However, it is not known whether internships also address needed EI levels in engineering students. The purpose of this basic quantitative study was to determine whether global and domain …

Perceptions Of Contraceptive Practice Among Arab American Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Linda Humaidan-Zayed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been limited research on Arab Americans as they are an unidentified minority population. The specific research problem addressed through this study is that there is little research pertaining to the role of intimate partner violence (IPV) in poor contraceptive practice among Arab Americans, contributing to the larger problem of unwanted pregnancies, reproductive coercion, and other aspects of reproductive health. The problem with a high prevalence rate of IPV among Arab American women is that they are more susceptible to becoming pregnant and not accessing the reproductive health services that they may need. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative …

Growing Up In The United Arab Emirates: The Cross-Cultural Identities Of Adult Third Culture Kids, Ninar Itani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While research on the multicultural experiences of refugees and immigrants is abundant, research on the psychological well-being (PWB) of third culture kids (TCKs) is limited. Using Useem’s model of TCK identity, refined further by Pollock, this research addressed the relationship between gender, cultural homelessness (CH), and cross-cultural identity (CCI), and how these predictors may impact self-esteem and PWB among adult TCKs (ATCKs) who grew up in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, an intersectionality framework was used to conceptualize identity formation in TCKs. The primary hypothesis was that gender, CH, and belonging to a CCI predict self-esteem and PWB in ATCKs …

Family Factors In Career Decisions To Enter Education Amongst Black Urban Millennials, Christian Jacobs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe interactions a student has with a teacher help form their relationship with the educational experience. Importantly, a lack of representation can greatly impact the future impression of oneself and the world. For students of color, the balance of teachers who represent their ethnic and cultural diversity in the education field is greatly skewed toward White educators. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study, which was rooted in the self-determination theory, was to examine if and to what extent various factors, including parental, household, environmental, gender, and ethnicity impact Black millennials’ decision to go into the educational field. Participant criteria …

End-Of-Life Education For Long-Term Care Nurses, Naquita Altidor Jacques

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Long-term care (LTC) nurses play a crucial role in preserving the quality of life of terminally ill patients. However, many identify deficits in skills, education, and training for end-of-life (EOL) care. The objective of this project was to educate LTC nurses caring for individuals reaching the end of their lives on EOL care. The practice-oriented question concerned whether an evidence-based educational program improved nurses’ knowledge related to EOL care and confidence in caring for EOL patients and families. The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium's evidence-based educational module was used to provide the content. Rosswurm and Larrabee’s model for change to evidence-based …

Benefits And Barriers That African American Men Experience With Financial Assistance, C. Alan Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policymakers often design public policies and programs to assist populations in improving their social status, economic standing, or overall well-being. The problem addressed in this study is the gap in understanding the perspectives of African American men related to policies and programs that provide them with financial assistance. Ingram et al.’s social construction and policy design theory provided the framework for this qualitative study, which aimed to understand the benefits and barriers African American men experienced with public programs that provided financial assistance and its impact on their financial stability. Eleven African American men, selected using purposive sampling, responded to …

Micronutrient Deficiency After Bariatric Surgery, Naitte P. Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Bariatric surgery is the most clinically efficacious treatment for obesity and obesityrelated comorbidities. Many patients undergoing bariatric surgery have preexisting levels of nutritional deficiencies. The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies may increase after surgery, and long-term nutritional monitoring and follow-up are essential factors for postoperative patient care; yet advanced practice nurses may not be accustomed to caring for patients or treating micronutrient deficiencies. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to collect and analyze clinical evidence to determine what can the APN with the best available evidence do for implementing protocols and procedures to prevent, detect, and monitor for …

Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Lyme Disease In High- Versus Low-Incidence Lyme Disease Midwestern States, Alexander Karnga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study, guided by the barriers to physician behavior change (BPBC) framework, was to address the gaps in the Lyme disease empirical literature by examining whether there were significant differences in Lyme disease knowledge, attitude, and practices between primary care physicians in Wisconsin, a high-incidence Midwestern Lyme disease state, and Michigan, a low-incidence Lyme disease Midwestern state. The study was conducted with 65 physicians (53.8% male and 46.2% female). The study hypotheses were tested by conducting a one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for physicians’ years of practice (the number of patients seen per …

Typhoid Fever Among Low-Income Women Living In Gujranwala, Pakistan., Tehmina S. Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 21 million individuals suffer from typhoid fever (TF) globally, and most outbreaks occur in Southeast Asia. The incidence of TF is high in Pakistan, particularly in low socioeconomic areas, and a new drug-resistant strain makes it difficult to control the spread of TF. There is a pressing need for up-to-date and accurate data regarding the attitudes, beliefs, and habits leading to the spread of TF infection among individuals living in low socioeconomic areas of Pakistan. This qualitative, phenomenological study was grounded in the health belief model and explored factors that influence the spread of TF among women of childbearing …

Examining Health Care Utilization Among Adult Heart Disease Patients With Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms, Courtney R. Lockett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care costs are most commonly concentrated among small groups of high-cost patients, or high utilizers. Many of these patients receive unnecessary and ineffective care and often critical health care needs can go unmet, even when substantial care from multiple sources is received. Thus, there is a need to look into high utilizing patients for not only quality improvement but also effective resource allocation. The operational problem for health care administrators is managing resources and improving quality of care by targeting specific medical conditions that may be high utilizers of medical resources. The purpose of this study was to identify …

Strategies To Combat Counterfeit Products In Eswatini, Siphiwe Promise Mainjeni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractManagers of luxury brands lack strategies to deal with counterfeit products’ influence on their brands. The failure to maintain processes to avoid counterfeits in business can adversely impact business profitability and sustainability. Grounded in the resource-based view framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies managers of luxury brands in Eswatini, Sub-Saharan Africa, use to avoid counterfeits in their brands. Participants were nine business leaders from nine luxury brand businesses in Eswatini, Sub-Saharan Africa, who implemented strategies to prevent counterfeits in their brands. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and reviews of company reports. Through …

Bank Manager Strategies To Retain Skilled Employees Beyond 5 Years, Lana Faye Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe banking industry is fraught with low employee retention threatening the bank’s ability to perform optimally. Bank managers who fail to implement strategies to retain skilled employees experience reduced productivity and increased turnover costs. Grounded in the job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case was to explore strategies bank managers use to minimize employees' intent to leave during downtimes in the banking industry. The participants were four employees of a Fortune 500 bank located in the U.S. in Virginia. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of organizational employee handbooks. The six themes identified through a …

Innovative Strategies That Enhance Competitiveness And Profitability Within Global Economies, Nadine Elestina Mcclain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changes in customer expectations, technological advancement, and intense competition exacerbate uncertainty, and executives are motivated to develop strategies for implementing innovative solutions to gain a competitive advantage. Anchored in the conceptual lens of the resource-based view and transformational leadership theories, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies five c-suite executives in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas used to remain competitive and profitable. Data were collected using semistructured interviews via Zoom videoconferencing, observations, human resource manuals, publicly available materials from government websites such as financial records, and journal notes. Through thematic analysis, five themes emerged: (a) …

Strategic Management Practices For Responsible Mining In Artisanal And Small-Scale Mining Projects, Cornelius Mireku-Antwi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Irresponsible management practices in the Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) industry result in wasteful mineral resource recovery and utilization. The lack of ASM managers' ability to implement responsible mining inhibits the ability to grow revenues and profits. Grounded in Mckinsey’s 7S framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies ASM managers use to establish responsible mining while also improving revenues and profits. The participants were five ASM managers from five ASM companies in Ghana. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company public documents such as published annual reports. The four themes from the thematic …

Exploring The Experiences Of Black Male School Counselors In Us Public Schools, Torrenzo Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem associated with this research inquiry is that Black males are underrepresented in school counselor positions in K-12 schools. Although studies exist in the literature that highlight their importance in the education arena, the impact of Black males working in the school counseling profession has not been well-researched. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive, phenomenological study was to understand the unique experiences of Black male school counselors regarding their underrepresentation in the school counseling profession. The conceptual framework guiding this study is Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological psychological method and social constructivist theory was the theoretical framework. Procedural processes associated with …

Association Between Therapeutic Interventions And Quality Of Life In People With Autism, Taline Movsessian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research exploring the impact of autism interventions on the quality of life (QoL) of adults with autism is scarce. This correlational, cross-sectional survey study was conducted to determine the association between seven interventions—behavioral, social, mental health, daily living skills, vocational, mindfulness, and medications—and the QoL and mental health of adults 18 years and older with autism with no intellectual disability living in Canada. A national sample of 182 autistic adults completed the survey that used the WHOQOL-BREF and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale to measure subjective QoL and mental health, respectively. Behavioral, mental health, and medications were the mostly used …

Access To A.I. Justice: Avoiding An Inequitable Two-Tiered System Of Legal Services, Drew Simshaw

Scholarly Works

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been heralded for its potential to help close the access to justice gap. It can increase efficiencies, democratize access to legal information, and help consumers solve their own legal problems or connect them with licensed professionals who can. But some fear that increased reliance on AI will lead to one or more two-tiered systems: the poor might be stuck with inferior AI-driven assistance; only expensive law firms might be able to effectively harness legal AI; or, AI's impact might not disrupt the status quo where only some can afford any type of legal assistance. The realization …

Margaret Cantu-Sanchez, Megan Angelo, Elizabeth Perez

Latinx Civil Rights

Dr. Margaret Cantu-Sanchez discusses her experience with education starting as early as elementary school all the way up until she received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She describes the obstacles she faced throughout this experience and acknowledges the privileges that helped her along the way. Dr. Cantu-Sanchez offers a unique perspective on higher education for Latinx communities as she is now a professor at her alma mater, St. Mary’s University, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). She also plays an important role in cultivating the Mexican American Studies program at this university and …

Charles Cotrell, Analyssa Gracía, Gabriella Parra

Latinx Civil Rights

Dr. Cotrell discusses the motivations for his activist work and the experiences he faced as a professor and community leader. He recalls cases from his time serving as an expert witness in voting rights lawsuits and notes the importance of telling stories of voter intimidation. Dr. Cotrell shares his thoughts on staying proactive in politics, gives advice to young activists, and describes how university faculty can support students in their activism. He also reflects on his personal interests and those that occupied most of his time as a professor.

Marian Fernandez Hernandez, Nadia Abulbaki

Latinx Civil Rights

Marian touches on cultural topics like the stereotypes or expectations descendants of a Hispanic American origin are placed under concerning social skills, education, occupation, etc. In addition, Marian discusses her family origins and education levels. The interview concludes with a comparison of Marian's views and experience of learning about Hispanic American history in Honduras to traditional American school learning.

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status, Demographic Characteristics, And Education On Sarcopenic Obesity, Moruf Oladele Olaleye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The general problem is that although the body of research about obesity is robust, there is a lack of research addressing the problem of sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, there is a lack of research examining the statistical significance of the relationship between the independent variables of socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and education and the dependent variable of sarcopenic obesity. This research may advance practice and policy by lending support for developing interventions to address factors that have a statistically significant relationship with sarcopenic obesity. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to identify independent variables among socioeconomic, demographic, and education …

Retention Of African American Male Teachers In Elementary And Middle Schools, Marla West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe representation of African American male teachers in elementary urban schools has decreased. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate administrators’ and African American male teachers’ perceptions of how administrators are challenged to support the retention of African American male teachers in elementary and middle schools in the focus urban school district. Social, cognitive, and transformational leadership theories were used as a framework to guide the study. Research questions addressed how administrators perceive the ways they support the retention of African American male teachers and how African American male teachers perceive that support. Purposeful sampling was used …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Self-Assessment And Robust Anomaly Detection With Bayesian Deep Learning, Giuseppina Carannante, Dimah Dera, Orune Aminul, Nidhal Bouaynaya, Ghulam Rasool

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Deep Learning (DL) models have achieved or even surpassed human-level accuracy in several areas, including computer vision and pattern recognition. The state-of-art performance of DL models has raised the interest in using them in real-world applications, such as disease diagnosis and clinical decision support systems. However, the challenge remains the lack of trustworthiness and reliability of these DL models. The detection of incorrect decisions or flagging suspicious input samples is essential for the reliability of machine learning models. Uncertainty estimation in the output decision is a key component in establishing the trustworthiness and reliability of these models. In this work, …

Icipe’S Results Based Management Framework 2021–2025, International Centre Of Insect Physiology And Ecology (Icipe)

icipe Results Based Management Framework

icipe’s Results Based Management Framework 
(2021–2025) 
“ROLLING”

Integrated Report 2022; Adapt + Thrive, Association Of International Certified Professional Accountants

AICPA Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Engagement And Qualitative Output Of Technical Projects Through Competing Team Assignments, Immanuel Edinbarough, Jaime Taha-Tijerina, Aditya Akundi

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the benefits of engaging engineering student teams through competition in technical development projects. The University of XXX is a minority serving institution situated in the developing region of the XXX state, where recently, there has been a great expansion of advanced manufacturing industries, including innovative aerospace companies. These industries look for engineering and technology students who are creative thinkers and capable of addressing complex engineering problems. The best of student output often comes out with a friendly competition. Hence, two student teams were assigned with the same sponsored project to come out with innovative solutions. The project …

Augmented Reality Integrated Welder Training For Mechanical Engineering Technology, Aditya Akundi, Hamid Eisazadeh, Mona Torabizadeh

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

The shortage of welders is well documented and projected to become more severe for various industries such as shipbuilding in coming years. It is mainly because welding training is a critical and often costly endeavor. This study examines the training potential using augmented reality technology as a critical part of welder training for mechanical engineering technology students. This study assessed the performance of two groups of MET students trained with two different methods. One group received training with the traditional method in three sessions. The second group acquired training initially with an augmented reality welding system for three sessions. Then, …