Digital Commons Network^™

College Students’ Psychosocial Functioning 2 To 5 Years After Death Of A Parent, Carla C. Elbel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship regarding a loss of parent during adolescence with psychosocial development into early college years (18 through 22 years of age) as measured by the Modified Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (MEPSI). A sample of 15 young college students, ages 18 to 22, completed the MEPSI and a second sample of young college students 18 to 22, who lost a parent, completed the MEPSI. No significant difference was found in the variance of the means; therefore, the null hypothesis was retained. A small sample t test analysis was used to compare the …

Relationship Of Acetaminophen And Alcohol To Incipient Renal Insufficiency: The Role Of Race In Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate, Preston Eledu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are increasing concerns about the incorporation of race in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) prediction equation. which has been used to measure renal function in studies that have shown a relationship between therapeutic dose of acetaminophen and light-moderate alcohol use to incipient renal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess the same relationship, using a redefinition of renal insufficiency based on the chronic kidney disease–epidemiology collaboration creatinine-based eGFR, with and without race, and exploring the potential impact of race in the hypothesized relationship. Data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed using …

Tuberculosis-Associated Knowledge, Stigma, And Health Seeking Behavior Among Traders In Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, Nigeria, Benedeth N. Ezeosim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The utilization of tuberculosis (TB) health care services in a Nigerian state has not been optimal. Many residents do not utilize available health care resources when they experience symptoms of TB. Although much is known about the determinants of health seeking behavior (HSB), there is a gap on how TB knowledge and TB related stigma among traders in one main market contribute to HSB. This study examined the effect of TB knowledge and TB related stigma on HSB among traders. The health stigma and discrimination and health belif models served as the theoretical foundation. A quantitative cross-sectional analytical survey design …

Promotion To Fire Officer: Ems Is An Essential Component Of Promotional Testing, Brenda Kay Farlow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFor the past 25 years, the number of fire department responses to structure fires nationally has gone down. Structure fires now reflect less than ten percent of the responses of the fire service. In the same period, emergency medical services (EMS) have become the overwhelming activity of most fire departments. The problem is the promotional process focuses on firefighting knowledge and skills while ignoring the absolute need for EMS competencies, in some capacity, for a supervisory position. The lack of change in the promotional process is related to the organizational culture of the individual fire departments and the collective difficulty …

Mothers Of Children With Disabilities: Perceptions Of Online Peer Mentoring Support, April S. Felder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a trend of increased diagnoses of childhood disabilities in the United States. Mothers who care for a child diagnosed with disabilities typically experience increased parental obligations and maternal mental health deficits that often go undiagnosed or untreated, resulting in adverse events. Researchers found that peer mentoring is an effective, nonclinical resource for addressing these mothers’ intervention needs but have not established alternative ways to increase access and delivery. The purpose of this generic, qualitative study was to explore how mothers of children with disabilities perceive online peer mentoring as an intervention resource for stress and coping. Lazarus’s …

The Interrelationship Between Sensorimotor Deficits And Maladaptive Behavior In The Classroom, L B Marie Filion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mainstreaming special education students has created challenges for teachers, resulting in significant lesson time allocated to classroom disruptions related to maladaptive behavior. This correlational study examined the extent to which specific sensorimotor deficits predict maladaptive behavior among special education students (aged 8-12 years) based on archival data of teacher assessments in New Zealand. Piaget’s cognitive and affective development theory was used as the theoretical foundation. Results from standard multiple regression demonstrated that higher levels of sensorimotor deficits (vision, touch, taste and smell, body awareness, balance and motion) predicted high levels of maladaptive behavior (internalizing, externalizing, and overall maladaptive behavior indices); …

Facilitating Staff Education To Improve Effective Styles Of Nursing Leadership In An Orientation Setting, Tammy Melinda Finney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing leadership is the cornerstone of the ever-changing landscape of healthcare. Minimal courses are included in nursing curriculums to prepare nurses to become proficient and develop knowledge of nursing leadership styles. There is a direct correlation of evidence-based leadership styles that impact effective communication, improved patient outcomes, succession planning, nursing retention, and relationship management. In an effort to bridge the gap of knowledge, an educational face-to-face training was developed and presented to new nursing staff in an orientation setting. The project practice question focused on commitment from nursing staff to implement increased knowledge of nursing leadership styles into their practice. …

Sustainability Strategies For Nonprofit Organizations, Ramchand Francisco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit leaders face the challenges of ensuring their organizations are financially healthy while navigating economic and organizational issues that require strategies to support program growth with limited financial resources. Grounded in Markowitz’s modern portfolio theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies nonprofit leaders used to support program growth and sustainability with limited financial resources. The study participants were three leaders of a nonprofit organization in the northwest region of the United States who had expertise related to the focus of the research. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, analyses of the client organization’s internal …

A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) bridge the gap in the transition of care from oncology to primary care providers (PCPs) for breast cancer survivors. Despite strong recommendations for SCPs, their use remains limited. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project focused on, first, determining whether a predeveloped staff education activity was valid using the Lynn model criteria for validation. Second, if in a rural clinic where SCP were not consistently used providers, nurses, and staff knowledge regarding the importance of SCP would increase following an educational program. An expert panel of 5 educational experts validated the educational module for appropriateness …

Improving Staff Knowledge Of The Value Of Hourly Rounding, Dr. Melissa Gagliano, Dnp, Nea-Bc

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that consistent hourly rounds improve patient satisfaction and quality of care. Successful implementation and maintenance of this patient-centered practice hinges on nursing knowledge and proper training in the processes and procedures that support timely, purposeful, and effective hourly rounds. The purpose of this doctoral project was to implement a staff education project to improve staff perception of the value of hourly rounding on an inpatient orthopaedic unit. Project materials supplemented the hourly rounding program already in place at the facility. Following an in-depth literature search, pre-intervention multiple-choice knowledge assessment questionnaires were distributed to staff who volunteered to …

Best Practice Strategies To Prevent Suicide In Behavioral Health, David Solomon Gamble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe capacity for mental health clinicians to provide culturally relevant suicide prevention services has become an issue within current society, given the complexity and impact of the circumstances that have disrupted everyday life. Thus, this became a problem for the organization and the target population used for this study. The current capacity of leadership and clinicians who provided prevention services was developed to address the underlying mental health disorders and not directly address the environmental impact. The approach for the study adhered to Yin's work on case studies. The case study research provided the process and outcome data by introducing …

Nonprofit Ceos’ Learned Skills And Strategies For Leadership, Julie Gallanty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNonprofit organization Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) bring their unique experiences to their executive positions but are often unprepared for new responsibilities and challenges, which require a broad skill set. The problem identified was the gap in professional development in unexpected and acute areas. This study aimed to explore the on-the-job learning of nonprofit CEOs and the professional development training needed to support them in their position. Kolb’s experiential learning framework was used to develop the study that examined the strategies used to gain the knowledge needed to perform effectively in their CEO roles. The research questions focused on understanding how …

Colorism And Women Who Self-Identify As Black In Leadership Roles, Alyse Poitier Gardner-Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWomen who self-identify as Black in executive director leadership roles in a nonprofit agency are still experiencing colorism in the workplace. Color-based bias, also called colorism, within the Black community centers on advantages and disadvantages for people of the same race. Colorism typically allows more benefits for lighter-skinned individuals who self-identify as Black than darker-skinned individuals who self-identify as Black. This study explored the lived experiences of women who self-identified as Black in executive director leadership roles in nonprofit agencies and who have experienced colorism (i.e., intragroup discrimination) in the workplace. The research question investigated the emotional effect on women …

Challenges Teaching Emergent Bilingual Students In Rural Schools, Dana Marie Giddens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

K-3 teachers face challenges in meeting the learning needs of their emergent bilingual (EB) students in rural southeastern schools in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-3 teacher perspectives on challenges to meet the English language learning needs of their EB students and to identify what K-3 teachers believe they need to meet their students’ learning needs. Two research questions addressed teacher perspectives on the challenges they face to meet the learning needs of EB students in rural schools and what teachers believe they needed to successfully address EB students’ learning needs. The …

Improving Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Knowledge Of Shingles Management, Kyla Gilbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractShingles is a viral infection that can adversely impact patients if not promptly treated. In the project facility, a gap in practice was identified when a 6-month facility chart review noted a delay in shingles diagnosis 60% of the time. It is important for the Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) to be knowledgeable regarding diagnoses and best practices for treatment of shingles. However, the local facility had no available education on shingles. The practice-focused question asked whether APRN knowledge of shingles could be improved through staff education. The doctoral project provided shingles education to address the identified knowledge gap. The …

The Relationship Between Customers’ Satisfaction And Trust In The Global Supply Chain And Profitability, Azeal Gilham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability to meet customer demands and expectations impacts an organization’s profitability. Understanding and meeting customer needs are critical for the financial success of business owners. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to examine the relationships between customers’ satisfaction and trust in the supply chain and profitability. Secondary data (n = 121) were collected from the Elsevier Research Database using archival data collected from an automotive factory. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, and the results were statistically significant, F (2, 118) = 264.347, p < .001, R2 = .90. In the final model, both predictor variables were significant, customers’ satisfaction: mean wait time (t = 22.991, p < .001, β = 16.23); and customers’ trust: minimum stock level (t = 7.306, p < .001, β = .118). A key recommendation is for business leaders to satisfy customers and gain their trust by creating sufficient inventory stocking levels and improving replenishment timeframes that meet customers’ supply chain demands. The implications for positive social change include the opportunity for supply chain managers to develop an effective supply chain that may contribute to the quality of service that promotes success in regional markets, sustain growth, and allows for social development among the local community workforces.

The Experiences Of Successful Formerly Incarcerated African American Males, Bernice Gordon-Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are incarcerated at alarming rates and often recidivate at high rates within 3 years. Researchers have demonstrated that recidivism rates last through years 4 and beyond. There is limited qualitative data to provide strategies from formerly incarcerated African American males who have been successful at not recidivating for 10 or more years after their release. The purpose of this Afrocentric-hermeneutic phenomenological study was to bridge the gap in the literature and explore the lived experiences of African American males who were formerly incarcerated and have positively changed their lives to avoid further criminality. A purposeful and snowball …

Nurse Perceptions Of Nonacademic Factors That Influence Undergraduate Nursing Student Retention And Persistence To Graduation, Marianne Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having an adequate supply of nurses is critical to maintaining the health care system. The problem for this study was that undergraduate nursing students were leaving a local Midwest community college’s nursing program before obtaining a degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the program’s recent graduates, regarding nonacademic factors that they believe helped to facilitate their success. Jeffreys’s nursing universal retention and success model served as the conceptual framework. The research question was focused on identifying nurse graduate perceptions of nonacademic factors that contributed to their success. A basic qualitative research design was …

Relationship Between African American Professionals’ Acculturation, Racial Identity, And Experienced Stereotype Threat, Erica Regina Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is considerable research on acculturation, identity formation, and stereotype threat experiences of African American children and college students. However, little research has been conducted exploring these factors once college graduates have entered the workforce. Furthermore, the previous research has treated these variables separately or combining no more than two at a time. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to learn more about African American professionals’ acculturation, racial identity, and stereotype threat experiences. Seller’s Model of Racial Identity, Berry’s acculturation theory, and Shapiro’s Multi-threat framework provided the basis of this study. The research question addressed whether the type …

Perceived Factors Of Intimate Partner Violence On Women Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Angela M. Halcovich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent diagnosis, and many human and social services professionals strive to understand its components, to ensure that they serve the population properly. However, little is known about how PTSD may influence women’s vulnerabilities to and future experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Emphasizing relationship coaching, which provides tools to foster healthy relationships, within the therapeutic curricula on rehabilitation for women with PTSD may result in reduced chances to experience IPV as women integrate back into their everyday life after being diagnosed and treated for PTSD. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to …

Relationship Between Maternal Language And Use Of Electronic Cigarettes In Pregnancy, Tara Halpern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tobacco use has been a long-standing known modifiable risk factor to maternal health. Although there have been many efforts to encourage smoking cessation, use of electronic cigarettes in pregnancy has been increasing over the years. Understanding potential factors that may play a role in the increased use of electronic cigarettes is important to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. The social ecological model provides the theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a woman’s primary language and pregnancy health care factors (i.e., access to health care 12 months prior to pregnancy, access to …

The Lived Experiences Of Young Adults Moving From Juvenile Detention Centers To Employment Or Education, Tramyna B. Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are not many young adults who experience a successful turnaround after they leave a juvenile detention center. Many young adults who leave juvenile detention centers are at risk of reoffending and returning to the system due to a paucity of resources. It is vital to recognize the positive and successful experiences of those young adults who do not re-enter the criminal justice system. The purpose of this research study was to understand (a) the different experiences of certain young adults involving their successful turnaround story, (b) why the young adults engaged in criminal activity, and (c) what interventions worked …

Far-Right Extremist Influence On American Immigration Policy, Christopher Joseph Heinrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little information on the increase in far-right extremist influence on policymakers’ ideology that affect immigration law. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how far-right extremists influence American policymakers in supporting the perspective that immigrants are replacing White Americans and how that affects non-White and/or non-Christian immigration. The framework for this study was based on policy feedback theory by Mettler and SoRelle. Research questions focused on federal legislation that supports anti-immigration between 2017 and 2021 and far-right extremist ideology. Document analysis was done through purposive sampling to select public records of individuals, groups, and laws. Data …

Successful Digital Marketing Strategies Of Independent Artists, Wendy Renee Hicks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective digital marketing strategies can hinder profitability for independent artists. Artists who cannot develop digital marketing strategies are at risk of not sustaining their independent businesses. Based on the foundational principle of marketing mix as its conceptual lens, the purpose of this qualitative, exploratory multiple case study was to explore what digital marketing strategies some independent artists used to achieve and sustain profitability. The participants were nine independent artists on the east coast of the United States who published original music at a profit during the last 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews. Data were …

Strategies For Improving The Interoperability Of Private Practices’ Electronic Health Care Systems, Anasa N. Holden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCommunication of data exchange is essential for all healthcare service lines to ensure the highest quality of care. For a long time, private practices and small businesses have needed help implementing electronic healthcare systems interoperability. Grounded in the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies private practices and small businesses use to sustain electronic healthcare systems with interoperability effectively. The participants were six CEOs, managers, and leaders of private practices and small businesses in Detroit, Michigan, with direct healthcare service lines that effectively sustained electronic healthcare systems with interoperability. Data were collected …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Effect Of The Mathematics Workshop Model On Middle School English Language Learners’ Achievement, Khethiwe Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMost English learners (ELs) face challenges upon entering schools in the United States. The problem addressed in this study was that more than half of middle school ELs did not reach basic proficiency on their mathematics inventory in a Mid-Atlantic school district between 2017 and 2022. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the differences in the Spring mathematics inventory scores between low-English functioning middle school ELs (Level 1 entering and Level 2 emerging) and medium functioning middle school ELs (Level 3 developing and Level 4 expanding) who were instructed in the mathematics workshop model for 18 weeks …

Resilience Characteristics In Law Enforcement Officers, Jocelyn Grace Jameson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Resilience characteristics in law enforcement officers have been a focus of scholars for several decades. Repetitive trauma requires officers to establish coping mechanisms and manufacture varying resilience factors. Researchers have demonstrated that interventions to improve resilience may result in a higher demand for psychoeducation, training and well-being, and stress management. Researchers have yet to establish what shared characteristics are among law enforcement officers that promote resilience. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of law enforcement officers’ experiences, beliefs, and knowledge about their exposure to repetitive traumatic events. The resilience theory supported the research. A qualitative, …

Protective Role Of Colitis In Inflammatory Arthritis Via Propionate-Producing Bacteroides In The Gut, Hoh-Jeong Shon, Yu-Mi Kim, Kyeong Seog Kim, Jin-Ouk Choi, Sang-Hyun Cho, Sujin An, Se-Hyeon Park, Yong-Joon Cho, Joo-Hong Park, Sang-Uk Seo, Joo-Youn Cho, Wan-Uk Kim, Donghyun Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether and how inflammatory disease in the intestine influences the development of arthritis, considering that organ-to-organ communication is associated with many physiological and pathological events.

METHODS: First, mice were given drinking water containing dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and then subjected to inflammatory arthritis. We compared the phenotypic symptoms between the cohoused and separately-housed mice. Next, donor mice were divided into DSS-treated and untreated groups and then cohoused with recipient mice. Arthritis was then induced in the recipients. The fecal microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We obtained type strains of the candidate bacteria and generated …

Associations Between Social Media And Mood, Madison Connors

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

Since its emergence, social media has evolved quickly and to become more widespread year by year (Pew Research Center, 2021). Along with the steady increase of social media use, there has also been a steady increase in depression in the United States, especially in those aged 12-17 (Mental Health America, 2022). This purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social media and mental health by replicating a study conducted by Shensa and colleagues (2017) that investigated the relationship between social media use and depression in U.S. young adults, but also to include measures of fear of missing …