Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Between Mindfulness Meditation, Health Status, And Activity Limitation Among United States Armed Forces, Bettie J. Dubose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A ready military force is essential for the safekeeping of the United States and the well-being of United States Armed Forces personnel. Today, healthcare professionals report disproportionately high rates of chronic disease and substance abuse among United States Armed Forces personnel and disabling mental health disorders that often go untreated. This quantitative research aimed to determine if there was a relationship between United States Armed Forces personnel using mindfulness meditation and their health status. The study used Bandura's social cognitive theory as its framework and theoretical foundation. Also, a quantitative experimental research design examined the causal relationships between the predictor, …

Post-School Transition Experiences Of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Christine Marie Lindh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The post-school transition phenomenon has been examined using educational and vocational viewpoints. However, despite evidence-based practices and policies, individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often experience unfavorable outcomes. This population needs a voice in existing literature because it tends to be aggregated with other participant groups. This qualitative study involved understanding how young adults with mild to moderate ID described their lived experiences regarding the post-school transition to adulthood, specifically in terms of their personal expectations of employment and functional independence. The social cognitive career theory was used to explore individual and environmental factors related to adulthood transitions. Semi-structured interviews were …

The Lived Experiences Of Elders’ Age-Related Changes In Emotional And Social Factors, Sheneze Thiffiny Valencia Madramootoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need for more studies examining elderly’s perspective of age-related changes in emotional (anxiety, depression, hope and optimism) and social (interpersonal relationships, social support and level of engagement or activity) factors. There is an increase in psychological needs for older adults, and it is important to explore and enhance knowledge in this field to better serve this population. The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe the lived experiences of elders’ age-related changes in emotional and social factors. The theories and concepts that grounded this study included the activity theory of aging and the continuity theory of …

Improving Access To Diagnostic Medical Services For Children With Autism: Caregiver Perspective, John Nkemakolam Nkwocha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe rising prevalence of autism among children in the United States has remained a challenge to caregivers, researchers, and healthcare providers. Medical diagnostic services struggled with inaccurate outcomes, misdiagnosis, inaccessibility, long waitlists, poor coordination, and a lack of expertise and knowledge for early intervention. There are limited studies on problems associated with diagnosing children with autism and the caregivers’ perspective on improving the services. In this qualitative phenomenological study, 10 caregivers’ perspectives on barriers to accessing medical diagnostic services, treatment, and management of children with autism and possible improvement of the services were explored. Resilience and health utilization models provided …

Self Care Education For Nurses Following An Assault, Barbara Lynn Schwarz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSelf-Care Education for Nurses Following an Assault by Barbara Lynn Schwarz MS, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2008 BS, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2004

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University August 2023 Abstract Every day, 1 in 4 nurses experience physical and/or verbal assault, surpassing the rates among police officers and prison guards. This issue is particularly widespread among nurses working in mental health settings. The local practice problem for this project was the absence of self-care education for nurses following workplace assaults. The literature revealed that such assaults have traumatic …

African American Experiences Of Racism When Operating A Small Business, Sheliza Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the racism that African Americans experienced when operating a small business. African Americans are more likely to start a business than members of other minority groups. However, African Americans are also less likely to succeed. Low success rates relate to the racial inequities that contribute to systemic racism. The racism that African Americans experience is deeply rooted in societal constructs that have been ingrained for many years. General racism and systemic racism are societal constructs that work against the socioeconomic status of African Americans and their communities. The purpose of this phenomenological study …

How To Support Secondary School Teachers After Emergency Remote Teaching, Julia Howard Tortorice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe forced use of emergency remote teaching (ERT) during COVID-19 school closures was sudden, disruptive, and difficult for teachers, leading to a minimal understanding of how to support secondary school teachers’ use of online educational technology after the ERT experience. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how to support secondary school teachers’ use of online educational technology after the ERT experience. The technology acceptance model was the framework used in this study. The research questions explored the framework by asking about teacher perspectives of support, usefulness, and ease of use of online educational technology. The data collection …

Social Worker Perspectives On Implementation Of Harm Reduction Into Abstinence-Based Substance Abuse Programs, Susan Woomer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Opioid addiction is a growing epidemic in the United States and was declared a public health emergency by the Department of Health and Human Services in October of 2017. There is a growing recognition that the current treatment for heroin and opioid addiction, abstinence-based treatment programs, is not readily available and has minimal success in addressing the epidemic. Harm reduction therapy is recognized as an effective way to address the opioid epidemic. This study aimed to develop further insight and understanding of how to integrate harm reduction therapy in abstinence-based treatment programs. The theoretical framework for this study was the …

Impacts Of Error Rate And Therapist Appearance On The Accuracy Of Fidelity Data Collection, Marisela A. Aguilar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Procedural fidelity is the extent to which a procedure is implemented as designed. Analyzing procedural-fidelity data can improve treatment outcomes. Fidelity data are generally collected by a supervisor or trained data collector using a checklist that operationalizes each component of the procedure and accounts for errors in implementation of the components. However, little is known about variables that may affect the accuracy of supervisor-collected data generally, and even less is known about variables that may affect the accuracy of procedural-fidelity data. Therefore, the current studies explored the extent to which Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) accurately detected programmed fidelity errors …

Relationships Among Pregnancy, Substance Use, Social Determinants Of Health And Assessment, Referral, And Utilization Of Treatment: A Secondary Analysis Of Nsduh Data, Heather Lynn Coddington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Relationships Among Pregnancy, Substance Use, Social Determinants of Health and Assessment, Referral, and Utilization of Treatment: A Secondary Analysis of NSDUH Data

Heather Coddington

Background: Assessment and referral for substance use disorder during pregnancy is crucial to improving outcomes for mothers and newborns during the antepartum and postpartum period. Healthcare professionals are essential during the entirety of the pregnancy during each trimester to provide effective communication when assessing for substance use early and throughout each trimester of pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between assessment, referral, and utilization of treatment …

Analysis And Performance Of Osvaldo Golijov’S Hebreische Milonga, Gerardo Sanchez Pastrana

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov is one of the most important and well-recognized composers of the 21^st century. His works are unique because of the diverse mixing of styles due to the interculturalism present in his music. In the program notes of his Hebreische Milonga, Golijov mentions that this piece can connect his Argentinian and Jewish roots as well as the influence of Astor Piazzolla’s music. In addition, there is a connection between the tango and the Jewish people residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that is not addressed frequently when discussing the history of the tango. This research begins …

The Effect Of Sequential Stimuli On Variable-Interval Schedule Performance And Resurgence, Amanda K. Miles

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resurgence, or the recurrence of a previously established but not currently occurring response given a worsening of current conditions, is a systematic phenomenon with clinical implications; thus, understanding the variables that impact resurgence is important. Investigations into the impact of discriminative stimuli on resurgence have yielded mixed results about whether the stimuli associated with extinction mitigate or prevent resurgence. The current experiments were conducted with sequential stimuli, that is, two or more stimuli occurring in a fixed sequence, that allowed determination of the effect of discriminative stimuli across a continuum of reinforcement conditions (from most temporally distal to most proximal …

Understanding The Lack Of Communication Between Communities And Law Enforcement Through A Community Policing Program, Patrick B. Skoczek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Inequitable treatment by law enforcement officers has deeply impacted minority communities in the United States. Public incidents of abuse of power, discriminatory treatment, and excessive use of force have received increased attention, creating increased community mistrust of law enforcement officers. To help bridge the gap between communities and law enforcement agencies, this qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to examine the use and impact of the Policing and Public Safety Problem-Solving Programs. Data were collected through interviews with 12 retired police officers and 12 community members. Interview questions were related to participants’ perceptions regarding a breakdown in trust between law …

Association Between Childhood Obesity And Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome And Epilepsy Or Seizure Disorder, Stephanie Swanson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to examine the association between childhood obesity (dependent variable) and cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and epilepsy and seizure disorders (independent variables), while controlling for the child’s age, race, and sex among United States children ages 0-17, as well as the guardian’s education and income levels. There are many studies related to childhood obesity; however, few focus on the independent variables in the current study in relation to overweight children. The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was used to understand and interpret the research findings. Secondary analysis of data was conducted using the National …

Effects Of Ethanol And Nicotine Co-Administration On Risky Choice In Rats, Erin E. Wylie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Individuals often engage in the comorbid use of alcohol (ethanol) and nicotine, leading to further-escalated health consequences than the use of either drug in isolation. Given the poor health outcomes resulting from the combined administration of ethanol and nicotine, some of which may be due to increased risky choice, more basic research is needed to better characterize drug/dose interactions on risky choice. Probability-discounting procedures involve a series of discrete choices between a smaller, certain reinforcer (i.e., a safer choice) and a larger, increasingly uncertain reinforcer (i.e., a riskier choice). Probability-discounting procedures allow for the assessment of …

Fast Raising: Digital Fundraising As Interaction Rituals, Matthew P. Hartwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Twice a year, GamesDoneQuick hosts events that showcase the Speed Running Community, a sub-set of the Video Game Community. Since its inception in 2014 through 2021 GDQ has raised $25.7 million that has been distributed to the Prevent Cancer Foundation and Médecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders). This collection of studies analyzes the Awesome Games Done Quick 2020 event utilizing the Interaction Ritual Theory framework of Randall Collins to understand how ritualistic social action of this community has been leveraged by event organizers to promote successful crowd funding efforts that benefits organizations outside of the community. Further it expands on …

Relationship Between Opportunity For Advancement, Salary/Pay, And Retail Salesperson Turnover Intentions, Edith Mae Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEmployee turnover intention is the principal antecedent and predictor of employee turnover behavior, which is a substantial threat to automotive retail dealerships’ current and future organizational performance. Understanding employee turnover intentions is vital for dealership general managers to reduce salesperson turnover, manage dealership costs, and maintain dealership competitive advantages. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between opportunity for advancement, salary/pay, and employee turnover intention among automobile salespeople. Using an online survey administered by Survey Monkey, data were collected from 76 retail salespeople in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. The survey …

Cue Reactivity In Electronic Cigarette Users With Sign-Tracking Or Goal-Tracking Behaviors, Polina Krom

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Polina Krom

Cue reactivity is an important predictor of addiction course and relapse. However, cue reactivity is only observed after an addiction develops. As such, it is unclear to what degree cue reactivity represents a state stemming from the addiction process versus a trait-like propensity towards developing cue-reward associations. Work in animal models has pointed to important individual differences in trait-like inclination to attribute incentive salience to reward-predictive cues that is associated with addiction-relevant behavioral and neurobiological features. These individual differences manifest as sign-tracking (ST) and goal-tracking (GT) behaviors during Pavlovian conditioning. Little research has attempted to translate ST and …

American Art Songs In The 21st Century: A Catalogue Of Selected Works, Islei Mariano Correa Hammer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research explores American art songs of the 21st century. The paper provides a listing of 54 composers based in the United States and the art songs they composed from 2000 to 2023 which are available either through publishers or the composers’ websites. The research is divided into three categories: art songs with piano, chamber works with voice, and works for solo voice and large ensemble. The paper also includes biographies of each composer. This research provides singers, voice teachers, and collaborative pianists a useful resource to gain familiarity with the American art-song repertoire of the current century.

Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers …

Assessment Of Factors That Affect Men’S Access And Utilization Of Tuberculosis Services In Zululand District In South Africa, Maureen Fatsani Tshabalala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death in South Africa, with higher mortality rates among men compared to women, despite the availability of free TB services and a reduction in TB death rates. However, research on the factors influencing men's access to and utilization of TB services is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors affecting men's geographical access and quality utilization of TB services in the Zululand district of KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 men recruited from selected primary health care facilities. Andersen's model …

Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism is a disorder that is characterized by struggles with socialization anddevelopmental delays that often involve much guidance and support. The purpose of this study was to explain the experience of parents as they attempted to manage behaviors related to symptoms of autism during the worldwide quarantine prompted by COVID-19. This study aimed to close the gap in literature and explore to see if there were any concerns that could be addressed by future studies. The study was framed around Bowen’s theory, which addresses emotions within a family unit, and the interdependence theory, which addresses how humans thrive to be …

The Student’S Perspective Of Therapeutic Day Treatment, Krystal Vaughan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has continued to be diagnosed in school-aged children at a high rate. Students with this diagnosis often display negative behaviors and poor academic performance, leading to the need for school-based interventions. Although the use of school-based interventions has shown to be moderately effective, the need to identify the student’s perspective is warranted. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore the effectiveness of therapeutic day treatment from the student’s perspective. While parents and teachers have found therapeutic day treatment useful, research to date from the student’s perspective is lacking. Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive …

Impact Of Family Health Outcomes And Work Balance On Health Services Organizations’ Workplace Attendance, Marcus Levinsky Wade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Work-life balance (WLB) is employees’ ability to effectively manage between job obligations and everyday life activities involving family, health, and social life. Successful WLB has become increasingly important to healthcare administrators due to staff shortages and essentials of job performance, attendance, and satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a correlation between WLB, workplace stress, and employee workplace attendance. The two research questions were correlational; the dependent variable was workplace attendance, and the independent variables were workplace stress and WLB. The compensation theory served as the foundation for the study, in which both family …

Effects Of Social Determinants On Access To Care Among Patients With Diabetes In Florida, Nekeisha Latoya Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes imposes a major burden on society, especially in the state of Florida, in the form of increased medical costs, lost productivity, early mortality, and intangible costs in the form of diminished quality of life. Access to diabetic care affects health administration in Florida by impacting the overall cost of treating the condition. Limited access to care can lead to an increased risk of complications resulting in a higher cost of treatment. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether access to care dependent variables (access to doctors and length of time since last routine checkup) were associated …

A Phenomenological Study Of Executive Coaching For African American Leaders, Barrhonda White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American leaders face inequalities in executive leadership development support such as executive coaching. This phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of African American leaders that worked with a leadership coach. The intention of the study was to gain insight into factors that led African American leaders to seek assistance from a leadership coach, preferences regarding leadership coach demographics, and goals from coaching. The theoretical foundation for this research was Self-Discrepancy Theory. The study utilized two research questions related to a) the lived experiences of African American leaders that work with, or have worked with, an executive coach, and …

Lived Experience Of Women Veterans Navigating The Veteran Healthcare System, Candance Willett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many women veterans who navigate the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system across the United States have felt that their voices have not been heard regarding their input and lived experiences concerning inclusion to the quality-of-care delivery for their health needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of women veterans who were currently facing or had previously faced difficulty navigating the VA healthcare system. The framework used for this qualitative study was interpretive phenomenological analysis. The qualitative method used was hermeneutics which was designed by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Semi structured interviews were of 12 …

Incorporating Usability Evaluation Into Iterative Development Of An Online Platform To Support Research Participation In Parkinson’S Disease: A Mixed Methods Protocol, Rebecca Chapman, Marie Louise Zeissler, Edward Meinert, Stephen Mullin, S Whipps, J Whipps, K Hockey, P Hockey, Camille B. Carroll

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Abstract Introduction Many people with Parkinson’s (PwP) are not given the opportunity or do not have adequate access to participate in clinical research. To address this, we have codeveloped with users an online platform that connects PwP to clinical studies in their local area. It enables site staff to communicate with potential participants and aims to increase the participation of the Parkinson’s community in research. This protocol outlines the mixed methods study protocol for the usability testing of the platform. Methods and analysis We will seek user input to finalise the platform’s design, which will then be deployed in a …

African American Men’S Lived Experiences Of Stigma Regarding Use Of Mental Health Services, Leon M. Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American men are disproportionately more likely to live with untreated mental health challenges; the incidence of mental illness in African Americans is, per capita, 30% higher than among non-Hispanic Whites. African American men experience significant barriers and deterrents to psychological help seeking, which are primarily due to internalized stigma. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe African American men’s experiences that influenced internalized stigma regarding seeking and using traditional mental health services. The theoretical framework included the theory of social stigma and minority stress theory. Nine purposively selected African American men from the Mid-Atlantic …

Nonprofit Leader Strategies For Revenue Growth And Financial Sustainability, William David Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit leaders must ceaselessly endeavor to become more entrepreneurial by accumulating strategies for growing organizational revenue and promoting financial sustainability when charitable contributions cannot fund their business operations. The failure to obtain charitable contributions can lead to nonprofit closure. Grounded in behavioral portfolio theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies a leader of a small Wisconsin nonprofit used to increase revenue and financial sustainability when charitable contributions were insufficient to finance business operations. Data collection included semistructured interviews; organizational documents and reports; financial records and reports; social media; and internet reports. Data were analyzed …