Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Family Engagement On The Behavioral Health Of Mentally Ill Offenders, Jessica Rae Horn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 40% of incarcerated individuals have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, but they often lack the support system needed to navigate their incarceration. This study addressed ways to understand how family engagement opportunities can improve the behavioral health of mentally ill offenders. Specifically, five research questions were used to explore the degree to which the practice of family engagement was understood as a method for providing support to mentally ill incarcerated individuals. The study followed the Baldrige Framework of Excellence to identify current organizational leadership and management issues that can help reach its goals, improve …

Public Company Ceo Strategies For Navigating A Global Economic Shock, Trevor Lee Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Covid-19 has been the most significant economic shock of the 21st century, evidenced by the S&P 500 index plunging over 30% in early 2020. Business leaders who fail to prepare for black swan events are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in Taleb’s black swan theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some public market CEOs use to defend share price returns during economic shocks. The participants were five CEOs of five publicly traded companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange who generated positive investor returns since the pandemic began. Data were collected …

How Supervisors Describe The Development Of Competence In Trainee School Counselors, Suen Yan Leung

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSchool counselors serve an important role in providing frontline counseling services to students in local school districts. Professional associations and educational institutions emphasize the importance of professional competence. However, research on professional competence is fragmented, outdated, and unintegrated. This qualitative study explored the development of competence in trainee school counselors during supervision, from the supervisors’ perspectives. Using the conceptual frameworks of self-efficacy and professional identity development, 16 experienced supervisors were interviewed and asked to describe the development of competence in trainee school counselors and how they instructed the development of competence. Thorne’s interpretive description method was combined with a reality-testing …

Perceptions Of Preservice And Mentor Teachers Of Gaining Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Phonics And Phonemic Awareness, Penelope Maureen Montfort

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that, although phonics and phonemic awareness predict reading success, a majority of early learners still lack these skills. Research also showed that a majority of preservice teachers (PSTs) in early childhood education teacher (ECTE) may not have gained adequate pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in phonics and phonemic awareness during their mentored practicums. This may have contributed to kindergarten students’ poor performance in phonics and phonemic awareness on the national literacy assessments between 2015 and 2018 in one education district in Guyana. These students are not prepared for reading success. Using a basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were …

The Impact Of Social Media On Organ Donation, Miguel Enrique Sewer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The organ-donor shortage remains a pressing issue facing the transplant community. There is a significant gap between supply and demand, which continues to broaden. This general qualitative study aimed to provide a road map to define the role of social media and its interrelationship with increasing organ donation. The study utilizes the potential of a communication framework to increase outreach and education, serving as an alternative to increasing organ donors’ participation. The conceptual underpinnings for this study are the Social Representations Theory, the Organ Donation Willingness Model, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. The data was collected using an …

Behavioral Health Leadership Strategies To Increase Telehealth Engagement, Ramona Singletary-Robertson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the challenges brought on by the recent COVID-19 pandemic has been the promotion and use of telehealth services. While recent data from Medicare has depicted an increase in this new service delivery modality (over 4,000%), there has been a stark disparity in the use of telehealth services in lower socioeconomic demographics, such as rural and underrepresented communities, and among Medicare recipients. Equitable, consistent, and optimal service expansion of the telehealth modality requires therapists and leaders of behavioral health organizations to develop and deploy creative tactics to remedy this disparity. In this case study, leaders of Miss Emma's Behavioral …

Informal Caregivers’ Experiences Of Caring For Older Adults Diagnosed With Urinary Tract Infections, Novelett M. Stennett-James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Informal caregivers’ experiences of caring for older adults diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI) is a prevalent issue that affects adults as they age. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand informal caregivers’ experiences observing and reporting to doctors observable changes of behavior in older adults that were later linked to unconventional symptoms of potential UTIs. Attribution theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study. This qualitative study addressed the research question of informal caregivers’ experiences observing and reporting to doctors observed changes in older adults associated with unconventional UTI symptoms. Data were collected …

Green Walls As A Tool To Achieve Thermal Comfort In University Spaces Simulation Study Using (Design Builder) Program, Noha Roshdy Mohamed Mahmoud Atia, Mona Elwazier, Esraa Elazab

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The research introduces a study on the efficiency of green walls in achieving thermal comfort in educational interior spaces. Green walls can reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions through reducing heating and cooling loads. The research methodology depends on measuring the efficiency of green walls by using design builder a software simulation tool, to assess the thermal comfort in an educational interior space. Results show that energy decreases by 34% and carbon dioxide decreases by 30%.

The Conditional Effects Of Emotion Regulation On The Relationship Between Occupational Stress And Suicidal Behaviors In Veterinary Students, Sara Carroll Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Suicide is an area of increasing concern in the field of veterinary medicine. As veterinary students prepare to enter the profession and take on the unique stressors associated with this line of work, there is a need for models that identify protective factors for suicidal behaviors. Specifically, research is needed to identify factors that offset the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal behaviors. To better inform interventions designed to prevent suicidal behaviors in veterinary students, emotion upregulation and downregulation strategies were evaluated as potential moderators in the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal behaviors in a sample of veterinary students. …

The Relationship Of Academic Integration To College Persistence For Female Military-Affiliated Students, Terezia A. Dean

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

While the field of female military-affiliated student-specific research is growing, understanding the compounding challenges of these dynamic students through their different identities is necessary to support them in their academic endeavors. This quantitative study examined the relationship between academic integration and college persistence for female military-affiliated students at a four-year research institution. This study intended to understand the relationship between pre-entry attributes of female military-affiliated students and the likelihood of stop out and dropout. Having data from a diverse population of ages, branches, and ethnicities paints a picture detailing the many pre-entry attributes than can decrease the likelihood of persistence. …

The Metanarratives Of The Fourth Industrial Revolution And The Collective Cognitive Dissonance Of Metamodernist Discursive Formation, John R. Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

My artworks explore the impacts of the technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which began in the early 21^st Century, upon global society and the human psyche. My works are instantiated by multi-year research in the areas of social psychology, cognitive dissonance, computer evolution and artificial intelligence. My body of work portrays a cautionary sensibility regards new technologies such as robotics, quantum supercomputing, Artificial Intelligence, commercial space travel and nanotechnology. In addition, my artwork attempts to increase awareness of the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance.

The perceptions and cognitions of artistic viewers relate directly to the psychological phenomenon of cognitive …

Factors Associated With Patient Portal Utilization, Preventive Services Utilization, And Health Promoting Behaviors Among Adults In The United States, Elizabeth Ayangunna

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Nearly 60% of adults in the United States are estimated to have one or more chronic conditions, necessitating strategies to improve the health status of persons with chronic disease. Given that health information technology (HIT) is considered highly valuable for superior disease management, it is imperative to examine how HIT use can improve health behaviors, which can in turn improve health status. This study aimed to examine if there was an association between patient portal utilization and the use of preventive services & health-promoting behaviors. Also, this study examined the influence of self-efficacy on preventive health behaviors among adults …

Aging Under Erasure, Pamela H. Reynolds

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Aging is a multifaceted journey that is different for everyone. It is a fluid process; there is no one predictable moment or age when a particular experience takes place. For that reason, the series “Aging Under Erasure” encompasses a myriad of subjects to emphasize and illustrate the diversity and complexity of the process. My work visualizes the feelings, observations, and realities of aging in an attempt to create understanding, alter perceptions, and contemplate the universality of change. The works are inspired by personal experience, dialogical practice, and academic research. Using paper and/or traditional and unusual mosaic materials and techniques, the …

The Examination Of The Attitudes And Stigma Toward Mental Health Services Held By Black College Student-Athletes And College Nonathletes, Tony Spencer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to examine the differences in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. The secondary purpose of the study was to examine any gender difference in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. A Mann-Whitney U statistical analysis was used to compare participant results from the three stigma toward mental health services survey measurements (Komiya et al., 2000; Vogel et al., 2006; Vogel et al., 2009). The current study hoped to further advance the literature examining the attitudes and …

Implicit Beliefs About Anxiety And The Relationship With Competitive Anxiety Intensity And Direction, Luca M. Ziegler

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

During the Fall of 2021, 45% of male and 72% of female student-athletes reported overwhelming anxiety at least once a month (NCAA, 2021). In addition to affecting an individual’s well-being, anxiety may negatively impact athletic performance (Edwards & Hardy, 1996). To better understand the impact of anxiety on athletic performance and develop effective interventions, both the intensity and direction of symptoms experienced must be considered. Incremental beliefs have been shown to be related to desirable performance outcomes and increased well-being in various populations (Danthony et al., 2020; Dweck, 2008), and may provide an effective intervention to interpret anxiety as more …

Examining The Nexus Of Housing Instability And Neighborhood Within New York City (Nyc), Benjamin Boateng

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Housing instability within the New York City (NYC) area significantly affects the community's well-being. As a robust and growing city, many families in the low-income bracket face the challenge of spending a significant portion of their monthly income toward housing costs (rent, utilities, insurance). With families spending 50% (extreme housing burden) and more of their monthly income to stay in their housing units, various disparities have presented themselves within the housing context.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, families within NYC have struggled to maintain their housing stock. Policy and community-based actions are needed to reduce the burden …

Evaluating Blood Pressure And Hypertension Awareness In Municipal Workers In The Southeast Us, Kayden R. Mcalvin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to describe municipal workers’ blood pressure (BP) status and awareness; the secondary purpose was to examine the association between BP misconception and department. Municipal employees in a southeastern rural community (n=75) were asked to participate in a 15-minute survey, including the BASIS Hypertension Awareness survey, and blood pressure measurements to determine hypertension risk. Results show a significant difference in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between police with a higher DBP of 87.64 ± 10.9 mm Hg and fire departments 78.98 ± 11.1 mm Hg (p=0.005), a significant difference in DBP between city hall/public works …

Views Of Asexuality And Transgender Individuals: The Role Of Religious Beliefs, Allison Davis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Asexuality is a lifelong, continuous lack of sexual attraction or the inability to feel sexual attraction. Asexuality is a naturally occurring sexual orientation thought to be present in 0.4-1.1% of the American population. However, asexuality is still relatively unknown by the general population and understudied by scientific researchers. Even less known is how religious individuals view asexuality. According to the 2020 US census, around 70% of American adults identify as Christian. The current study examined how degree of religiousness related to feelings toward sexuality and asexual individuals. Main hypotheses included: religious fundamentalism would predict negative attitudes toward asexual and transgender …

Effects Of Imagined Financial Difficulties On State Adult Attachment Systems, Loren Jones

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

According to Bowlby’s definition of attachment theory, insecure attachment systems negatively regulate individuals' behaviors, thoughts, and feelings (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). As individuals age, negative views of others and the self can grow, inevitably hindering relationships with others and self-esteem. Empirical research suggests a strong positive relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) and developing an insecure attachment style among children (Sherry et al., 2013; van IJzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2010). With many similarities between child and adult attachment models, there is a gap in the literature examining the impact of lower SES on adult attachments. Although socioeconomic status's effects on general …

It's Not A Phobia: Reducing Transnegativity Using Imagined Intergroup Contact, Rachel Cook

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a novel imagined intergroup contact procedure in reducing feelings of transnegativity held by cisgender individuals. The intervention, based on the Fast Friends Procedure (Aron et al., 1997), has participants interact with a fictional transgender person who answers questions about himself; participants then write a free-response answer to the question for themselves. The current hypotheses were that the imagined intergroup contact procedure would (1) reduce feelings of transnegativity, (2) reduce feelings of contact apprehension toward transgender people, and (3) increase feelings of self-other overlap between cisgender people and a transgender target. In Study 1, …

The Impact Of Controlling Language And Source Similarity On Psychological Reactance, Caroline Yarbrough

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Persuasive health messages are frequently advertised throughout the pandemic to decrease the spread of COVID-19 while increasing the likelihood of immunity. However, research demonstrates that persuasive health messages may be ineffective because they have the potential to elicit psychological reactance. Reactance is characterized by a state of unpleasant motivational arousal and often occurs when individuals experience or perceive threats to their freedom, and it can be evoked through controlling language (Frey et al., 2021; Grandpre et al., 2003). Additionally, research has shown that similarity is associated with liking (Cialdini & Trost 1998) and people are often more inclined to comply …

Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement In Middle Schools, Brad Boykin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Administrators are charged with making decisions and implementing strategies to improve a school’s climate and student achievement. Because school climate and student achievement are interrelated, it would benefit administrators to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and achievement with its school accountability measure, College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data from CCRPI over two years to examine the relationship between school climate and student achievement. The researcher used Pearson’s r correlation and multiple regression analysis to …

For Black Girls, By Black Girls: Examining The Experiences Of Black Women In Historically White Learning Spaces And Reimagining Spaces With Our Needs In Mind, Florence Takeshia Brown

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the experiences of Black women in historically white learning spaces and our needs in reimaged learning spaces developed for us. The conceptual framework for this study was Black Feminist Thought, critical geography, and Afrofuturism. Using sister circle methodology, participants discussed the simultaneous racialized and gendered experiences that Black women navigate in learning spaces and how technology and Afrofuturism could be beneficial in creating spaces for Black women. Despite our achievements in academic spaces, Black women experience microaggressive environments that have traumatic impacts on our psychological health and our overall experiences in learning environments. Our successes are acts …

The Relationship Between Age, Sport, And Years Coaching On Knowledge, Confidence, Preparedness, And Intention To Intervene With Youth Athletes Experiencing Mental Health Challenges, Allyson P. Looby

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Mental disorders can affect all ages and populations, but there is an increasingly high prevalence in the pediatric population. It is estimated that 1 in 5 youth between the ages of 9-17 experiences some degree of impairment from a diagnosable mental health disorder (Merikangas et al., 2010). Youth are often not equipped to seek professional support; making parents, teachers, and coaches key to detection and referral to professional help (Ng et al., 2021). The environment youth sports creates gives coaches the opportunity to have a greater impact on youth mental health (Das et al., 2016). Purpose: Determine if age, …

Addressing Breast Health Disparities Among Recent, Established African-Born Immigrant Women And Second-Generation Americans In Prince George County, Maryland, Omolola Okunromade

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Breast health disparities and underutilization of screening methods are major concerns in the United States (US), particularly affecting Black women who experience lower survival rates and advanced diagnoses. Despite the rapid growth of the African-born immigrant population, breast health among this group in the US is notably under-examined. This study aims to investigate the breast health knowledge and practices of first-generation African-born immigrants and second-generation immigrant women of African descent, aiming to understand the distinctive attributes of this group and the impact of acculturation on this public health issue.

Methods: Interviews were conducted among First Generation African immigrants and …

What Could Go Wrong? Patient And Hospital Characteristics Associated With Pediatric Quality Of Inpatient Care And Pediatric Adverse Events, Michael H. Samawi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study aims to analyze associations between hospital and patient characteristics with pediatric adverse events (PAE) in the inpatient hospital setting, utilizing the framework of pediatric quality indicators (PDIs) from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) indicators. Three PDIs were identified and utilized for this purpose: NQI 03 Neonatal Blood Stream Infection, PDI 09 Postoperative Respiratory Failure, and PDI 10 Postoperative Sepsis. The data used for the study is based on an analysis of discharge data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Kid’s Inpatient Databases (KID) for the year 2019. The findings contribute to the growing …

Using The Cipp Model Of Evaluation On A Health Disparities Curriculum Delivered To Medical Residents In 12 Residency Programs, Gauri K. Shevatekar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Although the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has provided educational directives on health disparities education during residency program for the medical residents, there is paucity of curricula focused on disparities education within the graduate medical education.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Health Disparities Curriculum (HDC) that was delivered to twelve residency programs at a College of Medicine.

Methodology: The study employed a cross-sectional study design. Stufflebeam’s Context-Input-Process-Product (CIPP) model was utilized as theoretical framework to assess whether the curriculum achieved its stated goals and objectives, the teaching and learning processes, and the …

Child Sexual Abuse Cases In The Catholic Church Vs. Secular Groups: A Media Content Analysis, Hannah G. Adkison

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious public health problem in the United States, with estimates suggesting that approximately 8% of males and 20% of females experience some form of sexual violence before adulthood (Pereda et al., 2009). Adult acquaintance victim-offender relationships account for 83% of all cases (Ullman, 2001). And while the acquaintance of victim- offender relationships is facilitated by a range of social institutions, perhaps none have received as much media attention as those occurring in the context of the Catholic Church (Formicola, 2014). Although child sexual assault is recognized as a serious punishable charge in all 50 …

Twitter Sentiment About The Us Federal Tobacco 21 Law: Mixed Methods Analysis, Page D. Dobbs, Allison Ames Boykin, Nnamdi Chika Ezike, Aaron Myers, Jason B. Colditz, Brian A. Primack

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: On December 20, 2019, the US “Tobacco 21” law raised the minimum legal sales age of tobacco products to 21 years. Initial research suggests that misinformation about Tobacco 21 circulated via news sources on Twitter and that sentiment about the law was associated with particular types of tobacco products and included discussions about other age-related behaviors. However, underlying themes about this sentiment as well as temporal trends leading up to enactment of the law have not been explored.

Objective: This study sought to examine (1) sentiment (pro-, anti-, and neutral policy) about Tobacco 21 on Twitter and (2) volume …

Sickle Cell Disease And Adolescents’ Perspectives On Self-Care Management Resources, Dora L. Clayton-Jones, Jill B. Hamilton, Kristin Haglund, Lee Za Ong, Kalen C. Kennedy, Sylvia Peña, Coretta Jenerette

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) face unique challenges, especially during the critical health care transition from pediatric to adult care. The purpose of this study was to gather the perspectives of adolescents living with SCD and to describe their self-care management experiences prior to their move into the adult health care system.

Methods

Guided by the Theory of Self-Care Management for Sickle Cell Disease, this qualitative descriptive study used semi-structured interviews with 11 adolescents with SCD (M = 16.63 years, SD = 1.15). In addition to a demographic survey, adolescents answered interview questions about their perceptions of their …