Digital Commons Network^™

Systemic Solutions To Addressing Juvenile Sexual Offending, Alyscia Mayhugh

DSW Capstone Projects

Research on and treatment of juvenile sexual offenders has surged since the 1980s. While research on this social justice issue has expanded over the past four decades, little has been done in the United States to systemically address the recidivism rates of juvenile sexual offenders. The systematic literature review explores existing literature on this topic, with a focus on thematic categories that emerged through data extraction and analysis. The conceptual paper presents a unique idea for addressing juvenile sexual offending systemically, emphasizing the value of utilizing incrementalism and trauma theory to enact changes to existing systems. The final practice application …

Lived Experience Of Female Veterans And Civilian Workplace Integration, Angela Karnes Padron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study used Social Identity Theory (SIT) to explore the lived experiences of female veterans throughout their military transition phases to their postmilitary experiences, including successfully obtaining civilian employment. The purpose was to increase understanding of the unique experiences and needs of females during this transition and learn the success factors leading to gaining employment. This can help deter the increasing unemployment, depression, stress, and anxiety rates for female veterans. The social identities while in the military and postmilitary were studied to understand the catalysts to female transition issues. A semistructured interview was conducted with eight female veterans that …

The Risk Factors For Hiv In African American Transgender Women In Connecticut, Oliver Kunda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rate is 70 times higher for African American transgender women than in the general population. Despite decades of outreach and intervention effort to reduce HIV incidence in the transgender community by the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transexual, queer, plus (LGBTQ+) community and public health organizations, the HIV prevalence rate for transgender women remains high at 38%. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to gain insights into how attitude, subjective social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence HIV risk behaviors of African American transgender women in Connecticut. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior provided …

Experiences Of African American Female Offenders On Parole And Under Community Supervision, Shirley Lawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American female offenders on parole under community supervision reenter communities as convicted felons and face the challenges of intersectionality and collateral consequences. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African American female offenders active on parole and under community supervision. General strain theory was used to explore the experiences of African American female offenders on parole and under community supervision. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with a purposive sample of 10 African American female offenders, ages 18 and above who were on parole and under community supervision. Colaizzi’s seven-step method …

Emotional Intelligence’S Impact On The Relationship Between Trait Anxiety And Veteran Reintegration To Civilian Life, Felicia Rapozo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Every year in the United States, over 200,000 individuals leave the military and begin their transition to civilian life, a period known as veteran community reintegration (VCR). A significant number of these individuals have reported VCR challenges, with a substantial number reporting mental health concerns. Recent studies have found that a number of individual differences (e.g., social support) can influence VCR challenges; however, no known studies have examined the influence of trait anxiety and emotional intelligence (EI) on VCR. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to address this gap by determining whether the relationship between trait anxiety and …

Teacher Perspectives On Integrating Technology Into Social Studies Instruction, Karen Diane Caldwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social studies instruction is vital to connecting students to the world and learning 21st- century skills needed for college and careers. Teachers’ knowledge and skills are essential for effective technology integration in instruction. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perspectives of teachers in an urban elementary school district on the use of instructional technology in terms of the potential for properly integrating technology in studies instruction. Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations theory was the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on teachers’ interpretations of their knowledge of laptop computers, their communication …

Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male-dominated occupations have received increased attention concerning the environmental health and retention of its specialized workforce. Research studies on the impact of the environment suggest that ecological and infrastructure conditions of the workplace affect the psychological health and physical well-being of employees across both public and private industries. Presently, in the context of the oil and gas and engineering field, there is a literature gap in exploring whether workplace conditions or adverse circumstances in male-dominated built environments negatively affect the psychological well-being and retention of women employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. For the current qualitative study, …

Narratives Of Adjustment And Adaptation Of Older Males With Life Sentences, John Taglianetti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe United States holds over 40% of the world’s population of men serving life in prison. There are far more men serving life today than the total prison population just decades ago. Scholarly debate research on the adaptation and adjustment of LWOPs is sparse, and very little literature was available from the inmates’ perspective. Most scholarly literature addressed stakeholders’ views on how the prison environment influenced adaptation. This research was designed to answer the LWOPs' perspective on adaptation and adjustment while imprisoned and how they described their present and ongoing adaptation and adjustment experiences. A narrative approach was used to …

Teacher Perspectives On Integrating Technology Into Social Studies Instruction, Karen Diane Caldwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social studies instruction is vital to connecting students to the world and learning 21st- century skills needed for college and careers. Teachers’ knowledge and skills are essential for effective technology integration in instruction. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perspectives of teachers in an urban elementary school district on the use of instructional technology in terms of the potential for properly integrating technology in studies instruction. Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations theory was the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on teachers’ interpretations of their knowledge of laptop computers, their communication …

Marketing Strategies To Adapt Organizations To Changes In The Business Environment, Sara Hammoud

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations with low marketing programs adaptation to changing market requirements suffer low firm performance. Retail business leaders who fail to implement marketing programs adaptation can experience decreases in profitability. Grounded in the 7S model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore marketing strategies that retail business leaders use to adapt their organizations to changes in the business environment. The participants comprised four business leaders of retail apparel organizations in southern Italy who developed and implemented successful marketing strategies to adapt their organization to changes in the business environment. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company …

The Effects Of Federal Funding Reductions On Emergency Shelters In Urban U.S. Sanctuary Cities., Venice Hylton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhen the U.S. federal government reduces funding to urban sanctuary cities because of those cities’ refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement agents this affects the services offered by the municipalities to their residents. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the effects that withdrawal of federal funds from urban sanctuary cities have on people experiencing homelessness. The social exchange theory provided the theoretical foundation for the study, which featured a qualitative exploratory case study design and involved interviews with four shelter administrators in three mid-Atlantic states. The participants described (a) the effects of reduced …

Barriers And The Prevention Of Human Trafficking Child Exploitation, Earl Wilson Laws

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking is a global phenomenon encompassing areas of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and indentured servitude. Human trafficking is an exceptionally under-researched and growing phenomenon. Texas ranks as the state with the second-largest human trafficking population in the United States. The current qualitative research study sought to discover whether, and to what degree, barriers are being presented by law enforcement policies and procedures to law enforcement officials of a human trafficking unit within a greater metropolitan area in Texas within human trafficking child exploitation prevention of children aged 5–17. The study utilized Senge’s systems theory as a framework to understand …

Innovation Strategies To Create Sustainable Fast-Casual Restaurants, Felipe Medina Cintron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most restaurants in the United States fail during their first year of operation and many survivors do not last past 5 years. The problem was that some fast-casual restaurant (FCR) leaders do not understand and cannot identify innovation strategies for business sustainability. The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore what innovative strategies are used by successful FCR leaders in the U.S. state of Delaware to overcome business challenges and achieve sustainability beyond 5 years. The conceptual framework was based on Schumpeter’s entrepreneurship innovation theory. Data were collected from 12 leaders (owners, managers, and supervisors) of six FCRs in …

Predictors Of Perceived Anxiety Disorder Stigma In Adults With Anxiety Disorders, Dr. Shawn Nabors

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Licensed professional counselors strive to eliminate systemic barriers to mental health treatment. Perceived anxiety disorder stigma may be a barrier to mental health treatment for those who are affected by this type of stigma. This quantitative correlational study examined whether factors such as age, gender, and level of education predict perceived anxiety disorder stigma in a population of adults in the U.S. who had been diagnosed with anxiety disorders as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Stigma Scale (GASS). Goffman's theory of social stigma served as the theoretical framework for this study. An existing data set of 82 adults diagnosed with …

Strategies For Achieving Sustainability Of Small Business Restaurants, Tanisha Thomas-Beard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business restaurant owners perform unprofitably and fail within 5 years of opening. Small business restaurant owners are concerned about sustainability as approximately 50% of small businesses that start up do not last beyond the fifth year. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business restaurant owners use to grow and maintain profitability to sustain business beyond 5 years. The participants were five small business restaurant owners in the Southeastern region of the United States who sustained their business beyond 5 years. The data were analyzed using …

Opioid Naloxone Education Clinical Practice Guideline, Tat'yana Sahleem Alethia Worthy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of an institution-wide campaign to train providers on the administration of opioid reversal agents within a large medical center in the northeastern United States, the practice problem emerged that there was no patient/family education document for healthcare providers to use as a guide to educate patients on opioid risk and proper administration of naloxone to prevent opioid overdose in the outpatient setting. This scholarly project used an interprofessional team to develop comprehensive opioid naloxone education guidelines to close the gap in clinical practice. The purpose of this project was to develop a patient education clinical practice guideline …

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 …

Factors That Determine Utilization Of The Canadian School-Based Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Programs, Diane Gloria Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world and is the known causative agent of many HPV-associated cancers in both males and females. HPV vaccination rates in Canada are significantly lower than other developed countries and this finding is poorly understood as Canadian adolescents have access to free-of-charge HPV vaccines through school-based vaccination programs. This quantitative descriptive study used an online survey to collect data from 992 eligible respondents. This study identified predisposing, enabling, and need factors characterized by the Andersen behavioral model of health services use which facilitate or impede the use of …

Stigma Toward People With Opioid Use Disorder In Southwest Michigan, Kathy A. Carruthers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The opioid epidemic is one of the largest health problems in America. In one Southwest Michigan county, opioid overdose deaths increased from 36 deaths in 2008 to 104 deaths in 2017. In the same county, stigma was identified as the highest-ranked reason people do not seek opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge that social work practitioners have regarding stigma toward people who inject drugs with OUD in Southwest Michigan. The purpose aligned with social work values as people with OUD are marginalized and cannot advocate for themselves. The theoretical framework that guided …

College Students’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Student Engagement In Online Courses, Alicia Beasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified high dropout rates in online courses for the past several years with few strategies for improvement. The problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was that peer socialization and engagement are challenges in online courses. The purpose of this study was to understand how far utilizing social media improved student socialization and engagement in online courses thus resulting in increased student success. This study used the conceptual framework of engagement theory, which states that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks. The research questions addressed student perceptions about the …

Human Services Caseworkers’ Experiences Working Remotely During Covid-19, Sandra Lachelle Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human services caseworkers have shifted from traditional means of providing services to their clients since the onset of COVID-19. Providing services and/or resources to clients from the home environment leads to work responsibilities and family demands that may affect work-life balance. Researchers have studied working remotely, but they have not explored human services caseworkers and their experiences of providing remote services during a pandemic. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to explore human services caseworkers’ experiences with work-life balance while providing remote services versus face-to-face services to clients during a pandemic. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 human …

Restorative Justice And Recidivism In Formerly Incarcerated Women, Alfeia B. Devaughn-Goodwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the experiences of nonviolent women offenders over the age of 50 of all ethnicities who were formerly incarcerated and their involvement with restorative justice and recidivism from a public policy perspective. Although there was prior research on reentry of ex-offenders, the problem was that few studies focused on the barriers and success factors of reentry services for older female ex-offenders 50 years or older. The purpose of the study was to explore restorative justice and recidivism in formerly incarcerated women who were nonviolent offenders in an East Coast state with a focus on the barriers and success …

Relationship Between Incentive Program Costs, Incentive Payments, And Profitability, Claire Claire Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of profitability among primary care businesses can have harmful impacts on business operations. Primary care businesses owners must remain profitable to remain in business and provide quality health care to patients. Grounded in Freeman’s stakeholder theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between incentive program costs, incentive payments, and profitability. Data were collected from 73 primary care physician business owners in the Inland Empire region of southern California. The multiple linear regression analysis results indicated the model was able to significantly predict profitability, F(2,70) = 1343.6, p <.001, R2 = .975. Incentive payments (t = 51.837, p < .001,  = .928) was the only statistically significant predictor. Key recommendations include educating primary care physicians on the potential financial benefits of full participation in the commercial line of business pay-for-performance incentive programs and creating a campaign to bring in patients for wellness visits. The implications for positive social change include the potential for an additional revenue stream for primary care physician business owners, which could support more clinics, increasing patient access. Patients having better access to healthcare could positively affect the health and wellness of individuals in local communities.

Attachment Styles, Deployments, And Perceived Stress Of African American Military Spouses, Jasmine Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research studies have not focused on African American military spouses and the association of attachment styles, perceived stress, and psychological well-being. Due to this, the inclusion of male and female African American military spouses in previous research was very limited. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship exists between the predictor variables of attachment scores (close, anxious, dependent) as measured by the Adult Attachment Scale, the number of deployments, types of deployments, and gender, on the criterion variables of perceived stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale and psychological well-being as measured by …

Maternal Identity Of Modern-Day Mothers With High Identity Centrality, Kimberly Dianne Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore conceptualization of maternal identity among mothers with high identity centrality in suburban Virginia. The role of motherhood is culturally recognized as central to female identity, which historically has been described, defined, and maintained through various forms of media. This study involved using the social identity and self-categorization theories as explanatory frameworks to address development and maintenance of maternal identity. A qualitative approach was used to explore identity centrality and conceptualization of maternal identity with a purposefully sampled group of 10 mothers. Data were collected via demographic surveys followed by one-on-one semi-structured …

An Examination Of Gender-Based Differences In Perceptions Of Supervisor Support, Ann Schlotzhauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Perceived supervisor support and particularly emotional support possess conceptual overlap with stereotypes of femininity. The present study extends understanding of perceived supervisor support by applying the agency and communality framework of gender stereotypes and role congruity theory. This study employed a vignette research design to examine differential ratings of male and female supervisors who were depicted engaging in (a) no support, (b) instrumental support, (c) emotional support, or (d) instrumental and emotional support. Results suggest that supportive supervision is indeed viewed as feminine in nature. Further, findings suggest that female supervisors engaging in emotional support behaviors are preferred over equivalently …

Teaching Sustainability: Does Style Matter?, Fethiye Ozis, Shannon Lynn Isovitsch Parks, Deborah Sills, Mustafa Akca, Christine Kirby

Faculty Journal Articles

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze how a tangram activity improved students’ abilities to explain sustainability, articulate a positive perception of sustainable design and relate sustainability with innovation in engineering design. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of paradigm shift was introduced in the classroom by using a tangram activity to help students understand that sustainable design requires out-of-the-box thinking. Instructors from three institutions teaching various levels of sustainability courses to engineering majors used the activity to introduce sustainable design, then measured the understanding and appreciation of the concepts introduced through the tangram activity with pre- and post-activity surveys. Findings – …

The Challenges And Issues Faced By Saudi Women When They Are Appointed To New Unconventional Jobs, Ghadah Abdulhadi Alghamdi

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Advancing awareness of the workforce and job issues faced by women in the KSA will encourage HRM departments to enhance Saudi women's work experience by implementing more gender-friendly work environments, practices, and processes. Therefore, the researcher decided to implement this research to shed light on the role of Saudi women working in community development, to identify the most important challenges and issues facing Saudi women working in new unconventional jobs, and to discuss methods that can be followed to reduce these challenges and issues. To achieve this, the researcher used a descriptive-analytical approach and qualitative research methods (interviews). The interviews …

Exploring Resistance Movements In Interstate Conflict And Integrated Deterrence, Michael G. Harris

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increase in interstate conflict, including manipulation of information and civil populations by state actors in gray zone campaigns, the study of resistance has concentrated on intrastate conflict. A detailed literature review of resistance was conducted, revealing researchable gaps in understanding of the topic, including: the resistance movements from a security studies and interstate conflict perspective, the resistance as a form of interstate conflict from the perspective of Russian and Chinese security leaders, and the integrated deterrence options in gray zone campaigns as a strategy of international conflict prevention.

Two complementary studies were conducted to explore the identified areas. …

Civilian Experiences And Military Perceptions Of The U.S. Military During Domestic Disaster Operations, Stefan Daimon Buckman

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Since its founding, the United States has experienced social strife and humanitarian disasters, either of which can provoke a military domestic response. Political leaders have considered with caution and reservation under what circumstances to rely on the military to respond to internal domestic crises. The use of the military – including Guard, Reserve, and federal active-duty forces - to respond to internal problems continues to increase. In turn, this increase has a strong potential to change the dynamics of civil-military relations in the United States and generate new public expectations for the military. This study explored the perspectives of individuals …