Digital Commons Network^™

Staff Education On Physical Activity As A Therapeutic Option For Anxiety And Depression, Suja Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project’s aim was to educate staff on physical activity (PA) as a therapeutic option for anxiety and depression to relieve psychotic symptoms, enhancing patients’ quality of life. PA enhances cognitive functioning, reduces anxiety and depression, and decreases the risk of cardiovascular conditions and early death. Patients with severe mental illnesses face barriers to PA and exercise, so providers and policymakers must create an environment that encourages participation. A knowledge gap for staff exists in promoting PA in mental health patients. Healthcare professionals should recommend the right amount of PA for each patient. This initiative aims to increase staff confidence …

Staff Education To Increase Staff Knowledge Of Deep Breathing Techniques To Teach Patients For Effective Use, Modinat Oluwatoyin Fagbenro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project was a staff education project aimed at addressing the lack of structured stress management training in behavioral health settings. The project focused on enhancing clinical staff knowledge of deep breathing techniques, a cost-effective, evidence-based intervention to reduce stress and anxiety in patients. The practice problem was significant, as indicated by an internal review of 50 patient charts at the clinical site, which revealed that only 12% of patients used clinician-guided deep breathing. This highlighted the urgent need for structured staff education to improve patient care outcomes. The project question was the following: Will a staff education program …

Evaluating The Impact Of Anti-Vaccine Online Search Trends During The Covid-19 Pandemic On Adolescent Pertussis-Containing Vaccine Completion, Deborah L. Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent completion of pertussis-containing vaccines is a public health concern, especially with rising online anti-vaccine misinformation. Incomplete vaccination increases risk for preventable diseases and impacts community health. A gap in the literature on the relationship between online anti-vaccine search trends during the COVID-19 pandemic and adolescent pertussis vaccine completion was addressed in this quantitative, repeated cross-sectional study. Andersen’s behavioral model of health services use guided the study. Secondary data from the 2019 and 2022 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) compared adolescents aged 13–17 in the five U.S. states with the highest (n=5,464) versus the five with the lowest (n=3.031) population-adjusted anti-vaccine …

Pain Management Educational Module For Nursing Staff, Kathyrina Lucy Pham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed a practice gap in pain management among nursing staff in the rehabilitation unit. Frequent pain-related patient calls contributed to inconsistent clinical practices. This project aimed to evaluate whether a brief, evidence-based educational intervention could enhance nurses’ knowledge of pain management. 47 registered nurses participated in an educational module delivered during both day and night shifts. Pre- and post-test scores were collected and analyzed to assess knowledge acquisition. T-test results indicated a statistically significant improvement in nurses’ pain management knowledge. The findings support the effectiveness of brief, targeted education in promoting clinical outcomes …

Experiences Of Black Women School Counselors Coping With Student Suicide, Megan Patrice Ray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide represents a major public health and educational concern and presents profound emotional and professional challenges for school counselors. This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of nine certified school counselors of color who had experienced the death of a student by suicide while employed in K–12 educational settings. With this research, I sought to answer the question: What are the lived experiences of school counselors of color who have had a student die by suicide? Guided by Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenological framework, this study employed bracketing to set aside researcher bias and uncover the essence of participants lived experiences …

Staff Education To Improve Quality Of Life For Patients With Dementia, Vanessa Ann Soda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that is incurable and unpredictable. Patients with dementia experience a decline in functional abilities, communication, and social skills. Fifty-five million people worldwide live with dementia with over 6.9 million people over 65 years of age diagnosed in the United States. The practice problem identified by a 25-bed assisted living facility in the north-central United States was staff’s lack of knowledge of dementia diagnosis, person-centered care approaches, and optimal care strategies supporting a positive quality of life for patients with dementia. The practice-focused question addressed whether an education program consisting of evidence-based practices using the …

Perceptions Of Police Executives Of Threat Assessment Practices In Municipal Level Policing, Robin Renee Griffin-Kitzerow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is no single solution to responding to active threats and targeted acts of violence, strategies such as awareness, preparedness through threat assessment practices, and education are the keys to prevention. Threat assessment practices and mandates are widely used in university and K-12 educational environments and have successfully prevented these acts. However, research up until this point seemed to indicate that local municipal police departments were slow to adopt these practices. As a result, communities suffer through targeted acts of violence, senseless tragedies, and untimely deaths of innocent victims. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how …

Performance Evaluations, Teacher Salary, And Teacher Retention In Online Alternative Learning Environments, April Renee' Siddique

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher retention has long been an area of study, as schools struggle with high teacher turnover, adversely affecting students’ quality of education. Researchers have demonstrated that low scores on evaluations and low salary adversely affect general education teacher retention, but there is little literature on how these variables influence teachers in online alternative learning environments (ALEs). The problem addressed in this study was low teacher retention, leading to a shortage of teachers. Guided by Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational, nonexperimental study was to examine the relationship between teacher performance evaluation outcomes, salary, and retention …

Replacement Opening Brief For Plaintiff-Appellant Mona Salcida Murillo, Elise Chigier, Bilal Mubarack, Daniel Siemers, Erin Hunter, Madeline H. Meth

Faculty Scholarship

When Mona Murillo tried to assert her rights to be free from sex discrimination and physical threats from prison officials at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP), those officials conspired to punish her and obstruct her efforts to remedy these harms. Murillo is a transgender woman who, while incarcerated at SVSP, repeatedly complained about unsafe working conditions (created and maintained because of her sex) and sex-based harassment perpetrated by Defendants Lopez, Garcia, Lepe, and Castillo. In return, Murillo was subjected to threats, fabricated disciplinary charges, and deliberate efforts to deny her access to necessary work gear by these same Defendants and …

Personalizing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Regimens For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Using A Biology-Based Digital Twin, Chase Christenson, Chengyue Wu, David A Hormuth, Jingfei Ma, Clinton Yam, Thomas E Yankeelov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite advances triple negative breast cancer treatment, ~50% of patients will not achieve a pathological complete response prior to surgery with standard of care neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). We hypothesize that personalized regimens for NAT could significantly improve patient outcomes, which we address with a patient-specific digital twin framework. This framework is established by calibrating a biology-based model to longitudinal magnetic resonance images with approximate Bayesian computation. We then apply optimal control theory to either (1) reduce the final tumor cell number with equivalent dose, or (2) reduce the total dose of NAT with equivalent response. For (1), the personalized regimens …

Development And Pilot Testing Of An Addiction Clinic-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake And Adherence Intervention For Women With Substance Use Disorders: Protocol For A Pilot Randomized Trial, Kimberly N Evans, Joy M Schmitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Black and Hispanic women in the United States continue to bear disproportionate incidence of HIV related to sexual transmission and injection drug use. Specifically, women with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more likely to engage in vaginal or anal condomless sex associated with HIV transmission. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective HIV prevention tool but is not widely used by racial or ethnic minority women. Effective interventions for engaging women with SUDs in HIV prevention interventions that are culturally appropriate and, therefore, more appealing to racial or ethnic minority women with SUDs are critically needed.

Objective: This 3-phased …

The Rapid Synthesis Of Integral Stimuli, Charlotte E.R. Edmunds, Fraser Milton, Andy J. Wills

School of Psychology

Integral stimuli (e.g., colors varying in saturation and brightness) are classically considered to be processed holistically (i.e., as undifferentiated stimulus wholes); people analyze such stimuli into their consistent dimensions only with substantial time, effort, training, or instruction (Foard & Kemler, 1984). In contrast, Combination Theory (Wills et al., 2015) argues that the dimensions of integral stimuli are quickly combined. Through an investigation of the effects of stimulus presentation time, we support Combination Theory over the classical holistic-to-analytic account. Specifically, using colored squares varying in saturation and brightness, we demonstrate that the prevalence of single-dimension classification increases as stimulus presentation time …

How The Book Of Genesis Addresses The Problem Of Evil From A Biblical Theological Perspective, Fabio Delgado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study focuses on the conventional conception of God, specifically, the question of the problem of evil from a Biblical theological perspective. Theists believe that God is supremely powerful, completely benevolent, and all-knowing. Evil may be found everywhere, as seen in our everyday lives: sickness, natural catastrophes, warfare, a lack of opportunity for advancement, poverty, bigotry, murder, animal abuse, and the list goes on.1 According to conventional beliefs, the problem of evil arises from the apparent contradiction in stating that the Lord, who possesses unlimited power and is kind-hearted, is the origin of all that is good while also acknowledging …

Case Study On Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University Marching Band From 1998-2011, Michael E. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) marching bands have been at the forefront of entertaining crowds at football games for many years, from the innovative techniques in marching and maneuvering to orchestral arrangements of classical to popular music that capture the hearts of all music enthusiasts. The band that exemplifies this is the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) marching band, better known as the incomparable ‘Marching100.’ This world-famous marching band has performed on numerous occasions, such as the Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the President's Inaugural parades. A qualitative research case study will examine the halftime pageantry in the …

Emotional Intelligence And Wisdom In Christian Leadership, Jamar Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study focused on emotional intelligence and wisdom in Christian leaders. This empirical study assessed if leaders who have a high measurement of emotional intelligence are also wise leaders according to the wisdom measurement scale. This correlational research study sought to determine the correlation between wisdom and emotional intelligence and if age was a moderating factor. It was hypothesized that there is a significant relationship between wisdom and emotional intelligence, and age moderates the relationship. Because there is a paucity of information in the literature concerning these attributes and relationships this research study aimed to explore these effects. The …

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Development And The Role Of Resilience In Shaping Adult Life, Rebecca Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study investigated the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on development and examines how resilience shapes adult outcomes. Early life experiences significantly influence an individual's lifelong development, with childhood experiences playing a particularly crucial role. Adverse childhood experiences, which encompass abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, are recognized as a major public health concern due to their association with health disparities and psychosocial issues in various aspects of life, including substance use, relationships, education, and employment. Despite these challenges, some individuals demonstrate remarkable resilience, adapting to new circumstances and maintaining normal functioning in the face of adversity. Themes from …

The Epidemic Of Fatherlessness: Implications For Ethical Development And Mental Health, James Elbert Ellis Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the negative effects of fatherlessness on childhood development and the long-term impact on adult mental health. According to Bhugra, Watson, and Wijesuriya (2021), significant racial demographic differences existed in the prevalence of fatherless households. Harris (2019) noted that mental illness affected individuals across various racial groups, including Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. Research by Bhugra et al. (2021) indicated that children raised in homes without fathers were more likely to experience mental health challenges. This study sought to determine whether a fatherless environment predisposed children to the development of …

Voices Of Change: Narratives Of African Americans And Their Recommendations For Reforming Law Enforcement Practices, Tanisha N. Hines-Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The focus of this study was to explore real-life experiences African Americans have with law enforcement to suggest changes that can be put into action to improve interactions, fairness, and accountability. This study, which makes use of a case study technique, examined perceptions of police interactions and engagement from the viewpoints of community members. The study specifically responded to the following two research questions: 1) What is the narrative of individuals in the African American community regarding law enforcement? 2) What changes do participants suggest are needed to improve interactions and establish a better relationship between the African American community …

Mindful Parenting And Parental Stress Relation In Parents Of Children With Autism, Nika Badiei-Emran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of mindfulness and mindful parenting in reducing the stress and anxiety levels of parents with children who have autism. This study utilized pre- and post-surveys to assess parents' stress and anxiety levels before and after participating in the mindfulness component of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy course. These levels were compared to those of parents involved in an Applied Behavior Analysis program, where a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) conducted parent training at least once a month.

Participants were recruited by posting research flyers on social media platforms, including the Autism Facebook group. Participation …

Social Media, Religion, And Anxiety: Comparison Of Age Groups, Kaye Eileen Redeker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for all age groups. The current research is mixed, showing both positive and negative effects from social media on mental health. This study aimed to examine how the duration of social media use compared with anxiety levels, and if religiosity had any effect on social media use and anxiety. It also wanted to determine if there was a correlation between religiosity and social media use, and how social media use and religiosity predicted anxiety. This study filled a gap in research by extending previous studies beyond adolescents and by including …

The Meaning And Essence Of Rationalizing Workplace Injustice: A Phenomenological Study, Wendy F. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The extant literature on organizational justice (OJ) involves employee perceptions of fairness and justice in workplace decisions, outcomes, procedures, and interpersonal treatment. This research examined the dark side of these justice dimensions, including injustice acts of discrimination, bias, and unfair treatment. Workplace injustice is not an uncommon occurrence; however, a different reality emerges as employees are rationalizing their experiences. In this context rationalization involves individuals creating plausible explanations to justify the injustice, making it more acceptable and the psychological processes individuals employ through rationalizing. This qualitative study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) examining the lived experiences of 12 participants. …

The Lived Experiences Of Neurodivergent Students In A Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program: A Qualitative Study, Tracy Lynn Meyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As postsecondary institutions strive to become more inclusive for students with disabilities, increasing numbers of neurodivergent students are enrolling in higher education. However, retention rates for neurodivergent students remain significantly lower compared to their neurotypical peers. This disparity presents challenges for institutions where there is a lack of awareness of and understanding how to effectively support the needs of neurodivergent students, particularly in clinical mental health counseling programs. This qualitative study analyzed the experiences of neurodivergent students diagnosed with autism, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, or related conditions in a clinical mental health counseling program. Through a Semistructured interview, the study …

Understanding How On-Campus Involvement And Socioeconomic Status Impacts Academic Success: A Causal-Comparative Study, Eric Ryan Rivenbark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine the differences between a college student’s academic success based on campus involvement (low, medium, or high) and a student's socioeconomic status (low, medium, or high). This study employed quantitative causal-comparative methods to explore the impact of student characteristics on college transition and academic success. A successful high school-to-college transition was pivotal for overall achievement and degree pursuit. Focusing on 253 college students, the study examined links between socioeconomic background, on-campus involvement, and academic achievement. Participants completed the Academic Success Inventory for College Students and a survey to determine on-campus involvement. …

Impact Of Gamified Elearning On Learning Outcomes For Municipal Employees Aged 50 And Over In Ontario, Canada: An Experimental Study, Cristin Ann Keller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, experimental, causal-comparative, posttest-only, control-group study is to determine if there is a difference in system enjoyment, effort expectancy, and performance expectancy for male and female employees aged 50 years or older at a corporate municipality in Ontario, Canada who participated in eLearning programs with and without game elements. The sample consisted of 38 male and 64 female employees aged 50 years or older who participated in eLearning and then completed an Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology questionnaire. Data from the questionnaires was analyzed using a two-way multivariate analysis of variance. The …

The Fidelity Of Iep Implementation In The Secondary Choral Classroom, Kristen Ellison Passmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite efforts to support teachers in successfully implementing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in the secondary music classroom, music educators still face challenges in differentiating instruction for each student with an IEP during secondary choral rehearsals. Legally, teachers must follow all accommodations outlined in a student’s IEP, and every student served by an IEP deserves equity in the classroom. This study examines the opinions of secondary choral educators in the State of Georgia regarding IEP implementation. This qualitative phenomenological transcendental study investigates the difficulties associated with implementing IEP goals and explores secondary choral educators’ perceptions of their implementation. Themes such as …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Sub-Sahara African Catholic Priests On Their Transition Through The Covid-19 Global Pandemic In The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Cornelius Kelechi Anyanwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) has disrupted significant aspects of societal life worldwide, forcing individuals, communities, health organizations, educational institutions, consumer industries, and governments all over the world into unprecedented challenges. Likewise, religious organizations like the Catholic Church were not spared. African Catholic priests in the United States provide pastoral ministries in US dioceses and parishes, fulfilling the roles of shepherding their congregations and offering spiritual, moral, social, and emotional support in times of great adversity, such as the COVID-19 global pandemic. This transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to explore how sub-Saharan African Catholic priests …

“To Speak With A Representative, Please Press 3”: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Effects Of Artificial Intelligence On Patient Satisfaction In A Modern Healthcare Contact Center, Dennis Alexander Wulfeck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the advancement of telecommunication and digital technologies over the past few decades, there has been a concomitant fundamental shift in the contact center industry and the role it plays. What was once an internally focused center with a goal of cost-reduction in providing a necessary service has now evolved to become a proactive frontline for anticipating customer needs, promoting quality customer service, as well as playing a larger role in corporate decision-making (Gans et al., 2002). In order to fulfill these complex customer interactions, modern day contact centers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence and large language models to …

Implementation Of Social Support Assessment In Patients Aged 65 And Older With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus To Improve Treatment Adherence In A Primary Care Setting, Angela Allen-Blaine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Background: There is a growing number of adults aged 65 years and older living with type 2 diabetes. Research shows this population is at a higher risk of losing independence due to diabetic complications. Social support is a key component to help assist patients with taking medications properly, preparing diabetic meals and monitoring blood glucose. Adequate social support may improve the quality of health and well-being in older adults. Social support is not routinely assessed in primary care, but it is routinely treated. This evidence-based practice project aimed to educate clinicians about social support assessment and facilitate implementation of a …

A Phenomenological Study: The Role Of The Elementary School Counselor, As Perceived By The Elementary School Teacher, Krista L. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the phenomenological qualitative study is to describe elementary school teachers’ perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of elementary school counselors within the Greenbrier County School District. E. G. Williams’s trait-factor theory is the guiding theory for this study. Three research questions guide this study: How do elementary school teachers perceive the role of school counselors, what roles and responsibilities of elementary school counselors do elementary school teachers feel they utilize most in their school, and what do elementary school teachers perceive to be the needs of their school related to counseling? Eight to fifteen teachers from nine …

Military Children's Lived Experiene: A Continuous Parental Military Deployment, Detria L. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military deployments disrupt the stability of parent-child relationships, especially for adolescents navigating attachment during extended parental separations. This qualitative dissertation study explored the lived experiences of twelve Military Children (MC), ages 14-17, across the three key phases of a continuous six-month to one-year parental deployment: pre-deployment, deployment, and reintegration. This study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to capture MC perspectives on relational dynamics, emotional challenges, and attachment disruptions with both the deployed and non-deployed parents. Participants were recruited via social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), publicly distributed recruitment flyers, and participated in semi-structured interviews conducted through audio-video recorded interviews. …