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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Full-Text Articles in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Perceived Bias And Barriers Among Black Women In Professional Leadership, Rochelle Wilhelmina Gilbert Apr 2026

Perceived Bias And Barriers Among Black Women In Professional Leadership, Rochelle Wilhelmina Gilbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women have long contributed to leadership in academia, government, and the nonprofit sector, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles in higher education. When Black women are missing from leadership, institutions lose out on talent, students lose out on representation, and society loses out on the full range of perspectives needed to solve complex problems. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought, this general qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of bias and barriers among Black women serving in leadership roles at the dean level and above in higher education. Data were collected through structured interviews with seven …


A Comprehensive Framework To Enhance Holistic Care For Postpartum Single Mothers, Stephanie Dumas Nov 2025

A Comprehensive Framework To Enhance Holistic Care For Postpartum Single Mothers, Stephanie Dumas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Postpartum depression remains a significant challenge for single mothers who face emotional, financial, and social barriers with limited support. In Palm Beach County, Florida, where many households are led by single parents, existing services are often uncoordinated and lack trauma-informed approaches that address the realities of mothers during the postpartum period. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore the perceptions of human services professionals regarding the trauma-informed and holistic care interventions needed to support single mothers experiencing postpartum depression. The Garbhasanskar holistic care framework, which emphasizes emotional well-being, mindfulness, and the creation of safe and …


Minority Female Political Representation In Westchester County Politics: A View From Minority Female Elected Office Holders, Dwanita Michelle Crosby Aug 2025

Minority Female Political Representation In Westchester County Politics: A View From Minority Female Elected Office Holders, Dwanita Michelle Crosby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women have historically been underrepresented in political leadership, a disparity largely attributed to the persistent absence of structured support systems—particularly mentorship—that promote advancement across federal, state, and local levels. Existing literature highlights gender and racial disparities in political trajectories but often overlooked the specific role of mentorship in shaping leadership outcomes for African American women at the municipal level. This gap was particularly critical given the increasing civic engagement and influence of African American women in local governance. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine how mentorship shaped the political journeys of African American women …


Effective Strategies For Empowering Women In Aerospace: Shaping The Future Of Leadership, Mariel R. Forster Jun 2025

Effective Strategies For Empowering Women In Aerospace: Shaping The Future Of Leadership, Mariel R. Forster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some aerospace leaders face challenges in implementing effective strategies to advance women in leadership roles in the industry. Executive leaders are concerned with the lack of strategies to retain women, which contributes to their underrepresentation in aerospace leadership. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies aerospace leaders use to advance women in aerospace leadership. The participants were seven aerospace leaders from the Southeastern United States who had implemented successful retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of public documents. Through thematic analysis eight themes were identified: …


Preventing Female Inmates’ High Recidivism In One Parole Reentry Program, Erika Galarza May 2025

Preventing Female Inmates’ High Recidivism In One Parole Reentry Program, Erika Galarza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism among formerly incarcerated women is a challenging issue for one state prison system. Effective and fully enrolled programs to support recently released women are essential to stopping recidivism, as women often face problems such as trauma, abuse, or mental health disorders, all of which may require special care. The purpose of this study was to determine the primary outcomes of the One Parole Reentry Program’s (OPRP) effectiveness in preventing female recidivism at prison facilities and what improvements may enhance future outcomes. The state’s parole program curriculum assessment guidelines and their rehabilitation model were used as the framework to assess …


Domestic Violence: Lived Experiences Of Female Counselors, Franchesca Angelique Ortiz May 2024

Domestic Violence: Lived Experiences Of Female Counselors, Franchesca Angelique Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research study involved exploring how effective heterosexual female counselors who have survived domestic violence (DV) are at counseling female clients experiencing DV. The goal was to gather rich firsthand data regarding lived experiences of female counselors. This study involved using in-depth semi-structured synchronous interviews with six counselors, listening to lived experiences, reading transcriptions, taking and reading notes in a journal during and after interviews, and analyzing data. Findings revealed female counselors who are survivors of DV are effective in their counseling roles within the profession. Themes that emerged from findings were intergenerational cycles, power and control, …


Experiences Of Female African American Educators When Seeking Leadership Positions, Shawania Marshall Feb 2024

Experiences Of Female African American Educators When Seeking Leadership Positions, Shawania Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disproportionality and lack of representation of African American females in educational leadership roles constitute a significant issue. The present study focused on exploring the experiences of female African American educators when seeking leadership positions in elementary and secondary education. The purpose of this study was to bring more awareness to this issue. Providing insight into the lived experiences of eight female African American educational leaders may create more equitable hiring policies and practices. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Intersectionality served as the theoretical frameworks. The research questions addressed (a) how elementary and secondary female African American educators described their experiences …


The Experience Of The Stigma Of Divorce For Christian Women In Violent Marriages, Sonya L. Cowart Jan 2024

The Experience Of The Stigma Of Divorce For Christian Women In Violent Marriages, Sonya L. Cowart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.


Comparing Motivation And Ambition Between Adolescent Mothers And Child-Free Women, Deirdre Lynn Jones Lowman Jan 2023

Comparing Motivation And Ambition Between Adolescent Mothers And Child-Free Women, Deirdre Lynn Jones Lowman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent studies have concluded that adolescent pregnancy and subsequent motherhood can contribute to mental health stressors, acting as potential barriers to ambition and motivation. Researchers have explored motivation and ambition; however, there is little or no research comparing motivation and ambition between adolescent mothers and child-free women. The purpose of this casual-comparative study was to compare motivation levels and ambition values between adolescent mothers, age 18-24, and women of the same age range who are child-free. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory as the theoretical lens, and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and Aspirations Index, were used as data collection instruments. Recruitment …


High School Teachers’ Perspectives On Formative Assessment In The Virtual Learning Environment, Tiffany Mcbean Jan 2023

High School Teachers’ Perspectives On Formative Assessment In The Virtual Learning Environment, Tiffany Mcbean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formative assessment in the virtual learning environment is a beneficial complement to teacher pedagogy and student learning. But there is little research on high school teachers’ perspectives on the use of formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to address this research gap. The conceptual framework was Black and Wiliam’s theory of formative assessment. Two research questions guided the study. The first addressed high school teachers’ perspectives on formative assessments in the virtual learning environment. The second addressed how teachers used formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. Semistructured interviews were conducted …


Gender-Based Pay Inequality In The Canadian Insurance Companies, Mostafa Shayangogani Jan 2023

Gender-Based Pay Inequality In The Canadian Insurance Companies, Mostafa Shayangogani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem in this study was gender-based pay inequality among women at Canadian insurance companies. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand gender-based pay inequality for women at Canadian insurance companies. Aigner's, Cain's, Arrow's, and Phelps' statistical discrimination theory guided the study. The theoretical foundation also included the human capital theory by Becker and Schultz. The research questions focused on understanding C-suite and V-level executives’ lived experiences of gender-based pay inequality and identifying effective strategies that should be adopted to overcome the problem at Canadian insurance companies. This study used purposeful sampling to recruit 15 C-suite and …


Perceptions Of Female Naval Officers On Combat Role Policy And Career Advancement, Cheryl Dudley Jan 2023

Perceptions Of Female Naval Officers On Combat Role Policy And Career Advancement, Cheryl Dudley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women were officially allowed to serve in combat positions when the 1993 Combat Exclusion Policy was lifted in 2013. There was little research to date on how these changes may have influenced the recruitment, retention, and promotion of female naval officers. The purpose of this study was to explore female naval officers' perceptions on how lifting the combat exclusion policy impacted the factors of recruitment, retention, and promotion within the military. A generic qualitative study supported exploring perceptions of female naval officers who experienced combat duty regarding these issues. Using feminist security studies as the conceptual framework, this study focused …


Kudumbashree Mission’S Community-Based Enterprise Strategies For Increasing Female Labor Force Participation, Deepak Chandran Chandran Jan 2023

Kudumbashree Mission’S Community-Based Enterprise Strategies For Increasing Female Labor Force Participation, Deepak Chandran Chandran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Various facets of gender inequality continue to deter women from participating in the formal economy. Deployment of a significant level of capital from global sources and attention from the global academic community have not succeeded in addressing the persistence of economic marginalization of women. This study's purpose was to identify appropriate community-based enterprise (CBE) strategies for empowering women to overcome barriers and enter the labor force. The research questions addressed the study purpose and how the social capital and collective experiences of the community influenced the success of CBE strategies. Based on the CBE conceptual framework, this qualitative descriptive case …


Retention Rate Factors Of Junior Enlisted Females In The U.S Marine Corps, Iris I. Esquilin Jan 2023

Retention Rate Factors Of Junior Enlisted Females In The U.S Marine Corps, Iris I. Esquilin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The modern United States Armed Forces is the largest and most powerful military force the world has ever experienced, and the U.S. Marine Corps represents the most elite members thereof, claiming the iconic tagline “The Few, The Proud.” However, while the Marine Corps expends considerable effort in recruiting excellent personnel, the branch also faces a high turnover rate, with 75.0% of first-year enlistees choosing not to continue their service for a subsequent term. This retention problem is especially pronounced with respect to female Marines, who only make up 8.0% of the Marine force, the lowest of any U.S. military branch. …


Career Progression: Narrative Study Of Impediments Affecting Army Female Officer Advancement From Major To Lieutenant Colonel, Jeremia M. Van Jan 2023

Career Progression: Narrative Study Of Impediments Affecting Army Female Officer Advancement From Major To Lieutenant Colonel, Jeremia M. Van

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractQualitative narrative inquiry was used to understand the accounts and experiences of female officers in the United States Army that were once stationed in South Korea, who did not advance to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In today’s military, female officers still face many challenges during their advancement from Major to Lieutenant Colonel, relative to their male counterparts. The specific problem is the underrepresentation of female majors in the Army who compete for promotion to the lieutenant colonel rank. The researcher explored the experiences of 14 female Army officers that served in South Korea and sought out promotions from the …


Mental Health Utilization Among Former Pregnant And Parenting Teen Mothers, Chana Danielle Campbell Jan 2023

Mental Health Utilization Among Former Pregnant And Parenting Teen Mothers, Chana Danielle Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen pregnancy and parenting at an early age can create numerous emotional stressors. Despite the documented need for mental health services among pregnant and parenting mothers, utilization rates of mental health services remain low. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of pregnant and parenting mothers who utilized mental health services. Bandura’s social learning theory was used to explore how the experiences, perceptions, learned behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs surrounding mental health services impacted teen mothers’ experiences with mental health utilization. One-on-one interviews were conducted with eight teen mothers or other young mothers who had given …


Career Progression: Narrative Study Of Impediments Affecting Army Female Officer Advancement From Major To Lieutenant Colonel, Jeremia M. Van Jan 2023

Career Progression: Narrative Study Of Impediments Affecting Army Female Officer Advancement From Major To Lieutenant Colonel, Jeremia M. Van

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractQualitative narrative inquiry was used to understand the accounts and experiences of female officers in the United States Army that were once stationed in South Korea, who did not advance to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In today’s military, female officers still face many challenges during their advancement from Major to Lieutenant Colonel, relative to their male counterparts. The specific problem is the underrepresentation of female majors in the Army who compete for promotion to the lieutenant colonel rank. The researcher explored the experiences of 14 female Army officers that served in South Korea and sought out promotions from the …


Role Strain And The Mental Health Of College-Educated African American Women, Andrea Alston-Brundage Jan 2023

Role Strain And The Mental Health Of College-Educated African American Women, Andrea Alston-Brundage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWomen occupy many roles today, including wife, partner, parent, student, employee, and caregiver. This study addressed the effects of multiple roles on degreed African American women. The specific purpose was to assess the relationships between the marital and parental roles and employment status of college-educated African American women and assess mental health impacts as a result of role strain. The theoretical foundation for the study was Goode's role strain theory. The Working Women’s Role Strain Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and General Anxiety Disorder-7 were administered to 82 women participants between the ages of 22 and 61 who were involved in …


High School Teachers’ Perspectives On Formative Assessment In The Virtual Learning Environment, Tiffany Mcbean Jan 2023

High School Teachers’ Perspectives On Formative Assessment In The Virtual Learning Environment, Tiffany Mcbean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formative assessment in the virtual learning environment is a beneficial complement to teacher pedagogy and student learning. But there is little research on high school teachers’ perspectives on the use of formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to address this research gap. The conceptual framework was Black and Wiliam’s theory of formative assessment. Two research questions guided the study. The first addressed high school teachers’ perspectives on formative assessments in the virtual learning environment. The second addressed how teachers used formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. Semistructured interviews were conducted …


Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs’ Narratives On Collective Action For Economic Empowerment And Gender Parity, Elizabeth Oyanu Ujah Jan 2023

Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs’ Narratives On Collective Action For Economic Empowerment And Gender Parity, Elizabeth Oyanu Ujah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While entrepreneurship has offered some potential for empowering subordinated women in urban areas of Nigeria, a literature gap exists on urban Nigerian women entrepreneurs' narratives to understand better how their collective action may further support economic empowerment and gender parity. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative inquiry study was to understand how women entrepreneurs in urban Nigeria view their work to gain economic empowerment and gender parity through collective action. The narrative inquiry method was used to address the problem and answer the research question using interview data from 10 urban female Nigerian entrepreneurs. This study was framed by two …


Assessing The Impact Of Domestic Violence Upon The Lives Of African American Women, Meleh Duarto Jan 2023

Assessing The Impact Of Domestic Violence Upon The Lives Of African American Women, Meleh Duarto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence is a public health problem in the United States. It can be associated with physical, mental, emotional, and psychological problems for the victims. African American (AA) women experience this type of violence more than any other ethnicity or race. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to identify and report AA women’s lived experiences of domestic violence. Even though research devoted to understanding domestic/intimate partner violence’s consequences is limited, this problem has devastating consequences for AA women. This problem needs immediate attention. Likewise, there is limited empirical research done on the topic: Why do African Americans experience …


Organizational Leadership Culture And Gender Inequality In The C-Suite, Rocelia Hornbuckle Jan 2023

Organizational Leadership Culture And Gender Inequality In The C-Suite, Rocelia Hornbuckle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women in the automotive industry often struggle to advance into top leadership positions. More specifically, culture and gender inequality affect senior-level and higher women leaders trying to achieve a position in the C-Suite in automotive manufacturing organizations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of senior-level and higher women seeking a C-Suite position. The research questions addressed the lived experiences of women who strive to be promoted to C-Suites positions. Three sub-questions were used to evaluate participants' perceptions, leveraging them to increase awareness of the cultural and gender inequality affecting the representation of women …


Gender Dynamics In The Management Care Of Internally Displaced Persons: The Boko Haram Insurgency, Evelyn Kikelomo Ikuenobe Otaigbe Jan 2023

Gender Dynamics In The Management Care Of Internally Displaced Persons: The Boko Haram Insurgency, Evelyn Kikelomo Ikuenobe Otaigbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Boko Haram asymmetric insurgency and warfare have decimated the Northeastern region of Nigeria and its neighboring environs of Chad, Niger, and Benin. The purpose of this study was to explore the peculiar socioethnic and cultural challenges encountered by female victims of Boko Haram terrorism at internally displaced persons camps in Abuja, Nigeria, including challenges in functioning, relocating, and acclimating back into society. A phenomenological approach was applied to understand participants’ lived experiences. Data collection occurred through interviews and observation. Data analysis involved the synthesis of narratives, and generation of themes. Among the emergent themes were poor feeding; lack of …


Sexual Violence And University Campus Response To Sexual Violence, Jennifer Bivins Jan 2023

Sexual Violence And University Campus Response To Sexual Violence, Jennifer Bivins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While anyone can be a victim of sexual violence, college-aged females between the ages of 18 and 21 are more likely to be victimized than any other group. Sexual violence continues to be a barrier to education, and colleges/universities make it challenging for students to report on campus. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors, intervention/prevention strategies, and policies/procedures used to address sexual violence on a university campus. The framework used was the ecological model, which focuses on factors and influences within the environment that affected individual behavior. The research questions focused on participants describing their experiences …


Retention Rate Factors Of Junior Enlisted Females In The U.S Marine Corps, Iris I. Esquilin Jan 2023

Retention Rate Factors Of Junior Enlisted Females In The U.S Marine Corps, Iris I. Esquilin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The modern United States Armed Forces is the largest and most powerful military force the world has ever experienced, and the U.S. Marine Corps represents the most elite members thereof, claiming the iconic tagline “The Few, The Proud.” However, while the Marine Corps expends considerable effort in recruiting excellent personnel, the branch also faces a high turnover rate, with 75.0% of first-year enlistees choosing not to continue their service for a subsequent term. This retention problem is especially pronounced with respect to female Marines, who only make up 8.0% of the Marine force, the lowest of any U.S. military branch. …


Parenting Skills Of African American Young Mothers Who Transitioned From Foster Care, Tamesha Yvonne Townsend-Simmons Jan 2023

Parenting Skills Of African American Young Mothers Who Transitioned From Foster Care, Tamesha Yvonne Townsend-Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research indicated there is an ongoing social issue in the United States for young single mothers with foster care experiences and their children. This group of women face poor economic and parenting outcomes without assistance from government resources in the form of effective parenting programs. Yet programming lags and there are ongoing assumptions about young mothers' in foster care parenting skills and abilities. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to better understand the development of parenting skills among a selected group of African American adult young mothers who transitioned from foster care to independence and motherhood between …


Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs’ Narratives On Collective Action For Economic Empowerment And Gender Parity, Elizabeth Oyanu Ujah Jan 2023

Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs’ Narratives On Collective Action For Economic Empowerment And Gender Parity, Elizabeth Oyanu Ujah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While entrepreneurship has offered some potential for empowering subordinated women in urban areas of Nigeria, a literature gap exists on urban Nigerian women entrepreneurs' narratives to understand better how their collective action may further support economic empowerment and gender parity. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative inquiry study was to understand how women entrepreneurs in urban Nigeria view their work to gain economic empowerment and gender parity through collective action. The narrative inquiry method was used to address the problem and answer the research question using interview data from 10 urban female Nigerian entrepreneurs. This study was framed by two …


Perceived Barriers To Cervical Cancer Screening Among Hispanic Women, Damaris Perez Jan 2023

Perceived Barriers To Cervical Cancer Screening Among Hispanic Women, Damaris Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanic women are among the ethnic groups with higher cervical cancer rates in the United States. This mixed-method study was conducted to explore perceived barriers and self-efficacy-related factors to cervical cancer screening in foreign-born Hispanic women in Florida. The theory of planned behavior was applied to determine if behavioral intentions influence access to cervical cancer screening. The inclusion criteria included Hispanic women 18 years old and older without a hysterectomy history. Quantitative data were collected through a self-administered survey. A total of 84 individuals completed the survey. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if sociodemographic factors are …


Mental Health Utilization Among Former Pregnant And Parenting Teen Mothers, Chana Danielle Campbell Jan 2023

Mental Health Utilization Among Former Pregnant And Parenting Teen Mothers, Chana Danielle Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen pregnancy and parenting at an early age can create numerous emotional stressors. Despite the documented need for mental health services among pregnant and parenting mothers, utilization rates of mental health services remain low. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of pregnant and parenting mothers who utilized mental health services. Bandura’s social learning theory was used to explore how the experiences, perceptions, learned behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs surrounding mental health services impacted teen mothers’ experiences with mental health utilization. One-on-one interviews were conducted with eight teen mothers or other young mothers who had given …


Perceptions Of Female Naval Officers On Combat Role Policy And Career Advancement, Cheryl Dudley Jan 2023

Perceptions Of Female Naval Officers On Combat Role Policy And Career Advancement, Cheryl Dudley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women were officially allowed to serve in combat positions when the 1993 Combat Exclusion Policy was lifted in 2013. There was little research to date on how these changes may have influenced the recruitment, retention, and promotion of female naval officers. The purpose of this study was to explore female naval officers' perceptions on how lifting the combat exclusion policy impacted the factors of recruitment, retention, and promotion within the military. A generic qualitative study supported exploring perceptions of female naval officers who experienced combat duty regarding these issues. Using feminist security studies as the conceptual framework, this study focused …