Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Social Responsibility Strategies To Improve Firm Performance, Dennis Vincent Reade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historical research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its influence on corporate financial and social results arrived at contradictory findings. Although 95% of the world's 250 largest corporations reported investing in CSR activities in 2011, some managers lack strategies to evaluate CSR effectiveness. This multiple case study explored strategies that 6 CSR managers with CSR oversight in privately owned companies in Brazil used to effectively enact CSR. The stakeholder theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through individual interviews and supplemented with company annual reports to explore the strategies managers employed to evaluate CSR effectiveness. Member …

Perspectives Of Secular Counselors Regarding Christian Counseling Forgiveness Therapy, Tezonia Rushan Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Forgiveness is a concept that is strongly rooted in Christianity. Forgiveness therapy was developed with Christian principles and has proven to be successful for Christian counselors. However, forgiveness has not been explored from the perceptions of secular counselors. Specifically, it is not known if secular counselors are using concepts that are similar to Christian forgiveness therapy. Using forgiveness therapy, this qualitative grounded theory study described the experiences, thoughts, and understanding of forgiveness from the views of secular counselors. Research questions addressed if secular mental counselors have a concept similar to forgiveness therapy as defined in the Christian counseling literature. Individual …

Strategies For Reducing Microfinance Loan Default In Low-Income Markets, Patrick Mphaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor loan repayment causes the decline and failure of some microfinance institutions. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that microfinance (MFI) leaders use to reduce loan default in the base of the pyramid market. The study population included 6 MFI leaders, 12 borrower community-based groups, and 4 staff members of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA Rwanda) who reduced MFI loan default in Rwanda. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 3 MFI leaders, 3 ADRA Rwanda staff members, and 3 members of borrower groups. Data were also collected through focus groups with …

Strategies For Preventing And Mitigating The Effects Of Agro-Food Supply Chain Disruptions, Everjoyce Muzvondiwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain disruptions are detrimental to the performance of companies due to the associated loss of profitability and reduced sustainability. In 2016, organizations lost at least $1.2 million in a single supply chain disruption. Guided by the contingency theory of fit, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the strategies agribusiness managers use to prevent and mitigate the effects of disruptions in the agro-food supply chains. A total of 5 purposefully-selected agribusiness managers from Harare, Zimbabwe participated in semistructured interviews. Participants were senior agribusiness managers who implemented successful strategies for preventing and mitigating the effects of …

Saudi Women's Experiences Of Control And Engagement As Employees In Private Universities, Kimberly Dawn Deatherage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Saudi women have higher rates of graduation from college than their male counterparts, but are underrepresented as employees in the private higher education sector. Saudi women working in higher education report a lack of involvement in the planning of their work, challenges in balancing family and career, and low wages. Yet, no research has explored how Saudi women in administrative support staff positions in private universities perceive control and how their perceptions of control affect their engagement in the workplace. Therefore, based on locus of control theory, the 2-process model of perceived control, and compensatory control theory, the purpose of …

Association Between Pediatrician Screening Practices And Age At The Time Of Autism Diagnosis Among Latino Children, Irma S. Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that affects all ethnic groups and is twice as frequent among boys than girls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD. Despite guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and clinical evidence that suggests that ASD can be diagnosed as early as 24 months of age, most diagnoses occur at age 4 or even later, resulting in fewer opportunities for children to receive early ASD treatment and help them reach the best outcome possible. There is limited information about the appropriate …

Hopelessness Depression As A Predictive Risk Factor For Recidivism And Survival Time Among Juvenile Offenders, Todd Milton Mcginnis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, there is a high incidence of recidivism among juvenile offenders with mental health disorders. This is a critical social issue facing the public and the Department of Juvenile Justice Administration today. However, research is not clear on the role of psychological factors in recidivism frequency and survival time. The purpose of this study was to examine whether hopelessness depression, as measured by suicidal-ideation, depression-anxiety, anger-irritation, and alcohol-drug use, and offense type, were predictors of recidivism frequency and survival time when controlling for age, gender, and race. The total sample consisted of archival data from 404 juvenile …

Social Change Initiatives For African-American And Latino Males In Los Angeles County, Kay Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the 21st Century, many Americans continue to fight battles for men of color who are at the forefront of criminal injustice, unemployment, and low matriculation. With great dominion and urgency, our Nation must ensure all men, regardless of the adversity can succeed and build legacies in their families, communities, and the economy. In this action research study, an ecological system theory was used to analyze the stakeholders who have implemented the following public polices under the Obama Administration: 21st Century Policing, My Brother's Keeper, and Race to the Top. This research answers the question how stakeholders are able to …

Internal Controls Possessed By Small Business Owners, Stephanie Weiss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

On average, a small business could lose $150,000 a year due to employee fraud schemes. For most of the small businesses affected by employee fraud schemes, the average $150,000 loss could be detrimental to the small business, causing the business to close. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the internal controls small business owners apply to detect and prevent fraud from occurring in the business. The population for the study consisted of 3 small business owners located in Hartsville, South Carolina who implemented effective internal fraud controls in their business. The conceptual framework guiding the study …

Barriers To Mental Health Treatment Among Chronically Homeless Women: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Rebecca Keeler Spicer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless women demonstrate higher rates of mental illness than homeless men. The combination of complex life circumstances, stigmas related to mental illness, and homelessness may cause homeless women with mental illnesses to face unique barriers that prevent them from accessing necessary mental health services. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to expand the body of literature on homeless women's experiences with the mental health system and to understand the barriers to treatment services. Guided by Young's critical social theory of gender, this study was designed to develop a better understanding of the support that may be in place to …

Trust In Union Leaders And Decline In Union Membership, Seth Ellery Francois

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of 2015, public opinion of the ethical and honesty standards of labor union leaders was low, with 36% of the public reporting a low or very low rating, and only 18% reporting high or very high ratings. Grounded in leadership behavioral theory, the purpose of this correlation study was to examine the relationship between union members' perceptions of union leadership consideration, union members' perceptions of leadership initiation of structure, and union members' perceptions of leadership trust. Forty-four union members completed a brief demographic survey, the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire XII, and the Trust and Employee Satisfaction Survey. The results …

Perceptions Of Ethnic Federalism And The Ethiopian Diaspora Community In The Us, Kassaw Tafere Merie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diaspora communities are becoming an essential part of socioeconomic and political developments of their homeland countries. The problem addressed by this study is that after ethnic federalism was implemented in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian diaspora in the US is divided along ethnic lines, causing human resource management and law enforcement challenges within the communities in the host country. The purpose of this study was to describe the impacts of Ethiopia's ethnic-based federalism on its diaspora residing in a US metropolitan area. The theoretical framework was based on Teshome and ZáhoÅ?ík's theory of ethnic federalism and Safran's theory of diaspora. The key …

The Role Of Project Leadership In Global Multicultural Project Success, Jamal Nassif

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global projects have a high failure rate, with many project failures attributed to lack of effective leadership. A knowledge gap about leadership requirements and complexities in a global project management environment has increased the risks in global projects. The problem is evident in the increasing project failure rate and the struggling national strategies in the oil and gas industry in the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The purpose of this study was to explore the role of leadership in project success and adaptation complexities in GCC. The conceptual framework consisted of complex adaptive systems and contingency theories. A qualitative approach …

Influence Of Media Messages On Obesity And Health Perceptions Among African American Women, Carolyn Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, thus increasing their risks for chronic diseases. Their understanding of their health status and response to it could be triggered by messages in the media, yet few researchers have examined this topic with African American women. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how advertisement and editorial content in media contributed to perceptions African American women have about overweight and obesity. Following the theoretical foundation of the social cognitive theory, the research questions explored what messages study participants encountered and which messages prompted …

Evaluation Of The Brazilian Agrarian Reform Objective: Agricultural Production Yield Change, Tiffany Kwader Harbour

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Brazil has an active agrarian reform policy program, publicly organized by the federal government and publicly administered at the state level by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform. The objective of the agrarian reform policy program is to retitle unproductive and underproductive rural lands to increase agricultural production and land use. Previous agrarian reform researchers have examined quantities of land redistributed, rural technology developments, and the impact of social movements on land redistribution, but a knowledge gap remains regarding the correlation of agricultural production yields in rural municipalities before and after policy program participation. The State of Ceará …

Exploring Leaders' Strategies For Employee Engagement In The South African Mining Industry, Le-Marlie Marais

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests that disengaged employees have contributed to the 28.5% reduction in the mining industry's contribution to South African gross domestic product. Some South African mining leaders lack strategies for engaging employees. Using the employee engagement framework, the purpose of this single case study was to explore successful strategies that South African mining leaders use to engage employees. The target population was mining leaders, purposefully selected because of their success with engaging employees at a typical South African mining company. Data collection was through face-to-face interviews with 4 leaders; a focus group interview with 9 employees; and a review of …

Active Shooter Event Severity, Media Reporting, Offender Age And Location, Philip Joshua Swift

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, it was hypothesized that offenders used knowledge gained from news media reports about previous events to plan mass shootings. Although researchers have studied active shooter events, little research has been conducted on the factors that influence an active shooter's decision and ability to carry out such events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the rate of news media reporting about an active shooter event and the casualty rate of the ensuing event in the United States. The bracketed time of this assessment was between April 20, 1999, and …

Factors Related To Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomology In Adolescent Males, Sylvania Ann Briseno-Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Sylvania Ann Jones

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Anthony Perry, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty

Dr. Stephen Burgess, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty

Dr. James Carroll, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty

Chief Academic Officer

Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University

2017

Factors Related to Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomology in Adolescent Males

by

Sylvania Ann Jones

BS, Wayland Baptist University 1999

MA, Wayland Baptist University 2009 …

Transformative Leadership And Its Development In Public Service Reform In Kenya, Gerald Paul Regier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership on the African continent has been a focus of scholars as African nations have incredible human and natural resources but seem to be bereft of the leaders necessary to capitalize on its opportunities. Researchers acknowledge that the barrier to progress in the developing world is not the deficiency of money or natural resources, but suggested it to be the lack of leadership. Researchers have demonstrated reasons for this deficiency including the effects of the colonial system upon people and civil service systems, but have yet been able to establish a promising path to economic and social progress. Leaders in …

Filipino Americans' Perspectives On Caregiving, Maribel Lapuos Dominguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With increased life expectancy, more individuals will need to rely on caregivers and/or caregiving services. Filipino Americans are reluctant to depend on outside help when it comes to caring for their family members. There was a gap in the literature concerning the specific impact of the caregiving role on Filipino Americans and how cultural values affect the care provided to their family members. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain understanding of how Filipino cultural values and life roles affected Filipino Americans' experiences of caregiving. The conceptual framework included the sociocultural stress and coping model. The central research …

Social Network And Health Seeking Behavior Of Men Of West African Descent, Opeyemi Odewale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Men are less likely than women to seek help from health services providers regarding the health issues they face. In the United States, of the various race/ethnicity populations, Black American men are least likely to seek health related help, which is reflected in the substantially higher mortality and morbidity rates in Black American men compared to other populations. Guided by the social epidemiological framework, this study examined the relationship between social network measure and health help-seeking behavior among foreign-born and U.S.-born Black American men of West African descent residing in the state of Rhode Island. A cross-sectional study design with …

The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Leadership Style, Kim Renee Haney-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported workforce disparities in the representation of minority ethnic groups in leadership positions for more than 5 decades. In 2011, Executive Order 13583 initiated the Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, directing federal agencies to recruit a diverse workforce, cultivate inclusion across occupations, and develop strategies to enable leading a diverse workforce. This plan is important considering other research studies show various approaches to understanding leadership behaviors; however, empirical studies have yet to explore if there is a relationship between ethnic identity and leadership style to inform diversity and inclusion efforts. The …

Religious Beliefs And Counseling Ethical Guidelines: Challenges For Catholic Counselors, Theophilus T. Okpara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Catholic Church tenets are in dissonance with American Counseling Association (ACA) ethical guidelines regarding same-sex sexual orientation. While homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual II as a disorder, the Catholic Church upholds same-sex sexual acts as grave depravity and disordered. Catholic counselors may face the dilemma of adhering to their religious tenets or their professional guidelines in working with gay men and lesbian women clients. Previous research has indicated that values conflicts between religious beliefs and ACA Ethical Codes on same-sex sexual orientation have resulted in legal issues due to counselors refusing therapeutic relationships or providing …

Spiritual Well-Being, Intelligence, And Job Satisfaction Among U.S. Federal Employees, Jesse Earl Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Until a slight 1% increase in FY2015, job satisfaction within the United States federal government had decreased between 2010 and 2014. However, even with the slight increase, the job satisfaction level was low which presents a cause for concern for federal government agencies. A growing body of research has indicated that employees are looking for ways to express their spiritual essence in the workplace. Research in this area has suggested that when organizations allow their employees to exercise their spiritual essence in the workplace it not only increases job satisfaction for the employee but also increases job performance. This study …

Keeping The Children: Nonviolent Women Offenders In Two Michigan Residential Programs, Denise Smith Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventy-five percent of women offenders confined to prison, jails, or residential treatment programs are custodial parents of minor children at the time of their separation. Little is known, though, about how prosocial networks are used to address the effects of separation from children. Using Bui and Morash's conceptualization of the theory of gendered pathways, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand, from the perspective of incarcerated women, the experience of using prosocial networks to cope with the effects of separation. Data were collected through interviews with 10 mothers from 2 residential treatment programs in Michigan. Interview data …

African American Male Police Officers' Perceptions Of Being Racially Profiled By Fellow Police Officers, Michael Armstrong Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American police officers, as other African Americans, report being subjected to racial profiling by police officers, and that these encounters have, in some cases, resulted in excessive and unjustified use of force. These types of occurrences have resulted in a divide between African American and Caucasian police officers. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of African American male police officers in the State of New Jersey who feel they have been discriminated against by fellow law enforcement officers. Weber's social relationship theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. Data …

The Impact Of Education And Gender On The Facilitation Of The Duluth Model Anger Management Course, Charlise Gloria Hogue-Vincent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence, specifically intimate partner violence (IPV), is a major social problem in the United States despite legislative efforts aimed at reducing it. The Duluth model, which is the preeminent domestic violence intervention model used in the United States, is a male-only group intervention based on feministic views that domestic violence stems from men's behaviors to assert power and control in relationships. While the model is widely emulated, its policies and practices are under scrutiny from researchers who question the program efficiency, pointing to high recidivism rates. Guided by feminist theory, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to …

The Impact Of Parental Divorce On Orthodox Jewish Marital Relationships, Eliyahu Melen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is ample research showing that adult children of divorced parents have more positive attitudes toward divorce and lower marital commitment, there has been no such research focused specifically on the Orthodox Jewish (OJ) population, which tends to view divorce more negatively. Prior to this study, it was thus unclear if the findings of existing research on marital competence applied to OJ children of divorce. Driven by social exchange theory, this study was designed to discover (a) whether OJ adult children of divorce differ significantly from OJ adult children of intact marriages in their marital commitment and marital satisfaction; …

The Role Of Prenatal Care And Systematic Hiv Testing In Preventing Perinatal Transmission In Tanzania, 2011-2012, Nkembi Lydie Bianda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, Tanzania, the prevalence of HIV infection among Tanzanian women was 6.3%; that same year, 18% of Tanzanian children were born already infected with HIV. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of prenatal care attendance on comprehensive knowledge of HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), and HIV testing and counseling, as well as awareness of HIV testing coverage services, in Tanzania. The study population was Tanzanian women of childbearing, aged 15 to 49 years old. Guided by the health belief model, this cross-sectional survey design used secondary data from the 2011-2012 Tanzania Demographic Health Survey. Independent variables …

Experiences Of Middle-Aged, African American Women With Excessive Weight, Tina Ann Mcclaire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity and overweight issues are nationally recognized crises for African American women. A noteworthy gap remains in the literature regarding this population's experiences with excessive weight, specifically, the role of culture and social support networks on their experience with being overweight. Without an understanding of the experience and meaning of being overweight for African American women, physicians and clinicians will not be able to fully support African American women in their weight loss journeys. Using the social learning theory as a framework, the purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore experiences of obese or overweight middle-aged African American …