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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Impact Of Human Attachment To A Pet Bird On Psychological Well-Being, Kathryn Marie Trautann Jan 2024

The Impact Of Human Attachment To A Pet Bird On Psychological Well-Being, Kathryn Marie Trautann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few studies have addressed human attachment to a pet bird and psychological well-being, and the research that has been conducted is largely anecdotal and anthropomorphic perspectives on human relationships with birds. In this quantitative study, the relationships between humans and their birds were explored using Bowlby's attachment theory and Fredrickson and Losada's broaden and build theory. The study consisted of a randomized experiment, in which individuals were randomly assigned to either an attachment (n = 81) or detachment (n = 88) group. The security priming manipulation was used to prime the groups. The attachment group was asked to list things …


Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Stratified By Age In Primary Care, Robin E. Mccoy Jan 2023

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Stratified By Age In Primary Care, Robin E. Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known as to the age-related presentation of somatic complaints of those diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in primary care settings. A retrospective medical records review sought to identify the affective symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by age as recorded by primary care providers and to test the association of these symptoms by age. Guided by Engle’s (1977) biopsychosocial (BPS) model, a large administrative claim database system was used to derive a sample of 1,336, including 500 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder between 2018 to 2021. Binary logistics regression, one-way ANOVA, chi-square, correlation, and logistical regression with …


Challenges In Discharge Planning For Adults Transitioning From An Inpatient Psychiatric Level Of Care Experiencing Homelessness, Deanna` R. Mccaskill Jan 2023

Challenges In Discharge Planning For Adults Transitioning From An Inpatient Psychiatric Level Of Care Experiencing Homelessness, Deanna` R. Mccaskill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness and the homeless population are a growing concern in the United States. Homeless individuals utilize emergency rooms and acute inpatient stays more than those with housing. Social workers play a vital role in discharge planning, starting on the first day of admission. This action research study explored the challenges of social workers developing discharge plans for adults transitioning from an inpatient psychiatric level of care experiencing homeless. The theoretical framework implemented in this study was systems theory. Data were collected from 12 purposively selected master’s level social workers in the format of individual and focus group interviews. Eight …


Moral Injury Themes Involving Criminal Recklessness Among Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder, Sandra Starch Jan 2023

Moral Injury Themes Involving Criminal Recklessness Among Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder, Sandra Starch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Moral injury (MI) can emerge following transgressive acts against one’s deeply held moral beliefs. Its symptomology involves individual psychological, spiritual, behavioral, and social spheres. It has primarily been studied within the military and in a few select civilian populations. This descriptive phenomenological study involved exploring MI themes among adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who had engaged in criminally reckless acts. Data collected from semi-structured interviews with eight participants were coded and analyzed, leading to six major themes revealing the symptomology of MI. Responses from study participants supported Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance via their descriptions of alcohol abuse cycles …


Parents’ Perceptions Of The Traits, Characteristics, And Circumstances Of Modern-Day Mass Shooters, Matt Talbot Jan 2023

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Traits, Characteristics, And Circumstances Of Modern-Day Mass Shooters, Matt Talbot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little research on parents’ perceptions about the traits, characteristics, and circumstances ascribed to mass shooters and the sources of information shaping these perceptions. Understanding parents’ beliefs about mass shooters and mass shootings can serve to inform approaches to training and education and recommendations for media reporting on such events. Evidence-based knowledge helps parents become more equipped to serve as early interventionists for those who may be moving along a pathway of violence. Application of Gerbner’s cultivation theory frames the process by which media sources shape perceptions. In this phenomenological qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with 19 …


Social Worker Perspectives Of Working With Aging African Americans With Depressive Disorders, Sherian Waite Jan 2023

Social Worker Perspectives Of Working With Aging African Americans With Depressive Disorders, Sherian Waite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there is a greater proportion of people living with depressive disorders within the African American older adult population compared to their White counterparts, fewer African Americans are engaging in mental health treatment when compared to the Caucasian community. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and practices of social workers who are providing mental health care treatment to African American older adult patients (aged 65 and over) living with a depressive disorder. The study was framed using both the health belief model and critical race theory. To address the research questions, a generic qualitative design …


Occupational Burnout Factors Among Correctional Mental Health Providers, Morgan Gruhot Jan 2023

Occupational Burnout Factors Among Correctional Mental Health Providers, Morgan Gruhot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout rates of correctional employees are higher than employees in the general public. The purpose of this study was to identify how occupational factors impact burnout rates among correctional mental health workers. Grounded in the job-demands theoretical model, this study compared burnout rates among mental health staff within county jails and state prisons. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Occupational factors were measured using the Areas of Work life Survey and Pandemic Experience and Perception Survey. Data was analyzed using IBM SSPS software to address multiple a priori directional research questions. Research questions considered how occupational factors …


Influence Of Staffing Shortages On Safety And Communication In Behavioral Health, Raven Brittany Robinson Jan 2023

Influence Of Staffing Shortages On Safety And Communication In Behavioral Health, Raven Brittany Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the selected behavioral health organization (BHO), leaders desire to improve patient safety and staff communication to provide quality mental health services. They need strategies to achieve these goals. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to identify the workforce challenges and practices that facility leaders can potentially use to improve performance to help achieve success, sustainability, and the mission of the BHO. The data sources consisted of (a) semistructured interviews with the CEO, the leader of the intake department, an intake therapist, an intake coordinator, and an RN and (b) reviews of the BHO’s website, and pertinent academic literature. Data …


Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …


Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …


African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements Jan 2023

African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness disorders within the United States are on the rise. Researchers have indicated that African Americans are less likely to seek mental health compared to European Americans. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how social support networks influence African American women between the ages of 25 and 50 in addressing the strong Black woman (SBW) schema and depression. A conceptual framework consisting of the SBW collective theory guided the study. A purposive sample of 16 African American women who use social support networks to address the SBW schema and depression was obtained through flyers posted …


Experience Of Established Mental Health Counselors Working With Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities, Margarete Denk Jan 2023

Experience Of Established Mental Health Counselors Working With Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities, Margarete Denk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with disabilities make up the largest minority population in the United States. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) make up a significant portion of this population, yet there are limited studies addressing counseling with the I/DD population. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs has addressed the need for disability competence in their upcoming 2024 standards. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to describe lived experiences of established counselors working with adult clients diagnosed with an I/DD. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used along with the social model of disability. The study involved six …


Effect Of Family Engagement On The Behavioral Health Of Mentally Ill Offenders, Jessica Rae Horn Jan 2023

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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


Behavioral Health Leadership Strategies To Increase Telehealth Engagement, Ramona Singletary-Robertson Jan 2023

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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


Parents’ Perceptions Of The Traits, Characteristics, And Circumstances Of Modern-Day Mass Shooters, Matt Talbot Jan 2023

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Traits, Characteristics, And Circumstances Of Modern-Day Mass Shooters, Matt Talbot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little research on parents’ perceptions about the traits, characteristics, and circumstances ascribed to mass shooters and the sources of information shaping these perceptions. Understanding parents’ beliefs about mass shooters and mass shootings can serve to inform approaches to training and education and recommendations for media reporting on such events. Evidence-based knowledge helps parents become more equipped to serve as early interventionists for those who may be moving along a pathway of violence. Application of Gerbner’s cultivation theory frames the process by which media sources shape perceptions. In this phenomenological qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with 19 …


Experience Of Established Mental Health Counselors Working With Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities, Margarete Denk Jan 2023

Experience Of Established Mental Health Counselors Working With Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities, Margarete Denk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with disabilities make up the largest minority population in the United States. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) make up a significant portion of this population, yet there are limited studies addressing counseling with the I/DD population. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs has addressed the need for disability competence in their upcoming 2024 standards. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to describe lived experiences of established counselors working with adult clients diagnosed with an I/DD. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used along with the social model of disability. The study involved six …


Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Stratified By Age In Primary Care, Robin E. Mccoy Jan 2023

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Stratified By Age In Primary Care, Robin E. Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known as to the age-related presentation of somatic complaints of those diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in primary care settings. A retrospective medical records review sought to identify the affective symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by age as recorded by primary care providers and to test the association of these symptoms by age. Guided by Engle’s (1977) biopsychosocial (BPS) model, a large administrative claim database system was used to derive a sample of 1,336, including 500 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder between 2018 to 2021. Binary logistics regression, one-way ANOVA, chi-square, correlation, and logistical regression with …


Moral Injury Themes Involving Criminal Recklessness Among Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder, Sandra Starch Jan 2023

Moral Injury Themes Involving Criminal Recklessness Among Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder, Sandra Starch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Moral injury (MI) can emerge following transgressive acts against one’s deeply held moral beliefs. Its symptomology involves individual psychological, spiritual, behavioral, and social spheres. It has primarily been studied within the military and in a few select civilian populations. This descriptive phenomenological study involved exploring MI themes among adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who had engaged in criminally reckless acts. Data collected from semi-structured interviews with eight participants were coded and analyzed, leading to six major themes revealing the symptomology of MI. Responses from study participants supported Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance via their descriptions of alcohol abuse cycles …


The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin Jan 2023

The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTraditional psychotherapeutic approaches are not always effective in alleviating psychological symptoms and improving functioning in young adults. Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) has been shown as a beneficial alternative therapeutic method developed for clients not helped by traditional methods. However, the essence of the therapeutic relationship that develops between the client, horse, therapist, and equine specialist has not been explored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of the therapeutic relationship in young adults who participated in EAP. The frameworks of person-centered theory and self psychology guided the development of interview questions, data analysis, and interpretation. Four …


Clinicians' Perceptions Of Telehealth Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Virginia, Johnetta Hill Guishard Jan 2023

Clinicians' Perceptions Of Telehealth Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Virginia, Johnetta Hill Guishard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The onset of COVID-19 introduced unprecedented changes to how U.S. public health services were delivered. Many public and private agencies faced mandatory closures, social distancing mandates, and rapid transitions to telehealth interventions and treatment. Mental health clinicians witnessed disruptions in continuity of care and an increase in mental health risks overall. Although some studies have been conducted to survey clinicians’ perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of technology-based interventions, knowledge about mental health clinicians’ experiences and perceptions in Virginia was sparse. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how mental health clinicians in Virginia described …


Challenges In Discharge Planning For Adults Transitioning From An Inpatient Psychiatric Level Of Care Experiencing Homelessness, Deanna` R. Mccaskill Jan 2023

Challenges In Discharge Planning For Adults Transitioning From An Inpatient Psychiatric Level Of Care Experiencing Homelessness, Deanna` R. Mccaskill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness and the homeless population are a growing concern in the United States. Homeless individuals utilize emergency rooms and acute inpatient stays more than those with housing. Social workers play a vital role in discharge planning, starting on the first day of admission. This action research study explored the challenges of social workers developing discharge plans for adults transitioning from an inpatient psychiatric level of care experiencing homeless. The theoretical framework implemented in this study was systems theory. Data were collected from 12 purposively selected master’s level social workers in the format of individual and focus group interviews. Eight …


African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements Jan 2023

African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness disorders within the United States are on the rise. Researchers have indicated that African Americans are less likely to seek mental health compared to European Americans. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how social support networks influence African American women between the ages of 25 and 50 in addressing the strong Black woman (SBW) schema and depression. A conceptual framework consisting of the SBW collective theory guided the study. A purposive sample of 16 African American women who use social support networks to address the SBW schema and depression was obtained through flyers posted …


The Human-Canine Bond: Levels Of Stress Among Military Spouses During Deployments, Angela L. De Leon-Muniz Jan 2023

The Human-Canine Bond: Levels Of Stress Among Military Spouses During Deployments, Angela L. De Leon-Muniz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has found that deployment may impact military spouses’ emotional wellbeing and attachment with family members. There remains a critical gap in the literature regarding difference in stress levels between military spouses who own canines and those who do not. The theoretical foundations for this study were Bowlby’s attachment theory and Bowen’s family systems theory. Research questions included exploring the relationships between (a) pet canine ownership, deployment length of time, and military spouses’ stress levels, and (b) pet canine owners’ pet attachment and stress experienced, when their significant others are deployed. The sample comprised 82 spouses with deployed military …


Mental Health Experiences Of Black Males Beyond Juvenile Delinquency, Jasmine D. Spratling Jan 2023

Mental Health Experiences Of Black Males Beyond Juvenile Delinquency, Jasmine D. Spratling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarceration rates around the United States continue to increase for Black male adolescents. These numbers are even more significant in Atlanta, where youth spend time in juvenile detention centers and return soon once released. Summary findings from existing research showed the lack of mental health services provided once a youth has been released from incarceration, but a lack of specifics around the services needed remains. The purpose of the current study was to explore the experiences of Black male adolescents who received little to no trauma informed care post-incarceration. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used to conduct semistructured interviews with …


The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin Jan 2023

The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTraditional psychotherapeutic approaches are not always effective in alleviating psychological symptoms and improving functioning in young adults. Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) has been shown as a beneficial alternative therapeutic method developed for clients not helped by traditional methods. However, the essence of the therapeutic relationship that develops between the client, horse, therapist, and equine specialist has not been explored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of the therapeutic relationship in young adults who participated in EAP. The frameworks of person-centered theory and self psychology guided the development of interview questions, data analysis, and interpretation. Four …


Mothers Of Children With Disabilities: Perceptions Of Online Peer Mentoring Support, April S. Felder Jan 2023

Mothers Of Children With Disabilities: Perceptions Of Online Peer Mentoring Support, April S. Felder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a trend of increased diagnoses of childhood disabilities in the United States. Mothers who care for a child diagnosed with disabilities typically experience increased parental obligations and maternal mental health deficits that often go undiagnosed or untreated, resulting in adverse events. Researchers found that peer mentoring is an effective, nonclinical resource for addressing these mothers’ intervention needs but have not established alternative ways to increase access and delivery. The purpose of this generic, qualitative study was to explore how mothers of children with disabilities perceive online peer mentoring as an intervention resource for stress and coping. Lazarus’s …


Occupational Burnout Factors Among Correctional Mental Health Providers, Morgan Gruhot Jan 2023

Occupational Burnout Factors Among Correctional Mental Health Providers, Morgan Gruhot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout rates of correctional employees are higher than employees in the general public. The purpose of this study was to identify how occupational factors impact burnout rates among correctional mental health workers. Grounded in the job-demands theoretical model, this study compared burnout rates among mental health staff within county jails and state prisons. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Occupational factors were measured using the Areas of Work life Survey and Pandemic Experience and Perception Survey. Data was analyzed using IBM SSPS software to address multiple a priori directional research questions. Research questions considered how occupational factors …


Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …


Mental Health In Black Women With Endometriosis-Related Symptoms During Covid-19, Anjanette Jaye Blunt Jan 2023

Mental Health In Black Women With Endometriosis-Related Symptoms During Covid-19, Anjanette Jaye Blunt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Endometriosis is an incurable chronic illness impacting 190 million women worldwide. Despite the prevalence of this painful disease, research addressing how it affects Black women in the United States was limited. Research addressing this phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic was further limited. The purpose of this qualitative study employing an interpretative phenomenological analysis was to understand the mental health of Black women with endometriosis-related symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and how having the illness during the pandemic might have impacted individuals in this population. The strong Black woman schema and biopsychosocial model were the theoretical foundations for the study. Data …


Religiosity, Daily Rosary, And Well-Being Of Catholics In College During The Pandemic, Michael Raul Rios Jan 2023

Religiosity, Daily Rosary, And Well-Being Of Catholics In College During The Pandemic, Michael Raul Rios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before and since the Coronavirus pandemic, college students suffered from increasing rates of mental health conditions affecting their well-being. Researchers have requested more studies on prayer as a strategy to address well-being issues. The purpose of this anonymous online survey study (N = 59) was to discover if there were any associations between religiosity and well-being, daily Rosary frequency and well-being, and if daily Rosary frequency mediated an association between religiosity and well-being of Catholic students in college in the United States during the pandemic in 2021. Participants were recruited via social media, listservs, email, one nationwide organization, the Walden …