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Walden University

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

2022

Articles 1 - 30 of 545

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Relationships Between Stress Self-Management, Social Support, And Health In Hispanic Informal Caregiver Burnout Prevention, Nicole Alexandra Mas Román Jan 2022

Relationships Between Stress Self-Management, Social Support, And Health In Hispanic Informal Caregiver Burnout Prevention, Nicole Alexandra Mas Román

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout syndrome is a psychological disorder characterized by physical, emotional, and mental distress and exhaustion resulting in feelings of depression, anxiety, irritability, and negative attitudes. If left unattended, burnout syndrome can lead to new or worsening health outcomes. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between stress self-management, perceived social support, health status, and burden among Puerto Rican informal caregivers. The theoretical foundations for this research were the informal caregiving integrative model and the individual and family self-management theory. Survey data were collected from 415 participants. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship …

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Restorative Justice And Recidivism In Formerly Incarcerated Women, Alfeia B. Devaughn-Goodwin Jan 2022

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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Impact Of The Covid-19 Outbreak On Adolescent Schoolgirls’ Education In Rural Sierra Leone, Mohamed Hassimiu Barrie Jan 2022

Impact Of The Covid-19 Outbreak On Adolescent Schoolgirls’ Education In Rural Sierra Leone, Mohamed Hassimiu Barrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 1990, Sierra Leone has experienced several major emergencies that required global attention: a decade-long rebel war, Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks. Each disproportionately affected schoolgirls’ educations. In 2021, the government of Sierra Leone introduced the Radical Inclusion Policy to support the education of girls and lift a policy that banned pregnant girls from attending mainstream schools to allow thousands of schoolgirls who were impregnated during the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks to return to schools. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the education of adolescent schoolgirls in rural Sierra Leone, …

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Perceived Stress Of Grandparents Parenting Their Grandchildren, Beverly Gale Nicholas Jan 2022

Perceived Stress Of Grandparents Parenting Their Grandchildren, Beverly Gale Nicholas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenthood responsibilities are changing in the United States. The overall research problem for this study was that grandparents are parenting their grandchildren when their adult children are incarcerated for alcohol abuse or use. The importance of this problem is that as adults age, they are taking on the responsibilities of being parents rather than grandparents. In this new role, grandparents may not have the coping strategies or social support to ensure that they have life satisfaction during their senior years. The purpose of this study was to assess the independent variables, age and perceived stress (low, medium, and high), as …

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North Carolina Cps Social Worker Self-Efficacy With Legal Aspects, Michelle E. Bates Jan 2022

North Carolina Cps Social Worker Self-Efficacy With Legal Aspects, Michelle E. Bates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

North Carolina has the infrastructure to investigate the allegations of child abuse and neglect. However, the problem is that during the investigation, not all children have risk and safety evaluated. Assessing for risk and safety determines the child’s immediate or future need for legal interventions. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to explore CPS social workers’ self-efficacy with legal aspects when completing abuse and neglect investigations in rural counties in North Carolina. Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy was the theoretical framework used to explain the phenomenon in this study. The research questions were: (a) What are the perceptions …

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Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson Jan 2022

Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, the adult population 65 and older is anticipated to grow, signaling the necessity of awareness of late-life issues and concerns. Although research has shown that losses and changes in late life are anticipated, there is very little empirical evidence of how HSPs direct care professionals understand, assess, or perceive the complexities of cumulative grief and loss in their 65 and older clients. Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (2014) was used as the conceptual framework a qualitative methodology to explore the understanding, assessment, and perception of the complexities of late-life cumulative grief and loss of HSPs working with adults 65 …

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Organizational Barriers To Effective University Student Mental Health Services, Felicia Evans-Edwards Jan 2022

Organizational Barriers To Effective University Student Mental Health Services, Felicia Evans-Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on organizational barriers to effective university student mental health services access in the department of student resources (DSR) at a for-profit university in the northeastern United States. Once such barriers are addressed, faculty may be more successful in reaching out to students needing mental health services who are not self-identifying as needing these services. The Baldrige excellence framework guided this descriptive case study to examine the organizational barriers that prevent university leadership from creating clear policies and procedures for faculty to refer students to mental health services. Data sources included interviews with the behavioral health leader …

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The Lived Experience Of Individuals Thinking About Food And Coping With Stress, Tobi Martin Jan 2022

The Lived Experience Of Individuals Thinking About Food And Coping With Stress, Tobi Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress results in many people altering their eating patterns, often consuming food high in sugar and fat. Such behavior is a factor in the growing obesity epidemic and can potentially cause the development of chronic diseases, resulting in employment problems and billions of extra dollars spent on national health care programs. Researchers have focused on the concept of “emotional eating” while overlooking the overarching research question of this study, which was about exploring the experience of individuals using eating behavior as a coping mechanism to deal with stress. All responses were viewed through the lens of social cognitive theory. Interviews …

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Perceived Discrimination As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Allostatic Load And Asthma Control, Vera Kern Jan 2022

Perceived Discrimination As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Allostatic Load And Asthma Control, Vera Kern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While asthma prevalence in the United States is generally declining, African Americans tend to experience poorer outcomes regarding asthma severity and control. The purpose of the present study was to test whether discrimination (everyday and lifetime) moderated the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control (dyspnea and peak flow). In previous literature, researchers established the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control among African Americans. The biopsychosocial model and allostatic load theory served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this cross-sectional, nonexperimental, quantitative design, 201 African Americans between the ages of 34 and 82 years were …

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The Role Of Work In Animal Shelter Volunteers' Experiences Of Compassion Fatigue, Andria L. Corso Jan 2022

The Role Of Work In Animal Shelter Volunteers' Experiences Of Compassion Fatigue, Andria L. Corso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Animal shelter volunteers are a critical part of the operation and maintenance of animal shelters across the United States, and risk developing compassion fatigue (CF) that can impact their ability to volunteer. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of work in animal shelter volunteers’ experiences of CF. The compassion stress and fatigue model and aspects from several occupational stress models were used as conceptual frameworks. A basic qualitative design was used to recruit 12 animal shelter volunteers experiencing compassion fatigue symptoms. These volunteers came from 10 different animal shelters across the U.S. Three research questions were …

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The Correlation Between Laura’S Law And The Incarceration Of The Mentally Ill In A Southwestern State, Aaron Alarcon-Bowen Jan 2022

The Correlation Between Laura’S Law And The Incarceration Of The Mentally Ill In A Southwestern State, Aaron Alarcon-Bowen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assisted outpatient treatment and involuntary outpatient treatment laws refer to the power of the court system to order community-based treatment without hospitalization to individuals with a mental illness diagnosis. Studies have linked these laws to a decrease in the use of incarceration among this population. The effectiveness of the assisted outpatient treatment law in a Southwestern state, known as Laura’s Law, has not been studied. With a theoretical foundation based on the social contract and multiple streams analysis theories, a quantitative, casual, comparative study using an independent t test was centered on determining whether the mean numbers of incarcerated individuals …

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Intra-Racial Bullying Among African American Female Students In Middle School, Lashaunda Cunningham Jan 2022

Intra-Racial Bullying Among African American Female Students In Middle School, Lashaunda Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIntra-racial bullying is increasing within the African American population, especially middle school. This specific form of bullying can be difficult for administrators to investigate as it is unlike the typical forms of bullying that school officials observe or witness daily. There was a gap in the literature regarding limited research that has examined intra-racial bullying from the perspectives of teachers, administrators, and hallway monitors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the patterns, trends, characteristics, and reasons that result in intra-racial bullying among African American female students in middle school from the perspectives of adults who work in …

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Emotional Intelligence And Self-Perceptions Of Counseling Competency In Counselors In Training, Ariel Katherine Hernandez Jan 2022

Emotional Intelligence And Self-Perceptions Of Counseling Competency In Counselors In Training, Ariel Katherine Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counselor educators and regulatory boards continue to develop criteria to prepare counselors in training (CITs) for clinical practice. Despite the significant support they receive within the counseling course curriculum, some students lack the necessary counseling competency to succeed in the field experience component of their training. Emotional intelligence (EI) may be relevant in the ability of CITs to manage their emotions and relationships in personal, professional, and academic settings, but there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding the relationship between EI and counseling competence. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the relationship between EI and self-perception …

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The Job Search Experiences Of Postgraduate Ghanaian Women Aged 25-45 Years In Accra, Ghana, Gertrude Addo Jan 2022

The Job Search Experiences Of Postgraduate Ghanaian Women Aged 25-45 Years In Accra, Ghana, Gertrude Addo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A number of educated women has increased over the years, leading to more women participating in the labor market and contributing to social and economic development. Despite the increase in number of women with Master’s level (MA, MSc, MPhil, MBA) education, there remains challenges in the employment of women into professional positions compared to men. This study sought to examine the job search experiences of postgraduate women at the professional level to understand the challenges and difficulties they encounter, thereby contributing to policy formulation and implementation to address this phenomenon. The theoretical foundation for this study was the feminist theory, …

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The Effect Of Parental Socialization On The Postsecondary Plans Of Latino/Hispanic Students, Nilda Ivette Rosario Jan 2022

The Effect Of Parental Socialization On The Postsecondary Plans Of Latino/Hispanic Students, Nilda Ivette Rosario

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Latino/Hispanics are one of the largest ethnic minority groups in the United States, yet they are underrepresented in higher education. Grounded on the social cognitive theory and the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler model, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parental expectations, parental involvement, parental self-efficacy, and postsecondary planning of Latino/Hispanic students. The research questions were formulated to determine whether parental factors among Latino/Hispanic parents can predict postsecondary educational outcomes among Latino/Hispanic students. A quantitative correlational research study design was used. The target population was Latino/Hispanic parents residing in the United States with at least one child …

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Self-Identified Atheists In 12-Step Substance Use Disorder Treatment And Aftercare, Elizabeth Clare Bayley Jan 2022

Self-Identified Atheists In 12-Step Substance Use Disorder Treatment And Aftercare, Elizabeth Clare Bayley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Minnesota model is ubiquitous in the United States for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). The model uses 12 steps and is centered on a belief in god(s) or a higher power; however, it is anathema to an atheist worldview. Researchers have noted that atheists do not readily become involved with 12-step programs and tend to drop out; however, there had been no qualitative investigations of the lived experiences of atheists in 12-step SUD treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 12-step SUD treatment was problematic for atheists. An integrated theoretical framework was used. Minority …

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The Biopsychosocial Impact Of Racial Discrimination Among African Americans, Amy Renae Amin Jan 2022

The Biopsychosocial Impact Of Racial Discrimination Among African Americans, Amy Renae Amin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between racial discrimination and anger, stress, and obesity. The stress-disease model provided a theoretical perspective of the biological, psychological, and social pathways from stress. Past research regarding the correlation between racial discrimination, anger, stress, and obesity reported a possible connection, but results have been mixed. This research expanded upon existing literature that proposed that blatant or subtle experiences of racial discrimination are pathways to mental and physical health consequences. The hypothesis was that there was a significant relationship between racial discrimination and the levels of stress, anger, and obesity. Racial …

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The Beliefs And Practices Of Black Single Mothers Who Promoted College Completion Among Their Offspring, Michelle Arlene Akere-Azeez Jan 2022

The Beliefs And Practices Of Black Single Mothers Who Promoted College Completion Among Their Offspring, Michelle Arlene Akere-Azeez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, the number of single mothers among Blacks has steadily increased over time, with single motherhood being associated with a higher level of poverty and other social problems. Unfortunately, these adverse effects have led to a low rate of college completion among children of low-income Black single mothers, which has resulted in a cycle of generational poverty. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to identify the beliefs and practices of low-income Black single mothers who influenced successful college completion among their offspring. Data were collected using semi structured interviews of eight low-income Black single mothers …

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General Education Elementary Teacher Competencies And Training In Teaching Children With Autism In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Merle Merinda Elizabeth Durand Jan 2022

General Education Elementary Teacher Competencies And Training In Teaching Children With Autism In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Merle Merinda Elizabeth Durand

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing. The overall problem in this study focused on showing how a lack of teacher training in ASD-specific courses could result in a lack of competencies in meeting the educational needs of children with autism in an inclusive setting. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine if a difference exists in four teaching competencies among general education elementary teachers teaching children with autism in the general education classroom in the U.S. Virgin Islands based training. The theoretical framework was grounded in Medley’s teaching competence theory …

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Stigma Toward People With Opioid Use Disorder In Southwest Michigan, Kathy A. Carruthers Jan 2022

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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The Role Of Women In Public Administration In Saint Lucia, Elizabeth Elicia Bailey Jan 2022

The Role Of Women In Public Administration In Saint Lucia, Elizabeth Elicia Bailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women continue to face stereotypes and barriers with their advancement to leadership positions. Nonetheless, there is an increasing number of females in leadership roles partly due to programs and policies for the advancement of women, causing several women to aspire to and take up top leadership positions in the public sector. In Saint Lucia, women hold about 70% of the senior management positions that were once dominated primarily by men. However, little is known about the role of women in public administration in Saint Lucia. This qualitative study aimed to understand the perceptions of male and female leaders relating to …

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Financial Aid Knowledge And Resources Among First-Generation College Students, Carmelitia J. Coleman Jan 2022

Financial Aid Knowledge And Resources Among First-Generation College Students, Carmelitia J. Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFirst-generation, freshmen students struggle to complete the financial aid process at a 4-year private university in Louisiana, impacting their financial and academic well-being. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore first-generation, freshmen student perceptions of how they construct knowledge about the financial aid process and resources needed to help them complete the process. The conceptual framework of the study was comprised of Piaget’s theory of constructivism, which is grounded in the idea of learners constructing their own knowledge based on experience. The first research question addressed how first-generation, freshmen students constructed knowledge about the financial aid process. …

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How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro Jan 2022

How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The elderly LGBT community is growing in the State of Florida, and some members of this group face inequalities when accessing long-term care services. Social workers play an important role in assisting residents to acclimate to their settings, and without their involvement, LGBT older adults may be forced back into secrecy regarding their sexual orientation. For social workers in long term care facilities, understanding how discrimination, oppression, and stigma interacted in the lives of these LGBT older adults is important in understanding these adults and their experiences in long-term care facilities. This doctoral project used a qualitative research design. Fifteen …

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Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas Jan 2022

Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers may serve marginalized groups of people such as single parents who may face challenges and barriers to raising a healthy family. African American mothers are more likely to have adverse experiences with parenting without a partner or additional supportive primary caregiver than women in other racial groups. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the mental health challenges that impact African American women who are single parents. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from individual interviews with ten parents from daycare centers in the metropolitan Atlanta area that …

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Development Of A Capacity Building Program To Promote Trauma-Informed Services, Juan Miguel Medina Jan 2022

Development Of A Capacity Building Program To Promote Trauma-Informed Services, Juan Miguel Medina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wichita County, Texas experienced decreased academic performances of elementary level children in 24 out of 45 communities. Higher numbers of traumatic experiences increase a child's risk of not meeting developmental benchmarks. The purpose of this capstone project is to support the development of a trauma-informed capacity-building program. Ungar's resiliency theory was used to understand the factors related to building resilience in children to prevent trauma. Using action research, the researcher explored how developing program content may improve an agency's system readiness to deliver effective trauma-informed care. Data were collected from a focus group with local social workers. Content analysis was …

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Perceptions Of Implicit Bias In New York City Healthcare System During Covid-19, Kiesha Jackson Jan 2022

Perceptions Of Implicit Bias In New York City Healthcare System During Covid-19, Kiesha Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implicit bias has been identified as a significant problem that hinders effective healthcare delivery. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory phenomenological study was to examine whether implicit bias influenced healthcare services for African Americans with comorbidities aged 30 and over living in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Current studies show healthcare disparities, revealing barriers with healthcare delivery; however, they do not disclose a patient’s lived experience qualitatively, which constituted a gap in the literature. The frameworks of the behavioral model of health services use, and social construction and policy design guided this study. Research questions addressed (a) whether …

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Juvenile Probation Officers' Perceptions Of Strategies To Reduce Juvenile Delinquency In Maryland, Ebenezer Nwaedozie Obonna Jan 2022

Juvenile Probation Officers' Perceptions Of Strategies To Reduce Juvenile Delinquency In Maryland, Ebenezer Nwaedozie Obonna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractYoung offenders aged 10 to 17 years have increasingly become involved with the juvenile justice system, causing concerns about their future prospects and their role in positively contributing to the prosperity of society, particularly in Maryland. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to provide detailed descriptions of the strategies that stakeholders in the juvenile criminal justice system and the offenders can use to reduce youth crime in Maryland. Cognitive-behavioral therapy theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 11 probation officers from Maryland. Findings from thematic analysis demonstrated that some juvenile justice …

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Exploring Perceptions Of Staff Preparedness For Emergency Response In Transitional Houses In Texas, Patrick Onuoha Jan 2022

Exploring Perceptions Of Staff Preparedness For Emergency Response In Transitional Houses In Texas, Patrick Onuoha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisaster preparedness for emergency response within transitional houses is a problem that often fails to receive attention, a situation that can lead to injuries or death during disaster events. One of the factors responsible for this lapse is the contractual nature of most of the transitional houses, with inherent inadequacies in types and quality of services. Although research in this area is relatively scarce, a synthesis of literature reviewed suggested greater focus on disaster management in other areas and almost nothing with regards to transitional houses. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand staff emergency preparedness in …

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Law Enforcement’S Effect On Rape Victims’ Initial Interview: A Victim Advocate’S Perspective, Nkenge Pruden Jan 2022

Law Enforcement’S Effect On Rape Victims’ Initial Interview: A Victim Advocate’S Perspective, Nkenge Pruden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among the U.S. military community, organizations have been established to focus solely on sexual assault reporting, prevention efforts, and support for survivors. Although more victims are reporting their sexual assault, the number of perpetrators going to prison have not increased significantly. Some studies suggest victims’ unwillingness to report and cooperate with the proponents of criminal justice process are the reasons for the lack of rightful justice. The intent of this study was to examine the interaction between law enforcement and the sexual assault victim via the perception of the victim advocate. The importance of this study was to understand whether …

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An Evaluation Of A Drug Policy At A Federal University In Southeastern Nigeria, Linus N. Okahia Jan 2022

An Evaluation Of A Drug Policy At A Federal University In Southeastern Nigeria, Linus N. Okahia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug abuse among university students has become a public health problem. The prevalence of drug abuse has negatively impacted the students, causing serious health outcomes. Finding a solution has the potential to benefit both students and society. Various intervention strategies have been adopted but the results have varied. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to evaluate the administrators’ and students’ perceptions of anti-drug-use policy at a federal university in Southeastern Nigeria to determine its effectiveness on drug abuse prevention among students. The policy feedback theory (PFT), which helps to understand and analyze the policy process, was the explanatory …

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