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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Employee Development And Workforce Engagement In A Behavioral Health Organization, Lakisha R, Brimage Jan 2023

Employee Development And Workforce Engagement In A Behavioral Health Organization, Lakisha R, Brimage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ongoing training at the targeted behavioral health organization is necessary to improve employee knowledge, skills, and abilities to drive engagement and overall organizational performance. The purpose of this case study was to determine what leadership practices and strategies are currently in place and what training modules improve employee development for the purpose of improving workforce engagement. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to guide the qualitative case study of the nonprofit organization, which provides social services to low-income families in the United States. Data sources included semistructured interviews with two behavioral health leaders at the organization and reviews of organizational …


Employee Development And Workforce Engagement In A Behavioral Health Organization, Lakisha R, Brimage Jan 2023

Employee Development And Workforce Engagement In A Behavioral Health Organization, Lakisha R, Brimage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ongoing training at the targeted behavioral health organization is necessary to improve employee knowledge, skills, and abilities to drive engagement and overall organizational performance. The purpose of this case study was to determine what leadership practices and strategies are currently in place and what training modules improve employee development for the purpose of improving workforce engagement. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to guide the qualitative case study of the nonprofit organization, which provides social services to low-income families in the United States. Data sources included semistructured interviews with two behavioral health leaders at the organization and reviews of organizational …


Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson Jan 2023

Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners need help reducing voluntary employee turnover, often putting the business at risk for performance failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies professional staffing small business owners used to decrease voluntary employee turnover. The participants were five professional staffing small business leaders in the Washington, D.C., area with successful strategies to retain talented employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin’s five-step process. Three themes emerged: (a) employee recognition, (b) communication, and (c) advancement and training. A key recommendation for small business owners …


Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson Jan 2023

Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners need help reducing voluntary employee turnover, often putting the business at risk for performance failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies professional staffing small business owners used to decrease voluntary employee turnover. The participants were five professional staffing small business leaders in the Washington, D.C., area with successful strategies to retain talented employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin’s five-step process. Three themes emerged: (a) employee recognition, (b) communication, and (c) advancement and training. A key recommendation for small business owners …


Clinician Perceptions Of Female Sex Offender Treatment In Modern Society, Taylor J. Bryant Jan 2023

Clinician Perceptions Of Female Sex Offender Treatment In Modern Society, Taylor J. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians are starting to see a higher population of female sex offenders enrolled in their treatment facilities. Current research indicates that both society and clinical professionals struggle with viewing women as sex offenders due to gender stereotypes and minimization of sex crimes committed by women. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine clinician perceptions of female sex offender treatment and how these perceptions may impact clinician engagement. The theoretical frameworks utilized in this study were the attachment theory and psychoanalytical theory. Data included clinician experiences with treating female sex offenders, exposure to professional trainings on this population, and …


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 …


Probation Department Culture And Promotion Policies, Paul Chavez Jan 2022

Probation Department Culture And Promotion Policies, Paul Chavez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With management influence evolving in organizations, changes occur slower than anticipated. The problem in my study addressed how management controls promotional policies for probation officers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate whether management has control over probation promotional policies. Maslov’s theory of self-realization was incorporated into the theoretical framework for my research. Audio interviews were conducted with 15 participants who were non managerial probation officers who had no subordinates. Data analysis included key elements impacting morale in the workplace, employee evaluations, training, and communications. The conclusion showed there was a need to improve several promotional policies based …


An Evaluation Of A Maternal Health And Extreme Heat Exposure Training, Adelle Dora Monteblanco, Jennifer K. Vanos, Sarah Leroy, Patricia M. Juarez, Gregg M. Garfin Jan 2021

An Evaluation Of A Maternal Health And Extreme Heat Exposure Training, Adelle Dora Monteblanco, Jennifer K. Vanos, Sarah Leroy, Patricia M. Juarez, Gregg M. Garfin

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Growing empirical evidence documents the potential risk of extreme heat exposure to pregnant individuals. These risks include adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. Climate change will exacerbate extreme heat exposures to a large portion of the global population, and pregnant individuals need to understand the risks and protective measures needed. Maternal health workers are a key mechanism for conveying this information to pregnant individuals. The authors assess a training of maternal health workers in El Paso, Texas, through two research instruments. First, eight maternal health workers completed an educational workshop and consented to participation; pre- …


Structured Training Programs For Direct Support Professionals On Behavior Intervention Support Plans, Melody Lane Barnes-Meisenhelder Jan 2021

Structured Training Programs For Direct Support Professionals On Behavior Intervention Support Plans, Melody Lane Barnes-Meisenhelder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Direct support professionals work with developmentally disabled individuals and are responsible for implementing behavior intervention support plans (BISPs). Little is known about the efficacy of supplemental BISP training in these professionals. The purpose of this quantitative experimental study was to investigate the efficacy of BISP training to improve knowledge and applied understanding of BISPs in direct support professionals. Social validation, treatment fidelity, and change theories served as the foundations of the study. Seventy-three newly hired direct support professionals were randomized into an experimental group with a 2-day workshop training or a standard training group. BISP knowledge was assessed before and …


Nonprofit Board Members' Perceptions Of The Initial Orientation And Ongoing Board Member Training, Janice M. Trapp Jan 2021

Nonprofit Board Members' Perceptions Of The Initial Orientation And Ongoing Board Member Training, Janice M. Trapp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many nonprofit organizations have implemented board development practices that include an initial orientation and ongoing training to improve board performance. However, recent studies have shown that board members struggle with understanding their roles, responsibilities, and board governance. This lack of understanding limits their ability to perform their roles effectively, which may impact the members’ performance and the organizations’ performance. This generic qualitative study explored board members’ perceptions of whether the initial orientation and ongoing training they received in preparation for board service adequately prepared them for board governance. Inglis et al.’s three factor-framework of strategic activities, operations, and resource planning …


Exploring Cybersecurity Awareness And Training Strategies To Protect Information Systems And Data, Michael Hanna Jan 2020

Exploring Cybersecurity Awareness And Training Strategies To Protect Information Systems And Data, Michael Hanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective security education, training, and awareness (SETA) programs contribute to compromises of organizational information systems and data. Inappropriate actions from users due to ineffective SETA programs may result in legal consequences, fines, reputational damage, adverse impacts on national security, and criminal acts. Grounded in social cognitive theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies hospitality organizational information technology (IT) leaders utilized to implement SETA successfully. The participants were organizational IT leaders from four organizations in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Data collection was performed using telephone and video teleconference interviews with organizational IT leaders (n = 6) …


Foster Parents’ Perceptions Of Services Needed To Help Manage Foster Children’S Emotional And Behavioral Issues, Timothy A. Lance Jan 2020

Foster Parents’ Perceptions Of Services Needed To Help Manage Foster Children’S Emotional And Behavioral Issues, Timothy A. Lance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children entering the foster care system in the United States have higher rates of behavioral and emotional issues than children in the general population. Research has revealed that foster parents need to be trained in how to manage the emotional and behavioral problems of children placed in their care. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding foster care providers’ perceptions of services they may need to assist them in managing their foster children’s behavioral and emotional problems. A generic qualitative approach was used to address the question: What are foster parents’ perceptions of services they need to effectively manage …


Staff Engagement And Training In Supported Addiction Recovery Program For Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Hannah Carlson Jurewicz Jan 2020

Staff Engagement And Training In Supported Addiction Recovery Program For Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Hannah Carlson Jurewicz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) is similar among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and the general population, yet there is a disparity between treatment and outcomes for these two groups due to a lack of appropriately adapted treatment and staff training. The purpose of this case study was to examine how leaders in a behavioral health organization understand the engagement and training experience for staff who provide substance abuse treatment for individuals with ID/DD. Governance and operational data were collected and analyzed from internal archival sources and organizational leader interviews. Themes identified from coding indicated that …


Successful Strategies To Lead Change Initiatives, Lorice S. Edwards Brown Jan 2020

Successful Strategies To Lead Change Initiatives, Lorice S. Edwards Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As financial systems, global trade, and the regulatory environment integrate, business leaders are often ill equipped to develop and implement strategies to lead changes in organizations. Business leaders who lead change initiatives without proven sustainability strategies are highly susceptible to business closure. Grounded in Lewin's theory of change, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some business leaders used to develop and manage change initiatives to remain operable beyond 5 years. The participants included 4 industry business leaders with a minimum of 5 years of successful change leadership experience. The data collection included semistructured …


Treatment Providers’ Beliefs And Knowledge About Evidence-Based Practices, Kelly J. Bawden Jan 2020

Treatment Providers’ Beliefs And Knowledge About Evidence-Based Practices, Kelly J. Bawden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Treatment providers working with adults in substance use treatment have been slow to implement evidence based practices (EBPs) into their treatment approaches. For treatment providers there are barriers to implement EBPs such as lack of resources, knowledge, and beliefs about EBPs as well as their beliefs about addiction. The consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR) is investigating tools to decrease provider’s barriers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether online training from addiction technology transfer center (ATTC) affected knowledge or beliefs about EBPs while controlling for beliefs about addiction. The dependent variables of knowledge and beliefs about …


Early-Career Child Care Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Training Experiences, Teri M. Peasley Jan 2020

Early-Career Child Care Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Training Experiences, Teri M. Peasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Midwest state, child care teachers who enter the workforce with only a high school diploma or GED credential are not required to complete child development training before being placed in a classroom. Child care teachers need foundational knowledge to provide quality care and education to young children. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how early-career child care teachers with no advanced education in child development experience training upon entering the workforce. Personal narratives are scarce in existing research, and understanding the perspectives of child care teachers provided an opportunity to consider appropriate training and …


Relationship Between Preparedness Training And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity In Combat Veterans, Charles F. Snay Jan 2019

Relationship Between Preparedness Training And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity In Combat Veterans, Charles F. Snay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past decade, the military has deployed approximately 1 million members into combat, and a factor that plagues the military veterans returning from combat is the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A factor to examine is preparedness training before combat because the research has shown that postcombat resilience training has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD. Using the social cognitive theory, the purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported preparedness training before deployments was related to lower severity of self-reported PTSD. Based on prior research, age and gender are other variables that this study examined. …


Antibullying Definition, Policy, Surveillance, Education, And Training In The Healthcare Field, Adlene Jones Mcelroy Jan 2019

Antibullying Definition, Policy, Surveillance, Education, And Training In The Healthcare Field, Adlene Jones Mcelroy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying in the healthcare field has contributed to decreasing productivity, decreasing employee morale, increasing workplace lawsuits, overall dissatisfaction in the workplace, and potentially compromising care to patients. Little, however, is known about how public policies related to workplace bullying impact the experiences of healthcare workers. Using Cornell and Limber's conceptualization of bullying, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of healthcare leaders and workers related to workplace bullying of a single health care facility. Data were principally collected from 9 participants representing three organizational leaders, three nurses, and three ancillary members staff. These …


Nature Of Stressors On Female Law Enforcement Academy Recruits, Sandra Patricia Dillard Jan 2019

Nature Of Stressors On Female Law Enforcement Academy Recruits, Sandra Patricia Dillard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem in law enforcement academy training is that female recruits endure more stressors than male recruits endure. This can lead to fewer females opting for careers as law enforcement officers. The purpose of this study was to explore the unique stressors on female recruits when they are held to the same standards as males. The feminist theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study to depict how stress is perceived for the female. The first research question examined how outside stressors affected female trainees. The second research question examined how job-€related stressors affected female trainees. In-€depth, semistructured …


Training Program Effectiveness In Building Workforce Agility And Resilience, Olya Taran Jan 2019

Training Program Effectiveness In Building Workforce Agility And Resilience, Olya Taran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of qualitative case studies suggest that organizations must be able to deal with change effectively to compete and survive. Many researchers have linked higher workforce levels of agility and resilience to organizations' abilities to deal with change more successfully; however, there is a scarcity of empirical research addressing the efficacy of agility and resilience development in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the development of workforce resilience and agility, as measured by FIT for Change assessment. The theory of planned behavior was the study's theoretical framework, theorizing that changing attitudes and beliefs about change …


A Comparison Of Micro-Expression Training Methods, Matthew Patrick Kane Jan 2018

A Comparison Of Micro-Expression Training Methods, Matthew Patrick Kane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Micro-expressions are brief facial expressions that last for 500 milliseconds or less and show the true emotional state of an individual when he or she is displaying a false emotional state. There are currently 2 different methods to train individuals to recognize micro-expressions-picture-based and video-based. Numerous organizations use micro-expression training as part of a deception detection program, but little research has been conducted on training outcomes, and no research has investigated the difference between the methods. In this quantitative study based on Darwin's theory of the universality of emotional expression, a control group experimental design was used to determine if …


A Case Study On Learning Transfer In A Social Service Organization, Cynthia A. Barnes Jan 2018

A Case Study On Learning Transfer In A Social Service Organization, Cynthia A. Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Support from managers, training specialists, and human resource development specialists is needed if social service employees are to transfer learning to their organizations. There is a gap in the literature about managers, training specialists, and HRD specialists familiarizing employees with learning transfer expectations. This study addressed the way social service employees transferred what was learned after attending normal training classes. The research questions focused on learning transfer expectations for the employees, conditions that addressed during the learning transfer, processes that are in place where there was not a learning transfer initiative, and the way learning was used by employee. The …


The Lived Experiences Of Counselors Working With Youth With Problem Sexual Behaviors, Beverly Crump Jan 2018

The Lived Experiences Of Counselors Working With Youth With Problem Sexual Behaviors, Beverly Crump

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth, between the ages of 12 and 17, account for the majority of sexual assaults in the United States. Counselors who work with youth with problem sexual behaviors need to have appropriate clinical skills to the degree to which clinical services increase the probability of effective results and are consistent with current professional knowledge. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of counselors who work with youth with problem sexual behaviors. A purposeful sample of 8 licensed professional clinical counselors employed at a mental health agency in one city in Ohio shared their experiences …


Determining Cost-Effectiveness And Learning Impact Of Government-Funded Counterterrorism Training Programs, Ira D. Jones, Jr Jan 2017

Determining Cost-Effectiveness And Learning Impact Of Government-Funded Counterterrorism Training Programs, Ira D. Jones, Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since September 11, 2001, money and resources have been allocated at unprecedented levels in order to prevent future attacks on the United States. In the interest of preventing a similar type of incident, counterterrorism initiatives were funded using public funds with little or no oversight as to measuring the effectiveness of these programs. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in the dependent variable - the level of awareness of participants (the ability to identify terrorism threats) who attended counterterrorism training that was solely lecture based and one that combined both …


A Quantitative Study Examining How Training Enhances Policy Compliance, Therese C. Bensch Jan 2017

A Quantitative Study Examining How Training Enhances Policy Compliance, Therese C. Bensch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For decades, the Department of Defense has been plagued by persistent cost, schedule, and performance problems in defense acquisition programs. Recent changes in Department of Defense acquisition policy were intended to improve efficiency and are demonstrating some improvement in terms of overall cost improvements, yet little is understood about whether training efforts related to the new policies are producing policy-compliant behavior on the job. Using Edgar Schein's 'Onion Model' of organizational change as the theoretical construct, the purpose of this study was to examine through an ex post facto, cross-sectional longitudinal study whether there is a significant relationship between learning …


Strategic Lay Leadership Involvement In The Social Mission Of A Western Ontario Denomination, Isaac Osei-Akoto Jan 2017

Strategic Lay Leadership Involvement In The Social Mission Of A Western Ontario Denomination, Isaac Osei-Akoto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Several Ontario communities face challenges requiring harnessing multisectorial partnerships to bring about community transformation. The church has the capacity to contribute to the community transformation needs of its community, but a particular denomination in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) appeared to be unaware of how to fulfil its social mission of community transformation. The purpose of this case study was to understand how members of the clergy perceived the lay leadership vacuum in the denomination and how these perceptions appear to inhibit the denomination's achievement of its social mission. The theoretical framework was Akingbola's strategic nonprofit human resource management theory. …


Training And Experiences Of General Educators Who Have Students With Externalizing Behaviors, Sheila Ruann Lachelt Jan 2016

Training And Experiences Of General Educators Who Have Students With Externalizing Behaviors, Sheila Ruann Lachelt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In California classrooms, general education teachers have experienced stress due to an increasing number of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study used a hermeneutical phenomenological inquiry approach to explore teachers' perspectives of their pre-service professional development (PD), in-service PD, and classroom experiences with students who have externalizing EBD. The theoretical framework centered on social constructivism. Research questions addressed the teachers' perceptions of their pre-service and in-service PD on students with EBD and their experiences with students' externalizing behaviors. Twenty California general education teachers, each from a different school district, volunteered to participate in face-to-face interviews. Stratified purposeful …


Best Practices For Controlling Tuberculosis - Training In Correctional Facilities: A Mixed Methods Evaluation, Ellen Reynolds Murray Jan 2016

Best Practices For Controlling Tuberculosis - Training In Correctional Facilities: A Mixed Methods Evaluation, Ellen Reynolds Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the literature, identifying and treating tuberculosis (TB) in correctional facilities have been problematic for the inmates and also for the communities into which inmates are released. The importance of training those who can identify this disease early into incarceration is vital to halt the transmission. Although some training has been done by public health authorities for corrections, there is little to no evaluation of such training. The aim of this mixed methods retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a training to control TB in correctional facilities. The Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (SNTC) conducted 12 trainings between …


Self-Efficacy, Perceived Skills, And Real Knowledge Of Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Lynn Baker-Rush Jan 2016

Self-Efficacy, Perceived Skills, And Real Knowledge Of Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Lynn Baker-Rush

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although speech language pathologists' (SLPs) knowledge of communication and swallowing has been undisputed, their knowledge and skills related to tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation (MV) seem varied. The consequences associated with the presence of tracheostomy or MV demonstrate the necessity of training. Guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory, this study was designed to determine if SLPs' training influenced self-efficacy and real knowledge, and to evaluate trends associated with SLPs' pursuit of specialized training. A total of 236 SLPs practicing in the United States responded to a researcher-developed knowledge and confidence test for tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation (KCT-TMV). Data were analyzed via …


The Lived Experience Of School Bus Drivers: Bullying Prevention On School Buses, Timothy Crable Jan 2016

The Lived Experience Of School Bus Drivers: Bullying Prevention On School Buses, Timothy Crable

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. school bus drivers witness bullying on their buses on a regular basis but are often not consulted on how to prevent bullying or how to maintain a safe environment. Over 24 million U.S. student passengers ride school buses daily, yet the voices of bus drivers have been inadequately represented in the development of school bullying policies. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experience of 12 active school bus drivers and their perceptions of bullying on the bus, driver training programs, school antibullying policies, and other mandated procedures developed for bus drivers. The conceptual framework …