Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Parental Stress Coping And Middle-School Students’ Grades And Behavioral Conduct, Stephanie Buckner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, factors such as parental stress influence family functioning and affect children’s adaptive development. This quantitative study was conducted to better understand the association of parental stress coping skills with two dependent measures: the grades and behavioral conduct of middle-school students. Sixty-six parent/guardians completed the Coping Skills Assessment 2nd Revision (COSA R2), an assessment of parental stress coping skills and a brief questionnaire to collect data on their middle-school-aged children’s grades and conduct, along with demographic variables of race/ethnicity, age, family income level, number of children in the household, and partner status. No significant difference …

Hurricane Survivors' Attitudes Regarding The Therapeutic Benefits Of Animals, Tina Callwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is research on the benefits of animal-assisted interventions. However, no study was found on hurricane survivors' lived experience and their attitudes toward animals after a traumatic experience. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of hurricane survivors' attitudes toward their companion animals or other animals they interacted with after a natural disaster. The transactional theory of stress and coping was used to explain how participants appraised their stress and reduced it. Constructivism was used to uncover hurricane survivors' experiences and their attitudes toward animals after the disaster. The research question examined the lived …

Volunteer Mentor Perspectives On The Impact Of Mentoring Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Brenda Joyce Dilworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractVolunteer mentors contribute time by serving as role models to numerous children who face challenges that cause them to be at risk for delinquent behavior. Children of incarcerated parents are a growing population in need of special attention and strategies to minimize their risk of engaging in a life of crime. The purpose of this research was to explore the perspectives of volunteer mentors as they work with adolescents who have experienced the challenges and trauma of having an incarcerated parent. This research is grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory, which considers how people learn from one another. As mentors …

Oppositional Behavior Parallels In Toddlers And Teens And Parent’S Response, Michele Dimmett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents seem to manage oppositional conduct of toddlers but struggle emotionally and physically with oppositional conduct of teenagers, despite similarities in the behaviors. Self-efficacy theory, psychological theory of development, and theory of mind guided the conceptualization of how parents perceive and respond to these two sensitive periods of development. This contrasted group quantitative study pursued measurable similarities in the experience of first-time parents of children aged 18-36 months and 14-15 years of age. Establishing parents’ confidence level in their parenting skills and how they perceive and respond to their child's oppositional behavior was also a factor. One hundred and seventy-five …

Teacher And Parent Perception Of Cyberbullying In A Middle School Setting, Jacqueline Gallo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this mixed method study was to evaluate differences in cyberbullying perception and self-efficacy between teachers and parents. The study aimed to determine how teachers and parents reacted to cyberbullying. The importance of examining teacher and parent perception and self-efficacy in addressing cyberbullying determined the significance of intervention. The theoretical framework for the study was Bandura’s social learning theory. The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the perceptions and self-efficacy of cyberbullying between teachers and parents as measured by the Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire Revised and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. A sample that incorporated perception and …

Counselor-In-Training Self-Efficacy When Working With Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Clients, Thomas John Hegblom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers highlighted a significant void in existing literature surrounding the preparation of counselors working with the transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) population. The problem addressed is the limited understanding of self-efficacy counselors-in-training (CIT) possess while working with TGNC clients. The purpose of this quantitative study rooted in self-efficacy theory was to examine the relationship between three independent variables: (a) the cumulative time the participant spent as a CIT, (b) the amount of training the CIT received specific to transcompetent counseling practices, and (c) a CIT’s competency in delivering transcompetent counseling, and the dependent variable: a CIT’s self-efficacy in providing transcompetent …

Law Enforcement Arrests In Florida's Public Schools, Patricia A. Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUnarmed, nonviolent public school students and sworn law enforcement officers carrying firearms and nightsticks making school-based arrests in a southeastern school district may contribute to the United States maintaining its distinction as the world leader in its use of incarceration. On any given day, nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 are incarcerated in juvenile jails and prisons in the United States. Arrest records for students are barriers to their college, employment, housing, military and immigration status. School Resource Officers are the entry point to the criminal justice system and the direct targeting of vulnerable groups by way of arrests. There …

Understanding Successful Strategies Human Service First-Level Managers Utilize When Addressing Workplace Incivility, Mary Elizabeth Barlow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social problem of workplace incivility is a well-researched issue that impacts employees, work groups, and organizations across the nation. The purpose of this study was to understand how first-level human service managers describe employee turnover in relation to workplace incivility and what first-level human service managers view as successful strategies they have used to address workplace incivility. The theoretical framework utilized for this study was incivility spiral theory, as described by Andersson and Pearson. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to gain an understanding of successful strategies that first-level human service managers utilize when addressing workplace incivility …

Trauma Barriers To Substance Abuse Treatment Engagement Among Formerly Incarcerated Males, Eleonora Vlasta Juliana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored treatment engagement among formerly incarcerated adult males in a community-based substance abuse treatment program who experienced barriers related to sexual and violent trauma histories. Fully engaging in treatment requires a readiness to become and remain sober, and for those who suffer from trauma, such readiness may be absent, and continued substance use may be their way to cope with pain. This study explored a gap in the literature concerning how sexual and violent trauma might play a role as barriers to engaging in substance abuse treatment among formerly incarcerated males. Understanding how such traumas impact treatment engagement …

Exploring The Private And Environmental Events Of Repeat Offenders Relative To Low Self-Control, Xavier Mims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dissection of self-control theory itself has served as a supplemental platform for understanding how the lack of self-control can perpetuate criminal conduct. Previous research has indicated that employing self-control theory to predict criminal behavior has been widely supported by various forms of test samples, measurements, and methodologies. However, there remains a gap in the current literature regarding the internal-motivative factors between the relationship of the offender's criminal behaviors and self-control theory. Partial understanding of what the offender experiences constitutes a significant disparity between subjective concepts and actual accounts based on an offender's view on his personal life. Therefore, the …

Community-Based Organizations' Engagement In Social Innovations To Promote Sustainable Urban Development, Yael Racov Drory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Institutional void often fuels efforts by social entrepreneurs to fill gaps through social innovations (SIs). Furthermore, governments promote SIs because they tend to advance sustainable solutions and social change. In a town in Israel, after years of intense social activism, during governance by a Convened Committee (CC) established by the central government, community-based-organizations (CBOs) are no longer engaged in innovative activism. Fewer solutions to institutional void could deteriorate or generate social problems. A gap in the literature exists regarding Israeli CBOs' engagement in sustainable urban development (SUD) SIs during CC governance. The purpose of this research was to uncover the …

The Impact Of Media Representation Of Police Use Of Force On Minority Students' Intentions To Pursue Criminal Justice Degrees, Stacey Shawn White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, reports of police use of force incidents have proliferated across traditional and social media. The extent and nature of the impact of these reports on the relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve have received significant attention from scholars and researchers. In addition, a growing body of literature examining the impact of the media on communities of color and their relationships with and perspectives on law enforcement also exists. However, there is a gap in the research on the effect of media coverage of police use of force incidents on minority criminal justice students. In …

The Exploration Of Clinical Supervision For Substance Abuse Social Workers In Bermuda, Steva Aria Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As specialists who bridge the gap between the social work and substance abuse treatment fields, substance abuse social workers are expected to develop themselves as social workers by designation, substance abuse counselors by occupation, and deliver competent therapeutic services that align both professions seamlessly. As documented in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, their support in achieving this feat is clinical supervision. Despite this documentation, a review of the social work literature revealed an absence of information on clinical supervision between the social work and substance abuse fields, their supervisory alliance, and outcomes. Accordingly, this project was …

Inside Out: Mask-Making And The Counseling Student Identity, Jil Hus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the field experience level, current research is limited on reflective expressive arts exercises as a modality to facilitate professional identity development in counseling students, with no mention of the effectiveness of mask-making. The purpose of this art-based hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of master’s students’ counselor identity at the field experience level using research questions to explore participants’ lived experiences as they engaged in a mask-making expressive arts activity aimed at the enhancement of their self-awareness, insight, and reflection into their professional identity development. A qualitative design was utilized, and 5 students participated in this study …

Treatment Providers’ Perspectives On Restraints And Seclusion For Children In Psychiatric Facilities, Calpurnia Chudi Adamma Okwuone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of restraints and seclusions in psychiatric treatment facilities for children and adolescents has caused major disputes in the healthcare field. Treatment providers determine the need to implement a restraint or seclusion depending on their perceptions of the situation and their responsibility to abide by the rules and regulations of the facility. The purpose of this research was to gain a deep understanding of how treatment providers are affected prior to, during, and following the use of a restraint or seclusion with a child or adolescent patient. Attribution theory was the theoretical framework used to examine this phenomenon. Data …

Rape Myth Acceptance And Potential Impacts On Campus Policies And Programs, Jilleian K. Sessions-Stackhouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual assault has been a growing concern for many years, and researchers have used rape myth acceptance to understand how blame is assessed as well as to develop effective prevention programs to deter the crime. Rape myths are obstacles to successful program and prevention efforts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore potential connections between rape myth acceptance of collegiate level staff and the impact this knowledge can have on developing effective campus sexual assault prevention policies and programs. The theoretical framework of this study drew from evolution theory. The previously validated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale-Short Form …

Missionary Kids And Trauma, Lindsay Elizabeth Stone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMissionary Kids and Trauma by Lindsay E. Stone

MA, Walden University, 2019MA, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2010 BS, Charleston Southern University, 2006

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human and Social Services

Walden University February 2021 Abstract Missionary kids (MKs) around the world are more exposed to trauma than non-MKs. MKs often struggle with grief, loss, and stressors of cross-cultural living. Childhood trauma leads to short-and long-term effects of trauma, often into adulthood. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore adult, Christian MKs’ perceptions of external trauma on …

Burnout Among Child Protective Services Social Workers In Georgia, Lakeita Arrington-Judkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

CPS (child protective services) social workers are critical to the social service community. Due to the responsibilities of this role, CPS social workers encounter multiple stressors and high demands in the workplace. Burnout is prominent in the social service profession, specifically among CPS social workers. This qualitative action research study was conducted to explore CPS social workers’ experiences of burnout and organizational issues related to those burnout experiences. Maslach’s multidimensional theory on burnout was the theoretical framework. Data collection involved individual interviews facilitated online. The sample consisted of 8 experienced CPS social workers from the Georgia Department of Human Services. …

Job Satisfaction And Retention Among Direct Care Workers In Times Of Covid-19, Emma Boone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLow employee satisfaction and retention have been identified as major challenges in the American mental health workforce. High turnover rates and the growing demand for direct care workers necessitates further research regarding satisfaction and retention. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to determine how direct care workers employed by mental health organizations describe what motivates their satisfaction and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Herzberg’s theory of job satisfaction was the theoretical framework. Research questions explored job satisfaction and retention among a group of 8 direct care workers. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect participants’ perceptions of their work …

The Reacculturation Of Veterans Post Transition Assistance Program, Kyle Alan Hanlan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As many as 61% of veterans have sought reintegration services after the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help them cope with culture shock. TAP is not designed to address cultural transition. However, culture shock has resulted in disassociating behavior, unemployment, and homelessness in the veteran community. The purpose of this study was to identify the unmet reacculturation needs of post-active duty veterans in Chester County, Pennsylvania, who have utilized the United States’ Department of Defense’s TAP. Using an ethnographic approach, this study identified the extent that the TAP helps 13 post-active duty veterans obtain the autonomy stage of culture shock …

Effective Police Recruitment: Professional Misconduct Risk Regression Analysis For Law Enforcement Officers, Clinton Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police departments are responsible for evaluating applicants to find suitable recruits to join a department’s training program. It was not known how police officer recruits feel about the recruitment and selection process. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine to what extent the 2 M-PULSE scale scores (sexually offensive conduct and racially offensive behavior) account for variance in the MMPI-2RF (anger proneness and behavior/externalizing dysfunctional) subscales scores. Archival data was provided by a private business that conducts these screenings for multiple law enforcement organizations (local and state). Law enforcement candidates (N = 107) were evaluated by a private …

Psychological Coercion Among Trafficked Sex Workers: A Grounded Study Approach, Rebecca Ann Laurento

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMillions of individuals have become involved in human sex trafficking (HST) each year. This study involved an exploration of how these individuals became victims to psychological coercion and their experiences with HST. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to add to the current literature and provide a foundation for future researchers. Given the lack of literature on this topic, professional practitioners may not understand this problem or know how to support these victims of HST. The gap in literature this study addressed pertained to the processes and dynamics of psychological coercion for individuals involved with HST. Oppression …

A Photovoice Study On Growing Up Female In Foster Care, Kim Parker-Maneja

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractApproximately 440,000 children lived in state-supervised foster care across the United States in 2019; of those children, 48% were female. Many studies have examined how foster care impacts youth who age out of care, as many are ill-prepared to navigate the challenges of independence and make responsible adult decisions after transitioning. However, only a handful of studies prioritized the female youth's voice to understand their experiences growing up in the foster care system. This study introduced photovoice, a participatory methodology, to collect data from 11 former female youth 19-25 years old. Manchanda's upstream concept and Rappaport's empowerment theory were used …

The Lived Posttraumatic Growth Experience Of Intimate Partner Violence Counselors, Susan Purnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The goal of this research was to explore lived experiences of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in intimate partner violence (IPV) counselors. An improved understanding of secondary trauma risk mitigation may protect the well-being of counselors, which in turn may protect clients, benefitting the profession of counseling as well as counselor education. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to explore the lived PTG experience of counselors who work with survivors of IPV. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks for this study were the PTG model and phenomenology. Semi structured interviews were conducted with eight licensed professional counselors having at …

Homeless Shelter Social Workers’ Lived Experiences As Providers For Older Schizophrenic Women, Joan Marcy Spencer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The costs of social change efforts addressing homelessness among mentally ill individuals has increased in the United States over the past 40 years. Social workers face challenges with developing or executing individualized housing and mental health plans for older homeless women with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences among homeless shelter social workers who help women with schizophrenia during housing and mental health support implementation. This transcendental phenomenological study was anchored with Husserl’s theoretical context of human perceptions of reality within previous subjective experiences. The research question was: When implementing mental health and housing …

Territoriality As A Factor In Nursing Incivility, Carolyn Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIncivility and hazing in health care results in unsafe environments, not only for the nurse but also for the client, facility, and other health professionals. The project site, a privately owned medical clinic, has a high employee turnover rate with exit interviews indicating bullying and incivility from long-term nursing staff toward new employees as critical reasons for employee resignation. The literature offers minimal information regarding territoriality, a concept associated with aggressive (i.e., alpha) behaviors in animals and humans and incivility in nursing. The purpose of the project was to identify whether territoriality was a behavioral factor that may have contributed …

Masters-Level Counseling Students’ Awareness Of Council Of Accreditation Of Counseling And Related Educational Programs Accreditation, V. Paige Zeiger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the counseling profession continues to evolve and change, there is a growing need for more professional counselors who are appropriately trained. Research indicated that a high percentage of prospective and current counseling graduate students lacked awareness of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation prior to and following enrollment in a counseling graduate program; therefore, these students were not making fully informed decisions when selecting an appropriate graduate program that would prove beneficial to their professional goals. In this descriptive phenomenological inquiry, 7 master’s-level counseling students provided their lived experiences of searching for and …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Youth Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Wandra C. Blocker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 30,000 youth “age out” of the foster care system and enter independent living each year. Statistics indicate poverty, homelessness, unmet needs, and mental illness occur at higher rates for these youth than their non-foster care peers, and little research has been conducted regarding their experience. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of African American youth who have aged out of the foster care system and factors they attribute to their transitional outcomes. The attribution and emerging adulthood theories guided this study. Data were collected via interview from a sample …

A Quantitative Approach To Police And Mental Health Training, Cassandra Kay Dibeler (Bowland)

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effectiveness of mental health training for police officers and the officers’ subsequent interactions with individuals with mental illness has been well researched. There is a lack in documentation on any differences in the hours of mental health training officers receive and their perceptions of individuals with mental illness. There is also a lack in research looking at any differences between officers who volunteered for mental health training and those who did not. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore any differences between police officers who volunteered and those who did not for informal, formal, and crisis intervention …

The Lived Experiences Of Elderly Jury Members In Determining Verdicts, Debra Dix

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractVery little research has been done on elderly jurors who were age 55 or older when they served on juries. The research that exists suggests that older jurors are more likely to vote to convict than younger jurors, although the reasons for the higher conviction rates have not been studied in depth. This study explored the lived experiences of elderly jury members in determining verdicts while in the performance of jury duty and the defendant characteristics that influenced their verdict decisions. Story model theory and director’s cut theory were used to attempt to explain how elderly jurors arrived at verdict …