Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Homeless Canadians’ Perspectives On Homelessness In Calgary, Edith N. Ahajumobi, Peter B. Anderson

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Since the 1990s, homelessness has increased in Canada, but the strategies of the government and public health service providers to manage the situation have had limited success. Researchers have also noted the lack of inclusion of those experiencing homelessness in homelessness research to better understand and develop a solution to the issue. In the present study, this is addressed through inclusion of homeless participants from diverse backgrounds. The purpose of this phenomenological study, framed by social cognitive theory, reciprocal determinism, and symbolic interaction, was to understand homelessness from the perspectives of people who do not have homes. Data were collected …

Application Of The Donabedian Quality-Of-Care Model To New York State Direct Support Professional Core Competencies: How Structure, Process, And Outcomes Impacts Disability Services, Johanna Loporto

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are responsible for the daily supervision and care of people diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) living in community residential group homes. In New York State, these DSPs are trained within the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities DSPs core competencies; a set of ethical, technical, and cognitive training geared to the individual care of each person as per their specific needs. This qualitative case study was to understand how DSPs perceived the implementation of the core competencies after being trained and under the direction of their supervisors. Using the Donabedian’s quality-of-care conceptual framework, this …

Severity Of Coercive Sexual Harassment In Professor–Student Interaction And Peer Bystander Responses, Donna M. L. Heretick, Inna Learn

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The risk for female students in academia of sexual harassment by male faculty and staff remains a national crisis. This study examined effects of severity of coercive sexual harassment (CSH) by a male professor of a female student on peer bystander intervention responses. A total of 180 undergraduate and graduate college students who volunteered for an online survey were randomly assigned to one of three vignette conditions that varied severity of CSH. Following Bowes-Sperry’s ethical model of bystander behaviors, it was predicted that severity of CSH would affect cognitive appraisals and emotional reactions, which would further predict intentions for intervention …

Different Caregiver, Different Collaboration, Helle Rønn-Smidt, Janet K. Shim, Amber Fitzsimmons, Kristian Larsen, Hanne Pallesen

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The quality of the collaboration between health professionals and caregivers is of great significance to outcome and recovery. Severe brain injuries after a stroke can leave patients unable to communicate their needs and wishes with health professionals, in which case the role of the caregiver(s) becomes even more important. This position is highly differentiated, and there are substantial variations in how caregivers participate in the collaboration. Using the Bourdieusian concept of cultural health capital, we aimed to develop a broader understanding of the role played by the patient’s caregiver and how inequality is produced in the encounter with professionals. This …

Preventing School Shootings: The Interprofessional And Community Approach To Prevention, Heather C. Alonge, Constant P. Craig

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

This essay examined the issue of school shootings within the United States, to include a literature review and analysis of the current status of the issue on a national level. From the review and analysis, the essay provides the multidisciplines engaged in school safety issues with viable, workable, and quickly implementable solutions to address this serious national issue at the local school district and even school level of implementation. This analysis examined a multidiscipline and multiprofessional community approach using existing federal guidelines that address actionable intelligence (social media and human information/informants), school design and incorporation of safety and protective features, …

Health Behaviors In The Service Sector: Substance Use Among Restaurant Employees, Amanda Michiko Shigihara

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Restaurant workers in the United States exhibit high levels of alcohol and drug use. However, there is a scant amount of qualitative research uncovering how and why restaurant employees use and abuse legal and illegal substances. Examining restaurant workers’ self-reported risky health behaviors is important for improving employee and occupational quality of life. The purpose of this article is to investigate the health behaviors of restaurant workers and pathways to such outcomes. Specifically, this article explores the question of what social conditions and processes within restaurants relate to employee adverse health behaviors. Drawing on qualitative data collected between 2009 and …

Using Simulated Instruction To Prepare Students To Engage In Culturally Competent Practice, Alex D. Colvin, Mahasin Saleh, Nila Ricks, Emarely Rosa-Davila

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Developing and training students to understand issues of diversity, including the development of a culturally competent social work identity, has long been a challenge for schools of social work. Nevertheless, preparing students to engage with diverse populations is paramount. Simulated learning is an effective pedagogy to enhance and broaden students’ understanding in regard to engaging with diverse populations. This article examines the use of human simulation instruction activities to prepare students to engage in culturally competent practice. More specifically, in this article, the constructs of the cultural competence practice model of Campinha–Bacote (2002) will be examined for practical application in …

Organizational Culture As A Predictor Of Counselors’ Wellness, Ashley Nicole Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The foci of existing literature related to counselor wellness are on counselors as individuals, and researchers have failed to consider counselors as part of a larger system. Researchers have found that demanding work environments are more likely to lead to compassion fatigue and burnout for counselors which pose threats to the well-being of clients. The organizational culture also affects counselor self-efficacy, which influences the emotional state of the counselors. Limited research exists on institutional-level factors, such as the organizational culture, in counselor wellness which demonstrates the importance of this study. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental survey study was to …

Online Social Support And Biopsychosocial Implications For Bariatric Patients, Jamie Kathryn Schofell-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has grown to epidemic proportions in the United States with approximately 40% of women and 30% of men having a body mass index greater than 35. Bariatric surgery is an effective form of weight loss. However, weight regain is a problem, with 50% of persons undergoing bariatric surgery experiencing a weight regain of 5% within 2 years of surgery and only 40% maintaining a loss of 30% or more long-term. Potential biological, psychological, and social issues can negatively impact the long-term success of weight management for many bariatric surgery patients. Research is significantly limited within this area and it …

Relationship Between Novice Teacher Well-Being, High-Stakes Testing Stress, And Intent To Leave, Laura Elizabeth Dawes Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standardized tests are considered high stress because consequences such as loss of certification and replacement of school staff affect teacher morale and self-efficacy. The purpose of this concurrent complementarity mixed-methods study was to examine the relationship between novice teachers’ high-stakes test stress, their well-being, and their intent to return to school the next year. The concepts of teacher stress and teacher well-being provided the conceptual framework for the study. Twenty-five teachers participated in a survey measuring their well-being and high-stakes test stress level. Eight of those teachers also participated in individual phone interviews. Results of the quantitative (Pearson correlations) and …

Disinterest In Pursuing A Law Enforcement Career Among Minorities, Howard E. Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, women and racial minorities are underrepresented in the law enforcement profession. Ideally, law enforcement agencies should reflect the racial makeup of the communities they serve; which has been a challenge for departments. The purpose of this study was to investigate what effect media reporting of unarmed Black men killed by police has had on women and racial minorities’ decisions to apply for police jobs. Another issue investigated was whether family attitudes influence women’s and racial minorities’ decision making about becoming police officers. The theoretical frameworks applied for this study were the critical race theory and punctuated …

Predictors Of Postdivorce Adjustment In The Orthodox Jewish Population, Judah Stern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn general, divorce can be stigmatizing and can lead to social and financial hardships for those who experience it. However, the impact of divorce may be more severe for members of the Orthodox Jewish population, whose culture places significant value and importance on marriage. The purpose of this study was to address the gap in the literature pertaining to the experience of divorce in the Orthodox Jewish population and the factors contributing to or hindering postdivorce adjustment in this population. Family stress and coping theory served as the foundation for this study. One research question guided the study examining whether …

Perceived Obstacles For State-Facilitated Legal Recreational Cannabis, Robert A. Lino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. states that facilitate the use of legal recreational cannabis face the threat of federal prosecution because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess the perceived obstacles to the state-facilitated regulation and implementation of legal recreational cannabis. Collective action federalism theory provided the framework for the study. The data collection instrument was developed based on themes in the literature and was pilot tested to ensure accuracy. The final study included 22 participants who represented the cannabis industry in the United States. Descriptive coding and thematic analysis indicated that the federal …

Demand For And Impact Of Performance Audits On Public Administration In Kazakhstan, Almagul Mukhamediyeva

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Demand for and impacts of performance audits (PA) on public administration in Kazakhstan have not been studied. This information gap increases risks of missed government opportunities to improve public sector performance. Using new public management theory and the principal-agent model as guiding lenses, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the demand for and effects of PA on Kazakhstan’s public administration. The research question explored the lived experiences and perceptions of the key participants and users of PAs, i.e., auditors, managers of auditees, and parliamentarians, and included reviews of over 200 official documents including audit reports and 14 …

Understanding The Impacts Of Military Unit Suicides On Fellow Soldiers As Witnessed By Battalion Commanders, Tom M. Noble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing concern over the increase of suicides in the military remains a topic of discussion for senior leaders as they seek to provide services and resources to those in need. However, little research exists to address the impact of suicides on the soldiers who remain in units after suicides occur. The purpose of this thematic analysis study was to explore the observed experiences of battalion commanders who have witnessed the impact of suicide on their soldiers. Through the semistructured interviews of 4 battalion commanders, this research described the experiences of soldiers in military units where suicides had occurred. McCann …

Counterterrorism Investigator Perceptions: Homegrown Violent Extremists With Mental Illness, Jeffery Brandon Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Terrorism endures throughout the world. Some individuals who engage in it may suffer from a cognitive disorder. For those who investigate terrorism, preconceptions exist both toward extremists and toward people with mental illness (MI). A review of the literature has shown how counterterrorism (CT) investigators perceive terrorists’ motivations, and how law enforcement perceives people with MI. In filling a gap between the two, this study aimed to research whether based on their lived experiences, do the understandings, perceptions, and attitudes of CT agents inform their biases and influence their decision-making and ultimately investigations of homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) with MI. …

Identifying The Policy Barriers For A Microgrid System In Ohio, Robert Pursley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The electric grid may be the most critical and vital component of the United States' infrastructure but is projected to fail more frequently in the future. One solution for improving grid resiliency is through renewable energy and microgrids. However, many cities lack public policies to bring these solutions to fruition. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceived and real challenges to the development of policies necessary for the implementation of a microgrid system for a small city in Ohio. Using a generic qualitative approach and the principles of participatory action research, data were obtained through interviews of …

Postidentification Feedback Influence Through Nonverbal Cues, Brigette A. Kruis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For many years, psychologists and other social scientists have investigated the influence of postidentification verbal feedback on eyewitnesses’ identifications. However, the purpose of this study was to examine if the impact of nonverbal postidentification feedback cues on eyewitnesses’ confidence level can have the same effect as verbal postidentification feedback. The postidentification feedback effect has been well documented in regards to verbal feedback. The research questions for this study examined what effects on eyewitnesses’ confidence level that positive and negative nonverbal feedback would have. Participants (N=66) were selected at random from a local park and placed into one treatment group (positive, …

Utilization And Impact Of Peer-Support Programs On Police Officers’ Mental Health, Beth A. Milliard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officer suicides rates hit an all-time high in the province of Ontario, Canada, in 2018. Sadly, this statistic is somewhat unsurprising, as research has shown that police officers suffer from higher rates of mental health disorder diagnoses compared the general public. One key reason for the elevated levels of suicide and other mental health issues among police officers is the stigma associated with seeking help. In an attempt to address these serious issues, Ontario’s police services have begun to create internal peer-support programs as a way of supporting their members. The present research explores the experiences of police officers …

Factors Affecting The Successful Completion Of Online Graduate Programs Among Single Mothers, Kimberly Ann Palermo-Kielb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An advanced degree is a step toward career aspirations, access to affordable healthcare, and financial goals. For single mothers, a population most vulnerable for living on the brink of poverty, an advanced degree can be a means toward ending intergenerational poverty. Single mother students face serious barriers to advance their education which impede their ability to pursue and complete their degrees. The purpose of the present study was to explore graduate student single mothers’ experiences attending an online education program. The conceptual frameworks guiding the study are Pintrich’s motivational self-regulated learning model for achievement and Duckworth’s model on the psychology …

Department Of Defense Insider Threats: Sharing And Oversight To Protect U.S. Installations, Yokeitha Anita Ramey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing threat of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other terrorist organizations increases the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) chance of encountering an insider threat, which creates the need for the DoD to develop programs to address this concern and mitigate the risk to national security. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to understand the effectiveness of security education, training, and awareness programs designed to mitigate insider threats within the DoD. Research questions were focused on this purpose as well as understanding why there is an increase in insider threats within the DoD. The theoretical frameworks …

Factors Associated With Incarceration Of Adolescents With Learning Disabilities, Sabine Silien Charles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarceration of adolescents in the United States has grown substantially during the last 3 decades with nearly 53,000 adolescents held every day in correctional facilities. Many researchers have raised concerns about the greater percentage of adolescents with learning disabilities (LDs) in the juvenile system. In the state of Washington, one study in residential placements showed approximately 20% of youth incarcerated had a diagnosed LD. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to use the therapeutic change, length of stay, and recidivism in incarcerated juvenile offenders in Washington state, 2008–2015 data set to examine possible factors associated with incarceration of …

African American Noncustodial Fathers’ Perceptions Of Fatherhood Programs, Melissa Marie Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fatherhood programs have varying intentions, including encouraging peer interaction among fathers, supporting healthy father-child relationships, developing positive family dynamics, and identifying parenting strategies. However, much less is known about how fatherhood programs fulfill the needs of fathers as examined by the theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The purpose of this qualitative generative research study was to explore African American noncustodial fathers’ experiences of fatherhood program in which they participated, and how these programs fulfilled their needs as framed by those from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The research question for this study focused on how African American noncustodial fathers perceive …

Motivation For Exercise In Adults With Spina Bifida, Tasha Vitales

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The activity level among the U.S. population is low. Lack of exercise among individuals with disabilities adds a level of vulnerability to health issues for a population already facing multiple challenges. Despite considerable research on factors that may affect exercise among the general population, scant information is available about the relevance of such factors among individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, researchers have not used a coherent theoretical framework to explain empirical results. The present study addressed shortcomings in the literature by assessing, within the self-determination theory framework, if gender, self-efficacy, and self-determination predict exercise in individuals with a spina bifida. The …

Understanding Stakeholder Interests In Rulemaking Through The Lens Of Private-Interest Institutionalism, Walter Lewis Koski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

State regulators have the task of promulgating regulations for multiple heavily regulated industries, but there is a dearth of research to help public policy makers better understand how rulemaking processes are perceived by stakeholders in those processes. Regulators who promulgated rules for the legalization of marijuana in Colorado used both required and discretionary methods of participation in rulemaking to involve stakeholders with multiple competing interests. This qualitative research study was based on a phenomenological approach and interview data from 10 stakeholders who participated in the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division's rulemaking processes between 2013 and 2016. The purpose of this study …

The Meaning Of Work And Self-Sufficiency For Rural Work- Eligible Adults, Janneice Mitcheam-Eatmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the implementation of government programs created to ensure access to job training and education assistance for rural residents, which encourage and support their efforts to change their life trajectory, many rural residents remain unemployed and unable to move beyond poverty. Most research on job training focuses on program effectiveness or epidemiological trends; however, the voices of rural residents' descriptions of their relationship to work and self-sufficiency are missing from the literature. This IPA study explored the meaning of work and self-sufficiency for rural, work-eligible adults using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory (EST) as the theoretical framework. I used a combination …

Countering Violent Extremism: U.S. Foreign Policy And The Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, Jason S. Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For over two decades, preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) has proven a daunting challenge for foreign assistance policy makers and implementers. The challenges are rooted in its rapid emergence, continuous and uneven development, and lingering skepticism about its future and effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to provide policy makers and practitioners with a deeper understanding of how certain factors have driven the development of P/CVE policy. The research questions focused on the nature of policy alignment at all policy levels and the identification and nature of the factors that have driven rapid P/CVE policy change. The theoretical …

Stress And Wellness Among Municipal Law Enforcement Officers In Southeastern Virginia, Russell Morgan Granderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Municipal law enforcement officers contend with unique occupational stressors. They must overcome stress from their employing agency and the pressures that arise from performing their basic enforcement duties. This study was designed to examine how municipal law enforcement officers in southeastern Virginia perceived their agency's wellness policy and to determine what recommendations they had to improve the effectiveness of the current wellness policy. Lazarus and Folkman's theory of cognitive appraisal and coping served as the theoretical framework for the study. Qualitative inquiry was used to examine the perceptions of 15 purposively sampled law enforcement officer participants. The data were then …

Marital Outcomes And Attachment In Children Of Divorce Versus Children Of Intact Families, Julirae Gunter Castleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies have investigated many aspects of the lives of children of divorce, including delinquency, emotional aspects, and attachment; however, they have not investigated the patterns of marital partnership formation and persistence among children of divorce who were raised in long-term blended families versus children of other types of families. Based on attachment theory, this study compared adult children from 4 family types: children of divorce raised in (a) long-term blended families, (b) single parent families postdivorce, (c) serial matrimony families postdivorce, and (d) children raised in intact families. A quantitative, causal-comparative, ex post facto survey design was employed with …

Caregiver Role In Alcohol Abuse Treatment For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Mariam Nicoll

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With deinstitutionalization in the 1970s, individuals with intellectual disabilities were

mainstreamed back into their communities, along with an increase in the prevalence of

alcohol abuse and a necessity for family members to be the main source of care, support,

and advocacy. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore

the lived experiences of caregivers of family members with intellectual disabilities

abusing alcohol and the obtainment of substance abuse treatment services. The

conceptual framework included a combination of family stress and caring theories which

provided an ontological direction as to how caregivers perceived the phenomenon of

obtaining substance abuse …