Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Self-Efficacy And Leadership Commitment During Lean Strategy Deployment, Angela Deloise Pearson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lean strategy deployment (LSD) provides a means to create lasting value at reduced cost; yet most LSD efforts fail to attain sustainable improvements. The current study sought to gain an understanding of how leaders in oral healthcare manufacturing setting in the northeastern region of the United States can apply self-efficacy and leadership commitment during an LSD. Using Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy this qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences and perceptions of 15 mid-to-senior level managers, concerning the use of self-efficacy and leadership commitment during a lean strategy deployment (LSD). The key findings resulted in 10 emergent themes. The top …

Effects Of Herzberg's Hygiene Factors On Fire Department Paramedics, Christine Elizabeth Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The decline in the number of lead paramedics at an Indiana fire department has stressed the local emergency medical system (EMS), jeopardized public safety, accelerated personnel burnout, and increased overtime expense. Using Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory as a guiding lens, this phenomenological study explored the effects of the Indiana fire department’s policies related to lead paramedic job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible hygiene factors, relabeled as workplace satisfaction factors, which led to a decrease in the number of lead paramedics within EMS from 2007–2017. The reduction in lead paramedic numbers led to unanticipated and unbudgeted …

Depression With Peripartum Onset (Postpartum) And Mother’S Perceptions Of Social Support And Self-Efficacy For Parenting, Shenetha Carmise Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression with peripartum onset, which was previously called maternal depression, or postpartum depression, is common among many pregnant women. The condition increases impairment in maintaining relationships, self-esteem, and parenting skills. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how mothers who have experienced peripartum onset (postpartum) depression perceive their social support and their ability to parent effectively. The conceptual framework was based on Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Convenience and snowball sampling were both used to obtain 6 research participants who were interviewed face-to-face or by telephone. Participants shared their experiences with depression, perceptions of social support, and how …

Relationship Between Perceived Usefulness, Ease Of Use, And Acceptance Of Business Intelligence Systems, Christina Ndiwa Sandema-Sombe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In retail, the explosion of data sources and data has provided incentive to invest in information systems (IS), which enable leaders to understand the market and make timely decisions to improve performance. Given that users’ perceptions of IS affects their use of IS, understanding the factors influencing user acceptance is critical to acquiring an effective business intelligence system (BIS) for an organization. Grounded in the technology acceptance model theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and user acceptance of business intelligence systems (BIS) in retail organizations. …

Parental Perspectives Of Permanency Planning And Staffing Barriers In Child Welfare, Linda S. Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caseworker turnover in child welfare agencies has been a problem for many years. The turnover negatively impacts the agency, and the staff left behind by their departing peers, and continuity of services provided to clients. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore parental experiences with child welfare staff turnover to determine how clients perceived that turnover impacted their child welfare case. The research questions for this study focused on (a) how clients perceived that child welfare turnover impacted their case and (b) how the turnover impacted their case plan and (c) recommendations for child welfare to enhance …

Exploring Social Worker Knowledge, Conceptualization, And Use Of Cultural Humility In Hospice, Shelby L. Schiller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This capstone project examined social workers’ knowledge, values, and beliefs as related to the concept of cultural humility to determine how hospice care professionals treat patients’ cultural preferences and traditions with respect and sensitivity at the end of life; as such practices have the ability to improve the hospice experience. Research questions addressed in the study (a) how social workers in Nevada define cultural humility in the context of hospice social work practice, (b) the values or principles hospice social workers in Nevada consider most important in providing culturally appropriate care to hospice patients, and (c) the ways hospice social …

Effective Social Work Practice With Military Youth During Deployment, Christy Michelle Scholl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 2 million military-connected children experienced separation from a parent due to a military deployment. The purpose of this study was to identify and build upon the tools and techniques used by social workers when providing services to military children during a parental deployment. Bowen’s family systems theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. Family systems theory relies on the belief that military families are interdependent of one another and to fully understand what may be happening with military youth; social workers must look at and understand the …

Strategies Employed By High School Social Workers To Help Young Mothers Remain In High School, Rosetta Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strategies Employed by High School Social Workers to Help Young Mothers Remain in High School

by

Rosetta Stephens

MSW, Monmouth University, 2014

BA, Kean University, 2005

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillments

of Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Social Work

Walden University

November 2019

The focus of this study was to explore the ways high school social workers employ 6 evidence-based strategies to foster academic persistence among young mothers currently enrolled in high school. High school social workers are often tasked with helping young mothers overcome the challenges associated with motherhood. It is necessary for social workers to assess …

The Impact Of Hiv Prevention Education In School On Young Men Who Have Sex With Men, Michael Edward Tachet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sex education through the public school system has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an excellent vehicle by which HIV prevention education can be presented to students, thereby decreasing the rate of HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, YMSM continue to be at high risk for HIV infection in the United States despite educational efforts to prevent infection. The purpose of this qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was to explore what impact school-based HIV prevention education had on YMSM in the past, and what effect that education has …

The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of maternal incarceration are potentially linked to development of delinquency in the children of these mothers. Current literature points to the intergenerational transmission of criminality that may result in future low socioeconomic status and unemployment for children of incarcerated mothers, yet little of this literature addresses the link between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency. Using attachment theory as the foundation, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess correlation between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency, as well as investigate the mediating role of child gender, race, current relationship with the primary caregiver, and disciplinary environment. The …

Learning Models, Personality Traits, And Job Satisfaction In Forensic Psychology Practitioners, Dione Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Forensic psychology is a distinct specialization requiring practitioners to approach problems differently than in other psychological specialties. While the use of problem-based learning in the medical field is well-researched, there is a lack of literature regarding its use in forensic psychology. This quantitative survey-based study was designed to investigate the relationship between learning models and personality traits and job satisfaction in forensic psychologists. In the current study, an adaption of Vygotsky’s constructivist zone of proximal development theory and Holland’s theory of career choice were applied to forensic psychology instruction to assess the degree to which personality and learning models interrelate …

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. …

Understanding Self-Care Techniques Among Currently Practicing Behavior Analysts, Shane T. Spiker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) serve as the primary practitioners within this field, providing direct services to individuals with socially significant problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to expand research on the behavior analytic practitioner regarding their self-care practices and develop an understanding of their lived experience using Orem's theory of self-care. Data were collected from 10 BCBAs via face-to-face interviews derived of questions regarding self-care practices. The interview questions included discussions around self-care behaviors as well as beneficial and problematic effects regarding individual self-care practices. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to gather information regarding practices and interpret …

Bullying And Resilience In Elementary School Children And Mitigating Pro-Social Behaviors, Suzette A. Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between bullying behaviors, as measured by the Personal Experiences Checklist (PECK), and resilience, as measured by the Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS), as well as whether the prosocial behaviors of controling anger, solving problems, and cooperating with others during activities mitigated the effects of bullying behaviors. A relationship between bullying behaviors and resiliency in children has been shown in past research. The theoretical framework for this study was social learning theory. The foundation of social learning theory is that children learned behaviors by imitating the behaviors of others. …

The Impact Of Parental Incarceration: Adults Reflect On Their Juvenile Years, Carolyn Eugenia Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For many American families, incarceration has become a way of life. Per the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated, there are more than 2.7 million children who have a parent in prison and some may have one or both in county jail. There are psychological implications in terms of the child's well-being, behavioral, academic, and emotional outcomes, and family-level processes. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the impact that a parent's incarceration has on a child even through adulthood. The research question examined how a parent's incarceration impacts the future of the …

Examining The Utility Of The Hexaco-Pi-R For Predicting Positive And Negative Indicators Of Police Officer Performance, Angela Marie Ripley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Identifying behaviors that are either counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) or organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) may assist law enforcement agencies in selecting and aligning police officers for the various roles asked of them. The 6 dimensions of personality are not currently being used in law enforcement agencies to predict overall job performance of police officers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which the 6 personality dimensions as measured by the HEXACO Personality Inventory Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) predicted overall indicators (OCB and CWB) of police officer job performance. A sample of 51 police officers from a variety …

Staff Members' Perceptions Of General Education Development Programs In Virginia's Correctional System, Andrew Lee Beamon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Virginia Department of Corrections mandates that all offenders without a high

school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to be enrolled in

GED programs offered in the prison system. However, these programs have shown

varying rates of success. Supported by the constructivist theory, the purpose of this

qualitative case study was to identify how correctional education staff members

perceived the effectiveness of the GED programs. Data from surveys and interviews with

9 educational correctional staff members were collected and analyzed for themes.

Findings indicated that (a) participants use computer software for effective instruction,

(b) offenders who were …

Fire Training Fatalities And Firefighter Adherence To National Fire Protection Association Standards, Lucas Aaron Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sudden cardiac arrest continues to be a major cause of firefighter deaths during training due to a lack of individual firefighter adherence to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. These standards identify requirements for fire departments to create and maintain fitness programs. Existing research has not identified any relationships between training fatalities and individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583, Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members. Using self-determination theory as the foundation, the purpose of this cross-sectional correlation study was to investigate whether individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583 has a measurable effect on training fatalities. Survey data …

Investigation Of Posttraumatic Growth On Health Behaviors With Self-Efficacy As A Mediator, Annissa Pellicano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has been accumulating on the positive outcomes that people may experience following trauma. However, scholarly literature is deficient in the area of investigating the association among centrality of event (CE), posttraumatic growth (PTG), and health behaviors of women with histories of sexual trauma. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to (a) determine the extent of the relationship between CE and PTG, (b) explore the relationship between PTG and health behaviors (i.e., drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, and physical activity), and (c) to determine whether general self-efficacy (SE) mediated these relationships. The theoretical frameworks used to inform this …

Staff Education Intervention To Enhance Care Planning For Older Adults, Mozhgan Peiravi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased prevalence of cognitive deterioration has increased the challenges of caring for older adults. This study's project site offers a psychiatric program for older adults with customized care for complex geriatric mental health patients. Clinical assessment and care management are often overlooked in geriatric mental health patients diagnosed with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The purpose of this project was to deliver an education program developed from the Staff Training in Assisted Living Residences-Veterans Administration, P.I.E.C.E.S model and the Castle framework to 42 nursing and allied health staff of the project site. The project question explored whether …

Perceptions Of Homeland Security Policing In An Urban Midwestern Community, Sukeena Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the terrorist attacks on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, approach to policing has observably been shifted across the country. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, this study explored the perceptions of community members from a Chicago, Illinois community regarding the shift in policing style post 9/11. Cooley's theory of the looking glass self, coupled with a phenomenological approach to understand the deeper meaning associated with the perceptions of the residents and the shift in policing styles in Chicago communities. The data were obtained from participants who were at least 40 years old and held a residence for …

Exercise Adherence And Depression, Cory Reed Sullins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, exercise adherence levels were examined from archival data collected from 2004 to 2006 to determine if an association existed with the levels of depression among individuals over 49 in 3 rural community centers. Abundant research has shown that exercise is effective in alleviating depression but has not shown how levels of exercise adherence may impact the efficacy of exercise in the treatment of depression. The focus of the study was to determine if an increase in exercise adherence may be associated with a decrease in the symptoms of depression. An ANCOVA was used to determine if differences …

Stress, Social Support, And Mindfulness In Parents Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Deficits: A Quantitative Analysis, Branden D. Syrotchen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting children with neurodevelopmental deficits (NDDs) is very stressful, more so than the parenting of typically developing children. There is considerable research on the topic of chronic stress experienced by caregivers; however, less is understood of parental stress experienced when raising children with NDDs. The purpose of this study was to examine how parental traits and habits, in the forms of mindfulness and social support levels, affect this cohort's general stress levels. The study was guided by Self-Determination Theory, which explored how parental acts could be classified along a continuum of being intrinsically or extrinsically derived. A convenience sample of …

Differences Between Nontraditional And Traditional College Students' Perceptions Of Transition Preparedness, Laila Erika Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While scholars have used Schlossberg's transition theory for more than 35 years to study college-to-work transition, researchers have yet to establish if there are meaningful differences in the perceptions of traditional and nontraditional college students regarding transition preparedness from college-to-work. Following the career transition model, this quantitative study was conducted to compare traditional and nontraditional college students' perceptions of transition preparedness, specifically the concepts of readiness, confidence, control, perceived support, and decision independence. The nontraditional students in this study were military veterans. The dependent variables were measured by the Career Transition Inventory (CTI) survey. Participants were selected via a web-based …

Colorism And Skin Tone Messages In Father-Daughter Relationships, Ashley Nicole Void

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorism, or in-group bias based on skin tone, is a persistent phenomenon within the African American community that often shapes family dynamics and results in significant negative psychosocial effects for African Americans. Researchers have examined colorism primarily as it pertains to mothers' transmission of these messages, but little research exists regarding the paternal role. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the messages fathers transmit to their daughters regarding skin tone, while comparing these messages to those transmitted to fathers in their childhood. Twelve African American men, selected through purposive sampling, participated in individual semistructured interviews. Their responses …

Psychological Effects Of Training In Martial Arts After Interpersonal Trauma, Alexandro Garcia Vargas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who experience a traumatic event may have an adverse emotional reaction that negatively impacts their quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the influence of training in the martial arts as an intervention in the treatment of interpersonal trauma. The biopsychosocial model provided the framework for the study. The research questions addressed the effects of training in the martial arts and the biological, psychological, and social functioning of individuals who had sustained a form of interpersonal trauma. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 9 participants. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's modified van …

Financial Investment Advisor Professional Arrogance And Performance, Cranla Warren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Arrogance in the workplace is a growing area of interest within industrial-organizational psychology. Arrogant employees tend to lack positive interpersonal work relationships, act superior yet have a lower level of cognitive abilities, and have poorer job performance than their less arrogant counterparts, leading to challenging work relationships and overall impact on an organization's ability to meet its objectives. The present study examined professional arrogance measured by the Workplace Arrogance Scale (WARS), a 26 question survey, in relation to the objective outcome measure of a Financial Investment Advisor's (FIA) ranking on the firm's leader board based on total assets under management …

Career Ascension Of African-American Men In The Army Warrant Officer Corps, James Joseph Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The military and scholars assert that the military has created an organization that is based on merit. However, statistics show that African American military men are more likely to be subjected to the military's justice system, they are less likely to promote to the most senior enlisted and officer ranks, they are more likely to receive a negative discharge, and they are disproportionately represented on the military's death row. Despite these assertions, many African-American men succeed within the military structure. Therefore, this qualitative study was conducted to examine the stories of senior field grade warrant officer African American men to …

Women, Domestic Violence Service Providers, And Knowledge Of Technology-Related Abuse, Nadine White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many victims of domestic violence face continued exposure to abuse through technology because intimate partners may use technology as weapon against them. Some domestic violence service professionals lack necessary information or training to educate victims. The impact on victims has not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess the impact on women when domestic violence service providers do not provide current information about technology-related abuse to promote safety when providing service to victims. The conceptual framework was the Duluth model of power and control and the feminist perspective on intimate partner violence. The primary …

Crisis Communication Systems Among K-12 School Principals, Tomicka Nicole Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Crisis communication systems (CCS) in educational settings have been challenged by mass casualty events including shootings, natural disasters, and health outbreaks in the United States. The U.S. federal government and the U.S. Department of Education have created safety and security instructions to manage these complex and diverse security issues, yet they do not address the role of school leaders within a CCS. Using complex adaptive systems as the theoretical construct, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine CCSs utilized by school leaders within a single public school district in the United States. The research questions are focused …