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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Resources And Strategies Needed To Address The Problem Of Child Labor In Erbil, Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Evan Faiq Oct 2025

Resources And Strategies Needed To Address The Problem Of Child Labor In Erbil, Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Evan Faiq

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child labor is an international practice that has been on the rise in some parts of the world including Erbil, the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the different resources needed but not available for the victims, how child labor has impacted the community, and how the criminal justice system can better approach the child labor issue and reduce it in Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Social conflict theory was used to guide the study. Data were collected from 15 interviews with individuals from different areas of the criminal justice department, local organizations …

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Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood Oct 2025

Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female African American nontraditional students (25+ years with family and work demands) have high attrition rates, they leave degree programs before graduating, worsening socioeconomic disparities. This phenomenological study described their experiences with support services, which shaped student self-efficacy related to completing programs, and identified what changes were needed to improve support for higher graduation rates among female African American nontraditional students participating in 2-year degree programs offered by junior colleges. Guided by Bean’s industrial model of student attrition and Fishbein and Aizen’s importance of intention model, the study posed two research questions: What are the lived experiences of female nontraditional …

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Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon Oct 2025

Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With different types and sizes of school districts across the United States, not all federal safety and security recommendations will work for every school district. The school district stakeholders are important components to help administrators understand whether the current policies are working and provide recommendations for change. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and compare the perceptions of parents and school officials on safety practices at a rural school district in North Texas. Using routine activity theory, this study provided information on how current practices were perceived by stakeholders in ensuring a safe school environment. Data were …

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Perceptions Of Educators Toward Implementing Professional Development Training In Inclusive Classrooms, Saleha Ahmed Syed Oct 2025

Perceptions Of Educators Toward Implementing Professional Development Training In Inclusive Classrooms, Saleha Ahmed Syed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored educators’ perceptions of implementing professional development training (PDT) in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive training could benefit both teachers and students with disabilities. Few researchers had previously examined educators’ attitudes and beliefs about implementing inclusive PDT and teaching students with disabilities. The research question focused on how educators applied inclusive instructional training in their classrooms. This phenomenological study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of eight public school teachers regarding the implementation of professional development in their inclusive classrooms and their biases toward these students, using Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned action as a framework. Interview data …

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Exploring Challenges Of Parents With Disabilities Affecting Custody Of The Children, Kendyll King Oct 2025

Exploring Challenges Of Parents With Disabilities Affecting Custody Of The Children, Kendyll King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 promoting equality for people with disabilities, parents with developmental and intellectual disabilities experience high rates of involvement with child welfare services due to outdated terminology, information about disabilities, and policies. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and determine if they differ from those of parents without a disability. This was a generic qualitative study grounded in intersectionality theory. Education, employment, health and safety concerns, independence, assistive technology, social services involvement, and supports or resources were examined through the perspective of the …

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Identifying Motivators For Retention Of Service Workers In Youth Group Care Programs, Michelle Lynn Briegel Oct 2025

Identifying Motivators For Retention Of Service Workers In Youth Group Care Programs, Michelle Lynn Briegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Residential group care programs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada face challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified human service workers. This workforce retention issue affects the quality of care provided to vulnerable children and youth, as well as the overall stability of residential group care. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore why service workers in front-line jobs choose to stay in their positions in youth-serving residential group care programs, guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. Nine participants were recruited through purposeful sampling via social media and email, with the criterion that they had been employed at …

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Exploring The Black Woman Experience Related To Sexual Practice, Sexual Identity, And Sexual Expression: A Qualitative Study, Ashley V. Rodriguez Oct 2025

Exploring The Black Woman Experience Related To Sexual Practice, Sexual Identity, And Sexual Expression: A Qualitative Study, Ashley V. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study revealed the complex interplay between personal identities and social constructs, focusing on Black-identifying women and their lived experiences with sex, sexuality, and sexual expression. Over centuries, societal influences depicted Black women as hypersexual, simultaneously exposing them to criticism, shame, and judgment for their sexual expression and meaning-making related to sex and sexuality. Consequently, Black women remain a high-risk demographic for unsafe sexual practices and sexually transmitted infections. Using intersectionality theory and Black feminist theory, this study explored how Black-identifying women give meaning to sex, sexuality, and sexual expression as they shape the Black feminine experience. I sought to …

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Trauma As A Predictor Of Engagement Among Former Foster Youth Parents Involved With Child Welfare, Sarah Gordon Oct 2025

Trauma As A Predictor Of Engagement Among Former Foster Youth Parents Involved With Child Welfare, Sarah Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The specific research problem addressed in this study is that the relationship between parent engagement with child safety personnel and the trauma histories of parents with transgenerational child welfare involvement is not well understood. Parent engagement is a critical component of child safety family outcomes. Although past research recognizes lower engagement for former foster youth (FFY) parents with child safety systems and the negative effects of trauma throughout a person’s life, there is no prior research that examines how trauma affects FFY parent engagement with child safety systems. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional …

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The Exploration Of The Housing Exclusion Impact Among Michigan Ex-Offenders, Jackie Adam Harris Oct 2025

The Exploration Of The Housing Exclusion Impact Among Michigan Ex-Offenders, Jackie Adam Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ex-offenders possibly felt excluded when private landlords or property managers conducted background checks and decided to immediately deny ex-offenders housing opportunities. The problem this study addressed was how landlords and property managers’ exclusion of ex-offenders impacted reentry post-incarceration. There was a gap regarding how Michigan private landlords impacted ex-offenders’ success factor in securing safe housing upon reentry back to society. The key findings related to the literature in ways that showed how landlords acknowledged outside biases, yet described ex-offender tenants as appreciative, positive, and respectful. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how state and federal policies …

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Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya Oct 2025

Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted to explore the lived experiences of licensed psychologists in diagnosing adolescents with bipolar disorder, aiming to answer two key questions: How do psychologists make sense of diagnosing bipolar disorder in adolescents? And do they rely on their education and lived experience in the diagnostic process? Drawing from developmental psychology, clinical decision-making theories, and ethical considerations, the study highlights the complexities and challenges of diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth. Semi-structured interviews with four psychologists were transcribed and analyzed to identify recurring themes, which emphasized the importance of collateral information, developmental context, and professional judgment. …

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Civic Engagement Among African American Women And The 2024 Presidential Election, Arquena Dailey Oct 2025

Civic Engagement Among African American Women And The 2024 Presidential Election, Arquena Dailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although election data exists on the importance of African American women for the Democratic Party, a gap remains in the literature regarding the influences of African American women who participated in the Democratic Party civic engagement during the 2024 presidential election. Key findings from existing literature included the tension between hope and burnout and the reliance on faith-based and peer networks to sustain motivation. The purpose of this study was to explore the influences responsible for African American women’s civic engagement in the 2024 presidential election. This authentic narrative qualitative study’s conceptual framework was grounded in the digital peer influence …

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The Motivating Factors Of Volunteer Engagement: A Study Of Youth Sports Organizations, Autumn L. Tomas Oct 2025

The Motivating Factors Of Volunteer Engagement: A Study Of Youth Sports Organizations, Autumn L. Tomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The decline in volunteer engagement within nonprofit organizations poses a significant challenge, particularly in youth sports where volunteer support is essential to program success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the organizational factors that influenced volunteer motivation and satisfaction in a youth sports nonprofit. The practice focused research question for the study was: what factors within the organization either motivate or demotivate current individuals to volunteer in youth sports? Guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory and self-determination theory, the study utilized the Modified Volunteer Functions Inventory for Sports survey to collect responses from 21 coaches and board members. …

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System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam Oct 2025

System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barriers to brokering therapeutic services cause challenges for school social workers to address their students’ mental health needs, especially in Georgia, where students’ mental health needs are high. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore school social workers’ perceptions of the system barriers related to brokering these services. The research questions explored school social workers’ perceptions of brokering on-site versus community-based therapeutic services in the state of Georgia. In addition, this study inquired about the system barriers that school social workers face when brokering these services. This study was grounded in the ecological systems theory, which argues that …

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Towards A Standard Assessment And Treatment Protocol For Firefighters: A Delphi Study, Amy K Gearhard Oct 2025

Towards A Standard Assessment And Treatment Protocol For Firefighters: A Delphi Study, Amy K Gearhard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are 5 times more likely than civilians to experience depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Firefighters have suicidal ideation and attempt rates that are 2 to 3 times higher than the general population, yet most do not seek treatment. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to develop an expert consensus on psychological assessment and treatment practices with firefighters through the lens of an expert panel of 19 psychologists who work with this population. Siebert’s normative theory was used with the assumption that the panelists would provide feedback based on their clients’ best interests. The expert panel was recruited …

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Clinicians’ Perceptions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency, And Treatment Engagement With Criminal Offenders, Aaron Pena Oct 2025

Clinicians’ Perceptions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency, And Treatment Engagement With Criminal Offenders, Aaron Pena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the pervasive impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on clinicians, particularly those who provide services to criminal offenders. ACEs contribute to a range of mental and physical health issues that can extend into adulthood, affecting not only individuals who experienced these adversities, but also clinicians who treat them. Despite the growing body of research on the consequences of ACEs, there remained a significant gap in terms of understanding how clinicians’ own histories influence their professional resilience and treatment efficacy. Garmezy’s resiliency theory, the framework for the study, emphasizes the role of positive contextual, social, and individual factors …

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Reintegration Experiences Of Male Victims Of Human Trafficking, Thomas Brooks Oct 2025

Reintegration Experiences Of Male Victims Of Human Trafficking, Thomas Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking continues to be a world-wide problem, despite attempts to mitigate it. Many human trafficking victims are saved each year, but many more do not make it out. When rescued, the victims of human trafficking need to be reintegrated back into society. Research on human trafficking survivors is mostly focused on female victims; there is little research focused on male victims. Due to this, the purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of men who have been through the reintegration process as children in America after they have been rescued from human trafficking. A phenomenological approach was …

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Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, And Trust In Malawian Executive, Legislative, And Judicial Institutions, Rodgers Brenner Chawani Oct 2025

Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, And Trust In Malawian Executive, Legislative, And Judicial Institutions, Rodgers Brenner Chawani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Political trust matters for good governance and democracy. Although Malawi's constitution affirms trust as a key component of authority, Afrobarometer surveys have revealed broad declines, hindering democratic consolidation and the achievement of the long-term Vision 2063 development goals. Prior researchers studying the country have fixated on qualitative analyses and overlooked affective polarization and differentiation across government branches. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the predictive relationship between perceived government performance, responsiveness, corruption, affective polarization, democratic satisfaction, and trust in the Malawi president, parliament, and judiciary, using generalized linear models to apply Easton's political support theory to …

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Strategies To Prevent Employee Turnover And Revenue Losses Resulting From Workplace Bullying, Sylvester Doby Jr Oct 2025

Strategies To Prevent Employee Turnover And Revenue Losses Resulting From Workplace Bullying, Sylvester Doby Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying is a serious issue that can lead to high employee turnover and significant revenue loss. To maintain a healthy work environment and support their employees, business leaders need to develop and implement effective strategies to prevent bullying. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to identify and explore the successful strategies that U.S. business leaders used to prevent workplace bullying. Six business leaders who have successfully implemented strategies to combat workplace bullying were purposively recruited and interviewed using semistructured interviews. The reflexive six-step thematic analysis of the interview transcripts and …

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Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching Effectiveness When Working With Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Ernest J. Fruge Oct 2025

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching Effectiveness When Working With Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Ernest J. Fruge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study examined how special education teachers perceived their teaching effectiveness in supporting students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The study addressed a gap in the literature by examining the factors that influence special educators’ sense of self-efficacy when working with this population. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy served as the conceptual framework. A generic qualitative research design was employed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight participants from two central Texas school districts. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis guided the coding and interpretation process, supported by MAXQDA software. Analysis of the data revealed seven key …

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The Role Of Higher Education Attainment In Mitigating Police Misconduct, Marty Allen Hatfield Oct 2025

The Role Of Higher Education Attainment In Mitigating Police Misconduct, Marty Allen Hatfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police misconduct continues to undermine public trust and strain community–law enforcement relationships in the United States. The potential role of higher education in reducing misconduct among officers remains underexamined. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether higher educational attainment is associated with reduced rates of documented misconduct in a large urban police department. Grounded in the social learning and organizational justice theories, the research addressed how postsecondary education influences ethical decision-making and conduct. The overarching research question concerned whether education level predicted misconduct frequency, controlling for gender, rank, and years of service. Archival personnel and disciplinary …

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An Examination Of Successful Reentry And Recidivism For Drug-Involved Offenders In Rural Areas, Jacqueline Cottle Oct 2025

An Examination Of Successful Reentry And Recidivism For Drug-Involved Offenders In Rural Areas, Jacqueline Cottle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In rural communities, treatment and supportive resources are limited, putting ex-offenders (EXOs) at an increased risk for relapse or recidivism. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand, through semistructured interviews, the experiences of EXOs who completed the court residential treatment center, intermediate sanction facility, or substance abuse felony punishment facility, and returned to a rural county in Texas, along with the perspectives of 11 community supervision officers who worked closely with the EXOs. This study was guided by Agnew’s general strain theory, which posits that drug-involved offenders achieve successful reentry in rural areas when positive supports are present, …

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Fema Public Policy Impacts On Emergency Preparedness In Florida, Sara Sambolin Oct 2025

Fema Public Policy Impacts On Emergency Preparedness In Florida, Sara Sambolin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older adults are at an increased risk of mortality during hazardous emergencies; therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how current emergency preparedness policies are related to preparedness perceptions of older adults. Findings in recent literature identified the underrepresentation of older adults in Emergency Preparedness studies across all areas and Counties of the state of Florida as a gap that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the 2023 FEMA policy on emergency preparedness and the self-reported degree of preparedness among Florida’s older adult residents in urban and rural areas across …

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Clubhouse Versus Ips Outcomes In Terms Of Hours Worked And Pay Earned, Daniel Scott Reynolds Oct 2025

Clubhouse Versus Ips Outcomes In Terms Of Hours Worked And Pay Earned, Daniel Scott Reynolds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals balance personal needs and societal norms as they attempt to achieve self-fulfillment. However, those who have mental illness face marginalization from the workforce and diminished quality of life. Of the two prominent vocational programs – the Clubhouse and the Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) – that assist this population in integrating into the workforce, and therefore into society. It is unknown which program does better at helping the mental illness population meet their objectives of integration. Such a comparison is important because it will help these people to integrate into the workforce and into society, thereby increasing their quality …

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The Lived Experiences Of Mothers Facing Phubbing From Their Adolescent Children, Mye Alexis Sep 2025

The Lived Experiences Of Mothers Facing Phubbing From Their Adolescent Children, Mye Alexis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Widespread use of technology, particularly smartphones, introduced new challenges involving parent–adolescent attachment. Although existing literature primarily examines parental phubbing of adolescents, there is a significant gap in research exploring the experiences of mothers who are phubbed by their adolescent children. To address this gap, the central research question guiding this study was: What are the lived experiences of mothers who have been phubbed by their adolescent (ages 14-18) children? Grounded in Bowlby’s attachment theory, this phenomenological qualitative study aimed to deepen understanding of the emotional impacts of phubbing on mothers’ emotional wellbeing, emotional bonding, and mother–adolescent attachment. A homogeneous convenience …

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Factors Impacting School Social Workers’ Trauma-Informed Support Of Students With Disabilities, La Kisha Miles-Sneed Sep 2025

Factors Impacting School Social Workers’ Trauma-Informed Support Of Students With Disabilities, La Kisha Miles-Sneed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children with disabilities in underserved New Jersey communities are disproportionately exposed to trauma due to compounding systemic inequities. This basic qualitative study explored how school social workers support these students through special education case management. Grounded in disability critical race theory, the trauma-informed schools framework, and ecological systems theory, the study addressed the primary needs of trauma-exposed students with disabilities and the supports and challenges school social workers face in meeting those needs. Semi-structured interviews with 9 school social workers revealed core student needs: emotional and relational safety, access to school-based mental health services, trauma-informed individualized education program (IEP) supports, …

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Patient Care And Certified Nursing Assistants’ Motivation And Job Satisfaction In Nursing Facilities, Roswell Royce Lawrie Sep 2025

Patient Care And Certified Nursing Assistants’ Motivation And Job Satisfaction In Nursing Facilities, Roswell Royce Lawrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on certified nursing assistants’ (CNAs) views of the association between their motivation, job satisfaction, and the quality of care they offer to patients in one chosen nursing home center in New Jersey. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation and a generic qualitative design were used to explore CNAs’ experiences and perspectives relating to their motivation, job fulfillment, and the level of care. The study included semi structured interviews with the 12 CNAs, who were directly and consistently in contact with their respective patients at the selected nursing home center. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed …

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Examining The Feedback Effects Of The Child And Family Services Review Process On The Child Welfare Caseworker, Molly Blanchette Sep 2025

Examining The Feedback Effects Of The Child And Family Services Review Process On The Child Welfare Caseworker, Molly Blanchette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) is a federally mandated continuous quality improvement process that sets and assesses national child welfare performance standards. The CFSR impacts agency practices and caseworker responsibilities. Research has linked high turnover rates, averaging around 30% nationally, to agency-related variables, some of which are influenced by the CFSR. Given this context, it was necessary to understand how the CFSR performance standards impact the workforce. Policy feedback theory grounded this study as it was used to examine the feedback effects of the CFSR on child welfare caseworkers. The research question was “How are the federal performance …

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Exploring Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Individuals With Substance-Use Disorder Recovery Management From A Biopsychosocial Perspective, Robin Carter Priest Sep 2025

Exploring Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Individuals With Substance-Use Disorder Recovery Management From A Biopsychosocial Perspective, Robin Carter Priest

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance-use disorder (SUD) poses significant biological, psychological, and sociological impacts that negatively affect areas of employment, health, family systems, and interactions with social welfare and legal agencies. Although there has been research on SUD treatment, relapse rates remain high at approximately 40%–75%, demonstrating a gap in the literature involving individuals who completed SUD treatment and continuation or management of recovery. Grounded in phenomenological theory and through a biopsychosocial lens, this qualitative study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of individuals with substance-use disorder managing their recovery. Data were collected from 8 individuals who completed partial hospitalization or intensive-outpatient levels of …

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College Persistence And Tribal Nation-Building Among American Indian Undergraduate Students, Brittany Ann Boone Sep 2025

College Persistence And Tribal Nation-Building Among American Indian Undergraduate Students, Brittany Ann Boone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that little is known regarding attempts at higher education persistence and tribal nation-building affecting each other among American Indian (AI) undergraduate college students in Oklahoma. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of AI undergraduate students enrolled at a college or university in Oklahoma regarding higher education persistence and tribal nation-building. Astin’s theory of student involvement was the conceptual framework that guided this study because of its focus on the connection between student involvement and persistence. The research question addressed how AI undergraduate students describe their experiences …

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The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Disproportionate Minority Contact On Minority Youth Within Juvenile Justice In Texas, Atica Helms Thomas Sep 2025

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Disproportionate Minority Contact On Minority Youth Within Juvenile Justice In Texas, Atica Helms Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) remains a significant concern within the juvenile justice system, yet its connection to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among minority youth is underexamined. Nationally, minority youth, particularly Black youth, are disproportionately represented compared to their White peers, prompting efforts to understand and address racial and ethnic disparities in system involvement. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between DMC and ACEs within the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Guided by general strain theory (GST), whether traumatic life experiences contribute to the disproportionate representation of minority youth was examined. The central research question was designed …

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