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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Use Of Social Media In Moderating Feelings Of Belongingness And Suicidal Ideation Among Women, Latasha Davidson Jan 2021

The Use Of Social Media In Moderating Feelings Of Belongingness And Suicidal Ideation Among Women, Latasha Davidson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide among women in the United States increased significantly over the last decade, now accounting for six suicides per 100,000 population. Concurrently, there has been an increase in social media use, with women exhibiting elevated presence on social networking platforms. Grounded in the theoretical framework of the theory of suicide and the interpersonal theory of suicide, the purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to evaluate the association between social media use, feelings of belongingness, and suicidal ideation to address the increased suicide rate among adult women in the United States. One research question focused on how social media use …


Barriers To The Hiring Of Women For The Independent School Headship, Kelley King Jan 2021

Barriers To The Hiring Of Women For The Independent School Headship, Kelley King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite over a century of activism to increase gender equality, inequalities persist across U.S. employment sectors, including in independent K-12 schools, which are predominately staffed by women yet led by men. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to understand the perceptions of six female heads of school and six female search consultants regarding the barriers that women face in being hired for the head of school position in independent K-12 schools. Most researchers studying gender equality have focused solely on the perspectives of female leaders, although executive search consultants are important arbiters in the search and hiring …


Gender Equality And Equity Narratives Amongst Women In Nongovernmental Organizations, Barbara Etta Austin-Lucas Jan 2021

Gender Equality And Equity Narratives Amongst Women In Nongovernmental Organizations, Barbara Etta Austin-Lucas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender equality and equity narratives of women members of registered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been largely unexamined relative to their lived experiences in healthcare, education, socioeconomic status, and political participation. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives of women members of registered NGOs located in the Northeastern United States. The gender equality and equity narratives of women in registered NGOs related to their experiences with healthcare, education, socioeconomic status, and political participation were explored. For this qualitative narrative research, the conceptual framework was the narrative policy framework theory, which explores how narratives influence public opinion, policy dialogue, …


Managing Energy As Experienced By Female Federal Senior Managers, Gwendolyn Jones Crimiel Jan 2020

Managing Energy As Experienced By Female Federal Senior Managers, Gwendolyn Jones Crimiel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Senior managers experience a drain on personal energy while trying to meet the demands of work. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore how female senior managers describe lived experiences of managing and renewing personal energy while at work. The theoretical framework included conservation of resources theory and effort recovery theory. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 14 female senior managers who experienced managing and renewing their personal energy at work. Data analysis involved coding to capture the essence of the experiences and to identify common themes. Findings indicated that insufficient energy affected participants’ mental and …


A Phenomenological Study Of Factors Influencing Senor Female United States Marine Corps Officer Retention Decisions, Angel Rae Smith Jan 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of Factors Influencing Senor Female United States Marine Corps Officer Retention Decisions, Angel Rae Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study showed factors that influenced senior female U.S. Marine Corps' (USMC) officer retention decisions. The qualitative study was based on the interpretivism research philosophy and Mobley's model of turnover and employed a phenomenological research design to identify themes regarding participants' perceptions of their lived experiences involving their professions and factors that affected their mandates to remain on active duty. The study included 11 women volunteers who had either earned membership in General Officer (GO) ranks or were competitive for within the USMC as a colonel (CV); they were recruited through purposive sampling, and data were collected through interviews. Data …


Understanding Community Members’ Perception Of Opioid Treatment Programs For Women In Westchester County, Erika Jean Pichardo Jan 2020

Understanding Community Members’ Perception Of Opioid Treatment Programs For Women In Westchester County, Erika Jean Pichardo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows a significant rise in opioid abuse that has led to an opioid epidemic. Although research has shown the importance and effectiveness of treatment programs for opioid users, there is a lack of research on understanding community members’ perception and role of such programs and their perception of women who are opioid abusers and enter programs. The purpose of this study was to understand community members’ perception of opioid treatment programs for women in New York State’s Westchester County, using the theoretical framework of Becker’s social labeling theory. The study employed a phenomenological design using interviews. Results of the …


Perceptions Of Influence Of The Wage Gap On Immigrant Ghanaian Women’S Career Aspirations, Daniel Otoo Kwasi Djan Jan 2020

Perceptions Of Influence Of The Wage Gap On Immigrant Ghanaian Women’S Career Aspirations, Daniel Otoo Kwasi Djan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wage inequality and gender-based career advancement barriers have plagued immigrant women in the United States since world war II. The Equal Pay Act was enacted to address wage inequalities but did little to fix the concerns of the wage gap and promotional barriers for women in the United States. This generic qualitative study addressed a research gap about perceptions of influence of the wage gap on immigrant women’s career aspirations to address the documented problem of income disparity. The theoretical framework guiding the study consisted of feminist and conflict theories . The main research question concerns immigrant Ghanaian women’s perceptions …


Examining Barriers Impacting Women’S Promotion Into C-Suite Positions In Higher Education, Lynette Johnson Nelson Jan 2020

Examining Barriers Impacting Women’S Promotion Into C-Suite Positions In Higher Education, Lynette Johnson Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Department of Labor indicated that women represent 46.8% and men represent 53.2% of the United States’ 16 years and older civilian labor force. An estimated 52% of adult women compared to 48% of men participating in the civilian labor force held a bachelor’s degree or higher, and women represented 47% of the management and professional sector’s positions. Women occupy 25% of C-suite positions in the Standard & Poor 500 companies. In higher education, 30% of college presidents are women. Women continue to face several barriers as they try to move into senior executive leadership positions. The specific …


Motivations And Experiences Of Female Expatriate Educators Teaching In Saudi Arabia, Tahira Hoke Jan 2020

Motivations And Experiences Of Female Expatriate Educators Teaching In Saudi Arabia, Tahira Hoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a significant gap in the literature regarding women's lived experiences and work motivation in Saudi Arabia. In order to address this gap, this qualitative study explored the lived experiences of female expatriates who chose to teach and live in Saudi Arabia for longer than 1 year. Using Moustakas' phenomenological method, a purposive sample of 10 female educators who worked in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions were recruited and interviewed. Although English teachers were not targeted, all of the participants recruited were primarily English teachers (5 North Americans, 5 Europeans). With Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory as the conceptual …


Gender And Millennial Support For Women Political Leaders, Delaina Lea Sawyers Jan 2020

Gender And Millennial Support For Women Political Leaders, Delaina Lea Sawyers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite comprising more than 50% of the population and voting in greater numbers than men, women are underrepresented in U.S. political leadership. Although research exists on the correlation between gender and politics, little literature addresses the influence of generation and gender on voting behavior. Using Jaggar's liberal feminist theory as a framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between female generational cohorts and their policy preferences and candidate support. Two research questions assessed the differences between female millennials and baby boomers regarding policy preferences in the areas of income equality, opportunity, representation, and candidate support. A …


Gender Identity Development Of Women In The U.S. Army, Marshelle Lee Machtan Jan 2019

Gender Identity Development Of Women In The U.S. Army, Marshelle Lee Machtan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In spite of a newly developed military policy to facilitate gender integration since 2012, women service members in the U.S. Army today still face a discriminatory social climate. Male-dominated units foster the masculine ideal that subsequently leads to hypermasculine attitudes enabled through gender harassment behavior. Here, women employ coping strategies that facilitate either gender management or a balanced military identity, addressed in Culver's (2013) Gender Identity Development of Women in the Military (GIDWM) 4-phase matrix. A woman service member's position in the matrix is proportional to her level of gender management or military identity development. Similarly, her matrix position is …


Female Leaders: Paths To Leadership In The Florida State Legislature, Heather Conaway Roberson Jan 2019

Female Leaders: Paths To Leadership In The Florida State Legislature, Heather Conaway Roberson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issues women face and the policies that benefit women can be neglected by policy makers without women serving in the state legislature, yet little is understood about how influencing factors, characteristics and experiences shape political aspirations among women at the state level. Using feminist identity theory and feminist standpoint theory as the foundation, the purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore how female leaders develop their nascent political ambition and engage in the path to public office. Data were collected through interviews with 8 women who held office in a state legislature from 2012 through 2017. Interview data …


Colorism And Skin Tone Messages In Father-Daughter Relationships, Ashley Nicole Void Jan 2019

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 …


Women, Domestic Violence Service Providers, And Knowledge Of Technology-Related Abuse, Nadine White Jan 2019

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 …


Lived Experiences Of Women Receiving Substance Abuse Treatment From Male Counselors, Robert C. Bennett Jan 2019

Lived Experiences Of Women Receiving Substance Abuse Treatment From Male Counselors, Robert C. Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of the misuse of drugs is significant. The impact is felt across multiple systems across America and is covered mostly by federal, state, and local governments. Women comprise a significant portion of the persons using illicit drugs. Treatment is an effective way of reducing substance misuse. However, research into the efficacy of treatment for women lag that of men. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that women receiving substance abuse treatment from a man had shorter stays in treatment and poorer outcomes than those who had a female counselor while in treatment. Phenomenological and relational-cultural …


Self-Efficacy, Decision Latitude, And Work Ethic Among Educated Women, Elisa Harris Jan 2019

Self-Efficacy, Decision Latitude, And Work Ethic Among Educated Women, Elisa Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although women are more likely to seek advanced degrees, there are substantial gaps between men and women in terms of employment rates, wages, and positions of power. This cross-sectional study aligned with the social cognitive career theory and investigated how specific demographic variables (age and education level) interacted and influenced work-related characteristics (decision latitude, self-efficacy, and work ethic) to address issues women experience in the workplace. Females who identified as working a minimum of 15 hours per week and over the age of 18 were contacted via social media or in person. A snowball effect occurred when participants invited peers …


Relationship Between Doctor-Patient Communication And Sexual Functioning Among Women With Spinal Cord Injury, Melissa Lafferty Jan 2019

Relationship Between Doctor-Patient Communication And Sexual Functioning Among Women With Spinal Cord Injury, Melissa Lafferty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After individuals sustain a spinal cord injury, all aspects of their lifestyle must change for them to manage their new life roles. One important area of recovery that is often not addressed during the rehabilitation process is sexual functioning. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how doctor communication about sexual health with women who have sustained spinal cord injuries predicts their levels of sexual functioning and sexual self-esteem. The theoretical framework was the sexual health model. Questionnaires were used to gather data from 45 women who had completed rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries. Level of current sexual …


Experiences Of Subtle Sexism Among Women Employees In The National Park Service, Audrey Marie Ashcraft Jan 2019

Experiences Of Subtle Sexism Among Women Employees In The National Park Service, Audrey Marie Ashcraft

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although blatant sexism persists in the workplace, there is a subtler type of sexism that is not often discussed. Some of the harmful outcomes that concern organization employees and leaders include decreased job satisfaction and morale, increased stress and turnover, damaged workplace relationships, barriers to career development for women, and decreased feelings of safety in law enforcement employees. Subtle sexism is often disguised as friendliness or chivalry, and therefore is difficult to detect, so it is often ignored or trivialized. The harms are cumulative and compound over time. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gather data about …


Increasing Daily Exercise Adherence In Women By Examining Motivational Factors, Victoria Wozniak Jan 2019

Increasing Daily Exercise Adherence In Women By Examining Motivational Factors, Victoria Wozniak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women ages 20–39 years old have seen the most dramatic increase in obesity levels in the United States over the last 2 decades. Researchers have indicated the need for studies to increase motivation in women to promote daily exercise. There is a gap in the literature about what motivational factors are most effective with increasing exercise in daily life. Using the transtheoretical model of change (TM) as the grounding theory, this study measured daily exercise adherence. A selective sampling of women ages 20–39 years old in the United States were recruited to complete an online survey. The online survey included …


African-American Women And Work-Life Balance, Alisha Diane Powell Jan 2018

African-American Women And Work-Life Balance, Alisha Diane Powell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women have high rates of depression and anxiety and are more likely to experience marital instability. Work-life balance (WLB) has been a topic of growing discussion and research as the number of women in the workplace has increased significantly. Researchers have demonstrated that women who work full time outside of the home have the unique challenge of fulfilling work obligations while taking care of household responsibilities. Work-life balance (WLB) has been a topic of discussion and research as the numbers of women in the workplace have increased significantly in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological …


Women's Perceptions Of Malaria In The Western Rural Areas Of Sierra Leone, Marcella Davies Jan 2018

Women's Perceptions Of Malaria In The Western Rural Areas Of Sierra Leone, Marcella Davies

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death for children and women in Sierra Leone. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of women from the rural areas of Sierra Leone regarding malaria. A purposive sample of Krio women from the western rural area, aged 21-55 years, spoke English, and had taken care of someone with malaria described their perceptions and lived experiences with the disease in face-to-face interviews. The research questions were based on the health belief model and focused on knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions about malaria prevention and treatment. Interpretative …


Exploring Relationships Between Resilience, Thinking Styles, And Ptsd Scores In Women Veterans, Tanya Wilson Jan 2018

Exploring Relationships Between Resilience, Thinking Styles, And Ptsd Scores In Women Veterans, Tanya Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2013, military leadership took action to lift the ban on women participating in combat roles, thus creating a vital need to understand protective cognitive factors in women veterans exposed to combat. There is no prior research examining the relationship between resilience and thinking styles in this population. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to examine the predictive relationship between resilience, measured with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and thinking styles, measured with the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised 2, on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scores, measured by PCL-5, in women with combat exposure (CE). A cross-sectional design was used. A …


The Experiences And Perceptions Of African American Women Who Reside In Nursing Homes, Lakeisha De Lon Riley Jan 2018

The Experiences And Perceptions Of African American Women Who Reside In Nursing Homes, Lakeisha De Lon Riley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of African American women who reside in a nursing home and to understand African American women's decisions for admitting to the facility. Social Learning Theory was applied to answer the question of how African American women's experiences and perceptions toward long-term care influence healthcare decisions and admission to a nursing home. Eleven participants interviewed in the study were at least 60 years old, admitted into the facility within the past two years and who had not previously resided in a nursing home. Yin's five step approach …


Women's Experiences Of Mindfulness In Romantic Relationships, Melissa Jay Jan 2018

Women's Experiences Of Mindfulness In Romantic Relationships, Melissa Jay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mindfulness has been found to enhance romantic relationships through the practice of remaining open, calm, and emotionally regulated during times of struggle. There was a gap in the literature, however, related to how the practice of mindfulness is subjectively experienced in women's romantic relationships. The purpose of this heuristic study was to understand how women's practice of mindfulness effects their romantic relationships. The conceptual framework for this study was mindfulness-to-meaning theory, which highlights that wellbeing is supported through 2 main mechanisms of mindfulness: savoring and reappraisal. The nature of this study was a qualitative approach using Moustakas's heuristic method. After …


Exercise Adherence Among Active Working Women, Roxane Evonne Hearn Jan 2017

Exercise Adherence Among Active Working Women, Roxane Evonne Hearn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low levels of exercise adherence has contributed to the increased prevalence of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in American women. These low levels, coupled with high exercise program dropout rates, point to a need for strategies to increase exercise frequency in women who exercise, but not enough to improve their health and reduce risks. Real-time interventions, such as text messaging, could be useful in improving the cognitions that regulate adherence. Using a snowball sampling strategy, a cross-sectional sample of working women (N =130), ages 18-64, in the volitional stage of exercise behavior, completed a 60-item survey on exercise behavior. Social …


Saudi Women's Experiences Of Control And Engagement As Employees In Private Universities, Kimberly Dawn Deatherage Jan 2017

Saudi Women's Experiences Of Control And Engagement As Employees In Private Universities, Kimberly Dawn Deatherage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Saudi women have higher rates of graduation from college than their male counterparts, but are underrepresented as employees in the private higher education sector. Saudi women working in higher education report a lack of involvement in the planning of their work, challenges in balancing family and career, and low wages. Yet, no research has explored how Saudi women in administrative support staff positions in private universities perceive control and how their perceptions of control affect their engagement in the workplace. Therefore, based on locus of control theory, the 2-process model of perceived control, and compensatory control theory, the purpose of …


Lived Experiences Of Mothers Returning To Work After A Child-Rearing Hiatus, Brenda Marceline Yahraes Jan 2017

Lived Experiences Of Mothers Returning To Work After A Child-Rearing Hiatus, Brenda Marceline Yahraes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mothers who leave the workforce to raise children may face personal and professional difficulties when returning. There was a lack of qualitative research on what these women experience in their return to work. The purpose of this study was to discover and describe how a mother in a professional or managerial position experiences a return to the workforce after a hiatus of 2 or more years to raise children. The philosophy of Husserl and the methodology of Moustakas guided this transcendental phenomenological study. Through purposive snowball sampling, 12 women participated in semistructured interviews. Data analysis followed the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method leading …


Barriers To Mental Health Treatment Among Chronically Homeless Women: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Rebecca Keeler Spicer Jan 2017

Barriers To Mental Health Treatment Among Chronically Homeless Women: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Rebecca Keeler Spicer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless women demonstrate higher rates of mental illness than homeless men. The combination of complex life circumstances, stigmas related to mental illness, and homelessness may cause homeless women with mental illnesses to face unique barriers that prevent them from accessing necessary mental health services. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to expand the body of literature on homeless women's experiences with the mental health system and to understand the barriers to treatment services. Guided by Young's critical social theory of gender, this study was designed to develop a better understanding of the support that may be in place to …


Eliminating Direct Ground Combat Definition And Assignment Rule: Internal Preparations For Implementation, Steven Justi Jan 2017

Eliminating Direct Ground Combat Definition And Assignment Rule: Internal Preparations For Implementation, Steven Justi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades before the elimination of gender restrictions in the U.S. military, ground combat was an equal opportunity issue for women. Direct combat units, such as infantry and artillery, are now open to female enlistment. The purpose of this study was to examine the efforts, challenges and/or successes, of incorporating women into a U.S. Army combat brigade in a single state. The frame-critical approach was used to outline the competing arguments between supporters and opponents of women in combat. The research questions guiding the study included how gender integration is perceived with regards to strength and survivability of the unit, and …


Lived Experiences And Coping Styles Of Alaskan Women With Opioid Use Disorders, Faith May Golden Jan 2017

Lived Experiences And Coping Styles Of Alaskan Women With Opioid Use Disorders, Faith May Golden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Death caused by opioid abuse has increased in recent years, and women in the state of Alaska have been significantly impacted by this opioid crisis. Previous researchers have indicated a possible connection between opioid use and sub-clinical PTSD criteria. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory regarding the presence of PTSD diagnostic criteria in this population, to identify patterns in past traumas and other life stressors, and to investigate coping strategies in 43 Alaskan women who sought treatment for opioid use. Archived data in the form of therapy notes were analyzed using grounded theory techniques …