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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Articles 1981 - 2010 of 5913

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Black Female Students’ Perspectives And Experiences With School Resource Officers, Kimberly M. Redding Jan 2022

Black Female Students’ Perspectives And Experiences With School Resource Officers, Kimberly M. Redding

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black female students are disciplined disproportionately compared to other female students in the Georgia public school system. Negative interactions with school resource officers (SROs) may leave Black female students feeling unsafe at school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore seven Black female students’ perceptions and interpretations of their experiences with SROs in the school setting in the state of Georgia. Purposive sampling strategy was used to solicit Black female students ages 18 to 22; interviews were conducted via Zoom. Labeling theory and the theory of self-fulfilling prophecy provided the framework for explaining how Black female students …

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Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson Jan 2022

Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male-dominated occupations have received increased attention concerning the environmental health and retention of its specialized workforce. Research studies on the impact of the environment suggest that ecological and infrastructure conditions of the workplace affect the psychological health and physical well-being of employees across both public and private industries. Presently, in the context of the oil and gas and engineering field, there is a literature gap in exploring whether workplace conditions or adverse circumstances in male-dominated built environments negatively affect the psychological well-being and retention of women employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. For the current qualitative study, …

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Narratives Of Adjustment And Adaptation Of Older Males With Life Sentences, John Taglianetti Jan 2022

Narratives Of Adjustment And Adaptation Of Older Males With Life Sentences, John Taglianetti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe United States holds over 40% of the world’s population of men serving life in prison. There are far more men serving life today than the total prison population just decades ago. Scholarly debate research on the adaptation and adjustment of LWOPs is sparse, and very little literature was available from the inmates’ perspective. Most scholarly literature addressed stakeholders’ views on how the prison environment influenced adaptation. This research was designed to answer the LWOPs' perspective on adaptation and adjustment while imprisoned and how they described their present and ongoing adaptation and adjustment experiences. A narrative approach was used to …

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The Perceptions And Practices Of Child Welfare Caseworkers And Decision-Making Related To Reunification, Sonja D. Ulrich Jan 2022

The Perceptions And Practices Of Child Welfare Caseworkers And Decision-Making Related To Reunification, Sonja D. Ulrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The child welfare system exists to support safe and healthy families. When children cannot remain safely with family, they are removed and often placed with nonrelatives. Only half of all of the children removed from their homes achieve reunification. In the current study, research questions examined the perceptions of caseworkers in determining whether or when a child could reunify with their family of removal, and how the perceptions of the caseworker affected their practice regarding reunification. Using social learning theory as a framework, a caseworker’s decisions were viewed as a balance between their work environment and their personal perceptions. Following …

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The Social Worker’S Experience Regarding Social Isolation In Middle Schools, Jeanne Williams Jan 2022

The Social Worker’S Experience Regarding Social Isolation In Middle Schools, Jeanne Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMiddle school is a time when adolescents struggle with social challenges, self-identity, and self-esteem. Social workers are critical stakeholders to support families in schools; these professionals serve in a unique capacity to assist with attendance, provide medical and behavioralsupport and connect families with resources to mitigate barriers to students’ success. Little is known, however, about the role social workers play in preventing and addressing the social isolation of middle school students. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of the social worker as it relates to preventing and addressing the social isolation of middle school students. Self-determination …

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Education Policy Reform In Ghana And The Role Of Avatime Traditional Leaders, Hubert Kwami Akrong Jan 2022

Education Policy Reform In Ghana And The Role Of Avatime Traditional Leaders, Hubert Kwami Akrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWith declining academic standards in Ghana, public attention has been focused on education policies. In 1992, the amended constitution excluded traditional village leaders from being involved in formulating education policies in Ghana. The exclusion of grassroots leaders from education policy reform resulted in low expectations and poor student outcomes in the towns and villages of Ghana’s Avatime Traditional Area. This case study was an investigation into how traditional chiefs in the Avatime Traditional Area participate in democratic governance to improve education in the region. Joshee and Goldberg’s social justice theory in policy making was used to ground the study. Data …

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Online Dating Experiences With Filtering Profile Photos, Jamie Barrett Jan 2022

Online Dating Experiences With Filtering Profile Photos, Jamie Barrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study is a qualitative, phenomenological analysis of male Tinder users’ experiences with women over-filtering their visual self-presentation on Tinder using augmented reality (AR) smartphone technology. Tinder users frequently discuss how their dates do not live up to their profile photographs once they meet face-to-face due to the proliferation of filtered photos on dating apps and social media to make themselves appear more attractive. Augmented reality, Tinder, social media, and smartphone filtering are all ingrained in pop culture, yet have not been previously studied. Eight male Tinder users were recruited and interviewed. Coding and thematic analysis were used in this …

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Assessing Relationships Among Autonomy, Supportive Leadership, And Burnout In Public Elementary Teachers, Jana Rose Benson Jan 2022

Assessing Relationships Among Autonomy, Supportive Leadership, And Burnout In Public Elementary Teachers, Jana Rose Benson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractStress and burnout among teachers are serious problems because of the negative consequences associated with them that have contributed to the current crisis in the American education system. Until the problems of teacher stress and burnout are understood and addressed, efforts to restructure American education cannot succeed. This study assessed the relationships among perceived autonomy, perceived transformational leadership style and burnout in public elementary teachers, and the moderating/mediating influence of teacher orientation (Montessori and traditional) on burnout levels. An integration of Maslach’s multi-dimensional burnout theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of transformational leadership formed the theoretical foundation of the study. …

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Legislative Efforts And Community Change To Combat Female Genital Mutilation In Egypt, Maryam Berkshire Jan 2022

Legislative Efforts And Community Change To Combat Female Genital Mutilation In Egypt, Maryam Berkshire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female genital mutilation is recognized as a violation of human rights as it violates the bodily rights of young girls by cutting part of their bodies without their consent and leaves long term psychological, physical and sexual harm to women who were exposed to the practice. The World Health Organization estimates that 130 million girls and women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in African and Middle Eastern Countries. According to a UNICEF 2020 report, Egypt will not meet the SDG goal of eradicating FGM as the decrease in the practice is too slow despite the policy and community …

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Exploring The Relationships Between Autism Parent Training And Fathers’ Parental Involvement, Ray Brown Jan 2022

Exploring The Relationships Between Autism Parent Training And Fathers’ Parental Involvement, Ray Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in American children has increased over the past decade, many local and state agencies are seeking avenues to become more efficient in the type of training services they offer. One such training is referred as Autism Parent Training (APT). The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between fathers’ participation in APT and the factors related to involvement with their children prior to training and after attending training. This study relied on the developmental learning perspective as a theoretical framework, which asserts that the experience a person has in his/her …

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Perceived Social Support And Anxiety Among Informal Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Latonya Cofield Jan 2022

Perceived Social Support And Anxiety Among Informal Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Latonya Cofield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany individuals who are diagnosed with some form of dementia are cared for by informal caregivers. Past research has indicated many of the caregivers have potential for encountering caregiver distress leading to physical and mental health deterioration. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact perceived social support may have on anxiety among the informal caregivers. Using the transactional model of stress and coping, this quantitative study examined the relationship between perceived emotional/informational social support, instrumental social support, gender, and anxiety among informal caregivers caring for individuals diagnosed with dementia. A correlational research design and the multiple linear …

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African American Youth Decline To Extend Foster Care Despite Their Needs, Rhonda Flowers-Corpening Jan 2022

African American Youth Decline To Extend Foster Care Despite Their Needs, Rhonda Flowers-Corpening

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, African American children are disproportionately placed in foster care and experience a myriad of problems, including physical and emotional abuse. As a result, negative post-discharge outcomes are revealed in existing literature, such as substance abuse, unemployment, homelessness, sexual promiscuity, and mental health issues. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to explore the foster care experience from the perspective of African American foster care alumni. The goal was to understand why the decision is made not to extend foster care services, despite their ongoing needs for support and lack of preparation for adulthood. Ecological Systems …

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Building Strong Leadership In A Fire Service Organization, Eddie Drew Gauntt Jan 2022

Building Strong Leadership In A Fire Service Organization, Eddie Drew Gauntt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study site fire department is one of many metropolitan fire departments in the world and has lost many leading personnel to retirement. The position of focus in this study is chief officer, which encompasses the top three positions within the organization: the ranks of district fire chief, assistant fire chief, and the fire chief. The loss of this leading personnel has caused a decline in the strength of the leadership within the department, making it necessary to rebuild that leadership to secure the department’s future. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide an understanding of the assumptions …

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Stakeholder Perceptions Regarding The Impact Of Creative Placemaking On Homelessness In Neighborhoods Experiencing Gentrification, Vanessa Renee Frazier Jan 2022

Stakeholder Perceptions Regarding The Impact Of Creative Placemaking On Homelessness In Neighborhoods Experiencing Gentrification, Vanessa Renee Frazier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urban planning and community development scholars continue to be interested in creative placemaking, a process meant to facilitate strategic partnerships between public and private sectors, art and culture communities, and community sectors, and the role it plays within the displacement of residents living in gentrified neighborhoods. However, researchers have found that the implementation of creative placemaking results in gentrification-related outcomes. Researchers have found a connection between the lack of affordable housing and gentrification-related displacement when creative placemaking is implemented. Researchers have suggested that stakeholder decisions direct the outcomes related to the implementation of creative placemaking; however, there is a lack …

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Help-Seeking Behaviors For Depression Among Native Hawaiian Women In The Western Region Of The United States Mainland, Marlana Glover Jan 2022

Help-Seeking Behaviors For Depression Among Native Hawaiian Women In The Western Region Of The United States Mainland, Marlana Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Help-seeking for depression, as with other mental illnesses is contingent upon stigmas that one perceives. Although causes for depression differ among indigenous populations, native Hawaiians suffer from the Western acculturation and colonization of their homeland. With lack of trust in the U.S. healthcare system, many native Hawaiians are reluctant to seek help for depression. Furthermore, research has shown that most studies on native Hawaiians are conducted in their native environment when many Hawaiians relocate to the U.S. mainland. Because of the current depression crisis, it is critical to explore depression among native Hawaiians, particularly women on the mainland to see …

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Leadership Experiences With Organizational Infrastructure In Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs, Latia Greer Jan 2022

Leadership Experiences With Organizational Infrastructure In Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs, Latia Greer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of buy-in is a critical factor when initiating organizational change. Although changes are necessary for growth and sustainability, leadership can be met with resistance. Early childhood mental health consultation is a solution-focused intervention to support early childcare providers and educators to improve child outcomes. The implementation of the program requires a well-defined operational model to have greater effectiveness and efficiency. The present case study explored the leadership experience of buy-in to change during the implementation of an early childhood mental health consultation school-based program in a nonprofit organization in the Midwest region of the United States. The Baldrige Excellence …

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Stimulus Pairing To Condition Novel Reinforcers For Bermudian Participants With Autism, Jahnae Harvey Jan 2022

Stimulus Pairing To Condition Novel Reinforcers For Bermudian Participants With Autism, Jahnae Harvey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reinforcement is crucial to an individual’s quality of life and acquisition/maintenance of novel skills, but a limited bank of reinforcers could lead to a reduction in engagement with pre-established reinforcers, reducing the motivational strength to contrive teaching opportunities, and increase maladaptive behaviors, self-stimulatory behaviors, or idle time. Though the stimulus-stimulus paring (SSP) method has been effective in establishing novel reinforcers for individuals who are diagnosed with autism, there is a gap in the literature on cross-cultural variations seen among responses when using SSP. This study was conducted to determine the generalizability of the effect when using the method of SSP …

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The Effects Of Federal Funding Reductions On Emergency Shelters In Urban U.S. Sanctuary Cities., Venice Hylton Jan 2022

The Effects Of Federal Funding Reductions On Emergency Shelters In Urban U.S. Sanctuary Cities., Venice Hylton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhen the U.S. federal government reduces funding to urban sanctuary cities because of those cities’ refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement agents this affects the services offered by the municipalities to their residents. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the effects that withdrawal of federal funds from urban sanctuary cities have on people experiencing homelessness. The social exchange theory provided the theoretical foundation for the study, which featured a qualitative exploratory case study design and involved interviews with four shelter administrators in three mid-Atlantic states. The participants described (a) the effects of reduced …

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Exploring African American Experiences With Police In Cleveland, Ohio, Hamza Khabir Jan 2022

Exploring African American Experiences With Police In Cleveland, Ohio, Hamza Khabir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to previous research, African Americans in Cleveland, OH, reported having more negative experiences with the Cleveland Police Department (CPD) than any other demographic in the city. Furthermore, The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, determined that the CPD had regularly engaged in excessive force by police officers. This study's purpose was to understand African Americans' experiences in Cleveland regarding the CPD. This study's research question focused on African Americans' experiences in Cleveland and their relationship with the Cleveland police. The study used a general qualitative design to conduct interviews with 10 African Americans between the ages of 18 …

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Barriers And The Prevention Of Human Trafficking Child Exploitation, Earl Wilson Laws Jan 2022

Barriers And The Prevention Of Human Trafficking Child Exploitation, Earl Wilson Laws

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking is a global phenomenon encompassing areas of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and indentured servitude. Human trafficking is an exceptionally under-researched and growing phenomenon. Texas ranks as the state with the second-largest human trafficking population in the United States. The current qualitative research study sought to discover whether, and to what degree, barriers are being presented by law enforcement policies and procedures to law enforcement officials of a human trafficking unit within a greater metropolitan area in Texas within human trafficking child exploitation prevention of children aged 5–17. The study utilized Senge’s systems theory as a framework to understand …

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Moral Distress Experienced By Behavioral Health Clinicians Who Have Worked With Maternal, Opioid-Using Clients, Jill Lee-Hubble Jan 2022

Moral Distress Experienced By Behavioral Health Clinicians Who Have Worked With Maternal, Opioid-Using Clients, Jill Lee-Hubble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Moral distress (MD) is a concept that has been well studied in nursing and other medical fields as a precursor to provider burnout. Understanding how MD impacts behavioral health (BH) clinicians provides insights for counselor educators and supervisors to identify clinical situations that often lead to MD. This qualitative phenomenological study explored how MD was experienced by five BH clinicians who have worked in residential and hospital settings providing counseling to maternal, opioid-using clients. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) informed the research methodology and data analysis. Substance use during pregnancy is highly stigmatized in society; thus, a feminist conceptualization was integrated …

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A Psychological Contract Perspective Of Attitudinal Outcomes From United States Mergers And Acquisitions, Kathrine E. Martin Jan 2022

A Psychological Contract Perspective Of Attitudinal Outcomes From United States Mergers And Acquisitions, Kathrine E. Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions are a popular corporate method for expanding market presence, growing resource capabilities, and increasing stockholder value. Merger and acquisition activity can be perceived by employees as a psychological contract violation (PCV) and can cause negative changes in employee attitudes. Using correlation and regression analysis, 174 survey responses were analyzed to examine the relationship between a PCV and employee job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention caused by mergers and acquisition activity for knowledge-based roles in large nation-wide consulting firms in the United States. The second part of this study introduced a credible explanation to explore changes in …

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An Exploration Of Fairness, Judicial Independence And Employee Protections, Christina M. Martin Jan 2022

An Exploration Of Fairness, Judicial Independence And Employee Protections, Christina M. Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual harassment is an issue that can plague any organization, especially ones that do not have a formal complaint process or is built on a system based on hierarchy. Most notably, some federal judges abused their power based on a system that did not have any checks and balances in place as preventative measure against harassment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore female federal judiciary employees’ understanding of employee protection principles extended to staff of the judicial branch, and to assess whether female federal judiciary employees were aware of reporting mechanisms for acts of misconduct. The research …

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Innovative Strategies That Enhance Competitiveness And Profitability Within Global Economies, Nadine Elestina Mcclain Jan 2022

Innovative Strategies That Enhance Competitiveness And Profitability Within Global Economies, Nadine Elestina Mcclain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changes in customer expectations, technological advancement, and intense competition exacerbate uncertainty, and executives are motivated to develop strategies for implementing innovative solutions to gain a competitive advantage. Anchored in the conceptual lens of the resource-based view and transformational leadership theories, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies five c-suite executives in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas used to remain competitive and profitable. Data were collected using semistructured interviews via Zoom videoconferencing, observations, human resource manuals, publicly available materials from government websites such as financial records, and journal notes. Through thematic analysis, five themes emerged: (a) …

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The Relationship Between Internet Livestream Religious Engagement And Social Support And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Kimberly Ann Mccowan Jan 2022

The Relationship Between Internet Livestream Religious Engagement And Social Support And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Kimberly Ann Mccowan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractReligious engagement is essential in terms of offering protective factors for mental and physical health. However, religious engagement has changed, and religious affiliation has decreased over the last decade. This change in religious practice is represented by a decline in religious engagement via disaffiliation of traditional brick and mortar forms of religious activity, with an emerging phenomenon of religious engagement on the Internet. This engagement leads to a gap within the literature regarding Internet-centric religious behaviors. The study aimed to fill this gap by increasing societal understanding of religious engagement behaviors on the Internet. Social support was used to explain …

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The Damages Of Outstanding Veterans Disability Compensation Claims, Lisa Marie Mckinney Jan 2022

The Damages Of Outstanding Veterans Disability Compensation Claims, Lisa Marie Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to process service disability claims promptly, which resulted a backlog from 1993 to present. This impacted veterans by limiting medical care and affected their quality of life. For the past 30 years or longer, military veterans have complained about their quality of life and the status of their service-connected disability claim. The fundamental purpose of the study was to discover how veterans’ quality of life was affected while waiting for their final word on disability comprehensive benefits and or their appeal cases. Human resource theory and the Institutional Analysis and Development assessment were used …

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Exploring African American Single Mothers’ Experiences With Child Welfare System, Paul J. Melbourne Jan 2022

Exploring African American Single Mothers’ Experiences With Child Welfare System, Paul J. Melbourne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans are overrepresented in the child welfare system in New York City (NYC). They face racial and ethnic bias, complex procedures, and policies that govern child welfare. The main research question for this study explored the experiences of African American single mothers with the child welfare system. This qualitative study was guided by policy feedback theory; data were gathered from 10 African American single mothers who have had experiences with child welfare investigation within the past 10 years. Participants were interviewed using semistructured questions designed to capture their experiences with the child welfare system. The data were coded for …

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Motivational Communication Strategies For Virtual Teams, Monica Metri Jan 2022

Motivational Communication Strategies For Virtual Teams, Monica Metri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders may not communicate effectively to motivate their virtual teammembers to achieve goals. Leaders who lack communication strategies to motivate virtual team members can lead to dissatisfied employees and increased timelines to achieve project goals for their organization. This may adversely impact the accurate and timely achievement of goals, reducing profits and thereby, shareholder returns. Grounded in Herzberg's two-factor theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore leaders' communication strategies to motivate virtual team members to achieve project goals. The participants consisted of eight virtual team leaders in the northeastern United States who successfully implemented communication …

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Housing Discrimination, Social Isolation Or Exclusion Among Gypsies In Romania, Simina Moldovan Jan 2022

Housing Discrimination, Social Isolation Or Exclusion Among Gypsies In Romania, Simina Moldovan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Housing discrimination against Gypsies is a problem that has received little attention in the research literature. The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to explore and document the extent to which Gypsies in one location in Romania experience housing discrimination because of local policies and if any cultural factors are influencing the way Gypsies are perceived or treated by the local government and police. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the narrative policy framework and self-categorization theory in the context of a diverse cultural environment and a developing democracy. The study was guided by three research …

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Body Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy As A Predictor For Obesity Among African American College Women, Sacha Nicole Morris-Dorsey Jan 2022

Body Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy As A Predictor For Obesity Among African American College Women, Sacha Nicole Morris-Dorsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women have the highest rates of obesity when compared to any ethnic group in the United States, and the rates of obesity among this population are expected to continue to increase. In this study, social cognitive theory was used to predict the connection between body satisfaction, self-efficacy, and obesity in 18–24-year-old African American women attending college. The data were analyzed using multiple regression, while controlling for demographic variables, to determine if body satisfaction (Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults) and self-efficacy (The Eating Self-Efficacy Scale) predicted obesity among African American women in college. Thirty-three participants completed the survey. …

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