Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Latino Parents With Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Children And The Catholic Doctrine Towards Homosexuality, Axel Monroig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents who experience their children's coming out encounter emotional reactions that could compromise their ability to function, particularly when challenged by the Catholic doctrine towards homosexuality. It is not well known how Latino parents experience their children's coming out and how they mediate their Catholic identity. The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of these parents considering phenomenology as the method of inquiry. The theoretical lens was based on the parental acceptance-rejection theory. The research questions addressed how Latinos experienced the coming out of their children and how they mediated their identities as Catholics and as parents …

Demographics, Self-Autonomy, And Relationships As Predictors Of Substance Use Among Community College Learners, F. Lashell Robertson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abuse of prescription and over-the-counter substances other than alcohol is becoming a prevalent issue; therefore, it is important to identify factors that may help predict risk for this abuse. Some demographic and situational factors have been identified for traditional 4-year college students. However, less is known about community college students, who enter college less academically prepared and may be still enmeshed with family and peer groups from high school. In this correlational study, predictors of substance abuse other than alcohol were explored among a convenience sample of 118 students from an American community college. The research question was developed based …

Minority Stress And Mental Health Among Transgender Persons, Elizabeth Alice Sapareto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transgender people, a minority population, are at increased risk for negative health and mental health consequences. Profound societal discrimination and stigmatization lead to systemic institutional barriers and lack of access to health care services. Research with lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations shows a strong association between minority stress and mental health; however, there is a gap in research for the transgender population. This study, based on theories of minority stress, positive psychology, the biopsychosocial model, and the transgender model, was conducted to clarify this relationship for the transgender population. Four research questions were proposed. A final sample of N = …

Case Management And Social Work Practice In Public Schools, Grace Charriez Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 66% of elementary and secondary school students experience academic difficulties. Evidence-based implementation and data-driven practices in the field of school social work to address these academic difficulties are lacking. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of school social workers in a public school division in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States regarding the use and effectiveness of case management strategies with at-risk students. Ecological theory and social constructionism theory provided the framework for the study. Qualitative focus group discussion involving 8 social workers in the division was used to collect …

Citizen Perceptions Of Institutional Disparities And The Reintegration Of Nonviolent Drug Related Offenders, Terrance Hinton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2017, Louisiana had the highest incarceration rate in the nation with 1,420 of every 100,000 adult males being placed in a state or local penitentiary. To address this issue, a series of criminal justice reforms were passed within the Louisiana legislature that released thousands of former offenders back into the community. The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the attitudes, thoughts, and opinions of citizens in a single Louisiana city regarding ex-offender re-integration and disparities within the criminal justice system. March and Olsen's Rational Choice Institutionalism was used to explain how environment impacts individual perception and choices …

Walking And Talking For The Elevation Of Mood And Satisfaction Levels, Lori Jean Kellner-Schoelles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study is important because of the high prevalence of mental and physical disorders experienced by American adults. These bring undue strain to those suffering them and to the health care system because research indicates that many of these disorders may be mitigated via supportive conversation, or through the practice of physical exercise. The purpose of this quantitative treatment-control study was to examine the relationship between the practice of walking/talking and resulting mood and satisfaction levels. Self-determination theory and biopsychosocial perspectives were used to provide a framework for the study. The research questions asked whether there was a mood response …

Women Of Intimate Partner Abuse: Traumatic Bonding Phenomenon, Meghan Koch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers indicate women succumb to relational abuse as seen with maladaptive attachment, identity enmeshment, and implicit maltreatment. Implicit violence and nonviolence, bonding victims to victimizers remains unstudied, although the domestic abuse phenomenon continues. Intimate partner abuse was examined through qualitative inquiry. There is much to learn about female victim perspectives describing attachment bonds, identity conflicts, and implicit maltreatment experiences. Traumatic bonding theory served as the lens through which female participant responses were examined in this study. Research questions were developed to focus on female attachment bond perceptions, views concerning self-esteem, self-identity, or self-reference, and implicit aggression, coercive control, or manipulation …

African American Women Leaders, Intersectionality, And Organizations, Kena Renee Mayberry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggested that African American women (AAW) leaders are overlooked as candidates

for senior level positions in organizations. The problem that prompted this study was the lack of empirical research surrounding the intersectionality of race and gender and how this dual identity informed their leadership development and excluded AAW from the leadership promotion group identified by organizations. The research questions addressed how AAW described their career trajectory, strategies that were used to transform institutional barriers into leadership opportunities, how AAW leaders perceived their dual identity as contributing to their unique organizational experiences, and how AAW leaders perceived their role as …

Exploring The Multicultural Pedagogy Of Ces Faculty Through An Intersectional Lens, Jenae D. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counselor education and supervision (CES) faculty members are responsible for adequately preparing counselors-in-training (CIT) for their work with diverse populations. Current literature explains traditional multicultural counseling education in this way; however, little research is available exploring faculty members' personal and professional experiences with intersectionality and how those experiences contribute to their pedagogy. In this dissertation, CES faculty members' experiences with intersectionality theory and how they could use this theory in their multicultural pedagogy were explored. Research questions exploring CES faculty use of intersectionality in their multicultural coursework, how their personal experiences contribute to their pedagogy, and their experiences with privilege …

Perceptions Of Unrestricted Gift Giving And The Integrity Of Public Servants In Nigeria, Malachy Ogbonna Ugwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many observers are concerned about the ramifications of the policy regulation in Nigeria that allows public servants to accept gifts without restriction on the basis of culture. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand this cultural practice and its implications for the integrity of public servants. Using Mettler and SoRelle's conceptualization of policy feedback theory, the research questions focused on the perceptions of leaders of civic organizations on this cultural practice in relation to the integrity of public servants in a particular region of Nigeria. Data were collected from 10 purposely selected leaders of civic organizations …

Competence Of Behavioral Health Clinicians In Integrated Care Settings, Agyenim Akuamoah-Boateng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collaborative efforts between medical and behavioral health professionals is required to simultaneously treat individuals with medical and mental health disorders. However, there is lack of focus on the competencies and trainings needed by behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) transitioning to integrated primary care (IPC) settings. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of BHCs who have transitioned from specialty outpatient behavioral healthcare settings to IPC settings. Semi-structured interview questions were used to collect data. Using interpretive phenomenological data analysis approach, themes and the shared meanings and experiences of 8 licensed BHCs were explored. Seven …

Work-Life Balance, Work-Study Interface, Gender, Stress, And Satisfaction Of Online Students, Viya Kumari Ayadurai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a likelihood of stress in working students' struggles to manage work, family, studies, and personal life, yet little is known about differences in stress levels between male and female online students. Previous studies suggested that more men than women balanced work and family owing to women's asymmetrical family responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of gender on the relationships of work-life balance and work-study interface of working online students and their perceived stress and satisfaction with life. In this quantitative study, the theoretical framework included social role theory and spillover theory. A …

Understanding Feeding Style And Young Children's Consumption Of Food, Mary W. Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to increased rates of childhood obesity since 2010, researchers have examined family environmental factors and family influences on children's consumption of healthy foods. While previous research has examined how factors such as food presentation and the food intake of other family members can predict a child's body mass index, there has been little research examining whether parent factors predict the amount of healthy foods children eat. This quantitative survey study examined whether certain parent factors, specifically parents' attitudes about food, parents' feeding styles, and parents' attachment styles, predicted the amount of fruits and vegetables children ate. Understanding the extent …

Effects Department Of Justice Investigations Have On Violent Crime And Arrest Rates, D. Scott Hoffman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 1994 Congress enacted the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which in part gave the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJCRD) the power to investigate local law enforcement agencies for Constitutional and civil rights violations. Researchers have found these investigations are expensive, time consuming, and highly intrusive to a law enforcement agency. To understand how these investigations are impacting communities, data were gathered on cities with local law enforcement agencies that have experienced an investigation by the DOJCRD. Using a quasi-experimental, multiple time-series research design with a paired samples t-test, the dependent variables (violent crime and arrest …

Experiences Of Counselors Who Work With Sexual Minorities With A Serious Mental, Anthony Zazzarino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual minorities (SM) are at a greater risk for experiencing a serious mental illness (SMI) compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Furthermore, SM with a SMI continue to experience stigma and discrimination that leads to more negative outcomes and a greater need for counseling services. Current researchers have not adequately addressed the specific needs of SM with a SMI and how to prepare counselors to work with this population. Furthermore, most SM with a SMI find that counseling services are inadequate and do not meet their unique needs. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study, grounded in a Husserlian philosophical and …

The Relationship Between Positive Academic And Behavior Support Services: School Failure Prevention-Plan, Tujaim M. Berry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urban middle school students experience poor self-efficacy and poor attitudes toward school climates after being retained. Previous research has indicated that grade-level retention in primary and secondary education might cause long-term achievement gaps, school failure, and high school dropout rates. However, current research has yet to examine relationships between archival data retrieved on retained middle school students' achievement outcomes and perceptions of school climate. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to assess the relationships between retained middle school students' self-efficacy as measured by the School Climate Survey and their performance outcomes as measured by PowerSchool®. Bandura's theory of …

Public Service Announcements To Promote Physical Activity, Jennifer Erickson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes physical activity as a primary way to maintain health, but many individuals do not participate in this health-promoting behavior. Despite the potential for public service announcements (PSAs) to communicate health information and promote behavioral change, no prior research on developing video PSAs to promote physical activity was found. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine how affective and information video PSAs for a public health campaign affect future levels of intention to engage in physical activity. The PSAs were developed and filmed specific for this study using the model of goal directed …

Employee Job Satisfaction And Attitudes In Virtual Workplaces, Rebecca K. Mansfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People who telecommute or work in virtual settings report higher satisfaction from increased flexibility and autonomy. However, relationships with leaders are more difficult to build, particularly as leadership in virtual workplaces tends to be less hierarchical. It is known that leader-member communication is an important aspect of employee job satisfaction and a significant problem exists for leaders who are ill-prepared to function in the leadership role required by a virtual workplace. The purpose of the quantitative study was to examine if employee job satisfaction predicts attitude toward virtual workplace setting and if this relationship is moderated by leader-member communication and …

Effect Of External Locus-Of-Hope On Acquired Capability For Suicide, Yitzchok Wagshul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have investigated the role of hope as a protective factor against suicide. Of the 3 factors posited by Joiner's interpersonal theory of suicide (IPTS) to be necessary before suicide can occur, increased hope has been shown to reduce 2 (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness), but, counterintuitively, to increase the 3rd (acquired capability for suicide). A fuller understanding of this phenomenon may lie with Bernardo's locus-of-hope construct-pursuant to which hope may lie not only in one's own plans and capabilities (internal locus-of-hope) but in those of others (external locus-of-hope) but to date no study has researched the relationship between external …

Childhood Lead Exposure And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis, Megan Glenn Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lead exposure during childhood is a significant global public health concern as the potential effects of exposure can result in the need for long-term treatment, diminished productivity in society, and financial strain on the health care system. There is strong evidence of a relationship between lead exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, there is a gap in the current literature regarding the relationship between lead exposure and specific symptoms of ADHD and the strength of that relationship. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine and help quantify this relationship. Cohen's d was used as the standardized mean effect size …

Marital Status And Burdensomeness As Risk Factors Of Suicide Ideation In Poststroke Patients, Froso Andreou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide (SISAS) are increased in poststroke patients, yet not everyone who has suffered a stroke is at risk for SISAS. Two risk factors for SISAS, marital status and burdensomeness, may be of particular relevance to poststroke patients. The majority of poststroke patients have a disability that may require help from a family member with basic functions such as dressing and bathing. It was not known if being married decreases risk of SISAS for stoke victims as shown in studies with nonpoststroke subjects or increases risk for SISAS due to its influence on feelings of burdensomeness. …

Interoperability Performance Among Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, Tammie Ann Massirer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks exposed considerable breakdowns in communications interoperability and information sharing among first responders. Multijurisdictional responses to the active-shooter incidents at the University of Texas in 2010; Sandy Hook Elementary of Newtown, Connecticut in 2012, and the Reynolds High School shooting of Multnomah County, Oregon in 2014 were replete with interoperability failures as well. Recent multijurisdictional response events continue to illuminate difficulties with first-responder interoperability and minimal research exists to promote understanding of the interoperability challenges of university police departments. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers that impede communications of campus based …

Predictive Relationship Between Anger And Violence In Canadian Secondary Students, Lawrence Alfred Deck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence among Canadian secondary students remains a concern for administrators, teachers, community members, and students. The purpose of this retrospective quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine the predictive relationship between anger and violence among secondary students in Canada using the Anger Regulation and Expression Scale (ARES). The general aggression model provided the framework for the study. Survey data were collected from 138 students using the ARES. Demographic data and archival data from students' school files were also collected. Results of receiver operator characteristic analysis and binary logistic regression indicated that the ARES total score provided fair to good predictive ability …

Holistic Health And Hawaii's Renewable Energy Future, Richard M. Esterle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collective efficacy, time urgency, and health literacy have been a focus of research since the 1970s. Researchers have demonstrated that these factors influence health and decision making. However, researchers have yet to establish how these factors may be connected to the achievement of policy aims that impact holistic or environmental health. This study utilized the health belief model, social cognitive theory, time urgency theory, health education and promotion theory, Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, and the Meikirch model. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the factors of collective efficacy, perceived time urgency, perceived health literacy, ethnicity, age, …

Use Of Facebook As A Social Support System To Maintain An Individual's Resource Pool, Michelle Fontaine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress affects individuals' physiology, mood, behavior, and cognitive abilities. Social support has been found effective in buffering stress. The social networking site Facebook allows individuals to connect to others to share stories, pictures, and general life events and, in so doing, offers a means of social support that bridges geographical distances for friends and family. There is limited research, however, on whether using Facebook buffers against stress. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of Facebook for social support using the conservation of resources theoretical model of stress management. Fifty-seven Facebook users over the age of …

Exploring Ethnic Diversity On Managerial Choices In Nigeria., Henry Odiri Imoni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, most citizens between the ages of 20-60 believe that ethnicity is the leading cause of discrimination. The central problem addressed in this study was how ethnic diversity influenced managerial choices in Nigeria. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the role of ethnicity in managerial choices in a Nigerian federal traffic management agency to gain an understanding of how ethnicity influenced managers' recruitment, placement, and promotion of employees. Complexity theory and a consideration of African management practices constituted the conceptual framework. Participants were 11 managers who were recruited from a Nigerian government agency using a …

Practice Challenges Among Social Work Mitigation Specialists And Interprofessional Supervision Methods, Nicole Denise Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social work supervision is a core component of the social work profession that is often absent for social workers in interprofessional teams. In capital defense practice settings, social workers are hired as mitigation specialists to work as members of the legal team. Informed by systems theory, the purpose of this action research study was to explore the practice challenges of social work mitigation specialists (SWMS) and how an interprofessional-focused supervision approach could be applied to resolve those issues. Six SWMS employed with capital defense agencies in Georgia and Texas were interviewed. Using a thematic coding analysis, several key themes emerged: …

Professional Counselors' Lived Experiences Of Counseling Gender Diverse Clients, Veronica Monea Kirkland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender diverse individuals experience stigma, discrimination, and transprejudice regularly, in response to daily interactions with society. These negative experiences lead to the development of physical, mental, and emotional instability. Gender diverse individuals experience transprejudice and discriminatory experiences in transpohobic counseling environments. Furthermore, current research highlights the need for counselors to increase training and knowledge to work with gender diverse individuals. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in a Heideggerian philosophy, was to illuminate the lived experiences of professional counselors engaging in counseling with gender diverse clients and bridge the gap in the current literature. Data were collected from …

Policy Implications Of News Media Coverage Of The Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria., Godfred A. Ababio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) garnered global news media attention in Summer 2014 when it seized a significant section of land in Iraq and Syria. The group then mishandled and executed its captives. There is a lack of consensus among the international community, led by Russia and the United States, on how best to address the threat posed by ISIS. An understanding of the function of Russian and U.S. news media coverage of the ISIS threat is an appropriate research topic. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis study was to explore how the U.S, Russian, and …