Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Traumatic Early Life Stress In The Developing Hippocampus: A Meta-Analysis Of Mri Studies, Sharon Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Advancements in neuroimaging techniques afford researchers the opportunity to examine the actual brains of living persons, which exponentially contributes to new insights regarding brain and behavior phenomena. However, empirical studies investigating stress and the hippocampus attend primarily to adult populations - less on children and adolescents. Covariates such as the type of trauma, the duration and severity of the abuse, genetic predispositions, gender, poverty, and age often present as confounding factors that muddle the attempts to establish linkages between interpersonal, environmental, and neurobiological correlates. Although researchers primarily agree that traumatic early life stress (TELS) has some impact on early brain …

Sexual Consent Perceptions Of Child Sex Offenders Who Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse, Traci Lordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual consent is the necessary and mutual permission of 2 parties to engage in age-appropriate sexual activity. Child sex offenders (CSOs) target children, an age group who is not legally or ethically permitted to engage in or provide consent to sex. Yet, CSOs overstep all sexual, consensual, and moral boundaries to commit a sexual offense against a child. In this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study, CSOs’ perceptions of sexual consent and the experiences of their own childhood sexual victimization shaped their conceptualizations of sexual consent were explored. The conceptual framework of implicit theory was used to gain the detailed and …

Budget Support And Quality Of Public Governance In West Africa, Ademonkoun Rodolphe Godfried Missinhoun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Donors have been increasingly using budget support since 2000 to associate development aid delivery with improved development institutions and good policies that will ensure aid effectiveness, in particular in West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries. There is however little evidence that budget support promotes good policies and institutions in WAEMU countries. The purpose of this quantitative research was to explore relationships between budget support as an official development assistance modality and public expenditures efficiency as an indicator of public governance quality. The aid effectiveness theoretical framework developed by Cordello and Dell ’Ariccia informed research questions to determine whether …

Risk Perception Of Terrorism And Individual Preparedness In Thailand, Pinida Neenlapathna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2001, terrorist incidents in Thailand have caused more than 6,600 deaths and nearly 13,000 people have been injured. The Thai government has employed various counterterrorism measures, but there is little attention paid to terrorism awareness and preparedness. Following the tenets of social cognitive theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the predictive relationship between the risk perception of terrorism (i.e., perceived probability, perceived seriousness, perceived impact, perceived coping efficacy, perceived government preparedness, and perceived frontline responder preparedness) and individual preparedness among Thai people. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of 327 Thai adults who …

Adult Attachment For African American Women Who Have Mothers With Borderline Personality Disorder, Elizabeth Uchechi Onyeali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects that borderline personality disorder (BPD) can have on the loved ones of those who suffer from the mental illness is significant and can be deleterious and enduring. Maternal BPD can adversely impact mother-daughter relationships by fostering abnormal connections and insecure attachment bonds. This is particularly the case for African American mothers, of whom research suggests that the early attachment bond between them and their daughters significantly shapes how their daughters behave, perceive themselves, and relate to others. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of being raised by a mother diagnosed …

Optimizing Body-Worn Camera Usage For Desired Outcomes And Solutions, Andre Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Body-worn camera (BWC) use in the application of the law enforcement function has become a novelty during the last few years in the United States. BWCs are being implemented in localities without adequate research about community perceptions. Moreover, very few studies have been conducted about the perceptions of community members in a particular area about these devices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the perceptions and beliefs of community members from different backgrounds about BWCs. The research questions entailed learning about current perceptions regarding BWCs and how these devices impact trust, safety, and accountability. Social …

Reducing Payment-Card Fraud, Chares R. Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Critical public data in the United States are vulnerable to theft, creating severe financial and legal implications for payment-card acceptors. When security analysts and managers who work for payment card processing organizations implement strategies to reduce or eliminate payment-card fraud, they protect their organizations, consumers, and the local and national economy. Grounded in Cressey’s fraud theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies business owners and card processors use to reduce or eliminate payment-card fraud. The participants were 3 data security analysts and 1 manager working for an international payment card processing organization with 10 …

The Experiences Of Noncustodial Fathers Enrolled In The Georgia Fatherhood Program, Patricia Ann Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal child support program was designed in the United States in 1975 to reduce the amount of public assistance that is needed by collecting child support from noncustodial fathers. Due to financial barriers, many noncustodial fathers face challenges in paying their child support consistently. Noncustodial fathers are referred to Fatherhood Programs when they are delinquent in paying their child support. While extensive research was conducted on the impact of child support delinquency on families, very little focus has been placed on the challenges that noncustodial fathers face when attempting to complete Fatherhood Programs. The purpose of this generic qualitative …

Relationship Between Specific Security Concerns And Cio Intention To Adopt Cloud, Johnathan Francis Van Houten

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing adoption rates have not grown commensurate with several well-known and substantially tangible benefits such as horizontal distribution and reduced cost, the latter both in terms of infrastructure and specialized personnel. The lack of adoption presents a challenge to both service providers from a sales perspective and service consumers from a usability focus. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study utilizing the technological, organizational, and environmental framework was to examine the relationship between shared technology (ST), malicious insiders (MI), account hijacking, data leakage, data protection, service partner trust (SP), regulatory concerns and the key decision-makers intention to adopt cloud …

Child Agency: Adolescents-Led Community Service Initiatives In Yemen, Shaima Mohammed Alraiy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has provided evidence that child participation and agency can contribute to child protection. Child participation and agency in the context of war and conflicts are still under-researched. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the agency experiences of adolescents in Yemen in implementing and leading community service initiatives following participating in a youth empowerment program. Using Zimmerman’s empowerment theory to guide the study, 5 people aged between 18 and 22 years who had participated in a program were interviewed about their agency experience when they were adolescents. Narrative data was analyzed using thematic analysis and …

Predictors For Passing The Psychology License Exam, Edith Chaparro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychology license exam takers who do not pass the exam cannot practice psychology independently, have difficulty securing employment, and may lose current jobs. Despite the increased number of psychologists entering the field and the increase in ethnic minority students in doctoral-level psychology programs, there is scarce recent research on predictors of license exam pass rates. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine whether APA internship match rates, GRE scores, percentage of ethnic minority students, gender, program type, rate of admittance, and years to completion predict license exam pass rates. The triarchic theory of intelligence served as the …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Performance Among Executive Coaches, Valerie Elizabeth Charles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there is research on the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and performance in areas such business, education, and nursing, a significant gap existed in the literature regarding research on the relationship between executive coaches EI and their performance. As a result, I focused on the lack of empirical evidence regarding the relationship between EI and performance among executive coaches, with performance defined as the number of coaching clients secured in 2015.The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between EI and performance among executive coaches. Through convenience sampling, 50 executive coaches …

There Are Always Two Sides To Policy: Police Use Of Deadly Force, Jana Cole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the policy-specific, perceptional, and conceptual knowledge that citizens have regarding policing policies and police-citizen deadly force encounters to gain a greater understanding of how media, social media, and community leaders impact this public knowledge. This study provided insight into the public’s policy-specific knowledge and perceptions about policing policies and police-citizen deadly force incidents filling the gap within the existing police use of force literature. Bittner’s theory on policing, constructionism of reality, and the exemplification theory were used in a unique conceptual framework to understand this phenomenon. Interviews were conducted with 19 members of the public. …

Predictive Factors Of Risky Sexual Behaviors Of Emerging Adult Women, Corey Dabney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study offered a predictive model to better understand the social dynamics of risky sexual behavior through examining how reproductive coercion, self-esteem, and peer relationships that present with risky sexual behaviors correlate to unintended pregnancy. The participants were 104 emerging adult women between the ages 18-25 who resided in the United States and were proficient in the English language. Using the theoretical lens of reciprocal determinism, direct logistic regression was performed to assess the likelihood that the variables reproductive coercion, peer relationships, and self-esteem would impact unintended pregnancy. The full model containing all predictors was statistically significant, indicating that the …

Perceptions Of Organizational Support Among Social Workers Exposed To Vicarious Trauma, Paula Denise Downie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Repeated exposure to clients’ trauma has led to secondary or vicarious emotional distress for social workers, which has negatively impacted their professional and personal lives. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of organizational support of social workers with symptoms of vicarious trauma. Ecological systems theory provided the framework for the study. The sample consisted of 6 clinical licensed social workers who participated in 2 focus group sessions, one with 4 participants and one with 2 participants. Data were inductively coded and analyzed to identify patterns and themes. Findings indicated that social workers …

A Phenomenological Study Of Christian Conversion And Recidivism In Ex-Prisoners, Christopher Featherstone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism rates are high in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice

Statistics, within 5 years of being released, 77% of ex-prisoners are arrested, with 37%

arrested within the first 6 months and 57% arrested within the first year. Past research has

indicated that religiosity functions as a protective factor in relation to criminal behaviors

that is consistent across genders and developmental periods. The purpose of this

qualitative study was to examine Christianity as a protective factor against offending. The

theoretical framework of the study, self-determination theory, with its focus on

individuals’ growth tendencies based on self-motivation and …

Examining The Impact Of An Afterschool Program On The Lives Of At-Risk Youth, Hazel Green-Dunston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences, and the impact mentoring has on at-risk youths between the ages of 11-14 years of age in afterschool programs in the southeast region of the United States. It addresses if afterschool mentoring programs reduce juvenile delinquency in at-risk youths. The theoretical framework of this qualitative study is Bandura’s social learning theory in which individuals have a chance to reproduce a desirable behavior outcome. The social learning theory suggests that when exposing at-risk youths to positive behaviors, they have a lower probability of engaging in delinquent activities. The …

Key Ethical Leadership Characteristics Of State Police Promotional Candidates In The South, David Patrick Hay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public officials, researchers, and practitioners agree police organizations need the proper tools to foster a stronger sense of ethical leadership to more effectively conduct police operations and work with communities. However, few researchers have investigated ethical leadership characteristics for police supervisors, and no research has been conducted to identify desired ethical leadership characteristics for state police supervisors in the southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to determine the degrees of consensus and support of identified key ethical leadership characteristics for state police promotional candidates in the southern United States, using the theoretical framework of transformational …

Ex-Offenders Perceptions Of Community-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Programs, Yolanda Michelle Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many ex-offenders develop negative attitudes and lifestyles-based on adverse childhood experiences that lead to substance abuse problems, as well as negative coping strategies for managing life stressors. To understand ex-offenders negative perspectives and attitudes, one must understand the motivation for change. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions and feelings of ex-offenders involved in community-based treatment programs pivotal in changing their attitudes and lifestyles. The theoretical framework consisted of labeling theory and social learning theory. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore participants perceptions of community-based treatment. There was a total of 10 participants, 5 men and …

Integration Of Social Work Practices With Refugees: An Action Research Study, Avril Williams Knox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States is facing an increasing number of refugees and asylees who resettled and were forced to migrate from their countries of origin. In the United States, social service professionals and social workers of resettlement agencies are responsible for the program enrollment and follow-up with newly arrived refugees. Hence, there is a huge learning curve for these individuals. Although a substantial number of refugees are linked to appropriate resources, many are neglected and are unable to sustain themselves. This action research was based upon family systems theory. Integrative techniques used by social workers were explored. The information was subjective, …

Foster Parents’ Perceptions Of Services Needed To Help Manage Foster Children’S Emotional And Behavioral Issues, Timothy A. Lance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children entering the foster care system in the United States have higher rates of behavioral and emotional issues than children in the general population. Research has revealed that foster parents need to be trained in how to manage the emotional and behavioral problems of children placed in their care. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding foster care providers’ perceptions of services they may need to assist them in managing their foster children’s behavioral and emotional problems. A generic qualitative approach was used to address the question: What are foster parents’ perceptions of services they need to effectively manage …

Job Satisfaction And Turnover Among Millennial Nurses In Public Hospitals, Gwen Mancuso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed turnover of millennial generation behavioral health nurses (MGBHNs). Because retention strategies mitigate the consequences of turnover, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine job satisfaction (JS) and anticipated turnover (AT) intention among MGBHNs employed in U.S. public hospitals. Research questions were focused on determining what, if any, correlation exists between AT and JS. The theoretical frameworks were Herzberg’s theory and person in environment theory. A multiple linear regression and 5 Spearman’s rho correlation analyses were used to analyze data from a convenience sample of 65 MGBHNs to understand the relationship between the independent variables …

Child Welfare Workers Perceptions Of Their Competencies At Detecting And Reporting Abuse Of Foster Children, Shameka Angela Manigault

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child abuse is a national issue in the United States. Past research has revealed that child welfare workers competency at detecting and reporting child abuse comes with challenges and barriers. Poor recognition and reporting of suspected maltreatment are problematic because a lack of action on the part of child welfare workers may leave children vulnerable to continued abuse, which could result in increased morbidity and mortality for the children. This generic qualitative study examined child welfare workers perceptions of their professional competencies at detecting and reporting abuse of foster children during out-of-home placements. Bandura's principles of self-efficacy as presented in …

Small Business Social Media Marketing Strategies In The Retail Industry, Mari E. Mew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business owners lack social media marketing (SMM) strategies to generate sales growth. Small business owners are concerned with increasing sales growth to ensure sustainability. Grounded in Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore SMM strategies some small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry use to generate growth in sales. The participants comprised 3 small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry in South Carolina with successful experience using SMM strategies to generate sales growth. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, archival organizational documentation, and physical artifacts. …

Why Do Mentors Stay? Exploring Mentor Experiences, Perceptions And Motivations Within Mentorship Programs, Ann Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth mentorship has captured the attention of policymakers as a method of addressing societal issues. A review of the literature highlighted challenges that mentorship programs face regarding mentor sustainability. The purpose of this study was to explore and differentiate the experiences, perceptions, and motivations among paid and volunteer mentors within formal youth mentorship programs. This phenomenological study informs public policymakers how funding should be allocated within the nonprofit sector in order to optimize mentor retention. Structural functionalism and Kingdon’s multiple streams approach composed the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected utilizing 14 semistructured interview questions. An analysis of …

Problems With Basing Insect Ethics On Individuals’ Welfare, Susana Monsó, Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró

Animal Sentience

In their target article, Mikhalevich & Powell (M&P) argue that we should extend moral protection to arthropods. In this commentary, we show that there are some unforeseen obstacles to applying the sort of individualistic welfare-based ethics that M&P have in mind to certain arthropods, namely, insects. These obstacles have to do with the fact that there are often many more individuals involved in our dealings with insects than our ethical theories anticipate, and also with the fact that, in some sense, some insects count as more than an individual and, in another sense, they sometimes count as less than an …

Lessons From Miniature Brains: Cognition Cheap, Memory Expensive (Sentience Linked To Active Movement?), Giorgio Vallortigara

Animal Sentience

Studies on invertebrate minds suggest that the neural machinery for basic cognition is cheap, and that bigger brains are probably associated with greater memory storage rather than more advanced cognition. Sentience may be linked to feedforward mechanisms (Reafferenzprinzip) that allow organisms with active movement to distinguish active and passive sensing. Invertebrates may offer special opportunities for testing these hypotheses.

Effects Of Depression And Health Habits On Diabetes Outcomes, Yvonne Marie Chapa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus outcomes are intensified by the lack of screening and awareness for depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and gender difference. The purpose of this quantitative survey study, grounded in biopsychosocial theory, was to investigate the best predictor (alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and the exploratory variable gender) of diabetes outcome in a Mexican American population. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 with 120 Mexican American patients from a diabetic clinic in Southern Texas. Results from a multiple regression analysis indicated that gender was the best predictor. A series of Pearson correlations revealed a significant positive relationship between …

Social And Ecological Determinants Of Physical Activity For Youth With Cerebral Palsy, George E. Gorton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical inactivity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, increasing risk for noncommunicable disease and compromised physical, social, and mental health. However, fewer than 20% of U.S. youth meet physical activity guidelines; youth with disabilities are even less active. Physical activity is influenced by personal, family, social, organizational, community, and environmental factors acting within a social-ecological framework. To what extent is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which social and ecological factors are associated with participation of youth with cerebral palsy in physical activity. The research design was a cross-sectional, quantitative …

The Influences Of School Counselors' Professional Development On Their Comfort Levels Addressing Mental Health And Substance Use, Megan Lynne Hines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an investigation of the comfort levels of school counselors to address PK-12 students’ mental health and substance use concerns. While incidents of bullying and school shootings rise it is unclear how school counselors’ professional development has influenced their level of comfort identifying and addressing PK-12 students’ mental health and substance use concerns. Accordingly, this quantitative descriptive survey examined school counselors’ recognition of mental health and substance use symptoms, frequency of encounter, and whether their developmental stages influenced their comfort levels in addressing students’ mental health and substance use concerns. Rønnestad and Skovholt’s counselor development model was the …