Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Family Dynamics And Treatment Times For Adhd Children, Margaret Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a serious mental health condition that affects many of children. Studies show that 42-77% of children with ADHD may not be receiving treatment. Factors such as parent ethnicity, race, preference for treatment, socioeconomics, and child gender have been studied but do not account for the high numbers of untreated children. Differences between parents has been shown to effect ADHD treatment, the potential effects of family dynamics, children living in single or dual parent families, on ADHD treatment has not been studied. This secondary analysis finds there is a relationship between family dynamics, with the …

Mobile Forensics: The Perception Of Privacy, Charlsea Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology companies like Apple pride themselves on protecting its consumers’ data, which they express within their mission statement and by also encrypting their mobile devices. This encryption stalled an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, resulting in them taking Apple to court. There has been a lack of information about mobile forensic examiners perceptions on issue they face in the mobile forensic field. The purpose of this research study was to address the perceptions mobile forensic examiners experience when dealing with encryption, privacy, and national security concerns. This qualitative phenomenological study included interviews with 10 mobile …

Indigenous Women: Violence, Vulnerability And Cultural Protective Factors, Christina M. Agloinga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The disproportionate rates of violent crimes, historical oppression, and cultural assimilation disrupted the traditional practices and belief system within Alaskan Native communities, thus changing the influence of protective factors that support balance and equality for women. Identifying protective factors provided by cultural practices that support resiliency provides an increased understanding of how cultural strengths can combat distorted stereotypes within the criminal justice system. This study included characteristics of a phenomenological, narrative, and ethnographic study. The social constructionist framework and the social construction of target populations theory was used to explore how traditional cultural practices can influence the current gender identity, …

A Lebanese Health Care Organization’S Strategies To Secure Sustainable Funding, Dania Mahmoud Al Assadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fundraising and donations are the main sources of revenue for behavioral health care nonprofit organizations (NPOs) worldwide. Economic, political, social, or health crises impact fundraising and donation sources for behavioral health care NPOs. This qualitative case study addressed strategies that senior leaders of a Lebanese behavioral health care NPO could use in times of crisis. The study also addressed the behavioral health leaders’ experience managing a funding crisis. The Baldrige conceptual framework was used to assess the organization’s effectiveness in seven key areas. Interviews with the senior leaders and analysis of the organization’s archival data were used to inform the …

Exploring Probation Clients’ Perception Of The Officer-Client Relationship, Robert Lee Ausby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community supervision, commonly referred to as probation, is an alternative to jail and prison sentences which allow offenders to serve court-imposed sanctions in the community. The present study stemmed from Klockars’s theory of probation supervision which contains two concepts, (a) the organizational structure of probation, which has been studied repeatedly, and (b) the exchange strategy between the officer and client. The second concept has not been adequately explored. Previous literature has explored the perception that probation officers have of their clients. However, no study has explored the perception that clients have of their probation officers. The purpose of this study …

Church Leaders' Perceptions Of Their Roles In Mentoring Young Black Males' Development, Johnny Anthony Beckwith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBlack Baptist church leaders are potential male role models for their communities, however there is no straightforward guide on how to optimally support the adolescent, Black male population with life skills development. The research question that guided this generic qualitative study addressed the perceptions of male, Black, Baptist church leaders regarding their role as a support for the development of life skills for the adolescent, Black male. Thirteen, Black, male, Baptist Church leaders from the southeast United States participated in semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Their responses were analyzed thematically, resulting in the identification of four emergent themes: (a) conceptualizing …

Data Modeling Of Cognitive Structure In Physiotherapy Students Learning Gross Anatomy, William Allan Besselink

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cognitive structures that promote deep learning of gross anatomy are integral to musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice yet poorly understood. This quantitative, criterion-related validation study addressed two data modeling strategies (multidimensional scaling and Pathfinder networks) as a potential visual and quantitative representation of the cognitive structures of physiotherapy students learning gross anatomy. The study was grounded in the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational theory of cognition. The research questions addressed the agreement (reliability, accuracy, and association) between student and expert cognitive structures and included the derived quantitative parameters as predictor variables in multiple regression to examine potential relationships with unit grades. An online …

Stakeholder Perceptions On The Efficacy Of The Cayman Islands School Inspections, Villence Buchanan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEducators and community members in the Cayman Islands are subjected to school inspections that are based on the United Kingdom model for inspecting schools. This model has not been tested to determine its appropriateness for use in a Caribbean education setting. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of educators and community members on the efficacy of the Cayman Islands school inspections in relation to perceptions of inspection procedures, demographic relevance, and student progress and achievement. The conceptual framework was based on Ehren’s school inspection theory and Quintelier’s model to analyze the perceptions and experiences of educators …

Parental Stress Coping And Middle-School Students’ Grades And Behavioral Conduct, Stephanie Buckner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, factors such as parental stress influence family functioning and affect children’s adaptive development. This quantitative study was conducted to better understand the association of parental stress coping skills with two dependent measures: the grades and behavioral conduct of middle-school students. Sixty-six parent/guardians completed the Coping Skills Assessment 2nd Revision (COSA R2), an assessment of parental stress coping skills and a brief questionnaire to collect data on their middle-school-aged children’s grades and conduct, along with demographic variables of race/ethnicity, age, family income level, number of children in the household, and partner status. No significant difference …

Hurricane Survivors' Attitudes Regarding The Therapeutic Benefits Of Animals, Tina Callwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is research on the benefits of animal-assisted interventions. However, no study was found on hurricane survivors' lived experience and their attitudes toward animals after a traumatic experience. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of hurricane survivors' attitudes toward their companion animals or other animals they interacted with after a natural disaster. The transactional theory of stress and coping was used to explain how participants appraised their stress and reduced it. Constructivism was used to uncover hurricane survivors' experiences and their attitudes toward animals after the disaster. The research question examined the lived …

Volunteer Mentor Perspectives On The Impact Of Mentoring Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Brenda Joyce Dilworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractVolunteer mentors contribute time by serving as role models to numerous children who face challenges that cause them to be at risk for delinquent behavior. Children of incarcerated parents are a growing population in need of special attention and strategies to minimize their risk of engaging in a life of crime. The purpose of this research was to explore the perspectives of volunteer mentors as they work with adolescents who have experienced the challenges and trauma of having an incarcerated parent. This research is grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory, which considers how people learn from one another. As mentors …

Oppositional Behavior Parallels In Toddlers And Teens And Parent’S Response, Michele Dimmett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents seem to manage oppositional conduct of toddlers but struggle emotionally and physically with oppositional conduct of teenagers, despite similarities in the behaviors. Self-efficacy theory, psychological theory of development, and theory of mind guided the conceptualization of how parents perceive and respond to these two sensitive periods of development. This contrasted group quantitative study pursued measurable similarities in the experience of first-time parents of children aged 18-36 months and 14-15 years of age. Establishing parents’ confidence level in their parenting skills and how they perceive and respond to their child's oppositional behavior was also a factor. One hundred and seventy-five …

Teacher And Parent Perception Of Cyberbullying In A Middle School Setting, Jacqueline Gallo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this mixed method study was to evaluate differences in cyberbullying perception and self-efficacy between teachers and parents. The study aimed to determine how teachers and parents reacted to cyberbullying. The importance of examining teacher and parent perception and self-efficacy in addressing cyberbullying determined the significance of intervention. The theoretical framework for the study was Bandura’s social learning theory. The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the perceptions and self-efficacy of cyberbullying between teachers and parents as measured by the Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire Revised and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. A sample that incorporated perception and …

Counselor-In-Training Self-Efficacy When Working With Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Clients, Thomas John Hegblom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers highlighted a significant void in existing literature surrounding the preparation of counselors working with the transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) population. The problem addressed is the limited understanding of self-efficacy counselors-in-training (CIT) possess while working with TGNC clients. The purpose of this quantitative study rooted in self-efficacy theory was to examine the relationship between three independent variables: (a) the cumulative time the participant spent as a CIT, (b) the amount of training the CIT received specific to transcompetent counseling practices, and (c) a CIT’s competency in delivering transcompetent counseling, and the dependent variable: a CIT’s self-efficacy in providing transcompetent …

Law Enforcement Arrests In Florida's Public Schools, Patricia A. Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUnarmed, nonviolent public school students and sworn law enforcement officers carrying firearms and nightsticks making school-based arrests in a southeastern school district may contribute to the United States maintaining its distinction as the world leader in its use of incarceration. On any given day, nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 are incarcerated in juvenile jails and prisons in the United States. Arrest records for students are barriers to their college, employment, housing, military and immigration status. School Resource Officers are the entry point to the criminal justice system and the direct targeting of vulnerable groups by way of arrests. There …

Post-Conflict Mental Health Policy And Substance Use Among Liberian Adults, Ekua Amonoo-Lartson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe objective of post-conflict countries after an extended period of war and trauma is to maintain peace and stability. However, the physical and psychological effects of substance use to cope with the devastation of war remains long after the crisis has ended. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine substance use among Liberian working-age adults, including their substance use habits, experiences with substance use, and access to mental health rehabilitative treatment. The access to medical care theoretical framework was used to guide the study. Data were collected from face-to-face semistructured interviews with 15 individuals regarding their experiences …

Understanding Successful Strategies Human Service First-Level Managers Utilize When Addressing Workplace Incivility, Mary Elizabeth Barlow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social problem of workplace incivility is a well-researched issue that impacts employees, work groups, and organizations across the nation. The purpose of this study was to understand how first-level human service managers describe employee turnover in relation to workplace incivility and what first-level human service managers view as successful strategies they have used to address workplace incivility. The theoretical framework utilized for this study was incivility spiral theory, as described by Andersson and Pearson. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to gain an understanding of successful strategies that first-level human service managers utilize when addressing workplace incivility …

Trauma Barriers To Substance Abuse Treatment Engagement Among Formerly Incarcerated Males, Eleonora Vlasta Juliana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored treatment engagement among formerly incarcerated adult males in a community-based substance abuse treatment program who experienced barriers related to sexual and violent trauma histories. Fully engaging in treatment requires a readiness to become and remain sober, and for those who suffer from trauma, such readiness may be absent, and continued substance use may be their way to cope with pain. This study explored a gap in the literature concerning how sexual and violent trauma might play a role as barriers to engaging in substance abuse treatment among formerly incarcerated males. Understanding how such traumas impact treatment engagement …

Exploring The Private And Environmental Events Of Repeat Offenders Relative To Low Self-Control, Xavier Mims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dissection of self-control theory itself has served as a supplemental platform for understanding how the lack of self-control can perpetuate criminal conduct. Previous research has indicated that employing self-control theory to predict criminal behavior has been widely supported by various forms of test samples, measurements, and methodologies. However, there remains a gap in the current literature regarding the internal-motivative factors between the relationship of the offender's criminal behaviors and self-control theory. Partial understanding of what the offender experiences constitutes a significant disparity between subjective concepts and actual accounts based on an offender's view on his personal life. Therefore, the …

Community-Based Organizations' Engagement In Social Innovations To Promote Sustainable Urban Development, Yael Racov Drory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Institutional void often fuels efforts by social entrepreneurs to fill gaps through social innovations (SIs). Furthermore, governments promote SIs because they tend to advance sustainable solutions and social change. In a town in Israel, after years of intense social activism, during governance by a Convened Committee (CC) established by the central government, community-based-organizations (CBOs) are no longer engaged in innovative activism. Fewer solutions to institutional void could deteriorate or generate social problems. A gap in the literature exists regarding Israeli CBOs' engagement in sustainable urban development (SUD) SIs during CC governance. The purpose of this research was to uncover the …

The Impact Of Media Representation Of Police Use Of Force On Minority Students' Intentions To Pursue Criminal Justice Degrees, Stacey Shawn White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, reports of police use of force incidents have proliferated across traditional and social media. The extent and nature of the impact of these reports on the relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve have received significant attention from scholars and researchers. In addition, a growing body of literature examining the impact of the media on communities of color and their relationships with and perspectives on law enforcement also exists. However, there is a gap in the research on the effect of media coverage of police use of force incidents on minority criminal justice students. In …

The Exploration Of Clinical Supervision For Substance Abuse Social Workers In Bermuda, Steva Aria Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As specialists who bridge the gap between the social work and substance abuse treatment fields, substance abuse social workers are expected to develop themselves as social workers by designation, substance abuse counselors by occupation, and deliver competent therapeutic services that align both professions seamlessly. As documented in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, their support in achieving this feat is clinical supervision. Despite this documentation, a review of the social work literature revealed an absence of information on clinical supervision between the social work and substance abuse fields, their supervisory alliance, and outcomes. Accordingly, this project was …

Inside Out: Mask-Making And The Counseling Student Identity, Jil Hus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the field experience level, current research is limited on reflective expressive arts exercises as a modality to facilitate professional identity development in counseling students, with no mention of the effectiveness of mask-making. The purpose of this art-based hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of master’s students’ counselor identity at the field experience level using research questions to explore participants’ lived experiences as they engaged in a mask-making expressive arts activity aimed at the enhancement of their self-awareness, insight, and reflection into their professional identity development. A qualitative design was utilized, and 5 students participated in this study …

Treatment Providers’ Perspectives On Restraints And Seclusion For Children In Psychiatric Facilities, Calpurnia Chudi Adamma Okwuone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of restraints and seclusions in psychiatric treatment facilities for children and adolescents has caused major disputes in the healthcare field. Treatment providers determine the need to implement a restraint or seclusion depending on their perceptions of the situation and their responsibility to abide by the rules and regulations of the facility. The purpose of this research was to gain a deep understanding of how treatment providers are affected prior to, during, and following the use of a restraint or seclusion with a child or adolescent patient. Attribution theory was the theoretical framework used to examine this phenomenon. Data …

Rape Myth Acceptance And Potential Impacts On Campus Policies And Programs, Jilleian K. Sessions-Stackhouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual assault has been a growing concern for many years, and researchers have used rape myth acceptance to understand how blame is assessed as well as to develop effective prevention programs to deter the crime. Rape myths are obstacles to successful program and prevention efforts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore potential connections between rape myth acceptance of collegiate level staff and the impact this knowledge can have on developing effective campus sexual assault prevention policies and programs. The theoretical framework of this study drew from evolution theory. The previously validated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale-Short Form …

Missionary Kids And Trauma, Lindsay Elizabeth Stone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMissionary Kids and Trauma by Lindsay E. Stone

MA, Walden University, 2019MA, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2010 BS, Charleston Southern University, 2006

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human and Social Services

Walden University February 2021 Abstract Missionary kids (MKs) around the world are more exposed to trauma than non-MKs. MKs often struggle with grief, loss, and stressors of cross-cultural living. Childhood trauma leads to short-and long-term effects of trauma, often into adulthood. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore adult, Christian MKs’ perceptions of external trauma on …

Burnout Among Child Protective Services Social Workers In Georgia, Lakeita Arrington-Judkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

CPS (child protective services) social workers are critical to the social service community. Due to the responsibilities of this role, CPS social workers encounter multiple stressors and high demands in the workplace. Burnout is prominent in the social service profession, specifically among CPS social workers. This qualitative action research study was conducted to explore CPS social workers’ experiences of burnout and organizational issues related to those burnout experiences. Maslach’s multidimensional theory on burnout was the theoretical framework. Data collection involved individual interviews facilitated online. The sample consisted of 8 experienced CPS social workers from the Georgia Department of Human Services. …

Job Satisfaction And Retention Among Direct Care Workers In Times Of Covid-19, Emma Boone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLow employee satisfaction and retention have been identified as major challenges in the American mental health workforce. High turnover rates and the growing demand for direct care workers necessitates further research regarding satisfaction and retention. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to determine how direct care workers employed by mental health organizations describe what motivates their satisfaction and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Herzberg’s theory of job satisfaction was the theoretical framework. Research questions explored job satisfaction and retention among a group of 8 direct care workers. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect participants’ perceptions of their work …

The Reacculturation Of Veterans Post Transition Assistance Program, Kyle Alan Hanlan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As many as 61% of veterans have sought reintegration services after the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help them cope with culture shock. TAP is not designed to address cultural transition. However, culture shock has resulted in disassociating behavior, unemployment, and homelessness in the veteran community. The purpose of this study was to identify the unmet reacculturation needs of post-active duty veterans in Chester County, Pennsylvania, who have utilized the United States’ Department of Defense’s TAP. Using an ethnographic approach, this study identified the extent that the TAP helps 13 post-active duty veterans obtain the autonomy stage of culture shock …

Effective Police Recruitment: Professional Misconduct Risk Regression Analysis For Law Enforcement Officers, Clinton Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police departments are responsible for evaluating applicants to find suitable recruits to join a department’s training program. It was not known how police officer recruits feel about the recruitment and selection process. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine to what extent the 2 M-PULSE scale scores (sexually offensive conduct and racially offensive behavior) account for variance in the MMPI-2RF (anger proneness and behavior/externalizing dysfunctional) subscales scores. Archival data was provided by a private business that conducts these screenings for multiple law enforcement organizations (local and state). Law enforcement candidates (N = 107) were evaluated by a private …