Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Economic Uncertainty On Nonprofit Leaders’ Decision To Expand Services, Shawndra Maine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play a pivotal role in lower socioeconomic communities. Leaders of nonprofits are frequently faced with multiple, complex, and often-competing objectives. This qualitative case study was conducted to explore and understand how economic uncertainties impact an NPO and, specifically, how economic uncertainty has affected nonprofit executives’ development of strategies and decision making regarding expanding services. Data were collected through interviews and review of secondary data and the organization’s website from the executive director, president/chief executive officer, and funders. The Baldrige Framework of Excellence was used to support the foundations of this study. The collected data were analyzed, and …

Criminology And Violent Extremist Radicalization, Starlett Michele Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, research on foreign terrorism became extensive in the United States while research on domestic terrorism and violent extremist radicalization was lacking. Despite the research that has been done, there was a lapse in scholarship analyzing terrorism radicalization and its relationship with criminology. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to analyze the perceptions of experts in terrorism and criminology about how factors of criminology can explain violent extremist radicalization. This study used two conceptual models of terrorism radicalization: (a) the staircase to terrorism and the (b) 4-stage model of the terrorist mindset. In addition, …

Factors For Lgbt College Students That Predict Academic Success, Jonathan Mccormick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Much research has been done on LGBT students in relation to campus climate and academic achievement, which suggested that a positive campus climate may positively influence students’ academic success. However, no research has yet been done to understand the value of campus climate, student levels of depression anxiety and stress, and student level of outness for predicting academic success. This quantitative study examined campus climate, depression, anxiety, and stress levels, and student level of outness together in their ability to predict self-reported grade point average of LGBT college students. Basic Psychological Needs Theory, a sub theory of Self-Determination Theory, was …

Caucasian Social Workers’ Cultural Competence Regarding Advance Care Planning Among Southern African Americans, Lisa Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caucasian social workers who work in healthcare and implement advance care planning (ACP) may not be competent regarding African Americans’ reluctance to complete advance directives. Research is lacking on how Caucasian social workers in Louisiana are increasing their cultural competence regarding the interplay of historical trauma, past medical mistrust, and spiritual beliefs on African Americans’ use of ACP. This study explored how Caucasian social workers are increasing their cultural competence regarding the interplay of historical trauma, past medical mistrust, and spiritual beliefs on African Americans’ use of ACP. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the cultural competence model. …

Logistics Leader Strategies For Retaining Employees, Sandra Northern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low employee retention can lead to a lack of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for sustainable logistics operations. Logistics leaders are concerned with employee retention because turnover increases business costs, reduces operational efficiency, and decreases profitability. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies logistics leaders use to increase employee retention. The participants were three senior leaders from a logistics organization in the northeast region of the United States who possessed knowledge and experience of the research phenomena. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, company documents, publicly available data, and …

Local Leadership Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of The Public Charge Rule And Covid-19 Among Undocumented Immigrants, Amos Onyango Oketch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractScholars have focused on the effects of implementing the federal-level Public Charge Rule (PCR) and COVID-19 on undocumented immigrants' health and socioeconomic well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that many federal assistance programs that benefit the general population in the wake of the pandemic exclude undocumented immigrants due to PCR restrictions; thus, they are disproportionately affected and suffer social and socioeconomic disparity. Researchers have yet to establish consensus strategies and interventions at the local and state levels to fill the gap and support disadvantaged communities during the pandemic to ensure equitable care and mitigate harm. Thus, this study aimed to identify the …

Exploring Jury Nullification: Its Political History, Current, And Potential Impact On Policy, David Harold Penny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Jury nullification (JN) is when a jury knows a defendant is legally guilty, but states they are not guilty, believing that their verdict better serves justice in that case. The problem is the violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause for all citizens, caused by the intentional omission in most judges’ instructions to juries of JN. The purpose of the study was to fill the gap in the literature on jury behavior and address the problem of JN. The study framework is chaos theory as applied by Horowitz to jury behavior. It describes judges and lawmakers mistrust of juries associated …

Examining Help-Seeking Intentions Among Female Veterans With Military Sexual Trauma, Elizabeth Pirone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An estimated 38.4% of military women have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) at some point in their careers. Because MST experiences can be confounding, navigating beliefs toward treatment resources and seeking help can be challenging. The problem under study was that no literature examined multiple constructs of the health belief model (HBM) together as a foundational tool to identify perceptions of help-seeking intentions among female veterans with MST experiences. Guided by the HBM, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health motives, perceived severity of emotional or nervous problems, perceived benefits of getting help for emotional …

Understanding The Connection Between Male Intimate Relationship Narratives And Domestic Violence Convictions, Stephanie Purdy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence (DV) continues to be a serious social challenge throughout the world. DV and recidivism rates are continuing to rise among individuals involved with intimate or familial relationships, with victims and perpetrators of all genders. This narrative inquiry study utilized narratives of intimate relationships among adult men, 18 years and older, who were convicted of domestically violent behaviors. The research question investigated participant experiences with female intimacy and how this was connected to domestically violent behaviors. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks were led by attachment and social learning theories, which were linked to understanding challenges with forming a less-than-positive …

The Experiences Of Female Sexual Minority Service Members After 2013, Ada I. Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2010, the United States Armed Forces ended the policy Don’t Ask, Don’t Tellthat excluded sexual minorities from being able to serve openly in the military. Full military benefits were extended to them and their family members in 2013. Despite these changes, victimization, stigma, and discrimination have continued to impact the lives of service members who identify as a sexual minority, as the result of microaggressions due to their sexual orientation. Past literature has examined experiences of sexual minorities, but little research has focuses on sexual minority women whose minority gender identity creates greater risk to experience micro assaults with …

Influence Of Staffing Shortages On Safety And Communication In Behavioral Health, Raven Brittany Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the selected behavioral health organization (BHO), leaders desire to improve patient safety and staff communication to provide quality mental health services. They need strategies to achieve these goals. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to identify the workforce challenges and practices that facility leaders can potentially use to improve performance to help achieve success, sustainability, and the mission of the BHO. The data sources consisted of (a) semistructured interviews with the CEO, the leader of the intake department, an intake therapist, an intake coordinator, and an RN and (b) reviews of the BHO’s website, and pertinent academic literature. Data …

Adult Learners With Learning Disabilities’ Motivation To Succeed In Higher Education Online Learning During Covid19, Sara Michelle Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students had to transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic while other students were already enrolled in online education. Online study may hold additional struggles for students with learning disabilities. The problem addressed in this qualitative, phenomenological study was the motivating factors of online higher education students who have a learning disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical foundation was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data were gathered through 10 semistructured interviews and then analyzed through the thematic analysis yielding five themes: (a) lack of professional support, (b) resources, (c) support system, (d) consistent motivation, and (e) low …

Gender-Based Pay Inequality In The Canadian Insurance Companies, Mostafa Shayangogani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem in this study was gender-based pay inequality among women at Canadian insurance companies. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand gender-based pay inequality for women at Canadian insurance companies. Aigner's, Cain's, Arrow's, and Phelps' statistical discrimination theory guided the study. The theoretical foundation also included the human capital theory by Becker and Schultz. The research questions focused on understanding C-suite and V-level executives’ lived experiences of gender-based pay inequality and identifying effective strategies that should be adopted to overcome the problem at Canadian insurance companies. This study used purposeful sampling to recruit 15 C-suite and …

Professional Counselor Identity Development Relative To Professional Recognition, Brandon Shurn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to explore how professional counselors described their professional identity development and if professional recognition from psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and other professional organizations contributed to professional identity development. Phenomenology was developed by Edmund Husserl and explores insights from others based on their experiences. Licensed clinical professional counselors in Maryland formed the purposive sample that included six participants; each participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic coding highlighted themes that emerged and included (a) the importance of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), (b) licensure as a stressful process, (c) professional …

Cultural Competence: Minoritized Student Experiences With Faculty In Counselor Education And Supervision Programs, Mariangelly Sierra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minoritized students face additional challenges that contribute to poor experiences in higher education when compared to dominant populations. Multiculturally-competent faculty behaviors positively influence minoritized students’ lived experiences in higher education and promote culturally-responsive learning environments. This study investigated minoritized students’ experiences working with faculty teaching in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) guided by the principles of Heidegger’s hermeneutic philosophy and Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality. The specific research question of this study was about minoritized students lived experiences with faculty teaching in CACREP-accredited CES programs. Data were …

Understanding The Lack Of Communication Between Communities And Law Enforcement Through A Community Policing Program, Patrick B. Skoczek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Inequitable treatment by law enforcement officers has deeply impacted minority communities in the United States. Public incidents of abuse of power, discriminatory treatment, and excessive use of force have received increased attention, creating increased community mistrust of law enforcement officers. To help bridge the gap between communities and law enforcement agencies, this qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to examine the use and impact of the Policing and Public Safety Problem-Solving Programs. Data were collected through interviews with 12 retired police officers and 12 community members. Interview questions were related to participants’ perceptions regarding a breakdown in trust between law …

Veterans’ Experience With Social Acceptance After Beginning Civilian Employment, Dr. Mike Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhen an individual feels excluded from a group that they seek to be a part of, they experience negative physiological and psychological outcomes. The innate human need to be socially accepted is identified and described in elements of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and McClelland’s human motivation theory. Social acceptance has also been shown to play an integral role in areas of communication, organizational commitment, performance, and team cohesiveness. However, it is not known if social acceptance directly impacts a veteran’s ability and desire to maintain civilian employment after transitioning from active-duty service. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study …

Participant Perceptions Of Investigative Interviewing Utilizing Archival Pre And Post-Implementation Data, Shaun Michael Sylvester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars and practitioners have provided substantial literature and research into the efficacy of investigative interviewing as a method of police interrogation that mitigates false confession and coercion. This quantitative study examined archival data on participant perceptions of investigative interviewing before and immediately following an investigative course. Three areas representing principles of investigative interviewing and police investigator perceptions were examined: Confession and evidentiary testimony, confirmation bias, and deception detection through body language observation. Participants included sworn law enforcement officers, either newly employed or on the path to becoming an investigator. There were 206 responses for both the pre-test and post-test surveys. …

Occupational Stress Of Adult Protective Service Workers, Tiffany Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed that adult protective service workers experience high levels of occupational stress that often result in health complications such as burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. Although several qualitative studies have been conducted over the past decade, there was limited information on the phenomenon of how stress is experienced by adult protective service workers investigating cases of alleged elder abuse. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of a sample of adult protective service caseworkers from the southwestern United States that have experienced occupational stress while investigating cases of elder abuse. This study …

An Evaluation Of A Community-Based Children’S Bereavement Group Using A Resilience Model, Ada Terry Denone Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The death of a loved one can be an extremely painful process that can have detrimental consequences on the emotional well-being of individuals if they don’t receive grief intervention support. When it specifically comes to the emotional eudaemonia of children and teens experiencing the death of a loved one, research is limited on empirical-based bereavement intervention support to enhance their coping skills. Utilizing the theoretical framework of resilience theory, the purpose of this quantitative secondary research study was to evaluate the Sutter Sacramento Children’s Bereavement Art Group (CBAG) ten- week intervention for children and teens ages 5-12. The first question …

The Self-Efficacy Of Counselors Providing Telemental Health Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chelsea Threadgill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, counselors have had to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of clients and the growing need for mental health services. In addition to a lack of experience providing telemental health (TMH) services, many counselors had received little or no TMH training or continuing education prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Counselor self-efficacy (CSE) may be an important factor in determining how counselors have been impacted by the increase in provision of TMH services, and the areas where they are needing more support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to …

Exploring Dual Roles In Law Enforcement Officers Who Administer Naloxone, Regina Sullivan Wachenheim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the introduction of law enforcement-administered naloxone, officers are assuming the dual role of law enforcer and caregiver with opioid users. This study used cognitive role theory and Thorne’s interpretive approach to explore the dual roles experienced by officers. The purpose of this study was to understand (1) how officers who administer naloxone describe their experience of the dual role, and (2) how the officers describe the role expectations of law enforcer and caregiver. Seven officers completed semi-structured, one-on-one, telephone interviews. The eight themes that emerged were related to the officers’ views of (1) saving and changing opioid users’ lives; …

Exploring Social Workers And Self-Care, Justyna Wawrzonek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First responder social workers are exposed to a stressful work environment, which puts them at risk for burnout. Burnout increases turnover rates, which negatively impacts both social workers and the clients they serve. The use of self-care practices mitigates the harmful effects of burnout. Because first responder social workers in southern California have an average turnover rate of 6 to 12 months after hire, this study explored southern California first responder social workers’ experiences with self-care practices. A basic qualitative design using semistructured interviews was applied through the purposeful sampling of eight first responder social workers. The study was grounded …

Issues Of Inmates Not Receiving Mental Health Treatment: A Prison-Based Counselor Perspective, Ashley Celestine Westmoreland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illnesses in correctional facilities have been an issue for decades and have increased over time. According to recent studies, correctional facilities have become known as mental health institutions without access to treatment. It is unclear why correctional facilities have limited resources, but research indicates that offenders are not receiving the appropriate treatment. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore how five prison-based counselors perceive the quality and quantity of mental health services provided to inmates. The data were analyzed and coded using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The current study’s findings further added to the base of knowledge that …

African American Men’S Lived Experiences Of Stigma Regarding Use Of Mental Health Services, Leon M. Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are disproportionately more likely to live with untreated mental health challenges; the incidence of mental illness in African Americans is, per capita, 30% higher than among non-Hispanic Whites. African American men experience significant barriers and deterrents to psychological help seeking, which are primarily due to internalized stigma. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe African American men’s experiences that influenced internalized stigma regarding seeking and using traditional mental health services. The theoretical framework included the theory of social stigma and minority stress theory. Nine purposively selected African American men from the Mid-Atlantic …

Food Safety And Free Trade Area In East Africa, Diana Ogwal Akullo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Africans experience high incidences of foodborne diseases annually leading to poor public health, yet there is limited information on implementation of food laws in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya from the perspectives of public officials with knowledge of and experience with implementing food laws, policies, and regulations to inform policy on food security and safety and help mitigate foodborne diseases and associated trade concerns between countries. The study’s research question involved identifying the perceptions of public officials on the impact of food laws on the food safety delivery systems in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The study applied complex adaptive system theory …

Homophobia In Jamaica And Its Impact On The Victimization Of Homosexual Adult Males In Montego Bay, St. James, Dr. Shahila D. Edwards-Grey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractJamaica has been listed among the most unfriendly nations for homosexual males. Previous research indicated that due to the biopolitical and sociocultural norms of the Jamaican society, homosexual males continued to be targets of various forms of discrimination based on their sexual orientation. However, research reflecting the lived experiences of homosexual males in Jamaica is sparse. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to provide details on the encounters of victimization due to homophobia of adult homosexual males in the parish of St. James, Jamaica. Data were collected through observations and in-depth interviews with eight men who identified as …

The American Founding Documents And Democratic Social Change: A Constructivist Grounded Theory, A I. Forde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing social disparities in the United States are inconsistent with the promise of democracy; therefore, there was a need for critical conceptualization of the first principles that undergird American democracy and the genesis of democratic social change in America. This constructivist grounded theory study aimed to construct a grounded theory that provides an understanding of the process of American democratic social change as it emerged from the nation’s founding documents. A post hoc polytheoretical framework including Foucault’s, Bourdieu’s, and Marx and Engels’s theories of power was used to understand power dynamics. The research question focused on understanding the process of …

The Linear Evolution Of Local Emergency Management Training In Response To Domestic Terrorism, Jeffrey Januchowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This paper presents a research study in the field of emergency management. The study aims to identify training or educational needs for the emergency manager at the local level of government to effectively handle disasters. The study uses phenomenon theory with semi-structured interviews that gather data from emergency managers that have experience with major disasters and training requirements. Participants were experts in the emergency management profession with the ability to speak appropriately about the phenomenon. Research questions identified the training methods that produce the best results along with the specific hazards emergency managers may encounter. The research design used questionnaires …

Managers' Experiences Coordinating Peer Mediation Programs In Schools, Ingrid Jeannis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peer mediation (PM) programs implemented in schools promote resolution of disputes and conflicts among peers. Several benefits have been associated with young children involved in these programs including reductions in physical aggression, as well as learning skills involving communication, problem solving, and decision making. While positive outcomes have been observed, less was known about manager experiences involving coordinating PM programs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore manager thoughts and experiences regarding their roles in PM programs and how they perceived strengths and weaknesses of these programs. The social learning theory was the theoretical framework for this study. …