Psychology Commons^™

Constructs Of Coping For Adult Victims Of Bullying, Gillian Harris-Dale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying is a pervasive event that affects individuals in a variety of ways. For example, bullied individuals display an array of psychological and related psychosocial problems associated with victimization. There is a push for a transformation in the bullying paradigm to include the psychological and psychosocial symptomologies of both the perpetrator and victim. This study addressed the lack of qualitative research on coping mechanisms for adult victims of bullying. Due to the pervasive nature of the phenomena, the following was explored: (a) descriptions of bullying as expressed by adult victims, (b) adult victims' coping processes and methods, and (c) adult …

Prayer As A Predictor For Burnout Among Psychiatric Nursing Assistants, James Michael Rose Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The psychiatric nursing assistants who care for psychiatric patients in inpatient hospitals, like others who work in the human service field, experience some degree of burnout during their careers. This research used Pargament’s theory of religious coping to examine prayer as a predictor variable for a decrease in burnout experienced by psychiatric nursing assistants. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Prayer Functions Scale were used to examine the predictor variables of prayer, gender, and years of service in correlation to the 3 dimensions of burnout. An N = 97 was obtained from the psychiatric nursing assistant population from …

Evidence-Based Diagnosis Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Using Quantitative Electroencephalography, Roger Yoder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is challenging and is currently, diagnosis through self-administered checklists. Because a diagnosis of PTSD can open up significant benefits to compensation, education, and medical care, people can tailor their responses to the checklist to help ensure a diagnosis of PTSD. The purpose of the study was to examine the utility of the quantitative electroencephalograph for diagnosing PTSD. Frequency and presence of biomarkers and alpha brain wave symmetry in the frontal and parietal lobes were examined. Research questions involved examining the presence of alpha wave imbalance across the frontal lobe and between the right and left …

Effective Coping Mechanisms For Caregivers Of Dialysis Patients, Olga Natalia Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 9 million informal caregivers, such as family and friends, assist other adults with essential activities, and more than 20 million adult Americans in the United States suffer from some level of chronic kidney disease. Research on the burden and satisfaction of caregivers of dialysis patients has focused on patients and caregivers who have been dealing with long-term kidney disease; however, this study addressed patients and their caregivers who were first transitioning from wellness to illness. The main intent of this study was to identify the coping mechanisms of effective caregivers at this point in time. …

Stress And Job Satisfaction As Predictors Of Teacher Turnover Intentions, Alrick Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High teacher turnover is problematic because of the costs associated with recruiting and training new hires. However, some of the factors originating outside of the working environment that may influence teacher turnover intentions are not fully understood. The purpose of this quantitative correlational design study was to examine the extent to which job satisfaction, commuting stress, and financial stress are predictors of teacher turnover intentions. The study involved a purposive sampling of 227 teachers within a school district in the South Eastern part of the United States. Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Validated …

Secondary Traumatic Stress In The Mortuary Industry: Prevalence And Mitigation, Robert Borselli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For those working in the mortuary industry, exposure to traumatically deceased remains may predispose them to developing subjective Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship among the independent variables of hardiness and perceived social support, and the dependent variable of subjective STS in mortuary workers. The theoretical foundations on which this research was based are the theories of stress and illness, secondary traumatic stress, hardiness, and social support. The primary research question governing this research was whether social support and hardiness had any correlation to the levels of subjective STS in this …

Effects Of Intimate Partner Violence On Academic Motivation Among Emerging Adult Women, Cristela Maria Thorne Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For women who are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), one avenue to gaining independence from their partners is enhanced employment opportunities from obtaining a college degree. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between IPV and academic motivation among emerging adult women, and whether depressive symptoms mediate the relationship. Bandura's social learning theory, Deci and Ryan's theory of self-determination, and Seligman's theory of learned helplessness were the theoretical frameworks of the study. The study sample consisted of 225 women 19-29 years of age who were enrolled in higher education and who had experienced violence from an …

Parental Perceptions Of Family Communication Within The Context Of Modern Technology, Litermin Joseph

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing dependence or reliance on the usage of technology to connect with each other is influencing family communication today. Face-to-face family communication is becoming more and more devalued. Considering the value of family communication, parents should play the most important role of sustaining it to enhance family relationship. Using the family systems theory as a foundation, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand parental experiences concerning family communication within the context of modern technology. This study used purposeful sampling and semi-structured interviews from 7 U.S. citizens, men and women aged 30-55, from St Lucie County, Florida. …

Perceived Islamophobia And Psychological Distress Among Muslim Immigrants In Canada: The Moderating Role Of Group Identification, Riffat Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study with moderation was to examine the

differing moderating roles of centrality and in-group superiority in the relationship

between perceived Islamophobia and psychological distress. Perceived Islamophobia,

group centrality, in-group superiority, and psychological distress were measured using

Perceived Islamophobia Scale, the shorter version of the Identity Centrality Scale ,

Perceived In-Group Superiority Scale , and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. In this

study, a convenience sample (N = 113) of Muslim males and females above 18 years old

was used. An online survey tool, SurveyMonkey, was used to collect data from Muslim

immigrants living in …

The Relationship Between Spirituality And Mental Health Among Kidney Dialysis Patients, Eddy Darcy Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 9th leading cause of death in the United States is kidney disease. An estimated 37 million Americans in the United States, or about 15% of the adult population, have some level of chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease is multifaceted and has implications for both physical and psychological health of a patient. However, research on kidney dialysis patients has primarily focused on physical health. Grounded in social learning theory, this quantitative study used a correlational research design to examine the relationship between spirituality and mental health in 128 kidney dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease. Kidney dialysis patients at kidney …

Measuring Knowledge Of Chronic Kidney Disease (Ckd) Among Community College Students, Jacquelyn Caldwell Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) once detected is easily treated; however, it has become a major health problem associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates, creating an economic burden worldwide. While approximately 24 million Americans over the age of 20 suffer from CKD, there is a lack of awareness among the general population. Using a pre/post assessment, this quantitative study measured the impact of a 75-minute workshop on 126 community college students' knowledge of kidney disease, perception of its severity, and perceived susceptibility. The theoretical framework for the study was the health belief model, which suggests that individuals will make positive …

The Impact Of Peer Victimization On Psychosocial Functioning And Adjustment Of African-Born Adolescents, Oluyemi Abimbola Adejinmi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPeer victimization is aggressive behavior, a school stressor, and a social problem that could have significant adverse outcomes on adolescents’ psychological, social, and physical well-being. Some of the adverse outcomes of peer victimization in the adolescent population include externalizing and internalizing problems. More insight is needed on the impact of peer victimization on the well-being of adolescents, especially those who belong to minority groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of peer victimization on the psychosocial functioning and adjustment of African-born adolescents in the United States by using Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and …

An Exploration Of Attitudes Among Veterans And Military Personnel Regarding Care And Reintegration, Mavis Jean Christopher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reintegration is a complicated process and becomes more difficult due to stigma toward care seeking. Stigma can act as an influence to avoid treatment or terminate treatment early. The problem is that the attitudes of veterans and military personnel toward care seeking prior to discharge are unknown, particularly with respect to the lack of anonymity or privacy. Also unknown is what these populations desire to be included in reintegration treatment/training. The purpose of this study was to discover and interpret the attitudes of this population toward care seeking. The conceptual framework included military culture, masculine ideology, and stigma. The research …

The Lived Experience Of Work Stress And Coping In Eldercare Hospice Nurses, Yvette Abraham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of elderly people living with terminal diagnoses has increased, along with the need for hospice nurses with specialized training to provide high-quality personal care that addresses their unique, critical needs. Research on nurses and other professionals who function in a demanding environment has demonstrated the experience of work stress, and negative physical and psychological consequences. However, little is known about the unique work stress and challenges of hospice nurses who care for the dying elderly. This study explored the meaning of hospice nurses’ experience of work stress and coping. Giorgi’s empirical phenomenological approach guided the development of the …

Black Students' Online Networking And Social Capital Development Behaviors In Varied University Settings, Tarita Bateman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sustained high unemployment among educated Black jobseekers as well as disparate salaries between educated Blacks and non-Blacks continues to persist. Social capital as a major source for job attainment and career progression is recognized as a potential factor contributing to this situation. This quantitative study examined the social networking site usage intensity and external social capital development behavior among 130 graduate Black university students at predominantly White, historically Black, and diverse online universities. The theoretical foundation of social capital development was analyzed from perspectives of bridging and bonding social capital. Educational setting, sex, and socioeconomic status were used to predict …

Nurses’ Social Distancing Behaviors Toward Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder, Nicole York

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses often fear interacting with patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and use self-preservation distancing strategies that can exacerbate the BPD patient’s fear of abandonment, paranoia, self-harm, and relational conflict. Prior research identified individual predictors of nurses’ social distancing. This study used multivariable and multivariate correlational profiles of fear of violence and BPD bias that influence distance, reassessing, and constructive coping. Guided by social cognitive and appraisal transaction theories, data were collected from 113 nurses in a northwestern U.S. state on measures of interpersonal stress coping, attitudinal dispositions, perceived prevention of violence, perceived likelihood of future violence, and perceived …

Perceptions Of Stress And Coping In The First Year Of Police Work, Scott David Eaton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The pressures associated with a career in law enforcement are considerable and often result in significant detriment to an officer's personality, behavior, and overall mental health, ultimately impacting job performance and work engagement. Although there is extensive research on the influence of stress encountered in police work, an understanding of those stressors and ways of coping in the first year of police work has yet to be fully explored. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of 5 police officers who have been subject to stress in their first year and to identify the coping skills, …

Examining Experiences Of Sex Offender Program Professionals Working In Civil Commitment Programs, William Donald King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal justice systems have attempted to include psychiatric history as a component for consideration when it comes to punishment and rehabilitation. Criminal justice systems have created various programs to address the psychological components of some behaviors to address specific actions. These programs are intended to consider an individual’s psychological history and address the underlying causes to eliminate future criminal behavior. This study focused on professionals working in civil commitment programs for sexually violent predators. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of professionals working in these programs and gain an understanding of their attitudes, perspectives, …

Association Of Working Therapeutic Alliance And Psychopathy In Civilly-Confined Sex Offenders, Kearie Ann Newman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past decade, researchers have focused attention on the therapeutic alliance (TA) and its impact in treatment outcomes. The literature on TA has been focused primarily on its impact on the client’s participation, the accomplishment of goals, and treatment completion. However, very little of this research includes individuals who have psychopathy. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative survey study was to explore the relation between the level of psychopathy (high versus low) and TA ratings of 16 therapists and 64 clients in the population of convicted civilly-confined male sex offenders. Bordin’s theory grounded the study. Data were gathered from …

Motivation And Organizational Commitment Differences Between Generational Cohorts Of United States Police Officers, Madysen Rose Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem workplaces face is motivating their personnel and fostering employee commitment for all generational cohorts. These concepts have been studied in office settings; however, limited knowledge exists for United States street-level police officers. It is imperative to study the field of law enforcement, as it is one of the most stressful and dangerous occupations facing adversities and the expectation to maintain high motivation and performance standards to ensure safe communities. This study used a quantitative design with t-tests and regressions to examine whether there are differences in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation by generational cohort of police officers. Theoretical framework …

The Long-Term Biopsychosocial Effects Of Children Reared In Blended Families, Kerene T. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family dynamics have experienced an immense transformation in the last 4 decades. Children are less likely to live in a 2-parent household with parents that are both biologically related to them due to various factors. Blended families (especially the children) face many adversities during the initial stages of formation and rarely receive specialized intervention when compared to nuclear families. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the long-term biopsychosocial effects experienced by young adults who lived in a blended family household. In addition, what services or interventions were offered to newly established blended family systems were also …

The Lived Experiences Of Online Therapists Maintaining Ethical Boundaries, Talia Singer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The provision of counselling and psychotherapy using technology, also referred to as telecounselling or e-therapy, is a burgeoning area of mental health care that has garnered much enthusiasm. Many professional health organizations have developed ethical guidelines to specifically address this unique style of treatment. Skepticism remains in the area of applying standards into practice. Ethical guidelines are meant to be broad principles that can be applied to a range of unique practice experiences. The problems is that these principles have been developed over a century of practice-based experiences and designed to address situations that the clinician faces when their client …

Exploring The Dual Role Of Consumer And Provider In Substance Use Peer Support Workers, Christian Scannell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences will benefit both the helper and the receiver. In the substance abuse field, this relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. However, the research on peer support is primarily geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experience of recovery in substance abuse peer support workers. A recovery framework and the helper …

Emotional Intelligence, Turnover Intention, And Commitment Among Nonprofit Employees, Tabitha Brewster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover is a persistent problem contributing to financial issues and declining

productivity in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits cannot fulfill their core missions of

providing services to people in need when managing staffing disruptions. Measuring

employee turnover intention can determine the probability of employee turnover, and a

potential predictor of turnover intention is emotional intelligence, an area unstudied in the

nonprofit sector. This study was designed to explore this relationship, in addition to the

employee's commitment to the organization. The population consisted of 273 nonprofit

employees older than 18 years, working in a nonsupervisory capacity. They completed an

online survey consisting …

Sudden Leadership Loss And The Importance Of Succession Planning In Behavioral Health Care, Angela R. Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined sudden leadership loss and the importance of succession planning in behavioral health. The organization at the center of the study is located in the midwestern United States and is known for providing stellar services to its clients and fostering a quality workspace for its employees. The findings provided the organization with a clear and specific understanding of the value of succession planning for sustainability. The study was conducted using a qualitative research method. Semistructured interviews with 5 senior-level leaders from a single site location provided the primary source of data. Additional data were collected from the organization’s …

Experiences Of Adult Survivors Of Child Sexual Assault As Parents Advising Their Children’S Sexual Exploration, Neysa Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One form of child abuse is childhood sexual assault (CSA). A gap in the literature exists concerning how adult survivors of childhood sexual assault (ASCSA) experience parenting their children during their exploration of sex. This descriptive phenomenological study was designed to explore the lived experiences of ASCSA parents helping their children explore sex. Attachment theory provided the conceptual framework. Data were collected from questionnaires completed by 5 participants recruited through websites offering supportive services to adults who experienced CSA. Gregorio’s steps of phenomenological analysis were used to analyze the data. Results indicated two themes regarding the perception of parenting skills: …

Impact Of Race-Related Stress And Intraracial Microaggressions On Self-Efficacy Of African Descendants, Samina Long

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Race-related stress such as ancestral trauma and experiences of out- and in-group microaggressions can be intergenerationally transmitted from parent to child. The current study was conducted to address the need for research on race-related trauma and out- and in-group discrimination by providing evidence-based research on whether African descendants experiencing and witnessing race-related stress and intraracial microaggressions results in low self-efficacy. The purpose of this quantitative, multiple regression design was to explore the relationships among race-related stress, intraracial microaggressions, and self-efficacy, which may provide clarity on the psychological impact of these stressors. This study addressed the question of whether race-related stress …

Social Influences, Decision-Making, And Career Retention Of Novice Teachers, Kerstin Anna Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New teachers bring hope, optimism, and excitement for teaching and learning from their individual preparatory programs to their classrooms at the start of every new school year. However, research indicates a large number of those teachers leave the field of teaching within a 5-year timeframe. The consequence of this loss of professionals has a deep-rooted impact on student achievement and learning. This loss also has considerable career and financial implications for the field of education. The reasons for this exodus are varied and somewhat broad in nature and scope. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived …

Climate Change Information's Impact On Death-Thought Accessibility And Global Climate Change Belief, Troy Class Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global climate change is perhaps the greatest current existential threat to life on this planet. Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus for the existence of human-made global climate change, climate change skepticism continues to be a significant obstacle. The purpose of this experimental online study was to address research questions concerning the effect of climate change information on death-thought accessibility (DTA) and belief in global climate change and to investigate whether a relationship exists between DTA and belief certainty in global climate change. Terror management theory was the theoretical foundation for the study. The study sample consisted of 104 participants randomly …

Comparison Of Gpa And Act Reading And Math Scores For African American Males In Afrocentric Versus Mainstream High Schools, Marissa Irene Prince

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, the academic achievement of African American males is not at the same level as their peers from other ethnic backgrounds. There are negative social and financial implications for African American males who do not experience positive educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study, based on critical race theory, was to compare the effectiveness of traditional high school education and Afrocentric high school education on the educational outcomes of African American males. Three measures of educational outcomes were examined: GPA at graduation, ACT reading score, and ACT math scores. The participants were 143 African American males, …