Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons^™

Psychotherapy In The Dream: A Phenomenological Exploration, Bustos, Nick

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

Post-materialist ontologies offer a transformed worldview whose implications point toward the illusory nature of the separate self, or ego. Aligned with the literature of mysticism and perennialist spiritual models, this portends a significantly altered backdrop for the practice and discipline of psychotherapy, the underlying premises of which assume a strict existential dichotomy between patient and therapist. Kenneth Wapnick, preeminent scholar of the twentieth-century spiritual document of A Course in Miracles, provides a relevant model toward integrating spiritually-based, ego-negative states within psychotherapy practice. The author studied the lived experiences of eight psychotherapists, both practicing and retired, who practice according to this …

Ecopedagogy: Learning How To Participate In Ecological Consciousness, Peterson, Eric

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

This paper is the result of an inquiry into ecological consciousness through a participatory paradigm. The dialectical relationship between institutionalized education and consciousness is central to this inquiry’s focus. This exploration into ecological consciousness has lead to the following question: How can institutionalized education be designed, delivered, and experienced in a way that nurtures ecological intelligence, ecological consciousness, and more importantly, ecological activism? The ‘sense of self ‘is a central theme within the paper, and led to the conception of intraearthal and interearthal relationships as a way of communicating our need to identify as being in Earth. The author utilizes …

Education Program For Critical Care Nurses On Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Olatunde Olatunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most frequently reported hospital-acquired condition, affecting more than 560,000 patients each year. CAUTIs prolong hospital stays and increase health care costs, and they can result in patient morbidity and mortality. Nurses can be empowered by receiving education and knowledge to manage and identify urinary catheters that are not clinically indicated. The purpose of this project was to develop an education program on CAUTI prevention for critical care nurses using the teach-back method. The conceptual framework that guided this project was Knowles's adult learning theory. The theoretical model was based on 4 fundamental assumptions …

Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices Recommendations, Socioeconomics, Demographics, And Influenza Vaccine Uptake, Jennifer Gadarowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seasonal influenza outbreaks are associated with morbidity and mortality in the United States. Though children are the most susceptible to influenza infection and are most likely to transmit the illness to others, many children are not vaccinated. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between seasonal influenza vaccination Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and vaccine type among children over 3 consecutive flu seasons. This quantitative cross-sectional study was guided by the social ecology of health model. Secondary data from 3 consecutive flu seasons (2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017) provided by the National …

Participant Experiences In Christian-Based Recovery, Joshua Mjolsness

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders are challenged with addressing addiction and the treatment of addiction. Many studies have been conducted around addiction treatment; however, no studies have been conducted on Christian-based recovery programs that use the same approach regardless of the addiction. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of participants in a Christian-based recovery program that uses the same approach for all addictions. The social learning theory provided the framework for this study. Data were collected by interviewing participants of the Christian-based recovery program Free Grace Recovery (FGR). Eight participants selected had a variety of reasons for …

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Hand-Hygiene Standards In An Intensive Care Unit, Lyndon Augustine, Walter Mccollum, Richard Brown, Phoenix Mourning-Star

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that occur in patients during their time of care in a hospital. Considerable emphasis is currently placed on reducing HAIs through improving hand-hygiene (HH) compliance among healthcare professionals because HAIs are a critical challenge to public health in the United States. By focusing on meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HH standards, the purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how noncompliance with these standards and lack of technology usage affect HAIs in the intensive care unit. Additionally, the goal of this research was to explore behavioral factors and best practices that influence …

Associations Between Perceptions Of U.S. Immigration Enforcement Policies, Physical Health, Psychological Distress, And Health Care Utilization In A Hispanic Border Community, Isabel Katharina Maria Latz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Since the beginning of the current U.S. federal administration, immigration policies have become more restrictive and immigration enforcement has been strengthened. This cross-sectional survey study examines associations between perceptions of and experiences with current immigration enforcement policies and self-rated physical health, psychological distress, and health care utilization among Hispanic adults with different residency statuses in the U.S. Paso del Norte region. This study further investigates moderating effects of collective efficacy and engaged coping strategies on associations between policy perceptions and psychological distress.

The study sample included 211 Hispanic adult residents of the U.S. Paso del Norte Region (i.e., El Paso, …

Education Program For Critical Care Nurses On Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Olatunde Olatunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most frequently reported hospital-acquired condition, affecting more than 560,000 patients each year. CAUTIs prolong hospital stays and increase health care costs, and they can result in patient morbidity and mortality. Nurses can be empowered by receiving education and knowledge to manage and identify urinary catheters that are not clinically indicated. The purpose of this project was to develop an education program on CAUTI prevention for critical care nurses using the teach-back method. The conceptual framework that guided this project was Knowles's adult learning theory. The theoretical model was based on 4 fundamental assumptions …

Association Of Social Support And Patient-Provider Communication And Medication Adherence, Laquasha Arenese Gaddis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of hypertension in African Americans is the highest of any population in the United States, and this population also demonstrates lower rates of adherence to mediation. Social support and patient-provider communication have been considered as reinforcing factors to help hypertensive patients achieve optimal blood pressure control. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of social support and patient-provider communication and medication adherence for hypertensive African American men and women. The study was guided by the theory of reasoned action. This study was conducted to determine whether social support and patient-provider communication was associated with medication …

Associations Between Income, Acculturation, Country Of Origin, And Type Ii Diabetes Among African Immigrants To Ontario, Canada, Girma Aman Goshe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes has become a longstanding public health challenge around the world. Over the last 3 decades, the number of people with Type II diabetes (T2DM) has grown to an epidemic level in Canada. Prior research indicated African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada experienced a 2-4 times higher prevalence of T2DM than Canadian-born individuals. The social determinants of health theoretical framework guided this study assessing the relationship of the risk factors with T2DM. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using the 2007-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey data. The random sample included 1,526 African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada. Descriptive, bivariate, and …

Hiv Testing Among Nigerian Men Who Have Sex With Men After Criminalization Of Homosexuality, Gerald Onyeka Ileka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV in Nigeria. However, African countries like Nigeria, Botswana, Mali, and Mozambique have laws that prohibit homosexuality, making it a punishable crime in these countries. For example, the Nigerian government signed the anti-gay law in 2014. Laws like these affect the health status and outcomes among Nigerian MSM. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the influence criminalization of homosexuality has on the willingness to test for HIV among MSM in Abuja, Nigeria. Guided by the socio-political theory (SP) as the theoretical framework, a qualitative approach …

One-Sentence, One-Word: An Innovative Data Collection Method To Enhance Exploration Of The Lived Experiences, Shannon L. Sibbald, Dylan Brennan, Aleksandra Zecevic

The Qualitative Report

Experienced-based methods are growing in popularity and are increasingly being utilized in a variety of research programs and investigations. They enable researchers and participants to co-design research strategies and outcomes and subsequently propose solutions to potential problems in the partnership. By applying an experience-based methods lens, we sought to augment traditional qualitative interviewing methodologies by using a novel method we named “one-sentence, one-word” (1S1W). To apply our 1S1W method, we used a phenomenological study that examined the relationship between the risk of falling and the desire of master athletes to engage in competitive sports. Participants reflected and recorded their subjective …

A Multicase Study Exploring Women’S Narratives Of Infertility: Implications For Counselors, Staci L. Born, Christin L. Carotta, Kristine Ramsay-Seaner

The Qualitative Report

Infertility affects 6.7 million women in the United States (Chandra, Copen, & Stephen, 2013). Women’s experiences with infertility are not only influenced by biological health factors, but also by social, cultural, and personal variables. Given the prevalence and complexity of infertility, additional research is needed to further examine the nuances of women’s experiences. The purpose of this multicase study, as informed by four individual cases, was to explore how women construct their infertility narratives. Review of reflective journals found five common elements: (1) Emotional Rollercoaster, (2) Mind-Body (Dis)Connection, (3) Secret Identity, (4) Supportive vs. Constrained Communication Patterns, and (5) Fatalistic- …

“My Determination Is To Live”: Narratives Of African-American Women Who Have Lived With Hiv For 10 Or More Years, Sabrina Cherry, Kathleen Demarrais, Cheryl Keita, Marsha Davis, Joel Lee

The Qualitative Report

Exploring the experiences of African-American women who have lived with HIV for many years can inform public health practice on how to better serve high-risk populations along the care continuum. To understand the experiences of African-American women who are HIV positive, the researchers used a narrative approach to guide repeat interviews. Under a theoretical framework of Womanism, we interviewed six African-American women ages 48-66 (M=57) who have lived with HIV for 10 years or longer and conducted analyses of narrative to identify key themes. The primary themes were: recollecting early hardships, HIV infection, and diagnosis; embracing social support; surviving and …

Reflections On The Use Of A Smartphone To Facilitate Qualitative Research In South Africa, Sogo France Matlala, Makoko Neo Matlala

The Qualitative Report

This paper describes conditions that led to the use of a smartphone to collect qualitative data instead of using a digital voice recorder as the standard device for recording of interviews. Through reviewing technical documents, the paper defines a smartphone and describes its applications that are useful in the research process. It further points out possible uses of other applications of a smartphone in the research process. The paper concludes that a smartphone is a valuable device to researchers.

"Born Out Of Fear": A Grounded Theory Study Of The Stigma Of Bipolar Disorder For New Mothers, Walker Ladd Ph.D.

The Qualitative Report

Childbirth is an established trigger for the onset of bipolar disorders (BD) in the postpartum period, causing significant pathology and disability. Research has shown that the stigma of mental illness for new mothers is a powerful obstacle to care, preventing women from accessing critical treatment and social support. However, the majority of research has examined the relationship between the stigma and postpartum depression, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding stigma and postpartum bipolar disorder. The problem addressed in this grounded theory study was the lack of knowledge regarding the stigma of a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) in the first …

From Contemplation To Action: Mechanisms Of Change In The Mentoring Academy, Linda S. Behar-Horenstein, Huibin Zhang

The Qualitative Report

Mentoring is fundamental to the professional development of research scientists in academic health centers (AHC). Qualified mentors can support the development of competencies considered most significant in training research scientists. Yet AHC faculty may have little preparation in and knowledge of how to mentor. Emerging AHC mentor academies provide educational environments whereby faculty can learn the art and practice of mentoring. However, little is known about their effectiveness. Using the Transtheoretical Change Model (TTM), this study explored how 23 mentors used newly learned information to change their communication styles and develop shared expectations with mentees. Based on an inductive analysis …

Complexities And Challenges Of Nonduality, Elizabeth Stephens

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

States of consciousness referred to as nonduality, awakening, enlightenment, moksha, peak experience, unitive states, or void states, among other terms, have garnered increasing secular attention and have become a topic of psychological and neuroscientific research. A review of the literature revealed many challenges to studying this set of states, such as inconsistent conceptualizations, a variety of models and theories, and conflicting descriptions indicating that the actual experience may not live up to the superlative descriptions found in historical texts or the expectations put forth by nondual teachers. A great deal more empirical research on this topic is needed, and researchers …

Parkinson’S Disease Support Groups In Rural America: Barriers, Resources, And Opportunities, Erin J. Bush, Reshmi L. Singh, Mary Jo C. Hidecker, Catherine Phillips Carrico

The Qualitative Report

People with Parkinson’s disease who live in rural communities may lack information and support regarding their condition, compared to those in urban or suburban areas. For the study described herein, the researchers sought to gain a deeper understanding of support group experiences of rural Parkinson’s disease stakeholders through merging an interpretive phenomenological design with Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). Using this merged approach, we collected qualitative data from five focus groups to gain a community perspective. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically, first, and then further explored for an overall essence. The theme, Support Group Benefits: Opportunities for Communication expounded upon …

Barriers To Pregnancy Spacing In Women Living With Hiv: A Series Of Informational Interviews, Rachel K. Scott, Piyapa Praditpan, Patricia Tanjutco, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Regina Zopf, Manon M. Schladen

The Qualitative Report

For reproductive-age women living with HIV, birth spacing allows for optimization of maternal health and viral suppression to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We conducted semi-structured informational interviews to explore use of contraception for birth spacing. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Audio files were reviewed to capture non-explicit data. We interviewed 18 multiparous HIV positive women. All described experiences with at least one contraceptive method. Six themes emerged: Burden of contraception, Failure of birth control, Impact of youth and lack of life experience, Community beliefs about birth control, Lack of partner cooperation, and Altruism. Women viewed birth spacing favorably. Young …

Life During The Biggest Loser: Experiences And Perspectives Of Non-Contestant Romantic Partners, Darren D. Moore, Clinton Cooper, Kai Zwierstra, Toiya Williams

The Qualitative Report

For this study, authors engaged in 9 semi-structured interviews with romantic partners of contestants who were involved with a weight loss intervention (The Biggest Loser), to gain insight into the phenomenon of weight loss within the context of couple relationships and reality television. Utilizing Basic Qualitative Description influenced by aspects of phenomenology, the authors explored the role of weight loss and the role that the specific intervention utilized, has played within the couple relationship. Building upon previous research (Moore, Cooper, Williams, & Zwierstra, 2017a) authors added the voice of the non-contestant partners to the discussion and explored experiences …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Using Nvivo™ For Literature Reviews: The Eight Step Pedagogy (N7+1), Maureen M. O'Neill Dr, Sarah R. Booth Mrs, Janeen Therese Lamb Phd

The Qualitative Report

While a literature review is a necessary milestone to be completed by all researchers in a timely and efficient manner, it is often one of the most difficult aspects of the research journey. Moreover, traditional approaches often leave novice researchers, to struggle with the conceptualisation of their literature review, now complicated by the overwhelming quantity of research available online. This paper presents a rationale the use of Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) programs for literature reviews. QDAS tools allow the researcher to explore large amounts of textual documents to see patterns. These programs are often overlooked by novice researchers due …

Putting The Patient Back In Patient Care: Health Decision-Making From The Patient’S Perspective, Bill R. Garris, Amy J. Weber

The Qualitative Report

This research explored health decision-making processes among people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Our analysis suggested that diagnosis with type 2 was followed by a period of intense emotional and cognitive disequilibrium. Subsequently, the informants were observed to proceed to health decision-making which was affected by three separate and interrelated factors: knowledge, self-efficacy, and purpose. Knowledge included cognitive or factual components and emotional elements. Knowledge influenced the degree of upset or disequilibrium the patient experienced, and affected a second category, agency: the informants’ confidence in their ability to enact lifestyle changes. The third factor, purpose, summarized the personal and …

Inductive And Deductive: Ambiguous Labels In Qualitative Content Analysis, Mohammad Reza Armat, Abdolghader Assarroudi, Mostafa Rad, Hassan Sharifi, Abbas Heydari

The Qualitative Report

The propounded dualism in Content Analysis as quantitative and qualitative approaches is widely supported and justified in nursing literature. Nevertheless, another sort of dualism is proposed for Qualitative Content Analysis, suggesting the adoption of "inductive" and/or "deductive" approaches in the process of qualitative data analysis. These approaches have been referred and labelled as "inductive" or "conventional"; and "deductive" or "directed" content analysis in the literature. Authors argue that these labels could be fallacious, and may lead to ambiguity; as in effect, both approaches are employed with different dominancy during the process of any Qualitative Content Analysis. Thus, authors suggest more …

Tasseography From Jung's Perspective, Avetisian, Elizabeth

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

Approaching from Jung’s perspective this paper aims to understand how the unconscious communicates through symbolism that may be the basis for synchronicity arising from mantic procedures. A particular ritual of divination called tasseography will be studied whereby the seer interprets patterns in coffee grounds intuitively and by following a standard system of symbolism to foretell the seeker’s future life events or provide answers to seeker’s pressing life questions. The paper will examine various processes involved in the experience of tasseography and its ritual that enable the reader to predict the seeker’s future or bring light to the present or past …

Sourcing Enchantment: From Elemental Appropriation To Imaginal Symbolics, Schwartz, Michael

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

Critical theorists and social commentators agree that modernity and postmodernity suffer from historical pathologies of world disenchantment. What might be done? Drawing on John Sallis’ phenomenology of the elemental and Tibetan Buddhist teachings on elemental practices, this paper investigates the imagination in its doubling as imaginal in generating a symbolics of the self, world, and other that is always already enchanted; an aesthetics of existence where the world itself shows forth like a work of art replete with exorbitant logics.

Social Influences Of Suburban Black Residents Food Purchasing Decisions Using Snap Benefits, Carolyn Mccummings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In low-income, suburban Black communities, the prevalence of diet-related chronic illnesses is alarming. Various influences often increase diet-related illnesses among this population. One influence is the use of SNAP benefits to purchase food. In this study, the influences of SNAP as well as other influences affecting food purchase decisions among the study population was examined. A qualitative multicase study approach was used and, face-to-face interviews were conducted, to understand the experiences of 20 low-income, current recipients of SNAP who were Black and lived in suburban, New York. The data indicated the most significant influence, communicated by the participants, was that …

Changes In Beliefs About Aggression In Baton Rouge Youth Peace Olympics Participants, Shonta Manuel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth violence in the Baton Rouge inner-city area continues to create heightened concerns for the communities as well as the financial and healthcare systems. Even though violence prevention programs are in place in the area, no decline has been recorded in those who are being affected by violence. Due to lack of research in this field, a need for a sound research study exists to understand how Youth Peace Olympics (YPO) community-based program may be related to changes in attitudes about aggression and violence. A correlational cross-sectional research design was used to evaluate participants' beliefs about aggression, measured using the …

The Practical Utility And Suitability Of Email Interviews In Qualitative Research, Janice E. Hawkins

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Interviews with key informants are the most common means of data collection in qualitative descriptive research. Researchers have historically preferred face-to-face interviews but advances in technology have resulted in more options, including email exchanges, to conduct interviews. This article examines the practical utility and suitability of the email interview in qualitative research. The author will share personal experiences from a recent qualitative study involving email interviews of nurse educators. The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of nurse educators in developing and implementing concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs. Interviews of nurse educators describing their experiences of developing and …