Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Trinidad: An Analysis Of Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Among Essential Workers, Bernadette Marson, Gerard A. Hutchinson

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Research shows that some essential workers, such as healthcare workers, social workers, and first responders (including police officers, paramedics, and firefighters), are at greater risk for developing both short- and long-term mental health problems (Berger et al., 2012; Canady, 2022; Grey et al., 2020; Haugen et al., 2012; Mohamed et al., 2022; Petrie et al., 2018). The most prevalent of these include anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as other social and cognitive problems—with stress causing harmful effects on mental health and potentially resulting in anxiety and depression, which may then disrupt an individual’s social relationships, family life, and work. …

Perceived Anxiety Disorder Stigma: A Predictive Analysis, Shawn Nabors, Richard J. Cicchetti, Gary Michael Szirony, Craig R. Blum, Sri Banerjee

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Anxiety remains one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders. Systemic barriers to mental health treatment persist. Research on anxiety is robust, although research on perceived anxiety disorder stigma is limited. The purpose of this quantitative analysis was to determine whether factors including age, gender, level of education, and presence of a diagnosable anxiety disorder condition would predict perceived anxiety stigma in a population of adults from the Midwestern region of the United States who were in treatment for anxiety. Based on Goffman’s framework, we used the Generalized Anxiety Stigma Scale (GASS) to determine the presence and level of …

Pro-Vaccine And Anti-Vaccine Groups. Social Distance And Self-Assessment Of Scientific Skills, Sandrine Gaymard

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The social distance scale developed by Bogardus decades ago, which allows us to measure levels of acceptance among members of diverse social, ethnic, or racial groups, has been widely used in different contexts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the social distance accepted by pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine groups. Following the principle of the Bogardus scale, a questionnaire was created regarding different degrees of closeness. Respondents also completed a scientific skills self-assessment. The population consisted of 193 people who declared themselves in favor of vaccination and 41 people who declared themselves against it. Statistical tests show significant differences regarding …

Member-Reported Benefits Of Three Alabama Educator-Focused Professional Organizations, Meredith L. C. Sides

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Professional organizations can play an important role in the lives and work of educators. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Alabama educators’ experiences with membership in statewide professional organizations and to determine what benefits, if any, members feel their organizations provide them. Four main benefits that respondents identified were community, broadening of knowledge and practice, leadership opportunities, and personal growth.

Examining Adolescent Sexual Patterns In Creek Town, Nigeria: Insights From A Cross-Sectional Survey And Implications For Tailored Interventions, Rowland Edet, Kabiru K. Salami

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

In the dynamic landscape of global health, the sexual behaviors of adolescents are of particular significance due to their profound implications for individual well-being and public health. This article focuses on Creek Town, a vibrant community in Nigeria, and aims to provide a nuanced exploration of the sexual behaviors of adolescents within the context of local culture and socio-economic factors. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving a multi-stage sampling approach with 422 participants. A comprehensive 112-item questionnaire captured various aspects of adolescent sexual behaviors. Additionally, four focus group discussions, including both in-school and out-of-school adolescents, provided qualitative insights. The …

Staff Perspectives Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students’ Alcohol Use, Christine L. Gannon, Theresa H. Gibble, Retta Evans

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

A predominant health issue at colleges and universities is alcohol use. This is also true for deaf and hard of hearing college students. Key stakeholders who observe and witness this alcohol dynamic are staff. Researchers used a semi-structured qualitative guide to interview Gallaudet University staff (N = 26) to learn about their perspectives on and experiences with student alcohol use. Through thematic analysis, they identified several dominant themes that were then grouped into the three levels of the social-ecological model. First, they identified intrapersonal factors, including fear of missing out and coping strategies. Second, they identified interpersonal factors such …

Aging As Online Faculty: Attitudes Toward Work And Retirement, Lee Stadtlander, Amy Sickel

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Aging, an often-neglected aspect of diversity in universities, is an important issue, as the rate of people working who are 75 and older is growing faster than the rate for any other age group. The present sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored 129 older online faculty’s attitudes and opinions on work and retirement in an online survey and in 13 faculty interviews. Data were examined cross-sectionally to assess differences by decade: 50s, 60s, and 70s and above. The results indicated that while older faculty were collecting some form of retirement payment, money was not a primary motivator for working. These individuals …

Language Equity In The Undergraduate Classroom: Fostering Language Diversity In The World Of Standard Academic English., Gabriela Johnson

Higher Learning Research Communications

In this essay, I explore the complex intersection of language, identity, and education with a particular focus on the importance of fostering linguistic equity in higher education settings. It is imperative for higher education institutions to reevaluate language-related practices and foster linguistic diversity and equity. Drawing upon linguistic theories and real-world examples, I highlight how language is deeply intertwined with personal identity, culture, and heritage. Various English dialects, such as African American Vernacular English, Chicano English, and others, are highlighted as valid linguistic expressions rather than deviations from a supposed standard. The role of standard academic English (SAE) in academia …

The Global Impact Of The Hlrc Journal On Digital Teaching And Learning Research And Best Practices In Higher Education, Erwin Krauskopf, Gary J. Burkholder

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish the first regular issue (Volume 14, Issue 1) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2024. Because of our strategic decisions, the journal has advanced in the Scimago journal rank (SJR), which measures the frequency with which content published in a journal was cited in other journals during the three previous years. The SJR provides a numerical indicator of a journal's relative importance and impact within its field. We announce that HLRC has been ranked 612 out of 1,506 journals among all education journals indexed by Scopus, classifying HLRC as within the second quartile of …

Predicting Distance Learning Counselor Education Doctoral Students’ Research Self-Efficacy, Jennifer Patrice Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Distance learning is a growing educational delivery method for Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral students. At the time of this study, no research existed regarding the research self-efficacy (RSE) of distance learning CES doctoral students. Historically, the lack of RSE among counselor educators has been a chronic issue. However, research addressing contributors to improving RSE among distance learning CES doctoral students is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess and provide data on current perceptions and predictors of RSE among distance learning CES doctoral students. Two theories were used to conceptualize the key variables which were Lent …

Exploration Of The Implementation Of The Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act By Vocational Rehabilitation Programs Through Collaboration With Education Officials, Elyse Leinani Luke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite public policies intended to achieve employment equity for students with disabilities, compared to students without disabilities, transition-age students with disabilities are less likely to be in the workforce even after receiving public vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The purpose of this qualitative, multicase study was to explore implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by VR programs through collaboration with state education officials to deliver pre-employment transition services (pre-ETS) to students with disabilities. The Integration Continuum was used to conceptually frame this study because the model provides a hierarchical scale with definitions about how organizations work together at …

Leaders’ Responsiveness To Creating Ethical Climate For Whistleblowing And Implicit Retaliation In The Public Sector, Oluwatoyin Olusegun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Whistleblowing is reporting unethical or illegitimate practices witnessed by a member of an organization. Despite the laws and policies protecting whistleblowers in the public sector, many employees who report observed wrongdoings face retaliation. Creating an ethical climate impacts the responsiveness of organizational leaders to whistleblowing, yet little is known about how middle-level managers navigate organizational factors, situational factors, and personal beliefs to create an ethical climate. The current study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap by exploring how middle-level managers in government organizations in California described how organizational and personal factors influence their ability to create an ethical climate that …

Relationships Between Environmental Pollution And Corporate Environmental Violence Within The Florida Energy Sector, Lynne Hodalski-Champagne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Environmental pollution and corporate environmental violence (CEV) have become a primary motivator for research, activism, and policy initiatives. Prior research has involved environmental crime, environmental injustice and racism, its origins, history and applications, and effects on public perceptions leading to recommendations for policy implementation. The purpose of the study was to address environmental pollution in terms of total toxic emissions and CEV through analyses of harm inflicted on life, health, and physical integrity of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. A quantitative correlational design was used with a Pearson’s r correlation coefficient to determine significance with a 95% confidence interval. Routine activities, …

The Lived Experience Of Stigmatization Due To Chemotherapy-Induced Hair Loss For Young Women With Cancer Who Attend College, Challna Blair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the stigmatization experienced by young women in college due to chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Previous research primarily focused on older women, adolescents, and men, leaving a gap in understanding the impact on young college-age women. Using Goffman’s theory of stigma and Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method, six young women were interviewed confidentially. The primary research question asked what is the experience of stigma in young women in college who have hair loss during or following chemotherapy cancer treatment? The study revealed that these women often faced being ostracized by peers, received minimal family support, and experienced distressing scrutiny from …

Ten Myths About Artificial Intelligence In Education, Louie Giray

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: I analyze, deconstruct, and debunk prevalent misconceptions about artificial intelligence (AI) in education.

Methods: This study identifies and presents ten common myths about AI in education, followed by concise explanations that counter each myth with the corresponding reality, relying on credible sources and evidence.

Results: AI does not replace educators; it lacks the vital human qualities crucial for effective learning experiences. Thus, it can complement rather than substitute for educators. Physical classrooms remain pivotal for fostering student engagement, an element AI cannot fully replicate, challenging the notion of AI replacing the need for traditional classrooms. Despite excelling in specific …

Natural Hazards Triggering Technological Disasters: Source Identification, Vulnerability, And Evaluation Of Emergency Preparedness In A Southern California City, Lisa Peumsang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Natural hazards triggering technological disasters (natech) events exist around the world and affect people, infrastructure, the economy, and environment but are not often considered for local hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness plans. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify (a) the natech event vulnerability of the target city, which is in the western United States, and potential sources for these events and (b) the extent to which the city’s hazard mitigation and emergency operations plans addressed natech events. The vulnerability assessment was performed through the lens of network risk theory and involved secondary data analysis of publicly …

The Influence Of A Caregiver Support Program On Consumer Well-Being, Wallace Thomas Peake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caregiving has been shown to be a potential burden for the well-being of caregivers. The focus of this study was a caregiver support program whose managers lacked an understanding of the efficacy of the program in enhancing the well-being of the consumers of the program. The purpose of this quantitative study was to develop and administer a consumer satisfaction survey that evaluated the efficacy of caregiver support program services from the consumer perspective. This study was grounded by the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment model, which informed the development of the survey that was administered to the participants …

Veterans Justice Outreach Program, Risk Of Recidivism, And Justice-Involved Veterans, Melody C. Weathers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To date, no study has examined whether the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) program influences recidivism once a justice-involved veteran (JIV) completes the program. Nor has a study examined the diagnoses and comorbidities between a JIV’s propensity for recidivism following separation from the VJO. One of the VJO program’s goals has been to end JIVs' contact with the criminal justice system. This study utilized a generic qualitative design that aimed to explore JIVs who received treatment from the VJO and whether there was an effect on their risk of recidivism. Additional elements for exploration included posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain disorder, …

Exploring Nonprofit Leadership Roles Among Black Women, Coleone Evette Taylor Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although nonprofit organizations are essential in addressing social and community concerns to enhance the lives of individuals and groups, Black women face barriers in nonprofit leadership roles. Crucial to such hurdles is the perception that their voices are often disproportionately missing from leadership-based research on women. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of 26 Black women in mid- to senior-level nonprofit leadership roles regarding their experiences and critical factors contributing to the success, challenges, and barriers they face in leadership roles. Black feminist thought theory in work leadership, family, and Black women’s oppression was used as …

The Making Of Policy On Intellectual Property, Innovation And Technology Within The Caribbean Community ( Caricom), And The International Agenda, Abiola Inniss

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Over the last three decades, the making and implementation of policy on intellectual property rights (IPR), innovation, and technology within Caricom (Caribbean community) has been fraught with issues. These include the lack of clear direction on the development of science, technology, and innovation, as well as the attendant IPR policies and laws that would support their actualization at the level of the Caricom heads of government and the highest levels of administration. International groups and organizations have long attempted to raise the levels of awareness and use of IPRs in the region through investments in workshops, seminars, training sessions, and …

Differences In Art And Music High School Students’ Sat Test Scores From 2006 To 2015, Margaret Ellen Beyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academia and education advocates have reported a concern about the elimination of art and music education classes from high school curriculums in the United States. Studies using mean SAT test scores from 1984 and 1994 versions of the SAT test indicated participants who had art and music education classes had higher verbal and mathematical SAT test scores compared to those who did not. However, since revision of the SAT test in 2005, whether students had significantly increased mean SAT test scores with each added year of art and music education participation, and whether students who participated in art and music …

Examining Psychosocial Stressors Among African American Women With Postpartum Depression, Audrey Rose Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychosocial stressors are among the causative factors of postpartum depression (PPD) in African American women. This study was a qualitative meta-analysis examining the psychosocial stressors that contribute to PPD among African American women. The aim was to identify the psychosocial stressors among African American women with PPD by examining existing literature and identifying common themes. The integrative model (IM) by Fishbein and Yzer assisted in understanding the significance of psychosocial stressors in African American women with PPD. Thematic analysis was used to generate new, more substantive meanings than those taken from individual investigations. Ten research studies were selected and examined …

Residential Older Adults’ Experiences Related To Mental Health From Covid-19 Isolation, Heidi Beth Lubetkin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many illnesses afflicting older adults in U.S. communities, including mental health wellness. Since 2020, at the inception of the pandemic, older adults living in residential settings, including assisted living and skilled nursing homes, experienced harsh limitations in their everyday lives. The conditions included prolonged periods of isolation and reduced interactions between caregivers and loved ones. Therefore, it is important to understand the experiences of older adults living in facilities and their ability to adapt to the environment. The research question addressed in this study gained insight into the effects of mandated isolation on older adults. Using …

The Intersection Of Disability, Gender, And Sexual Violence Perceptions In Juror Decision-Making, Melissa West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual violence is a societal epidemic and disproportionally affects disabled women. Disabled women belong to an intersectional identity that also experiences more negative attitudes, stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination than nondisabled individuals. In sexual assault cases, juror biases may translate into more detrimental attitudes toward disabled victims. The purpose of this study was to examine how these attitudes may impact outcomes in sexual assault trials when comparing disabled and nondisabled female victims. This study was conducted through the lens of just-world theory and feminist disability theory using a quantitative, experimental jury simulation design. The 304 participants in an online survey designed …

Childhood Trauma, Attachment, And Adult Leadership Styles, Joshua S. Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past researchers have shown relationships between leadership styles and attachment and that secure attachment is positively related to transformational leadership. However, there is a gap in the research on how childhood trauma and attachment security relate to leadership styles in adults. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how childhood trauma and attachment security relate to transactional, transformational, and laissez-faire leadership styles. Social cognitive theory and attachment theory grounded this study. In this quantitative study, the specific research design was comparative. SurveyMonkey was used to gather data from supervisor/manager leaders who were recruited on social media (N = …

Elementary School Teachers’ Lived Experience Teaching Remotely During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Natasha Gorman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teaching experiences changed during COVID-19 from face-to-face to online, and teachers encountered numerous challenges. Considerable research has been conducted on many of the issues that teachers at different grade levels faced in this transition. The experiences of elementary school teachers, however, have not received much attention. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of elementary school teachers who taught remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding their challenges may lead to the development of appropriate resources and specific training for teachers in these early grades. The theoretical foundation that grounded this study was Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems …

Exploring The Relationship Between Organized Sports Participation And Alcohol Experimentation In Children Aged 9 And 10, Kristina Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children experimenting with alcohol is a phenomenon that has been occurring for decades, with the assumption that most children begin to experiment during adolescence. Research has addressed children over the age of 12 in numerous studies; however, little research has been directed at children between the ages of 9 and 10. In this study, the relationship between alcohol experimentation and sports participation was explored in children between the ages of 9 and 10 years old through a social learning theory lens. The study sample consisted of children aged 9-10 from across the country participating in the ABCD study. Many factors …

How Working Women In Healthcare Perceive Public Transportation And Safety, Assaaformbi Bama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women use public transportation more frequently than do men. However, most of these transportation systems were not constructed with women in mind. Public transportation systems are accountable for securely transporting people to their destinations, as well as upkeeping protective policies to advocate for fearful passengers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine women’s perspectives on public transportation.The research question guiding this study asked women to discuss their safety experiences and needs related to existing public transportation policy. Cooley’s theory of transportation and Friedman’s public safety theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Purposeful sampling was used to …

Implicit Biases And Attitudes On Decision Making Among Child Protection Workers, Demetria Turnage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial disproportionality remains a historical issue in child welfare systems. It was important for this research to focus on characteristics, professional qualifications, and racial attitudes of those in child welfare decision-making roles to examine how they contributed to racism. To address the gap in the literature, the relationship between years of experience, race/ethnicity, risk of harm, advocacy, racial attitudes, and decision-making among child protection were examined to develop a greater understanding of the ongoing issues and development of reforming the child welfare decision-making process to capture racism among child protection workers. Increasing equality in the child welfare system will benefit …

The Extent That Self-Compassion And Well-Being Predict Burnout In Online Clinical Psychology Phd Students, Tiffany Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Online clinical psychology doctoral students simultaneously experience stressful environments while managing school and life. These stressful experiences can lead to burnout. The concepts of self-compassion and well-being are intertwined with success and burnout. Previous research has indicated that burnout is likely to occur; however, a lack of research has identified specific factors that collectively predict burnout in online clinical psychology doctoral students. Thus, a gap in the current literature regarding burnout using these variables and within clinical psychology PhD students remains to be addressed. This quantitative study investigated the impact of self-compassion and well-being on burnout levels among online clinical …