Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Service Providers' Perceptions Of Stigma And Its Impact On Mental Health Services, Arthur Gabriel Montes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigma is one of the most significant barriers to access and utilization of mental health services in the United States. Delays in receiving mental health services significantly contribute to health disparities and poor health outcomes. Social workers play an integral part in implementing best practices within health care settings and reducing health inequities impacting vulnerable populations. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore social work service providers perceptions' toward stigma and how it affects mental health services among patients in California's Medicaid program. Stigma theory was applied to gain an understanding of how stigma interacts and …

Evidence-Informed Health Care Transition Policy In California’S Title V Programs For Medical Complexity, Anthony Pallitto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate health care transition policy continues to cause interruptions or setbacks in the continuity of medical care and lapses in health insurance coverage for adolescents in California's Title V programs for individuals with medically complex cases. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical health care transition research to develop an effective health care transition policy for children with medical complexity who are enrolled in California’s Title V program. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore the potentiality of translating evidence from a quasi-experimental health care transition primary research project into evidence-informed health care transition policy. The research …

Understanding The Role That The Internet And Social Media Plays In Suicide Survivor Bereavement, Catherine Merle Perusse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Every year more than 47,000 individuals die by suicide in the United States, leaving behind numerous family and friends who become suicide survivors. While there are prodigious amounts of research on suicidal behavior, little research has focused on what the surviving family members, friends, and community members need after the loss. Many suicide survivors use social media to address their grief and pain in a very public manner. A constructionist social theory of grief and existential phenomenology provided the framework for this qualitative study to examine the use of the Internet and social media as a forum for those grieving …

Program Evaluation Of A Community Collaborative, Chelcee Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the largest philanthropic foundation that serves the North Tahoe and Truckee region, the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation is the only nonprofit organization that implements a community collaborative program. The program is a partnership of nonprofit and public organizations operating within a stages of collaboration model. The purpose of the study was to complete a comprehensive evaluation of the program. A retrospective impact evaluation using qualitative methodologies explored the factors and indicators associated with effective collaboration. Network analysis and social capital frameworks provided measures on partnerships and relationships. Research in organizational behavioral science provided the outcomes associated with community collaboration. …

Experiences Of Counselors Providing Therapy To Transgender Veterans, Breanne Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research study question focused on licensed mental health counselors’ experiences when providing therapy to transgender veterans. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain insight into the experiences of counselors providing treatment to transgender veteran clients to improve the retainability of transgender veterans seeking mental health care. This study used the research design of hermeneutics to analyze and interpret data gained from in-person interviews. The study sample included eight licensed professional counselors (LPC) who actively see clients and have seen transgender veteran clients. Interviews were recorded, reviewed by the researcher, transcribed using a transcription service; NVivo software …

African American Male Ex-Felons' Perspectives Regarding Felon Disenfranchisement, Tymesha Alegra Whitehead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The tradition of disenfranchising those convicted in the United States of felony crimes has profound historical racial roots that have persisted for decades in the United States. The persistent practice of felon disenfranchisement in the 21st century challenges the essence of democracy, with over six million people disenfranchised. The need for major reform efforts to restore voting rights to ex-felons has been exposed due to this issue. The literature revealed no studies have been undertaken regarding this phenomenon in terms of those directly affected by it. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the effect of …

The Lived Experiences Of Grandparents As Primary Caregivers For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Idonia Kaleena Barrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the last decade, the number of grandparents in the United States acting as caregivers for children who have incarcerated parents has increased significantly. Incarceration separates individuals from their families and limits contact with the outside world. The imprisoned parent is dependent on the caregiver, who becomes the "gatekeeper" to maintain contact with their child. It can be challenging for the grandparent to maintain parent-child contact because of the hardships they endure as primary caregivers, which may cause them to experience strain. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study was to determine the lived experiences of grandparents who serve …

An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly nursing home patients’ high rates of hospitalization due to sepsis impact their morbidity and mortality and significantly cost the U.S. healthcare system. Skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses who have the knowledge to assess older adults for signs and symptoms of sepsis and communicate findings to providers are instrumental in providing improved care for patients. The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide a group evidence-based educational intervention on sepsis care of older adults geared toward nurses working in SNFs. The practice-focused question asked whether an educational intervention focused on the signs and symptoms of sepsis in the elderly …

Dynamics Of Male-On-Male Penetrative Sexual Assaults In The United States Army, Nicole Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male-on-male sexual assaults are a challenge for prevention and response personnel, law enforcement, and the military justice system. Limited research has been conducted on the military sex offender population, and none has been done specifically on military male-on-male assaults resulting in a gap in the research on offenders, what factors make their victims vulnerable, and the situational dynamics of the assaults. In this quantitative exploratory study, 171 cases of penetrative male-on-male sexual assaults were examined through the lens of the routine activity theory. The results of this exploration found that both victims and offenders were most likely to be 18-24 …

Deterrence And Response Improvements For A Large-Scale Cyberterrorism Attack, Harrison Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A successful large-scale cyberterrorism attack has never been conducted against the United States, yet cyberterrorism is a real and evolving threat. The United States assumes a largely defensive posture toward the thousands of daily cyberattacks conducted against the country, allowing cyberterrorists to probe and execute cyberattacks with broad impunity. The United States would most likely respond to a successful large-scale cyberterrorism attack within a framework of regulations concerning physical acts of terrorism since no policy exists on how to respond to major cyberterrorism attacks. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of U.S. terrorism and cybersecurity …

Influence Of Personality Traits On Trooper Retention In The Southeast United States, Amethyste Marie Sanchez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests an issue with trooper retention at state law enforcement agencies in the Southeast United States. A current literature gap exists in understanding how personality affects long-term employment at law enforcement agencies in the Southeast United States. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether there are personality traits that influence the retention of a trooper in the Southeast United States for 5 or more years. The personality traits tested were taken from the 16 Personality Factor 6th Edition Security Selection Report and included emotional adjustment, integrity/control, intellectual efficiency, and interpersonal relations. The theoretical basis for this …

Risks For African American Male Youth Involved In The Juvenile Justice System, Cassandra Showers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this action research study was to gain an understanding of the factors and risks that contribute to juvenile delinquency of African American male youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Ecological systems theory was used to examine strategies used by social workers with this population and the effectiveness of those interventions. Individual interviews with 5 social workers recruited using nonprobability sampling were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, then manually transcribed. Responses were uploaded into the NVivo software system for coding. The software system was used to identify themes and patterns to substantiate the research question. The study …

Previously Incarcerated Individuals' Perception Of Job Acquisition Post Transitional Program Participation, Arbutas Antinet Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTransitional programs prepare previously incarcerated individuals (PIIs) to re-enter society and acquire employment. However, many such programs have failed to offset the effects of prisonization, a process that affects the social skills needed for the job interview process and employment acquisition. The purpose of this generic qualitative research study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of PIIs after participation in a transitional program and a job interview. The theoretical foundation for the study included the theories of prisonization and self-efficacy. The research question concerned experiences and perceptions of 23 to 39-year-old PIIs regarding the job interview process after serving …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

University Students’ Low Participation Of The Emergency Text Alert Systems, Charyl Marie Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Text alert systems can help save lives by alerting individuals to dangers in the area, allowing them to react appropriately to the threat. For example, text alerts can give an individual the time to either run, hide, or fight during an active shooter incident. Conversely, when an individual does not receive an alert, they cannot respond to a threat and may be vulnerable to potential risk. Because no research had been completed on why individuals choose not to enroll in text alert programs, this qualitative study explored why students did not enroll in the text alert programs at their higher …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Fairness, Emotional Intelligence, And Ethical Decision-Making In Customer Evaluations Of Providers, Tameka Austin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Customer satisfaction is a topic that organizations must focus on for the success and continued sustainability of their organizations. Emotional intelligence, fairness, and ethical decision-making are areas that businesses must address to identify how their businesses are impacted by the choices that customers make when working with corporations. The gig economy (short- or long-term project in which a contract worker is hired to perform a specific task or long-term consultant assignment) is an area that has not been addressed to a great extent by psychology researchers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between emotional intelligence, ethical …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Neurodiversity And Workplace Social Capital Effects On Employee Attitudes And Intentions, Alice Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neurodivergent employees have higher turnover rates than their neurotypical peers, andmuch remains unknown about how to improve their workplace experience. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationships between neurodiversity and workplace social capital on job satisfaction and turnover intent. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) informed the study design. Working adults (N = 1,243) in the United States recruited using convenience sampling and MTurk participated through an anonymous online survey. Data analysis was conducted using three-way ANOVA and mediation. Significant three-way interactions were found between gender, job classification, and likelihood of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) …

A Phenomenological Study Of Attachment And Juvenile Justice Involvement, Amanda Jean Gibson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile criminal offending has become a serious social concern. The strongest predictors of juvenile delinquency are low parental attachments, the absence of capable guardians, and an unstable family structure. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of young adult men between the ages of 18 and 25 who, as children, experienced their fathers’ incarceration, how the incarceration influenced attachment between the father and son, and how it also influenced the sons’ involvement with the juvenile justice system. The theoretical base for this study was attachment theory. This theory was suitable for this study as attachment …

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

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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

Nontransferability Of The Skills And Qualifications Among The Caribbean Diaspora In Toronto, Canada, Carla Lucia Ibanzo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 35% of the Canadian labor market is made up of highly skilled immigrants, yet they have the highest unemployment rates. This study filled a gap in knowledge related to reasons Caribbean credentials are not more widely recognized and accepted in Canada and why their skills and qualifications are nontransferable. The purpose of this qualitive research was to identify the barriers to the successful integration of Caribbean immigrants into the Canadian job market and to obtain strategies to remove them. The theoretical framework that underpinned this study was Rawls Social Justice theory. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with …

Changes In Patient Knowledge And Adherence To Glaucoma Treatment After Educational Intervention, Stella Stempel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma and the second-leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Although timely diagnosis and proper adherence to therapeutic regimen prevent blindness, patient nonadherence continues to be the greatest challenge to effective treatment. Preliminary research suggested that culturally interactive education delivery may increase patient adherence. However, this education intervention had not occurred with glaucoma treatment. The transtheoretical model of behavior change served as the framework for this study. The research questions addressed the effect that glaucoma education provided by a culturally competent patient navigator had on patient knowledge of glaucoma, adherence to medication …

The Effect Of Acupuncture On The Stress Levels Of Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Ghana, Derrick Tettey Dicker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Around the world, the use of acupuncture is increasingly becoming a common alternative treatment for the symptoms often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the treatment of acupuncture appears to be lacking in Ghana because mental health professionals, patients, and the government representatives are largely unaware of its potential efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acupuncture treatment on patients with PTSD in Ghana. The study was conducted through the lens of psycho-physiological trauma. A research question was formulated to investigate the association between the independent variable, acupuncture treatment, and the dependent variable, the …

Evaluating The Role Of Health Care In Mexico In Undocumented Immigration To The United States, Abdul Ganiyu Mohammed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undocumented immigration has been a major social and political problem for the United States with an estimated 11 million immigrants living presently in an undocumented status. In Mexico, 73% of the population live below the poverty line and face challenges in meeting basic needs let alone purchasing private health insurance. In May 2003, the government of Mexico established the Segura Popular (popular healthcare) to extend health insurance to underinsured and uninsured communities to address healthcare access inequities. In depth phenomenological interviews were used to explore the lived experiences of formerly undocumented Mexican immigrants living in Hidalgo County, Texas, regarding the …

Impact Of Conservation Agreements On Livelihoods And Forest Protection In Rural Liberia, Peter Gayflor Mulbah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People living near forests in Liberia are facing pressure to protect the forests for conservation while they are struggling for alternative incomes for livelihoods. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess whether conservation agreements improve rural livelihoods and promote forest conservation by examining the relationship between direct payment of conservation benefits to forest communities and forest protection, and the relationship between direct payment of conservation benefits to forest communities and livelihood improvement in rural Liberia. A total of 150 participants aged 18 and above were surveyed from three regions in Liberia using a precoded questionnaire. The frequency …

The Poverty-Conflict Nexus And The Activities Of Boko Haram In Northeast Nigeria, Emmanuel Tiku Agbormbai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:

In recent years Northeast Nigeria has experienced violence carried out by Boko Haram. Previous research studies on the conflict in Northeast Nigeria have not focused on the experiences and perceptions of those affected by the conflict. This study was an exploration of the poverty-conflict nexus and the activities of Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria as seen through the experiences and perceptions of those impacted by the violence. Benet’s polarities of democracy was used as the theoretical framework to examine those experiences and perceptions. The research questions addressed how the people of Northeast Nigeria attacked by Boko Haram perceive the …