Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Technology And Organizational Decision-Making: A Qualitative Case Study Approach, Brad Marcus Mcrae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology and communication skills simultaneously increase organizational productivity and decision-making. However, excessive use of technology to make decisions can diminish the added benefits that nonverbal communication can bring. The interpersonal sensitivity effects on perception of service quality model, face-to-face communication versus teleconferencing, the technology acceptance model, and decision-making were the conceptual framework of the study. The research questions examined how excessive use of technology to make decisions can diminish the added benefits that nonverbal communication can bring to organizational leadership decision-making. Employing an exploratory multiple case study design, organizational leaders from the Southern California region, ranging in seniority from team-leader …

Relationship Between Juvenile Offenders' Psychosocial Maturity And Experienced Parenting Style, Denesha Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile delinquency continues to be a social ill with parents often being liable for their child's reprehensible behavior. In this nonexperimental, correlational study, the relationship between experienced parenting style and psychosocial maturity was examined in a sample of juvenile offenders receiving intensive in-home services. The General Theory of crime by Gottfredson and Hirshi provided the framework for the study along with parenting style typologies by Baumrind. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 60 11th grade juvenile offenders and their parent/caretakers using questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the data. The Psychosocial Maturity Index was used to …

The Relationship Between Social Support And Resilience Among School Nurses, Kathryn Vargo Hsu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research exploring the relationship between social supports and resilience among hospital-based nurses and teachers has offered little to illuminate how school nurses identify and access social support and the impact it may have on their ability to manage ongoing daily stressors or develop resilience. The social networks and social support model suggest that access to social support may underscore the development of effective coping. This study explored the relationship between social supports as measured by a self-report questionnaire, and resilience as measured by the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). It was hypothesized that a positive correlation would exist between use of …

Caregiver Review Of Nonpharmacological Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms Associated With Dementia, Karla Chaney Ballew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and affects an individual’s overall cognitive function, including orientation, memory, and executive function. Most AD patients in the United States reside in residential care facilities or private homes under the care of individuals with little education on the challenges of the AD patient. Among the challenges faced by caregivers are behavioral and psychological symptoms related to dementia (BPSD). Education has been shown to improve caregivers’ treatment of BPSD in AD patients and to improve caregiver retention. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based education module guided by …

A Thematic Analysis On How Forensic Psychologists Conduct Personal Injury Evaluations, Denise M. Autret

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychological evaluations administered by forensic psychologist in personal injury cases are surrounded by complex issues. Although empirically-based research has legitimized that psychological damages do exist in personal injury cases there is a missing link in the way forensic psychologists are conducting these evaluations. Prior researchers suggested that some personal injury evaluations had been dismissed or overlooked due to a lack of a standard of care. Addressing the current literature, this study examined how a diverse group of 14 licensed forensic psychologists, operating in different judicial jurisdictions (Daubert, Frye, and Independent) were conducting personal injury evaluations and their perspectives on the …

The Role Of Strategic Leadership In Healthcare Profitability, Joyce Collette Conner-Boyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The failure rate of leadership achieving profitability targets is estimated to be as high as 60%. Many organizations fail to meet profitability targets due to a lack of expertise and insight into strategic leadership skills. The objective of this single case study was to explore the role of strategic leadership in healthcare organization profitability in the United States. Five senior healthcare executives from Georgia with at least 15 years of expertise in the healthcare sector and 10 years in senior leadership were chosen to participate in the study. Purposeful sampling was used to identify the participants. The resource-based view framed …

Exploring Healthcare Transitions And Health Equity: An Integrative Review, Susan Ann Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compared to their typically developing peers, adolescents, and emerging adults with special healthcare needs (AEA-SHCN) disproportionately experience healthcare transition (HCT) disparities and poor access to adult care. Theoretical models that describe how access gaps develop and strategies to address unmet HCT needs are not well understood. While HCT researchers describe both system and patient healthcare barriers, a comprehensive approach that discovers how these factors interact and interfere remains misunderstood. An integrative review (IR) was conducted to understand the multiplicity of these factors. An intersectional theory (IT) provided further clarity on how key findings influence patient HCT experiences. Several themes were …

Social Construction, Policy Design, And Program Efficacy In The U.S. Navy's Family Readiness Group Program, Linda Tsubaki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It was unclear what the actual role of the Family Readiness Group (FRG) was in helping the spouses of U.S. Navy submariners (SMSs) in learning to live the submariner-family lifestyle. Submarines deploy in regular cycles regardless of world conflict. Submariners and their spouses are isolated from each other during deployments, communities of submariner spouses are smaller than other Navy communities, and spouses must acquire unique social capital to manage unique challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore how SMSs experience or perceive the FRG role in their social construction and adaptation to the SMS lifestyle. The examination was …

Drugs, Alcohol, And The Community College Student-Athlete: A Narrative Study, Kevin A. Berg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that student-athletes, whether at the high school or collegiate ranks, experience higher rates of alcohol consumption than their non-athlete student counterparts. However, one population that has not been studied is the community college student-athlete. Traditional community college students have different risk categories and needs than traditional 4-year university students. In this study, community college student-athletes provided their views and perceptions on drugs and alcohol. To obtain data, a qualitative narrative analysis was completed by interviewing 13 community college student-athletes to identify their views and opinions on drugs and alcohol. Once the interviews were completed, transcription and coding were …

Evaluating The Military Police Corps' Active Shooter Preparedness Plan, Robert Lee Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Military Police Corps' active shooter preparedness plan is inadequate because several updated tactics, techniques, and procedures that have been developed over the past 20 years and implemented by civilian law enforcement agencies have not been incorporated, leaving the Corps less prepared during active shooter events. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how Military Police Corps leaders trained their law enforcement and support personnel to respond to an active shooter event. The institutional analysis and development framework was used to analyze the day-to-day operational decisions within the Military Police Corps. Data for the qualitative case study were …

Modified Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy Protocol Treating Substance Abuse Disorders, Elise Von Tersch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality substance abuse treatment is needed to help fight the battle against drug addiction. This qualitative study was designed to explore some of the approaches to eye movement desensitization (EMDR) therapy that therapists trained in Parnell's adapted EMDR model use in conjunction with treatment for addictions. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to investigate the experience of therapists who incorporate substance abuse treatment with Parnell's adapted EMDR model when treating trauma and substance use disorders. The population studied comprised licensed mental health therapists who had completed Parnell's EMDR training and implemented Parnell's modified EMDR protocol in their professional practice. …

Failure To Launch, Wellness, And Mentorship, Adriano Roberto Marcoccia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of 2015, over 34% of emerging adults in the United States between 18 and 34-years-old were still living with their parents or guardians, and prior research has suggested this trend was steadily growing. The current study examined contextual factors, such as an individual's state of well-being during this transitional phase, to determine what, if any, variables may also be contributing to this issue. Both Adlerian theory and social exchange theory were used as the theoretical foundation to better understand how to mitigate this phenomenon. Amazon MTURK was used to recruit 336 participants who completed the survey. A series of …

School Counselors' Lived Experiences Supporting Students With Mental Health Concerns, Linda F. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in schools is a growing concern for many school counselors, educators and communities. School counselors are in key roles in the school setting to support students with mental health concerns. This research was done to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of school counselors supporting students with mental health diagnoses. This hermeneutic phenomenology research used n=4 participants school counselors and each has worked in their field for over 6 years. Additionally, each participant worked in the same school building for a minimum of 3 years or more. Semi structured interviews were used to collect …

Intelligence Mindsets, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, And Academic Achievement Among Dominican Secondary School Students, Kethlyn Precelia Africa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an ongoing need for educational psychologists, researchers, policymakers, educators, and parents to continue to identify and understand the academic and nonacademic factors that influence academic achievement. Recent studies have documented the steady decline in the academic performances of students from Grades 7 to 9. The purpose of this study was to examine the statistical relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction in relationship with caregivers, mindsets of intelligence, and academic achievement among secondary school students in the Commonwealth of Dominica. This study was grounded in the self-determination theory and mindsets of intelligence theory. A non-experimental correlational design using survey …

The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On Social Interactions Of Adolescent Males Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cheryl Marie Botting-Hammack

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with ASD demonstrate deficits in social communication and social interaction. Video modeling (VM) has been successful in teaching new skills through short, targeted videos. Prior research in VM heavily focused on academic settings with primary age children. There is a gap in the literature on teaching social skills in natural settings to adolescents with ASD. The current research used a single- subject, multiple-baseline design to examine the impact of VM on the social behaviors of adolescent males, diagnosed with ASD, in natural social settings. The data were acquired from a developmental disability agency licensed and authorized by the Idaho …

Transgender An At-Risk Population During And Following Emergencies And Disasters, Joshua Aaron Fontanez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The experiences and needs of transgendered individuals immediately following a natural or human-caused disaster are largely ignored in practice and absent from previous academic literature. Using Schneider and Ingram's conceptualization of the social construction of target populations as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of transgendered people who sought shelter in the aftermath of a natural disaster in 2018. Data were collected through interviews with 12 displaced, transgendered individuals to explore their experiences while staying at shelters in 2018. Interview data were transcribed, inductively coded, and then a thematic analysis procedure …

Local Nongovernmental Organization Intervention Approaches In Nigeria's Communities Experiencing Continuous Trauma, Rashid Babalola Raji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found an overlap of psychological symptoms in victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Continuous Traumatic Stress. Although the circumstances inducing the psychological reactions are different, the symptoms mimic one another without a clear cut demarcation, calling for practitioners to be cautious of contexts inducing psychopathology that is triggered through re-experiencing of past trauma when they are assessing and intervening with ongoing trauma-exposed communities. This study explored the subjective experiences of 15 local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) administrators in Nigeria across 5 states, including the federal capital Abuja, about the intersectionality of their clients' persistent trauma experiences and their program …

Correlating Personality Types And Educational Attainment, Nicole Marie Orcutt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was a gap in the current literature examining degree attainment, in that there was no research found on personality type and the highest degree level someone attains. The goal of this study was to understand if there was a correlation to an individual's personality classification as determined by their Myers Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI) and the highest education level they achieve for the 225 people in the entire sample and 95 in the subsample (participants raised in poverty). The MBTI's theoretical foundation is based upon Dr. Carl Jung's personality typology and was later expounded upon by the tool's creators. …

A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding Consensual Nonmonogamy Among African-American Couples, Krishna Jones Clanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Monogamy is recognized as a singularly accepted relationship construct within the United States. As a result, little is understood about alternative relationship constructs and those who choose them. Even less is understood regarding these practices among members of marginalized communities. Despite this lack of knowledge, there is evidence to suggest that approximately 4-5% of the United States population is engaged in some form of consensually nonmonogamous relationship pairing (a percentage comparable to the LGBTQAI community), and an estimated 25% of the population will engage in some form of consensual nonmonogamy over the course of their lifespan. This study looked to …

Psychological Relationship Between Acculturation And Caribbean Immigrants In The Northeast United States, Lisa Chamberlain- Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caribbean immigrants' challenges with acculturation following immigration to the United States, could result in acculturative stress, discrimination, stereotyping, and mental health issues. This study examined the relationship between cultural levels of interaction (LCI), acculturation orientation levels (AOLs), and acculturation levels (ALs) as well as examined the relationship between acculturative stress levels (ASLs), mental health problems, and discrimination/ stereotyping among Caribbean immigrants, age 25-54, in a northeast U.S. metro. Bourhis' interactive acculturation model was the theoretical foundation for this study. It was hypothesized that (a) there would be a relationship between LCI measured in language, food, religion, and education and AOL …

Physical Activity, Healthcare Use, And Medication Use In Diabetes Patients, Julie Kwon Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical Activity, Healthcare Use, and Medication Use in Diabetes Patients

by

Julie Kwon Evans

MS, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 2013

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Psychology

Walden University

November 2019

A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding Consensual Nonmonogamy Among African-American Couples, Krishna Jones Clanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Monogamy is recognized as a singularly accepted relationship construct within the United States. As a result, little is understood about alternative relationship constructs and those who choose them. Even less is understood regarding these practices among members of marginalized communities. Despite this lack of knowledge, there is evidence to suggest that approximately 4-5% of the United States population is engaged in some form of consensually nonmonogamous relationship pairing (a percentage comparable to the LGBTQAI community), and an estimated 25% of the population will engage in some form of consensual nonmonogamy over the course of their lifespan. This study looked to …

Case Workers' Perspectives Of Their Impact On First-Time, Female Status Offenders, Nikki Amanda Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female status offenders recidivate in the juvenile justice system within 1 to 3 years once released of the initial incarceration. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore juvenile delinquent case workers' impact on first-time, female status offenders. Urie Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model informed the conceptual framework. The research instrument used for this study was the interview. Criteria for selecting 12 juvenile professionals to participate in the study included working 3 years or longer inside a women's forensic population, working with first-time offenders, having caseloads of female offenders, and focusing on the crime of status offenses. Initial and …

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Questioning Youth Services In Urban Homeless Shelters, Rajahm Sellers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless shelter administrators provide shelter, food, and other basic needs to the homeless population. Because policies, environments, and services adhere to the general population, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth suffer when homeless shelter administrators do not address specific needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of homeless shelter administrators and bridge the gap in knowledge about the policies and environments that impact the homeless LGBTQ youth community. The theoretical framework for this study was Tajfel and Turner's theory of social identity. Research questions included significant differences between developed shelter policies and environments based …

The Lived Experiences Of Those Bereaved By Suicide, Vincent Kinsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study sought to explore the lived experience of the bereaved-by-suicide and to provide a detailed description of their experience with the loss of a loved one. The study participants were 12 bereaved-by-suicide individuals between the ages of 21 and 65 who had experienced the loss of a loved one by suicide two or more years before the interviews. The research question was made up of three parts, "How do the bereaved-by-suicide describe their grief in personal, practical, and existential terms?" The theoretical framework for the study was derived from Neimeyer's meaning reconstruction theory. Data were collected via individual interview …

Managing Customer Complaints In Online Auction Markets, Mohammad Mousavi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies managers in the online auction industry used to manage customer complaints to improve customer satisfaction. The targeted population consisted of 4 managers of online auction companies in the southwestern region of the United States. The conceptual framework for the study was Argyris and Sch�n's double-loop learning theory. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with business managers, observation of company operations and behaviors, review of documentation, and member-checking activities. Data analysis consisted of text interpretation of data and notes using coding techniques. Data analysis resulted in 5 themes: business orientation, …

Examining Family Hierarchy Through The Eyes Of Former Mac Baller Gang Members, Jerome Lee Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal gang membership is growing, which corresponds to a continued breakdown of the family unit in the United States. Most of the young people who form gangs come from broken families or single-parent-headed households. This study explored the role of family hierarchy on gang membership. A qualitative case study approach was used to gather information on what motivates young people to join criminal gangs. A random sampling technique was used to recruit seven former members of the Mac Baller Brim gang. Ethical concerns were addressed to minimize the risks to the participants. The collected data from interviews were analyzed using …

Foster Care Workers' Roles In Developing Resiliency In Foster Children, Linda Ann Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maltreated children are at risk for placement disruption, mental health and substance issues, delinquent behaviors, and poverty issues. When children in foster care experience these risks, they decrease the likelihood of leaving foster care successfully. Resiliency is a critical component in increasing positive outcomes for foster children despite these risk factors. The purpose of this action research was to understand the role foster care workers have in developing resiliency in foster children. The theory of attachment and resiliency provided the conceptual framework for the study. Two focus groups were used to collect data from 5 foster care social workers in …

Disaster Preparedness: Rescue Planning For People With Disabilities, Alimata Coulibaly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disaster preparedness policy implementation in the United States inadequately integrates people with disabilities (PWDs), most tangibly at the local level, where PWDs do not face an equal chance for survival during disasters compared to those without disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine current disaster preparedness policies and procedures to identify whether local agencies are following existing laws and policies related to integration of PWDs in Orange and Riverside Counties of California. The study furthered understanding of emergency managers’ and planners’ approaches in coordinating local disaster actors and the impact of their attitudes on local preparedness …

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …