Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Relationship Between Doctor-Patient Communication And Sexual Functioning Among Women With Spinal Cord Injury, Melissa Lafferty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After individuals sustain a spinal cord injury, all aspects of their lifestyle must change for them to manage their new life roles. One important area of recovery that is often not addressed during the rehabilitation process is sexual functioning. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how doctor communication about sexual health with women who have sustained spinal cord injuries predicts their levels of sexual functioning and sexual self-esteem. The theoretical framework was the sexual health model. Questionnaires were used to gather data from 45 women who had completed rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries. Level of current sexual …

Parental Alienation As A Predictor Of Adult Marital And Romantic Relationship Quality, Leslie Elizabeth Krill-Reiter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Divorce rates have consistently risen over the past several decades along with the subsequent increase in parental alienation occurring after the breakup of the family. Parental alienation has long-term negative effects on children who have experienced it, including mental health issues, increased risk of substance abuse, lower levels of self-sufficiency, and decreased physical health. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to determine whether alienation from a parent during childhood impacts the quality of adult romantic and marital relationships of the children when they become adults. The Bowen family systems theory and theory of attachment were used as the …

Psychosocial Differences In Far Right, Far Left, Islamic, And Single Issue Lone Extremists, Tamara Marie Lamontagne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Acts of lone extremism are on the rise, yet little is known about who commits these acts. Research in this area has failed to delineate by extremist subtype. This has led to the misconception these acts and actors present with such variance psychosocially that they cannot be predicted. The purpose of this research was to assess whether statistically significant relationships exist between lone extremist subtypes on the psychosocial variables of mental illness, substance use, and having radicalized friends or family members. The conceptual framework for this study was De La Corte's psychosocial principles of terrorism, which addressed the social and …

Success Factors For Power Project Development Businesses In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kodjo Galevissi Afidegnon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the financing gap in the sub-Saharan Africa power sector, private investors struggle to capitalize on the opportunity because of the high failure rate of power project development companies. Using the conceptual framework of the behavioral finance theory, this multiple case study was conducted to explore the strategies used by executives of 4 companies in sub-Saharan Africa who successfully developed power projects within the last 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of government and institutions' websites. Yin's 5-phased cycle for analyzing case studies provided the guidelines for data analysis. Three themes emerged from data analysis: …

Exploring Stages Of Recovery From Crack Cocaine Addiction, Zeb Stuart Regan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Crack cocaine users need efficacious treatment options to address triggers and cravings for the drug. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the recovery narratives of 3 purposefully selected substance abuse counselors who were once addicted to crack cocaine and whether or not these narratives fit within the 5 stages of the transtheoretical model of change (TTM). The TTM was used in this study to explore the stages of change in those with prior addiction regarding the motivational strategies needed to promote change. Data collected in face to face interviews were organized using thematic content analysis …

Qualitative Examination Of Historical Trauma And Grief Responses In The Oceti Sakowin, Anna E. Quinn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research regarding historical trauma in the Lakota, one of the three major groups of the Oceti Sakowin or Sioux, has contributed to the historical trauma theory, but gaps continue to exist. The purpose of the study was to examine the historical trauma experiences and grief responses of individuals who identify as Oceti Sakowin, specifically the Nakota and Dakota, including present experiences. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was the study's methodology and the conceptual framework of this research was historical trauma theory, which refers to the persistence of trauma and transmission of trauma from generation to generation. Participant interviews were conducted using …

National Strategy Against Narcotics, Drug Control Policy, And Law Enforcement Experiences In Kosovo, Ferid Azemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research is focused on evaluation of National Strategy Against Narcotics (NSAN) enacted in 2012 in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of NSAN through visualizing data and gaining deeper insight from experiences of antidrug experts. Convergent parallel mixed methods were used to answer the main research questions. The central research questions examined the impact of strategy implementation in juvenile drug arrest reduction, and its effectiveness on Kosovo criminal justice system. Markwood's comprehensive theory of substance abuse prevention (CTSAP) was used to assess and explore the NSAN. Deidentified juvenile arrest rates taken from Kosovo official …

Logistical Resource Capability During A Mass Casualty Event In Washington State, Todd Devin Brauckmiller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for increasing efficiencies for medical resource delivery during a mass casualty incident/event is a paramount logistical planning factor that could mean life or death to the citizens affected by a disaster. As such, Washington State has prioritized emergency management and preparedness. Using the just-in-time system by way of Baghbanian' s complex adaptive decision-making theory as the foundation, gave purpose to this qualitative study. This was accomplished by analysis of emergency management professional responses, and to what degree, improvements can be made to the medical resource delivery system during a mass casualty incident/event. Data were collected through semi structured …

Reintegration Process Of Previously Incarcerated African American Women Older Than 50 Years, Eva Carol Brent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Successful reintegration of ex-offenders is difficult for most, evidenced by high recidivism rates. Ex-offenders face a broad range of obstacles once released from prison, including personal, social, and employment barriers. This study was an examination of the issues that contributed to a successful or unsuccessful reintegration as reported by ex-offenders. Participants included 10 ex-offenders who participated in interviews regarding the conditions that they believed were necessary for successful community reintegration. The conceptual framework for this study came from the ecological perspective, also known as the person-in-environment theory. Data collection involved one-on-one interviews with the participants. Data analysis was conducted through …

Strategies For Using Analytics To Improve Human Resource Management, Rosaline Uduak Etukudo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of analytics in human resource (HR) management has proven successful in improving company performance by reducing workforce costs, improving the quality of recruitment, improving talent management and employee engagement, and generally improving productivity. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore how HR managers use analytics to improve company performance using the contextually based human resource theory as the conceptual framework. The target population comprised a purposeful sample of 5 HR managers in Washington DC; the United States; and Lagos, Nigeria, who had experience using analytics for HR management. Data were collected through semistructured interviews using …

Resiliency Of Students Who Failed The State Of Texas Assessments Of Academic Readiness Exam, Tetaime Sherie Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate former high school students' resilience following the administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam based on the comparison of male and female students who passed the STAAR exam the first time and those who failed it at least 2 times. This study fills a gap in the literature by offering additional data and increased knowledge about the relationship of resiliency to school performance. A total of 133 adults aged 18-29 years who had been enrolled in 3 high schools in a large metropolitan area in Texas were …

On Blasphemy: Immigrant Muslim Leaders In America, Angela Ewing

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some Muslim immigrants in the United States have difficulty reconciling American free speech rights with the blasphemy component of Islamic law, which often requires death for those who criticize Islam. Little academic literature addresses reconciliation of Islamic beliefs with the Constitutional right to free speech or information on Muslim political participation regarding free speech. Using policy feedback theory as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Muslim immigrants who practice Islam in a free speech society. Data were collected from a sample of 10 immigrant Muslim imams, scholars, and community leaders in Virginia …

Efficacy Of A Va Residential Treatment Program For Co-Occurring Disorders, Kathrin Hohenstern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders among the veteran population can impact numerous aspects of a veteran's life, including self-esteem, relationships, employment, and legal issues. The Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) at the Saint Cloud, Minnesota VA Healthcare System is a program that provides residential treatment for this population. Identifying practical and beneficial treatment methods promotes better coping mechanisms for veterans and impacts social change by providing timely and cost-efficient care for veterans, while also leading the way for overall changes and improvements in other VA residential treatment programs. This study identified how …

Staff And Family Perspectives Regarding Person Centered Care For Adults With Intellectual Disability, Tasrina Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with intellectual disabilities often require additional support in performing daily activities as compared to individuals without intellectual disabilities. New York's Office for Developmental Disabilities developed the eight hallmarks of person centered planning to help individuals with intellectual disabilities understand the options available to them regarding care and support and to advocate for themselves and their rights. Researchers have yet to articulate how guardians and professional care providers of individuals with intellectual disabilities experience person centered planning in day habilitation. Thus, using a qualitative phenomenological approach, 5 direct care staff and 5 guardians of individuals with intellectual disabilities were interviewed …

Jail Administrators' Compliance With The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Leone M. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional institutions across the United States continue to experience prisoner sexual assault despite the enactment of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the association between jail administrators' difficulty complying with the PREA and their transformational leadership styles. The theories of punctuated equilibrium theory and general strain theory formed the theoretical framework of the study. The data were collected through an Internet-based survey from 22 local and regional jail administrators from the East Coast. Data analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient was performed on leadership scores to test the hypotheses. There …

Mentors And Their Impact On The Transition Of Foster Care Youth To Independent Living, Josephine Marie Kunkle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The Foster Care Mentoring Act of 2011 directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to U.S. states to create programs within public and private community entities to support mentoring foster children. Some states have allocated funding to support agencies that mentor foster care youth who have been emancipated (aged out) from the child foster care system who are without family support and are attempting to become self-sufficient. To date, there is a lack of research on mentors who help foster care graduates preparing to exit the foster care system. The purpose of this qualitative study …

Millennial Retail Employees Experiences And Perceptions Of Leaders With Body Image Modifications, Jennifer Mcclure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millennials in retail account for a large portion of the U.S. workforce and have the highest number of body image modifications from tattoos, piercings, and/or gauges. Following Moustakas concept of perception, the purpose of this transcendental phenomenology study was to explore how Millennial-aged retail employees describe and experience leaders with body image modifications from tattoos, piercings, and/or gauges. Participants were sought from various retail locations and were required to be born between 1981 and 1996. Data were collected through interviews with 6 participants and the data were analyzed using Moustakas modification of the Van Kamm Method. The results showed that …

Regulatory Independence And The Development Of The Telecommunications Sector In The English-Speaking Caribbean, Delreo A. Newman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small developing states can use proper regulatory frameworks in policy and sector development to implement efficiency and consumer safeguards to the sector. However, sufficient research on the impact of telecommunications regulatory institutions on micro economies has not been conducted. Capture theory was used as the theoretical lens for this thesis. In doing so, a quantitative analysis was done using, cross-sectional pooled time series to determine how an independent telecommunications regulator impacted the telecommunications sector in the English-speaking Caribbean. All the data acquired for analysis were secondary yearly data collected from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) from 1993 to 2012. Specifically, …

Investigation Of Posttraumatic Growth On Health Behaviors With Self-Efficacy As A Mediator, Annissa Pellicano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has been accumulating on the positive outcomes that people may experience following trauma. However, scholarly literature is deficient in the area of investigating the association among centrality of event (CE), posttraumatic growth (PTG), and health behaviors of women with histories of sexual trauma. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to (a) determine the extent of the relationship between CE and PTG, (b) explore the relationship between PTG and health behaviors (i.e., drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, and physical activity), and (c) to determine whether general self-efficacy (SE) mediated these relationships. The theoretical frameworks used to inform this …

Redefining Protection Intervention In Humanitarian Aid Through External Factors: A Case Study Of Niger, Valerie Svobodova

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The magnitude of internal displacement worldwide is growing every year and represents a tripling of the existing number of refugees worldwide. Internally displaced persons have specific vulnerabilities and the system of assistance to them needs to be adapted and revised. The purpose of this case study was to identify external factors that influence protection interventions for internally displaced persons in humanitarian response. Using Benet's Polarities of Democracy theory and the Theory of Change Conceptual Framework as a framework, the study sought to identify key external factors influencing protection intervention in humanitarian aid settings. Data for this study was gathered through …

The Effects Of Expressive Writing On Emotional Intelligence In College Undergraduates, Elizabeth Harrington Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attending college is often so stressful that as many as 40% of students leave without earning a degree. Many students desert during their first and second years of study. Emotional intelligence has been associated with effective coping skills, student achievement, and psychological well-being. The act of expressing emotions through writing has been shown to engage many capabilities associated with emotional intelligence. Few studies have examined the effects of expressive writing on emotional intelligence. The theory of emotion regulation provided theoretical framework. The purpose of this quantitative experimental study was to examine the effects of expressive writing on emotional intelligence and …

The Role Of The Economic Community Of West African States In Counterinsurgency And Conflict Resolution, Muhammed Touray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From 1991 to 2002, the Sierra Leone government and the Revolutionary United Front waged war against each other, subjecting Sierra Leone to a civil war. This war devastated the nation and resulted in many human casualties. Although many researchers have investigated the role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in counterinsurgency and conflict resolution, few studies have been conducted on the specific role of strategic processing tools used by ECOWAS during the Sierra Leone war to sustain a durable peace resolution in the country. Using Galula's conceptualization of counterinsurgency and conflict resolution as a guide, the purpose …

Career Ascension Of African-American Men In The Army Warrant Officer Corps, James Joseph Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The military and scholars assert that the military has created an organization that is based on merit. However, statistics show that African American military men are more likely to be subjected to the military's justice system, they are less likely to promote to the most senior enlisted and officer ranks, they are more likely to receive a negative discharge, and they are disproportionately represented on the military's death row. Despite these assertions, many African-American men succeed within the military structure. Therefore, this qualitative study was conducted to examine the stories of senior field grade warrant officer African American men to …

The Transactional Theory Of Stress And Coping: Predicting Posttraumatic Distress In Telecommunicators, Dana Marie Dillard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Telecommunicators (e.g., dispatchers and 911 operators) experience firsthand the death and suffering of friends, family, peers, and strangers in a chaotic work environment characterized by chronic stress and lack of support. Previous research has demonstrated telecommunicators are at increased risk for negative health outcomes; however, existing research does not identify predictive pathways to posttrauma symptoms in telecommunicators. In an application of the transactional theory of stress and coping, I used structural equation modeling to examine occupational antecedents, work-family conflict, negative appraising, and coping as predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms in telecommunicators. A convenience sample of 103 telecommunicators, recruited through agencies …

Perceptions Of Coping Strategies Of Young Adults Who Were Bullied As Youth, Latonya Rainwater

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Victims of childhood bullying often use passive coping strategies and experience depression, substance abuse use, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine adults' lived experiences of coping methods they used as victims of bullies during adolescence. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping provided the framework for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 young adults who were bullied as adolescents. Coding analysis indicated 7 emerging themes for coping: confrontation, self-controlling, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, escape-avoidance, problem-solving, and positive reappraisal. Participants reported that some coping methods were perceived as …

Accomplished Education Leaders' Perspectives On Competition, Capacity, Trust, And Quality, Robert Lee Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From 2017 to 2019, the primary strategy to improve public schools in the U.S. was increasing competition through the expansion of charter schools and the promotion of vouchers to send public school students to private schools. The problem this presented was that key education leaders had not provided adequate input and feedback into this strategy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather the perspectives of accomplished education leaders on how Tiebout's theory of competition and the concept of the Ontario K-12 School Effectiveness Framework impacted quality, trust, and capacity. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with a purposeful …

Exploring The Advancement And Authority Experiences Of Lesbian And Gay Corporate Leaders, Michael Eric Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown lesbian and gay (LG) corporate leaders are likely to experience issues in advancement and authority in the workplace. However, little is known about how LG leaders experience these issues, and how their experiences influence their careers and organizations. This qualitative multiple-case study explored the advancement and authority experiences of 12 gay male corporate leaders using a constructivist paradigm. The theoretical foundation used Tajfel and Turner's social identity theory and Fassinger, Shullman, and Stevenson's affirmative lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender leadership model. The conceptual framework included stereotypes, discrimination, sexual identity disclosure, corporate culture, and sociopolitical culture. Research questions …

The Relation Of Court Appointed Special Advocate Education To Foster Care Outcomes, Leah Danelle York

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program is an organization that utilizes lay volunteers as advocates for children in foster care to improve outcomes for those children. The effectiveness of CASAs in achieving permanency outcomes for children in foster care has been established; however, the literature has significant methodological flaws and is outdated. The purpose of this study, guided by the theory of change and social cognitive theory, was to explore whether CASA self-efficacy, through a proxy measure of education level, is related to permanency outcomes such as reunification with parents and rate of reentry to the foster care system …

Accounts Receivable Management Strategies To Ensure Timely Payments In Rural Clinics, Anthony N. Medel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare business leaders in a rural clinic setting can enhance profitability by implementing strategies to ensure timely payments. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine strategies applied by healthcare leaders in rural clinics to improve profitability. The population included 10 rural clinic managers and billing staff from 5 rural clinics in the southwestern region of the United States. The conceptual framework for this study was Wernerfelt's resource-based value theory. Implementing Yin's multiple-step data analysis process, data from semistructured interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to identify strategies used by rural clinic managers and billing staff to enhance …

Assessing Perceptions Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among A Cohort Of Noncontracted Rotc Cadets, Stephen P. Gontz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigmatization has shown to negatively impact service members with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Published research has shown stigma to significantly affect service members through increased suicide, homicide, unemployment, homelessness, and criminal justice system interaction rates. Additionally, stigma also affects overall readiness and cohesion of the military organization. However, little research has focused on the perceptions of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets about service members with a combat-related stress disorder in which they will eventually be charged with leading. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure a cohort of ROTC cadets and determine their perceptions about service members …