Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Individual And Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Childhood Immunization Coverage In Nigeria, Obinna Ositadimma Oleribe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immunization remains one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and socioeconomic factors that influence childhood immunization coverage in Nigeria. The health belief model and the social ecological model were used as the theoretical framework for the study, which examined the effects of individual, parental, and socioeconomic factors on complete immunization among Nigerian children. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate tests were conducted within a secondary analysis of 2013 Nigerian National Demographic and Health Survey was done. Of 27,571 children aged 0 to 59 months, 22.1% had full vaccination …

Influence Of Media Messages On Obesity And Health Perceptions Among African American Women, Carolyn Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, thus increasing their risks for chronic diseases. Their understanding of their health status and response to it could be triggered by messages in the media, yet few researchers have examined this topic with African American women. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how advertisement and editorial content in media contributed to perceptions African American women have about overweight and obesity. Following the theoretical foundation of the social cognitive theory, the research questions explored what messages study participants encountered and which messages prompted …

Nonprofit Leaders' Strategies In Capturing The Attention Of Committed, Large Donors, Aneatra Holland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few U.S. nonprofit organizations meet annual operational costs. Facing government funding cuts, U.S. nonprofit leaders have had to seek other revenue streams to remain operable and ensure that the clients they serve continue to receive support. Leaders often seek out large donors but lack strategies for successfully doing so. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies successful nonprofit leaders have used to capture the attention of committed, large donors in Southern California. Government failure theory and independence theory constituted the conceptual framework. The purposeful sampling method consisted of 3 nonprofit agency managers who had operated …

Ask A Busy Person? A Reexamination Of Cognitive Performance Under Load, Graham Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A longstanding folk belief suggests that 'busy' people possess the ability to get more done than others. Busyness, defined as the demands of everyday life, has been shown to generate cognitive load, which has been called 'cognitive busyness.' Although most cognitive theory would deny the possibility that cognitive load may enhance performance, some recent research may support the possibility. Cowan's 1988 information-processing model was used to study how measures of everyday busyness correlated with performance on cognitive tasks. The research question addressed whether any combination of such measures, in combination with working memory, could predict performance on such tasks. 92 …

Young Adult Narratives Of Sibling Loss And Bereavement During Adolescence, Kelly Lynn Collins-Colosi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Up to 90% of adolescents in the U.S. experience a loss of a family member or friend. However, prior research on loss of a family member has focused predominantly on the adult experience (e.g., loss of a spouse), parental bereavement (loss of a child), or grief counseling as an intervention for dealing with loss. Little is known about the sibling loss experience, particularly from the point of view of the surviving sibling who suffered the loss when they were young. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the narratives of young adults who experienced the loss of …

Evaluation Of The Brazilian Agrarian Reform Objective: Agricultural Production Yield Change, Tiffany Kwader Harbour

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Brazil has an active agrarian reform policy program, publicly organized by the federal government and publicly administered at the state level by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform. The objective of the agrarian reform policy program is to retitle unproductive and underproductive rural lands to increase agricultural production and land use. Previous agrarian reform researchers have examined quantities of land redistributed, rural technology developments, and the impact of social movements on land redistribution, but a knowledge gap remains regarding the correlation of agricultural production yields in rural municipalities before and after policy program participation. The State of Ceará …

Humanitarian Aid Workers' Perceptions Of Stress Management Services, Annette Hearns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Humanitarian aid workers live and work in harsh circumstances far from loved ones and support mechanisms. The problem is that international aid must continue to work effectively despite stress levels. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how aid workers perceive their work-related stressors, examine their subsequent experiences of in-house stress management services, and describe the factors that influence aid workers' decisions to access in-house stress management services. The conservation of resources theory was used to understand aid workers experience of stress. A purposive sampling technique was used to identify 12 aid workers with a minimum of 5 …

Multifamily Subsidized Housing Seniors' Awareness Of Aging And Disability Resource Center Services, Katrina Polk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 75% of adults 60 years of age or older who live in Washington, D.C. are unaware of access to Aging and Disability Resource Centers' (ADRC) community-based services. Approximately 25% of these individuals are low-income and reside in multifamily subsidized housing. With a theoretical basis in Penchansky and Thomas' construct of access, this phenomenological study explored whether increased awareness of access to ADRC service delivery may potentially better meet the needs of this socioeconomically marginalized population. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 senior citizens in Washington, D.C. who received some programmatic assistance, such as housing or meal delivery, …

Polyfidelity And The Dynamics Of Group Romantic Relationships, Jeff R. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Monogamy is considered the romantic norm for establishing family and kinship. Alternative relationships such as polyfidelity, that is, a group romantic relationship, often face prejudice and social stigma resulting in a greater need for mental health counseling services compared to those who are not stigmatized. Yet counselors and counselor educators lack both understanding and cultural competency for serving this population. The purpose of this study was to better understand the dynamics of a polyfidelity relationship, as well as how a counselor might better serve the needs of individuals engaged in this type of relationship. In this study, 14 participants described …

The Influence Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Star Rating On Chinese Hotels' Occupancy Rates, Che Wang Wang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners are unaware of the possible long-term benefits of engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR). A business undertaking CSR can benefit from long-term financial benefits. Hotel businesses can benefit from developing long-term relationship with visitors and higher occupancy rates. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the potential influence of family-owned hotel owners' attitudes towards CSR and star ratings on hotel occupancy rates. The study's population comprised owners of family-owned hotels within Yanqing Zhen, Yanqing County, in Beijing, China. Bowen's formulation of CSR constituted the theoretical framework. Independent variables were hotels owners' attitudes towards CSR …

Diversifying Funds To Enhance Financial Sustainability Of A County Library System, Francis Adetokunboh Adebola-Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing research has focused on the financial challenges affecting public libraries and how to improve library efficiency and funding. However, it is unknown how financial diversification could improve the economic fortunes of public libraries. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the unique structural, legal, and operational dynamics associated with adopting a financial diversification strategy in the Clayton County Library System (CCLS), Georgia, and to explore what would support or hinder the implementation of such a strategy. Using modern portfolio theory, the research explored how the CCLS could diversify its funding sources. A qualitative single-case study was conducted to …

An Empirical Assessment Of Multicultural Education Programs In Reducing Islamophobia On A College Campus, Amin Asfari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Anti-Muslim prejudice has increased precipitously since the attacks of September 11, 2001, including prejudicial effects related to socio-cultural differences on college campuses. The purpose of this quasi-experimental exploratory research was to understand the effectiveness of multicultural education programs (MEPs) in reducing anti-Muslim prejudice in higher education. Grounded in intergroup threat theory and frame analysis, it was hypothesized that students who are not engaged in multicultural affairs will perceive Muslims as more threatening and will therefore hold more prejudiced views than would students who active in multicultural affairs. The sample consisted of 125 respondents (N = 51 from a group participating …

Sexual Harassment Experience, Psychological Climate, And Sex Effect On Perception Of Safety, Kenneth C. Barker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual harassment has significant adverse psychological and physical effects on employees and can negatively impact the workplace, and overall business operations. A gap in current research was identified concerning whether the employee's sex affects employee's perceived workplace sexual harassment climate, sexual harassment experience, and perceived safety from sexual harassment. This study examined the effects of employee workplace sexual harassment experience and perception of workplace sexual harassment psychological climate on employee's perceived safety from sexual harassment moderated by sex. Results showed that perceived workplace sexual harassment climate and employee workplace sexual harassment experience were both significant predictors of perceived safety from …

The Use Of Humor With Families During Pediatric Trauma Intake Assessments, Letitia Batton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traditionally from a positive psychological view, humor is regarded as an adaptive force, a vital aspect of healing, and possibly a beneficial coping tool when faced with traumatic circumstances. Despite these beliefs, little is known about how humor relieves stress with parents in the initial intake assessment when their child has been traumatically injured. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore social workers' use of humor during pediatric trauma assessments. A sample of 6 parents were from pediatric parent trauma support groups to participate in this study, which employed a subject-intensive theoretical framework. Face-to-face interviews and participant observation …

The Educational Aspirations Of Barbadian Adolescent Mothers And Their Perceptions Of Support, Kathy-Ann Bellamy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent girls often face barriers to fulfill their educational aspirations after childbearing. Unfulfilled goals tend to be associated with low educational attainment and other adverse outcomes for the young mothers, their children, and society. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Barbadian young women who parented as adolescents and struggled to graduate from formal secondary school. The goal was to understand their perceptions of support for their educational aspirations by their peers and significant others. Social constructionism was the conceptual framework. Moustakas’ transcendental method guided data collection and analysis. Data were collected by …

Using Music Intervention To Reduce Anxiety And Agitation For Dementia Residents In Long Term Setting, Sonia Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Dementia is one of the degenerative conditions that present in old age with a decline in cognitive function resulting in changes in personality and the ability to carry out activities of daily living and social functions. Dementia is usually associated with behavioral disturbances that include anxiety and agitation that pose a challenge for family members or caregivers in an alternate home or care-related facility. The purpose of this project was to design and implement a quality improvement program to evaluate music therapy intervention for residents in a long-term care who have dementia. The aim was to evaluate if music …

Perceived Threats To Food Security And Possible Responses Following An Agro-Terrorist Attack, Lamesha Lashal Craft

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks exposed vulnerabilities to U.S. homeland security and defense, leading U.S. officials to analyze threats to domestic and international interests. Terrorist attacks against food and water supplies (agro-terrorism), were deemed a national security threat because of the assessed fear, economic instability, and social instability that could occur following a food shortage. Research indicated a comprehensive response plan does not exist across the federal, state, and local levels of government to mitigate the public's possible responses to a perceived threat to food security and food shortages following an agro-terrorist attack. This ethnographic case study analyzed the …

Violent Aggression Exposure, Psychoemotional Distress, Aggressive Behavior, And Academic Performance Among Adolescents, Joyce Renee Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sixty percent of youth indicate exposure to violence. Such exposure is a noted risk factor for youths' well-being, including cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding whether exposure to violence predicts impaired academic performance. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test a model with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae of exposure as mediators of the relationship between exposure to violence and academic performance among adolescents who are at risk for exposure and attend inner-city high schools. Ninety-nine students, primarily female and African-American, in Grades 10 to 12 at two public schools …

Facial Emotional Perception, Psychosis, Antisocial Traits, And Violence In Schizophrenia, Clarita Villafranca Hipol Ligot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compromised social cognition, psychosis, and antisocial traits are associated with violence in individuals with schizophrenia. Facial emotional perception (FEP) has been used to measure social cognition in schizophrenia, but its relationships to psychosis, antisocial behavior, and violence have not been explored. Archival data from a sample of 38 participants ages 18-55 with schizophrenia were analyzed in a quasi-experimental design using a 2-way analysis of variance to determine the relationship of psychosis, antisocial traits, and FEP. The main factors of the analysis were psychosis, classified as either high or low, and antisocial traits, classified as high or low. The dependent variable …

Testing A Psychological Readiness Training Intervention On Ptsd, Depression, Anxiety, & Stress In First Responders, Renee Kosor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exposure to traumatic events is rare for the general public but common for first responders. However, there is little proactive emotional health care occurring inside the first responder community. No preventive treatment for depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD exists. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a psychological readiness training intervention on 361 police officers and firefighters in a medium-size Midwestern city. A combined positive psychological capital and cognitive behavior therapy approach was used to frame the study. This study used a pretest, posttest quasi-experimental design. The participants were a convenience sample of 119 volunteers from …

Exploring Leaders' Strategies For Employee Engagement In The South African Mining Industry, Le-Marlie Marais

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests that disengaged employees have contributed to the 28.5% reduction in the mining industry's contribution to South African gross domestic product. Some South African mining leaders lack strategies for engaging employees. Using the employee engagement framework, the purpose of this single case study was to explore successful strategies that South African mining leaders use to engage employees. The target population was mining leaders, purposefully selected because of their success with engaging employees at a typical South African mining company. Data collection was through face-to-face interviews with 4 leaders; a focus group interview with 9 employees; and a review of …

Employee Selection Strategies In Casual Dining Restaurants, Tim Racey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Annual turnover for hourly employees in the hospitality industry averages 102%. The costs associated with hiring and training new employees are estimated at 150% of an employee's salary for businesses with more than 30 employees. The purpose of this case study was to examine the personnel selection strategies used in the casual dining sector. The sample for this study was 6 casual dining restaurant managers in the central Georgia area. Three of the participants used online selection strategies and 3 participants used intuition-based strategies. The objective of this study was to compare the similarities and differences between each respective personnel …

The Effect Of Two Modes Of Aerobic Assessment On Fifth Grade Students' Self Efficacy, Debra Roth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Declining youth physical activity levels and lack of aerobic fitness have been well documented with a corresponding rise in obesity levels and health issues. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, healthy physical activity levels and aerobic fitness are strongly connected to positive physical activity self-efficacy beliefs. This study examined whether student physical activity self-efficacy, motivation, and effort were different for the FitnessGram-® (FG) 1-Mile Run when compared to the 15-minute Aerobic Assessment Based on Improvement (AABI). A concurrent mixed method quasi-experimental approach measured 5th grade students' physical activity self-efficacy beliefs through a pretest and posttest survey while aerobic assessment scores …

Active Shooter Event Severity, Media Reporting, Offender Age And Location, Philip Joshua Swift

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, it was hypothesized that offenders used knowledge gained from news media reports about previous events to plan mass shootings. Although researchers have studied active shooter events, little research has been conducted on the factors that influence an active shooter's decision and ability to carry out such events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the rate of news media reporting about an active shooter event and the casualty rate of the ensuing event in the United States. The bracketed time of this assessment was between April 20, 1999, and …

A Policy Evaluation: Comparing Levels Of Police Injuries Associated With The Use Of Less-Lethal Instruments In Law Enforcement - Conducted Energy Devices Vs. Other Less-Lethal Instruments, Lydia Denise Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers continue to sustain injuries during close proximity encounters with non-compliant and combative suspects. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine whether the use of less-lethal instruments, such as conducted energy devices, oleoresin capsicum, impact batons, and hands/feet defensive tactic reduced police officer injury during confrontations with uncooperative suspects at a medium-sized police department in a southern state. Fichtelberg's democratic policing was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Data were acquired from Suspect Resistant Reports (n = 409) written by police officers over a 10-year period (1/05 - 12/14). The dependent variable was police officer …

Information And Communication Technologies (Icts) And Citizenship, Kathrin Michaela Auzinger-Hotzel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Democracy depends on the civic and political engagement of individuals. Despite a growing body of research analyzing political engagement in the United States, little attention has been paid to the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and perceptions of citizens concerning civic participation. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between ICTs, perceptions of citizenship, and participatory preferences for 18- to 35-year-olds in the United States. Applying Olson's theory of collective action, the goal of the study was to understand how ICT use influenced changes in perceptions of citizenship between 2004 and 2014. A repeated …

Subsistence Farmers' Perceptions Of Pluralistic Agriculture Extension In Northern Ghana, Amos Kwame Egyir Baah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2013, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of the Republic of Ghana implemented a reformed food and agriculture sector development policy (FASDEP II) to reduce poverty among the poorest subsistence farmers in the nation. These extension efforts have been unsuccessful. The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to understand the perceptions of subsistence farmers in the Savelugu-Nanton District (SND) who participated in FASDEP II on how the program had affected their ability to meet their subsistence needs. The theoretical framework of collaborative advantage was used to analyze farmers' opinions of how the decentralized, pluralistic extension policy did or …

Factors Related To Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomology In Adolescent Males, Sylvania Ann Briseno-Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Sylvania Ann Jones

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Anthony Perry, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty

Dr. Stephen Burgess, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty

Dr. James Carroll, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty

Chief Academic Officer

Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University

2017

Factors Related to Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomology in Adolescent Males

by

Sylvania Ann Jones

BS, Wayland Baptist University 1999

MA, Wayland Baptist University 2009 …

Identifying Stressors Experienced By Single Fathers Who Are Parenting In New York City, Stacey Theresa Melhado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fathers face difficulties when taking on the single parent role, including having to prove their ability to care for their children alone. Existing research does not address issues concerning single fathers and the stressors they experience in raising their children. This study addresses these issues and helps researchers understand single fathers by using a qualitative approach to understand their perception of parenting. Fourteen participants from New York City participated in semi-structured interviews to elicit information about this phenomenon. This study focused on experiences the men have while being a single parent, the impact of living in New York City on …

Transformative Leadership And Its Development In Public Service Reform In Kenya, Gerald Paul Regier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership on the African continent has been a focus of scholars as African nations have incredible human and natural resources but seem to be bereft of the leaders necessary to capitalize on its opportunities. Researchers acknowledge that the barrier to progress in the developing world is not the deficiency of money or natural resources, but suggested it to be the lack of leadership. Researchers have demonstrated reasons for this deficiency including the effects of the colonial system upon people and civil service systems, but have yet been able to establish a promising path to economic and social progress. Leaders in …