Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Inclusion In Jamaican Primary Schools: Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Attitudes, And Concerns, Jillian Samms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusive education has become an international phenomenon; however, many developing countries struggle with its implementation. At last assessment of the Jamaican educational system in 2004, findings revealed exclusionary practices which are in contrast to international standards on education. Many children with special needs may not be receiving adequate support for education. Using Bandura's social learning theory as a foundation, this study examined whether there is a predictive relationship between grade level, type of school, location of school, access to support resources, perceived school climate, pedagogical beliefs, extent of inclusion training, attitudes to inclusion, and teachers' ratings of self-efficacy for inclusive …

Sleep Among Young Adults Living In Rural Poverty, Susan Barber Skinner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of restorative sleep is implicated in threats to public health and safety as well as negative individual health outcomes, which are more pronounced among those living in rural poverty. This study addressed the need for an approach to these problems that is sensitive to culture and community. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of sleep among young adults living in rural poverty to inform development of strategies to improve sleep behavior in this population. Research questions explored the lived experience of sleep, constructs of the theory of planned behavior which was used as …

Relationships Between Job Satisfaction, Supervisor Support, And Profitability Among Quick Service Industry Employees, Joseph Carl Vann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low profit margins threaten the sustainability of quick service restaurants (QSRs). In the United States, low levels of employee job satisfaction and low employee perceptions of supervisor support decrease organizational profitability by as much as $151 million annually, depending on the size and type of organization. Guided by the 2-factor theory of motivation, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee job satisfaction, employee perceptions of supervisor support, and organizational profitability. A convenience sample of employees from 86 QSR franchise locations in Houston, Texas completed the Job Satisfaction and Perceived Supervisor Support surveys. Multiple linear …

Evaluating The Impact Of Integrated Care On Service Utilization In Serious Mental Illness, Heidi C. Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Serious mental illness (SMI) affects 5% of the United States population and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Use of high-cost healthcare services is common, including hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. Integrating behavioral and physical healthcare may improve care for consumers with SMI, but prior research findings have been mixed. This quantitative retrospective cohort study addressed the impact of integrated care on physical health and ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) utilization via a program evaluation of an integrated health clinic (IHC) at a community mental health center (CMHC). The research questions assessed whether there was a predictive relationship between …

Social Networking Sites And Online Infidelity, Amber Nicole Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Biological factors, attachment styles, socioeconomic status, and religion are among some of the variables researched as casual factors of infidelity. However, limited research is available for infidelity originating online. This study aimed to investigate causal factors for engaging in online infidelity via social networking site use. A cognitive behavioral perspective guided the research. Review of literature on offline infidelity, online behavior, and Davis' work on generalized problematic internet use identified the variables relationship satisfaction, impulsivity, permissive sexual values, and the intensity of social networking site use for exploration. Research questions addressed any contribution these four variables may have to engaging …

Examining U.S. Policy Makers' Conceptions Of Liberty In Drafting The Affordable Care Act, Louis Altobelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. legislators may have incorrectly incorporated outlooks on liberty and natural law associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. The purpose of this case study was to use Kersch's conceptualization of declarationism and Hayek & Kamowy's construct of socialism to examine whether the ACA incorporates principles associated with the natural right of liberty as promoted by the Founders of the United States. The central research question that guided this study investigated whether U.S. lawmakers followed the intentions of the Founders in passing the ACA, as demonstrated in the legislation, related bureaucratic reports, and court …

Implementation Of A Standardized Multifactorial Fall Prevention Program In A Rehabilitation Facility, Shanetta Monique Ancrum-Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One and a half million people are currently living in residential care facilities; as the baby boomer generation ages, this number will increase to 3 million. Approximately 3 out of 4 residents of these facilities fall each year, and 10% to 20% of those falls result in serious injuries such as fractures, disability, and a decreased quality of living. The BOUNCE Back fall initiative is a multifactorial program that uses a systematic approach starting on admission and to re-evaluate a resident following a fall. Nursing and therapy uses the Morse Fall Scale and the Elderly Mobility Scale to assess and …

Generational Communications In The New York City Public Sector Workplace, Nathasha Anita Brooks-Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Nathasha Brooks-Harris

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. Mark Gordon, Committee Chairperson,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. Michael Knight, Committee Member,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. Michael Brewer, University Reviewer,

Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Chief Academic Officer

Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University

2017

There is a digital divide between Baby Boomers and Millennials in the way they communicate …

An Examination Of Factors Contributing To The Effectiveness Of Female Administrators In Corrections, Daisy Lee Crockett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional leadership, especially by women, has been under examined by researchers and scholars. Some researchers have suggested that women may be more likely to exhibit transformational leadership styles, which may be effective for addressing the uniquely stressful corrections work environment and improving working conditions, yet women in corrections have remained relatively excluded from correctional leadership. Increasing women's participation in correctional leadership may involve transformational leadership and training in leadership skills, as well as gender bias relating to the correctional profession. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership, leadership training, and traditional gender …

The Impact Of Parental Incarceration On Childhood Health, Nastassjiah Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many children in the United States have experienced the imprisonment of a parent, given the country's high rate of incarceration. Researchers have found that such children have a higher likelihood of having health problems than do other children. However, a gap in current literature exists regarding these children's ability to acquire needed health care services to accommodate health issues resulting from the experience of parental incarceration. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between these children's health status and their experience of parental incarceration. Bowlby's attachment theory, along with life course theory, constituted the conceptual …

Correlations Between Management Behaviors And Financial Indicators With Fda Compliance Leading To Medicine Shortages, Francisco Gutierrez-Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the first 3 years of the Obama Administration, 2009-2011, the number of warning letters issued to pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and quality issues increased by 81% to 49 letters. Only 9 letters were issued in the last 3 years of the George W. Bush Administration. Shortfalls in compliance and product quality led to medicine shortages that affected patients' treatment and health. This quantitative study sought to learn to what extent, if any, the independent variables, management behaviors and financial indicators at pharmaceutical firms in the United States, correlated with, or predicted, the dependent variable, compliance with the FDA regulations. …

Proactive It Incident Prevention: Using Data Analytics To Reduce Service Interruptions, Mark G. Malley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of resolving user requests for IT assistance rises annually. Researchers have demonstrated that data warehouse analytic techniques can improve service, but they have not established the benefit of using global organizational data to reduce reported IT incidents. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to examine the extent to which IT staff use of organizational knowledge generated from data warehouse analytical measures reduces the number of IT incidents over a 30-day period, as reported by global users of IT within an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany. Organizational learning theory was used to approach the theorized relationship …

Predictors Of Attitudes Towards Mental Health Treatment In The Orthodox Jewish Population, Shlomo Bineth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the Orthodox Jewish (OJ) community, there is a hesitation among those in need of mental health services to seek treatment, primarily due to stigmatized views toward mental illness. The theory grounding this study was Goffman's theory of social stigma, which defines social stigma as the result of an attribute, behavior, or reputation being discredited by others in a way that puts a person or group of people in an undesirable light. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons underlying negative attitudes toward mental health treatment in the OJ community by examining variables that might explain those …

Measuring Defense Support To Civil Authorities Proficiency Within The National Capital Region, Kelvin Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) is the process by which military assets can be requested by civilian authorities, often by state or regional offices of emergency management. This request is in response to critical incidents, including natural and human caused disasters. However, little is understood about collaboration and cooperation between civil authorities and their military counterparts in terms of planning and training, especially in the unique circumstance of National Capital Region (NCR) where there are local, state, and federal civil authorities and military organizations. This is problematic, as a lack of training and preparation may result in delayed response …

Exploring Servant Leadership Within A Northern Ghana Dagara Traditional Community, Peter Arnold Anglaaere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Servant leadership (SL) is well documented and understood in southern Ghana within the

context of missionary training and missions, but little is understood about whether the cultural nuances of leadership within the same context are equally applicable in northern Ghana. Previous researchers have indicated that there exist many differences in cultural practices and leadership structures between southern and northern Ghana. Greenleaf's concept of SL was focused on service to followers, their empowerment, and promotion of dialogue within institutions. The purpose of this single case study was to determine whether this concept of SL adequately addresses the specific cultural nuances in …

A Narrative Analysis Of Resilience And Coping In Persons Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, Mildred Christian Alford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Narrative Analysis of Resilience and Coping in

Persons Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

by

Mildred C. Alford

Ph.D., Ed., Berne International Graduate University, 1998

M.S. Ed., Texas A & M University, Commerce, 1989

B.S., Psychology, University of Houston, 1976

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Health Psychology

Walden University

June 2017

A Phenomenological Study: Coping Skills Of Gay Men In Amateur Sports, Jesuel Alamo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The world of sports has traditionally been known for promoting masculine behaviors, including a resistance to homosexuality. Research supports that gay men in sports have historically encountered prejudice and discrimination. Although the social climate has experienced change regarding homophobic discrimination and prejudice, research shows that challenges still exist for gay men who participate in sports; furthermore, to date, research could not be located that addresses the coping skills of gay men in amateur sports. This research addressed the lack of qualitative studies on the experiences of gay men who participate in amateur sports and on their use of coping skills. …

Influences Of Provider-Patient Communication On Health Literacy And Public Policy Relevant Outcomes, Rachel Carla Cartwright-Vanzant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Several artifacts of federal policy address the connection between health literacy of patients and health outcomes. These laws include The Plain Writing Act, Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Even with this policy structure, little is known about how nurses' knowledge of health literacy may influence patient understanding of medical information and health outcomes. Using Knowles' principles of effective communication, the purpose of this mixed-methods study was to concurrently examine the relationship between nurse knowledge of health literacy and communication techniques used by nurses to identify any causal relationships in …

A Determinant Of Child Sex Trafficking In Los Angeles County, California, Elizabeth Ann Cook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Los Angeles County, California, approximately 2,245 victims of child sex trafficking were identified between 1997 and 2012. Several authors believed that poverty was linked to child sex trafficking because it increased the vulnerability of victims. The purpose of this nonexperimental, correlational study was to explore the question of how poverty was related to child sex trafficking in Los Angeles County, California. Intersectionality from the third wave of feminist theory was used as the theoretical underpinning of this study. Using data from the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, information was collected on 97 counties in …

Gender Differences In Discussion Strategies Of Asynchronous Online Undergraduate Psychology Major Students, Shawna Marie Burtis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous studies have focused on gender differences in communication in various learning settings and have found that men and women typically communicate in different ways; however, no studies have directly investigated undergraduate psychology major students. Based on symbolic convergence theory, a survey design was in this quantitative study to examine gender differences in online discussion strategies among undergraduate psychology student majors at online universities. Focusing on 4 asynchronous online discussion strategies, the research questions addressed gender differences in discussion strategies while controlling for students' previous experience with online learning and level of study in their current program. A convenience sample …

Reducing Runway Incursions At The Nation's Five Busiest Airports, 2009-2011, Theodore Patrick Byrne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the last decade, the number of runway incursions at airports in the United States and worldwide has increased. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed the Runway Safety Program (RSP) to address these concerns and improve the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the FAA 2009-2011 RSP has effectively reduced runway incursions at the nation's 5 busiest airports using data from 3 years before and 3 years after the RSP. A comparison group interrupted time-series design was used to determine the impact of the RSP. A public policy framework …

Offender Recidivism: A Quantitative Study Of Motivational Risk Factors And Counseling, Nazak Dadashazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prison system releases over 590,000 inmates annually, adding to the current 5 million ex-offenders on supervised release. The purpose of this study was to explore the problem of increasing recidivism by identifying ex-offenders' dynamic risk and criminogenic need factors using the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R), coupled with or without mental health services during reentry in relation to recidivism. This quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study included data collected from a sample of 128 male recidivist and nonrecidivist federal ex-offenders currently on supervised release, who were recruited during probation office meetings within the South Texas region. Regression analysis yielded statistical significance …

Relationships Among Body Image Dissatisfaction, Body-Enhancing Behaviors, And Self-Esteem In Adult Males, Shimeka Damon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is increasing among U.S. men and is associated with body-enhancing behaviors that threaten physical health, such as excessive dieting and exercising. A research gap was identified about the relationships between men's body image dissatisfaction, body-enhancing behaviors, and the possible mediating effect of self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among body image dissatisfaction, body-enhancing behaviors, and self-esteem in adult males. Sociocultural and social comparison theory served as the theoretical frameworks for this study, which included 103 participants recruited through a university participant pool and gyms. Participants completed questionnaires including the Body-Esteem Scale, …

Corporate Governance And The Shareholder: Asymmetry, Confidence, And Decision-Making, John Buchanan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the decade following the ten-plus percent stockmarket collapse of 2000, regulators enacted a myriad of regulations in response to increasing angst experienced by U.S. capital market retail investors. Systemic asymmetric disclosures have fractured investor confidence prompting many commentators to characterize the relationship between Wall Street and the investment community on main street as dire. Though copious works exist on the phenomenon of corporate behaviors, especially matters of shareholder welfare, weak boards, pervious governance mechanisms, and managerial excess, current literature has revealed a dearth in corporate governance praxis specific to the question and effects of asymmetric disseminations and its principal …

Filipino Americans' Perspectives On Caregiving, Maribel Lapuos Dominguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With increased life expectancy, more individuals will need to rely on caregivers and/or caregiving services. Filipino Americans are reluctant to depend on outside help when it comes to caring for their family members. There was a gap in the literature concerning the specific impact of the caregiving role on Filipino Americans and how cultural values affect the care provided to their family members. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain understanding of how Filipino cultural values and life roles affected Filipino Americans' experiences of caregiving. The conceptual framework included the sociocultural stress and coping model. The central research …

Guided Imagery Relaxation Effects On South Texas Public School Teachers' Stress, Elsa Nora Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public school teachers face a great amount of stress, and that stress may lead to other adverse health outcomes. This study examined elementary public school teachers' stress levels before and after the use of guided imagery relaxation. Guided by the transactional model of stress and coping as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of guided imagery as an effective technique in the stress reduction of elementary public school teachers, thus enhancing the learning experience of students and creating healthier public school teachers. Eighty-one teachers (71 women, 10 men) participated in this study by …

A Duty To Share: The Opportunities And Obstacles Of Federal Counterterrorism Intelligence Sharing With Nonfederal Fusion Centers, Jeffrey V. Gardner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about how effectively federal agencies share terrorism intelligence with state and local governments through fusion centers. As a result, there is a risk that local governments do not receive critical intelligence that would allow them to collaboratively prevent catastrophic terrorist attacks. Using Dawes' interagency information sharing model, the purpose of this exploratory case study was to evaluate how effectively federal agencies share terrorism intelligence with fusion centers. Data were collected through interviews with 25 senior leaders, federal agents deployed to fusion centers, and intelligence analysts in 5 fusion centers on the East Coast. These data were inductively …

Minority Business Enterprise Program's Impact On African American Businesses In Atlanta, Georgia, William Alvin Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was a long history of Jim Crow laws in the State of Georgia, which permeated in social, educational, and economical ways that prohibited African American business owners from competing for the state contracts. In 1982, there was a shift in state policy that implemented an outreach programs to seek out African American businesses and ensure that those interested businesses were enrolled as registered vendors for procurement. Yet little is known about the success of those outreach efforts over the last 35 years. Using Swearing and Plank's work on survival of minority business programs as a conceptual framework, this study …

Mindfulness Meditation Practice By Individuals With Substance Dependent Behavior, Quyen Ho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many people in the United States suffer from substance dependence, which leads to depression, anxiety, work impairment, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, crime, and health care problems. Mindfulness meditation has been applied in many aspects of mental health treatment and all belief systems. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore substance dependents' experiences related to their mindfulness meditation practice of at least 6 months and up to 3 years. A constructivist conceptual framework, which states that human beings create systems for understanding reality based on their individual beliefs, emotions, and interpretations, was used for this study. Research questions focused …

Uae Preschool Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion Education By Specialty And Cultural Identity, Afraa Salah Hussain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion of children with special education needs into public classrooms in United Arab Emirates applied in 2006. The application of inclusion programs started in high schools, and followed by elementary schools and preschools. Teachers' attitudes toward inclusion evaluated among high school and elementary teachers but not among preschool teachers. The effect of the cultural background of teaching staff on inclusion education not evaluated in a UAE preschool. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of educational specialty and culture on teachers' attitudes toward an inclusion education system in United Arab Emirates. The theory of planned behavior …