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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Articles 4381 - 4410 of 4997

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Usa Patriot Act And Punctuated Equilibrium, Michael Sanders Jan 2016

The Usa Patriot Act And Punctuated Equilibrium, Michael Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, Title II of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001 appears to be stalled as a result of controversy over the intent and meaning of the law. Proponents of the title advocate the necessity of the act to combat modern terrorism, whereas opponents warn of circumventions of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Using punctuated equilibrium as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this case study was to explore the dialogue and legal exchanges between the American Civil Liberties Union and the Department of …

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Workplace Bullying: A Quantitative Study Of Adult Victims, Joyce Lynn Walker Jan 2016

Workplace Bullying: A Quantitative Study Of Adult Victims, Joyce Lynn Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying has gained widespread attention as contributing to the increase in organizational costs and the reduction in employee productivity. Organizations and human resource departments have conducted studies and developed prevention programs to address bullies, but few studies or programs have focused on the role of victims in the onset of bullying. This quantitative study examined the relationship between bullying victimization in the workplace, focusing on personality traits, specific problem solving, and a victim's locus of control belief. A sample (N = 94) of male and female college students completed the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised, Heppner's Problem-Solving Inventory, Levenson's Locus of …

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The Role Of Religiosity In The Development Of Obesity From Adolescence To Adulthood, Trini Gene Rangel Jan 2016

The Role Of Religiosity In The Development Of Obesity From Adolescence To Adulthood, Trini Gene Rangel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The development of obesity from adolescence to adulthood is not well understood, nor does the research support a multidimensional approach for this understanding. Studies have described primarily cross-sectional bivariate relationships between combinations of obesity, religiosity, depression, and social support, but it is still not known whether there is a relationship between adolescent religiosity, depression, and social support in the development of adult obesity or whether depression and social support mediate the religiosity-obesity relationship. The dynamic, multidimensional, functional model of wellness presented by Hawks was the basis for the spiritual, social, emotional, and physical interactions proposed in this study. The research …

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Predictive Factors Of Compassion Fatigue Among Firefighters, Teresa Michelle Robinson Jan 2016

Predictive Factors Of Compassion Fatigue Among Firefighters, Teresa Michelle Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few existing studies have examined compassion fatigue among emergency responders even though firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals have repetitive direct exposure to traumatic events. This study focused on identifying predictor variables for the development of compassion fatigue in firefighters. Karasek's demand-control model, a commonly used work stress model, was the study's theoretical framework as it focuses on specific construct interactions that predict employee well-being. Accordingly, this correlational study examined the predictive nature of EMS license level, years of service, and personality type on the development of compassion fatigue in career firefighters. Data collection occurred with surveys incorporating the …

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Hearing Parents Of Children With Hearing Loss: Perceptions Of The Iep Process, Robin Fern Stegman Jan 2016

Hearing Parents Of Children With Hearing Loss: Perceptions Of The Iep Process, Robin Fern Stegman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study investigated the nature and extent of the support parents received during IEP development. The study was informed by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Participants, located in a Northeastern state, were 10 hearing parents of children who had been diagnosed with hearing loss at birth and were between ages 5 and 12. Data were in-depth interviews that were analyzed, coded, and organized into themes using an inductive approach to analysis informed by Hatch. Results indicated that parents believed they needed more guidance on what to expect during the first IEP meeting, that advocating for appropriate accommodations for their child …

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The Relationship Between Stress, Coping Strategies, And Social Support Among Single Mothers, Nikitra Yvette Williams Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Stress, Coping Strategies, And Social Support Among Single Mothers, Nikitra Yvette Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have neglected to focus on understanding the relationships between stress, coping, and social support among single mothers versus mothers who are not single. Knowledge regarding how single mothers' lives are affected by stress, social support, and coping is important, and such information can help readers better understand how effectively single mothers raise children compared with mothers who are not single. A convenience sample of 173 mothers completed this study. Participants in this study consisted of mothers who were (a) raising at least one child ages 18 and under who lives in the home and (b) who were between the …

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Empathy In Detained Male Juvenile Offenders, Cloyce Joe Barton Jan 2016

Empathy In Detained Male Juvenile Offenders, Cloyce Joe Barton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Texas and across the United States, minority male juvenile offenders are overrepresented in juvenile detention facilities. Researchers have demonstrated an inverse relationship between levels of empathy and antisocial beliefs and delinquent behaviors in juveniles. Understanding this relationship is an important step in designing and implementing rehabilitative interventions for juvenile detainees. Grounded in social learning theory and the social empathy model, the current study addressed whether significant differences in empathy existed between nonminority and minority male juvenile offenders with felony and nonfelony offenses within a juvenile detention facility in rural Texas. A de-identified data set of 357 Interpersonal Reactivity Index …

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Perception Of Job Satisfaction And Over Qualification Among African Immigrants In Alberta, Canada, Benard Chi Njeundam Chuba Jan 2016

Perception Of Job Satisfaction And Over Qualification Among African Immigrants In Alberta, Canada, Benard Chi Njeundam Chuba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African-trained landed immigrants in the Alberta labor market are faced with employment over qualification and professional devaluation. Researchers have documented the precarious labor market position of this cohort and efforts undertaken by federal and provincial Canadian governments to address it. Little is known, however, about how these African immigrants perceive job satisfaction and over qualification. Guided by human capital theory, this phenomenological study focused on the perceptions of job satisfaction and over qualification among 11 landed immigrants of African origin in Alberta, Canada. Data were collected using semi structured interviews. Hatch's 9-step technique was used to analyze data, resulting in …

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A Community's Perception Of Pregnancy And Sexually Transmitted Infections And Prevention Programs, Felecity Nicole Burns Jan 2016

A Community's Perception Of Pregnancy And Sexually Transmitted Infections And Prevention Programs, Felecity Nicole Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has the highest rates of teenage pregnancies, births, abortions, and sexually transmitted infections in the industrialized world. African American teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections are on the rise in many rural southwest school districts in the State of Georgia where the sex education curriculum is nonexistent or solely focuses on abstinence. Georgia ranked 4th in cases of primary and secondary syphilis, 6th in AIDS, 12th in gonorrhea, 14th in teen pregnancies, and 17th in chlamydia in the United States in 2012. The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the perceptions of residents of a …

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Health Care Professionals' Perceptions Of Media Influence On Eating Disorder-Related Factors Among African American Women, Erica Hudson Jan 2016

Health Care Professionals' Perceptions Of Media Influence On Eating Disorder-Related Factors Among African American Women, Erica Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about health care professionals' perceptions of eating disorder etiology among African American (AA) women. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the associations among health care professionals' race, cultural awareness, and perceptions of media influence on eating disorder-related factors in AA women. Festigner's social comparison theory; Bandura's social learning theory; and Garcia, Cartwright, Winston, and Borzuchowska's transcultural integrative model served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. Specifically, this study examined whether race and cultural awareness of health care professionals relate to their perceptions of the extent to which media influences AA women's eating …

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Relationship Between Meaning In Life And Dispositional Forgiveness, Shirley Karseboom Jan 2016

Relationship Between Meaning In Life And Dispositional Forgiveness, Shirley Karseboom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Both meaning in life and forgiveness have been shown to separately contribute to better mental health. However, no prior research examined the linkage between meaning in life and forgiveness. This quantitative study was therefore to identify if there was a relationship between meaning in life, as measured by the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and overall dispositional forgiveness, dispositional forgiveness of self, dispositional forgiveness of others, and dispositional forgiveness of situations, as measured by the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS). Survey data were gathered from 250 college students in Western Canada, and multiple linear regression controlling for sociodemographic factors was used. …

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Short Term Memory Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists, Samuel Maldonado Jan 2016

Short Term Memory Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists, Samuel Maldonado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the short term memory (STM) difference of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists versus non-MRI technologists. Human and animal studies have indicated that residual magnetic fields have caused changes within the cerebral structure. Research on residual magnetic fields and their effect on STM is still at its infancy. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine if any significant difference existed between the STM of MRI technologists (n = x) and a control population sample (n = x). The STM of both groups was assessed with the use of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test-Third Edition. Solicitation of the participants …

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Gender And Self-Care Behaviors In The Burnout Of Mental Health Professionals, Kafy-Ann Martin-Johnson Jan 2016

Gender And Self-Care Behaviors In The Burnout Of Mental Health Professionals, Kafy-Ann Martin-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Difficulties experienced at work can cause feelings of burnout that become prolonged and intensified without acts of self-care. The intense nature of mental health workers' jobs may make them, more vulnerable to burnout than other professionals. Because mental health professionals' mental and emotional wellness can significantly affect their work, adequate self-care is critical to both their well-being and that of their clients. Previous researchers have investigated the self-care behaviors of mental health professionals, but little was known about how gender affected the use of these behaviors in burnout prevention among mental health professionals. The purpose of this quantitative study was …

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Hiv-Positive Status Disclosure Barriers In Stable Heterosexual Partners In Warri, Nigeria., Edith Nkechinyere Ogbozor Jan 2016

Hiv-Positive Status Disclosure Barriers In Stable Heterosexual Partners In Warri, Nigeria., Edith Nkechinyere Ogbozor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nondisclosure of positive status drives the secondary transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This cross sectional quantitative survey study grounded by the consequence theory evaluates fear of stigma, lack of social support, and level of HIV-related knowledge as barriers to self-disclosure of HIV-positive status to stable heterosexual partners. A sample of 303 HIV-infected respondents (111 men and 192 women) accessing antiretroviral therapy at 4 designated centers in Warri, Nigeria, completed the self-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between these factors and spousal HIV-positive status disclosure. Results demonstrated: (a) social support availability significantly predicted HIV …

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Outcomes Of Aggression Replacement Training For U.S. Adolescents In Residential Facilities, Coral Ann Ondrus Jan 2016

Outcomes Of Aggression Replacement Training For U.S. Adolescents In Residential Facilities, Coral Ann Ondrus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A National Survey indicated that 1.6 million adolescents in the U.S. were arrested in 2010 and 1.5 million in 2011 for erratic aggressive behaviors, thus showing a decline from the 2.18 million adolescent arrests in 2007. Residential facilities in the state of Pennsylvania offer a group intervention called Aggression Replacement Training (ART) to help adjudicated adolescents regain control of erratic behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which level of group participation in ART and certain demographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, family socioeconomic status, parental involvement, and education) predict decreased aggression and increased anger control …

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Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Inclusion In Elementary Classroom Settings, Delicia Peacock Peacock Jan 2016

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Inclusion In Elementary Classroom Settings, Delicia Peacock Peacock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion classrooms were introduced in the United States in 1990 when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required that special education students be instructed in a general education setting. Ensuing changes in instructional formats have caused role confusion for special and general education teachers, resulted in mixed attitudes toward teacher responsibilities, and lowered teachers' sense of efficacy about being able to teach their students. Guided by Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, this bounded case study design in a rural elementary school in a southeastern state was used to understand the perceptions of general and special educators regarding their work in …

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Children Of Holocaust Survivors On Middle-Age: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Elizabeth Rosenberg Jan 2016

Children Of Holocaust Survivors On Middle-Age: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Elizabeth Rosenberg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children of Holocaust survivors are vulnerable to experiencing secondary trauma which typically manifests in emotional and psychological difficulties. Despite,their exposure to a traumatized family environment, many children of Holocaust survivors do not develop emotional or adaptive difficulties. Some demonstrate psychological resilience, reflected by their ability to adapt,to adversity and problems. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how well-adjusted,middle aged children of Holocaust survivors developed and maintained resilience.In line with resilience theory,which explains how an individual bounces back from negative circumstances, the research questions for this study examined the factors that the participants used to develop and …

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Experiences Of Colorado Parents As They Recognized Their Child's Mental Illness, Lori Salgado Jan 2016

Experiences Of Colorado Parents As They Recognized Their Child's Mental Illness, Lori Salgado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness is not only the leading cause of disability among adults, but there is also an emerging public health crisis in childhood mental illness. A majority of parents do not recognize symptoms of psychological disorder in their children, and current policies and programs for mental health service delivery are not sufficiently responsive to the early help-seeking dynamics of families. Using a concurrent mixed methods design, this study explored how parents in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado learned to recognize their child's mental illness. Phenomenological interviews, augmented by poetic inquiry and quantitative measurements, were used to discover factors that …

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Utilization And Intensity Of Integrated Behavioral Health Services Within A Primary Care Setting, Joseph Aron Shafer Jan 2016

Utilization And Intensity Of Integrated Behavioral Health Services Within A Primary Care Setting, Joseph Aron Shafer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integrated behavioral health care within primary care has become a popular style of health care delivery within the United States. However, individuals with a behavioral health concern face several barriers in using these services. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify key factors accounting for individuals' utilization and intensity of behavioral health services. Andersen's behavioral model of health care use and the integrated theory of health behavior change served as the theoretical framework. It was hypothesized that gender, age, race, ethnicity, family size, payer type, poverty level, and certain preexisting medical conditions (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco use) …

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The Effects Of Participative Leadership Practices On Job Satisfaction For Highly Skilled Virtual Teams, Funda Sinani Jan 2016

The Effects Of Participative Leadership Practices On Job Satisfaction For Highly Skilled Virtual Teams, Funda Sinani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Virtual-team professionals have reported experiencing low job satisfaction due to lack of face-to-face interaction leading to stress, miscommunication, and role-confusion. Dissatisfaction among virtual teams has increased turnover and management costs for organizations. Despite these known associations, there was a gap in the literature investigating efficient leadership practices to improve job satisfaction for highly skilled virtual teams. Participative leadership offers an effective approach to increase job satisfaction among face-to-face teams and innovative teams. This study explored the relationship between participative leadership and job satisfaction among highly skilled virtual teams within the global software industry. A quantitative study with a correlational design …

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Self-Evaluative Salience And Motivational Salience As Predictors Of Depressive Affect And Appearance Based Rejection Sensitivity., Mandana Toosi Jan 2016

Self-Evaluative Salience And Motivational Salience As Predictors Of Depressive Affect And Appearance Based Rejection Sensitivity., Mandana Toosi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the psychological effects of appearance schemas have been studied in the general population, we know little about the relation of these schemas to appearance-based rejection sensitivity. This study examined the relations among predictive variables of appearance-invested self-schemas (self-evaluative salience [SES] and motivational salience [MS]), appearance-based rejection sensitivity, and depressive affect. Self-discrepancy theory was used to theorize that when individuals experience discrepancies with self, conflict arises in self-schemas, and that this conflict relates to an increase in depressive affect and appearance-based rejection sensitivity. The sample consisted of 131 adult female college students participating in a continuing education program. Multiple regression …

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A Case Study For Georgia Southwestern State University: The Discrepancies' Of Financial Aid Services That Impact Student Enrollment, Angela V. Bryant Jan 2016

A Case Study For Georgia Southwestern State University: The Discrepancies' Of Financial Aid Services That Impact Student Enrollment, Angela V. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At many traditional universities, the federal timelines for determining financial aid eligibility is based on releasing of the Free Application of Federal Student Aid each January, and the subsequent financial aid processing cycle July 1- June 30th. These federally established dates can conflict with traditional August class starts and creates a backlog and delayed processing of information that, in turn, hinders students from receiving timely information in order to make informed decisions based on financial aid awards. The purpose of this case study of a traditional university in Georgia was to apply net price theory and rational choice theory to …

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Veterans' Perceptions Of Military Stigma And The Shame Associated With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress, Alexander J. Buelna Jan 2016

Veterans' Perceptions Of Military Stigma And The Shame Associated With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress, Alexander J. Buelna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military stigma is a heavy burden of social stigma internalized by veterans who are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during post-deployment psychological screening. PTSD is classified as a mental disorder associated with widespread reluctance to seek medical assistance. Among military veterans who suffer from combat-related posttraumatic stress (PTS), military stigma is considered a widespread problem. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore veterans' perceptions of various aspects of military stigma, including post-deployment psychological screening, the diagnosis of PTSD, and factors associated with reluctance to seek medical assistance for PTS. In-depth interviews were conducted with a convenience sample …

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The Relationship Between Nutrient Intake And Social Emotional Functioning In Preschool Children, Tracy L. Daniel Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Nutrient Intake And Social Emotional Functioning In Preschool Children, Tracy L. Daniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health disorders are rising in children and being referred to as an epidemic. Numerous studies have shown micronutrient deficiencies and poor diet quality are suspected of playing a contributory role in the escalation of certain disorders. However, there is no research in young children focusing specifically on social emotional disorders and possible links to nutrition. Conventional treatment for social emotional disorders in children typically involves medication. Parents are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine to treat their children with a method that is individualized and holistic. The biopsychosocial model provided the theoretical framework for this correlational study that …

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Understanding Strategic Planning: Why Nonprofit Organizations Struggle In The Current Era Of Privatization, Trunnis Goggins Jan 2016

Understanding Strategic Planning: Why Nonprofit Organizations Struggle In The Current Era Of Privatization, Trunnis Goggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Several studies suggest that nonprofit organizations that compete with for-profit organizations to deliver public services struggle to obtain mission clarity and face resistance by staff and volunteers when implementing traditional for-profit business planning procedures. The purpose of this study was to extend the Austrian theory of entrepreneurism and Bourdieu's social practice theory to identify particular procedural functions during the strategic planning process that played a role in the struggle of nonprofit organizations to obtain mission clarity. This study focused on nonprofit organizations that delivered residential services to disabled individuals in the state of Indiana. Data collected included 15 face-to-face interviews …

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Quality Of Life Of People With Profound Developmental Disabilities Based Upon Residential Settings, Kristin Jill Korinko Jan 2016

Quality Of Life Of People With Profound Developmental Disabilities Based Upon Residential Settings, Kristin Jill Korinko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is much research literature on quality of life with people with varying mild to moderate levels of developmental and intellectual disabilities. A gap remained in the current literature regarding differences between the severe to profound levels of intellectual and developmental disability across residential settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of support of people with severe to profound levels of developmental disabilities who resided and received services either in an institution and those who receive services within the community. The theoretical foundation for this study was Maslow's theory of humanism along with the contemporary theory …

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Exploring U.S. Business Leaders' Strategies For Enhancing Team Communication, Susan Kuehn Jan 2016

Exploring U.S. Business Leaders' Strategies For Enhancing Team Communication, Susan Kuehn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many senior project managers (PMs) and other business leaders lack effective strategies for enhancing communication among their team members, thereby reducing profitability and organizational cohesion. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore communication strategies used by 22 PMs who were members of a project manager professional (PMP) association in Colorado, with 5 or more years of relevant experience and who worked at a leading technology company recognized for its effective PM communication strategy for enhancing business-team communication. The conceptual framework for this study was built on interpersonal, mass communication and profound leadership theories. PMs were interviewed, and …

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Infidelity, Trust, Commitment, And Marital Satisfaction Among Military Wives During Husbands' Deployment, Myriam Levesque Mccray Jan 2015

Infidelity, Trust, Commitment, And Marital Satisfaction Among Military Wives During Husbands' Deployment, Myriam Levesque Mccray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 1.5 million U.S. soldiers have deployed oversees since the beginning of the War on Terror in 2001; consequently, spouses are faced with new physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. Many researchers have documented the effects of deployment on marriages and families. However, few researchers have explored the correlates of trust, marital commitment, and marital satisfaction for wives during deployment. This quantitative study, grounded in risk and resilience theory and interdependence theory, used a web-based survey to investigate the relationship between perceived likelihood of spousal infidelity, trust, marital commitment, and marital satisfaction in a sample of 127 military wives whose husbands …

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Social Intelligence Of Undergraduates Enrolled In Traditional Vs. Distance Higher Education Learning Programs, Bo Scott Bennett Jan 2015

Social Intelligence Of Undergraduates Enrolled In Traditional Vs. Distance Higher Education Learning Programs, Bo Scott Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Participation in, and acceptance of, distance education has reached an all-time high. Yet many academics, policy makers, and laypeople remain concerned that distance education can adversely affect one's social development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test that concern by comparing the social intelligence of distance undergraduates with the social intelligence of traditional undergraduates at different class ranks (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) while limiting the ages of the participants (n = 190) to 18-24. Social intelligence, an operationally defined measure of the construct often referred to as social development has been a popular focus of research in …

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Internal Attributes That Mitigate Perceived Job Insecurity: Improving Employee Satisfaction, Shelly Leigh Rogers-Sharer Jan 2015

Internal Attributes That Mitigate Perceived Job Insecurity: Improving Employee Satisfaction, Shelly Leigh Rogers-Sharer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee satisfaction has been found to have a strong relationship with perceived job security. This study explored job insecurity in an unstable global economy. Specifically, it examined internal attributes of employees, hypothesizing that such attributes would enable employees to better cope with work-related stressors such as job insecurity. Specific attributes of personality and employability were assessed as potential moderators of job satisfaction and security, utilizing the theory of work adjustment and person-environment correspondence as theoretical frameworks. The specific attributes included facets of conscientiousness and neuroticism as well as dispositions of employability including openness to change at work, work and career …

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