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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Male Sexual Offender Recidivism Impact On Sex Crime Investigations, Jessica Ann Muccione Jan 2023

Male Sexual Offender Recidivism Impact On Sex Crime Investigations, Jessica Ann Muccione

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research was to explore how male sexual offender recidivism impacted sex crime investigations. Recidivism is a widely recognized social problem that affects all of society. Understanding the influence that male sex offender recidivism may have on a sex crime investigation is key to recognizing its relationship to recidivism. The methodology used in this study was a basic qualitative inquiry to explore how male sex offender recidivism impacts sex crime investigations. Based on Hirschi’s social bond theory, the study addressed ways a sexual offender may conform to societal requirements through attachments and personal values. The application of …

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Staff Perspectives On Parent Withdrawal From Maternal, Infant, And Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs, Dr. Laquetta Delores Peoples Jan 2023

Staff Perspectives On Parent Withdrawal From Maternal, Infant, And Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs, Dr. Laquetta Delores Peoples

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was investigated through this study was the high withdrawal rates of families that enroll in MIECHV programs. Examining this issue provided data that will be shared with MIECHV programs to identify potential strategies to reduce high withdrawals. This basic qualitative study with semistructured interviews examined MIECHV staffs’ perspectives on the reasons for high withdrawals. The purpose of this study was to examine MIECHV program staff members’ perspectives on the reasons for the high withdrawal. The study was guided by Mowder’s parent development theory (PDT) and examined parenting as a continual process whereby parents constantly adjusted their parenting …

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Community Advocate Perspectives On Addressing Equity Gaps In Florida’S Gifted Programs, Ashley Phelps Jan 2023

Community Advocate Perspectives On Addressing Equity Gaps In Florida’S Gifted Programs, Ashley Phelps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study addressed the lack of community advocate perspectives related to efforts being made to improve bureaucratic representation for minority students who were underserved by gifted programs in Florida. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of community advocates about efforts to improve bureaucratic representation for students underserved by gifted programs in Florida. The study was conceptually framed around Kingsley’s theory of representative bureaucracy. The research questions focused on community advocates’ perceptions related to diversity in Florida’s public school gifted programs and their current efforts to improve representation of minority students in gifted education …

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Mental Health Experiences Of Black Males Beyond Juvenile Delinquency, Jasmine D. Spratling Jan 2023

Mental Health Experiences Of Black Males Beyond Juvenile Delinquency, Jasmine D. Spratling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarceration rates around the United States continue to increase for Black male adolescents. These numbers are even more significant in Atlanta, where youth spend time in juvenile detention centers and return soon once released. Summary findings from existing research showed the lack of mental health services provided once a youth has been released from incarceration, but a lack of specifics around the services needed remains. The purpose of the current study was to explore the experiences of Black male adolescents who received little to no trauma informed care post-incarceration. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used to conduct semistructured interviews with …

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Finding The High-Performance Border Enforcement Agent, Douglas Allen A'Hern Jan 2023

Finding The High-Performance Border Enforcement Agent, Douglas Allen A'Hern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are well defined systemic challenges to managing, recruiting, and retaining the best border enforcement agents available amongst given candidates. The ability to identify and define specific attitudes and attributes within those agents who are considered high performers is something that could be of tremendous value to law enforcement agency managers. The need for information to cultivate the highest level of performance is magnified given the events in the United States that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement in May of 2020. In the effort to identify those attributes within high performance border agents, …

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The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin Jan 2023

The Essence Of Therapeutic Relationships In Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Joy Clark Akin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTraditional psychotherapeutic approaches are not always effective in alleviating psychological symptoms and improving functioning in young adults. Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) has been shown as a beneficial alternative therapeutic method developed for clients not helped by traditional methods. However, the essence of the therapeutic relationship that develops between the client, horse, therapist, and equine specialist has not been explored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of the therapeutic relationship in young adults who participated in EAP. The frameworks of person-centered theory and self psychology guided the development of interview questions, data analysis, and interpretation. Four …

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Colonial Legacy, Education, And Employment Opportunities: The Case Of Cameroon, Frantz Batoh Jan 2023

Colonial Legacy, Education, And Employment Opportunities: The Case Of Cameroon, Frantz Batoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe history of colonialism is one of the most powerful factors affecting the development of newly independent African states and limiting their chances for successful evolution. This research involved Cameroon and employment and educational issues associated with colonialism. The division between France and Britain contributed to the establishment of bilingualism within its territories, which is a source of multiple problems today. The study involved investigating the current situation in Cameroon through the lens of colonialism and its influence on countries. Theoretical foundations for this study were the colonial and postcolonial theory, neocolonialism, and concept of postcolony. They are used to …

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How College Professors Perceive The Managements Of Deliberate Acts Of Classroom Incivility Among Students, Sara Bengsch Jan 2023

How College Professors Perceive The Managements Of Deliberate Acts Of Classroom Incivility Among Students, Sara Bengsch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the negative consequences of incivility, there is a lack of research on how professors handle intentional student-to-student incivility. To address this gap, this study used qualitative, interpretative phenomenological research design to explore the experiences of 14 professors who have been teaching for five or more years at the university level in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties in southeastern Wisconsin. The lens of facework and politeness theory was utilized. The data collected were analyzed using NVivo software, which identified five themes based on patterns within the interviews: intervention strategies, motivations, policies, participant worldview, and skills. These themes provided valuable …

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Public Policy And African American Victims Of Inner-City Violence, Michael Andrew Benson Sr. Jan 2023

Public Policy And African American Victims Of Inner-City Violence, Michael Andrew Benson Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of being victimized or being a witness to a violent traumatic event without the support of public institutions, such as criminal justice, social service agencies, and mental health care clinics has led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and success factors for victims of inner-city violence as it related to access to public administration institutions to address their victimization. Self-efficacy theory was used as the theoretical foundation, and the study’s research question focused on victimization and access to public policy institutions. The study used a qualitative design with 10 …

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An Evaluation Of Community-Based Juvenile Firesetting Programs Through The Custodial Lens, Peter William Blaich Jan 2023

An Evaluation Of Community-Based Juvenile Firesetting Programs Through The Custodial Lens, Peter William Blaich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Using general strain theory and social learning theory as the foundation, this generic qualitative study addressed whether interventions and prevention services for juvenile firesetters in the City of Charlotte–Mecklenberg County met needs from the perspectives of critical stakeholders. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 parents/guardians of justice-involved adolescent fire offenders. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a six-step procedure for thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. The study's results revealed that the current juvenile firesetters intervention and prevention program is perceived as inadequate when applied without input from the adolescent’s parent or guardian. The participants perceived the need …

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Spiritual Care Visits During Palliative Care Predicting Discharge Location, Saundra Denise Casey Jan 2023

Spiritual Care Visits During Palliative Care Predicting Discharge Location, Saundra Denise Casey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSpiritual care has an important role in the caring of terminally ill patients and their families. However, there is little research demonstrating the relationship between spiritual care in palliative settings and discharge location of terminally ill patients. This study addressed spiritual care as a part of the palliative care services. A total of 186 records were reviewed from the spiritual care department at a hospital in Michigan. Kirkpatrick and Shaver’s attachment theory was used to evaluate the relationship between palliative care and discharge location. The research questions addressed the relationship between spiritual care visits, gender, age, religion, primary diagnosis, and …

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The Impact Of Staffing Level On Patient Care In Behavioral Health Care Settings, Sheuness Cuthbertson Jan 2023

The Impact Of Staffing Level On Patient Care In Behavioral Health Care Settings, Sheuness Cuthbertson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn many behavioral health care organizations, adequate staffing represents a key challenge that can compromise the workforce and cause detrimental outcomes for patients. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how inadequate staffing shapes the environment of one behavioral health care organization. A case study design was used, with the Baldrige Excellence Framework serving as the conceptual guide to understand how the organization's leadership performed and addressed important organizational challenges. The participant, a leader in the organization who oversaw program services, operations, policies, and procedures, answered interview questions about inadequate staffing and its impact on patient care and …

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An Evaluation Of A School-Based School Connectedness Program, John G. Emmerich Jan 2023

An Evaluation Of A School-Based School Connectedness Program, John G. Emmerich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 45% of high school students are either not engaged (28%) or actively disengaged (17%) in the academic process. Increasing a school's average student engagement yields an increase in reading and math achievement. This study evaluates a school connectedness program, Promoting Positive School Engagement (PPSE) program using a convergent mixed methods model to determine the degree of effectiveness measured by the Hemingway measure of adolescent connectedness instrument in an Urban, Midwest public middle school. Quantitative data were collected from 20 students who participated in the program and 20 students who did not (control group). Analyzed using …

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Clinical Social Workers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Parental Alienation, Martinek Evans Jan 2023

Clinical Social Workers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Parental Alienation, Martinek Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative research study aimed to explore clinical social workers’ perceptions and experiences of parental alienation (PA). Using Bowen’s family system theory as the framework, the research questions examined the problem from multiple levels of practice, including individual, family, institutional, and systematic. The individual interview approach aligned with the study goal by allowing participants opportunities to share their perspectives and experiences working with PA. The study used a purposive and snowball sampling of eight participants who were licensed social workers in the United States. Individual interview responses were transcribed and coded. Thematic content analysis was also used to analyze the …

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A Context-Sensitive Approach To The Implementation Of Performance Measurement Systems, Wisdom Eyoh Jan 2023

A Context-Sensitive Approach To The Implementation Of Performance Measurement Systems, Wisdom Eyoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPerformance measurement systems (PMS) exist to help public managers assess and improve decision-making related to programs, policies, processes, and personnel. However, challenges in implementing PMS have resulted in underutilization in the public sector. While critical success factors for successful implementation are known, little research exists on how public organizations can successfully implement PMS in individual organizations. This qualitative case study aimed to explore participants' experiences dealing with PMS, using contingency and goal-setting theories to analyze the influence of organizational contexts on PMS design, adoption, and implementation. Data were collected from five staff and top-level management at a large state agency …

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Mothers Of Children With Disabilities: Perceptions Of Online Peer Mentoring Support, April S. Felder Jan 2023

Mothers Of Children With Disabilities: Perceptions Of Online Peer Mentoring Support, April S. Felder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a trend of increased diagnoses of childhood disabilities in the United States. Mothers who care for a child diagnosed with disabilities typically experience increased parental obligations and maternal mental health deficits that often go undiagnosed or untreated, resulting in adverse events. Researchers found that peer mentoring is an effective, nonclinical resource for addressing these mothers’ intervention needs but have not established alternative ways to increase access and delivery. The purpose of this generic, qualitative study was to explore how mothers of children with disabilities perceive online peer mentoring as an intervention resource for stress and coping. Lazarus’s …

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Addressing Counterproductive Work Behaviors In A Behavioral Health Organization, Abigail Flores Jan 2023

Addressing Counterproductive Work Behaviors In A Behavioral Health Organization, Abigail Flores

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies show that counterproductive workplace behaviors impact organizations financially and operationally. The focus of this case study was to explore reasons for counterproductive workplace behaviors and to determine the actions of leadership to address and mitigate them. The Baldrige framework was used to guide this case study of a nonprofit behavioral health organization in the northeastern United States. Data sources for this study included structured interviews with the organization’s executive director, personal communications via email with the executive director, the organization’s website, and a review of academic literature. Data were analyzed with NVivo qualitative analysis software. Findings indicated a lack …

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First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler Jan 2023

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …

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Trade Liberalization And Income Inequality Among Automotive Manufacturing Workers In The Automotive Industry, Lacee Harris Jan 2023

Trade Liberalization And Income Inequality Among Automotive Manufacturing Workers In The Automotive Industry, Lacee Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about the impact trade openness has on income inequality in developed nations. Researchers have demonstrated that income inequality and globalization largely benefit underdeveloped nations. However, there is little research that exists on developed countries such as the United States. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare similarities between trade liberalization and income inequality among manufacturing workers in the automotive industry, specifically in the United States. This study was framed using the Heckscher–Ohlin theory. The study attempted to determine how trade liberalization has affected income inequality among the automotive industry in places such as Detroit, specifically …

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Far-Right Extremist Influence On American Immigration Policy, Christopher Joseph Heinrich Jan 2023

Far-Right Extremist Influence On American Immigration Policy, Christopher Joseph Heinrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little information on the increase in far-right extremist influence on policymakers’ ideology that affect immigration law. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how far-right extremists influence American policymakers in supporting the perspective that immigrants are replacing White Americans and how that affects non-White and/or non-Christian immigration. The framework for this study was based on policy feedback theory by Mettler and SoRelle. Research questions focused on federal legislation that supports anti-immigration between 2017 and 2021 and far-right extremist ideology. Document analysis was done through purposive sampling to select public records of individuals, groups, and laws. Data …

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The Correlation Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Pornography Consumption In Adulthood, Branden Henry Jan 2023

The Correlation Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Pornography Consumption In Adulthood, Branden Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 25 years, significant research has gone into understanding how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) correlate with a variety of negative health and behavioral outcomes, while at the same time, pornography consumption has increased dramatically. However, limited research has been done to understand whether a relationship exists between ACEs and pornography consumption. Attachment theory, which was used as the theoretical framework for this study, includes the idea that childhood experiences play a major role in a person’s development of various behaviors throughout life, including coping mechanisms like pornography consumption. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study was to …

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A Phenomenological Exploration Of Academic Mediation And Modifiability: The Progression From Ged® To Phd, Heather E. Hoyt Jan 2023

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Academic Mediation And Modifiability: The Progression From Ged® To Phd, Heather E. Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified the importance of academic mediation and modification within a student’s thought process as it encourages academic achievement in early education, college, and advanced degrees. However, there is a gap in the research regarding the academic mediation and modification in individuals who have progressed from GED to PhD. The purpose of this study was to (a) explore the personal experiences of doctoral alumni on their achievement during the progression from GED to PhD; (b) to understand what experiences, if any, related to receiving academic mediation and modification which led to doctoral success; and (c) to contribute to the …

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African Public Leadership On Technology Readiness And Diffusing The Circular Economy In Sub-Saharan Africa, Evans Jakpa-Johns Jan 2023

African Public Leadership On Technology Readiness And Diffusing The Circular Economy In Sub-Saharan Africa, Evans Jakpa-Johns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sub-Saharan Africa is not yet ready to embrace the digital and the fourth industrial revolution, and there remains a literature gap about technology readiness and effective technology diffusion to support a circular economy transition in West and East African countries. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to describe African public leadership experts' views on how sub-Saharan African leaders can enable technology readiness and the technology diffusion needed for a successful transition to a circular economy. A multiple case study design was used to collect data from a purposeful sample of 14 African public leadership experts. Semistructured interviews, …

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Managers' Experiences Coordinating Peer Mediation Programs In Schools, Ingrid Jeannis Jan 2023

Managers' Experiences Coordinating Peer Mediation Programs In Schools, Ingrid Jeannis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPeer mediation (PM) programs implemented in schools promote resolution of disputes and conflicts among peers. Several benefits have been associated with young children involved in these programs including reductions in physical aggression, as well as learning skills involving communication, problem solving, and decision making. While positive outcomes have been observed, less was known about manager experiences involving coordinating PM programs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore manager thoughts and experiences regarding their roles in PM programs and how they perceived strengths and weaknesses of these programs. The social learning theory was the theoretical framework for this study. …

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Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings Jan 2023

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …

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Strategies To Increase Emergency Department Patient Flow, Judith Faith Jones Jan 2023

Strategies To Increase Emergency Department Patient Flow, Judith Faith Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOvercrowding in emergency departments (EDs) is a systemic issue, resulting in inefficiencies affecting patient care quality. Hospital leaders struggle with reducing bottlenecks in EDs and providing a better patient care experience. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies used to reduce inefficiencies in EDs. The participants included five directors, administrators, and clinical managers from a hospital ED in Idaho Falls, Idaho, who successfully used strategies to reduce inefficiencies in EDs. Data were analyzed from semistructured interviews and a review of organization documents and artifacts following Yin’s five-step data analysis …

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Identifying Supervision And Training Needs Within A Native American Reservation Co-Occurring Treatment Program, Jennifer Jones Jan 2023

Identifying Supervision And Training Needs Within A Native American Reservation Co-Occurring Treatment Program, Jennifer Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Native American rural communities are not without substance abuse treatment needs; however, highly skilled mental health providers are often limited on a reservation, which leaves this population with clinicians with less experience and education. This project is a case study of a substance abuse treatment program within a Native American tribe in the western portion of the United States. The practice-focused research questions directly related to the training, certification, and education of staff in the addiction field, and to the ways in which the program evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff members. The purpose of this study was …

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Leadership’S Impact On Employee Work Motivation And Performance, Tonia Marilu Joseph-Armstrong Jan 2023

Leadership’S Impact On Employee Work Motivation And Performance, Tonia Marilu Joseph-Armstrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLeadership is a major factor in terms of motivating employees, leading to enhanced performance. A study was conducted to examine the influence of supervisory leadership style on employee work motivation and job performance in organizations, specifically in a K-12 school setting. The main goal was to determine if there is a relationship between type of leadership demonstrated by school administrators and its impact on the teaching staff’s motivation and performance. Data for this quantitative study were gathered and analyzed from various public and private schools and included a sample of 100 participants. The predictor variable leadership was assessed using the …

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The Effect Of Federal And State-Level Policy On Undocumented Childhood Arrivals, Kim Kaczmarowski Jan 2023

The Effect Of Federal And State-Level Policy On Undocumented Childhood Arrivals, Kim Kaczmarowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provides a 2-year reprieve from deportation and a work permit for eligible undocumented childhood arrivals. It does not provide a pathway to citizenship or confer rights or protections enjoyed by those with permanent legal status leaving recipients in a constant state of legal limbo. State-level policy can mitigate or exacerbate obstacles faced by this population. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how federal and state-level policy in a conservative location shaped experiences of membership or exclusion. Responses were examined using segmented assimilation theory to identify layered contexts of reception. The …

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The Lived Experiences Of Minority Widowers With Dependent Children, Cathy-Ann L. King Jan 2023

The Lived Experiences Of Minority Widowers With Dependent Children, Cathy-Ann L. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spousal death is a traumatic event well documented amongst clinical professionals because of its impact on a man’s physical and mental health. However, prior research on widowers has focused predominantly on white middle-class males. Little is known about the black indigenous people of color (BIPOC) male experience with spousal death, especially from those who are raising their dependent children. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived experiences of BIPOC male widowers and their children. BIPOC widowers experiencing the trauma of this life-changing event without professional assistance are at higher risk of emotional, physical, and mental distress. Attachment theory …

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