Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Engaged In Mentoring Programs For Novice Teachers, Donna M. Sowerby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Beginning special education teachers often leave the field within the first 3–5 years of employment. There is ample research available on mentoring programs for beginning teachers. However, limited research exists on mentoring programs for beginning special education teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of novice special education teachers in urban schools to broaden the current understanding regarding their perceptions of mentoring. Self-determination theory was the conceptual framework for examining the mentoring relationships and the participants’ perceptions. Using a phenomenological approach, in-depth face-to-face interviews were used with a purposeful sample of 10 novice …

Understanding U.S. Customers' Intention To Adopt Robo-Advisor Technology, Deborah Wall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Finance and information technology scholars wrote that there is a literature gap on what factors drive investors in Western financial markets to use a Robo-advisor to manage their investments. The purpose of this qualitative, single case study with embedded units is to understand the adoption intentions of retail investors in U.S. markets to use a Robo-advisor instead of a human advisor. A single case study design addressed the literature gap, and qualitative data from seven semi=structured interviews, reflective field notes, and archival data were triangulated to answer the research question. This study was grounded in a theoretical framework that includes …

Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers …

Locus Of Control, Mindfulness, And Perceived Caregiver Burden In Informal Caregivers Of People With Dementia, Tiffany Marinos-Sterge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAdult informal caregivers play an essential role in the care of people with dementia living in the community. Adult informal caregivers may experience a host of negative psychological, emotional, and physical effects because of their roles as caregivers. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the influence of locus of control and mindfulness on the perceived caregiver burden experienced by adult informal caregivers of people with dementia, controlling for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. Social determination theory and social learning theory provided the theoretical foundation for this study. Variables were measured using the Caregiver Burden Inventory, Mindfulness Attention Awareness …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Traits, Characteristics, And Circumstances Of Modern-Day Mass Shooters, Matt Talbot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little research on parents’ perceptions about the traits, characteristics, and circumstances ascribed to mass shooters and the sources of information shaping these perceptions. Understanding parents’ beliefs about mass shooters and mass shootings can serve to inform approaches to training and education and recommendations for media reporting on such events. Evidence-based knowledge helps parents become more equipped to serve as early interventionists for those who may be moving along a pathway of violence. Application of Gerbner’s cultivation theory frames the process by which media sources shape perceptions. In this phenomenological qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with 19 …

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 …

The Student’S Perspective Of Therapeutic Day Treatment, Krystal Vaughan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has continued to be diagnosed in school-aged children at a high rate. Students with this diagnosis often display negative behaviors and poor academic performance, leading to the need for school-based interventions. Although the use of school-based interventions has shown to be moderately effective, the need to identify the student’s perspective is warranted. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore the effectiveness of therapeutic day treatment from the student’s perspective. While parents and teachers have found therapeutic day treatment useful, research to date from the student’s perspective is lacking. Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive …

Exploring Educators' Perception Of Remote Instructional Collaboration In Liberian Higher Education Classrooms, George Wah Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public higher education institutions in Liberia have employed various mitigating measures to improve instruction quality and increase learning outcomes; however, little was known about remote instructional collaboration as a strategic approach in Liberian higher education classrooms. This qualitative study, based on Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory, explored the Liberian educators’ perceptions of and disposition to RIC in public tertiary classrooms in Liberia. Seeking Liberian educators’ perception of and disposition to remote instructional collaboration in public tertiary classrooms drove this investigation. Two groups of 17 educators based in the United States and Liberia were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol facilitated …

Minority Supervisees’ Experiences With Parallel Processing In Counseling Supervision, Dorothy Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The population of mental health counselors mirrors the diversity of the people served by the counseling profession. Becoming a professional counselor in the United States requires a designated number of clinical supervision hours. The supervision process is designed to ensure a supervisee is equipped with the skills and develops the professional identity to serve the public. Studies have explored the phenomenon of parallel processing (the processes at work between a supervisee and client reflected in their relationship) from clinical supervisors’ perspectives, yet researchers agree that the supervisee initiates the phenomenon, and the voices of supervisees have not been captured. The …

Perspectives On Instructional Barriers To Inclusion At Primary Schools In Jamaica, Marcia Hillary Peak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInclusive education, which is a global practice in schools, recognizes the rights of all children to equal educational opportunities, including those with special needs or disabilities; however, educators in low-income countries like Jamaica struggle with its implementation. This basic qualitative study explored teachers’ and principals’ perceptions toward instructional and curricular barriers to inclusion in primary level schools. The theory supporting this study is Bronfenbrenner’s development ecology model. Research questions focused on educators’ perspectives of instructional barriers to inclusion. Twelve participants from seven mainstream schools in a single region were interviewed. Data were analyzed using open coding to determine patterns, and …

How Gender And Victim Blame Impact The Identification Of Human Trafficking Victims, Rudee Colleen Hanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon that uses fraud, force, or coercion to subjugate human beings into a modern form of slavery. Male and transgender victims have been excluded from previous research and as a result, the numbers of victims identifying as male, and transgender is unknown. This study examined the impact of gender and victim blame on the identification of human trafficking victims, particularly male and transgender. The theoretical frameworks of feminist theory and belief in a just world theory supported the study and supported the hypotheses. The research questions focused on the impact of gender and victim blame …

Post-School Transition Experiences Of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Christine Marie Lindh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The post-school transition phenomenon has been examined using educational and vocational viewpoints. However, despite evidence-based practices and policies, individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often experience unfavorable outcomes. This population needs a voice in existing literature because it tends to be aggregated with other participant groups. This qualitative study involved understanding how young adults with mild to moderate ID described their lived experiences regarding the post-school transition to adulthood, specifically in terms of their personal expectations of employment and functional independence. The social cognitive career theory was used to explore individual and environmental factors related to adulthood transitions. Semi-structured interviews were …

Religiosity, Daily Rosary, And Well-Being Of Catholics In College During The Pandemic, Michael Raul Rios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before and since the Coronavirus pandemic, college students suffered from increasing rates of mental health conditions affecting their well-being. Researchers have requested more studies on prayer as a strategy to address well-being issues. The purpose of this anonymous online survey study (N = 59) was to discover if there were any associations between religiosity and well-being, daily Rosary frequency and well-being, and if daily Rosary frequency mediated an association between religiosity and well-being of Catholic students in college in the United States during the pandemic in 2021. Participants were recruited via social media, listservs, email, one nationwide organization, the Walden …

Adolescent Bereavement After Sudden Loss Of A Close Friend, Alora Elizabeth Zulliger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the prevalence of sudden death in adolescence, there is a deficiency of resources and support for adolescents who have lost a close friend to premature death. These resources are vital, as the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend is often traumatizing and can contribute to a sense of instability in young people. Although a great deal of academic research has been conducted on sibling or parental grief during adolescence, there existed a need for further research on peer loss during adolescence. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to describe the essence and meaning of the lived …

Strategies To Reduce The Impact Of Disruptions In Manufacturing Transportation Supply Chains, John Enyabe Ndone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Supply chain managers in the manufacturing transportation industry grapple with reducing the impact of disruptions in transportation supply chains since 50% of U.S. companies have experienced between six to 20 disruptions per year. Ineffective transportation disruption strategies negatively impact the performance and profitability of manufacturing organizations resulting in losses and business failure. Grounded in Goldratt’s philosophy and thinking process of the Theory of Constraints (TOC), the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies supply chain managers in the manufacturing transportation industry used to reduce the impact of disruptions in transportation supply chains. The participants …

Predicting Project Success By Project Manager Competencies And Personality Traits Moderated By Work Experience, Jasmine H. Kirby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractProject manager competencies and personality traits can make the difference between project success or failure. However, it remains unclear which is the strongest predictor of project success when moderated by work experience. The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide information about the relationship between project manager competencies, personality, and project success by (a) investigating the relationship between project manager competencies, personality traits, and project success; and (b) identifying whether project competencies or personality traits was the strongest predictor of project success among project managers at different work experience levels. Data were collected from 272 project managers. Instruments to …

Criminology And Violent Extremist Radicalization, Starlett Michele Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, research on foreign terrorism became extensive in the United States while research on domestic terrorism and violent extremist radicalization was lacking. Despite the research that has been done, there was a lapse in scholarship analyzing terrorism radicalization and its relationship with criminology. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to analyze the perceptions of experts in terrorism and criminology about how factors of criminology can explain violent extremist radicalization. This study used two conceptual models of terrorism radicalization: (a) the staircase to terrorism and the (b) 4-stage model of the terrorist mindset. In addition, …

Medication Versus Mindfulness Meditation On Symptoms Of Adhd In Adult Women, Maria Skoulidas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA recent spike has occurred in women diagnosed with less common and often overlooked ADHD symptoms. Using the mindfulness to meaning theory as the foundation, this study was conducted to explore how mindfulness meditation (MM) and medication affected three related factors commonly found in women with ADHD, self-concept, risky behaviors, and familial relationships. The research questions were formulated to determine if there was a difference in subscale scores of each variable based on the type of treatment the participant was using, either mindfulness meditation (MM) or prescription medication, to deal with ADHD symptoms. A pre-experimental static group comparison design was …

Theoretical Orientation Beliefs Among Adventure Therapy Professionals, Edward Spaulding

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adventure therapy as a therapeutic model for the treatment of mental health has been a growing area of psychology for more than 50 years. This quantitative study was conducted to explore the theoretical orientation beliefs to clarify the theoretical framework of this therapeutic approach using Coleman’s theoretical evaluation self-test (TEST) to gather data on self-identified adventure therapy practitioners’ theoretical beliefs. Data were collected from 150 participants recruited through their membership or affiliation with adventure therapy professional organizations or social media groups. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test to determine if adventure therapy professionals have higher scores on the cognitive, …

False Advertising And Young Girls’ Self Esteem, Caitlin Bohannon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is becoming impossible to recognize the level of photoshop on advertisements. However, little is known how continuous exposure to such images can negatively impact the short- and long-term psyche of young girls aged 6 to 14 years old. The study’s theoretical framework was Benet’s polarities of democracy, emphasizing freedom and authority and human rights and communal obligations. The research question focused on the negative impacts false advertising has on young girls and what public policies could assist in mitigating these short- and long-term impacts. A general qualitative design, with semistructured interviews of seven adult participants with relevant insight on …

Relationships Between Stress Self-Management, Social Support, And Health In Hispanic Informal Caregiver Burnout Prevention, Nicole Alexandra Mas Román

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout syndrome is a psychological disorder characterized by physical, emotional, and mental distress and exhaustion resulting in feelings of depression, anxiety, irritability, and negative attitudes. If left unattended, burnout syndrome can lead to new or worsening health outcomes. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between stress self-management, perceived social support, health status, and burden among Puerto Rican informal caregivers. The theoretical foundations for this research were the informal caregiving integrative model and the individual and family self-management theory. Survey data were collected from 415 participants. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship …

Restorative Justice And Recidivism In Formerly Incarcerated Women, Alfeia B. Devaughn-Goodwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the experiences of nonviolent women offenders over the age of 50 of all ethnicities who were formerly incarcerated and their involvement with restorative justice and recidivism from a public policy perspective. Although there was prior research on reentry of ex-offenders, the problem was that few studies focused on the barriers and success factors of reentry services for older female ex-offenders 50 years or older. The purpose of the study was to explore restorative justice and recidivism in formerly incarcerated women who were nonviolent offenders in an East Coast state with a focus on the barriers and success …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Outbreak On Adolescent Schoolgirls’ Education In Rural Sierra Leone, Mohamed Hassimiu Barrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 1990, Sierra Leone has experienced several major emergencies that required global attention: a decade-long rebel war, Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks. Each disproportionately affected schoolgirls’ educations. In 2021, the government of Sierra Leone introduced the Radical Inclusion Policy to support the education of girls and lift a policy that banned pregnant girls from attending mainstream schools to allow thousands of schoolgirls who were impregnated during the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks to return to schools. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the education of adolescent schoolgirls in rural Sierra Leone, …

Perceived Stress Of Grandparents Parenting Their Grandchildren, Beverly Gale Nicholas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenthood responsibilities are changing in the United States. The overall research problem for this study was that grandparents are parenting their grandchildren when their adult children are incarcerated for alcohol abuse or use. The importance of this problem is that as adults age, they are taking on the responsibilities of being parents rather than grandparents. In this new role, grandparents may not have the coping strategies or social support to ensure that they have life satisfaction during their senior years. The purpose of this study was to assess the independent variables, age and perceived stress (low, medium, and high), as …

North Carolina Cps Social Worker Self-Efficacy With Legal Aspects, Michelle E. Bates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

North Carolina has the infrastructure to investigate the allegations of child abuse and neglect. However, the problem is that during the investigation, not all children have risk and safety evaluated. Assessing for risk and safety determines the child’s immediate or future need for legal interventions. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to explore CPS social workers’ self-efficacy with legal aspects when completing abuse and neglect investigations in rural counties in North Carolina. Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy was the theoretical framework used to explain the phenomenon in this study. The research questions were: (a) What are the perceptions …

Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, the adult population 65 and older is anticipated to grow, signaling the necessity of awareness of late-life issues and concerns. Although research has shown that losses and changes in late life are anticipated, there is very little empirical evidence of how HSPs direct care professionals understand, assess, or perceive the complexities of cumulative grief and loss in their 65 and older clients. Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (2014) was used as the conceptual framework a qualitative methodology to explore the understanding, assessment, and perception of the complexities of late-life cumulative grief and loss of HSPs working with adults 65 …

Organizational Barriers To Effective University Student Mental Health Services, Felicia Evans-Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on organizational barriers to effective university student mental health services access in the department of student resources (DSR) at a for-profit university in the northeastern United States. Once such barriers are addressed, faculty may be more successful in reaching out to students needing mental health services who are not self-identifying as needing these services. The Baldrige excellence framework guided this descriptive case study to examine the organizational barriers that prevent university leadership from creating clear policies and procedures for faculty to refer students to mental health services. Data sources included interviews with the behavioral health leader …

The Lived Experience Of Individuals Thinking About Food And Coping With Stress, Tobi Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress results in many people altering their eating patterns, often consuming food high in sugar and fat. Such behavior is a factor in the growing obesity epidemic and can potentially cause the development of chronic diseases, resulting in employment problems and billions of extra dollars spent on national health care programs. Researchers have focused on the concept of “emotional eating” while overlooking the overarching research question of this study, which was about exploring the experience of individuals using eating behavior as a coping mechanism to deal with stress. All responses were viewed through the lens of social cognitive theory. Interviews …

Perceived Discrimination As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Allostatic Load And Asthma Control, Vera Kern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While asthma prevalence in the United States is generally declining, African Americans tend to experience poorer outcomes regarding asthma severity and control. The purpose of the present study was to test whether discrimination (everyday and lifetime) moderated the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control (dyspnea and peak flow). In previous literature, researchers established the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control among African Americans. The biopsychosocial model and allostatic load theory served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this cross-sectional, nonexperimental, quantitative design, 201 African Americans between the ages of 34 and 82 years were …

The Role Of Work In Animal Shelter Volunteers' Experiences Of Compassion Fatigue, Andria L. Corso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Animal shelter volunteers are a critical part of the operation and maintenance of animal shelters across the United States, and risk developing compassion fatigue (CF) that can impact their ability to volunteer. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of work in animal shelter volunteers’ experiences of CF. The compassion stress and fatigue model and aspects from several occupational stress models were used as conceptual frameworks. A basic qualitative design was used to recruit 12 animal shelter volunteers experiencing compassion fatigue symptoms. These volunteers came from 10 different animal shelters across the U.S. Three research questions were …