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  The Effect of Depression on Obesity Versus All-Cause Mortality

  Srikanta Banerjee

  Obesity is known to be associated with poor health in the general population. Mental illness is also known to cause disability and mortality. In this prospective analysis, we found a higher level of obesity-related mortality among individuals with depression. Social policy should be aimed at treating the mental–physical illness connection.

  Sri K. Banerjee, MD, PhD, ORCID: 0000000268724983

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  An Analysis of Mothers and Fathers Who Kill Their Children: Examining Offense Characteristics and Adjudication Outcomes

  Kristen R. Beyer, Eric Hickey, and Deanna Bishop-Deaton

  Filicide is a crime that conflicts with nature in that it undermines our genetic fitness and parental investment and defies attachment theory. Yet, despite the crime of filicide being counterintuitive, the media frequently reports on cases involving parents who have killed their own child. This analysis involves examining open-source cases of 100 mothers and 100 fathers who have killed their children. Analyses will compare the differences between mothers and fathers in terms of offender and victim demographics, as well as mental health and criminal histories. Offense characteristics and adjudication outcomes will also be examined.

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  Factors Deterring Male Enrollment in Higher Education in Barbados

  Debbie Samantha Bovell

  Barbados is experiencing low male enrollment in higher education. The purpose of this case study was to provide insight into the factors deterring young men from enrolling in higher education. The frameworks used were Cross’s chain of response theory, Bourdieu’s social capital theory, and Knowles’ theory of andragogy. The focus was on the factors deterring male enrollment, suggestions for increasing enrollment, and benefits of nonenrollment. Seven men participated in semistructured interviews. Five educational leaders participated in a focus group. Institutional factors accounted predominately in deterring young Barbadian men from enrolling in higher education.

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  The Relationship Between Early-Stage Structured Feedback and Doctoral Capstone Milestone Completion

  Michelle Brown and Beate Baltes

  Approximately 40% of doctoral students are unable to complete their independent capstone research. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between an added early-stage structured feedback process in doctoral capstone completion and the number of days to proposal approval, as well as whether there were differences in the number of research reviewer returns at an online university. Significant relationships were found for both.

  Beate Baltes, EdD, ORCID: 0000000192255307

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  Association of Dietary Intake with Suicidal Ideation or Suicide Attempts in Adolescents

  Zenobia J. Bryant

  Suicide is among the leading causes of adolescent deaths worldwide and thus a significant public health concern. This cross-sectional study examined the interaction between fruit and vegetable intake and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt were significantly, positively correlated with fruit and vegetable intake even after controlling for age, sex, race, and depression. Legislators, educators, parents, and other stakeholders can use the knowledge from this study for guidance and direction in creating policies that can positively influence the mental health of adolescents.

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  Faculty Perspectives on Redesigning Classrooms with Active Learning Technology Tools

  Zhanat Alma Burch

  Effective integration of active learning technology tools in classrooms is a key component of 21st century higher education. The problem at the local university was that limited information existed about faculty perceptions regarding benefits of and barriers to integrating these tools. The technology acceptance model framework was used in this exploratory case study. Eight faculty members participated in semistructured interviews. Teaching technique and style of the faculty appear to determine the nature of their perception of success, rather than the active learning tools themselves.

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  African American Male Ex-Offenders’ Perceptions of a Reentry Program’s Impact on Recidivating

  Latoya Rochelle Burt

  African American male ex-offenders struggle with lack of assistance during their transition from incarceration, and they encounter many barriers when returning back into the community. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of whether a reentry program impacted African American male ex-off enders’ likelihood of recidivating within 1 year. The findings indicated that the reentry program enhanced participants’ well-being, improved their communication, and increased their resourcefulness. Findings may be used to develop and improve reentry programs to promote better reentry outcomes and safer communities.

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  Leadership Strategies to Reduce Employees' Occupational Stress

  Ransford George Davidson

  Job-related aspects of the work environment may cause occupational stress and increase costs to organizations. Grounded in the job demands–resources model theory, this single-case study explored strategies that some bank managers use to reduce employees’ occupational stress. Organizational protection and leadership, supportive organization, occupational health and well-being, and prevention emerged as successful strategies to reduce job-related stress factors and the negative consequences of occupational stress. The implications for positive social change include the potential for improving employee health, thus reducing the burden of health care cost to employees, their families, communities, and organizations.

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  Organizational Learning in Libraries at For-Profit Colleges and Universities

  Julie Evener

  The purpose of this sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study was to assess and explore organizational learning in libraries at for-profit colleges and universities. The findings showed medium levels of organizational learning and suggested strategies to increase organizational learning, which could improve student success.

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  Adolescent Engagement in Home-Based Treatment: An Action Research Study

  Krystal Finch

  This study explored the clinical practice approaches, roles, and experiences used in home-based treatment to adolescents residing in a large city in the northeastern United States. Social work clinicians (N = 5) participated in a focus group to address the clinical roles, characteristics, and skills essential for reducing barriers related to adolescent engagement in home-based treatment, including the areas of competence, respect, empathy, and passion. Findings from this study included opportunities for clinicians to increase understanding of characteristics, skills, and experiences in home-based treatment, which may enhance the adolescent’s autonomy, decrease risk factors, and reduce the revolving door of treatment programs.

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  Intervention and Prevention Strategies to Combat Juvenile Violence from Front Line Professionals

  Jessica L. Hart and Ashley Garcia

  This mixed-methods study explored the perceptions of law enforcement officers, mental health therapists, and teachers regarding juvenile violence. The professionals determined the most important risk and protective factors of violent juvenile offending to target intervention and prevention services. The professionals overwhelmingly recommended targeted services for parent involvement. Other key areas included mental health services, restrictions/monitoring social media, substance/alcohol abuse prevention, and prosocial peers. These findings can lead to positive social change by potentially reducing the crime rate in society.

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  Influence of Privatization Policies on Residential Satisfaction in Military Family Housing

  Kirsten R. Hawley

  This secondary analysis examined the outcomes of public–private partnerships for housing, specifically the Military Privatized Housing Initiative, from the perspective of Military Family Housing (MFH) residents. Pre- and postimplementation residential satisfaction were analyzed and found to be lower in residents of privatized MFH. Analysis of sociodemographic factors revealed several significant determinants of residential satisfaction. Significant determinants in the pre-implementation sample were income (paygrade), branch of service, ethnicity, and whether the member had children or dependents in his or her household. In the postimplementation sample, having children or dependents in the household was also a significant determinant of residential satisfaction.

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  Resiliency Factors in African American Female Students in Single- Gender Educational Settings

  Phyllis Lynette Hill

  Resiliency is key to educational success, yet strategies to support the resiliency in educational success of African American female students are not understood. In this phenomenological study, four African American alumnae of single-gender secondary and postsecondary schools explored, described, and shared their experiences of educational resilience and competence in single-gender education. These women attributed their academic success to racial identity/socialization, single-gender education, support systems, GRIT (Guts, Resilience, Initiative, and Tenacity), and Cultural (Re)Appropriation Unity (emergent concept) spiritual relationship to their resilience. A framework to support the future success of these students was developed.

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  Using a Risk Assessment to Predict Family Court Service Use in Custody Disputes

  Joi Hollis

  Although the need is clear, research on appropriate services for families involved in high conflict custody cases is lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Child Risk Index for Divorced or Separating Families is an effective family risk assessment to identify specific family needs relevant court-related family triage services and programs.

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  Technology Preferences of Multiple Generations in the Workplace Classroom

  Esther Lynn Jackson

  The purpose of this study was to investigate how employees in four generations differed with respect to attitudes toward instructional approaches using technology in the workplace classroom. Based on the findings, a 3-day leadership workshop was created with recommendations to educators for a customized approach to instructing individuals for each generation.

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  Police Use of Force Decisions: A Gender Perspective

  Tina Jaeckle Ph.D., Barbara Benoliel PhD, and Orville Nickel

  To examine gender differences in U.S. police officers’ use of force, data from focus groups of male and female officers responding to escalating scenarios of risk were analyzed. Results compared to studies conducted in Canada and the United Kingdom indicated a similar finding: Use of force differed on gender lines. The social change contribution is in informing community policing strategies.

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  Hazardous Waste Site Proximity and Type 2 Diabetes: From Youths to Adults

  Theresa Ann Johnson

  Human exposure to environmental toxins has been correlated with diabetes. To examine the relationship between remote exposure to hazardous waste sites (HWS) and Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Priorities List of Superfund sites were analyzed. The results support obesity and advanced age as risk factors for T2DM and suggest that non- Hispanic Whites residing farther from a HWS had a reduced risk for T2DM. The social change contribution is in supporting environmental health assessments in clinical practice and influencing dialogue about social justice and the distribution of HWS.

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  Creation of a Diabetic Health Literacy Program

  Cathy Jo Jones

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  Curricular, Instructional, and Co-curricular Factors Perceived to Influence Students Dropping Out

  Kimberly S. Jones

  This qualitative case study explored principals’, teachers’, and counselors’ perceptions regarding curricular, instructional, and cocurricular factors influencing students’ disengagement and dropping out. Battin-Pearson’s academic mediation theory and student-centered learning framed the study. Results indicated a multitiered system of support to identify and monitor at-risk students. Findings can lead to strategies to help address the social problem of dropouts.

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  Strategies to Implement Innovation in Hospitals

  Schola Mutumene Kabeya

  The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore clinical practice innovation strategies used by hospital middle managers to improve quality of care and profitability. Participants were eight middle managers from two high-performing hospitals in the southwestern region of the United States. Organizational culture, leadership, systematic approach to management by objectives, and staff engagement emerged as successful strategies to improve quality of care and organizational profitability.

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  The Evaluation of an After-School Self-Efficacy Program for Middle- Schoolers

  Atia D. Mark

  The purpose of this project study was to evaluate a 10-week after school self-efficacy curriculum for middle school students. Comparison of pre- and posttest self-efficacy scores did not show remarkable differences; however, qualitative analysis of interview data revealed that children’s self-efficacy beliefs grew after program participation. These findings can inform efforts to improve educational outcomes for middle school students.

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  Life Stress, Coping, and Health in Eastern Orthodox Clergy

  Athina-Eleni Goudanas Mavroudhis

  The health of members of the clergy is understudied despite their exhibiting high stress and mortality rates. Grounded in self-regulation theory and using logistic regression, this study of 129 clergy determined the relative strength of stress, coping, health perceptions, age, and years in ministry in predicting health outcomes (chronic disease). Results indicated that as negative coping style and age increased, chronic disease also increased. Health professionals can use these results to improve health outcomes in clergy.

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  Predictive Relationship Between Treatment Adherence, Glycated Hemoglobin, and Diabetic Complications Among Jamaicans

  Christian Anaba Nwaukwa

  Patient nonadherence to physicians’ prescribed medication is the greatest challenge in the effective treatment of diabetic patients. Nonadherence to medication could result in various diabetic complications. The theory of planned behavior was used to guide the study. Data regarding diabetic complications were collected from 119 records during a cross-sectional review of patient dockets. Level of adherence was determined from an eight-item interviewer-administered adherence scale and HbA1c levels. A multiple regression analysis revealed that lower levels of patient adherence to treatment and higher HbA1c levels predicted greater severity of cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, and neuropathic foot ulcer.

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  Nurse Supervisors and Certified Nursing Assistants: Leadership Characteristics and Job Satisfaction

  Jennifer Patterson

  Significant costs are associated with turnover among certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and turnover impacts quality of care for residents of SNFs through disruption of care. The purpose of this study was identification of leadership characteristics of supervisors associated with job satisfaction of CNAs in SNFs. Results indicated that increased levels of trust negatively impact the job satisfaction of the CNAs, whereas increased levels of empowerment increase job satisfaction. These findings may help improve the lives of the workers and increase CNA retention, thus improving the lives of vulnerable members of society through enhanced quality of care.

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  Protecting Vulnerable Children in the Middle East and North Africa From Violent Extremism Through Rights-Based Education

  Mary Ann Rea Ramirez

  To combat discrimination and promote religious tolerance and pluralism, Hardwired Global piloted a rights-based education program to address the underlying fears, misconceptions, and biases held by youths that influence their behavior and perceptions of others, making them susceptible to extremist thinking and violence. The resulting teacher-training program equips teachers in three countries in the Middle East and North Africa with a rights-based pedagogy and educational resources to integrate greater respect for human dignity, equality, and the rights of people of different religions and beliefs in the culture of the classroom. Analysis of the program has shown statistically significant conceptual change in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as an increase in empathy toward others who believe differently.