The current phenomenological case study, based in part on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, set out to examine the lived experiences of individuals sharing and mediating meaningful communication with individuals who have Down syndrome. To accomplish this, the researcher interviewed several categories of caregivers who regularly interact with…

The critical role of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to help elderly nursing home residents' move through declining conditions or diseases to death is salient. It is important for CNAs and nursing home leaders to understand CNAs' attitudes, fears, and anxieties toward death and dying. The quantitative study investigated CNA's…

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer in adolescence requires that adolescents and their caregivers learn to transition and adjust to the challenges associated with cancer. The aim of this phenomenological study was to generate a detailed examination of the experiences of four caregivers and their adolescent children, 11 to 18 years of age,…

There is a growing shortage of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. This shortage is at a crisis now and will continue to become more of a crisis unless changes are made. This is a crisis for many community employers and even more of a crisis for the people with disabilities who are faced…

Needs of healthcare consumers continue to change and thus healthcare trends must adhere to these changes to enable better outcomes. Pregnant adolescents often have high pregnancy and post-pregnancy risks for themselves and their children, which create educational needs; therefore implementation of healthcare education must change to better meet…

This study investigates caregivers' perceptions of the transition process for children transitioning from Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) to School Age Special Education services (SA). Interest in this topic developed during the researcher's 18 years of experience as an Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Teacher during which she…

This pilot study investigated the impact of group activity play therapy (GAPT) on displaced orphans aged 10 to 12 years living in a large children's village in Uganda. Teachers and housemothers identified 60 preadolescents exhibiting clinical levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The participants' ethnicity was African and…

As the population continues to become more aged and at risk for chronic illness, there will be a growing need for caregivers. Caregivers to persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) face the challenge of providing care over many years due to the chronic progressive nature of this neurological disorder. The purpose of this study was to understand and…

The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of direct care workers (DCWs) in group homes towards PWDs. This study also investigated DCWs' demographic and other variables on their attitudes towards PWDs. The scale of attitudes towards disabled persons (SADP) questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of 108 direct care workers…

This is a quantitative study to identify and compare the beliefs held by elementary school administrators, gifted education specialists, classroom teachers, and parents of high-ability students concerning issues related to gifted education services provided by a rural school district in Southeast Georgia. Participants were administered a…

The purpose of this research is to understand the meanings and perceptions that families, teachers, and school-based service providers on the Westside in Syracuse, New York ascribe to school-based mental health services. The Westside is an economically disadvantaged and under-resourced neighborhood where children experience a great deal of stress…

Research studies have demonstrated that effective parental involvement correlates with positive academic success. This study sought to gain more insight into the perceptions of parents and caregivers of Navajo children enrolled in a K-12 tribally controlled, public, charter, or Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) operated schools. By completing a…

This study examined indigenous infants, children, and youth in rural central Mexico for developmental delays by using a mixed methods approach. A two-person team consisting of a researcher and a translator completed this study. They conducted observations of 665 minors and interviews with their caregivers. A self-designed rubric was the guide to…