Social Studies

The main purpose for this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) among children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in selected primary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The rise in defiance cases among children in schools in Kenya and the social, educational and economic impact it has on the children and their families have led for need for proper diagnosis and effective intervention. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with oppositional defiant disorder among children. Quasi experimental research design was used in the study with a sample of 180 participants .The study involved children aged between 9 to 14 years. Purposive sampling was used in selecting the two schools. 315 respondents completed the demographic questionnaires; the respondent’s parents also completed the social-demographic questionnaires. Teachers and parents completed the CADBI after a baseline assessment to identify those with symptoms of ODD. Systematic sampling method was applied on 249 participants who met the criteria for ODD because the number exceeded the required sample size. Risk factors associated with ODD were; religion, educational level of the respondents, conflicted relationship with parents, punishment in school, social- economic status and suspension from school, respondents whose parents were casual laborers, the level of education of the respondent’s parents. Significance was reported at p < 0.05. In conclusion, primary schools children need to have professional psychologists to provide counseling services to the children presenting with ODD symptoms and devise intervention that will help in the management of ODD which will help the children function well both socially and academically. This will also stop the progression ODD to other mental disorders when they are adults for example; Depression, anxiety, antisocial disorder which causes problems with adjustment in the community.

Social media is recognized by the innovatively minded, as an excellent means to increase business, as the ever-increasing use of social media by populations around the world presents many points of engagement with existing and new customers. The outreach may an imperative for businesses to increase consumer engagement as an additional communication channel to market products and services, as the disruptions with inflation, decreased consumer confidence, and the ravages of the pandemic have wreaked significant losses to businesses worldwide. The barrier to consumer engagement however may be sub-optimal, when social media marketing (SMM) strategies fail to innovatively and unreservedly lag in the adeptness to engage consumers, which may present missed opportunities for small business managers (SBMs) to generate sales. Keeping pace with technological and consumer trends is vital to increase business success and lower risks in sustainability, reinforced by the theoretical lens that the theory of diffusion of innovation (DOI), provided, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to study the strategies that SBMs use to develop and effectively implement SMM strategies, in increasing existing and prospective customer engagement. The sample purposively drawn from the study population, was six business managers and owners from six different successful small businesses in Maryland. The participation criteria of study participants were demonstrable and verifiable success in using social media marketing strategies successfully for five years, in marketing to existing and new customers. Semi-structured interviews were used in data collection, and with the invocation of a multiple case study design, the analysis also involved the examination of financial and other documents of industry and company respectively. The findings of this study may be of value to SBMs as the knowledge of the SMM strategies discerned from the study may provide insights into formulating and executing social media business and marketing strategies, which advance customer engagement. Business knowledge and the judicious implementation of it can contribute to economic success, which usually translates into positive benefits for society

The deleterious effects of interruptions of hydroelectric energy damage on equipment are profound, and the adverse effect is also on worker productivity. This exploratory study was on understanding the strategies of manufacturing leaders in Zambia strategies to manage hydroelectricity interruptions and thereby also mitigate risks and reduce financial losses. Grounded in the contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some manufacturing leaders use to manage hydroelectricity interruptions. The study participants for this study were six managers from different manufacturing industries based in Lusaka, Zambia, who implemented strategies to manage hydropower interruptions. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and a review of secondary sources, from the company and externally, and these ranged from company websites, and publications from the Zambia Association of Manufacturers related to managing hydroelectricity power interruptions. The analysis of data was thematic from which Four themes emerged: managing stock gaps, use of generators (turn-time), managing cost of labor input, and investment in stabilizers and storage facilities. Key recommendations include investment in alternative power-generating equipment and upgrading plant transformers. The implication for positive social change includes the potential to create jobs and improve the local economy and subsequent tax base

The management of hospitals are often at a loss to understand the cues and strategies to enhance physician engagement strategies to help avoid physician burnout. The departure of physicians from the healthcare profession is frequently attributed to their disengagement from their professional calling, which may result in lowered quality of service and patient care in the institutions they serve. The transformational leadership theory served as the underlying theoretical lens of this qualitative single case study where the aim was to explore the engagement strategies healthcare middle and senior-level managers used to help avoid physician burnout. The participants of this study were seven middle and senior-level healthcare managers holding a minimum of five years of employee management experience who effectively used physician engagement strategies to help avoid physician burnout at a Central Pacific United States healthcare organization. Interviews yielded data from semistructured interviews via telephone, reflective journal, and publicly available media and organizational documents. The thematic approach using a process of constant comparison was used to analyze the primary data. The principal theme of this research is the importance of encouraging career progression and professional development. A key recommendation for middle and senior-level healthcare managers is to take the time initially to get to know the goals of each physician to understand their professional motivations. The implementation of strategies for increased physician engagement is instrumental in delivering optimal patient services, ranging from clinical to helping address socioeconomic disparities for patients within the community who can benefit from healthier lifestyles.

This study investigated the effect of the integrating currents issues of interest into class materials on the students’ achievement in learning grammar. The following question was proposed. Is relating current issues of interest to class materials useful on students grammar learning? It was hypothesized that integrating current issues of interest with class materials in teaching grammar has a positive effect on learning grammar. The study was performed at Islamic Azad University in Hidaj with 60 participants--male and female-- who were majoring in ‘mechanical’ and ‘electrical’ engineering. Since the researcher did not have the possibility of randomizing the subjects, 60 students of two classes who were taking their first semester at university were used for this study; one of the classes as the control group and the other as the experimental group. As Farhady (1995, p. 146) contends: “In classroom research it is unreasonable to expect the director of the courses to randomly assign students to classes for the sake of experimentation.” The subjects were taught for five weeks and finally took an achievement test. After analyzing the results of the test, and by comparing the means of the scores using t-test, it was found that integrating current issues of interest with class materials in teaching grammar lessons did not significantly improve students achievement in learning grammar.

This research aims to prepare TENCEL/Cotton textile (50/50) against microbes and to use the best processing components to obtain the best specifications. Different concentrations of monochloroacetic acid and sodium carbonate were used to replace (OH) groups with (COOH) groups to prepare the textiles for binding with materials (CuSo4) or (AgNo3),made Microbiological examination on all samples by a Zone of Inhibition Test, and the results showed that the highest microbial resistance and the least microbial growth is the concentration (2 mol/l) in (B.cereus), (Penicillium) microbes, while the (S.entridis) and (Aspergillus) microbes were equal microbial resistance at concentrations (1, 1.5, 2 mol/l).

The main objective of this study is to ensure the tourists are served by professional tour guides who can meet their satisfactions’ and eventually improve the tour guides livelihood as well as tourism industry growth. Open-ended level of education and lack of barrier to guiding carrier might have affected the performance of tour guides in Lushoto District Tanzania for long time. The post-training evaluation has revealed that 13 (66%) of the respondents have noted increase in number of visitors in their organization after training. This has been justified by 10 (50%) of the respondents who claimed to note income increase than a year before which has boosted tour guides livelihood. The findings have shown tour guides have changed in behaviour and the way they think and act, which helped them to avoid committing mistakes which they were doing before the training. And 18 (90%) of the respondents justified that by being able to list some of the do and don’ts which proves how serious they are on the ethics matters. Indeed, the training has brought the tour guides together through the formed Usambara Local Tour Guides Association (ULTGA) and will be able to get government ID cards first and finally be given license after attending two months training. A good number of respondents 13 (67%) admit to abide on tour guides ethics and 15 (75%) of respondents are using marketing techniques to attract tourists in their organizations than before. Tour guides have shown enthusiasm to become professional guides.

Education is one of very important component of development. Progress of any country principally reflects with literacy level of the population. The Government of India has assigned high priority to the education sector not only to achieve the Univerlisation of Elementary Education by 2010 but also to improve the quality of education at all levels. Some of the initiatives such as District Primary Education Programme (1994), the Mid Day Meal Scheme (1995) and the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (2001) have led some positive impact in elementary education, specifically in rural areas. But most of the work or research carried out for primary school education and educationist or researchers concentrated on primary education only. Therefore it is an attempt a look out to the development of upper primary school education in India.

Adverse birth outcomes, comprising low birth weight, maternal mortality, infant mortality, premature births, and stillbirth continue to pose a serious challenge in Kenya. Although a number of factors influencing adverse birth outcomes have been documented, not much is known on the factors contributing to adverse birth outcomes in Kibra. The main objective of this study was to assess the factors influencing adverse birth outcomes in Kibra. The specific objectives were: to identify the socio-demographic; obstetric emergencies that contribute to adverse birth outcomes; and to determine the health facility factors that contribute to women’s vulnerability to adverse birth outcomes. The study used a cross sectional research design and targeted women of reproductive age (15-49). Purposive sampling was used to select the study site and simple random sampling was used to select the 384 study participants in households. Data from the households was collected using questionnaires. Key informant interviews on health facility in-charges was used to provide additional information. Data was presented using tables, graphs and cross tabulations. Chi-Square and logistic regression was used to assess the statistical association between variables. Findings showed that casual laborer’s had significant association with adverse birth outcomes (still births) [OR= .159, 95% CI (.031, .816), p<0.05] (Pre-term births) [OR= 2.789, 95% CI (1.37, 5.67), p<0.05. Self-employment had significant association with adverse birth outcomes (still births) [OR=.169, 95% CI (.031, .929), p<0.05], (Pre-term births) [OR= 2.163, 95% CI (1.11, 4.22), p<0.05]. Respondents without education were associated with high adverse birth outcomes [pre-term births] [OR=.235, 95% CI (.069, .831), p= 0.021]. The respondents who had miscarriage in previous pregnancies were more likely to experience adverse birth outcomes [Preterm births] [OR=3.89, 95% CI (2.06, 7.39) p=0.000] still births [OR=2.09, 95% CI (1.44, 5.84) p=0.000], low birth weight [OR=3.24, 95% CI (1.74, 6.05) p=0.000] and neonatal death [OR=3.39, 95% CI (1.63, 7.03) p=0.000]. Respondents who attended the public health facility had higher risk of experiencing adverse birth outcomes [Still births] [OR= 3.500, 95%CI (1.24, 9.86), p-value =0.018]. Findings from the study will be used to inform local interventions to reduce adverse birth outcomes.

The completion of school education has positive health consequences. Early termination of education can lead to poorer health, shorter lifespans, which places additional stress on the health care system. In Canada, improving overall high school graduation rates has been discussed at the levels of the District School Board and the Ministry of Education, however, it is relatively understudied, with a dearth of research on increased graduation and its bearing on public health. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of liaison public health nurses in the Toronto, Ontario District School Board, regarding their roles in influencing students to complete high school. Reinforced by the underlying Bronfenbrenner ecological model, the study involved the analysis of primary data and theoretical propositions. Purposive sampling served to select 10 public health nurses who were interviewed regarding their role and involvement in high schools. Using a process of constant comparison and thematic analysis, the data was subjected to triangulation to increase understanding of the phenomenon. Broadly, the findings from this study indicated that liaison public health nurses believe that high school dropout is a public health issue and that collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Public Health is needed to address the issue. Further research is recommended to explore the connection between health and school achievements and the expanded role of public health nurses in Canadian high schools. The positive social change implication that may be expected with the application the findings of this study, includes highlighting the issue of high school dropout rate as a public health concern in Canadian schools in areas of lower socioeconomic status. The imperative to use additional research and resources may yield dividends for the Toronto Public Health, in improving graduation rates among their core mandates.