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Understanding The Experiences And Associated Symptomology Of Disclosers And Non-Disclosers Of Sexual Victimization, Kaitlin Carson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 43% of women report experiencing some form of sexual victimization, with the highest rates occurring in emerging adulthood. It is estimated that 75% of survivors disclose this experience to someone else; the remainder of survivors keep the experience to themselves. While disclosure can be therapeutic, there are multiple factors that can complicate the disclosure process for sexual victimization survivors. There is limited research investigating why some women choose to disclose sexual victimization experiences and how their reasons may relate to psychopathology. Additionally, extant research primarily focuses on …

I'Ll Make A Man Out Of You: Precarious Manhood Beliefs Among Heterosexual-Cisgender Men And Queer Men, Serena L. Wasilewski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditional masculine gender stereotypes often suggest that men should be strong, assertive, and athletic, and these stereotypes promote men’s dominance in society and gender inequality. Endorsement of masculine stereotypes may also contribute to heterosexual men being more prejudiced against queer men. Queer men experience unique difficulties in their quest to abide by social norms defining manhood. Research using the precarious manhood theory suggests that manhood is difficult to obtain and even more challenging to maintain. Given the emerging nature of precarious manhood studies, little is known about young men’s perceptions of the precarious nature of manhood and how this may …

The Effects Of A Six-Week Mindfulness Intervention Designed For Adolescents On Emotion Regulation And Perceived Stress In College Students, Theodora Malinowski

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

College students are a vulnerable population to developing mental health problems. Without adequate emotion regulation abilities and adaptive coping skills to manage stress, college students are at risk of experiencing negative mental and physical health outcomes. Mindfulness has been shown to improve mental and physical health. Unfortunately, many mindfulness interventions are developed with the needs of adults in mind. Some features of common mindfulness programs, such as cost and required length of daily practice, make the interventions difficult for most college students to access. The present study investigated the effects of a six-week mindfulness intervention (Learning to BREATHE) that was …

Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling To Examine Factors Impacting Health-Related Quality Of Life For Emerging Adults With Chronic Pain As They Transition To Adulthood, Amy Coral Lang

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 5% to 30% of adolescents and emerging adults are living with chronic pain as they navigate the transition from pediatric- to adult-focused health care. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the health care transition experience for emerging adults with chronic pain. The current study aimed to utilize structural equation modeling in a sample of community-recruited emerging adults with chronic pain to: 1) assess a hypothesized measurement model and validate pertinent measures in this understudied population; and 2) assess a hypothesized structural model based in the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory. Findings provide preliminary validation of measures of …

Being Black & Blue: Sex As A Moderator Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depressive Symptoms Among Black Emerging Adults, Wynta C. Alexander

Dissertations and Theses

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been linked to adult mental health consequences (e.g., depressive symptoms). Black people are disproportionately affected by ACEs, and factors related to ethnic subgroups and/or sex may produce differential depressive outcomes. The current study examined the moderating role of sex in the association between adverse childhood experiences and depression symptoms using a life course of health approach among a sample of Black emerging adults. Participants (n = 159) of the current study were Black (e.g., African – American) and Black Caribbean (e.g., Jamaican) undergraduate students (18 – 59 years old; 72.3% female) attending a large, public …

The Relationship Education Workshop And Its Impact On Learned Healthy Relationship Outcomes And Self-Compassion In The Emerging Adulthood Population, Ashley N. Russell

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study examined the effectiveness of the Relationship Education workshop (Davila, 2020) on several outcome measures for its target population, emerging adults. The Relationship Education workshop is comprised of two consecutive three hour sessions which take place a week apart. Participants were recruited from a southeastern state university campus. Participants were given a thorough and group-discussion based didactic focusing on the relationship competency skills of insight, mutuality, and emotion regulation with other core focuses, including relational decision making and adaptive relationship beliefs. Participants who completed the Relationship Education workshop were hypothesized to show improvement in these target domains as …

Substance Misuse Transitions Between Adolescence And Young Adulthood: Impacts On Young Adult Self-Sufficiency, Amanda M. Hagman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Substance misuse during the transition to adulthood can be problematic, but it is also socially celebrated. There can be negative short-term impacts associated with intoxication, but are there negative long-term impacts of substance misuse on the transition into adulthood?

Let us pause for a moment. Many individuals may have just glazed over thinking, “Adulthood? I’m not doing that any time soon.” But when you consider what qualifies individuals as adults, this research may seem more pertinent. Adults make their own choices. Adults take responsibility for those choices. Adults are financially independent. So, while the notion of adulthood may conjure images …

A Moderated-Mediation Model Of Emerging Adult And Parent Religiosity, Externalizing Behavior, And Parenting Style, Benjamin M. Simonds

Honors Projects

The present study investigated whether emerging adult religiosity mediated the relationship between high parental religiosity and low levels of offspring externalizing, and whether these pathways are moderated by aspects of authoritative parenting (i.e., acceptance, firm control, and psychological autonomy). Surveys were completed by 275 emerging adults aged 18-25, including scales assessing their religiosity, the religiosity of their parents, the style of parenting in which they were raised, and their own engagement in externalizing behaviors. Results indicated a correlation between high levels of parental and emerging adult religiosity, and a marginal relationship between high parental religiosity and reduced offspring externalizing. However, …

The Buffering Effects Of Resilience On Alcohol Use: A Phenotypic And Genotypic Investigation, Shannon Cusack

Theses and Dissertations

The college years encompass a time of vulnerability for problematic alcohol use/alcohol use disorder (AUD) and exposure to traumatic events (TE), which is a transdiagnostic risk factor for AUD, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and comorbid AUD-PTSD. However, not all who experience a TE develop these disorders, highlighting the need to identify factors that impact post-trauma outcomes. Resilience has been shown to be associated with lower alcohol consumption and related problems following TE, though the buffering effects of resilience on alcohol use have not yet been examined. Further, twin studies demonstrate that resilience is moderately heritable, but further research is needed …

Sources Of Anxiety In Emerging Adult Relationships: A Qualitative Analysis, Kayla Gay

Honors Projects

Anxiety is a fairly common experience for individuals, but when this anxiety is extreme or prolonged, it can have detrimental effects both emotionally and physically. Previous research has shown that romantic relationships can have both positive and negative impacts on the mental health and levels of anxiety for individuals and that a number of stressors can create anxiety between romantic partners. The aim of this study was to examine the causes and sources of anxiety experienced by emerging adults specifically within their romantic relationships. A sample of six respondents from the Toledo Adolescent Relationship Study (TARS) who had the highest …

Predictors Of Self-Control During Emerging Adulthood: The Roles Of Implicit Beliefs And Early Risk, Katy L. Delong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study explored how early adverse experiences (i.e., low socioeconomic status, household chaos, attachment insecurity) and implicit beliefs about self-control (i.e., whether self-control is a limited or nonlimited resource) were associated with trait and momentary self-control in a sample of college students. As the first study to explore these factors together, individuals’ implicit beliefs were tested as a moderator and meditator of the association between early risk and self-control. Participants (N = 214) first completed a baseline survey with the main predictors and trait self-control, followed by one week of experience sampling to assess momentary self-control, or success resisting …

The Intersection Of Social Stress, Mental Well-Being, And Sexual Health Among Black Women In Emerging Adulthood, Brandi Galloway

Theses and Dissertations

With an estimated 37,000 new HIV infections each year, HIV continues to be a major public health concern. HIV affects some populations more than others. Young Black women, in particular, are disproportionately affected by HIV. While being a woman does not typically increase a person’s HIV risk, being Black and being a woman does.

Data indicate that individual-level factors do not fully address the differences in HIV and STIs between Black emerging adult women and their White counterparts. Thus, it is critical to better understand contextual factors such as social stress and mental-wellbeing which might better account for these disparities. …

Perceived Helicopter Parenting And Self-Determination Theory In Emerging Adulthood, Emily Hivick

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Self-determination theory encompasses three different elements, competence, autonomy and social belongingness (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Helicopter parenting is defined as extreme involvement in a child’s life to the point of making decisions for them while also being associated with high levels of parental support and high feelings of parental-child closeness (Padilla-Walker & Nelson, 2012). Research has shown that helicopter parenting has been associated with psychological and behavioral problems in young adults, (Odenweller, Booth-Butterfield, & Weber, 2014). The current study investigated the association between perceived helicopter parenting and self-determination theory components along with intrinsic motivation and academic and extracurricular engagement in …

Developmental Disruptions And Substance Use In An Emerging Adult Sample, Nena N. Mcgath

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Recent substance use reports indicate a rise in use-related deaths. Emerging adults are identified as the most prevalent users of substances when compared to other age groups. Current intervention methods are not universally effective, with relapse rates varying by treatment model. The poor efficacy of interventions may be due to a lack of models using a developmental focus. For example, previous research highlights the influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on negative adult outcomes such as excessive substance use. ACEs may trigger a cascade of adaptation failures, disrupting attachment bonds between caregiver and child, and later influencing the development of …

Distinguishing Beliefs About Social Inequality: Associations Among Dimensions Of Critical Consciousness, Lauren M. Alvis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Critical consciousness researchers posit that critical reflection, which refers to a critical awareness of structural inequalities between socially constructed groups and external political efficacy beliefs (i.e., perceptions of government responsiveness) are important precursors to effective political action (Diemer et al., 2016; Watts, Diemer, & Voight, 2011). However, little is known about emerging adults’ views of social inequality and political change regarding specific marginalized groups. There are different forms of social inequality and the extent to which individuals experience these inequities is partially determined by multiple sociodemographic characteristics including race/ethnicity, sex, sexual-orientation, and gender identity (Hurst et al., 2016). Identifying potential …

Longitudinal Patterns Of Depression Symptoms Among Emerging Adults, Sarah W. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that depression symptoms generally decrease after late adolescence; however, there is increasing attention paid to depression symptoms among college students given the stressors unique to this time period and negative outcomes associated with depression. This study examined latent trajectories of depression symptom severity among college students. Participants were 9,889 college students who participated in the Spit for Science project (Dick et al., 2011). Growth Mixture Modeling was used to identify the presence of four subgroups of individuals with similar patterns of initial level and change in depression severity over four years of college, including Low/Minimal (55.9%), Decreasing …

Sex, Love, And Mindfulness: Examining The Longitudinal Effects Of Mindfulness On Young Adult Dating Relationship Outcomes, Alexander Malik Khaddouma

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study examined the role of mindfulness in the relational outcomes of dating couples in order to: 1) investigate whether previously documented associations between mindfulness and relationship satisfaction extend to behavioral indicators of relationship stability cross-sectionally and longitudinally, 2) determine whether the role of mindfulness in relational outcomes differs for male and female partners, and 3) examine how male and female partners’ levels of mindfulness contribute to their own and their partners’ relational outcomes in the context of their dyadic relationship. Fourhundred and sixty-eight participants and 168 of their current dating partners (n = 655) completed baseline measures …

Breakups And Betrayals In Emerging Adulthood: A Developmental Perspective Of Relationship Dissolution And Infidelity, Jerika C. Norona

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation includes two studies that focus on romantic experiences in emerging adulthood (ages 18-25), romantic dissolution (Study 1) and extradyadic intimacy (Study 2), and their relationship with developmental and individual factors. Each study uses two unique community samples of emerging adults who have attended college as well as those who have not attended college in the past. Importantly, both studies examine romantic dissolution and extradyadic intimacy from a developmental perspective, taking into account the salient developmental tasks of independence and interdependence faced by young people. Additionally, individual factors, including perceptions of emerging adulthood (Study 1), attachment style (Study 2), …

Baked And Buzzed: Investigating The Influence Of Co-Use Of Cannabis And Alcohol On White Matter Integrity In Emerging Adults, Natasha E. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Growing evidence suggests alcohol and cannabis use independently alter neural structure and functioning, particularly during sensitive developmental time periods such as adolescence and emerging adulthood. However, there has been minimal investigation into the effects co-occurring use of these two substances, despite preliminary evidence of unique acute and psychopharmacological changes due to using alcohol and cannabis together.

Method: Data drawn from the IDEAA Consortium was utilized to assess white matter integrity as measured by FreeSurfer’s TRACULA in emerging adults (n=192; 16-27 years old). Timeline Follow-Back was used to calculate past month cannabis use, alcohol use, co-use days, binge alcohol episode, …

Impact Of Perceived Health Competence And Current Living Situation On The Quality Of Life Of Emerging Adults With Chronic Health Conditions, Amy Coral Lang

Theses and Dissertations

As emerging adults with chronic health conditions navigate the process of assuming greater responsibility regarding their own healthcare during this transitional period of life, they may encounter increased stress, which is known to exacerbate the symptoms and worsen the prognosis of their conditions. The results of the current study add to emerging evidence in the literature that health competence is positively associated with quality of life, particularly for individuals with chronic health conditions. Higher quality of life is associated with better health outcomes, highlighting the importance of interventions aimed to promote quality of life. Future research should focus on the …

Understanding Relational Competence In Emerging Adult Adoptees: A New Way To Conceptualize Competence In Close Relationships, Krystal K. Cashen

Masters Theses

Relatively little research has focused on the positive adjustment of emerging adult adoptees (Palacios & Brodzinsky, 2010). Given the developmental context of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000), it is important to select a measure of adjustment that reflects the increased ambiguity seen in this time period. The present study aims to develop and validate a measure of relational competence, or competence in one’s closest relationship regardless of relationship type (i.e., romantic vs. nonromantic). This measure will be created by adapting the Romantic Competence Interview, a measure of romantic competence previously used with emerging adults (Shulman, Davila, & Shachar-Shapira, 2011). Participants …

Promoting Competence In College Students: The Role Of Psychological Flexibility, Elyse Rubin Rosenberg

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Psychological flexibility (PF), the core process of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; a third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy), is the ability to stay focused on the present moment and intentionally engage in value-driven behavior despite experiencing difficult thoughts or feelings. This multifaceted construct includes components that target processes occurring both internally (e.g., cognitive processes) and behaviorally (e.g., value-consistent actions). Psychological flexibility has been applied to studies of adjustment in non-clinical samples and may be beneficial for college students as individuals navigate novel developmental stressors. Despite evidence suggesting the benefits of PF for psychological distress, additional work is needed to examine the potential …

Examining Outcomes And Mechanisms Of The Honest, Open, Proud Intervention In College Students With Mental Illness, Carol Hundert

Master's Theses

Emerging adulthood is a developmental stage involving many changes and transitions (Arnett, 2004). The instability during this time can cause significant distress, making this a period of increased vulnerability for the development of mental illness (Kessler et al., 2007). The rise in the incidence of mental illness on college campuses has caused an increased demand for mental health services (Kadison & Digeronimo, 2004). Unfortunately, college students face many barriers to treatment, including self-stigma (Eisenberg, et al. 2009). Honest, Open, Proud for college students (HOP-C) is a peer-led group-based intervention designed to reduce self- stigma in college students living with mental …

Expanding Intersectionality Praxis: Informing Culturally-Responsive Programming For Black And Latino Gay And Bisexual Young Men, Justin T. Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Black/Latino gay/bisexual young men face a multitude of health disparities caused by various determinants of health. However, despite the awareness of the gaps, health intervention research rarely explores the impact of current health intervention strategies on Black/Latino gay/bisexual young men’s overall health and well-being. Traditional health interventions are deficit-based, health condition-specific, and often limited in their cultural-specificity. As health-related fields move toward holistic, evidence-based practices, new primary prevention approaches need to emerge. Using qualitative investigation strategies, this study included primary analysis of participatory workshop artifacts, and secondary analysis of survey and focus group data. This study identified critical factors necessary …

Fear Of Missing Out: A Moderated Mediation Approach To Social Media Use, Brynn M. Huguenel

Master's Theses

This study explores whether fear of missing out (FOMO) mediates the relation between social networking site (SNS) use and negative mental health outcomes, with moderators of Facebook activities and individual-level characteristics included. Short-term longitudinal data was collected from undergraduate students (N=296). Mediation analyses indicated that intensity of Facebook use did not predict anxiety or depression, as mediated by FOMO. Further, Facebook activities did not moderate the relation between intensity of Facebook use and FOMO, and social comparison and social connectedness did not moderate the relations between FOMO and negative mental health outcomes. Post-hoc analyses showed that social connectedness moderated the …

Examining Consensual Non-Monogamy Among Emerging Adult Samples: A Collection Of Studies, Kayla Marie Sizemore

Doctoral Dissertations

Using multiple methodologies, this collection of manuscripts examined various components of CNM during the period of emerging adulthood. Manuscript one presents a systematic review and critique of the methodology used in research on CNM attitudes and desire among emerging adults between 1974 and 2016. Several methodological characteristics were reviewed across 18 empirical articles, including sample characteristics, recruitment and sampling strategy, measurement, and overall methodology and focus. Despite general commentary among researchers in this field, this review concludes that CNM research has shown little improvement with regard to its methodological limitations since the 1970’s.

The second manuscript contributes to the extant …

The Effect Of Perceived Parental Autonomy Granting On Vocational Identity And Communication In Emerging Adults, Emily Salmany

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the relationship between autonomy granting parenting, vocational identity and communication between emerging adults and parents. It is hypothesized that emerging adults with autonomy granting parents have achieved more stable vocational identities and are better able to communicate with their parents than emerging adults without such parents.

Disentangling Universal And Cultural-Specific Risks To Mental Health Among Asian Americans: A Multi-Site Longitudinal Investigation, Pan Priscilla Lui

Open Access Dissertations

Objective: Development-based intergenerational conflict related to separation-individuation is normative and similar across ethnocultural groups. Intergenerational cultural conflict related to acculturation mismatch—where intercultural contact leads parents and offspring to diverge in heritage and mainstream American values and behaviors—is specific to immigrant families. Although development-based conflict does not result in serious psychological distress or behavioral problems among healthy adolescents and emerging adults, acculturation-based conflict has been linked to maladjustment among offspring with immigrant parents in cross-sectional studies. The distinct and potentially mutually influential contributions of these types of conflict have not been evaluated as simultaneous processes unfolding during the developmentally significant transition …

The Individual And Relational Role Balance Scale (Irrbs): A Preliminary Scale Development And Validation Study, Jennifer Lynn Bishop

Masters Theses

During emerging adulthood, young people begin the process of balancing individual and relational role commitments. Whereas development within specific domains, primarily career and relationship (work and love), have been explored separately, it is important to understand how emerging adults divide their attention across multiple individual (i.e. education, employment, athletics, organizational membership) and relational (i.e. friendship, family relationship, romantic partnership) domains during this period and how perceived balance impacts psychosocial functioning in terms of life satisfaction, well-being, and mental health. This study reports on the preliminary scale validation of the Individual and Relational Role Balance Scale (IRRBS) using a college student …

Failure To Launch? Understanding Variations In Emerging Adult Flight Patterns, Christina Ashley Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What does the transition to adulthood look like for emerging adults? This study proposes that popular cultural ideas like "failure to launch" imply an oversimplified dichotomy that does not account for the multiple "flight patterns" into adulthood. Focusing on the narratives of six interview cases selected from the larger sample of interviewees from Wave 4 of the National Study of Youth and Religion and drawing on the quantitative data from the broader survey sample, this mixed-methods approach examines in-depth, narrative experiences and the ways structural barriers vary between upper-middle, lower-middle, and working class emerging adults. We find that emerging adulthood …