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Family Processes As Moderators Of The Impact Of Peer, School, And Neighborhood Influences On Adolescent Aggression, Alison Kramer-Kuhn

Theses and Dissertations

Despite theoretical support for the role of the family in providing a foundation to protect youth against risks for aggression, there is little published literature examining a protective influence. This study examined family functioning and perceived parental messages about fighting and nonviolence as moderators of the relation between risk factors and adolescent aggression. The specific risk factors included affiliating with a delinquent group of peers, attending a school with norms that support aggression, and witnessing violence within the community. Secondary analyses were conducted on data collected from a high-risk sample of 537 adolescents in 2 cohorts from 18 schools. Adolescents …

Adolescents’ Definitions Of Cheating In Romantic Relationships, Jerika C. Norona

Masters Theses

Cheating is a common occurrence in dating relationships. However, less is known about cheating in adolescence, a time when many individuals first experience romantic relationships. An important initial step for research is examining how adolescents define cheating in their romantic relationships. The present study used Thematic Analysis, a qualitative analytic method, to explore adolescents’ definitions of cheating and how these definitions might differ across age and gender. Furthermore, the present study examined patterns that emerged within definitions. Results indicate that definitions of cheating included a range of behaviors, such as engaging in physical activity, romantic/intimate involvement, spending time with, talking …

Psychometric Properties Of The Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale, Amy Storfer-Isser, Monique K. Lebourgeois, John Harsh, Carolyn J. Tompsett, Susan Redline

Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale (ASHS), a self-report measure assessing sleep practices theoretically important for optimal sleep. Data were collected on a community sample of 514 adolescents (16–19; 17.7 ± 0.4 years; 50% female) participating in the late adolescent examination of a longitudinal study on sleep and health. Sleep hygiene and daytime sleepiness were obtained from adolescent reports, behavior from caretaker reports, and sleep-wake estimation on weekdays from wrist actigraphy. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the empirical and conceptually based factor structure were similar for six of the eight proposed sleep hygiene domains. Internal …

Longitudinal Relations Between Dating Violence Victimization And Perpetration And Substance Use: The Moderating Role Of Gender And School Norms For Dating Violence, Katherine Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent dating violence is commonly experienced by adolescents and is associated with a variety of negative outcomes. Stress and coping and social learning theories suggest that dating violence victimization may predict increased substance use and dating violence perpetration. However, few studies have assessed these relations over time, and existing studies have not assessed physical and psychological dating violence victimization separately nor focused on early adolescent populations. The current study addressed these gaps by examining longitudinal relations between physical and psychological dating violence victimization and substance use and physical and psychological dating violence perpetration among early adolescents. The extent to which …

Adolescent Participation In Traditional Martial Arts: Effects Of Training On Risk Behaviors And Psychological Wellbeing, Stephanie Anne Devore Goldsmith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Adolescence is the period of lifetime development in which many youth begin to make health and lifestyle choices that have a significant impact on overall wellbeing as they transition from childhood into young adulthood. Physical activity appears to be linked to making other healthy lifestyle choices including non-engagement in risk behaviors and improvement in mood and self-concept. The current study sought to examine the effect participation in traditional martial arts training has on overall psychological wellbeing in adolescents. This study administered two widely used and validated scales, the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) and the Piers Harris-2 (PH-2) …

Exposure To Community Violence And The Trajectory Of Internalizing And Externalizing Problems In A Sample Of Low-Income Urban Youth, Jeremy Jay Taylor

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Intro: The transition from childhood to adolescence is a period of increased risk for psychological problems (e.g. Keiley, & Martin, 2002). Exposure to community violence, may impact the degree to which psychological problems emerge during adolescence (Grant et al., 2004). Previous research also indicates that low-income urban youth are disproportionately exposed to severe community violence, leaving them at higher risk to experience psychopathology (Grant et al., 2004). However, recent longitudinal research suggests that this elevated risk may decline throughout the adolescent years (Murphy et al., 2000) especially for internalizing problems (J. Twenge & S. Nolen-Hoeksema, 2002). The current research hypothesizes …

The Impact Of Monitoring And The Affective Relationship Between Parents And Adolescents On Problem Behavior In High School, Kathleen Hlavaty

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Some researchers have suggested that the parent/adolescent affective relationship is key to understanding adolescent disclosure to parents regarding their activities (Kerr, Stattin, & Burk, 2010); however, other researchers do not feel that the parent/adolescent affective relationship explains enough variance in adolescent disclosure (Fletcher, Steinberg, & Williams-Wheeler, 2004). These models, however, have not tested for sex differences, which previous researchers suggest exist (Keijers, Branje, Finkenauer, & Meeus, 2010). Participants (N = 464; 50% female) were part of the Childhood and Beyond Study, which began during the 1986-87 school year. Data were collected from three different cohorts of participants across 13 years. …

Time Doesn’T Change Everything: The Longitudinal Course Of Distress Tolerance And Its Relationship With Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms During Early Adolescence, Jenna R. Cummings, Marina Bornovalova, Tiina Ojanen, Elizabeth Hunt, Laura Macpherson, Carl W. Lejuez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although distress tolerance is an emerging construct of empirical interest, we know little about its temporal change, developmental trajectory, and prospective relationships with maladaptive behaviors. The current study examined the developmental trajectory (mean- and individual-level change, and rank-order stability) of distress tolerance in an adolescent sample of boys and girls (N = 277) followed over a four-year period. Next we examined if distress tolerance influenced change in Externalizing (EXT) and Internalizing (INT) symptoms, and if EXT and INT symptoms in turn influenced change in distress tolerance. Finally, we examined if any of these trends differed by gender. Results indicated …

Contributions Of Maltreatment And Serotonin Transporter Genotype To Depression In Childhood, Adolescence, And Early Adulthood, J. J. Cutuli, K. Lee Raby, Dante Cicchetti, Michelle M. Englund, Byron Egeland

J. J. Cutuli

Background: Past findings on gene-by-environment (GxE) effects on depression have been mixed, leading to a debate of the plausibility of such mechanisms and methodological considerations that warrant attention. A developmental systems perspective postulates that complex, multi-level GxE effects are likely contributors to depression. Methods: Participants from families experiencing low-income status at birth were followed over 28 years. Maltreatment was recorded prospectively using multiple means and sources. Depression was measured repeatedly using well-validated interviews in middle childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood. Results: Findings support a GxE effect where the less efficient form of the promoter region of the serotonin transporter …

Gender And Grade Differences In How High School Students Experience And Perceive Cyberbullying, Jeremy D. Doucette

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Gender and grade differences in how high school students experience and perceive cyberbullying was examined through a survey and focus groups with youth in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Survey findings revealed that boys reported cyberbullying more often than girls on most items while girls reported experiencing cyberbullying more often than boys on most items. Grade alone did not account for significant differences, but interactions with gender were sometimes found. The focus groups revealed that most students believe that girls cyberbully more than boys, but that boys are more likely than girls to view cyberbullying as a form of joking, and to …

A Study Of Suicide: A Latent Class-Evidence Based Model For Screening Of Suicidal Behaviors Among Adolescents Living In The United States From 1991-2011, Ryan Christopher Butterfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to use self-reported data from adolescents as the foundation for a statistical screening process of suicidal behavior. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) is used to study patterns of suicidal behavior among adolescents and by extension, the development of evidence-based behavioral profiles of those adolescents identified as having suicidal-related behaviors. Suicidal behavior variables in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) ask about specific actions related to suicide ideation, planning, attempts and injury, but it is the underlying construct of "suicidal behavior" that is the ultimate question of interest. LCA allows for the development of evidence-based behavioral …

Antisocial Behavior From Adolescence To Early Adulthood: Heritability, Stability, And Correlates Using A Longitudinal Twin Sample, Ashley Dibble

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the heritability, stability, and outcomes of antisocial behavior from adolescence into adulthood in a longitudinal twin sample. Specifically, the genetic and environmental influences on conduct disorder, adult antisocial behavior, and alcohol dependence were examined. The influence of genes and environment on the relationship between these disorders was also examined. The study utilized a subset of FinnTwin12, a population-based twin study that consists of five consecutive birth cohorts. The subsample consisted of 1035 twin pairs (N = 2070) and of that 2070, 1854 completed the intensive interview at age 14. At age 22, …

Rebelliousness, Effortful Control, And Risky Behavior: Metamotivational And Temperamental Predictors Of Risk-Taking In Older Adolescents, Kathryn Lafreniere, Rosanne Menna, Kenneth M. Cramer

Psychology Publications

Adolescence is frequently regarded as a time of increased vulnerability to engaging in risky behaviors such as binge drinking, unsafe sexual activities, and illicit drug use. The present study examined risk perception and risk-taking behavior in older adolescents from two different perspectives, by examining temperamental and metamotivational predictors of likelihood of engaging in risky activities. A sample of 76 undergraduate students aged 17 to 19 years completed a questionnaire package that included the Motivational Style Profile, Rebelliousness Questionnaire, the short form of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire, and the expected risk and expected involvement subscales of the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky …

Changes In Genetic And Environmental Influences On Trait Anxiety From Middle Adolescence To Early Adulthood, Sarah Garcia, Erin C. Tully, Nick Tarantino, Susan South, William G. Iacono, Matt Mcgue

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Middle adolescence to early adulthood is an important developmental period for the emergence of anxiety. Genetically-influenced stable traits are thought to underlie internalizing psychopathology throughout development, but no studies have examined changes in genetic and environmental influences on trait anxiety during this period.

Method: A longitudinal twin study design was used to study same-sex twin pairs (485 monozygotic pairs, 271 dizygotic pairs) at three ages, 14, 18, and 21 years, to examine developmental shifts in genetic and environmental effects on trait anxiety.

Results: The heritability of trait anxiety increased with age, particularly between ages 14 and 18, no significant …

Trauma-Focused Involvement In Psychotherapy: Relations With Therapeutic Alliance And Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tess Siler Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood trauma is a risk factor for a wide range of psychopathology and other damaging outcomes later in life (Cohen, Mannarino, Murray, & Igleman, 2006; Saunders, 2003). Among the many treatment models developed for maltreated youth and their families, both specific and non-specific therapeutic factors such as developing a trauma narrative (e.g., trauma self-disclosure) and forming a strong therapeutic alliance have been identified as ―active ingredients‖ that contribute to positive treatment outcome (Cohen & Mannarino, 1996a, 1998a; Friedrich, 1990). The current study used data from the Aurora-Adolescent Mood Project, a community based randomized controlled trial, which evaluated the effectiveness of …

Longitudinal Interplay Of Dating Anxiety And Romantic Cognitions And Behaviors From Adolescence To Young Adulthood, Jessica K. Winkles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dating is normative in adolescence and young adulthood, but can be disrupted and distressing to individuals experiencing dating anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral theories suggest dating anxiety impacts romantic cognitions and behaviors, and romantic cognitions and behaviors impact dating anxiety. Thus far, investigators have been unable to explore the interplay between dating anxiety and romantic cognitions and behaviors because studies are limited by cross-sectional designs. The present study examined longitudinal associations between two types of dating anxiety (dating interactions and active intentions for dating) and romantic appeal, jealousy, and compliance during conflict. Two hundred adolescents participated in the study, which began in the …

Examining The Alliance-Outcome Relationship: Reverse Causation, Third Variables, And Treatment Phase Artifacts, John Paul M. Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychotherapy research reveals consistent associations between therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes in the youth and adult literatures. Despite these consistent findings, prospective associations are not sufficient to support the claim that the alliance is a change mechanism in psychotherapy. The current study examined the direction of effect of the alliance-outcome relationship, the contribution of early symptom change in treatment to the development of therapeutic alliance, and the potential for pretreatment interpersonal functioning characteristics to be third variables that account for the association between alliance and outcome. Participants were adolescents with depression and a history of interpersonal trauma that presented to …

The Relationship Between Gratitude And Psychological, Social, And Academic Functioning In Middle Adolescence, Michelle Denise Hasemeyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Guided by positive psychology and broaden-and-build theoretical frameworks, this study utilized a correlational research design to explore the relationships between gratitude and adolescents' psychological, social, and academic well-being in a diverse sample of 499 high school students. Results of multiple regression analyses that controlled for potential effects of student demographic features on outcomes showed that higher levels of gratitude predicted more life satisfaction (β=.63, sr2=.40) , less internalizing symptoms (β= -.44, sr2= .19), more social support from parents (β=.50, sr2=.25), teachers (β=.28, sr2=.08), and peers (β=.34, sr2=.12), higher grades (β=.12, sr2=.014), and better academic self-perceptions (β=.30, sr2=.09). These relationships were …

Improving Routines : Self-Monitoring By Adolescents Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Meghan Ann Geary

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), though commonly diagnosed in childhood, continues to present with problematic symptoms through adolescence and adulthood (Barkley, Fischer, Edelbrock, & Smallish, 1990; Young & Amarasinghe, 2010). Despite the number of adolescents suffering from ADHD and the detrimental effects the symptoms can have on their lives, there is a paucity of research in interventions tailored to this population (Young & Amarasinghe, 2010). Additionally, an even smaller portion of this research addresses daily routines for adolescents, despite findings that maintaining routines are often very difficult for adolescents with ADHD (Bloomquist, 2005; Coghill et al., 2008; Pfiffner et al. 2007; Robin, …