Digital Commons Network^™

The Development And Validation Of An Aspirational Capital Scale Dissertation, Sarah Narvaiz

Doctoral Dissertations

As part of the cultural community wealth (CCW) framework, aspirational capital (AC) is one of six forms of non-dominant capital and defined as the “ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future even in the face of barriers” (Yosso, 2005, p. 41). AC is theorized to help underrepresented and underserved students traverse through their education journeys despite education institutions praising dominant forms of capital such as middle- and professional cultural and social capital (Bañuelos, 2021; Claussen & Osborne, 2012; Yosso, 2005). While there is an abundance of qualitative research examining students AC, recent quantitative critical research examining the underlying …

Representation Of Reward And Risk In The Brain’S Motor System: Studies In Adolescents And Adults, Xingjie Chen

Doctoral Dissertations

In the neuroscience of economic decision making, the brain’s motor system has been ascribed a role in implementing choice actions. However, recent work has revealed canonical motor signals much in advance of choice action, possibly indicating their role in evaluation of decision options. In the current dissertation, we applied multimodal neuroimaging combining EEG and fMRI and used a novel paradigm that temporally separated the evaluation phase from the action phase of a decision-making process to investigate the mechanisms through which the motor control system contributes to decision making. Additionally, we further examined the developmental changes during the two phases of …

Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Attitudes Towards Abuse Against Women And Children Among Adolescents And Young Adults In Malawi, Nellipher Lewis Mchenga

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes towards abuse against women and children between adolescents, aged 13 to 17, who had adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and those who did not, and young adults, aged 18 to 24, who had ACEs and those who did not. The study also evaluated whether the region of residence moderates the relationship between participants’ adverse childhood experiences and attitudes towards abuse against women and children. Secondary data collected from adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 between September and October of 2013 in the Violence Against Children and Young People Malawi Survey …

Television And Perceived Control: A Longitudinal Study Of The Cultivation Of Powerlessness Among Millenial Adolescents, Fernando Rodriguez

Doctoral Dissertations

Cultivation research has observed the long term subtle contribution of television mediated storytelling on the perceptions and beliefs of American viewers for fifty years. Early criticisms of cultivation argued the associations of viewing amount and fear of victimization were spurious and explained away by personality traits such as perceived control or authoritarianism. This project frames perceived control as a cognitive assessment of the personal ability to cope with life challenges. As a cognitive assessment, perceived control is assumed to be in constant revision. From a life-course approach, the symbolic cultural environment (which includes television) is seen as providing context and …

Examining Mediation And Moderation Effects Of Academic Motivation On The Relationship Between Disciplinary Events And Academic Performance In Secondary School, Cynthia Shuttleton

Doctoral Dissertations

Academic motivation is a key factor in students’ academic and behavioral success in school. Previous research has demonstrated strong relationships between disciplinary events and academic performance, as well as between academic performance and academic motivation. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between academic motivation and disciplinary events, or how academic motivation, academic performance, and disciplinary events are related. The purpose of this study was to examine student self-ratings of their academic motivation in grades 9-12 in a public high school, and to investigate the associations and interactive relationships between these three variables. Participants (N=78) completed the …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Peer Engagement And Knowledge (Peak): A Community-Based Group Intervention For Youth In Hawai‘I, Jennifer T. T. Ho

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation with a mixed methods design that evaluated the effectiveness of Peer Engagement and Knowledge (PEAK), a six-week community-based group intervention that incorporates mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to address multiple health behaviors for multiracial youth in Hilo, Hawai‘i. A total of 51 youth, ages 12-23 years old, participated in this study which included pre-/posttest analyses of health risk factors such as substance use and depression and health promoting factors such as resilience, self-esteem, and mindfulness. Responses from two subsets of participants, who engaged in a focus group (n = 11) and composed gratitude letters ( …

Understanding Chronic Pain Trajectory In Adolescents Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery, Mallory Aaron Perry

Doctoral Dissertations

Each year, millions of children and adolescents undergo surgical procedures that put them at risk for experiencing persistent postsurgical pain (PPP). This dissertation focuses on identifying relationships among pre­surgical behavioral and psychosocial factors, peripheral and central pain sensitivity, and differential mRNA expression levels. The concurrent examination of each of these factors is novel and may lead to new targeted interventions to manage PPP in children undergoing spinal fusion (SF). The overall structure of this dissertation is a five-manuscript format. The outline is as follows: [1] Introduction, which introduces the aims, theoretical framework and purpose of the dissertation; [2] Integrative literature …

Operationalizing Recovery From Substance Use Disorders Among Adolescents In High School, Yiyun Chen

Doctoral Dissertations

The term “recovery” has been widely adopted in substance use-related literature. But no operational standard can be found regarding how to measure recovery among substance use population under 18 years old. Using data from 294 adolescents who were followed for 12 months after receiving treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs), we find converging evidence of a general recovery factor v, extracted from 15 indicators, that potentially reflects adolescents’ level of recovery from SUDs. The latent v score generated using factor loadings is associated with criterion variables in the expected directions where positive correlations were found with for life satisfaction, …

“A Joke You Can’T Tell”: Using Photography To Understand The Lived Experience Of Adolescents In Homeless Families, Michael Reeves

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of adolescents in homeless families. The extant research lacks the perspective of homeless adolescents themselves, how they cope, and the assets that help them. Like their peers, homeless adolescents face many challenges, but in environments that can be less conducive to successful development. Housing instability can interfere with the social exposure often experienced in school and in communities, potentially leaving homeless adolescents more vulnerable to negative peer and social influences.

This exploratory research took a strengths perspective, using critical theory and phenomenology, to better understand the lived experience of …

Parenting Style, Adolescent Suicidal Behavior And Self-Disclosure In A Sample Of Saint Lucian Adolescents, Emmanuel Ihemedu

Doctoral Dissertations

Since Baumrind’s (1966, 1967) initial theory on parenting styles, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between parenting styles and adolescent development. Despite this work on parenting style and adolescent behavior, there is still limited research on parenting styles, adolescent suicidal behavior, and self-disclosure. This study investigated whether, or not there is an association between parenting styles, adolescent suicidal behavior, and self-disclosure among adolescents of Saint Lucia and determined whether these relations were moderated by gender and family structure. The sample included 597 adolescents, 200 boys, 383 girls, 14 who identified as other, between the ages of 14 and …

Understanding Food Literacy And Its Use In A Technology-Driven Nutrition Education Program For Adolescents., Catherine A. Wickham

Doctoral Dissertations

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is overweight or obese. The dietary habits of this population are concerning as few meet current dietary recommendations for consuming fruits and vegetables. Equally troubling among this group is the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the lack of physical activity. Studies that investigate the link between nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors have shown mixed results and new methods to investigate this relationship are needed. Food literacy is a new term that has risen out of the health and nutrition literacy fields. Food literacy seeks to examine the complex relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and …

Self Hypnosis For School Success: Empowering Adolescents With Anxiety And Stress, Nilani Shankar

Doctoral Dissertations

Self-hypnosis is a treatment that has been utilized to address the social-emotional concerns of adolescents with high levels of anxiety and stress. In this study, a multiple baseline design across three high school-aged participants was implemented to examine whether self-hypnosis could decrease symptoms of anxiety and stress and help to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The results of the study indicated that the treatment resulted in decreases in trait and state anxiety for two out of three participants, improvements in stress levels for two out of three participants, and improvements in HRQoL for all three participants. Participants reported that …

Married Young Women’S Sexual And Reproductive Health In Low-Income Communities In Mumbai, India, Marie A. Brault

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

Under The Radar: Comprehending Mental Health Needs And Services In School-Based Health Centers For Children And Adolescents, Ranbir Mangat Bains

Doctoral Dissertations

Among children and adolescents, one in five suffers from mental health disorders. Those belonging to diverse racial and ethnic groups are less likely to receive adequate treatment than their white counterparts. They are also more likely to reside in households at or below the poverty level. Though public schools are the largest providers of mental health services, the services they provide are inconsistent. School-based health centers (SBHC) have been providing comprehensive health and mental health services within or near schools for over 40 years. Majority are located in urban, inner cities and evidence for their success in providing mental health …

Promoting Academic Talent Development In Adolescents: Protective Factors And Linkages To Summer Program Participation, Kelly L. Kearney

Doctoral Dissertations

Special summer programs are considered a popular service-delivery approach to bolster the talent development of all students. This study seeks to explore protective factors that influence high-ability students’ talent development. Factors influencing the talent development of high-ability students are understudied, often in favor of researching underachievement and resilience.

Because very little research seeks the perceptions of these students in their own words, this study used a grounded theory approach to explore 54 students’ perceptions of their own talent development within the context of a residential, inquiry-based summer program for high-ability adolescents. Responses across all parts of the study revealed three …

Self-Distancing To Reduce Anger In High School Students, Koichi Yoshikawa

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study employed an experimental design to examine the efficacy of self-distancing as an intervention in a sample of high school students for promoting reflective adaptation to anger inducing events relative to a control group using self-reflection/self-immersion. Despite the prevalent assumption that self-reflection facilitates the resolution of negative emotions, evidence demonstrates that self-reflection often leads to anger rumination. Recent experimental studies on college students, elementary school students, and couples have found that self-distancing interventions, as compared to self-immersion/reflection interventions or a no-treatment control, lead to adaptive responses to anger and reductions in future aggression. As adolescents are particularly prone …

Interventions To Reduce Anxiety For Gifted Children And Adolescents, Amy H. Gaesser

Doctoral Dissertations

Interventions to Reduce Anxiety for Gifted Children and Adolescents

Amy H. Gaesser, PhD

University of Connecticut, 2014

This study examined the anxiety levels of gifted students, as well as the effectiveness of two interventions: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Using the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale-2 (RCMAS-2), Phase I of this study examined anxiety levels in gifted youth (n = 153) participating in private and public gifted education programs, grades 6-12, in two Northeastern states. ANOVA analyses indicated that gender (F [1, 149] = 13.52, p< .001, h₂= .08) and school setting (F …

Investigating The Academic Vocabulary Development Of Spanish-English Bilingual Students In Middle School, Eileen Mercedes Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the vocabulary development of Spanish-English bilingual adolescents (n= 98) from the end of 6^th through the end of 7^th grade in a dual language setting by looking at the patterns of growth in English and Spanish vocabulary post intervention and adding to the body of research on vocabulary development. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM).

At the first level (TIME), the analysis helped to describe the shape of each person’s individual growth trajectory and to examine within person variability. The analysis at the second level (STUDENTS) considered inter-individual differences in …

Helping Kids Move: The Implementation Of The Catch Program In A Group Of Middle School Students, Erin Michelle Chillag

Doctoral Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a national health concern. The CDC reports that 17% of children aged 2-19 are obese. Obesity contributes to numerous health problems. Treating these problems burdens our health care system.

The Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) Program is an evidence- based physical activity and nutrition program that has been implemented into over 8500 school curriculums and after school programs nationwide. CATCH interventions are based on Social Cognitive Theory. The Health Promotion Model was also used to influence self-efficacy.

CATCH was implemented as part of an existing after school program at a public middle school in West Michigan …

"These Rights Go Beyond Borders And Pieces Of Paper": Urban High School Teachers And Newcomer Immigrant Youth Engaging In Human Rights Education, Juliet A. Schiller

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the ways that two ninth and tenth grade teachers and their newcomer immigrant students engaged in HRE using elements of critical pedagogy at an urban pubic high school. Research data included eight months of classroom observations and interviews with two teachers and nineteen of their students across four of their classrooms. In this study, the complexity of engaging in HRE with newcomer students was brought to light as two teachers enacted their vision of critical pedagogy, human rights content and learning goals, as well as English language instruction.

The findings in this study conveyed that engaging …

Mindfulness And Self-Compassion: Exploring Pathways To Adolescent Emotional Well-Being, Karen Leslie Bluth

Doctoral Dissertations

Adolescents today are confronted with the compounded stressors of life in our high-pressured society and the cognitive, physiological, and emotional changes that are characteristic of this stage of development. As a result, they often struggle with self-doubt, leading to depression, anxiety, and maladaptive trajectories. Mindfulness, or paying attention in the moment in an intentional and purposeful way, has been reported to have positive effects on emotional well-being in adults, and shows promise for similar results in recent research with children and adolescents.

Moreover, the mechanisms through which being mindful achieves positive outcomes has only recently been explored, and has not …

Increasing Resilience In Adolescent Nursing Students, Teresa Maggard Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations

Nursing students not only face the same developmental challenges as other college students, but also experience unique stressors that contribute to increased risk for negative outcomes. The intimate nature of patient care, the exposure to workplace adversity, death and dying, and the chaotic nature of healthcare can have cumulative negative effects on students’ health and well-being. Increased resilience could prove useful in helping students confidently face challenges and successfully move forward. The lack of empirical evidence regarding resilience-enhancing interventions with nursing students supports the need for examining the effectiveness of an educational intervention to increase resilience in adolescent baccalaureate nursing …

A Model Of Quality Of Life And Emotional And Behavioral Functioning In Obese Children And Adolescents, Terry Oliver Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

Review of literature indicates that obesity is on the rise nationally and obese individuals are at inherent risk for a variety of comorbid physical, psychological, and social problems which often result in significant functional impairment due to sequelae. Previous research suggests a meaningful association between obesity and greater internalizing difficulties typically manifested by symptoms of depression and anxiety (Faith, Matz, & Jorge, 2002; Scott et al., 2008; Stunkard, Faith, & Allison, 2003; Zhao, Ford, Dhingra, Strine, & Mokdad, 2009). In recent years, there has been emerging interest in exploring the relationship between obesity and individuals with externalizing problems including aggression, …