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The Relationships Among Perceptions Of Family Disharmony, Parent-Child Relationships, Disharmonious Family Experiences, And Adolescent Cigarette Smoking., Herbert F. Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among the following perspectives: perception of family disharmony, parent-child relationships, disharmonious family relationships, and adolescent cigarette smoking. Participants from a southeastern university reported about whether they smoke daily, weekly, monthly, never, or no longer smoke. The independent variable was smoking status of participants. Four to eight rating scales served as dependent variables for the three perspectives. Independent groups (smoking status) multivariate analyses of variance with unequal cell sizes were performed on the rating scale measures. Because none of the comparison tests were significant, the results were interpreted to suggest that …

Racial Equity In Exclusionary Discipline Practices, Mary M. Tremper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined whether external (out-of-school) suspensions are applied equitably to students of different ethnic backgrounds who commit violent and nonviolent offenses. The hypotheses presented in this study were addressed through secondary analysis of disciplinary records from a large metropolitan school district in Florida.

The results indicate that, for the group of 1,667 tenth grade students included in this analysis, racial equity was related to the type of offense, as well as to the student's socioeconomic status. Racial differences were found when SES was not considered, with African American students more likely to be suspended from school for status …

The Efficacy Of A School-Based Support Group On Adolescent Self-Esteem And Social Support, Julia Ann Smith Phd

Dissertations

Adolescents are faced with daily obstacles that affect their ability to progress into adulthood successfully. Rising divorce rates and subsequent single parenting, adolescent pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and lack of parental involvement represent only a few of the many issues teens confront. School nurses are on the front lines, attempting to educate youth against an alarming rise in personal and social controversies that impede their ability to come to school ready to learn. As part of the educational team, school nurses are in a prime position to develop and integrate intervention strategies aimed at assisting adolescents during this …

The Prevalence Of Dental Caries In A Central Coast Of California Middle School, Belen R. Mojica

Master's Projects

Dental morbidity is a chronic problem that affects a child's ability to attend school, to learn, and to enjoy good health. Of all childhood diseases, oral disease ranks as one of the highest and is considered one of the most common and the least treated. The prevalence of dental caries is high among children and adolescents in school populations. This study explored the prevalence of dental caries in a California Central Coast middle school during the 2002-03 school year (N=526). Findings indicated that severe dental caries existed in both boys and girls and in students of various ethnic groups. Approximately …

Body Mass Index And Soft Drink Consumption Among Adolescents, Olivia Love Mccord

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and soft drink consumption among adolescents. It is hypothesized that soft drink consumption contributes to overweight and obesity among adolescents.

Background: Research examining the relationship between body mass index and soft drink consumption is inconsistent. Several studies have found a negative association between total sugar intake and BMI; however, others have found a link between sugar-sweetened drinks and obesity. There are no known studies that have controlled for physical activity.

Data and Methods: Data on approximately 225 adolescents were used. Frequency of soft drink consumption, type of milk, and calcium …

Nobody's Ever Asked Me That Before: Middle School Students Talk About Motivation To Achieve In School Contexts, Erika Daniels Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore whether or not a connection exists between students' school contexts and their academic and social choices by listening to the voices of first year middle school students. The intent of this study was to provide teachers with a way to reconceptualize adolescents as learners. Research suggests that there are two distinct approaches to the study of motivation. Some researchers believe that motivation can be externally enacted through exams, assessments, and other accountability measures. Other researchers believe that motivation is internally generated through the relationships students build, through their beliefs about learning, and …

An Examination Of Teachers’ Beliefs About Critical Reading And Academic Writing, Cindi Davis Harris Edd

Dissertations

The ability to compose a well-written research paper is evidence o f a student's ability to read critically and write academically. However, evidence suggests that many college-bound high school graduates have not learned these skills. While the research literature overwhelmingly supports the notion that teachers are an important factor in students’ academic success, and that in order to be academically successful, students need to have critical reading and writing skills, there has been little research about how teachers' beliefs and knowledge about critical reading and academic writing influence instruction with regard to these skills. This naturalistic case study employed in-depth …

Physical Activity Levels And Social Influences In Rural Minnesotan Hmong Children And Adolescents, Kimberly Smith

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background Research has shown that physical activity levels are declining in children and adolescents of racial and ethnic minority groups. It has been suggested that social influences may play an important role in these trends. A large and growing Hmong population exists in Minnesota and there is no data regarding physical or sedentary activity trends or possible underlying social influences within this group. This study examined the physical activity levels, sedentary leisure habits, and social influences in a group of Hmong children and adolescents Methods. Following a descriptive, qualitative design, a sample of 45 Hmong children and adolescents in a …