Digital Commons Network^™

Food Matters: Food Insecurity Among Pregnant Adolescents And Infant Birth Outcomes, Stephanie A. Grilo, Valerie A. Earnshaw, Jessica B. Lewis, Emily C. Stasko, Urania Magriples, Jonathan Tobin, Jeannette R. Ickovics

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to: (1) document prevalence of food insecurity among pregnant adolescents; (2) determine if food insecurity is associated with adverse birth outcomes (i.e., lower birth weight, earlier gestational age) among their newborns; and (3) examine whether depressive symptoms, anxiety, nutrition and/or weight gain mediate these associations.

Methods: Pregnant adolescents (14-21 years old; N-881) in prenatal care at community hospitals and health centers in New York City completed a health and psychosocial survey during second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Birth weight and gestational age were recorded from medical records.

Results: Over one-half of the …

Peer Support In Adolescents Hospitalized For Sickle Cell Pain Crises, Sarah R. Martin

Psychology Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder, which has a range of symptoms including pain, fatigue, organ damage, and immunodeficiency. Patients are commonly hospitalized for SCD-related difficulties, most frequently for vaso-occlusive pain crises. In other illness populations, social support has served as a protective factor and aspects of social support (e.g., type of peers and communication) may have differential benefits. The overall aim of this study was to examine pain, social support, type of friend communication, similarity of friends, perceived stigma, quality of life, and loneliness in adolescents admitted to the hospital for SCD pain crises. Perceived social …

Preventing Hiv In Adolescents Affected By Maternal Hiv Infection: The Ms. Now! Program, Nicholas Tarantino

Psychology Dissertations

Young people in the United States, particularly African American youth, are at heightened risk for HIV infection. One proven prevention strategy is to enhance family processes through a group-based behavioral intervention. Such interventions have garnered considerable evidence for their effectiveness. Moreover, they have become increasingly culturally-informed in order to engage specific vulnerable populations and more effectively address their unique risk factors. A group overlooked by these efforts is adolescent children of mothers living with HIV (MLH). The current study therefore investigated the structured adaptation of an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention for this population. Two main phases of the study were …

Perceptions Of Marijuana Use Among Adolescents, Kofi Amoah, James Baffoe, Katherine Distel, Matt Madden, Jordan Thomas, Insang Yang

Pharmacy and Nursing Student Research and Evidence-Based Medicine Poster Session

Background

The United States federal government has been discouraging use of marijuana for decades. Prior to 1970, the federal regulation of marijuana use was through taxes. In 1970, marijuana use was deemed a criminal offense, and overrode any states that considered it legal. In 2012, Colorado and Washington were the first two states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. A study found adolescent use was 8.68% higher in states allowing medical marijuana and had a significantly lower perception of risks associated with marijuana use (6.94%).

Objectives

To determine if an educational program about the effects of marijuana use can negatively …

Barriers To Treatment Adherence In Adolescents With Cystic Fibrosis: A Mixed-Methods Analysis, Katherine Ann Mclean

Open Access Dissertations

Poor treatment adherence is a significant challenge for patients, parents, and healthcare providers. Treatment adherence is a serious concern for adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), a life-limiting genetic disorder affecting multiple organ systems. Although some barriers to adherence have been documented in CF, little is known about how these barriers interact at an individual level. The purpose of this study was to conduct a mixed-methods analysis of barriers to adherence reported by adolescents and young adults with CF and their parents. This study utilized qualitative interviews and quantitative measures of adherence and psychosocial functioning to identify key barriers in relation …

Bit By Bit: Using Design-Based Research To Improve The Health Literacy Of Adolescents, Mega Subramaniam, Beth St. Jean, Natalie Greene Taylor, Christie Kodama, Rebecca Follman, Dana Casciotti

School of Information Faculty Publications

Background: Although a low health literacy level has been found to be among the most powerful predictors of poor health outcomes, there is very little research focused on assessing and improving the health literacy skills of adolescents, particularly those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The vast majority of existing research focuses solely on reading comprehension, despite the fact that health literacy is actually a multifaceted concept, which entails many different types of skills.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to first mine existing literature to identify the many different skills that have been posited to constitute health literacy, and then, …

An Evaluation Of The Validity Of A Script-Driven Imagery Procedure Among Traumatic Event Exposed Adolescents, Emily Renae Mischel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research suggests script-driven imagery procedures employed with traumatic event-exposed adults produce reliable reactions that map onto contemporary models of posttraumatic stress, including increased physiological (Carson et al., 2000; Orr et al., 1998; Ramón et al., 2006) and negative affective (Pitman et al., 1987) responses to trauma scripts. Therefore, such procedures can be utilized in a controlled, laboratory-based setting, supporting mechanism-oriented research designed to better understand the nature, correlates, and consequences of traumatization and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Unfortunately, only one study has begun to evaluate the validity of script-driven imagery procedures for use with youth, making further investigation of …

Building Depth Of Understanding Of The Concept Of Number Sense And Algebra In Students Grades 7 And 8, Catherine Janes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mathematics instruction offers both challenges and rewards to students. Teachers tend to focus on transmission of knowledge. Student creativity and problem-solving skills are not typically activated with common teaching practices. When students are engaged in mathematics they are recognizing patterns, making connections on their own, coming up with creative solutions, and discussing mathematical ideas with peers and adults. The purpose of this study was to identify, employ, and evaluate strategies that engage students in these practices and assist them in developing a deep understanding of mathematics concepts such as number sense and algebra.

The review of the literature began with …

Sense Of Place Among Adolescents: Factors Influencing The Place Attachment On Shopping Malls, Astrid Kusumowidagdo, Cicilia Larasati Rembulan, Agus Sachari

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

This research aims to find the push factors that create relationships between youth and shopping centers and examines how different mall environments also help create different emotional bonds towards the malls. This topic is further observed with an explorative study that obtained its primary data from interviews and secondary data from various supporting literatures as well as from a number of observations. The informants were 15 visitors of each of the following shopping centers: Tunjungan Plaza and Ciputra World in Surabaya; and Mal Ciputra and Gandaria City in Jakarta. The total informant number is 60. The research found several affective …

Prospective Predictors Of Adolescent Bmi: Parenting Style, Gender, And Weight Perception, Trey V. Dellucci

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Obesity affects both adolescents and adults worldwide (Popkin & Doak, 1998). Determining which factors contribute to risk factors to the high prevalence of obesity in America is important because excess weight can negatively affect both physical health and psychosocial functioning (Kolotkin, Meter, & Williams, 2001). Few longitudinal studies have assessed the association between parenting styles and adolescent’s body mass index (BMI; Rhee et al, 2006). Past research has shown that parents greatly influence adolescent’s body image (Al Sabbah et al., 2009). Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the current study examined the influence of parenting styles …

Scripting Relationships Through Adolescent And Adult Dramas: Perceptions Of Completion In Romantic Relationships, Jenna Mcnallie

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This content analysis sought to observe the number of relational messages present in adult and adolescent serial television dramas in order to understand the presence of Galician’s (2004) Mass Media Myth #10, or “Finding the right mate ‘completes you’” (p. 201). The presence of this completion ideal illustrates the Cultivation Analysis Theory (Gerbner et al., 1986) and is significant in the development of adolescents’ identities and attitudes due to the persuasive power of repetition. Analysis of 101 conversations in 13 episodes found that relational messages are more frequent in adolescent dramas than adult dramas, but Myth #10 is emphasized more …

Identification Of Participation-Related Activities To Be Used As Part Of The Development Of A Self-Efficacy Questionnaire For Adolescents With Hearing Loss, Sahar S. Zimmo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Investigating self-efficacy beliefs among adolescents with hearing loss is imperative as these perceptions affect a broad range of age-related functioning. Validated self-efficacy questionnaires for use with persons with hearing loss are currently limited to four adult measures. Development of an adolescent-relevant questionnaire aims to quantify self-efficacy for participation in daily activities and to individualize treatment interventions for adolescents with hearing loss.

Developing the self-efficacy questionnaire was based on a scoping literature review to develop a list of activities performed by typically developing adolescents. The questionnaire was piloted on a sample of youth with hearing loss.

The Adolescent Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for …

Adjunctive Appliance Wear And Gender Affect Patients' Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life During The Late Stage Of Orthodontic Treatment In Adolescents, Monica Dinh

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: This study was conducted to determine how oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) changes during the late stage of comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment in adolescents and what factors may be involved. Background: Completion of orthodontic treatment has been shown to improve patients’ OHQoL due to the changes in esthetics, function and emotional well-being. The levels of OHQoL fluctuate throughout treatment where an initial decrease within the first 6 months occurs followed by an improvement towards patients’ pre-treatment levels. At 18 months of fixed orthodontic treatment, the level is unclear. The aims of this study were to clarify the changes …

Parent-Child Math Anxiety And Math-Gender Stereotypes Predict Adolescents' Math Education Outcomes, J. Casad

Psychology Faculty Works

Two studies examined social determinants of adolescents' math anxiety including parents' own math anxiety and children's endorsement of math-gender stereotypes. In Study 1, parent-child dyads were surveyed and the interaction between parent and child math anxiety was examined, with an eye to same- and other-gender dyads. Results indicate that parent's math anxiety interacts with daughters' and sons' anxiety to predict math self-efficacy, GPA, behavioral intentions, math attitudes, and math devaluing. Parents with lower math anxiety showed a positive relationship to children's math outcomes when children also had lower anxiety. The strongest relationships were found with same-gender dyads, particularly Mother-Daughter dyads. …

Urbanization And Persistent Educational Inequalities: The Need For Collective Action Towards Equity And Social Justice, Rajni Shankar-Brown

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal

This article examines the history, development, and issues of urban education in the United States. In an effort to address persistent educational inequalities and better support youth placed at risk because of existing disparities, this article connects interdisciplinary literature and illuminates the plight of high-poverty, public schools in urban settings. The author issues a call for collective action for social justice and educational equity.

Fostering Emotional, Social, Physical And Educational Wellbeing In Rural India: The Methods Of A Multi-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial Of Girls First, K. S. Leventhal, L. M. Demaria, Jane Gillham, G. Andrew, J. W. Peabody, S. Leventhal

Psychology Faculty Works

Background: There are 600 million girls in low and middle income countries (LMICs), many of whom are at great risk for poor health and education. There is thus great need for programs that can effectively improve wellbeing for these girls. Although many interventions have been developed to address these issues, most focus on health and education without integrating attention to social and emotional factors. This omission is unfortunate, as nascent evidence indicates that these factors are closely related to health and education. This paper describes the methods of a 4-arm randomized controlled trial among 3,560 adolescent girls in rural Bihar, …

Psychological Interventions For Vaccine Injections In Children And Adolescents: Systematic Review Of Randomized And Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trials, Kathryn A. Birnie, Christine T. Chambers, Anna Taddio, C. Meghan Mcmurtry, Melanie Noel, Rebecca Pillai Riddell, Vibhuti Shah, N. E. Macdonald, J. Rogers, L. Bucci, E. Lang, P. Mousmanis, S. A. Halperin, S. Bowles, C. Halpert, M. Ipp, M. Rieder, K. Robson, G. J.G. Asmundson, E. Uleryk, M. Antony, D. Alexander, M. Appleton, V. Dubey, A. Hanrahan, D. Lockett

Paediatrics Publications

Background: This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of psychological interventions for reducing vaccination pain and related outcomes in children and adolescents. Design/Methods: Database searches identified relevant randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials. Data were extracted and pooled using established methods. Pain, fear, and distress were considered critically important outcomes. Results: Twenty-two studies were included; 2 included adolescents. Findings showed no benefit of false suggestion (n=240) for pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.21 [-0.47, 0.05]) or distress (SMD -0.28 [-0.59, 0.11]), or for use of repeated reassurance (n=82) for pain (SMD -0.18 [-0.92, 0.56]), fear (SMD -0.18 [-0.71, 0.36]), or distress (SMD …

Importance Of Providing A "Safe Haven" For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered And Queer Youth, William Henry Norwood

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer (LGBTQ) adolescent homelessness is a serious issue that plagues America today. Out of the total number of homeless youth, 40% identify as LGBTQ. Many are runaways, or are pushed-out of their home due to their sexuality after suffering from verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Unlike their homeless heterosexual counterparts, this population of youth face particular factors that affect not only their cognitive and psychosocial development, but their physical health as well. LGBTQ adolescents also have a higher incidence of substance use while homeless. The foregoing reasons illustrate how imperative it is to provide a …

Exploring Deployment And Resilience Through The Experiences Of Army National Guard Youth, Kerrie Joy Rosheim

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Global War on Terror utilized Army National Guard soldiers at unprecedented rates, drastically changing their reserve role and the lifestyle of their families. This qualitative study explored what the adolescent children of Army National Guard soldiers experienced during the deployment of a parent and how they conceptualized and demonstrated resilience. Through individual interviews with nine participants, who collectively have experienced over 17 years of deployment during adolescence, and email survey results of their primary caregivers, the following three themes emerged to capture the essence of deployment for Army National Guard youth. Deployment can be viewed as “a mixed bag” …

Maternal Factors And The Emotional And Behavioural Functioning Of Adolescents With Chronic Health Conditions, Nicole Etherington, Janette Mcdougall, David Dewit, Virginia Wright

Occupational Therapy Publications

Purpose: This study investigated the association between mothers’ mental health and education and the emotional and behavioural functioning of adolescents with chronic health conditions over time.

Methods: Data were drawn from an ongoing study. Study participants (N¼363) were recruited through eight children’s rehabilitation centres. Logistic regression models were estimated.

Results: There were significantly reduced odds that girls would display clinical signs of hyperactivity/inattention one year later compared to boys when a maternal mental health condition was present (OR¼0.10; p50.01). Where low maternal education was present, girls were more likely to display peer relationship problems one year later (OR¼3.72; …

Self-Reported Barriers To Treatment Engagement: Adolescent Perspectives From The National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (Ncs-A), Amy Sylwestrzak, Chelsea E. Overholt, Kelly I. Ristau, Kendell L. Coker

Psychology Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to assess youth self-reported treatment barriers in the past 12 months to obtain youth’s perspective on reasons they seek treatment, do not engage in treatment, or terminate treatment. The present study uses data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a nationally representative survey administered to youth ages 13–18 that was conducted between February 1, 2001 and January 30, 2004. A total of 10,123 youth participated in the NCS-A study and provided the information on which the current paper draws its data. Within the past 12 months over 63 % of youth reported seeking …

An Examination Of Catholic School Teachers’ Perceptions And Legal Understanding Of Cyberbullying, Mary Beth Boyer

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The bully has been a figure in adolescent life for decades; however, the nature of bullying in the 21st Century has changed as it has moved to cyberspace. Bullying has taken on a new form termed cyberbullying. This quantitative survey design study examined Catholic school teachers’ legal understanding and perceptions of cyberbullying. In examining Catholic school teachers’ understanding of the law governing cyberbullying, their concerns about cyberbullying, their perceived responsibility in addressing cyberbullying, and their perceived ability to respond to cyberbullying, the study examined the human interactions that reflect not only legal responsibilities, but also ethical obligations as caring and …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Positive Mental Health Indicators In Youth With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Sim Yin Tan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a chronic health condition that is increasingly affecting both children and adolescents (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Although many studies have investigated the impact of HIV on cognitive, physical, academic, and psychosocial functioning, little is known about the self-perception of health-related quality of life, subjective well-being, social-emotional well-being, and psychopathology risks of youth who are infected with HIV. This study is one of first to examine the presence of these positive and negative health indicators and the relationship among these factors in youth with HIV and a community-based sample.

A total of 84 …

Towards A New Global Strategy For Women’S, Children’S And Adolescents’ Health, Marleen Temmerman, Rajat Khosla, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Flavia Bustreo

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The year 2015 marks a defining moment for the health of women, children, and adolescents. It is the end point of the United Nations’ millennium development goals, and their transition to the sustainable development goals, and also the 20th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development’s plan of action and the Beijing Declaration and platform of action.

This is a moment of reflection as well as celebration. Although great strides have been made in reducing maternal and child mortality, showing that change is possible, many countries are lagging behind in reaching millennium development goal 4 (to reduce the …

Social Disruption And Physical Limitation Related To Quality Of Life Of Adolescents With Asthma, Jennifer L. Baumgardner

Kaleidoscope

During adolescence, teenagers experience many physical, emotional, and social changes. Teenagers with chronic conditions, however, may face challenges in normal adolescent development because their illness can impact body image, independence, and peer socialization. Little is known about the effect of asthma on adolescent quality of life (QOL). In this paper, I review the existing literature on social disruption and physical limitations related to asthma and the subsequent impact on adolescent asthma QOL. In addition, adolescent issues leading to poor control of asthma symptoms and interventions to improve asthma QOL for adolescents are addressed.

Incident Vertebral Fractures And Risk Factors In The First Three Years Following Glucocorticoid Initiation Among Pediatric Patients With Rheumatic Disorders, Claire M.A. Leblanc, Jinhui Ma, Monica Taljaard, Johannes Roth, Rosie Scuccimarri, Paivi Miettunen, Bianca Lang, Adam M. Huber, Kristin Houghton, Jacob L. Jaremko, Josephine Ho, Nazih Shenouda, Mary Ann Matzinger, Brian Lentle, Robert Stein, Anne Marie Sbrocchi, Kiem Oen, Celia Rodd, Roman Jurencak, Elizabeth A. Cummings, Robert Couch, David A. Cabral, Stephanie Atkinson, Nathalie Alos, Frank Rauch, Kerry Siminoski

Paediatrics Publications

Vertebral fractures are an important yet underrecognized manifestation of osteoporosis in children with chronic, glucocorticoid-treated illnesses. Our goal was to determine the incidence and clinical predictors of vertebral fractures in the 3 years following glucocorticoid initiation among pediatric patients with rheumatic disorders. Incident vertebral fractures were evaluated according to the Genant semiquantitative method on lateral radiographs at baseline and then annually in the 3 years following glucocorticoid initiation. Extended Cox models were used to assess the association between vertebral fractures and clinical risk predictors. A total of 134 children with rheumatic disorders were enrolled in the study (mean ± standard …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Tobacco Use Among School-Going Adolescents In Madagascar, Sreenivas P. Veeranki, Hadii M. Mamudu, Rijo M. John, Ahmed E.O. Ouma

ETSU Faculty Works

Approximately 90% of adults start smoking during adolescence, with limited studies conducted in low-and-middle-income countries where over 80% of global tobacco users reside. The study aims to estimate prevalence and identify predictors associated with adolescents' tobacco use in Madagascar. We utilized tobacco-related information of 1184 school-going adolescents aged 13-15 years, representing a total of 296,111 youth from the 2008 Madagascar Global Youth Tobacco Survey to determine the prevalence of tobacco use. Gender-wise multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to identify key predictors.Approximately 19% (30.7% males; 10.2% females) of adolescents currently smoke cigarettes, and 7% (8.5% males and 5.8% females) currently …

Investigating How Mtv’S 16 & Pregnant May Be Used As Media Literacy Education With High-Risk Adolescents, Tracy Marie Scull, Rebecca Ortiz, Autumn Shafer, Jane Brown, Janis B. Kupersmidt, Katherine Suellentrop

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Reality television shows featuring teen pregnancy may be used as media literacy education tools to positively affect youth sexual health outcomes. Concerns, however, exist that such programming may glamorize teen pregnancy. The present study examined how viewing and discussing episodes of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant, a reality television series about teen pregnancy, may impact adolescents at high risk for teen pregnancy (N =162; M=13.5 years). Adolescents indicated that they enjoyed viewing and discussing the episodes and saw the program as realistic but did not perceive the lives of the characters as desirable. Many also reported that they …

Health Hub Program Evaluation, Natalie Macias

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper examines and evaluates the work of LIFT-Levántate a non-profit organization in San Rafael, California on their school-based nutritional education “health hub,” through health promotion interventions with adolescents. The James B. Davidson Middle School health hub educates students on topics related to nutrition and physical activity with the goal of providing access and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables while lowering students’ intake of high-fat and sugary processed foods. Through research and observations of the students and families in this community, the data seems to indicate apparent disparities which vary by ethnicity, socioeconomic status and access. Underserved populations, including …

Familial Religious Practices, Religiosity, Family Connectedness, Parent Conflict, And Their Relation To Depressive Symptoms In An Adolescent Sample, Alice Cathryne Long

Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, research on family life and religion has been conducted. Much of the research done on religion and well-being has shown beneficial effects of religion or religious practices on well-being (Bonner, Koven, & Patrick, 2003; Loser, Klein, Hill, & Dollahite, 2008). Using data from the Flourishing Families Project (N = 359 adolescents), the relationship between religious variables (family religious practices, family religious importance and religiosity), family climate measures (family connectedness and parent conflict) and adolescent depressive symptoms was examined. Results indicate no significant relationship between religious variables and adolescent depressive symptoms, but a positive relationship between parent conflict …