Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Impacts Of Intergenerational Trauma: Assessing The Relationship Between Ace Scores Of Parents And The Language And Literacy Development Of Their Elementary-Aged Children, Paige Lee Banaszak

Theses and Dissertations

This paper contributes to the current literature by investigating factors that may contribute to language and literacy difficulty among children, to support the future development of effective intervention techniques. The data analyzed in this paper was collected from children and families participating in Reach Every Reader, a research study currently being conducted to improve literacy outcomes in the U.S. by developing a computer-adaptive screening assessment tool to identify children at risk for language and literacy difficulties early in their educational development. Children enrolled in kindergarten through third grade completed tasks that target language and literacy skills, and their parent(s) completed …

The Effects Of Poly-Strengths On Psychological Wellbeing Amongst Young Adults With Childhood Poly-Victimization, Nakisa Asefnia

Theses and Dissertations

The field of trauma and victimization has undergone many evolutions in its efforts to conceptualize the impacts of victimization and more recently poly-victimization. Poly-victimization refers to the experiencing of multiple types of victimization over the lifespan. This has led to an ever-growing base of literature highlighting the many deleterious effects of these experiences on individuals’ wellbeing, and the factors which may make a person more vulnerable to victimization. However, a growing movement in the field aims to take a more strengths-based perspective that highlights the resilience of individuals, rather than risk factors, in the hopes of better understanding the factors …

Predicting Therapists’ Intentions To Use An Innovation: The Role Of Innovation-Specific, Individual, And Organizational Factors, Jonathan KuʻUhoaepilipono Ahuna

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding factors that contribute to an individual’s decision to use an innovation can increase the public health impact of innovations in children’s mental health services. Objective. This study examined whether and to what extent therapists’ innovation-specific judgements (e.g., innovation is easy to use, socially desirable) were associated with intentions to use an innovation using constructs from one of the most robust theories of innovation use–the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Method. Two aims were addressed using data collected from 95 therapists and 28 supervisors who participated in a multi-site cluster randomized trial. Therapists used either a …

Relationships Among Sleep, Physical Activity, And Weight Status In Children And Adolescents, Agnes Bucko

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep and physical activity are both associated with multiple behavioral and metabolic health outcomes, and both behaviors have been linked to the development of weight status. Recent estimates suggest that many children are not meeting sleep recommendations or participating in adequate levels of physical activity, which may be related to the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. Much of the research assessing these relationships has focused on adults and older children, and has relied on parent- or child-reported, cross-sectional research in predominantly White samples. Little work has focused on these relationships in very young children. Although more research has …

Correlates Of Zero-Dose Vaccination Status Among Children Aged 12-59 Months In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis Of Individual And Contextual Factors, Chamberline Ozigbu, Bankole Olatosi, Zhenlong Li, James W. Hardin, Nicole L. Hair

Faculty Publications

Despite ongoing efforts to improve childhood vaccination coverage, including in hard-to-reach and hard-to-vaccinate communities, many children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain unvaccinated. Considering recent goals set by the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), including reducing the number of zero-dose children by half, research that goes beyond coverage to identify populations and groups at greater risk of being unvaccinated is urgently needed. This is a pooled cross-sectional study of individual- and country-level data obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys Program and two open data repositories. The sample includes 43,131 children aged 12–59 months sampled between 2010 and 2020 in 33 SSA countries. …

“Before The World Gets Them”: The Impact Of Racialized Parenting On Black Mothers, Mia Brantley

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the distinct practices Black women implement to protect their children from both actualized and anticipatory experiences of racism, as well as its effects on their mothering experiences, health and well-being, as well as how they manage the emotional and mental toll of their children’s experiences. Race plays an integral role in shaping mothering practices. More specifically, motherwork examines how Black mothers ensure the physical, mental, and emotional survival of their children in the face of micro-and macro-level structures that perpetuate racism and inequality. However, much is left to explore regarding the interconnectedness between Black women’s motherwork, linked …

Let’S Dance: Exploring The Physical, Psychological, And Social Effects Of Dance In Children, Alexis Sunderlage

Senior Theses

Movement and dance have a lot of positive health benefits, physically, psychologically, and socially. Children love to intrinsically move and creating a structured dance program is one way to gain the benefits of dance. The purpose of this study is to explore the physical, psychological, and social effects of dance in children while gaining insights that could be applied to the setting of occupational and physical pediatric therapies. This was done by conducting a literature review and exploring how children react to learning and following dance videos in a classroom setting by evaluating ability, engagement, and enjoyment by creating Let’s …

Implementation Of Brain Breaks(R) In The Classroom And Its Effects On Attitudes Towards Physical Activity In A Chinese School Setting, Ke Zhou, Sensen He, Yanli Zhou, Biljana Popeska, Garry Kuan, Li Chen, Ming-Kai Chin, Magdalena Mo Ching Mok, Christopher R. Edginton, Ian Culpan, J. Larry Durstine

Faculty Publications

This study aimed to examine the effects of three-months of classroom-based Brain Breaks Physical Activity Solution (Brain Breaks®) on attitudes toward physical activity levels of primary school children in Henan Province, China. The participants were 704 children enrolled in grades 3–5 who were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group participated in Brain Breaks® video intervention for 3–5 min daily, at low-to-moderate intensity for three consecutive months. The control group resumed their normal routine. The children’s attitudes in both groups towards physical activity (PA) were evaluated using the self-reported Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale …

Agricultural And Finance Intervention Increased Dietary Intake And Weight Of Children Living In Hiv-Affected Households In Western Kenya, Lisa M. Butler, Shiva Bhandari, Phelgona Otieno, Sheri D. Weiser, Craig R. Cohen, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

We tested whether a multisectoral household agricultural and finance intervention increased the dietary intake and improved the nutritional status of HIV-affected children. Two hospitals in rural Kenya were randomly assigned to be either the intervention or the control arm. The intervention comprised a human-powered water pump, microfinance loan for farm commodities, and training in sustainable farming practices and financial management. In each arm, 100 children (0-59 mo of age) were enrolled from households with HIV-infected adults 18-49 y old. Children were assessed beginning in April 2012 and every 3 mo for 1 y for dietary intake and anthropometry. Children in …

Children See Race; Teachers Should Too: Challenging Bias, Stereotypes, And Prejudice Through Children's Literature, Alexandra J. Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impacts of antibias culturally responsive literature on kindergarten children and teachers through qualitative action research conducted in one classroom over the course of twelve weeks. It examines how young children in this kindergarten classroom use what they have learned from and about antibias culturally responsive literature in their daily play, writing, conversations, and interactions. I clarify the process through which kindergarteners transform in relation to the understanding of their and others' cultures. In the research, two types of strategies were used: (1) critical research and (2) narrative inquiry. Data was collected from whole group discussions set …

The Relations Between Adherence To Behavioral Treatments And Parent Stress In Families Of Children With Asd, Aimee Rovane

Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies suggest that parent involvement with behavior treatment for associated challenging behaviors (ACBs) may reduce parent stress in families with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it is not known whether high treatment adherence to protocols is associated with reduced parent stress, or which factors that may moderate this relation. The current study examined the relation between parents’ adherence to behavioral treatments and parent stress, and whether parents’ perceptions toward treatment moderate this association. Participants were 190 mothers, fathers, or caregivers of a child with ASD. A bivariate correlation matrix examined associations between each variable, and 3 separate linear regression …

Parenting And Child Self-Regulation As Mechanisms For The Relationship Of Household Food Insecurity With Child Dietary Behavior, Hoa Thi Mai Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Food insecurity is both a nutritional problem and a stressful life experience of adults and children in households dealing with food shortage. Potential mechanisms of the associations between food insecurity and adverse outcomes in children’s health and development are through parenting and child self-regulation.

Objectives: We investigated parenting and child self-regulation as potential mechanisms for the relationship of food insecurity with child dietary behaviors with two specific aims. Specific aim 1 was to understand how food insecurity and its change over time relate to parenting in early childhood. Specific aim 2 was to understand the relationship of parenting in …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of A Supervision Intervention On Secondary Traumatic Stress Responses Among Counselors Treating Child Survivors Of Sexual Abuse, Brooke Wymer

Theses and Dissertations

Novice counselors who have high trauma caseloads are at risk for secondary traumatic stress (STS) responses, which can impact their ability to function effectively in professional counseling roles. Supervision is one factor frequently conceptualized to have an impact on STS responses in counselors; however, there is a dearth of literature regarding specific supervision interventions that are evidence-based to reduce or prevent STS responses among counselors treating trauma, specifically child survivors of sexual abuse (CSSA). Due to the absence of supervision intervention studies among counselors working with this population, the current study implemented an experimental single case research design to measure …

Group-Based Physical Activity Trajectories In Children Transitioning From Elementary To High School, Russell R. Pate, Michaela A. Schenkelberg, Marsha Dowda, Kerry L. Mciver

Faculty Publications

Background

Physical activity has been observed repeatedly to decline as children transition into adolescence; however, few studies have explored the possibility that sub-groups of children experience unique patterns of change during this transition. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the physical activity trajectories in clusters of youth transitioning from 5th to 11th grade.

Methods

Participants (n = 652) were recruited as 5th graders (ages 10–12 years) from elementary schools (n = 21) in two school districts. Demographic, anthropometric, and physical activity data were collected once per year when children were in 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 11th …

Understanding Dyslexia In The Context Of Developmental Language Disorders, Suzanne M. Adlof, Tiffany P. Hogan

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to discuss the language basis of dyslexia in the context of developmental language disorders (DLDs). Whereas most studies have focused on the phonological skills of children with dyslexia, we bring attention to broader language skills. Method: We conducted a focused literature review on the language basis of dyslexia from historical and theoretical perspectives with a special emphasis on the relation between dyslexia and DLD and on the development of broader language skills (e.g., vocabulary, syntax, and discourse) before and after the identification of dyslexia. Results: We present clinically relevant information on the history …

The Effect Of E-Book Vocabulary Instruction On Spanish-English Speaking Children, Carla Wood, Lisa Fitton, Yaacov Petscher, Estrella Rodriguez, Gretchen Sunderman, Taehyeong Lim

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of an intensive vocabulary intervention embedded in e-books on the vocabulary skills of young Spanish-English speaking English learners (ELs) from low-socioeconomic status backgrounds. Method: Children (N = 288) in kindergarten and 1st grade were randomly assigned to treatment and read-only conditions. All children received e-book readings approximately 3 times a week for 10-20 weeks using the same books. Children in the treatment condition received e-books supplemented with vocabulary instruction that included scaffolding through explanations in Spanish, repetition in English, checks for understanding, and highlighted morphology. Results: There was a main effect of …

Cognitive Remediation Of Working Memory Deficits In Children With Chronic Health Conditions: Tailoring Cogmed Training To Address Barriers To Adherence, Kelsey Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and cancer are at risk for working memory impairment due to the disease and treatment. However, inconsistency in adherence to cognitive training programs conducted with this population suggests that adaptations are necessary in order to improve the effectiveness of this intervention. In addition, it is unclear whether gains in working memory translate to improvement in classroom functioning.

Methods: Children engaged in cognitive training exclusively over the summer in order to improve adherence to Cogmed Working Memory Training. A total of 17 children ages 7- 17 with a diagnosis of SCD (n = 14) …

Education’S Role In A System Of Care For Children And Youth With Emotional/Behavioral Challenges: A Mixed Methods Evaluation, Lauryn Young

Theses and Dissertations

Students with more severe emotional/behavioral (EB) challenges have many problems in the school environment and subsequently have significant difficulty making adjustments later in adulthood. Coordinated care systems, such as local system of care (SOC) initiatives, were established in response to a call for reform in youth mental health services as research began highlighting the need for improved access and quality of mental and behavioral services for youth. However, even in communities where SOC initiatives are operating well, school involvement is usually marginal. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate education’s role in one SOC for children and youth with EB …

The Relationship Between Motor Competence And Health-Related Fitness In Children And Adolescents, Carlos Luz, Luı´S P. Rodrigues, An V. De Meester, Rita Cordovil

Faculty Publications

Background and aims

In the last twenty years, there has been increasing evidence that Motor Competence (MC) is vital for developing an active and healthy lifestyle. This study analyses the associations between motor competence and its components, with health-related fitness (HRF).

Methods

A random sample of 546 children (278 males, mean = 10.77 years) divided into four age groups (7–8; 9–10; 11–12; 13–14 years old) was evaluated. A quantitative MC instrument (evaluating stability, locomotor and manipulative skills), a maximal multistage 20-m shuttle-run test and the handgrip test, height and BMI were used in the analyses. Pearson correlations and standard regression …

Disability: Becoming An Advocate For Persons With Disabilities And Understanding The History Of The Disability Movement In The United States, Frances Mason Ramsay

Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to look at the different facets that make up disability in the United States, with a specific focus on the children with disabilities. These facets include related legislation, the education system, activism, services, and what it means to care for a child with disabilities. Throughout the research process, each of these facets were analyzed to include the most significant events for the section, an overview of each section to provide insight and a small amount of background and history for someone relatively unfamiliar with the history of disability in the United States. Beyond research …

Associations Among Elementary School Children’S Actual Motor Competence, Perceived Motor Competence, Physical Activity And Bmi : A Cross-Sectional Study, An V. De Meester, David F. Stodden, Ali S. Brian, Larissa True, Greet Cardon, Isabel Tallir, Leen Haerens

Faculty Publications

Background

Positive associations between motor competence and physical activity have been identified by means of variable-centered analyses. To expand the understanding of these associations, this study used a person-centered approach to investigate whether different combinations (i.e., profiles) of actual and perceived motor competence exist (aim 1); and to examine differences in physical activity levels (aim 2) and weight status (aim 3) among children with different motor competence-based profiles.

Materials and Methods

Children’s (N = 361; 180 boys = 50%; Mage = 9.50±1.24yrs) actual motor competence was measured with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and their perceived motor …

The Misidentification Of Children With Disabilities: A Harm With No Foul, Claire Raj

Faculty Publications

Special education, despite being a uniform federal mandate, is often implemented drastically differently depending on the school system delivering services, the particular category of disability, and the race or ethnicity of students. Affluent white children who attend well-managed school districts tend to benefit from special education services. In the under-funded and over-tasked districts where most minorities attend school, the special education system does not always provide the same benefits. In these schools, special education, too often, operates as a dumping ground for those students the general education system cannot or refuses to serve. In these instances, the label of “special …

The Influence Of Adhd Symptoms And Social Impairment On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In 8- To 10-Year-Old Children, Danielle Brooke Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired social functioning in children and adolescents. ADHD and increased social impairment have proven to be separately correlated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms as well. However, little research has examined these specific associations and interactions among ADHD, social functioning, and internalizing symptoms. The current study aimed to examine the influence of ADHD symptoms and social functioning on anxiety and depression symptoms in 321 8- to 10- year-old children, and specifically, if social impairment moderated the relation between ADHD symptoms and anxiety and depression symptoms. Data on ADHD, social …

Social Communication As An Early Indicator Of Autism In High-Risk Infant Populations, Alexis Marie Brewer

Senior Theses

This senior thesis analyzes the social communicative profiles of children at high-risk for autism compared to typically developing controls. The project focuses specifically on the differences in initiating joint attention gaze shifts and joint attention gestures at 12 months in two high-risk groups, children with fragile X syndrome and younger siblings of children already diagnosed with autism. Their frequencies of gaze shifts and gestures were also analyzed to determine whether the joint attention behaviors are indicative of later autism symptom severity at 24 months.

What We Know And Need To Know About Pro Bono Service Delivery, April Faith-Slaker

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Informational And Emotional Support Needs Of Grandparents Of Children With Pompe Disease, Natasha Lousie Rudy

Theses and Dissertations

The complex roles and experiences of grandparents of children with various diagnoses have been described, but previous studies have not investigated the roles and experiences of grandparents of children with treatable, Mendelian conditions such as Pompe disease. The availability of treatment and heritable nature of Pompe introduce the possibility for unique grandparent roles, experiences and needs. This is a particularly timely investigation given the advent of newborn screening for Pompe. This study aimed to characterize grandparents’ roles and involvement, identify grandparents’ information and emotional support needs, and explore the psychosocial impact felt by grandparents of children with Pompe. An online …

Comparing Methods For Assessing The English Grammatical Development Of Spanish-Speaking English Learners, Lisa A. Fitton Ph.D., Mary Claire Wofford, Kristina N. Bustamante, Natasha De Novi, Bibiana Nuñez, Carla L. Wood

Faculty Publications

Identifying valid and informative approaches for assessing young English learners (ELs) is essential for school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The present paper focuses on two distinct approaches for assessing English grammatical development, a key component and indicator of language development for ELs. The approaches addressed are standardized normreferenced assessment and grammatical feature coding from story retell narratives. The authors review the utility of these approaches for evaluating the English grammatical development of Spanish-speaking ELs. A research example is provided to illustrate how a small sample (n = 18) of ELs performed on each of these English-based tasks. Findings reveal that children …

Exploring Children’S Physical Activity Levels Through Structure And Measurement, Jessica L. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: 1) to establish best practices for wrist-based accelerometry for 5-11 year old children and 2) to explore the contribution of activity structure to children’s physical activity (PA) levels.

The purpose of study 1 aimed to determine differences in counts/5second epoch produced by the dominant and non-dominant wrist during seated, sedentary activities in 5-11 year old children and ultimately create a cutpoint threshold to distinguish seated sedentary behavior from light physical activity. 167 children, ages 5-11 years, performed up to 8 sedentary activities for 5 minutes while wearing ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers on both wrists. …

Sedentary Behavior In Preschoolers: How Many Days Of Accelerometer Monitoring Is Needed?, Wonwoo Byun, Michael W. Beets, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

The reliability of accelerometry for measuring sedentary behavior in preschoolers has not been determined, thus we determined how many days of accelerometry monitoring are necessary to reliably estimate daily time spent in sedentary behavior in preschoolers. In total, 191 and 150 preschoolers (three to five years) wore ActiGraph accelerometers (15-s epoch) during the in-school (≥4 days) and the total-day (≥6 days) period respectively. Accelerometry data were summarized as time spent in sedentary behavior (min/h) using three different cutpoints developed for preschool-age children (

Longitudinal Study Of The Effectiveness Of The South Carolina Medicaid Policy For The Application Of Fluoride Varnish For Children Age Three And Under, Christine N. Veschusio

Theses and Dissertations

In South Carolina, the burden of dental decay disproportionately affects disadvantaged children enrolled in Medicaid (Dye et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2012; Ayers et al., 2013). To address this oral health disparity, South Carolina’s Medicaid Program initiated payment to physicians for the delivery of fluoride varnish (FV), an evidence-based preventive dental service at the well-child visit, to children up to thirty-six months of age. Fluoride varnish has been found to reduce dental decay by thirty-seven percent when applied two to four times a year (Weyant et al., 2013; Marinho et al., 2013).

Two retrospective cohort studies were undertaken to …