Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Family Stressors On Depression In Latino Adolescents As Mediated By Interparental Conflict, Jenny Carolina Mondragon

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive literature suggests that Latino youth experience higher levels of depression when compared to youth from other ethnic backgrounds yet relatively little is known regarding why this particular population is especially susceptible to depression. This study focused on family level stressors and the link between interparental conflict and adolescent depressive symptoms in Latino families. The sample consisted of 400 girls and 290 boys, they were distributed into four groups based on gender and family structure. Written surveys were completed in their respective English classes measuring the aforementioned variables. Results indicated a significant relationship across all four groups between family stressors …

Predictors Of Positive Adjustment In A Sample Of Children Impacted By Hurricane Katrina, Jennifer C. Piscitello

LSU Master's Theses

Natural disasters have a profound psychological impact on children and youth (Kelley et al., 2010; Lai et al., 2015; La Greca, et al., 1996; Vernberg et al., 1996). Much of the literature assessing risk and protective factors related to children’s post-disaster recovery has primarily focused on the development of significant clinical symptoms, largely ignoring factors associated with positive adjustment and resilience. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine parenting behaviors and family organization (i.e., child routines) as they relate to children’s self-esteem and self-reliance in a sample of 371 parent-child dyads impacted by Hurricane Katrina. A series of …

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 …

Effect Of Nutrition Education On Food And Beverage Choices Of Adolescent Female Dancers, Marie Ann Williams

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Lifestyle choices affect the risk of obesity and ill-health among youth. This study determined whether providing nutrition education to adolescent females enrolled in dance classes influenced their beverage and food choices. It was hypothesized that providing six 10-minute nutrition education sessions for three weeks to adolescent dancers would increase their healthy beverage and food choices. Sixteen girls (12-18 years), from two dance studios in Kingsport, Tennessee, completed this pre-test/post-test study. After nutrition education, soda consumption reduced by 7.7%; sugar sweetened beverages (excluding sodas) reduced by 23%; intakes of fruits and vegetables were enhanced by 5.6% and 21%, respectively. Paradoxically, home-cooked …

Implications Of Parenting Behaviour And Adolescent Attachment For Understanding Adolescent Sexting, Julie Margaret Norman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the nature and prevalence of adolescent sexting, and its relation to parenting behaviours and adolescents’ attachment, in a sample of Canadian adolescents. Participants were 305 adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age (158 females, 147 males). Adolescents completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire assessing sexting-related behaviours and experiences, attachment, temperament, and experiences of parental warmth, parental-psychological control, parent-child communication, and parental monitoring. The analyses revealed that, among Canadian adolescents, sending and receiving sexual messages and images was more common among older adolescents. There were no gender differences in rates of sending and receiving sexual messages or images, …

Sleep, Internalizing Symptoms, Executive Functioning, And Diabetes Outcomes In Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Ashley Charlene Moss

Dissertations (1934 -)

Insufficient sleep is a nearly universal problem during adolescence and is likely associated with various biopsychosocial and contextual factors present with this developmental period. Youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may experience greater sleep difficulties, poorer sleep quality, and greater daytime sleepiness/fatigue compared to healthy youth. Also, sleep difficulties are associated with poorer diabetes outcomes (e.g., treatment adherence). Understanding how sleep may impact illness management during adolescence is critical given increasing rates of non-adherence during this developmental period. Although research suggests poor sleep is associated with decreased neurocognitive functioning and increased internalizing behavior among healthy youth, limited research has …

Exploring The Relationship Between Early Severity Of Epilepsy And Depressive Symptoms In Youth Ten Years After Diagnosis, Samanpreet Brar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study assessed the association between early severity of epilepsy and subsequent depressive symptoms in youth and the extent to which family and clinical factors mediated this relationship. Data were obtained from the Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy Study, a multi-centre prospective study of children with new-onset epilepsy. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed severity of epilepsy 2 years post-diagnosis to be positively associated with depressive symptoms 10 years post-diagnosis (b=2.10, 95%CI:0.42,3.79). The results of generalized estimating equation models found family functioning, family resources, parental depressive symptoms, and antiepileptic drug use to not be mediators. Five-year seizure …

Resilience And Coping In The Adolescent And Young Adult With Type 1 Diabetes, Debra L. Messinger

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

There is a need to understand the roles coping strategies play in enhancing resilience in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes between the ages of 18-30. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between and among positive, protective coping strategies (courageous coping), negative coping strategies (defensive coping), and resilience. The Resilience in Illness Model (Haase, Kinter, Monahan, & Robb, 2014) was the theoretical model which guided this research.

A convenience sample was recruited via diabetes organizations’ Facebook and Forum pages, a College Diabetes Network chapter meeting, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundations’ (JDRF) sponsored events. Data …

Mindful Classroom: Developing And Testing Strategies For Resilience Among Urban 7th Grade Students, Alyssa Santos

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction: A growing body of research suggests mindfulness-based classroom interventions are an effective, low cost approach to reducing the effects of toxic stress among youth. The purpose of this project was to identify key sources of stress among urban 7th grade students at De Marillac Academy and develop and test mindfulness techniques to actively engage and potentially improve stress management skills among students.

Methods: Five focus groups with students were conducted to assess the most prominent sources of stress inside and outside of school as well as current self-management strategies. Additionally, anonymous online surveys were distributed to 7th grade parents, …

Mental Health And Academic Outcomes Among Adolescents In South Korean Orphanages, Hollee Ann Mcginnis

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research conducted over the past 100 years in Western nations support the adverse effects of orphanages on children’s emotional, developmental, and social well-being as well as economic costs to society (Save the Children UK, 2009; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Van IJzendoorn & Juffer, 2008; Williams & Greenberg, 2010). Globally, the number of orphaned and abandoned children is conservatively estimated to be around 143 million, of whom the majority reside in Asia, followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (UNICEF, UNAIDS, & USAID, 2004). South Korea (hereafter “Korea”) is an exemplary nation for study because it has a well-established child welfare system, including family-based alternatives (domestic and …

Emotion Regulation As A Moderator Between Coping And Perceived Stress With Middle School Students In Rural Areas, Jabari Markeon Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

As students mature the types and frequency of stressors increase with age. Notably, middle school can be a stressful transition period that includes new peer relationships and hormonal changes, along with an increased probability of experiencing bullying and suicide ideation. Stress has been shown to have negative effects in psychological and physiological functioning among adolescents (Brietzke et al., 2012; De Young, Kenardy, & Cobham, 2011; Green et al., 2010). Effective coping skills can help to buffer these issues, giving adolescents a repertoire of tools to use. Along with that, proper emotional regulation has been shown decrease the negative effects of …

Examination Of The Effects Of Computer Assisted Mindfulness Strategies With Adolescents In An Alternative High School Setting, Justin A. Moore

Dissertations

Based on growing evidence that suggests mindfulness practices may improve psychological functioning, recent decades have seen a surge in mindfulness interventions and the use of technology as a means for teaching them. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of four weeks of (twice weekly) training sessions using two computer-based strategies for teaching mindfulness-related skills to adolescents. The strategies included Breath Counting Training (BCT; Levinson et al., 2014) and Self-Compassion Training (SCT; Weng et al., 2013; Alberston, Neff, and Dill-Shackleford, 2014). Twenty adolescents (M age = 17.30; 40% male, 55% female, 5% gender neutral; 60% …

Coping And Africultural Adolescents, Britne R. Amos

Dissertations

The present study explored approaches to coping among Africultural, college students between the ages of 18 and 22 years. Coping strategies applied to Africultural adolescents and young adults have been studied from a majority culture, adult lens. In this context, Africultural is used to refer to people of self-identified African descent including and not limited to people who identify as African American (e.g., parent(s) were born in America, individual was born in America), of African descent and living in America (e.g., parents were born in Africa, individual was born in Africa), mixed African American and another ethnic group including Latino/a, …

Self-Forgiveness In Japanese Adolescents., Tetsuo "Ted" Sato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature of forgiveness has been proliferated the last two decades (Davis et al., 2015b), but it has primarily focused on forgiveness of others and the research of self-forgiveness has just increased in recent years (Worthington & Langberg, 2012). Woodyatt and Wenzel (2013a) proposed a process-oriented approach of self-forgiveness while considering three possible responses to the self (i.e., genuine self-forgiveness, pseudo self-forgiveness, and self-punitiveness) after interpersonally offending others. Self-forgiveness among children and adolescents and in Japanese culture was discussed. The association of self-forgiveness to depressive and anxiety symptoms, and culturally and developmentally unique factors (i.e., fear of negative evaluation and …

Creative Movement Dance Class For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zoe N. Brennan, Abigail L. Koning, April L. Miller

Pediatrics

Objective: The objective of this phenomenological study was to identify how an occupational therapy developed Creative Movement Dance Class (CMDC) addresses social interaction skills in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Method: Interviews were conducted with a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Occupational Therapist (OT), ballet instructor, student intern, teacher, and an aide that were directly involved with the CMDC.

Results: Three themes were identified. The first theme, structure of the class, consisted of eight sub-themes including opportunity to practice, fulfilling sensory needs, the Just Right Challenge, classroom support, classroom expectations, interprofessional collaboration, themes, and format of the class. The …

Relationship Between Weight Status, Demographic Variables And Health-Related Quality Of Life In New Mexico Adolescents, Ukeme Umoh

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

This study evaluated the relationship between weight status, demographic variables and HRQOL in New Mexico adolescents. This secondary analysis uses baseline data from 991 adolescents in the 9^th and 10^th grades enrolled in the ACTION PAC clinical trial. HRQOL was assessed using the validated Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0). Body mass index (BMI) percentiles were calculated from anthropometric measurements, and demographic variables (age, sex, race/ethnicity and household income) were obtained via self-report. Obese adolescents (BMI ≥ 95^th percentile) had lower total (pthpercentile) adolescents. Males reported higher total (p

Fatigue In Children And Adolescents With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Basmah El-Aloul

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Fatigue was recently reported to be the largest predictor of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The objectives of this thesis were to describe fatigue from patients’ and parents’ perspectives and to explore associations of patient characteristics with fatigue in children and adolescents with DMD using a multicentre cross-sectional study design. Eligible patients and their parents were identified via the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry and received mailed paper questionnaires. Children and adolescents with DMD experienced greater fatigue compared to healthy controls from published data. Fatigue was a significant issue in children …

Risky Sex And Alcohol-Related Behaviors And Cognitions In Adolescents: Evaluating A Values-Based Intervention, Meredith K. Chapman

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The co-occurrence of alcohol use and risky sexual behavior is prevalent among underage drinkers and causes numerous psychosocial and health related consequences. There is a need for interventions to target these risk-taking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a values-based intervention to decrease risky sex, problematic alcohol behaviors and related expectancies. These risk-taking behaviors were also examined in the context of an acquired preparedness model (APM). Thirty-eight youth from a high school and university setting completed both time points. Participants were randomly assigned into one of two treatment conditions: a treatment as usual group …

Non-Pharmacological Treatments For Children And Adolescents Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Clara Delgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project aims to identify and acknowledge the various non-pharmacological interventions and treatments for both children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. This review will highlight the non-pharmacological interventions that are discussed in current research, the significance and potential impact it has on the field of social work, and the way in which this research proposal will be conducted.

ADHD is a commonly known neurodevelopmental disorder that is often seen within children and adolescents. ADHD can be treated through prescription medication, non-pharmacological interventions, or a combination of both. Research indicates that non-pharmacological treatments/interventions have shown positive side effects or outcomes …

Theory Of Mind In Children And Adolescents On The Autism Spectrum: Comparison With Normative Individuals, Courtney Cross

Honors Theses

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to recognize mental states of oneself and that of other individuals (Parsons & Mitchell, 2002), which typically evolves with age in normative individuals (Hutchins et al., 2011). Research has shown that autistic (ASD) individuals lack a developed ToM and that this triggers social impairments (Rajendran, 2013; Mathersul et al., 2013). The developmental progress of ToM in children on the spectrum is unknown; therefore, this study analyzed normative individuals and those on the spectrum to discover how the development of ToM in these two groups may differ with age. This study hypothesized that normative …

Hopelessness And Youth Violent Behavior: A Longitudinal Study, Janie Demetropoulos

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how hopelessness impacts youth engagement in violent behavior over time. The data are from waves I and II of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Poisson regression was used to analyze contributors to violence in just wave I, and then again across time in wave II using explanatory and control variables from wave I. Results indicate that hopelessness is positively associated with violent behavior. Furthermore, while hopelessness and most of the other explanatory variables predicted violent behavior in wave I, almost all the variables became non-significant or negative except hopelessness and a measure of …

Therapy & Dragons: A Look Into The Possible Applications Of Table Top Role Playing Games In Therapy With Adolescents, Raul Gutierrez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Finding the correct therapeutic intervention for a client can be difficult to determine, especially for certain populations like adolescents. The implementation of Table Top Role Playing Games (TRPGs) in therapy is slowly becoming a more widely utilized therapy intervention because of its ability to engage clients who may be apprehensive to engaging in therapy. Having a wide array of interventions in our therapeutic toolbelt is crucial for mental health social workers to flexibly implement interventions, like TRPGs, with clients. Unfortunately, there is little research determining whether this approach is beneficial to therapy or not. This exploratory research study sought to …

Understanding The Relation Between Profiles Of Adolescent Peer Conflict, Socio-Demographic Factors, And Type 1 Diabetes Adaptation, Gabrielle Gipson Banks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peer conflict and socio-demographic variables are differentially associated with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) outcomes in adolescents. The present study determined empirical patterns of the context (friend versus non-friend) and content (diabetes specific versus general) of peer conflict within a broader framework of socio-demographic factors and adolescents’ diabetes related adherence, quality of life, and glycemic control. Data were collected from 178 youth with T1D, ages 12-18, receiving treatment in a Mid-Southern outpatient endocrinology clinic. Patients reported adherence and quality of life using the Self-Care Inventory and PedsQL-Diabetes module, respectively. Glycemic control (HbA1c values) and illness duration were obtained from medical chart …

Do Marketing Strategies Impact Condom Sales In Uganda?, Meyhar Mohammed

Master's Theses

What attracts people to buy condoms? HIV/AIDS remain one of the biggest health dangers of the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. A lot of efforts have been pursued in the past two decades to drastically reduce prevalence of HIV and increase awareness about preventive mechanisms. In order to prevent relapse of success achieved so far, it is important to recognize transformation of consumer behavior due to growth in social networks, education and awareness over time. There are a lot of behavioral triggers captured by social marketing interventions in the field of public health. In an attempt to investigate the role …

Evaluating The Pilot Implementation Of A Culturally Responsive Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Intervention For Binge Eating Behaviors Among Adolescents, Rebecca Catherine Kamody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The affect regulation model conceptualizes episodes of emotional overeating and binge eating as an attempt to regulate or change one’s emotions. Dialectical behavior therapy, an evidence-based treatment for individuals with severe emotion dysregulation, has shown promise as an effective treatment for individuals with eating disorders, including binge eating disorder. Dialectical behavior therapy has also been identified and supported as an effective treatment for adolescents with severe emotion dysregulation. Research has only begun to explore the application of dialectical behavior therapy as an evidence-based treatment for adolescent binge eating and related behaviors; however, use of a condensed dialectical behavior therapy skills …

Physical Dating Violence In Georgia: A Growing Disparity Among Hispanic Youth, Britni Knott

Public Health Theses

Background:

Nationally representative data of high school students in the U.S. indicate that levels of physical dating violence are higher among students in Georgia than in most states. This study seeks to understand the increased risk for physical dating violence among youth in Georgia and make recommendations for prevention and interventions.

Methods:

Analyses were conducted using the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative dataset sampling of high school students in grades 9-12 in the United States. Data from a total of 13,583 adolescents were used in the study. Physical dating violence was defined as reporting being hit, slammed …

Exploring Resilience And Adaptation In Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease, Laura Ann Cousins

Psychology Dissertations

Living with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be a significant adversity due to disease-related symptoms and complications. Compounding these challenges, SCD predominantly affects ethnic minority populations already vulnerable to societal stigmatization, discrimination, and health disparities. It is important to recognize the negative impact of this chronic illness on psychosocial functioning; however, there is value in utilizing a strengths-based approach to determine how to promote adaptation to a challenging life-long disease. The current study explored the association among pain characteristics, adolescent, caregiver, and family protective factors, and functioning outcomes. Another primary aim of this study was to apply the protective factor …

Unemployment, Does It Really Hurt?, Claudia Vargas

Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes the consequences of changes in the unemployment rate in Colombia on the level of education attained for adolescents. Increases in the unemployment rate are associated with an increase in the average number of years of education. No significant effect was found for men of the same age.

Strategies And Outcomes In Working With Adolescents Diagnosed With Conduct Disorder, Elisabeth A. Boegeman

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Conduct disorder is defined by the American Psychiatric Association (2013) as: A repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age appropriate societal norms or rules are violated, as manifested by the presence of at least three of fifteen criteria, in the past twelve months, with at least one criterion present in the past six months. Conduct disorder is generally considered to be a serious, chronic childhood disorder that is often the primary precursor to an adult presenting with chronic antisocial behavior. According to Lahey, Loeber, Hart, Frick, & al, et (1995), it …

Culturally Specific Interventions To Support Adolescent Immigrant And Refugee Mental Health, Lynn Whitfield

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This exploratory qualitative study examines various culturally specific interventions practitioners use to support the mental health needs of adolescent immigrants and refugees. Studies have noted that resilience, family involvement, peer support, art-based interventions, school-based interventions, and accessible community resources are all protective factors that promote positive mental health outcomes for adolescents adjusting to a new host country. The researcher conducted eight semi-structured interviews with three licensed clinical social workers (LICSW), one licensed graduate social worker (LGSW), one psychotherapist with a doctorate in psychology, a school counselor, and two clinical counselors. All of the participants of the study serve the refugee …