Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Online Learning On Mental Health During A Pandemic, Christina J. Mcrae

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effects of online learning on mental health. The focus included six aspects: academic performance, physical activity, social isolation, food insecurity and other stressors, pros and cons, and religion and mental health. Each aspect included advantages and disadvantages that adolescent students experienced. The study included 6th - 12th graders attending a Charter school. The eligibility requirement was that participants participated in online learning during the 2020-2021 school year. Academic performance data was obtained from the school office for students who attended the school during online learning and requested from parents if they attended other schools. Both positive …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Universal Depression Screenings In The High School Setting, Telisha Anthony Msn, Fnp-Bc, Jennifer Thorsen Bsn, Rn, Jackie Sharp Dnp, Pmhnp-Bc, Sharon Little Dnp, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Depression in adolescents is rising each year. Early detection of depression has been shown to result in better health outcomes and success in school. This scoping review aims to evaluate the implementation of universal depression screenings in the high school setting and how this detection of depression and initiation of treatment.

Methods

From August 2022 to November 2023, we used the Medline, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO databases, using specific keywords related to depression in adolescents. Of the 38 articles found, 10 were chosen after extensive article critique. The publication dates ranged from 2014-2023, were full-text, and from …

Assessing Alexithymia In Adolescents: Psychometric Properties Of The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire In High School Students, Annette C. Trimble, Ken Robinson, David A. Preece

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Conceptually, alexithymia is a key transdiagnostic risk factor for the development of numerous psychopathologies across the lifespan. However, to date, most alexithymia research has focused on adults, with adolescent work limited by a lack of validated age-appropriate assessment tools. Recently, the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) was introduced to enhance the comprehensiveness of alexithymia assessments, but its psychometric properties have only been tested in adults. In this study, we address this by examining the psychometric properties of the PAQ in a sample of English-speaking high school students (N = 225, aged 11 to 18), and use the PAQ to further establish …

Eating Disorders And Adolescents: A Plea For Early Childhood Intervention, Abby Smiley

Student Works

According to Gerbasi et al. (2014), eating disorders are considered a global health crisis, if not a worldwide epidemic. Early intervention in adolescence may be effective in slowing the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in this at-risk demographic. Bills et al. (2023) concluded that physical complications may come from participating in disordered eating and may eventually attribute to the development of an eating disorder; these complications may include diminished brain function and health, as well as diminished heart function and health. It was also concluded that eating disorders may be linked to suicidal ideation and other mental health issues (Bills …

Less Computer Access: Is It A Risk Or A Protective Factor For Cyberbullying And Face-To-Face Bullying Victimization Among Adolescents In The United States?, Jun Sung Hong, Miao Wang, Rekha Negi, Dexter R. Voisin, Lois M. Takahashi, Andre Iadipaolo

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The present study investigates whether less computer access is associated with an increase or decrease in cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying victimization. Data were derived from the 2009–2010 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children U.S. Study, consisting of 12,642 adolescents aged 11, 13, and 15 years (Mage = 12.95). We found that less computer usage was negatively associated with cyberbullying victimization and face-to-face bullying victimization. The findings from the study have implications for research and practice.

Protocol For The Promoting Resilience In Stress Management (Prism) Intervention: A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial For Adolescents And Young Adults With Advanced Cancer, Alison O’Daffer, Liam Comiskey, Samantha R. Scott, Chuan Zhou, Miranda C. Bradford, Joyce P. Yi-Frazier, Abby R. Rosenberg

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Background

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are at high risk of poor psychosocial outcomes, and evidence-based interventions designed to meet their psychosocial and communication needs are lacking. The main objective of this project is to test the efficacy of a new adaptation of the Promoting Resilience in Stress Management intervention for AYAs with Advanced Cancer (PRISM-AC).

Methods/design

The PRISM-AC trial is a 2-arm, parallel, non-blinded, multisite, randomized controlled trial. 144 participants with advanced cancer will be enrolled and randomized to either usual, non-directive, supportive care without PRISM-AC (“control” arm) or with PRISM-AC (“experimental” arm). PRISM is a manualized, …

Relations Between Peer Influence, Perceived Cost Versus Benefits, And Sexual Offending Among Adolescents Aware Of Sex Offender Registration Risk, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Hayley M. D. Cleary, Paige M. Oja

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

A policy's general deterrent effect requires would-be offenders to be aware of the policy, yet many adolescents do not know they could be registered as sex offenders, and even adolescents who do know may still commit registerable sexual offenses. We tested whether peer influences shape the perceived costs/benefits of certain sexual offenses and, subsequently, registration policy's general deterrent potential in a sample of policy-aware adolescents. The more adolescents believed their peers approve of sexting of nude images, the more likely they were to have sexted. For forcible touching, having more positive peer expectations about sex and perceiving forcible touching as …

A Narrative Review Of Screen Time And Wellbeing Among Adolescents Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Implications For The Future, Verity Yu Qing Lua, Terence B. K. Chua, Michael Y. H. Chia

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of many. In particular, during the height of the pandemic, many experienced lockdowns, which in turn increased screen time drastically. While the pandemic has been declared an endemic and most activities have been reinstated, there appears to still be elevated screen time among adolescents due to poor habits formed during the pandemic lockdowns. This paper explores the factors by which screen time affects well-being among adolescents and how the pandemic may have influenced some of these factors. For example, beyond having greater screen time, many adolescents have also reduced their physical activities and …

Awareness Of Social Media Audiences Among Adolescents In A School-Based Intervention, Keeley Hynes, Luke Russell, Daniel Lannin, Leandra N. Parris, Ani Yazedjian

Faculty Publications – Psychology

The current study investigated adolescents’ (N=213) decision finding processes and affective reactions to interactions on social media via 29 focus groups. As part of a larger study, adolescents participated in focus groups at two time-points across an academic year while participating in a school-based intervention promoting healthy romantic, interpersonal, and family relationships, job readiness, and financial literacy. Qualitative analyses indicated adolescents’ experiences and decisions on social media platforms were informed by their awareness of audiences, namely who they thought would view their posts and anticipated responses from “friends,” “family members,” “fans,” “creeps,” and “potential employers.” Comprehensive school-based interventions may serve …

Psychometric Properties Of The Sindhi Version Of The Mood And Feelings Questionnaire (Mfq) In A Sample Of Early Adolescents Living In Rural Pakistan, Janavi Shetty, Florence Perquier, Susan C. Campisi, Yaqub Wasan, Madison Aitken, Daphne J. Korczak, Suneeta Monga, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Peter Szatmari, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

There is a need for reliable and valid screening tools that assess depressive symptoms in adolescents in Pakistan. To address this need, the present study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of a Sindhi-translated and adapted version of the child-report Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ-C) and the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ-C) in a community sample of adolescents living in Matiari, Pakistan. Questionnaires were translated into Sindhi and administered by study psychologists to 1350 participants (52.3% female) 9.0 to 15.9 years old. Measurement structure was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency was estimated, and convergent and divergent …

Can Developmental Trauma Disorder Be Distinguished From Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? A Symptom-Level Person-Centred Empirical Approach, Julian D. Ford, Ruby Charak, Thanos Karatzias, Mark Shevlin, Joseph Spinazzola

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background:

Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) is a proposed childhood psychiatric diagnosis for psychopathological and developmental sequela of victimization and attachment trauma extending beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Objective:

To determine whether a sub-group of trauma-impacted children is characterized by symptoms of DTD that extend beyond, or co-occur with, the symptoms of PTSD.

Method:

Person-centred Latent Class Analyses (LCA) were done with data from 507 children (ages 7–18 years, (M = 12.11, SD = 2/92); 49% female) referred to the study by mental health or paediatric clinicians.

Results:

A four class solution was optimal (LMR = 398.264, p < .001; Entropy = .93): (1) combined DTD + PTSD (n = …

Expatriate Adolescents’ Resilience: Risk And Protective Factors In The Third Culture Context, Jorunn Jo Holmberg, Lilly Augustine, Sahil Datta, Toshie Imada

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Expatriate children and adolescents typically spend several of their formative years moving from country to country, frequently having to adapt to new cultures, making new friends, and fit into new school systems. It has been established in literature that such frequent changes may cause increased and prolonged risk of developing internalizing behavior problems such as depression and anxiety. However, little is still known regarding which protective factors serve as buffer towards the increased risk within the expatriate demographic. This study examined risk and protective factors among a group of expatriates, adolescents, and their parents, originating from 21 countries on five …

Testing Concurrent Validity And Group-Differences Of A Four-Dimensional Assessment Of Attitudes Toward Mutual Acculturation, Petra Sidler

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Acculturation attitudes commonly focus on minority and majority attitudes toward minority acculturation. However, because acculturation is a mutual process, not only are members of minority or migrant groups expected to experience acculturation, but members of the majority also are. In this study, I assessed the attitudes of 375 minority and majority students (M_age = 12.67 years, SD = 0.69, range 11–15, 46% female) in Swiss secondary schools toward (a) migration background students’ heritage culture maintenance and (b) dominant culture adoption, (c) majority students’ acquisition of cultural knowledge, and (d) schools’ endorsement of intercultural contact. This study extends the …

Positive Digital Communication Among Youth: The Development And Validation Of The Digital Flourishing Scale For Adolescents, Jasmina Rosič, Sophie H. Janicke-Bowles, Luca Carbone, Bojana Lobe, Laura Vandenbosch

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Research has extensively studied the negative effects of digital communication on adolescents’ well-being. However, positive digital experiences and behavior in adolescence are still poorly understood. The recently developed Digital Flourishing Scale addresses this gap and focuses on the positive perceptions of a user’s experiences and behaviors in digital communication among adults. In this paper, we developed an adolescent version of this scale. Study 1 demonstrated the internal consistency of the scale and the same factor structure for adolescence as for adulthood: connectedness, civil participation, positive social comparison, authentic self-presentation, and self-control. Study 2 confirmed the identified factor structure with a …

The Negative Effects Of Social Media Sites On Adolescents And The Benefits Of Evoking Empathy Through Reading, Lindsay Everson

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This thesis describes the rise in narcissistic behaviors, cyberbullying, and mental health issues in adolescents ages 13-19 due to frequent social media usage on sites such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. The rise in narcissistic behavior, cyberbullying, and mental health issues among teens places prominence on the need for adolescents to engage in activities that evoke empathy. To combat the issues that come with an adolescent’s frequent social media usage this paper reveals the benefits of reading when it comes to evoking empathy in teens. The paper concludes that evoking empathy in adolescents through reading encourages them to contribute to …

Association Of Caregiver Attitudes With Adolescent Hpv Vaccination In 13 Southern Us States, Lavanya Vasudevan, Jan Ostermann, Yunfei Wang, Sayward Harrison, Valerie Yelverton, Laura J. Fish, Charnetta Williams, Emmanuel B. Walter

Faculty Publications

Background and objectives: HPV vaccination coverage is lower than that of other adolescent vaccines in the southern US. This study sought to characterize caregiver attitudes associated with adolescent HPV vaccination in the southern US and to inform interventions to promote HPV vaccination. Methods: From December 2019 – January 2020, caregivers of adolescents (ages 9–17 years) living in thir- teen southern US states were recruited from a nationally-representative online survey panel. Caregivers (N = 1,105) completed a cross-sectional survey that assessed general adolescent vaccine attitudes as well as those associated with the HPV vaccine and HPV vaccination decision-making. The primary study …

Externalizing Behavior Predicts Differential Patterns Of Substance Use Among Adolescents By Race, Andrea Palacios

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Externalizing Behavior Predicts Differential Patterns of Substance Use among Adolescents by Race

Early substance use is associated with negative developmental outcomes and chronic disease. Adolescent externalizing behavior (e.g., rule-breaking, lying, aggression) is a consistent predictor of adolescent substance use. However, the association between externalizing behavior and different substances (e.g., alcohol, cannabis, nicotine) is unclear. It is important to clarify these relationships by race as previous research has demonstrated that substance use risk factors for Black youth differ from those for White youth, with whom much research has been conducted.

Non-Hispanic Black (n=16) and White (n = 20) adolescents ages 14-18 …

Encouraging Adolescents To Be Self-Directed Learners: Influences Of Classroom Motivation On Student Outcomes, Katherine Stearley

Senior Honors Projects

Teaching American adolescents in public schools presents a unique challenge: how to foster an instructional environment that simultaneously encourages intrinsic desires for lifelong learning, allows for the development of self-determination and autonomy, and teaches students appropriate academic skills. It was hypothesized that relying mainly on extrinsic motivations would be associated with more problematic outcomes for students while relying mainly on intrinsic motivations would be associated with more desirable outcomes. Additionally, it was hypothesized that schools organized around different educational philosophies would favor the use of different motivational strategies. A literature review was conducted that included a review of theories of …

Evaluating The Use Of A Mobile App In High School Seniors To Monitor Cellphone Use While Driving: A Quality Improvement Project, Kristen Mankus

DNP Projects

Background: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers in the United States. Driver distraction is responsible for more than 58% of teen crashes. Evidence from 9 critically appraised articles including two systematic reviews support the need to reduce distracted driving among teenagers; mobile applications along with education can impact behavioral change to encourage teens to refrain from this unsafe practice.

Purpose: The use of the mobile application “Safe2Save” that financially rewards users for not unlocking their cellphone while driving may motivate teenagers to reduce this high-risk behavior. The global aim for this project is …

Strengthening Adolescents With Anxiety Through Drama Therapy, Jeremy M. Moeller

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Strengthening Adolescents with Anxiety Through Drama Therapy

Jeremy Moeller

In recent years the issues associated with social anxiety have become increasingly common in adolescents. With these issues becoming more common it is important that they continue to be nurtured and helped. With so many forms of therapy though it may be hard for someone to find a practice that suits them. That is where drama therapy comes in. Drama therapy is a fairly new practice that helps these adolescents to become more expressive and engaging in their everyday lives, decrease their social anxieties, and build a new sense of confidence …

School-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Adolescents With Anxiety: A Pilot Trial, Julie M. Petersen, Carter H. Davis, Tyler L. Renshaw, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent diagnoses in youth, often resulting in impaired social and school functioning. Research on treatments for youth anxiety is primarily based in traditional clinical settings. However, integrating youth psychotherapies into the school environment improves access to evidence-based care. The present study is a pilot, randomized waitlist-controlled trial of a school-based, group acceptance and commitment therapy-based (ACT) intervention for adolescents with anxiety. Students at two separate schools (N = 26) with elevated anxiety were randomized to a 12-week waitlist or to immediate treatment. Participants in the immediate treatment condition reported statistically significant decreases …

An Investigation Of The Personality Traits That Could Identify Vulnerable Young People Who Will Be Susceptible To Undue Influence By Social Media Influencers (Smis) - Edi Research And Practice Showcase 2022 Presentation, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly, Aiden Carthy

Other Resources

The annual EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Research & Practice showcase is a platform for researchers and practitioners at TU Dublin to present and discuss their work on EDI related issues. Supported by the AIB Research Centre on Inclusive and Equitable Cultures (RINCE), this event aims to provide a forum for exchanging knowledge and experiences of EDI in research and in higher education institutions, to promote interdisciplinarity and to encourage future collaborations.

Disrupting Thinking Conference 2022 - An Ethical Discussion About The Responsibility For Protection Of Minors In The Digital Environment: A State-Of-The-Art Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly, Aiden Carthy

Other Resources

Disrupting Thinking organised by the School of Accounting and Finance at TU Dublin. Disrupting Thinking endeavours to offer a forum that encourages innovative and disruptive studies that help us to gain a better understanding of our economy and its new dynamics. We seek to challenge the status quo and bring new insights into existing economic and financial theories and the way that our global economy interacts with our social, cultural, and political systems. We will host an exciting conference on the theme Covid-19 Global Challenges – The Economic and Financial Dimensions. https://arrow.tudublin.ie/dt/#:~:text=Join%20us%20at%20our%20first,economy%20and%20its%20new%20dynamics.

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

Articles

This review focused on three main areas, "Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective". This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents‘ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a regular search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

An Investigation Of The Personality Traits That Could Identify Vulnerable Young People Who Will Be Susceptible To Undue Influence By Social Media Influencers (Smis) - 7th Sim (Società Italiana Marketing) Doctoral & Research Colloquium, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

Other Resources

Presentation for the 7th SIM Doctoral & Research Colloquium organised by the Società Italiana Marketing (Italian Marketing Society) and University of Salento in Italy. Experts and research colleagues reviewed my presentation and proposal. I received feedback about many aspects of my research regarding research questions, clarity, focus, methodology and other elements. This is important to enhance the quality of my research and makes it relevant to the scientific field.

Xviii Sim Conference Presentation - Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro Mr, Isobel Oreilly Dr, Aiden Carthy Dr

Other Resources

This review focused on three main areas, “Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective.” This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents’ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly, Aiden Carthy

Conference papers

This review focused on three main areas, “Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective.” This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents’ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

High Value Correlates Of Caregiver Reported Counseling Service Need And Utilization For Adolescents At-Risk For Childhood Maltreatment And Neglect, Alejandro L. Vázquez, Tommy Chou, Cynthia M. Navarro Flores, Tyson S. Barett, Miguel T. Villodas, Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Adolescents with a history of child maltreatment experience increased risk for psychopathology that sets them on a trajectory towards a range of difficulties in adulthood. Various factors influence caregivers’ decisions to seek mental health services (MHS) that could improve developmental outcomes. The present study applied a machine learning algorithm, elastic net, to a sample of 878 adolescent-caregiver dyads from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect. Analyses simultaneously examined a large number of factors to determine their ability to discriminate between caregivers who perceived a need for MHS and those who did not, as well as caregivers who utilized …

Body Trust Moderates The Relationship Between Physical & Emotional Awareness & Eating Disorders In Adolescents, Emma G Roberts, Rowan Hunt, Cheri Levinson Phd

Undergraduate Research Events

Eating disorders (EDs) have a complex relationship with interoceptive awareness (i.e., awareness of inner bodily sensations; IA). Research suggests that physical hyper-awareness and tendency to distract from bodily sensations are positively associated with ED symptoms, and body trust (i.e., experiencing one’s body as safe and trustworthy) is negatively associated with ED symptoms (Lattimore et al, 2017; Merwin et al, 2010; Duffy et al, 2020). While physical awareness (PA) and emotional awareness (EA) have been shown in nonclinical samples to be beneficial for affect regulation, similar facets of IA are associated with higher symptomatology in ED samples (Price & Hooven 2018). …

Shining A Light On The Challenging Behaviors Of Adolescents With Comorbid Diagnoses: Use Of Pictorial Concurrent Operant Preference Assessment, Zhichun Zhou, David Burrell Mcadam, Debborah Ann Napolitano, Kathryn Douthit

Articles & Book Chapters

Currently, there are no published studies that have used the concurrent operant preference assessment procedure to identify functions of challenging behaviors displayed by individuals with comorbid diagnoses. Four participants (aged 11–16 years) with comorbid diagnoses who displayed multiple challenging behaviors were referred to this study. We modified the standard concurrent operant preference assessment and used the new modified version, the pictorial concurrent operant preference assessment, to identify the functions of the challenging behaviors. Utilizing the triangulation mixed-methods design, we compared the indirect functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and the direct FBA with the pictorial concurrent operant preference assessment. The results obtained …