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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Prevalence And Predictors Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Adolescent And Adult Males With Fragile X Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Shannon L. O’Connor
Prevalence And Predictors Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Adolescent And Adult Males With Fragile X Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Shannon L. O’Connor
Theses and Dissertations
Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) experience disproportionate rates of diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when compared to the general population. Exact prevalence rates and outcomes for individuals with a diagnosis of FXS and ADHD is not well known. The current study assesses rates of ADHD diagnosis in individuals with FXS as well as tests the prediction of a diagnosis of ADHD from levels of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptom presentation. The present study included 30 individuals with FXS aged 13-25 and were assessed using a structured diagnostic interview. Interviews were conducted with individual’s parents’ due to low cognitive ability …
Adhd Diagnosis In University Settings: The Utility Of Quantitative Eeg Coherence, Rachel M. Bridges
Adhd Diagnosis In University Settings: The Utility Of Quantitative Eeg Coherence, Rachel M. Bridges
Theses and Dissertations
The current study investigated the utility of EEG coherence parameters in the diagnosis of ADHD. Quantitative EEG (qEEG) analyses were performed in 35 college students with an ADHD diagnosis and 35 control students. Differences between groups were examined and the diagnostic significance of EEG coherence parameters was assessed by means of stepwise logistic regression analyses. The relation between inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, as measured by the current symptom scale (CSS) and EEG coherence parameters was also assessed. Analyses assessing group differences using individual electrode pairings detected increased interhemispheric frontal beta-wave coherence in individuals with ADHD. Together, alpha, beta, delta, and …
Emotion Regulation And Life Satisfaction Of Early Adolescents In The Face Of Stressful Life Events, Zi Jia Ng
Emotion Regulation And Life Satisfaction Of Early Adolescents In The Face Of Stressful Life Events, Zi Jia Ng
Theses and Dissertations
In line with calls to define mental health as more than the mere absence of psychopathology, and based on the restorative model of well-being (Lent, 2004), this dissertation sought to elucidate the relationship between stressful life events and life satisfaction by exploring the mediating role of emotion regulation. Using a full Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach, this dissertation first determined the factor structure of the measurement model then evaluated the path analysis of the structural model. The first study examined the factor analytic structure and measurement invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS). Results supported the one-factor …
Systematic Evidence-Based Assessment And Intervention Of Client Feedback In Youth Mental Health Treatment In A Private Practice Setting, Crystal M. Kremer
Systematic Evidence-Based Assessment And Intervention Of Client Feedback In Youth Mental Health Treatment In A Private Practice Setting, Crystal M. Kremer
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research was to conduct a systematic investigation to determine whether the use of client feedback measures enhance the mental health treatment of youth in private practice settings. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, treatment as usual or the Client Feedback condition. Clients who were assigned to the Feedback condition completed the feedback measures routinely at each session. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and/or Pediatric Symptom Checklist – Youth Version (PSC-Y) were completed at intake and at each 3-month progress review summary, and/or closure per normal office standards. Significant findings indicated that all participants …
Examining The Factor Structure, Concurrent Validity, And Predictive Validity Of The Social Motivational Orientations In Sport Scale (Smoss) In An Early Adolescent Sample, Alex M. Roberts
Theses and Dissertations
Research demonstrates that youth are motivated to initiate and continue participation in sport for social reasons. Allen (2003, 2005) developed the Social Motivational Orientations in Sport Scale (SMOSS) to help facilitate the measurement of social goals in sport. This instrument consists of three subscales—affiliation (i.e. have fun, make friends; seven items), recognition (i.e. receive recognition from others about sport involvement or ability; four items), and status (i.e. belong to the popular group; three items)—designed to measure these aspects of participants’ social motivations to sport involvement. However, the SMOSS has only been used among high school students and older adults in …
Education’S Role In A System Of Care For Children And Youth With Emotional/Behavioral Challenges: A Mixed Methods Evaluation, Lauryn Young
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 …
Prevalence And Predictors Of Anxiety Disorders In Adolescent And Adult Males With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Fragile X Syndrome, Jordan Ezell
Theses and Dissertations
disorders are the most prevalent disorders in children and adolescents, affecting approximately 15-20% of individuals under the age of 18 (Salum et al, 2013). Clinical subgroups, like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and fragile X syndrome (FXS), have an elevated risk of a co-occurring anxiety disorder. Despite the elevated risk of anxiety in these groups, few research studies have investigated the rates and predictors of anxiety disorders in adolescents with these ASD and FXS. In the current study, participants included males with FXS (n=31) or ASD (n=20) aged 16 to 24. Measures included the Children’s Interview for Psychiatric Symptoms-Parent Version (P-ChIPS), …
The Emergence Of Early Visual Attention Profiles In Infants At High Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Reisinger
The Emergence Of Early Visual Attention Profiles In Infants At High Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Reisinger
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation is comprised of two manuscripts focused on early social and nonsocial attention in children at-risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD): infants with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and infants with an older sibling diagnosed with autism (ASIBs). Each manuscript will present original research: the first will consist of a crosssectional and longitudinal examination of attention to objects in infants with FXS and infant ASIBs parsed apart by their ASD diagnostic outcomes in comparison to a group of typically developing (TD) infants, and how developmental trajectories of object attention predict later ASD symptom severity and diagnostic outcomes. The second …
Life Satisfaction In Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kathleen Blackburn Franke
Life Satisfaction In Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kathleen Blackburn Franke
Theses and Dissertations
The present study was informed by the Emerging Disability Paradigm, which emphasizes the importance of research regarding positive experiences, personality, and social relationships for individuals with disabilities (Schalock, 2004). The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary evidence regarding the reliability and validity of measures of self-reported psychosocial assets and life satisfaction (LS) for adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFA). Additional purposes included identifying the overall levels of general and domain-specific LS within adolescents with HFA, comparing these levels to those of a sample of typically developing adolescents, and describing the relation between psychosocial assets and LS for …
The Relation Between Quantitative Eeg Coherence And Self-Report Adhd Behavior Scale Responses, Tayllor Vetter
The Relation Between Quantitative Eeg Coherence And Self-Report Adhd Behavior Scale Responses, Tayllor Vetter
Theses and Dissertations
Differences in brain wave activity during resting states between adults with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been detected with electroencephalography (EEG). However, the relation between these patterns of brain wave activity and a dimensional, self-report measure of ADHD symptoms in male and female college students has never been investigated. The present study aimed to determine whether coherence, a measure of brain wave activity, can predict self-report symptoms of inattentiveness and hyperactivity in male and female college students. The analyses consisted of 14 male and 28 female adults between 18 and 27 years of age. Regression analyses were utilized to …
A Pilot Wellness Intervention For Parents Of School-Aged Children With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: Feasibility, Acceptability, And Preliminary Impact, Marissa E. Miller
A Pilot Wellness Intervention For Parents Of School-Aged Children With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: Feasibility, Acceptability, And Preliminary Impact, Marissa E. Miller
Theses and Dissertations
The present study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design to evaluate characteristics and needs of parents of children with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBDs) and what services may feasibly and acceptably promote wellness and mindful parenting and alleviate parenting stress in this population. Phase One of the study qualitatively explored the needs of parents of children with EBDs and identified factors of feasibility and acceptability of services to address these needs. Parents reported several themes surrounding their experience of parenting a child with an EBD and the types of services that would meet those needs: including 1) the hectic …
Hope And Social Support: What Types Of Parent, Peer, And Teacher Support Matter To Early Adolescent Females And Males?, Kristin Otis
Hope And Social Support: What Types Of Parent, Peer, And Teacher Support Matter To Early Adolescent Females And Males?, Kristin Otis
Theses and Dissertations
In the past decade, researchers in psychology have paid increased attention to identifying psychological qualities in individuals that indicate positive mental health and flourishing. Hope has been proposed to be one of these qualities (Day, Hanson, Maltby, Proctor, & Wood, 2010; Marques, & Lopez, 2014). The majority of the hope literature has concentrated on the outcomes of differing levels of hope, but has not thoroughly examined the antecedents of hope differences. The current study provides a unique investigation of hope that looks at hypothesized antecedents of positive hope development in adolescents. For example, this study looks at the relationships among …
Understanding Math Anxiety In Children: Deciphering The Contribution Of Math Achievement, Working Memory, And General Anxiety, Emma Kate C. Wright
Understanding Math Anxiety In Children: Deciphering The Contribution Of Math Achievement, Working Memory, And General Anxiety, Emma Kate C. Wright
Theses and Dissertations
Children with learning disabilities frequently have comorbid anxiety, with some experiencing Math Anxiety (MA). Presently, research on MA in children with a math learning disability (MLD) is limited, and there are no childhood electroencephalography (EEG) studies of MA exploring the neurobiological basis of MA. The current study sought (1) to examine the relationship between MA and math achievement, working memory (WM), and EEG variables; (2) to clarify the distinction between MA and MLD by controlling for GAD; and (3) to examine if WM mediates the relationship between MA and math achievement. The study included 30 children with MLD and 29 …
Emergence Of Stranger Fear In Preschoolers With Fragile X Syndrome And Idiopathic Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica Scherr
Emergence Of Stranger Fear In Preschoolers With Fragile X Syndrome And Idiopathic Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica Scherr
Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated multiple behavioral indicators of social fear and their relationship to symptoms of autism in preschool boys with atypical and normative development using a stranger approach design. Participants consisted of 101 male preschoolers that were categorized into four groups: boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS; N= 29), FXS with elevated autism symptoms (fxASD; N = 25), idiopathic autism spectrum disorder (iASD; N = 11), and typically developing boys (TD; N = 36). Results indicated specific behavioral responses to a stranger differentiated preschoolers with more severe symptoms of autism (e.g. fxASD and iASD groups) from those with low autism …
Antecedents Of Adolescents’ Gratitude: Personality, Social Support, And Stressful Life Events, Hannah Reckart
Antecedents Of Adolescents’ Gratitude: Personality, Social Support, And Stressful Life Events, Hannah Reckart
Theses and Dissertations
An increase in the emphasis of positive aspects of functioning has led to expanded attention paid to the field of positive psychology. Within in this arena, the construct of gratitude has emerged as a factor of interest, specifically in adults; however, while a basis for research of gratitude in children exists, it is lacking in breadth. Support for gratitude’s significant relations with psychosocial, psychological, and academic factors has been shown in prior research, and presumed personal and environmental antecedents of gratitude have been indicated. The present study was exploratory in nature and included a sample of 1506 students from four …
Understanding The Relationship Of Contextual Support, Peer Risk Trajectories, And School Outcomes For At-Risk Youth, Emily B. Mancil
Understanding The Relationship Of Contextual Support, Peer Risk Trajectories, And School Outcomes For At-Risk Youth, Emily B. Mancil
Theses and Dissertations
High school dropout (HSDO) is associated with poor life outcomes across many domains. As such, it is crucial to understand and identify the factors that contribute to HSDO risk early to increase the chance of positive student outcomes. Because students at-risk are heterogeneous, researchers recommend using pattern-centered approaches to identify subpopulations with similar risk profiles to better understand various typologies of risk. This may be a more comprehensive and accurate way to understand students atrisk for HSDO and may facilitate the development of more effective interventions. To date, seven empirical studies have used a pattern-centered approach to examine HSDO. However, …
Qeeg Correlates Of Cognitive Processing Speed In Children With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Joseph Ferraracci
Qeeg Correlates Of Cognitive Processing Speed In Children With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Joseph Ferraracci
Theses and Dissertations
Electroencephalography (EEG) and neuropsychological test measures have been previously used to understand the underlying brain changes in individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, literature discussing the relationship between EEG and neuropsychological test performance is scarce and, further, has not been investigated explicitly in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cognitive and academic deficits in children with traumatic brain injury and, additionally, this study aims to understand the underlying relationship between EEG and neuropsychological test performance among this sample. Analyses included twenty-one participants between the ages of 8 and 19 years of age (male, n=14; …
Adhd Symptoms, Social Problems, And Independence In Adolescent And Young Adult Males With Fxs, Marjorie Lee Grefer
Adhd Symptoms, Social Problems, And Independence In Adolescent And Young Adult Males With Fxs, Marjorie Lee Grefer
Theses and Dissertations
Adolescents and young adults with fragile X syndrome (FXS) typically report a range of comorbid, impairing conditions including cognitive deficits, autism, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Similarly these individuals experience social problems and very low levels of proficiency in independent living, which makes it extremely important to better understand what contributes to these deficits and how to potentially intervene and improve outcomes. Despite this importance, very little attention has been paid to the developmental period of adolescence in the FXS population. In addition, no previous work has utilized specific narrow band measures to probe for ADHD symptoms and instead has …
How Technology Supported Teacher Behaviors Impact Student Outcomes: Results From A 1:1 Computing Initiative, James Siddall
How Technology Supported Teacher Behaviors Impact Student Outcomes: Results From A 1:1 Computing Initiative, James Siddall
Theses and Dissertations
As computing technology has advanced over the last several decades, many schools and school districts have embraced the use of this technology in education. One way in which schools and school districts have adopted computing technology is through adopting 1:1 computer initiatives where each student is provided with a computing device. However, despite the widespread and continuously expanding use of 1:1 computer initiatives within the educational setting, surprisingly little is known about the classroom-level factors that may impact student educational outcomes. Only one study to date (Shapley et al., 2010) has attempted to investigate specific classroom-level factors that may impact …
Randomized Control Study Of Neurofeedback With College Students With Adhd, Alycia M. Roberts
Randomized Control Study Of Neurofeedback With College Students With Adhd, Alycia M. Roberts
Theses and Dissertations
Neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD represent a major national problem. There are increasing numbers of students in schools requiring special education services as a result of ADHD, and each of these students costs the U.S. education system approximately $5,000 per year (Robb et al., 2011). There are additional societal costs associated with the disorder, and ADHD can be debilitating for individuals with the disorder and their families (i.e., Barkley & Murphy, 2010; Ginsberg, et al., 2013). The most common treatments are stimulant medication and behavioral training (i.e., Pelham & Fabiano, 2008), but recently neurofeedback (EEG biofeedback) has been receiving a …
Anxiety And Autism Symptomology On Social Skills In Young Boys With Fragile X Syndrome, Debra L. Reisinger
Anxiety And Autism Symptomology On Social Skills In Young Boys With Fragile X Syndrome, Debra L. Reisinger
Theses and Dissertations
Children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) are at high risk for developing several comorbid disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety, that can substantially impart their social skills. However, to date, there are no studies that examine complex social skills within boys with FXS and the effects of emerging autism and anxiety symptoms on the development of their social skills. The current study examines social skills at the composite and subdomain level in young boys with FXS in contrast to typically developing (TD) boys and in relation to age, adaptive behavior, anxiety symptoms and autism symptomology. The study consisted …
Group Social Skills Interventions For Children With Aspergers: The Effects Of Parent-Guided Social Skills Software, Ryan M. Kelly
Group Social Skills Interventions For Children With Aspergers: The Effects Of Parent-Guided Social Skills Software, Ryan M. Kelly
Theses and Dissertations
Asperger’s syndrome (AS) has recently become controversial as a unique pervasive developmental disorder. Although it is apparently different than low-functioning autism, it has been deemed too similar to high-functioning autism (HFA) to be considered a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5 classification system. However, despite the removal of AS from the DSM-5, research shows that both AS and HFA are significantly different than autism with cognitive impairment (intelligence quotient <= 70), and therefore have different treatment needs. These needs primarily include specialized social skills training. Youth with AS/HFA who obtain sufficient social skills often report greater levels of quality of life and lower levels of anxiety and depression. Their parents also report less parental stress. Although a growing number of evidence-based social skill interventions exist, few use an experimental design and incorporate special interest areas (i.e., the pervasive interests of children with AS), generalization techniques (e.g., different settings, parent inclusion) or computer mediation, which research suggests is needed. Using an experimental design, this study investigated the incremental benefits of parent-guided social skills software (i.e., Social Express) in improving social, emotional and behavioral functioning in the child, as well as reduce parental-stress in the parent. Thirty youths with AS/HFA enrolled in a 9-week social skills group at a clinic participated in this study, as well as their parents. Half were randomly assigned to receive Social Express. Results indicated that the treatment group showed significant improvements in social motivation compared to the control group. No significant main effects were found in regards to other social skills, internalizing problems, adaptive skills, parental stress, or life satisfaction; however, it should be noted that this study is limited by a small sample size. Other significant effects may exist, and should be investigated in the future with a larger sample size.
The Role Of Effortful Control And Cortisol In The Emergence Of Adhd, Asd, And Anxiety In Boys With Fxs, Marissa L. Robinson
The Role Of Effortful Control And Cortisol In The Emergence Of Adhd, Asd, And Anxiety In Boys With Fxs, Marissa L. Robinson
Theses and Dissertations
ADHD, ASD, and anxiety are three of the most common co-occurring disorders in children with FXS leading to increased social, academic, and behavioral difficulties (Bailey, Raspa, Olmsted, & Holiday, 2008). Early identification and treatment of these co-occurring mental health disorders is essential to promote optimal outcomes; therefore, the study of early precursors and underlying mechanisms of these disorders within a developmental framework is warranted. The current dissertation includes two sequential and related studies investigating impaired effortful control as a precursor and HPA axis dysfunction (measured through salivary cortisol) as an underlying mechanism to the emergence of ADHD, ASD, and anxiety …