Psychology Commons^™

Examining A Relationship Between Sexual Satisfaction And Child Maltreatment, Amanda Titone

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child maltreatment is prevalent despite extensive research informing interventions. While many risk factors have been identified, exploring additional determinants may improve existing methods or reveal better alternatives. This study’s basis was family systems theory, and it utilized the post-positivist paradigm to explore the topics of relationship fulfillment, sexual satisfaction, and parenting. Qualitative interviews with five heterosexual, cisgender parents born between 1971 and 1991 (average age 39-40) revealed four main themes: participants' childhood/parental relationships, history of abusive relationships, current sex life, and role balancing between relationships and parenting. Although limited by a small sample size and a specialized population (social work …

The Role Of Social Support And Emotional Regulation In Relationship With Adverse Childhood Experiences And Food Addiction, Negin Ghaffari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic experiences that occur before the age of 18 and can have long-standing impacts on mental and physical health. Individuals with high exposure to ACEs may be at increased risk for depression, substance use disorders, and cardiovascular disease (Hughes et al., 2017). Social support has been shown to play an essential role in reducing the likelihood of adverse outcomes, such as substance dependence following exposure to adverse experiences. Furthermore, emotional regulation difficulties have been shown to mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and food addiction. There has been little research on adverse events in …

Impact Of Perinatal Escitalopram Exposure On Adolescent Behavior, Jessica Bezenah - Bottorff

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Escitalopram (EST), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is an antidepressant frequently used during pregnancy, yet there is limited knowledge of its long-term effects on maternal use. Past studies suggest that maternal exposure may adversely affect the fetus, which may be due to the hyperserotonergic environment caused by the nature of SSRIs during early development. Modifications of the serotonergic system in offspring during certain critical periods of development may result in long-term behavioral and cognitive changes in adulthood. Further, recent human studies have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to SSRIs in humans may increase susceptibility to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and …

The Relationship Between Role Models, Socioeconomic Mobility Beliefs, And Academic Outcomes, Christian Koeu, Marisol Espinoza Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study aims to provide insights into the relationships between role models, socioeconomic mobility beliefs and the education outcomes of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. While previous studies highlight the positive influence of role models on academic and career aspirations, the specific relationship between role models and socioeconomic beliefs remains unexplored. Our study addresses this gap by examining whether the presence of role models relates with more optimistic socioeconomic beliefs and how these beliefs, in turn, affect academic outcomes (academic engagement, academic intentions, and grade point average [GPA]). Additionally, we investigate the influence of role model characteristics to …

Cultural And Structural Barriers Of Utilizing Mental Health Services In A School-Based Setting For Latinx Populations, Silvia Lozano, Bridgette Guadalupe Calderon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative research study aimed to reduce mental health service disparities in Latinx communities and helps fill in the gap by addressing cultural and structural barriers to utilizing MHS in a school-based setting for Latinx youth. There is limited research regarding Latinx parents’ perspectives and the reservations they have on utilizing school-based mental health services (MHS) for their children. This study identified six important themes: cultural factors, trust and rapport, reservations, access and awareness, parental involvement and challenges, and school-based resources. Implications for school districts are that they can use these findings to increase early intervention mental behavioral health programs …

Repeated Treatment With 5-Ht1a And 5-Ht1b Receptor Agonists: Evidence Of Tolerance And Behavioral Sensitization, Jordan Taylor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Serotonin has been found to regulate several cognitive and physiological functions, and its role in depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders has been a focus of research. More specifically, a wealth of research regarding serotonin focuses on serotonergic medications in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and stimulates the 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_1B receptors. Within the last decade, there has been an increase in prescriptions of psychotropic medication for children, however, the efficacy and adverse effects of these drugs have not been evaluated in younger populations. While antidepressants reduce symptoms of depression in adults, they are …

Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety: A Parent Education Workshop, Clarissa Aglaén Gallardo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Anxiety has become one of the most common mental health disorders in young children, and it has been shown to have a significant impact on their development. Anxiety can make a child more susceptible to a number of negative effects, including a weakened immune system, developing “negative” habits such as nail biting, increased proneness to anger or crying, as well as difficulties in learning and retaining information. Conversely, when parents/caregivers can prevent or decrease anxiety in their children, children can better regulate their emotions, have more successful relationships, take more risks, and cope better with challenges. The purpose of this …

Impacts Of Poverty On Language Development How Low Socio-Economic Status Students Are At An Academic Disadvantage, Farbod Samari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Socioeconomic status impacts a variety of mental health outcomes, including language development. Delays in language development have consistently been linked to poverty. Decreases in vocabulary and phonological awareness are among developmental delays in school-aged children living in poverty. This research aims to contribute to the field of human services by examining the negative impacts of poverty on language development from a social worker’s perspective. As social workers thrive to serve disadvantaged populations, this research brings awareness to how language development deficiencies occur in school-aged children living in poverty.

To fulfill the purpose of this study, a quantitative, descriptive/explanatory design …

Helping Your Children Develop Positive, Successful Sibling Relationships: A 4-Session Parenting Workshop, Caitlin Marie Younger Sackett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Decades of research studies have underscored the significant impact siblings have on life outcomes. Those with successful (e.g., positive, close, supportive) sibling relationships experience benefits such as more competent social and emotional skills, healthier well-being, and increased life satisfaction compared to those with unsuccessful (e.g., negative, distant, conflictual) sibling relationships who tend to be less skilled in social situations, have lower emotional regulation skills, decreased psychological well-being, and report higher levels of loneliness in old age. The quality of sibling relationships is strongly associated with parental behaviors beginning in early childhood. However, there are few research-based resources available for parents …

The Importance Of Nutrition For Development In Early Childhood, Kaitlyn Sue Suha

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Understanding which foods contain the necessary vitamins and nutrients for a child’s health, and which ones are lacking, can decrease the likelihood of children developing nutritional deficiencies and promote their overall developmental health. It is important for parents of young children to have an understanding of nutrition and the effect that poor nutrition can have. this project presented information sessions to parents to educate them further about these important topics through four weekly online workshops. Participants were asked to complete a pre- and post-session survey. Survey results scores indicated that participants reported an increase in knowledge and understanding in regards …

Athletes With Mental Health Illnesses, Trenton Allmang

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus for this research study is to understand the development of mental health symptoms that result from sports engagement. Participating in sports for several years within different developmental stages of human life can increase the probability of identity conflict and mental distress. This study addresses the risk factors that contribute to the development of mental health illnesses from former athletes’ perspectives through qualitative research. The study includes former male and female participants ages 18 and older as well as their family members, friends, sports stakeholders, sports officials, coaches, social workers, and athletic training staff. This study was conducted from …

Developmental Implications Of Parentification: An Examination Of Ethnic Variation And Loneliness, Bertha Preciado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parentification is a parent-child role reversal wherein the parent abdicates their parental responsibilities towards the child and the child responds by performing caretaking behaviors towards their parent. Parentification has previously been examined using a Western theoretical framework and with European/White Americans samples. Within the parentification literature, feelings of loneliness have been mentioned as an outcome of parentified individuals; however, the topic had yet to be examined empirically and with an ethnically diverse sample. The current study investigated parentification and feelings of loneliness across African/Black, Latinx, and European/White American individuals. It was found that ethnic minorities experienced higher levels of parentification …

Origins Of Self-Compassion: The Impact Of The Early Caregiving Environment, Nicoleta Dragan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of early attachment on self-compassion in early adulthood utilizing a causal model to assess the mediating effects of emotional regulation and shame (Figure 1). Participants were 133 undergraduate students (143 females and 90 males) between 18 and 28 years old (M = 22.7 yrs.) from a Southern California university. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using EQS (version 6.1) was used to analyze the data. Results showed an indirect effect of early attachment on self-compassion through emotional regulation and shame; a direct, moderate effect of early attachment on emotional regulation and …

Child Welfare: Trauma Informed Practice At Time Of Child Removal, Ester Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As of 2018, approximately 442,995 children are in the foster care system in the United States according to the federal statistics from the Children’s Bureau. Entry into the foster system involves the removal of children from their home, making it a traumatic experience. The purpose of this study was to examine social workers’ perceptions of what trauma informed practice means and what it looks like in child welfare removals. The study also clarifies what trauma informed practice (TIP) is and how it can be applied in child welfare’s organizational structure. This was a qualitative study in which child welfare social …

The Relationship Between Justice Perceptions, Conscientiousness And Workplace Behaviors Among Old And Young Employees, Martha P. Blanco Villarreal

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research addressed the influence employee age has on organizational justice perceptions (OJPs) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) through conscientiousness. Given the valuable contributions of older employees in the workforce, the aim of this study was to investigate the processes by which age affects justice perceptions, the expression of conscientiousness traits, and workplace behaviors. Additionally, a theoretical framework was provided where the conservation of resource, equity, fairness, socioemotional selectivity, and conscientiousness at work theorieshelp explain the linkages from the integrative model. A total of 179 MTurk workers participated in this study, which required participants to answer questions about their workplace …

The Effects Of Emotion Socialization On Internalizing Behaviors In Young Adults, Cristina Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parents play a significant role in how children learn to express their emotions as well as their child’s overall emotional well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of positive and negative emotion socialization experiences on internalizing disorders in young adult males and females. One-hundred and forty-two young adults between the ages of 18-28 years from a southwestern university participated in the current study. It was hypothesized that early negative emotion socialization experiences would be related to higher levels of anxiety and depression in young adulthood (and, conversely, early positive emotion socialization experiences would be related to …

Effects Of Immigration On Interpersonal Relationships With Others Amongst Native And Mexican-Born Mexican Americans, Juan Zaragoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study presents the findings of how and to what extent immigration effects Native and Mexican-born Mexican American’s relationships with others. This study was quantitative and measured participant’s levels and qualities of interactions with others. The participants in this study were students from California State University, San Bernardino’s School of Social Work. The student population that was targeted was Native and Mexican-born Mexican Americans. The participants were contacted via email and provided with a questionnaire that measured the quality and quantity of interpersonal relationships they held with others. The original sample size consisted of 53 participants but reduced to a …

Parental Influence On Risk Factors For Obesity In African American School Aged Children, Brittney Joy Parish

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The growing childhood obesity epidemic and its association with adverse health outcomes have prompted increasing research in the recent past. Researchers have examined numerous aspects of the obesity epidemic. For example, the impact of parent behavior on child behavior has been considered. Likewise, researchers have examined the connection between parent perceptions of obesity and concern regarding a child’s weight status. Still other research has focused on the influence of a child’s behavior on weight status.

Existing research has reported that within the African American community there is an apparent inaccuracy in perceptions regarding weight. Children who would be classified as …

Effects Of Nicotine Exposure On Methamphetamine Oral Self-Administration, Extinction, And Reinstatement In Adolescent Rats, Zachary Robert Harmony

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period in regards to drug initiation and use. The gateway hypothesis suggests that adolescent cigarette smoking may result in a heightened risk for methamphetamine use. However, little is understood about the role of nicotine on adolescent methamphetamine addiction. The aim of the present study was to determine whether early, late, or continuous adolescent nicotine exposure would alter oral methamphetamine self-administration, extinction, or reinstatement. A total of 164 male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with saline or nicotine (0.16, or 0.64 mg/kg, sc) beginning on postnatal day (PD) 25 for 10 consecutive days. On PD …

A Parent Education Curriculum For Decreasing Stress In Families Raising A Child With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hannah L. Wohlk

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has consistently shown that parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs, have higher levels of stress than parents of typically-developing children or children with other disabilities. These parents’ higher levels of stress are attributed to a number of different factors, including early atypical development, getting the diagnosis, lack of awareness of resources, lack of support from their communities, unmet resource and schooling needs for their ASD child, financial strain, strain on the couple relationship, managing maladaptive behaviors, regulatory problems of the ASD child may experience, communication problems between ASD child and parent, parents’ perception of their …

Adults’ Knowledge Of Child Development And Child Guidance, Daniela Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Decades of research studies suggest that the quality of parenting skills and parenting knowledge about children’s development have profound effects on children’s development. Studies to date show that most adults lack knowledge of child development and developmentally-appropriate child guidance. These studies, however have focused on white, middle-class, well-educated women and are limited in the range of issues addressed. The purpose of this study was to gain a more accurate understanding about adults’ knowledge of child development and child guidance by assessing female and male adults using an ethnically diverse population. Data from 705 adult participants showed that adults knew more …

Perceptions Of School Readiness, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, And The Role Of Professionalism, Brittany Kristine Mcallister

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research supports the knowledge that there exist many models on and definitions of school readiness within early education. Additionally, research shows that utilizing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) produces positive short and long term results for students; indicating the effectiveness and necessity for DAP in the classroom. The study sought to inform teachers via presentation on the subjects of school readiness and DAP; as well as gain insight on the barriers teachers face in utilizing their school readiness and DAP knowledge base in the classroom. To accomplish this, the study used a pre-survey, presentation with discussion, and a post-survey to collect …

The Impact Of Early Experience On Current Mental Health And Quality Of Parenting In Incarcerated Mothers, Lindsy R. Hughes-Curtis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among early parenting experiences, adult mental health functioning, and adult parenting behaviors among a population of incarcerated women in San Bernardino, CA. An archival data set was utilized. Data were collected from three hundred thirty-six female participants in the San Bernardino County Jail System in 2011, aged 18 – 60 years (M = 34.02). Only those who are mothers (N=132), with children between the ages of two and 18 years old, participated in the current study. Structural equation modeling was conducted using EQS. Results showed that early experiences, specifically adverse …

A Collaborative Approach To Address Student Behavior And Academic Achievement Across Systems, Beverly Ngozi Okereke

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Academic achievement and in-classroom behaviors are two significant child outcomes that affect student success in school. According to Systems Theory, in order to truly understand the factors that affect these outcomes for children, one must look to the major systems that encapsulate the child (including their school and home environments). This project is a meta-analytic review that examined the effectiveness of measures representing each system in predicting child achievement and behavior: School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) for the school as a system, level of parent involvement (high versus low) for the home system, and student motivation (intrinsic versus extrinsic) for …

Bringing The Wonder Of Nature Back To Early Childhood Classrooms, Heather I. Claffey

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Current research suggests that time spent in nature benefits all aspects of children’s development. However, children are spending little time outdoors. Additionally, there are few preschool programs that recognize the outdoors as an extension of the traditional classroom and even fewer college courses and training programs that specifically address outdoor education. The purpose of this project was to educate early childhood teachers about nature’s benefits and provide them with the knowledge necessary to implement their own outdoor classrooms. The trainings focused on seven topics related to the importance and development of an outdoor classroom: introduction to the outdoor classroom, benefits …

Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Over Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? A Meta-Analysis Of Effective Treatment Of Anxiety Disorders In Middle Childhood, Emily A. Edwards

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Anxiety is a commonly diagnosed disorder in middle childhood that affects many aspects of the child’s life. Effective treatment is needed so that children are able to experience fewer or no symptoms of anxiety and to manage anxiety. Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) is widely used as a treatment for children with anxiety. CBT can either be facilitated in an individual or group format but there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding which modality is most effective. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effectiveness of individual CBT (ICBT) and group CBT (GCBT) in treating school-aged children with anxiety disorders. Eligible …

The Relationship Between Attachment And Depression: The Mediational Role Of Shame, Self-Esteem, And Social Support, Evelyn Estela Ayala

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

According to the American College Health Association 31.3% of college students reported feeling depressed. Early parental attachment forms an internal working model that is used as reference for later relationships and experiences. Past research suggests that parental attachment is associated with depression. Low self-esteem was found to mediate the relationship between parental bonding (low care and overprotection) and depression. The cognitive schemas of defectiveness and shame were found to meditate the relationship between poor parental bonding and depression. Among cancer patients the relationship between anxious attachment and symptoms of depression was mediated by perceived social support.

Research is necessary to …

A Spanish Version Of The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (Cshq), Duvia Lara Ledesma

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was done to validate a widely used parent questionnaire that assesses sleep problems in children ages 4‑10. To date, no Spanish‑language sleep questionnaire is available for the Spanish‑speaking population. Research has found that sleep problems affect both typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities, potentially detracting from their quality of life. Spanish is the second most frequently spoken language in the United States, so it is of high importance to make available a Spanish‑language sleep questionnaire. The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was chosen to be translated. The norming data for validation of the CSHQ‑S included 151 …

Training A Parent To Teach Her Autism Spectrum Disorder Child To Use An Independent Activity Schedule, Tessa Lynne Bryan

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to train the parents of an ASD child (who was not receiving prior intervention services) to teach their child to use an Independent Activity Schedule (IAS) to enable him to engage in short periods of appropriate, independent play without adult prompting and/or disruptive, stereotypical behaviors. Teaching the parent (s) to utilize this technique will benefit the child in that his/her parent (s) are usually with him/her and would thus be able to use the IAS with him/her continuously.

The Role Of Reinforcement On Cognitive Control And The Differences Between Adults And Children, Jacquelyn Helen Dziadosz

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the way in which motivation affects cognitive control in both children and adults. Cognitive control has been defined as the ability to represent and maintain goal information. Cognitive control involves basic processing abilities such as working memory, inhibition, attention, and cognitive flexibility.