Psychology Commons^™

Witnessing Community Violence And Its Consequences: Changes Across Middle School, Sarah Pittman

Theses and Dissertations

Community violence exposure is prevalent among youth residing in economically marginalized communities that have high rates of violence. Witnessing community violence has been concurrently associated with persistent adverse consequences. However, few studies have applied a developmental psychopathology framework and examined dynamic developmental processes between witnessing community violence and outcomes over time. Moreover, most prior studies have used analyses that assume that associations between witnessing violence and outcomes are the same for all adolescents, which is inconsistent with both developmental theories and theories specific to community violence exposure. The goal of this study was to apply a developmental psychopathological framework to …

Examining Allostatic Load As A Biological Mechanism Linking Childhood Adversity And Pediatric Pain, Angela Pascale

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a strong literature base relating childhood adversity to pain, the biological mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Theoretical and preliminary empirical evidence supports allostatic load as a potential biological mechanism, though prior studies investigating associations between childhood adversity and elevated allostatic load and/or between elevated allostatic load and poorer pain outcomes have primarily focused on adult populations and individual allostatic load indicators rather than a comprehensive index. Thus, the current study built upon prior literature by testing longitudinal relationships between childhood adversity and multiple biological indicators spanning across physiological systems (i.e., comprehensive allostatic load index) and pediatric pain outcomes …

The Moderating Impact Of Gender And Friendship Quality On The Effects Of Interparental Conflict On Adolescent Internalizing Problems, Jessica Dandan

Theses and Dissertations

In response to escalating concerns about the increasing incidence of adolescent internalizing disorders, several mechanisms have been investigated to understand their etiology. Though genetic predisposition contributes to the risk for psychopathology, its interaction with environmental stressors such as interparental conflict appears to further increase this risk. Girls are more susceptible to stressors and twice as likely as boys to develop internalizing problems. However, friendship quality may buffer some of the adverse effects incurred from exposure to interparental conflict. A recent review of proposed mechanisms through which conflict is associated with youth psychopathology pinpointed the need for further adolescent-focused research including …

Pathways To And From Social Withdrawal: Antecedents, Correlates, Consequences, And Considerations For Evaluating Dimensions Of Social Withdrawal In Adolescents, Laura Cyran

Theses and Dissertations

Research into child and adolescent social withdrawal has identified multiple forms of withdrawal behavior, most of which fall under the subtypes of shyness or preference for solitude. Social withdrawal can lead to a variety of maladjustment outcomes, though there is evidence to suggest that the trajectory might differ depending on the form and function of social withdrawal experienced. However, much of the previous research in this area has failed to account for the moderate correlation between shyness and preference for solitude, which calls into question findings on distinctions between these two forms. We investigated the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of …

Music Interventions In The Treatment Of Adolescent Trauma: A Systematic Review, Diana C. Hereld

Theses and Dissertations

As multidisciplinary research continues to uncover the promise of non-invasive interventions such as music in mental health treatment, clinicians, researchers, and music scholars alike have increasingly come together through the field of music psychology. As such, it is unsurprising that some of the most significant findings have come from cross-disciplinary studies in music and medicine. The juxtaposition of music and mental health creates a unique and substantial need for integration of literature across multiple disparate settings, including clinical psychology, education, neuroscience, music therapy, behavioral medicine, and psychiatry. Through methodological application of a textual narrative evidence synthesis, this review examines multiple …

Resting State Functional Connectivity In The Default Mode Network: Relationships Between Cannabis Use, Gender, And Cognition In Adolescents And Young Adults, Megan Ritchay

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States, and nearly 1 in 4 young adults are current cannabis users. The psychoactive component of cannabis, THC, is active at cannabinoid receptors, type 1, or CB1 receptors. CB1 receptors play a critical role in neural development, and chronic cannabis use causes desensitization and downregulation of these receptors. Chronic cannabis use is associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the default mode network (DMN) in adolescents and young adults, although results are somewhat inconsistent across studies, likely due to differing methodologies. Additionally, cannabis effects appear …

Comorbidity In Context: Identifying Patterns Of Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms In African American Early Adolescents, Kathryn Behrhorst

Theses and Dissertations

Depression and anxiety during adolescence includes symptoms of irritability, sleeplessness, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, worry, avoidance, and/or restlessness. Anxiety and depressive symptoms are often comorbid and are associated with impairments across academic, social, and emotional areas of functioning. No studies to date have examined patterns of depressive and anxiety symptoms together for African American adolescents using person-centered analyses. The current study examined patterns of symptoms and domains of anxiety and depression during early adolescence using latent profile analyses (LPA). A sample of 196 African American early adolescents in grades six through eight (M_age = 12.6; 50% female) were …

Bidirectional Associations Between Passive And Active Technology Use And Sleep: A Longitudinal Examination In Young Adolescents With And Without Adhd, Elizaveta Bourchtein

Theses and Dissertations

Many adolescents do not receive recommended amounts of sleep, and prevalence rates of sleep problems are particularly high among adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One factor that may contribute to these sleep difficulties is technology use, and there is some evidence that the association between technology use and sleep may be bi-directional. Further, type of technology use (i.e., passive versus active) may be differentially associated with sleep. To date, most studies have evaluated these associations cross-sectionally and relied upon global and subjective ratings of technology use and sleep, which masks important day-to-day variability. The present study evaluated bi-directional associations between …

Caffeine Use And Associations With Sleep In Adolescents With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Caroline N. Cusick

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to compare caffeine consumption in the morning, afternoon, and evening in adolescents with and without Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and examine associations with sleep functioning. Participants were 302 adolescents (ages 12-14) with (n=140) and without (n=162) ADHD. Adolescents wore actigraph watches to assess total sleep time and wake after sleep onset and reported on their sleep-wake problems and the number of caffeinated beverages consumed per day in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Parents reported on adolescents’ difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep. Chi-square analyses, odds ratios, and path analyses were conducted. Analyses controlled for sex, …

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form (Mmpi-A-Rf) With Juvenile Drug Court Adjudicated Outpatient Adolescents, Mary Caitlin Fertitta

Theses and Dissertations

Many psychological disorders have their beginnings or foundations during the critical developmental period of adolescence. Substance use is particularly problematic at this time because of its risk for continuation into adulthood and because of the many problems associated with it, such as delinquency, family conflict, and poor emotional adjustment. Accurate assessment of emotional and behavioral disturbances in adolescents is important for directing treatment and intervention. This study aimed to contribute reference data for this specific population to the growing body of research with the newly published Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form (MMPI-A­RF). The central purposes of this study were to …

Adolescent Emotion Expression, Emotion Regulation, And Decision-Making In Social Context, Tennisha N. Riley

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents engage in risk behaviors at an alarming rate, and particularly when they are with peers. Despite efforts to develop prevention and intervention programs, rates of risk-taking among adolescents is still relatively high. Adolescents continue to engage in physical fights and aggressive behavior, use substances such as alcohol and illicit drugs, and make decisions that impact driving and motor vehicle incidents. The regulation of emotions plays a significant role in adolescents’ decisions to engage in such risk behaviors.Examining adolescents’ emotion expression and regulation is therefore critical to identifying ways to support positive development.

This dissertation project explored important regulatory mechanisms …

Impact Of Faah Genotype And Marijuana Use On Brain Structure And Neuropsychological Performance In Emerging Adults, Skyler Gabriel Shollenbarger

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Chronic MJ use may be associated with higher cognitive ability impairments (see Lisdahl et al., 2013). Regions undergoing later maturation (Gogtay 2004), may be at increased risk for MJ-induced alterations. Endogenous cannabinoid signaling (ECS) is modulated by the function the enzyme Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (see Ho & Hilard, 2005), thus the gene encoding for this enzyme (FAAH) impacts ECS (Sipe et al., 2002). Here, we examine the impact of MJ use and FAAH genotype on PFC complexity and underlying frontal white matter (WM) integrity in young adults. Methods: Participants included 37 MJ users and 37 non-using young adults …

Longitudinal Relations Between Peer Victimization And Delinquency: The Mediating Roles Of Sadness, Fear, And Anger, Lisa J. Ulmer

Theses and Dissertations

Peer victimization is a common occurrence among youth, and it has been linked to a number of negative outcomes, including delinquent behaviors (e.g., physical aggression, theft/property damage, and substance use). Several studies examined relations between peer victimization and delinquency, though few have done so longitudinally or examined whether negative emotions are underlying processes that explain associations between these constructs. The current study’s purpose is to examine whether several negative emotions (i.e., anger, fear, and sadness) mediate relations between several types of peer victimization and delinquency among middle and high school youths. The study’s sample of 318 youths was predominately African …

The Contribution Of Parent Psychosocial Functioning To Parental Monitoring, Youth Adherence, And Glycemic Control During Adolescence, Elizabeth M. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common pediatric chronic illnesses. Adolescents are at risk for poorer adherence and in turn, poorer glycemic control; however, youth whose parents remain involved in diabetes care are in better control. A parent’s level of involvement is dependent in part upon his or her own social and emotional functioning. Much is known about the link between separate aspects of parent psychosocial functioning (e.g., depressive symptoms, parental stress) and parent involvement in diabetes care, adherence, and glycemic control. However, no study to our knowledge has examined these constructs simultaneously as they interrelate …

The Effect Of Youth Diabetes Self-Efficacy On The Relation Among Family Conflict, Disease Care And Glycemic Control, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among youth diabetes self-efficacy, family conflict, disease care and glycemic control via a comprehensive path model. Data were from a baseline assessment of a longitudinal RCT of 257 adolescent/parent dyads (adolescents aged 11–14). Each member of the dyad separately completed the Self-efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management Scale, Family Environment Conflict subscale, Diabetes Family Conflict Scale, Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale, and 24-hr Diabetes Interview Blood Glucose Frequency subscale. Additionally, a biological marker of glycemic control, or HbA1c, and relevant demographic variables were collected. A mediation model found higher youth diabetes self-efficacy …

The Role Of Authoritative Parenting In Type 1 Diabetes Adolescent Outcomes, Zach Radcliff

Theses and Dissertations

Due to psychosocial and hormonal changes, adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) are at risk for poorer regimen adherence, quality of life (QOL), and glycemic control (HbA1c). Authoritative parenting (AP) supports youth development during the transition into adolescence. To date, the mechanisms behind authoritative parenting and better HbA1c are yet to be examined. Parent-youth dyads completed measures of authoritative parenting, adherence, and QOL. As hypothesized, more authoritative parenting related to higher socioeconomic status (SES; β = -.13, p = .04) rather than ethnicity. Further, more authoritative parenting related to better glycemic control via the mechanisms of higher youth QOL (β …

Where Does Electronic Aggression Fit?: A Comparison Of Dimensional And Categorical Models Of Adolescent Aggression, Krista R. Mehari

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic aggression is a rapidly growing focus of research, but it lacks a unifying theoretical framework that is necessary to advance the field. The lack of a theoretical framework has led to inconsistencies in measurement of electronic aggression, making it difficult to draw conclusions across studies. In general, researchers have assumed that electronic aggression constitutes a new form of aggression, a counterpart to physical, verbal, and relational aggression, due to unique features surrounding the perpetration of electronic aggression. Furthermore, researchers have treated electronic aggression as a categorical variable based on the assumption that “cyberbullies” constitute a distinct group of adolescents. …

Family Processes As Moderators Of The Impact Of Peer, School, And Neighborhood Influences On Adolescent Aggression, Alison Kramer-Kuhn

Theses and Dissertations

Despite theoretical support for the role of the family in providing a foundation to protect youth against risks for aggression, there is little published literature examining a protective influence. This study examined family functioning and perceived parental messages about fighting and nonviolence as moderators of the relation between risk factors and adolescent aggression. The specific risk factors included affiliating with a delinquent group of peers, attending a school with norms that support aggression, and witnessing violence within the community. Secondary analyses were conducted on data collected from a high-risk sample of 537 adolescents in 2 cohorts from 18 schools. Adolescents …

Longitudinal Relations Between Dating Violence Victimization And Perpetration And Substance Use: The Moderating Role Of Gender And School Norms For Dating Violence, Katherine Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent dating violence is commonly experienced by adolescents and is associated with a variety of negative outcomes. Stress and coping and social learning theories suggest that dating violence victimization may predict increased substance use and dating violence perpetration. However, few studies have assessed these relations over time, and existing studies have not assessed physical and psychological dating violence victimization separately nor focused on early adolescent populations. The current study addressed these gaps by examining longitudinal relations between physical and psychological dating violence victimization and substance use and physical and psychological dating violence perpetration among early adolescents. The extent to which …

Antisocial Behavior From Adolescence To Early Adulthood: Heritability, Stability, And Correlates Using A Longitudinal Twin Sample, Ashley Dibble

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the heritability, stability, and outcomes of antisocial behavior from adolescence into adulthood in a longitudinal twin sample. Specifically, the genetic and environmental influences on conduct disorder, adult antisocial behavior, and alcohol dependence were examined. The influence of genes and environment on the relationship between these disorders was also examined. The study utilized a subset of FinnTwin12, a population-based twin study that consists of five consecutive birth cohorts. The subsample consisted of 1035 twin pairs (N = 2070) and of that 2070, 1854 completed the intensive interview at age 14. At age 22, …

The Reciprocal Relation Between Maternal Depressive Symptomatology And Adolescents’ Aggression: The Role Of Parenting Practices And Family Functioning, Kelly Pugh

Theses and Dissertations

Research on family influences on adolescents’ aggression has revealed a relation between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescents’ frequency of aggression. A recent cross-sectional study of these relations (Pugh & Farrell, 2011) indicated that maternal depressive symptoms had a significant relation with teachers,’ students,’ and mothers’ reports of adolescents’ aggression. This effect was mediated by parenting practices and family functioning. The cross-sectional designs used in previous studies examining relations between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescents’ aggression make it difficult to draw clear inferences regarding the causal nature of this association. The present study used longitudinal data across five waves of data …

Assessing Parental Involvement In Type 1 Diabetes Management During Adolescence, Elizabeth M. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common pediatric chronic illnesses. Adolescents are at risk for poorer glycemic control; however, youth whose parents remain involved in diabetes care are in better control. The current study examined parental involvement (PI) using a multi-method, multi-source approach in a sample of 255 youth (Age M = 12.83). The Diabetes Family Responsibility Questionnaire, Parental Monitoring of Diabetes Care Scale, and 24-Hour Diabetes Interview assessed two types of PI, parental responsibility and parental monitoring. Global and specific assessment served to cross-corroborate indicators of PI related to HbA1c. Higher levels of monitoring related to lower …

Examining The Mediating Factors Between Religiosity And Pornography Use In Adolescents, Michael A. Steelman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine relations between adolescent religiosity and pornography use, and the roles of self-regulation, attitudes towards pornography, and social control as mediators of these relations. It was hypothesized that religiosity would protect adolescents from exposure to pornography by increasing their self-regulation capacity, their conservative attitudes about pornography, and their perceived social norms regarding pornography. The sample consisted of 419 adolescents (ages 15 - 18 years; M age = 15.68, SD = .98; 56% male) recruited online from across the U.S. Participants completed an online survey. All variables were bivariately associated as expected. Path models …

The Impact Of Overt And Relational Victimization On Adolescents' Well Being: Moderating Effects Of Ethnicity At The Individual And School Level, Krista Mehari

Theses and Dissertations

The sociocultural influence of ethnicity on peer victimization among youth has received little attention in the research literature. Individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition may influence the frequency of victimization and the effect of victimization on adolescents’ well being. The current study investigated these issues using a data set of 5,581 sixth grade students attending 37 schools located in four sites. Multilevel models examined the extent to which individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition influenced the frequency and impact of overt and relational victimization on changes in life satisfaction. Ethnic differences were found in the frequency of victimization, but these …

Assessment Of Diabetes Regimen Disease Care In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Via The Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale And The 24-Hour Diabetes Interview, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The psychometric properties of two measures of diabetes disease care, the Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale (DBRS) and the 24-hr Diabetes Interview (24-hr) were evaluated. The 24-hr is a widely used, structured interview while the DBRS is a self-administered, fixed-choice questionnaire. Both measures were administered to 250 youth with Type 1 Diabetes (aged 11–14 years) and their parents. Overall, both measures demonstrate adequate psychometric properties. The DBRS and the 24-hr demonstrated good incremental validity and low convergent validity with each adding significant additive value. Both measures demonstrated good concurrent validity with HbA1c. As expected, scores on the 24-hr demonstrated less than …

The Influence Of Parental Verbal Messages About Fighting And Nonviolent Responses On Adolescent Aggressive And Effective Nonviolent Behavior, Alison Kramer

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that adolescent health requires both reducing problem behavior and promoting the development of social competence. There is strong support for the influence of parenting practices on both aggressive and competent behavior. However, there has been little research to date focused on parental messages, or the verbal communication parents provide to their children, about aggressive and effective nonviolent responses to conflict. The present study used hierarchical regression to examine parental messages supporting fighting and parental messages supporting effective nonviolent responses to problem situations in relation to adolescent aggressive and effective nonviolent behavior. These relations were expected to be moderated …

The Influence Of Physical Activity And Television On The Intention And Self-Efficacy To Engage In Health-Enhancing Behaviors, Ian Joseph Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer and heart disease account for the largest proportion of morbidity and mortality among all adult diseases in the United States. Research has focused on identifying causal risk factors among adolescents. However, theories of health behavior change also stress the intermediary factors of intention and efficacy for effective behavior change. Existing research supports the potential of physical activity (PA), particularly learned through the domains of exercise and sport, as a means to developing these necessary skills (Danish, Petitpas, & Hale, 1993). The current investigation examined the influence of PA and television watching (TV) on intentions and efficacy to engage in …

The Eating Survey: Disordered Eating And Clinical Cutoff For Adolescents Ages 14-17, David Scott Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

The Eating Survey is a new screening instrument for adolescent eating disturbances. The purpose of this study was to empirically examine how the Eating Survey functions as a total screening instrument and to find a clinical cutoff score for the current 17 items. The participants were 2,569 non-clinical adolescents with a comparative sample of 41 inpatient adolescents aged 14-17. More specifically, this study examined the age and gender differences of the 2,569 non-clinical adolescent males and females. It also compared the 1,662 non-clinical females to a sample of 41 inpatient females. Specificity and sensitivity analyses were conducted to find the …