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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

Deficits In Attention To Emotional Stimuli Distinguish Youth With Severe Mood Dysregulation From Youth With Bipolar Disorder., Brendan A Rich, Melissa A Brotman, Daniel P Dickstein, Derek G V Mitchell, R James R Blair, Ellen Leibenluft Jul 2010

Deficits In Attention To Emotional Stimuli Distinguish Youth With Severe Mood Dysregulation From Youth With Bipolar Disorder., Brendan A Rich, Melissa A Brotman, Daniel P Dickstein, Derek G V Mitchell, R James R Blair, Ellen Leibenluft

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Studying attention in the context of emotional stimuli may aid in differentiating pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) from severe mood dysregulation (SMD). SMD is characterized by chronic irritability, arousal, and hyper-reactivity; SMD youth frequently receive a BD diagnosis although they do not meet DSM-IV criteria for BD because they lack manic episodes. We compared 57 BD (14.4 +/- 2.9 years old, 56% male), 41 SMD (12.6 +/- 2.6 years old, 66% male), and 33 control subjects (13.7 +/- 2.5 years old, 52% male) using the Emotional Interrupt task, which examines how attention is impacted by positive, negative, or neutral distracters. We …


Adolescent Meaning Making Of Past Experience, Joshua Noffsinger May 2010

Adolescent Meaning Making Of Past Experience, Joshua Noffsinger

Honors Scholar Theses

This study examined the meaning making processes of self-defining memories in adolescents, as well as how they co-construct the narratives of these events with their parents. The sample consisted of 53 students, aged 12-14, who came in for recorded laboratory sessions to discuss self-defining memories with their parents. These sessions were later coded on levels of meaning making and co-construction. These codes were, then, analyzed with the adolescents’ questionnaire scores regarding friendship quality, internalizing, and externalizing behaviors. The data revealed that adolescents and parents were both rated higher for more complex levels of meaning making and that those rated higher …


Language Brokering In Latino Families: Direct Observations Of Brokering Patterns, Parent-Child Interactions, And Relationship Quality, Kee J. E. Straits May 2010

Language Brokering In Latino Families: Direct Observations Of Brokering Patterns, Parent-Child Interactions, And Relationship Quality, Kee J. E. Straits

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With the growing percentage of immigrant families in the USA, language transition is a common immigrant experience and can occur rapidly from generation to generation within a family. Child language brokering appears to occur within minority language families as one way of negotiating language and cultural differences; however, the phenomenon of children translating or mediating language interactions for parents has previously been hypothesized to contribute to negative outcomes for children, such as role-reversals and parentification, emotional distancing and lack of communication, increased parent-child conflict, and increased internalizing/externalizing disorders. The current study used direct observations of 60 Spanish-speaking parent-child dyads (30 …


Examining The Effectiveness Of A Social Learning Curriculum For Improving Social Skills And Self-Regulation Behaviors In Middle School Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder Or Social Skill Deficits, Jessica Beth Bolton Jan 2010

Examining The Effectiveness Of A Social Learning Curriculum For Improving Social Skills And Self-Regulation Behaviors In Middle School Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder Or Social Skill Deficits, Jessica Beth Bolton

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Social skill deficits are hallmark characteristics noted in children with autism. The behavioral indicators of autism, including language impairments, display of preservative behaviors, and restricted interests contribute to the social difficulties experienced by children with autism. The current paper provides a review of the relevant literature on theoretical contributions to social skill deficits in autism. A review of the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and social skill training programs and curriculums that have been shown to be efficacious at targeting deficits and improving social skills is provided, with a focus on treating children with high functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s …


A Comprehensive Investigation Of Variables Related To Children's Self-Perceptions, Renee Payton Cahill Jan 2010

A Comprehensive Investigation Of Variables Related To Children's Self-Perceptions, Renee Payton Cahill

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

In recent decades much has been revealed regarding children’s self-perceptions and sense of worth. Children engage in social comparisons to gauge their strengths and weaknesses relative to those around them. Thus one’s environment plays a critical role impacting one’s perceptions of self. Other variables suggested as contributing to children’s formulation of self-worth, include academic achievement, perception of victimization by peers, and academic placement. However, findings have been inconsistent in regard to the extent to which these variables relate to self-worth. The present study sought to discern if these variables relate to children’s self-perceptions. Results revealed a positive correlation between students’ …


Preschool Teachers' Perceptions Of Obesity At Ages 3-5 Years, Jessica D. Mackinney Jan 2010

Preschool Teachers' Perceptions Of Obesity At Ages 3-5 Years, Jessica D. Mackinney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was not only to investigate the knowledge of preschool teachers on the topic of obesity, but also to determine whether or not they find obesity to be a significant problem facing 3-5 year old children. Results indicate that preschool teachers agree that obesity is a concern; however, they are unclear on the causality of obesity. Preschool teachers feel the long-term consequences of being obese at ages 3-5 years affect future academic, social, and physical growth, but they do not feel intervention should take place at the preschool level. This study contributed to a better understanding …


Integrity Of Neuropsychological Processes In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Comorbid Conditions, Julie N. Henzel Jan 2010

Integrity Of Neuropsychological Processes In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Comorbid Conditions, Julie N. Henzel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study investigated the neuropsychological and behavioral profiles seen in children diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type (IA), inattentive type plus an internalizing disorder (IA + INT), combined type (CT), and combined type plus an externalizing disorder (CT + EXT). Subjects were 63 unmedicated children aged 6 to 16 who had been assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition (WISC–IV), Conners’ Continuous Performance Test-Second Edition (CPT–II), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Group differences were found for the WISC–IV Digits Backward subtest (IA + INT IA and IA + INT), and externalizing behavior scales on the CBCL and TRF …


The Relevance Of Executive Functions In Academic Production In Middle School, Norina Bobik Jan 2010

The Relevance Of Executive Functions In Academic Production In Middle School, Norina Bobik

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated the role that executive function plays on academic production in middle school from a prototype perspective. It was hypothesized that middle school teachers' prototypical ratings of the executive function capacities of middle school students who are academically successful would differ significantly from these same middle school teachers' prototypical ratings of the executive function capacities of middle school students who are academically unsuccessful. The study used archival data consisting of items from the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), a questionnaire that was completed by middle school teachers during a professional in-service workshop at four large …


The Relationship Between Prenatal Alcohol Exposure And Special Education Eligibility For Children In New Jersey: Early Intervention Is Key, Jacquē L. Jones Jan 2010

The Relationship Between Prenatal Alcohol Exposure And Special Education Eligibility For Children In New Jersey: Early Intervention Is Key, Jacquē L. Jones

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Depending upon the amount of alcohol consumed by the mother during pregnancy and when the consumption occurred during fetal development, a child may develop fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), alcohol-related birth defects, or alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, all of which are under the umbrella category of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Children in whom a presumptive diagnosis has been made, such as FAS, are automatically eligible to receive early intervention services, regardless of whether the child demonstrates developmental delays. The purpose of the current study is to provide support for the notion that the Early Intervention System should broaden its FAS automatic …


A Comparison Of The Parenting Dimensions That Lead To Positive Social Problem Solving In The Children From Traditional Versus Children From Same-Sex Parent Families, Karen Joan Taratuski Jan 2010

A Comparison Of The Parenting Dimensions That Lead To Positive Social Problem Solving In The Children From Traditional Versus Children From Same-Sex Parent Families, Karen Joan Taratuski

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Building social competence is an important task of childhood. Effective social problem solving is a vital skill in the development of social competence. Although there are myriad factors that influence a child’s learning of social problem solving skills, the quality of the interaction between parents and children has been found to be a pivotal influence. Although much research focuses on the effects of parenting in the context of a traditional family (two parents of opposite gender), little more than half of all children are living in this type of family. Same-sex parent households draw particular criticism. However, research suggests that …


Age At Kindergarten Entrance And Its Relationship To Early Academic Achievement, Joanne E. Perry Jan 2010

Age At Kindergarten Entrance And Its Relationship To Early Academic Achievement, Joanne E. Perry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study investigated whether age at kindergarten entrance has any effect on future language arts and literacy, using a sample of 340 students entering kindergarten in one largely white, middle-class, New Jersey, suburban school district. Students were grouped by age into two age categories: young (56-59 months) & on-time (60-72 months). Achievement was studied through archived measures of academic performance using correlations and chi square analyses to determine differences in literacy and language arts functioning related to age at school entrance. Results indicated young students were weaker in literacy and language arts achievement in first and second grade, but this …


Link Between Executive Functioning And Teacher Referrals For Gifted Testing, Amanda Veronica Kenney Jan 2010

Link Between Executive Functioning And Teacher Referrals For Gifted Testing, Amanda Veronica Kenney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

It is possible that teachers are more likely to refer for gifted support students who are highly productive in class rather than students with classroom production difficulties such as those commonly exhibited by students with ADHD or other executive function-related difficulties. Some research support has been found for this hypothesis. In a study by Zentall, Moon, Hall, and Grskovic (2001), students diagnosed with ADHD, whether identified as academically gifted or not, were described as underachievers by their teachers (Zentall et al., 2001). There can be similar behavioral characteristics between ADHD and giftedness, including hyperactivity, disruptive behavior, and a tendency to …


Efficacy Of A Self-Monitoring Technique To Improve Academic Skill Production, Carrie L. Winfield Jan 2010

Efficacy Of A Self-Monitoring Technique To Improve Academic Skill Production, Carrie L. Winfield

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined archival data from an assisted self-graphing intervention for improving early literacy skills in first grade students from one elementary school. The purpose of the investigation is to examine the use of a self-graphing supplemental intervention that occurred outside of the class-wide first grade reading instruction. The participants included first grade students from three classroom settings in one predominately middle class, suburban school district in southeastern Pennsylvania. The participants formed three groups: (1) 8 students in a DIBELS Progress Monitoring and Self-Graphing Intervention group (PM + SG group); (2) 9 students in a DIBELS Progress Monitoring-only group (PM …


Gender Differences In Symptom Presentation Of Sexually Abused African American Children Ages 8 Through 12, Tania Czarnecki Wismar Jan 2010

Gender Differences In Symptom Presentation Of Sexually Abused African American Children Ages 8 Through 12, Tania Czarnecki Wismar

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

A well-documented connection exists between child sexual abuse and psychological symptoms that may persist into adulthood. Because of the significant public health implications of child sexual abuse, it is critical to examine the many variables related to such a potentially traumatic event, including its psychological effects and effects on gender, so that treatment providers are able to gain a better understanding of how males and females are affected by their abuse experiences. This study examined the role of gender on psychological symptoms in a largely understudied population of inner city African American children; it also examined gender roles regarding the …


Improving Validity Of Referrals For Comprehensive Autism Evaluation : A Tier-2 Direct Autism Observation Checklist, Mary Heim Elberson Jan 2010

Improving Validity Of Referrals For Comprehensive Autism Evaluation : A Tier-2 Direct Autism Observation Checklist, Mary Heim Elberson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early identification of autism has received national attention and can lead to positive treatment outcomes. Research has demonstrated that qualitative impairments in social and communicative behaviors can be detected within the first two years of life. Unfortunately, many children with autism will not receive an autism diagnosis until they enter preschool. Professionals within school settings have not often received extensive training on assessment of autism spectrum disorders. Expectations, however, are that school-based teams can identify students who demonstrate characteristics associated with autism and refer those students for a comprehensive autism evaluation. Currently, autism screening tools are limited to rating scales …