Psychology Commons^™

Similarities And Differences In Eyewitness Testimonies Of Children Who Directly Versus Vicariously Experience Stress, Marc A. Lindberg Ph.D., Susan Jones, Lisa Mccomas Collard, Stuart W. Thomas

Marc A. Lindberg Ph.D.

This study tested questions of ecological validity by comparing the eyewitness testimonies of children directly experiencing a painful inoculation experience with those of children in a yoked-control group who vicariously experienced the inoculation on videotape. The study involved 86 5-year-olds, divided between 2 groups: the experiential and yoked control. The experiential group was followed through a health department with a video camera as they received diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DFT), and oral polio inoculations. They were tested immediately, 20 min later, and I month later. Each child in the yoked-control group merely watched the videotape of his or her counterpart in …

Anxiety Symptoms, Parent Anxiety And Functional Impairment In Pediatric Cardiology Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain And Benign Cardiac Complaints, Cassandra Jo Mcdonnell

Dissertations

Chest pain is regularly encountered in pediatric medical settings. Because of the popular association of chest pain with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction adults, it is often frightening for both patients and parents. However, up to 88% of pediatric chest pain patients receive no medical explanation for their pain. Chest discomfort in the absence of medical explanation that is characterized by no more than one typical angina symptom is classified as non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). This study examined parent anxiety, child anxiety and chest pain related functional impairment in a sample of pediatric patients with NCCP in comparison to …

Is Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy A Causal Environmental Risk Factor For Adolescent Antisocial Behavior? Testing Etiological Theories And Assumptions, Brian M. D'Onofrio, Carol A. Van Hulle, Jackson A. Goodnight, Paul J. Rathouz, Benjamin B. Lahey

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background—Although many studies indicate that maternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is correlated with later offspring antisocial behavior (ASB), recent quasi-experimental studies suggest that background familial factors confound the association. The present study sought to test alternative etiological hypotheses using multiple indices of adolescent ASB, comparing differentially exposed siblings, and testing assumptions in the sibling-comparison design.

The Mediating Role Of Emotion Regulation In The Relations Of Between Somatization And Internalizing Disorders In Children, Priscilla A. Khuanghlawn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Somatic symptoms are a common experience of childhood and research suggests that specific populations, including girls and children who are African-American, may be more likely to experience and report somatic complaints. Although seen in developmentally typical populations, somatic symptoms are also often strongly linked with general psychopathology, especially internalizing disorders. The etiology of somatic symptoms is unclear, with the current literature suggesting various contributing causes. One such contributing factor includes emotional factors such as the management of emotional arousal through emotion inhibition, coping, and dysregulation. Using an African-American sample of 136 elementary school-aged children (47% boys) and their parents (86% …

Deconstructing Children's Expectations For Psychotherapy: Understanding How Parents Prepare Their Children For Mental Health Treatment, Heather Nix

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Little research has investigated the effects of stigma on child psychotherapy. Because parents are a primary factor in determining whether children receive psychotherapy and how therapy progresses, understanding how parental perceptions of psychopathology and psychotherapy are associated with children’s mental health treatment seems to be an important step in investigating how stigma impacts child psychotherapy. Researchers have not closely examined, however, how parents might influence children’s experiences of psychotherapy. To address this topic, the current study examined how parents’ views of psychotherapy were related to how they prepared their children for psychotherapy and how this preparation was related to children’s …

Cognitive, Emotional, And Behavioural Correlates In Children With Psychopathic Traits, Vanessa Leanne Pedden

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Psychopathy is a developmental disorder characterized by deficits in emotional, interpersonal, and behavioural domains. Adult psychopaths commit a disproportionate amount of violent crime and are at a heightened risk for recidivism. Research suggests that children with psychopathic traits present with deficits similar to their adult counterparts on measures of passive avoidance learning and emotional processing. There is also evidence to suggest that these children engage in differential forms of aggression. In addition, research suggests that adult psychopathy develops early in life. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine cognitive, emotional and behavioural characteristics in children with psychopathic traits. The …

The Cortisol Awakening Response (Car) In 2-To 4-Year-Old Children: Effects Of Acute Nighttime Sleep Restriction, Wake Time, And Daytime Napping, Colleen E. Gribbin, Sarah Enos Watamura, Alyssa Cairns, John R. Harsh, Monique K. Lebourgeois

Faculty Publications

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is presumed critically important for healthy adaptation. The current literature, however, is hampered by systematic measurement difficulties relative to awakening, especially with young children. While reports suggest the CAR is smaller in children than adults, well-controlled research in early childhood is scarce. We examined whether robust CARs exist in 2- to 4-year-old children and if sleep restriction, wake timing, and napping influence the CAR (n?=?7). During a 25-day in-home protocol, researchers collected four salivary cortisol samples (0, 15, 30, 45?min post-wake) following five polysomnographic sleep recordings on nonconsecutive days after 4?hr (morning nap), 7?hr (afternoon …

Methods And Baseline Characteristics Of A Randomized Trial Treating Early Childhood Obesity: The Positive Lifestyles For Active Youngsters (Team Play) Trial, Marion Hare, Mace Coday, Natalie A. Williams, Phyllis Richey, Frances Tylavsky, Andrew Bush

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

There are few effective obesity interventions directed towards younger children, particularly young minority children. This paper describes the design, intervention, recruitment methods, and baseline data of the ongoing Positive Lifestyles for Active Youngsters (Team PLAY) study. This randomized controlled trial is designed to test the efficacy of a 6-month, moderately intense, primary care feasible, family-based behavioral intervention, targeting both young children and their parent, in promoting healthy weight change.

Participants are 270 overweight and obese children (ages 4 to 7 years) and their parent, who were recruited from a primarily African American urban population. Parents and children were instructed in …

Coping Styles Of Maltreated Children As Related To Risk And Temperament, Tiffani N. Orne

Senior Honors Theses

A large number of children are classified as maltreated, and these children respond to maltreatment in different ways. Cumulative sociodemographic risk factors and temperament both affect the socioemotional outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the association between risk factors and behavioral outcomes in children who have been neglected or abused is influenced by temperamental characteristics. Social workers in Virginia completed questionnaires about five children and adolescents who are part of their current case load. Questionnaires included demographic questions, a Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and an Emotionality Activity Sociability (EAS) temperament …

Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis In Venezuela, Joaquín A. Peña, María Elena Ravelo, Evelio Rubio, Dulce Pirela, Arnoldo Soto, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

ABSTRACT

Objective: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Venezuelan pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: Database records from the National Program for MS were searched for patients with an established diagnosis of MS whose first symptoms appeared before age 18.

Results: The national database held records of 1.710 patients; 3.8% had onset of the first symptoms before age 18. 46.7% were boys, yielding an F:M ratio of 1.13:1. Many children had a disease onset characterized by motor impairment (30.7%), brainstem/cerebellum and spinal cord affectation (27.6%), headache (26%). Less frequent symptoms were sensory symptoms (8%) and optic neuritis …

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Claims Versus Evidence, Britta L. Fiksdal, Daniel Houlihan, Aaron C. Barnes

Psychology Department Publications

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique studies that have been conducted on dolphin-assisted therapy for children with various disorders. Studies have been released claiming swimming with dolphins is therapeutic and beneficial for children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical disabilities, and other psychological disorders. The majority of the studies conducted supporting the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy have been found to have major methodological concerns making it impossible to draw valid conclusions. Readers will be informed of the history of, theory behind, and variations of dolphin-assisted therapy along with a review and critique of studies published …

Ethnic And Immigration Status Differences On Child Indicators Of Health For European Americans And Latinos, Christina Granillo, David V. Chavez, Donna M. Garcia, Kelly Campbell

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examined the effects of ethnicity and immigration status on subjective and objective health (Body Mass Index; BMI) for Latino and European American children. Social identity and comparison theories were used to frame the investigation. Southern California parents were randomly selected to complete a telephone interview about their children’s health yielding a sample of 165 European American and 152 Latino participants. Compared to European Americans, Latinos evidenced poorer subjective and objective health. Latino children who had a caregiver who was a citizen had better subjective health than Latino children whose caregiver was not a citizen. BMI was correlated with …

How Successful Is Homework Success For Children With Adhd?, Alexis Resnick

Theses and Dissertations

ADHD-diagnosed children generally display multiple difficulties with academic functioning (DuPaul, 2007; Loe & Feldman, 2007; Raggi & Chronis, 2006; Rogers, Wiener, Marton, & Tannock, 2009) and tend to show more frequent and intense homework problems than their peers (Power, Karustis, & Habboushe, 2001). Traditionally, treatments for ADHD have included medication and/or behavioral interventions (DuPaul & Weyandt, 2006; Loe & Feldman, 2007); however, interventions targeting the homework problems of children with ADHD have been limited. One such intervention for the treatment of children with ADHD and homework problems, the Homework Success Program (HSP), has yet to be empirically evaluated with individual …

Evidence-Based Behavior Interventions For Children With Adhd: A Systematic Review, Jennifer Kimpton

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

To systematically review empirically supported behavior interventions currently being used to manage and reduce symptoms of ADHD in children.

The Processes Underlying Flexibility In Childhood, Lucy Cragg, Nicolas Chevalier

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

It is now well established in the adult literature that the ability to engage in flexible thought and action is a complex skill that relies on a number of underlying processes. The development of this skill has received growing interest in recent years. However, theories explaining children’s ability to switch between different tasks typically focus on a single underlying process and are rarely extended to explain development beyond the preschool years. This article reviews the current literature on set shifting in children in comparison with task switching in adults, in order to highlight the range of factors that impact on …

Introduction To The Neurosciences And Music Iv: Learning And Memory, Andrea Halpern

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

The conference entitled "The Neurosciences and Music-IV: Learning and Memory" was held at the University of Edinburgh from June 9-12, 2011, jointly hosted by the Mariani Foundation and the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development, and involving nearly 500 international delegates. Two opening workshops, three large and vibrant poster sessions, and nine invited symposia introduced a diverse range of recent research findings and discussed current research directions. Here, the proceedings are introduced by the workshop and symposia leaders on topics including working with children, rhythm perception, language processing, cultural learning, memory, musical imagery, neural plasticity, stroke rehabilitation, autism, …

Development And Validation Of The Adolescent Thought Control Questionnaire (Tcq-A), Reanna (Sara) Elise Whiting

LSU Master's Theses

Despite receiving widespread attention in the adult literature, virtually no information about the effects of thought suppression currently exists using a developmental psychopathology perspective in adolescents. The current study describes the development and preliminary validation of The Adolescent Thought Control Questionnaire, a self-report measure of thought suppression strategy use among adolescents. A principal factor analysis revealed an identical factor structure to the adult Thought Control Questionnaire (Wells & Davies, 1994) and included subscales measuring Distraction, Reappraisal, Social, Worry, and Punishment strategies. Adequate evidence of internal and test-retest reliability was obtained. The TCQ-A evidenced strong validity when tested for relations to …

Wholeistic EducationTm, Cerissa Leigh Desrosiers

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation introduces Wholeistic Education^TM (WED^TM), an innovative, values-based, interdisciplinary pro-social theory that is the culmination of centuries of scientific and philosophical learning and exploration about optimal mental health and human development. WED is based on basic human nature and universal human rights, and so it applies to all variations of human society- racial, ethnic, religious, or otherwise. WED is a foundation theory to which any targeted implementation strategy can be applied. It is both a proactive strategy for seeking and maintaining health before a crisis arises in families, schools, and organizations as well as a treatment …

Camp For Childhood Cancer Survivors And Their Families: A Program Conceptualization, Caprice S. Parkinson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this program conceptualization is to create a theory-driven residential camp program for child cancer survivors and their families. Although the majority of families appear to adjust to the stressors of the cancer experience, it has been identified that there is a significant portion of the cancer population and their families that are experiencing psychosocial issues and are in need of support (Kazak, Boeving, Alderfer, Hwang, & Reilly, 2005; Levin Newby, Brown, Pawletko, Gold, & Whitt, 2000; Zeltzer et al., 2009). Some typical symptoms noted in this group of pediatric cancer patients and families are depression/anxiety; decreased sense …

Hoof Prints For Healing: An Equine-Assisted Therapy Program For A Unique School, Alison M. Roy

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The unique and meaningful relationship that can develop between humans and horses has been well documented for centuries. More recently a hypothesis has emerged that humans can improve self-concept and social competence from having a horse in their lives. To date, few studies have empirically explored this hypothesis. The hypothesized social and emotional benefits of interacting with horses have inspired Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) programs which utilize horses in goal-directed treatment. EAT programs have been shown to be especially effective for socially and emotionally disadvantaged children and youth. In the current project, the author created an EAT program for the socially …