Child Psychology Commons^™

Integrating Computer Science Education And Ethnic-Racial Identity Exploration Within A Social Justice Youth Development Framework, Steven Worker, Fe Moncloa, Vernelle Mitchell-Hawkins

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Life-Skill Transfer From Sport-Based Positive Youth Development Programs, Travis R. Scheadler, Dawn Anderson Butcher, Samantha Bates

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Assessing Staff-Youth Interaction Quality: Using The Class To Evaluate Afterschool Programs, Joel M. Hektner, Debarati Kole, Vimbayi Chinopfuktwa, Shawn L. Carlson

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Newfound Belonging: Reimagining Youth Development Through Culturally Relevant Physical Activity And Literacies, Brittany Pinkerton, Christine L. Craddock

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Understanding Why Youth Depart Early From Summer Camp, Victoria Povilaitis, Robert P. Lubeznik-Warner, Katie Mcgregor-Wheatley

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Development Amidst Psychological Difficulties: Parents As Developmental Assets, Kimia Shirzad, Sunhye Bai, Jennifer P. Agans

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Leveraging The Science Of Early Life Predictability To Inform Policies Promoting Child Health, Laura M. Glynn, Sabrina R. Liu, Candice Taylor Lucas, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Addressing the tremendous burden of early-life adversity requires constructive dialogues between scientists and policy makers to improve population health. Whereas dialogues focused on several aspects of early-life adversity have been initiated, discussion of an underrecognized form of adversity that has been observed across multiple contexts and cultures is only now emerging. Here we provide evidence for “why unpredictability?”, including: 1. Evidence that exposures to unpredictability affect child neurodevelopment, with influences that persist into adulthood. 2. The existence of a translational non-human animal model of exposure to early life unpredictability that can be capitalized upon to causally probe neurobiological mechanisms. 3. …

Strategies For Addressing Substance Abuse And Gambling Among Youth, Kevin T. Wolff

Publications and Research

This keynote address opens with a description of recent trends in substance use and gambling among youth, sharing insights from relevant research. I highlight that while some global trends indicate a decline in adolescent substance use, other areas, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have seen increases. I emphasize the importance of comprehensive prevention strategies, such as school-based, community-based, and family-based programs, and effective treatment approaches like behavioral interventions and integrated mental health services.

On the topic of youth gambling, I highlight the rising normalization and accessibility of gambling, particularly through the internet. I describe specific challenges in regions like South …

Eyes Open In The Dark, Brittany A. Forrest

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

An unusual dissertation that presents a science fiction autobiographical narrative, following a trial of trauma and identity dysphoria. Through a trans-queer biological female lens, the vulnerable tone of the author invites the reader into wording that describes matters they will care for on a human level. This study probes the question of what lives within the silence of our perceptions by appraising reverberations between interactions that coerce the human condition. Interrogating memory is inevitable when questioning how defense mechanisms interrelate and adapt to human needs. This study penetrates the complexities of perception fabrications, power dynamics, sensory perceptions, systemic moralities, and …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Community Development Through Summer Camps, Edgar Iglesias Vidal, Narcís Turon Pèlach, Pere Soler Masó, Lara Morcillo Sanchez

Journal of Youth Development

Summer camps are widespread in many countries and have a long history. Their contribution to children’s and young people’s leisure and recreation is widely acknowledged, as is their usefulness as an educational resource. That large numbers of children and young people across Europe attend summer camps is well-known; according to Eurofound (2020), most of the twenty-seven countries analyzed record student attendance at camps, and in twelve countries (including Spain) over 50% of young people take part. However, another study carried out in the member countries of the European Union (Plantenga & Remery, 2017) stated that when the availability, use, and …

Curbing The Campus Mental Health Crisis: The Role Of Extracurricular Activity Participation, Rosanne Villemaire-Krajden, Erin Barker

Journal of Youth Development

Rates of distress on post-secondary campuses are alarmingly high, calling for a shift towards learning environments that better address emerging adults’ holistic needs. This cross-sectional, mixed-method study examines the role that extracurricular activity participation can play in such approaches. Online survey data was collected from 302 undergraduate students (M_age = 21.3) to assess extracurricular activity participation prior to and during their university attendance, across quantitative indicators (i.e., type and number of activities). Students’ qualitative accounts of the influence of their extracurricular activity participation on their development and wellbeing was examined using thematic analysis. Results indicate that rates of …

Impact Of Organized Activity Participation On Emotional Distress For Adolescents With Disabilities, Adam Langenfeld, Rebekah Hudock, Rebecca J. Dosch Brown, Marla Eisenberg

Journal of Youth Development

Adolescents who have been diagnosed with disabilities constitute a significant portion of the school population in the United States. For example, the National Survey of Children’s Health identified one in four children ages 12 to 17 as having special healthcare needs in 2019 (Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, n.d.). These adolescents are often diagnosed with a wide range of conditions, ranging from specific learning difficulties to more global delays across developmental domains. In the school setting, adolescents with disabilities often have an individualized educational program (IEP). Mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) of 2004, …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Two Youth Mental Health Trainings For Volunteers, Monica M. Lobenstein, Shannon Sparks, Jennifer Park-Mroch, Danette Hopke, Jayna Hintz, Megan Suehring, Kea Norrell-Aitch, Karla Gearing, Michelle Gobert, Sheila Michels

Journal of Youth Development

Adolescence is a critical period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being (Kessler et al., 2005). Half of all mental health conditions start by age 14, and the average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is eight to ten years (Wang et al., 2007). Youth with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma, educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviors, and worsening physical health. Youth often do not get the help they need due to ongoing stigma and barriers in accessing mental health treatment. For example, in Wisconsin, 30% of the population live in a …

Volunteer Training, Tenure, And Facilitation Of Essential Elements In 4-H: Examining Conditions That Promote Positive Youth Development Practices, Kimber Sarver, Kate Fogarty, Tracy Johns, Sarah Thomas Hensley, Dale W. Pracht

Journal of Youth Development

The 4-H program relies on trained volunteers to facilitate youths’ acquisition of life skills in relevant subject matter areas (STEM, Healthy Living). A large part of the 4-H professionals’ objective is to undergird their volunteers in program delivery. The content of volunteers’ training emphasizes the 4 essential elements for youth development programming, namely: 1. Creating an atmosphere of belonging for diverse youth; 2. Promoting generosity through service to their families and communities; 3. Supporting youth mastery of globally applicable life skills and specific skills within subject matter areas of expertise; and 4. Facilitating youths’ sense of independence by self-selecting topics …

Making Room, Rachel Strompf

Masters Theses

Massachusetts is the only state in the United States with a right-to-shelter law which guarantees shelter for families with children and pregnant women.¹ As of February 2024, 3,500 homeless families with children are being sheltered in a motel or hotel with an average length of stay of 14 months, because traditional family shelters have reached capacity.^2,3 While these families are provided temporary shelter, these shelters do not allow for the development of a true sense of “home.” While a motel meets the needs of rudimentary shelter, motels were never designed as long-term accommodations and certainly not with a …

Resilience In Refugee Youth: A Review Of Contributing Factors And Potential Barriers, Anna J. Kreisman

Honors Projects

While past research has predominantly centered on the trauma and challenges faced by refugees, there is a current shift toward examining refugee lives through a lens of resilience. The purpose of the present investigation is to examine the contributing factors and potential barriers to resilience in young refugees. I conducted a literature review of research from the past 24 years, primarily searching PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, and SocINDEX. The review findings demonstrate that resilience can stem from individual, family, school, and community-level factors. The findings further indicate several potential barriers to resilience. In addition, I briefly discuss mental health interventions …

The Effects Of Student Choice On Motivation And Writing Skills, Laura Annunziata

Master's Theses

This mixed methods action research study investigates the potential effects of student choice on motivation and academic performance in writing-based assignments in a fourth-grade classroom. Baseline data was collected prior to implementation of student choice writing activities and then used to compare writing samples collected post intervention. The baseline data suggests that students’ attitudes towards autonomy are positive. Having choices was important to them and helped them learn better. However, data also indicates that while students were motivated to write using choice, many of the reading and writing competency scores dropped during journal entry writing samples. Data shows that while …

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

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 …

Trauma And Juvenile Offending, Cynthia Vasquez, April Terry

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Over the past few decades, studies have shown a relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and juvenile justice system involvement. Additionally, the United States supervises and incarcerates more youth than other established country. This process—from abuse to incarceration—has become known as the abuse-to-prison pipeline or victimization-to-imprisonment. Many traumatized youth find themselves responding to their trauma with behaviors deemed delinquent (e.g., skipping school and running away) which then begins their path into the juvenile justice system. For a sub-set of youth, they are dual-involved, meaning, they are supervised in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. For some youth, their …

Storytelling Through A Critical Positive Youth Development Framework: A Mixed Methods Approach, Maru Gonzalez, Michael Kokozos, Katherine Mckee, Christy Byrd

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Targeting Social-Emotional Learning And Activity Attitudes During After-School Programming Post Covid-19 Restrictions, Kelly L. Simonton, Victoria N. Shiver, Aimee Gray, Katie Juarez, Angela Simonton

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

“We Are Protected”: Examining Youth Perceptions Of Safety Within A Faith-Based Positive Youth Development Program In El Salvador, Samuel Hay, Jonathan M. Tirrell, Jacqueline Lerner, Elizabeth Dowling, Alistair T. R. Sim, Pamela E. King, Jennifer M. Vaughn, Guillermo Iraheta, Richard Lerner

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Benchmarking Strategies Used To Increase Diversity, Equity, Inclusion At Summer Camps, Lisa Meerts, Tyler Wycoff, Jim Sibthorp

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

4-H Volunteers Leaders’ Turnover Intention, Suzanna R. Windon, Mariah K. Awan, Rama Radhakrishna

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, Vol. 19, Issue 1

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William K. Canady

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight three segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention.

Exploring Communication Gaps In Pakistani Desi Families: A Comparative Analysis Of Joint And Nuclear Settings And How The Existence Of A Communication Gap Impacts The Emotional Wellbeing Of Members In Either Settings, Maria Rehman

SSLA Culminating Experience

This qualitative research explores the existence and impact of communication gaps in Pakistani, desi families and compares joint and nuclear family systems by delving into the nuances of family dynamics. It explores how the presence of a communication gap impacts the emotional well-being of family members. It was aimed to uncover the manifestations of communication gaps, the comparison of that between joint and nuclear families, and how it has an emotional, psychological effect on family members. A sample of six young women were recruited and divided into two groups based on the family they belonged to i.e., joint or nuclear. …

Social Media And Performative Parenting, Sun Sun Lim, Yang Wang

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

With the intensifying use of social media in many realms of everyday life, even parenting is manifesting a public dimension. Whereas one might regard parenting as a private activity undertaken within the home, the use of social media to highlight the joys and trials of child-rearing has put parenting under the digital spotlight. Parents are keen to showcase their children’s growth and development to family and friends. Significant achievements invite praise and social endorsement, as well as commendations for excellent parenting. The sharing of parenting struggles over social media can also elicit expressions of commiseration, sympathy and support. The ensuing …