Child Psychology Commons^™

Technology’S Impact On Students In A Virtual Environment, Leah S. Sorensen

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In 2020, a worldwide pandemic ensued as the coronavirus spread throughout the United States. This caused a nationwide shutdown, closing schools. All forms of education went to a virtual learning setting, where all students were expected to learn outside of a classroom. This also meant that there became a heavy reliance on technology. This setting and use of technology began to affect students’ learning and development. Through conducted research, three domains of child development are evaluated to determine the effects of this form of learning. The cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains will be considered.

Social Media, Bullying, And Preadolescent Eating Disorders: Psychoeducation And Prevention Model, Agnes Zalesna

Dissertations

The purpose of this theoretical project was to examine the available research surrounding preadolescent eating disorders with particular focus on prevalence and risk factors. The author proposed that social media and bullying should be considered as specific risk factors for this demographic in light of the increased media device use among children. Next, the author examined cognitive functioning, child development, and learning theories as they relate to the influence of social media an bullying on the development of eating disorders in children as well as current research on protective factors, prevention, programs, and treatment recommendations. Finally, the author proposed a ...

Education In Emotional Intelligence: An Arts Therapies Based Method, Tatiana Nya Ford

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

By age 11, children are expected to have developed healthy, appropriate, and controlled emotional and social literacy. They should have learned basic social norms, the ability to regulate their emotions, and a strong sense of empathy. These lessons in emotional intelligence prepare children for the roles they will play in adolescence and adulthood. Unfortunately, due to the shift in social interactions from in-person to virtual, children’s emotional intelligence might be at a risk of decline. Fortunately, studies support that the expressive arts therapies can improve interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and behaviors. This thesis aims to develop and implement a ...

Assessing The Needs For Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Upon Return To School After Covid-19, Emily Kurland

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

School-based mental health consultation recognizes and understands the importance of children’s emotional and behavioral needs in conjunction with educator/caregiver competencies. In early childhood classrooms, mental health consultation utilizes a problem-solving approach, creating collaborative relationships with educators to build their skills and expertise (Duran et al., 2009). Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) works to maximize the social-emotional skills of all children while minimizing the vulnerabilities of children experiencing behavioral difficulties (Low & Shepard, 2010). As emotional and behavioral challenges are increasing in early childhood settings, it is evident that mental health consultation is becoming increasingly necessary and beneficial (Green ...

Screening For Resilience In Pediatric Primary Care, Kaitlin Phelan, Martha Grant Fuller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Introduction: Adversity in childhood increases risk for physical and mental health problems. Children who undergo adverse events can still flourish, due to the concept of resilience. Literature shows that resilience influences health more than adversity, and screening for resilience may improve practice.

Method: A valid screening tool for resilience, The CD-RISC, was given to children twelve and above during their well visit during February 2021 at a clinic in Oceanside, CA. Scores were categorized into four quartiles. Children responding in the lowest two quartiles received provider follow up.

Results: 97 surveys were scored: 39 scoring in the lowest quartile, 19 ...

It’S Not All Aces: The Role Of Negative Parental Influences And Criminal Thinking In Juvenile Offending Behaviors, Branna Humphrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and criminal thinking in causing criminal behavior has been explored extensively in criminal justice research. Based on the concepts of ACEs and the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Scale, the negative parental influences and criminal thinking styles of 1,354 juvenile offenders were examined to establish that negative parental influences and criminal thinking are separately associated with juvenile problem and offending behavior, and that criminal thinking mediates the relationship between negative parental influences and juvenile problem and offending behavior. Analyses showed support for criminal thinking as a pathway from negative parental influences to ...

“Because I Said So”: The Effect Of Parenting Practices On Adolescent Adjustment, Brittany Sullivan

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study aimed to examine the relationship between specific parenting practices (i.e., psychological control, behavioral control, and parental expectations) and adolescent adjustment outcomes (i.e., internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and self-worth). It was hypothesized that psychological control would have a positive relationship with internalizing behaviors and a negative relationship with self-worth. It was also hypothesized that behavioral control would have a negative relationship with externalizing behaviors and a positive relationship with self-worth. The study was longitudinal as data collection occurred over a 5-year period in order to determine if parenting practices not only affect adolescent adjustment outcomes, but if ...

Cortisol Relates To Executive Functioning For Children Attending Head Start Preschool, Eleanor D. Brown, Zachary Weaver, Mallory L. Garnett, M. Streich, Geeta Shivde

Psychology Student Work

Background: Approximately 15 million children in the United States grow up in poverty circumstances (National Center for Children in Poverty, 2018), as 24% of all children under the age of 6 live in households with income levels classified as below the federal poverty guideline (Jiang et al., 2016). Recent research has highlighted the impact of early childhood poverty circumstances on physiological systems that respond to stress (Lupien et al., 2001), with implications for typical development in the prefrontal cortex (Hair et al., 2015) and related executive functioning (Blair & Raver, 2016). Method: The present study investigated relations among various components of teacher-reported executive functioning (BRIEF; Gioia et al., 2000) and total cortisol output of 318 young children ...

Playtime And Bedtime Relate To Stress Levels For Children Facing Economic Hardship, Fola Shokunbi, Molly Murphy, Mallory Garnet

Psychology Student Work

Background: Poverty circumstances tax physiological systems that respond to stress. Yet research suggests that supportive parenting may offer some protection. The present study uses daily interview methodology to probe how parents might structure children’s days to promote lower stress levels in the context of poverty risks. Method: Participants were 139 children who attended a Head Start preschool. Mean age was 4 years, 2 months, and 48.9% were identified as female, and 51.1% as male. Approximately 52.6% were identified as Black/African American, 16.6% as Latino/Hispanic American, 8.6% as Asian American and 22.3 ...

Stress Hormone Cortisol Relates To Emotion Expression For Young Children Facing Economic Hardship, Corinne Yost, Jessa Malatesta, Alyssa Allen, Zachary Weaver, Keara Hennesey, Kaytlin Landis-Rotondi, Mallory Garnett

Psychology Student Work

Background: Around 40% of children in the US face economic hardship. Related stressors influence physiological functioning and brain development, with implications for cognitive and social-emotional functioning. The hormone cortisol indicates stress levels, yet because cortisol responses to current stressors are imposed on baseline levels, the meaning of cortisol as measured on a particular occasion often is unclear: both elevated and depressed cortisol levels can indicate problematic dysregulation. The present study aims to elucidate how cortisol levels relate to expressed emotion for children attending Head Start preschool. Participants: Participants included 70 children attending a Head Start preschool in Philadelphia, PA. Mean ...

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Coping Among Children In The United States: A Meta-Analysis, Sarah Vengen

Social Work (Undergraduate) Student Work

Thorndike included emotional intelligence (EI) when he defined social intelligence (SI) (Sharma, 2008) due to the influence of social and cognitive functions on SI and EI (Schutte et al., 1998). Salovey and Mayer later developed a Four-Branch Model for EI including the following skills: 1) perceiving/identifying emotions, 2) integrating emotions into thought processes, 3) understanding emotions and 4) managing emotions. A meta-analysis on the construct of EI revealed many available methods for evaluating the presence and extent of EI such as the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory and the Wong and Law EI Scale. These scales and questionnaires measure qualities ...

Afterschool Music Education Program Linked To Social-Emotional Advantages For Children Facing Economic Hardship, Eleanor D. Brown, Mallory Garnett, Blanca Velazquez-Martin, Suzanne Varnell

Psychology Student Work

Background: The start of the 21st century has hosted decreased access to music education, particularly for children facing economic hardship and children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) (McMurrer, 2007). This is problematic in terms of arts equity and social-emotional benefits children may gain via music participation. The present study examines the impact of an afterschool music education program on social-emotional functioning for elementary school children facing risks related to poverty and racism. Method: Participants were 503 students who attended public elementary schools: 345 students received the Music Education Program (MEP), whereas 158 students enrolled for comparison ...

054— Introducing Young Minds To Topics In Neuroscience, Cole Zsemlye, Karissa Garbarini, Sean Mcbride, Edwin Hugh, Isabel Ross, Terrence Bazzett

GREAT Day

The Applications in Neuroscience (NEUR 215) course allows SUNY Geneseo neuroscience majors to share their knowledge and interests with local elementary-aged children through a partnership with the local R-Kids program. R-Kids is an afterschool program that provides children with homework tutors and interactive enrichment activities. Due to COVID-19, NEUR 215 activities were entirely online and designed to be done virtually by the children at home. Activities were designed to increase interest in STEM-related fields, particularly neuroscience. Topics covered during the enrichment sessions included the neurons’ anatomy, neurotransmitters, learning, memory, brain health, and brain safety. These topics were covered through Google ...

The Role Of Coaches, Institutions, And Clinicians In Addressing Athlete Mental Health, Melissa Otterbein, Cindy Miller Aron, Paul Gorczynski

Emerging Discourses

Mental health, defined by the World Health Organization as “a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community,” is an important concern for athletes. In 2018, research findings showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders among current elite athletes ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression, and from 16% for distress to 26% for anxiety/depression for former elite athletes.2 Research suggests that ...

Exploring Effectiveness Of Implementation Of The Mindup Program Through Implementor Perspectives, Maria Jelic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Developing feasible universal school-based programs that help children develop social and emotional competencies is crucial for the development of improved mental health in children, especially those who have been exposed to trauma. Educators need to be motivated to implement such programs with high quality so that intended outcomes are more likely to occur, but a variety of both internal and external factors can affect implementation. The present study explores these factors by inviting the perceptions of implementers and support staff who were involved in an SEL program called MindUP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants, the interviews were transcribed ...

Childcare Provider, Holly Majerus

CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference

This semester, I had the opportunity to conduct my cooperative education coursework at Prairie Lakes Church working as a childcare provider. PLC offers a childcare program to coincide with their weekday women’s ministries. This poster will describe my responsibilities as a caregiver to infants, and how I use research on separation anxiety and secure attachment in my work. It will also explain what I learned about developmental psychology, and how that can be applied to my future career.

Social Media & Negative Effects On Body Image, Jack Fechter

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Since the beginning of the 2010’s, social media has grown to affect every aspect of our daily lives. With children using it earlier in their lives, they are getting mass exposure to societal ideals about what body type should be. This has negatively impacted adolescents’ view of body image, which has led to dissatisfaction with their own bodies. This leads to depressive symptoms and even in some cases suicide, which has gone up among adolescents in the past decade. The article that follows details how and why these issues occur, as well as solutions to fix them. These solutions ...

Neither Seen Nor Heard: Surviving Children Of Domestic Homicide, Alexis Winfield

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Domestic homicide is a critical human rights issue that continues to impact women, children, and families in Canada. Between 2010-2018, 662 individuals died as a result of domestic homicide, many of whom were mothers who left surviving children behind. This study examined the experiences of surviving children prior to, during, and in the aftermath of domestic homicide through quantitative and qualitative court and media document analyses. It was found that 136 children in Ontario experienced domestic homicide between 2010-2017. Domestic homicide impacted surviving children in all domains of functioning and was often associated with long-term adverse outcomes. Court documents revealed ...

Followers Of The Façade; The Rising Addiction Of Social Media, Kona Momoh

Quest

Social Media and Social Physiological Effects

Research in progress for COMM 1307: Introduction to Mass Communication

Faculty Mentor: Jenny Warren

The following paper was composed by a student in an Introduction to Mass Communication course at Collin College in response to an assignment that asked students to objectively analyze scholarly research regarding the effects of mass media. Initially, students were instructed to review scholarly research relating to mass media and its possible effects. Then, after gaining new insight and knowledge, students wrote a draft of their paper and had it peer-reviewed by another student. Using this analysis, students wrote follow-up ...

Differential Harsh Parenting And Sibling Differences In Conduct Problems: The Role Of Effortful Control, Yelim Hong

Masters Theses

Differential parenting has been shown to be an important correlate and possible cause of positive and negative adjustment of sibling children. However, it is not known whether sibling differences in temperament affect this link between differential harsh parenting and sibling differences in adjustment outcomes. The current study addressed this gap in knowledge. The sample included 92 monozygotic (MZ, 63% female) twin pairs and 137 dizygotic same-sex (DZ, 52% female) twin pairs who had complete temperament survey data collected near the third annual wave in the longitudinal study. Children were 6.09 years old (SD = .69) years old at wave 1 ...