Digital Commons Network^™

Going Beyond Defining: Preschool Educators' Use Of Knowledge In Their Pedagogical Reasoning About Vocabulary Instruction, Julie Dwyer, Rachel E. Schachter

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

Previous research investigating both the knowledge of early childhood educators and the support for vocabulary development present in early childhood settings has indicated that both educator knowledge and enacted practice are less than optimal, which has grave implications for children's early vocabulary learning and later reading achievement. Further, the nature of the relationship between educators' knowledge and practice is unclear, making it difficult to discern the best path towards improved knowledge, practice, and children's vocabulary outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to add to the existing literature by using stimulated recall interviews and a grounded approach to examine …

Therapeutic Massage To Enhance Family Caregivers’ Well-Being In A Rehabilitation Hospital, Natalie A. Williams, Judith M. Burnfield, Paul Springer, Kayla Wolf, Thad Buster

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

Background and purpose: A massage therapy program was implemented to address the psychological well-being of family caregivers to patients in a rehabilitation hospital. The impact of massage “dosage” on caregiver stress and psychological well-being was examined in this study. Participants’ perspectives on the program were also explored. Materials and methods: Thirty-eight family caregivers were randomized to receive either one massage per week or three massages per week for two weeks. Caregivers reported psychological symptoms and stress pre- and postprogram. Program acceptability was assessed via responses on an exit survey. Results: Overall, 79% of massages were received (89% among program completers). …

Best Training Practices For Probation Officers And Staff Toward Building A More Sophisticated, Fair, And Effective System Of Juvenile Justice In San Diego County, Carissa Carrasquillo

Ethnic Studies Senior Capstone Papers

This report illustrates how probation leadership, officers, and staff in San Diego County can adopt best training practices to address and alleviate incidents in juvenile detention facilities and build a sophisticated, fair, and effective system of juvenile justice. The goal of implementing best training practices for probation officers and staff is to build a knowledgeable workforce to better serve youth and families and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. This report analyzes how innovations in management and the introduction of new programs has proven effective through research- and evidence-based practices and direct community involvement. In particular, …

Guidelines For Selecting Professional Development For Early Childhood Teachers, Rachel E. Schachter, Hope K. Gerde, Holly Hatton-Bowers

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

Engaging teachers of young children in effective in-service professional development is a critical component of establishing high quality early childhood education. However, not all professional development offerings are effective in imparting new knowledge, enhancing teacher practice, or improving child outcomes, making it difficult for teachers and directors to select professional development that will benefit their centers. This paper critically reviews the research literature on professional development for early childhood education to identify what features of professional development make a difference for teacher interactions and children’s learning and development. Guidance is provided for selecting professional development opportunities which meet the needs …

"Baby Factories": Exploitation Of Women In Southern Nigeria, Jacinta Chiamaka Nwaka, Akachi Odoemene

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Despite the writings of feminist thinkers and efforts of other advocates of feminism to change the dominant narratives on women, exploitation of women is a fact that has remained endemic in various parts of the world, and particularly in Africa. Nigeria is one of those countries in Africa where women are largely exposed to varying degrees of exploitation. This paper examines the development and proliferation of baby-selling centers in southern Nigeria and its impacts on and implication for women in Nigeria. It demonstrates how an attempt to give protection to unwed pregnant girls has metamorphosed into “baby harvesting” and selling …

Children Of Mumbai’S Brothels: Investigating Developmental Prospects, Primary Relationships, And Service Provision, Rochelle L. Dalla, Sarah Erwin, Lee Kreimer

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

Objective: To understand the context of the lives of children reared in India’s red-light brothel districts. Background: Substantial empirical insight has emerged on the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Yet the extant literature on brothel-based children (BBC), a uniquely vulnerable subset of at-risk children, is paradoxically deficient. Understanding the developmental needs of BBC is critical to mitigating risk.

Method: In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 service providers and 30 women residing in 2 red-light brothel districts of Mumbai. Phenomenological inquiry informed the research methodology and data analysis.

Results: Mothers’ goals for children included survival, academic success, and future …

The Perception Of School Food-Service Professionals On The Implementation Of The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Of 2010: A Mixed-Methods Study, Zainab Rida, Elisha Hall, Saima Hasnin, Jessie Coffey, Dipti Dev

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

Objective: To: (i) understand the nutrition attitudes, self-efficacy, knowledge and practices of school food-service personnel (SFP) in Nebraska and (ii) identify potential barriers that schools face in offering healthy school meals that meet the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards.

Design: Convergent parallel mixed-methods study.

Setting: Kindergarten–12th grade schools in Nebraska, USA.

Participants: SFP (260 survey participants; fifteen focus group participants) working at schools that participate in the USDA National School Lunch Program.

Results: Mixed-methods themes identified include: (i) ‘Mixed attitudes towards healthy meals’, which captured a variety of conflicting positive and negative attitudes depending on the situation; (ii) …

Stories Of Children, Youth, And Families’ Adaptation To Community Living In The First Year After Involvement With Children’S Residential Mental Health Programs, Karen M. Frensch, Gary Cameron

Partnerships for Children and Families Project

Twenty-two youth between the ages of 14 and 18 years old who were involved with residential programs from participating children’s mental health organizations in Southern Ontario, Canada during 2015 to 2017 participated in a study of adaptation to community living in the first year following program exit. Youth, parents, child welfare workers, and mental health workers took part in qualitative interviews up to three times during the study period. Interview comments were used to construct a narrative or “story” of the year following program exit that integrated multiple informants’ perspectives of how each youth was functioning within that timeframe. Stories …

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …

Short Message Service Surveying With Homeless Youth: Findings From A 30-Day Study Of Sleeping Arrangements And Well-Being, Kimberly A. Tyler, Kristen Olson, Colleen M. Ray

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Little is known about the location and consistency of sleeping arrangements among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) and how this is linked to their well-being. This study addresses this gap using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) via short message service (SMS) surveying with 150 YEH over 30 days, to examine how various sleeping arrangements are associated with depression, marijuana use, support received, and service utilization. Results revealed that the average number of consecutive days youth stayed at any particular location varied considerably. Youth who stayed more frequently with a friend/partner or in a transitional living facility (TLF) reported fewer days of being …

Urban Congolese Refugees’ Social Capital And Community Resilience During A Period Of Political Violence In Kenya: A Qualitative Study, Julie A. Tippens

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

Community resilience has been used as a conceptual framework to promote urban refugee protection, integration, and well-being. In the context of this focus on “refugee communities,” it is critical to gain a deeper understanding of the ways urban refugee “communities” function. This study explored urban Congolese refugees’ use of social capital to promote resilience during a period of political violence in Nairobi, Kenya. Findings illustrate how refugees used social capital across different contexts to access and distribute resilience-promoting resources. Women primarily relied on informal bonding forms of capital while men exhibited greater degrees of access to formal bridging and linking …

Youths’ Perspectives Of Experiential Learning Delivery: Findings From A Multistate 4-H Youth Program, Sarah Taylor, K. Anh Do, Shen Qin, Yan Xia, Maria Rosario De Guzman

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

Youths’ perspectives are often unexplored in youth program development and implementation. This article examined youths’ perspectives of a 4-H youth prevention program called “Health Rocks!” that is designed to promote healthful decision-making skills, stress coping, and socioemotional skills related to substance use. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. Qualitative findings reveal that participants appreciated the fun and engaging curriculum, valued program staff who were interactive, and enjoyed the hands-on program activities. Participants also reported that the program positively impacted their knowledge and skills. Quantitative results show that participants who perceived the program as fun were significantly more likely …

Determinants Of Physical Activity For Latino And White Middle School-Aged Children, Aileen Garcia, Shinya Takahashi, Mindy Anderson-Knott, Dipti Dev

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

Background: Physical activity (PA) has long been acknowledged to contribute health benefits among children. However, research has consistently shown that PA declines as children grow older. Thus, this study examined the factors which are associated to children’s PA in order to identify potential barriers to PA.

Methods: Using data from the KidQuest Program, we conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses on survey data collected from fifth to seventh grade students in a small Midwestern city.

Results: We found that food knowledge, eating breakfast, and talking with family about eating healthy foods, are positively related to PA. On the

other hand, screen …

An Innovative, Cross-Disciplinary Approach To Promoting Child Health: The Reggio Emilia Approach And The Ecological Approach To Family Style Dining Program, Dipti Dev, Anna Burton, Brent A. Mcbride, Carolyn Edwards, Aileen Garcia

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

The Reggio Emilia approach is an international example of high-quality early care and education programs and this article offers innovative, practical strategies in which Reggio Emilia-inspired educators can link this approach while implementing the research-based EAT Family Style Dining program to foster a positive mealtime environment and promote better health for children.

The EAT Family Style Dining program presents childcare providers with the knowledge and skills needed for promoting children’s development of healthy eating behaviors while engaging families and communities. Children and adults eat together during mealtime and children serve themselves and select their own portions. This practice is recommended …

Generational Perceptions Of Support Among Congolese Refugees In Urban Tanzania, Julie A. Tippens

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

Urban refugees frequently fall outside of the scope of humanitarian assistance programs. Despite a growing body of research describing the experiences of urban refugees in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) of first asylum, little is known about generational differences in perceived support in these contexts. This phenomenological study used in-depth, semi-structured interviews and small group discussions to identify sources and meanings of support among older adult (50+; n= 23) and younger adult (18–30; n= 11) Congolese refugees in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Family and fictive kin emerged as central sources of support across age groups. However, instrumental support was sought …

Comparison Of Parent And Child Ratings Of Fruit And Vegetable Liking To Assess Parent Accuracy As Proxy Reporters, Virginia C. Stage, Carrie Downing, Archana V. Hegde, Dipti Dev, Amanda D. Peterson, L. Suzanne Goodell

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

This study examined the accuracy of parent-report child fruit/ vegetable (FV) liking. Child/parent dyads (n = 24) were recruited from six Head Start preschools in North Carolina. Liking for 10 FVs was assessed using a validated pictorial tool for children; a similar scale was used for parents. Negative relationships were observed between parent/child for one fruit (grapes) and one vegetable (broccoli). Positive relationships were observed among oranges, grapes, and overall fruit rankings. Parents tended to rank children’s liking of fruits higher than their children, while children ranked liking vegetables higher. Findings suggest parents may not be accurate respondents for …

Supporting Strong Families And Capable Communities Through Cross-National Research, Nathan C. Taylor, Deborah K. Hartman, Richard Bischoff, Alan Hayes, Paul R. Springer, David Perkins

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

Background Mental and behavioral ill-health are growing global problems and while there are promising evidence-based approaches aimed at reducing their impact, availability of services varies greatly, not only across nations, but also between urban, regional, and remote locations. Rural areas face accessibility and acceptability challenges related to mental health services that are similar to barriers experienced in developing countries. Initiatives to address mental health challenges in under-served rural areas can inform global mental health strategies.

Methods Using a public health approach, we illustrate how innovations in rural communities build community capacity and capability in areas that are currently, and are …

Contextual Factors Influence Professional Development Attendance Among Child Care Providers In Nebraska, Dipti Dev, Aileen S. Garcia, Alison Tovar, Holly Hatton-Bowers, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Zainab Rida, Linda Reddish, Jasmin Smith, Christy Burger, Danae Dinkel, Donnia Behrends, Emily Hulse, Susan M. Sheridan

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

Objective: To examine contextual factors that may influence child care providers’ motivators for attending nutrition-related training and their preferences and barriers to attending professional development training.

Design: Cross-sectional survey completed between January and April 2017.

Setting: Licensed child care programs (n = 1,490) across urban and rural Nebraska.

Participants: Child care center directors (n = 336) and family child care home providers (n = 1,154).

Main Outcome Measures: Motivators, preferences, and barriers of child care providers for attending professional development.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results: Top motivators for attending nutrition-related training included meeting licensure …

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …

Understanding Daily Depression, Drinking, And Marijuana Use Among Homeless Youth Using Short Message Service Surveying, Kimberly A. Tyler, Kristen M. Olson, Colleen M. Ray

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We used short message service surveying (SMS) with 150 homeless youths to examine the time ordering of feeling depressed with drinking alcohol, using marijuana, and using substances with friends. Multilevel binary logistic regression results revealed that youths who were depressed earlier in the day were more likely to drink alcohol later that day. Among depressed youths, heterosexual youths were less likely to drink alcohol than lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youths. Depressed youths had increased odds of using marijuana by a factor of 1.6, while heterosexual youths, compared to LGB youths, were 80% less likely to use marijuana. Females were …

Understanding Daily Depression, Drinking, And Marijuana Use Among Homeless Youth Using Short Message Service Surveying, Kimberly Tyler, Kristen M. Olson, Colleen M. Ray

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We used short message service surveying (SMS) with 150 homeless youth to examine the time ordering of feeling depressed with drinking alcohol, using marijuana, and using substances with friends. Multilevel binary logistic regression results revealed that youth who were depressed earlier in the day were more likely to drink alcohol later that day. Among depressed youth, heterosexual youth were less likely to drink alcohol than lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. Depressed youth had increased odds of using marijuana by a factor of 1.6, while heterosexual youth, compared to LGB youth, were 80% less likely to use marijuana. Females were …

Leap Of Faith: My Sons’ Adoption Stories, The Journey Continues, Janice G. Schuster

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

What Happens During Language And Literacy Coaching? Coaches’ Reports Of Their Interactions With Educators, Rachel E. Schachter, Melissa M. Weber-Mayrer, Shayne B. Piasta, Ann A. O’Connell

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

Research Findings: This study investigated coaches’ interactions with educators in the context of a large-scale, state-implemented literacy professional development (PD). We examined log data and open-comment reports to understand what coaches found salient about their interactions with educators as well as how those reports aligned with the initial design of the PD. Coaches reported spending a large proportion of their interactions with educators completing administrative tasks. Our findings also indicate that coaches disproportionally targeted instructional content from the PD while also adding unrelated instructional content to their coaching. Although coaches reported focusing on relationship building, they reported using less efficacious …

Gray Space And Green Space Proximity Associated With Higher Anxiety In Youth With Autism, Lincoln R. Lawson, Brian Barger, Scott Ogletree, Julia C. Torquati, Steven Rosenberg, Cassandra Johnson Gaither, Jodie Marie Bartz, Andrew Gardner, Eric Moody, Anne R. Schutte

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

This study used ZIP code level data on children's health (National Survey of Children's Health, 2012) and land cover (National Land Cover Database, 2011) from across the United States to investigate connections between proximity to green space (tree canopy), gray space (impervious surfaces), and expression of a critical co-morbid condition, anxiety, in three groups of youth: children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n=1501), non-ASD children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN, n=15,776), and typically developing children (n=53,650). Both impervious surface coverage and tree canopy coverage increased the risk of severe anxiety in youth with autism, but not CSHCN or typical …

Needs Assessment For Informing Extension Professional Development Trainings On Teaching Adult Learners, Nathan W. Conner, Dipti Dev, Katherine Krause

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

As society becomes more information saturated, Extension must evaluate its educational programming and delivery methods used to facilitate adult learning. Extension professionals must have a comprehensive understanding of how adults learn. Accordingly, we conducted a needs assessment as a basis for providing professional development trainings focused on teaching adults. Our objective was to identify Extension professionals' professional development needs related to designing and facilitating programming based on andragogy. We developed a survey instrument that addressed andragogy-related topics and administered it to Extension professionals. The results indicated that professional development centered on andragogy was needed by and relevant to the study …

Wimberly And Farmers' "Raising Hope: 4 Paths To Courageous Living For Black Youth" (Book Review), Marla J. Black

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Impact Of An Extension Social Media Tool Kit On Audience Engagement, Aileen Garcia, Dipti A. Dev, Colin M. Mcginnis, Tyler Thomas

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

Extension professionals can improve their use of social media as channels for extending programmatic efforts by maximizing target audience reach and engagement. We describe how implementation of a tool kit highlighting best practices for using social media improved Extension professionals' efforts to engage target audience members via social media. Specifically, we found that after having access to the tool kit, Extension professionals were able to prompt greater participation and engagement from the applicable target audience across three online platforms— Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Our findings indicate that Extension professionals can benefit from learning how to use social media more purposefully …

Improving The Nutrition And Screen Time Environment Through Self-Assessment In Family Childcare Homes In Nebraska, Dipti A. Dev, Natalie A. Williams, Iheoma Iruka, Aileen S. Garcia, Yage Guo, Irina Patwardhan, Katrina Cummings, Zainab Rida, Emily Hulse, Ami Sedani

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

Objective: To determine if family childcare homes (FCCH) in Nebraska meet best practices for nutrition and screen time, and if focusing on nutrition and screen time policies and practices improves the FCCH environment.

Design: A pre–post evaluation was conducted using the Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Childcare (Go NAP SACC).

Setting: FCCH in Nebraska, USA.

Subjects: FCCH enrolled in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP; n 208) participated in a pre–post evaluation using Go NAP SACC.

Results: At baseline, all FCCH met the minimum childcare standards for fifty-four of fifty-six practices …

How To Create Videos For Extension Education: An Innovative Five-Step Procedure, Dipti A. Dev, Kimberly A. Blitch, Holly Hatton-Bowers, Samantha Ramsay

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

Although the benefits of using video as a learning tool in Extension programs are well known, less is understood about effective methods for creating videos. We present a five-step procedure for developing educational videos that focus on evidence-based practices, and we provide practical examples from our use of the five steps in creating a video series for an Extension program. Through the effective development of videos, Extension professionals can organize and present information in a meaningful way.

Using video media can be a successful way to demonstrate best practices, but there has been limited guidance for how to develop such …