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Understanding Academic Achievement Among Low-Income, Urban, Black Adolescents: The Role Of Father Involvement, Patrick Henry

Master's Theses

Although the Black-White test score gap has improved over time, it still persists. Furthermore, this academic risk for Black youth is compounded by the disproportionate representation of Blacks among low-income families in the U.S. Thus, the present study aims to shed light on factors related to greater academic success among adolescents in low-income, urban, Black families. Overall, this study addresses the following question. How does the presence of a biological father and positive father involvement impact the academic achievement of their adolescent children? Data from the Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study (TCS) were analyzed in order to address …

Social Skills In Youth With Spina Bifida: A Longitudinal Multimethod Investigation Of Bio-Neuropsychosocial Predictors, Christina Ehrman Holbein

Dissertations

Objective: Despite research documenting social dysfunction in youth with spina bifida (SB), little is known about the etiology of these social difficulties; most investigations identifying predictors of social deficits have concentrated exclusively on one domain. This longitudinal study examines the relative predictive power of neurocognitive (attention and executive function), family (cohesion and conflict), and health-related (body mass index, condition severity) variables on later social skills in youth with SB.

Methods: 112 youth with SB (T1 mean age = 11.19 years) and their families participated in study visits two years apart. Study variables were assessed by multiple methods (questionnaire, medical chart …

Cognitive And Neural Correlates Of Coping And Resilience In Depression, Catherine Lee

Dissertations

Depression is one of the most prevalent and devastating psychological disorders, often with a chronic or remitting/reoccurring course. The inability to effectively cope with stress and negative life events has been strongly linked to the development and maintenance of depression symptoms; yet, the cognitive and biological processes underlying the complex and multidimensional behavioral construct of coping are not well understood. Using a combination of self-report measures, computerized cognitive tasks, and scalp electroencephalography (EEG) methodologies, the present study investigated associations between specific executive function abilities (i.e., inhibition and set-shifting), underlying neural activity, coping strategy and flexibility, and depression symptoms. Results did …

Community Violence Exposure Among Urban African American Males: Understanding The “Buffering Effect” Of Adaptive Social Support Coping On Psychosocial Outcomes, Cynthia L. Pierre

Dissertations

The current study explored the moderating roles of support coping and support

quality in the predictive relationship between community violence exposure (ECV) and a

variety of psychosocial outcomes. Participants were 119 African American males (9 th –

12 th grade; mean age at baseline = 15.33). Participants completed measures of exposure to

violence, support-seeking coping, quality of support from friends and family, and a range

of psychosocial outcomes, and completed these same measures approximately one year

after baseline. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between

ECV and psychosocial outcomes, as well as the relationships between support coping and …

The Relation Of Exposure To Community Violence To Self- Efficacy Based On Neighborhood, Family, And School Effects In A Community Sample Of Latino-American Youth, Arie Zakaryan

Dissertations

Community violence is considered a “public health epidemic” in the US. Latino youth and families are a burgeoning population in the United States, and many of whom live in neighborhoods exposed to community violence. Multiple contexts should be assessed identifying developmental assets youth use to adjust positively when exposed to violence. This study examines how different environmental contexts, i.e., home, school, neighborhood and acculturation, influence the relationship between exposure to community violence and self-efficacy for Latino youth. The current study uses an archival dataset of a larger longitudinal study (Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods). A confirmatory factor analysis …

The Impact Of Social Class Connectedness, School Belongingness, And Family Cohesion On Lower Class-Identified College Students, Kristen Eileen Adams

Dissertations

This study is one of the first to examine acculturative and enculturative factors as they relate to social class. Much of the extant literature surrounding acculturation and enculturation looks primarily at cultural factors such as race/ethnicity and/or immigration status. Due to the fact that social class is such a salient cultural identity in most individuals' lives and has a bearing on how one views and evaluates themselves in relation to others of differing social classes (Fouad & Brown, 2000), the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social class connectedness on subjective wellbeing (including positive and negative …

Self-Esteem And Critical Consciousness In The Relation Between Subjective Social Class And Subjective Well-Being Among College Students: Mediation And Moderated Mediation Models, Fatma Aydin

Dissertations

Subjective social class (SSC) and subjective well-being (SWB) are important indicators of mental health, and the scientific literature has indicated significant relationships between these variables. The purpose of this study is to examine the complex mechanisms by which SSC is related to SWB, using a sample of 275 college students. This study first explored whether SSC was indirectly related to SWB through the mediating effect of self-esteem. Three elements of SSC (economic resources, social power, and social prestige) and three elements of SWB (satisfaction with life, negative affect, and positive affect) were investigated. Using process analysis, the results showed that …

Iv Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Modulates Α6, Α7, And Α4Β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholinergic Receptor Subunit Expression In Male And Female Neonatal And Adolescent Rat Offspring: An Autoradiographical Analysis, Amanda Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Maternal smoke exposure produces long-term adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring, including an increased likelihood of attention problems (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; ADHD) and drug abuse. Preclinical research shows that gestational exposure to nicotine, the primary psychoactive compound in tobacco smoke, influences the neurodevelopment of attention and reward neuronal circuits. This study investigated hypotheses about five brain regions, to determine if prenatal nicotine (PN) exposure altered expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). A low dose, intravenous nicotine (IV) exposure method was used to administer nicotine (0.05 mg/kg/injection) or saline, 3x/day on gestational days 8–21 (Treatment). Brain tissue was …

Psychological Predictors Of Community Violence Exposure In Ethnic Minority Male Adolescents, Amanda Burnside

Master's Theses

Urban, minority males are disproportionately impacted by community violence exposure (ECV). However, person-based analyses have demonstrated variability in rates of ECV, suggesting that demographic risk factors do not always result in increased ECV, and it may be important to examine the utility of psychological factors in this relationship. Research suggests that depressive symptoms may actually exacerbate the risk of ECV. The current study examines the effect of internalizing symptoms on future ECV. Data were derived from a larger longitudinal study of adolescents who had committed a criminal offense. This subset of 184 participants ranged in age from 14-18. Results indicated …

The Role Of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (Nac) As An Adjuvant To Opioid Treatment In Patients With Inadequately Controlled Chronic Neuropathic Pain, Thomas B. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. While opioid medications are commonly prescribed for management of neuropathic pain (NP), long-term use has been associated with increased risk for overdose, drug interactions and addiction. New strategies are necessary to better manage chronic pain, thereby reducing need for opioid medications and their associated adverse consequences. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter supplement, has shown promise in the treatment of psychiatric and addictive disorders. In addition, NAC has shown promise for reducing physiological signs of NP in laboratory rat models, prompting this study.

Purpose. The present study was an open-label clinical trial of NAC as an adjuvant to opioid treatment for …

Evaluating The Pennebaker Paradigm With Bereaved Emerging Adults: Applications Of Text Analysis, Elizabeth A. Collison

Theses and Dissertations

Bereavement is an important research area as it can result in grief reactions that lead to serious psychological and health consequences, particularly for the at-risk group of emerging adults (Arnett, 2000; Balk, Walker, & Baker, 2010; Fisher, Murray, & Frazer, 1985; Stroebe, Schut, & Stroebe, 2007). Expressive writing is a well-researched intervention for trauma and adjustment, yet research repeatedly has revealed null results with the classic Pennebaker paradigm as a bereavement intervention (Stroebe et al., 2002; Stroebe, Schut, & Stroebe, 2006). It may be premature, however, to conclude expressive writing is ineffective for the bereaved due to limitations in extant …

Considerations In The Provision Of Mental Health Services Toward Arabs, Dalia Khoury

Theses and Dissertations

Existing evidence suggests that disparities exist in the use of mental health services by Arabs in the U.S. While there are likely many factors that contribute, lack of cultural competence of mental health providers is one potentially important barrier for mental health service use among racial/ethnic minorities, including Arabs. The primary purpose of this study was to identify and examine factors related to the development and existence of cultural competence toward Arabs. Variables measuring demographics, professional characteristics, familiarity with Arabs, prior experience and knowledge of Arabs, and readiness for change were tested with a randomly selected sample of mental health …

Gender And Sexual Health: Applying Gender Role Theory To Men And Women’S Intention To Engage In Sexual Health Information Seeking Behaviors, Ariella R. Tabaac

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study is to examine the pathways between gender and behavioral intention to engage in sexual HISB through application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It was found that feminine and masculine gender role stress differentially influence perceived behavioral control and behavioral attitudes, and that intention to engage in HISB was higher among women than men. Attitudes and PBC significantly predicted behavioral intention in this model. Further, women in the sample were more likely to search for sexual health information, with online sources being the most frequently reported resource. Additionally, past HISB was a significant …

Behavioral Phenotyping Of Vmat1 Knockout Mice: Relevance To Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Kevin A. Webster Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental disorder that causes a large economic burden and is prevalent across all cultures and countries around the world. Although both environmental factors and genetics are known to play an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, the exact role of genetics and its interaction with environmental factors in an individual’s predisposition to develop schizophrenia is poorly understood. Schizophrenia is characterized by symptoms that include positive symptoms (e.g. delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech), negative symptoms (e.g. avolition, anhedonia, depressive-like behavior), and cognitive dysfunctions (e.g. executive functioning deficits in learning and memory, attention, and vigilance). Genomic …

Loneliness, Cynical Hostility, And Cognitive Decline In Americans Above Age 50, Sarah C. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Research identifies isolation (being alone) as a risk factor for cognitive decline— yet it is possible that subjective dimensions of isolation are more critical. Potential risk factors are loneliness (the distress stemming from feeling alone) and cynical hostility (an attitude of distrust and cynicism). The present study examined the relationship between these factors and cognitive functioning and decline.

Methods. Data came from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of US adults over 50. Loneliness was measured using the Hughes Loneliness Scale; cynical hostility was measured using items from the Cook-Medley Hostility Inventory. Cognitive functioning was …

Evaluating A Brief Web-Based Prevention Intervention For Risky Alcohol Use Among College Students, Zoe Neale

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a brief, web-based alcohol prevention intervention program as a universal approach to addressing the range of alcohol behaviors present on college campuses. The sample of freshman college students recruited from Spit for Science (Dick et al., 2014) included 153 intervention participants, and 151 control participants matched on demographics and baseline alcohol variables. Hierarchical multiple regression, logistic regression, and moderated multiple regression were used to compare intervention and control participants on post-intervention alcohol variables. Treatment predicted lower alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms, particularly among baseline drinkers. For non-drinkers, the intervention was associated with …

On Workaholism: Do Parental Work Behaviors Predict The Work Behaviors Of Undergraduates?, Jesse A. Wingate

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined the associations among perceived parental behavior and personality on work behaviors of undergraduate students from a large Southeastern university. Past research suggests that children who perceive their parents to be workaholics are more likely to exhibit workaholic behavior themselves (Chamberlin & Zhang, 2009). Moreover, personality factors including conscientiousness and neuroticism, have been categorized as antecedents of workaholic behavior in previous studies (Andreassen, Hetland, & Pallesen, 2010; Aziz & Tronzo, 2011; Burke, Matthiesen, & Pallesen, 2006). Students (N = 209) completed questionnaires assessing Big Five personality factors, dispositional optimism, and perceptions of parental work drive, parental …

Exploring The Role Of Intersectionality On Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Sexual Minorities, Leia Harper

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Previous research has shown that sexual minority individuals (SM) are twice as likely to smoke, twice as likely to be overweight or obese, and less likely to be physically active than heterosexual persons; all of which place SMs at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). While information on CVD risk by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status is well documented, there is scant literature examining race, gender, and the potential CVD risk in SMs. The purpose of this study was to examine CVD risk in sexual minorities.

Method: The current study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent …

Longitudinal Relations Between Parental Messages Supporting Fighting And Aggressive Behavior In Early Adolescence: The Moderating Role Of Positive Parenting Practices, Megan M. Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of physical aggression increases during adolescence and is associated with negative health outcomes. It is important to identify risk and protective processes for adolescent aggression in the context of the parent-adolescent relationship. The current study examined the potential moderating role of positive parenting at Wave 1 on relations between perceived parental messages supporting fighting at Wave 1 and adolescent aggression based on parent- and student-report at Wave 2. Participants included a sample of 537 adolescents and their primary caregivers, recruited from four sites in the U.S. No significant moderating effects were found. However, parental messages supporting fighting were …

Adjustment Profiles Among Youth In Diverse Cultural Contexts: Individual, Family, And Contextual Influences, Alicia Borre

Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature has noted that not all youth who experience adverse circumstances (e.g. poverty, exposure to violence, maltreatment) end up displaying expected unfavorable outcomes (e.g. academic failure, depression, drug dependence); in fact, some youth display “resilience,” broadly understood as adaptive functioning in the face of adversity (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000). Overall, research on resilience has offered a new approach to the study of at-risk populations, emphasizing the study of strengths, processes, and mechanisms among individuals and communities that may favor positive adaptation, rather than emphasizing deficits among those experiencing adversity (Schoon, 2012). Although resilience research has come a long …

The Family Affective Attitude Rating Scale In Children With Asthma: The Association Between Relational Schemas And Emotional Security, Jessica L. Greenlee

Theses and Dissertations

The Five Minute Speech sample is a cost effective, efficient means of data collection in developmental research, but recent criticism of traditional coding methods associated with the methodology has spurred the creation of more developmentally appropriate coding systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of a new coding system, The Family Affective Attitudes Rating Scale (FAARS), for use in children with chronic illness. Results did not support the use of this coding system, at least in its current form, in a pediatric asthma population. Discussion focuses on whether the FAARS may be of use …

Examining Ptsd Symptoms And The Effectiveness Of Group Therapy Among African American And Caucasian Veterans, Jennifer A. Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

Millions of Americans have served in the military, and improved survival rates in wars have increased the percentage of those who return home. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental health diagnoses for veterans. Although few studies have examined the link, previous research as well as the minority stress model and transgenerational trauma theories, suggest that race may be associated with PTSD, particularly in military samples. The current study examined whether there were differences in PTSD symptomology (global and symptom cluster-specific) based on veterans’ race and whether group therapy effectively reduced symptoms of PTSD. Data were …

Relationship Satisfaction And Family Functioning: Mothers Of Children With Lqts Versus A Control Group, Karen Gentis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT syndrome is a condition that occurs as a result of a disturbance in the electrical function of the heart, and is a chronic illness that carries a high risk of sudden death. It is estimated that close to 1 in 2,000 individuals in the general population will be diagnosed with LQTS. Given the potential lethality of LQTS, and the numerous restrictions and life changes that individuals diagnosed with LQTS and their families must make, it is surprising that few studies have been conducted to evaluate psychosocial needs of people who have LQTS. Research has examined how children diagnosed …

The Relationship Between Problem-Solving Ability/Eating Motivation And Perceived Quality Of Life In Individuals Diagnosed With Celiac Disease, Vincenzo Zaccheo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Celiac disease (CD) is a digestive disorder resulting from gluten intolerance that leads to damage of the small intestine. The only current available treatment for CD involves adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. Due to the restrictive nature of this treatment diet, and the increasing prevalence of CD in recent years, much research has been conducted examining factors that impact the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with CD. However, there has been a dearth of literature identifying those factors which can be modified within a treatment setting. Thus, a need for further research in this area was identified. Through …

Examination Of Adherence, The Quality Of The Physician/Patient Relationship, And Illness-Related Beliefs Among Adults With Long Qt Syndrome, Maggie Monk

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac arrhythmia disorder that affects 1 in 2,000 individuals and is a precursor to various cardiac events, including sudden cardiac arrest (Schwartz et al., 2016). As a precaution, individuals with all types of LQTS have been advised to modify their lifestyles to avoid triggers, including limiting physical activity (PA). Nonadherence to treatment recommendations could result in devastating outcomes. The purpose of the study was to explore characteristics pertaining to adherence and nonadherence to PA recommendations, including the quality of the physician/patient relationship and illness beliefs among adults with LQTS. An Internet survey was completed …

Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Predictor Of Resilience To Intermittent Swim Stress-Induced Anxiety: An Investigation Of Re-Exposure Effects, Yandan Wang, Robert C. Drugan, Nathaniel Stafford

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

What’S The Common Sense Of Just Some Improvement Of Some Welfare For Some Animals?, Liv Baker

Animal Sentience

The goal of Animal Welfare Science to reduce animal suffering is commendable but too modest: Suffering animals need and deserve far more.

Experiencing The Death Of A Formerly Abusive Parent, Heather Spence

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

It is well documented that approximately 25–33% of children experience abuse, many of those at the hands of a primary caretaker. Within the literature on child maltreatment, there exists a paucity of research about the long-term effects of early maltreatment on adult attachments with the previous abuser, including the experiences of adults who experience the death of their previous caretakers. Additionally, most of the research on grief and bereavement assumes positive affect for the deceased by survivors. This dissertation is an in-depth examination of five adults, aged 50–70 years old, who experienced the recent death of a parent or stepparent …

Narratives Of Aging And Patient Activation, T. A. Hulslander

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

I highlight the generally negative social discourse on aging in the United States, which is often characterized by themes of marginalization and stagnation, and I advocate for a more developmental view. I propose a conceptual framework of social constructionism to consider how the intersection between social discourse and personal narrative regarding aging might influence older adults’ patient activation; Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is an appropriate qualitative methodology through which to understand these relational dynamics. Key constructs are defined and evidentiary, social justice, and pragmatic rationales are provided. In a discussion of the application to clinical psychology I suggests that how …

Peer-Mediated Sandplay And Symbolic Play In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Meagan Adley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This manuscript describes an exploratory study that assessed whether play with typically developing peers increased the use of symbolic play in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A version of a sandplay intervention previously investigated by Lu, Petersen, Lacroix, and Rousseau (2010), and modified to include peer-mediated play was used. The intervention explored the effects of sandplay with typically developing peers on engagement in symbolic play by children with ASD. A multiple-case intervention design was used with three children with ASD with varying degrees of severity in functioning. While use of symbolic play by two of the children did increase …