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Father Involvement, Nurturant Fathering, And The Psychological Well-Being Of Young Adult Daughters, Camille C. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between father involvement, nurturant fathering, and the psychological well-being among young adult women. A total of 99 young adult, female, university students completed retrospective measures of nurturant fathering, father involvement, and measures of current psychological well-being (measured in terms of self-esteem, life satisfaction, and psychological distress). Results indicated that retrospective perceptions of both father involvement and nurturant fathering were positively correlated with daughters' current levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction. Perceptions of expressive involvement, and nurturant fathering were found to have the strongest relationship with self-esteem and life satisfaction. Results, however, …

Parenting Stress And Child Attachment: Child Age Of 10 And 36 Months/Father And Mother, Jeng Hyun Ok

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parents are the most affective human environmental resources to children. Although the influences from parents continue even after parents passed away, very young children (up to age 3) get the biggest impact from their parents. According to children's independency to parents, parents' psychological well-being determines children's emotional-social development. However, in parenting stress, children also have their own influence to parents in the family context. Regarding parenting stress, many studies have been dedicated to defining the occurrence, co-occurrence, and predictors of parenting stress of parents in various conditions.

This longitudinal research conducted from surveys with 201 Early Head Start families reexamines …

Depression, Coping Mechanisms, Help-Seeking Behaviors, And The Perceptions Of Purpose In Life Of Older Adults, Cheryl Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Depression in older adults and their methods of coping were examined using a mixed methods approach. The data were from the Quality of Life Study (QLS), an ancillary study of the NIH-funded Cache County Study on Memory Heath and Aging (CCSMHA). Forty-two individuals completed a qualitative interview, the Center for Epidemiological Studies—Depression scale (CES-D), Revised Ways of Coping measure, and Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS).

The sample faced many life challenges and sought help from spouses first, then other family members, and then friends, clergy, and physicians. Blames Others and Wishful Thinking were significantly associated with depression and Religious Coping was …

Congruence Of Perceptions Of Motivation Between Adolescent Clients, Their Therapist, And Parent, Amberly R. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of adolescent's motivation to change in therapy, specifically while residing in a residential treatment center (RTC) and participating in family therapy. Motivation for change was examined in three contexts. The first context for examining the adolescent's motivation for change was in relation to their stage of therapy. The second and third contexts for examining the adolescent's motivation for change was in relation to perceptions the adolescent's therapist and parent had of their motivation to change. In addition, the study explored whether there was a relationship between the congruence of perceptions of …

Relationships Among Marital Satisfaction, Marital Conflict Dimensions, And Marital Conflict Strategies, Jennifer L. Hogge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Marital distress has been shown to negatively affect child outcomes. John Gottman has claimed that he has developed a concept that can buffer children from the negative effects of marital distress. The concept is emotion coaching (EC), which teaches children about emotions, emotion regulation, and effective problem-solving. Children who are emotion coached have better outcomes regardless of level of marital distress. Gottman also claims that emotion coaching parents report higher marital satisfaction and tend to score higher in positive conflict resolution styles and lower in negative conflict resolution styles. This study set out to test Gottman's concepts of EC and …

Does Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Matter?: An Evaluation Of Problem-Solving Skills Training For The Treatment Of Social And Behavioral Problems In Children, Bryan B. Bushman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parent training combined with problem solving skills training has been proposed as a comprehensive treatment for childhood oppositional behaviors, poor child social skills, and parental stress. The current study compared Parent Training + Problem Solving Skills Training with a Parent Training + nondirective condition. Parents of 32 children first attended Parent Training. After the parents completed Parent Training, children were randomly assigned to individual therapy in either a Problem Solving Skills Training condition or a nondirective condition. Data comparisons between the groups were made at postindividual therapy and at 6-week follow-up. Results indicated that children in the Problem Solving Skills …

Sleep Problems In Young Children With And Without Behavior Problems, Penny L. Sneddon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There are numernus social, emotional, and behavioral problems toddlers and preschool children can exhibit. Some of the more common problems reported by parents of young children are daytime behavior problems and sleep disturbances. This study investigated sleep difficulties in toddler and preschool-age children with (n = 31) and without (n = 59) significant behavior problems. Furthermore, the current study investigated the relationship between sleep difficulties and other psychological constructs (i.e., maternal general stress, maternal depression, and parenting stress), which might be related to sleep and behavior problems. Mothers of clinically referred children with behavior problems and nonclinically referred …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Supplemental Labels In Museum Exhibits, Clint B. Eliason

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study used an experimental design to investigate the efficacy of using short (12 words or less), prominently placed supplemental labels to increase the effectiveness of select extant labels in museum exhibits. The experimenter-developed supplemental labels were designed to leverage exogenous/bottom-up and endogenous/top-down sources of influence on selective attention. Measures of patron behavior, knowledge retention, and attitude found no significant differences between group means under control and treatment conditions. These outcomes were surprising and inconsistent with findings from similar research conducted by Hirschi and Screven. The supplemental labels in the present study might have failed to capture attention because …

Relationship Among Team Collective Efficacy, Cohesion, And Coaching Competency In Sports, Clayton T. Manning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A team's performance in any sport can be predicted by many factors. Some of these factors include team collective efficacy, team cohesiveness, and coaching competency. Currently, there is little research investigating the relationships among teams' beliefs about their capabilities, their level of cohesion, and their perceptions of coaching competency on overall sport performance. The purpose of this study was to document the relationship among collective efficacy, cohesion, and coaching on sport performance in a sample of university athletes. The objectives of this study were to identify the level of cohesion, collective efficacy, and perceptions of coaching competency by each athletic …

Psychosocial Variables And Their Relationship To Diabetic Outcome Among The Strong Heart Study Cohort, Brian D. O'Leary

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United Sates. Certain Native American groups have been harder hit than the mainstream population, both in prevalence of the disease and in rates of related complications. The highest known prevalence in the world is found among a Southwestern U.S. Tribe, and other Native American Tribes have demonstrated similar prevalence rates. It has been shown that certain psychological factors such as depression and hostility impact both the occurrence and outcome of certain diseases, including diabetes.

This study examined whether those individuals who have not met the criteria …

The Temporal Relationship Between Environmental Factors And Psychological Symptoms In Native American Adolescents, Georgia Lee Matt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Native American youth often experience high rates of environmental risk factors that may put them at increased risk for developing psychological problems, yet research within this high-risk population is severely limited.

The present study was designed to provide information on the rate of psychological symptoms in a sample of Native American youth, and evaluate the impact of environmental factors (risk, protective, and cultural) on psychological disorder symptoms over time. Data were collected with a sample of Native American youth using the Youth Self Report, the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory–Adolescent 2, and a researcher-designed Biodemographic Questionnaire.

Findings indicate that clinically …

An Examination Of The Structure Of Affect In A Sample Of Inpatient Adolescents, Marietta A. Veeder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Multiple studies investigating the validity of the tripartite model of affect in youth have been supportive of the model; however, few studies have examined the model in narrow age bands or large clinical samples. The current study examined the structure of affect in a sample of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine two-factor (negative affectivity [NA] and positive affectivity [PA]) and three-factor models (NA, PA, and physiological hyperarousal [PH]) with item level data from the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and from the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI), RADS, …

Efficacy Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Weight Loss In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Kathy Wickersham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing across all sociodemographic groups. Obesity and overweight are major risk factors in the development of the disease and in the development of complications. Conversely, weight loss improves glycemic control, which reduces likelihood of complications. Interventions combining cognitive and behavioral components show promise in addressing the problem of weight loss maintenance. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Participants were 54 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control. The assessment measures utilized in this study were the …

Inventorying Landscape Assets In Rural Utah Communities: A Sociocultural Approach, Jennifer F. Hale

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A community's physical environment embodies distinct natural and built elements, which hold meanings and values that are formed through daily social interactions within that environment. Such elements, however, are not often recognized until they are dramatically changed or lost. As amenity-rich rural areas of the Intermountain West steadily attract new residents, consciously identifying these elements prior to rapid growth is critical to their preservation.

Research suggests that strong social capital has the potential to encourage the identification of a place's visual assets prior to such change. A documentary research approach was used to understand why citizens do not actively participate …

Towards A More Comprehensive View Of The Use Of Power Between Couple Members In Adolescent Romantic Relationships, Charles George Bentley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the construct of power in adolescent romantic couples using multiple measures. The project examined gender differences in power, created models of powerlessness for each gender, and examined relations between power and aggression and relationship quality. Participants were 90 heterosexual couples, aged 14-18 years old, living in rural areas in Utah and Arizona. Couple members completed surveys assessing attitudes and behaviors in their relationships and a video-recall procedure in which partners rated their own and their partner's behaviors during problem solving discussion.

Few gender differences emerged in reports of perpetration of aggression, but boyfriends reported higher levels of …

The Relative Effects Of Education And Cognitive Complexity Of Employment Experience On The Rate Of Cognitive Decline In Elderly Women, Janet M. Lundahl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined the lifetime exposure of women's employment on cognitive functioning and cognitive decline in late life.

From the Cache County Study on Memory, Health, & Aging data, a sample of 2,588 women, aged 65 and older gave retrospective occupational history and were screened using the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam at study entry and approximately 3 years later. Non-demented women were used.

Ordinary least squares regression was used cross-sectionally and longitudinally to test the association between cognitive complexity level of the longest job and baseline cognitive status, and rate of cognitive decline over approximately 3 years.

Cross-sectional analysis revealed …

Trusting The Dating Partner In The Face Of Relationship Problems And Uncertainty: The Moderating Role Of Parents And Friends, Rebecca Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Using a sample of 82 college students in dating relationships, this study is an examination of the moderating effect of parents' and friends' approval of the dating relationship on the associations between participants' individual characteristics (age, self-esteem, and own agreeableness) and relationship characteristics (love, ambivalence, conflict, conflict resolution effectiveness, and perception of the partner's agreeableness) with trust. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that approval of the relationship by parents and friends moderated the relationship between individual characteristics and relationship characteristics with trust. Specifically, friends' approval of the relationship moderated the association between self-esteem and age with trust, …

The Effect Of Social Network Disapproval On Partners' Dating Relationship: The Romeo And Juliet Effect Revisited, Rebecca Rawlins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By using online self-report data provided by 41 undergraduate students and their dating partner (N = 82), this study examined the potential curvilinear relationship between four social network sectors (own parents, own friends, partner's parents, and partner's friends) and romantic dating partners' relationship characteristics (perceptions of partner's agreeableness, love, satisfaction, commitment, and ambivalence). After controlling for the effects of age, relationship duration, and social network overlap, the hierarchical regression analyses provided little support for the Romeo and Juliet Effect, that is, the negative association between social network approval and characteristics of the dating relationship. Instead, the study mostly replicated …

Culture, Gender, Identity, And Adolescents' Niche-Building Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Archana Singh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A cross-cultural examination of a selected group of Indian and American adolescents was conducted to understand the influence of cultural expectations, gender, and identity on adolescents' niche-building behavior. For the purpose of the present study, adolescents' niche was limited to their bedrooms. Data were collected from 285 American adolescents of which 151 were females and 134 were males. The Indian sample consisted of 198 adolescents of whom 75 were females, 118 were males, and 5 adolescents who did not mention their gender. Participants from both cultures were from eighth and ninth grades, with an age range of 12.17 to 16.50 …

Cognitive Autonomy In Adolescence, Ruth A. Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between areas of cognitive autonomy and adolescent development. Differences in cognitive autonomy between age groups were analyzed. Students attending Grades 7, 9, and 11, and college students in Northern Utah participated in this study. Three hundred and ninety-six participants responded to the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation(CASE) inventory, which examined the subcategories of evaluative thinking, voicing opinions, comparative validation, decision making, and self-assessment.

Scores were compared by grade and by gender. Results showed that college students scored significantly higher in three of the five areas of cognitive autonomy. Additionally, females in both ninth grade and college …

Single Parenting Of Early Adolescents: Clinical Application To A More Helpful Perspective, Ane Weed

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to discover the most important self-identified areas for a particular group of single parents to focus their limited time. Single parents have been pathologized and compared to two-parent families. A strength-based perspective that acknowledges single parent families as a legitimate family system with the possibility for being healthy may be more helpful. The objective of this study was to identify common strengths between self-reported satisfied single parents (n = 86) and early adolescent children of single parents (n = 67) through data collected with the use of the Parent Success Indicator (PSI) …

Burnout In Marriage And Family Therapists, Cory A. Eddington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Among the profession of marriage and family therapy, the goal is to help those individuals, couples, and families that are struggling in life. While working with these clients there is the possibility that the therapists may become stressed themselves and experience burnout. The following is a descriptive study of 30 marriage and family therapists (MFTs) in the state of Utah. The demographic variables of clinical experience, sex, case load, setting of practice, education level, and marital status were studied as to their relation to the experience of burnout. Statistically significant findings demonstrated that the variables of sex and caseload were …

Marital Quality, Context, And Interaction: A Comparison Of Individuals Across Various Income Levels, Victor W. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research compared measures of marital quality between married respondents who were classified as adults currently receiving government assistance (GA) or adults not currently receiving government assistance (NGA). Additional demographic/contextual variables such as gender, age, age at first marriage, religiosity, income, education, cohabitation, mental health, and substance abuse along with four interactional variables - escalating negativity, criticism, negative interpretation, and withdrawal - were measured as potential correlates with marital quality.

Results indicated statistically significant differences between GA and NGA individuals on all of the marital quality measures and on 8 of the 11 demographic/contextual variables. Additionally, the four interactional variables …

Acculturative Factors And Mental Health Among Latinos: A Meta-Analytic Review, José De Jesús Rodríguez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on the relation between acculturation and mental health has yielded discrepant findings, with some studies finding a positive association between the two variables, others a negative association, and still others a curvilinear association. A meta-analysis of 84 studies yielding 3 73 individual effect sizes was conducted to examine the relation between acculturation and mental health among Latinos. The meta-analysis spanned the years of 1989 to 2004 and was comprehensive in its design. Several variables were chosen a priori to determine whether these would moderate the relation between acculturation and mental health. Results of an initial meta-analysis that disregarded the …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity In Adulthood And Late-Life Cognitive Decline: A Population Study, Tera L. Lensegrav-Benson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study examined the relationship between occupational physical activity, late-life leisure time physical activity, and cognitive performance/change over time considering vascular factors. The study followed participants over 7 years (baseline 1995/96; wave 2, 1998/99; wave 3, 2002/03) from the ongoing Cache County Study on Memory, Health, and Aging. Mean age at baseline of the 3,366 participants was 74.55 years (SD= 6.64) and 53.03% were female. Occupational physical activity was assessed via the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Late-life leisure time physical activity based on light, moderate, and vigorous activity was assessed at baseline. Cognitive status was measured with …

Predictors Of Recidivism In An Adolescent Substance Abusing Population, Christine Pacetti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many adolescents with substance use disorders have ongoing problems with abuse and/or dependence throughout their lives. Little research has been conducted examining the differences among adolescents who do and do not continue to have difficulties. This study compared adolescents who recidivate versus those who do not recidivate after receiving treatment for substance abuse. Adolescents were compared on four categories of variables: (a) demographic variables, (c) delinquency /substance use history, (c) social/educational support, and (d) treatment history. It was found that the most powerful predictors of recidivism within these categories were criminal history severity, age at intake, and treatment completion. The …

Uncovering The Key Of Success In The Utah Medicaid Work Incentive Program: A Grounded Theory Study, Renee H. Nolan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this grounded theory research was to determine what differentiates people with disabilities who leave Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits due to increased income from those who cannot. Fifteen individuals, former and current participants in a Medicaid Buy-In program, were interviewed. Within the context of health and disability, four theoretical propositions were identified: education, opportunity to work, interpersonal support, and secure housing. Higher benefit levels were also found to be an effective barrier for many.

Assessing Cognitive Abilities In A Sample Of Sioux Children Utilizing Traditional And Nonverbal Measures Of Intelligence, Norman C. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The disproportionate number of American Indian students receiving special education services indicates an ongoing need for research leading to improved assessment and placement practices with this population. Standardized tests are most often used to screen and select students for special education services. However, not all intelligence tests have been normed for use with all populations, especially where minority groups have been concerned.

While the merits of traditional intelligence tests must not be discounted, the emergence of new tests and assessment measures is encouraging, particularly for the assessment of American Indian students. A natural next step is to consider a traditional …

An Outcome Study Of Spinal Cord Stimulation Implants In A Retrospective Cohort Of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Patients, Anthony Davis Browning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study was designed to test the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in a retrospective group of 43 failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) patients. A medical record review was conducted on study participants to capture relevant presurgical biopsychosocial variables deemed to be of potential prognostic value. In addition, a multidimensional approach to outcome assessment was undertaken along three general domains: general health status, disease specific outcomes, and surgical outcomes. Descriptive statistics of presurgical variables and outcome measurements are provided as well as a model of outcome prediction based on these prognostic variables. Results suggest that the use of …

Effects Of The Diagnostic Label "Adhd " On Peer Judgment, Jared Toone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diagnostic labels are frequently used with children exhibiting symptoms of learning and behavioral disorders. The effect that such labels have on the labeled children as well as their peers is not completely understood. In the present study, the effects of the label "ADHD" on peer acceptance were examined. Fourth- and fifth-grade boys and girls viewed a video of a peer listening to teacher instruction and working on a worksheet. For half of the participants, the child in the video was labeled as having ADHD, while the other participants were told nothing about the child. After viewing the video, the children …