Digital Commons Network^™

College Student's Ideal Age For Having Children, Corrie Sanders, Melanie Palomares, Kristin Kirchner

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

It has been observed that women are beginning to have children at a later age than traditionally seen in history. This study examines college student’s ideal age for having children, and how it compares to the age of their mother when she had her first child. The data was collected mainly from undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina through a survey completed by 39 participants. Through a one-way between-subjects ANOVA, this study found there was not a significant difference of the ideal age to have children between college students ages 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23. The average …

Supporting An Inclusive Summer Camp For Children With Developmental Disabilities Who Use Aac And Their Neurotypical Peers: A Practice-Based Report, Jessica Hicks

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

For my honors research, I completed an internship in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) lab at the University of Arkansas. For most of my internship work, I helped support an inclusive AAC summer camp for children with and without developmental disabilities, such as autism, for whom speech does not fully meet their communication needs. AAC includes high-tech tools such as communication apps on tablets that serve as speech-generating devices (SGDs). SGDs were used by many of the AAC summer camp participants with developmental disabilities. In this report, I will provide background information on AAC and developmental disabilities. I will …

Enhancing Kindergarten Readiness, Aileen Z. Chavarin-Beleche

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents of young children are unaware of successful ways to prepare their child for Kindergarten. Without preparation, children might struggle in their daily academics and fall behind their peers. Parents who learn more about Kindergarten readiness are more likely to create structured learning environments and help their child build skills to successfully transition to Kindergarten. In order to address this need, I have created a one-hour presentation for parents of children attending the Cabrillo College Children Center and Lab School in Aptos, California.

A Border Of Broken Promises: The Unfulfilled Commitments Of The Crc For Migrant Children At The U.S. Southern Border, Eva R. Passer

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis examines how closely the treatment of migrant children from Latin America to the United States aligns with the ideals of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Its central question is: to what extent do current practices comply with CRC standards? Although the CRC outlines clear obligations to uphold the best interests and fundamental rights of all children, these principles are inconsistently applied within U.S. immigration policy and practice. Through a comparative analysis of Donald Trump’s first administration and Joe Biden's presidential administration, this thesis evaluates six CRC articles concerning child migrants. It then …

Mass Incarceration And The Psychological And Social Impacts On Black And Latino Families, Ofelia Godina, Tamara Winegardner, Erika Cabrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mass incarceration will have profound and disproportionate effects on Black and Latino families in the United States, extending beyond the incarcerated individual to impact family functioning, emotional well-being, and access to support systems. Rooted in structural racism and inequitable criminal justice policies, mass incarceration will contribute to long-standing social and economic disparities that will continue to shape the lived experiences of marginalized communities. This study will explore the psychological and social impacts of incarceration on Black and Latino families, with particular attention to emotional distress, family relationships, stigma, and resilience. Using a qualitative research design, the study will employ semi-structured …

Examining Immigration Detention Centers And Its Effect On The Well-Being Of Immigrant Families, Jennifer Sullinger-Lock, Luisa Arias, Saira Murillo, Helen Iniguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Immigration detention centers in the United States have become a contentious issue, particularly regarding their impact on the well-being of immigrant families. These facilities are often operated by government agencies and private entities, and function under conditions that compromise basic human rights. The purpose of this study is to assess the psychological, emotional, and physical effects of detention centers on immigrant children and families. This research utilizes a quantitative cross-sectional design, employing a self-report questionnaire among two groups: immigrants who have experienced detention and immigrants who have not, with the independent variable being immigration detention centers and the dependent variable …

Exploring How Acculturation In Childhood Impacts The Adult Identity Of Children Of Hispanic/Latinx Immigrants, Maritza De La Torre, Irene Zapata-Macareno

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to provide perspective of struggles with identity for children of Hispanic immigrants. There is limited existing literature on the impact of acculturation on children of Hispanic/Latinx immigrants in the United States. The intention is to provide insight about common experiences and underlying traumas faced by individuals who grow up in immigrant Hispanic/Latinx families. The objective is to provide adults with some insight into their identity based on their specific family dynamic since there is a gap in society about the topic. This study will use a phenomenological qualitative approach to collect data through semi-structured …

Gaps In Therapeutic Services For Foster Youth In Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, Kaniqua Tainiaja Stewart, Maria Del Rosario Sanchez, Rachelle Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines rehabilitation outcomes among foster youth who are currently or were previously placed in Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs), also known as group homes. With more than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States, and approximately 39,000–57,000 residing in group homes, limited research has explored why rehabilitation efforts in these settings often fall short. Existing literature emphasizes policy reforms, compliance, and placement outcomes under California’s Continuum of Care Reform, but gives less attention to youths lived therapeutic experiences and the consistency and quality of mental health services delivered within STRTPs. This study addresses this gap …

The Relationship Between Obesity Among Children And Adolescents With Dietary Intake And Physical Activity: A Scoping Review, Devi Dwi Yolani, Tania Okta Wardhani, Rani Aqilah Ni’Matul Maula, Almira Sitasari, Tri Siswati

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

Childhood and adolescent obesity remain a significant public health issue worldwide. This review summarizes research on the relationship among obesity, physical activity, and diet. This study aims to investigate the relationship between children's and adolescents' obesity, their physical activity levels, and diet. A scoping review was conducted by assessing 81 research journal articles from 2014 to 2023 from electronic databases such as Google Scholar and PubMed. The search strategy used Boolean operators as follows: (“child*” OR “adolescent”) AND (“obesity”) AND (“diet” OR “food intake”) AND (“physical activity”), selected based on the inclusion criteria of children and adolescents aged 1-18 years …

The Interactions Of Faith Development, Attachment With Relational Authenticity, And Theory Of Mind In Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Lisa Haley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Early exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) interrupts typical spiritual, socioemotional, and cognitive developmental trajectories. Faith Development (FD), attachment with Relational Authenticity (RA), and Theory of Mind (ToM) may serve to provide positive coping strategies for children with ACEs. Few studies explored the interactions of FD, attachment with RA, and ToM in children. Additionally, sparse research involved RA independently or in relation to attachment formation. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how FD, attachment with RA, and ToM interact in children with ACEs. The lived experiences of children with ACEs and the interactions of FD, attachment with …

Sleep Disturbance Trajectories In Critically Ill Children Post-Icu Discharge: A Longitudinal Observational Study, Wenchao Wang, Xiaorui Fan, Yuxia Yang, Jos M. Latour, Guoping Lu, Ying Gu

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background/Objectives: Sleep disturbances have an impact on children’s physical and psychological development, yet little is known about the changes and factors influencing sleep after PICU discharge. To explore the trajectory of changes in sleep quality of critically ill children and to identify factors affecting sleep quality three months after Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) discharge. Methods: A longitudinal observation study was conducted between November 2022 and November 2023 at a tertiary children’s hospital. The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was used at six time points: PICU-admission (T0), 1 week (T1), 2 weeks (T2), 1 month (T3), 2 months (T4), and …

2024 Joint Annual Report On The Status Of Emergency Medical Services For Children, Tennessee. Department Of Health.

EMS and BLHCF Annual Report on Pediatric Emergency Care

No abstract provided.

Parental Incarceration: The Lived Experiences Of Those Left Behind, Shatoya L. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Incarceration in the United States is being touted as an obscure public health crisis. Approximately 47% of male incarcerated individuals and 58% of female incarcerated individuals are parents to minors. The number of children who have experienced parental incarceration at any point in their lives is believed to be more than 5 million. Incarceration negatively impacts the lives of children, especially when children lack an understanding of their parents' incarceration. There are risk factors that increase the possibility of adverse outcomes for children of incarcerated parents, and protective factors that mitigate the risk of poor outcomes. Many of the stories …

Implementation Of An Occupational Therapy-Led, Sensory-Based Intervention In A Secure Children’S Home: A Qualitative Study Of Staff Experiences, Kevin Steede, Alison Warren

School of Health Professions

The Just Right State program (JRSP) is an occupational therapy-based, sensory intervention designed to support self-regulation. Qualitative methodology was used to explore the experiences of five members of staff working in a secure children’s home in training in and implementing the JRSP under the guidance of occupational therapy staff. Using thematic analysis four themes emerged: Sensory regulation training enhanced staff wellbeing, Sensory regulation as a new lens in a unique environment, Embedding theory in practice, and Considerations for the experiential JRSP training. The findings provide insights into effective training and implementation of sensory modulation interventions.

The Power Of Asking: A Feasibility Assessment Of Incentive Social Worker-Led Screening For Sexual Violence Against Children In Humanitarian Settings In Ethiopia, Yadeta Dessie, Abir Nur, Dagim Habteyesus, Bonnie Wandera, Gloria Seruwagi, George Odwe, Peter Kisaakye, Francis Obare, Et Al.

Humanitarian Task Force

Sexual violence against children (SVAC) is an acknowledged concern in humanitarian contexts. In response to recent findings on the prevalence of SVAC in refugee camps in Ethiopia, coupled with low levels of disclosure and service-seeking by child/adolescent survivors, the Baobab Research Programme Consortium collaborated with humanitarian stakeholders in Ethiopia to establish mechanisms for promoting sexual violence disclosure and service uptake among young survivors in refugee settings.

This study employed a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation study design (involving a combination of service statistics, group interviews, and fieldnotes) for evaluating the feasibility of the aforementioned intervention, which specifically entailed sexual violence screening (of …

Developing A Pediatric Pain Curriculum For Pediatric Anesthesia Fellows In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Delphi Study, Anisa Bhettay, Rebecca Gray, Romy Parker, Nikki Allorto, Abigail Amponsah, Brian Anderson, Lillian Baranzila, Charles Carapinha, Susan Carolus, O' Brien Kyololo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background Comprehensive pain management in children requires a specialized skillset, with a limited number of clinicians possessing the level of expertise required to successfully navigate the complexities of holistic care. The emergence of pediatric anesthesia fellowship programs in sub-Saharan Africa presents an opportunity to embed a pediatric pain curriculum for trainees, improving the availability of specialist skill and knowledge in the field. Existing pain curricula fall short in addressing the sociocultural aspects of pediatric pain identified through research as being unique to the African context, and do not include elements of leadership and advocacy training required to navigate the complexities …

Effects Of Exercise Of Cognitive Development In Young Children, Hannah Schlomann

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examines the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development in young children ages 0-5. Increased tablet time and sedentary behavior is becoming common for young children. This paper examines the effect of four categories of movement including screen based sedentary behavior, non-screen based sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and moderate to rigorous physical activity, as well as the effects of motor ability on cognitive development.

Gender Ideology Curriculum In Florida Schools: Parental Rights And Educator Strain, Kimberly Mack

Child and Family Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Reared In Disaster: The Long-Run Harm From Childhood Storm Exposure, Lucas Kaplan

Center for Policy Research

I estimate how exposure to natural disasters in childhood shapes earnings and schooling later in life, using newly assembled county-date disaster records dating back to 1951 linked to residential histories in the NLSY79. I compare adult outcomes for children who are born in the same county but due to disaster timing experience different amounts of exposure, finding that severe and repeat disasters reduce earnings. I show that school-age disaster exposure drives long-run harm: exposure between ages 5 and 10 reduces educational attainment, while exposure between ages 10 and 15 reduces adult earnings. Finally, Black individuals suffer larger earnings losses than …

“Today’S Video Is Sponsored By: Child Labor” The Need To Expand Federal Child Labor Protections To Online Content Creation, Zayda Torres Barrios

St. John's Law Review

(Excerpt)

The Fantastic Adventures YouTube channel, owned by Machelle Hobson, had grown to almost 800,000 subscribers and over 250 million views by 2019. The channel’s content featured Hobson’s seven adopted children in entertaining weekly ten-to-fifteen-minute skits where they did things like pretend to be superheroes and have lightsaber battles. However, things were not as blissful as they seemed as Hobson was arrested in March 2019—facing thirty child abuse related charges. The police said the children were “malnourished” and had been withdrawn from school for many years to have more time to film videos for their family channel. The probable cause …

Resting-State Eeg Spectral Activity In Children And Adolescents With Asd: Potential Correlations With Interoceptive Neocortical Areas, Stephanie J. Morris

Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition marked by impairments in social interaction, communication, repetitive behaviors, and differences in cognitive and emotional functioning. These challenges can significantly affect daily living, relationships, and long-term independence, often requiring lifelong support. Emerging research suggests that deficits in interoceptive processing—the ability to perceive internal bodily states—may contribute to ASD symptoms and represent a potential target for intervention.

This study aims to compare resting-state EEG (QEEG) activity between children and adolescents with ASD and neurotypical (TD) peers, and to explore the relationship between interoceptive processing and ASD diagnosis. Archival QEEG data from individuals aged …

Expanding Public Health Insurance To Parents: Effect On Parents' And Children’S Well-Being, Michelle Marcus, Xuan Zhang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Expanding public health insurance to parents may not only improve parental outcomes but also have spillover effects on their children. This paper leverages the natural experiment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to estimate the causal effects of expanding public health insurance to low-income parents on their well-being and that of their children. Using a difference-in-differences model and data from the 2010–2017 National Health Interview Surveys, we observe significant improvements in health care access, increased health care utilization, reduced financial burdens, and slight improvements in health status among low-income parents. For children in Medicaid expansion states, we find reductions in …

Relationship Between Heart Rate Variability And Sleep Among Girls And Boys With Abdominal Pain-Related Disorders Of Gut-Brain Interaction, Kendra J Kamp, Robert L Burr, Camden E Matherne, Emily Simonds, Tasha Murphy, Margaret M Heitkemper, Rona L Levy, Robert J Shulman, Miranda A L Van Tilburg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Children with abdominal pain-related disorders of gut-brain interaction (AP-DGBI) often experience sleep disturbances which may be linked to the autonomic nervous system. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive measure of autonomic nervous system activity. Our aim was to examine if HRV was associated with characteristics of disturbed sleep in children with AP-DGBI in order to elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms of disturbed sleep.

Methods: This analysis used baseline data from a randomized control trial of 156 children ages 7-12 years with AP-DGBI. HRV was measured after dinner using a Polar monitor. Sleep disturbances were evaluated using the Children's …

Archives And Children's Knowledge, Elliott Kuecker, Ashley Rockenbach

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

This article argues for the importance of collecting works created by children—not just about and not just for—in formal archival collections. Framed through the ideas of legitimate knowledge and epistemic injustice, this piece combines notions important to children’s rights activists and childhood studies scholars with the role archives can play in preserving children’s knowledge through child-created materials. The authors describe how researchers struggle to find work created by children within archives, impacting the ability to create child-centered research that centers children’s views of the world as prominently as adult views of the world. Some collections that do include child-created materials …

Social Media’S Death Toll: Who Should Be Held Liable?, Sara Fradi

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

No abstract provided.

Walking Together And Leading Change: Shaping Global Solutions To End Violence Against Children, Stella Muthuri

Humanitarian Task Force

The Baobab Research Programme Consortium (Baobab) is an Africa- based, African-led consortium, spearheaded by the Population Council, Inc., in partnership with the Population Council–Kenya and the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), that is reshaping the narrative around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) research in refugee settings. Across Africa’s most challenging humanitarian landscapes, Baobab is proving that evidence can ignite action. Starting with the first-ever Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys in Uganda and Ethiopia, Baobab turned data into solutions—co-designing a school-based sexual violence screening model with governments, UNHCR, and civil society. By embedding trained para-social …

Internet-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Pain In Pediatric Acute Recurrent And Chronic Pancreatitis: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial, Tonya M Palermo, Rui Li, Chuan Zhou, Homer Aalfs, Gretchen Cress, Mark Lowe, Maisam Abu-El-Haija, Ankur Chugh, Elissa M Downs, Douglas S Fishman, Alvin Jay Freeman, Matthew J Giefer, Tanja Y Gonska, Sohail Z Husain, Douglas Lindblad, Quin Y Liu, Asim Maqbool, Jacob A Mark, Brian A Mcferron, Megha S Mehta, Robert Adam Noel, Emily R Perito, Fuchenchu Wang, Ying Yuan, Yuhua Zheng, Aliye Uc, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, And Pancreatic Cancer (Cpdpc)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Abdominal pain is common and associated with high disease burden and health care costs in pediatric acute recurrent (ARP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Despite the effectiveness of psychological interventions in other abdominal pain populations, studies have not evaluated these interventions for pediatric pancreatitis pain. We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for reducing pancreatitis-related abdominal pain and improving pain interference, anxiety, depression, activity limitations, and health-related quality of life.

Methods: We enrolled 90 adolescents (ages 10-19, 63% female) with ARP or CP and their parents into this randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial from 15 …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Developing Aquatic Programs For Children Diagnosed With Autism, Giavanna Stavros

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

There is a need for inclusion in therapeutic aquatic programming for children diagnosed with autism (ASD), as their increased participation in aquatic interventions and activities promotes safety and well-being for this population. Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) are vital to fill this gap in skill, as pediatric OTs consistently work with children diagnosed with ASD (Jaicks, 2024), and core principles of the occupational therapy (OT) profession include enhancing one’s safety and well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2025). Children diagnosed with ASD must have the opportunity to engage in swimming and aquatic therapy, as this population is at a higher risk …

Sensory Friendly Summers: Designing Inclusive Camp Experiences For Children With Sensory Processing Challenges, Isandla Blanc

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Children with sensory processing challenges may experience barriers to participation in everyday activities. While summer camps offer opportunities for social development, play, and growth, staff may have limited training and resources to support children with different sensory needs. This can create challenges to participation and inclusion within traditional summer camp environments. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a staff training program aimed at increasing staff understanding of sensory processing and providing practical strategies to support campers with sensory processing challenges.

A project-level needs assessment was conducted through informal staff conversations, observations of daily camp …

Associations Between Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity And Sleep Duration And Health Indicators In Children And Adolescents With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Xiao Liang, Hui Qiu, Justin A. Haegele, Xiao Li, Minghui Li, Jiayue Li, Shirley Xin Li

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Objective

This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized available studies to explore relationships between accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) levels or sleep duration and health-related outcomes in children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses guidelines, the six databases APA PsychInfo, CINAHL Ultimate, Embase, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus with Full Text and Web of Science were searched from inception through July 2024. The correlation coefficient (r) was employed to determine the effect size in the meta-analysis. A random-effects model was utilised to estimate the potentially heterogeneously distributed effect sizes with a 95 % …