Digital Commons Network^™

Huérfanos: A Memoir, Mauricio Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

If you look hard enough, there are stories of children in foster care. Tales of their plight, longing for love, the love of their parents, love from the foster care system, or a foster care family. However, despite their existence, so much is left in the unknown. The story of how this child’s life came into the world, what outcomes transpired for a parent to give up a child, and the journey the child may have to take for closure. Answers to the why. Why was I given up, why was I not sought out, why did my family …

Perceived Social Worker Competency For Addressing Loss Among Children, Adriana Lopez Cota, Catalina Herrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers provide services in an array of settings which greatly include providing supportive services and resources to children and families. Studies have shown that although social workers are generally trained for comprehensive services, grief and loss have been seemingly left out of social work education and training, leaving many social workers incompetent to address clients presenting with grief/loss (Boss, 2006, Griese et al., 2017, Murty et al., 2015). Unfortunately, this leads to inadequate social work services for many children presenting with grief/loss (Lenhardt, 1997). This study will take a quantitative approach to gather information on the perceived competence of …

Pre-Migration To Post-Migration – Mental Health Problems In Unaccompanied Migrant Children From The Northern Triangle Of Central America, Paola Zuniga

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background - The number of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S. southern border has significantly increased. Each year, children are forced to flee from their native countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. These countries form the Northern Triangle region of Central America, which is recognized as “one of the most dangerous places on earth” according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Children from this region, experience significant trauma during their pre-migration, in-transit, and post-migration journey. This raises significant concerns about potential mental health problems. For this reason, access to mental health services for UMCs is …

Social Workers’ Knowledge And Preparedness In Serving Clients With Experience Of Intergenerational Trauma, Geneva Gandelman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study explored intergenerational trauma and self-assessed competency levels of social workers who serve clients experiencing possible intergenerational trauma. Intergenerational trauma is a wide-spread issue, as it affects over a quarter of children and over half of adults in the United States. Intergenerational trauma, though affecting many clients, is not often discussed, and many mental health professionals are either uninformed on this topic or not interested. This study explored social workers’ self-assessed general knowledge of intergenerational trauma, training on intergenerational trauma, and whether they have knowledge of interventions or techniques tailored to working with families and individuals with possible …

Early Sibling Play Interactions As A Source Of Developmental Support For Toddlers: Observation Of Young Children's Developmental Support During Play With Toddler Siblings, Tasha L. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sibling relationship is a unique and important context for infant and early child development. Despite the important role of siblings and the unique aspects of the sibling relationship, sibling interactions are largely overlooked by scholars as a resource of potential developmental support. Identifying and fostering developmentally supportive interaction (DSI) behaviors in sibling relationships may expand available supports for children’s early development and may also support family well-being.

This study used a sample of 15 child-toddler sibling pairs to identify DSI behaviors in interactions between young children and their toddler-aged siblings, determine if and how well DSI behaviors could be …

Representing Neurodivergent Children In Fiction, Summer Calvert

Senior Honors Projects

SUMMER CALVERT (Psychology) Representing Neurodivergent Children in Fiction Sponsor: Kathleen Webster (Psychology) To recognize aspects of the self within the other is a goal universal to the human experience. The ability to relate to our peers grants us the dissuasion of insecurities or loneliness that might otherwise fester within our minds. Fictional characters and stories can have a similar effect on us. For this reason, the importance of neurodiverse representation in children’s books cannot be understated. When it comes to developmental disorders, many children may go undiagnosed until adolescence or even adulthood; this does not mean they aren’t struggling, or …

Bullied Because Of Their Teeth: Evidence From A Longitudinal Study On The Impact Of Oral Health On Bullying Victimization Among Australian Indigenous Children, Md Irteja Islam, Verity Chadwick, Tuguy Esgin, Alexandra Martiniuk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Making life better for Indigenous peoples is a global priority. Although bullying and oral health have always been a topic of concern, there is limited information regarding the impact of this problem on the general population, with no evidence in this regard among the Australian Indigenous population. Thus, we aimed to quantify the relationship between bullying victimization and oral health problems by remoteness among 766 Australian Indigenous children aged between 10–15-years using data from the LSIC study. Bivariate and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were employed. Findings indicated children self-reported bullying more than parents reported their children were being bullied …

Attitudes Of Turkish Parents Toward Sex Education Of Their Intellectual Disability Children, Hakan Sarı, Tuğba Pürsün

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Legal regulations in Turkey state that it is a fundamental right for children with intellectual disability to receive sex education. However, such education is highly limited due to the negative attitudes of these children’s parents. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to evaluate the attitudes of Turkish parents toward the sexual education of their intellectually disabled children.

Methods: This quantitative study used the survey method on 311 parents who have children with intellectual disabilities. Data collection was carried out using a Likert-type scale questionnaire developed by the author. Socio-demographic variables were attained, and the data …

Parents' Experiences Of Children With A Rare Disease Attending A Mainstream School: Australia, Mandie Foster, Esther Adama, Diana Arabiat, Kevin Runions, Rena Vithiatharan, Maggie Zgambo, Ashleigh Lin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

To explore the perceptions of parents who had a child or adolescent (6-18 years) diagnosed with a rare disease who attended a mainstream school in Western Australia.

Design and methods:

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 41 parents of children with a rare disease. Here we report the findings of 14 open-ended questions on their experience of illness-related factors and impact on school-related social activities, such as sports, school camps and leadership roles whilst their child with a rare disease attended a mainstream school in Australia. Responses were analysed using an inductive thematic content approach.

Results:

We identified …

Learning To Cycle: A Cross-Cultural And Cross-Generational Comparison, Rita Cordovil, Cristiana Mercê, Marco Branco, Frederico Lopes, David Catela, Elina Hasanen, Arto Laukkanen, Patrizia Tortella, Guido Fumagalli, Cristina Sá, Boris Jidovtseff, Linus Zeuwts, An V. De Meester, Farid Bardid, Ricardo Fujikawa, Sanne Veldman, Silvija Zlatar, Isaac Estevan

Faculty Publications

Background: Learning to cycle is an important milestone for children, but the popularity of cycling and the environmental factors that promote the development and practice of this foundational movement skill vary among cultures and across time. This present study aimed to investigate if country of residence and the generation in which a person was born influence the age at which people learn to cycle.

Methods: Data were collected through an online survey between November 2019 and December 2020. For this study, a total of 9,589 responses were obtained for adults (self-report) and children (parental report) living in 10 countries (Portugal, …

Stigma In Caring For Children With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In The Student Nurse Community, Niesha D. Bell

Honors College Theses

Stigma is a heavily researched topic across many different specialties in the healthcare field. The experience of being stigmatized has negative effects on psychological health and the overall quality of life of those with mental health issues. It is common for healthcare professionals to encounter and interact with children with emotional and behavioral disorders, therefore for healthcare workers, the luxury of having a low level of understanding on this topic cannot be afforded. Healthcare professionals not only have a higher incidence of interacting with this population, but they also play a vital role in the treatment of conditions that this …

مدى انتشار الصعوبات النمائية للأطفال العمانيين وفقا لمتغيري الجنس والبرنامج التعليمي. Prevalence Rate Of The Developmental Disabilities Among Omani Children According To Gender And Educational Program, علي مهدي كاظم, سحر الشوربجي, ثرياء سيف علي المعمرية

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى الكشف المبكر عن الصعوبات النمائية، لدى أطفال ما قبل المدرسة في محافظة مسقط. وتم استخدام قائمة الصعوبات النمائية للكشف عن هؤلاء الأطفال، والتي تضمنت ثلاثة محاور : الصعوبات المعرفية، والصعوبات اللغوية، والصعوبات البصرية الحركية . طبقت الدراسة على عينة بلغت 365 طفل وطفلة من رياض الأطفال الحكومية والخاصة والعالمية في محافظة مسقط. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى أن معدل انتشار الصعوبات النمائية لدى أطفال الروضة في محافظة مسقط يبلغ حوالي 6%، وأن معدل الأطفال المعرضين لصعوبات التعلم في محافظة مسقط بلغ حوالي13.2%، وأشارت النتائج أيضا إلى وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في معدل انتشار الصعوبات النمائية، تعزي لمتغير …

Let Food Be Thy Medicine: The Role Of Whole Food Consumption And Mental Wellness In Children, Bianca A. Allen

MOT Student Capstones

Mental Health is one of the most neglected areas of health in the U.S healthcare system, yet there continues to be an alarming rate of individuals diagnosed with mental health disorders. This group of affected individuals includes the presence of children with 3 out of 4 children predicted to experience behavior problems and mood fluctuations before the age of 17. To 3 combat mental illness, psychotropic medications are prescribed at a startling rate with children as young as 2 being placed on mental health prescriptions. Although psychotropic medications have positive outcomes on mental illness, long terms use of this class …

Comparison Of Computer-Based And Therapeutic Activity Interventions For Improving Visual Motor Abilities Of Preschoolers With Autism: A Randomized Control Study, Supawadee C. Lee

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based and a traditional activity/practice-based intervention for improving the visual motor abilities of children with autism.

Methods: A group, pre-post, experimental design was used with randomization of subjects to four intervention conditions: a computer-based training, a therapeutic practice intervention, the combination of a computer-based training and therapeutic practice intervention, and a martial arts exercise. A sample of 34 preschool children with autism and visual motor integration deficits between 3 and 5 years of age were recruited. The Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities was administered …

Sensory Preference And Learning Preference In Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Dyslexia, Jennifer Gomez, Hope Mccarroll, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Is there a connection between a child’s sensory preferences and their learning preference? Sensory processing disorders are a heavily researched topic in current literature and many children with sensory differences present with learning disabilities, but research is lacking concerning any connection between sensory processing and learning. This research study examines children’s sensory preferences and learning preferences and denotes trends between these two variables. 15 participants were recruited from the Accommodated Learning Academy in Grapevine, Texas, a private school for students 1st-12th grade with learning delays. The sample of 15 participants consisted of 12 females and 3 males, aged 11-15 years …

Effect Of Sin Lek Rice Intervention On Cognitive Function, Dietary Patterns, And Fecal Microbiota Of Elementary School Children In Chiang Rai, Thailand, Angie Setthavongsack, Siam Popluechai, Jackilen Shannon, Justin Denny, Eleni Gentekaki, Kongkiat Kespechara, Lucsame Gruneck, Thomas J. Sharpton, Kullawong Niwed, Lisa K. Marriott

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Thailand has struggled with malnutrition rates in young children. Rice is a key component of Southeast Asian diets and a whole grain rice varietal (Sin Lek) may support improved nutrition. Diet can influence cognitive function and human gut microbiota, which were explored in the context of a rice intervention. We conducted a pilot study using a non-randomized, crossover clinical trial of Sin Lek rice versus traditional white rice consumption in elementary school children in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Outcomes related to diet, anthropological factors, cognitive function (e.g., short-term working memory, attention, impulsivity), and gut microbial populations were measured at baseline and …

Application Of Bibliotherapy By School Libraries As A Tool For Enhancement Of Reading Culture And Good Behaviors Among Students, Emmanuel Chidiadi Onwubiko

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Bibliotherapy is a concept that involves the use of books to help children cope with their life and has been widely recognized as an approach that will help librarians to better address emotional, behavioral and social concerns of children while reading on the other hand, stimulates imagination, widens views, expands horizon and helps learning about different people and places. Reading is important to human development because it is essential in full participation in the modern society. This study therefore examined the application of bibliotherapy by school libraries as a tool for enhancing reading culture and good behaviors among students. The …

Adults’ Perceptions Of Children: Expectations Of Children With Disabilities And History Of Sexual Abuse, Asha L. Harp

Honors College Theses

Adult perceptions greatly affect children, especially those most in need of help (e.g., children with sexual abuse histories (CSA); children with disabilities). It is important to examine how these perceptions can shape children’s lives. This study investigated adults’ perceptions to further understand views of children with CSA and disabilities. Children with histories of disabilities, compared to CSA or “normal” backgrounds, were perceived as having more externalizing behaviors. Children labeled with CSA were perceived to have more internalizing symptoms (compared to both “disabled” and “normal” and less competence (compared to “normal”). Further results are discussed.

The Effects Of Excessive Screen Time On Children And Young Adolescents, Greg Landry

Undergraduate Scholarly Works

Through our mass consumption of media and infotainment, we have been inundated with smart technology. These devices control when it is time to wake up and when we should fall asleep. They dictate how many hours a day we should stand, and track how many steps we take. Most importantly our everyday tech controls how effectively we accomplish our day-to-day tasks. The purpose of my research is to shed light on the real effects of screen time. As a nineteen-year-old college student, I always find myself distracted by technology while completing assignments or studying. I have not been diagnosed with …

Effects Of Covid-19 In The Status Of Childhood Obesity In The United States: A Literature Review, Ana Cruz

The Graduate School Posters

Introduction: The main hypothesis is that COVID-19 affects the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States due the precautions needed to contain the pandemic.

Methods: The methods used in this semi-systematic literature review includes web-based research from the following sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and EBSCOhost. The search was limited to children ages 5 to 19 years old with diagnosed obesity.

Results: The review found that COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the rate of childhood obesity in the United States due to changes in diet, increased screen time, and less physical activity.

Discussion: There …

Fire Prevention Education For Boys And Girls Who Misuse Fire: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Analysis Of Effective Intervention Programming, Matthew B. Ferdock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A child referred for an assessment following fire misuse (e.g., setting a fire intentionally) triggers an intervention strategist who constructs a program that almost universally includes fire safety education (FSE). While FSE media tailored by age and grade is available from the U.S. Federal Government, most youth fire misuse intervention educational programming differentiates children by age. However, program designers rarely consider gender, racial differences, and socioeconomic factors during education design and delivery. Limited research demonstrates efficacious FSE. However, since almost no FSE accounts for differences beyond age, no empirical evidence exists examining its efficacy by demographic or socioeconomic differences. Using …

Physiotherapists’ Perspectives On The Use Of Telehealth For Service Delivery To Children With Developmental Delays: A Qualitative Focus Group Study, Claire M. Grant, Anne Jones, Helen Land

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purposes of the study are to (1) determine what barriers and facilitators physiotherapists perceive to using telehealth, (2) to determine willingness to use and (3) to determine perspectives on training in the use of telehealth. Method: This is a qualitative semi structured interview and focus group design. Participants were recruited from the first stage of the larger research process using purposive sampling. A semi structured guide was used to facilitate discussion of shared experiences and to allow themes to emerge from the discussion. Results: Thematic analysis was used to synthesise frequent and important themes. Ten participants took part …

The Framework For Evaluating Children’S Wellbeing As Related To Their Active School Traveling (Ast), Marwa Charkas

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Investigating wellbeing-related concerns nowadays is greater than ever. This extends to all aspects of human beings’ daily life. In this context, children’s wellbeing is having an increasing interest as they are the core constituents of tomorrow’s world. Studies have affirmed the vital role of children’s physical activities as catalysts for all domains of their wellbeing. Active school traveling is one of these daily activities practiced by children frequently. The way it is practiced, and its interrelated activities are profoundly affecting children’s feeling and accordingly their well-being. However, the paper builds an argument about conceptualizing an applicable understanding of wellbeing. Reviewing …

Paediatric Physical Activity And Health: Moving Towards A Measure Of Quality, Cain C.T. Clark, Claire M. Barnes

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

It is clear that physical activity, holistically, is linked with several positive factors through the life course. There exists a large evidence base for physical activity quantity, yet there has been little integration of physical activity qualities, and whilst qualityis a nebulous term, recent developments in literature suggest it may be a viable measure in the characterisation of physical activity. The purpose of the study was to comprehensively review the development towards a measure of physical activity quality.‪A review of literature was conducted using online databases: Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar. A narrative review was subsequently prepared on …

Risk Factors For Disagreement Between Self And Proxy Reports On Physical Activity Of Children And Young Adolescents, Aleksander Galas, Marzena Florek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The study was conducted during the 2012 UEFA European Football Championships between 8 and 19 June. It aimed at longitudinal investigation into the dynamics of Polish fans’ emotions related to the performance of their national football team. Special focus was laid on investigating the evaluation of organizational preparedness to the tournament as a broader context for sport events, and relating it to fans’ emotions. Material/Methods: Over 700 individuals took part in 3 waves of the study which corresponded to Polish team’s games in the group stage of the tournament. Participants were contacted immediately after the final whistles, receiving e-mails …

The Somatic Physique Versus The Sports Result Of Tennis Players Of The Pupils’ Sports Club “Return” Lomza, Poland, Kazimierz Kochanowicz, Tomasz Waldzinski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Individuals who take up professional sport must comply with requirements dependent on the character of the discipline. The requirements refer to motor skills, mental state and somatic physique. A lot of authors claim that somatic physique in tennis is a factor which helps to achieve the highest sports results. Superiority of arms range in the attacking zone makes a game easier for tall players who are more effective in offensive actions as well. The purpose of the research was to estimate the somatic physique of children and youth who play tennis in the Pupils’ Sports Club “Return” Lomza. Material/Methods: …

Physical Activity, Academic Performance And Cognition In Children And Adolescents. A Systematic Review, Eero Hapala

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

A literature review was conducted to investigate the effect of physical exercise and physical training on cognition and academic performance in children and adolescents. Nine randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials with 2,013 participants were identified by employing the following data sources: the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Eric, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and ISI Web of Knowledge. Five studies indicated positive effects of physical exercise on attention, concentration, and working memory, and three studies reported positive effects of 14 to 64 week physical training on language and arithmetic skills. Thus, there is some evidence that physical exercise may facilitate cognitive functions …

The Level Of Physical Development And Physical Fitness In 6–7-Year-Old Children From School And Pre-School Institutions In Gdansk, Malgorzata Resiak, Aleksandra Resiak

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Interest in the development of a 6-7-year-old child derives among other things from the necessity to evaluate child’s readiness to take up a regular educational process. Physical development and physical fitness of the child are components of school maturity. The purpose of the study was to show similarities and differences in the level of physical development and fitness of children attending school and pre-school institutions in the years 2005-2009 in Gdansk. Material/Methods: 15,578 children (8,006 boys and 7,572 girls) from Gdansk were subject to research in the years 2005-2009. The measurements of the height, body mass and 5 skin …

Obesity And Overweight Among Children And Adolescents In The Light Of Health Education Principles, Adam Wiek, Katarzyna Tkacz, Waclaw Mozolewski, Malgorzata E. Kusmierczyk, Sylwester Rybaczek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Pedagogical and educational institutions play an important role in health education. The proposed systemic principles should account for biological, environmental and cultural factors that determine the health of children and adolescents. Young people’s individual needs should constitute the framework of educational policy in the prevention of obesity and overweight. An analysis of health education practice in the Polish educational system indicates that the adopted measures, their practical applications and educational goals are adequate. Despite the above, the proposed systemic solutions are not always deployed or correctly implemented by the responsible institutions at various levels of local or social governance. The …

The Unfinished Hope Of Gower's Transgender Children, Gabrielle M.W. Bychowski

Accessus

This article examines two of Gower's tales from the Confessio Amantis that deal with trans youths: Iphis and Narcissus. Considering these two tales together, I ask the question: why does one story end with hopeful futurity for the trans masculine youth and the other end with death and the absence of futurity for the trans feminine youth. Connecting these medieval texts to premodern contexts and then with modern contexts, I map the trajectory of centuries long problems facing trans youths. In the end, I conclude that trans youth possess a healthier and more stable future when they receive trans affirming …