Education Commons^™

The Lived Experiences Of Undergraduate Students' Use Of Social Media And How It Relates To Their Perceived Happiness: A Phenomenological Study, William R. Longwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem in this study is that undergraduate students' use of social media may influence their perceived happiness. The aim of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand undergraduate students’ lived experiences with social media and how it is related to their perceived happiness. The theory guiding this study is Festinger’s theory of social comparison. Participants perceived happiness was explored based on their lived experiences of using social media and how it related to their perceived happiness. Data collection methods included journal prompts, individual interviews, and focus groups, as these methods proved the most useful in this qualitative study for …

Beyond Employment: Lower Income Participants' Experiences In A Healthcare Training Program For Medical Assistants, Pharmacy Technicians, And Certified Nursing Assistants, Skye N. Leedahl, Emma Pascuzzi, Karen Mccurdy, Nilton Porto

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of participant experiences in a healthcare training program for medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, and certified nursing assistants in areas beyond employment procurement or retention. During the year 2020, employment rates decreased and the cost of living increased. Those changes ultimately put lower-income populations at risk for not meeting the basic needs of life, as it became increasingly more difficult to obtain an adequately paying job. Healthcare training programs for lower income individuals allow for participants to gain the appropriate knowledge and experience required for working in the healthcare …

Effect Of Physical Exercise On Life Satisfaction Of Chinese Primary Students: The Chain Mediating Role Of Self-Confidence And Resilience, Huan-Yu Li, Bo Shen, Jun Yan, Ai-Guo Chen, Ting Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Life satisfaction is an overall cognitive evaluation of an individual's living condition for the most of time or over a certain period of time according to the standard of one’s own choice. It is an important psychological variable in the developmental stage of children and adolescents. Some studies had shown that life satisfaction was closely related to children's and adolescents' mental health levels, including their emotional and behavioral conditions. However, the Blue Book for Children: China Children's Development Report (2020) published by China Children's Center stated that Chinese students did not fare well in terms of life satisfaction. Previous studies …

Social Media: Are You Addicted? Examining The Role Of Social Media Platforms On Life Satisfaction, Personality And Generation, Alexzander Ponce

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The rise of social media has led to an increase in social media use and social media addiction. Research has found that social media addiction is influenced by various factors, and this study looks to examine the relation between social media addiction and users' life satisfaction, personality type and age group; and whether the type of social media platform moderates this relationship. This study dispersed survey questionnaires and conducted an ANCOVA to analyze the results. Results found that life satisfaction and social media addiction are negatively related, but the negative relation is larger for Twitter users. Results also found a …

Psychological Experiences During Previous High School Sport Participation Predict College Students’ Current Psychological Health, Jonathan D. Defreese, Amanda Visek, Nikki E. Barczak-Scarboro

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Adolescent sport participation has been positively associated with psychological health outcomes. Yet, further research is needed to explore how psychosocial health benefits from sport may be maximized or minimized based on one’s psychological experiences during previous sport participation. The present study examined associations among retrospective psychological experiences of high school sport participation and markers of current college students’ psychosocial health. American college students (N = 300) self-reported retrospective high school sport experiences (i.e., burnout, engagement, and stress) and current psychosocial health outcomes (i.e., social support, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction) via an online interface. Moderated multiple regression analyses showed high …

Profiles Of Participation In School Bullying: Association With Student Well-Being, Isak Kim

Counseling Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the bullying participation profiles inrelation to the demographic variables (sex, grade, and ethnicity), and to further inves-tigate the associations between the profiles and student well-being indicators. A finalsample for analyses consisted of 725 elementary school children (fourth to sixthgrades). Four latent profiles were identified through the latent profile analysis: bul-lying passive bystanding (8.00%), victimized active defending (8.41%), uninvolvedpassive bystanding (21.24%), and uninvolved active defending (62.35%). Significantgroup differences were found in key variables representing student well-being, thatis, school connectedness and life satisfaction, across the four latent profiles. Childrenin the uninvolved active defending were …

Sexual Health Education And Life Satisfaction For People With Congenital Neurological Disabilities, Alie Kriofske Mainella, Susan Miller Smedema

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

People with disabilities are sexual beings, yet there is little research on sexuality in this population. The present study explored the impact of sex education for people with congenital neurological disabilities, largely, spina bifida and cerebral palsy, on sexual self-concept and life satisfaction. This study included 104 adults with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and other congenital neurological disabilities. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between demographic variables, sexual health education variables, and outcome variables (sexual self-concept and life satisfaction). Serial mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediating relationship of sexual self-concept variables (sexual anxiety and sexual …

Associations Between Instagram Addiction, Academic Performance, Social Anxiety, Depression, And Life Satisfaction Among University Students, Behzad Foroughi, Mark D. Griffiths, Mohammad Iranmanesh, Yashar Salamzadeh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The use of social networking sites (SNSs) has become increasingly popular. Although several studies have been carried out on the addictive use of SNSs such as Twitter and Facebook, there is little research on Instagram addiction and its drivers. The present study investigated the association between students’ needs and Instagram addiction by incorporating physical activity as a moderator among 364 university students. Additionally, the associations between Instagram addiction, academic performance, depression, social anxiety, and life satisfaction were investigated. The results showed that recognition needs, social needs, and entertainment needs all contributed to Instagram addiction. However, information needs were not a …

Physical Activity And Other Selected Determinants Of The Body Mass Index (Bmi) In Women Aged 40–65 With Type 2 Diabetes From The Krakow Population, Maria Gacek, Agnieszka Wojtowicz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Excessive body mass is a key risk factor of type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study was to analyse selected determinants of the BMI (body mass index) in women aged 40–65 with type 2 diabetes from the Krakow population. The predictive model includes demographic (age), health (duration of diabetes) as well as behavioural (volume of physical activity) and psychological (life satisfaction) data. Material and methods: ‪The study was conducted among a group of 276 women aged 40–65 (47.92±5.53) with type 2 diabetes. The authors used a specially designed questionnaire, which included socio-demographic questions as well as self-assessment of …

The Relationship Between Perceived Health Outcomes Of Recreation, Exercise Dependence, And Life Satisfaction: A Study With Fitness Center Members, Emrah Serdar

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation, exercise dependence, and life satisfaction among fitness center members. Material and methods: The study sample consisted of 490 participants, 336 males, and 154 females, who were members of a private fitness center in Istanbul. The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data collection tools included the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale, developed by Gomez et al. and adapted to Turkish by Yerlisu Lapa et al., the Exercise Dependence-21 Scale, developed by Hausenblans and Downs and adapted by Gürbüz and Aşçı and the Life …

The Impact Of The Ib Primary Years Programme (Pyp) On Student Wellbeing And Other Related Social-Emotional Learning Outcomes, Katherine Dix, Shani Sniedze

Wellbeing

This study investigated the impact of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) on student wellbeing and related outcomes. The PYP, an educational framework for children ages 3–12, offers a holistic education focusing on whole-child development through an inquiry-driven approach. It does so through multiple programmatic elements that include leadership and teacher professional development, to deliver an inclusive curriculum in classrooms that builds transdisciplinary skills, culminating in the development of students’ international-mindedness, critical thinking and attributes of the IB learner profile.

The Influence Of Sense Of School Community On Korean Students’ Life Satisfaction And Comparison Of Sense Of Community For Students’ Gender And High School Specialties, Hwachoon Park, Sangsoo Lee

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to compare the sense of community of South Korean high school students as measured by a Korean version of the Sense of Community Index 2 (KSCI2) and examine the effect of two factors of the KSCI2, reinforcement of needs and influence, on students’ life satisfaction as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A total of 375 Korean high school students provided usable data from three vocational high schools specializing in agriculture, electronics and engineering, and business and marketing, and one Meister high school specializing in automotive. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way …

Improving Elementary Students’ Complete Mental Health: Examining The Added Impact Of A Teacher-Focused Strengths-Based Intervention, Mollie Mccullough Headley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teaching is considered one of the most challenging professions, often associated with high levels of occupational stress and job turnover that perpetuates additional negative outcomes including depleted funding for school districts, poor education quality, and reduced student academic performance. Research shows that teachers are an integral part of the classroom with the power to positively influence students’ perceived classroom support and emotional competence (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Positive psychology has facilitated school-based initiatives that foster feelings of subjective well-being (happiness) through the implementation of brief, scripted activities (i.e., Positive Psychology Interventions; PPIs) that reflect the thoughts and behaviors of happy …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Effect Of The Starting Right, Now Program On Unaccompanied Homeless Adolescents' Well-Being, Emily E. Esposito

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date, few multicomponent interventions focused on meeting the complex needs of unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) have been developed. One intervention, called Starting Right, Now (SRN), provides unaccompanied homeless adolescents with a broad range of home-, school-, and community-based services and supports to meet the unique needs of each individual. Previous qualitative research has supported the effectiveness of SRN on student outcomes; there has not yet been an examination of the program using quantitative methods. Thus, the current study investigated the impact of Starting Right, Now on students’ well-being through the examination of longitudinal data collected over a 12-month period. …

A Study Of Life Satisfaction And Its Relationships With Acculturative Stress, Social Connectedness, And Perceived Social Support In International Students Attending Faith-Based K-12 Schools, Todd Allen Russ

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Life satisfaction has a profound impact on individuals. Social and emotional well-being are tied to positive life satisfaction. This quantitative study explored the relationship between life satisfaction and the variables of acculturative stress, social connectedness, and perceived social support. International students come from countries around the world to the United States (U.S.) in hopes of a bright future. They come from a variety of cultures many that are different from the traditions and cultures of U.S. Cultural differences and the student’s challenge to adapt causes acculturative stress. This stress is as a barrier to life satisfaction. This study identified that …

Promoting Happiness In Elementary Schoolchildren: Evaluation Of A Multitarget, Multicomponent Classwide Positive Psychology Intervention, Brittany Valle Hearon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Youth psychological well-being has become increasingly acknowledged as not merely the absence of psychological distress, but the presence of positive indicators of optimal functioning. Students with complete mental health (i.e., low psychopathology and high well-being) demonstrate the best academic, social, and physical health outcomes. As such, there remains a need to address children’s well-being through a holistic approach emphasizing the prevention of mental health problems and promotion of flourishing. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have emerged as a promising method of enhancing students’ complete mental health. Previous investigations support the utility of multitarget PPIs with middle school students and single-target PPIs …

Are The Kids Alright? Young Australians In Their Middle Years : Final Summary Report Of The Australian Child Wellbeing Project, Gerry Redmond, Jennifer Skattebol, Peter Saunders, Petra Lietz, Gabriella Zizzo, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Vanessa Maurici, Jasmine Huynh, Anna Moffat, Melissa Wong, Bruce Bradbury, Kelly Roberts

Elizabeth O'Grady

Compared with the early years and adolescence, young people in their middle years (ages 8-14 years) have received relatively little attention from policymakers other than in the space of academic achievement, where national curriculums have been developed, and a national testing regime is in place. Yet there is growing recognition that this is a critical time when young people experience rapid physical and mental development, in addition to facing a significant transition from primary to secondary school. The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) asked young people about their lives and wellbeing during this crucial period. Wellbeing can be seen as …

Are The Kids Alright? Young Australians In Their Middle Years : Final Summary Report Of The Australian Child Wellbeing Project, Gerry Redmond, Jennifer Skattebol, Peter Saunders, Petra Lietz, Gabriella Zizzo, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Vanessa Maurici, Jasmine Huynh, Anna Moffat, Melissa Wong, Bruce Bradbury, Kelly Roberts

Wellbeing

Compared with the early years and adolescence, young people in their middle years (ages 8-14 years) have received relatively little attention from policymakers other than in the space of academic achievement, where national curriculums have been developed, and a national testing regime is in place. Yet there is growing recognition that this is a critical time when young people experience rapid physical and mental development, in addition to facing a significant transition from primary to secondary school. The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) asked young people about their lives and wellbeing during this crucial period. Wellbeing can be seen as …

Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy, And The Mediating Effect Of Outcome Control: Predicting Course-Level And Global Outcomes In An Academic Context, Evelyn W. M. Au

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background and Objectives. The current study utilizes Skinner's framework to examine the unique contributions of internal locus of control, self-efficacy, and perceived outcome control over course performance on students' academic experiences. Method. Undergraduate students (N = 225) took part in a longitudinal study and completed two surveys (Time 1: just before their mid-term exams; Time 2: just before their final exam in the same semester). Results. Both locus of control and self-efficacy at Time 1 predicted course-level perceived control over course performance at Time 2. Student-level perceived control over course performance at Time 2 mediated the relationship between self-efficacy at …

Program Evaluation On The Implementation Of A Middle School Concept In Private Christian Schools, James Chapman Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of implementing a middle school concept in three private Christian schools using Daniel Stufflebeam’s CIPP model of program evaluation. The National Middle School Survey was used to measure faculty and administrative perceptions of both the value and actual implementation of middle school concepts that to this point have not been formally evaluated in each school. Additionally, student levels of cognitive and psychological engagement and global life satisfaction were measured using the Student Engagement Instrument and Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale.

The following evaluation questions were the focus of this study …

Improving Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being: Efficacy Of A Multi-Component Positive Psychology Intervention Targeting Small Groups Of Youth And Parents, Rachel Anne Roth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A dual-factor model of mental health conceptualizes mental health status as a combination of both psychopathology and subjective well-being. Current literature indicates that complete mental health (i.e., low psychopathology, high subjective well-being) is associated with the best academic and social functioning among youth. Thus, the absence of psychopathology alone is not sufficient for student success. While research on interventions for improving subjective well-being, termed positive psychology interventions (PPIs), is increasing, PPIs for youth in particular lag behind similar interventions for adults. Additionally, a majority of youth-focused PPIs have targeted singular constructs (e.g., gratitude, character strengths), have neglected to include relevant …

Does Retirement Make You Happy? A Simultaneous Equations Approach, Raquel Fonseca, Arie Kapteyn, Jinkook Lee, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Continued improvements in life expectancy and fiscal insolvency of public pensions have led to an increase in pension entitlement ages in several countries, but its consequences for subjective well-being are largely unknown. Financial consequences of retirement complicate the estimation of effects of retirement on subjective well-being as financial circumstances may influence subjective well-being, and therefore, the effects of retirement are likely to be confounded by the change in income. At the same time, unobservable determinants of income are probably related with unobservable determinants of subjective wellbeing, making income possibly endogenous if used as control in subjective wellbeing regressions. To address …

An Evaluation Of A Mediational Model Of Adolescent Global Life Satisfaction, Michael D. Lyons

Theses and Dissertations

This study extended previous research by simultaneously examining determinants and presumed psychosocial mechanisms related to the development of individual differences in adolescent life satisfaction, based on Evans‟ (1994) proposed model. Specifically, this study assessed the relations between personality (extraversion, neuroticism) and environmental experiences (stressful life events) on early adolescents‟ global life satisfaction as mediated by approach and avoidance coping behaviors using a sample of 529 students from one middle school in the south eastern United States. The results of this study found partial evidence to support Evans‟ model. Statistically significant relations were found for a number of individual pathways between …

The Role Of Behavioral And Cognitive Cultural Orientation On Mexican American College Students’ Life Satisfaction, Lizette Ojeda, Lisa M. Edwards, Erin E. Harding, Brandy Piña-Watson

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

We examined the role of behavioral (acculturation and enculturation) and cognitive cultural orientation (independent and interdependent self-construal) on Mexican American college students’ life satisfaction. Analyses explained 28% of the variance in life satisfaction, with social class, grade point average, and independent self-construal being unique predictors. Furthermore, enculturation was associated with increasing life satisfaction among those low in interdependent self-construal, whereas acculturation was associated with decreasing life satisfaction among those high in independent self-construal. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Honors Research Symposium Program [2012], University Honors Program Students And Staff

University Honors Research Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

Increasing Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being: Effects Of A Positive Psychology Intervention In Comparison To The Effects Of Therapeutic Alliance, Youth Factors, And Expectancy For Change, Jessica A. Savage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the variance in subjective well-being (SWB) of early adolescents (n = 54) exposed to a positive psychology intervention aimed at increasing positive affect and life satisfaction as well as decreasing negative affect through intentional activities (e.g., gratitude journals, acts of kindness, use of character strengths, optimistic thinking). Understanding how to increase SWB among youth is important because of its associations with positive indicators of psychological and academic functioning. However, prior research is limited regarding interventions targeting SWB in youth and excludes the relation of common factors of therapeutic change. Based on the literature regarding therapeutic change, youth …

Using Peplau's Theory To Examine The Psychosocial Factors Associated With Hiv-Infected Women's Difficulty In Taking Their Medications, Janet Lynn Douglass, Richard Sowell, Kenneth D. Phillips

Faculty and Research Publications

Although combination therapies slow progression of HIV disease, HIV-infected women face new challenges that must be overcome to increase their life expectancy. One challenge is adherence to strict, and often unpleasant, drug regimens. Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relationships provides a framework for identifying and examining factors that influence medication adherence, in particular difficulties in taking medication. A descriptive, correlational design was used to test associations between difficulty taking HIV medications and a woman's relationship with her primary healthcare provider (PHCP), depression, HIV-specific emotional and tangible support, present life satisfaction, family functioning, HIV-related symptoms, AIDS beliefs and perceptions, medication side-effects, and …