Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Predictors Of Self-Esteem In Children Exposed To Potentially Traumatic Events, Colleen Michelle Ray

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Self-esteem is not only important for the well being of a child, but the effects of low levels of self-esteem can continue well into adulthood. Past research identifies many possible predictors of self-esteem including: age, gender, Ethnicity, interpersonal relationships, parenting techniques and locus of control. One downfall of previous literature is the lack of exploration performed with high-risk samples. This study aims to begin to fill this void.

Utilizing data from the INVEST project, the current analysis examines predictors of self esteem among 161 children and adolescents aged 8-17, referred to a hospital based Child Advocacy Center due to exposure …

The Influence Of Childhood Maltreatment On Substance Abuse In Adulthood, James Michael Blinco

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between suffering physical or sexual abuse as a child and drug or alcohol use in adulthood. Data was used from the first three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health survey. This study found that being a victim of childhood physical abuse can lead to abuse of alcohol later in life. In addition being male and African American are key factors in predicting alcohol abuse and other illegal drug use in adulthood. No significant relationship was found between being a victim of sexual abuse and abusing alcohol, using marijuana, or using any other …

Child Emotional Abuse And Its Relationship To Obesity, Kelly Anderson Driscoll

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Over the past 30 years in the United States childhood obesity has more than tripled (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). In 2008, 18.5% of adolescents of the age 12-18 years old were obese in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). With the increase of obesity Americans have spent approximately 9% of their total medical costs on obesity-related illnesses (Finkelstein, Fiebelkorn, &Wang, 2003). Previous research documented the relationship between virtually every form of child abuse and subsequent obesity. Restricting focus to child emotional abuse, while studies have linked emotional abuse to the long-term consequence of …

Prenatal Smoking And Drinking Implications For Subsequent Child Maltreatment, Nicholas Alexander Adams

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Prenatal smoking and drinking are very serious problems that have continued to plague society. They have multiple negative effects on the child both physically and cognitively. This study explored the relationship between prenatal abuse, i.e., prenatal smoking and prenatal drinking, and subsequent child physical abuse and official reports of child maltreatment. It was hypothesized that mothers who smoked or drank prenatally would be more likely to physically abuse their child postnatally and have official reports of child maltreatment. The sample included women participating in Wave III of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health. N = 620 women who answered …

Meaning Of Hijab According To Urban Egyptian And Yemeni Muslim Women, Kenneth E. Jackson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Meanings of hijab held by urban Egyptian and Yemeni Muslim women were the focus of this study. In addition to the meanings held of hijab, the study also explored the relationships between demographic variables and perceptions of hijab. Three null hypotheses led the analyses pertaining to the differences between Egyptian and Yemeni respondents in their perceptions of hijab, demographic differences between those that wore a hijab and those that wore a niqab, and the demographic differences between those that wore a hijab and those that did not wear a hijab. Data analysis was based on the …

Domestic Violence As A Contributing Factor To Juvenile Substance Use, Victoria Felicitas Sophie Danz

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between witnessing violence in the home and juvenile substance use. Data was used from an existing study and variables were recoded to be of best use for this particular work. This study found that witnessing acts of violence can lead a juvenile into drug use, but other factors are more likely to have influenced this behavior. The study shows that family and peer use of drugs is a major predictor for juvenile substance use and has a bigger influence on the juvenile's life than witnessing violence. No significant impact on drug use was found between …

Religion On Divorce, Erik B. Doherty

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Prospective factors that lead to elevated divorce rates have been studied in an attempt to gauge their relative significance and overall impact. However, to date no Such factor or factors have been pin-pointed that can conclusively explain why divorce rates are so high. This article utilizes a three-model analysis that examines the effects of religion variables, as well as relevant control variables that have be found to be significantly associated with divorce rates by prior research. Thus, religion is the variable of focus for the study in relation to divorce rates. The results indicate that: 1) Catholics are less likely …

An Examination Of The Combined Impact Of Exposure To Intimate Partner Violence And Child Abuse Or Neglect On Juvenile Delinquency, Tracie R. Johnson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between children's exposure to intimate partner violence and child abuse or neglect on juvenile delinquency. Much of the research on this topic suggests that a disturbed home life can have a significant impact on delinquency among children. This study explores patterns of delinquency among a large group of children in the Seattle Washington area (n=877). Gender differences in violent and nonviolent delinquency are examined as well as the impact of witnessing intimate partner violence in the home is tested. Analyses reveal that gender, race, and exposure to intimate partner violence …

Correlates Of Marital Success A Homogamy Model, Sarah A. Raper

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This paper examines the relationship between five demographic homogamy variables and marital success. Throughout this paper, several questions were examined that seek to give a better understanding of the factors that impact the stability and quality of American marriages. Is homogamy an important issue in modern society, or have cultural advancements in American society made homogamy irrelevant? Do both ascribed and achieved characteristics still impact marital success? Data from wave one of the National Survey of Families and Households was used for the analysis. First, correlations between the heterogamy variables and marital success were evaluated. Next, regression models were used …

Social Disadvantage And Family Violence: Neighborhood Effects On Attitudes About Intimate Partner Violence And Corporal Punishment, Deeanna M. Button

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Family violence is widespread and occurs everyday in the United States. The consequences of the various forms of family violence and physical discipline are both immediate and long lasting. As nearly every family is victimized by some type of family violence (Payne and Gainey 2005), it is important that all dynamics of family life be explored. Extending the focus of family violence risk factors to include neighborhood experiences allows for the potential development of different social policies. The purpose of this thesis was to analyze the effects of perceived neighborhood characteristics, in addition to a macro-level measure of crime, on …

A Macro-Level Analysis Of Divorce Rates And Juvenile Violent Crime And Drug Abuse In Virginia, Bianca Maria Conn

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

With one out of every two marriages statistically doomed to fail, we must ask ourselves: how does this affect children? This thesis examines the relationship between divorce rates in the 135 cities and counties in Virginia and rates of juvenile violent crime and drug abuse. Social disorganization, used as a main source of reference in this study, is helpful in understanding how divorce affects juveniles at the community level. Family disruption, due to parental divorce, supports the notion that there is less juvenile supervision in the home and in effect the community, which leads to juvenile delinquency.

The three different …

The Link Between Corporal Punishment And Teen Pregnancy, Jennifer M. Hagberg

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between corporal punishment and teen pregnancy among women participating in the 2000 survey round of the NLSY Child and Young Adult Surveys. Zero order correlations were used to examine the bivariate relationship between the corporal punishment and teen pregnancy. OLS regression was used to determine if a direct relationship exists between corporal punishment and teen pregnancy after controlling for a host of variables. It was hypothesized that the more frequently a respondent received corporal punishment, the more likely she was to have reported a pregnancy during adolescence, and that this relationship would manifest itself primarily …

It Does Take A Village To Raise A Child, Rebecca J. Boyd

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Utilizing Cullen's (1994) Social Support Theory and Hunter's (1985) three dimensions of social life, this study is a quantitative, cross-sectional secondary data analysis designed to examine the relationship between institutional social support and rates of juvenile crime for counties and cities in Virginia for the year 2000. Resting on the contention that an inverse, significant relationship exists between measures of institutional support and rates of juvenile property and violent crime, this study examines types of support provided by the institutions of family, school, and the government. These measures of institutional support include 1) familial support: median income, marriage support; 2) …

Invisible Men In Family Planning: Determinants Of Men's Unmet Need In Bangladesh, Mahmuda Khatun

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The prevalence of unmet need for family planning is a primary justification for family planning programs, but the prevalence of men's unmet need for family planning and causes of unmet need have not been much explored. This study introduces the concept of men's unmet need for family planning. Using the data from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey of 1996-97, this study examined the effect of some important correlates (age, socio-economic status, availability of the family planning services, and knowledge about contraceptive methods) on the unmet need for family planning. This study was designed to address the research questions: Do individual …

Effects Of Gender Role Socialization And Investments In Human Capital On The Decision Of A Woman With Children Under School Age To Work Outside The Home, Marion A. Edrington

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The decision of whether or not to work while one's children are under school age is one that is faced by millions of women each year. Using data from the General Social Survey, this study was designed to address the research question: What are the factors that influence the decision of a woman with children under school age to work outside the home full-time, part-time or not at all? The specific effects of gender role socialization and investments in human capital were explored in depth. This study found that both gender role socialization and investments in human capital do have …

Television, Low Self-Control, And Deviance: Examining Basic Elements Of Gottfredson And Hirschi's General Theory Of Crime, Moises O. Mina Jr.

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

In a secondary analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), this study examines the basic concepts of Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime. A set of variables measured at ages 6-9 was used to operationally define the concepts of self-control, parenting, and deviance. The study tests for empirical associations between self-control, deviance, and parenting. Also, television viewing is introduced as a possible cause of low self-control. Age, race, and gender are included as statistical controls. Models of self-control and deviance were developed to analyze these relationships. Results found qualified support for the existence of significant …

A Study Of Child Abuse: Race Gender And Family Structure, Linda Wyatt Faircloth

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Using 1989-1994 data collected from the Portsmouth Department of Social Services in Portsmouth, Virginia, this study looked at severity and recidivism of child abuse in Portsmouth from 1989-1994. Analyses of data from the Portsmouth Department of Social Services indicated that children living in single parent families are more likely to be severely abused than children living in two parent families but no differences were observed for race and age.

Differences In Married Versus Maritally Disrupted Children's Frequency Of Contact With Their Mothers, Sonya Dee Thompson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the effects of children's marital status on the frequency of contact they have with their mothers. As American society ages and marital disruption remains high, it is important to determine if there are differences in the relationships adult children have with their aging parents. A secondary analysis was conducted on data collected in 1986 for the General Social Survey. Two hypotheses were created from theory:

(1) From dependency and obligation theories, it was predicted that maritally disrupted adult children would report having greater contact with their mothers than married adult children.

(2) From status and resource adjustment …

Virginia's Eastern Shore High School Students: Factors That May Impact Their Educational Aspirations, Valdimir Demont Handy

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Using 1995 Survey data collected from high school students on Virginia's Eastern Shore, this thesis investigated whether or not self-esteem and perceived parental expectations play a role in the educational aspirations of rural high school students. Results demonstrated that self-esteem and perceived parental expectations are both positively related to students' educational aspirations. Caucasians and females were found to have higher educational aspirations than their counterparts. Results also indicated that the relationship between self-esteem, perceived parental expectations, and students' educational aspirations does not vary significantly across ethnicity or gender in this rural population. The information from this study, coupled with previous …

A Comparative Study Of Victimization Experiences And Family Dynamics Of Adolescent Sexual Offenders And Nonsexual Offending Delinquents, Alicia Ann Chavis

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research has directed little attention toward understanding and dealing with the adolescent sexual offender. In an effort to understand what makes adolescent sexual offenders different from other delinquents. I will examine the victimization experiences (sexual abuse and physical abuse) and the family dynamics (family violence, family incarceration and family structure) of both adolescent sexual offenders and nonsexual offenders. The research question is: what factors contribute to each group of delinquency the most? Although all of the factors influence delinquency, victimization is expected to be the most influential. This study utilized data from The Survey of Youth in Custody, 1987; a …

The Adversarial And Mediation Processes An Exploration Of Outcomes In Child Custody Disputes, Cheryl Barakey

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts have seen increases in child custody disputes. This increase has caused many jurisdictions to seek alternatives to the traditional adversarial process. Mediation has attracted the most attention. Several jurisdictions such as Norfolk, Virginia, the one used in this study, now refer parents to mediation before the court will hear the case.

Unlike previous studies where divorce mediation was researched with child custody being one of the factors, this study examines the differences in the outcomes of the mediation and litigation processes used to solve only child custody disputes. The outcomes examined …