Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The U.S. Southern Mothers Perspective On Affection, Destiny M. Rose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study utilizes Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory and Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Intersectionality Theory to examine how ten mothers residing in what is identified as the U.S. Deep South (Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina) perceive affection shown to their children by adults outside of their nuclear family. Additionally, this study considers the influence social class plays in how parents in the Deep South navigate and negotiate social and cultural norms when it comes to affection displays shown to their children. Data was collected using thematic analysis to describe how parents in parts of the Deep South perceive affection shown …

Social Cognition, Impulsivity, And Emotion Regulation Factors In Aggressive Behavior Among Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder., Kelly E. Slaughter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit greater levels of aggressive behavior than their typically developing peers, often resulting in impairment in social and family functioning. Aggressive behavior is often differentiated into two functions: reactive, or “hot-blooded” and proactive, or “cold-blooded” aggression. Prior research has identified several factors contributing to aggressive behavior within a general population, including emotion dysregulation, negative urgency, social information processing (SIP), and parenting behaviors. A paucity of research has examined these factors within an ADHD population. Thus, the present study aimed to examine social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive factors associated with aggression among children with ADHD. Specifically, …

“A Lot Of Prayer, And Some Wine In-Between”: Applying The Relational Turbulence Model To The Stepparent-Biological Parent Marriage., Paul Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study utilizes the relational turbulence model (RTM) to illuminate stepparent experiences of relational uncertainty and partner interference within the context of the stepparent-biological parent marriage. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 6 stepparents revealed four primary themes pertaining to how stepparents experienced relational uncertainty: (a) enactment of parenting, (b) competing expectations, (c) shifts in attitude and behavior by spouse, and (d) differences between marriage partners. Interference from partners was experienced by stepparents in relation to the enactment of parenting and the maintaining of the marriage as an intimate relationship.

Understanding The Relationships Between Combat-Related Ptsd Symptoms And Drinking Motives On Military Parental Satisfaction, Melissa C. Hinely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As of 2017, over 1.3 million Americans are enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces (Department of Defense, 2017). Military personnel, particularly those exposed to combat, are significantly more likely to experience Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD; Xue et al., 2015). Furthermore, persons with PTSD are more likely to misuse alcohol, particularly when motivated to drink as a means to cope with negative emotions related to their PTSD symptoms (Simpson et al., 2014). Both PTSD and alcohol misuse have been found to contribute negatively to parental satisfaction and distress (Chesmore et al., 2018; McGraw et al., 2018). Veterans/service members who were parents …

Fear Of Missing Out, Social Media Abuse, And Parenting Styles, Kylie Richter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing rise in technology use, particularly engagement in social media, it is important for researchers to gain a better understanding of the usage patterns along with the antecedents and consequences of heavy social media usage. In addition to the rise in social media usage, a new anxiety driven phenomenon is storming the research world, FoMO (Fear of Missing Out). To date, there has been little empirical research on the relationship between social media usage and psychological adjustment. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between FoMO, social media abuse, and parenting styles. It is theorized that because FoMO …

Emotion Socialization And Families Of Children With And Without Adhd., Danielle M. Walerius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emotional competence (EC) represents several distinct emotional skills found to be strongly associated with children’s socioemotional outcomes. EC is thought to develop through a process known as emotion socialization (ES), whereby children’s emotions and emotion-based behaviors are socialized through interactions with parents and/or other primary figures. The present study examined ES across families of children with and without ADHD in order to clarify the role ES plays in the development of EC in typically developing (TD) children versus children more prone to EC impairments due to intrapersonal characteristics (e.g., inattention, disinhibition, etc.). Forty-eight children 5 to 8-years-old (23 with ADHD, …

The Roles Of Anxious Rearing, Negative Affect, And Effortful Control In A Model Of Risk For Child Perfectionism., Nicholas William Affrunti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our understanding of perfectionism and its developmental trajectory and impact on children has experienced a recent growth. Research has shown that child perfectionism is associated with a number of negative outcomes including anxiety and depressive disorders, hopelessness, poor psychosocial treatment outcomes, and researchers have not found it to be associated with actual achievement. As such, research has begun to examine the developmental risk factors that predict for its development. The current study proposes utilizing a developmental psychopathology approach, one that purports a complex interaction among internal, external, risk and protective processes in the developmental of perfectionism. Specifically, the study examined …

Mechanisms Responsible For The Development Of Causal Perception In Infancy., Nicholas A. Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current dissertation was to investigate the mechanisms that contribute to the emergence of causal perception in infancy. Previous research suggests that the experience of self-produced causal action may be necessary to promote the development of causal perception (Rakison & Krogh, 2012). The goal of the current study was two-fold: (1) to further explore the roles of self-produced action, haptic, proprioceptive and visual information, and parental interaction on young infants’ understanding of causality. To assess the impact of these factors on infants’ causal learning, 4½-month-olds were randomly assigned to one four conditions. Three of the conditions (Active …

Parenting Under Stress: Examining The Protective Role Of Parenting Self-Efficacy In A High-Risk Environment, Lindsy Jean Magee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that risk factors such as poverty, neighborhoods that are lacking in resources and high in danger, and experiences with racism can compromise a parent’s ability to engage in parenting behavior that results in the most favorable child outcomes. It has also demonstrated that African American mothers are much more likely to face these risk factors. While research has demonstrated the protective effect of parenting self-efficacy against poverty’s influence on parenting behaviors, it has not examined whether or not parenting self-efficacy serves as a buffer against other risk factors. As such, it is the purpose of this study …

Is Your Parenting Style Hindering Your Child’S Chances At Succeeding In Their Post-Seconday Education? A Pilot Study Of Parent Gender And Parenting Style Effects On College Student Adjustment, Natya Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted on parent gender and parenting style effects on college student adjustment. Literature suggest that an authoritative parenting style is most optimal for adolescent outcomes contributing to adjustment in the following ways: social, attachment, personal emotional and academic. The current study utilized a convenience sample of 52 participants that examined the associations of parent gender and perceive parenting styles on college student adjustment. Significant relations were found among the differences between maternal and paternal permissive parenting on overall student adjustment.

Differences In The Impact Of A Healthy Relationship Intervention On Family Cohesion, Parent-Child Relationship And Child Well-Being By Intimate Partner Violence Relationship Type., Erin E. Ness Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) between the parents of children living at home has shown to have a profound effect on learning outcomes, developmental milestones, pediatric development, future mental health and overall physical safety and wellbeing (Anda, Block & Felitti, 2003). Although much research has been done on outcomes of child-witnesses and parenting in IPV relationships, some evidence suggests (Kernsmith, 2006) that the role of family dynamics among parents, as part of the IPV dynamic, is a critical variable. Other researchers (Johnson, 1995; Graham-Kevan & Archer, 2003) have theorized that violence with a high degree of controlling behaviors, often called Coercive …

Differential Parenting And Parents' Perceptions Of Their Children: Can Attachment Help Explain This Relationship?, Meagan Mcswiggan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that the differential experiences of children in the same family were often greater than those of children across different families. Although studies identified potential moderators (e.g., age, gender) associated with differential parenting, there has been less investigation of mediators. The current study examined attachment as a mediator in the relationship between differential parenting and parents' perceptions of their children. As part of this study, 132 culturally diverse mothers with children who ranged in age from 2- to 10-years rated how differently they treat their own children, their children's attachment, their parenting characteristics, and their children's functioning (i.e., …

The Interspecies Family: Attitudes And Narratives, Nicole Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Families are conceptualized and accomplished in increasingly diverse ways in the 21st century. A constructionist framework was utilized to examine a widespread contemporary family form, the interspecies family. This mixed-method approach relied on both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data. First, survey data from the 2006 Constructing the Family Survey were analyzed to understand who in America counts pets as family. Many social demographics were associated and predicted counting pets as family but gender was one of the strongest associations. However, marital status moderated the relationship between gender and counting pets as family at a statically significant level. Men …

Single Mothers And Religiosity, Natalie J. Sheets

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines single mothers compared to coupled mothers and the differences in their public and private practices of religiosity. Data come from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. The study explores the influence of marital status between single and coupled mothers by using regression models to control for income, age, education, and race. Findings suggest that, while there are differences in single and coupled mothers in both their public and private practices of religiosity, the cause of these differences is being driven by other social factors rather than marital status alone. Income, …

Parenting Influences On Depression: A Moderated Mediated Model, Caroline W. Oppenheimer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the developmental processes through which parenting factors may influence clinical depression among youth. This study investigated whether parenting influences the onset of clinical depression through the mediating mechanism of negative attributional style, particularly under conditions of high stress, in a community sample of children and adolescents (N = 289). Results supported a moderated mediation model in which low levels of observed parent positive regard and sensitivity to distress during a youth stressor task were indirectly associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing an episode of depression over an 18 month period, through the mediating influence …

Is Experiential Avoidance A Factor In Maternal Overprotection?, Melissa Nieves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined experiential avoidance (EA) as an explanation for parental overprotectiveness, a behavior often found among parents of anxious children. EA parenting theory posits that parents engage in overprotective behaviors in order to reduce their own anxiety. In order to test the theory, mothers’ electrodermal activity (EDA) and blindly-coded overprotective behaviors were examined when a child with SAD was engaged in a reading performance task. In line with EA theory, it was hypothesized that EDA levels would increase before an overprotective behavior (OB) occurred and decrease afterwards as a result of decrease in anxiety. The sample consisted of …

Predictors Of Parental Discipline In Families Raising Youth With Hearing And Communication Disorders, Jenny Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with disabilities are at high risk for several forms of maltreatment, including abuse and neglect (Ammerman, Hersen, Van Hasselt, Lubetsky, & Sieck, 1994; Sullivan & Knutson, 1998b), and children with hearing and communication disorders comprise a substantial portion of children at risk (e.g., Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). For example, some literature investigating the parenting practices of parents raising children and adolescents with hearing and communication disorders suggests that these parents have a tendency to use physically harsh discipline practices (Knutson, Johnson, & Sullivan, 2004; Sullivan & Knutson, 1998b). Further, high prevalence rates of emotional and behavioral problems are documented …

A Multivariate Model Of Parent-Adolescent Relationship Variables In Early Adolescence, Cliff Mckinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine a multivariate model of parent-adolescent relationship variables, including parenting, family environment, expectations and conflict. These variables are examined simultaneously to investigate their relationships with adolescent adjustment in early adolescence. The sample for the current study consists of 710 culturally diverse participants who range in age from 11- to 14-years and who attend a middle school in a Southeastern state. Of these participants, 487 have a mother and father who participated in this study as well. Correlation analyses indicate that parental warmth and overprotection, family cohesion and adaptability, developmental expectations, and conflict are …

Parenting, Home Environment, And Child Obesity: A Survey Of Parents And Children Attending A Pediatric Clinic., Amit Ravindra Bodhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data were collected from 60 parents of children 5-11 years of age to describe the parental and family factors and explore the associations of these factors with children's Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles. Mother's made up 81.7% of the sample. Whites/Caucasians comprised 88.3% of the sample. Males comprised 51.6% of the child participants while females comprised 48.3%. Among the child participants, 38.3% had BMI equal to or greater than the 95th percentile, and 6.7% had BMI 85th to less than 95th percentile. Concerns about child weight (r_s = 0.582), pressure to eat (r_s = -0.433), and monitoring (r …

Predicting Anxiety From Parent And Childhood Variables, Brian Fisak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The high prevalence rate, significant distress and impairment, and persistence of childhood anxiety disorders highlight the need for continued theoretical conceptualization and research into the developmental pathways associated these disorders. In response to this need, one goal this project was to examination and identify variables associated with the development and/or maintenance of child anxiety disorders. A second goal of this project was to examine the potential role of learning from parents as a risk factor in the development of child anxiety, with a particular emphasis on three learning mechanisms: modeling, information transfer, and reinforcement of anxious behaviors. The third goal …

Does Culture Matter? : Exploring The Relationships Among Parenting A Child With Disabilities, Cultural Identification, And Stress In A Group Of European American And Immigrant Latino Families, Ximena P. Suarez-Sousa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this correlational exploratory study was to delve into the experience of raising a child with disabilities by investigating the parents' level of stress and the role played by culture, acculturation, and various demographic variables suggested by the literature to influence stress were included. A purposive sample composed of 38 primarily undocumented immigrant Latino parents and 32 European American parents of children with disabilities was recruited from community agencies in a Midwest state. The most frequent disabilities were orthopedic impairments, pervasive developmental disorders, and mental retardation.

Data were collected with the Parent Survey, comprised of the Questionnaire on …

Parental Attributions And Discipline Of Child Behavior, Arazais Oliveros

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extant empirical evidence suggests that multiple risk and protective factors implicated in children's development of behavior problems are intertwined. This study, therefore, investigated the relationships among parental depression and anger, attributions of control, discipline, parent-child relationship variables, and children's behavior problems. Results were based on the responses of parents (55 mothers and 13 fathers) with children in Head Start and parents (52 mothers and 4 fathers) with children in Private School settings. All parents had children who ranged in age from 3- to 8-years. Compared to Private School parents, Head Start parents had lower levels of nonviolent discipline, involvement, and …

When Parents Come Out As Parents Of Gay And Lesbian Children: A Transformation Of The Self., Crissy E. Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how and why parents of gay and lesbian children come to join a support and advocacy group when same-sex attraction and sexuality are still considered deviant and immoral by the majority of society. Based on participant observation of and interviews with parents in two separate support and advocacy groups this study examines how parents come to define themselves in terms of the issues they are fighting for, in this case gay and lesbian acceptance, inclusion, and equality. This research also examines how parents formulate new religious convictions to satisfy their new parental role as supporter and advocate …