Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Validating A Scale Of Psychological Flexibility And Inflexibility For Older Adolescents, Caleb Douglas Farley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Psychological flexibility (PF) is a skill that is related to various mental health experiences in adults. Higher levels of PF seem related to greater wellbeing. Given increases in mental health problems with youth, measuring PF and its inverse, psychological inflexibility (PI), might be useful for identifying those teenagers at risk for mental health challenges and referring them to appropriate interventions. To date, most measures of PF and PI are only available for adults older than 18, and, while theory suggests PF and PI are important for adolescent mental health, little research has examined the validity of these claims. This multipaper …

Telehealth Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Adolescents With Transdiagnostic Health-Related Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Julie M. Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Health-related anxiety is a growing issue to understand how to treat, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Some studies show that a specific type of therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), may be beneficial for health anxiety in adults, but this has not yet been tested with adolescents. The present study is a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial of ACT delivered via Zoom for adolescents struggling with health-related anxiety. A total of 30 adolescents (ages 12-17), plus one caretaker each (N = 60), living in Utah and currently struggling with health-related anxiety were enrolled. The majority of caretakers and adolescents were White, non- …

A Single-Case Experimental Investigation Of Sketch And Speak Expository Intervention For Adolescents With Language-Related Learning Disabilities Via Telepractice, Amy K. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the effects of Sketch and Speak expository language intervention for adolescent students with language-related learning disabilities (LLD). Students with LLD have trouble understanding and using academic language for reading and writing and often benefit from explicit instruction in these areas. Sketch and Speak is an expository language intervention that teaches students to take notes in two forms and to systematically use oral practice to facilitate understanding and memory of notes. First, students learn to take notes using simple sketch writing, or pictography, which allows them to focus on the ideas of the text rather than the spelling, …

School-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Adolescents With Anxiety, Julie M. Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mental health problems, particularly anxiety, are a growing problem in adolescents. Some treatments (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) have been shown effective for youth anxiety, but do not help all adolescents. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a treatment supported for anxiety in adults, has yet to be fully researched in adolescents. ACT is a flexible therapy that is understood to be appropriate, if not ideal, for younger populations and schools. The present study compares a school-based, group ACT for adolescents with anxiety to a waitlist.

Adolescents (N = 26) with anxiety were randomized to a 12 week waitlist or to participate …

Moderating Effects Of School Ethnic Composition On The Associations Between Cultural Variables And Academic Outcomes Among Latinx Youth, Juan Estrada

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cultural factors such as acculturative stress, discrimination and ethnic identity have been shown to relate to Latinx students’ academic outcomes, with the first two being risk factors, while the last one primarily plays a protective role. Factors that modify or change these relationships have been studied by both psychological and educational researchers, in efforts to inform interventions. One area of interest is school ethnic contexts, specifically school ethnic representation (number of same-ethnic peers) and school ethnic diversity (proportion of different ethnic groups in student body). This study investigated whether these two school ethnic variables changed or influenced the relationship between …

Associations Between Adolescent And Parent Media Connection And Perceptions Of Emotional Climate In The Home, Laura A. Woodland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An overwhelming increase in technology and media use this past decade has been found to affect family relationships in various ways. Devices such as cell phones, tablets, and computers, have been found to both be the means of bringing family members closer together by communicating from a distance, while also disrupting and straining family connection, in particular the adolescent to parent relationship. Data from the Flourishing Families Project was used to analyze the varying perceptions of adolescent and parents regarding technology communication with one another and their personal perception of the emotional climate in the home. Results from this study …

Using Social Network Analysis To Examine The Intersection Of Adolescent Friendships And Health Behavior, Emily Long

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescence marks a vulnerable developmental period for health behavior, and research demonstrates that social context and interpersonal relationships impact the health behavior choices of adolescents. In addition, theories of adolescent development suggest a bidirectional relationship between environmental factors, including social relationships, and health. Friendships are one of the most salient relationships during adolescence, and new methods from the field of social network analysis allow researchers to explicitly examine the mechanisms through which friends influence health behavior, and simultaneously, how health and health behavior impacts the formation of friendships. Importantly, social network methods (e.g., stochastic actor-based models, exponential random graph models) …

Assessment Of The Impact Of The Premarital Interpersonal Choices And Knowledge (Pick) Program On Adolescents, Raquel R. Boehme

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to determine if the information from the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk/ette helped positively change adolescents’ attitudes about relationships. The program was taught to 9,130 high school students (ages 14 -18) from 35 different high schools in a Western state.

Surveys were given at the beginning of the first class (pretest) and at the end of the final class (posttest). In addition to demographic information, students rated (1) their attitudes about what it takes to get to know a potential partner, (2) their belief that love alone …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents, Michelle R. Woidneck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of exposure to traumatic events among youth in the United States is alarmingly high. Trauma exposure has been linked to numerous negative outcomes, including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problematic posttraumatic stress symptomology. Effective trauma-focused treatments for children and adolescents have been identified; however, these treatments also possess various limitations, including a substantial number of individuals who do not respond, show minimal responsiveness, or drop out before completing treatment. Such limitations indicate that investigation into alternative treatment modalities is warranted.

In collaboration with Utah State University (USU), a psychology professor, Dr. Michael Twohig, and a …

Characteristics Of 4-H Participants And Their Psychosocial Development, Lauralee Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volunteerism is an important component in the 4-H program. It was initially used as a method to help agents reach the many youth interested in participating in 4-H. Community service has since become a required component for every club project. Research shows that volunteering can impact youth in many different ways. Other research shows that 4-H youth are more likely to contribute or do some type of community service.

The present study uses the Modified Extended Version of the Object Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS), the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation (CASE) inventory, and an instrument specifically designed to study …

Problem Solving Communication And Interpersonal Power Among Latino Adolescent Couples, Annel Cordero

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Few studies exist that examine Latino romantic relationships; even fewer assess interpersonal power among romantically involved Latino adolescent couples. This observational study investigated interaction, negotiation of power, and communication styles of Latino adolescents in current romantic relationships. Twenty-nine participating couples (ages 14-21) were recruited from a small Rocky Mountain community; all identified as being of Latino decent. Couples were digitally videotaped during problem solving conversations and completed a video recall procedure administered directly following the recording. The Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) was completed by all couple members as a measure of their overall relationship quality. In addition to this, …

Patterns Of Psychosocial Functioning And Mental Health Service Utilization In Children And Adolescents With Chronic Health Conditions Or Physical Disabilities, Sara M. Hunt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to further understand the psychosocial functioning of youth with chronic health conditions or physical disabilities, their need for and use of mental health services, and possible barriers to receiving needed services. Previous research has suggested these youth experience poorer psychosocial functioning compared to peers without special health care needs, and they also underutilize needed mental health services. A mixed-methods design was implemented consisting of a quantitative parent survey and a qualitative semistructured interview with young adults with special health care needs.

Children demonstrating poorer psychosocial adjustment in this study experienced more problems related to social functioning …

Longitudinal And Reciprocal Effects Of Ethnic Identity And Experiences Of Discrimination On Psychosocial Adjustment Of Navajo (Diné) Adolescents, Matthew D. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationships among ethnic identity, cultural identity, experiences of discrimination, their interactions, and their effects on various psychosocial outcomes (self-esteem, depression, sense of school membership, social functioning, substance abuse, substance related problems, delinquent behaviors, and grade point average [GPA]). Data were collected twice over a 2-year period.

Change across time was observed in male adolescents' experiences of discrimination. Affirmation and belonging to Navajo culture was the strongest protective predictor at Time 1, but at Time 2 less consistent patterns of association emerged. Also at Time 2, experiences of discrimination emerged as a powerful negative predictor of psychosocial …

An Examination Of The Structure Of Affect In A Sample Of Inpatient Adolescents, Marietta A. Veeder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Multiple studies investigating the validity of the tripartite model of affect in youth have been supportive of the model; however, few studies have examined the model in narrow age bands or large clinical samples. The current study examined the structure of affect in a sample of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine two-factor (negative affectivity [NA] and positive affectivity [PA]) and three-factor models (NA, PA, and physiological hyperarousal [PH]) with item level data from the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and from the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI), RADS, …

Predictors Of Recidivism In An Adolescent Substance Abusing Population, Christine Pacetti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many adolescents with substance use disorders have ongoing problems with abuse and/or dependence throughout their lives. Little research has been conducted examining the differences among adolescents who do and do not continue to have difficulties. This study compared adolescents who recidivate versus those who do not recidivate after receiving treatment for substance abuse. Adolescents were compared on four categories of variables: (a) demographic variables, (c) delinquency /substance use history, (c) social/educational support, and (d) treatment history. It was found that the most powerful predictors of recidivism within these categories were criminal history severity, age at intake, and treatment completion. The …

Towards A More Comprehensive View Of The Use Of Power Between Couple Members In Adolescent Romantic Relationships, Charles George Bentley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the construct of power in adolescent romantic couples using multiple measures. The project examined gender differences in power, created models of powerlessness for each gender, and examined relations between power and aggression and relationship quality. Participants were 90 heterosexual couples, aged 14-18 years old, living in rural areas in Utah and Arizona. Couple members completed surveys assessing attitudes and behaviors in their relationships and a video-recall procedure in which partners rated their own and their partner's behaviors during problem solving discussion.

Few gender differences emerged in reports of perpetration of aggression, but boyfriends reported higher levels of …

Therapeutic Processes In A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Depressed Adolescents With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Meredith Brent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have higher rates of depression than healthy youth. A cognitive-behavioral treatment, primary and secondary control enhancement training-physical illness (PASCET-PI), for depressed adolescents with IBD was associated with reductions in depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the salience of nonspecific processes (factors inherent in any human relationship) and specific processes (factors related to therapy content) during PASCET-PI sessions and their association with improvements in psychological functioning.

Participants included 10 adolescent patients with IBD with mean illness duration of 31.9 months. At intake, eight participants qualified for a diagnosis of major depressive …

Identity Development, Identity Disclosure, And Identity Exploration Among Adolescent Sexual Minorities, Jenna A. Glover

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the utility of applying the social constructionist perspective to adolescent sexual minority identity development, disclosure, and identity explorations. Differences between middle and late adolescents and male and females were examined. No differences were found between middle and late adolescents on measures of identity development and identity exploration; however, differences in identity disclosure were found regarding history of accidental discovery of sexual orientation. Biological sex differences were found for identity development, disclosure, and exploration. Relationships between same- and opposite-sex attractions, behaviors, romantic experiences, and self-labels are presented. Trends in intentional disclosure patterns and unintentional discovery identify predicted reaction …

Losing Face: Why More Media Literacy Education Is Needed In Utah's Public School Curriculum, Natalie Andrews, Brooke Nelson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Health programs in Utah's curriculum focus mainly on the after effects of media's influence--eating disorders, low self-esteem and other destructive teenage behavior--and no one puts the correct amount of blame on television or the advertisements that promote buying to be beautiful. However, studies have found a strong correlation in teens between media consumption and negative behaviors. Teens are, after all, a main target for over $30 million ad dollars every year. Utah has curriculum in place for media literacy, but it is scattered throughout multiple subjects and is never rightly treated as its own. Because of this, we propose protecting …

Effects Of Gender And Ethnicity On Adolescent Experiences In Same-Race And Interracial Romantic Relationships, Angela Marie Enno

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In recent years, the field of psychology has seen considerable growth in the body of literature on adolescent romantic relationships (e.g., Florsheim, 2003; Furman, Brown, & Feiring, 1999). As this trend continues, the need for a more thorough understanding of the processes that underlie normal relationship development becomes increasingly apparent; particularly in the case of adolescent members of ethnic minority groups, for whom literature on normal development is sparse. The present study sought to gain insight into some of the forces that shape adolescents' experiences of romantic relationships: namely, race/ethnicity and gender. We hypothesized that, like their adult counterparts, adolescent …

A Review Of School-Based Interventions For Children And Adolescents Who Suffer From Depressive Symptoms, Sherry L. Hlavaty

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper provides a brief review of childhood and adolescent depressive disorders and the importance of treating such symptoms within a school setting. The purpose of this paper was to examine published studies that were conducted in schools and were designed to treat symptoms of depression in children and adolescents. Active treatments utilized in this review were shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression. Most active treatment conditions involved intervention components that are commonly used in conjunction with typical cognitive-behavioral therapies . Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of specific programs and program components. Implications of …

Test Of A Psychosocial Strain Model Of Delinquency For Mexican American Youth, Jose De Jesus Rodriguez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study were twofold: (1) to compare rates of delinquency between Mexican American and European American adolescents, and (2) to test the application of a model of delinquency designed to be especially relevant to Mexican American adolescents. The study is one of the first attempts to advance knowledge about delinquency among Mexican American adolescents through the development and test of a comprehensive model of delinquency. The model constructed as part of this study—labeled the psychosocial strain model—was unique in that it integrated variables from different theoretical perspectives and its construction was guided by knowledge of cultural and …

Internalizing Symptoms In A Sample Of Native American Adolescents, Georgia Lee Matt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Internalizing disorders can have negative effects ranging from diminished self-esteem to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Native American children and adolescents often face pressures that put them at increased risk for the development of internalizing disorders, yet research within this population is almost nonexistent.

Given the serious implications of and the lack of research on internalizing disorders among this minority group, the present study was designed to provide information on the rate of internalizing symptoms in a sample of Native American adolescents, and provide normative data utilizing this sample for the Internalizing Symptoms Scale for Adolescents. Data were collected using the …

A Review Of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Interventions Used With School-Aged Children And Adolescents, Christopher Laypath

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) techniques have been used since the early

twentieth century as a means of inducing relaxation and decreasing muscle tension.

However, only in the last twenty five years have systematic studies of these techniques to

treat children and adolescents appeared with any regularity in the research literature.

The last major review of the literature was published in 1989. The purpose of this

paper was to examine studies published since the last review of the literature. A special

emphasis was placed on studies set in schools or that were relevant to mental health

professionals in those settings. The …

The Effects Of Parental Modeling On The Health-Related Behaviors Of American Indian Adolescents: A Culturally Specific Investigation Of Social Learning Theory, Amy Jo Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Health-compromising behavior is a leading cause of death among American Indian (Al) adolescents. Examples of these behaviors include: smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and lack of seatbelt use. Theories that predict which Al youth are most at risk for executing these behaviors are needed.

Social learning theory (SL T) has shown adolescents' behaviors are sometimes highly correlated with their parents' behaviors across different ethnic groups. However, there has been little previous research done with Als.

The present study attempted to determine if SLT was applicable to Al adolescents and their parents with regard to four health-related behaviors: cigarette smoking, alcohol …

Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescents: Assessment And Relationship To Self-Concept, Sue Ann Dowd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Internalizing disorders cause serious psychological problems for many adolescents. The effects can be both debilitating and long lasting. However, assessment of internalizing disorders has been plagued by limited measurement strategies. Historically, individual measures were developed to assess the narrow-band symptoms that are subsumed under the broad construct of internalizing disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and social withdrawal). Recently, the Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents has been created. The Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents is a short screening measure that includes newer models of affect such as the tripartite model of affect. Additionally, there has been limited research on the …

The Nonuse Of Figurative Language In Conduct Disordered Adolescents, Mike Berger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between the literal language and conduct problems among conduct disordered adolescents was examined in 109 subjects. The inability to use figurative language was found to be positively related to ratings of conduct problems. Both the parents' discipline style and nonuse of figurative language were related to conduct problems in conduct disordered adolescents. The possible role of other variables, for example, age, sex, and IQ, was examined. Possible mechanisms that could relate the lack of figurative competence and conduct problems were explored.

A Comparative Analysis Of Seven Published Self-Report Measures For Assessing Internalizing-Type Symptoms In Children And Adolescents, Kathryn E. Anderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The broad domain of internalizing disorders encompasses a variety of symptoms that are specific to child and adolescent populations and generalizable to adult populations. Internalizing disorders, commonly referred to as " emotional problems," include such problems as depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, somatic complaints, and low self-esteem. The other side of this classification dichotomy is that of externalizing disorders (e.g., conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), which involve overt behaviors considered as "undercontrolled". In contrast, internalizing problems involve behaviors that possess an "overcontrolled" quality. Such a covert nature leads to difficulty in identification and diagnosis, as they often go unnoticed by the …

An Investigation Of The Psychometric Properties And Factor Structure Of The Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Rating Scale For Children And Adolescents, Melissa Lea Holland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequent problems for which children are referred to mental health clinics in the United States, affecting approximately 3-5% of the childhood population. Although adequate assessment and identification of this disorder is imperative, most of the currently existing rating scales available to assess for ADHD in the childhood population are inadequate. The present research study involved the investigation of the factor structure and psychometric properties of a new behavior rating scale, the ADHD Symptoms Rating Scale (ADHD-SRS), developed for the assessment of ADHD in the school-age (K-12) population.

The participants in this …

Adolescents' Recollection Of Early Physical Contact: Implications For Attachment And Intimacy, Mark D. Oleson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three hundred seventy-six college students responded to a measure designed to examine retrospective accounts of the physical affection received during early childhood. The study looked exclusively from the perspective of the adolescent. Assessing the importance of touch in human development, and the role it plays in adult attachment and the ability to form and maintain close and intimate relations with others was the purpose of the study.

Six separate measures were used to assess the role of touch in adolescent development: three items from Gupta and Schork to assess physical affection (touch); Simpson's attachment style measure; Gerlsma, Arrindell, Van der …