Child Psychology Commons^™

Early Diagnosis Methods For Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Megan Denise Mccarthy

Doctoral Dissertations

Objective: This systematic review aimed to comprehensively synthesize existing literature on early detection methods for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children birth to 3 years, that lead to an effective and reliable early diagnosis in children 2 to 3 years of age.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO following PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting on early detection methods for ASD in infants and toddlers within ages 0 to 3 years that lead to early diagnosis of children ages 2 to 3 years were eligible for inclusion. Data extraction and quality assessment were …

The Classroom Password Group Contingency With Randomized Reinforcers, Emily Maxime

Master's Theses

From the principles of reinforcement and punishment established by operant conditioning, there have been a variety of different behavior modification methods explored. Group contingencies are one of these behavior modification procedures that can be applied at a class-wide level by teachers who are seeking to improve student behavior as a group or individually. The three types of group contingencies are independent, interdependent, and dependent group contingency. Additional components, such as randomization within a group contingency, have been seen to further the effectiveness of behavioral strategies. A novel independent group contingency that has recently been investigated and demonstrated some promise as …

A 21 Year Meta Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Trauma-Sensitive Schools Initiatives, Megan Ann Blanton

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

Childhood exposure to adversity is prevalent, with most individuals in the United States having experienced at least one adverse event in childhood (Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2019; Merrick et al., 2018). Low dosages of childhood adversity experienced within the context of a safe and caring home environment can promote the development of healthy coping skills that prepare children for future adversity. However, childhood adversity that is intense, chronic, or complex can result in a toxic stress response that leads to the development of mental illness, physical health concerns, cognitive deficits, academic performance deficits, and in severe cases, premature …

The Effect Of Parent-Child Relationships On Healthcare Utilization Among Children With Chronic Medical Health Concerns, Karina Guerra-Guzman

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with chronic health complaints are more likely to utilize healthcare services for their child, and are prone to experiencing increased stress and anxiety related to their child’s compromised health status. As these parents navigate managing their child’s health and integrating parenting behaviors, they are dealt with unique stressors that are likely to impact their parenting styles, anxiety, and use of healthcare services. However, most studies that have examined HCU in the context of parent-child relationships have neglected children with chronic health concerns (CHCs). This study examined the relationship between parenting styles across parents of children with a …

Not All Numbers Were Created Equal: Evidence The Number One Is Unique, Jenna L. Croteau

Masters Theses

Universally across modern cultures children acquire the meaning of the words one, two, and three in order. While much research has focused on how children acquire this knowledge and what this knowledge represents, the question of why children learn numbers in order has been comparatively neglected. To address this question, a non-verbal anticipatory looking task was implemented. In this task, 35 14- to 23-month-old infants were assessed on their ability to form implicit category structures for the numbers one, two, and three. We hypothesized that children would be able to form the implicit category structure for the number one …

Safest Kid (A Sexual Assault Framework In Education To Support Trauma In Kids With Intellectual Disability): Delphi Study Development Of A Model And Utilization, Ashley M. Hudson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a grave need for additions to the school psychologist’s toolbox to support students with intellectual disability (ID) and sexual trauma. These children are especially vulnerable to adverse life experiences overall and are at a particularly high risk of experiencing sexual abuse and resulting trauma. Children with ID are less likely to have their trauma symptoms identified by those around them, as symptoms do not always present in the same way as their neurotypical peers and trauma symptoms are more likely to be grouped into the rest of their disability through diagnostic overshadowing. Additionally, individuals with ID are at …

Gender And Sociodemographic Discrepancies In Adhd Symptom Endorsement, Tabish Gul

Theses

Historically, the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been found to be higher in men than women. However, recent work suggests that part of this discrepancy might be because ADHD may manifest in women in less disruptive ways and therefore be underdiagnosed. This issue is compounded by the fact that some ADHD traits may seem more “normative” at certain ages. To further understand potential biases in parent perception of ADHD symptoms, this study examines parent endorsement of the 18 DSM-5 criteria for ADHD cross-sectionally in a non-clinical sample of children from 3.3 to 6 years of age. It …

Disordered Eating Behaviours In Adolescents With And Without A Formal Ed Diagnosis: Comparing Individual And Contextual Factors, Eve G. Chapnik

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explored various psychosocial factors associated with disordered eating in adolescents accessing mental health services across Ontario, Canada. Data were collected using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) assessment tool and participants were categorized into three groups: individuals with diagnosed eating disorders (ED, n=207), disordered eating without a formal ED diagnosis (sub-ED, n=888), and other treatment-seeking youth (non-ED, n=3285). The ED and sub-ED groups did not differ in many ways, presenting with a similarly greater prevalence of mental health issues, and dysfunctional family and peer relationships, in comparison to non-ED youth. However, the ED …

Identifying Challenges And Resiliency Of Adolescents Living With Parents Misusing Substances: A Mixed Methods Study, Alison Palmer

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study aimed to identify challenges, resiliency factors, and needs of adolescents living with parents misusing substances. Seven first-year students at James Madison University in PSYC 101 and PSYC 160 classes signed up to participant in this study to receive course credit. While supervised by a mental health provider, participants individually completed a Modified CAST-6 screener as well as a locally developed survey. A nonexperimental mixed-methods study was conducted including the convergent collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed through Braun and Clarke’s (2006) model of thematic analysis. The …

Coaching In Differential Attention And Pride Skills During Child Directed Interactions For Siblings Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Ava Sardoni

Dissertations, 2020-current

Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) are an increasingly-common presentation that is often associated with significant behavioral and relational challenges. NDDs can impact multiple areas of functioning including social, academic, and adaptive functioning. As NDDs are developmental disorders in nature, they are often lifelong conditions that require intensive treatments and adaptations throughout the lifespan. One of the most important predictors of success and fulfillment for a child with an NDD is the support from the family system.

Siblings of a child with an NDD are often neglected from the conversation of supports and treatments for children with NDDs. However, challenging behaviors often associated …

Assessing School Psychologists’ Perspective Of Students Entering A School District From Juvenile Detention Facilities, Emily Wuenschell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents who are involved with the juvenile justice system encounter setbacks, stigma, and other increased risk factors that negatively impact their future life outcomes. Schools, and in turn school psychologists, are in the unique position of being able to provide effective services for these adolescents. Previous research has identified many practices that schools can implement to improve the academic, social, and vocational prospects of adolescents entering their districts from a juvenile justice placement. This study sought to understand the role of school psychologists in this transition by assessing their recommendations for and opinions of students involved with juvenile justice. Results …

For The Love Of Teaching: Pre-Service Teachers’ Experience Of Moral Education, Anne Marie Foley Ruiz

Doctoral Dissertations

Moral aspects of teaching arise each and every day, yet we lack information about how prepared teachers feel about this critical aspect of teaching. This multi-case study explores perceptions of five pre-service teachers in an elementary teacher education program in Western Massachusetts. A series of interviews explore their histories prior to the program and their experiences in the program as related to the pre-service teachers’ orientations to the moral work of teaching. Research questions address the awareness and self-efficacy of student teachers in implementing the moral aspects of teaching. Using Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006), this study explores beliefs …

Behavioral Indicators Of Reflective Functioning In Mother-Child Dyadic Interactions, Rachel Clingensmith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Positive parenting practices and secure attachments are consistently linked to healthy child outcomes (Ainsworth & Bowlby, 1991; Waters et al., 2000). Research on cognitive processes that scaffold parental behaviors which contribute to secure attachment is an essential contribution to the literature, particularly given the potential for early intervention with at-risk families. Parental Reflective Functioning (PRF) is a construct of increasing interest which has been linked to secure attachments and positive child outcomes, with one commonly used self-report measure of PRF being the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Camoirano, 2017; Clingensmith, 2021; Luyten et al., 2017). As such, the purpose of …

Children’S Experiences Of Parental Death, “Lost But Still Remembered”, Nour Salem

Dissertations, 2020-current

Parental death is prevalent during childhood, and the emotional, social, and behavioral effects on children’s development are well-documented. Although there is extensive literature on grief in children, most studies on children’s grief have obtained data about children’s experiences though collateral interviews with parents or caregivers, from adults who lost a parent as a child, or through quantitative measures with children and caregivers. Few studies have implemented a qualitative exploration of parental death by asking bereaved children. The objective of the current study was to involve parentally bereaved children in responding to the research question, “what is it like to lose …

Promoting Equal Interactions In Early Childhood Settings, Daphne Snyder

Dissertations

In the United States, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students are more likely to face disciplinary action (e.g., exclusion, suspension, and expulsion from the classroom) for engaging in the same challenging behaviors as their white peers (Badger et al., 2018; Little & Tolbert, 2018; Noguera, 2003). Due to the discrepancy in disciplinary practices, students are at risk of continued negative interactions with their teachers (Decker et al., 2007; Wymer et al., 2020). One way to improve teacher interactions toward BIPOC students is through equity-focused performance feedback regarding praise and reprimand rates (Knochel et al., 2022). The purpose of …

Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety: A Parent Education Workshop, Clarissa Aglaén Gallardo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Anxiety has become one of the most common mental health disorders in young children, and it has been shown to have a significant impact on their development. Anxiety can make a child more susceptible to a number of negative effects, including a weakened immune system, developing “negative” habits such as nail biting, increased proneness to anger or crying, as well as difficulties in learning and retaining information. Conversely, when parents/caregivers can prevent or decrease anxiety in their children, children can better regulate their emotions, have more successful relationships, take more risks, and cope better with challenges. The purpose of this …

Comparing Effects Of Praise Rates On Classroom Behavior, Brittany Pigg

Master's Theses

High-quality academic instruction, and, in turn, student success, are correlated with effective classroom management (Gage, Scott, Hirn, & MacSuga-Gage, 2018; Johnson, 1997; Stronge, Ward, & Grant, 2011; Wang, Haertel, & Walberg, 1993). Students are spending up to 50% of their instructional time engaged in non-instructional activities such as classroom procedures, transitions, and discipline (Codding & Smyth, 2008). However, academic activities should account for at least 70% of classroom time (Little & Akin-Little, 2008). Praise, a simple classroom behavior management procedure, includes statements commending behavior and is intended to increase the future probability of the behavior that warranted praise. Behavior-specific praise …

A Review Of The Role Of Anxiety In Diagnosis Of Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Paradigm Shift In Conceptualization And Diagnosis, Evan Wahlquist

Dissertations

Early evidence of co-occurring anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) dates back to the first descriptions of ASD by Leo Kanner (1943) and Hans Asperger (Frith & Mira, 1992). While current research has identified anxiety disorders as one of the most prevalent co-occurring disorders in children and adolescents with ASD, little is known about the nature of the relationship between these disorders. In an effort to explain these high prevalence rates, recent research has started to investigate the relationship between these two disorders. To join these efforts, this clinical research project explored the role of …

Sports, Family, And Leadership In Youth: Impacts Of Family Environments And Sport Participation On Youth Leadership Development, Michael Stout

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study investigated the effects of family relationships/environment and sport participation on youth leadership development using the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) questionnaire. Responses from 9^th and 11^th graders were used, resulting in 81,885 total participants between the ages of 13 and 19 for this archival, cross-sectional study. This study had two aims: One, to investigate the relationship between family relationships/environment and sport participation, and their impact on youth leadership skills and development; and two, to investigate whether participation in youth sports provides enough scaffolding to foster the development of youth leadership skills despite poor family relationships/environments. Scales …

Professionals' Application Of Intersectionality With Marginalized Youth: Considerations For Teen Dating Violence Prevention Programming And Beyond, Bradley Kyle Daly

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Marginalized youth disproportionality experience adverse outcomes such as increased rates of mental health issues and teen dating violence. Addressing their compounding concerns requires an approach that considers their interlocking marginalized identities and the oppressive systems impacting them. Intersectionality incorporates both elements, yet the literature on how frontline practitioners understand and apply this complex theory within their practice remains sparse. This integrated-article dissertation explored how professionals working with marginalized youth within various settings, including teen dating violence prevention contexts, understood and applied intersectionality. The first paper (chapter two) used group concept mapping to explore how 12 professionals applied intersectionality. Results yielded …

Incorporating Poi As A Therapeutic Modality For Preschool Aged Children In The Care Clinic, Danielle Zirkle

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Autism, Comorbidities, And Adaptive Functioning: A Potential Moderator, Joshua J. Montrenes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deficits in adaptive functioning and the presence of comorbid symptomatology are both commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous research has identified relationships between functional level (e.g., intellectual quotient [IQ], adaptive functioning [AF]) and comorbid symptomatology in ASD. However, further insight into the relationship between AF, comorbid psychopathology, and ASD is unclear. Specifically, how AF affects the relationship between ASD and comorbid conditions is not well understood. Whether AF moderates the relationship between autism symptom severity and comorbid symptom severity in toddlers with ASD was examined. ASD symptom severity positively correlated with comorbid symptom severity across domains and negatively …

Mother’S Coping While Caring For A Child With Cancer And Its Relationship With Mother-Child Relationship, Alaa Nasr

Theses and Dissertations

Having a child with cancer is one of the most stressful situations families can experience. This study sheds light on mothers’ stress and coping with pediatric cancer in the Arab world, with a specific focus on Kuwait. The first aim of this study was to examine mothers’ stress and how it related to the quality of mother-child relationship, and subsequently the child’s behavioral problems. The second aim was to explore mothers’ main stressors, resources and services that help or could help with alleviating the stress experienced from having a child with cancer. A total of 102 mothers living in Kuwait …

Parental Psychological Maltreatment In Egypt: Exploring Intergenerational Parenting Behavior And Identifying Protective Factors, Sylvia Said

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological maltreatment is an under-recognized problem, even though it is a widespread form of child maltreatment and has detrimental consequences, whether in the short or long term. This study aims to explore the intergenerational patterns of parenting behaviors, measure the difference in emotionally abusive behaviors between mothers and fathers, investigate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and adopting different parenting styles, and identify the protective factors against parental psychological maltreatment. A mixed-methods approach was used to answer these research questions thoroughly. Online versions of the survey, in English and Arabic, were shared on social media platforms, and online interviews were …

Historical Trauma: Literary And Testimonial Responses To Hiroshima, Mariam Ghonim

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of trauma is controversial in literature. While one may be able to come up with ways to describe trauma in fiction, representing historical trauma is a hard task for writers. Some argue that trauma can not be described through those who did not experience it, while others claim that, provided some elements are added, one can represent trauma to the reader. This thesis focuses on twentieth-century historical traumas related to a nuclear catastrophe and explores the different literary and testimonial responses to the catastrophic man-made event of Hiroshima (1945). In this thesis, Kathleen Burkinshaw’s historical fiction The Last …

Identifying Cognitive Profiles In Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using Online Cognitive Testing, Abagail Hennessy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are characterized by diverse cognitive deficits. Early identification of cognitive deficits is fundamental to improving academic and emotional/behavioural outcomes in children. Creyos has pioneered online cognitive testing which assesses working memory, attention, reasoning and verbal abilities. We developed audiovisual instructions for the task battery and implemented them in an online sample of children ages 4-16 with ADHD (n = 83), ASD (n = 37), and typically developing children (TD) (n = 86), to determine whether unique cognitive profiles would emerge. Four tasks reflective of working memory, …

Child Sexual Assault Prevention And Intervention, Kira Peterson, Amaya Ibuna, Emily Valenzuela

Psychology and Child Development

In our paper, we discuss child sexual assault, its risk factors, short and long-term outcomes, as well as prevention and intervention programs that have been shown to be valuable. To limit research, our focus will be on children living in the United States who have been physically sexually assaulted. To spread awareness of child sexual abuse, we also developed a pamphlet (See Appendix) that will be distributed to CASAs, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. The development of the pamphlet is described in the combined Method and Results section. We conclude our project and paper with a Discussion section …

Utilizing Mixed Graphical Network Models To Explore Parent Psychological Symptoms And Their Centrality To Parent Mental Health In Households With High Child Screen Usage, Piper F. Stacey, Nicholas C. Jacobson, Damien Lekkas

Computer Science Senior Theses

Especially among adolescents, screens are being used more than ever. In conjunction with this trend, mental illness is increasingly prevalent among both adults and children, and parental psychological problems are shown to be associated with children's TV watching, video watching, and gaming (Pulkki-Råback et al., 2022). This study aims to approach parent mental illness symptom by symptom to explore which specific symptoms are most central to parent psychological problems in households where children show high screen time behaviors. We draw from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study®), a nationwide sample of 11,875 children aged 10-13 collected by …

An Analysis On The Florida Project, Capucine Rosier

University Honors Theses

The Florida Project is a contemporary movie filmed by independent director Sean Baker. This movie tackles different social and institutional issues across America, specifically the outdated welfare system and the rise of homelessness among young children. This paper is determined to analyze the different social and ethical concerns filmed throughout the movie and offer my interpretation of the film. Digging deeper into artistic pieces is essential as hidden messages are portrayed in every way. Censorship and display through art have been a form of individual expression since the beginning. This thesis will discuss how the filmmaker filmed and showcased the …

Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Literature Review, Savannah M. Demicoli

University Honors Theses

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously referred to as Multiple Personalities Disorder, has been historically misrepresented in the media and excluded from professional training. This literature review describes the information presented in various research studies to illustrate what DID is, the theoretical models that have been used in application to DID, the role of childhood trauma, as well as successful treatment methods and accessibility of resources. In understanding DID, it is necessary to look at the disorder’s prevalence, background, and major symptoms of amnesia and switching between personality states. The theoretical models that will be covered include the Sociocognitive/Fantasy Model and …