Child Psychology Commons^™

Cross-Informant Agreement Among Parents And Children, Staci S. Mullins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Rating scales are often used by school psychologists to assess for emotional and behavioral disorders in students. While one advantage of rating scales is that data can be collected and assessed from multiple informants, research has shown that agreement between multiple informants is usually low to moderate, with the lowest being between parents and youth. The Conners Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) is a new multi- dimensional rating scale claiming to have moderate parent/youth agreement. The purpose of this study was to analyze the cross-informant agreement between youth and parents using the Conners CBRS and then compare the correlations from …

Family Involvement For Children With Disruptive Behaviors: The Role Of Parenting Stress And Motivational Beliefs, Carrie A. Semke, S. Andrew Garbacz, Kyongboon Kwon, Susan M. Sheridan, Kathryn Woods

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Children with disruptive behaviors are at risk for adverse outcomes. Family involvement is a significant predictor of positive child behavior outcomes; however, little research has investigated parent psychological variables that influence family involvement for children with disruptive behaviors. This study investigated the role of parental motivational beliefs (i.e., role construction and efficacy) as a potential mechanism by which parenting stress impacts family involvement for families of children with disruptive behaviors. Results indicated that parent role construction mediated the relation between parenting stress and all aspects of family involvement examined (i.e., home-based involvement, school-based involvement, and home–school communication). Parent efficacy mediated …

Parenting Self-Efficacy And Parenting Practices Over Time In Mexican American Families, Larry E. Dumka, Nancy A. Gonzales, Lorey A. Wheeler, Roger E. Millsap

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study used a longitudinal cross-lagged panel design and a structural equation modeling approach to evaluate parenting self-efficacy's reciprocal and causal associations with parents' positive control practices over time to predict adolescents' conduct problems. Data were obtained from teachers, mothers, and adolescents in 189 Mexican American families living in the southwest U.S. After accounting for contemporaneous reciprocal relationships between parenting self-efficacy (PSE) and positive control, results indicated that parenting self-efficacy predicted future positive control practices rather than the reverse. PSE also showed direct effects on decreased adolescent conduct problems. PSE functioned in an antecedent causal …

Overview Of The Nature And Extent Of Child Sexual Abuse In Europe, Kevin Lalor, Rosaleen Mcelvaney

Books/Book chapters

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Race And Suicide Ideation In Delinquent Females In The Texas Juvenile Justice System, Scott H. Belshaw, John Rodriquez

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002) reported that suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 to 25 in the United States. This research examined the effect race has on suicidal ideation among a cohort of delinquent girls in Texas. This study examined 2004 data provided by the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission on referrals to the juvenile justice system in Texas (N = 6850). Other variables such as age, family structure, and sexual abuse were also examined to determine the strength and effect that sexual abuse has on a juvenile becoming suicidal. …

Analysis Of Gender Responsiveness And Cultural Responsiveness, Barbara Carson, Kimberly Greer

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

The theories of gender responsive programming in corrections have focused on the importance of relationships, gender roles, and structural barriers for women (Bloom, Owen, & Covington, 2003). They also included a strong recommendation for cultural responsiveness in recognizing cultural differences among female offenders and providing culturally relevant services (Bloom et al., 2003). However, there was little theoretical or empirical guidance on how to respond when the goals of gender responsive programming conflicted with the culture of female offenders. Findings from a program evaluation of a small, gang intervention program working with Hmong American girls, suggested that in such conflicts, cultural …

The Applicability Of Agnew’S General Theory Of Crime And Delinquency To Recent Juvenile Gang Membership In Houston, Marika Dawkins, Camille Gibson

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This qualitative descriptive study used Agnew's general strain theory of crime and delinquency as lens through which to interpret the recent developments of juvenile gangs and gang-related activities in Houston, Texas. Agnew strain theory's main prepositions describe: 1) an inability to achieve goals that are valued positively, 2) an absence of positive goals, and 3) a presence of negativity or crime. These were assessed in terms of applicability to joining gangs in Houston. Data were collected by unstructured interviews of city employees who respond to Houston's gangs (e.g., Mayor' Anti-Gang Office staff and Houston Police Department officers), area observations, and …

Same Bang, Less Buck: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of South Carolina’S Youth Courts, Holly Miller, J Mitchell Miller

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

While youth courts experience tremendous growth nationwide, their utility is largely unproven, particularly in state-level contexts. This study conducted a cost-benefit analysis of South Carolina's youth courts. The study found that while youth courts and family courts produced comparable recidivism rates, youth courts were substantially less expensive for comparable adjudications. The relative efficiency of youth courts, however, was neither monolithic nor guaranteed. Individual youth courts displayed considerable variation and some youth courts were not as efficient as their traditional family court counterparts. Inefficient youth courts had low caseloads, typically resulting from inefficient or immature referral systems and a reliance on …

Africentrism And Africentric Rituals: Their Role In Jamaican Male Motivation To Pursue Higher Education, Totlyn A. Oliver

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This academic research presents the case for Africentrism and its attendant rituals for the African Diaspora to aid in the motivation and inspiration factor in the male's choice to pursue higher education in Jamaica. The paper discussed Africentric rites of passage against the background of pre-emancipation and post-emancipation education in Jamaica. It also analyzed the current educational system for male nationals along with the implications for applying Africentrism to theories and practice of education for male stu-dents. The major concern precipitating this study was the low levels of male enrolment in institutions of higher learning, as the female population far …

The View Behind Rubber Bars: An Analysis And Examination Of Faith And Non-Faith Jail Reentry Programs In Central Florida, Gautam Nayer

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This paper examined the usefulness of jail reentry programs as an alternative towards increased jail and prison costs. Policy issues for returning inmates could and often did include future employment prospects, housing and public safety. Prisoner reentry programs generally fell into two broad categories; faith and non-faith based. Generally, non-faith programs were conducted in jail or prison while the individual was incarcerated for an extended period of time.Non-faith type programs involved classes on anger management, G.E.D. attainment, college credits, or alcohol or drug abuse therapy. Faith based programs were generally Christian based, although they usually did not discriminate against other …

Child Sexual Abuse, Links To Later Sexual Exploitation/High-Risk Sexual Behavior, And Prevention/Treatment Programs, Kevin Lalor, Rosaleen Mcelvaney

Articles

This paper reviews the literature on the nature and incidence of child sexual abuse, explores the link between child sexual abuse and later sexual exploitation, and reviews the literature on prevention strategies and effective interventions in child sexual abuse services. Our understanding of the international epidemiology of child sexual abuse is considerably greater than it was just 10 years ago, and studies from around the world are examined. Childhood sexual abuse can involve a wide number of psychological sequelae, including low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Numerous studies have noted that child sexual abuse victims are vulnerable to later sexual revictimization, …

A Conceptual Guide To Natural History Museum Visitors’ Understanding Of Evolution, E. Margaret Evans, Amy N. Spiegel, Wendy Gram, Brandy N. Frazier, Medha Tare, Sarah Thompson, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Museum visitors are an ideal population for assessing the persistence of the conceptual barriers that make it difficult to grasp Darwinian evolutionary theory. In comparison with other members of the public, they are more likely to be interested in natural history, have higher education levels, and be exposed to the relevant content. If museum visitors do not grasp evolutionary principles, it seems unlikely that other members of the general public would do so. In the current study, 32 systematically selected visitors to three Midwest museums of natural history provided detailed open-ended explanations of biological change in seven diverse organisms. They …

Grounded Theory As A “Family Of Methods”: A Genealogical Analysis To Guide Research, Wayne A. Babchuk

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This inquiry traces the evolution of grounded theory from a nuclear to an extended family of methods and considers the implications that decision-making based on informed choices throughout all phases of the research process has for realizing the potential of grounded theory for advancing adult education theory and practice.

Book Review: Psychoanalyzing Prejudice, David Moshman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The classic psychological work on prejudice is Gordon Allport’s 1954 The Nature of Prejudice. Half a century later, its definitive modern counterpart must surely be On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years after Allport (2005). Systematically reconsidering Allport’s work in light of subsequent research and theorizing, On the Nature of Prejudice provides, in one carefully edited volume, the most comprehensive statement on the psychology of prejudice currently available. The Future of Prejudice: Psychoanalysis and the Prevention of Prejudice, in contrast, is simply a collection of sixteen chapters that, although generally psychoanalytic in orientation, vary greatly in form, content, …

Public Attitudes Toward Applying Sex Offender Registration Laws To Juvenile Offenders, Jessica M. Salerno, Margaret C. Stevenson, Tisha R. A. Wiley, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Bette L. Bottoms, Rachel A. Schmillen

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

In this chapter, we provide a summary of current registration laws for juvenile sex offenders across the United States and discuss the assumptions that drive these laws. We consider whether these assumptions have been supported or refuted by the research produced on the topic thus far. Then, turning to new data from our own laboratory, we discuss public perceptions of registration laws. This is an important issue because expansion of registry laws to juveniles might be driven by strong public support—or politicians' and policy makers' perceptions that there is public support—for expansion of the registry. As we discuss, research does …

The Influence Of Treatment Team Cohesion In The Success Of In-Home Mental Health Treatment For Children And Adolescents With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Jaimie C. Orndorff

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Background: The author pursued this area of interest due to having had a positive experience working as a therapist within a high cohesion treatment team in an in-home setting. This experience with a high cohesion team seemed to lead to more successful results than other teams that were deemed low cohesion, in the same format. This experience led to a general curiosity about why the team this author was on was more effective. Additional research allowed this author to determine the possible link between cohesion, success of treatment and reduced risk for burnout, defined as a response to chronic job …

Asperger's Disorder: A Musical Treatment For Child Anxiety, Jeremy Marriott

Theses : Honours

School-aged females with Asperger's Disorder (AD) are significantly affected by debilitating anxiety. At present, no empirically validated treatments exist to treat this anxiety. To investigate this affect and treatment gap, a mixed-methods revelatory single-case design, built on evidence-based treatment elements was designed and tested. Solo pianist, David Helfgott rated, performed and provided musical performances by Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Claude Debussy which were listened to once each morning before school by a 10-year-old female with AD. Anxiety was recorded via a self-report Daily Journal and parent-report Spence Child Anxiety Scale for 20 consecutive school days. Results indicated support for the …

From Junior To Senior Sport: Do Athletes Differ In Their Transitional Experiences?, Glen Ewen

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether athletes at the beginning (BTG) of their transition from junior to senior sport, had different transitional experiences to those in the middle (MTG). One hundred and forty eight male and female elite athletes aged between 14 and 18 years, from a variety of sports in both city and country locations of Western Australia, were surveyed. Two test instruments were used; the newly developed Swedish, Transitional Monitoring Survey (TMS), and the Athletic Identity Measurement Scales (AIMS). Univariate descriptive statistics, One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and reliability measures were used to analyse …

Community-Based Psychosocial Interventions Improve Psychosocial Outcomes For Children And Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus And Their Families: A Systematic Review; And, Community Mental Health Nursing For Children/Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus And Their Families, Caris Bailey

Theses : Honours

Background: Research indicates an increased prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in comparison to their peers. As a result, psychosocial community-based services are sometimes available to those who are experiencing psychosocial problems. Several reviews have examined the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for children/ adolescents living with type 1 diabetes mellitus, however the psychosocial outcomes of psychosocial interventions being conducted in the community specifically, have yet to be systematically reviewed. Objective: To systematically review the psychosocial outcomes of community-based psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their families. Subjects …

Examining Manual And Visual Response Inhibition Among Adhd Subtypes, Zachary W. Adams, Richard Milich, Mark T. Fillmore

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study compared inhibitory functioning among ADHD subtype groups on manual and visual versions of the stop task. Seventy-six children, identified as ADHD/I (n = 16), ADHD/C (n =42), and comparison (n = 18) completed both tasks. Results indicated that both ADHD groups were slower to inhibit responses than the comparison group on both tasks. Comparison children were faster to inhibit than activate responses on both versions of the task. Children in the ADHD groups also demonstrated this robust pattern on the manual task. However, on the visual task, children in the ADHD groups evidenced slowed inhibition …

Multiple Determinants Of Sexualized Behavior In Middle Childhood: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective, Natasha Elkovitch

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In order to adequately and appropriately intervene with children exhibiting problematic sexual behaviors, a comprehensive understanding of etiology is imperative. Although sexually abused children are observed engaging in more problematic sexual behaviors than their normative or psychiatric counterparts, it is clear that such behaviors may be the result of factors other than, or in addition to, sexual abuse. The goal of the present study was utilize a developmental psychopathology perspective in broadening our understanding of mechanisms associated with the development of problematic sexual behaviors in childhood. Participants for the study include 1, 149 children (51.8% female) drawn from the Longitudinal …

Evidence-Based Programs That Address Social Emotional Learning In An Early Childhood Setting, Jihan Ali

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to compare and contrast evidence-based curriculums that address social-emotional learning for children 3 to 5 years old in a rural early childhood setting. Factors that will be considered include the effectiveness of the program with diverse populations, implementation in rural areas, includes a parenting component, cost of training as well as other appropriate factors. By providing effective early childhood education to children and parents, Fernbrook will be able to give the parents skills to more effectively parent at the home and children skills to develop healthy social emotional skills.

Research Question: What evidence-based social …

Typically Developing Children’S Attitudes And Acceptance Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder After Integrated Play Group Involvement, Karen Kay Toon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In an urban, midwestern public school, six children, ages 8-10 years old, engaged in ten weeks of Integrated Play Groups (IPGs) to teach skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Lasting two and a half months, IPGs met for 30 minutes, twice weekly. The participants engaged in pre- and post-tests of the revised Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps scale and pre- and post-focus groups. These means were used to investigate the research question: What can be learned about typical peers’ attitudes and acceptance of students with ASD through the expert players’ reflections on Integrated Play Group involvement? The …

A Conceptual Guide To Museum Visitors’ Understanding Of Evolution, E. Margaret Evans, Amy Spiegel, Wendy Gram, Brandy N. Frazier, Sarah Cover, Medha Tare, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to profile natural history museum visitors’ reasoning about the evolution of seven organisms featured in Explore Evolution, an NSF funded exhibition. Seven current research studies on evolution were exhibited; each targeted different organisms: HIV, diatoms, ant/fungus, Hawaiian flies, Galapagos finches, humans/chimps, and fossilized whales. The exhibits illustrated a common set of evolutionary principles, variation, inheritance, selection, time, and adaptation, in diverse organisms.

Method: As part of the front-end evaluation, 32 museum visitors were interviewed and asked to explain evolutionary change in the seven organisms, though the term evolution was not mentioned. …

A Comprehensive Investigation Of Variables Related To Children's Self-Perceptions, Renee Payton Cahill

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

In recent decades much has been revealed regarding children’s self-perceptions and sense of worth. Children engage in social comparisons to gauge their strengths and weaknesses relative to those around them. Thus one’s environment plays a critical role impacting one’s perceptions of self. Other variables suggested as contributing to children’s formulation of self-worth, include academic achievement, perception of victimization by peers, and academic placement. However, findings have been inconsistent in regard to the extent to which these variables relate to self-worth. The present study sought to discern if these variables relate to children’s self-perceptions. Results revealed a positive correlation between students’ …

Adhd: Culture, Treatment Strategies And Their Relevance To Preschool Children, Nelson M. Bean

CMC Senior Theses

In recent decades a growing number of individuals in preschool, middle childhood and adolescence have been diagnosed with ADHD. Accompanying increasing rates of diagnoses is an increase in the use of stimulant medication in preschool populations, a practice not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This paper reviews the current literature pertaining the social and developmental consequences of ADHD, its effect on the child and family, treatment strategies with and without the use of stimulants, and cultural and diagnostic trends which may be contributing to the rising number of diagnoses. A review of the literature suggests that there is …

The Reality Of Child Sexual Abuse: A Critique Of The Arguments Used By Adult-Child Sex Advoates, Kacey Klein

CMC Senior Theses

In the United States, there are advocacy groups that support sexual relationships between adults and children. These groups use justifications that make pedophile behaviors seem normal and appropriate. This thesis describes the physical, emotional, and psychological harms that result from child sexual abuse. The reader will understand how prominent child sexual abuse is and how it takes a lot of effort for abusers to take advantage of children. There are many psychological resources available to children and their families, but it does not make sexual abuse okay for society to ignore. The justifications used by pedophile advocates are irrational and …

Grasshoppers In The Outfield: An Examination Of The Effects Of Sports On Children, Chelsea R. Baker

CMC Senior Theses

Many psychologists have studied the effects of sports on children because it is an issue that is important for children and parents alike. Athletic participation is a popular activity in the United States for children and many begin sports at young ages. Theokas (2009) claimed that the importance of athletics is that sports are more than physical activity—sports have an influence in many other areas of a child’s life. The goal of the current review was to examine how sports affect children in domains such as: friendships, self-esteem, family, and academics. Athletic involvement helps a child in more ways that …

Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Laura E. Knouse, Steven A. Safren

Psychology Faculty Publications

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults is a valid and impairing disorder for which psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatments are recommended. Self-report ratings scales for adult ADHD can serve several functions in clinical work with this population including screening, providing information, in a comprehensive assessment, and tracking treatment-related change. The use of two symptom-based ratings scales for screening and tracking treatment progress- the Current Symptoms Scale (CSS) [5] and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) [6] - is outlined for the practicing clinician. Key issues in the assessment of adult ADHD are briefly discussed, highlighting the role of rating scales within …

Teacher Training For The Implementation Of The Incredible Years At Gfw Elementary School, Karen J. Appel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether training the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff would increase the social and emotional literacy of the children as well as the staff in the ECSE classroom . The four areas of training & research consisted of: 1. Increasing staff’s positive attention, encouragement and praise while working as a team in the ECSE classroom; 2. Using incentives for the purpose of promoting positive attention in the classroom; 3. Using more proactive teaching techniques for the purpose of preventing behavior problems in the classroom, and 4. Increasing staff’s …