Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Implementing The Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics Benchmarks For Nutrition Education For Children: Child-Care Providers’ Perspectives, Dipti A. Dev, Virginia Carraway-Stage, Daniel J. Schober, Brent A. Mcbride, Car Mun Kok, Samantha Ramsay

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background — National childhood obesity prevention policies recommend that childcare providers educate young children about nutrition to improve their nutrition knowledge and eating habits. Yet, the provision of nutrition education (NE) to children in child-care settings is limited.

Objective — Using the 2011 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics benchmarks for NE in child care as a guiding framework, researchers assessed child-care providers’ perspectives regarding delivery of NE through books, posters, mealtime conversations, handson learning, and sensory exploration of foods to young children (aged 2 to 5 years).

Design — Using a qualitative design (realist method), individual, semistructured interviews were conducted …

Classroom Readiness For Successful Inclusion: Teacher Factors And Preschool Children’S Experience With And Attitudes Toward Peers With Disabilities, Kyong-Ah Kwon, Soo-Young Hong, Hyun-Joo Jeon

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The current study examined (1) associations among teachers’ experiences regarding children with disabilities (i.e., education, specialized training, years of work experience), their attitudes toward disabilities, and their classroom practices in relation to inclusion and (2) associations among children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities and child and teacher factors. Ninety-one 4- and 5-year-old children participated in an interview, and their teachers completed a survey. Teachers’ specialized training and bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) were positively associated with their inclusive practices in the classroom; teachers’ bachelor’s degree in ECE and experiences working with children with disabilities were positively associated with …

“I Have A Hippopotamus!”: Preparing Effective Early Childhood Environmental Educators, Julia C. Torquati, Jennifer Leeper Miller, Erin Hamel, Soo-Young Hong, Susan Sarver, Michelle Rupiper

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This article describes an early childhood teacher-preparation program that infuses environmental education and nature experiences into courses, practicum, and student-teaching experiences. Program philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and methods are described and linked to the Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, the Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, and state-level early learning guidelines that focus on connecting young children with nature. Preservice teachers build knowledge, skills, and dispositions for effective environmental education beginning from an awareness level and progressing to application and refinement. The value of nature is communicated explicitly and implicitly throughout the program. Preliminary …

Patterns Of Psychotropic Medication At Admission For Youth In Residential Care, Jonathan C. Huefner, Gail L. Smith, Jay L. Ringle, Amy L. Stevens, W. Alex Mason, Gilbert R. Parra

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

High levels of psychotropic medication use and polypharmacy are common for emotionally and behaviorally troubled youth entering residential care. Polypharmacy has often been characterized as an especially serious problem in this vulnerable population. Latent Class Analysis was used to identify medication subgroups for 636 youth in an intensive residential program. Additionally, auxiliary analyses (e.g., diagnoses, demographics, expressed problem behaviors) were used to identify the personal and behavioral attributes associated with individuals in each of the latent classes. Three distinct medication patterns emerged: low/no psychotropic medication, the combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic medications, and multiple psychotropic medications. The latent classes were …

Attentional Demands Of Executive Function Tasks In Indoor And Outdoor Settings: Behavioral And Neuroelectrical Evidence, Julia C. Torquati, Anne R. Schutte, John Kiat

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study explored the influence of green environments on children’s cognitive functions by using an experimental, within-subjects design to compare children’s neural responses as they engaged in assessments of attention, inhibitory control, and spatial working memory in two different environments: a natural outdoor area and an indoor laboratory room. Ten children ages 6 to 11 years (M= 9.3; SD= 1.5) participated. Children performed significantly better on the spatial working memory task outdoors compared to indoors. There were no significant differences in attention or inhibitory control, but two markers of neurological activity were significantly larger indoors than outdoors, suggesting that more …

Adolescent Perceptions Of Dating Violence: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Taylor, Carrie A. Calkins, Yan Ruth Xia, Rochelle L. Dalla

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Scholars have identified dating violence as a public health issue among adolescents. Yet, minimal research has detailed adolescents’ perceptions of dating violence, specifically gender differences in perceptions. Research suggests that in order for dating violence prevention and intervention to be effective, services need to be delivered in a manner that is understood by adolescents. Therefore, this study used a qualitative phenomenology study to investigate adolescents’ perceptions of dating violence, including gender differences in adolescents’ perceptions. Thirty adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 from a Midwest public high school participated in focus groups. Focus group participants were asked semistructured …

“After Your Honor Is Gone …”: Exploration Of Developmental Trajectories And Life Experiences Of Women Working In Mumbai’S Red-Light Brothel Districts, Rochelle L. Dalla, Lee Kreimer

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This investigation was intended, first, to examine the early life and childhood experiences of adult women working in the red-light districts of Mumbai, India. A corollary to this goal was determination of processes that led to entry into the commercial sex industry (CSI). Second, we sought better understanding of women’s adult relationships with family of origin and key players of the brothel-based sex industry (e.g., peers, clients, brothel-keepers). Finally, we explored exiting options. In other words, to what extent is it possible to leave India’s brothel-based sex industry if one wanted to do so? Guided by the life-course theory of …

“We Are Two Of The Lucky Ones”: Experiences With Marriage And Wellbeing For Same-Sex Couples, Heather R. Kennedy, Rochelle L. Dalla, Steven Dreesman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Happy marriages provide protective health benefits, and social support is a key factor in this association. However, previous research indicates one of the greatest differences between same-and different-sex couples is less social support for same-sex couples. Our goal was to examine the extent to which formal markers of couple status (e.g., marriage) impact wellbeing among same-sex married partners. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 218 primarily White gay and lesbian individuals in the Midwest. Quantitative analysis revealed individuals in a prior formal union with a different-sex partner reported the lowest levels of sexuality specific social support and acceptance. …

Bridging The Gap Between Data And Instruction To Promote School Readiness, Lucki M. Ratsavong, Maureen J. Myrtil, Mihaiela R. Guglu, Rachel E. Schachter

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

States are increasingly endorsing collecting data in the early childhood classroom to measure instructional quality, as well as to enhance classroom- and school-based improvement efforts (Meisels, 2006; National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009). While an increase in available data has the potential to inform decisions in the classroom, many educators report a need for clearer guidance in analyzing, interpreting, and using the data they collect (Sandall, Schwartz, & Lacroix, 2004; U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Thus, efforts must be made to improve resources and training to provide early childhood educators the opportunity to build their capacity for …

‘Why I Sent My Child Away’: Culturally Structured Motivations For Long-Distance Parenting, Deepa Srivastava, Maria Rosario De Guzman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Although long-distance parenting is often depicted as a response to crisis (e.g., economic) or other stressful life events, it is sometimes undertaken in various culturally normative situations. This current study explores the motivations of South Asian Indian immigrant parents for sending their young children to India to live temporarily with their grandparents. This qualitative study involves in-depth interviews with first generation immigrant parents about their experiences and motivations for sending their children to India. Analysis of the data revealed five themes, namely, (a) contextual and daily challenges in caring for their children in the United States, (b) parents’ concern around …

He’S Just Content To Sit: A Qualitative Study Of Mothers’ Perceptions Of Infant Obesity And Physical Activity, Danae Dinkel, Kailey Snyder, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Victoria Molfese

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: Rates of obesity among children ages zero to five are rapidly increasing. Greater efforts are needed to promote healthy behaviors of young children. Mothers are especially important targets for promoting health as mothers’ views play a vital role in helping their children foster healthy habits from an early age. Research has found parents’ views of infants’ weight may influence their feeding practices; however, limited research has explored mothers’ view of infants’ weight in relation to the promotion of physical activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of mothers of normal weight infants and overweight …

Examining The Role Of Teacher Presence And Scaffolding In Preschoolers’ Peer Interactions, Ibrahim H. Acar, Soo-Young Hong, Chaorong Wu

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The current study aimed to examine the associations between teacher presence and social scaffolding and preschool children’s peer interactions. Using a time sampling method, peer interactions of 22 four- and five-year-old preschoolers (12 girls; M_age = 52.95 months) and teacher behavior were observed on two different days during various classroom activities in seven public preschool classrooms. Eco-behavioral analyses revealed that (a) teacher presence was negatively associated with positive peer interactions; (b) teacher absence was positively associated with negative peer interactions; (c) positive change of peer interactions was more likely to occur when the teacher was present; (d) children showed …

Let’S Know! Proximal Impacts On Prekindergarten Through Grade 3 Students’ Comprehension- Related Skills, Hui Jiang, Dawn Davis

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Let’s Know! is a language-focused curriculum supplement developed through the Institute of Education Sciences’ Reading for Understanding initiative aimed at supporting prekindergarten through grade 3 students’ listening and reading comprehension. The current study reports results concerning the impacts of 2 instantiations of Let’s Know! on students’ comprehension-related skills (comprehension monitoring; understanding narrative and expository text, as supported by inference making and knowledge of text structure; and vocabulary) as proximal measures of efficacy. Results from the first cohort of a large, field-based, randomized controlled trial (N p 766 students across grades) indicate large, con- sistent, and statistically significant effects on curriculum- …

Ecological Invalidity Of Existing Gaydar Research: In-Lab Accuracy Translates To Real-World Inaccuracy: Response To Rule, Johnson, & Freeman (2016), William T.L. Cox, Patricia G. Devine, Alyssa A. Bischmann, Janet S. Hyde

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

In recent years, several empirical studies have claimed to provide evidence in support of the popular folk notion that people possess “gaydar” that enables them to accurately identify who is gay or lesbian (Rule, Johnson, & Freeman, 2016). This conclusion is limited to artificial lab settings, however, and when translated to real-world settings this work itself provides evidence that people’s judgments about who is gay/lesbian are not pragmatically accurate. We also briefly review evidence related to the consequences of perpetuating the idea of gaydar (i.e., “the gaydar myth”). Although past claims about accurate orientation perception are misleading, the work that …

Young Children With Down Syndrome Show Normal Development Of Circadian Rhythms, But Poor Sleep Efficiency: A Cross-Sectional Study Across The First 60 Months Of Life, Fabian Fernandez, Casandra C. Nyhuis, Payal Anand, Bianca I. Demara, Norman F. Ruby, Goffredina Spano, Caron Clark, Jamie O. Edgin

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: To evaluate sleep consolidation and circadian activity rhythms in infants and toddlers with Down syndrome (DS) under light and socially entrained conditions within a familiar setting. Given previous human and animal data suggesting intact circadian regulation of melatonin across the day and night, it was hypothesized that behavioral indices of circadian rhythmicity would likewise be intact in the sample with DS.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 66 infants and young children with DS, aged 5e67 months, and 43 typically developing age-matched controls. Sleep and measures of circadian robustness or timing were quantified using continuous in-home actigraphy recordings performed over …

Comparison Of Patterns Of Use Of Unrecorded And Recorded Spirits: Survey Of Adult Drinkers In Rural Central China, Shiqing Wei, Ping Yin, Ian M. Newman, Ling Qian, Duane F. Shell, Lok-Wa Yuen

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

About 70% of the beverage alcohol consumed in China annually is spirits. Recorded spirits make up most spirit consumption, but about 25% of total alcohol consumption (1.7 L pure alcohol per capita annually) is unrecorded spirits (bai jiu), either homemade or made in unregulated distilleries. In some parts of China, the consumption of unrecorded spirits is higher than average. This paper compares the patterns of use of unrecorded distilled spirits and recorded distilled spirits among rural residents in Central China. Interviews were conducted with 3298 individuals in 21 towns/villages in 10 counties in the Hubei, Anhui, and Hebei provinces in …

Composition Of Unrecorded Distilled Alcohol (Bai Jiu) Produced In Small Rural Factories In Central China, Ian Newman, Ling Qian, Niran Tamrakar, Yonghua Feng, Ganrong Xu

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: Unrecorded traditional distilled spirits (bai jiu, 白酒) are made and used throughout rural China for everyday use and special occasions. Nearly every town or village has a distiller to supply the demand. In rural China, distilling bai jiu is legal and regulated lightly or not at all. The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 25% of all alcohol consumed in China is unrecorded alcohol, of which an unknown portion is unrecorded bai jiu. Little is known about the composition of unrecorded Chinese spirits from rural parts of the country. This study focused on white spirits because the …

Calling In Retirement: A Mixed Methods Study, Ryan D. Duffy, Carrie L. Torrey, Jessica England, Elliot A. Tebbe

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This mixed methods study aimed to examine the experiences of a calling in retirement with a sample of 196 retired adults. First, a qualitative analysis explored the types of activities participants experienced as a calling as well as the types of barriers that participants perceived as keeping them from living their calling. ‘Helping Others’ emerged as the largest category of calling that participants endorsed and ‘No Resources to Live Calling’ emerged as the most frequently endorsed barrier. Building on our qualitative findings, we conducted a quantitative analysis to examine the relation of perceiving a calling with well-being. Consistent with prior …

Voter Worldview And Presidential Candidate Choice., Thomas Allen Kulbickas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown a relationship between having a strict father upbringing, defined by rules reinforcement and self-discipline beliefs, and the presence of high levels of social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). The relationship between these variables and issue choice has been established, but no study has explored the connection between parental upbringing and moral foundations. Furthermore, the connection to political candidate choice has not been shown. This study investigated the relationship between people's parental upbringing beliefs, their adult morality, and their rating of ideal presidential candidate characteristics. Based on the moral foundation theory, a mixed methods study was …

The Giving Tree Academy, David A. Hurdle

CMC Senior Theses

A proposal for a new preschool based in Pomona, California, targeted towards children from low-income backgrounds. Includes extensive research on preschool nationwide, the state of California, and in Pomona. Within the paper a new preschool curriculum and specific teacher practices are discussed. Intended as a model for a new school. or to be adapted for use in educational policy.

Just World Beliefs, Identity Development, And Social Justice Advocacy Of Counselor Trainees, Sara Rundlett

All Master's Theses

This was the first study exploring the relationship between the belief in a just world, identity development, and social justice advocacy (SJA). A mixed methods design was conducted using a nationwide sample of ninety-seven counselor-in-training participants. Hypotheses included positive correlation between identity development and SJA, negative correlation between belief in a just world and SJA, and negative correlation between belief in a just world and identity development. Results were not significant but provided implications for future research and counselor training programs.

Associated Factors Of Posttraumatic Growth: A Meta-Analysis, Rong Xia

Masters Theses

During the past 20 years, posttraumatic growth has been recognized and emphasized to promote physical and psychological health after life-threatening events. There has also been an increasing number of individual studies on posttraumatic growth and its associated factors. However, it still remains unclear whether and how these relationships are facilitated. Therefore, the current meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding on the important associated factors of posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic stress, event centrality, emotion regulation, and religious or spiritual coping and their actual relationships with posttraumatic growth were examined along with some potential moderators. Results from 56 studies (N = 20,132) …

Sentence Recall In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brett Wallace

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is an age-shift in neurotypical children: younger children tend to remember information in a verbatim manner so they store item-specific surface characteristics; between nine and ten children engage in gist recall where they store meanings of presented information. The aim of the present study was to explore false memory in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as some research suggests that they develop gist recall at a later age than neurotypical children. We are also interested in the role of working memory.

One approach to understanding false memory creation is activation-monitoring (AM) theory. Working memory can play a role …

Sexy, Thin, And White: The Intersection Of Sexualization, Body Type, And Race On Stereotypes About Women And Women's Body Dissatisfaction, Ellen A. Stone

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The vast majority of media images present one idealized type of woman: she is thin, sexualized, and White. While research has shown that there are stereotypes associated with sexualized women, research has not addressed whether these stereotypes vary based on other characteristics such as body type and race. The current study aimed to examine the stereotypes associated with women who varied in body size, sexualization, and race. Additionally, the current study examined whether exposure to differing portrayals of women was related to endorsement of gender stereotypes and body dissatisfaction. College-aged students (n = 226, 161 women) rated four traits …

Too Pretty For Homework: The Academic Correlates Of Sexualized Gender Stereotypes Among Adolescent Girls, Andrew A. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Girls grow up in a culture of ubiquitous female sexualization, and this culture propagates stereotypes that could interfere with their academic outcomes. The current study examined the academic correlates of these sexualized gender stereotypes (SGS) among early adolescent girls. Girls (N = 99) aged 11 to 14 (M_age = 12.4 years, SD = .57 years) completed a survey assessing their academic performance, attitudes, and beliefs. The survey also assessed the degree to which girls believed that boys and girls should act in accordance with these sexualized gender stereotypes. Results indicated that higher endorsement of sexualized gender stereotypes …

Risk Factors For Abuse Of Prescription Stimulants In College Students: A Dissertation, Eric A. Haak

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The abuse of prescription stimulants among college students is a growing public health concern. While these substances are often viewed as safe, “smart drugs”, they are associated with a number of maladaptive outcomes, ranging from poorer academic performance to cardiovascular incidents and even death. To date, the majority of research on the abuse of these substances have focused on demographic factors which are not amenable to intervention, such as race, Greek organization status, and class rank. The current study examined family factors, academic stress, and impulsivity as potential risk factors which are amenable to intervention. In a sample of 335 …

Effects Of A Growth Mindset Intervention On First-Year College Student Academic Performance, Sarah North Wolfe

All Master's Theses

Student success is influenced by a complex array of factors, including implicit theories of intelligence, or mindset. Previous research has shown that students’ mindset, whether they view intelligence as a fixed quantity or something that can be incrementally increased, can predict academic achievement. Students who hold a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is a static trait that cannot be changed and often internalize failure, exert less effort when faced with difficulty, and avoid challenging work in order to preserve their self-image. Conversely, students who hold a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be cultivated by engaging in challenging experiences. These …

Culture And Parenting Among Teen Fathers, Cecilia Macedo, Cara Maffini

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Developmental Assets And Outcomes: An Analysis Of Male Serious Juvenile Offenders To Promote Evidence Based Approaches For Rehabilitation, Danielle Jordan Nesi

Master's Theses

Positive youth development is an approach that seeks to enhance and promote young people's developmental progress. Although there has been a shift toward asset building in rehabilitation of delinquent youth, research on positive youth development has historically focused on children at risk of adverse outcomes, rather than those who are already engaged in criminal behavior. Without knowledge about the distribution of assets among delinquent youth and the relations of these assets to outcomes later in life, it is unclear if interventions based on research of developmental assets among at-risk youth are appropriate for justice-involved youth. The 40 Developmental Assets (Search …

What's The 411 On Sex In The African American Church? A Qualitative Exploration Of African American Girls' Exposure To Sex Communication In The Church., Brittany Berry

Theses and Dissertations

WHAT’S THE 411 ON SEX IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH? A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS’ EXPOSURE TO SEX COMMUNICATION IN THE CHURCH

By: Brittany M. Berry, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017.

Major Director: Dr. Faye Z. Belgrave, Professor, Psychology

The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore sex communication with African American girls in the African American Church. This research was guided by two objectives: (1) to explore African American adolescent girls’ exposure to sex communication in …