Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Does Training Volume Affect The Quality Of Life, Emotional Intelligence, And Performance Of Shooting Athletes With Physical Disabilities?, Farzad Rezavandzayeri, José María Cancela Carral, Helena Vila Suarez

Journal of Youth Development

This study examines that does training volume affect the quality of life, emotional intelligence, and performance of shooting athletes with physical disabilities? Ninety participants were randomly assigned to three groups based on weekly shooting durations of 2, 4, and 6 hours, maintaining a 1:1 female-tomale ratio until the total sample size reached 90 (30 per group). Quality of life, emotional intelligence, and performance were measured using the WHOQOL-BREF, SSEIT, and the Navak analysis system with an electronic scoreboard, respectively. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient identified positive correlations between shooting hours and the variables. However, the Tukeys-b test revealed no significant difference …

Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Mentoring In Alternative Education, Tia S. Andersen

Journal of Youth Development

This Program and Practice article provides a comprehensive overview of a university-school mentoring program specifically designed to address the school-to-prison pipeline by supporting youth in a disciplinary alternative school setting. The purpose of this article is to offer a detailed description of the program’s structure, components, and implementation strategies, with the goal of providing practitioners with a replicable model that can be adapted for use in similar school environments. This program matches undergraduate students with high school youth removed from traditional schools due to behavioral or justice-related challenges. Grounded in a strengths-based framework, the intervention incorporates a structured mentor training …

Assessing Statewide Programming In Wisconsin Environmental Education: The Role Of Culture And Community In Youth Development Programming, Jody Bauer, Robert Justin Hougham, Lily Gruenewald

Journal of Youth Development

Environmental education has the potential to serve as an accessible pathway for diverse learners to improve science achievement, but environmental education (EE) institutions must strive to create spaces that welcome and provide equitable learning outcomes for all students. Embedding cultural and community input, values, and relevancy can be an important component to supporting equity in educational spaces for diverse students. This research aims to identify the status and needs of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across environmental education institutions in the state of Wisconsin, and to identify areas of strength or improvement relating to pedagogy, process, and practice. A survey …

High-School-Age Youth Serving As “Emotion Coaches” For Young Children In The Early Grades: A Feasibility Study Of A Cross-Age Approach To Social And Emotional Learning, Amanda Moreno, Maria Kontoudakis, Whitney Davis-Mcintosh, Anita Evans, Olivia Bobbitt

Journal of Youth Development

While the benefits of cross-age programming within youth have been understood for decades, such programs are rarely employed with curricula specific to social and emotional learning (SEL) or with a wide age range between the two groups of youth. This article describes the findings of a pilot implementation and feasibility study of the Emotion Coaches program, which sought to explore whether the conceptual and pragmatic challenges involved in bringing early childhood students (i.e., preschool to second grade) together with adolescent teachers delivering an SEL curriculum could be overcome. Findings from the pilot evaluation suggested that middle-school-age students are likely too …

Ignite The Spark: A Multi-State Collaboration For Engaging And Retaining 4-H Volunteers, Meggan Franks, Ken Culp, Karla Knoepfli, T. Ashley Burns, Breanna Wade

Journal of Youth Development

Volunteers are critical to 4-H program delivery; however, volunteer retention remains a persistent challenge within youth development organizations. To address this concern, a coalition of 4-H volunteer specialists from the Southern region designed and delivered a five-part webinar series titled Ignite the Spark: Strategies for Engaging and Retaining 4-H Volunteers. This series provided professional development on volunteer engagement and retention for 4-H youth development professionals across the United States. Topics included personal and program readiness, recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies. More than 450 extension professionals from 12 states participated in the live sessions, with an additional 228 completing asynchronous, …

Parental Involvement In Bilingual Language Learning In Early School-Aged Children, Jennifer Y. Arroyo Morales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This project examines the critical role of parental involvement in supporting bilingual language learning (BLL) among early school-aged children in kindergarten through third grade. Bilingualism offers extensive cognitive, social, cultural, and economic benefits, yet many families face barriers that limit their ability to foster bilingual development at home. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Social Interactionist Theory and Kuhl’s research on sensitive periods of language acquisition, this project developed the Parent Handbook for Supporting Bilingual Language Learning in Early School-Aged Children. The handbook provides parents with accessible, research-based strategies that transform everyday routines into opportunities for bilingual growth. Designed to address barriers such …

Young Adults And Early-Onset Psychosis: A Grounded Theory Study Of Experiences Of Identity Development, Katherine Hayden-Lewis, Deborah Rubel

The Qualitative Report

While identity development is a crucial task for young individuals ages 15-25, current research inadequately centralizes identity development in the context of first-time psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the grand research question, “How does a young person experience their identity development after the first episode of psychosis?”. Constructivist grounded theory methods influenced by critical frameworks were used to collect and analyze data with seven young adults engaged in first episode psychosis programs. Participants were young adults, between the ages of 19-24, that at the time of the study were enrolled in …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of German Volunteers Aged 55 Or Older In Development Service In Tanzania, Barbara Wohanka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As global aging trends and longer life expectancy encourage many seniors to seek meaningful engagement through volunteering, this research examined how such activities influence their perceptions and experiences. While much of the existing literature on volunteering in later life has concentrated on individuals involved in local community service, little research has addressed what motivates seniors to volunteer abroad. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of German volunteers aged 55 or older in development service in Tanzania and the influence of these experiences on their lives. The theoretical framework examined the guiding approaches …

Three Good Things And Family Process, Julia Prouty

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

There is a need for adaptive and affordable prevention/intervention strategies to promote happiness, health, and well-being in families. Three Good Things (3GT) is a free exercise from the field of positive psychology meant to shift an individual’s focus and perceptions towards gratitude. 3GT promotes focusing on gratitude by reflecting on what an individual is grateful for from the past day/week. Persons are encouraged to write down and share their 3GT with another individual. A mindset of gratitude is closely associated with improved happiness, health, and well-being. The exercise of reflecting on 3GT is adaptive to most individuals/families. To date, most …

Exploring Cultural Perspectives On Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review, Carly A N Kuhlman

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. Despite its universal recognition, perceptions and responses to autism vary widely across different cultural contexts. This paper explores the impact of cultural perspectives on the diagnosis, intervention, and support for individuals with autism. It highlights how cultural beliefs, values, and societal norms shape the understanding and management of ASD, revealing significant differences in diagnostic practices and support systems around the world. The paper discusses how cultural factors influence the interpretation of autism, using case studies from diverse settings, including Africa, Southeast Asia, …

The Meaning Of Happiness Among Urban Children And Adolescents In Indonesia: A Qualitative Study Through Drawings, Eko Handayani, Dewi Maulina, Winarini W. Dahlan

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Urban children and adolescents face various stressors, including academic pressure, digital media exposure, and limited green spaces, which influence their happiness perception. This study aims to explore the meaning of happiness in children and adolescents living in Indonesia’s urban areas through qualitative research using a drawing-based approach. A total of 243 participants, aged 9-15, from elementary and junior high schools in Jakarta, were asked to draw "I am happy when..." with written brief explanations. Data were analyzed using visual and narrative-thematic approaches across children and adolescents from a developmental psychology perspective. The findings reveal that the images and explanations of …

Parental Ses And Geographic Location As Predictors Of Graduations In Southeastern High Schools Before And After Covid-19, Marcy J. Watkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American students in the United States have long faced systemic barriers to high school completion, which were further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational-predictive study was to examine the extent to which parental SES and school location predict graduation outcomes among African American students in southeastern public high schools from 2019 to 2024. Grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory, the study explored how environmental and socioeconomic contexts influence academic achievement. Three research questions guided the study: (1) To what extent do parental SES and location combined predict the number of African American graduates? (2) …

Compassion Fatigue And Daily Spiritual Experience Among Mental Health Male Technicians In Locked Facilities, Felicia Mar'shae Davis Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health provider’s ongoing exposure to clients’ traumatic experiences can cause increased compassion fatigue. Due to negative implications on mental health professionals’ work and personal life experiences, researchers have increasingly studied burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress. The study included a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to interview mental health providers across specialties and regulations to acquire understanding of professionals lived experiences of compassion within their personal lives, work lives, and spirituality. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of compassion fatigue in male mental health technician and how they use …

Strategies For Addressing Junior College Attrition Among Female African American Nontraditional Students, Antweshia Hawes-Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female African American nontraditional students (25+ years with family and work demands) have high attrition rates, they leave degree programs before graduating, worsening socioeconomic disparities. This phenomenological study described their experiences with support services, which shaped student self-efficacy related to completing programs, and identified what changes were needed to improve support for higher graduation rates among female African American nontraditional students participating in 2-year degree programs offered by junior colleges. Guided by Bean’s industrial model of student attrition and Fishbein and Aizen’s importance of intention model, the study posed two research questions: What are the lived experiences of female nontraditional …

Therapeutic Outcomes Of Racially Matched Families And Clinicians In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy With Toddlers, Emily B. Frey, Julia L. Kiefer, Lauren B. Quetsch, Rebecca S. Bradley, Emma I. Girard

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Abstract

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based therapy for children aged 2.5-7 with disruptive behavioral problems. In recent years, the PCIT protocol has been adapted for use as a preventative model with toddlers (PCIT-T) aged 12-24 months. Given the recency of the PCIT-T adaptation, research has not yet examined the similarity of PCIT-T attrition rates compared to PCIT, though it is speculated rates are similar (between 30-69%; Ufford et al., 2022). Previous research suggests that racial dissimilarity between a treatment provider and the family may influence treatment dropout. Therefore, the current study explored the effect of racial matching between …

The Academic, Psychological, And Physical Impact Of Motor Skills Difficulties On College Students: A Scoping Review, David Gaul Phd, Suzanne Mccarthy Wolf

Articles

Purpose of Review

This scoping review examines the extent and quality of research literature to determine the impact of motor skills difficulties on college or university students. It assesses the adequacy of current institutional supports and identifies opportunities for more inclusive educational practices.

Recent Findings

Four databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) were searched for English-language studies published since 1970. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria: 12 empirical, 4 descriptive, and 2 program evaluations. Six papers from the UK addressed support, social isolation, and academic confidence; six Israeli studies focused on handwriting, dysgraphia, and accommodations; three US studies examined …

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

Proactive Aging: A New Aging Programming Framework For Cooperative Extension, Jeong Eun Lee, Eunbea Kim, Yulri Kim, Eva Kahana

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Traditional Extension programs for older adults often adopt a reactive approach, focusing on addressing age-related challenges after they arise. While these programs can be beneficial, a proactive aging model offers a more comprehensive and empowering approach. The concept of proactive aging, emphasizing preventative strategies for maintaining and improving wellbeing, has been well-established in the literature (Kahana et al., 2014). By adopting this model, Cooperative Extension can significantly enhance its services for older adults. This paper proposes innovative program ideas grounded in the proactive aging framework. Such programs are more engaging as they foster self-efficacy and empowerment, encouraging participants to actively …

Theory Comparison, Chen Li

Open Educational Resources

This assignment invites students to critically compare two developmental theorists (the professor can choose which two theorists), reflecting on their similarities, differences, and personal evaluations. Students will explore where they agree or disagree with each theorist and connect their reflections to contemporary contexts, cultural perspectives, or personal experiences. The assignment also includes peer engagement, with thoughtful responses to two classmates to deepen discussion and understanding.

Personal Introduction & Learning Profile, Chen Li

Open Educational Resources

This assignment asks students to introduce themselves through a brief personal narrative that highlights key experiences, early influences, and goals for the course. Using any creative format, students reflect on how their background shapes their approach to learning and what they hope to gain moving forward. Students also engage with two peers’ introductions to help build a collaborative learning community.

The Natural Agent Of Change: The Therapeutic Power Of Play To Children Who Have Experienced Aces And Trauma, Jingyu Chen

Orphans and Vulnerable Children Senior Capstone

The power of play lies in its natural expression which children speak. When engaged in safe play, children are allowed to explore, comprehend, connect, and communicate in a developmentally appropriate way without criticism. Yet those who are impacted by ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experience) often find play foreign as they are stuck in survival mode, missing the developmental benefits of safe play. This paper examines the role of play in childhood development, explains the relationship between ACEs, trauma and play, and suggests that play is a natural agent of change that carries therapeutic power. The paper supports play as a medium …

Eeg And Media Multitasking: Adhd As A Moderating Factor, Xiaoying Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Media use has become an integral part of everyday life. It has risen dramatically over the past century with the advent of television, computers, and digital platforms, and more recently, it has been characterized by individuals using multiple devices simultaneously (Bushman & Anderson, 2001; Nielsen Media Research, 1998; Rideout & Robb, 2019, 2021). Media multitasking (MMT) has been linked to cognitive control challenges and attentional difficulties. This study examined EEG workload (Fz theta/Pz alpha ratio), survey accuracy, and ADHD traits (ASRS v1.1) in 33 adult participants across baseline and single-versus dual-media conditions. Results indicated that mental workload was significantly higher …

Adolescent Executive Function As A Resilience Factor In The Family Stress Model Among Mexican-Origin Families, Su Yeong Kim, Yayu Du, Tianlu Zhang, Jingyi Shen, Kiera M. Coulter, Lester Sim, Wen Wen, Belem G. Lopez, Maria M. Arredondo, Shen Yishan, Hou Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Mexican-origin families often face economic hardship due to systemic oppression, increasing the likelihood of adolescent marijuana use. While the family stress model provides insight into the mechanism of the association between family economic hardship and adolescent marijuana use, resilience factors are relatively unknown. The present study uses a three-wave longitudinal data set of Mexican immigrant families in the United States (Wave 1—adolescents: Mage = 12.29, SD = 0.93; mothers: Mage = 38.57, SD = 5.71) to investigate the mechanism underlying the association between family income and adolescents’ likelihood of marijuana use, guided by the family stress model. The protective role …

The Lived Experiences Of Mothers Facing Phubbing From Their Adolescent Children, Mye Alexis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Widespread use of technology, particularly smartphones, introduced new challenges involving parent–adolescent attachment. Although existing literature primarily examines parental phubbing of adolescents, there is a significant gap in research exploring the experiences of mothers who are phubbed by their adolescent children. To address this gap, the central research question guiding this study was: What are the lived experiences of mothers who have been phubbed by their adolescent (ages 14-18) children? Grounded in Bowlby’s attachment theory, this phenomenological qualitative study aimed to deepen understanding of the emotional impacts of phubbing on mothers’ emotional wellbeing, emotional bonding, and mother–adolescent attachment. A homogeneous convenience …

What Kinds Of Experiences And Activities Contribute To College Students' Sense Of Purpose? A Mixed-Methods Study, Katlyn Rochelle Viers

Dissertations and Theses

For many young people, attending college is a core marker of the transition to emerging adulthood. Some students thrive in college while others become lost, confused, or seem to be just marking their time. Some researchers have hypothesized that one thing that can help students take advantage of their college experience is if they are firmly anchored in their own life goals and sense of purpose. The primary goal of this study is to contribute to knowledge about the role of a sense of purpose in college students' development, including not only its potential benefits to their academic functioning and …

Tv Versus Video Games: Their Distinctive Effects On Adolescent Behavior And Academic Achievement, Faiaz Rahman, Kathy L. Schuh

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The current paper uses data collected from a publicly available, nationally representative data set to examine the effects of TV viewing and video gaming on adolescent behavioral problems and cognitive achievement. Results revealed that extended hours of TV viewing were associated with greater anxiety/depression and antisocial problems. On the other hand, extended hours of video gaming were associated with higher reading comprehension scores. Differing effects of TV viewing and gameplay by an individual’s sex was also found during the analysis. It is also important to note that the opposite effects that the two media has on outcomes, indicate that, although …

Exploring Underrepresented Stem Undergraduates' Stem Identity Development: The Role Of Social Partners, Sandy Cerda-Lezama

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation employs a three-study qualitative design to investigate the role of mentorship and social interaction in the identity development of racial minority undergraduate students in STEM disciplines. Grounded in Communities of Practice theory, this research amplifies student narratives to elucidate the relational and contextual factors that inform science identity, belonging, competence, and persistence in higher education. Study One draws upon interview data from fifteen participants in the BUILD program to analyze the role of recognition, particularly from expert scientists--in students' science identity development. This study aims to understand how racial and ethnic identity intersections influence the processes and impact …

Young Adults’ Self-Perceptions Of Parenting Styles And Attachments Influencing Juvenile Criminality, Keristin Zanda Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting styles, parent-to-child attachments, and parental involvements are contributing factors leading to juvenile delinquency. Adolescents are committing offending acts at a younger age, recidivating, and perpetrating with peers or parents. However, there is a lack of empirical research on juvenile perceptions of parenting, juvenile criminality, and desistance implications. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore past juvenile criminal offenders’ lived experiences and the corresponding influence parenting styles had on their deviant behaviors. Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Baumrind’s parenting style theory, and Bandura’s social learning theory provided a lens for examining young adults’ perceptions of parenting related …

Problem Videogame Playing Scale: A Preliminary Study Of Measurement Invariance Between English And Malay, Jia Yuin Fam, Rumaya Juhari, Zainal Madon, Mohd Najmi Daud

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Purpose: Distinguishing between problematic and non-problematic gamers is a priority concern. Although the Problem Videogame Playing (PVP) Scale might be useful as a screening tool of IGD, there is little evidence to support the measurement invariance of the PVP scale. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the English and Malay versions of the PVP scale. Methods: A total of 646 secondary school students aged between 12 and 18 years were recruited to participate in this study. Results: The unidimensional structure of the PVP scale was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The PVP scale correlates well with other …

The Resilience In Black Families Scale: A Validation Study, Destiny Kelly

All ETDs from UAB

The Resilience in Black Families Scale (RBFS) was developed to be a culturally relevant measure designed to assess the family resilience processes utilized within Black families. The purpose of this study was to validate the RBFS, which consists of a three-factor structure modeled after Walsh’s family resilience framework and is further enhanced with culturally relevant protective factors. Using a sample of 200 participants, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the theoretical hierarchical factor structure of the Resilience in Black Families model, consisting of 13 first order factors (making meaning of adversity, positive outlook, religiosity and spirituality, ethnic-racial socialization, …