Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Childhood Sexual Behavior: An Integrated Developmental Ecological Assessment Approach, Kelley Simmons Jones

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative, theoretical review and analysis of extant literature explored the sociocultural influences effecting conceptualization of childhood sexual behavior problems. Themes emerged from analysis of peer-reviewed journals that illustrated the complex, multidimensional, and ecological factors influencing child sexual development and problematic sexual behavior. These included major themes of Child Sexuality: Ecological Context, Developmental Context, Complex Trauma, and Ecological Interventions. Specific factors associated with childhood sexual behavior problems included trauma, domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse, psychological and emotional distress, impaired attachment, and the effects of diverse ecological systems such as the family, parents, and sociocultural influences of the greater community. …

Hurricane-Exposed Youth And Psychological Distress: An Examination Of The Role Of Social Support, Donice M. Banks

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane exposure places youth at risk for psychological distress such as symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, while social support may contribute to resilience following disasters. This study examined associations among family and peer social support, level of hurricane exposure, and psychological distress using both a large single-time assessment sample (N = 1098) and a longitudinal sample followed over a six-month period (n = 192). Higher levels of hurricane exposure were related to lower levels of social support from family and peers as well as to higher levels of psychological distress. Higher levels of family …

An Investigation Of The Association Between Arithmetic Achievement And Symbolic And Nonsymbolic Magnitude Processing In 5-9 Year-Old Children: Evidence From A Paper-And-Pencil Test, Nadia Nosworthy

Faculty Publications

Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on basic number processing competencies (such as the ability to judge which of two numbers is larger) and their role in predicting individual differences in school-relevant math achievement. Children’s ability to compare both symbolic (e.g. Arabic numerals) and nonsymbolic (e.g. dot arrays) magnitudes has been found to correlate with their math achievement. The available evidence, however, has focused on computerized paradigms, which may not always be suitable for universal, quick application in the classroom. Furthermore, it is currently unclear whether both symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude comparison are related to children’s performance on tests …

Understanding Children's Art Making Preferences: Implications For Art Therapy, Amy Morrison

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study employed a phenomenological, qualitative approach to investigate children’s art making preferences. The researcher was curious about the meaning that creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms held for children. Influences and contributions to children’s art making preferences were explored. Lastly the study questioned what children’s artistic preferences mean for the field of art therapy. Theories of art therapy, artistic development, and child development informed the study. Thirteen children ages 5 to 11, four boys and nine girls participated. The researcher requested the children choose a subject and create the subject in both two and three dimensions. A range of …

Cumulative Risk, The Home Environment, And Interactive Book Reading Between Mother And Child As Predictors Of School Readiness, Laura Mary Northerner

Wayne State University Theses

There is evidence in the literature that early school readiness predicts later school performance (Duncan et al., 2007; La Paro and Pianta, 2000). There is less research, however, on the impact of risk factors on a child's school readiness, and protective factors that may lessen the negative effects of various risk factors. This study explored predictors of school readiness, including cumulative socio-demographic risk, the home environment, and interactive book reading behaviors. Participants included 104 young mothers and their children. The mother and child dyads were assessed at three time points. Cumulative socio-demographic risk was measured in the lab when the …

The Origins Of Reading: Using The Ipad To Study 2- To 4-Year-Old's Learning Of Sound/Print/Object Relations, Ashley Catherine Vance

Open Access Theses

This thesis looks at the origins of reading (before the age of 5) through the lens of early language development. We used an iPad to test if children can make the connection between printed words and the spoken word or their visual referent. Using a forced choice procedure, inspired by the traditional Preferential Looking Paradigm, we tested 30 children, ages 2-4 years. Results suggest that children as young as 2 years of age can indeed make spoken word-to-print connections. Specifically, by emphasizing or exaggerating text differences, we were able to get children (2-4 years of age) to correctly tap the …

The Initial Development Of Child-Focused Interventions In The Treatment Of Maternal Substance Abuse And Child Neglect, Kendra Tracy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This single case study focuses on the development and evaluation of child focused interventions for the treatment of child neglect and concurrent maternal substance abuse that were incorporated into Family Behavior Therapy (FBT). The participants were a mother referred by the Department of Family Services and her child. The child participated in three child focused interventions that were developed to decrease child behavior problems, increase support and communication, and prevent future neglect by strengthening the mother & child relationship. Although not a focus in this study, the mother participated in traditional FBT adult focused intervention components. The chief aim of …

The Mediating Role Of Emotion Regulation In The Relations Of Between Somatization And Internalizing Disorders In Children, Priscilla A. Khuanghlawn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Somatic symptoms are a common experience of childhood and research suggests that specific populations, including girls and children who are African-American, may be more likely to experience and report somatic complaints. Although seen in developmentally typical populations, somatic symptoms are also often strongly linked with general psychopathology, especially internalizing disorders. The etiology of somatic symptoms is unclear, with the current literature suggesting various contributing causes. One such contributing factor includes emotional factors such as the management of emotional arousal through emotion inhibition, coping, and dysregulation. Using an African-American sample of 136 elementary school-aged children (47% boys) and their parents (86% …

Methods And Baseline Characteristics Of A Randomized Trial Treating Early Childhood Obesity: The Positive Lifestyles For Active Youngsters (Team Play) Trial, Marion Hare, Mace Coday, Natalie A. Williams, Phyllis Richey, Frances Tylavsky, Andrew Bush

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

There are few effective obesity interventions directed towards younger children, particularly young minority children. This paper describes the design, intervention, recruitment methods, and baseline data of the ongoing Positive Lifestyles for Active Youngsters (Team PLAY) study. This randomized controlled trial is designed to test the efficacy of a 6-month, moderately intense, primary care feasible, family-based behavioral intervention, targeting both young children and their parent, in promoting healthy weight change.

Participants are 270 overweight and obese children (ages 4 to 7 years) and their parent, who were recruited from a primarily African American urban population. Parents and children were instructed in …

Coping Styles Of Maltreated Children As Related To Risk And Temperament, Tiffani N. Orne

Senior Honors Theses

A large number of children are classified as maltreated, and these children respond to maltreatment in different ways. Cumulative sociodemographic risk factors and temperament both affect the socioemotional outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the association between risk factors and behavioral outcomes in children who have been neglected or abused is influenced by temperamental characteristics. Social workers in Virginia completed questionnaires about five children and adolescents who are part of their current case load. Questionnaires included demographic questions, a Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and an Emotionality Activity Sociability (EAS) temperament …

The Relation Between Children's Perceived Containment And Parental Antisocial Behavior, Joye L. Henrie

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have invoked a variety of theories when discussing the relation between children's orientation to authority and the development of antiSocial behavior (ASB). Here, the focus is children's sense of containment. Previous studies revealed an association between perceived containment and child externalizing behaviors. In this study, the degree to which a child's sense of containment is related to parents' level of ASB was examined. One hundred sixty aggressive children and their parents participated. I hypothesized that ineffective discipline would moderate the relation between parent ASB and child perceived containment. I expected to find an inverse relation between parents' level of …

A Content Analysis Of Indirect, Verbal, And Physical Aggression In Television Programs Popular Among School-Aged Girls, Jennifer Ruh Linder, Kelsey Ann Lyle

Faculty Publications

A content analysis of indirect, verbal, and physical aggression was conducted of 77 hours of television programming popular among fifth grade girls. Eighty-eight percent of programs contained aggression. Physical aggression occurred at a rate of 9.6 acts per hour, whereas indirect and verbal aggression occurred at a rate of 3.7 and 2.8 acts per hour, respectively. Rates of aggression varied by gender, age, and attractiveness of perpetrators, as well as by relationship between perpetrator and victim. Additionally, motivation and consequences of aggressive acts varied by form of aggression. Implications of the findings are discussed in light of current research and …

"Out Of The Mouths Of Sibs"... A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Being A Well School-Age Sibling Of A Child With A Traumatic Injury, Mary Jo Bugel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Aiding Young Children In Taiwan's Typhoon Disaster: How An Naeyc Interest Forum Takes Action, S. C. Yen, S. Baba, Ellen N. Junn

Office of the Provost Scholarship

The article describes the strategies learned by members of the Asian Interest Forum (AIF) who collaborated with parents and early childhood teachers on how to help young children cope with natural disasters in Taiwan. Shu-Chen Jenny Yen and Yafen Lo, AIF leaders, have translated information on how to cope with natural disasters into Chinese and sent it to their colleagues in Taiwan. Yen also visited the country where she trained early childhood teachers and volunteers to help children and their families deal with the effects of the natural disaster.

The Influence Of Music On The Development Of Children, Theresa Riforgiate, Christopher Chau

Psychology and Child Development

Listening to classical music, like Mozart, is wonderful way to expand one's musical taste. Contrary to popular beliefs, however, this passive engagement with music does not make your child smarter. However, research demonstrates that active participation in music and music instruction help develop memory, perception, language, vocabulary, spoken skills, and reading skills. In order to disseminate these findings, we compiled a list of different opportunities around San Luis Obispo for children's active participation in music. Our goal is to provide parents with a resource to help them facilitate their children's involvement in music.

Cluster Analysis Of The Tomal Standardization Sample, Nicholas Shizuo Thaler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Children experience natural cognitive changes as they grow older, with more rapid memory development when they are younger. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expected normal variation in youth using the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL; Reynolds & Bigler, 1994). The TOMAL is a broad-band verbal and nonverbal memory battery that has been standardized on youth aged 5-19, providing a good source of information on memory development in healthy children. Cluster analysis analyzed 1121 children selected from the TOMAL standardization sample and identified homogeneous profile subtypes of memory and learning. In addition, three age ranges …

De-Mystifying The Magic: Meaningful Moments In Music Therapy When Working With Children That Have Severe Special Needs, Kayla C. Daly

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The purpose of my study is to explore the “magic” that occurs in these music therapy sessions, and to discover what this word means for those who use it. For the purpose of this study we will define “magic” as having the occurrence of meaningful outcomes or moments in music therapy sessions. This study will attempt to reveal methods and techniques that are being used by music therapists to further facilitate the therapeutic process for children with severe special needs in their lives and everyday experiences. This study included naturalistic inquiry and phenomenological inquiry.

Social Understanding And The Effect Of Social Pressure On Children's Suggestibility, Catherine Camilletti

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The current study investigated the effect of varying levels of social pressure in a suggestive interview on children's recall for a witnessed event as well as the relationship between children's social understanding and their suggestibility. Children were randomly assigned to take part in one of four suggestive interviews about a confederate's visit to their classroom. Children also completed several tasks to assess their knowledge and understanding of social situations. Children receiving high levels of social pressure in an interview had higher rates of suggestibility than children receiving lower levels of social pressure in an interview. Children's overall comprehension of a …

Development Of The Video Suggestibility Scale For Children: Spanish-Language Version, Claudia Ornelas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Video Suggestibility Scale (VSSC). A cross-cultural validation with a sample of 3-5 year old Spanish speaking children was performed to evaluate its psychometric properties (N = 79). The development of the VSSC Spanish language version (VSSC-S) is described. The new version was created using the translation-back-translation process to increase the instrument‟s equivalence. Internal consistencies were satisfactory. Construct validity was assessed by using factor analysis and the Varimax procedure. As expected, the VSSC-S items loaded on two separate factors. Overall, results suggest that the VSSC-S taps into similar constructs …

Using Bibliotherapy To Positively Impact The Emergent Racial Identity Of African-American Children, Sarah Seung-Mcfarland

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Variables That Influence The Quantity Of In-Home Services For Children, Adrienne A. Bean

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There are many reasons in-home services are being implemented and having success with young children. Part of this success may be due to the practitioners’ access to the family and home environment. Previous studies have addressed the quality of these services; however, few studies examine how the quantity of services is dispersed and/or how quantity of services is related to various characteristics of, or surrounding, the child. This dissertation attempts to examine factors that may influence the amount of time practitioners are willing to spend in homes when children have comparable concerns or delays. Parental qualities, environmental conditions, and other …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Children’S Development As Reflected In Their Artwork: An Investigation Of Children’S Drawings From The African Country Of Benin, Elizabeth Anna Smead

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This research adds to the body of knowledge related to the human figure drawing as a useful tool in assessment and to art therapists’ understanding of children who depict the human figure in cross-cultural settings. This researcher obtained a sample collection of 148 human figure drawings from African children in rural Benin, West Africa to study in comparison to a set of human figure drawings collected under similar conditions in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In this quantitative study, five of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scales (FEATS) were modified and used to tally the formal elements of each of the 148 …

Parents' Homophobia And Childrearing Gender Role Beliefs: Correlates In A Local Populations, Angela Ackerman Brogle

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

The State Goes Home: Local Hyper-Vigilance Of Children And The Global Retreat From Social Reproduction, Cindi Katz

Publications and Research

In an early scene in The Terminator, the Cyborgian Arnold Schwarzenegger walks into an L.A. gun shop and asks to see the wares. The shopkeeper lays out Uzis, submachine guns, rocket launchers, and other sophisticated means of overkill, nervously understating, "Any one of these will suit you for home defense purposes." The situation is likewise in the growing child protection industry. In keeping with the shopkeeper's sly comment, these businesses feast on an all-pervasive culture of fear, while creating a mockery, alibi, and distraction out of what they are really about - to remake the home as a citadel through …

The Impact Of Parental Variables On Child Behavior At Home And In The Daycare Classroom, Margaret Sue Hart

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study was designed examine the relationships among parental variables and child behavior in different settings and to test four path analytic models of children's internalizing and externalizing behavior as reported by both parents and primary daycare teachers. Participants were 104 intact couples with children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years. Mothers and fathers independently completed a packet of questionnaires including measures of masculinity ideology, parenting beliefs, work stress, work-family conflict, marital conflict, child behavior, as well as a demographic questionnaire. Correlations among parent and child variables were calculated. Moderate relationships between maternal and paternal variables …

The Effects Of Group Counseling On The Self-Esteem, Anxiety, And Behavior Of Children With Deployed Parents, Nancy Taylor Mitchum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a six-session group counseling intervention for children who had a parent experiencing military-induced deployment. Participants were 65 children (30 boys, 35 girls) of enlisted military personnel attending elementary schools near the Norfolk Naval Base. Elementary school counselors facilitated the counseling groups.

An experimental/control group pretest-posttest design was employed. Independent variables were the child's participation in the Children of Deployed Parents-Group/control group, child gender and age. Dependent variables were self-esteem, anxiety, and behavior as measured by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), the Child …

Emotional Dysregulation In Children With Aids-Diagnosed Mothers: A Comparative Study, Kathleen O'Brien-Sheber

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Language Proficiency And Stress: Impact On Measured Intelligence And Anxiety For Latino Children, Marlene Baldizon De Naclerio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Maternal Perceptions Of The Social Development And Behavior Of Asthmatic Children, Chelley A. Merrell

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

To assess the effects of asthma on the social development and behavior of asthmatic children, 60 mothers of 6- to 13-year-old children (30 mothers of asthmatics, 30 mothers of non-asthmatics) completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL: Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1986) and were administered the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland: Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984). It was hypothesized that asthmatic children would lag behind non-asthmatic peers in social development, defined as the development of age-appropriate behaviors (i.e., communication, daily living skills, and socialization). In addition, it was hypothesized that asthmatic children would exhibit more internalizing behaviors than non-asthmatic children. There were …

Correlates Of Disciplinary Practices In Working- To Middle-Class African-American Mothers, Michelle L. Kelley, Janis Sanchez-Hucles, Regina R. Walker

Psychology Faculty Publications

The disciplinary practices of 52 working- to middle-income African-American mothers were coded to assess the degree to which the mother took a parent-oriented versus a child-oriented approach across various aspects of discipline. Factors associated with physical punishment included maternal education and maternal age. The use of social/material control practices were associated with maternal age, father presence, and concerns about child victimization. Only maternal education was associated with restrictive discipline. Fear of child victimization independently predicted the use of material/social consequences. Findings are discussed in terms of the factors contributing to these individual differences, and the adaptiveness of these practices for …