Measuring Emotional Well-Being Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Measuring Emotional Well-Being Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Alecia Mercier
All ETDs from UAB
Emotional well-being has emerged as a crucial determinant of both physical and mental health, with implications for public health initiatives aimed at improving quality of life and reducing mortality. However, a clear and consistent understanding of emotional well-being, its components, and optimal measurement strategies remains lacking, especially for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This dissertation investigated how emotional well-being is conceptualized and measured in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Paper one was a scoping review that identified 20 emotional well-being measures developed or adapted for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Findings demonstrated that many existing measures do not include emotional well-being …
Differential Susceptibility: How Parenting Behaviors Predict Adolescent Antisocial Behavior In The Context Of Candidate Plasticity Genes,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Differential Susceptibility: How Parenting Behaviors Predict Adolescent Antisocial Behavior In The Context Of Candidate Plasticity Genes, Amanda Moore
All ETDs from UAB
Adolescent antisocial behavior (ASB) has been consistently linked to parenting behaviors, yet individual variability in response to parenting remains poorly understood. Grounded in the differential susceptibility theory, this study examined how candidate plasticity genes interact with poor parenting to predict ASB in adolescents. A sample of 272 youth from the Birmingham Youth Violence Study provided genetic data and participated in two waves of behavioral and parenting assessments. Parenting behaviors were measured using a composite index of harsh, inconsistent, and low-nurturance parenting. ASB was assessed through self- and parent-reported measures of delinquency, aggression, and conduct problems. The study tested whether individual …
Parenting And Parental Well-Being As Risk And Resilience Factors For Mental Well-Being In Adolescents With And Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Parenting And Parental Well-Being As Risk And Resilience Factors For Mental Well-Being In Adolescents With And Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Wanqin Yu
All ETDs from UAB
Parenting practices and caregiver well-being are widely recognized as key determinants of adolescent mental health. However, few studies have examined how these factors operate in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), particularly through a risk and resilience framework. This study investigated how positive and negative parenting practices, caregiver well-being, and parenting stress relate to adolescents’ emotional well-being and internalizing problems. It also explored whether these variables differed between adolescents with and without NDDs. Participants included 105 adolescents aged 11–14 years (61.9% female; 52.4% diagnosed with an NDD) and their caregivers, drawn from a larger study on adolescent socio-emotional competencies. Caregivers …
The Longitudinal Associations Between The Longitudinal Associations Between Parent Involvement And Academic Achievement In Elementary School Involvement And Academic Achievement In Elementary School,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Longitudinal Associations Between The Longitudinal Associations Between Parent Involvement And Academic Achievement In Elementary School Involvement And Academic Achievement In Elementary School, Makayla Elizabeth Warnecke
All ETDs from UAB
Parent involvement has been positively linked to children’s academic outcomes (e.g., Chavkin, 1993; Eccles & Harold, 1993; Epstein, 1989, 1994; Hess & Holloway, 1984; Hobbs et al, 1984; U.S Department of Education, 1994). These outcomes include higher achievement test scores (Keith et al., 1986), better grades (NCES, 1985), and increased rates of secondary school completion (Chavkin & Williams, 1993; Delgado-Gaitan, 1988, 1992; Epstein, 1986, 1995; Angiano, 2004). However, gaps remain in the current state of research when investigating longterm implications. In a recent meta-analysis, researchers stated the lack of analyses using a longitudinal cross-lagged design as a future direction (Barger …
Adult Role Transitions And Substance Use In Black And White Young Adults,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Adult Role Transitions And Substance Use In Black And White Young Adults, Kristina Brooke Mcmahan
All ETDs from UAB
ADULT ROLE TRANSITIONS AND SUBSTANCE USE IN BLACK AND WHITE YOUNG ADULTS ABSTRACT Substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, often begins during adolescence and young adulthood, which is a developmental period marked by major life transitions such as graduating college, entering full-time employment, and parenthood. Adult role transition patterns may influence substance use and mental health outcomes; however, limited research has examined these associations in racially and socioeconomically diverse populations. The present study explored patterns of adult role transitions and their associations with substance use and mental health symptoms among young adults using data from Wave 4 of the …
The Association Of Resilience Factors With Mental Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged And Older People Living With Hiv,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Association Of Resilience Factors With Mental Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged And Older People Living With Hiv, Jeremy Delgadillo
All ETDs from UAB
Research suggests that people living with HIV (PLWH), an aging chronic health population, have higher prevalence rates and severity of mental health and substance use disorders compared to people living without HIV (PLWoH). Cross-sectional and longitu-dinal studies have suggested intrapersonal resilience factors may serve a protective function in reducing the prevalence and severity of mental health and substance use outcomes among PLWH. The purpose of the current study was two-fold. The first aim was to systematically review the current state of the literature from 2000 to present that examined the associations between intrapersonal resilience factors and mental health outcomes among …
Parental Autonomy Support And Children’S Affect As Predictors Of Children’S Stem Engagement In An Informal Educational Context,
2025
Loyola University of Chicago Graduate School
Parental Autonomy Support And Children’S Affect As Predictors Of Children’S Stem Engagement In An Informal Educational Context, Bianca Martins Aldrich
Dissertations
In this project, we examined relations between parental talk and children’s affect on children’s STEM talk during an engineering-related activity (i.e., tinkering) in a local children’s museum. We characterized children’s affect in terms of valence (positive or negative) and activation (activating or deactivating), and parental talk was characterized as autonomy supportive or directive, as well as STEM-related or not. Parents and their 4- to 10-year-old children were recruited at the entrance of the Tinkering Lab exhibit at Chicago Children’s Museum. Parents and children were video and audio recorded during the activity. We coded parents’ and children’s behaviors using a time-sampling …
Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia,
2025
University of Denver
Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Catherine H. Demers, Jessica L. Irwin, Laura M. Glynn, Martin A. Styner, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, M. Camille Hoffman, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Benjamin L. Hankin, Elysia Poggi Davis
Psychology: Faculty Scholarship
Anhedonia is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. New evidence demonstrates that anhedonia is present in infancy and early childhood. Structural variability in striatal regions involved in reward processing and pleasure seeking is concurrently linked to anhedonia, yet few studies have examined whether striatal differences presage anhedonia, and none have examined prospective associations before middle childhood. The present study examined whether neuroanatomical markers that confer risk for anhedonia can be detected as early as the neonatal period. Specifically, we tested whether the volume of striatal regions in neonates predicted the emergence of infant anhedonic behaviors at six …
Associations Between Parental Audism/Linguisticism And Deaf Individuals' Well-Being: Mediation By Interpersonal Needs And Relationship Quality,
2025
Texas State University - San Marcos
Associations Between Parental Audism/Linguisticism And Deaf Individuals' Well-Being: Mediation By Interpersonal Needs And Relationship Quality, Dilan H. Arreguin, Crystal D. Oberle
JADARA
This study investigated whether audism and linguisticism from the parents of physically deaf or culturally Deaf individuals—that is, parents’ expectation of their child to communicate within audio-normative standards rather than use sign language—is related to poor mental health of the child. It also investigated whether these relationships are accounted for by interpersonal needs or child-parent relationship quality. For this study, 104 D/deaf adults completed a survey with measures of parental audism and linguisticism, depression, anxiety, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, parental closeness, and parental conflict. Parental audism and linguisticism positively correlated with depression and anxiety, and these relationships were mediated by …
Examining Student Critical Thinking Dispositions Within The College And Career Readiness Of Students Involved In Ffa And 4-H In Georgia,
2025
Rutherford County Schools
Examining Student Critical Thinking Dispositions Within The College And Career Readiness Of Students Involved In Ffa And 4-H In Georgia, James D. Scott, Eric Rubenstein, Jason Peake, Nicholas E. Fuhrman Phd, Jori N. Hall
Journal of Youth Development
Preparing youth, primarily as they become high school graduates, to be ready to enter college and careers, has been a primary driving force in primary and secondary education for over 20 years. However, there lacks consistency in the definition and of the true idea of college and career readiness in the twentyfirst century. Additionally, there is a lack of research examining the impacts that student involvement in youth organizations has on the development of college and career-readiness skills. One facet of college and career readiness is the development of critical thinking skills and dispositions, which include enjoying solving problems, respecting …
Early Adult Outcomes Of 4-H Program Alumni: A Propensity-Matched Comparative Study,
2025
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Early Adult Outcomes Of 4-H Program Alumni: A Propensity-Matched Comparative Study, Steven M. Worker, Roshan K. Nayak, Anne Marie Iaccopucci, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler
Journal of Youth Development
A young person’s engagement in high-quality youth development programs should lead to stronger positive outcomes as a young adult. Theoretical literature advances broad indicators that mark success in young adulthood; however, there is a dearth of empirical publications reporting long-term outcomes to support this assumption. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study to report on three long-term outcomes (economic stability, health and well-being, and community involvement) of young adult (aged 19 to 34) alumni of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program. We compared 4-H alumni outcomes to matched peers using secondary data sources. The 4-H alumni sample demonstrated more …
Closing The Youth Activity Gap Through School District–Community Partnerships,
2025
Bethlehem Area School District
Closing The Youth Activity Gap Through School District–Community Partnerships, Joseph Anthes
Journal of Youth Development
A growing divide in physical activity amongst youth, fueled by the privatization of youth athletic programs, most negatively impacts underrepresented students. Intramural-sports programs hold the potential to engage more of our youth in physical activity, including those from marginalized populations. Utilizing a collective impact approach, school-community partnerships can create opportunities for access and strive toward equity in youth health. This study evaluates a partnership between a school district and a regional health care provider that resulted in the creation of a youth intramural-sports program by describing the partnership’s implementation strategies and by comparing first year enrollment data. Implementation strategies include: …
Strategies For Out-Of-School Time Stem Educators Working With Youth Experiencing Diverse Abilities,
2025
Northern Arizona University
Strategies For Out-Of-School Time Stem Educators Working With Youth Experiencing Diverse Abilities, Joelle Lemer, Rasha Elsayed, Kirsten Daehler, Nena Bloom
Journal of Youth Development
Out-of-school time learning occurs in a variety of settings including formal-learning environments, such as afterschool programs, or informal-learning environments, such as museums or youth clubs. Educators in out-of-school time contexts serve diverse youth populations. Many educators often have limited experience or preparation in how to support STEM learning, particularly with learners experiencing diverse physical and/or sensory abilities, such as mobility, dexterity, vision, or hearing. The purpose of this article is to share research-to-practice strategies for STEM in out-of-school time settings for professionals working with youth experiencing diverse physical and/or sensory abilities. These strategies are derived from a review of available …
How Young People Mobilize Social Capital Within Youth-Serving Organizations,
2025
Search Institute
How Young People Mobilize Social Capital Within Youth-Serving Organizations, Erica J. Van Steenis, Brian Lightfoot, Ashley Boat, Miray Seward
Journal of Youth Development
Youth-serving practitioners can incorporate organizational and programmatic approaches to support young people in strengthening their social capital. Through a robust network of support, young people can successfully transition to postsecondary education and obtain meaningful career opportunities. One way practitioners can support young people’s social capital is by leveraging their social-capital mobilization (i.e., the way relationships and resources are accessed and used to accomplish goals). Informed by an adapted version of the institutional space framework, the current study draws on insights from qualitative focus groups centered around social-capital mobilization within six education and workforce development programs. Data come from the perspectives …
Media And Mindfulness: Associations Between Adolescent Mindful Social Media Use,
2025
Brigham Young University
Media And Mindfulness: Associations Between Adolescent Mindful Social Media Use, Chenae Christensen-Duerden, Sarah Coyne
Journal of Youth Development
The objective of this study is to examine social media mindfulness and other social media habits as predictors of depression in adolescents. As depression and poor mental health increase for American adolescents, so does the research surrounding the positive outcomes associated with mindfulness. It is possible that mindfulness could be an effective tool in managing individual social media habits, however, very little research exists exploring the effects of mindfulness on media use. The sample for the current study includes a national quota sample of 1,158 adolescents (between the ages of 10 and 17 years old) from the United States. Participants …
Characterization Of The Attentional Profile In Women And Girls With A Fragile X Premutation Allele,
2025
CUNY Graduate Center
Characterization Of The Attentional Profile In Women And Girls With A Fragile X Premutation Allele, Shira Russell-Giller
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
The fragile X premutation (PM), characterized by 55 to 200 CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene, is associated with diverse clinical outcomes, including cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes. Despite most individuals with a PM presenting without overt clinical symptoms, adults face increased risks for conditions associated with a PM, including higher rates of attention and executive difficulties. This dissertation investigates the developmental trajectory of attention and executive functioning changes in females with a PM using a series of prospective studies employing the Attention Network Test (ANT). Study 1 re-analyzed prior data on sustained attention in women with a PM, revealing significant …
The Role Of Parent Psychiatric Symptoms In The Intergenerational Continuity Of Child Neglect: A Prospective Examination,
2025
CUNY Graduate Center
The Role Of Parent Psychiatric Symptoms In The Intergenerational Continuity Of Child Neglect: A Prospective Examination, Cody D. Stitzel
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Parental history of childhood neglect is a risk factor for offspring neglect. When a parent and their offspring both experience neglect in childhood, the phenomenon is referred to as the intergenerational continuity of child neglect. Understanding how child neglect is continued from one generation to the next is essential for creating effective interventions and prevention strategies that may help break the cycle. Since links between childhood neglect and heightened risk for various psychiatric symptoms have consistently been identified in research, as well as links between various psychiatric symptoms and heightened risk for child neglect, it may be that parents’ psychiatric …
Liberated Learning Spaces: A Visual Playlist,
2025
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Liberated Learning Spaces: A Visual Playlist, Tarilyn R. Little
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Liberation can be defined as “the act of setting free” or “being free from limits on thoughts and behavior.” Both an action and a state of being, liberation has long been centered as a key function of education, particularly for those who live in historically and systemically marginalized identities. Despite the long-standing existence of liberation-focused pedagogies and activism aimed at transforming schools and students’ lived experiences, educational institutions in the United States have struggled to live out these ideals, often sustaining and replicating systems and practices of oppression. Drawing on historical and contemporary conversations in education and psychology, Liberated Learning …
Table Of Contents,
2025
Clemson University
Using Machine Learning Methods To Evaluate Undergraduates’ Executive Function In The Context Of Game-Based Measurement,
2025
CUNY Graduate Center
Using Machine Learning Methods To Evaluate Undergraduates’ Executive Function In The Context Of Game-Based Measurement, Ming Chen
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Traditional performance-based measurements have faced criticism due to their potential to induce test fatigue and their limited ecological validity. In contrast, game-based assessments have demonstrated the capacity to engage participants effectively in tests and enhance ecological validity by replicating real-world scenarios. Nevertheless, conventional statistical approaches may prove insufficient in capturing the intricate, non-linear associations between participants' gaming performance and their cognitive capabilities. Leveraging the potential of machine learning (ML) techniques, which can model complex problems, offers a promising avenue for estimating students' performance in video games. This dissertation aims to explore various ML methods for the validation of three game-based …
