Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

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 …

Creating Intergenerational Connections: A Multilevel Approach For Enriching Lives And Addressing Vital Community Issues, Matthew S. Kaplan, Nancy Z. Henkin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article presents an overview of intergenerational programs and practices as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and practice that fosters open communication, support, and civic engagement across generations. Numerous examples of how intergenerational programs and practices harness age diversity to improve the human condition are presented. This includes initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation and loneliness, strengthen families, enrich education and lifelong learning, enhance community quality of life, and transmit cherished cultural traditions and values. This article highlights Extension’s longstanding contributions to intergenerational programming, showcasing notable examples across program areas and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement, co-leadership, and …

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 Motherhood Penalty On Health: Evidence From China, Ang Sun, Fang Xia, Xuan Zhang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Understanding women’s physical and mental well-being following childbirth is critical for informing policies on labor market equity, family support, and fertility. Using event study methods and panel data from China, we document a persistent motherhood penalty in both physical and mental health, whereas the health impacts on fathers are minimal. While mothers experience a temporary reduction in paid work hours, they face a sustained increase in unpaid domestic labor — housework and childcare — resulting in a net increase in total work time. This additional workload likely contributes to deterioration in health. Mothers are also more likely to engage in …

What Do Young Feminists In Kenya Need To Thrive?, Chantalle Okondo, John Malkia, Ivy Kutswa, Ruth Juliet, Sar Kagendo, Stacie Akinyi, Gladys Jerop, Juma Damaris, Terry Owino, Jerry Okal

Adolescents and Young People

The Nawiri Project used a core Participatory Action Research Evaluation (PARe) approach to explore the landscape of young feminist organizing/organizations (YFOs) in Kenya and Mexico. The project aimed to synthesize evidence on YFOs’ context, impact, and strengths. In Kenya, the core PARe team included nine young feminists and seven Feminist Advisory Panel (FAP) members, who collaborated with Population Council, Kenya from the project’s inception to dissemination. To define and measure impact, the team conducted five case studies with YFO leadership, nine focus group discussions with YFO beneficiaries, 31 key informant interviews with current and previous partners, and cost and benefit …

Sustainability And Funding Of Young Feminist Organizing/Organization In Kenya, Chantalle Okondo, John Malkia, Ivy Kutswa, Ruth Juliet, Sar Kagendo, Stacie Akinyi, Gladys Jerop, Juma Damaris, Terry Owino, Jerry Okal

Adolescents and Young People

The Nawiri Project used a core Participatory Action Research Evaluation (PARe) approach to explore the landscape of young feminist organizing/organizations (YFOs) in Kenya and Mexico. The project aimed to synthesize evidence on YFOs’ context, impact, and strengths. In Kenya, the core PARe team included nine young feminists and seven Feminist Advisory Panel (FAP) members, who collaborated with Population Council, Kenya from the project’s inception to dissemination. To define and measure impact, the team conducted five case studies with YFO leadership, nine focus group discussions with YFO beneficiaries, 31 key informant interviews with current and previous partners, and cost and benefit …

Understanding Impact Among Young Feminist Organizing/Organizations In Kenya, Chantalle Okondo, John Malkia, Ivy Kutswa, Ruth Juliet, Sar Kagendo, Stacie Akinyi, Terry Owino, Jerry Okal

Adolescents and Young People

The Nawiri Project used a core Participatory Action Research Evaluation (PARe) approach to explore the landscape of young feminist organizing/organizations (YFOs) in Kenya and Mexico. The project aimed to synthesize evidence on YFOs’ context, impact, and strengths. In Kenya, the core PARe team included nine young feminists and seven Feminist Advisory Panel (FAP) members, who collaborated with Population Council–Kenya from the project’s inception to dissemination. To define and measure impact, the team conducted five case studies with YFO leadership, nine focus group discussions with YFO beneficiaries, 31 key informant interviews with current and previous partners, and cost and benefit analysis …

Life Course And Cohort Patterns In Screen Time Among School-Aged Children In The United States, Ashley W. Kranjac, Dinko Kranjac

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Study design

Results

What Motives Influence Parents’ Commitment To Their Children’S Sport Participation In The United States?, Katherine N. Alexander, Daniel J. M. Fleming, Mitchell Olsen, Travis E. Dorsch, Kat V. Adams

Human Development and Family Studies Student Research

Background: The public often places value on youth sport involvement in the United States due to its potential to foster positive outcomes for participants. Although sport parents are key socializers and provide access to appropriate participation opportunities for children, less is known about how their perceptions of their child’s motives influence their sport commitments. Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to understand how parents’ perceptions of their child’s motives for sport participation were associated with time/travel sport commitments. Methods: Participants (N = 1250) were parents in the United States reporting on their child’s youth sport participation. Measures …

Associations Between Individual And Structural Level Discrimination And Psychological And Physiological Stress Indicators During Pregnancy, Özlü Aran, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Julia Dmitrieva, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In the United States (U.S.) pervasive health disparities in prenatal care disproportionately impact marginalized individuals. The present study investigates whether discrimination at the individual and structural levels are associated with indicators of psychological and physiological stress among pregnant Latinx people living in the U.S., including both U.S. and foreign-born individuals. Pregnant participants (n = 109) reported on birthplace, lifetime experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination, perceived levels of stress, acculturation, social support, and provided residential address data and hair samples for cortisol analysis. Regression analysis revealed that individual level discrimination was linked to higher psychological stress during pregnancy ( …

Aging, Poverty, And Healthcare Access And Affordability In Nigeria: Implications For Policy, Sunkanmi Folorunsho

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: Nigeria’s aging population is expanding rapidly. Older adults face intersecting challenges of poverty, chronic disease burden, and inadequate access to healthcare. With limited formal income support and minimal health insurance coverage, most elderly Nigerians rely on family or continue informal labor to survive. This compounds their vulnerability in later life.

Objectives: This article examines the economic and health-related barriers to healthcare utilization among older Nigerians. It incorporates recent demographic and epidemiological trends, wealth-based inequalities, rural–urban disparities, and evolving policy responses. The analysis integrates insights from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018 and applies Andersen’s healthcare access model. …

The Effects Of Parental Emotion Regulation On Child Mental Health, Vanessa Brouse

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Sociology: Groups And Organizations, Marcia Morrison Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Abstract:

This comprehensive analysis explores the dynamics of social groups and bureaucratic organizations, drawing on foundational theories and empirical studies to illuminate how structure, identity, and informal culture shape collective behavior. The paper examines the essential elements of group dynamics—regular interaction, defined roles, shared norms, and collective identity—alongside the four stages of group decision-making that guide consensus and effectiveness. It distinguishes between primary and secondary groups, emphasizing their respective influences on personal identity and social cohesion, and discusses the pivotal role of reference groups in identity formation.

Further, the discussion extends to the mechanisms of group survival, analyzing concepts such …

Precursors Of Young Adults' World Beliefs Across Cultures: A Machine Learning Approach, Jennifer E. Lansford, Andrea Bizzego, Julio Daniel Bermúdez Chinea, Gianluca Esposito, William Andrew Rothenberg, Jeremy D. W. Clifton, Dario Bacchini, Lei Chang, Kirby D. Deater-Deckard, Laura Di Giunta, Kenneth A. Dodge, Sevtap Gurdal, Daranee Junla, Paul Oburu, Concetta Pastorelli, Ann T. Skinner, Emma Sorbring, Laurence D. Steinberg, Marc H. Bornstein, Liliana Maria Uribe Tirado, Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, Liane P. Alampay, Suha M. Al-Hassan

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Primal world beliefs ("primals") capture individuals' basic understanding of what sort of world this is and are strongly associated with a wide range of behaviors and outcomes, yet we have little understanding of how primals come to be. This study used a data-driven machine learning approach to examine what individual, parenting, family, and cultural factors in childhood best predict young adults' beliefs that the world is Abundant, Alive, Enticing, Good, Hierarchical, Progressing, and Safe, contributing a long-term longitudinal perspective to the nascent work in developmental science on primal world beliefs ("primals"). Participants included 770 young adults from eight countries (Colombia, …

I Do, And I Will: Effectual Religiosity May Strengthen The Triad Chord Of Commitment For Women Of Faith, Tamara M. Chamberlain, Loren Marks, David C. Dollahite, Ashley Lebaron-Black, Elizabeth Kay Madsen, Christina N. Cooper

Faculty Publications

Although religiosity is commonly linked to marital satisfaction in sociological research, few studies have examined how it strengthens marital commitment among women of faith. This study explored the perspectives of religious, heterosexual married women using interviews in the United States from 196 highly religious couples with successful marriages. Three core themes emerged: (1) personal commitment—including the decision to marry, religious beliefs and practices, and the need for effort and sacrifice; (2) moral commitment—highlighting sexual relations before marriage, promises made before God, family, and friends, and views on fidelity and divorce; and (3) structural commitment— emphasizing the role of a religious …

Underlying Causes Linking Foster Care And The Criminal Justice System, Marcia D. Wheeler

Master of Arts in Human Services

This research expands on the ongoing statewide crisis within the foster care system that needs to be properly addressed to benefit future and current foster youth. Research has found a connection between foster care and prison, often referred as the “foster-care-to-prison-pipeline.” This study aimed to explore the impact of trauma experienced by current and former foster youth through a life course lens looking at crucial areas of development using a mixed methodology supported by theoretical theories that explored the connection between foster care and the criminal justice system. The results showed that current and former foster youth face many adversities …

Is Health Insurance Related To Breastfeeding Duration?, Anna De La Paz

Population Health Research Brief Series

Breastfeeding duration, which plays an important role in shaping maternal and infant health, can be influenced by insurance type. This data slice uses data from the 2022-2023 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to described differences in breastfeeding duration by insurance type among females ages 15-49 in the United States. Findings show that mothers with private insurance breastfeed longer than mothers with public insurance, such as Medicaid, net of controls for maternal age, race, education, and income.

Executive Functioning And Mental Health In Emerging Adults: Type 1 Diabetes Status As A Moderator, Hannah Margot Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adults (ages 18-26) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are especially vulnerable to diabetes management challenges when taking on increased disease responsibility during this critical period of development. They may experience higher cognitive and psychological demands compared to peers. The study examined whether having T1DM moderated the association between executive functioning (EF) and mental health symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, and disordered eating) in emerging adults. Exploratory analyses investigated the associations between EF, disease management, and mental health symptoms. Participants were 35 emerging adults with T1DM and 35 healthy controls. Participants completed questionnaire measures of mental health and performance-based …

The Association Of Anxiety, Familial Dysfunction, And Child Emotion Regulation Between Family Therapy Sessions 1 And 4, Kaelie Noel Lemmon

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies address how relational factors may be interdependent and impact child-focused problems that could be collectively addressed in systemic family therapy. The current study utilized a cross-lagged panel model to explore the associations of parental anxiety, familial dysfunction, and child emotion regulation between four family therapy sessions. The study included 224 parents who sought family therapy and participated in the Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Research Network (MFT-PRN). Data were collected at two time points across four family therapy sessions. The findings indicated that higher levels of parental anxiety at intake were associated with higher familial dysfunction at session …

Caregiver Training Program For Optimal Recovery Of Neuro Accidents: An Occupational Therapy Approach, Bennie L. Huitt Jr., Jennifer Featheringham, Cassandra Nelson

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Caregivers of individuals recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or experiencing onset of dementia often are provided limited education and support after discharge, negatively impacting confidence and recovery outcomes. The Caremaster program was designed to bridge the educational gap between occupational therapists in the clinical setting and caregivers in the home settings through accessible online modules, support groups, and in-person demonstrations. Module topics included understanding neuro accidents and role of the caregiver, returning home (transition and adaptation), ADLs and Mobility, returning to roles, and social reintegration. This program aims to guide future development of scalable, community-based caregiver education that …