High school students often face foreign language requirements, either to graduate from their high school or to be accepted at a college or university of their choice (www.ncssfl.org). These requirements serve as external motivators and may decrease a student's intrinsic motivation to learn a language. Indeed, researchers have determined that extrinsic motivation greatly undermines self-motivation (Deci, et al., 2011). Without intrinsic motivation, students struggle to learn in meaningful ways and fail to implement strategies that lead to meaningful foreign language learning and proficiency. Educators must critically analyze their materials, instructional style, lesson plans and assessments and then remove from the curriculum any practice or task that does not foster learner autonomy that ultimately leads to intrinsic motivation. Further, to foster intrinsic motivation, language teaching and learning must focus on the relational aspect of language, as the use of any language is purposed to communicate needs and ideas with others This report explores how learner autonomy and interrelatedness aid the development of intrinsic motivation and provides pedagogical implications for the classroom. / text

Background: This grounded theory study explored the views of adolescent boys aged 12 and 13 on the factors that influence their help-seeking decisions for less severe forms of psychological distress. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 12 participants from a local secondary school and a community setting were analysed according to grounded theory methods. The data analysis abstracted categories of data to construct a substantive theory of helpseeking. Results: Participants’ views revealed an interaction of ‘pressures and promoters’ that affected adolescent boys’ help-seeking decisions. These related to relationships with others, mental health support and education, being a boy, and individual factors. Conclusion: Mental health education and awareness should be promoted amongst adolescent boys and the adults and professionals that they encounter so that they may be encouraged to seek help for psychological distress.

Adolescence is an uphill struggle. Research abundantly displays that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have a distinct and detrimental effect on adolescents and their development. Recent research has explored the perspectives, thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs of helping professionals who integrate spirituality into their work with adolescents. The purpose of this qualitative study is to develop a thematic analysis of helping professionals’ narratives of care with this population. The narratives of helping professionals’ care of adolescent males with ACEs points to the desire to connect with spiritual community and to make meaning. Helping professionals’ narratives also highlight the constraints of locating spirituality. Theological reflection on parrhesia focuses on developing open, unencumbered discussion as an ethical, professional, and spiritually-sensitive form of integration. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This work is based on the premise that uncontrolled anger contributes to the violence committed by adolescent boys 13-17 years of age. In fact, in all countries, young males are both the principal perpetrators and victims of homicide (World Health Organization, 2002). Identifying the underlying reasons for the anger is instrumental in controlling this emotion and in developing and implementing effective violence prevention methods that may lead to a decrease in adolescent violence. Violence in urban America committed specifically by the adolescent male is a serious problem and one that has stimulated the interest of this writer.The purpose of this dissertation is to provide classroom teachers, school administrators, counselors, and parents with insights, strategies, and techniques to understand and help the chronically angry child. Further, my purpose is to review and describe existing knowledge to provide a basis for action in managing these children. Dealing with an angry child is frustrating as well as challenging if one does not understand anger—its possible causes and effects. Since 95% of juvenile homicides are committed by boys under the age of 18, it is fitting that this work focuses on adolescent males (Supporting Our Sons, 2003). / Ed. D.

Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Sylvania Ann Jones has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Anthony Perry, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Stephen Burgess, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. James Carroll, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2017 Factors Related to Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomology in Adolescent Males by Sylvania Ann Jones BS, Wayland Baptist University 1999 MA, Wayland Baptist University 2009 MA, Webster University 2006 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University December 2016 The prevalence of muscle dysmorphia symptomology in adolescent males continues to increase, and yet remains under diagnosed in adolescents, supporting the need for a study to increase the understanding of the factors related to muscle dysmorphia symptomology. The purpose of this quantitative survey research study was to determine variables that predict the muscle dysmorphia symptomology in a nonclinical sample of high school adolescent males. The psycho-behavioral model of muscle dysmorphia was used as the conceptual model to explain the psychological factors such as self-esteem and body dissatisfaction and behavioral factors such as bodybuilding dependence that were hypothesized to be related to muscle dysmorphia. Quantitative surveys included the Body Dysmorphic Examination Self Report, Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Body Building Dependence Scale and a researcher-developed demographic survey. The study participants included a sample of 97 high school males. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relative strength of the variables in predicting muscle dysmorphia. The results showed that there were several significant predictors of muscle dysmorphia symptomology including race/ethnicity, level of body dissatisfaction, and body building dependence. Sexual orientation and self-esteem were not significant predictors of muscle symptomology. The current study filled the gap in the literature regarding factors that predict muscle dysmorphia among adolescent males. This information supports the development of professional practice and psychoeducational programs designed to assist adolescent males with muscle dysmorphia. This study benefits this cohort by presenting awareness of muscle dysmorphia.

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The purpose of this study is to determine appropriate choral literature for the adolescent male. Historically, scholars have focused on the lowering of the maturing male voice into the newly-formed chest register. During the change process, the male voice is unpredictable and can have a limited range. While a vast amount of repertoire for the adolescent male accommodates this downward progression and anticipates the narrow range, most adolescent boys are, in fact, capable of singing pitches above the chest register.Registers will be identified in this study. Discussion will pertain to registration shifts between chest register, head register, and falsetto in the adolescent male. I will investigate the use of the head register, which is a legitimate and vital component in healthy singing during adolescence. I will then compare registration to the historical knowledge of the male changing voice, which focuses mostly on the range and development of the newly-forming chest register.I will apply the concept of registration to choral repertoire taken from the 2005 and 2007 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national convention reading session packets. I will identify music that best and least facilitates the use and mixture of head-register and chest-register singing. Music for treble voices in various combinations (SA, SSA, SSAA, etc.) and three-part mixed music (SAB) will be examined. Each category presents a set of advantages and disadvantages for the adolescent male. Specific musical examples will illustrate the discussion. Careful repertoire selection with registration as a criterion is a key factor in unlocking male singing potential during adolescence. Although boys have unpredictable ranges, as it will be shown, registers are constant.

Empirical studies have shown that single-parent families have been overrepresented in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the children of these families are more exposed to factors that lead to aggressive behavior. Despite these studies, there is limited literature on the parenting of immigrant mothers that may prevent aggressive behaviors in children. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of single Southern African immigrant mothers in low socioeconomic neighborhoods in California working and raising male children who do not exhibit aggressive behaviors in schools and in the community. Seligman's theory of positive psychology informed this study. Research questions were focused on how the participants make meaning of and positively cope with their parenting experiences. Data were collected through semistructured interviews using purposive sampling of 8 single Southern African immigrant mothers. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 5 themes emerged: (a) working hard, (b) religion, (c) family, (d) education, and (e) positively coping. The findings of this study may contribute to positive social change by informing policy makers from California and high school personnel about the need to develop programs that are culturally responsive to the needs of adolescents with aggressive behaviors.

Abstract Adolescent males are being suspended or expelled at high rates. Faith-based organizations have developed programs to address these problems by using adult male volunteers to mentor high-risk youth; however, recruiting sufficient mentors is a problem because organizers lack an understanding of the factors that motivate men to volunteer. If this problem can be alleviated, then faith-based organizations will be better able to recruit volunteers to serve students. Guided by the functionalist theory, the purpose of this study was to determine what demographic characteristics and motivating factors discriminated between volunteers and non-volunteers. A causal comparative design was employed and the Volunteer Function Inventory was administered to determine differences between volunteers (n = 112) and non-volunteers (n = 202) in terms of motivating factors, demographic characteristics, and future intentions to volunteer. In alignment with the functionalist theory, multivariate analysis of variance revealed that volunteers were more motivated by social, value, understanding, and self-enhancement factors than were non-volunteers. Descriptive data analyses indicated that volunteers were older, unmarried, employed full time, and less educated than non-volunteers, and revealed no difference in future intentions to volunteer. Based upon the findings of this study, it is concluded that faith-based organizations recruit and retain adult males as role models who exhibit social, value, understanding, and self-enhancement factors to provide support for adolescent males. It is recommended that faith-based leaders use the Volunteer Function Inventory as a screening tool to identify volunteers who would mentor high risk male students. This practice may enable male at risk students to remain in school, graduate, and lead fulfilling lives, thus resulting in positive social change.

Research has consistently demonstrated strong relationships between high levels of adherence to traditional masculinity ideology and poor health and behavior outcomes (e.g., Levant & Richmond, 2007; O'Neil, 2008). Though recent studies have demonstrated support for theories of multiple masculinities or the idea that one's masculinity ideology is developed, maintained, and restructured according to one's social and environmental contexts (e.g., Smiler, 2004), understanding how male gender contributes to social problems within diverse communities, social groups, and contexts is not well established (Mankowski & Maton, 2010). The current study examined how individual and contextual variables predict change in level of adherence to traditional masculinity ideology among a diverse sample of incarcerated adolescent males convicted of felony crimes in the state of Ohio. In particular, while literature has described prison settings as an environment that ignores gender (e.g., Lutze & Murphy, 1999; Messerschmidt, 1993), the current study assessed the effectiveness of a strength-based program at successfully decreasing adherence to traditional masculinity within two of the four participating juvenile justice facilities in ODYS. Using hierarchical linear modeling informed by a qualitative follow-up sequence design, study found younger adolescents and African American youth with low levels of ethnic pride to have higher levels of adherence to traditional masculinity at the beginning of the study compared to older adolescents and White youth or African American youth with high levels of ethnic pride. Interestingly, age did not predict changes in levels of adherence to traditional masculinity ideology over time, however, White youth's level of adherence increased over time and African American youth's level of adherence remained relatively stable. Moreover, youth with good attendance in the program experienced less dramatic increases in adherence to traditional masculinity compared to those with poor attendance. Thematic analysis of qualitative data supports the study's finding that program participation predicts changes in levels of adherence to traditional masculinity ideology over time. In addition to providing support for quantitative findings, the thematic analysis highlights some potential gaps in the quantitative assessment of masculinity ideology that must be considered in future research. For example, youth describe an alternative ideal form of masculinity, sometimes characterized by the youth as "man up," that provides a level of flexibility that is counter to that of traditional masculinity. Moreover, the qualitative findings also raise questions about the validity of the survey measure of masculinity (AMIRS; Chu, 2005) for use with African American and incarcerated youth. Finally, the study supports theories of multiple masculinities and offers preliminary evidence that gender specific, strengths-based programming can influence adherence to traditional masculinity ideology among youth in juvenile justice facilities.