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The high school to college transition may be especially influential in creating feelings of social loneliness in adolescents. Failure to establish social structures may lead to feelings of loneliness and an increased need for social approval from their peers in the new environment. It was therefore predicted that the more lonely a student is, the more likely he/she would look for approval from others and the more likely he/she would acquiesce to a decision to participate in unethical actions proposed by peers. This prediction was tested in a sample of 158 female and 133 male college students. The evidence suggests that participants who were the most lonely were most likely to report a willingness to engage in unethical behaviors when encouraged by others. However, contrary to expectations, the need for approval did not mediate the relationship between loneliness and unethical behavior. Gender differences were found in the endorsement of unethical behaviors. Male participants were more likely to report a willingness to engage in unethical acts than were female participants. / Department of Psychological Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2005. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 14, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-55).

This dissertation explores peer and parental relationship factors that influence adolescent decision-making around sexual health. An adapted conceptual model linking adolescent sexual behavior with well-being was used to guide the research throughout this dissertation. Chapter One addresses the current state of adolescent sexual health, including trends in teen pregnancy and rates of sexually transmitted infections as well as federal and state policy towards sex education. Extant research on peer and family influence on sexual health behaviors is also introduced. Chapter Two, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, synthesized data from nine studies measuring the association between adolescent sexting and sexual activity. Pooling data from 9,676 adolescents, the odds of reporting sexual activity was 6.3 times higher, 95% CI [4.9-8.1], Q = 14.3, I2 = 65.1, for adolescents who sent sexts compared to those who did not. Findings from this review highlight the need to include sexting in sexual health curriculum and in clinical conversations with youth about healthy relationship dynamics. Chapter Three, a systematic review of child-reported parental monitoring instruments, followed the “COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments” (COSMIN) methodology, including a summative grading of evidence to examine the psychometric properties of each instrument over time. Seventy-two studies representing six monitoring instruments were evaluated. Of these, four were knowledge-based and two were solicitation or disclosure-based. Based on findings of this review, the Parental Monitoring Instrument and the Poor Family Management Subscale of the Communities that Care Youth Survey had the strongest psychometric properties and are recommended for use. Using data from 9,847 adolescents and parents who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the study presented in Chapter Four examined the association between parental and perceived peer attitudes towards contraception and sex and contraceptive use at two timepoints: adolescence and emerging adulthood. The moderating effect of perceived peer attitudes on parental attitudes and communication about birth control was also explored. Among female adolescents, adjusting for grade level, race/ethnicity, family income, adolescent attitude towards birth control, and parental communication about birth control, parental attitudes toward contraception and sex was significantly associated with contraceptive use. Of the variables studied, only family household income was significantly associated with greater contraception use at both study timepoints. Chapter Five summarizes the findings and collective themes across studies included as part of this dissertation, acknowledges study strengths and limitations, and addresses implications for advocacy, research, and policy in adolescent sexual health.

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-56).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-155).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1995. / Includes abstract and vita. "March 1995." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-211).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-56).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of St Andrews, March 2009. / Roman pagination differs from that of the electronic version in the Digital Research Repository. Electronic version restricted until 17th March 2011.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. "The Newton Summer Academy is a program intervention funded by the National Science Foundation. It was developed at the University of Missouri-Columbia by a team of scientists, instruction and curriculum personnel, and educators."--Leaf 8. "The present study sought to investigate the saliency of social cognitive factors in the career decision-making processes of bright, adolescent females. In addition, the present study aimed to gain empirical information about the effectiveness of the Newton Summer Academy, a National Science Foundation intervention program."--Leaf [12]. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-162). Also available on the Internet.