Children and adolescents are now using online communication to form and/or maintain relationships with strangers and/or friends. Relationships in real life are important for children and adolescents in identity formation and general development. However, social relationships can be difficult for those who experience feelings of loneliness and social anxiety. The current study aimed to replicate and extend research conducted by Valkenburg and Peter (2007b), by investigating differences in online communication patterns between children and adolescents with and without selfreported loneliness and social anxiety. Six hundred and twenty-six students aged 10-16 years completed a questionnaire survey about the amount of time they engaged in online communication, the topics they discussed, who they communicated with, and their purposes of online communication. Following Valkenburg and Peter (2007b), loneliness was measured with a shortened version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) developed by Russell (1996), whereas social anxiety was assessed with a sub-scale of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (La Greca & Lopez, 1998). The sample was divided into four groups of children and adolescents: 220 were “non-socially anxious and non-lonely”, 139 were “socially anxious but not lonely”, 107 were “lonely but not socially anxious”, and 159 were “lonely and socially anxious”. A one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests were conducted to evaluate the aforementioned differences between these groups. The results indicated that children and adolescents who reported being lonely used online communication differently from those who did not report being lonely. Essentially, the former communicated online more frequently about personal things and intimate topics, but also to compensate for their weak social skills and to meet new people. Further analyses on gender differences within lonely children and adolescents revealed that boys and girls communicated online more frequently with different partners. It was concluded that for these vulnerable individuals online communication may fulfil needs of self-disclosure, identity exploration, and social interactions. However, future longitudinal studies combining a quantitative with a qualitative approach would better address the relationship between Internet use and psychosocial well-being. The findings also suggested the need for further exploration of how such troubled children and adolescents can use the Internet beneficially.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1995. / Includes tables. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Josue Gonzalez. Dissertation Committee: Pearl Rock Kane. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-159).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 2000. / Typescript. Includes abstract. Includes vita. Appendix contains the full text of the four works analyzed, with added cross-references. Hypertext to be published on web site of Quaker Heritage Press. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 379-389).

Thesis (M.A.)--Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-115).

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed May 28, 2010. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-108).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard, Ill., 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 248-256).

Thesis (M.A.)--Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-115).

Thesis (M.A.)--Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-115).

abstract: Growing concern about obesity prevalence among youth has prompted the examination of socio-environmental influences that shape the development of eating and activity behaviors believed to regulate weight. Given the presumed significance of close friendships during adolescence, the present investigation assessed longitudinal relations between friends' physical activity, sedentary activity, and healthy eating behaviors and explored whether friends' obesity-promoting behaviors are linked to heightened obesity risk among adolescents. This prospective study utilized two Waves of data from 862 reciprocal and 1908 nonreciprocal same-sex friend dyads participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. To account for nonindependence tied to membership in a particular friendship dyad, multi-level models were estimated for indistinguishable (i.e., reciprocal) and distinguishable (i.e., nonreciprocal) friend pairs using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model. Adolescents' self-reported physical activity and healthy eating were significantly associated with their own and their friends' physical activity and healthy eating one year later; the strength of socialization across friend dyads did not vary with the frequency of interaction between friends or the stability of friendships over time. Limited support was found for a cumulative risk model of obesity-promoting behaviors as a predictor of increased obesity risk; heightened risk for weight gain was found only for adolescents whose reciprocal same-sex friends reported a higher number of obesity-promoting eating and activity behaviors. Overall, study findings highlight the role of close friends for adolescents' obesity risk and obesity-related behaviors. Stronger evidence of socialization resulted for adolescents that perceived their friends to be salient social models, as reflected by their acknowledgement of an existing friendship with such peers (i.e., reciprocal friends and nominators within nonreciprocal friend dyads). / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Family and Human Development 2011

Este estudio tiene como objetivo explorar longitudinalmente los eventos estresantes en preadolescentes de una zona urbana de Lima. Una muestra no clínica (N = 170, 9-11 años) proveniente de niveles socioeconómicos (SES) alto y bajo en la zona urbana de Lima, fue evaluada en cuatro momentos a lo largo de dos años. El análisis multinivel mostró que la intensidad de estrés percibido disminuyó durante los dos años. Los preadolescentes de SES bajo, mostraron más estrés sobre sí mismos y sobre sus familia en comparación con los de SES alto. Las niñas se estresaban más por sus familias y amigos que los niños. Finalmente se describen los estresantes más frecuentes encontrados en este grupo de preadolescentes limeños que viven en una zona urbana. / Revisión por pares