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Technology has, without a doubt, altered the social fabric of society. Mediated forms of communication have paved the way for more efficient production, and the vast amount of information available online has given people the opportunity to be more informed than ever. However, the rise of mediated communication has also presented a number of new threats. The current study focused on one of these threats, cyberbullying, and was interested in looking at how parents talk about and understand their child's cyberbullying behavior. This study had the goal of uncovering if parents talk to their child about cyberbullying, and how they approach these conversations. The intent of this study was was grounded in the idea that parent-child communication is a valuable tool for developing belief systems, as well as making sustainable, positive and effective changes to behavior and perceptions. Ultimately, parents do not avoid conversations about cyberbullying with their children. Parents structure these conversations with the intention of positively changing their child's behavior and beliefs. Specifically, parents talk about cyberbullying with their children as an effort to decrease the perceived risk their child faces if he or she participates in cyberbullying. However, these conversations are limited because they are grounded in misrepresented media coverage of cyberbullying which intensifies cyberbullying behaviors. As such, media producers must work toward presenting more all encompassing and wide spread coverage of cyberbullying as an effort to educate parents about the variety of behaviors which relate to cyberbullying.

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' achievement goal orientations, attitudes about winning, and game behaviors between a youth basketball league that kept score and a youth basketball league that did not keep score. Specifically, this study sought to answer four research hypotheses. First, this study hypothesized that parental achievement goal orientation would have a significant positive relationship with type of league. Second, parents' attitudes about winning would have a positive significant relationship with type of league. Third, a significant difference would emerge between attitudes about winning and achievement goal orientations in each league. Finally, it was hypothesized that the scoring league would demonstrate significantly more negative parental behaviors than parents in the non-scoring league.A sample of 69 parents/guardians in the non-scoring league, and 42 parents/guardians in the scoring league, participated in this study. Parents' behavior was observed and recorded over four games in each league. During the final games in each league, parents were given a series of questionnaires assessing descriptive information, achievement goals, and attitudes about winning.Results using Pearson Correlations (p<.05) suggested there was no relationship between parent's achievement goals and league type, but a significant relationship did exist between parents' attitudes about winning and league type. These results indicate that although both leagues were primarily task oriented, the scoring league parents valued the concept of winning more than the non-scoring league. Additionally, a 2 x 2 x 2 Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant main effect (F=7.836, p<.0001) between parents' attitudes about winning, achievement goals, and league, confirming a difference in parental responses between each league. Because the behaviors observed in both leagues was overwhelmingly positive, parental behavior in this study did not differ according to positive or negative behaviors. Parents in both leagues demonstrated overwhelmingly positive behaviors throughout the recording process. The non-scoring league, however, displayed significantly more positive nonverbal behaviors than the scoring league. From these results, it would appear that keeping score does matter in terms of its relationship to parents' values and behaviors. / School of Physical Education

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The lives of family members of a child with a developmental disability are typically influenced by acute as well as chronic stressful events. These families are compared to families of typically developing children. In order for a family with a child with a developmental disability to function as effectively as possible, it may be necessary to renegotiate and reassign traditional family roles of parent, spouse, brother and sister.

Parent marital status is a highly influential variable within the family context, as it can serve as a protective factor in many ways. However, it can also be a risk factor for youth. Despite the large body of literature that delineates the benefits of sports participation and the negative outcomes associated with divorce, researchers have yet to examine the impact of athletic participation on youth who have experienced familial disruptions, such as divorce, separation, and remarriage. Sports participation was chosen as a moderating variable in the present study, as it is believed to serve as a protective factor for those who experience parental divorce. Specifically, the present study aims to answer the following research question: Does sports participation moderate the effects of parent marital status and belongingness on achievement and behavior problems after controlling for sex, socioeconomic status, and maternal education? Many theoretical mechanisms support the hypothesis that positive outcomes are be associated with sporting programs, such as Social Capital Theory, as well as theories associated with 7 motivation and belonging. This study analyzed data collected as part of the NICHDSECCYD comprehensive longitudinal study. Specifically, the effects of parent marital status and belongingness on academic achievement were analyzed in AMOS 22, using a multiple group path model with sports participation as a moderator. Although results did not support sports participation as a moderator, findings supported previous research that connects intact, two-parent marriages with positive outcomes for youth.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences