abstract: As the retention rate of college freshmen increases, Tinto's (1993) model of academic persistence conceptualizes several dimensions of students' voluntary dropout. This study examined both personal and parental factors that may impact the academic persistence decisions of freshmen college students: 1) parental educational attainment; 2) parental valuing of education; 3) high school grade point average (GPA); 4) residential status (on- versus off-campus); 5) educational self-efficacy; 6) self-esteem; 7) personal valuing of education; 8) perceived academic preparation; and 9) academic expectations. The study sample consisted of 378 freshmen college students at a large southwestern university who were recruited from 23 sections of a 100-level class intended to promote academic success. The participants in this cross-sectional study were restricted to freshman level students and 18 and 19 years old in accordance with Erikson's (1968) Identity stage of psychosocial development. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that academic persistence decisions were predicted by residential status and self-beliefs, which consisted of: educational self-efficacy, self-esteem, personal valuing of education, perceived academic preparation, and academic expectations. Parental valuing of education was a significant predictor of academic persistence decisions until self-beliefs were added to construct the full model. Although self-beliefs were collectively the most powerful predictors of persistence decisions, accounting for 22.8% of the variance, examination of the beta weights revealed that self-esteem, educational self-efficacy, and personal valuing of education were the most powerful predictors, while academic expectations approached significance. Residential status was also a significant predictor and accounted for a small but significant variance (1.6%) in academic persistence decisions. A significant multivariate difference was found between students living on campus and those living off campus. Follow-up ANOVAs revealed differences in mother's education and in parental valuing of education. These findings suggest that researchers, counselors, and college policy-makers consider on-campus living variables as well as students' self-beliefs when considering academic persistence decisions in college freshmen. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.C. Counseling 2013

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / International research over the past two decades has advanced knowledge in the study of fathers and the protective role they play in the prevention of adolescent risk behaviours. Studies have often investigated parental relationships and their influence on adolescent risk behaviours but rarely the specific role of the adolescents’ relationships with their fathers or father figures in prevention of risk behaviour.Three main hypotheses were investigated: first, that the theoretically aligned dimensions of relationship quality would be nomogically validated; second, that there would be little significance difference in the dimensions of relationship quality across groupings of father residential status; and third, that the quality of the fatherson relationship is a stronger predictor of risk behaviour than father’s residential status (whether the adolescent lived with the father or not), or whether the “father” is a biological father or not. Three samples of adolescents were included: a fatherresident group (biological fathers reside in the adolescents’ homes) (N = 196); a nonresident group (biological fathers live elsewhere) (N = 72); and a father figure group(no contact with biological father) (N = 58). The school-based sample of 331 participants all resided in a low-income area of Cape Town. Risk behaviours were investigated using the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers(POSIT). Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) risk behaviour was assessed on a POSIT sub-scale designed specifically for South Africa, the POSIT HIV/STD Risk Subscale. Paternal relationship quality was measured by the Acceptance subscale of the revised Child Report of Parent Behavior Inventory, the Child-Parent Communication Apprehension Scale for Use with Young Adults, and a measure of paternal quality contact time that was developed for this study. After conducting a factor analysis the Paternal Quality Contact Time Scale was found to have three factors: the father’s availability, activities engaged in together, and the motivation of the son to spend time with his father (including the son’s enjoyment of the time spent). This provides an extension to past conceptualizations of father-son contact which commonly assessed only the amount of time and activities engaged in. The dimensions of paternal relationship quality were found to be strongly associated.Linear regressions showed that father-son communication was the stronger predictor of risk behaviours when compared to father residential status. Paternal communication was a predictive factor for mental health risk, negative family relations, educational under-attainment, aggressive and violent behaviour and HIV/STD risk behaviours for adolescent boys. These findings confirm that fathers play an important protective role with regard to the development of adolescent risk behaviours. They also confirm that paternal relationship quality plays a more significant role, specifically the dimension of communication between them, than whether fathers live with their sons or are biologically related to them. The findings suggest a need to address the issues of building relationships between at-risk youth and their fathers (be they biological fathers or father figures) through community and clinical interventions.

Background Indoor tanning (IT) before the age of 35 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Nevertheless, IT and sunless tanning product (STP) use have gained popularity among youth. However, there are limited data on the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of both IT and STP use in a representative sample of American teens. Methods Teenage females (N = 778) aged 12–18 years were recruited as part of an on-going longitudinal study conducted between May 2011 and May 2013. Descriptive statistics explored IT and STP usage in teen females at baseline. Logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic correlates of IT and STP use. Results Approximately 16% of female teens engaged in IT behavior and 25% engaged in using STPs. Female teens living in non-metropolitan areas were 82% more likely to indoor tan compared to those in metropolitan areas (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.07–3.10). Age, geographic regions, and race increased the likelihood of IT and STP use. Conclusions Results indicate a significant proportion of teen females engage in IT and STP use. There was evidence that in teens that have never used IT before, STP use precedes IT initiation. Given the evidence for increased IT in rural populations, research focused on rural tanning bed use is needed.

In den Jahren 1992-1995 kamen ca. 35 Tausend bosnische Kriegsflüchtlinge nach Berlin und wurden vorübergehend geduldet. Nach Kriegsende 1995 sollten sie schnellstmöglich wieder zurückkehren. Traumatisierte und Ältere ohne Angehörige im Heimatland wurden weiterhin geduldet bis Bosnien-Herzegowina wieder aufgebaut ist. Doch der Wiederaufbau verlief schleppend. Mit dem Friedensvertrag von Dayton begannen nicht Frieden und Wiederaufbau, sondern die Konsolidierung der ethnischen Grenzen in demokratischen Strukturen. Deshalb sahen viele Flüchtlinge keine Möglichkeit in ihre Heimatorte zurückzukehren und versuchten ihre Rückkehr hinauszuschieben. Möglich war dies mithilfe der Attestierung einer kriegsbedingten Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung und ihre psychotherapeutische Behandlung, die den Inhabenden und ihren Familienmitgliedern eine Aufenthaltsverlängerung ermöglichte und ab dem Jahr 2000 den Erhalt eines dauerhaften Aufenthaltstitels. Die Verbindung einer psychischen Krankheit und ihrer Psychotherapie mit einem Aufenthaltsrecht ist neu in der Geschichte des deutschen Ausländerrechts und obwohl Berliner Psychiater, Psychiaterinnen, Psychologinnen und Psychologen maßgeblich an der Schaffung der „Traumatisiertenregelung“ beteiligt waren, wurden ihre Atteste von der Berliner Verwaltung in Frage gestellt. In der Dissertation werden die Standpunkte der Flüchtlinge, Behandelnden und der Verwaltung dargelegt und ihre Interaktionen beschrieben.Die Rolle des Krankheitskonzeptes der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung wird als "boundary object" (Star/Griesemer 1989) untersucht. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf den Lebenswelten und Taktiken der Flüchtlinge, sich in Berlin zurechtzufinden und Anerkennung und Verständnis für ihre Situation zu finden. Ihre Bedürfnisse wurden in einen psychotherapeutischen Bedarf übersetzt und damit den Berliner Psychotherapeutinnen und -therapeuten ein neues Betätigungs- und Professionalisierungfeld geboten, was kritisch hinterfragt wird. / From 1992 until 1995 about 35 thousand Bosnian war refugees fled to Berlin and were allowed to stay temporarily. After the end of the war in 1995 they were expected to leave as soon as possible. Traumatized persons and elderly without relatives in Bosnia had the possibility to prolong their visa until Bosnia is reconstructed. But the rebuilding process progressed only slowly. With the end of the war did not start the expected peace time and rebuilding but the consolidation of ethnic borders inside democratic structures. Therefore many refugees did not see a possibility to return to their property and tried to delay their return. This was possible with an medical statement certifying a war related posttraumatic stress disorder and their psychotherapeutic treatment. These medical statements ensured the extension of the visa for the concerned person and its family members. From 2000 onwards they could receive a permanent residence title. The connection of a mental illness and psychotherapy with residence entitlements is a novelty in the German aliens law. And despite the fact that psychiatrists and psychologists from Berlin were leading actors in the establishment of the „regularization of the traumatized“ their medical/psychological statements were impeached by the authorities. The dissertation describes the viewpoints of refugees, treating physicians and psychologists and the authorities and how they interact with each other. Additionally is the concept of posttraumatic stress disorder examined and discussed as „boundary object“ (Star/Griesemer 1989). An important aspect is the description of life worlds and tactics of the refugees to get along in Berlin, to gain respect and appreciation for their situation. Their needs were translated into a psychotherapeutic demand and this led to the invention of a new field of work and professionalization for psychotherapists in Berlin. This development is critically reflected.