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No description available.

Adverse experiences (e.g., child maltreatment, peer victimization) have long-term consequences for emotion regulation (ER) development. Adolescents may be particularly susceptible to these effects due to heightened sensitivity to environmental influences as well as the protracted development of the prefrontal cortex, which includes regions responsible for regulatory efforts. Previous research has indicated that difficulties with ER can be both a precursor to and consequence of adverse experiences, such as child maltreatment and peer victimization. As such, the present study evaluated reciprocal relations between dynamic longitudinal changes within repeated measures of peer victimization and ER across adolescence and into young adulthood and to determine how child maltreatment may predispose youths to these issues. The sample included 167 adolescents (53% male, Mage = 14.07 years at Time 1) who participated in a longitudinal study across five time points, with approximately one year between each assessment. First, we used confirmatory factor analyses to test latent factors of child maltreatment (abuse and neglect), peer victimization, and ER. Then, we used latent change score modeling to examine reciprocal relations between peer victimization and ER. Finally, we added child maltreatment (abuse and neglect) as a preceding predictor of reciprocal relations between peer victimization and ER. Our results offer insights toward developmentally informed longitudinal, transactional models linking child maltreatment and developmental changes in peer victimization and ER in adolescence. Findings of associations between peer victimization and ER support social information processing theory (Dodge and Crick, 1990) by suggesting that adolescent difficulties with ER may confer risk for experiences of peer victimization. Finally, child neglect effects on relational peer victimization in adolescence underscore how early contextual environments may impact later social development, with child neglect predicting developmental change in relational peer victimization during adolescence. / Doctor of Philosophy / Adverse experiences (e.g., child maltreatment, peer victimization) have long-term consequences for emotion regulation (ER) development. Adolescents may be particularly at risk to experiencing negative consequences on ER development given their continued brain development. Previous research has indicated that difficulties with ER can be both a precursor to and consequence of adverse experiences, such as child maltreatment and peer victimization. As such, the purpose of the proposed study was to evaluate how peer victimization and ER are associated across adolescence and into young adulthood and to determine how earlier child maltreatment may predict these associations. The sample included 167 adolescents (53% male, Mage = 14.07 years at Time 1) who participated in a longitudinal study across five time points, with approximately one year between each assessment. Results suggest that both child neglect (maltreatment) and adolescent difficulties with ER may confer risk for experiences of peer victimization during adolescence.

In comparison to their non-maltreated peers, adult survivors of child maltreatment experience more social and emotional maladjustment; however, survivors can be resilient when they have adequate psychological and social resources to cope with abuse sequelae. Similarly, stress and health studies have shown that social support schemas are stress buffers that attenuate negatively-valenced emotional reactivity. As a result of interpersonal problems, however, some individuals might interpret current relationships more negatively and expect little support in the future. Young women (ages ranging from 18 to 23) with histories of child maltreatment were administered a harassment task while their cardiac activity, emotional states, and stress appraisals were assessed. Before the stressor, the women were randomly assigned to either of two schema priming conditions: thinking and writing about a supportive person (social support schema condition) or a casual acquaintance (control condition). In comparison to women in the control condition, women in the support condition evidenced less state anger and heart rate variability (i.e., rMSSD) reactivity in response to the laboratory stressor; however, the support schema and reactivity relationship did not vary significantly between women with high versus low interpersonal problems. The support schema and state anger reactivity relationship was fully mediated by primary stress appraisals (e.g., feeling challenged and feeling intimidated), but not secondary stress appraisal (e.g., feeling in control). These findings suggest that there are nuances in the relationship between support schema and reactivity. Clinical and research implications are discussed. / Ph. D.

This study informs research on how private speech, which is typically seen as a cognitive ability, is utilized during an emotion-eliciting task. This research helps to bridge the divide between cognitive and emotional aspects of children's self-regulation by integrating how cognitive private speech strategies may be used to regulate emotion. Preschool-aged children (n = 116) completed a frustration task. Emotional expressions (anger and sadness), emotion regulation strategies (distraction and self-comforting behaviors), persistence (latency to quit and duration of on-task behavior), and children's private speech were coded. Whereas higher levels of nonfacilitative task-relevant private speech were associated with higher levels of both sadness and anger, social speech was positively associated with sadness, and inaudible muttering was positively associated with anger. Private speech, specifically vocalizations and task-irrelevant private speech, was also positively associated with the regulation strategies of self-comforting and distraction. Facilitative task-relevant private speech, however, was negatively associated with distraction. Finally, higher levels of social speech were associated with less persistence, while higher levels of facilitative task-relevant private speech was associated with more persistence. Findings from this study support the idea that private speech can have a regulatory effect during frustrating situations that children experience. Private speech occurred alongside emotions and regulation strategies in meaningful ways. Including measures of private speech in future studies on emotion regulation will add more detail and depth to researchers' understanding of children's regulatory abilities. In the future, interventions could be created to encourage children's use of private speech to enhance their emotion regulatory abilities. / Master of Science

Previous research has shown peer victimization during adolescence to have strong lasting effects on mental health. Religiousness and forgiveness are two factors that are positively related to mental health and the current study proposes that they may have a protective influence against the negative effects of peer victimization. Additionally, religiousness and forgiveness may be related in that forgiveness may be a link in the religiousness/health relationship. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships among religiousness, forgiveness and mental health in the context of peer victimization during adolescence. Mental health was measured by internalizing symptomatology and emotion regulation. Analyses were conducted using Structural Equation Modeling. Results indicate that forgiveness may indeed be a link in the religiousness/health relationship but only when examining private religious practices. Results further show that religiousness may not be a strong protective factor in the context of peer victimization and that certain dimensions of forgiveness (specifically benevolence motivations) may actually exacerbate the effects of peer victimization on internalizing symptomatology rather than act as a protective factor. / Master of Science

Mental wellness is a critical component of healthy development and serves as a way to protect against stress and promote resilience against psychopathology. Emerging adulthood is an important time to foster mental wellness as individuals adjust to changing social roles, such as transitioning to college. Emotion regulation is a key mechanism for effective prevention because of its role in socio-emotional competence and its transdiagnostic significance for psychopathology. In this dissertation study, a brief, time and cost-effective emotion regulation training program for emerging adults (BERT) was developed and tested. Phase 1 focused on program development. Phase 2 utilized the brainwriting premortem method to refine program content. Undergraduate students (n = 12) attended four focus groups presenting initial program content. Four clinicians were also interviewed to determine program barriers. Qualitative analyses aggregated participant feedback to identify compliments, changes, and concerns about BERT in preparation for the pilot, and critical feedback was immediately implemented. In Phase 3, the 5-week program was pilot-tested in a college sample (N = 42) to evaluate Implementation (low attrition, high content engagement, favorable attitudes, low incidence of technical errors, costs), Reach (enrollment and completion demographics comparable to the population in which recruitment took place), and Efficacy (positive change in emotion regulation pre- to post-program). Twenty-seven participants completed at least 80% of program content. Chi-square analyses did not show any significant difference between participants who started the study and those who dropped out. Repeated measures ANOVAs exhibited significant improvements in emotion regulation, psychological distress, anxiety, stress, negative affectivity, and quality of life, suggesting promising initial efficacy. Development of BERT has high potential significance for promoting healthy development because the electronic delivery and brief nature of the program will reduce barriers to adoption and Implementation and the program development process that incorporates stakeholder feedback at multiple levels is expected to improve program Reach and Efficacy. The program development process, which incorporates stakeholder feedback at multiple levels, informs better implementation and dissemination. / Doctor of Philosophy / Mental wellness is important for healthy development and serves as a way to protect against stress and promote resilience against psychological distress. After the teenage years, emerging adulthood is an important time to foster mental wellness as individuals adjust to changing social roles, such as transitioning to college. Emotion regulation, or how one manages or responds to emotions, is important for protecting against negative psychological outcomes while fostering well-being. In this dissertation study, a brief, time and cost-effective emotion regulation training program for emerging adults (BERT) was developed and tested in three phases. Phase 1 focused on program development. Phase 2 utilized focus groups to get program feedback. Participant feedback identified compliments, changes, and concerns about BERT in preparation for the pilot, and critical feedback was immediately implemented. In Phase 3, the 5-week program was pilot-tested in a college sample. Twenty-seven participants completed at least 80% of program content. Significant improvements were found in in emotion regulation, psychological distress, anxiety, stress, negative emotions, and quality of life, suggesting promising initial efficacy. The program development process, which incorporates stakeholder feedback at multiple levels, informs better implementation and dissemination. Development of BERT has high potential significance for promoting healthy development because the electronic delivery and brief nature of the program will reduce barriers to adoption, implementation, and maintenance.

Children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) can have heterogeneous presentations due to varying combinations of the eight criterion A symptoms. Researchers have identified a subtype of ODD for children with primarily angry/irritable mood symptoms and who are at risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders. Despite the prevalence of anger and mood issues in children with ODD, established treatments for disruptive behavior disorders typically focus primarily on teaching caregivers more effective parenting strategies to address oppositional and defiant behaviors, rather than directly targeting children's difficulties with emotions. To address the dearth of emotion-focused treatments for ODD, a novel emotion regulation intervention was developed based on a framework offered by Southam-Gerow (2013). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the initial feasibility of this intervention and to explore its efficacy for reducing ODD and associated emotion regulation problems in middle childhood. Following a non-concurrent multiple baseline design, children ages 8-12 were assessed with semi-structured diagnostic interviews to determine study eligibility, and subsequently enrolled in a 13-week intervention with their caregivers. Treatment feasibility was supported by participant satisfaction ratings as well as treatment fidelity results. Treatment protocol adherence in terms of delivery by the therapist was high, but caregiver symptom reporting was less consistent. Nevertheless, multiple metrics support the efficacy of the intervention in reducing symptoms of ODD as well as some efficacy in improving child emotion regulation abilities. Overall, results support further research into emotion regulation-focused intervention for ODD. / PHD / Children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) can appear quite different due to varying combinations of the eight primary ODD symptoms. Researchers have identified a subtype of ODD for children with predominately angry/irritable mood symptoms and who are at risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders. Despite the prevalence of anger and mood issues in children with ODD, established treatments for disruptive behavior disorders typically focus primarily on teaching caregivers more effective parenting strategies to address oppositional and defiant behaviors, rather than directly targeting children’s difficulties with emotions. To address the dearth of emotion-focused treatments for ODD, a novel emotion regulation intervention was developed based on a framework offered by Southam-Gerow (2013). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the initial feasibility of this intervention and to explore its efficacy for reducing ODD and associated emotion regulation problems in middle childhood. Children ages 8-12 were assessed to determine study eligibility, and subsequently enrolled in a baseline phase of 2, 3, or 4 weeks followed by a 13-week intervention with their caregivers. Treatment feasibility and acceptability was supported by the results. Treatment protocol adherence in terms of delivery by the therapist was high, but caregiver symptom reporting was less consistent. Nevertheless, multiple metrics support the efficacy of the intervention in reducing symptoms of ODD as well as some evidence for improvement in child emotion regulation abilities. Overall, results support further research into emotion regulation-focused intervention for ODD.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), characterized by irritability and defiant behavior, is associated with several negative outcomes in childhood and adulthood (APA, 2000; Webster- Stratton, 1996). There are a variety of approaches to treating ODD that differ in their focus on parents, children, or both parent and child (Greene & Ablon, 2005; Kazdin, 2005). These treatments also target different underlying processes of oppositional behaviors, such as parenting behaviors and children's emotion regulation. Research suggests that parent emotion socialization practices may indirectly influence externalizing behaviors, such as those present in ODD, through children's emotion regulation abilities (Eisenberg, Cumberland, & Spinrad, 1998). The present study examines this mediation model in children diagnosed with ODD (n = 100; 58 boys) who received either Parent Management Training or Creative & Proactive Solutions. Findings indicate that families receiving CPS exhibited higher decreases in ODD symptoms than those receiving PMT. There was no evidence for an indirect effect of emotion socialization on symptoms of ODD through emotion regulation. Regarding direct effects, increases in emotion encouraging, emotion discouraging, and emotion regulation were associated with decreases in ODD symptoms, whereas increases in problem solving were associated with increases in ODD symptoms. There were also pre-treatment indicators of children's treatment response, such as parent's problem solving, children's emotional lability, and ADHD symptoms. These results indicate the importance of both emotion socialization and emotion regulation in treatment improvement, as well as factors that may contribute to treatment response. Treatment implications and future research directions are discussed. / Master of Science