This thesis examines peer influences on the development of masculinities for a group of boys attending a secondary school. A small male peer group in a selected school setting was studied over a three - year period, with an emphasis on extensive observation and interview. The study suggests that students actively engage in resistance as a way to claim power and prove masculinities, and thus identities, in the school setting, often resulting in poor educational outcomes for individual boys. The thesis proposes that discourses of masculinities are central to the creation of identities for young adolescent males, and shape the way they present as learners in the school environment. These discourses are informed and governed by peers and the need for individuals to find belonging within the peer milieu. Central to such discourses is the theme of power. Focused on gender as being socially constructed, and humans perceived to be self determining and moulded through interactions with others, this study is strongly influenced by the ideas of John Dewey (1910, 1966), Charles Taylor (1989, 1994) and Michael Foucault (1971,1977,1978,1981). It uses a framework based on three central themes - identity, power, and peer relationships, to shape and provide focus to the inquiry. In so doing, it seeks to find a "third space", a place where meanings become "fused" and "new horizons" emerge. The presentation is divided into four sections. The first section outlines the nature, research design and setting of the study. The second uses dialogue of the varying voices I brought to the research to explore the central themes of the framework. The third section draws the three themes together to examine the subjects' understanding of masculinities and how this influences their identities as learners, as well as how they perceive possible futures. / The final section summarises the major findings and examines emerging possibilities that focus on hope for change, suggesting that by allowing students agency and voice there are opportunities for rich, open and authentic dialogue between educators and students. Through ongoing critical inquiry and analysis of gender and gender relations there is the possibility of new ways of being (Davies, 1997) resulting in improved learning outcomes for both boys and girls.

xv, 83 p. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Peer influences on adolescence substance use have been widely demonstrated. In particular, social interactions that are centered around and reinforcing of antisocial values, known as deviant peer contagion, are predictive of a variety of antisocial outcomes, including substance use. However, much less is known about the interpersonal dynamics between friends that are associated with resilience to peer contagion. Recent work has associated self-regulation with resilience to the effects of associating with deviant and substance-using peers. Limited resource models of self-regulation have proposed that social interactions may tax regulatory resources to the point that self-regulation becomes impaired. Youth with more limited regulatory resources may demonstrate increased susceptibility to influence from peers. However, in friendship interactions, self-regulatory behaviors are highly dependent on the self-regulation of the partner. Therefore, the present study examined dyadic regulation in friendship interactions consistent with the idea of a dyadic process. In addition to investigating the construct validity of dyadic regulation, it was hypothesized that dyadic regulation would moderate the impact of peer contagion on problematic substance use. Furthermore, consistent with a limited resource model, it was predicted that adolescents with declining dyadic regulation over the course of an interaction would be more susceptible to peer contagion. Problematic substance use and interaction patterns within friendships were assessed in a sample of 711 (355 male, 356 female) ethnically diverse 16- and 17-year-old adolescents. Using videotaped observations of friendship interactions, dyadic regulation was assessed by rating responsiveness, self-focused intrusions, attention, and conversational turn-taking. Deviant peer contagion was assessed through the proportion of the interaction spent discussing deviant topics. Contrary to the hypothesized self-regulatory resilience model, those dyads that were more highly regulated while discussing deviant topics demonstrated the highest levels of problematic tobacco use. Consistent with a limited resource model of regulation, however, dyads with decreasing regulation over the course of an interaction appeared to be the most vulnerable to deviant peer contagion, demonstrating greater problematic marijuana use. These results are encouraging of further investigation in this area and may have implications for direct interventions targeting risk for substance use as well as reducing iatrogenic effects in group interventions. / Adviser: Thomas J. Dishion

abstract: The present study utilized longitudinal data from a high-risk community sample (n=254, 52.8% female, 47.2% children of alcoholics, 74% non-Hispanic Caucasian) to test questions concerning the effects of genetic risk, parental knowledge, and peer substance use on emerging adult substance use disorders (SUDs). Specifically, this study examined whether parental knowledge and peer substance use mediated the effects of parent alcohol use disorder (AUD) and genetic risk for behavioral undercontrol on SUD. The current study also examined whether genetic risk moderated effects of parental knowledge and peer substance use on risk for SUD. Finally, this study examined these questions over and above a genetic "control" which explained a large proportion of variance in the outcome, thereby providing a stricter test of environmental influences. Analyses were performed in a path analysis framework. To test these research questions, the current study employed two polygenic risk scores. The first, a theory-based score, was formed using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from receptor systems implicated in the amplification of positive effects in the presence of new/exciting stimuli and/or pleasure derived from using substances. The second, an empirically-based score, was formed using a data-driven approach that explained a large amount of variance in SUDs. Together, these scores allowed the present study to test explanations for the relations among parent AUD, parental knowledge, peer substance use, and SUDs. Results of the current study found that having parents with less knowledge or an AUD conferred greater risk for SUDs, but only for those at higher genetic risk for behavioral undercontrol. The current study replicated research findings suggesting that peer substance use mediated the effect of parental AUD on SUD. However, it adds to this literature by suggesting that some mechanism other than increased behavioral undercontrol explains relations among parental AUD, peer substance use, and emerging adult SUD. Taken together, these findings indicate that children of parents with AUDs comprise a particularly risky group, although likelihood of SUD within this group is not uniform. These findings also suggest that some of the most important environmental risk factors for SUDs exert effects that vary across level of genetic propensity. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2015

Adolescent delinquent behavior accounts for many problems in society and is affected by numerous factors. Factors examined by the current study include parenting, peer influences, religious influences, ethnicity, and gender. Participants consisted of 438 students (males = 176, females = 262) enrolled at Mississippi State University. Participants were Caucasian (71.9%), African American (23.1%), Hispanic (2.1%), Asian (1.1%), and other (1.6%) ethnicities. Delinquent behavior was correlated positively with permissive parenting and negatively with parental warmth and authoritative parenting. Delinquent behavior was correlated negatively with peer trust, communication, and positively with friends’ delinquent behavior. Additionally, intrinsic religiosity and strength of religious faith were correlated negatively with delinquent behavior. With all factors examined simultaneously in a regression, friends’ delinquent behavior was the strongest predictor and maternal permissive parenting remained significant. These results suggest more attention should be given to the dynamics of the transmission of delinquent behavior within a youth’s group of friends.

Introduction: Despite advances in evidence-based smoking cessation approaches, quit rates in people with mental health conditions who smoke have not increased over the past decade. This research explored the role of family or peers in promoting smoking cessation in this population, using three specific aims; 1) examine the association between family or peer views on tobacco use and smoking cessation, 2) identify pathways through which family or peer factors influence smoking cessation, and 3) identify social barriers and facilitators to seeking cessation support when quitting. Methods: We used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study and collected qualitative data from people with mental health conditions who currently smoke or quit within the last five years. Data were analyzed using logistic regression modeling, structural equation modeling, and rapid qualitative analysis. Results: Having family or peers with positive or neutral views on tobacco use significantly reduced the odds of quitting smoking. Higher intentions to quit and changes in smoking behavior mediated the relationship between supportive family or peer behaviors and quitting smoking. Quitting together and encouragement from family or peers were perceived as supportive, while nagging the individual undermined quitting success. Except for individuals who regarded autonomy highly or were not ready to stop smoking, stronger social relationships and tailored support increased willingness to involve family members in cessation interventions. Conclusions: Supportive family or peer attitudes and behaviors can positively influence smoking cessation in people with mental health conditions who smoke. Ways to identify ideal family or peer support partners to involve in cessation interventions are proposed.

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