<p> Using a meaning making lens and a qualitative methodology, this dissertation study sought to explore transformative meaning making and implicit beliefs of parenting among a sample of 40 adolescent mothers participating in a home visiting program during their transition to parenthood. Given the high attrition rate for interventions serving adolescent moms, the study also explored the alignments between meaning making and home visiting program participation. Through iterative coding and theme analysis, this investigation revealed that participants&rsquo; beliefs about parenting evolve as they transition from pregnancy to parenting. They engage in meaning making throughout the process, which leads to scripts of change in three areas: improvements in relationships, changes in life outlook, and changes to self. Two groups emerged on either end of the spectrum of meaning making. High meaning-making <i> transformers</i> tended to remain actively enrolled in the intervention while the low meaning-making <i>remainers</i> all dropped out by the second year. An analysis of implicit beliefs about parenting, or meta-parenting mindset, identified three groups of participants: <i>fixed theorists, </i> <i>incremental theorists,</i> and <i>mixed theorists. </i> Fixed theorists, who believed parenting ability was natural or instinctual, had a lower retention rate in the program (14%) than the overall rate of the sample (42%) even after controlling for participants who moved away. Incremental theorists, who attributed their parenting abilities to gradual growth and learning, had a 50% retention rate and also represented just 6.6% of those receiving a low number of visits and 66.6% of those who had high rates of home visits.</p>

In recent years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (1999) has urged parents to avoid exposure to screen media for children under 2 years of age. Despite this recommendation, producers of children's videos have begun to target younger audiences than ever before. One way that media may have a positive impact on very young children is by demonstrating and encouraging the types of parent-child interaction known to be beneficial to healthy cognitive, social, and emotional growth. The research described here examines the effectiveness of videos from two series for infants and toddlers, both claiming to promote parent-child interaction. In this study, parents and children were asked to watch two videos either from the Baby Einstein video series or the Sesame Beginnings video series for two weeks at home prior to visiting the laboratory. Home viewing was followed by two laboratory sessions, separated by approximately one week. Session 1 was 30 minutes with the television off, while Session 2 consisted of a 30-minute segment of video viewing followed by a 15-minute segment with the television off. Quality and type of parent-child interaction were assessed for both sessions. Results revealed that active involvement with the child was relatively high when the television was off. Only for the Sesame Beginnings group, however, did coviewing at home predict high-quality parent-child interaction in the laboratory. This suggests that familiarity with videos that specifically model appropriate parent-child interactions may improve the overall nature of such interactions. During video viewing, there was a decrease in amount of active parent-child engagement regardless of video condition. However, the amount of high-quality parent-child interaction during video viewing was substantial, with active involvement occurring almost half of the time the video was on. Thus, at least in a laboratory setting, video viewing was generally not used as a replacement for involvement with the child. In all, this study indicates that parents can capitalize on the opportunities that baby videos provide and use them as a basis for parent-child interaction. With repeated exposure, some content may even have a more general positive impact on the quality of interaction with the child.

This study is concerned with a cross-cultural investigation of adolescent perceptions of popularity. In contrast to previous approaches, this study was designed to uncover factors determined by adolescents themselves. Using unconstrained methods of analyzing and interpreting data, we are allowed to increase the possibility of new findings. The purpose of this study was to identify naturally emerging categories used by adolescents in describing popular peers and to explore for possible dimensions that underlie the categories. Nineteen categories were identified. Some of these were similar to categories surfaced by previous research; others, like group-benefitted attributes, and qualities of social interaction, were previously unknown. The dimensions of adolescent popularity were suggested as Relational Orientation versus Appearance and Status and Ascribed versus Achieved. Cross-cultural comparisons were made through the use of sorting procedures, chi-square analysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling (ALSCAL & INDSCAL). By conceptualizing culture itself as a theoretical variable, interpretations were based on two lines: cultural-developmental tasks and the cultural dimension of collectivism versus individualism.

<p> This liberatory participatory action research involved a collaborative inquiry by unaccompanied minors from Central America. Using participatory action research and a liberatory approach, the study followed the youth as they investigated and shared their experiences in the systems of custody and legal protection that exist for unaccompanied minors in the United States. The research question, developed with the youth, was what is the experience of unaccompanied minors as they journey to the United States? Their collaborative inquiry is reflected in the mural that they created and their complementary written personal narratives. The co-creation of the mural and personal narratives developed their self-awareness as they discovered and understood their social placement. The research question also stimulated the participants&rsquo; consideration of taking action for social change through the sharing of their experience with the public. The work of these youth took place in the accompaniment of adults who witnessed the participants&rsquo; inquiry and shared knowledge with them about the journeys of other unaccompanied minors. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> accompaniment, collaborative inquiry, liberatory psychology, youth participatory action, unaccompanied minors.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz. / Typescript. Bibliography: leaves 198-203.

<p> Children&rsquo;s picture books engage young readers with lessons of both literacy and socialization. They are discursive components of visual culture, with ideological origins that can be traced to European colonizers, whose policies fueled popular sentiment that devalued those who appeared different and, thus, encouraged systemic oppression and genocide. Utilizing Hall&rsquo;s definition of representations will provide perspective in discussions of social constructs (including constructed absences), developmental psychology, and research-evidenced processes of child perception and meaning. These phenomena often convey unearned hierarchical power that culminates in behaviors that include social exclusion and discrimination, and their far-reaching effects are discussed by MacDonald as European Structuralism, in which &ldquo;social and cultural life are governed by deep-seated structural polarities&rdquo; (1995, p. 35). European Structuralism, and related systems, disadvantaged groups that include females, non-European males, non-heterosexuals, those with a high body mass index (BMI), and non-Christians. Visual culture, including picture books, perpetuates these constructs that lead to oppression. To call attention to the origins of biased messages, I analyze the physical characteristics of best-selling picture book authors and illustrators. Few surprises exist, yet these data add another layer to the intricate systems of power dynamics. </p><p>

<p> Personal observations and anecdotal accounts attest that some of the young people in U.S. Latino churches are developing as leaders within their congregations. This seems to come as a result of the organic or less-formalized leadership development dynamics and practices present within Latino congregations, where leaders often develop by being actively involved in leadership actions without necessarily first following a curriculum of study, completing a training program, or fulfilling a set of theological education requirements. In this way, many are acquiring roles and responsibilities by which they actively contribute towards local congregational and community life, and by which they develop as leaders through hands-on experiences. This less formalized leadership development dynamic in Latino congregations has yet to be empirically studied, as a means to further understand and learn from this unique characteristic that can be helpful to the church at large in our search for how to develop the next generation of leaders. Thus, there is a need to identify, describe, and empirically analyze some of the specific phenomena involved in these observed dynamics within Latino congregations that seem to be contributing towards youths&rsquo; leadership development. </p><p> Method: Therefore, this descriptive and explanatory <i>ex post facto </i> study examined key congregational practices within Latino churches and the level of participation young people have in these as a means of analyzing the association of both with leadership development. The study drew on existing data collected through the Chicago Latino Congregational Study &ndash; Youth Survey (CLCS&ndash;YS) of 63 randomly sampled Latino congregations in different Christian denominations: Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline, and Pentecostal. The sample population consisted of 307 Latino youth ages 13 to 19. </p><p> After examining the 104 questionnaire items of the CLCS&ndash;YS for applicability, 23 were selected to analyze youth&rsquo;s religious participation, social service involvement, and engagement in leadership tasks, while controlling for demographic characteristics. Aspects of Positive Youth Development (PYD) theory pertaining to youth leadership development provided a means to select and create the variables studied, which were derived from socioreligious descriptions of Latino congregations that are linked to the aforementioned organic leadership dynamics. </p><p> Results: The data analysis revealed that youth in Chicago Latino congregations have a high aggregate score for both Religious Participation and Engagement in Leadership Tasks, and both scores increase with their age. Although their aggregate score for Social Service Involvement was found to be low, the frequencies of the reported habits, actions, and behaviors regarding Social Service Involvement indicate that a high percentage of youth are involved in volunteering or social service in and out of their local congregation. A significant relationship was also found between youths&rsquo; level of Religious Participation and their level of Social Service Involvement and Engagement in Leadership Tasks, with both scores increasing as their scores in Religious Participation increased. </p><p> The results of the individual survey frequencies served to create a contextual description of socioreligious phenomena present in Chicago Latino congregations, as well as a wider reference into the religious habits of Latino youth. The findings support the observations and anecdotal accounts regarding the level of engagement youth have with organic dynamics for leadership development in Latino congregations. Based on PYD theory, the study also provided a proposed set of variables and measurements by which to approach future studies on this topic. Youth congregants are involved in hands-on experiences such as social service projects and exercising leaderships tasks, and they are also engaging very frequently with their supportive religious community. These are all characteristics of ecological contributing contexts which PYD postulates can potentially contribute towards the leadership development of youth, and their continued contribution as leaders in adulthood (Avolio &amp; Vogelgesang, 2011; Murphy &amp; Reichard, 2011).</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this descriptive research was to create awareness and an understanding of how participation in campus recreation contributes to students&rsquo; wellness, and how students can create healthy lifestyles throughout and after their college experience. This study was designed to examine the benefits of participation in campus recreation for undergraduate and graduate students at the University of South Florida. This study investigates the dimensions of wellness in campus recreation and explains how the wellness components of campus recreation have the ability to benefit a student&rsquo;s quality of life during their college years. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and used to help determine the benefits of participating in campus recreation facilities, programs, and services. A random sample of students was chosen to participate in the NASPA Recreation and Wellness Benchmark used to gather data about campus recreation users and their attitudes and opinions on campus recreation at the University of South Florida. A purposeful, convenience sample of students participated in focus groups providing qualitative data. The data showed that students at USF receive benefits from participating in campus recreation; several questions stand out to show students attitudes, opinions, and beliefs about how and why participation in campus recreation is benefiting their wellness and quality of life. This study may leave a footprint for other growing universities in evaluating the importance for students and the benefits of campus recreation departments.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2003. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 64-09, Section: B, page: 4675. Chair: William Froming.

<p> The purpose of this grant proposal project was to develop and identify funding for the implementation of a school-based teen dating violence prevention program for adolescents in the southeast Los Angeles, California area. Peace Over Violence was the host agency for this program and is located in Los Angeles, California. Through the review of the literature on the history, prevalence, risk factors, and the existing interventions for adolescents, the grant writer proposed and designed a school-based teen dating violence prevention program. Additionally, the grant writer explored potential public and private funding sources, which resulted in the selection of the California Endowment Foundation as the funding source due to having the most compatible goals and objectives of this program. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant were not required for the successful completion of this academic project. </p>