Matching Items (32)
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Dysregulated cortisol has been linked to a variety of adverse physical and psychological consequences. Stressors in the childhood family environment can influence cortisol activity throughout development. For example, research has shown that both infants and children of depressed mothers exhibit altered levels of cortisol compared to infants and children of

Dysregulated cortisol has been linked to a variety of adverse physical and psychological consequences. Stressors in the childhood family environment can influence cortisol activity throughout development. For example, research has shown that both infants and children of depressed mothers exhibit altered levels of cortisol compared to infants and children of non-depressed mothers. It is unclear, however, whether exposure to maternal depression in childhood and adolescence is related to cortisol activity at later stages of development. The current study examined the longitudinal relation between maternal depressive symptoms during late childhood (9-12 years old) and adolescence (15-19 years old) and cortisol activity in offspring in young adulthood (24- 28 years old) in a sample of 40 young adults and their mothers. Maternal depressive symptoms were prospectively assessed at four time points across the 15 year study. Cortisol samples were collected from young adult offspring at the final time point. Findings revealed that higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms during late childhood were associated with lower total cortisol output in young adulthood. Results suggest that attenuated cortisol levels, which put these young adults at risk for a variety of stress-related physical and psychological illnesses, may be a long-term consequence of exposure to maternal depression,. Depressive symptoms in mothers during their child's adolescence, however, did not relate to cortisol output. These findings suggest a sensitive period in late childhood during which the development of HPA activity may be susceptible to the environmental stressor of maternal depression.
ContributorsMahrer, Nicole Eva (Author) / Wolchik, Sharlene (Thesis advisor) / Luecken, Linda (Thesis advisor) / Tein, Jenn-Yun (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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Between October 2016 and February 2018, DHS reported separating 1,768 children from their parents in what they called “a long-standing policy”. From July 2017 to October 2017, the Trump administration implemented a pilot program in El Paso. Federal prosecutors criminally charged adults who crossed the border from New Mexico to

Between October 2016 and February 2018, DHS reported separating 1,768 children from their parents in what they called “a long-standing policy”. From July 2017 to October 2017, the Trump administration implemented a pilot program in El Paso. Federal prosecutors criminally charged adults who crossed the border from New Mexico to West Texas. Forced family separation has long-lasting consequences on the health of immigrant youth and their families even as they become integrated into US society. In addition, policies like the zero-tolerance policy on illegal criminal entry and practices such as the exclusion and criminalization of immigrants perpetuate the image of an immigrant's subordinate position in the States. <br/>The zero tolerance policy has significant impacts on immigrants’ mental health, educational attainment, legal vulnerability, and physical health. While research typically focuses on the impacts of family separation on the child, the separation affects the entire family unit leading to feelings of helplessness and cultural disruption. Additionally, the topic of family separation during migration is well-studied, there is a lack of literature on forced family separation and long-lasting impacts post-reunification especially through a lens of resiliency.This paper seeks to examine how the zero-tolerance policy impacts Central American immigrant youth and their families and the limited support systems available. The family separation policy ignited protests across the country. Across the nation there was outrage of “kids in cages,” Central American children being taken from their families and placed into overcrowded facilities, left to sleep under tinfoil-like sheets in fenced areas. <br/>I argue that the zero tolerance policy is one of a long line of racist immigration policies that negatively impacts immigrant youth and their families. The effects of family separation seep into various dimensions of immigrants' lives, further complicating their adjustment to life in the US. Continued support for families who have been separated is critical to combat the adverse effects of harmful and racist immigration policies. Because the effects of family separation are multidimensional, I advocate for a holistic approach that addresses the various ways the effects spillover into daily life. This paper relies on the concept of resiliency versus a victim narrative, situating agency with the immigrant, and viewing immigration as an autonomous action. A resiliency framework acknowledges and appreciates immigrant youth's resourcefulness, strategic agency, and ability to subvert dominant norms and overcome barriers.

ContributorsDuran, Brittany Michelle (Author) / Wheatley, Abby (Thesis director) / Garcia Esq, Maite (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description

Nowadays, kids are exposed to technology at an incredibly early age. According to a study by YouGov in the United Kingdom, 88% of 12-year-olds are entrusted with their own devices and 85% of children at age 6 have access to a tablet at home (YouGov). In the US, according to

Nowadays, kids are exposed to technology at an incredibly early age. According to a study by YouGov in the United Kingdom, 88% of 12-year-olds are entrusted with their own devices and 85% of children at age 6 have access to a tablet at home (YouGov). In the US, according to MarketingProfs 75% of children 8 and under have access to some type of smart device. In an ever-growing technological world, it is important to make sure that kids are enjoying entertainment that enhances their growth and protects them from inappropriate content (Nanji). I wanted to create a browser game that explains the importance of Security in a colorful, fun environment with a friendly playable character. The game I created is a 2D platformer in which the player learns about the importance of passwords and keeping them secure.

ContributorsMichalik, Jacob (Author) / Meuth, Ryan (Thesis director) / Kobayashi, Yoshihiro (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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Better babies contests were competitions held in state fairs throughout the US during the early twentieth century in which babies between the ages of 6 and 48 months were judged for their health. In 1908, social activist Mary de Garmo established and held the first better babies contest at the

Better babies contests were competitions held in state fairs throughout the US during the early twentieth century in which babies between the ages of 6 and 48 months were judged for their health. In 1908, social activist Mary de Garmo established and held the first better babies contest at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport, Louisiana. The contests, mirroring theories established in the US’s eugenics movement of the twentieth century, aimed to establish standards for judging infant health. Nurses and physicians judged infants participating in the contest on mental health, physical health, and physical appearance. In 1913, the Woman’s Home Companion (WHC) magazine cosponsored de Garmo’s better babies contests and introduced the competition to state fairs throughout the US. Better babies contests helped promote routine health assessments of children by medical professionals.

Created2017-07-19
Description

Better babies contests were competitions held in state fairs throughout the US during the early twentieth century in which babies between the ages of 6 and 48 months were judged for their health. In 1908, social activist Mary de Garmo established and held the first better babies contest at the

Better babies contests were competitions held in state fairs throughout the US during the early twentieth century in which babies between the ages of 6 and 48 months were judged for their health. In 1908, social activist Mary de Garmo established and held the first better babies contest at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport, Louisiana. The contests, mirroring theories established in the US’s eugenics movement of the twentieth century, aimed to establish standards for judging infant health. Nurses and physicians judged infants participating in the contest on mental health, physical health, and physical appearance. In 1913, the Woman’s Home Companion (WHC) magazine cosponsored de Garmo’s better babies contests and introduced the competition to state fairs throughout the US. Better babies contests helped promote routine health assessments of children by medical professionals.

Created2017-05-04
Description
The Bedside Box of Play is a kit of play activities designed specifically for children experiencing hospitalization. 30 kits were delivered to the Child Life unit at a local hospital with materials provided in English and Spanish. It is a free resource informed by research to maximize the potential for

The Bedside Box of Play is a kit of play activities designed specifically for children experiencing hospitalization. 30 kits were delivered to the Child Life unit at a local hospital with materials provided in English and Spanish. It is a free resource informed by research to maximize the potential for healthy coping during a time that may be stressful or overwhelming. Activities were created intentionally to allow for creativity, direction of the activity by the child, and family engagement. My hope for the Bedside Box of play is that it provides children and families with an easy way to incorporate play into the hospital environment, while also promoting healthy child development and building coping skills to be used post-discharge. This creative project also outlines a potential framework for helping professionals to make play effective and accessible in a variety of settings.
ContributorsCywinski, Morgan (Author) / Krysik, Judy (Thesis director) / Kelly, Cara (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Work (Contributor)
Created2023-12
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In past decades, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) rapidly gained attentionas a public health crisis due to dose-response relationships with a range of health and social problems, and early mortality. Converging studies show that ACEs are a pandemic in the general population of the United States—even in middle to upper-middle class

In past decades, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) rapidly gained attentionas a public health crisis due to dose-response relationships with a range of health and social problems, and early mortality. Converging studies show that ACEs are a pandemic in the general population of the United States—even in middle to upper-middle class families that are considered to be ‘better off’. There have been collaborative efforts in public health to target root-causes of childhood adversity and increase resilient adaptation in individuals and families at risk. Due to the importance of fostering positive adaptation in the midst of adversity, this dissertation sought to examine both vulnerability and protective factors in children’s proximal ecology—e.g., parents and caring adults at school. A population-based study in this dissertation revealed that parents’ emotional well-being, measured as negative feelings toward parenting, greatly influences developing children, so as support and resources for parenting. The presence of caring adults as a protective factor in teens with highly competitive settings—a newly identified at-risk group due to high pressure to achieve and internalizing/externalizing problems. Lastly, this dissertation discusses conceptual and methodological limitations in current ways of measuring ACEs and provide future directions for research, practice, and policy. Suggestions include frequent assessments on reaching consensus on how to define ACEs, expanding the concept of ACEs, considering the duration, timing, and severity of the event. Healthcare professionals have important roles in public health; they incorporate frequent assessments on parents’ emotional wellbeing and needs for parenting as a part of care. Ongoing support from multiple disciplines is necessary to reduce the impact of ACEs and strengthen resilience development of children and families.
ContributorsSuh, Bin (Author) / Luthar, Suniya (Thesis advisor) / Pipe, Teri (Thesis advisor) / Castro, Felipe (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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Many children who testify to alleged sexual abuse struggle to answer questions about touching, likely because attorneys and children may operate under different definitions of “touch.” However, little is known about how children define touch, and the most productive question type for eliciting reports of touching has yet to be

Many children who testify to alleged sexual abuse struggle to answer questions about touching, likely because attorneys and children may operate under different definitions of “touch.” However, little is known about how children define touch, and the most productive question type for eliciting reports of touching has yet to be determined. In the present investigation, Study 1 examined (N = 64, 5 - 12 years of age) children’s testimonies to identify the sources of misunderstanding when children report abusive touch in court. In light of the language difficulties observed in Study 1, specifically, that attorneys and children appeared to be operating under different definitions of touch, a laboratory study (Study 2) was conducted to examine (N = 95, 4 - 7 years of age) children’s definition of touch, and how children reported touching in response to open-ended wh- questions, compared to close-ended yes
o questions. Body contact (i.e., manual and non-manual touch, compared to touching with an object) was most closely representative of children’s definition of touch. Additionally, children reported touch more often, and provided more informative reports of touch, in response to wh- questions, compared to yes
o questions. These findings demonstrated that children’s definition of touch exists on a scale, and through asking specific, open-ended wh- questions attorneys can elicit reports of touching from children even when definitional discrepancies are present.
ContributorsSullivan, Colleen (Author) / Stolzenberg Roosevelt, Stacia N. (Thesis advisor) / Spohn, Cassia (Committee member) / Fabricius, William (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
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School racial/ethnic diversity has been linked to positive developmental outcomes for youth in early adolescence (Graham, 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine whether school diversity and co-ethnic representation was associated with academic outcomes of children in middle childhood. Given mixed findings in previous research, this study

School racial/ethnic diversity has been linked to positive developmental outcomes for youth in early adolescence (Graham, 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine whether school diversity and co-ethnic representation was associated with academic outcomes of children in middle childhood. Given mixed findings in previous research, this study explored whether the effects of school diversity and co-ethnic representation on academic achievement were moderated by the ethnicity of the individual in a sample of twins in middle childhood (N=485; Mage= 8 8.36 years, SD = .62). Parent-report, teacher-report, and objective ratings of academic outcomes were used. Results indicated that school diversity was positively and significantly associated with teacher reported achievement (b = .80, p < .05) across the full sample. Moderation analyses suggest that greater school diversity was associated with lower parent-reported and objective academic scores for European American youth, but higher teacher-reported and objective academic outcomes for ethnic minority youth. Results indicated that, across the full sample, co-ethnic representation was significantly and negatively associated with one measure of objective academic outcomes (b = -7.99, p < .05). Contrary to hypotheses, greater co-ethnic representation was associated with better teacher-reported and objective academic outcomes for European American youth, but lower objective academic outcomes for ethnic minority children. Findings demonstrate that the ethnic composition of schools are associated with academic outcomes of children in middle childhood, but findings vary by measurement of diversity (i.e., diversity index vs. co-ethnic representation and by the child’s own race/ethnicity.
ContributorsEzeh, Dirichi (Author) / Doane, Leah (Thesis director) / Lemery, Kathyrn (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Immigration becomes relevant in policies and U.S. culture as globalization spreads. The physical relocation affects children’s development because they are growing up during uncertain times and they could potentially miss important milestones during childhood if the effects of immigration are not understood and explored. This paper aims to assess children’s

Immigration becomes relevant in policies and U.S. culture as globalization spreads. The physical relocation affects children’s development because they are growing up during uncertain times and they could potentially miss important milestones during childhood if the effects of immigration are not understood and explored. This paper aims to assess children’s physical, psychosocial, and academic trends and how they compare to native citizens of the United States. Law, research, medicine, and education are all relevant realms that could work on understanding the immigrant children’s problems, as well as help bolster any advantages and skills they might have.
ContributorsNawara, Nourhan Muniem (Author) / Swanson, Jodi (Thesis director) / Romley, Courtney (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05