Browsing by Subject "Child development"
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Item A comparative developmental study of object sorting(Texas Tech University, 1972-12) Welti, Donald RichardThe purpose of this study was to investigate the orthogenetic theory of Heinz V7erner as it applies to the development of categorizing behavior of average and slow learning children, and average and schizophrenic adults. Werner (1948, 1957) postulated that in whatever context development occurs, it begins from an initial stage of globality, proceeds through a stage of differentiation, and culminates in a final stage of hierarchic integration of the differentiated parts. Werner held that his orthogenetic principle not only applied to normal development, but also to the mental development of the schizophrenic and the mental retardate. He postulated that the mentally retarded individual follows the same developmental sequence as does the average individual but at a slower rate and that he evidences earlier developmental arrest. In the thought processes of the schizophrenic, Werner discerned evidence of developmental regression. Werner's theoretical formulations concerning the comparative development of the categorizing behavior of mentally average, mentally below average, and schizophrenic individuals have not been empirically investigated.Item A comparative study of Negro, Latin, and Anglo children in a West Texas community(Texas Tech University, 1964-08) Tullis, David ShermanNot availableItem A re-evaluation of gender label effects: expectant mothers' responses to infants(Texas Tech University, 1979-05) Carver, William ShermanNot availableItem A study of attention-seeking behavior in young children(Texas Tech University, 1968-08) Enlow, Ralph VernonNot availableItem A study of need for achievement and test anxiety in elementary school children(Texas Tech University, 1970-12) Smith, Cynthia LynneNot availableItem An empirical application of temperament theory of child development to hyperactivity(Texas Tech University, 1980-08) Langsdorf, Richard CNot availableItem Child's sex as a determinant of adult reactions to the child(Texas Tech University, 1977-05) Hibbs, Kay GriffithNot availableItem Children's attitudes toward parental influences and children's perceptions of parenting style: a leadership model of parental effectiveness(Texas Tech University, 1984-12) Butters, Michael ANot availableItem Competition in children as a function of age, race, sex, and socio-economic status(Texas Tech University, 1969-05) Owens, Kenneth LeeNot availableItem Cultural continuity and variation in the development of folk ecological reasoning(2015-05) Busch, Justin Thomas Albert; Legare, Cristine H.; Markman, Art BThe objective of two studies was to investigate cultural variation and continuity in how children understand ecological relationships. We examined children's beliefs about their local ecology and humans' place within that system in a Western (urban American city) and a Non-Western community (Tanna, Vanuatu). Study 1 used a species relation task to examine children’s cultural concepts of the natural world (N = 97, 5-13-year-olds). Results indicate that children in the U.S. provide a greater number of taxonomic responses than children in Vanuatu. Children in Vanuatu provide a greater number of ecological and utility responses than children in the U.S. Older children also provided a greater number of ecological responses than younger children across both cultural contexts. Study 2 used a nature categorization task (N = 106, 6-11-year-olds), in which children sorted 12 pictures of natural kinds into groups. Results revealed cross-cultural similarities in how natural kinds were organized and also show that children in the U.S. were more likely than children in Vanuatu to categorize the human into a group with another animal. Data from both Studies 1 and 2 are consistent with the proposal that how children understand the ecology of their local environment is heavily influenced by how they interact with it, and the kinds of ecological relationships that are emphasized within diverse cultural contexts.Item Developmentally appropriate practice in accredited child care centers: teachers' understanding and perceived use(Texas Tech University, 1997-12) Oekerman, Rebecca BurwellIn 1987, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published its position statement on developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) to enhance understanding of DAP, especially among individuals engaged in the NAEYC accreditation process. Yet, it has been suggested that educators engage in "reflective practice," determining for themselves how to integrate the results of their personal experiences with theoretical knowledge. This study was done to determine if early childhood teachers understand DAP and perceive themselves as using DAP appropriately or whether they modify its use to fit the needs of their individual classrooms. Participants were 124 preschool teachers working in 50 NAEYC accredited child care facilities.Item Effects of parental divorce on children in relation to development and attachment style(2010-05) Cox, Sarah Elizabeth, 1982-; Rochlen, Aaron B.; Moore, Leslie A.Extensive research on the impact of divorce on children has been conducted. Much of this research emphasizes negative findings. Debate over the factors that exacerbate or alleviate these negative findings exists, and prompted investigation in this literature review. Two factors that may determine how children will react to parental divorce are the child's developmental acuity and attachment style at the time of the divorce event. This review explains developmental tasks from a psychosocial and cognitive perspective for developing children from birth to age 18. An understanding of these models can be used to examine how children may be vulnerable to the stresses in a divorcing family, as well as identifying how to help children of all ages become resilient. Research included in this review suggests that a secure attachment and consistent parenting are the best buffers from negative effects. This literature review is intended to be a guide to aid parents, counselors, and other professionals who seek the best outcome for children of divorce.Item Effects of recorded amplified human heartbeat sound on physiological arousal of hyperactive mentally retarded males(Texas Tech University, 1973-08) Savlov, Steven MichaelNot availableItem Francelia Butler's contribution to peace education: peace games a curriculum for teaching peace through play(2005) LaSeur, Michelle; Reifel, Robert StuartItem How children create and use social capital : a test of an ecological-transactional model(2011-08) Walker, Jessica Wolf Thornton; Huston, Aletha C.; Gershoff, Elizabeth; Anderson, Edward; Crosnoe, Robert; Osborne, Cynthia; Kirk, DavidThe aims of this study were to examine the relations among social capital, human capital, economic capital, and children’s socioemotional well-being during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence and to test an ecological-transactional model of children’s social capital. This work was informed by sociological and economic theory on social capital, human capital, and economic capital (e.g., Becker, 1993; Bourdieu, 1986; Coleman, 1988; Foster, 2002) and two principal frameworks in developmental psychology: ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998) and the transactional model of child development (Sameroff, 2009). Social capital was conceptualized as both a family-level and a community-level phenomenon, distinguishing between family social capital and community social capital. A major hypothesis was that family social capital and community social capital, alongside family-level human capital and economic capital, are associated with low levels of socioemotional problems. Family-level variables were considered to be nested within the more distal ecological context of community social capital, and the indirect relation of community social capital to socioemotional well-being through family social capital was also considered. Another postulation was that children’s socioemotional well-being and the social capital that inheres in family relationships (i.e., family social capital) are mutually influential, changing over time in a transactional manner. In this vein, children were regarded as agents of social capital, both “creating” and utilizing it to their developmental benefit (or detriment as the case may be). These family-level transactional processes were nested within the context of community social capital. Results indicated that community social capital had little association with family social capital and children’s socioemotional well-being as indexed by internalizing and externalizing problems. However, caregivers’ human capital and economic capital were significant predictors of family social capital. In turn, family social capital was strongly related to socioemotional problems. Notably, harsh parenting behavior, a measure indicative of the health of the caregiver-child relation and thus the potential for social capital to be realized in their interactions, was the strongest predictor of socioemotional well-being.Item Learning begins at home: The role of Hispanic mothers as their child's first teacher(2012-05) Brooks, Augustina; Colwell, Malinda J.; Trejos-Castillo, Elizabeth; Cong, ZhenThe study of ethnic minority populations can provide valuable information about diverse subgroups within the larger society and clarify the significance of sociocultural factors in child socialization (Vargas & Busch-Rossnagel, 2003). Parental knowledge about child development has been found to influence conceptualizations of acceptable and normative behaviors and could therefore explain why parents from diverse backgrounds differ in childrearing attitudes, beliefs, and practices (Delgado & Ford, 1998; Huang, Caughy, Genevro, & Miller, 2005). Hispanic mothers, in general, have been characterized according to a deficit model in comparative analyses with their Anglo-American counterparts. This deficit model does not account for the cultural influences inherent in the parental schemas of Hispanic mothers (Cardona, Nicholson, & Fox, 2000). The present study aimed to broaden the existing literature on the values that Mexican mothers have concerning their children’s development, the role that culture plays in maternal teaching practices, and to explore the notion of an existing conflict between home and school values in relation to Mexican children’s academic achievement. This study was comprised of a sample of seventy-nine Mexican mothers between the ages of 18-over 40. A questionnaire, designed by the researcher after an examination of the literature and pilot testing, was used to measure maternal values associated with parenting and teaching strategies. In addition to family demographic information (maternal place of birth, education, marital status, family income), the questionnaire included 54 questions and was divided into the following six subscales: child attitude, child learning, teaching, parenting, maternal values about child development, and academic achievement (GPA). Mothers in the study were found to place more emphasis on their values towards child development than their parenting skills. Maternal values were found to be associated with parenting practices. A significant relationship was also found between child learning and GPA.Item Links between school-based extracurricular activity participation and adolescent development(2003) Feldman, Amy Florence; Matjasko, JenniferUtilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, three separate studies were conducting regarding the relationship of school-based extracurricular activity participation (EAP) and adolescent development. Chapter 1 examined the profiles of individual activity participants, determined whether profiles changed dependent upon activity grouping style, and identified portfolios of adolescent schoolbased EAP. The most common activities are basketball, baseball, track, and football. Non-participation is also common. Academic club participation is actually not as common. Non-participants are older, come from families with lower incomes, have lower grades, and are from larger schools having implications for educational and social policy in terms of availability of activities in schools and exclusion from participation. Generally, style of activity grouping did little in varying the overall descriptions of participants from each other and from the individual activity analysis. However, subtle details were affected by activity conceptualization and some of the unique patterns indicated in the individual analysis were better preserved by certain groupings. The most common participation portfolios are multiple activity types and sports only participation. The four most common portfolios in the multiple activity type group were sports/performance, sports/academic, sports/academic/performance/school, and sports/school. Chapter 2 utilized individual, family, peer, and school contexts to differentiate school-based EAP and non-participation. Adolescentsí GPA (individual), parental involvement (family), friendís GPA (peer), and school attachment and school size (school) were associated with each type of activity participation over nonparticipation. The individual and peer factors had the strongest links to activity participation in general, and in differentiating the types of participation. The findings lend support to suggestions of the strong role of social norms in adolescent activity participation. Participation was more likely in schools with less than 2/3 percent White students and Asians participated at almost the same rate as Whites. Chapter 3 investigated the influence of adolescent school-based EAP on well-being, delinquency, and substance use over time. Sports and multiple activity type participation were related to alcohol use and delinquency but did not increase the variance explained over background variables. Relationships between EAP and these outcomes over time were moderated by school attachment, school size, and parental involvement.Item Mass media influence on first-time mothers(Texas Tech University, 1980-08) Moffatt, Jean FlippinObjectives of this paper were to measure the amount of use first-time mothers make of the mass media for information on pregnancy and childrearing, and the corresponding impact of media use on the mother-infant dyad. In preparation for the study, extensive research was done on the capabilities of an infant to communicate before birth and during the six months following birth. The mother-infant dyad was also studied to determine the importance of the mother's recognizing her infant's individuality, his abilities, and his desire to communicate. The study was carried out in two ways. First, one mother-infant dyad in which the mother prepared herself for her role through media use was observed over a six-month period. Second, first-time mothers of all backgrounds from a small community of 7,000 people were mailed a questionnaire which asked personal history questions, the extent to which they used the media for pregnancy and childrearing information, and an evaluation of their own dyad. Results showed books as the main media source of information, followed by booklets and pamphlets, with magazines third. Television, newspapers, and radio were least used. Age, education, and income showed a high relationship to book and booklet use, but a negative one to radio, television and newspaper use. Greater media use, more education, and a higher maternal age at the birth of the child resulted in an earlier recognition of the child as an individual and in greater significance being attached to his communication attempts. Apart from the mass media, medical personnel were found to be the most-used, source of information. Books, however, were more used than such non-media sources as family members, friends, and training in school. The accessibility of books, their extensive coverage of the subject, and their helpful indexing were cited as major reasons for widespread use. Lack of programming and articles were the reasons for less use of television, radio and magazines. The study suggests that mothers who use the mass media for information on their children are better prepared for what to expect from their babies and are better able to communicate with them and to understand their communication efforts. It also, provides evidence supporting greater efforts by all of the media to present helpful pregnancy and childrearing information, particularly that which encourages mothers to respond positively to an infant's attempts to communicate- Such a response fosters development of a healthy self-image and an acceptance of the world around him.Item Maternal depression and children's adjustment problems : the role of mothers' affective reactivity(2013-12) Moed, Anat; Dix, Theodore H.; Anderson, Edward R; Gershoff, Elizabeth TMothers with depressive symptoms often express more negative emotions than other mothers, react more punitively, and express more frustration (e.g., Belsky, 1984). Paradoxically, mothers with depressive symptoms are also often found to be less, not more, reactive and to express flat rather than negative affect. These mothers are often described as emotionally "flat", unresponsive, and withdrawn (Kochanska, Kuczynski, Radke-Yarrow, & Welsh, 1987). Mothers' depressive symptoms are also associated with problematic parenting, interfering with children's social development (e.g., Goodman et al., 2011). This study investigated the possibility that mothers with depressive symptoms regulate their affect as a coping strategy to minimize distress when facing aversive child behaviors. Using observational and reported longitudinal data from 319 mother-child dyads, we examined how mothers' affective reactivity changes as a function of (a) changes in mothers' depressive symptoms, and (b) changes in children’s aversiveness during the course of the mother-child interaction. Depressive symptoms were associated with mothers' under-reactivity to low aversive child behaviors. Depressive symptoms also predicted rapid increases in mothers' negative reactivity as children's aversiveness increased, and negative over-reactivity to highly aversive child behaviors. Mothers' affective under-reactivity, over-reactivity, and depressive symptoms were all associated with children's adjustment problems over a two-year period. Results suggest that when aversive child behaviors are minimally disturbing, mothers with depressive symptoms minimize child rearing strain by not reacting; when aversive child behaviors are highly disturbing, they do so by resisting and controlling the child. Findings may enable us to understand adaptations that undermine parenting and place children at risk.Item Maternal depressive symptoms and children's behavior problems : peer relations and parenting as mediators(2012-08) Baeva, Sofia; Dix, Theodore H.; Hazen-Swann, Nancy; Anderson, EdwardMothers suffering from depression are likely to engage in poor parenting practices, have children with poorer peer relations and more behavior problems. It is likely that maternal depression follows different trajectories in different mothers. These trajectories may lead to differing child outcomes over time. The current study examined a large sample of mothers and children. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was used to demonstrate a four-class depressive symptom model, which included high stable, high decreasing, moderate increasing, and low stable trajectories of depressive symptoms measured using the CES-D instrument. Demographic risk was found to differ across classes, with high stable and high decreasing mothers being classified as more at-risk. Mothers in the high stable depression class were found to be less sensitive, and had children with worse outcomes including negative behaviors with peers, social support from peers, and behavior problems. High decreasing mothers were also less sensitive and had children with equally poor outcomes, even though the mothers recovered from their depressive symptoms by the time their children were 54 months of age. In conclusion, early clinical depressive symptoms were likely to predict poorer child outcomes, and more demographic risk was linked to high early depression scores.