Browsing by Subject "Girls"
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Item Differences in Discipline Consequence Assignments by Ethnicity/Race and Economic Status for Texas Grade 6, 7, and 8 Girls: A Statewide Analysis(2017-10-17) Coleman, Crystal L.; Slate, John R.Purpose The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to examine the extent to which differences were present in discipline consequence assignments by the ethnicity/race and economic status for Grade 6, 7, and 8 girls in Texas. In the first investigation, the degree to which discipline consequence assignments differed by the ethnicity/race of Grades 6, 7, and 8 girls was addressed. In the second study, the extent to which discipline consequence assignments differed for Black girls by their economic status was investigated. Finally, in the third investigation, the degree to which discipline consequence assignments were different for Hispanic girls by their economic status was determined. The two discipline consequences of in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension were analyzed for four school years and separately for each grade level in each of the three investigations. As such, this multiyear analysis permitted a determination of trends, if present, in the differential assignment of discipline consequences. Method In this multiyear investigation, a non-experimental, causal comparative research design was used. Archival data analyzed in this investigation were previously obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 school years. The degree to which differences were present in discipline consequence assignments by student demographic characteristics (i.e., ethnicity/race and economic status) of girls in Texas middle schools was determined. Findings For all four school years, statistically significant differences were present in the assignment of both in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension by the ethnicity/race and economic status of Grade 6, 7, and 8 girls in Texas. Black girls received the highest rates of these two discipline consequences, followed by Hispanic girls. With respect to economic status, Black and Hispanic girls who were Extremely Poor had the highest rates of these two discipline consequences, followed by Black and Hispanic girls who were Moderately Poor. In this multiyear investigation, a stair-step effect (Carpenter et al., 2006) was clearly present in the assignment of discipline consequences by the ethnicity/race and the economic status of Grade 6, 7, and 8 girls in Texas. Results were congruent with the extant literature.Item Examining sudden gains during cognitive-behavioral therapy for depressed 9 to 13 year old girls(2010-08) Fisher, Melissa Elizabeth, 1980-; Stark, Kevin Douglas; Tharinger, Deborah J.; Keith, Timothy Z.; Loukas, Alexandra; Weersing, RobinCognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to treat children and adolescents with depression. Researchers determined that many individuals undergoing CBT and other therapies experienced sudden gains, meaning that they experienced a rapid and large improvement in their symptoms between sessions. The studies demonstrated that by the end of treatment, individuals who experienced sudden gains were significantly less depressed and had better long-term outcomes than individuals who did not experience sudden gains. Previous studies investigated sudden gains in individual therapy while the present study examined sudden gains in group treatment. In addition to replicating results of previous studies, the present study sought to examine the effect of sudden gains on depressive symptoms, family environment, cognitive triad, and negative life events at pre-treatment and at a one year follow-up using multivariate analysis of variance. Participants included 136 girls, aged 9 to 13, in two treatment conditions (CBT, CBT+ parent training (CBT+PT), and a Minimal Contact Control (MCC)). At pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at a one year follow-up, participants completed self-report measures of the family environment, cognitive triad, and negative life events. They also completed a semi-structured diagnostic interview designed to symptoms of depression. After beginning the study, participants’ depressive symptoms were monitored with a brief symptom interview and/or a self-report measure of depressive symptoms. Findings from the study provided further evidence that sudden gains occur during group CBT, and that the majority of sudden gains occur early in CBT. The number of sudden gains did not vary significantly by treatment condition, and similar to previous research, the presence of a parent intervention component did not appear to significantly change the relation between sudden gains and treatment outcome. One important finding was participants in the Minimal Contact Control group experienced sudden gains despite not being in treatment. Another important finding was that the participants who experienced sudden gains differed significantly from the participants who did not experience sudden gains on pre-treatment measures of family environment and the cognitive triad but no differences were found at post-treatment or at a one year follow-up. Implications of these results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Mechanisms of change in CBT for depressed early adolescent girls : mediating effects of the cognitive triad on cognitive interventions for depressive symptoms(2009-12) Monnat, Lynn Mie 1970-; Stark, Kevin DouglasDepression is an increasingly common health problem among youth. There is growing empirical evidence that CBT is a promising treatment for childhood depression. It remains unclear what treatment-specific effects of CBT contribute to therapeutic gains. Cognitive theories propose that a primary mechanism of change in CBT are cognitive interventions that target depressogenic cognitions regarding the self, world, and future (cognitive triad), which are thought to mediate depression. The effects of cognitive interventions on depressive symptoms are thus hypothesized to be mediated by changes in the cognitive triad. No studies have investigated whether CBT for depressed youth works by treating the cognitive triad through the implementation of cognitive techniques. As part of a larger study analyzing the mechanisms of change in CBT for depressed youth, the purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) whether specific cognitive techniques are related to depressive symptom reduction in youth, and (2) if improvements in depressive symptoms are mediated through the cognitive triad of depressed youth. Participants were 42 girls, aged 8 to 14, who completed a manualized CBT protocol for depression in group format. Girls completed a diagnostic interview for depression and self-report measures assessing the cognitive triad. Group therapy sessions were coded for cognitive interventions. Results indicated a non-significant relation between levels of cognitive interventions and post-treatment depression scores, after controlling for pre-treatment depression. Therefore, tests of mediation were discontinued. Relevant control variables were added to the model to reduce error variance. After controlling for pre-treatment depression, age, presence of learning disorder, mastery of therapeutic skills, and behavioral interventions, cognitive interventions were significantly and positively associated with post-treatment depression. The relation between cognitive interventions and the cognitive triad was non-significant and meditational analyses were discontinued. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four cognitive interventions factors that were consistent with CBT theory. Further analyses revealed that all factors were not significantly related to post-treatment depression. Tests of interactions between cognitive interventions and behavioral interventions, age, and mastery level of therapeutic skills were also non-significant. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for further areas of research are presented.Item Relational factors and cognitive interventions in group cognitive-behavioral therapy : effects on the cognitive triad and depression in preadolescent females(2010-08) Gerber, Bradley Louden; Stark, Kevin Douglas; Tharinger, Deborah; Keith, Timothy; Stapleton, Laura; Hargrave, JenniferPrevious research indicates that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is helpful in reducing depression in youth. However, little research exists into what specific components within CBT treatment protocols are associated with decreases in depression. Furthermore, little is known about how components within CBT treatment protocols reduce depression. Cognitive theories suggest that interventions targeted at negative cognitions reduce depression. Research has provided initial support for this position, although these studies did not utilize clinically depressed youth. Research has also shown that the therapeutic ingredients of therapist relational behaviors and group cohesion are important general factors in treatment; however, research exploring these variables in youth depression is lacking. Cognitive theories of depression suggest depressogenic thinking mediates the relationship between interventions and depression. However, no research exists exploring depressogenic thinking as a mediator between specific components of CBT treatment protocols and youth depression. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between specific components of a CBT treatment protocol and depression. The current study also sought to investigate depressogenic thinking as a mediator between the components of interest and depression. Participants were 42 girls, aged 9 to 14, who completed a manualized CBT group treatment protocol for depression. Participants completed a diagnostic interview for depression and completed self-report measures of depressogenic thinking. Group therapy sessions were coded for cognitive interventions, therapist relational behaviors, and group cohesion. The results of the main hypotheses indicated no significant associations between cognitive interventions, therapist relational behaviors, group cohesion and depression. Furthermore, tests of depressogenic thinking as a mediator could not be conducted based on the aforementioned results. However, post-hoc power analysis revealed extremely low power for the analyses. To further investigate the data, an exploratory analysis was conducted, with steps taken to increase power. Results from the exploratory analysis indicated the therapist relational behaviors measure consisted of two factors, both of which were significantly associated with post-treatment depression. Furthermore, the exploratory analysis revealed a significant association between cognitive interventions and post-treatment depression. Finally, no significant association was found between group cohesion and post-treatment depression. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for further areas of research are presented.Item The relations between parent training, family messages, cognitive triad, and girls’ depressive symptoms(2012-08) Funk, Catherine Lee; Carlson, Cindy I., 1949-; Stark, Kevin Douglas; Keith, Timothy Z.; Gray, Jane; Loukas, AlexandraIt is important to understand the development of depression, and how a family component to treatment affects early adolescent girls’ depression given the association between depression and negative future outcomes. A potential vulnerability to depression is the cognitive triad, which encompasses beliefs about the self, world, and future and is shaped by early learning experiences. Research indicates that the vulnerability originates from parent-child relationships and family messages, which are important in the development of youth cognitive styles. Previous research also indicates that family variables are important factors to consider in the treatment of depression. The purpose of the current study was to expand previous research by examining the roles of perceived family messages and the cognitive triad in the development of depression for early adolescent girls. The study also explored whether parent gender differentiated how family messages affect girls’ cognitions and depressive symptoms. The study evaluated how the addition of a parent training component to a school-based, group-administered CBT intervention affected change in the model’s variables in comparison to group-administered CBT intervention alone and a monitoring control condition. Participants included early adolescent girls diagnosed with depression and caregivers in the parental treatment component. Girls were randomly assigned to a CBT, CBT+PT, or minimal contact control condition. Ratings of girls’ perceptions of family messages, cognitions, and depressive symptoms were obtained at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Results from structural equation modeling indicated significant effects from perceived family messages to girls’ cognitions. Further, girls’ cognitions mediated the relation between perceived family messages and girls’ depressive symptoms at post-treatment for participants within the CBT and monitoring conditions. No significant differences were evident between parent gender and perceived messages. Results indicated that the addition of a parent component to the CBT intervention did not significantly differ from the CBT intervention alone in its effects on the variable relations within the model at post-treatment. Supplemental analyses highlighted parent attendance as a significant factor, with larger effects from the family messages on girls’ cognitions appearing when parents attended majority (six or more) of the eight parent training sessions. Implications, limitations, and areas for further research are discussed.Item Sex-typed motor activities: effects on children's self-efficacy(Texas Tech University, 1997-12) Puckett, Teri LynnNot availableItem "Still alive and kicking" : girl bloggers and feminist politics in a "postfeminist" age(2013-05) Keller, Jessalynn Marie; Kearney, Mary Celeste, 1962-This dissertation refutes the notion that contemporary girls are uninterested in feminism by exploring how teenage girls are engaging in feminist activism as bloggers. Using a feminist cultural studies approach I analyze how girl bloggers produce feminist identities and practices that challenge hegemonic postfeminist and neoliberal cultural politics. I employ feminist ethnographic methods, including a series of in-depth interviews with U.S. -based girl feminist bloggers and an online collaborative focus group, as well as a discursive and ideological textual analysis of girl-produced feminist blogs. Using these methods, I privilege girls' voices while proposing a model for conducting feminist ethnography online. In doing so, I demonstrate how girls' feminist blogging functions as an activist practice through networked counterpublics, intervening in mainstream and sometimes even commercial public space. I position this activism within a lengthy tradition of American feminism, analyzing how my participants remain in conversation with feminist history while simultaneously responding to their unique cultural climate. Finally, I argue that we must recognize the political importance of girls' feminist blogging by theorizing it as an emergent citizenship practice that makes feminism an accessible discourse to contemporary teenage girls.