Browsing by Author "Casper, Deborah"
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Item ADHD symptoms predicting changes in friendship stability and quality over time(University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) Ferretti, Nicole Marie; Jarrett, Matthew A.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaResearch has identified friendship and friendship quality as important variables in predicting positive outcomes concurrently and longitudinally for children and adolescents. This work has identified friendship as a developmental construct that changes over time; however, not all children develop these abilities at the same rate, and some children struggle in navigating the social world. In particular, children with ADHD present with difficulty obtaining and maintaining friendships beginning in childhood and extending through young adulthood. Current literature has identified these difficulties but has yet to examine how friendship stability and quality may change over time for children with ADHD symptoms. The present study sought to explore the stability of friendships over time and the growth of friendship quality over time. In particular, we were interested in how the presence of ADHD symptoms predicts both friendship stability and friendship quality over time. It was hypothesized that children with more ADHD symptoms would show less friendship stability over time and a slower rate of development of friendship quality over time relative to children with fewer ADHD symptoms. ADHD symptoms were not a significant predictor of friendship social support over time, but they were a significant predictor of friendship negative interactions over time.Item The Association Between Addiction Knowledge and Addiction Stigma in a College Setting(University of Alabama Libraries, 2022) Cross, Allison Nicole; Witte, Tricia; University of Alabama TuscaloosaThe stigmatization of substance use disorders (SUDs) has shown to be more severe than other mental and physical disorders and is one of the top barriers to treatment-seeking behaviors. Even though the young adult population has the highest prevalence of SUDs, there is a strong misunderstanding of what nonproblematic substance-using behaviors look like and the normalization of substance misuse particularly in the college atmosphere. This study aimed to identify whether knowledge of addiction was associated with lower stigma levels and less normalization of problematic drinking in a college setting. Furthermore, familiarity with addiction (e.g., knowing someone with a SUD) was added as a moderator in these associations. A total of 605 undergraduate students from a public university in the southeastern United States completed a survey which included the following measures: Level of Contact Report, Perceived Stigma of Substance Abuse Scale (original), Perceived Stigma of Substance Abuse Scale (altered), Social Distance Scale for Substance Use, Affect Scale for Substance Users, College Problem Drinking Vignettes, and Addiction Knowledge Test. As predicted, a majority of the stigma measures as well as the vignettes were found to have a negative association with knowledge. Desired social distance was the only stigma measure that was negatively associated with familiarity. However, there was no significant interaction between knowledge and familiarity across all measures. The findings suggest that those who have more knowledge of addiction have less stigma toward individuals who have a SUD and that it is important to educate the college population about SUDs and include some form of personal contact in these programs.Item College Student Sibling Relationship Quality and Attachment When One Sibling Has a Chronic Illness(University of Alabama Libraries, 2020) Barlow, Caroline Elizabeth; Casper, Deborah; University of Alabama TuscaloosaSibling relationship quality and sibling attachment in college students who have a sibling with a chronic illness were investigated through a self-report questionnaire. A comparison group of college students with a sibling were used in the quantitative analyses. There is little prior research regarding college students who have a sibling with a chronic illness, so the research questions are as follows. RQ1: Do college students’ perceptions of the quality of their sibling relationship differ when the sibling has a chronic illness as compared to siblings who do not have a chronic illness? RQ2: Do college students’ perceptions of their attachment to a sibling differ when the sibling has a chronic illness as compared to siblings who do not have a chronic illness? RQ3: How does having a sibling with a chronic illness impact the college students’ perceptions of the quality of the relationship with their sibling? Though no significant difference was found between groups for RQ1 or RQ2, participants explained several ways they felt that their sibling’s chronic illness has impacted their relationship, most of which were a positive impact. Further research is needed to examine the protectiveness well siblings feel towards their ill sibling and how this impacts the sibling relationship. As well as to make the results generalizable to a larger population. Overall, it is clear that participants have strong levels of attachment to their sibling and high levels of positive relationship quality, regardless of if they have a sibling with a chronic illness or not.Item College Students' Responses to the Social Behavior of Peers with Autism Spectrum Disorder(University of Alabama Libraries, 2021) Birnschein, Allison; Tomeny, Theodore S.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaCollege students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience strainedsocial relationships with typically developing (TD) peers. This is often attributed to the individual with ASD’s social skills deficits, which are central to a diagnosis of ASD. Yet, the manner in which TD peers receive and respond to individuals with ASD is also predictive of social interaction outcomes. The present study investigated the relation between TD college students’ perceptions of ASD and the TD peers’ willingness to interact socially with a peer with ASD. The current study hypothesized that the relation between predictor variables: TD peers’ quality of previous contact, perceptions of controllability, and perceptions of responsibility and criterion variables: attitudes about ASD and willingness to interact with individuals with ASD, would be mediated by the peers’ affective responses to individuals with ASD. Results indicated that positive affect mediated the relations between quality of previous contact and positive attitudes and willingness to interact, whereas there was no association between perceived controllability or perceived responsibility and positive affect, positive attitudes, or willingness to interact. These results demonstrate that having more positive previous experiences with individuals with ASD and more positive in-the-moment affective responses toward an individual with ASD are associated with holding more positive attitudes toward and more willingness to interact with someone with ASD.Item Evaluating Police Presence and Police Stops in Schools: Outcomes for Adolescent Mental Health(University of Alabama Libraries, 2022) Carroll, CarRenzie Ann; Weymouth, Bridget B.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaPolice and school partnerships have grown exponentially over the past 20 years. However, research examining the impact of school policing has primarily focused on aspects of school safety. The current study extends the literature beyond feelings of safety to consider the mental health outcomes of school policing on adolescents. I examine whether the presence, being stopped, and witnessing stops by police at school are associated with adolescent depression and anxiety symptoms and how school connectedness and race/ethnicity moderate these associations. Data were obtained from the most recent wave of data collection in the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCWS). Participants included 3,346 youth who were, on average, 15 years old. OLS regression analyses were repeated for depression and anxiety symptoms separately and included main effects for each contextual variable. Results indicated that police presence in schools was not significantly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. In comparison, across all models, being stopped by police and witnessing police stops at school were significantly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Simple slope analyses of significant interactions revealed that race/ethnicity moderated associations between police presence, police stops, witnessing police stops at school, and adverse mental health outcomes. Additionally, greater reports of school connectedness moderated associations between being stopped by police at school and depression symptoms.Item An Examination and Scale Development of Neurotypical College Students' Perceived Barriers to Interacting with Peers on the Autism Spectrum(University of Alabama Libraries, 2024) Chagnon, Zachary Henry; Casper, DeborahDifficulties in social interaction faced by autistic college students can lead to challenges in their college experience that go beyond those of their neurotypical peers. Previous research has examined individual issues such as a lack of knowledge about autism and how that relates to stigma. Prior research has also looked at what autistic students believe to be barriers to their success. There remains a gap in understanding, however, regarding barriers to interaction with autistic peers from the neurotypical college students' perspective. The present study sought to address the gap by examining the barriers to interaction with autistic peers through the creation of two new scales: Barriers to Interaction with Peers on the Autism Spectrum-Perceived (BIPAS-P) and Self Report (BIPAS-SR). The psychometric properties of the two BIPAS scales were examined along with associations with perceived attitudes and unwillingness to interact. The possible moderating effect of quality of prior contact between perceived barriers and unwillingness to interact was also examined, as well as the potential mediating effect of perceived attitudes between self-reported barriers and unwillingness to interact. Results revealed some factors that can be considered barriers (BIPAS-P had four, BIPAS-SR had five). Perceived barriers were associated with negative affective attitudes, and barriers attributed to autistic peers were associated with negative behavioral attitudes. Self-reported barriers were positively associated with unwillingness to interact, and negatively associated with quality of prior contact. Quality of prior contact did not moderate the association between barriers and unwillingness to interact. Perceived attitudes partially mediate the relationship between self-reported barriers and unwillingness to interact.Item Facility dogs and child life: synthesizing psychosocial therapies(University of Alabama Libraries, 2021) Goldstein, Emily Beth; Burns-Nader, Sherwood; University of Alabama TuscaloosaAnimal-assisted therapy (AAT) is used to promote coping in stressful situations by allowing a recipient to experience a therapeutic interaction with a trained therapy animal, usually a dog. One type of therapy dog, known as facility dogs, are specifically trained to accompany their handler, often a psychosocial trained professional, and help them complete their job duties. Many children’s hospitals around the United States have facility dog programs in which a trained AAT dog goes to work daily with a psychosocial healthcare worker, such as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into how child life specialists who are facility dog handlers prioritize and assess patients, the benefits and difficulties of their job, and the appreciation they receive. Participants were four CCLSs, two of which were a primary handler and two who were secondary handlers. Participants were asked to record information on a checklist after each interaction for 10 total workdays and completed a semi-structured interview. Findings indicated that participants primarily saw patients between the ages of three to eleven, and the most common intervention provided was general anxiety and coping support. In the interviews, the participants mentioned that it is the dog’s specific training, therapeutic value, and ability to bond with patients that allows these interactions to be so successful and impactful. This study provides a foundation for child life programs around the country who want to incorporate this therapeutic modality into their services offered.Item Memories of adult survivors of childhood cancer: Diagnosis, coping, and long-term influence of cancer(Taylor & Francis, 2022-02-03) Hinton, Tori; Burns-Nader, Sherwood; Casper, Deborah; Burton, Wanda MartinPurpose: This study examines adult childhood cancer survivors’ memories about diagnosis, coping, and life effects of cancer.Research approach: This qualitative study used inductive content analysis to analyze open-ended responses completed in a survey conducted in 2018.Participants: 27 adult survivors (15 male, 12 female) of childhood cancer, ranging in age from 20–39, who were at least 5 years post treatment.Methods: Participants recruited through Amazon MechanicalTurk responded to a survey which included open-ended questions about experiencing childhood cancer to examine their:(1) memories of initial reactions to cancer; (2) memories of coping during cancer; and (3) reflections of the cancer experience on who they are today.Findings: Inductive content analysis was performed to reveal categories related to the stories shared by participants regarding their memories of childhood cancer experiences. Participants’memories of diagnosis reflected categories such as psychological reactions and family support. Memories of coping reflected themes of family support and distraction. Participants’ reported strength and resilience as impacts of cancer on their present lives. Implications for Psychosocial Providers: These findings indicate that survivors of childhood cancer have strong, specific memories about diagnosis and coping during cancer and highlight the potential long-term implications of having cancer. The findings also illustrate the importance of appropriate psycho-social support for childhood cancer patients and survivors.Item The Roles of Empathy, Prosocial Tendencies, and Relationship Proximity in Non-Autistic College Students' Attitudes Toward and Willingness to Interact with Autistic Peers(University of Alabama Libraries, 2024) Harmon, Rachel L; Tomeny, Theodore SDifficulties with social communication and interaction, characteristic of autism, contribute to autistic students’ difficulties adjusting to postsecondary education environments. Previous research examining factors related to non-autistic individuals that may influence perceptions of and interactions with autistic peers in postsecondary education environments has primarily focused on extrinsic factors or factors still involving autistic individuals themselves (e.g., having a previous relationship with an autistic individual). Therefore, the present study aimed to address a gap in the literature by examining the roles of empathy and prosocial tendencies in non-autistic college students’ attitudes toward and willingness to interact with an autistic peer. More specifically, the present study hypothesized that prosocial tendencies would mediate the direct effects of empathy on attitudes toward and willingness to interact with an autistic peer, and further, that relationship proximity would moderate the direct and indirect effects of empathy on both outcomes. Results found empathy to positively predict prosocial tendencies and attitudes toward an autistic peer. Prosocial tendencies also predicted willingness to interact with an autistic peer and mediated the relation between empathy and willingness to interact with an autistic peer. Interestingly, neither relationship proximity nor quality of previous interaction moderated the direct or indirect effects of empathy on either outcome; however, both relationship proximity and quality of previous interaction moderated the direct effect of prosocial tendencies on attitudes toward an autistic individual, suggesting distant relationship proximity and poor quality of previous interaction are risk factors for more negative attitudes toward an autistic peer.Item School Bullying in African American Adolescents: an Examination of Contributing Factors(University of Alabama Libraries, 2022) Ballard, Dashauna; Eke, Ransome; Turner, Lori; University of Alabama TuscaloosaBackground: Black adolescents are primarily identified as perpetrators of bullying incidents in literature. However, research has shown that bullying occurs more frequently in this group than shown in the literature. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationship between intrapersonal (grade level, gender, family income, and family structure), interpersonal (peer relationships), institutional (school climate), and community factors (exposure to violence) and the occurrence of bullying victimization among Black adolescents in the US. using the Social Ecological Model and the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory as a framework. Methods: The aims of this study were accomplished via statistical analysis of the 2017 School Crime Supplement of the National Crime and Victimization Survey. Variables for this study were analyzed using Chi-square analysis and binary logistic regression. Results: Results from these analyses provided significant evidence of multi-level factors contributing to bullying in Black adolescents. Gender, grade level, school climate, family structure, parent marital status, peer relationships, school activities, crime, income, and exposure to violence were found to have meaningful impacts on the occurrence of bullying victimization in this population. Conclusion: Future work should examine bullying victimization from a longitudinal perspective to find links between bullying and health outcomes across the lifespan.Item Siblings as a Fixture of Social Support for American Emerging Adult College Students(University of Alabama Libraries, 2022) Page, Leslie A; Casper, Deborah; University of Alabama TuscaloosaSibling relationships play a critical role in development for most people, and sibships are some of the few relationships that generally endure throughout the lifespan. Despite this significance, there is limited research regarding the various functions that siblings may serve at different times in a person's life. The present study sought to bridge this gap in the research by evaluating three significant relationships (parent, peer, and sibling) and overall social support in relation to the psychological wellbeing of college students, primarily recruited via emails to instructors of undergraduate human development courses. It was expected that sibling attachment (measured by communication, trust, and alienation) and sibling relationship quality (SRQ; measured by warmth and conflict) would have independent and significant associations with symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety after parent/peer attachments and social support were controlled. Although previous literature has cited the strong influence of parent attachments throughout the lifespan, it was hypothesized that increased peer importance around emerging adulthood combined with decreased peer interaction surrounding COVID-19 would allow sibship to stand apart as a fixture of support beyond other significant relationships. Results indicated significant correlations among parent, peer, and sibling attachments, and SRQ. Hierarchical regression analyses, however, revealed little or no additional variance in wellbeing with the addition of SRQ, sibling attachment, peer attachment, or social support. Parent attachment contributed significantly to each model. Future directions encourage thorough analyses of features in emerging adults' significant relationships as a method of defining the precise role of sibships while comparing them with other close relationships.