Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2017, Psychology

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between specific characteristics (i.e., hypermasculinity, narcissism, and exposure to violence) of adolescent male athletes, the perceived behavior of their coaches, and their antisocial and prosocial behavior in sport. A secondary aim of this study was to investigate if the perceived behavior of athletes' coaches mitigated athletes' behavior. Participants consisted of 138 adolescent male football players who attended a program for athletes with the potential to play in college. Athletes completed a set of electronic questionnaires. Results indicted that athletes who reported more antisocial behavior in sport had reported significantly greater exposure to violence, endorsed more hypermasculine attitudes, and indicated more narcissistic views. Participants also reported engaging in significantly more antisocial behavior in sport when they perceived their coach as engaging in poorer sportspersonship behaviors, and reported engaging in significantly more prosocial behavior in sport when their coach was perceived as engaging in more positive sportspersonship behaviors. A standard multiple regression analysis revealed hypermasculine attitudes were found to be the strongest unique contributor to antisocial behavior in sports. After controlling for perceived coaching behaviors using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, only hypermasculinity and exposure to violence were found to contribute significantly to antisocial behavior in sports. Future research may focus on ways coaches can further influence positive youth development for athletes who possess characteristics that place them at risk.

Committee: Kathleen Hart Ph.D (Advisor); Kathleen Burklow Ph.D (Committee Member); Mark Nagy Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2009, School Psychology

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect that intensive social-skills training, peer monitoring and role modeling has on elementary students' prosocial behavior. Twelve students in grades 3 – 5 served as participants in this intervention. Participants first received social-skills instruction, peer modeled during classroom skits, and peer monitored at recess while dispersing coupons to children demonstrating positive social-skills. Increases in positive social behavior in the classroom were found across all grade level participants.

Committee: T. Steuart Watson Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Behaviorial Sciences; Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Elementary Education; Personal Relationships; Personality; Psychology; School Administration; Secondary Education; Social Psychology; Sociology; Special Education; Teacher Education; Teachi

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Sociology

There is growing sociological interest in romantic relationships during the period of adolescence. However, most prior research focuses on the adolescent time period and very little on emerging adulthood, a distinct period where adolescent social networks gradually shift as adulthood approaches. Previous studies on adulthood emphasize the role of marriage and employment as processes in general and as an influence on behaviors such as criminal activity, but not much is known about the dynamic processes that affect romantic partner influence during emerging adulthood. Contributing heavily to the wealth of research relating peers to delinquency, Haynie et al. (2005) find that peers and romantic partners are associated with adolescent delinquency and arguably romantic partners become more salient as adolescents mature into adulthood.With age and maturity, romantic partners may become more important as a source of reference, support and influence- but most of the research on romantic partner influences on antisocial and prosocial behavior focuses on adult marriage effects. The current study relies on a mixed methods approach to explore the extent to which and mechanisms through which romantic partners influence individuals in prosocial and antisocial directions. The study examines direct and indirect influences through an assessment of the ways in which young adults describe romantic partners'influence on attitudes, future goals and behavior. The study utilizes quantitative data to note developmental trends from adolescence into emerging adulthood along with in-depth interviews with 92 youths ages 17 to 23, including an oversample of high risk respondents from the Toledo Adolescent Research Study (TARS). The use of these retrospective life history narratives also reveals developmental trends, as respondents highlight ways in which they have changed as they have matured into adulthood. Finally, the study explores variability within the qualitative sample, with the goal of (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Peggy Giordano (Advisor); Monica Longmore (Committee Member); Wendy Manning (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Sociology

For a long time, research on parenting had focused solely on motherhood and its effects on family outcomes and positive child development. However, in recent years, fathers' role in family well-being has been recognized among scholars from various disciplines, such as demography, psychology, family studies, social work, and criminology. Becoming a parent is a major life transition, and how parents adapt to their new role is influenced by various factors. For fathers, these factors include the relationship with the child's mother, their family background, and how they are positioned within their social contexts. Yet having a history of antisocial behavior may hamper the ability of fathers to parent their children in entirely positive ways. Using Wave 6 of the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), I examine the association between fathers' antisocial behavior and their involvement with their children, and the role of social support in facilitating father-child relationships. I also situate this study in a life course framework and examine whether the timing of fatherhood is a key factor that affects father-child relationships. This study contributes to criminology and family sociology by exploring the complex relationship between antisocial behavior, social support, and father involvement with their children.

Committee: Danielle Kuhl Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Monica Longmore Ph.D. (Committee Member); Wendy Manning Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology; Sociology

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Criminal Justice

Over the past decade, the number of female prisoners and the annual rate of female offenders returning to the community have dramatically increased (BJS, 2014). Research indicates that the majority of these women have children (Sawyer, 2018). Thus, as this population of women under correctional and community supervision continues to grow, it is important to understand the impact justice-involved women may have on their children upon release. There is a large body of research on the relationship between maternal employment and children's cognitive and behavioral outcomes, as well as studies examining the influence of parenting on child outcomes. However, there are no studies to date looking at criminal history as a moderating effect between maternal employment and children's behaviors. This dissertation attempts to address this critical gap in the literature using a methodologically sound quantitative analysis with theoretically-relevant variables drawn from empirical literature. Results indicate that maternal substance use is significantly associated with children's antisocial behavior, whether reported by the teacher or self-reported by the child. Additionally, findings reveal that race, ethnicity, and biological father's criminal history are significantly related to both teacher-reported and child-reported antisocial behavior. The theoretical and policy implications of these findings are explored and conclusions are drawn so that the results could inform future research on this topic.

Committee: John Wooldredge Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Wendy A. Goldberg Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sarah Manchak Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christopher Sullivan Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Sociology

Although parental incarceration is associated with adolescent and adult children's antisocial activity, the underlying mechanisms explaining this association have not been fully examined. I assessed whether parental incarceration was associated with identifying as a troublemaker/partier during adolescence and, subsequently, young adulthood. I also examined identity as a mediator in the association between parental incarceration and general antisocial behavior, instrumental crime, and arrest during young adulthood. For each of these analyses, I also examined whether the importance of parents' approval moderated the influence of parental incarceration. For all young adult outcomes, I separately assessed the influence of maternal and paternal incarceration. Lastly, I examined the direct and indirect effects of parental incarceration on antisocial behavior and instrumental crime during young adulthood using structural equation modeling. For my theoretical lens, I drew on labeling theory and the integrated psychosocial model of criminal social identity. I used longitudinal data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) (n = 1,321) and official incarceration records. Parental incarceration was positively associated with identifying as a troublemaker/partier during adolescence and young adulthood, but only for those for whom parental approval was important. Parental incarceration was positively associated with adults' behavioral outcomes, and identifying as a troublemaker/partier, in part, mediated these associations. I also found that maternal, compared to no maternal, incarceration exhibited a strong positive effect, whereas paternal, compared to no paternal, incarceration was not as strong or consistent of an effect. Analyses also provided evidence that maternal incarceration only influenced behavior among young adults who desired parental approval. Finally, structural equation models illustrated that parental incarceration indirectly influenced young adults (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Monica Longmore PhD (Advisor); Wendy Watson PhD (Other); Peggy Giordano PhD (Committee Member); Wendy Manning PhD (Committee Member); Raymond Swisher PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology; Sociology

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2001, Education : Criminal Justice

The life-course perspective has been instrumental in exploring relationships between early life circumstances, childhood problem behaviors, and adolescent and adult offending. This dissertation focuses on three areas that are central to the life-course perspective, (a) the development of childhood antisocial behavior, (b) factors that foster the stability of antisocial behavior, and (c) debate over the existence of multiple routes to delinquency. Particular research questions focus on (a) whether biosocial interactions predict childhood antisocial behavior, (b) whether processes of cumulative continuity account for stability in antisocial behavior, and (c) whether discrete offender groups differ on risk markers for delinquency. This research uses a sample of 1030 individuals from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Mother-Child data set to examine the onset and persistence of antisocial behavior. Negative Binomial regression models reveal no support for the hypothesis that childhood antisocial behavior is the result of an interaction between neuropsychological deficits and structural adversity. Rather, the findings suggest that while both individual differences and structural adversity predict childhood antisocial behavior, these factors operate in an additive, rather than interactive fashion. The analyses focusing on the development of antisocial behavior from childhood to adolescence suggest that both stability and change are evident, and that early antisocial behavior is an insufficient cause of delinquency. Analysis of sub-groups constructed based on their level of antisocial behavior over time revealed some differences (including verbal intelligence and poverty status) between individuals with a history of childhood antisocial behavior (life-course persistent) and those who began offending in adolescent (adolescent limited), but these differences are overshadowed by similarities between the groups. The theoretical and policy implications of this research (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Paul Mazerolle (Advisor) Subjects: Sociology, Criminology and Penology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2000, Education : Criminal Justice

This study examines the relationship between nutrition and delinquency, through direct and indirect linkages. In the first part of this study, the direct relationship between nutrition and delinquency is evaluated. Despite several studies linking sucrose to juvenile delinquency, no study has been found to establish the temporal order. Several studies negate the existence of such relationship, while others support that reaction to sucrose ingestion might depend on youths' level of activity. High protein consumption might lead to malnutrition, and lead absorption, leading to learning disabilities, and antisocial behavior. Orange juice facilitates iron absorption, which increases the ability to reason, analyze, and learn. The second part of the study looks at the indirect relationship between nutrition and intelligence/learning disabilities and its impact on delinquency. Studies on the vitamin and mineral supplementation show mixed results. Iron levels are related to impaired cognitive functioning, impaired learning and behavioral problems. Both success of vitamin and mineral supplementation and iron treatment is dependent upon duration and intensity of treatment. Mixed results on the relationship between intelligence/learning disabilities on delinquency show the impact to be both positive and spurious due to the influence of the school and the criminal justice system.

Committee: Dr. Paul Mazerolle (Advisor) Subjects: Sociology, Criminology and Penology

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Criminal Justice

Much of the research on delinquency has focused on the role that either families or neighborhoods play in the development of criminal behavior. While both of these theoretical traditions have received much empirical support, it is argued that individuals are simultaneously affected by each of these contexts either directly or indirectly (Gephart, 1997). Further, these contexts interact with each other and the individual to produce behavioral outcomes (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1986, 1988). A more adequate portrayal for why individuals engage in delinquency, therefore, should not only examine the effects of one context but also how these different contexts function together to either facilitate or impede antisocial behaviors. The primary propose of this dissertation is to try to ascertain if the effects of the more proximal context to the child, the family, is moderated by the more distal context, the neighborhood. Specifically, are the positive effects of “good” parenting found in both “good” and “bad” neighborhoods? Or does the neighborhood a family resides in alter the effects of “good” parenting? Using structural equation modeling, this dissertation will explore the moderating effects of neighborhood factors in the relationship between parenting and antisocial behavior while also considering the individual characteristics of the child. These relationships will be assessed using waves one and two of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). The results of this study revealed that although the direct effects of parenting and neighborhood factors are weak, residential instability moderates the effects of parenting. This association remained after considering the reciprocal nature of the relationship between parenting and child's disposition. The implications of these findings, as they pertain to the current practice of studying contexts in isolation from one another, will be discussed.

Committee: Michael Benson PhD (Committee Chair); Francis Cullen PhD (Committee Member); Pamela Wilcox PhD (Committee Member); Greer Fox PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2012, Psychology

Current research has made significant strides on two levels of analysis pertaining to cognitive and neurobiological processes associated with antisocial behavior. At the cognitive level, pervasive use of Self-Serving Cognitive Distortions (SSCDs) has been emphasized in the facilitation/perpetuation of antisocial behavior. At the neurobiological level, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been identified as the core of a neural network associated with behavioral decision-making. While studies have linked these processes individually to antisocial behavior, researchers have yet to examine their relative contributions and relationships to one another. The present study addresses this shortcoming with exploratory research of the roles of SSCDs and vmPFC function in accounting for antisocial behavior. Participants (N = 116) completed self-report measures of SSCDs, antisocial behavior, internalizing behavior, aggression, and empathy. Additionally, participants completed two neurological proxy tasks pertaining to vmPFC and dorsolateral prefrontal function. SSCDs correlated with antisocial behavior, even when controlled for internalizing behavior; both correlated inversely with empathy. VmPFC function did not correlate with antisocial behavior or with SSCDs. The results of the study do not suggest that the vmPFC serves as a neural correlate of SSCDs. Additional research is needed to establish the specific role of vmPFC function in antisocial behavior.

Committee: John C. Gibbs PhD (Advisor); Susan C. Johnson PhD (Committee Member); Raymond Montemayor PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Psychology

Psychopathy is a personality trait associated with persistent antisocial behavior. Research has documented the staggering costs associated with antisocial behavior result from the actions of a few individuals, many of whom exhibit psychopathic traits. Thus, the importance of identifying and treating these individuals is of paramount concern. The majority of psychopathy research utilizes adult Caucasian male participants; however, the validity of the construct in youth, females, and minorities remains unresolved (Sharp & Kine, 2008). Furthermore, the factor structure of psychopathy is the subject of considerable debate (e.g., Neumann, Kosson, & Salekin, 2007 and Cooke, Michie, & Skeem, 2007). This dissertation examined psychopathic traits in a large sample of adjudicated adolescents in an effort to better understand the extent to which results from adult males generalize to other populations. The Global Risk Assessment Device (GRAD; Gavazzi, Slade, Buettner, Partridge, Yarcheck, & Andrews, 2003) is a risk and needs classification device for adolescent offenders used by court personnel for rehabilitation recommendations prior to sentencing. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on GRAD items in an effort to develop a measurement model of psychopathy and investigate race and sex differences. Next, regression analyses were employed for construct validation purposes. Results indicated a three factor model of psychopathy provided the best fit for Caucasian males, consistent with the results of Cooke and Michie (2001). The model developed with Caucasian males also fit well for samples of Caucasian females, African-American males, and African-American females. The measurement model predicted a significant amount of variance in criminal behavior as well as a number of variables related to externalizing and internalizing symptoms. The Impulsivity/Conduct Problems factor was strongly and consistently related to all of these outcome variables, suggesting i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Michael W. Vasey Ph.D. (Advisor); Steven J. Beck Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stephen M. Gavazzi Ph.D. (Committee Member); John C. Gibbs Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2002, Psychology

Antisocial behavior is an occupying interest in the social-psychological literature. One interesting way to examine antisocial behavior is to explore the relationships between personality styles and the manifestation of antisocial behavior. H. Eysenck proposed three primary dimensions of personality on which people can be characterized: extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. Although psychoticism has been reliably linked with antisocial behaviors in a number of research variables, it has yet to be systematically associated in the research with psychopathy. In addition, the results regarding extraversion and antisocial behavior have been inconsistent. The present study examined the predictive power of the Eysenck personality dimensions for self-reported, parent-reported, and teacher-reported antisocial behavior in a community sample of children from local schools. Parents, children, and teachers filled out relevant questionnaires in the context of a larger study. Important dependent variables in the analyses included delinquent acts, reactive aggression, proactive aggression, hyperactivity, and general externalizing behavior problems. The results supported the relationship between psychoticism and antisocial behavior, across reporters. In addition, there was a significant interaction between psychoticism and extraversion in the prediction of proactive aggression, suggesting that extraversion may play a protective role in the presence of high levels of psychoticism. However, there was a significant difference in the predictive strength of the personality variables. These findings are discussed within the context of their predictive relationships and suggestions for future research are made.

Committee: Michael Vasey (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Clinical

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2011, School Psychology

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect that a multicomponent small-group intervention that includes social skills training, role playing and peer monitoring had on indicators of psychopathology in at-risk African American elementary students. Twelve 4th and 5th grade students from an urban school district participated in the four week intervention. A weekly repeated measure completed by teachers and a pre-post measure were collected and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Decreases in indicators of psychopathology were observed across all participants. The impact of this study on future research and the importance of preventative school-based interventions are explored.

Committee: Michael Woodin PhD (Committee Chair); Jason Abbitt PhD (Committee Member); Timler Geralyn PhD (Committee Member); T. Steuart Watson PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Education; Educational Psychology; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Psychology; School Counseling

PHD, Kent State University, 2010, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Childhood maltreatment represents a significant social issue that places individuals at risk for adolescent antisocial behavior and compound their risk for poor adult outcomes. While not all maltreated adolescents display antisocial behavior, understanding the factors that modify risk for antisocial behavior is an important avenue of inquiry. Aspects of adolescent romantic relationships, which have only rarely been examined in maltreated adolescent populations, have been identified as important developmental factors that potentially impact the rates at which adolescents display antisocial behavior. Using Developmental Psychopathology as a theoretical framework, the impact of aspects of adolescent romantic relationships and childhood maltreatment on adolescent aggressive and non-aggressive antisocial behavior was examined. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the impact that various aspects of adolescent romantic relationship have on the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent antisocial behavior concurrently, longitudinally and in a subsample of foster-care/adopted adolescents. Romantic relationship quality was hypothesized to moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and antisocial behavior, while early romantic involvement and involvement with an older romantic partner were hypothesized as mediators. To test study hypotheses, maltreated and non-maltreated participants from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) study were used (N=5656). Consistent with study hypotheses, the results suggested that a history of childhood maltreatment significantly predicted aggressive and non-aggressive antisocial behavior both concurrently and longitudinally. Romantic relationship quality was found to moderate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent antisocial behavior; however, early romantic involvement and older romantic partners were not supported as mediators. In addition, signific (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Manfred van Dulmen PhD (Committee Chair); Beth Wildman PhD (Committee Member); Josefina Grau PhD (Committee Member); David Hussey PhD (Committee Member); Vera Camden PhD (Committee Member); Daniel Flannery PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

MA, Kent State University, 2009, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Previous empirical studies have found that participation in extracurricular activities is associated with lower levels of antisocial behavior (ABEA association). However, why participants in extracurricular activities have lower levels of antisocial behavior is unclear. The current study aimed to clarify the ABEA association by investigating the role of two dimensions of adolescent peer and friendship relationships-deviant peer affiliation and perceived friendship closeness. The current study used data from the National Study on Adolescent Health (Add Health, N = 1,729). Path analyses were conducted in Mplus and indicated that deviant peer affiliation did not mediate the ABEA association. However, results from negative binomial regressions conducted in STATA showed deviant peer affiliation moderated the ABEA association—deviant peer affiliation was associated with higher levels of aggressive antisocial behavior for music non-participants and higher levels of nonaggressive antisocial behavior for sports participants. Negative binomial regressions conducted in STATA also indicated that perceived friendship closeness served as a moderator in that higher perceived friendship closeness was associated with higher nonaggressive antisocial behavior for creative participants. The results of the current study show that deviant peer affiliation and perceived friendship closeness play a role in further understanding the ABEA association. An in depth investigation of peer dynamics within extracurricular activities is suggested to further disentangle the role of activity cultures and peer relationships within extracurricular activities.

Committee: Manfred van Dulmen PhD (Advisor); Josefina Grau PhD (Committee Member); Daniel Flannery PhD (Committee Member); Beth Wildman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Personal Relationships; Psychology

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2012, Psychology, Clinical

Positive parenting and a warm parent-child emotional climate predict low levels of child antisocial behavior, but the effect of positive parenting on antisocial behavior at different levels of the parent-child emotional climate has not been investigated prior to this study. This study examined the moderating effect of the parent-adolescent emotional climate on the association between positive parenting practices and conduct problems. The study investigated the following three hypotheses: (1) Parental warmth will be inversely related to adolescent externalizing behavior, controlling for initial levels of externalizing behavior and positive parenting practices. (2) Positive parenting practices will be inversely related to adolescent externalizing behavior, controlling for initial levels of externalizing behavior and parental warmth. (3) Parental warmth will moderate the effect of positive parenting practices on adolescent externalizing behavior, controlling for initial levels of externalizing behavior and the independent main effects of parental warmth and positive parenting practices on externalizing behavior. Specifically, the inverse association between positive parenting practices and adolescent externalizing behavior was expected to be stronger at high levels of parental warmth than at low levels of parental warmth. The results indicated, first, that parental warmth and the emotional climate do not independently predict adolescent conduct problems and, second, that the emotional climate does not moderate the relationship between positive parenting practices and adolescent conduct problems.

Committee: Jackson Goodnight (Committee Chair); Lee J. Dixon (Committee Member); Carolyn R. Phelps (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Families and Family Life