Psy. D., Antioch University, 2017, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

The number of children entering foster care has increased significantly in recent years, leading some to categorize the foster system as being in a state of crisis. More foster parents are needed, as are better retention methods. It is pertinent to understand the experiences that foster parents have that affect their decision to continue or cease fostering. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the needs of foster parents based on their experiences and perceptions. The overarching research question sought to determine the lived experiences of foster parents who were navigating through, or taking part in, the foster system. Seven foster parents living in California, who had been fostering for at least six months and who had had a child in their home participated in the study. Data was collected via one-on-one interviews using open-ended questions. Responses were analyzed and revealed four themes: 1) parents decide to foster for a variety of reasons, the most common being altruistic purposes and the awareness of the need for good foster parents; 2) parents find fostering to be a life-enhancing experience; 3) fostering involves significant challenges, the most common being handling a child who had been through traumatic experiences prior to being in the foster care system; and 4) parents felt strongly motivated to continue fostering. The findings from the current study aligned with previous literature regarding the overall positive feelings associated with fostering, and the descriptions of challenges faced by foster parents. The experience of being a foster parent could be improved if the foster care system underwent internal changes to lighten the burden for social workers so they can better respond to foster parents. This Dissertation is available in Open Access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu and OhioLink ETD Center, http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd

MA, Kent State University, 2017, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the instrumental support received by parents of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) throughout the life course. The study sample included 489 parents of CSHCN obtained from the Wave III sample and the Refresher sample of the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) survey. The study provided a description of the sources of unpaid assistance for the parents of CSHCN and yielded significant findings regarding variations in support receipt associated with life course variables. Parents receive significantly more instrumental support from informal sources than from formal sources at each stage of the family life cycle. Additionally, a significant positive relationship exists between the amount of support received from formal sources and the amount of support received from informal sources. The receipt of support from various specific sources also demonstrates a relationship with the receipt of support from other specific sources. Finally, life course variables including religious participation and gender were associated with the receipt of support from formal sources, whereas family life cycle stage was associated with the receipt of support from informal sources. Parents from families with young children reported receiving significantly more unpaid assistance from informal sources than parents from families at all other life cycle stages. These findings help inform service providers as to parents who may potentially need assistance securing instrumental support as well as point to potential areas for future research.

Master of Science in Allied Health (MSAH), Otterbein University, 2015, Health and Sport Sciences

As athletic competition at all levels has become more prominent over the last 10-15 years, so has the involvement of parents in many aspects (Frankl, 2004). The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts that parental actions have on the athletic experience of their children at the college level. This study involved 108 student-athletes and 17 coaches, at an NCAA Division III school, who completed separate questionnaires sharing their perspectives on parental involvement, ranging from past experiences to present-day situations in college. The findings may be useful in helping administrators at post-secondary schools identify various trends, enhance the student-athlete/coach experience and better solve potential issues in the future. Results mostly aligned with past research, suggesting that coaches view parents slightly less favorably, and more realistically, than student-athletes do, although the total results were fairly positive in most areas.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2012, Counselor Education

A sample of middle school students was investigated to determine whether an intervention group called Children Having Incarcerated Parents (C.H.I.P.S.; King-White & Lipford-Sanders, 2007) was an effective intervention for delinquent behavior, academic achievement, self-esteem, attendance, and aggressive behavior in children of incarcerated parents. Students at a small, public middle school in an urban school district were recruited to participate in this study. Delinquent and aggressive behaviors were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 2001). Academic achievement and attendance were measured using a computer-based program called Progress Book. Self-Esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Data were collected over the course of four weeks. Participants from the treatment group who completed the C.H.I.P.S. intervention and completed all corresponding measures were included in the study. Participants from the control group who completed all corresponding measures were included in the study. Eleven individuals agreed to participate in this research. Of the 11 individuals who started the study, a total of 11completed the study as determined by having participated in the C.H.I.P.S. group and having completed the instruments. The conclusions from this research are that participants in the treatment group did not reflect statistically significant change in delinquent behavior, academic achievement, self-esteem, attendance, or aggressive behavior after treatment in the C.H.I.P.S. program compared to the control group.

PHD, Kent State University, 2006, College of Education, Health, and Human Services / Department of Educational Foundations and Special Services

Parenting gifted children is different from parenting “regular” children in a variety of aspects. Many parents of gifted children feel they need more information about the unique characteristics and the special needs of gifted children, and they feel they need to interact with other parents of gifted children where they can share their problems and experiences with their gifted children. This research study tried to determine if participating in a parents' support group for parents of gifted children had an influence on: 1. Knowledge about the unique characteristics and special needs of the gifted children. 2. Relationships between the participating parents and their gifted children. 3. Parents' confidence toward parenting the gifted. A survey was developed to probe the three research questions. The first three parts of the survey were designed to answer the three research questions. Two open-ended questions that asked for elaboration about the experiences the parents had in the support groups were given only to the experimental group. The last part of the survey consisted of mostly demographic questions. Scores for the experimental group and the control group were calculated using t-tests to look for significant differences between the two groups. No significant difference was found for any of the three research questions. Reasons that might have affected the outcomes are discussed in the study. From the answers to the open-ended questions one can speculate that the support groups did help the parents in the areas that were examined in this research.

Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.), University of Dayton, 2010, Interdisciplinary Education

In the past few decades, state and federal laws have promoted school collaboration, and a stronger role for parents in their children's education. Collaboration has been one of the cornerstones for several educational movements, including school accountability and community schools, therefore it is vital that parents contribute to the process by becoming active participants. As a result, collaboration strategies have become central policy tools or instruments for improving education that is embedded in a variety of educational laws (e.g., the No Child Left Behind Act). Research shows that parental involvement at all grade levels, can assist in the academic and behavioral performance of students. When parents work collaboratively with schools, they assist in ensuring that effective practices are employed. Kochhar-Bryant (2008) notes that the ability of professionals and parents to collaborate to solve problems and to improve education has become so important that just about every set of new standards for the preparation of teachers, administrators, and related school personnel now addresses collaboration. Collaborative endeavors refer to relationships and strategies designed to ensure that quality services are Provided to meet every student's educational needs. Collaboration has gained increasing attention because people accomplish more and make better decisions when they work effectively together. For too long parents were not included in the collaborative experience, therefore their concerns were not voiced. It is not surprising that collaboration between teachers and parents has become even more important because of the relevance in achieving new school reform requirements that promote equitable practices for every student. The reality is that these higher expectations for schools demand that educators develop a wider range of collaborative skills to partner with parents and communities.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2013, EDU Policy and Leadership

Policy makers have increasingly turned to school choice and, particularly, charter schools, in an effort to increase educational quality and equity for elementary and high school students. Many school choice policies work under the assumption that parents, acting as rational agents, will choose the best possible school for their child when given the opportunity and, collectively, these choices will increase the aggregate quality of K-12 education. Parent rationality is an important component to this market-based model which is one aspect of a larger set of neoliberal reforms that reach far beyond education. This study draws on twelve interviews with fourteen parents and six observations of charter school informational meetings at two schools to argue that parents are not purely rational and thorough in their choice process. I argue that parents use heuristic devices, mental approaches to select and analyze information surrounding a complicated decision, that rely on experiences and memories of place-based geographical aspects of the schools in their choice sets. Parents came to understand the schools as geographical places through their experiences of certain aspects of the schools such as the student body, the physical building, the surrounding community, and their sense of belonging or familiarity with the school. Parents did not make their school choice decisions in a careful, measured, and rational manner. Instead they relied on visceral memories, first impressions and experiences of the geographical aspects the schools they considered. This study adds to existing research that problematizes the notion that parents will rationally choose the best schools for their children. It also highlights several key issues that policy makers and school leaders can address in order to help parents in their choice process.

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Surrogacy has been a highly contested practice for several decades, with many critics expressing concern for surrogates' loss of bodily autonomy. Although the number of surrogacy arrangements continue to rise in the United States, empirical research that explores surrogates' and intended parents' expectations for, negotiation, and experiences of control and autonomy over medical decisions made throughout surrogacy process is lacking. To fill this gap in U.S.-based surrogacy research, I conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with eighteen surrogates and fifteen intended parents. Of the 18 surrogates, 17 were female and one was a trans male. Of the 15 intended parents, seven were female, seven were male, and one identified as transfeminine. I utilized Neiterman's (2012) concept of “doing pregnancy” to explore decisions around embryo transfers, abortion, pregnancy care, and childbirth—different phases of what I call “doing surrogacy.” I found that a clear division of control between “baby-based” and “surrogate-based” decisions were not always easily determined due to the blurred line between surrogates' bodily autonomy and intended parents' right to control the health of their child. As a result, surrogates sometimes experienced a loss of bodily autonomy when the interests of intended parents became paramount during the arrangement. Many times, however, surrogates were able to assert control over their bodies during surrogacy, a reality often supported by intended parents. This was especially true during the pregnancy phase, when surrogates were able to utilize their embodied knowledge of pregnancy to elicit trust from intended parents in terms of their decisions about pregnancy care. There were also times during the surrogacy process that intended parents chose to forgo their own interests to support their surrogate's autonomy or to protect their surrogate's health.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1946, Graduate School

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

DNP, Kent State University, 2024, College of Nursing

Sleep hygiene is a topic that has gained substantial attention in the past few years, especially with the pandemic and the effects that it has had on individuals staying indoors and isolating. Sleep hygiene is practicing behaviors that facilitate sleep and avoiding behaviors that interfere with sleep. This includes both daily routines and a bedroom environment that supports sleep (Suni, 2022). Sleep hygiene is one of the most direct and low risk ways to help patients get better sleep. Individuals can tailor personal sleep hygiene practices to suit their needs (Suni, 2022). The adolescent population is very prone to poor sleep habits, with a high use of screen-based activities at bedtime and other sleep-inhibiting practices (Campbell et al., 2022). In adolescents, poor sleep hygiene is associated with lower grades, physical health problems, and mental health issues. Many adolescents feel that their bedtime routines are heavily influenced by their parent's enforcement and general rules regarding bedtime practices and staying up late (Godsell & White, 2019). There is a consensus in research that adolescents have complex sleep issues, which includes home life, expectations of society (such as social media, peers), and mental health comorbidities (Becker et al., 2019; Campbell et al., 2022). They need sustained guidance from parents and healthcare workers to succeed at adopting change (Hogberg et al., 2020).

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2008, Graduate School

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

This dissertation examines parents and teachers' perceptions of effective parental involvement in education, situated within Epstein et al.'s (2009) framework of six typologies of parental participation. The study, through a comprehensive comparative analysis, reveals critical insights into the disparities and commonalities in how parents and teachers perceive effective parental involvement and its impact on student achievement. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative measures of parental and teacher perceptions alongside qualitative insights gained from the Turkleton Community Schools (TCS) environment.

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2024, Psychology

Studies on the schooling experiences of Black girls have shown that they impact the academic performance of these girls. While many scholarly works suggest racial infiltrations in the school system create a negative school environment and contribute to the low academic performance and misbehavior observed among Black girls, there is a need to identify protective factors that would alleviate these negative experiences. Reportedly, parenting behaviors that are closely associated with high control and low affect, have been identified as protective factors for risky behavior among Black adolescents. However, there is little known about how these behaviors impact the schooling experiences of Black girls. Hence, in this study, the effects of parenting behavior on the schooling experiences of Black girls, aged 12 to 17 years, were evaluated. The results of the Ordinal logistics regression and Spearman's rank correlation were indicative of the significant effects parenting behavior has on the schooling experiences of Black female adolescents. Contrarily, Black parenting behavior that includes praising and validating these adolescents positively affects their schooling experiences. Future research would explore how parental behaviors could differ by gender and socioeconomic status and create interventions tailored towards the parenting behaviors prominent among Black parents.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

Parentification, or parent-child role reversal, occurs when children and adolescents take on parental responsibilities within the family (Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark, 1973). This can include caring for younger siblings, attending to their parents' emotional needs, and assisting with tasks such as translation. Parentification disrupts family dynamics as parents transfer significant responsibilities to the child (Martino & Coburn, 2022). Extensive research consistently demonstrates the negative impact of parentification on children, leading to depression, suicidal feelings, shame, guilt, worry, and social isolation (Jurkovic, 1997). It can also contribute to the development of conduct disorders. Unfortunately, these difficulties often go unnoticed. However, when it comes to language brokering, which can be viewed as a similar experience to parentification as indicated by research, it can yield some positive results, such as developing new skills, improving self-esteem, and contributing to family survival (Kam et al., 2017; Martino & Coburn, 2022). Limited research exists on factors that alleviate the impact of parentification in Latine and Hispanic households, and despite its potential harm, parentification is often rationalized by families for various reasons. Familismo, a cultural value emphasizing loyalty and community within the family (Ayon et al., 2010) may play a significant role in the experiences of Latine parentified individuals. Familismo promotes unity, support, and loyalty within the family, resulting in enhanced self-esteem, a strong sense of belonging, and deep respect for the cultural community and family members (Fuligni et al., 1999; Ayon et al., 2010, Montero & Ceballo, 2021; Walker et al., 2022). This quantitative study demonstrates that familismo acts as a moderator in the relationship between parentification and depression. Specifically, this study reveals that higher levels of familismo weaken the link between parentification and depression. This d (open full item for complete abstract)

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

You've likely heard the term “work hard, play harder,” often told by a parent when a child fusses about homework or chores. But in the case of our newest generations, their work is achieved through play. A child's work relates to one of the most important factors in how a child develops, thus putting an important emphasis on the act. The words “play” and “growth” themselves were found to have more than a singular meaning in this paper. As a theory, “play” is defined by Huizinga as “A free activity standing quite consciously outside ‘ordinary' life as being ‘not serious,' but at the same time absorbing the player intensely.” ¹ Architecturally, play is defined as a space, often with bold colors and gestures, that fosters growth through risky forms, multi-use objects and gathering spaces used as a basis for cultivating communication. In relation, “growth” in theory can be understood as the steps taken towards a goal, and the achievement of said goal. Growth architecturally means the increase of quantity or quality of a space or person in order to foster a better future. For the primary inhabitants, children, the architecture and playscape will feature how the interior and exterior play could help to grow the child's imagination and motor skills by allowing many of the elements we consider to be unfavorable, such as risk, back into the equation. For the secondary inhabitants, student parents, the growth aspect of the thesis will be introducing a system to better grow their minds and futures through the access to secondary education programs, while supporting their most crucial role, being a parent. Under the program Cincinnati Scholar House, temporary housing for single mothers will be allotted on the upper floors, thus creating a mixed-use support hub for the community. This intersection between child and adult allows for a modern take on the nuclear family, as well the addition of an architecture typology for the University of Cincinnat (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Cross-Cultural, International Education

This research study focuses on exploring the parental struggles that parents of children with disabilities go through when trying to access special education for their children in the educational system of Kenya. The study documents the perspectives of parents through analysis of data anchored within their struggles and experiences as they navigate the system of education to access quality education for their children with disabilities. Based on a phenomenological approach, the study focuses on a sample of eight parents of children with disabilities. Hogan's (2019) Social Model of Disability and Medical Model of Disability help frame the study within the discussion of the experiences of parents of children with disabilities. The findings of this study are presented through specific themes, describing the personal challenges and experiences of these parents followed by an analysis of the same themes. These findings underscore systemic challenges in special education, cultural and societal attitudes and educational outcome and well-being issues faced by parents and their children with disabilities.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, American Culture Studies

In 2021-2022, once routine school board meetings erupted into intense showdowns because of the presence of what many believed to be Critical Race Theory within the school curriculum, Comprehensive Sex Education, disagreement over gender identity, and the nature of parents' rights. There were shouting matches and accusations that schools, board members, and parents were racists, hated America and members of the LGBTQ community, were trafficking in communism, and were harming children. Commenters made fiery pledges to remove board members, and board members received hate mail including death threats. This research project interrogates parents', guardians', and concerned community members' publicly expressed beliefs and anxieties about Critical Race Theory (CRT), gender identity, and Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE), at 10 geographically diverse K-12 public school board meetings in the U.S. available online in 2021-2022. It considers what their comments at the board meetings reveal about their understanding of the world, of America, American identity, and of their own values, hopes, and fears. The methodology used in the project is anthropological. There is close textual analysis to better ascertain the content, context, and meanings of the discourse formations and cultural codes. These are the primary sources analyzed: comments at the school board meetings, written and televised speeches, personal letters, newspapers, op-eds, slogans, protest signs, campaign commercials, websites, and social media. In addition, historical and archival research trace the genealogy of these discourse formations within American culture among the secular and white evangelical Religious Right. The anti-CRT commenters and those who hold to traditional gender ideologies want to maintain a particular culture, an ordering of the world, including ideology and theology that is rooted in hierarchy, exclusion, and particular gender norms heavily influenced by the Southern way of life. (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education

An Abstract of Quality in Early Childhood Education: Parent, Child, and Teacher Insight by Debora L. Belcher Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education The University of Toledo December 2023 The word ‘quality' in the phrase ‘quality early childhood education' (ECE) is notoriously difficult to define. There is no doubt it's important to have enforceable state-level standards in ECE, so consumers can have some assurance their children are being provided a safe and nurturing environment which fosters emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development. Unfortunately, in many instances the regulatory atmosphere born of these good intentions has become heavy-handed, stifling creativity, and rewarding those whose only goal is to comply with a static set of often outdated rules. Conversely, research has shown that methods of providing ever-better quality education to preschool children are likely to flourish in a responsive regulatory atmosphere that rewards innovation, and which seeks input from various stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and young children. However, with respect to gaining an understanding of the ECE preferences or interests of young children, researchers have found difficulty in obtaining reliable data. Verbal interviews necessarily rely on subjects whose facility with language is at an early stage of development. The relatively new methodology known as Photo Elicitation Interview (PEI) research offers exciting opportunities for hearing the authentic voices of young children, potentially allowing the researcher to largely ‘bypass' complications created by ‘word-heavy' interactions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the preferences of end-state users of ECE: parents, teachers, and young children. The study does this by attempting to discover those preferences in the selectio (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

This qualitative study illuminates the counter-narratives of four Black Family Engagement Coordinators (FECs) with an explicit commitment to working with Black Families in K-12 public school spaces. This study was designed to explore how Black FECs describe and negotiate their role as a cultural broker and shed light on the approaches that they have utilized to support Black families in the public school system. This study aims to explore the range of experiences FECs have had in attempting to work in solidarity with Black families and public school systems. I will utilize Black feminist theory, intersectionality, kinship, and othermothering as a lens to explore the contextual, historical, and psychological factors that may inform the way that Black families advocate on behalf of their child's education and the ways in which FECs support Black families. This study will employ a qualitative methodology through the use of community-engaged research (CER) and the formation of an Affinity Learning Space (ALS) to surface counter-narratives of FECs. The ALS was intentionally and strategically formed to provide a collaborative learning and healing space for Black FECs, working in a formal family engagement role, who are charged with engaging and supporting families in public schools. This study concludes with a discussion and analysis of the Affinity Learning Space, limitations, and recommendations for how to support cultural brokers committed to this labor of love.