Master of Arts, Miami University, 2020, Psychology

One in six elementary school students experience emotional or behavioral difficulties that can impact their functioning at school and as they develop through adolescence and adulthood. Low academic achievement has been identified as a potential factor associated with increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, the link between academic achievement and internalizing or externalizing symptoms receives mixed support in the literature. The current study explored potential moderating factors that might account for these inconsistent findings among a sample of upper elementary school students. Results did not support the hypothesis that individual (gender and social emotional competence), social (peer problems), or environmental (classroom diversity acceptance) factors might moderate the relation from reading achievement to internalizing or externalizing symptoms. Baseline internalizing and externalizing symptoms were the strongest indicators of future increased symptoms in each respective domain. The findings emphasize the importance of screening children for early signs of symptoms and providing early prevention and intervention programs at elementary schools to help mitigate the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors before they become well-established, increase, or become resistant to intervention.

Committee: Paul Flaspohler PhD (Advisor); Jennifer Green PhD (Committee Member); Elizabeth Kiel PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Mental Health; Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Psychology/Clinical

Violence exposure is a serious threat to adolescents' psychological health. Previous research has examined many negative outcomes of violence exposure, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Ward et. al, 2006; Kennedy et al. 2009; Guerra, Huesmann, & Spindler, 2003; Jones, Foster, Forehand, & O'Connell, 2005). Based on these findings, it is important to identify specific factors that could protect adolescents who are exposed to violence. One way to safeguard against the negative effects of violence exposure may be adolescents' future expectations. Positive future expectations have been described as “expectations of attaining specific objectives (e.g. achieving in school, having close friends) in later developmental periods” (Wyman et al., 1993, p. 651). Adolescents ranging in age from 13 to 18 were recruited as part of a larger project on the needs of a semi-rural county in Northwest Ohio. The sample was comprised of 264 adolescents. Adolescents were administered self-report measures that assessed violence exposure, future expectations, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms. As hypothesized, higher levels of violence exposure were associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents. In addition, as predicted, higher levels of future expectations were associated with lower levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents. An interaction between violence exposure and future expectations emerged. Adolescents who report low levels of violence exposure and high levels of future expectations had the lowest levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, but positive effects of future expectations diminished with greater exposure to violence. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.

Committee: Carolyn Tompsett PhD (Advisor); Eric Dubow PhD (Committee Member); Dara Musher-Eizenman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Psychology

Approximately 11-20% of school aged US children are estimated to have mental health problems. Despite their impairment and associated societal cost, these concerns are largely untreated. Although it is known that children from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those who have experienced adverse childhood events (ACEs), tend to have higher rates of psychological symptoms and lesser rates of treatment utilization, few models exist that consider the complex interplay of factors that to date have only been examined independently of one another. To address this knowledge gap, data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) regarding 5899 US children ages 6 though 17 were used in the present study through structural equation modeling to look at the interrelationships between income, ACEs, internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and mental health service use based on the Andersen Behavioral Model. The hypothesized model was first tested with an overall sample of all 5899 target children and then examined using multigroup comparison by race. Good model fit was observed across the entire sample as well as with three of the four racial/ethnicity groups, suggesting that the model generalizes across race and ethnicity. Nevertheless, differences in the magnitude of several hypothesized pathways were found during comparison of racial/ethnic groups, suggesting unique differences between certain racial/ethnic backgrounds, which are further discussed.

Committee: Amy Przeworski PhD (Committee Chair); Arin Connell PhD (Committee Member); Elizabeth Short PhD (Committee Member); Tom Swales PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2016, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

The symptoms and correlates of externalizing disorders place youth with those disorders at-risk for criminal offending. Indeed, externalizing disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders among detained juvenile offenders. Thus, effective treatments, that are appropriate for both the population and for delivery in juvenile detention, are needed. Yet, the state of the pertinent science is in its early stages and with limitations. Some limitations are methodological and some are clinical. Of import, the tested treatments do not systematically and simultaneously target emotion dysregulation and social impairment, despite basic findings indicating that both are associated with externalizing disorders and confer risk for criminal offending. To begin addressing these limitations, the purpose of the current study was to examine participant satisfaction with the Interpersonal Skills Group — Corrections Modified (ISG-CM) as well as the preliminary effectiveness of ISG-CM, in a controlled trial conducted at a juvenile detention facility and using multi-method and multi-informant measurement. Twelve detained juvenile offender youth (100% male; Mage = 16.30, SDage = 1.16) participated. Results indicated that youth found the treatment highly satisfactory and that they found each of three treatment elements likeable and beneficial/helpful. Contrary to expectations, results were mixed with regard to changes in emotion regulation and social functioning. In line with expectations, ISG-CM, relative to no treatment, was associated with either an attenuation of an increase in or with a decrease in self- and staff-rated verbal aggression, staff-rated aggression against property, and self-rated anger, across analyses. When in ISG-CM, relative to when not in treatment, youth also exhibited an increase in daily behavior points and those in in ISG-CM had fewer unsuccessful days in this domain than those not in treatment. Taken together, these results indicated that ISG-CM may be (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Steven Evans Dr. (Committee Chair); Zoccola Peggy Dr. (Committee Member); Julie Owens Dr. (Committee Member); Julie Suhr Dr. (Committee Member); Gillian Ice Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Criminology; Psychotherapy

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2016, Psychology/Clinical

Previous research with community samples has demonstrated that adolescents with internalizing and externalizing symptoms have varying levels of impairment across different domains of functioning, such as social or school functioning. However, few studies examined the relationship of symptoms and functioning using a comprehensive measure of multiple domains of adaptive functioning, or examined these relationships in a clinical sample. The current study aimed to determine whether there are meaningful relationships between internalizing and externalizing symptoms and multiple domains of adaptive functioning in a clinical sample of adolescents. The sample consisted of approximately 1080 adolescents and their parents or guardians who were receiving services at a community mental health clinic in a semi-rural region of the Midwest. Youth- and parent-reported symptom severity and functional impairment were measured at intake appointments using the Ohio Scales. The study was designed to achieve the following goals: (1) To empirically determine whether the Functioning scale items from the Ohio Scales represent one construct or multiple dimensions of adaptive functioning; (2) to explore differences between internalizing and externalizing symptoms in terms of their relation to domains of adaptive functioning; and (3) to observe whether relationships between type of symptoms and level of adaptive functioning are similar for both youth- and parent-report measures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to address the first goal. Following these analyses, the relationships between symptoms and functioning were explored using structural equation modeling. Results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that youth and parent measures of functioning tapped into five domains encompassing youths' school, social-emotional, recreation, self-care, and responsible behavior. Impaired responsible behavior and school functioning were more strongl (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carolyn Tompsett Ph.D. (Advisor); Annette Mahoney Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dara Musher-Eizenman Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Mental Health

PHD, Kent State University, 2013, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Literature and research with adult mothers indicate a transactional relation between maternal depressive symptoms and child behavior. Evidence also indicates that gender may moderate this relation, such that males may be more vulnerable to their mothers' depression early in life and may display higher levels of externalizing behavior than females. However, little research to date has investigated these relations in samples of adolescent mothers, specifically Latina adolescent mothers, and none, to the author's knowledge, have investigated the transactional nature of the relation. Latina adolescent mothers are important to study as they have the highest birthrate in the U. S. compared to other ethnic groups. Adolescent mothers also face negative risk factors that influence their own psychological adjustment; and their children already face high risk for negative outcomes. One potential protective factor for children of adolescent mothers is mothers' romantic partners whose involvement in child care has been shown to buffer children against the negative effects of maternal depressive symptoms and other maternal risk factors. Investigating these relations is imperative to inform intervention and prevention efforts for Latina adolescent mothers and their children. Using a sample of primarily Puerto Rican adolescent mothers and their toddlers for which data were collected at two time points, 6 months apart; the current study used a path analysis framework to test hypothesized models. First, the longitudinal, transactional relations between maternal depressive symptoms and two child behavior variables - internalizing and externalizing problems - were examined. Second, the current study examined the direct and moderating effects of gender in order to better understand the nature of the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and child behavior in our sample. Lastly, the potential protective effect of partner child care involvement was investigated to test whether (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Josefina Grau Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Beth Wildman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kathryn Kerns Ph.D. (Committee Member); Karla Anhalt Ph.D. (Committee Member); Rhonda Richardson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2010, Human Development and Family Science

This study examined the relationship between adolescents' problem behaviors and maternal depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect by adolescent gender on this relationship. The current study also assessed the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and the family environment, above and beyond adolescents' problem behaviors and the interactive effects of gender. Data were collected from 137 mothers of runaway adolescents. The mothers reported on their children's internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, cohesion and conflict in the family environment, as well as their own depressive symptoms. Results showed that the problem behaviors of adolescent girls were significantly associated with maternal depressive symptoms, while boys' problem behaviors were not. Results also showed that family cohesion was significantly related to maternal depressive symptoms above and beyond adolescent problem behaviors, whereas family conflict was not. These findings indicate that adolescent children's problem behaviors and mothers' perceptions of family environment might jointly contribute to maternal depressive symptoms, highlighting the potential utility of the family systems theoretical framework for understanding mothers' emotional problems in the family context.

Committee: Natasha Slesnick (Advisor); Suzanne Bartle-Haring (Committee Member) Subjects: