Prior research in non-U.S. samples has found a complex nonlinear relationship between loneliness and age. This research has shown that established predictors of loneliness--poor health, being unmarried, living alone, and having infrequent social interactions--help to explain age differences in loneliness. However, while some variables were found…

Bullying victimization is a very common, complex, and potentially damaging form of violence among children and adolescents. Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior, which involves a real or perceived social power imbalance. One in 10 public schools reports at least one case of serious violent crime, such as aggressive bullying,…

Parental stress is a well-documented phenomenon. The relationships between parental stress, parent-child dynamics, and child outcomes are complex and bidirectional. Although this intricate interaction is well recognized, we specifically examined the impact of child-related variables on parental stress. Although many child factors can contribute to…

With close to a million Texas students attending rural schools, research on what influences student achievement is needed to guide policy, practice, and further research. Building on research relating student demographic variables and per student spending in rural schools to student achievement, through this dissertation research I used…

School counselors work closely with students and are often the first point of contact regarding traumatic experiences. It is generally understood that exposure to other individuals' trauma may lead to a reduction in compassion satisfaction and an increase in secondary traumatic stress, while long-term exposure may result in professional burnout.…

Undeclared students choose their major while enrolled in college, but major choice can have long-term implications on social mobility, career path, and lifetime earnings. Identity can play a role in the major selected by an undeclared student. This research analyzed the relationship between identity and major selection for undecided students to…

In 2018, a resurgence of youth activism burst forth calling for widespread climate action. The contemporary youth climate movement is a cogent case to unpack how political participation of youth is shaped by schools. In this study we use administrative data from public schools in New York City (n=1,313) to examine two measures of youth…

Children's early experiences have potential to shape their development through early childhood, middle childhood, and into adolescence. Family structure at birth and material hardship may offer insight into how children's health and well-being are shaped within their family of origin. The current paper examined (a) the association between family…

Advanced placement (AP) physics performance is an important metric for examining precollege student preparation for post-secondary study. The present study examined potential predictors of AP Physics 1 performance including gender, teacher, and school-level characteristics. A theoretical framework proposed teacher preparation and experiential…

Prenatal cannabis use and maternal stress have been proposed as risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Black mothers and mothers of lower socioeconomic status (SES) may be especially likely to experience high levels of stress. This study examined the impact of prenatal cannabis use and maternal stress (i.e., prenatal distress, racial…

The outdoor recreation industry faces the challenge of recruiting the next generation of professionals. This study examined factors that may influence young adults' interest in outdoor recreation careers, including participation in organized and unorganized outdoor recreation as a youth, connection to nature (CTN), racial identity, and…

Background: School nurses play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of their students, but little is known about menstrual products and resources available in schools. This study assessed period product resources and needs in Missouri schools from the perspective of school nurses and analyzed differences by district enrollment…

The present study aimed to examine the parenting hassle experienced by a group of low-resourced families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study was a follow-up to a randomized controlled trial (Kasari et al., 2014), which investigated the efficacy of two treatment interventions. The focus of the current study was to…

This dissertation explored the career aspirations of Black and Latinx undergraduates in underrepresented health fields, crucial due to health disparities and social determinants. Using data from the 2015-2019 Higher Education Research Institute, the research analyzed factors impacting students' pursuit of healthcare careers through logistic…

Objective: To examine whether sexual assault prospectively predicts unhealthy weight management behaviors in college women. Method: Participants were female college students (N = 483) with monthly assessments across the first year, including the frequency and severity of sexual assault and unhealthy weight management behaviors. Results: Frequency…