Play is a gendered activity among young children, especially boys. Boys often tend to be more actively engaged in the (re)production of gendered play. However, most research studies and conceptual papers have misread, ignored, devalued, or scrutinized the gendered ways Black boys engage in play. This idea is particularly true for Black boys who…

This study investigated predictors for ACT Science scores, a test used by many universities to rank applicants. This study utilized quantitative research methods using the Montana Office of Public Instruction's GEMS (Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students) data set. All advanced statistical analysis was conducted using Stata software IC/15.…

The North Carolina Community College System's mission includes a responsibility to "open the door to high-quality, accessible educational opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education" and "maximize student success." Access and academic progress are essential for North Carolinians as they explore career…

Student loans have become a cornerstone of democratized access to higher education. This dissertation contributes a novel approach to conceptualizing the student loan issue: students as consumers--both of college and of the student loans themselves. Through a mixed-method in-depth study of a graduating cohort at a public flagship university, I…

The public debate over discipline policy remains depressingly polarized and simplistic. Advocates of reform argue that suspensions and other forms of exclusionary discipline are associated with negative outcomes, including higher rates of criminal justice involvement--and that they are implemented unfairly. In contrast, skeptics argue that we must…

About 30 percent of California's future jobs will require some training beyond high school but less than a four-year college degree. And in today's economy, jobs that offer family-supporting incomes often require some postsecondary education. Career education prepares students for these "middle-skill" jobs by providing occupation- and…

Internships are widely perceived as a "high-impact practice" that opens the doors of opportunity for college students, yet little is known about obstacles to participation. Instead, educators and employers too often view participation as unproblematic, with many postsecondary institutions beginning to mandate internships for graduation…

Though gains have been made in broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for underserved and historically marginalized groups, challenges remain with recruiting, retaining, and graduating Black women in STEM. This study offers a nuanced response to this underrepresentation and centers on participants'…

The intersection of SES and race-ethnicity impact youth development at the family and neighborhood levels. The confluence of neighborhood structural and social characteristics intersects to impact parenting multiple ways. Within lower-income neighborhoods, there is variability in economic and racial-ethnic demographics and social characteristics…

Students' level of academic skills at school entry are a strong predictor of later academic success, and focusing on improving these skills during the preschool years has been a priority during the past ten years. Evidence from two prior nationally representative studies indicated that incoming kindergarteners' math and literacy skills were higher…

That campuses suffer unacceptable levels of violence is undisputable; they are part of a larger American society in which family, community, and institutional violence far exceed levels found in comparable Western nations. And yet, amid the finger-pointing and scapegoating of students as violent, we note a critical lack of evidence-based analysis,…

Coercive responses to children's behavior are well recognized to be problematic for children's adjustment. Less well understood is how parental social cognition is linked to discipline. In this study we sought to link metaparenting--parents' thoughts about their parenting--to the use of coercive discipline. We predicted that mothers who engaged in…

Research has shown that family structure changes negatively influence educational attainment, but they overlook qualitative distinctions in college choice, such as college selectivity. Yet, college choice research has largely focused on static measures of family structure, failing to account for year-to-year family structure changes that occur…

Background: The United States has more than 90% of all youth firearm deaths that occur in high-income countries. Purpose: We summarize the epidemiological literature on the prevalence, risk factors, and protective factors associated with adolescent homicides and suicides and the role of firearms in the loss of these lives. Methods: A systematic…

This study aimed to describe rates of antipsychotic medication use and the association between their use and demographics, clinical variables, and the use of behavioral/education services among children with ASD. For children with ASD ages 2-11 (n = 4749) and those 12-17 (n = 401), 5.4 and 17.7% were prescribed at least one atypical antipsychotic…