This study investigated the extent to which adolescents' personal normative attitudes (also referred to as personal norms) and perceived peer norms regarding bullying, sexual harassment, and bystander intervention predicted each step of the five-step bystander intervention model (i.e., Notice, Interpret, Accept Responsibility, Know how to Help,…

This dissertation examines the school-level impacts on student achievement in the state of Pennsylvania from the economic inputs provided to students and schools. I conduct a comprehensive review of prior literature on Pennsylvania education funding, the issue of equity versus adequacy, academic spending per pupil, and teacher compensation, as…

As teachers engage with what is taught, rather than a sense of the distribution of inert knowledge, there can be a feeling that the "what" is moving and adapting with them. This is especially true when teachers are working with topics like anti-Black racism. The what being taught, or the curriculum-as-a-whole has been analyzed by cutting…

The success of the inclusion of students with disabilities substantially depends on the collaboration of various social agents, including non-disabled peers, who play a substantial role in the lives of students with disabilities. Peers, as social agent, are responsible for the creation of a favourable social environment, in which one of the key…

A large proportion of adolescents experiencing depression never access treatment. To increase access to effective mental health care, it is critical to understand factors associated with increased versus decreased odds of adolescent treatment access. This study used individual depression symptoms and sociodemographic variables to predict…

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a radical lifestyle change, which may unintendedly change physical activity levels. We aimed to perform a systematic review to investigate the physical activity changes in people with neurological diseases, and to examine the relationship between physical activity and disease symptoms, and psychosocial factors. The…

Anxiety is an emotion that consists of worrisome thoughts, physical tension, and physiological arousal regarding the perceived potential of danger. College students have increasingly endorsed anxiety as a primary difficulty during the collegiate years. Due to this increase in anxiety and an increase in utilization of therapy services, the overall…

California Community Colleges (CCC) are the largest post-secondary higher education systems in the nation, with an enrollment of over 2 million at a given year. They are also the most affordable and accessible for students after completing K-12 education. With California having the largest Latinx residents (39%), they overwhelmingly makeup 45% of…

Although retention of students in higher education has been studied extensively, research around retention of international students in U.S. higher education institutions is not as common. This study focuses on the concept of international students' sense of belonging as it relates to retention and persistence, exploring how international students…

Childcare instability can negatively affect family well- being. Yet not all childcare changes are bad for families. This qualitative study (N = 85) examines work, family, provider, and subsidy- related factors contributing to childcare changes among families with low incomes. We focus on the desirability--the extent to which parents wanted to…

Researchers have noted large spatial variations in rates of food insecurity. But little research exists on why this is so and the impacts it has on rural families. Drawing on a mixed-methods longitudinal study with 124 poor and working-class households in North Carolina, we analyze the processes that shape lower-income rural families' access to…

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the experiences of women diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. Methods: Benefits and costs associated with obtaining the diagnosis were examined in two focus groups conducted virtually. Factors hindering and facilitating the identification, assessment, and subsequent treatment of ADHD were also…

Introduction: Individuals with ADHD continue to face stigma, which can negatively impact their access to, adherence to, and quality of mental health services, as well as their overall wellbeing. Perspectives of various stakeholders regarding priorities for stigma reduction remain underexplored. This study explores young adult, parent, teacher, and…

The development of teacher leadership is closely intertwined with the transformation of teacher roles. However, few studies have investigated how this concept, first developed in North America, is affected by teachers' role identities (RIs) in an Asian context. To this end, this study aimed to examine the effects of teachers' perceived role…

Upper secondary education shapes gender segregation in higher education and the labor market. This study shows gendered elective course enrollment patterns in Chilean upper secondary education across seven subjects, examines their consistency across socioeconomic contexts, and identifies school-level moderators. Using national administrative data…