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Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Subject "adolescents"

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    Ecological momentary assessment of mechanisms of change during a mindfulness-based intervention for adolescents exposed to chronic stressors
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Miller, Reagan L., author; Lucas-Thompson, Rachel, advisor; Shomaker, Lauren, advisor; Haddock, Shelley, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member
    Adolescents exposed to chronic stressors (e.g., financial instability) are at heightened risk for developing mental health problems. Chronic stressors may contribute to greater mental health problems by interfering with adolescents' ability to effectively regulate emotions. According to the mindfulness stress buffering hypothesis, mindfulness acts as a buffer against the deleterious effects of life stressors by ameliorating maladaptive stress appraisals and by improving emotion regulation. However, an assumption of this hypothesis is that individuals can maintain mindfulness and regulate their emotions during periods of stress. These two papers explore this assumption by first investigating the real-time, dynamic relationship between life stressors, mindfulness, and emotion regulation difficulties (Study 1) and then by exploring if mindfulness training may help to ameliorate the negative effects of life stressors on mindfulness and emotion regulation (Study 2). Eighty-one participants who were 10-18 years of age (Mage=13.75 years, SD=2.17; 56% male; 57% Caucasian; 24% Hispanic/Latino; 7% Native American; 7% more than race; and 5% Asian/Pacific Islander or Black/African American) completed ecological momentary assessments (EMA) three times a day for seven days at three different intervals (baseline, mid-intervention and post-intervention) throughout the study, contributing to a total of 3,178 EMA reports. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that the presence (versus absence) of stressors and the greater severity of stressors both were associated with lower mindfulness and greater emotion regulation difficulties concurrently in the same moment, but not prospectively from one moment to the next. In other words, life stressors may only be more immediately associated with lower mindfulness and greater emotion regulation difficulties as short-term, delayed effects from one moment (T1) to the next moment (T2) were not observed. Also, mindfulness training, compared to an active control group, was protective at post-intervention against the negative (concurrent) effects of stressors on mindfulness and emotion regulation (Study 2). Findings highlight that adolescents' life stressors may degrade untrained mindfulness and emotion regulation at given moments, but mindfulness training may help to buffer against these negative impacts of life stressors. Going forward, it will be helpful to investigate these relationships in the context of mental and physical health outcomes and to include longer periods of follow-up to determine the sustainable benefits of mindfulness training for adolescent health.
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    Identity as a moderator of the association between minority stress and stress physiology
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Cook, Mary, author; Quirk, Kelley, advisor; Haddock, Shelley, committee member; Carlson, Laurie, committee member
    Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and other sexual and gender minority identifying (LGBTQ+) youth are at increased risk for experiencing a multitude of social and structural disparities compared to their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. These include but are not limited to higher rates of childhood abuse, school bullying, victimization, and discrimination. The cumulative negative impact of these factors on health is known as minority stress. Much of the existing research on minority stress in LGBTQ+ adolescents has focused on psychological outcomes, such as anxiety and suicidal ideation. Fortunately, previous research has identified several protective factors against negative mental health outcomes, including identity pride, mindfulness, and community connectedness. Drawing from Minority Stress Theory and Identity Theory, we hypothesized a significant association between minority stress and physical health indicators (i.e., stress physiology) (hypothesis 1). We additionally hypothesized that identity pride (hypothesis 2), mindfulness (hypothesis 3), and community connectedness (hypothesis 4) would moderate this relationship. To test these hypotheses, we administered 21 LGBTQ+ adolescents, ages 12 to 18, an online survey measuring the target variables. A multiple regression was conducted to test main effects and moderators. Results revealed support for all four hypotheses. In other words, minority stress was positively associated with stress physiology (B= .38, p < .001). Identity pride (B = -.13, p= .04), mindfulness (B = .21, p < .001), and community connectedness (B= -.20, p =.02) significantly moderated the association between minority stress and stress physiology. These associations indicate that for participants who reported higher levels of one or more of the variables, identity pride, mindfulness, and community connectedness, the association between minority stress and stress physiology was weakened.
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    Mentoring first-time and low-level delinquent adolescents: the impact of an on-campus mentoring program on sense of self and rule non-compliance
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Leboeuf, Jordan Lindsay, author; Haddock, Shelley, committee member; Zimmerman, Toni, committee member; Henry, Kim, committee member
    Researchers have linked sense of self variables such as self-esteem and self-concept to delinquent activity among adolescents for decades, finding that delinquency is often associated with lower levels of sense of self and proposing that lower self-esteem may motivate delinquent behavior. This thesis first considers relevant research and theories, and then presents an evaluation of Campus Corps, a college-campus mentoring program for low-level or first-time offending youth. Using hierarchical regression models, it was determined that youth in Campus Corps, compared to non-participants, experienced higher levels of self-esteem, self-concept, and feelings of being important to others. Youth in higher-quality mentor relationships experienced, on average, lower rule non-compliance, higher self-esteem, higher feelings of being noticed by others, and higher feelings of being important to others. This program evaluation contributes to the small body of research on mentoring programs for delinquent and status-offending youth, adding to the definition of what makes a mentoring program effective.
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    Self-esteem and future orientation predict risk engagement among adolescents
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Jackman, Danielle M., author; MacPhee, David, advisor; Le, Thao, committee member; Aloise-Young, Patricia, committee member
    Risky behaviors have been defined as the balance between behaviors that have negative consequences with behaviors that have perceived positive consequences (Gullone & Moore, 2000). These risky behaviors include but are not limited to: unsafe sex, delinquency, substance abuse, and impulsive or sensation- seeking (Gullone & Moore, 2000). Research has shown that having a positive outlook on one's future has an inverse relation to adolescents' risk behaviors (Nurmi, 1990; Steinberg, 2004, 2009). Similarly, studies on self-esteem have also shown a complex but mostly inverse relation with adolescent risk taking (Salazar et al., 2005). However, there is a paucity of research studies focused on the possible effects of self-esteem as a mediator between future orientation and adolescents' risk orientation and or the possible effects of future orientation as a mediator between self-esteem and risk orientation. The premise of this study was to assess the relations among future orientation, self-esteem, and adolescents' risk behaviors. To that end the first hypothesis was that there is an inverse relation between future orientation and adolescents' risk orientation. The second hypothesis was that there is an inverse relation between self-esteem and adolescents' risk orientation. The third hypothesis was that a more optimistic sense of future among young adolescents is associated with higher self-esteem. Two mediational models were also compared. Participants (N = 438) were youth who took part in a sex prevention program called Care To Wait. Controlling for social desirability, results showed that future orientation fully mediated the relation between self-esteem and risk orientation, and self-esteem partially mediated the relation between future orientation and risk orientation. Implications and proposed future directions discussed.