The Association of Parent Factors with Bullying, Victimization and Bystander Behaviors

This study sought to examine two gaps in the field of bullying research – (1) the lack of clear cut theoretical underpinnings and frameworks for examining the process of bullying and (2) oversight of the parent context in studies on bullying. This two-study dissertation examined the role of parents in understanding bullying, victimization and bystander behaviors using Belsky’s parenting process model (1984) as a potential guiding framework. Study 1 relied on secondary analysis with three waves of longitudinal data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to test the indirect effect of maternal depressive symptoms on bullying and victimization through mother-child relationship quality. Findings indicated that there was a small direct effect of maternal depressive symptoms at grade 3 on peer victimization at grade 5, but not bullying. Mother–child relationship quality at grade 5 negatively predicted bullying behaviors at grade 6, but not peer victimization. There were also small effects of bullying behaviors at grade 5 on increased maternal depressive symptoms and decreased mother-child relationship quality at grade 6. There were no significant indirect effects. Study 2, a cross-sectional study of N = 143 fourth and fifth graders and their parents, hypothesized indirect effects of parent’s general and specific self-efficacy related to bullying, peer victimization and bystander behaviors through parental monitoring and supervision. Parents’ self-efficacy beliefs related to knowledge of their children being victimized, and what to do about the victimization reports was directly and negatively associated with a reduction in bullying and victimization behaviors. Efficacy to know what to do was also negatively associated with negative bystander behaviors but positively associated with victimization in school. There were no significant indirect effects. Findings from both studies suggest that the parent context may play a limited role in processes of bullying during upper-elementary school. Secondly, parent functioning (i.e., maternal depressive symptoms, parental self-efficacy related to bullying) may have direct effects on bullying, victimization and bystander behaviors rather than indirectly through parenting as emphasized by Belsky’s model. Other findings, limitations and suggestions for future research and interventions are discussed

Effects of Parenting by Lying in Childhood on Adult Lying, Internalizing Behaviors, and Relationship Quality

Parenting by lying is a phenomenon in which parents lie to their children, usually for a positive goal, and has been the subject of new parenting research. This study tested the associations between parenting by lying in childhood, lying to parents in young adulthood, and parent–child relationship quality. Secondly, we examined the mechanisms through which these constructs were all related to internalizing behaviors in young adulthood, specifically—stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Young adult participants between the ages of 18 and 24 (N = 206) responded to questions about parenting strategies experienced in childhood, their current adult functioning, lying to parents, and parent–child relationship quality. Results indicate that parenting by lying in childhood was significantly associated with lower quality relationships with parents during young adulthood. Additionally, we found that double mediation models (lying to parents and quality of parent–child relationships) were best fitting the data in explaining the exploratory mechanisms (indirect pathways) through which parenting by lying was associated with internalizing behaviors (stress responses, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) in young adulthood. Based on all the findings, a review of parenting by lying in childhood as a common parenting strategy, and further research is highly encouraged. Other implications are discussed

Longitudinal Relationships Between Parent Factors, Children’s Bullying, and Victimization Behaviors

Longitudinal data from NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development tested direct, indirect and reciprocal effects of maternal depressive symptoms, stress/support factors on child bullying and peer victimization through mother–child relationship quality at grades 3, 5, 6. Data from 828 mother-child dyads indicated small significant effects of some hypothesized pathways, including a small direct effect of maternal depressive symptoms at grade 3 on peer victimization at grade 5, but not on bullying behaviors. Mother–child relationship quality at grade 5 negatively predicted bullying at grade 6, but not peer victimization. There were small effects of bullying behaviors at grade 5 on decreased mother–child relationship quality at grade 6. Maternal employment at grade 3 predicted decreased bullying behaviors at grade 6 through mother–child relationship quality at grade 5. Findings are relevant for parent inclusive research and approaches to anti-bully intervention strategies and prevention policies

COVID-19, ICT literacy, and Mental Health of University Students: A Three-Country Study

We ran a cross-national project examining the mental health of university students in Ghana, South Africa, and the United States against the backdrop of a surge in the digitalization of teaching at universities in these countries wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic

Mental Health Services on MSU Campus

Problem/ Purpose Across American college campuses, the number of college students reporting feelings of depression to the point of inability to function is on the rise from 19% in 2007 to 34% in 2017 (Lipson et al., 2018). Lifetime mental health diagnoses amongst college students have also risen from 22% to 36% (Lipson et al., 2018). Unfortunately, studies have shown that less than half of adults in the US seek out mental health services due to financial issues and the stigma that still lingers around getting therapy. The number of college students who choose to pursue mental health services on campuses is even less (Green et al., 2020). This study sought to examine student awareness of mental health services on the Murray State University (MSU) Campus, as well as therapy preference (in-person, text, or online therapy). It was hypothesized that students would prefer online therapy compared to in-person or text therapy. Secondly, student awareness of services would significantly vary by academic programs and colleges. Data from MSU students were collected between the Fall of 2021 and the Spring of 2022. There were 368 respondents. The majority of participants were female (77%), with an average age of 20 years (Range: 18-50; SD = 5.05). Of all participants, 83% were Caucasian, 8% were African American, and 3% were Multiracial. While each year was fairly represented the majority were first-year students ( 40%). Finally, the five main schools/colleges of MSU were represented. Preliminary results showed that, contrary to our expectations, students prefer in-person therapy over text and online therapy (the least popular preference). Secondly, participants from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, followed by participants from the College of Education and Human Services were the most aware of MSU counseling services. Additional findings related to awareness revealed that 57% of MSU college students did not know how to start the process of seeking out mental health services on campus. Additionally, the majority of the participants were not aware of the number of counseling centers on campus, while 40% did not know that the mental health services provided by MSU were free. Our findings provide insight into students’ perceptions of mental health services and provide practical strategies to promote and increase campus awareness of counseling services for students

Cross-Cultural Associations of COVID-19 Knowledge and Psychological Distress

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the subject of much research since the beginning of the outbreak. Research suggests that the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders have increased significantly during the pandemic (Ettman et al., 2020; Santabárbara et al., 2020), and individuals who are more knowledgeable about the pandemic are more likely to be psychologically distressed (Saravanan et al., 2020). This study examined if there were cross-cultural differences in these patterns. Although past research has indicated that the prevalence of psychological disorders differs cross-culturally (Asnaani et al., 2010), international differences in the influence of COVID-19 knowledge on psychological distress have not been examined. Therefore, the current study examined if there were cross-cultural differences in the relationship between COVID-19 knowledge and psychological symptoms. Participants were sampled from the US (N=265; Mage=37.13; SDage=12.40; 61.9% Male; 75.5% Caucasian), Norway (N=99; 46.5% 18-25 years old; 55.6% Male), and Ghana (N=418; 51.2% 18-25 years old; 59% Male), who participated in online and paper surveys (Ghana only). Participants indicated the extent to which they were knowledgeable in six areas related to COVID-19 (e.g., “Symptoms of COVID-19”), and the extent to which they had experienced somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms over the past three months. The three countries were dummy coded and moderation analyses were conducted to determine if there were significant interactions between country and COVID-19 knowledge in predicting psychological symptoms. Results indicated a significant interaction between COVID-19 knowledge and depressive symptoms only, when comparing US with Norway and Ghana with Norway

Reducing the Impact of Early Childhood Stressors on Problem Behaviors

This study seeks to illuminate the problems that can be faced by those who have experienced stress in childhood but who did not necessarily develop clinically diagnosable problems. This research comes in light of research as a whole’s move away from static to contextual models of understanding personality development, making it imperative to consider daily occurrences, not just biology or significant traumatic events, in personality formation. Temperament has long been considered the innate source of behaviors that later solidify into personality, but behaviors themselves and the conditions that produce and reinforce them are shaped by the daily environment. This behavior-environment interaction is especially important for children experiencing chronic and multiple childhood stressors like low income, food insecurity, and parental aggravation. Non-clinical personality related problem behaviors like high internalizing/externalizing behaviors may arise from these stressors over time, which in turn lead to negative life consequences including relationship problems, lower job performance, and diagnosed disorders. This study therefore seeks to explore the impact of chronicity and multiple childhood stressors on high internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence and the mitigating role of parental involvement during childhood. It is hypothesized that chronic and multiple stressors at ages 3 and 5 will predict higher internalizing/externalizing behaviors at age 15. Secondly, parental involvement at age 3 and 5 will predict lower internalizing/externalizing behaviors at age 15. But of course, not all children born into stressful environments will exhibit negative clinical problem behaviors. Resilience research on the impact of early childhood stressors on non-clinical behaviors is important to help reduce negative personality behaviors that impede daily adult functioning. Keywords: Personality, Childhood, Stress, Behavior, Temperament, Environment, Parental Aggravation, Parental Involvemen

The Associations between Father Involvement and Father–Daughter Relationship Quality on Girls’ Experience of Social Bullying Victimization

With much research into physical, cyber, and verbal bullying victimization, social bullying victimization is a type of victimization that can be hidden. Studies about Black father involvement have found involvement to be a buffer to adverse and risky behaviors of children, including different forms of victimization experienced by their daughters. This study examined one gap in the literature: the direct and potentially indirect associations between father involvement and father–child relationship quality on child reports of social bullying victimization among girls. The cross-sectional sample of 368 Black fathers and their daughters was sourced from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Data from wave 5 were selected for the child (age 9) and father because social bullying victimization was first measured at this time point. Logistic regression analysis findings showed father involvement was associated with lower social bullying victimization. In addition, talking and sharing ideas quite well rather than extremely well with their fathers was associated with higher odds of social bullying victimization. Father–daughter relationship quality did not mediate the father involvement and social bullying victimization relationship. Findings provide additional support to include fathers, particularly Black fathers, in intervention/prevention efforts and the importance of increasing awareness and benefits of father involvement in subtle forms of victimization such as social bullying victimization among Black families

The Associations between Father Involvement and Father-Daughter Relationship Quality on Girls\u27 Experience of Social Bullying Victimization

With much research into physical, cyber, and verbal bullying victimization, social bullying victimization is a type of victimization that can be hidden. Studies about Black father involvement have found involvement to be a buffer to adverse and risky behaviors of children, including different forms of victimization experienced by their daughters. This study examined one gap in the literature: the direct and potentially indirect associations between father involvement and father-child relationship quality on child reports of social bullying victimization among girls. The cross-sectional sample of 368 Black fathers and their daughters was sourced from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Data from wave 5 were selected for the child (age 9) and father because social bullying victimization was first measured at this time point. Logistic regression analysis findings showed father involvement was associated with lower social bullying victimization. In addition, talking and sharing ideas quite well rather than extremely well with their fathers was associated with higher odds of social bullying victimization. Father-daughter relationship quality did not mediate the father involvement and social bullying victimization relationship. Findings provide additional support to include fathers, particularly Black fathers, in intervention/prevention efforts and the importance of increasing awareness and benefits of father involvement in subtle forms of victimization such as social bullying victimization among Black families