Risky sexual behaviors in adolescence continue to be a social problem that impacts individuals, families, and communities across the United States. Previous research showed that parents who actively talk with their adolescents about sex and intimacy topics reduce their likelihood of engaging in these behaviors. Still, less is known about what…

Children learn words in a social environment. In my dissertation, I examine how caregivers' social cues facilitate young children's word learning in settings that mirror their typical, dynamic learning environments. In Chapter 1, I overview prior work examining how social cues may support word learning, focusing on possible mechanisms underlying…

Attrition in higher education is an issue that continues to plague students and institutions alike. The attrition of second-generation millennial college students is important due to their unique generational circumstances and positioning in society. However, there is little known about the experiences of college-educated parents when their…

Research has shown that mindful parenting improves parent well-being, parent satisfaction, and improves overall family function. This quantitative study examined whether the practice of mindfulness is related to single mothers' level of stress and the quality of parent-teen relationships. A survey was offered to single mothers raising one or more…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the correlation between homework and the parent-child relationship. Homework can be a controversial practice as there are strong opinions on both sides regarding the validity of its practice. However, little research has been completed on the relationship between homework and how well parents…

The problem addressed in this study was that despite the development and implementation of the national standards for family-school engagement, some teachers and parents still struggle to establish relationships. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between a teachers' perceptions of the…

Research suggests that mathematics achievement is associated with future socioeconomic success and opens the possibility of social mobility for many individuals. However, disparities in mathematics achievement indicators expose inequitable opportunities and inconsistent access to appropriate educational models for a broad range of students. This…

"Pacific Islanders: Wayfinding in Higher Education" examines Pacific Islander (PI) students' experiences in higher education. The purpose of this study was to understand factors enabling PI student success with completing their bachelor's degree in higher education. The study also sought to understand the barriers PI students' face that…

Parents are a child's first teachers. They are responsible for building children's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual foundations. The problem investigated through this dissertation case study was the inconsistent knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate activities among parents of young and primary school aged…

In the first chapter titled "Cognitive Ability, Education, and Fertility Risk", I explore the role of cognitive ability in fertility timing. Women in the bottom quartile of the cognitive ability distribution are nine times more likely to have their first child as a teenager. First, I document the differences in age at childbirth by…

Early intervention is not officially implemented in Thailand. The shortage of practitioners, the inaccessibility of early intervention services, and the lack of parental involvement extremely deprive opportunities for children who are deaf and hard of hearing to develop language and communication within the critical period. This dissertation aimed…

Lowel Mason highlights the importance of integrating music learning into the curriculum alongside other fundamental skills such as reading, promoting his belief in the transformative power of music education and its impact on child development. Mason stated, "Children must be taught music as they are taught to read" (Pemberton, 1992).…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard military parents concerning their efforts to cultivate an environment of academic success for their children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Bowlby and Ainsworth's theory on attachment guided this…

Attainment of advanced (graduate and professional) degrees provides benefits for individuals including higher earnings, access to high status occupations, and social standing, all factors in social mobility. These benefits are in addition to those from attainment of the bachelor's degree. Over time, advanced degree holders have been increasing…

Studies between parental divorce and children's educational attainment have been extensively observed in family research. However, few studies have attempted to examine the negative relationship of those associations with graduate level attainment. This study suggests that parental divorce is associated with diminished overall mental health (i.e.,…