Parenting stress may be inevitable for any parent. However, stress can be even greater for parents with children who have disabilities. Among parents of children with disabilities, parents of children with autism are particularly at risk of feeling overwhelmed due to the specific developmental condition and characteristics of children who have…

This quantitative study examined whether Program M, an intervention targeting young women in a low-income community in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, promoted changes in gender equitable attitudes and self-efficacy in interpersonal relationships among program participants. Further, it investigated whether the program influenced these young…

The violence prevention group component of the Rutgers-Somerset Counseling Program, a prevention program for multi-problem youth based in a local junior high school, was established in response to appeals made by school staff for help addressing surges in school and community violence and the rising incidence of aggression among female students.…

Prevention of high-risk use of alcohol by college students has been studied for over 20 years. Most prevention methodology has focused on reducing supply to students rather than addressing the root causes that students use alcohol in self-abusive manner. One holistic health approach that addresses the root causes of alcohol abuse promotes the…

Adolescent suicide is a growing phenomenon that is not adequately addressed in graduate education. Students and clinicians who experience a patient suicide respond negatively which in turn affects perceived competence. As a result, education in adolescent suicide is warranted. Therefore, this dissertation is a graduate level course on adolescent…

African American women are at the center of the discussion on health disparities, specifically disparities regarding HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Though there has been substantial research examining sexual risk behavior among low income African American women, little has been done to understand sexual behavior…

Effective poverty reduction programs require careful measurement of poverty status. Commonly used consumption or income-based classifications of poverty aggregate together households that are persistently poor with those who are only in poverty due to passing conditions. They also classify as non-poor households that are at risk of falling into…

Nationally published reports on death rates for substance abuse (drug-alcohol related), violence (homicide), and risky sexual behaviors (HIV/AIDS) among African-American men are deeply concerning. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between historical/developmental factors (masculine identity, racial identity, racism),…

Consequences of depression can be detrimental, and adolescents who are victimized by their peers are at-risk for developing depressive symptoms. The link between depression and peer victimization is relatively strong, but social support may be a protective factor for peer victims. The main purpose of this study was to examine the buffering effects…

This study explored the trauma histories of individual students in a population of 78 regular education students who were placed in a countywide alternative program in lieu of expulsion. The study also explores the association between the trauma histories and the behavioral, emotional, and academic impairments of these students. Based on an…

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of an Employee Wellness Program on physiological risk factors, job satisfaction, and monetary savings in a South Texas University. The non-probability sample consisted of 31 employees from lower income level positions. The employees were randomly assigned to the treatment group which…

Wilderness Therapy Programs have recently become a formal alternative treatment for adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (Hinkle, 1999; Russell & Hendee, 1999; Russell, Hendee, & Phillips-Miller, 2000; Russell, 2003a, 2003b). Adolescent populations are unique in that traditional forms of psychotherapy, including "talk-therapies,"…