Technology has become an integral part of everyday life. Mobile media devices, in particular, are now an essential component of mainstream lifestyle, whereby adults rely on mobile devices not only to communicate, but also to carry out daily tasks, such as shopping and banking. In fact, 91 percent of adults report that they have at least one mobile…

This dissertation is composed of two manuscripts that study the early development of infants at an elevated likelihood of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (EL-ASD). In the first manuscript, the language profiles (i.e., receptive dominant, expressive dominant, balanced) and the predictors of the language profiles are examined in infants at…

The purpose of this study is to explore how to raise awareness of, validate, and value the diverse knowledge bases that mother-prospective teachers have based in their prior experiences from within their families and backgrounds. Using a funds of knowledge (FoK) for teaching mathematics (Aguirre et al. 2012; Civil, 2007; Foote, 2009; Gonzalez, et…

The first manuscript consisted of a systematic and quality review of studies that used telehealth to support caregivers of children exhibiting challenging behaviors. A summary of training components, procedural fidelity, social validity, and evidence of impact was reported. While there exists a great deal of information on remote implementation of…

The fast progress of online learning raises the problem of understanding and adequate perception of this process by parents of students because they may influence choices made by students concerning their education, which may be either online or face-to-face. The cultural background of the parents may have a considerable impact on the perception…

The following doctoral project emphasizes the importance of reading aloud to children beginning at birth. This project focuses on multiple aspects of reading aloud activities, such as the benefits children receive and the bi-directional benefits (e.g. attachment) received. However, the main focus is specifically on the parental benefits of reading…

The study was conducted to explore the influences of parenting styles on racial identity and academic achievement of biracial children in the Southeastern region of the United States. Despite the apparently growing number of Black and White biracial children, little research existed regarding the interactions with parents in the home lives and…

Several studies (e.g., Aldaihani, 2011; Al-Zoubi & Abdel Rahman, 2016) have indicated that many educational activities conducted for students with learning disabilities (LD) in Saudi elementary schools have not achieved their educational and social goals due to limited parental participation and lack of cooperation between parents and…

My dissertation research involves the implementation of a parent-provided point-of-view modeling (POVM) intervention created to improve social interaction between parents and their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A series of studies ultimately lead to my dissertation study. The first manuscript entitled "Autism-Related Insurance…

This dissertation is focused on understanding the expectations, beliefs, and motivations of parental involvement during the college choice process. Many high school students are under a lot of stress and pressure influenced by a culture of achievement. This culture has created a competitive college choice process and has intensified the role of…

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.,…

This explanatory-sequential mix-methods study explored Northeast Texas rural educators' perceptions of language and emergent bilingual (EB) students, and educators' preparation and practices used in the classroom to meet this ever-growing and diverse multicultural group. Educators' ideologies and practices in the United States, especially in…

"Many kindergarteners struggle to master the foundational behaviors that enable them to successfully engage in classroom learning" (Cameron, et al., 2012, p 1229). As a school-based occupational therapist, there has been a noticeable rise in concerns from kindergarten teachers regarding the fine motor, visual motor, self-help, and…

For nearly two decades, there has been a powerful movement for fathers to become more involved in their children's lives, resulting in an increased number of fatherhood programs. These programs focus on various outcomes and can reduce the risk of child maltreatment. Four outcomes are measured in this study: interpersonal competence, parental…

The transition from middle to high school can be especially challenging for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Also, students with disabilities experience greater barriers when considering careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Academic interest and social support may play a critical role…