Persistence on challenging tasks has been linked to academic success for children in the classroom. However, prior research has not examined variation in children’s persistence over the course of an unmonitored, challenging task. This study explores how on-task behavior changes over the course of a challenging task, and if these patterns of persistence are related to children’s self-regulation and academic skills in the classroom. The study utilized a sample of socioeconomically diverse second grade students who completed a lab assessment involving a challenging picture search task. Children were asked to find a set of 12 objects on an I-Spy page of pictures, with 9 of the objects present and 3 of the objects not present on the page. Nearby, there was a shelf of enticing, age-appropriate toys. Coders assessed whether children were on- or off-task in 15-second epochs over the 7-minute picture search task. Teachers rated children’s self-regulation and academic skills in the classroom. This study has implications for children’s persistence during independent classwork and homework, when children are expected to monitor their own behavior and academic progress.

Familial ostracism/alienation has a strong effect on children, and the adults that they eventually become. These effects can be seen through changes in interpersonal relationship patterns, among other things. Under Dr. Sarah Mitchell’s Intersecting Identities and Relationship Study, this study will conduct a thematic analysis to explore these effects through the lens of parent-child relationships, committed romantic relationships, and decisions relating to having children and/or committing to a romantic partner in individuals with diverse identities. Through a mixed-methods design, this study will investigate the common themes between individuals with intersecting identities who have experienced familial ostracism, and the ways it affects their interpersonal relationships.

Early maladaptive schemas (EMS) are self-views that typically represent themes originating from childhood and are associated with unmet emotional needs and adverse experiences, such as those that occur in caregiver-child relationships. EMS are maintained throughout life by unhelpful coping responses. However, it is unclear how the relationship between EMS and coping responses present in children who recently experienced abuse. The present study focuses on EMS in the context of childhood maltreatment experiences in order to contribute to the lack of literature on EMS and reinforce more helpful coping responses for children with such adverse experiences. Data were collected in collaboration with a child advocacy center through forensic interviews in which a child reported primary and/or secondary abuse. EMS were assessed using the Dusseldorf Illustrated Schema Questionnaire for Children (excluding illustrations). Coping responses were assessed using the COPE Inventory. Information about individual and abuse factors were gathered from case reports. Staff at the child advocacy center completed the measures based on information obtained during forensic interviews. Qualitative thematic analyses were utilized to see how EMS and coping responses were grouped together. The excessive responsibility/standards schema was positively associated with self-sufficient coping and negatively associated with avoidant coping. Qualitative responses describing more helpful coping responses were highly intercorrelated with emotional social support and instrumental social support. Overall, children reported engaging in socially-supported and self-sufficient coping more than avoidant coping, demonstrating an ability for children to cope in more helpful ways.

Many people have been known to show resilience after adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, less is known about the influence of personality on the relationship between resilience and adverse childhood experiences. The purpose of this research is to explore the role that resilience has as a moderator between personality domains (OCEAN: openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and extroversion) and adverse childhood experiences. Previous research has examined personality domains using the Big Five personality traits (OCEAN) as related to resilience without considering adverse childhood experiences. This study will contribute greatly to the literature by better explaining the relationship between resilience, ACEs, and personality. Participants from Texas Tech University were provided a Qualtrics survey with three measures: the Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire, the Big Five Personality Index, and the Adult Resilience Measure-Revised. To analyze data, simple slopes will be used to look for main effects between ACEs and each of the Big Five personality traits given different levels of the moderator (resilience). We hypothesize the following: 1. the relationship between ACEs and neuroticism will be strengthened with lower levels of resilience; and 2. the relationship between ACEs and openness will be strengthened with lower levels of resilience.