College of Education
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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..
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Item Stress and achievement in elementary school students: The mediating role of growth mindset(2019) Babaturk, Leyla; O'Neal, Colleen R; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The achievement gap is one of the most pernicious education problems in the United States, and stress has a negative impact on achievement. Growth mindset may explain how stress impacts achievement. This study used a short-term longitudinal design (n = 251; 36% DLL) to evaluate growth mindset as a mediator of the negative impact of stress on literacy achievement in 3rd - 5th grade students. Results confirmed that perceived stress was negative related to achievement. The present study also explored whether mediation model results differ between dual-language learning (DLL) and English-native students. Although growth mindset did not act as a mediator in the full sample, growth-minded attributions mediated the negative effect of stress on achievement for non-DLL students only. These results hold implications for understanding how to help students with the consequences of stress on their mindsets and academic performance.Item Stress and Literacy Achievement: The Potential Moderating Role of Socioemotional Factors for Dual Language and Non-Dual Language Students(2019) Goldthrite, Antoinette Marie; O'Neal, Colleen R; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The achievement gap is one of the most pervasive education problems in the United States. Stress may contribute to this achievement gap, since it is inversely related to achievement. Dual Language Learners (DLLs) may face a wide variety of stressors that contribute to their lower grades, relative to their non-DLL peers. Researchers have turned to a slew of socioemotional factors to see which may help reduce the gap between ethnic minority and White students. However, in the face of stress, these factors may not all be equally protective. This study explored the potential protective effects of three socioemotional factors – grit, growth mindset, and anger regulation - by using moderation analyses within both a self-regulation and a risk and resilience framework in an ethnically diverse sample of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Results were compared between the DLL (N = 81) and non-DLL (N = 170) students. Results indicated that grit was a significant moderator of the relationship between stress and reading achievement for the for the DLL subsample; those with high grit outperformed those with low grit in times of high stress. Additionally, in the DLL group, growth mindset moderated this relationship; those with high growth mindset outperformed those with low growth mindset in times of low perceived stress, while those with low and high growth mindset performed similarly in times of high perceived stress. Anger regulation was a significant moderator for the non-DLL group; those with reporting high usage of anger regulation skills outperformed those with low use of anger regulation in times of high stress. The findings of this study suggest that there may be different protective factors for different groups facing stress, though more research needs to be conducted to explore this relationship. School administrators and school psychologists should continue to consider the potential benefits of fostering socioemotional skills to promote reading achievement but are cautioned to critically consider and tailor which interventions are selected for which students.Item THE INFLUENCE OF STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ON PARENTING BEHAVIORS AMONG LOW-INCOME FAMILIES: MEDIATIONAL PATHWAYS TO CHILDREN’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT(2019) Kuhns, Catherine Emily; Cabrera, Natasha; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Economic stress been shown to compromise children’s social development and undermine parenting behaviors in mothers of young children. A separate literature suggests that social support may attenuate the negative effects of maternal stress on parenting behaviors. Guided by the Family Stress Model and the Stress Buffering Model, this study examined the indirect pathways from maternal experiences of stress (economic and parenting) to children’s social competencies and behavior problems longitudinally in a sample of children from the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). It also tested the moderating effects of two types of social support (instrumental and emotional) on the negative association between stressors (economic and parenting) and children’s social skills. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) results demonstrated support for the Family Stress Model, such that economic stress (at age 1) was longitudinally and indirectly related to children’s social competencies and problem behaviors (at age 3) via observed maternal sensitivity (at age 2). That is, higher levels of economic stress were related to elevated levels of behavior problems and lower levels of social competencies because it increased parenting stress and decreased maternal sensitivity. However, there was no evidence that social support moderated the association between either type of stress and parenting. Findings are discussed in light of policy and programmatic efforts to broaden support of families and children by incorporating services that promote sensitive parent-child interactions and reduce maternal parenting stress.Item Moving Forward: Addressing stress, positive resources, and gender(2012) Yang, Minji; Miller, Matthew J.; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined a comprehensive stress-buffering model in a sample of 200 college students. Specifically, this study looked at social support and optimism as moderators between different types of stress and psychological health while controlling for gender given prior research that has demonstrated gender differences among the study constructs. Hierarchical regression analyses found that social support, but not optimism, worked as a significant moderator between different stressors, developmental challenge stress, time pressure stress, and social mistreatment stress, and psychological health. Supplemental analyses found in an independent samples t-test analysis that female college students had higher mean levels of time pressure stress than male college students. An extensive literature review of the study constructs including conceptual and methodological information and areas of improvement are delineated. Limitations of this study as well as future directions in research and clinical practice are also included.Item An examination of the working conditions, challenges, and tensions experienced by mathematics teachers(2007-08-29) Tomayko, Ming; Fey, James T; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)To make the professional work of teachers more effective and personally satisfying, it is important to better understand the nature and effects of the evident stresses in their work. The purpose of this study was to describe the quality of work life of mathematics teachers in Maryland, with an eye on ultimately helping the mathematics teaching profession and the broader education community to improve both the effectiveness and satisfaction of K-12 teachers of mathematics. Since school systems share many features with large organizations, the design of the present study utilized prior research from industry on stress in the workplace to help in understanding the strains of mathematics teaching. A review of literature suggested five potential stressors which formed the basis of the study. The five stressors were: the congruence of individual and organizational goals, teachers' sense of agency, teachers' sense of efficacy and respect, the level of professional interactions between teachers, and the appropriateness of teachers' work load. From these stressors, Likert-type survey statements were generated and organized into a 77-item, online survey instrument. Participants were solicited through flyers and e-mails. The survey data was analyzed in two ways. First, teacher working conditions were evaluated in terms of the five potential stressors. Then, a factor analysis of the survey data identified six underlying components of stress in the work lives of mathematics teachers. Teacher working conditions were then re-evaluated with respect to these six components. Finally, a few of the survey participants were selected for follow-up interviews to provide additional insights into their responses. Statistical analysis using ANOVA and multiple comparison procedures resulted in several findings. Mathematics teachers expressed having a lack of agency, particularly with respect to decisions impacting instruction and assessment. Participants reported feeling overloaded by their job responsibilities and many even cited interruptions to both planning time and instructional time as serious obstacles to teaching. On the other hand, mathematics teachers felt a strong sense of accomplishment. Comments provided by participants indicate that they thrive on seeing students learn, grow, and succeed in mathematics.Item Korean child care classroom practices and children's stress behaviors(2007-04-25) kim, bodlemam; Klein, Elisa; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between classroom practices of child care and children's stress behaviors in Korea. The classification of the type of classroom is based on the Guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practices of the National Association for the Education of Young children (NAEYC, 1997), which defines classroom programs in terms of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and developmentally inappropriate practices (DIP), based on the way in which the program accounts for normative development, individual development, and cultural context. Stress behavior was observed for 145 four-year-olds in 5 DAP and 5 DIP classrooms. To control the effect of overall quality of the classroom on stress behaviors, classrooms of high quality were selected, and then were classified into DAP and DIP classroom practices. Temperament and gender of the children and parenting stress of mother were examined to understand their relationship to children's stress behaviors. Child and family variables were also controlled to clarify the independent effect of classroom practices on children's stress behaviors. To examine the relationship between each variable and children's stress behaviors, MANOVA and linear regression analyses were used. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were also used to verify the independent effects of classroom practices on children's stress behaviors after controlling child and family variables. A significant relationship between classroom practices and children's stress behaviors was found, with more stress behaviors for children in DIP than children in DAP classrooms. Gender and temperament, and maternal parenting stress were also related to children's stress behaviors. Gender, parenting stress, and classroom practice were significant predictors of children's stress behaviors, and classroom practice added significantly to the prediction once other variables had been controlled. These results suggest that family variables, in addition to classroom practices, impact children's stress, implying that the effects of classroom practices should be examined in consideration of other variables outside school. Most studies on DAP and children's development have explored the effects of DAP in isolation. The results of this study demonstrate the independent effects of several variables on children's stress behaviors. Future studies should expand on these findings and focus on the effects both of classrooms and of other variables outside school in theoretical framework of ecological theory.Item "I GO TO SCHOOL TO LEARN": ATTITUDES, STRESSORS, AND SUPPORTS IN THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCES OF YOUNG LATINO IMMIGRANT STUDENTS(2005-08-31) Obara, Elizabeth; Leone, Peter; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Immigrant children encounter various challenges involved in immigration, as well as cultural and language differences in school. These school experiences can lead to academic challenges, socioemotional difficulties, or special education referral. The present research assumed a developmental-ecological perspective to investigate school experiences and attitudes. This study explored the perceptions of a small group (n = 28) of recently immigrated 1st to 5th grade Latino children as ethnic and linguistic minorities in their schools. This mixed-methods investigation used the School Situation Survey (Helms & Gable, 1989) and a School Attitudes Interview (García Coll, et al., 2005) to explore student perceptions of school, the stress and supports they encounter, and attitudes towards schoolwork, classmates and teachers. Using a Family Background Survey completed by parents, contextual influences on student perceptions were also examined. Students had relatively low levels of stress and stress responses. Principal stressors for these students included teacher and peer interactions. School meal program participation (SES), special education, grade/age and length of residency were found to be significantly related to school stress and stress responses. Analysis did not show ESL instruction or parent variables as having a relationship with school stress, although limited English proficiency influenced students' dependency on friends, communication with teachers, and academic frustration. Students were generally positive about teachers, friends, learning, and school. Older students and students with longer U. S. residency had more negative attitudes towards teachers and school. Interview data revealed 3 themes: Expectations, Priorities: Learning, Behavior, and Performance, and Supportive Relationships. Implications for research, practice, policy and training are discussed, focusing on maintaining young students' positive aspirations, incorporating family support, and school awareness of immigrant students' needs. In hopes of understanding immigrant students' experiences in school and better addressing their needs, this research benefits both the field and practitioners in illustrating the specific viewpoints of young, 1st generation Latino students, and highlighting their strengths and needs in the U.S. school system.