Wesley T Church
Biographic Data
| ID | 4228414 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Wesley T Church |
| GIVEN NAMES | Wesley T |
| FAMILY NAME | Church |
| SIGNATURE | CHURCH W T |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Alabama |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 77 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Social Work Students’ Perceptions of Sex Offender Management Policies
Social work educators and curricula continue to struggle with educating students about sex offenders, including community policies that may have collateral consequences for sex offenders and minimal benefit to society. There have been no studies specifically examining social work students’ attitudes toward sex offender management policies and connecting them to the EPAS. Hierarchical linear regression models were estimated to examine the relation…
Attachment to Peers and School
What About the Parental Response
Parental monitoring is a set of correlated parenting behaviors involving attention to and tracking of the child’s whereabouts, activities, and adaptations. The impact of parental monitoring is ubiquitous and has broad relevance for youth outcomes. Similarly, although less commonly investigated, youth behaviors can impact parents’ or caregivers’ responses or behaviors. Longitudinal analysis was used to assess the gendered effects of youth behavior…
Age of Alcohol Initiation Matters
While previous research has shown alcohol use to increase developmentally throughout adolescence, the age of alcohol initiation has rarely been incorporated into developmental trajectories. Simultaneous estimation of the effects of early alcohol initiation was made in relation to the recency and frequency of alcohol use utilizing a sample of 1,209 low-income, minority adolescents initiating alcohol between 12 and 18. Significant effects of both a…
The Longitudinal Impact of Distal, Non-Familial Relationships on Parental Monitoring
An extensive body of work shows that parental monitoring reduces the likelihood of risky behaviors among youth, yet little attention has been given to the factors compelling parents to engage in monitoring behaviors. The current study examines the association between non-familial, adolescent relationships (i.e., school connectedness, community connectedness, and peer relationships) and parental monitoring. The data used come from the Mobile Youth…
Islam in the 21st century
National tragedies such as the September 11th attacks (also known as “911”), the San Bernardino attack on December 2, 2014 and the Orlando murders at Pulse nightclub on June 13, 2016, which were all committed by sympathizers of Islamic terrorist groups, have fueled anti-Muslim sentiment and have led to a spike in hate attacks on Muslims (Siemaszko, 2015). Sadly, these acts of terrorism have created a climate of Islamophobia, or “an exaggerated fe…
Correlates of educational success
Does Biology Matter in Parent-Child Relationships? Examining Parental Warmth Among Adolescents From Low-Income Families
Family structure has long been a consideration in research focused on adolescent outcomes. The current study uses data derived from the Mobile Youth Survey to examine how parental warmth differs over time for male and female adolescents reporting biological parents and other parental figures (e.g., grandparents, aunts, and siblings). Using estimation of random and fixed growth effects, significant differences were noted for parental type and for …
Predicting Adult Criminality Among Louisiana’s Urban Youth
Objectives: School truancy, school failure, and dropout are highly correlated with delinquency and criminality. There are also racial inequalities regarding the relationship between education and crime. The current study asks, “What risk do demographic, academic, and behavioral factors contribute to later adult justice system contact for urban youth residing in Louisiana?” Method: Using administrative data from the Louisiana Department of Educati…
Traumatic Stress Among Seriously Delinquent Youth
Myriad factors have been found to have an impact on delinquent behavior and traumatic stress. This study proposes a model that tests the relationship between common predictors of delinquency (neighborhood condition, antisocial peer socialization, and exposure to violence) with traumatic stress. Serial mediation was used to test the relationships between these predictors and traumatic stress. Results indicate the mediation effect between neighborh…
Trajectories of School and Community Connectedness in Adolescence by Gender and Delinquent Behavior
Previous studies suggest that both school and community connectedness among adolescents are associated with prosocial behaviors and positive outcomes. While delinquency is associated with lack of connectedness to school and community, little research has considered how delinquency affects this relationship for adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods. This study estimated gendered trajectories of school and community connectedness for ado…
Law enforcement perceptions of their relationship with community
The Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) Project is a group violence reduction strategy based on the Boston Gun Project's Operation Ceasefire. This violence reduction model is predicated on the idea that violence can be dramatically reduced when community members and law enforcement join together to directly engage with criminal groups. In Baton Rouge, selected law enforcement officers have received specialized training regarding the imp…
Socio‐ecological Predictors of Intercourse Frequency and Number of Sexual Partners Among Male and Female African American Adolescents
The current study examined 14 waves of data derived from a large, community‐based study of the sexual behavior of impoverished youth between 12 and 17 years of age residing in the Deep South. We used multilevel linear modeling to identify ecological predictors of intercourse frequency and number of sexual partners among gender‐specific subsamples. Results indicated that predictors of adolescent sexual behavior differed by both type of sexual beha…
Say it Loud
The current study examined how self-reported racial/ethnic identification of adolescents living in poverty may be related to significant societal events and seminal public figures. Data from a multiple cohort longitudinal study, conducted in Mobile, Alabama between 1998 and 2011, were used to examine the impact of Barack Obama's nomination and presidency on racial/ethnic identification. The results show that significantly more adolescents changed…
Predictors of Gang Involvement
Using linear growth modeling and data from the Mobile Youth Survey—a 14-year multiple cohort study of adolescents living in low-income neighborhoods in Mobile, Alabama—we investigate the roles of peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth on gang involvement. The study finds that peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth have an effect on initial gang involvement, but only family cohesion and gender have any influence on gang involveme…
A longitudinal examination of predictors of delinquency
Neighborhood, poverty, and negative behavior
The Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale
Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the nature of individual attitudes toward sex offenders. Because the term “sex offender” tends to evoke strong emotions, and given that open-ended self reports tend to be highly subjective, particularly in the context of such pointed terminology, this study sought to develop an attitude assessment tool that addresses specific domains found in the literature. Methods: Through a number of itera…
From start to finish
Maybe ignorance is not always bliss
Maybe ignorance is not always bliss
A longitudinal examination of predictors of delinquency
From start to finish
The Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale
Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the nature of individual attitudes toward sex offenders. Because the term “sex offender” tends to evoke strong emotions, and given that open-ended self reports tend to be highly subjective, particularly in the context of such pointed terminology, this study sought to develop an attitude assessment tool that addresses specific domains found in the literature. Methods: Through a number of itera…
Law enforcement perceptions of their relationship with community
The Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) Project is a group violence reduction strategy based on the Boston Gun Project's Operation Ceasefire. This violence reduction model is predicated on the idea that violence can be dramatically reduced when community members and law enforcement join together to directly engage with criminal groups. In Baton Rouge, selected law enforcement officers have received specialized training regarding the imp…
Neighborhood, poverty, and negative behavior
Correlates of educational success
Trajectories of School and Community Connectedness in Adolescence by Gender and Delinquent Behavior
Previous studies suggest that both school and community connectedness among adolescents are associated with prosocial behaviors and positive outcomes. While delinquency is associated with lack of connectedness to school and community, little research has considered how delinquency affects this relationship for adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods. This study estimated gendered trajectories of school and community connectedness for ado…
Predictors of Gang Involvement
Using linear growth modeling and data from the Mobile Youth Survey—a 14-year multiple cohort study of adolescents living in low-income neighborhoods in Mobile, Alabama—we investigate the roles of peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth on gang involvement. The study finds that peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth have an effect on initial gang involvement, but only family cohesion and gender have any influence on gang involveme…
Predicting Adult Criminality Among Louisiana’s Urban Youth
Objectives: School truancy, school failure, and dropout are highly correlated with delinquency and criminality. There are also racial inequalities regarding the relationship between education and crime. The current study asks, “What risk do demographic, academic, and behavioral factors contribute to later adult justice system contact for urban youth residing in Louisiana?” Method: Using administrative data from the Louisiana Department of Educati…
Traumatic Stress Among Seriously Delinquent Youth
Myriad factors have been found to have an impact on delinquent behavior and traumatic stress. This study proposes a model that tests the relationship between common predictors of delinquency (neighborhood condition, antisocial peer socialization, and exposure to violence) with traumatic stress. Serial mediation was used to test the relationships between these predictors and traumatic stress. Results indicate the mediation effect between neighborh…
Say it Loud
The current study examined how self-reported racial/ethnic identification of adolescents living in poverty may be related to significant societal events and seminal public figures. Data from a multiple cohort longitudinal study, conducted in Mobile, Alabama between 1998 and 2011, were used to examine the impact of Barack Obama's nomination and presidency on racial/ethnic identification. The results show that significantly more adolescents changed…
Age of Alcohol Initiation Matters
While previous research has shown alcohol use to increase developmentally throughout adolescence, the age of alcohol initiation has rarely been incorporated into developmental trajectories. Simultaneous estimation of the effects of early alcohol initiation was made in relation to the recency and frequency of alcohol use utilizing a sample of 1,209 low-income, minority adolescents initiating alcohol between 12 and 18. Significant effects of both a…
Does Biology Matter in Parent-Child Relationships? Examining Parental Warmth Among Adolescents From Low-Income Families
Family structure has long been a consideration in research focused on adolescent outcomes. The current study uses data derived from the Mobile Youth Survey to examine how parental warmth differs over time for male and female adolescents reporting biological parents and other parental figures (e.g., grandparents, aunts, and siblings). Using estimation of random and fixed growth effects, significant differences were noted for parental type and for …
Socio‐ecological Predictors of Intercourse Frequency and Number of Sexual Partners Among Male and Female African American Adolescents
The current study examined 14 waves of data derived from a large, community‐based study of the sexual behavior of impoverished youth between 12 and 17 years of age residing in the Deep South. We used multilevel linear modeling to identify ecological predictors of intercourse frequency and number of sexual partners among gender‐specific subsamples. Results indicated that predictors of adolescent sexual behavior differed by both type of sexual beha…
Maybe ignorance is not always bliss
From start to finish
The Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale
Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the nature of individual attitudes toward sex offenders. Because the term “sex offender” tends to evoke strong emotions, and given that open-ended self reports tend to be highly subjective, particularly in the context of such pointed terminology, this study sought to develop an attitude assessment tool that addresses specific domains found in the literature. Methods: Through a number of itera…
A longitudinal examination of predictors of delinquency
Neighborhood, poverty, and negative behavior
Predictors of Gang Involvement
Using linear growth modeling and data from the Mobile Youth Survey—a 14-year multiple cohort study of adolescents living in low-income neighborhoods in Mobile, Alabama—we investigate the roles of peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth on gang involvement. The study finds that peer influence, family cohesion, and self-worth have an effect on initial gang involvement, but only family cohesion and gender have any influence on gang involveme…
Socio‐ecological Predictors of Intercourse Frequency and Number of Sexual Partners Among Male and Female African American Adolescents
The current study examined 14 waves of data derived from a large, community‐based study of the sexual behavior of impoverished youth between 12 and 17 years of age residing in the Deep South. We used multilevel linear modeling to identify ecological predictors of intercourse frequency and number of sexual partners among gender‐specific subsamples. Results indicated that predictors of adolescent sexual behavior differed by both type of sexual beha…
Say it Loud
The current study examined how self-reported racial/ethnic identification of adolescents living in poverty may be related to significant societal events and seminal public figures. Data from a multiple cohort longitudinal study, conducted in Mobile, Alabama between 1998 and 2011, were used to examine the impact of Barack Obama's nomination and presidency on racial/ethnic identification. The results show that significantly more adolescents changed…
Predicting Adult Criminality Among Louisiana’s Urban Youth
Objectives: School truancy, school failure, and dropout are highly correlated with delinquency and criminality. There are also racial inequalities regarding the relationship between education and crime. The current study asks, “What risk do demographic, academic, and behavioral factors contribute to later adult justice system contact for urban youth residing in Louisiana?” Method: Using administrative data from the Louisiana Department of Educati…
Traumatic Stress Among Seriously Delinquent Youth
Myriad factors have been found to have an impact on delinquent behavior and traumatic stress. This study proposes a model that tests the relationship between common predictors of delinquency (neighborhood condition, antisocial peer socialization, and exposure to violence) with traumatic stress. Serial mediation was used to test the relationships between these predictors and traumatic stress. Results indicate the mediation effect between neighborh…
Trajectories of School and Community Connectedness in Adolescence by Gender and Delinquent Behavior
Previous studies suggest that both school and community connectedness among adolescents are associated with prosocial behaviors and positive outcomes. While delinquency is associated with lack of connectedness to school and community, little research has considered how delinquency affects this relationship for adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods. This study estimated gendered trajectories of school and community connectedness for ado…
Law enforcement perceptions of their relationship with community
The Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) Project is a group violence reduction strategy based on the Boston Gun Project's Operation Ceasefire. This violence reduction model is predicated on the idea that violence can be dramatically reduced when community members and law enforcement join together to directly engage with criminal groups. In Baton Rouge, selected law enforcement officers have received specialized training regarding the imp…
Islam in the 21st century
National tragedies such as the September 11th attacks (also known as “911”), the San Bernardino attack on December 2, 2014 and the Orlando murders at Pulse nightclub on June 13, 2016, which were all committed by sympathizers of Islamic terrorist groups, have fueled anti-Muslim sentiment and have led to a spike in hate attacks on Muslims (Siemaszko, 2015). Sadly, these acts of terrorism have created a climate of Islamophobia, or “an exaggerated fe…
Correlates of educational success
Does Biology Matter in Parent-Child Relationships? Examining Parental Warmth Among Adolescents From Low-Income Families
Family structure has long been a consideration in research focused on adolescent outcomes. The current study uses data derived from the Mobile Youth Survey to examine how parental warmth differs over time for male and female adolescents reporting biological parents and other parental figures (e.g., grandparents, aunts, and siblings). Using estimation of random and fixed growth effects, significant differences were noted for parental type and for …
The Longitudinal Impact of Distal, Non-Familial Relationships on Parental Monitoring
An extensive body of work shows that parental monitoring reduces the likelihood of risky behaviors among youth, yet little attention has been given to the factors compelling parents to engage in monitoring behaviors. The current study examines the association between non-familial, adolescent relationships (i.e., school connectedness, community connectedness, and peer relationships) and parental monitoring. The data used come from the Mobile Youth…
Age of Alcohol Initiation Matters
While previous research has shown alcohol use to increase developmentally throughout adolescence, the age of alcohol initiation has rarely been incorporated into developmental trajectories. Simultaneous estimation of the effects of early alcohol initiation was made in relation to the recency and frequency of alcohol use utilizing a sample of 1,209 low-income, minority adolescents initiating alcohol between 12 and 18. Significant effects of both a…
What About the Parental Response
Parental monitoring is a set of correlated parenting behaviors involving attention to and tracking of the child’s whereabouts, activities, and adaptations. The impact of parental monitoring is ubiquitous and has broad relevance for youth outcomes. Similarly, although less commonly investigated, youth behaviors can impact parents’ or caregivers’ responses or behaviors. Longitudinal analysis was used to assess the gendered effects of youth behavior…
Attachment to Peers and School
Social Work Students’ Perceptions of Sex Offender Management Policies
Social work educators and curricula continue to struggle with educating students about sex offenders, including community policies that may have collateral consequences for sex offenders and minimal benefit to society. There have been no studies specifically examining social work students’ attitudes toward sex offender management policies and connecting them to the EPAS. Hierarchical linear regression models were estimated to examine the relation…
Psychology (20 works) · Developmental psychology (15 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Political science (9 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (8 works) · Homelessness and Social Issues (7 works) · Longitudinal study (7 works) · Social Psychology (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Juvenile delinquency (6 works)