Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Educational and Psychological Studies

Major Professor

Shannon Suldo, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Stacy-Ann January, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sarah Fefer, Ph.D.

Committee Member

John Ferron, Ph.D.

Keywords

adolescent, convergence, mental health, multi-informant

Abstract

As research calls for best practices in assessment of psychological constructs from multiple informants, more information is needed for secondary reports of subjective experiences such as perceptions of life satisfaction. Adolescence is a vital period for intervention and assessment supports to promote well-being, yet there is a gap in the research on how to interpret multi-informant data for mental health constructs such as subjective well-being especially within this population. Research has shown support for and validated the use of parents/caregivers as secondary informants (Dew & Huebner, 1994; Hines et al., 2023; Shoshani & Slone, 2017) yet there is still vague guidance on what makes someone an ‘accurate’ reporter of someone else’s subjective emotions. Gaining insight to potential predictors of convergence can aid in future positive psychology interventions, consultative or assessment efforts. This dissertation involves a mixed-methods study to explore (1) predictor variables to convergence between parent and youth reports when responding to the same constructs around subjective well-being and (2) implications on communication and relationship habits following participation in a school-based positive psychology intervention. To achieve these research aims, the author of this study performed a secondary analysis of data from a larger study that involved four time points of evaluation of students who took part in a randomized control study (RCT) of a positive psychology intervention. The study includes 633 fifth- through eighth-grade students from schools in Florida and Massachusetts, along with one caregiver (parent or guardian) per participant. The analysis utilized outcome survey data collected at four-month follow-up (Time 3) and exit interviews that occurred after follow-up sessions delivered after the core intervention. To address the first research aim, the study applied multi-level models and related t-tests to assess the significance of associations in data at Time 3. Findings provided more information to better understand discrepant multi-information data of student subjective well-being. Results showed that youth perceived parent social support significantly predicted convergence between parent/caregiver and youth report for each indicator of subjective well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect (β = -.176, p = <.0001; β = -.103, p = .0002; and β = -.114, p = .001, respectively). In contrast, grade level and youth perceived family coherence did not significantly predict convergence between parent/caregiver and youth report of youth life satisfaction, positive affect, or negative affect.

The second research aim was examined using qualitative methods, including first- and second-cycle coding and thematic analysis, followed by intentional sampling incorporating pre-intervention (Time 1) and Time 3 data from both parent and youth reports. Several themes were derived from analysis of transcribed exit interviews with 33 racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth who participated in the positive psychology intervention. Thematic analysis provided greater insight into perspectives from REM youth inclusive of facilitators (i.e., increased self-awareness and engagement with intervention activities) and barriers (i.e., safeguarding of mental health concerns) that promoted, hindered, or maintained communication and relationship habits following intervention participation. Further exploration of convergence scores overtime (Time 1 to Time 3) from a subset of participants in the qualitative sample allowed triangulation of quantitative and qualitative findings resulting in variable interpretation. There was not a clear demonstration of one finding directly mapping onto another (e.g., increased youth report of communication or relationship change aligning with high or increased convergence at Time 3). Potentially highlighting that qualitative data may be more sensitive to youth perceived communication and relationship changes over time as opposed to quantitative indicators of convergence.

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