Family Science
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2239
Formerly known as the Department of Family Studies.
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Item Psychosocial Dimensions of Fatherhood Readiness in Low-Income Young Men(2009) Waters, Damian M; Roy, Kevin; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Researchers have a limited understanding of how men become ready for fatherhood, especially among young, low-income men in the transition to fatherhood. The present study draws a diverse sample (n = 53) enrolled in fatherhood programs in Midwestern cities. Life history interviews were conducted with the participants and grounded theory was employed to identify common themes among the narratives. Four cognitive dimensions of fatherhood readiness were identified by the current investigation: presumptive paternity and acknowledged paternity that one is a father, fatherhood vision, maturity, and men's perceptions of their provisional capacity. These contributed to the construction of narratives that describe fatherhood--trial readiness and decided readiness. Implications for social policies and programming are discussed.Item PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP COMMITMENT, POSITIVE AND ANXIOUS EMOTIONAL AROUSAL, AND COMMUNICATION IN CLINIC COUPLES(2009) Mena, Leidy Magdalena; Esptein, Norman B.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined relationships among partners' relationship commitment, positive and anxious forms of emotional arousal prior to engaging in a discussion of a conflictual relationship issue, and subsequent communication behavior, in a sample of clinical couples who had experienced psychologically and mild to moderate physically abusive interactions. A secondary analysis was conducted with data from 68 couples who had sought therapy for relationship problems. Results indicated that men and women with higher commitment experienced less anxious arousal and more positive emotional arousal prior to engaging in problem-solving. Greater commitment in men was associated with more constructive communication behaviors, and women with higher levels of anxiety engaged in more negative communication. Men's positive emotional arousal was associated with more positive communication behavior and less negative communication behavior. Men's positive emotional arousal mediated between commitment and constructive communication behaviors; however, anxious emotional arousal did not. Implications for couple therapy are discussed.Item The Prevalence and Role of Avoidance Coping Methods for Latinos in the United States(2009) Stevenson, Tiffani Debra; Leslie, Leigh A; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Current research concerning Latinos in the United States has indicated that they are at a higher risk for mental illness (e.g., PTSD) than other racial/ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to understand the possible function a culturally normative coping style plays in the occurrence of depression for Latinos when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The prevalence of avoidance coping methods and the relationship of depression and avoidance coping was examined for a sample (N=429) of Latino (n=129) White (n=150) and Black (n=150) clients. Results indicated that the frequency with which Latinos engaged in avoidance coping was no different than other groups. However, Black participants were significantly more likely to use avoidance coping that White participants. Furthermore, the use of defensive avoidance coping was linked to high depression; however there was no race/ethnicity by avoidance coping interaction. The empirical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.Item CLINICAL COUPLES' AGGRESSIVE AND WITHDRAWAL COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIOR: THEIR INDEPENDENT AND COMBINED ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE RECIPIENTS' TRUST AND RELATIONSHIP COMMITMENT(2009) Parnell, Kenneth J.; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the relations of partners' aggressive cognitions and behaviors and withdrawal cognitions and behaviors with the recipient's trust in the partner and commitment to their relationship. It involved a secondary analysis of data from a sample of 82 couples who sought therapy at a university-based couple and family therapy clinic serving the local community. The sample had been identified through pre-therapy assessments as experiencing some degree of psychological aggression and/or mild to moderate physical aggression in their relationships. Relations between aggressive thoughts and behaviors, as well as withdrawal thoughts and behaviors, and levels of the other partner's trust and commitment to the relationship were tested. Results indicated significant associations of greater aggressive and withdrawal behaviors and cognitions with lower partner commitment and trust, and that cognitions are associated with partner trust and commitment even when controlling for the individual's associated behavior.Item MATERNAL EDUCATION, MATERNAL LANGUAGE ACCULTURATION, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, AND MATERNAL SOCIAL SUPPORT AS PREDICTORS OF THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN(2009) Wang, Xiaofang; Koblinsky, Sally A.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Asian American families are one of the fastest growing groups of the American population. Although multiple studies point to the importance of parents in children's development, there are few empirical studies of the role of mothers and family members in the academic achievement and socioemotional development of Asian American children. Therefore, this study examined the role of maternal education, maternal language acculturation, maternal and family member involvement in home and school activities, and maternal social support in predicting the reading skills, mathematical thinking skills, peer relations, externalizing behavior problems, and internalizing behavior problems of Asian American children. The sample included 311 third grade Asian American children who had biological mothers of Asian heritage and whose families were participants in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). Mothers were interviewed by telephone or in person, and direct assessments were made of children's academic skills, peer relations, and behavior problems. Secondary data analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and hierarchical multiple regressions. Findings revealed that higher maternal education predicted better child reading and mathematical skills, poorer peer relations, and fewer internalizing behavior problems. Higher maternal language acculturation predicted poorer child mathematical thinking skills and better peer relations. Greater maternal and family involvement in school activities predicted fewer child internalizing problems. Maternal social support was not a significant predictor of any child outcomes in this group of Asian American children. Implications of the findings for developing interventions aimed at mothers of Asian heritage to enhance their children's academic achievement and socioemotional development are discussed.Item SOCIO-CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WHITE FEMALE ADOLESCENTS(2009) Scott, Wakina L.; Koblinsky, Sally A.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Low physical activity is a problem for girls, and particularly African American female adolescents. Low physical activity has been associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, premature mortality, and overweight and obesity. Families and communities play an important role in influencing adolescent health; however, few studies have examined how these factors influence adolescent physical activity outcomes. Adopting an ecological theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family factors (maternal control, maternal support, mother-child communication, and family cohesion), a community factor (religiosity, defined as attendance at religious services and religious youth activities) and physical activity among African American and White female adolescents. Wave I data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was analyzed. The sample includes 736 African American and 1,692 White female adolescents in grades seven through 12. Descriptive statistics were computed for all family and community measures. Logit models were used to evaluate family and community influences on female adolescents achieving five or more bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week (MVPA); and whether the relationship between maternal control, maternal support, mother-child communication, family cohesion, religiosity, and MVPA was moderated by race. Maternal control was a significant predictor of MVPA for the total sample and the White female sample, with increased levels of maternal control associated with increased adolescent physical activity. Mother-child communication and religiosity were significantly positively associated with MVPA for African American females only. Maternal support and family cohesion were not found to be significant predictors of adolescent girls' physical activity in any of the models. Race significantly influenced the strength of the relationship between mother-child communication and adolescent MVPA, and between religiosity and adolescent MVPA, with findings revealing a stronger relationship for African American female adolescents than for White female adolescents. Strategies to engage female adolescents in physical activity, particularly African American female adolescents, should focus on increasing mother-child communication and girls' involvement with religious institutions.Item Evaluating an Evidence-Based Intervention for Families and Survivors after Traumatic Brain Injury: The Brain Injury Family Intervention(2008-10-28) Stejskal, Taryn M; Epstein, Norman; Kreutzer, Jeffrey; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The long-term detrimental impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on individuals and their family members is well known. However, there have been few standardized family interventions or findings from treatment efficacy studies to guide clinical practice. The Brain Injury Family Intervention (BIFI) is an evidence-based, five-session, manualized clinical intervention, provided for both family members and the injured person. Guided by cognitive behavioral theory, the program provides education, skill building, and psychological support for both persons with brain injury and their family members. The objective of the present study was to test the efficacy of the BIFI as it was designed to improve the emotional well-being and life quality of persons with brain injury and their family members. Evaluation occurred in an outpatient neuropsychology department attached to a major academic medical center, with a sample of 53 family member caregivers of 53 TBI survivors. It was hypothesized that the BIFI would increase the proportion of caregivers' met needs, decrease their psychological distress, increase their perception that survivors' neurological functioning had improved, and reduce perceived obstacles to obtaining services. It also was hypothesized that the BIFI would result in improved neurological functioning for survivors. A secondary analysis of existing data using repeated measures mixed models was used to analyze four self-report measures for family members: (1) the Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ); (2) the Service Obstacles Scale (SOS); (3) the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18); and (4) the Neurological Functioning Inventory (NFI). Survivors' neurological functioning was examined based on their own self-report data, also measured by the NFI. Data were collected at pre-treatment, immediate post-treatment and at a three-month follow-up after treatment. Statistical analyses revealed that, after participating in the BIFI program, caregivers reported significantly more met family needs, perceived fewer obstacles to receiving services, and rated the survivor as having reduced depression and somatic symptoms. No significant effects were observed for caregiver psychological distress or survivors' reports of their neurological functioning. Methodological limitations, implications for clinical intervention with families after TBI, and suggestions for future research are discussed.Item Ethnic Identity and Relationship Satisfaction among African American Heterosexual Couples(2008-08-11) Smith, Jocelyn Renee; La Taillade, Jaslean J; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In an attempt to better understand factors contributing to relationship satisfaction among African American heterosexual couples, this study explored the impact of communication behavior and partner acceptance on relationship satisfaction among African American heterosexual couples. Additionally, the moderating role of ethnic identity on African American relationship processes and couple satisfaction was also explored. Results indicated that communication behaviors and partner acceptance were significantly related to relationship satisfaction among African American couples. Additionally, crossover effects were found such that the communication behaviors and partner acceptance of one partner significantly impacted the relationship satisfaction of their spouse. However, these results varied by gender. Finally, analyses exploring the moderation effect of ethnic identity found that female ethnic identity moderated the relationship between female acceptance of partner positive behavior and male relationship satisfaction. Research and clinical implications of these findings for African American heterosexual relationships are discussed.Item Stressor Events, Resources, and Depressive Symptoms in Rural, Low-Income Mothers(2008-08-11) Waldman, Joanna; Braun, Bonnie; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study, based on stress theory, sought to understand whether resources moderate the effects of stressors on depressive symptoms over time among a sample of rural, low-income mothers. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized to explain the phenomena under investigation. Results revealed that higher numbers of stressors were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. At time one, resources were found to moderate the effects of stressors on depressive symptoms, with higher levels of resources and higher levels of stress producing the greatest level of depressive symptoms. At time two, resources did not moderate the effects of stressors on depressive symptoms. This study found that resources do not always serve a protective function. One explanation appears to be the "hidden cost" of resources revealed in the mothers' interviews. Recommendations for future research and practical applications are discussed.Item Understanding Bulimia: A Qualitative Exploration of the Roles of Race, Culture, and Family(2008-07-21) Southard, Ashley Larsen; Leslie, Leigh A.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, is a serious physical and mental illness destroying the lives of millions of men, women, and their families. It is characterized by recurrent binge eating and compensatory behaviors (e.g., self-induced vomiting), and afflicts 1-5% of the general U.S. population. Unlike other eating disorders that appear to affect specific racial groups, bulimia more equally affects people of all races. Yet, very little attention has been given to learning about the ways in which women from diverse racial/cultural backgrounds experience bulimia. Thus, the present qualitative study explored the question: How do young African American, Latina, and Caucasian women describe their experiences with bulimia within their racial, cultural, and familial contexts? Open-ended, in-person interviews were conducted with 33 young adult women (ages 18-30) who self-identified as African American, Latina, or Caucasian and who experienced bulimia while living with a parent. Questions were based on sensitizing concepts taken from feminist and family systems theories, and encouraged women to explore their perceptions of how their racial, cultural, and familial contexts influenced their experiences with bulimia. A modified grounded theory approach was used to interpret the data, and findings were organized at sociocultural, familial, and individual levels. Common experiences for many of the women, regardless of race, included sociocultural pressure to be thin; unhealthy family environments that included poor communication, strained relationships, and emphasis on members' appearances; and individual management of comorbid psychological disorders and emotions. Unique processes related to African American women's and Latinas' experiences with bulimia included living in a bicultural context with cultural and familial stigmas surrounding mental health. Additionally, African American women reported overall healthier family environments, in which they had supportive relationships and more open communication. Based on these findings, the theoretical framework was enhanced with race- and culture-specific models. Implications for research related to diverse families' experiences with eating disorders, policies designed to help people of all backgrounds affected by eating disorders, as well as the development of culturally sensitive therapy interventions for families affected by bulimia are discussed.