Family Science
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Formerly known as the Department of Family Studies.
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Item STANDARDS OF LIVING OF MARYLAND FARM FAMILIES(1938) Teeter, Viola; Metzger, J.E.; Welsh, Claribel; DeVault, S.H.; Family Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)This thesis represents the results of a standard of living study of seventy-two farm families in Carroll County, Maryland, for the year beginning in the summer of 1936 and ending in the summer of 1937. The data were collected in the summer of 1937. Carroll County is located in the northern part of the state and borders on Frederick County on the west, Howard County to the south, Baltimore County on the east and borders on Pennsylvania to the north. See Figure 1. The county is very irregular and comprises an area of 447 square miles of 286,080 acres. Topographically, the land is gently rolling to hilly with many streams. There is an excellent drainage system in the county. The area is adapted to the production of field corn, sugar corn, and other general crops, being a fertile agricultural region. Oil of Chenopodium or "worm seed oil" has been produced on many of the farms in Carroll County for the past 100 years, and is a very lucrative crop. Dairying is the principle type of farming in the county. Even though the county is definitely agricultural, several clothing, shoe, and canning factories, and a distillery flourish, thus supplying a ready market for farm produce. The county has an excellent system of public records and is served by three railways-- the Baltimore and Ohio, Western Maryland, and the Pennsylvania. No part of the county is over ten miles from a railroad. It has a splendid home market and is ideally located in relation to two of the principle markets of the East, Baltimore, and Washington. There are two local colleges to serve the youth of the county-- Blue Ridge College, located at New Windsor, and Western Maryland College, located at Westminster. The average acreage per farm was 106 acres, of which 83 acres were under cultivation. The number of tenant farms surveyed was so few that no breakdown of farms was made on an owner-operated and tenant-operated basis. The analysis was based on averages for all farms. The length of tenure on the same farm varied from 1 year to 54 years, the average tenure being 20 years. Distribution of families by length of tenure on the same farm is shown in Table 1. The purpose of the study was to determine as accurately as possible the amount of cash available for family living; now the farm families use their incomes; to judge their standards of living; and determine the adequacy of their diets according to accepted standards. The information was obtained by means of a questionnaire and a personal interview with each family. The questionnaire, or schedule, was explained and was left with the homemaker and farm operator, so that an accurate record of food consumed by the family during the week, and number of meals served to individual members of the household could be recorded. At the end of the week the worker returned for the schedule and recorded the data as given by the homemaker and farm operator.Item Physical and Psychological Adjustments Associated with Home and Family Management Problems of Selected Normal and Handicapped Homemakers(1963) Lacy, Julia Carter; Lippeatt, Selma F.; Family Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)The purpose of this study was to determine some physical and psychological adjustments associated with home and family management problems of homemakers. The hypotheses formulated were: (1) There is no significant difference between the experimental and control groups either in the number of responses made or the intensity of attitude expressed toward physical disability, homemaker's role, family life, or life in general; (2) there is no significant difference between paired subjects with respect to their attitude toward these aforementioned factors; and (3) there is no correlation between the duration of the disability and attitudes expressed toward these identical factors. The experimental group consisted of ten physically-disabled homemakers, while the control group was comprised of ten normal ones, all between the ages of twenty and fifty. Personal interviews and case studies were utilized to collect data concerning physical and psychological adjustments of test subjects. Two somewhat structured interviews were conducted in the home of each subject. Data were tabulated and treated statistically. Major findings indicate that: (1) The two groups did not differ in intensity of attitude toward selected aspects of personal and family life; (2) paired test subjects were not significantly different in their attitudes toward selected aspects of personal and family life; and (3) disabled homemakers related the duration of disability to attitudes toward their disability and selected aspects of personal and family living. Two conclusions were drawn, namely: (1) Those homemakers who reflected the greatest insight into educational opportunities for the handicapped tended to reflect better understanding of inherent problems and to have more wholesome attitudes toward life in general, and (2) disabled homemakers were approachable in terms of assistance needed to strengthen management practices, and sought resources available to them. In light of the findings and conclusions, the following implications for further study are identified: (1) Experimental use of specifically trained management aides to implement multiple-purpose programs to assist disabled homemakers; (2) experimentation to provide maximum help to families confronted with temporary disability; and (3) investigation to test for specific changes in attitudes in light of given conditions. This study points up the nature and extent of problems faced by disabled homemakers and their interest and concern for specific professional help in their day-to-day living experiences.Item The Sharing of Family Tasks and Role Strain in the Commuter Marriage(1984) Spruill, Jane Woodley; Anderson, Elaine A.; Family Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)The purpose of this study was to examine the husband - wife sharing of family tasks and the presence of role strain in a selected sample of commuter marriages. Thirty-nine commuter couples located geographically throughout the United States participated in the study. The mean score of the sharing of family tasks was 2.99 which indicated that family tasks in commuter couples were shared equally. However in examining tasks individually, wives seemed to have more responsibility. The correlation between the length of marriage when the commute began and role strain was significant. The distance of the commute and role strain did not correlate. No significant difference was found among groups based upon how often a couple reunites and how they shared travel time. There was also no significant difference between those individuals with dependent children and those without dependent children, although there was some indication that role strain was higher for individuals with preschool children. It was concluded that commuter couples may be nontraditional in choosing their lifestyle but they still seem somewhat traditional in the sharing of family tasks. An established relationship between spouses is important if a couple is contemplating commuting. The distance of the commute and how often a couple reunites did not seem to affect the level of role strain. Although t he sharing of travel time and the stage of the family life cycle indicated no significant effect on role strain, differences in means indicate t ha t couples may want to consider these factors in making the decision t o commute.Item Strategies Used by African American Fathers to Protect their Children from Community Violence(1999) Letiecq, Bethany L.; Koblinsky, Sally A.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)The purposes of this study were to identify the strategies used by African American fathers to protect their Head Start children from community violence and to examine individual, familial, and community-level predictors of those strategies. There were two phases to the study. In Phase I, three focus groups were conducted with a total of 18 fathers and father-figures residing in targeted Washington, D.C. and Prince George's County, MD neighborhoods to qualitatively identify the protective strategies used by fathers. Content analysis of focus group data revealed twelve general strategies: 1) supervising children; 2) teaching neighborhood/ household safety skills; 3) teaching about real-life violence and its consequences; 4) teaching how to fight back; 5) teaching alternatives to violence; 6) reducing exposure to media violence; 7) confronting troublemakers; 8) keeping to oneself; 9) using prayer and positive thinking; 10) arming family for protection; 11) moving away from bad residential areas; and 12) engaging in community activism. During Phase I, this study also collaborated with an U.S. Department of Education study to develop a new measure, the "Parenting in Violent Neighborhoods Scale." During Phase II, 61 biological and social African American fathers of Head Start children were interviewed by trained African American male interviewers. Using the new quantitative measure developed in Phase I, fathers reported on their frequency of using various strategies to protect children from neighborhood dangers. Correlation matrices and factor analysis were used to refine the measure, producing five subscales of protective strategies. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the best predictors (e.g., psychological well-being, history of violence exposure, parenting practices, social support, and child's sex) of paternal strategies. Fathers were found to employ five major protective strategies: supervise children and teach personal safety; teach home and neighborhood safety; reduce exposure to violent media; arm and protect family; and engage in community activism. Authoritative and permissive parenting practices, depression, and social support predicted use of supervision and teaching personal safety. Authoritative parenting, permissiveness, and depression also predicted father's likelihood of teaching children home and neighborhood safety. Child's sex was the only predictor of "reduce exposure to violent media," with fathers of sons more likely to reduce exposure. Depression and social support were the best predictors of father's likelihood of arming and protecting his family. Lastly, authoritative parenting practices and social support predicted father's engagement in community activism. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers are discussed.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.