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 THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FOOD SECURITY, HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND MENTAL HEALTH(2011) Munger, Ashley Lauren; Epstein, Norman B.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Prior research has demonstrated a relationship between food insecurity and poor mental health, but this research has been conducted primarily in samples of females. In addition, the mechanisms through which this relationship operates are not well understood. This study investigated whether a relationship between food security and mental health exists for both males and females, as well as whether health locus of control mediates this relationship. Data were from a convenience sample of 110 female and 40 male Supplemental Nutrition Assistance eligible adults in Maryland. Based on self-reports, the relationship between food security and mental health was significant among males and borderline significant among females. Whereas health locus of control mediated the relationship between food security and mental health for the women, it did not for the men. Findings indicated men and women commonly experience food insecurity and poor mental health concurrently. Understanding this relationship is essential for appropriate intervention.Item Longitudinal Effects of Mother-Daughter Relationships on Young Women's Sexual Risk Behaviors(2011) Berger, Amanda Tennyson; Hofferth, Sandra; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Among adolescent and young adult women, sexual risk behaviors represent a critical public health concern. This study used Waves I, II, and III of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health to compare two theories of maternal influence on daughters' sexual risk behaviors: parenting style versus social learning theory. Associations between maternal parenting style (based on Wave I warmth and control) and mother-daughter communication about sex (based on Wave I comfort and frequency of communication about sex) and adolescent and young women's sexual risk behaviors (Wave II and III inconsistent condom and contraceptive use and multiple partnerships) were examined. Further, this study examined whether these associations were mediated by socioemotional characteristics (sexual self-efficacy and risk-taking behaviors) or by sexual knowledge (sexual health knowledge and perceived barriers to contraception), respectively. Controlling for covariates, results indicated that in adolescence: 1) authoritarian and permissive parenting were associated with an increased risk of inconsistent condom use, though this association was attenuated by socioemotional and sexual knowledge risk characteristics, whereas infrequent, uncomfortable communication about sex was associated with a decreased likelihood of inconsistent use; and 2) authoritarian parenting was associated with an increased risk of inconsistent contraceptive use, also attenuated by the addition of socioemotional and sexual knowledge risk characteristics to analyses. Results further indicated that in adulthood: 3) parenting style was not associated with inconsistent condom or contraceptive use, but may have an indirect effect on inconsistent condom use, and that uncomfortable communication about sex was associated with a decreased likelihood of inconsistent contraceptive use; and 4) parenting style was not associated with lifetime sex partnerships, but authoritarian and neglectful parenting were associated with higher numbers of past year partners. These findings indicate that both parenting style and mother-daughter communication about sex may serve as predictors of girls' sexual risk-taking in adolescence and young adulthood and should be areas of focus when implementing sexual health prevention and intervention programs. In particular, this study provides support for utilizing parenting styles in understanding how mothers influence daughters' sexual risk-taking behaviors, however future research should examine the ways in which other variables mediate and moderate these effects.Item The Association of Negative Family Processes in Early Adolescence and Health Status and Body Mass Index in Late Adolescence and Early Adulthood(2011) Pollock, Elizabeth Davenport; Shenassa, Edmond; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Extant research suggests that negative family processes during adolescence may be detrimental to health over time. Informed by family systems theory and the biopsychosocial perspective, this study examined the association of negative family processes in early adolescence and health status and body mass index in late adolescence and early adulthood. Data from U.S. males and females in two-parent households from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 were examined over a ten year period from early adolescence to early adulthood. Results from logistic regressions and multiple regressions suggest that negative parent-child processes (NPCP) and negative inter-parental processes (NIPP) are associated with elevated risk for poorer health status but are not associated with body mass index. Logistic regressions estimated the association between NPCP and NIPP and youth's risk of very good, good and poor health status, respectively, as compared to excellent health status. Specifically, there is a step function for the association between NPCP and risk for poorer health status in late adolescence and early adulthood, between NIPP and risk for poorer health status in late adolescence and between NIPP and risk for the poorest health status category in early adulthood. Mental health, unhealthy behaviors (tobacco use, marijuana use and alcohol use), and healthy behaviors (i.e. physical activity) partially mediated the association between NPCP and NIPP, respectively, and health status in late adolescence, and mental health and tobacco use (only for NPCP) partially mediated the association with health status in early adulthood. All analyses are independent of race, gender, maternal education, health status in early adolescence, BMI in early adolescence, parental health status, and parental BMI. Moderation by maternal education and implications for public health, future research, programming, and therapy are discussed.Item THE ASSOCIATION OF VIOLENCE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN'S PHYSICAL HEALTH IN COLOMBIA(2011) Pinzon-Rondon, Angela Maria; Hofferth, Sandra L; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The association of violence with the physical health of children under five years of age in Colombia is studied through the lens of three major theories: biological stress theory, family stress theory, and ecological theory. The analysis explores the association of harsh parental discipline and intimate partner violence with child health, as well as the association of community violence with child health, parental discipline, intimate partner violence, and the relations among them. Secondary data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2005 and the Colombian National Census 2005 were analyzed. A total of 10,681 children under five years of age from 230 municipalities were included in the analyses. Analyses were conducted at the family and community levels. In the family level models, parental harsh discipline and intimate partner violence were associated with poor child health. Families who used harsh discipline had children with approximately 8% more symptoms of poor health than those who didn't use such punitive practices and families who experienced intimate partner violence had children with approximately 20% more symptoms than those who did not experience such violence. In the multilevel models, community violence and intimate partner violence predicted poor child health while parental harsh discipline failed to predict it. Children living in violent communities had 16% more symptoms of poor health than those living in nonviolent communities, and children from families that experienced intimate partner violence had on average 18% more symptoms of poor health than those living in families without intimate partner violence. Despite the study limitations, mainly its cross-sectional nature and restraints imposed by secondary data, the results indicate that violence is related to young Colombian children's poor physical health. These findings suggest the need to continue studying the effects of violence on health outcomes in different populations, as well as to provide support for efforts to promote violence prevention programs in Colombia.