Family Science
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2239
Formerly known as the Department of Family Studies.
Browse
13 results
Search Results
Item INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CORRECTIONAL CONTROL, MATERNAL MORBIDITY, AND PRETERM BIRTH(2021) Ramsey, Lauren Meta; Moser Jones, Marian; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Racism permeates all U.S. institutions. The criminal justice system has been identified as a clear form of structural racism. Numerous studies have documented disproportionate criminal justice contact among Black people. Several researchers have used the Black/White differences in incarceration as an indicator of racism. However, there are 4.5 million people under community supervision, in addition to the 2.3 million people incarcerated in the U.S. Despite this large number of the population being under this type of correctional supervision, probation and parole does not receive as much attention in studies of institutional racism and health. Probation and parole are important to consider in any investigation of criminal justice system involvement because they are major drivers of mass incarceration in the United States. Incarceration, parole and probation can have negative effects on individuals, families and communities, with Black people disproportionately impacted by these negative outcomes. This study utilized the indicator of Black/White differences in Correctional Control (defined as populations who are on probation, paroled and incarcerated in jail and state prison) as a proxy for institutional racism on overall population health. This dissertation utilized Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), and Bureau of Justice Statistics data to investigate the relationship between institutional racism (i.e. Black/white differences in state level Correctional control) on disparities in rates of preterm birth, postpartum depression and pregnancy hypertension among Black and White women.Item Clerical Conduct Related to the Perpetuation of Child Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania Catholic Dioceses: A Developing Framework(2019) Britto, Crystel; Roy, Kevin; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis reiterated that clericalism played a major role in the global Catholic sexual abuse crisis. Research has not been able to back this claim due to lack of data on cultural and structural elements that have contributed to the various crises. The present study aims to fill this gap in research by examining narratives regarding clerical sexual abuse and seeks to explore themes contributing to a framework of abuse. Qualitative data analysis was conducted by examining the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury Report of Pennsylvania, focusing on correspondence between various actors regarding 12 priests in Pennsylvania and their involvement in child sexual abuse. Using grounded theory with elements of narrative analysis, the study seeks to explore themes of belief, behavior and emotion of clergy between 1930-2016. The results provide insight into the nature of the Catholic Church’s involvement in the perpetuation of child sexual abuse.Item THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF ADULT CHILDREN ON FATHERS: A LONGITUDINAL STRUCTURAL EQUATION ANALYSIS(2019) Blick, Ryan; Anderson, Elaine; Roy, Kevin; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Men are entering the later stages of life at an unprecedented rate. As fathers and their children age, a gradual transition in the hierarchy of their relationship occurs, eventually resulting in fathers being recipients, rather than providers, of care. Unfortunately, little is known about the effect that adult children (children ages 19 years old and above) have on fathers’ physical and mental health in the middle-to-late stages of life. Using a sample of 588 fathers who were between the ages of 50- and 80-years-old and who had at least one adult child, a series of structural equation models using a cross-lagged panel design were conducted to increase our understanding of 1) the nature of the associations among fathers’ physical health, mental health, relationship quality with their spouse, and relationship quality with their adult children over time in middle-to-late adulthood, and 2) how these associations change as fathers age in middle-to-late adulthood. The findings indicate that fathers’ mental health is strongly correlated with their physical health, marital relationship quality, and relationship quality with their focal child across all age groups of fathers between 57- and 80-years-old. However, a transition seems to occur for fathers between 63- and 68-years-old that increases the within-time salience of fathers’ relationship quality with their focal child. In spite of the strong bivariate correlations, the structural equation models revealed high levels of within-trait stability and a lack of cross-trait predictive power among each of these aspects of fathers’ lives across age groups. The lone exception to this was in the emergence of a significant effect from father’s mental health between the ages of 69- and 74-years-old to their father-child relationship quality six years later, suggesting the possibility of a final transition in father-child relationship dynamics late in fathers’ lives.Item Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Early Childhood and Their Associations with Middle Childhood Behavior Problems(2017) Schroeder, Allison; Mittal, Mona; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Experiences in early childhood lay the foundation for physical and psychological health and wellbeing throughout the life course. A large body of literature demonstrates a graded relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and health and social outcomes. Children living in poverty are disproportionately likely to experience multiple adversities, placing them at risk for negative health and developmental outcomes and contributing to widening health disparities. Among the outcomes associated with ACEs are internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, which increase children’s risk of later depression and anxiety, substance use, criminality, low socioeconomic status, and chronic physical health problems. In spite of the substantial knowledge base that has developed around childhood adversity and its association with behavior problems, there are gaps in the literature that warrant further research. Firstly, few studies utilizing prospective longitudinal data have examined the role of timing and duration of exposure to adversities in early childhood, and their relationship with later behaviors. Secondly, researchers have only just begun exploring whether certain patterns or constellations of risk factors are common among different groups of children, and whether these patterns place certain groups at greater risk for behavior problems. A third gap relates to the role of father involvement by unmarried fathers and the potential for these fathers to promote more positive outcomes among children exposed to various levels of early adversity. The three studies in this dissertation analyze data from four waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to document associations between ACEs experienced at ages 1, 3, and 5, and behavior problems at age 9. Life course theory provides an overarching framework for the dissertation. The first study examines the associations between the accumulation, timing, and duration of ACEs in the first five years of life and odds of behavior problems at age 9. The second study employs latent class analysis to identify patterns of risk exposure and their potential association with age 9 behaviors. The third study investigates whether early father involvement by fathers who were unmarried at the child’s birth moderates the association between early childhood adversity and age 9 behavior problems.Item The Influence of Pre-Migration Factors and Post-Migration Climate of the Receiving Community on the Psychological Distress of Latino Immigrants(2016) Kahn, Sherylls Valladares; Leslie, Leigh A.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Over forty million foreign-born residents currently live in the United States. Latinos make up the largest population of immigrants living in the U.S. Previous research suggests that Latino immigrants often experience pre-migration stressors, such as traumatic experiences, political upheaval, and unplanned migration. These stressors may have a negative impact on immigrants’ post-migration mental health. Research also suggests that the post-migration climate of the receiving community may inform the connection between pre-migration experiences and post-migration mental health. The current study examined the relationship between Latino immigrants’ reasons for migration, migration planning, and pre-migration experience of political and/or interpersonal violence, and post-migration symptoms of psychological distress. In addition to examining the effect of these pre-migration factors, the current study also examined the community “climate” experienced by Latino immigrants post-migration by assessing the influence of three post-migration factors: 1) community support and engagement, 2) discrimination, and 3) employment. The study was a secondary analysis of data collected for the National Latino and Asian American Study, which focused on the mental health and service utilization of Latinos and Asian Americans. Participants included 1,629 Latino immigrants from across the United States. Results indicated that pre-migration experience of political and/or interpersonal trauma, post-migration experience of discrimination, and female sex were positively associated with psychological distress. Post-migration employment was negatively associated with psychological distress. In addition, discrimination modified the association between unplanned migration and psychological distress; the relationship between unplanned migration and psychological distress decreased for participants who reported more discrimination. Furthermore, employment modified the association between political and/or interpersonal trauma and psychological distress; the connection between trauma and psychological distress increased among those who reported having less employment. Recommendations for further research were presented. Policy and clinical practice implications were discussed, particularly given the current climate of high anti-immigrant sentiment and hostility in the U.S.Item Preliminary Validation of the "Plausibility of Intraracial Marriage Scale": A Study of Upwardly Mobile African American Women(2016) Porter, Shyneice; Smith Bynum, Mia; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Like many Americans, African American women often view marriage as an important life goal; however, it is likely that many also view it as one that is out of reach (Dixon, 2009; Wallace, 2014). The present study sought to address this issue by developing a new measure to assess African American women’s experiences in this regard in hopes of shedding light on how it impacts their dating and mating experiences. A total of 251 heterosexual African American women who were either enrolled in college or who had completed some form of postsecondary education completed an online survey assessing a variety of topics including their attitudes and emotions regarding a shortage of marriageable men, their standards to marry, and their willingness to date interracially. Results from this study established preliminary construct validity for a new scale assessing African American women’s attitudes and emotions about the shortage of “marriageable” African American men.Item Perceptions of the Transition to Adulthood for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Young Black Men(2015) Golojuch, Laura; Roy, Kevin M; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The transition to adulthood has drastically changed in the last half century, with more young people delaying and remaking traditional markers of adulthood. Young Black men from socioeconomically disadvantaged contexts, due to experiences of early trauma and adultification and sociostructural barriers to these markers, such as limited job opportunities and racial discrimination, are uniquely situated and may have very different pathways to adulthood than their middle class peers. The present study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of young Black men (n=21) in the transition to adulthood. Drawing on a life course perspective and utilizing a modified grounded theory methodology, the study examines how early experiences of trauma and adultification, as well as individual’s perceptions of adulthood, shaped the transition to adulthood. Implications for policy and future directions are explored.Item Asian cultural expectations and mental health in Asian American adolescents: Effects of family functioning, child nativity, and subgroup ethnicity(2015) Chung, Hyeeun; Bynum, Mia S; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The number of Asian immigrants is growing over the past 50 years and Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial population in the U.S. However, few studies have examined the effects of cultural conflicts between parents and children on family functioning and adolescent mental health, especially with a national sample. Using Hwang’s (2006) Acculturative Family Distancing (AFD) model and symbolic interaction theory (LaRossa & Reitzes, 1993), the purpose of this study was to examine how parental expectations of Asian cultural values influence parent-adolescent relationships, which in turn can lead to adolescent mental health problems including depression and somatic symptoms. To conduct this study, Waves I and II data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) was used. The sample included 486 Asian American adolescents with Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Filipino backgrounds. Findings from structural equation analyses indicated partial support for AFD and for symbolic interactionism. Results also yielded unexpected gender differences with respect to perceptions of parental academic expectations and adolescents’ perceptions of their relationship with their father and mother. Academic expectations were associated with greater caring from father and closeness with father whereas it had no significant relationship with mother-adolescent relationships. Moreover, only father-adolescent relationships mediated the relationship between expectations of Asian cultural values and adolescent somatic symptoms-only. Depression symptoms did not emerge as a significant outcome in this sample. Given the limited literature examining Asian American adolescents from multiple ethnic backgrounds, this study explored the potential moderating role of subgroup ethnicity in these processes. It was also predicted that the proposed processes would be more pronounced among US-born youth as compared to foreign-born youth. However, this study found no moderating effects of child nativity (foreign-born vs. U.S.-born) and subgroup ethnicity (East Asian vs. Filipino) in the relationship between expectations of Asian cultural values, parent-adolescent relationships, and adolescent mental health. The findings of this present study provide evidence that the AFD model partially works for Asian American adolescents and their families from a non-clinical sample, regardless of child nativity and subgroup ethnicity. In addition, this study demonstrates the importance of parental gender roles in the AFD model. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.Item COMMUNITY VIOLENCE EXPOSURE AND CHILDREN'S EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS: THE ROLE OF FAMILY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES(2015) Munger, Ashley Lauren; Hofferth, Sandra; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The detrimental impacts of community violence exposure (CVE) for children's later behavior are well-established. In particular, children exposed to community violence exhibit more externalizing behavior problems (EBP). Although increased attention has been paid to the indirect impacts of CVE through family processes and parenting practices, relationships remain unclear. How parents manage children's experiences with the external world - family management (FM) - is a promising area of investigation. FM is divided into two types of strategies: promotive - fostering children's skills and opportunities - and preventative - minimizing children's exposure to danger. Promotive strategies include parental involvement with children at home, parental involvement in children's schools, and children's involvement in organized activities, whereas preventative strategies include parental monitoring and harsh discipline. Harsh discipline was conceptualized as strategy that may serve the function of family management but may also negatively impact children. The present study examined whether the relationships between CVE and FM strategies are influenced (moderated) by available resources and whether the CVE-EBP relationship is mediated by specific FM strategies. Proposed relationships were informed by the Family Adaptation and Adjustment Response Model. The study used data from 2,310 mothers unmarried at the birth of the target child in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to test hypotheses drawn from theory and prior literature. CVE positively predicted FM strategies of parental involvement with children at home, parental involvement in children's schools, parental monitoring, and harsh discipline; however, none of the examined resources - income, social capital, or maternal self-efficacy - moderated these relationships. Findings suggest that, regardless of resources, mothers actively manage their children's experiences in the context of community violence. However, only harsh discipline mediated the relationship between CVE and EBP. This finding suggests a potential feedback loop from CVE to harsh parenting to EBP, which may then feed into the environment. As such, this may be a particularly salient area for intervention. CVE is a significant public health problem that has impacts for individuals, families, and communities. Better understanding of the extent and nature of these impacts is important for developing responsive programs and policies to bolster communities and improve the lives of families facing difficult circumstances.Item 'Being on Top of It:' A Qualitative Examination of the Processes and Contexts Shaping Pediatric Caregiving among Low-Income, Young, African-American Fathers.(2015) Waters, Damian M.; Roy, Kevin M; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Several studies have noted the positive relationship between father involvement and children's health outcomes (Stewart & Menning, 2009; Bronke-Tinkew, Horowitz, Scott, 2009; Yogman, Kidlon, & Earls, 1995; Lamb, 1997; Dubowitz, Black, & Cox, 2001; Chenning 2008). Recent years have also seen a growing interest in the impact of adolescent fathers' characteristics and involvement on children's outcomes (Black, Dubowitz, & Starr, 1999; Fletcher & Wolfe, 2011). Few studies of public health or pediatric outcomes, however, have examined how fathers provide and shape healthcare for their children. Through semi-structured interviews (n = 29), this study explored how low-income, minority young men care for their children's health. Participants were recruited from two programs that provide integrative medical care, mental health services, and case management support for adolescent and young adult parents in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and entered into Atlas.ti (Friese, 2014). Informed by grounded theory, data were analyzed over three phases of coding. This study explored how the contexts in which young men fathered facilitated and complicated fathers' involvement in pediatric caregiving. These contexts included young men's relationships with the mothers of their children, family and kin-relationships, socioeconomic circumstances, community contexts, as well as proximity and distance from their children. This study found that young men developed their approaches to pediatric caregiving from their general health knowledge, prior caregiving experiences, personal health histories as well as their intimate familiarity with their children. Taken together, the findings suggested a tripartite framework for describing fathers' involvement in pediatric caregiving. This framework also highlights common processes--constructing self as caregiver and a father, navigating coparent relationships, and engaging in medical visits--that young men used to engage in preventative, acute, and chronic caregiving. These common processes helped men negotiate contexts that often challenged their involvement in pediatric caregiving.