Search results

Title: Quality of Life Among Army Spouses: Parenting and Family Stress during Deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Creator: Everson, Ronald Blaine, Darling, Carol A., Figley, Charles R., Greenwood, Bonnie B., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined quality of life among spouses of U.S. Army personnel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A survey design based on stress and resiliency theory was utilized involving a random sample of spouses residing on a large military installation. Based on length of deployment, the 205 respondents comprised three groups. The study was designed to assess variables associated with parental stress, family stress, family coping, personal coping, well-being, sense of coherence, and quality of...
Show moreThis study examined quality of life among spouses of U.S. Army personnel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A survey design based on stress and resiliency theory was utilized involving a random sample of spouses residing on a large military installation. Based on length of deployment, the 205 respondents comprised three groups. The study was designed to assess variables associated with parental stress, family stress, family coping, personal coping, well-being, sense of coherence, and quality of life. Comparison tests (ANOVA) were utilized to assess differences among the groups of spouses and structural equation modeling was used to determine the direct, indirect, and total effects of the variables in the model on quality of life for the three groups. The spouses of non-deployed personnel had lower levels of stress and better quality of life those spouses of deployed personnel (p
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0433
Format: Thesis

Title: Preschool Parents' and Teachers' Perspective of Learning Through Play.
Creator: Powell, Jessica, Rehm, Marsha, Jones, Ithel, Krantz, Murray, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine preschool parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. Forty four participants were identified; thirty were parents and eleven were teachers. Participants completed a survey created by the researcher. The survey was divided into four different sections: biographical information, short answer regarding the definitions of play vs. learning, general questions about play and learning rated on a Likert scale, and VPK skills divided into...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine preschool parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. Forty four participants were identified; thirty were parents and eleven were teachers. Participants completed a survey created by the researcher. The survey was divided into four different sections: biographical information, short answer regarding the definitions of play vs. learning, general questions about play and learning rated on a Likert scale, and VPK skills divided into three categories of circle time, structured activities, and free play as to the best way to teach such skills along with what activities can be used for academic purposes. Parents' and teachers' agreed that preschool children can learn through play. However, there were no significant differences between parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. This could be due in part to the sample sizes being similar in nature. Twenty percent of the parent population held the occupation of teacher. Implications of these findings are discussed for future research and practice.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0443
Format: Thesis

Title: Trajectories of Marital Quality and Behavior Across the Transition to Parenthood.
Creator: Durtschi, Jared A., Pasley, B. Kay, Cui, Ming, Joiner, Thomas, McWey, Lenore, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A common decline in marital functioning has been observed in couples as they adjust to first-time parenthood. This prospective, longitudinal study examined the trajectories of change in marital quality and observed warm and hostile behaviors across the transition to parenthood. Changes in patterns of marital quality were assessed to determine if they were a function of observed marital behaviors prior to childbirth or changes in observed marital behaviors across this transition. For both...
Show moreA common decline in marital functioning has been observed in couples as they adjust to first-time parenthood. This prospective, longitudinal study examined the trajectories of change in marital quality and observed warm and hostile behaviors across the transition to parenthood. Changes in patterns of marital quality were assessed to determine if they were a function of observed marital behaviors prior to childbirth or changes in observed marital behaviors across this transition. For both parent husbands and wives (N = 260 couples, 520 individuals) and nonparent husbands and wives (N = 107 couples, 214 individuals) participating in the Family Transitions Project (FTP; Conger & Conger, 2002), latent growth curve analyses were conducted on marital quality data and observed behavior data collected at two year intervals before childbirth, shortly after birth, and two years later to examine the rates of change. A general pattern of deterioration was observed for new parents in marital quality and observed warm and hostile behaviors. Observed warm and hostile behaviors prior to parenthood were significant in predicting both spouses' marital trajectories across this transition. Results from interlocked growth curves indicated that changes in observed warm and hostile behaviors did not significantly predict changes in marital quality. Finally, rates of change across four years did not significantly differ between parents and nonparents for marital quality or behavior. Clinical implications for marriage and family therapists are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0623
Format: Thesis

Title: Inter-Parental Conflict, Religiosity, and Attitudes Towards Partner Aggression Among College Students.
Creator: Ejimofor, Anurika Doris, Readdick, Christine A., Fincham, Frank D., Rehm, Marsha L., Jones, Ithel, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Pursuant to several studies which have consistently illustrated the buffering effects of religiosity for vulnerable youths, this research sought to investigate whether similar effects would be discovered in the relationship between youths' perceived inter-parental conflict and their subsequent attitudes towards partner aggression. A sample of 461 college students in dating relationships was utilized. Results from the hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that one dimension of religiosity...
Show morePursuant to several studies which have consistently illustrated the buffering effects of religiosity for vulnerable youths, this research sought to investigate whether similar effects would be discovered in the relationship between youths' perceived inter-parental conflict and their subsequent attitudes towards partner aggression. A sample of 461 college students in dating relationships was utilized. Results from the hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that one dimension of religiosity, sanctification or the extent to which students imbued their dating relationship with divine qualities, had a direct and consistent effect on youth's attitudes towards partner aggression. Specifically, the more youths sanctified their dating relationship, the less likely they were to harbor maladaptive attitudes towards partner aggression.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0583
Format: Thesis

Title: Committed Romantic Relationships of College Students: An Examination of the Link Between Perceptions of Past Interparental Interactions and Current Conflict Management.
Creator: Delevi, Rakel, Cornille, Thomas, Cui, Ming, Randolph, Karen, McWey, Lenore, Pasley, B. Kay, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The main purpose of the present study was to examine the role of interparental positivity as an independent aspect of relationships and as a conflict management tactic in explaining the association between interparental conflict and negative conflict management of young adults. Based on social cognitive theory, it was hypothesized that exposure to interparental positivity would impact conflict management of young adults beyond the impact of exposure to interparental conflict. The findings...
Show moreThe main purpose of the present study was to examine the role of interparental positivity as an independent aspect of relationships and as a conflict management tactic in explaining the association between interparental conflict and negative conflict management of young adults. Based on social cognitive theory, it was hypothesized that exposure to interparental positivity would impact conflict management of young adults beyond the impact of exposure to interparental conflict. The findings partially supported social cognitive theory and suggested that there was a significant association between interparental conflict and conflict management of young adults. However, interparental positivity did not make an additional contribution to conflict management of young adults beyond that of interparental conflict. In addition, interparental positivity did not have a moderating affect on the intergenerational transmission of conflict behaviors. Lastly, although interparental conflict and parent-child relations were closely related, parent-child relations did not mediate the link between interparental relations and conflict management of young adults. Important contributions of the current study include a better theoretical understanding of positivity in relationships and evidence for the intergenerational transmission of positive and negative conflict management tactics. Implications for researchers, clinicians, and educators are presented.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0778
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effects of Caregiver Stress Upon Ethics at-Risk Behavior Among Florida Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.
Creator: Gentry, Jack Eric, Figley, Charles R., Sandon, Leo, Mullis, Ronald L., Readdick, Christine A., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A critical review exploring "at-risk" ethical practice of marriage and family therapy determined that there existed no empirical literature focusing upon the antecedent, correlative, or causal factors of unethical behaviors among LMFTs. Responding to this gap, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that a significant relationship would be found between caregiver stress and at-risk ethical practice among a sample of LMFTs of Florida. Two research questions were developed to help guide...
Show moreA critical review exploring "at-risk" ethical practice of marriage and family therapy determined that there existed no empirical literature focusing upon the antecedent, correlative, or causal factors of unethical behaviors among LMFTs. Responding to this gap, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that a significant relationship would be found between caregiver stress and at-risk ethical practice among a sample of LMFTs of Florida. Two research questions were developed to help guide an exploratory component of this study with the hope of identifying factors contributing to the understanding of at-risk practice. Surveys containing a demographic collection tool, an instrument to measure the dependent variable (at risk ethical practice), and three instruments to measure five independent variables (caregiver stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, and satisfaction with life) were sent to a randomly selected sample of one-half (n=549) of the LMFTs in the state of Florida. After a 90-day data collection window, 82 useable surveys were returned (15%). The data were found to be significantly non-normal. Upon analyses, no significant relationship between caregiver stress and at risk practice emerged; therefore the null hypothesis was not rejected. In the exploratory portion of the study, only compassion fatigue emerged with a significant predictive relationship (R2=.140; p=.002) for at-risk practice among all the independent variables and demographic data. Nearly all respondents (86.4%) identified at least one area for which they were at-risk for practicing outside the boundaries of the AAMFT Code of Ethics. The sample for this study was remarkably healthy with positively non-normal scores for caregiver stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, and satisfaction with life. The validity of this study was challenged by a very low response rate, a non-normal and very healthy sample, and unacceptably poor psychometric performance of the Ethics At-Risk Test for Marriage and Family Therapists (Brock, 1997)—the instrument utilized to measure the dependent variable. Recommendations for future research resulting from the findings of this study primarily advocate studies designed to resolve the psychometric problems of measuring at-risk ethical practice. Following the resolution of the scaling problems, a program of research that recruits larger and more representative samples of cross-discipline professionals and compares this sample with professionals who have been adjudicated for ethical violations is suggested to begin to determine the antecedent, correlative, and causal factors related to professional caregivers' practice outside the boundaries of ethical and legal constraints.
Show less
Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0335
Format: Thesis

Title: Dating Relationship Commitment in Black Men.
Creator: Allen, Kimberly, Pasley, Kay, Fincham, Frank, Teasley, Martell, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Using the investment model, the purpose of this study was to predict two dimensions of commitment in Black men by comparing differences between Black and White men and explore within group variation among Black men. The investment model posits that relationship satisfaction, investments, and perception of alternatives predict commitment. Using data from Project Relate, a 5-year federally funded program to develop a national model of relationship education for college students, I sampled 184...
Show moreUsing the investment model, the purpose of this study was to predict two dimensions of commitment in Black men by comparing differences between Black and White men and explore within group variation among Black men. The investment model posits that relationship satisfaction, investments, and perception of alternatives predict commitment. Using data from Project Relate, a 5-year federally funded program to develop a national model of relationship education for college students, I sampled 184 men (92 White men and 92 Black men) in exclusive and non-exclusive dating relationships and found that relationship satisfaction was the only variable that differed by race. Relationship satisfaction and investments (satisfaction with sacrifice) were the only variables that predicted personal commitment (dedication). Structural commitment (relationship duration, distance, and cohabitation) was not predicted by any of the investment model variables. Implications, limitations, and future direction are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0172
Format: Thesis

Title: Relations Between Parenting Styles and the Social Status of School-Age Children with Their Peers.
Creator: George, Michelle Elizabeth, Mullis, Ronald, Readdick, Christine, Mazza, Nicholas, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This research examined relations between parenting styles and children's social status. Seventy-eight families and their children from Boston, Massachusetts and Tallahassee, Florida constituted the sample for this study. To determine parenting style, parents completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, whereas children completed a peer-rating measure. This research also examined sex of parent, sex of child, socioeconomic status, and race as mediating variables. It was found...
Show moreThis research examined relations between parenting styles and children's social status. Seventy-eight families and their children from Boston, Massachusetts and Tallahassee, Florida constituted the sample for this study. To determine parenting style, parents completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, whereas children completed a peer-rating measure. This research also examined sex of parent, sex of child, socioeconomic status, and race as mediating variables. It was found that parenting styles did not relate to children's social status. The only variable that mediated this relationship was racial identity. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to future research.
Show less
Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0130
Format: Thesis

Title: Prompting Parent Involvement in Preschool Children's Early Literacy Development.
Creator: Delacova, Amy, Mullis, Ron, Readdick, Coco, Wagner, Richard, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined those early literacy skills and their relation to parent involvement. Two groups were chosen for the study, an intervention group and a comparison group. The intervention group, composed of three child care centers, received an eight-week intervention. The comparison group, composed of two child care centers, did not receive an intervention. Four measures were given to 67 children (33 males, 34 females) prior to the early literacy intervention and following the conclusion...
Show moreThis study examined those early literacy skills and their relation to parent involvement. Two groups were chosen for the study, an intervention group and a comparison group. The intervention group, composed of three child care centers, received an eight-week intervention. The comparison group, composed of two child care centers, did not receive an intervention. Four measures were given to 67 children (33 males, 34 females) prior to the early literacy intervention and following the conclusion of the intervention. Measures include the Boehm Test of Basic concepts, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised, the Print Awareness subtest, and the Receptive Vocabulary subtest from the Preschool Comprehensive Test of Print and Phonological Processing. Results showed that parents can be effective increasing young children's print awareness. In addition, teachers can provide parents with early literacy information they can use with their child. The intervention was not effective in increasing all vocabulary measures or basic concepts in young children. However, the results found a significant difference in one vocabulary measure that is directed at vocabulary achieved through reading instruction. Methodological reasons were identified for differential results.
Show less
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0782
Format: Thesis

Title: Coping Strategies and Spousal Support and the Career Success of Women Faculty Members.
Creator: Woodard, Joi E., Mullis, Ann K., Schwartz, Robert A., Greenwood, Bonnie B., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine how perceived coping strategies and spousal support in family responsibilities relate to the career success of women faculty members at institutions of higher education. Women, more so than men, take responsibility for the family. With the growing difficulty in obtaining tenure-track positions and earning promotion, childbearing and child rearing can become a burden for female trying to earn tenure and promotion. The sample consisted of 46 women...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine how perceived coping strategies and spousal support in family responsibilities relate to the career success of women faculty members at institutions of higher education. Women, more so than men, take responsibility for the family. With the growing difficulty in obtaining tenure-track positions and earning promotion, childbearing and child rearing can become a burden for female trying to earn tenure and promotion. The sample consisted of 46 women faculty members who were married and had at least one child under the age of 12. Based on the results, women faculty members who use the coping strategy of maintaining perspective also use the coping strategy of maintaining family system more often than those who use other coping strategies. In addition, women faculty members who have more support for work also have greater perceived career success compared to those who have less support for work. Lastly, women faculty members who have school-age children have more perceived spousal support compared to women who do not have school-age children.
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0790
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Hip Hop Music and Videos and Identity Achievement Status within Adolescent Youth.
Creator: Wood, Claudius D., Mullis, Ann K., Rehm, Marsha, Karioth, Sally, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to explore the possible relationship between Hip hop music and identity formation of adolescent youth. Young people tend to imitate and/or reproduce what they learn and experience through the world as a part of their learning process (Kane, 2000). The sample of eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders were from English classes from the Leon County School System. An adapted version of the Music Video Influence Measure Surveys and the Ego Identity Incomplete...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the possible relationship between Hip hop music and identity formation of adolescent youth. Young people tend to imitate and/or reproduce what they learn and experience through the world as a part of their learning process (Kane, 2000). The sample of eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders were from English classes from the Leon County School System. An adapted version of the Music Video Influence Measure Surveys and the Ego Identity Incomplete Sentences Blank was administered to all students. Based on the survey answers given, it was concluded that 30.3% of the sample (N=66) preferred Hip hop, the highest percentage by any one music genre chosen. Based on gender, there was no significant difference in the mean values of the scores from the Identity Achievement. Students who identified themselves as African American scored slightly higher on Identity Achievement scores than did students who identified themselves White. Twenty percent of White students and 75 percent of African American students chose Hip Hop as their music genre of choice. Based on the results of this study, teachers and other professionals who work with adolescents on a regular basis need to examine those mediums, including music such as Hip hop, that are not always popular with society because of how something like Hip hop might significantly contribute to an adolescent's development of identity. "Rather than simply discounting rap as a corrupted form of cheap culture, it should be recognized that, for better or worse, rap is an educational medium capable of affecting the values and attitudes of many of our young people" (Powell, 1991, p. 257). With the information from this study, it is hoped that those who work with adolescents will begin to use Hip hop as tool by which to relate to these young people and to include it in different forms of intervention applied to this population.
Show less
Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0808
Format: Thesis

Title: Co-Parenting in the Context of Divorce: Evaluation and Application of the Multidimensional Co-Parenting Scales for Dissolved Relationships.
Creator: Ferraro, Anthony J. (Anthony James), Lucier-Greer, Mallory, Tillman, Kathryn H., Cui, Ming, Holtrop, Kendal, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of...
Show moreFerraro, Anthony J. (Anthony James), Lucier-Greer, Mallory, Tillman, Kathryn H., Cui, Ming, Holtrop, Kendal, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: The experience of divorce can be a complex and challenging experience, particularly for families with minor children. Divorce intrinsically facilitates several related transitions that can include changes in financial circumstances, residence or geographic location, and various interpersonal relationships. Among the most drastic changes in relationships during this time can be the relationship between former spouses. Divorce may terminate the romantic relationship among partners, but for...
Show moreThe experience of divorce can be a complex and challenging experience, particularly for families with minor children. Divorce intrinsically facilitates several related transitions that can include changes in financial circumstances, residence or geographic location, and various interpersonal relationships. Among the most drastic changes in relationships during this time can be the relationship between former spouses. Divorce may terminate the romantic relationship among partners, but for those with shared children, the joint responsibility in childrearing remains. How parents relate to each other in the capacity of childrearing is what is referred to as the co-parenting relationship. Within the divorce literature, limited research exists which considers comprehensive parent-reports of a range of co-parenting behaviors that are typical within the literature on co-parenting among continuously married intact families. This dissertation built upon this gap in the literature to advance understanding of a new measure of co-parenting behaviors among parents who have experienced a relationship dissolution. This measure, the Multidimensional Co-parenting Scales for Dissolved Relationships (MCS-DR), consists of four scales: (1) support, (2) overt conflict, (3) internally-regulated covert conflict, and (4) externally-regulated covert conflict. Support and overt conflict are commonly assessed dimensions within the divorce literature. However, internally-regulated covert conflict and externally-regulated covert conflict represent an understudied set of behaviors that distinguish between actions that an individual parent controls themselves and behaviors that fall outside of their control. Using this measure as a vehicle, the two studies herein sought to better understand (1) the utility of measuring covert co-parenting conflict in the divorce literature, (2) how physical custody status, a critical component of the post-divorce experience, can influence or shape the experience of co-parenting, and (3) what leverage points exist that can help to alleviate the impact of post-divorce stress on individual wellbeing. Study 1 involved the assessment of the MCS-DR for measurement equivalence across three distinctive physical custody statuses. Results indicated that nonresident parents and parents who shared joint custody demonstrated similar measurement related to factor loadings and intercept-levels across all four scales of the MCS-DR. Post-hoc tests were conducted to examine measurement equivalence between resident parents and a combined group of nonresident parents and joint custody parents. Findings suggested that although factor loadings were similar across all constructs, only internally-regulated covert conflict demonstrated similar intercept-levels across each custody group. Study 2 involved the assessment of competing models, comparing the well-established Quality of Coparental Communication Scale (QCCS) and the MCS-DR in predicting a latent variable of adverse mental health symptomology. Using a stress process approach, each model considered dimensions of co-parenting as sources of chronic stress manifesting in the form of adverse mental health symptomology, with self-efficacy acting as a mediator. Results indicated that the MCS-DR predicted a significantly greater proportion of the variance in self-efficacy, and three indicators of adverse mental health symptomology compared to the QCCS. Indirect effects were found in both models from a single dimension of co-parenting to adverse mental health symptomology through self-efficacy. Taken together the results of these studies provide further support for the utility of the MCS-DR, the value of assessing covert co-parenting conflict following divorce, and contextual considerations in studying divorcing families. Suggestions for future research, divorce education programming, and intervention are presented.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_SUMMER2017_Ferraro_fsu_0071E_13969
Format: Thesis

Title: Constraints to Family Leisure and Perceptions of Family Functioning of U.S. Army Personnel Who Have Experienced Deployment.
Creator: Duncan, James Michael, Lucier-Greer, Mallory, Joiner, Thomas, Holtrop, Kendal, McWey, Lenore M., Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and...
Show moreDuncan, James Michael, Lucier-Greer, Mallory, Joiner, Thomas, Holtrop, Kendal, McWey, Lenore M., Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Family leisure is conceptualized as engagement and satisfaction with experiences that involve joint participation in activities with other family members during one’s free time. Although family leisure has been linked to family functioning, the process by which family leisure contributes to family functioning, particularly in the context of leisure constraints, has yet to be explicated. Guided by theory, this study examined the relationships between leisure constraints and family functioning...
Show moreFamily leisure is conceptualized as engagement and satisfaction with experiences that involve joint participation in activities with other family members during one’s free time. Although family leisure has been linked to family functioning, the process by which family leisure contributes to family functioning, particularly in the context of leisure constraints, has yet to be explicated. Guided by theory, this study examined the relationships between leisure constraints and family functioning of United States Army personnel who have recently experienced deployments and evaluated the role of family leisure between these relationships. Two theoretically competing models were empirically tested to determine whether family leisure mediated or moderated the relationships between leisure constraints and family functioning. Leisure constraints were conceptualized as factors that inhibit a person’s ability to engage in leisure or derive satisfaction from leisure; these leisure constraints fall under one of three domains: structural constraints, interpersonal constraints, and intrapersonal constraints. For this study, relevant leisure constraints for United States Army personnel were identified. Structural constraints were defined as tangible, contextual factors that influence a person’s ability to function effectively in a leisure setting; perceptions of financial management were identified as a salient structural constraint for this population. Interpersonal constraints were defined as relationship factors that inhibit a person’s ability to function in a leisure setting; relationship warmth was identified as a salient interpersonal constraint for this population. Intrapersonal constraints were defined as perceptions of personal or internal processes that inhibit a person’s ability to function in a leisure setting; coping with the military lifestyle was identified as a salient intrapersonal constraint for this population. Family functioning was measured as a latent concept that included dimensions of family flexibility and family communication, both of which have been identified by the military as vital components to creating military family readiness. The construct of family leisure encompassed aspects of leisure engagement and leisure satisfaction. The first model was theoretically derived from leisure constraint theory and examined whether family leisure served as a mediating influence between leisure constraints and family functioning. The second model, theoretically derived from effort recovery theory, evaluated family leisure as a moderating influence between the variables of interest, leisure constraints and family functioning. The study sample consisted of 222 active duty United States Army personnel stationed in the continental United States, who were in a committed romantic relationship for at least two years, and had at least one adolescent child between the ages of 11 and 18. Studying military members who have significant others and adolescent children is important as the military operating environment is one characterized by high rates of transition and instability that can have a significant influence on informal networks, namely familial relationships. Family relationships are highly correlated with military family readiness, the ability of the family to effectively respond to military needs. Results indicated that family leisure fit best as a mediator and did not fit as well as a moderator for this sample of military members. More specifically, family leisure partially mediated the relationships between the leisure constraint variables of interest and family functioning. The leisure constraints of financial management and relationship warmth were significantly associated with family functioning. However, the direct relationship between military coping and family functioning was non-significant. For the indirect relationships, all leisure constraints were significantly associated with family leisure, and, in turn, family leisure was significantly associated with family functioning. This model fit similarly when accounting for the depressive symptomology of the active duty service member. In the competing model, no moderating effects were found for the study variables of interest. Results from this study can be used by service providers and policy makers who can advocate for family leisure as a leverage point for promoting healthy military families post-deployment. Practical applications include disseminating information to military families about leisure resources to provide families with new avenues to promote positive family functioning.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_SUMMER2017_Duncan_fsu_0071E_13954
Format: Thesis

Title: The Role of Basic Psychological Needs in Determining Well-Being: A Study of Diverse Samples of Emerging Adults.
Creator: Reed, Kayla M., Lucier-Greer, Mallory, Reynolds, John R., Cui, Ming, McWey, Lenore M., Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Abstract/Description: Suggestions from the self-determination theory and extant literature suggest the fulfillment of basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) is necessary for well-being and to prevent ill-being. Autonomy is the perception that an individual is the source of their own behavior and can act in ways congruent with his or her sense of self. Competence is the sense of confidence one has in his or her abilities to be effective in their interactions within the environment....
Show moreSuggestions from the self-determination theory and extant literature suggest the fulfillment of basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) is necessary for well-being and to prevent ill-being. Autonomy is the perception that an individual is the source of their own behavior and can act in ways congruent with his or her sense of self. Competence is the sense of confidence one has in his or her abilities to be effective in their interactions within the environment. Relatedness is the sense of connection to important others, that one cares for and is cared for by others. Emerging adulthood is a unique developmental stage marked by instability, in which many common psychological disorders (i.e., ill-being) reach their peak. This dissertation explored the interconnections between basic psychological needs and well- and ill-being during emerging adulthood, using two distinct samples. The first study used a latent profile approach to identify subgroups of emerging adults based on their levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration; the subgroups, known as profiles, were then compared with regard to their reports of well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and vocational identity) and ill-being (i.e., anxiety and depression). Using latent profile analysis, a two-profile solution was found using an exploratory sample of college students (N = 177). The first profile had significantly lower levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and higher levels of basic psychological need frustration than the second profile, both seem to generally reflect the theoretical notion that needs exist on a continuum from satisfied to frustrated. The two-profile structure was verified using a confirmatory sample of college students (N = 375). Significant group differences were then found using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), in that members of the profile with lower levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and higher basic psychological need frustration had significantly lower levels of life satisfaction and vocational identity and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Implications for theorists, clinicians, and college administrators and educators are discussed. The second study examined the role of an autonomy-thwartive environment, specifically hostile deployment experiences, and its' influence on soldiers' competence, conceptualized as performance, and mental health, as well as how these relationships differ based on relational environments. A sample of combat-exposed soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25 from the restricted military personnel Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience among Servicemembers (STARRS) dataset (N = 5,284) was used. Findings suggested that higher levels of hostile deployment experiences were found to be related to a greater likelihood of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Higher levels of hostile deployment experiences were also linked to poorer military performance. Poorer military performance was, in turn, related to a greater likelihood of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Using moderated mediation structural equation modeling, buffering effects of the detrimental impact of hostile deployment experiences were found for both unit cohesion and interpersonal relational experiences. Implications for those working with military service personnel, specifically marriage and family therapists, are focused on ways to bolster unit cohesion and healthy interpersonal relationships as a protective factor for young service members.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_2017SP_Reed_fsu_0071E_13715
Format: Thesis

Title: Predictors of Ethnic-Racial Socialization Profiles in Early Childhood Among African American Parents.
Creator: Reynolds, Jamila Evans, Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A., Stewart, Eric Allen, McWey, Lenore M., Cui, Ming, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family...
Show moreReynolds, Jamila Evans, Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A., Stewart, Eric Allen, McWey, Lenore M., Cui, Ming, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a culturally relevant parenting practice commonly used within African American families to teach children about their cultural heritage and prepare them for discrimination experiences. There is an abundance of literature exploring ERS within the adolescent and young adult developmental stages, however few studies have investigated ERS during early childhood. A further understudied area is the relation between ERS and other socialization strategies that...
Show moreEthnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a culturally relevant parenting practice commonly used within African American families to teach children about their cultural heritage and prepare them for discrimination experiences. There is an abundance of literature exploring ERS within the adolescent and young adult developmental stages, however few studies have investigated ERS during early childhood. A further understudied area is the relation between ERS and other socialization strategies that African American parents use to raise well-adjusted children. As such, guided by Garcia Coll's eco-cultural framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate ERS and other socialization strategies, identified in the five domains of socialization, used among rural, low-income African American parents of three-year-olds. First, frequencies of ERS were conducted to determine the amount of ERS that these African American parents use with their young children. Results indicated that nearly half of the mothers (47.7%) reported using some ERS. Next, latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of ERS, as well as profiles of all five domains of socialization. Results indicated two profiles for ERS (Unengaged and Early Engagers) and two profiles for the five domains of socialization (Non-Race Specific Socialization and Multifaceted Socialization). Mothers in the Unengaged profile were characterized by low scores on all three ERS dimensions (cultural socialization, preparation for bias and promotion of mistrust), while mothers in the Early Engagers profile were characterized by more ERS than those in the Unengaged, specifically focusing on cultural socialization and preparation for bias. Compared to those in the Early Engagers profile, mothers in the Unengaged profile were more likely to report not having enough money, greater gender role stereotyping, and more social support. For the socialization profiles, mothers in the Non-Race Specific Socialization profile were characterized by socialization variables similar to the sample mean, while the mothers in the Multifaceted Socialization profile were characterized by utilizing more ERS, engaging in more family activities and discipline strategies, and displaying less sensitivity than the mothers in the Non-Race Specific Socialization profile. Compared to those in the Multifaceted Socialization profile, mothers in the Non-Race Specific Socialization profile indicated not having enough money, greater gender role stereotyping, and fewer discrimination experiences. Findings for this study suggest that African American mothers are using ERS with their young children, and they incorporate ERS along with other important socialization strategies. Implications for researchers and clinicians were addressed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_2017SP_Reynolds_fsu_0071E_13721
Format: Thesis

Title: Family Decisions, Stressors, and Health Challenges among Latino Emancipated Migrant Farmworker Youth: A Mixed-Methods Approach.
Creator: Carlos Chavez, Fiorella Luisa, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Wagner, Richard K., Cui, Ming, Grzywacz, Joseph G., Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department...
Show moreCarlos Chavez, Fiorella Luisa, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Wagner, Richard K., Cui, Ming, Grzywacz, Joseph G., Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Latinos account for 80% of all farmworkers in the United States (U.S.) (Hernandez, Gabbard, & Carroll, 2016). Based on the latest National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), there are young farmworkers ages 14 to 21 years old who account for 10% of the farmworker population. Youth who come to work in the U.S. by themselves – without their parents – are also known as emancipated migrant youth (EMY; Peoples et al., 2010). These EMY are part of a larger vulnerable community of migrant and...
Show moreLatinos account for 80% of all farmworkers in the United States (U.S.) (Hernandez, Gabbard, & Carroll, 2016). Based on the latest National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), there are young farmworkers ages 14 to 21 years old who account for 10% of the farmworker population. Youth who come to work in the U.S. by themselves – without their parents – are also known as emancipated migrant youth (EMY; Peoples et al., 2010). These EMY are part of a larger vulnerable community of migrant and seasonal immigrant farmworkers (Arcury & Quandt, 2009). EMY are in their great majority males (89%), lack of work authorization (70%) (NAWS, 2016) and are at great risk for negative health outcomes from agricultural work (Cooper et al., 2005). To better understand the individual and the family expectations contributing to Latino youth entrance into the agricultural workforce, and the physical and psychological consequences of that decision, the following two papers addressed the gap in the literature of emancipated migrant youth in the U.S. Paper 1 consisted of two studies; Study 1explores the contributing factors (e.g., cultural values, familial values, and needs) that were included to the decision for youth to come to the United States to perform farm work. Study 2 identifies emancipated migrant youths’ personal choice –that is the level of contribution to the decision to come to the U.S. and work as a farmworker, familism, EMY’s role as provider through financial remittances, and family dependency. Paper 1 followed an exploratory design (Plano Clark et al., 2008; QUAL→quan) whereby the first component of the study (i.e., Study 1) consisted of n = 20 in-depth interviews with emancipated migrant youth that can help understand the decision making process for these youth’s migration to the United States and entrance into the agricultural labor force. These interviews later informed the creation of the culturally appropriate quantitative questionnaire (i.e., Study 2) based on Study 1 findings. Specifically, Study 2 (n = 36) identified the associations between whether EMY contributed to the decision to migrate to the U.S. and live as a farmworkers, familism, frequency of financial remittances, and family financial dependency. Similarly, Paper 2 consisted of two studies; Study 1 explored the work-related experiences of doing farmwork and living in the U.S. by emancipated migrant youth. Study 2 identified the day-to day challenges and stressors of the farmworker lifestyle that impact emancipated migrant youth’s overall health and well-being. Paper 2 also followed an exploratory design (Plano Clark et al., 2008; QUAL→quan) whereby the first component (i.e., Study 1) consisted of in-depth interviews with emancipated migrant youth. Such interviews helped understand the work-related experiences work in the United States, and living in the U.S. without their families among emancipated migrant youth. These interviews further guided the construction of the second, quantitative component (i.e., Study 2) to identify the effects of daily challenges and stressors on emancipated migrant youth psychological and physical health. Results from Paper 1 provided an insight and better understanding of the health “realities of the field” emancipated migrant youth experience as well as the underlying forces (i.e., personal, family values, financial need) that may have impacted EMY’s decision to leave their home countries and work in agriculture abroad. Specifically, thematic analysis highlighted four major themes for Study 1. Group differences emerged by EMY’s country of origin (i.e., Guatemala, Mexico) as well as age (i.e., 15 to 17 years old and 18 to 20 years old). A total of four major themes were identified: (1) “It was the best thing I could do,” (2) “It was my decision,” (3) “Farmwork just made sense,” (4) “This is just temporary.” In addition, Study 2 results showed no associations between the decision to migrate to the U.S. and work in farmwork with EMY’s familism, frequency of financial remittances and family financial decency. Results from Paper 2 provided an insight and better understanding of the work-related experiences of working in farmwork and living in the U.S. Specifically, thematic analysis highlighted five major themes for Study 1. (1) “You have to keep pushing forward,” (2) “It feels ugly but it’s all worth it,” (3) “The sun is unbearable, but we have to keep working,” (4) “I just take some medicine and it goes away,” (5) “I have to do everything on my own.” In addition, Study 2 results showed significant associations between the EMY’s MFWSI, loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms. There were no significant mean differences based on EMY’s age group (i.e., 15 to 17 years old, 18 to 20 years old).
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_CarlosChavez_fsu_0071E_14622
Format: Thesis

Title: Fear, Loss, and Adaptations of Latino Families: Learning from Families Who Have a Parent at Risk for Deportation.
Creator: Rayburn, Allison Dorothy, McWey, Lenore M, Gussak, David, Cui, Ming, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and...
Show moreRayburn, Allison Dorothy, McWey, Lenore M, Gussak, David, Cui, Ming, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Poor mental health outcomes are associated with families who have a parent without legal U.S. residential documentation who are at-risk for detainment or deportation (Dreby, 2012; Gulbas, Zayas, Yoon, Szlyk, Aguilar-Gaxiola, & Natera, 2016; Zayas, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Yoon, & Natera Rey, 2015). With an estimated 5.7 million U.S. born youth living with parents who do not have legal residential documentation, there is a need for furthering the understanding of the needs and resiliency of this...
Show morePoor mental health outcomes are associated with families who have a parent without legal U.S. residential documentation who are at-risk for detainment or deportation (Dreby, 2012; Gulbas, Zayas, Yoon, Szlyk, Aguilar-Gaxiola, & Natera, 2016; Zayas, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Yoon, & Natera Rey, 2015). With an estimated 5.7 million U.S. born youth living with parents who do not have legal residential documentation, there is a need for furthering the understanding of the needs and resiliency of this largely underserved population (Warren & Kerin, 2017). In addition to receiving less mental health and social services than families with parents with legal U.S. documentation, families who have a parent does not have legal residential documentation fate is often determined by legal and social service systems, including immigration, incarceration, and child welfare. Therefore, there is a need to explore further and examine the experiences and needs of this population to find ways in which to address negative outcomes and build upon their existing resilience. The purpose of this study was to give voice to Latino youth and their parents to further the understanding of the relationship between the experiences, needs, and resiliency factors associated with coping with having a parent at risk for detainment or deportation. This research examined the reported experiences of youth and parents to gain an in-depth understanding of their experiences with this potentially traumatic event and resiliency factors. Both developmental trauma theory (van der Kolk, 2005) and ambiguous loss theory (Boss, 1999) provided the theoretical frameworks for this study. Using a qualitative design, a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2006: 2013) was used to further the theoretical understanding of the interactions and experiences of Latino families who are at risk or who have experienced parental deportation. Participants include 16 families who had a least one parent who was at risk for detainment or deported. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in either Spanish or English with parents and youth separate to gather depth and descriptive richness of the participants’ story from their perspective and with their choice of language. Also, demographic information and a quantitative trauma measure were used to triangulate the qualitative findings Results revealed themes of emotional distress and injustices from both parents and youth of this population. Additionally, parents and youth identified both cultural factors and parent-youth communication about the potential trauma contributed to parent and youth resiliency. Implications for professionals in the helping field and future directions for research are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Rayburn_fsu_0071E_14618
Format: Thesis

Title: Culturally Competent Parenting: A Test of Web-Based Training for Transracial Foster and Adoptive Parents.
Creator: Montgomery, Jordan Erica, McWey, Lenore M, Canto, Angela I., Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Cui, Ming, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family...
Show moreMontgomery, Jordan Erica, McWey, Lenore M, Canto, Angela I., Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Cui, Ming, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: The study focused on testing a web-based parenting course called FosterParentCollege.com (FPC) Culturally Competent Parenting for parents who were fostering or adopting children transracially. Transracial parenting means parents who have adopted or are fostering a child of a different race than themselves. It is important for parents who are foster or adopting transracially to learn about resources when it comes to culturally competent parenting due to the positive impact culturally competent...
Show moreThe study focused on testing a web-based parenting course called FosterParentCollege.com (FPC) Culturally Competent Parenting for parents who were fostering or adopting children transracially. Transracial parenting means parents who have adopted or are fostering a child of a different race than themselves. It is important for parents who are foster or adopting transracially to learn about resources when it comes to culturally competent parenting due to the positive impact culturally competent parenting has on children. Research study findings have indicated that transracial children who receive racial-ethnic socialization (a type of culturally competent parenting) demonstrate positive outcomes such as better self-esteem and psychological adjustment. This study utilized a mixed methods pre-test post-test treatment and control group design. The purpose was to determine if there was a difference in parent scores on openness to cultural receptivity after completing the course in comparison to parents taking the control course. Additionally, parents who participated in the treatment course completed two-month follow-up interviews to assess if they self-reported applying techniques learned from the culturally competent parenting course. Results of the study indicated that parents enrolled in the treatment course had significantly higher scores for openness to cultural receptivity after completing the course than before. Themes identified in the qualitative interviews indicated parents’ efforts to learn more about cultural competency. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Montgomery_fsu_0071E_14361
Format: Thesis

Title: Family of Origin Dynamics and Youth Sexual Development: A Qualitative Study of Parenting Practices, Gender, and Race.
Creator: Murray, Kimberly Suzanne Ferguson, McWey, Lenore M, Ueno, Koji, Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department...
Show moreMurray, Kimberly Suzanne Ferguson, McWey, Lenore M, Ueno, Koji, Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Gonzales Backen, Melinda Airr, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Parents can be an important influencing factor in the sexual development of youth; however, little is known about what occurs, including specific behaviors and emotions, in the parent-youth relationship that is deemed by the youth as either effective or ineffective in supporting their healthy sexual development and values. Further, little is known about the impact of race and gender on parent-youth sexual communication. The present study offers insight into patterns in parent-youth sexual...
Show moreParents can be an important influencing factor in the sexual development of youth; however, little is known about what occurs, including specific behaviors and emotions, in the parent-youth relationship that is deemed by the youth as either effective or ineffective in supporting their healthy sexual development and values. Further, little is known about the impact of race and gender on parent-youth sexual communication. The present study offers insight into patterns in parent-youth sexual communication and how this can differ by race and gender. The primary aim of this study was to explore how youth perceived that their relationships with their parents in adolescence influenced their past and current values of sex and sexuality. Furthermore, an aim was to illuminate patterns by race and gender. To accomplish these aims, a narrative approach was utilized in facilitating youths’ retrospective accounts of their sexual development and relationships with their parents throughout their sexual development. Youth also discussed how their sexual development, sexual values, and parent-youth sexual communication may have been influenced by their race and gender. The guiding theoretical frameworks for the present study included Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model and Bandura’s social learning theory. Taken together, these theories support the significant impact of the parent-youth relationship on youth development, while also considering outside influencing factors and personal demographic factors. Data were collected through in-depth, qualitative interviews with 25 youth focusing on their sexual development, sexual values, and parent-youth relationships. Using a phenomenological analytical approach, five core themes were identified: 1) Parent-youth sexual communication, 2) Alternative sources of sex education, 3) Perceived cultural impact, 4) Impact of parent-youth sexuality communication on present sexual values, and 5) Future sexual values and communication. Results describe how parents, as well as other sources, influence youth sexual development and values, as well as identify patterns by race and gender. Youth concluded by discussing how their current values may impact their future parenting decisions. The patterns identified provide a launching for future research and clinical practice to continue to consider how race and gender may impact youth sexual development and values. Additional recommendations for future research and clinical practice are also discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Murray_fsu_0071E_14320
Format: Thesis

Title: Re-Defining Fatherhood: Examining the Multidimensionality of Black Fatherhood and Its Association to Child Misconduct and Father-Child Relationship Quality.
Creator: Armstrong, Joslyn C. (Joslyn Chevette), Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Jackson, Felecia Jordan, Cui, Ming, Kimmes, Jonathan, Harris, Gregory, Florida State University, College of Human...
Show moreArmstrong, Joslyn C. (Joslyn Chevette), Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Jackson, Felecia Jordan, Cui, Ming, Kimmes, Jonathan, Harris, Gregory, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Black Fatherhood is an understudied area of inquiry within the fatherhood literature. Historically father involvement was examined through three primary dimensions of responsibility, accessibility, and engagement. However, Black father involvement differs in terms of contact, support, and residency in comparison than other racial-ethnic fathers. They face distinct barriers in education, income, incarceration, employment, residency, and depression factors. All of these contextual and...
Show moreBlack Fatherhood is an understudied area of inquiry within the fatherhood literature. Historically father involvement was examined through three primary dimensions of responsibility, accessibility, and engagement. However, Black father involvement differs in terms of contact, support, and residency in comparison than other racial-ethnic fathers. They face distinct barriers in education, income, incarceration, employment, residency, and depression factors. All of these contextual and structural factors have been shown to influence father involvement. Researchers have yet to define father involvement for Black men including structural dimensions. Researchers have begun to examine father involvement from a multi-faceted perspective. Additionally, researchers have begun to include multidimensional conceptual models grounded in theory when measuring fatherhood. Researchers will need to continue to integrate cultural, economic, and social dimensions to Black fatherhood experiences. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore expanding the definition of father involvement for Black men to include relational and structural dimensions. The conceptual model was guided by both masculinity and feminist theories and the cultural ecological theory. The theories on gender were used to validate the inclusion of defining fatherhood traditionally with the provider role as well as validate that Black fatherhood was marginalized by traditional fatherhood expectations. The cultural ecological theory supported use of a contextual and ecological perspective using the structural dimensions that were culturally specific to Black father experiences. The research questions for the dissertation were: 1) what is the factor structure underling the 30 items of: relational dimensions of accessibility, contact, and responsibility; and structural dimensions of incarceration history, depression, employment, income, education, and residency status?; 2) what is the association between father interaction and financial provider with child misconduct?; and 3) what is the association between father interaction and financial provider with father-child relationship quality? The researcher conducted an exploratory factor analysis to address research question one that suggested a possible four factor structure for the definition of father involvement for Black men. However, the reliability and correlations for the structural dimensions within the father involvement variable were below standard requirements. Thus, according to the results, there was not enough statistical support to validate the need for a multidimensional definition for Black father involvement. Black father involvement was not defined using structural components. However, the results suggested that Black fatherhood could be defined by contextual and structural components, even if there were minimal percentages. Additionally, the relational factors were used to uncover their association with child misconduct and father-child relationship quality. The researcher conducted two multiple regression analysis models to address research questions two and three. Father interaction and financial provider were significant predictors of child misconduct. The covariates of incarceration, employment, education, and income were significantly associated with child misconduct. Then, father interaction and financial provider were significant predictors of father-child relationship quality. Income was significantly associated with father-child relationship quality. Implications for researchers and clinicians were addressed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: 2019_Spring_Armstrong_fsu_0071E_15017
Format: Thesis

Title: The Emotion Regulation Process in Parents: Responding to the Call for Emotion Regulation Skills in Parenting Interventions.
Creator: Wolford, Sarah N. (Sarah Nancy), McWey, Lenore M., Radey, Melissa, Cui, Ming, Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and...
Show moreWolford, Sarah N. (Sarah Nancy), McWey, Lenore M., Radey, Melissa, Cui, Ming, Rehm, Marsha Lynn, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Show less
Abstract/Description: Approximately 20% of children in the United States meet criteria for an emotional or behavioral disorder, including internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, and externalizing symptoms such as conduct and oppositional defiance disorders (Ogundele, 2018). Evidence-based parenting interventions are one avenue of treatment designed to reduce symptoms of child emotional and behavioral disorders by promoting positive parenting practices that reduce risk for negative child outcomes....
Show moreApproximately 20% of children in the United States meet criteria for an emotional or behavioral disorder, including internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, and externalizing symptoms such as conduct and oppositional defiance disorders (Ogundele, 2018). Evidence-based parenting interventions are one avenue of treatment designed to reduce symptoms of child emotional and behavioral disorders by promoting positive parenting practices that reduce risk for negative child outcomes. Additional research in the last decade of parenting interventions has also shown that parent psychosocial health (e.g., self-esteem, self-efficacy, anxiety) improved as a result of parent participation in these interventions. These positive, yet unexpected parent outcomes have generated a new body of research focused on the processes (i.e., internal emotions, beliefs) through which these positive changes to parent mental health occurred. Further, parenting intervention researchers have also begun to test core elements of the intervention in order to determine whether behavior-based skills or emotion-focused skills led to these positive parent outcomes. What remains unclear, however, is how these changes occurred. Researchers propose that emotion regulation (ER) skills (e.g., awareness of reactivity; capacity to manage internal distress) may be associated with positive changes to symptoms of parent mental health challenges. However, most parenting programs do not include ER content. Shifting parenting programs to include ER content has the potential to improve parent mental health and reduce symptoms of child emotional and behavioral problems. Only one previous qualitative study (Holtrop, Parra-Cardona & Forgatch, 2014) has examined parent's process of change via shifts in behavior-focused parenting skills after an intervention. Additional research is needed to determine parents' perceptions of an intervention promoting ER skills and the unique role of emotions in reducing mental health symptoms and improving child outcomes. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to assess parent's perceptions on the utility of ER skills, as well as illuminate the skill-building process of implementing an ER task in order to derive implications for ER content inclusion in parenting interventions. Project aims were accomplished through the following research questions: (1) How do parents describe their own emotion regulation process? and, (2) How do parents perceive and process the ER implementation task? The term "process" in the context of this study includes close examination of parent in-depth experiences, perceptions, and actions taken to implement the ER task. Qualitative data were collected from 17 parents (8 fathers and 9 mothers) with 100% of participants completing the pre and post-implementation interviews (34 total interviews). Data were analyzed using grounded theory analysis via open, axial and selective coding to generate empirical evidence for parents use of ER skills. Findings illustrated that parents navigated through three phases amid describing their existing understanding of ER, and developed greater awareness of self and their child as they applied the ER implementation task. These experiences were grouped into three main phases, across pre-implementation and post-implementation contexts: (1) A Priori Knowledge of ER, (2) "It's Definitely Not Common Practice": The ER Learning Process, and (3) "Stop and Think": Developing Awareness and Insight. Across these phases, parents emphasized the importance of ER skills in their own lives, and the meaningful progress made to improve parent-child interactions. Additionally, parents emphasized the cognitive effort in which they engaged in order to attempt regulation (e.g., focused attention, self-monitoring). Results of this study provide additional insight into the utility of ER skills in parenting interventions, and encourage researchers to consider ER skills as a potential mechanism of change.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: 2019_Summer_Wolford_fsu_0071E_15188
Format: Thesis

Title: Dyadic Level Coping and the Effects on Diabetes Management and Control in Couples with One Partner Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study.
Creator: Seibert, Gregory Scott, Fincham, Frank D., McNulty, James, McWey, Lenore M., Cui, Ming, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Department of Family and Child Sciences
Abstract/Description: In an attempt to improve treatment adherence in type 2 diabetes patients, researchers are turning to the couple system as one potential point of intervention. However, due to the lack of knowledge surrounding the role general relationship processes have in influencing diabetes management behaviors, very few couple-based interventions exist. Therefore, the current pilot study assesses the potential importance, and feasibility, of examining dyadic coping processes in the context of diabetes...
Show moreIn an attempt to improve treatment adherence in type 2 diabetes patients, researchers are turning to the couple system as one potential point of intervention. However, due to the lack of knowledge surrounding the role general relationship processes have in influencing diabetes management behaviors, very few couple-based interventions exist. Therefore, the current pilot study assesses the potential importance, and feasibility, of examining dyadic coping processes in the context of diabetes management and support among couples where one partner has type 2 diabetes. Preliminary findings suggest dyadic coping processes of both partners may be important in helping understand how general couple relationship processes can be used as a point of intervention for treating type 2 diabetes. However, a full-scale study is not feasible without adaptations to the current study protocol, measurements, recruitment procedures and funding.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: 2019_Summer_Seibert_fsu_0071E_15271
Format: Thesis

Title: The Long-Term Influence of Family Contexts and Processes in Biological Families and Stepfather Families on Young Adult Children's Intimate Relationships.
Creator: Jeter, Nari Susan, Cornille, Thomas A., Abell, Neil, Mullis, Ann K., Lee, Robert E., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The main purpose of the present study was to examine the influences of parental relationship instability, parental relationship happiness, and parent-child relationships on young adult intimate relationship outcomes. The effects of parental relationship instability were explored by using two different family groups: biological families and stepfather families. Data from the all three waves of the National Survey of Families and Households was used for this study. Structural Equation Modeling...
Show moreThe main purpose of the present study was to examine the influences of parental relationship instability, parental relationship happiness, and parent-child relationships on young adult intimate relationship outcomes. The effects of parental relationship instability were explored by using two different family groups: biological families and stepfather families. Data from the all three waves of the National Survey of Families and Households was used for this study. Structural Equation Modeling was used as the analysis method to examine the relationships between the variables of interest. Based on Ecological Systems Theory, it was hypothesized that low parental relationship instability, high parental marital happiness, and frequent involvement and high quality in parent-child relationships would determine positive outcomes in young adult intimate relationships. It was also hypothesized that there would be mediating relationships between the family variables and young adults' intimate relationship outcomes. The findings partially supported Ecological Systems Theory in that the various family context and processes variables were significantly related to children's young adult intimate relationship happiness and stability. However, there was no support for the mediating hypotheses. Parents' marital happiness emerged the largest, significant predicator of young adult intimate relationship outcomes in both family groups. Additionally for the two family groups, different causal pathways of the family variables were illustrated through Structural Equation Modeling. Important contributions of the current study include a better understanding of the long-term influences of parental relationship instability, parental relationship happiness, and parent-child relationships on emerging adults' intimate relationship outcomes. Implications for researchers, clinicians, and educators are presented.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3522
Format: Thesis

Title: An Exploratory Study of Jamaican Family and Consumer Sciences Educators' Attitudes Toward Research Engagement, Perceptions of Research Norms, and Perceived Control over Conducting Research and Research Engagement.
Creator: Clarke, Leonie P. (Leonie Patricia), Rehm, Marsha, Vinton, Linda, Ralston, Penny, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between attitudes toward research engagement, research norms, perceived control over the ability to conduct research and research engagement among family and consumer sciences (FCS) faculty in post-secondary institutions in Jamaica. The literature shows that in the family and consumer sciences discipline, faculty members are predominantly female. Females in higher education worldwide have not been as productive as males in terms of...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship between attitudes toward research engagement, research norms, perceived control over the ability to conduct research and research engagement among family and consumer sciences (FCS) faculty in post-secondary institutions in Jamaica. The literature shows that in the family and consumer sciences discipline, faculty members are predominantly female. Females in higher education worldwide have not been as productive as males in terms of research output, at least according to current institutional definitions and quantitative measures. Women tend to have higher teaching loads, constitute a smaller proportion of tenured faculty, and are less likely to attain the professor rank. Additionally, women are more likely to be employed by non-research-intensive institutions. The Theory of Planned Behavior provided the framework for addressing the research question. The sample consisted of 39 female FCS educators, that is, 75% of all FCS educators in 11 post-secondary institutions in Jamaica. They were administered a 62 item, researcher-devised online questionnaire. More than two-thirds (69%) of the respondents had engaged in research. The average number of research products over the five year period was 3.54. There were no significant associations between the educators' attitudes toward research engagement and their actual engagement in research; between their perceptions of norms regarding research engagement and engagement in research; nor between their perceived control over conducting research and research engagement. Recommendations to improve research engagement among the sample include: implement a FCS program such as that proposed by Nicholls et al. (2004) that allows faculty to mature as researchers; establish research accountability groups with FCS peers or with other university researchers; conduct research as faculty-student teams based on student projects; and encourage institutions to give credence to both quantitative and qualitative research so that FCS faculty are assured of credit for qualitative research they are likely to undertake.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3590
Format: Thesis

Title: Indulgent Parenting and the Life Satisfaction of College Students: An Examination of Eating, Weight, and Body Image.
Creator: Coccia, Catherine Camille, Darling, Carol A., Joiner, Thomas, Mullis, Ann K., Ralston, Penny A., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The concurrent rising rates of two societal concerns, rising rates of obesity along with increasing reports of parental indulgence, make it imperative to look at these issues in tandem. Not only has obesity become a national epidemic, but also weight gain has evolved as a serious issue for emerging adults and college students with long-lasting effects (Wang & Beydoun, 2007). This is especially salient in college women who have been experiencing weight gain at a substantially higher rate than...
Show moreThe concurrent rising rates of two societal concerns, rising rates of obesity along with increasing reports of parental indulgence, make it imperative to look at these issues in tandem. Not only has obesity become a national epidemic, but also weight gain has evolved as a serious issue for emerging adults and college students with long-lasting effects (Wang & Beydoun, 2007). This is especially salient in college women who have been experiencing weight gain at a substantially higher rate than age-matched community women (Holm-Denoma, Joiner, Heatherton, & Vohs, 2008; Hovell, Mewborn, Randle, & Fowler-Johnson, 1985). Additionally, in recent years, parents are spending more time with their children than ever before giving them more opportunities for indulgence to occur (Sayer, Bianchi, & Robinson, 2004). This indulgence may have several negative consequences including difficulty in delaying gratification and taking care of oneself that also may lead to issues with weight gain (Bredehoft, Mennicke, Potter, & Clarke, 1998). Despite the importance of this critical time in which independence and long-term health behaviors are being established, unhealthy weight regulation methods and body image concerns are prevalent among female college students. Disordered eating attitudes and beliefs can have serious psychological and physiological consequences affecting the body mass index (BMI) and body image of female students. In addition, maladaptive eating behaviors and low body image put individuals at higher risk for depression and low life satisfaction (Albertini & Phillips, 1999; Boyes, Fletcher, & Latner, 2007). While exploring the relationship between rising rates of obesity and indulgent parenting, it is important to note the salient changing relationship between mothers and daughters as daughters transition to college. Health behaviors such as eating attitudes and beliefs have been noted in previous research to be similar among mothers and daughters (Elfhag & Linne, 2005). Little is known, however, how health attitudes and beliefs may correlate as the parents' role in the child's health behaviors begin to change. In addition, although it is known that as daughters transition to college, their mothers' influence over their behaviors declines, there is not much literature describing how mother-daughter perceptions about their relationships and behaviors change over time (Fingerman, 2000). Thus, during this time of multiple changes, it is important to study mother-daughter perceptions of their relationship, as well as, health attitudes and beliefs in order to provide a greater understanding of daughters' health behaviors and the occurrence of eating and weight-related problems. The primary theory used in this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory. In order to fully understand the mother-daughter relationship within the family-eating environment, the family ecological perspective was used as the secondary framework in this study. This study had two research aims: First to determine the differences between mother and daughter perceptions of indulgent parenting, frequency of health discussions, and their own internal eating motivations including cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating. Three hypotheses were proposed: 1.There will be a difference between mothers' and daughters' perceptions of overall indulgent parenting, as well as the categories of indulgent parenting of giving too much, over-nurturing, and providing soft structure as measured by the overindulgence scale and each of its three subscales (Bredehoft et al., 2004). Daughters will report greater parental indulgence than their mothers. 2.There will be a difference between mothers' and daughters' internal eating motivation in terms of cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating. Whereas, mothers will report higher levels of cognitive restraint than daughters, daughters will report higher uncontrolled eating scores. 3.There will be a difference between mothers' and daughters' reports of health discussion frequency. Mothers will report engaging in health discussions more frequently than daughters. Secondly, the study aimed to examine the influence of indulgent parenting and family health discussions (as perceived by mothers and daughters) on internal (cognitive restraint and uncontrolled) eating motivations and external (significant others and peers) eating motivations upon the outcome variables of BMI, body image, and satisfaction with life while controlling for mother and daughter age. Mother and daughter pairs were selected from the Parental Indulgence of Emerging Adults study. The study participants were recruited from a college-level course and the data collection took place as part of a class assignment. To be eligible for this IRB approved study, both the mother and daughter had to complete the online survey, although other options were available if students and their parents did not want to participate. The total sample consisted of 368 mother-daughter pairs. Both mothers and daughters were asked to complete the questionnaire online. This questionnaire consisted of basic demographic questions, health behavior items, and several scales including the Parent Overindulgence Scale, to measure indulgent parenting, the Family Discussions about Health Scale, to measure frequency of family health discussions, the Cognitive Restraint Scale and Uncontrolled Eating Scale, to measure internal eating motivations, the Relationship and Friend Driven Eating Scales to measure external eating motivations and the Satisfaction with Life Scale to determine daughters' satisfaction with life. In order to test the research hypotheses and questions, various statistical analysis techniques were utilized. The following data analysis plan was employed: For the three hypotheses, paired t-tests were incorporated along with other descriptive data analysis techniques, such as frequency distributions, means, ranges, and standard deviations. To examine the research question, SEM using AMOS 17.0 software was utilized (Arbuckle, 2006). Paired t-tests were conducted to test the associations between mothers' and daughters' perceptions of indulgent parenting, internal eating motivations, and health discussion frequency. Mothers and daughters had significantly different scores for both overall indulgence and over-nurturance with daughters having higher perceptions than mothers, that mothers were indulging and over-nurturing them. No differences were found for giving too much or soft structure. Both cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating were significantly different, with maternal data indicating higher cognitive restraint scores and daughter data noting higher uncontrolled eating scores. Pearson's correlations indicated that mothers' cognitive restraint was significantly correlated with daughters' cognitive restraint. Mothers' uncontrolled eating was also significantly related to daughters' cognitive restraint. Daughters' uncontrolled eating was not related to either cognitive restraint or uncontrolled eating in mothers. In addition, it was revealed that parents perceived they engaged in more health discussions than their daughters. Further analysis indicated that daughters' weight loss goals influenced their perceived frequency of health discussions, whereas mothers' overall perceptions of health discussion frequency remained the same despite daughters' weight goals. To examine the research question, a measurement model described the proposed correlation model. Fit indices of the measurement model were: chi-square statistic = 20.57, degree of freedom = 12, CFI = 0.989, TLI = 0.891, and RMSEA = 0.044. Due to the good model fit of the measurement model, further analyses could be completed to test the structural model. Modifications indices were used to further refine the model. The chi-square statistic for this model was 96.80 with 63 degrees of freedom. Again CFI, TLI, and RMSEA were evaluated: CFI = .957, TLI = .918, and RMSEA = .038. This model explained 20.7% of the variance in satisfaction with life of college age daughters. Daughters' perceptions of the three subscales of parents' indulgent parenting all had direct relationships with satisfaction with life in the model, in that both giving too much and over-nurturance had positive relationships with satisfaction with life, whereas, daughters' perceptions of soft structure were inversely related to daughters' life satisfaction. In other words, daughters, who believed that their parents gave them too many things, over-nurtured them, and provided them with structure in their lives, perceived greater satisfaction with their lives. The satisfaction with life of daughters was also directly related to their age, body image, and uncontrolled eating. Whereas having a higher body image was positively related to satisfaction with life, uncontrolled eating, and becoming older were inversely related with life satisfaction. Other important findings were related to body image and internal eating motivations. Several variables in the model had relationships with body image, making it a pivotal variable in the model. Parent age, daughters' BMI, and both internal eating motivations (cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating) were inversely related to body image. Friendship influence on eating motivations had a direct positive relationship with body image. Daughters who perceived their friends influenced their eating behaviors also had higher perceptions of their body image. Parent health discussions were inversely related to daughters' cognitive restraint when eating. The more mothers and daughters talked about health issues, daughters exhibited greater cognitive restraint. These findings confirmed the appropriateness of both social cognitive theory and ecosystemic frameworks for studying parenting, communication, eating motivations, and health outcomes in mothers and daughters. Mothers and daughters reported significantly different levels of cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating, with mothers exhibiting higher levels of cognitive restraint and daughters exhibiting higher levels of uncontrolled eating. Further analysis noted that mother and daughter cognitive restraint variables were significantly correlated, as were daughters' cognitive restraint and mothers' uncontrolled eating. These results indicated that parental modeling might be one mechanism through which daughters learned their internal eating patterns. Mothers and daughters perceived the frequency in which they engaged in health behaviors differently, with mothers reporting higher discussion frequencies than daughters. Daughters' weight goals were found to influence their perceptions regarding frequency of health discussions indicating that daughters trying to lose weight may be more sensitive to health discussions particularly around dieting and weight loss. The model indicated that greater life satisfaction was related to higher levels of daughters' perceptions of their parents giving them too much and over-nurturing them, as well as, high body image, lower levels of uncontrolled eating, and being younger. Health discussions played an important role with the giving too much construct of indulgent parenting interacting with health discussion frequency to influence both daughters' internal eating motivations and BMI. Daughters' perceptions of indulgence had a greater influence on the overall model than parents' perceptions. This stresses the importance of the daughters' perspectives when examining these variables. Also in the model, friendship influence on eating was positively related to daughters' body image. Daughters may feel that if they conform to the group, they will be more likeable and accepted, thus increasing their perceived body image. In addition, health discussions were related to daughters' cognitive restraint. It is unknown, in this study, whether discussions about health between mothers and daughters were positive or negative, however daughters who were trying to lose weight reported higher frequencies of health discussions. Several implications for future research and professional practice are indicated. As was noted in this study, the sample was predominantly white and only mothers and daughters were included, partially due to the small sample of fathers and sons available in the sample set. More studies need to be done in children and adolescents to examine how their perceptions of their parents' parenting styles influence their health and eating behaviors. Therefore, this study should be replicated using diverse samples. The model utilized in this study provides a starting point for family therapists, family life educators, as well as health professionals such as dietitians and nurses, to guide family life and health education programs for parents and college students. It is important to teach parents about the implications of parental indulgence on the health and life satisfaction of their children. Additionally, health and lifestyle education for emerging adults is essential and can help them attain healthy lifestyle behaviors that will affect them long into the future. Overall, the results of this study indicated that even as daughters begin to transition away from their parents, mothers still play an integral role in their daughters' health behaviors and outcomes.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3575
Format: Thesis

Title: Adolescent Group Therapy: A Gottman Relationship-Based Approach Using Art-Based Interventions.
Creator: Hughes-Brand, Nicola Shea, Hicks, Mary, Gussak, David, Rehm, Marsha, Mazza, Nicholas, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study investigated the effectiveness of providing a Gottman-based group therapy using art-based interventions to adjudicated male adolescents ages 14-18. The group provided structured interventions based on Gottman's Sound Relationship House Theory for five consecutive weeks at a Department of Juvenile Justice residential program. The first hypothesis was that by attending the group, the adolescents would experience a change in their communication, social, self-regulatory, and problem...
Show moreThis study investigated the effectiveness of providing a Gottman-based group therapy using art-based interventions to adjudicated male adolescents ages 14-18. The group provided structured interventions based on Gottman's Sound Relationship House Theory for five consecutive weeks at a Department of Juvenile Justice residential program. The first hypothesis was that by attending the group, the adolescents would experience a change in their communication, social, self-regulatory, and problem-solving skills. If these self-regulatory skills were improved, the adolescents would report a decrease in mental health symptoms. The second hypothesis was that by attending the group and completing art-based interventions, the adolescents would report a change in the parent/child relationship. Two mental health measures were collected at pretest and posttest: the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT), which has 10 subscales and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), which has nine subscales. Three outcome measures for the parent-child relationship were administered. These were the POSIT, the Parent-Child Closeness (PCC) questionnaire with two scales for mother and father, and the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI), which has three subscales for the mother and father. All measures were analyzed utilizing a Wilcoxin Signed Ranks test. Based on the 10 subscales measured by the POSIT, adolescents reported fewer family, vocational, social, and leisure problems. Based on the nine subscales measured by the SCL-90, adolescents reported fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Parent-Child Closeness measures for mother and father were significant, indicating a closer parent-child relationship with fewer parent-child conflicts. No statistical significance was found for the QRI measure. The results of the study offer a preliminary finding to support the use of a Gottman relationship-based adolescent group therapy, utilizing art-based interventions within a Department of Juvenile Justice residential program.
Show less
Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3662
Format: Thesis

Title: Value Patterns of Undergraduate Family and Consumer Sciences Education Majors.
Creator: Bowen, Gussie, Allison, Barbara, Rehm, Marsha, Goldsmith, Elizabeth, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The primary purpose of this study is to identify any value patterns existent among undergraduate family and consumer sciences education majors. The overall goal is to use this new information to identify students who have compatible values with the profession. A sample of 111 (age 18-50) undergraduate family and consumer sciences students from Illinois, Missouri, Florida, New Mexico, Washington, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania completed a four-part survey about their own personal values. The data...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study is to identify any value patterns existent among undergraduate family and consumer sciences education majors. The overall goal is to use this new information to identify students who have compatible values with the profession. A sample of 111 (age 18-50) undergraduate family and consumer sciences students from Illinois, Missouri, Florida, New Mexico, Washington, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania completed a four-part survey about their own personal values. The data was analyzed according to the participants' university and age group (traditional/non-traditional age status). Previous literature on family and consumer sciences students found them to lean toward more religious and social values. The professional organizations that relate to this area all highlight values that focus on families, societal improvement, healthy lifestyles, career, leadership, and advocacy in their purpose and mission statements. According to UCLA's annual survey of incoming freshman, the average college student is becoming less religious and more concerned with wealth, social power, and status. The results of the study support the hypothesis in that values such as family togetherness, religion, and children's welfare were ranked higher than values relating to money, power, and status. Family togetherness was the highest ranked value in each part of the survey and among the different groups of participants. This survey also identified values that were ranked lower by most of the family and consumer sciences education students, such as beauty, influence, technological advances, variety, courage, and being an advocate for public policy. The results were consistent with previous research on the values of family and consumer sciences majors, and with some of the key values of the related professional organizations; while being significantly different from the values of the general college student group. There is a need for additional research to be done on the values of family and consumer sciences students. More research comparing different groups, educational levels, and academic majors is necessary to truly understand the values of this profession. This and future research needs to be used to develop an alluring campaign in order to attract potential students whose values are consistent with those who choose this profession.
Show less
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3460
Format: Thesis

Title: Marriages after Infidelity: A Prospective Study.
Creator: Stanford, Paul S., Pasley, B. Kay, Becker, Betsy J., Cui, Ming, Lee, Robert E., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the trajectory of marriages following reported experiences with infidelity. General Stress Theory was used to conceptualize the effect of infidelity on subsequent marital stress. Using longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Marital Instability Over the Life Course, I explored the effects of infidelity on short-term and long-term consequences for individuals (depression and personal satisfaction) and their relationships (marital distress, domestic...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the trajectory of marriages following reported experiences with infidelity. General Stress Theory was used to conceptualize the effect of infidelity on subsequent marital stress. Using longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Marital Instability Over the Life Course, I explored the effects of infidelity on short-term and long-term consequences for individuals (depression and personal satisfaction) and their relationships (marital distress, domestic violence, marital instability, and divorce). I used t-tests, logistic regression, and hierarchical regression to test my hypotheses. Examination of the results suggests that infidelity is significantly associated higher levels of short-term depression, lower levels of personal satisfaction, and higher levels of marital distress, domestic violence, and marital instability. These findings remain true for marital distress, domestic violence, and marital instability over a longer period, but not for depression or personal satisfaction. Infidelity was not significantly related to short-term divorce, but did significantly impact whether the individual reported being ever divorced. When only a respondent's spouse committed infidelity, respondents were not more likely to report feelings of depression than respondents who had committed infidelity themselves. Reports of domestic violence were not significantly affected by the wife committing infidelity compared to instances in which only the husband committed infidelity. Unexpectedly, a wife's infidelity significantly reduced the probability of subsequent divorce. Limitations, implications for practitioners, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5442
Format: Thesis

Title: Longitudinal Analysis of Corporal Punishment Across Groups.
Creator: Porter, Breanne E., McWey, Lenore, Hay, Carter, Mullis, Ann, Mullis, Ron, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This longitudinal study includes 397 parents from the National Survey of Families and Households and examines whether the effects of corporal punishment on future disobedience, when controlling for previous disobedience, differ depending on parental involvement, race, gender, or age. Hypotheses were tested using factorial ANCOVA, ordinary least squares regression, and a series of one-way ANOVAs. Results indicate that corporal punishment was not helpful in reducing disobedience for any...
Show moreThis longitudinal study includes 397 parents from the National Survey of Families and Households and examines whether the effects of corporal punishment on future disobedience, when controlling for previous disobedience, differ depending on parental involvement, race, gender, or age. Hypotheses were tested using factorial ANCOVA, ordinary least squares regression, and a series of one-way ANOVAs. Results indicate that corporal punishment was not helpful in reducing disobedience for any involvement and demographic subgroups, and it seemed to be more harmful when used on older children and when used by less involved fathers on their sons. These findings are interpreted from the perspective of social bonding theory. Recommendations for researchers, policymakers, and professionals are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5419
Format: Thesis

Title: Understanding Correlates of Serious Female Adolescent Delinquency.
Creator: Bolen, Melissa Grace, McWey, Lenore, Hay, Carter, Mullis, Ann, Denton, Wayne, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Researchers have demonstrated that several risk factors are linked to adolescent delinquency, but less is known about how these factors are specifically linked to female adolescent delinquency. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a history of maltreatment and perceived family support were associated with serious offending for female adolescents (after controlling for family structure, age of first offense, race, and socio-economic status) using secondary...
Show moreResearchers have demonstrated that several risk factors are linked to adolescent delinquency, but less is known about how these factors are specifically linked to female adolescent delinquency. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a history of maltreatment and perceived family support were associated with serious offending for female adolescents (after controlling for family structure, age of first offense, race, and socio-economic status) using secondary data from the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) of Florida. Hirschi's (1969) social control theory was used to help illuminate the underlying pattern of family processes associated with female adolescent delinquency. The sample consisted of 1,160 adolescent females who were aged 14-17 years old, who had a referral to the Department of Juvenile Justice between July 1, 2009 and February 1, 2012, and had completed the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) Full Assessment. Logistic regression was used to better understand which family processes were associated with serious delinquency after controlling for family structure, age of first offense, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Results indicated no forms of maltreatment were significantly associated with serious delinquency. In fact, the only significant association was an inverse relationship between self-perceived support of extended family and serious delinquency. Future research could help illuminate trends related to serious delinquency by consistently utilizing more specific and consistent definitions of the variables included in this study. Clinical implications of these findings include promoting and strengthening family support among at-risk youth using a variety of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5321
Format: Thesis

Title: Expressed Coping Strategies and Techniques Among African American Families in North Florida Who Are Living with Chronic Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease.
Creator: Lang, Lisa Jones, Rehm, Marsha, Jackson, E. Newton, Allison, Barbara, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to determine how patients as well as members of their families cope with Chronic Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease and the problems associated with it on a daily basis. Research was done based on Phenomenological theory because it concerns the nature of the lived experience relative to the disease and family life. I wanted to qualitatively explore perceptions, meanings, effects, and experiences among African American patients and family members of Chronic...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine how patients as well as members of their families cope with Chronic Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease and the problems associated with it on a daily basis. Research was done based on Phenomenological theory because it concerns the nature of the lived experience relative to the disease and family life. I wanted to qualitatively explore perceptions, meanings, effects, and experiences among African American patients and family members of Chronic Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease, and discover coping strategies and adjustments made for daily life. A purposive convenience sample of ten participants from five households was the sample population for this study. Of the ten participants, five were patients, two were spouses (i.e., one was female and one was male), one was a mother, one was a sister, and one was a daughter of the patients. All of the participants were African American and resided in North Florida. The ages of the participants ranged from 40 years of age to 85 years old. The participants were observed and interviewed in the comfort of their own homes to promote a familiar environment and safety. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Social support theory and the health belief model were the framework choices for this study. The frameworks were used to determine how and to what extent morale and hope are strengthen and to determine if a person's health and behavior are affected by his or her health beliefs. Eight different over-arching themes prevailed (e.g., fear and anxiety of the disease, dependency on the physician, family background and familiarity, need for family support, need for external support, coping strategies and techniques, socioeconomic status, and spirituality). Social support regardless as to whether it is in the form of emotional, cognitive, or instrumental, was found to significantly be associated with positive health behaviors such as exercise, medication compliance, diet, regular checkups and appointment keeping patterns. In addition, if a person believes that taking medication that has been prescribed by their physician will make them better, then they will take it. If patients feel that exercise and diet would be beneficial in decreasing either their vulnerability to or the harshness of the condition, and if they believe that the probable costs of taking action are outweighed by benefits then they will comply. Education plays an important factor as well. Patients knowledgeable about his or her disease will help influence medication compliance, exercise regimen, and diet, which will increase patient progress toward healthy living. Fear and anxiety proved to be the center core of all the themes relative to CHCD. Because of fear and anxiety about the disease, the patients and caregivers showed the dependency and belief they have in the physician. Paradoxically, that fearful state of mind had a positive effect of making the patient more aware and familiar with the disease. Also, because of fear and anxiety, the patient depended a great deal on family and external support in terms of coping strategies and techniques. It was also found that even though a patient may have close ties with family, they must interact with individuals outside the family structure (external support). This may be through agencies, health care providers, or just through some individual who has a kindred spirit and a concern for the circumstance.
Show less
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3294
Format: Thesis

Title: School Age Children's Physical Activity: Motivation Statements Reported in a National Survey.
Creator: Lang, Emily Carey, Mullis, Ronald, Readdick, Christine, Ratliffe, Tom, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine 9-13 year old children's reasons and motivations for participation in physical activity. Child's activity level, age, gender, race, parental education level, and perceived child weight were examined. For the most part, no differences were found in reasons children cited for doing or not doing physical activity based on children's activity level, age, race, parental education, and children's perceived weight. However, there were gender differences for...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine 9-13 year old children's reasons and motivations for participation in physical activity. Child's activity level, age, gender, race, parental education level, and perceived child weight were examined. For the most part, no differences were found in reasons children cited for doing or not doing physical activity based on children's activity level, age, race, parental education, and children's perceived weight. However, there were gender differences for amotivational reasons cited by children for not participating in physical activity. More than boys, girls indicated that they were too busy or were not athletic enough to participate. Implications for interventions and future research are provided.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3292
Format: Thesis

Title: Focusing on the Positive versus Reframing the Negative: The Role of Sharing Positive Experiences versus Positively Reframing Negative Experiences on Relationship and Mental Health.
Creator: Lambert, Nathaniel M. (Nathaniel Mark), Fincham, Frank, Cui, Ming, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The overwhelming majority of research in family studies and psychology journals has been devoted to mental health dysfunctions and relationship problems. Positive relationship processes and positive emotions are victims of severe neglect. The current study examines how sharing positive experiences or positively re framing negative ones can impact mental health (gratitude and depression) as well as relationship outcomes (relationship satisfaction and relationship maintenance). The current...
Show moreThe overwhelming majority of research in family studies and psychology journals has been devoted to mental health dysfunctions and relationship problems. Positive relationship processes and positive emotions are victims of severe neglect. The current study examines how sharing positive experiences or positively re framing negative ones can impact mental health (gratitude and depression) as well as relationship outcomes (relationship satisfaction and relationship maintenance). The current study has three primary objectives and hypotheses, to 1) compare the effects of writing about or sharing a positive experience or re frame versus a neutral control on mental health and relationship well-being outcomes, 2) compare the effects of writing about or sharing positive experiences versus re framing or sharing re frames of negative experiences on mental health and relationship well-being outcomes; 3) compare and contrast the effect of sharing versus not sharing on mental health and relationship well-being outcomes. Participants that shared their positive experiences or positive re frames increased in gratitude relative to those who simply wrote about these topics. Possible explanations for these findings and their implications for future research are then discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3305
Format: Thesis

Title: The Role of Appreciation in Close Relationships: A Journal Study.
Creator: Lambert, Nathaniel M., Fincham, Frank, Maner, Jon, Pasley, Kay, Cui, Ming, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The effect of expressing appreciation on positive regard for a friend or roommate and willingness to voice relationship concerns to this person was examined using a journal study format. Participants (n = 75) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (one being an expression of appreciation condition) and they engaged in their assigned activity twice a week for three weeks. At the end of the three weeks, those assigned to the expression of appreciation in relationships condition...
Show moreThe effect of expressing appreciation on positive regard for a friend or roommate and willingness to voice relationship concerns to this person was examined using a journal study format. Participants (n = 75) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (one being an expression of appreciation condition) and they engaged in their assigned activity twice a week for three weeks. At the end of the three weeks, those assigned to the expression of appreciation in relationships condition reported higher positive regard for their friend/roommate and more comfort in voicing relationship concerns than did those in the other conditions, even when controlling for the baseline scores of these variables and frequency of participation in the intervention. In addition, positive regard mediated the relationship between condition and comfort in voicing relationship concerns.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3306
Format: Thesis

Title: The Impact of Self-Help Groups Following Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Among Adolescents: Substance Use Outcomes and Mechanisms of Change.
Creator: Gangi, Jennifer, Darling, Carol, Mazza, Nicholas, McWey, Lenore, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Research on adolescent substance abuse treatment effectiveness has grown in quantity, as evidenced by several review articles (Deas & Thomas, 2001; Muck, Zempolich, Titus, Fishman, Godley, & Schwebel, 2001; Williams & Chang, 2000). The results have shown substance use dissipates during treatment, but relapse to substance use occurs at high rates following treatment discharge (Catalano, Hawkins, Wells, Miller, & Brewer, 1991; Godley, Godley, & Dennis, 2001). Despite the heterogeneity of post...
Show moreResearch on adolescent substance abuse treatment effectiveness has grown in quantity, as evidenced by several review articles (Deas & Thomas, 2001; Muck, Zempolich, Titus, Fishman, Godley, & Schwebel, 2001; Williams & Chang, 2000). The results have shown substance use dissipates during treatment, but relapse to substance use occurs at high rates following treatment discharge (Catalano, Hawkins, Wells, Miller, & Brewer, 1991; Godley, Godley, & Dennis, 2001). Despite the heterogeneity of post-treatment outcomes, the likelihood of post-treatment relapse is often dependent on a number of variables, including whether or not the adolescent participates in continuing care services, such as self-help groups. However, there remains a dearth of empirical studies examining the use and effectiveness of self-help groups among adolescent outpatients. Therefore, this research examined the effects of self-help group meeting attendance among adolescents during the three-month time period immediately following publicly funded outpatient substance abuse treatment. Factors postulated within social-cognitive theory, social learning theory, group theory and included in cognitive and behavioral relapse prevention models were assessed to determine how they are influenced by self-help group attendance and whether these effects can be used to help explain all or some of these observed relations. The following research hypothesis was examined: at the end of the three-month time period following treatment, there will be no differences between male and female adolescents who attended self-help groups during that three-month time period and those who do not attend regarding substance use frequency, severity of substance-related problems, cognitive and behavioral factors (motivation, coping, self-efficacy), and social-environmental factors (social support, environmental risk). In addition, the following research question was incorporated: while controlling for gender and attending a self-help group, can severity of substance-related problems, motivation, coping, self-efficacy, social support, and environmental risk be integrated to predict substance use frequency? To examine the hypothesis and research question, a secondary analysis was performed using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Adolescent Treatment (AT) 2008 Outcome Dataset. The final dataset focused on adolescent outpatients and key questions from the original assessment that addressed the hypotheses and research question. Variables of interest were constructed, using items from scales and indices that were part of the assessment. The secondary data were analyzed using PASW Statistics (formerly SPSS) and AMOS 18.0 software. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no differences in the mean scores between self-help group attendees and non-attendees at the end of the three-months following treatment on motivation, social support, substance use frequency, and environmental risk. However, differences existed for coping, self-efficacy, and severity of substance-related problems. In addition, gender differences were found when adolescents entered treatment, in that females presented for treatment with higher environmental risk and higher severity of substance-related problems. Path analysis was performed to test for the relationship of predictor variables in the model to the substance use frequency outcome variable. The findings revealed that higher severity of substance-related problems, higher coping, greater environmental risk, less self-efficacy, and no self-help group attendance during the first three-month period following treatment were the factors related to more substance use among adolescents in that period. In addition, environmental risk followed by severity of substance-related problems had the greatest total effects on substance use frequency following treatment. There were also some indirect relationships to substance use, as severity of substance-related problems had indirect relationships on substance use through risk, and coping; coping was indirectly related to substance use through self-efficacy; and self-help group attendance was indirectly related to substance use through environmental risk. Overall, this model fit well with the observed data (x2=15.71, df=13, p=.265, GFI=.995, AGFI= .983, RMSEA=.018). The model explained 40% of the variance in substance use frequency scores among adolescent outpatients. Several implications were identified regarding methodology, research, and clinical practice. In light of the findings is the clinical importance of linking adolescents to continuing care services, such as self-help groups following treatment discharge. The results suggested that attending self-help groups following treatment was beneficial for some adolescents in the short-term, particularly those with greater severity. A second implication is that environmental risk factors played an important role in substance use decisions following treatment. These findings suggested that attending self-help groups might be a potential strategy to decrease these risks, which in turn decreased substance use. Third, these findings highlighted the importance of examining post-treatment factors, which typically account for the majority of the variance in outcomes (Catalano et al., 1990–91; Latimer et al., 2000). Lastly, findings suggested that adolescent females responded similarly to substance abuse treatment and self-help groups when compared to males despite poorer initial clinical indicators. While the current study identified post-treatment factors that appear to underlie substance use relapse among adolescent outpatients, little is known regarding the way each of these factors was differentially associated with subgroups characterized by distinct substance use trajectories. Consideration of how these factors changed during the early recovery period is key to understanding how substance abuse treatments and continuing care strategies may impact adolescents differentially.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4366
Format: Thesis

Title: Adaptation to Parental Gender Transition: Stress and Resilience Among Transgender Parents and Their Children.
Creator: Veldorale-Brogan, Amanda, Darling, Carol A., Barrett, Anne, Rehm, Marsha, Mullis, Ron, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Transgender parents and their children are virtually invisible in the current literature. Little is known about child outcomes for children of transgender parents or about how transgender families negotiate the transition and subsequent stressors. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by using an adapted version of the ABC-X model and Family Stress Theory to determine if there were differences between transgender parents and their adult children in stressor pileup (A) (impact...
Show moreTransgender parents and their children are virtually invisible in the current literature. Little is known about child outcomes for children of transgender parents or about how transgender families negotiate the transition and subsequent stressors. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by using an adapted version of the ABC-X model and Family Stress Theory to determine if there were differences between transgender parents and their adult children in stressor pileup (A) (impact of disclosure, experience of stigma, and boundary ambiguity), resources (B) (social support and coping), perceptions of the event (C) (perceptions of PGT and sense of coherence), and overall family functioning (X). The present study also drew on past research with transgender individuals, lesbian and gay parents, and research on ambiguous loss to create a model of adaptation to parental gender transition. In addition to examining differences between transgender parents and their adult children on the variables of interest, this study had two main purposes: first, to examine how transgender parents who transitioned after they had children adapted to the stresses associated with PGT based on resources available to them and the perceptions of their transition and second, to investigate how adults who were children when their parents transitioned adapted to the stresses associated with PGT based on the resources available to them and their perceptions of PGT. Specifically, the level of stressor pileup, social support, coping, perception of PGT, and individual sense of coherence on family functioning were examined for each group. The sample was comprised of two groups of participants--transgender parents and adult children with transgender parents. There were 73 parents and 15 adult children from the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The sample was recruited through the use of a purposive sampling strategy designed to reach the target population through LGBT community centers, transgender listservs, LGBT listservs, transgender support groups, transgender organizations, other researchers and professionals working with the target population, and personal contacts. The author sent a recruitment letter and a link to the online survey to potential research participants and those who could send the information along to other potential participants through snowball sampling methods. The recruitment letter provided an explanation of the study, complete contact information for the researcher and the major professor, and a link to the website to complete the survey. Participants received a link that directed them to the appropriate survey (i.e. parent or child). Participants then read the online IRB approved consent form and indicated consent by moving forward with the survey. The survey consisted of demographic questions items that were taken from eight instruments used to measure the variables of interest in the study and the social desirability measure. The survey also included one open-ended question at the end to provide additional qualitative insights. The variables of interest in this study were measured with the following instruments. The Impact of Events Scale was used to assess the impact of disclosure. Stigma was measured using an adapted version of The Stigma Scale. An adapted version of the Boundary Ambiguity for Widows Scale was used to measure boundary ambiguity. Social support was measured using the MOS Social Support Survey. The Cybernetic Coping Scale was used to assess coping strategies. Perception of transition was measured using a scale created for this study. Sense of coherence was measured using the comprehensibility and manageability subscales Sense of Coherence Scale. Finally, family functioning was assessed the Family Adaptation Scale. Independent samples t-test were conducted to determine if differences existed between transgender parents and their adult children on levels of stressor pileup--indicated by the impact of disclosure (A1), stigma (A2), and boundary ambiguity (A3)--social support (B1), coping (B2), perceptions of PGT (C1), sense of coherence (C2), or family functioning (X). Results indicated that adult children had significantly more negative perceptions of PGT than did their parents. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to answer the question, can stressor pileup (A)--indicated by the impact of disclosure (A1), stigma (A2), and boundary ambiguity (A3)--social support (B1), coping (B2), perception of PGT (C1), and sense of coherence (C2) be integrated to predict family functioning (X) for transgender parents? The findings showed that stigma and boundary ambiguity were significant predictors of family functioning, but that the relationship between stigma and family functioning became non-significant with the addition of perception and sense of coherence in the model. Further, when accounting for all variables in the model, only boundary ambiguity and sense of coherence were significant predictors of family functioning. Results of this study suggested that perception is unique to each family member based on their own experiences and developmental context. Further, findings indicated that transgender parents may view transition as something they chose that is within their control; whereas children may view transition as something that they did not choose and that it was outside of their control, leading to more negative perceptions of transition for children. Additionally, results of this study supported the idea that internal stressors are more difficult to cope with than those coming from outside the family system, as evidenced by the ameliorating effect of sense of coherence on the relationship between stigma and family functioning, but not between boundary ambiguity and family functioning. Several implications for theory, research, and practice have been noted. The results of this study underscored the value of examining the extent to which resources were available versus accessed and the impact of perceptions on the accessing of resources. Issues of sampling and measurement were critical. While the sample size was smaller than desired, it is larger than any of the other three studies done on this topic. It is also important to attend to other noteworthy factors, such as divorce and ambivalence, not measured in the current study. With regard to practice, the importance of understanding varying perceptions of parents and children, combating boundary ambiguity, and improving sense of coherence were highlighted.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5247
Format: Thesis

Title: Examining the Effects of Family Relationships on Mental and Physical Health: Testing the Biobehavioral Family Model with an Adult Primary Care Sample.
Creator: Woods, Sarah B. (Sarah Beth), Denton, Wayne, Glueckauf, Robert, McWey, Lenore, Mullis, Ann, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Family and romantic relationships have been linked to both mental and physical health outcomes. Previous research has lacked attention on precise pathways by which these associations occur and continue to use predominately White, middle-class, nuclear families as the basis of study. The Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) is a biopsychosocial approach to health that integrates family emotional climate, biobehavioral reactivity (emotion dysregulation), and physical health outcomes into a...
Show moreFamily and romantic relationships have been linked to both mental and physical health outcomes. Previous research has lacked attention on precise pathways by which these associations occur and continue to use predominately White, middle-class, nuclear families as the basis of study. The Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) is a biopsychosocial approach to health that integrates family emotional climate, biobehavioral reactivity (emotion dysregulation), and physical health outcomes into a comprehensive model. The present study was conducted to examine the ability of the BBFM to explain connections between family processes and health for primarily uninsured, low-income adult primary care patients. Patient participants (ages 18-65 years) self-reported their family functioning, romantic relationship satisfaction, anxiety, depression, alcohol use, illness symptoms, and physical well-being (n = 125). Data were also collected from patient medical charts. Separate models using family functioning (Model 1) and romantic relationship satisfaction (Model 2) as measures of family emotional climate were tested using path analyses and bootstrapping. Results demonstrated support for the BBFM in explaining health quality for this sample. Applying the BBFM to diverse primary care patients demonstrates pathways by which family processes affect the mental and physical health of these individuals. Recommendations for future research and clinical implications are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5277
Format: Thesis

Title: An Initial Qualitative Exploration of Gottman's Couples Research: A Workshop from the Participants' Perspective.
Creator: Brand, Columbus Edward, Lee, Robert E., Gussak, David, Readdick, Christine A., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Distressed relationships may be emotionally and economically costly to the couple, their families, and the community in which they reside. Given the current political endorsements, convenience, efficiency, capacity for prevention, and overall lower cost of psychoeducational workshops, they should be explored for efficacy. Are they providing the promoters and participants with a viable option? Is there a possibility to improve any part of these options for optimizing their effectiveness? Using...
Show moreDistressed relationships may be emotionally and economically costly to the couple, their families, and the community in which they reside. Given the current political endorsements, convenience, efficiency, capacity for prevention, and overall lower cost of psychoeducational workshops, they should be explored for efficacy. Are they providing the promoters and participants with a viable option? Is there a possibility to improve any part of these options for optimizing their effectiveness? Using a qualitative method in the Grounded Theory Tradition, this study explored the input of 14 participants who attended an eight-hour, one day, psychoeducational workshop. The workshop was based on a faithful presentation of Dr. John Gottman's couple's research. Attendees became "active participants" by agreeing to provide personal information about their relationships and offering their perspectives at scheduled intervals during the workshop. The participants were interviewed one month after the workshop to ascertain what, if anything, they had found to be useful about the workshop. Sampling was an opportunity sample open to couples ages 18 and over who were married or unmarried, having children or without children, and although only heterosexual couples responded, it was open to all sexual orientations. The findings obtained were triangulated consisting of written surveys from the participants, the researcher's field notes, and the participants' audio-taped post- intervention interviews. The following twelve themes emerged: 1) Communication, Acceptable; 2) Communication, Unacceptable; 3) Conflict, Resolved; 4) Conflict, Unresolved; 5) Connectedness; 6) Disconnectedness; 7) Family, Acceptable; 8) Family, Unacceptable; 9) Finances, Managed; 10) Finances, Unmanaged; 11) Planning, Acceptable; and 12) Planning, Unacceptable. Initially, the participants indicated that they were focused on improving their communication and conflict resolution skills, but their participation level and expressed interests in specific blocks of information appeared to change throughout the workshop day. The Gottman concepts which indicated higher participant interest were again indicated in the post-intervention interview responses. Post-intervention interview questions one through four were coded using the existing themes. The following ten themes emerged: 1) Communication, Acceptable; 2) Communication, Unacceptable; 3) Conflict, Resolved; 4) Conflict, Unresolved; 5) Connectedness; 6) Disconnectedness; 7) Family, Acceptable; 8) Family, Unacceptable; 9) Finances, Managed; and 10) Planning, Acceptable. The theme Connectedness was coded considerably more times than the others. Conflict Resolution and Communication, Acceptable were discussed by the participants very heavily along with Planning, Acceptable. Lastly, for post intervention interview question number five, the participants were asked to rank-order their answers to question three and four relative to their perceived usefulness. Their number one choices were coded using the existing themes and the findings in descending order of use were: 1) Connectedness; 2) Communication, Acceptable; and 3) Conflict, Resolved. This corroborated the findings of the final coding seen in the post-intervention interviews questions one through four. However, the final distribution of the participants' rank ordered answers to post-intervention interview question number five indicated a slight deviation in that the specific Gottman concept of Conflict Resolution was cited fourth overall as being useful. This shift in focus may have indicated that, although the participants had continuing concerns for coping with their relational communication skills and ability to resolve their conflicts, they were finding it important to look deeper for causal and resolution factors as well as prioritizing what may actually be important within their relationships. The interviews, written surveys, and field notes agreed: The participants found that the workshop was helpful because of the above factors and because they were developing and putting into action some of the workshop information. The high degree of participation after some blocks of workshop information was reflected in the participants' choices for useful Gottman concepts indicating a need for more research into the usefulness of participation in a workshop format.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4730
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Childhood Bullying Victimization and Social Competence in Emerging Adulthood.
Creator: Fortner, Lauren Allison, Mullis, Ann K., Iatarola, Patrice, Mullis, Ronald L., McWey, Lenore, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The principal goal of the current study was to explore the relationship between childhood and adolescent bullying experiences and social competence in emerging adulthood. Symbolic interactionism and social cognitive theories were used as a framework in guiding the study. The sample consisted of 266 undergraduate students who were asked to fill out a single online survey. Results indicated that there are no differences between bullying involvement status' and social competence, but significant...
Show moreThe principal goal of the current study was to explore the relationship between childhood and adolescent bullying experiences and social competence in emerging adulthood. Symbolic interactionism and social cognitive theories were used as a framework in guiding the study. The sample consisted of 266 undergraduate students who were asked to fill out a single online survey. Results indicated that there are no differences between bullying involvement status' and social competence, but significant differences related to self-esteem were identified. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to explore the relationship between victim experiences and social competence. Variables of sex, age, race, educational status, grade point average, type of victimization, victim type, frequency, or duration were found not to be significant predictors of social competence; however intensity in primary school and self-esteem were significant predictors of social competence. The need for further research on the long term impact of bullying was discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4835
Format: Thesis

Title: Psychosocial Predictors of Depressive Symptomatology Among Young Adults with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection.
Creator: Fairclough, Jamie L. (Jamie Latoya), Darling, Carol A., Departmental, Marsha Rehm, Peterson, Gary, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The presence of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) causes numerous physiological and psychological changes in the lives of those infected. In general, people with STIs tend to have higher rates of depression, higher rates of stress, and lower levels of self-esteem as a result of the disease. The notion of stress management for individuals with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is even more critical in that research suggests stress and depression are associated with lower levels of...
Show moreThe presence of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) causes numerous physiological and psychological changes in the lives of those infected. In general, people with STIs tend to have higher rates of depression, higher rates of stress, and lower levels of self-esteem as a result of the disease. The notion of stress management for individuals with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is even more critical in that research suggests stress and depression are associated with lower levels of immune functioning. Review of medical and social science literature revealed a substantial gap in research that examined the impact of health stress and depressive symptomatology among young adults with HPV infection. The purpose of this study was to examine differences among young adults with HPV, young adults with other STIs, and young adults with no sexually transmitted infections with regard to general health stress, gynecologic/urologic health stress, and depressive symptomatology. This study also examined the mediating effects of partner connectedness and self-esteem on the relationship between general health stress and depressive symptomatology when controlling for gender among the groups. Additionally, the mediating effects of partner connectedness and self-esteem on the relationship between gynecologic and urologic health stress and depressive symptomatology were also examined among the three groups. Family Stress Theory, the ABCX model, and Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development were utilized as the theoretical frameworks for this research. Data for this study were taken from the third wave of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative survey of adolescent health behaviors and outcomes in young adulthood. The sample consisted of 322 young adults who participated in Wave III interviews when they were between 18 and 26 years of age. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to validate the index of questions chosen a priori (based on theoretical considerations) for each variable by demonstrating that its constituent items load on the same factor, and to eliminate proposed items which cross-loaded on more than one factor. Factor scores and reliabilities of the models were computed to ensure unidimensionality and internal consistency as estimated by a coefficient alpha level. Other assessments of adequacy were done to test the hypothesized factor models, including the Keiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and the Bartlett Test of Sphericity. One-way analysis of variance was conducted to test the hypotheses that there would be no group differences with regard to levels of general and gynecologic/urologic health stress, partner connectedness, self-esteem, and depressive symptomatology. A series of hierarchical regression analyses and a 3x2 factorial analysis of covariance were conducted to address the three research questions posed for this study. Results of this study yielded significant differences among young adults with HPV, young adults with other STIs, and young adults with no STIs, with regard to depressive symptomatology and partner connectedness. Respondents with HPV and other STIs experienced higher levels of depressive symptomatology than those with no STIs; however, young adults with no STIs reported significantly more partner connectedness than those with HPV and those with other STIs; young adults with other STIs reported significantly more partner connectedness than those with HPV. For young adults with HPV, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that general health stress and being female were significant predictors of depressive symptomatology. General health stress was the only factor in this group to have significant effects on depressive symptomatology, in that an increase in general health stress resulted in an increase in depressive symptomatology. Among respondents with other STIs, general health stress and partner connectedness were significant predictors of depressive symptomatology. General health stress was the only factor to have significant effects on depressive symptomatology in this group, in that an increase in general health stress resulted in an increase in depressive symptomatology. For young adults with no STIs, only self-esteem significantly predicted depressive symptomatology. In addition, self-esteem was the only factor to have significant effects on depressive symptomatology, in that as self-esteem increased among this group, depressive symptomatology decreased. The model that incorporated gynecologic/urologic health stress had no predictive ability among any of the groups, which indicated a poor fit of the model. Related findings indicated that females experienced significantly more depressive symptomatology and higher levels of gynecologic/urologic health stress than males; however, males perceived that their health was significantly better than females. With regard to health perceptions among groups, respondents with no STIs perceived that their health was better than those with HPV and those with other STIs. Implications for research, theory, and family health education are provided, including recommendations for future studies, theoretical applications, and the role of family and health educators in general health stress and HPV prevention.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4509
Format: Thesis

Title: Caregiver Well-Being: Factors Influencing Positive Outcomes in the Informal Caregiving Process.
Creator: Harris, Gregory Jerome, Darling, Carol A., Milton, Sande, Jones, Maxine D., Mullis, Ann K., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Negative and depressive outcomes of caregivers in the United States has dominated academic domains in the social, behavioral, and gerontological literature. However, more recently, there has been an attempt to assess the more positive outcomes of caregivers who provide care to family members, relatives, and friends. This dissertation enhances the literature on caregiver well-being by focusing particularly on the more positive outcomes and on the differences between White and African American...
Show moreNegative and depressive outcomes of caregivers in the United States has dominated academic domains in the social, behavioral, and gerontological literature. However, more recently, there has been an attempt to assess the more positive outcomes of caregivers who provide care to family members, relatives, and friends. This dissertation enhances the literature on caregiver well-being by focusing particularly on the more positive outcomes and on the differences between White and African American caregivers in the United States. The ABC-X model of family stress was used as a framework, along with family systems theory, to determine whether within the context of race, levels of caregiving stress and strain, levels of formal and informal coping resources, and manageability/mastery could be integrated to predict well-being for caregivers. Predictor variables such as, intensity of care demands (stress), formal and informal coping support use, and manageability/mastery of unmet needs were used to determine if there were differences between Whites and African Americans. To examine the research question, a secondary analysis was performed using data from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (NAC & AARP, 2003). The final dataset which focused on White and African American caregivers consisted of 828 individuals and key questions from the original survey that addressed the hypothesis and research question. Variables of interest were constructed, using items measuring the constructs: intensity of care demands (stress), formal coping resources use, informal coping resource use, manageability/mastery, and well-being. Race was also included in the model as a control variable. The analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS 7.0 software. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no mean difference on scores between White and African American caregivers on well-being or on informal coping resource use. However, significant mean differences existed for intensity of care demands (stress), formal coping resource use, and manageability/mastery. Results from this analysis showed that African American caregivers had higher mean scores on intensity of care demands (stress), used more formal coping resources, and experienced lowered manageability/mastery as indicated by more unmet needs in the care situation. Separate path analyses were performed to test for the influences of predictor variables in the model on the outcome variable as well as a comparison model of the critical ratio differences between White and African Americans. The variables predicting well-being were intensity of care demands (stress), formal coping resource use, informal coping resources use, and manageability/mastery. The findings revealed that intensity of care demands (stress) was significantly related to well-being, along with manageability/mastery and informal coping resource use. Only formal coping resource use had no direct relationship to well-being. Additionally, there were some indirect relationships to well-being as mediated through formal coping resource use, informal coping resources use, and manageability/mastery. Race was a moderating variable in the model and revealed no significant relationship with well-being. However, African Americans were more likely to use formal coping resources and had a sense of manageability/mastery in the caregiving role. There also existed a significant correlation between formal and informal coping resources use in the model. Overall, this model fit well with the observed data and thus supported the research question for this study that levels of caregiving stress and strain, levels of formal and informal coping resources, and manageability/mastery can be integrated to predict well-being for caregivers. Further, this model explained 34% of the variance in well-being. Finally a comparison model of White and African American caregivers indicated only one significant predictor on well-being which consisted of the direct effect of intensity of care demands (stress) on well-being, indicating that White caregivers experienced more stress in the care role when compared to African Americans. Several implications were identified regarding methodology, research, and practice. First, the ABC-X model was a useful tool for studying the stress process and predicting the relationships of certain causal factors on well-being but had limitations when it came to the diverse challenges often faced by caregivers in the care role especially racial/ethnic minorities. Second, more research is needed that focus on difference and similarities among White and African American caregivers that are done on larger samples and are longitudinal in nature. Third, an effort must be made to move from theory to practice in the field with caregiving families, as well as with public policy that address the changing demands required in caregiving considering our aging and increasingly chronically ill/disabled population. Although this study had limitations relative to the use of cross-sectional secondary data, it indicated positive and negative well-being can co-occur and that the degree to which people appraise caregiving as positive or negative may require specific measures or a variety of measures to determine the true impact of stressors, coping resources, and appraisals/perceptions on the well-being of caregiving families in general and racially diverse caregiving families in specific.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4244
Format: Thesis

Title: The Role of Family Functioning in Treatment Engagement and Posttreatment Delinquency Involvement.
Creator: Headman, Neil C., Cornille, Thomas A., Quadagno, David, Hicks, Mary W., Mazza, Nicholas F., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The present study examined the relationship between specific areas of family functioning and both family engagement in prevention services and youth delinquency involvement. Out of 308 families who initiated services with a non-profit agency during a calendar year, 147, who completed the Family Assessment Measure (version III): General Scale, were included in the study. Results of binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated significant relationships between areas of family...
Show moreThe present study examined the relationship between specific areas of family functioning and both family engagement in prevention services and youth delinquency involvement. Out of 308 families who initiated services with a non-profit agency during a calendar year, 147, who completed the Family Assessment Measure (version III): General Scale, were included in the study. Results of binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated significant relationships between areas of family functioning and both family treatment engagement and youth delinquency involvement. In addition to demographic variables, communication, task accomplishment, and denial made significant individual contributions to one or more of the evaluated models. Implications for prevention services are discussed and suggestions are made for future research.
Show less
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4170
Format: Thesis

Title: Spirituality, Religion, and Resilience Among Military Families.
Creator: Hamlin-Glover, Denise L. (Denise Lynette), Readdick, Christine A., Peterson, Gary W., Cornille, Thomas A., Rehm, Marsha L., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida...
Show moreHamlin-Glover, Denise L. (Denise Lynette), Readdick, Christine A., Peterson, Gary W., Cornille, Thomas A., Rehm, Marsha L., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Show less
Abstract/Description: While research on spirituality and religion as it relates to stress, coping, and resilience has increased, little has been focused on military families. The research question that guided this qualitative investigation was, "What is the relationship of spirituality, religion, and family resilience among military spouses?" Seven active duty military couples who had experienced at least one deployment completed a questionnaire about their spiritual and religious beliefs and practices;...
Show moreWhile research on spirituality and religion as it relates to stress, coping, and resilience has increased, little has been focused on military families. The research question that guided this qualitative investigation was, "What is the relationship of spirituality, religion, and family resilience among military spouses?" Seven active duty military couples who had experienced at least one deployment completed a questionnaire about their spiritual and religious beliefs and practices; participated in an in-depth interview and completed matrices charting the trajectory of each spouse's reliance on spirituality, religious practices, and family resilience over the duration of each crisis; and engaged in a follow-up debriefing interview. Four themes emerged, including couples' identifying and perceiving critical events, making sense of their marital relationship, professing their spiritual and religious experiences, and coping with their critical events. Conclusions were discussed in the context of the conceptual framework of stress and coping theory, family systems theory, and social constructionism. Other researchers studying military families may wish to examine ethnic, cultural, and gender differences which appeared in this study to differentially influence spouses' perceptions of and ability to use their spirituality and religion as mechanisms for coping with deployment and other crises, including illness and death of family members, and achieving homeostasis. For clinicians, mental health professionals, and military chaplains, findings suggest that inclusion of individual family spiritual and religious beliefs and practices as a centerpiece for discussion in the therapeutic process is warranted.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4304
Format: Thesis

Title: A Look at Black Ethnic Identity and Transracial Adoption: A Contextual Perspective.
Creator: Hayes, Mellonie S., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The researcher of this study used an applied developmental contextual framework to examine the predictors of the ethnic identity level in transracial, inracial, and interracial couple adoptees of African descent. The relationship between ethnic identity level and age, sex, parent-child relationship satisfaction, family functioning, perceived social support, and type of adoption were investigated through ANOVA, Pearson r Correlations, and Standard Multiple Regression analyses. The model...
Show moreThe researcher of this study used an applied developmental contextual framework to examine the predictors of the ethnic identity level in transracial, inracial, and interracial couple adoptees of African descent. The relationship between ethnic identity level and age, sex, parent-child relationship satisfaction, family functioning, perceived social support, and type of adoption were investigated through ANOVA, Pearson r Correlations, and Standard Multiple Regression analyses. The model significantly predicted ethnic identity level. The moderating effects of sex and type of adoption were significant. Implications regarding research, clinical practice, and policy were provided.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4188
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Self Reported Trauma, Complicated Grief, and Depression Among College Students.
Creator: Fowler, Kenneth E., Figley, Charles R., Jones, Maxine, Hicks, Mary W., Mullis, Ann K., Karioth, Sally P., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Background. Grief is considered complicated when symptoms are found to predict long-term functional impairments resulting in a failure to return to pre-loss performance levels (Prigerson, Frank, et al. 1995). Objective. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between self reported trauma, complicated grief, and depression among college students. Limitations. The study of the relationship between loss of a loved one, complicated grief and depression may be an indicator of a...
Show moreBackground. Grief is considered complicated when symptoms are found to predict long-term functional impairments resulting in a failure to return to pre-loss performance levels (Prigerson, Frank, et al. 1995). Objective. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between self reported trauma, complicated grief, and depression among college students. Limitations. The study of the relationship between loss of a loved one, complicated grief and depression may be an indicator of a relation to other psychological and physiological disorders. The use of self-disclosure instruments to determine grief states is a design flaw because respondents in certain stages of grief may be in denial or do not realize their difficulty with grief issues. Method. The study group consisted of 144 college students from a large southeastern university. Complicated grief was measured using the Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised (ICG-R), and depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Outcomes were assessed by self-report and analyzed using chi-square tests, Fisher Exact tests, ANOVAs, and regression analyses to determine the significance of the relationships among variables. Results. Depression was found to be a predictor of complicated grief, traumatic distress, and the number of months of disturbing feelings since the loss. Impairment was found to be a predictor of depression, separation distress and traumatic distress. The regression analysis indicated that students with a traumatic loss of six months ago or longer accounted for the significance of depression as a predictor of traumatic distress. Implications. Complicated grief is a phenomenon that clinicians should be knowledgeable of and possess the proficiency to provide appropriate intervention. Traumatic distress and impairment were found to be highly correlated with depression. Conclusion. Trauma, complicated grief, and depression are positively correlated and all serve as predictors of impairment.
Show less
Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4409
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Familial and Extrafamilial Voice and Support for Voice and Identity Exploration in African American Emerging Adults.
Creator: Golden-Thompson, Amber, Mullis, Ann K., Rollin, Stephen A., Hicks, Mary W., Mullis, Ronald L., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purposes of the study were to a) examine the relationship between level of voice (LOV) and support for voice (SFV) and ideological identity exploration, and b) to expand the theoretical and empirical discussion regarding identity development and socialization forces in African American emerging adults. The study built on the empirical work of Grotevant and Cooper (1985), that established a relationship between ideological exploration, the expression of one's thoughts and opinions to...
Show moreThe purposes of the study were to a) examine the relationship between level of voice (LOV) and support for voice (SFV) and ideological identity exploration, and b) to expand the theoretical and empirical discussion regarding identity development and socialization forces in African American emerging adults. The study built on the empirical work of Grotevant and Cooper (1985), that established a relationship between ideological exploration, the expression of one's thoughts and opinions to parents, and the corresponding levels of support received from each parent. In keeping with Grotevant and Cooper's study, ideological identity exploration was conceptualized in the current study using Marcia's (1966) identity status model. The ability to be true to oneself, conceptualized and measured as Level of Voice (LOV) or the ability to express one's thoughts and opinions, was based on Harter's empirical work on authentic self-behavior. Support, conceptualized and measured as the perception of respect and interest in what one has to say or support for voice (SFV), was also drawn from this body of literature. Examining ideological identity and various socialization forces in African Americans was an expansion on the wider body of identity literature that predominantly focuses on racial/ethnic identity in this population. The conceptualization of familial socialization forces was expanded to include mother (figures), father (figures), adult relatives, as well as fictive kin. Furthermore, the inclusion of extrafamilial socialization forces expanded the broader body of identity literature. The relationships of peers and instructors/advisors included in this investigation were selected based on the theoretical writings of Erikson (1968). The final sample included 373 participants (67.3% female and 32.7% male) of whom 92.4% were between the ages of 18 and 23. Gender differences emerged relative to the collective influence of LOV and SFV on exploration, as well as to the influence of the various relational contexts under investigation. Males with higher levels of exploration had higher LOV with father (figures) and lower LOV with instructors/advisors. Females with higher exploration levels indicated increased LOV with fictive kin but lower LOV with adult relatives when controlling for the effects of familial SFV.
Show less
Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4189
Format: Thesis

Title: Sexual Health Education in College: The Impact of Sexual Negotiation Training on Sexual Risk Reduction.
Creator: Negash, Sesen, Fincham, Frank, Gerend, Mary, McWey, Lenore, Cui, Ming, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A two-group randomized experimental study was used to evaluate the impact of sexual negotiation training as compared to standard health education on improving sexual risk outcomes (i.e., condom use, knowledge about a partner's sexual history, and condom use self-efficacy) among college students (n = 183). A repeated measure ANOVA revealed that, compared to those in the comparison group, participants who received sexual negotiation training were significantly more likely to report greater...
Show moreA two-group randomized experimental study was used to evaluate the impact of sexual negotiation training as compared to standard health education on improving sexual risk outcomes (i.e., condom use, knowledge about a partner's sexual history, and condom use self-efficacy) among college students (n = 183). A repeated measure ANOVA revealed that, compared to those in the comparison group, participants who received sexual negotiation training were significantly more likely to report greater condom use at post-test. Secondly, intentions did not mediate the link between condition and post-test sexual risk outcomes (i.e., condom use and knowledge about a partner's sexual history). Finally, regression analyses examined whether relationship factors (i.e., relationships satisfaction, trust, commitment, communication) predicted sexual risk outcomes among participants in exclusive dating relationships (n = 108). Relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with condom use at post-test among those in exclusive relationships. Overall, the public health implications of these findings warrant attention. Findings from this study illustrate the benefits of sexual negotiation education at improving condom use and call for the development and implementation of sexual negotiation training among college students, an underserved population.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5066
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Identity Formation and Faith Maturity.
Creator: Long, Jayce, Mullis, Ronald L., Cui, Ming, Baumeister, Roy, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The relationship between identity formation and religious/spiritual commitment has been connected theoretically since Erikson's work in the mid-20th century. Specific relationships within the constructs, such as spiritual maturity through identity exploration, have not been researched thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between identity and faith formation processes in college students (N = 285) from a large public university in the southeast. Participants...
Show moreThe relationship between identity formation and religious/spiritual commitment has been connected theoretically since Erikson's work in the mid-20th century. Specific relationships within the constructs, such as spiritual maturity through identity exploration, have not been researched thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between identity and faith formation processes in college students (N = 285) from a large public university in the southeast. Participants were self-identified Christians within the approximate age group known as emerging adulthood (i.e., 18-25), and completed questionnaire packets with measures of identity style, religious ego-identity status, faith maturity- commitment/integration, faith maturity-exploration, and strength of faith. Mature identity formation processes were highly associated with faith maturity-commitment/integration, moderately associated with questioning beliefs within faith maturity-exploration. Informational identity style exhibited predictive value for both outcome measures of faith maturity. Those practicing and representing mature identity processes are more likely to integrate their faith into their relationships. Construct validity concerns regarding the measure of faith maturity-exploration (i.e., Quest Scale) are discussed. Significant relationships concerning outside crisis, sex, and denomination affiliation with faith maturity measures emerged.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5000
Format: Thesis

Title: Family Structure, Social Capital, and Educational Outcomes in Two Parent Families.
Creator: Garneau, Chelsea Lynn, Pasley, B. Kay, Tillman, Kathryn, Fincham, Frank D., McWey, Lenore, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined how family structure moderates the relationship between social capital and educational outcomes for those in two-parent families. Social capital and family structure were measured when participants were 12-14 years old, and a variety of educational outcomes were examined from high school dropout and completion through postsecondary degree completion. Social capital was measured as parental monitoring, parent-child relationship quality, and parent-school involvement....
Show moreThis study examined how family structure moderates the relationship between social capital and educational outcomes for those in two-parent families. Social capital and family structure were measured when participants were 12-14 years old, and a variety of educational outcomes were examined from high school dropout and completion through postsecondary degree completion. Social capital was measured as parental monitoring, parent-child relationship quality, and parent-school involvement. Specifically, this study compared those in stepfamilies to those in intact two-parent families. It also examined differences between mutual biological children in blended stepfamilies and biological children in intact two-parent families, as well as mutual children in blended stepfamilies and stepchildren in blended stepfamilies. Results indicated that those in simple stepfather and blended stepfamilies had poorer educational outcomes overall compared to those in intact two-parent families. Having a higher quality parent-child relationship was associated with greater likelihood of completing a postsecondary degree, greater total years of school completed, and greater highest degree completed. Findings supporting the moderation hypothesis were few. Living in a blended stepfamily moderated the relationships between parent-child relationship quality and high school completion and parent-school involvement and completing a bachelor's degree or higher. In both instances, the relationship was stronger for those in intact two-parent families than those in blended stepfamilies. Among children living with both biological parents, mutual children in blended stepfamilies were less likely to complete a postsecondary degree and had a lower highest degree completed than those in intact two-parent families. No significant differences were found for the educational outcomes of mutual children and stepchildren living in blended stepfamilies. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4856
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship of Body Mass Index Leves, Nutriton Knowledge, Influences on Food Choices, Dietary Habits, and Nutrition Education of Adolescent Students.
Creator: Floyd, Kimberly Elizabeth, Rehm, Marsha, Greenwood, Bonnie, Jackson, Edgar Newton, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Primary purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of body mass index levels, nutritional knowledge, selected food habits, influences that effect food choices, and nutrition education among adolescent students enrolled in high school family and consumer sciences classes. The influences of some demographic factors on each of these variables were also investigated. These factors were adolescent's gender, grade level, ethnicity, Body Mass Index, and age.
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4433
Format: Thesis

Families (59)	+ -
Children (45)	+ -
Life cycle, Human (44)	+ -
Social service (35)	+ -
Social sciences (28)	+ -

Study and teaching (13)	+ -
Sociology (11)	+ -
Research (7)	+ -
Psychology (5)	+ -
Animal behavior (3)	+ -
Mental health (3)	+ -
Religion (3)	+ -
African Americans (2)	+ -
Counseling psychology (2)	+ -
Developmental psychology (2)	+ -
Education (2)	+ -
Social psychology (2)	+ -
Child psychology (1)	+ -
Criminology (1)	+ -
Early childhood teachers (1)	+ -
Food (1)	+ -
Gerontology (1)	+ -
Gifted children (1)	+ -
Health services administration (1)	+ -
Medical sciences (1)	+ -
Military education (1)	+ -
Public administration (1)	+ -
Public health (1)	+ -
Public policy (1)	+ -
Social psychiatry (1)	+ -

text (151)	+ -
doctoral thesis (14)	+ -

Florida State University (151)	+ -
Cui, Ming (44)	+ -
College of Human Sciences (29)	+ -
McWey, Lenore (28)	+ -
Mullis, Ann K. (28)	+ -

Rehm, Marsha (21)	+ -
McWey, Lenore M. (20)	+ -
Mullis, Ronald L. (20)	+ -
Denton, Wayne (16)	+ -
Mullis, Ann (16)	+ -
Lee, Robert E. (15)	+ -
Readdick, Christine A. (15)	+ -
Pasley, B. Kay (14)	+ -
Darling, Carol A. (10)	+ -
Mazza, Nicholas (10)	+ -
Pasley, Kay (10)	+ -
Peterson, Gary (10)	+ -
Rehm, Marsha Lynn (10)	+ -
Cornille, Thomas A. (9)	+ -
Fincham, Frank D. (8)	+ -
Hicks, Mary W. (8)	+ -
Holtrop, Kendal (8)	+ -
Iatarola, Patrice (8)	+ -
Readdick, Christine (8)	+ -
Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A. (7)	+ -
Holtrop, Kendal N. (7)	+ -
Fincham, Frank (6)	+ -
Lucier-Greer, Mallory (6)	+ -
Rehm, Marsha L. (6)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Collection

Topical Subject

Genre

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Owner