published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Philosophy

Background: Sibling relationship is oneof the most long-lasting family relationships. For adults with intellectual disabilities (AWID), sibling relationship significantly influences their own well-being and those of their brothers or sisters. The positive participation of siblings of AWID in sibling relationships can help predict their expectations on their future care-giving role. Nevertheless, few studies on sibling relationship of AWID exist, particularly in China. Objectives: This study investigated the sibling relationship experiences of siblings of AWID in China. The study explored how the personal factors of siblings(such as emotional closeness, sense of responsibility, experiences of ID stigma, and expectations of self-reward),familial factors(such as differential treatment of parents),and social–contextual factors(such as availability of support services and policies)determine their two types of motivations, namely, obligatory and discretionary, as well as their contact frequency in their sibling relationships. The study also examined the mediation of the two types of relational motivations of siblings of AWID on the relationship between determinative factors and contact frequency. Method: The study adopted a quantitative research method. A total of 1,298 siblings of AWID from Guangdong province, China were recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Both stratified and purposive sampling methods were employed. Eight scales were used in the measurements, six of which were adopted from existing scales and modified according to the research objectives and two of which were newly developed. A small-sample validation study was performed to test the reliability and validity of the scales prior to conducting the main study. Results: All personal, familial, and social–contextual factors have significant correlations with the two types of motivations of siblings of AWID. With the exception of experiences of ID stigma, the measured factors contributed significantly to the contact frequency of siblings of AWID. In the integrated model, their obligatory motivations were also found to mediate the relationships between the different determinative factors and their contact frequency. Differential treatment of parents was the only factor not mediated by the obligatory motivations of siblings of AWID. Discussion: The findings of this study have enriched knowledge on the antecedents of sibling relationship of AWID in China and have highlighted the mediating roles of obligatory motivations of siblings of AWID in these relationships. The adopted scales have exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties and thus can be used in future studies on sibling relationship and utilized as assessment tools in clinical practices. These findings can also increase understanding of social work practitioners on the needs and strengths of siblings of AWID as well as inspire them to develop effective support systems for these siblings and advocate relevant policy changes. / published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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The purpose of this investigation was to describe the attitudes of individuals who were spouses of patients with aphasia. Using modified Q-methodology, 15 spouses of fluent aphasic patients, 15 spouses of nonfluent aphasic patients and 30 matched controls completed a 70-item Q-sort constructed specifically for this study. The spouses of nonfluent aphasic patients were found to have a greater number of negative attitudes toward their spouses than were the spouses of fluent aphasic patients. The spouses of patients in both aphasia groups were found to have a greater number of negative attitudes toward their spouses than the matched controls. In addition, six factors (Compliance, Desirability, Egocentricity, Independence, Maturity, and Sociability) representative of the spouse-patient relationship were identified that incorporated the most commonly held attitudes by the spouses of patients in both aphasia groups.

This thesis includes a full length play and a separate section describing the creation of this play. The play depicts family members struggling with the direct and indirect ramifications of alcoholism, depression, and suicide. The play is composed of two acts; act one contains eight scenes, and act two contains six scenes. It is set in the 1950s and 1960s and takes place in various areas of the family home, at a wedding reception, and at a funeral. The essay section includes a description of the process, a record of changes in the play's direction, notations of personal discoveries, and a self evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the play.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of perceived family competence on late adolescent problem-solving abilities, family relationships, and affective experience. Specific areas of interest were perceived confidence in problem-solving and approach rather than avoidance of problems; intergenerational intimacy, intergenerational individuation, and personal authority in the family system as the adolescent relates to parents; and level of depression. Subjects were 256 late adolescents whose parents were still married and living together. Results indicated that perceived family competence had an effect on the dependent variables in the expected directions. Specifically, individuals who scored high on perceived family competence were high on perceived problem-solving confidence, approached problem-solving, were high on intergenerational intimacy, intergenerational individuation, and personal authority in relation to parents, and had less depression than individuals low on perceived family competence. Several sex differences were noted. Females had significantly higher approach to problem-solving than did males. Women reported significantly higher intergenerational intimacy with parents than did men. There was a significant interaction on personal authority such that for the high perceived family competence group, women scored higher than men. However, there were no significant differences between males and females in the low perceived family competence group.

Depressive symptomology was examined in this study as a function of conflict and intimate support with parents, friends, and siblings among a non-clinical sample of 223 predominately white sixth-grade early adolescents. Moreover, sixth-graders' depressive symptomology was examined as a function of conflict management self-efficacy and intimate support self-efficacy. The purpose of the present study was twofold: 1) to explore the effects of intimate support and conflict in family and friend relationships on sixth-grade early adolescent depressive symptomology, 2) to determine whether poor conflict management skills self-efficacy and poor intimate support self-efficacy are linked with depressive symptomology in sixth-grade early adolescents. Friend relationship qualities had little impact on depression in sixth-graders. However, the presence of conflict and deficits in family intimate support, especially from parents, was associated with increased depression. Increased levels of depression also corresponded with lower ratings of conflict management self-efficacy and intimate support self-efficacy. Moreover, relationship difficulties combined with self-efficacy deficits to affect depression.