M.A. / The aim of this study was to form an understanding of the adolescent within the context of family rituals. When the development of the adolescent is being studied, greater emphasis is placed on the significant role of the family in the development of the adolescent. When experiencing problems such as functioning in and adjusting to this phase, adolescents’ problems can be placed parallel to the problems experienced within the family system to fulfill the unmet needs of the adolescent. The purpose of the comparative study was to compare the perceptions of adolescent boys from two church groups regarding family rituals. The perceptions of the adolescent boys regarding family rituals were compared over three areas; denomination, language and age groups. For the purposes of the study an adolescent boy is seen as someone within the age group of 13 -18 years. Two groups of adolescent boys from two different church groups, a Dutch Reformed church group and a Methodist church group, were approached for the study. Out of a 100 experimental subjects the information of 72 adolescent boys was used for the purposes of the study of which 51 were Dutch Reformed adolescent boys and 21 were Methodist adolescent boys. A total of 53 participants were Afrikaans and 19 were English. Most of the adolescent boys were between the ages of 13 – 15 years. By means of a biographical questionnaire, the experimental subjects were divided according to their parent’s marital status. Participants were asked to complete the Family Ritual Questionnaire (FRQ). This FRQ assesses family rituals across several settings ranging from dinnertime to religious celebrations and across various dimensions ranging from roles to symbolic significance. Adequate internal consistency and construct validity was established for the FRQ. The results were statistically evaluated and interpreted. General findings revealed that the two groups differed in their perceptions of family rituals across denominations, language and age groups. Discussions focus on family rituals as a vehicle in the renegotiation of family relationships during the adolescent developmental phase. Certain recommendations are made to further research and the application of the results in practice.

M.Cur. / The abuse of alcohol has a huge impact on health-related problems worldwide. The incidence rate of alcohol abuse in South Africa is on the increase according to Van Niekerk (2001:325). Alcohol dependency causes dysfunction in families resulting in problems such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, impaired relationships and poor parenting (Prest & Protinsky 1993:352). The family system becomes dysfunctional by organising itself in a way which enables and protects the alcohol dependant’s drinking habits. This phenomenon is called “ co-dependency”. The family is ignorant of the problem and becomes isolated. The concept “co-dependency” has been used since the late 1970’s to describe the problems affecting the spouse of the alcoholic and later to include the children. Co-dependency is characterised by features such as low self-esteem, poor identity formation, overuse of denial and the urge to control others. The co-dependant’s involvement with others in order to care and control leads to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse. It becomes a vicious cycle difficult to escape from. Health care professionals may be unaware of the underlying family problems when the co-dependant seeks help for physical and mental illness, resulting in the complexity of the problem not being addressed. Psychiatric nurses need guidelines to facilitate the mental health of the co-dependant spouse. The first goal of this study was to explore and describe the lived experience of the co-dependant spouse. The second goal was to develop guidelines for the psychiatric nurse to facilitate the mental health of the co-dependant spouse. The theoretical framework of the Theory for Health Promotion in Nursing by the Department of Nursing of the Rand Afrikaans University (2002:2-7) was used as point of departure in conducting this research. The researcher followed a functional approach according to the Botes model for nursing research (RAU, 2002:8-13). An explorative, descriptive, contextual and qualitative research design was used for this study (Babbie & Mouton, 2001:79-81). In-depth semi-structured phenomenological interviews were conducted with participants meeting the criteria for inclusion. Purposive sampling was used (Burns & Grove 1997:307). A pilot study was conducted. To ensure trustworthiness, the researcher made use of Guba’s model (Lincoln & Guba 1985: 290-300). The researcher used Tesch’s approach (Poggenpoel in De Vos, 1998:343) to transcribe the recorded interviews and to analyse the data gathered from the interviews. A literature control was conducted to re-contextualise the results within the literature. The researcher came to the conclusion that the total being of the co-dependant is dismantled by the effect of the addictive process. It was found that the ripple effect of co-dependency is far reaching, causing dysfunction of the family structure and mental health problems of the individual family members. In order to break the vicious cycle of addiction, simultaneous intervention at different levels of the addiction process was required. Therefore co-dependency should be dealt with as part of a bigger process by the psychiatric nurse when intervening. Guidelines were developed for the psychiatric nurse in order to facilitate the mental health of the co-dependant in a holistic manner. Conclusions were drawn, limitations of the research were highlighted and recommendations were made for the nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research.

This dissertation examines the social ecological factors in shaping the attitudes and responses of ministers' children (PKs) toward full-time Christian ministry. Data emerging from the descriptive qualitative research methodology of this study broaden Christian leaders' understanding of PKs, and inform clergy parents who seek to raise PKs with a positive attitude and response toward full-time Christian ministry. The research consisted of thirty-four semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Each provided rich descriptive data for analysis. The targeted population for this study was ministers' children who are adults in full-time Christian ministry or those preparing for full-time Christian ministry in North America. In this study, the sample included adult PKs who are students, staff, and faculty at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The findings have shown that the minister's family and its interactions with the church play an important role in shaping the attitudes and responses of the ministers' children toward full-time Christian ministry. The predominant positive factors identified were the following: parents/family, youth ministers/other mentors, Christian college experience, sheltered from church conflicts, ministerial exposure and involvement, positive church experience, and missions experience. The number one positive factor is from the family microsystem, especially the parents. The father's role in setting a proper boundary between family and church, such as shielding the church conflicts from the PKs, is important. The predominant negative factors identified were the following: negative church experience, church conflicts, expectations from church members, forced termination, financial stress, and lack of spiritual nourishment at home. A predominant theme mentioned across the cases, although not strictly social ecological, was the calling for full-time Christian ministry and the transforming power of God. Many PKs expressed that these had overridden the negative factors they had experienced. Further research is encouraged to examine the specific ways in which each pattern/theme influences the attitudes and responses of ministers' children toward full-time Christian ministry. It is the present researcher's goal that the findings will inform the clergy parents as well as the church in their effort of raising the next generation of men and women who would support the Christian ministry. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences. / Department of Sociology

The Piglasio children suffered great hardship after the loss of their father and the disappearance of their eldest sister. Raised by a single mother in the ruin of childhoods already long gone, Frances and Michael wrestle with young adulthood, their faith and each other. One runs hundreds of miles away to seek adventure and friendship in Maryland. While the other runs only a mile, joining the efforts of a good-hearted young man who takes in the homeless. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Typescript (photocopy) / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This thesis explores the experiences of parents who have children with significant developmental disabilities. A dissatisfaction with the interpretive power of dominant paradigms regarding parents' responses to their children with disabilities resulted in a study in which an interpretive methodology, informed by phenomenology, was used. The voices of six parents paint a picture which is at odds with prevalent assumptions of parental crisis and maladjustment. Whilst being conscious of their anguish and sorrow, these parents speak of hope, love, strength and joy. An interpretation of the parents' experience is presented in light of the themes of 'between joy and sorrow', 'hope and no hope' and 'defiance and despair'. This phenomenological interpretation provides insight and understanding and has implications for nursing practice, education and research / Master of Nursing (Hons)

This thesis aimed to examine the functioning of families with a sufferer of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), using self-report measures and a direct observation family discussion task. Researchers and clinicians have long been interested in the interactional patterns of these sufferers within the family unit, although few have furthered our understanding of the interplay between family functioning, cohesion and emotional expression and issues such as control, by directly examining these interactions. The construct of control has been another area of interest in recent research, although how it is constructed and operates within this disorder remains unclear and ambiguous. Thus the purpose of this research was to expand the study of adolescents suffering Anorexia Nervosa who still resided within the family unit, from merely studying self-report measures and retrospective surveys of recovery, to include a direct examination of sufferers and their families at the time of the disorder. Participants included 16 female sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa and their parents, 17 drug and alcohol sufferers, and 18 non-clinic families. Both parents and their daughters completed self-report inventories assessing their clinical status as well as family functioning and marital happiness. In addition, family members participated in a series of family discussion tasks which were coded for the dimensions of autonomy, cohesiveness, avoidance and control. In Study 1 (Chapter 7), the self-report measures of the anorexic families were examined specifically in relation to the construct of control acting as a mediating variable between level of dysfunction and severity of the disorder. Consistent with previous research, levels of marital happiness and family cohesion influenced the severity level of the daughter's Anorexia Nervosa. This study also explored the construct of control within the family system and found that the more moral-religious emphasis in the family, the more concerned the daughter was with her weight. At the same time daughters were reporting higher levels of moral-religious emphasis, they were reporting higher levels of self-control. The daughters in this study appeared to be inconsistent in their behavioural responses. The daughters' weight concern increased with their own reported levels of moral-religious emphasis in the family. However, as this emphasis increased, so too did their control scores. It was supposed that conflict may be created in a family when strong religious and/or strong moral values are emphasized, particularly when one of the family members suffers AN. This issue is discussed in depth. Study 2 sought to examine these variables further by using a direct observation family discussion task to compare an independent observer's ratings to the family's ratings of the discussion, across the three groups. The study examined the daughters' and mothers' perceptions and compared significant results to the observer's ratings. This study highlighted that the mothers of sufferers appeared not to be concerned about their own bodies and weight, and not distressed when discussing with their daughters the issues of control in the areas of family, body, school and friends. Furthermore, the anorexic daughters presented as more sad and anxious than the two other groups and indicated that their parents had more control over their bodies than they did themselves. Finally, for the majority of participating families, the fathers were absent and this issue is explored.

The focus of this study is the American military family. The primary purpose is to examine the family from the paradigm of a distinct occupational subculture and, substantiating that existence, to understand the implications of work-family role conflict of the military family. The objectives are to substantiate the military as an occupational subculture and explore military work and family conflict through participative observation techniques and, to a lesser extent, thematic analysis. The research questions are "Is the military an occupational subculture?", and "How does the work-role of the service member affect the family?" A pilot survey instrument based on the seven tenets of an occupational subculture (Trice, 1993) was developed to ascertain the level of subcultural affiliation of the respondents. In total, 78 members of the military (Army) were interviewed using the instrument. Examination of thematic responses from spousal surveys complement the overall analysis. The findings indicate a strong affiliation within the Army that would support the supposition that the Army is an occupational subculture. Respondents exhibited affiliation with all seven tenets above the 75% level that had been established as a benchmark. Taken together, thematic analysis of spouse perceptions viewed through a subcultural paradigm, and service members interviews, converged to demonstrate the probability of the military as a distinct occupational subculture. As such, the military has the capability to influence members and their families through infrastructure (both formal and informal), social, and perceptive requirements. Subcultural forces may provide powerful conformance tools for the membership. Obvious implications for acknowledging the uniqueness of the military family as a distinct subculture within American society are important. To retain a viable fighting force, Army family policy must be responsive and understanding of the military family entity. Preliminary results indicate that further exploration of the military with a subcultural perspective could enhance soldier readiness. Further studies should focus on the military family as the primary support mechanism for soldiers serving in the modern military. Additional study on families leaving the military to a civilian environment would provide insight into the mechanics of subcultural transitions. / Graduation date: 1997

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between kindergarten children's classroom behavior and family unit type. Three dimensions of classroom behavior were examined: temperament, socialization, and task-orientation. Family unit types were: nuclear, single-parent, and remarried.The sample consisted of ninety-eight subjects divided, according to family unit types, as follows: nuclear - forty, single-parent - thirty-one, and remarried - twenty-seven. There were fifty-three males and forty-five females. Subjects were enrolled in kindergarten classrooms of two public school corporations in Indiana.Null hypotheses were formulated to examine kindergarten children's classroom behavior, temperament, socialization, and task-orientation, as functions of family unit type. A multivariate and univariate analysis of variance, with statistical control for the sex factor, was used to test the null hypotheses.The dependent variables, classroom behavior, temperament, socialization, and task-orientation, were measured by the teacher-rated Classroom Behavior Inventory. Data identifying the independent variable, family unit type, and the control variable, sex, were collected on the Personal Data Form.An examination of the statistical analyses yielded the following results:No significant difference in kindergarten children's classroom behavior was found among children of nuclear, -single-parent, and remarried families (p<.4589).Due to an insignificant F-ratio on the multivariate analysis of variance, univariate analyses of variance could not be performed.Results of this study indicated that there was no significant difference in classroom behavior among kindergarten children of nuclear, single-parent, and remarried families. Results of the sex variance analysis suggested that sex differences existed relative to task-orientation.Although differences in classroom behavior existed they were not caused by family unit type. Concerns of educators that children of non-nuclear families deem special attention were not supported. Children in single-parent and remarried families evidenced classroom behavior similar to that of nuclear family children.