The scholarly study of materialism is becoming more common in a variety of disciplines. This thesis provides an empirical review of this burgeoning body of literature by conducting a meta-analysis of the relationship between materialism and psychological well-being. A weighted overall effect size from 47 published and unpublished samples indicated that materialism was significantly related to lower psychological well-being. This effect size was modest in strength (r = .159). Materialism scale, psychological scale valance, age of sample, and publication status of the study did not moderate this relationship. Culture did moderate the relationship, with a stronger relationship in individualistic cultures than in collectivist cultures. Implications for individuals, professionals, and organizations are discussed, and critiques of the extant literature, as well as suggestions for future research, are offered.

Recent studies are beginning to show evidence of marital problems for couples that have engaged in early premarital sexual activity compared to those who do not. Adult attachment theory plays an important role in explaining many kinds of distress for couples and helps explain sexual interaction, thus, in this study it is posited that attachment may influence sexual timing patterns. This study focuses on the relationship between insecure attachment styles and early premarital sexual timing. The sample consisted of 256 couples who took the Relationship Evaluation (RELATE) to measure their attachment styles and sexual timing while controlling for length of relationship, religiosity, education and age, which may be related to sexual timing. Models were tested for males and females separately using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results showed a significant, positive relationship between female anxious attachment and early sexual timing. Results also showed a significant negative relationship between female avoidant attachment and early sexual timing. No results showed significant relationships between male insecure attachment and sexual timing. Implications for couples, clinicians and educators are discussed.

While there is substantial evidence that marriage impacts health, no studies have explicitly analyzed the association between attachment behaviors and health practices. This study examines the relationship between couples' attachment behaviors and health practices, as measured by physical activity levels and dietary habits. Couple data was analyzed from the RELATE database (n= 4,957 couples). An Actor Partner Interdependence Model, using a multinomial logistic regression, was used to examine the relationships between attachment behaviors and health practices, as measured by activity level and dietary habits. Results for actor paths indicate that wives' own attachment behaviors significantly influence their own health practices. Husbands' attachment behaviors are not significantly related to their own health practices. Results also show no significant partner paths for either spouse. Clinical implications for treating women who present with health problems are discussed, as are directions for future research.

School-based depression prevention programs are being implemented in schools across the world in efforts to inoculate children and adolescents from depressive symptoms. This meta-analysis examined 56 manuscripts with a total of 82 studies which focused on school-based programs to determine how they affect depression, anxiety, cognitive skills, self-esteem, coping, and internalizing behaviors. For these specific outcomes, effect sizes ranged from .08 to .25. All combined outcomes yielded a significant effect size of .15. Moderator analyses revealed key differences that identified characteristics of the most effective programs. Targeted programs servicing at-risk students yielded an effect size of .31, while universal programs produced a significant but small effect size of .07. However, the program facilitator seemed to impact the effectiveness of all types of programs. Non-school personnel produced a .39 effect size with targeted samples, and .17 with universal samples, while school personnel produced about one half to a third of the effect.

Current research shows that grandparents have made significant contributions to at-risk families. However, few studies have examined the benefits of grandparenting in non-at-risk populations. This study considered whether emotional involvement with a grandparent is associated with prosocial behavior in adolescent grandchildren and examines the mediating role of empathy and perspective taking. A longitudinal sample of 500 participants were taken from waves two thru five of the Flourishing Families Project (FFP) and used to construct a latent growth curve model. Results indicate that emotional involvement with a grandparent was positively linked with initial levels of prosocial behavior in grandchildren. Furthermore, results indicated that empathy and perspective taking partially mediated the connection between grandparent's involvement and the initial levels of prosocial behavior in their grandchildren. Discussion focuses on the distinct contribution grandparents give to families.

This study examined the development of attachment as it relates to co-regulation and vagal tone over the second half of the first year of life. Links to infants' attachment and developmental status were also examined. Symmetrical and unilateral co-regulated patterns of interactions at 6 months demonstrated significant linkages with attachment. Developmental status did not show direct linkages with attachment. Direct links between vagal tone and attachment were also not identified. Correlations between co-regulation and vagal tone at the 6 month time point were identified. Findings suggest an important role of co-regulation as it relates to attachment development. Future studies may benefit from evaluating the role of co-regulation as a mediating variable between vagal tone and attachment development.

Since the days of Adam the Lord has called upon the priesthood to watch over the families: To see that fathers are doing their duty as patriarchs over their families, and to assist and encourage the fathers in this responsibility. Thus thwarting the efforts of Satan to lead the children of men astray. The principle has always been for the priesthood to watch over the families. But the process of how this is done has changed from time to time according to the needs of the people. This treatise covers the history of these changes in documentary form.In the days of Adam and the early fathers watching over the families was done by the oldest patriarch; in Moses' day it was done by the Levites. Prophets were also called to watch over the people. Christ directed his Apostles to ordain priests and teachers to watch over the Church in his day. When the Church was reorganized the Lord gave a revelation through Joseph Smith which restored the commandment to watch over the families by the priesthood. The process has experienced a succession of changes over the years until we have what we call home teaching today.

This study has two main purposes. First, to develop from theory hypotheses concerning the association between attendance of L.D.S., male household heads at church related activities and certain specific variables; and to test these hypotheses. The second purpose was to test certain other variables, (not related to theory) for association with church attendance of L.D.S., male household heads.The chi-square test was used to determine whether or not the variables were significantly associated and the coefficient of contingency test to determine to what extent they were related. The .05 level of probability was chosen as the criterion for significance. A sample was obtained upon which the findings were based. It consisted of 378 male, L.D.S. household heads whose wives were also members of the L.D.S. Church. It was taken from three distinct random samples of people living in towns and open country areas of Juab and Sanpete Counties in central Utah. The respondents were personally interviewed during April and May of 1958 by six persons especially trained for this purpose.The findings of this study tended to support all of the hypotheses and to lend weight to the propositions from which they were derived.The propositions derived from the findings of other studies and supported in this study were:1. Household heads will have rates of attendance that are generally similar to the rates of attendance at church related activities of other members of the family.2. Those with high attendance at L.D.S. church related activities will more likely conform to certain emphasized standards, principles, and suggestions of the church and will more likely have leadership responsibilities than will those with lower attendance at church related activities.The hypotheses derived from the above propositions and supported in this study are:High attendance of of household heads at church related activities will be positively associated with:1. High attendance of wives at church related activities.2. Number of church related organizations to which they belong.3. Number of church related organizations to which wives belong.4. Usual family attendance at church.5. Regular holding of family prayers.6. Regular holding of family night.7. Frequency of religious discussions between husbands and wives.8. High amount of agreement between husbands and wives about religion.A total of seven of the thirty-one additional variables tested showed significant and positive association with church attendance. These were:1. Family participation in shopping trips.2. Husbands often helping wives with work.3. Frequency of discussion with wives about recreation.4. Frequency of discussion with wives about politics.5. Grades of formal education completed. (By husbands)6. Present house more comfortable than last.7. Number of magazine subscriptions.Amount of agreement or disagreement between husbands and wives on specific items, was found to have no significant association with church attendance.A total of seven variables in the study were found to have corrected coefficient of contingency scores of .40 or above. These were:1. Family usually attended church together.2. Husband belonged to three or more church related organizations.3. Wife belonged to three or more church related organizations.4. Wife attended church related activities 60 percent or over of the time.5. Combined "yes" responses concerning family participation averaged 60 percent or over.6. Husband and wife often discussed religion.7. Family prayers were held regularly.The above variables combined and plotted to form a church attendance pedictability index. Although the predictability of three or less variables was not very reliable, when all seven variables were accounted for, the predictability was 95.2 percent.

Thirty-nine fathers were observed to determine if they interact differently with their child as a result of the child's sex or birth ordinal position.Results indicated that fathers expected more of their sons, had a higher readiness of explanation for them, and criticized them more often. Fathers gave more praise, physical contact and supportive behavior to their daughters. Birth ordinal effects paralleled and interacted wiith the child's sex.Stepwise regression yielded a mean value of 44.16 in explaining the overall variance in dependent variables. It emphasized the number of hours the father spent with his child and family, the father's age, education, and occupation. In comparison to these, the child's sex and ordinal position emerged as having little importance.

Purpose of the Study1. To see what Latter-day Saint youth feel are the important factors that lead to a successful marriage; how adequate they feel their knowledge is in these matters, and what source they feel they are receiving their education from.2. To determine if there is any relationship between the Latter-day Saint youth's feeling of what factors are important to successful marriage, how adequate he feels his knowledge is about the factors, and what he feels is the main source of his knowledge about these factors.