The study sought to examine the influence of differences in perception of the family environment on adjustment following child sexual abuse. Eighty-eight children who had been sexually abused and their caregivers completed self-report measures regarding the Relationship Dimension of the Family Environment Scale (FES). Adjustment was measured by child report of posttraumatic stress and sexual concerns on the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSC-C) and depression on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Parent's report of adjustment was based on endorsement of internalizing and externalizing behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Analysis revealed elevated expressiveness for parents and children, higher conflict and lower cohesion reported by adolescents (12- 18), and lower conflict endorsed by children (6-11) as compared to the normative sample. Differences were noted in adolescent perception of conflict as compared to their primary caregiver; however, adolescent discrepancy scores of the family environment did not predict outcome. Caregivers reported higher internalizing and externalizing behaviors for the sample as compared to the normative sample.

This study investigated the relationship between experiences of childhood maltreatment, family functioning, problem-solving style, and criminal offending. Participants (N = 120) were all male and classified as violent (V), non-violent (NV), or non-offenders (NO) based on their criminal histories. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS), Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were administered to all participants. Results suggest that V's reported significantly more maltreatment compared to NO's. V's came from the least healthy families while NO's came from the healthiest families. Finally, V's were more likely to use an impulsive approach and less likely to use a rational approach to solving problems than NO's. Experiences of physical neglect discriminated the groups. This study also discovered previously ignored correlations between these variables within each of the three groups and implications of these new findings are discussed.

Understanding the determinants of behaviour in children is crucial to curb the current population obesity trends. Children's behaviour develops within the home, making it a target for obesity prevention efforts. Previous research has identified a network of parental factors that are thought to influence children's health-related behaviour including weight, health-related knowledge and behaviour, parenting styles and practices, to name but a few. This complexity makes it important to use theory or models to guide research and to determine the relative importance of factors within the home environment to improve the effectiveness of future obesity prevention interventions. Embedded in psychological theory and nutrition education principles is the concept that knowledge is required for behaviour change. This thesis provides much-needed support for the theoretical foundation that nutrition knowledge is a determinant of dietary intake behaviour. The measurement of knowledge and the collection and interpretation of intake data are often cited as limitations to research & issues this thesis aimed to address. Modifications were made to an existing measure of nutrition knowledge, and a validation exercise conducted within a heterogeneous Australian community setting provided a valid and reliable assessment tool to measure knowledge. Single nutrient or food group analysis omits the synergistic nature of whole diet. A key component of this thesis was the modification of the United States Department of Agriculture's Healthy Eating Index to be consistent with Australian dietary guidelines and its application to the interpretation of dietary intake. An exploratory study, using the validated knowledge tool and modified diet quality index, revealed that some of the basic nutrition guidelines, such as eat more vegetables and less fatty foods, are reaching the community, but detailed knowledge of the nutrient content of foods, diet-disease relationships and making healthier food choices is poor. Indeed, knowledge was shown to be a significant independent predictor of dietary intake and diet quality. Knowledge was shown to be a stronger predictor of overall diet quality than of any single nutrient or food group. The second aim of this thesis was to disentangle the relative importance of family environmental factors in the context of obesity resistance in children. A 12-month longitudinal study involved 154 South Australian families with primary school-aged children, and used structural equation modelling and previous research to present a model of obesity resistance. The proposed model showed an acceptable fit (NFI=0.458; CFI=0.741; RMSEA=0.045). Parents' BMI (β=0.34*) and knowledge (β=-0.21*) had the strongest direct associations with children's obesity risk. Parents' intake and expenditure behaviours were indirectly associated with children's behaviours through the creation of the home environment. The physical activity environment was associated with children's sedentary (β=-0.44*) and activity habits (β=0.29*). The food environment was associated with fruit and vegetable intake (β=0.47*). General parenting styles (β=0.63*) and child feeding practices (β=-0.74*) were associated with the family environment. Parents' knowledge also had a direct influence on their parenting practices & parenting style (β=0.25*) and feeding practices (β=-0.50*). The proposed model provided a comprehensive insight into the potential avenues for intervention within the complex network of factors that make up the family home environment.

The purpose of this study was to examine the roles that values and the family environment play in young adult engagement in risky behavior. One hundred seventy-two male and female college students between the ages of 18-25 completed a demographics questionnaire, the Aspirations Index which measures seven life-goal contents that represent different values, the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events that assesses young adults’ perceptions of the risks and benefits associated with involvement in risky activities as well as past involvement in risky behaviors and the Family Environment Scale to assess participants' perceptions of their current family environment. A series of regression analyses were then used to assess the relationship between three dimensions of the family environment and risky behavior involvement and the relationship between participants' intrinsic and extrinsic values and perceived positive consequences and negative consequences of risky behavior. Results from this study supported the idea that certain dimensions of the family environment are related to risk-taking behavior in emerging adults; however, contrary to previous research, the relationship dimension of the family environment was not predictive of young adult risk-taking. Moreover, family activities that communicate family values did not contribute any additional information to the prediction of risk-taking behavior. Findings from this study suggest that emerging adult values are related to emerging adult perceptions of the hazards and benefits of risky behavior. Results from this study also highlighted the importance of gender and first-generation college status in predicting risk-taking frequency as well as perceived benefits and hazards of risk-taking. Implications for findings of the current study, limitations, and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

The present study is an exploratory analysis of associations among sexual orientation, childhood abuse, and characteristics of both early and current family environment in a sample of 80 inpatient trauma survivors. Participants were administered a background information questionnaire, Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, the Family Environment Scale and other instruments not analyzed in the current study. Multi-type abuse was significantly associated with low expressiveness and independence and high control in the early family, but no associations emerged with current family characteristics. Results suggest that the intergenerational transmission of family organization and moral-religious orientation occurred in the entire sample, and the transmission of family conflict patterns occurred only in the L/G/B group. Overall, participants perceived improvements in their current family environments compared to their early family environments. Findings yield support for the sexual minority stress model and mixed support for the intergenerational transmission of family characteristics.

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience a significant number of psychological symptoms and behavioral problems which negatively affect their interactions within their families. The purpose of the present study was to explore the perceptions of family environment of boys with ADHD and their mothers and compare them to those of nonreferred boys and their mothers. Maternal reports of emotional distress and perceptions of hyperactive behavior in the two groups of boys were also studied.

Considerable research exists on the importance of self-determination in the transition of students with disabilities from high school. Much of this research has focused on conditions in the family that may nurture and support the development of self-determined motivation. These conditions, as described by Self -Determination Theory, include support for autonomy, relatedness and competence. Little data exists, however, on whether the conditions in the family environment associated with self-determination vary depending on students' ethnic backgrounds. Participants consisted of 138 Latino and Anglo students with disabilities enrolled in six high schools within a large urban school district. Self-determination was measured using the Arc Self-Determination Scale (Wehmeyer & Kelchner). Students' perceptions of their family environment were measured using six subscales from the Family Environment Scale (Moos & Moos). Latino students scored significantly higher than Anglo students in level of self-determination, but no significant differences were found in perceptions of the family environment between the two groups. Self-determination was regressed on the family environment subscales and no significant effect sizes were obtained for the sample as a whole (R2 = .044, F (6, 129) = .993, p = .433). However, comparisons between Latinos and Anglos on the relationship between perceptions of the family environment and self-determination suggested that family environments associated with Autonomy were more related to levels of self-determination in Anglo than in Latino students. Family environments associated with Cohesiveness, Achievement Orientation and Control were more highly related to level of self-determination for Latino than for Anglo students. The study has practical implications for parents and school practitioners when planning for transition and implementing strategies to develop self-determination for students with disabilities.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to explore th relationship between urban indigenous students¡¦ creativity and their growing environments. One hundred and two junior high school students, 52 senior high school students, and 126 vocational high school students were selected by convenience sampling. The participants complete the ¡§Creativity Environment Scale¡¨ and ¡§Torrance Creativity Thinking Test¡¨. Descriptive statistics, t tests, and analysis of variance were conducted on the quantitative data. In addition, 4 targeted students with the high creativity scores were tested for performance assessment and were interviewed after the survey. The main findings in this study were as follows: 1. Urban indigenous students in junior and senior high school has significantly higher scores in creativity than urban indigenous students in vocational high school. 2. Urban indigenous girl students has significantly higher scores in creativity than urban indigenous boy students. 3. Urban indigenous students of junior high school reported that their ¡§family provided creativity opportunities¡¨ score was significantly higher than senior and vocational high school indigenous students. 4. Urban indigenous girl students¡¦ scores of ¡§emotion support in family¡¨, ¡§emotion exchange in school¡¨ and ¡§encourages exchange in school¡¨ were significantly higher than boys¡¦. 5. The urban indigenous students whose parents has high education level scored higher in the category of ¡¥¡¦family provided opportunity¡¦¡¦ than students whose parents were less educated. 6. Urban indigenous students whose teacher were non-indigenous has higher scores in ¡§school provided opportunity¡¨ than urban indigenous students with indigenous teachers. 7. Urban indigenous students has significantly higher scores in ¡§fluency¡¨,¡§originality¡¨, and ¡§elaboration¡¨ than non-indigenous students, while non-indigenous students has significantly higher scores in ¡§verbal¡¨ than urban indigenous students. 8. After interviewing and performance assessment, it was found that there was significant relationship between their early childhood upbringing environment and creativity. 9. The urban indigenous students from better family and school environment has significantly higher scores in creativity than those from less fortunate environment. . The findings and suggestions from this research may be used for future researches on urban indigenous students.

No description available.