Thesis (MSD Research (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes abstract in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Recreation Management and Youth Leadership, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Literature on families of adolescent sexual offenders is sparse. Adolescents' perception of family structure, family adaptability and cohesion, parent-child communication, and family communication about sexuality are considered in an effort to identify family characteristics that distinguish families of adolescent sex offenders (n=39) from violent juvenile delinquents (n=25), non-violent juvenile delinquents (n=41), and from non-problem families (normative data). Families of sex offenders are characterized by greater family cohesion, poorer communication with fathers than with mothers, a higher value on family sex communication, and a change in living arrangement when compared to other delinquents' families. Several variables differentiate between families of delinquents in this study and non-problem families. In general, there are some differences between families of adolescent sex offenders and other delinquents, but more dramatic differences emerge between non-problem families and all delinquent samples. Implications for practice are offered. / Master of Science

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Families with serious and/or chronic child protection risks often have complex personal and social issues. Statutory child protection services must manage escalating child protection reports with limited resources. Addressing families at immediate risk often takes precedence over comprehensive family assessment and planned intervention, so the child protection issues in the lower priority families persist, and child protection reports continue. The Montrose Home-Based Family Assessment Program assesses Department of Community Services registered families who are at risk of child removal because of chronic and/or severe child protection issues. Using an ecological perspective, the Montrose team conducts a five day comprehensive assessment in the family's home and community, and develops a caseplan to address child protection risks and family support needs. The assessment is voluntary, and the family is encouraged to participate in identifying the child protection issues and developing solutions. The primary goal of this study is to compare child protection outcomes, three years after referral, for 100 families who participated in a Montrose Assessment, and 100 Comparison Group families. The research questions also explore the relationship between demographic, family, parent, child and child protection service factors and child protection outcome. Outcome is measured by Family Outcome, Children's Outcome, Legal Status, Children's Placement, subsequent Child Protection Reports and Substantiated Child Protection Reports, and Type of Abuse. The results suggest that home-based family assessment is a cost-effective model that can measurably reduce the likelihood of further abuse, court intervention and out of home care even for complex, high risk families. The study also identifies specific child, parent and child protection service related variables that are significantly associated with child protection outcome. These findings have major relevance for current child protection policy and practice, and also for broader social policy that impacts on high risk families.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Families with serious and/or chronic child protection risks often have complex personal and social issues. Statutory child protection services must manage escalating child protection reports with limited resources. Addressing families at immediate risk often takes precedence over comprehensive family assessment and planned intervention, so the child protection issues in the lower priority families persist, and child protection reports continue. The Montrose Home-Based Family Assessment Program assesses Department of Community Services registered families who are at risk of child removal because of chronic and/or severe child protection issues. Using an ecological perspective, the Montrose team conducts a five day comprehensive assessment in the family's home and community, and develops a caseplan to address child protection risks and family support needs. The assessment is voluntary, and the family is encouraged to participate in identifying the child protection issues and developing solutions. The primary goal of this study is to compare child protection outcomes, three years after referral, for 100 families who participated in a Montrose Assessment, and 100 Comparison Group families. The research questions also explore the relationship between demographic, family, parent, child and child protection service factors and child protection outcome. Outcome is measured by Family Outcome, Children's Outcome, Legal Status, Children's Placement, subsequent Child Protection Reports and Substantiated Child Protection Reports, and Type of Abuse. The results suggest that home-based family assessment is a cost-effective model that can measurably reduce the likelihood of further abuse, court intervention and out of home care even for complex, high risk families. The study also identifies specific child, parent and child protection service related variables that are significantly associated with child protection outcome. These findings have major relevance for current child protection policy and practice, and also for broader social policy that impacts on high risk families.

This study examines the mechanisms through which a risk factor such as poverty exerts its well-established negative effects on child development. Following the work of Baldwin, Baldwin, Kasser, Zax, Sameroff & Seifer (1993), risk factors were classified by theoretical proximity to the child into distal intermediate and proximal risk indices. Focusing on socio-emotional competence, this study tested the theory that distal factors, such as poverty, influence competence largely through effects on more proximal factors, such as family functioning. Participants were 25 preschoolers who were enrolled in Head Start programs in Southern New England and their families. Parents completed self-report questionnaires that provided information on 10 risk factors, including family functioning. Observer reports of family functioning were also obtained during home visits in which families were videotaped having a meal together. Information on children's socio-emotional competence in three domains--Regulatory Skills, Maladaptive Behaviours, and Social Relatedness, was obtained through teacher and experimenter ratings done in the children's Head Start classrooms. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed using the three risk indices to predict each of the domains of socio-emotional competence. Contrary to expectations, none of the risk indices predicted children's socio-emotional competence. Moreover, a cumulative risk index formed by tallying risk factors was not significantly associated with children's socio-emotional competence, and only two risk factors were associated with developmental outcomes (maternal depression and family social support). Results regarding the nature of family functioning in poor families unexpectedly varied with the assessor. Observers rated the majority of families' Overall Family Functioning in the unhealthy range, while most parents rated their families' Overall Family Functioning in the healthy range. Moreover, mothers rated their Overall Family Functioning as significantly healthier than fathers in the same families. Findings also indicate that poor families are less homogeneous with the regard to risk than is commonly supposed. The distal-intermediate-proximal model of risk was not supported by the findings, suggesting several avenues for further research on the relationships between risk factors and developmental outcomes. The findings also highlight the need for further examination of the interplay between a systems approach to families and study of dyadic relationships within the family.

Thesis (MA(Social Work and Criminology))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 1995. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-66). Also available on the World Wide Web.