Thesis (M.A.)--California State University, Chico. / Includes abstract. "Located in the Chico Digital Repository." Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-102).

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--California State University, Long Beach, 2008. / Adviser: Jillian Jimenez. Includes bibliographical references.

Families with children in residential foster-care settings are characterized by chronic family conflict, verbal abuse, and neglect. Previous research has supported increased risks in mental health psychopathology and heightened physiological reactivity among these children and youths. Recent research in family therapy has further hinted that debriefing of the children’s physiological arousals induced by family disputes can motivate the families to resolve their conflicts. The present study investigated whether the proposed intervention, which includes using the biofeedback equipment and debriefing of children’s physiological arousals, can increase the sense of hope in the families. Twenty Hong Kong parent-child dyads, with children in the residential child-care setting, participated in the study. Children’s physiological arousals were measured through skin conductance, heart rate and peripheral temperature. The present findings revealed that parents and children who went through the intervention procedure reported greater increase in hope than those did not receive the intervention. Amongst the variables that correlated with the changes in hope, higher level of behavioral engagement among the children was associated with increased insight and plans disclosed by the parents. Negative parent-child interactional pattern was also found to associate with higher changes in the hope among the parents. The results identified that negative interactional patterns in form of responsiveness and participation from the children could be powerful in giving insights to the parents, which in turn could foster increased hope. These findings have significant clinical implications to family intervention strategies with these at-risk families. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Psychology

This thesis reports on a study examining the direct and indirect costs to volunteer carers of providing a fostering service in Australia. The study highlights the current difficulties in carer recruitment and retention, the increases in the challenging and complex needs of the children coming into care, and the growing professionalism of fostering. The study uses a budgetary approach to estimate the direct costs of fostered children. In-depth interviews and focus groups with carers are instrumental in providing a range of perspectives that assist our understanding of how the direct costs of fostered children are different from (higher than) the costs of other children. The study found the costs of fostered children were 40 per cent higher than the costs of children not in care. The thesis indicates that, to maintain and retain a volunteer workforce, an adequate carer remuneration system to meet the direct costs of fostered children is critical. To examine the indirect costs of fostering, the study uses a multi-method approach providing a monetary value of the opportunity costs (foregone earnings model) and time costs (proxy good or market replacement model) for foster carers. The emotional and psychological dimensions of fostering are also examined, though no monetary value is assigned to these costs. Carers??? vivid and contrasting stories from the interviews explain how ???money??? fits with carer motivation and fostering???s more professional role, how carers perceive the nature of fostering (job or parenting), and whether carers should be paid to foster. Revelations of fostering???s emotional and time dimensions and restricted employment opportunities (indirect costs) highlight the impact fostering has on carers and their families. The study found that the indirect costs of fostered children were around four times the value of the direct costs. In light of the growing professionalism of contemporary foster care, difficulties in carer recruitment/retention, and the demanding nature of fostering, the thesis examines whether carers should be paid for the service they provide (compensation for indirect costs). Using a number of theoretical concepts developed by feminist economists and social theorists on paying for caring labour, the thesis found support for the contention that altruism (???love???) and carer pay (???money???) are not incompatible, and ambiguities and tensions for foster mothers around money and love can be resolved. Studies of countries where carers receive a wage component as part of their remuneration package provide insights into wage levels, perceived adequacy of the wage, and the impact of wages on carer recruitment/retention. The study found that, due to the profoundly gendered nature of fostering, the compensatory aspects of remuneration (fee/wage or salary) are generally poor. The implications for government welfare spending of paying Australian carers are discussed, and the savings to governments of using a volunteer workforce are demonstrated.

This thesis reports on a study examining the direct and indirect costs to volunteer carers of providing a fostering service in Australia. The study highlights the current difficulties in carer recruitment and retention, the increases in the challenging and complex needs of the children coming into care, and the growing professionalism of fostering. The study uses a budgetary approach to estimate the direct costs of fostered children. In-depth interviews and focus groups with carers are instrumental in providing a range of perspectives that assist our understanding of how the direct costs of fostered children are different from (higher than) the costs of other children. The study found the costs of fostered children were 40 per cent higher than the costs of children not in care. The thesis indicates that, to maintain and retain a volunteer workforce, an adequate carer remuneration system to meet the direct costs of fostered children is critical. To examine the indirect costs of fostering, the study uses a multi-method approach providing a monetary value of the opportunity costs (foregone earnings model) and time costs (proxy good or market replacement model) for foster carers. The emotional and psychological dimensions of fostering are also examined, though no monetary value is assigned to these costs. Carers??? vivid and contrasting stories from the interviews explain how ???money??? fits with carer motivation and fostering???s more professional role, how carers perceive the nature of fostering (job or parenting), and whether carers should be paid to foster. Revelations of fostering???s emotional and time dimensions and restricted employment opportunities (indirect costs) highlight the impact fostering has on carers and their families. The study found that the indirect costs of fostered children were around four times the value of the direct costs. In light of the growing professionalism of contemporary foster care, difficulties in carer recruitment/retention, and the demanding nature of fostering, the thesis examines whether carers should be paid for the service they provide (compensation for indirect costs). Using a number of theoretical concepts developed by feminist economists and social theorists on paying for caring labour, the thesis found support for the contention that altruism (???love???) and carer pay (???money???) are not incompatible, and ambiguities and tensions for foster mothers around money and love can be resolved. Studies of countries where carers receive a wage component as part of their remuneration package provide insights into wage levels, perceived adequacy of the wage, and the impact of wages on carer recruitment/retention. The study found that, due to the profoundly gendered nature of fostering, the compensatory aspects of remuneration (fee/wage or salary) are generally poor. The implications for government welfare spending of paying Australian carers are discussed, and the savings to governments of using a volunteer workforce are demonstrated.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Donald G. Unger, Dept. of Individual & Family Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009. / Title from title screen (site viewed September 08, 2009). PDF text: iii, 93 p. ; 2 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3352338. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-93).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-35).