While foreign language immersion programs have been increasing in number and popularity throughout the United States, their growth in the state of Utah has been particularly dramatic. Utah contains more foreign language immersion programs than any other state and is home to one-fourth of the nation's elementary school Chinese immersion programs. This descriptive study explored the reasons why parents of children enrolled in Utah's Long Hill Elementary School Chinese Immersion program chose to enroll their child. Long Hill Elementary's Chinese Immersion program is 4 years old, with over 200 children enrolled across 4 grade levels. A household survey was developed, distributed, and collected to gather data on parents' demographic and background characteristics, reasons for enrollment, and attitudes towards several statements about language learning. The survey had a 45% return rate, and more mothers than fathers filled out the survey. Survey responses revealed that the parents of children in Long Hill's Chinese program are pre-dominantly Caucasian, bilingual, holders of undergraduate or advanced university degrees, and have high incomes. When asked to explain their reasons for enrollment, parents listed factors that were Chinese-specific, including future career and educational opportunities, the growing importance of China, and the desire to preserve a heritage language. They also expressed many non-Chinese specific factors, such as the cognitive benefits of learning a second language, the desire for a challenging academic experience, as well as the belief that learning a second language would make their child more multicultural. A closer look at the differences between parents of different ethnicities, income levels, and language backgrounds suggests that this Chinese immersion program serves different purposes to different subgroups of parents. It acts as a magnet to parents outside of the school boundaries who have a specific interest in the Chinese language. However, parents inside the school boundaries more frequently (p ≤ .05) cited non-Chinese specific factors, viewing immersion as providing a more rigorous academic experience and cognitive benefits that would transfer to other school subjects. Findings from this study can inform efforts to establish successful immersion programs around the country.

Foster parents are a vital component to the child welfare system and play an important role, one of which is supervising parental visitation (Muniz, 2018; Neil et al., 2003). With visitation as the primary intervention for family reunification (Haight et al., 2003), foster parents and birth parents are more than likely to interact with one another at some point in time. The purpose of this research study was to examine if foster parent attitudes toward birth parents influence foster parent attitudes toward birth parent visitation. Data was collected from 40 participants, 36 females and 4 males, from a foster family agency based in California and Texas. The study used a survey design and questions were distributed in a group setting, a mailed hard-copy, and a web survey link. The study’s findings revealed that that when foster parents had a more positive attitude toward birth parents, they had a more positive attitude toward birth parent visitation. The study concludes with recommendations for public child welfare agencies and foster family agencies to develop trainings for foster parents and for social workers to increase efforts in assisting foster parents and birth parents build cooperative relationships.

The problem of this study was to determine if differences in attitudes and temperament traits would create a separation between a group of mothers of children who have learning disabilities and a group of mothers of children who do not have learning disabilities. The purpose of the investigation was to determine if differences between the two groups would warrant programmatic changes in parent education and development of new counseling approaches for mothers of children with learning disabilities within the schools. Findings indicated that neither the analysis of maternal attitudes nor the analysis of temperament traits contributed to a distinct separation of the two groups. The scores for all participants were within normal limits, with the mean scores of mothers of children with learning disabilities being slightly higher on all scales of both instruments. The two groups were found to separate on variables of age of mother and sex and age of the child. Groups also separated when all variables were viewed simultaneously; three temperament trait variables (Restraint, Objectivity, Emotional Stability) in combination with sex and age of the child created this distinct separation. Due to the procedures utilized in sample selection, significant separations based on demographic data may not present an accurate picture of group differences. Therefore, it was concluded that programmatic changes in parent education and new counseling approaches for mothers of children with learning disabilities was not warranted. On the basis of these findings, school counselors interested in assisting mothers of children with learning disabilities might consider utilizing any of the present parent education programs or counseling approaches now available. Providing opportunities for mothers to become involved within the school setting might help both mother and child in adjusting to the child's learning environment. Further research is recommended to explore how relationships between positive maternal attitudes and temperament traits are related to learning disabilities exhibited by the child.

Little research has been conducted to understand the role that parents play in children learning to code even though coding has become a necessary skill for students to successfully study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subjects. After identifying five factors that would influence parental perceptions, we developed a survey and administered it to parents of elementary aged children. We validated the survey using a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. To be considered valid, factors needed to meet three of the following four fit statistics: RSMEA < 0.08, SRMR < 0.08, CFI > 0.9, TLI > 0.9. Items needed to have a factor loading > 0.3 with a significance of < 0.05. The results confirmed two factors, Parent & Child Interaction with Technology and Parents' Attitudes Towards Coding and Gender. The parent's coding experience and age, child coding experience, and living in the Western United States are significant in predicting the Parent & Child Interaction with Technology factor. The child's grade level and experience coding and living in a suburban area in the Western United States are significant in predicting the Parents' Attitudes Towards Coding and Gender factor. Although these factors proved significant, difficulties with the data make the model limited and additional revisions to the survey are needed. The revised survey will need to be administered again to validate a more robust model.

The purpose of the study was to compare the attitudes of 4-H youths and their parents concerning 4-H competitiveness. The sample was composed of seventy-nine 4-H youths and their parents from three North Texas Counties. The instruments, which consisted of an "Opinionnaire for Parents" and an "Opinionnaire for 4-H'ers," were designed to obtain the 4-H'ers' and parents' attitudes about 4-H competition. The study revealed no significant difference in competitive attitudes between 4-H youths' and their parents' or between younger and older 4-H'ers. 4-H boys were found to have more competitive attitudes than 4-H girls. No significant relationship was found between parents' level of competitiveness and length of 4-H service.

The problem of this study concerns the effects of a parent group counseling procedure and an individual consultation procedure upon (1) the attitude of the parents, (2) the school-related behavior of the children, (3) the academic grades of the children, (4) the peer relations of the children, and (5) self-concept of the children. The results of this investigation indicated no significant differences in procedures for affecting behavior changes on the variables examined. Generally, parent group counseling appeared to generate more pervasive changes affecting multiple behaviors in their children than individual consultation with the parents.

A obesidade infantil é considerada uma epidemia em nível mundial e tem recebido uma atenção importante por parte dos profissionais de saúde. Esta doença possui causas multifatoriais com destaque aos hábitos de vida e alimentares, sendo estes relacionados ao crescimento no número de indivíduos obesos. No período entre 1989 e 2009 registrou-se um aumento de 300% no número de crianças acima do peso no Brasil, entre a faixa etária de cinco a nove anos de idade, com uma grande prevalência de dislipidemia. O presente estudo buscou avaliar a possível influência de atitudes, crenças, práticas, habito alimentar e Estado Nutricional (EN) de um responsável pela alimentação da criança perante o hábito alimentar e EN de crianças de seis a dez anos que residiam na área de abrangência das Unidades de Saúde da Família (USF) da cidade de Ribeirão Preto SP. Um total de 164 crianças e seus respectivos responsáveis (n=164) participaram deste estudo. Foram aplicados os seguintes instrumentos: Questionário de Caracterização da Amostra, Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil, Questionário de Alimentação da Criança (QAC), Questionário de Avaliação de Hábitos Saudáveis de Alimentação, Escala de Crenças sobre Dieta, Recordatório de 24 horas (para cálculo do Índice de Qualidade da Dieta Revisado IQD-R). Foi realizada, ainda, aferição de peso e estatura do responsável e da criança. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que 75% (n=123) dos principais cuidadores das crianças eram as mães, mas que outros responsáveis vêm assumindo esse papel no cuidado da criança (avó, pai, tia, irmã). O EN das crianças e seus responsáveis apresentaram alta prevalência de excesso de peso (18,3% e 32,9%, respectivamente) e obesidade (15,9% e 37,9%, respectivamente). A maior parte das crianças que apresentaram excesso de peso (100%; n=56) possuía seu responsável também com excesso de peso (82,1%; n=46). Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis (DCNT) se mostraram muito prevalentes entre os familiares próximos das crianças participantes deste estudo, independentemente do EN da criança (Diabetes Mellitus: 46,3%; Hipertensão Arterial: 62,8% e Dislipidemia: 31,1%). A preocupação dos responsáveis com o peso da criança foi maior entre os responsáveis das crianças que estavam acima do peso (3,6±1,29). Por outro lado, uma maior pressão para comer foi identificada entre os responsáveis com crianças abaixo do peso ou com peso normal (3,3±0,97 e 3,9±0,99, respectivamente). A média do IQD-R das crianças (50,0±13,6) foi muito similar à dos responsáveis (56,5±12,1), mais especificamente 51,8% (n=85) das crianças apresentaram dieta inadequada e 47,0% (n=71) apresentaram dieta que necessita de modificação. Por outro lado, entre os responsáveis esses valores foram um pouco melhores: 30,5% (n=50) dos responsáveis apresentaram dieta inadequada e 67,1% (n=110) apresentaram dieta que necessita de modificação. Os dados gerais obtidos através dos instrumentos propostos neste trabalho sugerem que o EN dos responsáveis pode influenciar o EN das crianças, o padrão de consumo dos responsáveis pode influenciar o consumo alimentar das crianças e algumas práticas de controle da alimentação da criança podem interferir também em seu consumo e consequentemente em seu EN. / Childhood obesity is considered a worldwide epidemic and has received important attention from health professionals. This disease has multifactor causes with emphasis on lifestyle and eating habits, and these are related to the growth in the number of obese individuals. In the period between 1989 and 2009, there was a 300% increase in the number of overweight children in Brazil (five- to nine-year-old subjects), with a high prevalence of dyslipidemia. This study aimed at evaluating the possible influence of attitudes, beliefs, practices, dietary habits and nutritional status (NS) of a caregiver individual, responsible for feeding the child in relation to the eating habit and NS of children from six to ten years old, in the area of coverage of Health Units (USF) in the city of Ribeirão Preto - SP. A total of 164 children and their respective caregivers (n = 164) were sampled for this study. The following instruments were applied: Sample Characterization Questionnaire, Brazil\'s Economic Classification Criteria, Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ); Healthy Eating Habits Assessment Questionnaire; Dietary Beliefs Scale; 24-hour Reminder (Calculation of the Revised Diet Quality Index). The weight and height of the caregiver and the child were also measured. The results showed that 75% (n=123) of the main caregivers of the children were their mothers, but that other caregivers have assumed this role as well (grandmother, father, aunt, sister). NS of children and caregivers showed prevalence of overweight condition (18.3% and 32.9%, children and caregivers, respectively) and obesity (15.9% and 37.9%, respectively). Most overweight children (100%; n=56) had caregivers also overweight (82,1%; n=46). Non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCDs) were very prevalent among the close relatives of the children participating in this study (Diabetes Mellitus: 46.3%, Arterial Hypertension: 62.8% and Dyslipidemia: 31.1%). A concern about NS (in particular regarding the child\'s weight) was perceived among caregivers and was higher among those responsible for children who were overweight (3.6 ± 1.29). On the other hand, a higher effort to feed their children was noticed among caregivers responsible for underweight or normal weight children (3.3 ± 0.97 and 3.9 ± 0.99, respectively). The mean IQD-R of children (50.0 ± 13.6) was very similar to that of those responsible (56.5 ± 12.1), more specifically 51.8% (n=85) of the children whose diet was characterized as \"inadequate\" and 47.0% (n=71) were characterized as having a diet that \"requires adjustments\". Among caregivers, these values were slightly better: 30.5% (n=50) for responsible-individuals classified as having an \"inadequate\" diet, and 67.1% (n=110) were considered as \"requiring adjustments\" to their diets. The overall results of this research suggest that NS of caregivers can influence their children\'s NS. Moreover, food consumption patterns of caregivers can influence feeding patterns of their children, and some control practices of the child\'s diet may also interfere in their food consumption, and consequently in their NS.

This qualitative thesis uses discourse analysis to examine parental resistance towards medical treatment of critically ill children. It is an investigation of the 'mobile and transitory' discourses at play in instances of resistance between parents, physicians and nurses within health care institutions, and an examination of the consequences of resistance through providing alternative ways of perceiving and therefore understanding these disagreements. The philosophical perspectives, methodology and methods used in this thesis are underpinned by selected ideas taken from the works of Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu and supported by relevant literature in the fields of media, law, children, parenting, caring, serious childhood illness, medicine and nursing. The thesis obtains information from a variety of texts that includes established literature (such as medical, sociological, legal, academic and philosophical), newspaper articles, radio or television interviews, internet sources, court reports and proceedings, legal experts and other commentators - and 15 interview based texts, where the focus is on analyses of narratives of parents, doctors and nurses. In the texts gathered for this thesis, there are noticeable differences between the personal experience discourses of parents, the 'in-between' discourses of nurses, and the disciplined discourses of physicians. This thesis brings these discourses into conversation with each other suggesting that parental resistance does not occur because of an infrequent and unusual set of circumstances where a few socially isolated and/or 'difficult' parents disagree with the treatment desires of paediatric physicians. Instead, it is argued that from an examination of interview based texts, parental resistance is an omnipresent but transitory occurrence that affects many of the interactions between the parents of seriously ill children and clinical staff. It is maintained that within these interactions, the seeds of this resistance are sown in both critical decision making situations and in everyday occurrences between doctors, nurses and parents within healthcare institutions. Contributing factors to parental resistance include the use of power games by staff, the language of medicine, forms of symbolic violence, the presence or absence of trust between parents and medical staff, the effects of medical habitus, and challenges to the parental role and identity. Overall, it is proposed in this thesis that parents who resist treatment for their seriously ill child are not exceptions to the normative patient-physician relationship. Instead an analysis of their discourses and practices is able to illuminate the complex interactions between patients and medical conventions. It is therefore possible to see parents who resist medical advice not as peripheral to the medical encounter but as examples of how patient-physician relationships come to be codified, constructed and crafted through everyday discourses and practices within health care settings.

A obesidade infantil é considerada uma epidemia em nível mundial e tem recebido uma atenção importante por parte dos profissionais de saúde. Esta doença possui causas multifatoriais com destaque aos hábitos de vida e alimentares, sendo estes relacionados ao crescimento no número de indivíduos obesos. No período entre 1989 e 2009 registrou-se um aumento de 300% no número de crianças acima do peso no Brasil, entre a faixa etária de cinco a nove anos de idade, com uma grande prevalência de dislipidemia. O presente estudo buscou avaliar a possível influência de atitudes, crenças, práticas, habito alimentar e Estado Nutricional (EN) de um responsável pela alimentação da criança perante o hábito alimentar e EN de crianças de seis a dez anos que residiam na área de abrangência das Unidades de Saúde da Família (USF) da cidade de Ribeirão Preto SP. Um total de 164 crianças e seus respectivos responsáveis (n=164) participaram deste estudo. Foram aplicados os seguintes instrumentos: Questionário de Caracterização da Amostra, Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil, Questionário de Alimentação da Criança (QAC), Questionário de Avaliação de Hábitos Saudáveis de Alimentação, Escala de Crenças sobre Dieta, Recordatório de 24 horas (para cálculo do Índice de Qualidade da Dieta Revisado IQD-R). Foi realizada, ainda, aferição de peso e estatura do responsável e da criança. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que 75% (n=123) dos principais cuidadores das crianças eram as mães, mas que outros responsáveis vêm assumindo esse papel no cuidado da criança (avó, pai, tia, irmã). O EN das crianças e seus responsáveis apresentaram alta prevalência de excesso de peso (18,3% e 32,9%, respectivamente) e obesidade (15,9% e 37,9%, respectivamente). A maior parte das crianças que apresentaram excesso de peso (100%; n=56) possuía seu responsável também com excesso de peso (82,1%; n=46). Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis (DCNT) se mostraram muito prevalentes entre os familiares próximos das crianças participantes deste estudo, independentemente do EN da criança (Diabetes Mellitus: 46,3%; Hipertensão Arterial: 62,8% e Dislipidemia: 31,1%). A preocupação dos responsáveis com o peso da criança foi maior entre os responsáveis das crianças que estavam acima do peso (3,6±1,29). Por outro lado, uma maior pressão para comer foi identificada entre os responsáveis com crianças abaixo do peso ou com peso normal (3,3±0,97 e 3,9±0,99, respectivamente). A média do IQD-R das crianças (50,0±13,6) foi muito similar à dos responsáveis (56,5±12,1), mais especificamente 51,8% (n=85) das crianças apresentaram dieta inadequada e 47,0% (n=71) apresentaram dieta que necessita de modificação. Por outro lado, entre os responsáveis esses valores foram um pouco melhores: 30,5% (n=50) dos responsáveis apresentaram dieta inadequada e 67,1% (n=110) apresentaram dieta que necessita de modificação. Os dados gerais obtidos através dos instrumentos propostos neste trabalho sugerem que o EN dos responsáveis pode influenciar o EN das crianças, o padrão de consumo dos responsáveis pode influenciar o consumo alimentar das crianças e algumas práticas de controle da alimentação da criança podem interferir também em seu consumo e consequentemente em seu EN. / Childhood obesity is considered a worldwide epidemic and has received important attention from health professionals. This disease has multifactor causes with emphasis on lifestyle and eating habits, and these are related to the growth in the number of obese individuals. In the period between 1989 and 2009, there was a 300% increase in the number of overweight children in Brazil (five- to nine-year-old subjects), with a high prevalence of dyslipidemia. This study aimed at evaluating the possible influence of attitudes, beliefs, practices, dietary habits and nutritional status (NS) of a caregiver individual, responsible for feeding the child in relation to the eating habit and NS of children from six to ten years old, in the area of coverage of Health Units (USF) in the city of Ribeirão Preto - SP. A total of 164 children and their respective caregivers (n = 164) were sampled for this study. The following instruments were applied: Sample Characterization Questionnaire, Brazil\'s Economic Classification Criteria, Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ); Healthy Eating Habits Assessment Questionnaire; Dietary Beliefs Scale; 24-hour Reminder (Calculation of the Revised Diet Quality Index). The weight and height of the caregiver and the child were also measured. The results showed that 75% (n=123) of the main caregivers of the children were their mothers, but that other caregivers have assumed this role as well (grandmother, father, aunt, sister). NS of children and caregivers showed prevalence of overweight condition (18.3% and 32.9%, children and caregivers, respectively) and obesity (15.9% and 37.9%, respectively). Most overweight children (100%; n=56) had caregivers also overweight (82,1%; n=46). Non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCDs) were very prevalent among the close relatives of the children participating in this study (Diabetes Mellitus: 46.3%, Arterial Hypertension: 62.8% and Dyslipidemia: 31.1%). A concern about NS (in particular regarding the child\'s weight) was perceived among caregivers and was higher among those responsible for children who were overweight (3.6 ± 1.29). On the other hand, a higher effort to feed their children was noticed among caregivers responsible for underweight or normal weight children (3.3 ± 0.97 and 3.9 ± 0.99, respectively). The mean IQD-R of children (50.0 ± 13.6) was very similar to that of those responsible (56.5 ± 12.1), more specifically 51.8% (n=85) of the children whose diet was characterized as \"inadequate\" and 47.0% (n=71) were characterized as having a diet that \"requires adjustments\". Among caregivers, these values were slightly better: 30.5% (n=50) for responsible-individuals classified as having an \"inadequate\" diet, and 67.1% (n=110) were considered as \"requiring adjustments\" to their diets. The overall results of this research suggest that NS of caregivers can influence their children\'s NS. Moreover, food consumption patterns of caregivers can influence feeding patterns of their children, and some control practices of the child\'s diet may also interfere in their food consumption, and consequently in their NS.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which socioeconomic factors, demographic factors, parent and student attitudes, and parent involvement were associated with math achievement. Students in Grade 5 were selected as the population for this study. Random sampling procedures were used to select the sample. Students in the sample completed a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales. Normal Curve Equivalent Scores (NCEs) from the math scales on the TerraNova Standardized Achievement Test were obtained for all students from the individual school records. Parents of the students also participated by answering questions pertaining to their attitudes toward math, their level of involvement in the classroom, and questions that pertained to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The findings from this study suggested that each of the six scales used from the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales were all significantly associated with the math, computation, and composite scores of the TerraNova Standardized Achievement Test. Family annual income, parents' educational level, and parent involvement were also significantly associated with math achievement. Four of the six attitudinal scales; the Mathematics as a Male Domain, Confidence in Learning Mathematics, Parent, and Mathematics Anxiety Scales, were significantly related to parents' educational level, family's annual income, and gender. Socioeconomic and attitudinal factors were the most powerful predictors of math achievment, while gender and parent involvement were not strong predictors.