Cheung, Sin Sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-63). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / 摘要(Abstract in Chinese) --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / Chapter CHAPTER I: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / A Tripartite Model of Parenting --- p.1 / Component 1：Parenting Goals and Values --- p.4 / Component 2：Parenting Style --- p.5 / Component 3：Parenting Practices --- p.6 / Interim Summary --- p.7 / Measurement Issues --- p.8 / Comparing Alternatives --- p.9 / Inter-Observer Agreement --- p.11 / Overview of the Present Study --- p.12 / Chapter CHAPTER II: --- METHOD --- p.14 / Participants and Procedure --- p.14 / Measures --- p.14 / Chapter CHPAPTER III: --- RESULTS --- p.18 / Preliminary Analyses --- p.18 / Informants' Characteristics on the Parenting Measures --- p.25 / Testing for Construct Validity：The mtmm Approach --- p.29 / Comparing Measurement Models：Tests on Parent Reports --- p.34 / Comparing Measurement Models：Tests on Child Reports --- p.36 / Structural Models --- p.38 / Moderating Role of Parenting Emotional Climate --- p.41 / Chapter CHPATER IV: --- DISCUSSION --- p.43 / Cross-Informant Characteristics --- p.43 / Desegregating Parenting Concepts --- p.45 / Process/Directionality of Influences --- p.47 / Parenting Style as a Distal Source of Influence --- p.50 / Understanding Chinese Academic Socialization --- p.51 / "Implications, Limitations, and Future Directions" --- p.53 / REFERENCES --- p.56

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Childhood obesity is becoming a challenging issue in China, and parents may playa key role in the development of adolescent obesity. However, the relationships between certain parent-related factors and the development of adolescent obesity are rarely reported in China. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship among Chinese parents' perception of their children's weight, parenting behaviors, parenting style, and adolescents' weight status. Two studies were performed to achieve this purpose. / Key words: adolescent obesity, parenting behaviors, parenting styles / The first study (Chapter 3) examines the validity and reliability of the questionnaires for adolescents and parents; the questionnaires are intended to measure parenting behaviors, parents' perception of their children's weight, and parenting styles in the Chinese context. Several steps were performed. First, the questionnaires were selected based on their validity and reliability, as well as their applicability to the Chinese adolescent and parenting context. Second, the questionnaires were translated into Chinese using a cross-cultural translation technique. Third, five experts were invited to evaluate the content validity and feasibility of the questionnaires for application in the Chinese population. Fourth, 15 pairs of adolescents and their parents were invited to attend a short interview after completing the experimental version of the questionnaires. They were asked to share comments on the readability and cultural relevance of the questionnaire. The questionnaires were then revised according to their feedback. Fifth, 127 pairs of adolescents (10-15 years old) and their parents (Ganzhou: 62 pairs, Shantou: 65 pairs) were recruited to examine the retest reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaires. Sixth, the data collected in the main survey were used to examine construct validity. The result showed that 10 items were excluded because of poor content validity or low intraclass correlation coefficient (<0.7). The internal consistencies of the subscales (ranging from 0.61 to 0.81) were found to be acceptable (Cronbach's alpha >0.6). The goodness-of-fit statistics (RMSEA, CFI, and NNFI) also indicated acceptable fit for the theory models. The results suggest that the validity and reliability of the questionnaires are acceptable, and the questionnaires are applicable to Chinese adolescents and parents in Southern China. / The second study (Chapters 4,5,6) determines the relationships among parenting behaviors, parents' perception of their children's weight, parenting style, and adolescent weight status. A total of 2,143 adolescents and 1,869 parents were recruited from secondary schools in Ganzhou and Shantou in China. The adolescents' weights and heights were measured by trained testers. The dietary habits and physical activity level of the adolescents, as well as parenting behaviors, parenting styles, parents' perception of their children's weight, and demographic information were collected through questionnaires issued to the adolescents and parents validated in Study 1. Several parenting behaviors, including "pressure to eat" and "diet and PA monitoring," were found to be significantly related to adolescents' age and gender-specific BMI Z score (Z-BMI), although the correlation coefficients were low (r ranged from -0.23 to 0.09, p (r ranged from -0.23 to 0.09, p<0.01). The results of the hierarchical multiple regression revealed that "pressure to eat" and "diet and PA monitoring" were the predictors of adolescent Z-BMI. The results of Kappa statistics showed that only a slight agreement exists between parental perception of their children's weights and the adolescents' actual weights (Kappa=0.221, p<0.01). A significant difference in parenting behaviors was found between parents with correct and incorrect perceptions of their children's weight. Compared with the reference authoritative parenting style, the odds of acquiring unhealthy dietary habits were significantly higher for children with authoritarian (Father: OR=1.67, 95%CI: 1.29-2.16; Mother: OR=1.72, 95%CI: 1.31-2.26) and neglectful (Father: OR=2.17, 95%CI: 1.66-2.82; Mother: OR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.76-3.00) parents. The odds of being physically inactive for children with neglectful parents were almost twice than that for children with authoritative parents (Father: OR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.37-3.06; Mother: OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.18-2.67). Significant differences were found in the parenting behaviors of parents with four different parenting styles. However, no association was found between parenting style and adolescent weight. The data of this study suggest that parenting behaviors are weakly but significantly associated with the development of adolescent obesity. Misclassifications of children's weight status were prevalent among Chinese parents. Parental perceptions of their children's weights were associated with some parenting behaviors related to children's weight development. The adolescents' dietary habits, physical activity, and some parenting behaviors were associated with parenting style. However, there was no direct association between parenting style and adolescent weight. / Wen, Xu. / Adviser: Stanley Sai-Chuen Hui. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-03, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-163). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / abstract / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-151). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Faculty of the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Much research has been done in the area of toddler compliance/defiance and emotion regulation from a socialization perspective, and although some of this research has used attachment theory as a theoretical basis, there is little empirical literature that measures both attachment in infancy and parental limit-setting in toddlerhood as predictors of toddler compliance, emotionally negative defiance, or emotion regulation. In addition, few studies include fathers’ attachment and limit-setting along with mothers, or examine the different combinations of parenting units’ influence on toddler behavior. The goals of the current study are to assess how infant-parent attachment and parental limit-setting with mothers and fathers separately predict toddler behavior both with the same parent and with the other parent, and how different combinations of parental units, including mother-infant and father-infant attachment and maternal and paternal limit setting, relate to toddler behavior. This study uses longitudinal data, with the infantparent attachment relationships assessed using the Strange Situation at 12 and 15 months, and at 24-months the toddlers were brought into the lab and videotaped in a 20-minute play session, clean-up, and two teaching tasks with each parent. The parents were rated individually on their use of developmentally appropriate, permissive, and harsh/controlling parenting styles, and the toddlers were rated on compliance and emotionally negative defiance; the toddlers were also rated on emotion regulation in a separate task with an experimenter. Using OLS regression analyses, this study found parental limit-setting to be a stronger predictor of toddler behavior than attachment, and toddler behavior can only be predicted in the interaction with the same parent--maternal limit-setting does not predict toddler behavior with father or vice versa. Combinations of parent-infant attachment classifications were then assessed using ANOVAs, and different combinations of infant-parent attachment were related to toddlers’ emotion regulation. Hierarchical clustering techniques were implemented to determine how to create parenting units based on the different parenting styles, and four distinct clusters emerged: both parents developmentally appropriate, both parents are harsh/controlling and permissive, mother is appropriate and father is permissive, mother is permissive and father is appropriate. ANOVAs were then used to relate these clusters to the toddler behaviors. / text

Transition to parenthood is a major life event that affects both fathers and mothers. Being a potentially stressful period, it can predispose vulnerable individuals to mental health problems. Compared with maternal studies, there is a dearth of longitudinal research on the psychological impact of transition to fatherhood, particularly with anxiety problems. There are emerging studies demonstrating the adverse consequences of paternal postpartum depression on infant outcomes. It is important to investigate paternal postpartum depression and anxiety and address their relationships with poor infant outcomes which will contribute to the recognition of the problems and the development of early intervention. The current study aimed to contribute to greater knowledge on risk factors of paternal postpartum mental health problems, and their adverse impact on infants, as well as understanding the possible mediating mechanisms underlying such a relationship. A total of 654 couples completed self-report questionnaires at third trimester of pregnancy using validated self-report psychological instruments to evaluate fathers' prenatal mental health. Among them, 255 couples were examined longitudinally at six week postpartum for depression and anxiety symptoms, and fathers were also assessed for marital satisfaction, self-esteem, social support, and postpartum attachment with infants. At six months postpartum, 121couples were again surveyed to assess their infants’ temperament and development. According to established cut-offs, 12.0% and 13.1% of fathers experienced significant postpartum depression and anxiety. No demographic risk factors were found for postpartum depression or anxiety. Multiple regression analyses indicated that low martial satisfaction, low self-esteem, fathers having prenatal anxiety and depression, partners having postpartum depression predicted fathers’ postpartum depression. Low marital satisfaction, low self-esteem, poor social support and fathers having prenatal anxiety were significant risk factors for fathers’ postpartum anxiety. Depressed and anxious fathers reported having less patience and tolerance, pleasure in interaction, and affection and pride with their infants. Paternal postpartum depression was related to reduced infants’ falling reactivity, and poor social and total development in infants; while postpartum anxiety was associated with heightened infants’ distress to limitations, reduced failing reactivity and greater sadness. Baron and Kenny’s criteria was used to investigate whether poor paternal attachment with infants mediated these relationships. Pleasure in interaction partially mediated the relationship between paternal postpartum depression and social as well as total development in infants, whereas affection and pride mediated between fathers' postpartum depression and infants' falling reactivity as well as social development. Affection and pride also served as a partial mediator between fathers' postpartum anxiety and infants’ failing reactivity. Findings revealed that paternal postpartum depression and anxiety are significant mental health problems. Low marital satisfaction, low self-esteem, poor social support, prenatal depression and anxiety, and partners' postpartum depression could contribute to these problems. Postpartum depression and anxiety could reduce fathers' attachment with infants, which adversely impacted infants' temperament and development. The current study also addressed that risk factors for paternal postpartum depression and anxiety were different, and they had distinctive environmental pathways affecting infant outcomes. This provides significant implications for designing timely and effective interventions to improve fathers' well-being and proper father-infant interaction. (499 / published_or_final_version / Psychiatry / Master / Master of Philosophy

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