Master of Science / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Bronwyn S. Fees / Research conducted since 1990 suggests that young adults over 18 but under 29 years of age feel as though they are neither an adult nor an adolescent but somewhere between. This blur of boundaries between adolescence and adulthood can lead to the question, if a male does not yet think he is an adult, does he also not yet think he is a man? Guided by Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood, the purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to identify the inter-individual differences in characterizing masculinity and the factors that may contribute to the development of these definitions. Males (n = 20) from a public Midwestern university, ages 18-23 (x̄ = 19.7 years) participated in individual interviews addressing their perceptions and definitions of masculinity. Three dominant themes about masculinity emerged including physical, emotional and behavioral characteristics, with behavioral characteristics containing 11 dominant and 4 lesser themes. While participants’ ideas about the extrinsic or visible characteristics of men and masculinity were similar to that of their peers in this study, the intrinsic or ideological characteristics of men were more closely aligned with that of their families. The majority of participants identified as not being men but stated that they are in the process of achieving manhood. Thus the development of a man may be separate from but similar to that of the development of an adult. Implications of this study include the practitioner response to influences responsible for differing masculine characteristics and the behaviors that result. Drinking alcohol has strong peer and media influences, as does disrespect toward women, both of which could have an impact on the individual. Also, the stress associated with various conflicting messages from family, peers, media, and their own opinions may be problematic for many youth.

Demographic and sociological theories usually do not incorporate biological variable into their explanations. This dissertation addresses this void by examining the influence of age at menarche on age at first birth, the event of a first birth, and the number of children ever born (CEB). I expand on Demographic Transition theory by incorporating biology as one of the effects of modernization that has an effect on reducing fertility. Age at menarche decreases as a society modernizes. I use data from the 1995 Survey of Family Growth, Cycle V for the U.S., and the 1997 China Survey of Population and Reproductive Health. I further stratify the data into five race/ethnic groups: Chinese Han, Chinese minorities, U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites, U.S. Non-Hispanic Blacks, and U.S. Hispanics of Mexican origin. I use four different statistical methods to model my dependent variables: Ordinary Least Squares Regression, Cox Proportional Hazard Analysis, Poisson Regression, and Negative Binominal Regression. My first major finding is that the younger a woman is when reaching menarche, the younger she will be when giving birth to her first child. Second, the younger a woman is when reaching menarche, the longer the duration to a first birth and the less likely she is to experience a first birth. These two results are consistent in all the groups I analyze. Third, the younger a woman when reaching menarche, the fewer children she will produce. The U.S. Mexican-Origin women are an exception in this final outcome. It is well known that as a society modernizes, age at menarche decreases. Analyses in my dissertation indicate that as women’s ages at menarche decrease, their ages at giving birth to the first child also decrease, but their chances of having a first birth also decrease and their waiting time for having the first birth increases. Also, fertility will decline as age at menarche declines.

Demographic and sociological theories usually do not incorporate biological variable into their explanations. This dissertation addresses this void by examining the influence of age at menarche on age at first birth, the event of a first birth, and the number of children ever born (CEB). I expand on Demographic Transition theory by incorporating biology as one of the effects of modernization that has an effect on reducing fertility. Age at menarche decreases as a society modernizes. I use data from the 1995 Survey of Family Growth, Cycle V for the U.S., and the 1997 China Survey of Population and Reproductive Health. I further stratify the data into five race/ethnic groups: Chinese Han, Chinese minorities, U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites, U.S. Non-Hispanic Blacks, and U.S. Hispanics of Mexican origin. I use four different statistical methods to model my dependent variables: Ordinary Least Squares Regression, Cox Proportional Hazard Analysis, Poisson Regression, and Negative Binominal Regression. My first major finding is that the younger a woman is when reaching menarche, the younger she will be when giving birth to her first child. Second, the younger a woman is when reaching menarche, the longer the duration to a first birth and the less likely she is to experience a first birth. These two results are consistent in all the groups I analyze. Third, the younger a woman when reaching menarche, the fewer children she will produce. The U.S. Mexican-Origin women are an exception in this final outcome. It is well known that as a society modernizes, age at menarche decreases. Analyses in my dissertation indicate that as women’s ages at menarche decrease, their ages at giving birth to the first child also decrease, but their chances of having a first birth also decrease and their waiting time for having the first birth increases. Also, fertility will decline as age at menarche declines.

Emerging adulthood is a time of significant change where behaviors are adopted that can have significant long term effects on health. The most dramatic increases in weight are occurring among emerging adults, especially those with some college education. Emerging adults are also at an increased risk for substance use and abuse. The current study examined the relationship between BMI and substance use among college students. Participants included 703 undergraduate students at a large public U.S. university (M age=20.6, 58.7% Non-Hispanic White, 59.8% female). Students completed an online survey with items on substance use behaviors such as smoking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and binge drinking. Tobacco, alcohol, marijuana use, and binge drinking were assessed with one question asking students how many days over the past month they had used the specific substance (range 0-30 days). Binge drinking was assessed using one question: “Over the last two weeks, how many times have you had five or more drinks of alcohol at a sitting?” Responses ranged from 0 to 10 or more times. Substance use behaviors were coded to no use/any use in the past month. Body mass index was calculated through the student’s self reported height and weight. BMI was significantly related to past month tobacco use with an odds ratio of 1.06 (95% CI: 1.01-1.12). Specifically, with every one unit increase in BMI, the odds of past month tobacco use increased by 6%. However, BMI was not significantly associated with past month alcohol use, marijuana use, or binge drinking (p>.05). As BMI increases, college students’ odds of using tobacco increase. This finding is particularly problematic given that weight gain is common among undergraduate students and cigarette use has been cited as a common weight management practice among this group as well. Future research should consider the role of BMI as a factor in decreasing tobacco use. / text

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In spite of a broad body of theoretical discussion on generativity, empirical research has yet to confirm many central tenets of the theory. Within 2 research studies, 3 questions were addressed. A study of 98 midlife men and women pursued (1) the relationship between generative concerns and 4 indicators of adjustment, positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, and work satisfaction, and (2) the role of agency and communion as predictors of generative concerns, with attention to sex differences in these predictive roles. A study of 75 largely pre-midlife women and men provided a conceptual replication of the results of the first study, while also addressing a third question: (3) the role of age effects in the experience of generativity. Together, these studies provided evidence of a relationship between generative concerns and 2 adjustment variables, positive affect and work satisfaction. Evidence in favor of an additive model, in which agency and communion served as independent predictors of generative concerns, was also obtained. As well, there was modest evidence of sex differences, such that agency variables were more significant predictors of generativity for women and communion variables were more significant predictors for men. No evidence of an age effect in predicting generative concerns was found; in fact, all of the findings appear to be applicable to a pre-midlife sample as well as a midlife one. However, some interesting trends for age interactions were found. The research points to an association between generativity and adjustment. It also provides moderate support for an additive model predicting generative concerns with agency and communion. The importance of attending to possible sex differences in this predictive relationship is also illustrated.

This study modeled trajectories of four psychosocial competencies (autonomy, industry, identity, and intimacy) across four years of university and year-to-year covariation of these competencies with typical student experiences (living away from parents, academic performance, dating, and alcohol use) in 195 Canadian students. Analyses revealed that, on average, autonomy and identity did not change over time. Accounting for gender differences, however, revealed some linear changes across time for these competencies. Industry and intimacy showed curvilinear trajectories of change. Year-to-year, students reported higher autonomy and identity when living away from their parents and when getting higher grades. They also reported higher industry when getting higher grades. When students dated they reported higher identity and intimacy; dating women also reported higher autonomy than dating men. When dating students reported higher intimacy they reported higher perceived affection within their romantic relationships. Possible mechanisms for the observed patterns and their implications are discussed.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 1999. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis (B.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, April 30, 2003." Includes bibliographical references (p. 22-23) Also available in print.

Thesis--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-237).