Theory of Mind (ToM), a social cognitive skill defined as one's ability to attribute mental states to self and others, is considered key for a successful navigation of one's social world. Extensive research has elucidated the early developmental trajectory, predictors, correlates, and outcomes of ToM in the first five years of a child's life. By contrast, although ToM continues to develop beyond age five, and children increasingly begin to function in more complex and interconnected social ecologies, very little is known about ToM in middle childhood. The present study examines ToM development in middle childhood, using a new measure that is age appropriate, innovative, and embedded in the flow of a naturalistic social interaction. Drawing from rich behavioral and report data collected from children, parents, and teachers in a longitudinal study from toddlerhood to middle childhood, interpersonal factors (the child's relationships with the mother, father, and peers), and intrapersonal factors (temperament characteristic of effortful control) are systematically examined to predict individual differences in children's performance in the new ToM measure at age 10. Associations between children's ToM and their broadly ranging, concurrently assessed clinical symptoms are also examined. As a preliminary venture, using a small sample of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their caregivers, the present study also seeks to establish preliminary criterion validity for the new measure of ToM.

Background and Purpose: Children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes face significant challenges in the day to day management of their disease. Parents play an important role in supporting children at every stage of their lives and helping them transition to independence in the management of T1D. The purpose of this study was to learn from parents who have raised their children with T1D to adulthood and identify strategies for parents who are currently raising a child with T1D. Methods: Using a biographical method, a qualitative design, two in-depth interviews with open-ended prompts were completed with purposively selected parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) who have grown into adulthood (18 parents, 36 interviews). The first interview invited participants to share their experience raising a child with T1D. The second interview asked specific questions about challenges, things that went well, things that didn't go well and advice for parents currently raising a child with T1D. Qualitative content analysis was used. Results: Analysis of the data identified recommendations for parents currently raising children with T1D. Advice for the parents included, 1) Parental attitude toward diabetes will be reflected in the child – Keep it positive, 2) Learn as much as you can about diabetes, 3) Find a good diabetes provider – Make your endocrinologist your best friend, 4) Don't make diabetes the definition of the child – treat them as normal, 5) Empower self-management – Teach them along the way then step back and let them take over, 6) Be your child's advocate, 7) Find support – Formal or informal, 8) Listen to your child – Don't judge. Conclusions and Implications: Nurses and nurse practitioners can share strategies identified by parents that were helpful in raising their child with Type 1 Diabetes.

No description available.

Utilizing ethnographic methodology, this study examined and described the filial therapy process to provide an in-depth understanding of the process, the relations in progress, and effects on the parent, child, and parent/child relationship. This study supports filial therapy as a viable option for educating parents in effective parenting and training as agents of change. The results appear to be generalizable to other parents engaged in learning filial therapy since previous research reported similar findings.

The research problem of the thesis undertakes psychological aspects of carrying an infant on a mother's body using a sling or carrier. The research question states: What are the motives of mothers to carry their infant in carrying aid, according to opinions of mothers who carry their babies? The theoretical part discusses psychological findings about an early mother-child relationship in terms of contact and emerging bonds (attachment) from a prenatal period, through perinatal period, and up to one year of an infant's age. More attention has been paid to biological, behavioural, anthropological, and especially psychological assumptions for carrying an infant by its mother. A qualitative research method has been chosen for the emphirical part of the thesis. The data has been obtained by means of semi-structured interview conducted with nineteen respondents that have had experiences with carrying an infant. The respondents have been selected by an improbability selection method. The recorded interviews have been transcribed verbatim and analysed using a grounded theory. Among the most common motives for carrying a child include pleasurable feelings and experiences of mothers; especially feelings of naturalness, tranquillity, security, and freedom. Furthermore, the mothers appreciate the practicality...

This study examined the effects of Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) on affection, communication, and relationship between elderly parents and their assisting adult children. Twenty-eight pairs of parents and children were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Subjects took Quinn's Family Life Questionnaire as pre-, post-, and follow-up tests. Parents and children in the treatment groups attended a four-session STEP workshop. No significant differences were found on the 2 x 2 analysis of variance for repeated measures for the parents or adult children. Quinn's affection and relationship variables approached significance for the parents over time. His variable affection approached significance for the children over time, irrespective of group. Agreement approached significance for children in the treatment group. The results for the parents regarding affection suggest that the study may have emphasized their feelings of trust. Although the data for relationship approached significance, it was negative, indicating that parents in the treatment group may have reduced their interaction with their assisting children perhaps because they were learning new communication skills. The data for the children regarding affection approached significance, but it was negative, suggesting they felt free to question their feelings about themselves and their parents. The results for children in the treatment group regarding agreement may suggest that the study increased their awareness of areas of agreement with their parents. When the data for parents and children were compared, communication approached significance for the parents; that is, they felt more comfortable with their communication with their children than did their children. The variables affection and perception showed significance. The elderly parents perceived their relationship with their children more positively than did their children. Absence of statistically significant data may be explained because Quinn's Family Life Questionnaire was not sensitive enough. Analysis of covariance might have identified significant findings. Increasing the number of participants and informing them of the purpose of the study might also affect a repeated study.

Divorce creates significant stress that can have an impact on parent-child relationship satisfaction. Past researchers have indicated that in times of high stress, parents may not be available for their children due to their personal issues. Attachment theory demonstrates the importance of the parent-child bond for the child as he or she matures, so this bond needs to be protected. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to examine the predictive relationship between parental stress as measured by the Parenting Stress Index, 4th Edition, Short Form (PSI-4-SF) and the parent-child relationship satisfaction as measured by the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) following a separation or divorce. A sample of 17 recently separated or divorced, custodial mothers who had at least one child between the ages 5-13 years were recruited through local schools and the Walden Participant Pool. They completed the PSI-4-SF, the PCRI, and a demographics questionnaire. A correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between parental stress and the level of parent-child relationship satisfaction, which was found to possess a significant negative relationship. Multiple regression analyses were then conducted, but neither child gender or child age influenced this relationship between parental stress and parent-child relationship satisfaction. However, mothers did report higher parent-child relationship satisfaction when their child was male. This study has a small sample size, so results do need to be approached with caution. This knowledge of which families may be most at risk for increased stress may promote positive social change by providing professionals insight into which families may be most in need to learn stress control and management to help protect the parent-child relationship.

abstract: Mood disorders are highly prevalent, especially in adolescent populations. One potential cause of the widespread nature of these disorders is the formation of stigma around emotionality. Emotion research, while extensive, has not expanded to capture how a parent’s emotion regulation and expression may lead to stigmatized behaviors in their child affecting that child’s mental health into adulthood. The current thesis aimed to investigate the relevance of this novel concept – emotionality stigma – in the relationship between parental emotionality and adult-child mental health. Using social learning theory, parental emotionality was predicted to influence a child’s emotionality into adulthood. Specifically, this thesis investigated if parental emotion over- and under-expression (dysregulation) would influence adult-children to perceive a stigma around emotionality leading to worse mental health, whereas well-regulated parental emotion expression would relate to adult-child emotional intelligence, leading to better mental health. Moreover, it was predicted that these relationships would differ depending on parent and child gender. To examine these ideas, data was collected from 1,136 college and community individuals through a university survey system and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Using a combination of linear regression, PROCESS, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) models, the results supported the proposed hypotheses. As predicted, parental dysregulation in childhood predicted impaired adult-child mental health, whereas parental regulation in childhood predicted lower levels of adult-child depression and anxiety. Additionally, emotionality stigma and emotional intelligence partially mediated the relationship between parental emotionality and adult-child mental health. Furthermore, results showed interesting gender differences; male participants were more impacted by both maternal and paternal emotionality as compared to female participants. These findings not only build on emotion research, but also have numerous applications in practice including improving parenting classes and family therapy interventions. This study is the first to explore the role of parental emotionality on adult-child mental health through stigma and emotional intelligence. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

abstract: Drawing upon the theoretical framework of Cooley’s (1902) “looking-glass self” model, the current study examined how affective dimensions of parenting in adolescence contribute to psychopathology in early adulthood through the mediating mechanism of authenticity – one’s level of comfort with being oneself. Using latent profile analysis (LPA), a three-class solution was identified, classifying inadequate, adequate, and optimal profiles of parenting in adolescence. Class membership was used in a multilevel mediation structural equation model to examine longitudinal links with authenticity and psychopathology (e.g., internalizing, externalizing, and substance abuse disorders) in early adulthood. Results demonstrated that optimal compared to inadequate parent-adolescent relationship quality was directly linked to higher levels of authenticity, which in turn, was directly linked to lower levels of all forms of psychopathology in early adulthood. Results also indicated that authenticity fully mediated the link between profiles of parent-adolescent relationship quality (e.g., grade 12) and internalizing, externalizing, and substance abuse disorders in early adulthood (e.g., four years post-college). In conclusion, the current study demonstrated the influence of affective dimensions of parenting profiles in adolescence on the development of psychopathology in early adulthood via the mediating mechanism of authenticity. Moreover, findings from the current study suggest that authenticity is a critical feature shared in common among various forms of psychopathology. Finally, clinical implications are discussed regarding the potential effectiveness of evidence-based psychotherapies aimed at the promotion of authenticity as a mechanism for improving mental health and well-being. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2021

No description available.