The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the relationship between family leisure involvement and aspects of family functioning (adaptability and cohesion) among Samoan families residing on American Samoa, and (b) to compare the Samoan data to a broad sample of American families to provide a cross-cultural comparison. The sample consisted of 340 adult participants. The Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP) was used to measure family leisure involvement. FACES II was used to measure family functioning. Regression analyses conducted on the 340 individuals indicated a positive relationship between core family leisure involvement and family cohesion, adaptability, and overall family functioning. The analyses also indicated a positive relationship between balance family leisure involvement and family adaptability, but no relationship between balance family leisure and family cohesion and overall family functioning. In addition, results indicated that there was no significant difference between American and Samoan families in their family functioning, but their family leisure involvement patterns differed.

No description available.

Objective: Parenting behaviors such as parental psychological control and rejection play a role in the development and maintenance of childhood anxiety. The current study examined the potential moderating role of family functioning in the relationship between parenting behavior (i.e., youth-perceived maternal involvement; autonomy granting) and youth anxiety symptoms. The study also examined the moderating role of youth characteristics (age; comorbid symptoms) and maternal symptoms in the relationship between parenting/family factors and youth anxiety. Method: Participants were mothers and 88 youth (ages 6 to 17 years) who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for an anxiety disorder. Parenting/family variables and youth and maternal symptoms were measured using semi-structured diagnostic interviews and parent- and child-reports. Results: Regression analyses indicated that youth perceived maternal autonomy granting, but not parental involvement, was inversely associated with youth self-reported anxiety. Mother-reported family dysfunction was associated with mother-reported youth anxiety. Youth age, depressive symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms were found to be significant moderators of the relationship between parenting behavior and child anxiety. Family dysfunction did not play a significant moderating role in the relationship between parenting behavior and child anxiety. Discussion: Clinical implications of the findings are discussed. / Psychology

Findings related to the adjustment of typically-developing (TD) siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been inconsistent, but suggest that most function well over time. The current mixed methods study investigated the relationship between family factors, especially disruptions to family routines, and academic functioning of TD siblings. Measures of family functioning, parenting stress, and parenting daily hassles were collected from parents (n = 20); an additional 19 families also completed semi-structured interviews (total n = 39). Teacher reports on classroom functioning (n = 25) and report cards were also collected. All parent participants (92% Caucasian, 90% married, 79% college-educated) had a child with an ASD diagnosis (80% male, M age = 11.74) and a TD child (62% male, M age = 10.31 years). Seventy-two percent of TD siblings (n = 18) had scores above the mean on the Academic Performance Rating Scale (DuPaul, Rapport, and Perriello, 1991), and 91% (n = 32) had grade averages of B or higher. Ninety-six percent (n = 24) of TD siblings had scores within the normative range on the Learning Problems and School Problems scales of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2; Reynolds and Kamphaus, 2004). Daily hassles were not significantly correlated with any school measures for the TD siblings. Families with children with more severe ASD symptoms discussed greater frequencies of emotional outbursts in the child with ASD and missed social opportunities as a family. Families of children with externalizing behaviors may particularly benefit from targeted support. / Ph. D.

Research regarding the imprisonment of a family member has mainly focused on the effects of parental imprisonment on the children in that family. Literature indicates that the child of an imprisoned parent has to deal with numerous challenges, including stigma and shame related to their parent‟s arrest and imprisonment. Other common feelings these children might experience include anger, confusion and sadness. Furthermore these children often experience pressure related to keeping the imprisonment a secret from those close to them. These children might also face multiple separations from the imprisoned parent, experience changes with regards to residence, school and friendships, adoption of adult roles and responsibilities, financial distress, lack of supervision and more. When compared to literature regarding parental imprisonment relatively few studies have been done on the effects of imprisonment on the family as a whole, especially in the South African context. The available research indicates there are numerous implications for the family as a whole. Some of these implications include stigma, financial stress, role changes within the family, relational problems between family members (including extended family), challenges in dealing with the criminal justice system and emotional distress (feelings of loneliness, anxiety, isolation and worry). The aim of this study was to explore and describe the changes that take place in family functioning when a member of that family is imprisoned as they are perceived by the members of the nuclear family. A qualitative description (descriptive) research approach was used in this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Six voluntary participants (all family members of imprisoned individuals) from four families were recruited. Participants were aged between 15 and 75, consisted of one male and five females. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. These interviews were audio recorded and then transcribed. Initial questions for the semi-structured interviews were obtained using the McMaster Model of Family Functioning as a guiding framework. Therefore, first deductive (directed) content analysis was used, after which thematic analysis was then done on the transcribed data. From the analysis two main themes and nine subthemes emerged. It was found that participants relied more on their family members for problem solving, were generally more open-hearted and honest with their communication towards each other while limiting potentially distressing communication and they experienced changes in the roles and responsibilities within the family. Participants also reported experiencing new emotions (positive and negative) and experienced increased support, understanding and involvement from their family members. They furthermore experienced changes in behaviour control and household rules ranging from rigid to laissez-faire and often fluctuating between these. Some participants reported experiencing more support from outside the family. Participants furthermore reported feeling stigmatised and isolated within their communities. They also experienced gaining resilience and inner strength and found strength through their religious beliefs. The findings of this study can‟t be generalized due to the limited demographic variability and small sample size. Limited research is available regarding the changes in family functioning after the imprisonment of a family member in the family as a whole, especially in the South African context. The identification of religion and resilience (as subthemes identified from the data) as they relate to coping is probably the most important contribution of this study as it is not discussed in any of the models of family functioning mentioned in this study, including the McMaster Model of Family Functioning. It is recommended that further research focus on both resilience and religion as they relate to coping and possibly contribute to family functioning after the imprisonment of a family member. It is furthermore suggested that specific intervention programs be developed to help families function effectively after the imprisonment of a family member. These intervention programs might include group work with different families or working with individual families either with skills development, psycho-education or therapeutically. / MA (Clinical Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Research regarding the imprisonment of a family member has mainly focused on the effects of parental imprisonment on the children in that family. Literature indicates that the child of an imprisoned parent has to deal with numerous challenges, including stigma and shame related to their parent‟s arrest and imprisonment. Other common feelings these children might experience include anger, confusion and sadness. Furthermore these children often experience pressure related to keeping the imprisonment a secret from those close to them. These children might also face multiple separations from the imprisoned parent, experience changes with regards to residence, school and friendships, adoption of adult roles and responsibilities, financial distress, lack of supervision and more. When compared to literature regarding parental imprisonment relatively few studies have been done on the effects of imprisonment on the family as a whole, especially in the South African context. The available research indicates there are numerous implications for the family as a whole. Some of these implications include stigma, financial stress, role changes within the family, relational problems between family members (including extended family), challenges in dealing with the criminal justice system and emotional distress (feelings of loneliness, anxiety, isolation and worry). The aim of this study was to explore and describe the changes that take place in family functioning when a member of that family is imprisoned as they are perceived by the members of the nuclear family. A qualitative description (descriptive) research approach was used in this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Six voluntary participants (all family members of imprisoned individuals) from four families were recruited. Participants were aged between 15 and 75, consisted of one male and five females. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. These interviews were audio recorded and then transcribed. Initial questions for the semi-structured interviews were obtained using the McMaster Model of Family Functioning as a guiding framework. Therefore, first deductive (directed) content analysis was used, after which thematic analysis was then done on the transcribed data. From the analysis two main themes and nine subthemes emerged. It was found that participants relied more on their family members for problem solving, were generally more open-hearted and honest with their communication towards each other while limiting potentially distressing communication and they experienced changes in the roles and responsibilities within the family. Participants also reported experiencing new emotions (positive and negative) and experienced increased support, understanding and involvement from their family members. They furthermore experienced changes in behaviour control and household rules ranging from rigid to laissez-faire and often fluctuating between these. Some participants reported experiencing more support from outside the family. Participants furthermore reported feeling stigmatised and isolated within their communities. They also experienced gaining resilience and inner strength and found strength through their religious beliefs. The findings of this study can‟t be generalized due to the limited demographic variability and small sample size. Limited research is available regarding the changes in family functioning after the imprisonment of a family member in the family as a whole, especially in the South African context. The identification of religion and resilience (as subthemes identified from the data) as they relate to coping is probably the most important contribution of this study as it is not discussed in any of the models of family functioning mentioned in this study, including the McMaster Model of Family Functioning. It is recommended that further research focus on both resilience and religion as they relate to coping and possibly contribute to family functioning after the imprisonment of a family member. It is furthermore suggested that specific intervention programs be developed to help families function effectively after the imprisonment of a family member. These intervention programs might include group work with different families or working with individual families either with skills development, psycho-education or therapeutically. / MA (Clinical Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The lived experiences of the family of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivor is an under represented, yet growing field of qualitative psychological research. This thesis used a case study approach with a family in which one member sustained TBI thirteen years previously. Using conversational unstructured interview techniques, I participated with the family in eliciting public narratives around their experiences since the accident. These public stories were also thickened by individual interviews, which both supported and contradicted the public narratives. In the analysis I found two major narrative lines, the first of which was the baby-narrative which held that the injured person must not be injured any further in word or deed and must be protected at all time. The second dominant narrative was the fighting-narrative, which was characterised by language and actions around fighting/battling on behalf of the injured person against uncaring ‘others’. Several important suppressed or counter narratives emerged during the individual interviews, which could not be spoken about publically. I conclude that the power of the two dominant narratives is fuelled by constant rehearsal and enactment, which actually freezes the family and does not allow it to move forward. Suppressed stories are discussed as a possible avenue for therapeutic growth and for the evolution of the family story as they age.

The study analyzed how parenting stress and discouragement affect stepfamily functioning. Whether the parent was a biological parent or stepparent, whether the stepparent was a stepmother or stepfather, or whether the marriage had been formed more or less than two years was also considered. One assumption made was that increased parenting stress and discouragement will lead to decreased family functioning. Other assumptions were that there will be more increased parenting stress and discouragement and decreased family functioning found in stepparents than biological parents, in stepmothers more than stepfathers, and in parents in families formed less than two years more than those in families formed more than two years. Complete data was collected from 30 subjects. Three instruments were used in the study. The Parenting Stress Index measures how much stress parents experience in areas relating to how they see their child and how they see themselves as parents. The Discouragement Scale for Adults was developed to measure the Adlerian concept of discouragement in an adult population. The Family Assessment Device measures how a family functions.

Children experience changes in multiple levels of their social ecologies when they transition into middle school (Eccles, 1999; Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2008). These biological, psychological, social, and environmental changes create increased risk for dropout and other factors related to academic adjustment (Cataldi, Laird & KewalRamani, 2009). For low- income minority children these risks can be magnified by environmental and social factors (Ge et al., 2002). Healthy family functioning, including balanced levels of cohesion and flexibility, has been shown to buffer these risks (Burchinal, Roberts, Zeisel & Rowley, 2008; Olson, 2010; Wampler, Munsch, & Adams, 2002) and was targeted by a Multiple Family Group (MFG) intervention. The Multiple Family Group Weekend Retreat intervention, adapted from a previous version to address the family support needs of children transitioning to middle school, was tested in a feasibility study as a method for increasing family functioning. 14 families of rising 6th grade students from public schools on the South side of Richmond, VA participated in one of three MFG retreats. The intervention consisted of a series of group components focused on building knowledge and skills in areas of trust, communication, stress and coping, family organization, and family unity. Key evaluation objectives included measuring changes in children’s family functioning and academic adjustment and collecting fidelity data to assess feasibility and further clarify the intervention. No significant outcomes were found between pretest and follow-up.

n often ignored aspect of parenting and family work is the responsibility-related caregiving (i.e. the monitoring, arranging, and planning) that is done to ensure that a child is cared for. Among fathers and mothers who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the intensity of meeting these needs is greater than for a typically developing child (e.g. additional coordination of schooling, interventions, healthcare, recreation, respite, and after-school services). As is the case for all parents, they must also attend to the demands of household labor (e.g. car maintenance, groceries, laundry, yard care), nurture their relationships (e.g. partner, friends, other family members) and find time to pursue interests outside of the home. The aim of this study was to examine parents’ management of and satisfaction with the division of responsibility-related caregiving and household labor, parenting stress, the couple’s relationship quality, and family functioning among parents of children with an ASD. Fathers (n = 66) and mothers (n = 104) of school-age children with an ASD responded to an online questionnaire. Most parents (mean 41.4 y.) were white (95%) and well-educated (98% had at least some college). All lived in the United States with the child and the child’s other parent. Parents provided information about their child (82% boys, mean 8.8 y.), including level of functioning. Fathers managed less responsibility-related caregiving than mothers, but they did not differ in their management of household labor. Parents were most satisfied with how the family work was shared when they managed less of it; however, when one parent always managed the work, satisfaction with the couple’s relationship was lowest and parenting stress was highest. Satisfaction with how the family work was shared was positively associated with overall family functioning. In general, parents, couples, and families fare better when the management of family work is shared between parents. Findings will further our understanding of the experience of fathers and mothers who have a child with an ASD, and may aid in our efforts to best support families affected by the autism spectrum disorders.