Newbery books are a reliable representation of quality children's literature. They have not previously been formally evaluated by the family structures represented in the books. This content analysis considered 87 contemporary realistic fiction Newbery winner and Honor books since the 1930s that portray families in English-speaking, western settings. The family structures portrayed in these books were compared with the family structure categories of the decade in which each book is set. Percentage comparisons revealed that the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s do not represent the actual family structures of their time period. After the Age of New Realism began in the mid 60s, the family structures in the books more closely matched the family structures of their decade, but several discrepancies remained.

Invandringen till Sverige har ökat under de senaste 10 åren. År 2017 anlände cirka 158 000 personer med syrisk bakgrund till Sverige (Sköld 2017). När en individ flyttar till ett nytt samhälle, kan de möta en annan genusordning. Denna förändring kan leda till förändringar i individers genus- och familjeroller i förhållande till hushållsarbete, barnomsorg och lönearbete. Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie var att förstå invandrade kvinnors upplevelse av förändring och kontinuitet i sina genus- och familjeroller under tiden i Sverige jämfört med tiden i hemlandet, i förhållande till hushållsarbete, förvärvsarbete och barnomsorg. Studien genomfördes med en socialpsykologisk ansats och utgick från teorier om genussystem, genusnormer, stigma samt strukturell rollteori. Fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med invandrade kvinnor från Syrien. Resultaten visar att kvinnorna upplever både förändring och kontinuitet i sina genus- och familjeroller. De traditionella rollerna i förhållande till hushållsarbete, förvärvsarbete och barnomsorg står kvar, men nya roller läggs till. De nya rollerna och de höga kraven som förväntas av kvinnorna påverkar deras familjestruktur. Att ändra kvinnans genusroll kan leda till negativ respons från hennes partner, medan de nya rollerna ställer högre krav och gör det svårt för kvinnorna att balansera mellan samhälls- och familjekrav. / Immigration to Sweden has increased over the past 10 years. In 2017, approximately 158,000 people with Syrian background arrived in Sweden (Sköld 2017). Upon immigration, the individual encounters a new society with a different gender order. Moving to another community can lead to changes in one's gender- and family relationships in relation to housework, childcare and paid work. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand immigrant women's experience of change and continuity in their gender- and family roles during the time in Sweden compared to the time in the home country in relation to household work, paid work and child care.With a social psychological approach, this study was carried out based on theories of gender order, gender norms, stigma and structural role theory. The survey contains five semi-structured interviews with immigrant women from Syria. The results show that women experience both change and continuity in their gender and family roles. The results show that the traditional role in relation to housework, paid work and childcare remains, but new roles are added. The new roles and the high demands expected of the women affect their family structure. Changing the woman's gender role can lead to a negative response from her husband, while the new role places higher demands, which makes it difficult for women to balance the demands of society and the family.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Single-mother families represent the second most common family structure, with one in four children raised by single mothers. Children of single-mother families are at greater risk than children from two-parent families to experience internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, with differences attributed to systemic disadvantages inherent to single motherhood. The current study hypothesized that established risk factors (low income, negative parenting, maternal depression, and neighborhood crime) would predict greater rates of psychopathology in adolescents of single mothers than those of partnered mothers via exposure to proximal risk factors (elevated adolescent stress and reduced emotional support). In a community sample of adolescents and their mothers (N = 485, 46% single mother, 48% White) assessed over the course of two years, adolescents of single mothers were more likely than those of partnered mothers to experience prospective depressive symptoms and externalizing disorders. Although the hypothesized proximal risk factors did not differ across family structures, adolescent children of single mothers were more likely to experience stressors independent of the adolescent’s behavior. Additionally, single-mother families were more likely to be of low socioeconomic status, live in neighborhoods high in violent crimes, and employ negatively-controlling parenting. Importantly, these factors were significantly interdependent, suggesting compounded risk for youth mental illness in single-mother families that highlights the extent of their disadvantages. Youth of single mothers were more likely to experience prospective depressive disorders and symptoms via exposure to elevated negatively-controlling parenting. Despite elevated rates of psychopathology and distal risk factors, our proposed model of risk only was partially supported, suggesting single-mother families remain resilient despite exposure to various risk factors. Clinical implications and study limitations are discussed. / Psychology

This study employed a sample of African-American adolescent females from intact (n=279) and non-intact (n=219) families to examine the relationship between parenting processes (parental monitoring, parent-adolescent communication, parent-adolescent attachment, authoritative parenting) and delinquency. Results revealed no significant differences in parenting processes or delinquent participation for African-American adolescent females residing in either family structure. Parental monitoring predicted African-American adolescent female delinquency in both family structures; parent adolescent communication predicted delinquency among African-American adolescent females in non-intact families. Implications for family therapy are discussed. / Master of Science

Master of Science / Department of Architecture / Gary J. Coates / This thesis was undertaken to investigate and seek possible architectural solutions to two issues. Firstly, fragmentation of the American family structure into a variety of new household types presents new design challenges to architects today. The single family house, once an 'ideal family' home, now needs to be redesigned to accommodate these changing lifestyles. Secondly, global warming and threats of an impending energy crisis loom large over humankind today. Environmentally-responsive architectural design can and should address both of these burgeoning problems. A program was developed as the basis for designing new infill housing in the city of Manhattan, Kansas, a small Midwestern college town. The aim was to provide dwelling units that would accommodate a wide range of family types and use patterns of the entire life cycle while fitting in to the existing architectural fabric of the neighborhood. After a literature review, it was concluded that 'front and back house' design was the most suitable option. In this context, three types of front and back house designs are presented. These options are further divided into thirteen subtypes. It is shown that these designs fulfill the spatial needs of a variety of differing households such as houses with an office, a multigenerational home and units that permit aging in place. An independent study was undertaken to achieve a 'zero energy threshold' for one of the designs within the design matrix presented in the thesis. A 60%-65% decrease in energy usage was attained in the front house and 50% in the back house by increasing the overall efficiency of the building envelope and by utilizing energy efficient appliances. Utilization of a 2 X 6.4 kW grid-connected solar photovoltaic system provided enough energy to power the house (inclusive of front & back houses). A Geothermal heating/cooling system was employed to further decrease the use of fossil fuel. With reduced energy needs and use of a gird connected solar system it was possible to achieve a 'net-zero energy house', which is defined as a house that generates as much as or more than the total energy it uses over the course of a year. An economic analysis of the front and back house and proposed energy systems was also performed. Calculations suggest that rent from the back house could provide substantial financial benefits to the owner of the front house. Although use of non-conventional energy systems demanded a larger initial investment, studies showed that savings made on the utility bills would eventually help recover this investment within the lifetime of the systems.

Anne Lareau (2003) argues that parents' child-rearing practices have a profound effect on academic and later occupational success for children, even holding constant such important factors as gender, race and school effects. She says that social class impacts these child-rearing practices and that middle-class families use a specific type of practice called concerted cultivation. Concerted cultivation involves parents organizing children's daily activities, using reasoning skills in talking with children, and teaching them how to interact with the institutions around them. Using the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) of 1988, the current study tests the theoretical validity of concerted cultivation. Results show that concerted cultivation significantly predicts both student GPA and standardized test scores. Amongst the elements of concerted cultivation, parent and student habitus, in the form of expectations, play the largest roles.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 2012 / Research indicates that there is a strong association between household composition and household stability, and child well-being. Black South African family life has historically been affected by the social, political and economic pressures of colonialism, the migrant labour system, and Apartheid policies. It has been shown that Black households have been in a constant state of flux as members move between rural and urban households, as well as, within urban environments. This situation of intense household fluidity and household compositional changes continues to persist. High rates of urbanisation, the fluid job market, and fast social change are all associated with high levels of mobility and household compositional change. Kin networks remain a significant informal safety net for households in order to absorb change. The movement of children between family members, or child fostering is an important mechanism for maintaining networks of support. Children are frequently moved between different households in urban areas so as to maximise their care and education. These changes could potentially influence their overall well-being and, in particular, their academic performance.