Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) can result in cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) and structural brain changes such as decreased cortical volume, brain atrophy and cerebral infarcts which are major causes of stroke and dementia. CVD is also associated with increased depression and depressive symptoms in later life. Midlife vascular disease and adult socioeconomic status (SES) are well established risk factors but less is known about the effect of factors from earlier in life on CVD and depressive symptoms in later life. A series of systematic reviews of current literature examining early life factors and stroke, cSVD and depression following stroke are presented at the beginning of this thesis. These reviews found that childhood IQ, education and childhood SES were associated with stroke and cSVD in later life. The reviews also found that education level was associated with depression following stroke. However few of the studies adjusted for vascular risk factors and adult SES. Therefore this thesis aimed to investigate associations between birth and childhood factors and cerebrovascular disease and depressive symptoms, after adjustment for vascular risk factors and adult SES, in four community dwelling cohorts: the Stratifying Resilience & Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) cohort (n=280, 45% male, mean age= 62.1 (SD=4.1) years), the Dutch Famine Birth cohort (n= 151, 44% male, mean age 67.6 (SD=0.9) years), the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC 1936, n= 865, 50% male, mean age 72.7 (SD=0.7) years), and the Simpson cohort (n=130, 31% male, mean age 78.5, (SD=1.5) years). This Thesis first examined associations between (i) cSVD burden (ii) total and regional brain volumes and (iii) self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, smoking behaviour, adult SES and cognition. Neither cSVD nor brain volumes were associated with symptoms of anxiety. Higher white matter hyperintensity volumes, having one or more cerebral infarct and increased cerebral atrophy were associated with increased depressive symptoms independent of vascular risk factors and adult SES. Secondly, this thesis examined associations between birth and childhood factors and cSVD burden and total and regional brain volumes. Each cohort was analysed individually and then all available data meta-analysed. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, smoking behaviour, adult SES and other early life factors. Meta-analysis found that increasing birth weight was associated with decreased risk of lacunes across all cohorts. Placental weight, which was only available for the Simpson cohort, was associated with decreased risk total cSVD, WMH severity and volume and cerebral infarcts. In the LBC 1936 and Simpson cohort increasing childhood and premorbid IQ and more years of education were associated with fewer cortical infarcts. The association between premorbid and childhood IQ and infarcts was independent of education level. Across three cohorts low education level was associated with more microbleeds. These findings suggest that factors other than traditional vascular risk factors may contribute to cSVD and structural brain changes in later life. Thirdly, this thesis examined associations between birth and childhood factors and self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-16). All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, smoking behaviour, adult SES and cognition In the Dutch Famine Birth Cohort people born before the famine had lower scores of depression and anxiety on the HADS compared to those exposed to famine in early gestation and those conceived after the famine. In the LBC 1936 increasing ponderal index was associated with lower depressive symptoms, increasing childhood and premorbid IQ were associated with lower symptoms of anxiety and depression. Lower educational attainment and some indicators of childhood SES were associated with higher symptoms of depression and anxiety. Overall results suggest that early life factors, particularly childhood IQ, may contribute to structural brain changes and symptoms of depression and anxiety in later life, independent of vascular risk factors and other early life factors. Efforts to understand factors which may contribute to late life health, from the earliest stages of life, are important and may be used to inform changes in social policy. The effect sizes and potential impact of these findings suggest that larger sample sizes with more vascular disease and more depression are needed to robustly test these associations.

The risk factors associated with intergenerational transmission of poverty have been well established within Family Science literature for decades. Multiple efforts have been extended at the community level to meet needs, however, few have been successful in breaking the cycle of poverty within families. In 2007, local civic leaders spent two years studying and comparing the efforts of surrounding service organizations and their impact on the multigenerational cycle of poverty in a metropolitan city in South Georgia. In 2011, findings lead to the creation of a unique family life education program that engaged families residing in inner-city neighborhoods to help family members with parenting skills. The design of the program focuses on helping families create safe, language-rich, interactive family environments for their children. The intention of this program is to enable family members to effectively serve as their children’s first teachers and prepare their preschool children for entry into kindergarten, however this program has also begun to impacted the community through the creation of leadership tracks for attendees who have shifted from learner to leader. With each year, participants lead the way to adding program elements, such as transportation, baby showers, and vision screening, to reach the needs of the community members and increase enrollment. This presentation will highlight the family-centric education model and data summary to date. Trust- and rapport-building along with empowering families and ultimately impacting the whole community will be emphasized as agents of change. This presentation will also include an overview of the history of this program and will discuss its unique attributes that has brought together people from across the community. The guiding principles of trust and respect among participants are central to all discussions, which has been found to be critical for the success of a program (Wiley & Ebata, 2004; Ballard & Taylor, 2012). This presentation will provide direction on how to empower participants by strengthening their voice in the program planning process. Insight into how this program can be replicated in areas across the United States will be discussed. In Fall 2017, an analysis and summary of previously collected data began and additional methodologies were added to better understand the quantifiable impact of the program thus far. Preliminary data analyses on participation revealed that from August 2013 to Summer 2017, which included more than 50 Saturday trainings, totaled 2,890 attendees. Each Saturday training averaged 60 learners with this increasing across time. The data collected in Fall 2017 provided more in-depth demographic information as well as more consistent pre-post evaluations of each training session. Data will be discussed to provide interesting insights into participant learning and the unique population being served. Data from the pilot through Fall 2017 will be presented confirming that through targeted outreach and resources, communities can be empowered.

Hundreds of family life education (FLE) websites are now available on the Internet, allowing individuals and families unprecedented access to FLE information. Evaluation is critical to ensuring the quality of and improving FLE websites, yet few FLE website evaluations have been conducted. This study formatively evaluated a new family life education website, called Forever Families (http://www.foreverfamilies.net or http://foreverfamilies.byu.edu), assessing website utilization using Web-based software, and receiving visitor feedback through the use of an online survey. Quantitative survey items assessed knowledge gains, how interesting the content was, usefulness, attractiveness, ease of use of the website, whether or not the site met visitors' needs, and to what extent the website led visitors to reconsider former attitudes and decide to make changes in their lives. The researcher sought to discover whether there were statistical differences in participant ratings by demographic variables. Open-ended items requested further information to assist the researcher in understanding the quantitative responses. Statistics compiled by Web-based software revealed that the website was highly utilized by individuals throughout the world. Participant ratings of the website and responses to open-ended items revealed the website was well received and had a positive impact on the participants. Website ratings did not substantially vary by participant characteristics, except for education level and ethnicity. Participants provided many helpful suggestions for website improvement.

Thesis (M.Ed.) -- University of the North, 1997 / Refer to the document / HSRC (Human Science Research Council)

The study's purpose was to determine if participants reported that booster sessions following a stepfamily education course were effective. Agencies in northern Utah that provide services to low-income (including minorities) families were used to recruit a sample of 487 males and 560 females. Participants were required to be in a relationship that formed a remarriage or to have children from a previous relationship, forming a stepfamily. Booster sessions were educational meetings that occurred four to six weeks after the completion of the stepfamily education course. Intervention theory states that as protective factors are implemented through prevention education they lessen the effects of risk factors in participants' lives. Booster sessions were focused on reiterating protective factors taught in the stepfamily course material and served as a protective factor through offering continued support to participants. A self-report measure was used at the completion of the booster session. Participants were asked if the booster session was worthwhile (fun, educational, and worth their time), if they learned something, and if they recognized a change in their knowledge base concerning healthy stepfamily skills through attending the booster session. Participants consistently reported that they did find the booster session worthwhile, that they learned something, and that they increased in knowledge concerning healthy stepfamily skills. Although all participants reported that booster sessions were effective, Latino participants reported higher averages than Caucasian participants in research questions two and three. Study findings suggest that booster sessions can serve as a means of increasing educational gains of participants after the conclusion of course material. Also, discussion is provided concerning the implications of providing family life education for the Latino population.

The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether couples gained any knowledge as a result of attending expectant parent classes.A pre-class and post-class questionnaire was utilized to evaluate the learning. Areas covered were pre-labor symptoms, labor and delivery, activities post partum period, the newborn, family relationships, family planning, and relaxation and breathing patterns. Some couples were observed during labor and delivery to evaluate the use of the relaxation and breathing patterns and the husband's participation.This study indicated that husbands and wives did learn as a result of attending the expectant parent classes. It also indicated that the husbands actively participated in the labor and delivery phases and that the relaxation and breathing patterns were utilized to various degrees during labor and delivery.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Thesis (Ph.D.(Opv. Sielk.)--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982.

Thesis (M.A.)--International School of Theology, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-75).

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Wheaton College, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (l. 89-92).