Most couples eagerly anticipate the birth of their first child. However, the transition to parenthood is also associated with significant lifestyle changes and approximately 50% of couples report a moderate to severe decline in relationship satisfaction and quality. Low relationship satisfaction is associated with increased couple conflict, individual psychological distress, negative parent-child relationships and poor child outcomes. Despite our increasing knowledge of the factors that predict enhanced couple adjustment, few evidence-based programs are available to assist couples' adjustment to parenthood. In this first randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a flexible delivery psycho-education program, entitled 'Couple CARE for Parents', 71 pregnant couples were assessed on self-report and observational measures of couple relationship and individual functioning and then randomized into either the Couple CARE for Parents program (n = 35) or a comparison program (n = 36). Couple CARE for Parents was a six unit program, comprising of an antenatal workshop, two home visits and three telephone support calls, and included skill-training in key relationship processes that are predictive of couple relationship quality, with the addition of parenting and baby care information. Among intervention couples the typical decline in female relationship satisfaction was prevented, with only 13% of intervention females reporting a decline in relationship satisfaction from pregnancy to 5 months postpartum, compared to 42% of females in the comparison program. Observed couple communication also improved as a result of the intervention, with Couple CARE for Parents couples showing reliably lower rates of negative speaker and listener skills at post-intervention relative to comparison couples. Couples were highly engaged in Couple CARE for Parents and there was a low drop out rate across the 7 month intervention period. These findings are promising and add to the early intervention studies showing positive effects of couple-focused psycho-education during the transition to parenthood by demonstrating that flexible delivery programs are feasible and attractive to couples. Providing cost-effective couple relationship education to expectant and new parent couples opens another window of opportunity for health professionals and governments to minimize the rates of relationship distress and divorce and their associated negative effects on individual, couple and family functioning.

This study explored the way members of one family understand the presence of developmental delays, especially Asperger Syndrome, in the children of that family. Specifically the study sought to glean how each parent constructed individual understanding of the presence of Asperger Syndrome in their twin, 13 year-old boys. It also sought to explore how each twin experienced the phenomenon of being labeled a child with Asperger Syndrome, and how their experiences affected their growing understanding of the syndrome. A third son, 10 years old, with PDD-NOS, was also a central focus in this study in that he also created and shared experiences that affected his, his brothers, and his parents understanding of Asperger Syndrome. Findings indicate that each member of the family constructs an individual understanding of the syndrome, based on personal experiences and attitudes. While this is not surprising, it is interesting to note how these divergent constructed understandings mesh and mingle with each other in the familys experiences. Both parents approached the onset of their boys Asperger Syndrome by sorting through very different world views and backgrounds. Yet both essentially define the syndrome in the same terms. They deal with their children differently, especially when juxtaposing similar tasks, i.e., helping with the childs homework, yet they often describe the basic deficits each child has as if speaking from one voice. Within the range of understanding how a learning difference affects a child, it is natural that there would be some denial and/or rejection of the effects on that child. This study found that to be quite true in this family. The study also found that the boys understanding was not that well developed, perhaps a function of some denial and/or rejection by the parents. But perhaps not.

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abstract: The purpose of this study was to expand on existing parental socialization models of youth achievement motivation for engaging in physical activity. This study examined the extent to which youth affective reactions and expectancy-value beliefs mediated the relation between parental influence tactics and youth physical activity. More specifically, the direct and indirect effects of parents' positive, negative and sedentary-control tactics, the direct effect of parents' desire to change their child's physical activity, and the moderating role of the socio-emotional climate on the relation between parental influence tactics and child outcomes were investigated. Data were collected from 171 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade students and their parents. Pedometers were used to collect youth physical activity data and all participants completed questionnaires. Youth expectancy-value beliefs and negative affective reactions to parental influence tactics were both positively related to youth physical activity. Path analyses revealed that youth expectancy-value beliefs and negative affective reactions fully mediated the direct effects of positive and negative parental influence tactics on youth physical activity, respectively. Moreover, parents' desire to change their child's physical activity was negatively related to parent's use of positive influence tactics. Although several moderators were examined, none were statistically significant (lowest p >.05). The results suggest that additional explanatory power is gained by including a broader range of parental influence tactics and youth affective reactions in models of achievement motivation. The findings are in accord with prior recommendations made to parents with sedentary children. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2011

abstract: This study described the multimodal communication patterns of college students and their parents, and examined how face-to-face and mediated communication frequencies relate to parental idealization and relational quality. Undergraduate students (N = 678) completed an online survey that assessed indicators of idealization (idealistic distortion and positive affect thinking), relational quality (relational/communication satisfaction, and relational closeness), and the frequency of face-to-face and mediated parental communication. Results indicated that average college students communicate with their primary parent 23 times per week, mostly via phone calls, text messaging, and face-to-face interaction. The frequency of mediated communication was positively related to both indicators of idealization and both indicators of relational quality. Moreover, idealization partially mediated the relationship between mediated communication frequency and relational quality. The frequency of face-to-face communication was inversely related to positive affect thinking. Indirect effects were also detected, such that face-to-face communication was negatively related to both indicators of relational quality as a function of positive affect thinking. Finally, this study examined whether students experience different levels of parental idealization and relational quality depending on whether their parent is geographically close or geographically distant, and whether they reside with their parent. Results indicated that students who live geographically distant from their parent experienced greater levels of idealization and relational quality than did student who live geographically close to yet separate from their parent, who reported greater levels of idealization and relational quality than students who live with their parent. These results were interpreted using concepts from interpersonal, family, and computer-mediated communication. Limitations and directions for future research were discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Communication 2012

abstract: Using a sample of children from divorced homes, the current study assesses the effects of family relationship variables on romantic outcomes in young adulthood, through the influence of several individual-level variables. In particular, children's coping efficacy and peer competence are examined as mediators of the effects of parenting and interparental conflict on children's later romantic involvement and relationship quality. Assessments occurred during childhood, when children were between the ages of nine and 12, in adolescence, when children were ages 15 to 18, and in young adulthood, when children were ages 24 to 27, spanning a period of 15 years. Childhood and adolescent variables were measured using child- and mother-report data and young adult measures were completed by the young adults and their romantic partners. One model was tested using all participants in the sample, regardless of whether they were romantically involved in young adulthood, and revealed that maternal warmth in childhood was linked with children's coping efficacy six years later, which was marginally related to an increased likelihood of being romantically involved and to decreased romantic attachment at the 15-year follow-up. A model with only the participants who were romantically involved in young adulthood also revealed a link between childhood maternal warmth and coping efficacy in adolescence, which was then marginally related to increased romantic satisfaction and to confidence in the romantic relationship in young adulthood. Marginal mediation was also found for several of the proposed paths, and there was little evidence to support path differences between males and females. Implications of the present findings for research with children from divorced families and the development of preventive interventions are discussed. In particular, parenting, interparental conflict, peer competence, and coping efficacy are examined as modifiable targets for change and existing preventive interventions employing these targets are described. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2012

This study examined perceived child-parent relationships and child adjustment in families with both adopted and natural children. Of interest was the relationship between these perceptions and the social and emotional adjustment of the children. Perceived parent-child relationships were measured by the Child Parent Relationship Scale developed by Swanson. The California Test of Personality was utilized to measure the children's adjustment.

I developed and tested a model of relationships between primary caregiver ethnic identity and religiosity, primary caregiver experiences of discrimination stress, parent-child relationships, adolescent ethnic identity and religiosity, and their impact over time on adolescent academic orientation and positive future outlook. The sample consisted of youth and their families participating in an ongoing family centered intervention trial in a northwest metropolitan area. The theoretical frameworks that guided this study were Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, sociocultural theory, social identity theory, and critical race theory. The hypotheses regarding the relationships between key variables and supported by the aforementioned theoretical frameworks were evaluated using analysis of variance techniques and structural equation modeling. Study findings suggest that parental identity and cultural socialization influence adolescent religiosity and ethnic identity in early adolescence. Primary caregivers' sense of ethnic identity and religiosity directly impact cultural socialization of their children, which in turn influences adolescent identity development. The parent-child relationship plays a predominant role in positive youth outcomes (i.e., academic orientation and positive future outlook) above and beyond adolescent ethnic identity and religiosity considerations. Implications of the present study for both research and practice are discussed.

abstract: Objectives: This study examines weight loss strategies (eating, physical activity (PA), or both) adopted by overweight or obese (OWOB) parents and children in relation to age, income, gender, education, and race/ethnicity in a predominantly low-income and high minority sample. We also examine if OWOB parent-child dyads employed the same strategies to lose weight, and how these strategies vary by demographic variables. Methods: Data was compiled from the New Jersey Childhood Obesity Study (NJCOB). A random digit dial household phone survey was used to select 1,708 households with at least one child aged 3-18 years from five cities in New Jersey. There were 231 OWOB parent-child dyads in this sample. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the demographic variables significantly associated with the type of weight loss strategy chosen. Results: Males had higher odds of using PA and both eating and PA when compared to females. Higher income adults had higher odds of using all types of weight loss strategies compared to lower income adults. Adults with college education had higher odds of using eating and both eating and PA when compared to those with high school education. Older children (6-11 and 12-19 years) had higher odds of using PA when compared to younger children (2-5 years). Children of foreign-born parents (> 10 years in the US) had higher odds of using eating to lose weight compared to the children of US born parents. Children overall had higher odds of adopting a weight loss strategy if it was also adopted by the parent. In subgroup analysis, parent-child dyads had higher odds of adopting similar strategies among older children (12-19) and among girls, but this association did not hold true for younger children (2-11 years) and among boys for PA. Conclusion: Older OWOB children (12-19) and female children had higher odds of adopting their parents’ weight loss strategies. Younger children did not follow the same pattern as their parents and among boys concordance was observed only for eating strategies. Results from the study may inform future family-based weight management interventions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Exercise and Wellness 2016

abstract: While incarceration can be detrimental for inmates, the children of prisoners can suffer from behavioral issues, poor school performance, and a higher risk of crime and delinquency across the life-course. Separation from one's family is part of what makes incarceration a punishment, but what can be done to ensure that this punishment has the least harmful effect on children? Prison visitation presents an intriguing opportunity to lessen the potential harms of parental incarceration. Using data from the Arizona Prison Visitation Project (APVP), the current study focuses on inmates who were parents to minor children and seeks to determine: 1) do different types and different amounts of prison contact (in-person, phone, and mail) correlate with changes in the quality of parent-child relationships and 2) does a change in parent-child relationship quality correlate with a change in child behavior. The results from the analysis suggest that visitation and mail contact are associated with positive increases in parent-child relationship quality. Also, positive changes in parent-child relationship quality were associated with a decrease in the odds of children having behavioral problems during incarceration. This study provides some support for the ability that prison contact can have to increase relationship quality, which in turn, may decrease the presence of behavioral issues in the children of incarcerated parents. Future directions in policy should consider measures to subsidize or refund contact costs, encourage contact between parents and their children, and involve children in in-prison programming designed to improve contact and relationships between parents and their children. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Criminology and Criminal Justice 2017