Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2007. / Lack of parental involvement in primary schools has been a burning issue to fellow educators, school managers and departmental officials in Mankweng Circuit in Limpopo Province. Parents too were dissatisfied about their children’s performance. The main aim of this study was to investigate causes which hinder learner performance and intend to develop or propose strategies to be used to improve learner performance. Research and practice indicate that parental involvement remains a crucial topic effort to enhance school effectiveness. However, principals in schools still experience a number of problems in this regard and do not succeed in obtaining optimal involvement of parents. The present research therefore investigated the Impact of Parental Involvement on Learner Performance. Although it was possible to isolate factors responsible for non-involvement of parents, it is clear that each of these factors must not be seen in isolation, they cumulatively compound the problem of Parental Involvement. Method used for this study was qualitative and quantitative approaches. Populations were from parents, principals, heads of departments and educators. Questionnaires, interviews, observations and documents were used as instruments to obtain information from respondents. Data was analysed using tables and figures. The major findings of the research revealed that, principals are of the opinion that parents in rural areas and lower socio-economic areas present a special problem as they lack interest in parental involvement in schools for education of their children. / Not listed

The focus of this thesis is the evaluation of three forms of an empirically-based cognitive-behavioural parenting program for separated families with adolescent children. However, to initially determine the existence of lasting affects of parental separation (occurring during childhood and adolescence), an exploratory study used a sample of 272 young adults (aged between 18 and 30 years) from intact families and 78 young adults from separated families. This study investigated the impact of parental marital status on young adult psychological adjustment, interpersonal relationships, attitudes toward divorce, and interpersonal behaviour problems. Results indicated that the effects of parental separation on father-child relationships persist into adulthood for men and women. Further, young women from separated families also reported more accepting attitudes toward divorce, and earlier age at entering into de facto or marital relationships. Young men reported more di fficulties in their relationships with mothers, moving out of the family home at a younger age, and higher levels of verbal attack behaviours in romantic relationships compared to their peers from intact families. Importantly, results suggested that both young children and adolescents experience adverse consequences of parental separation, albeit in different adjustment domains. Given these results, the need for intervention was established. While considerable efforts have gone into the development of intervention programs for young children from separated families, few efforts have focused on adolescents whose parents have separated. To redress this situation, this thesis describes the development and evaluation of three forms of delivery of a parenting program for separated families with adolescent children - group, individual, and telephone-assisted. Study 2 investigated the efficacy and acceptability of the Youth Adjustment to Parental Separation (YAPS) program - an empirically-based group cognitive-beha vioural parenting program for separated families with adolescent children. Overall, the results from this initial trial with four mothers suggested that the program was implemented as planned and that the program was acceptable to mothers. Further, the program lead to improvements in mothers' perceptions of adolescent symptomatology and their own symptomatology. However, there was limited or inconsistent change in mothers' perceptions of family relationships, the coparenting relationship, and their parenting practises, and in adolescents' perceptions of interparental conflict, coping, negative separation-related events, and problematic beliefs. Furthermore, adolescents reported deterioration in family communication and their own symptomatology. Based on the results of Study 2 and the limitations identified, recommendations were made regarding improvements to the YAPS program and to the procedures used to evaluate program effectiveness. According to the recommendations made in Study 2, the efficacy and acceptability of the YAPS program delivered as a therapist-administered individual program was evaluated with six families in Study 3. Results indicated that the program is acceptable to mothers, and that it leads to improvements in adolescent adjustment, parent adjustment, mother-adolescent relationships, father-contact, adolescent exposure to interparental conflict and other negative-separation-related events, and mothers' perceptions of family relationships. Less consistent changes were observed for adolescent ratings of family relationships, and the father-adolescent relationship, however improvements in the father-adolescent relationship were associated with increased levels of f ather-contact. Consistent improvements in adolescents' coping and their appraisal of parental separation were not observed. However, there appeared to be a relationship between parental utilisation of coping strategies and adolescent coping, suggesting that promoting adolescent coping indirectly through parental modelling and parental encouragement is an appropriate intervention strategy. Study 4 evaluated the efficacy and acceptability of the YAPS program delivered as a telephone-assisted program. Results indicated that the program is acceptable to mothers, and that it improves adolescent perceptions of family communication, their own coping, and their relationship with their father. However, mothers' ratings of their own and their child's adjustment, and adolescent ratings of their own adjustment did not change. Further, expected improvements in mothers' parenting practises, the mother-adolescent relationship, separation-related negative-events, separation-related beliefs, and the coparenting relationship were not observed. Overall, improvements observed in the evaluation of the minimal-contact, telephone-assisted YAPS program (Study 4) were considerably less than those observed in the evaluation of the individual therapist-assisted, face-to-face program (Study 3). Future evaluations of the YAPS program need to address the limitations of the current series of studies, particularly, comparison to a wait-list control group is required so that threats to internal validity can be minimised.

<p>This study investigated the extent to which memories of parental rearing were related to the quality of parent and peer attachment, and whether parent and peer attachment were correlated with social anxiety feelings among 510 Chinese high school students. Memories of parental rearing were measured by the My Memories of Upbringing for Children (EMBU-C), The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) was used to assess attachment quality and social anxiety was assessed by Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) with adolescents in two age-groups. Consistent with findings from Western samples, the analyses revealed significant associations between attachment and memories of parental warm emotions as well as with memories of parental rejection. Attachment scores were related to level of social anxiety. Moreover, peer attachment was stronger associated with the adolescent¡¯s social anxiety feelings than parent attachment. However, the age differences were found across each measure scale. Furthermore, fathers showed a moderately more important role in the adolescent¡¯s social development than mothers. The findings indicate that in spite of considerable consistency with findings from Western studies, child-parent attachment in Chinese adolescents is also influenced by culture-specific practices that shape the youth-parent relationships and their meaning to the child.</p>

<p>Syftet med denna C-uppsats är att studera hur olika utformningar av föräldraförsäkringen påverkar enskilda föräldrapars familjesituation. Upprinnelsen till att vi kom att intressera oss för detta var det förslag om reformerad föräldraförsäkring som kom från en utredning om föräldraförsäkringen i september 2005. Förslaget har till största delen inte trätt ikraft ännu beroende på att dess utformning kräver en utökning av föräldradagarna, och det är inte aktuellt i dagsläget. Det vi fann intressant att studera var hur familjer påverkas av att utformningen av föräldraförsäkringen förändras och vad det skulle kunna innebära om utredningens förslag träder ikraft. För att kunna studera detta valde vi att göra en enkätundersökning bland småbarnsföräldrar för att ta reda på hur olika utformningar påverkar den enskilda familjen.</p><p>Det teoretiska underlag vi har haft som utgångspunkt inför denna studie är SOU 2005:73 – Reformerad föräldraförsäkring ”Kärlek omvårdnad trygghet” och Lisbeth Bekkengens (sociolog och fil dr i arbetsvetenskap) avhandling Man får välja – om föräldraskap och föräldraledighet i arbetsliv och familjeliv. Utifrån detta har vi sammanfattningsvis inriktat oss på hur föräldraförsäkringen används för att reglera uttag och fördelning av föräldradagar i syfte att öka jämställdheten, samt hur den ska verka för barnens bästa. Ett centralt begrepp som vi återkommer till genom hela uppsatsen är den barnorienterade maskuliniteten, som förklarar vad som kan ligga bakom många mäns resonemang när det gäller uttag av föräldradagar.</p><p>Med syftet och teorin som underlag har enkätundersökningen utformats och genomförts. Den kom att besvaras av 57 föräldrapar. Utifrån detta har sedan resultatet av undersökningen, samt påföljande analys presenterats. Ett centralt resultat var att föräldrarna inte ansåg att jämställdheten skall ökas genom föräldraförsäkringen och dess utformning, utan det är barnens väl som bör komma i första hand. Uppsatsen avslutas med diskussion och slutsatser, där den mest framträdande slutsatsen var svårigheten att kunna förena föräldraskap för barnets bästa och för jämställdheten mellan könen.</p>

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Parental involvement in education is accepted as an important aspect of learner academic achievement. In fact, there is research evidence that associates high learner achievement with high rates of parental involvement. However, judging by the poor levels of achievement attained by learners in, for instance, areas like reading, writing and numeracy in primary school grades, the question rises as to whether parental involvement is consciously promoted in primary schools. This empirical research intended to investigate how parental involvement is currently promoted in primary schools. The literature review revealed the basic obligations of schools and parents as expressed in Epstein's six typologies of parental involvement, which form the basis of all endeavours towards enhancing parental involvement. Consequently, it is concluded that strategies or programmes aimed at promoting parental involvement, must embody parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, participation in decision-making and collaboration with the community. In this regard, the child's environment should be regarded as an ecology consisting of the school, home and community. The main empirical research finding indicates generally, that the meaning attached to parental involvement falls short of its essence, and focuses on response activities from both school staff and parents. The main recommendation, therefore, is advocacy that begins with empowering all stakeholders with regard to the essence of parental involvement. In this regard, the Empowerment Approach to Parental Involvement (EAPI) recommended in this research, proposes a model that empowers individual schools and the community, through a school-based and cluster-based focus. The EAPI model presents a series of actions leading to a modus operandi that recognises the power of zenzele (do it yourself) for schools and parents, and masakhane (doing it for ourselves together) for school clusters and the community. Both concepts utilise principles based on ubuntu and express the adage: "it takes a village to raise a child." / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Douglas W. Tallamy, Dept. of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology. Includes bibliographical references.

Childhood overweight and obesity is a significant public health concern, especially among children of different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. This dissertation provides insight into one such population: Asian youth in the U.S. Three studies - two literature reviews and one quantitative study - compose this dissertation, which aims to understand dietary behaviors of Asian-American youths using a theoretical framework. The first study is a systematic literature review of existing health education/promotion theories and models used to study eating/feeding practices for preschool-aged children. The main purpose of this study was to review and critique theories and constructs utilized in nutrition research on preschool-aged children, while also providing recommendations for strengthening theory utilization and diversifying nutrition research in the future. Forty articles were included, of which 43% had clear identification of theory/constructs and a strong theoretical framework. The most common finding was modeling's effect on children's dietary behaviors, followed by the relationship between parental restriction/control and children's dietary behaviors. The second study was a systematic literature review of dietary behaviors of children of Asian background in the U.S. The aims of this review were three-fold: (a) to review literature regarding Asian-American youths' dietary behaviors, (b) to critically evaluate the methodological quality of such research, and (c) provide recommendations for future nutrition-related research on Asian-American youths. Fifteen articles were included. Major findings included: (a) frequent consumption of milk, fruit, meat, unenriched white rice, vegetables, and high-fat and high-sugar items among Asian-American children and (b) acculturation's effect on Asian-American youths' dietary behaviors. The third study was an investigation of cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences on dietary behaviors of Asian-American preschool-aged children on WIC using Social Cognitive Theory. Analyses included descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression on a sample of 68 Asian caregiver-child pairs in Texas. Results revealed consumption of 100% juices, fruits, vegetables, and white rice. In addition, adult fruit consumption frequency, adult potato consumption frequency, adult other vegetable consumption frequency, and outcome expectancies were statistically significant predictors of child's fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings from this dissertation will help nutrition education and health professionals culturally tailor obesity prevention programs for Asian Americans.

This study investigated the extent to which memories of parental rearing were related to the quality of parent and peer attachment, and whether parent and peer attachment were correlated with social anxiety feelings among 510 Chinese high school students. Memories of parental rearing were measured by the My Memories of Upbringing for Children (EMBU-C), The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) was used to assess attachment quality and social anxiety was assessed by Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) with adolescents in two age-groups. Consistent with findings from Western samples, the analyses revealed significant associations between attachment and memories of parental warm emotions as well as with memories of parental rejection. Attachment scores were related to level of social anxiety. Moreover, peer attachment was stronger associated with the adolescent¡¯s social anxiety feelings than parent attachment. However, the age differences were found across each measure scale. Furthermore, fathers showed a moderately more important role in the adolescent¡¯s social development than mothers. The findings indicate that in spite of considerable consistency with findings from Western studies, child-parent attachment in Chinese adolescents is also influenced by culture-specific practices that shape the youth-parent relationships and their meaning to the child.

Purpose and methods: Effective parental education about newborn screening (NBS) may help to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of screening. We investigated experiences, knowledge and opinions regarding NBS education among Ontario mothers. Mothers whose infants recently received NBS were invited to complete a mailed survey (n=1712). Results: Of the 750 participants, 93% recalled their infant receiving NBS, while 69% recalled receiving information about NBS. Of this group, fewer than 50% reported receiving information prenatally, yet a majority of mothers (64%) viewed this as the most important time for education. Those who received information prenatally reported higher satisfaction (OR 2.4). The 40% of mothers who recalled being informed about the meaning of results had higher knowledge about NBS (OR 2.7) and reported higher satisfaction (OR 4.2). Conclusions: Parental education about NBS could place greater emphasis on the prenatal period and on fostering understanding about the meaning of results.