published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The current study examined the protective effect of parenting-adolescent communication about sex on four risky sexual behaviors (age of onset of sex, number of sex partners, condom use, and STDs) among youth, framed by the Theory of Planned Behavior. It also tested for potential mediation effects between parent-adolescent communication and risky sex measures by sexual cues, date rape attitudes, and acceptance of dating violence in a sample of 2,245 college students from Japan, Slovenia, Spain, and the United States. Results provided evidence of a weak effect of parent-adolescent communication about sex on risky sexual behaviors across samples. A number of cultural influences were also found in the effects by mediators: sexual cues predicted risky sexual behaviors only in the Japanese sample; date rape attitudes was a predictor in the American and Slovenian samples; acceptance of dating violence predicted more risky sexual behaviors only in the American sample; and no significant effects were found in the Spanish sample. Several competing explanations were examined in the discussion to better understand the complex and dynamic interaction between parents and their adolescents as well as the role of culture. More studies are needed to better understand the associations between parent-adolescent communication about sex and risky sexual behaviors.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen Myers-Bowman / Female adolescent sexual behavior has several potential negative life consequences including: pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection, and HIV/AIDS. Educating parents on how they play a role in the decision-making process regarding the sexual behavior of their adolescent daughters has important implications for Family Life Educators. This thesis explores maternal influence on the risky sexual behavior of female adolescents related to age at first sexual intercourse, contraceptive use, and number of partners. ANOVA was used to explore the relationships between a variety of aspects in the mother-daughter relationship. Findings show there are associations between time spent together, perceptions of closeness, and communication in mother-daughter relationships, and contraceptive use at first and most recent intercourse and total number of partners.

Este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa sobre a estrutura celular da família, percebida como uma corrente, em que a fragilidade de um dos elos (desgaste ou rompimento) pode fazer ruir toda a sua poderosa estrutura. Foram objeto de análise as obras Pequenos burgueses, Casa na duna e Uma abelha na chuva, de Carlos de Oliveira. Estudaram-se, separadamente e em conjunto, as relações familiares: pai, mãe, filhos, marido e mulher, e o papel representado por cada um, no seio de uma família tradicional de modelo judaico-cristão, que, no advento da modernidade, vê seus valores contestados, fragilizados e, pouco a pouco, desmoronando. Patriarcalismo e Marialvismo, submissão da mulher, desconstrução do masculino, desejos insatisfeitos, comportamentos sexuais tidos como modelares, são alguns dos aspectos discutidos em Estranhamento, desencontros e solidão: a representação da família na ficção de Carlos de Oliveira. Foi possível detectar, nos romances, a ausência de afetividade entre parceiros, talvez provocada por uniões firmadas em bases de interesses que não levam em consideração o amor, mas a manutenção de um status social no qual o casamento é um movimento inercial que permite a homens e mulheres manterem o patrimônio herdado, ou se torna uma mercadoria em que se troca sangue por dinheiro. Carlos de Oliveira, numa perspectiva temporal, desconstrói e desmistifica a família de modelo tradicional, revelando suas mazelas e os comportamentos hipócritas, tecidos de falso moralismo, percebidos na moral dúbia de seus elementos humanos. / This work is a result of a research on the cellular structure of the family, seen as a chain, in which the fragility of one of the links (consuming or breakage) can drop all its powerful structure. The dissertation analyzes Casa na duna, Pequenos burgueses e Uma abelha na chuva, novels by Carlos de Oliveira. We studied, separately and in set, the familiar relations: father, mother, children, husband and wife and the role played by them in the family circle of a traditional Jewish-Christian family, that, in the advent of modernity, sees its values contested and, little by little, pulling down. Patriarchal System and Marialvismo, submission of women, unsatisfied desires, deconstruction of the male, patterned sexual behaviors, are some of the aspects argued in Estranhamento, desencontros e solidão: a representação da família na ficção de Carlos de Oliveira. It was possible to detect, in the novels, the lack of affection between partners, perhaps caused by unions signed on bases of interests that do not take in consideration the love, but the social maintenance of one status in which the marriage is an inertial motion that allows to the men and women to keep the inherited patrimony, or becomes a merchandise in which it exchanges blood for money. Carlos de Oliveira, in a secular perspective, deconstructs and demystifies the family of traditional model, disclosing to its wounds and the hypocritical behaviors, made of false value judgment, perceived in the dubious morality of its human elements.

Adolescents with developmental disabilities (DD) experience regular physical and sexual development. Some adolescents with developmental disabilities engage in problematic sexual behaviors (PSB). In order to be able to address the needs of this population in terms of prevention of PSB, and provision of effective treatment after PSB has begun, their experience must be understood and contributing factors identified. It is with this in mind that this study was designed, with the purpose being the exploration of the experiences of adolescents with DD who have engaged in sexually problematic behaviors, including compulsive or addictive patterns of behavior, and to identify the contributing factors for engaging in these behaviors. A grounded theory approach with a directed analysis component was used. Eleven participants were interviewed including five persons with developmental disabilities (PWDD) and six parents regarding the experiences of seven different individuals with DD who have engaged in PSB. Results of this study indicate that the presence of a DD increases the complexity of this experience. A model was created to explain the overall process of engaging in PSB as requiring exposure, motivation, opportunity, and deficits in sexual education. In addition, nine different factors were identified that may be contributing factors that increase the risk of an individual with DD engaging in PSB. These results may be of value for parents of children with DD, service providers, and educators.

Sexual risk behaviors among U.S. adolescents is a major public health concern. Adolescents are contracting sexually transmitted diseases at alarming rates. The purpose of this research was to identify factors related to parent-child interactions that influence adolescent sexual behaviors. A combination of attachment theory and family systems theory was used to help explain how adolescent sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, use of condoms, multiple sex partners in a 12-month period) are affected by the perceived quality of parent-child interactions (maternal/parental closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement). Archival data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Longitudinal Survey of Child and Young Adult cohort 1979 (NLSY79) was used for this research. A sample of 11,504 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and their biological mothers who participated in the longitudinal survey, was drawn. Nonparametric analyses revealed significant differences in adolescent perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness and maternal perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents' perceptions of parental engagement (maternal and paternal closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement) significantly affected their sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, condoms, and multiple partners). The results of this study can be used to initiate positive social change by informing parents, program developers, and researchers. Developing strategies to guide parents and adolescents to develop positive perceptions of the interactions, closing the gap between adolescent and parental perceptions of interactions, will help reduce adolescent risky sexual behaviors, thereby benefiting the individuals, families, and the community.

The level system is a behavioral procedure that alters the status of a participant contingent on his or her behaviors; within each level the amount of reinforcement is different. In most cases, level systems are paired with another form of treatment such as a token economy. In the current study, the effectiveness of a level system with a built in token economy was evaluated within three intensive residential group homes with 3 male participants. Each participant was diagnosed with mental retardation and behavioral issues. The level system was comprised of 5 different levels, each having different privileges and reinforcers. Each participant received token dollars for displaying replacement behaviors and the tokens were used to purchase items from a token store. A preference assessment was conducted to determine the items and their values. The results of the current study suggest that a level system with a built in token economy is an effective form of treatment in managing severe, inappropriate behaviors in individuals with mental retardation residing in a group home setting.

Este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa sobre a estrutura celular da família, percebida como uma corrente, em que a fragilidade de um dos elos (desgaste ou rompimento) pode fazer ruir toda a sua poderosa estrutura. Foram objeto de análise as obras Pequenos burgueses, Casa na duna e Uma abelha na chuva, de Carlos de Oliveira. Estudaram-se, separadamente e em conjunto, as relações familiares: pai, mãe, filhos, marido e mulher, e o papel representado por cada um, no seio de uma família tradicional de modelo judaico-cristão, que, no advento da modernidade, vê seus valores contestados, fragilizados e, pouco a pouco, desmoronando. Patriarcalismo e Marialvismo, submissão da mulher, desconstrução do masculino, desejos insatisfeitos, comportamentos sexuais tidos como modelares, são alguns dos aspectos discutidos em Estranhamento, desencontros e solidão: a representação da família na ficção de Carlos de Oliveira. Foi possível detectar, nos romances, a ausência de afetividade entre parceiros, talvez provocada por uniões firmadas em bases de interesses que não levam em consideração o amor, mas a manutenção de um status social no qual o casamento é um movimento inercial que permite a homens e mulheres manterem o patrimônio herdado, ou se torna uma mercadoria em que se troca sangue por dinheiro. Carlos de Oliveira, numa perspectiva temporal, desconstrói e desmistifica a família de modelo tradicional, revelando suas mazelas e os comportamentos hipócritas, tecidos de falso moralismo, percebidos na moral dúbia de seus elementos humanos. / This work is a result of a research on the cellular structure of the family, seen as a chain, in which the fragility of one of the links (consuming or breakage) can drop all its powerful structure. The dissertation analyzes Casa na duna, Pequenos burgueses e Uma abelha na chuva, novels by Carlos de Oliveira. We studied, separately and in set, the familiar relations: father, mother, children, husband and wife and the role played by them in the family circle of a traditional Jewish-Christian family, that, in the advent of modernity, sees its values contested and, little by little, pulling down. Patriarchal System and Marialvismo, submission of women, unsatisfied desires, deconstruction of the male, patterned sexual behaviors, are some of the aspects argued in Estranhamento, desencontros e solidão: a representação da família na ficção de Carlos de Oliveira. It was possible to detect, in the novels, the lack of affection between partners, perhaps caused by unions signed on bases of interests that do not take in consideration the love, but the social maintenance of one status in which the marriage is an inertial motion that allows to the men and women to keep the inherited patrimony, or becomes a merchandise in which it exchanges blood for money. Carlos de Oliveira, in a secular perspective, deconstructs and demystifies the family of traditional model, disclosing to its wounds and the hypocritical behaviors, made of false value judgment, perceived in the dubious morality of its human elements.

Adolescent fertility is a problem that is urgent in developing countries due to rapid population growth rates. To gain a better understanding of adolescent fertility within developing countries a study was undertaken to examine adolescent sexual behavior among teens within a developing country, Zambia. A self-administered questionnaire was given to secondary school going teenage women in Zambia. The sample population consisted of 503 women between the ages of 12 and 19. The survey was analyzed using both regression and univariate analysis of the data. The findings revealed that a high percentage of the teens have initiated sexual activity; yet few (4.2%) have ever used modern contraceptive methods. Suggestions were made for family planning programs that would involve both parents and their children.

Introduction: The search is on to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, but for the time being the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ could not be more relevant to the HIV/AIDS context. Recently, attention to social and behavioral risk factors gave researchers the opportunity to explore new ways of developing interventions. Objectives: In an attempt to further explore these risk factors this study is comparing the difference in prevalence between the genders, and assessing the HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in two populations; Zimbabwe, an African country with high HIV prevalence, and Senegal, an African country with low HIV prevalence. Method: The 2010-2011 Senegal DHS and the 2010-2011 Zimbabwe DHS were used secondary data for this study. They were both nationally representative datasets. Sample sizes of study population were 16,271from Zimbabwe and 20,102 from Senegal. IBM SPSS 22 was used to run chi-square tests for descriptive results of all independent and dependent variables, and binary logistic regression for associations between HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior and HIV status, as well as the women’s status and HIV status, and associations between these factors. Results: The results showed that n both countries, HIV infection had significantly positive associations with having more than one sex partners (Zimbabwe OR 1.117, Senegal OR 2.779). Moreover, the variables of women’s status varied between Zimbabwe and Senegal. HIV status in Zimbabwe was negatively associated with women's participation in decision-making about their own health, while it associated with this variable positively in Senegal (Zimbabwe OR 0.651, Senegal OR 1.969). Conclusion: Having more than one sexual partner were important indicators for HIV infection in both countries. Women in Zimbabwe seem to be more powerful than women in Senegal. Continued intervention research is warranted as there are clear patterns of risk between Zimbabwe and Senegal that highlight opportunities for more tailored prevention efforts surrounding gender roles, HIV knowledge, attitudes, and sexual risk-taking behavior.