The study hypotheses, based on sociobiology, were that the more committed and positive the parental relationship, the greater the likelihood of breastfeeding and of later weaning. Data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was used; sample size was 3635, and over half were African- 2merican. In a logistic...
It is well established that family members,
particularly adult children, are involved in their frail
parents' decision making. It remains unclear however, how
intergenerational decision-making influence is exercised and
how it relates to personal and relationship characteristics.
This study examined the impact of decision-making strategies
and a mother's level of...
The increasing elderly population is creating a
greater need for care providers. Research indicates that
while caregiving can be rewarding, it can also generate
stress which, in turn, impacts individual well-being.
Social support, however, may foster the well-being of
persons who are experiencing stressful events.
The purpose of this study...
The relationship between mothers and daughters has been shown to be
generally positive and strong throughout the life cycle. The relationship may
become strained, however, as mothers become dependent due to deteriorating
health or chronic health conditions. It has long been recognized in both the
gerontological and intergenerational literatures that...
The two studies of this dissertation examined mothers' perspectives of nonresident fathers' involvement in low-income families. The overall goal of these studies was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of nonresident fathers' involvement and its effect on family well-being. In the first study I applied a relatively new methodology, zero-inflated...
Every year thousands of families experience a major
life-changing event when they are torn from their
homeland and become refugees. Little is known about how
the refugee experience impacts the family and how members
perceive it affects their sense of family identity. The
construct of family identity as proposed by...
Women have long been responsible for the unpaid and under-recognized work of maintaining homes and family relationships (Walker, 1999). In this dissertation, I use feminist theories to address the connections between women's unpaid family work and their family relationships. I explore family ties between (a) aging mothers and their care...
The focus of this study is the American military
family. The primary purpose is to examine the family from
the paradigm of a distinct occupational subculture and,
substantiating that existence, to understand the
implications of work-family role conflict of the military
family. The objectives are to substantiate the military
as...
Losing a job affects all members of the family. Adults frequently become so preoccupied they forget unemployment has an emotional, as well as financial, impact on their children. Children depend on their parents for emotional security. When parents are tense, upset, and inattentive, much of this security is gone.
Sometimes through no fault of their own,
parents find themselves out of work. A factory
may close, sales may be down, or their health
may fail. Whatever the cause, unemployment
(not having a job) affects everyone in the family.